Prologue: The Forgotten History of Equestria

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From theses to incantations, I have put quill to parchment many times for many reasons, but none of my works shall ever exceed the importance of this one. To truly capture the dire complexity of the situation we find ourselves in, I have enchanted this book to inscribe itself directly via my lucid thoughts, to ensure the documentation of every moment in as much detail as possible, even while otherwise occupied. Should the contents of this book end abruptly, you shall know why.

The last few days have been the most tumultuous in Equestria's history, even so far back as the Great Freeze at the very founding of our nation. But to understand the scope of what we have lost and what we are fighting for, I must first fully educate you on the history of our great nation of Equestria, as this could very well be the last surviving account our of origin. Obviously I cannot cover everything in as much detail as I would like, as that would be a tome unto itself, but I shall do my best to synopsize everything that I know leading up to this moment in time.

Unicorns, pegasi, and terrans; the three equine races of Equestria. In ancient history, these three lived as separate factions, fighting over resources and the necessity of each group's unique abilities—the unicorn's control of day and night, the pegasi's mastery of the weather and seasons, and the terran's knowledge of agriculture and their food stores. When peace talks failed for the final time, the leaders of each group—Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead respectively—were all but ready to go to war with the others, which finally attracted the attention of the misery-eating spectres known as windigos. As they consumed the negative emotions of the ponies, the land began to freeze with a magical permafrost, thwarted at the last possible moment by the indiscriminating care of the factions' aides; Clover the Clever, Private Pansy, and Smart Cookie. With the frozen hearts of the other ponies thawed, the three nations' leaders came together under a single flag of peace, and thus our united land of Equestria was formed. We remember this event annually on its anniversary, which has come to be known as Hearth's Warming—a reminder to keep love and kindness in our hearts, lest the frost returns to claim us all.

Originating at the very spot the three nations' pact was formed, Canterlot began life as a humble frontier camp at the base of Mount Friendship, later moving up to a more defensible position on the mountainside, where the first stone structures were built. Years later, the flourishing town and its three faction leaders watched over all other settlements from its mountain perch, ensuring the safety and cooperation of its still-anxious citizens. Canterlot Tower was the first structure to be built of what would later become Canterlot Palace in my time. It featured a breathtaking stained glass memorial dedicated to the six ponies—two of each nation—who brought peace to this era of ponykind, and continued to rule in harmony from within its walls for the remainder of their years. As the population and economy grew, so did its seat of power, and soon Canterlot Manor had grown up around the tower, along with the Firstborns of Equestria. These fillies and colts were the first of our kind to grow up in an inclusive, non-segregated society, and with that came a love and acceptance for one another that had never been seen before.

Throughout the history of the world, prosperity has always attracted the ire of other races, be it from jealousy or spite, and it was only a matter of time before the next great catastrophe struck. Villains who wished to disrupt our peace began to appear one after another, seeking to subjugate or destroy ponykind. The strength of the three races’ cooperative forces, headed by the Original Six, were enough to hold back the invading forces, fending off abyssinians and centaurs alike—that was at least until Grogar of Tambelon arrived. Armed with a powerful artefact, the now aged Six were not strong enough to stand against his might, and Canterlot fell under his cloven hoof.

A decade of oppression passed, and those Firstborn of Equestria had finally matured enough to oppose Grogar's regime. A resistance group formed to reclaim the peace of their childhood, and amongst their ranks rose a reluctant leader by the name of Gusty. Rallying and inspiring the downtrodden ponies from the shadows, the group eventually managed to grow enough to directly assault the usurped throne and separate Grogar from his source of power, leaving him vulnerable enough to be overthrown by the masses, forcing him to flee in disgrace. Heralded as the hero of Equestria, Gusty became known as Gusty the Great, and was trusted with overseeing the nation's regeneration. Despite being uncomfortable with special treatment and eschewing the honorary title of Queen, Gusty would still be recorded as the origin of Equestria's autocracy.

Further decades passed without incident until Gusty the Great gave birth to her only daughter, Princess Faust, though no records have survived naming the sire. Mentored by one of Gusty's lifelong friends, Firefly, Faust’s fillyhood was filled with love and a passion for magic and learning, but as is ever the case, harmony is not destined to last forever. Seeking revenge for the centaurs’ earlier defeat at the hooves of the Original Six, a young but powerful prince named Tirek stormed Canterlot with only two guards, wielding a magic not unlike Grogar's, but without the need of an artefact. With no easy answer to his defeat, Tirek consumed the lifeforce of hundreds of ponies, becoming stronger with every one he drained. Just as the red menace was set to topple the capitol for the second time in history and bring about another Dark Age, something happened that nopony could have predicted...

Alicorns. A mythical fusion of each race's strongest trait: the magic of unicorns, the flight of pegasi, and the heart of terrans. Unlike the other races, this form is not born of sire and womb, but from an inner-magic beyond all others; a purity of heart so great that it unlocks some deep, latent potential that resides within us all.Princess Faust had one such heart, and on the eve of Canterlot's destruction, this lone mare stood up to the monstrous Tirek, and in her courage became something... more. A single pony with the horn of a unicorn and pegasus wings, standing tall as the final hope for her people; a creature never before documented and as shocking to friend and foe alike. As though he were nothing, Tirek fell to her righteous indignation and was cast into a timeless pocket dimension of her own creation, doomed to exist in a state of stasis for all time.

With Canterlot saved and the balance of power tipped, it was time for Gusty the Great to step down and leave the throne to her alicorn daughter. As scared and uncertain as the new Queen was, Firefly did her best to stand by her side as council, navigating the hardships of what it meant to be this new creature she had become. As life began to settle back to normalcy, one of the first official decrees Queen Faust made was to construct and open Faust's Academy for Magic and Learning; a bastion of knowledge and magic, open to any who wished to learn. Canterlot Palace was also expanded to the state we know it today, now featuring a massive hall for greeting the many ponies that would come to see the Queen on a daily basis, bringing to her direct attention issues large and small. In fact, the first alicorn Queen dedicated so much of her time to the ponies of Equestria that she never bore an heir to the throne; but as time passed, it seemed that a successor might not be needed at all. As old friends passed and new generations rose, Faust remained on the throne—a little taller and longer in horn, but as mystical and vibrant as ever. Some feared what life under the rule of a single pony for all time might entail, but the Queen's rule remained just, cultivating the longest era of prosperity and peace Equestria had ever known.

Nothing—however—is destined to last forever, and despite time having lost its grip on her body, one's mind cannot withstand such a stressful lifestyle forever, and Queen Faust decided that it was finally time to leave the country's rule in the hooves of another. She turned to the descendants of the Firstborn as her primary candidates, selecting the most promising six to rule by committee, just as our nation had when it was founded. A grand gala was held to celebrate Faust's rule before she left to explore the lands beyond Equestria, spreading her message of peace and cooperation as she went. The ball also saw the swearing-in of The First Council; two ponies of each race to continue in the hoofsteps of the Queen as honorary princes and princesses. Having lived under the rule of a single pony for so long, there was now fear that a committee would bring chaos to the land, but just as before, the ponies' comfortable lives continued without incident.

The First Council proved itself to be just as approachable as the Queen had been, if not more so now that there were more ponies to spread amongst the necessary jobs and governmental sectors. As time passed, a hierarchy began to form within the group, and two particular ponies began to stand out amongst the others in the public eye: Cosmos Hyperion Sol and Stella Starshine. A headstrong terran and nature-loving pegasus respectively, both ponies were attentive, generous, and obsessively committed to keeping Canterlot the utopia it had become; but the most endearing thing about these two was the love they shared for one another. Having once been foalhood friends, the two lost contact until they met again for the first time in decades at the first council meeting and immediately fell in love. Friends and townsfolk alike encouraged the two to wed for years, but both placed the needs of Canterlot before themselves, remaining content with the scarce few hours they could spend together, though it was only a matter of time until they would concede.

I cannot begin to describe the immense joy and celebration that erupted across Canterlot and its satellite settlements in the days preceding the wedding, as though every pony in Equestria were part of the union itself. Heralded as the first ever royal wedding, Prince Sol and Princess Starshine were the very embodiment of the bliss of our nation, attracting attention from far and wide. However, unbeknownst to the happy couple, a secret polling had taken place between their fellow members of the First Council and across Canterlot, proposing to make this event not only a wedding, but a coronation too. As the betrothed stood on the balcony of Canterlot Palace on their wedding day, not only where they named husband and wife, but appointed as King and Queen, to the raucous delight of the crowd.

As the two stood hoof-in-hoof, gazing into each others’ eyes, something happened that no one could have possibly predicted. A celestial energy began to circle the pair and lift them from the ground, like something out of a fairy tale… or history. While no one alive had witnessed this before, those of us who were well versed in historical literature recognised this incredible, momentous event for what it was--the birth of an alicorn. Ney, alicorns. With an explosion of light, the two disappeared from the stage, leading to confused murmurs from the crowd and downright panic from the staff. However, before anyone could overreact, the newly-weds reappeared, floating down to their original position on two pairs of elegant wings, and pink-hued magic sparking between their horns. Who could have imagined that a terran and pegasus in love would have birthed the second generation of alicorn rule in our land? I remember it like it was yesterday, dear reader, for I was in fact there that day, standing on my father’s back from the crowd below as a young foal. It was that very moment that I dedicated my life to the study of magic and the mysteries of the alicorn transformation. Simple history books were no longer enough for my young, voracious mind, so as soon as I came of age, I enrolled at Faust's Academy for Magic and Learning. But I digress, as this record is not of my own exploits—that I shall leave for historians of the future, presuming there is one at the end of all this. Instead, let us return to the next, and perhaps darkest chapter of the story yet.

It had been many years since the birth of the first alicorn, and in that time nations of other creatures had risen around our fiefdom. Racial diplomacy had become a concern that we as a nation had never had to deal with before, and with news quickly spreading of the ponies’ new powerful leaders, tension was already dangerously high. Other creatures feared alicorns as you might fear an army of hundreds, and it wasn’t long before the King and Queen received intelligence that the griffon nation to the East were training and amassing troops, with the intent to invade Equestria. While our nation had faced invasion and hardship before, it had never been on this scale, and morals of the situation had never been this grey.

Years of relative peace passed, but the dark cloud of war loomed ominously on the horizon. As Equestria’s settlements expanded and the proximity between nations shrunk, tensions began to rise in every direction, with threats emerging from the violent yaks in the North, the predatory changelings in the West, and the opportunistic diamond dogs in the South. With our intelligence network spread thin and no dedicated defensive force to speak of, this was the perfect time for the griffons to strike, and strike hard they did. Squadrons of armoured flyers raided Canterlot from the sky, and while King Sol and Queen Starshine did their best to defend the townsponies, their numbers were simply too great for two ponies alone—alicorn or not. With the first wave pushed back, an emergency counterforce was drafted; a special anti-air brigade comprised solely of pegasi, named The Valkyries.

It was around this time that I graduated from Faust’s Academy with flying colours, and was summarily invited to join the royal court as a magical advisor for defence. Battle raged for months over the skies of Canterlot as blacksmiths worked day and night to forge armour and weapons for our fledgeling force, while I developed new spells and maintained a defensive barrier around the palace. But this was only the beginning of our troubles, as the other creatures’ nations saw this as an opportunity to defend their own borders, and so began a full-scale, continent-wide war, with us at the centre. An emergency conscription was relayed across all ponydom, rallying farmers and builders to take arms at the outer-most border-towns and fortify them against invasion. It later came to light that the griffons had been fearmongering from the shadows to manipulate the other races into action, leading this to be known as the Great Griffon War. Despite the overwhelming disadvantage to begin with, years of sweat and blood led to us establishing major hoofholds in each war zone, with the Crystal Spire in the North, New Canterlot to the West, Fort Macintosh to the South, and Canterlot proper to the East.

The battles were long and hard fought, with many casualties on both sides, but for as peaceful and enlightened as ponykind may be, it is folly to underestimate our resilience and courage under pressure. Between the air-superiority of the Valkyries and the tireless efforts of the militia, we broke the griffons' backs, forcing them to retreat back to Griffonstone. With the instigators of this war defeated, it was only a matter of time before the other races conceded or fell. Word was sent to the front lines to inform our enemies of the griffons' lies, but of the three armies, only the yaks in the North heeded our parley, whereupon they signed a non-interference ceasefire and left in peace. Contact with the changelings in the West was all but impossible, and the battle continued to rage against the swarm without any signs of slowing. The diamond dogs to the South were told of the deceit, but their pride forbade them from relenting. As bravely as the enemy fought, our forces began to overwhelm and raze their cities, forcing the remaining diamond dogs to flee underground and securing a tentative victory on that front.

With three of the four armies nullified, our forces pooled in New Canterlot against the emotion-draining changelings, which began to tip the tides in our favour. With the capitol secured for now, we unicorns began developing armour to counter the bugs' power, shielding our troops' hearts and minds against their vampirism. With diminishing food and increasing losses, the changeling Queen vowed vengeance against Canterlot and fled with her remaining hive. After such a long and painful war it was hard to celebrate our victory, but the relief at finally feeling safe for the first time in years was immeasurable. An award ceremony honoured our fallen and our heroes; Sombra—the unicorn who commanded our Northern troops and brokered peace with the yaks—was given the honorary title of Lord and rule over the Crystal Spire as an independent annex under the crown. Ironhead—a young pegasus that took command of the South front when their superiors fell and helped secure our decisive victory there—was promoted to captain of the newly formed royal guard at Canterlot castle and gifted an old centaurian relic, the shield Netitus. The battle at New Canterlot left the settlement ruined and no stand-out heroes, but those brave warriors and their enchanted armour were the first to be offered membership to the royal guard under Ironhead.

Years of peace slowly began to dull the pain of war, but one thing that remained seared into the memories of the survivors was the indomitable power of King Sol's magic. You see, upon becoming an alicorn, King Cosmos Hyperion Sol—formerly a terran—was gifted with the ability to manipulate the very essence of space itself. Given his stature and temperament it was nigh impossible to study, but I suspect he had either the ability to manipulate gravity, or to alter the mass of molecules, though I lean towards the latter. Either way, when used destructively, his magic was a fearful thing to behold, even for our town army. Seeing griffons swallowed by black... 'holes' in the sky, crushed by massive boulders, or thrown so far as to be unseeable... It was a fear that none of us expected to have, and in the beginning I believe it shocked even the King himself. But now in this time of peace, his powers were seen as more of a liability than a service, so the Council of the Nine were formed. Overseen by the King's own brother and a lawful judge of high repute, Myriddius Lex, the council was comprised of four left-leaning, and four right-leaning members, with the High Adjudicator to mediate between them over the lawful use of magic. Despite initial scepticism over nepotism—not that the King chose his brother for the position—the High Adjudicator did in fact ban the King's use of magic unless in only the most dire of circumstances. Other magic that this group banned included things like time-travel, necromancy, and even many of my own spells, particularly those developed for use in war. While this angered the King, given his devotion to the town and ponies of Canterlot, especially in a time of war, he could not disagree that there was little use to his powers outside of battle. The King's direct and emotional personality was often tempered by the caring calmness of his wife, which is why they were a match made in Elysium. To draw a phrase from an Eastern book I once read, they were as Ying is to Yang—two parts of a whole, compensating for what the other lacks. Similarly, the Queen's new magic—having previously been a pegasus—was that of healing and reconstitution on a molecular level, almost the polar opposite of the King's. Queen Starshine was far more gracious at allowing me to study her abilities, and what she was capable of was truly astounding—she was able to restore an entire book from barely a hoofful of ashes, or bring life back to a dead plant—far beyond anything a mere unicorn could do, even myself.

The end of war, it seems, brings with it not only elation at its passing, but a stark reminder of our mortality and those we lost. We become nostalgic, we feel sehnsucht—look it up—and inevitably our minds turn to procreation. I say 'our', but of course I have far better things to do with my time. And so there was a boom in population, nature's way of rebalancing the losses, and the royal couple were not immune from this almost instinctual pull. A short time later, Equestria had a new Princess; a pink-maned, white-coated unicorn named Celestia, and Canterlot slowly began to return to the joyous, thriving civilisation it once was. The love that King Sol and Queen Starshine shared positively radiated from them, and I was lucky enough to witness it firsthoof. Remembering such bittersweet times feels so alien now, so disconnected from what the world has so quickly become. Nevertheless, this was the most secure Canterlot had been since its founding, now protected by satellite cities, a war-hardened military, and flourishing trade routes across Equestria. Yet this golden age barely lasted half a decade before tragedy struck yet again, this time at our very core.

Despite the struggles of adapting a utilitarian palace to fit the needs of a young filly, Queen Starshine found herself with foal once more. The King could barely contain his excitement after she shared with him the news, and both spent the following year pampering Princess Celestia until the baby was due. I was there to oversee the procedure for the second time, though things did not go as smoothly as they had with young Celestia. The Queen's heart-rate began to race and her sweat-beaded pallor was evident of great trouble. I could only watch as four guards were forced to hold her to the operating table while the medical unicorns pulled the precious new life from her womb. Much like their parents, this little filly was the antithesis of her sister, with her body a soft lavender and a small tuft of smokey blue hair. So small; so delicate. The surgeon passed the newest Princess to her mother, who had now become calm, and with tears in her eyes whispered “my dear Luna”, before falling limp. Just as quickly as a life had come into the world, another had left, and all the while sweet little Luna did not make a peep, laying as though peacefully asleep. There was mass panic among the surgeons and guards, of course. Everypony did what they could, myself included, but the ado was for naught; she had passed. I took it upon myself to inform the King of the tragedy, and naturally the news was not taken sitting down. He stormed the theatre, with many of us fearing that a rageful outburst from the King would kill us all, but as he stood by her side, heaving with tears as he clutched her lifeless hoof, the sounds of a stirring baby pulled his attention. I watched him with great intent, seeing at first elation and relief in his eyes as he stepped toward the doctor holding her, then they soured to bitterness, regret, misery, and lastly... accusation. With a grimace like you have never seen on another pony's face, he turned and left the room, returning to his chambers.

Nopony could have predicted something like this happening—a condition that lesser ponies had survived, yet which has now claimed the life of an alicorn, a species thought to be immortal. Something inside the King broke that day, as it would with any sane pony, made all the more dangerous by his position and the strength of his magic. From that day forward he commanded that Luna was to never be within his sight, and that it was now the palace staff's duty to raise both children. I was tasked with being the Princesses' mentor and magic tutor, while the King slumped on his throne, becoming ever more despondent and slipping away from reality.

And after that? Well, I shall save that for the next chapter, as it is late, and I fear what this enchantment may record while I sleep. It is funny how I find myself feeling nostalgic while the world could end at any moment... And yet, as I lay here, there is a calming element to the helplessness. If a situation is out of our control, then why worry? But I deny these thoughts. It is my duty, as it was given to me, to protect these girls. I shall find a way to obtain control of the situation, even if I have to walk to the four corners of Equestria myself. Whatever comes first, be it success or the eternal void, I shall know that I did everything in my power to protect this world and my wards. Should I fail, I shall die with a smile on my face, as I have already done more than any other pony could. I shall return the Princesses to the Canterlot throne, or my name isn't Starswirl.

Chapter 1: A Wizard's Duty

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Equestria, a grand and prosperous nation of ponies, lead from Canterlot Palace at its centre, nestled high on the side of Mount Friendship. While its outward appearance may seem grey and cold, inside this stone monolith live two little fillies; one just of school age, and the other still in swaddling. While the younger coos peacefully in her chambers, attended by a wet nurse and entertained by a pegasus mobile, her elder sister sat in a classroom with her mentor and tutor, Starswirl, the palace's court wizard.

“And that concludes our time for today on this brief overview of Equestrian history. Any questions?” Starswirl lowered the textbook from his face to observe his class, comprised of the lone filly.

The small white unicorn tapped her chin in mock thoughtfulness, looking up at the wooden-beamed ceiling. “Just one question. Why are we going over the same stuff again? It’s boring! I wanna learn something new!”

“It is important to cover the basics, Celestia. Most ponies do not memorise information after hearing it once, and I doubt you are an exception.”

“This blows.” The filly crossed her forelegs and slumped back in her chair.

“Well, like it or not, I have been charged with your education,” the elder unicorn rebuked, rounding his desk and sitting back down. “And if I say we cover the basics again, we cover the basics again.”

Celestia grunted in reply, which was not satisfactory for her tutor.

“What was that?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, Uncle Starswirl.”

“Good. And you can expect to cover these topics again when Luna is old enough to retain information.”

“Aww!” she groaned, throwing her hooves in the air and collapsing onto her desk.

“Really, such dramatics are not fitting for a Princess of Equestria.” He sighed, massaging his brow. “But that is a problem for your etiquette tutor, not I. Now, do you have a realquestion regarding this subject?”

“War sucks,” she mumbled, her face still pressed to the desk. “Is that why we never get any griffons or changelings at the palace?”

“Quite right, and I should hope we never will. Seeing either race in the palace would be as good as a declaration of war. I shall have to explain the concept of a cold war to you for our next history lesson.”

“I don’t want to learn about war. No one should have to.” She rested her head on her forelegs, a look of sadness in her eyes.

“Perhaps, but that is simply not the reality of the world we live in.”

Princess Celestia sighed, shifting her sight towards the window on her left. The misty dew of the morning had fled, with a cold breeze now rustling through the trees of the walled courtyard outside. She wanted to be out there and running around, even if it was cold. Being a princess was so boring; nothing but ‘Celestia, do your homework’, and ‘Celestia, you need to enuuuunciate’, and ‘Celestia, stop stealing food from the kitchen’. What’s the point of being a princess if you can’t do what you want, when you want? She’d rather be a regular foal. She bet they didn’t have to do everything they were told all the time. Who would want the fate of all Equestria riding on their back, anyway? She didn't ask for this—to be born a princess. Maybe she could pass it off onto Luna when she was older?

“Alright, enough daydreaming, time to move on to Old Ponish.”

Celestia let out another frustrated moan. “But it’s a dead language!”

“Just because we do not speak it, does not mean you do not need to know it. Many ancient scrolls and spells are written in Old Ponish, ones that we will be studying in due course. So if you would kindly take out your workbook, Your Highness.”

With another exhausted sigh, the pink-maned filly pulled a pleatherbound book from beneath the desk with her yellow-hued magic and began flicking through the pages.

By mid-afternoon the small filly had completed her classes and was finally allowed to leave the palace, making a beeline to the walled garden for her precious hour of freedom. As Starswirl tidied away his teaching supplies, he looked out the window and across the mountainous vista of Unicorn Range. As beautiful as the palace could be, he couldn’t help but recognise this gilded cage for what it was. Such confines were fine for him—welcomed, even—but for a small thing like Celestia, it was woefully unfair, though necessary, for obvious reasons. While he could happily spend the remainder of his days in a library of ancient texts, it is a distinctly different matter when you have no say in the arrangement. He sighed, stashing away the final ink pot and donning his hat before returning to the thick, stone blocks of the corridor and making his way back towards his private chambers, following the central strip of plush red carpet.

Climbing the spiral stone steps of his personal tower, Starswirl’s mind turned to King Sol and the current state of affairs. Young Princess Luna was almost three months old at this point, and the King had yet to visit her once since her birth—and the Queen’s death. While there was a morbid poetry to one life entering this world as another leaves, it was a cruel trade that no child should ever be a part of. And after losing their mother to some bitter twist of fate, the girls now too found themselves without a father, who had indefinitely retreated to his chambers in grim despair. It had been a gradual decline of course, first only refusing to see his youngest daughter—presumably due to ill-placed blame—then insisting on eating alone, away from his eldest—one of the precious few moments they spent together. Court business had come to a halt after the event to allow time for mourning, but the doors to the palace remained shuttered even now. If was hard to blame him, of course. Losing one's betrothed must be one of the greatest pains in the world, not that he had any personal experience in the matter; and this mess only served to bolster his opinion that pursuits of the heart were folly. An embargo was issued to all palace staff, so no pony outside these walls knew of the events since the Queen's imminent foaling. Questions were starting to amount though, as the King had been failing his duty to raise the sun and moon on schedule; a sacred mandate bestowed upon the alicorn rulers since the first ascension. This task was now reverting back to the unicorn race's historical burden, and as the Court Wizard and Royal Advisor for Magic, it was his duty to organise and head the immense amount of horsepower required to match what an alicorn can achieve single-hoofedly. Indeed, a regular unicorn can be left bed-bound for days after a single raising, and he was fast running out of candidates within the palace, so it was only a matter of time before their secrets were revealed.

Arriving at his loft at the top of the tower, Starswirl dragged out a small worn stool from beneath his writing-desk with his magic, sitting down with an exhausted thud. A small spark from his horn lit the candles surrounding the room, casting flickering doppelgängers of his form across the floor-to-ceiling bookcases that lined the walls. As knowledgeable as he was, all the books and scrolls in Equestria would not have been enough to avoid this tragedy. Hundreds of years of history had taught him that alicorn ascendancy was a mark of immortality, and allowing such an oversight to claim the Queen had left him feeling supremely impotent. Sleep had been hard to come by these passing months, and as the King's torpor grew, so did the burdens of the next highest ranking court officials. Still, it was his duty—ney,purpose—to return order to the throne and peace of mind to his Lord... But how?

Following the Queen's death, King Sol had entrusted the raising of his daughters to his palatial aides, with Starswirl chosen as their tutor for history and the magical arts. He had never liked foals; he found them obnoxious, obstinate, needy, and a fair reason to never concern himself with desires of the flesh. Princess Luna was far too young to attend any of his classes of course, and for that he was grateful, giving him time to adjust to dealing with these little ponies. In Princess Celestia's case, it had not been an easy transition from scholar to teacher, but it was a role he had become increasingly attached to. Celestia had shown herself to be an incredibly astute filly despite her age, though the absence of both parents had taken a toll on her otherwise well-mannered behaviour as of late. He was thankful that he didn't have to bathe or feed the foals, which was left to the various maids and butlers of the palace, but their broad range of carers were no match for a loving family unit. Even Butternut Squash—their etiquette and Ponish tutor—had noticed increased reluctance to participate, which he suspects will only get worse until some closure is reached.

Lost deep in thought, Starswirl failed to hear the King's messenger phoenix fly through the small circular window in the conical ceiling of his arcane tower. Landing on the guardrail separating his floor from the stone stairs behind him, the fiery creature squawked, bringing him back to reality with a start. He swivelled on the stool to face the bird, wrinkles furrowing his brow.

“The King wishes to see me?” he asked as the phoenix preened itself, replying with another squawk before leaving the way it had entered. “I see... Thank you, Hephaestus.”

He stood from his seat, worried at this unusual summons. The King had rarely left his room since the incident, using menial staff to fetch him food and ale, but this... this was strangely formal, and yet it spoke of anything but a return to normalcy. Starswirl made his way to a wooden mannequin in his room, removing his casual, bluish-grey robe and hat, replacing them with a rich blue ensemble, accented with images of stars and crescent moons; the vestments of his role as Court Wizard.

The royal throne room lay within the heart of Canterlot Palace, separating the entrance hall ahead of it and the royal chambers behind. It was an incredibly long room, taking minutes to walk from one end to the other, and flanked by colourful stained glass murals on either side, bathing the opulent white marble flooring in a rainbow of hues. King Cosmos Hyperion Sol sat slouched on his elevated throne—much like him, one of a pair—a gaunt, asymmetrical shadow of his former radiance. Hephestus the phoenix sat on a perch between the two thrones, regally standing to attention as the two waited for the summoned pony to arrive. There was a knock at the far end of the room, and the two giant, red doors cracked open, aided by a pair of golden-armoured pegasi guard on either side. The King's cold stare lingered as a small, grey unicorn trotted down the gilt red carpet, his blue cloak flaring out as he made respectful haste to the throne. Reaching the foot of the short, ascending staircase, the wizard humbly prostrated himself.

“What news, Starswirl?” the King grumbled with his deep, baritone voice, leering from beneath his brows.

“Sire?” The unicorn stood, not quite understanding the purpose of his summons, but trying his best to accommodate his Lord's question. “Uh, well, Princess Celestia is making great strides in her studies. Her absorption of knowledge is that of a filly twice her age, and her basic magic control is already analogous to that of a common mare's.” He paused to swallow, unsure if this was what the King had asked of. “Princess Luna, is, of course, not of-”

“Do not SPEAK TO US OF THAT, STARSWIRL,” King Sol roared, causing the unicorn to recoil in fear, and Hephaestus to squawk in surprise and fly away.

“B-But my Liege, it has been three months since your daughter's birth. Do you not think you should at least lay eyes on her?” His voice quaked, taking a massive risk by mentioning this at all, but something simply had to give. “She cannot be blamed for...”

Starswirl trailed off on his own this time, suddenly feeling an oppressive aura emanate from the alicorn, almost choking him with raw emotion. Even now, at his lowest of points, the King of Equestria was truly a sight to behold. Despite the sunken eyes and scruffy stubble across his white chin, his magic-infused mane still flowed behind him like a portal into the deepest reaches of space, treating the eye to visions of other planets and nebulae the likes of which no pony has ever seen. Though his golden crown may be crooked and his red mantle lopsided, this was still the same king that in no small part won them the Great Griffon War, the same king that had filled their nation with joy at their coronation, and the same king that was deemed too powerful to use his magic by the Council of the Nine. Upsetting him could be a potentially fatal mistake these days, not just for Starswirl, but for all of Canterlot.

“You dare speak to Us of the royal family?” he growled, his head sinking lower, eyes now obscured by shadow. “Family. Hah!” he spat to himself, pressing his hooves into the throne arms angrily.

“A-Apologies, My Lord.” The wizard lowered his head to the red carpet once more, scared of what such a powerful being could do while so... unhinged. “I merely assumed you wished to be updated on the task with which you had bestowed me.” He dared to look up from the floor. “With all due respect, Your Highness-”

“WITH 'ALL DUE RESPECT', YOU WOULD NOT ASSUME ANYTHING OF YOUR KING, NOR ADDRESS US IN SUCH A CASUAL MANNER, MAGICIAN.” The King's Royal Canterlot Voice—a traditional manner of speaking reserved for public addresses and formal occasions—boomed throughout the hall, only amplified by its echo. If his anger wasn't apparent enough, the inclusion of such a slur towards unicorns clearly told Starswirl he had crossed wherever the invisible line was today. Used to mock those inept at magic, magicians were typically non-unicorn illusionists and practitioners of cheap parlour tricks—an insult twice as cutting to the Court Wizard, the highest rank of magic-user attainable besides academy tutors and Council members.

Fearful for his life, he fully knelt on the floor, digging his horn into the ornate fabric as hard as he could. “I beg forgiveness, Lord, I did not-”

“NO, YOU DID NOT.” The King stood from his reclined sitting position, now standing in front of his throne, his enchanted hair curling and weaving dramatically behind him. “KNOW YOUR PLACE BELOW US, STARSWIRL. YOU ARE OUR ADVISOR ON MAGIC, AND ON MAGIC ALONE. HOW WE CONDUCT OUR OURSELVES IS OUR CONCERN, AND NO OTHER'S.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Fearing his trek to the throne room had been to act as naught but a punching-bag, the wizard began to back-pedal towards the door, his horn scraping the floor as he went.

“WE DID NOT GRANT YOU LEAVE.”

Starswirl froze as though his life depended on it, practically hearing the jingle of dungeon chains in his ears—though that may have just been tinnitus.

“WE SUMMONED YOU FOR A REASON. APPROACH.”

The unicorn nodded the best he could against the floor, before gingerly rising and moving towards the steps to the throned plinth. He swallowed, having never felt this fear to approach the King before. Standing beside his throne had been typical for audiences with citizens and dignitaries, but this meeting had quickly become anything but typical, as predicted. Ascending the steps, he removed his pointed hat in respect and held it to his chest. With a grunt, the King slumped back into his seat and wearily waved for the wizard to come closer, which he readily obliged. Back at the entrance to the throne room, the two inner door guards looked at each other anxiously, worried for the well respected courtier.

“Starswirl,” he began in a rare, hushed tone. “Our alicorn magic is mighty, as you well know, as does the Council.” He spat the name, clearly resenting them for something more than just outlawing his magic. “We move the very sun and stars each day; the very world hangs within Our hooves. And yet as easy as it is for Us to raise the heavens, We have been unable to raise...”

His voice trailed off, though those last wisps of breath sent a chill down Starswirl's spine. He... He wasn't about to say what he thought he was... Right?

“We require your expertise in the arcane arts. You are well known for your creativity and skill in crafting new magics... We desire a spell to...” He trailed off again, biting his lip and furrowing his brow, before waving for his audience to come even closer.

The wizard dared not dissent, now leaning over the arm of the throne to listen to the King's whispers. The colour slowly drained from the pony's already ashen complexion as his jaw slacked. This... This was some sick joke at his expense, right? What the King had uttered in the lowest of voices was themost forbidden magic, not only banned by the Council of the Nine, but taboo since the very beginning of unicorn history! Starswirl couldn't help but reel back, coming dangerously close to the edge of the plinth. He locked eyes with the King, praying to Queen Starshine that he did not mean it; but the tired, empty eyes that met his gaze spoke only grim truth.

“W-What you ask for, Sire... Such a thing is-” he stammered, unable to process the reality of what he had heard.

“We do not ask, Court Wizard, We command.”

King Sol's stare pierced Starswirl's very being. This was not the same pony that had sat on this throne mere months ago, brimming with joy and love for his wife and their soon-to-be second daughter... This was a husk of that stallion, clawing at what little he could to regain that which he had lost. He knew this was forbidden. He knew why it was forbidden; and yet he still asked... No, 'commanded'. His hooves were tied. Obey the King and be sentenced to life by the Council, or deny the King and receive life—or worse—from him instead.

“You have your duty. Begone,” Sol grumbled, sliding further down in his chair, resetting to the position he had been found in.

The court wizard's mind was left blank. What should he do? What could he do? With an awkward bow, he replaced his hat and hurried back towards the looming main doors of the hall.

“DO NOT DISAPPOINT US, STARSWIRL,” the King called after him, returning to a grumble. “Your future depends on it.”

Starswirl froze at the threat halfway down the long carpet while the guards opened the door ahead of him, swallowed, then raced out just as there was enough space to pass between them. He ducked around the corner as the door was closed behind him—surprising the outer door guards—and caught his breath while finally out of the King’s sight. He had to think. Break the laws of magic, or defy the King and break the laws of the land? There really was no right answer here. He could do some research, at the very least; that probably wasn’t illegal in and of itself… maybe. He steadied himself and straightened his cape, giving an awkward nod to one of the guardponies before heading back to his tower.

Night fell not long after Starswirl returned to his attic, presumably as the King retired to his chambers, wanting to stew in the light of his fireplace. The wizard paced lines across the carpeted floor, as if trying to wear his way through the royal coat of arms below. The candles, still lit from before, flickered his anxiety-ridden silhouette ever more vividly now, providing company on his lonely march.

To bring one back from death... Impossible! There had been stories; grim tales hidden away in the darkest recesses of recorded history, each a tragic allegory of loss begetting loss. It was impossible to know the truth behind these accounts, of course, given the forbidden nature of the practice—it was rarely spoken of, let alone documented and published. Others had written about the practice academically, though every one was a treaty on why it should never be attempted, as if written by the Council of Nine themselves. He didn’t disagree, obviously; he found the mere mention of it reprehensible, as any sane pony would. Yet these were the King’s orders, sane or not, so he had little choice but to obey…

Starswirl continued deliberating for hours, pacing back and forth in his study until the stout candles around him slowly flickered out one by one. He collapsed to the floor, exhausted both mentally and physically.

“I just… can’t. I can’t!” he wheezed aloud, wearily banging his head against the flattened pile.

The bags under his eyes mirrored the years he felt he’d aged that night. It was hard to know just low long he had been pacing, given the irregular rising of the sun these days, so it may already be time to convene the next batch of unicorns for today’s rise. With a deep sigh he pushed himself off the floor and staggered towards the staircase, calves aching. He wasn’t really sure where he was going, but his tired stupor eventually lead him to the Princesses' bedroom of all places. While preparations had been made for Luna to receive her own bedroom before her birth, the subsequent events spurred the staff to keep the sisters together, if for no better reason than comfort. Starswirl cracked the door open and quietly peered inside. The room was dark and both fillies had long since been put to sleep, but he could just about make out their forms in bed. In her typical energetic manner, Celestia was was currently flat on her back and snoring, with her sheets twisted around her legs. Conversely, Luna was as peaceful as ever, swaddled comfortably and breathing softly in her crib. As darling as the sight was, his mind couldn't help but drift to the darker side of the situation, like how these two fillies would grow up without the love of their mother, not to mention the declining mental health of their father. Right now Starswirl stood at the cusp of a decision that would change all of their lives forever; but would it be for the better? This was a realm that ponies were never meant to dabble in, and yet as he looked down upon these two innocent faces, was this venture really so unjust? He would be reuniting a broken-hearted stallion with his dearly beloved, and returning a doting mother to the daughters that barely knew her. If it was within his power to right such a terrible wrong, was it not a worthy endeavour to betake? Was it not his obligation to try? Laws exist for a reason, but they are not totalities, they cannot perfectly apply to every situation, and what could be a more noble cause than restoring the queen of their land?

He closed his eyes, sighing as he gently pulled the door closed with his magic, returning to the flickering candles of the hallway. Was he really thinking this? To pervert the course of nature, even for such a just reason... If not for the country, if not for the King, doing it for those two bereft fillies made it almost feel palatable. Almost. He rubbed his forehead, feeling a migraine coming on. He would need to think on this further, but for now he needed to round up some unicorn serfs to raise the sun on time. A court wizard's work is never done.

Chapter 2: Reflection

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Celestia fidgeted as she peered over her windowsill, looking down at the vast and colourful world below. It had been months since she was last allowed outside the palace. Being home-schooled by Starswirl the Scholar wasn't so bad, even if he was a strict teacher, but that minor comfort had been lost on her for weeks now. What was going on? Where was everypony?

She sighed.

A small rustling noise from behind made her ears twitch. Jumping down from the window, Celestia made her way over to the noise. Standing up on her hind-legs to look into the crib, a restless Luna was mindlessly kicking at her sheets and sucking her hoof. At least she didn't know what she was missing.

“Looks like it's going to be just you and me from now on...”

Meanwhile, in the court wizard's tower, Starswirl sat hunched over a tattered scroll, furiously scribbling down notes using a magically-controlled quill. Something had come together after days upon days of tireless research and reading—one last puzzle piece that made sense of all the others. His brow was dappled with sweat as he worked inches from a thick, sunken candle; his hasty jabs into the inkwell splattering dark blots across the edge of the parchment. Stacks of books pulled from the bookshelves lining his tower's walls loomed over him in the dark, markers sticking from between their pages and notes hastily scrawled in the margins.

He was close, he could feel it. Something was there, just waiting to be discovered. A new magic. A forbidden magic. But the time for doubt was past. Wait, was this a matter of time? Pulling the queen back from the past, before she died? No, that is impossible, you cannot change the timeline. And even if you could, doing so would erase Luna's very existence. Or would there be two of her? No, it was too risky, too many complications. He could not endanger the children.

Starswirl threw his quill into the inkpot in frustration, further splattering the page he was working on. He rubbed his eyes, overly tired and angry at himself, before sighing and resting his head in both hooves. He was still missing something, but what?

Shaking off the moment's reprieve, he levitated a book from one of the piles and began to flick through it. Time; Time Cubes; Time Traps; Time Travel; Time Turners; Time Zones; No, no, no! Again. T; Time; Time Avalanche; Time Portals; Time- Wait, Time Portals? Could that be it? He threw the book over his shoulder, scattering loose pages across the worn carpet. He stood on his hind legs and scanned the spines of the book-cairns around his desk, pushing aside two main stacks to reveal yet more behind.

Ahah!

Using his white-hued magic, Starswirl pulled a thick, dusty tome from a barely-lit crevice and brought it into the dim light. Giving it two good blows, he inspected the aged cover beneath the wildly flickering candle.

“Through the Looking Glass; A Guide to Portals and Parallel Dimensions”

It had been a long time since he last looked at this relic. Its pages were filled with theoretical ramblings and wild speculation, a gift that he was quick to file away in a forgotten corner after reading the first few pages. But maybe, just maybe, this was what he had been searching for.

Carefully clearing a space on the crowded desk with his magic, Starswirl placed the book in pride of place and flicked open the cover. The introduction was pure self-indulgence, just as he remembered. He continued flicking through the book. Nonsense. Theoretical at best. Purely subjective. Utter fiction. The blank pleather binding of the rear cover stared at Starswirl as intently as he stared at it. No, there had to be something, this had seemed like such a breakthrough. He reset the book and began to flick through the pages once more, at a slower pace this time, reading each page in more detail. One passage in a series of short theories suddenly stood out, something he had previously disregarded with its fellows:

“Given their innate magical essence, I surmise that it is possible to harness the power of these mirrors with such a spell that they not only show the world around us, but reflect other worlds entirely. As previously stated, the multiverse theory suggests that there are infinite variations of our own world, and the angle of reflection while casting a spell on the mirrored surface could influence the distance of separation between our universe and the connecting one. A short-angled spell could show a world where you are wearing different clothes, while a wide-angled spell could show you as an entirely different creature.”

At first glance this seemed like utter fallacy. The innate magical essence of mirrors? Mirrors were pony-made creations of metal and glass, not some arcane relic. But imbuing mirrors with magic... now that was an idea. With just the right harmonic resonance, perhaps a mirror could be shifted from reflecting this world to reflecting another? And with a little phasing magic, one could travel between the two planes... That would mean he could bring back an identical Queen Starshine from a dimension in which she didn't die! Sure, that realm might be down a queen, but let their Starswirl deal with it.

It was a long-shot, but it was the best lead he had found in nearly a month of tireless research and study. Brushing the book off the table, its usefulness at an end, the wizard pulled up a fresh piece of parchment and began scribbling notes and designs for what could be the single most notable development in modern history. Even in a thousand years, everypony would know the name Starswirl the Scholar. No, no, no, Starswirl the Wise! The Magnificent! The-... But he was getting ahead of himself. Magic first, names later.

Morning came with an unnatural abruptness, a sure sign that the king had missed the scheduled time yet again, much to the confusion of those outside the royal inner-circle. Starswirl wearily opened his eyes, the lifeless remains of a pillar candle filling his view. Sleepily smacking his lips, he lifted his head off the slightly angled writing desk, bringing with it the parchment he had been writing on, stuck to his left cheek. Pulling it off with an annoyed grunt, the groggy unicorn tried to focus on the contents of the paper, not yet remembering his impassioned scribblings of the night before. His accomplishments coming back with a start, Starswirl shot off his stool and grabbed his dress-cloak, making his way down the tower's spiral staircase to report to the king.

Waiting until the colossal gilded doors to the throne room had opened, the court wizard made his way down the expansive hall and past the elevated thrones, heading directly for the King's chambers. The King had become more reclusive of late, rarely leaving his chambers the last two weeks, and allowing only his personal servants and most trusted advisors to enter his sanctum. This was the third time Starswirl had reported to the king this month, with the previous two being both short and unpleasant, having had no progress to share with his highness. But this time would be different. Knocking on the ornately framed wooden door in a firm, but respectful manner, the king bellowed a demand for identification from within. Giving his name, Starswirl waited a few minutes before being given clearance to enter, gingerly breaching the threshold to face the monarch. Entering the dimly lit chambers, the wizard immediately felt the air heavy with dust, visible from shafts of light cutting through the clumsily drawn curtains. The King had obviously disallowed the servants from cleaning his room while he was in it. Nevertheless, Starswirl kept his head down and stated his purpose with the dignity and respect any royal deserved.

“My King, I have made great bounds in my attempt to... undo the wrongs of the past. If His Majesty would graciously peruse this spell...” His words trailed off, noting the vacant expression on the king's face as he sat slumped in his chair, one hoof groping an intricately carved wooden stein. Clearly his state was deteriorating. The King had always been a model of propriety, clean-shaven and attentive, with immaculate posture. The sight in front of his long-time advisor was a sorry one to say the least: messy hair, stubble, bags under his eyes, crown at an angle, mantle draped over the back of the chair and stained with whatever he had been drinking copious amounts of.

“Answer me this, magician,” his voice slurred, having lost all pretence of regality or decorum. “Does it work?”

The blunt and candid question caught Starswirl off-guard. He adjusted his hat and looked down at the parchment, his eyes skimming over the text like it was an alien language, mind racing for empirical evidence when there was none. Stop, calm down, you can do this. You know what you're doing, just tell him. There is an order to these things, he must understand. Stop. Stalling.

“I have not cast it yet, Sire, but in theory-”

The King scoffed, slowly turning his head to the low glow of the fireplace beside him. Pausing for a moment, Starswirl began to notice the piles of tattered books, scrolls and etchings littering the room. Some of these writings were of such rarity that even he hadn't read them before, not to mention the illegal ones. It seems he wasn't the only one researching the problem.

“Theory. I have no use for theory,” the King spat at the fireplace, the reflection of its smouldering embers flickering in his eyes.

“My Lord, if you will but let me cast the spell, we shall see what my efforts have wrought. There is still hope. Your daughters deserve...” He trailed off, knowing he had said too much.

It then dawned on Starswirl that he had been so embroiled in this research that he hadn't seen the girls in three weeks, ever since his last meeting with the king. This was all supposed to be for them; how could he have forgotten that so quickly? First agreeing to perform the dark arts, and now abandoning his wards... Was his loyalty to the sovereign really worth that price?

“Cast your spell, magician.” There was that word again; tinged with spite, yet tired and directionless this time, like it was aimed at fate itself, not just the wizard. “We shall see if you truly deserve your place by my side,” he continued, slowly turning back at his advisor. “I will not tolerate failure.”

Starswirl swallowed, not used to being under this sort of do-or-die pressure. He was a scholar, for Elysium's sake, and the best of his generation for that matter, not some... magical mercenary who warps reality just to do a depressed despot's bidding.

But he wasn't doing this for his sake; this was for the children. The future queens of Equestria deserved to grow up with a mother, to teach them the ways of a true and just monarch, which is something he feared their father could no longer accomplish. How things had changed in but a few short months...

The wizard looked around the room for a moment until his eyes fell on a large object covered with a dirty sheet to his left. Approaching it, Starwirl used his magic to lift the cloth, revealing an alicorn-sized freestanding mirror. It was stunningly beautiful; its design was like an ovoid horseshoe on a raised platform, coloured with rich blues and purples, detailed with pink gemstones and surrounded by ornate metalwork swirls. If its lineage wasn't immediately apparent by its design, the large emblem sitting atop the structure made its origins clear: the sigil of the first rulers of Equestria. This mirror was older than the king himself; older than the palace, even, which explained why it clashed so poorly with the grey stone and red drapes of these chambers. While visiting the king's bedroom was not a common occurrence, just one glance of this unique specimen would have been enough for Starswirl to remember it.

“Must you uncover that cursed thing?” the King growled from behind him.

The King seemed to have a particular dislike of this mirror. Perhaps he had grown to loathe the reflection of his broken self, or perhaps it was an ancient coronation present that reminded him too much of the Queen.

“My Lord, this mirror would serve as a fine artifice to enchant. Its size is ideal, and its structure already exudes magical-”

“Do what you will with it, but do it elsewhere,” he grunted, continuing his empty stare towards the fireplace.

This was his cue to leave, but how in Equestria would he bring the mirror? The frame alone would have been manageable, but the solid marble base was far too heavy to levitate, and even then it was too wide to fit the doorway. He considered translocation for a moment, but there was a strange magical radiation from the mirror that made his focus hazy. He could move it short distances at a time, easily into the throne room, but there was a risk it might appear too high, too low, or at an angle... Or even worse, in or over somepony.

The King sensed this hesitation and turned his head, a weary scowl on his face, first at the wizard, then at the mirror. A distortion appeared at the centre of the artefact and spread around its full form, as though it had been covered in dark liquid glass. In the blink of an eye, the mirror was sucked into the void, leaving nothing but a swirling puddle of deep space floating mere inches in front of Starswirl. The King had very little reason to use magic, besides raising the sun and the moon each day, so it was not a feat the wizard saw often, especially this close. His magic remained as powerful, beautiful, and terrifying as ever.

“The mirror is in your tower. Do with it what you will.” The King turned back to his smouldering malaise. “Do not return until you have accomplished your task.”

In fearful awe, the court magician bowed to his liege and made for the door.

“And Starswirl,” he continued, halting the wizard in the doorway. “Return with haste.”

Starswirl froze for a moment, struck by the King's threatening demeanour. This was it. This was really it. Last chance. Awkwardly bowing once more, he turned and made a hasty retreat from the chambers.

King Sol's words echoed in Starswirl's ears as he rushed back to his tower. That was not the king he had served all these years, full of anger and resentment; a bitter and hollow husk of the utopian leader he had admired so much. To think that the loss of a loved one could change somepony so entirely... That was a risk he was glad to have abstained from.

Galloping up the tower's spiral stairway, the loud clops of hoof on stone echoing off the walls, Starswirl reached his study and was immediately confronted by the monolithic mirror sitting squarely in the centre of the room, covering nearly the entire floorspace. There seemed to be a good portion missing from his desk, as well as the complete absence of his stool, no doubt caught up in the King's matter-translocation magic and now floating somewhere out there in the endless dark-sky. He was a little jealous of what it might be seeing, could it see. And to think that he had recently sat on the world's first extraplanetary object. Stargazer never could have predicted that.

Starswirl shook his head, refocusing his thoughts on the task at hoof. Reaching under his cloak, the court wizard pulled out the magic scroll he had intended to show the King before its execution was so immediately demanded. Facing the mirror and clearing his throat, he unfurled and levitated the parchment reading-distance from his face. Let's see...

As that hack of an author had proposed, it made sense—almost certainly by accident—that the angle of the spell cast would inform the degree of separation between this universe and the mirror's. Ideally he would have been on an equal plane to the glass, but he didn't have time to construct a solid platform to properly account for the raised pedestal. Should the worst happen and this spell fail, he would require as much time as possible to formulate another. But now was not the time for second-guessing; now was the time for triangulating the theoretical angle to open a theoretical passage to a theoretical 'mirror universe'. This had better work, for the children's sake... and his.

“From eyes to view, and magic wrought—

The world is one, yet many.

A bridge betwixt is hereto sought—

For reflections' sights to ferry.”

A powerful glow emanated from his horn as he pointed it towards the lower-third of the glass surface. There had been no time to test this spell beforehoof, meaning his future relied entirely on this working perfectly the first time.No pressure.

“Through tinted lens, reveal thy path—

To old planes borne anew.

A gateway sought to cross thine hearth—

By degrees, I hereby skew!”

A solid beam of bright white magic shot from the tip of Starswirl's horn, hitting the mirror and bouncing back at a slight angle, striking the wall behind him with an fierce heat. This was an unexpectedly intense magic, causing his hat to leave the room entirely. It was not inherently destructive per se, but used high-frequency vibrations to destabilize an object's density and restructure its molecules at a microscopic level. These vibrations were being used to essentially corrode the mirror's anchor to this reality, creating a gradient between the two planes' unique frequencies, using a single 'hinge'—the mirror's glass—as a common reference point on both ends. This technique was entirely experimental and somewhat out of his wheelhouse, exemplified by the fact that he had not accounted for the possibility of the glass reflecting the beam and causing collateral damage. Of course, the damage to his books was assuredly preferable over what would have happened to him, had he been standing directly in front of the mirror.

As the high-frequency beam continued to pound the glass, the reflected view began to twitch beyond simple vibration; now shifting up and down, and left to right, as though it were physically moving beyond the confines of its frame. Something was happening, making it harder to maintain the spell's angle. Behind him, the reflected beam began to slowly carve an arc into the wall, setting fire to the books around it, while melting the wooden bookshelf as though it were metal. Starswirl could not see this himself, as he was currently facing the floor with his eyes closed from the strain. It was too late to stop at this point, anyway; releasing a spell exuding this much friction prematurely could have potentially explosive results, shattering the priceless mirror and likely him, too. As beads of sweat ran down his exposed brow, attempting to restrain the spell's drift was taking an unexpected toll on his constitution. Magic this dangerous to the user and others would require forbidding immediately after this fiasco.

The shifting reflection in the mirror ramped up its intensity, now a blur of motion as the beam's angle strayed even further from its mark. Suddenly and without warning, the reflection in the glass shot backwards, exposing an infinite and streaming void of images; a vortex of reflections; billions upon billions of possible concurrent existences. This sight would have driven anypony instantly insane, even a great mind like Starswirl's, who was saved thanks only to the immense strain he was currently under. With the mirror's change of view came a massive vacuum, sucking in loose pages, parchments, and dragging whole books toward the portal. The wizard's knees became weak, trembling under the strenuous maintenance of the spell, and now fighting to keep his hooves planted on the ground. With failure on any front meaning certain death, the only way was forward.

Just as suddenly as it had started, the spell was complete, abruptly cutting off with a soft hiss. Starswirl collapsed to his knees, wheezing from exhaustion as his horn cooled down, smoking with residual energy. Wearily opening his eyes, he noticed some unfamiliar hair had fallen across his face; what had once been a mossy grey mane was now streaked ghostly white. Never had a spell taken such a toll on his body, and rarely had such effects been documented. Wearily, the court wizard turned to see the aftermath of the destruction behind him. There were no longer any signs of fire, though the pungent smell of char hung in the air like a contemptuous ghost haunting the scorched tomes and carved shelves. The final path of the beam had been anything but straight, cutting a large crescent into the wall, not unlike a horseshoe on its side.

The aged unicorn shakily pushed himself from the tattered rug and closed his eyes in preparation for what he was about to see ahead, taking a deep breath to calm himself. As he raised his newly bleached head toward the mirror and looked into its reflection, he saw...

Nothing.

Before him stood the same exact view as before, now updated with the still-smouldering gash in his wall, mirrored just as it should be. But this wasn't how it should be. It should be different! Strange! His own, tired eyes stared directly back at him as his jaw slacked in disbelief. That couldn't have been it, could it? Did it fail? Was this all for naught?

Needing to test his failure, Starswirl stepped up the mirror's platform and tentatively held his hoof over the glass. This was it, failure or success, in one... brief... touch...

A hollow 'clang' briefly echoed throughout his study: the sound of a hoof on glass.

“No...No, no, no!” Starswirl screwed up his face with intense anger, standing on his hindlegs with both forelegs on the mirror. With an intense and frustrated growl, he reared his hooves up, ready to bring them down on the mirror's surface. Luckily, his great intellect quickly regained control, and his hooves returned to the surface with little more than another 'c-clang'.

“Why...? The spell was perfect. The incantation was perfect. The execution was perfect. What went wrong?”

The lowly magician stepped backwards off the pedestal, his weary eyes pleading for answers to reveal themselves in the mirror's glass. This was it, his last chance to sate the King's madness, gone. He felt the life draining from his body as he stared at the failed portal, its calm image reflecting the room before it, just as much of a mirror as it had started. He hung his head in shame and turned towards his sleeping chambers, slowly and carelessly stepping on ripped pages and knocking aside the corpses of fallen books in his path. This was the culmination of his life devoted to the advancement of magical understanding: a fruitless pit that bards would mock for centuries to come.

Letting his cloak unceremoniously fall to the floor, Starswirl climbed onto his bed and rolled over to face the conical ceiling. “'Starswirl the Magnificent?' Pah. More like 'Starswirl the Impotent',” he thought to himself. Tomorrow he would have to face the King and tell him of his failure. He should make the most of what little time he had left, but for now he needed to rest.

Chapter 3: When You Stare into the Mirror, the Mirror Stares Back

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“Luna, do you ever think we'll see Mummy and Daddy again?” Celestia asked as she stared at the ceiling of the princesses' shared room, lit only by the starlight of the window. She had no idea what time it was, but when the moon comes up you should be in bed, right? “They said Queen Mummy had gone away and Daddy was busy, but that was so long ago...”

“Brrebthh!”

“Yeah, I guess all we can do is wait.” She turned over, her sheets wrapped around her snugly, though not a suitable replacement for a parent's embrace. “Just gotta wait...”

A moment of silence passed, punctuated only by the sounds of Baby Luna rummaging her sheets and the distant clop of hooves on stone, down some far hallway.

“Do you think they're dead?” Celestia spoke up again. “Do you think that Mummy, and Daddy, and Uncle all died, and we're the only ones left, and the servants?”

Another moment of silence passed, this time heavy with the welling of tears.

“Do you- Do you think that- That we're all alone for good now?”

“Bleh-bbbthhh,” Luna replied, before filling her mouth with a mixture of hoof and blanket.

Luna might not be able to speak Ponish, but she was just as well informed about what was going on as Celestia was. The rest of the night remained silent, save for the lonely sobs of one very young, very scared princess.

Morning came late today, according to Starswirl's time-tracking spell. The palace's sundials were all but useless without the consistent and accurate raising of the sun, prompting him to design a magical equivalent of sorts, based upon the previously agreed twenty-four-hour pattern. But it's not like any of that mattered anymore. He had failed his task to formulate a spell to bring back the King's dead wife, and now he was almost certainly going to be executed for treason, be it officially or 'unofficially'. He might be seeing that stool sooner again than expected. Wouldn't Stargazer be tickled by that?

Sluggishly dragging his hooves, Starswirl left his sleeping quarters, ignoring the hat and cape which lay sprawled across the floor. He made his way down the spiral staircase robeless, which is something he rarely—if ever—did. But today was not a day for caring; what would be the point? His name would be written with disgrace in the history books, branded a traitor and a blunthorn.

The servants tittered amongst themselves as he prepared his morning porridge in the staff kitchen, probably about his state of undress or the new hair-colour. Yes, this newly white hair was a monument to his failure: a shining beacon for all to ridicule, marking the moment he lost the king's favour and wasted his lifetime of study.

“Be quick to mock me, though, you won't have long to do it!” he thought to himself, sneering as he stirred his food.

After a long and melancholic meal, Starswirl began to head back to his study when a errant memory returned to his mind: the girls! It had been nearly a month since he last tutored them—last seen them—and at the very least they deserved to know it wasn't their fault he wouldn't be around much longer. How he had failed them...

With a heavy heart, the mage turned towards his new destination: the nursery. His concerns for the vulnerable children began to dissipate the mental fog of self-pity that had blinded him all morning, bringing with it the aching self-consciousness of being undressed around the castle, particularly in front of the little ones. Celestia looked up to him, and seeing him without his official garb on would be so... disillusive. Perhaps she would not notice?

Standing outside the nursery door, Starswirl took a breath, trying to calm himself. What would he say? He wasn't good around children. Tutoring Celestia was one thing, he was in charge there and knew what he was doing, but this... this was a social situation. Can one even socialise with a foal? No, no, he was still in charge. He was still their tutor, and he was still the court wizard, but most importantly right now, he was their primary carer. He needed to be a pillar of strength for them, without saying or doing anything to scare them. His moment over, Starswirl steadied himself and pushed on the heavy iron knocker before him, breaching the gap.

“Uncle Starswirl!” Celestia shouted, mere seconds after he entered, his ears barely past the thick, wooden door. “Where's your hat? And your cape?”

Typical, though he should have expected such observation from the ever-attentive Celestia. She was a sponge of knowledge, both eager to learn and willing to listen. If only he could have taught her more in their time together. Starswirl smiled weakly and with the slightest of blushes as he fully entered the room.

“Care not, little-one. Such trappings are not necessary for my visitation today. I am here as your carer, not your teacher.”

“Uncle Starswirl, where have you been? And where are Mummy and Daddy?” She looked up at him with large, expectant eyes. “Have they come back too?”

He had expected questions like these, but nothing could have prepared him well enough to answer them.

“I am afraid that all you see is all that has come, for now. Your father is a very busy pony. Such is the life of a monarch, as you shall one day know well.”

“And mother?”

How could he possibly explain the concept of mortality to a foal? Death alone was one thing, but should by some miracle the King's ambition succeed and their mother be restored, what would one say then? It was better to say nothing and let those wizened by the future bare the burden instead.

He knelt in front of the filly and put his hoof to her cheek, her wide eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of sorrow.

“Your mother has been away for some time now, and shall continue to be away for the foreseeable future. In fact, I have come to see you today in case I too am... called away without notice.”

“Is she dead?”

The question hit like a mace. As expected of Celestia; sharp as a needle, and right now just as painful. He had no answer for her, just a pained expression that likely said enough, even to her young mind.

“How fairs your sister?” he asked, knowingly changing the subject as he stood up and walked to the crib. The tiny princess was splayed out on her back, part of her blanket quite damp and hanging from her mouth.

“She's fine, she doesn't know what's going on, like me,” Celestia replied, following her mentor and standing on her hindlegs to see into the cot. It was sometimes easy to forget that such intelligence was housed in such a young body.

“Then you may both be more lucky than you know.” He looked down for a moment before turning to the elder sister. “Celestia, if I had one final request of you, would you honour it, no matter what?”

“Of course.” Her deep, pink eyes were wide again, now with a mixture of confusion and excitement.

“Look after your sister, Celestia, no matter what. Whatever happens, I know you two will weather it as long as you remain by each others' side.” There was a stern urgency in his voice and eyes, feeling as though this lesson was far more important than any elementary-grade magic he had taught her so far.

“Yes, Uncle.” There was sincerity in her voice, but also fear—fear of the unknown. He had scared her enough for now.

With a weak smile, Starswirl reached down and hugged the little filly. It was the first time he had done such a thing, and to his surprise the grasp was returned was tightly, almost desperately. This poor foal was so starved for attention... If only he had more time. If only he had spent more time with them before now. But these were the woes of a pony without the power to change their fate, and he was no such pony. He sighed—that slight, yet genuine smile returning to his face—feeling as though a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He had made his peace, it was time to go. Releasing the filly and returning to his hooves, Starswirl tousled Celestia's hair one last time before leaving the room.

Making his way down the candle-lit stone hallway towards his tower, the wizard's mind could not shake the thought of Celestia's eyes: a whirlpool of hope, fear, and confusion. What had been a moment's reprieve with the girls began to weigh heavily on his heart. He couldn't possibly leave the children alone any longer in this situation. Neither the King nor the palace servants could be the parental figures these girls required; it was up to him to make things right, one way or another. His conviction restored, the snowy-maned stallion hurried back to his arcane study with renewed purpose.

A short while later, Starswirl sat hunched over what remained of his desk, sat on a pile of book-husks he had gathered to replace his wayward stool.

“Incredible,” he mused, tapping his hoof to his chin.

With a clear mind, it had become obvious to cast a trace-magic spell over the mirror, to see if any non-visible alterations had occurred after last night's incantation. Indeed, the unusual magical field that threatened to distort his translocation spell earlier was stronger now, and more interesting still was the origin of this disruption. This mirror's glass was no simple craft from the Crystal Kingdom, nor basic Equestrian silver, oh no, this mirror's reflective properties were derived from a magically crystallised sheet of water; but that's not all. Based on the innate magical resonance of this water and its previously unheard of compound structure, Starswirl theorised that it may very well have been made from the mystical, lost Mirror Pool of lore. It made sense as a present to royalty; what would make a better reflection than a perfect copy of yourself, able to turn while you stand still? And with that origin in mind, it seemed the disruption of his magic came from the gems around the frame, enchanted to keep the user's reflection firmly behind its glass. Ingenious.

Starswirl poured over the data that had been gathered and scored onto parchment by the analysis spell. It was incredible to think that such a relic had been sitting under his nose this whole time... Not that he would have been allowed access to it even if he had known, of course. Alas, there was one fatal flaw in his theory: the reflection. The first thing he did after reading the parchment was to face the mirror once more, hoping to see some errant movement in the aged unicorn before him. To his disappointment, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and he could only surmise that his spell had broken the magical properties of the glass. If only he had known...

With a sigh of frustration, Starswirl sat up and absently tied some ribbon around the scried scroll with his magic. As he went to place it in a pile with numerous others, a slight flickering in his magic intensified, and the paper dropped to the desk. He looked down at it with tired frustration before shoving it towards the stack with his hoof. He still hadn't recovered from the night before.

Rising from his stack of books, the wizard returned to the reflective glass that had become his nemesis, staring at his own reflection with intense scrutiny, wishing against his better judgement that he would spy the slightest inaccuracy this time. Still no luck. However, greater hope lay within the scanning spell's findings. Despite the Mirror Pool's inherent magic seeming inert, the slow but steadily growing magical resonance of the object meant that something was happening. 'Something'. He hated not having clear-cut, academic answers, but if he had to guess, he would pose that the spell had in fact worked, and the gateway required a charge to function. However, based on the predicted linear growth his scrying spell had charted, the length of time it would take to achieve a resonance capable of vibrating the mirror to the required frequency would be... by Tartarus' gates, thirty moons! The King would no sooner wait for sundown than he would thirty moons. There had to be something he could do—something to speed up the charging process. He certainly couldn't use his own magic, but what other options did he have? The collective magic of the palace's unicorn servants would be a mere drop in the bucket compared to his own, and he couldn't risk sourcing help from outside the palace walls. No, the single source of magic strong enough to make a difference was... the King himself.

Starswirl grit his teeth, only now realising that he had been locked in a futile staring contest with his own reflection this entire time. How was the King going to take this? The spell had been a half-success at best, and he had no idea if His Highness was stable enough to channel his magic in a non-destructive manner. Sure, he had translocated the mirror to his study, but clearly with no consideration as to what—or whom—may have been within its field of materialisation. That said, it was this or... well, it was this.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the weary sorcerer changed out of his mossy-grey casual garb and into his ornate court wizard vestments. It was time to see the King.

Chapter 4: The Best Laid Plans

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Starswirl slowly exhaled as he stood before the large, white, gilded doors to the throne room, nervously waiting as the guardsponies opened them. What had once been a welcome pause to ready oneself for the King and Queen, had become a delay so nerve-wracking that he could almost hear the heavy bell of destiny tolling his final hour. Once a passable gap had been made, the court wizard squeezed through and took a few steps down the ornate red carpet that lead to the raised thrones.

“Your Lordship?” he tentatively asked, squinting at the distant pedestal as his words echoes to reach them. He would need to do something about his eyesight soon.

“His Highness, the King, has yet to leave his bedchambers this day,” one of the internal pair of guardsponies spoke up. “He wishes not to be disturbed.”

“I see, thank you.” Starswirl forced a brief, acknowledging smile before making his way towards the rear exit and the royal chambers.

Closing the giant doors as the wizard continued down the hall, the orange pegasus guard to the left of the door ushered the attention of the bluish-grey unicorn to the right—the one who had spoken up.

“Do you not know who that is?”

“I- No, should I? It's my first day,” the unicorn nervously looked at his senior as they finished closing the doors, whisper-shouting to one another.

“I know it's your first day, but that's Starswirl, the court wizard! He's one of the greatest sorcerers in all of Equestria! I thought you of all ponies would know that.”

“Oh what, just because I'm a unicorn, I'm supposed to know every other unicorn? Please, like you know every member of the Valkyries.”

“That's not what I meant and you know it. Starswirl is an international celebrity and esteemed member of the professional wizarding community. You would do well to learn who you work for.” The two stallions returned to their posts at either side of the entrance while the orange pegasus continued whisper-shouting. “And for your information, I do know every member of the Valkyries. The Valkyries are the backbone of our nation's defence, and I could only dream of joining their ranks; but until the day I pass the entrance exam, it is my honour to serve the King as a royal guard, and it should be yours too.”

As the two guardsponies continued their bickering in the background, Starswirl made his way into the corridor behind the throne room and across the hall to the royal chambers, knocking hesitantly on the heavy wooden door. A moment passed with no signs of movement or noise within. It was hard to gauge whether the King wanted to be left alone more than he wanted to hear news of their endeavour, but it was not his place to make assumptions. He tried knocking once more.

“Your Highness, it is I. I come bearing news,” Starswirl called through the door, his ear pressed against it to hear the reply, while being careful to balance his volume with the respectful tone it deserved. Another moment passed.

“Enter,” the King grunted from inside, barely audible through the thick wood.

