A Brew of Blood, Tears, and Brine
Prelude:
Fate
In the world, lonely souls make their way through life, waiting for a warm smile, or a gentle greeting to be pointed towards them. Suffering in solitude, they try to scream for an identity, and to get some affection. Some souls get what their want. Some others just give up trying and die in the way.
That is up to fate...
~~ -[+]- ~/~
Caelus was fidgeting with her hooves, absently, under the shadow of a tree. Why she wasn't able to make friends, she didn't know for sure. Maybe she was a very timid pegasus filly at the first day of the Cutie Mark Crusaders Summer Camp; and maybe she was scared of all the other ponies, as they were running across the meadow from one side to another, playing along and having fun. She sighed. That must be the reason.
The meadow. Beautiful and refreshing. There was a river not so far of it. The perfect place for a summer camp. The only bad thing about it was she being under the shadow of a tree, alone.
Caelus remained there, and tried to smile. Someday she would have a friend. She knew it. She could feel it in her heart. Someday, somepony would ask her something, and she would be eager to answer. Exchanging names, it couldn't be that hard.
It just seemed like that someday would never come.
Maybe coming to the camp was a bad idea, after all. She was still afraid of ponies. She didn't know why, but she was.
She remembered her first day at school. She had sat on the corner desk, and nopony talked to her. Never. Maybe someone asking for a pencil or an eraser, but anything else. It was frustrating.
But the hope had made its way through the filly's heart. She wouldn't be alone forever. She couldn't be alone forever.
She inspected the place she was lying on. Under the shadow of a tree, she would never be found. She felt somewhat awkward as she tried to pull herself out of that shadow. When she did, her cerulean coat and her bright white mane gleamed under the sunshine. The gold in her eyes was as brilliant as sun.
She was Caelus. She was Caelus because she was the sky. Or at least she looked like it.
But she didn't feel special. She tried to walk some more steps, but her legs refused, starting to tremble. There was no way she could make a friend.
But even if Caelus didn't meant to, nor wanted to; somepony eventually noticed her. The cerulean pegasus tried to hide herself again, but didn't find any place, as the other filly started to walk towards her at a relatively quick pace. Caelus started panicking.
"Hi, there!", said the strange pony, waving a hoof at her, smiling widely. "I haven't seen you ever before. Where were you? Were you hiding?"
Caelus felt overwhelmed by the amount of questions, but she tried to keep calm. "I was there, under that shadow. I was a bit afraid."
"Oh, I see. You are shy, don't you?", asked the other filly.
"I suppose", answered the pegasus before inspecting her talker. She had a light pink coat, a black mane, and deep blue eyes. She was a unicorn.
"I'm Dawn, nice to meet you", said the unicorn.
"I'm Caelus."
"What a cool name!", exclaimed Dawn. "Hey, why don't you come with me and play something with us?"
"That sounds kinda funny... but I'm still a bit afraid", whispered the cerulean pegasus.
"Come on, it isn't that hard", cheered the pink unicorn. "My grandmother always tell me that friendship is magic. Doesn't it sound just cool?"
"Yes... kind of", answered Caelus. " Who's your grandmother anyways?", she asked that because she wanted Dawn to forget about games and other ponies.
"She is the Ponyville librarian. I'm sure you have heard about her."
Caelus paralyzed. "Of course I had!", said the timid filly, mouth hung open in amazement, all her fears being dissipated. "She's the legendary Element of Magic the tales books speak of!"
Dawn chucled a bit. "She was. Now is just a plain boring old mare. You actually remind me of one of her friends... Rainbow Splash, or something like that."
"Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty?", corrected Caelus, not feeling awkward anymore.
"Yes, that is."
"And what about Spike? Is he still living with her?"
"Of course!", replied Dawn. "He's like a big brother for me. And he is really cool!"
"Wow! He should be really big by now...", mused Caelus.
The black maned unicorn giggled. "He's a teenager, so he isn't that big yet."
Caelus's mouth was still open. "Oh, my! You really are Twilight's granddaughter!", squeaked the pegasus, unable to believe such a thing.
"It isn't that a big deal", said the unicorn, blushing. "Maybe someday I will introduce you to her."
"Oh, please, that would be great!", cheered in amusement the happy cerulean filly, as she bounced in her place. "Promise it!"
