//------------------------------//
// Homeward Bound 
// Story: Cold Days and Warm Hearts 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 25: Homeward Bound

The small side party to the Winter Gala continued on late into the night, until both Dawn and Scootaloo were struggling to keep their eyes open.  With a fond coo, Fluttershy volunteered to escort the foals back to their rooms.  She and Caramel were feeling ready to turn in themselves.  After they left, Rainbow Dash and Soarin' returned to the main party, while the rest of the Knights excused themselves from the gathering, one by one.  Finally, Twilight and Arkenstone were left to make their way back to their quarters on their own.
Back at the main Gala, everypony managed to enjoy themselves or find something to amuse themselves with.  Perhaps one of the most shocking developments was the sight of Prince Blueblood dancing happily with Octavia on the one occasion she'd stepped down from the stage.  It was an interesting development that set several tongues to wagging.
The Winter Gala continued on through the night and into the early hours of the morning as ponies danced and chatted with each other.  However, eventually, all good things must come to an end.  The Gala was no exception and, with the moon low on the horizon, ponies began to make their way back to their homes.



Coco Pommel hummed cheerfully, prancing with surprising energy, in spite of the obscene hour.  Even though she was an earth pony, she felt as though she could fly.  Her hooves were light and she wanted to dance and giggle all night long, until the morning sun wiped the last of the stars from the sky.
She had every reason to be happy after all.  I've done it! she squealed to herself, I get to work with Miss Rarity in Ponyville!  This is so amazing!
An extra bonus would be that she was leaving Canterlot behind.  Once, when she'd been working in Manehattan, Equestria's capital had seemed like the holy grail to fashion designers like herself.  If you became recognized enough, you would be recognized by the Canterlot elite.  Your designs would be worn by nobles to important functions.  You'd set up shop in Canterlot to cater to them directly and, from there, set the trends for the rest of the nation.  That had been what everypony in the business had been saying, what Coco herself had always been thinking.
But, after her experiences, Coco had come to the conclusion that she would be happy to put Canterlot behind her.  She'd had more than enough of the nobility and their ways.  They were haughty and lived and breathed the myth of their own superiority on the basis of their birth alone.  They regarded commoners and earth ponies like her as little more than dirt and cheap labor, to be exploited as much as possible.  Viscount Eventide had treated her as little more than a slave and Baron Elderflower had given her the impression that he'd seen her as nothing more than a pawn.
With this apprenticeship to Rarity, Coco could say goodbye to Canterlot, goodbye to the nobles and their self-serving games...and goodbye to Perlin Bluestreak.  That last thought alone carried a feeling of relief that outweighed everything else.  Coco imagined that it would feel odd for a little while.  She'd gotten used to having Perlin hang around.  But, she was sure that she wouldn't miss him once he was gone.
I'll be safe and free, thought Coco.  She'd heard about the colt that lived in Ponyville, even seen him at a distance when she'd gone to the Palace to help with the costumes and at the Winter Gala.  She'd heard how he'd faced off against griffon warriors, unicorn enforcers, and even a trained assassin.  With him there, it was unlikely that Perlin would ever be able to bother her again without running into Dawn Lightwing first.
"You seem in high spirits."
Coco sagged at the sound of Perlin's voice as the young stallion landed behind her with barely a whispering rasp of metal as his mythril wings settled back beneath his cloak.  I was, she thought with a small degree of petulance.
Coco turned to face Perlin, whose presence served as a disturbing reminder that she wasn't free of him just yet.  Her legs shivered a little at the sound of Perlin's voice, but that could have easily been excused by the evening cold of the mountain city.  "Y-yes," she said tentatively, agreeing with his statement.
What troubled her more than his presence was the expression on his face.  Perlin did not look happy.  Under normal circumstances, he had a chipper attitude and an upbeat demeanor that belied the casual ease with which he could use his wings to carve up ponies like roasts for a griffon's table.  However, none of that attitude appeared on Perlin's face now.  Instead he appeared uncharacteristically serious, solemn even, as though he was the bearer of bad news.  Given that Perlin was bad news in his own right, the fact that he might be conveying bad news made Coco's stomach churn.
"Did you have a fun time at the Gala?" asked Perlin in a conversational tone.
"Y-yes...I did..." replied Coco, too nervous to try for any answer more verbose.
Perlin lowered his head and averted his eyes slightly to the side.  The gesture surprised Coco a little.  He'd always gone out of his way to be polite and even to try and tone down the threat of his presence around her.  But now, he seemed almost...ashamed.
"Then I'm guessing that your work made quite the impact on Miss Rarity then," said Perlin softly.
Coco blinked, remembering how happy she'd been to receive Rarity's approval.  The memory helped buoy her current mood and she managed a small smile.  "Yes.  She really liked it.  Everypony was very impressed by my work, even Marquess Fancy Pants and his wife."
"Then I suppose that you'll be leaving for Ponyville soon," said Perlin softly.
