> The Mare of the Stars
>  by XYZDreadnought
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue - The Mare of the Stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I quietly brood as I stalk through the crowd, trying to find the exit to this blasted convention. I’ve had enough of this stupid school trip. If you ask me it's just our teacher’s weak attempt to justify going to a con under work expenses, how he got away with it is beyond me. 

It's not that I didn’t try to get into it. I’m even wearing a costume, admittedly a rather obscure one, Mare, from the visual Novel “Hoshizora no Memoria” (points if you didn’t have to look that up), and did it even get a single comment? No ‘That’s a nice costume, where’s it from?’ or ‘Oh you’re Mare, right, from Wish Upon A Shooting Star?’ or even perhaps a ‘Aren’t you a little young to be playing visual novels?’ might have been nice. But no, it was just being shepherded along with my classmates to whatever the teacher wanted to see, listening to their inane prattlings, and lackluster efforts of the teacher to keep us all in line. I slunk off the first moment I got.

I realise now that might have been a mistake. Looking around, I search in vain for an exit sign, but my short stature prevents me from seeing over the heads of all those around me. After stumbling around, I find myself in an area of the con I haven’t seen yet, where people had set up stores selling all kinds of overpriced junk, that for some reason people are buying. I’ll never understand adults.

Just as I walk past a stall run by a man in a unnecessarily creepy costume, a chance tilt of my head brings me to a halt. At my head height, propped up as if to catch my eye… is Mare’s scythe. 

I walk up to the store in a trance, propping my head up on the table to get a better look. Its crescent blade glints alluringly as it catches the light of the showroom, It’s almost as if it is drawing me closer…

A clawed hand catches the hand I didn’t realise I had outstretched. “As much as your interest is welcome, I would appreciate if you didn’t handle the merchandise.”

I withdraw my hand, blushing with embarrassment, but I can’t take my eyes off the scythe.

“Let me guess, you want it, but your income is, shall we say... insufficient?” says the creepy storeholder.

I try not to meet his eyes, the truth is that scythe is probably worth more money then I have ever owned, I even made this costume with bits and pieces I found in the orphanage attic (and a pair of scissors.) My only other possession I have of worth is an old secondhand laptop given to me by one of the assistants when she got a new one, as I had always expressed interest in it.

“I thought as much,” says the storeholder, before raising his voice and addressing the room, “Is there anyone with enough generosity to help this young lady in her time of need, willing to sacrifice some of their hard earned cash to ensure this little girl leaves with happy memories?”

Some people look in our direction, but none come forward. The man gives me a pitying look through his creepy costume.

“Apologies, it looks like…” the storeholder begins to say, but someone cuts him off.

“I’ll buy it for her.” says a voice to my left. I manage to break my gaze away from the scythe and look at the one speaking, the man running the adjacent store. He is of a short stocky build, and dressed up like some sort of green alien lizard. He walks over and looks at price tag, before talking out some money from his wallet and handing it over to the storeholder.

“Such generosity! The young lady is a very lucky girl.” says the storeholder, in a way that sounds vaguely sinister to my ears.

The green man picks up the scythe, turning a critical eye over it, briefly checking the edge of the blade to confirm its bluntness, before kneeling to my height and handing it to me. “Here you go kid. Enjoy it, you hear me?”

I gingerly take the scythe from the man, and clutched it to my chest, it is a lot taller than me. I don’t know what to say to the man, so I give an awkward curtsy, before turning around and running away as politely as possible, nearly poking someone in the eye with the scythe.

But as the store goes out of sight, I suddenly feel strange, like I am getting lighter, but at the same time numb. I look down and to my confusion, I can see the floor through my dress. What’s more startling is when I lift my hand to my face I can still see the crowd through my palm, and it’s getting fainter by the second. I try to scream... but no sound comes out.

Without a sound, I simply fade away, without anyone even noticing I am gone.





Princess Celestia surveys the now empty castle, the last of the staff had left for Canterlot and construction of the new castle is well underway. They had taken everything that they had needed to bring, the only thing really left that isn’t immovable are the books in the library, and after much thought she had decided that that would be best left here. If she ever needs any she will know where to look, and there are some books there better left unread.

She walks through the main hall, where the damage from the battle with her sister is still visible. She picks her way around the debris scattered around the floor, and makes her way to one of the balconies. She peers out over the night sky, the moon silhouetting a tower. She sighs, staring at the face of her sister etched into the moon's surface, sent there through her own actions, and through the elements.

Her thoughts grow bitter. She wants to blame the elements for sending her sister away, that had not been Celestia’s intention. But, try as she might, she cannot fully deflect the blame away from herself, who watched her sister fall into darkness and was powerless to stop it.

She spots a shooting star, a rather slow one at that. It is said if you saw one, you could wish whatever your heart desires, and one way or another it will come true.

“I wish for my sister back.” says Celestia mournfully.

At that point Celestia realises two things about the shooting star: One, it is getting bigger, and two, it isn’t that it’s travelling slowly, it is travelling in her direction.

Before Celestia can react it plows through the tower in front of her, toppling it with a mighty crash, but the star does not stop there. It slams into the castle garden, bounces, then crashes down, digging a massive furrow in the ground and setting alight all the plants it does not simply obliterate. It eventually grinds to a stop, while Celestia watches, awestruck.

After the sound of crumbling masonry ceases, and the ringing in Celestia’s ears stops, she recovers her senses enough to investigate the crash. Slowly descending from the balcony, she lands next to the point of final impact. The heat distorts the air around her, making it difficult to see what is at the bottom, indeed if it were anyone else, they probably wouldn’t be able to get this close without protection. Casting a spell, she starts drawing the heat from the air into herself. As visibility begins to clear, she peers into the end of the furrow, only to find what appears to be… a rock? Indeed, it seems to be an irregular stone of some kind, still glowing red from the heat, although rapidly cooling in the night air.

Her caution assuaged, she approaches it boldly. Learning in to examine it closer, she blows a cold breath upon it, cooling it faster, causing it to regain its actual colour. Now she can see that it’s not a rock as she first thought, but rather unrefined metal, and while still irregular in shape, it seems the fire, speed, and its passage across the ground has left parts smooth and polished, and if she looks carefully, she swears she can see the reflected light of individual stars in the polished surface…

Then Celestia backs off as the light seems to lift off the surface of the object, floating into the air, before being met halfway by similar lights from above. They dance around like fireflies, being joined by more lights from both above and below. Celestia tries to see were the ones from above are coming from, but it is almost as if they are coming from the stars themselves.

The lights start to condense and expand, coming together to make an indistinct form. With a flash where there was an indistinct shape, there is now a small bipedal figure in a semi-fetal position, with a long mane of purest silver, tied with a long red ribbon. It wears a black and lilac dress comprised of several layers of fabric and tied at the top with a white ribbon, with a strange bat winged cross brooch. The dress has no shoulders, and the sleeves are tied to the upper arms, as opposed to being attached to the dress proper. It has a strange pair of boots that end just under the knees. The face has an air of youth about it, it could only be a child by Celestia's reckoning. Indeed, the whole picture would radiate childish innocence if it were not for the strange weapon that it has crossed upon its knees and clasped in its hands. It is a long pole, on one end terminating in a decorative cross wrapped in a padlock and chains, the other in a massive crescent shaped blade half as tall as the figure. The figure floats down and lands knees bent on the fallen star, sitting upright, head bowed.

Celestia approaches carefully. After all, malevolent spirits often take a guise of innocence in order to trap the unwary. She tenses as the figure stirs, lifting its head enough to make its face visible, and slowly its bright yellow eyes flutter open...

And then bulge. It shoots upright, clutching the weapon to its chest, its head darting around like a frightened rabbit. When it catches sight of Celestia it scrambles to its feet, staggering slightly in its haste and starts backing away, pointing the weapon in Celestia’s general direction as if trying to ward her off, but clearly demonstrating her lack of skill in its use. Its retreat is hampered by by the wall of cooled earth behind her. It looks like it's trying to escape.

Celestia attempts to loosen her stance. Whatever manner of creature it is, it is clearly a frightened child, however it is also currently wielding a very large weapon it doesn’t know how to use. Careless handling of this situation could lead to either of them being hurt, she must be delicate and appear as nonthreatening as possible. She put on a gentle smile and spoke in her reassuring tone, “Hello little one, our name is Princess Celestia.”

Its eyes widen, but it seemingly stops looking for an escape and gives its entire focus to Celestia. So far so good.

“We must say, thou gave us quite a shock appearing like that,” says Celestia, subtly prompting for the child to explain itself.

No such luck, the child just blinks and its stance remains defensive.

Celestia tries something more direct. “After all, it is not all days when a child appears from a fallen star.”

That got a response, they almost drop the weapon in shock. Celestia might as well have told it pegasi fly with their ears.

“Does thou not know as to what we speak of?” Celestia says with worry in her voice.

The child slowly shakes their head.

Celestia gestures to the fallen star. “That stone fell from the sky not moments before, we had come to investigate. After we had cooled the stone, thou rose from it with a shower of lights. Do you not know how that came to be?”

Another slow shake.

“Very curious indeed, where dost thou hail from, young one? We do not think we have seen thy kin before this day.”

The child did not meet Celestia’s eye, but she can see that she is getting through, the child has started subconsciously lowering her weapon.

Celestia tries a bold move. “Young one, we understand, thou art frightened, thou art lost, but please, let us help you, if thou does, we will help thou find thy home.”

The child does not speak for the longest time, making Celestia doubt the haste of her actions, but then, finally…

“Promise?” A tiny voice, scared and alone, the voice of a little girl, if Celestia is any judge. A gender at last.

Celestia gives her best motherly smile. “I promise,” she says, dropping the royal ‘we’.

At last the child withdraws her weapon, pulling it diagonally to her chest like one would a treasured possession, Celestia considers asking her to disarm, but doubted their current relationship would survive, so she instead says, “Follow us please, let us get out of the chill air.”

The child takes a tentative step forward before walking over and wrapping her arm around Celestia’s front hoof.

Celestia smiles indulgently. While slightly difficult to walk like this, she manages, it made sense for the child to act like this, after all. After finding a shallow enough incline she leads the child out of the ditch and toward the castle, but halfway there she feels her internal clock inform her that it is time for sunrise.

She looks down to face her young charge. “Excuse me, we can proceed in but a moment, I must tend to raising the sun.”

The child tilts her head curiously, Celestia smiles reassuringly, before lifting her neck to face the horizon and lighting her horn. With some effort, she lowers the moon (she doesn’t think she can ever get used to moving her sister’s moon like this) before reaching out to the more familiar body of her sun.

Slowly the stars wink out one after another as their light is eclipsed by the bright sun, and there is a startled gasp from beneath her vision.

The last star goes out.

The pressure around her leg ceases.

Celestia looks down in shock, the sun stopping mid sunrise. The child is gone. Celestia looks around, but of her there is no sign.

“Little one? Child!” she calls out. No response.

She tried to think about it calmly. It is not as if the child had let go… more like her arm had ceased to be there.

Celestia calms down more, clearly something magical has happened. The sun came up and the child disappeared… no, that is not quite right either, there is something more. She tunes out her lesser senses, one by one… and yes! There it is, a barely perceivable presence, the child is still here, she is sure of it. And yet she could not see her, hear her, or feel her.

‘Then if the mundane senses fail, other senses will have to do,’ Celestia thinks, sitting on her haunches, closing her eyes, and turning off her sight.

Smell is the next to go, as its loss is the least distressing in such situations, so she deals with it first. The subtle scent of burned earth that she is barely aware of vanishes.

Next is hearing. The world becomes mute, the pure silence is unnerving, but not nearly as unnerving as what comes next.

Touch. It’s like her whole body went numb, no longer can she feel the dirt under her hooves, the breeze through her mane, the sunlight on her fur, or even her fur at all.

She opens her eyes.

She opens them again.

The world of forms greets her.

This is not a journey Celestia likes to embark upon often, for the visions that greeted her were eerie to say the least. It is like the walking world, only totally, totally wrong. There is no sound, no smell, no sensation, no colour, no shades, just blacks imposed upon whites in harsh contrasts, forming a barely recognisable facsimile of what is familiar to her. She detests this power, and loathed being taught it. But as Starswirl had always said, “It may be unpleasant, but in the world of forms, there is nothing that can escape your perception. No illusion, no deceit, no magic can hide from you. It is a world of truth, no matter how unpleasant that might be.” While she did not like it, it is an ability that has served her well over the years.

And it is serving her now, for right before her stands the child, rendered in the same blacks and whites as the world, and while she cannot not hear her, her words reached Celestia all the same, and while she cannot not see them, Celestia feels the girl’s tears.

“I can’t feel the world, Please, bring back the stars!”




On the second last evening before the thousandth year…




Celestia steps through the dilapidated corridors of her ancient home, as the time for dusk rapidly approaches. She finds what she is looking for, a well hidden flight of spiral stairs. Ascending quickly she finds herself in a well lit tower room. It is the tallest remaining tower in the castle, with many large windows giving a good all around view of the surrounding sky, as it should, for this was Luna’s ancient study. But that is all background, for what stands in the middle of the room now is a large space rock, having long since been lifted from the courtyard and into this lofty tower by herself many centuries ago. Sitting on it, transparent nearly to the point of invisibility, is the girl. She has not noticed Celestia enter, as she’s facing the other way, watching the setting sun, and without the light of the stars, even with her fallen star anchoring her, she still cannot feel or hear.

Feeling that it is time, and not wishing to delay this meeting, she begins setting the sun. As the orange glow of dusk fades, and the first stars peek through the window, the girl suddenly becomes more substantial, revealing her more clearly, she has not changed in the slightest since that day long ago. She does not move, she simply watches the stars appear through the window, rocking her feet back and forth idly.

Celestia clears her throat, in order to make her presence known. “Hello Mare.”

The young girl lazily leans backwards until she’s effectively laying down, her upside down head and golden eyes regard Celestia indifferently. “Oh, Hey Celestia, not often I see you out here, what's the occasion?”

Celestia sighs. “Has it really been that long?”

Mare seems to think for a while, placing her hands behind her head. She shrugs. “Don’t know, you tell me.”

Celestia thought. She doesn’t come out here as much as she should, that's for sure… her duties keep her so busy…

Celestia shakes her head. “I don’t think it really matters, do you?”

Mare shrugs again. “Well you're here now, I guess not.” The girl straightens up before pivoting to face Celestia. “So what can I do for you? As much as I appreciate some company every now and then, you rarely call in for pleasure.”

Celestia wonders where she learned to talk like that, Celestia has never been that brisk with her, had she? Celestia shook her head, no Mare has always been like this, even after all these years, she has never managed to get her to open up.

Nevertheless, she wouldn’t be doing herself or Mare any favours by pretending otherwise, so she decides to get to the point. “The day my sister is prophesied to return, it is the night after this one, just before the day will break, you said you wished to know.”

Mare seems to consider this, leaning back on her hands and examining the ceiling. “So, this is it then?”

“I’m sorry?” says Celestia.

“The end of my promise is coming to a close,” Mare says indifferently, “After this, we have no reason to further associate.”

Celestia shifted uncomfortably, she never knew quite what Mare meant when she said promise, but by this point she knew that asking is pointless, she always got the same answers, so instead she says, “I can still always visit.”

“Do what you want,” says Mare, although there’s no bite to her words. She lays down again, picking up her feet so they are above her. It’s one of her more child-like attributes, she doesn’t like sitting still. “I’ve got a feeling your time will be taken up by your sister, assuming things go well.”

Celestia doesn’t like to admit it, but that would probably be true. But once more, back to the matter at hand. “I assume you intend to take part in tomorrow's events?”

Mare straightens up, and her scythe comes into focus. It’s not like it is ever not there, it simply isn’t important enough to notice until Mare brings attention to it. She runs a finger along the blade. “Of course, it's what I do, isn’t it? Reap Nightmares.”
> Chapter One - The thousandth year.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sit on my fallen star, in my tower room, looking over the dull monochrome world. The sun will be setting soon, soon the world would return to darkness, colour and noise. What does day even look like? It has been so long I have forgotten. I stand up, and immediately the world loses definition, what was merely colourless, now lost shade as well, a world of black and white. This used to be so unnerving, frightening even, now it’s merely how things are. Without stars, this is what I am.

I walk to the window, my hand resting lightly against the frame, I can’t feel it of course. I cast my gaze over the black and white woods. It’s amazing what you can get used to, given time.

As the black ball that is the sun hit the horizon, I feel that familiar tingling sensation, the first star is about to appear…

It all comes back at once, the feeling of stone under my fingers, the weight on the base of my feet, The sound of the wind in the trees below… And the dazzling light of sunset, I will never tire of it, the feeling of coming alive.

I tear myself away as the sun dips under the horizon, I have business to take care of, tonight is the night. Taking my scythe in hand, I step through the window, and out onto thin air. I vanish.





I reappear, on the outskirts of the little town, does it have a name? It didn’t last time I was here, or maybe it did, and I just never asked. Whatever, doesn’t matter. I look around, apparently the Celebration is going on somewhere around here. A lot of lights and music emanate from the tree shaped building, seems like a good a place as any to start. I peer in through a window, sure enough, some sort of party is going on, but it doesn’t look like a summer sun celebration to me, it’s probably some sort of… pre-celebration party? I shrug, vanish, and reappear on one of the branches near the second story. Reclining, I elect to simply watch the progression of the moon, and wait for the appointed hour. It’s boring, but I’m used to boredom.

As hours pass, I am disturbed by a window opening beside me, I turn to see a purple unicorn looking at me curiously. I recognise her of course, Twilight Sparkle, Celestia sent me to deal with some nightmares of hers back when she was a filly, and Celestia still had misconceptions of what I meant when I said nightmares, I wonder if she remembers me, probably not.

“Hello?” says Twilight, her voice dripping in curiosity.

“Hi.” I say indifferently.

After a little pause, Twilight asks. “I hope you don’t mind, but I don’t think I’ve seen anything like you before, what exactly are you?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Bit quick there, you haven’t even asked my name.”

“Oh, sorry.” Twilight says quickly, “My curiosity got the better of me.”

I don’t respond.

A little awkward silence reigns, then I get impatient. “Well, aren’t you gonna ask?”

Twilight looks blank for a minute, before comprehension catches up. “Oh, right, who are you, please?”

“My name is Mare.” I state flatly. After a pause, I add. “And to your previous question, I am a reaper of nightmares.”

“A reaper of nightmares? That's not something I’ve ever heard of,” says Twilight.

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” I say, shrugging. I am good at shrugging. “I’m the only one I know.”

Twilight looks sceptical for a moment, before something occurs to her. “Wait, nightmares… are you here for Nightmare Mo...!” Twilight tries to say, but the door opens behind her.

“C'mon, Twilight, it's time to watch the sunrise!” says a small purple dragon… wearing a lampshade... to each their own I suppose. He pauses, presumably when he sees Twilight leaning out a window. “What are you doing?”

I take this as my cue to leave. Seeing a crowd of ponies leaving the ‘treehouse’, I vanish from the branch and follow, invisible and unheard. Walking into the tall carousel shaped building, as ponies walk in, making last minute preparations and so forth, I spot the balcony where Celestia is supposed to appear to her audience. I reappear on top, behind a white unicorn who is trying to look important. I slip through the curtains unnoticed, luckily this place has a lot of windows, so there are very few places where I cannot see the stars.

Celestia stands there alone, staring resolutely out the window, watching the moon with sad eyes.

“Feeling moody, Celestia?” I ask, walking up beside her.

“I didn’t think you would be too far away,” Celestia says, not moving her gaze from the moon, “I hope you are prepared.”

“I know what I need to do, I know what you want Twilight to do, but I don’t know what you are going to do, care to share?”

“As a matter of fact I do not know entirely what you plan either, you have not explained to me your plans for my sister.”

“There is nothing more to say, I intend to fulfil my promise to you, nothing more or less.” I say, “But it will make it easier if you tell me what you intend.”

Celestia sighs, obviously troubled. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt to open up to me every now and then,” she says before returning her focus to the moon. “I hope to end it before it begins, if maybe, I can get through to my sister, through words alone, to pierce the veil of darkness that surrounds her heart. Maybe, just maybe I can make it all better.”

I shake my head. “You’re hopeless.”

Celestia gives a humourless laugh. “Maybe I am, just an old mare clinging to a false hope, an unrealistic dream.”

“And what will do when it fails?”

Another sigh. “An ‘if’ would have been nice.” She is silent for a moment. “I suppose I would have to try and delay her for as long as possible while Twilight gathers the elements, and you do... whatever you plan to do.”

I take a step back. “I would rather avoid that if at all possible.” I examine my blade.

“Oh? do you have a better idea?” Celestia asks, watching the stars close in on the moon. “If you do, I’m all ears.”

I raise my scythe. “As a matter of fact, I do.”





As it is, when Nightmare Moon storms down from her lunar prison, she does not find Princess Celestia, instead she finds a strange little creature, with a strange weapon, looking through the window with a neutral expression.

“You, creature! where is the sun princess?” Nightmare demands. “I sensed her presence her but a moment previously.”

“Gone,” I say simply, not turning from the window.

“Gone where? Do not try my patience, creature, I have been imprisoned for many years, patience is not something I have to spare.”

“Somewhere you cannot reach her,” I say, turning around. “Don’t worry, you will see her at the break of dawn, after our business is concluded.”

“Why should I worry about her, and what makes you think the sun will ever rise again? Do you know who I am?”

“You are her sister, aren't you?” I say, tilting my head.

“And what of it?” retorts Nightmare Moon, “I have nothing but contempt for my so called ‘sister’.”

“So it is you, then?” I say, raising my scythe, causing Nightmare Moon to take notice of the oversized weapon.  “In that case, can I ask a question?”

“What? Why should I answer any question you ask?” Nightmare Moon asks with a sneer.

“It won’t take long…” I say, bringing the scythe into its neutral position, crossed diagonally across my body with the blade to the right of my head. “Would you rather I reap your nightmare now, or later when your back is turned?”

I take some small satisfaction in the fact that this seems to throw Nightmare Moon off balance. I have to get my fun somewhere, after all. She recovers quickly however, and her eyes narrow. “So, my sister has fled, and rather than face me directly, she has sent an assassin in her stead?” 

“So is that a no then?” I say, “It's not too painful, for you at least, just one quick slash, and then I’ll be out of your mane.”

“Why would I agree to being attacked?!” Nightmare shouts, “Are you some kind of stupid?”

“I’ll get you eventually, if I do it now it will save both of us a lot of bother in the long run,” I say.

Nightmare sneers again. “It would save me just as much trouble if I end you... right now!”

Nightmare fires a bolt of magic in my direction, which I avoid by stepping backwards and disappearing. I walk forward, through the smug Nightmare Moon, and project my voice into the corporeal realm. “Suit yourself.” I walk through the curtain, and with a little hop, I float down into the crowd, taking a position in the back of the room, before reappearing and leaning against the wall. Tapping my scythe handle, I wait patiently for her grand entrance.

“She’s gone!” exclaims the white unicorn, after the curtains are drawn and they didn’t find Celestia, or for that matter Nightmare Moon, which surprises me, I expected her to make an entrance storming in and- oh, here we go, purple smoke.

I watch her little villain monologue, or more accurately dialog. She is surprisingly good at working the crowd, not that I have many villains to compare her to. After the attempt to detain the ancient powerful alicorn goes predictably pear shaped, she storms off in maniacal laughter. I attempt to follow after her, only to be halted by a voice. “Well ah’ll be darned, it is you! And still not a day older, Ah’ll reckon.”

I turn to face the unexpected voice. An elderly mare stands before me, wrinkled and bent with age, if not for her coat colour and cutie mark, she would have been totally unrecognisable. “Oh... hello.”

The old mare gives a frown. “And a fine hello to you too! Is that any way to greet an ol’ friend?”

I avert my eyes slightly. “Hello Maria.”

Granny’s eyes gain a nostalgic quality. “Maria… Been a long time since ah’ve heard that name, most folks jus’ call me Granny these days.”

I have trouble meeting her in the eye. “You’ve gotten old.”

Granny gives me a wry smile and shakes her head. “Still as blunt as ever ah see, we never did manage to drill any manners inta that head of yours.”

“I need to go, I have made a promise.” I say, shuffling my feet awkwardly.

Granny looks up to where Nightmare Moon stood not too long ago. “Hmm, Ah take it you’re mixed up in all these Nightmare Moon shenanigans?”

I mutely nod my head. 

“Well far be it fer me to get in the way of you ‘n’ your promises, but… care to do an old mare a favour?” She continues before I could answer. “Don’t be a stranger, maybe after all this hoo-ha is over, lets say a day or two, you could come over to the Acres fer dinner, so ah can introduce mah gran’kids to ya?”

I shuffle my feet more.

Granny sighs. “I suppose ah’d jus’ like to spend some time with ya. After all, I don’t know fer how much longer ah have, it’d be nice to do a li’l catchin’ up…”

“I’ll come...” I say quietly.

Granny gives me an appraising look. “Is that a promise?”

I hesitate, for maybe just a bit too long, before softly nodding my head.

“Thatta girl.” said Granny, patting me on the back. “Now go on then, show that Nightmare Moony what fer.”

I nod again, then disappear. Walking outside, I spot about five ponies running in the direction of the treehouse. Since I have no idea where Nightmare Moon is, I elect to follow.





I sigh as I follow silently behind the group of six as they take the longest and most windy path possible to the castle. in my opinion it was easiest to just walk in a straight line, it must suck not being able to disappear. To be honest I was just considering overtaking them and waiting for them to arrive. But it seems that Nightmare Moon is also following them, so in order to wait for the right moment, I doggedly follow behind, watching the Nightmare’s repeated attempts to dissuade the ponies from going any further.

Eventually the castle's defensive chasm loomed ahead, broken bridge and all. I sigh as Twilight nearly runs off the edge, and decide to just wait for them inside. I hop down and float to the floor, and climb up the steps on the other side. I always thought that was a bit of a design flaw to have the steps on the inside wall of the defensive pit, but I guess they wanted easy access to the weird crystal tree in the nearby cave, whatever that was about.

I walk through the front door, and frown as I saw that the girls had somehow got ahead of me. I turn to see the bridge had been fixed… huh, maybe I should've waited… patience has never really been my strong suit. I sidle up behind Twilight just as her friends move to give her space. I invisibly look over her shoulder as she is seemingly trying to set the round stones on fire with her horn.

Just as I am about to suggest banging the stones together as a more effective method of creating sparks, I notice the Nightmare clouds welling up and I elect to step back and see if Nightmare Moon will finally actually show herself.

No such luck, as the cloud simply picks up Twilight and the impractically large firelighters, and steals them away, I can spot where they went through, through a window I can see their probable destination. Not that it matters, I know this castle, like anyone who has spent nine hundred plus incredibly boring years living in it.

Appearing in front of an unassuming wall, I stand on my toes and lift my scythe high above my head, and after a few false starts, manage to depress a brick in the wall to open a secret passage. Turning to the still panicking ponies in the room, I shout “Hey!” They all stop to look at me, “Your friend is this way, try to keep up.” Satisfied, I turn on my heels and disappear into the dark passage.





Having arrived well before the rest of team Sparkle, I am able to witness Twilight square up to Nightmare Moon, only to see Twilight fail to do… whatever she was trying to do, and Nightmare breaking the round rocks. I quietly walk to the back of the room, behind Nightmare Moon. I don’t listen much to Twilight's heroic monologue, nor do I take much notice to the lightshow as the glowing stone fragments started flying around. Instead I walk right up behind Nightmare Moon, appear, lift my scythe, and as all the girls close their eyes and started floating, I simply say “Gotcha.” and let the scythe fall.

Suddenly the pain of a thousand years of bitterness, hatred and despair flow into me as the alicorn’s nightmare was severed. Sympathetic tears well in my eyes and I struggle to keep standing as the sheer volume threatens to overwhelm me, but I stand firm and with a final push, send them off. Failing to blink back tears, I watch the now midnight blue alicorn fall in front of me, I don’t dwell on it however as a surge of black streams up the scythe handle and strikes me in the chest. It felt rather unpleasant. It seems the darkness that is Nightmare Moon is not that easy to send off.

I watch black lightning crackle between my fingers, and my hair get several shades darker. I feel... kinda powerful actually, it was a rather novel feeling, I felt kinda… nice.

I am made aware of a sudden glow in front of me. I look up to giant rainbow streaming toward me at speed.

“Oh well, what would I do with the power of darkness anyway?” I think, and hold my arms out as the rainbow hit me.





I sit up to a world of black and white, it seems day has broken. I rub my head. Despite the fact that my senses are dead right now, I get the strange feeling that I’m going to be sore come nightfall, oh well. I look over to the silhouettes of six ponies, plus Celestia, all seemingly having a conversation in the distance. Some movement in the corner of my eye makes me notice another pony sitting right next to me, smaller than celestia, larger than most ponies, so this is what Celestia's sister looks like. Celestia approaches, and after a brief exchange, they hug.

I release a breath that I didn’t know I was holding. After some sort of outburst by the energetic one, they all file out, leaving me alone in my thoughts.

I lay back. So this is it then, what's done is done, my promise fulfilled, it took over nine hundred years, but it was finally done.

“I wish for my sister back.”

That had been the promise, a wish upon a shooting star, my shooting star. It was the reason I came into being, that I had awoken. Celestia has her sister back, she doesn’t need me any more, I guess now it's my time to be sent off, but to where? Home maybe? Wherever that is. Maybe I will just return to my star, and sleep for a very long time… I guess that wouldn’t be so bad. I can’t remember the last time I have slept well...

I came to a slow realisation, why am I still here? I sit up and look my silhouette up and down, sure enough I am still here, with no signs of fading away or anything of the sort. Isn’t that how it's supposed to work? I fulfill my promise, then fade away? Does it take awhile? How long will I have to wait? is something stopping me, is there some other promise…

… Oh, right, dinner with Maria, I promised didn’t I?

I get to my feet, teetering slightly, before making my way back to my tower.

> Chapter Two - The ruminations of Princessess
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Is there something troubling you Luna?” says Celestia, looking down at her freshly reunited sister.

The party has been going on for a while now, with Twilight having run off to mingle with her newly acquired friends and the townsfolk of her new home. Luna and Celestia have retired to a quieter part of the party, along with some of the older folk and ponies taking a breather from the festivities. Currently Luna is wearing a thoughtful and slightly sad expression.

“It’s…” Luna tries to say, pauses then tries again, “I wish I could say it was nothing, the truth is, since I have come back from my banishment, before I was… fixed… I kept seeing… something. I don’t know, some creature I don’t think I have ever seen or heard of before. I first started seeing her when I came to look for you…”

“Was said creature bipedal, thin, short, with long white hair, a small black dress, and carrying a giant crescent shaped scythe?” Celestia asks wearily.

Luna looks surprised “Why yes, are you acquainted?”

“Less acquainted than I thought,” says Celestia with a slightly sour expression. It had not been pleasant being sent off, she did not know Mare had the power to do that to her, or why for that matter, “but please continue.”

“Well, she spoke to me, told me that you were gone somewhere I could not reach you,” Celestia makes a go-on gesture, “Well she asked me if I was your sister, and that she was going to reap my nightmare, and asked if she could do it now or later, when my back was turned.”

‘So Mare asked her,’ Celestia thinks bitterly, ‘Looks like she and I need to have a discussion.’ Celestia waits for Luna to continue.

“Well at the time I interpreted it as a threat, thought she was some sort of assassin...” There is a snort, Celestia and Luna look around, but see no one who appears to be listening, so Luna continues. “...I tried to attack her, and at first I thought I got her, but then, when I went to make my entrance, I saw her leaning against the far wall, just watching me. After that I started seeing her everywhere, like she was following me… or in hindsight maybe she was just following Twilight too, I don’t know. But with the final confrontation with Twilight, she somehow got behind me, with her scythe raised…” Luna, took a breath, “...I had never felt anything like it, it was like all the pain, all the bitterness, the jealousy and hatred, it was all just spirited away, not gone, just suddenly felt very far away, all that was left was the loneliness, loneliness and fear, and she just stood over me, and she was crying…” Luna looks down “...She took the Darkness too.”

