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Wake Up389 words
1. The Six-Pointed Star5,752 words
2. No Rest for the Weary6,351 words
3. The Student's Journal7,219 words
4. Out from Ridgeback5,858 words
5. The Exhibit6,066 words
6. Creation Myths5,992 words
7. On the Town6,891 words
8. Among the Living7,897 words
9. Above the Flames8,905 words
10. Far from the Tree8,954 words
11. Fort Tain6,317 words
12. Sanctuary6,486 words
13. Salvage8,610 words

13. Salvage

“Aww,” Ivy said, “I’m not tired.”

“Hush, Sweetie,” Amber said, scooting her sister along the floor towards the stairs, “you will be.”

Her sister tensed beneath her hoof. “What was that?”

"Come on, dear.” And before Ivy had a chance to complain further, Amber was hurrying her up the staircase, away from the rest of the crowd. Ivy scarcely seemed to notice.

“You used my name!” she said, hopping up the stairs. “My other name, I mean.”

“Yes, well, it must have just slipped out,” Amber said. She guided her sister to the room that Easter had specified. Inside were ten beds, neatly arranged in rows and covered in warm blankets. The thatched roof sloped to a low point at the window. Outside, a few ponies walked along the cobbled pathways, leaving hoofprints in the light snow. Amber could see two of the caravaneers and Noble walking down the street.

“Odd,” she said. “It looks awfully empty out there…”

Ivy continued to talk even as Amber sat down next to her on the bed. “…and I was just thinking that Granny Smith might have jogged you and Rainbow Dash’s memories, but she seems the same and I can’t really tell about you, but if you called me by my other name maybe that means Rarity is breaking through!” She blushed. “Not that I don’t love having you as a sister as well.”

“Well, from what you’ve told me, we’re not actually different ponies,” Amber said, beckoning her sister closer. Ivy obliged, leaning in while Amber began to examine her hair.

“Shining is still deep under, though,” Ivy said, a note of sadness in her voice. “I tried to talk to him the other day but he wouldn’t really talk to me back.”

“Mhmm,” Amber said. “And what about Jade?”

“Fleur is scary. I don’t think she likes me.”

“Miss Jade is very devoted to her task,” Amber said, continuing to parse through Ivy’s hair. “Don’t be sad if she treats you coolly, it’s what she was taught to do. And, ah… there it is. Looks like some color’s growing back in. We’re going to have to fix that.”

“Aww…”

“Don’t fuss. Let me just get my bag…”

There was a knock on the door, and Amber heard Jade’s voice on the other side. “Lady Ambrosia? Lady Ivory? Is everything to your liking?”

“Yes, thank you, Jade,” Amber said, keeping her voice light in spite of the frustration she felt. “We are discussing personal matters and will be done shortly.”

“As you wish, my lady.” There were no more sounds from the other side of the door. Amber imagined Jade standing outside, stiff as a plank. She sighed. The guards had never bothered her before, but lately something about their utmost devotion to her seemed… unsettling? She brushed off the feeling and reached for her bag.

“Now, I know I have it in here somewhere… aha!”

She removed a small glass vial, about half full of dark purple liquid. She frowned. “The dye seems to be running out faster than I’d thought…”

“Maybe if it runs out, we can explain the situation,” Ivy said, her eyes hopeful. “And then I won’t have to wear it anymore, and I can have a cool mane with more than one color like Shining or Rainbow--”

“Oh, Sweetie, you know it’s not that simple,” Amber sighed. “Now, how about you come and sit on the floor--”

“You said it again!”

“Yes, dear. Now, the floor.”

“Yes, Amber,” Ivy said, getting off the bed and sitting with her head by Amber’s lap.

“Thank you, dear,” Amber said, uncorking the bottle. She applied a small amount of the solution to a stained cloth and began to dab at Ivy’s scalp, where a streak of pink mane was just beginning to show .

“It burns,” Ivy said.

“Oh, I know, dear,” Amber said, wincing at Ivy’s expression. “You know if there was any other way…”

“It doesn’t seem too bad being a half-breed,” Ivy said. “Shining and Fleur don’t seem to mind it. Plus they can fight!”

“They can fight, sure. But so can you.” Amber continued to apply the dye, holding Ivy’s head still while she did so. “And they can also never take a mate, or serve on family counsels, or manage our business affairs. It is a life defined by service and solitude. Our father swore you would avoid that fate. He made that promise long ago.”

“Well those rules sound stupid. Why can’t we just let half-breeds do all those things?”

Amber chuckled, finishing the dying process and dabbing Ivy’s hair dry with a handkerchief. “You tell me, dear sister. I know your tutors taught you better than that.”

Ivy sighed, and recited in a sing-song voice. “The Half-Breed Ordinance is a compromise designed to protect the cultural and racial purity of the Andalusian line while allowing maximum freedom for all ponies involved. After the issue of intermarriage between locals and Andalusians nearly led to civil war, a compromise was reached whereby intermarriage and romance between local breeds and Andalusians were permitted, so long as the children of such relationships were forbidden themselves from passing on such genes.” She pouted as Amber tied a handkerchief around her head to cover the still-damp dye. “I still think it’s a stupid rule.”

