Disappear

Chapters

On the Shelf
Mare on a Mission
Not So Ill Intentions
Precious Belongings
Loyal to a Fault
Pride of a Unicorn
Reparations
The Gift of Ignorance
Questioning the Policy of Truth
Pawns
A Filly-Shaped Powder Keg
Facts and Friends Laid Bare
Seeking to Obtain
The Actions of Friends
Rendezvous in the Cloudosseum
Meeting the Client
Wounds to Lick
Interrogation
Preparing for the New Day
Act of Good Faith
Honor-Bound
Steamed
Nothing But Business
A Pony in a Glass House
Limits
The Cleansing of Misconceptions
Boarding for Canterlot
Loss
One Track Minds
Answers
Plans In Motion
Thunderstruck
Obligation
A Division of Priorities
Unwelcome Visitor
Let it Out
No Strings Attached
Opportunist
The Brawl in the Wedding Hall
Omnipotence
Now or Never
Unplanned
Mercenary
Doing It Clean
Fight or Flight
Making Things Right
Judgment
Epilogue: Clearing the Stormy Skies
Now You See Me...
The Second Opinion
Putting Heads Together
End of the Line
Nothing to Hide

On the Shelf

“Spike, have you gotten the books sorted out over on your shelf?” “Check!” Spike jumped off the ladder and onto Twilight’s back. He was glad to be a small dragon, and still able to get free rides around the library, and even Ponyville at times. Without wings, he really couldn’t cover much distance on his stubby legs. He climbed off and went to another shelf to reorganize its contents. “Re-Shelving Day” seemed much more hectic ever since they had been getting more ponies to check books out, mainly due to the aforementioned ponies rarely putting them back where they belonged.

“I can’t believe how quickly we’re doing this! We’ll be at the 'Pony History' section before long, at this rate. This is going very smoothly. Great work, Spike!” Twilight liked these tasks to go two ways: Simple and quick. It’s just organization, after all, and Twilight liked few things more than the knowledge that her library was in perfect order for any new and prospective readers. Spike grinned to himself as he finished another shelf. “THAT section of shelves will just need a re-dusting, given how little attention ponies give it…” he quipped. Jumping down and landing safely on Twilight’s back, she bucked him off of her and into a pile of books.

“Spike, listen! Even if nopony else is viewing books from a section, it should still at least LOOK like it’s being maintained properly!” Twilight turned away and gave a smirk. “Besides, I’m still giving them plenty of attention, so at the very least, I’d like to not have them covered in dust when I choose to read them, understood? Now, what’s that pile of?” Spike jumped out and looked at a few of the books he had been launched into. “They seem to be ‘New returns’. Ugh…” Twilight smiled, knowing that they needed to be freshly checked off the 'Borrowed' list and reorganized. The day certainly wasn’t going to be boring for her. For Spike, that was a different story.

As Spike picked up a few books, he put his head under the ‘drop box’ connected to the pile. Suddenly, the library door burst open to the sight of Rainbow Dash, as well as another pony that she was carrying on her back. The slam of the door against the wall caused Spike to jump up, whacking his head on the handle of the drop box and collapsing into the pile he had tried organizing. Seeing that her friend was clearly struggling with the pony that Twilight could now identify as Derpy Hooves, Twilight ran over to help Rainbow Dash, but was quickly shrugged off.

“Twilight, I need your help! Get a pillow! Get a table! Get SOMETHING I can put her on! QUICK!” Twilight Sparkle didn’t know what was going on, but Rainbow Dash wouldn’t stop by if it wasn’t important. Leaving Spike rubbing his skull whilst sitting atop a pile of books, she used her magic to pick up Derpy’s prone body, carrying her up the library stairwell and bringing her up to her own bed; it was the best possible option available, given Derpy's unconscious state. Rainbow Dash was still livid. “Do something, Twilight! DO SOMETHING!” Twilight lifted her hoof in order to stop Rainbow’s orders. “Rainbow, you burst into here and demanded my help, without telling me what’s going on. I need answers!” Rainbow Dash stammered a bit before calming down just enough to produce a still-hectic explanation of what happened at the boulder by the dirt path.

“… I see… was there anypony else around?” Twilight Sparkle was able to piece together most of what Rainbow Dash had said, but some of it was spoken at a speed much too quick for Twilight to translate through the panicked wordings. The question was sincere in asking about witnesses, but she was also hoping that perhaps somepony who was less panicked could describe the situation to her. Rainbow Dash was frantic. “No! There was no one! I heard her crying, looked at her back, and then she passed out! I came straight here from that boulder!” Twilight walked up to the fallen Pegasus pony on her bed, carefully examining her for any other clearly visible injuries, to no avail.

“Th-This isn’t normal, right?” Twilight looked at Rainbow with utter confusion, as if to confirm if she really meant to ask that question. Rainbow clarified herself as she placed a blanket over Derpy. “I mean, this couldn’t be caused by something other than magic, right? Right!? Because I know you can fix it if it’s related to magic. Come on, Twilight, you’ve GOT to try. Please!” Twilight seldom saw her friend being so emotional; Rainbow Dash really showed that she was the embodiment of the Spirit of the Element of Loyalty when it came to those closest to her. Twilight Sparkle lifted the blanket up, and looked at the injury.

It was worse since it began, or at least the smell was. Since removing the saddlebag, the whole back was visible, but only the area between and including the wings had been visibly affected. If you covered it up with a strap and two saddlebags, somepony would hardly even notice the blackened area. Twilight moved to Derpy’s face before raising her hoof to it. Feeling her forehead, the blonde Pegasus pony had broken out into a fever, but was sleeping quietly. Twilight wasn’t sure whether she should be relieved or scared at Derpy’s condition, but she knew one thing without question: Derpy needed immediate medical attention, and this was not the place where she could obtain it.

“Rainbow, we can focus on the issue regarding her wings, later. I know it’s important, but it seems like she has a fever. You need to take her to Ponyville Hospital!” Rainbow Dash felt rejected by such a statement, but she knew it was for the best. Still, she had to be sure that there were no immediate options available, before she could allow herself to leave in good faith. “Can’t you do anything to help her? Maybe mix up a potion or use your magic or…” Twilight knew that she didn’t have to say anything, but she was also aware that Rainbow Dash would feel better hearing it straight from the horse's mouth.

“I’ll look at my books to see if there has ever been anything like this. In the meantime, she needs immediate medical attention before her fever gets worse.” Rainbow Dash tried to interrupt, but Twilight stopped her. “I know you want me to help her, and I promise I’ll do everything I can with the books I have in my library, but if she doesn’t get immediate help, I don’t think I’ll have the time necessary to find a cause, let alone a solution. Understand?”

Sighing in defeat, the disheartened Pegasus pony nodded. “… Okay… Alright, you win. I’ll take her to the hospital.” Rainbow Dash was about to pick her up, but Twilight decided to move Derpy’s prone body from the bed to Rainbow’s back, so as to not risk hurting either pony. It was during this, that Derpy opened her eyes, weakly. She turned to the direction of Rainbow Dash’s ear, and whispered to her weakly. “… V-Vanish… told me… to tell you… to help… me…” Saying what she needed to, she allowed herself to fall back into the painless embrace of sleep, content with the knowledge that she might have helped somepony, forgetting to make sure her friends could hear her in the process.

Vanish watched from the window outside the library, hidden on the limb of the tree thanks to the leaves surrounding it. He had been following Rainbow Dash ever since she had picked up Derpy. The stallion dropped down from the tree limb, and went to the door. It was there, that he was crashed into by Rainbow Dash. He was startled with regards to how fast she made it from the second floor to the front door. “Oh, my apologies. Mares first.” He said, as he bowed graciously. This act wasn’t reciprocated, as Rainbow looked around quickly, mumbling audibly to herself. “Ponyville Hospital, Ponyville Hospital… THAT WAY!” Rainbow began heading to Ponyville Hospital with Derpy in tow, like a mare on a mission. Twilight stepped out and shouted, “Don’t worry! I’ll be there soon! Just get her in a room! ...Oh! H-Hello! We’re a little busy right now, actua…” The stallion raised his hoof to stop her from providing an explanation.

“That’s perfectly alright, my dear. I just came by to see if you had a couple of books that I’d like to check out.” Seeing her hesitance in permitting entry, he continued speaking in the hopes of gaining access. “I happen to know of the books by their respective titles, if that is of any significant convenience.” Twilight knew she had to work fast, but as long as this was quick, there shouldn’t be a problem. She sighed in acceptance, and went back inside the library, accompanied by the fedora-wearing pony in the dark, dark blue coat.

The stallion tipped his hat towards Twilight, and gave his requests. “You have my gratitude. The books I am looking for are ‘Modern Ponyville History’ and ‘The Elements of Harmony’. If I may ask, where might I find them?” Twilight was hardly listening, focusing intensely on the ‘Magical and Medicinal’ section of books in front of her. “I’ll have Spike get ‘Modern Ponyville History’ for you. As for ‘The Elements of Harmony’, it’s…” Her focus was broken upon speaking the title of the book. No pony had ever asked for that book by name, and she would know if they did; it was arguably the most important book in her entire library.

“Is something the matter? You did not finish your sentence, my dear.” The stallion tipped his hat up slightly in order to properly look at Twilight Sparkle. Twilight didn’t feel right giving the book to this stallion, she just didn’t. “If I may ask, why are you interested in that specific book? I-It’s not very good; I’ve read it before…” She had to buy some time, somehow. “How strange… you’re unusually curious, aren’t you?” The hat-wearing pony had appeared to begin being suspicious of Twilight, who was trying to smile innocently in response, but not having the greatest of ease in doing so. She knew that she was treading on thin ice with this pony, and could feel that this wasn’t going to proceed well for her.

“… Well, if you MUST know, I don’t have any personal interest invested in the book itself, however…” The stallion tipped his hat back down, looking away from her as he continued. “I was asked to look into it, by my employer no less… and I was told to make sure to learn the names of the ponies in that book; that it would be of the utmost importance to do so… It’s important I learn them.” The stallion gave a coy smile towards Twilight. “I’m not what you would call a 'fan of surprises’, so to speak.”

Twilight backed up into a bookcase. The impact caused her to look back reflexively, and much to her horror, there it was, right with the other books on the shelf: ‘The Elements of Harmony’. She turned back around and saw the stallion much closer to her now, staring at her much less gently than he had been doing moments before. “If there is no problem, I’ll simply borrow the book and take my leave. May I have it?” Twilight stepped in front of the book to keep it out of view of the stallion, but he saw that she was acting suspicious.

He took a couple of steps towards her, causing her to push herself further against the bookcase. “I apologize for any insinuation, my dear, but to be frank, you’re acting in a rather peculiar manner. Is something the matter?” Twilight knew she couldn’t move from where she was. The studious mare was trying as hard as she ever had to remain calm, but her mind was racing with a plethora of thoughts: “What if he reads the book? What if he reads it and comes back for more information about the girls? I can’t put my friends in danger, I need to be there for them. He’ll surely find them next, if he doesn’t find them first!” With panic setting in, Twilight quickly tried to think of something to say. “Umm… T-The book is…”

“HERE!” A book popped up from below the two ponies, breaking the tension caused by their now-broken eye contact. Spike had grabbed ‘Modern Ponyville History’ as quickly as he could, bringing it between Twilight and the stallion. “‘Modern Ponyville History’, right here. Also, I took at look at the shelf where we keep ‘The Elements of Harmony’. We don’t have it in at the moment. Sorry about that, sir!”

The pony was startled at the sudden appearance of the baby dragon, but remembered why he was here. “That is a shame… Oh well, I suppose I couldn’t read two books at the same time, had they both been in stock. I’ll just read this, and return in the near future. I certainly hope for the return of the second book, soon.” He grabbed it with his mouth, and turned his head in order to put it into one of the two saddlebags that he had on him, dropping it in before speaking. “I am most grateful that you could help me, even if I could not acquire both of the books my employer had asked me to procure. But that was then, for now I must make haste for Ponyville Hospital! Good day, you two.” With that, the stallion tipped his hat up slightly before walking out. Twilight and Spike kept their eyes on him until he closed the door, before they finally exhaled a shared sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Spike. I didn’t feel right about giving him ‘The Elements of Harmony’… What was up with that guy?” Spike crossed his arms, trying to piece together the words the visitor had said. “It seemed like he didn’t have a good idea about who you were, Twilight… but what about the princess?” Spike had a point; it would be ideal for Princess Celestia to be made aware, given how the ‘elements’ were in Canterlot. For now, Twilight had to get the others. “They might be in danger, with that stallion walking through Ponyville, and even worse, he's headed for Ponyville Hospital: Where Rainbow Dash and Derpy are!” “Spike, send a letter to the princess. Tell her as much as you can about that stallion. I have to go warn the girls; they might be in trouble.”

With that, Spike began to write a letter to Princess Celestia, detailing the hat-wearing visitor that had sought information about the Elements of Harmony. Twilight sprinted from the library, and headed to Fluttershy’s Cottage. It was a little bit out of the way, but it was the only one that wasn’t in the direction that she saw the stallion walk in, so she could be sure he would not see her, at least, not immediately. Twilight had an idea, but needed all her friends to help. More importantly, she needed to find everypony, before that stallion found out the truth.

Author's Note

So yeah, about the "Stallion of the Hour", Vanish:
Size: Medium Build, similar size to Derpy Hooves (So... similar to most ponies)
Coat: Dark, Dark Blue (VERY slightly darker than the Wonderbolts’ Suits).
Mane: Short, Smoke-Grey (LIGHT Smoke, not heavy, more similar to the color of a storm cloud in the series, just a bit brighter.) Also, it is meant to appear less like a mane and more like a smoke cloud, flowing as smoke would bellow from a chimney, only downward. Somewhat similar to Pinkie Pie’s hair, only shorter and much less… for lack of a better word, ‘lumpy’.
Tail: Same color and 'style' as his mane. It reaches the middle of his hind legs.
Eyes: Chestnut-Brown.
Cutie Mark: To be posted in a later chapter.
Anything Else: He wears a brown fedora that is only slightly brighter in hue than his eyes. He also carries saddlebags (often two double-saddlebags, a total of four single bags), but it’s not something that symbolizes him or anything. Further details will be made apparant in a later chapter, to reduce spoilers.

Mare on a Mission

Twilight reached Fluttershy’s cottage in order to recruit the embodiment of the Element of Kindness. Fluttershy might have been seen as weak by some, but Twilight saw her stand up for her friends against a dragon, so she knew that Fluttershy was dependable, and essential for stopping the mysterious pony that had visited the library. Upon reaching the cottage, Twilight could see Fluttershy through the window. She knocked on the door with haste; she didn’t have much time to spare. Fluttershy opened the door, and was surprised to see her friend breathing so hard. “Oh! Twilight! Are you okay?”

Twilight caught her breath before speaking properly. “Fluttershy, I don’t have time to explain, but I need you to get Applejack and come meet me at Ponyville Hospital. Get her as fast as you can, understand? I’m going to go get Pinkie Pie and Rarity and we’ll be there shortly.” Fluttershy was startled by the sudden request. “T-The hospital? Why the hospital, Twili-” Twilight had already turned her back to Fluttershy, ready to run off again. “I’m sorry, I can’t explain right now. Just get Applejack and meet us there! Please, hurry!” Twilight dashed back down the dirt pathway, over the short bridge, and up the dirt road back to Ponyville. Fluttershy nervously called out to her friend, “Umm, T-Twilight, wait!” but Twilight didn’t listen. She had to make sure the others knew about the visitor.

While running through Ponyville, she wondered why the stallion seemed to have such curiosity directed towards the Elements of Harmony. It almost seemed like he wasn’t from Ponyville, but then again, if he was from Ponyville, Twilight should know who he was, but this pony seemed very different from others around town. The way he spoke, the way he acted, and the hat; he definitely didn’t appear to be a local, but if there was one pony who would know for sure whether he’s from around town or not, it was her friend, Pinkie Pie. She always liked to make new friends, after all.

A shiver ran up her spine. "What if Pinkie already met him?"

Twilight saw Sugarcube Corner just up ahead. Before she could go in, however, out came Pinkie Pie with a joyful trot. Twilight stopped right before crashing into her, and tried to explain the situation to Pinkie. “Pinkie, I need you to come with me right n-” Pinkie interrupted her. “Hey, Twilight! You’ll never GUESS who I just saw in Sugarcube Corner! He was so cool! He had a hat, and a saddlebag! Well, I guess Applejack also wears a hat, and sometimes uses a saddlebag, but this guy was so cool! He was dark blue, and had a gray mane on him! I thought it made him look a bit old, but then I remembered tha…” Twilight stuck her hoof over Pinkie’s mouth to stop her raving.

“Pinkie, this is important, so listen to me: I need you to tell me exactly what that pony did while in Sugarcube Corner, okay? I don’t want any detail to be left out.” Pinkie sat down on the steps outside of Sugarcube Corner, and tried thinking hard about what happened, placing her hooves on her left and right temples. “Well… I didn’t see him the whole time, but from what I saw, he took a couple steps forward, breathed in, breathed out, went up to the counter, breathed in, rang the bell for service, breathed out, breathed i...” Twilight stopped her again. “Okay, leave THOSE details out. Just tell me what happened when he was here.”

Pinkie perked up and relaxed, upon being given the request. “Okey-Dokey-Loki! Let’s see… Well, he came in and seemed to be confused on what to get. I was going to recommend some cupcakes, because really, who doesn’t just love cupcakes!? Anyway, he told me it was for a friend named ‘Derpy Hooves’, and I figured, “Hey! I know what she likes!” So I told Mrs. Cake to bake a batch of Derpy’s favorite muffins, and helped him put it in his saddlebag. He said he was ‘most grateful for my assistance’, and asked me where he could find Ponyville Hospital. I told him it was down the road, near the edge of Ponyville, and he thanked me again after I pointed in the direction he should go!”

Twilight couldn’t believe Pinkie Pie told him where Derpy was. “Was that all that he asked about? Did he say anything about the Elements of Harmony?” Pinkie was surprised at the question, but thought about it. “Nope! Nothing like that at all! He said that Derpy was in Ponyville Hospital, and I get the feeling he felt like he was the reason for her being there.” Twilight was taken aback by this information. “Wait, why do you think that?” Pinkie thought some more, placing her hoof under her chin, as if to consider the reason for herself. “Well… I guess it was because he said "I’m the reason she was sent to the hospital… I’m responsible for it.”… Yeah… I think it’s because of when he said that.”

Twilight covered her face with her hoof. She couldn’t believe Pinkie would just stand there and hear all this without coming to see her. Pinkie continued, “Anyway, I don’t have time to stand around!” Pinkie bounced over Twilight and started hopping down the street. “I’ll see you later, Twilight. I have to go see him again! I forgot that there was something I wanted to ask him while he was here.”

Twilight ran in front of Pinkie, causing Pinkie to be startled slightly, but still bouncing up and down with a smile on her face. “That’s what I was coming here to get you for!” Pinkie stopped bouncing, laughing at Twilight’s reaction. “Twilight, why would I need help just to ask him something that I forgot to ask while he was here? That’s just silly!” Twilight shook her head. “No, Pinkie! I need you to come with me to the hospital! That pony came by the library earlier, asking about the Elements of Harmony. He doesn’t seem to know that we’re the embodiments of the Spirits of the Elements! We need to get the others before he finds out!”

Pinkie didn’t really understand Twilight’s reaction. “He seems perfectly fine! After all, he likes muffins, and probably cupcakes! There’s nothing suspicious at all abou-” Twilight stopped her again. “Look, we REALLY need to hurry and go get Rarity! If that pony really was responsible for Derpy’s condition, then she may be in even more danger now that he knows where the hospital is!” Pinkie couldn’t grasp Twilight’s logic. “But then why would he buy muffins for her?”

Twilight didn’t listen to Pinkie Pie. “Just come with me! Please!” Twilight ran off, while Pinkie stood in place for a moment before joyfully trotting towards Carousel Boutique. Twilight reached it first, and ran in, considering the sign in the window displayed the store as being ‘Open’. The sound of the bell over the door had gotten the attention of Rarity, before the sight of her friend did. “Twilight, what’s wrong? You look terrible!” Rarity was preparing a chest of various gems, meant to be carried to her inspiration room for their application to a variety of gowns. “Rarity, I don’t have time to explain. I need you to come with me and Pinkie Pie right away. We’re going to the Ponyville Hospital.”

Rarity was surprised at the request. She hadn’t been to Ponyville Hospital since Rainbow Dash got hurt. “What’s the matter, darling? Is Rainbow Dash in trouble?” Twilight was surprised at Rarity’s question, but realized that Rainbow Dash would be the most likely to hurt herself given her reckless flying style. “No… W-Well, yes... wait, I mean… Not exactly. Look, I think Rainbow Dash might be in trouble the longer we wait around here. Somepony's on their way to the hospital, and I think things could get bad if they encounter Rainbow. Now come on!” Twilight grabbed Rarity’s tail with her magic, pulling her from the chest of gems before running out the door.

Rarity regained her composure and stopped Twilight momentarily. “W-Well, if I must, but let me just do one last thing, dear.” Rarity turned the sign from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed’, used her magic in order to lock up the boutique, and turned back to Twilight in order to properly speak to her. “Okay, let’s not waste any more time.” Twilight thought the sign was a pointless issue, but there was a chest of gems right inside, and it was Rarity’s business and home. She understood the need for security, considering how Rarity was a mare of not only fashion, but also a mare of business.

Pinkie Pie took her time, for the most part, but finally reached Twilight as Rarity was turning the sign. With Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Rarity together, they galloped with haste to Ponyville Hospital. Twilight was going to run straight in, but saw Applejack and a rather exhausted Fluttershy coming down from the other side of the road. Twilight stopped at the intersection between the two paths, which also led right to the front doors of Ponyville Hospital.

“Alright, girl, we’re here… well, I am anyways. Give 'er a chance to catch her breath before we go stormin’ in.” Twilight was worried, but she knew Applejack was right. Seeing Fluttershy catching her breath, she thought this was a good time to fill her friends in on the situation. “Alright, listen up, girls. Rainbow Dash brought Derpy to me, but Derpy was missing her wings.” She took a moment to pause so that her friends could comprehend what they just heard; it was pretty unbelievable, after all. “After Rainbow Dash took Derpy to Ponyville Hospital, another pony came by my library, asking for the ‘The Elements of Harmony’ book, as well as a book on Ponyville history. I learned from Pinkie Pie that he also said that he knew Derpy, and was heading here, to the hospital.”

Having caught her breath, Fluttershy spoke up. “Oh dear… T-Twilight, do you think there’s a connection between Derpy’s condition and this… o-other pony?” Twilight nodded. “It’s hard to imagine a connection between the two, not existing… according to Pinkie Pie, he said he felt ‘responsible’. I can’t take a chance with Rainbow Dash and that guy in the same room.” The others nodded in agreement. They understood the severity of the situation, and were willing to join Twilight in making sure Rainbow Dash and Derpy weren’t in any danger. “Is everypony ready?” The confirmed their status by nodding in affirmation. Pinkie Pie chimed in with an affirmative “Let’s go!” followed by Fluttershy confirming her agreement with a timid “Right behind you, girls.” as Applejack stepped behind Twilight in the makeshift line, herding her friends by simply saying “C’mon. Let’s hurry.” With that, they went into the hospital, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

Not So Ill Intentions

Twilight and her friends knew the rules of the hospital, and seeing as how the lobby at least appeared calm (though a bit messy), they just walked in as they normally would. It made Twilight feel uneasy, acting so casual and timid, but she had to abide by the rules of Ponyville Hospital, or she and her friends could get tossed out. Besides, there was never a shortage of patients here; running through and acting reckless could cause an unnecessary panic. They walked up to the reception desk, where a yellow Earth pony greeted them while another receptionist spoke to a seperate visitor. “Good afternoon. Can I help you?”

Twilight took charge. “Good afternoon. My name is Twilight Sparkle. My friends and I would like to visit a patient who was submitted here earlier today; her name is Derpy Hooves.” The receptionist gave a frown. “She is in one of the upper rooms, but I am not sure about her having any more visitors than she has already been receiving; she is probably still asleep, after all.” Twilight had a feeling this might happen, but saw the receptionist voicing her thoughts to herself. “Then again, I suppose that, given her condition… Yes, the sight of friends would be a good thing.” “‘Given her condition’? What does she mean?“ Twilight didn’t ask; the receptionist was about to give them the room number, and they didn’t have much time to spare.

“Alright, she is in Room 202. As I said, she is on the second floor. Also, you brought in Rainbow Dash previously, correct?” Twilight was surprised that her friend would be mentioned, but nodded in agreement, as did Pinkie Pie and Rarity. “She shouted that she would help with the mess she made upon knocking over one of the doctors, when she entered the hospital. She should still be with Derpy, so tell her to come down and help, already. We’re busy down here, after all. She can see her friend again after she helps with cleaning up the lobby.” Twilight was about to continue down the hall, until she remembered something to ask. “Thank you. One more thing: You said that she had been receiving ‘visitors’?” The receptionist gave a curious look, upon being asked about such a thing. “Indeed. Rainbow Dash, and a rather polite stallion that came in here a couple of minutes ago. I haven't seen either one leave yet, and I’d know if they had left.”

As Twilight feared, the visitor was here. She knew that there could be problems awaiting Rainbow, but right now, they needed to get to the room, and fast. Walking through the halls, they went from a casual trot to a speedy gallop, upon being out of the receptionists' fields of vision. The girls knew all about how to get around the hospital, since when Rainbow Dash was admitted here, she also had a room on an upper floor, and they came to visit her a couple of times. Heading into a stairwell and climbing up the stairs, Twilight was surprised to see, standing in the doorway to the second floor, the hat-wearing pony that visited the library. He seemed to be thinking deeply about something, and nudging the side of his saddlebag with his muzzle. He also seemed to be watching something that was occurring on the floor he was on, through a crack between the door and the doorway.

Twilight signaled for the others to retreat down a few steps, but didn’t turn around to see them. She kept her eyes trained on the distracted stallion, and backed up until he fell out of her field of vision. She turned around, keeping her eyes looking to the floor he was on, and motioned for them to huddle close. She heard her friends close in, so she whispered to them. “That’s him: That’s the pony who came to the library, I’m sure of it. It doesn’t look like he’s found Rainbow Dash or Derpy yet. I need you girls to stay away from him, understand?” Pinkie Pie huffed, and whispered in a rather offended manner. “Well, why does Fluttershy get to go up to him, then?”

Twilight turned around to see her friends in the huddle. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity were all there, but Fluttershy wasn’t with them. Sure enough, Twilight looked behind her and saw Fluttershy climbing up the stairs in a rather concerned manner. Twilight made a dash for her, but felt something grab her tail. “Hold it, Twi’.” Twilight stopped moving, and Applejack stopped biting her tail, spitting it out. “But Fluttershy could be in danger! We have to do somethi-…” Applejack stuffed her hoof in Twilight’s mouth to keep her quiet before the stallion heard them. “If she needs help, we’ll help ‘er, but let’s see what happens first, alright?” Twilight and her friends looked up from their spot, below where the suspicious pony was standing in the stairwell.

The dark, dark blue stallion with the smoke gray mane couldn't deny that he was concerned for Derpy, and his thoughts wouldn't let him leave in good faith. “Sure, I was just following my designated orders, but I still betrayed her trust, and now she's here because of me... Derpy...” He didn’t know what to do, and he especially didn't know what to say, but he had a job to attend to, and didn’t have the time to simply loiter in the hospital doorway. He heard the commotion from Derpy’s room; it seemed that the doctors were either swarmed with confusion about her condition, or were dealing with the rude Pegasus pony that he ‘encountered’ back at the library entrance. Regardless, it certainly seemed like he wouldn’t be allowed to see her, at least not yet.

Somepony was approaching, and not from the halls. He heard a gentle voice asking him something, and it was coming from the stairwell. He turned around to meet the eyes of a shy, yellow Pegasus mare. With a long, pink mane that was covering one of her eyes, and a long tail that matched the color of her mane, he couldn't help but notice that she appeared to be curious about something, though she seemed hesitant in voicing her concerns. “Excuse me, but… I-if you don't mind me asking, why are you just standing in the doorway? Are you alright?”

The stallion gave a gentle bow, and pressed himself against the door, assuming that the Pegasus pony was politely requesting usage of the doorway’s access. “My sincerest apologies, but I sometimes forget my manners in hospitals, as they are a place I seldom find myself visiting. Please, go on through, my dear.” Fluttershy felt like he was asking her to leave him alone, but the stallion was clearly upset about something, and she felt almost an obligation to ask if she could help. She went next to him, away from the door so that visitors could pass, and asked again.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you seem upset about something… are you here to visit somepony? I mean, if you d-don't mind me asking...” A cloud of suspicion rose from the stallion’s mind, hovering over the shy Pegasus pony, but he knew it was an honest question. “… Indeed. I caused somepony a considerable degree of pain. I do not expect a warm welcome from her.” He turned away from Fluttershy’s eyes, looking at the crowded hospital floor, taking note of the reduction of doctors outside Derpy’s room. “What does one say to somepony whose life they have practically ruined with their actions?” Fluttershy didn’t know how to respond to that, but she knew that some helpful words could be just what this pony needed.

“W-Well, umm… I-I guess there really aren’t too many words or gifts that can fix that, but… you should still try something.” The stallion turned back to Fluttershy, who had begun drawing circles on the floor with her hoof, looking to the floor rather than to the pony she was speaking to. “I-I mean... from my experience helping my friends, doing nothing has never been a way to solve a problem.” Fluttershy closed her eyes in brief thought, before opening them and staring into the eyes of the stallion with a look of confidence she struggled to produce, but held on to adamantly. “Sometimes, you just have to swallow your fear and go for it.”

The hat-wearing pony chuckled a little at the notion of simply ‘going in and saying hi’, but the mare was right: He wasn’t going to get anywhere, unless he tried something. “Hm. I suppose you have a rather… undisputable point, there. I know not, the reason of your presence in this hospital,” The dark, dark blue pony tipped his hat to her and continued, “but if it is to visit someone, akin to my own purpose here, then I can say with absolute confidence and sincerity they must be a very lucky pony to have a friend like you.”

Fluttershy looked away and blushed in response to the compliment, smiling before speaking. “O-Oh, I’m not alone. I have a lot of friends here to see her. We were told to come as soon as possible.” Twilight had a bad feeling about the way this conversation was going, as the visitor spoke. “Oh? Well, my dear, it would be rather impolite for you keep them waiting, and I suppose I mustn’t keep Miss Derpy Hooves waiting, either.” Fluttershy's eyes widened and her smile was chased away, as the realization of where she was hit her all too quickly; all this time, she had been talking with the pony Twilight warned her about. She found herself unable to speak, only staring at the stallion, who now seemed concerned for her current state.

“My dear, are you alright? You’re shaking rather badly; even your legs seem…” He stopped. Twilight had a very bad feeling as to why. “Hmm… So that is who you are. I should have expected that; Pegasi aren’t normally this nice, at least, from my own experiences with them… Didn’t you say you had friends you came with? I’d hate to see them lose a good friend… You, down there, the ponies who have taken to eavesdropping: Come up and tend to your friend at once, assuming you care for her.”

He knew they were there. Twilight and the others ran up the stairs and straight to the stallion, getting between him and Fluttershy. “Get away from her! We won't let you-!” The pony tipped his hat up, and glared into Twilight's eyes with his own vicious gaze as she gasped just before he broke his calm, composed state. “YOU! You’ve got some nerve, approaching me after lying to me!” He started walking towards her, stopping her train of thought in its tracks. “I asked if you had the book on 'The Elements of Harmony', yet I know that you had it all along, and chose to not hand it over to me… it seems I had you pegged incorrectly, my dear.” He got right up in front of her, glaring angrily at her. “I thought you were honest. I hoped you were different than the insufferable, haughty, rude, ignorant unicorns I commonly encounter.”

Rarity tried stepping in, but Applejack stopped her, knowing that, as a unicorn herself, Rarity would probably cause a scene. This interception allowed the angry pony to continue his accusations. “You… You don’t deserve your magic, you don’t deserve your library, and if what this poor mare shivering off to the side has said, is indeed the truth, then you especially don’t deserve to have friends like her.” Applejack was about to step in, but the stallion jumped back, looking down the hall. “If you excuse me, I have some business to attend to.” The hat-wearing stallion walked away, leaving Twilight in a stunned silence in the stairwell. She was just trying to put together the words that the pony had said to her. "He's furious with me, but… is his hatred well-founded?... Do I deserve it?

Applejack snapped her out of it. “C’mon, girl, Rainbow needs our help.” She was right. There would be time to consider the stallion’s words later. Right now, she had a friend who needed to be told the truth about this strange visitor, and whether Twilight deserved her friends or not, she was not going to let them get hurt at the hooves of this guy; not as long as she could help it. She saw that Fluttershy had regained her composure, and the girls proceeded into the second floor lobby, unable to see where the other pony had trotted off to. ‘Room 202’ was on the placard in front of one of the closed doors, and Twilight could hear the voice of a familiar-sounding mare from within. All Twilight could do was hope for the best of outcomes once she opened the door.

Precious Belongings

The stallion tossed his fedora behind him, where it landed on a hat stand near the entrance to the room. He walked towards Twilight, almost looking right through her. “Well now, I have given my introduction, I suppose it’s only right for you to do the same, unicorn. You are at least capable of understanding proper manners, I presume?” The others stepped up from behind Twilight, who seemed startled by Vanish’s sudden change of tone, particularly towards her. She stood up from her defensive stance and began speaking, keeping her eyes fixated on the stallion. “… Very well. My name is Twilight Sparkle.” She pointed to each friend accordingly. “This is Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and-…” He interrupted her. “I know that one, her name is Fluttershy, correct?”

Twilight nodded sternly but slowly, keeping her guard up while she did so. “So, Vanish, how did you know of us before we introduced ourselves?” The pony smirked as he walked past Twilight, to the paralyzed, shivering Pegasus pony with the yellow coat that was crouched behind Applejack. “I was given some information from my employer pertaining to some P.O.I.’s.” Pinkie Pie placed her hoof under her chin in thought. “’P.O.I.’s? Do you mean ‘pies’, maybe?” Vanish turned towards the source of the voice of the rather confused pony in the room as he clarified himself. “An abbreviation, for ‘pony of interest’… or in this case, ‘Pegasi of Interest’ would be more appropriate, perhaps.” He turned back to the shivering Fluttershy, and motioned for her to move with a tilt of his head. She dashed past him, over to her other friends.

“I know of only two of you, the second being that rather ignorant mare with the rainbow mane.” Rainbow Dash, still in the hallway, wanted to run in and clobber the pony that was insulting her, but she didn’t want Derpy to get hurt any more than she already was. She waited next to the door, watching as the visitor used his hoof to open the left saddlebag of his double-saddlebag and used his mouth to pull out a brown paper bag with a ‘Sugarcube Corner’ logo embedded on it, placing it on a bedside table. “With regards to Derpy, I brought this for her. I must thank you, my dear, for the knowledge of what flavor of muffin she likes. She will certainly enjoy them, once she regains her strength and consciousness.”

Rarity spoke up. “If I may ask, why do you have two horns? Were you born that way, or… is one fake?” Vanish looked up, giving a stern stallion’s stare towards the curious unicorn. “… My name, as you know, is Vanish. This dark blue horn, I’ve had since my birth.” The stallion pointed his hoof to the turquoise horn on his head. “This other one, I was given by my employer for purposes that are not of your concern.” Twilight stepped forward. “Your ‘Employer’? You mean… some sort of ‘boss’?” The pony didn’t even fix his gaze from Rarity. “I suppose ‘client’ would be a more suitable word for it… Yes, ‘client’.” He smirked as he looked at Twilight. “Not that I expect you to follow my logic, ignorant foal.”

Applejack had enough of Vanish's attitude. “Now just hold yer horses, pal. I’m not gonna just sit here while you talk to a friend o’ mine like that!” The stallion stopped smiling, quickly looking at the orange Earth pony as he walked towards her. “Oh, really? You’d come to the defense of a lying brat such as her?” He looked down his nose at Applejack with a disgusted scowl. “I guess it’s true what they say about insects: They always travel in packs with each other. And here I thought at least you had some redeemable qualities.” Fluttershy stepped forward, upon her friends being verbally attacked in such a rude manner. “Do you have some sort of problem with Twilight?”

Vanish frowned in Twilight’s direction. “I simply cannot tolerate liars... and her actions at the library were detestable at best.” Twilight shook her head. “I didn’t lie about anything, Vanish.” The stallion bowed down and slid one of his front hooves behind him, ready to charge at her. “I asked you about 'The Elements of Harmony'. You refused to give me that book! You claimed it was not in stock, but I know it was!” Twilight stepped forward, closing her eyes and raising her hoof in defense of her statement. “I was afraid you would harm my friends if you knew that we represented the Spirits of the Elements of Harmony… I admit that I was afraid to give you the book. Aside from that…” Twilight glared at Vanish. “I never said it was not in stock. Spike said that, not me.”

Vanish’s eyes widened in fury. “B-But… You… ARGH!” He stomped his hoof in anger. She was right. She never actually lied to him, but rather, had been interrupted before she could say anything. Breathing in and out heavily, not wanting to allow fury to take control of him, he calmed himself down progressively. “… I-I suppose I have been hasty in my judgment… Please forgive me, I only have myself to blame for not making sure I got the answer directly from you.” He bowed down fully, lowering his body so his foreleg extended out, and his head pointed towards the floor, as of submissively bowing to royalty itself, which took Twilight and the other mares in the room by surprise as he continued speaking. “… Anything I say can only be categorized as an excuse. I must plead for your forgiveness, my dear.”

Twilight looked at her friends, who seemed equally confused by the stallion’s sudden change of disposition. He seemed to be taking his honest mistake in an extremely harsh and serious manner. “Look, it's… it’s fine! You’re forgiven, really! We’ve all been there, we’ve all made rash decisions, i-it’s really no big deal.” The pony looked up from the floor, still bowing. “But it is! Such careless mistakes can only lead to hurting others… and that’s why I’m here.”

Twilight had forgotten about Derpy until Vanish mentioned ‘hurting others’. Rarity spoke up. “If you know anything about what happened, you could tell the doctors; they could really use the information to help Derpy get her wings back.” Vanish stood up, scratching his underbelly nervously and averting his stare. “I'm afraid that the doctors are powerless to help her… not until I’ve done what I’ve been tasked with.” Fluttershy nervously approached the stallion. “U-Umm… D-Do you know… where her wings are?” Vanish looked to the floor and frowned as he spoke. “… As you know, one horn was given to me by my ‘client'. It is for this purpose, that I have been tasked with the obtainment of the Wings of the Pegasi, including yours, Fluttershy.”

Applejack was tired of the stream of dodgy responses that she and her friends were getting. “Show us the wings, Vanish: Now!” Vanish stared at Applejack, and stepped backwards to get some room from the other ponies. “… I suppose I need the practice.” With the second horn on his head glowing, a brief flash of light appeared from his back, and his coat turned from a dark, dark blue to the gray of Derpy's coat. “Derpy’s wings… are here!” Suddenly, the wings brandished from the stallion's back, fully extended, as if the dual-horned unicorn was preparing to take flight. If what the stallion said was to be taken at face value, these truly were Derpy’s wings that he had brandished in front of the mares.

Rainbow had seen enough. She dashed into the room and launched herself at the stallion. Vanish quickly closed the wings to order to prevent damaging them, before being tackled to the floor, hitting his head on something on his way down to the floor. Twilight shouted in surprise. “Rainbow! Stop!” The blue mare didn’t listen. “GIVE THOSE BACK! NOW! I MEAN IT, YOU CREEP!” Vanish wasn’t listening, as something else had caught his attention, despite having a Pegasus pony charge into him at full force and knock him on his back. When he fell, he hit a clipboard one of the doctors left, which catapulted a pencil through the air. He flipped Rainbow Dash around so he was on top of her, then pushed himself off of her, seemingly going after the pencil, much to everypony’s surprise.

Using the wings, he swatted the pencil out of the air before it could reach the door, quickly tumbling to the floor afterwards; clearly, he wasn’t used to the new wings he had ‘acquired’. Applejack spoke up. “What the hay was that all about!?” Vanish stood up, and appeared to be examining something: his hat, which sat on a stand by the doorway. The pencil was aimed for it, and he seemed dead set on making sure it wouldn’t reach it; it was apparent that the piece of apparel was something important to him. His look of worry quickly turned to anger, as he redirected his attention to the rainbow-maned Pegasus pony in the room, speaking in a low tone in order to not wake Derpy prematurely.

“… You… Do you have any idea how much ignorance you just displayed? Don’t you feel the least bit of remorse for your actions?” Rainbow felt surprised, but she didn’t back down. She wouldn’t stand aside as long as Vanish was flaunting Derpy’s wings on his body. “Listen, chump: I don’t care if you’re sorry. I don’t care if you’ve got some sort of goal. I especially don’t care about your dumb hat! Give those wings back, right now, or else you’re gonna have to deal with some real trouble: ME!” Rainbow was clearly about to strike again, but Twilight raised her hoof in front of her. “Rainbow, stop! You don’t understand!”

“No, Twilight, YOU’RE the one who doesn’t understand! He has Derpy’s wings! We can get them back right now if we…” She now saw what Twilight meant: ‘if they’ what? They had no idea how Vanish got the wings, just that he had acquired them with magic. The only pony who knew how to get the wings back was the same pony who Rainbow just verbally and physically assaulted, and was the same pony that was now looking at her like she was a wanted mare. He walked towards her, with a look in his eyes that caused her to retreat solely by reflex. She stepped back until she noticed her tail had been pinned against the wall behind her, and then looked ahead to see him standing slightly above her, eyes burning with fury.

“Here are some facts that even a rude, ignorant, worthless excuse of a mare such as yourself could comprehend, my dear: With these wings, I’ll be heading to Cloudsdale; the home of the Pegasi, you included. I’ll take the wings of all of the Pegasi there, as my client has requested. Once completed, I’ll be waiting for my client, because I was specifically told that I must do so. I was entrusted this task as well as one more. A promise to myself: to ensure that no Pegasus pony is hurt while I remove their wings with the magic bestowed upon me by my client.” Vanish turned his scowl into a sinister grin. “But my dear, I promise you… I’ll enjoy every moment, when the time comes for me to take your wings from you. Promise or not, I’ll make you suffer for the ignorance you displayed here, on this day… suffer greatly.”

Loyal to a Fault

Vanish turned his flank to the mares, using the second horn to cause the wings on his back to disappear, thereby reverting his coat to its original dark, dark blue color. He did this to taunt Rainbow Dash, who was stunned silent at what she had just heard. As she processed the words he spoke of, she was filled with a mix of emotions: from fear, to anxiety, to rage. Nopony would take her wings from her; she was the fastest flyer in Cloudsdale, and she was sure of it. But all the Pegasi living in Cloudsdale were in danger, so long as this menace was allowed to roam freely. She couldn’t let it happen. “I won’t let you hurt any more of my friends! We’re ending this, right now!” Vanish sighed at the foolish notion, but turned around to see Rainbow Dash pick up a scalpel horizontally with her mouth, and charge right towards him, determined to get the wings back regardless of whether or not he had them brandished.

“Are you insane!? You won’t solve anything if you-!” Vanish tried continuing his statement, but clearly Rainbow Dash had no intention of hearing him out. Turning his back to her quickly, he proceeded to buck-kick Rainbow Dash right in the chest, causing her to cough the scalpel out of her mouth harshly and double over in pain. Her friends gathered around her, as the scalpel whipped past Vanish’s head, embedding itself right into his hat, cutting a large gash into it before losing momentum and stopping, falling out from the newly created hole and landing on the hospital room floor. Vanish had turned around to kick Rainbow Dash, so he clearly saw every moment of the incision from entrance to exit, and the sight of it caused the stallion to gasp in disbelief.

It was a massive shock to his system: The cherished hat had been soiled in the past, but it had never been damaged, and especially not so severely. As the other ponies helped their friend catch her breath and get back up to her feet, Vanish gently used his mouth to grab the hat, and placed it delicately into the side of his saddlebag, where it now shared room with the ‘Modern Ponyville History’ book he had borrowed from Twilight. Applejack stepped forward. “Erm… look… Rainbow Dash tends to get a mite angry when her friends get threatened… t-there’s no need for fightin’, y’hear?... Umm… Hello?” Vanish seemed to simply ignore the voice of the pony speaking to him, as he gently folded the flap of his saddlebag over the bag itself, locking it with a latch.

“… I’ve changed my mind.” Vanish walked towards the door, turning around to the curious eyes of the six ponies in the room with him, but delivering the entirety of his focus to the one pony who was sleeping on the bed, yet speaking to the mare who attacked him. “Rainbow Dash, there are three reasons why I don’t try knocking your friends away and taking your wings, right now.” Rainbow looked at him with fear. She knew she had crossed a line, and what the stallion was saying right now could very well mean danger for all of her friends, so she made sure to listen.

“First of all, I’m not like you: I won’t pick a fight when someone who you claim to be your friend, is in pain on a bed right next to the pony you want to fight with; I don’t want to cause her any more pain than I already have, though I sincerely doubt you are capable of understanding such morals.” Vanish turned his attention to the mares that had gathered around Rainbow Dash. “Secondly, I do not wish to inadvertently harm your friends. I don’t know how they can defend you as they do, considering how dangerous you are, but their loyalty to you is, to me, questionable at best. Maybe with time, they will come to see you as the monster you truly are… or at least, as I see you.”

Vanish looked straight into the worried eyes of the rainbow-maned mare, and gave an angry, disappointed look. “… As for the third reason, you truly frighten me with your attitude. If I’m going to take your wings, I don’t want anypony around who might get hurt, regardless of whether you care for their safety or not.” Vanish closed his eyes and used the magic of his first horn to cloak himself, disappearing as fast as he had appeared, with only his voice as proof of his presence in front of the mares. “… Rainbow Dash, I swear you’ll pay for your transgressions, and for your ignorance towards those you claim to be your friends. Mark my words, Rainbow Dash: I’ll make you pay dearly!” With the last of his words coated in venomous disgust, the room fell into silence as the sounds of the hallway drowned out what appeared to be the faintly heard hoof steps of the furious stallion, cloaked in a veil of magic.

Rainbow Dash allowed her friends to run to the hallway, in the hopes that they could find a trace of where Vanish had run off to. As they left, Pinkie Pie noticed that Rainbow wasn’t following them. “Aren’t ‘ya comin’ with us, Da-…” Applejack nudged Pinkie Pie to get her attention. “C’mon, Pinkie… Rainbow’s got some thinkin’ t’do.” Pinkie followed the others, while Rainbow turned her attention to Derpy, who was still sleeping on the bed, no doubt due to medicine the doctors gave to keep her asleep so she wouldn’t feel the pain from her back.

Rainbow just stared at her unconscious friend, and a feeling of sickness slowly rose up in the pit of her stomach as she began contemplating the words that the stallion had spoken. “Am I really as dangerous as he said? Am I really a… a monster? I grabbed that knife, thinking only of cutting those wings off of him, but the wings were gone by then. I didn’t even consider the idea of somepony else in the room getting hurt due to what I did. Vanish didn’t even kick me away, into anypony. He seemed to want to simply stop me, to immobilize me. Was that because he wanted to protect himself? Or was it because he was trying to protect… the girls?”

As her mind raced, she began to develop a headache. She looked down at Derpy, who seemed to be shedding tears, despite sleeping. Small whimpers could be heard from the gray pony that was lying on the hospital bed, possibly the result of the medication wearing off, or perhaps she was having a nightmare. "Derpy... you were so close to getting hurt back when I charged into the room… Now that I think about it, until I ran in, Vanish was only focused on discussing things with the girls. He showed no ill will towards you at all... so why did you have to suffer? Why your wings!? Why not…”

“… -nbow Dash? Rainbow Daaash?” Rainbow Dash had spaced out, and didn’t even notice the doctor that came in. “Oh, um… H-Hi, Doc.” The doctor gave a sly grin at the slightly embarrassed Pegasus pony in front of him. “You can come back to see Derpy later today. Right now, we need to examine her in detail to see if we can figure out a remedy for her condition.” Rainbow was ready to object to the doctor’s demand, but saw her friends in the doorway, staring at her with concerned looks in their eyes.

She spoke softly. “… Alright, Doc, just take care of her, okay?” Rainbow looked back down at Derpy. “… She’s a good friend of mine.” The doctor smiled and nodded in response. “There’s no need to worry. If anything happens, we’ll do everything we can to help her.” Rainbow Dash gave an empty smile of reassurance as a show of respect to the doctor’s commitment, before walking out of the room. Looking back at Derpy once more, she turned to her friends in the hall. “Did you find Vanish?” Her friends shook their heads as she sighed expectantly. “I didn’t think so… he did turn invisible, after all.”

Twilight looked out the window at the end of the hall, searching for some sort of sign of Vanish. Fluttershy comforted her. “We’ll find him, don’t worry about it. He couldn’t have gotten far. It’s not like he can go back to Ponyville without somepony seeing… oh…” She started mumbling to herself, which Pinkie Pie took the time to interrupt. “It was so strange. He seemed so calm until that knife got stuck in his hat, you’d think that hat belonged to Applejack!” Those words caused Applejack to remove her own hat and look at it, as if the answer was inside it.

After a few seconds, a smile grew on Applejack's face. “C’mon, y’all, I think I know where our ‘friend’ ran off to.” Applejack placed her hat back on her head as she started running down the hall, which caused the others to follow in hot pursuit. Twilight was skeptical, and felt the need to question her friend’s idea. “Applejack, are you sure? He could’ve gone anywhere! Where do you think he headed off to in such a hurry?” Applejack and the others slowed to a trot as they approached the receptionists, so as not to upset the ponies in the lobby, before leaving the hospital and galloping off again, with Applejack smiling about her idea. “I ain’t positive, but if I were him, there’s only one place in Ponyville I’d want to go, given what happened back in Derpy’s room!”

Pride of a Unicorn

The girls didn’t have to go very far into Ponyville before coming across their destination, which a few of them clued in on as soon as they saw it. Applejack described her logic. “See, after Pinkie Pie said that comment about the hat that Vanish was sportin’, it made me think: If Rainbow Dash damaged my hat, what’d be the first thing I’d do?” Twilight didn’t understand the logic, since it seemed obvious what the answer would be. “But Applejack, Rainbow was with us, so he couldn’t hurt her, remember? Besides, even if he could, why would he run off in such a hurry?”

Applejack continued running, but turned around to face Twilight. “No, Twi. You got it all wrong! He didn’t run off because he was plannin’ an ambush or nothin’, it was because his hat got damaged! You've gotta think like a hat owner!” Applejack could tell that Twilight was having problems grasping her logic. She sighed and tried another approach. “If you got a book back, and it was damaged, what would be the first thing you’d do?” Twilight thought it over. “Well, I guess I’d try to fix it fir-…! Of course! Applejack, that’s brilliant! He wanted to fix his hat! And there’s only one place in Ponyville for tailoring and repairs!”

Carousel Boutique stood before them, but they didn’t see any sign of the dual-horned unicorn. The idea of them being mistaken slowly sank in for most of them, as Pinkie Pie stood in front of the store and looked inside through the window, cupping her hooves over her eyes to block out the sun above her. “Hmm… He’s not inside, neither is Rarity, for that matter.” Rarity gave a deadpan look towards her clueless friend from right behind her. “Pinkie… I’m right here, remember?” Fluttershy ducked down suddenly, causing the others to curiously turn in her direction. Twilight spoke up. “Fluttershy, what’s wrong?” Fluttershy whispered to her friends. “I-I hear it… I hear it, but I don’t see it… m-magic, Twilight… you’re not using yours, and neither is Rarity, s-so… AHH!”

Fluttershy jumped towards Twilight, taking shelter behind her friend as the others turned their attention to the suddenly materializing stallion, who had been staring through the window of the store, himself. Just as they thought, Vanish was using his magic to conceal himself, but accidentally touched Fluttershy’s hind leg while he was cloaked. Though now visible, he seemed to still be using his magic somehow, and the girls saw the method behind his actions fairly quickly: He was using magic to hide his second horn, so he wouldn’t stand out in public, thereby drawing the attention of other ponies nearby, not that Fluttershy hadn't almost done just that with her shriek of fear. The stallion's gaze hardly shifted from the store to the ponies that had chased him.

“How did you follow me!?” Vanish quickly changed the subject, clearly upset about something that was distracting him as he looked back into the store. “Forget I asked, that’s not important right now. Allow me this opportunity to substitute that question for this one: Why is there a tailoring store that is closed in the middle of the afternoon!? It’s way past the time for lunch, and I saw it open for business when I passed by on my way to Ponyville Hospital!” He didn’t seem to be talking to the girls, but rather to himself, as he mused over the reason. “The owner must be quite lax in their duties, either being very lazy, or very careless to close up shop so early in the day!”

Such words would not stand without comment from the ‘owner’ standing right next to the stallion. “Oh, “lazy and careless”, you say? Well, maybe that owner was busy with her friends, concerned for the safety of somepony who was recently admitted in the hospital! Did you ever think about that!?” Vanish turned his attention to the furious, purple-maned unicorn in front of him, to which he quickly saw the relation between the well-worded example and what had recently transpired.

Rarity continued her verbal assault. “And maybe that same lazy or careless owner, is actually a very busy, considerate, and graceful businessmare who had been out of her store until now, whereas she returns and has to deal with a customer who is proving to be a clear and prominent example of a ‘jerk’ in every sense of the word, through his ignorance and oblivious manner which he’s vividly displaying at this very moment!” Vanish fixed his stare to the ground beneath his feet, as he started looking at the bottom of his hooves. The rather surreal act knocked Rarity out of her enraged state, be it ever so briefly, as her friends looked on in fear and curiosity, as she spoke through her aggravated temper. “And just what are you doing, now!?”

Vanish closed his eyes and blushed in embarrassment. “Well, my dear, suppose that the pony who was formerly viewed as being a “lazy and careless owner” by a certain pony, who shall remain nameless out of fear of being scolded further… suppose that owner showed herself as being a very busy, considerate, and graceful businessmare who was, in fact, out of her store until recently, whereas she returned to her store, and was confronted and insulted by an ignorant, oblivious, clear-and-prominent jerk-of-a-customer; would it be logical for that customer to assume, upon realization and recognition of their previous display of ignorance, that they just stepped in a substance to be considered ‘most foul’, and would only consider it natural to be checking their hooves to see exactly what substance they had stepped in?”

The other mares snickered from behind Rarity, who kept an ice-cold look of dismay pointed towards the dark blue, red-faced pony in front of her, and an elegant, disappointed tone in her voice. “… I would say so, yes… and? What would be the result of that customer's examination of their hooves?” Vanish sighed deeply, speaking with a regretful tone. “The hooves look clean… but they feel absolutely filthy.” As the other mares struggled to stifle their laughter, Rarity continued to look down her nose at the embarassed, well-spoken stallion in front of her, until she walked by him and, turning her head to face in his direction and closing her eyes without a word, used her magic to unlock the store and went inside, closing and locking the door behind her.

The girls couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the scene they just witnessed, prompting curious looks from other ponies in the plaza. This caused Vanish to feel the need to return to his invisible state out of pure embarrassment and humility, but this only caused Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Twilight to laugh harder. Pinkie Pie had wandered off to tell some of her other friends nearby about the interaction that just transpired, as Fluttershy had begun to consider if Vanish had his feelings hurt from her friends’ laughter.

After catching their breath, and after Pinkie Pie returned from telling some random plaza-goers about the interaction (leaving most of them rolling on the ground in hysterics), Rarity went back up to the door, unlocking it and opening it slightly, feigning ignorance by making it appear as though she believed that nopony was around. “My, my. No customers? Maybe I should close up shop for the day. I’m feeling awfully lazy today…” As Rarity produced a false yawn, Vanish quickly reappeared, desperately hoping that Rarity was joking. “Please, wait! I-I request your knowledge of tailoring… in order to repair this fedora. M-May I be allowed to enter your establishment?” Rarity felt that she had her fun, and that Vanish had suffered enough for her enjoyment. She flipped the sign to ‘Open’, enabling access to her friends and customers alike.

Reparations

Entering Carousel Boutique for the first time, Vanish was temporarily distracted by the quality of the surroundings. He had been so focused on getting inside that he had not even begun to consider what it would be like, finally gaining access to Rarity’s store. However, as Rarity noticed his curiosity, she was still a storeowner, and had a job to do. “Now then, how can I help you? You mentioned a fedora that needed some work, yes?” Vanish turned his head in order to unlatch and flip open his saddlebag, reaching in to grab his hat just after opening it. “Yes. I need this repaired at once. Consider it a top priority, if you please.” Rarity didn’t like the tone he was taking with her, and he could see it, so he clarified himself. “… I can pay, if that’s what you are wondering.”

“The only thing I’m wondering,” Rainbow Dash walked up from behind her friends to the front of the group, staring right at Rarity while speaking, “is why you would even consider helping this guy, Rarity!” Rainbow turned around in front of Rarity, in order to stare angrily at Vanish. “You just told us that you were gonna attack Cloudsdale, and now you want us to fix your HAT!? Why should we do anything for you, anyway!?” Twilight was going to stop her friend, but she couldn’t argue with Rainbow Dash’s logic. Despite his nature, Vanish was far from a friend of theirs. If anything, he was a danger to the harmony of Ponyville and Cloudsdale. In fact, he was a threat to the very lives of the ponies in Equestria.

Vanish kept the hat in his saddlebag, knowing that he had a lot to answer for. “Perhaps you should calm down, my dear. Too much pent up anger isn’t healthy, you know.” Rainbow was infuriated at the stallion's demeanor. "First he seems desperate to fix some dumb hat, now he's mocking me!? I'll pulverize this guy!" Applejack got between Rainbow Dash and Vanish, giving the latter a glance in order to place blame on the current state of rage that had engulfed her friend. “Y’can’t just waltz in here an’ expect us to help you. Not after what you did to Derpy, and what you said you’re gonna do. If you want our help, yer gonna have t’earn it.”

Vanish gave an innocent smile, clearly masking his intentions. “… I believe you asked a few questions, is that correct Miss Dash?” Rainbow glared at him, trying to jump over Applejack to reach him as he stepped closer to her. “Firstly, I was asking your friend for their help; I didn’t ask for your help at all. Giving you responsibilities and expecting you to commit to them? What a farce. Erm…” Vanish gently tapped Applejack’s flank with his hoof. “Let go of her, please.” Applejack was surprised at the request, but felt her friend stopping her attempt at attacking Vanish, so she let her go. “In my line of work, it’s quite important for those of my profession to obtain as much information about others as we can, before we commit to our given tasks, and I’ve been informed that you are a rather… unreliable source of labor. Incidentally, you're a rather unreliable source of help as well, considering how you allowed Miss Derpy Hooves to lose her wings.”

Rainbow lunged at Vanish, who used his magic to cloak himself before jumping out of the way, causing Rainbow to tumble into a curtain used by Rarity to showcase new attire, ripping it from the rungs that held it above her. Vanish uncloaked himself, continuing to taunt the entangled mare. “Secondly, I believe your friends have a better grasp of understanding ‘opportunity’ than you do.” Rainbow struggled for a bit, before finding a hole from the curtain to stick her head out of and see Vanish, who had grabbed his hat from the saddlebag, as she saw him toss it to the desk that stood near Rarity. “I’m not giving you a ‘hat’, I’m giving you a ‘chance’. Consider taking it before I change my mind.”

Rainbow was about to get up, but her legs got caught in the curtain, and Vanish stepped on the curtain to make sure Rainbow was stuck laying in front of him. “As for you, my dear… calm down.” Vanish used his hoof to shuffle the curtain that Rainbow Dash had caught herself in, freeing her in the process. “… If you’re so careless, you’ll only end up hurting yourself, and others.” Rainbow was about to stand, but Vanish slammed his hoof on the floor in front of her, getting her attention. “Stop allowing your anger to control your actions, Rainbow Dash!” He looked down his nose at her, with a slick grin on his face. “Why can’t you act like you did when you found Derpy? You were calm then, right?”

Rainbow rose up cautiously. “How did you know about that?” Vanish reached into his saddlebag and grabbed a book. Rainbow was startled by what it was, given how she'd totally forgotten about it: ‘Daring-Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone’ was in this stallion’s possession. She had left it on the road, back when she had picked Derpy up and took off to find Twilight Sparkle. The Pegasus pony pointed her hoof shakily. “Y-You… where did you…” Vanish didn’t leave her in suspense. “I was the one who placed the book there. Derpy mentioned your fondness for it, so I figured it would make at least 'decent' bait in order for me to get your attention.”

Rainbow was speechless. "This guy had thought that far ahead?" A familiar voice rose up from the Boutique. “What did you want her attention for?” Twilight spoke up in place of her friend, but Vanish remained staring into Rainbow’s cerise eyes with his own brown eyes. “I needed to make sure Derpy got help, and that she got help quickly. She told me that Rainbow Dash was set to do some weather jobs, so I left her on the path between Cloudsdale and Ponyville, and after taking her wings and knocking her out, I took the book and placed it on the path so that her friend would see it, her ‘friend’ being Rainbow Dash; she’s the fastest in Cloudsdale, and she represents the Element of Loyalty.”

Rainbow had sat down, focused fully on what Vanish was saying. “... As I said before, I don’t trust you with labor. However, I trust you with knowing what to do if your friend is in danger, or hurt.” Vanish turned away from her and looked at Twilight Sparkle as he resumed speaking. “… I concealed myself with magic after placing the book, and once the bait was taken, I followed Rainbow Dash to the library. I even saw the book, 'The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide’, on the shelf, despite feigning ignorance.” Twilight gasped softly; she heard it before, but still couldn't believe that Vanish knew that the book was on the shelf before he asked about it. “I wanted to see if you were a trustworthy unicorn. Regrettably, I came to my conclusion before it could be verified.”

Vanish stared at his hat, which laid on the desk where it was tossed upon earlier. “… Derpy being hospitalized was not something that I was hoping would happen, but I had accepted it as a very likely scenario. This second horn is not my own, but that of my client, and I am not used to utilizing their unicorn magic with efficiency.” Vanish walked towards his hat. “If I knew about how to use it, there wouldn’t be any pain or marks left. I was shown how this magic could be used, personally, when my client took my horn as a demonstration of its power.” Vanish glared at Twilight again, angrily. “My dear, having your magic taken from you… well, it is not an experience I’d wish to share… I was given a generous offer, as well as a request by my client.”

“… Listen, Vanish. I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I can’t understand something: How did you know so much about us?” Rarity spoke up from behind the desk. “You knew our elements, you knew where we were going to be, you even knew about Derpy’s connection to Rainbow Dash; how much do you really know?” Rarity put on her glasses, used for examining fine fabrics, before repeating the question she wanted to have answered. “How do you know so much?”

Vanish sighed in relief at the simplicity of the question. “I read.” The other ponies just gave a blank, disbelieving stare at him, as if they believed the truth couldn’t possibly be summarized with such ease. “This book here: ‘Modern Ponyville History’. I was told to get it as a source of reliable information, by my client. Sure enough, he was right.” Vanish took the book out of his saddlebag with his mouth, placing it on the floor and physically opening it with his dark-blue horn, to a desired page. “As you can see, anyone could learn about the Elements of Harmony from this.” Twilight lifted the book with her magic. Sure enough, it described their battle with Discord, even showing the glass pane that Princess Celestia put in her castle, in recognition of their efforts against the fiendish Draconequus. Below it, clearly written, were the names of each of the ponies responsible for sealing Discord into his stone statue state.

“B-But… This only talks about our Elements and who we are. What about knowing Rainbow Dash as the fastest flyer in Cloudsdale?” Vanish motioned for Twilight to lower the book with his hoof, which she did with hesitance. He turned the pages back with his horn again, this time to the coverage of the ‘Best Young Flyer Competition’, which not only described Rainbow Dash, but also described, in accurate detail, Rarity’s place in the competition, and how events transpired. Twilight remembered this in particular, for she had been the one who wrote down the formula used to allow her friends to walk on the clouds with the Pegasi, as well as the formula for Rarity’s wings. Something didn’t seem right about this information being so readily available, but Vanish’s hoof landing on the pages of the book interrupted her train of thought.

“As you can see, there’s plenty in this book. It covers most, if not all events that transpired in Ponyville, and those that occured with its inhabitants. I’ve been taking the time to closely pay attention to the pages I was requested to read, by my client…” Vanish reached into his saddlebag, pulling out a piece of paper. “… using this as a reference, for knowing which chapters to read.” Twilight used her magic to bring the paper closer. Sure enough, everything was written there, in brief notes: ‘Elements of Harmony and Nightmare Moon’, ‘The Grand Galloping Gala’, even the use of Tornado power by the Pegasi from Cloudsdale and Ponyville to funnel water into Cloudsdale. “I don’t believe it. Everything is in this book, for anypony to see… but most ponies of Ponyville know all about it, so the only ones who’d use it would be…”

Vanish interrupted her. “… Somepony like me, who would have no idea about the events that transpire in Ponyville and the surrounding area, nor of the ponies in those respective areas.” Vanish grabbed the paper with his mouth, and placed it back in his saddlebag as Twilight spoke, stunned. “I don’t believe it. All this time you were just casually getting information from a book… one of my books!” Twilight was dumbstruck at the simplicity of Vanish’s movements through Ponyville, staring at the floor in disbelief as he corrected her. “… Not everything.” Twilight looked up at Vanish, surprised to hear him talk, as he clarified his statement. “I was only told about two 'local ponies’ by my client: Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy, though there is one more that my client mentioned, which I will find elsewhere: One I absolutely need to obtain the wings of at any cost, for only then can my contract be considered as ‘fulfilled’.”

Vanish glared at Twilight, raising his hoof to meet her terrified stare, while beaming his own angry gaze down upon her. “Your ruler! Princess Celestia!”

The Gift of Ignorance

Twilight couldn’t believe what she had just heard: Princess Celestia was a target that Vanish was told about. “B-But… Why Princess Celestia!? She’s not a Pegasus pony!” Twilight was trying to desperately form an excuse to keep her mentor safe. “S-She’s not even in Ponyville! She’s not even from Cloudsdale! What reason could you-?” Fluttershy softly placed a hoof on Twilight’s back, hoping to get her attention. This stopped Twilight for long enough that Vanish walked over to her. “I do not argue with my orders, for I am simply a pony of business. This is not my first job, and it won’t be my last. My client asked me to acquire the wings of the princess… at the end.”

Those last words lingered in the air like a bad odor, slowly seeping into the ears of the other ponies in the room. Pinkie Pie spoke up before the others. “Hold on a second! I thought you said you would end things at Cloudsdale! Are you saying the princess is coming to Cloudsdale or something? That doesn’t make any sense!” Vanish raised his hoof to stop Pinkie Pie before she came to any further conclusions. “I said no such thing, my dear. I said that I was going to take the wings of those residing in Cloudsdale, but that is not where my plans end, or at least, not as long as my client wishes it to be so.”