"I Pinkie Promise", answered Dawn, grinning.
Caelus stopped bouncing and cocked her head. "You what?"
"Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stitch a cupcake in my eye!", said the unicorn, pulling out a strange motion with a hoof. "That way you make a promise that can't be broken."
"Wow! What happen if you break a Pinkie Promise?"
"You don't want to know", Dawn shivered a little. "And me neither."
Caelus laughed. She actually laughed. She wasn't alone. She had a friend. The other pony, Dawn, laughed too, because she was her friend. They were friends.
"Enough about me", said the pink pony, after pushing some air in her lunges, as both fillies started to walk towards the camp headquarters. "Tell me more about yourself."
Caelus smiled widely. She liked Dawn. She liked having a friend. It felt quite warm on her heart.
"Well, I..."
A Brew of Blood, Tears, and Brine
Chapter 1: The Black Notebook
Chapter 1:
The Black Notebook:
Nothing was meant to last forever. Time passes, and as new things bloom in the world, old things have to shrivel up slowly, before dissapearing for existence. Some not-so-old things are also abruptly taken out of the universe. Things work that way.
Things were meant to work that way...
~~ -[+]- ~/~
The funeral was that day, and Caelus was at the library, determined to support her friend until the very end of her sorrow. She herself was haunted by some painful memories: meeting Twilight Sparkle was a priceless experience. Caelus quickly became fond of the old pony as they started to talk about the marvelous adventures of the purple unicorn. The filly personally liked those involving the Royal Pony Sisters. She was eager to know more about them, and why they dissapeared. Those moments they shared together left an indelible mark in the cerulean pegasus.
She stared at nowhere for a second as she remembered it. The old pony, Twilight Sparkle, the pony of the tales books, was dead.
"I'm c-c-coming", said the shaky voice of her friend, Dawn, as the pink unicorn descended from the higher level.
Caelus looked her. She wasn't a filly anymore. Both ponies were now adult mares wearing black dresses and a painful heart on their chests.
Dawn was trembling. The pegasus approached carefully and hugged her friend tightly. The black maned pony cried over her friend's back, unable to hold her sorrow anymore. Caelus herself shed a couple tears.
"Th-th-thank you, Caelus", said Dawn, as she pulled herself from her friend's embrace. "It r-r-really hurts."
"I wouldn't let you handle it by yourself", replied Caelus, putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder.
"She w-w-was a big p-p-part of my f-f-family", stated the pink mare, staring at the ground. "I miss h-h-her so m-m-much."
Caelus couldn't say anything. It felt awkward to see that bereaved expression on her usually cheerful and jolly friend.
"Friendship is truly m-m-magic", whispered Dawn, with a weak smile, before throwing herself on weeping again.
"It is, my dear, it is", admitted the white maned mare as both ponies began to walk to the funeral.
~~ -[+]- ~/~
The Harmony Monument was standing somewhere between Ponyville and the Whitetail woods. It was rectangular and wide, but not taller than three ponies one on top of the other. On top of it there was a huge tower casting a shadow over the trees. Inside the main monument, five deceased ponies were resting peacefully as time passed on. Another pony was going to join them some time later. Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty and Magic. One tomb for each pony.
The sun held high that autumn noon. Caelus and Dawn stared at the massive amount of ponies at the funeral of Twilght Sparkle. Important fellows from all around had come to witness that exceptional event. Some other ordinary ponies had joined too.
For them, it was the burial of an equestrian celebrity; but for Dawn, it was the burial of her grandmother. Both mares drew near to the monument, wearing sad expressions. The pink unicorn was dropping tears again. Her friend was walking at her side, trying to comfort her.
They eventually reached the monument frontage. The present equestrian governor was there, giving a speech. Some musicians were tuning their instruments somewhere nearby. Spike was also there, sitting against a wall, weeping. The dragon was as tall as two ponies one over the other, and was wearing a really gorgeous tuxedo, a not so recent gift of Rarity. When the mares approached, he stood up and knelt down to hug her sister, as both cried on the other's back. Those two fellows were suffering, and for real. Caelus felt awkward as she backed a step. She, being raised in an orphanage since birth, couldn't understand their sorrow, no matter how hard she tried. But one thing she knew for sure: nopony deserved to suffer that much. It was heartbreaking seeing both, dragon and pony, embraced and crying disconsolately, as she backed one more step.