Coco opened her mouth to answer, but the voice caught in her throat, her response dying a messy death on her tongue as the full impact of Perlin's words sunk in.  He knew...  Coco wouldn't have necessarily put it past him to follow her around, given how much he stalked her already, and overheard the conversation she and Lockstitch had had with Rarity.  However, the way he phrased it made her realize that something was different.  He didn't know because he'd heard Rarity make the offer, but rather that he suspected that Rarity had made it and Coco had accepted...which meant...What...exactly?
Perlin said nothing and merely watched with that strange, forlorn expression as Coco worked to piece things together inside her head.  She had Baron Elderflower to thank for her current position as Lockstitch's apprentice.  After their conversation in the Crystal Caverns, the Baron had arranged for Coco to be placed with the aging Lockstitch.  Coco briefly recalled how Lockstitch had willingly put off her own retirement to accept Coco's apprenticeship.  It was unquestionably a mark of how much potential Lockstitch saw in Coco's skills, but it also created a situation where Lockstitch would be willing to pass Coco's apprenticeship to a more suitable pony if the opportunity arose, especially if it was a pony that Coco herself idolized.
More importantly, Lockstitch was commissioned to produce the costumes for the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant shortly after Coco entered her shop.  Had Baron Elderflower been behind that as well?  Had he been aiming for an opportunity for Rarity to see Coco's skills for herself, all so that Coco would get the opportunity to work under Rarity at the Carousel Boutique?  In other words, the Baron had created a situation where a pony with ties to him would be working with Rarity in Ponyville...Because Miss Rarity is close to Miss Twilight Sparkle...  That was what was important after all.  Elderflower had killed the Viscount Eventide and two-score of his guards (by proxy, since Perlin was the one who'd done the actual killing) as a consequence of the struggle for control over Twilight Sparkle.
The truth hit Coco hard and fast.  By accepting the opportunity to work under Rarity in Ponyville, she hadn't escaped Elderflower's influence, but rather, played right into his hooves.  "Y-you..." she stammered, her voice barely a whisper as she looked at Perlin.  Her eyes welled up with tears and her entire body began to quiver in a way that couldn't be excused by the cold.  "Y-you t-tricked m-me."
"I'm afraid we did," said Perlin, his head dropping lower, "The Baron wished for me to pass on his congratulations for your success and that he has the highest hopes for your career as you finish out the remainder of your apprenticeship under Dame Rarity of Ponyville.  He says that he is certain that you will be mindful of whom you owe for this marvelous opportunity."
"No," whispered Coco backing up slowly, shaking her head, "No..."
A faint rattling noise froze her in place.  The edge of Perlin's cloak pulled up slightly, baring a tiny portion of his wing, the mythril feathers catching the light of a nearby street lamp.  However, Perlin paused before he could even begin actually extending the wing.  Turning his head, he glanced back at the appendage for a moment, seemingly deep in thought before relaxing, allowing the hem of the cloak to drop back down once again.  He took a slow step back from Coco as he met her tearing eyes once again.
"I'm sorry," he said, his own voice almost a whisper.  Perlin took another step back before spinning about and taking to the air with a flash of silvery metal, leaving Coco standing alone, dumbfounded, in the street.
Slowly, Coco came back to her senses as the dread drained out of her.  The instant she realized she was alone again, she turned and bolted, rushing down the streets.  She didn't stop her headlong gallop for anything, not until she'd reached the door to her apartment and locked it behind her.  Only then did she stop to catch her breath as she fell onto the couch.
Only later would Coco realize that there had been some crucial differences in Perlin's demeanor when he'd been about to extend his wing, differences that gave the gesture a profoundly different meaning.  However, at the moment, Coco's heart was to heavy to thing about minutia as she stretched out across the couch, still clad in her Gala dress, and cried herself to sleep.



The sun's rays were only just beginning to lighten the horizon when Dawn's eyes opened.  He sprang from bed without the slightest preamble, his body already fully awake and his senses on alert.  He was conditioned by long experience to being an early riser.  However, this morning, it was not habit that awakened the ebony colt from his slumber.
Dawn's wings extended and his senses swept through the room around him, seeking for any sign of threat.  However, he found none.  He began to wonder just what cue had awakened him so abruptly.  His sleep had been untroubled, so it couldn't have been a nightmare or anything of the like.  Rather, what he'd responded to had been a sense of familiarity, as though something very familiar to him was close...a familiar presence, but not one that would pass through Dawn's vicinity without being noticed.
Taking a deep breath, Dawn closed his eyes and relaxed his body, allowing his thoughts to drift away.  Rather than actively reaching out with his senses, he instead allowed them all to fade away until his awareness hit upon the stimulus that had made him leap out of sleep.  It was indeed a familiar presence, but not one that Dawn liked being familiar with.
He's close, thought Dawn.  There was no question that it was his presence.  Perlin Bluestreak was nearby.  If Perlin was in the same vicinity as Dawn, there were precious few reasons he would be there.  Dawn frowned.  After the events of the past few days, he wasn't exactly in a fighting mood.
Still, Dawn realized that Perlin wasn't likely to just leave because Dawn was uninterested in fighting at the moment.  So, it was with a heavy heart that Dawn opened the windows to his room and leapt over the sill.  He spread his wings and allowed his magic to push off the air beneath him, letting him soar up above the city of Canterlot beyond the Palace walls.  Dawn began to survey the area, looking for any sign of the older colt, prepared for an attack from any direction.
