//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4: If only Time could Heal all Wounds 
// Story: Peace Hunters 
// by NA_SolarEclipse 
//------------------------------//



-Trying to forget someone you love is like trying to remember someone you didn’t know-

Shock.
There were no words that came to Nero. Shock turned to hurt as he remembered who this Pegasus was. How she hurt him, and the pain that followed. This hurt then turned into confusion as he asked himself several questions all at once. ’Why would she show up now? Where has she been all of these years? Why did she leave? Can things just go back to the way they were? Did she miss me as much as I missed her?’
These questions raced through Nero’s mind all at once. What made things worse was the racing of his heart and the throbbing in his head; definitely didn’t make thinking of something to say to the light blue Pegasus any easier. Nero could hear a very insistent voice in his mind. ‘Come on you idiot say something! Tell her you missed her or something. Get her to smile, make her laugh, yell at her. Anything is better than just sitting there like a dumb mule.’ Orian certainly did choose the best times to make dumb suggestions.
“Aurora…” Nero said softly. The Pegasus mare smiled at that.
‘Well it’s something I guess.’ Orian could never let Nero have the small victories. 
Regardless of the sarcastic retorts from Orian, Nero’s eyes started to tear up. Here she was, his colt hood friend, standing right in front of him. His mind raced faster. He couldn’t deal with this. There were too many memories, and too much pain. Nero took a step back from her. “It’s been a long, long time hasn’t it?” Aurora said with a small smile on her muzzle. Nero however just turned and pressed his hooves against the heavy door. Aurora’s smile faded. “Where are you going Nero?” She asked. But Nero was already pushing on the heavy door. It gave a loud creak of resistance as he pushed the door open. It was ‘that kind of creak that would annoy the hell out of most ponies’, and certainly did so to Nero as he stumbled out of the doorway into the bright sunlight that graced the desert sand.
He surveyed his surroundings, nothing but flats and sand. Except there, off in the distance were mountains. Mountains could mean water, and water would mean rehydration. The excess of alcohol the night before and the lack of water all morning left Nero’s mind begging for water. Nero galloped towards the mountains and took flight, trying to put as much distance between him and the Pegasus mare. However he was betrayed by his own intentions and blurred vision, and crashed down into the sand soon after getting off the ground.  Nero slowly got back to his hooves and made all efforts to trot toward the mountains, still trying to gather his thoughts while Orian argued all manner of things into Nero’s mind. 
“You idiot! Why are you running from her? Is it because she left you? Is that why you can’t even face her? How much of an idiot are you Nero?” Nero had heard all sorts of sarcasm, sadness, and even anger from Orian, but never all at once. “You spent months looking for her Nero! Maybe even years! Why is it that now that you have actually found her that you are running away from her?” Orian had yelled at Nero before, but never with so much vigor and tenacity. 
Nero’s mind was still at a loss, but slightly less so. “I don’t know? When I saw her, my chest started hurting and my eyes started to sweat! I don’t want her to see me like this!” 
“NERO!!” Aurora yelled as she caught up with him. “There you are, oh… why are you crying?” Nero took some steps back, and then turned to galloped away with all his energy. Aurora stopped for a moment. “Darn that pony. Why does he keep running away from me?” She said to herself in frustration. 
Orian stuck around for a moment, if only for another sarcastic comment to himself. “Maybe he just can’t face you at the moment. Just give him some time. He will be fine.” It wasn’t like she could hear him anyway.
“Do you really think so?” Aurora asked. 
Orian was dumbfounded. “Y-you can see me? I’m just a figment of Nero’s imagination! How can you see me?”
Aurora shrugged and responded calmly. “Well, just because I was born a Pegasus doesn’t mean that is the extent of what makes me special. I can see things that others cannot so easily, like you for example. From what I can gather you are just a figment of Nero’s imagination, but you seem to have so much self-will that you do somewhat exist outside of his mind. Except I guess most others just can’t see you.” 
Orian just shrugged. “Hmm, well that doesn’t make any sense. And here I thought I was real, boo-hoo.”  Always with the sarcastic responses. 
Aurora however was not paying too much attention. “Well, that is nice and all but I have to catch up to Nero.” She then galloped off after Nero.



The cruel sands gave way to a cool, somewhat lush savanna as Nero got closer to the mountains he had been galloping toward. Instead of warm sands, there were patches of cool grass. At the base of the mountains was tall grass, tall enough to hide in. The winds rolling down the mountains gave Nero a relaxing chill. ‘Why am I running from her?’ Nero thought as he slowed his gallop to a trot. ‘She is trying to catch up to me, and I am just running.’ He slowed to a canter. ‘Where is Orian when I need him?’ Nero finally stopped and fell to his haunches in the tall grass.
“Nero!” Aurora yelled as she tackled him to the ground, pinning his shoulders to the ground to keep him from running off again. “Nero, why are you running away from me? Are you not glad to see me?” Tears welled up in her eyes and ran down her face, dripping off of her muzzle. 
Nero was trying to struggle out of her hold, but felt her tears dripping on him and looked up to see her face filled with such sorrow. They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment. Then sat up to face each other properly. They stared like that for a moment longer, so Nero broke the awkward silence. “I know I should be glad to see you, but I’m hurt more than anything else…”
Aurora sniffled and wiped away her tears. “Why?” She asked.
Nero thought for a moment, remembering all those years ago. “You left. Everything was going great for us the way it was, then you just left. No warning. Not even so much as a goodbye.” The tears started coming back. “When you left everything fell apart. I had to run away from that place, had to get away from the hurt. That old city had nothing for me once you were gone Aurora. My parents didn’t even care that I left either.” Nero somehow kept his words together as tears streamed down his face onto the grass. 
Aurora looked down, anywhere but directly at Nero. “I wish I could have Nero. I wish I could have said goodbye, or at least left you a note as to why.” She again looked Nero in the eyes. “But you don’t know what I did. If you knew, you would understand.” Aurora said quietly. 
“If I knew what Aurora? What could possibly justify leaving your best friend alone in that wretched city?” Nero snapped back at her. Aurora tried to make a statement in her defense, but Nero wasn’t done. “You were the only one that really cared for me Aurora. The only one in that entire city.” 
“There was a reason for that Nero, just listen to me.” Aurora said as calm as one could possibly be on the verge of tears. 
“No.” Nero said in a venomous tone. Aurora backed up from him. “I’ve been listening for all this time. Listening and waiting for you to come back, but you never did.” The venom turned to pain. “I looked for you Aurora. I looked for months to find where you had gone, but you weren’t anywhere to be found. I lost you. I lost everything worth remembering about that damned city. But no matter where I looked; in cities, towns, or villages you weren’t there. So I gave up. I was done, and decided to try and move on. But I couldn’t. I was allowed into and orphanage around the Citadel, it was supposed to be an establishment of hope for colts and fillies, but for me it was like a prison. Every day was the same routine; wake up, eat, do chores, free time around the local school, eat again, and then sleep. Never changing, never stopping. I always tried to leave during the so called ‘free time’ by the school, but they would always catch me. Eventually they broke me, and I gave up on ever finding you again. I lost all sense of hope, and just gave up. When they did break me though, I was different. I started having this voice in my head that made me desire survival. I wouldn’t have eaten the orphanage’s food if it wasn’t for this voice. So I named this voice and he became a sort of friend for me. He became my hope when I had nothing to hope for. So when you tell me there was a reason to all of my suffering and pain, it better be a goddess damned good one Aurora.” 
Aurora marveled at the hate in Nero’s voice. Never had she thought that so much hurt could be in one pony. She wiped away her tears. “Nero, the reason I left… was because the oracles were going to kill us.” She said in sorrow.
Silence choked the field they were sitting in. Nero just stared, so Aurora continued. “The oracles foresaw a prophecy that you and your friends were to be the end of the temple, and the end of Amphitrite. They were going to have us killed to avoid the destruction of their city. My sister worked as one of the oracle’s scribes, and she knew soon after they made the decision. That night she told me everything, and made me leave with her so that she could protect my life. She kept me from telling you before we left, because she knew the only way that you would for certain leave the city would be for me to disappear without a trace. She made sure to cover our tracks as soon as we left any once we were on the move. I protested because I wanted to leave something for you to have a lead on. Anything would have done, but she didn’t let me. I was on the run with her, because a scribe’s punishment for leaving Amphitrite was death, and she knew that if there was any indication as to where we were, it would be the end for both of us. However, they found her anyway. One night, they came to the inn we were staying at and dragged her off. She knew they were coming and warned me. She told me to run and never look back. I promised I would, and she let them drag her away to her death. She gave everything she had, even her life, to save the two of us Nero. She believed that we were better than the old ways, and so she went against them to keep us alive.” Aurora finished her story off in proud tears.
Nero was about to respond to her, but it was Aurora’s turn to be assertive. “And don’t you think for one goddess damned moment that you were the only one that did their share of looking for the other. I spent every moment after my sister’s leave trying to find you. It’s been years, but I finally found you Nero. Things can finally be the way they were. We can start over, make things work.” Somehow her tone went from aggravated to warm in a heartbeat. 
Nero tossed this new information around his head a while. Sure his life had been pretty difficult to live, and it was certainly better than dying. But was there really no way that she could have just told him what was going on? Then again if what she said was the truth, she actually spent more time looking for him than he did looking for her. “So, you inadvertently caused me years of pain and guilt to save my life?” Nero asked quietly.
A smile again crept onto Aurora’s muzzle. “Yes, if you want to look at it that way.” She said in a sweet, somewhat warm tone. 
For once, Orian was nowhere to be found in Nero’s mind. There were no snide remarks, no sarcasm, and no bits of advice from the imaginary pony. There was silence within Nero’s mind, and he was okay with that. It gave him some time to think on his own about the situation before him. After such uninterrupted thought, Nero finally responded. “Alright.” This was simple enough of a response.
For the first time all morning there were no tense feelings in the air, and the two Pegasus smiled at each other. A cool wind blew down from the mountain, rustling their manes. Aurora was the first to speak in this new calmer feeling about both of them. “So tell me Nero, what exactly have you been doing all of these years?” 
Nero gave a confident smile. “Well, I hope you have time because that isn’t something I can just answer in a sentence.” He said just as confident as his smile.
“I’ve got plenty of time, go ahead and tell me.” Aurora said with a smile.




