Courier

by Renaissance Muffins

Rating: mature
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Original Character, Tragedy, Adventure
Length: 51143

Letter Bee, a courier of Clackerton, takes a request from a passing childhood friend. After returning home, an imminent coup is unraveled and stopped but at a cost.

Letter Bee, a courier of Clackerton, takes a request from a passing childhood friend. After returning home, an imminent coup is unraveled and stopped but at a cost- his mother.

In the midst of finding his mother, Letter is forced into lands of frozen wastes and heavy snow. Where he is found by locals foraging for food. He is lead to a kingdom on the far side of the world that even Celestia has not known about. A kingdom far more ancient than Canterlot and one holding more secrets behind his mother's past. Secrets that answer more questions than he had before...

Thanks to Backburner and Written Out for editing and suggestions

Published 2012-12-07 20:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-26 16:14:53 UTC

Chapter 1: To and Fro and Back Again

1

Fall. Day 1. Evening. Clackerton

Today, and rather early, the first snow fell as I delivered the last letter in my route. My mom supported my decision to join EPPS. She called it the first step to adulthood and for some strange reason, I was nervous that she would say no. Perhaps it's more of the fact that as part of EPPS, is that they deliver outside of Clackerton. It was a relatively new branch of the local post office, so it hasn't gotten all its bearings together yet.

I've never been outside of Clackerton, but I've looked at plenty of maps to see what was. Canterlot and Ponyville were to the east, Howlite Forest and The Crystal Kingdom to the north, the Frozen Desert and Arid Flats to the west, and Canis Village and  Appleloosa to the south. Both Busy and father supported me as well agreeing that as a young colt that my thirst for adventure was insatiable.

Today I write from Clackerton's large clock tower which had recently chimed its bell, marking the last hour of the afternoon and the first of the evening. Apricot joined me in relaxing up here. She spotted me trotting from Auction Square to the tower after I had dropped off my empty messenger bag in my office locker. The chilly air was enough for Apricot to wear her favorite light green sweater with boots to match. She even wore a hat to cover her ears. It all complimented her coat pretty well. She was rather cute, bundled up and sleeping in the corner with some animals that followed her from the forest. I was never too sure about holding a romantic relationship, but perhaps she understood that without me telling her.

I pulled my gaze away from her and stared outside towards the setting sun. The smallest specs of snow revealed themselves and vanished in the sun's rays. I figured that by tomorrow there would at least be a thin layer of snow. The clock tower was always a nice place to view the entire town. During the winter, even more so. The thick blankets of snow that have fallen before have created something that would be like a painting. Aside from that, There was always something new that was springing up from somewhere in town. It could be a parade, a new house, the sound of the auctioneer's yelling from the Square.

Although the clock tower itself was rather nice to look at. The clock tower's archways that lead out to its small balcony provided a glimpse, from the street, of the large copper bell that hung from inside. Each one of the outer walls had a clock face that were a translucent canvas-like material. Each hand was crafted from iron using an intricate braid. The cranking of the large gears that spun them was mostly quiet.

2

Fall. Day 2. Late Afternoon. Clackerton

I received an acceptance letter for EPPS and was immediately tasked with delivering a Class D letter. The classes were there to organize their priority, can't have royal scrolls getting stuck somewhere in the middle. The acceptance letter arrived in the mail while I was away on my own route. I came across Apricot on my way home, who congratulated me once I had found out.

I went back to the post office to get the letter that awaited there. I was then directed to deliver it to the Palatial Manor to a pony named Whisk. When I arrived, I rung the doorbell and awaited a response. A rather odd looking stallion answered the door and as I handed him the letter, he invited me in. Insisting that he would rather not have me waiting out in the cold. I accepted his offer with some hesitation, though.  As he turned away and began writing a response to it, I took in the grand site of the architecture of the Manor. It was of Gothic nature, high vaulted ceilings and stone walls with embedded pillars of bronze. No doubt that this building was meant to withstand centuries of wear.

Turning my attention back to Whisk, who had began whispering the letter aloud to himself, stood before a wooden desk. The sunlight blaring through the window barely bothered him. His rusty beard, short in length, a mane that almost blended in with is butter yellow coat, and his eyes matched his tail with a sage green color. It was as if he had pulled every recessive trait from his parents that was possible. It's unusual seeing such a unique scheme of colors on a single pony. Soon he took his teeth to a pen and began scratching a new blank sheet of parchment.

He finished his letter rather quickly and returned to me, hoofing over an addressed and properly stamped. I reported back to EPPS and reported my progress to my sister, Busy. She worked as the secretary for EPPS. The letter was addressed to Ponyville and she recommended that I leave tonight to deliver it on time, as it was already late in its arrival here.

Before leaving EPPS, the building, Busy tossed me my new uniform. It consisted of a scarf and a hat. Each had a matching badge presenting a pony on an envelope stitched into specific spots on them. On the scarf, which was long, it was placed on both ends and the hat had it stitched into the top. The hat is a beret with a short bill instead of the standard postal cap. Both pieces matched each other, the scarf held an argyle pattern though. Their colors were dull blue and white. Aside from the two new pieces of clothing, Busy also supplied me with a small journal for record keeping, something that every EPPS member needed to keep track off. Mostly delivery times and whether or not the customer wanted the member to deliver something for them immediately.

More writing for me, I suppose. I shall be making the trip to Ponyville after dinner tonight. I'd rather not leave on an empty stomach. I'm actually rather anxious of how things are going to turn out.

3

Fall. Day 3. Morning .Ponyville

My overnight trip to Ponyville wasn't all too interesting, just the forest canopy and the stars. I managed to cover the distance between Clackerton and Ponyville within a few hours. I recall there being quite a few strange events surrounding the town. Discord and Nightmare Moon were two of the more notable incidents. I recall that the Blight had passed over this place as well, from the few accounts I read about it. I think most ponies at this point may have forgotten about it by now. A good five or six years have passed since then. Still I wondered what was the cause of the Blight was and what its inflictions were. Anyways, I should draw away from that. I'd rather not make up any baseless theories on the matter.

I came upon a house of a rather older mare who eyes seemed like she had seen her fair share of hardships. Her tired eyes and coat were the same rose pink, red mane and tail, a silver horn contrasted her coat though. I wondered why it was different. I felt it would be rude to ask. When I gave her the letter, she encompassed it in a silver glow. Her eyes widened a bit as she read the letter. She, like Whisk, asked me to wait by the door.

As I waited, I saw that the classic white picket fence that surrounded her front yard kept a wide variety of flowers. Some of which I actually recognized, as my mother had the same ones in hers. I saw another mare in her garden, I presumed it was her daughter, quietly picking out the weeds and piling them up. Then a stallion approached the fence from the other side, showing her an incomplete wreath of rosemary sprigs. Neither one of them seemed to mind me waiting here.

Suddenly I heard the front creak open again, snapping me away from the distraction. The old mare let out a short snicker before speaking, “Here you are.” She placed a small package before me, which appeared to contain something about the size of a jar.

The box was surprisingly addressed to Flight Gear, “You know Flight Gear?” I questioned curiously.

“We're old friends, I suppose you could say that he helped me out.” She smiled, “You must be Letter Bee, then. He's told me a few things about you. Says you've got a good thirst for adventure, something my husband has always lacked.” She cleared her throat as if her husband had heard her. “Anyways, take this to Flight and he'll know what to do. One last thing.” she said pulling my ear close to her lips. “You'll be meeting a dragon soon, just kindly introduce yourself to him. He's really quite friendly.”

That statement bothered me for the rest of the day and well into the night. Time had flown by and I suppose I have my getting lost in Ponyville to thank for that. Both upon entering and leaving, mind you. The sun had already begun to set when I began to fly back over the Everfree Forest. I wasn't sure about flying however, as my wings started getting sore from earlier. The muscles were already tensing up. I suppose the annual races and limited flight in Clackerton still weren't enough to keep my wings in good shape.

I took to flying anyways until exhaustion began to kick in. Unfortunately I was still over the Everfree Forest by the time the moon had been raised well into the sky. I thought about sleeping on a cloud but those were lacking and I'd never slept on one before. Instead, I think I'll take to sleeping in a safe spot in one of the taller trees.

4

Fall. Day 4. Morning. Everfree Forest.

I had a strange dream when I fell asleep last night. This odd feeling of drifting away from the sky and slowly, I was pulled into an empty void until a subtle warmth covered my body. As the warm became more present, I felt myself pulled back into the sky and as I gazed back into the empty void, I felt as if I was saying goodbye to somepony I had never met before. When I stopped, everything flashed away in white.

I threw myself forward as if I was late for an early morning class and wound up knocking my head into the tree branch above me. In my daze, I feel from the branch I slept on and tumbled through the branches below. I was stopped by the thread of a vine wrapped around one of my hind legs, leaving me upside down just a hairbreadths above the grass. Then I remembered my bag, scarf and hat. As well as the package that mare had given me. Looking up, I saw the small box tumbling through the branches as well. With a flap of my wings I managed to pull myself up enough to catch the box and my bag. The scarf found itself tangle up in some of the branches and the hat wasn't too far away.

I sat the box on the ground and pondered what to do. The vine appeared too thick to chew through and using my wings didn't work. I couldn't get enough lift from this angle to propel me above the branches. The blood rushing to my head began to make me dizzy and I began mumbling to myself, to lighten my own mood.

After my vision began to blur, I refocused them after hearing a rustle some of the hedges. When I looked in the direction of the noise, I saw nothing. Whatever was there shifted more and more, moved from one place to another in almost an instant. Timber Wolves? I thought. They were certainly not good news and what most ponies know about them in Clackerton is nil. I wasn't one to know any survival methods against them. All I knew was is that traveled in packs and were dangerous. Heck if I know what they eat.

They hopped out of the bushes and from behind trees, one took to charge at me immediately. I dodged it with a quick flap of my wings only to have them trapped in the mouths of two others. I instinctively reached for the package apologized about having to throw it at the timber wolf. It fell apart and I grabbed my bag to throw it at the other one. With my wings free I was able to dodge the wolf the had charged me at first. These timber wolves were distinctively different to the one that I saw when I was younger. The third one fell into shambles as the one that charged me earlier was joined by another two.

The package and bag were out of reach and I was running out of options. I stared at the three of them and considered just head butting the one in the middle until the five of them magically merged together to form one large timber wolf. I didn't back down, how could I? I swung backward with as much force as I possibly could and brought my head forward to collide with the timber wolf's. For a moment, all there was was a loud crack and a sudden burst of pain. When I had reopened my eyes I saw that the wolf had crumbled  apart as if it had run it to a tall post at full speed.

I could however, feel some blood drifting out of my head and make its way across my snout. I turned my attention back to the vine and used one of the sharper sticks from the wolf's remains to cut it as much as I could. It took a few tries, but I managed to cut myself loose. Unfortunately, this lead to a loud and rather uncomfortable snapping sound in my left foreleg as I landed. I immediately reeled back as I gasped for air. I tried to calm myself down but the adrenaline running through me made everything shake uncontrollably.

After grabbing my scarf and hat from the higher parts of the tree, I sought to wrapping my injured leg up somehow. The vine I cut earlier worked well after I covered the injured area with my scarf. I didn't even notice that my head stopped bleeding. After that I took to resting up against the tree trunk. I was absolutely exhausted and defeating those wolves seemed unnatural to me. Perhaps it was just survival instinct. The aid I could apply was something I read about and something that my father told me about.

I should take to covering myself up with some brush, to help camouflage my presence. That dream I had was rather strange.

#5

Fall. Day 4. Early Evening. Everfree Forest. Zecora's House.

I awoke to a cold breeze, but a warm fire. The weight of a blanket covered my back and legs. My weary eyes caught the glimpse of a zebra walking around the room with a large black kettle in the center. There were masks that hung upon the walls that harkened her heritage. Wooden masks carved and painted in exotic shapes and colors. “Excuse me, but where am I?"

"Ah, so you awake. A fair beating you did take. Found beneath a tree, covered with green. Injuries I did treat, using grains of wheat. You're in my humble abode where I dwell and I shall treat you well."

Her rhyming threw me off at first, but as I listened to her more I found that it was her natural way of speaking. "I suppose introductions are in order then. My name is Letter Bee. How did you find me, anyways?"

"Zecora, on my way back with some flora." She answered.

"Thanks, I mean it. I had a bout with some timber wolves before you found me. Shouldn't have slept in that tree."

She threw some sliced carrots and spring onions into a smaller kettle she had off to the side. "Ah, I see. At least you broke free. It must have been frightful, those beasts are always spiteful.”

“It was. I'm not even sure how I came out on top.” I told her as I gazed down at my broken, I think, leg. The pain was a mild and drifting stinging sensation, rather uncomfortable really. “I guess I owe you one. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.”

“There is one thing and that is the picking of Flit Springs.” The name sounded familiar. “In the morning we shall go out to the Glade of Sprouts.” I wondered if she was making it up now. “Wings I will need to pick the Springs.”

It wasn't much longer before I heard the howl of wolves in the distance, crying at the full moon. Coincidentally, she had the food ready at the same time. It was a quiet dinner for the most part. I wasn't sure where to start a conversation. I did fill her in on the reasons why I was in the middle of the Everfree Forest. She related my occupation to a wall-eyed pegasus who worked as a local post officer. She also assured me that the package I had was okay. I asked her why she choose to live out here in the middle of such a dangerous forest. She simply answered that it is the best place to get the ingredients for her potion brews.

After we finished eating, she went up some stairs to her room and I remained on the couch to sleep

#6

Fall. Day 5. Noon. Everfree Forest. Zecora's Home.

This morning, I helped Zecora pick the flowers that she needed.  It appears that they grow near the tops of trees along long, entangling vines. She directed me on which ones to pick until I had enough and guided me back to her house.

However, there was a small pond that we stopped by to get a drink of water. When I drank from it, I felt as if a surge of magic flowed through my body. I'm not sure if Zecora saw my reaction to it. I simply told her that water tasted kind of unusual. She cuckled at the thought and told me to relax as she came to drink from the pond quite often. I still wondered what the feeling I had was about.

When we got back to her house, she brewed a potion and took off the makeshift bandage she had crafted out of large leaves and twain to look at the swelling. As she lightly poked at my injured leg to test the swelling, she told me about a friend of hers that taught her some first aid. I related to by telling her a little bit about Apricot. For a moment we thought that they were the same pony until we revealed their names. We both had a good laugh about it. Zecora applied some of the lotion-like substance she brewed to the swelled area to ease both the swelling and the pain. Wrapped it back up and made some lunch shortly afterword.

#7

Fall. Day 5. Late Evening. Clackerton. Home

I made it back home, carrying the package I had as best I could. My leg was still messed up but the pain was minimal thanks to Zecora's treatment. I'm uncertain if there is a broken bone but the possibility is pretty high. I flew home after she pointed me in the right direction and I thanked her again before I left with a hug and the words, “Thank you, you're a good friend.”

I stopped by Flight Gear's home first. He practically lived in his workshop. He signed off the piece of paper I needed to give back to EPPS and took the package. Flight Gear told me that he would have a package for pick up ready by tomorrow.

I took to handing off my report to EPPS and told my sister about what had happened. She hugged me saying that she was glad that I was okay and that she began to worry after I didn't come back in the proper time frame. She assured me that the injury would be covered by the office should I choose to visit the doctor's. I told her that I was planning on doing so anyways. I left her with the slip that Flight Gear signed and my report of everything, excluding conversations and the flower picking.

I visited the doctor's office and he said that the injury should heal up in the next week or two. So long as I don't go using it for anything serious. I will admit that walking around on three legs was difficult but the doctor gave me a temporary flight permit that would last until my leg healed. He said that the head injury I received was nothing to worry about and that the initial concussion had already passed. However, the small gash that was there would be healed in about the same amount of time as my leg. He did admit that he was impressed with what I had done after I told him about the timber wolves.

When I got home, I set my hat and scarf on the the coat rack in my room. Mom and dad weren't around the house. Busy told me that mother had gone to the market to sell the last of the honey we had from last month. Father was busy constructing a bridge to lead from the backside of Clackerton and would connect to another spot of land that would suit more residents of Clackerton. They had workers flattening out what land they needed by carving it out of the side of the mountain. Rock slides and  avalanches were common until they managed to get everything to down a safe route.

For the remainder of the day I stayed in my room until the rest of my family got home. Apricot also showed up, apparently she had asked if I had come back yet as soon as I left for the doctor's. I guess we must have missed each other in the crowded street. She hugged me tighter than Busy did and I hugged back, as much as it threw me off balance. We had dinner together and as we ate, I told the story for a third time.

#8

Fall. Day 6. Mid-Afternoon . Clackerton. Flight Gear's home and workshop.

I arrived at Flight Gear's workshop and home as promised and waited for him to give me the package. Instead, what he gave me was some rather fancy equipment he based off of one the ships he built himself. It's air bladders had been dismantled and all that remained was the rigid steel skeleton that had supported them. Only, he would only gave it to me if I was willing to listen to the story behind his first and probably last ship. He guided me through some of the parts where the wolf had taken his steps.

He guided me down to it to show me. Said he kept the ship hidden underground as a security measure. Telling me that he didn't want he destroyed or stolen. There was a fair layer of dust on the ship, as if he hadn't touched it in years. I think I actually remember seeing him taking off in it and heading westward soon after the wolf saved me from the guards. He didn't like to talk about the three ships that he had taken down with it though.

This was the first time he had told me about them, though. He had taken down three of Equestria's best ships: the Flying Mongoose was their fastest but had poor handling and a low amount of weapons, River Fury was their most prized in terms of agility, and Mountain's Hammer was their strongest and of course slowest. He added that the wolf had taken all three of them out mostly on his own. The Intrepid Goshawk didn't have any weapons of her own other than the magic provided by the crew. The Blight had taken over the ships and their attempt to stop the wolf ultimately failed.

The Mongoose fell after the wolf had defeated a pitch black hydra and then set it aflame and its course into an empty field. Second, was the Hammer, which he took out by exposing its fuel and turning it into a massive fireball. Lastly, River Fury was pulled into a mountain peak by use of a his sword and rather lengthy chain. He then went to finished the Blight creature that took form as another hydra but it breathed fire of different colors and had long tentacle arms.

The wolf had taken in the power of the Blight to fight, it was scary how much power that wolf held. Yet, his companions continued to trust him despite the fact that it was practically a plague that spread by feeding off of magic. Somehow, the wolf was able to keep it contained. “When I saw the wolf sitting, after he had turned to stone, I understood that not every hero achieves their greatness by doing just good deeds. He had taken the risk of something that would potentially overwhelm his mind and fought both against it and with it.” He sighed as he slightly turned the wheel of the ship. “The power to raise the sun or moon means nothing in the face of the Blight. I don't know how it came to be, but I'm glad it's gone now. I don't think that wolf ever asked to be a hero. Whisk, Prudence, Marina, Charger, Wrecker, my beautiful Albedo,  Lark, Tiva, and Doctor Cuffs. Why their names and stories aren't in the history books yet is beyond me. Perhaps it's for the better that it never does.”

He guided me down to the engine room, which could've easily have fitted a small house. He told me some of the basics of how the engine worked. Large containers fueled a combustible engine which would control the elevation of the ship, as well as steering mechanisms by providing extra power to the gears and rods that controlled them. A single turbine ran through the bottom of the ship, separate containers fed that engine and it was mostly used for controlling the ships speed. The exhaust of the two engines went through the same two outlets. Everything to control the flight path of the ship was held in the bridge. A term he coined for an enclosed cabin that would help to protect and provide easier an easier way to communicate with the rest of the crew.

He lead me off the ship and asked me to keep his story between us. After he knew I understood that with all my heart, he pulled out some equipment that he kept hidden under a tarp nearby. “I've been working on this for quite sometime now. It was an old abandoned project that I wanted to mass produce. Granting flight for anypony. Ever since you joined the new branch of the Pony Postal Service, I figured you might be able to use it, if anything.” He spread out the parts individually, revealing a winged apparatus that seemed largely unfinished. Flight Gear set it down on the work bench he had and listed some of its features. Holding each part up with his magic as he went through them. “There's two small turbines with small canisters for fuel. A collapsible wing cover for aerodynamics and protection. Safe exhausts. Runestones for heat and weight reduction. Pitch, yaw and roll are supposed to be controlled by some collapsible rods with rings wrapped around the forelegs. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten around to it quite yet. I've been basing a majority of the design off of the Goshawk, but memory fails me sometimes. Part of why I've been laying off the drinking.”

“You used to swear a lot too, didn't you?” I asked.

“Yea, it's been a couple months now but it's dwindled over the last year.”

“What are runestones, exactly?”

“Stones with engravings. I think there's some alphabet system to them but I have no idea how that works. That's something Prudence would know, I think. That bookworm.”

“Prudence wouldn't happen to be the one I brought the package from, would it?”

“Correct. Anyways, I should have this done within the next couple days. I hope with your injury you'll be having the next few days off. Get well soon, okay?”

“I will, Flight Gear. An injury like this isn't going to stop me any time soon.”

“Of course. Just...don't burn yourself. I don't want my student to die before me.”

Me being his student was a bit of a joke. Since I was the only pegasus in my family, my father found him through some contacts and hired him to train me in flight. Flight Gear had no experience in flight himself but he understood every rule and concept of it. Down to how the littlest thing can create drag and slow the flier down. “Yea, that would be unfortunate. And thanks.”

“You're welcome.”

#9

Fall. Day 10. Early Morning. Clackerton. Apricot's home.

I awoke early today to my sister nudging me awake. She gathered some travel items for me to take before leaving. I had to get up to deliver a package elsewhere. This one would lead me out west and would require two escorts that I would join me once I got into contact with them. The package was about the same size as the one I had delivered to Flight Gear and now it appeared that he wanted me to deliver it to somepony else far west of here. My leg was in good enough condition to let me get back on the job. The bone fracture, as it turned out, was almost healed. The doctor was surprised at how quick it did heal. The pain was there still, but just a slight sting under pressure.

My goodbyes to my family were bittersweet. I didn't know how long this trip would take and there was nothing to insure that I would safely come back home. They wished me the best of luck on my new trip but before I left, I stopped by Apricot's house. It didn't feel right leaving without saying goodbye to her at the very least.

I walked up the stoop to her house, knocked on the door thrice and awaited a response. The cold air and sun rise were uncomfortably calming. Strange. He mother opened the door. She was a pony that I never really saw all that much but the resemblance between the two of them was uncanny.  “Letter Bee, I presume?” I nodded. “She talks about you quite often you know.” She glanced me over from my hat to my saddlebag. “I suppose you're off to deliver a package, then.”

“Yes Ma'am.” I answered politely.

“Of course. I'll fetch her for you.”

She closed the door and I waited again. Apricot's house was nice. It resembled my own a lot and the more I think about it, I think my father actually used the same plan for both of them. The only major difference were the small gardens her mother kept beneath the windows and cobblestone wall to separate the small yard from the road.

Then the door creaked open once again, revealing Apricot's small and tired form. Her hair was disheveled and knotted and eyes weary. “Morning, Letter” She looked me over, just as her mother did. “You're leaving, huh?” She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. Somehow, we both agreed to sit down on the top step without a word, looking toward the street. “You remember when we didn't have to worry?”

“Yea.”

“It seems that's gonna change.”

“Yea.”

“Nervous?”

“Yea, but I'm sure I can do this.”

“Don't be sure, know.”

“Right.”

“I made you something since you came back. Close your eyes for a moment.” I complied and soon I felt her forelegs gently pass down both sides of my neck. “Open them.”

I looked down to and lifted a small gold pendant with floral engravings up from my neck, “A pendant?” She pressed a small button on the side and it flipped open. I smiled, gazing into the tiny head portraits of her and  I. “This is really nice. I love it.”

“I knew you would. I made it so you had something to think about, at least.” She placed her hoof on top mine and leaned in to kiss me and almost immediately pulled away, “I love you.”

Her cheeks turned red and I could feel mine flush up as well. It was something a long time coming. “I love you, too.”

She threw her forelegs around my neck and whispered, “Just come back safely, okay?”

I hugged her back, “I will. I know I will.”

“Good.” She pulled away again. “Just don't keep me waiting.”

“I won't. I'll be back as soon as I'm done.”

#10

Fall. Day 10. Late Afternoon. Dullard.

After saying my rather bittersweet goodbyes to my family and Apricot, I flew out west toward a newly founded village that was still in its early stages. Where Flight Gear said I was to meet two of his old companions. Both of them well known for not only mercenary work, but working as part of Celestia's legion for a short time as well. He described Charger as being a white pegasus with a bright yellow mane who could leave a contrail of yellow light behind him. The other stallion, Wrecker, was as large as Celestia. Full of muscle and stronger than Equestira's toughest creatures and adding that he normally wore armor that resembled the bone and skin of a massive serpent he had killed.

I flew over loads of beautiful scenery on my way to Dullard. A small village that, as I said was founded recently, was named after the pony who had founded it. Kind of funny how that would happen. The vasts plains and forests the crowded around the mountain ranges streaked with varied rivers and falls felt almost sentimental. Fog still rose from those streams of water. I could spot several caravans of merchants and travelers making their own way in the world, taking paths of dirt or worn grass.

These mountains were somewhat dangerous, as strong gusts of winds could spin any pegasus out of control. Thankfully, I had plenty of practice in the time that I did spend just outside of Clackerton, where the flight restrictions didn't apply. Helped a lot during the annual races that I participated in while I was in school.

When I got to Dullard, I found out that village was still relatively small. Hay roofed houses with wooden beams and plaster walls, a fair few still largely unfinished. There were only ten or twelve houses surrounded by a low rise iron fence. I guess it helped to keep out wild animals. Dullard sat between a forest and a river with plenty of room for a train station or port for large zeppelins. I spotted an unusual set of tents at the north end of the village. One of them was distinct enough, bearing the colors and patterns associated with Celestia's legion. The other tents appeared to house the mayor and his family.

I approached a stallion that was guarding the tent which appeared to belong to Celestia. He fit the description of Wrecker. A helmet that appeared to have to been carved from bone and reinforced with large scales dark in color. It was almost as if a dragon had taken the form of a pony. He probably couldn't even fit through the average doorway. He leaned over a bit, “May I help you?” His voice resounded under the armor which covered his entire body.

I nervously spoke up, “Yes, um, I'm looking for two stallions on the behalf of Flight Gear for a delivery.” his size and voice were intimidating. “Wrecker, I presume?”

“Hmm...Correct.” He then held his head high and shouted, “Charger! A visitor.”

Another stallion's voice came from inside the tent, “I hear ya.” A bright white pegasus came out from and introduced himself, “Name's Charger, what can I do you for?” Compared to Wrecker, Charger was like a dwarf. I proceeded to hand him the letter that Flight Gear had given me which he promptly opened and read. “So he wants us to escort you to there, huh? Looks like Prudence and Whisk got the stuff together they needed for Abner.” he sighed and smiled “It'll be good to get him back home.”

“Abner?” I asked.

“Flight Gear never told you his name?” He said, folding the letter back up and placing it in his saddlebag. “Well, I suppose he could've forgotten the wolf's name. He saved Equestria, you know.”

“Really?”

“Yup, I can tell you more of the story later. I've to let Mr. Dullard know that we're leaving and that the paperwork should be going through soon. Wrecker, start packing up our supplies. We'll head out tonight. We've already spent too much time here.”

11

Fall. Day 10/11. Midnight. West of Dullard.

Charger and I flew just above the trees as we headed further west. Wrecker ran along the ground at a great pace. Even with the heavy plate-like armor he wore. As we flew, Charger told me about how Wrecker was part of a very tribal race of ponies that lived in the salt flats just before the Frozen Desert. They thrived in a small marshland there and hunted down beasts of incredible sizes. Each one of them were maybe ten times stronger than the average earth pony but Wrecker could move a mountain if he wanted to. Charger added that he knew that Wrecker was just an alias but he never found out his actual name.