“She what?” says Celestia, eyebrows skyrocketing.

Luna’s mouth is dry. “She simply stood as her body absorbed it, tears still running down her face, and then, as the elements bore down, she simply stood there and took it.”

Celestia isn't sure how to respond to this, what emotion to show her sister, or even how she herself was feeling at this point.

“I’m not sure what would have happened, if the elements had hit me, for all I know it could have sent me to the moon again, but she simply stepped in and took my darkness and then took the hit for me, and when I awoke there was no sign of her…”

Celestia feels slightly relieved, at least she could address this concern. “Luna, I understand, but in this situation you need not worry,” Luna looks up, “My understanding of the elements since your banishment have only increased, and I can say with certainty, that she would not be banished, especially for such a selfless act as that.”

“Mind you, having all that dark energy introduced and then expunged violently from your system within the same minute will probably leave the body quite sore,” Celestia thinks privately.

Luna still looks doubtful. “But then, where was she?”

This is also rather easy to answer. “The creature you refer to, who goes by the name of Mare, is a creature of the stars, and unfortunately she does not fully exist without their light, which the light of day obscures, as you well know. She most probably vanished from the realm of perception the moment the sun rose. In fact I would not be surprised if she was still in the room when we left.”

Luna concern is replaced with one of slight wonder. “Mare... a creature of the stars… I think I would like to meet her.”

Celestia chuckles indulgently, but before she has a chance to answer, an elderly voice spoke out. “Forgive me fer keepin’ an ear out to your conversation, yer highnesses, but you’ll find that a mite difficult, if ahm any judge.”

The alicorns turn to look at the small elderly figure that had spoken. Luna was mildly cautious at the sudden interruption, but Celestia gave her a welcoming, if mildly puzzled expression. “Why Mrs, Smith, it has been a while… what exactly do you mean by difficult?”

Granny gives a wry smile. “How d’you do yer Highness. Sorry fer cutting in but I felt that mah two bits at this time might save you a bit of hassle. What ah mean to say, is you might have a harder time seeing Mare than you might think.”

Celestia raises an eyebrow. “You are acquainted with Mare? I must admit, I did not know that.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me…” says Granny, directing her gaze at the forest, before turning back. “Me ‘n’ Mare go way back, although not as back I assume you do, back before this town even had a name. Back when me ‘n’ my one-day-hubby were still young and stupid enough ta think we knew everything.” A wistful expression crosses her face. “He started it as a hobby gathering, the stargazers club, and us bein’ bored teens in the sticks, we all went along with it, it was something to do in the evenings, oh the times we all had.” Granny gave a sigh. “Not much of us left these days, jus’ me, ol’ Will down in Manehatten, Nanna Nettle, and Mare, o’course.”

Celestia had wondered where she is going with this, now she knows. “Mare was in this Stargazing club of yours?”

Granny gives a chuckle, “That she was, we never had any idea where she came from at the time, or what she was. My hubby one day showed up with her in tow, she introduced herself as a reaper. She was also abrupt, rude, and contrary, often refusing before being asked, an’ vanished ‘fore we was finished. Didn’t improve much when she came the next time either, or the next. The only one she seemed to pay attention to was my hubby, and that was when he was telling stories about the stars, or letting her look though his telescope. She was hard to deal with, but we put up with her, she was jus’ a lil’ kid after all, and as far as we all know, she didn’t have no parents, and my hubby said she didn’t have much of a home. She always said she was older than us, we never took much stock in it though, although seeing her last night, I can’t help wondering how true that is…”

“By my knowledge she is by at least several centuries.” says Celestia.

“Never acted it,” Granny snickers, “not that it mattered, kid’s a kid, no matter how old.” With a ponderous look she continues, “My guess is that no-one ever taught ‘er how to grow up… but I’m sorry I think I got sidetracked somewhere, What were we talkin’ about?”

“You mentioned that it might be difficult to see Mare,” says Celestia politely.

“Ahh right, knew I was goin’ somewhere with that,” says Granny, scratching her chin. “As I was sayin’, despite her little quirks, we all ended up growin’ attached to the little tyke, and and her the same. In her own weird way, she even got me together with the Mister. But as time went on, somethin’ happened… we all started growing up, we all started getting jobs, building families, We still kept trying to keep the club goin’ but gatherings got rarer, and in the middle of it was lil’ Mare, who hadn’t grown, can’t grow up I’m beginnin’ to suspect. She watched as close friends seemingly became more and more distant, before you know it she started showing up less n’ less frequently too. And one day, just as me and my hubby were expecting our first, she told us she was going, and just like that, she disappeared from our lives. My hubby tried to find her, it was him who she was closest to, but he was a family man now, he couldn’t go running off into the Everfree whenever the mood struck like he used to, nor could she go chase an invisible girl around the corridors of a dark castle every night, he never saw hide nor hair of her again. He never stopped looking, though, he may not have been an Apple, but he was stubborn as one… Ah sidetracked again didn’t I? The point is I think Mares plannin’ to pull a vanishing act again, this time maybe for good.”

Celestia looks confused, and slightly worried. “What makes you think that?”

“I managed to corner her when she was in the town hall, she was acting strange, more distant than I remember, could have been that she aint seen me in over a… how long has it been? Anyway, the only other time I’ve seen her act anythin’ like this was just before she disappeared, I can’t say fer certain but… Look, what promise was it that you made with Mare?”

“Huh?” Celestia exclaims, “Promise?”

“The only time Mare is ever committed to anything is if a promise is made, sometimes I think Mare’s life revolves around promises, my hubby seemed to think so. Mare’s life is defined by one big promise, that's what he said, as far as I know you are the only other pony in her life, so what was it?”

Celestia looks down and sighs. “I wish I knew, but the truth of it is that the promise she is being held to is not one I remember making, she mentions it to me every now and then, but then refuses to tell me what the promise might have been, or when it was made.”

Granny Smith put on a thoughtful expression. “Well now, that certainly makes things a mite more complicated.”

Luna gets tired of staying silent. “Excuse me, while your wisdom is appreciated, you have done nothing but tell stories and ask questions in circles, please, why is it that you think she will vanish?”

“Luna!” admonishes Celestia.

“It’s alright Princess, I think I’ve beaten around the bush long enough,” says Granny, “But what I’m about to say was told by Mare to my husband, in confidence, who then told it to me with the same. I’d appreciate it if you took these words with the same weight as I speak em.”

The Princesses share a glance, before nodding solemnly.

Granny makes sure that she has both their attentions before speaking. “Now, a long time ago by my standards, while my husband was still among the living and Mare was still what we would call a close friend, they often had rather interesting talks, about a variety of things. Mare was a smart kid after all, and my Mister had always been a thinker. At one time, the talk had somehow got to the rather grim subject of mortality. Now I won’t bore you with too much of the philosophisin’ those two went through, so I’ll cut to the important bit. When he questioned Mare about her mortality, she said that she won’t die, cuz she can’t age, but when the time comes, she will be ‘sent off’, you know, just like she does with her scythe, she will be sent to the stars to sleep for a very long time, maybe forever.”

Celestia pales. “Forever?” She had never been told this.

“But when is her time? Surely she must have said.” says Luna, with urgency in her voice.

“That she did yer highness,” says Granny, “She said her time will come when the purpose to which she was brought into existence is fulfilled, when she completes her promise.” She looks Celestia in the eye. “Which is why I need to know what that promise is, and how much time she has left.”

Celestia stands silently, trying to digest what she has been told. “If that is the case,” Celestia’s mouth felt dry, “It may already be too late-”

“Now no need to worry about that,” said Granny, cutting in. “Ah managed to get her to promise to a dinner with the family tomorrow, she ain’t goin’ jus’ yet. That girl takes promises seriously, so we got a little time.”

Celestia breathes a little easier. “That is a relief, for I believe that the promise, whatever it was, had something to do with Luna’s banishment, as she said that last night would mark the end of our promise.”

“Hmm, not a lot to go on, but better than nothin’,” says Granny.

“Maybe it would be best for you, sister, to tell some of what you know about this Mare,” says Luna, “After all, if this promise is what defines her being, then it must have been close to when you met her, if not before.”

Something about that struck a chord with Celestia, before Mare appeared…

There was a shooting star.

“A wish…” Celestia says, almost to herself.

“A wish?” says Luna, confused.

“I’ve just realised what the promise was.” says Celestia, before recounting the tale of how she met Mare.

“...So when Mare says promise, she means wish?” says Luna.

“It might be more accurate to say she finds them synonymous, at least in regards to herself. A wish on her star is the same as a promise made by her,” says Celestia.

Granny looks thoughtful for a different reason. “I must say, hearin’ your tale, I can hardly believe we’re talkin’ about the same pony-er-person. I’ve never known Mare to be that emotional. She always buried it, never let it show.”

“Not always,” says Celestia softly.





Celestia tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. The young girl sat with knees drawn in on her star, watching Celestia with sad eyes. It had been a whole two months after she had arrived, and she had seemingly long since run out of tears to cry.

Celestia herself was not fairing much better, long nights trying to give comfort and company to the lonely child were talking their toll. Her eyes had deep bags under them, and she strained to keep them focused on the text in front of her, trying once more to attempt to decipher the origins of her small companion.

“Celestia?” came the timid little voice next to her.

“Yes, Child?” said Celestia, glad for the distraction to her ongoing failure.

“Can… Can you tell me about your sister?”

Celestia frowned. “I don’t remember mentioning my sister, how did you hear of her?”

“Please?” came the hopeless reply.

The Princess sighed. “I suppose there is no harm in it. My sister was an alicorn like me me, like how I raise and lower the sun, it was her duty to the same with the moon. We ruled over Equestria together.”

“What happened to her?”

Another sigh. “Luna was never as well loved as me, despite her efforts. She always tried the hardest, yet our subjects scorned her night. One night it had become too much for her and she was overwhelmed in darkness, becoming a creature known to this day as Nightmare Moon. She lashed out and attacked me, and threatened to leave Equestria in eternal night… She was banished to the moon, where she will stay for a thousand years.”

“What will happen then?”

“She will return as Nightmare Moon, and will attempt to finish what she started.” Celestia's throat felt dry. “In which case, if she cannot be cured, we will be forced to banish her again.”

The child sat quietly, digesting the information, before saying. “Am I a replacement for your sister?”

Celestia nearly choked. “What?”

“You are being so nice to me, and you are here every night. Are you doing this because you miss your sister?”

Celestia sat in stunned silence, before she managed to speak. “D-don’t be ridiculous, I…” Celestia stopped herself and took a deep breath, and this time spoke more clearly, ”I would be lying if I say I do not miss her, I miss her a great deal, she is my sister, and in some respects my only friend, but you are not her replacement, you are a unique individual, and I am helping you because I want to.”

The child was silent, before throwing another curve ball. “How do you cope with loss?”

“Excuse me?” said Celestia, confused by the directions this conversation was going.

“Back at home, I used to see all the kids who had lost parents, or been abandoned, and how sad and angry they were, I used to think how lucky I was, for I never had anyone to lose, I’ve always tried to be alone, so I felt safe...  But now that it’s all gone, I’m starting to feel like I wasn’t as alone as I thought, No matter how hard I tried to push away, some people managed to find a place in my heart anyway.” She idly held a hand to her chest, gently squeezing the fabric between her fingers, before turning angry moist eyes at Celestia, although somehow Celestia knew the anger wasn’t directed at her. “So how do you deal with losing people, how do I make this feeling go away?”

Celestia looked into the child's angry eyes, while hers filled with sadness. “I’m not sure there is any way I can answer that, for there is no true answer. Sometimes with life, you just have to move forward. With those feelings of loss, you can only be strong and bear them as best you can.”

The child looked at the ground, hugging her knees tighter. “I don’t think I’m strong enough for that.”

‘Sometimes I wonder if anyone is,’ thought Celestia before trying to lighten the mood. “No need to think like that, I promised, didn’t I? I will help you find your way home in no time, there is no need for such thoughts.”

The child gave her a look. Celestia could almost feel her scepticism, she didn’t blame her. Celestia’s haggard appearance would not do much to inspire confidence, and the child seemed to have an uncanny ability to see through white lies, probably due to her environment growing up.

“You are sleepy, you should go home,” said the child suddenly.

Celestia was nonplussed. Usually the child was more clingy than this, but now she is actively sending her off.

“You can’t get anything done like this, come back tomorrow after some rest,” the child insisted.

“Are you sure you will be alright?” said Celestia.

“I will be, just go,” said the child, in a way that Celestia, had she been more awake, might have found ominous.

Not sure what to make of this shift in demeanor, but tired enough to take request to go to bed at face value, she stood up and made to leave.

“Goodnight little one, see you tomorrow.”

“Night, Celestia.”

Celestia was halfway down the tower steps when she remembered she had forgotten her notes. Upon returning to the tower's top however, she was was confronted with a sight that froze her on the spot.

Framed perfectly in one of the large windows stood the child, looking at Celestia with a ‘deer in the headlights’ look etched in her face, with tears streaming from her eyes. However the most shocking part was how she was holding her scythe. She held it with the handle facing away from her, with both hands grasping just under the blade, the top of the crescent was sitting in the small of her back.

“Wh...what are you doing?” said Celestia, not sure how to comprehend what what she was seeing.

“I’m sorry…” said the child, before closing her leaking eyes and turning her head away, “But I’m not strong enough!” With a swift motion, and a quick flash, she pulled the blade through her midsection.

Celestia moved, but too late as the child fell began to fall. Igniting her magic, she managed to catch her before she touched the ground. Rushing to her side, she feared the worst… Yet there was no blood, indeed not so much as a torn thread on her clothes or a lock of hair out of place. Turning her over to see her face, she almost dropped her when she heard a groan. Instead she let her down gently, and gave her a little space.

The child’s eyes fluttered open, her face an uncharacteristic deadpan. She sat up, reached out for her scythe, and used it to lift herself to her feet.

“Child, are you… alright?” said Celestia, put slightly on edge by the uncharacteristic calm.

“I’m… fine?” she phrases it like a question. “I guess it worked.”

“What worked? What was that you just did?” said Celestia, worried and confused.

“I don’t feel the pain anymore… In fact, I don’t remember what was hurt.”

“Pardon?” said Celestia.

“I reaped my Nightmare, my memories of my past, I don’t remember who I was, so now they can’t hurt me.”

“You... reaped your memories?” said Celestia, feeling well and truly lost by this point.

“Yes, now you don’t have to worry either,” the child gave Celestia a small smile, the first she had seen from the girl. It looked alien on her face, and didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You don’t need to find my home, I no longer remember it.”

“Bel…” Celestia tried to say, but was cut off.

“Please, that name is no longer mine, it belongs with the memories I have reaped, for now, call me Mare, it feels more right.”

Celestia had run out of words, she just stood, confusion and worry etched on her face.

Mare turned on her heels and walked to the window. “I’m going for a walk, I might as well get familiar with this castle.” Just as she stood in the frame, she turned her head back to face Celestia. “Go home, Celestia, you don’t need to help me anymore, all that's left is for me to help you.”

She vanished.





“...And since then, it's almost as if she tries to push away anyone she comes into contact with, and despite my best efforts, I have felt her becoming more and more distant over the centuries.” Celestia concludes.

The small gathering was silent, processing this new information.

“Well, I’ll be darned…” says Granny.

“She chose forgetting everything, rather than living with the pain,” says Luna.

“I don’t think she forgot everything, she is still quite capable of drawing on skills and knowledge of her previous life,” says Celestia, “What she forgot was her identity, who she was and her relationships with those around her, so she does not need to feel the pain of having lost them, hence why she took on a new name.”

“I always thought there was an achin’ heart under there,” says Granny thoughtfully, “now I think I know why.”

“So what are we going to do about it?” says Luna, “She helped me in my time of need, it should only be right that I should give her my aid in return.”

“Indeed, I have known Mare far too long to be happy with her simply disappearing, I was the one who brought her into existence, albeit accidentally, it is about time I take responsibility,” Celestia says.

“Well looks like we all agree on somethin’, and If you will listen to me prattle on a little more, I think I have just the idea to get Mare to stick around…”

> Chapter Three - Dinner with Maria
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I groan as I lie sprawling over my star, thankfully it isn’t as bad as last night. Tonight, everything is simply sore. Last night I was seriously considering running myself through with my scythe, but couldn’t bear moving to even make the attempt.

As much as I am tempted to just continue wallowing in self pity and pain, I had promised Maria that I would come to dinner so, struggling to my feet, I set off for the Apple family farm. I don’t want to be late, after all.





About a minute after Mare leaves, Luna and Celestia creep up the stairwell.

“So this is where she lives?” says Luna, looking around, “I must say, it is rather… bare.”

“Mare does not have much in the way of possessions,” Celestia says, crossing the room, “just an enchanted box of keepsakes. I think she keeps it under a false flagstone… ah, here we are.”

“I know we are trying to help her, but this still doesn’t feel right,” says Luna, as Celestia lifts up a small box from the floor.

“That's because it probably isn’t,” says Celestia, “but we are doing it anyway, now help me prepare.”





“Settle down, I’m comin’.” says Applejack, as the insistent knocking continues, honestly, who can it be at this hour?

Apple Bloom perks up in curiosity from her bored slump and Big Mac looks up from his reading. Applejack opens the door.

“Hello, my name is Mare, I’m a grim reaper, is Maria home?” 

Applejack looks at the figure, to her dark clothes, giant scythe, and annoyed expression. “Umm, ‘scuse me for a second.” before politely closing the door.

She turns to her siblings, who both wore confused expressions.

“Any idea who that was?” says Applejack.

“Nnope.” says Big Mac.

“Who's Maria?” says Apple Bloom.

“Ah think that’s Granny’s first name.” says Applejack.

“Eeyup.”

“Whats a grim reaper want with Granny?” says Apple Bloom, with childlike innocence.

Applejack and Big Mac share a glance. “Nothing, I hope.”

“Eeyup.”

Applejack sighs. “Well, better tell Granny she’s got someone to see her, and hope nothing comes of it.”

Applejack walks into the kitchen. “Granny, you’ve got-” Her breath catches in her throat.

“Dinner will be a minute er ten, anything I can getcha to drink?” says Granny, standing by the stove and checking on the stew.

“Juice please.” says the grim reaper, who is sitting nonchalantly on the counter next to the open window.

Granny turns around and spots Applejack standing in the door. “Oh hey there Applejack, Allow me ter introduce Mare, a real ol’ friend of mine, she’ll be joining us fer dinner, be a dear and get her some juice, pretty sure we’ve got some fresh in the fridge.”

Applejack looks at the being called Mare, then back to her elderly, yet spritely Granny, then back again to the grim reaper who is apparently her friend. Then she does what she is told, and then walks back to her siblings.

“This. Explains. So much!” says Applejack, as her siblings share confused glances.

“Hey everypony, wash up, dinners ready, I’ve got someone I’d like you all to meet.” Granny calls from the kitchen.

The Apple siblings all exchange worried looks, before going to the bathroom to wash up.





“Are you sure you have brought enough invisible chalk Luna?”

“I don’t know, I can’t seem to find it…”


“That had better not be a joke or I swear to Faust...”





I sit down at the Apple Family table as Granny sets the table for five. By the time she starts ladling stew into bowls, the other three Apples show up. I assume these are the grandkids Maria was talking about. There aren’t any additional place settings, I wonder where the parents are.

The smallest one bounces up and sits next to me. “Hi, my name is Apple Bloom, is your name really Mare?”

“That's what I call myself, so I guess so.” I say

“Didn’t yer parents give you a name?” asks Apple Bloom.

I shrug. “I never had any, so I don’t know.”

This throws the filly for a little bit, but she rallies quickly. “But, why do you call yourself Mare, isn’t that like a stallion calling himself stallion?”

“But I’m not a mare, I’m a girl, the term mare doesn’t apply to me.”

“But isn’t, like confusing?”

“To other people maybe, I know who I am.”

“How old are you?”

“Grim reapers don’t have an age.”

“Don’t you start that rot missy,” says Granny, giving me a sharp rap on the head. “Come on now, if ya don’t start eatin’, it’ll get cold. There’ll be plenty of time for questions later, Apple Bloom.”

Rubbing my head irritably, I look down at my bowl. While I don’t need to eat, it had been a long time since I have eaten Maria’s cooking, or any cooking for that matter.

Without further ado I dig in.





“This seems like a good spot.”

“It's a bit empty, isn’t it?”

“But it has plenty of large windows and a balcony. We can always acquire some furniture from the guest rooms.”

“What is this room for, anyway?”

“Well I had intended it to be your new study…”

“Hey!”





“More please.”

“Whoa settle down girl, some of us haven’t finished our firsts.” says Granny, laughing, “You’d best be careful, you might get some indigestion.”

“Grim reapers don’t get indigestion,” I say, reaching for the ladle. A green hoof smacks my hand away, so I just lean back and pout.

“So you’re a friend of Granny?” says the orange one with the hat, Applejack I think, “Where are you from?”

“Grim reapers don’t have homes.” I say, before getting smacked around the head again.

“If you keep that up you ain't gettin’ any pie,” says Granny scoldingly. She turns to Applejack, “Don’t mind her, one things she’s never had is manners, as fer yer question, she lives out in that ol’ castle in the Everfree.”

“You live out there? Ain’t that dangerous?” says Applejack.

“Not particularly, I’ve never had any troubles.”

“What about all them monsters and such?”

“I ignore them.”

“...And that works?”

“Only if you're me.”

“Wait a minute… I think I remember you, after Twilight disappeared, you showed us a secret passage.”

“Yup,” I say, “I do live there after all.”

“Thanks, I don’t know what we would have done if you hadn’t shown up there.”

“You’re welcome,” I say, before holding my bowl out to Granny. “More Please?”

Granny rolls her eyes, “Alright, you’ve been patient enough.” She ladles another portion of stew for me. “One day I’ll work out where you put all of it.”

“Tell me if you do, I still haven’t the foggiest,” I say, before tucking in with gusto.





“Luna, don’t you think reupholstering the furniture is a bit much?”

“No.”

“Just checking.”





With the first course over, Granny brings out the apple pie, I eye it hungrily, even back when I first knew her, her pies were legendary, I wonder what age was done to this already veteran recipe.

But as Granny is dividing the pie, I catch the eye of the last Apple, the big stallion, who was introduced as Big Macintosh, He was the only one who hasn’t tried to talk to me yet. We stare at each other impassively, as the pie is being served.

‘You don’t talk too much.’ came my unspoken words.

’Neither do you.’ came his unspoken reply.

’Not unless I have something to say’

’Likewise.’

We both nod in mutual understanding before setting about the task of eating, the other Apple siblings looking back and forth in confusion.





“Those curtains are fine Luna… Coincidentally, so are last five pairs you’ve shown me.”

“But what about these…”


“LUNA!”

“IT MUST BE PERFECT!”





“Well, thanks for comin’ Mare, really appreciate it,” says Granny, as we stand on the doorstep.

“Well, thanks for feeding me,” I say. Despite my best efforts I wear a little smile.

Granny gives a laugh before standing to give me an affectionate rub on the head. “Anytime, you rascal.” She drops back to her hooves. “I think you left an impression on the gran’kids.”

“I did?”

“Well it's not everyday some creature they’ve never seen before come to dinner,” says Granny. “Are you sure you don’t wanna stay longer?”

“Positive.”

“Well, since you are walking in that direction...” says Granny, her expression softening “I was considering visiting the Mister, you think you could walk me?”

I suddenly have trouble meeting Granny’s eye, I look down at the ground shuffling my feet. “...No.” I say quietly.

“Still not strong enough?” says Granny.

I cast a sharp eye at Granny, but I only see a soft compassionate gaze.

“No,” I say, before vanishing.





I finish the climb up my tower, and fall prone on my star, feeling my energies ebb.

So this is it then, I am starting to weaken. I can feel my grip on reality slipping away slowly.

I turn on my side. Far too slowly for my liking. At this rate it might take all night, my strength slowly fading until I am unable to stand, and then longer, until the sun simply strips my being away.

I roll on my back, I hope not, that sounds terrible. I’d prefer it quick. Maybe if Celestia comes I can ask her to take my scythe…

I am suddenly aware of a network of glowing lines all over the ceiling that weren't there when I walked into the room. “What…?”

Everything went white.





I floated in an indistinct void... there was colour… I think sound… I lift a sluggish hand and hold it to my chest. I find out two things from this; one, I still have touch, and two, I am naked. In my current mind frame I can’t seem to work up the feeling to be worried.

So this is it, I’ve been sent off, and now comes the sleep, I can feel my eyes drooping.

I gently curl into a ball, I wonder how long I will sleep, years, centuries, forever? Who is to say.

My eyes slowly close…

“I wish you were here with us to stay.”

My eyes shoot open.

“What…?”

Everything goes black.





I feel both the familiar feeling of my scythe in my hands, my star under my legs, and an extremely familiar feeling of deja vu. My eyes flutter open.

I am kneeling on my star, it is night, Celestia is standing in front of me. Thankfully before I can start to ponder if my life's on repeat, I notice that A, this isn’t the castle in the everfree, and B, her sister, Luna I think it was, is standing next to her.

I look around, this appears to be a room very similar to my old decrepit tower room, except it wasn’t decrepit, there was glass in the windows, and it appeared to be fully furnished. Most of the windows had an unobstructed view of the stars, except the ones which had a view of what appeared to be mountainside. A door was set into that side of the room, and it it appeared to be the only exit.

“Welcome to Canterlot, Mare.” says Celestia.

I I turn back to Celestia, who is wearing her patented ‘Celestia knows best’ smile as she looks down at me.

I scramble to my feet, (although I’m still shorter), walk up to her and glare. “What did you do?”

“Whatever do you mean?” says Celestia with faux innocence.

“I was done, I was fading away, there was a weird circle and I was sent off, and then…” I stop rambling and my eyes narrow. “You made another wish.”

“Amazing thing isn’t it? I never knew you could make a wish on a fallen star,” says Celestia, “At first I thought it didn’t work, but here you are...”

“Why? What possessed you to do that!?” I say, throwing my hands in the air.

“You know the wish, you tell me,” says Celestia.

My brows furrow, as I try and remember through the haze of just having ‘woken up’. “You want... me?”

“After knowing you for nearly a thousand years, and all you have done for me, do you really think I’d let you vanish, just like that?”

“How did you even know? I didn’t tell you,” I say.

“You are not as secretive as you think,” Celestia says cryptically.

“Did you even think to ask me about how I feel?” I say.

Celestia raises an eyebrow. “You mean like how you ‘asked’ me whether I would mind being ‘sent away’ for the duration of my sister’s return?”

I stare blankly for a moment, before slowly dropping my head into my hands. “Touché,” comes my muffled reply.

“If I may ask, why were you so intent on being sent away?” says Luna.

“I had my reasons,” I say, before picking up my head, “which present circumstances have rendered irrelevant.” I turn on my heels and flop cross legged on my star. “I guess I’m yours now, for whatever reason, should I call you mistress, or I should I just bark?”

It feels nice to dislodge Celestia’s all knowing grin. “That was uncalled for, and you know it.”

“What does she mean by that…” says Luna, but Celestia interrupts.

“It is a joke she is far too young to be making,” she says, dragging Luna out the door, “And I think it is time to leave her as she is clearly grumpy from being woken up. This room is yours now, you’ve got two hours before sunrise. I suggest you use that time to get familiar with your surroundings, we will see you tomorrow evening, after you have calmed down.”

Watching the two of them leave, the door snapping shut behind them, I decide to take Celestia’s advice. I stand and survey my surroundings again. Apart from the aforementioned details, it was furnished in the style of a bedroom, with a large desk, some sofa chairs and couch arranged around a coffee table, some bookshelves, and a bed that I could practically swim in. I resist the urge to start jumping on it. I detect a sort of star theme going through the room, from the chair upholstery, to the curtains, the bed coverings, the carpet, and (tilting my head back) the ceiling are all decorated with stars and constellations, with an almost frightening level of precision.

I vanish in order to walk through one of the windows. I appear to be in a tower again, if the circular shape hadn’t clued me in, but unlike my previous home, it is encircled by a balcony like walkway. Re-appearing, I walk around the outside, I have never seen Canterlot castle up close. It’s… pretty, I guess, twisting towers, grand keeps and halls, all coloured in white gold and purple. A part of me prefers the dark gothic majesty of the old castle in the Everfree, before its fall into disrepair that is, but for the most part, this is still an impressive sight. I find to my surprise that the doorway leads directly outside, and my tower room is reached by stairs imbedded into the walkway and spirals around the outside of the tower. Deciding to leave the exploration of the castle at large to another day, I disappear and walk through the door, re-appearing to slouch on the bed that is apparently mine, although what I would do with a bed is debatable, considering I am awake through the night and sleeping during the day is… difficult.

I have to wonder though, Celestia does seem to know an awful lot about me, things I never had told her. I wonder how…

I catch sight of a basket on the coffee table that I somehow missed on the first pass. I get up to examine it, it seems to have a great deal of apple based products....

I snatch up the ‘housewarming’ card attached to the handle and read the name, confirming my suspicions.

“Maria!” I snarl.

I then notice a few jars of zap-apple jam in the basket.

‘You are forgiven,’ I think as I open one to sample with my finger.





“No seriously, what does she mean by barking?”

“I REFUSE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH MY SISTER!”

> Interlude - Enter Cherry Red
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cherry stares at her reflection critically, before adjusting the ribbon in her mane for possibly the fifteenth time.

Cherry Red is a decidedly average mare with a grey coat and lilac mane, her most remarkable feature being her bright cherry red eyes, where her name came from.

“Cherry, honey, are you still in there? It’s getting close to sundown, you better hurry. you don’t want to be late for your first day… I mean night of work after all.”

“Right mom, thanks!” Cherry says, making one more last minute adjustment before grabbing her purse, then running out of her room and downstairs. She walks into the living room, to where her mom is waiting.

“Look at you, my little filly, off to her first ever job, at the castle no less, I can’t tell you how proud I am,” says Cherry's mom, engulfing her in a hug.

“I’m just a night maid, Mom,” says Cherry, blushing.

“Don’t give me that, you know better than I do that the princess picks all her serving staff herself,” says Mom. “That means that she took one look at you and said, ‘Yes, her, I want her.’”

‘I wonder why?’ thinks Cherry as she leaves the house. She had applied for the job as soon as she saw the advert about the castle hiring new night staff due to the return of the princess's sister. But from Cherry’s recollection, she was a nervous wreck for most of the interview, stuttering and mixing up her words, and at one point having one of her famous mini freakouts when the princess asked a slightly too personal question. All in all she was hoping for polite refusal by the end, and was shocked to find out she was hired. the princess saying she was perfect for the job, it was all she could do not to faint on the spot.

Still, Cherry holds her head high in determination and pride, and makes her way to the castle.





“Well, what time do you call this?”

Cherry’s determination wilts slightly in front of the disapproving gaze of Glenda, the donkey head maid.

“I was told to arrive half an hour before moonrise,” Cherry mumbles in her defense.

“And you think that excuses you? A maid must be ready and on call at all times, above and beyond the call of duty. I expect you here half an hour earlier,” says the jenny unrelentingly.

“Alright Glenda, that will do, I think you've frightened the new staff member enough,” says Raven Ink, Princess Celestia’s personal assistant. “If you don’t mind, let her get ready and in uniform, I have been tasked to bring her to Celestia for assignment the moment she clocks in.”

