"You honestly considered having his foal? Even after how he tried to get you to kill that couple?" Sapphire asked in pure shock. Her mind still reeling from what her friend had told her.

"What can I say? Love makes you do some crazy horseapples." Snowbreeze replied and sighed. "But you know? I often wondered what it'd be like to have one." She added thoughtfully.

"Heh, every filly wonders what it'd be like at some point in their life. You're not alone, Snowbreeze." Sapphire remarked with a soft smile as she placed a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"I know…" Snowbreeze remarked aloud as she looked to her left towards the window.

"Teh, no. He and his buddies broke out while half the city was looking for me." Snowbreeze replied bitterly.

"Because of what happened a few months later." Snowbreeze replied and began to tell her what happened…

"This makes the sixth attempt this month." Fairweather remarked aloud as the police ponies dragged the unconscious unicorn dressed in black away. "If it wasn't for those A.P.B ponies leaking us information and helping us protect Sapphire, I highly doubt she'd still be alive."

"If you call being dead to the world alive." Snowbreeze remarked bitterly as she looked to her sleeping friend only to give a guilty look at Dr. Doodle who happened to be walking into the room as she said these words. "I-I didn't mean, What I'm trying to say is-"

"Save it, Kid. I don't blame you. I'm beginning to wonder if saving her life was such a good idea myself. What good is saving the life of a pony when they'll just be sleeping the rest of it away." He replied cutting off the Pegasus and sighed aloud. "Maybe we should just pull the plug…" He added softly.

"I'm not giving up on her!" Snowbreeze exclaimed as she walked over to the Alicorn's bed and gently stroked her mane.

Dr. Doodle and Fairweather looked at one another and then back to the Pegasus. "Kid, I know you don't wanna give up on her but she's been like this for three months now. We've done all we can and its really starting to look like she may never wake up." He reasoned only for Snowbreeze to shoot him a loathing glare.

"If you so much as even think about pulling the plug on her, I'll kill you!" Snowbreeze nearly shrieked at the donkey.

"Dr. Doodle, can I speak with you in the hall please?" Fairweather asked calmly as she walked towards the door to which the donkey followed a short time after.

Curiously, Snowbreeze trotted over to the door and placed her ear against it in an attempt to hear what the two were talking about.

"Mr. Doodle, I'm going to be frank. I'm beginning to worry that Snowbreeze may not be using her usual rational form of thinking." Fairweather remarked aloud in a whisper.

"What do you mean by that? She just doesn't want to give up on Sapphire. I can relate to that since I was the same way with my wife." Dr. Doodle replied and sighed once more at the unpleasant memory.

The Pegasus bit her lower lip nervously for a time before she continued to speak. "I believe that… Snowbreeze may feel more for Sapphire than she lets on." Fairweather replied only to raise a hood to cut the doctor off. "I know this seems sudden of me to suggest such a thing but I believe that her feelings for Sapphire may be affecting her rational thinking." The Pegasus finished.

"With all due respect miss. Fairweather. I believe you may be looking into things a little more than you need to. She's merely worried for her best friend." Dr. Doodle replied casually.

"I guess you're right. I'm just so used to seeing such emotion used between lovers that I forgot that it can exist between two very close friends as well." The Pegasus remarked aloud as she rubbed the back of her head and sighed. "Forget I said anything. Its as you said, I'm just looking into things too much."

"Oh! That's why you got all defensive and homophobic yesterday and today." Sapphire replied in understanding.

"Yeah, that's how it all started. I care for you as a friend, Sapphire. But I'm not into mares." Snowbreeze remarked aloud with a mildly nervous smile.

"Oh don't worry. I'm not into mare's either." Sapphire replied casually with a smirk. "I mean, can you picture us, a couple?" She added which was met with bouts of laughter by both mares.

"No way! Eww!" Snowbreeze exclaimed between laughs only to look at her friend with a guilty expression. "N-Not to say that you're not attractive or anything but, uh, ugh! You know what I mean!" Snowbreeze flustered much to the amusement of her friend.

"Don't worry, No offense taken." Sapphire replied with a smirk as she looked at Snowbreeze for a little while longer before she looked away and sighed.