Starswirl gingerly pulled on the door's ring handle with his mouth and entered, greeted by the same gloomy scene as before. This time the King had turned his chair to face the fireplace, now completely obscured from Starswirl's view, bar one hoof hanging over the right arm. Steeling himself, the court wizard walked up to the King's chair, stopping short of the hoof. The King remained quiet, seeming even more detached than yesterday.

“My Lord, I bring good news... and bad news, though I feel a solution is at hoof.” He winced, expecting a biting retort from the monarch. A few seconds of heavy silence passed before he cautiously continued. “After enchanting the mirror last night with seemingly no effect, closer analysis revealed that the spell was in fact successful, if not physically apparent. By striking the surface of the mirror at a specific angle and with a specific resonance, the-”

“Get to the point,” the King growled from behind his chair with tired frustration.

“Yes, of course. Despite the spell working (in theory), the mirror requires a significant amount of energy to operate for a short period. While this charge will occur passively over time, I do believe it is possible to artificially speed up the process with an infusion of external magic. For this purpose, this is no source great enough to fully charge the device... other than your own, Your Majesty.”

Once again, silence filled the air in lieu of a reaction. Was he angry? Did he see this as a failure? Did he even care? It was hard to read the back of a chair.

“Of course-” he continued, speaking from panic than an actual need to exposit. “It could certainly be charged by other means if you are only willing to-”

“I'll do it.” The King voice's was gravelly and unfocused, like he were half-asleep. It was hard to tell just how much of the information he had actually taken in, but if there was anything the King was going to take seriously in this state, it would be the completion of this task.

“Right, splendid! Now if you-” Starswirl interrupted himself, recognising the distortion that had begun to emanate from behind the silhouetted chair. “Your Majesty, please stop! This process requires space and careful planning, there simply isn't enough room in your chambers. I must insist that the procedure be carried out in the throne room, lest there be undesirable side-effects.”

The aura of warp from behind the chair gently faded, to the unicorn's relief, though an equally worrying voice was quick to replace it.

“Know this, Starswirl; you may insist nothing of me. I am your superior, and every second you spend in this palace is proof of my benevolence. If this spell is to be cast in the throne room, it is because I allow it, not because you 'insist'.”

Ah, there he was, back on brand.

“Yes, Your Highness, I humbly apologise.” Starswirl kneeled to a bow, though truth be told he was becoming tired of this pussyfooting. “If it pleases Your Majesty, I shall await your presence in the throne room.”

“This had best be worth my time, magician, or you will soon find out what happens when I am no longer feeling benevolent.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Starswirl rose and exited without risking further incident, closing the door behind him. Re-entering the throne room, the court wizard slowly made his way back to the main doors, once again lost in thought, as he was known for. He was starting to worry about what countermeasures could be taken if the King lost all control, should this not work. Hopefully it would work, of course, and things could go back to the way they were before; but with the King's demeanour worsening by the day, that outcome was feeling more irrational than reasonable. Some lines just can't be uncrossed.

Shaking the thoughts of an uncertain future from his mind, Starswirl tried to focus on the present and what precautions needed to be taken for the best possible result. Reaching the guardsponies on duty, he asked them to leave the room while he and the King took care of some confidential business, which they reluctantly obeyed. The old unicorn waited impatiently for a good while before the King graced the room with his presence. It looked as though an attempt had been made to clean himself up, though without the help of his aides and with some level of intoxication, his rough stubble, lopsided crown, and the bags under his eyes fooled nopony. It probably didn't help that he lacked a mirror. Making his way to meet the wizard in the middle of the room, the King was clearly troubled by the light pouring in from the stained-glass windows that flanked him. Boo-hoo.

“What must be done, wizard?” he asked upon arrival.

“If it pleases Your Majesty, the mirror would be best suited here.”

Starswirl conjured a glowing magical beacon near the wall opposite them, roughly halfway down the room on the left-hoof side from the main entrance. No sooner had he marked the spot, the King's horn began to emanate that disconcerting void-magic of his, and seconds later the mirror was in its designated spot, along with a few cross-sectioned books that had been too close.

“Excellent. Now if Your Highness would be so gracious as to take position here.”

Another magical beacon was cast, marking the relative spot he had been standing the night before. King Sol moved to his position, looking back at Starswirl with the sullen glare of a teenager.

“The mirror has already been enchanted, so no spell needs to be cast. Your Majesty simply needs to direct a beam of energy towards the centre of the glass from that position.”

Starswirl continued his explanation, detailing the frequency-limit of the glass and the estimated magical capacity of a full charge, hoping that a restrained beam from the alicorn would not immediately destroy the object. And with that, the King was ready to proceed. Lowering his head to aim his horn, King Sol concentrated for a moment before releasing a blast of inky, star-speckled magic towards the standing mirror. The mirror's glass began to vibrate intensely on impact, immediately pushed to its limit by the enormity of the alicorn's magical reservoir. This will take no time at all, Starswirl thought, and he was right. Barely a minute passed before the beam was cut and the King raised his head, smoke curling from his horn as the bejewelled mirror's surface glistened with a silver hue, like a tranquil pool under the summer sun.

“Perfect,” Starswirl muttered breathlessly, unable to help but crack a wry, self-satisfied smile at his imminent success. Starswirl the Magnificent, here I come. “I shall test the portal to ensure it is safe, Your Majesty.”

The court wizard approached the mirror with wide-eyed anticipation, placing a hoof on its platform as the King spoke up from behind him.

“Would it not be wiser to send in a royal guard? Their training may better prepare them to deal with whatever is on the other side.” There was a softer tone to his voice than the wizard had come to expect as of late. For the briefest moment, Starswirl felt like he was speaking to the old King again. The court wizard turned back to address his liege.

“My King, this magic—bridging worlds and raising the fallen—is amongst the most forbidden practices in the land. Should a guardspony report what they have seen to the Council of the Nine, not even you would be safe from their ruling. It would surely be Tartarus for both of us.” The King's expression twisted from sorrow to anger and back as he listened to the grey unicorn's explanation. “Should this portal not work as planned, I shall bare its consequences, as Your Majesty is far too valuable to risk. That said, the mirror-world should be of no more risk to us than our own...” Starswirl turned back to the mirror for a moment, muttering under his breath. “At least until we try to appropriate their queen...”

King Sol stared at the polished marble floor for a moment, pondering the consequences of their actions. It had to be done. Life had no purpose without Stella in it, so there was no downside to risking everything. He looked back up, returning the wizard's gaze, once more resolute in his convictions. Starswirl nodded and faced the crystal mirror once more, staring down his own reflection as he let out a shaky breath; a mixture of fear and excitement pumping adrenaline throughout his body. He was about to become the first explorer to a new world, even if it was a version of their own. For all he knew, the air might not be breathable, or meeting himself could end the universe; the possibilities were infinite, and that was the most terrifying, exhilarating thing he had confronted in his entire life.

“Well, here goes.”

Starswirl closed his eyes and took a moment to steel himself. Just two short steps up and he would enter another plane of existence; it was hard to believe, even in this world of magic. Opening his eyes and climbing onto the platform, he was met by himself in the mirror. It felt somewhat ridiculous to lean in to one's own reflection, as in any other situation pain would shortly follow, but not this time. The moment when his snout should have touched glass, it passed though, enveloped like mercury. It was as beautiful as it was surprising—cool to the touch yet solid as mist—but he had already committed to the thrust of the movement, and there was no time to observe the phenomenon. King Sol watched in muted amazement as the unicorn's head disappeared into itself, creating a small water-like ripple in what otherwise seemed to be a regular mirror.

The sensation of passing through the looking glass was almost indescribable; it felt like he was being sucked through a rainbow-sea of cold, thick oil, despite the transition being instantaneous. It took a moment for Starswirl's eyes to adjust to the new, bright panorama. This... didn't feel right. Where was he? Squinting, he looked up to see fluffy white clouds dotted across a blue sky. Why was he outside? This was supposed to be a near-identical dimension, yet Canterlot Palace not only seemed to be missing, but Canterlot Town and Friendship Mountain were gone too. There was nothing but grass and trees for as far as he could see. Was this even Equestria? Did the portal appear at a random location on the planet? His theories had pointed towards the exit being created at the relative equidistant point in both locations, automatically correcting to the nearest viable clearing... but there was nothing here at all. Nothing.

“What do you see, Starswirl?” the King shouted, though his voice did not reach the wizard's ears.

Something had gone wrong, very wrong. How could this world be so different? It was as though ponies didn't even exist here. And why did things look so strange? It was as though... as though-

Starswirl gasped, realising what had been nagging at the back of his mind since he poked his head through the portal. His muzzle was gone! He crossed his eyes, attempting to see what had happened to his face, finding only the smallest lump where is snout had once been. Had the portal disfigured him? Was the mercury-like fluid somehow corrosive, despite him not feeling pain? Panicked, he raised his hoof through the portal to help find his missing mouth, only to shriek at the sight of what had come though. A hand! Four spindly grey fingers and a thumb, similar to draconic claws or feline paws, yet minus the scales or fur. He couldn't believe that this protrusion was actually his hoof, until he looked back to see it emerging from the portal, bizarrely connected to his pony-leg in the Equestrian world. Still in shock, his eyes wandered over this side of the portal, noting that it seemed to be floating without any frame, just in front of a large, white rock. He looked back down at his new 'hand' and flexed its fingers. What a horrible feeling. Speechless and more than a little disturbed, he slowly retracted his body from the gateway.

“Starswirl, what did you see?” The King was back to his usual, frustrated self; though his mood softened when he saw the wizard's pale face.

“I-”

The King waited a moment for him to continue. “What? Speak up, nag.”

“It-”

“Speak!”

“It didn't work.” Starswirl turned, looking at the king with large eyes as though he were death itself.

“It... 'didn't work?' THEN WHERE IN EQUESTRIA DID YOUR HEAD GO?” It had been a while since the King had felt energised enough to use his royal Canterlot voice.

“No, it- The s-spell- The p-portal- But-”

“ENOUGH OF YOUR JABBERING, CUR!”

Before Starswirl knew what was happening, he was flung from the podium by the King's magic, tumbling across the floor towards the large gilded doors. Seething with rage, King Sol stormed toward the mirror and slammed his forehooves against its frame, thrusting his head into the pseudo-liquid without hesitation. As the King experienced the same sensations the wizard just had, Starswirl used this moment to check the status of his hoof and nose. Good, it was only temporary. The silence lasted all too briefly before the king yanked his head from the ether and turned to the fallen unicorn, screaming with equal—if not greater—rage than before.

“EXPLAIN YOURSELF!”

The stained-glass windows throughout the hall shook under the might of the king's rage as Starswirl strained to push himself from the floor, his old body bruised and aching from the fall. He wasn't a young colt anymore.

“The enchantment worked, Your Majesty, the portal- But it- I don't understand why the world is so different. It should have been nearly identical. It should-”

“I DO NOT WANT YOUR EXCUSES, TRAITOR! GIVE US ONE GOOD REASON WHY WE SHOULD NOT BANISH YOU THIS SECOND.”

“I-” And suddenly it clicked. The stand! He hadn't taken into account the heightened angle of the mirror on its base! “The angle of the beam! My lord, with a few simple adjustments I can recalibrate the path of the gateway. I guarantee it will work, I just need more-”

“TIME? YOU ARE OUT OF TIME, WIZARD.”

Starswirl had never seen the King so angry, so filled with hatred. Turning back to the mirror, the King took a step down the platform and lowered his horn towards the glass, mere inches away from it.

“I will find Stella myself, with or without your help.”

“My King, no! You know not what you do!”

Taking no heed of the learned unicorn's warning, King Sol shot a blinding beam of black energy point-blank into the portal's surface, causing its form to ripple intently, like a lake in a storm. Starswirl wanted to scream out again, but the power of the King's magic was so overwhelming—so heavy in the air—that he could barely breathe. The gentle glow of the mirror's frame began to intensify as the mercury-like surface seemed to boil under the intense energy, shifting and fracturing like magma. Cracks started to appear in the glass as the king continued to funnel his seemingly endless magic into the object. Like an overly pressurised pipe, excess energy began to evacuate from the cracks, carving huge gouges in the wall and shattering the windows behind him. Even as this destructive venting passed less than an inch from his head, the King did not falter, singular in his intent, the world be damned.

This was it, Starswirl thought, the King would stop at nothing to resurrect the Queen, even if it meant rupturing the very fabric of space. All life was about to end, and it was all his fault.

The cracks in the mirror's liquid-glass worsened, expelling even more of the alicorn's dark void-magic as spectral blades, scouring the ceiling of the once-pristine throne room and causing chunks of plaster to collapse to the polished floor. The King began screaming in frustration, tears running down his cheeks as he pushed every ounce of his twisted love into the arcane object.

“STELLAAAAAA!”

The explosion was as deafening as it was blinding, blowing out all the windows in the hall. King Sol was blown backwards, slamming into the wooden façade of the wall behind him, showering the area with splintered fragments as he slumped to the floor, while Starswirl was pushed all the way up to the main doors. So far from the portal, the battered unicorn was saved from what the weakened King saw as he looked up. The solid-seeming glass of the mirror was gone, filled instead with the view of an entirely different dimension than before; a cacophony of twisting shapes, changing colours and indecipherable forms. It was an utterly impossible sight to behold and may have driven any lesser creature mad, though the warped surroundings were secondary to what the King was currently focusing on: a distant object slowly gliding towards the gateway. The form was large, four-legged, and it had wings, like an alicorn... Like-

“Stella?” the King wheezed, exhausted from his exertion and impact against the wall.

The silhouette reached its side of the frame, though the King's blurry eyes left the form still unclear. A voice rang out from within the looking glass.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

Chapter 5: Escape from Canterlot

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A thin, bird-like hand reached out from within the one-sided hole and curled its fingers around the corner of the frame.

“You're not Stella...” The King scowled, despite barely remaining conscious.

“'Stella'?” The unknown voice had an echo to its words; its form still obscured behind the gaping archway. A second limb extended from the void, this time a paw, seemingly from an entirely different animal than the first. “I'm afraid not.”

The creature's head was next to pass through the gateway, unlike anything either of the ponies had seen before. Its face was long and vaguely horse-shaped, though not quite, with one large fang protruding from its grinning maw, and two asymmetrical horns of different shapes and colours. Now within the alicorn's range of focus and clearly not his lost love, the King deemed the unearthly form's approach aggressive, summoning magic to his horn once more, ready to expel the invader.

“Uh-uh-uh.” The creature smirked, snapping its taloned fingers and materialising what looked like a long, off-white horn above its open palm with a flash.

The King aimed at the entity, ready to blast it back into the void from whence it came, yet upon attempting to fire a fresh beam of energy... nothing happened. Cosmos Sol was perplexed, his magic had never failed him before. Even in a weakened state like this he still had energy to spare, so why wasn't it coming out? He tried again, targeting another lethal cosmic ray at the beast. Nothing.

“Tsk. All that power in such a small body, and you can't even alter reality at will.”

The monster completed its entrance through the mirror's frame, first placing one cloven hoof on the raised pedestal, then a taloned claw. Whatever this creature was, it seemed to be made from parts of familiar animals: horse, lion, bird, dragon, goat, deer, and one of its freshly emerged wings was a bat's. Starswirl never could have imagined such an eldritch horror before today, yet even as it stood before his eyes he found it hard to believe. What had the King done?

“You know, you really do rely too much on this thing.” The abomination began to pick its teeth with the tip of the horn it now held, which King Sol had yet to realise was missing from his brow. With a grin, the creature flicked the horn away. “If that's the best you've got, I can already tell I'm going to have a lot of fun here.”

There was a malicious sneer to the creature's voice. Whatever its intentions, they were not of peace, and it had already overpowered the single most powerful pony in the castle—in the land. There was nothing he could do, Starswirl had to escape somehow. Able to think clearly for the first time since entering the portal, the court wizard cast an invisibility spell over himself just as the xenomorph took its eyes off the King and looked around the room.

“Quite a place you have here, four-legs. Bold choice to not put the glass in the windows, very avant-garde, I approve.” With a flash of light, a black beret, small opaque glasses and a fake moustache appeared on the creature's face as it surveyed the area.

“What manner of monster are you?” the King asked, giving up on his magic, yet still lacking the strength to move.

“Monster?” The creature turned its attention back to the monarch. “That's rather rude, don't you think? Do you treat all your guests this way?”

It was distracted, now was Starswirl's chance to think of an escape plan. The windows? No, he didn't want to get any closer, and the glass under his hooves would give away his position. The doors? Shut, and opening them would be far too obvious, even if he was invisible. Teleport? Where to? It was dangerous to teleport without a line of sight, but he was running out of options. He had to think.

“You are no guest of mine. I demand you undo whatever you did to my magic and leave this place at once,” the King scowled.

“Leave? But I only just got here!” The tall, thin, serpent-like body of the intruder began to move forward, descending the pedestal on its mismatched hindlegs and moving towards the King as it spoke. “And I wasn't the one who opened the door between our worlds, my four-legged friend. It would be rude to ignore such a gracious invitation, and besides-” Its body flashed, suddenly appearing to wear a gaudy tropical shirt and sunglasses. “I quite like it here,” he finished, sipping juice from an open pineapple.

The King pushed back against the wall he had hit, weakly trying to distance himself from the encroaching being, who was now leaning in far too close for comfort. With a mischievous grin on his face as he watched the hornless alicorn recoil, the creature chuckled and stood up straight, dispersing his accessories back to nothingness.

“Who are you?” Genuine fear had crept into the King's eyes for the first time in his life.

“That's better. I'm Discord; master of chaos, spirit of disharmony, and draconequus-extraordinaire.” Rays of light and doves seemed to burst from behind him, accompanied by an audible chorus of disembodied voices. He posed smugly, with all the pomp of a self-important child who had no parents to control him. As the light faded and the birds evacuated through the windows, the snake-like body of the creature bent over into a bow. “It's a pleasure.” There was that sinister smile again.

With another snap of its fingers, the two actors in this twisted play teleported to a new set created between them. Discord now sat on a mahogany and red velvet chair, wearing small, circular glasses and an argyle vest, while holding a small, nibbed object in one hand, and a papered board in the other. King Sol reappeared on a similarly styled chaise longue, lacking any costume changes besides his missing horn and an expression of surprise from the sudden relocation.

“And who might you be?” the beast asked, steepling his fingers.

Barely in control of his senses, the king grit his teeth and did his best to project an air of authority.

“I am King Cosmos Hyperion Sol, justly appointed monarch of this land, and the last alicorn in Equestria. I demand that you state your purp-”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Discord interrupted. “Demand all you like, but I'm asking the questions now.” With a flash, a spotlight appeared next to Discord's seat, which he turned on the King's face, blinding him. “Now, why did you summon me? It's not often I get a free pass to another dimension, you know.”

“This- This wasn't supposed to happen.” The king squirmed in his seat, unable to escape the madness he had brought upon the world, any pretence of control failing him. “I just- I just wanted to see Stella again. I just wanted to see my wife- my love again. I would do anything- did anything...”

While this insane interrogation was occurring, the invisible Starswirl had an idea. The foyer just outside the throne room was a large area, easy to picture in his mind, and very close. If there was anywhere he could blindly teleport to, it would be there, but he had to ensure nopony was near the doors, lest they suddenly occupy the same space. He would need to cast short-range, wide-angle, mono-directional telepathy to inform the guards, without alerting this psychotic draconequus creature.

“Oh dear oh dear, you did go through a lot of trouble, didn't you?” Discord snapped his fingers again, removing the props he had summoned and placing both participants in standing positions relative to their original spots. “It was awfully rude of me to enter your home without bearing gifts. I could have brought a fine 2356 Château Picard-” As Discord waved one arm over his other, revealing a bottle of red wine cradled against his chest, Starswirl broadcast his thoughts to those on the other side of the wall.

“This is Starswirl, the court wizard. I am about to teleport outside the door, please vacate the immediate area. I repeat, move away from the door.”

The draconequus nonchalantly tossed the freshly created bottle behind him and straight out the vacant window.

“But how about I give you something you want instead?”

King Sol's legs shook, still fighting to retain consciousness, let alone battle gravity.

“You could- You can do that?” He raised his head with some effort, trying to look the tall creature in the eyes.

“Oh, I'm afraid I can't bring her here, no, but I can send you to her instead.”

“But-”

With a snap and a flash, King Cosmos Sol was gone. Starswirl clasped his hooves over his mouth to avoid alerting the inequine monster with his horrified gasp. The unicorn's blood ran cold at this sudden and unceremonious end. The kingdom's ruler, erased in the blink of an eye. For all his pain-induced wrongdoings, he did not deserve this.

Discord chuckled to himself before turning towards the thrones.

“Let's make this place a little more... hospitable.”

With its back to Starswirl, now was his best chance to escape. Closing his eyes and picturing the palace foyer, with its large double-stairways and open landing, he prayed that the guardsponies had heard his message, or this was about to get very messy. With a brief strain, the wizard disappeared from the throne room in a sparkle of white magic, for real this time. Discord turned, sensing something, though not quite sure what. With a shrug, he returned to rebuilding the stained-glass windows in his own image and warping the structure of the room into non-euclidean shapes.

Starswirl reappeared outside the throne room doors with a similar flash, startling the guardsponies surrounding him in a defensive formation, spears at the ready. Good, they must have heard his message, or he got lucky, either way.

“What on Elysium's blue hills is going on in there?” the young, bluish-grey unicorn from earlier spoke up. “Why did you-”

“Listen to me very carefully-” Starswirl interjected. He was visibly shaken and unused to using his position of authority, but there wasn't time to pussyfoot around formalities. “The palace has fallen. The King is dead. We must evacuate now if we are to escape with our lives.”

The guardponies stared at him and each other, mouths slack and aghast, unable to process this unfathomable information. It was clear that one or two didn't believe him, perhaps even suspecting he was the perpetrator, but they knew better than to openly defy the King's right-hoof pony, especially in a time of crisis.

“I need the three fastest of you to spread out and tell as many ponies as you can to evacuate. The remaining pony is to help me,” he continued. “We may only have seconds before this entire palace is destroyed. Do whatever you can, just go.”

The four guardsponies looked at each other for a moment, still stunned, before the unicorn rookie spoke up again.

“Flash, you're the fastest, and these two know the palace better than I do. You three go, I'll stay.”

The orange pegasus looked into his junior's eyes, respecting the resolve he saw in them.

“All right, rookie. Protect the court wizard with your life.” The senior internal doorkeeper looked at the two external doorkeepers and nodded, each flying or galloping off in different directions, leaving their spears behind.

Starswirl watched the other ponies leave, feeling slightly relieved by their aid, but only slightly. Even if all the servants and guards managed to evacuate safely, this was still an unmitigated disaster of epic proportions. This was not what he wanted to be remembered for.

“Fine.” The wizard turned to the younger unicorn, who was looking at him with intense purpose. “I'm going to secure the princesses. I need you to ready the lightest carriage available and bring it outside the front doors. Can you do this?” Starswirl had never been so focused on the present before, stressed to the point of sweating. Unlike his portal journey, this was not a pleasant adrenaline.

“Yes, my lord.” The blueish-grey unicorn nodded and spun around, galloping down the stairs and towards the stables.

Starswirl hesitated for a moment, wanting to correct the stallion for calling him 'my lord', but quickly pushed that thought to the back of his mind for later. Turning to the hallway, he broke into a gallop towards the nursery, praying that he wouldn't be too slow to save the children.

Slamming into the nursery door with his shoulder, the court wizard entered the room to find the children safe, for now, if clearly frightened by the sudden noise.

“What's wro-” Celestia attempted to ask, before being cut off by her wheezing mentor.

“Collect your belongings, we must leave the castle immediately.”

“Leave? But-”

“NOW, CELESTIA!”

Starswirl had never shouted at the dutiful princess before, and it left her visibly shaken, though compliant. He felt bad the moment the words left his mouth, but this was no time for pleasantries, their lives were on the line. As the off-white pegasus gathered a couple of odds and ends, he levitated the restless baby Luna from her crib and into his arm, gently attempting to coo her despite his quivering body. As soon as Celestia turned back to him, he levitated the filly onto his back, then used his magic to hold the baby above his head, freeing all four hooves for running.

Minutes after leaving, Starswirl returned to the foyer. Good, it was still here, as was he, though the throne room doors had morphed into a facsimile of Discord's head. Great, vain as well as criminally insane. He continued on and down the stairs, slipping through the gap between the already open main doors and into the palace courtyard. True to his word, the blueish-grey unicorn was already there waiting for them, harnessed into a lightweight wooden carriage.

“What in Tartarus is going on in there?” he shouted to the court wizard as he descended the external stairs.

“Later!” Starswirl shouted back before jumping into the open-topped compartment. “Go!”

With a nod, the younger pony strained as he pulled against the far heavier load. It wasn't long before the group were racing at full speed down the dirt road, away from their once majestic home. Starswirl turned to view the palace, making sure to hold on tightly to the ever-temperate Luna, while keeping Celestia from seeing the madness they were fleeing. While the building maintained its outward appearance to begin with, it didn't take long for odd objects to start appearing, or sections of the architecture to flip upside down, ignoring gravity and physics completely. Now that their lives were out of immediate danger, his mind wandered to what he never would have considered a secondary concern before: his work! Starswirl silently cursed. All those years of study, notation, collection and research... Wait! Didn't he imbue his possessions with a recall spell? Secrecy was of the utmost importance to his job, so upon travelling a certain distance from his tower, all his possessions would return to to enchanted travelling chest in his bedroom. The chest itself was as protected as anything could be by his magic, so all he needed to do was-

With a flash of white magic, a large, wooden chest appeared on the seat opposite the passengers, causing the entire carriage to tip into its weight, as their driver exclaimed in strained surprise over the suddenly increased burden. A relieved smile crossed Starswirl's lips that surprised even him; it seemed that fate had not conspired to completely destroy him today. There wasn't much he could do to save their chauffeur from the extra weight, but he could at least place the chest in the centre of the cart to balance the stress. Setting the container snugly in its new resting place, he took a moment to admire the forethought that had saved his life's work: it was a heavy-duty travelling chest made of enchanted blue mistwood and iron accents, adorned with paintings of his cutie mark on either side. Within it lay all of his worldly possessions, magically compressed into a far smaller space than they would normally occupy, though their combined mass was still exceedingly heavy.

“What in Elysium's name was that?” their driver wheezed back, trying his best to maintain their speed.

“Apologies,” Starswirl shouted forward. “Just a little extra baggage. Allow me to aid you.” He turned his attention to Celestia, who was cowering under his left foreleg. “Celestia, I want you to say here and make sure Luna remains safe. Do not look back, do you understand me?”

The small filly glanced up and nodded. Starswirl handed the swaddled child over to her sister before climbing over the trunk, which was now wedged tightly between the two seats, and onto the cushions facing away from the driver. He leaned over, now not having to shout so loud over the wind in their ears.

“I am in a weakened state, but I will use what magic I can spare to bolster your stamina.”

“Just where are we going anyway, sir?”

“Away. It is imperative that you do not stop moving. This carriage holds the two most important ponies in the kingdom, so just keep going until we reach a sufficiently remote village. I will tell you when it is suitable.”

The blueish-grey unicorn's silence spoke to his doubt, if not of their cause, then of his own ability to fulfil it. The least Starswirl could do was mitigate the latter concern. Closing his eyes, the court wizard channelled what little magic he could into their steed, easing the strain on his muscles and rejuvenating his constitution. A moment of concentration passed before the elder unicorn slumped back into his seat, his horn still glowing with the link to his junior. Starswirl's weary mind pondered whether he could still consider himself a wizard of the court, given that there was no court left to advise. He looked back at what had once been their home, now a twisted and alien construct of madness, barely visible over the hill. They had entered Canterlot Town a minute or so ago, clattering over the cobblestone road like a stampede of buffalo, while their driver shouted for those in the street to get out the way. How much they had lost... But they had not lost everything, and that was all that mattered. Feeling his stamina return and charge lighten, the blueish-grey unicorn called back while there was a stretch of pedestrian-free road.

“What did you do to me?”

“Nothing permanent, my colt, simply sharing the burden we have put upon you. With this bond, you should at least be able to run through the night.”

“'Through the night?' Just how far are we going?”

“As far as we must to keep he princesses safe from anypony who may recognise them. That creature may be interrogating the palace staff as we speak, and we cannot risk it tracking us down, or all is lost.”

The old unicorn looked down at the two fillies on the other seat. It seemed that Celestia had either fallen asleep while curled up with her sister, or was balled up in fear, trying to block out what was happening. Either way, it was better than her seeing what had happened to her lifelong home. It was slow-moving, but a creeping wave of colour seemed to be emanating from the palace, turning the sky candy-pink and the grass into black and white checkers. It wouldn't be long until the corruption hit Canterlot Town and its residents... Maybe it was already too late. Maybe they were all doomed from the moment that gateway opened.

“What 'creature', my lord?” Their steed's voice brought Starswirl back from his macabre thoughts. It was good that his fellow unicorn could not see the devastation that blossomed behind them.

“Never mind that,” he muttered under his breath. The less this pony knew, the safer he would be. “What is your name, young one?”

“Uh- Ustiarius, sir. Royal guard, third class. Today was my first day.”

The carriage swerved around a large fountain marking the centre of town, scraping the side of an apple cart as they turned, while barely managing to avoid the townsponies scattering out of their way. Now was his best chance. Starswirl grit his teeth and strained, already at his magical limit from the connection to their driver, but still capable of launching one last burst of red energy into the sky. The shot flew up like a firework, exploding in a shower of sparks that left a lasting impression of the Equestrian royal seal floating high above the fountain. The townsponies had been taught about this emergency signal, although it had never been used before, given their mostly peaceful existence up until this point. With any luck, at least some of them would evacuate to safety before the wave of chaos hit the town. Unable to do much more for the innocents around them, given the importance of extracting his wards from this situation, Starswirl turned back to their panicking companion.

“What in Equestria was that?”

“Ustiarius, right now you have the most important task in the Kingdom of Equestria: for the duration of this journey, you are directly charged with the protection of the two princesses. This effectively makes you an elite royal guard, first class. Will you do whatever it takes to ensure their safety?”

“Yes, my lord!” he chirped, with a twinkle in his eye.

This title was ceremonial at best, given the recent collapse of society as they knew it, but this stallion was young, eager and loyal, which made him trustworthy. Good.

“And please, my name is Starswirl, I am lord of nopony. The moment we left that palace, we became equals.”

“Y- Yes, my lord!”

Starswirl gave a wry smile and shook his head, straightening himself on the bench and propping his hindlegs up on the obtrusive chest. It was going to be a long journey.

Chapter 6: An Unexpected Journey

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The carriage shook as it clattered over some raised stones in the road, waking Starswirl from his awkward, sitting slumber. He must have been more exhausted from his exertions than he had realised. Luckily, the unicorn-to-unicorn connection he had created with Ustiarus persisted for as long as one of them was conscious, so they were still moving at a good speed.

Thick, woody trees flew past both horse and cart as they sped down a remote dirt track, barely lit through the inky night by an illumination spell from their steed's horn. A pegasus or earthpony may have been faster, but unicorns had their uses too. Canterlot Town was now long gone, as were any immediate signs of the spreading corruption. Had they gone far enough? It felt as though the ends of the earth would not suffice.

“Ustiarius,” Starswirl called out, trying to bring life back to his dry mouth. “How fare you?”

“You wake, sire? I have been making way for a few hours now, though I still don't know where we're going.” Unicorns are said to have an innate sense of passing time, though it was something that had always eluded Starswirl. “The sun fell some time ago, but-”

Just as the young stallion was about to explain, the blackness of night gave way to a summer's day in the blink of an eye. While this was a sight that had become increasingly common with the King's descent into depression, with the King no longer there to command the sun and moon, the sky should have been locked into a state of permanent sunset. Could that monster truly have control over the stars too?

“As I was about to say,” Ustiarius continued, “since the sun first set, time has gone completely loopy. I have no idea what month it is anymore! I thought you said the-”

“Yes, the King is-” Starswirl stopped, remembering the children were mere hooves away. “The King is, to the best of my knowledge. I fear we may have lost more than just the palace to that monster.”

“What monster, sir? You mentioned something before. What happened in the throne room?”

Flashbacks scoured Starswirl's mind: those haunting talons appearing from the void, the king thrown across the room, the most powerful unicorn in Equestria disappearing with the snap of a finger. The mental image of Canterlot Palace's twisted form, silhouetted against the final royal golden sunset would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“It is best that you do not know. Simply know that in our attempt to right a great wrong, our hubris brought this upon the world.”

“You did this?” Ustiarius spat in equal parts shock and anger.

Starswirl felt the carriage slow. He had said too much.

“This was not our intention. I never could have predicted that such a- such a thing could happen.” Their steed slowed to a trot, causing the wizard to panic. “Please, you must push on! The sisters-” he pleaded, turning to face the guard.

“And how do I know you're telling the truth? None of us saw what happened in there. How do I know I'm not an accomplice to the kidnapping of His Majesty's children?!” The cart came to a complete halt just as the sun zipped below the horizon and the moon snaked up to replace it. “How could the heavens move like this if the King weren't still alive?!”

Starswirl reeled, gritting his teeth. He turned to check on the girls, desperately hoping that Celestia had still been asleep for that. They continued to lay as they had been, with the elder sister curled around the younger, both remaining silent. He wasn't positive they were asleep, but the ex-courtier's worry was quickly replaced by anger as he turned back to the offender.

“Look,” he spat, walking a fine line between whispering and shouting so that only Ustiarius would hear. “What happened in that room was an offence to the natural order of things, I will be the first to admit it. Had the Order of the Nine learnt about it beforehoof, even the King would have faced banishment, let alone me. Given the consequences, I'll be lucky if I get Tartarus after this. But what happened in there was the King's will, not mine. I did my duty as a trusted member of the court to please His Majesty, and now I am doing all I can to protect and preserve the last remaining heirs to the throne. I will accept my punishment once the princesses are safe, whatever it may be, but do not think for a second that I am not loyal to this kingdom and its crown.”

Starswirl was breathing heavily, aching to explain himself, but knowing that would only put the colt in further trouble with the Order. The young unicorn remained silent, digesting the impassioned defence. He sighed, lowering his head then nodding.

“Be that as it may, I still believe we should stop for now.”

“'Stop?' We can't stop! Who knows how fast that madness travels?! We must press on!”

“With all due respect, Court Wizard Starswirl, I've been galloping at top-speed for hours. I am physically exhausted, you are magically drained, and should anything catch up to us in this condition, we'll be defenceless. We need to take a break and recover our stamina.”

He had a point. The wizard exhaled, trying to calm himself and regain rationality.

“So what do you suggest we do?”

“We stop and eat.”

Ustiarius pointed forward, which Starswirl followed with his gaze. He had been so wrapped up in their argument that he had failed to notice an inn situated some fifty hooves ahead, glowing amongst the thick forest trunks. With a begrudging nod, the cart began to move towards the roadhouse and welcome respite.

The exterior of the building was quite homely, standing two stories tall and quite wide, with asymmetrical extensions added when and where necessary. It was made from thick, warped wooden beams—no doubt from the surrounding trees—and off-white plaster, yellowed with age and moisture. The walls were dotted with mismatched leaded windows, allowing the orange glow of candles from within to spill out into the night, for however long that lasted. A lantern hung just outside the establishment, illuminating the modest, mudded area for parking carts, as well as the inn's hanging sign, featuring an illustration and its name, 'The Prancing Pony'.

Ustiarius' logic was flawless, of course. Starswirl had been running on empty for some time now, still drained from the mirror enchantment, let alone all the spells he had cast since. A full belly and a few hours sleep would do them all good. It was starting to dawn on him that his duties far exceeded simply minding the girls now; he had to care for them... Raise them. He sighed. The consequences of what they had done would not just ripple across everypony in Equestria, but change the course of history for decades... centuries, even. He needed time to process; time to absorb.

The cart pulled up to an empty hitching post just outside the inn, which the ex-guardspony began to tie it to. Starswirl disembarked and stretched out his aching legs and neck. Surely they had time to rest; Discord's influence couldn't cover the entire continent so quickly... could it?

Ustiarius finished securing the cart and approached Starswirl.

“I'll go get us a room, shall I?”

“Wait wait wait, we cannot simply trot in and ask for a room for the Royal Highnesses.”

“Why? Nopony knows who I am, and I'm sure the staff would be more than happy to serve royalty, probably for free.”

“No, we cannot leave a trail of any kind for the creature or others to follow. We don't know its intentions, but they are clearly hostile, and I would not be surprised if it could command the minds of others to hunt us down. We cannot take any risks when it comes to the princesses, none.”

“Alright then, what do you suggest?”

“Fake names. And... um... disguises too.”

Ustiarius looked at the old unicorn with a raised eyebrow.

“... Really?” he asked with dry dubiosity.

“Use your mind, child! Nopony may recognise a generic palace guard, but I am- was the court wizard, and these are the last remaining sovereigns of our nation! Even a backwater hophouse like this will know us the moment we step hoof inside.”

The blue-maned stallion snorted angrily in response, stepping closer to speak in a hushed yet forceful voice.

“Y'know, I don't appreciate the tone you take with me. Here I am, breaking my back to help you and the royal princesses, who—by the way—I also took an oath to protect, with my life if needs be. I didn't go through rigorous tests and training to get this far, just for some old hack to use me as a pack horse and treat me like a yearling!”

Starswirl swallowed, wide-eyed and a little taken aback.

“No- No, you are right. I have been under such stress for so long; feeling so isolated in the palace, and now all this...” He rubbed his eyes wearily. “I'm just tired, I apologise for taking it out on you. We would not be here if it was not for you, and for that I am extremely grateful. And as for calling you a colt... well,” he weakly chuckled. “To somepony my age, everypony seems like a yearling.”

The young stallion's scowl softened into a wry smirk as the tension faded.

“So,” Ustiarius began again, “what do you suggest?”

A few minutes later, two unfamiliar figures stood silhouetted in the doorway. Ustiarius had stashed his guardspony armour outside in the bushes—which he was more than happy to do after lugging it so far—and cast a minor illusion spell on himself, turning his midnight-blue mane brown and hiding his horn. Nopony would have recognised him to begin with, but the old wizard had insisted. Recognising that his disguise had to be more elaborate, Starswirl had dipped into his enchanted chest, swapping the creased court vestments he wore for his aged Faust's Academy for Magic and Learning alumni robes. He wasn't the sentimental type, but these robes were a fond memory of academic excellence, even if he had far surpassed those accomplishments now. Despite the rich tapestry of reds and astrological symbols, any unicorn could tell you that its elementary design was far more suited for a student than a pony his age—particularly the bell hanging from the end of its long, conical cap. Starswirl loathed bells and wasn't a big fan of red either, but he needed to be seen in something he would never wear again. To complete the ensemble, he conjured a fake beard that hung loosely from his chin, and turned his coat a light olive-green. The disguise was far from ideal, but his magic reserves were so low he couldn't even perform a full-body illusion, so it had to do. After packing a bag of essentials and slinging it on his back, the two were ready to head in.

The proprietor of the establishment stood behind a rustic bar, made from similarly thick and warped wood as the exterior of the building, lined by similarly gnarled and cracked stools. She was wearing somewhat worn rags, the kind you might see on a peasant, with messy platinum blonde mane in a bun, and an apron as stained as the floorboards they were standing on. This place was perfect, nopony would ever suspect they were here.

“And how may I help you two fellas?” The middle-aged mare looked up from the bar as she wiped it down with a ragged cloth. “Funny weather we're having today, ey?”

“Quite,” both ponies replied in unison, before pausing to glare at one another. The elder unicorn continued. “We would like to solicit food and lodgings.”

“Would you now?” The mare chuckled, amused by the stranger's phrasing.

“What he means to say, Miss,” the younger unicorn cut in, “is that we have coin and need of the 'artiest of meals, and a few 'ours rest. D'ya 'ave room?”

Starswirl was impressed by the young stallion's initiative of faking an accent, which hadn't even occurred to him. It must be the exhaustion.

“Aye, that we do, my lovelies.” She swept her hoof through the air, calling attention to the long, largely empty drinking-room. A few rough-looking ponies dotted the area, hunched over and drinking in silence—no doubt regulars. “Take a seat and I'll be right out with some grub.”

The barmaid turned to leave through a curtained archway behind her.

“Uh, ma'am?” Starswirl interrupted. “If it's all the same to you, we would like to deposit our luggage first.”

“Right y'are. Room three is available, if you're lookin' to share.”

“That will be fine, thank you,” he replied with a forced smile.

She eyed him for a moment, not used to seeing such an odd couple in this neck of the woods. Most of her patrons were farmers, lumberjacks, or ponies trying to escape the stresses of their lives, not... whatever these two were. Still, coin was coin, and they didn't seem the dishonest type. She reached under the bar and produced a large, iron key that she slapped onto the counter. A wooden fob was attached to it, upon which was burnt the number three.

“Up the stairs, straight ahead, and second on your left. I'll leave your food on that table there.”

The matron pointed towards a table by the door, then smiled once more before disappearing into the back room—presumably the kitchen. Ustiarius picked up the key with his magic just before Starswirl hurriedly kicked him in the ribs, gesturing to his currently invisible horn. Despite it being invisible, its magic aura still emanated from where it should be while in use, prompting him to relinquish control of the object to his elder.

The two incognito unicorns made their way up the stairs to their left and found their room with ease. This inn was the epitome of rural living: thick, cracked beams of wood as far as the eye can see, aged stains, creaky floorboards, and the dank musk of ale and cider in the air. Starswirl crossed the small room and carefully placed his bag on the bed before loosening its binds.

“It's safe now, girls.”

A mass squirmed within the velvet bag, eagerly trying to find its way out. After a moment, Celestia's head emerged from the wrinkled sack, miniature tiara askew and nose scrunched, soon followed by a rather surprised Luna cradled in her foreleg.

“Was that really necessary?” she glowered, clearly not in the best of moods since the nursery. “This is not how princesses are supposed to be treated!”

“I'm very sorry Your Highness, but we must not let anypony know you are here. Your safety is our utmost priority.” Starswirl's answer was sincere, though he spared no time to give it directly, instead busying himself around the room by closing curtains and checking cracks in the walls.

“Was it necessary, though?” Ustiarius muttered to himself as he stood in front of a small, slightly grubby mirror, dabbing at his brown fringe.

Starswirl continued, shooting a quick scowl towards the ex-guard.

“If there is one thing I have learned from all my years of experience with the unknown, it is that you are better safe than sorry.” Hah! If only he had remembered that when it had mattered. “Celestia, we are going to return to the bar for our meal. I shall send you food as soon possible, but please remain as quiet as you can, we still do not want anypony knowing you are here. Look after your sister and feed her what you can, but keep your eyes open for intruders. We shall not be long.”

Celestia pouted, but he knew she understood the severity of the situation, nor could he blame her for feeling scorned. With a regretful nod, Starswirl made for the door, carefully peaking around its frame to ensure no pony saw in while they exited. The two adults made their way downstairs and sat at a worn, warped table, upon which lay two steaming plates of hearty rural food. It was not a glamorous meal: thick hunks of boiled vegetables, a slab of cheese, and half of a head-sized bread roll; but it was filling and warmed them to the core—just what they needed. Their stools wobbled beneath them as hunger consumed their thoughts, though Starswirl was prudent enough to ration parts of his meal under the table as he ate, covertly teleporting them up to their room for the children. This kind of food wasn't suitable for Luna at such a young age, but it's not like there were any wet-nurses around here—at least none of a repute he would care to risk—so Celestia would have to improvise. She was smart and resourceful, so she would know to purée the food with her magic before feeding it to her.

A short time later, the two stallions leaned back on their stools; full, content, and ready for a proper night's sleep.

“Y'all done?” the barmaid called from over the counter, currently in the process of wiping down some wooden mugs.

“Yes, quite,” Starswirl replied with a content sigh. “Thank you.”

“T'was a grand meal fit for any traveller, ma'am,” Ustiarius spoke with a smile as he collected their wooden plates, almost forgetting not to use his magic, before delivering them to the bar. “Couldn't have asked for better.”

“Hah! Flattery and good looks might work on some, but it won't get you free bed and board here, love.” She smiled wryly, having expected their payment a lot sooner than it was coming.

“Oh! Yes! Of course! Uh...”

The young stallion was clearly not carrying anything on him, and knowing the true contents of Starswirl's bag, he knew there was none upstairs either. With a slight smirk on his face, the elder wizard approached the bar, levitating his hat and drawing a small pouch of coins from beneath and placing it in front of the matron.

“I do hope this will be enough to cover our costs and your kind hospitality...” Starswirl leaned in, lowering his voice. “And perhaps leave you forgetful of who you saw today?”

Ustiarius rolled his eyes. Way to be incognito.

“In my line of work, a good memory gets you in more trouble than good, hun. No extra charge.” The tired-looking mare took the coin-purse under the counter, presumably emptying it into a coffer. “Anything else I can get you lads?”

“N-”

“Actually yes, please,” Starswirl interrupted. “A warm mug of milk would be ideal to aid my sleep, thank you.”

The owner nodded with a gracious smile and retired to the back room again. Whether Celestia was successful with feeding Luna or not, at least he would be sure she ate something this way. Starswirl returned his lighter purse to his hat while the two waited in an awkward silence, making sure to leave two more coins out as a tip. When Luna's drink arrived, the two bid the kind mare goodnight and returned to their room.

Entering room three with the same caution as he had entered, Starswirl was met by the sight of a very messy Celestia, with quite some splatter over the surrounding silken bag and bedsheets. She seemed to have fed herself well enough, though perhaps the gentle separation of food molecules was still a bit beyond her. He sighed, placing the warmed mug on the nearby set of drawers and pulling out his pouch, emptying its remaining coins onto the counter as recompense for the mess. At least she had tried to feed Luna...

“Do not worry about that, young one. I had some milk prepared for Prin-” He stopped himself, once again paranoid about being overheard through the warped wood and plaster. “For your sister.”

Celestia huffed in response, turning away from him. With a sigh, Starswirl removed his hat and placed it on a rack by the door.

“Ustiarius, would you mind waiting outside for a moment?”

His tone was low, like the weight of the world had suddenly crashed back down on him, despite having seemed so briefly content downstairs. Ustiarius knew this was a conversation he had no right to be a part of.

“Uh, sure. I'll guard the door. It's what I'm good at, after all.”

The former guardspony cracked a wry smile, attempting to lift some tension before exiting the room, closing the door behind him. Starswirl turned back to the young princess, whose attention was now on her younger sister, attempting to look busy to avoid her mentor's eyes.

“Celestia...”

The small filly puffed out her cheeks and scowled in response, pretending to ignore him as she tended to Luna. As mature and intelligent as she could be, she was still a child, and Starswirl truly wished for that to last for as long as it could in this situation. He walked over to the bed and sat on the floor beside it, with their heads now roughly level.

“Celestia.” He waited a few moments for a reply, but he didn't get one. He wasn't angry at her, he didn't want her to feel that. If he felt anything, it was guilt. This was all his fault, one way or another. He should have said no. He should have died before letting the King attempt this dark magic. He should have apologised sooner. “Are you angry at me for yelling earlier?”

“You shouldn't shout. I don't like it when you shout at me,” she mumbled, still pouting and looking away. “I'm a princess, you know.”

“Yes. Yes, I know.” He sighed, removing the poorly conjured beard from his face before rubbing his eyes. “That is why I shouted. It was very important that we escaped quickly, and I- I had no time to explain. I suppose- I suppose I let my fear get the better of me.”

Silence hung in the air as the princess's face relaxed into sad contemplation.

“You were scared?”

“Yes... Yes I was. I did not realise just how scared I was. I have been scared for quite some time, ever since- well, since your father has not been himself.”

“After Queen Mummy died.”

Her ability to see through his words caught him off-guard yet again. He never could have imagined a child to be so astute prior to meeting this shining example of young royalty. There was still hope for the future as long as her course stayed true. That was his responsibility now.

A moment had passed while Starswirl was lost in thought, accidental affirming the filly's fear with his silence. The princess continued to face away from the wizard, her cheeks now red and eyes filled with tears.

“And now- And now Daddy is too, isn't he.”

There it was again, the bluntest of strikes straight to his heart, just like in the nursery earlier. As the princess began to quietly sob, a lump rose in Starswirl's throat, causing him to falter for an answer. While unaware of the context, the younger princess's eyes also began to tear up, prompting the elder unicorn to placate the situation quickly, before two wailing children brought every patron of the inn down upon them. There was only one thing he could do; one final solution.

“Yes.”

Starswirl looked down at his hooves, gritting his teeth as though the word had physically pained him to utter. Shattering a child's innocence like this almost felt criminal, but these were dire times. He wished her childhood could last for as long as any normal filly's, but she was not 'any normal filly', she was the next Crown Princess of Equestria. If their survival in this new world required a more mature bond between them, then the sooner she understood the gravity of the situation, the better.

Seeking to understand her feelings to this forthrightness, he gently placed his hoof on her back and leaned around just in time to see her emotional dam burst. With lightning reflexes he didn't even know he had, Starswirl erected an emergency soundproofing bubble around them, just large enough to fill their small, ramshackle room. This was absolutely the last of his magic for now; one last hurrah thanks to the hearty meal he just had. He could already feel his consciousness fading, but right now he had a job to do.

Celestia's wails reverberated around the magical sphere they were in, the kind that could only come from the broken heart of a parentless child. Even the stoic Luna began to whimper, shedding her own, tiny tears. Starswirl couldn't have felt more like a monster if he had tried.

Deeply unsure of how to improve the situation, the ex-court wizard climbed up onto the bed and cautiously placed his hoof on her shoulder. No sooner had he touched her, the small filly spun around and buried her face in his chest, muffling her sobs as she desperately clung to him for comfort. Starswirl found himself paralysed by uncertainty, still deeply uncomfortable around children at the best of times, let alone now. With the same trepidation one might expect from interacting with a completely alien species, the grey-haired unicorn awkwardly patted the filly's head, murmuring an uncharacteristic 'there there' under his breath.

The embrace lingered for longer than he would have liked, but having been the instigator of this upset, he felt no right to give any less than she demanded. As the princess's sobs subsided and she slowly released her hold from his now-sodden chest, Starswirl knew there would be no better time than this to levy their situation upon her.

“We have all lost a great deal, and you more than most. Your parents were a beacon of hope and prosperity for Equestria since its very conception. They were not only your parents, but the architects of pony culture as we know it today. Canterlot was the guiding star of morality and hope that all of Equestria looked to for guidance, but...” He sighed. “Canterlot has fallen. Now the duties of the King, the Queen, and Canterlot itself fall squarely upon you. You are the elder sister, and now you are the matriarch of the royal family; you must be brave and strong, not only for Luna, but for all the ponies in your queendom.”

“I- don't- want- to be- queen!” she shuddered out between sobs.

“I know. I know it is bitterly unfair that such a burden should fall upon such small shoulders—and I will do everything I can to ease it—but you have always been heir to the throne of Equestria. It was always your destiny to become Queen, along with your sister”

“I don't want a destiny! I don't want to be Queen! I want to go home, with Mummy and Daddy!”

Her eyes began to well up again, to which he could only sympathise.

“I know,” he sighed, stroking her mane again. “I know.”

Ustiarius had been waiting outside the bedroom for quite some time at this point, taking the opportunity to watch the unusual celestial activity from one of the hallway's leaded windows, and giving a brief, awkward nod to a musky, grizzled workhorse on his way to his own room. The rapid sunrises and sunsets made the wait feel significantly longer than it had been, compounding his exhaustion from the long journey and leaving him close to taking a nap right there in the corridor. With a small creak, the door to their room cracked open behind him, unlatched from within by Starswirl's magic, ushering the guardspony back inside. As he closed the door behind him, Ustiarius was met by the unexpectedly paternal sight of Starswirl and Celestia embracing on the bed. He didn't understand the situation, nor did he feel it was his place to know, but he was worried nonetheless.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, everything is fine,” the wizard replied. “As fine as it can be. We must rest for only as long as we require to make it to safety.”

His voice was softer than usual, not wanting to disturb or scare the fillies. The guardspony scratched his head, replying in a similarly hushed tone.

“But I still don't know where we're going, Starswirl. Do you?”

Starswirl looked down at Celestia, who had exhausted herself to sleep. He gently lifted her from his chest and placed the young unicorn next to her sister, folding the bedsheets over to cover them with his magic. Satisfied they were comfortable, Starswirl walked over to Ustiarius and spoke in a whisper.

“I have an idea. Stargazer the Spectacled frequently bragged to me in unsolicited scrolls that he had properties throughout Equestria. He took pleasure in believing I was a captive within the palace walls.” He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his muzzle, already frustrated at the thought of that pompous windbag, Stargazer. “Anyway, there was one particular property he mentioned in the far south-west of Equestria, just beyond the Arimaspi Peaks.”

“The Ari-?! Starswirl, that's the other end of Equestria!”

“Quite. Hopefully it will be a sufficient distance from Canterlot to protect the princesses.”

“And what if it isn't?”

“Then nowhere on Terra is safe. Our destination is a coastal village, so we can charter a boat and escape beyond Equestria if we must, but I fear that if the corruption can spread that far, then fleeing any further shall be fruitless.”

Ustiarius sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, overwhelmed by the scope of the situation.

“And this Stargazer guy won't mind you staying in his house?”

“I expect this disaster will be keeping the Council of the Nine quite busy, so I'm sure he won't mind if we—uh—'borrow' his accommodation while we're there.”

The guardspony smirked, amused by the vindictive pleasure Starswirl seemed to be getting from this rivalry. It was a childish malevolence he had never expected to see from him of all ponies. Ustiarius was no stranger to mischief before joining the guard, and he could think of much worse alternatives to squatting in some pretentious aristocrat's holiday home.

Settling down for the night, the two unicorns levitated the room's spare blankets and towels into makeshift bedding on the floor, between the bed and the door. A few minutes of silence passed, yet despite the ponies exhaustion, neither had fallen asleep as immediately as they had expected.

“Starswirl, what happened in the throne room?”

It was a question that had plagued him since leaving the palace, upon which his trust of the elder wizard balanced precariously. He genuinely wanted to believe they were on some just crusade, yet so far the only evidence he had seen of Starswirl's story was the erratic movements of the sun and moon. The ex-courtier took a heavy breath as he considered his answer.

“It is a long story, and one I simply cannot tell you for your own safety. I already fear that the Council will have my head for what I have done, and I cannot knowingly put you in the way of retribution you do not deserve simply from aiding me. The less you know, the more lenient they will be once this is all over.”

“That's not- That's not fair!” His whispers became angry hisses, remaining wary to not wake the princesses. “I've come this far, I've already put my neck on the line for you. Just tell me what happened!”

“It's not- This is-” Starswirl fumbled, desperately wanting to unburden and explain himself to the young stallion, though fearing the consequences. He grit his teeth, battling the inner demons that raged inside his mind. “There was an... 'incident'. The King...”

“Yes?”

“The King ordered a—well—he... He had good intentions, he just wanted to-” This was proving much harder than he had anticipated. He supposed that he was still coming to terms with the events himself. “The King sought to right a great wrong, in which I aided him. However, instead of bringing about a deserved happiness, he called forth a great sorrow.”

“The Queen?”

Starswirl didn't acknowledge his question, hoping to leave what plausible deniability he could.

“A monstrous beast appeared, altering the very fabric of reality around it... Twisting. Warping. It- It stole away the King's magic, then made him disappear entirely.”

“Disa- You're saying the King is gone? Gone-gone? Just like that, it-?”

“Yes. That is why I ordered the evacuation. A power like that is unrivalled, we had to save as many as we could from the initial corruption. Elysium only knows how many made it out like we did.”

“Flash Magnus is one of the greatest guards in the palace, he aced every exam in the academy. If anypony could get everypony out of the palace in time, it's him.” There was a conviction to his voice that settled Starswirl's worries by a fraction, though the reality of the situation remained bleak in his mind.

“I hope you are right. This is why these two fillies are so important. Not only are they the only heirs to the throne, but they are Equestria's best hope for becoming the alicorns we need to fight this menace.”

Ustiarius pondered in silence for a moment, his exhaustion completely banished by this conversation he had been eagerly awaiting, despite its sombre mood.

“But if the King wasn't strong enough to fight off the monster, then what hope do these two fillies have?”

“That-” Starswirl sighed. “-only time can tell.”

“Just how long are you planning to stay away from Canterlot?”

“As long as it takes to raise the two saviours of Equestria.”

Despite the determination in his voice, the wizard's mind was shadowed in doubt. He was desperate to believe that the King had been too weak in mind and body to repel the invader, and had he been himself, that monster—Discord—never would have succeeded. Of course, none of this would have happened in the first place.

Another moment of silence fell as the two began to finally get comfortable on the hard, wooden floor. There was an odd tranquillity to the room, between the gentle breaths of the children, to the clacks and creaks of hooves on wood downstairs, despite both stallions' minds racing over thoughts of the end of the world.

“But how do you fight a monster that can steal away your magic?” Ustiarius wistfully asked, aware that there was no answer to be had.

How indeed, Starswirl thought.

Chapter 7: A Rock and a Hard Place

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Daylight shone through the thin, scruffy curtain at the rear of the room—not that day and night meant much with Discord at the reins. Ustiarius stretched out on the floor not unlike a cat, while Starswirl rubbed his eyes and smacked his dry lips. Peering up onto the bed, it seemed that Celestia was already awake and currently reading some book that had been left in the room.

Studious as ever, the wizard thought with more than a little pride.

Wanting to know how long they had been asleep, Starswirl cast his time-keeping spell, only to realise that he had nothing to measure it against. He had never appreciated just how important raising the sun and moon on time was when you're working to a schedule. According to his spell it was a couple of hours before lunch, though how long they had actually been asleep was anypony's guess. Personally, he could do with a few more hours, but there were more important things to worry about right now, namely whether the chaos had reached them yet. Nothing appeared to be floating around the room, so it was safe to assume they were still in the clear, for the moment.

Starswirl groaned as he stood up. It had been many years since his joints were up to sleeping on hard surfaces like this, though it wasn't much worse than falling asleep at his desk, which he was no stranger to. Ah, his desk, surrounded by a wall of books in his tower... How he would miss that homely turret and its view.

“Good morning, Your Highness.” Celestia didn't reply to his salutation, though she was more likely just embroiled in her book, rather than continuing to harbour a grudge against him. Despite her currently absent attention, Starswirl spotted that Luna's mug of milk had been emptied, presumably by Celestia tending to her sister's needs while they slept. Even in dark times like these, the simple act of caring for a sibling warmed the old stallion's heart. With a smile creeping to his lips, the wizard instead turned to the stallion sprawled out on the floor. “And you, Ustiarius?”

The younger unicorn spread out his limbs with an equally stiff moan before standing. He was still sporting his recoloured brunette hair, though the obscura spell on his horn had worn off during the night. The bags under his eyes were telling, though he seemed in better shape than when they had laid down, at least.

“I've had better,” he strained, audibly cracking his lower-back as he stretched. “Sleep, that is.”

Starswirl tapped his own horn, prompting the guardspony to check the mirror and re-cast the obfuscation spell. As he looked into the mirror, Ustiarius began to absent-mindedly preen his fringe, causing the wizard to roll his eyes in contempt before addressing the room.

“Well, fillies and gentlecolt, we appear to have survived the night. I suggest we make haste and away, lest this minor victory be short-lived.”

Celestia seemed to pay attention this time, while Ustiarius gave an affirmative nod. Replacing the accessories of his disguise back on his head, Starswirl shunted the stallion out of the way to adjust his beard in the mirror. He was well aware of how lacklustre his disguise was, but improving it now would only draw attention to their clandestine mission. Satisfied that everything was back in its place, the self-appointed leader turned back to his roommates, ready to begin the day on the right hoof.

“Now, let's head downstairs and get some food for the journey. Celestia, if you would?”

The old wizard pointed to the silken sack they had arrived in, to which the small princess wrinkled her nose in contempt.

“Again? This is so unfair!”

“It is an unfortunate necessity of the situation, Celestia. Please, it is for your safety.”

With an exasperated growl, the filly got up from her comfy spot on the bed and stomped over to the bag, beside which lay Luna. Expelling an overly-vocalised sigh, she picked her sister up and stepped into the cloth, shot a pouty glare to her mentor, then closed the sack over her head with her magic. The two adults shared a wry smile before Starswirl gently lifted the sack up and placed it on his back. Taking a deep breath in and out to ready themselves, the pair headed out their room's door. Arriving at the downstairs drinking area of the venue, the duo of disguised unicorns walked over to the bar, still staffed by the same landmare as the day before. It was unclear when—or even if—she had slept that night, though the hardy nature of these rural earth ponies was far from surprising. It was actually a little unnerving just how unphased they were by the rapidly changing day-and-night cycles outside.

“Mornin', lads,” the bartender called from her side of the worktop.

“Mornin', ma'am,” Ustiarius replied, immediately back to his adopted accent, impressing Starswirl once again.

“Sleep well?”

“As well as could be hoped.” Starswirl forced another smile, pulling his hat off his head. “Could we trouble you for a meal before we leave? And some provisions to go, if it's not too much to ask.”

“Sure thing, honey. Grab a seat.”

Setting down the plate she was wiping, she placed both hooves on the counter, apparently waiting for something. With embarrassed realisation, the wizard hurriedly levitated the coin purse out of his hat and hovered it over the bar. It was only as he began shaking the contents out that he remembered he had emptied it in their room the night before. An awkward moment of silence passed as the two looked up at each other—the barmaid slowly raising her eyebrow.

“I... uh... There was an accident upstairs, you see. I left a pittance... in the room...”

With no more than a snort and a dry smile, the hostess turned and left for the kitchen, as if to say 'tourists'. Ustiarius gave the older unicorn a withering glance, not needing telepathy magic to tell him 'great job', which was an assessment Starswirl could only agree with. The two turned back and sat at the same table they had the night before, this time placing the priceless blue bag beneath the table. As the pair waited for their food, Ustiarius recognised a couple of faces scattered around the room from the night before, again unsure whether they had even moved—let alone slept—since then.

“Star-” The wizard interrupted him sharply with a loud cough. “Oh, uh, I mean—Whitebeard.” The young unicorn leaned in, lowering his voice. “I was thinking about what you said last night, about alicorns.”

Starswirl, or as he had asked to be called, 'Whitebeard'—showing his aptitude for scholarly pursuits was not mirrored in his creativity—looked around shiftily, making sure no one would hear their conversation before meeting Ustiarius at the centre of the table.

“The two princesses... I never really thought about it until seeing them up-close, but they're unicorns, aren't they? How are they going to become alicorns?”

The wizard huffed. “That is monarchy 101. Did you not attend school?”

“I did. Briefly.” He smirked, knowing that it would irk the stallion, to which he received a disapproving grunt. “I know that alicorns are born from great deeds of kindness, but that's about it.”

“This is hardly the time or place for a history lesson... but...” The opportunity to taut his knowledge was just too appealing, even if it was elementary. “Alicorns are a unique state of being achieved by—as you say—great deeds of kindness and empathy. Many forget that Queen Starshine was a descendent of the original earth pony settlers, instead associating alicorn magic with unicorns, despite each race having their own brand of magic.”

Ustiarius raised an eyebrows, not quite expecting the lecture he had got himself into.

He continued, “Whenever a pony of any race consistently proves themselves to be pure of heart, putting the happiness of others before their own, the magic inside of them blooms, elevating them to the state we call 'alicorn'. Not quite a race of its own, but a unification of all the pony magicks given to only the most exemplary individuals. It really is quite fascinating, one of the last true unknowns of our world.”

“But I've known all sorts of kind-hearted ponies, why aren't alicorns more common?”

“Ah, well these acts go far beyond what one would expect from a typical pony. Self-sacrifice, actions that improve the lives of an entire village of ponies, even the mere intention to make large-scale, positive changes to the world... It is this grand scope that explains why royalty are by far the most likely candidates for ascension. They are, after all, the very best of us.” At least in theory, he thought to himself. “But it is by no means exclusive to royalty.”

The guardspony sat back, wide-eyed; a new realm of possibilities opening up before him.

“So you're saying that if I was a good enough pony, even I could become an alicorn?”

Starswirl scoffed. “It is possible. Highly unlikely, but possible.”

Just as they finished talking, the landmare approached the table with two steaming bowls of warm oats and some buns. After thanking her, Starswirl casually deposited the loaves into his bag for Celestia, unintentionally raining them on the young unicorn's head, much to her chagrin.

“It is quite fascinating,” Starswirl eagerly continued, no longer worried of being overheard due to the general nature of the topic. “This inherent magic within all ponies—sometimes referred to as the 'sixth element'—and its influence over transcending to a higher state of being... Many ponies—philosophers—have spent their lives researching it, seeking to harness that power for themselves, yet still nopony has grasped the concept completely. Not even alicorns could tell you what it is—it would be like asking somepony to explain how they keep their heart beating. Perhaps it is the very act of seeking it out that makes it so elusive? Such pursuits have had unintended breakthroughs though, such as the creation of one particularly powerful artefact nicknamed 'the philosopher's stone', said to bestow a regular pony with the longevity of an alicorn. It is a mere piece of the puzzle, but the discovery alone is remarkable in itself. Alchemy is a fascinating science, I highly recommend it as a hobby.”

Ustiarius slowly spooned food into his mouth as he stared at the table, wide-eyed, already too overwhelmed with information to take anymore in. Starswirl proceeded, entirely for his own benefit.

“But were one to fully understand and harness the power of this sixth element... it could spell a new era of peace throughout Equestria like it has never known. A ruling class of alicorns, watching over the whole world for centuries with the speed of the fastest pegasus, the intelligence of the smartest unicorn, and the strength of the strongest terran. An aristocracy of perfectly pure-hearted ponies, devoted to spreading kindness and protecting our community. ”

The guardspony shook off his daze, realising he had completely lost touch with the conversation. “Wait, did you say 'ruling class'? Like, a whole army of alicorns? What if one of them goes rogue? I can't imagine the damage an alicorn as powerful as the King could do.”

“No, no, no. Are you not listening? The very prerequisite of ascension is a pure-hearted and noble soul. The very thought of an alicorn being any less than a beacon of virtue is- it is simply impossible.”

“Well, if you say so, but the idea of an all-powerful ruling class? It just don't sit right with me.”

“Are you-” Starswirl paused, leaning in. “Are you serious? You are a royal guard working almost directly under the King! There has always been an all-powerful ruling class, regardless of its size. It is just the way of things!”

“Not anymore it's not.”

Starswirl sat back, blind-sided by reality. He was right, of course. In his fervour, Starswirl had completely forgotten about the situation they were currently in. The King was gone, the monarchy was gone, society as they knew it was gone, and yet here they sat in some run down, backwash tavern, chatting and eating like nothing had happened. It had become their job—like it or not—to bring order back to the capitol by spiriting the princesses away, and they weren't going to help anypony by sitting on their hooves in some middle-of-nowhere dive.

With fresh determination on his face, Starswirl hastily finished his bowl, picked up his bag, and walked directly out the front door. A little flustered by this sudden exit, Ustiarius rushed to return the eating utensils to the bar, thank the matron, then hurry out after him.

“Safe travels, boys,” the landmare called out after them, still silently amused by their exploits.

“You too!” Ustiarius shouted back, immediately regretting the nonsensical sentiment.

Now outside the Prancing Pony, the ex-guardspony found Starswirl already dumping his hat and cape back into the enchanted chest. The princesses sat on the back seat of the cart, still half shrouded in the bag and with a bun sticking out of Celestia's mouth.

“That was a bit rude, don't you think?” the young stallion asked, approaching the wizard.

“Equestria does not have time for pleasantries,” the elder unicorn replied, not even turning to face his companion. “We do not know how far ahead of the corruption we are, and unknown variables are unacceptable. We must leave immediately. We should not have stopped at all.”

It felt like whatever bonding may have accidentality transpired between the two during this interlude had suddenly vanished, leaving the old stallion as gruff and unapproachable as he had been before they arrived.

“Yes sir,” the stallion growled through grit teeth.