We stopped traveling when the sun had finished setting and the moon was brought up to reveal the gorgeous night sky. Setting up camp in a small glade within the forest, Charger and Wrecker began setting up the things we needed for a small fire and some blankets. Charger told me to take the other blanket, Wrecker never really used one as it was.

“Say, what was your name again?”

“Letter Bee, sir.”

“Don't worry about formalities, kid.” He said, nudging some of the ashen wood within the campfire with his saber. “You miss home? You've got somepony waiting for you?”

“I do.”

“Good. That's good.” He seemed almost sentimental as he spoke until his head perked up at the rustling of trees in the distance. “Wrecker, I think we've upset something big. Letter stay by me.”

The large animal turned out to be an Usra Major, a giant bear that appeared as if it had come down from the stars and it could stand well above the top of these trees. It broke through the trees, all the while snarling and letting out a deafening roar. Wrecker approached the creature without any faltering in his legs. The Ursa Major brought down one paw to swipe at him only to have its paw stopped by a single hoof belonging to Wrecker. The celestial bear reeled back its paw as if it had actually stung him. Wrecker then charged toward the Ursa as it began to bring its head to bite at him. Then, with a quick grasp of its snout and a twist, Wrecker sent the Ursa barreling through some more trees. The ethereal bear snarled in defeat and retreated back into a different part of the forest.

I had never seen such an overwhelming display of power. I suppose what Charger had told me was right. It brought me to question what new things I would see in my adventures as a courier. Wrecker stayed awake for the rest of the night to stand guard while Charger and I slept. Charger didn't seem at all worried.

#12

Fall. Day 11. Noon The Frozen Desert

We found ourselves traveling over the the salt flats now, far away from the dreaded forests atop of the cliffs behind us. The flats were a land of cracked and dried mud, unable to bear much life aside from the few marshes that were insanely far apart. We had chosen to walk to save our strength and partly due to the fact that there didn't seem to be any large animals out here capable of perceiving us as prey.

I asked Charger more about the wolf as we walked. He seemed more than happy to fill me in on. First, a great dragon by the name of Stribog had destroyed Abner's home. He and his squad plus half a battalion were deployed to the scene. “We guessed that it might return and we were correct. Unfortunately we lost quite a few good soldiers that day. What alerted us was the towering pillar of smoke visible from Canterlot.” His story continued on about how Abner had taken in Stribog's mind and body through some strange magic. Then the moment where he betrayed Abner to deliver the sword back to Celestia who was, at the time, under the influence of the Blight. Abner managed to get the sword back in part to Whisk's, Wrecker's, and Marina's insubordination. “They tore up the tracks leading to Ponyville with improvised explosives because the brakes went out. At least, that's what I heard.”

Then he got to the point where he was run through by Abner's sword but he didn't know until the beast he had defeated had faded away. “Being consumed by Blight is truly terrify, Letter. Every passing moment, I was trapped in reliving my happiest memories that twisted themselves into nightmares. It felt like an eternity until Abner saved me. Although he had run me through, he performed a spell that reversed the wound.” He glanced up towards the desert in the distance, where a massive blizzard seemed to be taking its toll. “I suppose we've still got time for the rest of the story.” He continued the story, straying away from too much detail. “We then took out two of Celestia's larger warships and continued on into the desert after stopping by Wrecker's home. When we got into the desert, we had to wait for the nomadic tribe that travel around here to show up so we could follow them to an ancient castle buried by the sands. Apparently they follow some ancient whale that pretty much brings good weather behind it. After we got to the castle with its three remaining towers, surrounding arched wall colonnade, and a ritualistic circle, we fought off a massive army of Blight. They took on all sorts of forms: hydras, dragons, ponies, bears, gryphons, and rhinos. There were some that were practically unidentifiable.” Charger took a deep breath before speaking up again. It appeared that talking this much was more than average for him. “Anyways, Lark and Tiva did this little song and dance which turned Abner and his swords to stone. Which ultimately unraveled the Blight entirely.  The package that you're carrying was created by Prudence to cure Abner.”

“That's quite the story, Charger.” I remarked. “ I think he actually saved me when I was younger. He stopped by Clackerton and I guess after he left, there was a massive shield raised to protect the entiretown.”

“Clackerton!? That's where I grew up. My family owns the Palatial Manor.” He went on about his sister a bit and how Whisk had eventually married her. He didn't speak of his parents however, I guess they either left them alone, or they passed on. I didn't bother him much about the topic. Maybe this was part of the reason why he asked those questions last night, when we sat in front of the campfires. I related with what I could about my personal experiences there.

Before we knew it, we found ourselves at the edge of the blizzard wall. There, we awaited the arrival of the nomads that Charger had told me about.

#13

Fall. Day 12. Evening. The Buried Castle.

We spent the entire later half of the yesterday waiting for the tribe to show up. They eventually showed up around noon today. The leader of the tribe appeared to recognize Charger and Wrecker. I suppose that even after seeing them for such a short time, they left a remarkable impression. It was strange how the weather worked here. The clouds were clear in the area we traveled but all around us was nothing but snow. Even stranger was the fact that the snow never seemed to stay on the ground for very long. Perhaps it was the influence of the so-called whale that this tribe endlessly followed. The winds never seemed to cease either.

Once the evening had set in and the moon once again found itself high in the sky. The tribe pointed us toward the castle and took their leave. The weather was thankfully clear. I stood in aw at what I saw, so much so that I stopped in my tracks to take in the massive structure. Three towers broken apart and the bridges that connected them had their shattered debris scattered across the sands below. The colonnade that surrounded the towers appeared to be a second set instead of an outer wall. Every wall was crafted from sandstone and it appeared to have been reinforced by something I couldn't recognize. Everything that the castle was had long ago been buried by the sands. I could only marvel at the fact that such a place existed and stood to this day.

Charger broke me from my thought, telling me to hurry up. That's when I saw what Charger had spoke about. Upon a ritualistic circle of engraved stone was a statue of a wolf. Surrounding the stone circle was, surprisingly and strangely, a garden consisting of lilies that appeared to glow blue under the night sky.  I think mother has one of these in her garden.

Charger took the package that I had carried, opened it and revealed a ornate vase made from jade that had been corked. He then began to spread the liquid that was inside along the wolf's back and around his paws. It took a moment before it kicked in, slowly flaking apart the stone skin. There was a detail that I seemed to always forgotten about, the wolf had a horn. Something that only creatures able to cast magic should have. I wonder what had brought that upon him.

After all of the stone had flaked away, the wolf collapsed and only to be caught by Charger. I was surprised that Abner hadn't been protected after five years of being here. Until a large dragon and stone golem of ice and earth revealed themselves. The dragon flew down from one of the towers and the golem reform itself from a several piles of stone that had been scattered about the grounds. The dragon landing in what seemed like our one and only exit. The golem brought itself to attack Charger and Wrecker, but reeled back as if it had recognized them.

The blue-violet dragon spoke up, “It has been quite some, hasn't it?”

“Indeed it has, Stribog. Five years now.” Charger replied, almost yelling.

“Feels, longer.”

“You're a dragon. You've been alive for thousands of years.”

“I suppose you've a point.”

“Don't suppose you can offer us a ride back home, do you?”

“Abner must regain himself first, his senses should come to be, at least.”

“You have a point.”

“Who is this young one you've brought along?” The dragon peered down at me.

“Go ahead and introduce yourself.” Charger encouraged

“Letter Bee.” I answered nervously

The golem, Njördur, sparked a fire and we brought out the blankets once again. Wrecker actually slept, for once. Stribog and Charger chatted for a little bit. I couldn't sleep, I think just me being in a new place has thrown off my normal sleeping habits. Maybe it was the desert air. Stribog caught a glance of me in writing this but he didn't say much. I'm sure he might find it interesting.

#14

Fall. Day 14. Morning. Canis Village.

It's been two days since we've pulled Abner from the stone shell he was once in. Now, by Stribog's great strides of flight, we wound up in Canis Village. A place that Abner called his home. It was a long flight, one that I managed to get some sleep on, strangely peacefully. Yesterday was mostly just flying with a couple breaks between for food and to avoid some bad weather.

The wolf didn't talk, I'm not sure if he understood our language. However, Charger assured me that he could but it's not a good idea to start using muscles you haven't used in years. I guess he was, Abner hadn't opened his eyes since his revival, I guess I can call it. Njördur managed to transform himself into a necklace that Abner could use as some sort of summoning amulet. There's a lot about magic that I've yet to understand and this is just start of it.

Abner's family was absolutely to see Abner after being away for so long.  Each one of them thanked me and hugged me. There was, however, a single unicorn that thanked me as well. A lovely mare with a soothing voice, every word sounding like the songs of beautiful birds. I believe Lark Song was her name.

After the thanks, Abner's mother gave me that petals of the lily that bloomed under the moon light and glowed a light blue. Lark was able to translate what she was telling me about the flower. Saying that the legend behind the flower itself was that if there were no stars in the night sky, these flowers always grew with them, in the same constellations and arrangements. Follow the flowers and you'll find your way home. She had weaved the petals and stem together to form something of a bracelet, which she tied around the necklace I wore.

I waited by the fountain which held a large statue of Abner on three of his legs, the fourth raised up and his head turned toward, I think, Canterlot. Charger approached me and said that he, Wrecker, and I would travel back to Clackerton without the dragon, Stribog. Thankfully, there was a a train the headed into Ponyville, so we didn't have to worry about getting lost anytime soon. We would however, still have to go through the Everfree Forest, or over it.

I asked why the dragon couldn't fly us to Clackerton, Charger told me that he had a debt to Abner for saving his life and essentially making him whole again. The same could be said about Prudence, who had given Abner the ability to use magic. That was a question that I would have to ask Prudence the next time I met her, as Charger and Wrecker didn't have the answer.

#15

Fall. Day 14. Evening. Clackerton. Home.

Charger and Wrecker diligently escorted me through the Everfree Forest and up to the entrance of Clackerton. Charger wished me the best of luck and said something that I think will be sticking with me for a long time. “Letter, as a courier, bringing letters to those addressed means a lot. Something you should take pride in. You won't always be bringing back letters and good news.” That is where we parted ways. I asked him why he didn't want go home, he answered that it's not time for him yet. A strange answer, indeed. I get the feeling that this won't be the only time I'll be see those two and Abner.

I came home to an empty house and brought myself before a candlelight to write this. The ink in my pen has almost run dry, amazing really. I didn't think I would write this much but I hope it suffices for the future. I suppose I'll see to Apricot later, either tonight or in the morning but for now I think I'll be taking another nap. All that walking through Everfree isn't something I was used to.

Chapter 2: Kingdom in the East

#16

Fall. Day 15. Morning. Clackerton.

This morning I awoke to a surprise breakfast prepared my my mother and sister. Father was out of the house, leaving early for work. He knew that I was okay and I understood that his work was important to him. By no means was he married to it. After a good breakfast of wheat-grass, toast, and milk I was off to work again.

Busy walked alongside me, down the foggy streets of cobblestone. Our only way of seeing what was where were the tall, brightly lit streetlamps standing at every corner. The dangling lanterns rattled lightly in the wind. The trees were a palette of warm colors this time of year, always were. The frigid breeze crisped up the leaves, turning them into something particularly fragile. But the sound of their crunching beneath our hooves were a delightful sound.

While we walked, Busy asked me how my first delivery went. I gladly told her about the stop at Dullard and I met two incredible stallions who guided me into the Frozen Desert. How they applied some strange potion to the back of a petrified wolf and it freed him from his stone prison. “Abner even had two guardians of his own. A golem made of ice and earth and just this gigantic dragon that could've easily had us as a snack. But he was friendly. Charger said that the dragon had lived for several thousand years.”

“Sounds like quite the adventure you had. You always had a knack for it. Tell me, did they guide you home as well?” She asked as she unlocked the door to the post office.

“They did, but we left the dragon, Abner, and his golem back in Canis Village.”

“I remember hearing about that place. A dragon wiped it out a couple years ago if I recall correctly. Guess they rebuilt what they had.” My sister always had a habit of jumping to conclusions, but they were always well-educated ones.

“Probably.”

We were inside the office now, dim sunrise piercing through the windows. “They didn't come into town with you?”

“Well, Charger said he grew up here but he said that it he had other matters that needed to attended to.”

“That's fine. Just as long as you're safe.” Safe? That was a word mother always used with us.  Guess their likenesses in personality are becoming more prevalent.

As I gathered up the papers for my daily route, the office slowly became noisier. The other employees came in slowly one after the other. I punched in and left as soon as Busy was finished organizing the deliveries for my route.

#17

Fall. Day 15. Afternoon. Clackerton. Flight Gear's Workshop.

After successfully delivering each one paper and envelope on my route and giving Busy both my report of the extended delivery and today's punch card, I headed to Flight Gear's Workshop. I wanted to see if he had finished the equipment he was making for me.

When I arrived I found him shooing out a couple of troublesome young colts. “You two keep coming in here and playing with my stock I'm gonna have to make something to keep ya out! Ya hear?”

The two colts hurried down the narrow road, giggling to themselves. They brushed me by and for a moment it reminded me of when I was a bit more reckless. I smiled and continued on, seeing Albedo, Flight Gear's wife, standing on the roof of the workshop. Always went up there so she could give a weather forecast for the next day. I entered the workshop, seeing him hard at work crafting something small and intricate. Hard to tell what it was.

“Flight Gear!” I called out.

I had yanked him from his concentration. In his frightened fit he fired the screwdriver in his magical grasp into the ceiling and through the roof. We both heard a shriek come from the roof. “Sorry, honey!” he yelled.

Her yelled reply was faint, “What in the blazes are you doing down there, makin' a crossbow!?”

“Customer scared me, is all.”

“I better not come down there to no one at all, sugar.”

“You're welcome to check!” Once the yelling had stopped, he turned his attention back to me.

They both had some banter to say to one another when they were together. I wonder how their relationship even came to be. “Flight, I was wondering if you've made any progress on that equipment you were making.”

“Oh, I have. Not nearly as much I would've liked to, but I have.” I heard him mumble to himself while he located the different parts under his workbench. Slowly, the were reassembled again. “I keep it dismantled because of those two kids I threw out earlier. You saw them I'm sure.” he waited fro me to answer.

“I did.”

“Anyways, I found a way to get the controls entirely wing-based, so to speak.”

“So to speak?”

“It needs some tweaking, still and then the last few parts.”

“How will it work?” I moved in closer to his desk which he used as a front counter.

“Well, normally I craft stuff like this to work for anypony, no matter the race. But I'm taking some shortcuts here. It'll only work for Pegasi.” He began to point out small flaps located on the chassis of the equipment. “Your flight will be enhanced by these flaps here, here, and here. I had to develop the wing shielding to reduce both strain and improve aerodynamics.” He laid the equipment out across the counter. “I have to warn you though, this is fragile with the current material and with the increased performance comes a risk.”

“Risk?” I inquired.

“Blacking out. G-forces that forces the blood to the hooves too quickly.”

“I think I may have done that once or twice.”

He put the equipment away as I browsed through some of his other wares. “How's your leg?” he asked.

“Doing okay I guess. Doctor said it should heal up in a couple days.”

“That's good. Just don't get yourself in a sorry state.”

“I'm sure I'll be fine.”

It was amazing how much his personality changed when I first knew him. He had tossed aside his profane language and nearly quit his drinking habits. He still had a small glass of his favorite whiskey every now and again though.

#18

Fall. Day 15. Late Evening. Clackerton. Clock  Tower

I went up to the clock tower again. Just wanted to view the town from up high and see if there was anything new sprouting up. The crisp cold air gave me goosebumps but I got used to it. Town always looks so different at night during the day. Any town would I'd imagine. Every place that bustled this time of night, taverns, inns, bars, kept their lights on throughout the night. In their glow you could almost hear the echo of their crowds.

I looked up at the stars for a moment just to see if I could make out any of the constellations. The North Star was there, brightest and earliest as it always was. It marked the handle of the Little Dipper not far from it, the Big Dipper. I remembered the petals of the flower that Abner's mother had given to me. I don't  know how but she managed to interweave them into the chain of my pendent. I pulled the locket from my chest and saw the the petals still emitted a faint blue glow. Wonder what magic causes this.

Then I opened it with a press of a button. Two portrait photos, I on the left and Apricot on the right. I smiled to myself and closed the locket back up. The clock tower's balcony always has a nice view. You could easily each end of town despite the tall inn that had sprung up in the market square recently.

I wandered my way back into the clock tower to the sound of quiet breathing. A couple of animals had curled up amongst each other for warmth. Some of them were familiar faces, they followed Apricot around town sometimes and helped her out when she needed it. I thought about sleeping beside them for a moment.

Then a flash of light blinded me. I heard paper hit the floor as I opened my eyes, straining to adjust. A scroll? It was clasped shut with a ribbon and what looked like a royal seal. There wasn't a single pony that I knew of that could do such a thing. I should check with Busy tomorrow and have her look it over but curiosity is getting the better of me.

#19

Fall. Day 15. Late Evening. Clackerton. Home.

I made my way home from the clock tower after reading that scroll. Letter, rather. I walked slowly through the house, cautious of the creaky boards that could awake my parents. Busy was a heavy sleeper. Finding the table in my room by candlelight, I pulled the clasped ribbon off the paper I had received and read through it.

It was from Princess Celestia, wishing to congratulate my safe return from the Frozen Desert and returning Abner to his home. She knew about him? How? Despite my confusion I continued to read on. The rest of the letter appeared to be an invitation to her castle. Some part of it seemed like it was a request as well. She mentioned EPPS and that she has already seen to it that I get the days off. With the letter, she had appended a single train ticket from Ponyville to Canterlot.

Canterlot? I feel deserving of thanks but not praise if that's what she wants. But I digress, royalty of the highest order shouldn't be ignored She requested that I leave in two days and that she would have someone escort me through the Everfree Forest. Still, she didn't state what she was offering or what the real purpose was behind her invitation other than the congratulations. I'll have to consult Busy tomorrow on the matter but for now I need some rest.

#20

Fall. Day 16. Afternoon. Clackerton. Post Office.

I talked to Busy. She looked over the seal on the ribbon that came with the letter. As well as the intricate stamp that had been left next to Celestia's signature. She had heard something about my days off for tomorrow. It was practically a vacation as the time off extended up to the end of next week. I guess the letter confirmed her suspicions of why I did. She promptly congratulated me on getting a visit to Canterlot and a personal thanks from the Princess. Busy didn't quite understand the reason for it but she was more than happy for me.

I'll be packing my things tonight after dinner tonight. I'm not sure how my parents will take the news, I'm sure they'll be happy about it. I just hate having to leave so soon.

21

Fall. Day 16. Evening. Clackerton. Home.

The dinner table was a bit quiet tonight. The only sounds that really filled the air was just the clink of silverware against the plates. I sprung up a conversation about the letter I had received from the Princess. My mother and father both congratulated me but there was still some uneasy tension. I'm not sure if they both expected me to leave again so soon or if they were having trouble adjusting. Then again, maybe I brought the subject up at a bad time. They need to know, though. I just wonder what awaits me at Canterlot.

#22

Fall. Day 17. Early Morning. Clackerton.

I'm waiting for my escort to arrive, just outside Clackerton's walls. I left the house this morning, well before the rest of my family got up. I managed to give them all a hug while they slept without waking them. I packed a few sandwiches to eat on the way and headed out the door. Before I made my way off the porch, my father stopped me. Apparently he found his way out without alerting me. “Son.” his deep voice was unusual to hear as a whisper.

I jumped a little bit. “Dad?”

“Your mother and I are both taking this pretty hard. We're both happy that you get to meet the Princess but you having to leave for long durations of time is what has us worried.”

“I think I'm still adjusting to my new job for the most part, Dad.”

“We are too. We can't always stay in one place.” That rings true to my ears, they still do. He gave me a hug and gave me his goodbye. “I'll be seeing you soon. Just, don't injure yourself again, okay?”

“I'll try not to.”

“Also, you best say something to Apricot before you go.”

“I will.”

“Good.”

I went to Apricot's house and knocked on her door again. I was greeted by her mother once more, dressed in a nightgown this time. She fetched Apricot. I told Apricot I'd be leaving for Canterlot and she understood. I saw her face twinge at the thought of me not returning.  I told her I would be thinking her while I was away and that I'd return in good health. It cheered her up but I know she'll miss me. I know I'll miss her and I'd rather not leave her. I don't like seeing her lonely.

I think I see my escort coming up the road now. A familiar figure. Mohawk, black and white stripes. It's Zecora. Didn't think she'd ever venture out here.

#23

Fall. Day 17. Early Afternoon. Ponyville Train Station.

Waiting at the train station now, Zecora sitting beside me. It was quiet for the most part, we didn’t have much to talk about. She asked how my leg was. I said it was fine, just a little sore. The trip through Everfree didn't seem to take as much of a toll as it did before.

The train station was quiet aside from the little filly and her parent that ran around. The stallion behind the front counter looked familiar. I think it may be Prudence's husband. The two of them have something special I think.

I can hear the train coming from over the horizon now. It was pretty brightly colored compared to what one would initially expect. Its horn managed to echo inside the station and its billowing cloud of smoke getting ever larger. The chugging of the engine is getting louder and the brakes began to squeal. A mare's voice came in over the loudspeaker, “Ponyville to Canterlot train now arriving. All passengers should prepare their tickets and luggage before boarding.”

“Guess I'll be seeing you when I get back.” I said to Zecora.

“Indeed. But first, I have something you need.” She pulled out a small corked pot wrapped in a rough brown cloth, rawhide.

“This is...?”

“A potion to help with motion. Celestia's request I'll attest. Take this brew where the storm brews.”

I grabbed the potion and placed it in my saddlebag. “I'll keep it in mind, Zecora. Thank you.”

I got on the train and sat in one of the cars towards the back. Then the train lurched forward and began taking one of the turnarounds.

From afar, the panoramic view of the distant mountains and the faintly visible castle was, well, exciting. I have to stop writing though, the motion of the train and staring at the pages of this journal seems to bugging my head.

#24

Fall. Day 17. Late Afternoon. Canterlot Train Station.

Zecora told me, before I left Ponyville, that I'd have somepony waiting to escort me from the train station here to Celestia's castle. I looked around after departing the train, my saddlebag in tow. I wore my uniform to hopefully make myself stand out from the rest of the crowd. I didn't think it helped much at first but I was found by my escort. A humble looking mare with a pair of glasses to help with her sight. “Letter Bee?”

“That's correct.” I was a bit confused at how she knew how to identify me.

She relieved a sigh, “Good. I thought I'd never find you in this crowd. I'm still kinda new to this, honestly.” Her voice was flustered, panicked, even.

“Let's find our way out of the station, shall we? Your lead”

“Right, of course. Celestia wanted to see you as soon as you got to the castle.”

“Well, let's not disappoint her then.”

We found our way through the well dressed crowd. Something that made me feel rather out of place. My escort got a bit less jittery once we did, I figure she's nervous around large groups of ponies. Canterlot was remarkable. The mountain breeze reminded me of home and I wondered if flight restrictions existed here. I thought to ask her but ultimately withdrew.

The stone for the roadways here were different than the ones back home. Brighter coloration and larger slabs overall. And everything was just so ornately designed. Every edged object appeared to end in a swirl and a majority of the roofs came to a steep point. Windows were mostly purple and blue tints and there are a vastly larger amount of stores here compared to Clackerton.

“Oh dear. I think... I think I may have gotten ourselves lost.”

“Oh dear indeed.” I humored.

Her cheeks flared up. Easily embarrassed, it seems. “Ugh. She wants us back soon and I don't want to disappoint her and it's my first day doing this and I'm still pretty new and-”

“Alright. Alright. Settle down.” I moved my mouth as if to say her name, but I found that I had never gotten it in the first place. “Say, what was your name?”

“Sitka Spruce.” Fitting name considering her cutie mark.

“Well then, Sitka. Just relax your head for a moment and think of how you got to the train station and we can backtrack from there. I'm sure Celestia won't be too worried about it.”

“Right. Right. I just- I mean, I'm just nervous is all.”

“I can tell.” I snickered.

We found ourselves back on the right road. Funny, due to the fact it's the largest friggin road in Canterlot. We chatted a bit more during our walk to the castle gates. I learned that she had moved to Canterlot from some unnamed stretch of houses that all worked together to raise tree farms. Her reason for moving here being that she wanted an agricultural degree in it. Her working under Celestia as one of her many servants was kind of happenstance. Sitka had run into her by accident and her nature had intrigued Celestia somehow.

We finally made it to the castle, pearly gates and two guards stood between us. Canterlot was a marvel of architecture and it's castle of many disjointed towers held many a wonder. Sitka said a word or two the lead guard and they opened a smaller, inset door in the large gate. A convenience thing I suppose.

When we got inside the castle, we were greeted by a line of guards stiff as boards on either side of the runway of a rug. So much fucking purple and gold. At least it actually looks nice and not some clash of neon hues of the two.

“Right, I still have to lead you to your room.”

“I get a room?”

“All guests of honor do.”

“I'm a guest of honor? Seems like a little bit much.”

“I agree, honestly. You don't seem like much of anything.”

“Because I'm not.” Her words hurt a bit but I didn't have much of a rebuttal either.

She lead me to my room, rather large and standard for royalty. The bay window even had a view of the gardens below where rich ponies could gather and mingle. Sitka left me a key and went off to find the princess. She assured me that she wouldn't get lost either.

I still hadn't asked her how she found me out from the crowd.

#25

Fall. Day 17. Evening. Canterlot Castle.

Sitka came back and told me that she had let the princess know that I'd arrived. She couldn't stay and chat, unfortunately.

The boredom was killing me and my mind seems perfectly ripe for thoughts of home. I wondered how my family was doing and how Apricot was holding up. It's a bit early to start the want to head back home. I remembered my father's words and somehow they settled me down. My anxiousness vanished and I refocused my concerns. I was going to see the Princess. I'm not sue what she wanted or what she was going to do but I'll be needing to mind my manners at the very least.

There's a rasping at the door. I'll be back soon.

26

Fall. Day 17. Late Evening. Canterlot Castle.

Well, the meet with Celestia went well. She wants me to head over to someplace called the Light Fringe Kingdom. She described it as a kingdom that was slowly falling apart. So the King and Queen there were trying to work something out to create some sort of mass migration to get them somewhere safer. And while I do agree with it, why send me? I don't have the right to meddle in royal affairs. I tried to word it as kindly as possible.

“I specifically called for you because I received good word from a few friends of yours.”

“Friends? You mean Charger and Wrecker?”

“Correct. Charger sees a greatness in you, Letter. I've commanded him to accomplish many a task. All done phenomenally well. You may not have the great ability to break a storm or manipulate the weather but I see in you an earnest heart. No matter what message you may bring, you'll be connecting ponies to one another.”

“I know but I still don't understand why you'd have me do this.”

“Consider it a test. Set the bar of what couriers can do. Let them know that they don't just deliver packages and letters but that they bring together the hearts of ponies far apart. Ease their worries.”

At this point I wasn't sure if I could refuse. Her argument was solid and it is exactly what my job entails. It shouldn't matter if I'm taking the letter from a beggar or a royal. It is my job, my duty, to deliver it. And I shall. I ultimately accepted her request and tomorrow morning I shall be leaving. Debarking soon after breakfast. The method I'll be taking to get there, I'm not sure about yet.

#27

Fall. Day 18. Early Morning. Canterlot Castle Docks.

I had a hearty breakfast in the vast dining hall of the castle. I recall the most delicious thing being a pasta of some sort. It was nice, to have breakfast there and have a gentle conversation with the two Princesses of Equestria, Celestia and Luna.

Afterward, I was escorted to the dock by both Celestia and Sitka. Luna had other matters to attend to. She look tired as it was and well, being  a princess of the night, I figure breakfast is probably a lot more like dinner. Celestia warned me that this was going to be a long flight and commissioned a small airship for my personal use.  “You'll be quickly shown by the flight instructor how to fly it. I made sure this was easy enough to fly with just a couple pedals and the wheel. You may actually recognize a few things.”

“Really?”