"Uh, Sapphire? You don't have like… I don't know… feelings like that for me, do you?" Snowbreeze asked uneasily.

Upon hearing this, the Alicorn's face went scarlet as she waved her hooves in front of her in a comical fashion. "Oh, no,no,no.no! No way! Heh, I mean, come on! Like you said, eww!" She said almost in one breath. "So anyways! Go ahead and keep on telling me what happened." She added moments later.

"Right… well uh, lets see." Snowbreeze replied as she attempted to pick up where she left off in her story. Something about Sapphire's behavior just now seemed off to the Pegasus but she decided not to ask and continuing telling her story.

If the Pegasus's face could go any redder, her head may as well be an apple. "Oh, no,no,no! This can't be happening! How could anypony assume that?!" Snowbreeze remarked aloud in a mildly panicked tone as she looked to her friend. "I'm into colts! I like stallion dick!" She exclaimed aloud in a whisper as she paced back and forth.

"I mean just because I want to be there for her and protect her doesn't mean that…" She began to say only trail off at the obvious conclusion that Fairweather had come to. "Oh buck! No wonder she thinks I'm head over hooves for her!" The Pegasus exclaimed aloud in a whisper as she paced back and forth.

"Don't panic, Snowbreeze! You can think of a way to change her mind! You just gotta make out with Dr. Doodle in front of her-! Eww! No way! He's too bucking old!" She said to herself as she continued to pace back and forth.

"Maybe I could find a random colt in the hospital and make out with him so she could see? No, that's too slutty!" She reasoned aloud and sighed. "I gotta get some fresh air." She added dismally, opened the window to Sapphire's hospital room, gave one last glance at Sapphire, sighed aloud, and took off after she closed the window behind her.

It was then that Dr. Doodle and Fairweather walked back into the hospital room, taking note of the fact that Snowbreeze was no present. "You don't think she overheard us, do you?" Fairweather asked aloud tensely.

The Pegasus soared the skies for over an hour before she finally landed. "Can't believe she thought that me and Sapphire were an item!" Snowbreeze muttered aloud to herself and sighed.

It was then that the Pegasus saw two ponies who faces she could never forget. It was the same stallion and mare who Ironbeak tried to get her to kill. The Pegasus quickly hid herself behind a nearby water fountain as she watched the two chat amongst each other for a time before she rested her head on the back of the fountain and sighed in relief.

"Hi there!" A voice suddenly exclaimed which caused Snowbreeze to literally erupt from her hiding place in surprise only to realize it was Pinkie Pie.

"P-Pinkie?! What the buck is wrong with you?! I haven't seen you for three months and you suddenly pop out of nowhere!" Snowbreeze exclaimed irritably. "Didn't you like go back to wherever it is you came from?" She asked curiously.

It was then that the events of three months ago rushed back to the Pegasus's mind which caused her to look at the pink mare sympathetically. "Look uh, Pinkie. I never got to properly thank you for saving my hide from doing the unthinkable. So thanks." She said as she walked up to the pink mare who smiled back at her. "And… I'm sorry for what happened to you. It must have really hurt to be forced to relive that memory just for my sake." She added as she sat down and placed a hoof on the pink mare's shoulder.

"What memory was that again?" She asked innocently much to the Pegasus's annoyance.

"The one where-" She began to snap only to halt herself. "She's probably forgotten she showed it to me. Heck, I'd be quick to bury a painful memory like that faster than the speed of light." Snowbreeze thought to herself and sighed aloud as she looked at her. "Nothing, Pinkie." She said finally with a soft smile.

"Oh, who are those ponies?" Pinkie Pie asked curiously as she pointed a hoof behind the Pegasus which caused Snowbreeze to turn around and see the two ponies she was trying to hide from in the first place.

"Uh,um. myself! Yeah, I like to give myself a pep talk now and then!" She exclaimed quickly as she looked nervously to the two.

"Say, she does look familiar." The mare remarked aloud curiously until her face lit up in realization.