There was a rusty stench in the air. As she flittered her eyes open, Cherri found the walls and various work benches of Nikola’s workshop. She was again on the small and lumpy mattress that she slept on previously. This would be reassuring in any normal sense for her, if there was not a major missing detail. She didn’t remember how she got there at all. This lack of memory was coupled with a pounding headache could only mean one thing. “Ugh, I am never drinking apple whiskey again.” She said wiping the rest of the sleep out of her eyes. 
“Well that most certainly would be preferable.” Arkay said as he entered the workshop. 
Cherri’s heart dropped immediately. “Oh my, uh hello Arkay. Um did you sleep well?” 
Arkay somehow had an expression that was both coy and disappointed. “Well, let’s see. I am going to go ahead and say no. After getting back to Nikola’s house from the ‘party’ that Marshal threw for the town, I was then graced with you drinking that entire bottle of apple whiskey. I couldn’t help but notice that as the bottle emptied, the alcohol started playing keep away with your intelligence. There was no lack of you making rather lewd suggestions, and I do believe you told me ‘I am a princess, bow to me.’ I think the worst of it though was you lying on that lumpy little mattress asking me if ‘I wanted to feel like a stallion’. If I were you, I’d be glad that I am above taking advantage of a mare in such a condition. So yes, it would be preferable if you didn’t ever drink apple whiskey again.” 
As Arkay listed increasingly embarrassing transgressions that she had no recollection of, Cherri could feel herself blushing more and more. The more she blushed, the farther her heart sank. ‘He probably has absolutely no respect for me anymore.’ She thought to herself as Arkay looked upon her with an expression she never saw him make to her. It was one that seemed to just scream ‘I told you so’ and made her feel like a foal. 
Cherri looked down to avoid Arkay’s eyes. She was so ashamed. In all her years of living in Canterlot, she had been to plenty of wine tastings, parties (as a caterer), and other gatherings in which wine was served. This apple whiskey however was a different beast entirely. “Well what happens now?” She asked tentatively. She wanted to salvage any respect Arkay still had for her at all. 
Arkay gave her a very serious stare for a few moments, but then let out an exasperated sigh. “I can’t stay mad at you. I am sure there are worse things that could have happened than you just being obnoxious and suggestive. So I forgive you.” Arkay said regaining his composure. At this Cherri let out a sigh of relief. “However.” Cherri frowned at this. Didn’t he already forgive her? Did he really need to torture her like that? Arkay just smiled, obviously enjoying this. “If something like this happens again, I will be forced to punish you.”
Cherri felt herself blushing again. “Wait, whatever is that supposed to mean?” 
Arkay let out a small chuckle. “It means what it means, now let’s go meet with the others, Marshal and Nikola are here and we need to negotiate certain things on how exactly Outpost can assist our ‘little rebellion’ as Marshal calls it. I would feel better if Nero was here to listen in on things as well, but he is missing. I wouldn’t worry about him too much; he can handle himself fairly well. That is if he isn’t too busy talking to himself. Anyway we have some political negotiations to make, shall we princess?” Arkay opened the workshop door for Cherri to exit.
“Of course.” Cherri replied with a clearly fabricated smile. ‘When did he learn to be so evil? More importantly who taught him?’ Cherri asked herself as she exited the workshop. Then it hit her. ‘Oh yeah, I sort of did.’



“I’m not sayin that there’s anythin wrong with the new rifle ya done gave me, I’m just sayin that it has a bit less of a crack to it.” 
“Yes, this is true. The new lever action design in indeed a smaller caliber and therefore a bit less deadly than older design, but this comes with many advantages. With this new design, you can follow up shots on the target very easy. This means that if you really want to kill what you are aiming at, all you need do is work the lever. However this also means that if you just want to give warning shot to target, you can do so with less chance of removing their legs.”
“Yeah that’s fine and dandy and all, but I have a feelin that there’s more of a fear factor to a rifle that cracks like the older one than one that jus’ pops like this new one.” Marshal and Nikola were discussing the ups and downs of rifle design as Arkay and Cherri entered the living room. A rather strange precursor to political negotiation but then again, Marshal wasn’t the everyday political leader if he was one at all.
“Are you two still going on about this rifle business?” Arkay asked as he and Cherri entered the room. 
Marshal smiled at Cherri’s entrance of the living room and ignored Arkay’s question altogether. “Well now, if it isn’t our little ‘princess’. Have fun last night you two?” Arkay and Cherri looked away from each other blushing. 
“Ah yes, to be young.” Apparently Nikola was going to jump aboard the ‘make fun of Arkay and Cherri’ express as well. “I remember, mind you not all that clearly, of a night I spent with a beautiful young mare in my previous workshop. Let me just say that she was not as beautiful and young in the morning as she was the night before. It was a bit of a fiasco, but everything was relatively smoothed over afterwards. At any rate, I am glad that you two got to experience the shame of bad decisions now. Perhaps you will look back at this someday and-“
“Okay, just stop. Nothing happened between us last night, alright? I am sure there were things on my mind at the time that would not normally be on my mind, but nothing happened. So you can stop poking fun at us for whatever reason.” Cherri had just about enough of this morning and would rather have gone back to sleep.  But as they say, political negotiations before comfort. 
Nikola and Marshal exchanged a look, and both shrugged. “Fine, whatever you say ‘princess’. Just remember next time that you don’t mess with apple whiskey, because if you can’t handle it you will end up gettin bucked one way or the other.” Marshal could not have chosen worse words to piss off Cherri, but she managed to keep her cool and swore there was some way she was going to get back at him for poking fun at her over such a sensitive topic. 
“Well if every pony is done talking about the guns and the consequences of alcohol, I’d like to get started on those political negotiations.” Arkay interjected in an attempt to get things back on track. 
Marshal chuckled. “Oh I could go on for days about this, but I guess you are right Arkay. Let’s talk fancy.” 
Arkay was taken aback at this. Never before had Marshal actually called him by his name. Perhaps taking a spear in the wing was worthy of respect in this town? At any rate, it was progress. “Right, let’s talk fancy. Now that we have assisted you in your buffalo situation how exactly do you plan on lending us your support?” Arkay asked outright. No need to beat around the bush.
There it was again. Marshal took a moment to think. For a gruff law pony out east of Canterlot, Marshal definitely took his time to think situations over. This could be either good a very bad for negotiating. Arkay started to look around the room to distract him from the silence, but Marshal finally responded. “Well I don’t imagine I’ll help much at all.” Arkay’s hopes for a thoughtful discussion were dashed right then and there. “What in blazes have you done to help us? Yeah, you almost got killed by buffalo, but you haven’t done nothin that we couldn’t have done ourselves. The buffalo charged on out town anyway, and I killed their leader like I would have done anyway. In your time here, all you have managed to do is get trapped, get speared, and get drunk. To me, you seem like pretty worthless allies.”
Arkay was at a loss for words. Sure he had almost died twice for the ponies of Outpost, but Marshal had a very valid point. Had the situation been left as it was, the same outcome would have probably occurred. The only difference Arkay could imagine was perhaps more buffalo would have been killed, but he didn’t think Marshal cared about that. After all Arkay had watched Marshal as he killed two buffalo in the time he had known the law pony. Both times there was no hesitation, just a trained focus. Who knew how many buffalo he had killed up to this point? It was rather depressing to the green Pegasus that all of his collective efforts with his friends to help these ponies could so easily be brushed off as unimportant and unnecessary. 
Arkay was about to voice a response, but he stopped. Was Marshal… smiling? The gruff law pony burst out laughing. This was not a fake laughter either; Marshal completely lost his serious expression and fell to the floor laughing. “Okay, what in Celestia’s name is going on?” Arkay asked a bit aggravated. 
Marshal finally regained his composure and picked himself up from the floor. “Ha-Ha! Oh, you do not know how long it has been since I have laughed like that. You shoulda seen the looks on your faces; priceless. I’m just jokin around with ya Arkay. You and your little rebellion have the support of every pony in Outpost. You got a lotta guts, and you are gonna need ‘em if you plan on standin up to Celestia herself. Of course, it don’t hurt to have firepower on your side either. Me an’ Nikola here are gonna make sure that our ponies and whoever else you are gonna get on your side have the kind of firepower necessary to take out however many of Celestia’s legion of toy soldiers you are gonna need to.” Arkay could do without the jokes and self-doubt that Marshal played on him, but couldn’t be happier about his decision. 
“Thank you so much Marshal. You don’t know how much your support means to our republic. Hopefully it won’t come to ‘taking out toy soldiers’, but thank you.” Arkay said. It wasn’t a full sized city, but a first step is a first step. Now that he knew that this idea of a republic could crawl, he set his hopes on getting this republic to run. With luck things would continue a bit more peacefully, but there was no such thing as luck for Arkay.



With the political negotiations over, Arkay could focus his thoughts on the second objective of the day. Finding Nero. Arkay and Cherri had exited Nikola’s house and left Marshal and ‘the professor’ to discuss exciting things like black powder. The train station was a quiet place to sit and think, so they sat and thought there. 
“If I were Nero, where would I be?” Cherri asked out loud. Hopefully an idea would pop into her or Arkay’s head.
“I would guess the bar trying to get one of the unicorn ‘show mares’ to ‘show him some magic’, but I know he isn’t because we already checked all four of the bars here.” Arkay answered half-joking, half-serious. 
Cherri shrugged. “You would probably be right.” She said matter-of-factly. The two sat in silence and thought for a moment, but Cherri decided to break it. “I know what makes those ‘show mares’ so special. It’s not the makeup, and it’s not just the skimpy dresses they wear. It’s magic.” Arkay looked at Cherri with a confused expression. “A lot of those mares are using an illusion spell to look younger since make up can only go so far. Simple to spot really, if you know what to look for. As for the overly excited yips and ye-haws that come from the back room, definitely magic. I don’t think ponies normally get that excited about-“
“That’s enough Cherri. I’d hate to find out where you were going with that thought.” Arkay wanted to stop this before it got to an extremely uncomfortable level. “Two questions if you please. Why do you know this? More importantly, why are you telling me?” 
Cherri smiled. “Well when I was learning magic in Canterlot, I was young and had a pretty strong crush on one of the other students. She was a white unicorn with a-“
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a second. She?” Arkay asked quickly. 
“Yes Arkay. She. Don’t judge. Anyway, I had this thought in my head that maybe I could ask her for dinner sometime or maybe go to a musical. Something to do as friends. I then hoped that we could be more than friends. So I learned some things that might be important or fun later. She ended up with some stuck up conductor of one of the orchestras that performed at Canterlot Hall. So I gave up hope on that endeavor and ended up giving up on mares in general." Cherri said sounding a bit reminiscent.