“It is what it must be,” Amber said. “Even if there are issues with the law, the family clans cannot afford to fight about it. The preservation of a united front to outsiders is fundamental to our way of life. Besides, intermarriage between breeds is exceedingly dangerous for the long-term stability of a region--as the history of the so-called ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ ponies of this land can tell you.”

“Rarity wouldn’t agree with that,” Ivy huffed.

Amber sighed -- why did talking with her sister always lead to such a hornache? “Well, I’m afraid Rarity isn’t here,” she said. “Now, don’t fidget with that bandanna so much-- it could fall off early.” She raised her voice and called outside. “Jade? You may enter.”

The door opened and Jade stepped in, her face cautious. “I trust all of our affairs are in order, My Lady?” she said.

“Of course, Jade, thank you. We were just discussing the next step for our journey. I do not expect we will linger in Fort Tain for very long.”

“If I may be so bold, My Lady, I hope not. This place is scarcely more than a den of thieves.”

“Oh, pooh. Mr. Nor’Easter has been nothing but polite.”

“As you say, My Lady.” Jade bowed her head.

“Of course. Now, I’d like you to take a letter for me,” Amber said. “We’re only a week from Hub City, and I want to write ahead to tell House Sanguine to expect us.”

“Yes, My Lady. I will send official herald at once of our arrival. Do you expect trouble with the House?”

“Not at all, but Azur, bless his heart, is a rather forgetful pony.”

“Yes, My Lady. Would you like to—“

But that was as far as Jade got before a deafening boom echoed through the room. The beds shook, and before Amber had time to process what had happened Jade had leapt at her, throwing her and Ivy to the ground and shielding them with her body.

“I—what has happened?”

“Stay down!’

There was a long moment. Amber’s heart beat loud in her ears. She could feel Jade’s breath on her face. Ivy shivered next to her.

Once it seemed clear that nothing more was going to happen, Amber gently pushed Jade off of her. “Thank you, darling, but I believe that the danger has passed.”

“Of course,” Jade said, straightening up. She helped Amber and Ivy to their feet.

“What on earth do you suppose that was?” Amber said, checking to make sure that her bag was still in order.

“I don’t know…” Jade said, looking towards the window. “Something from outside…” Her face froze.

“What is it? What do you see?” But Jade didn’t need to respond, because as soon as Amber looked out the window she could see it as well. Scarcely two blocks away was the smoking ruin of a building. Splintered wood and stone blocks were strewn all over, and the snow had melted down to the brown grass beneath.

“You’re in danger, My Lady,” Jade said. “We have to get you out of the city at once.”

“I need to talk to Mr. Nor’Easter,” Amber said. “Jade, watch Ivy.”

“But—“

“I can protect myself just fine, Jade.” Amber put a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll just be a moment.”

“But ma’am,” Jade said, but Amber was already walking out of the door. She went down the stairs and into the main hall, where Easter and Axel were huddled together, talking quickly.

“What’s going on?” Amber said, trotting up to them. “What’s happened?”

“We don’t know,” Axel said, frowning. “Easter reckons it's best if we stay indoors, but I’d much rather get out there and figure out what’s happened.”

“A building has been destroyed,” Amber said, her voice breathless. “Down the street to the east.”

Easter’s face paled. “That’s the direction of the Barrel Wheel,” he said.

“The others,” Axel whispered, and then she was moving towards the door, so quickly that Amber had to struggle to keep up.

“Hold on, wait!” she called, but Axel was out the door and Amber followed. The snow had started again, mixed with small tendrils of falling ash. Amber could smell smoke and burning in the air. She could hear voices nearby and saw Axel running down a side street towards the site of the explosion. Amber hurried after her, wishing she’d thought to bring a hat or scarf.

The site of the explosion was visible from a ways off by the billowing chimney of smoke that rose into the night sky. The street was empty. Amber could hear faint cries on the wind. Ponies had been hurt.

There was almost nothing left of the building. The brick foundations remained, but the heavy wooden logs that propped up the roof and gave the structure its shape had been cracked and broken.

“Cesar!” Axel shouted, looking over the crowd and towards the ruins. “Capricorn! Spectrum?”

A cry drew Amber’s attention. These ponies needed help. All around her they wailed and clutched burned and broken limbs, their faces coated in soot. She saw a few forms laying perfectly still, their motionless forms sending shivers down her back. She rushed to the nearest pony, a green-yellow stallion with a grey mane.

“Where are you hurt?” she said, scanning his injuries. His leg was mangled and the fur on one side had been completely burned away. He winced, tears in his eyes, saying something she couldn’t understand. “Right, the language barrier. Well, dear, I think I can see what’s wrong. Let me see if I can find some bandages…”

A pink hoof thrust a pile of clean rags into her vision. She took them. “Thank you,” she said.

“Don’t mention it,” the pony said, giving her a halting smile. Other than the soot on her face she was unharmed. “I’ll get some more stuff.” Then she was gone.

Amber turned back to the stallion. Her education had covered first aid, but she had never dealt with it on the ground in quite this way. “I need you to breathe easy, dear,” she said, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “This is going to hurt. In fact, here—“ she rolled one of the rags up and offered it to him, making an exaggerated biting motion.

He took the rag in his teeth and nodded. Amber returned to the leg. The bone was out of place; it would need to be set. She put one hoof on either side of the leg, braced herself, and pulled hard, once. The stallion let out a strangled cry.