One mare shouted angrily. “Alright, I've heard enough!” Rainbow Dash was tired of hearing about Vanish's plans. “You keep talking about your client. ‘Client’ this, ‘Client’ that! This pony is clearly bad news, so why don't you just not do what they say!?” Vanish smiled at Rainbow Dash, but it was different than he had done in the past; it was a sad smile, almost seeming to wish such an option existed. “I’m not just ‘some pony’, Miss Dash. I have an obligation to fulfill. This is not a 'hobby', it is a job. I do what is asked of me, and I get paid. Those are the brass facts.” Rainbow was not content with that. “But these are lives at stake! If you take the wings of Cloudsdale’s Pegasi away, well... H-How can they monitor and adjust the weather in Ponyville?”

Rainbow Dash had a point, but Vanish had an answer for her question. “Before I take a request, I ask all sorts of questions to ensure that no innocent ponies get hurt. You saw my concern for Derpy; I was careless, and as a result, I only have myself to blame for her suffering.” The dual-horned unicorn fixed his gaze on Rainbow Dash. “My dear, this is precisely why I require your wings: To allow myself to quickly obtain the wings of the other Pegasi, in a swift and progressively painless manner.”

“What about the fact that the Pegasi are in the clouds!? They’ll fall right through if they become Earth ponies! Do you have any idea how many could get hurt, or worse?” Rainbow Dash clearly didn’t want any harm to come to her friends, nor to any single Pegasus pony in Cloudsdale. “… Rainbow Dash, listen to me. Even with her wings gone, Derpy is still a Pegasus pony. The clouds know this.” “You’re wrong! You’re just making things up, now!” The enraged mare was ready to charge at the menacing stallion, but saw that he was standing near her friends, causing her to stand down, settling with a glare of seething hatred.

"… At least you are taking the time needed to consider your actions. You understand the risks, and I’m the same way.” Vanish used the magic of his second horn to produce Derpy’s wings once more, changing his coat from dark, dark blue to gray in the process, as the wings appeared on his body. “After placing the book, I did not simply wait for you. While you were taking the time to get to where Derpy was, I used her wings to grab a cloud from the sky above me, proving I could move clouds myself, despite not being a real Pegasus pony. Without this power, I could not do so. I placed it on the ground, and carefully rolled her onto the cloud. It cradled her gently, proving my hypothesis that she was still a Pegasus pony, at which point, I pushed the cloud behind the boulder and rolled her off of it, hiding her from sight of other ponies until she woke up.”

Vanish brandished the wings, but did not flap them, noticing that Rarity had started working on his hat, and did not wish to disturb her. “Let me tell you something. Despite me having these wings, they are not ‘mine’; they are still hers, and are therefore ‘connected’ to her.” He closed the wings, and reverted to his normal state and color. “I understand how this magic works, at least for the most part, and I understand the risks of using it. This is why I tentatively request your voluntary ‘assistance’.” The stallion bowed in front of Rainbow, catching her by surprise with the sudden lowering of his guard.

Rainbow didn’t know whether to offer her hoof in acceptance, or to use her hoof to smash the stallion’s head into the floor of Carousel Boutique. “W-What do you mean, ‘assistance’?” Vanish looked up at Rainbow Dash, but remained bowing. “I have been given until tonight to ‘secure’ Cloudsdale, as my client ordered. Should things go as planned, I will be granted the opportunity to discuss my payment.” “PAYMENT!? This is all about MONEY to you!?” Rainbow slammed Vanish’s head into the floor with her hoof, causing him to grunt in pain. The other ponies, aside from Rarity, pulled her off of him, allowing him to try regaining his balance, before he fell onto some fabric that was piled off to the side of the store.

“Ugh… Nngh… I hope… you are satisfied… heh heh… given how I did a similar thing… to Derpy, to knock her out, this feels… the pain… feels suitable.” Vanish struggled to stand up again. The horn of a unicorn was a sensitive spot, and taking a hoof at full force to the forehead, so close to the two horns on his head, was knocking Vanish for a loop as he continued. “Listen… Rainbow… don’t judge me yet… n-not until you’ve seen everything… please… if at the end of this, you still want your ‘revenge’… then I won’t stop you.” Rainbow stopped struggling against her friends as Twilight stopped to contemplate how the stallion was acting. “Vanish has no intention of putting up a fight. Actually, he's been telling us all of his plans since we entered the boutique… and even before that, when we were at the hospital… it’s almost as if…!”

Twilight scowled as she voiced her thoughts. “You’ve been intending on using us from the start, haven’t you?” Twilight was right, and she knew it. Vanish stood up, regaining his balance before allowing himself to collapse on the floor of the store yet again, still speaking in near-mumbles, but trying to communicate legibly, anyways. “… Rainbow Dash… take this time… do exactly as I say, understand?” Rainbow Dash knew that Vanish was using her, but didn’t question the reason behind his clearly obvious manner of doing so. She didn’t care, because she held no desire to help him. “Why should I!?”

Vanish closed his eyes and pointed to his saddlebag, trying to focus solely on his words. “In my saddlebag, there’s a paper... among an assortment of other things, detailing the orders from my client, with regards to what I am supposed to do when in Cloudsdale… It details specific orders, such as removing the wings of the Pegasi, and my rendezvous point with my client… what it doesn’t explain, is what the Pegasi in Cloudsdale will face, upon me doing so… They may lose much more than their wings, Rainbow Dash, so tell me: How do you… get around Cloudsdale?”

“You can’t do that! If they lose their wings, they might as well be stranded where you leave them!” Vanish laid on his side, clearly suffering from the blow that Rainbow Dash had inflicted upon him. “You can’t stop the inevitable, Rainbow Dash… But I’m giving you a chance to prolong it; to prepare for the storm that will be brought to Cloudsdale… do you understand, my dear? I’m only… looking out for the best interests of my client… as well as yours, assuming you are who you claim to be.”

Vanish chuckled, as Twilight motioned for Pinkie Pie and Applejack to pick the stallion back up until they knew that he was finished speaking. “Regarding my client, I can tell from my discussion with them… they could not care less if those who lose their wings by the use of my magic are safe, hurt, or worse. You… have very little time left, Miss Dash… use it wisely.” Vanish shrugged his Earth pony-crutches away, falling onto his side in the process and causing one of his saddlebags to open, spilling out numerous contents as a result: Papers, books, even pictures of various ponies from around the area, had all littered the boutique floor from the bag he was carrying.

“I want to make sure… you are truly as loyal… as your friends believe.” With that, Vanish laid motionless, aside from breathing, his eyes closed as if to signify his last statement was his ‘final statement’. With her teeth gritted, Rainbow Dash turned around and made a beeline for the door, which Twilight noticed immediately. “Rainbow! Where are you going!? Can’t you see he’s just using you!?” The light blue mare swung the door open, almost knocking down the bell hanging over it. “I don’t care about that. If he’s lying, he’ll pay, but right now, I have to make sure Cloudsdale is ready to weather any storm, no matter how bad!” With that, Rainbow Dash jetted off in the direction of Cloudsdale as quickly as she could.

Questioning the Policy of Truth

Applejack used her hoof to nudge Vanish, who didn’t respond with anything other than exhalation, as he lay atop a curtain that had previously covered Rainbow Dash. “I don’t get it, y'all. Why would this guy say those things to get Rainbow Dash all riled up like that?” Rarity spoke from behind her desk, nearly finished the hat she was given to work on. “If you ask me, it doesn’t seem like Vanish wants anything to DO with this ‘client’… Why would anypony do work, even if they got paid, for something they didn’t like doing?” Twilight thought it over. "Clearly Vanish didn’t tell us everything. Hmm... Maybe we can take this time to learn some things by ourselves."

Fluttershy went up to Vanish to make sure he was alright, but stopped when she caught a glimpse of a pony in one of the pictures. “T-T-Twilight! Look here! Isn’t this a picture of your brother and his wife?” Twilight rushed past Pinkie Pie, causing the pink mare to spin around uncontrollably by the sheer force of the unicorn moving past her. “Fluttershy, you’re right! This is Cadance and Shining Armor! But why would he have a picture of them?” She noticed another picture, which she lifted with her magic to get a closer look. “What’s this? It looks like… a treehouse?”

Applejack ran over and looked at the picture. “Why, that’s the clubhouse Apple Bloom n’ her friends always use! But that’s nowhere near Cloudsdale, that’s Sweet Apple Acre territory! Why would he have this, n' how'd he get it?” Applejack shook her head, trying to make sense of it all. “I got a bad feelin’ about this, y’all… What else fell outta that bag?” Pinkie Pie started rummaging through the pictures curiously, speaking about each one as she saw them. “Here’s one of the Royal Wedding Hall… Here’s one of the Wonderbolts… And look! There’s even a picture of Princess Luna! Does Vanish work as a photographer as a side job?” Twilight started feeling sick. “I don’t know about you girls, but I don’t think we should tell Rainbow Dash about these… let me see that paper, Pinkie.”

Twilight motioned to a list that fell out of Vanish’s saddlebag. It seemed to be a list of objectives he had been given by someone. “I think I have an idea. What if we changed the orders he was given? It seems he needs this to keep track of what he needs to do, or at least that's what it looks like. Rarity, grab me a quill, please?” Rarity was putting the finishing touches on the hat, while the others grabbed the photos and put them on the desk where Twilight had brought the list. “Just a minute, darling. Aaaaand… Done! Perfect. Alright, let me see…" The fashionista started making her way up the stairwell of her store as she continued speaking. "I think I have some quills upstairs. Girls, would you mind helping me find a quill? It’s a bit of a mess up here.” Applejack and Pinkie Pie left Twilight and Fluttershy downstairs with the unconscious stallion, as they followed the graceful mare up the boutique stairs.

Fluttershy kept watching Vanish. He seemed to be upset, though asleep, almost appearing as if he was having a nightmare, though Fluttershy was heavily worried. “T-Twilight, are you sure it’s okay to do this? Wouldn’t this be betraying his trust? Y-You know what he’d do to us if we did that, d-don’t you?” Twilight wasn’t listening to the concerns of her friend: "Let's see... gotta think of some alternate objectives that sound similar to these ones, but can't be too different. It's a pretty safe bet that he has read this before, so even if he's relying on it now, he might recognize obvious changes... Hmm..."

As Twilight planned to herself silently, Fluttershy stepped closer to her and muttered her concern timidly. “W-What if he… c-comes after us? W…W-What if he comes after p-ponies we care about, like Cadance?” The mention of Cadance’s name shocked Twilight out of her thought process. “I-I’m sorry, what was that, Fluttershy?” Fluttershy turned to Twilight and continued attempting to express her fears as the lavender mare gave the yellow Pegasus pony her full attention. “W-Well, u-um… if we do this, and he figures it out… w-what if he swears revenge on us, like he did with Rainbow? S-She just cut his hat, but what if we outright betray his trust!?”

Despite the substantial degree of fear in her voice, Fluttershy had a point; the girls had an idea about how Vanish’s mind worked, but one thing was clear from his words at the hospital: He did not tolerate liars. If they feigned ignorance about this, and then it somehow got revealed that they were the ones responsible for it, they could put others in danger. Applejack already saw the picture of her sister's clubhouse, so even if she didn't represent the Spirit of the Element of Honesty, the notion that Vanish might attack her sister to get answers was reason enough to stop the plan.

Twilight bowed her head as she lowered the list. “F-Fluttershy, I…” Just then, the door gave a jingle, turning the ponies’ attention to the small unicorn who walked in. “Siiiiis! I’m back from schooool! Oh! Fluttershy! Twilight! What are you doing here? And where’s my sister?” Sweetie Belle joyfully trotted forward, eyes shining with cheerful bliss, now paying attention to Twilight and Fluttershy in the hopes that they knew where her sister was, apparently ignorant of the pony lying prone on the curtain off to the side. Fluttershy spoke up with reluctance. “O-Oh! Hi, Sweetie Belle! Rarity is just upstairs, looking for something for us.” Fluttershy ran ahead of Sweetie Belle, showing her to the stairs before she noticed anything, while Twilight covered up the papers and pictures they had gathered by the desk, giving a sweet and innocent smile in Sweetie Belle’s direction. Both ponies focused completely on Sweetie Belle, making sure she didn’t look at the unconscious unicorn on the curtain.

“Oh! Thanks, Fluttershy! You two seem strange. I mean, you tore down one of Rarity’s curtains! What if there was somepony else in here? They’d think this place was a mess! Raaaarityyyy! I’m coming upstaaaairs!” Sweetie Belle cheerfully bounced up the stairs with her backpack, at which point Fluttershy and Twilight both ran to the area Vanish had been laying upon. Sure enough, he wasn’t there anymore. Fluttershy shakily raised her hoof, and tentatively lowered it in the middle of the curtain, thinking Vanish would be there, somehow cloaked in his sleep. Much to her horror, he wasn’t there at all. The two mares gasped at the realization of the stallion having gone missing, before running upstairs to check on their friends, and saw Sweetie Belle talking with Rarity, before promptly excusing herself, gleefully going up to Rarity’s bedroom in order to put her backpack away.

Rarity noticed her friends curiously standing in the doorway, and called out to them. “Twilight, why are you here? Did you find a quill downstairs?” Pinkie Pie jumped up from behind some boxes, her body draped in a sheet of fine fabric and sporting a bucket on her head. “We’re having a search party for quills! Isn’t it great?” Applejack sighed at Pinkie Pie’s antics, but turned her attention to the worried looks of her friends. “Why’d y’leave Vanish downstairs by himself?” Twilight stepped back to look down the stairwell. “Vanish isn’t there, he just disappeared! We took our eyes off him for a second, and he must have cloaked when we were looking over that paper he had! If it wasn’t for Sweetie Belle opening the door, we never would’ve even noticed… w-wait...”

Twilight had suddenly been struck by the realization of her own words. “Wait, that door has a bell. If it opens, it jingles in response. If Vanish left, we would have heard it, but if that was the case, then Vanish has to be…” “… Girls, I think Vanish is still here... so then… Quick! Everypony back downstairs!” Twilight and her friends ran as fast as they could back down the stairs, but Rarity paused to go see Sweetie Belle. “Sweetie Belle, I want you to go get your friends and come back as soon as you can. I have some… umm… Ideas! F-For… getting your Cutie Marks! Now hurry and go bring your friends back here, hmm?” Sweetie Belle jumped for joy back down the stairs, hugging her sister before continuing her joyful bouncing. “Thanks, sis! That’s great news! I’ll go get Apple Bloom and Scootaloo right away! I can’t wait to hear your ideas for getting our Cutie Marks!”

Rarity didn’t want Sweetie Belle around as long as Vanish was still in her boutique, so she breathed a sigh of relief when she went back downstairs and saw Sweetie Belle open the door, bell jingling as Pinkie Pie held it open for her, closing it soon after. If her sister came back, Rarity could speak to her and her friends outside to keep them out of the boutique and away from Vanish. After breathing a sigh of relief, Twilight walked around the area and closed her eyes to focus on hearing the sound of magic being used. Seconds later, Applejack noticed that the hat on the desk was still there. “Look, y’all, he left his hat! He couldn’t have gone far!”

“… Hmph.” The hat suddenly vanished right off of the desk without movement, causing Applejack to back up in surprise. Vanish ceased usage of his magic, with angry brown eyes directed towards Twilight Sparkle, as he used his second horn to brandish Derpy’s wings once more. “I truly don’t know what’s worse, my dear: Lying or betrayal. I’ve been nothing but cooperative with you mares, and what do I get in return? You go through my personal possessions, you try making sure I don’t move from where I laid upon as opposed to helping me, and you even consider tricking me… No, I cannot forgive such thoughts, even if nothing became of them. If you have even an ounce of integrity within you, you will bring me the list that you took from me. I took back everything that is mine, photographs included, but I feel the need to give you a chance; to see for myself if you are even remotely honest, my dear.”

Twilight was on the defensive, with her back to the paper, as Vanish raised his eyebrow curiously, slowly growing a smirk on his face. “Hmm, now doesn’t this seem similar to what happened at the library? Ah, yes… maybe I should ask if the paper is even ‘in stock’. Ah ha ha…” Twilight growled in anger at the idea of giving this pony his list of objectives again, but she had no other choice. “Before I do, just answer one thing… please?” Vanish clearly seemed irritated, but raised his hoof as if he was accepting an imaginary offering. “Give me your question, I’ll choose whether or not to answer it.”

Twilight grabbed the paper from behind her by using her magic, floating it just above her horn as she asked her question. “Why do you have those pictures? They’re of ponies we know, ponies we care for… why do you have those?” Vanish chuckled, flapping his wings to hover in the air. “Would you believe I have a side job as a photographer?" His wry chuckle and arrogance only motivated the mares to stand between him and the door. The stallion wasn’t pleased with the other ponies' attempts at stifling his means of escape. “I’m here to follow the orders of my client, and should I come into contact with anything that might hinder my progress, I have been instructed to do what I must in order to get around such obstacles… HAH!” Vanish dashed forward, grabbing the paper and launching himself over Twilight.

“My dear, it’s nothing personal, as is always the case, but now it’s time for me to continue my work, and I only have a few hours left until I am to meet my client… want my advice?” Vanish cloaked himself so that Twilight couldn’t use her magic to immobilize him. "You’ll want to camp out, tonight… to see your ‘Best Young Flyer’.” The others heard a fast dash through the air, and saw the door burst off its frame from an unseen impact, throwing glass and debris all over the boutique, as well as outside that which was once its ‘entrance’. Twilight ran straight outside, followed closely by her friends as they made their way to Cloudsdale, except for one pony.

Rarity was stunned at what she saw, stammering at the sight of her precious boutique ravaged in such a way, that she simply stumbled over her own words, then over her hooves, before falling on her chin. “… No, don’t help me…” She uttered sarcastically, looking at the backsides of her friends as they ran for Cloudsdale. “… I’ll clean this up in no time… No time at all.” With that, she planted her face on the floor in disbelief and frustration. “This is going to take a while...”

Pawns

Twilight Sparkle didn’t have much time left. Since Vanish had burst through Rarity’s store, and Twilight and her friends had proceeded to make a quick dash for Cloudsdale, evening had come and the sun was setting. They knew they couldn’t keep up with the artificial Alicorn by running, but they had to make sure that Rainbow Dash knew of the danger she was in. Meanwhile, back at Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash had tried telling the other Pegasi about Vanish, but they thought the idea was ridiculous. Nopony had actually seen or heard about Derpy lately, so they thought she was just back in Ponyville.

Rainbow decided that convincing the Pegasi would be too time-consuming, so she decided on pushing clouds around to make bridges to the important areas of Cloudsdale, such as the residential cloud homes of most Pegasi, or the weather control center, much to the confusion of the other Pegasus ponies in the area. She tried asking for their help, and while some decided to take her seriously, most simply went about their daily lives. In the end, only a few actually chose to help her with the building of cloud paths. By the time Twilight and her friends reached Cloudsdale, they still hadn’t seen any sign of Vanish, but they noticed a strange set of clouds falling from Cloudsdale. Upon their approach, the realization sunk in that the clouds were set in place as though they were leading up to Cloudsdale, like a spiral staircase without bars or walls.

“That looks really cool, do you think Rainbow made that?” Pinkie Pie was excited at the sight of the ‘cloud stairwell’, since it looked more like a decoration than proper use of clouds, though Applejack didn’t like the look of the structure that spiraled up to Cloudsdale, voicing her opinion openly. “I don’t think so, Rainbow wouldn’t just go off n’ start makin’ structures without a reason, n’ if she wants Cloudsdale to be safe, I don't see how this would do it.” Suddenly, a familiar voice caught the attention of the mares. “Hey, guys! Aren’t you supposed to be looking after Vanish?” Rainbow Dash saw her friends and decided to fly over to see why they came all the way from Carousel Boutique.

Twilight motioned for Rainbow to come down slightly, raising her voice to speak to her as she motioned for her flying friend to come closer. “Rainbow, Vanish used Derpy’s wings and his invisibility to break Carousel Boutique’s door open by force, and escape. We ran over to see if he came here. Have you been in Cloudsdale this whole time?” Rainbow scratched her head in response to Twilight’s question. “Yeah, no one’s showed up as long as I’ve been in Cloudsda-… What’s that sound?” Rainbow had heard two sounds, both distinct: A strange buzz coming from behind her friends, in the distance, and panic being stirred up from Cloudsdale. “Girls, I need to get back to Cloudsdale; I think I hear screaming. Go see what that buzz is. It's coming from over there.”

After pointing behind her friends, Rainbow turned and flew back up to Cloudsdale. Upon reaching it, she saw many Pegasi who hadn’t helped her, having now lost their precious wings. “Vanish WAS here; he just waited 'til I left!” As she searched around for the Pegasi who were stranded on stray clouds, de-winged and isolated, the other mares turned to see Scootaloo fluttering her wings rigorously while riding on her prized scooter, coming towards them with a look of determination in her eyes. She skidded to a stop, just short of crashing into Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, before taking off her helmet.

“Where’s Rainbow Dash? Rarity told me and the others that she was in trouble, so I sped straight over here to help!” Twilight appreciated the gesture, but felt that Scootaloo would be in trouble, should Vanish find her. “Scootaloo, get away from here! There’s a Pegasus pony… unicorn… a-alicorn…?" She realized that describing the stallion would be pointless. "Look, there's a pony in Cloudsdale who’s taking the wings of other Pegasi! If he gets yours, he-…” Rainbow Dash could be heard struggling, despite Cloudsdale being a fair distance above the ponies on the ground. Scootaloo didn’t listen to Twilight Sparkle’s warning. “No! Rainbow's in trouble! We’ve gotta go help her!” The filly tried speeding off, but Twilight used her magic to cause her scooter to hover, immobilizing it.

“Put me DOWN! I’ve gotta go to help Rainbow! She could be in trouble!” Scootaloo tossed her helmet onto Twilight’s horn, stunning her just long enough for Scootaloo to get some distance between herself and the girls, before she used her wings to start jumping on top of the cloud staircase, one cloud at a time. Twilight tossed the helmet to Pinkie Pie, and used her magic to grab Scootaloo’s tail, removing her from the clouds and bringing her back to the ponies on the ground as the lavender unicorn intercepted the orange filly's inevitable complaint, with her own words. “If Rainbow knew you’d get hurt trying to help her, she’d never forgive you, or herself! The best thing for you to do, is to go get Rarity and bring her here!”

Just then, they heard the sound of galloping coming up from behind them. Apple Bloom, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle were running as fast as they could to reach the mares. Twilight dropped Scootaloo upon seeing Rarity, who was exhausted, yet seemed to be smirking as she caught her breath. “Sorry, girls. I tried getting here as fast as I could, but I told Scootaloo to run ahead and stop you. Listen, there’s something about Vanish I didn’t mention earlier: While we were at the boutique, I...” Just then, a scream was heard from nearby. Turning around, they saw that Scootaloo had gone missing. The girls thought they heard a muffled voice, but Apple Bloom confirmed their fears. “Scootaloo! Where’d y’go!? She just… vanished outta thin air!”

Rainbow Dash went back to the edge of Cloudsdale to reach the girls again. “Lots of the Pegasi up here have had their wings taken! Twilight! Get a letter to the princess, asking for the Wonderbolts to come here as soon as they can!” Twilight shook her head. “There’s no time! Scootaloo was just here, now she’s gone! Apple Bloom said she just vanished!” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what she heard, but was even more startled by Pinkie Pie’s sudden scream, focused above and in front of the light blue Pegasus pony. Rainbow lifted her head and saw that Vanish had materialized. He was still using Derpy’s wings, and he no longer had his hat or saddlebag, but was holding Scootaloo up by her forelegs, with her back to him; it looked like he was about to take her wings, and given how she was being handled, it would only be a matter of the stallion leaning his head forward.

“Drop her, right now! It's me you want, right? C’mon! Let’s go! You and me! We’ll settle this right now, if that’s what you want!” Vanish glared angrily at Rainbow Dash in response, clearly struggling to hold Scootaloo up with Derpy’s somewhat unfamiliar wingpower alone. “If you desire her release, then prove your loyalty! Come and get her!” Vanish flew over Rainbow Dash, and above the large cloud platform she was standing on. Rainbow tried to dash after him, but Vanish simply turned himself and Scootaloo invisible again, causing the mare to stop and look around in confusion and slowly-increasing frustration, knowing she might crash into the two, injuring the filly if she couldn't see either one.

Rainbow shouted. “Come on! Show yourself, you coward!” Vanish appeared in front of her, as both of them hovered high above the ground, and even the surrounding clouds while the gray-maned stallion addressed the furious Pegasus pony. “I told you I’d make you suffer, and now I have my chance!” Vanish’s second horn glowed as he lifted Scootaloo up to it, causing a burning sound to be heard just behind the orange filly’s back. Rainbow Dash gasped in terror. "No! I'm almost out of time!" Scootaloo tried looking at the source of pain emanating from the base of her wings, hearing Vanish chuckling to himself in the process. "What's he doing? I-Is this…"

“No! Stop!!!” Rainbow tried going for Vanish, but his sudden glare as he lifted his head from Scootaloo’s back, as well as his sick grin, caused her to hover back in fear. Scootaloo heard the sound of the alicorn’s magic stopping, as the filly became confused in the process. "W-Was that it? A small burn?" She couldn’t see her wings as long as the stallion was blocking her view of them with his hooves. She didn’t know if they were still there, but didn’t have time to look, as Vanish shouted at Rainbow Dash. “It’s all over! Now SUFFER!!!”

Vanish dropped Scootaloo from high above the clouds and ground, where it would clearly be dangerous for any non-flying pony to be dropped from. Rainbow saw Scootaloo fall and went straight after her, averting her eyes from the stallion. She managed to get under the filly with relative ease as she matched her speed to catch her, using her wings in an attempt to hover from their position approximately seventy feet above the clouds, to clouds that had been freshly ‘bridged’ for Pegasi without wings to use. However, it was at this time that she noticed something about just what Vanish had accomplished. "W-Wait, huh? There's burns, but why's Scootaloo still got her wings? Wait...!" Just as she looked up, Vanish had pounced on top of her, sending the orange Pegasus filly airborne and pinning the light blue mare below him as they plummeted to the clouds.

Twilight could see them fall, and had an idea where they landed, but they were out of range of her magic. Even Applejack’s lasso couldn’t hope to reach them. Twilight thought she could do something, but they were obscured by a large cloud platform, and she couldn’t see exactly where they had landed. Scootaloo had been launched away from them, but due to quick thinking as well as some fancy hovering with her wings, landed on a cloud that was about thirty feet away from Rainbow Dash and the merciless stallion that was now pinning down all four of her legs with his own hooves, leaving her wings fluttering helplessly.

“My dear, I swore that I would make you suffer…” Vanish spoke with a tone of menacing hatred as Rainbow Dash struggled to break free of his stance on her. Her wings were brandished, and she tried to move her head to see the stallion, but she could feel the cloud beneath her, and hear the magic of his horn being activated just behind her. Rainbow was at his mercy, and he had none to give to her. “Now… FACE MY WRATH, YOU IGNORANT MARE!”

Vanish pushed his horn into her back, feeling like he was trying to pierce straight through her and into the cloud with his second unicorn’s horn, as they remained perilously close to the edge of the soft cloud they had landed on. The burning pain in her back was inexplicable, as Rainbow tried to struggle in every direction in her attempt to break out of his stance, to no avail, letting out a soul-shattering scream of terror and anguish: “YYYYEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!”

Twilight and her friends heard the scream pierce the late evening winds, as they were directly below where the two flyers had landed, being a mere sixty feet below the clouds and stuck on the ground. Fluttershy couldn’t take hearing the pain her friend was going through, and tried rushing to help her by flying straight up, aiming for the location of the scream. However, she stopped when she saw that Scootaloo was staring in horror, fixing her gaze towards the edge of the cloud, where Rainbow was now being held up by two hooves on her neck, without her wings to help her.

Vanish had stolen her wings, and chose not to be hesitant in his usage of them. His coat had changed to the same color as Rainbow Dash’s as he hovered in the air, a hoof above the clouds, with surprising balance considering how he had only just acquired the wings of the fastest flyer in Cloudsdale. “You… You couldn’t even protect yourself, much less your friends! You’ve proven to be utterly unreliable as an ‘Element of Loyalty’. So allow me the honor…” Vanish raised her up. “… of ending your suffering!!!”

Vanish threw Rainbow straight down off the cloud, as she plummeted to the ground below with incredible velocity. Scootaloo couldn’t believe what she witnessed, and let out a terrified scream as she saw her helpless idol fall from Cloudsdale. “RAAAINBOOOW!!!” Twilight saw the horrifying sight take place, but wouldn’t be able to use her magic at such distant range, nor could she focus given how her mind was racing upon seeing her friend falling in peril. “FLUTTERSHY! FORGET VANISH! SAVE RAINBOW DASH!”

Fluttershy saw the terrifying event unfold, and despite Rainbow being a good ten feet below Fluttershy and accelerating quickly, Fluttershy simply reacted on instinct. Despite being a weak flyer under normal circumstances, she went into a divebomb for her fallen friend, who seemed to still be suffering; her face belaying a great deal of pain. Fluttershy caught up to Rainbow, but saw that they were falling much too fast to simply grab her and hover safely to the ground. In a last ditch effort, she grabbed Rainbow Dash and tried flapping her wings several times, bracing herself by lowering her head as they both tumbled onto the ground with great force, Fluttershy risking life and limb to ensure the safety of her friend.

Vanish looked down from his perch above them and laughed maniacally. “You truly are no different than she is! AH HA Ha ha ha ha ha!” Vanish used his horn to conceal himself, allowing his laughter to linger in the wind as the ponies on the ground were helpless to do anything other than rush to the aid of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo watched in fear, but appeared to be relieved that the one whom she devoted her life to living like, had begun to be moving slightly. However, this relief quickly dissipated as Vanish uncloaked himself right in front of her; she thought she was safe, but she was wrong.

But Scootaloo suddenly began to feel uneasy, as Vanish simply stared at her with a distant, unreadable expression in his eyes. “As for you… my precious filly…” He seemed to grab the cloud as if he intended to launch himself at Scootaloo. The filly had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide, but much to her shock, the stallion gave a look of sorrow with soft, sad eyes, seemingly filled with regret. “… You have suffered far too much, my dear.” Vanish delicately carried the cloud that she was on, hovering it over to the area where Rainbow Dash had just been thrown from.

Scootaloo was stunned at the change in demeanor that the dual-horned Alicorn had suddenly begun displaying. She could hear the panicked voices of ponies below her as they shouted in fear that their friends might not respond. Just as she noticed them, Vanish flew into the air and hovered above the large cloud platform, before diving at incredible speed right through the center of it, punching a hole through the cloud, right to the ‘cloud-formed spiral staircase’ that Scootaloo tried climbing earlier.

Vanish looped around and back through the hole he just made, stopping to hover in front of Scootaloo. “Your friends could use some reassurance… Go to them.” Vanish concealed himself behind a stray cloud, using his magic to camouflage himself before completely vanishing from the sight of Scootaloo. She didn’t say anything; she was much too worried about the state of the others to attempt to converse with this stallion. She jumped down one cloud at a time, and as she neared the bottom, she jumped off a few feet away from the clouds that had been placed closest to the ground, tripping and landing on her chin once she reached the ground, grunting from the impact.

Sweetie Belle heard the sound Scootaloo had made upon reaching the ground, and turned around, squeakily shouting her friend's name with significant relief in her voice. “Scootaloo! You’re okay! Did that pony do anything to you while you wer-…” Scootaloo ignored her friend and ran over to check on Rainbow Dash, prompting Rarity and Applejack to stand in front of her, shielding her from the sight of her intended target of examination.

Scootaloo was determined to get her way. “M-Move it! I want to see! Is she okay? LET ME GO!” Suddenly, a voice came from behind Rarity and Applejack. “L… Let me see her.” Rainbow Dash was pained, but not unconscious. She had a massive burn wound on her back, but wanted to make sure Scootaloo was okay despite her own pain and position. Applejack moved over as Scootaloo raced past Rarity and ran up to the burned, light blue mare. “Rainbow! I’m here, what is it?”

Rainbow Dash simply smiled a weak, frail smile, upon seeing that Scootaloo was okay. “… Heh… y-you’re a tough one… pipsqueak…” Rainbow passed out from the pain, as Fluttershy, using Twilight and Pinkie Pie as her crutches for balance, hobbled over to the rest of her friends with a look of curious concern in her eyes. “I-Is she… alright?” Twilight motioned for Rarity to come help Fluttershy. Upon Rarity replacing her fellow unicorn as a crutch, Twilight walked over to Rainbow Dash, placing her head on her fallen friend’s cheek. “She sounds like she’s just sleeping… we can’t do anything if we stay here, and I don’t want to risk Scootaloo or Fluttershy being attacked. Come on. We’ll head back to my place.”

Author's Note

I would have made this chapter into two parts, but I felt it would break the flow if this chapter, which all occurs in the same place without any decent part to truly cut it off at, was separated into another part. Regardless, as one of my biggest chapters so far, I hope all of you who view it, enjoy all the content within.

A Filly-Shaped Powder Keg

Night had fallen upon Ponyville’s citizens, and Rainbow Dash was brought to Twilight Sparkle’s library. Her friends carried the unconscious pony up the stairs to Twilight’s bedroom area, so that she could be placed in Twilight’s bed comfortably. Applejack and Pinkie Pie stayed with the Cutie Mark Crusaders as Fluttershy followed Twilight upstairs to be treated for her injuries, though Rarity had told her friends that she was going to stay below Cloudsdale for a moment, and that they should go on ahead without her. Scootaloo was visibly upset, as was everypony; none of them felt like they had the power to truly do anything when Vanish had challenged Rainbow Dash, and now she was wingless and unconscious, with a massive mark on her back and the areas where her wings used to be, barren and charred.

Apple Bloom paced around in frustration as the tension in the air slowly began to build. “It’s not fair! How could Rainbow Dash had done anythin' against that guy!? He just used Scootaloo to distract her n’ din’t even care for her safety! That lousy no-good…” Applejack stomped in anger. “Apple Bloom! Watch what y’say, you weren’t raised t’talk like that!” Applejack composed herself. “We’re all steamin’ mad ‘bout what happened, but now ain’t the time to dwell on it. That won’t solve nothin’ fer nopony.”

“Applejack’s right.” Twilight returned to the library lobby from the upper floor, with Fluttershy having bandages wrapped around her wings, torso, legs, and her head. She smiled sincerely, but Pinkie Pie felt insulted, scoffing at the sight. “All that time, you were just playing dress-up!? Well sheesh, Twilight, why not put some makeup on her, too!?” Pinkie was not feeling ‘pinkie keen’ right now, as Fluttershy clearly saw. “It’s okay, Pinkie. I’ll be fine. Twilight just took a look at my injuries and bandaged me up. It’s just a few bumps and bruises, nothing a little rest won’t fix.” As she said that, Angel, her pet bunny rabbit, hopped over to offer a flower for his injured owner. Fluttershy giggled softly and sweetly at the sentiment. “Thanks, Angel-bunny.”

Twilight heard some of her friends begin to argue again, but chose to cut them off after noticing something. “Everyone calm down.” Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom snorted with a sound of displeased anger, but noticed that Twilight was pointing at somepony who clearly needed a friend to talk to: Scootaloo. Fluttershy went up to her and Sweetie Belle, the latter of which shrugged in surrender at the situation. Sweetie Belle had been trying to talk to her friend ever since Cloudsdale, but Scootaloo seemed to have a dark cloud hanging over her that didn't look like it was going to clear up. Fluttershy placed her hoof on the young filly’s head, getting her attention mildly. “Are you okay, dear? We’ve been worried about you for a while now, and you don’t seem to want to talk to anyone. Is there anything we can get you?”

Scootaloo turned her head back around, seemingly rejecting Fluttershy’s offer, until she finally spoke. “… Get that guy who took Rainbow’s wings.” She seemed angry, but tears could be seen falling down from her eyes and down her cheeks. “Oh, sweetie…” Fluttershy motioned for a tissue box, which Twilight offered, as the yellow Pegasus pony held a tissue in front of Scootaloo, which the filly took notice of. However, she ran straight past it and right at Twilight, letting her tears get trapped into Twilight’s short fur coat on her chest. Twilight was surprised that Scootaloo ran to her, but she sat down and awkwardly used her front-left hoof to stroke Scootaloo’s mane in an attempt to comfort her.

As Scootaloo let her emotions out, she tried speaking through her tears. “Wh-Why couldn’t h-he take my wings i-instead!? Why did h-he take R-Rainbow Daaaash!?” She was struggling to find the words through her tears, but didn’t care about how she sounded, and even less about how her words came out. The others understood this, but one unicorn feigned ignorance regardless as she approached the others, having just made her way into the library.

“My dear, Rainbow Dash wasn’t taken, just her wings; wings that were taken to the Cloudosseum.” Rarity had walked in, balancing Scootaloo’s discarded scooter on her back. Scootaloo turned around and began to shout at the unicorn, clearly using Rarity as a target for her anger. “Why didn’t you help!? Where have you been!? You probably went to go see that creep instead of helping us get Rainbow some help, isn’t that right? Well? Isn’t it!?”

Rarity walked up to the orange filly, sitting down in front of the young filly so that the scooter slid gently off her back. Then Rarity looked into Scootaloo's eyes and used her front-right hoof to bring the filly into an embrace, so that she could cry on her. Scootaloo didn’t resist; she was clearly overcome with emotion. Rarity patted the sorrow-ridden pony's head with her hoof, talking gently to the young filly. “There, there…” Twilight felt as sorry for Scootaloo as everypony else had felt for her, but realized that Rarity probably knew something. “Rarity, you said that Vanish is at the Cloudosseum? How do you know that?”

Rarity looked up, but stayed comforting Scootaloo as she spoke to Twilight. “While I was fixing the hat that Vanish gave me earlier to repair, I noticed it was cut twice: Once on the hat itself, as well as some damage to an inner 'fabric' inside the hat. It seems that hat was made of two materials: a hard outer ‘shell’ and a soft inner lining. When I saw that, I placed some small jewels inside while he was talking with Rainbow Dash, before fixing the tear in it.”

Rarity nudged Scootaloo in the direction of Applejack and Apple Bloom, who Scootaloo walked over to, clearly tired from the day’s events as well as from her session of crying, before Rarity continued speaking. “I walked under Cloudsdale in the hopes that I might see something. My horn picked up the presence of gems in the clouds, and that’s when I noticed that somepony seemed to be moving clouds around.” Rarity picked up the scooter with her hind leg, leaning it against a bookcase before turning her attention back to Twilight. “If I had to guess, I’d say that it's likely he's getting ready to meet his client.”

Twilight frowned at the knowledge that Vanish had accomplished his goals, but shuddered at the notion that he was preparing for the next phase. What worried her even more, were the pictures from his saddlebag that the mares saw earlier. She pondered several questions regarding them that didn’t seem to have visible answers: “Why did he have those pictures? Were those targets to take the wings from? If so, then why did Vanish have a picture of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ Clubhouse, yet he chose not to attack Scootaloo when he had her trapped above the clouds, neither before nor after dealing with Rainbow?”

Twilight felt like Scootaloo knew something, but needed to talk to her alone. “I’ll go check on Spike. Scootaloo, could you come with me?” Fluttershy knew that Spike was upstairs with Rainbow Dash, and was worried about how Scootaloo might react upon seeing her; she was clearly not in any shape to see the Rainbow in her current state. “Umm, e-excuse me, Twilight? Are you sure I can’t be of help instead of Scootaloo? I-I don’t mind, really!” Twilight nodded her head in acknowledgement of the offer. “I appreciate the offer Fluttershy, but right now, I need Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo was clearly tired, too tired to even turn down Twilight’s request. Moving past the other ponies in the room, she walked towards Twilight with her head held low as the two of them began to make their way upstairs, leaving the other ponies and fillies in the library lobby, staring at each other with uncertainty and worry reflected in their eyes.

Facts and Friends Laid Bare

Spike was writing to Princess Celestia at the time, when he heard the the clopping of hooves coming from the stairwell, as he raised his voice to ask a question, under the assumption of knowing who would be coming up. “Twilight, is there anything I should point out about when Vanish attacked Rainbo-…!” He paused upon turning around to see not only Twilight coming up the stairs, but Scootaloo as well. He put the quill down and quickly walked over, stopping Scootaloo from going any further. “You shouldn’t be up here, Scootaloo. Go back downstairs and wait in the lobby with the others.” He turned to Twilight, whispering to her with urgency. “Twilight, what are you thinking!? Why did you bring her up here?”

Twilight pushed Spike aside with her hoof, and continued walking forward with Scootaloo as the mare explained her reasoning. “If we’re going to do anything about Vanish, we’ll need all the information we can get, and Scootaloo was alone with Vanish. I have a feeling that she knows something that could help us.” Twilight looked at the sad filly, who kept her head and stare aimed at the floor. “And right now, we don’t have much else to go on.”

Twilight guided Scootaloo up the flight of stairs leading to her bed, making sure that the young filly cleared the steps without tripping, before reaching the highest ‘floor’ of the library. Normally Twilight slept here, as well as Spike, but despite having a second bed that she once allowed Rarity and Applejack to use during a sleepover, she didn’t set it up before they brought Rainbow Dash in, so she tossed the blanket off as they placed the unconscious pony on her bed, before she asked Spike to apply bandages where he could. Spike watched from the bottom of the steps, holding his breath in anticipation of the worst of reactions, to that which anypony about to see somepony they care about in a terribly wounded state, would produce.

Twilight explained the situation to the young filly. “She’s sleeping right now. Spike and I did the best we could, to wrap her body up and…” Twilight noticed that Scootaloo seemed to be staring at Rainbow Dash, without any visible expression on her face, no longer showing signs of fatigue. “… Please take them off.” The unicorn paused for a moment, before nodding her head and pulling back the covers, after which she decided on confirming what had been requested of her. “Are you sure?” Scootaloo looked into the purple mare's eyes, tears reflected in her own eyes yet again, but still no discernible expression. “Twilight, please take them off… I want to see it.”

Twilight obliged by the request that Scootaloo had made, using her magic to gently lift Rainbow’s body as she unclipped the safety pin and slowly removed the bandages that she and Spike had wrapped around her friend. As Rainbow’s back became slowly exposed, sounds of pained, muffled grunts could be heard escaping the blue mare’s mouth, until finally, the last of the bandages had been removed, revealing a mark that smelled almost as bad as it looked. Burnt and cold from the time since the struggle, her back was heavily charred between her wings. Vanish had sought to make her suffer, and clearly accomplished this task, if the wound was indicative of the pain. If this was what it was like for Derpy, given how she was hospitalized, Twilight feared that the former Pegasus pony might never recover, seeing as how her back was far worse than that of the blonde Pegasus pony that was sleeping in Ponyville Hospital.

“Derpy…” Twilight wondered how her condition was. “Has Derpy improved at all? Is this the way things are going to be for the Pegasi? Are they fated to just lose their wings and consciousness? I wonder… Maybe the princess can come up with an idea!” Twilight left Scootaloo with Rainbow Dash, turning her attention back to her assistant. “Spike, have you heard from Princess Celestia since yesterday?” The purple, baby dragon’s sudden display of shock and embarrassment told Twilight everything before he could utter a word. “Oh, right! I’m sorry, Twilight, the princess sent a response while you were out. I just forgot to tell you, after I saw Rainbow and all…”

Twilight turned around, seeing Scootaloo nuzzling Rainbow Dash’s mane, appearing to speak softly to the sleeping mare, after which the filly moved around the bed to the blue pony's muzzle. Twilight turned back to Spike. “… And? Does she have any idea about what to do?” Spike walked to the desk he had been at before, grabbing a scroll with the princess’s seal on it, broken from a recent reading. “Well the first letter just said to “keep her informed”, but…” Spike continued, hesitantly. “… w-well, after you came back with Rainbow and put her in your bed, I sent another message to the princess, detailing that Rainbow had gotten severely hurt. I just got sent this scroll in return, right after you went back downstairs with Fluttershy.”

Twilight’s eyes shimmered with hope. “And? What does it say?” Spike unfurled the scroll, skimming through it before relaying its contents to the hopeful mare. “Well, aside from wanting more details, which is what I was writing to her about before you came up, she says that she was going to send some Pegasi from Canterlot to help, but…” Twilight didn’t like the sound of the pause, as Spike continued. “… she had sent them earlier after my first message, to attend to an errand in Ponyville before meeting us.” Twilight thought it over, but needed more information. “Did she say who she was sending?” Spike read the message to himself again. “It doesn’t say, but I’d guess that she would probably send some members of the Royal Guard.”

Twilight was stunned at the reply. “That’s not good enough! We need help NOW! Rainbow might not even make it another ni-!” Twilight felt a small hoof poke her hind leg. She turned around to see Scootaloo looking up at her curiously, but with a look of determination as well. Now was hardly the time to speak ill of the pained, given Scootaloo’s presence. The young filly began to speak, much to the purple pony's surprise. “Umm… Twilight? If it’s alright with you, I’d like to ask you something.” Twilight turned her full attention to Scootaloo, showing that she was listening, but Scootaloo seemed to be struggling to piece together the words she wanted to say, taking several pauses in the process. “… Is… this guy…” Twilight elaborated for the filly. “Vanish.” Scootaloo nodded her head. “R-Right, Vanish. Is he doing this for himself, or for something else?”

Twilight was surprised by the nature of the question. “Why do you ask, sweetie?” Scootaloo sat down and looked at her own wings. “Well, here's the thing… when Vanish approached me, he told me something: Right after throwing Rainbow Dash off, he went up to me and said that I had “suffered far too much”, before moving the cloud for me.” Scootaloo stared down at her hooves, rubbing one of her forelegs with the other hoof. “It was like he felt sorry for me; sorry that I saw it, and sorry for what he put me through. I don’t get it. Even after attacking Rainbow Dash, he seemed so… sad, like he didn’t want to do it, or at least he didn’t want me to see it.”

Twilight stared at Scootaloo for a moment, taking her words into consideration before pointing her back down the stairs, as if requesting her to follow. Scootaloo nodded as Twilight began speaking to her, the two of them heading back down to the lobby. “The truth is, he seems to be doing this for somepony else, but we really don’t know anything about the pony he’s doing this fo-!” While coming back down the stairwell, Twilight could faintly hear a knock at the door. “Oh! I-I’m coming down, I’ll get it!” Twilight ran down the stairs, not noticing that she had left Scootaloo in the stairwell, where the filly turned back around to go back upstairs.

Twilight made a beeline for the door, fully aware that this late at night, anypony visiting Ponyville Library must either enjoy reading as much as she does, or they’re here for the ponies residing inside the library. Twilight opened the door slowly, hoping to see whoever their mysterious visitor was, before they got a good look at the ponies inside. However, the light coming from the inside of the library seemed to reflect off the eyes of the pony at the door, blinding the purple mare as a result. “AAH!” Twilight covered her eyes with her hoof and sat down as her friends came over to the door, out of fear that their visitor had hurt their friend in some way.

Twilight took a moment to regain her sight and balance, and looked back up from the ground she had lowered herself to as she heard her friends collectively gasp in surprise. She saw a pony with a rather regal look to them, in terms of how they were standing, but as her vision came back slowly, she herself gasped at the sight of who it was. Wearing her signature flight suit and goggles, her orange mane looked great once the light had reached it.

Of all ponies to visit the library at this hour, it was Spitfire: The Captain of The Wonderbolts.

Seeking to Obtain

Twilight was happy to let Spitfire into her library, considering how much she knew about her. Truth be told, The Wonderbolts performed plenty of times for the ponies of Canterlot, both for charity and for social gatherings. They even performed at the Grand Galloping Gala annually. However, Twilight didn’t have much interest in them until she met Rainbow Dash. Rainbow idolized the Wonderbolts: When she wasn’t napping, performing her duties for weather control around Ponyville, showing off, or reading, she was often trying to learn as much as possible about them. She admired what they did and how they did it: Daredevil flyers who performed in sequence, for admiration of massive crowds of ponies.

Twilight could understand Rainbow’s fascination with them: Despite being laid back, Rainbow had always been an attention seeker and a show-off for as long as they were friends, and probably well before then. Rainbow had wanted to be a member of the Wonderbolts for a long time, but never really had a chance to truly make an impact on them, or so the blue mare had come to believe. Spitfire turned her head to her left side, calling out to someone in the darkness. “Soarin’, if you need help, I’ll come over there an-” “No way, Spitfire, I’ve got this!”

Twilight Sparkle reacted to the unfamiliar voice by leaning her head outside the entrance to the library, and noticed two other ponies walking on the dirt path through Ponyville, towards her home. From what she gathered, one was Soarin’. His goggles were reflecting the light of the moon, but they were on his head, not over his eyes, and she couldn’t see more than a vague silhouette. The second pony was still highly shrouded in the dark of the night, but Twilight had a feeling that the second pony wasn’t a member of the Wonderbolts.

“I’m sorry about this. I could have just flown straight here, but I didn’t want to leave Soarin’ to walk the whole way here, having to carry her back to the library by himself; he’s not the best at directions.” The Pegasus pony in the dark was walking faster now. “Hey, I heard that, Spitfire! I’m walking as fast as I can! You just wanted to make an introduction like you always do!” The unknown pony seemed to be relying on Soarin’ to help carry them to the library. Twilight Sparkle squinted her eyes in the hopes of seeing the unknown pony. “Could it be… IT IS!!!”

Twilight shouted the name of the third pony, as the other ponies rushed to the doorway as soon as they heard their friend shout her name, which came instinctively upon seeing the light from the library shine upon the pony, as did their own shouts follow in its wake: “DERPY!!!” Much to the surprise of everypony in the library, Derpy Hooves was being escorted by Soarin’ to the library, with bandages around her torso and head, as Twilight considered the sight before her. “Did they walk the entire way from the hospital, to here?” Spitfire felt the need to ask a favor. “Listen, we appreciate the attention, but would you mind helping us get her inside? All things considered, it’s not safe out here for Pegasi, if I’ve been told the right message by the princess.” The other ponies took Derpy off Soarin’s hooves, allowing him to walk around a bit and stretch his back, free of the burden. The ponies all crowded into the lobby, including Soarin’ and Spitfire; they weren’t formally invited, but they knew that they were allowed in.

Twilight knew that Rainbow Dash would never forgive her for turning down a friend in need, let alone members of the greatest aerial daredevil team in Equestria. Having cleared a spot off to the side, Twilight used her magic to bring a spare bed from the storage room, while her friends held Derpy up. They placed her on it, taking into account the bandages that the doctors had placed, but to Twilight, something didn’t seem right; something was inconsistent with what the doctors had told them previously, but she couldn't figure out exact what felt unusual about Derpy's appearance.

Twilight spoke, knowing Derpy just hadn’t been given a chance to talk yet, but that she was still capable of it (more or less, given how she was now on a comfortable bed, and almost seemed to be falling asleep). “Derpy, what happened? Why aren’t you in the hospital!?” The gray mare sat up, opening her eyes and smiling weakly as she glanced at the bandages the doctors had placed on her torso, and feeling the ones on her head as she asked her own question in response: “Is Rainbow Dash okay?”

Twilight was shocked that the former Pegasus pony would ask about such a thing. “Derpy, you just got out of the hospital! Why would you ask about Rainbow Dash so soon?” Contrary to what ponies thought of her, Derpy wasn’t dumb. She could tell that the purple unicorn was dodging the question, but answered anyway. “I had a bad dream.” She closed her eyes as she recalled it. “There was nothing in it, just a sound.” Twilight paid full attention to what Derpy was saying. “I heard Rainbow Dash; she screamed in fear or pain or… something. It woke me up.”

The other ponies who had been in the lobby, save for Spitfire, Soarin', and the fillies, glanced nervously at one another as Derpy continued. “I wanted to make sure Rainbow Dash was okay. The doctors told me to watch out for my head, and allowed The Wonderbolts to walk me here.” Twilight heard that statement, and pinpointed the inconsistency. “Wait, Derpy, why your head? Wasn’t it your wings and back that got hurt?” Derpy gave a sweet smile. “Yeah, but the doctors said that I was knocked unconscious after taking a ‘hard blow to the back of the head’, as well as to my forehead, but I still don’t know why he did that…” Twilight was about to ask about what Derpy had meant by that last statement, but saw Derpy attempting to glare at her; not an easy feat, nor very intimidating given her ‘natural state’. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?”

Twilight didn’t want to say anything, but then Spitfire chimed in. “Actually, me and Soarin’ came to see Rainbow Dash, too. Given how she helped us, we felt it’s about time to see what she can do as we try to take back Cloudsdale. So, where is she?” Soarin’ cut in. “Also, do you have any snacks?” Spitfire nudged him, with a stern glare in her eyes, which Soarin’ responded to objectively. “Hey, YOU didn’t have to carry her from Ponyville Hospital to here!” Pinkie Pie trotted up to the hungry stallion. “Me n’ Applejack will take you to Sugarcube Corner in a little while; we’ll bake you some delicious apple pie for your hard work!” His mouth watered at the promise of the delicious-sounding dessert, nodding his head and focusing his attention on Spitfire again, who rolled her eyes in disbelief at how easy it was to win her friend’s attention and loyalty.

Twilight lowered her head in dismay as she began explaining the situation. “Erm… The thing about Rainbow Dash, is… umm…” A filly’s voice chirped up from the stairs. “Twilight, I think Rainbow needs a softer pillo-! Oh! When did you get here?” Twilight had forgotten about Scootaloo, but the filly had been with Rainbow Dash the whole time. Scootaloo seemed like her old, tough self, but the telltale signs of fallen tears on the coat under her eyes showed that she was still in an emotionally delicate state. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran up to her as she began taking a role as a ‘leader’ of sorts. “C’mon, Crusaders! Let’s let Twilight and the others help Rainbow Dash. Maybe we can reshelf some books.” They ran into the side room to the Library, but Scootaloo gave a very expressive look to Twilight. ‘Please help Rainbow.’

Twilight lowered her head in regret before turning in the direction of the visitors. “Why are you two here? Princess Celestia never said anything about getting a visit from THE Wonderbolts, or at least…” Spitfire interrupted her. “The other members of the Wonderbolts are getting some rest. As for me and Soarin’, we were asked to go check on Derpy by the order of Princess Celestia, and we were hoping to recruit Rainbow Dash, if possible. According to the princess, there was ‘A problem threatening the Pegasi of Ponyville and Cloudsdale’, but she didn’t mention anything else.” Twilight was surprised her mentor could be so vague to the ones she was sending on a mission, but when the first message was sent, Spike only mentioned Derpy and the ‘mysterious stallion’, because that was all he knew about at the time when he sent the first message. “Besides, we took naps in the afternoon and evening, so we felt restless anyways.”

“Napping idols?” Twilight giggled to herself, considering how Rainbow Dash was normally very lax in her official duties, until she had to get serious. Vanish had been both right and wrong in that regard; it’s true that, when it came to labor, Rainbow Dash was far from an ideal pony to go to when it was tedious, but she always did her best when it came down to helping to her friends. That’s what made her loyalty truly shine. She put her friends above herself at all times, and right now these ‘friends’ of hers needed to see what happened; they deserved to know the truth. Maybe then, a plan could be formed.

“Come with me, everypony. Pinkie, Applejack, help Derpy up the stairs; she should see this, too.” Spitfire was a bit confused about why they were being directed up the library stairwell, but saw that Twilight was looking directly at her, so she paid attention. “Rainbow Dash… is in a bad state. Please follow me.” Spitfire and Soarin’ looked at each other with concern, before following the purple-maned unicorn up the stairs, with Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Derpy, and Fluttershy following close behind them.

None of them noticed how, just at the door, a single hoof stuck into the Ponyville Library doorway to prevent the door from closing, as an unexpected guest with a book in tow, having seen the ponies ascend the stairwell, slid the book next to the door just inside the library, before going about their own business, with a low-toned chuckle.

The Actions of Friends

Twilight Sparkle ran up the stairs ahead of the other ponies, knowing that Spike would probably need to be told about the upcoming arrivals that were making their way to the second floor of the library. Soon after he was informed, Spitfire, Soarin’, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Derpy, and Fluttershy, all arrived upstairs. It seemed crowded, given how there were normally only two individuals up here at any point in time, but right now, everypony needed to be informed about Rainbow Dash’s condition. Twilight motioned for Pinkie Pie to stay with Spike on the lower section of the floor, as well as for Fluttershy to relax, focusing on recovering rather than standing up or climbing stairs.

Rarity and Applejack helped to lead Derpy Hooves up the steps to the bed where Rainbow Dash was, followed closely by the two members of the Wonderbolts, as well as Twilight in tow, who took the opportunity to speak over the silence and at least make an attempt to explain things before they all got a good look at Rainbow's back. “I’m sorry this happened. We tried everything we could to help her, but we just don’t know what to do.” Derpy was struck in awe at what she was looking at. Her eyes might have been pointing in different directions, but her focus was clearly on her good friend, who had been severely injured. Visibly, it was far worse of an injury to her back than the blonde-maned, gray-coated mare had sustained.

Soarin’ no longer felt hungry, and Spitfire gasped in shock as Twilight used her magic to flip her prone friend over, and allow Rainbow Dash to have a change of sleeping position; it couldn’t be good for her to be stuck in one position, unable to flip over given how badly burnt her back was, though this only caused Spitfire to stammer.. “I… I-I can’t…” She was at a loss for words, which was uncommon for her, and Soarin' was no different. “… W-What kind of…” He couldn’t piece together what he was witnessing, as his mouth remained slightly open at the sight that lay on the bed before him. Twilight could only begin to understand their reactions. "Shoudn't they have seen this? Wait… Derpy had bandages on, so as two Pegasi, they must be feeling sick at the sight of seeing a fellow Pegusus pony without their wings, and only a blackened area where they once were; they never saw that on Derpy, like we did."

“…C-Can I… have a glass of water, please?” Twilight heard Derpy speak with awkward pauses, and ran down the stairs hastefully, before returning with a glass of water for the bandaged pony. Upon taking the glass between her hooves, Applejack and Rarity stopped holding her up while she kept an eye on her friend’s face, sitting down slowly to take a drink from the glass. However, when she sat down, she lost her balance by sitting on an open safety pin that Twilight had neglected to pick up, when she had removed the bandages for Scootaloo to see Rainbow Dash’s wound earlier.

Derpy Hooves jumped in the air with a yelp, accidentally tossing the glass of water in the air. Twilight became concerned for her once she heard the rather piercing shriek, as was everyone else. They failed to notice the trajectory of the glass, as they heard a splash, immediately followed by coughing. “W-What the hay are you doing, Derpy!? Can’t you see I…!” Rainbow Dash was dazed, but still reacted by reflex at being angry for the antics Derpy had caused. It took only a moment for her to realize where she was, and more importantly, who was there, prompting a gasp in response. Her surprise at the presence of The Wonderbolts paled in comparison to the overflowing joy she felt as she saw her previously hospitalized friend acting like her old self.

“DERPY! YOU’RE OKAY!” Rainbow launched herself at her bandaged friend, knocking both of them off the elevated area they were on, before Rarity and Twilight used their magic to stop them from falling onto the stairs below. Twilight flipped Rainbow Dash over, still using her magic to cause the rainbow-maned pony to levitate, before helping her to land on her hooves, which Rarity also did with Derpy.

Twilight glared at Rainbow, who couldn’t help but blush in embarrassment at the act of relief she had just displayed not only in front of her friends, but also in front of The Wonderbolts, as she paused several times to consider what to say as she was speaking. “Eh heh heh… Umm, sorry? Erm… Hi, guys! How long was I out for?” Twilight rolled her eyes. “You’ve been unconscious for a couple of hours, at least. Rainbow, I thought you needed to be taken to the hospital like Derpy! How did you wake up so fast!?” Derpy chimed in. “Well, the doctors said that my head was the real problem.” Rainbow Dash chuckled to herself, before realizing the cruelty in the joke she had in mind. “Erm, Umm… So! Derpy, what about your wings?”

Derpy looked at her bandaged back with a frown. “The doctors don’t know what to do. They said they can’t help with medicine or surgery; it looked like it was magic, so only magic could fix it.” Twilight contemplated those words; “Vanish was able to take the wings of Pegasi. Could he possibly put them back on the ponies he had taken them from? I...” Spitfire interrupted her thought. “Sorry to burst your thought bubble there, but we need to think of a plan. Does anypony know where we should go next?”

Rainbow Dash was still happy to see Derpy, but her relief changed to shock upon hearing Spitfire talking in Twilight’s library. Dashing over to her, she was going to introduce herself (as she often took pride in doing), before Twilight got her attention. “Rainbow, things have gotten worse. Since you were sleeping, none of us have gone back to Cloudsdale. We don’t know what’s going on over there, and we haven’t seen Vanish, either.” Rarity cleared her throat in a manner which sold her request for attention, prompting Twilight to correct herself. “Pardon me. Rarity went there, and said that it seems her horn was responding to gems she placed in Vanish’s hat; she believes he’s in the Cloudosseum.”

Rainbow Dash stood on her hind legs and shadowboxed. “Well, then let’s get over there and hoof him out of Cloudsdale! Then we-…” Twilight stopped her friend. “You and Derpy need rest. So does Fluttershy. Once you recover, we’ll consider letting you come with us. The girls and I will be fine with Spitfire and Soarin’. Get some rest.” Rainbow ran up to her friend, pleading for reconsideration. “But you can’t do that! This could be my chance to show off in fro-…” Twilight cut her off again, amazed that her friend hadn’t clued in yet as to exactly what her situation had become. “Rainbow, look behind you.”

Rainbow turned around, and while she saw Spike, Rarity, and Applejack, her attention was drawn to her wingless, blackened back. “WHAT THE HAY!? What happened to my… W-Was this Vanish? Did he do this? I-I need my wings!” Rainbow’s fury made her lunge at Twilight, which prompted her pony friends to try holding her back. “You CAN’T make me stay! He stole my wings! Take me with you! Please! I…” The furious mare calmed down a bit, burning out from her energy rush of fear and desperation. “Twilight please, let me go with you guys.”

Twilight could see tears begin to well up in Rainbow's eyes as her lower lip began to quiver. This was a matter that went beyond pride, and there was only one way Rainbow Dash could reclaim what she lost. Though Twilight knew this, she was also well aware that her injured friend wasn’t in any condition to encounter Vanish, so there was only one way that the unicorn could keep her friend safe. “… Pinkie Pie, Derpy, I need you two to stay here and make sure Rainbow doesn’t leave the library.” Rainbow’s eyes almost went red with furious sorrow which, given their natural hue, wouldn’t be too difficult of a feat to begin with. She had been shut down in the worst possible way; she was grounded, in every sense of the word, by her own friends no less, as Twilight continued. “Everypony else, I need you to come back with me down to the first floor lobby. I have an idea. If we can use the spell that lets non-flying ponies walk on clouds, I’m sure we ca-… wait, what’s that?”

Twilight stopped when she heard a strange buzzing coming from outside. She looked through the upstairs window, seeing the silhouette of a familiar young filly on a scooter dashing off in the direction of Cloudsdale. “Scootaloo!? What's she thinking, going back over there?” What made things worse was that when Twilight had been distracted by the sound, she heard a struggle coming from behind her. She turned around to see plenty of her friends floored, but Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen. “That stubborn mare, what is she going to do!?”

Twilight rubbed her head in annoyance. “Okaaaay, change of plans.” Twilight waited for the ponies in the room to stand again before speaking. “Soarin’, Spitfire, and Fluttershy: I need each of you to come with me. Applejack and Rarity will be joining us as well. Pinkie Pie, stay here with Spike and Derpy and look after Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Let’s go.” Twilight ran back down the stairs, seeing Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looking outside from the doorway, the sight causing Rarity to let off some steam. “And just where do you two think YOU’RE going?” Sweetie Belle jumped from the sudden angered voice of her sister, who was behind Twilight. Both fillies swung around in preparation of a vicious scolding.

Apple Bloom decided to at least attempt to explain why she was in the doorway. “Well, Scootaloo said that guy that came by was ‘mighty suspicious’, and told me n’ Sweetie Belle to stay back and let ‘er handle it. We kept ‘er here for a while, hoping she would think of somethin’ else, but when we turned back around t’grab more books, she had ran out o’the room n’ grabbed her scooter before takin’ off. We were gonna go after her, but Rainbow Dash just whizzed past us in a flurry!” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “'Guy'? What guy? Vanish?” Sweetie Belle grabbed the hardcover book by the door with her mouth and tried bringing it to Twilight, but tripped on another book, dropping the one she was carrying. It hit the ground, with the force of the impact opening it to the first page, showing the placard Twilight placed in each book to keep track of each pony that checked out a book; it was blank.

“What book is this?” Twilight closed the book and was amazed to see the cover: ‘Modern Ponyville History’. “Isn’t this what Vanish showed me back at Carousel Boutique? Wait… something’s wrong.” Twilight opened the book back up, and confirmed her suspicions: This was a different book than the one Vanish had showed them before. Either he had a fake version of the book, or this one was fabricated. Reading it further, Twilight recognized some of the passages of the book, assuring herself that this one was real.

She could do little more than stare into the book, shocked. "Somepony took out this book, and brought back a different book that just had the same title and a similar cover, which Vanish picked up. M-My own library was used to check out a book that contained all the information he used to beat us; a book I never even had in the first place, but rather, just one used as a cover for some sick plot!" Twilight was right to trust her hunches: The spells in Vanish's book were from another book entirely, but just placed in the book that the stallion had checked out for the sake of reference material.

“You alright, sugar cube?” Applejack could tell that Twilight was upset about something, but couldn’t tell what it was since she was keeping quiet. “Look, we gotta hurry up n’ get Scootaloo n’ Rainbow Dash back before they get in any more trouble!” Twilight looked up from her book, back at Applejack. It was true that this was no time to dwell on the past with more pressing matters needing their current attention.

She turned back around to the other ponies. “I’ll get the book for flying spells and related incantations. Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, head upstairs and don’t leave the sight of Spike and Derpy until I return. We’ll bring Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash back safely. Before we go, let me just do one last thing.” Twilight called up the stairs. “Pinkie Pie!?” Pinkie happily hopped down the stairs. “Yep?” Twilight knew this was a strange request, but she had an idea. “Do you think you can get a hot air balloon under the Cloudosseum?” Pinkie couldn’t help but wonder what her friend’s plan was. Seeing the lavender mare turn back around to examine various book titles, she followed her friend to the lobby, letting Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom head up the stairwell. “Sure, but why do you want that?”

Twilight smirked at her friend who had trotted to the doorway, as the unicorn used her magic to levitate the book of her desired spells. “I think we’ll need a means of flight.”