An eerie bell rang, as the funeral was about to begin. Every talk stopped and a really heavy silence fell over the crowd. The musicians started playing a sorrowful melody. The coffin was brought to the monument frontage by four tough stallions in black. Spike and Dawn separated as the dragon walked to say the last goodbye to his deceased friend, and the unicorn stepped on the stand to give a speech.
"Twilight Sparkle, my grandmother, was a very intelligent mare. She was once the student of the mighty Princess Celestia everypony here has heard about, but never seen. And my grandmother was amazing because her contributions to science and magic have helped to develop Equestria into what it is now. And, as she helped the world with her wisdom, she also raised me as carefully as anything", her voice cracked. "A-a-and she loved me so much. She loved everypony s-s-so much. I h-h-hope she is fine wherever she is."
Dawn was weeping openly now. She left the speech stand and joined her brother to give some love words to her dear grandmother. She sat next to the dragon and started talking again.
"Granny, I thought I had so many things to do that I just forgot time passes quickly. I should have spent more time with you, show you things you wanted me to show you, or just sit down and have a heart to heart talk with you. I don't know if I was being selfish, or stupid, or anything at all. All I can think of now is how much I want to see your smile or to hear your advices. I miss you, granny. I really, really miss you."
She came to a stop when she realized she could not continue, as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Do you feel better now?", asked Spike, embracing his sibling with a long and sharp claw.
"Yes", answered her, with a sad smile on her face. "Much better."
"Are you okay?", whispered Spike, concerned, as he saw his sister paling suddenly.
"No, not really", she said. "I really need some rest. We have to get over this soon."
"I hope we do, but, for now, we should stay to see the burial, at least."
"Okay", Dawn agreed. "Bring Caelus here, so we can leave this place as soon as that ends."
Spike nodded and walked towards the crowd, as the same four stallions took the coffin and carried it to the monument, where it would lie forever and ever. Spike and Caelus joined Dawn as they saw the coffin cross the gate and dissapear.
Dawn couldn't hold herself anymore and fell to the ground, crying again.
~~ -[+]- ~/~
The library kitchen was quiet that afternoon. Some sweet smell rose from the cups in front of both mares.
"Thank you for coming, Caelus", said Dawn, quietly. "I hope I'm not another burden for you."
"Of course you are not", replied the pegasus, sipping her tea. "We are friends after all."
"And friendship is magic", whispered the unicorn with a sad grin. "I can't believe only a year has happened since then. It feels like a whole decade or more."
"I'm glad to see you'd gotten over it almost completely by now. Is Spike better, by the way?"
"He isn't. I wasn't expecting him to recover that quickly, anyway. He knew her since birth, literally."
"Poor Spike", said Caelus. "We have to think of a way to help him. Maybe we can travel together, or something like that."
Dawn smiled at her friend. "We both are happy to have you as a family friend. You're welcome to come everytime you want. The door will be always open to you."
"Thank you", answered Caelus. "You don't know how much I've learnt since that summer camp, back when we were fillies."
Dawn didn't say nothing, but approached her friend and hugged her.
There could be times for being sad later, but now she was glad to have such a wonderful friend.
~~ -[+]- ~/~
Spike stared blankly at the window in front of him. He still felt that unsettling void in his chest. He saw the sunset, remembering the day the Royal Pony Sisters dissapeared mysteriously, back when he was a child. Twilight hasn't given too many information about why that happened, as it was some kind of "alicorn bussiness" he wouldn't understand, anyway.
Spike left his room, and went to the kitchen. He wanted to talk with Dawn.
"Hi, Spike", he heard. "How are you feeling this lovely afternoon?"
Spike stared back at the cyan pegasus in front of him. He wanted to talk with Dawn alone.
"Nothing out of the ordinary", he groaned. "Do you care leaving the room for a while? I want to talk with Dawn alone."
The pink unicorn behind the pegasus frowned at him.
"Sure, why not", Caelus said, as she left the library.
Dawn was very angry at him. "I hope this is really important."
Spike fidgeted with his claws. "Have you found anything written by Twilight in the library?", he asked.
"Not really, why do you ask?"