"Okay, look! Before you two start screaming for the police ponies, let me just say that I'm really sorry for what happened and I'd never want to hurt you two!" She exclaimed in a panicked fashion expecting the two to begin shouting for the authorities any second.

The couple exchanged glances before they gave a light laugh. "Now why would we do that?" He asked.

"Uh, you two don't recognize me?" Snowbreeze asked uneasily. She had just realized that she may have just dug her own grave by blabbing off what she just had.

The stallion and mare once again exchanged glances before they looked at her with a serious expression. "Of course we do." The stallion said with a frown.

"And in case you're wondering why we aren't calling for the police is because we don't blame you for what happened three months ago. In fact, you had every right to do it." The mare chimed in and sighed as she leaned into her husband's neck.

"Its for that very reason that we didn't turn you into the authorities as well. We both feel guilty for what happened. To think that those unicorns would go as far as to kill an innocent pony…" The stallion remarked aloud and sighed.

"You see, we had no idea what was going to happen when they approached us. They told us that your Alicorn friend was a threat to the city and showed us a picture of you asking if we had seen your face. We told them what we knew thinking we were doing some good for the city." The mare said softly and sighed. "If it wasn't for that stallion's noble sacrifice, why I'd hate to imagine what they'd done to you."
"Probably the same thing they did to him." Snowbreeze remarked aloud and shuddered violently at the mere thought of being burned alive.

The couple looked at one another then back to the Pegasus. "Say, how would you like us to treat you to a batch of my homemade cookies? As a sort of apology for all that's happened." The mare offered with a warm smile.

"Why should you be apologizing to me? I'm the one who pointed a slingshot armed with a sharp piece of metal at you. If anything, I should be the one making you guys cookies or something." Snowbreeze replied in a mildly confused tone much to the amusement of the couple to laughed lightly at this.

"Tell you what, why don't we both make a batch of cookies for each other back at our place?" The mare offered.

"Uh, okay, sure but I don't really know how to cook. Sapphire usually was the one who made all the food when we were out." Snowbreeze remarked aloud as she began to follow the couple.

"Well, I'm sure I could teach you. It'll be a learning an experience for you." The mare said as the two took a left turn towards their house.

Though the interior of the house looked very different, Snowbreeze couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as she looked at the exact spot the couple had been sitting in terror in as she pointed the slingshot at them.

"Sit down and I'll get those cookies ready." The mare said casually as she walked towards the kitchen.

"Uh, what about me making you guys some cookies as well?" Snowbreeze asked curiously.

"Oh don't worry about that dear, we can bake those after you've tried my special rainbow delights." The mare replied with a smirk just before she disappeared into the kitchen.

The stallion and filly looked at each other for a short time before the earth pony gave an uncomfortable cough. "So… how's manehatten been?" he asked casually in an attempt to strike up a conversation.

"Oh, well uh, besides the dark horn trying to kill my best friend at least once a week, pretty good." Snowbreeze remarked aloud without thinking. "Eh-heh! Sorry, didn't mean to say that." She added nervously.
"Really?" The stallion remarked as he raised his eyebrow curiously. "Well, maybe you can tell us more about your Alicorn friend? I'm sure it'll help us get away from those unpleasant memories. Has she awakened yet?" he asked curiously.

"Well, you see, I'm not really supposed to talk about her. Fairweather says it might be a bad idea to leak sensitive information because you never know who might be working for the dark horn." Snowbreeze replied nervously.

"I see. You'll have to forgive me. I'm just so curious about this Alicorn that seems to be the buzz of the town." He replied as he smiled warmly before he looked towards the kitchen. "How are the cookies coming along, honey?" he asked curiously.

As if to answer his question, the mare walked into the room with a tray of cookies and set them down on the table. "Wow, that was fast. I know I've never baked before but I thought it would take, I don't know… longer?" Snowbreeze remarked aloud curiously.

"Oh, well it just so happened that I had made a batch yesterday that I completely forgot about until I reached into the fridge for the milk." The mare replied with a soft smile. "Go ahead and eat one, dear." She added.

The couple looked at each other upon hearing this then looked back at her. "Of course but it would be rude of us to eat before our guest does." The stallion answered this time.