“It’s over, dear. It’s done. Let me just bind it up.”

He kept talking to her in the Ahkal language. She couldn’t understand him but she knew the horror in his face all too well. Leg fractures were very, very serious. Amber did her best to keep her face calm and in control as she wrapped the leg up. “There,” she said when it was done. “I’m finished. Someone will be along shortly to help you move. I’m afraid you’re too big for me to carry.”

“I can help with that!” The pink pony was back. Amber smiled at her.

“Thank you.”

Together, the two of them lifted the stallion up and braced him so he didn’t have to walk on the broken leg. Slowly, the three of them left the rubble and set the stallion down at the edge of the ruin, where an official-looking pony had appeared, laying out a tarp.

The pink pony said something to the official, who was now (doctor, Amber realized), examining the wounded pony’s bandages. She turned towards Amber and said something Amber didn’t understand.

“I… I’m sorry,” Amber said. “I do not speak your language.”

“Then I can speak the language of Ridgeback just as well,” the mare said. “I’m Clearstone. Thank you for bringing him.”

Amber gave a small bow. “My name is Amber. And it was no problem.”

“His bindings look good. You’ve been well trained.”

“Thank you ma’am,” Amber said. Then she felt a tug on her shoulder and the next thing she knew she was being dragged back into the rubble.

“Come on,” Rosie was saying. “Plenty more ponies need our help!”

The next hour was a blur for Amber, as they moved from pony to pony, pulling them out of the rubble and treating their injuries as best they could. She and the pony Rosie worked like a well-oiled machine; Rosie would retrieve the needed materials and Amber would use her medical knowledge to the best of her ability. Amber didn’t think about the passing time, focusing instead on finding one pony, then another, then another…

And then it was done. She sat back, exhausted, and wiped her brow with a grimy hoof. “I should say,” she said, “that was quite a bit of work. I think I shall have the most marvelous bath after this.”

“Ooh, a bath sounds really nice,” Rosie said. “With all the warm water, and bubbles! But we’ve still got a few things left to do, I think. Here comes your friend!”

Amber looked over to see Axel walking up to them, looking just as exhausted as she felt. “Any sign of the others?”

The look on Axel’s face told her all she needed to know. “We found Cesar,” she said. “He’s got a broken leg. The guards whisked him off for questioning. He doesn’t know where the others were, says they were right next to him.”

“They must not have been in the bar, then,” Amber said.

“Ooh!” Rosie said, raising a hoof. “I can help! I remember all the names and faces of my customers. Who were you looking for?”

Axel raised an eyebrow. “Three ponies, two Blue, one Andalusian. Capricorn, Spectrum, and Noble.”

“Yeah, I remember them!” Rosie said. “They didn’t want to buy my rotten tomatoes for when the show was bad. But then the show got really good at the end so I guess it makes sense. I was talking to Spectrum when the explosion happened.”

“They were here?” Axel said, grabbing Rosie and practically shaking her. “Where?”

“Right over there,” Rosie said, pointing to the blackened remains of the bar. “You can’t see it very well anymore, but that’s where I would serve the drinks for everyone. It’s also where I kept the tomatoes—“

“Arrgh! I don’t care about your fucking rotten tomatoes!” Axel shouted, dropping Rosie and turning towards where she’d pointed. Rosie shrank back.

“I’m sorry,” she said to Amber as the latter helped her up. “I guess I just talk a lot when I’m nervous. Or excited. Or both! My mother says I talk too, she says it’s why I can’t get a better job, but I really really like working here, you know? It’s so much fun, and I get to meet so many different ponies all the time, but what am I going to do now, because it’s gone and I don’t think Miss Cumulus is going to be able to rebuild, and she’s always talking about how--“

“Rosie,” Amber said, gently putting a hoof over her mouth. “I understand. This is really stressful for all of us, especially Axel, even if she’s being super rude.” She glared over to where the other pony was searching. “But she’s lost her whole team, so you’ll have to excuse her. Incidentally, was the Andalusian with them when the bomb went off?”

“Bomb?”

“I’m assuming that’s what happened. I don’t know, obviously.”

Rosie blinked. “No he wasn’t. Noble was volunteering for a trick with The Spectacular Cirrus.”

“Who?”

“She was putting the show on tonight. She’s over there.” Rosie pointed back to where the rescued ponies were sitting. One in particular, a blue pony with a nearly white mane, was arguing with Clearstone about something.

“She seems like a fiery one, doesn’t she?” Amber said.

“Why?” Rosie said. “She’s blue.”

“Yes… I’m going to go talk to her, just a moment.”

Amber left Rosie and the still-searching Axel behind, walking back to the edge of the crowd. The conversation Cirrus was having with the doctor swam into clarity.

“I tell you, I’m fine! I used my magic to survive the blast.”

“Obvious concussion. Please, Miss Dusk.”

“It’s The Spectacular Cirrus!”

“Not in my office, it isn’t.”

“This isn’t an office! You just laid a tarp on the ground!”

“Excuse me, Madam Doctor,” Amber said, “but may I have a word with your patient?”

Clearstone frowned. “I don’t know if—“

“Ah!” Cirrus said, turning around with a smile bigger than her face, “a fan! Tell me, did you enjoy the performance tonight? I hope I captivated your senses and dazzled your imagination!”