"You know the alicorn princesses dissapeared even before you were born."
Dawn's frown deepened. "So?"
"The following days were hard for her, I recall. She never said anything on the subject. I was concerned, of course, but she wouldn't tell me anything, neither. I think there is more about the issue. Even after she apparently got over it, she would still act like she was hiding something"
"Why are you so suddenly interested in those matters?", she asked, sharply.
Spike stared at his feet. "My mission in life was always helping her in anything she would do. After the princesses went away, I always had the feel that I wasn't accomplishing my mission. Now, I want to compensate it."
Dawn's frown vanished. "Spike, you're worrying just for nothing."
Spike turned around. "I knew you wouldn't understand."
Dawn raised a hoof, but her brother only started walking towards his room, carrying a shattered heart in his chest.
~~ -[+]- ~/~
Sighing, Dawn lifted another book and put it on a nearby shelf. Her special talent was arranging books, as her cutie mark stated it.
The pink pony remembered the argue she had with Spike the day before. She didn't knew if she had to apologize, or if she just had to let time pass and wait. Spike, of course, was still hurt.
She lifted the last book with her magic and placed it on another shelf. Sighing again, she started walking towards her room until she noticed something lying in front of her, out of place.
There was a black notebook in the floor. Dawn stared at the black notebook, and the black notebook seemed to stare back at her, for a second. She lifted it with her magic and opened it. The ink on the first page shined eerily.
==== (-) ====
Painful Memories about the Dark Side of a Pony.
By Twilight Sparkle.
==== (-) ====
Dawn's heart skipped a beat. She blinked hardly, but the neat handwriting of her grandmother remained there, untouched. She didn't knew why, but she was really scared of the black notebook floating in front of her. The pink pony was trembling when she turned the page. It was empty at first, but then, letter by letter, following the scratching of an invisible quill, a small paragraph appeared.
==== (-) ====
Dawn, I wrote this for you a long time ago. I hope it will help you know more about your grandmother, and the mistakes she has comitted, of course. Trust Spike; he will help you to make the right choices. Other friends may help you too. Remember this book was written with very powerful magic, and it's a somewhat dangerous object. You will have to discover the key to read it, but I will give you a first hint: Take a train to Canterlot.
==== (-) ====
Dawn read the text slowly, and then, she read it again. She stared confusedly at it for a while, trying to understand a well covered secret on it, but quickly resigned.
"Spike!", she called. "Come on, please!"
She heard a groan and some footsteps coming, before Spike's shape appeared next to her.
"What happen?", he asked, looking at the black notebook.
"I think I owe you an apologize", Dawn whispered, blushing. "I found this a while ago. What do you think, Spike?"
The teen dragon read the paragraph three times, and then, he turned the page. Then, he turned another page. And then, another.
"This notebook is completely empty!", he exclaimed, dissapointed.
"It's magic", Dawn stated. "I think we have to pull a trigger to read it. Maybe we should try taking a train to Canterlot?"
"Are you sure it isn't dangerous?", asked Spike. "It might be a trap as well."
"We won't know for sure until we try it", stated the unicorn. "Think about it. I'm going to bring Caelus here, so we can make a choice."
"Caelus?", Spike's expression hardened. "What does she have to do with all of this?"
"She is my friend, Spike. And she is trustworthy. She can help us with this, too. Or have you forgotten what Granny used to say?"
"Friendship is magic", Spike sighed. "Ok, we can bring her with us."
"So, are you coming?"
"Of course! Twilight wanted me to help you, and I'm going to help you."
Dawn hugged her brother, tightly. "Thank you, bro."
The pair left the house, and walked together under the soft rain.
Chapter 2: Traveling to Canterlot, and More Secrets Uncovered.
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A Brew of Blood, Tears, and Brine
Chapter 2: Traveling to Canterlot, and More Secrets Uncovered.
Chapter 2:
The Trip to Canterlot, and More Secrets Uncovered.
Live is like walking through a maze. Living beings find themselves roaming carelessly, until they reach a fork. Choosing a path, they continue with their lives. But there is always uncertainty behind each choice. Some souls reach their goal. Some others are forced to change their goals, as they found themselves in an unexpected turn of events.
Choices lead us through only one way, though...