"Oh, Okay then!" Snowbreeze remarked aloud and quickly stuffed about three or four cookies in her mouth before swallowing. "Oh wow! These are delicious! Whats in them?" She asked curiously as she went to reach for more.

It was then that the Pegasus noticed something was very wrong with her body as she felt her eyes suddenly become heavy and before she could fully register what was happening, she fell off the chair to the floor with a loud thud.

Would you knock it off?! You might wake her!
Oh, would you give it a rest?! I'm almost done anyways.

These words were all the Pegasus could hear though they were muffled at best as she slipped in and out of consciousness. It wasn't until sometime later that she had managed to open her eyes and fully register what had happened to her. She was bound and gagged in ironically, the same location the couple had once sat. However something new presented itself to the filly as she looked across the room towards a mirror.

Staring straight back at Snowbreeze was a completely bald filly. Save for her snow white wings, not a spec of hair remained on the filly, not even her most intimate of areas were spared the humiliation. "Wh-What have you done to me?!" She shrieked out in horror once her vocal cords found their voice.

"Aw, look. She's awake." The stallion remarked smugly as he walked into the room.

Snowbreeze looked to the stallion then back to the mirror then back to the stallion as rage filled her. "I should of killed you leadhoofs when I had the chance!" She roared at the two as the mare walked in beside her husband.

"Yes, you should've, dear. Too late now I'm afraid." She added with a malicious grin.

"Look at her dear, my best work, wouldn't you say?" The stallion remarked as he gestured to her naked form.

"Mmm, it gets me hard just looking at her." The stallion remarked aloud lustfully as Snowbreeze averted her gaze and felt the urge to vomit.

"Don't even think about it!" The mare exclaimed as she swatted him upside the head and then began to kiss him.

The Pegasus risked a look only to blush and yanked her gaze away from the couple as they continued. "What a bunch of a sick mules…" Snowbreeze muttered out to herself as she was sure to look away from the couple as soft moans come from the two. "I really gotta stop getting myself caught by sex-crazed freaks." She added morbidly, wishing to Luna she had something to plug her ears up with.

"You mean they actually did it with you in the room?" Sapphire asked aloud in shock.

"Uh-huh. Like I said, they were a special kind of crazy. I mean, who gets off to shaving a mare bald and then banging in the same room as them?" Snowbreeze asked to which the two shuddered violently almost at the same time.
"So anyways, skip ahead a little. I really don't want to hear the details." Sapphire remarked uneasily.

"Oh don't worry, I was planning on it." Snowbreeze replied as she continued to recall what had happened to her.

"Do you two sick mules think you'll get away with this?! Fairweather most likely has the city out looking for me already!" Snowbreeze exclaimed as the mare walked up to her and placed a hoof on her cheek which caused the Pegasus to once again resist the urge to regurgitate the contents of her stomach onto the floor as she smeared something along her cheek.

"Oh dear Luna, that better not be what I think it is!" She exclaimed as she dared not to look at whatever the mare had smeared onto her cheek as it dribbled down her cheek.

Her only answer was a chuckle from the stallion which confirmed her worst fears. Unable to take it any longer, the Pegasus emptied the contents of her stomach onto the floor, nearly hitting the mare as she quickly backed away from the Pegasus.

"Well now you've done it, dear. It'll take weeks to get that pungent smell out of the carpet!" The stallion exclaimed angrily.

"Oh put a hoof in it! How was I supposed to know she'd upchuck?!" The mare snapped back.

Once the deranged couple was sure the filly was done, they carefully moved her to another part of the house. "You won't get away with this." Snowbreeze remarked hoarsely as she looked at the two.

"The dark horn has a very large bounty on your head. Imagine how they'll reward us… Once they've heard that I've silenced the great Alicorn…" The mare said slowly yet in a low tone as she ran a hoof along the filly's cheek once more only there was nothing on it this time which Snowbreeze was thankful for.

"We've already sent out the word, she'll come for you. We've seen how you two looked at each other when you first got here." The stallion added darkly.

"Pssh! Boy have you two wasted your time." Snowbreeze remarked aloud as she rolled her eyes.