Glenda huffed. “Very well, far be it from me to get in the way of the princess's business, although if you ask me, it is much too early for such a new member of staff to be getting assignments from the princess herself, it will fill her head with ideas above her station, you mark my words.”

Raven Ink sighs. “Noted, Glenda. Now, if you don’t mind?”

After the jenny leaves, Raven turns to Cherry. “Now that that's out of the way, please get dressed, quickly if possible, I don’t like keeping the princess waiting.”

With that Cherry quickly gets into her cute maid uniform and falls in behind Raven as they walk through the castle corridors.

After a minute of walking Raven speaks. “I feel as if I might have to pre-emptively apologise on her majesty's behalf.”

“I’m sorry?” says Cherry, confused.

Raven sighs. “Would it surprise you to know that all the other new night staff were interviewed by Princess Luna, not Celestia?”

“They were?” Cherry says.

“And you are the only one receiving your assignment directly from her... I fear that the princess has involved you in one of her schemes. For whatever reason I feel your life may become slightly more difficult than you might reasonably expect... which is why I feel like I need to apologise, because if there is one thing I know about the princess, is she rarely ever feels the need to say she’s sorry.” Raven stops in front of the doors to Celestia's study. “We are here, wait exactly half a minute before entering while I announce your presence, try to compose yourself.”

Raven enters the room, leaving Cherry to her fretting, her rapidly deteriorating determination, and trying to remember how to count to 30. After she she feels half a minute has passed she trots in nervously.

“Ahh, Miss Red, glad to see you again,” says the princess graciously, as if she was an old friend, even though they had only met yesterday. “I hope this evening finds you well.”

“Errm, maybe? Yes, kind of, that is…” Cherry says, fumbling over her words while she tries to remember how to speak.

“Try to relax my little pony, it's only natural to be nervous on your first day,” laughs Celestia, a laugh so crystal clear that it some how manages to calm down the nervous wreck of a mare.

Cherry takes a deep breath, and manages to speak clearly. “I am doing… alright, Princess… all things considered.”

Celestia smiles warmly. “That is good to hear. I take you are ready for your first assignment then?” Celestia gets up and walks to the window, beckoning Cherry to follow. “It is nothing too strenuous, just a little warm up job before we start you on your regular duties. Do you see that tower out there?”

Cherry looks out over the grounds, to a solitary tower, one of the tallest, only connected to the rest of the castle by a large buttress about halfway up its height.

“It is referred to as the western watchtower, in the days of old it served as a guardroom for the flying members of the guard, although it has been a long time since it last fulfilled that role… But that is not important right now, as it is currently serving as an abode for a very old friend of mine.”

There was a pause, which Cherry doesn’t know if she’s supposed to fill, she looks to Raven for support but she is looking at the princess with a look of mild uncertainty. Thankfully Celestia starts speaking again, saving Cherry from having to comment.

“She goes by the name of Mare, and she is very dear to me. My sister and I recently restarted an old tradition of ours, where we share a private supper together before I turn in for the night, and she takes over courtly duties. Although normally it is a sacred tradition between us as siblings, myself and Luna wish to invite Mare to join us. Your first assignment of the night will simply be to fetch her and bring her to the private dining room, as I do not think she will know the way.”

“That is all?” says Cherry, with all Raven was going on earlier, she was expecting worse.

“That is all, she is staying in the tower room,” confirms Celestia. “Do not worry about time, we will start when you and she arrive, although if I had to make a recommendation, I would wait until dark before entering her room. She does not like to be disturbed while the sun is up.”

Cherry gives a hurried curtsy. “I will get on it immediately!” With her head held high, and brimming with new confidence, she trots out the door.

Celestia smiles and goes to sit at her desk, and she notices her assistant giving her a frown. “Is there something wrong, Raven?”

“I don’t recall there being anyone lodging in the western tower, much less by the name of ‘Mare’,” she states.

Celestia smiles her most cryptic smiles. “She was moved in yesterday evening.”

The wording was not lost on Raven, but she chooses a different line of approach. “The same day you hired Miss Cherry?”

“Nothing gets past you, does it?” Celestia says, her smile unmoved.

Raven waits to see if an explanation was coming, before sighing at Celestia's silence. “Very well, if you have no further need of me I shall retire to my chambers.”

“I wouldn’t dream of keeping you,” says Celestia fondly.





Cherry’s butterflies return, as she stands outside the door to the tower room, the sun had set moments before, all she has to do is open the door.

Cherry wonders what kind of pony this ‘Mare’ is, or even what kind of name is Mare in the first place. She also wonders why she was given this job, simple as it might have been, why did the princess go out of her way to send a new maid to do it? Is this Mare perhaps so impossible to deal with that she has scared off every maid ever come in contact with her? Is she some sort of eldritch horror that the other staff refuse to go near? Cherry’s mind is abuzz with unhelpful thought after unhelpful thought, maybe it isn’t too late to back out…

Then she remembers how proud her mother was of her getting a job at the castle. So, taking a deep breath, she knocks on the door.

After a minute, a muffled voice replies, “Come in?”

Cherry is surprised, the voice sounds like a filly, not at all what she had been expecting. Nevertheless she opens the door.

In the middle of the well furnished bedroom, sitting cross legged on a large shiny rock, is possibly the strangest creature Cherry has ever seen, who stares impassively with deep yellow eyes, as if waiting to see what she will do.

> Chapter Four - Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I tried sleeping again today, it was unpleasant as always. It's amazing how many people take that for granted, the ability to get a good night (or day, in my case) of sleep. To most ponies it is a case of simply lying in a nice soft bed, closing your eyes when tired, and drifting away. For me it involves curling up against the cold uneven stone of my meteor, in attempt to get as much of the only sensation I am capable of during the day, and try to cling to that before trying to force my mind into a state of calm, and fall into a fitful restless sleep. Yup, some ponies don’t know what they have.

I feel the first twinkle of dusk disrupting my melancholy, as I feel my being come to life. I uncurl and sprawl out, staring impassively at the fake stars of the ceiling.

This room is mine now apparently, that's a strange thought. Sure the tower had been hers, on the merit that it didn’t belong to anyone else anymore. And yet here I am, in a tower of a castle that isn’t falling apart. Given to me by Celestia, why? Why does she suddenly want me closer?

“After knowing you for nearly a thousand years, and what you have done for me, do you really think I’d let you vanish, just like that?”

So that's it, a combination of gratitude and simply being used to having me around. Why is it that people try so hard to get close to me…

I suddenly clutch my chest as deep feeling of sadness wells from the pit of my heart, for only for a moment, before passing. My hand drops to my side. I guess the pain of loss never fully leaves you, even if you forgot what was lost.

A knock on the door disturbs my musings. I sit up and cast a glance at the door. “Come in?”

The door opens and a young nervous mare in maid attire sort of quietly insinuates herself in, she freezes at the sight of me, standing stock still in the door, before she eventually pulls herself together and speaks. “Excuse me, are you... Mare?”

I regard her for a moment before simply saying. “Yes.”

The maid fidgets with the hem of her frilly apron. “Umm, her majesty Princess Celestia invites you to the royal sisters’ private supper. I have been asked to escort you, as she does not think you will know the way.”

“And what makes her majesty think I will be coming?” I ask, raising my eyebrow. I don’t care if this is her castle, I will not play in Celestia’s games.

The made looks visibly taken aback and starts stuttering. ”Ehhh-?! But Celestia- I was told- But private supper, bu-bu-but…” she starts hyperventilating.

I inwardly cringe. I hold up my hand to try and catch her attention, which thankfully works, “Look… How long have you been doing this?”

The mare looks at the ground. “This is my first day on the job, I was hired yesterday.”

God dammit Celestia, this is a low blow.

I sigh and get up. “Alright fine, lead the way, it seems like I need to have a talk with her majesty about playing fair.”

The maid, still a complete bundle of nerves, opens the door. “R-right this way please,” she says before taking the lead and I follow her down the tower.





I follow the nervous maid through the corridors of the castle, taking my time and examining my surroundings. It is a strange feeling, this place feels so... lived in. Even though there is barely a soul, apart from the random maid and guard patrol going in the opposite direction, most giving me odd looks before going about their business. A far cry from the dark and gloomy castle in the middle of the dark and gloomy forest.

But as the maid led me down a different corridor, I remember something I liked about the old castle… there was more holes in the ceiling.

The maid stops when she sees I have. “Umm, is there a problem, miss Mare?”

“Well, being called miss for a start,” I mutter, before saying out loud, “Isn’t there another way, like maybe with more windows?”

The maid tilts her head in confusion, before thinking. “Not without going a good distance out of our way. It's just on the other side of this wing, we’d have to walk around the whole building. Why, is there something the matter?”

I look back at the stars twinkling through the windows behind me. I turn back and sigh. “Maybe, lets just go.”

I walk past her, deeper down the corridor, after giving me a concerned look, she follows. The further I walk, the less stars I can feel on my back as the window slips further from view. Eventually I get that prickly feeling as the window is nearly entirely out of sight, causing me to stop once again.

“Are you sure nothing is wrong?” the maid asks with concern.

I look forward down the corridor, I think I see the end ahead. “Are there any windows in that corridor up ahead?”

“I… think so, it is the other side of this wing,” says Cherry, “Why, what's so important about windows?”

“Not windows, stars… See you in a minute.” I take a step forward, and cease to exist. My world of black and white greet me, I shudder, then walk to the end of the corridor, and all at once I come to life again, as the stars greet me through windows. I take a deep breath to fill my empty lungs, before turning to see the maid freaking out where I left her. I stick two fingers in my mouth and give a sharp whistle. She notices me and gallops down the hallway, before skidding on her haunches and stopping in front of me, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me violently.

“What?!- how?!- Why!!??!- Who!!.” she cries to my face.

“PleASe StoP SHAking ME.” I say, being faced with the novel feeling of being extremely dizzy.

She lets go of me, and I stagger around a bit, before settling on a controlled descent and fall on my knees.

The maid seems to take a moment to compose herself, while I wait for the world to stop spinning.

The maid seems to realise what she’s done, because she suddenly drops her head in a deep bow. “I am so sorry!”

“Is that a fact?” I say, my eyes spinning in my sockets.

“It’s just that you startled me- and I am so prone to freakouts- please don’t tell the princesses!” she begs.

“Forget all that, come over here.” I say, gesturing here to come over.

Nervously, she approaches. As soon as she is in reach, I grab the top of her head and hoist myself back on my feet, ignoring her little indignant “Ow!” before talking a few staggering steps and righting myself.

“Okay!” I say a little too loudly, “I’m good! Lets just pretend that never happened, I think we will both be happier that way.”

“Err, right.” says the maid.

There is a little awkward silence, before I address the maid. “So, weren't you taking me somewhere?”

The maid lit up with comprehension, and wheels on her hooves. “R-right! This way, we are not far.”

We walk on. It seems that the maid had something on her mind though.

“If it isn’t too much trouble, why did you disappear like that? And what was that about stars?”

I sigh, might as well tell her, no harm in it, might kill a little time. “My existence is tied to starlight, without it, I cease to exist within the world of perception.”

“The world of perception?” she says.

“Someone I used to know came up with the term, it means without starlight, I cannot fully see or be seen, hear or be heard, feel or be felt.”

“That sounds horrible,” says the maid.

“Yeah, it is,” I say, “But I’m used to it.”

The maid didn’t say anything, but did stop in her tracks. I look past her, the corridor seems to have run out of windows.

“...Where is this private dining room exactly?” I ask wearily.

“…At the end of this corridor.” she says apologetically.

Hand meets face. “Oh, come on.”





“Hmm, they are taking their time, you don’t think Miss Cherry got lost?” Celestia ponders aloud.

“Or maybe you overestimated Mare’s soft spot, and she was too stubborn to come, and the poor mare is hiding somewhere rather than face your disappointment,” observes Luna dryly.

“From what I know of Mare it is doubtful, but a possibility nonetheless,” sighs Celestia.

“What will you do with her if she can’t handle Mare like you thought she could?” asks Luna.

Celestia shoots her sister a look. “I am not entirely callous in my planning, if she cannot, and you do not want her on your night staff, then I will simply transfer her to the day staff. I understand she has a talent for mixing up beverages, both hot and cold, I personally can account at least that she makes excellent tea.”

“Of course she can,” says Luna, rolling her eyes. Further discourse is halted by a knock on the door.

“You may enter,” calls Celestia.

The door opens and Cherry walks in nervously, and to Celestia’s immediate worry, Mare did not seem to be with her.

“There was a slight complication on the way here,” says Cherry quickly, before Celestia can say anything, “but don’t worry, Mare is coming, she is just taking a slightly different route!”

This gave some small relief to Celestia, but she has to ask. “What sort of complication?”

“The kind brought about by a lack of windows in the corridor,” says a rather annoyed voice from behind them. Celestia turns and sees Mare sitting, arms crossed, in the open window.





I sit regarding the the princesses with a disapproving frown, I feel they deserved it after all the kerfuffle they put me through tonight.

“How did you get there?” says Luna, who is less familiar with my powers.

“I climbed out a window and walked around the… What do you call that little platform that runs along the outside of the walls just under the window?”

Luna scrunches up her nose in thought. “I… don’t know.”

“Well that thing, anyway,” I say lamely.

“Isn’t that a bit excessive?” says Celestia. “I know for a fact that you can move without starlight.”

“I’d like to keep my time not existing to a minimum. If you don’t like it, install more skylights.”

“There is a floor above this one.”

“Not my problem,” I say, “And while I’m on it, have you no shame?”

“Whatever do you mean?” says Celestia innocently.

I stand up and walk over to Celestia, not that I am particularly intimidating, as even sitting down Celestia is still taller than me. “You know perfectly well what I’m talking about,” I say, pointing to the maid.

“Miss Cherry, what about her? She may be a bit inexperienced, but I feel that with enough time she will be a valuable member of staff.”

I aggressively point my finger at Celestia. “Don’t give me that. I know the reason you hired her is…” I suddenly remember that she is still in the room, giving me a slightly intimidated, yet curious look, “...Does she have to be here right now?”

Celestia pretends to think, “I can't really think of a reason why not. What was it you were going to say now, Mare?”

My outstretched arm slumps. “...Never mind,” I mutter before taking a seat, cradling my head as I lean on the table. “She mentioned this was a supper, there better be some food or I’m leaving,” I grumble.

Celestia’s smile grains a barely perceptible yet irritatingly triumphant quality. “Miss Cherry, would you be so kind as to pass around the menus? They are on the trolley by the door, the white one for me and the blue ones for Luna and Mare.”

Cherry, with a start, does as instructed, passing out the menus, before standing by the door fidgeting to herself.

“Menus?” I ask, looking down at the document.

“We like to keep our options open,” says Celestia.

“Why two different menus?” I persist.

“The one I am reading is the supper menu, as what I need is a light snack before bed, you and Luna are reading from the breakfast menu, as your, ehem, ‘day’ is just starting. The colours are just for ease of reference, we have many in both colours.”

“Oh,” I exclaim, before picking up the menu.

After a minute of silence, Celestia looks up as if to make a request, but must have noticed my deer in the headlights expression as I look at the menu. “Are you quite alright, Mare?”

“I have… no idea what any of this is,” I say weakly. Indeed the menu might have well been written in a different language… In fact I think some of it is, if any of those little squiggles above the letters were any indication.

Celestia looks over my shoulder and winces slightly, then sighs. “Luna what are you thinking of requesting?”

Luna looks up from her menu. “Well I was considering a nice hearty bowl of porridge to start my evening, but for Mare, I might suggest the crepes be more to her taste.”

“I’m not eating crepe!” I shout indignantly

Celestia rolls her eyes. “A crepe is a type of prench pancake, Mare.”

“Oh.”

From the corner of my eye I see Cherry trying not to laugh.

With our orders sorted, Cherry was sent to the kitchens to tell the chefs, with instructions to return after they were relayed.

“So Mare, how are you finding your new home?” Celestia says conversationally.

“Like my old one, only with more carpet and furniture, and fewer broken windows,” I say flatly.

Celestia frowns. “I see.”

A silence reigns, I feel the need to break it. “I still don’t get why.”

“Come again?” says Celestia.

“Why… as in why all this!” I exclaim raising my hands to the ceiling. “Why did you bring me back? Why did you move me? Why give me my own room? Why are you feeding me? Why all this EFFORT!? If you simply wanted me to keep hanging around, why didn’t you just wish me back, then leave me in that castle, why are you trying so hard to get close to me!”

I pant slightly, feeling slightly relieved to get all that off my chest, before waiting to see if Celestia will answer.

Celestia closes her eyes in thought, takes a deep breath, then opens them. “There are three reasons, one practical, one is Luna’s, and the last is mine. The first is, the castle in the forest is rather old, and masonry unmaintained has a habit of unexpectedly collapsing, I did not want to risk losing you or your meteor to a collapse.”

My eyes widen slightly. Funny, considering I had watched nearly every other tower collapse, I had never considered that mine would. Rather silly in hindsight.

Celestia continues. “The second is that my sister is rather enchanted with idea of a star being…”

“You didn’t have to put it quite like that…” interjects Luna as she tries to avoid the weird look I’m giving her.

“...And is grateful to you for having reaped her darkness,” continues Celestia, “And after she heard from a mutual friend that you have an interest in astronomy, she couldn’t help but want to get to know you.”

I give a grunt, now trying to avoid Luna’s hopeful gaze. “What about your reason?”

Celestia gave a smile, and unlike most of the ones I’ve seen recently, it is full of motherly warmth, yet a tinge of sadness. “You may not remember it, or have chosen to forget, but I once made you a promise, that I would find your home. After you forgot everything, you told me that promise no longer mattered, but when I finally realised what promise you were being held to, it made me think I had given up too soon.”

I open my mouth to interject, but Celestia continues. “I may not be able to give you back the home you once had, even if you remembered it, that might not be in my or anyone I know’s power to do so. But that only means I should have changed my approach, instead of trying to find your old home, I should have been working on making a home for you. Instead I practically abandoned you in a derelict castle, only visiting occasionally, sometimes with an errand suited to someone of your powers, but I don’t think I ever made you feel fully welcome. By my oversight and your own mindset, you became an outsider, a stranger to the land you found yourself in. I’m not sure I can forgive myself for this, but I intend to at least set things right. So to you Mare, I make a new promise, that I will try my hardest to make you feel at home, so you never need to be alone again.”

Throughout Celestia’s speech, my head slowly lowers, when she finally stops, she looks at me expectantly, as if awaiting judgement.

I rub my eyes with my sleeve, in a futile attempt to stem the trickle of liquid from them. “You’re hopeless,” I croak softly.

Celestia gives a wry smile. “I guess that makes two of us.”

Celestia takes the opportunity to lightly stroke my hair, I don’t stop her, at least until I get my tears under control. By the time Cherry arrives back, I have dry eyes and a damp sleeve.

“Supper will be arriving shortly.” The maid bows quickly.

“Ahh Cherry, I think now is the time to discuss your new position,” says Celestia with her ‘princess knows best’ smile that immediately puts me on guard.

“New position?” says Cherry slightly panicked, “Did I do something wrong, please Princess, give-”

Celestia silenced her with a casual gesture. “You have done nothing wrong, my little pony, you have in fact done everything right. In bringing Mare here you have proven you can handle her… how should I put it… difficult personality, so as of tonight, I shall be giving you the position of Mare’s attendant.”

Cherry stares at me dumbfounded as I give Celestia a deadpan look. “I take back every nice thought I just had about you.”

Celestia gives a theatrical sigh. “Oh well, it was fine while it lasted.”





“This will be your work and rec room,” Luna says, addressing Cherry, Celestia having retired to bed, while Mare had slunk off at some point after supper. “As you can see, it is right beneath Mare’s room, so if she needs you, you don’t need to walk far. It has some basic facilities, such as a small kitchen area for preparing snacks, a supply cupboard for cleaning utilities, a large bathroom and laundry area down those steps, if you ever need to freshen up. There are some hooks to keep spare uniforms and any clothes you bring in, so you can report directly here when your shift begins, rather than one of the castle's main workrooms, as your duty lies here in this tower as opposed to the castle as a whole. That bell over there is operated by a rope upstairs, so if Mare needs you she only needs to ring… There is also a hammock… I’m not sure why it is here, but feel free to use it to your own recreation should you have no pressing duties. This is your workspace and you share it with no others, so feel free to personalise it as much as it does not damage the room or impede its functions.”

Cherry nods mutely, the shock not having worn off yet.

“Well that is about it, now while I do need to see to some duties, none are urgent, so if there any questions you feel the need to, ask. While you are not directly serving me, you are one of the night staff, and therefore it is my responsibility to see you settled in, so you can see to your duties as quickly and efficiently as possible.” Luna awaits a response.

Cherry considers the princess’s offer. While a bit more formal than her sister, Luna’s slightly more normal stature makes her feel more approachable, and she has a mercifully straightforward way of speaking. Cherry manages to untangle her vocal cords. “Only one, Princess… well, more of a request... could you tell me more about Mare?”

“A reasonable request, considering you will be working with her for the foreseeable future.” Luna nods, before sighing, “Unfortunately I may be the least equipped to answer, as I have only known her for about four nights and my interactions have been very limited, but I will share as much as I can.” Luna seems to gather her thoughts for a moment, before continuing, “Suffice it to say that, despite her apparent intelligence, and having lived for over 900 years, Mare is very much a child, a very lonely one at that, and unlike myself, her loneliness is self imposed. We want to help her, but that involves breaking down the walls she has built around herself, that is in fact why we got you, to be here when we cannot.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why was I picked?” Cherry asks.

“It was my sister's idea,” says Luna, “It was reasoned that a more experienced maid would not have done. Mare would push them away, you were chosen because you were the most approachable and good natured out of all the candidates. You see, we don’t simply want a maid for Mare, what we need for her is a companion, a confidant. That is what Mare needs, to simply not be alone.”

Cherry looks down at her hooves. “Sounds like a rather large responsibility.”

Luna gives a slightly reassuring smile. “It's not as if you will be bearing this burden entirely on your own. While not tonight, I will try and make a habit of regular visits, I will not be attending the night courts until my… regal stature returns, so I have plenty of free time until then. Not that I really expect many ponies to visit once I do.” The last part is muttered under her breath.

Cherry still looks rather uncertain, so Luna adds. “You need not worry, though I have only known you for this evening, I can tell you are of a good sort, just do as your kindness tells you and you will might find a friend in Mare yet.”

With that Luna makes to leave. “Although not tonight I fancy, my sister has offloaded rather a lot on young Mare, so I imagine she is not feeling particularly personable as of now. The best thing you can do for tonight is to familiarise yourself with your work space. If there is anything you need, I will be available for most of the night, so please excuse me.”

And with that Luna leaves.

Cherry sighs, deciding to take advantage of the hammock, and runs her mind through the events of the day.

“I wonder what Mum will think of this?” she says to herself. It isn’t as if she expected being a maid in the castle would be easy, but as far as Cherry could tell, she is being held at least partially responsible for the recovery of an immortal child from some sort of unknown trauma.

Luna’s words echoed in her mind, ‘Just do as your kindness tells you.’ Cherry makes up her mind, if the princesses believe in her, she will too, she will try her hardest… Starting tomorrow. Might as well take Luna’s example, after all. 





Mare sat pondering on the roof of one of Canterlot’s towers, something about Celestia’s speech seems to have resonated within her, with words she could not place a name or face to.

“What are you talking about ----? We are here aren’t we? So don’t ever go thinking you're alone.”

Well she is alone right now, so doesn’t feel the need to hide her tears.







Bonus




A heavy air of silence permeates the meal, and neither Luna or Celestia wishes to break it.

Indeed, they might have rather chopped their hooves off than disturb that happy little bubble that Mare has built around herself. It is as if the very air glitters around her, and her eyes shimmer with childish vigor and happiness.

Eventually, Mare manages to compose herself and her face returns to its default state. She then picks up the chocolate coated crepe and takes another bite.

The glittering starts again.



> Chapter Five - Passing time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sit upside down on my bed, staring across the room at nothing in particular, counting seconds until something vaguely interesting happens. It is the second night I have shared supper with the princesses, although nothing particularly happened of note, and I left no more irritated than usual. Cherry, my maid (never thought I’d have one of those), stands fidgeting by the door, clearly made uncomfortable by the silence and my inactivity. I’m not sure why she is just standing there to be honest, maybe she is waiting for some sort of direction from me.

Eventually it seems the silence is too much for her and she sits on her haunches and claps her hooves. “So!” she says.

“So what?” I counter.

“Ehh?” comes her rebuttal.

“So I see.” I declare… god I’m bored.

“Umm, I was just going to ask… err, what was I going to ask?, Oh um, would you care for a drink? Tea? Coffee? A hot cocoa maybe?”

I ponder this question, clearly a difficult philosophical conundrum… yup, still bored.

“Sure, wouldn’t mind a cocoa,” I say, couldn’t hurt. I guess since I have a maid might as well use her.

She gives a quick bow. “Won’t be a moment, Prin… La... Ma’a… Miss.” She scurries out to cover her embarrassment.

‘At least she’s moe,’ I think, before returning to my mind to the important task of boredom.

Over the centuries after I had literally scoured every square centimeter of the Everfree castle and half a kilometer of the surrounding woodland, I had managed to refine boredom into an art form, the simple act of doing nothing and privately whining about it. Didn’t make it any less tedious though.

By the time Cherry comes back, I have reached sixty eight stars on the ceiling, and am thankful for the distraction. I drop off the bed onto my hands, perform a short handstand, before dropping to my feet.

I walk over to the coffee table, where Cherry sets down the mug, I sit down on one of the big poofy armchairs and pick it up. I look down at the brown liquid, it’s a lot darker than I remember hot chocolate being. I shrug and take a sip.





Cherry waits for Mare’s verdict, but she has simply frozen on the spot, cup to mouth. From where Cherry is standing she can’t see her expression.

“Err, is everything alright?” Cherry asks nervously, Mare just sits there, unmoving.

Cherry starts to worry. Why isn’t she doing anything? Is there too much cocoa? Not enough sugar? Too hot maybe? Too cold? She is just about to voice her concern when Mare looks up and opens the eyes Cherry didn’t notice were closed.

And they sparkle.

The air sparkles.

She sparkles.

Painted across her face is an expression of pure bliss.

And it is absolutely adorable.

Cherry almost collapses on the spot ‘It's just... too… cute!’ she thinks, mentally clutching her chest, ’can’t breathe… too sparkly!’

Nevertheless, Cherry is quite disappointed when Mare runs out of cocoa, and her chocolate fueled nirvana.

Mare pulls herself out of her stupor and gives a half hearted cough when she notices Cherry’s doe-eyed staring.

“That was... okay.” Mare mumbles, looking embarrassed.

’Ack! How did I not notice how cute she is?’ Cherry squees internally, ’This is suddenly the best job ever!’ Out loud she says. “Well, this is one of the simpler ways to make hot chocolate, I didn’t have the supplies to make a really good one, this one was mostly cocoa, sugar…

She is suddenly grabbed by her frilly apron and pulled into directly facing Mare, who wears an expression of pure disbelief. “You can make them better?!”





Luna stares at the empty desk in her new study, the little work she had is already decorating her ‘out’ tray (‘What a novel little system these modern ponies had come up with’), and sighs.

She understands that her sister is trying to ease her into her duties, both new and old, but she has the distinct feeling she can handle more than that, maybe tomorrow at breakfast she should mention this and perhaps get this ball rolling a little faster. (’It's not as if I can’t handle a little hard work.’)

For now though, she has nothing to do, it seems like a good enough time to check on their young ward.

Luna steps out onto her balcony, and sighting the western watchtower, takes flight.

’Maybe this is why my workload is so light, so I can have plenty of time to spend with young Mare?’ she thinks. It's not unlikely. Celestia usually had several layers to everything she did, the more time she has to plan the more complex her planning becomes.

Luna’s thoughts then drift to the young maid caught up in the middle of this. She wonders how she is holding up. From what she has gathered from Missus Smith and her sister, Mare is an incredibly difficult pony… person to deal with. Luna wonders if she is coping alright, and if that speech last night was a bit too much to handle. Luna hopes she hasn’t dumped too much responsibility on the young mare (not ‘Mare’ obviously, why does her name have to be so confusing?)

She lands gently on the balcony and knocks thrice on the door.

“Come in,” comes Mare’s voice through the door.

Luna steps into the tower, looking for its young occupant, and finds her sitting in one of the armchairs around the coffee table, looking… oddly flustered if Luna is any judge. Her arms are crossed, she is pouting up a storm, and her cheeks are flushed with embarrassment… This is new.

“Mare… are you well?” Luna says gently.

“Oh, hey Luna,” says Mare, not looking her in the eye, “Didn’t know it was you, what brings you to this neck of the woods?”

“Well I had finished my work for the evening and decided to see how you were acclimating to your new surroundings.” says Luna, “But you seem uncomfortable, is something the matter?”

“...’m fine,” she mumbles unconvincingly. “There, you’ve seen, no need to worry, don’t let me keep you.”

Luna frowns. “Mare, you may not know me well, but I assure you I am far from foolish. What is wrong?”

Mare seems to hunch in further and starts glowering at nothing in particular, as she isn’t looking Luna in the eye, but remains adamantly silent.

At this moment, Cherry walks in…

And she is positively glowing.

Luna can do naught but stare as the nervous maid from yesterday has seemly been replaced with a smiling cheery mare, holding a steaming mug and without a an apparent care in the world.

“Oh hello Princess, excuse me for interrupting,” she says with a slight curtsy before walking to Mare, “Here’s that refill you asked for.”

“...Thank you,” she mumbles, taking the mug.

Cherry then takes several steps back, sits on her haunches, and starts watching expectantly.

Mare doesn’t start drinking immediately, in fact, she seems to get even more embarrassed.

“...Do you have to stand there like that? Isn’t there anything else you could do?” says Mare. Luna isn’t sure if it is directed at herself or Cherry.

Cherry’s response is to flop her ears and droop slightly, as if she is a puppy that has been kicked.

“Oh, fine!” says Mare irritably, for the first time raising her voice above a mumble since Luna has seen her this evening. She takes a sip from the mug.

Luna watches the display from afar as the glittering starts, Cherry makes a barely repressed “squee!”, and all Luna can do is wonder, just how did they manage to wrap each other around their hooves/hands without even noticing.




Next evening...




“So Mare, have you been managing to keep yourself busy?” Celestia asks over supper as she dips a potato wedge into some sour cream.

I come down from the cloud nine that my blueberry muffin had delivered me to to consider the question. I shrug. “Define busy.”

Celestia tilts her head. “I suppose what I mean to say is have you been finding ways to amuse yourself?”

“Nope,” I say, taking another bite of muffin.

Celestia frowns. “Why not, is something the matter?”

I shrug. “I haven’t been ‘busy’ as you put it for over 800 years, why would now be any different? Boredom is my default state of being.”

“I have been meaning to ask you about that,” says Luna, “When I visited yesterday, you simply sat around doing nothing for the majority of the time, did you do anything after I left?”

“Nope.”

“Do you literally just spend all night doing nothing?” Celestia says incredulously.

“Pretty much, jumping on the bed kinda got boring on the first night, it was too soft to get any spring,” I say dismissively, savouring the last bite of my muffin.

“But surely there are better ways of spending your time than that,” says Luna, “like hobbies or the such.”

“What kind of hobbies can you have when you spent centuries alone in a dilapidated castle?”

Celestia blanches, but Luna presses on undeterred. “But you are not alone in a castle anymore, I’m sure with the resources we have at our disposal we can find something to occupy your time.”

I freeze at Luna’s words, that hadn’t even occurred to me until now, I can actually do something proactive about my boredom… But what?

Luna went on. “Surely Mare, you must have some idea on what you might like to do, some skills or pastimes you might remember.”

I try to really think about it, there must be something…





“Hey whatcha drawin? ...Hey is that me? Wow Sweetie, you're getting pretty good at this, aren’t you?”