Rendezvous in the Cloudosseum

Twilight chose to lead the way back to Cloudsdale, but let Pinkie Pie go on ahead to prepare. In the time it took for the lavender unicorn to cast spells on Rarity, Applejack, and herself, the pink Earth pony was already under the Cloudosseum, seemingly undetected despite having placed a large hot air balloon underneath it. The lack of light that the night delivered provided a good cover to work under without being seen, but the shadows that were cast by the clouds above in the light of the moon, were even better for her. Twilight and her friends approached the balloon, which Pinkie Pie was piloting. “Hey, girls! And, erm… guy!” Pinkie noticed Soarin’ with them and thought to correct herself, producing a giggle in the process. “Going up?”

“Thanks Pinkie, but we’ll take it from here. I couldn’t cast a spell on you while you were gone, after all.” Pinkie Pie hopped out of the balloon, boosting the non-flying ponies up by having them use her back as a makeshift step as she bounced them into the basket. “Okey-Dokey-Loki! I’ll take the weights off and head back to Spike and Derpy. Have fun, you guys!” Using her mouth, Pinkie Pie undid the knot in the rope that tied the sandbag to the basket, freeing the balloon and allowing it to rise to its destination. Fluttershy, Soarin’, and Spitfire all helped to guide the balloon by grabbing dangling ropes with their mouths and pulling, knowing that the balloon could only fit three to four ponies at best. Applejack and Rarity were peering into the darkness, hoping for a glimpse of Rainbow Dash or Scootaloo, who must have arrived here much earlier.

Twilight controlled the burner, causing the balloon to rise at a steady but quick rate of ascension. It was while she was doing this that she noticed some massive changes to the Cloudosseum: First, there was a cloud path leading to it from Cloudsdale, almost like a cloud-made road. They had used the balloon to get up to it last time, doing so by floating from Cloudsdale to the Cloudosseum in order to see the Best Young Flyer competition, so they’d recognize the path, had it been there before; it would have made getting to the competition much easier.

Secondly, the bottom section of the Cloudosseum, rather than being clear of obstruction, had been mostly covered up with clouds, aside from four clouds that seemed to form bridges to the center in a ring outside the platform, allowing a pony to still fall through the cracks where clouds were not placed in order to bridge the gap. It seemed akin to a castle with a moat that could only be crossed on each side by a bridge. Rarity noticed this before the others, since looking at it began to bring back memories of when she had been plummeting towards the ground, before being saved by Rainbow Dash.

But the biggest and most prominent difference was that there seemed to be spotlights coming from around the massive floating stadium, illuminating the inside of it. This piqued Twilight's curiosity. "Those lights... have they always been there? And why are they on?" They had breached the clouds below the exterior of the Cloudosseum rather quickly, thanks to the efforts of the Pegasi that were guiding the balloon. They anchored the balloon close to the edge in order to avoid giving away their location; if Vanish was here, they knew he could strike at any time, especially considering how they had three Pegasus ponies with them.

Twilight and the others hopped out of the balloon basket, before running into the Cloudosseum through the backstage area, where there were once several young and hopeful Pegasi hoping to impress the Wonderbolts, as well as Princess Celestia, with their marvelous aerial maneuvers. It was dark, and Twilight's concern for her friend didn’t help her to remember an illumination spell whatsoever. However, a curtain ahead of them was open just enough that artificial light from the arena could seep in. The curtain was still closed for the most part, but once they looked through what visible crack in the curtain there was, the ponies still had trouble believing that which stood in front of them, even after letting their eyes adjust to the light.

There was a massive, cloud-made structure in the middle of the Cloudosseum, kept afloat by what appeared to be storm clouds. Twilight barely recognized the structure; it seemed like a cloud variation of a prison cell with bars all around it like a cube, from the Canterlot Dungeon. In her time spent in Canterlot, she never saw anypony placed in those cells, but this one was much different: It had vertical bars all around it, with the top and bottom of the cell composed of large, solid storm clouds. The cell was entirely made of clouds, including the bars, and there were no visible ‘doors’ or walls on it. Just outside the cell, stood a medium-sized, turquoise pony, with a short cerulean mane. The pony appeared to be speaking to Vanish, who was seemingly trapped in the cage, wearing the hat Rarity had ‘fixed’ and sporting a set of unknown, yet familiar wings, as well as a new color of coat. Twilight was about to head in before Applejack stopped her, pointing out that they weren’t spotted yet with a hoof to her muzzle, signalling the necessity to keep quiet.

They listened to the voice of the stallion outside the cage, who seemed to have a checklist with them. “Silverspeed?” Vanish used the second horn’s magic to change the color of his coat, and to produce the wings of Silverspeed. “Show me Blossomforth.” Vanish’s coat and wings changed from those of Silverspeed, to those of Blossomforth. “Good, good. Fluttershy.” Vanish was clearly struggling to speak. “N… Not A-Acquired.” The pony looked up from his checklist. “Need I remind you that if you don’t get the wings of all the Pegasi, it won’t look good for your end of our bargain?” Vanish was tired, but looked up at the stallion that stood before him. “I’ll get them, just keep going.”

Twilight closed the curtain slightly, turning to the other ponies around her. “I think they’re doing a roll call of the ponies whose wings they’ve got.” She turned back around and opened the curtain slightly to see what was going on, as the stallion called out another familiar name from the list. “Rainbow Dash?” Vanish used the horn’s magic to change his coat and wings once more, this time to those of Rainbow Dash. “… Hmph. I didn’t think you’d get those so quickly… You’re sure worth what I’m payin’ ‘ya. Heh.” Vanish stood on the storm clouds, walking to the edge of the cage and lying next to it. “I did my part… you do yours.” The stallion put the checklist down on the cloud he was standing on. “I’ll return with the stuff. It’s by the bridge to Cloudsdale that you made for me. Don’t go anywhere… Heh heh…”

The pony walked away to a second curtain, used for opposing Pegasus pony teams during sporting events. Vanish used his second horn once more in order to turn back into his familiarly dark, dark blue self, his smoke-gray mane wilted to the side of his head as he laid on his hooves upon the storm clouds. He seemed exhausted, but also seemed like he was trying to stay awake, given how his eyes seemed to be more focused on his makeshift ‘floor’ than the ponies who had now started galloping to the cage. Twilight whispered to her friend. “Rarity, go stand guard by that curtain and signal to us if that guy starts approaching again.” Rarity knew what to do, and went straight to the curtain that the other stallion had walked off to.

Twilight took the time to examine the cage, finding that it was being held together by what it had looked like from backstage: Nothing more than clouds. Vanish could easily get out, yet he chose to remain inside, even as he opened his mouth to speak. “… Leave… Now…” Vanish noticed the others, though they were pretty hard to miss with all the spotlights pointed at the cage from various cloud perches. He could speak well, but paused often to breathe and regain his minimal focus. “The mistake you’ve made by coming here… is immeasurable. If he sees you, he’ll show you no mercy. This goes especially for Pegasi and Unicorns… and even further for threats, such as yourselves: The Elements of Harmony.” Vanish struggled to his hooves as he stood up, correcting his statement upon seeing the other two ponies that were hovering above his original field of vision. “And… The Wonderbolts, correct?”

Twilight's gaze showed that she had no time to waste. “This isn’t the time for games and warnings, Vanish. Come with us at once. You need to return the wings you’ve taken, and-!” Vanish pounded the storm cloud with his hoof, causing a bolt of lightning to emanate from it in the process, as his focus was regained upon feeling ignored. “No! If you cared even a little about the ponies you claim to ‘protect’ as the Elements of Harmony, you’d be preparing for what’s to come, my dear. Canterlot is next, and with it, your mentor, and your brother, will fall shortly.” Twilight was left stunned by his words. “Is he making a statement? Was that a threat? Or is this… a warning?” Applejack saw her friend’s stunned expression and opted to speak in her stead, rather than wait for the unicorn to regain her focus.

“It’s over, Van. Give the wings back n’ I’m sure the Pegasi will be willin’ t’ forgive ‘ya for this whole mess!” The stallion chuckled to himself. “Even now, as you see me in this pitiful state, do you understand nothing? Had I not made it clear, that such an option was not my choice to make? I have an obligation my dear, and I always see my obligations through to the end,” Vanish threw an icy stare towards Applejack. “…regardless of how bitter the deed, or consequence, may be.”

Spitfire didn’t want to have anything to do with the overdramatic showing that this double-horned unicorn was displaying. “By the order of Princess Celestia of Equestria, you are hereby given your first, and last, warning. Surrender to the Royal Guard, or else you-” Spitfire was cut off from a source coming from somewhere in front of her. “’Or else’, what!? Such order doesn’t apply, ignorant worm.” They looked through the cage, seeing that Rarity had been caught by surprise and taken hostage by the stallion that had left, now carrying two saddlebags on his back. Having mounted Rarity, pushing her head down onto the cloud surface with his front hoof, they displayed a look of triumphant dominance over the mare, who seemed quite pained and terrified of the situation she had gotten herself into.

Meeting the Client

“You’re behind this, aren’t you?” Twilight circled the cage, getting a good look at the pony on the other side. Despite their turquoise coat and cerulean mane, their eyes, now clearly visible and shining in the spotlights, were ice-blue, making their gaze seem far more chilling than their presence was. What stood out the most, however, was a black dot in the middle of their forehead, prompting Twilight to silently question its purpose for being there as the stallion spoke up. “Hmph. I didn’t think such insects would find their way up here so fast. Perhaps it’s my fault for leaving the lights on… Oh well.” The stallion dismounted Rarity, shoving her plot forward with his hooves. Doing so caused her to begin falling through the non-bridged section around the cage, which Twilight quickly stopped by using her magic to grab Rarity and levitate her back to the other ponies.

The stallion greeted them. “Pleased to meet you, even if we'll cut this short. I don’t have time to play right now; neither with those ‘wingless worthless wonders’ who are watching to see the fate of their wings and town, nor you ignorant foals.” The pony walked towards them, grinning menacingly. “You should know your place.” Twilight was focused on the pony in front of them, but Applejack’s attention was redirected from him, to the pony Fluttershy discreetly hinted to: Rainbow Dash had made it to the Cloudosseum, and was trying to hide behind the bleachers, out of view of the menace that stood before the other ponies. It seemed like she had made it without detection, but there was no sign that Scootaloo had made it.

“Go ahead, try and stop me. You’ll only delay the inevitable. As for you, Vanish, I got what you asked for.” The pony reached into one of the saddlebags, pulling out some lime green powder, and blew it through the bars, which Vanish then surrounded with magic. He seemed to be dispersing the powder among the cloud cage's bars, ceiling, and floor with his magic, much to the confusion of the other ponies, who stepped back in order to keep their distance from the powder. The saddlebag-sporting stallion continued blowing more and more powder into the cage, until he motioned that the powder was no longer available to be thrown, by crossing his hooves in front of Vanish as the clouds were left with a lime green tint, but the stallions' reasons for tinting the clouds were unknown.

It didn’t take long for the other ponies to learn it, as Vanish used the magic of his second horn once more, to produce the wings of Rainbow Dash, before charging straight into the cage. With a mighty thud, the bars of soft, green cloud somehow absorbed the full force of the charge, visibly hurting Vanish and knocking his hat off from the recoil of the force, as would be expected of somepony attempting to charge through a cloud, only to end up hitting a brick wall or steel bars.

“Good, it looks like you’re ready, then.” Reaching into the other saddlebag, the stallion produced a small burlap sack, used to hold some gray powder, and blew it onto Vanish’s prone body, which was still recovering from the impact. Upon doing so, the dual-horned unicorn stood up once more, and went close to the cage’s edge to allow himself to be coated in the strange powder as the other stallion spoke. “This will work to prevent self-inflicted injury. Oh, and I couldn’t forget this…” The stallion produced a small burlap sack from the inside of the saddlebag. Opening the small rope with his mouth, he took out a peach-colored powder with his hoof, and blew it into Vanish’s face. Vanish backed up, lay down, and within seconds, seemed to pass out.

“What did you do to him!?” Twilight used her magic to take the saddlebags and sack from the threatening pony, assuming he had done something terrible to Vanish with the contents inside: It was powders. Magic couldn’t be used to determine what they were for at a glance, but Twilight was questioning something that was bothering her far more than their individual chemical makeup: “Why are there so many different types? What do Vanish and this guy need them for?”

Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of minor sobbing coming from inside the cage, as well as the fluttering of wings from the stallion contained within. Fluttershy had become concerned from the sounds. “V-Vanish?” There was no response aside from the sight of the pony hovering in the air, with wings seemingly acting on their own. Twilight spoke up. “What’s going on? Vanish, what's wrong!?” Applejack tried her best to get his attention. “Look, Van, say somethin’! If you’re upset about what y’did, you could alway-” *Thud* *CLANG* *CLANG*

Vanish, with Rainbow Dash’s wings on his body, seemed to not be in control of what was transpiring in the cage; he appeared to still be asleep, but the wings were propelling him into the cage bars with incredible force. The dull thuds became loud crashes, like a hammer hitting a piece of steel being forged to make armor for the Royal Guard. “T-These are just clouds! How is this possible without the use of magic!?” Twilight was trying to piece the sight before her together, while the stallion outside the cage seemed to enjoy watching the sight of Vanish crashing into the bars of the cell with accompanying sobs, as the turquoise stallion produced a deep and menacing cackle.

He sought the attention of the other ponies, but didn’t give them a glance. “It’s quite the shameful sight, isn’t it? He’s no different from all the other weak and pathetic, flying or magic-wielding ponies from here, from anywhere, really! In order for him to do what I requested, he asked me to give him the means to sleep, while he would remain in control of the magic I provided, so I took a little walk while he performed his tasks for the day. Upon finding the ‘medicine mare’, I asked her for some things: A powder to harden a soft, fragile material into one of supreme toughness and durability, a painkiller and pain suppressor, and most importantly, sleeping powder.” The stallion turned his stare to the other ponies. “Oh, he can do his job well, I suppose, but those who tie themselves to others, or even their own emotions, are weak and useless in this world.”

Fluttershy went up to the cage, entranced by the soft sobbing sound coming from the pony within its confines. “W-What's wrong with him?” Fluttershy had been terrified at the notion of losing her wings to the caged pony moments ago, but she could tell that he was clearly haunted by something; something he couldn’t control in his own power. The stallion outside the cage spoke up. “It’s just a side effect. I warned him about it when we formed our agreement, and at his request, used some of the bits I acquired outside of my payment to him, in order to buy the means for him to get his necessary sleep before the big day.”

Soarin’ wasn’t pleased with what he was seeing. This was like watching somepony perform against their will. The pony he was asked to detain was in a cage in front of him and the others, but he couldn’t leave him there. Before he could pursue any course of action, the turquoise stallion continued. “He isn’t doing this on purpose, you know: It’s because of the magic he’s using, as well as his own stupid, unrelenting guilt for his actions.” The pony chuckled deeply. “Like I said, it’s truly pathetic: The wings he’s using are on him, and yet they still seek their true ‘owners’, so they desperately try to break free of this cage, to find the ponies they rightfully belong to.” The pony waited for the trapped, sleep-flying stallion to charge into the wall of the cell again, before turning around and buck-kicking the artificial alicorn in his face, sending him careening into the other side of the cell. “HAH! What a pathetic joke of a mercenary!”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t stand watching such disrespectable antics anymore. She ran from the bleachers, leaping over the bridged, cloud-ridden ring between the platform and the outer part of the Cloudosseum, landing in front of the stallion. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the wingless wonder, herself.” The stallion knew that the light blue pony was there, and turned his head in order for him to face her, grinning mischievously in the process. The rainbow-maned mare tilted her head up, directing her words to her friends while keeping her eyes on the cynical stallion. “I've got this, girls. Go back to Ponyville.” Twilight protested, causing the Pegasus pony to turn around and face her. “Not without you and Scootaloo! Besides, we got this under contro-…!” Rainbow Dash was launched at Twilight, by a charge from the menacing stallion behind her.

“I’ve had enough of this! It looks like you have no intention of leaving me to my own agenda, so here’s a very simple warning for you and your precious princess!” The stallion ran towards the backstage area he had come from before, but the Wonderbolts tried cutting him off in the process; he had begun something involving a threat on the princess herself, and they couldn’t just let him go. “Out of my way! Unless you want your wings removed, as well!” Soarin’ and Spitfire were both taken aback by this claim, and the stallion saw this as an opportunity to take control. He ran past both, through the backstage curtain he got the bags from, and brought out a rope-bound, bruised, winged filly.

“SCOOTALOO!!!” Twilight had hoped the young Pegasus filly hadn’t made it, but apparently she got too close, before the other ponies could reach Cloudsdale. No surprise, given how she was the fastest pony out of all of the ones present, at least on land, with her scooter. Scootaloo looked worn out, like she had been in a fight she couldn’t have possibly won. The stallion turned her around to face him, and glared at her with a sick, menacing grin. “You’ve outlived your usefulness. From what Vanish told me, he’s sorry you had to ‘witness’ such terrible things occurring to the pony you chose to care for.”

He picked her up, and held her with his hooves, the clanging of the cage no longer affecting them. “I’m not like that weak and pathetic mercenary. Without my horn’s magic, he’s nothing more than a mere unicorn. If I say that you’ve outlived your use, you’re better off gone from this world.” Rainbow Dash knew that she wouldn’t make it in time, and could only hope to stop the visibly demented stallion. “STOP! DON’T DO ANYTHING TO HER, YOU-!” He wasn’t listening, as he raised Scootaloo above his head with his hooves grasping her neck and chin, looking down into the seemingly endless darkness below him, from a non-bridged section surrounding the cloud platform. “BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT, WORM!”

The pony threw Scootaloo, eyes laden with terror, body bound with rope and mouth muffled with tape, down into the darkness below. Applejack grabbed Rarity by her mane with her mouth and retreated to the backstage area, where their balloon was nearby, knowing that they could do nothing without wings except hope to meet the others by safely landing on the ground. Rainbow Dash didn’t even think over her actions: She jumped right into the darkness, hoping to catch Scootaloo before she landed. Even without her wings, she couldn’t let somepony get hurt. The Wonderbolts went in after the two of them, raising their goggles in order to use their refined night vision to locate and catch Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo before it was too late.

“As for YOU, I’m sure you’re see your princess soon… in the hospital.” Twilight let herself get distracted by Rainbow’s plummet to the ground, she didn’t even notice the pony rush up to her, launching himself into the air with his hind legs, up, over, and behind her, before slamming his rear hooves into the back of her head, causing her to lose her balance and fall into the abyss, herself. Fluttershy made a break for it, diving right after her friend in the hopes of catching her in time.

All that could be heard by anypony, were the screams of panicked hope from the ponies searching through the darkness for their friends. These shouts were barely audible due to the air whizzing past their ears, blocking most sounds from being heard, with the exception for one sound: The sound of loud, maniacal laughter coming from the Cloudosseum, by an insidious stallion who had made his intentions clear. He had made his presence known, and he was coming for Princess Celestia.

Wounds to Lick

In order to occupy the young fillies so that they wouldn’t try leaving after their friend, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Derpy Hooves decided to help the girls get their cutie marks in “Library Book Reshelving”. The fillies were less than excited, but a cutie mark is what they wanted, and Spike brought the idea up in the hopes of buying some time. They had done a very good job with most of the books in the side rooms and lobby, leaving only the upstairs area as that which needed organization. It wasn’t the system that Twilight was used to, but Spike knew that Twilight could always use a change of pace, and even if that failed, she could always take a long time distracting herself on Reshelving Day. While putting away “The Art of the To-Do List”, Spike glanced out the window, seeing a small crowd of ponies approaching the library.

“THEY’RE BACK!!!” Spike jumped down from his perch, as Sweetie Belle took his place, with Apple Bloom hopping on top of her friend’s back in the hopes of looking out the window for herself. Derpy and Pinkie Pie followed Spike down the stairs to greet their friends, whom they had been worried about while organizing the shelves of the library. Truthfully, they were joining in the organization of shelves solely as a means of keeping themselves from running to Cloudsdale and finding a way to help their friends, but that was now a subject for future contemplation. They were finally back, and those in the library believed wholeheartedly that things were going to change for the better.

“We are in dire need of help out here! Can anypony hear me!? Please, open the door!” Rarity was screaming in panic, clearly unable to think about just opening it herself. Spike jumped on the doorknob, turning it to open the door as he, as well as the fillies in the lobby, were greeted with a terrifying sight: It seemed that the only ponies that weren’t hurt or exhausted in some way were Applejack and Rarity. While this served as a relieving sight for their younger sisters, that was the only good thing about the state of affairs. Spitfire was trying to lead Twilight into Ponyville Library by using herself as a crutch, while Fluttershy and Applejack were carrying Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo into the library, having placed the larger pony above them, and walked carefully to keep her from falling off. Scootaloo still had ropes around her, being grasped by Rainbow Dash’s mouth; the orange filly wasn't awake, but the mare didn't want to let her go.

Spike began questioning everything. “W-What happened? Where’s Soarin’? Did you manage to stop Vanish? Twilight, what happened out ther-…” Spike knew he was panicking, but the raised hoof of assurance from his longtime friend stopped him from continuing his series of questions. “… Spike, get some bandages and ice packs. I’ll explain everything once I know everypony is recovering.” Spike ran upstairs to grab resources needed for administering first aid, running past Derpy Hooves and Pinkie Pie in the process. When the two ponies reached the bottom of the stairs, they knew there was a problem, given the weakened conditions of Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, and Twilight Sparkle herself. Derpy was especially nervous, considering how three Pegasi were hurt, and Soarin’ appeared to be absent.

Twilight wasn’t finished speaking, taking the moment to turn her attention to the unicorn beside her. “Rarity, go upstairs to where Spike went and grab a quill, ink well, and scroll. We need to get a letter to the princess as soon as possible.” Rarity was being hugged by her sister, but placed her on the floor upon being requested to help. “Understood. I will return shortly, Sweetie Belle, so you stay here. I’ll be right back.” The fashionista trotted up the stairs, almost being knocked over by Spike, who was carrying a tower of medical supplies. It was at this point that Twilight found the time to ask Rainbow Dash about something.

“Rainbow, did you notice your back?” The light blue mare never even wanted to look at her back after having seen it earlier, and after having felt the terrible burning pain of her wings being removed. Rainbow placed Scootaloo on the floor before responding, as Twilight took the time to untie the ropes that bound the filly. “My back? What does that have to do wi- HUH!?” She turned around, and noticed something that she was amazed she hadn’t noticed earlier: Her back no longer had the charred, black markings on it. She looked identical to an Earth pony, without the telltale signs that her wings had been removed. Twilight turned to Derpy, seeing that she was the same. “Derpy's the same… It looks like she recovered while we were at the Cloudosseum. Actually, she could have even recovered before then!”

Twilight voiced her thoughts for her friends. “Hm. As I thought, those ‘burns’ were caused by magic. One was accidental, and one was intentionally painful, yet in both cases the effects were temporary. Rainbow, do you remember the state of the Pegasi in Cloudsdale that had their wings removed?” Rainbow Dash thought it over, as Spike handed out ice packs to various ponies in the library. “Well, yeah, they seemed upset, but they didn’t look like they were in much pain…! Wait, what are you saying, Twilight?” The purple unicorn placed the ice pack behind her head with great difficulty, and laid flat on the floor to make sure it wouldn’t shift from its position.

“I think it’s safe to assume that the burns aren’t part of the magic, itself; the wielder can simply cause the wings to ‘vanish’, should they know how to, without leaving any visible traces of how or why. Derpy was the first, so Vanish probably didn’t know exactly how to use the magic of the other horn, or maybe she struggled. I’m fairly certain that Vanish was counting on you to struggle, Rainbow, thus causing massive amounts of pain and scarring. That’s probably what knocked you out.” Twilight considered the events that had occured at the Cloudosseum. After a brief pause to consider how to word her thoughts, she finally spoke. “It seems Vanish isn't our target, or at least not our main target.”

Spitfire chimed in. “Soarin’ wanted to take a look at what was happening in the Cloudosseum. There’s less of a chance for any Pegasus pony to be detected if there’s less ponies with them. I know Soarin’, and he’s dedicated to getting the job done. He’ll be back.” Twilight nodded in understanding. “It’s safe to say that whoever Vanish was with is the pony responsible for so many Pegasi losing their wings. We don’t know why, but we know enough to warrant a request for Princess Celestia to provide maximum security both in and around Canterlot.”

Twilight removed the ice pack and used magic to wrap bandages around the welt that had grown on her head; the welt had been growing ever since the painful bash she took at the hooves of the sinister stallion. “Ugh. I can’t help but think we’re missing something.” Twilight rubbed the welt on her head, which Spike answered by smacking her hoof, and placing a fresh ice pack on the bandaged welt. “Nngh… Thanks, Spike.” The baby dragon had already begun checking out the other ponies, and saw that Scootaloo had it pretty bad, but was at least semi-conscious, if not asleep. Rainbow Dash was visibly upset that she couldn’t just fly over and drive the head of the stallion who threw Scootaloo, straight into the ground, but she was even more upset that Scootaloo was in visible pain, and she had done little to help the young filly.

“Um… R-Rainbow?” Fluttershy walked over and patted her on the back with her hoof, struggling to provide support for her friend. “L-Listen. Don’t feel bad about Scootaloo. She’ll be okay. She really looks up to you, you know!” Rainbow swatted the hoof off her back and turned to her friend, angrily. “Yeah? Why look up to somepony that got played like a chump into losing their wings!?” Rainbow backed the timid Pegasus into a bookcase with her verbal assault, almost aiming to challenge her attempt at providing comfort. “And THEN I got her in even more trouble by jumping after her! Spitfire or Soarin’ could have saved her, but it took BOTH of them just to make sure we weren’t badly hurt! I put her in so much danger! What point could there be in her looking u-!”

She was stopped by the small hoof of Scootaloo, who Rainbow Dash had thought was asleep, but was clearly just exhausted and pained. “… N-No… You’re… wrong…” The filly couldn’t speak to Rainbow Dash clearly, taking pauses between every word. Rainbow focused all of her attention on what Scootaloo was saying, and stopped attacking Fluttershy with her angry, self-abusive ranting. “… If… you didn’t… do anything… w-when I was… falling…” Scootaloo kept her eyes closed as she spoke, tears falling down her cheeks as she remained on the hard, wooden library floor, unbound from ropes thanks to Twilight. “… I know… I’d be………” Scootaloo had fallen asleep mid-sentence.

Rainbow stood up before walking over to Applejack and grabbing the Earth pony's hat with her mouth. “What the hay do you think yer do-…” Rainbow Dash gave Applejack a familiar look: ‘Wait’. Applejack piped down, watching as Rainbow Dash placed the hat on Scootaloo’s body, providing a crude form of shelter from the air, and even muting the sound around her with the material that the hat was made from. “I’m gonna get a blanket from the side room.” Rainbow Dash walked into the side area, searching for a suitable blanket for the young, exhausted filly. Twilight watched until the last streak of color from her friend's rainbow tail was out of view, before realizing what Rainbow Dash was thinking. "This isn’t a time for self-reflection or placing blame. It's time to prepare for the problems ahead."

Rarity had grabbed the requested objects from upstairs, and brought them back to Twilight. Thanking her friend, she proceeded to compose a message detailing the plans that the stallion had for Canterlot, but she needed to know something. “What was the name of the pony we encountered? Is he really Vanish’s client? If only we knew, then maybe we can proceed with confidence…”

“…-ther!” Twilight heard a voice coming from outside, having left the door to the library open. Much to her surprise, it was Soarin’ in the hot air balloon they left back under the Cloudosseum, which Applejack and Rarity had used to escape before the vicious stallion had tried attacking them. “What was that, Soarin’?” Spitfire went outside to greet her fellow Wonderbolt, who had his head rested over the side of the basket. “That pony… His name is Gather. His cutie mark is four boxes: One had wings, one had a horn, one is blank, and the last one had a silhouette of a pony.” Soarin’ turned away. “I think his name suits his cutie mark and talent: To gather and use the wings of other ponies… and that’s just the start.”

“Soarin’, how do you know...” Soarin’ stopped his friend, and continued. “He also has the power to take the horns of unicorns.” The other ponies gasped in fear as Twilight recalled previous conversations. "Vanish had vaguely mentioned something of this sort, but if it's true, than Gather's intentions seem clear: To take the powers of the greatest users of magic in Equestria... Including the magic of Princess Celestia!" Fluttershy spoke in a terrified tone. “Oh, my. Th-That’s terrible news! We need to tell the princess at onc-!” Fluttershy was interrupted by Spitfire suddenly pointing her hoof at her friend. “Soarin’, get out of the basket, please.”

Twilight didn’t catch on at first, but upon contemplation, all this information seemed like it was a bit much for one to simply overhear. “Did something happen between Soarin’ and Gather?” Soarin’ looked behind him, and lowered his head in shame. “… I’m sorry, Spitfire, I just wanted to be useful.” The stallion perched his front legs on the balloon basket, sighing with regret. “But now I’m no longer a Wonderbolt.” Soarin’ jumped out of the basket, and their worst fears were realized.

Soarin’s wings had been taken, with minimal scarring being visible. It appeared that he traded his wings just to be able to help Spitfire and the others learn about the pony who was terrorizing Cloudsdale. He wasn’t a Wonderbolt anymore, just a regular pony: A Pegasus pony without wings. And the hard blow that Spitfire landed on his face with her hoof said all that needed to be said: “How could you do this!?”

Author's Note

In a previous chapter, I mentioned how I would describe Vanish in detail later on. Well, this is a good spot to make Vanish and Gather 'drawn in' for the audience.

Vanish:
- Size: Medium Build, similar size to Derpy Hooves.
- Coat: Dark, Dark Blue (VERY slightly darker than the Wonderbolts’ Suits).
- Mane: Short, Smoke-Grey (LIGHT Smoke, not heavy, more similar to the color of a storm cloud in the series, just a bit brighter.) Also, it is meant to appear less like a mane and more like a smoke cloud, flowing as smoke would bellow from a chimney, only downward. Somewhat similar to Pinkie Pie’s hair, only shorter and composed of much less 'mounds'.
- Tail: Same color and 'style' as his mane. It reaches the middle of his legs.
- Eyes: Chestnut-Brown.
- Cutie Mark: A grey silhouette of a pony, with a smoke cloud surrounding it. This is to show a talent in transparency, that not only reflects his talent in the form of his 'magical specialty', but also his humble, somewhat anti-social nature.
- Anything Else: He wears a brown fedora that is only slightly brighter in hue than his eyes. Also carries a saddlebag often, but it’s not something that symbolizes him or anything, it’s just a double-saddlebag that he uses to carry supplies and necessities, mainly for his mission while in Ponyville. The bags hang lower than most saddlebags that ponies wear the series, so that he may use wings when he needs to. On occasion, he will have a second horn, which is colored the same as Gather’s Coat (see below), given how it is Gather’s horn.

Gather:
- Size: Medium, but somewhat thinner than Derpy or Vanish.
- Coat: Turquoise.
- Mane: Short, Cerulean.
- Tail: Short, Cerulean.
- Eyes: Ice-Blue.
- Cutie Mark: “His cutie mark is four boxes. One had wings, one had a horn, one is blank, and the last one had a silhouette of a pony” – Soarin’ in Chapter 19.
All “symbols” of the cutie mark, are gold in color, including the box and dividers themselves.

Interrogation

Spitfire felt partially responsible for her friend’s current state, given how she had granted him permission to investigate the Cloudosseum again without her. It’s true that his intentions were as straight and true as his flying style, but so too was his grasp of foresight. In the years she had known him, Spitfire considered Soarin’ to be one of her closest friends, even going so far as to call him her best friend, but his wingless and scarless back could only mean one of two things: Either he was tricked into this state, or he surrendered willfully, and the ponies needed to know which it was.

Soarin’ fell over from the hard bash to the head that Spitfire delivered; her name was certainly neither ironic nor an understatement. Soarin’ had no doubt in his mind that he would get one of two reactions: A hug or a hit. He deserved one, and feeling the ground under his hooves in order to stand, it was clear which one Spitfire thought he deserved. “… I’m sorry Spitfire, Gather wasn’t flying when we left, so I thought I could just grab him and haul him here after seeing him sleeping under some clouds. He must have heard my wings…”

Rainbow Dash came outside, having placed a blanket on Scootaloo, and tossed Applejack her hat back. She gasped at the sight of Soarin’ without his wings, but felt that while this may be the time for argument, this was certainly not the place for it. “… C’mon girls, let him come in. We can talk all we want without being outside.” Twilight was surprised at how calm Rainbow Dash was, but it made sense. Twilight knew that her friend was likely feeling mixed emotions after all she had been through: her rash decisions and lack of foresight got her where she was, and Rainbow believed that it was the cause for Scootaloo’s current status as well. It only seemed fair for Soarin’ to be given a chance to talk since nopony followed him to the Cloudosseum; in a way, they were all to blame.

The girls moved out of the way, allowing Soarin’ to enter the Library. He felt like a criminal as he walked by the other ponies on his way into Ponyville Library. He could feel their eyes judging him, with different emotions in each. Twilight seemed confused, Applejack was shocked, Spitfire was clearly holding back her emotions, but had put her goggles over her eyes in order to cover her expression, so whether she wanted to lunge at Soarin’ in an attempt to strangle or hug him, was unable to be determined accurately. Rarity was disappointed, while Fluttershy looked around in fear of Soarin’ being followed, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but feel sad, seeing the dejected expression on Soarin’s face.

Pinkie Pie simply delivered a blank expression, which could have meant anything from concern to disbelief (to several other emotions, being Pinkie Pie). Derpy walked up to Soarin’, nuzzling him under his chin as a means of expressing sympathy, believing that he truly didn’t mean to upset anyone with his actions. Stepping back to allow Soarin’ access to the doorway, he came face to face with Rainbow Dash, and looked into her eyes, a clear display of regret and sorrow being reflected from his own. Rainbow Dash seemed cold, as she simply turned around and walked into the library while Soarin’ and the others followed.

“Come on everyone, we're heading upstairs. Twilight, lock the door.” Rainbow was leading the other ponies at this point, and while they were a bit stunned at the request, they trusted their friend’s judgment, especially after seeing her take a moment to adjust the blanket on Scootaloo, who was sleeping soundly on the floor. They followed the light blue mare upstairs, noticing the tense atmosphere surrounding them. Pinkie Pie wanted to say something, but couldn’t bring herself to utter a word. She, Apple Bloom, and Applejack, really were the odd ones out in this case. It seemed like, of all the things that happened lately, they were in the least amount of danger, and had contributed little to recent efforts; the realization of this coupled with the recollection of having been alone with Vanish at Sugarcube Corner, and telling him where Ponyville Hospital was yesterday, struck Pinkie Pie pretty hard.

As they had made their way upstairs, Twilight Sparkle used her magic to grab the items Rarity had brought down, and Spike was carrying up the bandages and used packs of ice, in a teetering tower as they climbed the staircase. He had handled stacks of books that were bigger than the tower of objects he was currently holding, so the feat looked like it was more difficult than it truly was for the baby dragon. Rainbow Dash arrived upstairs, followed closely by the other ponies, dragon, and fillies. If she could, Rainbow had hoped to keep Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle downstairs, but seeing as how they were pretty much guarding their sisters from leaving, that was doubtful.

Having made it up and out of the stairwell, the ponies funneled into the upper floor’s main lobby. “Get in a circle. We’re getting to the bottom of this, now.” Rainbow Dash's tone clearly told the other ponies that she was not messing around. The other ponies complied willingly as they sat in a rather awkward circle-shaped pattern, all facing the center of the room, and facing each other, keeping the fillies out of the circle. Rainbow had Spitfire to her right and Rarity to her left. And directly across from her, was the ‘Stallion of the Hour’ himself: Soarin’. “Okay, Soarin’. Tell us everything that happened. We’re ready to listen.”

Soarin’ seemed like he was trying to make sense of it all, but explained slowly, as if thinking to himself out loud. “I went back, hoping to hear something about plans against the princess. I even took the balloon up, thinking I could detain him and bring him back down safely. After leaving the balloon on the edge and going in the same way as before, I quietly flew above the Cloudosseum, above where the lights could reach me. Vanish was in the cage, wearing his hat and sleeping quietly, and the other stallion had been almost completely covered up in a cloud-blanket, aside from his muzzle and eyes. I thought it was safe, so I descended right next to them. I walked over, hoping to detain the stallion, and…” Soarin’ was struggling; he was trying to recall what happened without letting the fear he had felt overcome him. “… He lunged at me.”

Spitfire cut in. “That’s a load of horseapples, Soarin’! We both know you’d never let somepony else get the better of you, especially when it’s some pony who can’t even fly!” Soarin’ turned to Spitfire, with a look of desperate honesty beaming from his eyes. “He was hiding something!” Soarin’ was shaking, which Fluttershy took notice of, and draped her hoof around his back, assuring him that he was among friends and had nothing to worry about. “H-He had a horn… and wings.”

The other ponies gasped, with the exception of Rainbow Dash and Twilight. From what Twilight saw in the Cloudosseum, she had pieced this together herself, but spoke to Soarin' in order to voice a concern. “Didn’t you notice anything strange about the pony before landing?” Soarin’ looked at her with urgency. “I thought his coat was a bit lighter, but considering it was turquoise, I thought it was a trick of the lights that were illuminating the arena. I even had my goggles on, so I could see through the spotlights! I never saw it coming; he came at me with blinding speed. I almost didn’t even get to open my wings back up before he grabbed me!”

Twilight understood: Soarin’ didn’t count on the stallion having wings, and let his guard down by attempting to get the drop on him, paying the price for it as a result. Applejack looked at the other ponies with confusion. “I don’t get it, y’all… How in Equestria did that guy get a horn? Wasn’t Van the one with horns when w-!” Soarin’ continued. “Please, let me finish.” Applejack tipped her hat in apology for interrupting, to which the former flyer responded by bowing his head politely. “He had pounced on me, pinning my back to the clouds, but I kicked him off before taking flight. I was hoping to get some distance between us.”

Spitfire smiled. “At least Soarin’ didn’t just give up the proverbial ‘ghost’.” But then, all too quickly, Soarin’s expression turned from one of desperation, to one of a sorrow-ridden mind. “He followed me, but didn’t make a move to attack. Instead, he made me an offer.” Spitfire frowned in response. Soarin’ had been far too naïve for his own good. He could have been tricked, easily. “He told me that he would tell me about who he was, and his plans, in exchange for my wings.” Rainbow Dash turned her head in shame; Soarin’ was just being foolish by accepting such terms. “I can’t believe y-!”

“NO! You don’t understand!” Soarin’ had shouted at Rainbow, causing all the ponies to back up, including Spitfire. In all the years she had known him, he never raised his voice when the Wonderbolts would hold a rehearsal meeting to plan their flight paths or patterns for their shows. “Soarin’, what don’t we understand?” Spitfire was legitimately curious, allowing her friend to continue. “I lunged at him, trying to take him down. With my speed, I figured it would be a matter of time. I could at LEAST wear him out and catch him off guard. You know how long I can last in the air, Spitfire! Don’t say you don’t!”

Spitfire didn’t even have to think about it: Soarin’ was great at his job, but there was a time when he tried to plan out a show for the other Wonderbolts. By the end of rehearsal, Rapid Fire was the only one that had the stamina to even stand up, aside from Soarin’. It had taken almost twice as long as any other show they had ever performed together, let alone rehearsals, and most of them were left exhausted. She remembered Soarin’ taunting her playfully for not “training more in order to build up stamina”, but that was why he didn’t plan their shows; he had far more stamina than the other members of the Wonderbolts, and could do an entire show without looking drained, long after the adrenaline of the crowd died down. Well, as long as he had something to eat after the show.

Spitfire nodded in agreement: It was true, after all. Soarin’ continued. “He had me back in the Cloudosseum before I knew it. I know I can outlast any regular Pegasus pony, but not him; he knocked me out of the air with a blindingly fast buck-kick, straight into the Cloudosseum floor, and pinned me on my stomach before I could even brandish my wings again. I could even feel him trying to break my hind legs with his own, so that I couldn’t use them to kick him off!” Twilight thought it over, yet something sounded strange. “Was Gather really as fast as Soarin’ is claiming?” Soarin' looked back down to the floor of the library, exhausted from recalling the memories of what happened. “… He told me that his deal stood.”

Rarity questioned it without missing a beat. “What?” She tried considering the fight, and the sudden message that the pony had given Soarin’, who turned to her to respond. “That’s what I asked him! He told me, that regardless of what would happen next, he’d take my wings from me, but that he enjoyed our ‘little game’ and decided to give me one more chance to accept: My wings, for information.”

Soarin’ closed his eyes in shame, not wanting to see the look that Spitfire was giving him. “I… I agreed.”

Preparing for the New Day

Preparing For The New Day

Most of the ponies were able to fall asleep, and sleep soundly. However, Scootaloo had been sleeping most of the night prior to the others, and woke up earlier as a result, surprised to find that she had been resting by the rear hooves of Rainbow Dash, as opposed to where she remembered falling asleep: The lobby floor. She took a look around, and saw several others sleeping, including her fellow Crusaders sleeping in a bed with their sisters, and sleeping bags on the floor, with one sleeping bag being unoccupied. A quick head-count later, Scootaloo figured that the one pony who had left was Fluttershy. She crept slowly past the other ponies, hovering with her wings to minimize the sound on the wooden floor; she was loud on her scooter, but the sound of her wings alone were silent due to her own natural size.

Heading down the stairwell, Scootaloo was surprised to find Spike wide awake and packing things up in bags. It was still dark, but Scootaloo could see the night sky turning brighter by looking out a nearby window, so she knew it must have at least been near dawn. She trotted up to Spike at a steady pace, to make sure he knew she was approaching, so as to not startle him into waking the others. Scootaloo spoke softly, almost with a whisper. “Mornin’, Spike! You’re already awake? What’re ya workin’ on, so early?” Spike turned around from packing another saddlebag, placing it with some others by the front door to the library.

“Oh! Good morning, Scootaloo! After I woke up, I received a letter from the princess that requested that I get around to preparing some bags for the others. She figured they’ll be heading out today, and could probably use some food while they’re busy in Canterlot.” Scootaloo never saw Spike this early in the morning and wondered if this was how he naturally was, given how little time she had spent around him, and even Twilight for that matter. She realized that she should ask the question on her mind before continuing. “Oh, did you see Fluttershy at all? I didn’t see her upstairs, so…”

Spike grabbed another empty saddlebag, moving it to the main lobby’s table in order to pack it with various necessities. “Fluttershy woke up after I did. She said that she was just going out to check on her friends back at her cottage. She remembered that she hadn’t returned home last night, and was worried about whether they were hungry, or if they could use some help.” Scootaloo was startled at Spike’s nonchalant nature regarding Fluttershy’s actions. “W-What about Vanish? What if he finds her and takes her wings!?” Spike quickly covered Scootaloo’s mouth, taking a glance up the stairwell, indicating his hopes that the ponies remain asleep.

“Shhh! They need to sleep as much as they can before the trip.” Spike removed his clawed hand from Scootaloo’s mouth, and walked back to the table to grab some apples, blankets, books, and other objects for various ponies. “I asked her that, as well. She told me that her friends are far too important to her, and she feels that it’s only right that she check on them. She said that she isn’t scared of Vanish, anymore.” Spike packed a fifth bag, tossed it aside, and grabbed another.

Scootaloo wasn't content with such a simple answer. “But without her wings, she’ll…” Spike placed the bag, then turned to Scootaloo, who had not considered the impact of certain Pegasi having their wings removed, though Spike had considered the same notion as she had, and asked Fluttershy accordingly, relaying the answer he got to the worried filly. “Fluttershy is a weak flyer, but that’s mainly because of how she rarely uses her wings. She has ways to get around her daily life without using them.” The young dragon smirked back at Scootaloo, as he packed a sixth bag with more supplies. “She’s a Pegasus pony, but she doesn’t let it ‘define’ her. It’s kind of hard to explain.”

Scootaloo thought it over to herself. It was hard for her to understand, but it made sense, in a way. Twilight was the embodiment of the Spirit of the Element of Magic, and a unicorn. Rainbow Dash was the fastest Pegasus in all of Cloudsdale. Even on her scooter, Scootaloo relied heavily on her wings, but maybe that wasn’t what made them who they were. After all, Sweetie Belle never used magic, and she was a unicorn. Scootaloo mumbled to herself, “… hmm… not who they are…” as Spike saw Scootaloo contemplating something, taking the time for him to finish packing the saddlebags.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom came downstairs, followed closely by Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle ran up to their fellow Crusader, forgetting about how their sisters had told them to remain silent since other ponies were just upstairs, still sleeping. “Scootaloo! You’re awake! Feelin' better?” Scootaloo turned around to look at Sweetie Belle, who had a big, curious smile on her face. “Yeah, a little bit better, anyways!” Apple Bloom chimed in. “C’mon, Crusaders! Let’s go organize those books from last night! I’m sure I felt a cutie mark comin’ on, yesterday!”

As they raced to the side room, Spike sighed in response. Upon waking up much earlier than the ponies that were in the library, he decided to reorganize some of the books for Twilight, before receiving a letter from Princess Celestia, which prompted him to start packing bags of supplies for their expedition to Canterlot. Pinkie Pie was surprised by the massive pile of saddlebags that had been formed in one side of the room, and chose to see what was inside of one of the bags, rather than ask about it.

Spike shook his head in disbelief at the intrusive, curious pony's antics before turning to the others by the stairs. “Did you girls get some sleep?” Spike was hoping they weren’t woken up early, since he fell asleep the fastest. A gentle hoof-raise of assurance from Rarity dispelled his fears. “Considering I had to share a bed with another pony, as well as two young fillies, yes, I had an adequate sleep.” Applejack rolled her eyes in response, and chuckled. “We slept fine, Spike. What’re ya up to?” Spike explained the letter he received, while Pinkie Pie fiddled with a latch on a saddlebag.

“Sounds like we’ll be having a lot of fun up in Canterlot today, huh? Nothing wrong with that!” Pinkie Pie stuck her head into a bag and pulled out an apple upon finishing her statement, prompting Spike to go grab another one to replace it. Spitfire showed up behind the others, with a severely bad case of bed-mane. She didn’t have her flight suit on, as she and Soarin’ had removed their suits prior to sleeping; being ponies, they already wore a coat at all times, so wearing a blanket and a flight suit would just make them overheat, not that Soarin’ wasn’t the type of friend to need reminding of this on most days he took a nap. Spitfire couldn’t begin to count the number of times she’d catch him taking a nap before or after a show, still wearing his flight suit.

“Oh, my stars! Darling! You’re an absolute mess! Spike, do you have a brush?” Spike ran over to one of the saddlebags and pulled a brush out; he had put certain objects in certain saddlebags that pertained to the interests of each pony. Rarity used her magic to grab the brush, and started gently brushing Spitfire’s mane, before realizing that a bit more force might be needed. As Spitfire protested at how casually this unicorn, who was practically a stranger to her, was trying to groom her, Applejack chuckled to herself. Seeing her friend being obsessed with the condition of another pony’s mane was nothing new, and never got old to watch.

Spike remembered something important regarding Spitfire, having received a letter that mentioned the plans, as well as something for Spitfire and Soarin’: A way to signal if danger was heading immediately towards Canterlot, and what to do in order to produce the signal. Spike unfurled the scroll in front of Spitfire, who read the contents carefully, as well as taking the time to read over and memorize the section involving a ‘two pony performance’ that could be seen from Canterlot, thus signaling for them to officially raise Shining Armor’s barrier upon completion of the performance.

Several minutes went by before the others had joined everypony in the lobby. Soarin’ had grabbed his own flight suit and goggles, as well as Spitfire’s, but dropped them as he got a good laugh out of seeing Spitfire’s ‘new style’ that Rarity had invoked with her fashion sense. Not only had her mane been brushed out of its normal style, but the unicorn had even attempted to dye it before Applejack interfered, though the fashionista settled with placing a sparkling ribbon in Spitfire’s mane, much to The Wonderbolt Captain’s dismay. After laughing at the new mane, Soarin’ grabbed the brush with his mouth and went to work on Spitfire in order to brush her mane back to its familiar state; The Wonderbolts often helped each other with their manes, or getting into their flight suits, so this was familiar territory to him. While waiting, he helped Spitfire back into her own suit, because even if he couldn’t fly, she still could, and would benefit from wearing it.

Twilight had been writing another letter to the princess before Soarin’ had even woken up. She walked downstairs with Derpy, to that which was now ‘the well-populated lobby’ of her library, carrying the written scroll with her magic. It seemed like everypony was awake, aside from Rainbow Dash, but that was common for her, especially given how she had avoided most of her daily naps yesterday. The realization of the situation hit Twilight hard: “A lot of things happened in just one day. Can we really stop Gather before he reaches Canterlot? And then there’s Vanish… Ugh. What a mess. I get the feeling that we need more information above all else, but right now, it’s time to officially get down to business.”

Act of Good Faith

Derpy walked over to the pile of saddlebags that Pinkie Pie was loitering around, curious about their placement. As she did this, Twilight went up to Spike, knowing that she could always count on him to give her an update of the current status of anything happening. She learned about Princess Celestia’s letter to Spike, the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ actions with regards to the library, and that Fluttershy had left to check on her wildlife friends before everypony could leave for Canterlot. She asked Spike to send her letter, but to wait until everypony had gathered in the lobby. Spike moved the scroll to the table as well as the scroll that the princess had sent, so that he would remember to send them.

As Twilight sat down at the table in the lobby, the other ponies followed suit, sitting around it with her. Applejack took the time to fetch the Cutie Mark Crusaders; they needed to know what was going to happen, and more importantly, that they could not under any circumstances be allowed to follow them to Canterlot. Twilight knew that Scootaloo was especially hoping to do what she could for Rainbow Dash, and once the Crusaders were rounded up, she gave the filly a mission: “Scootaloo, would you mind waking Rainbow Dash up? She should be down here by now.”

Scootaloo grinned with determination, giving a quick salute. “I’m on it! Rainbow DAAAaaaaash…” Scootaloo had begun calling for Rainbow Dash before she even reached the stairwell. Upon getting upstairs, she was amazed at how clean things were compared to when she woke up. Twilight had put away the sleeping bags and the spare bed set, since the floor had been cleared of them. Looking up, Rainbow could be seen climbing off of Twilight's bed, having been woken up earlier by the sounds of Spitfire’s complaints and Rarity’s screams of ‘inspiration’ as she thought of new things to put in the orange Pegasus pony's mane. The blue mare turned to look at the curious eyes smiling filly, returning the small smile with one of her own. “Hey, pipsqueak. Looks like I’m the last one up, huh? Is everyone else downstairs?”

Scootaloo was happy that Rainbow Dash seemed back to her old self, aside from the obvious lack of wings. “Pretty much everyone, yeah. Twilight wanted me to get you before they went over the plans for the... t-the day…” Something outside caught Scootaloo’s eye, as well as her attention. Rainbow Dash took notice, and looked out the window, glaring in fear at what she saw: Due to the sun having clearly risen, giving way for the morning, Rainbow could clearly see that Fluttershy was returning, though it seemed like somepony was with her, using themselves as a crutch for her, or hiding behind her. Helping her return, or forcing her back.

“Rainbow, isn’t that Fluttershy? Who’s that with her?” Scootaloo heard hoofsteps behind her, and turned around to see Rainbow Dash making a quick gallop for the stairs. “Rainbow! Wait!” Scootaloo ran as fast as her filly legs could go in order to catch up with the rainbow-maned pony. By the time the filly reached the lobby, Rainbow had been stopped by the other ponies, but was reaching for the door as Twilight tried talking to her. “Rainbow, you need to hear the plans for today before going out!” Rainbow protested against her friend's request. “But Twilight, you don’t understand! Fluttershy is-”

“*THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP*” The sound of the wooden door being kicked hard in succession with the rear hooves of a pony, echoed in the library. Rainbow Dash took the opportunity brought about by the distracting sound, in order to crash through Rarity and Applejack, but Twilight used her magic to grab Rainbow Dash by the tail, causing the frantic mare to flail helplessly at the door with her hooves scraping on the floor, before Twilight walked in front of her, looking at her curiously. “What’s the big deal, Rainbow? Fluttershy said she’d be back, right?”

Twilight used her magic to open the door, seeing the pink mane and yellow coat she had known all too well. “Welcome back, Flu…tter…shy!?” As Twilight’s generous greeting slowly morphed into a frightened query, she opened the door the rest of the way, now seeing the reason Rainbow Dash was trying to reach the door before the other ponies: Somepony else was with Fluttershy. “A little assistance would be appreciated!” The condescending tone of voice could only belong to one pony they knew, and it was no surprise as to the identity of the visitor once Spitfire and Pinkie Pie took Fluttershy off his hooves.

Twilight spoke so the other ponies could know who the visitor was: “Vanish.” The dark, dark blue coat and short, smoke gray mane was a clear indicator of his presence. He had his double-saddlebags, but his hat was missing, showing his horn for all to see. Normally he would have worn his hat, but something else had caught Twilight’s eye; Vanish’s second horn, the one bestowed upon him by Gather, was missing. Vanish gave a polite bow to the ponies inside the library. “You have my gratitude, for it was no small feat escorting her from her abode to here, I can assure you.”

Angel, Fluttershy’s pet bunny rabbit, had followed her and Vanish all the way back to the library, worried about the timid Pegasus pony. Seeing Vanish give her to the ponies inside, Angel made his move, hopping out from a bush and into the library, hurrying to Fluttershy’s side. “Hmph. I didn’t think I was followed…” Vanish sighed, exhausted. “Oh well, I suppose you have that right, little one.” Twilight was angry, but Rainbow Dash was furious. Twilight could feel that her magic was draining from Rainbow’s attempt at attacking Vanish, and was about to let her go until a soft, pained voice whispered from behind everyone.

“… P-Please… No…” Fluttershy was severely hurt and weak, but far from unconscious as she lay on the lobby table. Twilight had allowed her focus to be averted, releasing Rainbow Dash from her magical hold, to which the mare rushed to the side of her fallen friend, ignoring Vanish momentarily. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, we won’t let him get away this time. Just relax, you’ve been through enough.”

Fluttershy opened her eyes; a severely worried expression surged through the pain in them. “N-No, please! D-Don’t… don’t hurt him… He didn’t do… He… Hnngh…” Fluttershy was clearly in pain, whimpering while she spoke, but seemed to be trying to defend the antagonistic stallion before her friends lunged at him. Rainbow didn’t want to listen, but chose to turn her head, casting her glare towards Vanish with a stare that cut right through the ponies in the lobby. “… You get one chance to tell us how this happened. I’ll choose whether to believe you or not, understand?”

Vanish averted his gaze and smirked. “You’ve changed from the brash, arrogant mare I met at the hospital… and the tailoring store… and even Cloudsdale. Heh…” Rainbow Dash fully turned around, glaring angrily at the stallion who she saw as mocking her as he stopped recalling painful memories for the wild mare, ceasing his teasing. “… Settle down, I’ll talk. May I be permitted entrance into your home, my dear?” He gave a more casual bow, this time directly towards Twilight, who couldn’t understand why Vanish seemed so calm around them. She raised her hoof towards her friends, motioning for them to make room for him. They obliged, and he entered the library.

“I assume that some of you have several questions, but first I have an inquiry of my own.” Vanish had been walking towards Rainbow Dash, but turned so that the right side of his saddlebag faced her, before reaching into it, to pull something out. Rainbow lunged towards him, and used her hoof to stop Vanish from retracting the hoof he placed in his saddlebag. “No! You’ll answer my question, first! Got it!?”

The dark blue unicorn looked at Rainbow after she had stopped him from obtaining the item from his saddlebag. He gave a coy smirk towards her, prompting a look of fury from the light-blue mare. With a sigh of acknowledgement, Vanish finally produced a response to Rainbow's question. “I suppose you have earned the right to know what transpired.” Vanish took his hoof out from his bag, and walked towards Fluttershy, who had been placed on the lobby table to be examined for injuries. The stallion gently stroked his dark blue front hoof through her bright pink mane, seemingly ignoring the other ponies in the room as his smile turned into a frown of sorrow.

Honor-Bound

Closing the door behind them, Twilight turned around, seeing Vanish beginning to speak. “I was woken up by my client not too long ago. I was no longer in the Cloudosseum, but had since been relocated to a different area entirely: a strange forested area next to some plains, with a cottage in the distance. According to my client, he had to move me since I couldn’t stay in the ‘cloud cage’ for very long without the use of consistent magical means.” Twilight rubbed her hoof on her chin. "Strange, it looks like Gather didn’t give back the horn yet. I guess that explains why Fluttershy’s wings don't belong to Vanish... and I guess this also proves what Soarin' told us, more or less; Gather attacked him while using his own magic."

“So you were moved to the forest near Fluttershy’s cottage?” asked Twilight, moving closer to the table where Vanish had positioned himself, as the other ponies also seemed to gather around him. This wasn’t to make sure they heard him, but rather to make sure he couldn’t simply escape whenever he wanted. He looked to the lavender unicorn, and looked down with a scowl while responding. “Your assumption is correct, my dear. My client told me that his ability to levitate objects had to be used on me last night, when an intruder approached the Cloudosseum, and he felt the need to, as he put it, 'disable' their means of flight.”

Rarity had thought that part of the story Soarin’ spoke of sounded strange. “I suppose that explains why you were in the cage at all, after Soarin’ went to fight Gather. I thought it was rather unusual how Soarin’ said that you appeared to be lying on the clouds, despite not being a Pegasus. How was that possible?” Vanish turned in Rarity’s direction. “My client was able to cast a spell on himself when he lacked his horn’s magic, to enable cloud-walking, using the book that I obtained yesterday. I was in that cage to make sure I remained confined to a small area of space; his magic promotes ’complications’ for those who wield it, without control over the side effects of such power.”

“Side effects? You mean, like, consequences?” Twilight knew some magic was risky to use, but spells weren’t like the magic of unicorns. Her question garnered her the attention and response from the dark blue pony. “Quite. As it turns out, the wings still maintain a connection to their ‘pony hosts’. When the pony in control of the magic falls asleep, the wings try to seek the ponies they belong to, regardless of the health and ‘condition’ of their new host.” Vanish frowned as he recalled the details. “I can’t control them when I’m asleep, so I find myself having nightmares, while according to my client, my body tried to escape the cage ‘violently’.” He looked at the other ponies. “If you’re used to the magic, you can control it while asleep. Alas, I needed help, and my client chose to pursue a safe, reliable path of assistance.”

Twilight considered what had happened: “That’s why Gather brought those strange powders to the cell?” Vanish stared into empty space above him. “A powder to harden clouds, making me unable to break though the ‘bars’ I had made, a powder to reduce pain from me crashing into the cloud bars, and most importantly, a powder enabling sleep, so that I may do the tasks I have been hired to complete.” Vanish shook his head. “Please forgive me. I’m afraid I got rather off-topic. My client told me that he would acquire the wings of the pony in the cottage, himself. He flew off, and I followed.”

This didn't make sense to Applejack, who voiced her curiosity. “Why’d y’follow him? If he was gonna do your job for ‘ya, wouldn’t that be easier?” Vanish turned in Applejack’s direction, also taking note of the small fillies behind her who were watching from the side room door, which had been opened ever so slightly. “So long as I can help it, I never use accomplices for my work, my dear. It’s a policy of mine.” Vanish glared angrily at the orange mare, before looking at Fluttershy again, softly. “It’s a very, very important policy of mine. One of several that I work through: Never make friends through work, always be sure that my client can pay the fee, and of course, never allow anyone to be an accomplice to my work. I do my job, I’ve done my job for longer than I can remember, and I abhor ‘assistance’ of any kind.”

The stallion turned to look at Rainbow Dash once more, with a soft, gentle stare, as he continued. “Fluttershy had stepped outside to tend to the feeding needs of other creatures around her home, so I ran forward. When she noticed my client while looking at the sky, she panicked and ran inside her home, locking the door behind her. Such action was well-intended, but foolish. My client made for the door and, finding it locked, flew up and straight into the chimney, catching her by surprise.” Vanish rubbed his hoof through his short mane, knocking some glass shards out of it. “As for me, I made the best use I could out of a closed window and my own momentum.”

Vanish retracted his hoof, after a piece of glass in his mane appeared to be embedded more into it than the other shards. “Ugh… Anyways, the wildlife creatures inside were scampering around in fear, aside from… that one.” Vanish had paused to stare at Angel, who was trying to keep Fluttershy from falling asleep by hopping on her head with determination, almost appearing to be stomping on her, though Vanish continued speaking. “Gather didn’t take long to apprehend her, and would have easily obtained her wings then and there, had I not stopped him.”

Pinkie Pie didn’t understand his logic; Applejack had made much more sense. “But why didn’t you just let him take her wings?” Vanish sighed, not wanting to repeat himself. “I was tasked with the obtainment of the wings of the Pegasi. Fluttershy is my target; mine and mine alone. That condition has not changed.” Angel's ears perked up as he hopped off Fluttershy’s head and onto her prone body, standing on her wing and holding his arms out, as if to defend her wings from Vanish, prompting the brown-eyed stallion to smirk at the sight.

“… Ah ha ha…” Vanish lowered his head towards Angel, intimidating the small bunny rabbit in doing so and causing it to begin sweating in response. Vanish inhaled, and swiftly blew air at Angel, causing the bunny to lose its balance and fall off of both Fluttershy and the table. Vanish spoke up loudly enough for the ponies to hear him. “Not to worry, little one. I can’t take the wings now, even if I so desired, for I lack the ‘power’ to do so.” He raised his head, and turned to the others. “I told my client that I’d take the wings at Canterlot. I convinced him that it would be in his best interest to allow me to do so, my way.” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs in front of her, standing on her hind legs as a means of intimidation. “How?”

Vanish smirked. “If she had her wings taken right then and there, the stress might incapacitate her, especially given how I could see from the state of the room that my client had thrown her around her cottage, much in the manner of a rag doll.” Vanish turned back around to Fluttershy’s direction as his smile faded. “… Poor dear, she never stood a chance against him. I told him to get my payment and head to Canterlot. He reluctantly agreed to do so, telling me to do ‘as I see fit’ with her. He left through the window I had come in through, and I brought her here shortly after.”

The ponies were speechless, but not due to shock. They couldn’t tell what Vanish was really thinking, even after he had finished speaking. “Is he even telling the truth? Did he really save Fluttershy solely out of ‘duty’? Or is there something else? Something he isn’t telling us?” Fluttershy spoke up from behind Vanish, keeping herself prone on the table. “… T-Thank you for… feeding them…” Vanish turned around. “Well, you had been greatly injured, my dear! It was the least I could do, given how you were quite rudely interrupted in your own duties, by my client.” Vanish saw the confused looks on the faces of the other ponies in the room, gasping in realization before speaking. “Ah, yes. I failed to mention that, didn’t I? After my client left, Fluttershy refused to allow me to escort her elsewhere until those who resided in her cottage had been fed, so I did so while she lay upon the floor, instructing me on what to do from her ground-bound state. A job’s a job, after all.”

Vanish looked at Fluttershy, and tapped her gently on her shoulder, prompting her to open her eyes and look into his, as he continued to speak to the ponies in the room. “… I never turn down ‘potential clients’.”

Steamed

Despite the soft look in his eyes and the dulcet tone of voice he used, the words he said did not go unnoticed by anypony in the lobby. Fluttershy herself tried moving, but was simply in too much pain to move much on her own. All she could do was stammer weakly as her eyes showed several emotions: fatigue, pain, and now, fear. “P… Potential… C-Cli…”

“Fluttershy would NEVER ask for the help of somepony as shady as you!” Rainbow Dash didn’t like how her friend was legitimately terrified at the idea of Vanish seeing her as little more than a business opportunity and a ‘mission objective’. Fluttershy was one of Rainbow Dash’s best friends, given how both of them were Pegasi, even if they had very different personalities and lifestyles. Vanish answered the irate mare’s glare with one of his own as he saw her take steps towards him. Assuming that she would charge into him, he lowered his head and braced himself with his hooves on the floor.

Rainbow tried to push the unicorn stallion away from where he was, head-to-head, but he remained firm with his defensive stance. “She is exactly the kind of individual who hires somepony like me!” As fear seemed to sink further into Fluttershy, Rainbow became more aggressive, trying to push the stallion away from her friend, which wasn’t easy given the presence of Vanish’s horn blocking her ability to shove him properly. “… Her personality is that of one who is helpless and weak. She lacks confidence in herself, but knows what she wants.” Vanish saw Rainbow’s stance falter, and launched her with a mighty shove by using the table for leverage, sending her careening into some of her friends, who caught her before she could crash into the bookshelves.

Vanish stood still for a moment, before continuing his reasoning. “… But she has several friends.” Vanish frowned at Fluttershy, who seemed confused by the sudden change in the stallion's tone of voice and expression: from commanding and fierce, to seemingly disappointed in how it sounded. “She has ponies who she can rely on, should problems arise, and I suppose…” Vanish turned his attention to the group of ponies who had gathered around Rainbow Dash. “… Most of you are quite reliable friends, regardless of how I feel about certain ones... on a strictly personal level, of course.”

Surprising everyone in the room, Vanish turned his attention once again, towards an unexpected source. “You. Dragon. Must I address you directly before you commit to obvious, essential tasks!? Get some medical supplies, and make haste in doing so; Fluttershy won’t be able to make the trip to Canterlot without some form of either magical support or medicinal aid!” Spike had been off to the side, trying to follow what Vanish was saying in case he could salvage anything for a letter to the princess, but his mind froze once the menace said ‘Dragon’. Twilight saw Spike’s paralyzed expression and walked over to him, standing between him and Vanish’s line of sight. “Spike, please get some medical supplies from upstairs. We’ll watch Vanish and Fluttershy.”

Spike snapped out of his trance, and nodded in affirmation, running upstairs swiftly in order to grab medical supplies. The other ponies took their eyes off of Vanish, but heard the sound of magic being used, prompting them to turn back around in fear of him having cloaked himself. To their surprise, the dark blue stallion had used his unicorn magic of levitation for the first time since they saw him, in order to grab one of the two scrolls that Spike had left on the table, choosing to read it. It was the letter from the princess for Spitfire and Soarin’. Vanish looked at it briefly, before smirking at something. Placing it down, he looked at the second scroll, as well as at a large, white drawing board in the room, with a curious look in his eyes.

Twilight was about to say something, but Vanish’s sudden, cold stare caught her with her mouth open. “If you want to help your dear Princess Celestia…” He used his magic to close the scroll before tossing it down to Twilight’s hooves. “… Tell her to seek the aid of the ‘Prisoner Transfer Squad’ in Baltimare.” Vanish reached into his saddlebag with his hoof. “But I answered your questions. So without further ado, I’ve got something to get off my chest, and out of my bag.”