“I'm sure the name Flight Gear rings a bell.”

“It does. How do you even know about him?”

“I have my ways, I assure you. I'm considering commissioning something much larger from him later. He has a very good reputation for this kind of thing.”

“Right. Anyways, when should I head out?'

“As soon as you're done with the lesson.” She called over the flight instructor. “Skip, show Letter how to operate the new ship, please.”

“Of course, your highness.” He was very stern and spoke proudly with a quick salute. He told me, “Not to worry. This thing's pretty easy to fly.” He pulled me away from Celestia and directed me to the small ship. “Silver Liner, he named it.”

Name was suitable. Small silver hull with two metal wings protruding outward. They met the hull at some enclosed disc structure. He had the same engine set up as he did in the Goshawk; a turbine system fueled by magic fluids. Never actually told me what the fluid came from. The pilot's seat was kind of strange. I would have to lay down on my chest with my front hooves controlling an inclined wheel for steering. It could be tilted up and down for pitch and I would have to lean my body in order to steer it left or right. My back legs will control the acceleration of of the vehicle. Silver Liner, quite the name considering it's dart-like shape.

This thing Flight Gear made, it's decades ahead of what Celestia has. Now I see why she's looking into him for a larger commission.

“Now I know this is all rather brief and it all sounds a bit convoluted. I think the best way for anypony to fly this thing is to pretend you're trying to balance on a pole with your belly.”

“I understand. Is fuel going to be an issue?”

“Flight Gear says that this tiny tank here should last a few months at the least. I'd suggest practicing a few laps around the docks first- low speed of course- to get the hang of things.”

I hopped into the seat and stretched myself out, surprisingly comfortable. “Um, how do you start this thing?”

“Out of all the things, I forget the ignition switch. Hold down both pedals, then hold the button on the wheel until the engine kicks in. It'll jolt a bit.”

I followed his instruction and the machine whirred to life. Noisy beast. The sound beat my chest. Soon enough, I found the machine lifting from the ground.

“Alright, that's good. Shut her down the same way you turned her on.” I did so. “How's it feel?”

I felt my breath stolen from me. “Exhilarating. Strange, really.”

My remark seemed to catch him by surprise. “Most ponies that tried this thing were scared.”

I looked around to see if Celestia was still around. She was, her face was all smiles. “'I'll be taking that letter now, Princess.”

“I'm glad to hear it. I thank you, Letter.”

“Easy now, don't need the public thinking you two are lovers.” Skip interjected. “Princess, I'm sure you've other things to attend to. I'll be seeing this young gent off. I think he's got the hang of it.”

“You're welcome, Princess. I'll be seeing you when I get back.”

I've gotten the hang of Silver now. Skip hoofed me a pair of goggles to wear and recommended that I stuff my scarf and hat for my uniform in my saddlebag. Luckily, Flight had made bars for tying things down.

It's getting close to early noon now. I think I'll be heading off. Flying in the direction of Light Fringe should be easy enough. I wonder what it's like out there. Celestia told me that it shouldn't be too hard to find. Remarking that it's a castle in the middle of the ocean. Interesting.

#28

Fall. Day 18. Late Evening. Eastern Ocean

Not sure how far out I am. This ocean is strange for the most part. It's as if an entire mountain range, continent even, was just dropped into the ocean. When I broke beyond the land of Griffons and reached the Flatwall, all I was met with was this damned ocean. The Flatwall extends forever. It could wrap the world as I know it, twice. Maybe thrice. I felt so miniscule.

I've stopped at what was left of an abandoned town. Nature hadn't been kind to its stonework. It's dock remained partially intact. Lucky for me. I wonder what happened to those who lived here. I would assume that moving elsewhere would be the answer. The noise of Silver still rings in my ears a bit.

The sky is pretty nice tonight. I can almost see Luna's face in the moon.  Stars were clearer than they were at home. The ocean breeze is quite a bit different than Clackerton's. The smell of water and salt compared to grass and dirt. I think, I can see a storm in the distance. Further east. I hope it's not there tomorrow. I swear I've seen lightning flash through the ghostly wall a few times. I can't hear it, but I'm frightened, to say the least. I'd rather my journey not end here.

29

Fall. Day 19. Morning. Eastern Ocean.

I did not sleep very comfortably last night. Nightmare after nightmare of nothing but seeing my home up in fire followed by an unsettling rage. But as soon as I saw the apricot tree, I'd break down and then I would wake up. Strong headaches abound until I got my bearings straight. It's been a long time since I've had a nightmare to shake me up that bad.

The storm in the distance is still there. That's gonna be hard to drive through. Rain stings pretty bad if you're flying through it quickly enough. And now that I look over Silver Liner again, I can relate it to a bicycle, just rather large and built for speed with knife-shaped wings.

I looked to the ruins on the sunken peak. Somehow, they made me think of home, despite their emptiness. For a moment I thought I saw a spark of light, followed by a stream of light finding it's way through a non-existent street. I rubbed my eyes and it vanished.

I ate some breakfast that I had packed from Canterlot. Sitka had packed it out of her own concern. Packed lunch and dinner, too. She was sweet and I'm grateful for her kindness. After I was done eating, I thought I saw that wisp of light again. The ocean's reflection must be messing with my head. Enough delay, let's be off.

#30

Fall. Day 19. Late Afternoon. Light Fringe Kingdom.

That storm was surprisingly easy to get through. All the rain appeared to vanish around me. I wonder if Flight Gear had engineered that. The rain was still pouring when I got to the docks of Light Fringe. The entire place is one massive floating arpeggio cloaked in rain. But it's chained down to giant pillars into the sunken mountains below. Celestia was right, this place isn't that hard to miss. How much land did this kingdom truly hold because my first impression lead me to believe that it had fallen apart long ago. It's walls were even taller. What in the world were they trying to prevent?

I was greeted by unicorn cloaked in cloth, soaked to the bone. “Good afternoon! How may I be of assistance?” I wasn't sure they were expecting me so I announced that I was delivering a letter on behalf of Princess Celestia. “Celestia, you say? We haven't heard that name in years.”

“Years?” It was hard to see any good glimpse of the pony.

“Yea.” He faced the windy rain. “Shoot. Let's get you and your vehicle inside.” He montioned with a flick of magic to another guard on the wall. A small gate opened in the wall and out came a drawbridge, lowered by braided chains. I hopped back on Silver and started her up. The unicorn guided me to something of a stable. “We used to keep drakes here, long time ago. I think they were driven out by the maelstrom.” Sparking a fire with a thatch of hay, he added, “Com'ere. Warm up a bit.”

“How long has the-”

“I don't know. None of us do. Texts don't mention it. The only ponies that'd know are the King and Queen.” Unveiling his head with a swift pull of his hood, a unicorn with a dark complexion all around. Royal purple, gaudy yellow mane and tail and green eyes. His face held the stroke of fire, clouding one eye and the disappearance of an ear. “That machine of yours, rather noisy. What's it called?”

“Silver Liner.” The fire gave off an odd blue glow, but it was warm. “I need to deliver-”

“I know, settle down. Plenty of time. 'Sides, Queen Radiance is a busy gal these days. King went off to the other branches on some business.” I found myself staring into the fire, holding my breath. “Breath, buddy. Good grief.”

“Sorry, I've had a long day.” He laughed at that until he choked on his own breath. “Are you alright?”

“'Long days'. That's somethin' I haven't heard in a while. Let me show you why this place is called Light Fringe.” His magic found the shutters to a nearby window and they fluttered wide. “You see that beam of light out there?”

I had to strain my eyes a bit, it was faint enough. The veil of rain wasn't easy to break. “Yea. That's the eye of the maelstrom?”

“You bet. We look to it for hope. We've sent in a few soldiers to see what's there once or twice. Only to have them return with nothing to say for it.”

“That's unfortunate.”

“Yea. Good lot of us out here have had to deal with broken lives. It's tough but somehow, we make due.” He broke away from the window and  sat back beside the fire. “Say, boy. What's your name.”

“Letter Bee, sir.” I felt I owed him at least some respect. Stallion must have been through hundreds of fights.

He placed a hoof over his heart and held his head high, “Name's Royal Rain, son of Black Rain the Third.” Then he pointed at me, “Where ya from?”

“Clackerton.”

“Haven't heard of it. I shall call you Letter of Clackerton, Messenger of Celestia.”

“I hope that's only for introductions.”

“It shall be.”

#31

Fall. Day 19.Evening. Light Fringe Palace

Rain left some of his subordinates to take his place at the gatehouse. Saw his guidance of my trip to the palace something that he needed to do. He told me a great many things about the palace and the city that surrounded it. The palace was grand, more so than the richest mansions in the city. He did point out something about the many statues around and within the palace. Kingfishers, molded from bronze or silver usually placed around fountains or in front of pillars. Recently, ever since the King's leave to the other three kingdoms, the palace has started to fall into a state of disrepair. Apparently it's been several months now since the King had left for something that normally only takes a week or two.

The city kept within the walls of Light Fringe was quite crowded. Could easily fit the castle of Canterlot and its surrounding city three times over. How long has this kingdom been sitting here? Its citizens all seem to carry with them a device which could keep them shielded from the rain and it seemed that there wasn't a single pony that wasn't a unicorn. I noticed the writing that marked the stores was vastly different than that of Equestria. Every building was constructed from stones and plaster plain as could be aside from the stripes of red or blue that marked the arched doorways. Everypony just radiated this discomforting feel of sadness and despair.

We made it to the castle, through a crowd of beggars and protesters. They spoke a different language as well. Royal yelled at them to open up a path, in their language. It was a course language, hard and throaty. It demanded attention. I asked him what they were gathered in front of the palace for.

“They're asking for a new King. They've grown impatient with the Queen. She cannot move the army without his consent nor can she pass new laws without him.” He answered.

The crowd whispered aloud. I wore my uniform. I heard Canterlot mentioned a few times. I suppose a name like that is the same in any language. Some of their voices sounded like they were getting happier.

We climbed a flight of stairs through a straight colonnade and past the wall behind it. What was on the other side was a large courtyard drenched and dead by over-saturation. The kingfisher statues that I saw have been worn down and rounded down. Remnants of what they once were. Some of them were in a more pristine condition but they look as if they'd been crying. I remember the story that mother had told me, a royal couple brought together by their kingfishers. Perhaps it wasn't a fairy tale after all.

We went through hall after hall of nothing but columns and stone guards until we reached the throne room. The curtains had fallen about the windows, torn from rods. Vases and drawers thrown across the floor as if the place had been ransacked. Chandeliers and lamps torn from the walls and ceilings. The king and queen were to sit at the top of a raised platform in this circular room with an ornate rug red and gold stretching from their chairs. The larger one had been knocked over and the disheveled queen sat in the other. She was the only one in there aside from us.

Her coat was a bright white, almost glowed. Same with the rest of her.

“My Queen.” Royal bowed.

She lifted her head, her cheeks stained by the eyeliner she used to wear. I think she's lost more hope than her subjects. “Ah, Captain Royal Rain. I hope you've good news.”

“I bring you Letter Bee of Clackerton, Messenger to Celestia.”

Her voice became more lively, “She finally sends me a message after all these years. That old crone. Let's see what she has to say.”

I pulled the letter out from my bags. It remained untouched by the rain. Pulled the ribbon off and unwound it from its collapsed form. That's when the queen took it from my grasp.

Her eyes scanned through the letter and rather vaguely, her heart dropped. “I can't accept this. We've several times tried to send word to her but our ships have failed and finding a pegasus in this city is hard enough as it is. I can't simply moved my subjects out from this storm.” She set the letter aflame and tossed it. “Royal Rain.”

“Yes, my queen?”

“Find my husband.” She morphed a large key from the air around her and placed it in front of him. “Take this key and go to the vault. You'll find the portals to the other three lands there.”

“But your majesty, you kno-”

“Better I lose one stallion than an army, Royal.”

Royal stood taller than before. “Very well. I shall complete your task.”

“My husband went there to charge the crystals, you'll find them on your own  And take this 'messenger' with you.”

32

Fall. Day 19. Late Evening, Midnight? Vault of Light Fringe.

We dragged the key with us. Royal seemed to already know the way to The Vault. Its path down another set of halls away from the throne room. “You'll have to forgive the Queen. She's not been herself. The King's absence has left her in disarray. Shame you have to get involved with this.”

“It is.”

Soon enough we found our way outside and before a large large set of peaked doors guarded by a tall iron rod fence. Lush gardens flushed outward from its frame and climbed over the walls. The rains were quite a bit lighter here but the winds were still swift.

“Only ever seen this place once, every guard does. Most of us forget the path.”

“Say, Royal, what are the Other Lands?”

Royal hefted up the key and unlocked the gate. They slowly creaked open on their own. “You ever hear the tale of the Kingfisher Couple?” I shook my head, I wanted to confirm if my mother's story was the same. And as it turns out, it was despite Royal's shortened version of it. He added that three of the kingdoms had fallen, not from a war, but from dark magic.“I don't know what we'll come across when we get in The Vault. Every step must be cautious.”

“Does the Queen trust you with this?”

He shrugged just before we pushed the larger doors open. We were met with a blinding flash of light. When our eyes came to, he spoke, “So that's how.”

A small room greeted us with a fountain circled by four doorways in a sea of white. There was no rain, no wind, no whisper of a cloth. Above each door was a small banner with an emblem. One of a golden tree, another of a bear-like creature, crossed spear and axe, and the fourth was the kingfisher.

Above the fountain stood a massive crystal floating rather precariously. I approached the crystal, I could hear a voice. “Come here.” it whispered. Royal seemed to be frozen in time. When I got a step away from the fountain, an immense amount of pain came over me. All my muscles exploded and then the pricking of a thousand needles pecked out my nerves.

I collapsed and my eyes gave way.

#33

Fall. Day 20? Time of Day? Vault of the Four.

I awoke in a fever, cold sweat across my brow. In a panic I tried to look myself over but Royal stopped me. “Easy kid. You'll hurt yourself. What happened?”

My vision was in dissonance. “I'm... I'm not sure, Royal. I just heard a voice. 'Come here.' it said.”

Royal pulled back and glanced at the crystal. “Stay away from the thing, then. Haven't made it to the Other Lands and you're already hurtin'.”

“Sorry.”

“Its quite alright. Feeling well enough to move?”

“Give me a moment. Head feels like its been cracked.” I sluggishly got back on my hooves and something of a stream floated between the doorways. “Are you seeing that?”

“See what now?”

The streams washed away as my dizziness faded. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Which way should we go first? Go for the Axe and Spear first?”

“Thinkin' the same. I'll lead, kid.”

#34

Fall. Day 20? Noon? Land of Axe and Spear.

We stepped through the portal behind the doors and on the other side were the ruins of an military driven castle. Its walls had crumbled and its palace razed to the ground. I looked up to the sky and saw that it was nothing but ocean, sunlight faintly passing through the waves. What kept the water out? Rain and I walked through the front gates which still hung from their hinges, broken as they were. Regardless of everything being either in ruin or outright abandoned, it was clear that the battle that happened here was caused by internal strife.

We made our way to the fallen palace I noticed that a lot of the architecture was nearly identical  when compared with Light Fringe. Coming upon the armory just outside the palace, we found a good supply of weapons and shields and almost all of them were broken beyond repair. Royal had his own spear to wield but suggested that we might find something useful anyways. I found an old wand that appeared to come to life the closer I got to it. I grabbed it and put it in my saddlebag.

After our scouring, we continued on to the palace. Parts of the ceiling had fallen down and left skeletal remains of those unfortunate. We followed their trail and eventually came to a door behind the throne. It wasn't anything like The Vault but it was haunting nonetheless. And it was open.

Rain ventured in first and came back out once we knew the room was clear. “I remember this now. This kingdom fell to a rebellion. The citizens became unwieldy and overwhelmed the guard. The Queen who ruled here put an end to it.” We both stared at the crystal that emitted magic of its own. “What we've seen is the result. Queen vanished after that.”

“That's... rather tragic.”

“Looks like this one is already charged, let's head to the one with the tree next.”

#35

Fall. Day 20? Late Afternoon. Land of the Golden Tree.

Rain told me what he knew of the tree here. Said that it was once a lovely place where songs sang and everypony was prosperous in heart and mind. The tree had grown so large that it could protect the entire kingdom from the weather with its golden branches. It was really the only one of the three that they actually had solid information on. What caused the kingdom to become abandoned wasn't in the books though.

But now we know. Something had caused the tree to flay out its roots and consume everything. The town shimmered under the waves, the gold glittered. The roots had formed a straight path to the palace and as we progressed, the worse things got. Trapped within the roots were the frozen faces of terror and pain. Some protected their children. Others stood strong against what consumed them. Many more were outright slaughtered by the trees roots stained by blood. I retched at the sight of that. The tree had been cut down and it came alive.

I remembered a proverb, “Greed is a dangerous fruit. Delicious though it may be, the stomach empties more.”

We passed through the halls of the palace and came upon the throne room. Same as the others. The least they could do is hire a a different architect. The room behind the throne here had its crystal charged  as well and so we moved onto the next land: The Land of the Beast.

36

Fall. Day 20? Evening.  Vault of the Four.

We took a break to rest and eat what food I had. I was thankful again, Sitka had packed extra for me. It was good despite its humble looks.

“Letter, you don't have to continue this, you're not fit.” I didn't answer him. The sight of the golden aftermath was still fresh. I couldn't veer my eyes from seeing it every time I blinked. “Go home.”

“No, Rain. I'm not going to run. I don't want to. I'm willing to see this through.”

“Stubborn boy, aren't ya?” He laughed.

We rested a bit before taking the last portal, to the the Land of the Beast. I saw more streams of magic dance around the Vault and swirl themselves around the crystal in there. Rain still didn't pay much mind to them. Maybe he can't see them. What in the world is happening to me?

#37

Fall. Day 21? Early Morning? Land of the Beast

We ventured into there, greeted once more by a large village before the large palisade walls. The city was torn apart and incredibly strong barrier that had fallen apart. Rain told me about this place too. Said that it was a kingdom geared more for defense. The reason why the walls were bolstered and reinforced with latticed rods was because the King who ruled here was afraid of something. Rain didn't know what, though.

The interior wall appeared to have been erected as containment. We carefully walked the abandoned streets, wondering what the large and relatively fresh footsteps in the cobblestone were from. It created path of ruin through homes and flattened many more. There were no bodily remains left in the streets but there were blood stains blackened by time.

As we approached the Palace entrance we could hear the roar of something shake the halls. A step collapsed part of the ceiling above us. Rain saved me from that with his magic, crushing it inward and throwing it behind us. We rushed closer as the roars began to sound more like pain and retaliation. Then there was silence. We stopped.

It was sudden enough. A crash through the wall and another fearful roar. Debris crashing down on us, deflected by Rain's shield. Before the dust even settle the beast charged through to catch something in its gaping maw of a thousand teeth. Seated in rows. It failed at that. Thrown back by a powerful blast of magic.

“Your Majesty, King Radiance!” Rain saluted quickly as his King rose from the fallen dust.

“Captain Royal Rain?” His voice was shaky, exhausted. Legs quaked. Even before he could stand he collapsed on himself. “Help.”

Rain sprinted over and protected him with his shield, I stayed as close as I could. “My King, how well are you?” I realized Rain spoke more clearly to royalty than peasants.

“Enough to trot on a limp. This creature had never been a problem befo-” The King quickly scanned me over, “Who is this you've brought. Civilians should not b-”

“It was by order of the Queen, your majesty.”

“Bloody...” The beast pulled itself up from the hole it charged through. It was a strange mixture of things. The head of a bear, antlers of a stag, legs like a lion, and a tail of a serpent. “Not a time to ramble about that. Lend me your strength, Captain.” The King seemed more laxed than his wife.

“Yes, your majesty.”

So they fought blow by blow with the massive creature. It was easily overwhelmed by the two of them but whatever mat of brown fur was burned away by their magic regrew in an instant. And their magic only served to further enrage the beast. Rain would strike low and King Radiance would strike high. The beast could only swing wildly at this point.

I stood on the sideline, watching it all. A faint humming came into my ears, progressively louder. A glow from my saddlebag caught my eye. The wand and then that ethereal voice again, “Recite the spell.” It felt almost second nature to draw out the wand with a firm grasp. Then the words in my head were not my own. The waves of magic I had seen before came upon me and gathered around the wand. I planted my hooves firmer than my grasp. Then it came again, the pain I had experienced before. I collapsed yet again but remained awake for the ordeal.

A twisting beam of magic poured out from the wand, surrounded by hundreds of little wisps. Struck the creature right in the chest, where the heart should be. A tunnel runs through there now, charred like coal. It fell to that. Kicked up the dust and debris, crushed the throne with its corpse. The wand's glow faded. How did I succeed where they failed? How?

Rain carried me into the Crystal Room, where King Blue Radiance charged it. I wonder how he held such a large pool of magic. He was like the Queen, only blue in place of white. He held onto the wand for me.

Once more to the courtyard and into the Vault of the Four.

#38

Fall. Day 28. Early Morning. Light Fringe Palace.

I've spent about a week out here now, healing my wounds. The magic that had besieged me had caused a fever that kept me well bedridden. I haven't had a nightmare since our return either. The Queen was overjoyed, she should be. She's a brighter pony now, her glow even more so. The King was happy too. They offered to build a statue of Royal Rain and I. I declined as politely as I could. Better a brave knight than a humble messenger, I think.

However, they still wanted me to do one last thing, now that the maelstrom had lightened up. Something only I could do. Take the wand I had and take it to the center. The King had his suspicions ever since we brought it back and discovered that it was connected to one of their ancestors who.

I took the wand and Silver Liner to the maelstrom's eye.  Just in case, I left  Silver Liner on a small island below and flew up. A beautiful place it was there. Calm surrounded by dissonance. In the sky I could see those wisps again, and a twist in the light. “Come to me, my child. My wonderful child.” they whispered in echoed unison.

I can't quite remember how things went, but I gave the massed magic the wand and it unfolded itself. Shaped itself into an alicorn. Revealed no name, remained silent, and took with it, the maelstrom in a swirling mass unto its horn. “Thank you, my child. The suffering has ended and light reigns once more.” As it turned away, the alicorn was joined by others like her and I could've sworn that she had a kingfisher perched upon her back.

I didn't say anything, I had her thanks and she had mine. That's all that was needed.

I told the King and Queen what had happened. They knew the tale as well as I and they would give Royal the credit for saving the King and bringing the storm to an end. I was fine with that, I didn't need the fame, really. Honestly not one for it.

#39

Fall. Day 30. Evening. Clackerton

Finally home. The trip back seemed a lot shorter than the trip to Light Fringe. I told Celestia what occurred and why I had returned two days later. She appeared to have known about the cause of the maelstrom but she kept her mouth shut. She congratulated me to say the least and sent me back home. I thanked Sitka for the food. She was happy about that. I'm sure anypony would be, honestly.

To be honest, it was exciting traveling somewhere new but the dark history, no thanks. I'm still quite tired from all that. Sometimes I still feel those needles digging at me and I'm still seeing those wisps too. Maybe I'll have to see a doctor about it. After this Welcome Home Party, of course. I'm glad I'm back, but I'll have to leave again.

What the heck am I going to put in my report?

Chapter 3: Ghosts and Storms.

#40

Winter. Day 35. Noon. Clackerton. Home.

Five days now since my return from Light Fringe. I lied a bit in my report to the Office. Stated that I delivered the letter successfully to the Queen and said that my delay was due to the storm that surrounded the kingdom and could only leave when it cleared up. It's the same thing I told my parents and anypony else who asked. I didn't want them to know about the Other Lands and what had happened to me. What I saw and the nightmares I had.

I'm afraid of going out to someplace like that again. I'm not sure who I can talk to about it other than Celestia.

Other than that, first day of winter came around. No snow yet. I hear that tomorrow we should get some. Busy got me a few days extra days off after noticing how tired and ill I started becoming the day after my homecoming party. I've started to feel better after lunch today but my eyes still ache. I think I'll take a bit of a nap for now. Write again when I get up.

#41

Winter. Day 35. Night. Clackerton. Home.

I awoke in a cold sweat again, but good gravy was this nightmare the worst of the bunch. Somehow I can't push it out of my mind and my will to write it down is driving me crazy.

I dozed off with those bloody wisps clouding my vision. I fell into the sea, unable to use my wings. Fire roasted burned feathers and singed fur. Ashes flew upward and turned to white wisps or magic. Then the fire stopped and through the tar-like veil a shapeless being consumed and devoured my entirety. There was no pain. I found myself in a room of white floored with ash. In the distance a pair of large glowing purple eyes beckoned me and was drawn toward them. Ventured into the fog and then again there was that pain I felt before with the touch of ringing ears. I kept going despite that. It whispered garbled words in echo. Through the ash I was thrust through. Back into the fire and out into the rain with my entirety intact.

I turned my head to see Apricot, we'd been gazing at the horizon. Empty and vast. She whispered to me with pale cream eyes, “Remember when we could see the stars?”

I whispered back with a simple, “No.” And again the fire. The fucking fire. It boiled everything.

And with that I sprung awake with only my hind legs half covered. I must've kicked them off in a fit. Strange because I never dreamed of struggling at any point.

#42

Winter. Day 37. Morning. Clackerton. Home.

Doctor came by yesterday, gave me some medicine for the Feather Flu. Said that the changes in environment was bugging my wings. I took those after he left that same morning. After that a strong fever kicked in. It's still lingering but I'm starting to feel a lot better. Hopefully I'll be back to work tomorrow.

Busy told me about a new resident that recently moved in one of the old houses outside of Clackerton's walls. She had added the house to my route as the last stop instead of the fair old mare that lived right next to the entrance of town. The house was considered haunted by many of the younger colts. I remember actually going in there as part of a dare. It was to contest the amount of time somepony would spend in there. The obvious tale was that a ghost was haunting the house because his wife had moved out due to some dispute. He stayed there to wait for her return. So goes the tale.

#43

Winter. Day 38. Afternoon. Clackerton.

The flu that I had seems to gone away for the most part. The aching is still there, in my wings.

I went into work and gathered the letters together that Busy assigned to my route. Bagged them and left. I was greeted with cheer by several addressees. A young mare, my sister's age, was glad that I was well. One stallion gave me a small card wishing me well. The old mare at the last house gave me a tea kettle that I could travel with. Ponies do care for their couriers, I should become more appreciative of that. Maybe Charger was right.

I didn't get a letter from the mayor yet to welcome our new resident. I punched out of work and went their on my own. Apricot joined me, said she saw me from the clock tower. I told her about the house, she reminded me of the time I went in there to save her. How she was afraid to leave because she was so scared. She hid herself away in there because some classmates thought teasing her about her shyness was a good idea. It was after a recess and her missing class that we found out what had happened. She had run off. The teacher didn't notice but the bullies that had chased her away had been snickering the rest of the day.

I asked one of them where she had run off to, they teased me about liking her and at the time I wasn't entirely concerned with that. They told me where she went off to, though. The haunted house and its remnants. I ventured out there and entered the house and found her hiding away on the second floor, crying to herself. She said that I choose a rather cheesy line to say to her at the moment, “I'm here to rescue you.” she mocked humorously.

Aside from that, the house wasn't really haunted so much as it was old and dusty. Rendered the air stuffy though. Cobwebs filled the corners and the old piano that sat in the living room was well out of tune. It was really the only thing left in that old house and Apricot and I were both curious who would be moving into the old house. As far as I could remember, the house was never put up for sale.

#42

Winter. Day 38. Late Evening. Clackerton.

Apricot and I approached the house's rickety old porch. There wasn't a moving van. But there was a caravan and the pony who pulled it wasn't there. We could both hear an old voice echo from inside, as if they were talking to somepony. I knocked on the door and the pony who opened it was, well, a ghost.  “Ah, hello there.” its voice echoed quietly.

Apricot jumped back and hid behind me, giving an ear piercing screech followed by the chatter of her teeth. “Letter...”