“Actually,” Amber said, “I wanted to ask you about one of the ponies you used for a trick. I’m afraid I wasn’t here for your performance proper, although—“ she added, upon seeing the look on Cirrus’s face—“I’m sure it was quite delightful!”

“That’s how it is,” Cirrus mutters. “Everypony remembers you for your mistakes, not your successes. Although, the trick at the end…” her eyes widened. “Oh dear. He’s still… whoops! One moment I… ah… ACHOO!”

She sneezed, and Amber felt a tingle of power rush through her. She turned back towards the ruin, where a hatch opened in the floor and up popped a very confused-looking Noble.

“Sorry about that,” Cirrus said, “although I guess he was protected… in fact… yes, I meant to do the whole thing!”

She stood and took a bow. “Once again, The Spectacular Cirrus has demonstrated her caring and heroic side, by shielding this innocent from the cruel explosion that destroyed this bar! Is there no end to her heroism?”

Amber glanced at Clearstone, who was looking at her patient, unamused. “Alright,” she said. “I think that’s plenty of talking for you. Come along.”

Amber turned away from the protesting Cirrus and ran over to Noble. He still looked confused.

“Noble,” she said. “Are you okay?”

“I… I think so,” he said, accepting her offered hoof. “I… whoa. What happened to this place?”

“You don’t know?” Amber said. “But you were here!”

“Yeah, but—“

“Noble!” Amber turned to see Axel running up to them. “Where are the others? Where’s Cesar? Capricorn?”

Noble blinked. “I thought… they were right the bar?”

“Rrrr! What do you mean, at the bar? There’s no bar, and there’s no team! You were here the whole time! What’s the matter with people in this town?”

“Noble,” Amber said, turning to face the confused guard. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Well… I’d volunteered to do a magic trick with the performer who was there, and she put me in this box, and I remember thinking, this box is way too small for me to fit in it, but then she slammed the lid on me and I did. I think I had some weird dreams in there…. But then the lid opened and you started asking me questions again and that’s pretty much all I remember.”

“Argh!” Axel shouted again. “I can’t believe this. I—I just can’t!”

Her voice caught. Amber bit her lip.

“Noble Shield,” she began. He wilted back. “I am quite disappointed in you. I know that we have been on the road for quite some time, and that Jade is not good company at the best of times, but this was extremely reckless.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said. “It won’t happen again.”

“You are exactly right it won’t.” Amber sighed. When Ivy had asked her to allow the guards some leeway to let loose and relax, she’d been hesitant, but her sister had won her over. Now she was beginning to remember why such things were forbidden at home.

Well, can you expect anything less from a half-breed? Her mind whispered. She pushed the thought down.

“It’s okay, Noble,” she said, rubbing her horn. “I’m sorry. Just… go back to the hotel and inform Jade of what happened.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He left with a salute.

Amber looked at him leave, then turned back to the others. Axel was looking at her with a cloudy expression, like she wanted to say something.

Rosie’s stomach rumbled. She jumped. “Gosh, I didn’t realize what time it was. I’d have gotten off an hour ago! My family will wonder where I am… say, you should all come over! It’s a bit cramped, but we’re all great cooks, and we’ll make you a meal you won’t forget!”

“I… appreciate the offer,” Axel said, looking like she felt anything but, “but I need to file a report. Food is the last thing on my mind.”

“I’d love to come by, Rosie,” Amber said, “but I’d like to clean up first.”

“Then it’s settled!” Rosie said. “You go have that bubble bath and get all squeaky clean, and then come by my place! You can’t miss it, just go down that street over there and it’s the fourth on the left. I’ll see you later!”

She gave the whole group and exaggerated wave, then bounded off down the road. Axel blinked. “Glad she’s gone.”

“I thought she was rather charming,” Amber said. “She was certainly quite helpful with helping save the other ponies.”

“She wasn’t hurt in the blast…” Axel murmured. “That’s suspicious.”

Amber frowned. “I highly doubt our new friend had anything to do with the explosion,” she said.

Axel shrugged. “Just making sure all our bases are covered. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go report my missing team to the guard. Good luck with that dinner; if I had to spend a few hours in the company of a family of those I’d probably go mad. We’ll regroup later at the hotel.”

“See you,” Amber said. Axel nodded and walked away. Amber turned back towards the direction of their inn. A bath would be really nice.

An hour later, fresh from the water and an argument with Jade about the dangers of visiting strangers, Amber was back on the road. The smell of smoke was still in the air, but the doctors and the patients had been cleared out. In fact, ponies were back in the streets, walking around the rubble like nothing had happened. It made Amber uncomfortable, for some reason.

Ivy bounced along next to her, trying not to fidget with the bows that Amber had put in her hair. “How far is it to Pinkie’s? I want to see her!” When Amber had told her about the exuberant pink pony, Ivy had been ecstatic.

“Now, Ivy, I know you’re excited, but that’s not her name, remember? You can’t go calling ponies by names they don’t recognize, even if you remember them that way.”

“I know,” Ivy said, sticking her lip out in a pout. “But I think it is! It must be! Oh, she’s going to have to come with us on this trip! How do you think we could convince her? Maybe, if you two get together and really talk it out, do friendship stuff, you can… but that didn’t work for Rainbow, hmm…”

She continued this train of thought as Amber led her down the path that Rosie had specified earlier. Down this path, free from the Astral architecture of the Siren and the Barrel Wheel, the buildings felt alien, their thick-cut wooden slabs and bright colors a far cry from the grey stone she was used to. She stopped in front of the one Rosie had specified. “Let me just knock…”

But the door opened before Amber had a chance to put her hoof to the wood. “You’re here!” Rosie said, grinning. “Come in, come in!”