It was an attack that never came.  When Dawn's eyes finally found Perlin, the black-cloaked young stallion was simply standing on a random rooftop, staring blankly into the distance, as though he was completely unaware of Dawn's presence at all.
Now that Dawn thought about it, there had been something off about Perlin's presence before.  He now realized that while Perlin had been there, nothing about Perlin's presence had been directed at Dawn.  It was completely void of intent, but rather empty and aimless.  Perlin didn't even react as Dawn swooped low over him.  Only when the sound of Dawn's hooves hitting the rooftop reached his ears, did Perlin respond.
"Oh," said Perlin, his hawklike eyes barely even glancing at Dawn, "It's you."
He sighed and turned back to staring off in the distance.  "I know we're not exactly in a relationship where we can ignore one another.  But, just this once, could we pass on some kind of confrontation.  I don't really feel like it today."
Dawn stared.  It was the only thing he could do really.  Granted, his experience with Perlin was limited, but there wasn't all that much to learn about the nuances of Perlin Bluestreak's nature and attitude.  More importantly, Dawn couldn't remember a time when Perlin, on at least some level, hadn't been spoiling for a fight.  Even when they had ostensibly been allies during their journey to Diamond Mountain, there had been a subtle degree of provocation behind all of Perlin's words and actions during that event, as though he'd been trying to provoke Dawn into another fight even when they were supposed to be working together.
Canting his head, Dawn watched quietly.  It was true, there was no sign of animosity from Perlin.  It seemed he really had no intention of fighting.  If that was the case, then Dawn's sensing of his presence at all had been merely coincidental.  "Did something happen?"
Perlin extended one wing from beneath his cloak and turned to examine it sadly.  "You know, I've always been happy about these.  They're the most amazing thing I've ever gotten from my father.  I've always been excited by the prospect of getting to use them to their fullest, to master their capabilities as weapons.  But..."  He sighed and returned to staring blankly ahead, his wing once again disappearing beneath his cloak.  "...for the first time, I truly regret having them.  I feel as though they're keeping me from doing something important."
Dawn gently bit the inside of his lip.  He was uncertain of what to say, lacking the context behind Perlin's behavior.  "Did something happen?" he repeated.
Perlin turned his head again and looked back at Dawn.  The older colt looked...tired was the only word that Dawn could find to describe him.  He'd seen Perlin at the edge of exhaustion before, but this was a tiredness that seemed to have settled down over his soul itself.
"It seems silly to only realize it now," said Perlin, who started examining his wing again, "But I've learned that, in order to acquire the power that I have now, I've had to give up something...something important."
Dawn nodded.  He could understand that.
Perlin continued.  "And, whenever I think about it, suddenly, fighting you just doesn't seem as important as it used to anymore."
"In other words, you found something more precious to you than your ability to fight," observed Dawn softly.  His words made Perlin stiffen.
"There shouldn't be anything more important than that for me," muttered Perlin, "All that I've ever needed was to make the fullest use of the gifts I've been given.  I was raised to fight.  It's the only thing I know."
"Clearly it isn't the only thing that matters to you now," replied Dawn.
Perlin had nothing to say to that.
"I've always thought," said Dawn, "that fighting for fighting's sake was an empty thing.  In the end, it will bring you no fulfillment, regardless of which of us kills the other.  Even if you win, even if you use everything that you have, I don't think you'll be happy when the dust settles."
"Then why do you fight?" asked Perlin.
"I thought you knew that already," replied Dawn, "I fight because I want to protect my friends and loved ones, the ponies who've opened their hearts and homes to me.  They are precious to me and I want to fight to hold onto that.
"Perhaps you are not feeling so enthusiastic because you are no longer confident in your reasons for fighting or the idea that fighting need be central to your existence.  If that is the case, then you merely need examine what has changed, what you find that you value more.  If you can, then your skills can be used in the service or protection of that which you value.  I believe that is what will allow you to move past this."
Perlin stared silently at Dawn, clearly uncertain what to say.
"Think about it," said Dawn, "If you still feel the need to fight me, I will wait for you and we will settle this.  But I believe your heart may lay elsewhere for now."  He took to the air and made his way back in the direction of the Palace.
Perlin watched silently until Dawn became a black speck against the white walls.  He examined his wing once again.  I wanted to offer her a measure of comfort, to try and help her to feel better.  But...with this wing, it would only hurt her worse.  Almost any kind of physical contact between us would carry that risk.
His mind drifted back to the offer his employer had made.  At the time, Perlin had dismissed it almost automatically, being glad with what he had.  But...if his employer could fulfill the promises he had made, then maybe Perlin needed to reconsider his answer.



After returning to his room, Dawn decided against going back to bed.  He was already awake and trying to get anymore sleep would only throw him off later on.  Instead, he went about his usual routine.  After cleaning himself up, Dawn went about the process of packing his belongings.  It was nearly time for them to return to Ponyville after all.  Once that had been taken care of, Dawn left his room and set off looking for a quiet place to train.
He found the same empty room he'd been practicing in on Hearth's Warming and once again began going through his forms.  His early start allowed Dawn more time to practice before he had to join everypony else at breakfast, so he used the time to his advantage to get in some extra meditation.