I remembered Light Fringe for a second. I kindly greeted him, “Hello. I've heard that you're moving in here and I just wanted to let you know I'll be delivering your mail.” I extended my hoof out to shake his.

He chuckled to himself, “Boy, I'm not the one moving in. Well, not the way you're thinking. I'll bring you the real resident. Come inside, I'm sure the cold is bothersome.”

“It is. Come on, Apricot, let's go inside. There's no need to be scared, you see?”

“B-but Letter, it's a ghost and this is that haunted house and-”

“Apricot, haven't I told you before that not everything is scary?”

“Yes, but, he's a ghost...” Apricot trailed off.

She continued to be hesitant, even after we had entered the house and waited for the ghost to bring the owner out. Once she got to know the owner of the house, I think she'd lighten up a bit. The ghost had more of a butler appearance than anything which made me wonder if there was some reasoning behind it.

The ghost came back, inviting us into the living room where he said she would meet us. There was some nice furniture in there. Old Victorian style chairs using the darkest cherry wood and engraved leafs in the armrests that even my father would taken note of. The chairs were a set of four with a matching tea table before them. Apricot sat in the chair next to me. She was still frightened but I managed to calm her down best I could. He left us to fetch the owner again and to prepare tea.

When he came back, he brought with him a young filly with bandages wrapped around her eyes. Her mane had grown rather lengthy as if she had never had it taken care of. Ice blue coat, sky blue mane and tail, a pure purple scarf. She wasn't a unicorn or a pegasus, but somehow she knew our names. “Letter, Apricot. Please don't be frightened or concerned. Apparition here has taken has taken care of me for many years now. I am pleased to meet the both of you. Very pleased.” She was kind and sweet, upright in her speech. “I am Dream Seer. And in spite of my looks, I can assure you I am very old.”

“Why is that?” Apricot blurted out.

“Apricot...”

“Sorry, I'm just a little nervous.” She gently apoligized.

“It's quite alright.” She took a seat in one of the empty chairs without guidance from Apparition.  “Apparition, could you fetch the tea, please. I believe it's done.” Apparition did so without a word and as he went into the kitchen, wherever that was, the pot began to whistle. “Now, what I'm going to tell you may be a bit lengthy as I'm not entirely sure how to sum it up in just a few words.”

She told us then, how the place where she came from spent their lives in caverns deep beneath the earth. And her civilization sought and found a large crystal of that stored a vast amount of magical energy embedded in the framework of a building older than what they knew. They lived there happily and aided by the ghosts that the crystal supplied. As servants and guides through the knotted systems of cave and tunnel. But their ghostly companions would be given to a pony that has come of age. A side effect of the crystal however, was that ghosts could only stray so far and that age was well regressed. Slowed incomprehensibly. She said her home had called the creators of the crystals, The Designers, beings who were assumed to have partially achieved immortality. It is said that The Designers were the ghosts that accompanied them on a day-to-day basis.

“When it was time for me to complete the ceremony, The Ghost Rite, our entire civilization collapsed in on itself. The Designers Crystal was assumed all knowing and for some strange reason it had turned our companions against us and placed us in all in eternal slumber. I fled on my own, realizing that The Designers power held no effect on me. Apparition sprung out from my dreams I had that beautiful night and from the ragged clothes I wore crafted this wrap for my eyes.”

“I'm so so sorry that I asked.” Apricot fumbled over her words and moved to give Dream a hug.

“Please, Apricot. I'm fine. All I've been searching for is a cure to the plague.  Sometimes I've regretted leaving but I'm leading the way for my ponies.” She sipped her tea that Apparition had brought in while she was telling the story. It was clear what had happened still makes her shake. “I come here whenever I need a break from my travels. No being has ever sought to harm me, I don't know why.” She drank the rest of her tea and placed the tea and its plate down on the table, “Letter. The stars are so beautiful, are they not?”

“They are. I often find myself gazing at them, seeing what constellations I can find.”I glanced over at Apricot. “Apricot joins me sometimes and we'll gaze at them together. Just to watch them move. She's fallen asleep a few times on that balcony. Had to take her home on my back.”

She blushed at that, “Well, it's not my fault I'm such a sleepy head.”

Dream snickered at that. “ You two would make such a great couple. I wouldn't be surprised if your fates were already entwined.”

“We've seen that happen quite a few times, haven't we, Dream?” Apparition interjected.

“Indeed we have. Others were quite a bit further apart.” She poured another cup of tea. Apparition didn't help her with this either. “What I'm getting at, is that the stars are like dreams. They lead us to what we can become. If a star dies, then a dream dies. Some of us are scared of that and therefore, we try to change it. Some may succeed at that, others may not.” She sipped her tea and took a deep breath. “With you, Letter, I could see your dreams from out here. They are vast and endless like the night sky. Many ponies who will take heart with you as you take heart with them. Your feverish nightmare of the shapeless being, is simply a fear and you're unsure of how deeply you'll fall into it.”

I recollected my thoughts on the nightmare and I stared back at her, “The nightmare. It was scary. I can't seem to get it off my mind, either. There were crazier ones but I can't remember them for the life of me.” I found myself shaking, remembering the being with its smoking eyes of purple. What was so frightening about that?

“Letter... they're just dreams. You shouldn't let them get the best of you.” Apricot consoled.

“I know.” I changed the subject back to something a bit more lighthearted, “Anyways, I think we should head home for now. I would rather not miss dinner. It was nice meeting you”

“And you as well.”

I think I'll see her tomorrow, after work of course. I want to know if she had seen more than just the nightmares I had.

#43

Winter. Day 39. Evening. Clackerton. Dream Seer's Home.

I came to Dream's home again, after work. I asked Apparition if I could talk to her alone for a bit. He was a bit hesitant at first but when Dream told him that it was okay, he conceded. She had some more things put up in the living room. A couple photographs of landscapes that were vast and unsettled and another bunch that were of ponies she had met along her journey. One them caught my eyes. A photograph of what appeared to be my mother and father standing beside each other. Mother looked so much younger back then. A vivid streak of blue through her curly honeycomb mane and tail was her most notable trait. He amber coat was shinier then that it is now and her blue eyes have lost some life to them. My father on the other hoof, had a light ample coat, eyes of grinder sparks, and short auburn mane and tail. He hadn't changed much from the photograph aside from some crows feet.

“You knew my parents?”

“Indeed I did. Like you and Apricot, once they met, they couldn't be broken. They had moved here when Clackerton was still young. Just a small trading post in these mountains. Here they've remained.”

“How did you meet them?”

“Rather uninteresting, actually. She sold some honey to me and my appearance didn't seem to bother her. We been good friends ever since but we don't write each other much. She's got a lot of stories to tell. I'm surprised she didn't go by another name.”

“She ever tell about the princess and the kingfisher?”

“A couple times.”

“Well, I think it's real. I was there, behind the walls. In the palace.” The memories came rushing back. The golden wall was as visible as ever.

“Oh my.” I could hear her tea cup clatter against its plate. She was seeing what I was. “Letter, I didn't realize th-” I remembered the dream I had on my way there. “By the Designers Scripture... Letter, there's so much fire, why is there so much fire? Fire and gold. Beasts and war.” I approached her and placed a hoof on her shoulder, she snapped to. “Letter, what you've shown me, they're not just dreams, they're memories. But, some are not your own.” She set her tea down. “Why would you show me this?”

“I wanted to know if you knew anything about Light Fringe Kingdom.”

“The story is true. But your lineage, I cannot say. I can only see dreams. Your mind, however, seems to be confusing the two.”

“Right.”

“Please, do stop by tomorrow. I could perhaps analyze those sinking nightmare of yours further. What you've shown me today has exhausted me.”

“I'll stop by tomorrow then.”

“And Letter,”

“Yes?”

“No. Never mind. It's nothing.”

#44

Winter. Day 40. Evening. Clackerton.

I went to Dream's home yet again and today and well, she explained what the nightmares were about. Somehow, it felt more haunting than ever before.

The first one, of the fires and my subsequent rage, was simply due to my fear of returning home to everything gone to an inferno set by a force unknown.

The second took awhile for her to figure out. She picked at it as I slept, I could feel her pausing the dream and rewinding it at certain times. The eyes represented an overbearing presence and the shapeless was a fear of the unknown. It was the part where I was thrusted back out from it that confused her. As if I were to conquer that force that sought to consume me. Then there was the part where I whispered “No” to Apricot's question. The pale cream color that covered Apricot's eyes were her eyes succumbing to blindness.  My answer was because I couldn't remember what they were. The stars, that is. She summed it up as a fear of loss. Of everything that I've known, everything that I've loved.

She had a strong will over magic, despite not being a unicorn. I wonder how she's able to do this. Did blinding her eyes help her see better? I asked her a question about it, she answered that she wore the bandage because her eyes were attuned to darkness more than the light.

She asked if her analysis of my dreams were okay. I told her that they were but it meant that there are some things that just may be inevitable in my future. She told me of a friend of hers that she met in Ponyville, Prudence, who might be able to tell me more about my mother's past. I didn't tell her I met her already.

Before I left, I asked Dream if she had ever found her way back home. “I've forgotten where it is.” She answered solemnly. “All these years I've roamed this continent without a proper road and never have I found it.” She sighed. “Why do you ask?”

“I think I may be able to help with it.”

“How so?” she raised her brows.

“Princess Celestia. After what I pulled in Light Fringe, she owes me one. I'll see if I can convince her to seek out your home. Not sure when I can though because of work.”

“Ask for a package being shipped there. Better yet, I could address one to her and then you'll be the one picking it up.”

“That would work. Be sure to have it labeled as a non-stop package, though.”

“What's Celestia like?”

“Well, she certainly has a majestic air about her. From what I know, she controls the sun.”

“Ah. I think I may have met her before then. When you've lived as long as I, you tend to forget some ponies.” She smiled.

I raised a brow, intrigued, “How long have you lived?”

“Far longer than her, if memory serves correctly. Before Equestria was even established as a country. To be honest, I've grown tired of wandering. I've always wondered what keeps me alive.”

“Think you'll ever find out?”

“Someday, I hope. It's a matter of when.”

“That's true.” I glanced outside, snow had started to fall again, heavy and gust blown. “Suppose I'll head home before the storm gets worse.”

“Goodbye then. May The Designers aid us.”

The Designers. She spoke as if they held the strings to life itself, beyond death even. I suppose Apparition is proof of that. However, I have my suspicions that The Designers may never have wanted their secret to get out. I wonder how wide their influence was. I've certainly never heard of them until now but my want to know more about them was an itchy thought.

#45

Winter. Day 45. Noon. Zecora's Home.

Dream Seer managed to get a package to the post office addressed to Princess Celestia with a bit of help on my part. Thankfully, I was also assigned to deliver it. I left earlier this morning through the blizzard, which had lingered since the night I had offered my help. In all my years here, a blizzard here has never lasted as long as this.

Apricot gave me a coat to wear, a pale green with a paler collar. My uniform hat kept my ears covered well enough and my scarf would help cover my muzzle. Before leaving Clackerton, I asked Dream if had any books about The Designers she spoke so fondly of. She gave me the first volume of three. It's script contained the history of her civilization, how they came upon The Designers Crystal and why they were searching for it. It was more a history book than anything else. Important ponies and historical events that occurred in the caverns up to the just before the incident she escaped from. There were many deaths that occurred before then, they were just as frail as us.

I've stopped at Zecora's home in the Everfree Forest to get out of the aching cold for a bit. The piling snow has brought parts of the canopy down to the ground, causing me to change my route to get there. Zecora welcomed me warmly and she'd already started a fire of her own to keep the cold out. I asked her if she knew how the weather was in Ponyville. She answered that it was just as bad there as it was here. She did, however, point out that towards Canterlot, there was a clearing in the massive clouds.

I remembered the potion she'd given me. I never did drink it. Silver Liner helped me through that maelstrom in Light Fringe. Perhaps it could help me through this blizzard.

Aside from getting straight to Canterlot, I need to remember that I have to stop by Prudence's home first and ask her about my mother. And the ghosts, the ones I saw at Light Fringe. The thought of them kept nagging me. For one, how did giving that alicorn her wand back stop the maelstrom and two, why the shit did it call me their child?

Whatever the case, I just want to know what happened and what is.

#46

Winter. Day 46. Early Evening. Ponyville

The blizzard has begun to lift but good gravy has it hit hard. Half the homes here are near buried in snow except the library in the center of town. Its branches hadn't fared all too well though. Some of them had snapped and hung by fringes of their bark. Ponyville felt as if it had been abandoned but barriers around multiple homes and the hospital on the hill had kept the ground bare.

I made my way to Prudence's home. She let me in from the cold. Her husband was at the train station, where he worked as a receptionist. Her daughter, Tiva, was a nurse at the local hospital and was working overtime due to the blizzard. After she had brought out some tea, I noticed some wisps of magic surrounding her, wisps she wasn't controlling. I didn't bother to question her about it. Instead, I asked her about mother and what she knew.

“I've met your mother, yes and we were good friends. However, your relationship to the royal family of Light Fringe is something I cannot say.”

I stared her down from across the table, “Prudence. Dream Seer told me to find you. You know she wouldn't say that without a good reason.”

The air became still. Concern striking her face. She sighed, “My magic can only see fates and destinies. Not the past and most certainly not memories.”

“Never bothered to try?”

“I have and failed multiple times.”

“Then try it on me.”

Shocked, she asked, “Are you sure about that?” I nodded. “Very well. Place your hoof upon the table.”

She took a deep breath and placed hers upon mine. Her eyes closed as the wisps of magic surrounding her began to spin up around her horn. So this is what I've been seeing. So queer and strange. Being able to see the innate magics surrounding a pony.  I wonder, if there's a way to measure it, to record how much one pony can hold or use. And if there was a way to train my sight to block them out. I hadn't been seeing such things until after Light Fringe. Perchance, I'm not the only one.

In my thought, she placed her hoof on mine, gently. I could feel her magic seep into me and play with my mind and dive into my memories. My bones were cold to the marrow and goosebumps sprung from my skin. This was a dangerous game. She knew it well enough. The alicorn was the last thing that flashed across my mind when she withdrew.

“That's as far back as I could see. You gave her a wand?” she raised a brow curiously after rubbing her temples.

“King Radiance said that it was an ancestral heirloom. I found it in the armory of one his sister kingdoms.” I took a moment to find the proper words. “It resonated with me and I picked it up. Used it to defeat a chimera creature of some sort. You saw the rest.”

“And that stopped the maelstrom. I'm not sure what to sure here. Wands are an ancient tool of magic, why an alicorn would need one is beyond me. It's connection with the storm is confounding as well.” She questioned me further about the kingdoms. “May I have another look?” I softly nodded again.

Somehow, this became more about me and less about my mother. Her magic flowed through me again, more easily this time. She dug deeper. I forced my eyes open to see the magic wisps flow from her and into me. Such a strange sight. A cold white river treading through different stones.

She saw the beast of bear and stag, land of golden death, and the decrepit armory. And then the wand. I felt her magic reach out to it and jolt back. “It cannot be touched, not by me. But its craft is familiar. I've studied something similar before.” The flowing wisps had receded back into her. Slaves to their master. Distinctly reminded me of the story behind The Crystal Kingdom. “I'll look into it. As for your bloodline, if you've something of your mother's with you, I can take a look at it. But I can only see as far as she's had it most likely.”

I pulled out an old pocket watch from my saddlebag. She had given this to me when I was younger. Told me then that it was older than her. “Here. She says its older than her. A heirloom, even. Don't lose it, please.”

“I promise I won't.” She smiled. “Give me some time. Objects are harder than a mind, you understand?” I nodded. “Good.”

“Well, I have a package that I must deliver. I'd stay but I must maintain a positive schedule.”

“Understood. Stop by on you way back, then. I'll have something. Also I recommend that you not take the train. The tracks have been out of commission since the blizzard began.”

I went out the door and eased it closed against the crisp and stifling wind. The blizzard had given way to a fair sky now but the distant clouds showed no relieve. Ponyville had become an eye. I continued, worried about the future here.

#47

Winter. Day 46. Midnight. Canterlot

I flew over the tracks to get to Canterlot. It wasn't always clear. A train must've barreled through here at some point. Well before the blizzard got worse. I thought about drinking Zecora's potion, but yet I refrained. Why have I not drank it yet?

Flying to Canterlot was the longer trip, for me at least. Although it's always visible in the distance, today it became a faint shimmer in thin white burlap. Even when I began to get up to the main roads of the castle, the blizzard kept it cloaked. The moon was more visible with its glow behind these clouds. Eventually I grounded myself, to save my fur from wind burn.

I arrived at the gates to a familiar face leaving them. That brilliant yellow mane and white coat. It was Charger. We passed each other without a word. I'm not sure if he recognized me or not. Apricot's jacket may have made that difference. The jacket I was wearing might. The howling wind here could take the breath from you if you're not careful. It seemed odd without Wrecker by his side.

I continued on and made my way into the foyer. Sitka was working the reception desk. She kept herself warm with a robe red and dulled. A contrast to her bright blue-green fur and dark brown mane and tail. She looked like she could sleep there. But she held her eyes open, weary as they were. I approached.

“Evening, Sitka”

She jerked her head up and refocused her eyes. “Oh, evening. You've an appointment?” Her groggy voice mumbled her speech.

“No, I'm here to deliver a letter to the Princess.”

She squinted her eyes, “In this weather you've- Letter! I didn't recognize you at first with that sweater. Go on ahead to the throne room. She hasn't been all too busy with this crazy snowstorm. She could use some company other than her sister, for once and Twilight Sparkle is off somewhere looking for love.”

“Best of luck to her I suppose.” I glanced around the foyer. “Which way was the throne room again?”

“Straight up the stairs behind me. She'll likely provide you a room for the night as well. Blizzard might get worse.”

“Right, thank you. Get some rest, Sitka. You could use it.”

“Thanks, Letter.”

48

Winter. Day 47. Morning. Canterlot.

The howling blizzard still hasn't let up much since last night. Somehow I'm feeling more worried about Ponyville than my own home. We've grown up used to such weather and its prolonged stays.

I should get on about the letter and rather small package that Dream Seer addressed to Celestia. She was delighted to help out, though she expressed it through voice more than body. Minding her manners I suppose. As for how long it would take, she'd send a letter to her pupil, Twilight Sparkle her assistant. She'd glance through the library and archives here. Her pupil was a bookworm and Celestia has had plenty of time to read on her own. Dream had packaged a small charm along with the letter, opalized  wood. Celestia liked it. After that, she had a servant lead me to a chamber I could stay the night in.

Breakfast was nice, but short. I spent the time eating alone in the guest chamber and staring out the window. I'm thinking about telling Celestia about my new ability to see wisps of magic. I'm not really sure who I should tell, to be honest. Maybe she might know or at least point me in the right direction. I think I'll make my own way to the library here, I'm curious to know if there's anything about Light Fringe and its royal lines.

#49

Winter. Day 47. Late Noon. Canterlot.

Well, Celestia managed to find something.  A fair bit of information about The Designers and their influence on the world. Aside from the scripture that Dream had given me, the books Celestia found related to their architecture and science. What seemed unanimous was that all of their work had been painstakingly built and then buried. A cursed blessing, perhaps.  I had Celestia look over the book that Dream had given me. She cross referenced it with what she had but what connections were there were vague and weak.

“I've come across the tale before and actually finding a Designers work is extremely unheard of.”

“You sound like you found one before.”

“Luna and I have, yes. What we found we used to free Equestria from the reins of evil.”

I took an educated guess, “The Elements of Harmony?”

“Correct. While in six separate pieces, they function as one. My brightest pupil, Princess Twilight Sparkle, holds the strongest one, The Element of Friendship.”

“Nice. Which actually reminds me,”  Here goes, “After I got back from Light Fringe, I started seeing these little wisps of magic surrounding certain ponies. Would you happen to know what could cause that?”

“Wisps of magic?” she repeated quietly.  “In a casted sense or innate and natural?”

“Innate, I guess.”

“There's something you didn't tell me about Light Fringe, isn't there?”

So I told her about the ghosts of the alicorns I saw and how the one that lead them took a wand from me, which cleared out the maelstrom that cloaked Light Fringe. I even added that it called me “their child” . And then I told her about how I had caught a rather fierce Feather Flu when I got back home.

“I will admit, you do have a sense of royalty.” She said that half jokingly. “And these 'wisps', do you see any around me?”

I stared at her chest for a moment, and slowly counted aloud each of them. “One, two, three,...” kept track of their color in my mind, “ten, eleven, twelve,..” and their size, “forty, forty-one, forty-two...” Until the last one sprung from her form. “One hundred seventy wisps, Celestia. Give or take, may have recounted one or two.” It seemed my mind was training my eyes without notice.

She whispered the number to herself, “One hundred seventy. Seems oddly specific. I don't know if that number would correlate with myself.” She lost herself in thought.

“Celestia?”

“My apologies, Letter. I'll have to consult Twilight on the matter. I'll look through my archives further. If neither turns up a result, then report your findings on it when you can.”

It was a hefty task, I wasn't really sure where to start. As far as I'm concerned there's no specific cause of the wisps. I'm not really sure what to call them either if it comes down to that. “Will do. Still, it's hard to determine what the main cause is.” I glanced at the book Dream had given me. “Well, I need to be heading back home and I'll need that book back, unfortunately.”

“I understand, Letter. I'll let you know what turns up. For both you and Dream.”

“Thank you, Princess Celestia.”

“Before you go, I want you to have this.” She pulled a small jewel out from one of the books. “It is a Parchment Stone. Use it for whenever you need to send me a letter.” It was small as a pebble but white as a pearl. She attached it to the pendant I forgot I wore. “Just say the words: “Dear Princess Celestia” and it should send it to me.” I took a blank page from my journal, scribble something illegible and repeated the words. It worked. Two quick puffs of vanilla colored smoke. “Great! I'll be able to send it back just as easily. Thank you, Letter. I may just have to assign you as the Royal Courier.” Another joke, she enjoyed humoring herself.

“Perhaps.” I played along. “Maybe after I move here or Clackerton falls under your jurisdiction.” Jurisdiction, reminded me a moment about my old friend, Idol. I wonder how he's doing. I hope he's well, I really do.

“Perhaps. Anyways, go on home. I can't keep you here too long.”

“I'll be seeing you some other time then, Princess Celestia.”

#50

Winter. Day 47. Late Evening. Ponyville Library.

I left Canterlot with best regards from both Princess Celestia and Sitka. Trekking through the snow and the howling winds was difficult. It prevented me from taking Silver Liner and flying home. It also took away any chance of flying with my own wings. I'm beginning to wonder when Flight Gear will have those pieces of equipment left for me. It has been quite some time since he had first shown them to me.

I trudged my way through the snowstorm with  the wind at my face. I was glad I had brought my goggles for this. Prevented my eyes from watering up. This wind was different than home. It was harsh and unrelenting. Whistled at times akin to a siren screeching. I thought I heard lightning at one point. But no. But I swore I saw the ghosts of the storm coming to taunt me. I'm not sure to say it was instinct that guided me here or if it was the petals that Abner's mother had woven into the chain of my locket. Even then, the faint trail of light I could see may have just been my new eyes leading the way.

When I saw the station against that darkening blanket of salted gray, I ran. I ran despite my exhaustion. The numbness was no factor and the wind's breath stealing gust couldn't keep me now. I was in excitement, to see civilization in after this long walk. I don't know how long I've walked and I could've given into the snow and become buried in it all. Perhaps it was part of my stubborn nature that I kept going. Perhaps it was my fear of losing something important. Somepony, rather.

The train station was abandoned. The snow had found its way inside from the bay. Wind seemed to had forced the doors off their hinges. They were quite aged and they worked well enough. The panes  were cleaned and the panels polished well but the small holes went unrepaired.

I made my own way to the front door like a slow burning fuse. It was a bit warmer here and the wind was quieter. It was a relief for the most part. But still, I needed to find other ponies. I felt that if I could, I'd know that the ponies here at least okay. I pressed myself up against the door and it eased open. Ponyville had become almost entirely buried save for a single path that split apart like streams to a river and fed into the hospital. Shields against the storm had ceased. Magic like that could only be maintained for so long.

The storm had lightened up a bit when I left. It has gotten lighter since and my gut tells me that it'll open up more. And vaguely, a large wisp of magic circling at its center. A  mass of foam to a whirlpool.

From this rather dystopian scene, I cantered over to the library. The curiosity of my eyes was something I wanted to know soon. Unknown knowledge could eat away at you if you let it. A dangerous thing if it carries. But also disappointing if you're let down by the fact of it. the map I pulled from my first visit here was a good idea after all and I had almost forgotten that I had it in first place.

From outside I could see a candlelight's glow from one of the windows in that large tree. Oak, I think. What pony would be here instead of seeking the comfort of the hospital? The door was left open so I let myself in before easing it shut. The light came from behind a short stack of books and the smell of lilac, faint as it was. Still a refreshing scent. Mother's garden always had a few good batches of the stuff.

“Hello?” I asked. No answer. I moved closer. “Hello?” I peered around the books to the sound of the soft flame upon the wick and the smell of vanilla wax.

A figure there, lying in a dress. Pink, white and gold. Flowing and short and adorned with small ribbons. Hooves in shoes bejeweled with glimmering purple stones. Funny that they'd match the coat of this pony or perhaps coincidence. She dreamed away over an opened book. Her eyes were weary from a long day and her pink and purple streaked indigo of a straight mane had curled and frayed. Had this pony come back from a meeting of sorts, I wondered. For some odd reason I remembered something Celestia remarked about her pupil, Twilight Sparkle, and how she was a bookworm. Quite the way to get introduced to somepony. Especially royalty.

#51

Winter. Day 48. Morning. Ponyville Library.

I nudged Twilight awake last night. She was rather out of it. Perhaps she had used a teleportation spell that left her exhausted after casting it. I helped her to bed. She didn't seem to care who I was. Perhaps the weather was having us ponies work together without a care who was who. I was a bit nervous about it, when she asked me to help her get the dress off. Surprisingly, it wasn't all that difficult. A small button and a zipper and a hook. All hidden under a single seam in the back of the dress. She had taken off the golden shoes herself and in one fluid motion, the dress flopped to floor. The wind seemed even quieter now and vaguely, the light of the moon softly blanketed her from the window. Dull as it was.

“Princess, are you well?” I asked, feeling some chivalrous tone come through. It was clearer

“I'm fine. The dress is a bit heavy sometimes.”

“Ah well. You're certainly not alone in that matter, I think.”

She huffed a breath and smiled, “I suppose you're right. There's a guest bedroom on the other end of the stairs. It may be a bit dusty.”

“I understand, Princess. I'll take my leave then.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

I left her then and heading to the guest room. From what I could see in her eyes, As I said before, I'm not sure if she cared who I was, but I think I'll be seeing more of a reaction out of her after she gets up. It's a matter of when, really.

Aside from waiting on her to crawl out of bed, the window of this room gave a pretty good view of sky and the fountain. The latter being used as a meeting place in town by those trying to clean up the mess. The sky was clear above us at least. That was nice but as my gut was bugging me about earlier, the blizzard still lingered over the forest and well into the mountains of Canterlot. It was just like Light Fringe but on I think, a smaller scale. And Ponyville was in the center of it.

Should I fly up there, I wonder. See what that wisp is about or just wait to see what happens?

Oh, I think she woke up. I think I heard her yawn, rather loud about it.

#52

Winter. Day 48. Noon. Ponyville.

“Princess Twilight?” I called from outside her room, keeping out of sight. “Are you awake?”

“I am awake. I don't believe I caught your name, sir.” A princess calling me sir, that's new.

“Letter Bee. Courier of Clackerton. At your service.” My formal tongue slipped through again. I suppose I have my old friend Idol to thank for it.

She yawned again, “Ah. Celestia sent me a letter about you. Mentioned the something about wisps and The Designers. I think I got something last night, but I must go through the books again to be sure. Let us chat more after a decent breakfast.”

“Very well. I'll be ready when you are.”