The main room was small and homey. A fire burned in the brick fireplace, and a blue-gray mare stood next to it, stirring something in a pot. She glanced up as they entered. “You’re Rosie’s friends? Come in, come in. There’s bread on the table, if you’d like a snack. Stew will be done shortly.”

“Thank you very much, Mrs…”

“Call me Topaz,” the mare said. “I’m Rosie’s mother. Thank you very much for helping her today. She’s the baby of the family, so we always worry about her. It’s good to see that she can take care of herself.”

Rosie stuck out her tongue. “I’m eighteen, Mom,” she said. “You’re gonna embarrass me in front of my friends!”

“Rosie did fine today,” Amber said. “She helped us find some of the victims and helped me bind wounds and move patients.

Topaz smiled. “That sounds like my Rosie. I’ll call the others. Dinner is almost ready.” Topaz closed her eyes for a moment, then shouted: “Amy! Emerald! Beryl! Dinner!”

Amber rubbed her ears. A moment later she heard the thump of hooves, and thee mares came down the stairs, all of them some variant of gray-blue.

“I’m back girls!” Rosie shouted, coming in for a hug.

“Rosie! Get off,” the first one said, laughing as she pushed Rosie away. “You didn’t go anywhere!”

“Shh, Emerald, just accept the hug,” Rosie said, before letting go and bounding back towards Amber. “These are my new friends Amber and Ivy! They helped me get ponies out of the blast when the bar came down! Well, Amber did. Ivy’s her sister!”

“Pleased to meet you,” Emerald said, bumping Amber’s hoof. “My name is Emerald, and these are my sisters Amethyst and Beryl . You’ve already met Rhodochrosite.”

Rosie stuck out her tongue. “I hate that name.”

“I know.”

“You all have such lovely names,” Amber said. “I wasn’t aware of the Ahkal practice of naming children after gemstones.”

Beryl and Amethyst looked at each other, and burst out laughing. “She thinks we’re Ahkal? Looking like this? Are you serious?”

“It was just a question,” Amber muttered.

“It’s fine,” Emerald said, sitting down next to her. “You don’t look like you’re from around here either.”

“You’re not?”

“We…” Beryl said, waving a hoof in the air and looking into the imaginary distance. “Are not from Fort Tain!”

“We…” Amethyst continued, joining her sister, “are not from the Mare at all!”

“No, the land we come from is far away, where the great Eye Spirit shines eternal in the sky!”

“Where—“

“We’re Prospolian,” Emerald said. The smiles dropped off Amethyst and Beryl’s faces.

“Aww, you ruined it.”

“What’s the matter, Emerald, can’t take a joke?”

“Prospolis? How exciting!” Amber said. “That’s where we’re headed.”

“Really?” Rosie squeaked. “Oh my gosh, you have to tell me all about it when you get back!”

“Er…”

“Rosie doesn’t remember it,” Emerald said. “She was born there, but we left too soon for her to know what it was like. I can’t believe you’re going there, though. Most ponies don’t even know where it is.”

“It’s a very, very, very long way away,” Beryl said. Amethyst nodded solemnly.

“Believe me, we are aware,” Amber said. “I’ve never even met anyone who’s from there, just people who have passed through. Are… are the things people say about it true?”

“What sort of things?” Emerald said, raising an eyebrow. “Like that there’s no government and everyone just lives peacefully together?”

“Um…”

“Sort of. There’s no central government, that’s for sure. The city’s too big and it changes too much.”

“Changes?”

“Dinner time,” Topaz said, bringing the pot of stew over. “Now, girls, I don’t want you four fighting over who gets to go first. We have guests, and that means proper manners. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the group chimed.

“Please, help yourselves.”

Amber accepted the offered bowl gratefully and began to pour stew for herself and Ivy. She took a sip. It was delicious, a rich mixture of onions, barley, and carrots. “Madam Topaz, this is wonderful,” she said.

“Madam?” Topaz chuckled. “I don’t think I’m quite that fancy.”

“Hey Amethyst, give me that bowl!” Beryl shouted, reaching for the bowl. Amethyst held it out of reach.

“Shut up, Beryl,” she said. “Let me get my food…”

Emerald plucked the bowl out of Amethyst’s hooves and began to server herself some food.

“No fair…”

Emerald gave a little shrug. “It’s fair if you make it fair,” she said.

Rosie grabbed a bowl for herself and began to eat. Amber turned back towards Topaz.

“So… do you like it here? I suppose it must be very different, without the sun in the sky and all.”

“Yes, it is… but I’ve gotten used to it. I knew it would be an issue when I first came here, but some things are more important.”

“Like what?”

Topaz glanced over to a picture on the wall, showing herself and a brown Ahkal that could only be her husband. “Love,” she said.

“Oh my, that’s so… romantic.”

“I’m gonna puke,” Beryl muttered.

“Shut up.”

“Make me.”

“Maybe I will!”