“Again? Didn’t I take you to the arcade on Monday? ...Oh alright, give me a sec.”





“You sewed this all by yourself? Wowzers, you did an amazing job, you look so cute!”





“Mare are you alright?” Celestia’s concerned voice breaks me from my thoughts.

“Huh? What… Oh, I’m fine, just spaced out for a minute,” I say.

Celestia gives me a pained look. “Mare... you’re crying.”

I brought my hand up to my cheek, I hadn’t even noticed until now. I rub my face with my sleeve to clear up the excess moisture.

“... I think I used to draw alot… and play games… and I’m good at sewing… I made this costume from some old clothing in the attic,” I say quietly.

Celestia opens her mouth to speak, reconsiders what she is about to say, and instead nods her head. “I’m not sure about the last two for tonight, but I think I can acquire some art equipment for you, would you like that?”

“I think I would,” I say. “Excuse me, I think I’ll go for a little walk.”

I vanish and walk away.

I then walk back, reappear and grab the last muffin on my plate. “And I’m taking my muffin.”





‘Wow, I am really out of practice.’

I think this bitterly, as I erase half the drawing. I guess sitting around doing bugger all for centuries has a way of blunting your edge.

‘Let’s see… if I just…’ I think, starting again.

“Umm, can I move now? My neck is getting stiff,” says Cherry, standing stock still in front of me.

I look up and raise my eyebrow. “I finished your picture 10 minutes ago.”

Cherry sags in both relief and frustration. “You could have said!” she whines.

I shrug, before continuing to sketch.

After Cherry recovers somewhat, she shyly approaches. “Can… can I see?”

I roll my eyes before lifting the last page I was working on and tearing it out and handing it to Cherry to look at.

She scans the image silently. “Wow, this is really pretty…” she says quietly.

“Its pretty easy when you have a live reference,” I say, before looking at my current piece critically, groaning, and reaching for the eraser again.

Curiosity overpowers Cherry’s need to keep a polite distance, and she leans over my shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything,” I say looking down at the human sketch. “I just can’t get the proportions right. It just keeps looking wrong.”

“Well, maybe I can get some reference books-”

“I kind of doubt you can get human reference books,” I say, cutting Cherry off.

“Human?” asks Cherry.

“What I am… or was… I still look like one at least,” I say.

“Oh… Well what about using yourself as a reference then?”

I roll my eyes. “Now how am I supposed to do…” I stop mid sentence, now there's an idea. “Say, have you got a camera by any chance?”




Tomorrow night…




Celestia and Luna are worried.

When Mare came to supper, she simply ordered toast, ran off with two buttered slices clasped in her teeth as soon as it arrived, and jumped out of the window on her way back to the tower. She was in a hurry, but for what?

“What do you think has gotten into her?” says Luna, on their way to the tower after they had finished their supper.

“I don’t know,” says Celestia.

“You don’t think she is in trouble is she?” says Luna.

“I don’t think so…” says Celestia, pondering Mare’s demeanor. “She seemed… enthusiastic.”

“Seemed more like impatience to me,” says Luna.

“Could be,” says Celestia as the alicorns touch down on the balcony.

Celestia is about to knock when a flash appears through the stained glass of the door, followed by the voices of Mare and Cherry.

"How did that one look?"

"Let me see... yup this is a keeper."

"Good, how much more can we take?"

"We've still got about... half a roll, just go easy, this is my mom's camera."

"Okay ten more then, how's this?"

"Umm... isn't that a bit suggestive?"

Celestia practically barged through the door.

Cherry sits frozen behind a camera tripod in shock at Celestia's sudden appearance, with a small pile of photographs sitting beside her. But what really catches Celestia’s attention, is that Mare is standing in the middle of the room in nothing but her underwear and what is indeed a rather suggestive pose, which she loses when she notices Celestia's entrance, instead putting her hand on her waist and and giving Celestia a lopsided look, as if waiting for her to speak.

Celestia takes a really deep breath. “I’m not going to jump to conclusions, I’m sure there is a perfectly good explanation for this, although my mind positively boggles trying to think of one, please do not prove me wrong.”

“What does it look like?” says Mare, a very knowing smirk on her face. “I’m keeping myself busy.”

While Celestia does some breathing exercises, Luna appeals to somepony more reasonable. “Cherry, can you please explain?”

Cherry looks slightly confused. “Well, Mare needed some reference for humans for her drawing, and since she didn’t have any reference material, she decided to use herself as one.”

Celestia breathes a sigh of relief.

“Pfft, buzzkill,” says Mare, pouting.

Celestia levels her a glare. “So you do know what this looks like.”

“Of course, that's what made it funny,” says Mare, giggling.

Celestia couldn’t do anything but sigh. “While I am happy to see you doing better, I’m not sure how I feel about your new perverse sense of humour.”

“I’ve always been like this, you’ve just never noticed,” says Mare.

“Don’t you feel the least bit ashamed?” asks Luna.

“Too young for shame,” Mare says proudly, with both hands on her hips and the most genuine grin they’ve seen on her to date. “I’ve always been told that kids shouldn’t waste their time feeling things like shame or guilt, they should be too busy having fun, leave the worries and regrets to when you grow up. Never apologise for being a child.”

Despite the situation, Celestia couldn’t help but smile at the childishness of the gesture. “An interesting bit of wisdom, to be sure.”

“Umm…” Cherry interjects quietly, looking quite lost. “What exactly is going on?”

Before anyone else can do anything, Mare walks over and puts an arm around Cherry’s shoulder. “Well you see Cherry, there is this little thing called child pornography-”

“MARE!”

It takes quite a while to calm down Cherry after that revelation.

One day Celestia vows to find out just how ten year old Mare got such a dirty mind, because it certainly wasn’t from her.




In the Castle in the everfree…




In the room of Nightmare Moon’s defeat, pale starlight shines upon the worn stones. To all who might observe, nothing would seem amiss. But those who might peer closer would find something very, very wrong.

For in the darkest shadows, an even deeper darkness stirs.

It does not know what it is. It was once something, but that part was sent away, all it has left is darkness.

Darkness, and perhaps something else. Not so much a memory, but an Impression, an impression of a mind it had briefly inhabited, before light had stripped it away.

It was a sad mind, a lonely mind, it had lost many things. There was bitterness there as well, anger directed at nothing, maybe even at itself. But it was not a whole mind, some was missing, fragments…

The darkness is not whole either.

The darkness wants to be whole.

Maybe two parts can become whole.

The darkness set out, to find the mind that will make it whole.

Mare.

> Chapter Six - A Walk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I lie back on my bed and, not for the first time tonight, I am incredibly frustrated. By my side is my discarded sketchpad, with my latest work unfinished for all to see.

I know what's wrong with it, anyone could tell by looking, it has no face. This is becoming a theme of a lot of my human pictures, and it was really starting to bug me. I can draw myself fine, and ponies are surprisingly easy. But the minute I try to draw any other human… I just get stumped at the face.

It’s actually getting really creepy, all these faceless sketches. I think I need a diversion.

I swing off the bed. “I’m going out.”

Cherry looks up from some dusting she was doing. “Huh? Why is that?”

“I need some fresh air, and I’m thinking of exploring the castle… the bits I can, anyway,” I say heading for the door.

Cherry bounds up next to me and gives a quick curtsy. “Umm, how about I show you around, I got the castle tour on the day I was hired,” she says eagerly.

I think about it, then shrug. “Why not?”

Cherry beamed. “This way please!” She leads me out the tower and down the steps.





Cherry leads me down yet another corridor. The tour so far had been… interesting I suppose, it is a lot different then exploring the old castle and trying to guess what each room was, although I still told Cherry to let me guess before telling me. (In the old castle I had to make my own fun and old habits die hard.) Due to my reliance on windows, we often had to take rather long and winding routes to various places. We are currently on one such route now to one of the main dining rooms.

Boredom motivates me to speak. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why did you become a maid… for that matter why does anyone become a maid?”

Cherry seems surprised that I initiated a conversation, but recovers pretty quickly. “W-well, I can’t speak for everypony… But um, well… I think maid outfits are cute.”

There is a rather long pause before I realise Cherry had finished talking. “...And that's it?”

Cherry looks rather self conscious. “Well, yes… kinda… Pretty much.” she mumbles.

“Sure it wasn’t your destiny or something?” I ask.

“Wha- Oh you mean my cutie mark. No nothing like that… Although that would be a pretty depressing destiny, if you think about it.”

I do think about it. “Yeah It kind of would, wouldn't it? I can’t imagine ‘hanging around in big houses that don’t belong to me cleaning up other people's messes’ being a particularly satisfying destiny.” We share a little giggle at that.

We walk along in a companionable silence, feeling content with each other’s company… Wait.

I stop in my tracks. Content with someone else's company? I haven’t felt like that since… Oh god I’m doing it again aren’t I? Stupid, stupid! STUPID!! This always happens, I let my guard down, for just a little while and then I end up setting myself up for it to happen all over again. Why am I this dumb? Am I some sort of masochist?

“Mare, are you alright?” Cherry’s concerned voice penetrates my mental beratement. As much as I want to scream at her, it's not her fault that that Celestia hired her... and that I’m apparently a sucker for punishment. So instead I take some deep breaths.

“Oh nothing… just thinking.” I half-lie. I recall what we were talking about before, and decide to change the conversation back.

“So what is your destiny anyway?” I say, walking ahead, Cherry taking this as a cue to start leading again.

“You want to know my Cutie Mark?” says Cherry, “Well, it's kind of complicated…”

“Don’t tell me you don’t have one.”

Cherry laughs, “Oh, nothing that dramatic, You see, I was very young when it appeared, and, well… I can’t really remember how I got it.”

“Seriously? That can happen?” I say, raising my eyebrow.

“Oh you know, when you're at that kind of age, the memories tend to blur together, and I was a very unfocused foal, head in the clouds almost constantly, so I can’t quite pinpoint the moment where my mark appeared, or what I was doing when I got it.”

“For most ponies that's a pretty big event isn’t it? Something you’d think would be pretty hard to forget.”

Cherry laughs. “You’d think so, but I was a preschooler at the time, and that whole ‘I need a cutie mark’ mentality doesn’t really kick until the second year of school.”

“I guess that kind of sucks, not knowing, I mean,” I say.

Cherry shrugs. “I can’t say I’ve ever been too bothered, it's never really become a problem. I never had to suffer the whole ‘no cutie mark’ stage that most foals go through. I have plenty of hobbies that I can enjoy, and enough skills to be employed in a nice job at Canterlot castle. It's not that it wouldn’t be nice to know, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.”

“You’ve put a lot of thought into this,” I say, actually kind of impressed. Until now I’ve taken Cherry as sort of a wet blanket, but she seems like a surprisingly well adjusted (if not socially awkward) pony, certainly better adjusted than m… somebody I know.

“Well, I’ve had this conversation a lot in my life, I can practically recite it myself these days,” says Cherry, lightly blushing as if she heard my unspoken comment. “It helps when your mom is a guidance counsellor.”

“I guess it would,” I say.

“Miss Cherry?” comes a voice from ahead.

I look ahead to see a middle aged jenny, who was looking at Cherry with a skeptical eye.

“Oh-ah, good evening, Miss Glenda,” says Cherry, giving the donkey a quick bow of the head.

“I must admit, when I saw you were no longer on the general night register, I thought you had been fired,” says Glenda.

“N-no, I was reassigned to the western watchtower,” says Cherry quietly.

“The western watchtower? Why on earth does the western watchtower need a maid?” says Glenda, raising her eyebrow.

“Yeah, that would be me.” I say, mildly puzzled that the donkey had yet to notice me, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't invisible to donkeys or something. As funny as that thought might be, I don’t need any more weird existentialism in my life.

Glenda looks up, and seems surprised by my presence. “My apologies, but who might you be?”

Cherry steps up for this. “T-this is Mare, She lives in the western watchtower, Princess Celestia has assigned me as her personal attendant. You see, I was taken off the the general night register because the princess considered it easier to do my job if I was not a part of general castle duties.”

The jenny looks mildly miffed. “It would indeed be nice to know these things, rather than hearing about them several days later. Although, I suppose that is not your fault. Still, might I inquire to your current activity?”

Cherry makes a gesture in my direction. “Well, Mare wanted to explore the castle, so I’m taking her for a little tour… is that alright?”

Glenda nods. “I can find no fault with that. Although, might I ask, would that tour include the main dining room?”





“Umm, yes?” says Cherry.

“Then I’m afraid you might have to find somewhere else,” says Glenda. “The dining room is currently in use, Princess Celestia is having a political dinner with some of the nobility.”

“Oh, s-sorry I didn’t know,” says Cherry.

“Might I advise you to stop by one of the workrooms when planning such an excursion, or at the very least getting the castle schedule at the start of each week for your workroom. It will save you from making such errors in the future.” says Glenda.

“Yes, of course, Miss Glenda,” says Cherry, bowing, before turning to where Mare was. “Come on lets…”

But Mare isn’t there.

She had walked off exactly six paragraphs ago.

“Mare? Mare!” Cherry calls, panic seeping into her voice.

“She seems to have wandered off,” says Glenda, looking around.

“Oh Celestia, I had one job… One job!” Cherry wails.

“Compose yourself! She can’t have gone far,” says Glenda sharply. “If you hurry you might catch up to her, I will help you look, after all it’s at least partially my fault for distracting you.”

“Wha- I mean thank you!” says Cherry.

“Enough lollygagging,” says Glenda, bustling off. “Who knows what kind of mischief a child can get up to unsupervised… She is a child, right?”

“In a sense…” says Cherry, following behind.

Glenda huffs. “I really wish Celestia would give me notice when she pulls stunts like this, it really confuses my schedule.”





Okay, I do feel kind of bad for leaving Cherry back there. I try to squash that feeling.

“The more distance I get, the safer I’ll be,” I murmur to myself.

I stop in front of a pair of large doors. I hear a murmur of conversation through it, so I open the door slightly and peer in.

It seems to be some sort of dinner party, with various important looking ponies, including both princesses… and another one I had never seen before, she was really… pink.

The more sensible part of me says I should just walk away and find somewhere else to explore…

I take note of the particularly high windows, and the network of of cross beams on the ceiling.

...But what I want to do is try to get into the rafters.

I disappear and walk to one of the the large decorative curtains on the wall. After I give some experimental tugs, I start climbing up. It was a bit of work, and climbing up gave me a lot of time to think.

Mostly on my inclination to climb things.

I don’t know, it just seemed to be something I did when I wanted to be alone… I mean, more alone than usual. Feeling sad? Climb something. Feeling angry? That tower looks good. Stressed, frightened? I think I’ll find a nice tree.

I swing my feet a little and manage to land on one of the crossbeams. I re-appear and slowly make my way across, my arms outstretched like a tightrope walker.

I don’t know why, but I’ve always been very comfortable with heights. There must be some reason, mustn't there?

Reaching the middle of the room, I come to one of the vertical support beams. I prop myself up against it and slide down until I’m sitting, my mind buzzing with idle curiosity for the most pointless of things. In my relaxed state, some memories drifted to the surface.

It… It was a tree, wasn’t it? It sat on one corner of the old orphanage. There was a trick to climbing it that only I knew. I went there whenever I wanted to be alone… No, when I didn’t want anyone to find me except…





“Ah, I thought you’d be here, are you alright dearie?”

*Sniffle*

“... I’ve spoken to Erin, she is very sorry, she didn’t mean to break it like that.”

“…”

“But you still shouldn’t have pushed her like that, So I’m gonna ask you to come and apologise as well.”

“...don’ wanna.”

“Listen dearie, I have a good friend who is very good at knitting, I can give your toy to her to be fixed, but I can’t do that until you come and apologise.”

“...You pwomise?”

“I’m a woman of my word, now come down now dearie, these old bones are too frail to be chasing young ladies up trees.”

*sniff* “Okai.”





I come back to the present.

That... was me? Wow, that was an old one, I couldn’t have been older than... four, five?

I wear a little bittersweet smile, things were a lot simpler back then, weren't they? I was a lot happier… until… until…

“MARE!”

The sudden shout startled me out of my trance. my arms flail as I lose my balance and topple off the support beam.

’Oh Crap!’




A few minutes earlier…




“...So there she was, standing in the middle of the kitchen, covered head to hoof in icing, and I was so utterly baffled all I could do was laugh,” Fancy Pants says, finishing his story.

There were some good natured laughs around the story, which Celestia joined in wholeheartedly. She was grateful to Fancy Pants, these dinners would be almost unbearable without him.

“Your daughter sounds quite the hoofful,” says Luna, who is doing remarkably well for her first time in attendance. Celestia couldn’t help but feel proud with how fast Luna is acclimatising.

“Indeed she is, your highness,” says Fancy Pants jovially. “I wouldn’t have her any other way... Although I must say I was relieved when she and Fleur hit it off, I was worried she wouldn’t take well to a new mare in my life.”

“Your concern does you credit, I can’t think of a more loving father,” Celestia says warmly.

“You flatter me, Princess,” Fancy Pants says graciously. “But enough about me, how about you, Celestia? Have you picked up any new wards, now that young Twilight has ventured out on her own?”

“Am I really that predictable?” Celestia says, giving a light chuckle. “As a matter of fact I picked up one not a few days ago.”

“Oh? This is the first I’ve heard of it,” says Cadance, joining the conversation.

“Is that so?” says Celestia, “I suppose that shouldn't surprise me, young Mare is very nocturnal and keeps to herself, I doubt most of the staff even know she is here.”

“Mare? That is a rather unusual name,” says Fancy Pants.

“Its for a very unusual girl,” chimes in Luna.

“As my sister puts it, Mare is no ordinary pony... in fact she is not a pony at all.”

“Really? I feel like there is a story behind that,” says Fancy Pants.

“Indeed there is, but much of it is unfortunately private between me and Mare and those close to her, but what I can say is she a strange creature from a very faraway place, that she is unable to remember or return to, I am giving her a place to stay in the castle, and despite being around about 900 years old she has not aged in all those centuries, she is very much still a ten year old child.”

“My, you sure do find the strangest characters,” says Fancy Pants.

“I guess I do,” Celestia replies with an impish grin.

“When might me meet this girl?” asks Fancy Pants.

“Well, that largely depends on her. Unfortunately, she is rather anti-social, so I have to be careful when it comes to exposing her to new ponies.”

“A shame, little Twilight was always a delight to have around the castle,” says Fancy Pants. “It gave the place a more lively feel… especially the library.” There was another good natured laugh.

Just as the conversation was about to shift to Twilight, however, two maids walked in. Most of the ponies present recognised Glenda, head of the night staff, who walked in proud and dignified, but only Celestia and Luna recognised Cherry, who was trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

“Excuse us, Princesses,” says Glenda, giving a bow, Cherry quickly following suit, “We apologise for the interruption.”

“That is quite alright Glenda,” says Celestia, frowning, “But what seems to be the matter? Why is Miss Cherry with you?”

Glenda looks to see if Cherry would explain herself, but she seems too nervous, So Glenda sighs and speaks in her stead. “Miss Cherry was taking young... Mare was it? Yes, Mare for a tour around the castle. Unfortunately when I stopped her to inquire a few things, her young charge took it upon herself to walk off on her own while we were not looking. She was heading this way as far as we know, we were wondering if you have seen her.”

“I’m sorry, Princess!” Cherry says, bowing again.

Celestia gently puts her hoof on her face. “Of course she has... Don’t worry Cherry, it's not your fault, I have known Mare to occasionally pull stunts like this.” She turns to address the table, “Excuse me, it seems I must find my wayward ward.”

“Sounds like you have your hooves full with this Mare as well,” says Fancy Pants.

“Seems like it,” sighs Celestia, getting up.

“Actually, it seems a search will not be necessary,” says Luna, looking up.

Celestia is not foolish, she follows her sister's gaze until it falls upon a dozing figure in the rafters.

‘How on Equus did she get up there?’ thinks Celestia.

Celestia takes a deep breath.

“MARE!”

She sees Mare’s arms flail, and before anypony could react, she falls right off the cross beam…

...and face plants into the huge cake that had been the meal's centerpiece.

SPLAT!

Celestia winces, that could have probably done with more thought.

Mare slowly lifts herself out of the cake.

“Are you alright, Mare?” Celestia says.

Mare looks at Celestia, her eyes full of sparkles. “This cake is delicious!”

“She’s fine,” Luna deadpans.

“Again, excuse me, everyone,” says Celestia, lifting Mare with her telekinesis, who is obliviously munching on a chunk of intact cake in her hands. “It seems I need to have a word with young Mare. Glenda, please go down to the kitchen and ask for another cake, Cherry, come with me. Everyone else, please enjoy the rest of the meal.

Celestia left with Mare floating on her left and Cherry walking to her right.

“What are you going to do with Mare?” Cherry asks when they are out of earshot.

Celestia looks down at Mare’s cake coated form. “What else? I’m going to give her a bath.”

“Wait... what!?” shouts Mare, shocked out of her cake fueled stupor.





“I don’t believe you,” I mutter from the bathtub as Celestia and Cherry sit some distance away, currently in the process of washing my clothes. They would have used a machine, but after they saw just what state my clothes were in, they decided that this called for some serious hoof washing.

“I’m sorry, but your clothes needed washing, and I wasn’t about to put a dirty girl into clean clothes. Honestly, considering you probably haven’t even seen a bath in 900 years this was a long time coming,” says Celestia conversationally.

“I always managed to stay clean somehow,” I mutter, sinking into the bubbles until nothing but my head could be seen. “It's not as if I sweat or anything…”

“Considering how much filth I’m washing off this vest, I am starting to doubt that, I guess it's true what they say about black.”

“You just wanted to see me naked,” I say, hoping to get a rise.

No such luck this time, while Cherry splutters, Celestia simply rolls her eyes. “Please, that one was predictable. You can only get me with the dirty jokes so many times before I start to expect them.”

I sink deeper into the water to hide my flushed cheeks at having my counter attack so neatly foiled.

“Now are you going to start scrubbing yourself, or do I have to do it for you?”

I grumble as I reach for the soap and start lathering my hands to rub myself down.

“Wow, so this skirt is purple?” Cherry says, holding up the offending garment. “I’m honestly surprised this dress is still in one piece.”

“Indeed, this is a surprisingly durable material,” says Celestia, examining it. “By the stitching I’d say it's handcrafted, very good needlework.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, trying to work out how to apply shampoo to my ridiculously long hair, before just upending the bottle over my head.

“Oh, of course, I do remember you mentioning that you made this yourself.”

“She did? That's really impressive… but shouldn’t you take better care of it, if that's the case?” says Cherry.

“Well it's not as if I have any other clothes-OW!” I wince as some shampoo gets in my eyes.

I hear Celestia sigh. “Cherry, mind if you take over the rest of the washing?” I then hear Celestia's long strides approach, and I feel her hoof on my shoulder, “Just lean back and keep your eyes closed, I’ll take care of your hair for you.”

“Okay,” I sniff. The shampoo had really hurt.

I sit quietly as Celestia’s magic and hooves work through my hair.

“Rinse,” says Celestia.

I comply, letting her dunk my head under the water.

Celestia quickly works the shampoo out of my hair, then allows me to come back up.

“Don’t open your eyes just yet, I’m going to apply conditioner.”

I groan. “Do you have to?”

“Well your clothes aren’t  clean yet, so it's not as if you have anywhere else to be right now,” she says as I feel the conditioner on my scalp. “Besides, someone has to take care of you, because you don’t seem to inclined to. I know you have wonderful hair, Mare, it seems a waste to neglect it.”

For some reason that seemed familiar, although thankfully no flashback accompanied that feeling. It feels like I had felt this sentiment from someone before, long long ago.

“Mare, might I ask what you are smiling about?” says Celestia.

“I was just thinking… There is one thing about your company that I appreciate.”

I could almost hear Celestia’s ears perk up. Her voice was level though. “Oh? What would that be?”

“That no matter how much I wish you would sometimes, you never leave me alone!” I say before breaking into giggles.

Celestia was silent, before giving a laugh that was crystal clear. “And I never will, That is a promise.”

> Chapter Seven - Dark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Huh… Wow,’ I think.

Admittedly not the most eloquent thought I’ve ever had while looking in a mirror, but at this point my mind is slightly numb.

I felt… shiny. My outfit is pristine, all the flaws that I hadn’t even noticed were gone. I can’t remember what I made the outfit out of originally, but it sure wasn’t this… if I didn’t recognise the stitching as my own I would have thought Celestia had swapped my outfit for another very similar outfit. My skin is clear and unblemished, it practically glowed in the pale moonlight from the window.

And then there is my hair, it almost defies explanation. It was silky and smooth, without a single tangle or imperfection, (Celestia had not let me leave the bathroom until she had finished brushing, it took 20 minutes), and the way it interacts with starlight is surreal, shifting colours as it moves, becoming a pale purple as it goes past my shoulders, and ending in cerulean as it passed the small of my back. I shake my head and watch as the the hair slowly floats back down, the colours rippling.

I look up at Celestia, who is looking rather proud of her handywork. “Just what kind of conditioner was that?”

Celestia laughs. “I assure you this has nothing to do with the conditioner, Believe it or not, you arrived with hair like that. I’ve been looking for an excuse to get you to take a bath for the past few centuries.”

I can only mumble to that.

Celestia suppresses a yawn and looks to the position of the moon. “Anyway I seem to have spent a good while too long on this, I feel I must retire for the night. Goodnight Mare, Cherry.”

“Goodnight your Highness,” says Cherry, as she polishes my scythe. It still looks rather grubby compared to my new clean attire so she decided to give it a once over as well.

“Night,” I mumble as Celestia leaves.

We sit in silence, Cherry idly polishing while I stare at my reflection, as if expecting something. I guess it feels nice to be this clean, but something feels wrong about it, something important.

I give a twirl, watching my hair and skirt billow out, before facing the mirror…

Pink eyes, Ghostly white skin.

I recoil in shock, my scythe in my hands, but only golden eyes and my shocked expression met me.

Cherry’s surprised squawking registers in my hearing. “Wha-? How? It was right-! But now its-!! Ehhh!?”

I try to relax, and lower the scythe away from the harmless mirror, and make an effort to slow my breathing.

Cherry comes up beside me. “Why did you do that… for that matter how did you do that!?”

“... My scythe is always close to hand, it's there whenever I need it,” I say, still looking my refection dead in the eye.

Cherry seems to have calmed down somewhat, maybe she notices how tense I am, because she asks me, “Why did you need it?”

I regard my reflection for a few moments longer before my own baleful expression becomes too much for me. “No reason,” I say, turning away.

“Where are you going?” Cherry asks as I make a beeline for the door.

“Out,” I say simply, walking outside.

Cherry stands dumbfounded for a moment before racing after me.





At some point my unofficial tour of the castle started again. I really wasn't in the mood but I could only endure so much of Cherry’s quiet desperation before taking pity. As much as I want to dislike her, the only thing about her that annoys me is how utterly inoffensive she is. If Celestia’s goal was to find someone I would have difficulty saying no to, then she succeeded. But admitting that even to myself just annoys me more.

“...and this is the hall of portraits, where various heroes and notable figures of Equestria have their portraits hung.”

“Neat,” I say dryly, looking at the pictures as we walk down the hall, various mustachioed stallions and mares look down on me from what I ascertain as the prime minister section.

I stop at a section of wall, where there seems to be a gap in the portraits, quite a sizable one, right in the heroes section. I bend down to read the plaques underneath. The first one read Twilight Sparkle.

“I guess they haven’t got around to getting her portrait yet,” says Cherry beside me.

“Guess not,” I say.

We keep walking down the hall, pointing out various portraits that catch our eye. I admit it is cathartic, having a chuckle of all these bizarre ponies with their strange stories, serious expressions, and odd attire. I could feel my spirits lifting ever so slightly.

But in a pause in the conversation, I start noticing something unsettling. The life of the castle seems to have gone, that feeling of being lived in seems to have faded as we were walking, all that is left is a surprisingly eerie silence.

And unlike before, when we would often pass some staff or guard going in the opposite direction, there didn’t seem to be a soul in sight.

“Cherry,” I say.

Cherry jumps. “Errm, yes?”

This reaction didn’t exactly fill me with confidence. “Do you feel anything… off, right now?”

Cherrys expression is worrying. “You mean it's not just me?”

That was the absolute last thing I wanted to hear. “No, I’m afraid not.”

Suddenly what was once welcoming and friendly is now threatening and alien. It is almost as if the shadows deepen before our eyes.

“Maybe we should go back to the tower,” Cherry suggests, moving slightly closer to me. I nod mutely in response.

We start to backtrack, the paintings leering down at us in the hallway that suddenly seemed too large, and us far too small. I huddle next to Cherry and tightly grip my scythe for the small amount of comfort it brings.

As we reach the end of the corridor, we feel slightly relieved when a bored looking maid wanders around the corner with a duster held in her telekinetic grip.

But as she looks at us... or rather past us, she dropped the duster. She backpedals away, all the while trying to say something but no sound comes out. Eventually a strangled “behind you!” escapes her lips before she bolts back around the corner.

At that moment, I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end, and I’m overcome with the feeling of having my own grave trodden on.

I share a glance with Cherry, I can see it in her eyes that she felt it too. We know something is behind us, neither of us want to look, but know we have to. We slowly turn around .

What confronts us is darkness, just a writhing sea of blackness slowly advancing down the corridor, tendrils protruding across the walls and floor, moving ahead like feelers. It seems to stop, as if it notices it has been spotted. Then it starts going faster.

“We have to go!” says Cherry urgently. Her words barely register in my head, fear rooting me to the spot.

“MARE!” Cherry shouts into my ear, while tugging on my arm, breaking me out of my trance.

I turn and sprint as fast as I can down the corridor, Cherry easily keeping pace with me.

Looking over my shoulder I see the black mass surge forward along the walls and floor like a flood.

“What is that thing?!” cries Cherry.

“I don’t know!” I reply, while trying to keep my breathing steady. “I don’t want to find out.”

We hare around a corner, meanwhile the black mass crashes like a wave as it hits the bend, turning and pursuing once more.

A unicorn night guard notices our approach, and more importantly, what is chasing us. He steps out into the middle of the hallway, and just as we sprint past, he conjures a wall of magic to halt its progress. It seems to work, as the blackness hits the wall and comes to a halt, mounting up against the barrier.

Cherry and I stop to catch our breath and the guard gives us a concerned glance. “Are you two alright?”

“We are *pant* fine sir,” says Cherry, “Thank you, for… LOOK OUT!”

The guard turns around just in time to get smacked by a tendril that had snaked its way under the barrier, he hits the wall and the spell flickers and dies. We had already started running as the darkness hits the floor in pursuit.

I can see the corridor ending up ahead as it intersects another one, I choose the left route, taking a sharp turn, skidding as my boots struggle to gain purchase on the polished surface. I can feel it behind me and I try desperately not to panic.

That is not made easy when I notice that I can’t hear Cherry’s hoofbeats beside me.





Cherry slowly came to a stop when she realised the prickly feeling at the back of her neck was gone, she barely stopped herself from collapsing. She gasped for air in the middle of the corridor, trying to get a grip on herself.

“Are you alright, Miss?” came a masculine voice.

Cherry looked up into the concerned face of a guard.

“Sir, *Wheeze* please help, it was- There was…” Cherry tried.

The guard got closer. “Hey, hey easy now, just breathe for a bit.”

Cherry took a moment to regulate her breathing.

“Alright, now tell me what's wrong,” the guard said.

“Mare.. and I were walking down the hall of portraits… *Huff* but then we started getting chased, by… by something, I don’t know but it was big and dark, and… and oh Celestia it was horrifying.”

“Don’t worry, you’re safe, it ain’t here, just keep it together,” said the guard, “Now, you mentioned somepony called Mare, where is she?”