While I waited I started thinking about last night. When she had me help her undress. Some stallions would have taken advantage of that. I'm thankful that I didn't. That would've been an extremely terrible idea, for many reasons. One being that Celestia would be pissed and two being that my head would wind up in a handbasket or two. Although, I still wonder why she let me in that close to her. Perhaps I can ask before we delve into what information she found.

“Alright, Letter. I'm all set. Meet me by the door.”

I made my way down the stairs to see her quick purple light flash before the door. Revealing a clearer image than what I could last night. Her eyes seemed brighter now but her light smile hid a melancholy feeling. I opened the door, “After you.” She thanked me and lead the way. She groomed her mane and tail straight and true. A dull sheen came from them. My guessing that she had come back from some royal ball.

I was a quiet walk, excluding the damned wind. We were making our way to the hospital. Recovered food had been stored in the cafeteria, served during the typical periods of the day. The cafeteria was pretty standard. Long folding tables with attached seats that could be rolled around or flushed into the walls. Two lines to get what food you wanted and make your own way to a seat. Twilight told me to take a seat somewhere and wait for her to come back. The lines were both lengthy and I'd probably have to wait longer than it took for her to get ready this morning. Funny.

After a bit, I was approached by a white mare, blue eyes matching their shadow, mane a touch lighter than Twilight's coat and ribboned. “Good morning.”

“Morning, miss.”

“May I?” I nodded and she took a seat across from me. “I saw you walking in with Twilight. Have you a relationship with her?”

“No, I'm already taken by somepony else.”

She eyed me then, I saw a wisp peak from her horn and fire off. But no, my imagination got the better of me then. “Ah, well. Don't go playing with a mare's heart now.”

“My mother has told me plenty about that, I assure you.” I cut into her interrogation. “The name's Letter Bee. Yours?”

“Rarity. It's a pleasure to meet you.” Somehow, she was relieved that I wasn't putting on a show.

We went over this strange introductory ritual I was all too familiar with during my school years.  She asked about my home, I asked about hers. Grew up in Ponyville. She asked about family, I about hers. Younger sister, Mother and Father.  She asked about my job and I asked about hers. A seamstress at the local boutique. Her speech was a bit more formal than the average pony. Preferring more sophistication than most, more so than Celestia, I think.

And then she asked about the friends I kept. I told her that I've met a lot of ponies, hard to know who is. However I listed Apricot and Idol Find as two that were closest to me. Idol seemed to ring a bell to her. “You know him?”

“Oh do I.” She exclaimed excitedly. “He's such a nice stallion. He's helped out a lot of ponies over in Manehatten. Even helped my sister and I set up a new boutique there as well. He's even been taking care of this young colt at a foster home.”

“Sounds like you've got a thing for him.” I smiled. “Funny, he said he'd write me every once in awhile. Well, I know he'd be alright anyways.” A lie if there ever was one.

It got quiet then. The entire place did. Rather strange. “Pinkie Pie, You're welcome to introduce yourself, dear.”

Pinkie was a quick talker, vibrant in personality as her pink coat and blue eyes. She veered her conversations around parties and references of things unfamiliar and at random. It took my mind a moment to keep up with her speedy mouth, until I took my hooves and clamped her muzzle shut. “Pinkie, I understand your excitement, but please do settle down a bit.” She agreed with a muffle. When I let go, she took a seat next to Rarity. “The name is Letter Bee. And if I caught it right, Pinkie Pie?”

“Yes!”

Twilight came back with food for the both of us then. “I see you met two of my best friends. Rarity, Pinkie.” She glanced at both of them before sitting down beside me.

“How was the ball, Darling?” Rarity politely asked.

“Terrible.” Twilight groaned.

She went on about how grand it was but strongly remarked about how rude some of the other guests were. Rarity shared her agreement with that. Especially the ones that approached her to dance. She would play along until she managed to pull away. Then moaned about her aching legs before speaking about the letter Celestia sent to her. “Sheer coincidence I would run into Letter not too long after I got back here. You're kinder than any of those stallions.”

I hid my face in a glass of milk then. Compliments always made me a bit shy. “Oh, what's this? Letter's being shy, how cute.” Rarity teased. My cheeks blushed up more. Pinkie giggled at that just as Rarity did.

“Girls, come on now.” Twilight interjected. “Rarity, how has Spike been?”

“Quite well, actually. The darling has been oh so very helpful with my designs.”

The rest of breakfast was a blur after that. Wound up meeting Twilight's other best friends as well. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Seems they've all made names for themselves around here. Fluttershy cared for animals of all sorts, timid as she was. Dash was the lazy one, but loyal nonetheless. Applejack was an honest farmer of the local apple orchard.

Twilight and I headed back into the library. Her friends went their own ways to help with cleaning up the snow. It had stopped, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't caused damage. The roofs of several homes had collapsed and smaller ones had the peaks of their roofs or chimneys peaking through. Before we went into the library, I found myself staring into the open sky, just thinking of the reason behind the storm. It still reigned everywhere beyond Ponyville. Twilight called me to come inside, then. I hadn't realized I was shivering from the cold.

#53

Winter. Day 48. Late Evening. Ponyville Hospital.

Last night, like Light Fringe, I saved Ponyville. Now I'm in the hospital for it this time though. It had cause some terrible fever and my wings, well, they've gotten much larger. Larger than Celestia's I think. Rather sore too. Anyways, to go over what happened.

After getting back to the library, Twilight and I went through the dozen or so books she had on the wisps issue and then we delved deeper into the issue of The Designers. The ability to see wisps appeared to be well documented but the cause was elusive. However, it was noted that most of the ponies who had the issue were members of royalty reigning from certain areas, mostly Light Fringe and Topazi Lazulia. A place further that stood at the north end of the Flatwall Cliffs. Some theorized that it occurred as a gift from some ethereal power unseen or something related to a pony's blood. Some shunned it, thinking it a curse that slowly drained one's sight. Although it was well documented, it was still incredibly rare.

Perhaps Celestia was right in her jokes. Perhaps mother was right about our bloodline. Why then, did we live out in Clackerton? I'll have to ask her once I finally get back home.

The Designers, on the other hoof, were a bit more elusive. History of their culture was limited to the few discoveries of their relics and written script, which dumbfounded archeologists. Even the volume that Dream let me borrow didn't hold much information. As it more about the history of her ponies than The Designers. I told Twilight about it, figuring that it would help. But no.

Taking a guess, I flipped over to the last pages of the volume. There sat the scripture of The Designers. A short chapter's worth, at least. Every individual word was written vertically and connected by a left standing line. Each character angled upward from it and hashed with either a specifically placed hashes or semicircles. Only two had a full circle in them. Unfortunately, these eyes couldn't translate such scripture, as convenient as that would be. Twilight plucked the letters from the page and tried to decipher them herself, no avail there either. The last page of the script was different from the rest though. Boxes surrounded the words, side by side. Two lines placed at the top and bottom. The writing was the same but appeared a lot more shorthanded. Some sort of hierarchy as well, from the looks of it.

Then I recalled written magic. “Twilight. Does this seem like written magic to you?”

She eyed it over, squinting hard before pulling away from the page. “You could be right. Magic spells can be written out. You just need the right words. A proper key. I'll give it a shot.” She mouthed the words quickly to remember them. I saw nearly a dozen wisps dance around her then and pushed down upon the page. An orb of light spewed out from the book. “Well, that seems to have done something.”

The orb faded then. Apparently unable to sustain itself. That gave me a crazy idea. I flipped to the last page of the spells. The entire page was a single spell. “Let's try this one.” She fired again. A blast of light came out from the book. Blinding us both for a few seconds. There was a faint ghost then, looking similar to Apparition. It trotted outside, leaving a trail of sparkling green mist. “Twilight, are you seeing what I am?”

“No. What are you seeing?”

“A fine mist of green. A ghost leading outside. Stay here.” Twilight moved to object but understood.

I followed the trail out, then up into the sky. I flew up until Ponyville was nothing but the dots of roofs and a hospital. “My child.” That voice again. The alicorn came forward once more, but only her head peaked from the giant wisp that rested up here. “You've freed one of my children. In doing this, I shal-”

I cut her off. “I've got questions for you, you know.”

“Speak, then.”

“Why do you keep calling me 'your child'? Why did that wand I give you get rid of the storm? And the what's with the wisps?”

“Everypony is my child. The other questions are beyond me.”

“Beyond you? That sounds like a load of crap.”

“It is not. They are answers you must discover on your own. The wisps are no gift of mine, either.

I sighed, dissatisfied. “Very well. Excuse my rudeness then. As you were saying?”

“I grant you two gifts, for both the wand and my son. You'll find out what they are soon enough.” Her magic lit up and encased me. My vision turned white. Then black. I lost my consciousness then too.

Twilight said that she watched from below. Said the clouds all vanished, puffed away by magic far beyond her own. She saw me fall, flew to my rescue. I forgot that she too, was an alicorn. Maybe I didn't care that she was. Said I that my wings bled from the joints. Her coat is still stained, don't think she bothered to clean up after taking me here. The doctor had to make new splints to accommodate the size.

Twilight, despite our short time together, was incredibly worried over my well being. I think I tell her in the morning what happened. I think its been a long night for us both. I'll have to figure out where the heck I can get those questions answered. Prudence may be able to help with that. I need to visit her anyways. Gotta get my mother's pocket watch back from her after all.

Chapter 4: Books of Creation

#54

Winter. Day 49. Morning. Ponyville Hospital.

Twilight stayed at my bedside for the rest of the night. I thought I lost my mind a few times. I kept seeing everything warp and bend, contort into unbelievable shapes. Hallucinations of fire and melting skin kept me well awake. I panicked at the fire, confused at the skin. Thankfully, Twilight was there to help me snap out of it. Something festered my fears. Towering infernos, why was I scared of those?

After some time, the hallucinations subsided. My eyes became clear again. Some gifts that ghost gave me. Maybe it was the pain. I don't know. All I know now is how heavy my head is.

#55

Winter. Day 50. Morning. Ponyville Hospital.

Pinkie Pie was a bit upset at the fact that I had turned up injured not too long after we met.  She wanted to throw this huge party to welcome me. Told her that I'd probably be here for a couple days. No idea when I'd be discharged though. She brought in a ton of balloons anyways. That irritated Twilight but she was rather used to her antics from the looks of it. Rarity felt sorry for my condition, Applejack was the same in that regard. Dash wanted to teach me how to fly with my new wings. Fluttershy said she wanted to bring in a rabbit or some other small critter to help comfort me. Which reminded me that I was considering adopting an animal of some sort to accompany me during express trips.

It was then I met Spike too. The faithful assistant of Twilight Sparkle. Small purple dragon with green dorsal fins and underbelly. Eyes too. Hard worker he is too.

I asked Twilight to bring the book that got me here. Some part of me wanted to look over those last few pages again.

#56

Winter. Day 51. Morning. Ponyville Hospital.

After Twilight gave me the book last night, I began to look over the scripted pages again. The words began to ring in my head. I wrote out the Equestrian alphabet, then scanned over and wrote out The Designer's script. A set of twenty-six letters, three marks for punctuation, two marks to denote for holding a vowel or a silent letter. When I finally got through that, I translated the pages in their entirety. I couldn't stop, as if my hoof was forced into the writing. Until the last letter was written and punctuated, I wasn't sure what I was doing.

Twilight asked me how. My mind was so enthralled by the translating that I'm not even sure what I answered.

I looked over what I had written. All of it was poetic, except the spells. They had a hierarchy. I hadn't translated those yet. But first the two poems, which are more like one piece.

I.

And he descended

from the Sky

And She from rising

From the Abyss

The world born

By their children

of Fire and Water

Then Earth and Wind

II.

Earth and Wind

Fire and Water

Abyss and Sky

Three kinds to become

In their names

Shrines and Temples.

upon Life and Death

cast to and fro

That's where it ended. A creation myth of their own from the looks of it. I gave Twilight my notes so she could translate the spells on her own. The hours it took me to translate the poem and the alphabet wore my mind out.

#57

Winter. Day 52. Morning. Ponyville Hospital.

I slept for a good portion of the day after I got the script translated. I finally managed to get back on my hooves again. The doctor took the splints off my wings and bandaged them up. Got a nice look out the window. Seems like they're having fun with the snow at least. Snow forts, statues, and igloos are all over the place. It was nice knowing that they're enjoying themselves at least. Quite of bit of it was cleaned up already.

Doctor told me that I would be discharged later tonight. I just hope the hallucinations don't relapse any time soon. Better yet, never. They felt real enough as they were. I would like to get back home soon. I'm sure Apricot and my family are worried about me.

#58

Winter. Day 53. Morning. Ponyville Library.

Twilight manged to translate the spells that followed after the poems. They were all pretty simple spells, except the last. The last was a spell of guidance. That made some sense, but didn't fit with what that alicorn said. I really ought to get her name next time. I've a good feeling that we'll meet again.

I got a letter from Celestia after I was done packing my things. Said she found something about The Designers culture in an unlabeled book and her best wishes about my condition. Twilight sent a copy of my translations to her and my thanks.

Aside from that, Pinkie was able to throw that party she wanted for me. Surprised me when I got back to the library. It was fun and for the time I had forgotten what happened to me and the troubles that were abound. I enjoyed the company of the almost the entire town welcoming and introducing themselves. Prudence stopped by as well, gave me my mother's pocket watch back. She couldn't open it or cast any spells on it. Even tried breaking the spell on it as well. Nothing seemed to work. I assured her that it was alright and that I would ask my mother about it.

At another point, I managed to ask Fluttershy about adopting one of the animals that she had. I was thinking about either an eagle or an owl. She was all for it, rather excited about it as well. Despite the fact that it was on such short notice but she was okay with that. Said she had the perfect candidate too, which made me all the more curious. Told her I would be stopping by before I left today.

#59

Winter. Day 53. Late Evening. Clackerton. Home.

Finally back home from Ponyville. Managed to sneak into the house but no pony was home anyways.  All well and fine really but I would've at least would've like to have somepony to greet me.  I wonder where my family's at.

As I said before, I was going to stop by Fluttershy's house before I left Ponyville, which I did. She presented me with an eagle that couldn't have been more than a few months old but he was kind of heavy as he was. Only being the size of your average saddlebag. He could fit in mine pretty comfortably, seemed to enjoy it as well. Enjoyed my company too. Fluttershy mentioned that it had been awhile since she had seen any animal display such a quick connection with their owner.

The eagle Fluttershy gave me was mostly brown, gold streaks dashed just about everywhere. Pretty close to a Golden Eagle, but Flutters said that it wasn't the same species. A close cousin perhaps. I asked her how she it wound up in her hooves. Said that she found it lying by a bush with an injured foot. Took care of it and he stuck around. Always seemed like he was waiting for somepony, guess we know who now.

Fluttershy reminded me a lot of Apricot and somehow we wound up talking a bit more about her than my new pet. Fluttershy seemed to enjoy the fact that there was somepony just as shy as her, having a love for animals. The only real difference between the two of them is that Apricot didn't really have a whole lot of pony friends. Don't think I've ever bothered to ask, I should. I wonder what friends she has, if any.

After I left Fluttershy's,  I ventured through Everfree again. I've almost memorized the path by now. But, not to my surprise, Zecora still lead the way for me. She seemed faithful in that regard but it was strange too, how she knew. I didn't let it bother me too much.

The blizzard had covered the canopies well here, turned the forest into a web of tunnels. A torch wouldn't be the best idea in a place like this. I remembered the words to the activation spell that Twilight had used, she taught me those, when we studied the books further. Used it on the first spell we had casted and this time, the orb of light stayed and bound itself to the book. Zecora was surprised. Don't think she's ever seen magic of this kind used before. Her potion magic is something else, I believe.

The forest felt thicker than before, maybe it was because of the snow. But the air was incredibly still. Can't remember the last time it was. Wherever I've gone it's been windy, not complaining though.

I made it back home on my own, I wanted to stop by Dream's house but it was snowed in. I hope she's okay at least. In the mean time I suppose I'll take to making my own copy of the spells. They'd be useful should I ever need to use them. That's what I've been spending most of my night doing. The fact that my family hasn't come yet has gotten me worried. They're usually home this time of night. I wonder if they took to Flight Gear's workshop as shelter. That place was far better heated than our home. More space as well, considering that ship he has docked underground there.

#60

Winter. Day 54. Noon. Clackerton.

Woke up to a nightmare I can't remember. Slept in pretty late too.  I'm just glad it wasn't one of those hallucinations I saw before. Those circumstances are different. My family still hasn't come back. Guess I'll have to look for them on my own.

#61

Winter. Day 54. Evening. Clackerton

Found my family. My guess of them being in Flight Gear's workshop was right. I was surprised that a good portion of Clackerton decided to take shelter here as well. Thankfully,  it wasn't to the point of overcrowding. Flight told me that the other halves of tow took to some of the industrial buildings for shelter. Some still remained in their homes. The guard had told residents to stay where they are so that they could get the streets cleared up.

The streets look like they've been cleared for awhile when I got to Flight Gear's. It was kind of an odd timing though, that the guard would sow up and tell us that they were after I arrived. Everypony went back home in a rather orderly fashion. Figured they'd just run for the door.

I met my family then as well. They waited until the line died down. I saw Apricot and her family was with them as well. I greeted them from the top of the stairwell which overlooked Flight's ship, The Goshawk. We met halfway.

Mother was the happiest, tears rolling from her eyes. “Letter, I knew you'd find your way back.”

“I wasn't alone, Mom. I had some help from some friends in Po-”

“Oh my goodness! What happened to your wings!? Did you get in a fight?”

“Mom.”

“They look larger than before.”

“Mom...” I looked to father, he was amused. But his eyes held worry too. Busy, I think was just being patient for an answer.

“Let's get these bandages -”

“Mom!” She jolted back. “Give me a second, would you?” she settled down a bit. I had never been that strong in my tone to her, I didn't like it either. “It's a bit of story.” Then I explained, fully and truthfully the extent of what happened. Dream's favor, The Designers, meeting Celestia, the trip through the snowstorm, Ponyville, and ultimately, the ghost of an alicorn that pretty much gave me my new wings. Told her about my new pet too, she wasn't the happiest with it. More so because of its suddenness. The rest of the story my family took rather well. Apricot and her family listened in as well. I felt like they should know what happened. I didn't say anything about the hallucinations, though. I didn't want to think of those.

All of it ended in a group hug, it didn't hurt my wings but they were still sore. Everypony was happy that I returned despite my condition. I was happy too. I would like for it to stay this way.

We had a large dinner at Flight Gear's before heading home. His decommissioned ship was useful for such a thing. It was enjoyable nonetheless. I had brought my new pet along, he had been sleeping in my saddlebags. Woke him and he flew around the hangar for a bit before perching on the framework where the air bladders once were. He enjoyed the excitement of the dinner as well. Began to remind me of the party Pinkie threw for me, but with family and close friends.

#62

Winter. Day 61. Evening. Clackerton. Dream Seer's Home.

Its been awhile since my last journal entry. The last five days I've spent working overtime getting deliveries out to their proper places. Studying and flight practice are two more.

The snowstorm had caused a back up in trade and mail services. Local businesses got slammed and some of the restaurants had to throw out some of their raw foods that would get served to more carnivorous visitors. Majority of them were griffins, but still they were few.

Studying and translating the second volume of The Designers has been quite the hoof full. Firstly though, before I got into it, I told Dream the poem at the end of the first volume. She was familiar with it. Having heard it through the select few who were able to decipher the script. However, time has left her memory hazy on a great matter of things. For all I know she could be outliving Celestia. Certainly been around longer than Clackerton.

That's beside the point here. The second volume contained more scripture that hadn't been translated. Dream said that they were slowly working on it. Organizing it was difficult as each line of the script easily nudged into the one above. Guess they were apt to use what space they had. It wasn't long before I took to her study and kept the notes posted all over the walls, ordering them by passage and page, spell hierarchies, and copies of the original script. Felt I'd gone mad. A good lot of the information seemed more like ramblings from whoever wrote the trite.

There were at least, page breaks to separate different topics. Those were titled and whatever followed was generally a study of that topic. The first book is of creation and some basic spells. Second consists of what could be considered research is the loosest sense of the term. I've yet to get to the poems, if any. Dream and Apparition both seemed confused by the matter. I hope to have the rest translated by tomorrow night so I can fire off some information to Celestia and by extension, Twilight. They haven't sent me much information other than what archeologists have dug up. Recovered scripture was generally unreadable, legibility lost to erosion.  There were only three locations that had been dug up. None of them fitting the description of Dream's home. Not a dead end though, but maybe I'm just being optimistic.

#63

Winter. Day 61-62. Midnight-Before Dawn. Clackerton. Dream Seer's Home.

I stayed up far later than I wanted to. Translating the pages was compelling enough for me to lose track of time and work by candlelight well after the moon rose and the sun set. I finished the last page catching my breath. The cold seeped through these old wooden panels. Writing was beginning to feel like a chore and when I finished that last page, that last character, and its final piece of punctuation, I was relieved. But no. I wasn't done yet. I still needed to copy again, all of this, send it off to Celestia so she could know my progress. I could've slept then. Instead, I willed my eyes to read the words of every named passage from the pages. It was beginning to feel like second nature at this point. An entire page would become readable within a few flicks of a quill.

I rewrote the pages. Took them down from the walls one at a time and copied everything. Word for word. No comma missed, no page number unmarked. I've felt myself drift away a few times. Sweet Luna to take my mind away into rest. I'll give when I'm done, Princess.

As the pages stand right now, they're more a set of research notes. They needed a proper order. I hope to solve that as well. I titled each page, a good thirty or so, with their relative subjects using note cards. Pinned them to the wall. A few with short knives. I've laid myself out in the center and just stared. Primal, light, dark, arcane, elemental, para-elemental, creation and life, and lastly, mind. Every page wrote about what was possible for each, what each controlled, and how to control them. Then there was a portion that was vastly unfamiliar to me, circuitry.  From the text, “A way to connect oneself to their environment by use of embedded works.” Embedded works. The hay?

The poem will wait till the next entry. I've had my fun for tonight, Princess.

#64

Winter. Day 62. Evening. Clackerton.

Woke up this morning to the warmth of a blanket and a fire. Dream had Apparition move me to the hearth of the home, a fire in the nook of stonework. Slate and granite. Red, black, blue, and gray in clouds or streaks. Clean cut and polished slate squared off the mantle. A trifold meshed gate with flourished ironwork kept lit ashes away from the old and frayed floral rug. Phoenix Flowers. Mother kept a few of these in her garden, water is all they need no matter the state. So long as they've been planted. Always thought they smelled nice, too.

So did breakfast.

I went back into the study, gathering the notes I copied. Rewrote what were mere scribbles and proceeded to sort and send the work off to Celestia. I placed my necklace, with its locket and faded flower petals on the table before the window. A nice view of the road leading into town. Checked again to make sure the pages were in order, they were. I looked over the poem again. Less a creation myth this time around, more of a mythological hero.

III.

Birthright and death rights

to live with Sky and Wind

to live with Fire and Earth

or thrown with Abyss

Thus, separation of coils

frail or young

blessings and curses

to live it all

in Spite

IV.

When the mortal pony grasped

All their hooves

From the mountain's peak

He took from them

Lust and Greed

Obscurity befell him

As before, until passing.

Tossed aside Heart

and Passion

Without them

Everything wandered

Still doesn't explain much. There's no connection between the pages of scripture and the poem. I'm beginning to feel as if these were added in after the fact. Nudged in at the end to confuse whomsoever found the books. Regardless, I sent copies of both the pages and the poem to Celestia. I hope that Twilight gets them as well. The papers went up in a flash of light and a short green fire. Wasn't too long after that I received a letter back saying she received them.

After I did that, I went to eat my part of breakfast. I thanked Dream for allowing me to use her study and for the food. I told her I would be back to translate the last volume unless something turns up at work. I thanked Apparition too, as he had made breakfast and would read what I had translated to Dream. Maybe she could tell me something. Honestly, all that translating has got me worn out.

I trotted my way through the snow, after leaving Dream's home, to get back to my own. My wings are almost healed now. Although I had done some flight practice it has been minimal and rehabilitation. Flight Gear gave me some simple pointers while he reworked the equipment he wanted to give me. I wonder, will he ever finish it? I kept my wings wrapped in bandage, to play safe. Busy was starting to wonder if I would always return home injured. I joked, “Maybe.”

I brought myself home, getting there while lost in my thought. I came in to see mother lying on the couch, ill again. Dry heaving and shaky hooves, tucked under our thickest quilt. I came to her side then, she spoke to me, “Letter, you look like you've lost some sleep.”

“I could say the same for you, mom.” I took the hoofrest from the chair it sat in front of.

“You could say that.” she chuckled. “Tell me, how have those translations of yours been going?” I told her the poem, by each part, flipping through the pages of my journal. She wasn't surprised that I had been keeping one. Kept her gaze at the ceiling as she listened. “Sounds like the tale of a tragic hero.”

“Could be. I've finished the other parts as well. Most of it is practically the study of different levels of magic. Like research notes. Still, there's something confusing about the whole lot.”

“Oh?”

“I don't know. I may just be over thinking it. You know I've done it before.”

“Specially with your math homework Busy always had to help you. I always thought it cute.”

“Not an academic like her, mom. Was better than her in my writing classes.” I smirked.

She laughed at that. “You told me there were three volumes, right?” I nodded, “Go into your father's study and grab the lockbox on the top shelf. Grab my pocket watch too. You'll need it.”

I did so. Weaving through the hall to the study, tucked away from the rest of the house. It had been a long time since I've been in here. First time out of curiosity. I remember the desk being covered in shavings of wood and a mess of nails and glue. Now it was cleaned and dusty. A couple things moved from their original positions. Guess he tried to get back here when he could. Cobwebs and spiders found their way into the corners here.

I ignored the dust and grabbed a stool, pulled it close to the shelves just beside the door. It was the only set in the room. All the books hadn't been moved and the majority of them lacked proper titles. Father used masking tape and relabeled them though, poor as his writing looked. He had old blueprints raveled up in here as well it seems. Placed in separate slots in a net of woodwork for the work desk. I wonder what it is that father wouldn't allow my sister and I in here for. The lockbox, perhaps?

One leg up, followed by another. Keep my body balanced, now. There, the lockbox. Uncleaned, unmoved, and its gold feet stuck to the board. A bit of nudging got it loose. Would you imagine, a moment, that feeling of pulling something a mystery to you and bringing out from web in which it lay? Gold feet, strung from the corners, worked into the four iron locks on each side. On each, the engravings of the bear creature, spear and axe, tree, and the kingfisher.  Rough black cloth under that. Throughout it a flourish of faded green leaves of different trees. With a little work, the box could have its luster once more.

Oddly, mother had left her pocket watch lying on the desk. I grabbed that too and left the study. Easing the creaky old door shut behind me. I gave the two things to mother after she moved into a more upright position. Placed the lockbox on coffee table and then opened the pocket watch. I remembered then, what Prudence said about it, that it was protected by magic. I see now that it was to protect it from magic. Purpose behind that is still unclear. Mother wouldn't have done it without a purpose.

She pulled some pins from her mane and locked them together to form an unusual key. More like a coin. She formed it in different pattern for each lock. Each turn forcing a rod of iron outward from the frame and when the last one was turned, she grabbed the pocket watch and recited a single word in another language. A flurry of colorful magic reached out in many arms and clasped a firm grip around the lock box. Forced it open and reached inside, pulling out a book that didn't look like it would've fit in the first place. The arms forced the book onto my lap and retreated back into the pocket watch.

“Go ahead. Open it.”

I traced my hoof along the cover and the emboldened text of The Designers script. I translated the words in my head and mouthed them aloud, “The Great Deities.” My hooves took to shaking lightly as my eyes widened, “Mom, what is this?”

“Open it first, Letter.” So I did. My eyes captured a short page of dedication to somepony. The writing, was familiar, its style. The way the quill met the page. I looked back at her without a word. “I wrote that, Letter.”

“What? How? How do you even know the script? Celestia even says tha-”

“Hush now, Letter. As you read through this you'll learn a great deal. Promise me that you won't lose it. Don't tell anyone either, okay?”