“Girls, stop fighting,” Topaz snapped, before offering Amber a smile. “It’s not much of a story. We met in Prospolis, and when he had to make the move back to Fort Tain, there was no question of me coming along. Fort Tain is largely accepting of mixed couples, and the city itself is small enough that I never really get lost.” She let out a soft laugh. “Although to be fair, any city in the world would be dwarfed by Prospolis.”

“So all of your children are mixed,” Amber said. “I was wondering where Rosie had come from.”

Topaz laughed. “It’s funny, because now I know you’re not from around here. Everyone thinks Rosie is from another stallion but no one will say anything. It’s just their way. But Prospolis is just like that. There aren’t ‘breeds’ like there are here. When ponies don’t segregate along those lines, all sorts of coat colors can lie dormant until… surprise! You’ve got Rosie. I tell you, the color system was the hardest thing in the world to get used to when we first moved here.”

“Frankly, my dear, I’m still wrapping my head around it myself,” Amber said. “Although ponies have said the same thing about my own people’s ways.”

“Where are you from, then? I don’t recall ever seeing a pony like you two around here before.”

“We’re from the far south,” Amber said. “Or at least my family is. I was born in Ridgeback, like Ivy. I’ve never been down there, but I’ve heard fascinating things about it. They say there’s no light at all except when the moon comes to visit. That’s where our calendar comes from. We have celebrations for the full moon in Ridgeback too, but I can’t imagine how much bigger they must be in the home lands. The first natural light in a month… goodness!”

“Sounds like a neat place,” Topaz said. “Someday I’d like Rosie to see Prospolis; we’ve got plenty of family that’s still there, after all.”

Amber felt an elbow nudge her. She looked down to see Ivy jerking her eyes back and forth from her to Topaz. Her eyes were full of expectation. Amber coughed.

“Well,” she said, “I’m sure that she’ll get to go out there one day.”

Ivy crossed her arms and huffed.

“Ooh!” Rosie said. “How long are you all in town?”

“Not sure, now,” Amber said. “Probably at least for a little while. Some friends of ours are missing in the blast, and until we… find them, I don’t think our lead caravaneer is going anywhere.”

Topaz and Emerald glanced at each other. Rosie put her spoon down. Amber looked at them in confusion—the sudden loss of good cheer was disconcerting. “What? is it something I said?”

“Miss Amber…” Emerald said, choosing her words carefully. “You have to understand… that explosion, it was almost certainly the work of ponies who are not going to give your friends up easily.”

“What? You mean you know who did it?”

“Well yeah!” Rosie said. “Everyone around here knows.”

“Wait,” Amber said, “are you serious?” Now that she thought about it, Clearwater had seemed unusually nonchalant about the whole thing… and the ponies of the city had seemed to recover remarkably fast. “Can you tell me anything more about what they do?”

The other ponies looked at each other again. Emerald cleared her throat. “Look, about a half year ago we started to have attacks in and around the city. Ponies were abducted. There wasn’t any heads or tails to who was taken; Red, Blue, and others were all snatched with abandon.”

Amber’s mouth felt dry. “What about the government?” she said. “Are they trying to track them down?”

Topaz rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how much you know of Fort Tain politics, Miss Amber, but the city council is effectively deadlocked. Both Ridgeback and Hub City would like nothing more than to directly administer this place, and all they see in this is opportunity. They’re both accusing the other of being behind the attacks and offering us ‘protection.’” She snorted. “We’d be safer in a den of lions.”

“That’s terrible,” Amber said. Topaz shrugged.

“It is what it is. We’re right between the two greatest powers in the land. That means we’re a target. But if you ask me, it’s neither.”

“Why is that?”

“Because there’s no political order to the kidnappings. And because they sometimes come back.”

No one was smiling anymore, not even Rosie. A cold trickle of fear ran down Amber’s back.

Topaz continued. “Whatever happened to them… it’s caused them to lose their minds. The families of the victims keep it hush hush for the most part, but a few of them didn’t have families and are still roaming around the city now. I try to give them a coin or two, you know, just doing my part.”

“What… what do they talk about?”

“All sorts of things, if you listen,” Rosie said. She seemed subdued. “There’s one who hangs out around the Wagon Wheel, or used to I guess. Gosh, what’s going to happen to her now?”

“Rosie,” Emerald snapped. “Focus.”

“Right,” Rosie said. “Sorry. Anyway, she’s always going off about someone named ‘Lyra’ and how the Sun has stopped moving, and a bunch of other crazy stuff. I told her one time that she should be a storyteller, but she just looked at me like I was the crazy one. I mean, can you imagine?”

Ivy was sitting stiff as a board. Amber looked down at her, and she looked back, eyes as wide as saucers. Amber cleared her throat. “That’s quite the story, Rosie.”

“Sure is. She’s got a lot of them though. I can take you to see her tomorrow, if you’d like!”

“That actually sounds like it may be a good idea,” Amber said as Rosie nodded empathetically beside her. “I’d love the chance to speak with her myself.”

“Perfect! You’re at the Siren, right? I’ll come by tomorrow morning. Shoot, I’m going to need a new job now… maybe they’re hiring!”

“Actually, that would be a step up,” Topaz muttered.

“Marvelous. I’ll await your call tomorrow morning. Then we can get to the bottom of this mystery.”