Vanish’s gaze shifted towards Rarity, going from cold and calculating to furious with anger as he struggled to pull out the unknown item from his saddlebag. “You! You worthless excuse of a mare! How dare you earn my trust…” Vanish finally pulled out the object; It was his fedora. “… Only to produce a shoddy attempt at repairs! Oh, it’s good, but are you prone to allowing rats to sneak into your custom-made gowns!?” Vanish’s question what rhetorical, but the clear fury in his voice prompted some of the ponies to back away from Rarity, while others moved closer in a failed attempt to intercept the stallion. “You don’t? Then how, might I ask, did you allow baubles to… pollute the interior of this fedora!?”

Rarity knew exactly what Vanish was mad about: He found out about the jewels she had placed in the fedora in order to track him down. Vanish pushed Rarity with his head, backing her into the door of the library, causing her flank to be forcibly pressed against it before the stallion stopped to calm himself. “If you thought I wouldn’t notice, it’s true; my client was generous enough to point it out to me. Back in the Cloudosseum, he stated that it was dropped through my impacts with the cage, and so he grabbed it, choosing to wear it while I was unconscious. Without his horn, he easily felt something between its layers.”

Rarity was a bit surprised: Vanish might have never noticed the jewels, if not for Gather using his hat for a moment. “Well!? Have you nothing to say for yourself, seamstress?” The white unicorn mare was being given a chance to explain herself. She had a choice: Tell the truth, or lie. Regardless of the nature of the element she proudly represented, she did what she did for her friends, and felt no need to lie on their behalf, let alone her own as she proceeded to justify her actions. “Would you be so kind as to allow me to explain myself?” Vanish cast his furious stare to the floor behind him, pacing, seemingly beside himself with rage. “Speak!”

Rarity believed that the shortest answer would be the best one to provide. “I did it because I wanted to help my friends.” Vanish stopped his pacing, facing Fluttershy, before perking his ears up, and lowering his head, his body trembling as he struggled to contain his fury. His shuddering voice sounded surprised, but absolutely enraged. “You mean… Y-You did this on PURPOSE!?” His shout startled everypony in the room, but Rarity remained calm, with a regal look about her. “Yes. I planted some jewels in the inner… I suppose you might call it a ‘pocket’ of sorts, of your fedora. I had my reasons.”

Vanish turned around, teeth gritted in anger, but trying not to look directly at the target of his aggression as he struggled desperately to control his emotions instead. “… Why? Why did you do this…?” Rarity motioned for her friends to back away from her. She was preparing for the worst, and did not want them to get hurt because of her words. “My own magic allows me to locate gemstones, whether they’re in the ground, in walls, or even above me. I placed some in your hat while under the impression that you would wear it, so I could find you.”

Vanish’s voice was calm, but he spoke in a low tone to make sure he could still subdue his anger while keeping himself aimed directly at the pony in front of him. “I see… and why did you want to find me?” Rarity stepped towards the shuddering stallion, explaining her actions. “I detest fighting, but I’ll do what I can to help my friends, and if ‘being able to track you down’ is how I can help, then I’ll do just that, for their sake.” Rarity stopped, standing precariously close to the dark blue pony. “I apologize for tricking you when you trusted me to repair your fedora of the damages it had withstood at the hospital, but if you want me to apologize for using it to find you, I won’t; it was because of my actions that we were able to quickly locate you and encounter your client. I’m glad I could help my friends, and furthermore, feel neither shame nor regret in the actions I chose to undertake as an individual.”

Vanish stopped shuddering, but still wouldn’t look at Rarity. The hat was on the floor in front of him, and with a slight nudge with his hoof, he slid it in front of the majestic mare. “… You have one hour to take the gems out. That’s all I’m giving you. Is that understood?” Rarity paused for a moment before using her magic to grab the fedora that lay before her. “… Girls, I’ll be back in a moment. I need to return to my boutique in order to acquire the necessary tools to cut and seal his hat. Everyone stay here; I’ll be back soon…” Raising nothing but his voice in order to do so, Vanish quickly protested. “NO. I will escort you back. All things considered, I’m not letting a demon like you out of my sight.”

Sweetie Belle couldn’t stand hearing her sister being insulted any further. With a mighty whack, the side room door collided with the wall, startling everypony in the room with the exception of Vanish, who seemed to be too focused on Rarity to even acknowledge the sharp crack that caused the other ponies to flinch. Sweetie Belle ran out, furious at the pony who had accosted her sister. “You leave her alone, you big bully!”

Nothing But Business

As far as Vanish was concerned, Sweetie Belle’s words fell on deaf ears. Even with her voice cracking as the result of her emotions getting the better of her, she continued shouting at him. “Who do you think you are!? You attacked Rainbow Dash, and my friend Scootaloo! Then you have the nerve to call my sister a DEMON!? How dare you!” Pinkie Pie and Soarin’ stepped in front of Sweetie Belle, unsure of what Vanish’s reaction would be to such words, should she fall within his proximity.

“You stole Derpy’s wings, as well as Rainbow’s wings, and didn’t even apologize! Why should my sister do anything for you, when all you’ve done is take things from other ponies and insult her? Why should anyone care about your stupid hat!? Why should we help you after you’ve done so many terrible things!?” Vanish was looking straight ahead, towards Rarity, but his peripheral vision allowed him to see the looks of panic on the faces of the other ponies in the room, painting clear opinions for him of their collective mindsets; Vanish might not have had Gather's horn with him, but he was clearly not the type of pony to anger, let alone insult. Sweetie Belle was treading on thin ice with him.

“……… Hmph.” Vanish used his magic to cloak himself, causing the other ponies in the room to back themselves up to the bookcases, walls, and doors surrounding the lobby, aside from Sweetie Belle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Soarin’. Once Pinkie Pie and Soarin’ turned to see that Vanish had disappeared, he quickly reappeared on the floor in front of their forelegs and opposite the unicorn filly, lying down, with only a small amount of space between the almost whimsical stare he displayed, and Sweetie Belle, who was surprised at how Vanish suddenly appeared almost right in front of her, though she was nowhere near surprised enough to make her forget the anger she had towards him.

Vanish began to speak to the wide-eyed unicorn, looking directly at her. “Filly, I think you need to be shown where you stand.” The sudden threat didn’t scare Sweetie Belle, but Vanish wasn’t intending on following up, regardless; Pinkie Pie and Soarin’ had their hooves between him and the young filly, as if the filly and stallion were on opposing sides of a large gate. “… But aside from that, it’s something called ‘responsibilities’. I don’t know if you’d understand such things, but let me explain it to you.” Rarity watched Vanish closely, expecting him to attack her little sister at any moment. “As a hard working tailor and fashion designer, your sister has certain tasks she is expected to perform to the best of her abilities. I am no different than her in that regard; it is called ‘job expectations’.”

Sweetie Belle slowly sat down, as she listened to what the stallion had to say with a frown on her face. “With that in mind, my own client has asked me to use his magic to obtain the wings of several Pegasi. If you want to be mad with anypony, go find them. As for me, it’s just a job.” Vanish crossed his forelegs, looking dignified. “I am trusted to do my job regardless of what it may entail. Your sister is the same, correct?” Sweetie Belle disliked how this stallion was leading her into the replies he was looking for, but gave a reluctant nod in response to his question as he resumed. “She understands it, too; how she should do exactly what a client requests when they ask her to do something.”

Rarity stepped forward, having walked next to where Vanish materialized and motioning for Pinkie Pie and Soarin’ to step aside, which they did with hesitance. “Sweetie Belle, dear, it’s true that this stallion is being rather rude, but I assure you that I can handle myself. His anger is not without reason. Even if it is rather excessive for a hat, maybe the hat is really important to him! You know, like how you're important to me!”

Sweetie Belle saw Rarity raise her hoof, and the filly tentatively walked into a hug from her sister. Rarity continued. “I appreciate how you care about me, I really do, but you need to understand that his hat, while not important to us, is important to him, oka-” “It’s not mine.” Vanish interrupted Rarity rather suddenly. So suddenly, that some of the ponies in the room barely heard what he had said, allowing an awkward silence to develop in the room before he repeated himself. “The hat I wear? It’s not mine. I just wanted to correct you, but please accept my apologies for the rather bold interruption.”

Rarity was confused by this sudden statement. “But… at the hospital, a-and at my sto-” Vanish cut in again. “Look, the fedora may have immeasurable sentimental value, but it isn’t mine. I wear it not as a fashion statement, but to serve as a reminder of sorts. Ergo, I need it to stay like it was, the way that it was on the day I obtained it. I felt that you were getting the wrong idea with regards to why I have it, hence my interruption, but for the record, it’s not my hat… though such things as ‘ownership’ hardly matter at times like this.” Vanish stood up and turned to Sweetie Belle. “Listen, little one: My opinion of your sister was bad as soon as I saw her horn. It was made worse with what she did to the fedora. I could always just take it to Canterlot, but I’m giving her a chance to fix what she did. Anyone should deserve that much, at least: A chance to make amends for their transgressions.”

Rarity's fellow unicorn friend stepped forward, having remained silent for a while. “Her horn?” Twilight couldn’t help but single that part out as she recalled how the stallion had reacted in the past. “Vanish, do you have something against Unicorns and Pegasi, personally?” The stallion closed his eyes, deeply considering his response to the question he had just been asked. “I don’t expect somepony like you to understand: One who is ‘entitled’. Regardless, not all things are explained with simple answers, so I ask that you grant me the opportunity to compose a proper response.” Vanish walked towards the exit, stepping off to the side. “Well? Are you going to loiter about in this lobby all day, seamstress?”

Rarity didn’t know what to say in response. Vanish’s hat wasn’t even his own; it belonged to someone else. On top of that, he had been judging Rarity, not because of her skill or personality or even the element she represented, but it seemed to be because of her very existence as a unicorn. As she pondered these new revelations, she calmly carried the hat in front of her with her magic as she made her way to the exit, with Sweetie Belle refusing to leave her sister's side. The other ponies prepared to follow, but Twilight stopped them. “Spike? I heard you come down the stairs earlier. I want you to add a message in the scroll I gave you previously.”

As the baby dragon looked out from the stairwell, Twilight stated her request. “Ask the princess to get in touch with the Baltimare Police Force. Ask her to specifically tell them that Gather will be in Canterlot, and to send members of the ‘Prisoner Transfer Squad’." Twilight turned to the other ponies in the room. "As for the rest of you, I need you to stay with Fluttershy and make sure she takes this time to recover. Also, don’t forget to keep an eye on Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.”

Twilight walked out of her library, taking a moment to watch how far ahead the other ponies had gotten before speaking. “Spitfire, let’s head to Carousel Boutique.” Twilight turned around again to address the others in the library, as Spitfire gave a salute and trotted outside. “Everyone else, meet us at the train station once Fluttershy has had time to recover, and when I say ‘everyone’, that includes you, Spike. We’ll be making our way to Canterlot shortly.”

A Pony in a Glass House

Twilight ran with Spitfire, but only for a short length of the path to Carousel Boutique, just to catch up with the others who were ahead of her. Seeing as how it was now the middle of the morning, seeing Vanish, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle in the distance was a fairly simple task without the darkness of night or reduced light of early dawn. Twilight couldn’t use magic to increase the speed of her gallop, and seeing Spitfire choosing not to use her wings, felt like the Pegasus pony understood that running ahead and leaving the purple unicorn behind would be in poor taste. As they closed in, Twilight began to notice a few peculiar things around Ponyville.

First, it was much more populated than usual, and Twilight had felt like she had seen several ponies before but couldn’t quite remember them as vividly as she usually could. Secondly, the ponies in question seemed to be in groups, and discussing something with one another. From the direction of their stares and occasional pointing of their hooves, it was easy to figure out that they were talking about Sweetie Belle, Rarity, or Vanish. It was then, that she connected the two events together. It was obvious; they were Cloudsdale Pegasi. Without wings, they chose to head to Ponyville to see their friends for various reasons. Some ponies just wanted a friend to talk to while others sought shelter, feeling unsafe at the city in the clouds without the ability to fly. Many had been reliant on their wings, and Twilight began to wonder if Spitfire was the same. “Hmm, I wonder: Aside from her job, does Spitfire use her wings for daily tasks?”

The question stirred in Twilight’s head, but the gazes of the Cloudsdale ponies shifted so quickly that Twilight almost froze on sight. They noticed Vanish, and saw Spitfire closing in from behind him, wings and all. Several conclusions could be made, but none of them could possibly be correct, as Twilight considered what they must have all been thinking. “How could any of these ponies guess that we're just keeping an eye on Vanish? We're not planning on attacking him…” It was even worse for Twilight, as most ponies had heard of her throughout the last two years. They knew of her ‘talent’, they knew her power, and she was certain that they were expecting the most out of her. She started sweating, feeling the uncomfortable nature of ‘pressure’ being placed on her all too quickly as her legs began to quiver under her.

“… Just keep going.” Spitfire could tell that Twilight was nervous, and despite how she seemed, Spitfire was a performer; a daredevil to be precise. She could handle the pressure, and could tell that Twilight had it in her to handle the eyes and expectations of the Ponyville citizens as well. Spitfire knew all too well that if someone lets their nerves get the better of them, they tense up and can’t think straight. As a result, she worked hard to make sure that such fear never took hold of anypony in a performance. This was different from guiding a rookie through a routine, however, and Twilight felt a tremendous amount of weight being thrown onto her as she spoke to the Pegasus pony. “S-Spitfire… I'm no performer… I-I don't think I…”

“We’ve almost caught up to them. Look!” Twilight looked ahead and breathed a massive sigh of relief. Sure enough, Spitfire was right; Vanish, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle had stopped for a moment, and appeared to be discussing something. Twilight and Spitfire sprinted towards the others, who were waiting for the two to catch up. The brown-eyed stallion had a frown of impatience on his face. “Took you long enough, unicorn, now hurry up.” Vanish stepped behind Rarity, using his head to push her flank forward in an attempt to force her to speed up, being careful not to harm his horn with the steady use of force. This came as a sudden, unexpected surprise to her, and for her younger sister to be seeing. Twilight had never seen the normally prim and proper unicorn stallion act this way before, but trotted next to Rarity. “Rarity, do you have any thoughts about Vanish’s behavior?”

The white-coated pony was being shoved tenaciously, but still replied in a serious, stern manner. “I-I don’t think he wants to be out here; around the ponies whose wings he stole. But at the same time he knows he can’t just cloak himself. He knows the truth.” She looked directly at Twilight. “Eventually, given his lifestyle and choices, he’ll have to face them: ponies he has victimized, ponies he has stolen from…” As her hooves struggled to find the ground beneath her feet in order to resist falling down, as well as her focus being placed on responding to Twilight, Vanish spoke again. “If you want to talk about me, I implore you to wait until you’ve entered that store again, and preferably you’ll have the nerve to speak to me directly rather than around me. Typical self-entitled-! WHA-!?”

Rarity sat down quickly, causing Vanish to lose his balance and have his statement interrupted. Upon breaking his fall with his front hooves, he stood up and turned around, casting a vicious glare towards the angry eyes of Rarity, who spoke harshly. “I don’t have to do this for you, you know! If you happen to have a problem you can’t get over and it involves me, we can discuss it elsewhere. But as for Twilight, she is my friend, and Sweetie Belle is my sister…” As Rarity continued to speak, Vanish's eyes shifted around the plaza. They were close to the boutique, but there were still several ponies around, much like when Pinkie Pie had went around to tell ponies of the interaction between Rarity and Vanish that occurred outside Carousel Boutique just yesterday.

Rarity impatiently shouted at Vanish, expecting a response to the words she had been speaking. “… Well!?” The stallion hadn’t been listening. He was sweating profusely, and the last thing on his mind right now was the act of responding to the purple-maned, white unicorn in front of him. Vanish had his own trials; trials he didn’t have the strength to overcome by himself, nor did he care to take the time to attempt to overcome them. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem, but without his fedora for him to duck over his eyes in order to shield his vision from those of the ponies around the plaza, he couldn’t handle the pressure he was feeling. Sensing something wrong, Twilight Sparkle tried to step between the two ponies, but it was too late. Vanish lunged at Rarity’s back, launching himself off of the ground next to her tail with a shout of panic, grabbing the hat from out of the air in front of her before cloaking himself.

They couldn’t see him, but the ponies in the plaza were surprised at the scene they had just witnessed only seconds ago. Rarity in particular was left stunned from the sound of fear she had heard come from the stallion, but wasn’t quite shocked enough to forget what she needed to do. Using her horn, she alone easily saw through Vanish’s magically-induced cloak, as the gemstones in the fedora could be sensed as heading straight to Carousel Boutique. It was still a mess in the doorway, with the door itself being completely blown off its hinges and lying on the ground next to the store. Suddenly, a new sound got Rarity's attention: Laughter. It wasn’t coming from around the plaza, it was coming from somewhere else, somewhere close.

“Rarity, is that cloud… laughing?” Sweetie Belle pointed in confusion, singling out a lone, medium-sized storm cloud that was hovering over them. The Pegasi had been disposed of, yet there was one storm cloud seemingly concealing the presence of somepony. The Mares knew the answer, well before the pony showed his face to them. “Ah ha ha ha... Well, well, well. Trying to intimidate Vanish won’t get you nothin’. Believe me, I tried! Ha ha ha ha ha!” Gather peeked over the edge of the cloud, sporting a coat that looked familiar to the ponies heading for the boutique, yet only Spitfire seemed to react with hostility at the sight of it. Gather hovered over the plaza on his cloud, having seen Vanish’s moment of panic.

Spitfire made her proclamation. “Give the ponies their wings back, Gather! You’ll never reach Princess Celestia!” The Pegasus pony was furious. This was the same pony who took the wings of her long-time friend, and he didn’t care who he insulted. “Hah! You have no idea what I've got in store for Canterlot, but at this point, my plan’s in the middle of its completion. You wanna take a shot at me, ‘Winged Wonder’? Go right ahead. Maybe you'll fare a second or two longer than the Wingless Wonderbolt, but I doubt it!” Spitfire was in a rage, and tried to charge at Gather before Twilight used her magic to grab Spitfire’s tail, stopping her assault. “No, Spitfire! If you get your wings taken now, then who’s going to be able to lead the Wonderbolts in their defense of Canterlot?”

The laughter from the turquoise pony on the cloud became maniacal at the sound of the question Twilight had asked the orange, winged mare. “AHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Y-You really think that you have a fraction of a chance at stopping me!? Oh, Oh ho ho… You’re wrong. You’re so, so wrong.” Gather kept himself out of range of Twilight and Rarity’s magic, but was hoping Spitfire would attempt to strike him. Much to his disappointment, Twilight’s magic was too powerful for Spitfire to break away from with wingpower and willpower alone. “I’ve got places to go, and things to do. Catch ‘ya later when you’ve lost that ‘ball & chain’ holding you back… Oh, and Vanish? I know you’re down there.”

Vanish uncloaked himself at the entrance to Carousel Boutique, staring at the ice-blue eyes of the pony on the cloud. “About your payment: It’ll be at Canterlot. Once you're there, we’ll go over the final parts of our contract, and remember: It only applies, as long as you get the wings yourself! I’m not gonna pay if you don’t ‘pony up’.” The hysterical laughter of the artificial alicorn echoed through the plaza even after the cloud had suddenly taken off in the direction of the kingdom of Princess Celestia, leaving a familiar trail of lightning clouds in its wake. Gather truly wanted to get under Spitfire’s skin, and it was working, as Twilight clued in about whose wings he was using: He was using the wings of Soarin' to carry the cloud to Canterlot.

Limits

Spitfire was still trying to go after Gather, prompting Twilight to attempt to drag the energetic Wonderbolt captain through the air with her magic all the way to the boutique. Rarity couldn’t help much as her attention was diverted to Vanish, who had since left the destroyed entrance of her store and simply looked at the lightning cloud path being made by his client’s flight to Canterlot. The stallion remained staring at it as he walked towards the ponies, but then shouted to one of the mares. “Let her go!”

Twilight turned her attention to Vanish, but didn’t stop holding Spitfire in place, prompting the dark blue pony to explain himself. “If she tries to fight him, she will fail. With her wings taken, the Wonderbolts will no longer pose a threat; not to me, and not to my client.” Vanish wasn’t messing around with his statement. The way he worded it caused Spitfire to turn her attention to him, surprised at how clear-cut it seemed, but he wasn't done with his words. “Should she feel the need to warn Canterlot, she can do so from Ponyville.” Vanish looked at Spitfire with an expression of expectance being delivered to the Pegasus pony. “You know you can.”

Twilight let Spitfire go, and for a while, Spitfire simply hovered in the air, confused about what the smoke gray-maned pony had meant. Upon realizing the meaning of his message, she promptly shot into the air. As her own lightning cloud streamed in the sky, anypony could see that she wasn’t moving in a direct path, yet seemed to be making precise movements. Twilight saw her fly in an erratic manner, and became puzzled about what Spitfire had in mind with such actions.

However, moving in order to get a better view, she saw that it wasn’t the path Spitfire was making, but what the path looked like; the jagged pattern made the space within the lightning clouds resemble a lightning bolt. Spitfire wasn’t just flying, but instead forming a massive symbol that those in Canterlot could see. Within a minute from Spitfire landing again, Twilight had her confirmation that Princess Celestia had received the message, as a familiar barrier that her brother had formed around Canterlot on his wedding day had materialized once more. For now, Canterlot appeared to be safe from a direct attack.

The mercenary's voice rose up from the direction of the boutique. “… Fifteen minutes.” Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Twilight had all stared at the beautiful display that Spitfire had performed, forgetting about Vanish’s presence and, more importantly to him, his request. Rarity trotted into the boutique, carefully nudging debris out of her way while making her way in; her hooves made her safe from stepping on the glass, but if somepony tripped, they would find themselves in significant pain. Sweetie Belle and Vanish followed close behind her, but Twilight turned around so that she could accompany the exhausted Spitfire into Carousel Boutique, making sure that she wouldn't collapse on the glass. By the time she got inside, Rarity had already begun searching for something to cut the hat with. Noticing that all her materials for making precise cuts were located in her inspiration room, she ran up the Boutique stairwell with Vanish carefully watching her, and Sweetie Belle carefully watching the observant, untrusting stallion.

Spitfire felt the need to explain the symbol to Twilight, while they were alone, and while she was catching her breath. “… P-Princess… Celestia’s letter said… that if there was a problem… t-to form th… the symbol of... of th....” Twilight raised her hoof in understanding. “It’s alright, Spitfire. You did a great job, and I’m sure that the other Wonderbolts are also proud of you for doing that, as would everypony else in Canterlot be just as grateful!” She gave Spitfire a pat on the back, nearly toppling her over.

Twilight leaned down, terrified that she might have hurt the Pegasus pony. “Oh my gosh! Spitfire!?” Spitfire had collapsed on the curtain that had been torn down by Rainbow Dash just one day ago, catching her breath slightly as she laid upon the comfortable fabric. “I’m just a little tired… I was supposed to form that symbol with S-Soarin’, to reduce the strain on my body… I think I’ll just lie down here for a moment.” Spitfire was unusually exhausted, but it wasn’t a surprise to Twilight: She felt Spitfire trying to break free of her magic for a while, when Gather had taken the time to taunt her. Such an act that would have placed Rainbow Dash into a state of exhaustion, let alone having to do something else immediately after that; something involving the making of precise dashes in the air as quickly as possible. Twilight saw Spitfire curl up on the curtain, choosing to leave her there so that she could rest.

As she waited for Rarity, Twilight decided that she could be of use: She used her magic to pick up all the glass shards, noticing a few things in the process, such as how there seemed to be a couple of small backpacks discarded off to the side of the broken entrance, as well as a broom, indicating that an attempt at cleaning up was already made. Lastly, she saw that the glass also had a clear, linear path going through it already, like something pushed it aside, or went straight through it. As she moved the debris into the room, piling it near a rack of clothes as neatly as she was capable of piling them, she heard several ponies talking in the stairwell of Carousel Boutique.

“Now really, I don’t see how your efforts to remind me of the time would make me do this any faster.” “Well, it couldn’t cause you to possibly go any slower than the pace you have allowed yourself to be moving since we left the library…” “Don’t make fun of my sister, you jerk!” Twilight could pick out the voices easily, but even if they some sort of Pony-Cerberus hybrid that sounded similar with all three heads, their words gave away who they were all the same. Rarity came back downstairs, having made an incision in the outer and inner fabric of the hat, with Vanish still following her, looking especially mad, though not as mad as Sweetie Belle appeared to be.

Rarity brought the fedora to the same desk she used last time to repair it, trying to take out the gemstones one by one, which wasn’t easy given how dark it was inside the fedora, and how its movements had shifted the locations of the gems. Twilight had something on her mind, though. “Vanish? Can I ask you somethi-” “I’m sorry, my dear, it will have to wait until after thi-” “Please!” Vanish looked over at Twilight, whose eyes seemed to be pleading for acknowledgement. He looked at Rarity, who motioned for him to step back so she could work, through the act of waving her hoof dismissively in his general direction. He did as she motioned, leaving Rarity with the fedora and Sweetie Belle with her sister as he stepped towards Twilight Sparkle.

“… Yes, how can I help you?” The dark, dark blue stallion was still distracted as he looked back at the fedora Rarity was working on, not wanting to allow the seamstress even the slightest moment unattended. Twilight kicked his foreleg with her own front hoof, prompting a temporary look of shock, followed by an audible acknowledgement of the pain she inflicted on him, though the purple unicorn demanded his attention. “Vanish! Look at me when I talk to you!” Vanish saw the look of pleading hadn’t left Twilight’s eyes, but it had been accompanied with shades of annoyance at his attitude. Rubbing his leg with his other hoof, he sat down and stared directly at Twilight. “I apologize for my ignorance, my dear. Please, how may I offer my assistance?”

She wasted no time in asking her question. “Why did you call me ‘entitled’ back at my library? Even when we were walking through the plaza, you used that word. I mean, you’re a unicorn as well, so aren’t you being a bit hypocritical?” Vanish stopped rubbing his leg since the question presented to him actually distracted him from the pain he was feeling prior to that moment. He closed his eyes to contemplate his response, resulting in yet another kick from Twilight, to the exact same spot. “Look at me when you answer!”

Vanish was a bit surprised at the rather hostile temper that Twilight was exhibiting, once again rubbing his leg, which was now growing a welt under the dark blue coat that covered it. Twilight shook her head. “I-I’m sorry, but please, Vanish, don’t try to answer questions with other questions. Just answer from the heart.” Vanish chuckled, but didn’t break eye contact with Twilight. “You’re naïve, you know that?” He sighed. “It’s not that simple… But I’ll play your game. After all, I said it before: I don’t expect you to understand.”

The Cleansing of Misconceptions

As Rarity extracted the gems she had placed in Vanish’s hat, Sweetie Belle watched in awe of her sister at work. During this time, Spitfire remained napping, curled up on an unfixed curtain rather comfortably; Rarity paid no expense in buying the best quality materials she could, even if it was just for a curtain that covered up a section of her shop that was used to display her various works. As for Vanish, his attention was strictly divided very slightly to his pained leg, but mostly to the glare of curiosity and frustration emanating from Twilight Sparkle, as she awaited an official response to her question.

“I don’t use my magic for anything other than my own abilities of stealth, and the occasional usage to make my life slightly easier, like grabbing a scroll for instance. For the record, I only used my magic because I didn’t want to disturb Fluttershy, seeing as how she had been through enough turmoil when my client attacked her earlier.” Vanish kept his eyes fixed on Twilight, letting her know that he wouldn’t divert his attention from her until he was truly finished speaking, as she had requested of him. “I’m not like the other unicorn, and especially not like you. I didn’t get to where I am because of entitlement due to some form of ‘blessing’ by royalty.”

Rarity looked up from her work, having extracted the last of the gems and in the midst of a compulsory check in order to confirm that she had not missed any, as she also used a small suction device in order to clean out the gem shavings that had littered the inside of the hat. “I’ll have you know that I earned my store and profits through hard work and dedication, thank you very much! Humph!” Sticking her nose up at Vanish, she noticed Sweetie Belle copying her, as a means of trying to be like her older sister.

Vanish didn’t turn around. “I cannot deny those words. However, your magic alone is what got you where you are. You earned your fortune and your livelihood through your magic.” Twilight cut in. “But you're the same!” Vanish’s eyes became stern. “I know that, and it is without question that I despise how similar I am to you mares, but I make an attempt to not use my horn consistently. Even ‘on the job’, I could easily obtain things with minimal hoofwork, but choose to utilize everything so as to allow none of my senses to become diluted through lack of use. I’ve been to a lot of places and seen a lot of things, but the solitary creed I follow is to respect the value and effort that comes with hard work and dedication.”

Vanish looked down his nose at Twilight, still frowning. “I’ll pay for my crimes; I don’t deny this. Several ponies have been victims of mine, but there have only been two instances where they knew I was behind things.” Vanish gave a coy smile towards Twilight. “The Pegasi of Cloudsdale, and in turn, the ponies of Ponyville, are the second to know of me.” Rarity had a theory, and she wanted to run with it. “Erm… Was this hat related to the first, by any chance?” Vanish finally broke eye contact with Twilight, turning to glare at Rarity, who nearly poked her hoof with the needle she was using to sew up the fedora, startled by the sudden, swift glare he had made towards her. “That, my dear, is none of your business.”

Twilight decided to temporarily shift the focus of her questions. “Rarity, if you don’t mind me asking, there’s something that’s been on my mind since I started gathering glass shards from outside your store.” Rarity turned her attention to Twilight, as she was going over a final compulsory check of her work. "Oh! Why, I'm sorry, Twilight, I never even noticed that the glass had been picked up! Do forgive me for my ignorance, and thank you for moving them before someone could get hurt." Bowing with respect, Rarity expressed her sincere gratitude as Twilight blushed slightly, not believing that she had done anything of major importance. “Y-You're welcome Rarity, but as I was saying, why are there some backpacks and a broom off to the side? I don’t recall them being there yesterday.”

Sweetie Belle knew it was rude to interrupt, but Rarity could see that her sister wanted to answer the question, so Rarity nodded her head, giving an approving smile in the process which prompted Sweetie Belle to speak in a cheerful manner. “Well, after I left, I spoke to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo at Sugarcube Corner, and we ran straight back here with their schoolbags! I mean, my sis told me that she had an idea for getting our cutie marks, and if it’s my sister’s idea, it has to be good! In fact, we saw you run past us when we opened the door to Sugarcube Corner, but Scootaloo pointed out that my sis wasn’t with you.”

Twilight had a feeling that she knew where this was going, but let Sweetie Belle have her moment, regardless. “When we came back, we saw my sis cleaning up this biiiiig mess, and me and the other Crusaders just walked in through a path she made!” Sweetie Belle was trying to think of what happened next, but seeing the backpacks jogged her memory. “Oh! Apple Bloom asked where her sister was running off to in such a hurry, and as soon as Scootaloo heard that Rainbow Dash was in trouble, she jumped on her scooter and took off!”

Twilight seemed stunned at first, and the look of nervousness on Rarity’s face clearly showcased her own embarrassment, having taken the time that Sweetie Belle took to finish talking, in order for to finish repairing the fedora. “N-Now Twilight, I didn’t mention Rainbow Dash intentionally! I had said that you girls just went to check on Rainbow Dash and, well, Scootaloo started asking me question after question about what I meant by that!” Sweetie Belle mumbled to herself, but her squeaky voice made it easy to hear her. “Well she never would’ve run off if you didn’t answer ‘maybe’ when she asked if Rainbow Dash was in trouble.”

“Sweetie Belle, watch your tone! I wasn’t going to lie to you or your friends about me or my own friends; I just didn’t expect you all to run off so quickly! Why, I didn’t even have time to clean up the rest of the store!” A mutter could be heard nearby. “… ry.” The unicorn ponies turned their attention to the mumbling caused by the stallion who had moved from being next to Twilight, to sitting near Spitfire, making sure the curtain barely covered her up, given how Spitfire kept pulling it back over herself, despite her body still having a flight suit covering it. Vanish noticed that the ponies in the boutique were looking at him, so he repeated himself. “… About the mess. I said ‘I’m sorry’, and for deceiving you all yesterday. I just wanted to be sure what kind of mares you were.”

Nopony expected to hear Vanish apologize, but he seemed to be thinking things over with a look of anxiety. He had been wrong quite often as of late, and it seemed to be weighing deeply on his conscience. Twilight recalled a ‘job policy’ that Vanish had mentioned previously: ‘Never to make friends on the job’. “Vanish doesn’t really have anyone to discuss his problems with aside from himself. But… Does he like it that way?”

Rarity recalled a question that she wanted to ask Vanish, regarding his stance on being a business-oriented stallion, but was hesitant in asking it, given the nature of the question. “V-Vanish, let’s say, just for the sake of argument, that somepony wanted to request your services, and let’s also say that they wanted a deal that was equal to that which Gather is getting.”

The unicorn filly turned to her sister, awestruck at such a question being asked. “Rarity? What are you talking abo-MMPH?!” Twilight ran over to Sweetie Belle and put her hoof over the filly’s mouth, keeping her quiet so that Rarity could finish. “We’re both businessponies, Vanish, so solely for the sake of argument, how much would that cost?” The fashionista gave a nervous smile, knowing that there was no way Vanish would discuss it, but that it couldn’t possibly hurt her stance with him any further.

Vanish could see right through Rarity’s idea, chuckling to himself at the sight of the nervous twitch she was displaying. “In case you haven't noticed, you’re sweating an awful lot; it’s not good for your complexion, my dear.” Rarity swallowed reflexively in paralyzed fear as Vanish looked straight at her, continuing to speak. “I’ll be honest: My client specifically requested…” He paused dramatically, as Rarity knew what was coming. “… for me to divulge the information of our contract negotiations and payment, without hesitation, to anyone bold enough to inquire about such details.” Rarity’s eye twitched in disbelief at the fact that she was about to recieve such crucial information, though she let the stallion continue his means of verbal disclosure. “Our original contract was for my obtainment of the Wings of the Pegasi, up to and including those of the Alicorns of Canterlot. For this, my client is to pay me one hundred-thousand bits.”

“And, erm… w-what if I wanted to buy out his contra-!“ The sound of the bell tower ran through the open entrance to the boutique, interrupting Rarity’s message, much to her chagrin, as the stallion overtook her chance at getting information. “I’m sorry my dear, but the time for questions is over.” Vanish stood up, and nudged Spitfire to wake her up from her nap. “You’ve got a kingdom to protect, and I’ve got wings to collect.”

Vanish began to walk out of the Boutique, stopping to turn his attention back to the fedora, using his magic to bring it over to him. He felt the inner layer of it with a part of his hoof, taking note of how smooth it had become. Stopping the use of his magic, he used his hoof to toss it in the air and onto his horn, before turning back around to the mares in Carousel Boutique. Smiling with unknown intentions in mind, he left one final offer hanging in the air: “Let’s take the train, together.”

Boarding for Canterlot

The train station was deserted, aside from a train conductor and the ponies who had formerly been left in the Library. Fluttershy was practically mummified with bandages, seeing as how she had yet to fully recover from the events that transpired at her cottage, and had Angel with her, trying to tighten the bandages further. Applejack, Derpy, and Rainbow Dash were watching Pinkie Pie attempt to convince Scootaloo and Apple Bloom to stay in Ponyville while everyone else would take the train, but from the way she sounded, she was making Ponyville seem a lot less interesting than what the mares were going to be up to in Canterlot, though her wild ideas came out sounding like they were traveling to a ‘Land of Dreams’ with no fillies allowed.

Soarin’ and Spike were eating some pie that Pinkie Pie and Applejack made out of keeping their promise to Soarin’, but also out of sympathy. The de-winged Wonderbolt member seemed to really enjoy the pie, and looked like it took his mind off of his wings, or lack thereof. Spike was at the station in order to see Twilight before she left, considering how it was very likely that he would be given some orders before Twilight got on the train. Even if it was pointless, he was glad that Soarin’ was sharing some of the apple pie that he had been given, considering how great it looked and smelled, not to mention how it tasted.

“Ooh! Here they come! Here they come!” Twilight had been spotted by Pinkie Pie, and wasn’t surprised to hear her easily excitable friend alert everyone else of her presence. Following her was Vanish, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Spitfire, the last of whom looked very happy, given how she had a nice, brief nap. She rolled her eyes upon seeing Soarin’ eating a pie, but still poked fun at him. “Well, I see that you haven’t lost your appetite, huh, Soarin’?” Soarin’ shook his head, with a simple ‘Mm-Mmm!’ in response to the statement his good friend had made.

Twilight trotted over to her number one assistant, hoping for some good news. “Spike, have you given everypony their bags?” Spike nodded his head, and proceeded to check his checklist. “Let’s see. Everypony got a couple apples, a drink, and a blanket. In addition, you’ve got a few scrolls, quills, and sealed ink wells, the Cutie Mark Crusaders have their capes, Applejack’s got extra apples, Rarity’s got a brush, Pinkie Pie got cupcakes and Derpy just picked up some muffins from Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow Dash has a copy of the latest adventure of Daring-Do, Soarin’ has his flight suit and goggles, Spitfire's got the scroll from Celestia, and Fluttershy… could use some help.”

Twilight shook her head. “Spike, you know magic can’t just heal wounds like that.” Magic and medicine were seldom used together due to their natures. Ponies in Ponyville worked hard to learn medicinal properties, as opposed to being able to repair a broken wing with simple ‘unicorn horn magic’, or cure a cold in a similar manner. While it was true that unicorn magic was often used for surgical procedures, it was mainly to place bones in the proper positions, as opposed to being a quick means of healing; for truly healing a wound of that degree, time was still the preferred method of treatment. Vanish walked over to Fluttershy, frowning at the sight of the bandaged pony. “I apologize for you not receiving proper treatment. I suppose they tried their best.” Seeing the pink-maned mare nod slightly, the hat-wearing stallion walked over to converse with the train conductor. After a minute of speaking, Vanish returned to the other ponies that had gathered in front of the train car.

“All right, we’re ready to begin the boarding process. My client stopped by to pay the conductor, as well as to give him my photograph, making this ride exclusive to those who I enable access; when my client has a plan, they leave nothing to chance.” Twilight nodded her head at the words Vanish said. It made sense to take so many precautions considering how Gather had made sure to plan out as much as he could, and it looked like everypony would need Vanish’s permission to board the train. Seeing as how they saw themselves as his enemies, it appeared that they were at his mercy if they hoped to reach Canterlot.

Vanish stepped in front of the door, opening it gently as he turned back around. “... If you would all be so kind as to begin boarding?" Everyone formed a line, Spike included, unsure about what Vanish was planning. One by one, they walked past the stallion, expecting the worst of reactions as he checked the list he had obtained from his saddlebag, pausing to check off each one. “Rarity, check. Twilight Sparkle, pass. Spitfire, go on…! Hold on a second, filly. I can’t let you board.” Rarity turned around at those words, seeing that her sister had been stopped, and seeing the filly scream in disbelief. “WHAT!?” The voice crack was adorable, but nothing to laugh at given the situation. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cut ahead in the line in order to defend their friend’s right to board the train, as well as their own. “Y’can’t do this! We wanna come, too! Let us on, y’creep!” Scootaloo scowled as she backed up her fellow Crusaders. “Yeah! You’ll probably do something to the ponies on board to hurt them, like you did to Rainbow Dash!”

Vanish cast an angry glance at Scootaloo for her rude accusation, which Rainbow Dash saw as threatening in itself, but saw him smirk menacingly as he responded. “If I hadn’t taken Rainbow Dash’s wings, I’d let you board so that I could use you as the pawn you are destined to be. Regrettably, I have already completed that task, so you have no further use or importance to me, or anypony.” The stallion could see the young Pegasus filly trying to come up with a comeback, but cut her off by stomping his hoof in front of her with authority in order to break her thought process, causing her to focus on him without anything to divert her attention, as he repeated the final word of his previous statement. “Anypony!”

The word echoed in the air for a matter of seconds. To the conductor, that’s all it was: A shout that lasted a couple of seconds. To the ponies boarding, the ones who heard everything that Vanish had said to the filly, it seemed to linger for several hours, like a foul stench. To Scootaloo, it hurt far more to hear those words than anything that she believed Vanish could have physically done. She had prepared to carry her scooter on board, but swiftly hopped on with tears welling up in her eyes and sped away from the station, past the other ponies in the line, prompting Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom to follow her in haste.

“… Y-You… You…” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe that Vanish would say such words to a filly, and couldn’t think of a word venomous enough to describe her opinion of the stallion, who tried justifying himself. “It was necessary. I am certain she will forgive herself long before she’ll forgive me. As for the rest of you, move up.” The rest of the ponies boarded without words, but plenty of emotional stares for the stallion allowing them to board, from looks of anger and shock to a look of disappointed sorrow. Fluttershy was helped onto the train by her friends after she removed the bandages on her muzzle in order to instruct Angel to watch her cottage while she would be gone, before placing the bandages back on. Spike, the last in line, was stopped in a similar manner to Sweetie Belle. “Dragon, you can't come with us.” Twilight went back to the door in order negotiate Spike’s access to the train. “Vanish, can you please let him board?”

The dark blue unicorn turned to the lavender mare, frowning as he responded. “I cannot allow that to happen, my dear. If you have anything you wish to address before our departure, then you may make haste in doing so.” Vanish walked away to speak to the conductor again in order to confirm that they were to leave in a matter of minutes, but the gray-maned stallion kept an eye on Twilight and Spike as the two of them conversed. “Spike, I want you to send another letter to the princess. Tell her to make sure Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are in hiding, as well as Princess Luna. Before, I asked for them to meet us at the station in the other letter, but they'd be better off safe and sound. Can you do that for me?” Spike nodded his head, and saluted his friend. “You betcha, Twilight! I’ll get that sent faster than you can say-…”

A sad voice interrupted the statement. “I’m sorry.” The train horn could be heard, but the words immediately got the attention of Twilight and Spike, as they turned in the direction of the voice, seeing no one there. Suddenly, Spike disappeared, and Twilight knew who was responsible. She saw Vanish rematerialize a fair distance away from her, throwing the baby dragon into a corner of the train station before buck-kicking his head against a wall located under an awning with painful force. She could see the look of pain in Spike’s eyes, as his body became limp; a sure sign that he had gone unconscious, or worse. Twilight found herself unable to say anything, though Rainbow Dash opened a window of the train cart in order to shout at the vicious stallion. “Vanish!! What the hay did you just do!?” Vanish swiftly tucked Spike into the corner of the awning, after dropping him from where he had been pinned against the wall as Twilight prepared to block his access onto the train.

The stallion spoke up. “I cannot allow your friend deliver that message. I’m sorry, but this is not for my client.” Vanish turned around with a menacing stare as he chased Twilight onto the train, causing the other ponies to jump back to one side of the cart, with several of them preparing for a fight as the door of the train car closed due to the stallion’s magic. He looked up at the other ponies. “This is for me, and no one can be allowed to hinder my plans!” The train started moving and Vanish slid his front hoof on the compartment floor, prompting the other ponies to do the same in response. They could hear his magic activating under the hat he wore, as his stern gaze beamed through his normally calm demeanor. “Well? It's your move!”

Loss

Applejack snarled at the stallion and ran in first, surprised to see Soarin’ right behind her as they dashed towards Vanish in tandem. The unicorn responded quickly, kicking the door that he had his tail to in order to startle Applejack, before launching himself at Soarin’. “If you can’t beat me, then you won’t beat my client! And if he won’t fight fair…” Vanish used his magic to fling his hat over Soarin’s eyes, blinding him in order to get a clean landing in front of the Pegasus pony. Vanish swung around and hit Soarin’ with his flank, causing Soarin’ to lose his balance while charging, accidentally colliding with Applejack. Tossing the fedora from his eyes, Soarin' and Applejack collapsed together behind Vanish, before the dark blue stallion continued his statement, smirking. “Then neither shall I!”

The light blue Pegasus mare growled in anger. “I can’t believe you’re so cheap! What’s the matter with you!?” Rainbow Dash was clearly furious with how Vanish used such tactics to take down two of the ponies in the cart, though he easily explained himself. “You still don’t get it, do you? I-Uuah!?” The unicorn stallion could feel himself being lifted into the air, and saw Spitfire running at him, brandishing her wings. Twilight could be seen focusing on her horn’s magic, as could Rarity, who seemed to be moving the fedora away from Vanish's field of vision so that he could not use it against them again. “Hmm! Close, but not quite!” Noticing a saddlebag that one of the ponies placed off to the side, the gray-maned unicorn used his own magic to pick up and throw the saddlebag at Twilight’s horn as well as Rarity’s, breaking their magic's hold on him and making him fall back to the floor of the train car before he cloaked himself with his magic. Spitfire saw the floor that was below Vanish shuffle slightly, prompting her to charge at the space where she thought he was.

She launched herself head-first at the spot, but flapped her wings to stop herself from colliding with the rear of the train car. Vanish uncloaked, showing that he had rolled to avoid the charge by mere inches, though Twilight noticed that he also leaving a strangely familiar peach-colored dirt on the carpet in the process; dirt that appeared to come from his saddlebag. Standing back up, he appeared to ignore Spitfire, before bucking his hind legs in her direction several times, trying to stop her from being a threat to him. Spitfire flew over him, confident that her wings could help, but the stallion had other plans. Opening up his saddlebag swiftly, he appeared to reach in for something, as Twilight wondered what he had planned. He produced some peach-colored powder, and tossed it into the air above him where it hit Spitfire in the face, blinding her briefly and causing her to land in order to wipe it from her exposed muzzle and flight suit, before suddenly looking dazed, and collapsing.

Twilight thought she recognized what Vanish had produced; it was powder that Gather blew in the stallion’s face, in order to cause him to fall asleep back in the Cloudosseum. Spitfire was out cold, as Rainbow Dash ran over and quickly discovered while Pinkie Pie shrieked in fear. “What did you do to her!?” The pink party pony started galloping forward with a look of intensity in her eyes, clearly under the impression that Vanish had severely hurt Spitfire somehow. Rainbow and Twilight knew that Pinkie couldn’t have known about the powder, but were too late to stop her, as Vanish struggled with some excess powder in the air in front of him before noticing how close the Earth pony had gotten. Pinkie Pie just barely missed him with a head-first charge, but Vanish lowered his stance and kicked his back hoof straight into the air, hitting Pinkie on the bottom of her chin and causing her to bite her tongue harshly as the stallion mocked her efforts. “HAH! A bit too slow!”

“GAK! MAH TUNG!” Pinkie lay down, trying to tend to the pain reverberating in her mouth. It hurt to even talk in this manner, but Vanish didn’t feel a need to keep her awake, and scooped out a significantly smaller amount of powder from his saddlebag as he jumped back, sprinkling it on the pained mare’s face and leaving her on the ground, asleep with her tongue still sticking out. He nudged her off to the side of the train cart so that she wasn’t in the way as Rainbow Dash did the same with Spitfire. As the stallion moved the unconscious mare, he kept his eyes on the other ponies in front of him, carefully making sure they wouldn’t attack while he moved the incapacitated pony.

Upon reaching the side of the train, he heard a sound behind him, and promptly tried reaching into his saddlebag, having his hoof get stuck in the powder by something else and keeping it in. Soarin’ had grabbed Vanish to immobilize him, causing the gray-maned unicorn to see what was holding him back. Applejack hopped over Soarin’, charging into and colliding with the dark blue stallion and causing him to stagger, as Rainbow Dash hit Vanish from his other side at full force with a swift charge. “AGH!” The impact sent the stallion barreling side-first into the train car’s rear wall, where he collapsed next to the door. The other ponies ran in, helping to check on Spitfire and Pinkie Pie before surrounding Vanish, as Rainbow Dash looked down at the fallen stallion. “It’s over, Vanish. We got you.”

Vanish paused for a moment, before smirking. “A shame… if I was my client, you would have lost, even with the same results.” He stood up, pointing at the pink pony that laid sleeping on her stomach. “Enlighten me: How could you use your precious Elements of Harmony to fix things, if you don’t even have her awake?” Twilight stopped to consider the question, but the answer was obvious: They needed all six of the Elements to focus in order to be able to return harmony to Equestria, and without Pinkie Pie, they couldn’t do it.

Vanish delivered a coy smirk to the ponies surrounding him. “Your silence tells me more than any book, my dear.” He looked at the two ponies on the cart who didn’t walk over to him, nor had they tried to fight him. “… Miss Derpy Hooves, Fluttershy, why didn’t you do anything?” Fluttershy tried speaking, but was forced to stand in place, muffling; her bandages disabled her ability to speak, and hindered her movement significantly, but she still looked at Derpy expectantly, who nodded in response as she turned to speak to Vanish. “Well, I didn’t think you… wanted to really fight.” Vanish’s eyes lost their intensity, as he smiled with a genuinely kind look in his eyes. “Correct. I’m glad you saw that.” His look of kindness turned to disappointment as he looked at the other ponies that had surrounded him. “Considering how many of the other ponies let their emotions get the better of them.”

Twilight looked at the floor, rubbing her leg with her front hoof in embarrassment. “Vanish… I’m sor-” “No. Don’t be.” Vanish cut her off. “At least you have the determination to avenge those who have been harmed, and that was what I was testing you for. My apologies for what I did to your friend, but I could not allow him to send that letter.” Twilight suddenly realized something about Vanish, and by looking at her friends, she could tell that some of them had noticed it as well. “Vanish, can I ask you a personal question?”

Vanish used his magic to bring the fedora back to his head, where it had laid discarded by Rarity after she levitated it away. “I don’t see a reason why you shouldn’t. We’re all ponies, and train passengers, but keep in mind that I have the right to refrain from responding, especially with regards to my client or-…” Twilight raised her hoof, pointing at Vanish and interrupting him in the process. “There. You pretty much answered it for me. You keep referring to Gather as your ‘client’. Why is that? Is it really out of respect, or something else?” Twilight stepped forward, using her magic to tip the fedora up, looking straight into the stallion's uncovered, light brown eyes. “Something a bit simpler, perhaps?”

Vanish looked away, showing something he hadn’t shown since he met the ponies at Ponyville Hospital: Shame. “… If you have a real question, then ask it.” Twilight knew that the fedora-sporting stallion wasn’t going to just admit his flaws without definitive provokation; he was too proud to do that, but she knew what to ask. “Very well, I’ll make this simple: Can you remember any of our names?”

Vanish breathed in deeply, and sighed. Twilight had nailed it: She knew why he would call them by either what he saw them as, or various ‘titles’ as opposed to their names. Vanish knew what Twilight's next question was going to be, so he cut right to answering it before she could ask it. “… Short-Term Memory Loss.”

One Track Minds

Vanish walked over to the train compartment window, looking outside at the passing scenery as he sat on a seat of the train. “Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Derpy Hooves. I only remembered Derpy’s name out of guilt. For some reason, I can’t forget it, so I went to the hospital with the belief that an act of generosity would alleviate the burden that had been placed on my conscience. As for the others, my client needed to teach me to remember them through extensive training. Relating a name to a face is not a task that is simple for me. I apologize if I seemed to be more complex than reality has made me, but my various tasks have been commited to memory, only as how I should perform them, and not my actual performance of the aforementioned tasks.” Vanish simply remained looking out the window, chuckling slightly as he remained avoiding the ponies’ eyes. “If you think my client simply did all of this out of some sort of sudden plan, you’d be wrong. This has been planned for weeks. Maybe even a couple of months, though the days are mostly just blurs in my mind.”

Rarity considered the stallion's words. “Are you sure it isn’t something else? Perhaps some sort of illness, or…” Vanish waved his hoof at Rarity, still looking at the scenery. “Would it make a difference, really?” The other ponies looked at each other with concern as the dark blue unicorn elaborated. “You don’t seem to understand, so allow me the courtesy of saying the truth, with simplicity.” Vanish turned around, staring daggers into the hearts of the ponies in the room with a cold look of disdain in his eyes. “We’re not friends. In fact, we’re enemies. We have different goals and different perceptions of what we are doing. I can tell you’re trying to befriend me, likely so I do not stand against you.”

Vanish walked over to the rear door as he used his magic to place the fedora into his saddlebag, sliding the door open with his hoof, revealing the next compartment’s door before turning his head. “Do yourselves a favor: Don’t try to.” Vanish turned back around to look at the second door, allowing access to the next train compartment. “Ignorance is bliss, my dear! Not knowing about the negative actions you might have committed is a lot easier than forgetting them.” His hoof opened the second compartment door, while his rear hoof closed the previous one, leaving the ponies with those words hanging in the air.

Rainbow Dash was certainly not keen of the dramatics that Vanish was portraying. “Aw, horseapples! If somepony can handle it, we sure can!” Rainbow opened the door, seeing that the second one had been closed. Lunging forward and opening it, she was surprised to see nopony inside. “Huh?” Remembering that Vanish could cloak himself, she walked in as the others followed, with Twilight speaking her mind as she did so. “Rainbow, maybe we shouldn’t just confront him li-!” The light blue mare covered her friend’s mouth, hearing tapping just above them. It seemed to resonate from the outside, which made sense, since nopony who was awake was capable of flying up to the top of the cart aside from Fluttershy, who was right behind Rarity in the line that the ponies were forced to form in order to make sure nopony would fall off the train as they walked on the coupling hooks between the train cars.

As the ponies gathered into the cart, they followed the tapping to where it ended, which was just outside of the compartment, between itself and the next cart of the train. Terrified screams were heard just outside the door, but they sounded familiar, as the ponies quickly learned why. The door glowed with a dark blue aura and slid open, revealing Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom standing on one another, as if they were trying to help Scootaloo look through the compartment door window. Vanish was right behind them, having caught them off guard by landing from above with his flank and tail on the coupling hooks, having his back up against the adjacent train compartment’s door, and his legs and hooves to the fillies’ sides, blocking their escape from the back and sides.

The stallion shouted from behind the fillies. “Did you really think that I failed to notice you three board the train!?” Having opened the door, he used his magic to lift them into the train car that the other ponies were in, before entering the train car for himself, closing the door behind him. “You’ve got three chances to explain why I shouldn’t throw you off this train, right now.” Scootaloo shivered at those words, as the older ponies placed themselves between Vanish and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Rarity in particular was highly displeased about Vanish's demeanor towards the fillies. “That’s enough, Vanish. You made your point. We’ll keep them on until we reach Canterlot, then they can ta-”

Vanish interrupted Rarity, raising his hoof. “One.” Rarity paused for a moment, before the realization hit her. “Pardon? Y-You can’t mean…” Vanish smirked playfully. “I said ‘three chances’, and I meant that collectively, my dear. You have two more guesses left, and don’t count on me to stand down early, either!” Vanish activated the magic of his horn, but the ponies couldn’t see the magical aura surrounding anything in the cart. “Two chances. Go.”

“You can’t do thi-!” Rainbow Dash got pulled back by Twilight, who had grabbed her tail with her magic. “Rainbow, hold it. I’ve got a feeling Vanish is still mad at us, so don't push him.” Twilight motioned for the other ponies to come closer in a huddle, but kept the fillies just within earshot range. “Maybe we should think this over. We’ve got two ‘chances’, right? Besides…” The purple mare turned back around, looking at Vanish. “I get the feeling he’s trying to tell us something.”

Sweetie Belle couldn’t understand Twilight’s logic, and from what she heard, it sounded more like they were just using them as pieces of some game. Scootaloo had the same thought, and got enraged at the idea. “Hold on a second!” The ponies tried to keep her quiet, but she just hovered over them to get a clear view of Vanish. Vanish used his magic to bring the filly closer to him, smiling mischievously as he let her land in front of him. “Do you have an answer, little one?” Scootaloo hovered in the air, to shout in his face. “You bet I do! You can’t just do whatever you want, it’s not fair to us!”

Vanish’s smile turned to a frown, no longer having the magic of his unicorn horn active. “Not fair? You three being on this very train is unfair!” Scootaloo raised her eyebrow, confused by the statement that the stallion had made. “Huh?” Vanish lowered his stance to meet the filly’s eyes. “I had intended to keep you off the train so that my client couldn’t use you like pawns. My apologies if I couldn’t help that point get through your rather…” rubbing his hoof quickly on her hair, he drilled his message further into her brain. “…thick skull...” Scootaloo was dizzy for a moment, but fixed her hair after the stallion stopped, still listening to him. “But now that you’re here, it’s only right for me to correct errors as they arise.”

Vanish activated the magic of his unicorn horn once again, this time opening the windows of the train and causing air to blow in swiftly, as it distracted the ponies’ attention. Rarity and Twilight couldn’t use their magic with their manes sharply whipping at their respective horns, knowing that they might hurt somepony. The menacing stallion grabbed the first filly he planned to toss out, which happened to be Apple Bloom. It made sense, as she was the only one he could be sure wouldn’t be able to get back: He saw Scootaloo’s wings, and although Sweetie Belle couldn’t use magic, Vanish could not know that as a mere visitor to Ponyville. Apple Bloom was brought close to him with his magical aura, hovering right over Applejack’s head. “NO! APPLE BLOOM! Leave her alone, Vanish!!!”

Vanish’s frown remained, as he brought Apple Bloom eye-to-eye to him. His short mane was blowing behind his horn, allowing him to easily use his magic, as well as giving him a perfect view of the terrified ponies’ faces on board the train. “Any last words, filly?”

Answers

Seeing Apple Bloom hovering so precariously in the air, Applejack wanted to charge at Vanish, but knew she couldn’t do anything to stop his magic from throwing her little sister out of whichever train car window he would choose. Regardless, she went for it, dashing right at the stallion. “WAIT!!!” Apple Bloom’s scream stopped her sister in her tracks, as the yellow filly continued to panic. “Y-YOU CAN’T DO THIS!!! Y’JUST CAN’T!” Apple Bloom would be shaking in fear, had the gray-maned unicorn not been using his magic to balance her in the air.

He was used to this tension, but such vague statements were not what he was hoping to hear. “Well, this is an interesting answer.” Vanish dropped Apple Bloom on the floor of the train compartment, where she landed with a thud, before using the magic of his horn to close the train compartment windows. The other ponies couldn’t understand the stallion's actions, given how he had the perfect advantage over them as long as the windows were open. Vanish lowered his head and smirked. “I apologize, but the wind blowing in my ears was making it hard to hear you.” The ponies’ jaws dropped at the collective thought they had developed: “He just wanted to hear her better before tossing her!?”

Vanish continued questioning the filly. “Well? Why can’t I?” Apple Bloom was shaking, but racked her mind for an answer, saying the first thing that came to mind. “If y’do that, then… T-Then…” The dark blue pony’s patience was wearing thin at the pauses of the filly that shook before him. “‘THEN’ WHAT!?” Apple Bloom was intimidated into a silent state, but mumbled incoherently. Vanish laid down to hear her, placing his hoof on his ear. “I’m sorry, my dear, please speak up.” The Earth filly found herself incapable of doing anything other than swallowing nervously. Vanish saw her looking down, so he motioned for the other ponies to come closer with a wave of his hoof. Confused at the unusual gesture, they did as he motioned, as Applejack stood next to Apple Bloom, helping her relax with a gentle nuzzle. “It’s alright, Apple Bloom. I’ll protect ‘ya.”

Apple Bloom calmed down slightly, and Vanish tried a more calm approach, giving a look of genuine concern. “It’s not like you’d be in necessary danger, you know. What if you hit some shrubs, or leaves?” The young filly felt insulted by the stallion's claim, as a look of shock became reflected within her nervous, orange eyes. “But I wouldn’t! I’d be hurt real bad, and then my sis w-would…” Vanish barely hid the smile that was creeping onto his face. “Continue…” Apple Bloom swallowed nervously once more before speaking. “W-Well… nopony could beat my sis in a fight, I-I know she’d win… She’d get ‘ya back, you bully! S-She’d make ‘ya pay for tossin’ me off this train!”

Vanish activated the magic of his horn once more before scoffing at the filly. “You’re seriously using that, as your response?” Vanish picked Apple Bloom back up delicately with his magic, as a look of fury shined through his glare. “Let me clarify your answer: You’re saying that I shouldn’t throw you off, because your sister would pose a threat to me? Such a ridiculous and spontaneous answer, and that is what you’re going to say!?” Apple Bloom thought it over quickly. As much as it didn’t seem like a good answer, it’s exactly what she believed. “You bet that’s my answer! Well? What’re ‘ya gonna do!?”

The silence was only being broken by the sound of the wheels of the train car as they rolled on the tracks, and Vanish’s aura of unicorn magic that was levitating Apple Bloom precariously. Vanish turned his head to the window, smirking. “… You’re either smarter than you look, or very, very reckless. For the record, your answer, should it come to pass, would prove to be a most … troublesome occurrence.”

Vanish lowered the filly slowly, gently placing her on the floor of the train car before releasing her from his aura of magic, enabling Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle to run over and check on her as he spoke to the ponies in the cart with him. “None of you could best me under normal circumstances.” The stallion stepped towards a window off to the left of the train compartment, sitting on one of the seats while he spoke. “If you aren’t going to fight me with everything you’ve got, then you are destined to fail to stop my client. Why are you even coming to Canterlot if you won’t do anything to stop his plan?”

Twilight stepped forward with confidence. “We’ll stop him. We have each other, and when we get to Canterlot, Gather won’t be able to stop us.” Twilight’s eyes shone with a look of hope and concern. “But we know you aren’t our enemy.” She sat next to Vanish, as he gave her no acknowledgement of her presence. “So why are you doing this? Is it really just for money? Just for a few thousand bits? Why do something if you don’t want to?” Rarity moved closer to the two unicorn ponies, feeling the need to point out something that Vanish had mentioned. “If I may be so bold, you look like the kind of pony who could just walk away from your contract without feeling regret… I mean, you said so yourself earlier!”

“Do not attempt to convert me to your cause, my dea-…” The purple mare quickly interrupted the dark blue stallion, determined to get him to remember her. “Twilight Sparkle.” Vanish looked at Twilight's faint reflection in the window pane, but didn’t turn to face her, seeing a look of determination in the reflection of her eyes off the window as he responded. “… Don’t enter a fight you can’t hope to win, Twilight Sparkle.” For the first time since they had met, he called her by her name. It was a minor victory, but the way Twilight saw it, it could mean more if they could only help each other. Vanish took notice of her faint smile in the reflection of the window as he spoke to the purple unicorn. “You are truly committed to the belief that you can come out victorious, aren't you?” He turned his full attention to Twilight. “Alright, you played my game, I’ll play yours.”

Twilight raised her eyebrow, wary of the stallion's statement. “Are you sure? I mean, Gather didn’t even say anything about this!“ Vanish laughed at Twilight’s surprised reaction. “My dear, you are as naïve as ever. My client knows he will win. He has known ever since he learned I had acquired the wings of Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow subtly glanced at her back, seeing the bare spots where she once proudly brandished her wings for all to see (even if somepony didn’t want to, given her natural state of bragging) as Vanish spoke to Twilight. “You can’t win, but if you want to go over your game plan with me, then that's just fine. It’s ‘an exchange of information’, and my client allowed it.” The gray-maned stallion took out a scroll from his saddlebag’s other pouch, where he had placed his fedora moments ago. “This is today’s list of events, leading up to us reaching Canterlot, not that I’d need reminding, given how we went over it almost as often as we had went over the names of Cloudsdale Pegasi, prior to the instigation of our plans.”

Twilight took the scroll from Vanish, and read it to herself. Vanish was honest in what the list depicted. ‘Give and receive information about Canterlot plans’ was right near the bottom of the list. She skimmed the contents, surprised at the detail listed, before rolling it back up and using her magic to place it into Vanish’s saddlebag. It was all of events that had occurred, with some simple exceptions to recall if she needed to. She got her information, but wanted more. “… Alright, fine. What is Gather planning after getti-…” Vanish cut her off with a rather ignorantly dismissive wave of his hoof. “Save your breath. Do not even try to ask about that which I will not remain here to observe. Once I get your monarch’s wings, he’ll pay my fee, I’ll give him what he has paid me to obtain, and then I’m done here.” Vanish looked back outside the train, acting like he was ignoring the ponies as Twilight groaned in annoyance before asking her next question. “Alright, Vanish, when will you be getting Princess Celestia’s wings?”

The smoke gray-maned stallion remained looking out the window, his face unchanging, which prompted Twilight to almost repeat the question under the assumption that he was ignoring her until he opened his mouth. “Tonight, maybe, assuming everything goes as…” He paused for a while, before continuing. “… Tonight.” Twilight could see what Vanish was trying to say: ‘There’s no way Gather’s plan would fail.’ Vanish could see Twilight considering his words, and continued promptly. “Twilight Sparkle, know this: Every plan is…” The dark blue unicorn thought about what to say, looking up at the sky outside the window before shifting his gaze to the train floor beneath his hooves. “… Like a moving train. It has two points of weakness, when one may secure the highest probability of halting its progression: When it is starting, and when it’s about to reach the end of its track. Most plans are simply too strong to be stopped in the middle, much like a train in motion.”

The ponies contemplated Vanish's words to the best of their abilities as he continued his speech. “That moment of overconfidence at the approach of the end of a plan, and that struggle at the start: Through countless jobs, I’ve found those moments to be when I’m at my least prepared, despite how well-prepared I think I am. I need not the help of my memory to remember my feelings of shock, surprise, and doubt I have felt in the past. Remember this, or disregard it should you so desire.” Vanish walked to the front of the train cart, leading to where the ponies had left Pinkie Pie and Spitfire to rest. His chestnut brown eyes sized up each pony he walked by until he found himself face to face with Derpy. He looked into her eyes, in the same manner that he looked into the eyes of any other pony, paying no attention to the wayward directions her eyes were looking in; he wasn’t looking into them, but rather through them.

Despite who he was looking at, he clearly remained focused on speaking to the same unicorn he had been conversing with for most of the train ride. “We’re not friends, my dear. Regardless of what you want, regardless of what you may believe you want. I’ve played ‘host’ to a rather comfortable life without friends, allies, or accomplices.” Derpy blinked, her stare unwavering, her eyes unmoving. Vanish gave a hollow smile as he continued his walk to the front of the train car, voicing his thoughts of the purple unicorn. “You’re naïve, yet I find myself envious of that… With that in mind, follow me to the train car where we had left your friends and personal belongings, if you please.”

Vanish walked forward, sliding the doors out of the way with his hoof. The ponies looked at each other, thinking it could just be a trick, but chose to stick together as they followed the dark blue unicorn to the train car they had boarded. He walked to the front of it, looking at the ponies they had left behind as they appeared to be asleep. Pinkie Pie in particular was snoring in a rather adorable manner, made all the more humorous by her tongue sticking out of her mouth as it had been when she was put to sleep, causing her exhales to vibrate her tongue from the air hitting it.

Vanish smiled at the sight, but turned around when he reached the front of the compartment. “How about asking me some actual questions of merit?” He sat down, blocking the entrance to the front train cart. “Or perhaps I’ll just ask some of my own? Either way, I know at least one of you has had time to think of their question, haven’t you, little flyer?” Scootaloo was at the back of the line, but knew that the stallion was addressing her. As the ponies stepped out of her way, she walked forward, still mad at Vanish, but at this point she just disliked him. It wasn’t furious anger towards the stallion, but more akin to a form of dislike for what he was doing. “Please tell me the truth.” Vanish smirked, but Scootaloo frowned after seeing his change of expression, causing the stallion to respectively wipe the grin from his face.