“I promise, mom.”

#65

Winter. Day 63. Noon. Clackerton

I've already begun to translate some portions of what mother had written in that book of hers. I think I'll be making an entry of it when everything's done. So far it's been nothing but character sheets of each one of the main forces from the poem. I guess they could be personifications of the natural elements. It already seems like there's some hierarchy if memory serves me right. The only thing that has me confused is her pocket watch and its relation to her book and the lockbox. She said the answers would be in this book. I've no reason to doubt her, she's never lied. Doesn't mean she hasn't kept secrets though.

I think I'll be taking a break from translating the both the third volume and mother's book. It's all been rattling my head like a bucket of bolts. At least until it stops. For now, I'm focusing on a more important matter.

Tonight I intend to take Apricot out on a nice date, I should at least fix up my mane and tail for once. In fact, should do it more often. I'll probably keep to a bowtie and a collar. For some reason, I'm a bit nervous about it. Despite having known each other a few days before I was strung up by those drunken guards, I think she's gotten to know me more than I know her. Sure I know that she's the only child in her family and her parents all have a good bond with one another. Still, she's just as shy as the day I first met her. However, that only seems to be when she meets new ponies now.

I told her I'd meet her before the sun went down. So I've sent my eagle out to message her that I was getting ready for our date. I've yet to come up with a name for that bird. I'll need to get something for my back for when he gets too large for my saddlebags.  I hope my eagle makes a quick return from Apricot. I find it strange that it could understand the two of us so well, but I didn't want to put much thought behind the matter either.

#66

Winter. Day 64. Early Morning. Clackerton Woods.

Well, the date went well. For the both of us. I've never seen Apricot dress up so nicely before. She wore a dull purple dress sleek in nature. Adorned with a single blue lily centering her collar. Buttoned once in the front and tied up by a small blue ribbon in the back. Sleeves were loose but tightened just above her hooves. She tightened up her long mane into a bun and a braided ponytail. Something I hadn't seen her do before. She even put on some apple green eyeshadow. Gorgeous.

Honestly, when I went to pick her up, I thought I could've done much more. Certainly left my jaw agape for a bit. She was concerned that she overdid that she overdid it. Her mother had helped out a bit, which made me remember that she was a local fashion designer. Which in turn made me think of Rarity. But that's beside the point here.

I was taken aghast at her appearance. She blushed about it, more so when I flattered her.

I took her to a restaurant that had made itself well known around here, The Running Snipe.  So called because of the owner's love of the small birds. My father used stone and complex woodwork to help build the place, making it more of a lodge than a restaurant. I had saved up a couple weeks worth of pay to reserve a table for two and for its rather pricey food. Which in itself, looked the same as any other meal. But the quality was so much better than your average homemade meal.

It was an awkward silence between the two of us at first. The slow jazz from the live band on the upper floor and the whispered chattering of other tables filled the air. A server came by, gave us menus and time to order. The special was a new concoction their top chef whipped up. Some weird mix of pasta and salad using alfredo sauce and iceberg lettuce as its main parts. I ordered it while Apricot went some apple fritter meal of sorts. We both took water to drink. They came out on large plates and in small portions.

“So, how are your new wings working out?” she asked.

“Pretty well. I've kept them wrapped though. Haven't gotten used to their size quite yet.” There wasn't much need for us to be silent between one another. I guess being more formal was a bit more nerve racking. I remembered her work as a jewel crafter. “How's your jewel crafting working out?”

“Pretty well I suppose. Nothing much recently. Ran out of stones. So I've been making bands that can have some socketed later.” She played with the spillings of the caramelized apple slices using the prongs of a fork, rather ornate silver itself. “So that story about Ponyville, who was the princess you met?”

“Twilight Sparkle. Why?” I chewed some lettuce.

“Just couldn't remember her name. What were the six of them like?”

Swallowed the lettuce then. I thought a moment, pulling each one from memory. Told her about Pinkie Pie, the lighthearted one of the bunch. Always liked to party and make you smile. Rainbow Dash seemed like she'd be a hoof full to deal with. Her determination in anything competitive was her strong suit. Twilight was a bookworm, kept her nose in a book when she could. Rarity was a fashion designer, like Apricot's mother, generous in her help. Applejack was the hard worker of the bunch, having grown up on the family apple orchard.

“And well, Fluttershy, she's a lot like you. Shy, timid. However, I think that's as far as that goes. She takes care of animals where you make jewelry.”

“Really? I would like to meet them sometime.”

I smiled, “I think they'd like to meet you too. Fluttershy especially.”

“By the way, that whole translation thing. How's that going?”

“Pretty well, I think. I've got the second volume done. Taking a break, though.”

“Ah. Anything interesting?”

“Not much. Good portion of it seems like pointless rambling.” I frowned. “But it's all given me a better understanding of how more ancient races understood the world. Did we ever go over The Designers when we were in school?”

“Don't believe so. You said it yourself, that there's not much about them.”

“Not enough to do valid research, perhaps. Guess I'll wind up taking credit for some of this. I've no clue how I was able to do this though. It's confounding, to say the least.”

“Well, honey, don't bother with it too much now.” Honey, that's a first, but it felt right. “I'm sure you'll find the reason. You always do.”

I thought about my mother, some strange thought that she has had a part in all this. She's said those words quite often to me. “Perhaps.” I found myself gazing into her eyes until her cheeks began to brighten from their orange to a soft red.

“Is. Is there something on my face?” she fumbled, desperately searching for a napkin.

“You're fine.” she relieved her worry. “How's the food?”

She glanced down at an empty plate, “I don't even remember eating all of it.” she laughed. “Oh my. How embarrassing.”

“Some desert then? Ice cream sounds nice.”

“Ice cream in the middle of winter?”

“Why not? I've been craving it quite a bit recently.” She shrugged in agreement.

I called the server over, asked what they had. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, orange sherbert. Apricot ordered sherbert and I, chocolate. After we finished off the teeth numbing treats, I paid for our meals and lead Apricot outside into the cold. We both enjoyed ourselves. I suggested we walk to the old apricot tree in the nearby woods. The largest and only one that grew there. It was strange how it worked, it never bore any fruit, but it always bloomed every year in pink centered and white petaled flowers. Apricot's mane matched them well. Even joked about how alike her and the tree were.

The tree itself wasn't that far into the woods. Through the line, a glade and into another. After the second glade, a right  and through another patch of trees. It was easy to tell the direction, as years of traversing this path had worn the grass down. In the winter, it was always being cleared by somepony. Some refer to it as The Ghost of the Apricot Path.  There wasn't a story behind it, like Dream's home. Which I think stranger now.

We brought ourselves to the nook formed by the largest of its roots. From here, the night sky. White sparks on the deepest and  darkest purple hue. The head of a mare formed by craters on a rocky disc glowing by the sun's remaining light. A single bird cawed from the valley below. The Apricot tree stretched higher than the woods. From here, the only thing you could see of Clackerton was the peak of the clock tower. And although the trees had lost their green, this painting of a lonesome night was as homely as ever.

I recalled a memory, “Apricot, you remember when we first met? How we came here in a game of hide and seek?”

Giggling, she added, “Ah right. Didn't it turn into something else though?”

“Turned into a bit of rough housing, then somehow me being the noble prince and protecting you from an imaginary dragon of sorts.”

“Then we made a promise to one another.” nuzzling her head into my neck, I felt her voice crawl to a whisper, “Through dirt and mud...”

“And stormy weather, we'll always be together.”

“No matter how hard. Even across the stars.” a tear from her touched my fur. “Kind of funny how it's worked out, isn't it?” I hadn't seen her happy like this before.

“Yea.” my heart began to float, “Let's sleep out here for tonight. I know it's cold but-”

“It's not cold, Letter. It's as warm as it'll ever be.”

I didn't say anything back, we just nestled into the nook of roots further and dozed off.

#67

Winter. Day 64. Noon. Clackerton.

Apricot and I woke up to a blanket over us. No clue who left it there, though. My mother, perhaps. Always a caring one.

It was weird that the both of us would wake up at the same time. Hungry for our routine breakfast, the two of us went back into town and found ourselves before her home. Admittedly, I felt kind of bad for keeping Apricot to myself the whole night. I hoped that her parents would be alright about it. I knocked on the door in my usual demeanor. Four quick taps, a pause followed by two. The door opened almost immediately.

Her mother flung the door open, scaring us both a bit. I explained to her that we had spent the night under the apricot tree out in the woods. She was relieved to hear that nothing bad had happened.  Of course, so was her father.

Before we parted ways,  Apricot and I hugged, she gave me a peck on the cheek and a quick whisper, “Tomorrow night. Nothing fancy this time, okay?” I smiled and nodded. She closed the door behind her. I left her with that blanket that had been left on us. Kind of wish I would've wore something a bit warmer now. Air felt colder now.

I wandered back home. My head was filled with thoughts of her. What should we do tomorrow? What would we do if we were done with that? Then I remembered my mother's words again. I stopped thinking about what to do and before I knew it, I found myself at home and in my room. Busy usually heads out the day before the post office actually opens, that day is today. Mother still lied on the couch in the living room. Father was bound to her bedside. Her health appears to be getting better, so that's good. Although, I've wished that her illness would go away already.

After taking off the bowtie and collar, I found myself drawn to one of my old books.

#68

Winter. Day 64. Evening. Clackerton

I found myself drawn into the book, so much so, that I wound up skipping breakfast and lunch. And although it was one that I had read before, I still enjoy it despite its short length. It was an poem of sorts, about a pegasus named Storm Breaker. He flew into every storm he could find, became a hero for doing so among his fellow ponies. He did it to protect them and the land they lived on. But if they needed rain, he could pull a storm apart to make it happen. But after a long season of drought and no storms to break, Storm settled down, married and had offspring of his own. When his oldest went off to gather what they could of the crops. A maelstrom loomed and surely, it would bring harm. Storm broke that maelstrom, but he never came back.

It was always a nice read, despite the tragic ending. The epilogue however, went over the fact that he became a folk hero and that his descendents still roam that area today. The book doesn't specify where, but if I remember rightly from my reading class, I think it's someplace along the Flatwall, just south of Topazi Lazulia.

Ah, dinner's ready. Father is calling for me to come and get something to eat.

#69

Winter. Day 65. Evening. Clackerton.

Today has been a long day. First, I went to work and it seemed awfully slow. Maybe I've just gotten faster at my route. I did return earlier than normal. I planned to head over to Dream's house again to begin translation on the third volume. Curiosity of what information that one contained was great. But no. I had another date with Apricot after all.

With the extra hour that I had after my route, I ventured into the local library, aptly named after the town. I went in to find a book about names for pets, specifically birds. The library wasn't all that large, but two floors and from desk was all we really needed for it. And stairs, of course. Books brought in from trading were normally found in the bookstore, then the library when ponies didn't want them anymore. So some were always in shabby or half-ruined conditions. The library had its rules.

They had a few, but mostly for dogs and cats. So I opted for those instead. On the same shelf, were books for baby ponies. Another for weapons and armor. Seemed rather misplaced. I grabbed those two. I looked through and through. Skipping and skimming until I found some the caught my eye. Yukon, Lasky, Mudgen, Argen, Fin, Red, Herring, Bass, Blue, and Pillock. Yukon was the most relatable of the bunch. It was my late uncle's name.

He had traveled far north, where it always snowed. A loner, but kind to others. He was my mother's brother and the only one with a singular name. He was a large stallion, intimidating. Had the muscle to wrestle fives others around like paperweights. He moved north because he preferred the quiet and cold landscape over the bustle of Clackerton. Even though it could be quiet here, that wasn't often. Eventually he came back, but he had caught something nasty too. It killed him. We did all we could before he passed too. Got the doctor, got the medication. Nothing worked, doctor told us that we should prepare for his passing. Make the best of what time we have left with him and he with us.

Before he passed, he wanted me to burn down his home in the north. I've no idea why he would say that, but now that I've thought about it, I guess it's just his way to remove his earthly and remaining bonds. The only trouble is that he never really gave us a map, that I'm aware of, or any direction of where his home was. By now, it's likely to be buried by snow. I wonder if mother has anything to say about it.

#70

Winter. Day 66. Morning. Clackerton.

The second date with Apricot went well too. Did some shopping at the shops on Market Street and into the Market Square, where the more open air shops are. Which often changed depending on whats new and the current season. However, most of the merchants that regularly sold here tended to stick to the same part of the Square. Out of habit and better for their customers I suppose.

I suppose what we did last night could be rounded down to three things. Firstly, a visit to a clothier. Apricot was interested in getting something nice for herself for once. She didn't go out shopping much as a majority of her clothes were pass-me-downs from her family or something that her mother designed and made. Majority of that far too grand to wear everyday or for simple occasions. Apricot went with a long coat made of soft cotton in a soft orange, taking after caparisons that are often few and far between. Even got a large pointed hat to match.

Secondly, we visited a jewelry store Apricot had been quite fond of. She'd been eying a single neckband that had been displayed in its window. I looked at the thing, pretty simple really. A single blue sapphire peerless and square cut at its center held by a claw of silver. There would be no wedging  that stone out. A flourish of  scrollwork held leaves of maple, oak, and birch. The latch to adjust the band had a single flower. It matched rather well with everything Apricot was. Oddly enough, the merchant who I purchased the piece from said he had a hard time selling the thing. Sold it half off.

Thirdly, dinner. This time at a different place. Name escapes me, but we had fun there. Apricot had some apple cider, spiced with a dash of cider and it for some reason, made her light-headed. That's putting it mildly. I paid the tab and tipped the waiter and left. Took Apricot to the top floor of the clock tower covered her with the hay that lied there. I stayed with her until she calmed down. As it turns out, she had some weird reaction to apple cider that makes her intoxicated for a time. Told me that she had forgotten all about it as it had only happened once before. Memory gone of when. I assume during her fillyhood. She had profusely apologized if she had embarrassed me in any manner. I told her that it was alright and not to worry about it. After all, the worst she did was just flirt an abnormal amount, with me. And the waiter.

I embraced her, we kissed. A moment forever. She snuggled up to me yet again, managed to wrap her tail around mine. I watched the paint dry and she listened to my heart beat.

“Hey, Letter.” she circled the point of her hoof on my chest. “I was wondering, if I could help with your translations. I can teach you some dance steps if you like.”

She knew well that I couldn't dance, I always thought I had sloppy hoof work. “You know I have sloppy hoof work. It's not a bad proposal though. Say, third date, surprise me with something.”

“Oh. You still want to do the dancing though, right?”

“Yes, Apri.”

She hummed to herself, thinking. “I think I've got it. When should our third date be then?”

“Three days from now, good?”

“Yes.”

Took her home then.

#71

Winter. Day 69. Evening. Clackerton.

And so, true to our agreement with one another, I learned a bit of swing and slow from Apricot and she learned to translate. Ultimately lead to breaks in that work, breaks that lead to slow dancing in the study of Dream's home. With the third volume, the pages seemed more of an understanding of not magic, but the animal habitats that live in this world. Sketches and details marking individual parts and functions galore. Even a few more grotesque and graphic images of internal organs stretched the length of several pages. Only to make a point of what's connected where and what happens when some things are severed.

Strange how it was written though. The author consistently referred to themselves in a plural manner. A group of Designers researching the beings of the world. Constructing crystals and objects to represent basic things.  A majority of those housing the power of their representation. It was from researching life here, understanding the magic, and learning to control it that they found their life upon. There were several occurrences in this volume that mentioned these devices: Eidolon, The Six, Circuit, Planar, Bury, Acacia, and Storm Drought. It only ever mentioned progress of these designs, never any sort of completion. Still, it was something.

There's always the chance that the information of these Designs, they called them, how apt, had their research and dates of completion in more books. Either in a fourth volume or placed apart and hidden away.

Again, there was a two part poem at the end. Nudged in to tell the tale of a single pony.

V.

They raised statues

Of Him unnamed

Of slaying and repent

Of knowledge and wit

Kingdoms of His calling

Upon thrones of bone

Say He never died

Death unable to snatch his wings.

And Life took him from Earth

His shackles left to break

He choose to stay

VI.

Shackles unto cinder and ash

He wander there

Where the dead lie

Greet them at the shore

Denied Life and Death

Sky and Abyss

Found for him, a home

To be ever watchful

From the Aether Throne

Six parts in whole. Yet, there seemed to be something missing. Another part. The numerals for seven and eight were there, on the last page. Mother's book! Of course! Hers must have the last two. It contained descriptions of these deities, so to speak. It's a guess, but oh is it a good one.

I went to go fetch the book from my home but Apricot caught me with her pleading eyes. “Letter, the surprise I wanted to show you.”

“Ah, right. Forgive me for being forgetful. I don't know why this gets me so wrapped up.”

“One of your talents, I think. Your name is Letter after all. Not to mention your cutie mark.”

“Right. Anyways, this surprise you've wanted to show me?”

She pulled out something small from one of the pockets of her new caparison. A small stone of garnet trapped by symmetrical and geometrical gold wires thin as hair. She pulled the locket I wore and twisted a few of those tiny delicate wires around a loop on its bottom and knotted it together. It always amazed me how well she could form such tiny works without the use of magic. “There.” she gleefully smiled, “Perfect. Garnets are always nice with this kind of intricate wire work. Don't you think?”

“Right.” I eyed over the gemstone, comparing its look to the locket, Celestia's Parchment Stone, and the petals that wrapped the chain. Maybe Celestia wasn't kidding about that whole royalty thing. “Anymore stuff on this and I'll be confused for nobility.”

“Maybe you already are.” she chuckled. “And I say it suits you perfectly.”

“You know what, no more translations for tonight. Let's have talk over a cup of tea with Dream and Apparition.”

#72

Winter. Day 70. Evening. Clackerton.

After Apricot's little surprise last night and the chat over tea, I lead her home and went about my own way. Traveling over to Flight Gear's first before heading home. I wanted to see how the equipment was doing. I met a very weary pony behind that door to the workshop. He'd been up for quite a bit longer than I have. Told me he'd spent the last few days working on nothing but projects and with little sleep. He had finished the equipment but a few calibrations were needed. Which is where I came in.

He warned me that I may not be able to get the equipment off or on by myself due to the way it works. Like Silver Liner, a quiet whir came from the engine. The cold metal chassis covered a good portion of my chest but movement wasn't all that limited. Flight had designed a way for the bits that would protect my wings to bend properly while I was in flight. For maneuvers. He pointed out that based on how my wings were swept, would alter the speed of the engine. If it needed to be turned off, there was a kill switch, triggered by stalling out the engine for more than twenty seconds. Staring the engine would require a certain wing speed. Weight would be something that I would have to get used to, but it already felt light enough.

It was with little effort that we managed to calibrate the equipment. More effort to take it off after double-checking the numbers. Although it was finished, Flight Gear was creating another model that could fold unto itself, negating the lengthier process. Said he'd have it done in a month. I was happy about that. I told him that the next time I had to go somewhere far, I would take the equipment. Flight gave me the honor of naming the thing. Gold Arrow Mark I. A bit cheesy, but it was agreeable.

#73

Winter. Day 71. Evening. Clackerton.

VII.

I saw to chronicle

Him

The gods

And all life that lived

I would scribe forever

To carry their stories

They named me Honey Bee

With it, Longevity.

Then set me to see

The world

VIII.

A lockbox to keep the last book.

To hide the first kingdom

The Designs

And me

From my other half

Torn from me

Seeking to find me

It would not

Unleash evil, nor good

Should we meet

Become one

Rebirth

I've found myself unable to believe what the last two parts of the poem have brought about. My mother wrote the book on these gods, but she wrote the other three volumes as well. What happened that would cause her to have two halves?

Every step and every creaking board out of my room racked my nerves. The stairs drew on like a well. Hooves in pitched tar and my shoulders heavier than the world. She lied on the couch, still ill. Father was working overtime and Busy was sound asleep in her own room. She was awake, staring into the slowly dieing fire. The stark brown crumbling and molding into white ash. I pulled up the hoofrest again. “Mother, I finished reading the poems.”

“Good. Good.” She smiled softly. Her face looked aged now.

“Your other half? Who are they?” My mind, it trembled but my words so calm.

“My other half. She holds my magic and she can only see so far. We thought honey bees immortal for a time. Thought they aided in rebirth, even. In part, that is what stories do. It was the gods who tore me apart to give me this life. You must understand that I chose it. Not out of fear, but to keep their stories safe because mortals should keep well away from such dangerous things.”

“Dream Seer...”

“Her civilization had found Eidolon. A gate to our dead. We thought to contain them there and give rebirth through it.” The talking had begun to take her breath.

“Take your time mother. I'm sure Busy isn't waking up anytime soon.” I held one of her hooves, as I did Yukon before he passed.

“She was lucky to make it out. Apparition is free from Eidolon too.”

“Are there more books?”

“There are. But they're more history of the natives surround it. In their language as well. The poems are only in those four volumes. They're also the first ones I wrote. When you used that spell out in Ponyville, that was a spell of guidance. The alicorn had called it her son because that's who the spell takes after and that alicorn, is my other half.”

I thought to ask why her other half hadn't come here yet, but I remembered the part about the lockbox. Instead, I asked something more important. “Who else knows?”

“Yukon. He was like you. It is unfortunate that he passed away. I do not know what made him so ill. Aside from him, just you and your father only knows about my immortality. He never questions it.”

“And the first kingdom?”

“The Kingdom of Watch. It was once part of the Four but before that, it was half the world. When He took Greed from them, the kingdom stopped expanding. And thus it was referred to as the First by us. The sinking of the three you visited was caused by their own hooves.”

“How do you know about that? I haven't told anyone.”

“The pocket watch, I snuck it in your bags. Out of my own worry for you.”

The urge to scold, great as it was, I repressed. “I understand. I'll let you get some rest. And please get better.”

“I will.” She pulled her hoof away and tucked herself back in.

My hooves felt lighter now but my shoulders were still pretty heavy. With these revelations, I knew that I would have to say goodbye to mother at one point or another. What bothered me was when.

Chapter 5: An Old Friend, Gone Again.

Chapter 5: The Loss of Heart and Mind [Unedited]

Chapter 5: The Loss of Heart and Mind

Journal Entry #32

Woke up to a clear day today with the sun blazing through the window as it always has. That kestrel stared out the window, at a cat who had found its way to the roof. Having some imaginary standoff to see who could strike the other first. Such actions easily blocked by the glass panes. I've yet to name that little thing; its been days.

I looked at the date on the calender as I patted down and parted my frazzled mane away from my eyes and saw that it was the weekend and a day I didn't have to work. Which was nice as my hooves and legs are still a bit sore from walking here through that rather dark and scary forest. It was a wonder how Zecora could take comfort in living in such a place. I'm quite comfortable here as it is, not sure I'll ever move too far away.

As usual, I went downstairs, grabbed some breakfast and went out to help out my mother with the bees. She casted a shield over me for protection but I think they were pretty used to our presence by now, after all these years. We gathered the honey from five of the nests that were surprisingly filled to the brim with honey. Unusual for the middle of winter. Jarred up the honey in some newly designed jars by Glazier, a glass blower that recently moved and was already making some of the local headlines. The jars had this ornate pattern of bees and honeycombs lining the rounded edges.

After finishing that up, I helped tend to my sister, who had recently started to become rather ill after I arrived home. It was unfortunate, but perhaps it was due to her handling of so many letters and working as hard as she did that drove her immune system down. Mom always told her that she would wind up working herself to death if she didn't slow down. She was down with a small fever, nothing serious, but it had the potential to get worse so we kept her on the couch in the living which was on the opposite wall of the fireplace. I left the house, leaving my parents to her while I went out to visit Flight Gear's workshop.

He had already begun to construct a small proof-of-concept airship using sleek curvatures and a newer, refined design of complex mechanical parts that made up the engine systems. I looked around the docks to see if he was outside, but I think that the cold was impeding his work so I entered his shop through the ornate wood and rod iron doors. I could smell the forging of metal from inside, seeping through the seals of the windows. The sound of a bell chimed as I opened the door, a sound I hadn't heard here before. A recent installment perhaps, it would be more convenient for him in the long run.

I saw Flight Gear standing behind a stone counter, flexing a beam of piping hot steel into a proper shape that met his requirements. After he was happy with the form, he submerged it into a large tub of water whose source came from an underground spring. “Flight Gear,” I called out to him. “Been awhile hasn't it.”

He turned around and lifted a pair of dark tinted lenses away from his eyes. They were tired and worn, as if he hadn't slept for days. Bags and wrinkles, little bits of yellow dust tucked themselves in the corners. “Oh, hey. I didn't hear the bell ring. My senses have been all out of whack for the past few days, working on this commission.” He set the lenses down and pulled the piece of metal out from the water. “You came by to check your equipment, right?” I nodded, he took a deep breath. “Of course. You tore those things up pretty well, made me wonder what the heck you did, but then I remember the structural integrity issues. I was positive it would work well enough.” He shook his head to keep himself from spewing out numbers and facts. “I've made several adjustments.” He pulled the flight equipment off from one of the higher shelves in the room being sure to keep it out of reach and out of sight of curious visitors. “You won't have to put nearly as much stuff this time around. You'll still have to wear the engine pack though. The wing protection is replaced by shield magic that covers your wings using a receiver system using some simple communication magic. Its a win-win for you and I, as  I won't have to remeasure your wings each teach they get screwy.”

“Understandable. I can't help but feel that you're a little upset over the matter.”

“Oh, I was, but I solved the problem. Problem solving is what I do with this stuff. Innovating and reinventing everything that deals with flight. I've learned to live with it, as we all do. Anyways, go on and give that a whirl for a few days, come back and tell me how it works out. I'm gonna go take a nap.” I began to leave the store and as I opened the door, Flight Gear went down some stairs to his living space. I heard him call out for his wife, asking her to keep an eye on the store.

I ventured to the small and local pet store and looked through one of their list of names for birds. There was one name that caught my eye, Yukon, my uncle's name. I asked the cashier for a band with the appropriate tags that I could place around the kestrel's short leg. He was a large stallion with a similar coloration in his long coat, mane, and tail. He was on my mom's side of the family an the only one to have a single name. His venture north was great, the ice and snow covering everything created such a serene peacefulness that he decided to stay there. One day he came back, tired and weary not from walking the great distance and through the mountains that split the land, but to give mom a letter. Something she would give me when the time was right, she told me. Ever since he came back, he was hospitalized and passed away when I was just growing out of my colt years. I'll always remember his last words, “When you get the chance, visit my cabin in the north. Burn it down, for me.” I remember being so dumbfounded that I couldn't answer, neither could Apricot. She loved Yukon as much as I did. I still wonder to this day, what he meant by that.

Now that I think about it, maybe naming the kestrel Yukon may not have been the great of an idea, but the little thing seemed to have loved the name. He loved flying around with me

Journal Entry #33

Few days passed since my last journal entry. Busy got better, Flight Gear finished his small working prototype, and I flew with my new equipment- which was an incredible feeling. My wings were still healing, but they were well enough to fly again so long as I didn't perform any outrageous maneuvers. The snow seems to be clearing away, local forecasters predict rain as early as next month.

I was back to working my usual routes. I visited Dream Seer's house again, to tell her what had happened in Ponyville. She wasn't bewildered, but she did raise a brow a few times. “Sounds to me like someone has plans for you.” she remarked. I was inclined to agree, but what would they want, I'm just a courier; a messenger.

Journal Entry #34

All of my adventurous dreams seemed to have ceased being. I just close my eyes to blackened frames of light and wake up to sun setting my room ablaze with light.  I think I can see why Yukon had moved up north, but I'm sure there were other reasons for it.

I went into work again and much to my seemingly irritable state this morning, Busy handed me a letter that was addressed to me from an old friend of mine who had moved to Manehatten. He went out there to work as some sort of journalist that helped to promote rising stars. His name is Idol Find, short and simple, strong. He was a big talker, but not without backing up his words. We're both great friends, but I wondered why this was the first letter he had sent to me since he had left last summer.