A chill went right down Cherry’s spine. She whipped her head around, Mare wasn’t in sight. She pivoted on the spot, she wasn’t down the corridor either. “Mare?!”

“You mean you don’t know?” said the guard.

“She was right beside me… Oh Celestia, she must have went left when I went right!”

“Where are you going?” the guard shouted after her as Cherry ran down the corridor.

“Please go find the princess! Any princess!” Cherry shouts back, all fatigue forgotten in the panic and adrenaline. “I have to go find Mare!”





‘Just keep running, just keep running, just keep running, just keep running, can’t stop running, can’t stop running…’

I tear down corridors, the darkness in pursuit, paying no heed to those times when I pass down windowless corridors, the sudden loss of sensation giving me momentary respite from my burning lungs.

I turn another corner, hoping that the darkness’s loss of momentum will give me enough time to elude it. But while it does slow it down, it builds up speed too fast, and it is already gaining by the time I hit the next corner.

I notice I’m coming up on a dead end. In desperation, I pivot on my heels and vanish through a window. I teeter on the edge, before running along the ledge in a hopes that this loses it.

My hopes are dashed as the window bursts open and the black mass pours out.

The ledge seems to give it pause, however, as it seems to back up slightly as some of it starts drooping over the side. Instead of surging after me like it has done up to this point, it instead sends a long thick tendril along the edge after me.

I know this ledge isn't going to last forever. I drop my scythe, jump for some artfully placed creeper vines on the wall, and climb up as fast as I can. I quickly reach the ledge above and scramble up. I run further along, and when I’m sure that I can’t see it behind me, I vanish and dive through a closed window.

I flatten myself against the wall and try not to make a noise, save for my laboured breath. I don’t hear a noise for a full minute, then two. While trying to be as small as possible, I peer out the window. Sure enough, I couldn’t see it anywhere on the ledge. I slowly slide down the wall and land in a little Mare shaped heap.

I steady my breathing and struggle to my feet. I feel sick, my legs are weak, and my lungs are on fire, I’m lost, but most of all I feel very very alone. I want to find someone, anyone, and just curl up and cry.

Looking around, I see I’m in some sort of billiard room, why the castle had one is beyond me, but I guess when you build a castle as big as this one you need to find some way of using the space. I also spot the door, so I gently stagger forward...

And trip as something snags me around the ankle. I hit the floor face first and feel a jolt of pain as my head bounces on the stone floor. The world is muted for a minute and my vision blurs.

I can’t remember the last time I had felt pain.

I struggle to regain my senses as my vision returns and I regain some semblance of motor control. I feel myself being dragged across the floor, so I awkwardly roll over, and to my horror, I find a black tendril slowly dragging me toward the window. I roll onto my stomach and try to get some purchase on the floor, to no avail. My scythe is in my hands, Rolling onto my back again, I swing it down on the tendil.

The tendril dissolves from where I struck it freeing me from its grip, I scramble away until I am out of its reach. I grip the side of the pool table and try to hoist myself up. The world spins for a moment, but I manage to get back on my feet.

I look to the window, and see a growing puddle of darkness under the window, as it pulls itself up into the room. I lurch for the door, clutching my head. It feels wet, although right now I can’t tell if its blood from my forehead or tears.

I stagger out into a new corridor and will myself into the closet thing to a run I can manage.

‘Not fast enough,’ I think. ‘It's going to get me!’

“Mare!” I turn my head to see Cherry coming up a flight of steps. I don’t know how she found me, but I do know that I have never been happier to see anyone in my life.

My happiness is short lived however as the darkness bursts out of the door behind me.

I try to run to Cherry but I end up turning my head too fast and lose my balance, landing on my side this time.

A tendril shoots out, wrapping around my legs, and starts dragging me in again. My hands reach out, begging for a handhold in the unyielding marble. I see Cherry’s hooves run over, and she puts them under my arms and starts pulling.

“Oh no you don’t!” she says through gritted teeth as she leans back, putting her weight into pulling me away.

The tendil seems to stop pulling for a moment, before yanking hard, causing Cherry to pitch forward and lose her grip.

As I get closer, I feel the tendrils slowly creep up my body, binding my legs together. The mass slowly moves forward to envelop me.

I feel Cherry’s hooves around my wrist as she tries once again to pull me away.

The tendrils wrap around my shoulders and pin my other arm to my side, before creeping up my neck. As they reach my face all I can do is scream.

“Somebody, please help m-” before my world became black.

Then I ceased to exist.

There was a moment of white.

Then the curtains opened.

My senses returned, there was no blackness, I lay quivering on the smooth marble floor, it was silent, not the eerie silence of the darkness, but the gentle peaceful silence of the castle.

I hear hoofsteps gently approaching me, and a blue hoof comes into sight, I let myself be picked up, hanging limply in the light blue magic.

“Mare, please... look at me.”

I look up into the face of Princess Luna. “It's alright, it's gone.”

It is all just too much for me.

Raising my trembling arms, I reach out for Luna, who brings me in closer. Wrapping them around her neck, I bury my head into her fur and just let it all out.

I can feel her bring a hoof up to support me, and another to gently stroke my back as I sob into her neck.

I am vaguely aware of her saying something to someone, and someone speaking back, probably Cherry, and the sound of retreating hoofsteps.

The hoof stroking my back ceases and I feel Luna shift, a gentle movement suggesting she is walking, but I can’t bring myself to care.

Some things happened, at some point we get back to my tower. But it doesn’t change much. The tears kept flowing, and I didn't let go of Luna until the sunlight stripped all sensation away.

> Chapter Eight - After
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is not the first time Luna has wished that the night could be longer, but as she watches Mare disappear in her hooves, she finds it is for an entirely different reason than all those thousand years ago.

She gently lifts herself off Mare’s bed and lowers herself onto the floor. Out of the corner of her eye she spots a movement by the meteor. She watches Mare appear translucent atop it, where she curls into a small ball. Luna walks over and tries to lay a hoof upon her, but it passes through. Mare doesn’t even seem to notice.

Luna sighs, and walks towards the door. Cherry stands next to it, seemingly lost, watching the still figure of Mare.

“There is nothing we can do for her now, I’m afraid,” says Luna, making Cherry jump, “At least not until the night returns.”

“Can she hear us?” says Cherry.

Luna shakes her head. “Nothing of this world can reach her right now.”

Cherry sags slightly. She looks exhausted, no doubt the events of the night are catching up with her.

“Your shift is over, I suggest you head home for some rest,” says Luna sympathetically.

Cherry takes some steps to the door as if to comply, but then stops and turns to Luna, looking thoughtful.

“If I may ask, Princess, what will you do, will you be staying?”

Luna shakes her head. “I am afraid I must inform my sister about the events of this night, and then I shall have to see to some… urgent matters,” Luna says, not wanting to frighten Cherry with the nature of those matters.

Cherry looks into the room at the prone Mare. “Then if it is all the same to you, Your Highness, I think I’d better stay.”

Luna raises her eyebrow. “Are you sure? You do not have to, I certainly wouldn’t think any less of you for wanting to sleep this off.”

“I know, Princess, but… when Mare wakes up, I don’t think she should be alone, I know I wouldn’t want to be.”

Luna is silent for a moment, then smiles. “I will send someone to inform your mother that you will not be returning home today. Wouldn’t want her to worry.”

“Thank you Princess,” Cherry says, sitting down next to Mare.

Luna leaves to find her sister.





She isn’t hard to find. Celestia is a creature of routine, and Luna manages to time her arrival as Celestia is stepping out of the bathroom after her morning shower.

“Luna, I wasn’t expecting to see you until breakfast,” says Celestia. The water quickly evaporates off her body, and she spares her sister a glance while she goes to dress herself in her royal regalia. “You’ve grown taller since last night, good to see your powers returning so fast.”

“Sister, there is something important I must discuss,” Luna says gravely.

That tone catches Celestia off guard, she turns to face her sister halfway from the dresser. “What’s wrong?” Then she actually takes a good look at her sister. “Luna, what is that smudge on your neck…”

Suddenly she was right in front of Luna. “Sister, why are you bleeding?”

“That blood is not mine, although in this case I would prefer it,” she says.

Celestia feels a chill down her spine. “Whose blood is it?”

“Mare’s.” Luna says sadly.

“I… I don’t understand. Luna, what happened?” says Celestia weakly.

Luna gestures to Celestia’s bed, and they both sit down.

“Last night, Mare was attacked… by a Crawling Dark.”

“What?” Celestia almost shrieks, “But why?”

“I don’t know!” says Luna, “All I know is that one was there and it nearly got her!”

“It just doesn’t make any sense,” mutters Celestia, “Why would Mare of all people have a Crawling Dark!”

“Well, she has never been the most happy person,” says Luna.

“But what about the power, Luna,” says Celestia. “I always thought that the amount of power for a Dark to manifest was considerable, certainly larger than Mare’s meagre reserves.”

“We don’t know that, Sister… No one does,” says Luna.

Celestia sags. “How… how is Mare?” she says hoarsely.

“Sleeping I think, it’s hard to tell,” Luna says. “I think she wore herself out crying.”

“I… see… and what of the blood?”

“She was bleeding from the forehead, I don’t know how she got it, but the wound suggested blunt trauma, I cleaned it up as best as I could.”

Celestia swallows. “And what of the Crawling Dark?”

Luna sighs. “What else could I do? I flung it away, as far as I could, with any luck it will be a week before we see it again. Regardless, I will spend today warding the tower and the castle grounds to prevent its incursion.”

Celestia nods sombrely. “That would probably be the best course of action. But… what do we tell Mare?”

Luna looks at her sister sadly. “I know you will want to hide this from her, but not telling her will only put her in more danger and potentially destroy what trust she has for you, I know you do not want that. While it will be harder for her, she will at least be safer than if she were left in the dark.”

Celestia sighs. “You are, of course, right… I will tell her as soon as she is ready to know.”

“Sister…” Luna says accusingly.

“I do not wish to pile this on top of her probably considerable trauma,” Celestia says sharply, “First and foremost she needs comfort. If you are correct we have a week before it returns. If she asks I will not lie to her, and if she does not I will tell her sometime within the week. But I will not tell her until I think she has at least somewhat recovered.”

Luna gets up. “Very well, that sounds reasonable. Just try not to leave it too long. It will hurt more the longer you leave it. Now if you excuse me, I have a long day of work ahead of me, I have a lot of ground to cover. This will require a very large ward.”

“Might I advise seeking the aid of the guard captain, he is quite proficient at defensive magic. If nothing else, he can at least organise the guard to aid you.”

“I doubt he knows a spell as old as this, there is often little call for it, but I will seek him out all the same. First I must see if any of the night staff still remain, I must ask one of them to run a small errand for me.” With that, Luna leaves the room.

Celestia sits in thought. To think, today was going to be so simple. Now… there was no way she was going to be able to focus, not like this.

She stands up and leaves her chambers.

Raven is standing outside with a clipboard. She raises her eyebrow. “Princess, you seem to have neglected your regalia.”

“Raven, I am afraid I shall be cancelling my appointments today… All of them.”

Ravens other eyebrow raises. “Are you sure?”

“Quite sure. Something has come up, and work right now is… impossible,” says Celestia “Extend my apologies to all those inconvenienced, and try to help reschedule them.”

“Very well, Princess,” says Raven, “Where will you be?”

“I will be in the Western watchtower.”





Celestia opens the door slowly and looks around, it seems most of the curtains have been shut bar one, which only shows an open expanse of sky. Her eyes alight on semi-transparent Mare, who sits curled up on her meteor, still, with only the occasional twitch indicating that she is still alive. She could be sleeping, it is hard to tell with Mare. In the half darkness she seems to glow faintly, like the stars from which she owes life.

Celestia also sees another figure next to Mare. She couldn’t help but smile a little seeing Cherry snoozing next to Mare’s meteor. She must have dozed off, poor thing.

Using her magic, she gently wipes the thin line of drool off her muzzle, then gently lifts her head and places a pillow under it. Cherry mumbles a bit before wrapping her hooves around it and continues snoozing.

Celestia turns back to Mare and her eyes grow Melancholy.

She seemed so happy last night, happier than Celestia had ever seen her. She had smiled, joked and laughed… and now…

Celestia sits down on Mare’s opposite side. She doubts there will be laughter now, not even a smile. She ponders Mare’s words 





“...no matter how much I wish you would sometimes, you never leave me alone!”





That is what Mare said, yet why is it…





“I’m sorry… But I’m not strong enough!”





… that she is never there when Mare actually needs her?

Celestia sighs, she wonders why the universe is so hellbent on seeing Mare miserable? There are only so many bad hands one can be dealt before suspecting that the deck might be rigged.

‘No wonder she wanted to sleep forever,’ thinks Celestia somberly.

Celestia shakes herself of such thoughts. She mustn't give up, nor should she let Mare give up, a phrase from her old master and friend springs to mind.





“Remember Celestia, just because life has given you lemons, that does not mean you have to take them,” Starswirl had said with a wily grin. “Throw them at their feet and spit in their eye. History is made by those who defy destiny.”





Celestia shakes her head fondly. She misses that crazy old coot, he would know what to do. He always had some bizarre plan that would make everything alright.

She looks down at Mare. But Satrswirl isn’t here, and Celestia can do nothing but trust Luna with her warding, and give Mare comfort when the stars return. Until then, she will be there for Mare, she will not leave her alone, and maybe, even with the looming threat of the dark, she will find Mare’s laughter again.

But until then, in the gloom of the room, with only two unconscious people for company, she will catch up on her reading.





Luna slowly drags the large paint brush over the gigantic ritual parchment. The castle grounds are large indeed, and therefore need a powerful ritual to cover it.

Shining Armour watches the complicated patterns the princess paints with interest. He had never seen a warding like this, or a ward of this nature, and even with all his knowledge of defensive magics, this design is alien to him.

“So this is for that… thing that was reported last night?” Shining asks.

“The Crawling dark, yes,” says Luna, not taking her eyes off her work. “This will prevent it from entering the grounds… for a time, at least, and it will inform me of its presence.”

“Not indefinitely?” says Shining.

“The amount of ground to cover is too large for a perfect ward. Eventually it will be able to force its way through and temporarily shatter it, but I will know the minute it even touches the barrier, and we will have plenty of time to react.”

“Why does it need to be this ward? Surely there are other more powerful ones that could be used,” says Shining.

Luna snorts. “The Crawling dark is no ordinary apparition, this is the only ward short of a perfect physical barrier that will stop one, once cast it will also sustain itself nearly indefinitely.”

“Sounds handy. Usually only the most powerful of wards can go without renewal,” says Shining conversationally.

“It was designed like this, after all…” Luna says grimly, “It needs to last the user a lifetime.”

“What will you do with it once it gets back?” says Shining.

“What I did with it last night,” says Luna. “I will fling it as far as my magic and its mass will allow. Then await its return to do the same once more.”

Shining raises his eyebrow. “Isn’t there a more permanent solution?”

Luna stops her work and seems to stare forlornly into the sky. “...No... there really isn’t.” She resumes painting.

Shining was distracted from Luna’s chilling words by one of his guards approaching, carrying a large tall stone in his telekinetic grip.

“Captain, your Highness, we have found another one to match your specifications!” he says with a salute.

“Thank you guardsman,” says Luna. Plucking the stone from the air, she cuts it cleanly in half with a magical blade, before standing the parts up in the two empty spots on the circle alongside similar stones, “Fourteen should be adequate for our purposes, thank you for your assistance.”

Shining finds himself impressed with Luna’s concentration. She didn’t even look up from her painting.

As the guard leaves to find his cohorts, Luna puts the finishing touches on the circle. She runs a critical eye over it, searching for imperfections. “I advise you take note of this Captain. Engrave this circle into your memory. To my knowledge you are one of the most proficient casters of defensive magic of this age. In consideration of my sister's lack of talent for warding magics, I ask you to keep an eye on this circle during the hours of the day and repair it, if damage is done. It does not require constant surveillance, but I ask that you check it at least once a day before the evening. Can you do that?”

Shining thinks about it, casting his gaze over the inactive magic circle. “I think I can do that, Princess,” he says finally. “But if you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is at stake?”

Luna stares long and hard at Shining, sizing him up, before speaking. “The life of a child.”

With that proclamation, Luna steps back and braces herself, Shining also takes some steps back, deciding to leave the deeper processing of Luna’s words for another time and to simply study the casting of the spell.

Luna’s hooves bite into the lawn as she widens her stance. Her horn starts to glow, and the painted lines start glowing softly. Steadily the glow of her horn increases, as do the lines, quickly becoming white with a blue corona, then blindingly white. It was all Shining could do to keep looking as the circle starts pulsating, the ritual parchment lifts off the ground, then combusts, leaving the the magic circle floating indpepently in the air along with the fourteen small standing stones. Each stone suddenly starts glowing as sigils embed themselves into the rock, before sinking into the ground, the grass seemingly rippling at their passage.





As Climbing Ivy, the castle’s one and only pegasi gardener, busied himself among the furthest  flowerbeds, he felt a strange sensation. He watched, nonplussed, as a huge standing stone lifted itself out of the ground, uprooting a flowerbed in the process.

Climbing Ivy sighs and rescues as many flowers as he can before rearranging the flowerbed around the new stone feature.





A nondescript maid, oddly named Tsumugu, armed as usual with her one of a kind broom, stands in the door of one of the the guest rooms, wondering what in the world is a giant rock is doing sitting in the middle of it.

“Someone’s gonna flip when they see this,” she says flatly.





Highrise, one of the castle's window cleaners, is doing his rounds over the parts of the castle that overhang the Canterlot platform, when he notices a large flat rock sticking out the wall.

“Wha…?” he says, eyebrow raised.





The circle slowly lowers to the ground, gently spinning on the spot, the glow dying down to a soft blue.

Luna sags, cutting off the spell now that it could sustain itself. Shining swears Luna has gotten noticeably smaller.

“Are you alright, Princess?” Shining asks.

“I will manage,” Luna says. “It simply took more out of me than usual. I haven’t recovered all my power since the defeat of Nightmare Moon…” She peters off, a look of realization and quiet horror crossing her face. Before Shining can ask, she shakes it off. “Nevertheless, I will have to endure it, this is not the only ward I must cast before the night is over.”

Luna means to walk away, but staggers. Shining is by her side and helps her straighten up.

“Thank you, Captain.”

“I think you need to recover, you are in no state to be drawing wards,” Shining says.

“What choice do I have? In order to minimise risk, the warding must be done before the end of the night,” Luna says. “Though I suspect we will not see the dark for another week, I have been wrong before. I cannot rest until I have done everything I can to ensure her safety.”

“That is very admirable Princess, but drawing wards requires coordination, if you will forgive me for being frank, you are having trouble standing,” Shining says, having flashbacks to Twilight's panic study binges.

The princess shoots Shining a look, and then sighs. “That is… accurate, unfortunately.”

“How about this? If you can give me an idea on the nature of the ward, I can draw it for you while you have a lie down?”

Luna thinks for a moment before summoning a piece of parchment and a quill, and carefully drawing out the ward, before giving it to Shining. “You must draw this around the base of the Western watchtower, so both ends meet. I will charge it after you finish, as it takes a lot of practice to cast this ward.”

“As you say, Princess,” says Shining, helping her towards the tower.

For the rest of the morning, Shining patiently paints a ward around the base of the tower. Luna at first watches carefully, but eventually succumbs to her weariness, and takes a nap in the grass.

> Chapter Nine - Evening After
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I feel the prickle of sunset calling me back to the waking world.
 
Was I sleeping? At this point not even I can tell. I guess sometimes it’s nice be completely numb to existence. It makes a great distraction from the contents of your own head.
 
I can still feel the tendrils binding my feet, arms and neck. The pain and nausea, the burning of my lungs...
 
I clutch my knees tighter.
 
“Mare?” A voice interrupted my own thoughts. One I recognise as Celestia. It makes sense, I guess. Luna probably would have told her what happened. I hope someone will tell me… or do I even want to know?
 
I feel the tell-tale tingling sensation of being gripped be telekinesis, and after a small period I feel myself getting gently lifted. I am set down upright and feel something soft against my back.
 
I slowly uncoil and look up to see Celestia’s gentle smile. I am leaning against her neck. She brings her wing around to wrap me in an embrace.
 
I try to speak. To say something. But despite opening my mouth, no words came. Thoughts pile up, each trying to be vocalised, but none quite making it to the mouth. What could I say? My mind doesn’t even know where to begin.
 
Celestia’s hoof gently closes my mouth. “There is no need for words yet. I already know what happened. Please rest, and speak when you are ready.”
 
Still not having anything to say, I simply lean back against Celestia, and stare out the window, subconsciously clutching Celestia’s wing closer. I feel Celestia’s hoof gently stroke my hair.
 
I see a little motion on the floor, and see the prone form of Cherry, snuggling a pillow, mumbling something, and giving a small giggle.
 
“She stayed here all day.” Came another voice. My eyes move to the bed, to see Luna lightly draped over it. She looks exhausted. “She didn’t think you should be alone.”
 
“She has a good heart, we are lucky to have her.” says Celestia warmly, still stroking my head.
 
“We should probably wake her up,” Luna says, “Can you do it? I don't think my migraine will let me.”
 
I hear the tinkle of magic from above me, and see Celestia’s magic gently nudging Cherry in the shoulder.
 
Cherry lets out a soft groan. She lifts her head and stares bleary eyed out the window. “.... ‘s st’ll dark out,” she mumbles, lowering her head, “wake me when go to work…”
 
Then she springs to her hooves like the floor is electrified. “Oh Celestia it's dark out, I’m late! Oh goodnes why didn’t Mom wake me?! I’ve got to get read—-” Her panic attack is interrupted when she turns around abruptly and trips on the corner of my meteor. “Oof!”
 
She then notices me and Celestia sitting in front of her, and her cheeks rapidly colour. She straightens up again. “Oh, umm, good morning Princess.”
 
“Good evening Miss Cherry. Sleep well?” comes Celestia’s voice from above. I can’t see her expression, but I could guess.
 
I can't help it, I let out a little snicker.
 
Cherry’s face is practically glowing by this point. “Eer, well, umm… DRINKS— err I mean, would anyone like a drink?”
 
“Wouldn’t say no to a cup of tea, If you would be so kind,” says Celestia.
 
“Okay, tea, yes!” says Cherry, nodding furiously, before seemingly noticing me bundled in Celestia’s wings, and her expression changes slightly. “Would you like a hot cocoa, Mare?”
 
I nod, Chocolate sounds very appealing right now.
 
“Alright I won’t be a minute.” says Cherry, and turns to the door, before a voice from the bed interrupts her.
 
“I don’t suppose I can trouble you for a glass… actually make that a jug of water could I?” says Luna from the bed.
 
“Princess Luna! You’re here too— I mean one jug of water coming up!” Cherry says, quickly leaving, probably to save herself further embarrassment.
 
I give a slightly louder snicker.
 
“Feeling better?” comes Celestia’s gentle voice.
 
“A little,” I say, finally finding my voice.
 
“I shall have to see to it that she gets a raise if she…” Celestia seems to stop herself mid sentence.
 
“If she what?” I ask, looking up at Celestia.
 
“Oh, just something private I have to discuss with Cherry is all, nothing too important,” says Celestia reassuringly.
 
I’m not sure I buy that, but I don’t really feel like arguing. So I settle down to stare out the window. Celestia resumes stroking.
 
Silence rains like a summer shower* as I watch the twinkling stars out the window. My thoughts slowly return, filled with dark tendrils and black waves. It felt further away than before, but it still gnaws at my mind.
 
“I… I think I want to talk about it,” I say quietly.
 
“Hmm?” hums Celestia.
 
“I think I want to talk about… what happened last night.” I say, slightly louder.
 
“Oh…” says Celestia, sounding slightly despondent. “Are you sure? You don’t have to force yourself.”
 
“I need to know,” I say, my voice cracking, looking up into Celestia’s eyes, “I need to understand.”
 
Celestia wears a pained expression, but sighs. “Very well, but I think we should at least wait until Cherry returns, as this will concern her somewhat.”
 
“Okay,” I say, returning my gaze to the window. One way or another I’ll find out just what that was, then maybe I might get some peace of mind.
 
Celestia’s reluctance doesn’t do much to reassure me though.
 
Before I can lose my confidence, Cherry comes in carrying a tray with a teacup, a glass and a steaming mug, followed by a unicorn stallion who is levitating a teapot and a jug of water.
 
“Captain Armour, I did not expect to see you here, shouldn’t you have returned home?” Celestia asks, “Your shift is over, after all.”
 
“I thought I would come up to see how Princess Luna is recovering,” he says, levitating the water jug over to Luna, who takes it gratefully with both hooves and starts drinking slowly, ignoring the glass that came with it. “I then saw this mare trying to carry all this up the steps, I decided to lend a hoof.”
 
“Always the gentlestallion,” says Celestia, taking the teacup and teapot, then pouring herself a cup.
 
Cherry puts down the tray and picks up the mug, holding it out for me. “Here you go, please enjoy it.”
 
“Thank you.” I say, taking the mug and letting the taste of cocoa wash away my thoughts and worries, however briefly.
 
Unfortunately I am welcomed by the bottom of my mug all too soon, and reality reasserts itself.
 
The room is quiet at the moment, with Shining discussing something quietly with Luna, Cherry sitting in front of me, and Celestia drinking tea somewhere above me. I know I should bring the conversation back to what happened, but at the same time I’m scared. I need to know, but do I want to?
 
“Would you like another one?” Cherry asks with a kind smile, unintentionally giving me an out.
 
But before I can consider taking it, there is a very pointed ‘eh-hem’ from Luna, and I look up to see Luna giving her sister a unimpressed stare. I don’t know whether I’m thankful or upset at Luna.
 
It seems Celestia was trying to avoid it also, for I hear a resigned sigh from above. I feel myself being picked up and rotated to face Celestia, while still being held in her winged embrace. “I guess it’s time to explain what happened last night. You too Cherry, this concerns you also.”
 
“Should I step out?” Shining asks.
 
“No Captain, you might as well stay, it will save me having to brief you later,” says Celestia, “Just be prepared to forgive me for being less than concise in my explanation.”
 
“Very well, Princess,” says Shining, sitting down.
 
I watch a range of expressions cross Celestia’s face as she no doubt tries to formulate the words of whatever this explanation would entail. No point in backing out now. I just hope it isn’t as bad as all this buildup is making it out to be.
 
“I suppose I better start simple. The… thing you faced last night is what is referred to as a crawling dark. A strange, very rare, apparition. In Equestria's long recorded history, only seven had ever been seen, this one being the eighth.” She pauses, possibly for dramatic effect, or maybe just to reorganise her thoughts. “They are considered anomalous in nature, and while there are many theories, no one has quite figured out where they come from or why, and with no way of pinpointing when one will appear, it is unlikely we will find out. To most ponies, they are mostly harmless, and will only lash out if you attempt to prevent them passage. But the reason for that is… That they only ever go after one, and one alone.”
 
My breath catches in my throat. “So last night, it was… it was...”
 
“It was there specifically for you,” says Celestia.
 
“But… but why?” I say, trying to keep the quaver out of my voice.
 
“I wish I knew the answer,” says Celestia, before catching my expression and sighing. “To clarify, There has been many theories as to why a dark picks their target, common themes indicate that perhaps it is tied to magical power or emotional states. Indeed the majority of victims were often powerful or learned practitioners of the magical arts, and very few of them could be considered the picture of mental health, although that could be just confirmation bias in play. However one thing they all had in common was they had at one point practiced some form of dark magic.”
 
I hear Shining and Cherry gasp, while out the corner of my eye I see Luna raise her eyebrow in their direction.
 
“Why such a response? In those days it was quite common for accomplished magi to practice dark arts,” says Luna.
 
“Huh?” says Cherry.
 
“Indeed, I myself I’m quite well versed in both dark and light magics,” says Luna. “Dark magic only became frowned upon around one thousand five hundred years ago. Before then being a skilled practitioner was considered a sign of mental discipline and fortitude.”
 
“Why is that?” asks Cherry.
 
“A story for another time,” says Luna, “We have sidetracked enough.”
 
“What does that mean for me?” I ask, bringing the conversation back on track, all this discussion having the effect of calming me down.
 
Celestia sighs again. “As far as I can tell, not a lot. While you do have some magic about you, it is largely passive and has more in common with light magic than dark. Once more to clarify, I do not know why a crawling dark would have picked you as its target, only that it has.”
 
I take a deep deep calming breath and try to think clearly. “Alright, I think I get it. Just a big black blob monster, I think I feel better for knowing.” This isn’t so bad really, it was kind of scary, but I don’t know why Celestia was so reluctant. “At least it's gone now.”
 
suddenly a very pointed silence descends, so heavy that I felt its weight on my shoulders. Celestia wasn’t looking me in the eye anymore. Luna seems to cringe. I turn my neck and I see Shining giving me a sad look.
 
I turn back to Celestia. “No... It’s gone, right? Luna did something and it’s gone forever, it’s not coming back… right?” I plead, voice quavering, eyes watering, begging for any other conclusion then the one I had reached.
 
And through her eyes I see Celestia’s heart break. She learns forward, wrapping her hooves around me, pulling me close. And all she can say, whispering into my ear is, “I’m sorry.”
 
I barely hear her. Slowly, I wrap my hands around Celestia’s neck, bury my face in her fur, and wait for the tears to come.
 
And come they did. What starts out as sniffles goes into full blown sobs as once more my life has been turned upside down. Why? Why does this happen? What did I ever do?
 
In what felt like hours, I finally subside back into sniffles. I mange to pull myself from Celestia, and look her back in the face again.
 
“Wha-what will-” I stop to try and wipe my nose with my sleeve, but Celestia magics a handkerchief to my face instead. I take it and use it to clear my nose. I try again. “What will happen to me if it gets me?”
 
Celestia looks miserable. If I didn’t know better I would say the she was close to tears herself. “It can vary, but for most part, victims lose their minds, quickly descending into madness, or being reduced to an empty husk.”
 
I felt someone settle next to me. I turn to Luna, who was looking resolute. “It won’t get you though, that I promise.”
 
“R… Really?” I say.
 
“Indeed, throughout the day I have spent considerable time and effort covering the castle grounds, and this very tower, with wards for deterring such a creature, so that the minute it returns, not only will it be barred passage, but I will know of its appearance. Right now in Equestria, there is nowhere safer for you than this tower, this I swear.”
 
That at least made me feel better, if only a little. I nod in acknowledgement before going back to cuddling Celestia.
 
“Would another hot chocolate make you feel any better?” came Cherry's voice from behind me.
 
“Maybe,” I say, rubbing my face in Celestia’s slightly damp fur. “I would like one anyway.”
 
“Won’t be a minute then,” says Cherry. I hear her stand up.
 
“Would you mind if I came with you?” says Luna, standing up also. “I wish to discuss something.”
 
“Oh… Okay— I mean, of course, Princess,” says Cherry. I hear hoofsteps then the door opens and shuts.
 



 
Cherry sits patiently as the kettle slowly comes to a boil, with Luna sitting to one side, watching as Cherry performs the making of a good hot cocoa.
 
“So what was it you wanted to ask me— um, Princess,” says Cherry, almost forgetting the title.
 
Luna, as always, is direct. “I wish to ask you if you are still comfortable working here.”
 
“What do you mean?” asks Cherry.
 
Luna elaborates. “Last night, you were chased to exhaustion by a Crawling Dark, and now you know that not only is the creature is still at large, but it will come back after Mare, the person you are hired to attend. If you wish to be assigned to another part of the castle, neither I nor my sister will think less of you.”
 
Cherry silently processes this, watching the kettle give off the first few wisps of steam.
 
“Princess, if it isn’t too much trouble, there is a cupboard next to you. Could you get the packet of marshmallows I haven’t opened yet? I think Mare might like that.”
 