The ex-guardspony stomped over to the bushes where he'd stashed his royal armour the day before and levitated it over to the enchanted trunk, far too frustrated to care about the pretence of his disguise any more. Returning to his woefully familiar spot at the front of the cart, the brown-haired stallion began strapping himself in just as the sound of clacking hooves began to approach from the direction of Canterlot. Starswirl looked up from his box just as a young, pale-green earth pony passed the trees bordering the inn. The wizard swiftly yanked the silken bag back over the princesses' heads as the traveller made a sharp turn into the parking area, almost tipping his cart laden with farming tools and various household items. Was he moving house? The young stallion skidded to a halt, spraying a wave of dirt out in front of him as he slid right by the two unicorns and their cargo, coming dangerously close to careening straight into the wall of the inn.

Spitting out his bit in a panic, the lad called over to the pair, “Run! Don't go North, just run! South! Go!” before dashing into the tavern, likely to spread his message further.

Starswirl and Ustiarius looked at each other for a moment, silently agreeing that the younger unicorn should see what was going on. Peeking in through the pub door, Ustiarius spotted the green pony doubled-over, trying to catch his breath.

“Woah, woah, woah,” the landmare cooed, remaining her calm self behind her bar. “What's happening now? Try again, slowly.”

“The- The whole of-” the stallion wheezed, taking a few more deep breaths before standing back up, a look of genuine fear in his eyes. “Canterlot is gone! Ah was there, deliverin' goods, and it just- it just-”

“Hold up now, Little Cobb, whaddya mean 'gone'?”

Based on his age and the barmaid already knowing him by name, Ustiarius suspected the young stallion was the son of a regular here—likely a farmer too.

“It's just gone! Chaos! Pure chaos! The whole world started going wonky! Ah was gettin' ready to leave after after sellin' our goods, then some firework spooked the townsfolk, and then some've the buildin's started floatin', and the dirt roads got all sticky-like, and everythin' went completely loopy! Ah'm telling ya', we all gotta git!”

Ustiarius furrowed his brow, having not seen any of the effects of this 'chaos' himself. It looked like it was just as bad as Starswirl had said, though none of the patrons seemed impressed by the lad's tale.

“Well just hol' up a minute there, Little Cobb. What you're saying is just plum crazy. Ain't nothing like that happenin' to a town full'a fancy-pants unicorns and their magic.”

“Ah'm tellin' ya! It's real! Ah was there! And it's spreadin'! Ah packed up me and pa's things from the farm, laid a cart, and ah'm here to get 'im! And ah reckon y'all should get out too, while ya can!”

“This is crazy talk, Little Cobb. You can't just come in here, screamin' an' hollerin', scarin' mah customers-”

“Please, Mrs. Applecore, just tell me where Pops is at!”

The landmare sighed, presenting a troubled frown that Ustiarius couldn't have imagined on her mellow face. It was hardly surprising that she didn't want to believe the lad's tale, though it seemed Little Cobb wasn't known for lying either. The tension throughout the bar was becoming palpable.

“He's sleeping off his ale in room six-”

“Thank you!” he interrupted, rushing towards the stairs and tripping up some as he went.

“But I swear, Little Cobb,” she shouted up after him, “if this is some kind of joke, your Pops won't be the only one havin' words with you!”

The patrons began to murmur amongst themselves, despite the apathetic atmosphere of this 'backwater hophouse', as Starswirl had called it. It seemed that they were beginning to piece together the strange behaviour of the sky with the boy's story. Ustiarius backed out of the doorway and returned to the cart.

“So?” the wizard asked, turning his attention from the rustling bag containing a quite frustrated Celestia.

“Seems it's about as bad as you described it. The strangeness spread at least as far as Canterlot, and he seems to think his farm is in danger too, which can't be too far from here. I dunno how many made it out of town, but if this pony did, there's hope that others did too.”

Starswirl scowled, still feeling responsible for his mistake affecting so many lives.

“Nothing has changed. We continue with the plan to go South.”

“But Canterlot-”

“We cannot do anything to save them right now. We must escape, regroup—know our enemy before we make a move.”

“And how many will suffer alone while you prepare?”

The wizard turned his full body towards the guardspony, a grim look on his face.

“Fewer than if we fail.”

The two unicorns stared each other down for a moment before the inn's door unexpectedly creaked, prompting both to turn towards the noise. It was the young stallion—Little Cobb—exiting with his head hung low and a look of defeat on his face. He didn't acknowledge the two outside as he dragged his hooves over to his own cart and picked up its bit in his mouth.

“Was your dad not there?” Ustiarius called over, feeling a little guilty that he could not corroborate the boy's story.

Little Cobb emitted a brief shriek of surprise, dropping the bit back to the ground, clearly lost in his thoughts after what the guardspony assumed was a harsh chastising.

“Y-You're still here?” He turned to the pair, the fire gone from his eyes. “Ah told you it ain't safe here. Not that anypony listen' to me.”

“Do not worry about us, youngling,” Starswirl replied. “We can look after ourselves, and I encourage you to do the same. You cannot save everypony.”

“If ya believe me, then how can ya be so calm?”

“We were just-” Ustiarius began, almost immediately cut-off by Starswirl.

“We would not believe such claims to be made in jest. Canterlot is to the north-east, correct? Then perhaps the north-west would be safer?”

“Ain't no knowing, sir. The things ah seen up town—ah just ran as fast as mah legs could carry me. Ah was almost too scared to sleep, though ah had to after a while, what with the awful distance. Ran back home first, but Pops weren't there, so ah packed up what ah could and made way here. Pops is a reg'ler, see. Oft come here from workin' fields.”

“Oh, so your dad was here?” Ustiarius asked, beginning to feel somewhat invested in his stallion's day.

“Oh, yes sir. He gave me ah right seein' to after all the hootin' an' hollerin' ah done, coming in there all outta mah head. Done deserved it, ah guess. Said he'll be down shortly and take meh home. He ain't none happy, ah can tell you. Ah'll be cleanin' the barn fer months after this.”

“You came from the North, correct?” Starswirl asked.

“Aye sir, small farmin' village just up yonder called Ponydale. If yer headin' north-west, you'll see it f'sure on yer way, if it's still there t'all. Ah told mah pops it ain't safe, told 'em all, but they just t'weren't listenin'. Ah don't wanna go back. What if that weirdness' spread to th' farm? Or what if it comes later, when we're 'sleep? Ah don't wanna go, but pop's main' me.”

The boy bit his lip, trying to stifle the shaking of his legs, clearly terrified.

“Hey, come on now, I'm sure you'll be fine,” Ustiarius reassured him, not believing his own words. “Your dad will look out for you, I'm sure—whatever happens. He might be strict, but I bet he cares about you deeply.”

Nopony knew how hard is was for those words to leave his lips, but this was for the boy's sake, not his.

“Yer right... Ah just...” He trailed off with a sigh, swallowed by dark thoughts.

“Listen, lad-” Starswirl stepped down from the cart, holding something in his hoof. “It's not much, but why don't you hold on to this?”

Ustiarius was starting to notice that the wizard's formal speech softened when he was trying to connect to someone. To his surprise, it seemed the old coot had taken a liking to the young farm-boy too. Holding out his hoof, Starswirl placed an equally-sized object in Little Cobb's sole. It was a smooth, flat, slightly off-blue stone featuring a jagged spiral etched into its face. It would probably catch pretty good air if you skimmed it, Ustiarius thought.

“What's this?” the pale-green pony asked, looking down at the odd item in his grasp.

“It's a beacon—nothing fancy—but if you ever find yourself in serious trouble—and I do mean 'serious'—then you will be able to contact me. I may not look like much, but I know my way around a spell or two. Just say the word and I'll be there.”

“W-Wow, you'd do that for ah stranger? That's awful kind, sir, awful kind indeed!”

The young earth pony seemed to perk up now he had some kind of a backup plan. Starswirl smiled just as the door to the inn opened once more, this time revealing a much larger, dark-green workhorse. He was heavily built, sporting dark stubble and a ploughing collar cutie mark, who Ustiarius recognised as the pony who had passed him in the corridor the night before.

“Now who're ya botherin', boy?” The gruff farmer stomped up to his son and their cart as Starswirl backed off. He didn't seem to be angry, just acerbic and hungover. “You leave them fellas alone, we're headin' home. You's got some barn work to do.”

“Yes, Pop.” The young stallion nodded meekly, managing to fumble his new stone trinket into their cart without his father seeing it as he picked up the bit.

“Sorry if mah boy bothered you, sirs,” the older farmer turned to address the unicorns. “He tends to flights'a fancy, though he ain't never been such a fuss as this before. Don't let him worry you none, though—just an overactive imagination.”

With a nod to the travellers and a click of the tongue to his son, the two began trotting back north to Ponydale, cart in tow. Little Cobb snuck a quick wave back to Starswirl as they left, evoking another clip around the ear by his father.

“You think they'll be alright?” Ustiarius asked as they returned to readying their cart.

“Yes, the father seems quite capable, and the boy has strength of will. Should their village succumb, I believe they will be resourceful enough to survive.”

“Yet you gave him that stone. Awful nice of you. I thought you were an 'everypony for themselves' kind of pony.”

Starswirl stopped what he was doing and turned to the pale-blue unicorn, who was still busy affixing his harness.

“Believe what you like, but I am no monster. I may be rational enough to recognise that we cannot save Equestria single-hoofed, but that does not mean I would turn a blind eye to the suffering of individuals along the way.”

Ustiarius pondered this response for a minute before remembering something the older pony had said earlier.

“By the way, why did you tell him we were going north?”

“Because if anypony were to ask them, for whatever reason, the more misinformation we spread about our whereabouts, the better.”

As wily as ever, Ustiarius thought, scoffing. But where is the line between guile and paranoia?

With the cart prepared and the steed's harness in place, the group was finally ready to return to their journey. With a familiar glow from his horn, Starswirl recast his stamina spell on the guardspony as the group continued south. After an extended period of nothing but the monotonous clacking of hooves echoing among the thick evergreens, the white-haired stallion finally broke the silence.

“You did not have to come with us, you know.”

“What?” Ustiarius shouted back over the wind in his face.

“You could have left at the inn; gone your own way,” Starswirl hollered back. “We seem to have outrun the corruption for now, and I am not incapable of pulling a cart. Why continue with us? Why take the risk?”

A bitter smirk crossed their steed's face.

“Well I came this far, didn't I? And it's not like I've got anything to go back to. No family, no job, nowhere to live. But if there's one thing I learnt during training, it's that a royal guard should lay down their life for king and country. Call it foolish or egotistical, but I simply see this as doing my duty.”

Starswirl reflected on this answer, thinking back to what they had left behind. With the palace and town lost to a reality-distorting madness, what was left for any of them but their futures? Families had undoubtedly been scattered, with many left behind and falling victim to Discord's machinations. Even if they should somehow succeed with his plan to raise the princesses to oppose him, who's to say that the damage he has wrought isn't permanent? All of Canterlot could need rebuilding, taking decades of work... And what of the families fleeing across Equestria? Could they ever be reunited? It seemed like a hopeless task, but it was the only chance they had left to fight back.

As the sun set in the sky, drifting down like a falling leaf, darkness fell over the twisted remains of Canterlot Palace. Amidst the fractured, multicoloured festival of madness that used to be the capitol's symbol of protection and regality, sat the gleefully smug Discord. Slouching on a tall throne of his own design, the evil draconequus had surrounded himself with floating images of his newest conquests, basking in the glorious chaos he had wrought. Snapping his fingers, a bewildered, sky-blue pegasus wearing a lacy maid's costume appeared out of thin air before him.

“I find all this gloating to be thirsty work. A glass of your finest mud-water, s'il vous plaît.”

With another snap of his fingers, the maid pony teleported back to whence she came. Leaning forward, Discord steepled his fingers as he spotted a small farming village barely outside the reach of his influence. A cruel, eager grin curled his lip as he patiently watched his signature checkerboard grass spread towards them. This will be fun, he thought. Ambient chaos was all well and good, but nothing beat watching fresh corruption in real-time—the screaming, the panic, the unexpected results. Oh, it was just too delectable! What would he do to this sorry clump of luddites? Turn the earth to salt? Make their crops carnivorous? Perhaps have the plants farm the ponies? This was all just too much fun! He couldn't help but kick his feet like an excited preschooler.

The Discord-shaped door to his throneroom creaked open as he watched the screens eagerly, allowing the same blue pony from before to re-enter, galloping as fast as she could down the unreasonably long and winding hall, doing her best to not drop the serving tray balanced on one hoof. She skidded to a halt in front of the elevated throne on which her new master sat, offering him the glass of brown liquid in a golden goblet as she gasped for breath.

“Ah! Room service, and just in time for the show! I must say, you ponies are quite obliging. Not quite as fast as doing it myself, but then what's the point in having servants if you don't use them? I'm sure you can relate.”

With a crooked grin, Discord's hand popped off his wrist and floated down to snatch the glass from the maid as she cowered in fear. No sooner had his arm returned, the draconequus scowled at the small, pastel equine.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go!”

Almost jumping out of her uncomfortable, black, heeled shoes, the small pegasus spun around and galloped towards the distant door.

“WAIT!”

The pony skidded to a halt once more, now frozen with fear as a cold sweat broke across her brow.

“What—is—this?” Discord held out the vessel. “No twigs? No leaves? Not even a cherry on top? I clearly asked for mud-water, did I not? Do you ponies not even know the basics of nouvelle cuisine?”

The terrified pegasus slowly turned to face her accuser, barely able to move from shaking.

“I-I-I-It's ch-ch-ch-ch-chocolate m-m-milk, Y-Your Chaosness. W-W-When you s-s-s-said m-mud-water, I d-didn't think you meant l-literally-”

“Whatlate WHAT?”

The sky-blue pony dropped to her knees as she wrapped her forehooves over her head, quaking in terror.

“You're right, my dear, you didn't think. Next time I ask for something, you had best get it right, unless you and your family want to join the ranks of my ever-growing collection.” Sweeping his arm around the room, Discord drew attention to the numerous pony-shaped statues littering the walls, floor and ceiling in a variety of horrified poses. Some statues had been doodled on, and others painted or dressed up, though such touches only made the haunting scene that much worse. “Understood?”

It was unclear whether the pony was nodding or just shaking in fear, a frustratingly common trait in these useless equines. He sighed before turning his attention to the goblet's contents, eyeing it suspiciously. Taking a delicate sip, he swished it around inside his mouth, analysing the depth of its flavours. Just as the maid dared to open an eye out to see what was happening, he frowned, causing her to flinch.

“Not bad.”

She breathed a heavy sigh of relief, almost collapsing completely to the floor.

“You're lucky that I enjoy surprises, and this is actually not all that bad.” He took another sip, extending his pinkie as he did so. “Not bad at all. Chocolate milk, you say? It's no mud-water, but it will do. Off with you.”

With a dismissive wave of his hand, the draconequus continued to enjoy his mud-water-substitute. The small blue pony stammered for a couple of seconds before realising she was free, jumping to her hooves and making a beeline for the exit. Finishing the liquid and proceeding to take a bite out of the goblet itself, Discord chewed for a moment before snapping his fingers again, turning the maid to stone just as she reached the throne room doors, causing her to topple over from the inertia.

“Still, it would be a shame if the rabble thought I was going soft. Can't let that happen, now can we?” Using his discordant magic, the malicious entity placed the freshly made statue neatly to the side of the door, turning it to face him. “However, as thanks for introducing me to 'chocolate milk', I'll give you a reduced sentence. How does one-hundred years sound? I know, my generosity surprises even me sometimes.”

He cackled, placing a top hat and cane on the carbonised pony, her face forever frozen in a state of hopeful fear. Turning his attention back to the floating vistas, he focused once more on the small farming-village of Ponydale.

“Now, where was I...”

Chapter 8: Home Sweet Home

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The wooden carriage carrying the former court-wizard Starswirl and Princesses Celestia and Luna creaked as it raced along the old dirt track, pulled by ex-royal-guard Ustiarius while the sun and moon erratically danced overhead. He had been running for hours in almost complete silence after an awkward tension had fallen between the two adults, broken only by the occasional musings of the pink-maned filly. Ustiarius couldn't help but let his mind wander back to the palace, back to his friends and colleagues, back to that cute maid he had been courting for a few weeks... He dreaded to think what their fate might be, given that the two most powerful unicorns in the land had lost to the creature that was now sitting on the throne. Here he was, forced to run away from it all to protect the heirs of Canterlot, leaving everything behind that he cared about for total strangers, more or less. He could accept that it was his job to protect the crown—and he would fulfil that role until his dying breath—but it felt so wrong leaving so many innocents behind to protect just three. He deserved to become an alicorn for this, he scoffed silently.

As the sun broke the horizon for the sixth time this hour, its golden rays sparkled and danced like diamonds in the distance for the first time on their road trip. Ustiarius immediately recognised the far glimmer as water, but what was more exciting were the shapes silhouetted against it.

“Is that-?” the driver muttered before calling back to his passengers. “Hey, is that it? Is that the village up ahead?” His questions went unanswered. Typical. He does all the work while everypony else takes it easy. “Hey! Starswirl!”

There was a snort and sudden shuffle behind him in the carriage.

“What?! What?” the disorientated old unicorn spluttered.

“Up ahead, is that our town? You said it was on the coast, right?”

“Wha-? Uh...”

More rummaging followed as Starswirl rifled through his enchanted chest, eventually producing a large telescopic lens. Looking up, Ustiarius flinched at the telescope precariously extending over him, pointing towards the distant black blur as it swayed atop its flimsy tripod.

“Well?” he asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Yes, yes, if you would just keep this blasted cart steady-”

Oh, great idea, genius, he thought, and just how am I supposed to do that? I'll go ahead and pave the road while I'm at it, hm?

“That does appear to be the South Brine,” the wizard continued. “Though I cannot make out the shapes with the sun directly-”

As if by command the sun snaked its way above them, pausing overhead to spin in a small circle, creating rather disorientating shadows across the land.

“Well then.” Starswirl returned his eye to the lens. “Hm. Mmhm. They certainly are buildings, as you surmised, and not of any design common to Central Equestria.”

Well that much was obvious, Ustiarious inwardly spat. You might not have realised it between naps, but we've travelled quite a long way.

“Of course I have no idea what the town actually looks like, so there is no real way of knowing if it is the right one until we get there.”

“Are you just now telling me that we came all this way and you don't even know what you're looking for?!”

“Stargazer the Braggart wrote about this villa offhoof in a scroll or two just to irk me. He was neither specific about its location, nor the surrounding landmarks. Be glad that we could find it at all, if this even is the correct location. So unless you have any bright ideas—which I doubt—just get us there in one piece and I will enquire with the locals to ascertain its legitimacy.”

Ustiarius grit his teeth in anger. He didn't deserve this treatment. Did this wrinkled coot have any idea what he had given up? Maybe Starswirl had no emotional ties to Canterlot, but he did. Heck, he was even worried about his estranged father in Vanhoover. Could the corruption have spread that far? It didn't bear thinking about. He shook his head, trying to free the choking thoughts from his mind. This was neither the time nor place for such worries, if there even was such a thing.

Minutes passed as the town on the horizon and potential end to their journey grew ever closer. Sweat rolled down the ponies brows as the sun baked Bone Dry Desert swallowed the landscape to their left, while a dense tropical forest to their right offered no protection from the sun, despite the colossal Arimaspi Peaks that loomed over them. As the exotic flora gave way to a more comfortable and familiar pine forest, the South Brine began to fill more and more of the view ahead—a truly awe-inspiring sight for anypony who had spent their life in Central Equestria. Ustiarius felt like he was galloping towards freedom itself—an endless, calming, blue expanse of nothingness, like the eye of the storm of his entire life.

“Girls. Girls, we're here,” Starswirl cooed. “We'll be stopping here briefly—or for quite some time, if we're lucky.”

Celestia stretched out across the red, padded bench, yawning. Luna let out her own tiny yawn from within the swaddling cloth she was wrapped in. These two seemed truly inseparable, which would be of crucial importance in the coming years.

“What time is it?” Celestia moaned, blissfully unaware of their situation in her sleepy state.

What time indeed, Starswirl thought. It wasn't worth referring to his time spell until order had returned to the skies. “Time to get up. We're here.”

“We are?!”

Celestia jumped up onto her hooves and clambered over the chest, hopped onto Starswirl's seat, and-

“Careful!” Starswirl warned, too late to have any impact.

-over, landing on Ustiarius' back, nearly giving him a heart attack. Starswirl almost had one too, watching the young princess leap from a moving cart onto a galloping pony.

“CELESTIA!”

“Woaaaaaah.” She didn't care about her tutor's objections with the wondrous sight that sprawled ahead. Seeking a better view, she made her way up Ustiarius' mane to peek over his head, to his amusement. Before her spread a seemingly infinite expanse of dazzling azure gems twinkling in the sun; the first time she had ever seen the sea, or any body of water larger than their garden pond, for that matter. Her eyes sparkled with wonder, having spend most of her life within the palace walls, longingly gazing out its windows at the emerald vistas she longed to explore—and now she was here, out in the middle of nowhere without a single wall in sight! It was breathtaking.

“Celestia! Get back into the carriage this second! Do you have any idea what your father would do to-”

Starswirl's err brought the whole party back to the harshness of their reality like a slap in the face. Eyes dulled, the off-white filly slowly made her way back to the safety of the seating area.

“Please be careful, Your Highness.” Starswirl's tone had softened dramatically, seemingly having settled more into his role as a carer. “I don't know what I would do if you were to be injured. I have a duty to fulfil, to your father and mother.”

“I know... I'm sorry.”

He smiled sympathetically, placing his hoof around her and steering her back towards the view, holding her safely as she leaned over the side of the cart. The view wasn't as good, but she deserved this at the very least.

The globe-trotting group were now close enough to make out details on the buildings ahead. The structures were unusual compared to typical Greater Canterlot architecture, utilising curved walls and mushroom-like tiled roofs instead of angles and thatching. The town was a quaint fishing village—trading what they catch with carnivorous races, particularly the Caitians—large enough to sustain themselves, but small enough for everypony to know one another. The familiar and welcoming sight of colourful ponies dotting the scenery confirmed they were still in Equestria, if only just, while the lack of any discordant corruption was a relieving sight to the old stallion. It might just be a matter of time, but at least for now he felt like they could let their guard down... Almost.

“Ustiarius! Stop!”

“Wha-” Somewhat panicked by the sudden command, he slammed on the proverbial breaks by digging all four heels into the ground, kicking up stones and clouds of dust as they shuddered to a halt. “What?!”

“We need to be smart about this approach. We have come this far incognito, so we should make our entrance as stealthily as possible.”

“Couldn't we have talked about this any time during the journey? You didn't have to scare me like that. Anyway, what are you so scared about? These are just random townsponies, who are they going to tell? If anypony comes this far to find us, they already have!”

“You are not seeing the big picture, Ustiarius. Problems are not always as small as the door you stand in front of.”

“Hah! That's rich. You're so focused on escaping that you haven't given a second thought to those we've left behind!” he scowled over his shoulder.

“That could not be further from the truth,” he glared back. “If a house burns in front of you, do you rush in and save the items within, losing the house, or do you cast water from your horn, hoping to save both?”

“What is this mission if not rushing in for the princesses, leaving the palace to burn?”

“A young stallion like you would be blind to the scope of this situation. This is not about the palace, or even Canterlot. This is a nation-wide calamity—ney, worldwide should it be left unchecked. The princesses are the water, not the valuables. They are our only hope of putting out this fire on our very existence! It would behoove you to listen to your elders—your superiors—and stop questioning me every—single—time I tell you to do something!”

“Well perhaps I wouldn't question you if you asked instead! I am not your servant, and apparently I am not your friend, so stop assuming I will follow your every word just because you said so! We are not in Canterlot anymore, and you are not a member of the court. There is no court! It's just you and me, and-” Ustiarius trailed off as he began to notice a background noise.

Curled up into a ball on the rear seat of the carriage, Celestia was quietly sobbing to herself with her hooves over her ears as the adults argued.

“Look what you've done!” Starswirl whisper-shouted to their driver.

“What I've done?! You started it!” he whisper-shouted back.

As the two unicorns glared at each other and the sobbing continued, their anger was quickly replaced by the more important matter. With a sigh, Starswirl climbed over his chest and sat next to the princess, putting his foreleg around her.

“There, there. We didn't mean to upset you... We were just having an adult conversation.”

“You were yelling! You hate each other!” she stuttered into her legs.

“We- We were just discussing, loudly. We don't hate each other. We're-” He looked up at Ustiarius, who was watching them, still strapped into the cart. “We are friends.”

The two weakly smiled to one another. It wasn't much, but there was a ring of truth to his words that calmed the guardspony's temper.

“So what was your plan?” he calmly asked, already prepared to acquiesce, for Celestia's sake.

“We go in stealthily,” Starswirl began, an unusual softness in his voice. “With my magic restored, I can cast an invisibility spell over all of us. We roll in, see if we can find the house, hide the cart and the princesses, then enter the town as visitors. This way nopony will know which direction we came from, and new disguises will make us untraceable between here, the inn, and home.”

“More disguises?”

Starswirl raised his eyebrow, to which Ustiarius just smirked and turned back to face the road.

“Alright then, do your thing.”

As the cart began to move forward at a gentle trot, the wizard released his stamina bond and cast a mass obscura spell, causing the carriage and all its ponies to fade into nothing, like glass into water. It was a bizarre feeling to look down and not see your own hooves or muzzle, which almost immediately caused Ustiarius to trip and fall flat on his face. Luckily for his sake, they had already turned off the track and onto the lush, mossy grass between the sparse pines. Recovering himself and thanking Elysium that nopony saw that, they continued forward, leaving behind nothing but the indents of two wheels and a set of hoofprints, slowly raising in the soft forest floor.

From between the quiet and musky trees, the dark shapes of the buildings they had spotted earlier reappeared. Exiting the wooded area, the invisible cart slowly came to a halt behind a small thicket, not far from the rear of a row of houses. Thanks to the sun's new location after a few 'days' had passed, their hiding spot was currently covered in shadow, nicely concealing the crushed grass beneath their mass.

“Okay, change of plan,” Starswirl whispered, projecting to their steed.

“What?”

“I thought Stargazer's holiday home might stand out from afar, but none of these houses follow a standardized blueprint, making them impossible to tell apart. I will have to stay here with the sisters and keep us concealed while you scout out the town.”

“What?! I did not agree to this!”

“If the situation changes, so too must the plan.”

“Why me?!”

“I just told you; one of us needs to stay with the girls, and if it's me, I can keep us invisible.”

“This is-!” Stopping himself, he let out an angry sigh. “Fine, whatever, but I don't know what I'm looking for! Am I supposed to ask every villager I see?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, great!” In a huff, Ustiarius began to unbuckle himself from the cart's rigid harness. “Fine. Fine!”

“Oh, and before you go, I'll give you a disguise.”

“What? Why?! They're even less likely to know me here than at the inn!”

“In case you mess up! It's called a safety net, so just accept it and go!”

“Fine!”

With an invisible flash of his invisible horn, Starswirl cast a Form Cloak spell over Ustiarius—notably different from a Transmutation spell, which molecularly alters its target, this incantation merely changes their perceived form.

“What... What did you do to me?” the guardspony asked, noticing a very definite change to himself beyond mere clothing.

“Oh, that's right.” With considerably more effort, Starswirl cast another spell, this time of the Transmutation variety.

“I feel-” Ustiarius cut off mid-sentence, not recognising the voice that had escaped his lips. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY VOICE?!” he screamed, breaking their hushed conversation.

“Shhhh! Keep your voice down!”

“Exactly! My voice! What did you do to me?!”

“I simply ensured your disguise was complete. Do not panic, I am perfectly able to return it to normal when you are done.”

A deathly silence radiated from the empty spot where Ustiarius stood. The wizard cocked his head, despite neither of them being able to see it, waiting for his companion to make a move. Slowly and with trepidant steps, their steed's new form emerged from the radius of Starswirl's invisibility field, himself shocked as a yellow hoof emerged in place of his own. With a backwards glare in the direction of the elder unicorn, he continued out of the spell's bubble and began to slowly turn in a circle, trying to see what had become of his regular form. Where there had once been muscular, off-white legs, there now stood slender daffodil-yellow ones. His short-cut mane—originally night-blue, then later brunette—was now shoulder-length, wavy, and salmon pink, as was his tail.

“What is this?!” he quietly shrieked with his newly acquired, feminine voice.

“A fantastic disguise, if I do say so myself. It will be quite impossible for anypony to recognise your original form now.”

“This is going way too far, Starswirl. I am not okay with this.”

“The sooner you succeed in finding the house, the sooner we can dispel the changes. Mostly.”

“What do you mean 'mostly'?!”

“Well, Form Cloak only affects light perception—your body. I had to permanently alter your voice with Transmutation.”

“PERMANENTLY?!” he shouted again.

“Shhh! Shut—up, or you'll blow our cover too! Yes, the spell is permanent, but I can cast it again once you're done! Now stop being so vain and get going!”

The guardspony grit his teeth and furiously stamped at the floor with all four hooves, trying not to scream in anger a third time. With a venomous growl he whipped around and stormed off towards the village street, wanting nothing more than to beat the wizard to within an inch of his life for this personal violation.

Coming around the corner, Ustiarius and his new self almost stomped directly into a female earth pony coming the other way, causing both of them to stagger backwards in surprise.

“Mais! Elysium above, ya gave me a fright, filly,” the local gasped, one hoof to her chest. “I was just on my way to pick some origanum majorana and heard a fuss. Was that you, dear? Are you alright?”

Ustiarius found himself lost for words, suddenly thrust into the worst possibly situation he didn't even have time to imagine. As air silently left his mouth, finding no purchase for words, he stared blankly at the mare before him. She seemed to be middle-aged, with a pale lavender coat, and a large stack of brown, curly hair over her head. Her expression was rapidly changing from surprise to confusion, prompting him to form some syllables.

“Oh, yes, I'm—fine. Just—fine,” he replied, choking his way through the unfamiliar vocal cords while forcing an uneasy grin. “I just—uh—I went for a walk in the woods and I—uh—stubbed my hoof. You know how painful that can be, right?” He strained a laugh so fake even baby Luna would have seen through it.

“Oh... Oh, I see, poor thing.” She didn't seem entirely convinced by his story, but seemed to be giving him the benefit of the doubt—a rare occurrence these days. “Would you like me to take a look at it? I'm the town herbalist, you see. I could mix you something to ease the pain.” She stepped closer, leaning down towards his hooves.

“Oh, no! No thank you!” he stammered while backing up, still forcing a smile. “It's fine now. Doesn't hurt at all, actually. A-hah-ha. Thank you, though, very kind.”

He looked around, desperate to find an escape. He couldn't go back to the cart or he would blow their cover, and he had no idea what was in any other direction. Why did he have to be the one to do this? He had no experience working undercover alone! Starswirl might be worse at interacting with ponies, but at least he knew what he was looking for! Was this revenge for one-upping him at the bar?

The lilac pony raised an eyebrow at the bizarre behaviour of the yellow mare. “Where in Equestria did you come from, ma cher?”

A lump jumped up his throat as she said this, wiping the poor excuse for a smile off his face. Did he blow his cover already, before he'd even entered the town? “I—uh...”

“You seem terribly nervous. What are doing here?” Her eyes narrowed.

“I-I-I-I-,” he stammered.

This was it, he was done. He'd choked and blown Starswirl's plan, putting the royal heirs and the future of Equestria in jeopardy. But why now? He'd been caught in the wrong before, back when he was stealing food to survive as a runaway colt. If he could do it then, surely he still had it in him.

Taking in a deep, shaking breath, he wailed, “I'm loooo-o-o-o-oooost!” falling to the floor and covering his face, putting on the best crocodile tears he could.

“Oh, ma chèrie!” The mare jumped to his side, laying her foreleg over him. “Non, non, non, shhhh, it's alright. I don't know how you managed to get this far, but we'll figure out how to get you home, I promise, it's okay. Shhhh, don't cry.”

He looked up at her, having rubbed his eyes red. “R-Really?”

“Oui, oui, of course! Come, I'll make you some warm tea, I don't live far.”

“O-Okay...”

What a performance; he deserved a trophy for that turnaround. He didn't know where this path was going to take him, but anything was better than failing at the starting line.

After being gently helped up by the kindly lilac mare, the two ponies made their way down the dirt street, back the way the herbalist had come. Despite being a rural village, the simple path was dashed with decorative, colourful cobblestones, while rainbow bunting fluttered overhead. The pair approached a vaguely gourd-shaped cottage, one of the buildings surrounding a small fountain in what he could only assume was the town centre. Directly in front of the house sat a number of large planters filled to the brim with colourful and aromatic herbs, while a sign displaying a potion bottle swayed gently in the lightly-salted sea breeze.

The elder mare climbed the two steps in front of the door and opened it for her guest, ushering her inside the dimly lit abode. Cautiously passing the thick, creaking wooden door, Ustiarius found every one of his senses assaulted by the cacophony of sights and smells inside. Silently stunned by the number of herbs and spices that adorned the walls and filled the air, the apothecary closed the door and passed him, offering him a seat while she brewed a pot of camomile tea. With a dumbfounded nod, he fell backwards onto a plush, yet naturalistic couch against the front wall, while his host retreated into a back room, presumably containing a kitchen. After a few minutes of clattering and running water from the other room, the mare's voice called out to her guest, snapping him out of his becalmed trance.

“So where do you call home, boo?”

Oh no. This was exactly the kind of question he didn't want to answer, one that that he would need to remember if asked again. Putting on a show to escape a situation was one thing, but long-cons were never his style. He couldn't tell her the truth, since Starswirl had been so adamant about masking their trail, so he said the first name that came to mind. “Ponydale. It's... a small farming village up north.”

“Zut alores! Why, there can't be a farming town nearer than a hundred miles! How in Elysium did you come all this way from Central Equestria? There's getting lost, and then getting lost, mon cher.”

Horseapples, was saying Ponydale a mistake? He hadn't considered how relatively close to Canterlot it was, especially this far out. He'd lived around farmland his entire life, so he hadn't considered it being a rarity in this neck of the woods.

“Uhh- Yes- I mean- No. We- Me and my parents are... uh, on holiday, down here, in the south.” He racked his brain trying to think of any Southern Equestria cities he could name, but nothing came to mind. These parts were almost entirely a wasteland of barren deserts and inhospitable jungles; nopony would travel to these parts for fun!

“Down here? Goodness, what on Terra would you want to see down here?”

“Oh, well, um-” His brain was spinning trying to come up with a backstory on the spot like this. Curse you to Tartarus, Starswirl! “Um, my dad, he's a- He's an archaeologist. He loves to cart around, taking samples, seeing rock formations...”

“Well isn't that exciting! Some ponies could only dream of having a job so adventurous,” she beamed, returning to the cosy lobby of her pharmacy while balancing a tray and full china set on one hoof. As she leaned over, pouring the disguised guardspony's tea from an earthenware pot, she mumbled, “Sounds more like a geologist, though.”

“Oh! That's right!” he laughed awkwardly, “I always get those two mixed up, I have no idea why.”

“Ah! Don't worry about it, cher, I was just the same way with my herbs when I started out. It was all 'plantago lanceolata' this and 'lawsonia inermis' that. Couldn't tell a bluebell from poison joke!” She chuckled, which her guest politely mimicked, having no idea what the joke was.

“So, um... My mother is related to somepony who lives around these parts, maybe you know him? Stargazer the Spangled.” He kept an expectant eye on her as he sipped his tea, careful of its temperature. It was good. Really good!

“Stargazer the Spectacled, you mean? Why yes, I do know that pony. I don't mean to sound like abagueleur,but being in this business you meet everypony sooner or later, and tend to hear a lot of things. Stargazer, though... Well, he's quite well known in this town. I had no idea he had family, though. I mean, one assumes—we don't simply appear out of thin air—but he never mentioned a sister.”

Spectacled? Great, he was really putting his hoof in his mouth with this exchange, but at least she didn't seem to be suspicious... yet. Nothing else he could do but keep pushing forward.

“So you do know him, that's great news! We were planning on finishing our trip by going to see him, which means my parents should be here at some point.”

“Ah! That is bonne news indeed, mon cher! Though I think you should know that Stargazer isn't here right now. He spends most of his time up in Canterlot or some-such as it is, only coming down here maybe a few weeks a year, though I'm sure you already know that. Did you not coordinate with him before coming?” The kindly herbalist placed her cup on the table, having finished.

“Oh dear, that is a shame,” he feigned, silently thanking Elysium. “I wouldn't know what plans my parents made with him, I just came along for the ride. But do you think it would be possible for me to stay in his house while I wait? I'm sure he wouldn't mind if he's out of town, and I don't want to burden anypony else with a silly lost... mare like me.” He managed to not say the wrong gender—or rather his real gender—but it pained him to do so.

“Don't be silly! That old holiday home will be cold, dusty, and have precious few supplies. You can stay here with me, mon cher. I have plenty of beds, an open fire, warm food and drink-”

“Oh, no, I could never accept such kindness. You've already been so kind, and you've got a business to run, I wouldn't want to get in your way, and I have no way to pay you-”

“Nonsense! I would never ask for money for helping a poor post filly such as yourself. Around here we look after each other for the sake of it. We don't even use bits in South Sea Post, aside from our trading exports; when it comes to ponies, we trade in favours and kindness!” She smiled warmly, and for the first time since arriving, Ustiarius returned it genuinely. Was this really what life was like outside of Canterlot?

Still, this was bad, he needed some reason to be taken to the house. Finishing his tea and savouring the flavour, he placed his cup back on the tray with a satisfied sigh.

“Would you like some more, douceur?” she asked, poised with her hooves over the teapot.

“No, thank you, but it was lovely.” He leaned back in the comfortable waiting-chair, momentarily forgetting why he was here. Everything about this room was the apex of relaxation, from the warm drinks to the earthy smells and tones, and especially its host. He felt horrible trying to manipulate her like this, but it was for the greater good. Maybe if he was just a little more direct? “Um, would you mind at least showing me St—uh—my uncle's house? I would love to see what it looks like, even if we don't go in.”

“Well, sure, I don't see why not.” She hesitated. “Just don't get your hopes up, mon belle. It may be somewhat big, but it's as dreary and unloved as-” She stopped herself, remembering who she was talking to. “Ah, but where are my manners, keeping you waiting. Let me wash up and I'll take you there right now.” She collected the cups and returned them to the tray, before taking them back to the kitchen. “It's not like opening times matter anymore with the sky doing what it's doing, feels like the whole world is going toqué. Can't imagine what's going on in Canterlot to cause this mess.”

“You have no idea,” he thought, at least glad that word had yet to spread this far. He might have been the fastest means of transport on hoof, but plenty of pegasi could have outpaced him. Still, he had completed his goal, somehow turning this bleak situation into a success, and it wouldn't be long before he could report back to Starswirl with the location of the house.

A short while later, the two seemingly female terrans casually trotted through the cobblestone-paved square and up one of the more rustic tracks that led to a fairly large, though not especially unique house. These structures really were unlike anything around Canterlot, with their curved walls and peaked roofs. If Ustiarius had to name the style, he might call it 'gothic mushroom'. Arriving at the house at the end of the road, one feature did stand out above the other buildings: a two-story turret rising from the right corner of the building as you approach it, with a substantial telescope protruding from its roof, presumably modified into an observatory for Stargazer's needs. The rest of the house was fairly mundane, with the front door embedded into the left corner, and various uneven windows scattered across its surface, some with window boxes. Reddish pine beams outlined the skeleton of the structure, while plaster dappled with purple hues filled the gaps. Had he not been lead here by this charitable mare, he almost certainly wouldn't have recognised this as the correct house.

“Such a shame... Such a nice house wasted on that pony...” the mare mused, forgetting again who she was with. “Oh! Forgive me, I didn't mean to-”

“It's okay, I know he can be a bit...much sometimes.” He didn't.

“It's just- With a small community like ours, seeing a whole house going unused is... well...” She trailed off and the two stood in silence for a moment, admiring the local architecture.

She was right about this building being unloved. Unlike the vibrant hues of the other houses, this one was worn and faded, while the wilted and dead plants filling the window boxes did little to change that impression. If he had to guess, it looked like Stargazer hadn't been back to this holiday-home for at least a year, and with everything that was happening in Canterlot right now, he felt safe that their little 'visit' wouldn't be interrupted by an angry high-wiard.

“It is a beautiful place, or was... Do ponies not like St- Uncle Stargazer around here?”

“Oh no, of course not, cher! He's a welcome member of the community!” she lied, badly.

“So let's say that, oh, I don't know, something happened to him—nothing bad—and he couldn't come down to—uh, Sea Port, was it?—you wouldn't lose too much sleep?”

“South Sea Post, mon belle.” The homely mare paused, looking around as if to check for spies. “Well, just between you and moi... this town could do with a little less pomp. He's so full of hot air, he could power a whole fleet of skypirate ships!” She giggled like a schoolfilly gossiping about her teacher, though the joke was once again lost on Ustiarius, who half-smiled back.

“So if somepony else moved into this house, you wouldn't mind?”

“Oh goodness non, in fact I think a lot of us would welcome it, but it's not up to us; he personally owns the deed to the property. If anypony wanted to buy it from him, they'd have to go to him directly, all the way over in Canterlot! Can you imagine anyone going that far? It would be easier to build a new house!”

“He's... still in Canterlot?” he asked dryly, unable to hide his worry for Stargazer's safety, even if he wasn't well liked.

“Oh oui, at least I imagine so. He's some bigwig in some council-or-other. Something to do with magic. I won't lie, a lot of his bragging went in one ear and out the other. Someponies, once they start talking, you just can't get them to stop. But mon cher, I'm surprised you don't know where your own uncle is. He couldn't wait to tell anypony here that would listen, and even those who didn't.”

“Oh, uh, well, mum and dad like to keep him at leg's-length. Like you say, he's chatty.”

“Ah, oui, that's probably best,” she nodded, trailing off before having a new thought. “So how come you're visiting him now?”

“Uh...” Now he'd done it. He went too deep with the backstory and was contradicting himself. “Well, uh, truth be told... Maybe we knew he wouldn't be here, and we just wanted to use the house...”

The herbalist cracked a mischievous smile, nodding wryly as she looked back at the house. “Well, maybe I didn't see you or your family,” she smiled, tapping her muzzle.

“Thanks, I'd appreciate it!” He grinned back, feeling quite smug that he had not only found the house, but manufactured an alibi for them to be there and for no pony to mention it. Things weren't going to get any better than this; time to leave. “Well, it's been an absolute pleasure, Ms....?”

“Oh! Where have my manners been today? My name is Meadow Flower, and it's been my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss...?”

“Uh... Miss...” He looked around, but nothing was helping him divine a name. All he could think of was that name Meadow Flower had kept calling him, but he couldn't just use that, it needed to be more! “Char...ade.”

“Well, Miss Charade, can I invite you back to my apothecary? Perhaps for some more tea, or just a nice log fire while we wait for your parents?”

Charade?! Really? Did he really just do that? It was time to leave, fast.

“Well Ms. Flower, I greatly appreciate everything you've done for me, I really do, you've been wonderful, but I need to get going,” he spouted, already starting to back away towards the general direction of Starswirl and the others.

“But mon cher, where are you going? You need to wait here for your parents!” She turned to Ustiarius as he retreated, raising her voice as he got further from her.

“Don't you hear that? I can hear them calling me, can't you?” he called back.

She paused for a moment, raising an eyebrow. Failing to hear anything, she shrugged in confusion. The disguised stallion placed one hoof to his ear and nodded, pretending to hear his character's imaginary parents as he continued backwards.

“Uh, alright then, well, don't be a stranger, bien?” she called after him. “Bring your parents over to my shop and I'll make some more tea!”

He nodded enthusiastically before turning and breaking into a full gallop, escaping beyond her view, behind the row of houses leading up the hill. A few minutes later he was beside the original house where he had bumped into Meadow Flower and made his way around the back, where the invisible cart and its occupants should still be waiting in the bushes. If this was all some elaborate plan to ditch him, he would not be pleased.

Back at Stargazer's manor, Meadow Flower sighed, suddenly feeling quite alone as the sun deflated below the horizon. “What a strange fille... I hope she's alright.”

“Starswirl!” he whisper-shouted towards the last known location of the wagon. “Stawswirl!”

No reply.

“Starswirl!”

His impending sense of panic was abated when a snort and giggling erupted out of thin air.

“Ah. Good one, your majesty,” he lied, stone-faced. “Starswirl?”

“Apologies, it was a royal request,” he whispered back, hiding an invisible smile.

“Well, can you change me back now?”

“Did you find the house?”

“Yes, obviously. Why else would I come back?”

“So where is it?”

“I'm not saying another word until you put my voice back to normal.”

“Come now, Ustiarius, there are more important things to-”

“Not—another—word, Starswirl.”

“Fine, fine.”

A gentle white glow surrounded the disguised unicorn's neck, causing him a slight tingling sensation for just a moment.

“There, happy? Now where is Stargazer's house?”

“Mah. Mah, mah, mah. Hello, hello?” Testing out his voice, he was delighted to find it back to its usual, stalliony self, despite it coming from the mouth of a bright-yellow mare. “Thank Elysium. Ok, so you're going to like this, not only did I-”

“Wait-wait-wait, enter the invisibility spell before you draw even more attention to us.”

Wrinkling his muzzle in annoyance, Ustiarius stepped forward, disappearing into the forest.

“Ok? Do you want to hear this or not?”

“Yes-yes, get on with it,” the wizard whispered, not losing a hint of the impatience in his voice.

“Alright,” he sighed. “So not only did I find the house, but I told one of the townsponies a story that means we can stay in the house without question, and they won't even mention to anypony that we were there!”

Starswirl raised his see-through eyebrows. “Not bad. I will admit I am impressed. What was this miracle-story?”

“Well it just kind of came out, you know? Like ad-libbing a whole backstory? It was cool, I've not done anything like that before. Maybe I'm a natural. Pretending to be a different pony at the inn was one thing, but I was still basically myself, but this was so different. The costume, the character, the high stakes, it was so thrilling!”

“Yes, I get it. Get on with the story,” he groaned, any semblance of goodwill already spent.

“Right, so I told the mare that I was here with my parents, and one of them was an archio- uh, geologist, and they were on holiday, doing work, and I told her that Stargazer was my uncle, so we were coming to stay with him. Turns out the ponies in town like him about as much as you do, so they'll turn a blind eye to us staying there!”

Starswirl took a second to process the rambling. “That was an awful story.”

“Well she bought it, didn't she?”

“And how exactly does that help us, blunthorn? She will be expecting to see you in that form again—with that voice—as well as another mare and stallion. Do you expect me to disguise Celestia as your mother? Or perhaps Luna can be your father? Oh, and let's not forget that we would have to keep those enchantments on us for the entire, indefinite length of our stay,” he growled, becoming increasingly angry as he spoke. “So fantastic job crafting a story we have no way of implementing. It was so simple; just go in, find the house, and we would sneak in without them being any the wiser. At the very least you could have made something up that included two stallions and two fillies, but no, you just have to make everything harder.”

“Hey, you were more than welcome to go and do it yourself. If you wanted me to say something specific, maybe you should give me a script next time?” he spat. “And by the way, your fantastic plan? What are you going to do about food, hm? Education? Having any comforts in the house? You can't just become invisible and steal everything you need for the rest of your life.”

The two stallion grit their teeth, holding back an explosive anger thanks only to the awkwardness of them quietly yelling at nothing but trees and grass. As their tempers gradually cooled, Starswirl exhaled, massaging his brow.

“Then let us compromise. We are tired, agitated, and under great stress, but we work better when we work together. We will not hide, for the sake of the fillies-”

“Wait,” Ustiarius thought, “he was actually going to stay invisible the whole time?!”

“But we shall have to wear disguises... They say the best kept secrets are hidden in plain sight, and while that is not an adage I agree with, it may work to our benefit in this case. Nopony would ever suspect that the princesses were living here, and I can blend in with minimal effort.”

“Hah! That'll be the day,” Ustiarius mentally interrupted again.

“The low-maintenance disguises will keep things simple, and we can continue to be ourselves, just as long as we are not candidly 'ourselves'. We just need to explain to your contact why it is us and not this family you made up.”

“Right, well, that... Uh, that's something I can probably do,” he nodded, unsure, though determined. “I did it once, so I can do it again. Easy.”

“Hmm,” Starswirl grumbled pessimistically. “Just do not make it overly complicated this time.”

“Okay, ready?” the wizard asked the group, their preparations complete.

“Yes!” Celestia chimed in, happy to finally be a part of something.

“Alright, let's go,” Ustiarius nodded, despite still being see-through.

“Brrrrbl~” Luna burbled, joining in with everypony else as she happily wriggled within her muslin cocoon.

“Okay. Here we go...”

With a slight flash from within, the invisible bubble surrounding their carriage melted from its peak, like raindrops down a glass dome, revealing the hidden troupe. While the carriage remained the same, its passengers had taken on their new roles. Ustiarius had returned to his original form—sans brown hair, much to his chagrin—while Princess Celestia had happily relinquished her crown and royal horseshoes, now almost capable of being mistaken for a regular filly. Meanwhile, Starswirl's pattern of dramatic costume changes continued, with him ditching his robes entirely this time for a shirt and waistcoat combo, transmuted from material within his magic box, with spats and a jaunty cravat to tie the ensemble together. With his fringe slicked back and mane in a ponytail, his disguise was so effective that the others barely recognised him themselves. Ustiarius was pretty shocked at the old stallion's sense of style; he had assumed it was cloaks or nothing.

“Well? Go!” Starswirl scowled, clearly still the same pony under the new clothes.

Serves him right for thinking something nice about the old coot.

With a grunt and heave, Ustiarius strained forward, slowly inciting the cart to move. Pulling it past the protective wall of houses, he turned left and into down, following the sparsely cobbled path towards the town centre. From within her shop, peered out the window at the noise, watching as the laden carriage turned right and up the hill, towards Stargazer's property. Their journey was short, but still managed to attract attention from the wandering locals, who began to mumble between themselves about the strange new arrivals.

“Well, this is it,” Ustiarius panted, parking the wooden transport next to the building's front door.

“Hm, it's a bit run-down,” Starswirl scoffed, unable to resist any opportunity to take a jab at his academic rival.

“Wooooow~! It's beautiful!” Celestia's eyes sparkled and her tail wagged as she stood on the side of the cart, eagerly peering up at the two-story building. It was nothing like the castle, but for her, this was her fairytale.

“It's alright. It needs a lot of work,” the wizard riposted, not even willing to let a filly indirectly compliment Stargazer.

“I'll just be glad to be rid of this cursed contraption,” their steed moaned, having to unbuckle himself from the reins yet again. With a contented sigh, he looked up at the imposing, yet modest estate as the sun stretched overhead—literally. “Home sweet home, eh?”

Starswirl snorted dismissively. “Home sweet home...”

Chapter 9: Meadow of the South Sea

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The golden rays of morning peeked over the windowsill of what had once been Stargazer's bedroom—now usurped by Starswirl—gently waking the travel-weary unicorn to what felt like the first real sunrise in weeks. He remained under the plush duvet, watching the reflection of the sun off the South Sea dance across the ceiling, savouring the brisk, lightly-salted air through the ajar window. Was this what retirement felt like? He never thought he would see the day...

He still hadn't, of course. The journey from Canterlot to South Sea Post had been no sightseeing trip, but a rushed emergency escape plan. Now was when the real work began, to come up with a plan to successfully counter-attack and retake Canterlot Palace from the claws of Discord. This apocalyptic calamity would be no quick fix, taking years of planning, preparation, and execution. The proper raising of the Princesses would be fundamental to their success, requiring decades of not only training, but nurturing too, like any well-adjusted foal—a task that could take longer than he had left.... The fresh sea breeze suddenly didn't feel quite as calming as it had a moment ago.

With a pained groan from aching joints, Starswirl the Scholar sat up within the richly adorned four-poster bed. Stargazer had terrible taste, he thought to himself as he shuffled out of the covers in his 'borrowed' sleeping gown and night cap. All this pomp and circumstance for a pony that does nothing but stare at the sky all night, and sit at a table all day, signing scrolls he knows not what of! High Councilpony Stargazer indeed. He was no real wizard. He spent none of his time researching and testing practical magic for the benefit of ponykind like he did. And what good would he be in a situation like this, if he were here instead? Hah! Try to one-up saving the world from an extra-dimensional chaos-god!

Stargazer's mansion had turned out to be well furnished and more than comfortable, despite the state of its exterior, especially compared to the group's past few nights. While being no great deal larger than the surrounding houses, the comforts of two spacious bedrooms, the large living and dining area downstairs, and the soon-to-be-renovated observation turret, were more than any of them were expecting. By some miracle, Stargazer's spare room was already laid with two beds, allowing the Princesses to share it comfortably, while Starswirl took the master bedroom, and Ustiarius was left the downstairs couch, which he had passed out on almost immediately upon entering.

Last night had ended with an unexpected greeting from the nearby residents, spearheaded by Meadow Flower, who rushed through a vague introduction of all the townsponies present. The new arrivals excused themselves from the gathering with a very genuine need for rest, prompting the botanist to suggest a proper welcoming party the following night—tonight. Starswirl had politely objected to this idea, of course, but was verbally beaten into submission by her unrelenting neighbourly kindness. Thinking about this impending socialisation, Starswirl walked over to a vanity mirror on the nearby dresser and recoiled, not recognising himself at first. This is certainly not the face he would have expected to see staring back at him but a week ago. Not this face, not this house, not this part of the continent. These events had really shaken up his projected long-term life trajectory, not to mention the impact on pony society as a whole. He mused on what that monster was filling its time with as it sat upon its usurped throne, the very fabric of reality at its fingertips, distorted on a whim. He would have to begin preparations immediately for them to stand any chance against such power... Taking such a foe lightly would not only end the royal bloodline and its centuries of knowledge, but spell disaster for all creature-kind.

As the still crisp sea air gently wafted at the deep-purple curtains of the house's secondary bedroom, Celestia sat bolt upright in bed with a start, eyes wide and full of an energy that had never been seen in the palace. It had been almost four days since she had last slept in a comfortable bed—albeit not quite as nice her hers back home—but that was the furthest thing from her mind right now. It wasn't a dream! Springing onto all-fours from her back in a single motion, she frantically turned and clambered over the bedside table quite gracelessly to get to the window. Pushing the shutters apart, the young Princess laid eyes on the unfamiliar townscape with the kind of all-consuming awe reserved only for foals. Facing the slope they had climbed yesterday, the view from their second-story window was breathtaking, looking down on a wash of curved and mismatched roofs in varying hues of uneven purple tiles, while the infinite expanse of the South Sea stretched out until it touched the clear blue Autumn sky. To a palace-bound filly living in a world of royalty, adventure, and unicorns, this was magic.

“Blihblblblr,” Luna bubbled from her bed, her large teal eyes wide, fascinated by the reflected light on the ceiling.

Celestia looked back and smiled. This was it. This was the life she had been waiting for; a grand adventure across Equestria, learning cool magic spells, swashbuckling with pirates on the open sea, soaring through the skies, skimming her hooves across rainbows without any responsibilities or expectations to live up to. Even with Starswirl here, she was free. Free. Never again would she allow herself to be locked up behind cold stone walls, watching other ponies' lives from a window with envy and longing. This was her time, and right now her sundial said it was adventure o'clock!
Jumping from the table and knocking a small potted cactus off with her—which she effortlessly caught with her magic and replaced without even looking—she sped through the crack in the door and shot down the staircase, her small hooves click-a-clacking across the polished wood floor as she went. Jumping off the bottom step, she had intended to make a sharp turn but instead landed on a small rug, sliding right across the room and into a pile of cardboard storage boxes in the corner. Undeterred, she dug her way out and leapt over to the large, comfortable sofa where Ustiarius was sleeping. Trotting right up to him, she stood on her hindlegs and began to rock his torso, trying to rouse him.

“Uncle Oosty! Uncle Oosty!”

Groggily, Ustiarius forced his lids open, blinking one eye at a time. Everything was a blur as he struggled to find his bearings in the unfamiliar room. His neck was stiff, his hooves ached, his back hurt, yet it had still been one of his better nights' sleep lately. With the world around him finally coming into focus, it didn't take long to find the source of his disturbance.

“Uncle Oosty! Come on, I want to go out! Let's go out!” she continued, like a tiny off-white version of his staff sergeant back at the barracks.

“Wuh? What? Princess?”

“Come on, Uncle Oosty! I want to go outside! Let's go! Get up!” She began to bounce with youthful exuberance, pummelling his chest with her hooves, knocking the breath out of him.

Did she say uncle? He could understand her butchering his name, but they barely knew each other, why would she call him that? Before he could think on it further, another unintentional thump refocused his thoughts. “Oof! Okay, okay, I'm up, I'm coming.”

Celestia sprung from the couch and ran to the door, bouncing up and down excitedly like a puppy. Ustiarius wearily followed her out the door and was immediately blinded by the low-hanging sun, forcing him to squint behind the protection his hoof.

“Where do you want to go first, Uncle Oosty?” She looked up at him, face beaming. Just saying his name was almost as much fun as walking through a real-life town.

“Uhh... I'm not sure, I know this place about as well as you. I suppose we could try asking Ms. Meadow Flower for a tour or something?”

“Really?!” Her eyes sparkled at the notion of a guided tour as though it were a carnival attraction. This seemed like an overreaction to her new uncle, but who was he to quell the magic in a young filly's heart?

“Sure, why not? She seems the type to do something like that on a whim. Oh, but we can't let- Uh-” He knelt down, beckoning the Princess to come closer, which she did. “We can't let anypony know who you really are, like Starswirl said,” he whispered. “So what name do you want when I introduce you?”

“Hmmm,” she pondered, tapping her chin with a slightly dirty hoof. “Summer Twinkle!”

“Summ- Isn't that a fictional character?”

“Yeah! I read all her books, she's great! So strong, and confident, and always having great adventures. I want to be like her when I grow up, but Uncle Starswirl says that adventures are for 'lay-folk without responsibilities'.”

“I- I can't call you that, Your Maj-” he paused, checking their surroundings before speaking even quieter. “Your Majesty, nopony would believe that was your real name. You need to pick one that doesn't draw any attention to you while you're here.”

“But I like that one! It's a good name! Strong. Confident. Adventureful!” She finished her objection with a stubborn pout.

“Princess, please, something more... you. Something you won't forget.”

Still pouting, Celestia sat down and crossed both her legs as she thought. Something like her... Celeste? … Elly? … “Tia.”

“Tia, huh? Short, simple, memorable; sounds good to me. And you're happy with it?”

“Yeah. I- I think Queen Mummy called me that when I was a filly.”

“Oh... Well, then it's perfect.” He smiled awkwardly, unfamiliar at dealing with upset foals. He couldn't deal with his own issues, let alone anypony else's. “Alright Tia, let's get to it, shall we?”

“Yeah.” She had become quite melancholic; it was like night and day from how she was just a moment ago. As she stood up, her head remained low.

“Hey now...” He bit his lip. Now what?! “Do you, uh- Do you like tea?”

“It's okay.”

“How about biscuits?”

“Biscuits?” She perked up immediately, ears alert.

“Well, anyone who serves tea has got to have biscuits to go along with them, right?” He was only guessing of course, but as a smile began to spread across the little filly's eager face, he knew he was on to something. “The mare we're going to see loves tea, so she must have an amazing selection of biscuits, right?” He really hoped his bluff proved true.

“Really?!” She was practically drooling at the thought; it had been so long since she last tasted something sweet.

“Yeah! Let's go see her, alright? I'll make sure you get to pick first.”

She whooped and began to gallop around him in excitement. Ustiarius smiled as he continued towards the gourd-shaped hut of the botanist, praying that Meadow Flower did in fact have some tea biscuits.

Back at the house, Starswirl had spotted the two leaving from the sisters' bedroom window while checking on Luna, and was now eating a hearty bowl of hay downstairs. It wasn't gourmet, but it had a long storage life, which he suspected was the only reason it was in the pantry. Stargazer likely never touched the stuff when he was here, keeping it for emergency use only.

After a deservedly slow morning, it was finally time for him to unpack. The wizard effortlessly levitated his enchanted trunk and brought it outside the house, placing it before the seaward side of the house, at the top of the slope. With a sour glance up at Stargazer's observatory, Starswirl opened the chest and took a few steps back. The box slowly began to vibrate, then shake, rumbling against the sparsely-cobbled dirt floor. As the trembling increased to the force of a Yak stampede, an explosion of light burst from the void within, sending with it a stream of large, grey bricks. The blocks flew toward the existing tower and began to encircle it, stacking up layer-by-layer at a steady pace. Starswirl's horn emitted its familiar white glow as he conducted the process like an orchestra, pulling bricks from the seemingly infinite abyss of the chest and guiding them towards their new home. The pieces soared, twisted and dived into the shape of a new, yet familiar stonework tower. As the new walls rose, the old observatory began to fade away, swapping places with the ex-courier's superior refuge. As the light faded and the chest came to a rest, Starswirl opened his eyes and nodded at a job well done. Significantly larger than its predecessor, the large, granite tower contrasted against its curved, purple and cream surroundings like a sore hoof. Closing the lid on his magic box, the wizard returned inside, feeling as though the world had just been made a tiny bit better.

“It's an awful confusing situation, 'must admit,” Meadow Flower sympathised as she and Ustiarius continued their tour of the town. Celestia zipped from point to point around them, eagerly inspecting all the new sights and smells as closely as possible, paying little heed to the adults.

“I suppose it is, or would be to an outsider,” Ustiarius nodded, lying through his teeth about their origins, while equally paranoid about exposing himself as the mare she had met before. “Basically, they had to return to Cant—er, Ponydale—urgently to attend to... the business with the little ones' parents. No foal should have to be around that kind of stuff, so we were allowed to use the house for as long as necessary. Keep their minds off things, you know?”

“Oui, yes, it's a terrible, awful thing to lose one's parents so early.” She sighed, genuinely upset as she watched the small filly flit around. “They need to keep their innocence for as long as possible, pauvres tites bêtes.”

Ustiarius felt somewhat guilty for distressing her, but it's not like he was lying about that part. Swept up in all the stress of escaping the castle, he had almost forgotten that the girls had only just lost their father, and their mother not long before that. Royalty or not, this was world-shattering for the girls, who certainly hadn't come to terms with it yet.

“I couldn't agree more,” he mumbled, his mind wandering to darker, more personal thoughts.

“Oh, but where is my mind? I'm supposed to be giving you folks a tour of our little hamlet!” It was forced, but her homely positivity was a breath of fresh air to the stallion nonetheless. “Here, you'll like this, little one.” The group had come to the end of the road, effectively on the opposite side of town to Meadow's apothecary, right next to the short, sandy shore. “This here's Fizzleberry Farm. I can tell you the Berrytwist family has been an absolute joy since they moved in to our little community!”

Celestia tilted her head. “A farm? What do they make here?”

The guardspony raised an eyebrow. “Isn't it kinda close to the water?”

“That's the thing! Seems the Berrytwists have been a family of agriculturalists for generations and needed help with a new flora genus-” She stopped, met with two blank faces. “Oh, uh, new plant species.”

“Thanks,” Ustiarius smirked.

“See, they cross-bred these special seeds, but no matter what they did, they just couldn't get them to grow. Water, snow, sand, you name it, they tried it. Short of dropping them into an active volcano, they journeyed here to South Sea Post, and lo and behold they grew—just like that! Turned out what they needed was a high concentration of salt in the air and water! Isn't that fascinating?”

“Pretty weird, yeah,” he smiled awkwardly, not quite sharing her enthusiasm.

The farm was a rather quaint bungalow, featuring little in the way of distinguishing features, not even a sign. Some sort of ponymade irrigation system linked the shore on the left of the house to a paddy on the right, where rows upon rows of small green bushes sat. The plants were about chest height, featured thin, curly tendrils, and sported bunches of small, purple berries. It was a uniquely peaceful sight to watch the greenery sway and the shallow water ripple in the sea breeze.

“But that's not all, mon cher! Those little berries you see do the most curious thing; when added to freshwater, they fizz! Something to do with the sodium reacting to minerals from mountain springs. It really is a groundbreaking discovery! Just think of all the applications that could have, from washing clothes to tingly drinks. Something like that could put South Sea Post on the map! I mean, we already are on the map, but you know what I mean.”

“Drinks? You'd drink something that moves on its own?”

“Sure! It's all natural, after all, with a bit of biochemical engineering. What's the harm?”

“I want to try!” Celestia shouted, excited by the thought of magic water.

“Oh, I don't think that's a good idea, Ce—uh, Tia. Starswuh-” Oh no, what was the name Starswirl used the day before?! He had been so exhausted that everything was a blur. “I- uh- I mean, I wouldn't want to step on your guardian's hooves.”

“Booo!” She stuck out her tongue before turning and running off to explore the paddy field.

“She is a spirited one, isn't she?” Meadow Flower smiled, warmed by old memories. “She reminds me of ma petite chérie.”

“You have a foal? I'm sorry, it didn't look like anypony else lived at your place.”

“Oh, oui, though she's not so little anymore. Barely a mare, but she will always be my little filly in mon cœur.”

“Oh, I see. She moved out, then?”

“Oui, she always had a powerful wanderlust, much like this little one. Such a kind, compassionate little thing, obsessing over hurt ponies and wildlife alike. You wouldn't believe some of the animals she brought into my apothecary!” She chuckled to herself, though it was bittersweet.

“What... happened to her?” he winced, expecting the worst.

“Oh, nothing bad, mon ami, nothing bad. She was so eager to see the animals of the world; cure all of life's ailments.” Her sadness faded to a warm glow of pride. “Despite my selfish objections, she up and left for Elysium-knows-where. Such a strong head on those small, blue shoulders... Makes a mother proud.”

Ustiarius breathed a silent sigh of relief. He had heard too many tragic stories already.

Meadow Flower caught herself lost in nostalgia yet again. “Ah! But where are my manners, rambling on like that out of the blue? Shall we move on?”

The ex-guard nodded and followed obediently, heading back towards the town square with Celestia following up the rear in her own time.

“If I may, without meaning to upset you, how long has your daughter been gone?”

“Oh goodness, barely half a year yet, though it feels longer,” she mused, only too eager to talk to somepony about these things, it seemed. “She never did have strong ties to this village; too remote, sparse wildlife diversity, no real position for her to fulfil besides being my apprentice... Her instincts always were more t'wards the animals than the plants, and no doubt 'came sick of my botanic gris-gris.” She chuckled, though the joke was lost on her audience. “She would oft' ask me of times back on the bayou and why I left, eyes all a'wonder...”

“So you moved here, then?”

“Oh oui, cher, we all did! South Sea Port has only been around as long as we have, though that's longer than I wish to dwell on. Much like little Brook, the swamp grew too small to contain me and I sought the frontier. It was by chance I came across a supply caravan heading to a new settlement, and it sounded so excitin' to be a part of something so... permanent, that I hopped on, and the rest is history. I found purpose here, helping the village prosper, keeping ponies safe; I finally felt like I was needed. And it was so different from the bayou: desolate, dry, quiet...” She trailed off for a moment, lost in thought. “Of course I understand how mon bébé felt, needin' more, feelin' that itch in her hooves. Ever since she left I've felt that same call back the bayou myself.” Her gaze drifted towards the oceanic horizon as she murmured wistfully, “Il y a pas mieux que chez soi.”

“So you think that's where she went? Why not go after her, if that's what you want?”

“This trading post managed without me in the beginning, and I daresay it would continue in my stead, but I can't just up and leave my duties. As a healer, my conscience wouldn't allow it.” Before realising, the group had crossed the town square and was already standing in front of Meadow Flower's apothecary. “Oh, back already? You must be awful thirsty after all that listening. Please, come inside and I'll brew you up some tea.”

“Uh, sure, thanks.”