After a moment, Scootaloo finally asked her question. “Why didn’t you take my wings back in the Cloudosseum?” Vanish laid down on his stomach, as Scootaloo trotted right up to his face, trying her hardest to look tough, truly believing she could intimidate the mercenary into responding, as she elaborated. “Tell me the truth. Was I really just being used? Was it because of me that Rainbow Dash lost her wings to you?” Vanish raised his head, looking down his nose at the orange filly before responding. “It sounds like you already believe in your own answer, so why are you aski-UGH!” The young Pegasus filly jumped up, smacking Vanish in the face with her hoof. The other ponies were about to dash ahead, before seeing Scootaloo turn her head, with tears in her eyes. “Just… Just say it! Just tell me the truth!”

Vanish kept his face turned, almost proud of the hit Scootaloo landed on him as he rubbed the spot where the impact had been made. “… If you ask a question, I won’t answer if you turn away from me. It just tells me that you either don’t want an answer, or you’re not ready to hear it. In which case, you forfeit your right to ask.” The stallion opened the door behind him with his magic, stood up, and turned around. Scootaloo made a dive for his hind leg, grabbing onto it with tears in her eyes. “JUST SAY IT!!!” Vanish’s hoof slipped out of her own grasp, before he took a couple more steps towards the next compartment’s door, prompting the filly to grab his leg again. “TELL ME!!! PLEASE!!!” The other ponies wanted to stop her, but knew they shouldn’t interfere. Vanish used his magic once more, this time to lift her into the air.

As she was thrown over the other ponies, colliding into the closed rear door of the train car with vicious force, the ponies ran over to help her. She was down, but not out. Vanish made sure that she was watching him before responding, knowing that any answer he’d give her would just be ignored by the young Pegasus filly, so long as it was not the answer she was seeking. “You’re not ready to listen.” With those words, Vanish walked into the front train car to speak to the conductor, as he closed the door behind him with his magic. Scootaloo could hear the voices of the ponies and fillies around her as they resonated with reassurance and concern, but she wasn’t listening. She just wanted to hear those three words: “It’s your fault.”

Plans In Motion

It had become late in the evening, and Twilight had been looking out the window of the briefing room ever since everypony had entered. She didn’t want any part of this; it felt wrong to be plotting against Vanish, but she knew it was necessary. “Twilight?” Shining Armor walked over to her sister, and placed his foreleg around her in an embrace. “Look, sis, are you sure you’re up for this? We could always consider other options, if you have any ideas.”

Twilight knew there were no other options, or at least none that she could see. “I wish there was another way, but… I’ll be fine.” She turned from the window, giving a smile to her brother as she tried cheerfully responding. “It’s nothing personal, right?” Her friends could hear the lack of sincerity in her tone of voice, as could her brother, as well as her mentor, who felt that it was time to finally pursue a course of action. “Twilight Sparkle, you mentioned that you had information that could help us.” Twilight nodded to Princess Celestia in response. “Yes, Princess. Vanish is only doing this because of a written agreement between him and Gather. Apparantly, Gather paid him for his cooperation.”

Shining Armor approached the other ponies again. “I see. So, Vanish is helping due to a contract. Did you learn how much it would cost to buy it out, assuming we can?” Shining Armor knew that Princess Celestia couldn’t pay somepony just to make them leave her kingdom alone, but if it meant the safety of her kingdom, as well as that of Equestria, she might need to consider related options. Rarity looked down in disappointment. “I’m sorry. I had meant to ask him while he was in my boutique, but he sidestepped the question.”

“To be precise, the bell tower rang, and he said that time was up.” Twilight had cut in, to defend Vanish’s actions, before blushing and looking down dejectedly again. Princess Celestia turned to the Captain of the Wonderbolts. “Spitfire, do you have any idea about what could be done to stop either threat, having spent time around Vanish?” She nodded in response. “We have an idea, and it should be easy enough to do, once Gather and Vanish try attacking. We’ll just need a distraction, in order to put our plan into action.”

“Leave that to us.” Princess Cadance stepped forward, with members of the Royal Guard. “Twilight sent a letter that mentioned the idea of me as a target, last night. I’m certain that I can attract their attention, so that the Wonderbolts could make their move.” Spitfire laid out the plan. “We’ll use our formation to create a thick smokescreen. Vanish won’t be able to remain hidden, so we’ll have a chance if we attack together; he won’t be able to take on all of The Wonderbol-…” The orange Pegasus mare shut her mouth quickly, noticing that Soarin’ was behind a pillar, out of sight of the other ponies, disappointed that he couldn’t be part of the official briefing. “Well… m-most of the Wonderbolts.”

Twilight knew that she had to say something, or her loyalty might be called into question. “I think it’s worth saying,” she spoke up so the other ponies turned in her direction, “that Gather and Vanish work separately.” The other ponies seemed to have question marks on their faces from such a vague statement, so she clarified herself. “They need Gather’s unicorn horn to actually acquire the wings of other ponies, and to use them. So-”

The pink party pony's tongue had recovered enough for her to cut in and try explaining how she saw her unicorn friend's logic. “Oh! You think that if Gather gives his horn to Vanish, we could take Gather, so they can’t continue their plan, right?” Pinkie Pie had come to a reasonable conclusion, even if she came into the meeting rather oblivious to the seriousness of the matter at hand. Twilight nodded at her enthusiastic friend and confirmed her logic. “Yes, Pinkie. If Gather can’t use other ponies’ wings, or even his own magic, we can get him easily.” Celestia nodded silently in agreement. The plan was sound, except for one more point the Princess of the Sun decided to bring up. “What about Vanish?”

Twilight fell silent, but Spitfire was confident in her own plan. “Leave him to us. Princess, are the streets clear?” Princess Celestia nodded and explained her actions. “The guards have asked for the ponies of Canterlot to remain in their homes until further notice from me. As for the fillies, I have sent them on a chariot back to Ponyville. They should be back there soon, safe and sound.” A weak knock at the door prompted the ponies to turn their attention away from the table. The doors opened, revealing three disheveled fillies, as well as some ‘former’ Pegasus pony guards that had been roughed up significantly, and had their wings removed.

Applejack gasped at the sight, as Rarity muttered the first words that came to mind. “He didn’t…” Scootaloo looked up from the floor, meeting Rarity’s eyes. “Vanish stopped the chariot. He and the other pony are waiting outside the barrier. Apparantly, they’ve discussed their plans, and are ready to take action, sort of.”

Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “What do you mean, ‘sort of’?” Apple Bloom spoke for Scootaloo. “Well, that other pony seemed t’want t’use us to get in the barrier, but that Van fella told him to ‘stick to the plan’. Apparently, they don’t agree on what t’do.” Applejack listened to her sister, and had an idea. “Maybe we can’t break their contract, but what if we were t’break their trust in one another?” Twilight’s eyes sparkled with hope. “That’s a great idea, Applejack! We just need to head over there before they come to an agreement! Derpy, stay here with the fillies. Everypony else, let’s see what we can do!”

“Look, merc. I understand you want to do this clean, but do you have any idea how much time we could’ve saved if we just took those fillies hostage!?” Gather was furious at Vanish, as some guards observed the argument from inside the barrier while Vanish spoke to his irate client just outside of the magically-produced shield that surrounded Canterlot. “I refuse to help, if we’re going to just ruin the lives of some young fillies and colts in the process. These guards are paid to protect this kingdom, and shall falter at their job, but leave the fillies out of this.” The dark blue stallion remained staring at the guards inside the barrier, an unreadable expression reflected in his chestnut-brown eyes. “Besides, the plan was perfect from the start; changing it now would allow for quite the hindrance in your goals.”

Gather gasped as he had remembered something. “Ah, yes, about my goals. Before I forget again, I know you are far from being the ideal source of recollection, but I must ask: Did you remember to give them my ‘request’?” Vanish continued staring at the guards, as Gather became slightly impatient. “You know, about the Prisoner Transfer Squad?” Vanish averted his eyes to his client as he spoke. “You will have your containment cell, as you requested.” The turquoise menace laughed boisterously. “AH HA HA! WONDERFUL! I look forward to seizing their cell as my own! Maybe I’ll place that Princess in there and parade her around Ponyville a bit. It would make for a good show, wouldn’t you agree?” Vanish turned his attention back to the guards as he replied. “You give me what’s mine, I’ll give you what’s yours, and then we’re done. We’re not friends, ‘client’.”

Gather chuckled at Vanish’s demeanor, but he soon turned his attention to the ponies approaching them from inside the barrier. “Tch! No need to be so serious, Vanish. I showed you your payment, you’ll get it soon, trust me.” Gather put his foreleg around Vanish’s back. “Stick to the plan, n’ you’ll get what you deserve, as will I.” Twilight walked next to Princess Celestia, as they approached the two stallions, the gray-maned unicorn shoving his client's foreleg off his back as he walked forward to talk to the ponies that were approaching. “So, my dear, you’ve come to a decision at last?” Vanish was speaking to Twilight, who ran to the barrier before turning and buck-kicking it hard with her hind legs, right in front of Vanish's face. Gather gleefully cackled at the sight. “Oh, this is rich! What did you two DO on that train? Please, oh please tell me! I could use a good introduction before the fun begins!” Gather turned his attention to Princess Celestia. “Lemme guess your plan, Princess: You’re gonna sick your team of daredevil duds on Vanish, while waiting for me to lose my ‘precious’ magic?”

Celestia began to sweat, despite her expression remaining unchanged. Gather chuckled to himself as Vanish spoke. “It was but a matter of simple deduction. Guards have failed up until now, evidently,” Gather finished Vanish’s thought. “and the Elements of Harmony aren’t being worn. It won’t work, anyways, since you won’t get the chance to use them. As for us…” The dark-blue unicorn touched the cynical stallion’s side with his hoof, and used his magic to cloak the both of them. “I’d say things are looking up for our plans!” The ponies inside the barrier could hear more magic activating, and upon Vanish uncloaking, saw that Gather's unicorn horn had been placed on Vanish, granting him the power of the Pegasi he had within it. “Vanish, if they take me, you know what to do. I’ll just wait here, but remember: This is your pride on the line.” The menace lost his smile, giving a glare of determination, conveying the severity of what he was about to say. “So earn your payment, ‘Merc’.”

Thunderstruck

Vanish looked at Twilight, before closing his eyes and focusing on the second horn, using it to produce the wings of Rainbow Dash, as he turned to shout at Gather while his coat changed color. “Don’t tell me how to do my job!” Remaining close to the barrier, Vanish darted straight up, keeping himself as close as he could to it. Shining Armor used his magic to reinforce the barrier, as the Wonderbolts flew through a hole Princess Celestia used her own magic to produce, up and after the dual-horned artificial alicorn. Watching the ponies fly off, they were surprised to hear and see Gather knock on the barrier. “Hey ingrates, eyes over here. You want me, right? Well, here’s your chance.” Gather smirked at the princess, and the ponies with her. “I dare you.”

Princess Celestia didn’t appreciate the tone Gather was taking with her. Without hesitation, she opened a hole in the barrier with her magic, pointing for some of the guards to grab the cerulean-maned stallion. He stood on his hind legs as he raised his front hooves in surrender, and smiled. “Hmph.” They had all paid attention to Gather, and forgot about Vanish in the process. As Gather was being placed back on all fours and turned around, detained by multiple guards with spears, he watched his ‘contract stallion’ commit to his work as the other ponies watched what was transpiring above them once more. The smokescreen above the barrier was almost spherical, but Twilight had a sickening feeling about what was transpiring in the thick black cloud above them.

All too quickly, the members of The Wonderbolts, one by one, fell from the trap they had made. Vanish wasn’t focusing on his ability to cloak as the ponies figured he would. Instead, he was using his speed, combined with the smoke they had produced, to clear air ‘pockets’ of visibility, and attack Wonderbolts that went after him. Rapid Fire and Fleetfoot rolled down the side of the barrier before going into a freefall, wingless and graceless in their plummet. Rarity grabbed Fleetfoot while Twilight grabbed Rapid Fire, as several other members of the fabled Equestrian daredevil team fell from the smoke cloud, causing it to grow smaller and smaller in size until it was gone, leaving only two ponies airborne: Spitfire and Vanish.

Several unicorn guards had grabbed the other members of the Wonderbolts that had fallen from the sky before they could reach the ground and become severely injured. Twilight knew what had gone wrong: They had misunderstood Vanish’s strategy completely, basing their plan off of only one possible outcome of what he would do. Gather laughed out loud at the sight of the disgraced and injured daredevils on the ground. “HA HA HA HA ha ha ha ha! W-What a bunch of worthless hacks, wouldn’t you say?” Celestia scowled at the stallion's words, pointing her hoof to him as she made her proclamation. “Silence, you ignoran-” Gather showed absolute disrespect to the Princess of the Sun, waving her comments away with his hoof. “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, ‘Princess’. You know, I wonder why you’re only arresting me, when your little blue mare, here, is the one whose wings are being used to take out your team of aerial ‘Specialists’.”

The reality of that statement hit Rainbow Dash like a ton of bricks. It wasn’t her fault, but it sure felt like it, even with Applejack coming to her defense. “Don’t blame Rainbow just ‘cause Van’s usin’ YOUR magic to use her wings!” Gather chuckled at Applejack’s accusation. “Hmph, whatever. Just so you know? I paid good money for Vanish to do his job, and he does it very, very well. Of course, I’m in here, so if he can’t see me outside the barrier, he’ll move on to Plan B.”

“U-Umm… W-What’s P-Plan B?” Fluttershy was terrified at the sight of so many wingless Pegasi, ponies who Rainbow Dash aspired to be like. She wanted to help, and nopony else would talk to Gather in order to try getting information out of him. Gather turned his head, and stared at Fluttershy with his ice-blue, cold eyes, chuckling a little before turning his stare of contempt into a serious, menacing glare. “Oh, it’s much like Plan A, except a lot… more… painful.”

The ponies looked at Gather swiftly as he ended his response with enough venom in its tone to make them nauseous, before everyone looked back up at Spitfire just as quickly. They could hear Vanish talking to her, as the collective silence was just enough to hear a distant pin drop through, let alone a distant voice. “Nothing personal, but my client has been taken into custody, and as a member of the Wonderbolts, I am being paid to acquire your wings. Your friends would be proud to see you remaining in the sky in your final moments, but I cannot give them that honor, my dear.” Spitfire's hovering faltered briefly from the sound of the statement the stallion had made. Vanish charged at the orange Pegasus pony, who narrowly dodged the maneuver. Vanish used the horn to bring out the wings of Soarin' before speaking. “I’m truly sorry. You never deserved this.”

Using the ability to produce lightning clouds, the ponies below could see Vanish moving around Spitfire at an incredibly fast rate; far faster than anypony they had ever seen before, and unquestionably faster than they had ever seen Soarin’ fly. Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ began to feel weak, and the other members of the Wonderbolts could be heard groaning in inexplicable pain along with the two wingless Pegasus ponies, prompting Twilight to try getting an answer from her friend. “Rainbow, what’s wrong?” Twilight was concerned for the cerulean mare, but noticed the guards around who had been ‘clipped’ of their wings, had also begun to look severely drained as well. “… W-What IS this!?” A clap of thunder could be heard above, prompting the ponies to once more divert their attention to the thick spherical lightning cloud. It was completely black, but flashing with lightning as it illuminated the silhouettes within: Spitfire’s, which appeared to move erratically, and Vanish’s, which moved fluidly. They could hear a mare's screams of pain from within the cloud, as Soarin’ hunched over in tears from the sound of the screams.

The lightning flashes, accompanied by thunderclaps, became all the more frequent, until the ponies saw a stream of lightning clouds shoot back down the side of the barrier from the ‘dark cloud ball’ above them, heading to the area outside of the barrier directly in front of them. Leading the cloud stream, the ponies saw Spitfire in Vanish’s clutches, wings clamped and being driven head-first as the stallion made a beeline straight for the ground. Soarin' cried out in fear for his long-time friend. “… S… SPITFIIIIRE!!!” He was desperate to do anything to help his friend escape the terrifying position she had been trapped in, even using any remaining strength he could to try charging through the barrier, to no avail. The moment before impact, Twilight could swear that she heard Vanish speak, seeing his mouth move as she heard him. She didn't know whether it was her imagination or not, but the words sounded clear to her:

“Forgive me”

Pulling up at the last second, Vanish released Spitfire from his hold, causing her to collide with the ground before anypony could slow her descent, with an almost immeasurable amount of force. The ground burst and shook from the impact, causing several of the other ponies to drop to their knees, meeting their jaws as they remained stunned by the sight they had just witnessed, and the accompanying sounds of the poor mare's impact with the ground. Spitfire was concealed by a thick cloud of airborne dirt, which dissipated slowly. Upon seeing her, they were awestruck at the sheer extent of the damage Vanish had done to their friend.

Her goggles were broken, with pieces of them embedded in her forehead and eyelids, staining her shining yellow and orange coat and mane. The pure scale of the degree of damage could not be measured by sight alone, though it clearly extended past her severely broken wings and body. Her suit was in tatters, her eyes were closed, and her mouth was open, though they could not hear or see her breathe from their position inside the barrier. She looked like she had been in a fight with several other ponies; a cruel, hopeless, one-sided fight. As Twilight struggled to contemplate the events that had just transpired, Vanish landed near Spitfire, looking straight at Princess Celestia, who looked like she bore witness to a great cataclysm. Rarity fainted at Vanish’s approach to the unconscious orange mare, as Pinkie Pie tried to wake her friend back up.

Princess Celestia had seen enough, but struggled to speak. “A-Alright, you proved your point, let her go.” Vanish looked at Gather for his answer. The captive stallion’s smile grew wide and menacing, as he clasped both his hooves together, rubbing them slowly against one another. Celestia saw this, and raised her hoof as a means of enforcement. “By order of Canterlot, do not harm her further! This is your last warni-!” Gather stepped forward, grinding his front hoof into the dirt to emphasize his statement. “Crush her.” Celestia looked at Gather, who was clearly enjoying this.

She realized then, that this pony she had ‘apprehended’ was clearly more of a threat than she had anticipated, perhaps even more than the artificial alicorn outside the barrier, simply for his 'control' over the pony outside the barrier. Princess Celestia lowered her stance in order to shout into the turquoise stallion’s ear. “GATHER! In the name of Equestria, call him off! You’ve made your poi-AGH!” Gather turned around quickly, striking the side of Celestia’s face with his hoof, causing everypony around them to gasp as several guards brandished their weapons in defense of the regal alicorn, while other guards piled on top of the stallion who had attacked the Princess of Canterlot and Ruler of Equestria.

Their weight did little to stop his laughter, or his series of mocking statements. “How does it feel to have your precious title be revealed for the sham that it is? Your authority over me is as empty as the backs of your Pegasi Guards! You are worthless! You can’t even protect yourself, let alone your guards, and make no mistake about your royal subjects: They’ll get what’s coming to them!” Gather chuckled, staring icy daggers into Princess Celestia’s eyes as he struggled to breathe due to the force of the guards on top of him. He pivoted his head on the ground and shouted at Vanish, before the guards jumped off of the captive stallion in order to surround the princess, helping her up with the assistance of several ponies. “As your client, you must do as I say! Now pick her up. Use your magic to pick her up.”

Vanish’s eyes were fierce as he used the magic of his horn to levitate the prone body of the Captain of the Wonderbolts. Gather stood up, limping towards the barrier’s border. “Now use my magic to take her wings, and grind her into the barrier. Let these ignorant worms know not to mess with my power. That’s an order, Vanish!” Twilight had heard enough. “Vanish, don’t do this! Please!” The princess's faithful student had tears in her eyes as she ran to the edge of the barrier. She didn’t want to believe that this was the stallion she had spoken to for the past couple of days. She desperately hoped that she wasn’t just being toyed with at the Library, at the Boutique, and even on the train, when it came to his proclamations of a 'code of honor'. Attacking an unconscious mare was hardly a claim of honor, yet Gather shouted angrily in response to the mare's intrustion. “DO IT, VANISH! CRUSH HER AGAINST THE BARRIER AT ONCE, AS YOU CLAIM WHAT I PAID FOR: HER WINGS!!!”

Vanish activated Gather’s horn, and readied his stance, lowering Spitfire with his magic, to his level. Even if Princess Celestia could order everypony in Canterlot to help, she didn’t have the time to do it. The smoke gray-maned stallion ran into the mare and propped himself on her with his forelegs, before seemingly stabbing her in the back with Gather’s horn, but not moving her from her position in the air. In that instant, the smile on the face of his client had been erased; the look of sadistic glee deteriorating into one of somber disappointment in the process, before Gather spoke. “… Hmph… Fine. I get what I want, either way.” Vanish jumped off of Spitfire, slowly lowering her now-wingless body next to the barrier with his own magic. He looked at Twilight, with soft, sad eyes. Turning his attention to Rainbow Dash, the look of sorrow was replaced with a stare of regret, as he desperately tried to get through to them with his expression: "I'm not a monster."

But as they saw Vanish begin to soar upwards by the barrier, sporting the freshly obtained wings of Spitfire, fully brandished and healed in comparison to how they looked on the mare moments ago as his own coat began to resemble that of the Captain of the Wonderbolts, their worst possible fears were realized: He wasn’t done with his orders. Gather laughed to himself, wistfully. “Oh, how could I forget the time?” The ponies kept their eyes on Vanish, except for Rainbow Dash, who charged at Gather, kicking him fiercely and knocking him over. “What's he doing? You better answer me or else!”

Gather looked at Rainbow Dash blankly. “You’re no one important without your wings. Buzz off.” Gather turned his head, catching the sight of Spitfire being brought into the safety of the barrier by some unicorn guards, as well as being followed closely by Soarin’. What appeared as a painful sight for the ponies within the confines of the barrier, brought a smile to the face of turquoise stallion, who simply taunted the others. “You’re all destined to wind up like her, all because I’m in here.”

Gather looked up, as Vanish approached the top of the barrier. “To get into this barrier by any means necessary: That is Plan B.”

Obligation

Vanish continued to fly to the top of the barrier, changing his wings and coat in the process, to those of Derpy Hooves now that he had reached the top of the magical shield surrounding Canterlot. The ponies followed him with their eyes as Twilight tried understanding where the stallion was heading to. “I don’t get it! He’s gone to the top, he’s well past the Castle Tower, where's he going? We wouldn't even see him if it wasn’t for the light of the…!”

A vocalized gasp accompanied the purple mare's shock of realization, as she muttered just loud enough for the other ponies around to hear her. “Oh, no… Princess…” Princess Celestia had just finished making sure that Spitfire would be taken to the Canterlot Infirmary. They had the best doctors around to look at her, and do what they could for her various injuries. The Princess of the Sun looked at her student, questioning her statement. “I’m right here, Twilight. What’s wrong?” Twilight shook her head, and looked at her mentor’s eyes with fear. “Princess, where’s Luna? Where’s Princess Luna!?”

Celestia’s expression turned from sad and worried, to incredibly panicked. Gather had mentioned how he forgot the ‘time’, and now they knew what he meant; Princess Luna and Princess Celestia worked together to monitor the barrier surrounding Canterlot during the Royal Wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor. Princess Celestia monitored things during the day, but needed rest just like anypony else, so Princess Luna would come down to guard the night during a crisis. She had not been told about who the threat was, let alone being told of their capabilities, but just to come as soon as the moon was out.

They could see her; Princess Luna was in the distance, and Vanish had cloaked himself. The ponies feared the worst. “No... Is he going to do the same thing to Princess Luna that he did to Spitfire?” Rainbow pounced on the toppled stallion stomping on him mercilessly. “ANSWER ME! HOW DO WE STOP HIM!?” Gather coughed at the impacts. “Y-You did this… to yourselves!” She stopped attacking him so that he could speak. “If you didn’t bring me in here… he wouldn’t have had to hurt her!”

Their worst fears were realized: Vanish was planning to attack Princess Luna. As they looked up, they tried waving to her in order to get her to turn back, but she didn’t see them as they were at the side of the barrier. Luna went towards the encompassing shield, but hovered before she could open a hole in the barrier, quickly turning around as if she had suddenly become distracted, or alerted of something. Twilight thought it over. “Did she hear Vanish using his magic?” Suddenly, the ponies saw Luna disappear from sight, though they could hear a rather loud argument occur just above the barrier, as the argument approached them as indicated by the voices getting louder. Vanish was speaking to Luna, but kept himself cloaked so she couldn’t use her magic on him, while Twilight had a theory about what was transpiring. “Is he… negotiating?”

The words stopped, and although the two alicorns still could not be seen, the sound of flapping wings was clear. It was coming from the area next to the barrier, where Vanish had taken off from. Hearing a grunt of pain and the sound of wings no longer flapping, the ponies gathered to the side of the barrier as the stallion uncloaked himself and the princess, having placed his two rear hooves on the back of Princess Luna’s hind legs, and his two front hooves on her rather large, brandished wings, pinning her stomach to the ground as she shouted in protest. “R-Release me at once, stallion! Are you so blind and foolish, as to not know the identity of the one that you are in the presence of!?”

Vanish looked down upon her with a look of dismay. “It is with great regret, that I must direct your attention to the ponies lined up before you.” Princess Luna stopped trying to look at the stallion behind her, and averted her gaze to the ponies in front of her, just on the other side of the barrier. “Sister! What in Equestria is going on?” Celestia bowed her head in a nervous display of regret. “I’m afraid that you’ve encountered the reason why this barrier is up, Luna.” Princess Luna realized the gravity of the situation at once. “Oh… Oh dear me…”

Luna could not turn around to face Vanish, as he had pinned her wings with his hooves, making even the slightest movement from her feel agonizing. Suddenly, Vanish stepped off, lifted her up with his magic, forced her wings to close, and against all expectations, turned her towards him. Princess Luna attempted to use her magic against the stallion as dark clouds began swirling around her, and her eyes began glowing with fury-induced magic while she made her vicious proclamation. “Never in your most terrifying nightmares, could you even begin to perceive the danger you’re in, by attempting to assault the Princess of the Ni-AAH!”

Suddenly, Princess Luna fell out of the air, unable to even take her wings out in time. Vanish dropped her, having released his magical hold on that which had enveloped the alicorn. “I apologize in advance, fair Princess. I am out of options, and it is under the order of my client that I must use your power to my advantage.” Princess Luna was about to get up, but had hurt her left foreleg when she landed, causing her to buckle in response. Vanish placed his hoof in front of her, which she took in order to help her up, before she quickly backed up from the suddenly prim and proper-acting stallion, raising her hoof off the ground to point at him objectively.

“Explain yourself, threat to Canterlot. Know that we of Equestrian Royalty do not take kindly to threats.” Princess Luna seemed sure of herself, but didn’t know whether to trust the stallion in front of her, or to just use her magic to retreat into the safety of the barrier. Then it hit her: The reason he needed her help was obvious, and Vanish could tell that she knew the reason. “You know why I need you, Princess. You are the only one capable of opening a hole, with which I may enter this barrier through, and be reunited with my client.”

The turquoise menace shouted. “Vanish, what are you doing!? She’s right in front of you! Do as we agreed!” Gather was furious, as if something was not going according to his well-laid plans. Vanish turned his attention to his client “You very specifically instructed me to obey the rules of the contract, and that is what I am doing.” Gather was steaming with rage. “No! I didn’t! I demand that you use my magic to take hers, and get in here at once! Do you want your payment or not!?”

As angry as Gather was getting, Vanish remained calm and collected as he composed his response. “I did not wish to resort to this, but you leave me no choice. As my client, I must refer to our contract in front of everypony present.” Vanish used his magic to bring a scroll from behind a nearby tree, where he had left his saddlebag along with the fedora. Gather was grinding his teeth, knowing full-well what the contract said. Princess Luna was very confused by the demeanor of the stallion who had taken her ‘hostage’, but not nearly as confused as Princess Celestia and the Royal Guards were, having witnessed what Vanish did to Spitfire, yet not spoken to the mercenary as the other ponies had done in the past couple of days. Vanish laid the scroll on the ground and unfurled with his hooves, as he sought to disclose the necessary contents.

“Let’s see, here. ‘Binding agreement to obtain the Wings of the Cloudsdale Pegasi, as well as those of The Wonderbolts, The Spirit of the Element of Loyalty: Rainbow Dash, The Spirit of the Element of Kindness: Fluttershy, The Princess of the Night: Princess Luna, Princess Mi Amore “Cadance” Cadenza, and Princess Celestia of Equestria’, as quoted by the contract we wrote and signed.” Gather was beside himself with rage, but could not speak out of turn with any possible comeback as the mercenary continued. “With regards to the means of execution of the aforementioned actions, I may choose my means of action and interaction.”

Rainbow Dash cut in. “Why didn’t you just wait for Luna to open the barrier, before sneaking in?” Vanish had moved the scroll back to the saddlebag while listening to Rainbow Dash. “I had considered that option, but that would be rude. I attacked the Wonderbolts when they attacked me. As for the Princess, she did not do so, and I need her to help me reach my client.” Twilight understood his logic, as the fight on the train suddenly came back to her: The ponies that attacked him were the only ones he fought, but Princess Luna had not become hostile towards the stallion, much like Derpy and Fluttershy on the train. Gather stood on his hind legs, crossing his forelegs as he mocked the stallion on the other side of the barrier by speaking sarcastically. “Oh, how noble of you, fair mercenary… HAH!”

Vanish ignored the taunting as he turned his attention to Princess Luna once more. “Princess? I humbly request that I may be allowed inside the barrier. Otherwise, considering how I would have no other option, I would have to use force against you; this is not a threat, I assure you.” Luna was a bit nervous, but hardly phased by the pony who was speaking to her. “I warned you not to threaten Canterlot Royalty. You will learn your pla-…”

“Let him in, Sister.” Princess Celestia had seen enough. She knew her sister better than anyone, and Luna would not back down, nor did it seem that Vanish would allow her to leave without reuniting with his client. She couldn’t expect her sister to beat Vanish after the Wonderbolts had fallen to him. She didn’t want to surrender, but she saw no other option other than losing her beloved sister, or worse: Even if Princess Luna had lost far more important things than her wings and her magic, or if she were allowed to escape, it would only delay the inevitable. Vanish could locate somepony else from Ponyville, and return in due time. Vanish and Gather had planned for this, but regrettably, Princess Celestia had not prepared for a threat to this degree, specifically a threat that was so persistent. “Shining Armor, remove the barrier around Canterlot. Guards, escort Vanish and Gather to the Royal Chambers. We will continue this conversation, there.”

Gather was prodded forward by the guards, and coughed while he chuckled to himself, as Vanish waited for the barrier to dissolve. He raised his hoof in gratitude. “You have my thanks, Princess.” The gray-maned stallion used the magic of one of horns to remove his wings, causing his coat to return to its’ dark, dark blue hue, and the magic of his other horn to bring the fedora and saddlebag over to him before continuing forward. He kept Gather’s horn on his head, before pointing forward and bowing slightly to the Princess of the Night. “Mares first, Princess.”

Luna didn’t respond with words, just a huff and stepping forward. Night had finally arrived, and Twilight had remembered what Vanish had said: That if nothing interrupted their well-laid plans, then everything would come to an end, tonight. “Vanish?” Twilight tried for his attention, but received no acknowledgement. As important questions stirred in her head, Twilight knew that the time for discussion of the options available to the ponies was approaching its end, but the only conclusions available to be seen, were those of sorrow, regret, and pain. “What can we do to help Equestria, and to help Vanish?”

“Will we even be able to do either one?”

A Division of Priorities

Princess Celestia was concerned regarding where to take the two stallions who were threatening her Kingdom, despite mentioning the Royal Hall. However, she was surprised to hear that Vanish had a particular location in mind, and that he was very specific as to the details of where to go. “Take me to the location where you and the Spirits of the Elements of Harmony confronted The Queen of the Changelings.” While the explanation wasn't entirely correct, it was simple enough to deduce its meaning, as there was only one location that fit the description of the request: The Wedding Hall.

Gather could be heard near the front of the line of ponies, as they walked through the darkened streets of Canterlot, with the impatient stallion taking the time to insult others he trotted along with. “I can’t believe this waste of time. So what if there’s some collateral damage? Just take their wings and be done with it, already!” Vanish didn’t even turn around to answer him. “We’re doing this clean, like I told you before. As my client, you should understand the concept of ‘paucity of words’.” Gather huffed at the stubborn unicorn. “Tch! ‘Clean’? After what you did to that flyer!? Please, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were walking us right into a trap. You better remember your purpose.”

The dark blue stallion didn't miss a beat with his response. “And you better know your place as my client. I’ll do the job, but I’m not letting the civilians of this kingdom be put in peril, on my account.” Vanish had a code of honor. Gather couldn’t care less about it. Twilight saw them bickering, and wondered if all the pain and suffering that ponies had to go through was really something Vanish would be able to simply ‘overlook’, as Vanish interrupted the path the ponies had been going on. “Stop here, please.” Vanish spoke up, prompting Princess Celestia and her guards to stop walking, finding themselves near the Entrance Plaza. They had taken no shortcuts to the castle, since Princess Celestia wanted to take the path with the least number of buildings surrounding it. The paths were few, but she knew where she was going.

“Alright. From here, we will split our plans. Gather, you know what to do.” Gather sighed in aggravation. “Yeah, yeah, just give my horn back, first. You won’t need it, but I will.” Vanish put his hoof on the second horn, activating its power, and in turn allowing him to place it back atop Gather’s head, where it covered the black dot that had been in its place, before the gray-maned stallion placed his fedora on his head, before turning his attention back to the Princess of the Sun. “Princess Celestia. I request that you utilize as many unicorn guards as you can in order to help my client gather my payment.” The regal mare frowned at the request. “I won’t utilize the Royal Canterlot Guard for such ridiculous purposes.”

Vanish stood up to her, which was not an easy task given their size difference. “Should you continue to utilize your guards to make sure one of us is kept 'in line', why not send them with the stallion who poses a very prominent threat?” Celestia considered the idea, but wouldn’t budge from her statement, so Vanish continued. “I need my payment to be taken to the location I specified, to be sure the contract is completed, and to count the payment, myself.” Vanish turned to the other ponies in line. “As for me, I wish to go somewhere before I head to my designated destination: I wish to see the Captain of the Wonderbolts.”

The ponies in line mumbled to themselves; they had no idea what Vanish was planning, but it couldn’t be good, as Princess Luna was the only mare to make sure her concerns could be heard by the stallion. “A foul creature such as yourself cannot be allowed into the Canterlot Infirmary! It would put the lives of the ponies that are being cared for, in jeopardy!” Vanish turned to Princess Luna. “Then I request that I be escorted by ponies of my own personal choosing before heading there. If I have reliable individuals making sure I’m not doing any harm, there is no problem, correct?”

“We still don’t trust you.” Princess Cadance spoke up from near the back of the line, as other ponies turned to her, though Vanish's gaze remained unaltered as he delivered his response. “You don’t have to. You only need me to be escorted by ponies whose trust you have.” Vanish turned back to Princess Celestia. “I request that I be escorted by the four behind me, as well as your sister.” Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Applejack, and Shining Armor, had all been behind Vanish for most of the walk. Princess Luna was surprised to hear Vanish single her out, but even more surprised to hear her be addressed to Princess Celestia as “[Her] Sister”, of all things to be labeled as.

Princess Celestia lowered her head in thought, contemplating the idea. “I don’t want my si-… Princess Luna, to be anywhere near you, Vanish.” Vanish gave a stern, desperate look at the monarch. “I can’t take her wings, why can’t I be trusted? Give me a reason, or present a better excuse!” Vanish calmed himself down as Gather chuckled at the momentary loss of focus, before the mercenary tried explaining himself further. “… My apologies, but I request that you reconsider your response, Princess. My client will take the time and resources to obtain my payment, with your guards. This will provide the best use of time, and considering how it’s night, the ponies of Canterlot shouldn’t see the events take place if we are in smaller groups.”

Vanish was trying to keep this as secret as possible. No civilian witnesses, just the Elements of Harmony, Royalty, The Royal Guard, and of course, himself and his client. The fillies were still with Derpy in the briefing room, but Princess Celestia made her decision. “Rarity, please escort the young fillies as well as Miss Derpy Hooves to the Castle Hall. I will meet you there in order to give you something.” As Rarity ran off to the briefing room, she wondered what Princess Celestia was thinking, but the princess did not wish for the stallions to overhear her plan. “Guards, escort Gather to his destination, and help him to transport his merchandise to the Wedding Hall.” Vanish turned around. “Remember, good sir. Stick to the plan. Soon, you’ll be more than happy to be rid of me.”

The turquoise stallion delivered a coy smile, as he couldn't help but confirm the final statement made by Vanish. “For once, we agree on something! Well? Let’s go, Royal Pawns!” Gather proceeded to walk back to the area where the ponies had come from, with several guards walking behind him as Celestia leaned her head in towards her sister's ear. “Sister… Be careful.” Princess Celestia whispered to her sister, to which Luna nodded her head, mildly. “I shall.” Luna turned her attention to Vanish. “Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, Applejack, we will make our way to the Infirmary at once. I need not remind you to keep an eye on him.” Twilight spoke up from the line. “We understand, Princess.” Vanish tipped the fedora on his head back up. “Lead the way.”

Luna scoffed at the mild-mannered request. “Do not order me around, you disrespectful foal!” Princess Luna wouldn’t even look at Vanish as she made her way through the streets to the location where Spitfire had been taken. She saw her sister walk away with Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Princess Cadance, in the direction of the Castle. Vanish turned his head. “Are you alright, my dear?” He had been talking to Twilight, who turned her head away from the stallion. “Call me by my name, Vanish; show that you care, even a little. Give me a reason to trust you.” Vanish felt legitimately hurt by the words of the purple unicorn, and yet, he couldn't piece together the reason why with simplicity. “… You told me your name, and yet I cannot recall it. If I cannot be trusted to remember something so simple, I cannot develop a conclusive reason regarding why you should trust me with anything else.”

Twilight looked up to see Vanish looking away, tipping his fedora down again. “Vanish…” The remainder of the walk was without words. Nopony wanted to attract any more attention than necessary.

Unwelcome Visitor

After being led along on a path that seemed to last far longer in the ponies' minds than it had actually taken, Princess Luna had finally stopped walking on the darkened streets of Canterlot, having reached their destination. “She’s in here. Stay quiet, knave.” Vanish bowed his head, using his hoof to tip his hat down slightly in acknowledgement. Princess Luna went into the Infirmary, seeing several guards stop the other ponies at the door until the Princess of the Night addressed the elite pony guards directly. “They are here to visit a patient. Let them through.”

“Princess Luna?” They heard a voice coming from a room in the distance. Princess Luna had a voice that carried itself farther than she carried herself as royalty. When ordering others around, she used the traditional ‘Royal Canterlot Voice’ to address the guards. Unfortunately, she forgot that hospitals had patients who were trying to rest and recuperate. Hiding her embarrassment, she noticed somepony wearing a Wonderbolts uniform, that was peeking their head out from inside one of the rooms. Rainbow Dash shouted to the stallion that craned their neck out of one of the rooms. “Soarin’!” The wingless mare tried to run ahead, but the guards halted her progress swiftly by crossing their spears. The stallion had been allowed to roam freely to the rooms of the Wonderbolts, being a member himself, after escorting Spitfire from where she lay after her ‘battle’, all the way to the Canterlot Infirmary.

“Are you here to see Spitfire? The doctors are operating on her now, but she should be ready for visitors in a-…” Soarin’ stopped talking, once he noticed the stallion that was behind Princess Luna: Vanish. “… You…” The fedora-sporting stallion stepped forward, as Soarin’ walked to where the guards had their spears drawn and crossed in order to prevent unwanted entry, prompting Rainbow to move out of the way as the lone Wonderbolt member addressed the mercenary. “How dare you show your face here!” The receptionist hushed at Soarin’, who ignored the warning completely as he focused on making sure Vanish remembered what he did by pointing out his crimes. “You destroyed the Wonderbolts, you took our wings, you mortally wounded our Captain, you…” Soarin’ paused, shuddering in fury, before he jumped onto the crossed spears, having the guards hold him up with great difficulty given the flailing of his hooves. “HOW DARE YOU EVEN LAY A HOOF ON SPITFIRE!!! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, SHOWING YOUR FACE HERE!?”

Vanish didn’t change his unreadable, blank expression, despite the furious, flailing hooves that were inches away from him. The pony behind the reception counter stood up, prepared to administer a more audible warning, but was halted by the hoof of the dark, dark blue stallion as his attention remained on Soarin'. “If you get yourself removed from the hospital due to your own attitude, you may never be allowed back.” The enraged stallion cast a furious glare towards Vanish, who remained unfazed by the gaze, as he paused before directing his attention to the receptionist. “My dear, where is Spitfire?”

The receptionist looked at her list, before Soarin’ turned to her. “Don’t trust him! He’s the reason she’s here in the fir-!” Princess Luna raised her hoof between Soarin’ and the receptionist, lowering her tone considerably. “As Princess Luna of Equestria, I command that you tell us where Spitfire, Captain of the Wonderbolts, may be seen for visitors.” The receptionist was shocked at the tone of voice she was being addressed in; dumbfounded at the fact that royalty itself had paid a visit to the Canterlot Infirmary. “S-She’s in surgery right now. Please wait a moment in the lobby over there, and keep your voices down.

The ponies sat in the waiting lobby, Soarin’ included, as an awkward silence was accompanied by the strict tension in the air. Soarin’ had left the room of another member of the Wonderbolts who he had come to visit, but the visits were heartbreaking. By the end of last night, he was the only Wonderbolt without wings. Now he was the only Wonderbolt who was healthy enough to be allowed permission to walk around the hospital floor without an escort. An hour had past before the receptionist called the ponies over to the reception desk once more. “The doctor has given his permission for Spitfire to accept visitors. She’s on the third floor. Soarin’? Please show them to her room.”

“Oh, I’ll gladly lead them to her, but he doesn’t have any right to-…” Applejack raised her hoof to interrupt Soarin’s statement. “Don’t even start, just get goin'.” Soarin’ was furious, but he led the way regardless. The ponies went into a stairwell, not wanting to attract too much attention with the use of the unicorn magic-powered lift. Princess Luna walked next to Soarin’, and raised her hoof in a successful attempt to keep Soarin’ from moving forward momentarily, but Vanish inadvertently bumped into the light blue stallion as a result. Soarin’ turned around, eyes brimming with fury. “YOU STAY BA-”

The gray-maned stallion interrupted Soarin', raising his voice just enough to get through to the Wonderbolts member. “I’m sorry.” Vanish removed his hat, placing it in his saddlebag. Soarin’ saw what he believed to be crocodile tears falling from the menace’s eyes, and became all the more furious, before Vanish muttered his words, which were just barely able to be heard by anypony but himself. “… J-just… walk.” Vanish kept his hat in his saddlebag, as he stared into Soarin’s emerald eyes with his own light brown, sad eyes. Soarin’ was still mad, but turned away from Vanish, continuing up the stairwell to the third floor. Getting out into the hallway, he saw a doctor outside Spitfire’s room, and ran over to them quickly in order to speak to them while the other ponies were out of earshot range. As they approached, the blue-maned stallion thanked the doctor, and turned to the other ponies. “She’s resting right now, but we can still go insi-huh? H-HEY!!!” Vanish shoved Soarin’ aside, knocking him over in the process. Princess Luna activated her horn, preparing for the worst, but noticed Vanish simply standing in place in the doorway. Rainbow Dash ran over to Soarin’, helping him up and directing their attention to the stallion in the doorway, who had stopped shedding tears, but was clearly entranced by what laid in the room.

Laying before Vanish, on a hospital bed, was a bandaged-up pony that looked less like a pony and more like the victim of a train wreck. Cotton, bandages, casts, a neck brace, and even a heart monitor all decorated the body of the poor mare who occupied the bed. Soarin’ had described his dear friend well when he called her ‘mortally wounded’. One of Spitfire’s forelegs, as well as her mouth and small holes for her eyes and tail, were the only parts of her without bandages or some sort of fabric covering them; even her mane was covered up in the body-cast. Vanish walked into the room slowly, not wanting to jostle anything nearby with his steps towards the patient in the hospital.

The other ponies followed suit, gasping at the sight of Spitfire. Applejack couldn’t believe how bad she looked, while Rainbow Dash found tears welling up in her eyes, considering how this was the second patient that the pony had visited in a hospital in lieu of recent events. Twilight stood near Shining Armor for comfort, the latter of whom looked on without expression, but kept his sister close to him with a hug of assurance. Princess Luna didn’t know how to feel, considering how she didn’t really know Spitfire, but the alicorn hoped that she could understand the pain of all those who were in the room, or at least, all but one.

The solitary exception was Soarin’, who didn’t even look at Spitfire. He kept his stare focused on Vanish, waiting for the slightest sign of aggression from the stallion. If he did anything, Princess Celestia would need all the magic in Equestria to piece the mercenary back together from what Soarin’ had in mind. Vanish activated his horn’s magic, levitating his saddlebag to a nearby chair, before dropping it onto its seat cushion, and taking his fedora back out to place it on his head, covering his horn. Vanish walked around the bed, looking to find the best angle to observe Spitfire with. First he walked to the right of Spitfire’s body, with Soarin’ watching him closely for the slightest form of provokation, from the opposing side of the bed. Vanish turned around and went back around the bed, to its left. Soarin’ tried to go around him, but Vanish raised his rear hoof, motioning that he wanted Soarin’ to stay where he was.

Vanish spoke softly to the ponies in the room. “She’s your friend, but if you aren’t here to see her, I expect you to leave. I’m speaking to each of you.” Princess Luna glared angrily at Vanish. “This was NOT what w-MMPH!” The stallion used his magic to cover Luna’s mouth with his hat acting like a muzzle in order to muffle her voice, only glancing in her direction to do so. “You have no need to shout, my dear, so please know your place in this hospital; we are all visitors.” Vanish turned his head to Luna, removing his hat from her mouth with his magic. “We are expected to comply with the rules.”

Luna stood dumbfounded at how disrespectful the stallion was being, until he turned in her direction and bowed gracefully as he elaborated. “I apologize if I offended you, but ‘titles’ have no place in here, nor do grudges. I came here for a purpose, and if everypony seeks to judge me, then I welcome their judgment. But right now I ask that you let me have this moment to myself.” Twilight looked at her friends and nodded to them in order to confirm her choice to comply with Vanish's request. Twilight Sparkle walked out, as did Shining Armor, Applejack, and Princess Luna. Hesitantly closing the door, they left Rainbow Dash, Soarin’, and Vanish to remain in the room with the gravely injured mare.

Let it Out

With the door to the room closed and little else to look at, Soarin’ couldn’t help but despise Vanish for what he did to Spitfire. He couldn’t stand seeing him even looking at the Captain of the Wonderbolts in her present condition. Overflowing with anger, he lunged at Vanish, who was quick to turn around in order to allow himself to be pounced on by the normally laid-back member of the Wonderbolts. Rainbow Dash was about to shout for Soarin’ to stop, but Vanish raised his hoof to her, halting her from committing to any course of action. Soarin’ wailed on the smoke gray-maned stallion, who kept his hoof raised, making sure that the mare would refrain from interruption.

Vanish kept his tone low, never making more than a grunt in response to the heavy-hoofed strikes that Soarin’ was landing on his face and body. Soarin’ was merciless in his assault, as Vanish kept his gaze on the Wonderbolt until Soarin' turned his head for a moment to avert his gaze, prompting the mercenary to speak up. “You look at me if you’re going to attack me, understand?” Soarin’ panted heavily as tears fell from his eyes; tears of anger at the pony he was attacking, tears of sorrow for his friend whose state was ‘precarious’ at best, as he bludgeoned the unicorn with his hooves. Soarin’ stopped for a moment to catch his breath and to compose himself, closing his eyes in an attempt at trying to regain control over his anger, but Vanish wasn’t done with him yet, standing up to taunt the emotional stallion further. “I guess her life didn’t mean much to you if you’re already done.”

Soarin’ cast a murderous glare as he lunged at Vanish once more, but Rainbow Dash stepped between the two stallions, desperately trying to hold the emotion-driven Wonderbolt back, who decided to ignore the pacifistic nature that comes with the role as a visitor for a patient in the hospital. “YOU’LL PAY! YOU’LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO HER!” Princess Luna used her magic to open the door swiftly, before the ponies saw Vanish use his own magic to grab Rainbow Dash, moving her away from the enraged Wonderbolt, and over to her friends. Soarin’ took a moment to regain his balance, having lost the pony that was holding him back, essentially having acted as a crutch, before looking at the target of his aggression with confusion as Vanish spoke. “I understand that your fury is well-founded. Do what you want until you think you’ve avenged her.”

Soarin’ had become exhausted, lowering his head in order to breathe in and out deeply. Vanish stuck his hoof out towards the ponies that had run into the room, stopping them from interfering. Soarin’ looked up, surprised to see the extent of the damage that he had done by himself to the mercenary. Vanish was a mess, or at least, he appeared that way: He had several imprints of hooves in his dark, dark blue coat that could be seen thanks to the illumination that the hospital ceiling lights, with marks mostly on his face and upper body, though his lower body had also been stomped on by the rear hooves of Soarin' considerably. His lip was heavily swollen from the hits to his face, and one of his eyes were closed. The wingless Pegasus stallion didn’t know where he had hit Vanish, nor did he care, but the smoke gray-maned unicorn pony was also keeping his leg turned towards his chest, limping towards Soarin’, before turning to Spitfire once more. His good eye opened in shock, as he saw Spitfire’s eye struggling to open.

He turned away, attempting to avoid a confrontation with Spitfire, simply saying “Take care of her.” to Soarin’ before limping with haste to the other ponies, grabbing his saddlebag and the fedora he had brought with him, by using basic levitation magic. “I am satisfied with how this visit has transpired. Make haste for the Wedding Hall, if you please.” Princess Luna and Applejack turned around attempting leading the way, until a voice rose up from the other side of the room. “NO!” Soarin’ shouted to the pony who had just spent the last several minutes being used as his own personal punching bag. Seeing Vanish continuing to walk, Soarin' desperately tried to convince him not to leave. “Don’t go! Please, wait!” Vanish stopped for a moment, but he didn’t stop looking at Luna and Applejack, who looked to one another with visible concern, prompting the unicorn stallion to glare angrily. “Do not test my patience, mares!”

Soarin' tried speaking again, but his word came out almost sounding like a gasp. “Don't…” Soarin’ had tears in his eyes. He had let his rage take hold of him, and he knew it was wrong. What he couldn’t understand was why Vanish had become so quick to turn away, after looking at Spitfire. Suddenly, the realization occurred to Soarin’, as he looked to the mare on the bed. Spitfire had her eyes opened, but was clearly in pain. She looked at her long time friend, and opened her mouth slowly, in order to speak through her neck brace. “… Soarin’… How… are… they?” She struggled to speak, but Soarin’ knew what she wanted to know. “They’re fine, Spitfire. They didn't have it nearly as bad as you, though. Now rest.”

“No… The Prin…cess… needs…” The heart monitor increased in tempo, as Spitfire tried breaking free of her bindings, to no avail. Soarin’ was trying to keep her down, until he noticed a dark blue aura around Spitfire, as he questioned the identity of the pony that he believed to be the source of the magic. “Princess Luna?” Soarin’ turned around to look, seeing that the magic that was controlling his friend was not that of the princess, but that of Vanish. Spitfire struggled to speak. “W… Wha… What’s h-happe…” Vanish walked over to her as the tempo of the heart monitor increased drastically, his chestnut brown eyes brimming with regret and sympathy, as his horn glowed with his aura of magic. Spitfire saw him approach, and stopped struggling against his magic. He released his hold on her, and spoke in a tone devoid of emotion.

“Hold still.” The other ponies prepared to stop Vanish, whatever he was planning to do. He placed his saddlebag on the floor, dipped his hat in, and pulled something else out from its depths, out of Spitfire’s line of sight. The ponies in the room were surprised at what he had, but made no attempt to stop him. Soarin’ couldn’t see over the bed, so he also didn’t know what it was that Vanish took out of his saddlebag. As he raised it, revealing the object, he only had three words to the pony on the bed. “… Look at me.”

*CLICK*

The camera he pulled out flashed a blinding light, which Soarin’ covered his eyes to avoid. Spitfire couldn’t react, being tied up with bandages, though she mumbled in protest of the sudden flash of light. “W…” Her attempt at speaking was interrupted by the stallion behind the camera. “… Spitfire.” The ponies in the room gasped at the name being spoken, as did Soarin’. Twilight knew what everypony was thinking: “Wait, I thought Vanish couldn't remember names…” Vanish put the camera down and explained, though it appeared he wasn't quite looking at the ponies as he spoke. “Your partner… It was the last thing I heard him say before I sent you into the ground. It’s a name I won’t soon be allowed the merciful honor of forgetting.” He held up the picture of Spitfire for him to examine for imperfections, before flipping it around for her to view. “And now, I’ll never forget what it will mean to me.” Vanish used his magic to place the picture in his saddlebag, along with the camera. He placed his double-saddlebags back on the chair as he proceeded to walk over to Spitfire.

Vanish sat down, but put his front hooves on the bed. He grabbed Spitfire’s front right hoof, as it was the only one that wasn’t in bandages, or a cast, as the tempo of her heart rate had finally normalized completely. “Spitfire, it was nothing personal; nothing remotely personal.” He placed her hoof between his own hooves as he continued. “Why can’t I tell myself that, and just forget it?” Vanish had tears welling up in his eyes as he tried to understand how things were turning out for him since coming to Ponyville and Canterlot. “I don’t want this. This isn’t what… my contract…”

Applejack couldn't let him ignore the obvious any longer. “Van, you can’t avoid this.” The orange Earth pony walked over to Vanish, knowing how upset he was. “You can’t just go ‘round, avoidin’ the things you’ve been responsible for!” The stallion turned his head to Applejack, clearly unable to understand. “This is how I’ve been, how things have been for me, so… why can’t it be like that, now!?” Vanish broke down, sobbing on Spitfire’s bandages, soaking their exterior layer with his tears. Spitfire couldn’t say anything in response. Nopony could comprehend what it would be like to live one’s life without an ability to remember good or bad experiences, but to know that they have happened, only to suddenly be forced to accept the consequences of their actions full-force.

They couldn’t understand, but they didn’t want to. Several minutes went by before Vanish had regained his composure and stopped leaning on Spitfire’s hospital bed, whispering the last of his words to her. “I… I’m sorry, Spitfire. I’m so, so sorry.” Vanish turned around, using his magic to place the fedora on his head, and his saddlebags on his back, before addressing Soarin’. “Don’t you even think about leaving here until she’s better, stallion. If you do, I’ll never forgive you.”

Vanish walked out of the room, still sporting shades of the limp he had acquired from Soarin’, as his injuries slowly recovered. The ponies followed him, with Luna leaving the room last, but running to the front of the line in order to grant Vanish permission past the guards. Soarin’ didn’t follow them, but Rainbow Dash turned around to look at him. “We’re going to beat Gather. If Vanish stands in our way, we’ll do what we need to: No one hurts us, or our friends, and gets away with it.” Soarin’ nodded his head, sternly. Rainbow Dash turned around, rushing to catch up with the ponies that had reached the stairwell.

Leaving the infirmary lobby, Vanish looked up the street. Far beyond where he stood, there was the Wedding Hall. He knew what awaited him there. Twilight was positive that she and her friends could take Gather down faster than anyone they had ever had the displeasure of being forced to stop the selfish plans of in the past, but now, she had something else with her: Hope that Vanish could be helped. Princess Luna just wanted to see her sister again; to make sure she was okay. She turned around to address the others in the line. “If nopony has any further objections, we shall make our way to the Wedding Hall.” Vanish nodded his head, tipping the fedora down with his hoof. “Let’s go.”

No Strings Attached

Rarity was glad to have brought Derpy and the fillies to the Castle. It was close to the Wedding Hall, but they were safe from anypony who posed a threat, given the number of guards that surrounded the castle both outside and inside its walls. Princess Celestia walked with her to their destination, having retrieved what she had sought to give to Rarity: The Six Elements of Harmony, used to imprison Discord and used to ‘save’ her sister. The Elements were far from predictable. Princess Celestia used them on the dreaded Nightmare Moon, and with her own power, sealed her away in her lunar prison. Yet when the six ponies that represented the Spirits of the Elements of Harmony utilized their power, they were able to banish the darkness in Princess Luna’s heart, which had transformed her into the Wicked Mare of the Night.

“Princess, are you sure about this?” Rarity couldn’t help but feel nervous. “Gather seems to be adept to collecting things, and his power seems to be natural unicorn magic. I don’t quite see how the Elements can help us.” Though Rarity had her doubts, Princess Cadance walked over, placing a hoof of assurance on Rarity’s back. “Rarity, Princess Celestia knows what she’s doing. It’s for the good of the Kingdom of Canterlot. Just have a little… W-What in the name of…”

Noticing the massive trail of guards leading into, as well as leaving, the Wedding Hall caused Princess Cadance to pause in shock. Fluttershy chirped up, with something else having caught her attention. “L-Look at all those bags…” Fluttershy wasn’t drawn to the guards, but the massive burlap sacks that they were carrying with their magic. The ponies ran forward, noticing that the guards were severely disgruntled. Princess Celestia heard shouting and laughing from inside the Wedding Hall, as she and the other mares walked into the reception room before it, knowing exactly who was responsible for this.

Walking through the open door, she saw colossal bags of burlap lining the walls of the Wedding Hall. Towering as high as the hall itself, the precariously stacked bags appeared to be looming over them, as they turned their attention to the turquoise stallion in the center of the room, shouting orders at the guards. “Stack more over there! I had to haul these from Baltimare and store them below Canterlot, so you worms should have no problem with one at a time!” Gather noticed the ponies at the front door of the Wedding Hall. “Ah! Welcome to my temporary vault, mares! Care to bask in the beauty of all these bags of bits? Ha ha ha ha ha!” Gather had been given permission to use the guards, and he was certainly enjoying the power that had been ‘bestowed’ upon him by the Princess of the Sun.

Princess Cadance stepped forward, demanding answers. “What is going on, Gather!? Where is Vanish?” The last of the bags had arrived, completely lining the walls of the Wedding Hall, leaving only enough space for some moonlight from the windows, as well as artificial light from the chandelier above. The space where those who are related to the bride or groom were to sit, were removed. All that remained were pillars, flooring, wall, windows, ceiling, and the large bags. The ice blue eyes of the stallion gazed upon Princess Cadance as he saw fit to respond to her questions. “Oh, you mean my mercenary? He’ll be here soon. He hasn’t shown up yet… Ah, or so I thought.”

Princess Luna led the remaining ponies into the Wedding Hall, backing up as soon as she saw the looming towers of burlap surrounding the Hall. It felt very claustrophobic in there, as anypony would agree. “WHAT, IN THE NAME OF EQUESTRIA, HAS BEFELLED THE ROYAL WEDDING HALL!?”

Gather laughed maniacally at Princess Luna’s screams, as the bags seemed to shake ever so slightly from the echoes of her shouts, and his laughing. “AHAHAHAHA! AHA! AHA! HA! Oh-ho-ho, D-Do you always talk like that!? I’ve got to say, that’s hilarious!” Vanish walked past the stunned Princess Luna, and placed his saddlebag by the front door of the preceding room. He looked at the bags, attempting complex calculations in his head. Twilight, herself, looked at the bags as she spoke to the gray-maned stallion. “V-Vanish, is all this…”

Vanish ignored Twilight's stammering, as he spoke to Gather directly. “You have done well, client. This appears to be everything we agreed on, assuming you aren’t considering a sudden act of betrayal, that is.” Vanish saw his client smirk at him. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. You want bits? I’ve got all your bits, right here. I won’t even dock your pay for not getting the wings of that blue one; that one Wonderbolt. Consider it a ‘gift’, or ‘severance pay’!” Rarity looked at the massive bags, shock resonating in her voice. “T-THIS… is A HUNDRED-THOUSAND BITS!? There’s no WAY! This is FAR MORE than that!” Vanish lowered his head in shame. “That’s right, I had never told you everything. This would be the presumed amount, if you wanted to buy out the original contract: one million bits.”

The ponies were awestruck. They had never seen so much money before in one place, even in Canterlot. Pinkie Pie was especially ecstatic. “Whoa! One million bits!? That’s, like… like… hold on, give me a second… One MILLION tomatoes, down at the market! Assuming they’re priced fairly, of course. Or like… w-wait, lemme think it over… HALF A MILLION cherries! Well, again, assuming the stand owner is being nice that day, and had that many cherries to begi-…” Pinkie Pie rambled on, trying to think of how much money ‘one million bits’ was, as Twilight walked forward to speak to the dark, dark blue pony. “Vanish, you told us that the contract was a hundred-thousand bits!”

Vanish turned around, lowering his fedora over his eyes, not wanting to smile during this serious situation. “I said that the original contract was for a request of my services, for a hundred-thousand bits. You see, I never explained that there was a certain ‘penalty’ that I had placed, due to my client’s actions after the contract was formed.” The ponies looked at each other, completely lost with regards to what Vanish was saying, but Applejack believed she understood what he meant; only asking for the sake of clarification. “Hold on, so yer telling us that Gather did somethin’ to make him have t’pay MORE!?”

“Traitor's Fee.” Gather spoke up to get the attention of the various ponies in the Wedding Hall, having taken the time to climb up the makeshift staircase of burlap-covered coins, and run along it. “That’s what he calls it anyways, it's in the contract!” Gather was playfully running on the bags without a care in the world, confident in how things would play out for him, as Vanish turned his attention to the other ponies, raising his fedora up and using his magic to bring the contract from his saddlebag to his eyes once more. “My client sought to betray me through the act of attempting to steal my magic in order to complete his request by himself prior to us reaching Ponyville. As a result, he was fined ten times the amount of the original contract, and given three months to get the money together.”

Scoffing, Gather explained his actions, almost with a tone of boastful pride in his voice. “Yeah, but I only took a couple of weeks, tops. I was a Gold Merchant and Jeweler in Baltimare, so I just needed to sell enough merchandise to make the bits!” Vanish moved the contract back to his saddlebag with his horn's magic as Gather ran down the bags, stopping in front of the ponies before continuing. “Took a while, but I’m as grateful as I am sour about it. See, I was able to fill every hole in my original plan while waiting; spent a lot of time in the Canterlot Archives, too. Keeping to myself, reading everything I could about Equestria, I even saw the princess a couple of times while studying. Besides learning about you chumps, I also learned plenty about the Elements of Harmony!”

Princess Celestia looked at Gather nervously as he glanced at her. “And I learned a great, great deal about you, dear ‘Princess’, as well as your sister, and your 'student'. Even learning about past threats, to make sure I would succeed where they failed!” Gather used his magic to produce the wings of one of her guards. “You can’t beat me, Celestia. You, and everypony else, will bow before me and my New Order for Equestria.”

Gather flapped his wings, laughing at the ponies in the room. “Ah, now then, I suppose it’s time for you to get to ‘gathering’, wouldn’t you say, Vanish?” Vanish closed his eyes, contemplating something. Gather wasn’t amused by this pause, though he was even less pleased with what he heard once Vanish spoke. “… No. Not yet.” As several of the ponies in the room smiled, The turquoise stallion thrust himself forward with the wings he was using in order to confront the brown-eyed mercenary. “WHAT!?” Vanish raised his hoof. “Considering how you already tried to betray me once, did you think I would trust you so easily?” Gather was scraping his hoof on the ground, ready to charge right through the well-mannered stallion. “I will count the bits myself, to confirm that you have paid the appropriate amount. If you have not, there will be consequences.”

Foam had begun to emanate from the mouth of Gather, while his eyes seemed set on piercing through his 'contract stallion'. Vanish grabbed one of the burlap bags from the top of the piles with his own magic, and turned his head to speak directly to Gather. “I’ll be counting them in the reception hall, removing them from the Wedding Hall in the process. I am unaware of how long this process will take, so all I can ask of you as my client, is to be patient.”

Sitting in the reception hall, Vanish used his magic to levitate the bag to his side as he used his hoof to toss his fedora over to his saddlebags. Carefully, he turned the massive burlap bag upside down with his magic and untied the rope that sealed the bits within, using his mouth. The bits poured onto the floor beside him like a waterfall of golden coins as he began to count every bit that was there, one by one, stacking them one at a time. The other ponies knew that Gather had no other option but to comply, and they could have just as easily let Vanish go about doing what he sought to accomplish while they came up with a plan, possibly even attacking the two right away, but Twilight truly felt bad for the dark blue stallion; with his short term memory loss, he’d never be able to do this right if he wasn’t efficient.

Twilight turned to her mentor. “Princess, I’m sorry. I need to help him.” Rarity shook her head. “Twilight. This could be the chance we’ve been waiting for! Let’s just let him count, and we ca-” “ARGH!!!” The sudden scream of frustration by Vanish was accompanied by his use of magic to topple the pillar of bits he had made, and start over. He lost count because the other ponies had been talking, but was too proud to blame them. He began again, and Rarity paused for a moment, observing the clearly frustrated pony who had begun counting anew. Princess Cadance stepped forward, looking into her husband’s eyes. “Honey, let’s help him.” Shining Armor looked at Princess Celestia, who simply watched Vanish try counting the massive number of bits, before he responded. “Well... Y-Yeah, alright.” Rarity walked up to Vanish, ceasing his counting as she took the time to explain how he could do so in a much more efficient manner. Vanish sat and listened to her idea, nodding and smiling at her explanation, admitting that the simplicity of her plan was something he had never considered.

Joined with Twilight, the five ponies worked together in order to count the massive number of bits that had been moved to the Wedding Hall, prompting Gather to burst into hysterics over the sight. “Look, I know you’re eager to see my New Order of Equestria, but please! You’re helping your enemy! Are you ponies really this dense!?” Twilight turned around, looking to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, yet not sharing a word between them. In her eyes, the princesses saw and understood everything. As Twilight walked over to Gather, the two princesses replaced her spot in counting the bits in the room before the Wedding Hall, as Princess Luna brought another bag over to the reception hall.

Twilight shoved the turquoise stallion back, as her friends stood behind her while she spoke. “Gather, I don’t expect you to understand, if you think that we consider Vanish our enemy. We know who our enemy is. More importantly, we know who we consider our friend. Vanish is far from our enemy. Just because he’s obeying a contract, doesn’t make this personal. I realize that, now.” Twilight looked at Vanish, who seemed to be enjoying himself as the piles of bits became golden towering pillars that formed along the wall of the massive atrium that they were standing in. “We’ll help Vanish, because he’s our friend.”