Arkay was, for the second time that day, at a loss for words for a moment. “Didn’t answer my second question Cherri. Why are you telling me?” He asked with a concerned frown. 
Cherri chuckled at him. “Oh, I don’t think there is a reason in particular. It just means what it means.” Arkay saw what she did there, and hated that she could be so evil. Then again, he may have deserved that one. 
“This is just so sweet.” A voice from behind Cherri and Arkay said almost quietly. The two of them whipped around to find the source to see an older stallion earth pony wearing a conductor’s hat behind the open windows of the train station. “I have seen a lot of different ponies comin’ and a goin’ through this here town since its establishment. I don’ think I’ve seen a pair as strange as the two of yous though.” 
Embarrassment washed over both Arkay and Cherri. “Um, how long exactly have you been standing there?” Cherri asked tentatively. 
The old tan stallion chuckled and brushed through his grey mane. “Well, let’s just say that when I got here, this mane was blond and in a lot better shape. You two remind me of the way things used to be; young, full of energy, with a ‘never say die’ attitude. Those were the days I tell ya.” The old stallion seemed awfully reminiscent about ‘those days’. 
Arkay exchanged an uncomfortable look with Cherri. Then he ventured out for conversation rather than story time. “Um sir that’s nice and all, but what-“ 
“Back then, this little town used to be a minin town.” Apparently it was going to be story time. “The landlords all told us there was nothin out here. Told us there was no point in startin a town where there is nothing but sand and dirt. We knew though. We knew there was gold out here. The mountains were where it was hidin. Took a little to find out, but when we did this place became the talk of all of Equestria. The miners and minin company got so rich from all the gold we done found that lots of the younglings wanted to get in on the profit. When they showed up however, the mines stopped givin. Some say it was a curse, others say it was jus’ misfortune. Either way, this here town is now in its twilight days. Only thing that brings in any money is the bars and the station. This place is just a shadow of its former glory as an establishment of fortune seekers. I would say I miss all the energy that’s been missing, but I too am running out of time. Just like this town. Only bit of energy I’ve seen recently is in that Marshal fellow, you two, and that crazy Pegasus talking to himself last night.” 
That got Arkay’s attention immediately. “Wait, did you say there was a Pegasus that was talking to himself?” He asked quickly. Since he was at Nikola’s house last night, this other Pegasus had to be Nero. It wasn’t much, but this old stallion’s word was a better lead than Arkay and Cherri had all day. 
The old stallion nodded a few times. “Yeah, he was goin’ on and on about how he was gonna go and find some treasure out in the desert…” 
The old stallion went on to talk about something else, but Arkay was already gone. He galloped out of the main street of Outpost toward the cave of Oasis with Cherri right behind him. “Where are you going Arkay? There is an entire desert to search for that Pegasus.”
Arkay laughed in response. “Yeah you’re right, but there’s only one place that has a treasure that Nero would be after that he knows about. He has got to be in Oasis. You may not remember it, but I remember the look he was giving that sun stone. He has got to be there if he is anywhere in this desert.” Cherri could see a lot of flaws in Arkay’s logic, but she didn’t have another idea as to where he could possibly be. 



Meanwhile, in the middle of said desert. 
“And they just ran away?” Aurora asked almost entranced. 
“That’s right; sunlight repelled them just like that. They ran for the trees to get away from it.” Nero said confidently. The two of them had been cantering through the dust lands while Nero told Aurora about some of the more successful treasure hunting excursions that he and Arkay had been on. “After that we were summoned to speak with the princesses themselves!” He exclaimed proudly.
Aurora gave a doubtful smirk. “Okay, now I know you are making this up. When have those two ever shown an interest in anything that was outside of their ‘wonderful city’?” Aurora asked with somewhat cruel honesty. “It’s not like they ever had to go through being hunted by crazy ponies.”
Nero could only shrug in response. “I don’t know, but they did ask to see us. More importantly, they had a task for us. Well more specifically Luna had a task for us. She rebelled against her sister Celestia and decided to start a republic or something. At any rate, she wants me and Arkay to go around and convince towns and different races to become a part of the Lunar republic. Not sure how exactly things are going back at Outpost, but I am sure that Arkay is taking care of it. More importantly she also wants us to find a really rare gem. Even better, I know exactly where this gem is. I just don’t know how exactly that I am going to get it.” Somehow, Nero had a tone in his voice that was both excited and disappointed. 
Aurora put on another doubtful smirk. This time however, it was Orian that responded. “Shouldn’t it be easy for you Mr. Treasure hunter? How hard could it be to carry a small sun back to your oh-so-benevolent princess Luna? Even more fun would be watching how you would do that without melting the train you would ride or seeing you and your silly little friends burn their hooves trying to carry it for miles.” He said with a chuckle.
Nero just gave his imaginary companion a scowl. Aurora on the other had did more. “That’s really rather unnecessary don’t you think? Maybe Nero hasn’t gotten that far yet, which isn’t that surprising since he has to deal with you following him around all the time. Don’t you have anything else better to do that make dumb jokes?” She had an accusing tone in her voice that sounded like a mother reprimanding her foal for taking the last of the last of the cookies. 
Nero stopped and stared at Aurora. She too stopped and looked back at Nero confused. “You… can see Orian?” He asked almost scared.
Aurora smiled and nodded. “Yup, I can see him. It’s kind of complicated though. I found that I can see the aura of conscious beings. There could be any reason as to why. It might be one of my ancestors being a Unicorn, or could be a magic accident when I was young. I don’t really know for sure. At any rate, I can see your friend Orian. He isn’t as defined as a regular pony, but he definitely still is there. I can hear him too, but his voice is a little less clear than normal voices.” She said casually. As if being able to see a figment of a pony’s imagination was an everyday thing. 
Nero looked at Orian with a confused look. Orian just shrugged and vanished, apparently at a loss for sarcastic comments this time. Nero again looked at Aurora. “So, you can see the aura of conscious beings?” He asked carefully. “What does mine look like?”
The two of them stopped in their tracks. Aurora stared at Nero, directly into his eyes. He could imagine she was literally looking into his soul; somewhat of a scary thought. Aurora scrunched up her face in a way that seemed rather silly to him, but he kept himself from laughing. They stood there for what seemed like hours to Nero. Aurora un-scrunched her face and then put on a concerned look. “Well it really is tough to say with your aura and your friend’s aura mixed together. I could normally give a better description, but at the moment it’s just a mish-mash of red and blue flames around you. I can only guess that the red belongs to your friend, and the blue is your own. Then again I have been wrong before.” She said nonchalantly. 
Nero thought about this for a moment, but could only come up with one question. “Does it get annoying?”
Aurora gave him a confused look “What do you mean?”
“All that aura stuff you see. Does it get annoying to see it all the time?” Nero asked.
“Oh that.” Aurora giggled quietly. “Well, I only see it if I focus on it. I can’t see it if I don’t look for it. So in a way, I can turn it off. So no; seeing the aura doesn’t get annoying. However, I do make a point to look at the aura of every pony that I meet. Gives me sort of an idea of what that pony is like before I even meet them.” That explained most of Nero’s curiosities about this ‘aura’ business.
Aurora again started off in the direction that the two of them were heading. Nero caught up with her quickly. “Where do you think you are going?” He asked with a laugh.
Aurora kept going however. “I’m going this way obviously. We were going this way after all and the only thing worth seeing off in the distance is that small mountain and the town of Outpost. Plus I don’t think we are going to find any treasure like what you and your friend described in a little town like that.” She said confidently. 
Nero couldn’t think of a good comeback to that logic. So instead he went along with it. “Well, yeah you are right. We are going to the underground civilization of Oasis. There is a population of deer that live there because of a magic sun stone. I plan on getting it for Luna. She did say that I would know it if I saw it, so I am going to go ahead and guess that the sun stone is what she wanted us to get. I just can’t exactly tell why she would want it. If anything, wouldn’t she want a gem that emulated the moon?” Nero thought out loud. Maybe Nikola’s inability to think to himself was rubbing off on him. 
Aurora smiled. “Well then, what are we waiting around here for? Race ya!” She said quickly and immediately galloped toward the cave that Nero knew was the entrance to Oasis.
Nero sped up to a gallop to match Aurora’s. “Bring it on then!” He yelled as he caught up to her quickly. “I don’t think that running in the desert is exactly safe, but I never turn down a challenge.” With the both of them galloping toward it, the distance to Oasis was closing fast for the two Pegasus. 



The underground city of Oasis was just as it was left the previous day; calm. The trees that grew all around the village were softly swaying in the wind that neither Arkay nor Cherri could find the origin to. They looked around for a moment to realize that it had to be the ‘skylight’ that was creating a cross breeze with the winding tunnel that was the entrance. The several underground rivers that converged in Oasis were trickling softly into the deer’s sophisticated aqueducts and together formed a symphony of flowing tranquility. This place truly was apart from the rest of the world’s turmoil. Too bad Arkay would have to be the one to ask if he and Nero could take all of this peace away from its denizens.
Arkay stopped marveling at the perfection of Oasis and asked aloud. “Alright, where is Falling Leaves?”
“Right here young one.” A small voice behind Arkay sounded, sending him again leaping into the air. This time however, he did not have both wings to keep him afloat and fell back to the ground with a thud. Cherri couldn’t help but giggle.
Arkay got back up to his hooves. “Please stop doing that Falling Leaves. With all that has happened this morning, I don’t think I can take any more surprises.” He said sullen.
Falling Leaves cocked her head to the side in confusion. “Do what? I was standing here the whole time.” She said innocently. 
Arkay rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever you say ninja deer. I have returned to ask you a very important question Falling Leaves.” He started in a dower tone. 
Falling Leaves simply nodded in response. “I knew you did. Why else would you come back to Oasis? You have after all completed your mission of vengeance toward the buffalo haven’t you? That could only mean that you wish to take our sun stone away from us.” 
Arkay froze for a moment. “Wait a second. How did you know exactly why we returned? Has Nero been back here yet?” He asked carefully. 
Falling Leaves sighed quietly. “Well it could be the only reason you returned. There is nothing down here for a Pegasus who loves the freedom of the open skies. I doubt you could stay down here for more than a few hours before getting jittery and desiring the outside, regardless of your new handicap. As for your unicorn companion, there is nothing down here that she could not easily acquire through the means of magic. She could easily spring forth water even in the desert, or force the growth of a plant to eat. Furthermore, both of you were blatantly staring at it the most since you entered. There could be no other solution.” For an old deer chief, Falling Leaves sure knew how to read ponies like a book. Arkay and Cherri exchanged a pleading look, but neither could formulate an argument. So to save time they just nodded. No need to dance around the topic apparently. Falling Leaves sighed again. “To be honest, nothing would make me happier.” 