“Well,” Emerald said, “don’t get your hopes up too much. These ponies, they’re gone. Not much is left in their heads anymore.”

Amber nodded and looked down at the remainder of her soup. Somehow, the meal didn’t seem as appetizing as it had before.

The conversation at the dinner table soon moved onto more lighthearted topics, and an hour later Amber and Ivy were bidding them goodnight. Ivy bounced along next to her sister as they walked back towards the inn.

“Did you hear all of that? They must be abducting ponies to try and get their memories back! Oh man, this is crazy! Sounded like they got Bon Bon, gosh, I hope she’s okay. They can’t really be as bad as Miss Emerald says, can they?”

“Probably not,” Amber said, “but I do want you to be careful, Sweetie. We don’t know what she’s going to be like, and I need to be able to protect you.”

“You just said my name again!”

“Yes well….” Amber looked towards the Siren, the huge torches casting a red glow over the snow. Somehow, the places didn’t cheer her up as much as it had before. “Let’s just say I’m beginning to suspect you’re on to something.”

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Did you think you could beat me so easily, CELESTIA?

Spectrum’s eyes flew open with a start. She sat up, body tensed, ready to fight. Her mind struggled to throw off the fog that bound it. She’d been dreaming about something, something important… it was gone now. She rubbed her head.

There. On the floor, near her, was a form… Capricorn.

“Cap!” she hissed, running over and kneeling next to him. “Cap! Oh shit, are you okay?”

He was limp, his breathing shallow. She rolled him over and put her ear to his chest. The pulse was strong. “Come on, Cap, wake up,” she said. “I need some help here. Cap?”

He stirred, his eyelids flickered. Then he was on top of her in a flash, one hoof digging into her neck, his body pressing her down. She tried to get her wings into position to push him back but realized with horror that they were bound.

“Cap!” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “Capricorn! It’s me…”

Recognition filled his eyes, and he rolled off of her. Spectrum sat up, coughing.

“Oh jeez, Spec, I sorry,” he said. “Really. I just… an unknown place and all.”

“It’s cool, it’s cool,” she rasped, hoof to her throat. “I probably… would have done the same thing.”

He grunted. “Shame it was you waking me up and not whoever put us here.”

“True. But where is… here?”

Spec looked up at her surroundings for the first time. They were in what appeared to be a small cavern. The walls were smooth and damp. There was one opening on the wall that appeared to lead into a larger cavern. Iron bars blocked the way.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Spec said, walking towards the entrance.

“I don’t know… we were at that bar, right? You said something about maybe needing to duck down, and… huh. I guess you were right about that.”

“When are you going to learn that I’m always right, and that you should just listen to me instead of getting yourself in trouble?” Spec said. She looked out between the bars. The cavern continued beyond. I ways down the passage, she could see another cell. “Hmm, no door…. Do you think we should try to—“

“H—hello?”

Spec froze. She glanced at Capricorn, who shook his head.

“Hello?” the voice said again. Spec realized it was coming from down the hall. “Is anypony else out there? I heard—I heard voices. Please! I’m scared to be alone.” A purple hoof stuck out between the bars and waved.

Spec licked her lips. “Yes, I can hear you,” she said. Capricorn bit his lip. “I’m here in this other cage with my friend. What’s your name?”

“I—I can’t remember, exactly,” the pony said. She sounded on the verge of tears. “I think it was… Cassie, Cassiopeia, or no, it’s... Starlight? I don’t know! I used to know, but now….” The voice broke off into soft sobs.

“Shhh,” Spec said. “Hold tight, Cassie or Starlight or whatever your name is. We’ll get you out. Right, Capricorn?” He shrugged. “Oh don’t look like that. We’re heroes! Besides, we need to get out anyway.”

“They’ve got a huge brown pony who can bend the metal,” Cassie said. “I don’t know how he does it! It should be way too strong for him.”

“That’s too strong for anyone,” Spec said. “Are you sure he doesn’t just use a key or something and make it look like he’s actually bending the bars?”

“I don’t think so,” Cassie said, but she sounded doubtful.

“Well, we’re going to need a different way out of here,” Spec said. “Cap, you don’t think

there’s something in this cell that we can use, do you? I don’t know, like something to pry or…”

Capricorn’s face was scrunched in thought. “There’s something I want to try,” he said, “but you have to promise not to freak out.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Spec said.

Capricorn pushed past her and stood in front of the door. He closed his eyes. For a long moment, nothing happened. “What,” Spec said, “you going to think it open?”

Capricorn didn’t say anything. Spec sighed, wondering if the capture was putting more of a toll on him than she’d thought. First a magical prison, and now this…..

Something was happening.

She could feel it in the air, a crackle, a smell of ozone. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words died in her throat when she saw the sparks that danced along Capricorn’s horn. His face was twisted in concentration, and Spec watched open mouthed as the light surrounded one of the bars and began to bend it. Sweat beaded Capricorn’s brow.

“That’s impossible,” Spec breathed.

The light pushed the bar to the side just far enough for a pony to squeeze through. Capricorn released the magic and fell to one knee, panting.

“Oh yeah,” he said, grinning at his accomplishment. “Eat your heart out, Spec.”

“How the hell--”

“I don’t know. A lot of stuff happened to me when I was under. I still don’t know exactly what. But I can do that now.” Capricorn frowned. “Are you going to freak out?”