As he came out of his trance, Dawn became aware of the fact that he was no longer alone in the room.  However, the pony watching him was not anypony he'd ever met before.  "Hello?" said Dawn, looking into one of the room's shadowed corners.
"Good morning," replied the stallion, stepping into view.  Dawn's eyes took in the details of the stallion's brown coat, his off-white mane and tail, as well as his glittering crimson eyes.  However, the most interesting feature was the horn sprouting from the stallion's head, sheathed in the same off-white color as his mane.
"I apologize for not noticing you earlier," said Dawn, "Did you need this room for something?"
"Please don't apologize," said the stallion, giving Dawn a respectful bow, "If anything, I should be apologizing to you for watching you during a private moment."
"There's nothing all that private about it," replied Dawn, eyeing the stallion carefully, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be practicing in some random room if I required that nopony see it."
"True enough," replied the stallion, "I must say, it's a pleasure to finally get to speak with you, Dawn Lightwing."
"You know who I am?"
The stallion chuckled dryly.  "I could scarcely not," he pointed out, "You are the talk of the town after everything you've done.  And, of course, ponies know what you look like, thanks to that nice article about you in the news."
"I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that," muttered Dawn, "It seems you have me at a disadvantage.  May I ask your name?"
"Of course," replied the stallion, "My name is Wight Shade.  Dame Twilight Sparkle is already acquainted with me.  I happen to be the majordomo to Princess Luna."
"Is there something you needed?" asked Dawn, "Or did you just drop in to watch me?"
"I was passing by on an errand," replied Wight with a sly smile, "But I decided it would be worth my while to spend the time observing the colt that so many ponies are talking about."
"And...?"  Dawn's eyes narrowed.
Wight simply shrugged.  "I have to say, you're very impressive for somepony so young.  You have a great deal of strength, in both body and spirit.  It was worth it to get to see you in pony."
Dawn shivered, feeling a strange, oily sensation wash over him.  It wasn't an overt, tangible force, but rather, something akin to intent.  However, the motivations behind it were not something he could even begin to find the words to describe.  It was as though the thoughts and feelings that Wight Shade was directing the colt's way came from a perspective that Dawn simply had no frame of reference that would allow him to interpret it.  All Dawn could decide about the feeling was that he did not like it in the slightest.  However, since there was nothing even remotely resembling hostility, he decided to let it pass.
Wight Shade bowed politely to Dawn again.  "I am grateful that I had the chance to watch you in action.  I'm afraid that I must take my leave now.  I am certain that we will meet again."
Wight turned and left through the door that Dawn had come through.  The realization of his absence mad Dawn shiver slightly as he realized that he'd never sensed Wight's presence before speaking to him.  Either the strange stallion had already been in the room when Dawn had entered or he had come in while Dawn had been practicing, all without Dawn sensing him in the slightest.
At first, Dawn suspected that Wight Shade might have been a martial artist of some skill to be able to conceal his presence so completely.  However, that didn't seem quite right.  Wight's presence, when Dawn had been able to sense it, had been at once too normal and too...other...for the colt to equate Wight to a martial artist.  It was as though the stallion known as Wight Shade conformed to a different set of rules than anypony Dawn had ever met, as though there was something to him that was not quite of this world.
That would make him...what?  An alien?  Dawn blinked and shook his head at the inherent silliness of the notion.  Wight Shade was clearly a pony with an interesting condition, if his horn was anything to go by.  But that did not make him an alien any more than Dawn's eyes made the colt a demon.  Perhaps I just imagined it.  Not that Wight was gone, his previous presence and the impression Dawn had gotten from it seemed entirely too surreal to be anything more than the work of his imagination.
Maybe I'm a little too out of sorts from meeting Perlin, thought Dawn as he went back to practicing in an attempt to fill up the time until breakfast.



The group's remaining time in Canterlot was pleasant as they spent the rest of it enjoying their presents and each other's company.  They mostly kept to the Royal Palace.  However, Twilight Sparkle was all too happy to show her friends and the young ones her favorite places in town, including her favorite parts of the School for Gifted Unicorns; several favorite shops in town; some of her favorite places to eat, read, and otherwise hang out; and her parents' home.  Night Light and Velvet both especially enjoyed fawning over the foals, right before carefully and discretely (by some measure of the term) ribbing Twilight about when she might consider having foals of her own.  Sadly, Twilight's parents were much less interesting as a pair of potted bramble bushes, so the group's visit to Twilight Sparkle's foalhood home ended up being a bit on the short side.
They toured art galleries and museums, some of which were fascinating, some of which were rather dull, to most of the group anyway.  Dawn took everything in with a quiet fascination, having never been to places like these before.  Though the beauty and depth of many pieces of art eluded him, he had to admit that many of the paintings and sculptures were enthralling.  The museum exhibits had been interesting to him as well and he found that he enjoyed learning about topics that he would have never thought to explore otherwise.