Opportunist

Twilight was powerful enough by herself, but the combined magic of the unicorns was being perfectly utilized, both together and separately, in ways she could only dream about. It was an incredible system: Rarity showed Vanish that the coins could be stacked next to each other, eliminating the need of counting them one by one, or even in clusters. Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and Princess Cadance were stacking the bits in massive towers, starting with five pillars of ten, merging them into a pillar of fifty, then into ten towers of fifty bits each, merging them into a five-hundred bit tower. Using that single tower as reference, Vanish, Rarity, and the three princesses, had been able to cycle through bag after bag of bits. The massive wall of the room they were in, allowed for a monstrous number of bits to be towered against it at once.

Shining Armor was up, and Twilight gave him the perfect job for his powers: He could place a barrier around the bits that they had counted, bundling them up into a ball for Twilight to then place back into a burlap sack and tie back up. Each sack held ten-thousand bits, as Gather watched the ponies place the bags on the opposite side of the room they were working in. As humorous as it was, they were admittedly efficient, but seeing them use their magic in such a ludicrous manner was making him all the more hungry to move on with his plan.

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy were stopping Gather from interfering, not that he needed to. Pinkie Pie had gotten her hooves on some glow sticks, and was ‘directing’ the unicorns as they proceeded to count the piles of bits into towers, forming a massive wall of ‘bit towers’, bundling the wall of bits into a ball of bits, and placing it into a bag, before moving it to the opposite side of the room. Despite her actions not really helping in a practical sense, the humor of it kept them from losing their focus due to stress, though they got mad at her when she tried using a whistle to keep their spirits high.

After almost an hour of counting, they had finally bagged the last of the bits, amazed that not only had the bags been so neatly organized, but even more amazed at how fast they had counted them. Rarity quickly double-checked the bags, to ensure that they had counted a proper number. “98, 99… 100! One hundred bags of ten-thousand bits per bag, gives us a total of one million bits, exactly!”

The ponies sighed with relief at the success of what they had accomplished. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were tired, since they had never done such monotonous work in all their lives, but it had been well over a thousand years since they had last worked together on anything, as sisters. Regardless of what it was for, Princess Luna was overjoyed to be able to accomplish something with her sister, though Princess Celestia was mostly just tired. Twilight was also filled with joy at being able to spend time working on something with not only her mentor, but even with her big brother as well as her favorite foal-sitter. She saw the two of them embrace each other, love clearly radiating from them as they joined their horns together and nuzzled affectionately, much like they did on their wedding night.

Despite their actions, Gather had other ideas. Using the cheerful scene as a distraction from the eyes of the other ponies that had been tasked with watching him, the turquoise stallion crept behind the Wedding Hall door and used his magic to produce the wings of Rainbow Dash. Flapping the wings in order to elevate himself silently, he stood atop the massive door and looked at the ponies below, all of whom had forgotten about him. Seeing Princess Celestia and Luna exhausted, he took his chance. Dive-bombing them, the Princess of the Sun looked up, seeing the desperation in Gather’s eyes.

There was no time to think: Celestia jumped at Luna, causing both of them to fall to the ground with their backs on the floor. Snarling at how he couldn’t do what he wanted given their position, Gather decided to go for the next best thing, and raced to the ponies who had been swept up the folds of love. Racing past Twilight, Gather grinned as the purple unicorn screamed to her brother, “WATCH OUT!” Cadance didn’t have time to react, but Shining Armor attempted to move his wife out of the way before Gather reached them. Unfortunately, the artificial alicorn was much too quick in reaching them, and used his front hooves to keep their heads close, and their horns closer. “Agh! What the-!”

Causing his wings to dissipate, Gather connected his horn to the horns of Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. They could be heard screaming in pain, as Gather boisterously laughed at the sounds of pain echoing off the walls of the reception hall. Shining Armor and Cadance were forced by the cackling unicorn to bump their heads together, causing them to rub their heads in pain with their hooves, before realizing what had truly happened: Gather had stolen their unicorn horns. Just as swiftly, the ice blue-eyed stallion quickly produced the wings of Rainbow Dash once more, and made another move, trying to attack Twilight Sparkle. Still stunned at the sight of her brother and his wife without their horns, she found herself unable to react as Gather grabbed her head between his hooves, preparing to use his magic to acquire her horn for himself.

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash ran into Twilight, causing Gather to miss the unicorn completely and hitting the wingless Pegasus pony's head with his own, as both mares fell under him. Scowling, he quickly flew up in order to make another dive, but Vanish had seen more than enough. “AS MY CLIENT, I ORDER YOU TO STOP!” Gather laughed at Vanish’s statement, mocking him with his own words as he turned around and hovered in front of the dark, dark blue stallion. “Aww, we’ve been through so much, and you still don’t call me by my name? I’m hurt Vanish, really I am.” Laughing to himself, the false alicorn landed on the floor of the reception hall, gleefully trotting over to Vanish. “I was just havin’ a little fun, 'merc'. It’s not like this breaks our contract!” Gather pointed to the bags of bits. “You got your money, now do your job, and end this… Like a good little colt.”

Gather touched his horn, once again causing it to cast its magical aura around his hoof, and raising it to Vanish’s head. For a moment, Vanish leaned back, as if to avoid accepting the magic he had used before, but reluctantly leaned forward and accepted the horn’s power, knowing that his client had fulfilled their obligation. Without reason to break the contract, and without any points of argument, Vanish turned to the ponies in the room, as he lifted the fedora off of the floor where he had placed it, as well as his saddlebag, moving it closer to the massive sacks of burlap.

He didn't need to shout for them to hear him, given how silent the reception hall was as he pointed to the other ponies in the reception hall. “It’s time to end things with you all. Once I am finished here, I can leave all of this behind me.” Rainbow Dash walked up to the stallion, eyes brimming with pain and anger. “Vanish, when we first met, you told me I wasn't reliable, remember? Well, at least I'm not somepony like you: A good-for-nothing sell-out!” Vanish turned around to meet the bright cerulean-coated pony, glaring at her. “I won’t lie: I have no use for the money that my client has promised me for my contractual obligations.” Brandishing the wings of Spitfire and having his coat turn from its familiar dark blue to a brilliant gold in the process, Vanish began to hover in the air.

They could hear him whisper to himself as he stared at his hooves. “… Spitfire…” He cast a gaze to the roof of the Wedding Hall, backing towards the massive windows at the end of the atrium. Everypony who had been in the room with the bags quickly followed him to the Wedding Hall as Gather closed the doors manually, preparing for somepony to make an attempt at leaving. The dual-horned stallion shot a vicious glare to the ponies, as he spoke. “My goals are those of my clients. I have never made things personal before, and I swear to you all, I won’t start now.” Vanish made precise, yet erratic dashes above the ponies, leaving lightning clouds behind him before stopping at the door and continuing to speak. “I can’t start now!”

Vanish dashed from the door, straight through the clouds, cutting a line right through the zigzag pattern he had made with the clouds in the air only seconds ago. He turned from the window, looking in the direction of the ponies in the room, clearly meaning solely to intimidate them before committing to his work as he exclaimed to them all, “You never had a chance to stop this!”

The Brawl in the Wedding Hall

Vanish allowed his eyes to scan the ponies in the room as he hovered in front of the massive central window. There were four ponies in the room that had wings, but he couldn't help but hesitate at the idea of attacking those who had helped him, or at least, from attacking all but one. One he said he would take the wings of on several occasions. Dashing towards the ponies that had gathered together, he landed in the middle of their makeshift circle, causing them to forcibly disband before turning his attention to the sole pony he had put off obtaining the wings of, the most.

He didn't even need to explain things as he often took pride in doing. He simply addressed her by name: “… Fluttershy.” Amazingly, the timid mare seemed to be the least scared of all the ponies in the room. Hearing the stallion call her name, after being told that she would have her wings removed, and after seeing ponies who had their own wings removed several times, made her realize something, yet Rainbow Dash would not let risk the stallion harming her friend as she shouted to get the attention of the gray-maned pony. “You leave her alone, Vanish! She's done NOTHING to deserve her wings being taken!” Vanish turned his attention to the wingless Pegasus pony that had approached him from behind, but his calm demeanor faltered momentarily, being caught off-guard by the sudden feeling of Fluttershy placing a gentle hoof of assurance on his back. “It’s alright. Go ahead. Take my wings.”

Her friends ran over to her. Pinkie Pie screamed at her friend; “Are you crazy?” Rarity shook her head at the thought of agreeing with Pinkie Pie, and at the notion of Fluttershy’s decision as she explained her idea. “Pinkie Pie is right. Leave him to us and escape with the princesses.” Applejack put herself between Fluttershy and Vanish, scraping her hoof along the floor. “We ain’t lettin’ him take yer wings, Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash ran around the stallion and shook her friend, hoping it would bring some sense into her. “Look, don’t do this! We can take Gather, AND Vanish!” Twilight Sparkle stood firm between the stallion and the pink-maned mare, scowling at the unmoving mercenary. “Fluttershy, you’re our friend. We won’t let you get hurt!”

Fluttershy gently pushed past them as she closed her eyes, focusing deeply on what to say. “Girls, you don’t understand. If you all try to stop him, then you’ll just end up getting hurt. He won’t hurt me if I don’t struggle as he removes my wings.” Fluttershy turned around, opening her eyes, showing the concern that was clearly reflected in their cyan glow. “I like my wings, but… I don’t need them! They help, of course, but I’ll still be able to see all of you, as well as my friends in my home, and around the forest. That's more important to me than some silly wings.” Fluttershy was serious, and her friends knew it, though they desperately tried thinking of a counterargument, to no avail, as the mare spoke up so the dark blue pony could hear her. “Vanish, if there’s any way you can do this without making it hurt, then I'll give you a chance.” She turned back around to the stallion. “As long as you promise me that you won’t harm my friends.”

Vanish stood on his hind legs as he crossed his forelegs, deep in thought, but keeping his eyes on the six mares in front of him. “This is not an easy request to give, nor is it one I can easily accept, my dear. If provoked, am I to believe that you are asking me to do nothing in response?” Fluttershy shook her head. “They won’t do anything to you. I promise.” Vanish walked up to Fluttershy, activating his second horn in the process. “They are not you, Fluttershy. Is this just an effect of your spirit resonating with the Element of Kindness? Or-” Fluttershy cut him off, keeping her tone as soothing as ever. “It’s trust, Vanish.” Vanish stepped back, seeing Fluttershy sit down with her back to him, ready to accept her fate as she moved her tail out of his way. “I trust them not to hurt you, and I trust you to do what you promised.” Fluttershy brandished her wings, truly accepting that which she believed to be inevitable, in her mind. “Remove my wings, please.”

Vanish was struck with compassion for the yellow Pegasus pony, but he knew that he had a job to do. “… You have my sincere gratitude, Fluttershy.” Vanish lowered his horn to Fluttershy’s back as she closed her wings back up. The feeling of the horn on her back caused Fluttershy to produce an involuntary whimper as Vanish focused briefly on the power of Gather's unicorn horn, before the deed was finally done; the fastest, most painless acquisition of the wings of a Pegasus pony he had ever accomplished. Even though he knew he shouldn't care, he couldn't help but want to make sure she was okay. “Are you alright, my dear?”

Fluttershy stood up and walked over to her friends, smiling timidly. “I-It'll take some getting used to, but I have friends to help me out if I ever run into any problems. Th-Thank you for making it painless.” Vanish bowed in response, unable to tip his hat, which lay in the previous room along with his saddlebags. It was at this point, he realized that he wasn’t relying on anything but the power that Gather had given to him, in order for him to acquire Pegasus pony wings. There was no trickery in how he did his job, when he was doing it his way.

Brandishing them, his coat slowly changed its color from that of Spitfire, to the same color as the coat of Fluttershy. He looked at the wings, noticing that they were slightly larger than those of Rainbow Dash, which he found to be rather peculiar of a detail. Also, they were much gentler in how they felt. Perhaps not using them often for racing or diving through clouds, gave them a feeling of 'softness' that one who often fluttered, rather than flew, would grow to have.

He spoke up, realizing he didn't have much time to waste, though still entranced by the strange texture of the wings. “Next-UGH!” The stallion turned his attention from the wings, caught entirely off guard by Princess Cadance’s husband, Shining Armor. Vanish had been charged into, but the force was weak; for a unicorn, charging into a threat head-first often meant the possibility of causing damage to their horn. As a result, despite Shining Armor not having his horn due to the actions of Gather, he ducked away from a full collision solely by reflex. Vanish saw this weakness, but didn’t want to use his magic to take Fluttershy’s wings away, at least not yet. He hovered above Shining Armor, knowing that the stallion couldn’t reach him. Looking forward, he noticed Princess Cadance galloping towards the two stallions, seemingly ready to help her husband.

It was a sight Vanish admired; the look of devotion. Despite that, he couldn't give them the chance to best him here. Hovering in the air, he baited the princess to attack him, taking notice of Luna and Celestia slowly circling the room as Gather sat in the corner, enjoying the drama and the action, all the same; he knew what Vanish was planning, but also knew that he had no way of failing, as long as Cadance didn’t change what both stallions thought her plan of attack was.

Sure enough, Shining Armor launched his wife high into the air by using his back as Princess Cadance soared above where Vanish thought she would go. She opened her wings and glided over him, before stomping on his head with her hind legs. Twilight recognized the attack; Gather had done the same one to her, up in the Cloudosseum, and it had almost knocked her out when Gather had done it. Vanish was in a freefall, and Shining Armor prepared to charge into him.

Vanish focused his attention to the Captain of the Royal Guard, waiting until he was close before shouting to the hornless unicorn. “… Nice try, stallion!” Using Fluttershy’s wings, he broke out of the freefall and glided just over Shining Armor before bucking his rear hooves, kicking the noble stallion in the side of the head, rather than the back of the head. This left Shining Armor dazed, but far from unconscious, since Shining Armor was quick enough to turn his head in an attempt to see his target.

Regaining his balance, Shining Armor charged at Vanish once more, only to see Vanish causing Gather's horn to glow. Seeing the mercenary remove his wings and revert his coat to its natural colors, the blue-maned stallion seized his chance and rammed full-force into Vanish, who used his front hooves to try blocking Shining Armor before both stallions promptly bounced off of each other. Shining Armor righted himself and closed his eyes, shaking his head, feeling like he just charged into a wall. “W-What!? What just happened?” He realized that something felt very, very wrong all of a sudden, and upon opening his eyes, he was greeted with a terrible sight, causing him to shout in the midst of his shock. “HUH!?” Shining Armor never saw it coming; Vanish had used Shining Armor’s own magic, the very same magic that Gather had obtained moments before, to place him in a barrier, causing the stallion to be stopped in his tracks.

Princess Cadance saw her husband trapped, shouting to him worriedly. “No! Shining Armor!” The mare ran straight at Vanish, set on avenging her husband who had been bound by his own magic, but Vanish couldn't let her win. “Sorry, princess, but this is just business for me.” Vanish jumped over the barrier and landed on the opposite side, buck-kicking the spherical barrier that Shining Armor was in and causing it to be launched directly at Cadance. Caught completely off guard, the force of the barrier as well as that of her husband inside it, crashing into her head as she stumbled backward from the impact before trying to balance herself, tripping and falling forward in her dazed and pained condition. From the force of the collision, her husband’s barrier had become weakened, but still kept him confined as he could do little but roll around in it, still dizzy from the impact with his wife. Vanish ran towards the princess, pouncing on her in the process.

She cried out in weak protest, “Nngh! N-No…” Her pleas of mercy fell on deaf ears, as Vanish used Gather’s horn to take her wings from her by force. She grunted from the rather minor surge of pain, for the impact with the barrier had made her far too weak to struggle much against the stallion that bore down on her, who was now trying to talk her into stopping her movements completely. “Hold on.” Vanish, having acquired Princess Cadance’s wings, swiftly brandished them, as his coat changed its color once more. He jumped into the air, and stomped on the shield that he placed around Shining Armor, shattering it in the process. “You. Take her to the others. Now!”

The sound of two hooves clopping together in appreciation could be heard from the corner of the room. “Ah, well done, Vanish, well done! You’ve gotten better with my magic, I see. Spectacular!” Gather was sitting down, applauding Vanish for his efforts against the ponies so far, knowing that Vanish didn’t want to hurt anyone, let alone as many as he had wound up hurting with his actions. “I love a good spectator sport, and it is made all the more entertaining with a live performance. Simply glorious! HA HA HA HA HA!!!” Gather clopped his hooves together, even louder, before bringing about a sinister change to his tone of voice. “Of course, now you just need to finish the job.”

Vanish turned his attention to his client, quickly glancing at the princesses in the process. “Don’t tell m-UGH!” Shining Armor had waited for his opportunity, and it arose quicker than he could have hoped. For taking the wings and horn of his wife, there was no forgiveness within him. As Captain of the Royal Guard, he had a method for detaining ‘difficult’ ponies, though it was seldom executed in Canterlot, considering the types of ponies around hardly being 'difficult' in their demeanor. Standing on Vanish’s hind legs, as well as his wings, much like Vanish had done to Princess Luna earlier, Shining Armor shouted to the Princesses of the Night and Day, “Princess Luna! Princess Celestia! Attack him, now!”

They didn’t have to run in to attack Vanish. Much like when the Queen of the Changelings challenged Princess Celestia, a duel with pure magical essence could be used in order to disable Vanish’s magical capabilities. Luna and Celestia had positioned themselves near one another and fired their beams of magic at Vanish. The pained stallion was not helpless, however, as he tried to do the same. However, he had something to even the odds: He had two horns, compared to the single horn on each princess’ head. “I won’t… LOSE… AGH!!!”

Shining Armor leapt up, keeping his front hooves on Vanish’s wings, before slamming on the mercenary’s hind legs, causing a wave of pain to surge through Vanish’s body, out through his mouth as he lost his focus for a moment. Opening his eyes, he saw the beams of magic of the princesses almost reach him, and put his strength into releasing as much magic as he could, though his own unicorn horns. His own horn challenged the powers of Princess Luna, while Gather’s horn was used to challenge Princess Celestia. It seemed fairly one-sided, given how he had lost several seconds of time he could have used to focus the magic into beams, thanks to Shining Armor.

However, Vanish had an idea. Feeling Shining Armor rising up again in order to stomp on his legs, Vanish waited briefly, before quickly retracting his hind legs. Right before Shining Armor could land in order to protect himself, Vanish buck-kicked the Captain of the Royal Guard off of him, causing the white-coated stallion to soar over his sister and slam into the wall of the Wedding Hall. “NO! SHINING ARMOR!” Princess Cadance was weak, but had woken up due to the sounds of the fight going on, seeing her husband soar over her and Twilight Sparkle, naturally wingless and completely helpless as the mares had been trying to help her instead of watching the fight going on. As the ponies ran over to Shining Armor, Vanish growled in frustration. “Grr… Time to do this… the hard way!” As he focused his power entirely on Princess Celestia, the magic that had been used to produce the wings on his back ceased to remain in effect, causing the wings to disappear and his coat to change back. The sudden surge of power was too great for the princess to prepare for, and she paid the price with her horn sustaining heavy damage, becoming impossible for her to stand up from the pain as her crown was cast aside from the force of impact.

“NO!!!” Princess Luna lost her focus before her beam of magic could reach Vanish, allowing the stallion to collapse from exhaustion without sustaining physical damage. Luna ran to her sister, making sure she was conscious before redirecting her attention to the stallion. “You… I WILL SHOW YOU NO MERCY!!!” Princess Luna focused her beam of magic even harder. Vanish focused his magic once more, this time from his own horn, but he had used his magic for far longer than any unicorn should ever use consistent magic. He knew the Princess of the Night would win, unless he changed his strategy.

Omnipotence

Having seen her sister defeated in a battle of pure magical ability, Luna became enraged, prompting her to use all the magic she had within her, in her attempt to defeat Vanish. The stallion knew he couldn’t win this way, but he couldn’t allow himself to lose, either. He had only one trick left: Using Gather’s magic, his coat changed to that of Fluttershy, as her wings appeared on his body. “Hah! You chose poorly, ignorant foal! Now pay the price!” Princess Luna stepped closer to Vanish, who had become critically weak. The Princess of the Night had him where she wanted him, until she noticed something. He wasn’t trying to focus his magic any more than he had already been doing. She focused her own, redirecting it as the stallion flew higher and higher, until he found himself on the ceiling of the Wedding Hall, using the chandelier to obscure himself.

“You’ll pay for your actions against Princess Celestia of Equestria! No cheap trick such as hiding yourself could ever…!” Princess Luna stopped using her magic, gasping upon noticing that she had been hitting the chandelier without anypony falling from it, for longer than she cared to realize. Awaiting his presence, Princess Luna looked around cautiously, darting her eyes around the room. She knew that Vanish could conceal himself, but remembered hearing the stallion when she had been taken hostage by him earlier, realizing that Vanish could not hide the sound of himself using unicorn magic. Becoming scared that he might get the drop on her, she backed herself into the corner by the door that was unoccupied by Gather, before noticing that she made the most careless mistake of all: She stopped attacking.

A beam of magic shot from the side of one of the pillars to the sides of the hall; Vanish had used the chandelier to conceal his presence, cloaking in order to move behind a pillar, but didn’t approach Princess Luna as she thought he would. Taken by surprise at an attack from the ground, Luna quickly tried to defend herself, but it was too late. Vanish had used the seemingly unlimited power of Gather’s horn to overtake the princess, as the force of impact from the beam of magic propelled her against the wall she had backed herself into, knocking her into an unmoving sitting position against the wall. Vanish gently hovered over to her, knowing his rear hooves needed to recover, and pulled her by her horn with his front hooves, pivoting around her until he was in position to remove her wings. Hearing her wince in pain, Vanish took the wings from the prone body of Princess Luna, gently propping her back up against the wall before hobbling over to Princess Celestia.

He didn't know what to say, trying to calmly praise her efforts against him as a form of consolation. “You performed better than I had believed you were capable of performing. This is nothing personal, but this is what I must do in order to fulfill the conditions of the contract. I am sorry, princess. Please forgive me for this.” Princess Celestia looked up at Vanish, weakly. She put all her effort into rolling onto her back while Luna fought against him, as her wings were limp, but extended. He could have easily stepped on them to keep her in place, but he had too much honor to do so. All she could do is warn the stallion of the consequences. “… Y… You’ll pay… by the order… of Eques…tria…” She could hardly speak, though she was practically immobilized by pain. Vanish used his magic to lift her up, flipping her over easily while she was levitated in the air, before laying her back down gently. Finally ready, he used Gather's horn in order for him to acquire her wings by placing the horn on her back, hearing a groan of sorrow and defeat escape the mouth of the Equestrian Monarch.

And just like that, it was over. Fluttershy had thought that despite her not doing anything, Vanish wouldn’t be capable of defeating all three princesses, especially with Shining Armor providing his assistance. But he proved the superiority of the powers that Gather had. More importantly, he achieved his goals; he had acquired the wings of all of the Pegasi in Cloudsdale, the two members of the Spirits of the Elements of Harmony, all the members of the Wonderbolts, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Princess Luna, and last but not least, Princess Celestia of Equestria. Vanish was exhausted and pained, but walked over to his client in the corner of the room, who highly enjoyed the carnage that was displayed in the Royal Wedding Hall, as could easily be determined by his booming, hysterical laugh, which had rung loud through the hall, as his hired mercenary approached him.

Calming himself down, Gather stood up, and walked over to Vanish. “Heh… Ha hah… You’re worth the wait, even if you’re a tad too naïve for my own personal tastes.” The turquoise stallion lowered his head in anxious anticipation of what he had been waiting for. “The horn, if you please.” Everything went as Gather had planned, and now the end of the plan was approaching with haste. As Vanish used his hoof to grab Gather’s horn from his own head, he placed it back with Gather, bowing respectively to his now ‘former’ client.

Vanish turned around, opening the large door with his magic only a crack with which to make his departure from the Wedding Hall, as Gather watched him do just that, as Vanish gave nothing but a simple, heartless glance towards the terrified, disappointed group of mares staring at him from the other side of the hall, before the mercenary hobbled in pain, out of view of the ponies who had tried everything they could to befriend him and earn his trust, with nothing to show for it now, but scars from a battle they had promised Fluttershy that they would not take part in, themselves.

With Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both down, and the other mares in the room focusing intently on Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, Gather simply walked over to the fallen ‘Rulers of Night and Day’. Gently trotting to Princess Luna, Gather used his magic to lift her up, slamming her against the wall viciously. The sharp, painful exhalation from Princess Luna could be heard by everypony in the Wedding Hall, quickly getting their attention. Gather stood behind her, pulling her mane back with his hooves, forcing her neck to bend dangerously far as she cried out in pain, before he finally took her horn from her, and with it, her power. He wasted no chance at humiliating the defeated princess, casting her towards the wall where Shining Armor had left a crater. Thankfully, Twilight was able to stop her from crashing head-first into the wall, by using her magic to grab the former alicorn out of the air.

Princess Celestia had struggled to right her stance as Gather approached. She tried standing, but doubled over in pain, landing on her knees once more. Seeing this, Gather couldn't help but taunt the princess. “Well, well, well. I’m not even in charge yet, and you’re already bowing to me like a good little ‘follower’; how precious.” She looked up, gritting her teeth in furious anger while visibly fighting back the pain coursing through her body. “I’ll never let Canterlot… fall into the hooves… of such a… sadistic monster!” Gather chuckled to himself, brandishing Princess Celestia’s wings before responding. “Know your place, worm.” Gather flew up briefly, before using his rear hooves to land a heavy, painful kick to the side of Princess Celestia's head. She spun slightly on the floor from the impact before coming to a halt. Dizzy, pained, and tired, she still struggled to stand up, not wanting her kingdom to fall into the hooves of Gather, shouting at him angrily. “… You… You are nothing but a… bottom-feeding… cowardly, p-… power-hungry scoundrel… you’ll never take Equestria. I know I-!” Gather harshly kicked her with his front hoof, right in her underbelly, knocking her over.

“‘Power Hungry’, you say? You truly know nothing, princess. I am not keeping this power to myself. Well, not all of it anyways.” Gather used his magic to move the badly beaten princess over to the side of the room, sliding her along the floor in front of him slowly, kicking her whenever he chose to whilst doing so, each kick producing a cough from the former alicorn princess. “See, I’m not in this for ‘me’. I’m a business-oriented pony: just like you, just like the white mare with the purple mane, and just like Vanish. You wouldn’t believe the demand for wings, by unicorns and Earth ponies alike!” Gather crossed his forelegs, before turning and kicking the downed princess again, in the chest, with his rear hoof, causing her to cough fiercely as he leaned down to speak to her again. “Power can be bought, and I’ve got it for sale in bulk. These ponies are content with who they are; unicorns are self-entitled, ignorant creatures. Yes, I know the story of Hearth’s Warming Eve. It’s as dumb as the ponies who believe in such garbage.”

Gather scowled angrily. “The theory of ponies being able to work together for maintaining ‘Harmony’ is utter rubbish!” The turquoise stallion lifted Celestia up with his magic, before solely focusing on her neck, allowing gravity to hang the rest of her body in the air as her front hooves desperately flailed at her throat, unable to release the magically-induced grip though willpower or physical means as Gather continued. “You… you alone, define the traits of the unicorns. To bring in the night, and day; a duty I intend to make my own, showing that only the superior shall rule Equestria. Discord was content with his chaotic state of affairs, but I… Oh ho hoh… I’m going to take this far beyond the reaches of Equestria. Of course, I’ll keep some things for myself, like the wings of Rainbow Dash, for instance, and some magic.”

Gather turned Princess Celestia around, clasping her head, trying to crush her skull with his bare hooves, before settling with simply craning her neck down, obtaining her horn, and throwing her crumpled mess of a body off to the side as he finally finished tormenting the defeated mare, at least physically. “Yours, that of your sister, and of course…” Gather pointed to the ponies who were tending to Princess Luna, as they all focused at the sadistic stallion who had suddenly given them his own absolute focus, as he made his last claim, “… The magic of Twilight Sparkle!”

Now or Never

Gather cast a venomous grin towards Twilight Sparkle as she backed up, while her friends stood between her and the stalking stallion, which did little to avert his attention from her. “Did you think I’d spend my time reading in the Canterlot Archives, and not come across your name several times? I know all about you, Twilight Sparkle. More importantly, I know of the potency of your own magical abilities as a unicorn.” Gather slowly stepped towards her, before suddenly firing a fast, short beam of magic at her, which her friends reacted to by promptly shoving the fear-stricken mare away, as it collided with the wall behind her, dissipating upon impact and leaving a small, dark crater in the section of the Royal Wedding Hall wall where it had hit as Gather continued to speak. “I won’t let you leave without letting me take your own magic for myself.”

“STAY AWAY FROM HER!” Rainbow Dash ran at Gather, trying her hardest to prevent the stallion from reaching Twilight, but the stallion grabbed Rainbow with his magic, bringing her close to him and powerless to move from within its magical aura as he taunted the wingless Pegasus mare. “You are far beyond useless. You don’t have the stamina or strength of a natural Earth pony, nor the focus that is common with a unicorn. You don’t even have the wings of a Pegasus pony! You’re simply a ‘nothing’!” Gather threw her back from where she came, where she was sent screaming towards her friends. Colliding with Pinkie Pie, it softened the impact with the floor and lower section of the wall, breaking her fall in the process.

Rarity had enough of Gather’s attitude. “Ladies, I believe it’s time to show this brute that we mean business. Twilight, help me put these on everypony.” Rarity had the Elements of Harmony coiled in her tail, in their jewel-encrusted case. “Hurry, Twilight! We don’t have much… time?” Rarity turned around, seeing Gather lying down, with his hoof holding his head above the floor. “Ah, yes. Your ‘last ditch effort’, your great ‘trump card’, your own final trick: ‘The Elements of Harmony’. I suppose this is the end for me, hmm?” Gather chuckled, before bursting into a fit of laughter. “GYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! WH-WHAT A JOKE! Ha ha ha, alright, alright, go ahead! Use ‘em! I’ll make no attempt to stop you.”

Rarity tried figuring how why Gather was being so nonchalant about the fact that the Elements of Harmony were in the possession of the mares. “I wonder… Perhaps he never learned of the powers of the Elements of Harmony. This could be our chance. Twilight, we’re ready!” Turning around, Rarity saw that Twilight was levitating her tiara in front of her, looking at it, and at Gather, as the white mare became worried for the purple unicorn, voicing her concern in the process. “Twilight? Is something wro-”

Twilight spoke up. “He knows. He has to…” The other ponies cast awkward glances at each other, as Applejack questioned what her friend meant. “Knows what, sugar cube?” Pinkie Pie chimed in. “Hey, remember Discord? He knew about them, too, but he was still petrified once we used them!” Fluttershy walked up to Twilight, placing her hoof on her friend’s back. “Twilight, we don’t know what will happen, but we know that doing nothing would be far worse than knowing how we could have done something.” The yellow, timid mare hugged the skeptical lavender pony, nuzzling her in order to comfort her. “We believe in you, Twilight. We’re your friends, and you can count on us.”

Twilight had tears in her eyes. She felt hopeless, but her friends were always there for her. When she was weak, they were her pillars of strength, and right now, Gather had seemed to leave his guard down. Filled with confidence, she addressed the stallion. “Gather? It’s not too late. I’ll give you a chance to surrender, and leave Equestria at once, as long as you promise to return the horns and wings you have acquired.” Letting them have their moment, Gather stifled his laugh, going from a sinister smile to a coy smirk for his response. “I’ve come this far, so you get your chance to use your useless Elements. Then, knowing the futility of the situation, I’ll scatter you and your friends to the far reaches of the world.”

Gather stood up, glaring straight at the ponies across the Wedding Hall, all traces of humor removed from his face, leaving a sadistic scowl in its place as the ice blue-eyed stallion pierced their stares with his own. “You’ll never know ‘Friendship’ as a savior of your precious ‘Harmony’, again. It will fail you, and you’ll be alone, finally knowing your place in this world as the worthless, ignorant insects that you are.” Gather scraped his hoof along the floor. “I’m not ‘asking’, I’m DEMANDING that you use your elements! DO IT, AND KNOW YOUR PLACE AS NOTHING, NOTHING COMPARED TO ME!”

Twilight had become terrified, but found the courage to focus by having her friends around her. The elements glowed as they did in the past, when they first used them to stop Nightmare Moon, and when they used them to seal Discord in his 'stone statue' prison. The six mares let the magic flow through them, magic found from within; from the power of their friendship. Gather stood firm, but was amazed at the ‘show’ being performed in front of him, as he saw it. As the elements focused their magic, a rainbow shot out from above the six mares, arcing in the air before coming down on the stallion. The force was unlike anything he had ever felt, but he held strong, enduring the powerful force of magic.

Suddenly, the sounds of screaming could be heard in the Wedding Hall. Gather was gritting his teeth, but he wasn’t screaming. Losing her focus only slightly, Twilight Sparkle recognized the voices she was hearing: “Princess Luna? Princess Celestia? Cadance? Shining Armor? Wait… Even Fluttershy and Rainbow!? Something’s wrong. We can’t keep this up!” The Spirits of the Elements of Harmony, having lost their focus, fell back down to the ground, unable to complete what they had sought to accomplish. Twilight collapsed on the ground with her friends, as she looked ahead. Gather had a scorched circle around him, and was panting harshly, as the sound of their collective breathing had suddenly found itself host to a demoralizing cackle brought about by the stallion that stood before them.

“… H… Ha ha… Ha ha ha ha ha, HEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!”

Unplanned

The stallion held his hoof to his head, leaning back and laughing maniacally. “I KNEW IT! HEHEHAHAHAHA!!! YOU HAD NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT YOU COULD DO!” Twilight struggled to breathe, but didn’t take her eyes off of Gather. The stallion was rolling on the floor in hysterics, before quickly scrambling to his hooves and running over to Princess Celestia, who was holding her head in pain as the vicious unicorn yelled, “Do you see? Did you see the feeble nature of their attempt to stop me? This is what's in store for everypony in Equestria who defies my plans!” Gather picked Celestia up with his magic, throwing her away like discarded trash in the direction of Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn slowed her mentor's approach thanks to her magic, but had the princess crash into her due to a lack of focus from exhaustion, as Gather smiled with a look of content bliss in his ice blue eyes. “My plan was perfect, my plan is perfect. Nopony… Nothing can stop me.”

Gather slowly approached Twilight Sparkle sadistically; her friends were much too weak from using the Elements unsuccessfully to stop his march towards their fallen friend. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had developed black scars on their backs, where their wings once were, as it appeared that the princesses had as well, accompanied with black scars where their horns once were, which was also visible on Shining Armor's head. They could only stare weakly as the stallion berated Twilight's efforts. “Now that you know where you stand, allow me to send you off… just as soon as I take this from you.” Gather activated the power of his horn, bending slowly towards Twilight Sparkle, drinking in the victory, smooth and crisp. “You won’t need it where I’m sending you: Back to Cloudsdale. High in the sky, no one will be able to save you, having to be content with watching as you fall through the clouds and straight to the ground. That Wonderbolt thought she had it bad, but you? You won’t ever recover. I guarantee it.”

Seeing the fear in her eyes made him begin chuckling again, before Gather noticed a sound approaching him: Galloping. He turned around, as Vanish charged into his former client, sending him rolling on the ground, before he righted himself with a corrective slide, addressing mercenary. “Ah, how could I forget you, Vanish? You should have just taken your money and run. You will be a perfect display of the limits of my power before I begin my new Equestrian reign. After all, you have nothing I need… well, perhaps one thing.” Gather used his magic to produce the wings of Rainbow Dash, charging straight at the gray-maned stallion. Vanish sidestepped Gather’s charge, before being sent careening into the wall, with a sudden, sharp turn and buck-kick that the artificial alicorn had performed in the air. Rainbow Dash was far too agile to be tricked so easily, and with Gather’s calculating mind controlling the wings, it was a devastating combination.

The stallion smirked as he walked over to the fallen, dark blue unicorn. “You know, I can use the strength of the ponies whose magic and wings I’ve gathered, without taking them out; it just makes me stronger as I drain their bodies of energy!” Twilight listened intensely. She thought that the speed that Vanish had moved around Spitfire with when they fought had seemed unnatural. She was right; Vanish had used Gather’s horn to increase his aerial speed, by using the combined wingpower of all the ponies he had gathered the wings of. He had their speed, their agility, and even their stamina. He had put Spitfire against every pony in Cloudsdale, as well as her fellow Wonderbolts.

Gather activated his horn as he scoffed at the mercenary's efforts to stop him. “Hmph… I won’t even dignify you with the honor of having last words. You are simply trash, meant to be used and thrown away.” The menacing unicorn placed his horn next to Vanish’s own horn, absorbing the horn of the mercenary into his own magical aura. Without his magic, Vanish couldn’t cloak himself, which for him, implied far more than what it meant at face value. He hated how weak he was compared to Gather, but now there was no way to hide from anypony whose wrath he believed to have incurred. Gather smiled as he remained controlling the helpless stallion before him. “I’ll leave you in a moneybag, and send you to 'meet' the ponies back in Ponyville and Cloudsdale. It will make a great addition to the Canterlot Archives, as a tale of what happens to those who attempt to defy me.”

“NOOOOOO!!!” A loud buzzing was heard, heading quickly towards Gather. Before he could even turn his head, he was blindsided by something. Vanish fell out of the air, as he tried to make sense of what just occured. “Who is that? No… WHAT is that!? A... A scooter!?” Scootaloo had rushed into the Wedding Hall, determined to stop Gather from hurting her friends. She was far too late, but Gather applauded her effort as he stood back up from the impact. “So, the little foal wants to play ‘hero’? What are YOU gonna do? It's over, my plans are done: Your friends have failed, filly. Run along before I rip those wings from your body.” Gather grinned menacingly. “Without magic.”

“You don’t scare me, chump!” Scootaloo was as brash as Rainbow Dash, but perhaps it was to a fault. Gather shouted at her. “I DON’T HAVE TIME TO PLAY, KID! SCRAM, OR I SWEAR YOU’LL REGRET COMING HERE!” Rainbow Dash stood up. “L… Leave her alone…” She coughed, clearly in pain, but shouted at the menace that threatened the orange filly. “LEAVE HER ALONE, GATHER!” Gather used his magic to pick Scootaloo up, tossing her into Vanish, as well as throwing her prized scooter at her as the stallion and filly soared through the air from the force of the throw. Vanish had crashed into the wall pretty deep, but he had caught Scootaloo when she flew into him, quickly tossing her off to the side before he was hit by the scooter in her place. Coughing at the impact, he finally fell from the crater he had left in the pillar embedded in the wall, with the scooter being tossed off to the side with his hooves before he landed on the floor.

“W… W-Why did you do that!?” Scootaloo had barely been hurt, and ran over to Vanish, who grabbed her with his hoof to bring her close once she approached him. Whispering something to her, she seemed startled at first, but noticed that Gather had stopped paying attention to her, believing that she had been hit as intended by her scooter. Scootaloo paid attention to what Vanish whispered to her, before noticing that Rainbow Dash had been brought close to Gather. Being shoved weakly in the direction of the others, the filly ran as fast as she could to the other ponies who were struggling to find their balance at the side of the room.

She quickly took a look behind her to see the stallion once more, before turning her attention to the mares. “Twilight! Vanish said it’s time to stop Gather’s plan. Vanish said, ‘His plan has worked. Gather made a mistake, and now it’s time to make him pay’, or something like that. But anyway, this could be out chance!” Twilight used Scootaloo to stand herself up, as the other Spirits of the Elements of Harmony slowly rose up around her. “Scootaloo, the Elements have failed us. It’s over.”

“… M-Maybe I never told you this...” Vanish hobbled over to the other ponies, using the scooter as a crutch to avoid collapsing near them as he struggled to speak. “… A plan… has two p-points of weakness… and we have reached… the end of the line, so go… use your elements… on…” Twilight shook her head. “We used them on Gather already! As long as he has the wings and horns of Pegasi and Unicorns, we can’t possibly hope to focus on them enough to-” Vanish worked up all his strength to interrupt her, finishing his sentence. “ME!” Gather moved Rainbow Dash out of the way, tossing her back towards her friends, noticing that the orange filly he had tossed into Vanish was heading back in his direction with her scooter.

“But, Vanish! If we do that, then-AH!” Applejack jumped up, interrupting Twilight in order to catch Rainbow Dash. Vanish took the opportunity to cut her off, placing all his focus into speaking clearly. “L-Listen to me. If you want to save your home, you will do as I have asked. I can handle whatever you throw at me. Please… There’s no time for debate. You can either do it now, or surrender Equestria!” Twilight could hear the desperation in Vanish’s voice. He knew something that they didn’t, yet from the look in his eyes, he wasn’t certain of whatever he was thinking, but he was sure enough to risk his own well-being in order for Twilight and her friends to get one more chance.

Nodding in agreement, Twilight turned around to her friends. “Everypony, focus on the Elements. This time, Vanish is our target. There’s no time to explain, so just trust me!” Gather paid attention to Scootaloo, ignoring the mares that he had believed to have been defeated. Grabbing Scootaloo off her scooter with his magic, his ice-cold stare worked well to freeze her in place with his magic. “I’ll make you suffer far more than your nightmares would ever dare to imagine possible.” Scootaloo was in deep trouble, and she knew it. She couldn't move from the magical aura as Gather placed her on the ground again. Bound by his magic as he removed her helmet and tossed it, Gather lifted her scooter into the air. “I’ll start by making you one with your precious mode of transport. This might sting, but then again, that's where the fun lies. Heh heh heh…” Scootaloo closed her eyes and whimpered, before the sound of the rainbow shot out by the Elements of Harmony rang through the air, alerting all nearby of its presence.

“You have learned nothing, ignorant wo-… What is this!?” Tossing Scootaloo’s scooter weakly, Gather watched as the rainbow formed an arc, landing on Vanish, causing him to scream in pain. “Your desperation has driven you mad, mares! I shall consider it an act of generosity to end your lives!” Gather walked a couple of steps towards them, before a sudden, dull ache, becoming sharper and sharper, worked its way through his body from his horn. “A… AGH! WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? WH… WHAT IS… AUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!” Gather collapsed on the floor, very much alive and conscious, rolling in agony as he produced involuntary spasms from the pain pulsating from his horn. Opening his eyes, a flash of light caused his horn to activate, as he felt an all-consuming pain coursing through his body.

Vanish could feel something stirring inside him, as he felt sharp pain where his horn once was. “KEEP GOING! YOU’RE ALMOST… DONE…” It was as he thought: Gather’s magic made Vanish’s horn his own, but that also meant that his horn, the most sensitive part of a unicorn, would feel any pain that the pony who owned the horn would feel, so long as it was an all-consuming pain, like the Elements were capable of delivering. Gather had the power of every Pegasus pony, and several unicorn ponies, but it was not ‘his’ power. It was still connected to those who owned them. The ponies who owned those wings and horns were connected to Gather, as was he to them. Vanish screamed in pain, as the Elements of Harmony remained focused: Vanish wasn’t connected to their own horns and wings, so they felt unaffected, hearing Gather’s own cries of pain emanate from the center of the Wedding Hall.

It was at this moment that Scootaloo noticed something happening to Gather, with his magic that had held her in place no longer keeping her down. There were several auras of magical energy coming from his horn, now hovering in the air above him. He was losing the powers he had acquired though the efforts of Vanish, and through his own efforts. As his screams echoed in the Wedding Hall, he opened his eyes, alert to what was happening. “NO! MY POWER!” Vanish shouted to the mares. “COMPLETE THE SPELL! THEN USE IT… ON G-GATHER!!!” With a blinding flash of light, the Elements of Harmony unleashed their full might on Vanish, in a final burst of magic that appearing to do nothing to him physically, but causing him to collapse from the strain that it had put on him, leaving him still conscious and panting.

Twilight and her friends turned their attention to the beautiful display in the air: several auras of magic, of an incredible variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, were simply floating above the desperate stallion in the center of the Wedding Hall, who appeared to have only his own power remaining. Seeing the look of renewed vigor and confidence in the mares, he tried grabbing Scootaloo, desperate to get any power he could in order to escape the oncoming, merciless wrath that the Elements of Harmony were sure to deliver. Scootaloo hopped on her scooter as Gather clasped his hooves on the scooter’s rear brake, failing at his attempt to grab her but desperate to make a second attempt, as Vanish shouted to the two ponies in the center of the room. “BRING HIM HERE! BRING HIM HERE, SCOOTALOO!!!”

Acting entirely out of instinct, she kept her hooves on her scooter, as she used her wings to speed towards Vanish while Gather still held the rear brake, trying to keep her grounded, and failing. Rushing towards the wall, Scootaloo jumped off the scooter, tucking herself in a ball to protect herself without her helmet to help her, sending her scooter into Vanish, and Gather into the wall with it, close to the Elements of Harmony and into the exposed side of one of the pillars that lined the Wedding Hall.

Dazed from the impact, Gather took a moment to collect his bearings before noticing where he was, seeing the fury in the eyes of the mares he had taunted. He still had one other power within his horn besides his own: Vanish’s unicorn magic. He cloaked himself, causing the focus of the six mares to falter, until they saw something they never expected: Vanish desperately jumped on Gather’s invisible body in order to prevent him from escaping, so the ponies could still tell where Gather was, even if they couldn’t see him.

Focusing on the magic of their friendship, they used their strength to unleash the full force of the Elements of Harmony on Gather, as Vanish bashed the turquoise unicorn in the head with his front hooves before using the recoil of his strike to force himself off of the menace before the arcing rainbow could reach the dark, dark blue stallion for a second time. The mares thought the Elements had missed their target, until Gather was forced to uncloak himself from within the rainbow he had been engulfed in. Feeling his energy waning, the maniacal stallion let out one final scream of pain, as the Elements of Harmony completed their task, with a blinding flash of magical, purifying light.

They landed on the ground, having completed the power of the Elements. Exhausted, they collapsed, before looking at what became of Gather. The view in front of them, sent shivers up their spines, from head to tail, as they jumped up at the sight that lay before them; Gather was not encased in stone, nor had he been imprisoned in the moon, or turned into a version of himself that had shed its maniacal ways: He was panting weakly, as his horn glowed ominously. He was still there, with them. He was still awake, appearing unharmed.

And he had withstood the full force of the magic the Elements of Harmony, and was still standing, very much conscious, and very, very angry.

Mercenary

Standing up slowly, the look in Gather’s eyes said it all; He wasn’t done yet. He stepped forward, causing the other ponies to back up in fear. “… You… you took... my power!” The stallion increased the speed of his steps, from a slink, to a walk, to a trot, to a full gallop, as his eyes reflected the demented state of his mind. “I’LL TAKE YOURS, AND START AGAIN! YOU’LL NEVER DEFEAT M-URNGH!?” Gather felt a massive force crash into the side of his face. His head became embedded in the stone pillar, as he turned his eye to see the cause: Vanish. The stealthy stallion had caught up to him, and smashed him into the wall of the Wedding Hall with a buck-kick of his hind legs, that made the impact he delivered to Spike back at the train station seem like a friendly tap in comparison.

“… H… H… Heh h… heh…” Vanish kept his stance firm and strong, until Gather’s body flailed slightly, and went as limp as a wilted flower, until finally, he stopped laughing. Vanish paused for a moment, before placing his rear hooves back on the ground. Kicking the lower section of the pillar near the newly formed crater, the minor vibration in it caused by his rear hooves, caused some debris to fall out of the wall, along with Gather, who lay motionless on the ground. As the ponies looked at the stallion that lay upon the floor, a familiar voice soothingly spoke from behind them. “… I knew… you could do it…” The ponies turned away from Vanish, seeing Princess Celestia being helped up by Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. It was tough, but they helped her to regain her stance as she continued what she had to say.

“Twilight, Vanish, Everypony… Thank you for saving Equestria from Gather. I care not to imagine what the world would have been like, had he succeeded… but his plan was not as perfect as he thought, it seems.” Twilight lowered her head, unable to agree with the princess, as a voice rose up from behind the lavender unicorn. “Princess Celestia, you are a tad bit naïve.” Vanish stepped forward, clearly weak from the day's events as he explained himself. “Gather’s plan was absolutely perfect. He had planned on every conceivable angle of attack. The only factor he had not considered, was his own power.”

Princess Luna stood up, before collapsing in a dazed, pained state. “Ex… Explain.” Vanish looked back at Gather. “He withstood the might of the Elements, twice. It wasn’t the ponies themselves that beat him. It was their will to win, a will to survive and withstand all he had, which caused his plan to falter. This resilience is something Gather could not predict, yet that alone did not foil his well-laid plans.” Vanish turned to Luna, walking over to help her up. “Princess Luna, it was because I knew, as soon as he took my power, I knew that just because I was a victim of having my magic stolen, did not mean that my horn was ‘gone’. The pressure I felt, was felt by my horn as well. That was his downfall: Something sudden, something unpredictable, something he could have never learned about from studying the archives, or through logical scenarios.”

Applejack looked at Gather. “I don’t get it, y’all. Why is his horn a-glowin’? Ain’t he out like a light?” Vanish turned his attention to his former client once more. “It seems the elements had an effect on his magic. I would surmise that his horn seeks a new owner; one who can wield its power.” Twilight looked up at her mentor, who smiled and nodded her head, granting her permission silently as Twilight spoke with confidence. “I’m positive that I can handle thi-!”

Vanish used his front hooves to shove Twilight back, stunning the ponies in the room as she stumbled towards them, hearing the stallion apologize as she regained her balance. “I’m sorry, Twilight Sparkle.” Vanish lowered his head to the horn, as a flash of light transferred two horns, his own and the horn of Gather, onto his head, prompting him to speak once more upon regaining the magic of the dual unicorn horns for himself. “This power will come with a responsibility, one that you have no need to perform. As for me, I must complete my mission.”

Twilight and her friends gasped at Vanish, who ran to the center of the room, renewed with magical energy and now focusing on his second horn, which was now indistinguishable from the one he was born with. It was no longer turquoise, the same color as Gather's coat, but rather the same color as his own coat: Dark, dark blue. As he focused, the magical auras in the air stopped floating whimsically, and went back into the horn, as if the horn was absorbing all the magic surrounding it. Twilight couldn’t do anything to stop it, and the ponies in the room had fear in their hearts as Vanish absorbed the last of the magical auras, taking the time to brandish the wings of Fluttershy and having his coat change its color once more, as well as the color of his horns, before fluttering to Princess Celestia.

Reaching her, he made a rather declarative remark to the wingless, hornless white alicorn mare. “Princess Celestia of Equestria, I ask that you lower yourself before me, if you please.” Shocked at the bold request, Princess Luna was thrown into a rage, as well as into her Royal Canterlot Voice. “How DARE you address royalty in such a manner, to ask it to bow to you! We will never submit to the threats of any creature, foul as they may be!” Vanish looked to Princess Luna, before landing on the ground, making the wings disappear from his back. He realized the problem immediately, and bowed towards the Princess of the Night. “I-I’m sorry, I wasn’t asking for a submission of power, if that’s what it seemed like! I’m afraid that I simply tried wording what I was hoping to say, to the best of my abilities. Please, forgive me.”

Princess Luna lifted a hoof up to her breastplate, stunned at the well-mannered display brought about by the pony that bowed before her. She was used to receiving this sort of treatment from common ponyfolk at times, but considering how she saw the pony who was bowing before her, and her sister, as a ‘Threat to the Land of Equestria’, she was surprised to see him being so humble. Twilight stepped forward. “Erm, Vanish? Why don’t you try asking, again? Better yet…” Twilight smirked at the noble stallion. “Would you mind explaining why you want Princess Celestia to ‘lower herself before you’, as you put it?”

Vanish saw the problem, and knew what to say in order to rectify his error. “I’m sorry if it seemed like I wanted you to bow before me, Princess, but it really can’t be helped.” Vanish scratched his smoke gray mane, as he tried to cover the red on his cheeks while they became flushed with embarrassment. “… You’re too tall for me to be able to focus clearly on my magic, which I need to do in order to give you back your unicorn horn… and wings, for that matter.” Some of the ponies stifled their laughter, including the princess herself. It was true: Princess Celestia was the tallest pony around, so asking her to lower her head in order to place something on it, be it a horn or a crown, would sound a lot like asking her to perform a submissive act of bowing in defeat. Understanding what the stallion was asking of her, the Princess of the Sun lay gracefully upon the floor of the Royal Wedding Hall, crossing her forelegs and laying her head atop them with great poise. “Very well, Vanish. I feel you’ve earned my trust enough, for me to give you this chance at redemption.”

Vanish paused for a moment, seeing the sincerity in Princess Celestia’s eyes before turning his head away. “… Redemption… Hmm…” Turning his attention back to the regal alicorn, his second horn glowed with an aura of magic, as he placed it on Princess Celestia’s head. Seconds later, the ponies could see her horn slowly, magically materialize on her. Without a struggle, without pain, Vanish had successfully managed to transfer the horn back to her. As Princess Celestia sat up, Vanish walked behind her in order to place the alicorn's wings back onto her barren back.

Brandishing her wings, Princess Celestia felt renewed like never before. She had lost her horn and her wings, and without them, her rights to rule as the regal Princess of Equestria. With them she felt a familiar, yet newfound magical burst of energy flow through her, as she gave rise to the sun, letting all of Equestria know that another day had begun, ready for whatever it may bring them. Princess Luna had calmly sat down, smiling at her sister's exuberance, and didn’t notice until she turned back around that Vanish had walked over to her, placing her wings on her back while she was distracted, before tapping the crown of his head, as if motioning to Princess Luna for her cooperation. Lying down, she graciously accepted her own horn, and walked over to her sister, as they nuzzled one another in joy of being reunited with their magic, and each other, with Equestria safe to rule for another day.

Vanish proceeded to walk to Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, giving them back their own horns, and to Cadance, her wings. They thanked Vanish kindly for doing so. Although they were still in significant pain from what he did to them, they could look past that for now, simply happy to be with one another, as the dual-horned unicorn walked back over to Twilight and her friends, questioning the confusion clearly prominent on the face of the white unicorn. “Rarity? You look like you have something on your mind. Please, my dear, don’t keep me in suspense.” Rarity was surprised to hear herself being addressed by the stallion, but voiced her thoughts aloud. “Well, I was just wondering how Scootaloo came out here, when there were guards ordered to make sure that she and her friends were going to stay inside the castle.”

Hearing her name cause her to perk up as she gave a wry grin before chuckling and responding to the stylishly-maned unicorn. “Oh! Is that all? Well, I had a little help!” Scootaloo pointed to the door, where several ponies had been standing. The Wonderbolts, including Spitfire and Soarin’, complete with their flight suits, had gathered by the entrance to the Wedding Hall, along with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, as well as Derpy Hooves, all of whom had smiles of relief on their faces as the filly continued to speak. “See? Soarin’ and Spitfire came by the castle, claiming that they were asked to bring us to the Wedding Hall by the Princess!”

“It was the least we could do to help.” Soarin’ helped Spitfire walk up to Rainbow Dash and Vanish. Spitfire clearly had not recovered, as indicated from how she was walking, though she spoke as if she couldn't even feel the pain. “Looks like you guys did it. I’m glad to see you all safe and sound.” Spitfire was cheerful, but clearly fighting the pain, as she had the best doctors treat her while she was in the Infirmary; Soarin’ insisted on it, after all. “She’s got to head back for some more rest, but the doctors said she can walk around as long as she doesn’t strain herself.” Vanish nodded to Soarin’. “I cannot thank you enough, Soarin’.”

Seeming troubled, Vanish crossed his hooves before activating the magic of his original horn, which could only be naturally discerned by how it was placed on his head normally, while the second horn was to the left of the first. Using his magic, Vanish brought his saddlebag and hat from the other room, as he moved the hat away, and moved the saddlebag to a nearby pillar. “I must thank you all for your help in stopping my former clie… Gather, from succeeding in his mission. With that in mind, please accept this as a token of my gratitude.”

Twilight closed her eyes and joyously trotted towards Vanish, as others joined her in gathering around the grateful stallion, in order to accept whatever he had for them, as he blocked his double saddlebag with his body, and used his magic to open a flap, though Twilight was hesitant in accepting something from the unicorn stallion. “Oh, there’s no need to pay us back, Vanish! If it wasn’t for you, we never would have stopped his pla-AAH!” Hearing a quick gasp from her friends, Twilight could only briefly open her eyes as a cloud of pinkish-orange smoke seemed to assault everypony around her, except the stallion that stood before her, the stallion naturally being Vanish, himself. Twilight felt incredibly tired, and could hear other ponies collapsing around her, as she knew what had happened: Vanish had used the powder from the train once more in order to put her, and all the ponies around her, to sleep, as she tried combatting her fatigue by protesting weakly, to no avail. “… Wh… No…”

Collapsing, Twilight could only see Vanish walk behind her before losing her view of him, having to be content with hearing him speaking to somepony she could not see. "… lrigh…" "…f you wa…" "…’ll do exa…" "…ather…" She tried so hard to listen, but the powder was much too potent for her to shake off. Feeling the effects of the sleeping dust that had been thrown into her face, she tried turning her head, but the floor had simply begun to feel too comfortable, and the embrace of sleep, too warm to escape. As her eyes closed, she shed a single tear, fearing the worst had begun, and that she was now powerless to save anyone she cared for. “N-No… The Princess… the fillies… the girls… Vanish… Why?”

Doing It Clean

The sound of a container of water hitting the floor prompted Twilight to slowly wake up, wiping the sleep from her eyes and feeling her face in the process. Her mouth and nose were inexplicably cold and wet, deceptively lacking in sleeping powder, and there seemed to be towels placed underneath the spot where her head had been resting. She took it to mind, but suddenly remembered that she was neither alone, nor at home. Quickly turning her head to look around, she saw several of her friends lying around her. They seemed to be asleep as she had been, though she could see a few of their noses covered with the familiar peach-colored substance they had been put to sleep with.

Seeing Princess Luna gave her some peace of mind, but seeing her doing such strange tasks caused her to speak up reluctantly. “Pr… Princess Luna?” The dark blue alicorn princess turned around, placing the rag she had been using upon the edge of a bucket next to her. “Ah, Twilight Sparkle. It looks like you have woken up, just as he said.” Twilight stood up slowly, not wanting to fall over and onto one of her friends by accident, considering how tired she still felt. “What happened? What are you doing, Princess?” Luna sighed to herself as she soaked the rag and wiped the nose and mouth of Sweetie Belle, gently removing a significant amount of sleeping powder from the filly's muzzle.

“Vanish put you all to sleep, but kept me and my sister awake. Apparently, Gather had started something, but Vanish wanted to end it.” Twilight looked around, seeing all of her friends still sleeping. However, several ponies were absent at first glance: Gather, Princess Celestia, Vanish, The Wonderbolts, Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Derpy Hooves. However, after taking a second look, she noticed that Vanish was placed on his side, back-to-back with Rainbow Dash and having brandished her wings, sleeping comfortably while the wings seemed to be moving on their own, cradling the body of their ‘real’ owner from the back of the stallion. She had missed him at first, because his coat and wings he had brandished were colored light cerulean; the same color as the coat of Rainbow Dash. Everyone was asleep, except for Princess Luna and Twilight.

“Princess, what’s going on, here?” The purple mare had several questions, but could see Luna unable to enjoy herself with her given task. Twilight grabbed the rag from the princess, and tossed the towel that had laid below her over to the side of the bucket, seeing Luna smile as she accepted the non-vocal offering of help. “Can we please complete this rather monotonous ‘chore’, Twilight Sparkle? My sister should be back soon, and can disclose the details when she returns.” The unicorn nodded politely, as she was told what to do, in detail.

Luna sighed with relief as she recalled the essentials of the given task. “Alright, let me explain what to do. First, soak the rag. After squeezing it to remove any excess water, gently wipe the face of everypony here, specifically the nose, eyes, and mouth. Once done, place the towel under their face so it can catch any excess water that drips down from their heads. We need to get this done soon, as it has been several hours since you were put to sleep by that strange substance. Tend to Rarity, please. I need to put a towel under this filly’s head.” Twilight nodded as she understood her appointed task. This was hardly a test of endurance or magic; it was clean-up duty. Regardless, Twilight couldn't understand why Princess Luna would do this herself. “Princess, why not ask some guards to do this?” The regal alicorn turned around, having placed a towel under Sweetie Belle to catch any run-off water that fell from her face.

Turning around, Luna responded to Twilight's question. “Vanish mentioned how the guards would be ‘witnesses’. He could only risk directly asking for help from me and my sister; nopony else.” Twilight began wiping the peach-colored substance from her fellow unicorn’s face, which was easy to do, given how her friend's coat was not only well-groomed, but also white, making it easy to see where the powder was. “But you asked for my help, right?” Luna grabbed a second rag and had begun soaking it. “I suppose, but Vanish also stated the order in which you were to each be woken up.”

“‘Order’?” Twilight didn’t like the sound of that word, at least not in this particular context. “Indeed: First you, then Rarity and Sweetie Belle, then Fluttershy, then Applejack and Apple Bloom, then Scootaloo, and finally Pinkie Pie.” Luna paused for a moment. “By around that point in time, Rainbow Dash and Vanish should wake up by themselves.” Luna began wiping the face of Fluttershy, as Twilight heard the sound of a door being shut in the distance. Turning around to face the other room, she noticed a couple of things: The large burlap bags of bits were gone from the reception hall, and Princess Celestia and Spike were walking towards the Wedding Hall.

“TWILIGHT!” Spike began running over, but was picked up by Princess Celestia with her magic, and turned towards her as she raised her hoof to her muzzle. “Shh!” Spike gave a sheepish grin of embarrassment, before being gently placed back on the floor, and running towards his friend, keeping his voice low in tone. “Twilight, thank goodness you’re alright. I was so worried after waking up at the hospital.” Twilight couldn’t let such a statement go by without asking for details. “You mean the one in Ponyville? … Oh!” Twilight had been so busy that she had forgotten to ask about the baby dragon’s condition. “Spike, how are you feeling after what Vanish did?”

Spike rubbed his head and frowned. “Ugh, I was so careless and weak. I didn’t see it coming at all. I couldn’t even send the princess your message! I woke up in the hospital a couple of hours ago, and immediately got a letter sent from the princess that told me to head here! The doctors told me that the damage wasn’t too severe, but wouldn’t let me leave without an escort.” The purple, scaled assistant smiled as he looked up to Princess Celestia, who loomed over him as he continued explaining how things had been for him. “Thankfully, a couple of guards came to the Hospital with a chariot that had been sent in order to take me to the castle. I just got to Canterlot about an hour ago and was greeted by the princess, herself. She wanted me to help her write something, though I don’t quite understand it.”

Twilight looked up at her mentor, the latter of whom closed their eyes. “Luna already told you about the situation?” Twilight shook her head. “A little, but she told me to ask you.” The ponies kept their voices low in tone, so as to not disturb those who had yet to awaken, as the white alicorn responded. “I see. Very well, I’ll tell you what happened.” Princess Celestia grabbed the rag from Twilight, and began to soak it as her sister pointed towards Apple Bloom. “We thought Vanish was about to attack us, but he said that there was “no time to fight”. He told me that I must immediately send a chariot over to Ponyville to take Miss Derpy Hooves home, asleep and without her wings, though with a note telling her to remain in Cloudsdale. On its way back, the chariot would be used to pick Spike up and bring him to my castle. Upon meeting him, I would have to have him write ‘conviction papers’, and sign them as a witness. They were to be meant for the one who attacked us, as their ‘formal sentence’. I was told to make a choice on what to sentence him with: Banishment or imprisonment.”

“Gather…” Twilight muttered to herself, but Princess Celestia sighed in disappointment as she lowered her head, as well as the rag, wiping the sleeping powder off of Apple Bloom’s face as she continued her explanation. “I thought so too, but when I left to attend to my duties, Vanish spoke to my sister, it seems. With that in mind, I do not see Gather here, anymore.” As Spike noticed Rarity slowly waking up from her slumber, he ran over to her while Twilight and Princess Celestia turned towards Princess Luna, who spoke up. “Vanish told me that Gather’s fate was no longer in our hooves. I was to call several guards, and have them move the bags of bits to Canterlot Castle, away from the eyes of the Canterlot Elite. I was to instruct other guards to escort me and Gather to the train station, and I was to bring Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and the Wonderbolts, who were to be taken back to the Canterlot Infirmary.”

Twilight placed her hoof under her chin. “Why the train statio…!” Twilight gasped, remembering a conversation Vanish had with her back in her library, as Princess Luna continued. “The Baltimare Prisoner Transfer Squad was there, with the Police Commissioner waiting at the station along with several other ponies in uniform. He took Gather from us, and thanked us for our ‘efforts on apprehending the criminal’, before promptly leaving on the train, promising to return for the 'evidence', as he called it. Gather never even woke up; Vanish had placed sleeping powder on his face to keep him from struggling against my magic.” Luna lowered her head. “I realized then, what he wanted of my sister.”

Rarity stood up, having been helped by Spike, and gave him a hug before using her tail to lift him onto her back, and walking over to Princess Celestia, who spoke to her off to the side, as well as Spike, while Twilight asked Luna about Vanish’s unusual plan. “But Princess Luna, why would Vanish ask for Princess Celestia to write those papers, if he knew Gather wouldn’t be here?” Princess Celestia had given Spike and Rarity brief instructions, as they set out to wake up other ponies, before she spoke to her pupil. “The papers... They’re for Vanish."

“Wh-What!?” Twilight dropped a rag on the floor from the shock, before running over to her mentor. “But Vanish was ju-!” Having become rather startled from the news, Twilight was silenced with a raised hoof of her mentor, before the princess spoke to the purple unicorn. “Please, not now, Twilight. Let’s ask him, once he wakes up.” Princess Celestia interrupted her student, who paused briefly before nodding slowly in response and turning around, looking at the artificial alicorn who was sleeping next to Rainbow Dash, silently speaking to herself. “Vanish… what are you doing to us?”

Fight or Flight

Rainbow Dash was stunned silent by Vanish’s harsh words, to the point where she simply sat in place with tears welling up in her eyes. She knew his words would never be said without confidence, and as Rainbow Dash thought over what she considered to be ‘right’, she found herself unable to hold back her tears. Sobbing in the doorway quietly, Vanish spoke in a normal tone of voice, directing his attention elsewhere. “… Dragon, I apologize for my actions back at the train station.” Spike crossed his arms, muttering to himself. “You can start by getting my name right, at least...”

Vanish heard his words, and promptly bowed gracefully in response. “Spike, I could not allow you to send that letter to Princess Celestia. It was something that neither I nor Gather had considered, as in, the concealment of my targets. Therefore, I had no choice but to stop you from sending it. I don’t expect you to forgive me, which is why I had you brought here, to the Royal Wedding Hall.” Spike uncrossed his arms, looking dumbfounded at the last statement that was made. “Wait, but the Princess brought me here on a chariot!”