Ushering Celestia ahead of him, the two followed their host into the shop and made themselves comfortable in the waiting area while Meadow Flower retreated into the kitchen to prepare. Ustiarius had been so nervous in his mare-form the last time he was here that he had failed to fully appreciate the décor of the room. It was lavishly adorned with exotic plants and what he assumed were keepsakes from the bayou, wherever that was. Each corner of the ceiling had some sort of ceremonial mask hanging from it, between which hung various vines, ferns, and other living accents. The building had a heavy, earthy smell to it, mixed with the fragrance of her myriad herbs, which complimented the natural shapes of the wooden furniture around them. The only other house he had entered in this village was Stargazer's, yet even he could tell that this was not the common interior design of a coastal pony. Celestia seemed to be sharing in his awe of their surroundings, as she was actually sitting still for once, head tilted high and mouth agape at the ceiling's intricacies.

“Here we go,” Meadow Flower cooed, entering the room with an entirely different tea set from before, gently setting it on the coffee table between them. “Tia, do you take sugar?”

Ustiarius noticed that the princess hadn't responded to her new name, either distracted by the curios or not recognising it, prompting him to knee her in the ribs. Momentarily startled, the small filly shot him a vicious glare as the botanist repeated her question.

“Tia, dear? Sugar?”

“Yes, please,” she replied politely, putting her royal composure training to use, at least until she remembered the promise from earlier. “Oh, but the- Where-?” She looked up at Ustiarius, her lip quivering.

With a slight smile, the stallion turned back to their host. “I'm sorry, but I don't suppose you have any biscuits to go with the tea? I fear I skipped breakfast, but I don't want to ruin my plans for lunch.”

“Oh yes, of course! How rude of me not to offer. Give me just one second-” She was already in the kitchen before finishing her sentence, rifling through various tins and boxes.

Celestia beamed at the guardspony, and it wasn't long before Ms. Flower returned brandishing a plate of various biscuits arranged neatly in a fanned circle. The princess could barely contain herself, clopping her hooves together in excitement before launching onto the plate the moment it was set down. Sweet treats were a rarity back at the palace, as were many luxuries after the Queen's passing, forcing the Princess to rely on those smuggled in for her by staff.

“Goodness! One'd think you'd never been fed!” Meadow smiled as she retook her seat.

“Speaking of which, where do you get groceries around here? The house has some provisions, but the kids need more than stale oats and hay.”

“Why of course! Mr. Finch runs the local farm and produce store, I'll introduce you at the welcoming party tonight!”

There was an awkward pause as Ustiarius processed what had just been said.

“I'm sorry, party?”

“Bien oui, the welcoming party we spoke about last night! Do you not remember?”

While Celestia nodded knowingly, a cold sweat formed on the stallion's brow. He was having a hard enough time keeping this charade up around one pony, let alone an entire village's worth.

“Oh don't worry about it, cher, you won't have to lift a hoof, it's in your honour after all. Just be there and I'll introduce you to everypony, you'll be just fine. They're a friendly, accepting herd... mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“Every town has their eccentrics, you know? Goldcrest Finch can come across a bit... grouchy when you first meet him, but I'm sure he's kind deep inside. Probably. He was never the same after his daughter left.”

“Seems to be a theme around here,” Ustiarius mused without thinking, reaching over for his cup. “Why'd she leave?”

“She wanted to join a sky-pirate crew like her old man. Living on the frontier brings out the adventurous side in ponies, y'know?”

The guardspony had chosen a bad time to take a sip of his tea, almost immediately spitting it out in surprise. “Sk- Sky-pirates?”

Thoroughly unimpressed, Meadow Flower reached over to a jar, took out a hoofful of some unknown powder and sprinkled it over the mess, quickly absorbing it. “Yes, sky-pirates,” she continued. “Some ponies just don't like to live under Canterlot's rules, so they move out here and live as vagabonds and thieves. I certainly don't approve of such things, but the appeal of adventure across the wide, blue sky of Greater Equestria isn't lost on me either.” She sighed. “But those days are long past me now.”

Feeling an intense aura, Ustiarius looked down at Celestia, who was practically glowing with excitement over the mention of pirates and adventure.

“Those two grew up together, you know. Meilleures amies through school.”

“Who's that?” Ustiarius asked as he smiled politely, gingerly replacing his cup on its saucer.

“Our daughters, Meadowbrook and Skylark. You never would have thought, looking at them, but you know what they say about opposites, oui?” Meadow Flower leaned forward, poured herself another cup and offered the others more, which only Celestia accepted. “But the older they got, the more restless they both became. Adventure was calling, and eventually it pulled them apart. As worried as I am for ma petite chou-fleur, I know she is a good girl, doing right in the world; but Skylark... I can't begin to imagine how worried Finch must be, 'specially knowing the dangers himself. So give him a chance when you meet him, yeah? We all have our stories.”

Ustiarius nodded. “I appreciate it. I—uh—wish the best for both your daughters.”

“Merci beaucoup. Forgive me, I just get so passionate when it comes to my little one, I'm sure you understand.”

The two looked down at Celestia, who blinked cluelessly.

“Oh, no, no-no, I'm not- We're not related or anything, I really am just the driver,” he blustered, “And, well, foalsitter right now, I suppose.”

“I do not need a foalsitter,” she pouted.

He laughed awkwardly, wanting to put as much distance between himself and this topic as possible. “Honestly, we only really met a few days ago. Besides, I'm not old enough to be having foals. I only just joined the guar—” Oh no, what was he doing? Don't make up more details to remember! “—uh—guild... of drivers. Drivers Guild.”

“Oh? I did not know you had unionised,” Meadow mused, though was quick to get back to what she was really interested. “But do not be embarrassed, love sometimes comes slow, but it also comes fast for some. I would not find it strange for a fine, young stallion such as yourself to have sired foals already.”

“OKAY, THANKS FOR THE TEA, WE NEED TO BE GOING NOW,” Ustiarius squawked as he grabbed Celestia and pushed her towards the door, his face glowing red.

Meadow Flower was a little taken aback, but smiled coyly as they left. “Alright, mon amis, see you tonight!”

“YUP, BYE!”

Ustiarius pushed Celestia all the way across the town square and up the hill to their house, despite her protests, before having to catch his breath.

“What was that about?!” she turned to him, fuming.

“N-Nothing. Adult stuff. You'll understand when you're older.”

“What?! But I want to understand now!”

“Uh- Ask Starswirl.”

“Lame! He won't tell me! You suck.” Celestia spun around and stomped towards the house before quickly coming to a halt, looking up. “Uncle Oosty, what's that?”

The guardspony caught his breath and looked at where she was pointing, only now noticing the huge, grey, cobblestone tower sticking out of their house like a sore hoof. “What in Equestria?”

It was bizarre to see that familiar Canterlot architecture here, so far away from home and so at odds with the surrounding buildings. He wondered how this monolith to their true origin was Starswirl's idea of keeping a low profile, but he dared not argue with anypony who could summon such a structure out of thin air. With a sigh and a shrug, Ustiarius led Celestia back inside the house.

He hadn't been able to properly appreciate the comforts of their new home yesterday, but its sunken lounge, high ceiling, and open-plan kitchen/living area—like you might find in a north-equestrian chalet—was clearly the product of high-society money. He'd barely had two bits to rub together his whole life until enrolling in the corps, and this was way nicer than the barracks. Too nice...

“Starswirl? You here?” he called out, not finding him downstairs. No response.

Celestia gasped. “Maybe he's up in the new tower? Can I go?! Can I? Can I?!”

With a bemused smile, the guardspony nodded and Celestia shot upstairs—or at least tried to, as the steps were slightly too high for her, and her light hooves kept slipping on the polished wood—with the stallion in tow.

“Uncle Starswirl?” Celstia cautiously asked as she pushed his bedroom door ajar, peering through the crack into an empty room. While the room itself was unremarkable—though lush—what really caught her attention was the cobblestone archway in the corner of the room, which hadn't been there yesterday. “Woah...”

The two ponies gingerly entered the wizard's room and trotted towards the portal as though it led to another world.

“Wait, this isn't-” Ustiarius' jaw slacked as he peered up the hollow spiral staircase, recognising the view from inside. “He didn't-?”

With a shrill shriek of excitement and clapping of hooves, Celestia dashed up the stone stairs, eager to see the familiar sight at the top. Reaching the top, the two ponies found themselves in a small, slightly ovoid studio lined with books, and a large rug of the royal crest covering the central floor. Near the middle sat a somewhat familiar back, hunched over a small wooden desk as pages turned and a quill scribbled.

“Uncle Starswirl!” Celestia bounced over to him, surprising him enough to almost tip his ink over as she stood on her hindlegs to see what he was doing.

“Celestia!” He leaned back on his stool, brandishing an uncharacteristic smile. “I did not hear your return.”

“You're looking chipper, Starswirl.” Ustiarius approached the centre of the room, having never been allowed up here before. “How in Equestria did you do this?”

“Of course. One is never quite as relaxed as when in the space of one's own creation, at least that is what I have found.”

“Yeah, that sounds like you.”

“As for the 'how', I did not rise to my position for lack of merit. My chest was enchanted to not only collect my possessions, but every brick and tile of the tower itself. I could not risk losing a single page of my work to whom—or what—ever tried to claim it.”

“I'm surprised the King gave you permission to steal an entire turret of the castle.”

“It was an emergency measure, of course. Should the worst happen, I trusted that the King would understand.” Both unicorns paused for a moment, the King's death still fresh in their minds. “Well, the worst happened,” he mumbled, turning back to his work.

Celestia backed off from Starswirl's workbench and ran into the side-room that was once his bedroom. “Where's your bed?”

“Still in the chest. The bed downstairs is far nicer, so I felt no need to compromise. I have heard that it is better to separate where you work and relax, so we shall see if these claims have any validity. It seems less convenient to me, but never say that I am not open to new experiences.”

“Hah!” Ustiarius couldn't help but laugh at that statement, earning a glare from his elder.

“This is amazing, it looks just like your tower back at the castle.” Celestia wandered back in, craning her head to look at every inch of the wooden beams above them.

“That's because it is, my dear, every brick and book, down to the very dust.” Starswirl tapped the excess ink off his quill tip and settled back into his work. “Now, if there's nothing else?”

“Well, if I may ask one thing-” The guardspony scratched his neck, already anticipating a scolding. “What is it you're doing here?”

“What am I doing?” Starswirl raised his head, though remained poised over his table. “Research. Study. Documentation. Is it my duty as the guardian of the Princesses—nay, as a guardian of Equestria—to do everything I can to banish Discord and regain control of Canterlot, for all of ponykind. I must read, note, cross-reference, and tabulate all possible solutions to this situation. Not every book here will be useful, but I have accumulated some of the rarest and dangerous tomes in all of Equestria, so I am confident that somewhere within these pages is an answer. Somewhere.”

“Wow... How long do you think it will take?” He swallowed, dreading the answer.

“How long? Years. Decades? It's impossible to say. The answer could be on the next page, or in a book I have never seen before. But I truly believe that it is here, somewhere. Books hold the answers to everything in this world, whether it is in their words or in your heart, and I know that I will find the answer to this. I must.”

“D-Decades...?” Ustiarius suddenly pictured himself as a single, middle-aged pony, living with a century-old stallion and two teenage mares, breaking out in a cold sweat. No thank you.

“And let us not forget my duty to tutor the Princesses on top of that. It may be more responsibility than any one pony could handle, but I shall rise to the challenge. For Equestria. For the King and Queen. I would sooner die than let anypony down.”

“You're a good pony, Starswirl. I'm sorry if I ever doubted that.”

Starswirl remained silent. With an understanding nod, Ustiarius returned to the stairs.

“Starswirl...” Celestia spoke up, her head low and voice serious. “Thank you.”

The wizard finally turned towards his audience, bowing to the small filly. “Anything for you, Princess.”

Celestia smiled gratefully and met Ustiarius at the steps. Halting mid-step, the guardspony stepped back and looked back at Starswirl.

“Don't forget, the townsponies are coming over tonight for a welcoming party.”

“They're what?” His face immediately soured, clearly having forgotten—or repressed—his last interaction with the group. It was amazing that somepony this introverted had become one of the most powerful unicorns in Equestria.

“Yeah, remember? The apothecary, Meadow Flower, said that she would introduce us all.”

“Ugh! I do not have time for such trivialities!” he spat, turning back to his workstation.

“Like it or not, Starswirl, if you're planning on living here, you're going to have to interact with these ponies. You're not in the palace anymore—well, not the rest of it—you won't get things handed to you on a silver platter. If you want food, you're going to have to go out and buy it yourself, so it would help to know who sells it, right?”

A frosty silence permeated the room as the wizard tried and failed to rationalise his way out of this social commitment. His hoof grated against the wood grain in frustration.

“What time?”

“Um, around sunset, I suspect. She wasn't specific. Don't worry, we'll come get you when ponies start to arrive. Make sure you're presentable.”

“Yes, thank you, I am quite capable of looking after myself with your instructions.”

Ustiarius snorted out a chuckle and continued down the stairs with Celestia to check in on Luna. Openly irked, Starswirl tapped his quill against the side of the ink pot in frustration. For all his mastery of literature and magic, why did the thought of other ponies continue to cause him such... anxiety? He was better than them. He had status, power, experience, and yet...

Gritting his teeth with forced concentration, the ex-court-wizard hunched himself back over the scroll he had been reading before the interruption. In truth, it was unlikely that he would find anything useful in his library, given that he had already read everything here at least once and didn't recall a single instance of the name 'Discord'. Could it have been forbidden knowledge, locked away in the palace's vault? If so, there was no chance of recovering such information now, but it did give him an idea about cross-referencing the log of items interred there. With a frustrated sigh, Starswirl rolled the parchment up with his magic and returned it to the bookshelf, accidentality disturbing a neighbouring book. With a raised eyebrow, the unicorn removed the dislodged tome and brought it down to eye-level. 'Star Swirl: The Forgotten Mentor' was etched across its dull, tattered surface. Ah yes, another joke-gift from Stargazer in a petty attempt to rile him up. This book was no unofficial memoir, but rather the autobiography of a very different pony from the pre-Equestrian era, and mentor to Clover the Clever. With a bored disinterest he rested his head on his hoof and began to flick through the pages. Much like the first time he read it, he suspected that Stargazer had put little more thought into this jab than the title itself, despite the alleged cost of this obscure item. Its contents were typical for the life of a teacher, and far less interesting than his own, if he did say so himself. However it was not one Star Swirl's accomplishments that caught his eye, but one of Clover the Clever's, written about in the epilogue. Apart from having a hoof in the founding of Equestria as they know it—or knew it—Clover was also known for taking down a particularly dangerous sorceress, Mistress Moneta, and sealing her power away in another dimension. While the story itself was of little use to him and their current situation, he couldn't help but draw parallels between recent events and the details listed in this book, namely the use of a magic mirror. It couldn't be the same mirror, could it? He knew the King's mirror was an ancient artefact, gifted to Gusty the Great upon her ascension to the throne as the first Princess of Equestria and passed down through the generations, but he never imagined it might have been used as a portal before their fated attempt. This latent calibration could have been the reason his spell had the unexpected results it did. He closed the book, his face blank as he processed this new information. If he knew the full history of the mirror and its creation, perhaps there was a chance of using it as a weapon to send Discord back to the dimension he came from?

Clearing everything off the small workbench, Starswirl pulled down every available text he owned on the mirror, despite having already researched them thoroughly for the King's purposes, but now searching for specific references to other texts and Clover the Clever's involvement, which he might be able to hunt down somewhere in Equestria. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

The rest of the day rolled along with little to note, until a knock at the door announced the arrival of the welcoming committee. Ustiarius tasked Celestia with fetching Starswirl while he ushered the guests inside. He felt guilty admitting it to himself, but he didn't recognise a single one of these ponies from the night before, so it was a good thing Meadow Flower was treating this like the first time they were meeting.

“Bienvenue! Welcome! Happy house warming!” the now familiar voice of Meadow Flower called out as she entered at the head of the pack. After catching Ustiarius off guard with a hug, she looked around the spacious interior with awe. “I've peeked through the windows before, but it's so much more beautiful from the inside! How nice it is to know ponies in high places!”

Ustiarius chuckled awkwardly, having never even heard of Stargazer before yesterday, let alone know him.

“Shall we wait until Custos Greymane arrives before we begin introductions?” she continued, waving for the other townsponies to shuffle in.

“Who?” he asked without hesitation, having never heard the name before.

“Your partner? The pony you arrived with?” She looked confused, wondering if she had misremembered his name from yesterday.

“O- Oh!” They had only been here a few seconds, but a cold sweat was already forming on his brow. This was exactly the kind of trap he had dreaded falling into. Words escaped him as he tried to formulate an excuse for this lapse, though a timely and welcome distraction came from the upper floor in his moment of need.

“My ears are burning,” Starswirl called down as he made his way to the staircase, Celestia in tow. “I do apologise for keeping you waiting.”

“Ah, Mésyé Greymane! C'est ça, we were just waiting for you to begin introductions, please think nothing of it.”

Starswirl joined Ustiarius at the base of the stairs, while Celestia jumped down onto the sunken sofa, watching keenly from the background.

“So with no more ado, Custos Greymane, Cestus Hippos—” As the name left her mouth, Ustiarius still couldn't believe Starswirl had named him the night before without his consent. “—allow me to introduce you to Rosebud and Greenhoof Berrytwist of Fizzleberry Farm.”

The two nearest earth ponies nodded politely. Neither of them were particularly striking; Greenhoof had a brown coat and blue dungarees, sporting a hearty beard, while Rosebud was a pale yellow, had a bun of bright green hair, and peered from under a large straw sun-hat, behind thick-lensed glasses.

“Goldcrest Finch,” Meadow Flower continued, directing her hoof toward the next individual. “Purveyor of the local goods shop.”

Finch was a brown, middle-aged pegasus with a sour expression. Grey and balding on top, the stress lines around his face spoke to many sad tales untold. Ustiarius recognised his name from earlier as the father of Skylark.

“Tammy Applecore, headmare and sole teacher of our local school.”

Mrs. Applecore was tall, thin, tight-lipped, and emanated an especially strict aura. She stepped from behind the shopkeeper and gave the pair a curt nod, followed by a silent, judgemental looking-over.

“Don't let her demeanour scare you, oui? She might look sour, but she can't hide her sweetness from the children.”

The earth pony pushed her half-moon glasses up her muzzle, seemingly flustered by the comment, but remaining silent.

“Next are Hook, Line and Sinker, our fishing siblings extraordinaire.”

On cue, three stout stallions in yellow macs pushed their way into the room, knocking the preceding ponies further towards the stairs. As they entered, each threw back their hoods and introduced themselves.

“Hook!” the eldest yelled, revealing himself as a seafoam-blue, eye-patched unicorn, with a thick, orange beard reaching the floor. Celestia's eyes sparkled as his pony stormed in, looking as close to a pirate as she was likely to see.

“Line!” the second echoed, showing himself to be a slightly lighter blue unicorn with neatly trimmed facial hair and sculpted cheekbones.

“Line! I mean, Sinker!” the third fumbled, momentarily getting his hood caught on his horn. Clearly the youngest of three—not much older than Little Cobb might have been—he was fresh-faced, and crowned with an untidy mop of bright orange hair. The three's dynamic was immediately apparent, though they felt more like characters from a stage play than actual fisher-ponies.

“Pleasure to meet ye, neighbours!” the first hollered, already causing Starswirl's ears to ring. “Me and me brothers spend more time out on the sea than at port, but when we heard you's was havin' a welcomin' party, well we couldn't say no to spending an extra day ashore! Yarhar!”

Celestia's eyes were practically popping out at this point. He was talking just like Silver John, a pirate in one of her smuggled-in fictions back at the castle!

“Be your stay short or long, every pony in this town is family,” he continued, “so if you need anythin's doin, you ask ol' Hookeye, Jawline and Dipper, yar? Yarhar!”

“Dipper?” Ustiarius asked, confused. “Why is your nickname 'Sinker'?”

The youngest pony scratched his mane awkwardly. “That's on account of I can't swim, sir.”

“You fish on a sea boat, but cannot swim?” Starswirl spoke up. “That seems foolhardy.”

“Aye, reckon it is, sir, but fishin's in me blood. Family business, see? Can't let a little thing like-”

“Yeah, yeah, enough of that,” Line interrupted, peering around the room with a look of disappointment. “I heard there were mares here, but I only see stallions, what gives?”

Ustiarius glared at the similar-aged unicorn. “Our fillies are not fit for your intentions, but even if they were, it would do you well to treat mares with a little more respect.”

The teal unicorn raised a well-trimmed eyebrow to this with complete disregard, before rolling his eyes and settling down to general disinterest of the situation.

“Quite,” Meadow Flower resumed, clearing her throat. “And last but by no means least, we have our lookout, who keeps watch over our little town day and night, Bluebeak.”

Starswirl, Ustiarius and Celestia were all shocked as the looming form of a griffon squeezed its way through the door, hidden by the ponies preceding it. As its name suggested, it was a large, weathered, blue-hued male. As it approached the two unicorns, Meadow could clearly see them recoil.

“Now-now, dear friends, please. We are a long way from the politics of Central Equestria. While the monarchy may hold on to the grudges of the past, down here, we're of a more forgiving sort. Vivre et laisser vivre, oui?”

The two ponies looked at each other uncomfortably, having both been raised in a society that vilified griffons for the ancient war and banished them from the kingdom. Celestia cowered below the ridge of the sunken lounge, having only read about griffons in books before. They were a lot bigger than she had expected.

Bluebeak snorted disdainfully. “It's the same from every pony that ends up in this backwater town, you just can't let go of the past. That was generations ago!”

Starswirl and Ustiarius looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

“Tch, whatever. Doesn't bother me none.” The griffon turned and left, barely a minute after entering.

“Bluebeak, wait!” Meadow Flower pushed past the other ponies and galloped after him.

“Don't mind him, he's always grouchy,” Line smirked. “Typical griffon, right?”

Ustiarius frowned, wondering if Canterlot's pony-only policy was something he should have questioned before now.

“Don't you worry,” Hook bellowed, “Meadow Flower will sort him out good and proper. She has a way with folk. Now who's ready for some grub?”

“I hope you weren't expecting us to cater,” Starswirl replied, “because you'll find that the best we can offer is some stale hay and water.”

“No, of course not!” Greenhoof spoke up for the first time since arriving.

“This is your welcoming party, so the food is on us,” Rosebud continued. “I do hope you'll try one of our special, fizzy home-brews!”

Ustiarius forced an apprehensive smile before the group were ushered outside, where everything had been set up prior to their introduction. The flat, grassy area behind their house had been decked out with tables, sheets, an array of vegetables, and firepit for barbecuing them. As Hookeye took the helm as cook, Meadow Flower came around the corner looking dejected, with no Bluebeak in sight. Ustiarius immediately felt a stab of guilt and approached her, away from the core of the group.

“Meadow Flower, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-”

“Non, no, it's okay, I should have known better than to invite him without warning. It's just—to me he's just another pony, savoir? I keep on forgetting that outsiders don't see him the same way. Like Hook said, we're all family here, even Bluebeak, though he might not admit it himself.”

The ex-guardspony sighed just as a group of five more ponies rounded the corner, catching his eye. “Woah, more?”

Meadow turned to face the new group. “Ah, oui. I thought it might be overwhelming if you met the entire town at once, so I staggered the groups.” She closed her eyes, letting out a slow, meditative breath. She reopened her eyes, prepared to deal with the task at hoof. “Don't worry, the first group were the main names you need to know around town, everypony else are farmers, family members, et cetera.” She waved to the new arrivals and beckoned them over. “Come, let me introduce you.”

Chapter 10: Those We Leave Behind

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Ustiarius roused from his uncomfortable position on the living room sofa, immediately wondering why Starswirl couldn’t have lent him his bed from the tower. Wearily rolling onto his hooves, he climbed up to the kitchen and pulled a mouthful of hay from the larder as memories from yesterday began to seep back into his consciousness. The townsponies had been lovely—almost uncomfortably welcoming considering what he was used to at the palace—yet despite that warmth, alarm bells were going off in his head over this whole situation. It just felt so… permanent. First he runs halfway across Equestria at the drop of a hat, leaving his family and friends at the mercy of this 'Discord' creature, then he moves into a stolen house with a complete stranger, gets called ‘uncle’ by the filly they practically foalnapped, then they have a welcoming party to induct them into the South Sea Post family? This was too much. This was all too much. How could he face the other members of the royal guard again after spending Elysium-knows how long on what was shaping up to be an extended vacation? Starswirl himself said he could be researching how to defeat Discord for years—decades—while they protect the Princesses here. This was not what he signed up for. Defending the members of the royal family was his job, but that did not supersede the safety of the entire nation, and right now other ponies needed him more than these three did. This was a nice town full of nice ponies, so the great and powerful Starswirl would be more than enough to protection them, especially after all the subterfuge that went into getting here.

The thoughts were deafening. This wasn't something he could just go to Starswirl about, not without some clarity first. Despite his short time in this town, there was one pony he had come to trust—one pony he could talk to this about before he confronted the wizard.

With three solid raps, he knocked on the door and waited patiently. He didn't know when the apothecary opened in the morning, but he knew he had woken up early, despite the sun and moon currently orbiting one another in the sky. He shifted awkwardly, wondering if he should come back later just as the latch on the door began to rattle. Meadow Flower peeked around the corner before opening the door completely.

“Goodness, Cestus, is something wrong?”

Right, 'Cestus'. He had to remember that stupid name Starswirl gave him yesterday. Meadow Flower had clearly just woken up, as she was wearing a fluffy olive dressing gown and rollers in her hair.

“I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up! I- I'll come back later.” Flustered, he turned to leave.

“No, you didn't wake me, cher, I was already up—barely. Just getting my mornin' tea. Something must be on your mind to visit this early, non? Come, join me, voir.”

Ustiarius nodded and gingerly followed her inside as she returned to the kitchen. He'd suspected that she lived on the upper floor, given that most shops don't have a full kitchen and china, and this seemed to confirm it. Taking a seat in the now familiar, earthy room of curiosities, his mind began to drift back to home and those he had left behind.

“I know that face, mon amis. Feelin' homesick?”

He hadn't expected her to return so quickly, startling him out of his train of thought. Taking entirely too long to process what she had just said, he could only watch as she placed a tray with two cups down on the table between them.

“Oui, it is a face I know well from my darling Meadowbrook. She wore it for years before she left, starin' out the window in dreamy thought, just as you seemed to be. Lately I even see it in the mirror sometimes, truth be told.” She took a sip, her eyes melancholic.

“I wouldn't call it 'homesickness' per se... More... guilt?” He rubbed his forehead. "I left a lot behind, coming here. Unfinished business. Things unsaid, promises unkept. That kind of thing.”

“I've found homesickness can come from the good and the bad. It's surprisin' the things you can miss; the things you got used to. I never thought I would miss the buzz of the mosquitoes at night, and yet sometimes the nights here can be so quiet.”

“It's not quite that simple. I don't just miss them, I... They need me.”

She chuckled warmly. “Mon cher, I'm sure that your family and friends love you, but I think they'll have survived this short time away, non? Take your time, relax, you deserve it. The weight of the world is not on your back alone.”

That was easy for her to say. He was already pushing his luck with how much he was revealing. Should word of Canterlot reach South Sea Post, it was likely she would put two and two together. However, despite the risk to their cover, this was something he needed to resolve immediately.

“The thing is, I think Stuh—Greymane—is expecting me to stay with them for a while... like, years, to help them settle in. I can't- I know I'm needed back home, probably more than here. The—uh—'taxi business' might do just fine without me, but not being there, I feel like I'm letting everypony down... But I also feel like I'm letting down Greymane and the girls if I leave. I don't know what to do, and I need to make up my mind right now.”

“Well, that certainly explains your urgency this mornin', though I'm surprised you chose to come to me first. Are you not close enough to Greymane to ask him directly?”

“Not so much, no. He's... difficult to get along with.”

She chuckled again. "I would be lying if I said his social skills last night were stellar. Poor bébé; seemed like he would be more at home in a library than at a party.”

“You have no idea.”

“I'm sorry to say our little hamlet has no such amenity.” She took another sip of her tea and sat back.

“Oh don't worry about that, I think you're a lot closer to having one than you expect.” He smirked and leaned forward, taking his cup and saucer from the tray. He paused for a moment, appreciating the tea's subtle aroma before sampling it. While he'd never been a huge fan of tea, this particular blend soothed his nerves the very moment it touched his tongue. “Mm, this is good! What's it called?”

“Ah, bon! Merci beaucoup, mon ami, it is my own blend for mornin's. Calmin' for the nerves, yet energyful for the day ahead. I think the contrast between the dash of turmeric and dried kiwi was what really brought it to life. I don't share this cup with many, so it doesn't have a name as such.”

“Again, I'm really sorry for coming so early.”

“As I said, mon cheri, think nothin' of it. The mornin's and nights have begun to blend together anyway, since the sky began its craqué danse. Canterlot better get its act together soon, or I swear...”

“Right?” Ustiarius laughed nervously, hiding his terrible poker face with a sip of tea.

“But to return to the problem at hoof; for what little it's worth, I believe you need to weigh who needs you more, between your commitments at home and contract with Greymane. Jobs, titles and duties only count for so much. In the end, I believe you have to be true to yourself and your beliefs above anythin' else. If you don't live life as your truest self, you'll be left with nothing but regrets in the end.”

“Like you?”

This question caught Meadow Flower off guard just as she was about to finish her tea, instead pausing and returning it to the saucer on her other hoof. “Pardon?”

“Well, you've been sad about Meadowbrook leaving for some time now, and you've mentioned more than once that you miss your old home. Sounds to me like you've got your fair share of regrets.”

“Elysium above, you paid attention, didn't you?” She rolled her teacup around its saucer as she mulled the question over.

“I- Sorry, I didn't mean to bring anything up...”

“Non, non, you're not wrong, cher. I've just never thought of it so bluntly before. Amazing the things a different point of view can bring to light, non?”

“I just... I thought you might have some insight into my problem, since we're sort of in the same situation.”

“You think I'm in a situation?” She returned her cup and saucer back on the table and folded her hooves, giving Ustiarius her undivided attention.

“Uh, well... I mean, you seem happy enough, but like you just said, you need to live your best life, or you'll end up regretting it.”

“Yes, I did just say that, didn't I? ... Hah!” she scoffed, pausing as her eyes faded into the middle-distance. “So, you come to me for advice, but it is I who will now ask you a question. What do you suggest I do?”

“Me? You're asking me for advice? Uh, well, I don't- Uh... I mean, I just thought that if you were missing your old home, and your daughter happened to be there too... Why not go?” He sipped his tea cautiously, feeling as though he had opened a can of worms he had ought not to.

“Leave South Sea? Goodness, Monsieur Cestus, are you prepositionin' me?”

Ustiarius choked on his tea, managing to spray some out of his nostrils and back into the cup. Meadow Flower laughed heartily as he gingerly returned the cup to the table, hooves shaking and face bright red.

“N-No! No, you'd go back to the bayou and I'd return to, uh, my home.”

The herbalist managed to catch her breath, her cheeks sore from grinning. "You are so easy to tease, mon amis. Forgive this old mare her japes at your expense, but it has become so hard to get a stir out of the ponies here.”

The guardspony wiped tea from his muzzle, hiding an embarrassed smile. “It's okay. You get teased all the time in the corps, so I should be used to it, but I guess the last couple of days have put me on edge. Sorry if I got tea anywhere.”

“'In the corps'? Were you in the army, mon cher?”

“Uh, no. T-Taxi corps... It's, uh, what we call the terminal. For the carts. At my job.”

“Ah, je vois, je vois. Pardonne moi, I have never been a part of big city life, so these terms are lost on a Southern gal like me. Life was oh-so simple on the bayou, much like it is here, but more... more...”

“Familial?”

“Oui! Oh, I love everypony here, each and every one—warts and all—but there's a joy in the bayou that I've never felt anywhere else... A warmth, like you're just... just home.”

“It sounds nice. Have you stayed in contact with anypony there?”

“Non. Visitors are rare enough in these parts, and couriers only come with trade deliveries, so we're lucky to get anything sent out at all. What I would give to trade letters with mon pétit amour..."

“So why not go?”

She gestured around herself. "The shop, mon cher! I cannot simply up and leave; they need me here!”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but do they really need you? They want you here for sure, you seem very well loved and a pillar of the community, but like you said, this town was here before you came, and it will be here after you leave...”

“But who will salve their wounds if I am not here? Who will cure their ails, soothe their sleeplessness, and be their shoulder to cry on?”

“Don’t get me wrong, those are all really important things, but do you have to be the one that does them? You might be the best they have at the moment, but it seems unfair to put your life on hold while you put everypony else before you.”

“Such is the life of a healer. You often find yourself being the last thing on your mind. In a way it’s quite freein', to be so unawares of your own needs while tending to others’.” She leaned forward and stroked the leaf of a plant sitting on the coffee table between them. “Botany is my life, and when ponies started relyin' on me for their curatives, my other interests had to fall by the side. Meadowbrook was the only thing I ever gave more priority to than my duties here.” She looked down, furrowing her brow, before raising her eyes to the tribal decorations above. “Before coming to the frontier, my other passion was cultural studies. My ancestors of the bayou were a fascinatin' and enigmatic people, passionate about nature and their place in The Great Carousel of life. They crafted beautiful masks to represent and show respect to the animals around them.” She motioned up towards her ethnic collection.

Ustiarius looked up at the varied tribal objects scattered across the ceiling, from pots to totems, but particularly the large masks in each corner.

“So these are all relics from your people’s past?”

“Oh, non, non. I have one or two originals in my bedroom, but everything here I made with my own hoofs.”

“You made these? They look so… authentic!”

She laughed. “Ah, mon ami, I am grateful, but would you even know if they didn't?” Smiling, she relaxed back in her chair a little, though still wistful. “I must admit, the more I think of those directionless days of passion, the more I miss the freedom I had back then.”

“Kinda sounds like regret to me,” the guardspony mused coyly.

“Just part of growin' up, I’m afraid, mon cher. Being a young thing in your prime, you have yet to learn such lessons. As an older mare, I've learned that there is simply not enough time to do everything that you wish for in a single life.”

“Doesn’t that mean that you should focus on the things that are most important to you, then?”

Meadow Flower’s thoughts seemed to drift off as she stared into the middle-distance, pondering this question.

“If you were thinking of taking a trip back to your homeland,” he continued, “I’d feel a lot better being there to escort you as far as I can. No reason for us to leave in the same direction separately.”

She raised her eyebrows with mock shock. “Mesier, you are propositionin' me!”

“N-No! I’m just- I’m not saying you should leave, but if you do, it would be safer to go together... Sorry, I didn’t mean to make things so personal, I- I should have left it.”

“Don't apologise, mon cheri, I know your heart is in the right place,” she smiled, though it faded quickly. “I admit, this discussion has given me much to think on… When were you thinking of leavin'?”

“Today. As soon as I get the courage to confront Stuhh—Greybeard, really.”

“Surely you completed your contract the moment you arrived? Just what services was he expectin' of you?”

“Well that’s what I thought, but he seemed to think this was a more… long term arrangement. I consider myself a fairly loyal pony, but I cannot stand idly by while others might need me more.”

“Then I shall turn your own question against you, mon amis; do the ponies at the corps really need you as much as you think they do?”

“They don’t need me, but they do need all the help they can get.” He leaned forward, resting his forelegs on his thighs, clearly tense. “There’s nothing special about me—I'm just another set of hooves—and me being there might not make any difference at all... but how can I sleep at night knowing that others are struggling while I do nothing about it? ” He lowered his head into his hooves.

“'Living your life without regrets', hm?” She smiled wistfully, closing her eyes for a moment. “I envy your clarity, for that is what you seem to have. You didn't come to me for an answer, but for reassurance, dear Cestus; for permission.”

He looked up at her, his eyes a mixture of confusion and revelation.

She smiled at him before looking up at her ceiling, “When you get to my age, it's not only your mane that turns grey, but your convictions, too. Things stop seeming as important, as worth fighting for. Oui, we can get stuck in our ways, but only because everything else fades into an indistinct fog.” A wispy, nostalgic smile crept across her face. “If only we could keep that joie de vivre that we have in our youth...” She closed her eyes again, absorbing the moment before turning back to her friend. “So, are you feelin' any braver now, after our little tête-à-tête?”

Ustiarius sighed, craning his neck towards the ceiling, wishing for the answer to fall from above like some divine revelation. Receiving no such blessing, he turned back and ran his hooves down his face, dreading the encounter that was to come.

“No, not braver, but I feel like I have to do it regardless.” He closed his eyes for one last moment of solace before pushing himself onto all-fours. “I’m going to take a walk, try to think how to word what I'll say. I really appreciate you taking the time to listen to me ramble on like that, I really do.”

“Ah, mon amis!” She stood to meet him, as any polite host would. “Do not think about it for a second. My door is always open to those with words on their heart that need speakin'. I'm just glad to have been your ear today, and I fear that our bemoaning has been quite mutual, so take my thanks as well as my apologies.”

He chuckled, warmed through by her kindness. “You’re a good pony, Meadow Flower, one of the best,” he beamed, before making his way to the front door and pausing. “Just don’t forget to be good to yourself, too, okay?”

As the guardspony stepped out the door, the older mare came to the entrance to watch him leave. After taking a few steps, he turned back with unfinished business on his mind.

“Think about my offer, okay? Again, I’m sorry it’s at such short notice, but I don't know if there will be a better opportunity for you to see your daughter again.”

Meadow Flower looked down solemnly, unsure how to answer. Ustiarius nodded, understanding her confliction, before continuing on his way.

“Cestus Hippos? Just...”

The guardspony stopped to look back once more, luckily remembering to respond to that stupid name.

“Don’t leave before seein' me again, d'accord? I’ll have an answer for you then... Thank you for this opportunity.”

He nodded, smiling this time, before retracing the path to the Fizzleberry farm. The apothecary lingered in her shop's doorway for a while, suddenly having far more to deal with today than she could have imagined. She hadn't even had time to take her rollers out... Her rollers! She threw herself inside and slammed the door behind her, hurriedly scrabbling at the dried corn tubes, face aglow. She huffed, her hair now a tousled mess around her face, before leaning back on the door. Could this really be it? Was she really considering leaving her home for these past decades on a whim like this? As... enlightening as Cestus' conversation had been, she needed someone she could talk to who knew her—who knew the town—and was not afraid to mince words, and there was only one pony who met that description...

“Bonzour, mon cher Goldcrest, lé la?” Meadow Flower chirped as she opened the door to the general store, marking her arrival with a soft jingle.

“Meadow Flower. What brings you here? This isn't your typical schedule,” the grumpy purveyor asked from behind his counter, forelegs crossed on the worktop as he reclined on a stool.

“Oh, this and that, that and this.” She waived the question, uncertain about how to breach the subject properly. Wandering mindlessly around, she stared at the basic goods and wares she had already seen a dozen times before.

“If you came to window-shop, you're on the wrong side of the glass,” he grumbled, lowering his hooves from the worktop. “Now what did you really come here for?”

She relinquished a sigh, gracefully stumbling her way towards the counter and planting her face flat on it. “Truth is, I came to bend your ear, mon amis,” she mumbled through the wood.

“You came to talk to me? You must be desperate.”

Meadow Flower chuckled and lifted her head, softening the wooden surface with a foreleg. As carefree as her aura was, Goldcrest Finch could see that something was very different in her eyes today—whatever this was, it was big.

“So what could the town sounding board possibly want with this jaded old fool?” he pressed, equal parts annoyed and worried.

“If you knew—or at least suspected—where Skylark was, would you leave South Sea to get her?”

He scowled at the mention of his estranged daughter, a topic that they both well knew was a sensitive subject for him. “What’s this about?”

“Désolé, mon amis,” she sighed. “It’s just that… I’ve been given an opportunity... One I never considered to be a reality before now. It’s just so sudden I can’t think straight.”

He flexed his wings, addressing the stiffness that had become an issue at his age. “Well if you’ve come to me for advice, you're right about that. What’s this got to do with Skylark?”

“It’s... It's Meadowbrook. Or rather, it could be. Cestus Hippos—the younger unicorn you met last night—will be heading back North later today and... suggested I travel back with him.”

The weathered pegasus raised his eyebrows. “That is short notice. What's that got to do with Meadowbrook, though?”

“Well I got to talkin' and over-sharin', as I'm sometimes want to do, and told him all 'bout mon cher 'tit chou, and how I miss her and the bayou. Since there's a good chance that's where she is, he suggested that going with him now would be the best chance I'll ever have of seein' her again, and... I'm afraid that he's right.” She took a breath. “Mon Elysium, Finch, I've spent all this time doing nothin', feelin' sorry for myself, and never once thought of actually going to find her—of following my heart!”

“You have commitments here; a job, a place in the community. It's not just as simple as up and leaving. Besides, your filly is a mare now, it's only natural she would find her own way.”

“Oh, mon amis, what should I do? If it were you, what would you do? Would you drop everythin' to see her again—your Skylar?”

“Without a doubt,” he answered barring any hesitation, though his eyes closed, as if trying not to see the pain he felt. “But while your future holds a joyful reunion, I see no such resolution in mine. First thing I’d do is give her five feathers across the face so hard she’d forget why she ever joined that Tartarus-cursed gang.”

“Gracious, mon cher, that seems a little drastic. I understand your anger, but fillies are allowed to make mistakes. It's our jobs as parents to forgive 'em.” She reached her hoof forward in consolation, though he remained distant. “But I think deep down we both know it would go much differently in reality.”

He sneered, leaning back again and folding his forelegs. “You’re too charitable. There’s less good in me than you think.”

She smiled sympathetically, retracting her hoof. “You're a bitter old stallion, this is true, but I think you have a father’s love hidden deep inside you, strong enough to break that wall you've put up around you.”

“Tch,” he scoffed, visibly stewing. “When did this become about me? If I want your input, I’ll ask for it, leaf-picker.”

She laughed, raising herself from the counter. “Vrai, vrai. Forgive me, mon cher, I fear I've let my muzzle get the best of me yet again.”

Meadow Flower's smile slowly dimmed as the two sat in silence, brooding over their respective demons.

“Am I needed here, Goldcrest Finch?” Her question was sudden, direct and emotionless, demanding an answer in kind with its tone.

“What do you mean?” He shifted uncomfortably on his stool, not one to express his personal feelings.

“If I left, would I be missed? Non, don’t answer that.” She placed her hooves together in thought before restarting her question. “Would… Would the town survive without me?”

Goldcrest Finch scratched the back of his neck with a wing-tip awkwardly. “I mean, uh... You do... good work here. You’d be missed—as a herbalist, I guess, but…” He looked away, subtly blushing. “Well, I don’t doubt we’d survive if you had to go for… personal reasons.”

She nodded with a melancholic smile. It wasn't what she'd wanted to hear—she was hoping somepony would fall to the floor begging and pleading for her to stay, that the world would fall apart without her here... but it was the answer she expected; the answer that she needed.

“T-That’s not to say that I—that anypony here wants to see you leave. You- You’re an... important member of the community.” He scratched at his neck with his hoof this time, trying not to feel... something? Anything. “I would… miss our talks. Sometimes. When you don't do all the talking yourself”

She smiled again, this time warmly, with tears in her eyes. “Oh, mon cher, I will miss you dearly too.” Her breath shook as she breathed out. “I think I have my answer. Merci beaucoup, mi amour, you have been as invaluable as ever.”

“I… I didn’t do anything.”

“You’ve done more than you know. You’ve released me from my burden. Thank you.”

Meadow Flower placed her hoof on the table, her face still glowing despite the tears, and turned for the door. She made it as far as reaching for the doorknob before stopping and biting her lip, remembering Cestus' words of living without regret. With a flurry of speed she rushed back to the counter and vaulted half over it, wrapping her arms around the stunned pegasus, his wings fully unfurled from the shock. She squeezed him tightly, sniffing and sobbing into his neck, while he could barely bring himself to return the contact. Just as he gingerly began to move his forehooves forward, she released the embrace and hurriedly returned to the entrance. Half crying and half laughing, she looked back through red eyes before opening the door.

“M-Meadow Flower?” he shouted, standing with his fore-hooves on the counter.

“Oui?” She turned, holding the door half open with her hoof.

“T—Take care.”

“And you, mon amis. There will be a happy ending for you too, of this I'm sure. You just have to believe.” She smiled one last time and turned away, wiping the tears from her eyes as she galloped back to her soon-to-be-vacant shop.

Ustiarius stood in front of the door to Starswirl's room, frozen in self-doubt. Nothing about his time with Starswirl would suggest this was going to go smoothly, and he'd had just about enough shouting matches to last him the year already. He looked down at his hooves, telling himself what he was doing this for—who.

“Uncle Oosty?” a small voice asked from beside him, almost sending him onto his side.

“Wh-What?!” he stammered, barely catching his breath. He was already under enough stress without needing a filly-induced heart-attack.

“Why are you standing outside Uncle Starswirl's door? You can go in, he's probably in his tower.”

“Y-Yes, I know, thank you, Your Majesty.” He steadied himself. If he couldn't hold his own against a child, what chance did he have against the old goat?

“So, what are you doing?” She tilted her head, prompting the stallion to face her directly.

“Well,” he began, lowering himself to her level. “I know we've had an exciting couple of days together, and it is my honour to serve Your Royal Majesties, but I feel that we've come to the point where my services are more urgently needed back in Canterlot than here.”

She paused for a moment, absorbing his words. “So you're leaving, Uncle Oosty?”

There was a sadness in her eyes that was far deeper than you would expect to see in any regular foal. This was a sadness with understanding—a feeling of loss that you cannot repeal or question, only accept. Of course; it was only natural that a young filly who had lost her parents would be terrified of abandonment, how did he not think of this sooner?

He sighed, gently placing his hoof on her tiny shoulder. “Dear Princess Celestia... All of this must be so terrifying and painful, even though you put on a brave face. I can't imagine how hard it must be to be a princess, to never show weakness and have so much expected of you, especially at such a young age. But I have you ask you a hard question—a question that would be hard for even the most experienced mare or stallion...” He returned his hoof to the floor and took a meaningful breath, looking the small filly straight in the eyes. “Please ask yourself: would you rather I stay here and protect you and your sister from possible threats in the future, or return to Canterlot and risk myself in the pursuit of saving some of your subjects? As my Princess, I shall do as you command.” He lowered his head in as deep a bow as possible, awaiting her answer.

Princess Celestia was somewhat taken aback by this sudden display of formality, though it certainly impressed a distinct sense of important to his question, one that she was not familiar at dealing with. She mulled over the question in her head for a moment, trying to rationalise her gut instinct, but deciding it needed no justification.

“Rise, please,” she insisted, waiting as he complied. “While I may be a princess in title and blood, without a castle or people to care for, all it is is a word. I've spent my whole life preparing for a future that is now uncertain... I won't pretend to know the details of what happened the day we left, but what I do know is that if I am to one day return to Canterlot and rule it—with my sister—it will be meaningless without its citizens.”

Ustiarius was shocked to hear such noble and eloquent works spoken by such a young foal. This moment in time felt surreal, as though he were staring into the future, at the Queen she was destined to become.

“So you have my blessing,” she continued. “Just promise that you'll remain safe, and tell me of all the adventures you had while protecting everypony.” She smiled. “Just as soon as we're prepared, Luna and I will meet you there and save the day, just like in volume eight: Summer Twinkle and the Castle of Doom!”

There she was; the silly, book-smart filly that he recognised. Still, that had gone better than he had hoped, and it was all off the cuff, too! Even if Starswirl objected to him leaving, he couldn't overrule the Princess's decree, surely? Nodding in thanks to Celestia, with a steeled heart Ustiarius opened the bedroom door, and made his way for the stone stairwell. Reaching the top, he rather unsurprisingly found Starswirl hunched over his small work-desk, illuminated by a thick, flickering candle as the shadows of day and night danced through the stone crenels.

“Uh, Starswirl?”

“Yes?” His voice was distant and disinterested, clearly embroiled in whatever book he was currently reading.

Ustiarius stepped forward, eager to be taken seriously at least once. “We need to talk. It's... quite serious.”

With a sigh, Starswirl looked up from his work and turned to the guardspony with a silent, raised eyebrow. To his surprise, the wizard had not been scouring parchment, but instead... sewing? The confusion on his face must have been apparent, as the elder unicorn addressed it without prompt.

“Yes, before you ask. I felt it wise to educate myself in some of the more... mundane tasks befitting a caregiver. If I am to be looking after two children for some years to come, basic skills such as material repairs, cooking, cleaning, and the like would undoubtedly come into play.” He motioned toward his old bedchambers, where a wooden broom was autonomously brushing the floor. “With a little work, I believe I could automate the entire process, leaving me more time for my studies.”

And just as an unexpected feeling of admiration had crept into the guardspony's mind, it was gone again. He rubbed his forehead with a silent smirk. This old fool would never change.

“Well?” the wizard grunted, keen to not lose a minute of progress.

“Oh, right. Well, uh, you see, I've been thinking…” He cleared his throat, placing a hoof behind his head. “I appreciate you choosing me to accompany you and the Princesses on this journey. It’s an honour to do my duty for the country, of course-”

“If you recall, you were picked because you were the slowest and least experienced.” The wizard smirked, which was met with an awkward chuckle.

“Right. Neither of us chose me for this task, it just happened.”

“Are you saying you regret it?”

“No, no of course not. I have the utmost loyalty to the crown, and saving the Princesses may well be the proudest moment of my life, but...”

“'But'? What is the problem, Ustiarius? Spit it out. I can little afford the time to be your therapist amongst my other duties.”

The young stallion scowled, gritting his teeth, but that was just the push he needed to speak his mind.

“Starswirl, I'm leaving. I've thought about it since yesterday, and I don't want to spend my life in the middle of nowhere, babysitting two foals and a grouchy old stallion while Equestria is under attack.”

“Are you mad?” He lowered his fabric and turned fully towards the younger unicorn. “The Princesses are the single most important ponies in the world right now, and they take precedent over any friends, family, or scullery maids you might be worried about. Make no mistake that regardless of their age, they are your superiors, as am I, and I gave you a direct order to protect them.”

“With all due respect, Court Wizard Starswirl, I carried out your order to the word. I escorted the three of you away from harm, and dare I say it, performed above and beyond the call of duty.” Ustiarius took a breath, calming himself before this turned into another senseless argument. “But this isn’t about me. This is about Equestria and its citizens, and I have received direct authority from Princess Celestia herself to return to the capitol and save anypony I can.” He saw Starswirl shift on his stool in preparation to retaliate, and held out a hoof so he could finish. “I would give my life for the Princesses, without hesitation, but the lives of other ponies are no less important. If you can’t understand that, then I have nothing more left to say.”

Starswirl’s muscles were visibly shaking with anger, though the furiosity of that rage was held at bay for the time being, escaping his mouth as but a growl. “So, you would go behind my back with this, to frighten and manipulate a mere foal into letting you do as you wish? Allowing you to throw your life away for the pure fantasy that you would make even a fraction of a difference?”

The guardspony closed his eyes, endeavouring to remain calm. “I think you're well aware that Celestia is anything but a mere foal, and I swear that I did nothing to influence her decision.” He paused, turning to the currently sunny crenel on his right. “That talk of family yesterday got me thinking of the corps. Flash Magnus, Diamond Aegis... Silver Streak, and even Commander Ironhead. I can't stand idly by while the only ponies I've ever cared about are fighting for their lives. Even if I can't help, even if we're all doomed... I need to know I tried.”

Starswirl seemed to have calmed a little from this sentimentality, but his frustration was no less apparent. Whether its source was internal or external, however, was less clear.

“If Discord wanted to wipe Equestria off the map, he could have done it with a snap of his fingers the moment he stepped through that portal, of that I have no doubt. Your friends back home are in no more peril than the rest of ponykind, near or far.”

“So if he actually wanted the Princesses gone, what's stopping him? What was any of this for?"

Silence hung in the air as strong as their answers were weak. Neither pony had a clue what that creature's intentions actually were, and that was the most terrifying part of this entire situation. How can you possibly plan against something that is by definition unpredictable—chaotic?

Ustiarius continued. "Starswirl, you and I both know that I would make absolutely no difference in a fight against a creature that powerful. You might have a chance with your magic, but I'm little more than a glorified usher with a spear, and I don't even have that anymore. If anypony has a chance to protect these girls, it's you, not me.”

The wizard's face remained dark, though his silence was its own acquiescence. He closed his eyes and turned back to his work. With an understanding nod, the guardspony turned and returned to the stairs. Just out of sight, a small filly ran back down the steps and out the door.

“Ustiarius?” the wizard called, causing him to stop mid-step. “I appreciate the effort you put into fulfilling your task.”

The guardspony smiled, knowing this was as close to a 'thank you' as he was going to get. Just as he began his descent down the stairs, he was brought to a halt once more.

“You are a foolish pony, Ustiarius. Foolish and brave. It is a trait I wish I knew more of.”

“Starswirl... There are still many things left for you to learn. Not everything can be taught in a scroll, but I think these are things the girls will be able to teach you, if you let them.”

The two held their positions, feeling a presence in this moment that they had not shared before. Was this... understanding? For all his shortcomings, the guardspony did respect Starswirl. His motives were noble and he genuinely wants to do good for the best of everypony, he just doesn't seem to be able to see past his own muzzle most of the time. Similarly, the ex-court-wizard did genuinely appreciate the almost unquestioning service of the younger stallion, even if he didn't appreciate the apocalyptic nature of the situation.

Finally, Starswirl broke the silence. “Will you be wanting your armour back?”

Ustiarius snorted and the wizard stood and walked to his enchanted trunk. “Thanks, but no thanks. Wearing that steel sweater one way across Equestria was quite enough, thank you. I have no doubt it would prove useless against Discord anyway. Consider it a memento.”

Starswirl opened his chest and began rummaging around inside with his magic, as though ignoring the stallion's reply. “Then I propose a trade,” he announced, pulling out the guardpony's standard-issue shoes.

Ustiarius turned back from the stairs, raising his eyebrow as the two ponies met at the centre of the room.

“My shoes?”

“Unremarkable for now, but having had time to recuperate my magic pool fully, and foreseeing not immediate need for its full use, I shall enchant these shoes to ease your journey home.”

The elder unicorn lowered the shoes to the floor and took two steps back, which the guardspony mimicked. The familiar glow of the wizard's magic intensified around the hooflets, becoming an almost opaque white, along with his eyes. With a dazzling flash, the scene calmed, and Starswirl fell to his fore-knees. Ustiarius darted forward, lending him a hoof.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, I am fine.” He accepted the aid and was helped onto the nearby stool. “Enchantment spells are a powerful magic, as you must infuse the object with a portion of your own magic-pool, so it retains the charge. That is why magical relics are so sought-after.”

“Are you serious? You didn't need to do something like that for me!”

“It is no concern. My magic shall return just as it did before. You will find these shoes ease your hooffall and increase your stamina. It will not be as effective as the link we shared before, but I think you will find it a welcome boon.”

“Starswirl, I don't know what to say... Thank you.”

“Thanks are unnecessary, as this was a trade. Magic is a transient thing, but your armour may prove useful in the future.”

With an uncomfortable nod, the guardspony walked over to his now subtly shimmering shoes and slipped into them. While the hooflets themselves still felt the same, he could sense that his muscles were moving easier, and even creating less sound than usual on the carpeted floor.

“You never cease to amaze me with your magic.”

“I hear that a lot,” the wizard smirked, turning back to his work-desk.

Ustiarius chuckled to himself, no longer sure whether the old unicorn's pretentiousness was a façade, a defence mechanism, or the awful social skills of a loner. He returned to the top of the staircase and rested his hoof on the wooden divider separating the room and the stone stairwell.

“Oh, one last thing, Ustiarius,” the wizard called yet again.

He sighed, turning back yet again. “Yes?”

“While this may be the least of anypony's worries, I am concerned that your superiors may not believe your reason for not remaining to defend the palace. The last thing I need on my conscience is your discharge from the corps.” Remaining at his desk, Starswirl telekinetically reopened his chest and pulled out a red section of cloth. “If you take this, they will know you were with me.”

Receiving the fabric on an outstretched hoof, the guardspony immediately recognised it. “But this is- This is your magic academy graduation cloak! I can't possibly-”

“I want you to have it,” he interrupted. “I am no longer the wide-eyed and optimistic youth who received that garb, for better or for worse, and I am not one to look back on the past with nostalgia. That robe is a sign of being the top of your class and recipient of the title 'the Scholar', which is a name I have long outgrown. More importantly, as with all graduate capes, it comes imbued with a dampening charm that will help conceal your magical signature from others. For a powerful wizard it will make them appear as a regular unicorn, while a talentless unicorn such as yourself-”

Ustiarius glared at the back of Starswirl's head, conflicted between gratitude and hate.

“-will barely register as a terran. I... hope that it helps keep you safe.”

The guardspony sighed and took a moment to admire the finely sewn stars and constellations peppering the deep-red cloak with gold thread. It might have been quite hard for the old unicorn to make this gesture, given his reclusive nature, despite the hurtful things he says sometimes.

“Thank you, Starswirl, I'll treasure it. I'll treasure both.”

Receiving no reply, the guardspony nodded and returned to the staircase for a third time, though this time interrupting himself.

“I expect to see you and the Princesses again some day, safe and sound, alright?”

Again the older pony did not reply, but instead raised his hoof dismissively. Ustiarius smirked at Starswirl's flippancy for one final time before finally making his way down the stairs.

“Goodbye, Starswirl,” he whispered to himself, carrying the prized cloak down on his back.

“Be safe, Ustiarius,” the ex-courtier also whispered as he returned to his needlework, his hooves slightly shaking. Had he been so obsessed with the safety of the Princesses—what he had thought were the big picture—that he had failed to see the even bigger picture, the ponies of Equestria? No ponies means no kingdom, and then what good is a princess? … No, no, he couldn't start double-guessing himself now. If they had tried to save everypony, they could have lost everything immediately. At least this way they had a chance; at least he had time to figure something out. If anypony was capable of saving as many citizens as possible, it would be the royal guard, so for now he would put his trust in them... in Ustiarius.

The emotionally exhausted guardspony exited Starswirl's bedroom, having fitted the cape around his neck. He looked over at the door between him and the Princess' room, wondering if he should say goodbye properly. Was there any point? What even was he to them, besides their driver? Calling him 'uncle' was just... that was just Celestia being silly, he didn't actually mean anything to her. She's young, she wouldn't even remember him. He sighed and turned away, descending the main staircase and toward to the front door. With one final look back, he exited and closed the door behind him. As he stood outside in the cold, a sense of finality washed over him that he wasn’t expecting; this was it, he was going—going back home, or what was left of it. No more Starswirl, no more Celestia, no more running away. As brief as it was in the grand scheme of things, the last five days had felt like a lifetime, perhaps because of the company, but what a rush of adrenaline and emotions it had been. He smiled at the memories and began his walk down the hill to Meadow Flower’s, fulfilling his promise to return for her answer.

The time he had spent here had been eye-opening in many ways, from the town's communal goodwill to his own sense of duty, which had taken even him by surprise. But perhaps the most surprising thing of all to change was his opinion of foals, thanks to one small, white unicorn. Was that poise and intelligence—when she saw fit to show it—the product of her royal upbringing, or simply who she was? He had always considered foals to be smelly, noisy, and thoroughly unbearable, yet both royal fillies had shown him that wasn’t always the case. Not that he had any interest in settling down, of course; he was still in his prime!

Approaching the herbalist’s abode for the second time today, the guardspony ascended the stone steps and rapped on the door thrice. Soon after he heard the hurried rush of hooves descending a staircase all too quickly, the door swung open with startling vigour.

“Hell-” he began.

“Cestus Hippos! Entrer, entrer! Please, make yourself at home, while I do not! Haha!” She seemed almost delirious—either from joy or stress—while long strands of hair hung loosely from its usual bunch over her head.

“Are- Are you okay?” he stammered, entering her home.

“Oui! Bon, mon amis, bon! I'm just gettin' my things ready for the journey! So little to pack and so much time!” She turned back to the staircase before pivoting again. “Non! Inversez that, s'il vous plait.”

“Oh, so you are coming?” His face lit up, despite the second-hoof anxiety.

“Ah, oui, oui! When exactly were you plannin' to leave, now? Do I have time to pack my clothes? They are optional if not.”

She was radiating a strange, nervous energy that he had not encountered before, as though she were galloping on the spot. Perhaps this is what that fizzy drink did to ponies? Though more realistically, she was just frantic from trying to make her entire life portable within one afternoon.

“You know, if you don't have time to get everything ready tonight, we can always leave tomorrow morning. It would make more sense if we rested up before such a long journey, anyway. I didn't think it would take me all day to speak to—uh—Greymane.”

She took a moment to absorb this information before visibly deflating onto the floor. “Oh thank Elysium. Mon amis, I have been runnin' myself ragged trying to get everythin' in order.”

“I’m so sorry, I never considered just how much work it must be to uproot yourself. All your things… your spices, the masks, all your china…”

“Oui, one does not realise how much they own before they must fit it all into crates. I'm so lucky that Good Harvest was willin' to give me his cart to haul my belongings. Without him, I would barely be able to bring a thing!”

Great, he thought, another long journey and another heavy cart, which he would no doubt end up pulling.

“Can I help you with anything?” he asked aloud. “I’m starting to feel like I’ve brought something terrible down upon you.”

“You're sweet, cher, but only I can choose which things to leave behind.” She climbed onto all-fours, having regained some strength in her extremities. “But don't think of this as a bad thing. On the contrary, it's freein' to remove the excess, like a beautiful nelumbo nucifera unfurling its petals to reveal its golden core. It reminds you of who you really are—who you were beneath the petals of life that formed around you.”

For once Ustiarius felt like he understood what she was saying, Old Ponish aside. Meadow Flower seemed to be a lake of wisdom with unknowable depths; it was a shame that even they would be parting ways soon. Perhaps he could visit her on the bayou one day?

The apothecary focused on the guardspony properly for the first time since he arrived, tilting her head. “You look different. Did you do somethin' with your hair?” she joked.

The unicorn snorted, lifting up part of his new cloak with a hoof. “I must admit, it’s not really my style, but Sta-uh… Greymane wanted me to have it before we part ways. Seems he’s more sentimental than he lets on.”

“Ah, well it is quite a beautiful thing. He must be a great wizard to have a cloak like that.”

Ustiarius burst out in conspicuously nervous laughter, hoping she didn’t know the full history of the gift. To his relief, she joined in the laughter, suggesting it had been a joke to begin with. Luckily for him, most non-unicorns didn't know the ins and outs of the magic academy, especially in backwater spots like this.

As the chuckles faded, the mare grew visibly melancholic again. “I can’t believe I’m really leavin', after all this time.” She wobbled over to her regular, thickly cushioned chair and collapsed into it. “All these ponies, they’ve grown to be family to me. Is it really fair to abandon all of them just for one?”

“She’s your daughter, Meadow Flower, she’s more than just family. Besides, you’re not thinking about yourself again.”

“Ah, caught red-hooved.” She raised her legs wearily with a coy smile, which her companion returned. “One gets into certain patterns with age, non?”

“Well, I should leave you to your work. Don’t feel too rushed, okay? We can afford to wait a little bit longer…” He looked towards the door, wondering how much had already happened in the few short days he had been away from Canterlot. Starswirl had been right; if this Discord creature really was as all-powerful as he described, he could have destroyed Equestria as soon as he arrived, which meant one of two things: either this monster was toying with them, like a cat with its prey, or it had some ulterior motive beyond simply throwing their world into chaos.

“Cestus?” the apothecary interrupted, having already leaned forward without him noticing.

“Y-yes?” He turned back, startled from his thoughts.

She furrowed her brow, leaning back in her chair. “I don’t know the importance of your work, but I can see that it weighs heavily on your mind. I shouldn't be much longer with my packin', but are you sure you wanna wait until the mornin' to leave?” She motioned to the remaining masks on her ceiling. “These things are just that—things. Everythin' can be replaced except ponies, and I fear there is more at stake here than simply your job...”

He sighed, leaning forward to cup his face in his hooves. He appreciated her concern more than she knew, but telling her any more than he already had would put her and others in danger. The last thing he needed on his conscience was a militia forming to take on Discord, only to be... snapped away with whatever magic he uses. No, Starswirl knew what he was talking about, even if it had been for a different reason.

“Having made this journey once already, I know that we need to be at the top of our game to keep a good pace. We won’t save any time by leaving now and collapsing barely a quarter of the way there.”

She nodded slowly, agreeing, yet aware of something being untold.

“By the way, where is the bayou?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Oh, oui, well as with most things, it is North from here, if only because of the uncharted jungle and Badlands to the East. It's in the Haysead Swamp, on the East coast.”

Ustiarius had a pretty good grasp of Equestria's geography, if only because there was a map on the wall next to his barracks bunk, which he ended up staring at every morning and evening. It certainly wasn't the most detailed map available, not like the ones Cloudsdale is known for, but he knew enough to find his way across Equestria, even from a border settlement like this.

“Oh really? I guess we’ll be parting about halfway, then. I'm sorry I won't see it for myself.”

“Oui… I can’t say I’m lookin' forward to that moment, but we must make the most of the time we have left, non?”

He smiled weakly, nodding. He had only just met the vivacious pony, but his life back home was severely lacking such a motherly, caring figure such as her. It was a bittersweet feeling, though, as he knew—or at least seriously hoped—that he had made a significant, positive impact on her life already. He wished that he could witness the maternal reunion himself, but he still had at least two days travel ahead of him and didn’t want to keep Canterlot waiting any longer.

“Try to have a good night’s sleep, okay? I’ll be here first thing in the morning—whatever that means these days—and I’ll help you pack your cart. I might not be the world’s greatest wizard as this cloak suggests, but I can at least help with the heavy lifting.”

“Ah, your kindness knows no bounds, mon amis. Then I shall let you away and get back to my chore.” She stood up, as did her guest, and the two walked to her door. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, then.”

“Oui,” he smiled. “Sweet dreams.”

“And you, cher!” she called after him as he left, turning back to her staircase and the daunting task ahead of her as she closed the door.

Ustiarius made his way back to Stargazer’s commandeered house, but stopped half way up the hill as the building loomed ahead of him. As illegal as their squatting might technically be, this was the first time he'd felt like an intruder since arriving, and it wasn't for Stargazer's sake. He stood there, looking up at the warm glow emanating from Starswirl's loft. It probably wouldn’t be long until he and the girls had dinner, and having already said his goodbyes, the guardspony felt like he needed to stay away, like he was no longer welcome... He signed, scratching at the stubble on his chin and looking around awkwardly, as if wanting somepony to tell him where to go. This was stupid, he thought, looking down at his hooves. He slowly continued his ascent up the hill and reached the house, extending his hoof to open the door, when from the other side he heard voices. He had been right, they were just now coming downstairs to have a communal dinner. His hoof lingered over the door latch, hovering with a slight quiver. The moment had passed. He closed eyes and sighed, turning and slumping down against the adjacent wall. He was alone now, that was the path he had chosen and he didn't deserve a warm send-off. He'd wait until they'd all gone to bed, slip in and onto the couch, then be up and gone before they knew any different. He probably could have slept at Meadow Flower's, but she already had enough to deal with. For now he just had to endure the cold and hope the sun was out more than not.

“Did Uncle Oosti leave already?” he heard a small voice ask from within.

“It seems that way. He was quite eager to return, and in no small part thanks to you, I hear,” came the older unicorn's voice as he rustled around the kitchen. The filly remained silent, so he continued. “What you said... What you did... It was very noble of you. You behaved like a true Princess, and I could not be more pleased to see you taking initiative so early on in your rule.”

There was a pause before the filly replied. “So you're not mad?”

“Of course not. Your training, the lectures, everything that we and your other mentors have been teaching you were all for moments like these. I never could have imagined you would grasp such depth at such a young age.” Another pause. “What you did was selfless, not only for the ponies of Canterlot, but for that guard, too.”

'That guard?' Had that old goat already forgotten his name?!

“You chose to absolve him of his guilt and assume that burden yourself,” he continued. “But do not take such decisions lightly, Celestia. Doing the 'right' thing is rarely the easiest option, and blindly sending those without the proper faculties to enact their heroic fantasies will get ponies killed.”

All present let that statement hang in the air, clawing at Ustiarius' mind the most. He had already covered this; he knew he wasn't special, he knew he might make no difference and simply be fodder... but what effect would that have on others? He had never considered that Celestia was now burdened by his fate. If something happened to him, would she really blame herself?