The only true sour note of the whole affair were the furtive looks and outright stares they seemed to attract everywhere they went.  It wasn't everypony that was watching them.  It wasn't even most of the ponies.  However, no matter where they seemed to go, Dawn's alert senses could pick out the signs that eyes were following them, with varying degrees of intent, some less pleasant than others, though there was a distinct lack of outright hostility.
Dawn was a bit surprised to note that the bulk of the covert observation did not fall on him, but rather on Twilight and her immediate circle of friends, including Dawn's adoptive mother.  If anything, Dawn figured he was being regarded more as a distracting oddity than anything else, while Twilight and her friends, but especially Twilight, were the main attraction.
The ponies doing the watching varied from place to place.  Amongst the paintings of one of the art galleries, Dawn noted that a few of their observers seemed to be especially well-dressed.  On the streets, otherwise innocuous ponies seemed to slip amongst the crowds around their little group, moving carefully to keep them in sight, while trying to keep themselves out of sight.
The experience was similar to when they'd first arrived.  However, now there as a great deal more tension in the air, at least there was more tension being exuded by the ponies watching the group.  It was as though they were holding their breath in anticipation of something.  Dawn decided to bring his observations to Arkenstone and see what the Knight of Dancing Blades made of this.
"You're aware that the nobility have their eyes on Twily, correct?" inquired Arkenstone as they trailed behind Twilight, who was prancing giddily through the shelves of a bookstore.
Dawn nodded.  After all, that had been the whole reason behind the kerfuffle with Foal Protective Services and his little jaunt to Diamond Mountain to resolve the affair.
"What are they looking for?" asked Dawn.
Arkenstone shrugged.  "Any number of things; weaknesses, opportunities, ideas, habits, inspirations, anything that they can use to try and bring Twilight Sparkle under their control.  Amongst the ponies watching us, some are considering blackmail, if they can find the suitable means.  Others are trying to determine what they want that they might be able to offer Twilight or her friends to earn some sort of accommodation from them.  Some are looking for a more tangible weakness to exploit in order to attempt more direct methods.  A few of the stallions, at least, are also looking for things they could use to woo Twilight should they try to convince her to become a consort to one of them.
"They are also watching each other.  After all, whoever manages to gain some measure of control or influence over Twily will gain a great deal of political power from the move, which would give that pony an advantage over the rest of the herd.  So they are also trying to hold one another in check, even as they try to make opportunities for themselves.  It's the main reason no one has actually tried anything yet.  Whoever moves first will simply mark herself out as a target for her competitors."
"You mean like Sweet Water?" asked Dawn.  Perlin had been the one to make Dawn aware of the actual forces at work behind the pressure that Foal Protective Services had been exerting on him and his mother.  However, Perlin had done that because he had been working at the behest of somepony else, somepony who had wished to curb Sweet Water's ambitions and keep her from gaining the leverage she had been seeking.
Arkenstone nodded.  "Yes.  Twilight is safe for the moment, given that she is in Canterlot at the behest of the Princesses and that she has so many friends and family around her at the moment.  It makes her difficult to approach.  However, I expect that we will begin to see the repercussions of this attention later on, even after we are back in Ponyville."
"I see..." mused Dawn, trying to think about what he could do to help.  Twilight Sparkle was his friend after all.  She had gone to great lengths and even put herself at risk in order to help him deal with the Cult Solar.  He owed it to her to protect her as best he could from this.  However, this was a kind of battle that he was hopelessly unprepared to fight at the moment.
"Please don't concern yourself with this for now," said Arkenstone, smiling down at the colt, "Your care is appreciated.  However, you should remain focused on more pressing affairs.  For the time being, think about protecting yourself first and foremost.  I can attest that it would hurt Twilight a great deal if something bad happened to you because you were too focused on helping her."
Dawn frowned.
"Terra Heart will be coming for you at some point," said Arkenstone in a low tone, "If he's as dangerous as I expect he is, you will need every scrap of awareness and focus to survive.  Protect yourself first and foremost.  I think that you've learned that you can't afford to weigh your own life so lightly anymore."
Thinking about the conversation he'd had with Scootaloo on Hearth's Warming morning, before breakfast, Dawn swallowed and nodded.
"Good boy," said Arkenstone with a chuckle, "Leave Twily to me.  I would sooner carve Canterlot from the side of the mountain before I allow anything to happen to her."
The conviction in Arkenstone's voice made it practically hum with the power of his intent.  Dawn shivered, not envying the fear that anypony would experience if they chanced to test Arkenstone's willingness to protect Twilight.



As it turned out, the first move in the game being played with Twilight Sparkle as the prize was surprisingly straightforward.
A note borne by a Palace messenger was presented to Twilight as soon as she reached her quarters after returning from their whirlwind tour of Canterlot's points of interest.  It was a surprisingly ostentatious approach, given that said note was presented to her on the center of a silver tray, suspended in the field of the servant's magic.
After paying a bit to the servant for his work, Twilight took the note and held it in front of her.  It was addressed simply and had been given to the messenger with instructions that it be delivered to her at the first convenient opportunity.
"Should I open it?" asked Twilight, turning to look at Arkenstone, who was sitting next to her.  The stallion had been waiting patiently while Twilight regarded the note.
"That is up to you," replied Arkenstone, "Are their any signs of immediate danger."