"What do you mean?" The mare asked but when Snowbreeze didn't answer, she was slapped hard a crossed the face which knocked her to her side. "Answer me!" She shrieked.

Snowbreeze couldn't help but chuckle despite the fact her cheek now throbbed and stung as she looked at the mare. "She's not coming for me because she still hasn't woken up from the injuries your lame-brain order inflicted her with." She replied much to the shock of the mare as she looked at her husband who shrugged.

"She's lying! She must be! Why else would they have that news article about her being on the way to a full recovery?!" The mare exclaimed as she walked over and kicked the filly in the stomach which caused her to let out a cry of pain followed by coughing since she had the wind knocked out of her.

Suddenly the door to the couple's house was bucked off its hinges and a squad of nearly twenty M.P.D ponies filed in much to the terror of the couple who could do nothing as they were slammed to the ground and held firmly down. It was then that Fairweather walked in, glared at the couple who was being restrained and undid Snowbreeze's restraints.

"My sincerest apologies for not showing up sooner, Snowbreeze." The mare said calmly as she helped the filly to all four hooves.

"How did you find me?" The Pegasus asked curiously as the deranged couple was dragged out of the room.

"Once again, I'm sorry but considering the streak you've had so far of running off, I had a unicorn cast a tracking spell on you last night while you were asleep." She said much to the shock of the Pegasus.

"Ignoring for a moment that you put a stinking spell on me without asking me first, what took you guys so long?!" Snowbreeze asked angrily.

"Hey, Fairweather, you might want to see this!" A M.P.D stallion exclaimed as he put a large crystal onto the floor.

"A spell damper. No wonder the signal was so weak!" Fairweather remarked aloud and sighed as she looked over the Pegasus. "I'm so sorry you had to go through this." She said softly before she grabbed a blanket from another room in the house, and threw it over the Pegasus.

"They took me back to the hospital, checked me out and other than being a little nauseous, said I was perfectly healthy." Snowbreeze said calmly.

"Wow, that must have been so embarrassing. I can't imagine being shaved bald. How long did it take for it all to grow back?" Sapphire asked curiously.

"Not quickly enough." Snowbreeze remarked aloud uneasily. "Suffice it to say, I've stayed in the hospital ever since." Snowbreeze remarked aloud and sighed.

"Nothing else happened?" Sapphire asked curiously. "I mean come on, that's only three months account for." Sapphire said expecting there to be more.

Snowbreeze gave a thoughtful glance, blushed mildly for a brief moment, and sighed. "Nope, nothing." she said simply.

"Wait… you blushed! What happened?! Come on, you know I won't make fun of you!" Sapphire said as she gave her friend a playful swat to the shoulder.

"N-Nothing, I swear!" Snowbreeze exclaimed as she jumped off the bed and walked towards the door. "I'm gonna go grab something for us to drink. Want anything?" She asked curiously.

"Don't know but I'll ask." Snowbreeze replied as she walked out, down the hall, and stopped near the cafeteria door before she let out a sigh as one final memory played out in her mind.

"KId, it's been nine months. I don't think she's waking up." Dr. Doodle said softly as Snowbreeze gently stroked the Alicorn's mane.

"I'm not giving up on her, doc." She said softly to which the doctor sighed aloud.

Once Dr. Doodle left the room, Snowbreeze leaned in close to the Alicorn. "Sapphire, you've gotta wake up soon. If you don't, they're going to pull the plug on you!" She exclaimed softly as tears welled up in her eyes. "I… I can't imagine my life without you Sapphire." She said softly as she leaned in closer.

"You've never given up on me and I refuse to give up on you because…" She said only to trail off as she leaned in and kissed the sleeping Alicorn on the lips.

She whispered softly into the Alicorn's ear as she leaned back, walked over to the her chair, and closed her eyes in an attempt to fall asleep.

"S-Snowbreeze?" The pegasus heard a voice call out weakly yet no sooner she had barely uttered her name, the Pegasus's eyes snapped open and looked at her.

"She's awake! Doc, she's awake!" Snowbreeze exclaimed at the top of her lungs. It was then that a chorus of hooves could be heard trampling towards her room and soon, a familiar donkey face met her vision along with five faces she didn't recognize.