~~ -[+]- ~/~
The rain intensified. Dawn and Caelus were chatting calmly at the library kitchen about their plans. Spike joined them after bringing a small sack of coins.
"This is all I have", he said, leaving the sack in the nearby table. "Are you sure we have enough, Dawn?"
"Of course", the unicorn answered, putting the sack inside her saddlebags. "We have enough money to stay two days in Canterlot, at least."
"I don't think we will need to stay anymore time there", Caelus suggested. "What do you think, Spike?"
"Whatever", answered the dragon, frowning softly.
Caelus frowned back at him, but she didn't say anything.
"I will leave the library open, just in case somepony needs a book", stated Dawn, trying to calm things down. "What about your work, Caelus?"
"The Cloudsdale Cloud Factory will be fine without me, don't worry", answered her, smiling at her friend.
"So, can we leave now?", Spike inquired.
"I think so", the unicorn said, glancing at the window. "But, what a weather we have tonight! Maybe we can wait until tomorrow?"
"No way!", the dragon yelled, hitting the table with a fist. "We're getting to the bottom of this as soon as possible!"
"Hey! Watch out for your manners!", shouted Caelus back. "It's your sister you're talking to."
Spike glared at her. "I'm sorry", he said, reluctantly.
"It doesn't matter", Dawn stated, patting her brother on his shoulder. "However, he's got a point. The sooner, the better. What do you think Caelus?"
"The notebook can get wet, don't you think?", the cyan pegasus answered, with resentment.
"I think not", Spike answered, smiling wryly. "Dawn protected her saddlebags with a waterproof magic spell."
"Indeed", said the pink pony, chuckling, trying to calm things down, again. "I think Spike is right. We should take the train tonight."
"I agree with Dawn. Tonight has to be the night", the dragon stated.
"I don't see why not, either", Caelus said. "Okay. Let it be tonight."
The pink unicorn nodded, and approached the door. "Well, what're we waiting for? Let's go!" She oppened the door and stepped outside, feeling the pouring rain in her coat. "Actually, I think this is kinda relaxing. Are we gonna go, or not?"
"Finally, that's the Dawn I met at that summercamp years ago!", the pegasus said, following her friend, and hugging her. "I missed you."
"Yes, I was kinda depressed, you know. It has to be the adventure smell!"
Spike raised an eyebrow. "Adventure smell?"
"Come on, Spike!", Dawn shouted, from the distance. "We're gonna miss the train!"
Spike followed the two mares, closing the door behind him.
There was no time to lose, he knew it. They were talking about the secrets of Twilight Sparkle, afterall.
~~ -[+]- ~/~
The Train Station was mostly bare that rainy night. Caelus and Spike were sitting on a bench outside, waiting for their friend to buy the tickets. The dragon was gazing at the charming lights all around, in the town, in the sky, and in the train station itself. The pegasus, however, was searching for the right words to say.
"I don't know what I have done to you", she finally spoke. "But you keep being so harsh on me. Can I ask why?"
"You can't", was the answer she got from the dragon.
"Okay, then. Do whatever you want, but please, we have to keep Dawn cheered up."
"What do you mean?", Spike asked, frowning, still staring at the stars. "Do you think I want Dawn to be depressed?"
"We have to, at least, act as friends in front of her", stated the cerulean pony. "I can get some closure with you later."
"Closure? That'll never happen", Spike said, with a wicked smile. "I won't tell you why either."
Caelus was about to complain, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Dawn approached the both of them from a side.
"I'm finished with buying the tickets", she said, pointing at her saddlebags. "By the way, what were you talking about?"
"Nothing important", Caelus answered, waving a hoof, dismissively. "I think we should get into that train now."
The three of them nodded as they entered the train, together.
~~ -[+]- ~/~
Once inside, the two ponies and the dragon took a seat and waited. As they supposed, the lights of the train extinguished, and some hints of snores reached them. Dawn lit up her horn, and took out the notebook of her saddlebags, placing it in the table in front of them.
"I suppose something is gonna happen now", Dawn whispered, oppening the black notebook slowly, to the first page. The title gleamed eerily.
"What are you waitng for?", Spike asked in a hurry.
"I'm... I'm scared", the pink pony mused, lowering his head. "I can't do it."
"Why are you so scared?", inquired the pegasus, scratching her head. "I don't think that notebook is going to attack us."