Twilight's muzzle scrunched as the scrutinized the letter.  "No hostile magics, no traps or compulsions, just plain paper and ink.  The hornwriting is precise, clearly the work of somepony who's taken calligraphy lessons; probably one of the nobles, I'd bet.  But there's no official seal and no instructions or requests that came along with the letter itself, so it's clearly informal.  But what does that mean?  What does all that say?"
Arkenstone pursed his lips.  "The best way to find out would be to read the letter itself.  If it is informal, you may, of course, simply dispose of it.  That would be impolite, but it would not be the grievous insult to the sender that it would be if it were a formal missive."
Chewing the inside of her lip, Twilight thought the matter over.  If she disposed of the letter, then it wouldn't matter what the sender had to say.  Her refusal to even read it would be answer enough to whatever questions of requests he or she might make.  However, that would also leave nothing for Twilight.  Somepony was behind this and that pony was clearly up to something.  By reading the letter, then perhaps Twilight could glean just what that something was and, perhaps, benefit from that knowledge.
The envelope opened and Twilight pulled the letter out, unfolding it so that she could read the document in its entirety.  It was brief and to the point.



Dear Dame Twilight Sparkle,

I am writing this letter in hopes that I might solicit the opportunity to speak with you at some point in the near future.  I understand that this request will be reviewed with no small measure of suspicion and rightly so.  I fully understand that your situation has left you guarded with regards to the requests and solicitations of those of noble rank, such as myself.  With that said, however, please allow me to assure you that conversation is all that I seek with you.  I require no other concessions of place or time, save that it be sooner, rather than later.
I wish to speak to you of affairs that are of great importance to this nation's future and are critical for the continued prosperity and survival of Equestria as a whole.  Thus, I appeal to your desire to help and protect your fellow ponies from potential harm and hope that a discussion between us could lead to the guidance of Equestria's future in a positive direction.  Once again, conversation is all that I seek from you at this point and anything further would be by your informed consent alone.
I am aware that right now is not an appropriate time for such a conversation and that you have no wish to immerse yourself in political affairs in the course of this season as you spend time with your friends and family.  I also do not require that our conversation be held here in Canterlot.  I am willing to meet with you in Ponyville at a time of your convenience (once again, sooner would be better) to hold a civil discussion with you.
Please understand that this is an informal request I am making of you.  You are under no obligation to agree or even respond to this request.  If you have at least read this letter, then I am grateful for your indulgence.  That said, I do hope that you will at least consider my humble request and grant me audience when and where it suits you.

Sincerely;
Baron Elderflower of Dream Valley



Twilight hoofed the letter over to Arkenstone, who ran his frog across the page and feeling its words through the sensitive pad of his hoof.
"It's certainly an innocuous request," replied Arkenstone, "I'm rather surprised at this baron's degree of restraint and that he's willing to keep from placing undo pressure on you to agree to his request."
"But why...?" mused Twilight, "What does it mean."
"Hmm," hummed Arkenstone, "I'm reminded of something Storm Front once brought up to me."
"What's that?"
"The concept of the negative conversation," explained Arkenstone, "As he once put it to me, there are two critical parts to any conversation.  There is what is said..."  He waved the letter.  "And then, there is what is unsaid, which can be of equal or even greater importance."
"What's unsaid..." muttered Twilight.  She turned her attention to the envelope.  "There's no seal.  It was completely informal.  But it wasn't secret.  Baron Elderflower made no attempt to hide his identity from me or even anypony else who might be monitoring conventional lines of communication."
"In other words, he was not worried about whether or not you would read this," suggested Arkenstone, "Either because he felt that he understood your character well enough to believe that you would read the letter or because it would not be a critical blow to his plans if you refused to read it either."
"It also means that he's not concerned that anypony might know he's approached me," added Twilight, "In other words, he's not worried that anypony is going to try to stop or interfere with whatever he's doing."
Arkenstone nodded.  "That is an interesting point," he said.
"I don't like this," said Twilight, "There's just not enough information, said or unsaid.  I can't figure out what angle this stallion is working from...not without talking with him."
"But the only way to learn more would be to agree to his request and meet with him," said Arkenstone, "We aren't equipped for any more clandestine investigation into the Baron's motivations.  The most reliable way to find out would be to put the question to him directly."
"Yeah," said Twilight, once again chewing the inside of her lip anxiously.  Her options were limited.  On one hoof, she could discard the letter and the Baron's request, forget about it and move on.  But it was clear that Elderflower's plan did not hinge on the letter or its request alone.  Setting that aside would leave her in the dark as to what Elderflower was actually planning.
But the alternative was agreeing to his request and meeting him for a "conversation."  About what...exactly? she wondered.  Whatever it was, she was sure that, in spite of the Baron's assurances, that conversation was not the only thing he had in mind by talking to her.  However, the only way she'd be able to gain an inkling of what he was up to would be to agree to that discussion and use the opportunity to ferret whatever information she cold out of him in turn.
"I need to think about this," she said finally, "I don't know what to do."
Arkenstone lifted a hoof and rested it gently against Twilight's shoulder.  "Whatever you decide, I will be with you.  I won't falter this time."  He leaned in and nuzzled her cheek.  "You are my precious Twilight and I won't let you go."