“You kidding? That was awesome. I’ll freak out later. Come on.”

Spec squeezed through the holes the bars made, followed by Capricorn. She dusted herself off and got a better look at the passage. It was long and low, stretching off into darkness in either direction. “It’s a start. Come on Cap, help me get our new friend out.”

She walked over to the other grate. The pony inside was Sagittarian, thin and purple, with highlights of lavender and cyan in her mane. She looked out at them fearfully. “You got out?” she said. “But that’s something only the guards know how to do.”

“Well, maybe it’s not as unique as they think,” Spec said. “Cap, you care to do the honors?”

“With pleasure,” Capricorn said. He closed his eyes and the magic returned. Cassie watched wide-eyed as the bars on her cell door bent open.

“You are just like the guards,” she said. “Then… why do they have you locked up?”

“Probably because they don’t know what they’re dealing with,” Spec said. “Now come on, let’s get out of this place. Do you know where they may have put my weapons?”

Cassie stepped hesitantly out of the cage. “I’ve never been down that way,” she said, pointing down one passage, “but this way leads to the interrogation rooms. It also slopes up. I also think there might be a guard storage room. If they have your weapons, they’ll probably be in there.”

“Interrogation rooms?” Capricorn said. “What kind of place is this?”

“The worst kind.”

“Not for long,” Spec said. “When we get out of here I’m going to get my friends and we’re going to lay waste to this whole operation, just you wait.”

Cassie didn’t look convinced. “Come on,” she said. “If there is a way out, it’s this way.” She began to lead the other two down the passage. Soon enough, they came to a flight of stairs. Their hooves clicked softly against the damp stone.

“You weren’t kidding about us being down low,” Spec said, wiping sweat off of her brow. “How far down do you think we are?”

“I have no idea,” Cassie said, “but pretty far down. I haven’t seen light in… oh stars, I don’t even know!”

She sounded like she was about to cry. Spec’s heart lurched. “Hey,” she said, pausing and turning around. She put a hoof on Cassie’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’re going to get you out of here, and whoever else is down here too. But first, we’ve got to look out for ourselves and get out of this mess, you know?”

Cassie sniffed again and wiped her face. “Thanks,” she said, giving Spec a trembling smile. “You’re right. We’ll get out of here soon. Come on, I think this is the landing.” She led them down another passage. The complete silence of the facility was beginning to get to Spec.

“Where is everyone?” she whispered.

“I don’t know,” Cassie said. “Usually there’s at least some noise… maybe they’re asleep?”

“Maybe,” Spec said, but she didn’t like it.

Cassie stopped in front of a small door. “Here’s the storage room,” she said. “You two go on first, I… I don’t like it in there.”

“It’s going to be okay, Cassie,” Spec said. “Come on, Cap. Let’s see if they’ve got your staff too.”

Capricorn nodded. Carefully, Spec pushed the door open…

Right into a waiting nest of guards. They grinned at her. Spec felt a spike of fear. She tried to slam the door shut, but something grabbed her from behind and pushed her forward. She realized with horror that she couldn’t move.

“Thanks boys,” Cassie said, her tone suddenly clipped and professional. “I always like to give our new guests a proper welcome”

No…

Spec’s body was turned around to stare right into Cassie’s face. The fear in the other pony’s eyes was gone, replaced by a cold humor. “Aww,” she said, grinning at Spec’s horror, “did the little heroes buy my game? Eh, doesn’t matter. I got the information I needed. You’re as boring and predictable as ever, Rainbow Dash, even when you don’t remember anything. But what I wasn’t expecting…” she turned towards Capricorn, his face alive with rage, “...was you. You’re not a reincarnation of anyone, are you? And yet….”

Her horn flashed, and then the light color around Capricorn changed. A single band of white light moved from his top to his bottom. When it reached his heart it flashed red, then black. The color drained out of the mare’s face.

“Oh, sweet baby Celestia,” she whispered.

“What is it, Starlight?” one of the guards said.

“He’s been touched by the King. Quick, get him out, out, to the interrogation room! He’s wanted for something, and we need to figure out what. Rainbow dear, sorry, but our own little chat is going to have to wait. I am so excited to finally see you again, though. We have so much to talk about! Oh! Cadenza, be a dear and escort our other guest back to her quarters? It’s a shame she’s still asleep, you two used to get along famously. Tootles!”

She trotted out of the room, Capricorn floating out behind her. The door slammed shut and the bands of magic binding her fell away. She landed on her feet, crouched into a fighting stance. “Come on,” she hissed, “which one of you is gonna go out first?”

The guards parted, and a tall, thin mare stepped forward, dressed in all black. Her fur was pink, and her multicolored mane was cut almost as short as Jade’s. She looked at Spec with an expression of utter contempt. Spec stepped back. “Wait,” she said, “do I know you?”

Then the mare moved faster than Spec thought possible and everything fell to black.

Author's Note:

Now, I know what some of you may be thinking: isn't Jade supposed to be Coloratura? Well, that was the plan until I rewrote all of Spec's stuff and actually figured out her storyline. I don't like retcons because they're messy, but I underestimated how hard it would be to write something this complex and I'm gonna have to pull that card. It hasn't really affected the plot so hopefully it's not too much of a trip-up. Even so, it's not cool and I'm sorry. It's for something good, I promise!

-Fawkes

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