Both Arkay and Cherri perked right back up at that “Really?” Cherri asked with a squeak in her voice.
Falling Leaves, for the third time, sighed. Apparently this was exhausting for her. Then again, it was the lively hood of her village she was giving away. “Yes. Celestia’s gift has been good for our race for many years but that just it. We have been selfish with this gift. It is time for it to move on and be used for a higher purpose. We will prepare to leave soon.” A great many things ran through Arkay’s head all at once. Was this really the right thing to do? What kind of consequences would follow this act? Why was she so okay with him and Nero taking their gift away? It really did bother him. While he was contemplating all of these things, Falling Leaves continued her statement. “There is one thing however that must be true for you to be able to take the sun stone. You must have been chosen to be the bearer of the Element of Honesty. For Honesty was the element that, many seasons ago, our race received from the goddess of the sun herself Celestia. The chiefs of the old age were chosen to lead us to a new way of life, and here we have stayed. There have been few of us that have attempted to move or steal the element before, but these malcontents were punished for their actions. The element took the form of a small sun when the chiefs of the old utilized it and as such the false ones were burned for their attempts to steal what was not theirs to take. It is told that the element changes with the one who touches it, but this cannot be for certain. If you truly and honestly intend to use this element for a higher purpose, then you will do so. If you are however a liar and intend to use it only for personal gain, you will be burned like the rest of the thieves and liars who have attempted to steal or take it. As such in our traditions, we will not be able to help you if you are burned by Celestia’s fire for your actions. On the alternative if you are successful, we will continue on with our lives as the days of the old and again roam the lands above. Is this something you truly wish to go through with?” 
Arkay just could not catch a break with these hard choices today. Now there was another option on the table; death. What were the chances that he would be ‘chosen to bear the element of honesty’? If he wasn’t, then he was going to die. There was no reason to risk his life for Luna if she could come by and retrieve the element herself. This was a miniature sun they were talking about after all. Certainly it was something that was never meant to be touched by the hooves of a mortal pony. Then again if the chiefs of the old age were able to harness it, perhaps there was more to this than Arkay thought. After all it was here. How else could it have gotten here? Arkay took a deep breath and made his decision. “I will try to harness the element Falling Leaves. Tell the deer to get ready to leave. I imagine it is going to get very dark in here once the sun goes out.” Never before had Arkay put so much on the line for the sake of a single decision. He just hoped he made the right one.
Falling Leaves nodded once more. It seemed like that was her reaction to most decisions pertaining to the good of her race. “Good, because I saw your grey friend running up the stairs with another light blue pony just a little bit ago. You should probably go stop them.” She said, somehow still being calm.
Arkay and Cherri snapped their view to the stairs leading up to the highest tower where the element resided. Sure enough, there was a grey Pegasus galloping up the stairs and another light blue Pegasus right behind him. Cherri waved a hoof in front of Arkay’s face. “Come on Arkay! We have to stop them now! I don’t think they know they will be burned to death if they touch it! Let’s GO!” She yelled and galloped toward the same set of stairs Nero and his new friend were on. Arkay shook head to get back to reality and galloped after her.



Aurora and Nero approached the sun at the top of the tower and gazed upon it in awe. This was the reason the deer had disappeared from every pony’s view and knowledge. There was so much given and taken away by this one object. There was so much potential untapped, and so much relying on it. And Nero was going to take it without a second thought, or try to anyway. 
“So this thing is the treasure that you are supposed to find for Luna or whatever?” Aurora asked with a noticeable lack of awe in her voice. 
Nero nodded. “Yup, this is it. Now the only question is how I am going to manage to get this thing back to the princess. Orian did make a good point; this thing is far too big to carry around. Also, it is kind of on fire. That couldn’t be comfortable to carry for miles at all. You wouldn’t happen to have any ideas would you?” He asked, at a loss for any good ideas for how to carry a miniature sun around with him. 
“I have a few.” Of course Orian couldn’t help but say something smart. “How about we ask Celestia if she could carry it back to Luna? She raises the sun every day after all. How little effort would it be for her to come and carry something much, much smaller back to that little library in Ponyville?”
There went Nero’s good mood. “That has to be the dumbest idea I have heard from you in a while Orian. If we did that then Luna would know for sure that we were working for Celestia and would probably ruin our chances of ever getting her trust.” Nero retorted in aggravation.  
Orian put on a concerned face. “Well then what exactly are you going to do about your little big problem here? Lift this thing and fly all the way back to Ponyville?” He asked sarcastically.
Nero puffed out his chest. “Yes, I’m gonna move this thing myself. The sun is just light and heat anyway, how heavy could this thing be?” He laughed in the face of Orian’s sarcasm and moved toward the sun stone. 
Aurora gave Nero a cautious look. “This can’t be a good idea Nero. I just found you after these years. Do you really want to throw this away to try and prove a figment of your imagination wrong?” She pleaded. 
Nero nodded. “I am just about done with his crap. If I don’t do something to get him off my back I will never get rid of him. This time, we do things my way. My way!” Nero yelled as he lifted his hooves to the sun stone to try and lift it.
“No stop!” Arkay and Cherri finally reached the top of the tower, only to see Nero with his hooves on the Element of Honesty. “Oh Celestia damn us, we got here too late.” Arkay whispered in fear. 
Nothing happened. Nero smiled as he felt the sun stone carefully. It wasn’t even warm, yet it was exuding heat everywhere else but on itself. He looked back to see Arkay and Cherri at the top of the stairs. “Oh, so glad you could join us. I was just getting this sun stone to carry it back to Ponyville. Want to help?” He asked as if there was nothing wrong with trying to carry a sun with him.
Arkay trotted closer. “Nero you have to let go of that now. That isn’t just a gem or a stone. It is one of the Elements of Harmony. Only those that are chosen can touch it, all others are burned.” He explained quickly, urging Nero to let go. 
Aurora gave the green Pegasus with a broken wing a confused look. Nero on the other hoof laughed. “Ha-ha-ha! Do you really think that this could be one of the legendary elements that Luna and Celestia used to imprison Discord all those years ago? It doesn’t even look like it could be used to imprison anything. More importantly, it isn’t even hot. I don’t think it is going to burn me any time soon.” And just like that, Nero burst into flames. His eyes shot open in surprise. “I do appear to be on fire,” was all he could mutter before running around in circles trying to put out said fire. 
Aurora and Arkay immediately started trying to help put out their flaming friend as well, but there was no getting close to him as he flailed about in attempts to put out the flames. Cherri on the other hand tried using a bit of wind magic, to no avail. Every one of them were yelling and arguing on how they could save their friend before he became a very toasty pony. They all stopped and backed up however when the flames literally walked right off of Nero. He was left staring at his hooves in confusion. “Wasn’t I on fire?” He asked, clearly the question on all of their minds. 
The four of them looked at the flames still in the shape of a pony and saw something terrifying. The flames were smiling. The flames flickered and swayed in the slight breeze, but it was still a rather clear shape of a pony; just out of flames. Then the worst of it all occurred. The flame pony spoke. “Yes, you were on fire idiot. Only thing is, you weren’t burning. Your soul was. Those were magic flames from the Element of Honesty.” Its voice was nothing but unsettling to the four of the witnessing ponies.
It was unsettling for all except for one. “Is that you Orian?” Aurora asked.
To every pony’s surprise, the flames nodded. “Yeah, it’s me. How could you tell? Was it my dashing good looks? Oh no, I know. It had to be my unmistakable voice. Then again, I don’t know. It could be my looks. I am pretty hot at the moment.” Nero’s face scrunched up in anger. Orian, to Nero’s dismay, continued. “What’s the matter Nero? You see me all the time. Surly this can’t be too different from the norm.”
Arkay and Cherri both gave Nero a concerned look. Nero however just stared daggers at Orian in his new fiery form. “No, it’s not any different. I still can’t help but get angry at your appearance, and hate every word you say.” He spat venomously. 
It was hard to tell, but Orian put on a hurt expression. “Aw I’m so sorry. Would you like for your soul to be on fire again? I am sure that would be a lot better than having to look at me like you normally do.” He said in a fabricated whining tone. 
Arkay couldn’t take it anymore and just had to ask. “Okay, every pony just calm down. What exactly is going on here?” 
Orian turned his attention to Arkay and gave a nefarious grin. “Oh, nothing much is going on Arkay. I’m just saving your friend’s life.” Arkay was about to put up an argument, but Orian continued. “Then again, you wouldn’t be okay with that would you? You just have to save the day every time don’t you? You have to put your own life in danger so that others can be in relative safety.  Let me tell you something ‘hero.’ Putting yourself in danger doesn’t make you a hero. And don’t you even argue that you don’t want to be a hero either you self-righteous prick. You are the first to jump in the way of a spear, you are the one who wanted to keep Nero from touching the element so that you could take the risk for him, and you are the idiot who agreed to this stupid political crap in the first place. Beating yourself up and getting yourself torn to bits doesn’t make you a hero in any right. So stop thinking that you are some knight of right and give up on trying to make things better. You make me sick.” Arkay felt progressively worse as the flaming Orian went on and on about him. Could this hateful pony really be right about him?
Cherri however wasn’t going to have any of this. “Hey, you leave Arkay alone. He only does all of those things because he wants to make things better for every pony. He may not be perfect, but he is for sure better than some flame pony who just shows up and-“
“Oh you are so misguided Cherri.” Orian interrupted. “You follow this false example of goodness only because he tries to be everything you aren’t. You canter around thinking that you are some would-be example of perfection when in reality your morals have more holes in them than a beggar’s cloak.” It seemed that he was intent on ripping every one of them up emotionally. 
Nero, still angry, broke all this moral talk with an angry question. “If those flames were supposedly burning my soul, why are you not in pain?” 
Orian chuckled at that. “Well, it may be because living in your mind burns me every day.”