The stallion corrected the baby dragon. “At my request.” Vanish kneeled down to Spike. “Sir, I request that you take a letter for me.” Vanish used his magic to bring a quill and a scroll from his bag, as well as a fresh, sealed ink well, as Spike protested. “Wait, why should I do that for you?” The dark blue pony stared blankly as he offered the stationary objects. “It’s not for me. It’s for the good of Canterlot, good sir.” Vanish was confident in what he was doing, too confident for the tastes of Applejack, who stepped forward. “Van, what’re ya doi-!” “DEAR...” Vanish interrupted Applejack in a very sudden manner, but kept his focus solely on Spike, and the contents of the letter he wanted to have written. “… Princess Celestia.”

Spike looked at Twilight, who in turn looked up at her mentor. Princess Celestia gave a rather hesitant nod, prompting Spike to grab the scroll from the air, sit down, dip the quill in the ink, and begin taking note of what Vanish was saying, unable to comprehend the stallion’s plan, but being given the 'order' to write it down.

“With regards to the crimes of attacking the Pegasi of Cloudsdale, The Wonderbolts, The Elements of Harmony, and the Royalty of Equestria, consisting of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Princess Luna: The Princess of the Night, and Princess Celestia: The Regal Ruler of Equestria and Princess of the Day, the individual below hereby admits their guilt in the crimes of the theft of the wings of all those listed, as well as the forced removal and obtainment of the unicorn horns of the aforementioned Royalty of Equestria, as well as of the Captain of Princess Celestia's Royal Guard: Shining Armor.”

Vanish paused for a moment, trying to consider what else to add, before continuing. “These crimes were planned in full, and committed solely by the individual listed below.” The ponies could hear a gasp of shock from nearby, as the rainbow-maned mare in the doorway turned around. “NO! SPIKE, DON’T YOU DARE WRITE THAT!!!” Rainbow had regained her composure, and her sudden shouting almost caused Spike to drop his quill, as everyone suddenly looked at the desperate mare. “Vanish, don’t do this! Please! Just… Just leave.” She ran up to Vanish, launching herself at him as she grabbed onto his body with her hooves. “Y-You don’t have to do this! Just leave! Just get on a train and leave! We’ll forget this, right, girls?” She looked to her friends, who had their heads bowed down in pity. “R-Right?”

Pinkie Pie spoke up in agreement with her friend. “Hey, she’s right! You've got Dashie's wings, so just fly! SHOOOM!” The charismatic party pony could see Rainbow’s sincerity, and wanted to help out, though the stallion's chuckling caught both of them off guard, as well as everyone else in the room. “Ah ha ha… You two are far too naïve. You forget the most important thing.” Brandishing the color of coat and wings of Blossomforth, Rainbow Dash gasped at the realization of her plan’s very basic flaw. “You can make all the promises you want, but I was seen in Cloudsdale, and Canterlot, and even in Ponyville!” Vanish pointed his hoof at Pinkie Pie, reverting his colors in the process. “You even brought attention to me, by telling everypony about my conversation with Rarity.” Pinkie gasped at the realization. “B-But it was really funny…”

Pinkie drew circles with her hoof on the floor of the Wedding Hall, as Vanish turned back around to meet the eyes of Rainbow Dash as he complimented the light blue mare. “You are kind, but you have no right to tell me what to do, my dear. Just play your assigned role.” Rainbow stood up with the help of Vanish's hoof lifting her, as she released her hold on the stallion. “M-My ‘role’?” Vanish gave a timid smile and a nod, before turning back to Spike. “… Sorry about that. Allow me to continue, good sir.” Spike huffed in a disgruntled manner. “Hmph. Being polite won’t get you any respect from me, Vanish.”

Vanish chuckled at the toughness Spike was attempting to display, before continuing. “With this confession, the individual listed below accepts the punishment disclosed in the form attached.” Vanish paused for a moment, turning to Princess Celestia. “Have you made your decision, Princess?” The Princess of Equestria smirked at Vanish, which prompted the stallion to produce a frown in response. “… Why do I feel like I’m about to have a very, very bad prank played on me?” Several ponies turned to Pinkie Pie, who looked shocked at their sudden stares. “What? What are you looking at me like that, for?”

Princess Celestia lowered her head slightly, still smirking as she seemed to be thinking to herself. “Hmm. You see, Vanish, I saw Princess Luna while she was leaving to go to the Infirmary, and asked her for something.” Without missing a beat, Luna chimed in, well-composed and elegant in tone. “And I have returned, sister!” The Princess of the Night regally walked towards the other ponies, having waited in the reception hall for her ‘cue’ by her sister; it seemed as though they had made their own plans. Princess Celestia nodded, smiled, and turned her attention to the stallion yet again. “Vanish, here is the paper you requested.” Princess Celestia produced a scroll from her mane with her magic, yet Princess Luna also stepped forward as her sister continued speaking. “I thought I had made my decision, yet after seeing my sister escort the Wonderbolts to the Infirmary earlier, I asked that she do something for me, should she have the time.”

Luna took the well-timed cue to explain her actions. “You see, stallion, I got this from my sister’s room.” Princess Luna produced a scroll from her own mane, levitating it next to the one her sister had produced. Princess Celestia smiled, before giving her explanation of the two scrolls. “Despite your crimes, you are not in charge of us, nor are you in charge of our decisions. You still helped us to dispel the true ‘evil’ that plagued our peaceful kingdom. With that in mind, I take the choice you gave me, and throw it back to you.” Unfurling the scrolls with their magic, the words that had been written upon each scroll were almost identical, aside from a small bit of text.

“Th-This is… my ‘sentence’! The punishment to be carried out! You… You never chose!?” Vanish was sweating from the unexpected development, though Princess Celestia appeared unfazed by the demeanor and shouting of the stallion that stood before her. “I made a decision, until I realized who you were truly planning on punishing.” Smiling timidly, Princess Celestia tapped the quill that Spike had been writing with, in fresh ink. “Please, Vanish, sign whichever one you want. You can be banished from Canterlot, Ponyville, and Cloudsdale, as well as the areas surrounding them, or you may face a prison sentence, carried out for an extended period of time with stipulations of my choosing, hereby keeping yourself here and unable to leave by your own power.”

Vanish's composure returned as he thought to himself, vocally. “… Exile or Imprisonment… How simple of a choice.” Vanish lifted the quill with his magic. “I said from the beginning that I don’t intend to stick around. Canterlot is nothing but a memory, now.” As he placed his quill on one of the scrolls that the alicorns were holding up, Twilight stopped him from writing, having suddenly realized something important. “Vanish, can you remember what happened here?" She raised an eyebrow as she continued. "It’s just that you haven’t been using your contracts or notes since we all woke up, and you woke up last, so you had no time to review them. And then there’s the fact that you’ve been calling us by our names… it’s almost as if you…!”

Twilight gasped as she put the pieces together in her head, which Vanish simply spoke of while remaining fixated on the scrolls. “… The Elements are far crueler than I could have ever predicted, my dear.” Vanish lowered the quill below the scroll, closing his eyes. “… I remember everything. Every client, every place I’ve been, every contract I had ever made, everyone I’ve ever victimized.” Vanish held his head with his hoof. “There is no cloud of smoke in my head, obscuring the truths I have learned to allow my mind to cast into the depths of my subconscious. They’re there, as clear as they were when I made them.” Twilight put her hoof on Vanish’s back, as he held back his sorrow, poised on the brink of release. “Why do you ponies harbor such terrible magic? What ‘Harmony’ could such sorcery possibly bring to anyone?”

Rarity had heard enough, choosing to speak up. “Vanish, you know what you did. You’ve always known what you've done, you just couldn’t remember, but you knew they were bad.” She stepped forward, prompting Vanish to let tears out as he heard the generous mare’s words. “They were bad enough that you didn’t care if you remembered them or not. I know that you understand the importance of remembering these things!” He turned his head, tears clearly visible in his eyes. “NO! I was able to live! I was content with my life! You… wicked mares, ruined that for me!”

The voice of Rainbow Dash rose up over his hollow insults. “Enough, Vanish.” She walked up to the sobbing stallion, making sure he saw her. “Ignoring stuff doesn't help anything. All we can do is take the time to accept it, and move on.” Rainbow Dash used her hoof to nudge the quill Vanish had dropped, towards him. “And now, you have that chance.”

“… My chance?” Vanish lifted the quill, wiping the tears from his eyes with his foreleg. “‘Take time to accept it, and move on’. W-What rubbish.” Princess Celestia and Princess Luna raised their scrolls, as Vanish dipped the quill in the ink well, before raising it up to the scrolls.

He smirked as he offered advice to the light blue mare. “Such dramatics are best left for a lesson to be learned by friends, Rainbow Dash.” As the ponies in the room chuckled at the irony of the overdramatic stallion ranting about the dramatics of another pony, Vanish signed his name on the scroll of his choice, as well as signing the scroll that Spike had written out for him, confessing his crimes. “… I guess it’s time to ‘pony up’.” Vanish proceeded to walk out of the Wedding Hall room, into the reception hall, as Princess Celestia read the scroll Vanish had signed, turning both scrolls to her and her sister. “Hmm… Alright.” Rolling it back up, Princess Luna stored the unsigned scroll in her mane before promptly requesting the guards to accompany Vanish outside.

Twilight walked up to her mentor, unable to just let her leave. “Princess, wait.” Twilight couldn’t let Vanish face his sentence without saying anything, not after all they had been through the past few days. Princess Celestia pointed her sister to Vanish’s direction, prompting the lunar alicorn to continue leading Vanish to his destination, as the ruler of Equestria walked up to her faithful student. “What is it, Twilight Sparkle?” Twilight was curious, having taken the time to laugh instead of seeing which contract held which option. “Please show me what Vanish chose.”

Looking over her shoulder, Princess Celestia saw Vanish walking out of the reception hall, pausing for a moment to allow his tear-moistened eyes to adjust to the fresh daylight, unblocked by windows or walls, before continuing to walk outside of the field of vision of the Princess of the Sun, before she voiced her decision. “… Very well.”

Princess Celestia unfurled the scroll, raising it to Twilight, as her student skimmed through most of it, before seeing the paragraph that spoke of the judgment Vanish had chosen for himself. He had two very basic choices: Exile or imprisonment. He could leave Equestria forever, never to be allowed to return, or he could stay and serve a prison sentence of unlisted time or conditions; conditions that Princess Celestia would decide upon, herself.

The purple unicorn smiled with uncontained glee as she spoke up so her friends could hear her. “Great! He’s staying here!” Twilight sighed in relief, having held her breath until she read the passage that said what his choice had been. The other mares were also filled with considerable relief, knowing that Vanish chose the option of not running from his problems. More importantly, they could still communicate with him as they chose to, not as obstacles or enemies like they had been over the past few days, but as possible friends, if he let them. Twilight turned back to her mentor as she asked her question. “Princess, with your permission, can I… be in charge of how he serves his sentence?” Applejack stepped forward, curious as to her friend’s intentions. “What’cha gettin’ at, Twi’?”

Twilight turned around, smiling at her friends. “I have an idea. I think I know how Vanish can serve his sentence, in a way that benefits everyone.” The other ponies looked at each other, not entirely sure about what their friend was thinking, but if there was one thing Twilight was good at, it was forming plans. Nodding to affirm their trust in their friend, the unicorn turned back around to her mentor.

Princess Celestia raised her head, looking down her nose at her pupil's shining, hope-filled eyes, unsure of her plans, but having the authority to allow Twilight Sparkle the right to hold control over the fate of Vanish. With reluctance, she spoke to her student. “What do you have in mind?”

Making Things Right

With his decision made, there was no turning back, only going forward. That afternoon, after discussing the plans they would be going through, Twilight and her friends returned to Ponyville with Vanish, leaving the princesses in Canterlot, by making use of multiple chariots that were carried by several ‘newly re-winged’ Pegasus ponies of the Royal Guard, making a clear impression on the ponies of their town. After dropping the fillies off at the center of town, Twilight took the opportunity to speak to the Mayor, who in turn held an immediate conference announcing the return of the wings to each pony of Cloudsdale, prompting several ponies that had taken refuge in Ponyville to return to their town in the clouds in preparation of the event, by making use of the still-existing cloud stairwell.

Rainbow Dash was given her wings back by Vanish, and was also given the task of leading the chariots to her town, as well as to the ponies within it, who had all gathered together in anticipation. Seeing Vanish, some of the Pegasus ponies of Cloudsdale were upset at the very sight of the ‘menacing pony’ returning to their airborne town, but they didn’t hate him. Some were even thankful, having taken the time to speak to ponies in Ponyville, gaining several friends who they couldn't ever see in Cloudsdale. Having been waiting in anticipation for several hours, Derpy Hooves was brought before Vanish at his request, to display how to properly position oneself if they wished for a painless return of their wings.

Smiling enthusiastically, Derpy saw fit to announce the start of the demonstration.“Like THIS!” Derpy sat down in the chariot, breaking the weak flooring of it, which shocked several ponies that weren’t from Cloudsdale, but prompting the Pegasi of Cloudsdale to laugh at the innocent act of wanton destruction. “Erm… Not like that… S-Sorry!” “It’s alright, my dear. Please, allow me.” Vanish used his magic to place Derpy on a cloud, so that he could move her hooves to a preferred position before seating her gently on the plush surface. As several ponies could be heard talking amongst themselves, Vanish used his second horn, pressing it gently into Derpy’s back, returning her wings to her with his magic.

Seeing how safe and painless it was, everypony smiled at the simplicity of the act, before Derpy gave a complimentary ‘flutter’ with her newly returned wings, making her fellow Pegasi eager to have their own wings returned to them, even stomping their hooves in applause of the joyous mare, though the act of applause was heavily muffled by the clouds they were stomping on. Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but smile at the innocent act of joy that Derpy was displaying, as several ponies took steps forward, before Rainbow spoke up. “We have a list of everypony who had their wings stolen. You will each be called up, and receive them one by one, so please listen for your name to be called. Sorry this is so boring, but Twilight wanted it to b-OW!” Twilight used her magic to smack the rolled-up scroll she had, on her friend’s head before clearing her throat. “It’s called ‘Organized’ Rainbow. Now then, let’s see…”

Twilight unfurled the scroll, as she called each pony up, one by one. The process took some time, but they finally reached the last pony on the list. It seemed strange to be using the same list that Gather had used in order to check off each set of wings Vanish had been paid to 'acquire', but at least Twilight could respect the stallion’s attention to detail and organization. Nopony from Cloudsdale was left out, as Vanish confirmed that the only energy he could call upon was his own magic, as well as that of Gather.

This was where Twilight and her friends would have to part ways with the stallion; Vanish was to be taken back to Canterlot in order for Princess Celestia to announce the actions that the Kingdom of Canterlot had decided to take against the “Wing-Thief” (as Pinkie Pie called it) that had attacked Ponyville, Cloudsdale, and Canterlot. This was where the mood changed significantly, as the chariots landed in front of Twilight’s Home: where Spike had been dropped off prior to the other ponies reaching Cloudsdale in chariots, and where Fluttershy was waiting with Angel.

“So I guess this is it.” Vanish nodded his head at Twilight’s statement. “Indeed it is. I suppose this is somewhat awkward, though I’m sure you will remember to tell the Mayor to disclose my ‘sentence’ once I leave here, correct?” Twilight smiled at the stallion. “Oh, you don’t trust me to do my job? What, do you want me to write up a contract for that?” Applejack reached under her hat, pulling out an ink well, as Rarity took a scroll out from her tail, and Pinkie Pie reached into her mane, pulling out a quill, among a plethora of other joke-objects. “My dear, you were planning that since we left, weren’t you?”

“It’s not our fault if you’re predictable, Vanish!” Rainbow Dash winked at the stallion, who jokingly huffed in response. “Will ‘ya be okay on yer own, Van?” Applejack was concerned for Vanish, given how much he had helped them. “I don’t know, Applejack, but I suppose not everything in life should be ‘planned’. Oh! I can’t possibly forget this.” Reaching into one of the two double-bagged saddlebags, he produced the book that he had been using as a reference source for his ‘job’ while in the area. “Twilight? You might as well have this. I won’t be in need of it, where I’m going.”

Vanish turned his head to face the guards behind him. “… Sirs? To Canterlot, if you please, at your leisure.” The guards brandished their wings, feeling rather proud about having them back. The stallion turned back around to face the mares before him. “I may not be back, but maybe you’ll see me sometime.” “Oh, there’s no ‘maybe’ in that!” Twilight giggled to her friends, prompting a curiously suspicious look from the stallion. “I get the feeling that you hold information that I could make good use of, in taking the time to acquire.” Twilight gave a sly grin to the curious stallion. “You wanna know?” Vanish chuckled, raising his hoof in dismissal of the subject. “Take care of yourselves, my dears.”

Returning to Canterlot, Vanish did not have much waiting for him. Royalty was progressive, as was the legal system. His sentence was made public by Princess Celestia while he was in Ponyville, and so he was brought straight to the castle. Shining Armor stood at the entrance waiting for Vanish to return, and was surprised to be treated as if he, himself, was royalty, being graced with a regal bow from the fedora-wearing stallion. “Hmph. Flattery will get you nowhere with me, Vanish.”

Vanish stood back up, carrying the burden of two separate double-saddlebags that held his ‘luggage’, yet smiling sincerely. “It’s only right to be polite, Shining Armor. We are both in possession of that knowledge.” Shining Armor frowned to himself at the prim and proper nature of the ‘criminal’ before him. “I guess so… Follow me.” Shining Armor turned around, as Vanish and a couple of guards followed close behind the Captain of the Royal Guard. “Princess Celestia has decided on how you will carry out your sentence.” Vanish was still curious about what Twilight had mentioned to him. “No ‘maybe’ in us meeting again…” Shining Armor turned his head, but kept walking forward. “Pardon me? Did you say something?”

Vanish continued down the halls, as Shining Armor continued to guide him towards where the Princess resided, with his head turned to the attention of the one he was guiding. “It’s something about Twilight Sparkle. She mentioned something to me, before I departed from Ponyville. I’m simply trying to make sense of it.” Shining Armor chuckled and turned his attention back to where he was walking. “Heh. That’s my sis for ‘ya: Always has a plan in mind.” Vanish chuckled at the relatively tame description of Twilight Sparkle, before soon finding himself in front of the Royal Hall, stopped by guards carrying spears until Shining Armor saluted them. “We’re here to see Princess Celestia.”

“Sir, Princess Luna is within the Royal Hall. Princess Celestia is awaiting your arrival at the Prison Cells.” “I see. Carry on with your duties, then.” “Sir, yes sir!” The guards were diligent in their behavior, as Shining Armor turned in the direction of the Prisoner Quarters. “I’m sorry, she’s not here. If you could please continue to allow me to guide you, though…” Vanish gave a gentle, polite bow of gratitude. “You are the brother of Twilight Sparkle, and the royally appointed Captain of the Royal Guard. You have my trust, so please, continue.”

Shining Armor couldn’t get a clear idea of what Vanish was thinking. Yesterday, they fought as adversaries, but today, it was like Vanish had put it all behind him. Shining Armor could not do the same, however; his wife was in the Infirmary, after all, and were it not for his duties, he would be with her right now, by her side. He stopped walking, before turning to address the guard ponies walking with him and the mercenary. “… Guards? Please return to your posts. I will guide the prisoner, myself.” The two guards looked to one another with concern, before saluting. “Y-Yes sir.” The guards could feel that their captain did not wish to be argued with, and Vanish stopped walking upon seeing the regal stallion stop in order to turn in place.

Vanish questioned the rather sudden order. “…Yes?” He appeared somewhat surprised, but could sense something bothering the well-decorated stallion that stood before him, as the white unicorn stepped closer, glaring at the fedora-wearing stallion. “Vanish, before we see the princess, there’s something we need to talk about: Stallion-to-stallion, you and me, one-on-one.” Shining Armor looked out the window that loomed next to them, observing how they were in a part of the hall shaped similarly to a large, straight-edged horseshoe, with a garden just outside, but nopony directly in their field of vision, as he awaited Vanish’s answer. Bowing his head slightly, he took a moment before complying vocally with the request. “……… Very well…”

Judgment

“What is it that you wish to ask me?” Vanish sat comfortably, tipping his fedora up to get a clear view of Shining Armor. The Captain of the Royal Guard was trying to determine exactly what to ask Vanish through silent contemplation. The problem wasn’t the question itself, but rather how he worded it. “… Are you sorry for hurting my wife?” Shining Armor let his emotions speak for him, stopping himself from over-thinking the question and simply speaking from the heart.

This did not amuse Vanish, who simply saw the question as being too vague to answer. “… Your wife: Princess Mi Amo-…” Shining Armor stopped pacing, pushing his nose directly against Vanish’s in fury. “CADANCE! HER NAME IS…” The white unicorn paused before turning around quickly, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He quickly realized that if he lost control out of such simplistic reasons, or attracted the attention of the other guards, he would lose his chance of Vanish speaking to him, personally. The Captain of the Royal Guard would never be in a proper position to neglect his duties and speak to Canterlot’s sole prisoner, after all; this was their only chance to clear the air of all misconceptions.

Vanish tilted his head and corrected himself. “‘Princess Cadance’ is it?” Shining Armor gritted his teeth in frustration. “Don’t toy with me.” Vanish smirked, ducking his head down, to which Shining Armor was about to remove the mercenary's fedora by force, until he saw him reach up and remove it himself, as he replied. “I did what I did, out of duty. It was neither a personal attack, nor was it premeditated. In fact, had everything gone as planned, I would have taken her wings in a similar manner to how I was ‘given’ the wings of Fluttershy. I had hoped to negotiate their retrieval, if possible.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Shining Armor was diligent, loyal, and calm, such as he prided himself on being for his job. However, when it came to discussing his wife, he was a powder keg of emotion, waiting to burst when given the right incentive. In this case, it was how casual of a tone Vanish was taking with him. He asked again, “Are you sorry for what you did to her?” The dual-horned unicorn stood up, making direct eye contact with Shining Armor as he responded with a question of his own. “Let me ask you: Do you apologize for defending her?” Shining Armor raised an eyebrow at the question that the stallion that stood before him, had posed. “W-What kind of... Of course I don’t!”

Vanish leaned against the wall as he took a casual tone. “I see. Why ask me about what I feel now, then?” Shining Armor’s eyes quickly went from fierce and unrelenting, to soft and hopeful. “Because I want you to give me a reason to trust you; that’s all I’m asking for. Princess Celestia might trust you, but I don’t.” Vanish chuckled at the words that the wedded stallion uttered, before talking. “I have no obligation to answer you based off of ‘wants’, Shining Armor. You should know this.” Shining Armor raised his hoof, and shook his head. “I understand that, bu-” “You want to trust me?” Vanish gave an ice-cold stare to the honorable guard as he stopped avoiding the question. “Then I will refrain from lying, as well as unnecessarily covering the cruel truth with some form of metaphorical ‘glitter’ to make it more appealing to you.”

Shining Armor looked somewhat rattled at what Vanish was saying; this was not what he was hoping for. Vanish looked down to the floor, unable to look the stallion in the eyes. “I was paid to obtain Princess Cadance’s wings. This, I did. The means I took to do them, I find discomfort in remembering. I wish it was different,” He paused, looking up from the floor as he met Shining Armor’s stare once more. “but if I had to do it again, I would do it exactly as it happened the first time.”

Shining Armor wanted to knock Vanish through the paned glass window for his words, but the dark blue stallion continued to speak. “What I mean to say, is that even with foresight of events, I could do little to change them and hope for me to still obtain her wings, and be able to take on the Rulers of the Night and Day.” Shining Armor was still furious, but was able to understand the stallion’s logic; if Vanish took it easier on anyone back in the Wedding Hall, they could have hindered his fight against Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. Still, it did little to help quell his anger.

Quickly, Vanish took control of the subject, voicing his own curiosities. “If I may ask, how is she? Your wife, I mean.” Shining Armor was slightly startled at the sudden act of concern that emanated from the eyes of Vanish, but responded with a stern, defensive look in his eyes. “S-She’s in the Infirmary, resti-!” Vanish lunged at Shining Armor as soon as he heard the word ‘Infirmary’, the act of which caught Shining Armor entirely by surprise. “She's your WIFE! How are you capable of doing anything, but staying by her side in her time of need!?”

Vanish’s words cut into Shining Armor, wounding his pride and his honor more than any spear could hope to cause in mortal damage. The blue-maned unicorn was given the opportunity to stand, doing so while backing up, unable to answer the question poised against him with the same stern look that he was receiving. “W-Well, I have a job to do.” Vanish raised his hoof with an enraged stare, curling it as if he was about to throw a punch into Shining Armor’s face as he belittled the Captain of the Royal Guard. “You… You dare to criticize me on how I do my job, when you let yours control your life so carelessly!?” Shining Armor found himself backed against a wall with Vanish’s furious gaze piercing right through him.

The white-coated stallion had become covered in a cold sweat, stammering as he tried to respond. “I… I…” Shining Armor had no comeback for the criminal’s claims. He failed to even see the moment when the conversation shifted in direction, let alone when the target of aggression went from Vanish to himself, as it happened so fast that he could do little to stop it.

It was then, that Shining Armor came to a realization. “I-If I did nothing, then Cadance would have been fine… it’s my fault.” Vanish’s look of aggression softened as he saw Shining Armor’s eyes stare into empty space, before the noble guard sat down and bowed his head, psychologically exhausted and defeated. “It was me.” He closed his eyes, as tears could be seen forming in them, while he continued whispering to himself. “Cadance… I’m so sorry…”

Shining Armor was in his own world, his heart being at the mercy of his own mind, which had begun seeing him as the one to blame. However, the sound of magic being used caused him to look up at Vanish, who had grabbed the fedora he had removed earlier, as he spoke to the demoralized Captain of the Royal Guard. “I won’t seek your forgiveness, nor your trust, stallion. You know what you need to do, but first you have a job.” Shining Armor wiped his eyes with his foreleg, and stood back up, before continuing to walk down the hall, the tough exterior being little more than a hollow shell at this point.

“Alright… It’s just down this hallway.” Shining Armor held back from prolonged conversation, trying not to lose control of his emotions again from the figurative ‘war’ that was going on inside his head. Vanish could see the stallion struggling to forgive himself, and spoke up. “Were it not for you, Cadance would not have lived to visit the Infirmary.” Shining Armor stopped and turned his head, shocked at the bold nature of the words Vanish spoke. The mercenary tipped the fedora on his head up in order to produce a solid line of eye contact with the Captain of the Royal Guard. “Understand that, before choosing to cast judgment upon yourself, Shining Armor.” Vanish continued to walk forward, as Shining Armor looked at the floor for a moment before galloping in order to catch up, eager to question the penultimate statement made by the fedora-sporting stallion. “What'd he mean by that? And… is he telling the truth?”

Princess Celestia had been awaiting the arrival of Shining Armor and Vanish for an hour, now. She was far from being ignorant, though, and had spoken with the white-coated stallion about his wife, prior to giving him his instructions to await Vanish’s return to the castle. She knew that the two stallions would exchange words, but wondered if that is all that would be exchanged between them, given the actions the mercenary had taken at the Wedding Hall, coupled with the loving devotion that Shining Armor had for his wife. The Captain of the Royal Guard was too honorable to ask the princess for a day off, however, and it was not her place to push the notion, so she simply waited outside a room filled with bitter, cold memories that she was glad not to be facing.

Much to her surprise, Shining Armor finally arrived with Vanish, neither one harboring visible wounds, aside from the ones they acquired from the fight in the Wedding Hall. Princess Celestia had the best doctors in Canterlot at her disposal, and they made sure to help Shining Armor with as much of their ability as they could once he had recovered from the effects of the sleeping powder Vanish had blown into his face, as well as the faces of everypony else in the Wedding Hall, save the Princesses of the Night and Day.

Once asleep, Twilight Sparkle and her friends were given steady ‘dosages’ of powder to keep them asleep, but Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and the Wonderbolts had been given the chance to wake up, and were instructed to head to the Canterlot Infirmary, accompanied by several guards, to tend to their injuries; Vanish had plans for several ponies, but for others, he felt a sense of responsibility for their wounds, not that he would openly admit it to any of them. To the princesses, he simply stated, “They have no place being here when they could be given proper medical treatment. Escort them at once.”

Princess Celestia smiled as she saw Shining Armor smile to her, walking with authority towards the regal princess and some ponies that were standing guard in front of the closed door behind her. He stopped his trot just short of the princess and saluted the guards and Princess Celestia, as Vanish bowed in Celestia’s noble presence. Amazingly, his bow was rather minor in comparison to the one he gave to her sister, with him only removing the fedora with his hoof and bowing down slightly, though he had his reasons. Shining Armor spoke up. “Princess, I have brought Vanish, as per your request.” Shining Armor sounded as proper as he always did in front of the princess. “Excellent work, Shining Armor.”

“Thank you, Princes-Oof!” Princess Celestia raised her eyebrow in confusion, before seeing Vanish retracting his own hoof, having used it to hit Shining Armor’s cutie mark, as if trying vaguely to produce some sort of ‘reminder’. After struggling to maintain his composure, Shining Armor continued speaking. “Erm, Princess, with your permission, I’d like to request… a temporary leave of absence.” The guards were visibly shocked to hear their diligent captain sounding as though he was asking for a ‘day off’, as was Princess Celestia, but she did not want the other guards to consider her as being a passive monarch by accepting such a request without reason; she had an image to uphold.

“I see. I request to know the reason why you would request this.” This was solely a formality, but they both knew the reason, and it was no surprise what Shining Armor responded with. “Princess, I request to be allowed to remain by the side of my wife, Princess Mi Amo-!” Vanish chimed in. “Cadance!” Shining Armor gritted his teeth, having been casually interrupted by Vanish as he had done to the fedora-wearing stallion in their own conversation, before continuing. “… Princess Cadance, while she is in the Canterlot Infirmary.” Princess Celestia kept a look of firm authority on her face, but on the inside, she was proud that Shining Armor was showing such devotion to that which truly mattered in his life.

After a brief pause, the alicorn princess made her decision. “Shining Armor, your request is granted.” Princess Celestia stepped forward to lower her horn upon Shining Armor’s shoulder. “Give the princess my regards.” Shining Armor smiled broadly before lifting his stance up properly. “I shall do so, Princess. And thank you.” Shining Armor turned and galloped down the hall with haste, as though time was somehow against him, knocking Vanish over in the process. The other guards were diligent in their stance, but smiled as their captain dashed down the castle halls.

Vanish righted his position, sweeping some dust off of his saddlebags with his hooves, before properly standing up. “This really could have been prevented, for the most part, if you just spoke like normal ponies. I mean seriously, this is how you speak to one another?” Princess Celestia felt as though she was being mocked, but chuckled at the somewhat bitter criminal that stood before her. “Nice to hear from you too, Vanish.” The stallion bowed properly, as though his earlier one was only a gesture ‘for show’. “Good day, Princess Celestia. I come seeking my ‘living arrangements’.”

Princess Celestia raised her foreleg, pointing it out to the side and addressing the guards behind her. “Guards? Open the doors.” Complying with the request, the two unicorn guards used their magic to each open one of the door panels, revealing a moderately sized, dimly lit room that the relatively small door seemed to be stopping most light from accessing. The room itself was made of blackened stone, almost seeming similar to coal or jet-black paint being used to decorate the walls. The floor was slightly brighter, but not by much, making the room almost look like it was from somewhere entirely different from most of Equestria, let alone the rest of the castle.

The alicorn princess began explaining the meaning of the room to the dark blue unicorn next to her. “This room holds two cells. It has been here since Discord's rule over the ponies of this nation.” Looking down at the stallion, Princess Celestia began to feel ill as the mercenary seemed to me smiling sickly to himself, as he kept his stare aimed to the room ahead of him while speaking. “I must confess, Princess: I have read about this room. Gather had used it to detail what a prison cell looked like for our plans. It certainly feels ‘isolated’, given how it's in such a massive castle.”

Princess Celestia had most of the castle renovated or outright rebuilt once Discord had been defeated by her and her sister, but they kept this room in case they ever needed to place a pony in captivity for some form of ‘crime’. Thankfully, they had been quite fortunate with regards to those that came to Equestria, as they often simply sought peace, leaving the room mostly unused. Those who threatened the harmony of Equestria often didn’t stay for very long, such as Nightmare Moon or The Queen of the Changeling Army. For Princess Celestia, just one look at this room brought back memories of when Discord had been in power over the ponies of Equestria. Retaining her commanding tone of voice, the bitter memories were submerged once more as she spoke to the mercenary. “… Your cell is the second one.”

Vanish walked forward, noting how rough the floor and walls were. Not only that, but they were very, very cold. It looked uncomfortable, and it felt even worse. This was a room not meant for the ponies of Ponyville or Canterlot, surely. As the dual-horned unicorn approached the second cell, a guard used their magic to open the steel-barred cell door, which slid open with a sickening screech. Vanish looked inside the room, seeing a mirror and a sink on the right side of the room, and a cot to the left, directly opposite the mirror and sink. At the back, there was a small window with bars on it that provided a compact view of the garden outside the castle, and in the back-right corner of the cell, stood a single stall with an open door on it, akin to a public toilet often found around Dodge Junction.

Vanish quickly commented on his new 'home'. “Hm. No comforts, just necessities.” Vanish used his magic to remove the two heavy double-saddlebags that he had carried from the chariot, placing them on the cot and attempting to walk inside the cell, before Princess Celestia stopped him by sticking her foreleg out in front of him, holding him with her hoof to his dark, dark blue-coated, fur-laden chest as she explained herself. “You will be staying here… but only when you are not serving your community service.” With that, the guard closed the cell door as the fedora-wearing stallion backed up, following the Princess out of the room, where she appeared to be finished speaking with the stallion.

“P-Pardon me? ‘Community Service’? There was no such clause in my contract, my dear!” Hearing the guards close the doors behind him, Vanish caught up with Princess Celestia, who was smiling. “Well, Vanish, you told me to make a decision about the contract. It specified that I can also choose how you serve your incarceration. I was going to limit it to simple imprisonment, until Twilight Sparkle proposed an option that would benefit everyone.” Vanish stopped walking, looking down at the floor and remembering what Twilight had said. “… Twilight…”

“By the way, the pony who will be responsible for monitoring you while you are in Ponyville serving your sentence, is here.” Princess Celestia raised her hoof to the window in front of her, as Vanish looked up, seeing the tall, white alicorn keeping her attention focused not on him, but on what was on the other side of the massive glass pane. “Pardon me?” Vanish walked forward before looking out the window himself, seeing an all-too-familiar pony waving their hoof at him.

Vanish’s fury turned to an unusual feeling of relief, as he laughed to himself. “Ah ha ha, I should have known. From the very beginning, I should have known that you wouldn’t just let me stay in a cell, like I had more or less hoped would come to pass.” Princess Celestia proceeded to walk down the hall, away from the stallion and the prison cells, her eyes closed and her mouth displaying a coy smirk as she provided a clever remark in response. “Don’t blame me; it was your oversight, ‘my dear’.” Vanish chuckled briefly, sitting down and staring at the pony that was just outside the window, in the garden. “I suppose it was, Princess.”

“… I suppose it was.”

Epilogue: Clearing the Stormy Skies

For everyone in Ponyville, today was a pretty standard day. Storm clouds were hovering over Ponyville thanks to the efforts of the Pegasi of Cloudsdale. More specifically, the ‘Pegasus pony’; for Derpy Hooves, she had only one thing on her mind: She needed a drink of water. She and Rainbow Dash were supposed to place several storm clouds around Ponyville, but Rainbow had wanted to get something quickly, and asked the blonde Pegasus pony if she could take care of the task herself until she returned. Always eager to help a friend, Derpy had smiled and nodded in agreement at the request, as the fastest flyer in Cloudsdale dashed off to who-knows-where, leaving the grey-coated Pegasus pony to perform storm cloud placement on her own.

She hadn’t even placed clouds over half of the town yet, but that was only logical; Rainbow Dash made weather duties incredibly easy, given her natural speed, competitive nature, and even her charisma. She annoyed some ponies with her consistent boasting, but when it came to weather jobs, her fellow Pegasi always liked seeing just how quickly they could clear clouds out of the sky or place storm clouds in it, hoping to impress the mare that often found herself in charge of the weather duties. It wasn’t a ‘competition’, but it was a positive means of getting the Cloudsdale Pegasi motivated to work harder, thus testing themselves in the process.

Derpy couldn’t compete with Rainbow Dash, but envied her nonetheless. The light blue mare was always being asked to help with something, thanks to how quick she was on her hooves, as well as her wings. Derpy seldom got asked to help for anything, but was always willing to offer her assistance, often resulting in negative reactions from other ponies. She was naturally clumsy, but everypony knew that she meant no harm. Still, it hurt inside, knowing that she and Rainbow Dash were so different yet so similar as well. Regardless, when the rainbow-maned mare asks for help, Derpy Hooves would always be willing to lend a hoof.

Derpy was just barely hovering through the air, given her fatigue. She was exhausted and thirsty, but her eyes soon caught view of an all-too-welcome sight for the blonde Pegasus pony: The town water fountain. It was strange how she hadn’t been there in a while, but then again, she had several friends she had been seeing, and many new friends she had been making. Coupled with her busy work schedule and the last couple of eventful days in Ponyville and Canterlot, she was surprised to find herself alone at all, as she gently glided towards the water fountain.

Landing safely in front of the fountain, she had the sneaking suspicion that she was being watched, but looked around to find nopony in sight. Lowering her head slowly, she continued to look all over: To her left, to her right, ahead of her, behind her, up above and even down below her, where Pinkie Pie would sometimes pop out from, much to her surprise. Seeing nopony around, she realized that most ponies remained in the homes on stormy days, so the sight of the clouds had likely prompted them to take shelter indoors.

Alone, safe and sound, Derpy took one last look around before drinking from the fountain. Lapping up some of the cool, refreshing water, she took a moment to reflect on recent events. She had been hoof-picked by Rainbow Dash to help with the storm cloud placement today. Before that, the last time she was asked to help anypony was a couple of days ago, yet it felt much more recent and meaningful.

Her memory shifted to the day when the Pegasi of Cloudsdale were given back their wings, and the last time she had seen Vanish. She didn’t care about the negative opinions that other ponies had regarding him; Vanish had asked Derpy for her assistance and even for her to trust him, in order for her to be used as a means of displaying the proper stance a Pegasus pony must take in order for him to properly ‘place’ their wings back on them. Derpy had often found other ponies question how much they trusted her with tasks, but had never been asked to trust somepony else.

It was something that she questioned momentarily, but there was no secret to be had in her reasons: She trusted everypony. Applejack to Fluttershy, Granny Smith to Rose, Twilight Sparkle to Zecora, Derpy never had a lack of trust in anypony. If she ever needed help with anything, she would ask the first pony she saw. Being asked to trust somepony was a totally surreal experience for the young mare. Looking down at her reflection in the water, she was reminded of something else about the mercenary stallion: He never treated her any different from how he treated anypony else. Stopping her lapping of the fountain water, she found herself beginning to question the reason why he treated her so normally.

Despite being alone for a while now, Derpy suddenly felt truly alone. She had been judged by her appearance for a long time, even before Twilight Sparkle came to Ponyville. Her number of friends was great, but her number of really close friends was quite minor, which truly felt depressing when she saw other ponies talk to their own close friends out in the streets or market of Ponyville. Ponies who looked past Derpy’s appearance seldom could get past her second natural flaw: Her somewhat clumsy nature. She could swear that there was a cycle to it: somepony asked for her help, she tried to provide it, she would flub something up while attempting to provide help, and they would never ask for her help again, though she would offer it, naturally.

It hurt to remind herself of such things, but it was who she was. She knew from the bottom of her heart that she always tried her best not to mess things up, but she was just prone to causing accidents; from losing various objects, to messing up her weather-clearing duties, even going so far as to cause structural damage to City Hall. But what truly made her feel especially shocked, was when a note had been left with her upon waking up in Cloudsdale, asking her to remain there until further notice, and then when Vanish asked for her help in Cloudsdale, in front of all the other Pegasi.

She recalled the feeling of brief shame that she felt when she broke the bottom of a chariot while trying to sit in front of Vanish. Before they had left Cloudsdale after returning the wings to the Pegasi, Rainbow Dash had informed her that the lone chariot she had broke had a somewhat rusted bottom to it, but at that point in time, it didn’t matter to her. She heard some of the Pegasi chuckle at the gesture, but she didn’t mean to cause any damage, let alone damaging something that belonged to Princess Celestia of Equestria. At that point, an all-too-familiar feeling of loneliness suddenly flowed through her. She felt tears well up and fall from her eyes, hearing them hit the water in the fountain as she remembered feeling like she had messed up her big chance to really impress the Pegasi of Cloudsdale.

All she could do at that point was apologize for what she did. She was used to apologizing; it was probably some of the most common words she spoke, and always with sincerity: “I’m sorry”, “Excuse me”, or “My bad” among several other words or phrases. But after she apologized, she was surprised at the words she heard being spoken to her: “It’s alright, my dear…” Instant forgiveness: Something she had never been given before. She couldn’t begin to count the groans of annoyed acceptance, chuckles of innocent laughter, exhausted sighs, or the number of times when somepony shouted her name, angrily blaming the young mare for the accident she had caused. Being forgiven not only quickly, but in such a kind manner, had stuck with her.

She found herself smiling at the kind memory of the stallion that didn’t take her at face value, or even after an accidental case of simply ‘being clumsy’. Hearing the bell tower, she gasped as she realized that she still had a job to do, shouting to herself in the process. “Oh no!” As she quickly wiped her muzzle of the water that dripped from it, she heard something nearby. “What’s that sound? It sounds like dripping…” Derpy looked to up to the sky. “Is it raining? Well, no, that can’t be it. Wait, is that somepony else drinking?” Turning back towards the fountain, she saw that she had been joined by a familiar mare who stood almost directly opposite of her in terms of where they chose to drink from the fountain.

“Oh! Rainbow Dash!” The fastest flyer in Cloudsdale had returned, and rather than greet her directly, chose to let Derpy drink from the fountain by taking a few laps, herself, before wiping her mouth with her foreleg and beginning to speak to the gray-coated mare. “Hey, Derpy! We saw you drink from this fountain for a while. Hope you don’t mind if we help ourselves, too!” Derpy didn’t even see the second pony; in fact, she still couldn’t. They were standing directly opposite of her, with the fountain’s central pipe obscuring her vision of them. Rainbow could see Derpy trying to get a view, and promptly stepped back slightly, chuckling at the reaction she was expecting from her friend.

As the blonde Pegasus pony walked around the fountain, the pony slowly came into view. The pony was her size, had a dark, dark blue coat, a smoke gray mane and tail, and a single double-saddlebag. She only had to move a little bit closer to see what he had on his head: A familiar brown fedora, which prompted her to shout with delight. “VANISH! YOU’RE BACK!!!” The stallion stopped drinking, looking at Derpy with joy-filled eyes. Moving away from the fountain, Derpy galloped up to the stallion, as Vanish used his hoof to remove his fedora, bowing regally before the humbled mare. “It is an honor to see you again, Miss Derpy Hooves!”

It had been only a few days since she had last seen him, but it seemed like a very, very long time. Derpy had read in the local newspaper that Vanish was serving a ‘prison sentence’, and after locating Twilight to explain what it was, as prisons and crimes were very uncommon in Equestria, she had thought that the stallion would only ever be able to speak to her from inside a cold, dark room in Canterlot. She was delighted to see him again so soon. Anticipating her question, Vanish refrained from answering early, allowing the mare the honor of speaking her mind, as she tilted her head curiously.

“Why are you here? Did you break out of prison?” Rainbow Dash found herself laughing uncontrollably, but Vanish simply smiled in response to the rather positively-toned, negatively-minded question before he properly responded. “Not at all, my dear. I’m here to provide my services to the community, under orders by Princess Celestia, herself.” Rainbow Dash regained her composure before speaking. “Princess Celestia wants me to keep an eye on Vanish, to make sure he’s not doing anything bad while in the area. I figured, ‘He hasn’t seen Derpy in a while, so I could always bring him to see her!’.”

Derpy had tears of joy in her eyes as she launched herself at the stallion, hugging him cheerfully as he placed his hat back on his head before his horns could possibly hurt the young, energetic mare, as he commented on her enthusiastic nature. “Ah ha ha. You look well, Miss Hooves! I am quite glad to see you in such high spirits.” Vanish returned the hug, wrapping his forelegs and hooves around the ecstatic mare’s neck and mane. Rainbow enjoyed seeing the smile on Derpy’s face truly return. She hadn’t seemed like herself since she was sent to Ponyville Hospital; ironically enough, it was because of the very stallion she was delighted to see, that she was sent there to begin with, but Rainbow did not want to bring up old wounds when she was content with seeing Derpy smiling again, fluttering her wings in joyful bliss.

Looking up to the sky, Rainbow quickly reminded herself of the yet-unfinished job she had to do, and alerted the blonde Pegasus pony. “Derpy, I’m gonna quickly place the rest of the storm clouds around here. Do you think you can take Vanish to see Twilight?” The gray mare’s eyes widened, as she hovered towards Rainbow Dash, saluting her friend with her hoof. “You can count on me, Rainbow! Come on, Vanish!” Rocketing off, Derpy sailed over a few of the Ponyville houses, as Vanish and Rainbow looked at each other for a moment, not moving an inch, before Derpy returned upon having realized that that the stallion couldn’t actually follow her through the air. “Oh! Umm, w-we’ll just walk!”

With a gentle smile, Vanish noted the weather above the three ponies. “The storm has a while before it arrives, my dear. Let’s just take our time, lest we ignore the efforts of the Pegasi’s hard work.” Derpy turned her head to the side, looking away as she blushed at the sentiment, before Rainbow decided to increase the glow on her friend's cheeks with a little ‘revelation’: “Actually Vanish, Derpy pretty much did all of it herself, considering I was fetching you and all. Anyways, I’ll take care of the rest and meet you guys at the library.” Derpy’s wayward eyes widened with surprise as the rainbow-maned mare bolted into the sky, heading to a patch of clouds that had gone unattended to.

“Oh, really?” Much as Rainbow suspected, Derpy blushed even more now that Vanish knew that the reason for the weather was due to the gray Pegasus pony’s lone efforts. Removing his fedora once more, the gray-maned stallion gave Derpy a gentle bow in her direction before expressing his appreciation. “Well then, it would be rude of me not to thank you for the weather of today, as it is certainly due to your own hard work and dedication. You have my esteemed gratitude, Miss Hooves.” Something about Vanish’s prim and proper demeanor made her blush, but she tried returning the gesture anyway, almost tumbling over from the awkward motion of attempting a proper bow, before the stallion caught her with his hooves. “Oh! Careful, my dear!”

Derpy regained her balance, as Vanish retracted his hooves upon the mare expressing her gratitude. “Thank you, Vanish!” The stallion raised his hoof in dismissal of the apology. “Oh, it’s never a problem, though you are quite welcome. Shall we head to the library?” With a nod of her head, Derpy lead the way, feeling a sense of déjà vu with regards to how this encounter was proceeding. Despite the familiarity, Derpy felt no lack of trust for the stallion that she was leading to Twilight Sparkle’s home. Vanish kept a smile of contentment on his face, as Derpy considered how else she could help the stallion. “Maybe Vanish will feel more comfortable if I showed him around Ponyville a bit!”

A placement of a hoof on the base of her neck caused her to stop momentarily, as she heard Vanish utter something just barely loud enough for her to hear. “Umm… Miss Hooves, there is something that has been troubling me over the past few days. I-It concerns you, so I wish to ask about it before we reach Ponyville Library. May I be permitted to inquire?” Derpy turned around, noting how the library was within eyeshot, but still quite a ways away. Nodding, Vanish proceeded with his question.

“Since the day I betrayed you, you've done everything I've asked of you. You gave the message to Rainbow Dash, which stirred up a whirlwind of events, culminating in a battle over the fate of Equestria, and yet, when I see you, it’s always the same…” Derpy thought she knew what the stallion was getting at, and cut him off. “Oh! If it’s about my eyes, I…” Vanish jumped as he realized how his words were being misinterpreted, stammering to fix his wording. “M-My apologies, my dear! Th-This doesn’t concern anything physical in appearance at all!” Derpy thought it was about her eyes, but stopped once she saw Vanish bow in an apologetic state; no matter how often she saw him do so, it was still somewhat amusing to see the stallion being so humble.

Vanish continued, making sure to correct himself. “Forgive me for causing such a misunderstanding of my intentions! It’s, well, about how since that day, you’re the only pony who did not treat me like I was their enemy at any point in time.” Derpy stood still, listening to everything the stallion had to say, as the storm clouds had begun to cause rain to fall. “I must ask: Why do you insist on judging me as a pony of positive intentions?” The Pegasus pony tilted her head, confused about the nature of the question she had been asked as she tried to clarify his question. “Are you asking me why I trusted you through everything you did?” Vanish nodded gently, as if expecting some sort of repercussion for asking that question.

Derpy placed her hoof on Vanish’s shoulder, prompting the stallion to raise himself from his proper bow in response, as the rain continued to soak the two ponies as the mare gave her answer. “Vanish, I always trusted you!” The stallion couldn’t accept the simple answer, as thunder and lightning shot through the sky above the two ponies to accompany his confusion. “Everypony had doubted me! H-How could you not do the same?” Derpy walked right up to Vanish, face-to-face with the confused stallion that seemed to be desperate for the answer he sought, still looking through her eyes as her mane had become wilted to one side of her body from the rainwater. “Vanish, ever since I first saw you, I knew you were a good-hearted pony. It doesn’t matter what you thought, and it doesn’t matter what everypony else thought.” Derpy turned around as she continued to walk in the direction of the library, waving at Twilight Sparkle, who had just walked out of her library’s entrance for a moment in order to wave the two ponies into her home so that they may take shelter from the storm.

“Vanish, I was right all along!” Derpy trotted forward, happy as ever in her belief, leaving the stallion in indistinguishable tears with her response, as he took off the fedora and looked at it while muttering to himself. “H… Heh heh, I suppose, you really were…” Derpy turned her head, smiling blissfully at the statement she had made. “I’m a good judge of character, Vanish, and you’re a good pony, regardless of what you’ve done or why you think you aren’t. No matter what happens…” The stallion galloped towards her to keep hearing what the smiling Pegasus pony had to say, as she galloped towards the library that stood in the now-enclosed distance, in order to get out of the storm’s wrath.

“Nothing will change my opinion that you’re a good pony, Vanish! Nothing!”

Having made it inside, Derpy took the time to squeeze the rainwater out from her mane, before seeing that there was another pony that was inside the library. Considering how empty it had been the last few times she came by, it was pretty easy to notice somepony else in the lobby; there was Twilight Sparkle and Spike, naturally, but Rarity had also been standing in the lobby, prompting the gray mare to widen her eyes in surprise before moving back towards the door. “Oh! I didn’t realize you had a guest! W-We’ll just leave.” Derpy turned around prepared to leave, until Vanish stood in front of her, addressing Derpy and Twilight respectively. “Now, now, there is no need for our dismissal unless they ask. Twilight, may we stay here until the sky clears up?”

Twilight smiled as she responded to the request. “Of course! I’d never kick my friends out during a storm!” Rarity cut in, seeing the look of sudden concern on Vanish’s face. “Worry not, dear; Twilight has a magical lightning rod protecting this place.” Vanish looked around, slightly worried, but decided to speak his mind. “Have you… stayed the night during a storm before?” Rarity laughed, waving her hoof in dismissal. “Of course, darling! I stayed with Applejack a couple of years ago. It was a rather, erm…” Her hesitance caused the stallion to raise his eyebrow curiously, resulting in a deadpan expression on the stylish unicorn mare's face. “… Just clean your hooves and get inside.”

Vanish delivered a coy smile as he accepted the invitation. “Alright, alright, but if you'd be so kind, I request your assistance in helping Miss Hooves with her mane, my dear…” Trying to clean her own mane, Derpy attempted to wave it through the air, resulting in it wrapping around her head and eyes, blinding her view of everything else. Rarity gasped at the gesture, “Oh, dear! Darling, just hold still. I have a brush, right here.” Derpy stopped moving her hooves and slowly sat in place, allowing Rarity to work her magic by using the nearby brush to untangle the Pegasus pony’s mane.

During this time, Spike came downstairs with a couple of towels as he had been expecting ponies to be at the door, but stopped once he saw exactly who the guests were. He saw Rarity styling the mane of Derpy Hooves, seeming to care less about fixing it up and more about working her own unique sense of flair on the lovely blonde mane, but Spike’s attention wasn’t being paid to them. Twilight grabbed a towel with her magic, interrupting Rarity’s styling in order to dry off Derpy as quickly as she could; she could feel tension in the air building, and knew the reason why it existed in the first place.

Vanish stood on the doormat with Derpy, the latter of whom was quickly moved once she was dried off, in order for Rarity to continue her brushwork. Vanish and Spike stared at each other for a moment, before Spike closed his eyes and tossed the towels on the library lobby's wooden floor. Vanish also shut his own eyes as he stood on his hind legs, using his front hooves to remove the fedora from his head, before placing it on a hook of the coat stand that already had a cloak placed upon it. Twilight and Rarity stopped what they were doing, expecting the worst out of a confrontation between the baby dragon and the stallion.

Derpy pulled the brush out of her mane, looking at the two mares before directing her attention to what they were watching. The stallion raised his hoof, as if expecting something. “Spike, may I have a towel?” Spike picked up one of the towels from the ground, dry and unused, before looking back at Vanish, hesitant in giving the stallion what he wanted. “Spike…” Vanish bowed down to the baby dragon, kneeling his rear legs down as well as his front hoof, keeping one of his front hooves up in the air, bowing as regally as he could not in a position of respect, but in a submissive stance of esteemed apology. “Nngh, S-Spike, may I please be given a towel?”

Twilight could hear the pain that Vanish was putting himself in, given the cramped space of the front door of the library. Every mare in the lobby knew that they should say something, but this was for far more than a simple towel; it was Vanish asking for Spike’s acceptance of his apology for all that Spike had been put through because of the stallion, from being submitted into Ponyville Hospital after being attacked at the train station, to abusing his position as one who wrote letters to, from, and for the Princess of the Sun, in order to essentially produce an ‘official confession’ that was little more than a scroll of lies.

“… Very well.” Vanish stood back up, grabbing the still-wet fedora with his magic as he bowed to the other ponies in the room, as well as to Spike, before placing it on his own head again. “I am sorry for wasting your time. I shall remain outside as I await Rainbow Dash’s arrival. Good day, Spike. Good day, everypony.” Vanish turned around, opening the door with his own magic, taking a moment to listen to the rain before taking his first step back outside. He couldn’t let himself stay in good faith: If Spike wouldn’t welcome him as a guest, then he wouldn’t stay inside and allow a lack of comfort to simply simmer in the air, at risk of engulfing the other ponies in the library.

“Vanish?” Spike finally spoke up, disappointment resonating in his tone. “Seriously, I thought you had better manners than that!” Spike walked up to Vanish, who remained facing outside, but didn’t move an inch. Spike went next to the stallion, taking off his low-hanging double-saddlebag. “Coats, hats, and bags get removed when you come into Twilight's Library. It’s pointless to dry off if you have this on.”

Spike couldn’t see Vanish’s face, but the stallion lowered his head slightly, smiling with relief at the gesture. “Ah, then you have my apologies. I suppose I have a thing or two to learn with regards to proper manners.” Vanish turned around, having a towel thrown into his face and reflexively grabbing it with his hoof. Spike tossed the saddlebag onto the coat stand so that rain could dry off of it, before taking a towel from Twilight that had been used to clean Derpy in order to move it away, as he remained speaking to the stallion in the doorway. “Come on in, Vanish. Dry yourself off, first.”

Vanish used the towel on his face to conceal his smile, as he used his hoof to remove his fedora once more, placing it back on the coat rack before responding to the baby dragon. “You have my gratitude.” Vanish sat down, proceeding to dry his face off with the towel he had been given by rubbing it in with his front hooves. He could hear magic being utilized as he felt something else being used to dry off his mane, as well as his back. Removing the first towel from his head, he saw that Twilight had used a second towel that Spike had placed on the ground in order to dry off the stallion. Vanish was more than capable of doing so himself, but appreciated the gesture too much to request that Twilight back off.

Ceasing the act of using her magic, Twilight finally felt comfortable enough to speak up, with the tension in the air having been alleviated. “So, what are you two doing in Ponyville?” Derpy had finished being dried and brushed by Rarity, so she answered first. “I was just in the area placing storm clouds! Rainbow Dash brought Vanish to the water fountain to see me!” The stallion quickly affirmed the Pegasus pony's reasoning, as he proceeded to finish cleaning his body, and was as beginning to dry off his rather short, smoke gray mane and tail with the second towel. "Indeed. Rainbow Dash is responsible for making sure I don’t do anything ‘negative’ while performing community service. Of course, you already knew that, didn’t you Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight Sparkle blushed slightly, but Vanish was far from amused as his tone dictated, though he was busily using his magic and hooves to clean his tail and torso, voicing his gripes as he dried himself. “I had a very simple plan in progress: I sign the form and the ponies get their peace of mind by having the ‘criminal’ put away. How do you think they feel, knowing I’m free to loiter around Ponyville!?” Rarity and Derpy were slightly taken aback from the comment, but Twilight knew more than Vanish thought she knew, grinning as she answered his question. “Why don’t you tell me? From what Princess Celestia has been sending, you’re quite ‘popular’ lately.”

Vanish walked forward, having finished drying himself off, surprised that Twilight knew the truth behind how his life had been going. “Hmph. I suppose I should have expected you to know.” Vanish sat at the large table in the library, where the mares chose to join him. “When I’m not providing services to the community, it feels like all I do is sleep in my cell, speak to visiting ponies, or write letters.” Twilight was curious about the last statement, though Spike brought drinks over to the ponies, which prompted the ponies to stop their conversation in order to thank the baby dragon for his hard work.

“Thanks Spike!” “Thank you!” “Ah, I was getting thirsty. Thank you, darling.” “Erm, Spike? If I may ask…” Spike turned around upon being addressed by the stallion. “Could you possibly grab two or three more towels? Rainbow Dash should be here any moment, and will likely be drenched with rainwater.” Smiling, the baby dragon waved his claw in acknowledgement. “Sure! I’ll be right back!” As Spike left, Twilight asked her question. “I’m sorry, but you mentioned something about ‘letters’?” Vanish turned in her direction, choosing to sit at the end of the makeshift row of ponies so that the mares wouldn’t have to keep turning their heads to pay attention to him, nor would he to them.

“Indeed. Upon Shining Armor’s dismissal, and me completing my fir-!“ A shot of water that spat out from Twilight’s mouth prompted Vanish to cut his sentence short. “D-DISMISSAL!? Wait, Vanish, back up a second; what happened to my brother? The Princess never mentioned anything about him being DISMISSED FROM HIS DUTIES AS CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD!” Vanish stammered before Twilight could get the wrong idea. “Oh! I-It was by his request, for a temporary leave of absence! He wanted to go to the Canterlot Infirmary while his wife was recovering from what transpired at the Wedding Hall!”

Twilight sat back down; thinking that her brother was fired from his job was certainly a shock to her system. Vanish was quick to apologize. “S-Sorry, my dear, I should have worded that better.” Vanish sat back down upon receiving a wave of Twilight’s hoof to acknowledge that she was ready to listen again. “As I was saying, upon me finishing my first day of community service, I returned to my cell, seeing a rather impressive pile of letters from other ponies. I must say, I did not expect my incarceration to be so ‘hospitable’.” Twilight used her magic to raise her glass as she tapped it on Vanish’s own glass of water. “Welcome to Ponyville: We’re pleasant like that.” Vanish drank a bit before turning his attention back to the mares. “I was expecting letters of bitter anger or threats, not… ‘thanks’.”

Rarity had become curious by the vague nature of the previous statement, choosing to speak her curiosity. “’Thanks’? That’s rather vague. Whatever were they thanking you for?” Vanish continued, elaborating at the mare's request. “They seemed to be thanking me for giving them the chance to meet new ponies from the nearby area. It seems as though Cloudsdale Pegasi seldom spoke to the ponies of Ponyville.” Derpy thought it over. “I have seen a few of my friends from Cloudsdale coming to Ponyville recently; I never thought that was strange, though.” Vanish nodded, and continued. “It seems as though with their wings gone, they could not do their jobs, nor did some of them feel safe being so high in the air without the security of wings, so they came here, where they then talked with other ponies from this town.”

Twilight mulled over Vanish’s words, giggling to herself in the process. “It’s strange: You wanted to give them somepony to blame, and they wanted somepony to ‘thank’. I think they know that you didn't mean to harm them, so they looked at the good it brought.” Vanish swirled his glass of water, as a knock was heard at the door. “I suppose that is the only logical conclusion behind such positive reactions.” Spike came downstairs with a couple more towels, as Twilight opened the door from where she was through the use of her magic, and Rarity stood up and grabbed her brush to clean it quickly, getting ready to use it on their newest guest.

Lo and behold, Rainbow Dash had arrived, completely drenched in rainwater. “Hey, guys! Has Vanish been good?” The mares giggled at the question, which made the stallion sound more like some sort of pet. Spike also found humor in the tone that the question had been asked in, chuckling as he handed Rarity a towel to help dry Rainbow Dash with as the fashionista didn't miss a beat in continuing the joke. “Oh, he’s been an absolute delight, Rainbow! You simply must bring him around more often!” Vanish could see past their jokes, to the humor, and found himself chuckling at the statements as well, as Twilight asked another question. “So, what sort of things does Princess Celestia have you do, for community service?”

Vanish turned in Twilight’s direction as he responded. “I mainly help out around Canterlot with… well…” Rainbow Dash cut in while being dried. “He’s being forced by Princess Celestia to fix the damages to the Wedding Hall, as well as replanting the dirt and grass from the attack he did to Spitfire, and that's just the start!” Vanish chuckled slightly to himself. “It’s the least I can do, seeing as how the Baltimare Police Department confiscated Gather’s ‘payment’ to me, as evidence of his crimes in Baltimare. I could give nothing back to Canterlot in terms of ‘finance’, so I can at least commit to the tasks I have been asked to perform by the Princess."

Rainbow Dash felt the need to continue explaining things. “He gets plenty of materials and time to work, but ponies still seem to follow him to the hall, while I keep them out with the help of some guards. It’s pretty dull, though, since the guards are so…” “’Proper’?” Vanish couldn’t help but interrupt the mare, drinking from his cup of water upon doing so, as Twilight giggled before speaking her mind. “Different day, same impatient Rainbow Dash.” Twilight’s quip caused Vanish to laugh in response. “Ah ha ha. I should try coming here more often… Well, enough banter, I suppose.”

Vanish stood up, grabbing a second towel from Spike and helping clean Rainbow Dash’s mane. “I was actually hoping to perform a certain “act” while I was in this Library, if that is acceptable? A rather simple request: To have a ‘Lesson of Friendship’ penned out to the Princess; I don’t quite have the ability to hand her my messages, given my act of attacking her at the Wedding Hall.” Vanish picked up the used towels that lay on the floor of the Library, folding them up with his hooves and using his magic to carry them, as Rainbow took a seat at the table while Vanish continued. “This is my only chance to send a message to her directly.”

“I’ll take those!” Spike held out his arms, as Vanish placed the towels on them carefully, making sure not to cause the baby dragon to topple over. “You have my esteemed thanks, Spike.” Spike could be heard struggling, and Vanish rose his foreleg in order to point at the stack of towels as he spoke. “Are you sure you would not care for some assistance?” “N- No thanks! I… I got i-WHOA!” Losing his balance from a towel that had remained on the floor, Spike fell over, causing the towels to be thrown up and into the air, all landing on him in a pile. Vanish once again grabbed them with his magic. “Spike, it’s of no consequence to ask for help!” Spike stood up, shaking the moisture off his scales before grabbing the towels again.

“I’m fine! Really! I’ll be right back! Thanks for picking them up, though.” Vanish bowed gently. “It is never a problem, Spike.” The baby dragon hobbled to the side room with the towels, as Twilight could hear them being placed on the floor, so they could be dried properly when the rain stopped. Spike ran by and went up the stairs, eagerly searching for a scroll, quill, and ink well. While ascending the stairs, Rainbow Dash took a seat and spoke. “So, Vanish, what’s it like, being in jail?” Rainbow Dash hadn’t been around for the previous questions, so it was only natural that she would be curious.

“We were just discussing that, though I suppose I didn’t divulge much information. In my cell, I mostly write letters to the ponies who have taken the time to write to me, as well as speaking to visitors who care to visit me directly.” Vanish went back to his seat, taking a drink from his glass of water before sitting down. “Mm… I have also taken to writing a ‘journal’ of sorts. Not of contracts, of course, that would be rather deplorable of me, especially given how those who have hired me in the past have been guaranteed my cooperation in not divulging their names. Rather, it will be of my various encounters with certain ponies or certain crimes I have committed, using different standards for my examples, of course; it would make for interesting stories, if little else.”

Twilight felt the need to chime in. “Do you think I could display it in my library? I would love to read it!” Vanish continued drinking, but delivered a coy smirk in response to the curiosity that Twilight was openly displaying. “Libraries are for public access to books, my dear, not private access.” Twilight frowned at the selfish claim that Vanish was making, scoffing before responding to the stallion's statement. “I know that, and everypony can be sure to read it!” Twilight swirled her glass, delivering a wink to the stallion. “… Once I’m done with it.”

“Twilight, you’re such an egghead.” Rainbow Dash’s remark created a stir of laughter from the ponies at the table, as they saw Spike return from the stairwell with writing materials. “She’s not an egghead, she’s just well-read… or at least that’s what she says.” Twilight smirked. “Exactly, Spi-HEY!” The quip produced further laughter from the ponies, as Vanish noticed that Spike had a quill within an ink well with him, and a scroll in his other clawed hand, complimenting the diligence of the baby dragon in his duties, in the process. “Ah, excellent. Thank you, Spike.”

As Spike unfurled the scroll, Vanish turned his attention to the rainbow-maned mare that had sat next to him. "Before I state my letter, Rainbow, I must ask… how is Scootaloo? I have not heard from her, and have not seen her since the fight against Gather at the Wedding Hall. I never truly thanked her, and I must confess... that fact has provided me with a significant amount of guilt as of late.”

“She’s fine, Vanish.” Rainbow looked at the stallion’s glass of water longingly, prompting Spike to get the hint and fetch a glass for the thirsty Pegasus. “Honestly, the whole ‘pawn’ thing really bothered her at the train, but I talked with her about it recently.” Vanish turned his head, his curiosity having been piqued at the statement the mare had made. “Was the conversation you had on the train on our way to Canterlot that recent?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head and smiled. “No, it wasn’t then, it was after that; when I got back from babysitting you in Canterlot for the first time.” Vanish frowned at the crude terminology that the mare had used for her trusted ‘guard duty’. “Hmph. Putting the term you chose to use in order to describe watching me aside, what exactly did you tell her?” Rainbow grabbed the glass of water Spike had brought to her, and drank a bit of it before speaking. “… That being used for something isn’t as important as what you’re used for.”