Warmth rose up in Twilight's chest at Arkenstone's words.  Turning, she met his lips with hers.  "That's a promise," she said, "Thank you."
They leaned against one another, gently basking in their mutual warmth, which went a long way towards soothing Twilight's trouble thoughts, brought upon by the letter, which rested harmlessly on a side table, set aside for later. 



On the last day that the group had in Canterlot, Twilight made her way down into the lower districts of the city, Arkenstone following her.  Given that their train wouldn't be leaving until the afternoon, Twilight figured that she had more than enough time to make her final goodbye before she left.  The fact that their luggage would be sent ahead to the station would only make things easier.
When they arrived at the familiar townhouse, Twilight was not in the least surprised to see that absolutely nothing had changed since she'd last seen it.  Certainly, the lawn out front was covered with a nice, heavy layer of snow.  However, aside from the path shoveled through it to the door, there was no sign of the snow having been disturbed.  With a sigh, Twilight went up to the door and knocked.
"Hello?" asked Trixie, leaning out the door.  Her eyes widened when she saw Twilight waiting there.  "Oh!  Twilight!  Come in!"
Accepting Trixie's invitation, Twilight and Arkenstone knocked the snow off before stepping into the warm confines of the townhouse.  Already, Twilight could hear rattling from the kitchen, where she assumed Arcana was cooking something.  Her suspicions were confirmed when Arcana came trotting out, carrying a tray of tea and some snacks in his magic.  Following behind him was-
"Sunset Shimmer!" gasped Twilight, staring in shock at the orange mare as she trotted out of the kitchen after Arcana.
"I'm surprised to find you still in Canterlot," noted Arkenstone, his ears turning in Sunset's direction, "You tend not to hang around for long."
To Twilight's surprise, she saw a noticeable twitch run through Sunset for a moment.  "I absolutely despise this city," she said plainly, "But Arcana and I had some arrangements to make before I left."
"What sort of arrangements?" asked Twilight before freezing, "Oh!  Sorry.  I probably shouldn't ask about stuff like that."
"It's nothing particularly private," said Arcana simply, "We were discussing Trixie's position."
"Trixie...?"  Twilight turned to the showmare, who had stars dancing in her eyes.
"Dame Sunset Shimmer has offered to take me on and train me in the Still Way!  Isn't it wonderful?" exclaimed Trixie, looking as though she were about to faint with happiness.  "It's so rare for a student of the Still Way to get training directly from another practitioner!  This is a spectacular opportunity."
"Training?"  Twilight blinked and turned to look at Sunset again.  "You're going to teach her?"
"Insomuch as I can," replied Sunset with a shrug, "She doesn't lack for commitment.  That's for sure.  Nopony would go so far as to put the seal on if they weren't going to see this through to the end."
"Seal?" asked Twilight.
"Show her," said Arcana.
Trixie raised a hoof and brushed the strands of her mane clear, showing the base of her horn plainly.  Twilight noticed a black band running around the horn's base.  "That's why you can't use your magic.  It's been sealed."
Trixie nodded and let her mane fall back into place.
"That seal is even more than that," replied Sunset Shimmer, "Not all who attempt the Still Way are willing to risk applying that seal to their horns."
"Why is that?" asked Twilight.
"Because it is permanent," replied Sunset.
"Permanent!"
Sunset nodded, her expression grave.  "If Trixie does not master the Still Way, she will never be able to use her magic again.  The only condition, under which that seal can be removed is if the fundamental nature of how she channels and shapes her magic changes.  In order to do that, she will have to abandon everything she has previously learned.  By taking that mark on, she has blocked herself from the path of a regular unicorn for the rest of her life."
Twilight stared at Trixie.  "Are you sure about this?"
"I am," said Trixie, "I could not have made this decision otherwise.  I thought very long and hard about it.  I came to the conclusion that, if I wanted to learn the Still Way, this would be the only way that I could."
"You mean that seal isn't necessary?" demanded Twilight.
"Of course not," replied Sunset, "After all, the essence of the Still Way is based entirely upon changing the way you understand your own magic.  All that is truly required is to let go of the magic that you knew and start from the ground up.  I didn't need the seal in order to master the art myself.
"But mastering it requires discipline.  When you've spent your entire life learning to do magic a certain way, it isn't easy to let go.  It's like somepony telling you that the way you've learned to walk is wrong and trying to make you change it.  No matter how committed you are, the temptation will always be there, the temptation to go back to doing things the way you used to do them, the way you were comfortable with.  For us unicorns, it's easy to forget how much we rely on basic magics like levitation and manipulation until we have to do without them.  Even basic things, like cleaning and feeding yourself, become difficult because you've grown used to using magic to do it."
Twilight shuddered as she thought about trying to brush her mane without telekinesis to move her brush.  She knew that Applejack probably did just that, with only her hooves, every day.  But Twilight was used to brushing her hair with her magic.  She was also used to using it to eat, such as when she used it to manipulate table utensils.  She tried to imagine having to go through learning how to do all that without her magic.  It would be just like going through foalhood all over again.