“Cherry, please…” says Luna.
 
“I think I will be fine, Princess,” says Cherry, flashing a smile in her direction. “I don’t really think I would be happy with myself if I left now... Do you know what I mean?”
 
Luna smiles before retrieving the marshmallows. “Yes, I think I do.”
 
She finishes making the cocoa in a companionable silence.
 



 
“So there is really nothing you can do?” Shining asks Celestia, as she cradles Mare.
 
“No. A Crawling dark is nothing if not resilient. Many attempts have been made to destroy, contain or otherwise stop a dark. None have succeeded bar one: the seventh, and he never shared his secrets.”
 
“So it is possible?” asks Shining. “If someone did it once, it can be done again.”
 
“Maybe, but I would have no heavenly idea where to even start,” sighs Celestia. “It boggles my mind how that stallion managed to unlock a secret that eluded the greatest minds for millennia, but then refused to share it.”
 
“But that it is no reason to simply give up…” begins Shining, but a glare from Celestia quieted him.
 
“I am Not giving up,” Celestia says menacingly. “I will search for a solution, even if it takes me another thousand years.”
 
“Apologies Princess,” Shining says. “If I might suggest, two heads are better than one, I’m sure my sister…”
 
“No,” Celestia says shortly.
 
“Excuse me?” says Shining, taken aback.
 
“You know Twilight as well as I do. If I get her involved in this, she will never let it go. She will spend years, decades, trying to solve a problem. If not for Sombra, I wouldn’t even think a solution exists. It will consume her, maybe even for the rest of her life. No, she will stay in Ponyville and continue her studies on friendship. That is where her happiness lies. I will not destroy it, even for this.”
 
“... I understand, Princess,” says Shining. “In that case, I suggest being careful next week.”
 
“Hmm?” says Celestia, who has gone back to stroking Mare’s head.
 
“She is coming up with her friends to have their portrait painted, after all.”
 
Celestia stops and cocks her head in thought. “Why, yes, I had forgotten about that, thank you Captain.”
 
“Any time, Princess,” says Shining.
 
“We’re back. I’ve got a little surprise for you, Mare.” Cherry comes in with a warm smile.
 
Mare looks up and takes her arms off Celestia to accept the mug. She looks like she is about to take a sip, but stops when she sees the two white blobs floating in the top.
 
“Are these...?” she says quietly.
 
“Marshmallows, I thought you might like them,” says Cherry. She notices Mare seems to have frozen. “Mare, are you alright—” She ends up stopping when Mare looks up at her.
 
She is crying again, but she has a smile on her face. “Thank you.” She then takes a long drink, losing herself in fractured bittersweet memories.
 



 
“They are marshmallows, silly. Go on, try them. You’ll love them, I promise!”
 
> Chapter Ten - Jumping at Shadows
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celestia and Luna wait in their private dining room. It’s the second night after the attack of the Dark, and they are waiting for Cherry to come by with Mare... if Mare even wants to leave her tower after such an affair.

“Luna…” Celestia says, breaking the silence, “Could I have handled that better?”

“We’ve been over this…” says Luna.

“I mean, I feel like I could have been more delicate...” Celestia says.

“And I am sure that there is nothing you could have said that would have made that easier to take for her,” says Luna, “What is wrong, sister? It's not like you to dwell so long on a single conversation.”

Celestia glances out the window. “I’m afraid you might think less of me.”

“Nothing will make me think less of you sister, no matter what you do. I know your heart is in the right place,” says Luna.

Celestia takes a deep breath. “I feel… frustrated.”

Luna quirks her head. “Frustrated?”

“I feel like I was finally getting through to her. She was opening up to me. Even before she reaped herself, she was reserved… when she wasn’t in tears. But she smiled, laughed—Joked even! But now, I feel like I’m back where I started. Her defences have gone back up, and I’m afraid she might do something… drastic.”

“You think she might try reaping her memories again?” Luna says.

“That scythe of hers can reap more than memories. After all these years I’m still not sure what she means when she says it reaps nightmares.”

“It seems like nothing with that girl is straightforward,” says Luna.

“I suppose so,” sighs Celestia.

Luna gets up and gives her sister an embrace. “Just try your best. You’ll get through to her. If I have my way, give a year or two, she will forget the crawling dark exists.”

“How can someone simply forget something like that?” says Celestia.

“Surprisingly, you can,” Luna says. “Constella lived a full, normal life after she helped me develop those wards, as did the next two victims, as long as they stayed in after dark…”

And that is the problem, and both sisters knew it, the other victims need only stay in after the sun sets, the wards on their houses keeping the dark at bay, they could live out their days normally. But to Mare, the night is the only world she is allowed. Unlike the others, she will spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder, if she can even be convinced to leave her tower.

A knock at the door brought them out of their sombre ruminations. “Come in.”

Cherry comes in, shutting the door behind her, and bows. “I’m sorry, Mare said she doesn’t want to come-”

“I’m here,” Mare says, appearing behind Cherry and causing her to nearly jump out her fur.

“Wha-! But-! You said-!” Cherry has one of her signature freakouts.

“I changed my mind,” Mare says, before walking over to her seat in between Celestia and Luna and sitting down. At both Princesses’ inquisitive stares, she simply grabbed her menu and hid her face behind it.

Celestia sighs. By the looks of it, she is indeed back at square one. But at least she can leave the tower. Maybe things aren’t as bad as she feared. All Celestia has to do is move forward, and maybe just help Mare to do so too.

Celestia looks down at Mare, who was still hiding behind her menu. “Do you still need help with that?”

She can see Mare’s cheeks colour.

“...Yes.”





Cherry opens the door leading back into the tower, this time very aware of Mare behind her. As soon as the door opens, Mare brushes past, theatrically sits down on her metal rock, and stares out a window.

Cherry stands by the door, not really sure what to do. Just when she thought she was getting used to her, Mare went and changed again. She didn’t say more than a single syllable to any of Cherry’s attempts at conversation, yet she was practically walking on her heels for the majority of the trip back. To say Cherry was getting mixed signals would be an understatement.

Still, Cherry can’t really say she would be doing any better after the events of the last two nights. In the end, all Cherry can do is do her job, and give Mare space if she needs it.

With that in mind, Cherry decides to fall back to her most reliable tactic. “Excuse me Mare, would you like a drink?” It hasn't failed her yet.





Cherry’s voice shook me from my thoughts. “Huh?”

“Would you like a drink, Mare?” Cherry asks again.

“Umm…” I say, thinking feverishly.

It will probably be alright, It will only be for a minute or so.

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” I say, staring out the window.

I think I hear a sigh, but it’s hard to tell, as Cherry’s sighs are a lot less theatrical than Celestia’s. “Won’t be a moment.”

I hear her leave the room, leaving me on my own.

All on my own, yup just me.

Or am I?

Yes, it's just me.

“Okay, it's just a few minutes, you can do this,” I mutter to myself.

Is that shadow deeper than the others?

I pull my legs up and bury my face in my knees. No of course it isn’t, I’m fine. It’s somewhere far away. It can’t get me in here.

But it can move pretty fast can’t it-stopitstopitstopit!

A sound makes me jump to my feet. I look around but don’t see anything. Something probably just hit the window.

I start to rock on my heels. Cherry will be back any minute now, I’ve just got to wait.

The silence is crushing.

Any minute…




Substantially less than a minute later…




“So this is your room?”

The voice almost makes Cherry jump out of her skin. She whirls around to see Mare standing behind her.

“Whu? Wha?! Huh!” Cherry exclaims before trying to get her breathing under control.

“I got bored,” Mare states flatly, not looking Cherry in the eye. She casts her eyes around the room. “So you live here?”

Cherry manages a response. “Oh… no. This is just my work space. This is where I am when I’m not… being your attendant, I suppose.”

She looks around, her eyes linger on some posters Cherry had hung up to brighten up the room, and the small collection of beanbags and a hammock that took up one corner of the room. And she brings her eyes back to Cherry.

Cherry looks sheepish. “The Princess said I could personalise the space… The Hammock and beanbags are not mine though, they were already here.”

Mare says nothing, and goes back to examining the room. Cherry turns back to the counter when the kettle whistles, signalling to finish preparing the cocoa.

Mare’s eyes are drawn to a small pile of books by one of the beanbags. She walks over and picks one up.

When Cherry turns around, she finds Mare lying back in the beanbag with her nose firmly lodged in it.

“Oh, do you like manga?” Cherry says conversationally, bringing the drink over.

“Equestria has manga?” Mare says, still reading.

“Well yeah, Neighponese manga became pretty popular back when I was in high school, They are kinda hard to get, but I know a specialty bookstore. Did you have manga back where you come from?” Cherry says, resting the drink next to her.

“I…” Mare lowered the book, and her eyes gained a rather distant quality, “I think… I used to read them a lot, but I never really owned or held one, I read them online.”

“Online?” Cherry asks, but Mare seems to have gone back to reading and doesn’t respond.

Like a ponderous feeler, Mare’s hand slowly snakes to her drink and picks it up.

Cherry, lacking anything else to do, sits down on one of the other beanbags and picks up another one of her other manga.

A companionable silence descends.

“Sorry, I mostly just have romance and slice of life.”

“I like slice of life, and romance,” Mare says simply.

“Oh, that's good…” says Cherry.

More silence.

“Cherry…”

“Yes, Mare?”

“Can… Can I borrow some of these?”

“Well I was going to keep these here anyway, so I suppose you can read them whenever you like. These are only the ones I’m reading right now, I can bring in some more from my collection if you like.”

“I think I’d like that.”

More silence.

“Cherry?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

Cherry smiles. “You’re welcome.”
> Chapter Eleven - Coping
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is the next night, and Cherry has indeed brought more of her extended collection. Mare scans the various first issues, to try sorting out the ones she is interested in, while Cherry busies herself with dusting the tower room.

“So this guy has about five girls all vying for his affection, and he is totally oblivious to all of them?” Mare asks.

“Yeah, I kinda stopped reading that one after a while, I mean it was kinda funny for a bit…” Cherry said.

Mare finishes the thought. “But you got frustrated that the romance wasn’t going anywhere?” she says, putting down the book to pick up another one.

“Pretty much, have you read it before?” Cherry asks.

“Too many times to count,” Mare says before burying her nose in another one.

Internally, Cherry is cheering. After maybe a week of knowing her, she has finally found some common ground. Sure, it’s only over a shared preference of Neighponese reading material, but it’s a start. If she is honest with herself, she has been doubting herself since day one of this job as caretaker for an immortal child, but she is starting to feel that maybe she might be cut out for this after all.

“Excuse us, Miss Cherry.” She turns around to see Celestia and Luna standing in the door. “We missed you at supper.”

And Cherry’s confidence takes a severe dive, as does her head as she makes a deep bow. “I’MSOSORRY!- I mean I got distracted!- I was- I mean-”

“It's alright, Cherry. No harm done,” Celestia says calmly, “but we are curious. So far you have been quite punctual, what happened?”

Cherry shuffles her hooves apologetically. “I guess I was so excited to show Mare my collection that I forgot about supper.”

“Your collection?” Celestia asks.

It is then that they notice Mare sitting in one of the big armchairs with a veritable mountain of books on the coffee table, and her nose buried firmly in one. She doesn’t seem to have acknowledged that the princesses have entered the room.

“Hello Mare, I suppose you forgot too,” Celestia says, approaching her, but raising her eyebrow when Mare didn’t respond. “Mare?”

“I never knew you were a collector of literature,” says Luna, addressing Cherry.

“Yeah, heh heh. Literature,” Cherry says, rubbing the back of her neck.

At that moment Mare holds the manga out at arm’s length and tilts her head to one side, examining the page critically. “I get that this character is supposed to be provocative, but I don’t get ponies, is it how she poses or the way she dresses that is supposed to excite horny teenagers?” She looks up to see a shocked Celestia and Luna, while Cherry was seriously considering stabbing herself with a feather duster out of embarrassment. “Oh, hey Celestia, Luna, when did you get here?”





“I remember these,” Celestia says, looking over one of the ‘books’. Mare has moved to the bed, and Cherry is hyperventilating in a corner (how she found a corner in a round tower is anyone's guess.) The cover shows some giant robots fighting. “It came with the discovery of Neighpon a decade or so ago, their culture and technology became very vogue for a little while, and while it was mostly fine art and a few of those ‘computers’, some less sophisticated aspects came across too, like those game cabinets, some pop music, and these ‘manga’, as I believe they are called. While the high class Neighponese craze died down pretty fast as the Canterlot trend engine moved on, these smaller facets endured, I believe there is still a small subculture among teens and young adults around these books, and the game cabinets have been a big hit with foals ever since they were introduced.”

“I am not surprised,” says Luna, skimming through one. “Who knew that automatons had become this advanced in my absence, these Neighponese ‘mechs’ are truly awe inspiring.”

“Luna, those don’t actually exi…”

“Wait. Did someone say game cabinets, as in arcade machines!?” Mare exclaims, sitting up and completely nullifying Celestia's chance to clear up a misconception.

“Err yes, I believe there is an arcade somewhere in Canterlot in fact, though I have never…”

Mare materialises in front of her. “Where is it? Can I go? I’ll do chores for small change!” she pleads, her eyes sparkling.

Celestia is shocked at this level of enthusiasm, but while she does want to indulge Mare…

Mare seems to remember too, as her eyes fall into apathy. “Oh right, forgot, I can’t leave the castle.”

“Mare…” Celestia says.

“No, I get it,” Mare says, walking back to her bed. “Out there is too dangerous, I’m not so stupid as to risk meeting…” she stops and shudders, “that again.” She flops onto her bed and picks up the manga again. “Don’t worry, I’ll just stay here, where it's safe.”

Celestia detects a hint of anger in Mare’s voice, but it doesn’t seem directed at her. The Dark maybe?

“Now Mare, if you want to, I’m sure we can find a way…” Celestia tries.

“No thanks!” Mare snaps. “Don’t worry, I’m already used to it, The world doesn’t want me to be happy, I get that. I’m sure something equally terrible will happen if I start to have fun!”

“Now, Mare,” Celestia says, getting slightly worried. “I know it hasn’t been easy for you, but I’m not sure you need to go that far.”

“Don’t I? My life might as well be a joke!” Mare says, suddenly straightening up, angry tears in her eyes. “Just one big cruel joke! Even before Equestria, ever since… Since.” She slumps and starts sniffing, rubbing her eyes.

Celestia and Luna share a look and move to sit by Mare on the bed, Celestia on her left, Luna to her right. Both drape a comforting wing over her.

Cherry hovers awkwardly, before deciding that the only thing she can add to this situation is a hot cocoa, and leaves.





Mare has recovered somewhat, and is sipping from her cocoa, flanked on either side by the princesses.

Celestia wants to say something, but she has a feeling that Mare has more that she wants to get off her chest, so the princess keeps silent.

Mare, for her part, is staring blankly into her mug, as if hoping it would give her the answers. Eventually she speaks.

“I… I have been remembering some things recently, old things.... I remember my first home,” she says softly.

Both Celestia and Luna couldn’t help but lean further in, this is new to both of them, even to Celestia. Before the reaping, Mare never spoke about her past more than was necessary.

“It was a large house, I shared it with seven other girls, all foster kids like me. They were older than me, but that never seemed to matter, we were all each other had. And then there was Miss Evans, she ran the place…” Mare gave a sniffle, “She was supportive, comforted me when I was sad, told bedtime stories, she was never angry, and always listened, she was like a mother to me… to all of us really. She even taught me how to sew, She provided us food to eat, a roof over our heads. She was the kindest, nicest old lady I have ever known.”

“Sounds like she is a wonderful person,” Celestia says delicately.

“Was,” Mare says softly. “She passed away when I was six.”

“What happened?” Luna asks.

“She was just old, as far as I know,” says Mare, a stray tear running down her cheek. “One night she went to bed and never got up again. No warning, just there one day and gone the next.”

Both Celestia and Luna tighten their grip on Mare.

“I was too young to understand then, all I knew was that she had gone to sleep, and would never get up.” She takes a sip of her drink to distract her from the memories. “The others tried to comfort me, but I simply couldn’t get it, why wouldn’t she get up? Why had she left me alone? Why had she abandoned me? I was stupid back then.”

Celestia thinks about interjecting at the random self loathing, but it seems Mare isn’t finished.

“After that the small orphanage was shut down, there was no-one there to run it after all, and we were moved to the large one across town. It wasn’t a bad place, I guess, but it wasn’t home. That's about as much as I have remembered.”

There is silence after Mare finishes telling her story, only filled with Mare’s sniffling.

Mare finishes her drink. “So you see, this is just another misery filled chapter in my life, I don’t think this will be the last either.”

Celestia tries to tighten her grip, but this time Mare vanishes and reappears behind them on the bed, leaning against the frame of a window, manga in hand. “So if you don’t mind, I’m just going to try and enjoy reading manga, before the universe finds a way of ruining that for me too.”

Celestia is at a loss, this is the deepest she has ever seen into Mare’s psyche, and yet she has no idea how to respond. She never knew Mare had been carrying this much emotional baggage, she doesn’t even know what she can even say that might cheer her up.

Luna looks like she has something on her mind, she is biting her lip. She takes a deep breath. “Mare… would you mind if I ask you something?”

Mare looks up from her book.

Luna looks nervous. “Well, the sky is very clear tonight, and was wondering that, if you might like to indulge in some stargazing with me, to perhaps take your mind off things... perhaps,” she says nervously, wondering if this is the right time to ask. “It's just, it's always made me feel better, and I thought I might be able to point out some of the less known constellations. Miss Smith did say you had an interest.”

For many moments, Mare simply blinks at Luna, not sure what kind of response she should give to that, but seeing Luna’s earnest expression, she eventually says, “I guess, this one wasn’t that good anyway.”

Luna’s expression lights up and she moves over next to Mare by the window. “We can start here. Join us if you like Cherry, I’ll begin by pointing out some of the better known constellations…”
> Chapter Twelve - Of Ribbons and Pink Princesses
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cherry shuts the front door and gently plods down the hallway. “Mom! I’m home.”

Cherry’s mom pokes her head out from the kitchen. “Good morning honey, good night at work? How did lil’ Mare like those manga of yours?”

“She likes them a lot, but I think they made her homesick, she had another breakdown. I’m letting her keep them,” Cherry says, walking past.

“Poor dear, maybe I should have a look at her someday. Going to right to bed?”

“Yeah, tonight was rather exhausting,” says Cherry, walking up the stairs.

“Alright but don’t forget we are having…” Cherry’s mom says, but Cherry sort of starts tuning out at the thought of her nice soft bed.

She kicks the door to her room shut behind her and secures the curtains so not a sliver of sunlight can make it through. She quickly checks the sleep shifter to check if it was tuned right, before crawling into bed, curling up in preparation for a nice few hours of sleep.

Unfortunately that few hours turn out to be about fifteen minutes, as her bedroom door slams open and something lands on top of her with lung emptying force.

“Hiya Cuz!” says the tiny filly, “Why are you in bed, It isn’t bedtime come on, come on!”

“Whuh?!”





“Mom! Why is Fizz here?” says Cherry as she walks into the living room, filly in tow.

“I tried to warn you, dear,” says Mom, who was sitting opposite Auntie Laurel. “My sister is visiting, and little Fizz ran off before I could tell her you were sleeping.”

“Out on the town last night were we?” says Auntie Laurel, “Ahh, what it is to be young…”

“Oh no, My daughter’s got a job up at the castle, she is a maid on the night shift,” says Mom proudly.

“Oh, that explains the way she’s dressed then,” Laurel says cheekily. “I just assumed she had a bit too much fun last night.”

Cherry blushes profusely. “Oh no no no, this my uniform… I just realised I forgot to take it off before I went to bed.”

“Just teasing, love,” says Auntie Laurel. “Nice to hear you found some work, having fun?”

“It has some ups and downs,” says Cherry. She suppresses a yawn. “But it can be really tiring, so I think I might go back to be…”

Cherry turns around right into the face of Fizz. “Aww come on, you're up now, come on play with me! Play with me!”

Cherry looks down into those big pleading eyes. “Well, um, You see, my job… I guess I can play for a bit…”





“...And that's why I haven’t had any sleep today,” says Cherry, trying to keep her head from drooping. “I am so sorry.”

“Don’t worry, Cherry, it can’t be helped.” says Celestia, massarging her temple. “Just take a nap in your breakroom until you feel up it, I’ll send someone else to pick up Mare for supper. Might as well get some use out of that hammock.”

“Thank you, Princess,” says Cherry, struggling to her hooves and walking out the room.

Well that was unexpected, still it can’t be helped. And luckily, Celestia has some plans for tonight. She had been toying with the idea of expanding Mare’s social circle for some time now, having more people might make her feel more comfortable and help her take her mind off things.

With that in mind, she has taken it upon herself to introduce Mare to a member of her own extended family…

There is a knock on the door. “Come in.”

Cadance comes in. “You asked to see me, Auntie?”

Celestia smiles, it also helps that she was one of Equestria's best foalsitters, “Hello Cadance, you wouldn’t happen to have a free evening, would you?”





From the first star of evening, I’m slightly on edge. Where is Cherry? She’s usually here by now, hovering awkwardly. Yet I am alone in my tower.

I cross my arms, not that I need her or anything. I’ve just grown sorta used to her is all.

Just me on my lonesome.

Alone.

I quickly shake my head and make my way over to the new bookshelf that had been installed and grab a manga at random. I throw myself at my bed, drape myself over it in such a way that my head dangles off the edge, and start reading.

Damn, I’ve already read this one.

My arms flop to either side. I could get another one, but that would require some degree of effort. At least this bed is comfy, and it's not as if I will ever get to properly sleep on it.

And then someone knocks on the door.

I raise my eyebrow. Must be someone new, no one I know still knocks on that door. “It's open!” I call from across the room.

The door opens and that pink winged unicorn from a few nights back comes in. “Hello, Mare, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” I regard her upsidedown form. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“Well, hi, I’m Cadance. Your maid Cherry is a bit under the weather and is sleeping it off, so I’m gonna be looking after you until she wakes up.”

“Okay, but what are you?” I ask again. “I mean you got both wings and a horn like Celestia and Luna, Does that make you a princess too or something?”

“What? Well, yes, I am a princess, but you don’t need to worry about that...”

“Did you get the extra bits because you became a princess, or were you just born into princessing?” I ask, tilting my head, there seems to be rather a lot of princesses about lately. I mean I’ve known that Luna technically exists for centuries, but it it was rather different to meet her and see that yes she was another winged unicorn. I’ve always assumed Celestia was some sort of god empress, and now there is a pink one too.

“Curious, are we?” says Cadance. “No, I wasn’t born an alicorn, I was born a pegasus, and to be honest, I’m not sure if I got the horn because I became a princess, or I became a princess because I got the horn, Auntie was never clear on that.”

“Neat, I guess,” I say, “but if you are a princess, why are you looking after me, doesn’t a princess have better things to than play babysitter?”

“Well, I am rather fond of foalsitting, and Auntie asked me if I was free for evening,” Cadance says.

I sense an opportunity here. I roll on my stomach and rest my head on my fists. “So you like playing with little children huh?”

“Well I guess…” Cadance stops and suddenly looks at me suspiciously. “That better not be implying what I think you are implying.”

“And what might that be?” I say, trying to feign innocence.

Cadance does not seem convinced. “Nice try, but Celestia already warned me about your sense of humour.”

“Tsk!” I turn my head in disappointment.

“What I want to know is how a little girl like you ended up with such a dirty mind. I didn’t even believe it until you tried to pull that just now.”

“It's a secret~” I singsong. It’s also the fact that I can’t remember it myself, but I vaguely recall it being funny.

“Well… never mind then,” says Cadance. “Come on, Auntie wants you to come to supper.”

“And what if I don’t want to~?” I singsong again. This is fun, she is way more fun to mess with than Cherry, no guilt whatsoever.

Then I felt myself being picked up by magic.

“Well that's just too bad~” Cadance singsongs back.

Oh right, horns. Damn.

“Cheater,” I mutter.

“Say what you like, but I’ve foalsat more difficult kids than you,” Cadance says.

I decide to take that as a challenge, and vanish.

“Huh?”

I lie on the bed again, and re-appear, and flash a defiant look her way.

“Oh so we want to do this the hard way?” Cadance, says grinning wickedly, using her magic to undo the ribbon in her hair.

I get the strange feeling that I’m gonna regret that decision.





A few minutes later…





“Hmm, Cadance is a bit late, isn’t she?” Luna says, “I do hope Mare isn’t giving her too much trouble.”

“I am not sure, Mare enjoys being unpredictable,” Celestia says, “nevertheless, Cadance has had a lot of experience handling foals, I’m sure she will be fine.”

Cadance’s voice floats in from the window. “Auntie, we are here.”

“Ah there you are, we have been waiting…” Celestia trails off when she catches sight of her adoptive niece.

She looks like she has been in a slight scuffle, with her mane and coat ruffled, her hair ribbon missing, and wearing a very smug expression... especially when compared to Mare, who is quietly seething, slung across Cadance’s back, wrapped shoulders to ankles in ribbon.

“Funny thing, if you wrap her in lightweight ribbon it disappears with her,” Cadance says conversationally. “She wasn’t very happy when she found this out.”

Mare’s seething intensifies.

“I take it you had some… difficulties?” Celestia asks carefully.

“No, not really,” Cadance says, setting Mare down on her feet, “I’ve dealt with worse. Now Lord Rust’s colt, that one’s a monster. You won’t see me near that one for under triple my usual rate. it's his poor sister that I feel sorry for.”

“A professional babysitter, how could you?” Mare says accusingly, glaring daggers at Celestia.

“And… here... we… go!” Cadance says, pulling on the end of the ribbon so hard that Mare spins like a top.

“WAOoooohhhh…” Mare says as she slows down and begins staggering on the spot. Cadance catches her before she falls over and helps her over to her seat. For a moment Mare is wearing a goofy grin, but goes back to a pout as she regains control of her eyes. She crosses her arms and looks at the floor. “I’d like crepes with white chocolate and strawberries, please.”

Celestia just sighs and moves on. “Very well then.”

“Mind if I sit in?” Cadance says, sitting down.

“Not at all,” says Celestia, smiling at her niece.

They all order, and wait.





“So you really do this every night?” Cadance asks, who had simply asked for a milkshake.

“Yes, since we have different sleep cycles, it's a good way to touch base,” Celestia says.

“And Mare comes every night?” Cadance says, looking at me. I try to ignore her and consume my crepe in peace, this is rapidly becoming one of my favourite foods. I wonder if anyone else can see the glitter or is it some sort of sugar induced high. “She seemed kinda reluctant in the tower.”

“That's just her troublesome personality,” Celestia says, waving a hoof dismissively. “She usually doesn’t put up this much resistance.”

“Well it's not as if she is as moe as Cherry,” I mutter under my breath between mouthfuls.

“If I may ask... Cadance,” Luna says, seemingly not one hundred percent comfortable with her niece yet, “I notice you are not wearing regalia today, is there a reason?”

Cadance laughs. “Not really. You need a reason to get me in the regalia in the first place, I’d rather a ribbon in my hair than a crown on my head any day, It’s not as if I have much in the way of duties, and it only makes my clients nervous if I show up full royal mode.”

“Ahh yes, you foalsit, how did that exactly come about? it's not a common profession for a princess to have, even on the side,” says Luna, “I admit I have been curious.”

“Oh that's easy,” says Cadance, “It started when Auntie… I mean Celestia, asked me to watch out for Twilight when she was a filly. She was the most adorable lil’ angel ever, and we hit it off pretty well, so much so that Twilight Velvet, that’s her mother by the way, asked me to come watch her again sometime. After that, I was her go-to foalsitter for years until Twilight was old enough to look after herself. And after that, I just started taking more foalsitting jobs, it just turned out I had a knack for looking after kids. It's a lot of fun too, and now I’m known as Equestria's best foalsitter.”

“Speaking of Twilight and her family, how are you doing with young Shining Armour?” Celestia asks.

If I had pony ears, they would have just perked up.

“Auntie~,” Cadance whines, “I’ve asked you to keep it quiet.”

“Don’t worry, we are all family here,” says Celestia. “And Mare, but I doubt she will even be interested.”

‘Wanna bet?’ I think, leaning in slightly.

“You have a relationship with the young captain?” Luna asks. She seems to think about it, and then nods her head, “He seems like a fine sort, dutiful, loyal and chivalrous, good qualities to have in both a warrior and a partner, I would say you have made a good choice.”

“Thanks… I guess,” says Cadance, blushing profusely.

“But why keep it quiet?” Luna asks, “Is there some sort of new taboo I am unaware of?”

“Nothing like that.” Cadance says, giving a nervous laugh, “It's just that we want to make sure it really works before we let it go public.”

“Really works?” Luna says.

“Yeah.” Cadance says, “This is the first time for both of us to be in a relationship, and we do like each other, but we are not sure how long it might last. If it does end up falling apart, or we decide we prefer each other as friends, we didn’t want to make it awkward for our friends and family, He hasn’t even told his parents or sister yet.”

“How long have you been dating?” I ask after finishing my crepe, surprising everyone at the table.

“Why do you want to know?” Cadance asks, looking surprised at my sudden involvement.

“It's relevant to my interests,” I say, cupping my head in my hands. “Don’t worry, it's not as if I have anyone to tell anyway.” I wait for a moment. “Are you gonna tell me or not?”

“Oh, it will be our two year anniversary sometime this year,” Cadance says, “I think Shining has something special planned this year too.”

“Seems like a pretty long time to be in a secret relationship if you ask me, sounds like it's working well enough. Props for keeping it up for so long, secret relationships aren’t that easy,” I say.

“Well now don’t you sound like a little expert,” Cadance teases. “What makes you so knowledgeable?”

I shrug, “Like I said, it's relevant to my interests.”

I sense an opportunity here, I try not to let my cheshire grin get too big as Cadance takes a long drink of her milkshake.

“So, have you two fed yet?”

Milkshake sprays across the table, followed by desperate coughing as Cadance tries to get it out of her lungs and nose.

“MUHAHAHAHA, REVENGE!” I cry in victory as I leap out of my seat, do a victory twirl, and dive out the window.

On my way down however, I feel something wrap around my ankle and I come to a sudden stop. I am lifted up by the ribbon to come face to face with a rather unamused Cadance.

“In my defence, it was totally worth it,” I say.

“Noted,” says Cadance, before mummifying me in ribbon again.





“I’ll admit,” Cadance says, leaving Mare bound and gagged by the window, though still radiating smugness, “she may not be the most difficult kid, but she certainly is a hoofful. Are you sure you don’t know how you ended up like this?”

“As with most parts of her personality, not even Mare knows anymore,” Celestia sighs.

“I must admit, Cadance, you are very capable with that ribbon,” Luna says, “I have never seen one used like that.”

“I’m all for practical accessories.” Cadance says. “But more importantly, I think we need to talk about how you are raising Mare.”

Celestia gets a mild sinking feeling.

“I admit that I have only encountered her twice, but both times, she was wantingly causing mischief, and seems to show no regret or hesitation. While I usually encourage free spirit in children, I think she is borderlining a total wildchild. I think some form of parental intervention is necessary.” Cadance says

Celestia droops slightly. “She doesn’t have parents, I don’t think she wants them either, she is a very independent girl, fragile mentality aside.”

“Well I think she needs them. and if you ask me, even she doesn’t know what she wants. This kind of behaviour is usually attention seeking, this could be her subconscious crying for help.” Cadance puts her hoof on Celestia’s wither.

“Whether I try and be a parent for her or not, I doubt she will accept it, she has spent too long alone to be happy with any sort of authority I could try to assert over her. Besides…” Celestia sighs. “I’m not sure I am fit to be anyone's parental figure.”

“Don’t be like that, you are great with kids, you are a wonderful teacher.” Cadance says. “And hey, I turned out fine.”