“Well, maybe I'm too young to understand it properly,” the filly finally spoke. “But to me it seems that the right thing is only hard because not everypony is doing it. I believe that if you really put your heart into something, you'll never fail, because you'll know you tried, and that's the most important thing of all.”

The wizard chuckled. “That's a naïve point of view... but it might just be what saves Equestria. Luckily for you, Ustiarius is a very capable unicorn and a brave member of the royal guard, so I am not concerned for his safety. Ponies like him are better off on the front line anyway, bringing hope to those with wavering resolve.”

A smile crept across the guardpony's face as he slouched against the outer wall, suddenly not feeling quite so cold as he did a moment ago. As a member of the Canterlot Palace Royal Guard he had vowed to protect and serve, and he would give his life fulfilling that promise. For Princess Celestia; for Starswirl; for all the ponies of Equestria.

Chapter 11: Ragnarök

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Five days ago, Canterlot Palace

“Captain!” Flash Magnus shouted as he burst into the officer’s station, finding the ashen-blue pegasus already donning his armour.

“Magnus, what in blazes was that explosion? Are the King and the Princesses safe?” Commander Ironhead boomed back, hurriedly ramming his hooves into his uniform hooflets.

“That’s- I’ll debrief you later, sir. What’s important is that we are to fully evacuate the palace as per Court Wizard Starswirl’s order, effective immediately.”

“Starswirl?! There had better be a good reason for this, or there will be Tartarus to pay.” Slamming his iron helmet over his ears and grabbing the nearby spear, the commander of the Valkyries pushed past Flash and into the hallway, stretching out his wings to take off towards the throne room.

“Starswirl is taking care of the Princesses,” Flash Magnus continued, taking to flight after his superior. “We need to clear the palace of civilians within five minutes, at most.”

“Five- Are you mad? There are over two-hundred staff on premises!” he called back, taking a corner at break-neck speed.

“This is a black alert, sir. The throne room is a black zone, and I’ve already cleared those in the immediate area. Silver Aegis has taken the quarters with Lightning Feather, while Flitterwing has the kitchen and Shooting Star is clearing the exterior. The rest are ferrying civvies from the gates to Canterlot Town.”

“By the Six.” The pegasus commander came to a sharp halt in mid-air, forcing Flash to quickly do the same. “Then what are we still doing here?!”

“That’s up to you, sir. Lieutenant Shooting Star suggested we stage a rear guard, in case the enemy comes after the civs.”

“What enemy?! What aren’t you telling me, guardspony?”

“I don’t know, sir, I wish I knew. Only Starswirl had eyes on the invader.”

“Just one?! Are you pulling my feathers, Private?”

“No, sir. I’ve never seen Starswirl that worked up, sir. Whatever this is, it’s real. That explosion came from the throne room while I was guarding the door.”

“Horsefeathers.We’ll speak of that later, Private. For now, let’s assess the situation from outside.”

“Aye, sir. I’ll make one more sweep of the halls and meet you there.”

“See that you do.”

With a curt nod, the two shot off in separate directions. As the Commander flew towards the nearest exit, Discord’s corruption spread past him, patterning the walls like the inside of a haberdashery. A broom closet opened on its own, spilling out supplies that rapidly morphed into all manners of creatures and objects, scattering in their own panicked trajectories. Almost too bewildered to absorb what he was seeing, he nearly missed the door to the Eastern enclosed garden. Hovering in the air for a moment, he watched with horror as the wall-mounted candles in the direction of the throne room began to start spraying water like miniature fountains. He had seen all he needed to know that this was no joke. Throwing open the door, he flew out and high over Canterlot Palace as other pegasi of the Valkyries flew about at lightning speeds, searching for or delivering maids, servants, and other members of the court from danger. As he surveyed the scene, Flash Magnus flew up from dropping off a terrified-looking maid at the outer gate.

“Report, Private.”

“There’s- There’s too many of them, sir. The royal guard are carrying and herding as many as they can, but we can’t have evacuated more than a quarter so-”

The pale-orange pegasus was cut off by a deafening yawn, causing everypony in the area to clasp their hooves over their ears.

“I mean really,” the sourceless voice continued, “all you do is scurry about like drowning rats. I was hoping for somekind of resistance, or at least a few more like that big one with the wings and horn.”

There was a snapping noise and everypony in the palace grounds suddenly found themselves sitting in the throne room, all in neat rows, facing a large, high-backed throne where the King’s had once sat. If the large antlers protruding from the top weren't ominous enough, the bizarre patchwork creature that slouched smugly in the new chair emanated an aura of pure malice.

“Now, where was I…” The creature stroked its white plume of chain-hair with an avian claw. “Oh yes, I believe introductions are in order. I’m Discord, Lord of Chaos, Master of Dissonance, yadda-yadda.” He rolled his hand dismissively. “Now it's your turn, my dear, gracioushosts.”

The palace staff looked at one another and murmured with confusion as the guardsponies struggled to raise their hooves from the floor, bound by some invisible force. Discord raised a long, disappointed eyebrow at the lack of a response.

“Hm, strange, I thought I asked a question.” He snapped his fingers, causing the entire front row of ponies to petrify into statues. “I suggest you be more attentive to your guest’s needs,” he continued nonchalantly. “Wouldn't want me to leave a bad review, would you?”

The entire hall burst into pandemonium as ponies screamed and ran in every direction, their hooves suddenly released. A crooked grin crossed the usurper's face as the guardsponies rushed forward, while those with wings took to the air. The Valkyrie's advance was slowed while having to dodge the blindly panicking pegasi civilians, leaving the royal guard to reach the front line first. With a flick of his hand, Discord yanked a random unicorn maid from the melee and brought her up to his face, dwarfing her before his serpentine body.

“What. Are. You?” he growled.

The small, blue pony stammered incoherently, terrified beyond words. Annoyed, the draconequus spun her around so she now faced the crowd, clicking his fingers once more. Every one of the approaching hoofbound guardsponies froze in place, causing a number to tumble from unstable poses, their newly stone forms breaking on impact with the hard marble floor. The maid shrieked in horror before he turned her again, glaring at serf with an expectantly arched brow.

“P-P-P-P-Ponies! W-W-W-We’re p-p-p-ponies!” Her entire body shook with fear as she barely formed the words.

“‘Ponies’, hm? You know, I've been told I have a face like a horse, though frankly I don't see the resemblance. Why do some of you have wings or horns, and others not?”

“P-P-P-P-Ponies,” she stammered again.

“Yes, yes, we’re past that,” he sighed. “Come now, the sooner you answer my frankly astonishingly simple questions, the sooner this will be over.”

“Put her down, you monster!” Commander Ironhead shouted from above, as the Valkyries had now finally surrounded their foe, seeking retribution for their comrades' paralysation.

“Really, you 'ponies' are so rude.” Without giving them even a cursory glance, a wave of his hand sent all of the pegasi guard shooting backwards and straight through the warped ceiling, pockmarking it with holes. With the pests dealt with, he refocused his attention on the maid. “Now, my dear, do continue.”

“P-P-P-P-P-”

Discord sighed once more. “Must I do everything?” He wiped his arm over the mare, revealing a book where she had once been, its cover engraved with her terrified facsimile. A self-satisfied smirk on his face, he cracked open the tome and began reading its contents.

“What in Equestria was that?” Commander Ironhead screamed at his troops as they stabilised themselves in the sky above the throne room, shaking debris out of their manes. Luckily their armour had absorbed the brunt of the impact.

“Commander, there’s no way we can stand against a monster like that, we have to flee!” Private Flash Magnus called from his position some distance away.

“Flee?! There are still innocents down there! We can’t just leave them!” Lieutenant Shooting Star barked at her junior, irked at being one-upped by the other-wordly creature.

The remaining pegasus guards looked at one another, unsure of who to side with. While each of them were devoted to protecting the kingdom, this seemed like an impossible battle to win.

“It is our job as Valkyries to defend King and country!” she continued. “We take a stand and fight to the last feather!”

“The King is compromised,” Ironhead rebuked, the first time the others had heard this news. “He was the first to fall.”

“Then all is lost,” Private Silver Aegis mumbled, dead-eyed.

Shooting Star flew in place slack-jawed, taking a moment to process this information. “E-Even so, the palace staff-”

“What do you hope to do, Shooting Star?” the Commander snapped, also bitter at his own helplessness. “Carry them out one-by-one yourself?”

“Together we can save some; maybe not all but-”

“The moment we fly down there, we’re statues like the others. There’s no point throwing our lives away on a lost cause. They're probably already done for...”

Shooting Star grimaced, taking her helmet off and throwing it down in rage. “With respect, Sir, I disagree, and I intend to save as many as I can, with or without your help.”

“Don’t be an idiot, Lieutenant, you’re throwing your life away. We retreat for now, that’s an order!”

Following the lead of their superior officer, the majority of the pegasus guard flew to his side, including a guilt-ridden Flash Magnus.

“Sorry sir, I did not hear your order.” The rainbow-maned pegasus glared at her commanding officer, who returned the sentiment.

“So be it. I knew that hot-head attitude would get you killed one day.” He turned away, not wanting to show the sadness on his face. Despite the raised tensions, she was a loyal and dear member of the corps. These ponies were like his children, and he had already lost too many...

Below the flock of strategising pegasi, Shooting Star’s discarded helmet hit the roof of the throne room, clattering off it loudly. A crack formed between the two closest pegasus-sized holes and quickly began spreading around the halo of punctures. All of the guardsponies looked down, fearing the loss of their momentary cover. With a mighty boom, the roof crumbled—though to everypony's surprise the debris fell upwards, disobeying the laws of gravity—followed close behind by Discord, his arms spread wide.

“Full retreat!” the commander hollered, immediately fleeing the emerging draconequus.

Discord clucked his tongue, taunting the routed guards. “Leaving so soon?”

He began to wave his arms as though conducting an orchestra, and out of nowhere an accompanying ensemble swelled. With every flick of his hand to the rhythm of the beat, a pegasi dropped from the sky, turned into a random object or creature.

“Defend the commander!” Shooting Star yelled to the small squad of renegades that had remained on her side of the invisible divide.

With a roar of fury, the airborne equines shot towards the creature, swooping and soaring on attack runs; swinging at him with wings and armoured hooves as they passed. A little surprised at the retaliation—though entirely unphased—Discord avoided most, if not all of the attempts with serpentine sways of his long body. While the attacks may have been fruitless, the rear guard did succeed in distracting the monster from its grim cadenza against the fleeing squadron, though gaining his attention was not without its drawbacks. Private Gliding Light received a swift whip to the face by Discord’s tail, sending her spiralling towards the palace’s walled garden, while Private Yule Bells was blinked out of existence entirely. As Commander Ironhead disappeared into the distance towards Cloudsdale, Shooting Star knew that this was a last stand that none of them would survive unless something extraordinary happened. She would have to do something extreme, something… sacrificial. If she could be the only one to fall while taking him down, that would be a win in her eyes.

“Hold him off,” she called to her squadmates. “I have a plan!”

“Are you kidding?!” Lieutenant Zippy Zoom screamed back, barely dodging gunfire from a miniature red biplane that Discord had spawned.

“Trust me!” she smirked, before flying away from the battle at a steep incline.

“Where’s she going?!” Private Daisy Dale shrieked just as he was turned to stone, plummeting towards the basin of one of Mount Friendship’s waterfalls.

“We just-” Zippy started, having to suddenly drop vertically to narrowly avoid the biplane again. “We just have to hold out! She has a plan! That’s an order, ponies!”

Shooting Star soared towards the sky, slowly leaving Canterlot behind her. She was known as the fastest flyer around, earning her honorary wings by participating in the Great Griffon War, despite the corps initially rejecting her application due to her devil-may-care attitude. Well, it was that very attitude that was going to win the day today! She’d make history by flying faster than that monster could react with its magic—sure, it would be a fatal impact of both of them, but this was for Equestria. This was for all the bits. She flapped, gaining more and more altitude until it started becoming hard to breathe, all while her comrades engaged Discord and his tricks, slowly dropping one by one. Just as the thin air started to make her dizzy, she turned and nosedived, plummeting towards the ground at an incredible speed, gaining momentum with each second. This would be it; she'd go down in history as the fastest pegasus in Equestria!

The distant grasslands of Lower Canterlot and Ponydale rushed towards her at a heart-pounding rate as the air-resistance pulled her cheeks and eyelids back from her face, causing them to stream in pain. Now, pull up! She craned her head back, attempting to alter the trajectory of her blur-like speed, pushing her wing-muscles to their very limit. She could feel the tension of the air around her grow, as though she were pushing through some invisible veil. The g-force of the turn was almost enough for her to black out, but she forced herself to push through, she had to do this! For Equestria! For the world!

All at once her body became weightless, like she had burst through that veil and become faster than any worldly force, carving her own path through the sky. As she cut the air itself like a rainbow knife, a massive star-shaped shock wave burst from her body, tearing at the clouds above and the plants below as she rocketed towards Discord. Although almost blinded by her own speed, it felt like her target was moving in slow motion, barely having enough time to turn to her before she was an inch away; a look of genuine fear in his eyes. One—final—push—and—she was gone. Discord looked up from behind his arms, barely having enough time to flinch. His expression was as confused as the stunned pegasi around him, looking about for the suddenly absent Lieutenant.

“Well... That was something,” he mused, visibly shaken, yet still finding humour in the surprise ending.

“No... Shooting Star...,” Private Marshmallow breathed to himself in shock.

“No! What did you do with her, you monster?!” Zippy Zoom shrieked.

“Don't look at me,” Discord retorted defensively, turning to the red pegasus. “I had nothing to do with... whatever that was.”

An awkward moment of silence fell over the still enemies, all recognising who the clear winner of this skirmish was. The draconequus reclined in the sky and crossed all four limbs.

“You've earned my attention with that little display. Would anybody else care to impress me?”

He raised an eyebrow as the six remaining pegasi looked at each other hopelessly.

“Shame. I really was hoping for a better showing, yet the best your pathetic little species can muster are two surprising disappointments. I suppose I should be grateful you could even muster that.”

“What do you want?” Zippy asked, the last assertive member of their dwindling force.

“'What do I want?' Why, just to spread a little chaos, that's all.” A wicked grin crept across his face, sending a chill down the ponies' spines. “This little cat-and-mouse game is just the warm-up, my equine friend. Oh, the things I have planned for your so easily malleable world... And that simply wouldn't be fun without a captive audience.” Evil oozed from his final words like thick honey as he slowly directed the pegasi's attention towards the hole below them, framing the swathes of stone ponies lining the hall beneath.

“W-W-What are you going to do with us?” Private Trendsetter stammered, having unintentionally remained after being stuck on the wrong side of the debris when Discord arrived, largely lucking his way through the previous fight.

“'Do with you?' Well I commend you for lasting as long as you did, so I think I'll let you go. You deserve that much.”

“R-Really?” The pale-pink stallion's face bloomed with a mixture of confusion and joy, fading as Discord erupted into a raucous belly-laugh.

“Of course not.”

With a snap of his fingers all six ponies froze in place, stoned like the others though not succumbing to gravity. Still chuckling to himself as he wiped away a tear, Discord floated back down through the throne room's new skylight, statues in tow as he turned toward his throne.

“Now, let's see...”

He stroked his chin-hair as he pondered the best use for his new prizes, clicking his fingers as the idea came to him. In a flash, the pedestal below his throne transformed from the original—if distorted—solid block of marble to a disk being held up by the six posed pegasi. With a satisfied nod he lowered himself to the ground and walked forward, creating a staircase of hexagons beneath his feet as he went, leading up to the new plinth. With a leap and a snake-like twirl, he landed neatly on his throne, looking quite pleased with himself as he surveyed the sea of sculptures before him. Never before had such a wealth of material been available to him! True, his home dimension was an infinite void he could mould to his every whim, but even infinity has its limits. It's so much more fun to play with living things.

“Very impressive,” a gravelly voice echoed out from the rear of the room, pushing open the gigantic, Discord-shaped doors without any aid and veiled in darkness.

“Oh great, another one.” He rolled his eyes, raising his hand to action.

“Ah-ah-ah, do not liken me to these pathetic ponies. I come offering my services, as I have you to thank for my release, it seems.”

“And what could you possibly do that I have need for?” He relaxed his hand, impatiently resting his chin on it instead.

“A live example, if I may?” The creature gestured forward.

Discord blinked, causing one of the statues at the back of the room to regain its colour, leaving the pale-yellow terran somewhat disorientated, staggering on the spot. From the shadows the new arrival exposed itself, revealing its red body, horned head, and four long, black legs. It leaned forward and opened its mouth, appearing to suck the very essence from the unaware pony at a distance, causing it to lose its colour and drop to the floor, glassy-eyed. The draconequus perked up at this sight, sitting up on his throne.

“Well you certainly are more interesting than the others, at least. What are you?”

The creature licked its lips before smirking beneath its silver nose-ring. “I am Tirek, Prince of the Centaurs. I was sealed away by the leader of this land some time-”

“Alright, alright, I didn't ask for your life story. Now what makes you think I have any need of you, hm?”

“The same reason for any of this.” He swung his arms wide, gesturing to the stone jungle as he walked down the aisle. “To sow a little chaos.”

“I'm listening.”

“I seek power—revenge—and all I need to achieve that are magical creatures to drain, just like these ponies.” He spat the name, humiliated to have lost not once, but twice to this inferior race. “All I ask is that you leave enough of the creatures for me to have my fill, and together we can destroy this pathetic land of Equestria!”

“Hm, a tempting offer... I have no interest in your revenge, but if you're capable of working around my chaos magic without disrupting my fun, I'll let you do as you please.”

“A thousand thanks, My Lord.” He bowed down, a sinister smile crossing his face.

“Why don't you show me that little trick of yours again?” He snapped his fingers, releasing some twenty more ponies from their stone prisons.

“Gladly.”

With the accord settled and both villains sated, Tirek backed out of the throne room and bowed once again before closing the doors. Turning away, he smirked as he flexed his already bolstered muscles.

“The fool. I shall have my fill of pony magic while this land is on its knees, and once I've reached my full potential, I shall return for him too.”

He walked down the entrance hall's crooked staircase, cackling to himself as he left the building. His first stop? Canterlot Town.

Chapter 12: Double Jeopardy

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“Mr. Greymane!” a shrill voice called up from outside from Starswirl’s tower, alerting the wizard that his presence was desired downstairs.

With a sigh, the old unicorn lowered his current project and made his way down the two flights of stairs to the front door, revealing a very stern mare, looking even more bristly than usual.

“Ms. Applecore. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Custos Greymane, I do wish you would keep an eye on your charges. This one has been running around town all day, holding up her infant sister to every object and window she can reach with her magic! My class finds it quite distracting, and I dare say I agree.”

At the feet of the perturbed mare stood a very grumpy looking Celestia, while a bright-eyed Luna was cradled in the teacher’s foreleg. Starswirl sighed, rubbing a furrowed brow.

“Tia, you cannot simply leave the house without informing me; especially if you decide to do something as reckless as taking your infant sister with you! I cannot be expected to watch over you every moment of the day.”

“Yes, Uncle,” she droned, rolling her eyes as she passed him and entered the house.

Starswirl focused his magic on the remaining Princess and relieved his guest of her burden, taking the foal into his own foreleg.

“The filly's disobedience could be curtailed if you would consider enrolling her in my class. You may be their carer, but that does not mean you can teach them everything that a growing foal needs to be a productive member of society; the least of which should be some discipline.”

“Yes, madam, your suggestion is noted and far from wrong. I believe I shall be contacting you soon in regards to that arrangement.”

“Excellent. See that you do. I shall be getting back to my class now. Good day.”

With that, the tightly-wound terran left to return to her schoolhouse in the village centre. Starswirl closed his eyes, trying to catalogue this issue among the many others he was currently dealing with. He returned to the living room and closed the front door with his magic.

“CELESTIA,” he called, summoning the young filly who had already returned to her room. She begrudgingly returned, sticking her head through the slats on the first floor. “What have I told you about leaving the house? You can not simply run off willy-nilly while I am busy doing research! Must I lock you up there with me?”

“No,” she moaned. “It’s just so boring here, and there’s a whole new world outside to explore! How can you expect me to stay here and do nothing my whole life?!”

“You are not ‘doing nothing’; our regular tutoring sessions are extremely important for your future, and when you are not in class there is plenty for you to be studying.”

She groaned loudly. “It was so much better when Uncle Oosti was here.”

“Be that as it may, I am not two ponies, and lest you have forgotten, you are a Princess of Equestria! You have to behave as an example to others.”

“But I’m not a princess here, I’m just a regular filly! I should be allowed to go out just like everypony else my age!”

He growled under his breath, annoyed that she wasn’t wrong. As far as their cover was concerned, it would make more sense for her to leave the house and partake in the typical activities of foals her age. However, unlike when she used to leave the palace for Canterlot Town, now she would have no escort to ensure her safety—something that Ustiarius would have been ideal for. It was a worrying proposition to leave the most important filly in Equestria unsupervised, but perhaps this was a required part of growing up? Maybe it really was time to enrol her in the local education system, as woefully inept as it may be. She would be far beyond the other students in terms of academic aptitude, but they could offer her something that she had been sorely lacking of late: socialisation with ponies her age.

He rubbed his face in frustration. “Fine.”

“Oh come on! I never get to- Wait, what?”

“As much as I want to protect Your Highness, I cannot wall you off from the world for your entire life, as a certain unicorn might accuse me of. If you agree to my strict terms, I think it is time I allow you to leave the house on your own recognisance.”

“For real?!” she squeaked, hardly able to contain her excitement and thoroughly overlooking any mention or implication of 'terms'.

“Though you are forbidden from leaving the house with Luna like this,” he continued, ignoring her outburst. “It is bad enough having one renegade Princess, without you endangering another that cannot look after herself yet.”

“Pfft, please, Luna was just fine! And she trusts me, don't you?”

The dark-blue filly burbled nonsensically in reply, which Celestia triumphantly took as a 'yes'.

“Be that as it may, the fate of Equestria's future rests on your back—like it or not—and in turn, mine. I would ask you to please take my position as your guardian into consideration before you do anything this reckless in the future. We cannot afford to lose any more-” He stopped himself mid-sentence, not wishing to remind the Princess of her lost parents, and instead sighed. “Just... don't forget how valuable you are, Celestia.”

The young filly remained silent, not really getting his point.

“Now take your sister, tuck her in, and do your homework.”

She moaned loudly in objection, but complied with the order, eventually leaving Starswirl alone downstairs. He looked down at his hooves, already feeling utterly drained.

“This is going to be much harder than I imagined.”

The wizard dragged his hooves back up both flights of stairs and slumped onto his stool, brushing aside the needlework he had been working on in favour of the nearest book. He leaned over it, propping his head up on a hoof, but didn't actually feel like reading for once. To think that mere days ago he had sat in this very position, researching how to initiate all of this mess, and now he was doing the very same to try to stop it. A lifetime of study and practical application thrown away in an instant of emotion, and for what, a threat against his life? He should have accepted his fate at the hooves of the King, rather than plaguing the world with this disaster. All of the innocent ponies that have suffered from his short-sightedness...

He buried his face in his hooves, wondering if it was truly possible to recover from such an impossible situation. No, there was no point feeding emotion with more emotion. Self-blame would get him nowhere; he had to be methodical—analytical—just like he used to be. He returned his hooves to the desk, but remained deep in thought while staring blankly at the pages before him. What had he researched to open that portal? Could there have been a fail-safe built into the mirror-pool artefact? Something that would suck Discord back into his own dimension? No, that would have negated Gusty the Great's efforts to cast the Memory Stone from this world... Certainly there was the possibility of re-opening the mirror and sealing Discord on the other side, but how in Equestria would he get the creature on the other side to begin with? Some kind of hypnosis spell? Mind-control? They were banned arts, of course, but what did that matter at this point? The Council was already going to have his hide if they ever discovered what really happened. He sighed, swiping the unread book off the table and onto the needle and thread. No, a creature of Discord's strength would not fall under a simple illusion spell, if it were even possible given his unnatural physiology. Like it or not, it seemed to be impossible to remove Discord from their world, meaning that he would need more terrestrial means of incapacitating the creature; something like... stasis!

Starswirl jumped to his hooves, knocking over his stool as he scanned the bookshelves, locked onto his target and brought down a thick, recently used tome with his magic. He placed it on the desk and immediately opened it to the correct page, thanks to Celestia's recent history lessons. Here it was, a historical recounting of the imprisonment of Tirek, Prince of the Centaurs. The monstrous four-legged, two-armed creature had stormed Canterlot many years ago, seeking revenge for his father's defeat against the founders of Equestria even earlier. Despite his strength and magical aptitude, he was destined to fall to the awakening of Equestria's first alicorn, Princess Faust, though not even she could defeat him completely. Unable to contain such a beast in a simple dungeon, the Princess used her seemingly limitless magic to banish him to a timeless pocket dimension—rendering him 'inert'—and sealing this energy within a crystal. This crystal was passed down the generations of rulers until... until... Oh no.

The ex-courtier 's legs collapsed under him, magically repositioning his stool just in time to safely land on it. Rather than a solution, he had discovered yet another awful, awful problem. With the loss of King Sol, there was no longer a ruler of Equestria to maintain the enchanted crystal, meaning that... the centaur prince was now free. This couldn't possibly get any worse, could it? With any luck the two would meet and cancel each other out, but that wasn't how this week had gone so far, so the worst assumption—that they were now working together—had to be made. He clasped his head, wishing he could wake up from this nightmare. Nevertheless, if Tirek had been imprisoned once, it could be done again; all they needed was an alicorn, and he had two in the making, but did they have the time?

A few hours passed as Starswirl sat at his desk studying period scrolls from the Second Age, when a sudden rumbling stirred him from his work. The loud vibration filled the room in bursts, which he immediately recognised the cause of, drawing his attention to the nearby enchanted trunk. Turning on his stool and using his magic, he lifted the chest's lid and reached inside, retrieving a hoof-sized stone that was shivering and pulsating with a blue, glowing rune. It was the partner-stone to the signalling device he had given Little Cobb back at the Prancing Pony Inn, and that meant that something was wrong. Standing up, he brought the stone to his chest and closed his eyes. Thankfully it had been long enough since their meeting that his pool of magic had regenerated, allowing him to perform the long-distance teleportation necessary to answer the distress call, the location of which was transmitted by the sister-stone. White magic emanated from his silhouette as he focused on the distant spark of the arcane device, and as soon as he had channelled enough energy, he disappeared from his study in a blinding flash of light.

Some several hundred miles away in Ponydale, Starswirl reappeared, somewhat disoriented and startled by the high-pitched shriek that welcomed him. Before he knew what was going on a hoof pulled him to the floor, attached to a quivering terran hiding in the shadows of a well-built workbench.

“Little Cobb? What in Equestria-?”

“M-Master Wizard, is that you?” the frail voice whimpered, barely recognising the unicorn in the form he had adopted since arriving at South Sea Post.

“Oh.” The unicorn focused on himself, casting an illusionary spell that restored his appearance to the disguise he had used at the inn, ill-fitting beard and all. “Yes, yes, it is I. Why did you use the stone? Has the corruption spread to town?”

“Y-Yes Sir, it has, b-but that’s not why Ah used the stone. It- I-It-” He trailed off, curling into a ball as the fearful shaking increased.

“What is happening?!”

As if on cue, booming laughter echoed outside the drystone storage shed they appeared to be in, encouraging Starswirl to press himself even closer to the dry dirt floor—or at least what he had thought was dirt. Upon closer inspection, though he could barely believe it, the ground appeared to be paper coloured-in to look like dirt. This was not a good sign, but the unknown voice outside was a more pressing concern.

“What was that?!” he hissed, now knowing why Little Cobb was keeping his voice low and remaining hidden.

“D-Don’t rightly know, Sir. Some p-p-p-ponies fled as the corruption neared, but p-plenty stayed to work on, like Pops. Ah wanted to go, but-” He swallowed, centring himself. “T-Then hecame.”

“‘He’ who?!” The wizard was becoming frustrated at the lack of useful information being shared, though the alternative of finding out for himself was less appealing.

“D-Don’t know who, Sir. Large fellow he is, black and red like a nightmare, with horns as big as me!”

“Tirek,” he spat through clenched teeth. No sooner had he realised there was a threat, and it was already upon him. How was he supposed to repel an enemy that not even an alicorn could ultimately deal with? If there was any justice in the world, he would still be weakened from his encounter with Princess Faust three-hundred years ago, but that didn't mean he stood a chance against him.

“Y-You know him, Sir?”

“Not personally, but I have read of him.”

“C-Can ya help us?”

“I do not know…” He frowned, wanting to reassure the colt, but genuinely not knowing how to move forward in this situation. “How many of you are there?”

“J-Just me, Sir, and the fallen. Truth be told, Ah ran when he attacked yesterday, but in my haste Ah left behind the stone. Had to come back special for it. A-Ah didn’t think he’d still be here! Only ran as far as the tool shed before mah legs gave out.”

“'The fallen?'”

“Y-Yes, Sir. Ah ain’t never seen the likes of it before. Ponies just... fallin’ like he was sucking the very life out of them. T’weren’t nothin’ we could do but run!”

“Not their lives, but their magic…” Starswirl sighed, recalling all the details he could of his recent studies. “They still live, but their life-magic—or 'essence'—is critically low. Predators like him know not to eradicate their prey, leaving enough to be harvested again later. No doubt he returned to feed on them further, before seeking out the others. Be glad it is only one centaur, and not an army.”

“C-Centaur?! W-W-What do we do, Sir?!”

“Please, my name is Starswirl. And I do not know.” He lowered his voice further as heavy hoofsteps thudded closer, rattling the stones and metal implements around them. “Equestria repelled the centaurs once, but their King was not truly defeated, only shamed. Any centaurs that may have fallen were mere fodder, but the one out there right now was their Prince, and will not be dealt with so easily. Not even the previous Queen of Equestria was enough to silence his vengeance, instead resorting to a sealing spell...”

“But you're a great and powerful wizard, right, Sir?—A-Ah mean Starswirl. Y-You can seal that thing back, right?”

Starswirl scoffed, half laughing at the assumption and half at his own egotistical desire to agree. A few days ago he would not have batted an eye at calling himself 'great and powerful', but since then he had learned a bitter lesson in humility. Was he the most capable unicorn in Equestria right now? Probably; but that didn't mean that somepony—or something—else couldn't be stronger. He had never once sat on his laurels, but if only he had planned more thoroughly... If only he had employed more forethought, or had more backup plans... But now was not the time to get lost in his own head; he had an immediate issue to resolve and little time to think it through.

“Powerful as I might be, I cannot hold a candle to that of an alicorn. For now, my main concern is your safety and that of the surviving farmers. I have an idea, but you must do exactly what I say, understood?”

“Y-Yes Sir—Ah mean, Starswirl.”

“Come out, little ponies,” Tirek's deep voice boomed. “Or I'll huff, and puff, and blow your houses down!”

The large centaur began to cackle just as Starswirl burst out from the tool shed in front of him, skidding across the paper floor with his legs spread, ready for action.

“And what do we have here?” the Prince smirked. “I knew I could smell more magic, but I didn't realise it was all from one pony. Normally it takes a village or two to satisfy my hunger, but you might just be a full meal! Consider that compliment my thanks for bringing yourself to me.”

“I know your game, Prince Tirek of the Centaurs, so do not think me unprepared,” the wizard yelled up at the immense creature, who currently stood as tall as the buildings around him.

“Well, well, well; finally one of you that shows me a little respect. To think that your unwashed masses have such short memories, that they would so quickly forget the regal presence of a centaur.” He cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck in an attempt to intimidate the unicorn. “Your little magic trick may have allowed your Queen to escape, but your precious little Equestria is threatened by more than just me now. You have been abandoned to your fate, and I shall burn the centaur's birthright to this land deep into your memories, before stamping your pathetic race into the ground.”

He scoffed loudly, ensuring that his mocking tone came across. “That 'trick' was not as little as you think, Tirek. Do things not seem different than you remember? The reality is that you have been sealed away for hundreds of years, locked out of time. My kind has forgotten you because you are nothing but a hoofnote in our history books!”

The beast's smug confidence drained from his face, tilted by the plausibility of this new information. “You lie,” he growled. “That's impossible! I would know! I-” He trailed off, his thoughts overwhelmed by reluctant memories of Canterlot Palace.

Just prior to Discord's intervention, Tirek had made his way to the throne room to confront the Pony Queen herself with little challenge, before being interrupted by a young princess. After a blinding flash of light, he woke up in a bedroom, dazed and confused by what he had assumed was a mere teleportation spell, only to find the palace a chaotic perversion of its former self. It was hard to reconcile how Discord had attacked so quickly and effectively during that brief moment of unconsciousness, not to mention having never heard of such a powerful creature before—one that was almost his equal! As bitter a tincture as it was to swallow, being frozen in time did answer some of the questions he had been asking himself since leaving the capitol. He had chalked it up to not paying attention to the details of such an inferior species, but if he had truly been in stasis for hundreds of years, then what of Taurus? What of his father and mother? What of his right to the throne?

As Tirek was lost in thought, Starswirl teleported behind him and shot a beam of white magic at his back, causing him to stagger forward and focus once again on the present. The centaur snarled angrily and whipped around to face his assailant.

“You will regret that, worm!” he roared, opening his mouth to siphon the unicorn's essence for his own, just as he had with every other pony unfortunate enough to stand in his path.

Ready for this attack, the wizard cast a defensive bubble around himself, nullifying the effect of Tirek's absorption magic. As the two faced off, Little Cobb snuck out from the shed as they had planned, his legs still quivering with fear as he slunk towards the treeline. Despite the specific purpose of Starswirl's barrier, he still found his power ebbing away under the unrelenting assault. He would not be able to keep this up forever, but how could he escape without dropping the bubble and being drained completely? The concentration this shield required made it too difficult to move while casting it, and even teleporting would take too long. At least he had seen the young stallion escape out of the corner of his eye, so his peril was not for nothing, though perhaps he could have planned a better stratagem with just a little more forethought...

Sweat dripped down Starswirl's brow as he forced more magic into his barrier, despite its form continuing to waver and fade, now only shielding the single direction of the attack. The smirk returned to Tirek's open mouth as he watched his quarry struggle. His resistance was impressive, but nothing against the might of a magic-gorged centaur. Out of nowhere a rock struck Tirek on the side of his face, causing him to reel back in surprise, cutting off his beam and clutching his cheek. He turned towards the stone's origin with an eruption of fury, seeing Little Cobb as he turned to flee once more, giving Starswirl just enough time to drop his spell and teleport behind a nearby building to catch his breath. The centaur turned back to see his supper gone and roared to the sky with unsettling furocity.

“You can't escape me, little pony. I can taste your magic on the air; I know you wilt behind your pathetic shield! It is only a matter of time until you are mine; a drained husk of your petty resistance!”

This wasn't good. Starswirl had only barely escaped that standoff thanks to Little Cobb's timely intervention, proving that going one-on-one with this centaur was beyond even his capabilities. Taking down this foe would require allies—the kind of allies you do not simply stumble across in an abandoned farming town. But first things first: surviving the next few minutes. He didn’t have enough magic to teleport straight back to South Sea Post, nor the time needed to scry his destination without the help of the linked stones, but with a little focus he could at least jump to safety.

A sizzle in the air alerted him to danger, giving him barely enough time to teleport from the building he was hiding behind to another, just as a beam of raw destructive magic blasted the farmhouse into nothing but stone shrapnel and a scorched hole in the ground. The wizard peeked out from his new position as the centaur stomped forward, blasting more of the farming village's landmarks for no better reason than venting his own frustration.

“Run all you like. The thrill of the chase is half the fun!” He cackled, charging up balls of sun-like energy between his horns and launching them at buildings haphazardly, blowing chunks out of the pages of drawn-on landscape, and launching the unconscious bodies of drained ponies left and right.

Starswirl could do little but watch, defensively teleporting from cover to cover as the destruction spread closer. He needed to draw the creature's ire away from the village and its defenceless ponies, but had no ideas on how to accomplish this without self-sacrifice. Ponydale would be nothing but rubble and burnt crops before long, and as much as he wanted to visit the relatively near Canterlot Town, he knew it was already in no better condition than this village. As if Discord's corruption wasn’t bad enough, nopony would have stood a chance against this monster in such chaos. What he wouldn’t give for Ustiarius to appear in this moment of need and provide a distraction—an outcome that was impossible, given how recently he had left the frontier. Perhaps he could lure Tirek away with illusionary bait, if he were capable of being fooled by such a rudimentary ruse.

Night suddenly fell across the land, replacing what had otherwise been an unprecedented length of daytime. Tirek squinted into the shadow and embers, having lost sight of any enjoyable targets, and his ability to ‘smell’ magic now muddied by the stench of burning paper all around him. Taking advantage of this unexpected opportunity, Starswirl broke away from the wall of one of the few remaining buildings and made a dash for the treeline. As if to spite him, the ground suddenly became slick with oil, immediately causing him to fall on his face and spin out of control. To the wizard’s relief, this also seemed to have affected Tirek, whose legs split below him with an exasperated roar.

“Discord!” the enraged centaur cried to the heavens. “Do not interfere, he is my quarry!”

“Oh pish-posh, I agreed to no such arrangement,” a hauntingly familiar voice echoed from origins unknown.

“We agreed to no interference!”

“No, you agreed to no interference. You really need to improve your negotiation skills.”

As the two squabbled, Starswirl cast a traction spell on his hooves, allowing him to find purchase on the frictionless floor and edge closer to the meagre shelter that was a nearby clump of trees. No sooner had he slipped behind a tree, the sun bounced back into the sky and the ground appeared to transform into some sort of springy, plush, floral fabric. Had Discord intentionally helped him? No, he was simply sowing chaos in any way he could; there were no allies and enemies to a monster like him, just playthings.

Despite securing Little Cobb's escape, his purpose for being summoned here was to defend the town against the horned menace, a task that he had woefully failed at. Ponydale was a smouldering crater of its once idyllic farming huts and vegetable fields, and Little Cobb had only been in danger in the first place because he wanted to contact him. If it weren't for his presence, Tirek might have already moved on, rather than being incited into destroying these ponies' livelihoods. But what could he do? He was a scholar, a theorist, a teacher! He had studied his whole life to formulate spells and oversee their castings, not to use them on the front lines himself!

“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” the Prince taunted, his arms wide and backlit by the burning farms. Smoke billowed into the sky, lending an even more apocalyptic air to his form. “Or are you just as meek and docile as the rest of your kind?”

As if such obvious taunts would rile him up; please. This was not fear or submission, this was preservation—the preservation of their very way of life! From behind the meagre safety of a tree, the ex-court-wizard mumbled some verses of a spell under his breath, igniting his horn with hot-white magic.

“Ahh, there you are.” The centaur's lips curled as his internal radar lit up, turning to face the exposed source of magic. “So you want to do things the hard way? Fine—by—me.”

Starswirl shouted the final word of his invocation and fired a broad beam of pure, crackling energy directly at his enemy. Rather than dodging or absorbing it, the bi-horned Prince launched an equally intimidating eruption of yellow magic from atop his head, meeting the unicorn's with a massive explosion halfway between the two. Both channelled their might into the streams, struggling to push the other's back as the ground below the contact point was ripped and blown away. Sweat had already begun to bead on the pony's furrowed brow, while a smug sneer spread across the centaur's toothy maw, far from matching the equine's exertion.

“An impressive showing for one so small. You shall make a fine meal!” He cackled once more, steadily increasing the intensity of his beam as the wizard began to buckle under it.

Starswirl couldn't help but be overwhelmed against the combined strength of all the pony magic Tirek had absorbed. The violent ball of opposing magics steadily crept toward him, blowing back his illusionary disguise with intense force as he channelled every drop of his reserves into keeping the deadly singularity away. Just as the wizard's magic was about to fail and be consumed by the stronger force, an unseen force rammed him from the side, knocking him out of harm's way as the centaur's blast seared past, carving a mile-long gorge deep into the ground, before detonating far in the distance, shaking leaves off the trees around him. Weak and pained throughout, the old unicorn could only look up at what had thrown him to the floor: a large, four-legged figure standing over him, silhouetted by the distant explosion.

“You okay, laddie?” a deep voice asked with an unfamiliar accent.

“I've... felt better,” he groaned, unable to steady his hooves to stand.

“Aye, ah can see that. Ye needn't worry, the Mighty Helms are here nao.”

“The who?” he thought to himself, deciding to wait until a more appropriate time for questions.

“So another bug scurries from the floorboards,” Tirek scoffed. “You only delay the inevitable.”

“We'll see aboot that,” the now-visible, dusky-aquamarine stallion replied, raising what appeared to be a trowel in one hoof. “Helms! ATTACK!”

A whole band of crudely armoured horses charged, converging from almost every angle on the centaur, each throwing spears, axes, and wielding other hoofheld weapons. The orange-haired stallion by Starswirl threw his own implement, before effortlessly scooping the wizard onto his back and making a hasty retreat. Starswirl remained in shocked silence as he was carried from the battle, having so narrowly escaped a sudden end to his long journey. What would the Princesses have done if he had never returned? That was so incredibly reckless and stood against everything he had preached to the guardspony... And yet in the heat of the moment, taking a stand for the common pony seemed like the most important thing in the world. Ustiarius' words suddenly started to make more sense to his jaded mind... Perhaps his perspective had come from a place of sheltered privilege he never knew he had? Now a few minutes from the ruins of Ponydale, his saviour slowed to a halt and carefully set him down.

“Who are you?” the wizard finally asked, now just about able to kneel. “How did you know to come?”

“Name's Rockhoof! Pleasure to make yer acquaintance. Seems we arrived in the nick of time, eh? Never had much concern fer the troubles of the mainland, but a couple days ago a wing'ed fella flew down to our village and asked fer help. We ain't the kind of folk to turn down a pony in trouble, so here we are. A stranded farmer said his son returned home and was in danger, but we met the lad on the way and he said you needed us more than him. I dare say he was right.”

“Then it seems I owe you both a great debt.” Starswirl regained his composure and stood up, despite the shaking of his joints and soreness of his hip.

“Dun let it worry ya, Ah make no accounts for favours—Ah good deed is its own reward. Well, was nice meeting ya, laddie, but Ah'll be gettin' back to the fight nao.” Rearing up on his hindlegs, the musclebound stallion turned and galloped back towards Tirek's location, leaving the wizard to stare after him in bemused bewilderment.

Starswirl couldn't fathom what a small group of terrans could hope to accomplish against such an overwhelming enemy, let alone one that had utterly bested him. Perhaps there was strength in camaraderie alone, or more to them than met the eye, but it had been made quite clear to him that his participation was not needed. There was nothing left to do but begin the long walk home while he waited for his magic to regenerate, then teleport the rest of the way. The taste of defeat was bitter indeed, but not so sour as to what this spelt for his future and that of the Princesses.

It was early evening by the time Starswirl reappeared in his elevated study with a bright flash, blowing away parchment and balls of paper that scattered the floor. He had not expected to have such an eventful day, nor was he grateful for it, but it had given him something to think on. Much like the centaur Tirek's magic, what if he were able to absorb the innate magical properties of ponies all over Equestria and concentrate it into a spell? Surely the combined strength of thousands of unicorns, pegasi and terrans would be enough to topple even Discord. Inspired, the wizard sat on his stool and lifted the quill from its inkpot with his magic, scribbling down the beginnings of a mass-invocation spell on a scrap of parchment in Old Ponish:

“From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled;”

He paused, the nib hovering tentatively above the page, threatening to drip without action. Now what? His inspiration had provided the first line, but this passage alone wasn't enough for a spell. These words could offer a sort of 'network' between the magic of cutie marks, but what could harness this power without draining it, like the very menace he was hoping to combat? He tapped the quill against the paper in idle frustration, splattering an unsightly ink blot over the last period. Understanding that every pony contained unique magic was one thing, but how do you go about connecting so many differing sources? A spectrum can only be seen as a rainbow when every part is arranged in sequence, side-by-side. Perhaps a temporary uniting of cutie marks... A singular magic; shared, spread and funnelled into a single spell-caster.

“Together we are strong, our spirits renewed. The harmonious magic between us, distilled.

United as one, our cutie marks wrought. Peace by force, a final stand made;

From another to one, one to another. A lens of unity, channelling all hope, unafraid.”

He leaned back from what he had written and reread it. No, no, that wouldn't work. He magically crumpled the parchment into a ball and tossed it over his shoulder, pulling another sheet from the pile and poising his quill once more.

“From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled,” he repeated to himself silently, once again tapping at the unresponsive paper.

No, this spell would be the likes of which Equestria had never seen before. An unparalleled use of connectivity to release power equalling—if not exceeding—that of an alicorn... Such a spell would not be written in one sitting, or even in a day, or a week. This would be his magnum opus, his defining moment for the history books. This would be how Starswirl saved Equestria.

Chapter 13: Desperate Times

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Timeless days passed as Starswirl laboured over his masterwork, stuck in an endless cycle of revisions, research, and restarting. Celestia had finally begun living her life the way that she had always dreamed: like an average townspony foal. She had enrolled in the local school under Ms. Applecore, enjoying the daily routine and mundane adventures that she shared with her classmates, free from the strict tutoring of the court wizard for the time being. With the young filly more independent than ever, baby Luna's care fell primarily to Starswirl, who struggled to meet the needs of even such a temperate child. As much as he loathed asking for help, the neighbourly nature of the townsponies—even without Meadow Flower's influence, or perhaps because of it—meant that it wasn't hard to find a foalsitter every now and then, so he could truly focus on his studies. An unintended side-effect of these requests was that the self-isolating unicorn was finally getting some much needed practice with his pony-skills, to the point that he was starting to quite enjoy his regular trips to Goldcrest Finch's general store, though neither pony would admit to such a thing.

One might think a pony could get lost in the quaint tranquillity of this seaside village, forgetting any reason they had to leave—and while that might be true of the eldest sister, that was certainly not the case for the crestfallen wizard. Guilt haunted his dreams and expectations stalked his mind every day, urging him on to find a cure to this world's new disease: Discord. Of course he could not have known the consequences of his actions; of course no pony would expect him to overcome such an apocalyptic obstacle alone, and yet those were the standards he set for himself, for he was the only one left to blame. His own needs began to pale in necessity to his work, as once daily rituals like shaving and sleeping had lost all significance, leaving him with salt-and-pepper stubble and sunken eyes. The townsponies pressed him for the cause of his distress, but he could not tell them of course; and what help would they be beyond foalsitting anyway? He could only hope that the Council of the Nine had not been lost in the initial attack, or he truly was the only one who could stop this menace...

Three Weeks Ago; Discord's Arrival
Blue fires burst from the archways surrounding a large, circular room steeped in shadow, casting flickering cerulean across the large, horseshoe-like table that filled most of the room. The flames stabilised and opened into ovoid portals as unicorns stepped forth from each, calmly making their way to their assigned seats around the circumference. A soft, white light awakened from a mass of glowing roots that stretched haphazardly across the ceiling, leaving the room with a dim, other-worldly luminance as the portals closed. Already sat at the apex of the semi-circular table was an aged pony, floating in a meditative trance with his hindlegs crossed and eyes closed, having not left his vigil since the Great Griffon War. His name was Myriddius Lex, younger brother to King Cosmos Hyperion Sol and Adjunct of the Council of the Nine. It was by his wisdom that the congress was conducted, acting as intermediate and judge between the four members of each side of the podium, who represented the opposing sides of every argument called before them. To call this pony elderly would be an understatement, as the younger brother of the King was still a few hundred years old at this point, despite being a very mortal unicorn. While his alicorn sibling barely looked middle-aged, Lex's head was as bald as his grey beard was long, reaching all the way down to the floor from his chin, which a laypony might mistake for what was keeping him aloft.

The Council of the Nine was formed as authority on all things magical after the King's unchecked and devastating power became a worry for Equestria's citizens during the war. Since then, the Council routinely gathered to conduct debates on magical advances, teaching practices, and other matters of concern—and what could be of more concern than the collapse of the monarchy via an extra-dimensional entity?

With the table now surrounded by all of its present members, bar two empty stools, one of the unicorns' horns began to glow; a signal that they wished to speak, which was acquiesced by the attention of Myriddius from beneath his long, thick eyebrows.

“For what do you call us here on such short notice, Arbiter Myriddius?” the snooty mare asked, her upturned nose as emblematic of her personality as her voice. Her question was met with general grumbles of agreement from around the room.

The ancient pony turned back to the centre of the room, breaking his silence with a voice as slow and creaking as his old bones. “There has been- a great calamity- wrought upon Canterlot.”

The chamber filled with murmurs once more as eyes drifted toward the empty seat of Canterlot's Council representative, Stargazer the Spectacled.

“The great King of Equestria- has fallen,” he continued, to a wave of shocked gasps and slacked jaws.

“Myriddius, your brother-!” a balding stallion called out, to the silent derision of his peers, having not waited for the Arbiter to yield the floor.

Overlooking the flout of procedure, their moderator continued. “Indeed. As great a loss- as this is, there is a greater- threat we face.”

Another stallion's horn glowed with teal magic, who was granted his turn.

“You must of course be speaking of the perpetrator of the crime. Are they still at large? When did this happen?”

Myriddius gave a single, slow nod. “They are. I sent word- as soon as I felt- the disturbance. Though it was too late- to change the outcome, the usurper remains-”

The elder pony stopped as a sudden burst of a blue flame erupted from a hitherto unused archway, resulting in the entrance of a unicorn with a distinctive, orange, curly-mane and blue, star-speckled cloak. He casually trotted up to his vacant chair and took his place among the Council, taking a moment to adjust his multi-lensed glasses before addressing all the eyes on him.

“Apologies. I received your summons, but was side-tracked while wrapping up work on my latest celestial discovery. Did I miss much?”

The room stared at the brown pony as though he had spoken some unknown faux pas, leaving him mildly confused during the awkward silence.

“Your absence- was quite worrisome, Councillor Stargazer, though your presence- is gratefully received. Are you not aware- of what has befallen- Canterlot Palace?”

“I'm sorry, Arbiter, but I know not of what you speak.”

The chamber was filled once more with judgemental mumblings, much to the lackadaisical stupor of the astrologist.

“Then you- are one of few fortunates. Canterlot—your ward—has fallen, as has our King.”

“W-What? That's impossible! I- I would know! I-” Stargazer's glasses slipped down his muzzle as his body tensed up. This was a joke, right?

“Your local residence is on the outskirts of the town, is it not?” an angry mare spoke out, throwing decorum to the wind.

“W- Well yes. I must avoid light pollution-”

“And while the city crumbles around you, you couldn't help but stay glued to your skyward seeing-glass?” the balding pony called out.

“'Telescope'. And had I known-”

“Councillors, enough.” Despite the dry wisp of his voice, a single word from the Arbiter commanded immediate silence from the room. “This is not- a time for division. We must unite- under the singular purpose- of regaining control- of our capitol.”

“Yes, that does sound like a good idea, doesn't it?” an unfamiliar voice retorted, echoing throughout the enclosed chamber.

“Who goes there?!” the posh-voiced mare demanded towards their unseen addresser. It was unheard of for an unauthorised pony to enter the Council's sanctum, as only their membership's gold medallion can open portals to this sealed room, deep in the heart of Canterlot's Friendship Mountain.

From above their heads, one of the luminescent roots began to shape-shift, curling and twisting down through the air like a weightless snake, before landing on one hoof and two claws. Within the blink of an eye, all seven councillors were on their hoofs with magic at the ready.

“Not bad, I must say,” the patchwork creature sneered, lounging back mid-air. “Not much to speak of individually, but together you might just be stronger than that winged one.”

“W-Who are you?!” Stargazer cried, attempting to compensate for the fear quaking his entire body.

“This is the one- who felled our King,” Myriddius spoke, remaining as stoic as ever. “A being- of another plain.”

“King, eh?” Discord picked at his nails dismissively. “Well, it's only natural that I'd visit the next on the magical food chain, as it were. Rather than let things end as quickly again, I'll offer you a little game in exchange for your lives.”

“What do you speak of, Beast?” another councillor snarled as magic crackled off her horn.

“Oh it's quite simple. You'll find that those little trinkets of yours don't work anymore.” He gestured towards one of the ponies' Council medallions, each displayed pridefully as a cape brooch. “No way in or out, it seems. Show me a little ingenuity by making it out alive, and I'll let you take the first shot. Deal?”

“This is insanity!” A young, purple-haired stallion placed a hoof on his medallion, turning to the archway he had entered through and waiting for an azure flame to burst forth. “Such magic is impossible! It- … It-” As his panic steadily increased at the lack of a reaction, other council members tried their own charms to similar effect.

“I'm not yet au fait with your kind's life cycles, so I'll pop back in one-hundred moons to see how you're getting on. Ta-ta!”

And with that, the malevolent creature vanished in a flash, leaving the eight trapped ponies to panic. Not even the Arbiter's call to order was enough to calm the unicorns this time, who had desperately begun shooting and hoofing at the solid stone walls of the mountain. Moving for the first time in who knows how long, Myriddius slammed his hoof onto the bench before him, causing the councillors to burst into the air and float helplessly, struggling and spinning against the lack of friction.

“I said: be calm,” he reiterated, waiting for composure to return to the room before placing them back on the ground. “Be seated.”

Despite their panicked eyed and involuntary shaking, the councillors returned to their seats; some clasping their heads, while others rocked on their stools.

“Arbiter Myriddius. What- What can we do?!” Stargazer stammered through his chattering teeth.

“What was that thing?!” another called out.

“Clearly we face- an opponent- the likes of which- we have never seen,” the aged unicorn replied, as calm and temperate as ever, retracting his hoof to its usual meditative position. “As the greatest- magical minds in Equestria, I am assured- that we shall devise a way- to leave this chamber unaided- by the medallions.”

“By what means?!” the snooty mare screeched. “Blindly teleporting will land us inside the mountain, and we shall expire long before digging through such rock with just magic!”

“We—if nothing else—have time to consider the alternatives,” he replied, slowly lowering himself to his hindlegs, with his forehooves now resting on the table. “For we are the last- hope of Equestria.”

Having witnessed Discord overpower an alicorn first-hoof, Starswirl knew it was only a matter of time before boredom would drive him to seek out greater thrills, or even worse, be done with ponykind entirely. He could not rely on a cavalry to save the day, and his own progress had crawled to a halt after its initial inspiration. He had tried and failed multiple times to concoct an incantation around the concept of shared pony magic, but the verses just weren't aligning, and one wrong word could destroy everything he sought to protect. If only more research had been carried out on that theoretical 'sixth element' that all ponies shared, it could have been the linchpin of the incantation. Instead, his desperation had turned him to yet another banned practice—one equally as dangerous, but with a potentially superior outcome—time travel.

There was a very good reason why chronomancy was given the black mark, of course, as one action could potentially rewrite all of history and the present as it is known. The Council of the Nine analogized this event succinctly with the term 'ripple effect', whereby they liken time travel to a small stone thrown into a lake, creating large and far-reaching waves. Such a description was far too over-simplified for his tastes, but it was nevertheless effective on the non-magic masses, immediately turning public opinion against the practice. That said, it was a purely preventative measure, as no pony has ever documented an attempt at time travel, and it would be utterly undetectable and thus unenforceable if they had succeeded. While the utter destruction of the world as he knew it loomed heavily over the prospect of time travel, there also existed the possibility of undoing all of the destruction Discord had already wrought. It gave Starswirl butterflies to imagine travelling back in time to the castle and confronting himself before he cast the mirror spell. Or would travelling back overwrite the past copy of himself? What if reality itself could not handle such an encounter, trapping the entire universe in a never-ending time-loop? After all, he had no memory of meeting himself in the past, so did that mean it could not happen in the future—the future's past, that is—or were the timelines separate, meaning he would only be saving an alternate version of past-Equestria, and not his own? There were so many possibilities and variables that it made his head spin, requiring him to lean back and avert his eyes to the rafters.

“There is nothing more dangerous than the unknown,” he mused to himself, watching the small ceiling-window pivot in the breeze. What he wouldn't give to see Hephaestus the Phoenix glide through that opening and perch upon his banister once more, as though this had all been a bad dream. But he knew this was no dream. This was more real than anypony would have liked, and it fell to him to mitigate the disaster he had summoned into this world: Discord. That name would remain with him for as long as he lived, as would the atrocities he had witnessed, but if he were able to at least rid that burden from the minds of others...

The ex-court wizard returned to the parchment with a heavy sigh and removed his quill from its pot, risking a blot as it hung tentatively above the page while he collected his thoughts. Just as he was about to put ink to paper, a sudden flash from above caused him to flinch, sending him backwards and off the stool.

“CELESTIA!” he bellowed from his floored position, eyes still closed, but knowing only one pony who could cause such an occurrence.

A surprising thwap to the chest jolted his eyes open, which were drawn to an unknown scroll now resting atop him. The curled parchment was old and worn, not dissimilar to his own, but far more aged than the quire he had given Celestia to use, unless she had snuck in and stolen more.

“Celestia?” he tentatively probed again, though the silent tower remained resolute.

It was unlikely to be the Princess anyway, as she should still be in Ms. Applecore's class at this hour. But if it was not her, and he was not sensing any unusual presence nearby, then where in Equestria did this thing come from?

He pushed himself off the floor and righted his stool, slid his work-in-progress aside and set the mystery scroll in its place. Let's see... No wax seal, so no crest, and the paper itself is in pretty bad shape, almost torn clean in half. He unravelled the document with his hooves and stared with increasing confusion at what lay before him. This was- This was his writing! But he had no recollection of writing such a missive, and more to the point, the contents of the document was a completed time travel spell! Was this some kind of joke? Some well timed jape on the part of Stargazer, to get back at him for using his home? No- No, Stargazer was not smart or witty enough for a prank of this kind. The more he stared at the faded ink, the more his brow furrowed. While the majority of the document appeared to be in his own penmanship, there were a number of alterations and notes made further down in a script he did not recognise, in much fresher ink. What in Equestia was the meaning of this?

Placing various objects on the scroll's corners to keep it flat, Starswirl backed away from the desk and readied an anti-counterfeit spell with his horn, blasting it at the unsettling parchment. The paper crackled and sparked as the more recent alterations were burnt off, evaporating into a light green mist, yet as the light faded from the text, it was clear that the original document had remained otherwise untouched. This was- This was impossible! How could such a scroll be real? How could he pen knowledge he did not know?! And who had sent it to him? Could it be from a future-self expecting him to use the spell, remembering that he was thinking about just such a solution in the past he had already lived? His head pounded with the infinite possibilities afforded by successful time-travel, driving him to seek the solace of his stool. No, this was too convenient; his future-self would know that his past-self—his present self—would be suspicious of this scroll, so was this yet another of Discord's little games? Yet if Discord had known where he and the Princesses had been this entire time, would he not have come to gloat face-to-face? An inexplicable scroll did not seem like the creature's style, nor does it explain how it perfectly matches his cursive. This was... an anomaly, to be sure. As his eyes repeatedly raced across the sheet and a headache began to set in, Starswirl felt a sudden need to check on the sisters. Leaving everything as it was, he turned and galloped down the stone spire's staircase as fast as he could, slamming through the front door without caring to close it.

Running as fast as he could through town, the undercover wizard skidded to a halt just outside the window of Ms. Applecore's classroom, wherein Celestia and the other foals were listening to a surprisingly animated reading of a book. He briefly let out a relieved sigh at this sight, before picking up speed again towards the village pier. Arriving thoroughly out of breath, he looked up at the thick mast that held aloft Bluebeak's half-nest, half-cabin. As the commune's lookout/lighthouse, this residence was not only exemplary of griffon architecture, but gave him a perfect vantage over the South Brine. Catching his breath, Starswirl teleported up the beam and into the main room—knowing its layout fairly well from previous visits. The sudden appearance of an intruder in his home caused Bluebeak to squawk in shock and nearly fall off his clawmade recliner, releasing a flurry of feathers into the air as he attempted to remain upright.

“O- Oh, my apologies. I did not mean to startle you.”

The sea-hued half-lion, half-eagle spat a loose feather out of his beak with a scowl. “Why are you back so soon? It's barely past midday.” As he said this, the sun ducked out of sight, giving him something new to glare at through his panoramic, open-air window.

“Yes, I'm aware I'm quite early, I just... I just needed to check up on the Pr-” He caught himself just before making a major mistake, instead turning it into a forced cough. It was not like him to feel this flustered. “Excuse me, I must have inhaled a feather.” Unfortunately this regained Bluebeak's irate attention. “I just wanted to see how she is doing. No reason, really. Just a feeling.”

“Can't trust the griffon, huh?” His brow somehow furrowed even deeper—truly a spectacle to behold if it weren't so intimidating.

“Come now, Bluebeak, I would not have left her in your care if I did not trust you. I thought we had covered this.”

After the initial impression he had given at their welcoming party, followed by the departure of Meadow Flower and Ustiarius, it behoved Starswirl to reach out to the unlikely townspon—uh, -creature—and make amends, given their projected long-term proximity. What started as an uncomfortable and forced encounter between the two slowly softened as they discovered shared opinions, such as feeling like a social pariah, and abhorring the concept of war. While neither would go so far as to call the other 'friend', they had grown a mutual respect, and Starswirl considered himself a good enough judge of character that when caring for Luna became too much for him, the griffon was his first choice for temporary caretaker. Despite initial reluctance, the griffon's heart soon warmed to the small, pastel-blue filly.

Bluebeak grumbled in reply to the rhetorical question, though the words alone had already softened his mood. As he turned his attention back to the waterscape, the griffon motioned back with his taloned thumb to a particularly cosy looking nest on the opposite side of the room. With a courteous nod, Starswirl approached the bundle of hay, twigs, and leaves, topped with a patterned blanket. Pulling back the warm cover revealed a small blue face snoozing happily. Good, Luna was still safe, that was a load off his mind.

“Bluebeak,” he began, crossing the room back to the bay window, beyond which sprawled the star-dappled South Sea. “Should anything happen... Can I trust you to do everything in your power to protect her?”

The griffon turned to the wizard, who was staring morosely toward the dark horizon. “What are you talking about?”

“Only-” He exhaled, having trouble vocalising his concern. “I... have come to care for these girls quite deeply since they came into my care. I have never been much of one for relying on others; I know what I can do, but other ponies—or, uh- creatures—are an unknown variable. We spoke of this before.”

Bluebeak didn't reply immediately, attempting to decipher an answer from his reply. “Sure. What kind of trouble are you expecting, exactly?”

“Oh, uh- Nothing specific...” He trailed off, racking his brain for a believable excuse for his paranoia.

“I know how these ponies are—one of the benefits of living in a small settlement—and surely you must have assessed them yourself by now. None of these ponies would do anything to your fillies, and the only other visitors we get here are the same old traders, so unless you're expecting some unwanted company..?”

Starswirl struggled for an answer that would both protect their secret, while imparting the severity of the situation upon an outsider. Perhaps he was being selfishly reckless, but he would do anything to hear some reassurance right now. Ustiarius had been far better at thinking on his hooves like this. Curse him for leaving.

The griffon sighed, having waited long enough for an answer. “I understand the importance of one's young.” He turned back to the seascape as golden rays began to creep above its rim. “I had my own prodigy once. Went off to war and never came back. Came to Equestria to find him, but... Ended up here.”

“Bluebeak, I'm so-”

“There ain't a single day I don't think about him,” he continued. “Think I'll see him fly over the horizon at any moment, carrying that proud smile he always had. It's been years, of course. He ain't coming. He's long since gone.”

Starswirl bit his cheek, unsure how to deal with this new situation he'd found himself.

“What I'm saying is you needn't fret; I know the value of a nestling. Were anything to happen, I'd fight to the death like she were my own.”

Starswirl turned to the stone-faced griffon in awe, shocked that a relative stranger would go so far, and show such vulnerability. The topics in their earlier discussion had only been surface-level, but this time he seemed to have struck a nerve in the normally reticent creature. It was astonishing how so few words had conveyed so much information and emotion, without once breaking his stoic composure. Were all griffons like this? They do say that 'still waters run deep', but he never would have imagined preferring the company of a non-pony to his equine peers, despite their typically overly-talkative nature. Despite his internal condemnation of the war, he had still felt pride over their cause and eventual victory, but to think that noble creatures such as Bluebeak may have fallen that day—including his son, no less—to spells that he himself had written... Were Bluebeak to learn of his role in the war, he would no doubt be far from as charitable as he was being, and rightfully so. Ponykind's victory was starting to feel less righteous, but what would the alternative have been; submitting to griffon rule? No, sometimes horrible things must be wrought simply to survive, but if he had any say in the future of Equestria, he would make sure that such a situation would never have to come to pass again. Life is hard enough without creatures fighting one another.

“Satisfied?”

The question snapped Starswirl back to the room with a momentary dizziness. “P-Pardon?”

“You're staring at me.” He turned to the pony, his eyes cold and haggard from years of torment. “Are you satisfied your filly is safe here?”

“Oh, yes. Yes, thank you.” After a single nod, Starswirl retreated to the front door and paused, wanting to say something as meaningful in return, but simply unable to articulate anything that wasn't a lie or unworthy. “I shall return for her later... friend.”

Starswirl teleported out of the house without waiting for a reply, leaving Bluebeak alone with Luna and the scenery once more, allowing him the privacy to crack a small, wistful smile.

Making his way back through the town square, Starswirl slowly made his way back to Stargazer's holiday home, his mind now temporarily free of the stress that came with his role as caregiver to the Princesses. Ascending the cold, grey, stone stairs to the comfort of his study once more, he might have found the scene comforting if it weren't for the unwelcome parchment still sprawled across his desk. He had quietly hoped that it would disappear during his brief outing, so he could chalk it up to the broken nerves of an overworked mind, yet there it still sat, just where he had left it. He slumped onto his well-worn stool, finding the familiar groves much in the same way a farmer dons his age-warped harness, before focusing intently on the inked paper before him. Why here? Why now? If his future self sought to change his past, then why not send it sooner? Or more importantly, if he had gained knowledge of time-travel, why not simply cast the spell in the future? No, there were simply too many red flags for him to take in stride; he would contain the scroll and continue with his own research as if it had never arrived, maybe returning to it when he had sufficient time and resources to not make any rash decisions.

Removing the weights from the scroll, he levitated it over to his trunk and pulled out a bronze cylinder, specifically designed for storing and dampening spells. Securing the screw-lid over the paradoxical parchment and returning it to the chest, the wizard ambled back to his station with a sigh, feeling thoroughly deflated by the day's events. He looked at the small mountain of crumpled paper to his right, all failed attempts at his cutie-mark-linking spell. It could take him decades to find the perfect solution for something that could happen in the blink of an eye. What he needed was more time... More time. He sat up, calculations and projection suddenly racing through his mind. Travelling through time was far too risky a proposition, but what about travelling between it? What if he could create a sort of... hyperbolic time bubble, giving them a day of preparation within a second? He already had experience with pocket dimensions, namely his trusty trunk, so the main challenges would be increasing the passage of time, and maintaining supplies while isolated.

Brushing off what remained of his previous attempts to the floor, Starswirl swept up a new sheet of yellowed paper with his magic and immediately began scribbling down theories and equations, finally feeling as though he were on the right track. If Discord would not give them time to prepare, then he would make the time.

Celestia returned home as the sun began to set again—this time at the appropriate hour, by pure coincidence—having enjoyed a relatively easy day of learning and socialising, just like a regular filly her age should. Despite climbing all the way up the wizard's tower to greet him, all she received for her trouble was instructions to pick her sister up from Bluebeak and prepare her own meal before bed. The next day followed the same pattern, with the elder unicorn so absorbed in his new endeavour that he didn't even stop to sleep, at least not intentionally. As the subsequent day dawned, Starswirl paused to review his pages upon pages of scribblings, hypothesis, and reference notes, eyes red and blurry. This... This could actually work! A sudden chill ran up his spine, urging him to leave his stool and peer out the Western embrasure, towards the sea. What he saw immediately filled his body with dread; the sky was split perfectly down the middle between day and night, with the larger, blazing sun on the left, and the smaller, chilling moon on the right. To most this would be terrifying enough, but to Starswirl, it reminded him all too much of a certain creature's eyes. He was watching. They were out of time.