For some odd reason, I could barely remember what he looked like but the more I thought about it, the more I recall. I know his mane was a blinding white and his coat was some sort of mixture of sequin and black, had some white freckles too. All I can remember was his odd, light voice that would sometimes crack when he had trouble speaking. He had a strong accent, smaller words were a bit drawn out and longer ones shortened. His vocabulary was one that drew from the richer, more noble families here but he could easily adjust.

I opened the letter after I got done with work. It was, fortunate news of his success, he invited me to join him a small party. I couldn't help that something else was up, though. Normally he would only contact me when something goes sour. We both knew each other well enough to know that even if we were apart, things were good. There was also a certain someone that he wanted me to meet as well, a mare so brilliantly beautiful in his eyes, he couldn't think straight. He didn't want to give any details other than that, mentioning that seeing her in person would be better.

Busy allowed me up to two weeks, she was reluctant to give me the days off, but when she looked over a few charts prospecting deliveries and other vital information, she said that she would be able to figure something out but she warned me that the next time I needed time off of work that I would have to wait for at least a month before asking for more time off.

Journal Entry #35

Made it out to Manehatten. Brought Yukon with me, who seems to be growing a bit larger than what he should be. Maybe it's what he has been eating. He slept pretty well on the train, as did I. Flight Gear traveled with me until he had to transfer to the Canterlot train at Ponyville. I brought my scarf and pendant, as I always have. I wished for Apricot to join me, but she was apparently busy helping to organize a family reunion outside of town. I didn't bring my flight equipment with me, mainly because my wings still hadn't completely recovered from before.

The train ride was nice, but there was someone else on the train that I thought I recognized. I just wasn't entirely sure. They dressed up in a bonnet, blue framed glasses, and a light blue shirt to match. Everything was familiar, yet I couldn't pinpoint a name. I shook the thought and fell asleep until I felt the train come to a halt. I gave my train ticket to the a unicorn who punched a hole in it to denote the fact that I exited the train. The same pony I saw earlier also got off the train.

I let Yukon out of my bag for a bit. The little guy was starting to get bigger than the bag though. He enjoyed stretching out his wings and flying around for a bit. After finished, he kept himself perched on my back, just between my shoulders. In some ways, he was kind of like an owl.

I took a look at the letter once more, to see the address that was written on the back as well as a small map that Idol clipped from an atlas. He drew in red ink, a line leading from the train station to his home. He also had a photograph attached that was of the entrance to what looked like a rather large and luxurious apartment complex.

The streets were crowded and diverse with ponies of all sorts of colors, a few were even performing tricks on the sidewalks and painting stylized portraits. It was a lot more lively here, but I still felt extremely estranged from these people. Maybe it was just the side effect of being a stranger in such a new place. All the magic around them swirled and danced about their bodies, which seemed to imitate stress. The clouds only appeared for a short moment before vanishing. Something that didn't usually happen when I did see them. Perhaps it was because of the stone, which today, looked like a fire opal. A favorite of Apricots, preferred them over diamonds.

I walked by many high end shops that specialized in selling a set of particular items. A place called Zircon's Jewelers, all sorts of extravagant pieces of small stones sat in carefully crafted bezels and hoops. Another store sold pieces of art on large canvases that was either incredibly abstract or realistic. Both the building and the sign was unique in their design by having mostly round edges and square bay windows. Quite a few stores focused on just selling clothes of all sorts, which for me seemed somewhat odd. Perhaps the richer folk around here prefer to wear them to show off their status. Bookstores and cafes were also abundant. What I began to notice as I neared ever close to the apartment complex, was that a majority of the buildings appeared to have a predetermined size in which they could build in. Their width and depth were standardized, but their height could stretch high into the sky. Staring up at their tops could make anyone's necks sore.

I eventually got to the building's entrance. The photograph didn't catch its more extravagant features, its bells and whistles that truly made it stand out. The primary one being its one-way glass that made up most of its exterior. Every room could be pointed out by small boxy units that hung at specific spots. An extended awning branched out from the entrance, covering the sidewalk up to the the road. There were even these little gardens placed in large marble stone slabs that held the most beautiful flowers. What astonished me the most, was that there appeared to be an extension off of each side of the building at a certain elevation. Big, round pads that stretched out precariously over the shorter buildings that were tucked in around its base. Directly across the road, was another building that was exactly like this one and connected by a large bridge.

As I approached the entrance on my side of the street, I saw a plaque that labeled the building's date of finished construction, dedication, and its name, The Gemini Towers. I was greeted by a well suited pony who opened the door for me. A friendly hello before I stepped on the short cut fluffy red carpet that lead to the front desk. The foyer was large, grand, extending upwards at least three or four floors. They had some well trimmed bushes inside, a bank, and a small coffee shop down here it was hard to tell what was on the floors above. Needless to say, the building was very futuristic compared to everything around it. At least, it does to me.

I asked the mare who attended the desk, where Idol Find might be. She told me the thirty-ninth floor. I could either take the stairs or the newfangled elevator system. Newfangled, the last time I heard that term was when Idol used it to describe part of the airship's that Flight Gear built. My mind seems to be littered with thoughts of him, since I received that letter. I've been remembering so much about him. Our departure from one another wasn't with the best of wishes though.

I walked over to the elevator doors, noting to myself the distinct clapping sound my hooves made against the floor tiles. It was such a distinctive sound that I clicked my hooves a few extra times while I waited for the elevator to come down. They're actually incredibly easy to use and I can see why they're so afraid of it. Traveling up and down inside a metal box with no windows is a bit scary. There was however, a gate that could retract once the proper floor was met.

It was strange at first, feeling my gut shift in a vertical direction without the aid of flight. Almost made me spread out my wings on instinct. It was a silly thing. I watched the antique hand move across the dial, counting off the floors until hit the 39th floor. Pressing a simple button on the inside wall of the elevator lead me there. Already, I began to wonder what the view of the city was like from this level and how vast it truly was.

I left the elevator with three others who went about their own ways and glanced at a number I wrote down, the number of the room the mare at the desk had given me, 3939. It was kind of funny, those were his two favorite numbers, both for the common sayings they were associated with. Third times a charm, cats have nine lives. His third cat was his favorite, the first two ran away as was their nature. His cat as always stuck by him. Fern, he called her.

When I finally found his room, I pressed a small button and from behind the door, I heard a series of chimes ring in two notes. Ding-dong, it rung loud and clear to my ears. I waited there until I heard the locks begin to move. Deadbolt and a chain pulled away to reveal his face to me once more. “Evening, Letter. Been quite some time hasn't it?” He opened the door further and allowed me inside, proceeding to close it after I passed him.

“It has.” I turned to face his likeness, a unicorn. His mane a series of three distinct blues, tail a solid white, and coat long and well groomed in a sleek silver color. It seems that he has let go of some of his more noble habits.

“Excuse the mess, I haven't the time to prepare and living without a butler has well, changed my life. Having someone do something for you all the time is such a high privilege that you tend to forget that you have to do it now.” As he flicked his magic around the different rooms, he took the lead organizing everything to his liking. Books upon shelves, floor lamps upright, tidying the desk, discarding unnecessary papers into a bin. With a final flash of his sky blue magic, he fluffed the pillows to the couch. It was a large suite, holding everything a normal, small home would have. It appeared fit for at least three. “Go ahead and make yourself at home in one of the guest rooms down the hall.” He pointed. “Or if you wish to enjoy the magnificent view, go over by the living room window. Something like that I know you'll love. I can take your bag if you don't mind.”

“It's fine, Idol.” I walked toward the large single pane of glass that keeps ponies from falling to their doom, if they were so unlucky. It was incredibly tough for such a thin pane, a slight tap of my hoof against it told me so. “Some glass,” I remarked as I stared blankly out towards the horizon. Manehatten was massive extrusion of rectangles and pale colors. It was remarkable, but the scenery was just dry and irritable to me. “This city, its too plain. How do you even stand it here. The folks seem nice but everyone seems to keep to themselves.”

“All that from your walk here from the train station, huh? While it's true that a majority of the population here do tend to selfishly tend to themselves, that's the way a lot of them are forced to live due to their social standing.” He began using the glass like a chalkboard, using his magic to demonstrate the way majority of ponies lived here. “There are still those few who generously wish to make everyone happy.” He drew crude figures of ponies that horded their bits and those who would give it away charitably. “As we grow, in population, the median becomes greater. Eventually creating a dog eat dog world. The richer sit in their thrones of gold and the poor hobble around in crates in forsaken alleys.” He sighed as he dispelled his power. “I came out here to find a job as a manager. A pony who could promote the abilities of coffee house talents and bring them up to the highest pedestal.” Turning away from the glass, my eyes followed him into the kitchen where he began to make a meal. “In all honesty, living out here has been life changing. I still wish to do something to bring to the table, something that can bring the rotting and the rotten to one place. Give them hope, not from oppressive form of government but to let them know that they can get somewhere if they try. Try until their legs buckle and their minds ache.”

I spoke up, concerned about his change in nature, “Idol, you're talking like a stallion ready to martyr. What's gotten into you?”

He drank a bit of cider before speaking again, “Do you not remember what I said before I left home? Packing my things with you saying that leaving Clackerton was quite possibly the worst thing I could've done?”

“Barely. You know my memory isn't that great.”

“They told me I only had a few months, its been nearly a year. I'm going to crash soon, crash and burn. Become a fire that burns forever.”

I had a feeling that it was coming to this. “Gonna be all poetic about it, I see.”

“I don't see why not. In the hundreds- no, thousands of books I've read, only are there a few heroes, protagonists, villains, and antagonists who went out with words stronger than any sword. You've heard the saying, plenty of times, I'm sure.” He had a hearty laugh about it. “You see, Letter, we can choose the way we live to the fullest extent. If it's cut short and not by our own hoof, they'll look back to see what we meant to them. We cannot undo time, no matter how tangled the string is.” As he spoke, he approached me with two glasses full of cider and placed them on the dining table.

“Ease up on the metaphors, Prince Charming. Remember that you're not talking to someone with two dictionaries worth of vocabulary.”

Proceeding to throw one foreleg over my back in a buddy-buddy manner, he slyly spoke, “Still one to throw the clever insults, I see. Then by my word, or so help me, I will not delve into the antiquity of grandiose and verbose character and or characters.”

“Idol...seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“You know we're going to have to discuss how to break this to your family, right?”

“They already know. I told them a months ago and unfortunately, it appears they've written me out of their family. Shame, really. Mother did love me, as did father but they've gone and passed away. Now the estate belongs to my brother and sister whom I know for a fact, loathe me in every way. Their hatred I always found was well, unfounded and tasteless.”

I quickly recalled some of the moments where I saw the two of them hold their chins up high and waltz off somewhere else. “Yea. Guess it's still bugging you then.”

“Correct. Losing your home is heartbreaking, all the more when you haven't seen it in awhile. Perhaps I'm more upset about not knowing what's going to happen to it all.”

Silence befell us and he pulled away to continue making his meal in the kitchen. “So, what do you have in mind for your big project?”

“Bluntly speaking, a fountain in front of Manehatten University. It needs to be remodeled as some pony went and destroyed the thing. It was nice, but I think I can make it better. I invited another friend over, but it appears that she's running late. My guess is that she walked into a bunch of fillies selling cookies. Which are remarkable, by the way.” I swept my gaze back out the window, watching a formation of pegasi clear some oddly colored clouds away from a port, so a large zeppelin could land. Its breaking through of the stratus cloud almost made it seem like it would crash. “Watching the zeppelin? I can't tell you the number of times I've just sat there and watched, waiting for some screw up. Damn perfectionists.”

As soon as the zeppelin stopped moving, the doorbell rang its hidden chimes. I heard Idol walk to the toward and unlock the chained bolt. I couldn't help but think that living here in Manehatten had hardened Idol's usually happy personality. I heard another set of hooves clop into the entry way and the door echo as it closed. A familiar voice greeted Idol, my ears perked up but I refused to see who it was. “You would just not believe how cute those fillies were, Idol. They were even selling your favorite thin mints and samoas.”

“Of course. I'll be snacking on those all night.” He joked with the mare. “I'll get your bags to your room. Go ahead and get something to drink from the fridge, I'm sure you're parched.”

“I'll leave the cookies on the counter, then.” The sound of hooves came closer as I pulled my tail closer to my body, like a cat would. She whispered to herself, “Those wings and mane sure look familiar...Letter! I didn't know you knew Idol.” Now her voice was all too clear and she appeared rather excited.

“Hey, Rarity.” I could see her faint reflection coming off the glass. “I thought I saw you on the train here.”

“The same to you, dear.” I could hear her take the bonnet and sunglasses off, placing them neatly on the table. “Tell me, how is your new pet doing? Fluttershy wanted to send you a letter, but she still as nervous and shy as ever.”

“He's doing great but he does tend to sleep pretty often. I named him Yukon, after my late uncle.” I answered. “Hasn't run off on me yet either.”

“I'm sorry to hear about your uncle.”

“It's alright, Rarity. It was a long time ago.”

“He's snuck back in to my bag while Idol and I were talking. I can get him out if you like. I need to get him to stretch out his wings a bit more anyways.”

“Sounds like something you should be doing.”

“Eh, got another week before Cuffs says its okay. I'll probably have to learn how to fly again.”

“I see you two are already acquainted with one another so I shall not bother with introductions.” Idol broke into the conversation. “Dinner is ready, I'll plate everything out accordingly.”

“Idol,” I said, “you really don't have to.”

“Ah, but I insist. Politeness and manners, Letter.” He said dishing out the salad into three separate bowls and pouring another glass of cider for Rarity. “With that attitude, you'll never be able to get Apricot's hoof in marriage.”

“We're just friends, Idol.”

“Your face says otherwise.”

I Rarity covered mouth, hushing her laughter. “I could always give you some advice if you need it.” she chimed in.

I grumbled to myself, unable to retort. I suppose Idol was right. “Let's just eat, I'm starving.”

Journal Entry #36

Last night was really quite enjoyable. It was nice reliving, in a sense, our memories of our past together. Idol and I had actually met that day when the guards thought of us as pickpockets. It was really a coincidence that we met then and there. We both wondered in awe of who it was who saved us that day. I filled him in on the story. Told him of the wolf, who essentially saved the world with a song and dance performed by two of his companions. How the wolf carried two swords and used magic from carved stones along with a horn, just like a unicorns.

We soon chatted late into the night, having delightful conversations that rotated their topics. Eventually, we exhausted ourselves with our talk and headed to bed. The three of us slept well into the morning.

Rarity had gotten up early and left for some important business matters. Idol woke me up and invited me out to go to one of his favorite cafes. I gladly accepted his offer and traveled with him, leaving Yukon in the suite. We rode the elevator down and headed outside where the fog was barely beginning to reach the building's overpass. The streets were more heavily crowded than when I had walked them. We came upon a place called Cup of Blues. It sat on the corner of some back alley and a main road. I think I may have passed by it yesterday.

The two of us went in, took a small round table meant for two and the stools along with it. It held a nice view of the road and the dainty intersection that was further down. What appeared to be some sort of power plant sat at one of its corners. It was difficult to see what the other corners had. In the opposite direction, a faint glimpse of the The Gemini Towers peaked out from the dozens of other, smaller tenements.

The inside of the cafe was simple and elegant; small yet large. Using appropriate hues of dark green and dark brown accented by tan and black. A dull, neutral blue was only used for a single stripe that marked the dark velvet curtains on a small round stage. Up there on stage a contrabass was played by a gray pony with black mane and tail, and a purple treble clef cutie mark. Her composed figure was a marvel, it was clear that she had been playing it for years. Using that bow to tug the strings in a the slightest manner to produce a sound that bounced the heart. Another pony was barely visible behind the curtain, she was white with a two-toned blue stripe mane that showed off an eccentric personality. She wore dark tinted sunglasses and a pair of headphones. Standing behind a board with a multitude of knobs, she tweaked some of them a fair bit, as if to adjust the input into some of the small speakers that were spread throughout the rest of the restaurant. The music suited the early rise quite well and somehow, described the fog that still had yet to form into clouds.

A waitress came by the table and asked if we preferred anything to drink. I asked for some green tea, Idol asked for a coffee with two creams. She handed out two large single sheets of stiff paper  enveloped in laminate and on those were breakfast items fit for one pony. Small omelets, coffee cakes, tea cakes, eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, and other drinks that were available. I took my time ordering an omelet while Idol knew exactly what he was going to get. By the time the waitress had come back, the song that was playing ended, but another one began. There was no applause, there didn't need to be any. As if we were all giving silent thank yous.

After the kind, white freckled waitress took our orders and our menus, Idol started spoke up, “I wrote to you about that pony I was enamored with, right?”

“You did.” I replied

“Well, what do you think of her?”

“She's very generous, it's her nature to be. I'm sure you know that all ready.”

“I do. I would've like to have proposed to her, but with my disease, it's not going to happen.” He stared down at the coffee in a silent frustration.

“Have you at least told her something?” I asked. “You know full well that is better to let someone know than to sit on your death bed, unable to say anything.”

He knew I was referring to one of his family members, whose name and relation I had long since forgotten. “You're right, but I'm just not sure I know how.”

I huffed some air out of my nose and smiled, recalling his constant bombardment by mares back in school. “Here we are, the biggest player in school failing to figure out what to do. You've got something, I know you do.”

He sat there, quickly thinking of something. “I suppose I could take her to the place where we first met and had dinner together. However, at some point I'm still gonna have to tell her about my disease.”

“Then do it. Ask her out, replay and relive those events. Tell her when you two get back from that date. She's not that shallow of a mare to split with you after telling her such a thing.”

“You make it sound easy. How long have you and Apricot been dating, again?”

That was a question that came completely out of the left field. “I'm not sure, honestly. I guess it would have to be recently, after I got back from Ponyville. Though, we've been practically side-by-side for as long as I can remember.”

“Known love for so long, not sure what it is.” He said the words so quickly I wasn't sure if I heard him right.

“What?”

“Oh, nothin'. Just silently quoting one of my favorite authors.”

“Right... When do you think you'll be asking her?”

“I think I'll ask her tonight, set the date for tomorrow. I've a long appointment with one of my clients later. She has been needing some help finding some good photographers that can offer her some good critique.”

“That sounds interesting.”

After the conversation's stagnation, the waitress brought out the food along with a small tab of paper, denoting the bill. Idol jokingly flirted with her, questioning whether or not the freckles on her face were bits of powdered sugar that had mistakingly found their way there. “I assure you that they're not.”

After we finished, Idol payed for the bill and we went back to the suite. Yukon happily greeted my return but Idol seemed to question the bird's appearance. A little afterward, Idol groomed himself, prepping and nitpicking every fold of his pinstriped dress shirt and shifting his bowtie to just the proper angle. He instructed me on a few things before leaving, mostly how to operate the radio and the cinema projector. The radio tuned to twelve different stations and he had four different movies that he held as his favorites. If I grew tired of those, there were plenty of books he kept on the same shelves as the movies.

I didn't feel much like watching a movie or fiddling with the knobs on the radio. So I comforted myself in the bounded pages of my favorite story about that pegasus that hunted those massive storms. Before long, I found myself asleep and waking to the noise of a zeppelin passing by the building. Unable to fall back asleep, I entered this entry into my journal.

The sun was setting again. That sun always seemed so fleeting, but so are the stars.

Journal Entry #37

Last night, as it turns out, Rarity and Idol wound up going to their first restaurant as soon after he asked. They had a delightful time there and even went to an opera afterwards. The Masked Phantasm was the play and it was a story that I've seen once before at my school. A story about a mysterious figure who slowly chases off the ones that he loves so he can spend his final days alone. However, in his true love refuses to leave, after discovering that the mask belonged to him. Only a few of his friends and family came back aside from his lover. He passes and they mourn him but what made the ending so chilling were the last words he spoke, “It was not I, who wore that broken mask.”

They came back tired back happy that they had spent their time together. I fell asleep on the couch while watching the film version of the play they had seen. I awoke to the slam of the door and the sight of the blank white screen. Yukon slept in my mane, making a bit of a blanket out of it. He almost blended in with its auburn color. Which also reminded me that I haven't gotten a haircut in quite some time.

That's beside the point here. Idol and I went to that coffee shop again this morning. I asked him how things had went and he remarked that reliving those events again was so satisfying. Then I asked him if he had told her about his disease. Apparently, they were having such a fantastic time that he had completely forgotten about it. I wanted to scold him, but it wasn't my place to do so. So instead I warned him that if he didn't, things might be worse. He promised that when they met up again, he would tell her. After that, we went our separate ways for most of the day. I've been idling here at the suite since, watching all those zeppelins pass through the sky unconcerned with the rainy weather.

Every now and then I would skim through one of the many books he had on his shelves. However, I began to notice something with them, they had torn out certain pages or crossed out certain words crossed out with a mess of ink. With a few, there were even notes on some of the paragraphs or sentences. Others contained summaries of the chapter if there was room. Then I remembered the fountain that he was commissioned to build. Knowing him, he was probably collecting them to reference from for his work. He did have an artistic side aside from his primary talent.

Journal Entry #38

I fell asleep on the couch again, to the same movie but I had the radio on as well. Playing some blues station similar to what I heard in the coffee house. Only the melodies were much quicker and shifted in their timing more. The leading contrabass was accompanied by a small group of brass instruments and the gargling of a didgeridoo. The resulting sound was something otherworldly, from a place that existed well outside the confines of Equestria. Tribal, in a sense.

That's what I remember falling asleep to, I woke up to still air and the crash of plates and glasses on the floor. Yukon hid himself from the sound as I threw myself off the couch and into the kitchen. Idol lied there, breathing with dry heaves. I hefted him up and brought him back to his room and quickly covered him up. I didn't care for the glass and ceramic that pierced my hooves and foreleg ever so slightly. I had to do this before, when we were younger. He had a feverish fit of coughing and cold sweat along with a quickened heartbeat. This was his disease, it would assail him every so often with no way to tell when it would happen again.

I left his room for a moment to think about what to do. Doctor Cuffs was on call for me, perhaps I could call him for Idol. The only trouble was how to contact him. It seemed like coincidence that he always wound up being at the same place I was. Then an idea struck me, birds of prey usually have very keen eyesight, several times better than our own. I rummaged through the pages of my journal to find a quick sketch I drew of Cuffs. Something to remember him by, however crude. I also noted his main features: eye color, coat, mane, tail, and cutie mark. Yukon peered over my shoulder as I read over the page, and then I asked him, “Think you might be able to help me find him?” Yukon excitedly nodded his head. I guess he taught himself a thing or two in the time he spent alone.

We headed out into the hall, leaving the door unlocked so we could get back in. One floor up there was a landing pad. Unfortunately, the clouds haven't quite cleared away from them yet. At the time, I wasn't thinking too clearly as the morning fatigue was still irking at my legs. Yukon stayed firmly grasped to my mane as I climbed a flight of stairs in the towering stairwell. My steps echoed so loudly in there and it smelled like burned rubber had left its nasty scent. The floor above was much the same, aside from the fancy entry way which lead to the landing pad.

When I stood out there, with Yukon on my shoulder, I tore the bandages off my wings and flared them outward. In the silence that fell, I closed my eyes to get a feel for the wind. It was still enough for a perfect dive. As the bandages collapsed onto the soft grass-like surface which held some sort of target symbol in white paint, I leapt off and down towards the streets below. Yukon did the same, following me in every roll and every pitch. It was interesting, flying through a valley of almost perfectly vertical high rise buildings that block out the light during a sunrise. A new flight experience like this was always fun but that wasn't why I came out here for.

I maintained a steady flight speed for some time, cruising around the Gemini Towers and the various other buildings that surrounded it. I did that until Yukon tugged on my mane pointed me in a direction where he thought he saw him. I gave chase to until we came upon an empty intersection. I recognized the corners and saw the coffee house. If anyone could recognize a face, it might be a waiter here. It was kind of strange venturing in here alone.

I approached  the front podium to the sound of that contrabass yet again but its rhythm was more upbeat this time. I politely asked the waitress if she had seen anyone fitting the description I had: a stallion with a dull gray coat, light blue mane, tail, and eyes along with a stethoscope cutie mark. She pointed to a table sat to someone who fitted that description exactly. I thanked her and approached the table. She seemed a little concerned but we had talked before, so she trusted me for the most part. “Doctor Cuffs?” I said, pulling myself into the seat across from him.

He peered up from his newspaper, “I told you I would be on case something happened to you, Letter.”

He didn't seem to care that I figured out that he was following from a distance. “A friend of mine, he's come down with an illness. His current symptoms are fever, cold sweat, dry breathing, weakness.” I paused so he could soak in the information. “I just want to know if you can help, the matter is extremely urgent.”

He grumbled under his breath, “Very well, just let me grab my things, I'll meet you outside the Towers.”

He got up, left some bits for the waiter, walked outside and teleported away. I ran back to the Tower's entrance and waited for him. Pedestrian traffic seemed rather slow today. I was incredibly worried for Idol. We both knew that this was coming, only now I feared he wasn't going to get back up.

Journal Entry #39

My fear was realized. Idol took it to heart, that his days were coming to an end. I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to handle this.

Cuffs and I took our separate ways to his room; by elevator, by flight and stair. I opened the door and rushed over to Idol, who had fallen out of bed, complaining about being hungry. Cuffs quickly tucked him under the blankets, leaving his forelegs and head exposed. “Go get some saltine crackers and ginger ale if he has any. I'll figure out the root of this.”

I went into the kitchen and rifled through the shelves while stepping on the broken dishes. I found the crackers, I found the ginger ale, and I found a decently sized glass. I went back into the room and saw his magic twisted about until it completely covered Idol. Idol didn't seem to care, but seeing him so vulnerable like this always bugged me. “Doc, I'm back.”

Cuffs pulled out a fold up tray from his large suitcase and instructed me to place the food and drink there. “This isn't standard procedure, but it's enough until he's moved into a proper place.” As Cuffs pulled his magic away he sighed heavily. Somehow we both knew the answer, his eyes were weary from telling many before me. Perhaps that's why he wasn't working as much as he used to. “There's really nothing I can do. No magic can save him, no medicine, no miracle. It's a genetic disease and it's surprising that he has even lived this long in the first place.” He took a deep breath as he began to pull out a stand to hang a bag of water from, shifting his focus back to Idol. “This IV will keep him hydrated. The most you can do now is keep him comfortable, and wait.”

As Cuffs began to pull away, Idol swiftly grabbed his coat, “How long, Doc?”

“By my estimate, a week at least, two at most.”

Idol let go and let out a dry series of coughs. “Good.”

Cuffs wasn't all that disturbed by his response. It was obvious he had seen it all before. “Don't push yourself too hard. Your magic will be useless in a few days.”

“Aw, well, that's fine.” Idol joked even when he was dying. “Stop by again, would you?”

Cuffs assured him he would. I stood at the other side of the room, just staring at Idol after Cuffs left the room. There was a single chair beside his bed and I felt myself staying away from it. My feelings were, and still are, extremely mixed. Maybe I'm scared.

For a moment his magic flickered and the aura surrounding him collapsed inward, receding into his body. I kept myself against the wall until Idol asked me to come over and take the chair. I did so, silently and one question popped into my head. “Did you tell Rarity?”

“I did. You were right, she's not that shallow. Her heart is so naturally generous, it's like she holds the element for it.” He paused to let his breath catch up with him. “Tell me, how did you know she wouldn't leave me no matter my condition?”

“Any true friend would stick with you until the end, Idol. Even if at some point, we had to go separate ways. Lovers, I think, would do even more.”

“Those are some strong words, Letter.” Idol coughed a few times before biting into a cracker. “Rarity should be coming back from the store soon, if she doesn't get caught up with helping the Filly Scouts again.” He gazed at the ceiling and for a moment it seemed like he saw something beyond this reality. “That was strange,” he whispered. “I thought I saw something peering through.” There was a long silence between us for quite some time. Minutes feeling like hours but I could tell from looking at his eyes that he was thinking of all of the things we had done together. “Letter, I ever tell you how great a friend you are?”