Arkay took a few steps toward the element. If there was a chance that he was indeed chosen to bear the Element of Honesty, there was no better time to try than now. Maybe if he could harness it, this flame pony would disappear. Orian however, didn’t let that slide. “Where do you think you are going ‘hero?” It asked with such arrogance it pained Arkay to listen. The flames moved to stop Arkay, but Nero moved in front of them. Orian took a step back and calculated Nero for a moment. “Really? I saved you from serious eternal burning of the soul, and you want to stop me? I tell you what Nero. You stop me now and I will give your burn back. By all means, take these flames back.” Nero just stood his ground firm. “Fine then, be that way.” Orian concluded and reared back to pounce on Nero and engulf him in flames. Aurora however, jumped to protect Nero from the flames. At this, Orian stopped. “Okay little girl look. I don’t have any reason to hate you yet, and you are giving me one. Seeing as you are one of the only ones that can see me other than Nero himself, I don’t want that to happen. Now would you kindly move to the side before that self-righteous hero touches the…” But it was too late. Arkay was already touching the element. Orian looked down at his hooves of fire, then to Arkay. He started galloping toward the green Pegasus, jumping right over Nero and Aurora, and proceeded to lunge at Arkay.
The element however made a resounding sound that echoed throughout the cave that was Oasis. Orian stopped in mid-air and stared at Arkay. The element slowly started glowing brighter and brighter. As it did, Orian found himself dissipating before them all. The flames were wiped away as if they were blown away by the wind. When the element reached a bright white, it stopped and collapsed into a much smaller shape. This new shape was that of a medium sized ring, just big enough to fit around the head of a pony. The ring floated down to Arkay’s hooves and stared to dim. When the brightness reached a viewable level, all four ponies saw a silver ring with a green gem peace sign in the center. Arkay lifted it and looked it over closely. “Did that really just happen?” He asked in disbelief. He looked it over again and noticed a chain latch on one side of the band, and observed the segmented silver. It wasn’t just a headband. “It’s a bandana.” He said quietly. 
Aurora gave a confused look. “It’s what now? She asked.
Arkay pointed at the bandana he was currently wearing. “It’s a bandana, one of these things. The element changed to its bearer. And that bearer is me.” Arkay looked to Nero. “What do you think it means?” He asked carefully.
None of them spoke for the longest time, then Aurora broke in. “I know! It means that we can get this thing back to the princess a lot easier now. Isn’t that right Nero?” She nudged Nero, but he didn’t say anything.
Arkay slowly removed his old bandana and placed the element in its place, being sure to latch the chain in the back. The segmented metal fit around his head perfectly. Not so loose that it would fall off, but tight enough for it to stay on his head without any effort on his part. Cherri giggled and picked up the old bandana with her magic. “Well, I don’t know what it means exactly. But I do know that Luna owes you two a proper explanation as to why she wanted you to retrieve something as valuable as one of the Elements of Harmony. Now I don’t know about you, but I’d rather get out of here now. Without that sun to keep this place lit, it is pitch-black down here beside that skylight.” The others looked around to see she was absolutely right. Cherri lit up her horn with magic. “I can lead the way with some light, now shall we leave this glorified tomb for the second time? Hopefully now we won’t have to come back for anything.” With that, she started down the long flight of stairs that lead down to the base of the tower. Arkay followed quickly, but Nero and Aurora stayed behind. 
“So, is that the Arkay and Cherri that you spoke of?” She asked. 
Nero nodded. “Yeah, that’s them.” He said simply.
“Your best friend and your newest friend?” Nero nodded. “Then what does that make me?” Aurora asked. “Your oldest friend?”
Nero smirked. “Perhaps. Then again maybe not.” He said. “Remember when we were just a little colt and a little filly? 
Aurora scrunched up her face. “Yeah, I think that would put me up in the running for being your oldest friend. Wouldn’t you think?” She asked.
Nero nodded, but continued his previous thought. “Remember when our parents had us set up to get married at a young age?” 
Aurora thought for a moment, looking back at her foal hood in the city of Amphitrite. “Yeah, we were going to have a nice dinner and that stupid ceremonial dance. What about it? That was years and years ago. Why are you asking me this now?” This was the first time Nero brought up anything from Amphitrite that he didn’t seem to absolutely hate. 
Nero shrugged. “I don’t know, but we should probably get going. I don’t think they are going to waste any time getting out of here. Let’s go.” And with that he leapt off of the side of the ledge and glided down to follow the light from Cherri’s horn. Aurora watched his dark form for a moment and followed. 



A cool evening breeze blew through the town of Outpost. Nero, Arkay, Cherri, and Aurora were standing at the train station with a small crowd of ponies. Among them were Marshal and Nikola. “In all my years of keepin’ this town in… relative order, I’d have never thought I’d be sad to see a group of non-earth ponies leave. I think that of all the Pegasus and unicorns I know, I’m gonna miss you guys the most.” Marshal was being surprisingly sentimental at the sight of his new Pegasus and unicorn friends leaving. The crowd had an unreadable feel about it. Nero couldn’t tell if they were either sad to see them leave, or happy that they were. 
Cherri giggled at the law pony. “Oh really now Marshal? How many other Pegasus and unicorns do you know exactly?” She asked with a playful sarcasm. 
Marshal smiled at this. “Well, I could answer that princess, but I think I’ll let your mind wonder on it instead. I really have ta’ thank you all for comin’ in and disruptin’ my town like you did. I don’t think things would have ended so well for any of us if you didn’t. Maybe Pegasus and unicorns ain’t so bad after all.” He pondered out loud. 
Nikola stepped forward as well. “You ponies have been interesting to work with, maybe you think you could come by sometime? I am sure there could always be something that you could do around here. Also Nero, keep that hoof in good shape. I do want you to show off the original creator’s work, but I don’t want the thing to end up as garbage.” Nikola said sounding like a father telling his child to be careful with a new toy. 
Nero nodded his affirmation. “Don’t worry I’ll do my best to take care of it. I’ll be sure to come by and get a tune up if it gets too messed up.” He said confidently.
“Well every pony, all aboard who’s goin’ aboard!” The old conductor pony yelled out to the crowd. The steam engine started up, preparing to transport the four of Outpost’s newest foreigners back to Canterlot.
Arkay was quite glad that the steam engine had found its way back to the station after that incident when it got hijacked and left in the dust lands. He didn’t think that he could very well get back to Canterlot or Ponyville without assistance. Turns out, losing the use of his wing caused him to feel quite limited. “Well Marshal, Nikola, and every pony in Outpost I have to admit. It has been real, and it has been fun. However, it hasn’t been real fun. Thank you all for your support of the republic, I think now we can be taken a little bit more seriously since we have all of you on our side.” He announced to the crowd. There was no reason to leave without first telling them that their help would be appreciated.
The well-dressed unicorn stallion from the bar stepped forward. He had a violin case strapped to his back. “Before you go, I want you to have this.” He said as he floated the case to Arkay. “I never saw a pony play this thing good as you did. I think that it is going to be in much more capable hooves if you have it instead of me.” 
Arkay held the case in his hooves and nodded to the stallion. “Thanks, I don’t know what else to say. I am going to have to come back and give Outpost a concert for this. Thank you so much.” He said graciously as he pulled the case on his back, using the strap to secure it. The steam engine let out a loud hiss; letting the four soon to be passengers know that they would be leaving soon, so they all got aboard. Arkay looked out to the ponies of Outpost one last time. “Farewell every pony and thank you again!” He yelled out to them as the steam engine started to chug down the tracks toward the mountains of Canterlot. 



“I’m just saying that it’s rather confusing. How is it that putting on skimpy outfits makes them appear to be more attractive?”
“Well, I can’t really give you a reason Cherri. In Canterlot and other high profile cities, clothes are considered a sign of high status. Most other places don’t worry with clothing.” 
“Yeah, that’s true Arkay, but it’s still confusing though. Why would putting on clothes make a mare sexier?” 
“I don’t know Cherri, maybe status is sexy?”
“Enough, that’s enough already you two! If I hear another word about this crap, I am going to lose my mind!” Aurora screamed at the two of them. Arkay and Cherri had been discussing prostitutes for the past hour, and Aurora was just about tired of it. 
Arkay shrugged. “I agree could we please change the subject?” He asked almost indignantly. 
There was silence in the cabin of the steam engine. Nero was looking out the window thoughtfully, resting his head on his normal hoof and letting his prosthetic hoof lay on the table between the two facing sets of seats. Aurora looked down at it and got an idea. “Oh I know! How did Nero get his metal hoof? I think ever pony wants to know.” She exclaimed happily.
At that, Arkay and Nero exchanged a look. It was true that they hadn’t told their new companions about that story yet. Nero just gave a shrug, so Arkay decided to be the one to explain. “Well back in the day when Nero and I were just colts in school, we had a really boring class. Well, at least for Nero it was boring. The class was about flight safety, and being the best flier in the class made it very boring for him. One day in this class-“ 
“One day in this class.” Nero broke in, because apparently Arkay wasn’t telling the story right. “While the teacher was going on and on about how not to descend too quickly, I was so incredibly bored. All of the other students were listening intently, and some were even taking notes. Arkay was among them because he was a nerd. Anyway, I was bored as usual in this class and happened to look out the window. There were open skies out there. I could have flown away right then and there and they couldn’t stop me for at least ten minutes. I decided not to however. Otherwise the authorities would put another infraction on my record, and I couldn’t have that happen or I would be forced to repeat the grade. That’s beside the point however, upon this window sill was an interesting bottle. I had to really squint to see the letters, but it was totally worth it. The bottle read ‘magical unicorn adhesive-made with REAL unicorn magic.’ I didn’t know what to think of this bottle at first, but after another ten minutes of listening to mister boring talker I got a hilarious idea. One that would be so funny, they would have to put it in the Pegasus newspaper. I looked over to Arkay to see if he was suspecting anything, but he was just writing away about how dangerous it is to fly in a tornado without a buddy. He was totally unsuspecting of the hilarious prank that would befall him later. When the class let out for lunch, I zipped by and swiped the magical adhesive without any pony noticing it was even gone. The rest of the day after lunch was so long. The minutes dragged on and on and on. So while time was being as slow as an old geezer, I formulated my plan. I was going to put a bunch of this adhesive on my hoof, and get Arkay to get his hoof stuck on mine. It was going to be awesome. I would occasionally chuckle audibly enough to draw attention to my plan, but the others just blew it off as if I wasn’t planning the most diabolical and hilarious plan ever thought of in flight grade school.  When the class finally ended for the students to go back home, I zoomed out of that glorified cloud prison to wait outside the entrance to wait for a certain unsuspecting green Pegasus.