The ex-court wizard raced down the tower and out the front door as fast as he could, galloping down the hill and towards the town square, bursting into Goldcrest Finch's general store. There was no time to think, he had to put his plan into action, now.

“I need six months supply of seeds, immediately!” he shouted, nearly causing the poor pegasus to topple backwards off his stool.

“What the- You can't just come in here-”

“Can you do it? This is an emergency!” he continued, unprepared to waste a second of time.

“Wha- I-” Goldcrest could see the fire in Starswirl's eyes, and how every muscle in his body was on edge, trebling with purpose. “I- I can probably-”

“Leave them by the house. Rush as though your life depended on it.”

And with that, the unicorn shot back out the door, leaving the owner to stare in disbelief on his own. While Mr. Finch had only known the unicorn for a short time, he scarcely seemed the type to cry wolf. Stepping out from behind the counter and unfurling his wings, Goldcrest hoped they were still up to the task. Meanwhile, Starswirl shot past Tammy Applecore's classroom, picking up the young Celestia and opening the school's door with his magic, shouting “Family emergency!” As soon as the filly was by his side, he teleported up to Bluebeak's perch—recklessly into the middle of the room—and back out with both princesses now floating beside his head as he ran back home.

“What in Equestria is going on?!” Celestia screeched, flailing her legs helplessly.

“Discord has found us,” he wheezed, his old lungs close to giving out already.

He dared to look over his shoulder as he carried the fillies up the hill towards their shelter, now seeing large halos of light circling the celestial bodies, turning them into pupils, and a starry smirk form below them. Had Discord tracked him after his run-in with Tirek? Perhaps their time had simply run out on its own? Either way, it didn't matter; all that mattered now was getting the Princesses safely within the house and casting the time-bubble around them before Discord snapped them into oblivion. With a steadying breath, the wizard pictured his lofty study and teleported the trio one last time, dropping the girls safely on the carpeted floor as he returned to his desk.

“What the hay are you doing?!” Celestia demanded once again, struggling to an upright position.

“Giving us more time.”

Starswirl frantically scribbled on a blank sheet of parchment with his magically-held quill, his head snapping back and forth between what he was writing and his days worth of theorems. Feeling a similar creep up her spine as the wizard before her, Celestia turned to the west-facing window and froze, staring in disbelief as a red-eyed demon sneered down at them from across the entire sky.

“U- U- U-,” she stammered, rigid with fear.

Starswirl did not respond, scrawling intensely for a few more seconds before unceremoniously discarding the pen and raising his work. This was it; the last hurrah before they, and all of Equestria, succumbed to chaos.

“Through hardships wrought and destiny's calling, time steps forward without cease;

A moment's reprieve sought by progress dawdling, a shell ephemera I hereby release.

From day to hour, and minute to second, a moon passes within a blink;

Grant us sanctuary and moments fecund, life's essence as tax to think.”

As the last word escaped his lips, light burst from his horn and through the ceiling, encasing the house in a magical sphere covered with swirls and cog-like patterns. Cyan light bathed every inch of the house almost as though they were underwater, until seconds later the bubble burst, swapping their sea-green colour with the outside world. Starswirl looked up from his hastily written spell, sweat beading across his stressed brow. With a hard swallow, he pushed past Celestia to get a better view of the scene outside. Discord's visage remained looming over them—albeit in less threatening colours, for whatever that was worth—but what really caught the wizard's eye was to the far left of the house. Finch, the pegasi shopkeeper, was frozen mid-flight with what could only be a large bag of seeds in his mouth, on his way to their front door. His body was utterly motionless, including the odd feather that had loosened itself from his old wings, all remaining petrified in place as though time had stopped. But it hadn't—no, time was just moving incredibly slowly, assuming his spell had worked as intended. He dared to exhale a breath of tentative relief.

“What..?” the Princess attempted to ask, though words failed her.

“Time,” he simply replied, continuing to stare out the window, absorbing the sculpture the world had become. “Moons between seconds. Even with the enemy at our doorstep, we still have time to prepare.”

Celestia's mouth remained agape, as it had been for some time now.

“This spell comes at a cost, but it is one I'm willing to pay.”

“W- What cost?”

The elder unicorn looked down, his eyes closed, before turning to the filly.

“While we have distanced ourselves from the regular flow of time, we still abide by its rules. We will age normally, which is a boon for you, but...”

“Just how long are you going to keep this spell up?”

“As long as it takes for you and your sister to be ready to face Discord.”

“Luna? But she's a baby! She'd have to at least be my age to-”

Realisation set on the small filly, turning her already pale face whiter. This was her new cell; her new castle. Ripped away from the outside world and socialising with other foals after mere days of living her dream life. Tears welled up in her eyes at the cruelty of the situation, which Starswirl was well aware of, yet could do nothing to help. The small Princess began to bawl her eyes out uncontrollably, the wails of which echoed throughout the silent stillness of Equestria, heard only by her fellow prisoner and loving jailer.

Chapter 14: The Longest Day in Equestria

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Starswirl sat in his recently renovated hydroponics/sewing room, located where the sisters' first shared bedroom had been, thinking about the long journey he had taken to arrive at this point. What had started so long ago as an on-the-fly emergency escape from Canterlot and the four-day journey to South Sea Post, followed by six surreal days living in the town, had culminated in the reluctant casting of his latest magnum opus; the 'hyperbolic time bubble'. Reminiscing on this bizarre series of events, a small, smokey-blue filly entered the room, derailing his train of thought.

“Whatcha doin', Uncle Shtarshwirl?”

“Oh, Luna, good morning.”

Six years had passed since that fateful day Discord discovered their location, necessitating the conjuring of this self-imposed prison, with its walls erected from time itself, like ice from water. Despite understanding the scope of what he was about to do, nothing could have prepared him for just how long the experience would actually feel. He had already lived a long life, and it was safe to say that he was in his twilight years even before the casting, yet never had he felt the sand slipping from his hourglass so keenly as he had during these last six. Perhaps it was because he was trapped inside a small house with nothing to do but stay alive and hypothesise anti-Discord models, or maybe it was a byproduct of living two young fillies; watching them learn and grow every single day for so, so long...

“What'sh dat?” the younger Princess asked, tilting her head.

Starswirl looked down soberly, angling his sewing project for her small frame to see more clearly. “This is something that has been on my mind for a long time. It's a 'cilice' of sorts.”

“What'sh a silish?” She reached up to the folds of blue fabric and swatted one of the brass bells adorning its hem, which released a pleasant tinkling sound.

“I've always hated bells,” he mused, wistfully turning to the blue-green vista outside his south-facing window; seeming more like a monochromatic painting than reality. “A cilice is a garment of repentance. One bell for every regret—for every mistake I've made.”

“But dat's a lot o' bellsh! Dis' is really gonna annoy you!” the filly announced with concern, as though the elder unicorn did not already know.

“I have to find a way to repent. I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive myself or atone for what I have done, but until I do, this shall be my suffering.” He looked down at one of the numerous bells he had formed on the table and magically nudged it with disdain.

“Wow... That's shad...” Luna looked up at him with giant, quivering eyes. A lesser pony's worries might have melted at the sight alone, but Starswirl was far too invested in his cycle of self-loathing and failed atonement.

“Perhaps; but not as sad I will be if you have not written that one-hundred word report on the applications of potion-making by this afternoon.”

Luna's jaw dropped, having clearly forgotten about her homework until this reminder. Aghast at the possibility of upsetting her carer and mentor even more, she immediately spun and ran back to her room as fast as her little legs would carry her. Starswirl smiled as she left, amazed at how Luna's purity had persisted through her formative years, despite the hardships around her. It felt like only yesterday she was a hoof-sucking newborn in swaddling—and technically it had been, according to the natural world's flow of time. He sighed, returning to his tailoring as his mind drifted back to thoughts of self-persecution.

The dusky-blue Princess galloped into the room she shared with her sister, which had once been Stargazer's master bedroom, and skidded to a stop across the central rug, causing it to bunch up against her sudden arrival. She balanced on her hindlegs to grab a workbook off her bedside table with her mouth, while gathering her quill and ink with magic. Dropping back to the wrinkled carpet with a small thud, she sprawled herself across the floor and began to hastily—and messily—get to work. Celestia, who was reclining on her own bed while reading, peered from behind her floating book at the melee of blue magic and black ink.

“Have you still not done your report? I told you to do it sooner,” she chastised, eyebrow raised.

“Nuh-uh! I got plenty o' time anyway.” She continued to scribble away, her tongue out in concentration as she blotted ink in all directions.

“Whatever. Just don't get ink on the rug.” The lanky pre-teen rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to the well-read pages of her favourite Summer Twinkle novel.

Given the girls' age and Starswirl's propensity for spending most of his time in his tower anyway, the wizard had decided to move back into his old sleeping space and give the sisters a little more room. Magically restructuring the house to now connect the tower to the upstairs hallway, rather than the bedroom, the room itself had also seen a significant makeover to suit the Princesses' tastes. Split in half like an Eastern yin-yang design—introduced to Equestria by Ambassador Mistmane from Neighjing—Luna's half was painted dark-blue with silver accents and a moon, while Celestia's side was white and gold with a sun, mirroring the eternal celestial equinox right outside their coastal-view window. Over the last six years, Discord's looming visage had slowly faded from the sky, though the bizarre yet beautiful duality of the sun and moon remained, albeit spoiled by the time-bubble's sea-green tint.

The glacially slow progression of time outside the house had reached the point of Goldcrest Finch's shocked reaction to the large bag of grain in his mouth suddenly disappearing, having been carefully extracted by Starswirl years ago, allowing them to cultivate and maintain their own food supply through propagation and harvesting. Water was a little more complicated to manage, as time-frozen chunks of sea water had to be carefully teleported long distances—to avoid creating a tidal wave after the spell ended—to be boiled and stored in newly constructed vats for consumption and washing, while waste was similarly filtered and repurposed. This was by no means a desirable way to live, but with resources made finite by the time dilation, there simply was no other option. On the other hoof, an unintentional byproduct of boiling the water was a constant supply of salt licks.

Having continued sewing for a few more minutes in relatively peace, it was now Celestia's turn to interrupt the wizard.

“I've finished this book for the bajillionth time, and the last lot were all duds, so I'm going to head out and get some more, okay?”

“Already? While I laud your prolificacy, there are a finite number of books at this outpost. Can you not re-read some of the older ones we have?”

“I still remember them all.”

Starswirl sighed, not for lacking pride in his studious ward, but the circumstances that had conspired against such blossoming intellect. It was truly incredible the amount of information the young Princess was able to absorb and retain, having read through every one of his personal collection and drained the meagre reserves of the school's library. Indeed, the pink-haired mare had taken to raiding private residences in her search for fiction and non-fiction alike, almost relishing the chance to go out on another treasure hunt and recreate the peril of her foalhood hero, Summer Twinkle.

Leaving their bubble of isolation for this task was no mean feat, as speed and physics had to be carefully taken into account when venturing into the time-vacuum. One could not simply walk outside, as such seemingly tame movement when translated into the natural flow of time would cause a catastrophic explosion large enough to level the entire outpost. No, one could only move about with teleportation and but the slightest of bodily movements, considering that no object—regardless of size, mass, or regular mobility—can be moved. Leaves in the wind may as well be a fence of wrought iron, while doors and windows are no different to the solid walls beside them. Translocating into and around buildings was often blind, which in itself is potentially fatal enough, without every materialisation rendering that spot too dangerous to return to, due to the vacuum one's presence creates. Starswirl had formulated an 'air bubble' spell of sorts to harvest the time-frozen oxygen around the caster, which allowed for limited breathing, so long as they focus on maintaining the spell and keep moving. Air would refill these voids after some time, of course, but every further excursion became more and more dangerous to traverse, pockmarked with points of suffocation, as well as the diminishing returns of loot. Yet none of the risks and warnings would dissuade Celestia, who remained as stubborn and horizon-hungry as ever, if not more so now that she'd had a brief taste of freedom.

“And there are still places you have yet to sack?”

“There are a couple of houses, and some parts of others I didn't get a good look at.” She pivoted her forehoof on the floor, overtly projecting that she was bored of this interrogation.

“Well, alright. I know there's nothing I can say to dissuade you. Do be careful, and don't stay out too long,” he sighed. “I hope you're making notes of who to return these to after we leave.”

Celestia rolled her head as she turned from the room, calling back: “Assuming Equestria still exists.”

He frowned, knowing how poorly this situation was affecting the young mare, though unable to do anything to remedy it—it's not like he was free from its burdens himself. He couldn't help but feel deserving of every ounce of that ire that slowly grew within her, knowing he was responsible for putting them all in this situation to begin with. Still, it was his duty as guardian and teacher to keep them alive and prepare them for their eventual standoff against that otherworldly creature. He wasn't here to make friends, and so long as everypony survived this ordeal, he would accept any personal cost to reach that end.

As Celestia stepped out of the house, she took a breath and cast the blue, oxygen-collecting bubble around her head. Approaching the edge of the turquoise time-sphere, she looked down the sloped, sparsely-cobbled street towards the town square, planning her route of consecutive jumps carefully. The houses she intended to visit today were on the outskirts of town, so it was important to make the fewest and furthest teleports to make the most of her limited time. Closing her eyes for a moment to steel her nerves, she made the first jump, all the way down to the now familiar bushes, benches, and weathervane, picking a spot she had yet to occupy. One could almost see the hazy outlines of where she had been before, having displaced the ultra-slow atoms with her body, while sucking in a halo of air with the spell. Given the constant cycling of new—albeit salty—oxygen thanks to Starswirl's spell, the air on these journeys was far less stifling than the atmosphere in their house, which barely managed to osmose enough while stationary thanks to its size. For her, the risk out here was worth it just for the fresh air and solitude, with any new books being a bonus.

Travelling outside the hyperbolic time bubble was extremely disorientating at first; not only was everything coloured similar shades of cyan, but everything around you flickers and blurs as though it were moving at incredible speeds, despite you being the one moving faster than light. The whole experience is quite nauseating and panic-inducing, which causes you to consume even more of your precious oxygen, leading to the first few attempts being very short-lived. But this wasn't Celestia's first rodeo; she had learned to stay calm, collected, and focus only on where she was going—something she had read in a book about deep-sea diving, courtesy of the fisherpony brothers. She had lost count of the number of expeditions she had made at this point, each more ambitious and to-the-wire than the last. She couldn't help but picture Summer Twinkle in 'The Temple of the Nautilus', having to brave the unexplored depths of the sea with nothing but her wits and magic. It wasn't the adventure that she had hoped for, but it would do for now.

The next day rolled on as it inevitably did, though there were no means by which to measure it; time had begun to lose meaning even before their isolation, made worse now that stagnation hung heavy all around them. Celestia's adventure had awarded her little more than a diary to assuage her lust for reading, but that wouldn't stop her from trying again this evening. First, though, was breakfast and morning study, which was held on the floor of the living room for lack of a better space.

Stargazer's house had been almost entirely overhauled during the trio's time-isolation, increasingly favouring practicality over aesthetics. The downstairs lounge was now filled with boxes and piles of Celestia's scavenged books, along with various copper pipes running between the water purifiers outside and their various outlets; the latest of which was the upstairs hydroponics room, where they cultivated fungi, vegetables, and even some fizzlepop berries, just for a little variety after years of living off hay and oats alone. A number of small, potted trees had been placed in and around the house to help with oxygen production, leaving Starswirl's study the only unmodified part of the building since their arrival. Given their newfound abundance of time, the wizard's research had become increasingly secondary, instead leaning towards his role as caregiver for the girls. The Princesses' tutelage had more-or-less returned to the curriculum Starswirl had originally devised at Canterlot Palace; teaching knowledge in all areas, with an emphasis on comprehension and practical application, as well as the duties of their other tutors. Despite his specialisation in spell formulation, Starswirl had always sought answers to the 'why's of the world since his earliest years, and it was this appreciation of history and fact that he wished to pass on to the fillies.

“And for his tireless perseverance in the face of adversity, Commander Sombra was awarded dukedom of the 'Crystal Outpost' and the Crystal Spire at its centre, renaming it to the 'Crystal Observatory' as a place to watch over the Frozen North and maintain relations with Yakyakistan.”

“Sho dey never went home after that?”

“That was their home now. Of course, anypony who wished to return to Canterlot was allowed to, but there was also a mass migration to the new settlement, as well as an influx of historians wishing to uncover the lost history of the ancient 'crystal ponies'.” Starswirl lowered his reference book to the table. “Any more questions?”

“Is it normal for a regular pony to be given their own nation like that?” Celestia asked, which had become unusual for her, given her ever-growing understanding and cynicism.

“It's not a common practice, no, but this was a largely unexplored land, and with pre-existing buildings it made sense to occupy it as a hub for future exploration. Sombra had displayed his aptitude for leadership during the war, so the King and Queen had full confidence in his ability to manage the new settlement justly.”

“And he continues to do so?”

“Well... I suppose so. To be honest I've not heard anything of the Crystal Observatory since then, which I can only assume is a sign of content progress. It's impossible to know how they've fared since Discord's usurpation, though I expect they remain in blissful ignorance.”

“Do you think he found a pwincesh to rule da Cwystal Obserbatowy wiv?” Luna inquired, her eyes glistening with the kind of fairytale wonder that Celestia's never had.

“Technically she would be a Duchess, not a Princess, and I honestly can't say. I expect we would have had word of the Duke's engagement had that been the case.”

“How do two ponies make a baby?” The filly's sudden question caught Starswirl so off-guard that he found himself choking on his own saliva, much to Celestia's amusement.

“I- Well, that's...” He cleared his throat, unsure how to broach the topic. It certainly did fall within his duty as the girls' sole educator to teach them of such things, though it was not a topic he had prepared himself for. “Um, well, when two ponies love each other very much-”

Celestia audibly rolled her eyes, earning a scowl. No, there was no reason to get flustered, he simply had to state the facts historically and practically. He could do this.

“Let us begin with pre-historical practices-”

“If it's pre-historical, how do you know what happened?” Celestia interrupted again, receiving another cold look.

“During what we refer to as pre-history—when ponykind lived isolated in three separate tribes—birthing was a rudimentary practice that often only succeeded in certain pairings, regardless of affection, outside of the unicorn race. Birthing has always been a magical affair in regards to unicorns, with any couple capable of having a child, regardless of biological compatibility or health. It wasn't until the merging of the pony races—known and celebrated now as 'Hearths Warming Day'—that terrans and pegasi were able to partake in such a ceremony, allowing not only same-sex births, but now mixed-race births as well.”

Luna blinked, clearly overwhelmed by the long words and uncertain terms. “So... it'sh magic?”

“Well... yes and no. Couples can—and likely still do—procreate naturally, but with it comes certain restrictions and risks. Your... uh... Your mother was the last notable natural birth, with her passing spurring the normalisation of the magical practice.” The mood of the room dropped like a sudden plunge into ice-cold water. Still, it was important for the girls to know the facts of life... right? It felt like he was crossing a line every time he mentioned their parents, yet if he did not relay such information, who would? There was nothing more important than informed opinions, after all. “While the Queen's passing was never made public knowledge, her sudden disappearance after the much anticipated pregnancy fostered rumours, some more accurate than others. Since then it has become a far more common practice for any loving couple wishing to procreate to seek out a unicorn, and have a prodigy spell cast on them. Biologically the child is no different than a natal one, and there is no need for a lengthy gestation period...” His voice trailed off, having slipped back into more scientific terms as the room felt more and more uncomfortable.

“I hope it was worth it,” Celestia grunted into her crossed forelegs, clearly directing the remark at Luna.

“Celestia!”

“If she hadn't been born, none of this would have happened!” she shouted, standing from the floor.

“CELESTIA! That is your sister! Apologise immediately!”

“NEVER!” she screamed, galloping to the front door and slamming it behind her with her magic.

The awkward silence lingered, now mixed with a shot of adrenaline.

“Luna, I'm so sorry-”

“Was I a mistake?” Her voice was flat and dry, already familiar with this accusation to the point of acceptance.

“Elysium no, Luna.” He moved beside her and sat, resting his hoof around her small, bundled frame. “Your mother and father were so excited for your arrival, they spoiled your sister rotten while they were waiting. What happened was not your fault—Celestia knows this, she's just upset and lashing out.”

What had begun years ago as an awkward and involuntary fostering of these two foals, had steadily evolved into a genuinely caring relationship that he had never thought possible from himself. Not knowing how to care for the girls and being trapped behind his own stilted language felt like a lifetime ago as he held the dusky-blue filly close, his heart breaking for her. Just like when she was first born, Luna still never made a fuss, even as the tears rolled down her cheeks. He wanted to chastise Celestia, of course, but he couldn't help but feel responsible for her steadily increasing frustration. Here he was, the last grains of sand draining from his hourglass, while the sisters were losing out on the best years of their life, stuck inside this cell of his creation. It was only natural that a life devoid of social contact and exploration would lead to emotional stagnation, and there was only so much venting one can do into a journal. It would likely pass by this evening, or at worst the day after, just like every other time, but one thing was for certain; their entries would be colourful tonight.

Time continued to tick on for the three ponies, though the mundane routine of their lives caused days to blur into weeks, and weeks into months. With no formal structure to day or night, it wasn't unusual for waking hours to desync within the house, which offered some desperately needed reprieve from the constant social expectations of living in close proximity with others. Starswirl had finished stitching his belled hat and cloak of repentance, though there was little reason to wear them within the confines of the house, so turned his attention back to studying possible counters to Discord's magic and researching the mysterious time-travel scroll, though neither avenue bore fruit. As his high standards steadily began to degrade over time, he started leaving longer and longer gaps between shaving, eventually resulting in quite an impressive length of beard. The hair on his chin grew in as streaky-white as his mane, still bleached by that fateful mirror spell oh-so long ago, earning him the nickname 'the Bearded' from the girls.
While there were still good days, Celestia's temper grew only worse as she traversed teenhood, leaving the wizard utterly overwhelmed by her erratic mood-swings and emotional outbursts. For the periods when she couldn't become lost in a novel or leave the house, she had taken to casting an opaque, soundproof bubble around herself, just for the sake of a little privacy. Luna had also reached the cusp of teenhood, though unlike her sister, this manifested itself through increasing introspection and curiosity about the heritage that she had never known. Despite being more interested in historical accounts and scientific papers than Celestia, she'd never had quite the same capacity for retention as her sister, though attempted to make up for that with copious notes and long, daily entries in her diary.

“Tia, have you read this book before?” Luna asked, raising the cover from the ground with her magic to show her sister, who was currently reclining on her bed.

She looked down from her own book, disinterested yet still engaging. “'A History of Royal Etiquette' by Pedigree Pomp? Yeah, I read it, though I prefer fiction.”

“But this is our history!” She replaced the book and continued to obsess over it. “It even goes so far back as pre-Equestria unicorn decorum!”

“Yeah; I read it. History is fine and all, but it doesn't do us much good in here.”

She looked up. “But as princesses, we should learn how to rule correctly—how to speak properly with our subjects.”

“Right, and you can't be a princess without subjects. I don't know if you've noticed, but there are only three of us here.” The elder sister turned back to her book, eyes still cold with disillusion.

Luna huffed and went back to reading, though she couldn't focus on the words anymore. After a minute or two, she looked towards the window and its cyan sky. “Do you remember what it was like out there?”

Celestia lowered her book, blankly annoyed for a moment before actually thinking about it. “No, not really. Not much.” She leaned forward to see through the window as well, haunted by glimpses of freedom from her past. “Mostly feelings. It's hard to know what you remember and what you imagined sometimes. The wind in your mane on a cart; the cold, damp air of a stone room; the sounds of other ponies' voices.”

“I wish I had memories like that.”

“You're better off wishing.” She slumped back, head heavy with glimpses of memories she would have rather not stirred up.

Starswirl had been happy to oblige Luna's thirst for knowledge at first, though her insistence on using the Royal Canterlot Voice at all times since learning about it had hastily lost its charm. This began to be the cause of many a squabble for a while, made all the worse by the two sharing a room and having little space to retreat within the time-bubble, leaving their mentor all the more glad he lived on a separate floor separate from the main building.

As the girls grew, so did their eagerness to leave the time-bubble—a state of being that Starswirl had almost come to accept as normality now, not that he wouldn't give it all up for a new book. Every day presented the same chores: wash, teleport salt-water from the sea and into the boiler for tomorrow, harvest breakfast from the hydroponic cultivation and meagre oat crops surrounding the house, fill the day with reading, sewing, research, or lectures—which had steadily become more informal and anecdotal as untapped subjects dwindled—harvest dinner, then bed. Both girls had now advanced to more intensive magic lessons, with Celestia naturally being further ahead given her age, though progress hindered by the limited space afforded them within the house. The Princesses were now competent in levitation, teleportation, basic potion-making, basic spell-writing, and as well versed in destructive magic as they could risk; though how well this preparation would stand against the otherworldly forces Discord wielded was yet to be seen.

A total of twelve years of hyberbolic time had now passed, and the girls still showed no signs of discovering their cutie marks, let alone their alicorn destinies. This was not wholly surprising to their mentor, as he expected the necessary scope of self-discovery and charity required to achieve such milestones were almost certainly beyond what they could achieve within this quarantine, though this didn't stop the sisters from complaining about it. It was not unheard of for late-bloomers to be around Luna's age, but the same could not be said for Celestia, who was six years her senior. However, as easy as it was for the Princesses to overlook their day-to-day growth, they were both inexorably closer to self-sufficient adulthood, with the elder now almost equal to Starswirl's height, and the younger about half that. The wizard's advanced age had taken its toll with the years spent in isolation, feeling as aged and haggard as he looked, with the remaining streaks of his greyish-green mane now faded to white and deep bags beneath his eyes. Still, he had fulfilled his role during this interlude—even if he collapsed the moment this time-bubble lifted, he had equipped the future Princesses of Equestria with everything he was capable of providing in these circumstances. In the end, really it would all come down to their ingenuity and strength of heart to prevail over Discord's unpredictable chaos magic.

“I fear this is as much as I can teach you,” Starswirl sighed, closing the book he held aloft with his aura while addressing the two seated mares.

“Pray, what dost thy mean?” Luna boomed, choosing to take herself extremely seriously while implementing the strictest of Old Equestia's outdated royal etiquette teachings.

“Luna, stop yelling all the time; I can't handle you right now,” her sister hissed, covering her ears as she splayed across the floor.

“We are merely utilising proper royal etiquette, Big Sister. Dost thy not find value in Our shared heritage?”

“For the love of Gusty, shut up!” With a flick magic, Celestia flung her notebook at Luna, who barely deflected in time with a barrier.

“Hey! That could've hurt, y'know!”

Starswirl stamped his hoof on the hardwood floor, causing his inattentive students to jump. “Girls! What have I told you about bickering? How do you intend to reunite Equestria when you cannot even maintain peace amongst yourselves?”

“But she started it!” Luna pointed to her sister, who swung her long, pink mane into a barrier between them.

“Luna, I celebrate the interest you show in your origins, but not even King Sol spoke in the Royal Canterlot Voice at all times—only during formal hearings—and doing so here is quite disruptive.”

“But-” Sensing no likelihood of winning this argument, she snorted in frustration and turned away from the two, feeling thoroughly ganged-up on.

“Anyway, like I was saying,” Starswirl continued, “I could cover the contents of these books a hundred times over, lecture until I was blue in the face, and have you practice magic until the walls were dust; but true understanding comes from practical application and worldly experience. Time and time again, ponykind has made its greatest advances when the stakes were the highest, and I have no doubt the same will be true of you two. Nopony has ever found their destinies within the confines of four walls.”

The sisters subconsciously looked back at their own flanks, which remained as bare as the days they were born.

“Finding out who you are is a natural part of life; it comes with understanding the world around you and your place in it. There is only so much you can learn from the pages of a book before you must put it into practice yourself, and there are some things a book can never teach you.” His face softened, thinking back over all the years they had spent together. His disgust over having to tutor children back at the palace felt like a lifetime ago, though it had technically only been a matter of days in the outside-world. Saying that he loved the girls was a bit more of a commitment than he was willing to make, but having sunk so much care and effort into their wellbeing, the thought of pitting them against the monster that had killed their father was almost unbearable, lest he lose them too. Nevertheless, he had no say in the matter. Equestria needed them more now than it has ever needed a saviour, even if it felt like mercilessly tearing a fledgeling from its nest—the sisters had no option but to learn to fly on their first attempt, or the whole world would fall with them.

“Starswirl, will you tell me about dad again?” the younger sister mumbled, gazing solemnly at the floor.

“Again? Now?” Lost in his memories and concerns for the future, her unexpected question left him mildly disorientated. It was always a strange sensation to be reminded that he wasn't the only one with an internal monologue of thoughts and feelings. Was he also guilty of these non-sequitur outbursts?

Luna's preoccupation with the past of late had brought up many questions about life before the time-bubble. From social gatherings and the activities of regular ponies her age, to royal etiquette and stories about her parents, she desperately clawed to relive a past she had never experienced. When historical documents could no longer satiate her appetite for nostalgia, she had turned to Starswirl for firsthoof accounts of her parents, even if it was the same stories retold time and again. Telling a child about their departed parents never became easier, but over the years his own nostalgia had grown, and he couldn't help but find a similar comfort in the old days, back before this house—back before Discord. And as those large, glistening blue eyes looked up at him, how could he deny her tales of the heritage she had always deserved?

With a wistful sigh, the old unicorn lowered his haunches and ran a hoof under his long, white beard, readying himself for the trip down memory lane. Even Celestia could not resist the lure of the 'good old days', peeking from beneath her flowing mane to take part in the hazy, bittersweet distraction.

“Your father, the King, was a great stallion. Noble, proud, kind-hearted, and always supporting the ponies of the realm. He loved you both very much, and would do anything for your family. Ponies would travel from far and wide to have an audience with him, trusting his ruling on any matter; and he would listen to them all, no matter how inconsequential the dilemma.”

“And mum?” Celestia asked under her breath.

“She was beautiful, kind, and would do anything to ensure everypony around her was happy. She was a proud mother, and the one who named you both. No pony in the land was as empathetic as she was, spending much of her time tending to the sick and caring for the needy. I haven't a doubt that she would be overjoyed to see the mares you have grown into today, despite all your hardships.”

The girls remained silent, staring vaguely at the floor; Luna smiled weakly to imagined memories of a loving family, while Celestia's eyes welled with tears over the few traumatic moments she could recall.

“Then Discord took them from us,” she snarled.

Starswirl had intentionally withheld information about Discord's arrival and the King's involvement in it—that was his burden to bear, not the fillies'. It was already bad enough that they had gleaned the Queen's fate from his recounts; the last thing the sisters needed right now was to learn the true scope of their father's fall, not to mention the part he himself had played in the current state of Equestria. For now, that dark truth would remain secure in his personal journal. Let future historians judge him all they want after he has long passed this mortal coil. In the meantime, if believing that beast is the source of all their woes, having a little more motivation to defeat him certainly isn't a bad thing.

He sighed. “Discord took many things from many ponies. You cannot let hatred blind you when you eventually confront him; restoring harmony to Equestria is your destiny, not revenge.”

A sudden, sharp, cracking sound rang throughout the house, raising all their ears and bringing the bearded unicorn back to his hooves. The omnidirectional splitting and splintering reverberated against the windowpanes and vibrated uncomfortably within their stomachs, sounding not unlike the thawing of thick ice.

“What in Equestria-?” Celestia also jumped up in panic, followed by her sibling.

This was it. He had felt it this morning, even noticing signs of it last week, but now was the moment: the spell was ending. He took a deep breath and exhaled shakily, overwhelmed by almost stage-fright-like anticipation. With a flash, he teleported his belled hat and cape from the tower and onto his body—this was his battle armour; a symbol of perseverance and lessons learned.

“This is it, girls. Everything we have prepared for has led up to this moment.”

“W-What?! Now?!” Luna screeched, her voice breaking from fear.

“Yes. You have trained for this your entire life. Together, we can do this, we can beat him.”

In truth, he didn't believe that at all. He was about to end a twelve-year sabbatical with no more knowledge or confidence than when he had started with two helpless foals. It's not like he had any choice in the matter; the spell was ending, ready or not. Here he comes...

A bright teal light began to glow through the windows as they rattled; the cracking sound almost deafening as it surrounded them. As the light became blinding, forcing them to cover their eyes, the pitch of the noise began to rise and was joined by a sort of sucking sound. Intense nausea hit all three, dropping them to their knees as the cacophony of sounds belted their senses, before the air pressure around them suddenly released and all was silent. Rising to their hooves once more, for the first time in over a decade they felt like they could breathe freely, as multicoloured hues filled the glass beyond their four walls. Steeling themselves, the group cautiously exited the house and were welcomed by a deep breath of fresh, cool, salty air. Gone was the recycled, dusty and stale air of the house, which they hadn't realised they had become so used to. This was the taste of freedom.

The group rounded the corner of the house to view the South Sea to the east. So many years ago they had fled the looming visage of Discord in the sky, looking down at them menacingly. In the minute or two that had passed during their stay in the bubble, the draconequus' face had slowly faded, ultimately replaced by a small, nondescript flash of light. Outside of the bubble, it was clear what that flash had been: Discord had arrived, and was currently floating down towards them in real-time. To their left, Goldcrest Finch was still flailing in confusion after the bag of seeds he was bringing to the house had seemingly disappeared into thin air, having not yet noticed the near-instant ageing of the house next to him. It was hard for the three unicorns to truly grasp how their lives had passed within the literal snap of a finger, while its owner descended upon them like a herald of the apocalypse.

Chapter 15: Within Me, Without You

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“Hello, my little ponies!” Discord called out joyously, clearly pleased with himself for having found the unicorn trio as he hovered high above the ground. “You wouldn't believe the number of brains I had to pick just to learn about you three; and then the old one teleports right onto my doorstep like a basket of exotic butters!” He pointed to Starswirl, a wicked grin curling his lip. “I must thank you for making my search so much easier.”

“Discord!” the wizard snarled back, spreading his legs into a prone stance, which the sisters followed suit.

“And could these be the two fabled sisters, destined to rid this land of the menace that is Yours Truly?” He teleported to within a few hooves of the group to give them a thorough looking-over. “I was told you were barely out of the crib—though it's hard to be surprised when magic is in the mix.” He leaned back, smiling smugly. “Not that it will change anything.”

“We'll get you for what you've done,” Celestia growled, her horn pre-emptively glowing.

“Oh yes, I suppose you would have a chip on your shoulder about your pops.” With a flash, an oversized chunk of cooked potato appeared on the elder sister, flattening her under its weight. “And just what are you going to do about it, hm?”

“Leave her alone!” Luna shouted, haphazardly firing a blue blast from her horn, which was caught mid-air by Discord and used nonchalantly as a toothpick.

“Steady yourself, girls,” Starswirl quietly urged. “We may only have one shot to strike while his defences are down. Be patient and work together.”

Celestia levitated the giant foodstuff off herself and flung it back at the draconequus, who inflated his head to devour it on impact.

“Let's wrap this up, shall we? I've got a lot of chaos to get back to.” Dabbing at the corner of his mouth with a napkin, Discord floated back from the group and hunched himself into a truly menacing stance, his red eyes glowing with dark intent. Around him, a couple of houses flashed, becoming intricate balloon sculptures of themselves as they slowly rose into the sky.

Starswirl's blood ran cold as he realised the impact this battle would have on the ponies of South Sea Post—ponies he had come to care for in his short time in the town, which had only grown with nostalgia within the time-bubble. “Wait!” he shouted, sweat already beading on his brow. “Not here! These ponies did nothing wrong. Your animus is with us; leave them out of this.”

“Oh?” Discord straightened up and sneered, snapping his fingers to teleport Goldcrest Finch before him, paralysed with fear at what he was seeing. Without a second thought, he plucked the wings clean off the pegasi, which flapped away on their own like a butterfly. “Oops.”

Released from Discord's control, Finch screamed as he realised what had been taken from him, unable to stop himself from falling to the ground and tumbling down the hill towards the town centre. The ex-court wizard couldn't let this continue, lest the entire town be razed along with every pony in it. He had to think fast.

“Stop! You- You won't enjoy any of the chaos you cause in this crossfire. What's the point in causing chaos if you're not there to enjoy it?”

“I'm sorry, are you trying to make sense of chaos?” The draconequus seemed genuinely insulted, folding his arms in disappointment. “I'm starting to think that you ponies don't get me.”

“Why waste good chaos now when you can take your time and enjoy it later?”

Discord raised a freshly interested eyebrow at the pony's rebuttal.

“What are you saying?!” Celestia screamed at the wizard, who chose not to face her.

“If he wins, he'll have free rein of Equestria anyway. These are the stakes of our success.”

Luna looked up at her mentor with quivering eyes. “If we lose, he'll destroy the town?”

“I suppose you have a point,” Discord thought aloud, stroking his long chin-hair. “There is only so much order you can corrupt. Fine, then where would you have us settle this?”

“The middle of nowhere, where no ponies will get hurt.”

“As you wish.”

With a snap of his taloned fingers, the whole group disappeared from the quaint trading post and reappeared in a vast, brown wasteland devoid of life. While Starswirl had never been here before himself, he recognised the geography as being somewhere in the San Palomino Desert, some ways north of the village. True to his word, this was indeed 'the middle of nowhere'.

“There, happy?” Discord re-folded his arms and tapped his cloven hoof impatiently. “Let's hurry this up, my throne is getting cold.”

“Our throne!” Luna shouted, aiming her horn at the enemy, which Celestia mirrored, followed by Starswirl—their horns all aglow.

“Finally.”

The draconequus hunched back over, readopting his fighting stance as the two sides faced down. Without moving a muscle, the ground beneath Discord began to transform as a green and purple chequered pattern spread out from him like living oil, while rock formations began to levitate around them, turning the desert into a circus-themed waking nightmare. A tumbleweed passed just outside the current range of the chaos magic, brought by a small gust of bronze dust against the backdrop of the sun and moon sharing the sky; a celestial stand-off of light and dark framing this battle of good versus evil. The ever-growing pied wave reached the tumbleweed, causing it to flash into a multicoloured beach ball and signal the duel's commencement. The sisters lunged forward, ahead of Starswirl and on the attack, charging their horns for a magical blast. In response, Discord snapped his fingers, turning both sisters into solid stone statues. The fighting spirit immediately drained from the wizard as he watched his prodigies hit the ground with a thud—defeated in a heartbeat before his eyes.

“No,” he muttered under his breath, feeling his knees weaken under his weight.

The Lord of Chaos straightened up, smiling in assured self-satisfaction. “So much for the 'alicorn princesses'. These things never do live up to the hype.”

“They were no alicorns.” The wizard dropped to his knees, his belled hat falling to the floor. “They did not even have their cutie marks yet. What was I thinking, bringing two young fillies to fight a monster? I am no warrior, I cannot teach the skills they needed…”

Discord's victory was beginning to feel hollow, draining the fun out of his moment. “What do you mean?”

“They were but babies when we fled the palace. I turned what few days we had into years of training, but no amount of time would have been enough against these odds. Had they received the proper tutoring, the proper upbringing…” He looked up at the serpentine creature, tears glistening in his eyes. “You would not stand a chance against a real alicorn. A real Princess.”

Discord scowled, his good mood thoroughly ruined. “And just what would it take to see one of these so-called 'real alicorns'?”

“I don't know.” The bearded unicorn looked down, tears silently hitting the multicoloured corruption below, becoming paper confetti on impact. “But I do know it takes time, and cannot be achieved in a vacuum.” Another tumbleweed lazily approached, transforming into an orange basketball as it hit the chequerboard. Starswirl looked back up at the creature, his glare conveying the silent tempest within him. “But I know it can be done. I know we can defeat you.”

Discord snorted. “'Time', you say.” Discord nonchalantly walked over to the petrified sisters, picking up one in each hand as though they weighed nothing. “Fine, you'll get your time, but I'm already bored of these two. So anticlimactic.” He put the sisters back down on freshly gained stone bases, keeping them upright in their mid-action poses. “I'll give you ten moons to bring me a real alicorn worth their salt, and you'd best hope they're more entertaining than these two—though if your supposed royals were the golden standard, I won't be holding my breath.” The creature disappeared in a flash, reappearing over the unicorn's shoulder to whisper in his ear, turning his blood cold. “And I certainly wouldn't want to be you if you were to disappoint me again, little pony,” he snarled. “I'll take all ten moons to come up with a fitting punishment—chaos knows there's little more to do in this painfully dreary world of yours—so believe me when I say that you'll wish you had become the centrepiece of this triumvirate of failure when you could.”

Starswirl remained silent, unable to speak even if he had wanted to. A warm breeze blew past, gently ratting the bells of his garb to mask the shaking of his legs. He was a scholar, and a reclusive one at that—he was not built for encounters like these. The draconequus teleported again, this time appearing between the two statues, leaning with one under each arm as though they were the best of friends.

“Well, it's been fun. Toodles!”

With a wave of his fingers, Discord disappeared for the last time, leaving the old unicorn alone in the desert sun and sprawling chequered panels. As painful as it was, he couldn't help but look up at his two precious wards, frozen in time as stone effigies of hopelessness. They had trusted him. They had believed that this could be done—a thought he had dared hope was possible himself—and they had paid the price for his naïveté. First the King, and now both Princesses, fallen to his folly. Why had he alone survived another encounter with that beast—that grotesque? Why were others always punished for his missteps and not him? No punishment would be as torturous as living at this point; his every thought and action burdened by these chains of self-hated. It was too much. Every fibre of his body screamed at him to roll over and let the dust take him—to just disappear from this world like every other pony that had mattered to him.

And yet… there were still more, weren't there? Ustiarius, the noble and righteous guardspony, still willing to fight against unfathomable odds to protect those unknown to him. Bluebeak, the selfless and misunderstood griffon, left bitter from losing his son, yet still living among the kind that had taken him. The griffons were no safer from Discord than ponykind, meaning the losses would grow exponentially as his influence spread, and there had already been so much loss in this world… Was this to be their legacy? Did the Princesses deserve to be remembered as mere monuments to failure?

No, this calamity was bigger than him, bigger than the sisters, and it always had been. He owed every pony—neigh, every creature—the right to continue their lives without even more pain caused by his mistakes. Starswirl took to his hooves and replaced the fallen hat on his head, letting the settled sand blow off around him. This was not simply revenge for the last twelve years of his life, nor was it revenge for the fallen royal family; this was a battle for Equestria—a crusade for the normal lives of normal ponies. This was for Meadow Flower and all the ponies of South Sea Post; this was for Little Cobb and all the farmers of Ponydale; this was for every maid and butler in Canterlot Palace, and every townspony of Canterlot Town; and yes, this was even for Stargazer the Spectacled, wherever he was right now—cowering under a desk somewhere, no doubt. This was for every pony he had never met before, and every pony that had yet to be born. This was so the world would see the sun rise again, regardless of race, location, or past mistakes. It was not a task he could achieve alone, but he knew just where to start looking for a team to unite against Discord. They might not be alicorns, but with the right composition of exceptional members, maybe they could delay that monster long enough for a true hero to emerge. Whatever the outcome, he would give everything he had to defeat this menace he had brought into the world, or his name was not Starswirl the Bearded.

“Sister? Sister, where are you?” Luna called out to the pitch black surrounding her. “This isn't funny, Celestia. Where are you?”

“I'm right here, Luna, where I've always been—right by your side.”

“I can't see you!”

Celestia's familiar frame stepped from the inky void, though remained heavily obscured by shadow.

“Oh, there you are. Where are we?”

“'Where are we?' This is Equestria, of course.”

“Equestria? I don't understand.” She attempted to move towards the faint outline of her sister, though the distance between them never changed.

“Yes, this is Equestria after you failed to protect it from Discord.”

“Failed?”

“Yes. You failed to stop Discord, just like you've failed at everything else your entire life; always second-best, never truly making any progress as you stumble blindly forward. You're no different from the useless filly you were before Starswirl began wasting his time on you.”

“Sishter, I don't undershtand!” She looked down, realising that she had reverted to a much younger version of herself—her shorter legs only emphasising Celestia's already looming silhouette. “Why are you shaying thesh thingsh?”

A spotlight snapped on from an unknown source overhead, blinding the filly that now sat in the centre of its gaze.

“You've only ever been a stupid little pony that never knew what she was doing. You killed your own mother, spent your entire life locked in a house with your betters, and when it truly mattered, immediately failed the singular purpose of your existence. What could have possibly made you think you could save Equestria?”

“You're not my sishter,” she hissed behind a stream of silent tears.

“No, I'm not.”

The figure stepped out from the shadows, exposing its true form; something far more sinister and intimidating than she could have imagined. Breaching the cone of light around her, the creature before her was even taller than her sister, with a black coat and voluminous, flowing hair like a starry sky. From the length of her spiked horn to her dusky-blue armour cladding, there wasn't a thing about this mare that didn't scream 'danger'. Trembling under the imposing glare of this stranger, Luna was barely able to speak through her clenched throat.

“W-Who aw you?”

“I'm you.”

The small filly backed up, struggling to return to her hooves, though failing to move from the eye of the spotlight. Barely finding strength in her legs to stand, she arched her back to seem as intimidating as possible, despite her diminutive stature.

“E-Expwane yourshewf!” she boomed in the Royal Canterlot Voice, though the technique had little effect coming from one so young.

The black figure cackled, showing her razor-sharp fangs and opening her vast, bat-like wings. A tar-like substance spread from behind her, encasing the two in an opaque, claustrophobic bubble, lit only by the starry blue glow from the terrifying mare's mane. There was a low-pitched throbbing throughout the heavy atmosphere of the sphere, forcing Luna to clasp her pounding head with both hooves—closed eyes still wet with tears.

“I represent the darkness within you, Luna.” Her voice was as clear and dominating within the filly's mind as it had been outside the bubble. “The resentment of your sister, the shackles of your imprisoned life, the burden of expectations to become an alicorn, the guilt of killing your mother-”

“No! I dont-! I didn't!”

“It's time for you to grow up, little Luna; to take control of your life, and your destiny!”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” she screamed, garnering only a cruel, shark-like grin from her persecutor.

“What are you going to do about it, child?”

“You're not real! You're not real!” she shook her head vigorously, eyes and ears still held tight.

The shadowy mare laughed again. “Do you see how useless you are? Useless! How could you stand against a monster like Discord, when you cannot even stand against your own thoughts?”

The princess let out a guttural scream, serving only to delight the dark alicorn—at first. As she continued to scream, white electricity began to crackle and spark from horn, then across her entire body as she floated up from her cowering form on the ground.

“What-?!”

The filly's eyes shot open, emitting pure-white energy as she continued to scream. Much like her dark counterpart, a sphere of the same white energy encompassed her entire body, glowing with the light of a thousand moons. The embodiment of her negativity winced under the light, forcing it to lift a hoof to shield its eyes as the glow only intensified. From outside the black bubble that had encased them, white light began to crack its surface, spreading out until the entire globe burst like glass in all directions. Where the cowering infant had once been, Luna's true form now floated, eyes still glowing and radiating swirling, light-blue magic around her body as the black alicorn cowered in fear.

“What- What is this? You do not possess such power!” she shrieked, shrinking away like a wild animal backed into a corner.

“It is true I have fears and self-doubt, just as any pony does,” Luna boomed with calm authority, “but you are not a true representation of my innermost feelings. You are a nightmare, and nothing more.”

“No! NO!” the black mare screamed as glowing white cracks formed across her body, causing her entire body to shake with energy.

“This is my mind, and I am in control here.”

“NO!” she wailed one last time as her body shattered, leaving her cry to echo into the fathoms of the endless void around them.

“A nightmare no longer.” The Princess gently lowered herself to the transparent floor, letting her magical aura dissipate. “And if this truly is a dream, then I shall have it as I see fit.”

Closing her eyes, a ripple of magic burst from her hooves, sprouting lush vegetation out of thin-air in every direction. Opening her eyes once more, Luna found herself in the picturesque, grassy, moon-dappled hills she could only dream about before, though this time they felt so much more real—the fresh alpine air, the cool embrace of a real night, the fluffy, dew-speckled blades of grass beneath her hooves. This was the pure freedom and blissful nocturnal peace that she had ached for her entire life; everything that she could not have in their isolated house under the frozen, binary sky. Her imagination had brought to life the stories she had read in books and encyclopedias; a bittersweet moment, as it confirmed that this was indeed a dream, and thus ephemeral.

“True peace,” she whispered to herself, delighted to catch sight of her own breath in the bracing country air. “But I wonder, what of my real sister in all this? The last thing I recall is charging at Discord…” She trailed off, turning her attention to the impossibly large moon dominating the sky. “Is she sleeping, too?”

Closing her eyes once more, Luna's horn lit up, spreading from its base and up the spiral indent. Unlike her usual magical aura, this energy seemed almost tangible as it extended from her horn's tip like a sentient, glowing tether. While this was her own dream, residing entirely within her own mind, she could still sense a vague external presence—something she felt compelled to reach out to. Her magical tether snaked its way up to the colossal moon and pierced its centre, causing waves to ripple across its surface. There was something there—somepony there—in the midst of what felt like a nightmare of their own. There was no decision to be made. Opening her eyes, she spread her freshly imagined wings and took towards the celestial body, following the glowing thread straight into it like a pool of water. Releasing her breath on the other side, Luna found herself in the middle of what looked like a full-blown aerial war, silhouetted against the giant ball of fire she had just emerged from. A dark pony-like creature shot past her, flying towards a small mass of similar beings bundled together. With a sudden flash of light the group were forcefully expelled, revealing a familiar mare at its core.

“Sister!” Luna exclaimed, immediately taking flight to her location.

“Luna? Is that really you?” The white pony had clearly taken a beating up to this point, her normally flawless coat now covered in scuffs and scrapes, and her long, pink hair a ruffled mess. “Your eyes are blue, so you must be... But why do you have wings?” As a new enemy approached her from behind, she performed an impressive spinning kick, sending it plummeting downward.

“These wings are but a figment of my imagination, as this battle is of yours. This is a dream, dear sister, is that not apparent?”

“'A dream?' What are you talking about? This is as real as you or I, can't you see that?!” Scowling at another assailant approaching from Luna's rear, Celestia charged up her orange magic and released a blast, swatting it out of the sky.

The blue, winged unicorn smirked with a huff. “Sister, if I am not mistaken, these creatures are Salamancers; an ancient foe of Equestria, to be sure, but only seen in the last hundred years as a recurring antagonist in Summer Twinkle books.”

“So? What of it?” Celestia charged up another beam of magic, cutting an arc across the sky to repel a new wave of enemies.

“Sister, Salamancers do not have wings; they cannot fly.”

“What?” The war-worn mare finally gave her sister her full attention for the first time since her arrival. “Really?”

As the mental correction that her enemies had no wings sunk in, the reptilian shapeshifters began to fall from the sky, clawing desperately at thin air before plummeting into the sky-blue void below.

“And for that matter, neither do you,” Luna continued, eyebrows raised in anticipation.

Celestia looked over her shoulder, never expecting to see wings, but suddenly realising that she was flying without any. Flailing wildly just like her adversaries, she too dropped like a brick, casually followed down by her sister. Luna caught the frantic unicorn with her magic just before she hit the grassy plains that had materialised below—lush and green against the blazing sun that dominated the sky here, much as Luna's moon had in her mindscape. The elder sister straightened up now that her hooves were firmly back on terra firma, dusting herself off with a look of embarrassed annoyance towards her sister's last-minute rescue. Luna landed softly beside her, allowing her wings to dissipate like cloud.

“Do you know why we are sleeping?” the younger princess asked, her head tilted to see around her sister's annoyed fussing. “The last thing I recall was charging toward Discord, and then I was in my dreamscape.”

“Discord?” The pink-maned mare ceased her preening, as though reminded of something important. “Come to think of it, I do remember that. He dropped a giant chip onto me, then the floor changed, and we charged… Are you certain that wasn't a dream, too?”

“Quite certain. I cannot explain the feeling well, but I am acutely aware that we are currently asleep, though something about it does feel… unnatural.”

“Do you always know you're dreaming?”

“Do you not?”

Celestia took a moment to face her sister. “And if you really are the real Luna, how are you in my dream?”

“I…” She paused, looking away in thought. “I do not know. I simply followed my heart, and it led me to you. I felt a calling, like… like it was my-” A sudden glow in her peripheral vision caused her to stop and turn, realising that it was emanating from her haunches.

“Is that-?” Celestia was cut off as the glow spread, enveloping both ponies and the landscape around them.

A familiar dusty breeze rolled across the San Palomino Desert, shifting the light dusting that covered the tiled floor below, accompanied by a stampede multicoloured gophers. The statues of the two sisters remained idle, collecting pockets of sand along their ridges and partially obscuring the bases. Without warning, a white crack suddenly appeared in Luna's frozen pose, as though a magic within had become too powerful to contain. The crack spread and webbed, loosening shards from the stone effigy before exploding in a burst of energy, releasing the pony trapped within.

Luna fell to the sandy, chequered floor, exhausted and gasping for air. She looked around the best she could, blinded by the overbearing sun and dryness of the air. Pushing herself from the floor with weak knees, she turned to find her sister's lifeless form still petrified in place, mid-leap.

“Sister!” Concern gave her the strength to reach the figure, pawing at it desperately to find a seam or a pulse. “You must wake up—please.”

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Luna leaned in and closed her eyes, placing her forehead against the cold stone that was her sister's. The wheezy silence of the desert lingered for a sombre moment before another guttural crack rang out, accompanied by a glowing fissure crossing the petrified unicorn's face, prompting her sister to step back. Just as before, the statue's glowing crack spread, criss-crossing across its vibrating mass like a weak sheet of winter ice—or at least how she imagined that looked from her books. As the exposed energy peaked and the statue burst in a blinding light, Celestia fell to the floor—weak, but alive. Jumping to her side, the dusky-blue princess knelt down, tending to her sister the best she could.

“I'm so glad you awoke. I was afraid what I would do without you.”

“Luna?” the weary unicorn groaned, struggling to open her eyes.

“Shh, shh. Take your time, sister.”

“Luna, you-” As the world slowly shifted into focus, the young mare's eyes widened, now able to properly distinguish the dark blur leaning over her. “You're—!”

“I'm fine, do not worry about me,” she insisted, despite still being weary from her own escape.

“No, you're— you're—!”

Luna assisted her struggling sister to stand, somewhat concerned by the look she was giving her. “What?”

“Y—You're an alicorn!” Her mouth was agape, backing off just far enough to point a trembling hoof towards her sister's flank.

“What?” Dumbfounded, Luna looked over her shoulder to find something pressed against her back. She naturally spread her new wings in panic at what they could be, causing her to tumble over in shock and attempt to scurry away from her own plumage. Momentarily rolling around on the ground while trying to escape the foreign entity clinging to her back, she caught sight of her rump and froze, wide-eyed. “Wha- C-Cutie mark?! I- I have a cutie mark!” She shrieked in excitement, now flailing her limbs joyously on the chequered floor.

“How— W-What happened?” Celestia mumbled in shock, still trying to come to terms with the world around her. She cast a cautiously hopeful look back at her own flank, but it remained as blank as she was wingless.

“This is incredible!” the new alicorn gushed, for once thinking more about herself than her sister. “It must have been the dream! My cutie mark must be in dreaming! What does that even mean?” she beamed, not actually caring about the greater meaning behind her mark right now.

“What dream? What happened to us?” The elder sister grimaced, putting a hoof to her temple as she felt a headache coming on.

“You don't remember?” Still smiling, the new Princess of Dreams arose and dusted the sand off her shoulders, wanting to listen to her sister, though still greatly preoccupied by her new acquisitions. “We were sleeping. Discord must have turned us to stone when we attacked, but I woke us up—I came into your dream and woke you up! Isn't that cool?” Having practised spreading her new wings a few times, she turned to face her sister properly, beaming with pride.

“No, I don't remember.” Mildly frustrated at everything around her, she turned to look at the two stone bases beside her, starkly devoid of any statues they might have once held aloft. Had they really been turned to stone? For how long? And where was Starswirl?

“I wonder where Uncle Starswirl is,” Luna asked aloud, seemingly sharing the thought. “I must show him my new cutie mark! And wings! And cutie mark! And wings!” She pranced excitedly on the spot again, having waited twelve long years for this moment.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” her sister replied, continuing in a mumble, “some of it, anyway.”

Ignoring Luna's giddiness, Celestia squinted at the sun and moon overhead, then at the surrounding landscape. “Where are we, anyway?”

Luna paused her excitement for a moment to think and reply. “Well, Uncle Starswirl did ask to be taken to 'the middle of nowhere'… Do you think we're still in Equestria?”

“I… think so? If Discord has been living in our palace, then he's likely only seen the Equestrian map. He doesn't seem much like the literary type.”

The elder princess began to trot across the unnatural flooring beneath their hooves, hoping to get a better look at the natural geometry of the area, followed unquestioningly by her sister. Reaching the edge of the pied corruption, Celestia stamped at the natural, cracked earth of the area to test its composition.

“Well, it's not just sand, so that rules out the Arid Sea, and we're not surrounded by mountains, so it's not the Badlands. Assuming we're still in Equestria, I'd say we're in the San Palomino Desert.”

“And what does that mean for us?”

“It means that we truly are in the middle of nowhere.” She turned back to her younger sister, neutral in the face of adversity.

“Perhaps I could fly us to a village?” the newly fledged alicorn grinned, flexing her wings despite having no idea how to use them.

“No.” The last thing she needed right now was her ineptitude paraded in front of their subjects, assuming they could even find civilisation in the first place. Sure, there should be a coastline west of here, which they could follow back down to South Sea Post—what little good that would do them—but with the sun and moon frozen in place, there was no way to determine the cardinal directions, let alone the risks of traversing a desert with no supplies. The two pondered in silence for a moment before she continued. “The first rule of wilderness survival is to get your bearings,” she quoted from one of the more useful myriad books she had memorised, before raising her hoof skyward. “But-”

Luna looked up, squinting behind the shadow of her foreleg. “I don't suppose you remember the direction it last rose from?” she asked jokingly, having never seen the sky any other way but in her dreams.

Celestia grumbled in response, surveying the horizon in hopes of spotting a landmark.

“Desert, desert, everywhere; and not a drop to drink,” the younger sister mused.

“That's not how that goes.”

“So, what, do we just pick a direction and go?”

“Don't be ridiculous. Without a plan we'd definitely starve or dehydrate before ever leaving the desert, assuming a Tatzlwurm doesn't find us first.”

“T-Tatzlwurm?” The alicorn's ears perked up. “But- that's just a monster in Summer Twinkle, right? Y-You're just trying to scare me.”

“Nope, it was in Starswirl's bestiary. They love dry terrain, and can hear the heartbeats of scared fillies through the ground.” She smiled to herself, only lying about that last part. It's not like any of the creatures listed in that dumb old book were real—as if something like a 'bug-bear' actually existed.

“Sh-Shut up! They do not!” Luna reflexively lifted two of her hooves off the ground, anxiously looking around for signs of underground movement. “L-Let's go already. If we stand around here all day, we're no better off than when we were statues.”

“There.” Celestia pointed to a green haze in the distance, having almost made a full circle while scanning the horizon.

Her sister squinted, barely able to discern a difference with the heat's water-like distortion. “What if it's a mirage?”

It was a valid question, but one she didn't have an answer to. “Only one way to find out.”

With a determined stride, the unicorn made her way down the remaining length of the corruption and began their long trek through the scorching wastes, her sister not far behind.

Time began to lose meaning as they dragged their hooves across the barren landscape, pushing small mounds of sand apart in their wake while brittle platelets of earth cracked under their weight. Luna wiped yet another browful of sweat across her foreleg as she marched on, a short distance behind her sister, who appeared to be flagging under the heat even worse than her.

“Do- Do you think that Uncle Starswirl came this way?”

Celestia grunted. “Why do you keep calling him that? You know he isn't really your uncle, right?”

“Well- Well yes, I know that… But he raised us! Doesn't that make him family?”

The elder princess snorted, her head now parallel with her body, seeming about ready to collapse. “Family. Would family leave you in the middle of a desert? Would family lock you up your entire life, taunting you with books celebrating the outside world?”

“Sister! That's not fair, Un- Starswirl did not do these things out of spite or by choice. I'm sure he did not leave us here by his own free will.”

“Choice? He had a choice- He chose- Did this to us-” Celestia fell forward, hitting the ground face-first.

“Sister!” Luna rushed forward, stumbling under her own exhaustion. Rolling the white unicorn on her side, she cradled Celestia's head under her shadow. “Sister, we can do this, do not give up!”

The pink-maned mare slowly opened her eyes, though her gaze was unfocused and her panting rapid and raspy.

“Please, Sister, you cannot give up! I know we can do this; we must!”

Her brow furrowed with concern, Luna suddenly had the idea to use her new plumage as a fan. Mustering what little magic she could, she began to beat her wings, cooling the shaded air with a spell she had only used before to ice her drinks. A few draining minutes later, Celestia's eyes began to focus on her sister's face, attempting to swallow despite its dryness. With a sigh of relief, Luna helped her sister to her hooves, her wings falling weak by her sides.

“Thank you,” she wheezed, still somewhat delirious, but at least conscious.

“I, too, am finding it hard to breathe in these conditions. I wish you would have told me sooner. As your sister, I'm here to share your burden.”

“I'm the older sister,” she replied with difficulty, looking toward the hazy line of green ahead of them. It was still far, but definitely closer than it was before. It couldn't still be a mirage at this point, surely? “It's my job to look after you. Even if I don't make it-”

“Don't say that! We will both make it, I know we will!”

“Luna-”

“Starswirl's magic bubble, for leaving the house- That helped you breathe, right?”

“Yes, but-” She stopped, actually considering the suggestion for a moment. It was no water spell, but improved oxygen intake could bolster their stamina in this situation. They would die out here if they did nothing, so while expending magic might tire them faster, better circulation could help them keep a better pace and potentially get out of this heat quicker. “That's- That's actually a good idea.” She closed her eyes, focusing on the wisp of magic that remained in her horn, and cast the spell, creating a blurry halo around her head. Already she felt like she could take a deep breath for the first time in hours. “Do you know the spell?”

“No, but, I'll be fine,” she smiled weakly. Maybe it was her smaller stature or slightly darker coat, but she did seem to be lasting longer than her sister, if only slightly. She would be fine; she had to be—she refused to be a burden, especially now that she had become an alicorn.

“Ok… But let me know if things get worse; I can try to cast the spell on us both. But, until then, let's try not to talk, it will only exhaust us faster.”

“Yes, Sister.”

Despite the unnatural duality of the sky, the desert remained as stiflingly hot and draining as one would imagine, with the occasional breeze somehow managing to blow even warmer air at them. It was hard to say how much time had passed at this point, surrounded by an endless sea of beige, broken only by the odd hoodoo or butte in the far distance. With their tongues dry and hooves chipped, the wall of green ahead had finally grown large enough to not be dismissed as a mere illusion, though its existence remained just as unbelievable. There was an almost sheer divide between the arid wasteland behind them and the lush, tropical jungle before them—brimming with palm trees, vines, and exotic succulents. The sisters might have pondered on the magic behind such an occurrence, were they not so blinded by dehydration and exhaustion. Only one thing mattered to them, and that was where there were plants, there was water. Gaining a second-wind from the promise of that cooling nectar of the earth, the two picked up their pace for the final stretch, stumbling toward the verdant wall with almost manic fervour.

The first step from dusty rock to soft grass was almost enough to throw them off balance, while the sudden shock of shade gifted to them by the canopy almost took their breath away. Too desperate to hold out for a body of water, the two dropped to their knees and began devouring the nearby flora, sucking the juices from nearby aloe-vera-like plants. Panting, both ponies eventually rolled onto their backs, basking in the generosity of Mother Nature and the brief respite from their suffering. Neither had intended to fall asleep right there on the jungle floor, but the moment their hooves had been released from the burden of their weight, their fates were sealed.

“¿Tlein chiua tinemili Cihuātlahtoāni Chicomecōātl chiuas ika inin ome? (What do you think Queen hicomecōātl will do with these two?)” an unfamiliar voice spoke in an unfamiliar language; though it was not the question that woke Celestia, but her head being dragged over an errant stone.

“Noyuuankeh pitztic nik kichiua ilhuilti tlamanalistin. Iuil liketika kaua intin nik popoyotia iko in tetlallancaltzacualoyan uikpa panahuia ipan toland, (They are too lean to make worthy sacrifices. She will likely leave them to rot in the dungeon for trespassing on our land,)” another replied—a mere string of hisses and tuts to the Princess's untrained ears.

“What are you doing?” she groaned, met with a brief pause in their movement and a sudden kick to the face.

Chapter 16: Temple of the Golden Sun

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Celestia groaned, her head throbbing as she roused from her stupor.

“Oh thank the Six, you're alright!” Luna rushed to her sister's side to cradle her head, slowed by her shackles. “I was so worried you would never wake up!”

As tears welled in the alicorn's eyes, Celestia strained to sit up, barely able to hear over the rhythmic pounding in her ears. Whoever had gifted her with that merciless kick to the face was probably the same one who had left them here; but where was here, exactly? She swept the room with one eye, seeing nothing but shadow and dark-purple blocks lining the walls, illuminated from a single circular hole high above them. If they had been thrown into this pit, it was a miracle they hadn't broken their necks on impact—not that such a thing was a concern of their captors, she was sure.

“Where are we?” she asked, already knowing the response.

“I have no idea. I awoke just as we were being thrown in here by two ponies. I managed to soften our fall, but when you wouldn't wake up, I was so- so-” She sniffed, trying to hold back the tears as her whole body trembled.

Celestia turned—migraine still in full effect—to embrace her sister tightly. The two had often been at each others' throats while living together, stifled by monotony and confinement, but they were still sisters, and they still loved each other deeply, even if it wasn't said aloud as often as it should.

“It's okay, we'll get out of here,” she cooed over her sister's shoulder.

“I know, I was just so-” she sniffed again “-so scared without you.”

“You'll never be without me, Luna. Even if I leave for a bit, I always return, don't I?”

Able to see behind her younger sister as she nodded, Celestia spotted the heavy ball and chain attached to her rear ankle. “Did they put that on you?”

Releasing the embrace, Luna looked back at the weight, wiping her eyes. “Must have. I guess because of my wings.”

Celestia looked down at her own unburdened hooves, concurring. “Let's get out of here.”

Both sisters stood, followed by a blast of yellow magic that shattered the crude, iron anklet with minimal effort. Clearly whoever these ruffians were had little experience with even basic unicorn magic, let alone that of a princess. Looking around, there seemed to be only one way out of this pit: the singular hole above that they had entered though. Swallowing her pride, Celestia knew what had to be done.

“Could you-” She paused, sighing. “Could you fly us out of here? I don't want to teleport with this headache.”

“Are- Are you sure? I... don't even know if I can. I've never tried before.” She looked back and unfurled her wings, having not yet considered their practicality. Flying in real life would be very different than in her dreams, and she was being expected to carry the weight of another, larger pony on her maiden voyage?

“Well, you've got time to practice.” The pink-maned pony gently slid back to the floor, closing her eyes to ease the pain. “I doubt they'll be checking in on us.”

“W- What if I take too long and they lock us in here?”

“Magic, Luna. We have magic.”

“R-Right.” She swallowed, looking back at her wings once more, giving them a tentative flap. This couldn't be too hard, right? Pegasus foals learn to fly from a very young age, according to that old book Celestia had brought back from one of her expeditions, so she should be able to pick it up quickly. She wasn't a filly anymore; plus she was a Princess, and an alicorn! She could do this!

An hour or so passed as Luna repeatedly attempted to gain some altitude beneath her wings, kicking up plumes of dust and dirt with every beat. As the elder sister's headache gradually subsided, hunger pangs began to replace their concerns, having barely satiated themselves in the jungle before being thrown in here.

“No, you're not flapping both wings in unison,” Celestia scolded, her legs crossed on the cold stone floor. “Your right wing is a few degrees off every time.”