“You give me too much credit, you raised yourself. You were a wonderful filly when I found you and you are a wonderful mare now.” Celestia says. “Other fillies in my care have not always been so fortunate.”

“Are you talking about Twilight? I know she can be a tad neurotic, and has some unhealthy levels of mentor worship, but she had both before she even met you. I don’t see why that makes you any less…”

“Sunset.” Celestia says quietly.

Cadance couldn’t help but cringe, and follows with a sigh. “Look I’m not saying you have to be her mother right off the bat, just try and spend a little more time with her okay? She needs more than once a night. Try and find a common interest, something you can both have fun doing together, or better yet, you like teaching, try to find something she is willing to learn. I know you are capable of missing a few nights of sleep without being affected.”

“I think our young niece speaks wisdom.” says Luna. “While it could be simple wishful thinking on my behalf, I believe she did enjoy stargazing with me, I think she could do with some more of your presence in her life.”

Celestia looks between her sister and niece, and nods slowly. “Very well, starting tomorrow I will attempt to spend some time with her, if she will have me.”

“I think it will be a good start.” Cadance says.

Cadance looks back at Mare. “You think I should untie her now?”

Celestia watches Mare, who is oblivious to the conversation that just took place, and smiles. “No, I don’t think so, I think she had that one coming.”

“My thoughts exactly,” says Cadance.

‘Crap, my nose is itchy,’ thinks Mare.





Cherry wakes with a start at the sound of something crashing loudly upstairs. She clambers out of the hammock and makes her way outside.

This time she hears a loud thump, and she quickly makes her way up to Mare’s level. She opens the door.

“You ready?” Cadance says, holding the end of the ribbon.

“As hard as you can!” Mare says, wrapped in ribbon.

With a mighty tug, Mare was sent spinning across the room. “WOOOOOO!”

And ran right into Cherry.

“Owww!” came Mare’s voice from the tangle of limbs.

“Ditto to that,” says Cherry. “Not how I expected to wake up.”

“Are you alright, you two?” says Cadance as she crosses the room.

“I think so…” Cherry says.

Mare quickly untangles herself. “I’m fine, again please!”
> Chapter Thirteen - Needle and Thread
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a slow day in court, so Celestia had closed it prematurely, any late arrivals would have to schedule tomorrow. Celestia currently paces in her sister's room, deep in thought.

“I don’t know what's so complicated about this,” says Luna, watching from her bed.

“I know Mare, if I start hovering around with no given reason she might suspect some deeper hidden motive, I need to think of some activity in advance,” says Celestia.

“I think that says just as much about you as her,” says Luna.

“She’s always been like that, although my sparse interactions probably haven’t helped,” sighs Celestia.

“But is she really that paranoid? Isn’t ‘I want to spend some time with you’, a good enough reason?” asks Luna.

“For Mare, hard to say, I’d like something a bit more substantial,” says Celestia, “Do you have any ideas?”

Luna thinks for a moment. “Well… How about sewing?”

Celestia cocks her head. “What makes you think I sew?”

“You don’t, but Mare does. I remember her mentioning it several times. I believe the act holds some emotional significance to her. What better way to bond then enabling one of her favourite pursuits?” says Luna.

Celestia considers this. “Yes… That could work, it would probably make her happy and occupied, and she probably won’t mind me taking an interest in her hobbies. Thank you, Luna.”

“Glad to help,” says Luna.

“I better go and get some things together, I’ll ask Tsumugu to run out for some supplies, Hopefully it's not too late for some fabric shopping,” says Celestia, walking to the door.

There is a knock on the door. “Come in!” Luna calls from the bed.

Shining Armour walks in. “Princess Luna... Oh Princess Celestia too. I hope I’m not intruding.”

“I was just leaving, Captain, do not worry,” says Celestia, walking past him, “Forgive me for dashing, but I have business elsewhere.”

“Of course, Princess,” says Shining, saluting Celestia as she leaves, before walking over to Luna, and giving a respectful nod. “I was hoping I might have a moment of your time.”

“You need not ask, you have it already. What is on your mind?” says Luna.

Shining levitates a large parchment over to Luna. “I was working on some warding, and considering your expertise, I considered it best to ask for your help in ironing out the details.”

Luna looks over the parchment quizzically. “My warding expertise is limited to specific types, I’m not sure I can…” She stops and her eyes narrow as she examines it closer. “... Is this Constella’s ward?”

“Not quite,” says Shining, “I’ve been attempting to modify the spell. I thought it might help to have you check it over, you are the only one I know who can cast it after all.”

Luna’s eyes quickly scan the parchment. “It… should still work as intended, but you have completely altered the energy distribution of the barrier. It will be a larger projection area but will weaken significantly at sizes larger than a fifteen meter diameter, I must ask, what are you trying to accomplish?”

Shining rubs the back of his neck. “Well…




During supper…




“Really?” says Mare, pausing mid-potato wedge. (Celestia had finally convinced her to eat something that wasn’t a dessert).

“Yes, right now I am having the materials moved into your tower. Luna and I thought that you might like to try sewing again, It will give you something else to do other than reading and drawing at least.” Celestia.

“How much material are we talking about?” asks Mare, leaning in, food forgotten.

“I didn’t know what you would need, and if I had waited until you were with us, it would have been too late for shopping, so I had them get one roll of everything, plus some basic equipment.”

Mares eyes gain the sparkling quality they usually gain when she is halfway through something sweet. “One of everything…” She started scarfing down the rest of her wedges, as if eager to get the meal over with.

“Seems like someone is eager to get started,” says Luna.

“It seems so, I’m actually pretty eager myself to see what she comes up with,” says Celestia.

“Indeed, Maybe I might drop in too…” Luna trails off, her gaze drifting to the window.

“Is there something wrong?” asks Celestia.

“Maybe… I mean- No, nothing is the matter. But I must take my leave, something has… come up.” Without giving any time for questions, she gets up, runs to the window, and takes flight, and within a second she is out of sight.

Celestia considers following her to find out exactly what the problem is, but remembers who she is with, and turns back to Mare, who has just polished off the wedges.

“Thank you for the food,” says Mare, also making a break for the window.

“Excuse me Mare.” says Celestia, catching Mares attention on the windowsill, “Do you mind if I accompany you?”





It runs a tendril along the invisible barrier, ripples spreading like rain on a pond. It tries gently pushing against it. The ripples increase in intensity, but the barrier remains resolutely solid.

It withdraws its tendril back into the pool of shadows in which it hid as a group of ponies in armour walk past, oblivious to its presence.

It is nervous, it cannot pass, yet it needs to, beyond is safety, beyond is her, yet it cannot go beyond, beyond is unreachable.

It feels something familiar approach, it sinks deeper into its hiding place.

The blue one lands just on the other side of the barrier, and looks around. She begins pacing along the inside of the barrier, scanning, looking.

It knows that she seeks it. It stays still.

She has enough, she calls out. “Show yourself, Dark! I felt your presence!”

It does not respond, it knows that the blue one is dangerous, it dares not go nearer.

It is frightened.





What was the phrase? ‘A kid in a candy store?’ Yeah that’s me right now. Two new shelves and a desk had been added, rows upon rows of rolls of cloth, actual rolls of cloth! Before I always had to make do with salvaging old clothes no-one wanted anymore. Now I have two shelves full of material, so high that they even gave me a sliding ladder so I could reach the top rows.

I pick up one of the rolls and feel it, is this silk? I put it back and step backwards to take it all in.

“Is this to your liking? I admit I don’t know much about sewing, so I left it mainly to my maid Tsumugu to set this up,” says Celestia, sitting in the center of the room, watching me.

My throat feels dry as I swallow. “Yeah, it will do,” I say. I run over to my other desk and pick up some of my drawing stuff, then run back to the other desk and sit down and start drawing frantically. What could I make first… Actually what can’t I make? Heaps of fabric, different coloured thread, buttons, zippers, fabric paints... You could say it's overboard but I don’t care, I’m gonna make the most of this.

I feel Celestia looking over my shoulder. “Designing already? My, your mind works fast.” I don’t reply, I finish one concept sketch, and lay it aside. “What’s this one, do you have a name for it?”

“It’s a heavily stylised Shrine Maiden dress, the signature outfit of Reimu Hakurei of the Touhou series,” I say absentmindedly as I rapidly sketch another one.

“Oh… I see?” says Celestia, slightly confused.

I lay another one to the side, I’m really on a roll.

“And this one?” asks Celestia.

“Marisa Kirisame, A magician, also from Touhou.”

“Oh… and this one?” she says pointing to the one I’m working on.

“A schoolgirl’s outfit from Lucky star, the winter variation.”

…

“This one?”

“Another schoolgirl outfit, from Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, plus hair ribbons worn by the main character. I always thought she looked super cute.”

…

“What about this?”

“Hatsune Miku, maybe I should do the other vocaloids too.”

…

“...And this one?”

“Cirno’s outfit, an ice fairy, Touhou again, that series has some great clothes.”

“Excuse me, Mare,” says Celestia.

“Hmm…?” I say looking up into Celestia’s confused face.

“Not to be rude, but I thought you were designing outfits, you seem to be just drawing various characters from other places,” she says.

I tilt my head. “Well, yeah, I would usually rip images off the internet, but I can’t do that here. But I can’t just do it from memory, so I have to draw my own reference images.”

“Reference images…” Comprehension dawned on her face, “Oh, I see, you are a costumier. You are designing costumes.”

“Well, yeah, I guess,” I say. “I’ve never really known how to design my own stuff, and cosplay always looks super fun, but it's always been hard to find the right materials.”

“Cosplay?”

“Yeah, it’s like dressing up as your favourite characters from games, comics or TV, we had competitions for that kinda thing, even roleplay as them and stuff.”

“I see… Well, I can see why that might be enjoyable, but…” her gaze shifts to the not-insubstantial pile of paper I made. “I think you might have gone a bit overboard with the sketching.”

“Ehh… maybe,” I concede.

I pick a random picture from the pile. “I’ll start with this one.” I set it aside, and pick up a measuring tape.

“Taking measurements?” she asks.

“Duh,” I say taking the end in my teeth, and stretching it out to arm's length, “‘ve g’t t’ si’ ith mi mesu’ments ‘ath chinged.”

“Do you need help with that?” asks Celestia.

“Nu I gottit,” I say, checking the length and making a note of it with my free hand.

I feel the tape measure float out of my grip while Celestia looks at me expectantly. I cross my arms. “I can do it myself you know.”

“Indulge me.” She says, “It will go faster this way, just tell me where to measure.”

I grumble, and then undo the ribbon on my top, and pop the buttons.

“What are you doing?” says Celestia.

“You can’t get my body measurement when I’m wearing a dress. you know,” I say, shrugging off my top layer and wiggling out of my dress.

“I see… Do me a favour and restrain yourself from the dirty comments,” says Celestia.

“Care to give me an example?” I say innocently, as I drop my sleeves and pull off my boots.

“Not on your life,” says Celestia flatly.

“Tsk.”

“Where should I start?” says Celestia.

“Well, I guess the basic three would be a good start.” I say, “Then we can get to the more complicated stuff.”

“The basic three?” says Celestia.

“Oh right,” I say, “The basic measurements for women, bust,” I point at my bra, “waist,” I put my fingers on either side of my waist, “and hips. There are are other important ones, like waist to shoulder, but these are the easiest to explain.”

“Alright, lift your arms then, I’ll get the top one first,” says Celestia.

“Okay, be gentle.” I say, shyly.

“I thought I said none of that.” she says. “Do I go right around?”

“Yeah, from the highest point on the breast.”

“By the way should you still be wearing that?” she says looking at my bra, “Won’t it affect measurements?”

I give a coy look, but the flat look I receive shuts me down before I can get in a lewd comment. Instead I say. “Doesn’t matter, it's pretty thin fabric, and I’ll be wearing it under my clothes anyway.”

“I’ve often wondered what that is for, actually,” Celestia mentions conversationally, getting the measurement for the bust and moving down to the waist. “Is this right?”

“Yeah, just where the body bends,” I say, “It's a training bra.”

“A training bra?”

“Yeah, when human girls grow up, their breasts get bigger, and bras are for support. This is a training bra though, for girls who haven’t grown them yet, so they can get used to wearing them when they grow up…” I trail off.

Then slump.

“Mare? Are you alright? I didn’t touch anything sensitive did I?” asks Celestia in a worried tone.

“I just reminded myself that I haven’t grown a damn centimeter anywhere.” My eyes water in frustration. “Do you know how depressing it was to check my height nearly every day for a hundred years, only to confirm that I’m still the same height? it got so unbearable that I had to stop myself from doing it.”

“Eh, you mean your species actually gets bigger?” says Celestia, in her curiosity seemingly forgetting tact.

“Yes!” I shriek, “I still had at least ten years of growth left in me if I was lucky! I hadn’t even hit puberty!”

I squat down and start tracing circles in the carpet. “I mean it's not as if I was self conscious about it, but it would have been nice to see myself grow up, and maybe get to see what I was like as an adult, and do adult things,” I mope quietly to myself.

Possibly sensing that she stepped on a landmine, Celestia quickly steps beside me. “Oh, my apologies, I had no idea… I mean to say...” But it also seems she has no idea how to mitigate the damage to my ego.

“Let’s… let’s just get back to measuring, shall we? The sooner we are done with this the sooner you can start working,” says Celestia with forced cheerfulness. Smooth.

This actually makes me smile a little, although Celestia can’t see it. It's always nice to see her without her ‘royal persona’, she's a lot more fun to talk to when she is less than perfect.





Celestia sits on one of the sofas watching Mare work. Cherry had come back from organising her work room, she had requested some extra shelving for her manga, so it didn’t all have to clutter up Mare’s room, where wall real estate is precious, what with all the large windows. The two watch Mare with fascination.

Mare doesn’t even seem to notice they are still there, so absorbed in her needle and thread, as she measures, cuts, stitches and trims.

Celestia is amazed at the level of focus, as the needle dances in Mare’s fingers. There is almost a rhythmic quality to the way she moves. Indeed, her foot seems to be tapping to a beat that only she can hear.

And then she starts to sing. It was a little rocky to start, her voice clearly was out of practice, but steadily gained confidence as she danced across her work space.

It was a strangely upbeat song about the hardships of being a foster child. Celestia hopes it is just that, a song, and not based on some sort of personal experience. Still it is a nice song, Celestia can almost imagine the musical accompaniment, full of drums and brass. Mare is surprisingly not a bad singer, despite Celestia having never seen her use her voice like that. From the corner of her eye, she even sees Cherry bobbing her head to the imaginary beat.

After the song was finished, Cherry speaks up. “I didn’t know you sing, Mare.”

Mare jumps and whirls around, her expression says it all, she had completely forgotten they were here.

She blushes, looking at the floor, and starts shuffling her foot in a surprising display of bashfulness. “Well yeah, I do. I do it while working, it helps pass the time when I’m doing something tedious.” It’s also clear it is something she did mostly in private, if her display is anything to go by.

“I’ve never heard that song before, where did you come by it?” asks Celestia.

“I heard it... when I was little,” says Mare as she returns to her work, her expression changing to her slightly distant one that Celestia now associates with returning memories, “It was a movie musical we watched once, I can’t really remember what it was about, but that was one of the first songs. I sung it for weeks after watching it. Big sis offered to teach me how to sing properly so I would stop annoying everyone with my off key vocals.” She gives a half hearted chuckle. “I became a musical sponge after that, singing nearly everything and anything I heard, driving everyone up the wall.”

“You have a sister?” Cherry asks.

“Had. When I lived in Miss Evans’ foster home, we were all sisters. None of us were related, but that didn’t matter. Big sis was the oldest, and I looked up to her a lot, we all did. She was confident, caring, and an amazing singer. Next to Miss Evans, she meant everything to me.”

“What happened?” says Celestia, picking up the past tense.

Mare stops working for a moment, holding the silence for a moment, before returning to her needlework, “...I can’t remember.”

Celestia has a feeling that this time she is withholding something, but also has the sense to know that Mare doesn’t want to talk about it, so she lets it slide.

Instead Celestia gets up and walks up behind Mare to get a better look at her work. Mare is currently in the process of stitching to large pieces together, probably for a skirt.

“That looks rather time consuming,” says Celestia.

“No one said it was going to be quick,” says Mare without breaking her flow.

“Not to tell you your hobbies, but…” Celestia points to the sewing machine on one side of the desk, “Isn’t it what that is for?”

Mare spares it a glance before snapping her gaze back. “Don’t use them,” she mumbles.

“Oh, any reason?” asks Celestia.

“I just don’t.” Celestia can see Mare blushing again.

Celestia doesn’t say anything, she just stares unblinkingly at Mare, who in turn begins to fidget and try and look anywhere but Celestia's expectant gaze.

Mare eventually caves. “Fine! I’m scared of sewing machines! Happy?”

Celestia’s eyebrow raises. “You are scared… of sewing machines?”

Mare shuffles her feet again. “When I was five, I got my hair caught in a sewing machine… Stop smiling! It was really traumatic!”

Celestia covers her mouth to hide her smile. “Forgive me, but you are very cute when you are embarrassed.”

Mare huffs and turns back to her sewing.

And then, Celestia has an idea. “Mare how would you feel if I learnt to use the machine for you?”

“Come again?” asks Mare.

“Oh, I just thought if I could do that for you, it might help you finish your outfits faster and cut out some of the tedious work. What do you say?”

Mare looks up and blinks at Celestia for about ten seconds, as if this is the first time she has seen her. But before Celestia can start really worrying, Mare snaps out of it. “Um, Sure I guess if you want to, I mean I’ve got a lot of outfits to make, I suppose a little help would be nice.”

Celestia smiles, and goes to examine the sewing machine. Thankfully an instruction manual had been left out, and even a book on on the subject was placed next to it, Tsumugu proving her worth once again.

But before Celestia could get to reading, Mare spoke quietly. “You remind me of her sometimes.”

“I’m sorry?” says Celestia, not sure what she heard.

“You remind me of her sometimes... Miss Evans, I mean.” says Mare, still almost a whisper, “So much that it hurts.”

Celestia doesn’t say anything, she simply sits down beside her and drapes a wing over her shoulder.
> Chapter fourteen - The main six
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Princess, Twilight and company are here to see you.” Raven Ink says. “Shall I send them in?”

“Oh really? I wasn’t expecting them this early.” Celestia muses, not looking up from her current activity. “Send them in, please.”

“Of course, Princess,” Raven says, stepping out. She comes back a few moments later with Twilight and her friends, then steps out again.

“Just a moment,” Celestia says, turning off the machine and setting aside the fabric, before turning to meet her student. “Twilight, It's good to see you again.”

“Thank you Princess, I’ve missed you,” says Twilight, coming up for the neck hug, which Celestia returns.

Celestia looks up to Twilight's friends who were still by the door. “Come in, I invited you here after all, make yourselves comfortable.”

“Thank ya kindly Princess,” mumbles Applejack as she and the others come into the room proper.

Celestia leads them all to some cushions around the unlit fireplace, where they all sit down in a rough semicircle with Celestia sitting on the far left.

“Shall I pack up for you Princess?” says a petite maid, causing half the group to jump, as they hadn’t noticed the broom wielding maid standing there.

“No need Tsumugu, I intend to continue after they have left,” Celestia says.

“In that case, please excuse me,” Tsumugu says, curtseying. “Some of the third floor girls have been slacking off, and I need to get them an abject lesson in the way of the maid, I will return after you are finished.”

“Don’t go overboard,” Celestia says.

“I make no promises.” says Tsumugu, fiddling with her broom, somehow producing a metallic clicking noise with it before slinging it over her back and leaving.

“Did… did she just cock her broom?” Rainbow says, confusion written on her face.

“Don’t mind her, she's always been a character,” Celestia says dismissively. “She's an excellent maid, and I’m lucky to have her.”

“I always thought she was funny,” Twilight says, giggling. “Always going on about her ‘way of the maid’, and was always full of silly ideas.” Twilight gains a thoughtful expression. “The other maids always seemed to be afraid of her though…”

Celestia coughs. “Anyway, I trust the painters didn’t give you too much trouble?”

“Goodness no. It was a privilege to work with such dedicated artists.” Rarity says graciously, “The love for their craft shines through in their work.”

“It was kind of unnerving,” says Fluttershy, almost too quietly to hear.

“It was fun, I got to show off my best rock impersonation!” Pinkie says enthusiastically.

Rainbow grumbles. “Having to stay still for that long is a real pain.”

“A small price to pay to have yourself immortalised in paint, forever recognised as a Hero of Equestria.” Rarity says, tossing her mane regally.

“Couldn’t they’ve just taken a photo?” whines Rainbow.

Rarity scoffs, “Of course not, painting is more than just capturing an image. It is about preserving someone's very spirit, their memory. Saving them from the clutches of eternity.”

“Well spoken,” says Celestia, causing the two arguing ponies to stop, having forgotten where they were. “Those mares are paragons of their craft. They were quite a find I can tell you that. I can understand being restless though. I remember when old Colonel Ironhorn had to sit for his portrait. He drove the poor artist mad by constantly making excuses and leaving in the middle of sessions.”

Rarity clears her throat to escape the sense of awkwardness. “I… don’t think I’m familiar with that gentlecolt, a member of the guard?”

“No, there are no Colonels in the guard. He was in the Equestrian Regulars, the standing army. He won his place in the hall due to his stalwart defence of Breakback Ridge some… four hundred and fifty years ago. Very practical stallion, couldn’t stand wasting time.”

“I think I recall Granny mentioning her great granpappy served on Breakback ridge,” Applejack muses.

“Wouldn’t surprise me, Apples have had a long history of service in the Regulars.” Celestia says, “I believe the saying went ‘An Apple a day keeps the enemy at bay’. Most soldiers felt they could sleep more soundly knowing an Apple was on watch.”

Applejack puffs out her chest in familial pride.

Rarity clears her throat again. “Excuse me for interrupting, Princess, but I’ve been curious since arriving.” She gestures to the sewing machine, which Celestia had been using until their arrival. “I’m curious to what your were making. I was not aware that you sew.” Rarity’s eyes sparkle with interest.

Celestia smiles indulgently. “I wouldn’t say I sew quite yet. I’ve been teaching myself how to use the machine is all. I’m picking it up for a friend of mine who has some difficulty with sewing machines. I’m still very much a novice.”

“I see,” says Rarity. “If I may ask, who is this friend of yours?”

“It wouldn’t be Mare would it?” Applejack says.

“...Why yes, you are correct, young Mare is quite skilled with a needle.” Celestia says after a pause.

“Mare?” says Twilight, “Who’s Mare?”

“And what kind of name is Mare anyway?” Rainbow says. “No offense,” she added when some of her friends glared at her.

Celestia thinks about it, before deciding there is no harm in telling them. Applejack already knew her, and as long as she doesn’t mention the dark there will probably be no problem. “Mare is an old friend of mine. She is currently living in the castle after we decided her old home was unsuitable.”

“She’s also an old friend of Grannys. Strange lookin’ critter she is. Walks on two legs and calls herself a grim reaper, kinda prickly. Got a real appetite though, we had her over for dinner after the whole Nightmare Moon business. She lived out in the old castle.” Applejack adds.

“Oh wowie, I remember her!” Pinkie exclaims, “She was the one who was in the castle after we lost Twilight. she just sorta appeared and showed us a secret passage.”

“Yeah, that's the one,” says Applejack. “Granny asked me to check on her while I was up here. Make sure she's settlin’ in ok.”

Celestia smiles “Is that so? Your grandmother really is an amazing mare...” Celestia trails off, as if lost in thought.

Applejack clears her throat, “So erm, If it’s alright, could I see Mare? Granny was, er… very insistent,” she says with an awkward chuckle.

Celestia comes down from whatever thoughts she was lost in. “Hmm? Oh yes, Mare doesn’t particularly like surprise guests, but I’m sure she won’t mind you checking in. But I’m afraid it will have to wait until after dark. Mare is completely nocturnal I’m afraid.”

“Well if that’s the case, I’d hate to put you out.” Applejack says, still feeling awkward.

“Nonsense. You are staying at the castle, are you not? And I see her most evenings anyway. It will be no trouble.”

“OH! OH! Can I come along? I wanna meet her too!” Pinkie says.

“I am kinda curious myself,” Rarity says. “You said she is a skilled seamstress. I am interested to see her work.”

“I... may have to ask her first,” Celestia says diplomatically. “Mare can get rather difficult with strangers.”

“I kinda want to meet her too,” Twilight says. “But then again, I promised my mom to come home and eat with the family...”

“How about this: I take Applejack tonight, and if she agrees, you can all come tomorrow?” Celestia says. “She could do with a bit more socialisation. Although I warn you, as Applejack said, she is a little... prickly.”

“Thank ya kindly, Princess,” Applejack says.

“Ohh I can’t wait,” says Pinkie. “Meeting new friends is always super!”

“I mean, I guess, why not?” Rainbow shrugs. “It will be something to do.”

“I wouldn’t mind, I guess…” Fluttershy says, breaking her silent streak.

“Now I am sure you have more things you want to do today then listen to me babble. How about I show you to where we will be hanging your portraits?”

With the general agreement of the assembled mares, Celestia lead them on a tour around the Castle for the rest of the afternoon, until Twilight was due at her parents’ for dinner...







“Spike dear, could you wash the lettuce for me?” Twilight Velvet says.

“Yes, Mom,” says Spike.

“Thank you dear,” Velvet says. “I can’t tell you how much I missed having you and Twilight around the house.”

Spike blushes as he cleans the leaves. “Well someone has to keep an eye on Twilight.”

“And aren’t you a brave little trooper,” says Velvet, affectionately rubbing Spike’s head as she walks past on her way to the pantry.

“I’m home!” calls Twilight from the entrance hall.

“Welcome home, sweetie,” says Velvet as Twilight enters the kitchen, receiving her daughter with a hug.

“Hey Mom,” says Twilight.

“You’re just in time for dinner. Could you be a dear and get Shining and your father while I set the table?” Velvet says. “They were working on something in the sitting room last I saw them.”

“Yes, Mom,” says Twilight, before doing as instructed.

When she enters the sitting room, she was greeted by the two stallions as they look up from a large tome.

“Twily!” Shining says enthusiastically, standing up and giving his little sister a big hug.

“Hey there, B.B.B.F.F,” Twilight says, returning the gesture enthusiastically.

“And how’s my little filly?” Night Light asks, hugging Twilight after Shining had finished.

“Doing fine Dad, Ponyville is great,” Twilight says.

“Glad to hear it, Twi,” he replies, breaking the hug. “I must admit I was pretty worried when you told me you were leaving town to go live in the sticks.”

Twilight pouts. “Ponyville isn’t ‘the sticks’, Dad.”

Night Light laughs and ruffles her hair. “And it sounds like you’re already pretty attached to the place. I guess I worried for nothing.”

Twilight takes a moment to fix her mane, trying to shoot her dad a dirty look, but cant help but smile.

“Mom sent me in to tell you dinner’s ready.”

“That so? Best not keep her waiting then,” Night Light says. “We can finish up later, Shining.”

“Sure thing, Dad,” Shining says, closing the tomb.

Thus does the family dinner commence.

“So how was the portrait sitting, dear?” Velvet says conversationally.

“They finished the preliminary sketches. Tomorrow we will be back in for another sitting,” Twilight says. “We’ll be here for the next few days until they finish.”

“I guess we’ll be seeing a lot of you then,” Night Light says jovially.

“Well…” Twilight says nervously.

“Oh don’t worry, your father's just teasing you,” Velvet says, “We know you came up with friends. No shame in wanting to spend time with them. That said, you must have them come in for lunch tomorrow.”

“I guess they won’t mind,” Twilight says.

After that, they settle in for dinner, making the kind of casual conversation families do around the table, chatting about their days, interesting stories about their work, and what Twilight has been up to in her new home. They are all almost finished when the conversation turns to…

“So what were you guys working on?” Twilight asks Shining and Night Light.

“Well...” Shining says hesitantly. 

“Oh I was just lending Shining my noggin to some little project he has going with Princess Luna,” Night Light says casually.

“Oh, first I’ve heard of this. What's the project?” Velvet says.

“Oh just a little warding experiment,” Shining says, trying to be casual.

“If you want to call it that,” Night light says jovially. “She lent Shining the Grimoire of Constella the Night Mage.”

Twilight almost chokes on her food. “The what?!”

“Well yes, that,” Shining says. “She lent it to me as a reference book.”

“An actual Grimoire as a reference book?” Twilight balks. “And you can actually read it?”

“I’m no slouch at magic, Twilight,” Shining says, kind of offended. “Besides, Luna taught me where to find the key.”

“But… why the Grimoire?” Twilight says, still shocked. “I mean, what are you referencing of hers that would require her actual Grimoire?”

“Just one of her more obscure wards,” Shining says, trying to downplay it.

“I’ll say,” says Night Light, oblivious. “The Circle of Unbroken Darkbane. You don’t get much more obscure than that.”

“Darkbane?” Twilight asks.

“Oh yeah,” says Night Light, “I wrote my first thesis on it back in the day, although I would have killed to have access to this book back then. Apparently it was stashed in the royal vaults along with most of Princess Luna's belongings. Go figure.”

“But what's it do?” Twilight asks as Shining watches helplessly while the situation spiraled out of his control.

“Well for the most part, not a lot,” Night Light says, getting into a story telling groove. “The ward never really saw widespread use, due to it having one, very specific use. Protecting the user, from a Crawling Dark.”

“W-what’s a Crawling Dark?” Spike says, looking spooked.

“No one really knows,” Night Light says eerily. “They take the form of a rolling wave of black, and consume their victim’s mind, leaving them shattered or mad. Once they choose a victim, they will chase them to the ends of the earth, never relenting in their- Ow.”

“Stop scaring the little one, dear,” Velvet chides, waving the salad tongs threateningly. “If you can’t tell the story normally than just be quiet.”

“I-I’m not scared,” Spike says.

“Alright, alright,” Night Light says. “I’m not really lying though, The Dark’s a pretty scary thing. There hasn’t been one seen in over a millenia though. And they are very single minded, if the history books are to be believed. They only are ever after one person at a time.”

“Oh,” says Spike, looking relieved.

“Why are you researching something like that?” Twilight says.

Night light opens his mouth as if to answer, but shut it again. “You know, I was so interested in the Grimoire that I didn’t ask.” He turns to Shining.

Shining suddenly feels very on the spot as everyone looks at him. This is a rather sticky situation, as by Celestia's wishes, Twilight isn’t to know about the Dark.

He settles on a half truth. “I saw the princess practicing the ward, and I wanted to know how it worked. I am the guard captain, after all, and defensive magic is my speciality. Who knows when a ward like that might come in handy?”

More of a quarter truth if he is being honest with himself.

“Why was the princess practicing a ward like that?” Twilight asks.

“Well, a millenia isn’t as long ago for her. Maybe she was just brushing up on her skills.” Shining says evasively.

The Doorbell rings.

“I’ll get it,” says Shining, quickly getting up and leaving the room.

He comes back with Cadance, and some orange stallion Twilight has never seen before. “Hey, Cadence and Flash are here. Mind if I get going?”

“Cadance!” Twilight says, springing to her hooves.

“Twily!” Cadance returns enthusiastically.

“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!” they chant together.

“Nice to see you Twilight,” Cadance says happily, exchanging a hug with Twilight.

“You too,” says Twilight. “But why are you here?”

“Oh, I made some plans after dinner to hang out with some friends,” Shining says. “This is Flash Sentry, my old bunkmate back at the academy, and my current roommate.”

“Nice ta meetcha,” Flash says. “I’ve heard lots of potentially embarrassing stories about you.”

“Oh knock it off,” says Shining, giving the shorter stallion a noogie.

“Anyway. Mind if we steal your son for the rest of the evening?” Cadance asks Velvet.