"I can't understand, either", Dawn whispered, trying to hold herself from crying. "I can't turn the page."
"OK. Give me that", said the cerulean pony, before the dragon stopped her from doing so.
"Dawn can do it. She has the magic to do it", he said in a soft voice, smiling to his little sister. "I know you can do it. I trust you."
Dawn locked gazes with Spike for a while and then nodded in agreement. "Yes, I can." She turned the pages, until she found what she was searching for.
The three of them stared at the blank page.
"It can't be", the dragon whispered, frowning strongly, as his voice raised to an outburst. "The page is completely empty!"
"Be quiet!", Caelus said, still with a low voice. "If something is going to happen, all we can do now is wait."
Dawn, however, was at a loss of words. Her heart sank as she started blaming herself. Caelus couldn't think of anything heartwarming to say at the moment. Spike was holding his wrath deeply in his chest. Caelus was right, however. All they could do now was wait.
Eventually, the neat handwriting appeared, following the scratch of an invisible quill, again.
==== (-) ====
Twilight Sparkle was walking slowly under the pouring rain that night, following the paths and alleys of her beloved hometown. Her friends were right next to her, all of them with sorrowful faces. Spike was particulary thoughtful, as he was giving worried glances to the purple unicorn. It was a really depressing sight to see.
They eventually arrived at the train station. The dragon quickly entered the building to buy tickets for him and his friend. Twilight Sparkle turned to face her five companions.
"I'm sorry this had to happen", she said, with a soft voice.
"This was going to happen anyway, darling", a white unicorn, named Rarity, mused. "I would liked otherwise, but..."
"After the news spread, it was pretty obvious this was gonna happen", the pegasus named Rainbow Dash said, smirking a bit.
"Ya'll can trust us for whatever ya want", Applejack, the earth pony, whispered, taking off his hat.
"We're going to be waiting for you, don't worry", Fluttershy murmured.
"Just try to return safe and sound, OK?", a pink earth pony said, sheding a couple tears.
The six, then, joined together in a heartwarming hug, crying as much as they could. The dragon later joined them, in the most painful farewell he had ever lived.
"Everything is going to be alright", whispered the purple unicorn, entering the train with her faithful companion.
Once inside, the two of them took a seat together. Twilight Sparkle stared at the wet window, thoughtfully.
"How do you feel, Spike?", the purple mare asked, sighing.
"Me?", the dragon answered, finding himself at a loss of words. "I don't know at all."
"Do you think we will ever return to Ponyville?", she asked again, as the train started moving.
The dragon sighed. "I hope so."
Twilight Sparkle lowered her head. "Me too", she mused, and started crying again.
==== (-) ====
"That's all", Dawn whispered, slowly. Her hown flickered softly until it turned off.
"I remember that night", Spike said, suddenly saddened. Both mares turned to see him.
"What was all that about?", asked Caelus, hastily. "Can you explain it, please?"
Spike closed his eyes and recalled. "That evening Twilight received a letter from the princess."
"What did the letter say?", Dawn inquired.
"She wanted Twilight and me to return to Canterlot for an indefinite period of time", the dragon answered, holding the tears brought by the painful memories. "Neither she nor me knew why she called us at the time. But our friends were rather sure it was because of a certain newspaper article."
"Newspaper? What did that newspaper said?", Caelus asked, tryiing to keep her voice soft.
"It said that a small group of anonymous ponies were planing on taking down the Royal Pony Sisters. That group even said that the princesses were going to refuse to rule at a point in time."
"Did that happen?", the unicorn asked, with a sudden unease.
"That's a mistery. The princesses dissapeared eventually, but nopony knows how", Spike answered yet again, letting himself to shed a tear or two. "I always wondered if Twilight had anything to do with this."
"If that notebook is what I think it is, we are going to get the answers we're searching for", mused the pink pony, before lowering her head again. "I wonder what's the trigger for the next chapter."
"I was thinking and...", Caelus whispered scratching her head. "Do you really want this?"
"What do you mean?", Dawn asked back, lifting her head a bit.
"Will you like the truth? Seeing how this is turning out, I don't think you will", the cerulean pony answered, locking gazes with her friend.
"But...", Dawn lowered her head even more. "My granny... She told me... She wrote this book for me, right?"