Vanish leaned back slightly as he stared at the mare with the rainbow mane, surprised at the blunt manner in which she had spoken her mind. “Forgive me for not believing such crude words to be much better than what I had said, myself!” Rainbow turned to look into Vanish’s eyes, putting the glass down as she turned to the stallion. “Look, Scootaloo realized something while she was stuck in the Castle Hall until the Wonderbolts came by and asked her to come to the Wedding Hall: Just because she was used for your purpose, doesn’t mean anything if good things come out of it."

Vanish drank a bit more of his water as he closed his eyes in thought. “I see… does she really believe that?” Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof on the table, prompting Vanish to open his eyes. “I’ve taken her under my wing. If she has a problem, I’ll handle it, but I couldn’t thank her enough for what she did for us back at the Wedding Hall against Gather. If it wasn’t for her risking her life, we never would have been able to use the Elements of Harmony a second time. You used my wings for some pretty messed up things,” Vanish cringed at the rather crude nature of her statement as she continued, "but regardless of that, things still turned out for the better, right?”

“Mostly for the better, I suppose. I guess I never really thought about how something is used, as opposed to the very fact of using it, regardless of that which I would use to complete my objectives.” Vanish blushed at the simplicity of his oversight as he continued. “… I hope I can tell her sometime, how important she truly was in the plans of saving Equestria.” As the stallion frowned into his glass of water, Rainbow started smiling. “I’ll tell her, but you owe me, alright?” Vanish opened his eyes to see the smile on Rainbow Dash’s face. “You have my most sincere gratitude, and I believe that I may be able to pay you back sooner than you’d think… Ah, Spike, shall we begin?” Seeing the baby dragon nod, holding a scroll and inked quill in his claws, Vanish began. ” Very well: ‘To the attention of Princess Celestia of Equestri-'”

“Vanish?” Twilight cut the stallion off before he could gain momentum with his ‘speech’. “If you make this overly formal, Spike will be here all day asking how to spell certain words, or asking you to use simpler terms. Why not just… keep to the essential parts of your ‘lesson’?” Vanish frowned for a moment and sighed before nodding his head. “I suppose if I must, then it is hardly worth cause for debate. Spike, are you ready?” Spike nodded his head, grateful that Twilight had considered Spike’s limited written vocabulary in comparison to Vanish’s extensive verbal vocabulary. “Ready!”

Dear Princess Celestia:

Until recently, I believed that anything that was not written on a contract could not be worth trusting. However, not everything works that way. Through my time in Ponyville, I have met several ponies that I am honored to consider my friends, for they consider me their own friend in return. This is not out of contracts or blind faith, but out of trust.

Vanish stopped for a moment, considering his words slowly, as he felt a hoof on his shoulder. Turning his attention to the pony behind him, he was surprised to see Derpy smiling cheerfully at the stallion for the lesson he had learned. Smiling in return, he motioned for Derpy to sit next to him, which she did with great eagerness, as Vanish continued to have his thoughts penned down by the baby dragon in front of him.

Some things cannot be described by mere words, but by what one ‘feels’. These moments of trust are far more important than any written contract or verbal promise. This trust in your friends, and the trust your friends share in you, is that which should never be broken, for it means more than anything I have come to know of. Above all else, never lose the trust you share with your friends.

Sincerely: Vanish.

Pleased with how the lesson sounded, Vanish was more than happy to produce another prim and proper bow to the baby dragon who had written the ‘Lesson of Friendship’. “Spike? Would you be so kind as to use your ‘power’ to send the letter to the Princess?” Spike didn’t even need to be asked; he was glad to send a letter about a Lesson of Friendship learned by Vanish, despite what the stallion had done to him. It was all in the past, and Spike knew that, even if Vanish had not fully forgiven himself. With a burst of green flame, the letter was sent, as Vanish witnessed the scroll turning into a puff of smoke and sailing outside with the wind.

“So, about paying me back…” Rainbow Dash’s words snapped Vanish out of his entranced state, as he turned to the cerise-eyed, curious mare, who continued speaking her mind. “How about we all go and see the Wonderbolts tomorrow? They’re gonna be in Canterlot, performing for the first time since yo-…” Rainbow could feel that she was treading on thin ice, and promptly silenced herself, before Vanish patted her on the back. “Now, now, my dear, it’s quite alright. I’ve accepted what I’ve done, and long since forgiven myself, since they had come by last night to speak to me while I was in my cell.”

“WHAAAT!? You got to speak to the Wonderbolts!? That’s so unfair!” Rainbow crossed her forelegs, sulking at the fortune the stallion had in being able to speak to the Wonderbolts personally. Vanish smirked, knowing he could get a rise out of the mare with her devotion to the daredevil Pegasi, and even more of a rise with some more information he had known. “Indeed. For their return appearance after a ‘brief hiatus’, they were searching for a ‘seventh wing’: a ‘Temporary Honorary Wonderbolt’.” The very mentioning of those words caused Rainbow Dash’s ears to perk up, snapping her out of her moody state as pointed her eyes to the stallion. “Th-They are!?” Vanish nodded, smirking at the enthusiasm that the mare had begun to display. “Indeed, and they asked me if I knew of anypony qualified to ‘fill the void’, so to speak, since I was under the ownership of the wings of every Pegasus in Cloudsdale, for a time.”

Vanish calmly drank his recently refilled glass of water as Rainbow Dash knocked the glasses of both Rarity and Twilight’s drinks over with the gusts of her rapidly flapping wings alone, as she hovered in front of Vanish eagerly. “A-And? What did you say? WHAT DID YOU SAY!?” Vanish raised his hoof dramatically to stop Rainbow Dash from talking, slowly taking a drink of water as the other mares giggled at how riled up he was making their friend. “I told them that they could count on me to provide a seventh ‘wing’ for their routine.” Vanish used his magic to lift the table up smoothly, as he stood up from his seat and walked underneath it, prompting Rainbow Dash to hover over him, expecting more to be said.

“As for the owner of those wings, how about a little wager?”

Rainbow Dash fluttered back a little, before charging forward, pushing her nose up against the nose of the stallion who dared to challenge her. “Oh, you’re SO on! Race around Ponyville? Flight in Cloudsdale? Speeding through the Princess’s Hedge Maze? We can do this, right now!” Vanish slid his hoof on the ground and smirked mischievously, before using his magic to move the mares back slightly from where they sat in order to place the table back on the floor. Once the deed was done, Vanish used his magic once more as he opened a latch on his saddlebag on the coat rack of the library, taking out a single ticket that was dark blue, yellow, and purple in color, before placing it on the table with his magic.

“Here’s my proposition: You bet your wings, I’ll bet my ‘All Access’ pass I got from Soarin’; we’ll both be going to the performance, but only ONE of us can participate in it. You and me, one-on-one with no magic and no wings: Whoever can pin the other one on their back three times, gets to fly.” Vanish delivered a clever smirk to the light-cerulean mare, as he realized how he could provoke her. “I’d make this a ‘fight’, but I do not wish to go to my performance, wrapped in bandages.” Rainbow Dash was seeing red. This was her chance to perform with the Wonderbolts, and the only things stopping her was a fight with the cocky stallion in front of her.

“YOUR performance!? Grrrrr… You’re on! ONE-TWOTHREEGO!!!” Rainbow flew through the air in an attempt to quickly rush at Vanish, who cloaked reflexively, causing the mare to stop and hover in the air. “WHAT THE HAY!? YOU SAID ‘NO MAGIC’!” Vanish uncloaked directly to her left. “I also said ‘No Wings’, my dear. Don’t force me to remove them from you in order to keep you honest!” Rainbow hovered backwards slightly before landing on the ground and reluctantly closing her wings, yet having great difficulty in keeping them closed, seeing as how Pegasi were often prone to using their wings in competitions of all sorts in order to provide an increase in agility.

“You’re out of your environment, Rainbow! I’ll pin you, ye-AGH!” Rainbow charged at Vanish, who threw her off of him with his forelegs, keeping his rear hooves on the Library floor. Rainbow immediately regained her balance, seeing Vanish struggling to find his own, and went after him. Vanish buck-kicked his rear hooves into Rainbow Dash, who barely dodged by going under them in order to catch his hooves, flipping the stallion over and pinning him to the ground. “HAH! Got anything smart to say, now?”

Vanish frowned, staring down his nose at the mare that stood above him, triumphant in her early victory. “Hmph. That was certainly clever… that’s one for you, Rainbow, nice work.” Rainbow Dash hopped off of the stallion, who stood back up and moved a slight distance away. “I suppose you’ve learned some of my tricks since our first encounter… GO!” Vanish ran forward, but quickly trotted backwards, seeing Rainbow Dash stumble as she tried to alter her speed and stance in order to match Vanish’s movements. Vanish turned his head quickly to see where the door was, taking note of the distance before turning his attention back to the mare. Like he predicted, Rainbow thought he was distracted.

Vanish quickly lunged at Rainbow Dash, who didn’t think to throw Vanish off as she toppled over and landed on her back heavily, her wings accidentally being brandished as she was pinned. “OOF!” Vanish smirked at his prey. “You haven’t learned ALL of my tricks, my dear! That’s one for you, and one for me.” Rainbow attempted to kick the stallion off of her, but he grabbed her rear hooves with his own front hooves, scowling as he tried to talk sense into her. “Hey! Don’t get sour on me, Rainbow Dash! This is a FAIR competition, and I expect you to treat it as only that: A friendly competition.”

Rainbow Dash was a bit surprised at how serious Vanish was being, but allowed the stallion to help her up, after hopping off of her. Her friends were mostly silent by the side of the room, not wanting to interrupt the display of honor that the two dueling ponies were portraying, but feeling compelled to cheer them on before they began the next figurative 'round'. Twilight spoke up. “YOU CAN DO IT, RAINBOW!” Derpy also felt unusually motivated by the fight that was going on in front of her, knowing it was not out of ill intentions. “COME ON, VANISH!”

Rainbow knew that it was nothing personal. If either pony was in danger, their friends would jump in and stop it. It was just a friendly competition, with incredibly high stakes, at least as far as Rainbow Dash was concerned. It was time for a trick of her own: She began running around and circling Vanish, who tried to keep his stance low to the ground, yet was also awaiting the moment when the mare would let down her guard. He thought he saw her trip, and rushed in to seize his chance, but Rainbow had faked it to lure the stallion into a false sense of security. Jumping back and getting ready to charge, Rainbow could see Vanish trying to adjust himself, but didn’t want to give him the chance to recuperate as she promptly dashed towards him in an act of smashing into the side of the stallion's flank.

Vanish spun around slightly, but made sure he could keep his stance low the ground, almost completely lying on his stomachwith his legs spread out on his left and right to prevent the mare from obtaining an easy pin. Rainbow tried crashing into Vanish in order to flip him, but his stance was too solid. Backing up, Rainbow ran at him once more, but Vanish anticipated it, promptly rolling over to catch the mare, using her own momentum to flip her over him and pin her to the wooden Library floor for the second time. “Wh… Whew… One… one more to go, my d… Rainbow!” The previous display of technique took a lot out of Vanish and left him unable to focus on what he was saying, as he had to completely focus on Rainbow Dash’s movements to beat her.

“This is FAR from over, Vanish!” Rainbow smirked, having an idea about what Vanish would do next. Once he rolled off of her and stood back up, allowing her to do the same as well, Rainbow ran in a circle again, but this time, Vanish didn’t have the time to lower his stance. He tried following her, but suddenly heard nothing, yet knew she was behind him. He quickly turned around and saw that Rainbow Dash had jumped in the air, soaring over him without even using her wings. The expertly performed jump caused Vanish to raise his front hooves in an act of self-defense, which Rainbow caught with her rear legs, causing the stallion to have his hooves, and back, pinned to the floor for a second time with pure momentum.

The thud of the impact on the floor caused him to grunt in pain. “NNGH!” “HAH! Two and two, Vanish!” Rainbow wouldn’t admit it, but she was completely engulfed in the ‘competition’ they were having: It wasn’t a race, but it required quick movements and even quicker thinking, especially without the use of her wings. The stallion tried standing up, but collapsed, having whacked the back of his head on the wooden floor of the Library when he was pinned. He was much too proud to ask for a break, yet it appeared that he didn’t have to. Looking up, he saw a light-cerulean hoof being extended to him, as the dark, dark blue-coated pony promptly grasped it whilst speaking. “… You didn’t have to help me, you know.”

Rainbow playfully tapped her hoof on the side of the stallion’s head, not in an attempt to cause pain, but to get his attention. Vanish saw the innocent, playful smile being displayed by the mare with the rainbow mane as he looked into her eyes. “Hey… We’re friends, Vanish. No matter which of us wins…” She extended her front hoof for a hoof-bump. “… Let’s keep on being friends, alright? Don’t take it easy on me, just because I’m a mare or a Pegasus. I’ll be a Wonderbolt someday, but right now, I trust you to give me all you got, in this last match!”

The other ponies in the room had tears in their eyes at the display of loyalty Rainbow Dash was showing; knowing that their friend could see the merit in the ‘spirit of competition’, almost made Twilight feel like writing another lesson of friendship to her mentor, not that Spike was in any shape to do so, having tears in his eyes as well. “… Rainbow Dash?” Rainbow tilted her head curiously. “Yeah?” Vanish smiled, grabbing her hoof suddenly, much to Rainbow’s shock, and pulling himself towards her for a hoof-shake. “I don’t want to lose your trust, and I promise that as long as you give everything you’ve got, you will never lose mine.”

Rainbow had tears in her eyes, as Vanish gave her a hug, before backing up. “Ready?” Vanish scraped his hoof on the ground, as Rainbow Dash followed suit. “Hah! I’m ready whenever you are, Vanish!” The stallion ran at Rainbow Dash, as Rainbow Dash ran at him, the two ponies knowing that no matter what became of the outcome of the match, it would be one they could both be proud of, for it held two very important things within it, two ‘spirits’ worth taking pride in the existence of:

The Spirit of Competition, and the Spirit of Friendship.

Author's Note

Special thanks to Linkonpark100 for pointing out my overuse of ellipsis at an early point of the story, thus prompting me to correct it for later chapters. You have my sincere gratitude.

Now You See Me...

Derpy Hooves had a good day so far. Spending time with her Ponyville friends was something she enjoyed when she was away from Cloudsdale; they always made her feel right at home. She was a rather clumsy mare, but her friends didn’t care about that. They didn’t judge her for her actions (thankfully), but for who they knew she was on the inside; it was this kindness that made her feel like Ponyville was more of a home for her than Cloudsdale, the home of the Pegasi.

Having just picked up a book from the library, Derpy was full of glee and eager to fly home and start reading. It was spoken of in high regard by her old friend and one of the Pegasi responsible for control of the weather in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash. The book was part of a series of adventure books featuring a Pegasus named “Daring-Do,” but she knew nothing else about it from a personal standpoint. When in Cloudsdale, if no one needed help with anything (or at least, if no one wanted her help with anything), Derpy would usually take a nap until she felt like seeing her friends. This was a decent substitute, seeing as how it was free to borrow books from Twilight Sparkle, the Ponyville librarian and close friend of Rainbow Dash. It couldn’t hurt to give it a glance, in any case.

Taking note of the time on the distant clock tower, Derpy decided to take a detour while walking through Ponyville. She stopped off at a water fountain that was out of the view of other ponies, for a quick drink of the clean water pooled at the bottom of the fountain. While drinking, she heard a voice behind her. She didn’t pay attention at first, but recognized the words they were saying, prompting her to stop drinking in order to look behind her and listen.

“… ‘-e Quest for the Sapphire Stone’… If I may ask, is it any good?” Derpy turned around to be greeted by a dark, dark blue stallion of similar size to herself and a short, smoke-grey mane and longer tail of matching color, carrying coupled saddlebags on his back and wearing a strange brown hat on his head; it seemed similar to the one that Rainbow Dash’s friend Applejack wore, but with a much smaller brim all around it, and not quite as tall, though maybe that was because it was tipped forward slightly. The look of curiosity on the pony's face reminded Derpy that she never answered his question, prompting her to say, “I hope so, Rainbow Dash sure thinks it is!” with a cheerful smile.

The stallion backed up a bit in order for Derpy to turn around and face him. He seemed nice (like most ponies in Ponyville), with brown eyes and a friendly smile. He looked like an average Ponyville stallion aside from the hat, but spoke in a tone not unlike that which she had heard ponies speak in Canterlot. The stallion took a single step back to bow properly, keeping the hat on his head. “Ah, I must apologize, it is quite rude of me to expect one to introduce themselves unless I am to introduce myself first. My name is Vanish. I am humbled to meet you Miss…?” He seemed to like leading his own sentences so that she would answer them.

“Hooves! Derpy Hooves.” She extended her hoof for a hoof-shake, and Vanish was quick to answer it with his own. Derpy heard the distant clanging of a large bell sounding off, and realized it was the clock tower signaling the time. The stallion was facing away from the tower, but didn't even flinch at the sound of the loud bell. “If I may ask, where is this Miss… ‘Dash’ was it?” The stallion slightly tipped his hat up and looked around briefly, noticing nopony else in the nearby vicinity and promptly expelling a disheartened sigh at their own misfortune, before a look of worry seemed to fill their eyes. “My employer requested that I deliver a message to her with the utmost haste, but… I cannot seem to locate her.”

Derpy smiled with joy at the well-spoken pony. She knew she could help him, and she rarely got the chance to help anypony in Ponyville, or Cloudsdale. “I-I can help! I’ll be passing by Rainbow Dash on her way to Ponyville. I’d be more than happy to show you where she is!" The young stallion responded with a rather coy smirk on his face. “Are you, now?" The smirk turned into a smile. "Well, certainly! I’m always glad to accept help, wherever I may find it. Lead the way, but please hurry; I care not to incur the wrath of my employer.” The pony sounded worried, but as Derpy began trotting towards Cloudsdale, he followed close.

Making it past other ponies and galloping out of Ponyville and onto the main path leading to Cloudsdale (among many other places), Derpy realized that she could help her new friend even more by delivering the message for him. “Oh! Why don’t I deliver the message to Rainbow Dash, when I see he-…!” Derpy felt something hit her hard in the back of her head. She fell down face-first, sliding next to a large boulder that stood just off to the side of the dirt path, and saw her book slide ahead of her, freed from the weighted saddlebag she had been carrying it in. She could hear somepony approach her from behind as she struggled to stay conscious.

“That would be splendid, my dear. When you see her, would you be so kind as to ask her something on my behalf?” Derpy tried standing as she heard something hit the ground near her, and was suddenly introduced to a massive burning sensation coming from her wings, but couldn’t turn around to see what it was, since she was being pinned down by something or somepony. The burning feeling subsided, and her back felt numb. Vanish walked in front of her and raised his front hoof, as if making an effort to lend his hoof in assistance.

“Be sure to ask her… to help you.” Vanish dropped his hoof on Derpy’s face with force, causing her to become close to being knocked out entirely. She saw Vanish walk forward and grab her book before darting off in the direction of Cloudsdale, leaving Derpy in the middle of the path to greet unconsciousness alone.

“I can’t believe I have to clear Town Square of the clouds. AGAIN! Didn’t I just do that, like, an hour ago?” Rainbow Dash found herself angrily ranting to a non-existent audience: She was mane-deep in the most recent adventure of Daring-Do, before suddenly remembering (as in, being reminded by a fellow Pegasus) that she had a weather job to complete. She made a mad dash through the air, rushing over the path to Ponyville. “Ugh... Maybe if I do this quick, I can get back to the story before I forget anything.”

Suddenly, something caught her eye, and snapped her out of her dash. “Wait… what’s that down there? Is that… a book?” She was surprised to see anything on the path between Cloudsdale and Ponyville that wasn’t the occasional pony, let alone something that somepony seemed to toss aside meaninglessly. Most ponies from Ponyville were far too caring to just discard their belongings on the dirt path like this, but what caught her eye wasn’t the book, which lay closed in the middle of the path, but the cover of the book. It was of “Daring-Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone”: The first in the series, and a book Rainbow Dash knew from front to back. “Somepony just threw this away!? That pony is gonna rue the day they disrespected a book I like!”

Rainbow Dash used her hoof to open the book, knowing that Twilight Sparkle was organized enough to write down the name of the pony who checked it out, on the history placard that was just inside the book. To Rainbow Dash’s surprise, among many other names listed (mostly her own), the most recent was “Derpy Hooves”. “Ugh… Derpyyyy…” Her mood swung from somewhat angry to mildly annoyed, as Rainbow figured that, Derpy being who she was, she probably caused it to fall out of her bag and didn’t even realize it. Rainbow grabbed the book with her mouth, having no saddlebag to place it in considering how it would hinder her speed and agility for jobs, and decided to carry it back to Ponyville, to give to Derpy herself, or Twilight if she could not find Derpy in Ponyville. She knew that Derpy meant well, even if she was a bit of a klutz at times.

But as Rainbow Dash flew over the path slowly, so as to not damage the book with trotting or speed, she heard something else. The closer she got to the source of the sound, the more it sounded like somepony crying. Rainbow Dash landed on the path again, and looked around. She thought she heard the crying coming from a large boulder off to the side of the path. Her suspicions were confirmed as she drew closer to it, the sobs increasing in volume slowly. Rainbow Dash put the book down so that she could talk. “Hey, is somepony here? I heard some crying and…” Rainbow stopped, because she saw the drooped, blonde tail of a Pegasus she was all-too-familiar with.

“Derpy, is that you? Look, if this is about your book, I’ve got it right here! You must have dropped it or some-,” She was interrupted by the voice of the pony behind the boulder. “RAINBOW DAAAASH!” The sobbing became louder, and Rainbow Dash ran around the huge rock that was obscuring her view, to see Derpy sitting down and turned towards her, tears rolling down her face. “My… my wings hurt… they feel funny… Please… Help!” Derpy couldn’t speak clearly, struggling to speak through the sobs. Despite that, Rainbow Dash went around her in order to examine Derpy's wings, for herself.

“… W-W-What the hay!?” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what she was looking at. Derpy’s sobbing quieted down, but it didn’t matter if it had been blaring like a siren, for the sight in front of Rainbow caused her to be locked in a stunned silence, before stumbling backwards from the shock. Derpy turned around to see Rainbow’s face, and reactively looked at her own wings. The shock of what she saw caused her to faint, leaning against the boulder and remaining propped up against it, despite now being in a state of unconsciousness.

Derpy’s back was as grey as the rest of her coat, except the area where her wings were, including the space between them. It seemed to be charred black, like a badly burnt marshmallow, but smelled far more pungent in its stench. It stretched from wing to wing, a long, black, charred line. But what shocked Rainbow the most was that where Derpy’s wings once were, now there was simply blackened, charred, almost circular patterns. If somepony didn’t know better, they would have thought Derpy was an Earth Pony by sight. But Rainbow Dash knew the truth, and as impossible as it was, there was no denying the image in front of her:

Derpy Hooves, a Pegasus, had no wings.

Author's Note

Now, don't hold back on your constructive criticism, or even just REGULAR criticism! Heh... The reason I posted this as my introductory fanfic is to get different ideas of how I can change my format, and apply it to later works. I know I can do better, but I lack the knowledge of 'how'. This... is where I eagerly anticipate the comments of the others who may view this. Regardless of whether those who view, comment or not, I hope you enjoy reading this, all the same.

Oh, and for the record, Vanish's "profile" will be posted in the Author's Notes of Chapter 2. There's nothing too specific, but it can always be used as a point of reference, especially since his cutie mark is never mentioned in the story.

The Second Opinion

Stepping into the room, Twilight noticed two things. First of all, Derpy seemed to be the only pony on a bed in the room, as if it was her room and hers alone. Secondly, Rainbow Dash was making things complicated for the doctors, shouting at them with unnecessary orders, and providing constant interference. Twilight was thankful that she came here with her friends; she might be in need of their assistance in calming her the rainbow-maned mare down.

“Rainbow!” Rainbow Dash stopped shouting at the doctors and rushed over to the doorway, where Twilight and her friends had been standing. “Twilight, they aren’t doing anything to help her! They keep on talking about other things that aren’t related to Der-…” Twilight stopped her friend's ramblings with a raised hoof. “Rainbow, I know you care about Derpy, but don’t you think the doctors would be able to diagnose her, if they didn’t have to deal with you shouting at them?” Rainbow Dash felt hurt by Twilight’s words. They were blunt, but true. “I… I just want her to be okay… That’s not wrong, is it?” Twilight placed her hoof on her friend's shoulder. “No, Rainbow, but the doctors know what they’re doing. They can’t make a proper diagnosis if they can’t even tend to the patient. You know that.”

Rainbow started pacing. “But I need to do something. I can’t just sit and do nothing, Twilight!” Twilight remembered the receptionist at the Hospital entrance. “The receptionist we spoke to in the lobby at the entrance said that you had made a promise to help the staff downstairs with a mess that you made. Maybe you should go there and help.” Rainbow stared with a look of concern, straight at Twilight. “But what if Derpy-...” Twilight interrupted her again. “If something happens, one of us will come get you. You have my word, as a friend.” Rainbow had tears in her eyes as she took a second to stare at the pained, unconscious face of her friend that lay on the bed behind her. With a huff, Rainbow Dash ran out of the room and through the halls, to the stairs.

Rarity felt the need to speak up. “Twilight, she was just trying to help. You didn’t have to be so dismissive of the poor darling.” Twilight showed a look of concern and regret on her face, as she turned around. “I know that, Rarity, but right now we need to know as much about what happened as we can. And Rainbow Dash isn’t going to make it easy, if she interrupts the doctors as they try to figure things out.” Applejack nodded in agreement. “Give ‘er some time. She’ll come around. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back soon. Then we’ll talk about it with ‘er.” The others agreed, and turned their attention to the doctors.

Pinkie Pie sniffed the air, and spoke up. “Does anypony else smell muffins?” Twilight dismissed the comment as unnecessary. “Not right now, Pinkie. We need to talk to the doctors and find out anything about what happened.” Fluttershy still seemed a bit shaken after having talked to the pony in the stairwell, so Rarity took her out to the hall in order to talk with her; the less ponies in the room, the less crowded it would be. Applejack walked up to a doctor that had been a victim of Rainbow Dash’s banter, leaving two other doctors to examine Derpy. “I could tell that my friend was causin’ a ruckus. Sorry ‘bout that. How is she, Doc?”

The Doctor seemed grateful, but visibly distraught. “Thanks for the help, but we really don’t seem to be able to provide a diagnosis. We’ve never seen anything like this.” The doctor directed the mares’ attention to the patch on Derpy’s back. “This is all we have to show that she had wings in the past. The bones, the muscles, even the nerve clusters in her body that controlled the wings seem to have just… disappeared.” The doctor turned to the girls. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear she was just a regular Earth pony.”

Twilight didn’t like the sound of that. “So you’re saying that her wings are just… gone? H-How is that possible?” The doctor turned his attention to the other two doctors in the room, who shrugged in response to his stare. “We really don’t have an answer right now, I’m sorry… if we had any sort of clue, maybe we could start a proper treatment.” As Rarity walked back into the room with Fluttershy, Twilight tried considering a possible cause. “What about a magic spell? Could that have caused this?” The doctor frowned. “I’m sorry, but it really is far too early to diagnose this. However, we think it was some sort of accident.”

Fluttershy spoke up. “O-Oh my… I-It looks really bad. Could she be… contagious?” Fluttershy got behind Rarity, shivering in fear. The doctor raised his hoof and smiled. “Thankfully, we know that the black marks on her back aren’t the result of illness; it was the first thing we checked in case she would need to be submitted into isolation. Rather, it seems more likely that she was burned.” Pinkie Pie spoke up. “Is that what we’ve been smelling since we came in here? Derpy!? There’s something in this room that smells like muffins!” The doctor frowned again, but stared in confusion and looked around upon sniffing the air. “Outside food and drinks are meant to be inspected before being allowed in, and I’m certain it’s not Derpy, but… now that you mention it…”

A voice rose up from inside the room. “… It appears that concealment is simply pointless.” From near the window of the room, a pony ‘uncloaked’ from seemingly out of nowhere, drawing the attention of everypony in the room. Once they looked, they were greeted to the manifestation of the very stallion that the mares had encountered before. The doctors moved away from Derpy, but Twilight and the others moved between the visitor and the unconscious, bed-ridden pony. However, the stallion stood firm in his spot. “Stand down, mares. I’m not here to cause trouble for the poor dear.” They didn’t move, but he walked forward anyways, looking at Derpy with gentle eyes. “… I’ve caused enough as it is.”

The doctors were about to leave the room, until the stallion stopped them in their tracks. “Do not worry about the patient, dear doctors. I’ll be out in a moment… I just came to see my ‘work’.” Attempting to walk around them, the girls formed a wall out of their bodies, around Derpy’s bed. With the doctors now gone, the stallion stood in front of the doorway. “I presume you have several questions… right, my dear?” Pinkie Pie glared at him and stepped forward. “How’d you know that I was gonna ask you something?” The stallion tipped his hat slightly down, and grinned. “You had that look of impatience, like you had something to get off your fur-laden chest.” The stallion lay down on the cold hospital floor, seemingly relaxed.

Pinkie Pie went up to him, and pushed her head right in front of his face, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable. “Why’d you do something bad, then get muffins for Derpy?” Twilight thought the question was meaningless, but Pinkie had a point, though the stallion whimsically stared into her eyes as he responded. “Is it wrong to feel regret when a test goes poorly?” Pinkie glared at the stallion, clearly unable to understand his response. “Tests? What do those have to do with Derpy? She’s not a teacher or anything!” The stallion smiled and waved his hoof dismissively, causing Pinkie to back up in order to give him a bit of space. “I am referring to ‘an attempt at something new’… a ‘trial’, so to speak. She was my first, after all…”

Twilight stepped forward, as did the others, except for Fluttershy, who was trying to avoid the stallion’s stare by standing behind Applejack, as the lavender mare questioned the cryptic statement. “Your… first?” The stallion stood up slowly. “Yes, my first of what will be many. I confess that I was unfamiliar with this new power, which resulted in some rather deplorable errors being made on my part. With time, I’ll be able to reduce a lot of things: the time, the pain, and even the effects on the backs of the ponies.” Twilight motioned for the girls to get behind her, as if to defend them from something she was expecting. “… Y-You… you did this, didn’t you?

The hat-wearing stallion sighed in dismay. “It’s about time I introduced myself. My name is Vanish." As the stallion spoke, he removed his hat with his hoof, causing the ponies to gasp in shock at what was hidden beneath it; this was no ordinary pony, nor an ordinary unicorn for he had not one, but two horns, both located on his head, one seeming rather misplaced and discolored compared to the other, though it was just to the right of the other horn, not that they could tell with the fedora he had been wearing. He gave a timid smirk as he bowed properly and continued speaking. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

From the hall, Rainbow Dash pressed herself against the wall outside the door as she peeked inside, to the image of the back of the dark, dark blue pony that was intimidating her friends inside the room with Derpy. She voiced her thoughts silently as she stared. “So, he’s the one responsible for what happened to Derpy... He's not getting away with this.” She glared at the smoke-colored mane concealing the back of the head of her target as she focused on him, planning to herself in her head. “I’m not letting him leave this hospital until he fixes her.”

Putting Heads Together

Spitfire ran through the circle that the ponies had made, appearing to charge at Soarin’. Instead, she leapt up and wrapped her forelegs around him in an embrace. Knowing that he didn’t just give his wings up for a promise, made her feel much better. She was still upset at him for losing, but it seemed that the other stallion had planned on everything going a certain way, so she could drop the issue comfortably. Soarin’ accepted the embrace, but gently pushed her away in an attempt to show that he wasn’t finished. “He told me that his name was Gather. He had come from Baltimare in order to locate and obtain the wings of all the Pegasi of Cloudsdale before reaching his main target: Princess Celestia of Equestria. He wants more than her wings: He’s after her horn, as well.”

“But what about Vanish? What’s his deal with this guy?” Applejack had interrupted Soarin’ because she kept recalling Vanish’s state in the cage when they had all gone to the Cloudosseum; a state of sorrow and pain. “He paid Vanish to collect wings by using his powers of stealth, natural abilities, as well as the magic to take the wings from other ponies: Gather’s horn can be bestowed upon other ponies. In this manner, it’s being used as a means to gather Pegasus pony wings.” Derpy had kept quiet until now, having been right about one thing since the start, in her eyes. “So… Vanish isn’t this guy’s friend?” The other ponies looked at each other, confused about the meaning of the question Derpy had asked, but Twilight answered. “I’m pretty sure Vanish was hired to do Gather’s dirty work for him, which makes Gather his client.”

Rainbow stepped forward, cutting off the stallion's explanation of events. “But why start here? Baltimare is pretty far from Ponyville, if he’s from there, then…” Soarin’ interrupted Rainbow Dash. “Gather told me about how he researched many locations, but couldn’t find anywhere to truly start, based off of basic information from books,” Soarin’ looked up at Twilight. “until he read about the Elements of Harmony in Canterlot, as well as of the ponies who embodied the elements.” Soarin’ looked at the other ponies in the room, seeing many of them possess looks of wonder, confused with what Soarin’ had meant by such a cryptic message.

He continued. “Apparently, he came to Canterlot several months ago. He spent most of his time in their public archives, reading up on four very specific ponies.” Twilight looked at her friends before answering. “I'm guessing that two of those ponies were Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash?" Soarin’ looked up, wanting to see Twilight’s face before her reaction to his next words. “Yes, but also Princess Celestia… and you.” Twilight backed up a bit, shocked at those words. “M-Me?” Soarin’ nodded his head. “The archives detailed the day Princess Celestia took on her role as your mentor, as well as the reason why. I think he said that it was something about your raw magical ability.”

Twilight couldn’t believe that so much information was just so readily available to the general public. Soarin’ continued. “He’s after several of you, but is only paying Vanish to acquire the wings of certain Pegasi: Cloudsdale Pegasi, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, ‘The Wonderbolts’, and Princess Celestia herself.” This was an awful lot of information to absorb all at once, but the ponies in the room tried as hard as they could as Soarin' kept telling them what he was told, himself, by Gather. “He told me that he's attacking Canterlot tomorrow, afternoon, evening, ‘round there. He said that it’s because Vanish will get the wings of Princess Celestia, at the very least, before the agreement is fulfilled. His stealth is apparently vital to the process, but Vanish can’t control the full power of Gather's horn, nor can he control the side effects that comes with any pony that's not used to the magic, utilizing it.”

Fluttershy was shivering at the idea of a pony with so much power. “C-Can’t we do something?” Soarin’ resumed his recollection of events. “After telling me that the Wonderbolts would be next, he took my wings from me and told me to come back here to deliver his message for him; clearly, he doesn’t think anything can stop him, regardless of what information he discloses.” Pinkie Pie smiled at the concept. “Pfft! We’ve fried bigger fish than Gather! We can take him, right girls?” Applejack nodded in agreement, as did Rarity, who voiced her beliefs. “I’m inclined to agree with Pinkie Pie on this one. If this pony is targeting Pegasi, then going after the princess directly is a rather bold move.”

Rainbow Dash took offense to the statement of her friend. “What are you trying to say, Rarity? Just because the princess also has the powers of a unicorn, that means she’s better than the Pegasi of Cloudsdale!?” Rarity didn’t want to push any buttons, preparing to drop the issue entirely, but Pinkie Pie’s oblivious nature made her a natural button-pusher. “Well, they did all get their wings taken in a single night, which was pretty fast of Vanish! He must be a hard worker, or…” Rainbow Dash glared at the cheerful Earth pony, with maiming in mind. “Or WHAT!? You got something to say, Pinkie Pie!?”

The circle had broken at this point in order for Derpy and Applejack to hold Rainbow Dash back in her attempt to lunge at Pinkie Pie, who was trying to hold back her rather inappropriate nervous giggling, but couldn’t help but laugh at the situation; despite it being essentially detrimental to her health, this was the first time a lot of the girls had seen Rainbow Dash act like she normally did, ever since she got back from the Cloudosseum encounter. Twilight blocked the rainbow-maned pony's view of the giggling mare, speaking softly. “Rainbow, we’re not your enemies: We’re your friends, so please calm down before you hurt yourself.”

Rainbow Dash stopped resisting her friends' attempts to hold her back, looking at the unicorn with subdued fury in her eyes. “In case you haven’t been around, Twilight, I’ve already been hurt: Me, Scootaloo, Soarin’, Derpy, and all the Pegasi of Cloudsdale have been hurt. And I’m no foal, either; I recognized Vanish as the guy I bumped into when I took Derpy to the hospital, just outside the Library. He was RIGHT THERE! If I caught him then...” Applejack had enough of her friend’s ramblings. “Easy, girl, you couldn’t have known what he'd done at the time, nopony could’ve known that!”

Twilight raised her hoof, stopping her friends’ argument, and starting to consider their options. “It’s imperative that the princess is immediately brought up to speed. If the last step of Gather’s plan is to take her wings and horn, than she should be able to plan for an assault.” Spitfire noticed a flaw, and wasn’t afraid to interrupt Twilight’s plan. “What about the other ponies in Canterlot? If Princess Celestia tries to hide in order to avoid a confrontation, Gather may turn hostile. We don’t fully know about his power, just that he can take wings and use them. If he can do the same with magic…”

Twilight nodded her head. She hadn’t considered that possibility, but believed there was a solution. “I think I have an idea.” Twilight used her magic to place the quill in the ink well, and laid the scroll flat on her desk before walking over and picking up the freshly inked quill. “I’ll send a letter to the princess, asking for her to get my brother to cast a spell of protection over Canterlot. It stopped ‘unwanted visitors’ once before, I’m sure it can do it again!” Rarity considered the plan of her friend. “You mean Shining Armor? Well, I suppose that would suffice… But what if Gather has already considered that as a possibility?”

Twilight turned from her writing in order to look at her fellow unicorn. “It’s all we can do. We don’t need to think of a permanent solution, just one that will give us some time.” Twilight continued writing, but also continued talking to her friends. “Gather thinks he’s got everything going his way. Nightmare Moon, Discord, and even the Queen of the Changelings all had that idea at one point or another. We showed them that their overconfidence was to bring about their downfall,” Twilight finished the note, and handed it to Spike with her magic before continuing. “and that’s just how it’s going to be this time, too. Nothing can beat the Elements of Harmony, and the strength of our friendship can't be beaten by mere magic, regardless of how powerful it is.”

Applejack felt motivated by her friend’s words. “Twilight’s right. If this Gather fellow drops his guard, we’ll be ready to kick him back to where he came from!” Pinkie Pie hopped over to Applejack, and whispered something to her, to which the orange mare shook her head and glared at her pink friend. “I KNOW Soarin’ said “Baltimare”! I’m just tryin’ t’say…” Applejack sighed in disbelief at Pinkie Pie’s corrective tendency before resuming. “Look, as long as we have each other, nopony, and I mean NO PONY, is gonna threaten Ponyville, Canterlot, or any part of Equestria. Not while we’re here, and not while we’re together!”

Rarity nodded in agreement, before recalling those who threatened the harmony of Equestria. “The Queen of the Changelings had an army. Discord manipulated us. Nightmare Moon had the power of the night. Gather has himself and Vanish. We’ll stop him before he even reaches Canterlot!” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom hopped in joy at their sisters’ confidence in their plan, causing the other ponies to smile in response, aside from Rainbow Dash, who remained sulking at her situation. “Rainbow, we’ll need you for this.” Rainbow Dash's ears perked up as she ran over to Twilight, full of energy once more and brimming with hope. “I’m back in? Are you for real, Twilight!? You’re not just teasing me, are you?”

Twilight smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm. “We need everypony to be present in Canterlot in order to be able to use the Elements of Harmony, should it come to that. And that means you, Rainbow. I know you won’t disappoint us.” Rainbow had tears in her eyes, but shook her head to remove them. “You can count on me!” Twilight had one more request. “Alright, everyone sleep here for tonight. I don’t want anypony wandering outside while it’s dark. I’ll get some sleeping bags, and the bed from downstairs. Some of you will have to sleep on the floor or share a bed, but it’s really all we can do at this point.”

Rainbow didn’t take the time to complain or argue, running straight to the bed she had slept in earlier, which was Twilight’s, before anypony could say anything. The other ponies rolled their eyes at the gesture. They considered scolding her, but supposed that she deserved it; she had been through the most as of late. After Twilight brought up the second bed and mattress, she considered possible ‘pair-ups’ to make the most of the space being used on the bed. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were tiny, so they could easily fit on the other mattress, but didn’t want to sleep unless they were with their sisters, so Applejack and Rarity shared the spare bed with their sisters sleeping under the blanket, at their hooves, smiling peacefully.

Twilight grabbed sleeping bags from the side room, which she had bought in case she could convince everypony to sleep over someday. She bought six, one for each of her close friends as well as herself, before considering that she only needed two or so, given her beds. As luck would have it, Fluttershy, Soarin’, Spitfire, Pinkie Pie, Derpy, and herself, could each use individual bags. Spike had his own bed, so that made everyone accounted for, save for Scootaloo, but Twilight had an idea. Running downstairs, she could be heard using her magic. She carried Scootaloo back upstairs carefully, so as to not disturb her slumber, and placed her on the bed Rainbow Dash had been using. Rainbow didn’t like the idea of sharing a cloud with anypony, let alone a bed, but considering it was only Scootaloo, she didn’t complain.

“Alright everyone, I’m sorry I can’t do any better than this, but this is all we can do. Now get some rest, we have a lot ahead of us, tomorrow.” The other ponies, as well as Spike, exchanged nighttime pleasantries before falling asleep. Twilight was the last to fall asleep, learning a few things of the sleeping habits of other ponies in the process, though few things surprised her as much as Rainbow Dash snoring and almost knocking Scootaloo off the bed with a flail of her leg. The mare in her bed appeared to be dreaming of flying, which was somewhat sad to see given her current circumstances. The last thing the studious pony had noticed was Soarin’ and Derpy in their sleeping bags, quietly breathing, but appearing to have pained expressions on their faces, illuminated by moonlight alone. She would have woken them, but by that point, she had finally allowed sleep to take her in its relaxing embrace.

End of the Line

The front compartment only had one door, and Vanish was keeping it closed with his magic. It led to the area where a pony would shovel coal into a furnace to keep the train moving, but one could also speak to the conductor from there. As Fluttershy had some of her bandages unwrapped from her torso and wings thanks to the efforts of her friends, Scootaloo was trying to pull the door open, not wanting to let Vanish leave until he answered her question. Should Vanish open the door, Scootaloo would be thrown off of the side of the train due to the force of the door sliding open, coupled with her loss of balance, but she didn't care. Her fellow Crusaders knew that she needed to be calmed down, so they pulled her off the handle to the train car, before pulling her back into the car everypony had boarded the train on.

“What are you doing!? Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, let go of me! I need to get that guy! I need t-…” A voice rose up from the back of the train cart. “What good would that do, pipsqueak?” Rainbow Dash had positioned herself on the other side of the car, lying on a seat calmly, but spoke up so that Scootaloo could hear her over the sound of the train running on the tracks. “Rainbow, I… I…” Scootaloo sat down, exhausted in her attempts to justify her actions with an excuse. She couldn’t help but get mad at Vanish after everything that had occured recently; she honestly blamed herself for what happened to her idol at Cloudsdale, and was too brash and stubborn to think of any other alternative. At a loss for words and out of ideas, she just wanted somepony to confirm what she thought. A part of her still didn’t want to believe it to be the truth, but the rest of her had all but accepted it as fact. Rainbow Dash rolled off the seat, walked up to the filly, and gave her a hug.

The light blue mare knew what the young filly was upset about. “Listen Scootaloo, what happened to me wasn’t your fault, so don’t blame yourself. You didn’t even know about Vanish at the time! You were only trying to help!” Scootaloo pushed the rainbow-maned mare away, slightly. “Some help I was, I couldn’t even climb those dumb ste-AHH!” Rainbow Dash stomped in anger, scowling as she scolded the young Pegasus filly. “SCOOTALOO! STOP IT!” Scootaloo winced at the shout and laid down, ready to accept whatever was going to be told to her as tears formed in her eyes, prompting Rainbow Dash to explain her reaction. “Darn it Scootaloo, stop blaming yourself when we’re trying to help you!”

“If you’re going to blame anypony…” Vanish had slowly opened the front compartment door without detection, proceeding to walk back in, closing the doors behind him with his rear hoof. “Why not blame the one who actually took your idol’s wings?” Scootaloo was about to stand against him, but Rainbow Dash pinned the filly's hind leg to the train car floor by gently placing her hoof on it, keeping her in a struggle to stand, prompting the stallion to continue speaking. “You want the truth? We’ll reach Canterlot shortly, so we’ve got some time. Let me tell you a little something.” Vanish sat down in front of Scootaloo, ceasing her ongoing attempts at standing up as Rainbow Dash stepped off of the filly's hind leg. “Of those on the list of Ponyville and Canterlot Pegasi whose wings I was negotiated into obtaining, your wings are the only ones that I refused to take.”

The comment sparked curiosity within the speedy Pegasus filly. “But why?” Scootaloo wanted to know, and Vanish didn’t want to tell her. She knew she had to make up for how she reacted before, and worked up a polite means of asking. “P-Please tell me why?” He looked at her eyes, seeing the previous look of desperation slowly become replaced by one that mirrored acceptance. The desire to know the truth could be seen in her young, grayish-purple eyes; she was ready to listen, as the stallion answered. “I dislike attacking fillies or colts in order to achieve my desired goals. It’s a policy of mine, arguably my most important one.” Vanish, using his hoof, toyed with Scootaloo’s wing, whimsically. “I don’t care how fast you may be. You could even be faster than Rainbow Dash. Regardless, you didn’t do anything to warrant any physical harm, even if you are a bit too brash for your own good, but perhaps that is merely the spirit of youth. Ha ha ha… ha…”

Scootaloo saw Vanish lower his head and his hoof, as a tear began to fall down his smiling face. “… I’m sorry that I made you feel like a pawn, filly, and I apologize further for having to use you at the town in the clouds. I wanted to keep you out of this.” Vanish struggled to keep his mind on the topic at hand. “I need you to know something: I grabbed you because I had followed Rainbow Dash with the intention of getting her wings, had she been alone. She wasn’t, so I grabbed you to lead her back behind Cloudsdale, so that her friends could not hinder my plans. I implore you to not take it personally.”

Vanish bowed respectively to Scootaloo; an act he had performed in front of Twilight at the hospital, almost as if he was asking for mercy from royalty. The filly was even more surprised by this act than Twilight had been, but the stallion simply remained in his proper bow for several seconds before standing once again. “Truth be told, I’m glad it was you that I grabbed. I knew I could trust you to help yourself, as opposed to the other two fillies, who would have been unable to save themselves if in the same position.” Scootaloo thought it over, and realized how true that statement was; If Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle were dropped from above the clouds, and knocked away as she had been, they would’ve been unable to land on the clouds, as they weren’t Pegasi themselves, and that was assuming they would even be lucky enough to reach a cloud and not just plummet to the ground, not that a difference would have been made either way.

“Well, might as well wake them up.” Scootaloo realized that Vanish had walked past her, and went up to Spitfire, kneeling down to shake her gently, trying to wake her up. “Hold on, I got it.” Soarin’ walked over, not wanting Vanish anywhere near his long time friend as Vanish conceded with the request. “Hm. As you wish.” Vanish walked over to Pinkie Pie, examining her for a moment. “Any of you want to wake this one? I fear I may harm her, since her tongue is still sticking out. How it’s been out all this time, is beyond my grasp of understanding.” He scratched his mane in confusion, as Rarity and Applejack walked over to where he was standing, the latter choosing to speak in place of the unconscious party pony. “It’s Pinkie Pie. It’ll be fine, we’ll wake her up. What’cha planning t’do, anyways?”

Rarity was also confused by this course of action. “I must agree with Applejack, it doesn’t seem logical to wake them up without reason.” Vanish smiled at the curious seamstress. “Who said there was no reason? I just never explained my reason, my dear.” Rarity looked at Vanish with her eyebrow raised in confusion, leaving Applejack to try waking Pinkie Pie by herself, which worked out surprisingly quickly, as the dark blue stallion noticed. “She only had a minor dose of sleeping powder exposure. I knew she would wake up quickly, same with the flyer.” Spitfire woke up, dazed and confused, but Soarin’ reminded her of where they were since she was put to sleep, not knowing if the powder had affected her memory.

The gray-maned stallion addressed the two conversing ponies. “Looks like you could handle waking her up by yourself, after all. Very well, then! Since you’re both awake,” Vanish pointed to Pinkie Pie, who seemed quite refreshed, given how she was put to sleep with sleeping powder, even if her tongue was still sticking out due to it being swollen and pained. As she looked to him, he continued speaking to the ponies. “I might as well show you something.” Vanish opened the door at the back of the train car, and sat down in the doorway, placing all four of his hooves on the frame, trying to keep himself off the floor of the compartment. “Consider this to be a gift of sorts, since I can respect the effort put into your attempts to befriend me, and you have my most sincere pity at your resulting failure in doing so.”

Vanish lowered his head swiftly, not wanting to listen to what the ponies would respond with. His horn began to glow, and the ponies in the train compartment could see him focusing critically on his magic. Suddenly, he cloaked himself, but that wasn’t all; the train car itself had also appeared to be slowly turning transparent around them, from back to front, causing the ponies on board to become panicked, which Twilight vocalized quite clearly. “W-What’s going on!? What are you doing, Vanish!?” The lavender unicorn was scared, but nowhere near as bad as some of the other ponies. Once the magic reached its limits, only the train car they were in was transparent. They could see each other, and the adjacent cars. They couldn’t see the unicorn stallion anymore, but they could hear him chuckle. “As I said, consider it a gift. Go ahead. Look around. Enjoy a view few others can hope to see: Standing in place, as the world flies by."

Scootaloo, Spitfire, and Fluttershy each used their wings to hover briefly, by reflex, unsure of what was going on, before realizing that they were still safe in the train car, and landing back on the invisible floor. Spitfire was particularly stunned at the demonstration, as she was used to seeing the world speed by, but without the wind in her face, it felt incredibly surreal to her, as well as it being a peculiar experience for Soarin’. Rainbow Dash was even more stunned, despite her reasons being identical. She was paralyzed with confusion and fear, due to the fact that she was going about as fast as her normal, non-competitive dashing speed, but there was no wind blowing through her feathers, which was a peculiar feeling for her.

The experience was dreamlike to the Pegasi on the train car, but for the other ponies, it was breathtaking. Standing on the sides of the train car, they could even see the areas below the train tracks. It was mostly a stone bridge directly below the train, but on solitary-track sections, they could see off to the sides, from mountains and forests on the right of the train, to the ocean that spanned endlessly to the left, to even the visibly limitless sky above them. They could never hope to see all of this solely with the windows of the train, in such clarity. It was just the beauty of Equestria that they knew, and seldom took the time to appreciate.

“Oof! My nose!” Rarity had tried walking towards the direction of the sun setting in the mountains, in an attempt to see it slightly closer, but walked right into the invisible wall that blocked the ponies from falling off the side. The dark blue unicorn stallion couldn't help but laugh at the sight. “Ah ha ha. I apologize. I can only cloak the train car; while I can be selective in terms of stationary objects, it is difficult to cloak things such as ponies, indirectly. Ah! If you would be so kind as to look toward the right side of the train car, the front, specifically…” Twilight was careful to not hit the wall, but Pinkie had been woken up and holding the wall (and her mouth) ever since Vanish started. Sure enough, up ahead was Canterlot. They were nearing their destination, but something was wrong, for while it looked like the shield was up, they could see a single cloud outside the barrier, moving rather erratically. Twilight knew who it was. “Gather... He made it well before us.”

The sound of a struggle could be heard behind the ponies, and they turned around to see that Vanish had exhausted himself in his efforts to cloak the rest of the train car, finally letting his fatigue cease his efforts to provide a 'cart with a view' for the ponies he was with. The cart finally became wholely visible again, as could the stallion behind the magic. “You know, I take enjoyment in observing the sights as they speed by, but much like this ride, our time together has come to an end.” Twilight raised her hoof in protest. “Wait. Vanish. Please help us fight against Gather!” The smoke gray-maned pony raised his own hoof in response, silencing the earnest request. “I’m afraid I cannot do that, my dear. Perhaps, sometime in the future, we can look back on the events that are still to occur, without bitterness in our hearts.”

Vanish grabbed his fedora from his saddlebag, placing it on his head and tipping it down with his hoof, as he cloaked himself once more and walked to the front of the cart, casually walking by each pony on the train while using his magic to keep the fedora tipped over his eyes. “Well, you could, anyways.” The front compartment door could be seen sliding open, as the ponies listened to the sound of Vanish reaching the top of the train, before hearing hoof steps quickly leading off of the side of the roof, as the train approached the shield near Canterlot. They looked out the window, some looking up, but others taking note of the grass that was being pressed into the ground just outside. Even cloaked, they could tell that Vanish jumped before he could reach the shield, so that he wouldn’t hit it and give away his whereabouts.

As they passed through, Twilight opened the window, looking outside it, past the guards who were watching Gather jump down from his cloud, as Vanish had left to discuss business with his client. The train stopped, and the ponies were greeted by several friendly faces. “Twiley!” Shining Armor was with Cadance, much to Twilight’s dismay; she had hoped that Spike would have sent the message, but clearly the baby dragon was unable to do so thanks to the efforts of Vanish at the station. Shining Armor was more than happy to see his younger sister appear safe and sound, exclaiming his joy quite openly. “Hey, sis. It’s great to see you, again! Cadance noticed that a part of the train car seemed to be missing, so we went through the station, but it seems to be back now… Hey, you okay?”

Applejack could see her friend not paying attention, and she could hardly blame her. She knew that Twilight just wanted Vanish to join them, and everypony on that train had come to the same conclusion: Vanish didn’t want to help his client, but was honor-bound by a contract they couldn’t hope to break. The purple unicorn needed time alone, so Applejack spoke on her behalf, leading the other ponies off the train with their bags. “C’mon, y’all, we’ll fill everypony in on the situation. Let’s leave her alone fer now.”

Twilight sat down, feeling sad about the circumstances surrounding her recently obtained knowledge of Vanish; a pony plagued with short-term memory loss who seemed to lead a life solely through contracts with other ponies in order to do his job. It was pitiful, but more than that, it was such a foolish way to live. Worst of all was that she could tell that Vanish knew it, and even cared, in his own way. The sad part was that he held onto that pride, for the trust with his clients was as important to him, as friendship was to Twilight.

‘A life without friends…’ Twilight was once like that, but even then, she had her brother. She wondered what it was like in the mercenary’s mind, as she sat there with tears falling on the train station platform.

“Ha ha ha ha ha! This is great! You’re really worth your weight in gold, y’know that, princess?” Gather picked up a small pebble, and flew back up in the cloud he had brought from Ponyville, before tossing the pebble directly at Princess Celestia. The shield in front of her bounced it off and the pebble fell back down, prompting another burst of laughter from the easily amused stallion, begetting further taunting. “You know, I never thought I could enjoy this, but after handing me these wings so generously, I can’t help but consider your royalty a joke.”

In the time Gather had been mocking her outside her kingdom prior to the ponies reaching Canterlot, Princess Celestia had ordered some guards to subdue the roguish stallion, prompting him to fly into the air in order to avoid the range of their magic. Pegasus Guards went through the shield, where Gather simply outmaneuvered them in order to take their wings as his own. He was more than happy to taunt the princess through not only using the guards’ wings, but even running laps around her kingdom, attempting to taunt the Canterlot Elite, as well as other guards. It was during this time that the guards who had their wings taken, would be brought back within the confines of the shield that the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, had put up to protect the Kingdom of Canterlot from the turquoise menace that flew around the shield in hysterics.

“You really are just too much! You put up a barrier to protect you from a threat, you learn about the threat, and then you try taking it on with your ‘Chump Patrol’? Gyahahahaha!!! Seriously, do you have a license to rule your kingdom? ‘Cause I gotta say, you really stink at it, if one little pony could cause such a crisis by himself!” Gather could hear the sound of a magical aura nearing him, and jumped down from his cloud, still sporting the wings of one of Celestia’s guards. “I’ll enjoy taking those wings from you, ‘Princess’; no question. But for now, it looks like the cavalry is here,” Gather raised his head and smirked at the princess before continuing, “for me, anyways. Keep those wings lookin’ pretty for me, Princess!”

Vanish revealed himself, and Gather walked away to discuss the next part of their plan. Princess Celestia had said nothing as long as Gather had been taunting her. She believed in Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Hearing some of them approach, she turned around to greet them, still feeling sour from the insults that Gather had thrown her way while he had been outside the barrier.

“I don’t know what Gather is planning regarding the act of getting through the barrier, but it appears as though he’s waiting us out. Where is Twilight Sparkle?” The other ponies looked behind them, seeing the mare in question running past some of the royal guards, faintly showing the darkened stains of tears below her eyes. She spoke normally, as the other ponies bowed in Celestia’s royal presence. “I’m here, Princess… and I have information.” The other ponies from the train turned around, noting the stern look in Twilight’s eyes. “Information that could help us.”

Nothing to Hide

The silence was nerve-racking as the other ponies simply watched Rainbow Dash and Vanish sleep. Pinkie Pie didn’t like such awkward silences, especially when they were just waiting for answers. “Are you SURE we can’t ju-!” Applejack stuffed her hoof into Pinkie Pie’s mouth. “Stop askin’ us to wake ‘em up n’ just be patient, Pinkie!” Pinkie huffed to herself as she waited for the two sleeping ponies to wake up naturally. To her, it was as dull as watching paint dry, before wanting to question it about drying.

Fluttershy had taken a chariot back to Ponyville, being told that it was what Vanish had requested. Princess Luna had also left in order to check on the ponies she escorted to the Infirmary, earlier, as well as to tend to an errand that her sister had mentioned. The fillies remained in the Wedding Hall, along with Spike, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Princess Celestia, and Twilight Sparkle. They saw Rainbow Dash begin to stir around in her tired state, groggily looking around a little bit before slightly opening her half-lidded eyes further. “Mmm-Huh? What’re you all staring at me, for?”

As her hoof inadvertently slid to the pony next to her, she looked over instinctively, seeing the stallion who had attacked her and her friends before she fell asleep. “Wh-WHAH!” Rainbow Dash got shocked out of her dazed state of mind, jumping up and knocking over the bucket of water next to her. This caused her to trip and fall into the puddle of water she had made, prompting her friends to try helping her up as she stumbled over her own words while demanding answers. “Wh-Why is HE here? Why was I sleeping next to him!?” Princess Celestia raised her hoof to halt the questions that Rainbow Dash had been asking. “Settle down, Rainbow Dash. I know you have several questions, but...”

A solitary male voice spoke up. “Perhaps it would be to her benefit…” The ponies all turned their attention to Vanish, who was still lying prone, aside from his mouth moving. “… If I simply divulged the information she seeks to understand?” The artificial alicorn tucked two of his hooves in, shifting his balance so that he slowly righted himself, before sitting up and removing the wings he had been sleeping with. “After all, there are several things to do, with little time to do them.” Vanish stood up, having reverted to his dark, dark blue coat once more, his short, smoke gray mane gently swaying as he turned around to face the other ponies before he stretched in order to work out any kinks from sleeping on the hard Wedding Hall floor.

Having been helped up, the rainbow-maned mare glared angrily at the stallion as she redirected her words to him. “Here’s my question: Why the heck were you sleeping next to me!?” Rainbow Dash was mad, but not because of the reason she gave; Vanish had seemingly betrayed them, yet appeared to be as calm as ever, even as he responded. “If you recall, my time in the Cloudosseum was mostly spent in a cloud-made cell. To be precise, one that was fortified with a special powder my client had obtained; it was because I could not sleep, otherwise. Unless the Pegasus pony whose wings I am using is very, very close, I cannot sleep soundly. The wings will simply cause me to crash through everything in their path to find their owner.” Vanish elaborated, seeing Rainbow Dash appearing confused. “Their original owner, Rainbow Dash.”

Twilight voiced her curiosity. “But wait, why did you choose hers? Why not Fluttershy, or one of the Wonde-” Interrupting the mare, Vanish simply uttered, “I gave them back their wings.” Twilight contemplated his rather terse explanation. It was true: She saw that Fluttershy had her wings returned to her before she had been accompanied from the Wedding Hall by Princess Celestia’s guards. Vanish continued, “I also arranged an ‘order’ for the ponies to be woken up in. I let Fluttershy go, so that she may tend to the creatures of her cottage. As for the Wonderbolts, their captain needed assistance. Miss Hooves also had no reason to be here, so I asked for her to be sent back to Cloudsdale.” Vanish delivered a clever smirk to the mares in front of him. “I know how some of you see me, but I still have manners, my dear. I went to sleep out of exhaustion, though I needed the usage of the sleeping powder to ensure I would fall asleep with absolute haste.”

Rarity stepped forward, curious about something. “Then why did you wake up Sweetie Belle and her friends?” Vanish turned his full attention to her, but walked over to a rag, placed on a bucket, that had been soaked with water as he answered the curious unicorn. “They needed to be woken up, and also needed their sisters to be awake so that they would not panic once risen from their slumber, save for Scootaloo, who just needed her friends awake in order to remain calm, or at least, that was what I figured to be the case. As for the ones I requested to be taken to the Canterlot Infirmary, they will need to be cleaned of excess sleeping powder in their coats and manes. It’s not like I was able to be careful in how I dispersed the powder.”

Applejack rubbed her head, lifting her hat to do so. “Why’d ‘ya put us t’sleep, though, Van? Were ‘ya tryin’ t’trick us? You were our friend! We trusted you, an’ that’s how you repay our friendshi-” “WE…” The sudden shout from Vanish was greeted with gasps from the other ponies in the room, before he used his hooves to hold the rag up, vigorously wiping his face with the soaked rag, before stopping to finish his sentence. “… were never friends.” Looks of shock were prominently displayed on several ponies’ faces, quickly replaced with several looks of shame and sorrow as the stallion soaked the rag again. “Quite frankly my dear, if I considered us ‘friends’, I never would have asked you to assault me with the magic of the Elements of Harmony.”

Twilight stepped forward, as did Princess Celestia, as the former asked, “What do you mean?” Twilight was curious about the stallion’s logic, as were the other ponies, though he responded calmly. “You could have attacked Princess Cadance, or Shining Armor, even Princess Celestia. But I could not be sure if you would have done so given how close you were to them in terms of emotional attachment. Furthermore, I ‘relinquished’ my horn to Gather so that you may attack me, thus causing him to lose control of the magic of the other ponies he had obtained the magic and wings of, before you attacked him directly.” Vanish placed the wet rag on his hoof, before tossing it on Rainbow Dash’s face. “Of course, he had never relinquished my own magic, so I felt quite a bit of physical pressure as he was attacked with the Elements of Harmony for the second time.”

Rainbow threw the rag back down, before Rarity used her magic to dip it into a bucket of water, strain it, and wipe excess powder from her friend’s face, prompting complaints from the still-wingless Pegasus pony. “Ungh! Rarity, stop it! Vanish! Why did you put us to sleep? Where is Gather?” Rainbow Dash scowled at Vanish, having had her face finally cleansed of the sleeping powder. “Vanish, why'd you do all this!?” Vanish couldn’t get himself to match Rainbow’s stare, so he turned away. “LOOK AT ME WHEN YOU ANSWER, VANISH!!!” Vanish simply closed his eyes as he humorously quipped, “… That shade of bitter contempt does not go well with your complexion, my dear.”

Rainbow snarled, as Vanish faced her, opening his eyes again as he sternly responded. “I am confident that Gather will pay for his crimes in Baltimare, but not for his transgressions in Ponyville, Cloudsdale, or Canterlot. If Princess Celestia goes to Baltimare, be it as a ‘witness’ or ‘victim’, it would be an admittance of weakness on her part.” Princess Celestia lowered her head in shame, but was also curious with regards to what Vanish was getting at. “This would put her status as the ruler of Equestria into peril, my dear. After all, who would want a princess who wasn’t strong enough to withstand the attack of a single unicorn?”

Vanish shook his head, lowering it in defeat. “Rainbow Dash, this is the way things will be. Gather will not pay for his crimes, but somepony must be blamed. Somepony must suffer for what happened to the Pegasi of Cloudsdale… And that pony is me.” Vanish looked up, no longer afraid of the stares that were bound to be directed towards him by the ponies in the room. “I shall be tried for attacking Canterlot, and the surrounding locales.”

Rainbow Dash was stunned at the revelation. This was the plan all along, and she never saw it coming. “Wh… B-But… No! This isn’t right! You just did what the contract told you!” Twilight stepped forward. “Rainbow…” The light-cerulean mare had tears in her eyes. She wasn’t going to accept that she had no say in this. “No, Twilight, we need to make this right! We need to head to Baltimare and make sure that Gather gets what he deserves!” Applejack chirped up from behind Twilight. “Rainbow, y’know we can’t just do that. Think about Canterlot. Think of Equestria!”

Rarity tried getting through to the headstrong mare. “Listen to us, Rainbow! We’re your friends!” The stylish unicorn was understandably concerned for friend’s attitude, but spoke plainly. “Gather deserves no mercy for what he has done, but we can’t put Equestria in danger, darling. It’s out of our hooves.” Rainbow scoffed at her friends, deciding to start running out the door to the Wedding Hall, hoping to reach the opposing door of the reception hall, which lead outside. “What do you think you’re doing, Rainbow Dash?” She stopped at the sound of Vanish's question, turning around to see the stallion facing her, as well as her friends’ looks of concern. “I’m gonna go to Baltimare and tell ‘em what happened!”

Vanish closed his eyes, deep in thought at what Rainbow Dash was set on accomplishing. “……… No. You’re not.” Vanish slowly walked over to her, but Rainbow backed up through the Wedding Hall doorway as the stallion continued. “By the time you reach Baltimare, Gather will already be found innocent of the crimes from here, and I will be found guilty. Your statement will mean nothing. Being a weak, foolish, naïve Pegasus pony will gain you no respect from anyone.” Rainbow stopped backing up, glaring at Vanish while she desperately tried negotiating the series of events she couldn't control. “T-Then give me my wings. I can fly there and stop this! I can make this right!”

“HAH!” Vanish’s mocking laugh caught Rainbow Dash off guard. “This is already the way it should be!” He dramatically pointed his hoof in the petrified mare’s direction. “What disgusts me, is that your ‘loyalty’ means so little, that you’re willing to put your kingdom, your race, your friends in danger, for such a worthless cause!” Vanish turned around to Princess Celestia, but kept his voice loud so that Rainbow Dash could hear him, bent on demoralizing her before she could work up the motivation to try ruining his plans by leaving the Wedding Hall area.

“You’re no ‘Element of Loyalty’: You’re just a selfish, narcissistic, stubborn brat, undeserving of her friends and title. I may be the ‘sell-out’ you called me earlier, but at least I’m not you, as that is all you’ll ever be, Rainbow Dash, for that is all you are capable of becoming. Accept it.”