Seeing that Twilight was thinking about what she had said, Sunset smiled.  "Because that temptation is there, very few unicorns get far when they try to learn the Still Way.  Instead, they give up and go back to their ordinary lives.  What Trixie's done is to acknowledge the limits of her discipline and give everything to her commitment.  That seal removes the option to step back.  From here on out, the only choice she has is to move forward."
Looking over at Trixie, Twilight wasn't sure how she felt about the idea of the showmare sealing her magic away, possibly forever.  But the look on Trixie's face showed that she was desperately looking for Twilight's approval.  If nothing else, Twilight knew that she could acknowledge Trixie's determination to pursue the path she was following.
Twilight smiled at Trixie.  "I can't honestly say that's something I'd be able to do," she admitted, "But I hope you succeed."
"Thank you so much," said Trixie as she and Twilight hugged each other tightly.



The platform was busy, as could be expected, given the time of year.  The party from Ponyville were not the only visitors heading home to other towns and cities after the holiday.  Several other trains were boarding on other platforms, getting ready to head off to Manehattan, Trottingham, and other distant towns.  As such, the station was packed with ponies and their luggage as they all struggled to make it to their trains on time.
"Did you enjoy your stay in Canterlot?" asked Fluttershy as she wrapped Dawn in her wing as the two of them watched their train being loaded.  Their luggage was presently being loaded by porters, a consideration towards them being guests of the Princesses.
"It was certainly an experience," said Dawn, a small smile gracing his face.
Indeed, it had been a very good experience for him.  His first true Hearth's Warming had been a wonderful occasion.  He'd been able to fully enjoy himself, his family, and his friends.  For a few days, he had been free from any worries about the machinations of the Cult Solar.  On top of that, he'd gotten the opportunity to meet some amazing ponies.  All told, it had been a fulfilling experience and one that had him looking forward to the future years that he would spend with his new family and friends.
Looking over, Dawn spied Rainbow Dash sharing a reluctantly affectionate farewell to Soarin’, who had stayed with her until today.  Rainbow still had more than a month left before she would be leaving Ponyville to join the Wonderbolts full-time.  During that period of time, she would be teaching Scootaloo how to use and look after a cloud house, even if Scootaloo wouldn’t be living in the house herself for another few years.  It would be hers once Rainbow left, though Scootaloo had promised without hesitation that Rainbow was welcome to use the house whenever she came back to Ponyville.
The final whistle sounded, indicating that the passengers needed to get on board the train if they wanted to ride it back to Ponyville.  Dawn and the others did as they were bid.  They waved out the windows as Soarin’, along with Cadance and Shining Armor, saw them off.  A few minutes later, the station and the city of Canterlot itself were pulling away until they were lost around the bend of the mountain.  The city would come back into view intermittently on the way down, but this was to be their last up-close sight of it.
Dawn settled back into his seat with a relaxed sigh.  A few seconds later, a warm presence pressed against him as Scootaloo joined him and Dawn extended a wing to wrap around her prompting a happy sigh from Scootaloo as she rested her head on his shoulder and against his neck.
Dawn felt completely at peace.  With their departure from Canterlot, he at last felt relief from the eyes that had been following the group’s nearly every move.  Here, in the train compartment, he could relax and enjoy a few hours of peace and tranquility.  For the time being, he didn’t have to worry about the nobility or the Cult Solar.  He could just enjoy the presence of the ponies close to him…
Or so he had thought as his gaze drifted over and he noticed the addition to their party.  A young mare, only a little older than he remembered Perlin being, with an off-white coat was sharing a seat with Rarity, listening intently as the fashionista spoke excitedly about some subject or other that Dawn couldn’t follow.  It was clear that the younger mare was enjoying listening to Rarity…at least on the surface.
Now that Dawn recalled, the mare’s name was Coco Pommel.  He remembered that she had been an assistant and apprentice to the chief costume designer for the pageant.  Rarity had introduced her to the group when she’d met them at the platform.  Apparently, she was transferring to the Carousel Boutique for the remainder of her apprenticeship.  Outwardly, Coco appeared to be completely delighted by the prospect and was clearly looking forward to moving to Ponyville.
However, Dawn could pick out the faint glazed look in her eyes, and the quick sagging of her smile every once in a while, that gave the impression that there was something dark and melancholy just beneath the surface.  Whatever it was, it was clearly distracting her from her honest excitement at being able to work with the mare she idolized.  For some reason, her condition vaguely reminded Dawn of Hope Spot, the mare he and Perlin had helped rescue from the clutches of the Viscountess Sweet Water at Diamond Mountain.
Still, Dawn couldn’t help but wonder if he was imagining things.  After all, he’d spent most of his life in isolation before coming to Ponyville.  His primary skill at reading ponies was focused on detecting hostility and danger from them.  It was entirely possible that he was simply misinterpreting things.  In any case, it probably wasn’t his place to pry.
His decision reached, Dawn leaned back against Scootaloo and allowed his eyes to fall closed as the gentle rattling of the train lulled him into a tranquil doze as Dawn enjoyed the remainder of the trip back to Ponyville, blissfully unconcerned with the dark matters that loomed, however distantly, on the horizon.

To Be Continued...