“You have, plenty of times, Idol. You've always said it sincerely.”

“Maybe when I pass, you'll know how much more.” He grinned with a cough.

I took the moist rag off his forehead and squeezed what water I could out into a bowl on his nightstand. “Maybe. I'm still not sure how I'm going to handle this.” I said, placing the rag back into its former place.

Idol laughed until his lungs seized it with a fit of coughing. “Jeez that friggin hurts. I always forget how much it does, it's a funny thing. Anyways, you'll figure something out, you always do. No matter how much it hurts, you'll figure it out, I know you will.”

“Reminding me of my mother, Idol.”

“I always thought rather fondly of her, you know.” He glanced over to me and caught me in my writing. “When did you pick up writing?”

“A little after graduation. A doctor said that I had some memory loss issue that wouldn't kick in until I'm older. Figured I would start keeping a journal as a reminder.”

“That's...unfortunate. But hey, at least you're not kicking the bucket already.”

“Yea.” I felt my gut twist and my throat stiffen saying that. It was the cruel truth of the matter and neither one of us had control over it. “Say Idol, what are you going to do if you make it out of this one?”

“I'd retire, probably, move to a cottage out by some woods just outside of town. Marry Rarity, have a kid or two. I would like that, I'm sure she would too. Maybe I'll name one of them after you.” He humored. “What about you? You've always had a liking to those woods.”

I thought about it for a moment, “I've always kind of had something similar. Always thought castles were kind of nice, but that's pushing it. I've honestly never put much thought into it. Like you said earlier, I'll figure something out.”

“Heh, yea. You will, always do. You always do.”

Journal Entry #40

Third entry in a day and my last for today, I think.

Rarity came back a bit before sunset. I greeted her at the door way with silence. My eyes gave off the news and I told her how long he had, how long Idol had left. She dropped the groceries she had with her and with this devastation, her mouth was ajar and her hind on the floor. She simply couldn't fathom the words to say to him. I moved and pulled her in close. We embraced in the longest hug, she cried into my shoulder. I heard Yukon let out a short sorrowful chirp. When her tears dried up, I attempted to let her go but she tightened her grip. “Just a little bit longer, please.” When she pulled away I saw that some of her eyeliner had run down her cheeks. It was a shame to have her beautiful white coat stained by black ink. She wiped her cheeks, only to smudge the ink further. “Thank you, dear. Would you mind leaving the two of us alone for the night?”

“He's all yours, Rarity. Always will be.”

I think I'll be ending this journal entry here. Idol's condition and my memories of him and these juxtaposed emotions are becoming too mind numbing for me to write any further. Maybe I'll take a short break from this. His condition is more important than my writing.

Journal Entry #41

It's been four days since Idol fell ill. The thickest of blankets and the softest of pillows don't seem to be having any effect at keeping him warm. His fever had went away but his body always seemed like it was locked in a freezer. It was hard for the both of us seeing him in that condition. Cuffs routinely went back to him every three hours and set up some of his paperwork concerning the illness in the living room. Rarity barely left Idol's room. Even at night, she slept in the chair with her head against his chest. I've never seen a mare so distraught by grief until today.

I had taken it upon myself to answer the door and make meals when Cuffs wasn't around. I asked him why he hadn't moved Idol to a hospital, he answered that moving him would cause undue stress to his body and mind. He added that it would be better for him to pass here, than at some strange place he's not familiar with. He had a solid point, I couldn't argue with that.

The ponies that came to visit were all very popular stars in Equestria. They didn't come in droves, which was nice. Also good to know that the ponies that Idol helped came by to say their goodbyes and reminisce their memories together. There was one mare who dressed like a model with oversized clothing and wore dark tinted glasses. I think Photo Finish was her name. Another famous personality was Vinyl Scratch who was accompanied by her close friend, Octavia. Those two had a rather unique relationship, the serious and the relaxed. Now that I recall it, they were both the ones that played at the coffee house on the street corner. Lastly, a friend of his former family, Filthy Rich. He disdained his first name. Idol always addressed him as Mister Rich. I suppose he held a fair bit of respect for him.

There were more who stopped by but at the end of the day, it was just the three of us who lived here now. The relationship between Idol and Rarity was one that I couldn't quite understand. As I felt myself drawing away from them and watching from the sidelines. Why was I acting this way? Idol is my closest friend. He and I did so much together in our younger days. Played games, celebrated birthdays, ran races, and joked about the finer things in life. Maybe I'm just beginning to realize how much he means to me. My best friend will be leaving the world soon and I'll have to live with that. It's gonna be rough.

Journal Entry #42

The amount of visitors Idol has received has increased lately shortly after news got out that he was ill. Apparently Rarity had only told the few that she knew he knew. Lawyers, professors, doctors, celebrities, managers, and artists. They all gave their best wishes, cried their hearts out, and at the same time remembered him for what he helped them out with.

I remember asking him, later that night, how he came to know all those ponies. “Met a lawyer and then I met a doctor, then I met a writer. They were all down in the dumps and you know where I met those ponies?” He turned his gaze from the ceiling and to me. His watery eyes shimmered in the candlelight. “In that coffee house. They came to me and I offered them advice. Eventually I wound up in the papers and started getting letters upon letters. Overtime, it built up. There are so many others that I've met and so many I remember. I just don't want to be forgotten, you know?” His voice had become groggy from the amount of talking he had already done.

“I think we've all had that thought run through our minds, Idol.”

“Yeah. Guess you're right. There is one pony that hasn't stopped by. He may have become too involved with his most recent work. His name is Statuesque. Grab my contact box by my typewriter. My magic is wearing thin.” I got out of the chair as he shifted himself into a more upright position. Something which he seemed to have trouble doing. Maybe the muscle atrophy is starting to kick in. Something Cuffs mentioned not as a symptom, but something that would happen from laying down for so long.

When I got to the other side of the room, I could faintly see the metal edges of the typewriter softly gleam and it held a single sheet of paper with something written on it. However, it was too dark to see. Beside the small machine, was a roughened surface of a wooden box with a hinged lid and latch made of gold. I picked it up and carried the box back to Idol. He grabbed the key from the drawer in his nightstand and opened it. He rifled through the dozens of index cards. It reminded me of the time I was at Twilight's library, but she could go through more in a blink of an eye. “Found him. Get some pen and paper and I'll tell you how to get to his place. When you do, ask him about the story of the great messenger who saved a kingdom.”

“You realize how late it is, right?” I wanted to question the kingdom bit, but I didn't want to concern myself with my own matters.

“You can always go tomorrow.” He said setting the box on the nightstand. “You should head to bed, Letter but before you do. You want to know where I got a lot of my advice from?” I gave him a some sort of blank stare and he answered before I could ask. “I learned it from watching you. Growing up, you weren't extremely popular. Although, you still interacted with ponies of all sorts. I on the other hoof, was forced to socialize, meet with those who were snobs and vastly out of touch with their hearts.” He tucked himself back in and finished what he was saying. “You're a gift, Letter. If anything, something of a leader. A king even. A king so grand, so wonderful that his subjects would treat him the same as they would treat each other. You'll be something great well after I pass, Letter. But you may suffer, as unfortunate as that may be.”

“You know Idol, it isn't very often I get compliments like that.” I could feel my words stumble. “I've already suffered, you know that.”

“No, you haven't. Trust me.”

Those were the last words he spoke to me that night. I still wonder what he meant by that. No doubt he meant after he passed away. However, I've the feeling that he meant those words on a much grander scale. Then again, maybe it's just the ramblings of a dying stallion.

The morning after that, Idol gave me some paper and on it was a crudely drawn map. He had resorted to using his hooves to write. His penmanship failed him, but it wasn't that difficult to draw a line or two. He had Rarity write down the different streets that lead directly to the residence of this pony that he wanted me to invite.

I did so, traversing through crowded streets until I found a small building on the outskirts of Manehatten. I could see the train station from here, its tracks actually extended through several of the streets nearby. Implying that they still went further east. I came upon a relatively normal house with two floors and a basement. I rung the doorbell, something that seemed to be standard on all the homes around here. When the door opened, I was greeted by a pony that was extremely tired. I asked for Statuesque and stated that I had a letter for him. He slummed the door shut and I heard the name yelled more clearly than his talking voice.

After what felt like a long wait, the door opened to a young earth colt whose stiff looking coat was like white marble. His mane and stubbed tail were pretty much the same and his eyes were a soft pink. I suppose his name was rather fitting. Yukon rummaged through my bag and grabbed Idol's letter for me. I hoofed it over to Statuesque after confirming his name. “A letter from Idol Find.”

“R-really?” The young colt's voice was stiff, his words stammered easily. “I-I, um, thank you.” He opened the letter easily enough, only a piece of tape held it closed. “W-what is this? I don't understand.” Suddenly his eyes became fierce. “W-why should I trust you?”

I lowered myself to his eye level, “Because, Idol and I have known each other for a very long time, since before you were born. He ever tell you a story about a messenger who saved a kingdom?”

“Y-yes. Yes he did. You're that messenger?”

“Indeed.” His face was skeptical, but his eyes were bright about the topic. Idol must have told one heck of a tale to this young colt well before I got here.

“O-oh, he seems to have a project for me to complete. A-and this is his signature too!” He became elated at the prospect of doing a project for who seemed to be his mentor. “I-I'll write something as a reply to him. P-please stay here.”

It wasn't too long before Statuesque came back through the door with a envelope hanging from the end of his mouth. I grabbed it from him and Yukon placed the letter into my bag. “The name's Letter, I'll be seeing you soon, Statuesque.”

It was later that same night that Statuesque came by, pulling several briefcases strapped to a dolly. Most likely to keep his tools together. I answered the door and let him in. He asked where Idol was and I guided him to his room. He was happy seeing him, but I couldn't bear to be the one to give him the bad news. I was sure that Idol would tell him. Rarity seemed excited to see Statuesque as well as she placed him on her lap so that he could see above the mattress. It was almost like they were a family and although they were unrelated by blood, they functioned. They each greeted each other with friendly hellos and smiles. I wouldn't be surprised if somehow, she has already had a child at this point in her life.

It was so heartwarming to see, but so heartbreaking. I think I may have used that term before.

Eventually, Idol got around to showing Statuesque a small model he had built of the fountain's new design. It had a small cutaway portion to show how the plumbing would by laid out and the inner frame that would keep it standing. It was a simple fountain but he had designed it after Rarity's beauty, after her hair at least. Saying he didn't want it directly point to her, so he crafted the fountain to look the way her hair would move on a windy day. He had also developed a series of potential things he could put on a plaque after the fountain was finished but said he was still putting some thought into it. Statuesque gladly accepted the task and would dedicate it in his honor.

Rarity welcomed Statuesque to stay in her room and sleep with her. At his age, he wouldn't know a thing about sexual implications that would imply. He accepted the offer, but only if she read him his favorite bedtime story. She happened to mention the same story that I've mentioned before, Storm Breaker. It kind of made me happy that a colt his age would love such a tale. Rarity and Statuesque left the room to grab a small snack and then head to bed. I stayed where I was, beside the doorway to Idol's room, peering from a distance.

“Letter, come over here for a bit. There's... something I need to talk to you about. And shut the door, if you could, please.” I did so and approached him with a look of concern. “You remember how I said I saw something when I was looking up at the ceiling?” He didn't give me a chance to answer. “Well, I'm still seeing it. Each day it fills with more and more ponies staring down on me. They're ponies I know, the ones that I've met and ones that have passed.” I saw his eyes begin to water up. “Dammit, Letter. I've accepted this fate so many times and yet I'm still scared. Tell me, where do you think we go after we die?”

His hooves were visibly shaking, I reached out and placed mine on his. “I don't know. When my Uncle Yukon passed away, my mother said that he went to a better place. A place where he would be greeted by the most magnificent of deities and that his memory would forever be woven into the earth, marked by a single stone. Yukon always thought that was complete crap, though and said that the only reason we've made up such tales is to fancy it up, so to speak. You know how I am about these topics though.” Idol's chilled shaking calmed down.

“Yea, undecided until you can make a proper decision. If it's one thing that I've always liked about you is your neutrality of certain things and you will only make a final decision until you've ample-” Idol began to cough and heave heavier than usual. “Get the doctor, get him.”

I pressed the button Cuffs had installed in case of such an emergency. He immediately came into the room and began to inspect Idol. “Letter. Out, now.”

I was a bit reluctant at first but I obeyed.

Journal Entry #43

We woke up the morning after that to Idol's condition further deteriorating his body. Cuffs had placed a mask to help with his breathing and started him on an antibiotic to keep his immune system from getting worse. As it turns out, one of his lungs had collapsed and was subsequently removed and the holes patched up. There were still a few blood stains left in the carpet, but Cuffs managed to clean up what he could quite well. With this, his time left here became shortened to just over a day.

Idol's eyes were heavy and weak, he could barely keep them open sometimes. His voice was muffled and much too weak to start talking again so he resorted to what little magic he could use for writing on a large pad of paper. Unfortunately, his once fine penmanship began to fail him as well. I could feel his frustration at the matter but being angry only further diminished his ability to keep himself awake.

Statuesque asked what was happening to Idol. Rarity shuffled him away and had told him the same story my mother had always told me. I listened to her stifled voice she constantly tried to keep clear. However, she pointed out that was if Idol passed which could only draw the young colt into a false sense of security. Idol had his head on his side, he could see her lips move and from the looks of it ,could barely hear her. His eyes just screamed that he wanted to tell him that everything was going to be okay. But all he could do, was just lie there and watch the world unfold around him, without his involvement.

I could feel him screaming, crying, and apologizing.

Journal Entry #44

I'm not sure if I can handle seeing Idol suffer like this much longer. Part of me wants to put him out of his misery, like a bullet to a half-dead animal. The other part wants me to let him suffer and watch his world collapse around him. Cruel thinking, and well, rather dark. It was unlike me to think in such a way. I've stared at the clock for hours at one point just thinking about what is going to happen afterward.

As high noon hung over us, a knock at the door startled my thought. A postal officer dropped a letter through the hinged letter plate. Two large and well-stuffed envelopes popped through. I brought them to Idol and he gave me his permission to open them so that he could read them. Unfortunately, when he did try to read them, his eyes were easily strained. So I read them aloud instead.

The first letter was from an old friend of his who had moved out to the Light Fringe Kingdom. They heard about Idol's illness from one his managers and wrote to give his best wishes, useless as they were, and apologized for not being there for him. They also thanked him for his help for getting him started in his field of photography.

The second letter was from his former family who had selfishly removed him. How they heard about Idol's plight confounds me. It appears that Idol had received a fair amount of money from his parents, something that his siblings wanted and thus tried to convince him through means of the law to give them his inheritance. Idol's muffled words expressed his rage at his greedy siblings. I calmed him down, as quickly as I could, so he wouldn't wear himself out.

Idol pulled off the mask and spoke, “Letter, under my bed is a small trunk with a lock and key. Grab it and open it. I want you to have what's inside, there are things for Rarity as well, so please, give them to her.” I had never heard his voice so dry and roughed. “Consider it a dying stallion's last wish.” I grabbed the small green box with its gold plated framing and opened it with the key he kept in the lock. I suppose he didn't care about its security all that much. He had two packets of information paper-clipped together, one addressed to me, and the other addressed to Rarity. “Read through those after I pass away.”

“I will.”

He put his mask back on.

Journal Entry #45

Idol died today. His body seized to function properly and his mind and heart finally failed him. Cuffs tried to resuscitate him several times and to no avail, Cuffs stopped and marked the date and time of passing.

I pulled his mask off and removed the IV from his vein. The little cups for the EKG were also removed by my hoof. I tucked him in and when I sat back down, I saw that cocky smile spread wide across his face. I'm glad that when he went, he at least smiled.

I sat there by his bedside for hours, grieving over what I've lost. The tears haven't quite hit me yet but I can feel them sitting there. I wanted to look strong in front of Rarity and Statuesque who both cried their hearts out. It wasn't until later in the day, I gave Rarity the packet and she read through it, carefully and thoroughly. As I did with mine.

Rarity had received adoption papers for the young colt. Apparently where he lived was a foster home for abandoned children and he was filling out the paperwork for him to be his adopted son. As it turns out, the paperwork had already went through the proper places and was graciously accepted but in the event of his death or inability to properly raise him, Idol listed Rarity has an alternative parent. Idol even filled out the paper work for her as well. She also received a deed to a cottage that was located at the edge of some woods. He had treated the place as his vocation home as it located well outside of Manehatten, to the west by Neighagra Falls. To help her out further, he gave her a fair sum of money from his inheritance.

I received a fair sum of money as well. He noted that my family could use it to fix up some parts of the house and as a safety net. He also left me a deed to a home not to far away from the house he gave Rarity. I suppose he wanted us to start our families there. He left me one final message as well, “Promise me, that you'll marry Apricot.” I'd like to think I already have.

The rest of his belongings were written out to Rarity.

Journal Entry #46

The remainder of the week passed with a well attended funeral. Everyone who had gathered put flowers in his casket or on top of his grave after they buried it. I remember my uncle's funeral being similar to this. The mares howled like hounds with tears and the stallions reveled in his memory with half drunken words of praise. They dressed in their most formal black color attire, some even veiled their faces to hide their grief.

It was that night too, when I got to Idol's once former suite, when I finally broke. Which, despite its contents of books, plates, antiques, and other items of value, felt empty. His voice left this world for good and I was the only one who saw him in his last moments of life. I sat on my bed, staring at the ceiling like Idol once did and couldn't find the strength to sleep. Somehow I could feel his presence float above me and I could almost hear him say, “I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.”

I heard my door creek open and there stood Rarity, out of her sleek funeral attire. She approached and sat on the side of the bed. “Letter, I've noticed that you been acting like a stone ever since Idol passed. You knew that it was something he had to live with. Something I didn't know until the last minute. You don't have to blame yourself and there was nothing we could to stop it.”

“I'm not blaming myself. I just don't know how I should feel. I didn't know any of those friends of his. I was a stranger to them, a stranger who knew all about their friend.”

“Then, remember who he was to you.” Her words reminisced what I had said to Idol.

I found myself sitting up and throwing myself into her forelegs, crying my eyes out.

Chapter 6: Chasing Storms

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Chapter 7: Burn and Bury

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Chapter 8: Through Field and Valley

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Chapter 9: Pecken

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Chapter 10: Onward to Hestan

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Chapter 11: Fervor

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Chapter 12: The King

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Chapter 13: Nutmeg

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Chapter 14: Aeron

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Chapter 15: Sunlight

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Chapter 16: Planar

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Chapter 17: Ceremonial

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Chapter 18: Answers

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Chapter 19: Leaving to Return

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Chapter 20: Eidolon

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Chapter 21: Light Show

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Chapter 22: Wedding Story

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Chapter 23: Under the Tree

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Chapter 24: Book and Staff

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Chapter 25: Bindings

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Chapter 26: Echoes

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Chapter 27: Their Reason

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Chapter 28: Through the Ages

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Chapter 29: Retirement

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Chapter 30: Rest

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Foreword & Prologue

Foreword

Upon a doctor's recommendation, I am to write down what I've done in daily or weekly journal entries. You see, he had diagnosed me with something that deteriorates my memory the older I get. Apparently a genetic disorder that skips multiple generations.  Although the diagnosis was several years ago, I've only felt the itch to start writing the entries recently. I suppose the main reason that I haven't immediately jumped into the writing was thinking that I didn't feel like I needed to.  The kind doctor did supply me with a journal to write in, but it sat on a shelf collecting dust until now.

Should this journal find its way out of my possession, return it to the nearest post office. My seal and my name, Letter Bee, will give them some direction in which to send it. Eventually, I would like to pass this journal onto someone else. Be it either by children I might bear or a trusted friend.

Prologue

I grew up in the often crowded of Clackerton. A town located west of the Everfree Forest. The large town was mostly a crossroads and trading center where industrial crafts are fairly common. Large ships came in every morning and usually left the same night. They would bring in crates containing either large machines requiring some assembly after purchase or small and finely detailed jeweled rings  using gold and silver. Of course, being a place of just trade wouldn't carry a town forever so other appropriate buildings were made, blacksmiths, barbershops, pharmacies, spas, and of course, a local guard.

The Clackerton Guard, trustworthy as they are always seems to get a bad apple or two in their ranks. “Order & Protection,” it was their motto but some of those bad apples tended to meander from doing so, getting drunk while they're on duty or unlawfully accusing innocents civilians of stealing their coin. Fortunately, that all seemed to come to a halt when I had gotten caught up in one of their messes five years ago.

I was traveling from Flight Gear's, a mentor of mine who had taught me how to fly, back home. Flying within the town was restricted unless you had the proper license. Mountain winds are a very dangerous thing you see, having a habit of whipping about without much warning. Airships didn't have as much trouble though, perhaps due to their size.

Anyways, before I meander further, I had run into three drunken guards, accidentally bumping into one of them as they stumbled out the tavern. The only road out from Flight Gear's lead past there and it was a rather narrow street that lead into the market square. Within the small moment I had spent apologizing to the guard, they had already tied me up and held me to a post. Then, they proceeded to publicly accuse me of the matter but I wasn't alone. They had picked up another young colt, Idol Find. A pony with a quiet and noble heritage

It was a bit sudden, that appearance of the ashen colored wolf and sea foam green unicorn mare. They had pulled themselves through the crowd that had gathered and protested the guards drunken accusations. The fight was rather quick. The unicorn released me and the other colt after pinning two of them down with her mastery of water. The leader of the three guards fought the wolf in sword to sword combat. Amazing that he, the wolf, could wield such a large weapon so easily. Eventually, the wolf brought the guardspony down with a heavy hit to his hind legs using the broadside of his sword. What followed was a loud crack and a scream.

Idol and I thanked them both, but they left pretty quickly. I still wonder today, who they are. I recall Flight Gear leaving the town around the same time as well. He had to travel out west to help some friends of his. He returned about a month later, visibly shaken. I wanted to ask him what had happened but I never had the heart. Whatever it was, he lead him to drinking less than what he used to. His wife told me a bit about what had happened. Something about a wolf that defeated three great beasts that had control of over Celestia's three greatest ships of her legion. It was a fearsome battle. Unfortunately, she kept herself in a very safe part of the ship he flew and didn't see the battles that were fought.

I had asked her about what happened to the wolf, she said that the animal stayed at a place, far west, beyond the edges of most maps chartered of Equestria. She referred to it as the Frozen Desert. A place beyond tall flat-walled cliffs and salt flats which were dotted with marshes. The Frozen Desert was an odd place, the ground was sand but the sky was always filled with endless clouds that created harsh winds and nonstop blizzards. The snow never stayed, always melted once it touched the ground below. She never told me why the wolf stayed there or what might have happened to him.

After he left Clackerton, a large shield was raised up over the town, barring entry and leaving until it went away. What it protected us from was a ink-like cloud that twisted about like a maelstrom. Sometimes it would become dyed with color, bright and vivid. It encircled the entire town, leaving only a small gap in the sky, the only way we could tell if night or day had come to pass. It was scary, to say the least. Some thought it the end of days, a reckoning of sorts. That was until the cloud was cleared away by a wave of silver stretching across the sky.

I don't believe anypony was ever told the cause behind the event. None of the history books in my classes at Clackerton High mentioned it. I suppose  some ponies just may have forgotten about it or passed it off with their own conclusions.  I wanted an answer. Something concrete, something that would recognize those events. I had a feeling, still do, that I would come across the answer eventually. It didn't need to be rushed. Flight Gear would avoid answering the questions that I had. He would, however, assure me that the answer would come in due time. Saying I wasn't quite ready to understand the full extent of what had happened until the time was right.

For a brief time I too had forgotten about the events altogether. I suppose my focused my mind on other things.

Relishing in happiness with my best friends, Apricot Blossom and Idol Find. Apricot, she was adorable, shy, and fragile but some part of her told me she was strong in her own right. She and the fruit and its blossom flowers, matched their colors quite nicely. Her mane and tail were like the flowers, a faded pink at the root fading to a white in her long flowing locks. She often kept them pinned back with clips, ribbons, or bows. Her dark brown eyes were lovely as well, with their little sand-colored streaks. Her pale orange coat freckled with red-orange spots made her stand out from a crowd. Always had a way with animals, mostly ones surrounding the large apricot tree out in the nearby forest. She was a lovely little earth pony.

We've spent many an afternoon together, her and I. Sitting beneath the apricot tree for our studies. We'd discuss a lot of things, how our classmates weren't very bright sometimes or our families. When we weren't talking or studying, we found ourselves just enjoying the gentle breeze the forest and mountain winds brought us.

Idol Find on the other hoof, often found us together and joked about how we should marry, move into a cottage somewhere and start a family.  There's not much I can recall about him at the moment, as he had left for Manehatten some time ago. The most I can remember right now is the letter he sent me and his sequin and black coat. The two colors together like continents and oceans. There was also his issue of being bed-ridden at least once a year, something that brought him close to passing several times. I don't know what it was that kept him alive, but I was glad when it went away. I never saw his family much, suppose they kept to themselves. Snobby bastards, perhaps?

Aside from my two best friends, I have a sister, mother, and father: Busy Bee, Honey Bee, and Carpenter Bee. Each one of them having their own specialized talents. Busy, my sister, kept herself to working as a secretary for the new branch of the post office, the Extended Pony Postal Service (EPPS). She would sort through and organize everything that came through. By route, mostly, and then the addresses in numerical order. I'm sure the system is a bit more complex, but I enjoyed watching her her work her magic when I could. And her knowledge compared to mine was substantially higher. Made me wonder why she never went to Canterlot for its university.

My father, Carpenter, worked as a forepony for house construction, sometimes bridges. He and his crew built at least one house over the course of a week or two. They were once confronted with a challenge, to build a large two-story house in one day. Something that my father and his team easily accomplished. Less of a challenge than getting the sawdust out of his coat, something mother often joked to him about. He often rebutted with a sly joke about how she smelled more like honey than her perfume.

Honey Bee, my mother, ran a honey farm in the back yard within a greenhouse as well. She, like Idol, was prone to illnesses as well. But hers were far less severe, only leaving her bed-ridden once or twice. I think it was because she had a weakened immune system at birth or some accident. She was always so frail but she made dues by selling either bouquets of flowers or jars of honey in the market square.

Today, I've been keeping an eye on mother. Her illness had struck again. Father was working and Busy went out to fetch a doctor. The illness itself was usually a cough and mild fever. To pass the time between us when she couldn't sleep she would tell stories. The was one in particular that she told the best, as though it were part of her family. She often told it to me when I was younger as well, to put me to sleep after tucking me in.

The story always began with a princess, who found an injure kingfisher by a riverbed. They were both young and as she nursed the kingfisher back to good health, they formed a bond. When the time came for her to marry as the laws of the kingdom stated, many a bachelor and princes arrived from all over to take her hoof in marriage, but none of them suited her liking. Her kingfisher kept her spirits high when they were alone with silly little antics. She was growing weary of the useless chatter, after all.

One day, her kingfisher had seemed to disappeared from her castle and she searched the kingdom to find it. All her efforts turned up nothing until she arrived back to where it all began. The river. There she saw her pet kingfisher perched upon a single cattail, staring across the river at a stallion plain as earth, with a kingfisher of his own. The princess invited him to her castle, an offer he gladly accepted, with humble hesitance. They eventually married and as they grew older and had children together, their kingfishers did much the same. One day though, all of the two kingfishers that brought them together passed away and thus taught them how to mourn and carry on.

Mother always mentioned that the four children the royal couple had, saying that one of them was of her lineage. And the mourning part always kind of got to me, since my uncle had passed away well before the incident with the wolf five years ago. Left an impression that will never leave me, I think.

I feel that my mother's story and the story of others, whether fairy tale or truth, have compelled me in writing. However, I also feel that my services as a new courier for EPPS might shine some light on what my true talent is. I've gotten my cutie mark of a quill and paper a year or so ago, after doing some writing for a class. Perhaps my new job and writing these journal entries will bring about something. Perchance even more than that.