"I'm such a bucking idiot…" Snowbreeze remarked aloud depressingly as she opened the cafeteria door and went inside to get her and Sapphire something to drink.

The Alicorn let out a sigh as she looked out the window. "I must have imagined it." She remarked aloud softly. "Wishful thinking I suppose." She added as the faint yet oh so real memory of lips locking with hers followed by a soft voice saying:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Master, all our attempts to kill the Alicorn thus far have failed. We beg for your mercy." A unicorn with a deep voice said though it lacked its usual commanding nature.

"Rise, Horus. It is only a matter of time before we are able to get rid of the Alicorn once and for all. According to our sources, the Alicorn still sleeps to this day. It will only be a matter of time before she dies at our hooves." A female unicorn said calmly. This unicorn was dressed in black robes but unlike the others, hers outfit bore a sense of royalty to how it had been crafted., what's more was the fact that unlike any other unicorn within these halls, she bore a black horn on her flank that seemed to portray a radiating magic from it. Around this cutiemark however bore faint scars which no unicorn dared to suggest but all thought she had her original cutiemark removed and this one put in its place.

Another unicorn in black cleared his throat upon hearing this however. "Your majesty… I believe our sources may have been tainted. Though we have been told the Alicorn sleeps still, word has been spreading all across Equestria that she is in fact awake and is planning on seeking out an Earth Pony Master to teach her how to control her earth pony magic." The unicorn remarked aloud much to the female unicorn's surprise.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her voice carrying an air of threat to it which insinuated if the unicorn was wrong that he would be gravely punished.

"Yes, your majesty. What's more, I have heard rumors that a fraction of these so called 'Alicorn Protection bureau' members have broken off from the main faction and have gone underground in fear that our order may be within their ranks." He continued calmly.

"They'd be right about that." Another unicorn remarked which was met with a bout of laughter from the unicorns in the room.

"Silence!" The female unicorn barked aloud which instantly quieted the room. "Do you have any further information on this group who is rumored to have broken off from the A.P.B.?" She asked calmly to the unicorn.

"Very well, send out members of our order to find this faction that has gone underground. If we can not get anypony within their ranks after the third attempt, annihilate them." She said calmly to which the unicorn bowed deeply once more before his ruler and quickly left the room.

"Your majesty, may I have permission to speak freely?" Horus asked aloud to which the female unicorn eyed him curiously for a time before she nodded.

"I believe that more than our sources may have been tainted. In fact, I believe the traitor may be among us as we speak." He said calmly much to the surprise of the other unicorns in the room.

"You will have to forgive my discretion regarding this manner, your majesty. But I fear if I attempt to reveal whom I suspect, they may target me at this very moment in an attempt to silence me." Horus remarked aloud which was met with suspicious looks from the other unicorns.

The female unicorn gave Horus a curious look for a time before she looked to the others. "Very well, we shall interrogate every single member of the order's inner circle. If there is a traitor among us, they will die. This meeting is adjourned!" She said announced to which the unicorns in the room began to leave. "Oh, and Horus?" She added which caused the unicorn to stop and turn to look at her.

"Your past failures would have already landed you in an early grave if not for my mercy. Do not abuse my kindness or you will not live to regret it." She said darkly which caused Horus to gulp loudly.

"Of course, your majesty." He replied uneasily before he quickly left the room along with the rest of the unicorns.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, Sapphire. It looks like you're the perfect bill of health." Dr. Doodle said casually on the Alicorn's release day as he checked her vitals.

"Sweet! We can go now? I really want to meet this earth pony master in Fillydelphia." Sapphire said excitedly as she jumped off the bed and stretched her wings.

"Don't be in such a rush, Sapphire. We've got a pretty sweet deal here!" Snowbreeze remarked aloud with a smirk before she gave a loud sip of her blueberry milkshake.

Sapphire however shot her friend a dirty look. "We've already been enough of a burden to this city." She remarked dryly.

As much as Snowbreeze wanted to argue this, she knew the Alicorn was right. "Fine but can I at least finish this milkshake?" She asked to which Sapphire smirked and rolled her eyes at the Pegasus.