Once outside in the warm spring air, I looked about the empty cloud. I couldn’t be too close to the entrance or my target would suspect something. I couldn’t be too far away either, or he might not even see me. Then I decided on the perfect place to wait. I would wait by the west edge of the cloud like I always would for Arkay at the end of the school day. Good thing I decided when I did too, because the students were starting to exit the building like the tools that they were. I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to myself, so instead of galloping to my destination I just trotted casually. Once there I searched my school bag for the adhesive. It was exactly where I put it, at the bottom of the bag. I then opened it carefully, because it was magic after all. The goopy stuff sort of glowed a bit in the sunlight, and smelled a lot like old cheese. I looked over at the school entrance and started to panic a little. My target was exiting and started to canter over to me. I turned around quickly and slathered my right hoof in the goopy magical adhesive. I then carefully closed the bottle and returned it to my bag, which was rather hard to do with only my left hoof. I was just in time though. Arkay had just gotten close to be within earshot and started talking about something like ‘oh, that there tornado class was sure exciting’ or ‘I feel so much more informed on the safety of blah, blah, blah’. I had to sit there through it for a moment, waiting for the perfect time to strike. There was some more boring conversation, but then the perfect chance presented itself to me. Arkay was just getting done about some dumb school talk, and ended with asking me ‘how dumb is that?’ I thought for just a moment and gave the stock response to such a query. ‘Yeah, that’s totally dumb.’ I then started the long and drawn out process of psychological warfare necessary to get this completely unsuspecting colt to fall right into my hilarious trap. ‘Bro hoof?’ I asked him confidently. He thought this over for a second, but that second was blistering for me. Could he have suspected my plan? Did he look down just slightly enough to see the slightly glowing goop on my hoof? Was this plan going to go down in flames terribly? All of this raced through my mind in an instant, but it didn’t have to. Arkay brought up his hoof to bump with mine. I smiled on the outside, but I was laughing and celebrating on the inside. It was going to work after all. Then there was that sweet moment that my plan came together. Literally, because we bumped our hooves together and the magic adhesive bonded them. After the second or two of a good bro hoof was over, Arkay tried to pull away. He couldn’t though. I started chuckling while he kept trying to pull his hoof from mine, but it didn’t work. When he finally asked ‘Nero, what is going on?’ I burst out laughing. It was then that he began to suspect something was wrong. So I decided to let him know about the trap that he fell into. I told him ‘I put magical adhesive on my hoof and got your hoof stuck to mine!’ At this, Arkay started getting all logical and asking stupid questions like ‘how are we gonna get our hooves unstuck?’ I thought for a moment and realized I hadn’t thought that far myself. After some serious consideration, I had an answer. ‘We pull.’ I told him with confidence. Arkay didn’t like that too much, but he complied. We started pulling and pulling, but that magical adhesive was putting up a serious fight. After some painful minutes of trying to pull our hooves apart, Arkay suggested that we go to the hospital for some medical help. I was about to give up as well, but I wanted to try one last time. So we pulled with everything we were worth. To both of our surprises there was a loud and gloppy pop, after which we were no longer stuck together. I laughed triumphantly at our victory, but Arkay was just horrified. I looked at his hoof and realized why. Our hooves weren’t unstuck at all, because my hoof was still on his. I looked down at my own foreleg and saw that there was nothing there from my ankle down. 
At this point I think I went into shock and passed out, because the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital and seeing the sterile cloud walls of an operating room. I wanted to ask where I was, but before I could they stuck a needle in me and injected what I could only suspect was something to put me back to sleep. I fell back into the numb feeling of sleep and didn’t wake until I was in another room altogether. This time I could ask where I was though, because there was a nurse in the room with me. She told me that I was very lucky to be alive, and that my friend was a very good one to bring me in when he did because otherwise I would have been dead. The most prolific thing she said to me was ‘hope you enjoy your new hoof. It was an invention by our very own Rainy Days.’ After which she left the room without another word. I took that time to un-wrap the bandages around it and saw a horrifying and amazing prosthetic hoof that replaced my natural one. It was overall astounding, and terrifying at the same time. I couldn’t feel anything in my right fore-hoof, from my ankle down it was numb. While I was marveling at my new hoof, they allowed Arkay into the room. I waved around my new hoof, showing off how cool it was. Unfortunately, Arkay was being all dumb and boring about it though. He was all like ‘when you have a bad idea like that again, don’t do it. I got the doctors to get your hoof unstuck from mine. So, this could have been avoided.’ I was too busy being excited about having a hoof made out of metal, or whatever it was made out of. And that my friends, if how I lost my hoof.” Nero ended his story quite abruptly. 
There was silence within the cabin of the steam engine, beside from the chug of the engine itself and the click-clack of the metal wheels against the rails. The four passengers sat in their seats silently, until Aurora decided to break it. “So, you lost your hoof over an impractical joke?” She deadpanned. The others looked to Nero for confirmation or denial, he however just sat with a frozen look on his face. “Awesome.” Aurora said, almost as an amazed whisper. 
Nero smiled at her in gratitude. “Yeah may not have been the best of ideas, but what’s done is done. No need to dwell on the past right? So, what’s the plan for when we return to our little base of operations in Ponyville?” Nero asked looking directly at Arkay, as if he had any idea. 
Arkay thought for a moment. This next move would be important after all. Telling Luna of their success was the top manner at hoof, but there was one problem with the other objective one their plate. “Well.” He started. “Should be straightforward telling Luna that Outpost will support the republic, but the complicated thing will be telling Celestia that Luna had us get this.” Arkay pointed at the Element of Honesty that adorned his head. “She said that she needed to know if Luna had us collect anything. Perhaps she knew Luna would be going after the elements all along? At any rate, how would we go about letting her know without Luna catching wind of it?” He asked to no pony in particular. 
There it was again, silence. This time however it steamed from none of the passengers having any good plan as to how they could sneak a message to royalty without royalty knowing. The silence was again broken by Aurora. “OH! Why don’t we send her a letter?” She asked rather loudly. 
Cherri scoffed at this idea. “Really now? How would you manage to get such a letter directly to the princess without some pony who is not supposed to have it to get their hooves on such valuable information? The post office? I think not.” Aurora didn’t even deflate at her idea being shot down in the slightest. 
Then an idea hit Arkay and he perked up immediately. “That actually isn’t a bad idea Aurora.” The pony in question stuck out her tongue to the pick unicorn. “Nero, remember when Celestia said that there was a dragon we could contact in Ponyville when we needed to send her a message? I think his name was…Thorn or something. If we could get him to take a letter to Celestia, then we wouldn’t have to worry about it being seen by prying eyes or Luna.” Arkay said confidently. 
The rest of Arkay’s companions however didn’t seem too confident about his idea. “What if this dragon doesn’t deliver?” Cherri asked, uncertainty heavy in her voice.
“What happens if this dragon also works for Luna and gives the letter to her?” Aurora asked, playing the devil’s advocate.
Arkay looked over to Nero, waiting expectantly for an excuse or reason from his long-time treasure hunting partner. Nero just gave him a shrug though. “There are so many holes in your plan that if I listed them for you, it would take longer than the remainder of this ride back to cover them all. Let me just say it’s a bad idea Arkay.” He said grimly. 
Arkay gave a heavy sigh. “Alright if my plan is so wrong, why don’t you come up with your own plans for how this will work out?” Again silence. Arkay looked to Nero, who just stared out the cabin window. He then looked to Aurora, who stared right back without flinching. Arkay then dared a glance at Cherri who returned the glance for a moment, but then became incredibly interested in the marbling on the ceiling panels. Sighing again, Arkay continued. “I know it’s not the best plan, but what else do we have? I don’t think we could just go up to Celestia and tell her that Luna had us go and get an Element of Harmony. It’s never that easy.” Arkay really didn’t like the idea of trusting a dragon none of them knew with a message to Celestia that could ruin everything for himself and Nero. He removed the Element of Honesty from his head and looked into the green peace sign gem that adorned the center. 
Silence again choked the four lone passengers of the steam engine. As afternoon gave way to evening and the once-distant mountains of Canterlot were approaching, the old conductor stallion peaked in on the passengers. Arkay prayed that he didn’t have another story to tell. “We won’t be stoppin’ in Canterlot, Marshal done told me that yous were goin’ straight to Ponyville.” He announced to the four of them, who nodded eagerly in response. “Well then, full steam ahead to Ponyville! I remember back when I was a little colt. This was before I moved out to the good ol’ Outpost and it’s a bit fuzzy, but there was a time when I was…” 
Nero, Arkay, and Cherri blocked out the old stallion as he went into soap box mode. Aurora on the other hoof listened intently to story time as the city of Canterlot came into view. 



The small town of Ponyville was asleep. This was to be expected though, it was night time. The steam engine chugged in loud as ever, probably disrupting many ponies from their peaceful night’s sleep. Nero didn’t care however, the only thing he had on his mind was getting off the steam engine as soon as possible. Story time was still in full swing as the engine came to a screeching halt in the station of Ponyville. 
“…And that’s why you should never ask a mule if he has a toupee.” The old stallion was just finishing a story about some grumpy old mule he tried to cheer up, which lacked any interesting qualities at all. Aurora was still listening though, with a smile on her face no less. The old stallion opened his mouth again. Nero was ready to attempt committing suicide with his metal hoof, but was relieved to hear the words the old stallion was saying. “Well unfortunately, I gotta say goodbye for now young lady. Marshal told me to come right back after I got done transportin you four here.” He said almost solemnly, his passengers however didn’t share the sentiment at all and got right off of the steam engine onto the boarding platform of the Ponyville station. All except Aurora who stuck by long enough to say goodbye to the old stallion.
As she stepped onto the platform, she looked up to see the glares of Nero, Arkay, and Cherri. “Why did you have to encourage him?” Arkay pleaded her.
Aurora just beamed at the green Pegasus. “He used to live on a farm. A FARM Arkay! Earth ponies make food on those things! Food that Pegasus eat! It’s fascinating that our livelihood depends on them so heavily, and yet we never come down and visit or ask if we can help. Why is that? How come we Pegasus never come down here? Do you know what it must be like to grow actual food? Do earth ponies wish that they could fly?” Aurora fired off questions so quickly, there was no hope in answering any one of them before there was more to replace it. 
Nero on the other hoof, was not so impressed. “Yeah, they make food. Fascinating, except not at all.” He said with a tad bit of scorn. “Let’s just get to the library please. I’d like to get this done already.” And with that they followed Nero to the treehouse library, which was quickly coming into view. 
Cherri was star struck by the structure. “Wow! Was this built like this? No, this was grown with magic! That is some powerful magic right there. Who is the magnificent pony who grew this library?” She fired off all at once.  