“Just wait until you have to learn to use new limbs, and we'll see how well you do,” Luna growled back, attempting to compensate based on the advice. After a few more beats, she gave up, dropping to her backside as she took her first break since startling. “It's impossible! It's like I'm too heavy. Maybe there's not enough air down here?”

“I'm not sure it works that way—but I've not actually read any books on pegasus aerodynamics, only the core concept, so...” She sighed, stretching out her aching legs as she rose to her hooves. “How about I lift you with my magic, just so we can get an idea of where we are, to begin with.”

Luna snorted, feeling as though her failure was assumed. “I suppose. Can you just... give me a minute?”

“Come on, all you've been doing is waving your feathers about. You won't even be doing most of the work here.”

Luna groaned, rolling her eyes and she forced herself back up. Celestia's golden aura spread across the alicorn's outstretched wings, behaving almost as an updraught. With a few flaps she finally found herself in the air, albeit flailing and spinning uncontrollably, panic-galloping as if to find some traction.

“Luna! Stop moving so much, you're making this harder!”

“S-Sorry. I'm not used to being off the ground, at least not while awake.”

Taking a few deep breaths, the younger sister calmed her appendages and focused on the source of light in the ceiling, beating her wings more like boat paddles than actual flying to reach her goal. With a few broad strokes, her small, horned head popped from the lip of the pit to scout the foreign area above. It was an entirely unadorned room, bar from two primitive wooden sconces on either wall, lighting the surrounding sandstone blocks with a twitching flame. To her right was a trapezoid archway leading to a hallway, while to her left stood three-or-so metal-barred cells laid into the wall. No doubt about it, this was a prison, or worse, a dungeon. Swallowing her fear, though grateful there had been nopony here to greet her, Luna pushed herself back into the pit with her wings, fumbling for a moment before securing all four hooves on the ground.

“So?”

“Well, it's indeed as bad as we thought. I didn't see any guards, though.” She rubbed her foreleg insecurely, almost feeling safer in the unlit pit.

“Do you think you can carry me up now? I'll use my magic again—it's safer than risking a blind teleport.”

“I can try.”

The sisters awkwardly grappled for a moment, trying to find the best position for the manoeuvre. With the sisters' forelegs intertwined and an aura of magic enveloping Luna's wings again, the alicorn pushed off from the hard floor, forced to fight harder against gravity this time. With the mutually strained effort of Celestia's magic and Luna's flailing, the two slowly rose to the ceiling and breached the aperture, shifting over just enough to collapse safely beside the edge.

“That was certainly nothing like my dreams,” the young alicorn panted.

“If I thought something like this could happen, I would have practised levitating myself back at home.” The elder sister stood, brushing the dirt off her legs before looking around at their spartan surroundings. “I suppose it was good timing that you got those things.”

Luna pushed herself up, still exhausted from all the forced flying practice. “You could at least pretend to be happy for me. You know you'll get your own, too.”

The unicorn sneered as both snuck to the sides of the archway, peering around the corners to check for guards.

“Why do you think they foalnapped us?” Luna whispered, wary of being spotted.

“No clue. I doubt they know who we are, so it's unlikely we were targeted—even if they did, it's not like there's nopony left to ransom us to.”

“Ransom?!”

“Well we are princesses, that's just what ponies do,” Celestia stated matter-of-factly, lowering her voice further. “In books, at least.”

The sisters slid back inside the room, confident that they had a few minutes to recoup before continuing on, slumping against the inside walls of the doorway. Finally able to observe Luna in the comparatively well-lit room, Celestia snuck a peek at her sister's new alicorn form, no longer blinded by thirst or jealousy. Her wings were indeed impressive, even if she didn't know how to use them yet, but that cutie mark...

“What even is that?”

“W-What?” Luna turned to find her sister staring at her flank, causing her cheeks to redden.

“Your cutie mark. It's- It's just a splodge.”

Luna twisted to look at her recently marked flank, having been so blinded by the excitement of getting anything that she hadn't really taken in what it was. Despite the nearby torchlight directly illuminating her side, it was still difficult to make out her own mark's shape. Rather than the clean and identifiable images shown in the 'Getting to Know Your Body' book she had once read, her cutie mark looked more like she had sat in a puddle of ink.

“I- I don't know. What is it?”

“Whatever, we'll figure it out later. We should focus on getting out of here first.”

“Right...”

Growing up in a time-bubble with her mentor, Luna had been raised with the singular aim to fulfil her purpose in life: become an alicorn, receive her cutie mark, and save Equestria from Discord's tyranny. Yet here she sat with two-thirds of that journey already complete, feeling less fulfilled than she had before achieving anything. She had wings that didn't work, a cutie mark that didn't mean anything, and had lost the hope that came with an exciting and unknown future. Still, her sister was right; they had to focus on getting out of this situation and saving everypony else before she had time to think about herself.

“Do you know where we are?” she continued after her moment of thought.

“No, but if we were dragged here, we can't be too far from the desert. It's strange, but something about this place seems familiar, like I have an idea of what to expect.”

“Why would this be familiar to you?” Luna asked, before taking a snider tone. “Was it in a Summer Twinkle book?”

Celestia's eyes widened, thinking back to her favourite book of the series, 'The Temple of the Golden Sun'. Without speaking a word, she took to her hooves and breached the archway, leaving Luna to desperately scrabble after her. Barely taking the time to check both directions for guards, the white unicorn had already rounded the right corner and was trotting down the featureless, sandstone hallway with an unnerving confidence.

“Where are you going?!” her sister hissed from behind.

“I've got a hunch.”

After a short period of walking, the passageway hit a left-turn and opened into an open, circular room lined with seven large monoscenic carvings. The panels depicted a variety of feats or legends, some repeated, surrounding a small pool in the centre of the room, within which sat a content baby-crocodile-looking creature. Compared to the prison and its surrounding corridors, this room was lavishly ornate, brimming with colour and gold inlay.

“Incredible...” Celestia whispered.

“Wow. It's beautiful!”

“No, this- this is just like one of the rooms in the story!”

“What?” Luna asked dryly, not believing where this was going.

“In 'Summer Twinkle and The Temple of the Golden Sun'. This is just like the treasure room where the Seven-Sided Chest of Chicomoztoc was supposed to be!”

“I... think you might have hit your head harder than we thought. Summer Twinkle is a fictional character—you sound insane right now.”

“No way. The architecture, the angular designs, the language he spoke...” The elder sister moved further into the room to absorb its ancient art. “It has to be the Azteca tribe, it has to be. Everything is just how I imagined it!”

“No, this is nuts! Are you saying that Summer Twinkle is real? They're just books!”

Seeming to be ignored by her sister, Luna reluctantly ventured further into the glistening room, drawn to one relief in particular. The stone panel towered over her, at least twice her height, featuring a lone mare with wings and a horn rearing up against a backdrop of stars. Something about this image stirred a coldness within her, conjuring unfamiliar and unsettling feelings, like the half-forgotten memory of a dream—which was strange, because she usually remembered her dreams with as much clarity as the waking world. Perhaps she was simply remembering the same book as her sister...

“I have left my mark on you.”

“What?” Luna turned to her sister, a little startled at how close the voice was.

“What?” Celestia looked back, standing almost on the other side of the room.

“I... thought you said something.”

“Nope.” She turned back to the carving of a pegasus and griffon appearing to duel in mid-air. As a novel, it had seemed like an obvious allusion to the Great Griffon War, which had occurred not long before its publication, but as a real-life carving... This temple was way older than the war, maybe even older than Canterlot, so what did this image mean? Was it... prophetic?

“I- I don't like it in here. Let's head back.” Luna had already begun to back out of the room, keeping a wary eye on the engraved alicorn.

“I suppose we shouldn't waste too much time... Shame, I would love to learn more about these ponies—you know, if they weren't trying to kill us or whatever.” The elder unicorn sighed, circling back to the entrance. “Oh hey, this one kinda looks like you.”

“N-No it doesn't.”

Celestia chuckled, passing her jittery sister. Re-entering the corridor and reaching the turn back to the prison, Celestia held out her leg as she heard hooves from the other end, backing up behind the corner. Perhaps guards were coming to check on them after all?

“Ika achihton nacayotia ako, ma iuh kichiua ilhuilti tlamanalistin nik Cihuātlahtoāni,” one voice echoed down the corridor.

“What are they saying?” Luna whispered.

“Why would I know? I don't speak Aztecan,” she hissed back, daring to peek around the edge while silently cursing Starswirl for not having a dictionary on this long-dead language in his collection.

Two tribal-looking terrans casually made their way down the corridor and into the prison room, each carrying a bundle wrapped in leaves under one leg, and a spear in the other. Barely ten seconds later they re-emerged without the parcels, seeming to continue on with their routine and unaware of the escaped prisoners.

“¿Yeika, kampa kateh tiyaotlapia axkan?” the same one asked as they retraced their steps.

“Nomokuepa nik tlatlacualtia in Cipactli. Amo ouel nikimama omeixtin tlapalolli sepa, manel, yeika nicencui kuitlapanpan nik in petlacalco,” the other replied as they rounded the furthest corner.

“Okay, they're gone. I think they might have actually dropped food into the hole for us.”

“Really? Maybe they're not so bad after all,” Luna mused.

Taking a moment to shoot her sister a glare, Celestia led the pair back down the hall and dipped back into the cell room.

“What are we doing back in here?” the younger sister hissed.

“I'm hungry, aren't you? Might as well make use of the meals they provided.”

Walking over to the rim of the pit, the unicorn squinted into the darkness, barely able to make out the two green packages in the cast light. Closing her eyes, she teleported both parcels back up to their level with a flash of magic. Though crude in design, each appeared to be two bent palm leaves held together with thin vines, the corners of which revealed various berries and flora within.

“What if they poisoned it?!”

“They already had us in custody—poisoning wouldn't make sense. If they wanted us dead, they would have left us to starve, or not bring us back at all.”

Luna gulped, somewhat upset by the incredible spike in danger their lives had taken.

“Come on, eat up.” Celestia kicked a parcel over to her sister before sitting down to bite the twine on her own.

Reluctantly, Luna mirrored her sister, though ultimately enjoyed the package of fruits and veggies. Compared to the bland taste of hay, oats, and mushrooms back at their house, this was a relatively exotic platter. Leaving nothing but the tough vines behind, the two shared a brief respite before returning to the archway, checking that the immediate path was clear before continuing on to the left. After a few turns, crossroads, and passing several utilitarian rooms, the pair arrived at yet another identical crossroad within this seemingly endless temple of beige slabs.

“Now where?” Luna moaned, her hooves already aching from walking on the unforgiving stone slabs.

“I don't know,” her sister snapped back in a hushed voice. “It's not like the book had a schematic of the entire temple!”

The hoofsteps of another patrol echoed down the passage to the right, prompting the pair to back up around the corner again.

“¿Ayi tihualneci in patolli tlachtli in yalhua? In iluikako tlatkitl okatkah huelmanca,” a new voice asked, female this time.

“Kem, manel netlatlaniliztli notlaolli tlalpan tlatkitl,” their partner groaned as they passed the turning.

“We've been lucky not to run into any of them so far,” the elder sister whispered, turning back from peering around the corner to see a lone guard staring right at them from the path ahead—his approach seemingly masked by the noise of the others. The two stared at one another in confused silence for a brief moment.

“¡Nahuallachiani!” the bewildered guard screamed, obviously alerting others to their presence as she bore her spear.

“Run!” Celestia yelled, tensing every muscle in her body.

“Where?!”

“I don't know!”

As the olive-hued Azteca galloped towards them, spear aimed forward, Celestia darted down the right passageway, hoping there was an exit in the direction the other guards had come from, quickly followed by Luna and the irate mare behind them. Reaching the T-junction, Celestia turned the corner just as the previous guards returned upon hearing the alert, leaving them startled just long enough for Luna to pass before they also joined the hunt. Galloping as fast as their legs could carry them, the elder sister noticed that the walls around them were no longer as barren as those by the prison, instead now lined with a green, geometric snake-like design—a sure sign that they were heading towards a more important area, and hopefully the exit. The Princesses galloped on, passing multiple turnings and rooms, followed by an increasing retinue of angry Aztecas, yelling and throwing the occasional spear, some of which hit the shield-bubble Luna had cast around herself. With all the kerfuffle they were causing, more tribesponies were appearing ahead of them, readying to intercept the duo, which Celestia had to disable with a swift blast of her horn. Surely this couldn't last much longer, could it? How big was this temple?!

Finally, after minutes of running for their lives and deflecting attacks, the corridor ended at a large archway and led into a huge, ornately decorated hall. Breaching the new area, Celestia was forced to skid to a halt as a semi-circle of armed guards blocked their progress into the corridor ahead, causing Luna to ram into her sister's backside as the two came to a stop. Their exhausted pursuers staggered into the grand hall after them, finishing the circle that now blocked their retreat.

“Now what?!” Luna yelped, surrounded by encroaching assailants.

Celestia looked around the room they now found themselves in, trying to formulate a plan of action. Its ceiling was over four times the height of the hallways they had just come from, and its length was of equal scale, with slanted walls featuring more painted carvings and gold inlay, further accentuating its grand scale. However, unlike the simple and repeated depictions they had just seen in the treasure room, these designs featured grand battles, scenes of worship, and seemed to suggest a narrative along the full length of the vast hall. Though foreign, something about this imagery jogged faint memories of Canterlot Palace from her foalhood; the sense of awe she felt from the staggering height and length of her father's throne room, painted all the colours of the rainbow by the rows of stained glass windows on either side, each depicting moments of their nation's history. That could surely only mean one thing...

Turning to her left, Celestia spotted what she had feared: a grand throne some forty hooves away, positioned high atop its own miniature pyramid—likely matching the facade of this one—and requiring its own set of stairs to reach the solid-stone chair upon which sat an ornately dressed green terran. She looked down upon them with a cold indifference that immediately reminded Celestia of the darker days around her father. Of all the places they could have ended up, of course it would be directly in front of the Azteca leader, the most guarded spot in the temple.

“We need to get out of here, now,” Celestia warned in a hushed voice, her tone deathly serious.

“¿Tleka pia otianilitia inin zanhuitz achto neuatl?” the throned mare asked calmly, her voice as rich as honey and as smooth as butter, amplified from her high position by design.

One of the larger guards with intricate facial designs approached the throne and took a knee. “Tlatlacolquixtia, Cihuātlahtoāni Chicomecōātl. Titlatlacoakeh in huecatlaca nichololistli in tetlallancaltzacualoyan. Cazamo amo panoa oksepa.”

“Look- We don't want any trouble,” Celestia pled to the throned mare, not knowing what else to do. “My sister and I simply sought refuge in your forest from the harshness of the desert. We meant no disrespect-”

“And yet here you are; in my jungle, in my temple,” the Azteca leader replied, to the sisters' shock. She stood from her seat, waiting as two of her followers brought up a large gold plate on their backs, which she mounted and rode down to ground level.

“She speaks Ponish?” Luna hissed, cowering behind her sister's taller form.

“You are not of this place,” the leader continued, still standing upon the backs of her servants as they brought her closer, looming over the circle of her guards that surrounded the sisters. “Tell me: who sent you?”

“'Sent us'? N-Nopony sent us,” the elder Princess begged. “We were teleported into the desert against our will, and only barely made it your realm for the food and water that we desperately needed to live! The next thing we knew, your guards had-”

“A likely story,” she snapped. Despite her silken voice, her slightest breath seemed to command the attention of all around her, even outsiders. As her unusual transport arrived at the circle of ponies, more of her features became visible to the sisters, most noticeably her piercing blue eyes and their serpent-like slits. “Like all outsiders, you seek to steal my bounty.”

“No! We...” Celestia trailed off, not wanting to reveal their true identities as it would surely paint a greater target on their heads, but unsure of how else to convince this powerful matriarch of their honest intentions.

“Your only value was as tribute—given the proper plumping—but now you have forfeited that honour. You shall fall here to my guards' spears and become food for my pets.” Her face remained dispassionate; those bright, blue eyes as cold and uncaring as ice-water. “¡Quitlapialli!”

The guards surrounding the sisters tightened their circle, the tips of their spears drawing dangerously close.

“Not so fast, Chicomecōātl!” a new voice rang out from the opposite end of the hall, its source silhouetted by light from what must be the entrance to the temple.

“That voice-” the Azteca Queen scowled, showing the first hint of emotion since their arrival. “So, you return to defile my sacred grounds once again, ichtequini.”

“The only thing defiling these grounds is your barbaric ways, Serpent Queen.” The unknown addresser approached, drawing the aim of the closer guards. “I think I've got something of yours.”

Now further into the torchlight of the throne room, Celestia's eyes widened as the figure drew closer, revealing her features. She was a middle-aged unicorn with a sandy coat and golden hair, wearing the explorer's uniform and pith helmet that made Summer Twinkle's character instantly recognisable. It- It couldn't be, surely? As the Princesses' jaws dropped, the unlikely arrival turned her head, pulling a small object from her saddlebag with sparkling green magic.

“The Seven-Sided Chest!” the Queen hissed. “You dare return only to flaunt what you have stolen?”

“Stole back, actually.” The unicorn took another step closer, now easily within distance of the closest spears. “I'm here to put it back where it belongs, so let those fillies go.”

“I knew they were your spies. You invade my land and demand my lenience? I shall make an example of both you and your conspirators!”

“We're-”

“I had a feeling you might say that,” the beige unicorn spoke over Celestia, tipping her helmet with a smirk. “Catch!” With a flick of her jade magic, she flung the small box into the air, drawing the horrified attention of all in the room.

“¡In kalotl!” the Aztecan ruler yelped in her native tongue.

With the guards thoroughly distracted, she scooped up nearby flecks of sand with her magic and threw it at the nearest spearponies, blinding them as she re-caught the box and made a dash for the archway the Princesses had emerged from.

“¡Nokpiliua itl!” the Queen screamed as a stampede of guards followed after the fleeing unicorn.

Sensing that this was the best opportunity they would get to escape, Celestia tapped her sister's shoulder and gestured to the illuminated entranceway. With a sudden burst of speed, the two broke through the few remaining guards and galloped for where the mysterious stranger had emerged. It took a few moments for the stunned guards to remember what their job was in all the commotion, but eventually gave chase to the escaping Princesses. Breaching the threshold, the sisters found themselves in yet another hallway like the ones before, though this one was even more lavishly decorated, meaning it had to be important, like a thoroughfare! However, something about this scene triggered a memory in the elder sister, and she brought the pair back to a screeching halt just inside the archway.

“What?” Luna snapped, trotting desperately on the spot as she looked back at the rapidly approaching spearponies.

“This room, it's-” She frowned, thinking for a moment before turning and casting a barrier spell across the entrance.

Seemingly unfamiliar with unicorn magic, the first two guards of the pack galloped directly into the translucent, yet very solid barrier, knocking themselves out as the rest skidded to a halt behind them. Turning back to the ornate hallway, Celestia raised a hoof to her chin.

“I think I remember this passage from the book. We need to be careful not to step on the wrong stones.”

Luna let out a high-pitched, panicked whine. “And- And- What even was that just now? It can't have been-”

“Look, I don't know, okay? Let's just get out of this first and think later.” The white unicorn tapped her head, trying to recall how Summer Twinkle had evaded this trap in the book. They didn't have time to tap for hollow cobbles as the guards were already whittling down her weak barrier with their spears, she just had to remember which stones were bad from the book and reverse it—an impossible task for a lesser pony, but she had grown up on these books, to the point of reciting entire stories from memory.

“Tiaaa!” Luna pleaded, still prancing on the spot.

It had been a long time since she'd heard that nickname. But never mind that; focus. This was her favourite book, she just had to remember. It had something to do with the depictions on the walls, something that the tribesponies would instinctively know. Now how did it go... Left, left... middle, right, middle, right; so, right, middle, right...

Swallowing, Celestia stepped forward with Luna hesitantly in tow, knowing there was little room for error with her barrier so close to breaking. Barely any time passed before they were on the other side of the trap, though each step had felt like a life-or-death gamble. The elder sister wiped her brow, relieved that her foalhood obsession had finally bore fruit. She had no idea what the trap would have triggered, as Summer Twinkle hadn't set it off either, but she knew that she didn't want to find out. Now relatively safe, the two broke back into a gallop and continued forward, up the stone staircase ahead of them and into yet another corridor. Unlike the lie of the previous room, this one did in fact lead to the outside world, as sunlight poured in through the final archway at the far end. The Princesses picked up speed at the promise of freedom, approaching it faster than their eyes could adjust after seeing by torchlight for so long. Slowing as they approached the open doorway, the fillies shielded their eyes as they arrived at the temple's outer staircase, looking down to find the only path leading directly into a large lake with impassable canyon walls on either side.

“Now what?” Luna wailed, her legs trembling.

“I- I don't know. The book didn't describe every little thing; it skipped over how she got from that ridge to here.”

The pair spent a minute desperately looking around for a loose vine or secret exit, unsure of how to proceed, when a sudden grinding of stone-on-stone echoed out from behind them. Spinning around to take defensive postures, to their surprise it was the mysterious pony from before that approached them, having apparently arrived from a hidden passage in the wall.

“You made it out during the hubbub, good!” she smiled, though her expression turned to confusion as the sisters once again began to gawp at her. “Is... something wrong?”

“You... You-” the blue Princess stammered.

“Are you really... Summer Twinkle?” Celestia's voice broke while asking, which hadn't happened in a long while.

“Guilty. Look, this isn't exactly the time or place-”

“But- But she's just a book!” Luna exclaimed, her eyes darting between the two unicorns.

“Well, clearly not. I'm no less real than you-” The explorer stopped, now properly noticing the alicorn's wings and horn for the first time. “You- Y- You're an alicorn?”

“Yeah, but you're Summer Twinkle!” Celestia interrupted. “This is incredible! I thought the stories were fiction! But you- You're real! Are- Are all the books real too?!”

“Yes, more or less. Adventuring doesn't really pay for itself, so I had to make a little on the side to keep going.”

“So you really did adventure to the bottom of the sea like in 'Summer Twinkle and the Temple of the Nautilus'?!”

“Yup, though the underwater terrors were a little exaggerated. Not much more than large salmon down there.”

“And you really did defeat the wood-witch Gloriosa like in 'Summer Twinkle and The Evergrowing Woods'?!”

“Yes, though it was more of a mutual retreat.”

“And you really did escape from the Temple of Chicomoztec in 'Summer Twinkle and the Temple of the Golden Sun'?!”

“I mean...” she gestured around her, steadily losing patience with this line of questioning.

“So is it true that in 'Summer Twinkle and the-'”

“Ok, look, we really don't have time for this-” Summer Twinkle snapped, before herself being interrupted by the sound of hooves behind her. “Great, we're out of time.”

As guards began to appear over the lip of the staircase at the end of the hall, the explorer turned, picking up a small loose stone with her magic. “I would rather not resort to this—I hate to disturb archaeological locations.”

As the spearponies approached, followed closely by a giant, serpent-like creature obscured within the far shadows, Summer Twinkle tossed the rock a few hooves into the hallway, hitting a hollow paving slab that depressed under the light impact. With a guttural grinding and dislodging of dirt, a thick stone slab dropped from the ceiling, blocking off the entire passage and trapping the guards behind it.

Celestia swallowed. “I... didn't know that was there.”

“I wasn't sure either,” the sandy mare stated nonchalantly, facing the duo once more. “Just a hunch. Now, can we please leave? I'd rather not have to deal with Queen Chicomecōātl in this form again.”

“What 'form'?”

“Right, I had to cut it from the book—too scary. Let's just say that you don't want to find out.” She passed between the two sisters, who parted as though she were the royalty, and began to descend the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Luna called down as she watched the mare approach the water.

“It's solid, just below the surface. Come on.”

The Princesses looked at each other before looking back at the stone slab, which was already beginning to rumble from the efforts of those behind it. Preferring a wet coat over a spear, the two followed after the storybook hero, pausing for a second to watch as she stepped out onto the water's surface and continued trotting, then following suit. It wasn't long before the group were back in the lush Aztecan jungle, tucked away from any patrols Sunny had spotted on the way in.

Stopping and turning to the sisters suddenly, she hissed: “What in Equestria were you two doing in there?!”

The pair found themselves speechless, looking at one another as though they were foals being scolded by Starswirl for some minor misdeed.

“It's not like we wanted to be there,” Celestia explained.

“We had to walk through the desert for hours, and after passing out in the forest, we were taken inside,” Luna continued.

“And how—by Elysium's blue hills—did you end up in the middle of the desert?!”

“That's a long story,” the elder sister huffed. “We can thank Discord for that.”

“D- 'Discord'? Are you telling me that you met Discord face-to-face and survived?”

“For all the good it did us, almost getting eaten by these ponies.”

“They were going to eat us?!” Luna screamed in a hushed voice.

“Incredible! In all these years, I've not heard of a single pony to survive an encounter with him, let alone two.” She stroked her chin, looking the alicorn over. “But you're no regular ponies, are you.”

“No, we are Princesses,” Celestia stated forcefully, taking a step closer to her sister and back into Summer's line of sight.

“'Princesses'?” Summer Twinkle's eyes bulged, darting between the two. “Yes, I suppose that does explain the wings and horn. It didn't feel like a simple illusion or one of Discord's tricks-” She cleared her throat before hurriedly taking a knee. “Uh, Your Majesties.”

Looking around in embarrassment, despite there being no one to see, Celestia earnestly ushered the adventurer back to her hooves. “No, no, no, it's nothing like that. I mean, it is, but please don't do that.”

“So, you must be Princess Celestia, then,” she asked in awe, addressing the alicorn, which Luna found incredibly funny.

“No! Me! That's I! I mean- I'm Celestia,” the real one fumbled, flustered by her own jealousy. “I just- I haven't- But I will!” She groaned, hiding her face.

“Then...” Summer looked between the two, confused.

“I am Princess Luna,” she calmly spoke with a small bow. “Younger sister of Celestia.”

“'Younger sister'? So the rumours were true, then. Many feared the worst after the Queen's pregnancy came and went without fanfare, but- but that was decades ago! Neither of you look old enough for that to make sense! Unless-” She lowered her voice, suddenly sounding very serious. “Do all Princesses look this young?”

“D- 'Decades'?” Luna balked, turning to her sister and ignoring the question. “But Starswirl's spell stopped time outside! How has that much time passed?”

“I- I don't know. Are you really telling us that Luna's birth and Discord's arrival happened that many years ago?”

“Yes, I think I should know,” Summer Twinkle grumbled, something clearly on her mind before shaking it off. “It's been an absolute nightmare trying to do my job with him in charge. Thankfully he's been a bit more passive lately, but- Wait, did you say 'stopped time'?”

“I told you it was a long story,” the elder sister sighed. “I guess that explains why you look so much older than in the books.”

The explorer seemed to suddenly choke, turning away to hide her embarrassment. “It is true that I'm not the age I was when I started... I tend to leave that part out now.” She turned back with a sigh. “No one wants to read the adventures of an old mare.”

“I guess on the plus side there are more books for you to read now,” Luna teased her sister. “Celestia is your biggest fan.”

“Shut up!” the elder sister kneed her sibling in the ribs, causing her to wince, then giggle.

“I—uh—did get that impression,” Summer chuckled, awkwardly adjusting her collar. “I'm flattered that royalty would deign to read my silly little adventure stories, I really am. I wish I could say that there were more to read—I've got the manuscripts ready and waiting—but after Discord took over Canterlot, printing books hasn't exactly been high on anypony's priorities.” There was a brief pause in the conversation before she sighed. “I'm not going to pretend that I understand what happened between you and the great wizard Starswirl or where you've been—magic's not my speciality, as I'm sure you know—but for you both to be here now... Does that mean that Discord's madness is finally coming to an end?”

The sisters shot each other a worried glance before Celestia replied, “Well, that's the plan...”

The adventurer's eyes lit up, sparkling for the first time in a long, long while.

“But we're not exactly sure where to start. Please, Ms. Twinkle,” Luna pled, “Will you help us on our quest to save Equestria?”

“M-Me?!” She looked around anxiously, suddenly burdened by a responsibility she was not expecting. “I- uh- I don't know what help I would be. I'm just a simple archaeologist, and you're both Princesses trained by the pre-eminent Starswirl—I wouldn't last a second against the likes of Discord. I don't know if you've noticed, but most of my adventures end with me running away.”

Celestia looked down, her eyes wide and frantic as she recalled her foalhood books, confirming this starting and heartbreaking realisation.

“All we need are directions to somepony who knows what's going on. We appear to be somewhat 'out of the loop',” the younger sister continued. “And perhaps a guide out of this jungle. We don't want to get lost or captured again...”

Summer Twinkle let out a breath of relief, mixed with a chuckle, worried that she had got herself embroiled in some kind of impossible battle between deities. Again. “That- That I can do, Princess.”

Taking a moment to calm herself, Summer gestured to her entourage and restarted their journey through the lush, tropical jungle, once again avoiding patrol routes that she had previously scouted on her way in. With Celestia trailing behind, still caught up in some existential crisis about her hero's heroics, Luna picked up her pace just enough to trot alongside their guide.

“Earlier you said that things have been this way with Discord for decades... Is this really true?”

“Yes, unfortunately. I could give you specific dates from my manuscripts back at camp, but generally speaking it's been quite hard to keep track of time, what with the fixed sky and... well, the end of society as we know it.”

“Has it truly been that bad?”

“Yes. I don't know what it was like for ponies in Central Equestria, but for roamers like me, it was a slow decline. Certain services stopped outright, like mail; fellow travellers would go missing after their expeditions, rather than during; and strange things began to appear the closer I got to the capitol. Not even the Everfree Forest feels safe anymore.” She paused, shaking her head with a sigh. “I've seen things you wouldn't believe... Entire towns floating in the air, vicious battles between creatures I never knew existed, edible clouds and drinkable stone... All a product of Discord's vile magic.” She sighed again, now looking up at the cracks in the canopy, through which small slivers of the twilight sky could be seen as they walked. “He used to flaunt it; make personal appearances, announcements, visit towns just to watch them scream. For those of us without a fixed address, it was all we could do to watch in horror from a distance, in case he came after us too... After a while I guess he got bored, stopped showing up so much, though his chaotic distortion continued to spread. I doubt there's an inch in all of Central Equestria that isn't corrupted now...”

“Then it really is awful—worse than I could have imagined,” Luna lamented, feeling guilt for all the pain that had occurred in their absence.

“There was nothing I could do against something so... so supernatural—and you know the kinds of creatures I've faced before—so I just buried my head in the sand and kept on doing what I've always done... Thought the routine would make everything bad go away, I guess. Of course there's nopony to publish my works now, so money is tight and I have to find my own food, but I've survived. Honestly, adapting to living in the wild has been pretty easy for somepony like me—easier than it has been for anypony still living under Discord's rule. He's taken to calling it 'Discordia' now, changing the signs everywhere, but it will always be Equestria to me, no matter what anypony says.”

“Anypony? Do you mean to say that there are others?”

“Yes, unfortunately. Perhaps the poor fools lost their minds in the chaos, or they were anarchists all along, but there is a small group of ponies who pledged loyalty to that monster... Can you believe it?”

“To think that we allowed so much misery- so much horror to go unpunished...” Silent tears began to roll down the Princess' cheeks, her mind full of imagined moments of suffering at the hands of Discord. “If only we had been less careless, more prepared...”

“I'd lost hope of things ever returning back to normal long ago, you know,” Summer smiled, lowering the brim of her helmet to shade her own moist eyes. “But now you're here! And finally things- There's a glimmer of hope, for the first time.” She sniffed, wiping her foreleg across her face. “I just... Where were you all this time?”

“It is... difficult to explain. Our mentor, Starswirl, sealed us within a time-bubble in a remote town so that we might train to oppose Discord. When we finally left the bubble, many years had passed within it, but mere minutes without. We were taken to the desert to confront him once and for all, after years of preparation, and yet...” She let out a stuttered sigh, wiping fresh tears from her eyes that glistened in the dappled half-light from above. “Something happened, and we were asleep. I do not know for how long we were asleep, but when I finally realised that we were, I woke us up, and then all this happened.”

Summer Twinkle turned to face the filly for the first time this conversation, her eyes wide. “Are you telling me that Discord put you to sleep for years? And you only just woke up?”

“If what you are saying about the events that have transpired is true, then it would seem like that is the case,” she replied, absent-mindedly stepping upon a fallen branch that broke loudly under her hoof, causing the seasoned explorer to flinch and look around cautiously.

“I guess that explains why you don't know what's going on, but spending years asleep in the middle of a desert? Nopony would believe that even as fiction, I should know,” she chuckled, now confident that nothing had heard them. “Not that anything is being printed anyway, but I don't think there's much of a market for adventure books these days. Ponies are having more than enough of their own 'adventures' these days.” She sighed dreamily, thinking back to the books that she herself had read as a filly. “Though it does have a certain... 'fairytale charm', don't you think?”

“I fear that charm is entirely lost when you experience such things yourself.”

“Yes, I suppose it is,” she laughed, keeping her voice down while holding back a gigantic leaf as they passed it. “We should be nearing the edge of Aztecan territory now, though I wouldn't let your guard down until you're back on the main trade-road.”

“I greatly appreciate everything you've done for us, Miss Summer Twinkle. To think that just this morning I had considered you a mere storybook character.”

“And I, you, Princess. Equestria has lacked hope for so many years, and yet now here you stand, right beside me, a real-life alicorn! Nopony would know who I am if it weren't for my own hoofwritten books, but you- you are a true thing of legend.”

The young alicorn blushed, giggling awkwardly as she looked back at her own wings, still scarcely able to believe it herself. “I shall- We shall endeavour to live up to Our titles as Princesses of Equestria.”

The explorer nodded, smiling. After brushing aside some low-hanging vines, Summer Twinkle slowed her pace as the group approached a mossy, mushroom-covered log laying across their path, unlike any of the tall, thin palms they had seen up to this point. As Luna looked around, she noticed that the flora had started to become more familiar, slowly transitioning into the kind of woody trees and leafy bushes she had grown up around.

“Well, this should be far enough,” Summer Twinkle stated, stopping to turn to the sisters. “My camp is just over there. I should make sure that all my things are still safe, but if you continue beyond this log you'll reach the main trade route between Canterlot and Klugetown.”

“'Kluge-town'?” Celestia asked, having only just started listening to the conversation since her stupor.

“Yes. I suppose you wouldn't know about it if you've been out of commission for a while. After Canterlot fell, ponies from smaller communities were forced to find a new source of goods, and the creatures of Kluge have always been avid traders, so they received an influx of new business. After just a couple of years the small trade post had grown into a massive commerce hub, and they remain the only source for goods that can't be locally produced. I'm almost tempted to say that they've profited from this disaster even more than Discord himself. Prices have soared now that everything has to be imported, and that's saying nothing about the sky-pirate boom...” Summer sighed, magically removing her pith helmet and storing it under her foreleg. “But now I'm just complaining,” she chuckled. “Blame it on being an old mare with nopony to talk to.”

“Mark my words, Summer Twinkle,” Celestia announced, taking a step toward the explorer and relishing her opportunity to say something dramatic. “We shall make him pay dearly for everything he has done. As heirs to the royal throne, we shall cleanse this world of his evil and restore order to Equestria!”

Summer and Luna shared a wry glance before she bowed, humouring the Princess' display of storybook valour. “Your subjects have the utmost faith in your quest, My Liege.” Straightening up, she turned to Luna with a smile. “For the first time in I-don't-know-how-long, I shall dare to dream of a better tomorrow... Thank you both, Princesses.”

Luna bowed her head as Summer Twinkle gave her final nods and turned toward her camp, leaving the two sisters alone for the first time since the dungeon.

“I can't believe you made me look like a fool in front of the Summer Twinkle!” Celestia hissed with a glare.

“Me?! You did all of that yourself! You barely even spoke to her, besides all the fanfillying.”

“I was not fanfillying! I- I didn't even know she was real until just now, how was I supposed to react?!”

Luna rolled her eyes, choosing to turn and vault over the rotting log rather than further entertain her sister's nonsense.

“Hey, where are you going?!”

“I'm going to the main road, if you had paid any attention to your supposed hero.”

“What's that supposed to mean?!” she whisper-shouted back, reluctantly following after her little sister.

True to Summer Twinkle's word, a few minutes of walking had led to the treeline and a dirt track between them and a near-vertical cliff-face. Despite its length, the straightness of the road gave a fairly uninterrupted view of where each direction led, assuming a basic knowledge of Equestria's map. Far to the south, one could clearly see the golden sands and heat haze of the Arid Sea, leading to the trading hub of Klugetown, according to Summer Twinkle. To the far north, one could see the Southern Hills, and beyond it, the long road to Equestria, which they had once travelled down as small fillies to get here.

“No!” Luna suddenly wailed, startling her brooding sibling.

“What?!”

“She left before telling us where to go next!”

“Well, we go to Equestria, obviously,” Celestia grunted. “There's nothing for us in that other place.”

“And immediately face Discord again? Like this?” The younger sister dropped to the floor, massaging her temples with her forehooves. “This is why I wanted the name of somepony who might know how to counter his chaos magic. What's to stop him from instantly turning us into statues again?!”

“He turned us into statues?”

“Yes! And without a new plan, he'll just do it again; and I don't know if I'll be able to wake us up a second time!” Luna's head-massaging intensified as she racked her brains for what to do next.

“Huh. I guess that explains those stone bases we woke up next to,” the elder sister pondered, her memories from before the temple still quite hazy. “Besides, if Starswirl didn't know how to counter chaos magic, who would?”

“Well apparently it's been years since he defeated us, so maybe somepony learnt something new. Maybe we could find Starswirl again, or some kind of resistance!” She gasped. “I bet he's the leader of the underground resistance group!”

“I think you're getting ahead of yourself. So if we're not going back to Canterlot, then where?”

“That's what I-!” She released a frustrated growl.

Celestia sighed, shrugging with one hoof. “Like I said, there's nothing for us in the other direction, so let's just head north and we'll figure something out on the way.”

Luna groaned, letting her hooves fall to her side. Her sister was right, as much as she hated to admit it; without any better plan, simply reaching Equestria was their best and only move forward. With a reluctant grunt, she swung herself back onto her hooves and followed after her sister, who was already a few paces up the dry, dirt road. It was going to be a long journey, but surely they would come up with a better plan on the way... surely.

Chapter 17: The Long Way Home

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Much like their long trek through the San Palomino Desert, the journey north was slow and of indeterminate length thanks to the sun and moon looming immobile in the sky. Unlike their near-death experience, however, food and shelter were always close at hoof thanks to the jungle's verdant bounty, making this journey significantly less gruelling, if very leaf-centric. What wasn't less painful, though, was their hooves, which ached more with each subsequent step on the unforgiving hard dirt road. Taking brief detours onto the nearby grass helped slightly, but the sheer distance to Equestria's Southern Hills was the main, unavoidable culprit.

“How long has it been?” Luna groaned, dragging her hooves with each laboured swing.

“How would I know?” Celestia growled back, equally as frustrated by the horizon-locked mountains ahead of them. “If you weren't so useless, you could fly us both there in a second with those oh-so-special wings of yours.”

“If I weren't so tired right now, I'd make like the natives and kick you in the face.”

The sisters continued exchanging insults as they continued up the trade route, taking sporadic breaks over what must have been days of travel. However, despite their constant moaning and theories of chaos magic being involved, they did eventually arrive at the base of the mountain pass between the east and west Southern Hills. There was a small incline to the path here, but nothing compared to the edges of the cliffs ahead of them. Unlike a typical gorge, the solid stone corridor here had perfectly sheer walls, as though a rectangular slice had simply disappeared from the entire height and depth of the mountains by some supernatural force.

Celestia recalled one of Starswirl's many history lessons, specifically that of the Great Griffon War. Back when Equestria was invaded from all sides by the deceitful half-eagle, half-lion coalition, this gorge had been the location of Fort Macintosh, a hastily constructed barracks built between the sheer walls to hold off the southern Diamond Dog horde and stop them from entering Equestria. Not only did the fort serve its purpose with flying colours, but under the command of the field-promoted Ironhoof, the southern militia routed the enemy so thoroughly that no pony has seen them since. She hoped that today would be no exception.

As the two Princesses climbed the increasingly rocky slope, the towering walls of natural stone that steadily rose on either side of them were truly a sight to behold. It was hard not to be humbled by the grand majesty of mother nature when it wasn't actively trying to kill you. 'Mother Nature and Father Time', Celestia mused to herself, thinking back to a fairy tale she had read at home. They had already subverted the course of one of those supposedly infallible forces, and she hoped dearly that they had not drawn the attention of some hereunto passive super-being, capable of undoing their very existence for such a transgression.

Just as her overactive imagination was getting the better of her, the sisters finally breached the lip of the incline, spotting a large wooden structure ahead of them. Sure enough, the old Griffon War fort looked just as it had in the illustrated encyclopedias she had taken—uh, borrowed—from the school library, though definitely showing its age now. As one might imagine of an outpost built so far from society and in an emergency, its defensive wall purely utilitarian, made from wooden planks and stone slabs covering the base, with two guard towers on either side of a central gateway. Some repairs seemed to have been made since its construction, filling holes in rotting wood and piling up loose stones to fortify the slabs; clearly the work of necessity, not preservation, and hinting at more recent occupants.

“Ho there, travellers!” a barely visible stallion called out from one of the towers, his gravelly voice amplified by the monolithic stone passageway. “Name thy business at Old Macintosh. Passage without trade requires a toll.”

Celestia came to a weary halt as Luna stopped beside her, silently sharing a look of 'now what?' between them.

“Speaketh now, travellers, if thou wish to enter!” the surprisingly intimidating voice boomed once more.

“What now? We have nothing to trade for passage,” Luna wheezed.

Despite not yet responding to the demands, indistinct voices began to pick up from behind the fort's walls, sounding suspiciously like an argument. After a moment of silence and one final word, the large wooden door ahead of them creaked open, revealing a pale-coated mare waving them in. The sisters shared another bewildered look before wearily continuing on toward the fort, to which they had apparently been granted entry.

“Ah'm so sorry about him,” the white terran passionately apologised as they passed through the thick wooden doors. “He just loves to make-believe he's one of them old wall-guard of yore, like in them old books.”

“I am not pretending!” the male voice from before boomed, now on this side of his tower. “Mother put me in charge of the southern wall—I'm just doing my job!”

“A little too well, if ya ask me,” the mare muttered to the sisters with a smirk. “Come on in, Ah'll brew y'all up a cup a' tea.”

She ushered the two over to a large square tent to the left of the road that divided the settlement, in front of which sat a round, knee-height table surrounded by various mismatched cushions and an open fire heating a well-worn kettle. Looking around, there was very little between the two intimidating gates to actually justify calling this place a settlement. From the ragged tent and cushions on the bare stone floor to the open-air kitchen across the road and a seemingly dilapidated wooden barracks further up, everything about this place seemed temporary. Were it not for the odd pony walking to and fro, they could have easily accepted this place as still being abandoned.

“Here, take a seat. Y'all look exhausted!” The mare gestured towards the ring of floor upholstery as she immediately got to work with the kettle, pouring a steaming, translucent-green liquid into mismatched teacups from a nearby cup tree.

Not sensing any foul-play and eager to accept this turn of good luck, the two sat as suggested, grateful to release the burden from their aching hooves.

“Where are my manners?” the blonde terran chuckled as she carefully delivered each cup. “Mah name's Sweet Blossom. Ah'm... an innkeep a' sorts; take care of travellin' ponies the best Ah can with what we got.” Placing a third cup on the metalwork table, she plopped herself down on a pillow across from the others. “It ain't much, but it'll keep ya goin'. Drink up!”

The three shared a few sips of the tea in silence, appreciating the subtle flavour and inner warmth as Sweet let out satisfied sighs after each slurp. The sisters let their eyes wander after the initial relaxation had passed, noting the twirling design of the wrought iron table, the broken china cups that had been pasted back together, and the cup tree that seemed to be shoddily made from entire branches hacked into approximate shapes. Everything in this place seemed to be maintained by the ponies living here, using whatever they can with whatever skills they have. Clearly their metalworker was far more adept than their woodworker, and a row of pickaxes next to a passageway in the leftmost wall suggested that they were not wanting for stone or ore. Was this what ponies had been reduced to in Discord's Equestria? Simply... making do?

“So what're y'all doing here? Ya don't look like travellers, what with no supplies or trekkin' shoes.”

“Oh, well...” Luna trailed off, unsure of just how much to share with a complete stranger, unlike her trust in the fictional-hero-turned-fact Summer Twinkle.

Celestia continued on her sister's behalf, far more comfortable with bare-faced bluffing. “We were lost. Heading home. Discord teleported us into the middle of nowhere, so we're having to make our way back. You know how he is.”

“Gosh, that sounds awful! And so far, too!” Blossom tutted, finishing her cup and standing to pour another. “Ah knew just lookin' at ya that you was Central Equestria types. Been a long time since we seen any y'all through here, though, especially from the south.” Returning to the table, she picked a cushion nearer Luna and leaned in uncomfortably close, looking her profile up and down. “Can't say Ah've ever seen a pony with both wings and a horn before. Mighty strange, but nothin' really surprises us with him in charge anymore, y'know?”

The sisters shared a glance, surprised that this pony hadn't recognised Luna as an alicorn, even if only conceptually. Do common folk not get the kind of education that they did? Sweet Blossom was a little bit older than Celestia at a guess, but if Summer Twinkle was right about multiple decades passing since their petrification, that meant that Discord's reign was all this pony had ever known... A chilling prospect to be sure, but surely that wasn't long enough for their parents—the King and Queen of Equestria, and last known alicorns—to have disappeared into obscurity.

“Do you... get much chaos magic this far south?” Luna asked from behind the lip of her empty cup.

“Not as much as Central Equestria. Honestly Ah'm shocked there's anythin' left for y'all to come from. Ain't much north of here that ain't his. Down these parts we mostly get the falloff; flying books, chocolate rain, ponies what've been changed.”

“'Chocolate rain'?” Luna parroted, both confused and intrigued.

“'Changed'? Changed how?” Celestia asked, ignoring her sister's juvenile focus.

“Weird things he does to them, sometimes. Bored, Ah reckon. Some not worth speakin' out loud. Others change back after a time. Reckon if there's things he can't see, he don't bother keepin' 'em weird.” She sighed, taking a thoughtful sip from her cup. “Ah think a lot about if there should be more to life than this, y'know? Livin' in fear in some mountain crack. What Ah wouldn't give to see them clear blue skies and wide open plains the old'ns talk 'bout. Reckon Ah'd start a farm, just so Ah could spend all mah days outside. Heh. Maybe that just runs in the family.”

“We wish that for you, too, Sweet Blossom,” Luna said sincerely, finally placing her cup back on the table.

The white terran forced a smile before sighing forlornly and finishing her second cup. “But look at me, getting' all mopey with ponies that've only just turned up! Ain't nopony wanna hear dumb ol' Sweet Blossom moan. Y'all must be confused this far from home—got any more questions Ah can answer?”

“What was that the guardspony said about 'no passage without trade'?” Celestia asked, patiently waiting for her empty cup to be refilled.

“Oh, well that's somethin' we've been tryin' for a little while now. It ain't easy livin' here between two mountains. What we gain in safety, we lose in anythin' to trade, 'less you want stone. We find metal sometimes, but what little we get we turn into tools and stuff we need, so there ain't much to spare. Some would trade outta kindness on their way though, but plenty pass without stoppin'. Old'ns came up with the idea of a trade toll, given there ain't no other passage to Kluge besides the Badlands or going over the mountains, and ain't nopony that desperate. It's been a mixed bag; made some ponies pay, made others plum mad. Travellin' ponies like you, though—we know you ain't traders, so y'all are free to pass.”

“That's relief. As you can see, we have nothing to give, even if we wanted to.”

“Yeah. Times are tough, for everypony. Ah don't like things bein' this way, but ain't no other way they can be.” With a heavy huff, Sweet Blossom stood up and made her way around the table to stack the teacups, to Celestia's dismay. “Well, y'all are free to stay here as long as ya want; Ah got some linens to put up after that last shower. Ah just don't know how Ah'm supposed to keep whites white when it rains brown! Maybe if it started rainin' white chocolate? There's an idea!” She smiled, turning away from the table. “Come find me if y'all need anythin', y'hear?”

With a friendly wave, Sweet Blossom left the seating area and deposited the dirty cups on a worktop in the kitchen area before entering the nearest door to the old barracks. With a slight grumble, Celestia pulled a fresh cup from the tree and poured some more tea with her magic.

“As nice as it is to get off our hooves, we don't really have time to sit around drinking tea,” Luna sniped.

“Just give me this one thing,” the unicorn snapped back, blowing on the retrieved contents.

The alicorn rolled her eyes and leaned back on her floor-cushion, taking a moment to spread out her wings, as she was still not quite past admiring her newest addition. As she did so, an old mare approaching from the northern gate stopped in her tracks at this sight, before making a beeline for the pair.

“Beggin' yer pardon, missy, but those wings an' horn ya got there... They ain't real, is they?”

She was another terran, this time of Starswirl's age group, with an orange coat and bedraggled white-gold hair up in a bun—undoubtedly one of the 'old'ns' that their recent acquaintance had mentioned. Her tired eyes were friendly, but her accent was somehow even stronger than Sweet Blossom's, which was almost too much for the sisters to parse.

“Um-” Luna looked to her sister, who was too busy sipping her hot tea to notice. “Yes?”

“Oh, by t' Six.” Even when surprised, this mare's voice was comforting and as smooth as cream, like the embodiment of Southern home-cooking. “Could it be true? Has’t light finally come to shine on our darkest a' hours?”

“Uh, well, that’s the plan, I guess.” The alicorn rubbed the back of her neck, becoming increasingly uncomfortable by the attention her new wings were bringing her.

“Praise be. Ah’d thought hope were lost when t’ Palace went quiet. Ain’t seen times like this since that old Grogar took Equestria for ‘imself.” She drew closer, radiating warmth from her smile as she slowly lowered herself onto a cushion.

“Wow, you were around during the First Dark Age?!”

“Gracious, girl, do Ah look that old?” She laughed, finally drawing the attention of Celestia, who glanced up from the rim of her seaming cup, unwilling to fully part from its bitter, yet quenching aroma. “No, no, Ah’m just somethin’ of a storyteller in these parts. Used t’ be more than that, but age has a way of slowin’ y' down, y’know?”

“Mm, no, not really.” Luna shook her head, as her only experience of old age was the very capable Starswirl. Nevertheless, she was steadily warming to the overwhelming charm of this new acquaintance.

She chuckled. “No, Ah suppose y' young'ns wouldn’t. The name's Pink Pearl, by t' hoo's, pleasure to make ya'. Now, Ah don't mean t' seem sharp, but we've been prayin' for an alicorn miracle fer years now—where have you been?”

“Oh, well, it’s... a long story. We would have come sooner if we could.”

“Ah understand, child, Ah understand. Ain’t nothin’ come easy in this life. We ponies are resilient, though, yessiree. It’ll take more than this to get rid a' us!”

The younger sister smiled, enjoying this utterly unique interaction. It dawned on her that she had only ever spoken to two other ponies before this little adventure. Was the whole world full of ponies this different from her? She had to wonder, having grown up with only Starswirl as a surrogate father... Was this what a mother was like?

“Oh!” Celestia finally lowered her cup, pulled from it by the emergence of an idea. “You're old; do you remember a unicorn by the name of Ustiarius passing through here?” She turned to her sister. “He must have come through this place, right?”

Both mares frowned; Luna, because she had no memories of the stallion beyond the stories Starswirl would tell of their daring escape from Canterlot Palace, and Pink Pearl because of the blunt observation that was hard not to take as an insult.

“Can't say Ah know the name, deary,” Pink Pearl replied dryly. “Can ya describe 'em?”

“Oh, he was... Uh... Well, he was tall... with a white or greyish coat, dark-blue mane... or was it brown? Umm... Male...”

The old mare nodded very slowly at the extremely vague description. “And 'is cutie mark?”

“Uhhh...” Celestia looked to Luna for help, who decisively shrugged, as personal descriptions had never been a part of their mentor's retellings. She sighed in defeat, re-embracing her ennui and returning the teacup to her lips.

“Sorry, darlin', we get a lot a' ponies through these parts. Why, are ya looking for 'im?”

“Not exactly,” Luna replied, knowing her sister had disengaged. “We're looking for leads on where to go next. Besides, he would have passed through here decades ago,” she sighed, muttering under her breath, “apparently.”

“'Decades'? Gracious, then it don't matter how old Ah am; this post's only been here since t' trade boom, so yer stallion would've passed here long before we was around. Fer that matter, it must've been before y'all was even born! Now why would y'all be looking for somepony like that?”

“It- It doesn't matter, it's a long story, like I said,” Luna stammered, before her eyes grew wide, having taken Celestia's idea to the next logical step. “But- But what about Starswirl? Do you know that name? He's an old unicorn with a long beard and-”

“Starswirl the Bearded? Why 'course Ah know Starswirl the Bearded! Well if he ain't just the last good story Equestria had since this never-ending nightmare began.” She laughed, though it was short and dry, trailing off into sadness.

“W- What happened? Did something happen?” Luna's excitement had quickly turned to worry, with Celestia now paying attention again.

“Starswirl the Bearded,” she cooed almost romantically, rubbing her chin. “Now that's a name Ah've not heard in a long time. Seems like it were only yesterday when that bright glimmer a' hope showed up out of t' blue with his band a' do-gooders. They started out fixin' small problems and worked their way up, defeating evil and righting wrongs left an' right like regular ol' heroes. Made themselves a name 'round these parts: the 'Pillars of Equestria'. Heh. But they was every bit as good as the name sounds 'em to be. They held us up in our darkest hour... But there's only so much six ponies can do, and there's always a new hour after the last—always darker, seems. Now it's midnight, and like a babe lost in t' woods, we're cold, afraid and alone.”

“Please, tell us what happened to Starswirl! Did... Did he-” Luna begged, leaning forward with both hooves on the table.

“Ah'm surprised that anypony don't know 'bout the Pillars. You two must've been sheltered somethin' proper.” She sighed, crossing her forehooves on the table as her face soured. “Mah guess is they was testing themselves—lookin' t' see what they could before confrontin' Discord 'imself. Ah heard stories a' them ya wouldn't believe, takin' down sirens and whatnot, but turns out yer worst enemy's always from within. Ain't it the way? Seems there was some internal dispute, arguin' 'mongst themselves, or so Ah've heard. Next thing y' know, they're fightin' some pony as black as shadow and ain't comin' up roses. Whole lot of 'em had to-” She sniffed, taking a moment to compose herself before continuing. “Sorry. T' beast was so strong, whole lot of 'em had to sacrifice 'emselves to seal it away—to save Equestria, one- last- time.”

Luna gasped at this news as Celestia sprayed a mouthful of nervously sipped tea back into her cup, drenching her own face as a result.

“Are you serious?!” the elder sister shouted.

“Is he really-” Luna began to choke up, feeling tears well in her eyes.

“'Fraid so, dearies. Ain't no other reason they would've all just disappeared like that. Many a' us didn't believe it neither, but what they left behind... Well, no other reason for it.”

“What did they leave behind?” Celestia demanded as she unconsciously evaporated the tea from her mane.

“Ah were busy running the township at the time, so Ah couldn't go, but Ah sent mah son to see their final restin' place to see if it were true. And blow me down if he didn't come back cryin' harder than Ah've ever seen 'im, snottin' like a' newborn. Six stone pillars were all that's left, he said, each holdin' a relic of its hero. No better memorial they could've asked for, ya ask me; though we all wish they could've seen it through t' the end.”

“Then he really is...” Luna's tensed body finally collapsed as her head fell into her forelegs and she began to sob.

“But- But you didn't see a body, right?” Celestia asked as her hooves trembled. “Nopony saw a body, so there's a chance-”

Pink Pearl sighed, shaking her head woefully. “None of 'em would've left them items there if they'd had a choice. Mighty Helm Rockhoof's shovel, Mage Meadowbrook's mask, Starswirl the Bearded's spellbook...”

“His- His spellbook?” Celestia crossed her forelegs on the table as she slowly lowered her head. There was no way Starswirl would have abandoned one of his spellbooks; they were the most precious things to him, the culmination of a lifetime of work and passion. He would have sooner-"

“Gracious, look at me getting' the mood so low, and with guests, no less! Ah wouldn't have told y'all if Ah'd known ya'd get so down. But to think ya didn't know! Why, it were all the resistance talked about for a full year after! 'Course, then came the dark times. Guess Discord had been entertained enough just watchin' the Pillars do their thing, 'cause after they went, that's when things got real bad. And now here we are, so many years later, just... makin' do.”

Luna sniffed, raising her head to reveal a damp and reddened face. “What- What 'resistance'?”

“Oh, y'all don't even know that? Well, naturally, after Discord started crazyin' things up, ponies weren't gonna just sit an' take it! There were a lot a' casualties to begin with, but we learned how to work underground—to keep things orderly, so as any chaos magic would stand out like a sore hoof, and we could get around unseen. We started spiritin' ponies away, keepin' 'em safe, keepin' dangerous items out of Discord's view, and started plannin' our comeback, just like them old stories of the Grogar resistance.”

“'We', like, you were one?”

“Yessiree, still am, at heart, anyways. That's why Ah came out so far to build a town—a safe haven for those rescued from the capitol. 'Course, a town needs an income, and fruit trees don't grow so well in the desert. That was my dream, see, to grow an orchard of green 'n red across the Appleloosan Desert.”

“'Appleloosan Desert'?”

“Hah, yeah, that's what Ah'd've called it. But after the fall a' Canterlot, there just weren't the economy to get a new town up n' runnin'. Plus nopony knew how t' grow apple trees in sand,” she chuckled half-heartedly. “So we gave it a couple a' years then packed up and came south, hoping we'd get more hoof traffic here. Ain't nowhere to plant trees, but at least we cornered the trade market, literally. It ain't no dream life, but it's better than livin' under Discord's claw.”

“That place... Where the pillars-” Celestia suddenly asked, her voice loud despite still facing the floor. “How do we get there?”

“Celestia...” Luna knew how upset her sister was—she was feeling the same way—but visiting a grave would not aid their quest to save Equestria. There would be time for mourning after they took down Discord, assuming they can, no matter how much she wanted to see it herself.

“Ya wanna visit the Pillars yourself? Gracious, whatever for? Y'all didn't even know 'bout 'em a minute ago.” She shook her head, leaning back on her cushion. “Ah wish Ah could tell ya, but like Ah said, Ah ain't never been there m'self, and right now mah son is in Klugetown on business. Ah know it were in a forest up north... Ain't no way you'd find it without a guide, though.”

Celestia slammed her hoof onto the table, causing her teacup to clatter and slosh. Pearl raised her eyebrows, surprised by such a vivid display of emotion over an old folk-hero. Just who were these fillies and why did they care so much about Starswirl the Bearded, she wondered.

“Sister!” Luna hissed as she sat up, her eyes still red and cloudy.

“But,” the old mare continued, “Ah know somepony who might just guide ya.”

“Who?!” the alicorn asked. Even her sister raised her head at this, revealing her own bloodshot eyes.

“Last Ah heard, Mage Meadowbrook's mother, Meadow Flower, is still livin' in Haysead Swamp, on the bayou. If anypony still knows the location of the Six Pillars, ya can bet it would be her.”

“How do we find her?” Celestia barked, clearly not handling her emotions well.

“Real simple, sugar snap, just head up this pass and follow the mountains east 'til you hit the swamp. Find a big stream and that'll be the bayou, so ya just follow it 'til ya hit the village.”

“We should go.” Celestia stood abruptly, avoiding eye-contact as every muscle in her body tensed.

“Woah, woah, woah, now.” Pink Pearl waved for the unicorn to sit. “Are y'all sure ya wanna leave this very minute? The swamp's days away, and them stones ain't going nowhere. And to be honest, y'all look like ya could use a wash and a good night's sleep.”

Luna looked up at her sister, who risked a glance back. “It has been a while since we bathed, and one night in a real bed does sound nice.” She rolled her rear hooves, which still throbbed despite the brief respite.

Celestia looked away, angered by the suggestion to delay, but equally tempted by the promise of warm water and a soft mattress for the first time in... well, decades, apparently. With a grunt of forced reluctance, she dropped back down to the pillow and folded her forelegs like a pouting child.

Pink Pearl clopped her hooves together. “Grand! Ah'll get mah granddaughter, Sweet Blossom, to ready a couple of ah' spare rooms. They ain't fancy like what y'all might be used to up north, but they'll see ya good through the night, Ah guarantee.” She rose from the table with a beaming grin and hobbled toward the old barracks after the younger terran who had left them earlier.

The sisters sat in silence, at first grateful for the night of relative comfort ahead of them, before their minds wandered back to the conversation they had just had and the loss of their mentor. A cold wind blew through the gorge as they considered the reality of their father-figure's ultimate sacrifice, and what part they had played in it, having lost to Discord. Their failure was the last thing they had shared together before... all of this. Was he disappointed in them? Had he assumed them dead? The existential questions stacked up in their minds until Pink Pearl returned to the table, offering to show them to their freshly prepared rooms. The remainder of their day was a teary blur, spent in their respective beds as the raggedy curtains in their ramshackle rooms attempted to feign night, crying themselves to sleep at the bittersweet thoughts of their lives together in that little house by the sea.

The next morning it was the pungent smell of vegetable broth, the clattering of utensils, and the thwacking of a knife on wood that woke the sisters—sounds that they were unfamiliar with, yet immediately knew preceded a good meal. Wiping the crusted tears and sleep from their eyes, both sisters opened their doors at almost the same time, spotting one another from down the long, narrow, and rickety hallway. With a silent agreement, both mares followed the smell like an invisible leash outside and to the open-air kitchen just south of the barracks. The smell was emanating from a large, black, metal cauldron over a small open fire as a familiar white-coated mare worked the preparation tables around it by herself.

“Well howdy, you two!” Sweet Blossom beamed as she delivered more cut root vegetables to the bubbling pot and began to stir it with a giant ladle. Both sisters were too exhausted to decide whether her cheery disposition so early in the morning—their morning, anyway—was endearing or grating. “Sleep well?”

“Sweet Blossom, was it?” Luna asked, her voice as raspy as her mouth was dry.

“Nailed it in one, Princess!” The mare seemed unable to contain her own joy as she busied herself with collecting two bowls from beneath a table and ladling two generous helpings of soup into them.

“What time is it? Were you up all night?” Celestia asked, still half asleep and rubbing her eye.

“Oh, don't you worry 'bout me none, Ah got up early. By our time it's still mornin', so y'all are right on schedule!” She giggled before plopping an entire carrot into each bowl as garnish and passing them into the sisters' magical grasp one by one. “Ah've always said it's important to get yer fill before a long journey, and boy-howdy do we have a trek ahead of us!”

Celestia and Luna turned away with a grateful nod, trotting over to the same table as yesterday before the young alicorn stopped in her tracks and turned back to the busy terran.

“What do you mean 'we'?”

“Didn't Grandma Pearl say? She said y'all agreed, the old coot, 'bout how Ah've been lookin' to stretch mah hooves for some time now—get out and see the world a little, 'least what's left of it.” She absent-mindedly turned away from her stew, her eyes lost in imagination. “Heard tell that Haysead Swamp is all but untouched by chaos, even now; so when she told me y'alls was headin' over there, why Ah couldn't hardly contain myself! Barely got any sleep last night with how excited Ah was, so Ah decided to put that energy to good use.” She turned back to her pot and began to stir the thick mixture again, though her eyes remained unfocused. “Old'ns've always said Ah can't go out on mah own, even though Ah'm a full-grown mare now, but with you's two with me—and an alicorn, no less—why, they couldn't possibly say no!” She chuckled before lowering her voice, despite somehow maintaining its volume. “Granny told me all about you—'bout alicorns. It's so magical. 'Course, Ah'd heard stories of alicorns and the like way-back-when as a little filly, but Ah thought y'all was just a fairytale, like seaponies, cockatrices, and breezies. To think that such a pony really exists... Why, gosh, it just fills mah heart with a magic Ah never knew was real!”

“So, you're coming with us,” Luna asked dryly, knowing it wasn't a question.

“Yessiree!” she giggle-snorted, putting her hoof to her face. “Gosh, Ah can't believe Ah just said one 'a Granny's corny old lines. Ah'm just so excited to get out from these two dark slabs 'a rock and see the world! Mah whole life Ah've been told 'ya can't do that', 'it's too dangerous', 'stay with the family'. Well, this mare's 'bout to walk to the other side of Equestria, and ain't nopony gonna stop her!” She bounced up, squealing and clapping her hooves together excitedly. “Oh mah stars and skies, Ah still need to pack! Ah barely slept a wink after hearin' y'all said yes, and we're gonna need supplies!” She turned and burst into a full gallop towards the barracks, leaving her ladle to spin around the cauldron on its own, hollering back as she ran. “Y'all drink yer soup up now before it gets cold! No rush, though, we'll leave when yer ready!”

As Sweet Blossom burst through the spindly barracks door, the shell-shocked Luna turned back to the table and took her long-awaited cushion. Celestia was sitting in her previous spot with a carrot slowly gyrating out the side of her mouth, having already finished most of her bowl yet still in a sleepy daze. The young alicorn sighed, placing the bowl down and magically stirring the broth with the carrot garnish as she thought back to the night before. Pink Pearl had indeed talked to them while escorting them to their rooms, but she had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't really heard what she was saying. It was within the realms of possibility that she had agreed to the over-eager mare tagging along with them, though her current, more rational mind was screaming about the danger that could befall such an innocent and powerless terran while in their company. Still, did she really have it in her to turn her down after such an exhausting display of pep and vigor?

Sighing again, Luna leaned in and took a sip from the cooled bowl. It was good. Really good. After a few more satisfied slurps and ignoring the carrot resting against her eye, she lowered the bowl and looked to her sister, who was still staring into the middle-distance while mindlessly gnawing on her garnish.

“So, Sweet Blossom is coming with us, it seems.”

“Huh?” Celestia blinked a few times as she came back to reality, letting her carrot slip from her mouth. With lightning reflexes she caught it with her magic and bit it in half with a vengeful crunch.

“Sweet Blossom, the mare who made the soup. She's coming with us to Haysead Swamp.”

“What? Why? Since when?”

“Since yesterday, apparently. Something about 'wanting to see the world'.”

“And she wants to go to Haysead Swamp?”

“I don't know, okay? I think I might have agreed to it yesterday, but I don't remember. I know it's irresponsible, but we can't just say no now, she's too excited.” Luna slouched down, taking the opportunity to lap at her soup.

“It's very irresponsible. Do you remember what our goal is here? We're not on some sight-seeing tour of Equestria; we're here to take back the county, by force! You have to tell her no.”

Luna straightened up. “No! Not me, I can't! She's just so excited. There's enough sadness in the world without us causing more.”

“Well you're the one who agreed to this insane idea. If she comes with us, she'll only get hurt. Heck, we can't even look after ourselves!”

The smokey-blue alicorn sighed again, slouching back down into her bowl. “She makes good food, though,” her voice echoed out of the hoof-carved stone bowl.

“Be that as it may-”

“Hey girls!” Sweet Blossom loudly announced from behind Celestia, causing her to jump and send the remainder of her carrot spinning into the air, landing back neatly into her bowl. “Ah'm all packed up and ready to go. Turns out, when you don't own much, it don't take long to pack at all! In fact, mostly it's just provisions, so Ah'm ready when y'all are! Hoo-wee! Ah just can't wait!”

Luna looked up at Celestia from her bowl with large, soulful eyes. The elder sister rolled her eyes and grit her teeth, struggling to bring herself to follow-through on her own words.

“Alrighty, Ah'm gonna go divvy out portions for the others already on duty. Y'all know where to find me when yer ready!” She turned and pranced back to her cauldron, her stuffed saddlebags rustling with every spring in her step.

“See what I mean?” Luna echoed within her bowl.

Celestia groaned as she deflated onto the table and covered her face with her hooves. “This is just what we need; more risk.”