It was then that Fairweather walked into the hospital room a short ten minutes later to see the Alicorn and Pegasus putting their saddle bags on. "Leaving so soon?" She asked curiously as she looked at the two.

"Yeah, I'm grateful for all you've done but it's vital that I learn to control my earth pony magic as soon as possible." Sapphire replied before she leaned off and secured the strap along her side.

"Very well, I won't stop you but there's something you should know." Fairweather said uneasily as she put a newspaper down on the bed for the two to look at.

THE LEGENDARY ALICORN IS REAL!

Yes, you read that correctly. We have sources that not only confirm the existence of the legendary Alicorn but also have reports of her saving a town from a group of known thugs and an entire city from an evil organization known as the dark horn! While reports of the Alicorn's current condition are unconfirmed, our sources tell us that the Alicorn known as Sapphire Swifthoof, daughter to a meager family of earth pony farmers, is alive and well within the earth pony nation and plans on seeking the aid of an earth pony master! The Alicorn's reasons behind this are unknown and we will keep you updated on the details!

Chief Editor of the Canterlot gazette,

"It seems that your existence has spiked quite the popularity amongst the ponies of Equestria." Fairweather remarked once the two finished reading the headline to the Canterlot news article.

"Not necessarily." Dr. Doodle remarked aloud with a thoughtful expression as he scratched his chin. "This sudden rise in popularity could actually be just what you two need. The Dark Horn wouldn't dare attempt to attack you in the open with so many ponies supporting you and not to mention many more who would openly come to your defense should you come under attack." The donkey said aloud thoughtfully.

"But I don't want ponies coming to my defense! In fact, that's the last thing I'd ever want! I don't think I could live with myself if somepony else died because of me…" Sapphire remarked aloud in a saddened tone.

"Yeah, I sorta agree with Sapphire on this one, doc. One pony already was killed thanks to me and that's still eating me up. I don't think I could take it if anymore died trying to protect me." Snowbreeze remarked aloud and sighed depressingly.

Fairweather and Dr. Doodle looked at one another briefly before looking back to the two mares. It was then that the Pegasus walked up to Sapphire and Snowbreeze. "Come with me, there's something that I want you two to see." She said softly and lead the Alicorn outside.

For sometime the three said nothing, only glancing about themselves as the city bustled with the voices of its citizens. After roughly ten minutes, the two stood before a cafe that Snowbreeze remembered all too well. "Hey, this is that one cafe I got sold that lame drink." she remarked curiously before she looked to Fairweather. "I really don't think I should go in here. Last time didn't go over so well." She added guiltily.

"I can assure you both that you will be pleasantly surprised." Fairweather said with a smile as she pushed open the door to see a cafe full of Pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies chatting amongst themselves.

If Snowbreeze's jaw could drop any further, it would have already hit the ground and possibly dug five feet under as she gawked in shock at what she was seeing.

"Fairweather! Good to see you!" The earth pony behind the counter greeted until he noticed Sapphire and Snowbreeze. His smile widened if possible much to the further shock to the Pegasus.

"Good to see you, Snowbreeze! Come on in! Order anything you like, it's on the house!" He exclaimed as he gestured towards his stock.

"Uh, no offense but who are you and what did you do with the stallion who used to run this place?" Snowbreeze asked aloud which caused both Fairweather and the stallion to burst out laughing. Snowbreeze looked to the door she remembered seeing before where she was forced to pay an outrageous price for her badly prepared drink only to take note of the fact it was boarded up.

A short time later, the stallion, Sapphire, Snowbreeze, and Fairweather each had a drink in hoof as they sat around a table in the cafe. For a time, none said a word until the stallion finally spoke up.

"For that stupid drink my brother served you." He replied only to frown at the mere mention of his fallen kin.

Another short silence ensued before Snowbreeze shoved the bits back towards the stallion much to his own confusion. "Keep it. I was a featherflank to him anyways and besides, you probably need it more than I do." She said warmly.