The four ponies approached the door of the magical treehouse library. Nero knocked at the door loudly and stepped back just a bit to join the others in giving the door some clearance. Said door swung open with a swoosh to reveal the Princess of the Night, Luna, standing at the door with a half-eaten apple enveloped in her light blue field of magic. Graceful and magnificent indeed. She swallowed the apple bits she was chewing on and smiled brightly to her subjects. Arkay and Cherri fell into a bow while Nero and Aurora just stayed standing. “Ah, it is good to see that you were not killed in the desert and are…relatively unharmed. I also see that you brought friends to join the cause. Most wonderful.” She motioned for the green Pegasus and pink unicorn to get up, wincing at the bandages on Arkay’s wing. “Come in! I must hear how things went for you.” She said eagerly as she retired into the main room of the treehouse library. 
Nero, Arkay, Cherri, and Aurora followed her inside and closed the door behind themselves. Nero gave a quick look around the room to notice full book shelves. Luna must have been busy collecting books while they were gone, the last time they were here the shelves were all empty and begged to be filled with books. It looked like the non-sentient shelves wishes came true at last. Arkay stepped forward to Luna “Princess we bring good news. After a misguided chief was dealt with by Marshal the law pony, it looked like that buffalo gave up on tormenting the ponies of Outpost. Furthermore, said ponies of Outpost pledge to assist and become a part of the republic. We now have a hoof in the door of breaking away from your sister completely.” Luna smiled at this news, but was clearly waiting for something else. 
So Cherri picked up the discussion and stepped forward as well. “On a different note Princess, we retrieved this.” She said as Arkay removed the Element of Honesty from his head once more and hooved it over to Luna. She gazed down at it with an approving smile, Cherri wanted answers though. “This is the Element of Honesty. Why did you have Nero and Arkay go after something like this and not tell them what it was?” 
Luna gazed away from the group of ponies in front of her, formulating some kind of explanation. “Well you see many years ago, Celestia and myself imprisoned the spirit of chaos Discord in stone using the Elements of Harmony. The Elements hold great power, and I was thinking that perhaps I could use them to get Celestia give up altogether. However, there is a problem with this plan. The Elements only work against those that represent an evil that is against all that is harmonious. Celestia knows this as well, so there is no way that we could win this over with the Elements so easily. Still they could be useful in solidifying our position as an independent republic. If our republic had all of the Elements of Harmony and Celestia had none we would have a sort of Writ of Harmony and would be the rightful choice of who is the true ruler of Equestria. I do apologize for sending you after something without telling you what exactly it was, but would you have gone after it if you knew it was one of the Elements?” She asked, almost prodding. 
Nero, overhearing the conversation between Luna and his two brightly colored companions, considered this for a moment. She did have a point. Something as important as an Element of Harmony was priceless, and would never be bought anywhere. In all honesty he probably would have still gone after it, if only to have something to blackmail the princesses for one reason or another. Nero would have said as much, but there was no reason to bring up an ugly topic like blackmail when things were going rather smoothly anyway. That and the fact that he was too lazy to bring such things up, Arkay and Cherri were already doing the talking for him anyway. 
Arkay too seemed to consider such things. “Well, you are probably right Princess. I don’t think that I would have been totally on board with retrieving something as unpredictable as one of the Elements of Harmony. If I may ask another question though, why was it with an underground civilization of deer? They claimed it was a gift from Celestia Is this true?” He asked carefully. It was one of the many things that bothered him about retrieving it. 
Luna rolled her eyes at this question. “Yes, it was a gift in a way. After we imprisoned Discord in stone, many of the nations and species were still volatile and untrustworthy. So to ease tensions on the fact that Celestia and I had possession of ancient relics that could be dangerous, she found it best to entrust them to a select groups of individuals. I only know where two of them went however, I was not present for the entirety of the meeting. I know that one was given to the deer, this was Honesty. Another was given to the temple city of Amphitrite, they were given Loyalty. I am not aware of the whereabouts of where the other Elements are held. They were seen as less of a threat when they were apart from each other, as their true potential is unlocked only when they are used together for the greater good. They do not work for those with selfish and evil desires in their hearts. Unfortunately, Celestia isn’t exactly chaotic or a symbol of disharmony so I don’t think that combining all of the Elements would work on her. However it wouldn’t hurt to have them on our side just in case.” Luna seemed to be in the speeches and lore mood today. Then again, Arkay did ask about lore and such so what could he expect. 
Aurora thought over this for a moment and decided to join in. “Alright, but now that we have this Element what do we do with it? It can’t be safe to keep such a thing around a library, even if we had it guarded all the time. How would we make sure that no pony but you get to it?” Aurora asked. There would be no way that a treehouse library could stand against some pony who knew what was there and really, really wanted it. 
A sly smile curled up on Luna’s muzzle. “Well, actually I have an idea. Are you aware that I can enter a pony’s dream as if it were an actual place?” She asked, as if that were a normal question. Arkay, Cherri, and Aurora gave her a collective confused expression.
Nero on the other hoof felt a cold sweat on the back of his neck that he knew as the uncomfortable presence of Orian. If Arkay weren’t here, he was sure Orian would have some snide remark like ‘I told you so.’  Luna took their silence as a no and continued. “Well, I am able to enter the dreams of a pony and interact with them as if it were on a material plane of existence. It really is too much to explain, and would take hours that I do not feel like taking to do so. Bottom line, I could store the Element within one of your dreams and come back to it for later retrieval. This would keep every pony but me unable to get their hooves on it, and any pony else from knowing its whereabouts. Solves two problems with one solution.” Luna was practically beaming at her idea for safe storage of the Element. It was strange to see her so upbeat. Nero, observing this entire interaction from a relative distance couldn’t help but smile along with her. He hadn’t thought of it before, but a smile suited Luna much better than the face of concern or sorrow that he had previously seen her in. She looked almost…cute. Nero quickly stowed such thoughts, as she could read dreams. That could only end badly. 
Aurora nodded in agreement. “You are right Luna that does seem to solve both problems with one solution, but would it be painful? I mean, having a magical artifact in your head can’t be comfortable can it?” She asked, a little bit concerned.
Cherri too shared her opinion. “I’d hate to have something like that stuck in my head for an undetermined amount of time. Certainly couldn’t be good for one’s cognitive functions.” She said elegantly. 
These concerns did not sway Luna in the slightest. “No, it would be painless. You may not be able to comprehend it, but dream worlds are quite real to those that have them. They might as well be actual places for the dreamer themselves. Same goes for me when I enter a pony’s dream, just not on the same level. So I could take the Element with me into one of your dream’s and give it to you for safe keeping in your dream, and it would stay there until the time comes for it to be needed. At which point I could simply go back into said dream world and retrieve the Element. Simple really, if you don’t put too much thought into it.” She explained to the four ponies staring at her as if she were crazy.
“Alright fine then if it is so simple. The only question now is whose dream world the Element should go to.” Arkay said blatantly. He still didn’t see how any of this was possible, but went along with it anyway. 
Luna’s sly smile returned. “You of course my green friend.” Arkay looked side to side nervously. Of course he would be the test subject. “Who’s dream world better to store it in than the pony who the Element clearly chose? Also, I am a bit concerned on how it would behave if it were stored in the mind of some pony who was not chosen to wield this Element. So it must be you Arkay.” She announced to the green Pegasus. 
Said test subject was not at all comfortable with the turn of events, but didn’t want to endanger his friends with a dream brain burn. Was that even possible? “Fine Luna. I accept.” There was no need for fancy words in this situation. Just acceptance. 
Luna smiled yet again. “It is settled then Arkay. When you sleep later, I will enter your dream and give you the Element to keep safe. Just don’t think about it and everything will be fine. Now, it is rather late, and I am sure that you ponies are exhausted from the recent events you had to face. So you will rest for tonight. I will take tomorrow to figure what our next move is, so tomorrow will be your first ‘day off’ as ambassadors to the republic. Now I will retire to the observatory! The Princess of the Night still has to check on things every so often. Good night ponies!” She exclaimed quite loudly.
As she ascended the stairs to the observatory Arkay motioned for Cherri, Aurora, and Nero to gather closely. “Alright. That is one thing out of the way. The Element should be safe….in my dreams according to Luna. So now all we have to worry about is sending a letter to Celestia to tell her about what Luna had us do, and most important tell her about the Element. Now who wants to go with me to search for a dragon that may or may not actually be here?” 
Aurora yawned loudly. “Yeah, that sounds really boring. So I am going to get some shut eye if you don’t mind. Also I would like to catch up some more with Nero, it has been a long time after all.” Even when she was tired her words moved quickly. 
Arkay shrugged and looked to Nero. “Well, I can’t exactly get caught up with Aurora if I’m not here huh? So I am going to go ahead and stay here too. Maybe look for some pillows to use for more sleeping arrangements or something, there is four of us now after all.” Arkay rolled his eyes at Nero’s excuse. He knew that his fellow double-agent-political-advisor was just tired. Then again, he had no idea how it was to miss an early foal-hood friend for so many years. 
“Certainly, I’d love to go and help you look for a dragon.” Cherri interjected. “After all, it is rather dark and I could help light your way. Shall we?” She started toward the door. Arkay sighed in relief that he was not going out into the night alone. Then again, it was with Cherri. The last conversation they had was about prostitutes. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. Facing the cold, dark, somewhat frightening streets of Ponyville without lighting still sounded worse though. “Coming Arkay?” Cherri asked at the door. She had a piece of parchment, a feather pen, and an inkwell in her field of magic. Arkay tossed all his thoughts out the window and trotted out the door with her. 




“So, does he usually come by when Arkay is gone?” Aurora asked Nero a bit concerned. 
Nero rolled his eyes. “Yeah, except this time. I guess it may have something to do with that whole Element soul burning stuff he was talking about. What a baby.” Nero really was confused, Orian had usually shown up by now in a situation like this. Quite frankly, his lack of appearance was making Nero nervous.
“You might be right.” Aurora replied easy. “Nero I have a question for you. Why did you bring up when we were set up to be married?” She asked innocently.
Nero sighed. Of course the day was not done with the questions and thinking. “Well, the only good memories I have of that place are of you. I really did hate my parents, and the city was a hole. I am glad that you did leave, because there was nothing there for me. I know that is a mean thing to say, but it really is the truth. I hated that place aside from you.” Nero said quietly. He didn’t even like talking about Amphitrite.