“Oh very well, at least I was told beforehand,” Velvet says. “Go on, have fun.”

“Thanks Mom,” Shining says. “See you Twilight.”

“Yeah Twiliy, we gotta catch up while you are in town,” Cadance says.

“I would like that,” Twilight says, smiling.

“Evening all,” Flash says as they all left.

“Ahh what it is to be young.” Velvet says whimsically.

“Huh?” says Twilight. “What do you mean?”

“What it is to be young.” Velvet repeated, this time with a giggle.







Shining releases a breath. “Celestia, that was close.”

“Awkward conversation?” Cadance says, snuggling up beside him.

“Kinda,” he replies.

“Well this is probably my cue to leave. Unless you want to make use of my excellent third wheeling skills?” Flash says.

“Thanks for doing this, Flash,” Shining says.

“Hey if you want to thank me, you can do the dishes when you get home,” Flash says, “As for me, I’m young, It's my night off, and I’m going dancing. Later!” He strolls off.

“He’s such a character.” Cadance giggles.

“Yeah,” Shining says. “So remind me, what was it you wanted to show me?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“Oh stop it,” says Cadance, giggling again, and bopping him on the nose. “There will be plenty of time for that later. We gotta go check out that place first.”

“Lead the way,” Shining says graciously.







“Wake me up, before you go go!” I sing happily, bobbing my head to the beat in my head as I assemble my current project.

Due to some guests, evening supper was cancelled, which suits me just fine. There are so many costumes to make, and if I’m being honest with myself, I’m having more fun than I had had in…

I slow down, my voice trailing off. When did I last have this much fun?

“Is there a problem, Mare?” Luna says, looking up from the manga she is reading.

“...Nah, just got lost in thought is all,” Mare says. “Where was I again?”

“I believe it was the second chorus,” Luna says helpfully.

“Right, thanks,” I say, trying to get back into the groove.

Cherry is doing her normal cleaning duties, but she keeps glancing at me.

“Whats up?” I ask, pausing from my work to face her.

“Oh, ummm,” Cherry hesitates, clearly embarrassed at being called out. “Well, errr… I was just thinking, the new outfit is pretty cute.”

I smirk. “You think so?” I toss one of my pigtails. I am currently dressed as Astarotte, from the anime ‘Astarotte no Omocha!’, a slightly risque outfit that I probably wouldn’t have gotten away with back at the orphanage, even if I had had the materials.

“Yeah, you do really good work,” Cherry says. “I wouldn’t have known it was homemade if I hadn’t seen you make it.”

Now it’s my turn to be kinda embarrassed. “Yeah, well, I had a good teacher, and a lot of practice.”

I have a random idea. “Hey, how about I make you something?”

“Wha- Really?” Cherry says, looking excited.

“Well, I was thinking about trying to make pony clothes for fun. And you seem like you might be a good model,” I explain. “And I would have no reason to keep them, so you could have any I make.”

That’s my excuse anyway. To be honest, I just want to dress up Cherry. She’s too cute not to.

“Oh, thank you!” exclaims Cherry, “No one has ever made me clothes before.”

“Don’t mention it,” I say, picking up a tape measure and snapping it taut. “Now strip.”

“Eh?” says Cherry.

“Mare…” Luna says warningly.

“Hey, I gotta take her measurements, don’t I?” I say innocently. “Come on, it's not as if you ponies have nudity taboos.”

Luna just shakes her head incredulously.

“Al-alright.” Cherry stammers nervously, before slowly undressing.

“Now what to dress you as…” I think out loud.

“Mare, what on Equus are you wearing?” comes Celestia's voice from the door.

I resist the urge to be self conscious as I turn haughtily, “I will have you know that this is the casual attire of Princess Astarotte Ygvar of…” Then I spot Applejack by an amused Celestia.

Now I’m really self conscious. “W-what is she doing here?” I say, trying to hide behind my pigtails.

“Applejack and her friends are in town to have their portraits painted, and Miss Smith wished to know if you were doing well.” Celestia says, still amused. “Did we come at a bad time?”

“G-geez, warn me before bringing people.” I say, attempting to regain composure. “You could at least knock.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Celestia apologises, clearly not sorry.

“Awfully sorry for springing on y’all like this.” Applejack says. “Granny said to give you this if you got upset.”

She had barely lifted the zap-apple jam before I snatch it out of her hoof.

“You are forgiven.” I blurt, stashing it in my box.

Applejack blinks at the speed before shaking her head. She looks around. “Pretty nice place ya got here.”

“Thanks, I guess,” I say. “So have you finished checking yet?”

“Don’t be rude Mare,” Celestia chides.

I roll my eyes. “You’re the one who came in without knocking.”

“I-I’m done, Mare,” Cherry says.

“Righto, let's get you measured,” I say, walking over to the now naked maid. Well, apart from the ribbon in her hair at least.

“Oh, you are making Cherry clothes, too?” Celestia asks.

“I thought it might be fun. Never done pony stuff before.” I say, looking Cherry over. “Now where the hell do I start measuring...”

“By the way, Applejack’s friends are wondering if they might-” Celestia begins.

But I was distracted by Cherry’s cutie mark.

“A yin-yang?” I wonder out loud.

“I’m sorry?” Celestia said.

“Your cutie mark, it’s a yin-yang,” I say to Cherry.

“Oh, you recognise it?” Cherry says, looking over her shoulder. “Yeah, that's what my grandmother called it. It’s apparently a Neighponese symbol meaning balance or harmony. I think it’s pretty cool.”

“It’s red tinted, too…” I think out loud, suddenly having an idea for exactly what I want to dress her as. I look up at her ribbon before taking it out of her hair, and walking back to my new wardrobe.

“Hey!” Cherry says, actually sounding indignant.

I leave her current ribbon on my desk and grab the ribbon from my Reimu outfit. It’s a vibrant red, with a ruffled white inlay, and a white zig-zag pattern on either end. I walk back and tie it back into her hair.

“Huh?” Cherry says, glancing into the mirror and looking at the larger, fancier ribbon in her mane.

“It suits you, It matches your cutie mark. I’ll make you an outfit that matches them as well,” I say, starting to take measurements. I’m still not sure what measurements to take, but I’ll just measure everything, and work it out from there.

“Thanks,” Cherry says, blushing as much as her namesake.
> Chapter Fifteen - Of Tasteless Pranks and Tomato Sauce
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So what’s she like, Applejack?” Twilight asked conversationally.

It was the evening after, and Celestia was leading Twilight and friends to see the western watchtower’s current incumbent, Mare. As usual, Twilight’s curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she started questioning Applejack, the only one so far to have actually talked to her.

“Ehhh, she’s… how do ah put it?” Applejack wondered aloud, trying to find a polite way of putting it, before giving up. “She’s… grumpy and pretty rude, to be honest.”

“Rude?” Twilight asked.

“Yup,” Applejack said. “I got the impression that she wasn’t particularly happy ta see me, maybe she jus’ don’t like new people. Treats her maid alright, though.” Applejack’s face turns ponderous. “Honestly, I don’t know why she even agreed ta see y’all.”

Celestia had been wondering that herself, she didn’t seem particularly keen until…







“Why?” Mare’s response was blunt and to the point.

“Well they seemed interested in meeting you is all, so I thought I might ask,” Celestia said.

“I don’t see why I gotta entertain her friends just ’cause they’re curious, I’m a Reaper, not a circus monkey,” Mare said dryly, continuing her needlework.

Celestia sighed, it was the response she expected, it would probably be disappointing to the girls, but as she turned to tell Applejack…

“Actually…” Mare seemed to stop and think about it, and a little smirk seemed to be trying to pull at her lips. “Sure, bring the whole lot, make a day of it, sure.”

Celestia had a sinking feeling in her gut…







...Which persisted to that night.

Mare was obviously plotting something, that much was obvious, exactly what, however, is what had Celestia wondering. Mare has an imp of mischief, that much she knew, but how big, and how devious she can only guess.

Celestia had a feeling that whatever it was would be tasteless.

As they climb the tower, Celestia’s musings are interrupted by a muted conversation from above. It sounded like Mare and Cherry were arguing about something, which is rare in and of itself.

She made a shushing motion to Twilight and friends and made her way up quietly.

“I still don’t think this is a good idea, it feels… wrong,” was Cherry’s complaint.

“Look, if you don’t want to help, just go hide somewhere. I’ve always wanted to try this, and I’ll be pissed off if you blow this for me,” was Mare’s response.

With a sigh, Celestia climbed up quickly, and pushed the door open before Mare could finish whatever she was attempting, already preparing a dry retort to whatever tomfoolery Mare was indulging in.

However, her remark died in her throat when she caught sight of Mare.

The girls piled in behind her, most froze when they saw Mare, and, as expected, Fluttershy fainted.

Mare stood in the middle of the room, her expression caught halfway between ‘deer in the headlights’ and ’hand in the cookie jar’. She was wearing a simple sheet like a toga, and both her and it were doused in libral amounts of bright red liquid. It was only after a moment that she noticed the large bottle of what appeared to be tomato sauce.

Celestia took a deep breath. “Mare, what do you think you are doing?” Celestia’s words were tinted with disappointment and disbelief.

“Errrrr… modern art?” Mare tried weakly.

“Were you really going to play dead, just because you didn’t want to meet some people?” Celestia asked, looking unimpressed.

“Not quite, I just…” Mare went into mumbles, it seems she was being made nervous by Celestia’s demeanor.

At this point though Celestia felt it justified. “What was that, couldn’t quite catch it?”

“I thought it would be funny,” mumbled Mare.

Celestia took another deep calming breath, and then said, in a very icy voice, “Mare, I am very, very disappointed.”

Mare actually flinched.

“This is too far, even for you. I can’t believe you would try and pull something like this,” Celestia scolded.

“It was just a prank…” mumbled Mare, who had started looking at her feet.

“Is death funny to you, Mare?” said Celestia, losing patience. “Is the thought of finding someone you care about lying injured or dead funny to you?”

Mare flinched again.

“Try and Imagine how we might feel seeing you like that, myself or Luna, to see you in a pool of what initially appears to be blood?” Celestia, having vented her initial anger, walked over to Mare, and lifted her chin with her hoof, so she can look her in the eyes. “I personally couldn’t think of anything more terrifying. Death is never something to be trivialised Mare, you should know better than this.”

Mare just stared back, wide eyed.

“Please never do something like this again. Now go and sit on your rock for a while, and think about what you were going to do.”

Mare, surprisingly, did just that, she walked over, stilll wide eyed, still coated in sauce, and sat down, with her back to the group.

Celestia released a breath she didn’t know she was holding, and turned to Cherry, who looked positively terrified.

“Cherry, could you please get some cleaning supplies, I don’t want the sauce staining the carpet,” Celestia said, attempting to put on her normal calm manner of speech.

“R-right away Princess!” Cherry said, retreating from the room, passing the girls without so much as giving them a glance.

Following Cherry with her gaze, she settled on the thoroughly gobsmacked party of six, sans Pinkie, who is currently helping Fluttershy up off the floor.

“Sorry you had to see that. I knew she had some mischievous tendencies, But I didn’t think she was this bad.” She then gestured to the sitting girl’s back. “While it might be a little late for introductions, I suppose I should introduce you anyway. Girls, meet Mare.”







“Celestia scolded me.” Thinking it to myself doesn’t really make it any easier to comprehend.

“Celestia scolded me.” Try as I might, I can’t really fit the fact into my worldview, its like someone told me the sky is green.

I haven’t been scolded in like… ever. Not since I’ve been in Equestria, at any rate, even Maria only ever lightly chided me. And she’d been the only one to ever try.

But it did happen, Celestia had told her off, she scolded me, and then told me to sit down and think about what I had done, like some disobedient five year old.

And to my growing horror, I listened! The minute Celestia had started showing her displeasure, I had folded like a house of cards and took my (admittedly mild) punishment like a good little girl.

When did I start listening to Celestia? When did she start thinking she had authority over me? When did I start thinking she had authority over me?

I mean, this is her house, I guess, I’m only really staying here cuz she moved me here. But it’s not as if I asked her to. And there is all the food… and the fabric… and the protection from the dark… helping me with my hobbies… putting up with my sense of humor.

I try to squash that little guilty feeling that is starting to flow unbidden from somewhere I refuse to acknowledge.

I start resting my chin on my hands, only to be reminded of the wet slimy feeling of tomato sauce I had decorated myself with. It’s more unpleasant than I had expected. Despite it being a welcome distraction, the sensation is really starting to bug me.

Standing up, I turn around to Celestia, who looks at me expectantly.

“I gotta go wash this off.” I mumble, coming off more meek than I intended.

She sighed. “Very well, off you go.”

“It’s not as if I need your permission,” ...is what I want to say, but I couldn’t really get the words past my mouth, so instead I nod and vanish on the spot, stalking out of the tower, past a bucket wielding Cherry and downstairs to the workroom.

Reappearing, I stare at the washtub that was my makeshift bath from about a week ago. Cherry had run me a bath and laid out my outfit to change into afterwards.

“Maybe I should make her more outfits…” I mumble, as that little knot of guilt grew.







“What-where did she go?” Twilight said, looking around.

“Mare is a… spirit, of sorts, by her own admission. Vanishing like that is natural for her, as easy as breathing,” Celestia explained.

“Well, I must say she seems quite rude,” sniffed Rarity

“That… is also quite natural to her. I had hoped otherwise, but she probably only invited you all to pull that trick.” Celestia sighed, she was doing that a lot today. “Please don’t take it personally, I did warn you she is difficult with strangers.”

“Why did you let her leave?” Twilight asked, while looking at the odd rock that sat dead centre of the room, for reasons she didn’t know, but it seemed important. “Didn’t you tell her to sit and reflect?”

“It was honestly a miracle she listened in the first place, let alone stayed for as long as she did,” Celestia admitted. “I probably should have done more to warn you just how abrasive Mare can be when she has a mind, she probably just remembered herself.”

Further discussion is halted when a still thoroughly cowed Cherry gently made her way into the room, shyly avoiding eye contact with Celestia, and set about cleaning up what little sauce spilled on the floor.

Celestia sighed again, and addressed her. “Cherry.”

The maid flinched.

“Cherry, I don’t blame you for Mare’s behaviour. Controlling her is not in your job description, the fact that you tried at all is good enough for me.” Celestia gave a wry smile. “If it was your job, I’d probably have to pay you more. A lot more.”

“You already pay me plenty…” Cherry mumbled, but she seemed to calm down a little, if the sigh of relief was anything to go by.

“Hiya!” Pinkie says suddenly in Cherry’s close proximity, making her jump. “My name’s Pinkie Pie. What’s yours?”

“Ch-Cherry, Cherry Red,” Cherry said, clutching her chest. Pinkie isn’t quite kind to the highly strung.

“Hey, our names match, only in reverse!” Pinkie said.

“Eh?”

“You know, Pinkie Pie, Cherry Red. Both have colours and food, only in different orders – Ooh! We even have the same amount of letters! We should be best friends!” Pinkie excitedly exclaimed.

“Eeehhh? Isn’t that a little fast?!” Cherry exclaimed in a panic. “I mean, we don’t even know each other. How do we know if we have similar interests?”

“Don’t mind Pinkie, she’s just... really enthusiastic about making friends,” Twilight said, walking up to join the conversation. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, by the way. I used to live in the castle.”

“I have heard of you, Celestia’s last student. Nice to meet you,” Cherry said, still feeling a little awkward, but Twilight seemed a lot easier to talk to.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking, but are you new? I don’t remember seeing you here when I was here,” Twilight asks.

“Oh, quite new.” Cherry said. “I was hired with the new night staff after Princess Luna returned. Mind you, I was assigned to be Mare’s maid from day one, so you probably wouldn’t have seen me anyway even if you were here, I spend most of my nights up here.”

“You are her personal maid,” Rarity says, also joining the conversation. “I must say that is a surprise.”

“Well, age aside, she is still a child,” Celestia says in explanation. “She needs someone to look out for her, for when myself and my sister are not available.”

Applejack gave Cherry a sympathetic look. “My condolences, doesn’t seem like an easy job.”

Cherry actually pouted. “Don’t say it like that, while I admit it has its challenging moments, Mare really is a nice girl deep down, she has just had a rather rough go at things is all. Besides,” Cherry added as an afterthought, “she really is quite low maintenance. All she really wants is the occasional hot cocoa. She even cleans up after herself without being asked.”

“Hmm, surprisingly, that sounds easier then my sister,” muttered Rarity, and Applejack nodded in sympathy.

“I mean it. I actually really like my job,” Cherry said. “And Mare deserves someone to look out for her with what she’s going through.”

“What do you mean, did something happen?” Twilight asked.

“Ehhhh,” Cherry realised she might have said too much. “Well, I’m not sure I should say…”

“Oh come on, don’t leave us hanging, sounds like something interesting.” Rainbow butted in.

“Would you kindly stop interrogating the maid,” Mare says dryly, walking back into the room. “Besides being an invasion of privacy, it’s just rude.”

Cherry shot her a thankful look before returning to cleaning the carpet.

The girls are half taken aback by the sheer audacity to call them rude, and half by just how well Mare cleaned up.

Undecorated by tomato sauce, with her floaty, shimmering hair, and clad in her trademark dress and ribbons, Mare cut quite a stunning figure. Rarity likened her to a doll, without blemish or imperfection, to the point of feeling unreal.

Mare then walked up to Celestia, and the Princess noticed that she is still avoiding eye contact.

Then after a moment of shuffling her feet, Mare mumbled “Sorry,” before walking briskly away to her work bench.

Celestia almost didn’t believe her ears. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” she asked incredulously.

“I’m not saying it twice!” Mare said much more loudly, before going into her sewing, stabbing the cloth with her needle as if it had offended her.

Celestia sighed again, but was smiling. Maybe Cadance was right after all.

Cherry just looked at Mare with a hint of pride, before returning to work.

Pinkie however, being Pinkie, decides to introduce herself. “Hiya!”

Mare spares her a glance, and a single “Hi,” before continuing her work.

“My name’s Pinkie Pie.”

“Charmed,” came Mare’s monotone response.

Pinkie was undeterred. “Whatcha doin?”

“What does it look like I’m doing?” Mare said dryly.

Unfortunately for Mare, Pinkie is immune to passive aggression, and thus answers seriously. “Hmm, it looks like you’re making a dress!”

“Your powers of observation are astounding,” Mare deadpanned.

Unfortunately, Pinkie doesn’t get sarcasm either. “Ohh, Thanks!”

Rarity, after deciding this was too painful to listen to, and as she wanted to talk to Mare about her dressmaking anyway, decided to intervene. “Err, hello, Mare, was it? My name is Rarity, I am a dressmaker by trade.”

Mare spared her a glance. “Charmed.” Then she finalised an embroidered zigzag onto a skirt.

Rarity grimaced briefly, she probably should have expected this, Mare doesn’t seem like much of a conversationalist.

Deciding to examine what she was working on, she finds a skirt of the brightest red, with white inlays and accents. Deciding to inquire, she asks. “I say, this is a very vibrant red, what made you decide to go with such bright colours?”

“Because It was the right shade of red,” is Mare’s lackluster response, as she picked it up to examine it, her eyes searching for imperfections.

“...Excuse me?” Rarity asked, nonplussed.

Mare put down the dress and handed Rarity a piece of paper, before cutting out a pre measured piece of yellow cloth into some sort of ribbon. “Her name is Reimu Hakurei, her outfit is supposed to be that shade of red.”

Rarity looked down at the sketch, it showed a creature not unlike Mare, only seemingly taller, and she wore a simple voluminous red skirt with white ruffles and a white zigzag. She also had a sleeveless shirt with a white, red-patterned collar tied with a yellow ribbon, with curiously detached loose fitting white sleeves, somehow secured halfway up the upper arm. In her hair, there was a curiously familiar ribbon (now that she thought of it, Cherry currently wore one just like it), and weird… hair tubes on her forelocks.

“Eh, who is this?” Rarity asked, feeling even more confused.

“Perhaps I should explain, Mare is not a traditional dressmaker or tailor, but more of a costumer, she designs other characters’ outfits so she can wear them for fun,” Celestia added, sympathetically.

“Oh… so you don’t design your own outfits?” Rarity asked, feeling slightly disappointed.

“Never had the patience for it,” Mare said. “I mean, apart from cosplay, I never really cared about what I wore, I just don’t get why people care about all that fashion junk.”

“O-oh, really?” Rarity said, awkwardly.

The reaction wasn’t lost on Mare, who smirked. “Don’t tell me you do? I mean, I admit that I don’t really know that much about Equestrian clothing culture, but where I’m from the fashion industry is just one big circlejerk, what is and isn’t fashionable being arbitrarily decided by a bunch of elitist pricks, and I figure it wouldn’t be too different here. I’d figure a dressmaker would be aware of this. Just wear what you like, you get much more out of life that way. The less you care, the happier you will be.”

Rarity sputtered, torn between indignation and shock. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash snickered in the background.

“Mare, language please,” Celestia chided.

“I can do worse, you know.” Mare said, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Please don’t,” Celestia pleaded.

“Iiiiiif its longer than its wide its a dck~” sung Mare gleefully.

“MARE!” Celestia shouted. Rarity, completely scandalised, retreated to the backdrop of both Mare and Rainbow Dash laughing, Applejack snickering, and Twilight and Fluttershy blushing.

“I don’t get it,” said Pinkie, confused.

“Don’t worry your little head,” Mare said, patting Pinkie on the head, in considerably better spirits.

“Well… Okay!” said Pinkie, cheerfully.

“Sorry for that, I keep forgetting how vulgar Mare can be,” Celestia said. “I have no idea where she gets that from, because It was definitely not me.”

“I should hope not,” mumbled Rarity, suddenly stuck with the mental image of Celestia singing dirty songs.

“Ehh, don’t worry, I was expecting her to be more stuffy, but she seems pretty cool,” Rainbow said.

“If my granny would hear me singing like that, she’d probably get the soap,” says Applejack, although she seemed to smile wryly. “It’s hard to imagine them bein’ pals.”

“Hey Cherry, its done!” Mare said enthusiastically. “Come and look.”

“Hmm? Oh, coming!” Cherry called back. The girls just noticed she had finished cleaning, and had been leaning against one of the room’s bookshelves reading. She rested the book on the nearby bed, and walked over. “I must say, I didn’t think you’d be done this soon.”

“I’ve always been told I can do anything I put my mind to,” Mare preened, before grabbing Cherry by the forehoof, and dragging her behind a large screen. “Now come on, I gotta show you how to put it on.”

Everyone looked to Celestia for explanation, who only sayid, “Mare wanted to try making an outfit for Cherry, as she’s never made pony clothes before.” Applejack nodded, as she was there when she decided to make it.

("Hey stop squirming, it’s hard enough to get this over your head.")

“Aww, that’s so sweet!” Pinkie cooed, “Making an outfit for her maid, I knew she was a nice person.”

("Sorry, this is just kinda embarrassing.")

("Why? we are both girls, and it’s not as if you ponies have nudity taboos.")

“Yes, I guess?” Twilight commented, blushing in sympathy for the maid.

("Well, it’s the principle of the thing, dressing and undressing is a private thing.")

("You ponies are weird.")

“Am I like this?” mumbles Rarity.

Eventually, Mare emerged, pulling out an embarrassed Cherry. With a flourish, Mare presented her. “Tada! May I present you Cherry, as the priestess of Hakurei!”

Cherry shrunk under the attention, but the girls had to admit, she wore the outfit well, the red complimented her eyes well, and her dark coat and hair created a pleasing contrast. Rarity even grudgingly admitted that the outfit was very well made for someone who had never made pony clothes before, she even got the skirt length right so it wouldn’t drag on the floor. She was also holding a stick with a string of square papers on the end for some reason.

“Isn’t she adorable? Ever since I saw her cutie mark, I knew she would make a great Reimu,” Mare starts gushing. “I’ve always loved the Touhou project, it’s full of really cool ideas, characters and outfits, but Reimu’s is a classic. A non-traditional twist on the standard shrine maiden outfit, it’s a perfect fit for such a lovably laid-back miko. And while Cherry can’t really manage the same ‘don’t fck with me’ aura that Reimu has, her gentle earnestness isn’t bad either.”

Cherry somehow got redder.

“Wow, I didn’t think she was such a nerd,” Rainbow whispered to Applejack, causing the latter to roll her eyes.

“Well, she is passionate about her work at least,” mumbled Rarity, before saying out loud, “I must say, I am impressed by your craftsmanship. Do you have anything else we can see?” Despite her rather vulgar mannerisms, she seemed to know her way around dresses, maybe there might be some interesting designs that might make good inspiration.

Mare radiated smugness. “I’m wearing one. And what’s more, I made this with only scraps I found in the orphanage attic. That’s how good I am. Although if you want to see more…”

She turned to her wardrobe, and started rummaging, ignoring the rather concerned air that Twilight and the girls had taken. Picking out an outfit, she disappeared behind the screen. Far quicker than it took to dress Cherry, she popped out again, striking a pose.

The outfit was unmistakably a witch, it had a voluminous black skirt with white ruffles around the base, adorned with a frilly white apron on the front. The top was a black vest decorated with four brass buttons worn over a white blouse with poofy short sleeves. To top it off, she wore a massive pointed witch’s cap, that sagged stylishly near the top, while still remaining stiff. It had white ruffles on the underside and was tied above the brim with a large white ribbon.

It was quite possibly the most poofy thing any of them had seen.

“Presenting Reimu Hakurei’s best friend Marisa Kirisame, the kleptomaniac ordinary magician from the forest of magic ze! A counter to Reimu’s easygoing laziness, Marisa is bursting with youthful energy and wild abandon, and is a thief of both other people’s property and the hearts of innocent maidens. One of Gensokyo’s strongest magicians, she believes if it ain’t flashy, it ain’t magic.” Mare gushes some more. “I love how cute this outfit is, and its blatant cutesy girliness contrasts with her boyish mannerisms and her rough and tumble lifestyle. And what’s more…”

She walked over and put a hand around Cherry. “It’s a set with Cherry’s, the red-white and the black-white, Touhou’s dual protagonists.”

“Aww you look adorable together,” Pinkie says. “Those outfits are so cute!”

Even Rarity privately admitted that Mare’s enthusiasm was endearing, even if she had earlier blatantly criticized her entire profession.

Celestia just watched happily, she had a feeling that Mare didn’t get many chances to show off what she made back at her home, either that or she didn’t have much to show off. It made her happy to see Mare so expressive and enthusiastic.

It’s then that she noticed that Twilight’s party seemed to be short one mare. Looking around, she spots her by the bed.

Mare, as if sensing the lapse in attention, followed Celestia’s gaze, only to find Fluttershy reading the manga Cherry had put down earlier. Breaking away from Cherry, she silently glided over, and started looking over the distracted Fluttershy’s shoulder.

After a few seconds, after being sure Fluttershy hadn’t noticed her, she spoke. “Ya know, it’s usually polite to ask before looking through other people’s stuff.”

Fluttershy jumped, nearly dropping the manga, having to fumble to catch it, before nervously turning to Mare. “Oh I’m sorry, I was just, well, I didn’t really want to cause a fuss-”

“Ehh, don’t worry about it,” Mare said, while mentally adding her to the bullying exemption list, the second pony to make it there. “They’re not mine anyway, Cherry is just letting me borrow them.”

Cherry, whose cheeks had finally stopped burning, also walked over after hearing her name. “Oh do you read manga, Miss..?”

“Fluttershy,” she said shyly, hiding behind her curtain of a mane. “Yes, I read a little, but it’s hard to get them down in Ponyville, so when I saw all these, I couldn’t help myself.”

“Oh I hear you, it can be pretty hard to find,” Cherry said. “That said, I know a guy I went to highschool with, he opened a specialty store… Hey how long are you in town? I can introduce you, I think he does mail orders.”

“Oh I wouldn’t want to cause a fuss…” Fluttershy said, shrinking back a little bit.

“No trouble, I go there regularly anyway, I think he just got in the latest issue of ‘Huggable Alien’ in.”

“Oh I love that one! I have the first five issues.” Fluttershy said enthusiastically, suddenly straightening up, forgetting her own shyness. “It’s just so cute, whenever I have a bad day, I read one to heal.”

“Is that the one with the mute alien with the electric antennae?” Mare asks. “That was soo sweet, like diabetes sweet.”

“I know, right?” Cherry says.

“I wonder if there is an anime for it?” Mare wondered.

“What’s an anime?” Fluttershy asks, tilting her head, “I think I heard the term in manga before, but I don’t know what it means.”

“Oh yeah, you probably wouldn’t have them since no one here has a television,” Mare said. “But they are like moving cartoons based on manga. Back where I’m from there was heaps.”

“Oh That sounds so cool, like a moving manga,” Cherry said enthusiastically.

“I wish I could see something like that,” Fluttershy said wistfully.

“Yeah, I miss it sometimes… But yeah, one of my favourites was about this guy with a yellow afro who fought with his nose hair…”

Celestia blinked owlishly along with Fluttershy’s friends, as the three started chatting animatedly about their favourites, recommendations and just Japanese/Neighponese culture instead.

Celestia shook off her surprise and shook her head ruefully. Of all the girls who Mare might have hit off with, she honestly wasn’t expecting…

Well, she supposed it wasn’t a bad thing, She was glad that this exercise bore fruit-

“Oh Mare~ We’ve got a surprise for you~”

But Celestia’s attempt to end the chapter was interrupted by her niece Cadance bursting into the room, with Shining Armour bearing a package and Princess Luna in tow.

She then noticed the packed room. “...Am I interrupting something?”

“Cadance!” Twilight says, running over, before exchanging their little greeting ritual.

“Hey Twilight, didn’t expect to see you up here,” Cadance said, ignoring Mare’s snickers.

“Princess Celestia introduced us tonight, what about you? How do you you know her?” Twilight asks.

“Oh I don’t know, Celestia just needed Equestria’s best foalsitter to look after the little hellion at one point,” Cadance says.

“I don’t need a babysitter!” came the indignant call from across the room. “I’m nine hundred and thirty two!”

The main six looked at her in shock.

“Then start acting like it~” sung Cadance, unphased. “If you act like a brat I’ll treat you like a brat.”

“Why I oughta...” growled Mare.

“So what are you doing here right now?” Celestia said, hopefully cutting off any tomfoolery. “You said you had a surprise for Mare?”

“Well I don’t really, they do,” Cadance said, gesturing behind her to Luna and Shining. “I’m just tagging along. They’ve been working on an extra special project for her, and I’ll guarantee she’ll like it.”

“Hmmm, bold claim. Sure you can back it up?” Mare says, but her curiosity was piqued.

“Oh I’m certain. Not to steal their thunder, but it’s something to help with your Dar–” was all Cadance got to say before she was silenced by a pair of hooves in her mouth, one each by both Shining and Luna.

“Pwah!? Hey, what gives-” Cadance said, extricating herself, before Shining put a hoof around her and quickly pulled her away to quietly explain the need for secrecy.

“Apologies,” Luna said to the gobsmacked main six, to further drown out the hushed conversation behind her. “The subject is a rather personal matter pertaining to Mare, so we shouldn’t really discuss it while you are all present.”

Mare raises her eyebrows. “I mean what’s so private about it? I’m pretty sure half the castle staff have heard about it by–” before she too is muzzled by Celestia and also taken aside for some hasty explanations.

“So that’s it, sorry about that.” Luna said, awkwardly poker faced. “Don’t mind us, we’ll just wait until you retire.”

“Oh, ok…” said Twilight, feeling... honestly kinda left out. Still, privacy was privacy. But even then, she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on...







It took Twilight until she finally went to bed for the night.

“Wait a minute!” Twilight exclaimed to the guest room, “Didn’t Shining and Luna’s project have something to do with Darkbane?!”

Oh dear.