The stallion chuckled softly at this as a smile crept its way back on to his facial features. "I just want you to know that even if me and my brother were rather rude towards anypony other than our own kind, we never would wish death on anypony." He said simply.

The haunting image that the Pegasus had kept buried until now managed its way to the front of her mind and once again played before her eyes which caused her to tear up much to the concern of the others. "I-I'm so sorry! He died because of me! I should have stood up, said something but I hid like a coward!" She exclaimed aloud between sobs.

Sapphire and Fairweather had no idea what to say to this as they looked to the stallion who looked rather upset towards the Pegasus now. "Buck up and stop kicking yourself in the flank you pansy!" He exclaimed at the top of his lungs which startled nearly everypony in the cafe. "Do you really want to insult my own brother?! Because if so, you can leave right now!" He continued on as the Pegasus looked at him in shock.

"Hey! No need to get rude! She was only apologizing!" Sapphire snapped angrily as she came to the defense of her friend.

"She's got nothing to be apologizing for! My brother sacrificed himself to protect another pony, a Pegasus, and this quivering mass of a filly wants to say she's sorry for that?!" He snapped back before he took several deep breaths to calm himself and continued. "Listen to me and listen to me good. My brother gave his life to protect you and I'll be sent to Tartarus before I let you act like this is your fault!" He said sternly.

"Sapphire, its okay. I think I get what he's saying. " Snowbreeze said softly as she managed to cut the waterworks and looked at him. "You're saying that I shouldn't feel guilty for something that wasn't my fault, right?" She asked softly.

"No, I'm saying that you shouldn't be acting like a pansy and treating yourself as somepony important when all my brother did was do what was right. I'm not saying what happened is your fault but you sitting here and acting like he made some noble sacrifice when that's not true is really pissing me off. Just because you're friends with the Alicorn, doesn't put you on a higher pedestal than any other pony in Equestria." He said in a much calmer tone.

"Come on, Snowbreeze. Lets leave this cafe. It's obvious nothing has changed." Sapphire remarked aloud with a glare at the earth pony only for Snowbreeze to stop her before she could stand up and walk away.

"No… he's right. I'm sitting here beating myself over something that was entirely out of my control and still am. I think I get it now, the reason why this has been eating at me so much. Ever since we started traveling together, I've thought myself better than other ponies, even my own race since my ancestor is Rainbow Dash. The feeling of being better than everypony else got even worse and worse since you saved that town and this city. I've been taking advantage of this city's generosity and all because I thought I was 'entitled' to it since I'm the element of loyalty's descendant." Snowbreeze remarked aloud and sighed before she looked at the stallion.

"Can you forgive me?" She asked softly to which the stallion reached out his hoof and shook hers.

"Well! That was certainly more than I bargained for when I brought you two here." Fairweather remarked aloud with a smile at the two as they walked through the city streets.

"How are you feeling, Snowbreeze?" Sapphire asked as the Pegasus walked next to them.

"A whole lot better actually. Its like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders." She replied as she walked with renewed vigor and a skip in her step.

"Actually, I think now would be a good time." Snowbreeze remarked aloud much to even Sapphire's mild shock.

"Really? You sure you don't want another blueberry milkshake?" The Alicorn joked.

"Haha, no thanks." She said aloud as she made her take off position as did Sapphire.

"Well, this is very sudden but I bid you both fairwell. This city is indebted to the both of you." Fairweather said with a smile.

"Nah, you don't owe me a thing. In fact, I haven't done much at all since I started traveling with Sapphire other than get foalnapped." Snowbreeze replied modestly.

"Don't sell yourself short, Snowbreeze. Even the most humble of ponies deserve a little ego stroking once in awhile." Fairweather replied with a smirk.

"Oh dear Celestia, don't tell her that! I'm hoping to get to the next city with at least half our rations left!" Sapphire joked which was met with a bout of laughter from all three ponies.

Sapphire and Snowbreeze broke into a run and were off to the skies in a matter of moments as Fairweather watched them fly away. "Don't stop being the strong mare you are, Sapphire. Equestria needs you more than you will ever know…"

The Last Alicorn(Book One: Purpose)

by Deathsia

The Year Without Sapphire(part 4)