Aurora shuddered a bit. “To be honest, I am glad I left too. They would have killed you if you stayed. I never wanted to leave you behind, but I did want to leave that place. Too many profits with too much to argue over. I could never understand why the ponies just followed the oracles without thinking.”
“Maybe they did think, but didn’t want to be killed for their lack of compliance. Maybe we might have the chance to go back sometime and see how things have played out for them and their predicting.” Nero said sarcastically.
Aurora felt her spirits raise a bit at Nero’s joking. He always was a jokester back in Amphitrite, and she did quite miss that about him. She giggled as she once did all those years ago. It felt refreshing. “Well, that sounds like a great plan if they weren’t almost a cult that believed they were always right. I still can’t believe it. I search for you for all these years and I end up finding you drunk in the desert that I just happened to be in. What are the odds that I would be there at the right time?” She asked amazed. After all, the odds of that happening were ridiculous.
Nero too considered this. “You are right there Aurora. The odds are ridiculous. Too ridiculous.” Nero paused for a moment, and knew what was next. “Come on out Orian, it’s about time that you showed up.” He said annoyed. 
On cue, the grey figment of Nero’s imagination walked down the stairs leading down from the upstairs rooms and the observatory. “Oh, figured it out did you? I was hoping that you would be a little more thankful.” Orian said as he reached the bottom of said stairs.
Nero again wore an angry face that Orian knew all too well. “There is no way that you could have known that Aurora was in the desert. You only know what I know, and I didn’t know she was there. So there is no way that you could have known!” Nero almost yelled at his imaginary friend. 
Orian of course was not even phased. “Oh, you are so silly Nero. Of course I know what you know. I also knew about your little friend’s aura eyes long before you did. I just played dumb so that you wouldn’t explore the topic too much. Ponies with abilities like her eyes give off a very unique energy wavelength, if you know what to look for it is easy to spot. It was easy for me to find her, because I have been locked away with all those memories you refused to let out. So you are welcome.” 
“I don’t feel like dealing with your games Orian.” Nero spat.
“Oh, what games? The only thing I play with is your thoughts, which really is boring you know.” 
“Is everything a joke to you?”
“No, just everything you do.”
Aurora decided it was time to step in. “Enough, both of you!” She screamed to the Pegasus arguing with himself. “Nero, he has a point. If he knew where I was and went out of his way to try and reunite us, there is no reason to be mad at him for doing so. Orian, quit being such a jerk. Nero tried his best with what he is given, and he never asked for you. You just kind of showed up. So leave him be about him about your ‘games’ please. There is no reason for so much hate between a pony and himself.” She tried to find the best words to say to her friend and his mind.
Orian gave a slow look to Nero. “You know, I was going to say no and keep on about games and such. Then she said please, and please is a powerful word. See you two later, I got some non-existence to do.” And with a blink of an eye, he was gone.
Nero let out a long sigh of relief. “Thanks Aurora. I don’t think I could deal with him any longer. Too much has happened today, and I just want it to be over. I need to sleep and eat, but mostly sleep. Maybe I can find something in town to get tomorrow. Where is the bed again?” 
Aurora pointed up the stairs. “Up there I think, why are you asking me? You should know more about this place than me. Whoa don’t fall.” Aurora caught Nero before he fell over the first step. “Take it easy now.” She said quietly as they ascended the stairs.
The bedroom was right where it was last time, with the two beds exactly where they were left, across the hall was the observatory where Luna went to go...observe. However she was not there anymore when Aurora and Nero entered the opposite room. Aurora helped the lazy grey Pegasus into the warmth of said mattress and stepped back to allow him to get comfortable. Except he didn’t move at all, apparently he was comfortable right where she put him. “Um, well goodnight Nero.” Aurora said tentatively. 
Nero yawned loudly in response. “Yeah, goodnight Aurora. I’ll see you in the morning and stuff.” He buried his face in the pillow. There would be more things to think about later and definitely more things to talk about later, but Nero was too tired to think about such things. The night sang its song through an open window, coaxing Nero to dream world softly. ‘In the morning’ Nero thought. ‘In the morning things will be clearer.’




The streets of Ponyville weren’t so dark and scary. Cherri had no idea why Arkay was so scared of going out here by himself. “I don’t see why you are so afraid of the dark Arkay.” She said out of the blue as the two of them were crossing a bridge. 
Arkay stomped his hooves on the middle of the bridge. Which considering its size, made no observable difference in the bridge’s structural integrity. “I am not afraid of the dark!” Arkay said rather loud and defensively. 
Cherri positively beamed at his remark. This was going to be fun for her. “Oh, is that so? Then why are you shaking?” 
“I’m not shaking, it’s the bridge.”
“Right, this sturdy bridge is shaking. Because it’s got a chicken like you shaking on it.”
“I am not a chicken!”
“Let’s see here, feathers and scared. Only thing you’re missing is a beak and you would be a bona-fide chicken.”
This was quickly getting personal for Arkay. “Okay, I might be a bit scared. It’s dark out here and there is a dragon that we are supposed to find. Tell me you aren’t just a little scared of getting eaten alive by a dragon.” Arkay said quickly. No need for any more embarrassment on his part. 
Cherri was taken aback. “Oh, come on Arkay. I was just joking. I myself am a bit afraid of the dark sometimes. Plus, you are right I am also scared of being eaten by a dragon but I don’t think that Celestia would allow a dragon of that sort of size to stay in Ponyville. And hey, it may be dark but at least I got you around.” She said sweetly.
Arkay tried to smile, but couldn’t make himself do it. “I know that you are trying to be nice and I do appreciate it, but looking for a dragon is kind of stressful. Who knows where that thing could be?” He asked nervously.
“Right behind you.” A low voice rumbled from behind the two ponies. Both were paralyzed, but managed to slowly turn and face what they were certain was their doom. However, they did not find the twenty-foot towering mass of scales and claws that they expected. Instead they saw almost pony-sized reptile that was red and had yellow-orange eyes that gleamed in the moonlight. The dragon coughed out warm smoke that stung Arkay and Cherri’s eyes slightly. “I don’t know if you know, but some of us actually like sleep. What, did sleep take your lunch money or something as a colt and you still hold a grudge?” After the coughing, the dragon’s voice was much lighter and less rumbling. 
Arkay took a step forward. “No, actually we were looking for you. Are you Thorn?” He asked tentatively. 
The dragon sighed. “Yeah, who’s asking?” Rather obnoxious, just like Celestia said. 
Cherri giggled slightly. “Well, I am Cherri and this is Arkay. We were wondering if we could have you send a letter to Celestia for us. We need to get some information to her right away.” She explained in an almost silly voice that a mother would use to talk to her foal. 
Thorn however didn’t take too much humor at her tone. “Shut it pink. Yes, I can get a message to Celestia for you. Why should I? What’s it in for me?” 
Arkay was not prepared for this. He had no idea that the dragon would be into bargaining. “Um, I don’t really have that I could trade on me. How about I come by later and play you some music on my violin? I left it back at my-“
“Violin music is stupid.” The dragon interrupted. 
Arkay’s eye twitched slightly. He started formulating all kinds of arguments against such an opinion, but Cherri beat him to the speaking. “I do see your point. Perhaps there is something else that we can get for you? Arkay here is a treasure hunter, perhaps some…crystals?” She asked sweetly. Cherri certainly knew how to make anything sound sweet.
Upon hearing this, Thorn was suddenly very invested in the conversation. “Crystals?” He asked, not at all sounding like a certain grey Pegasus they both knew. 
Cherri smiled a sly smile. “Yes, we find all sorts of crystals all the time. Red crystals, green crystals, even purple crystals sometimes. How does that sound?” Thorn was positively drooling by the time Cherri got to purple crystals. She knew that she had him now. “How about this, next time we find a score you get the biggest crystal we find? Sound good?” 
Thorn nodded many, many times in agreement. Arkay was just dumbfounded. How was it that she could so easily manipulate guys with what they wanted? He didn’t look too much into it though, there was a letter to write. Cherri hooved over the feather pen and ink to write, and the parchment to write on. She held it in her magic so that it could be written on easily. Arkay started writing very carefully with the feather pen in his mouth. 
‘Dear Princess Celestia, 
Luna has us stationed in the library that she made out of a tree. Furthermore, she had us go to the small settlement of Outpost to secure their support. We were successful. More important however, she had us retrieve one of the Elements of Harmony that was in the possession of reclusive deer. I don’t know what it means, but apparently the Element chose me and didn’t burn me to death. On a side note, we have employed the help of a unicorn from Canterlot named Cherri and an old Pegasus friend of Nero’s named Aurora. We will keep you posted on more events as we can. 
Sincerely, the Peace Hunters.’
When Arkay was done writing, he nodded to Cherri to roll it up and give it to Thorn. The red dragon stopped drooling and took the letter in his claws. “You two are going to love this. Watch.” Thorn said as he prepared whatever it is he was going to do. To Arkay and Cherri’s horror, the dragon blew a tiny flame at the letter and burned it to smoke which was carried away by the wind. 
“What the heck did you do that for? That was supposed to go to Celestia!” Arkay yelled at the red dragon. Cherri just wore an expression of scorn.
Thorn sighed once again. “You don’t understand dragon magic do you? Let me explain. Dragons can send letters and stuff like that through flame. The smoke goes straight to the recipient, and the object reconstitutes right before them. Make more sense why I just burned your letter?” He asked snidely. 
Arkay nodded slowly. “Okay, can the Princess write back?” He asked, trying to keep calm.
Thorn sighed once more. “Yes, do you always ask such stupid questions? The princess sends a letter, and I cough it up like smoke. If I get one for you I’ll find you and give it to you. Just remember to get me that crystal, I am starting a collection. Now go away, I want to get at least a little sleep.” Thorn said sourly and retreated under the bridge. Apparently he lived there.
Arkay and Cherri exchanged a look. “Well, I guess that’s taken care of. Shall we go back to the library? I too am quite tired.” Cherri said with a yawn. Arkay nodded his agreement and the two of them started their way back to the library. The night air was cool and gave the two of them a chill. “Hey, mind keeping a girl warm with that good wing you got?” She asked sweetly. 
Arkay was glad that the darkness somewhat covered his blushing. “Uh, sure Cherri.” He said as he wrapped her in his right wing, reminding him of the pain that the other had went through. The two cantered through town slowly, not entirely going straight to the library. Arkay decided to take this time of all times to ask a dumb question. “Do you go out of your way to make me blush Cherri?” 
Cherri just giggled as usual. “Sometimes.”