"The truth is not always pleasant", Spike said, frowning at the pegasus. "If we had gone this far, we must continue."
"I don't want Dawn to be depressed", Caelus striked back. "We can stop now, before going any further."
"It's her choice to make", the dragon said, poninting her friend with a finger. "What do you think, Dawn?"
"I... I...", the unicorn stammered, unable to find the right words. "I trust her... Granny, I mean... I trust her. We must continue."
Spike smiled wryly. "I'm OK with her choice. Caelus?"
"I'm not going to let her down", the pegasus said. "I will help my friend, even if I'm not sure what she is searching for..."
Dawn soon found herself in her friends embrace, and she know she wasn't alone.
She smiled, because she knew friendship was magic.
~~ -[+]- ~/~
The unicorn yawned, as she saw the first morning lights enter through the window. In front of her, a snoring pegasus and a rather quiet dragon were sleeping in very uncomfortable positions.
Dawn smiled at them, and then, focused her blue eyes on the window at her side. Attached to a mountain, Canterlot gleamed softly, reflecting the sunlight coming from the east.
"It's beautiful, don't you think?", a voice said. Dawn turned her head to meet a certain cerulean pegasus watching the landscape through another window.
"Indeed", Dawn answered, smiling mischievously. "Isn't dawn the most beautiful thing in the world?"
"I suppose", Caelus answered, chuckling a bit at her friend's pun.
An awkward silence fell between the two. Only broken by some snoring noises in the background.
"I missed you, Dawn", the pegasus said, scratching her head. "I tried so hard to cheer you up. I'm glad you're happy and perky again, but I'm still afraid..."
"I'll try to not disappoint you", answered the pink pony. "I don't like being deppresed either."
"I'm still not sure about this", Caelus whispered. "I'll help you, but..."
"Que será, será", the unicorn answered, lifting her head a bit. "I'm afraid, of course, but I can't sit here if Granny wanted me to do otherwise. I trust her. She wouldn't lead me the wrong way."
Spike stretched his arms and woke up, yawning. "We're there now, right? In Canterlot, I mean."
"Not yet, bro", Dawn said with a wide smile. She hadn't called Spike her bro for a while now. "We'll arrive in five minutes or so, I guess."
"OK, sis", he answered, yawning again. "Now, you should get that notebook back in your saddlebags, don't you think?"
"Yes, I suppose... Wait!", the unicorn answered, starting to sweat.
"What is it?", Caelus asked, worried. "Where is the notebook?"
"It isn't here!", Dawn answered, searching for it frantically.
"What!?", Spike yelled, frowning, his claws turning into fists.
"Where did it go? Oh my gosh, I'm done for!", whispered the pink pony, crying, head in hooves.
"Maybe someone took it!", Spike suggested, unable to hold his wrath.
"Don't be silly", Caelus said, waving a hoof dismissively. "Why would someone take something that doesn't belong to them?"
"Nopony would do that now, but before, taking something that isn't yours was called stealing", the dragon said.
"Stealing?", Dawn's head perked up in curiosity. "Why would someone do that? It's stupid."
"It may sound stupid right now for you, but it wasn't before", the dragon stated.
"But, as you said, nopony would steal now", Caelus said. "I guess most ponies don't want their things stealed."
The train slowed down until it stopped. Dawn smirked in panic. "What're we gonna do?", she said, sweating again.
"We can't do nothing now", the pegasus stated.
"No!", Spike yelled, as most ponies started leaving the train. "We... we can't let the thief slip away like this."
"What's a thief?", Dawn asked, but nopony answered her.
"Alright. We have lost the notebook", Caelus stated, exiting the train. "All we can do now is wait... again."
"You!", Spike pointed a finger towards the pegasus, following her. "You hid it, didn't you?"
"I told you already. I will help Dawn in whatever she wants", she answered. "I wouldn't hide it, OK? By the way, where is she?"
"I'm here!", Dawn said, leaving the train, at last.
"Do you feel better, sis?", the dragon asked, worried.
"I guess I can't do anything now, can I?", she answered, sighing. "I hope we find the notebook somewhere, however."
Caelus saw it. She saw the happiness draining from her friend's heart. Again.
She was going to recover that accursed notebook, for her friend's sake.