Luna sat up, her soup now depleted, and used her magic to wipe her face, throwing the excess goop behind her. “On the plus side, we might not starve this time.”

The unicorn groaned even louder, pulling down her cheeks. “Okay, fine, but only as far as Haysead Swamp. She is not coming to Central Equestria with us.”

“Agreed.”

With a mutual sigh, the two sisters rose from their cushions and turned back towards the barracks, now noticing how many more ponies were milling around at this hour compared to yesterday; each now grabbing a bowl from kitchen on their way to the mining shaft. Having barely made it to the middle of the central road, Blossom spotted the sisters and dashed over, leaving her ladle to slowly sink into the orangey abyss.

“Ah didn't mention it before 'cause you was eatin', but Ah made y'all a little something. Come look!” Without waiting a beat, she circled the sisters and forcibly pushed them towards a previously uncovered preparation table by the cauldron. Returning to the front, she whipped off the sheet and held her hooves out. “Ta-da!”

On the table sat two more saddlebags of similar design to her own, though these sported two-tone clasps in the shape of their new owners' profiles.

“Wow! You- You made these?” Luna gasped, having never really received a gift before. Even Celestia raised her eyebrows at the unexpectedly generous gift.

“Yes indeedy! Ah whipped 'em up before makin' breakfast. Just couldn't stop thinkin' 'bout how grateful Ah am y'all is lettin' me come with ya'. Ah hope ya don't mind.”

“'Mind'? These are amazing!” Luna gushed.

“It's not like we have anything to put in them though,” Celestia grumbled.

“Sure ya do!” Blossom beamed, unhooking one with her mouth to reveal a number of root vegetables, which rolled out onto its unfurled flap. “Even between us it ain't much supplies, but it sure beats eatin' grass an' sand the whole way.”

Celestia pursed her lips, suddenly feeling as though the bags were less of a gift and more of a job.

“We love them, thank you,” Luna growled at her sister, before smiling at the happy mare.

“Well if that don't just make mah day even more! If y'all're ready to go now, there's one last thing Ah need to pack.”

As Blossom pranced around the table and squatted down to raid its storage shelf, Celestia leaned in to her sister with a hushed voice. “Were we ready to go?”

“Unless there's anything else you want to do here, I guess so,” she whispered back.

The pink-maned unicorn took a moment to look up and around, surveying their surroundings. This was truly a barren place; between the repurposed ruins and purely utilitarian activities on offer, the only thing of interest here was the location itself. It was almost impossible to truly comprehend just how high the perfectly smooth walls of this unnatural gorge were, as a quiet sense of dread questioned what you would do if this cleaved mountain decided to pull itself back together without warning. No matter how many cushions or friendly faces there were, this was a cold and lonely place, so it was no surprise that Sweet Blossom wanted nothing more than to escape these stone walls, if only for a few days.

“No... No, I suppose not. And it's not like we have anything to get ready.”

“Might as well, then.”

“Might as well.”

Sweet Blossom stood back up with a small black cauldron tied to her back and a belt loaded with all manner of cooking utensils. She turned to the sisters, beaming.

“You—uh—really want to bring all that?” Celestia asked, already weary of being slowed by a third wheel, let alone the extra baggage.

“Are the ponies here going to be okay without you? It kinda seems like you do a lot here,” Luna continued, attempting to defuse her sister's sass.

“Oh pish, those old'ns can cook up a storm just fine without me. Ah just do things here an' there to save 'em some trouble; a lil' washin', a lil' cookin', a lil' repairin'—ya know, basic stuff.”

The Princesses looked at one another, suddenly worried by how focused their skill sets were in context. Having spent almost every breathing moment of their young lives training in magic, leadership, and Equestrian history, certain 'basics' seem to have been overlooked, or at the very least, never practically applied. The most 'cooking' they had ever done was throwing together ingredients on a plate and calling it a salad. Neither of them had ever even bothered to ask Starswirl how he made their porridge, or tried to learn stitching with him... When they weren't being forced to learn something, they had made sure to distance themselves from learning as much as possible, be it getting lost in fantasy books, writing in their diaries, or listening to stories about 'the good old days'. There was precious little else to do in that prison cell of a house, which is why Celestia's little expeditions were worth the risk just to escape the monotony, but what practical use did any of that have now? What good is royal etiquette when you're on an empty road with chipped hooves and naught but grass in your belly?

“Well, Ah said mah goodbyes last night, so let's get a'hoovin'!” She trotted up to the sisters and dropped their new, laden saddlebags on their respective backs—almost winding them—before merrily skipping north up the road, her various kitchen utensils jangling with every step she took.

Celestia growled at this indiscretion before the smell of fresh vegetables reached her nose, reminding her of the hunger she had felt before arriving at this outpost. “I guess it couldn't hurt to have her along,” she pondered aloud, considering her stomach before the safety of their new companion. “She seems to know what she's doing.”

Luna rolled her eyes and followed after the terran mare, who was visibly brimming with excitement as she waved goodbye to everypony she passed along the way, with the elder sister eventually taking up the rear. Celestia had assumed that Blossom's excitement would quickly wear off after it was just them and the boring expanses of nothingness, but after passing through the northern gate of the ruined fort and the hour or so it took to reach the opposite end of the mountain pass, her energy hadn't diminished in the slightest. In fact, as the sheer rock cliffs either side of the party began to melt away and the East San Palomino Desert opened up before them, she uncontrollably burst into a full gallop just to get a good look at the opening horizon ahead of them. The pots and pans on her back were as light as air as she breached the parting cliffs and stared out across the arid landscape with an open mouth and sparkles in her eyes, full of awe at what might be considering a mundane sight by some.

“What, has she never seen a desert before?” Celestia scoffed, remaining alongside her sister.

“Neither had you until a few days ago.”

“I'd read about them, that was enough. And frankly, almost dying in one was enough desert for me for a lifetime,” she scowled at the memory before sighing, realising the inevitable. “We're going to have to go through that one too, aren't we.”

“Eventually. It's the only way back to Central Equestria.” Luna furrowed her brow, also concerned over the harrowing events of their last desert excursion. “But this is a trade route. As long as we stick to the road, we should be fine. We just need to bring some water with us this time.”

“What, swamp water?”

“There's a village, isn't there? They're not going to be some... mud-slurping proto-ponies, are they.”

Celestia snorted. “Could be.”

The Princesses caught up to Sweet Blossom, who was still taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the vast sandscape. To the sisters' relief there was a thin slice of plant life where the harsh desert ahead met the rocky mountains behind them, making their current position quite temperate and promising a relatively peaceful trek as they skirted the mountain to Haysead Swamp in the east.

“Well if ya' ain't seen anythin' quite so magical before, Ah don't know what...” Blossom gushed aloud, though not for the sake of anypony else.

“It's just sand,” Celestia droned, already tired of the mare's bubbly nature.

“'Just sand'?! Why, that there is a horizon of infinite possibilities! Look, ya' can even see it dancin' in the distance like magic, just waitin' to become whatever ya' can dream.”

“That's just heat haze.”

Sweet Blossom sighed, deflating her enthusiasm somewhat. “Ah know that, but don't it make ya' wanna believe in magic? In the possibility of anythin'?”

“But magic is real.” Celestia's horn lit up as she opened both her saddlebags and pulled out the supplies, circling them around the terrain like an airborne parade as an elementary display of telekenesis.

Blossom rolled her eyes, turning to face the unicorn. “Well Ah know that, obviously, but that ain't the kind a' magic Ah'm talkin' about. Ah'm talkin' about dreams!” Hearing this, Luna raised an eyebrow. “Ah'm talkin' about imagination! Ain't you ever looked at a blank canvas and been blown away by the infinite number a' things it could be?”

“No,” she replied matter-of-factly, before taking a moment to consider her answer. Thinking back through her foalhood, she couldn't remember ever feeling wonder or hope, not that she could remember much from before the South Sea house—nothing she wanted to remember, anyway. All she'd ever had were her books and imagining stories about them; going on perilous adventures with (a much younger) Summer Twinkle, meeting other ponies and... well, just meeting other ponies. The extent of her imagination was simply being outside that house, and now she was there... Why didn't she feel anything? She had spent so many years wishing she could visit that frozen town without the need of a breathing spell, or visit her parents' palace back home and the town she had known as a filly; but since coming out of that time spell she had been petrified, almost died in a desert, almost eaten by jungle-ponies, made herself a fool in front of her previously fictional idol, and spent days eating and sleeping on nothing but grass. What part of this nightmare had been worth waiting for? Was it because she had failed? A decade of training for a singular purpose, rendered moot with a single snap. Perhaps she wouldn't feel anything until she fulfilled that purpose, defeating Discord and bringing peace to the land, but was that even possible? Her sister might be an alicorn now—which, by the way, was infinitely unfair, as she had clearly put in more effort than Luna ever had, plus she was older—but was that even enough to bring an all-powerful being to its knees? They had no plan! For Equestria's sake, they were walking to a swamp with a tourist on the off-chance that somepony there might tell them what to do next! What were they thinking?! This was an impossible task from the beginning, and they would fail again, just like Starswirl had!

“Celestia!” Luna shouted on her third attempt to snap the unicorn out of her trance.

Shaking her head to disperse the dark thoughts, the elder sister looked around, disorientated by how long she had been lost in thought.

“Are you alright?” Sweet Blossom asked, genuinely concerned.

“Yes. Yeah, I'm fine,” she lied, forcing herself to exist in the moment as her mind continued to whisper fear and hopelessness into her ear.

“Alright... Let's get a move on, then, shall we?” the terran suggested, still worried as she turned to follow the mountainside path.

Celestia nodded absently and followed on, with an equally concerned Luna taking the rear this time.

Without the guidance of the moon to gently nudge the travellers to rest, it fell to their own aching hooves to eventually bring their journey to a halt. Despite the hours of walking and heat radiating from the desert beside them, Sweet Blossom remained as cheery and energetic as ever as she untied the small cauldron from her back and began preparing a meal. It wasn't long before the freshly cut vegetable chunks and seasoned broth filled the air around the small campfire with an appetising aroma.

“So, do you like cooking?” Luna asked, rocking side to side as she sat patiently.

“Ah sure do! Ain't there just somethin' magical 'bout takin' all sorts a' different things an' puttin' 'em together to make somethin' even better?”

“Here we go again,” Celestia grumbled, rolling her eyes.

“I think I know what you mean,” Luna replied while subtly glaring at her sister. “Like how the individual words of an incantation do nothing until they're strung together and cast.”

“Well, Ah wouldn't know anythin' about that-”

“Or how words don't tell a story until they're written together in a book,” Celestia interrupted with sarcastic dramatics. “Assuming you've read a book before.”

Luna stared at her sister in disbelief. Why was she being so cruel?

“Ey, that's more like it! Makin' food is like a book a' flavour; it takes the right ingredients to make it good enough for ponies to wanna come back for more.” She chuckled to herself as she raised her ladle to deliver the first serving, which Celestia shamelessly accepted in earnest. “Ah reckon with another full day a' travel, we should get to Haysead the mornin' after.”

“I thought you hadn't left the gorge before?” Luna asked, raising her own bowl for a helping of the hearty stew.

“Oh Ah ain't, not since we arrived when Ah was but a lil' tyke, but Ah've been watchin' the others leave for so long now that Ah got a feel for when they'd be back. Ol' Uncle Tootin's takes five to six days to return from Haysead, dependin' on the stories he'd bring back with him. He does all our deliveries north.”

“'Uncle Tootin'?” Celestia smirked into the bowl she was holding to her mouth.

“Yessiree! If there ain't nopony you can't always rely on, it's old Rootin' Tootin'.”

Sweet Blossom leaned back, raising her own bowl to her lips as silence fell over the group, allowing the crackling of the small fire to soothe their weary minds. Finishing hers first, Celestia lay back with a thoughtful sigh, looking up at the beautiful celestial mess above them. Despite the sun and moon sharing equal space in the sky, there was nothing the smaller sphere could do to compete with its brighter counterpart. Surely there had been numerous scholars in days past who would have begged for an everlasting day, and yet when the reality of such a thing becomes unavoidable, its flaws become apparent. Without the coolness of night and a peaceful, nocturnal slumber, the sun becomes an ever-watching eye, constantly judging and expecting more than you are capable of giving.

“So, how are we going to sleep here? There's no shade against the sun.”

The other two looked around, having yet to consider their sleeping arrangements. Indeed, trees and shrubs only sparsely lined the temperate oasis that was this easterly road, with nary a cave in sight up the southern mountain range. Luna considered pulling down palm leaves to cover their faces, but a more comfortable solution would be preferable.

“Well, one of y'all could put ya head inna' the pot once it's cleaned up,” Blossom suggested, before her eyes widened. “Wait, how're we gonna clean these here utensils? Ah didn't think that far ahead when Ah was packin'!”

“But you packed water,” Celestia stated, pulling a circular flask from her saddlebag.

“That's for drinkin'! We ain't wastin' that on washin' up! Oh horse apples!”

“Calm down, we'll be fine, we can use our magic,” Luna reassured her, demonstrating by scooping out the remains from her bowl and flicking them aside, leaving it spotless.

“Well if magic ain't the most useful thing!” Blossom guffawed, having clearly not spent much—if any—time around unicorns.

“What else didn't you pack?” Celestia mumbled.

“Celestia, what is your problem?!” Luna snapped back, finding her sister to have become increasingly unreasonable in light of their relative good fortune.

“Nothing. Let's just try to get some rest,” she replied with disinterest, turning away from the group and closing her eyes.

“I'm sorry,” Luna sighed, turning back to the terran. “We've... not spent much time around other ponies. She doesn't mean to be rude.”

“It ain't nothin',” she chuckled. “With a family as big as mine, ya get used to a little bickerin'. She ain't wrong, though, we should rest up for the trip ahead.”

Luna nodded, unsure if things were truly okay as the terran curled up in a lone spot of palm shade. She looked up at the twilit sky, wondering if the sun and moon would always remain together like this, then suddenly had an idea.

“I have an idea,” she announced before closing her eyes, thinking back to the disturbing dream she had suffered as a statue and that nightmare alicorn in it. After taking a calming breath her horn began to glow, and from it a dark mist began to rise.

“W-What are ya doin'?” Sweet Blossom stammered, struck with fear by the sinister silhouette being cast over them.

The dark clouds hovered above the trio for a second before slowly descending, shrouding the group's small campsite like a localised dome of midnight, inspired by the black sphere that had consumed her in that dark dream. Tiny magical sparkles dotted the low light within the bubble as though they were sitting among the stars of a night sky, the likes of which Luna had only seen in her dreams.

“It's... It's beautiful,” Sweet Blossom whispered in awe. For her—having been born after the sky had already come to a halt—this was a scene of pure, otherworldly magic.

Luna slowly opened her eyes and looked around with a content smile, finding herself filled with a calm she had not felt since overcoming her fears in the dreamscape. “That should help us get to sleep.”

“That magic a' yers really is something,” Blossom marvelled, laying back to stare at the faux-night sky above them.

“Yes. Yes it is.”

Celestia remained still, having not moved since turning away, but now lay with her eyes open, taken aback by her sister's display of magic. Was this the power of an alicorn? She had never seen anything like it, not even by Starswirl, and without the aid of an incantation at that! She was the elder sister, she was next in line for the throne, she had been tutored longer, so why-? Why was she being outshone by this filly? It wasn't fair. She had lost everything, and now she was losing things she didn't even have yet!

Just you wait, she thought. If you are capable of this, one day I shall become an alicorn too, and show you just how much better I am than you. Equestria will forget there was ever a younger princess after I save everypony myself.

Chapter 18: Bayou Blues

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The following day of travel down the eastward trail was uneventful, with Celestia remaining unusually silent despite Sweet Blossom's unwavering energy, stories, and myriad comments about the world around them. It was hard to tell how much time had passed by the time the trio arrived at the outskirts of Haysead Swamp, though all were keen to leave behind the bleak desert and looming mountains behind for some fresh scenery beneath the olive-green canopies. As lush trees and frilled underbrush began to multiply around them as they continued, it was the smell that truly let them know they had arrived, followed by a musky heat that somehow sapped their strength more than the desert-side road behind them. As much as one might read about these places in books, the reality of being here, with its rotting vines and tarry bogs, overwhelmed the senses more than you could ever imagine from words alone. Hooves would dip into thick, hidden mud, requiring a strong pull to free them, along with the most unpleasant and guttural of sounds; meaty leaves would get caught on somepony ahead, only to whip back and slap another in the face; and that was nothing compared the unsettling sounds of hidden creatures rustling bushes and sliding into brown pools, hopefully more afraid of the ponies than the ponies were of them.

“Do you know where you're going?” Celestia called forward to Sweet Blossom, who was currently leading the pack. The change of scenery and fresh hazards seemed to have cleared the glaze over her eyes, only to bring her right back to criticizing their new companion.

“Nope! Uncle Rootin' had plenty a' stories 'bout Haysead proper, but nothin' 'bout the trip there.”

“So why are you leading us, again?”

“Yer welcome to walk ahead if ya know any better,” she suggested with a creeping curtness to her voice. It seemed that not even she was strong enough to survive the unicorn's acerbic attitude forever. “But Ah'm sure you'd just be followin' the same ol' path as Ah am.”

Celestia looked down, and sure enough they did seem to be following a worn-in path, flanked by the occasional broken fern or displaced branch left by previous travellers. It was somewhat embarrassing that her sheltered life had left her so unprepared to survive in the real world, that even a country bumpkin who had never left her commune somehow had better instincts than her. Her mind almost began to spite Starswirl for his useless teachings, before remembering why they had come to his forsaken swamp in the first place.

“You mentioned your uncle before; what's he like?” Luna asked as she sheepishly dodged a low-hanging vine, causing one hoof to sink into a particularly soggy patch of soil, the retrieval of which sent her staggering back to the other side of the trail as she desperately tried to shake the muck off.

“Oh, ol' Uncle Rootin' Tootin'? He's full'a adventure, always tellin' me stories of his travels up here and around. He meets all sorts a' ponies, tradin' here and there—seems to have a knack for getting' into trouble, too. Why, once he even saved a griffon's life in this very bog!”

“Really?” both sisters asked, one amazed and the other sceptical.

“Sure! In fact, unless he's off on one of his more excitin' adventures, he should still be in Haysead when we get there—'least that's what the old'ns were countin' on for mah trip back; that's how Ah convinced 'em to let me come. Ah don't get to see him much between his travels, so it'll be real nice if Ah get to spend time with him... If he ain't there, well, it shouldn't be too hard to retrace mah steps, and that'll really show 'em that Ah can look after mahself!”

“Let's hope it doesn't come to that,” Luna fretted, not feeling secure in the feral swampland as part of a trio, let alone sending her back through it alone.

The three ponies pressed on, swatting at mosquitoes and giving particularly ripe marshes a wide berth. After a few hours of traversing the swamp, the path eventually led to a wide, murky-green river dotted with bald cypress trees and long, ominous shadows moving beneath the surface. It seemed safe to assume that this was the bayou they were told to find, so the village itself should be not long ahead of them as long as they followed the bank. Sure enough, after a brisk trot to outpace the looming aquatic threats, pony-made structures began to reveal themselves from behind the treeline ahead. It would have been easy to miss the mossy wood and earth-tones of the village had it not been for the directions provided—in fact, it was a miracle that this backwater collection of damp huts had any contact with the outside world at all, let alone established trade routes. Whatever business they did here must be special indeed.

“Wow, look! It's like a fairytale!” Blossom whispered in awe as they breached the final few trees obscuring the village.

“Really? What fairytales do you read?” Celestia sneered, earning a kick from her sister.

Slowing down as they entered the outskirts of Haysead Swamp proper, the sisters were a little taken aback by what a wholly unremarkable location it was. Suspended over the murky green bayou running past them, the village was clearly not designed to be seen from the bank, as their view was little more than the backs of ramshackle huts and rickety wooden structures that snaked across the river's width, all covered in moss and half-rotten as they sagged over the dank water. A lone building sat on the shore in front of them, next to the only visible ramp onto the slightly higher boardwalk that erratically webbed across the water, comprising the backbone of the entire settlement. The terrestrial structure itself appeared to be the village's trading post, given the illustrated burlap sack that hung above its saloon-like door, suggesting that this desolate, muddy clearing was the hub for all outsiders after the long and arduous journey here. There was little offered in the way of amenities, besides a hitching post for carts, a fresh-water trough, and what seemed to be a large postbox, leaving a mixed message as to whether visitors were welcome in the village or not at all.

As the group came to a natural stop outside the wooden hut and ramp, it became apparent just how expansive this village was as the view down the boardwalk revealed itself. The main stretch from the shore was filled with houses on either side as it reached far across the bayou, branching off into smaller paths all along it until finally splitting in opposite directions. The whole village webbed across the water, held up by the occasional thick wooden beam that reached deep into the riverbed below; small homely huts, two-story shops with their colourful signage, even rickety towers of questionable stability, all built one wooden panel at a time in the most illogical place Luna could imagine, short of a volcano. For her, this was the largest settlement she had ever seen—somehow even bigger than what she had grown up seeing from their hill-top view in South Sea Port, and certainly more dense. The warped and winding planks of the boardwalk were lit by colourful lanterns held up by bunting down the main thoroughfare, while live music hung softly in the air, accompanied by distant singing and laughing, giving the whole village a festive atmosphere. It was no surprise how well sound travelled over the bayou, given the glassless windows and erratic, staggered planks that formed most of the buildings' walls, no doubt due to the high humidity of the area making insulation far from necessary.

The young Princess could barely contain the excitement bubbling up inside her at the prospect of meeting an entire village of happy ponies, which was far from the devastation she had been taught to expect upon leaving the time-locked house. The Aztecan temple had certainly made a bad first impression, and Macintosh Pass would have been entirely miserable if it hadn't been for Sweet Blossom, so this was a very welcome departure from their struggles so far. If they had more time she would love to explore every inch of this lively, homely place, full of wonder and mysteries, but the suffering of Equestria's citizens had gone on long enough for them to tarry in this place. They were here on a mission, and nothing else should get in the way of that.

“Did your uncle ever mention where exactly this mage lived?” she asked aloud, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group.

Sweet Blossom shook her head. “Sorry. He's told plenty 'a stories 'bout his dealin's 'round town, but he ain't never mentioned Mage Meadowbrook. Come to think of it, most of his stories took place in the saloon, or at least started there. Ah know about as much as y'all do.”

“I wouldn't be so sure of that,” Luna grumbled under her breath, steadily tiring of being so out-of-touch with the world around them.

“We haven't heard the full story of the Mage, so perhaps there are some details you know that we don't,” Celestia suggested, remaining unusually alert as she eyed their surroundings. “Anything about her time before leaving the swamp.”

“'Time before leaving the swamp', huh? Well, let's see.” Sweet tapped her chin with her hoof, trying to recall the details of Granny Pearl's stories. “She were a healer, even before setting off with the Pillars—awful good wit' critters and ponies alike. Saved the whole village from a plague once, what Ah remember.” She sighed and shook her head. “Can't we just ask 'round? The locals'll know exactly where the old Meadowbrook place is.”

“No, it's best if we don't involve these ponies as much as possible,” Celestia answered curtly, clearly on edge. “Even if they don't spread word that an alicorn is in town, I get the feeling these ponies aren't the welcoming type.”

“What?!” Luna balked. “Why would you say that?”

“I don't know.” She squinted, focusing on a fairly rowdy looking building at the furthest junction of the boardwalk ahead of them. “I just feel like this place likes to keep its secrets.”

Luna shook her head. “Another hunch courtesy of Summer Twinkle?” She smirked wryly, though the complete lack of reaction from her sister was sobering. Was this place actually dangerous?

“Let's go,” Celestia announced as she started towards the wooden ramp, though not with her usual, confident strides. “You said she was a healer, right? Keep an eye out for apothecaries and herbalists, we might get lucky.”

“Wait!” Luna snapped with an uncharacteristically raised voice, and more shocking still was that Celestia actually complied. “If we really do need to be careful here, shouldn't I hide that I'm an alicorn?”

It was so obvious that Celestia was stunned it had never crossed her mind. The Aztecan temple had been a whirlwind of adrenaline, and they were too exhausted to think about it before entering Macintosh Pass, but here, right now, they actually had a moment to take precautions and not act on impulse alone. Before Luna's transformation, they could have blended in without raising too much suspicion, but an alicorn casually strolling through town was bound to turn some heads. As unsure as they were about Discord's current status, the longer they could remain incognito, the more they could get done before having to find out.

With a nod from Celestia, Luna closed her eyes and focused on her horn. After a small flash, the protruding spike on her head disappeared and her hair relaxed, as though nothing had ever been there. This was, of course, just a visual illusion taught to her by Starswirl, but as long as nothing touched her head then nopony would be the wiser—a much smaller target than her wings, which she still hadn't gained full control of. It was too late to undo her previous sightings, but the Aztecans were a secluded group, and the majority of ponies at Old Macintosh seemed too busy in their day-to-day work to even notice the new arrivals, so their chances were good. This being the most populated area they had visited so far, it was good they had caught this early, given the increased risk of bumping into one of those so-called 'Discord loyalists' here.

With a collective nod of preparedness, the three ponies mounted the weathered boardwalk and made their way toward the heart of the bayou, the thick wooden beams groaning beneath the wary clop of their hooves. As they passed the first branching path not far along, the corner house revealed a short, dumpy stallion strumming a banjo on his porch, rocking lazily on his chair with a reed in his mouth.

“Howdy there, sir! Nice night for it—or day—hard to tell these days, ain't it?” Sweet Blossom energetically called out while waving.

Celestia face-hoofed at the immediate disregard of her instruction to keep a low profile. Was this mare incapable of not speaking to every pony she encountered?

The bearded pony opened his eyes slowly, without breaking the rhythm of his strumming, rocking, or chewing, though remained disinterested.

“Don't suppose we could ask ya' for directions?”

“Y'all sightseers?” he grunted, barely moving a muscle in his face.

“Well, we-” She looked back at the princesses, who were clearly unhappy about this situation. “Not quite.” She turned back to the gravelly bumpkin. “But where are mah manners? Name's Sweet Blossom! Ya' might know my uncle, he comes 'round these parts to trade and such, by the name of Rootin' Tootin'.”

“Rootin' Tootin', ya' say?” The old terran stopped his rocking and held his banjo to the side, turning to spit out a wad of... something. “Sûr, I know ol' Rootin'. Been keepin' an eye out for that rouscailleur after what he did to my daughter. I'd bet on him bein' at the cabaret or saloon, drinkin' some calebasse under the table before robbin' him blind, no doubt.”

“O- Oh, Ah see. Thanks.”

“You see him, you tell him ol' Barley Brew is lookin' to wrap his strings 'round his neck.”

“O- Okay.” Sweet backed up and continued down the main street without waiting for the sisters, struggling to process the sordid tale she had just heard.

“Are you okay, Sweet Blossom?” Luna asked carefully as she caught up.

“Y- Yeah!” She forced a smile that wasn't fooling anypony, though Luna chose not to press her further. “S- So, do you know what a 'cabaret' is? The sooner Ah find mah uncle, the sooner Ah'll be out'a y'all's manes.”

Luna looked back at Celestia, who had been keeping a wary eye on the strumming stallion as they moved on, but shook her head when she noticed the silent question.

“Ca-ba-ret, li-bra-ry... Maybe it's their word for a library?” Luna posed, guessing at best.

“That doesn't seem like somewhere this Uncle would frequent,” the elder sister rebuked, trotting closer to the front. “It's probably something as equally seedy as the saloon... No offence.”

Sweet Blossom remained silent with her head low, questioning the pedestal she had placed her uncle on. He was still a good pony, right? Sure, his stories could be a tad risqué at times, but he wasn't a bad pony... He wasn't.

“If we're going to start looking for him anywhere, my guess would be that place ahead,” Celestia continued, nodding toward the large, white building at the end of the stretch ahead of them. “Seems rowdy enough to at least get some information on the ponies we're looking for.”

Sure enough, the only painted building in sight from the moment they saw the boardwalk stuck out like a sore hoof amongst the sleepy and dilapidated houses around it. While song and laughter hung in the air all around them, the source ahead was becoming increasingly dominant as they got closer, with patrons whooping and hollering on tables outside the establishment, and shadows dancing across the golden glow of the windows that were too bright to see through. Even without its stained, white facade, this building stood out as one of the few two-story buildings in the immediate area, first seeming grand with its columned porch before bending up into a cartoonish forced-perspective. This seemed to be a major landmark for the locals, so surely somepony would at least know the direction to the mage's old lodgings.

As they made their way up the southern bank's boardwalk, it became clear that this village—if you could still call it that—was very much built around the centre of the bayou, with buildings growing in size and quantity the further eastward you went. Initially blocked by a sizeable and sheer hill behind the trading post, the rest of Haysead was beginning to come into view between the small branching paths that flanked them. The houses and shops here were still small and spaced out enough for this initial area to feel homely, but the occasional peek down a side-alley showed glimpses of what one might call a slum. The further down the river you could see, the more claustrophobic the buildings seemed to get, with leaning wooden towers sometimes meeting over their dingy alleyways, lacking the colourful lighting of the main path; hollow shells of houses left abandoned and rotting in the damp air, while the odd sound of crying could be picked out from the song and cheer. Still, they had greater concerns than the living conditions of these ponies right now. If what they had been told of Central Equestria was true, then this town seemed better off than most.

A minute or two later, the trio stood before the prominent two-story building, somehow feeling more anxious about entering now than any of their previous misadventures. They kept their distance enough for the musky swamp air and chorus of crickets and frogs to at least match the smell of ale and sounds of who-knows-what debauchery from within. Even the ponies out front seemed difficult to approach, as those occupying the few external tables were either merrily chugging their flagons with friends or seemingly unconscious. The two princesses and their companion looked at one another uncomfortably, with even Sweet Blossom seeming hesitant to approach such an establishment, though the decision would be made for them soon enough. Commotion began to brew within the saloon's walls, barely noticeable at first over the ambient revelry, but punctuated with a half-full tankard flying over the batwing doors that forced the three travellers to scatter as it landed. A moment later, an entire pony blew through the same doors back-first, landing with a graceless thud just short of the mug they had followed. Two muscular, moustachioed stallions in bowler hats opened each side of the swinging door as they gauged their throw, seemingly satisfied as they turned back inside with little more than a snort, much to the amusement of the conscious patrons nearby.

“Uncle!” Sweet Blossom screamed, dashing toward the fallen pony as the sisters looked on in startled confusion, only able to watch as she helped him up.

The dark-brown stallion began to dust himself off once back on his hooves, not even acknowledging his niece's unexplained appearance so far from the home she never left. He wore a green velvet jacquard waistcoat and a white dress shirt rolled up to his shoulders, accented by a black string tie and sleeve garters. Most striking of all was his meticulously curled moustache, resting just below a centre-parted mop of black hair, and a mildly annoyed expression between them. Just as he straightened his tie, one of the ponies from within flung a flat-topped gambler hat over the saloon doors, which tumbled to a halt right by his hoof. Non-nonchalantly picking it up and dusting it off, he placed it back on its rightful perch and turned to the mare beside him as though nothing had happened.

“Uncle Rootin'! Are you alright?!”

“Why as Ah live and breathe, if it ain't mah little Sweet Pea.” His voice was as thick as molasses, somehow addressing his niece as though he had only just noticed her. “Now what in Discordia are you doin' outside this chum bucket of an establishment? You're a long way from home, mah dear.”

As Sweet Blossom answered, Luna leaned in to Celestia and whispered behind her hoof.

“That's her uncle?”

Celestia shrugged, not expecting somepony quite as seedy from the tales she had been forced to listen to on the way here.

“Oh! Where are mah manners?” Sweet exclaimed, encouraging the stallion to face her friends. “Uncle Rootin', this here is Celestia and Luna, the Princesses of Equestria!” she announced proudly, to the sisters' mortification. “Y'all, this here's mah Uncle Rootin' Tootin' what I told y'all about.”

“Sweet Blossom!” Celestia snapped before dragging her hoof down her face in frustration. “Guess there's no point hiding you're an alicorn if she's going to blab to everypony she sees,” she grumbled to her sister.

There was something charming about Sweet's naivete to Luna, but in this situation it was doing them no favours. Still, she wasn't ready to give up on her disguise just yet.

“The 'Princesses of Equestria', y'say, and an alicorn to boot? Well now ain't that somethin',” he mused aloud, stroking his chin. “Can't say ya look like princesses, or alicorns for that matter, but then Ah can't rightly say Ah'd know 'em if they was standin' 'front of me. Given that discretion is the better part a' valour-” He bowed down, doffing his hat to the sisters. “An unexpected pleasure to meet royalty in a backwater place such as this, especially two fine fillies such as yourselves.”

Celestia reflexively cringed, while Sweet Blossom seemed quite proud of her uncle's good manners.

“Oh, Uncle Rootin', these two came here in search of Mage Meadowbrook's old place; don't suppose ya know where it is?”

“Mah dear Sweet Pea, Ah can find things ponies don't even know they lost yet; an entire house is but a trifle. Why, Ah was just now summarily ejected from this 'fine' establishment for spottin' a fifth ace up the dealer's sleeve; and they have the temerity to call me a 'cardsharp'!” He chuckled, shaking his head. “But Ah digress. Sure enough, Ah do know where the old mage lived, and an older-one-still resides. But that begs the question what business y'all have with that old spinster.”

Celestia was quick to reply, intent on beating Sweet Blossom to the answer before she spilled any more of their secrets. Her muscles tensed as she stood tall, taking a single step toward the source of her discomfort.

“We wish to learn more about the Pillars, straight from the horse's mouth. It was before our time, you see.”

“Ah see, Ah see,” he nodded slowly, though his eyes said more than his mouth did. “Plenty a' ponies could tell you them stories, mind you, without needin' to bother the old mare. She ain't much one for visitors.”

“Unfortunately we have come across some inconsistencies in the stories we have heard, so we chose to hear it from a more reliable source.” Celestia's brows furrowed, surprised by the tension she suddenly felt from the words unspoken between them. This uncle of Sweet's was surprisingly astute and clearly hiding something, but what, and why? “Surely you have no stake in us trying?”

The brown terran chuckled and stroked his chin again, smiling at the floor before looking back to the Princess. “Surely Ah don't, mah dear filly; simply lookin' out for safety of the elderly. Shouldn't go givin' out personal details to any ol' pony ya meet, don't ya agree, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna?”

The elder sister winced, feeling their disadvantage increase after Sweet had so innocently shown their hoof to this cardsharp.

“That's Uncle Rootin' for ya; always keepin' an eye out for the vulnerable,” Sweet Blossom beamed, feeling that this introduction was going swimmingly. He even remembered their names!

“It would certainly be mah pleasure to escort Your Royal Highnesses to the old mare's home. Wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity to get to know mah dear Sweet Pea's esteemed friends better; Ah would very much love to know how y'alls met.”

“Thank you for the offer,” Celestia announced with insincerity, “but directions will be more than enough. We wouldn't want to intimidate her by arriving in such a large party. Besides, Sweet Blossom came all this way hoping to see you, so your time would be much better spent giving her a proper tour of the village.”

The blonde mare nodded enthusiastically at this suggestion, drawing his reluctant attention.

“As you wish, Princess. Ah may be known for many things, but turning mah rump on mah family ain't one of 'em. Every moment shared with this here beam a' sunshine is a treasure in and of itself.” He gently hoofed Sweet Blossom on the cheek, causing her to giggle, before pointing down the eastward split of the boardwalk to his left. “The directions are simple enough: go down thataway and take the third turnin' on ya left; that'll take ya to the other side of the bayou, where ya just follow the path to the large tree nearby.”

“She lives in a tree?” Luna asked, having not considered that a possibility for a pony. Perhaps she was a nesting pegasus?

“Plenty 'round here ain't what it seems, lil' miss, you can trust me on that.”

“Well then, thank you for your time, Mr. Tootin'. We'll leave you two to catch up.” Celestia stated with force, eager to end this interaction.

“Please, Mr. Tootin' was mah father. Y'all are welcome to call me Uncle Rootin', too.”

“Thanks, we won't. Are you sure you're going to be okay, Sweet Blossom?”

The pale mare nodded happily. “Ah can't wait to see more of his huge town and all the spots Uncle Rootin' mentioned in his stories! By the way, a local pony mentioned a 'cabaret' earlier, do ya know what that is?”

“Ah surely do, Sweet Pea, but uh-” He chuckled awkwardly, pulling at his collar. “Ah'll tell ya about it when yer older.”

“But Ah'm a fully-grown mare already! Why must y'all treat me with kid gloves all the time?!”

Celestia nudged Luna, indicating that it was time for them to leave. As the sisters passed the two terrans and followed the directions they had been given, Sweet Blossom looked back at them with some regret in her eyes, conflicted about replacing her new friends so abruptly.

“It was real nice to meet y'all!” she shouted after them, energetically waving her hoof. “If y'all have time before ya leave, come find me so Ah can give y'all a proper sendoff, 'kay?”

The Princesses waved back, one more enthusiastically than the other. Luna sighed as they continued down the boardwalk.

“It feels so rude to leave her like that after all this time... She even made these bags for us.” The disguised alicorn batted her personalised saddlebag, which was now mostly empty after their long journey from Old Macintosh.

“This is her life, Luna,” Celestia stated bluntly, seeming even more on edge than when they had arrived. “We can't foalsit everypony we meet on this journey. They're family—they had no issues before we met, so they'll be fine now. The less time we spend with strangers, the better.”

As Luna sighed again, Sweet Blossom slowed her waving outside the saloon, finally lowering her hoof to the floor.

“They sure were in a hurry to leave. Hope they find what they're lookin' for.”

“Indeed they were, Sweet Pea. Must be awful important for them to hear that story,” Rootin' Tootin' pondered, stroking his chin once more. “Can't help but wonder if that really was all there is to their visit, comin' so far for a simple chin-wag.”

“Well, they're hopin' she might know somethin' about their old mentor, Starswirl the Bearded. Can ya believe they really knew him, in the flesh? They was right upset when they heard 'bout his passin' for the first time a few days ago, poor things; so they was hoping she might guide them to his final resting place up north to say their goodbyes.”

“Were they now...”

Luna and Celestia trotted down the central wooden spine of Haysead Swamp, following it downstream as the core of the village rose around them. Just like the stretch they had entered on, this wider bridleway was criss-crossed by colourful lanterns and bunting above their heads, though significantly more ponies populated this area, either relaxing outside their houses, half-heartedly attending their stalls, or simply going from A to B. The closer they came to what must be the heart of the town, the more a heady smell filled the air—indescribable to an unfamiliar nose, though likely related to the hazy atmosphere.

Far down the creaky and warped boardwalk was a tall, crooked clocktower, standing hoof-over-head above the other buildings, despite its poor posture. Two winding hands told the time—an invention that the sisters had never seen before—with what seemed like ragged windmill blades slowly turning on its rear. For what good it did them, considering the sky remained in a constant state of twilight, it was currently late in the afternoon. Even from here they could hear the rhythmic clunking of what must be its internal mechanisms at work, somehow matching the rhythm of the town's ambient melody. Everything about this place was incredibly calming; an effect that was sadly lost on the sisters, who were too busy being fugitives on a mission to save the world to stop and smell the smokeweed.

“Did you get a bad feeling from that guy?” Luna asked, now that they were at a sufficient distance from the terrans. “I hope Sweet Blossom will be alright.”

“She was looking forward to seeing him, so I'm she'll be just fine. Doesn't mean I trust him for a second, though.”

“You don't trust anypony.”

“So far we've been turned to stone, foalnapped, held at spear-point, and forced to babysit an adult, and that's after being locked inside our whole lives! Give me one reason why I should trust anypony.”

“That's true,” Luna lamented, before muttering “Sweet Blossom was hardly traumatic, though.”

“But that guy,” Celestia continued, grimacing. “There's something going on with him, and I don't like it.”

Luna sighed, slowly shaking her head. “I don't like it, but I think you are right about getting out of here quickly... I didn't think much of it at first, but now, thinking about those ponies Summer Twinkle mentioned had become loyal to Discord, I-”

“Wait, she what?” The elder sister barked, pulling away in shock. “And you're only just telling me?!”

“You were there! Not my fault you weren't listening!” Luna pouted. “So you're this distrustful without knowing that?”

“Not anymore.” She gritted her teeth, eyes paranoically darting around. “Ponies are actively looking for us? How could you not tell me?!”

“Well I don't know about that. Discord doesn't necessarily know we're out of the statues... Right?”

“We don't know that. We don't know anything about him, apparently, given how easily he beat us.” Celestia glared at the boards below, cursing her own weakness. “The last thing we need is worse odds,” she mumbled.

“Anyway, that's why I agree we should get out of here as soon as possible. As nice as a warm bath and soft sheets would be, the fewer ponies that see us, the better. I'm in no rush to be petrified again, and these ponies don't seem the safest sort.”

Celestia scoffed. “Didn't think I'd hear that from you.”

“What's that supposed to mean? You think I liked being a statue?”

“No, you've been all over everypony we've met since the temple. If it weren't for me, you never would have left that trading post.”

“That is not true. And if I hadn't trusted Pink Pearl, you never would have learned about Starswirl or the Pillars!”

The elder sister huffed, unwilling to admit fault. Both fell into silence as their minds drifted back to bittersweet memories of their mentor and the sombre mission they had found themselves on.

As the Princesses continued past the various shops, houses, stalls, and passing groups of swamp-folk making merry, the third turning on the left finally arrived, appearing to lead to the opposite bank of the bayou in much the same way as the path they had entered on. With one last glance at the old clock tower, and a tentative look back towards the saloon by Luna, the sisters turned down the branching boardwalk and made their way to the other end without incident. Sure enough, after a small decline to the northern bank, there appeared to be a path marked by haphazardly laid planks, now covered in moss and partly obscured by mud. The remains of what might have once been a manicured garden—now left untended for years—flanked the path as it twisted a short way past two smaller trees and directly into a much larger one, standing proud in the swamp forest clearing.

“Is this the tree he was talking about?” Luna asked, observing the overgrown and thoroughly run-down plot. It seemed unlikely that anypony would choose to live out here, given the cosy village a mere stone's throw away, she thought.

Like most of the trees around the bayou, the especially imposing one before them had the wide and woody roots of a bald cypress, though the size of this alleged house suggested that three or more trees had grown together into a single, twisted colossus—quite an impressive specimen indeed. It was starting to seem more likely that the pony they were looking for lived within the tree, rather than on one of its branches; an observation that was backed up by the heavyset door at the end of the path, nestled within the thick tree roots.

“Seems like it,” Celestia answered, though her confident tone belied her own apprehension. After all, who was to say that Rootin' Tootin' had been telling the truth?

The Princesses looked at each other and swallowed, tentatively making their way closer to the door before the braver of the two took the final steps to rap three times on the door. Hollow echoes shook the interior of the large tree, going so far as to dislodge a few dead leaves from the aged canopy. Celestia took a step back, half expecting nothing to happen, and half hoping it wouldn't.

After waiting half a minute, the elder sister turned to suggest a new plan of action just as a bassy 'thunk' came from behind the door and it slowly swung inward with a deep, melancholic creak. The two hesitantly leaned in, unable to make sense of anything within the gloomy interior, rendered pitch black by covered windows and thick swirls of escaping dust. As they stared in, an aged face suddenly appeared from the shadows, barely lit by the external twilight, and causing both sisters to snap to attention. A lilac-hued mare stood in the threshold, eyeing the pegasus and unicorn with weary eyes.

“Oui?”

Celestia found herself lost for words for some reason, drawing a blank as to why they were even there. “Uh...”

“Um, is this, uh-” Luna stammered, forcing herself to make up for her sister's silence. “Is... this the house of Mage Meadowbrook?”

There was a long, heavy pause as the mare sullenly stared at them, her lips tight and eyes sunken. Perhaps this was not an uncommon event for her—tourists bombarding a grieving mother, wanting to grasp at the precious few straws of hope left in this world.

Dust began to seep from the open doorway, staining the swamp's half-light with its turbulent speckles. It had been a long time since she'd left her house, it seemed; or at least since she'd cleaned it. Despite only a few seconds passing, the uncomfortable silence made the sisters wonder if she was ever going to reply.

“There is no mage here, outsiders. Ma fille is gone. Pour toujours.”

“Are- Are you-?” Celestia fumbled, panicked that they had somehow mistakenly stumbled upon a witches lair, in an abrupt regression to her fantastical childhood imagination.

The old mare sighed, seeming equally frustrated and desperate to have company as she took a step further into the light. “Je m'appelle Meadow Flower, Meadowbrook's vieille mère.”

The sisters shared a glance, unfamiliar with the regional dialect she was dipping into, but choosing not to make things even more awkward by questioning it.

“What brings you to ma maison?”

“I'm so, so sorry to come to your house like this,” Luna beseeched, taking a hopeful step past her sister. “But we need your help. We recently learned that our mentor, Starswirl, has- had-”

“Starswirl?” The lilac terran turned and spat into the grass beside her door. “Without him, ma babe would still be alive. And you say he taught you?”

Luna pulled back, not expecting such a visceral reaction. “But- Please, we just want to know what happened to him, and the others. We heard you know where the- … where the Pillars...” She looked away, feeling as though she had already ruined their only chance.

“If there's nothing we can do about their loss, we at least want some closure,” Celestia finally chimed in, stepping up to her sister's side. “All we ask for are directions to the Pillars' final resting place, then we'll be out of your mane.”

Meadow Flower stood silent, still measuring her two mysterious guests.

“And just how would two pouliches like yourselves know that stallion? You say he taught you, but you're not near old enough to have even met. The Pillars failed some—” In her eagerness to make her point, she unintentionally upset herself, looking away in sad reflection for a moment. “—near thirty years ago now.”

The sisters’ eyes widened as they slowly turned to one another in cold shock. Thirty years. Thirty years! Had they truly spent three decades—over twice Luna's age—locked in stone as the world turned without them; gone for an entire generation? How had Equestria not been reduced to ash with Discord left unchecked for that long? Nothing was adding up, but who could they turn to for answers now that Starswirl was gone? Not only did they not know anypony else, but now there was no chance that anypony would know them. For the first time in their short lives they felt truly alone. Two unknown ponies in an unfamiliar world.

As choking as these sombre thoughts were, the would-be saviours knew they needed an ally now more than ever, and who better to understand their mission than a pony who had felt that same pang of loss? Sharing the thought, Celestia nodded to her sister, who closed her eyes as a wavy glow emanated from her obfuscated horn, revealing it to the old terran. It took a moment for Meadow Flower to process what she was seeing, completely blind-sided by this revelation.

“T- Toi-!” She blinked a few times, not believing her eyes. “You're an alicorn?! N- Non, this has to be a trick—a ruse!”

“This is no trick, we-” Luna looked to her sister for permission, who gave another nod. “We are princesses, the last royals of Canterlot.”

“Ma bleu!” The old pony raised a trembling hoof to her mouth, as though her entire world had been turned upside-down. Given others’ reactions thus far, hers was far more dramatic than the sisters had expected.

“It is our intention to dethrone Discord and restore order to Equestria, though we have a long journey ahead of us and no mentor to guide us,” Celestia announced with some pageantry, feeling upstaged by Luna’s party trick. “We heard that a book of Starswirl's was left at the resting place of the Pillars, and such a tome may hold clues for what we are to do next.”

There was just enough silence for Celestia to question if she had made a fool of herself before the stunned Meadow Flower responded.

“D’accord,” she nodded, shaking herself out of a stupor before turning back into the dark and musky interior of her tree-house.

Celestia and Luna looked at each other, unsure of what was now happening. Some rustling and the clopping of hooves echoed from within, followed by the sounds of creaking cupboard doors and the clattering of metal and glass. A few minutes of awkward waiting later, Meadow Flower finally re-emerged with a pale-lavender saddlebag slung over her back, wearing a muted-teal dress and matching head scarf. Turning to lock the door with a large iron key, the terran faced the girls with a newfound sense of purpose in her eyes.

“I shall take you there. It is-” She inhaled. “It is what ma fille would have wanted.”

“You’re coming?” Luna asked, taken aback by her sudden change in tone. “You really don’t have to. It’s so far!”

She dismissed the worry with a shake of her head. “It is a journey I am quite familiar with. ‘Sides, I am running low on northern herbs; faire d'une pierre deux coups. Allons-y.”

With a nod toward the village centre, Meadow Flower began towards the boardwalk, leaving the sisters to falter for a moment before catching up. Luna matched the older mare's lead as they reached the sunken wooden planks, still shocked at how rapidly things were progressing.

“We really do appreciate you doing this for us, it's very kind of you,” the dark alicorn enthused as she re-cast the obfuscation spell on her horn. “I don’t know how it’s going to be when we get there, but the thought of seeing Uncle Starswirl’s… This can’t be an easy trip for you, especially when it’s your daughter.”

As Luna looked away, seeming to have upset herself, Meadow Flower looked down at the filly, assessing her initial impression of the alicorn. There was no guarantee that this wasn’t all some elaborate unicorn scam, of course, but something about this young mare seemed so sincere.

“It ain't easy, that's for sure, but it keeps her memory alive in me. Visit a couple of times a year; refresh her flowers, let her know how all's been. This year’s been a rough one, so I ain’t gone the way ‘til now.” Meadow glanced at Luna again, who still seemed to be battling her emotions. “You called Starswirl the Bearded was your mentor and uncle, huh? Must’ve been real close. Surprised he had time for students, travellin' around Equestria with the Pillars like he did, cut short as it was.”

“It's... a long story.”

“Aren't they all. What is your name, Petite Bleue?”

“O- Oh! Luna! My name's Luna, sorry for not introducing myself earlier.”

“Ain’t no thing. I have no wish to be rude, but as an alicorn, knowing Starswirl the Bearded as you say you did… Just how old are you?

“Me? I’m twelve.”

“Huh.” Meadow Flower nodded her head, noting that she was as old as she looked. “Long story,” she echoed. “And what do I call you, Grande Blanc?” she asked over her shoulder.

“Celestia,” the white unicorn answered, quickening her step to match their lead. “When the Pillars were around, did you ever get to meet him? Starswirl?”

The lilac pony looked up at the twilight sky, thinking back many years—many sad, bitter years. She remembered a time when ponies slept in darkness and rose to the sun alone; a better time, living with her daughter in South Sea Post. If she could help these two bring back the day and night they had once shared, maybe she could start putting her daughter’s memory to rest. What a strange and ironic twist of fate today had brought her.

“Only met him once, right here in Haysead, back when he took ma fille away. Had I known it would be the last time I'd see her, I might’ve put up more of a fight, not that I could'a stopped her if I'd tried. She was always so braquée when it came to helpin' others, so naturally she jumped at the chance to save the world. It's what I loved about ma chérie the most, and what ended up-” She stopped herself, closing her eyes as she sighed. “We shared so précieuses few years together, between this an' that.”

“I’m so sorry...” Luna bit her cheek as loss weighed heavily on their collective minds. “But- I know that Starswirl would not have put her in harm’s way recklessly. Everything he did was for the greater good, to protect Equestria... no matter the cost…” She trailed off, considering the price they had paid with their childhoods on his decision alone.

“'No matter the cost' indeed,” she snapped. “And just what has he protected, Princesse? The sky hangs motionless above, ponies live in fear and squalor under the evil tyrant, and their sacrifice stands only to dissuade others from trying again. Nothin' has changed in this dark world 'cept the loss of ma bèbe’s light.”

“He protected us,” Luna whispered to herself, almost shameful that they had survived when others hadn’t. Without Starswirl, she and her sister would not have survived this long—learnt enough to persevere through the subsequent hardships. He might have thought them lost to Discord’s hand and given in to despair later, but everything he had done up to that point had paved the way for their future; for the future of Equestria. She had to believe in him, just like he had believed in her.

“All the Pillars did was get ponies' hopes up,” the old mare continued, having clearly stewed for years in her intense bitterness toward the wizard. “One last spark from sinkin’ tinder. We lost more than we gained from their failure; we lost hope. And just like the hubris that caused this whole nightmare to begin with, they rotted from the inside out. Discord didn’t even need to lift a finger.”

As Luna’s mind swam, Celestia remained silently attentive, absorbing every morsel of information the mare was unwittingly sharing.

“What hubris?” she asked, sensing a story beyond what they had learned so far.

“Power, ma chère; greed for what we do not have. Just as Canterlot fell under its rotten king, so too did the Pillars destroy themselves from the inside-out—at least that’s the story. We don’t know the real reason, ‘course, but the six markers for seven ponies paints a picture, don’t it? Never did hear about that other pony again, whatever ‘is name was.”

The white unicorn couldn’t help but brush aside the more relevant story for what hit far closer to home than she was expecting.

“What- What did the King do?”

Meadow Flower raised her eyebrows, at first shocked that anypony would have to ask, before turning her head to the princess and remembering who she was talking to.

“O- Oh! Apologies, I forgot- Uh- Me an’ my big mouth, getting swept up in the past. I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine, just- Just tell me what you meant.”

The Princess’ stern eyes were locked on the terran’s, who looked away uncomfortably and began to fidget with the neckline of her dress. The boardwalk’s slats groaned under the trio’s combined weight as they steadily made their way toward the town’s wooden spine, too preoccupied this time to take in their semi-familiar surroundings.

“Again, it’s all hear-say, vous savez comment c'est. Survivors from the palace apparently told of chaos spreading from the throne room, leadin’ ponies to believin’ the King made a deal with Discord, gone awry.”

The sisters’ eyes widened. Starswirl had told them stories of their father; a good-hearted stallion who put Equestria’s needs before his own until childbirth took their mother and Discord claimed him. But what if there was more to the story? Discord had travelled to their world through a magic mirror, but why then? Had he been summoned?

“’Course, nopony really knows what went on in the palace, between the traumatised survivors and guards still fighting, most I know are rumours; hear-say around town.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Who’s to say who really is in the wrong, but these stories always seem to come back to wanting more than you got. I never knew the King, never met him, so it’s not my place to talk him down. For that, I apologise.”

Celestia shook off the apology, having barely known him herself, though something about that story struck her deep, in a way that she couldn’t currently explain. Luna was still struggling with the possibility that she had been lied to by her mentor. Everything she knew of her past—everything that made her present—had been taught to her by Starswirl, so if he had lied about anything… what did that make her? She might have doubted her own claim to the throne if it weren’t for the wings on her back and her sister to the right of Meadow Flower. He couldn’t have lied about anything serious, surely?

The trio of ponies rounded the inner corner of the north shore boardwalk and continued down the bayou's length, this time away from the looming clocktower behind them. It wasn't long before the bustling saloon was back in sight, and with it, an unexpectedly familiar face sitting almost exactly where it had last been seen. Confused and concerned, Luna galloped ahead of the party to gently approach the lonesome pony.

“Sweet Blossom, you're still here? I thought you were leaving with your uncle.”

The pale mare looked up slowly, her back uncharacteristically hunched and pitiful.

“Oh, yer back already? Well, Ah was plannin' to,” she sighed, “but Uncle Rootin' said he had somethin' important 'a do and Ah'd be bored if Ah went with ‘im. Told me to wait for ‘im at the bar, but Ah ain’t goin’ in there, the smell makes mah nose burn, so Ah figured Ah’s just sit put an' wait for 'im here.”

“Oh.”

Luna looked around, hoping to see Rootin' Tootin' already on his way back to the abandoned mare, but was met only by the leers of drunken strangers. Despite the age difference between the two, the young princess' upbringing of expectations and responsibility had managed to prepare her for the world far better than this mare’s, leaving her ironically protective of this naive and trusting twenty-something.

By this point the two stragglers had caught up to the sorry scene and came to a stop beside them.

“What's going on?” Celestia asked, quietly concerned behind her mask of aloofness.

“Apparently her uncle went to do something without her, so she's waiting here,” Luna repeated, before approaching her sister with a hushed voice. “I don't think we should leave her here alone, it doesn't feel right.”

Celestia grunted in agreement, glancing at the rowdy patrons of the nearby establishment before answering in an equally hushed tone. “Nothing about this place feels right. Do you think he's actually coming back?”

“I don't know.” She sighed, once more peering down the various branching passageways that stemmed from this junction. “Earlier, did it seem to you like he was more interested in us than he was her? I thought maybe he was just being polite, but now this... Even if he does come back, I'm not sure I trust him to keep her safe in a place like this anymore.”

“You’ve really changed your tune since we arrived, huh?” The elder sister smiled wryly, though unsure why this tickled her so.

“No thanks to you, putting me on edge,” she grumbled, unhappy at her own suspicion. “I just- We can't leave her alone like this.”

Celestia nodded, scanning the area once more before addressing the dejected mare. “Did you want to visit the Pillars site, Sweet Blossom?”

“Huh?” She looked back at the small gathering behind her, not accustomed to Celestia addressing her directly. “Well, uh, Ah guess Ah could... Ah should tell Uncle Rootin' if Ah'm goin’ anywhere without ‘im, though.”

“He's a smart guy, he'll figure it out.”

Sweet Blossom hummed in thought, looking back down the path he had left by. He hadn’t said how long he’d be, but if it was long enough for her to get bored going with him, then who knows how long she could be waiting for him here. She sighed, picking herself up and brushing the dirt off her legs.

“Ah guess so. Would’ve been nice to spend some quality time together, but havin’ a story of mah own to tell him is pretty temptin’ too.” She turned to face the sisters, now realising that the lavender pony seemed to be with them. “Oh! And who's this? Nice to meetcha'! Name's Sweet Blossom,” she beamed, snapping right back to her typically cheery disposition while extending a hoof to the newcomer.

“Meadow Flower, ma chère. Enchantée,” the mare responded, her voice dry and disconnected, though still engaging with the motion of the hoofshake. Despite both being terran mares, these two could not be more opposite it seemed.

“So are you here lookin’ for Mage Meadowbrook's mother too? Ah had no idea y'all was puttin' together a search party!”

“Actually, non. I am she,” she stated matter-of-factly, though the twitch of her eye at the mention of her daughter was not unnoticed by Luna.

Sweet's jaw dropped at the realisation that the pony in front of her—whose hoof she had just shook, no less—was something of a celebrity, or at least celebrity-adjacent.

“M- M- Miss Meadow Flower, was it? A- Ah'm so sorry! Ah've heard all sorts'a stories 'bout the Pillars, but they never mentioned you by name.”

“Ça fait rien. I would much rather stay unknown. Besides, I myself have done nothing worthy of note.”

“Nothin' worthy-?! But you're the mother of the Mage Meadowbrook! Ah'd say that's plenty worth notin’!”

The sisters winced, having already come to appreciate the tenderness of this subject, which Sweet was not yet privy to. Meadow Flower closed her eyes with a slow, deep breath, appearing to think for a moment behind furrowed brows before exhaling, relaxing her frown.

“Oui, you are right, of that I am proud. Of all the things in my life, that is the one thing I do not regret.”

The Princesses shared a glance, surprised by this bittersweet turn. Perhaps Sweet Blossom’s earnestness was something she still had over their seeming lack of pony skills.

“Quoi qu’il en soit,” she continued. “Given that y’all seem to know one another, and seeing as how your previous plans have fallen though, do you intend to join us on this little pilgrimage, Sweet Blossom?”

“And miss out on spendin' time with the real-life mother of a bonafide hero?! You bet your back teeth Ah'll come!”

As Sweet clapped her hooves and bounced excitedly, Celestia pouted, silently bitter at how her own royal invitation had been completely upstaged by this old nopony.

“Bon. Then let us buy some supplies before we start our journey. As I am sure you are aware, it is a long walk to Greater Canterlot.”

Luna nodded, “Lead the way!”

The lavender terran turned and began down the southern boardwalk as Sweet picked up her saddlebag and utensils, heading towards the bank-side trading post the trio had noted on their way in. Luna and Sweet Blossom happily trotted after their new guide together as Celestia begrudgingly followed up the rear.

Arriving at the small wooden shack, the group of four barely managed to all squeeze inside the small customer service area, tended to by a thoroughly disinterested pony sitting comfortably behind the counter.Realising that not one of the original three had a crown among them, the trio could only blush as their newest addition was forced to pull out a small purse of coins to pay for their supplies—nothing fancy, just a few vegetables, emergency hay rations, and eight waterskins; two each to be slung over their backs. Given Rootin' Tootin's alleged business here as a trader, Sweet Blossom also decided to leave a message with the attendant about her change of plans, hoping he would visit before returning to Fort Macintosh.

After an awkward shuffle to pack their goods and turn in the cramped space, the quartet eventually exited and regrouped in the familiar clearing just outside town to discuss the details of their journey. Despite the precious little time they had spent together, Sweet had already managed to divulge the entirety of her admittedly short life-story to the much older mare—perhaps seeing in her some familiarity of her own grandmother—who had patiently listened to every word, not that she had much say in the matter.

“You made a sound choice coming to Haysead Swamp first,” Meadow Flower began once they had congregated, etching a simple map into the mud with the tip of her hoof. “Traders between Canterlot and Klugetown have little choice but to cut through San Palomino Desert, but being this far east lets us travel up north by treeline. It is by no means an easy journey, but nothing like traversing the sands, especially if lackin’ the sense to bring drinkin’ water.”

Luna and Sweet fidgeted in embarrassment at their obvious oversight.

“Good, I've had enough desert for one lifetime,” Celestia hissed, silently seconded by her sister.

“The directions are simple enough; we head west until we see sand, then follow the trees north. In a couple of days we’ll reach a river and follow that west again, straight into Silent Pines. Things get a little trickier from there if you want to find the henge. Forests are like a maze at the best of times, but that place… There’s something especially drôle about that forest, like a dark force be pressin’ ya’ to s'égarer.”

The group shared looks over this hitherto unmentioned haunted forest, but ultimately confirmed their readiness with silent nods. Each traveller adjusted their saddlebags for comfort, along with their new—generously paid for—waterskins, which were essentially dried pitcher plants, as was the local technique. Despite not stopping to rest since arriving, the three travellers remained eager to press on, spurred on by equal parts necessity and wanderlust. The grim reality of this journey was not lost on the sisters, but having grown up in isolation their entire lives—a trait shared with Sweet Blossom to a degree—the simple act of visiting new parts of this vast and mysterious world was undeniably tantalising to them.

“Well then, without further ado,” Meadow concluded, once more taking the lead as she began down the westward path along the bayou, away from the waterlogged village and all its tainted memories.

The four ponies began their trek back through the underbrush in relative silence, placing their hooves with more experienced discretion, while holding back the occasional fern frond that hung at head height. Being in the presence of one so familiar with this ecosystem somehow made it feel that little bit less threatening; shadows in the bayou were no longer crocodiles ready to pounce, but perhaps just large fish, and the muddy paths were no longer treacherous traps, but proof that this well-trodden route was safe for them too.

They could not have been walking for more than ten or fifteen minutes before a frantic voice called out from behind them, accompanied by the frenzied snapping of stalks and rustling of foliage as it approached.

“H-Hold up! Wait! Wait, Ah say!”

“Uncle Tootin'?”

Sweet Blossom's eyes lit up as she heard the voice, spinning around to see the brown terran scrambling towards them against the swampland flora. The group came to a halt despite the sisters’ scowls, allowing him a moment to catch up and double-over, gasping to regain his breath.

“What’s wrong? Why the hurry? Didn’t ya get mah message?” Sweet asked with concern, leaning forward to offer a hoof.

“Di- Didn't-” he panted, pausing to collect himself. “Didn't Ah tell you to wait for me, sweet-pea?”

“Ah'm sorry, Uncle, Ah didn't mean to cause no panic. It's just-” She retracted her hoof once it was clear he would not accept it. “Ya didn't say how long you were gonna be, and when mah friends came back quicker than expected, along with Ms. Meadow Flower to boot... Ah didn't mean t’ give you a scare.”

Rootin' Tootin' straightened up having now caught his breath, making sure to readjust his crooked hat and waistcoat—clearly his appearance was quite important to him.

“It's fine, mah dear, not to worry. Just your ol' uncle frettin’ for his kin, s’all. Now, do tell, where was you and your esteemed friends headin’ off to so soon after arrivin’? Feels a mite rude visitin’ a town and not stayin’ the night, at least in this pony's humble opinion.”

Celestia noted that Rootin' seemed not to have visited the trading post on his way out of town, making his desperate attempt to find them all the more suspicious, given how callously he had already abandoned Sweet Blossom. As if only now noticing the rest of the group, the moustachioed terran tipped his hat in quiet greeting, garnering little favour in return.

“I don't think-” Celestia began to object.

“Ms. Meadow Flower is takin' us to the restin' place of the Pillars!” she beamed, before coyly kicking at the dirt. “Ah got so excited thinkin’ ‘bout goin’ on an adventure of mah own, Ah didn’t think ‘bout the hurt it might cause you. Ah ain’t been this far from home before, and the thought of goin’ even further, seein’ a famous place like that with mah own eyes… Ain’t no way Ah’ll be in any danger, travellin’ with two princesses and a mage’s mother!”

The stallion chuckled while pulling at his moustache, though a serious glint remained in his eye. “Well now, ain't that just grand? A real life adventure indeed! Why, Ah'm almost jealous of being left outta such an… ambitious escapade.” He removed his flat-topped hat and slicked back his mane, seeming to take a moment to think on this revelation. “Must admit, it's been many a moon since Ah last visited that site. Might be high time Ah too gave mah regards to our inauspicious 'heroes of yore'.”

“So, yer not mad Ah wanna go?”

“Quite on the contrary, mah little pony! Indeed, Ah would be grateful if y’all would have me along for the ride.”

“You wanna come too?!” Sweet Blossom could barely contain her joy, squealing as she bounced and clapped her hooves. For her, this was the best possible outcome.

“If yer fine fellows are amenable to the idea.”

Sweet spun around to face the group, beaming and nodding her head persuasively. Celestia and Luna looked at each other with great trepidation. Every unpredictable element added to their journey was a risk, let alone one so clearly untrustworthy, but by what justification could they deny this pony the company of her uncle? He had technically done nothing wrong so far, besides disappointing his niece, and he appeared to be making up for that right now. The elder sister wondered which would be the more callous choice, between bluntly denying the stallion in front of Sweet Blossom, or asking both to return to Macintosh Pass and be done with the liabilities altogether.

“You appear to have little in the way of supplies with you, Monsieur, and we wish to make good time while we have the energy,” Meadow Flower replied from the back of the pack, reading the energy of the situation.

“Ah think you’ll find Ah’m quite the thrifty traveller, mah dear. Comes from all the years of long-distance tradin', y’see. Ah’ll be little more than hoofsteps and fine company, Ah can promise you that. Besides, if Ah leave now, who will escort dear Sweet Blossom all the way back to Old Macintosh? Ah feel mah arrival is in fact quite fortuitous, n'est-ce pas?”

He raised a smug eyebrow to the Haysead local, who was unable to refute his arguments. Between the stallion's insistence, Sweet's enthusiasm, and Luna’s aversion to upsetting their friend, there didn't seem to be a clean way to avoid this undesirable situation. Celestia sighed in defeat as the other doubtfuls shared a look, frustrated to bend once more to the carefree whims of this innocently troublesome companion.

“Alright, fine, but you look after yourself, okay?” the unicorn reluctantly grunted, much to the pale mare’s excitement.

“Splendid! Splendid. Then it surely is mah pleasure to join in on your little sojourn.” He bowed, raising his leg to his chest.

Sweet Blossom clapped enthusiastically as the remainder of the group turned to resume their journey along the bayou, hoping that this decision—much like the alligators of this swamp—would not come back to bite them.

Chapter 19: Myth and Magic

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No matter how experienced one is with traversing a swamp, the mosquitoes still bite the same.

As the group ducked and weaved their way through the muggy jungle, the ponies’ formation naturally shifted, with Sweet Blossom and Rootin’ Tootin’ falling to the back, while Princess Luna found herself at the head with Meadow Flower. Despite remaining attentive to obscured skittering noises and careful hoof placement, conversation inevitably cropped up between the paired ponies, which lead to more intimate conversations than experienced by the trio on the way here.

“Have you travelled far, Petite Bleue?” Meadow Flower asked, breaking her long silence since the stallion’s arrival.

“Oh, me?” Luna stumbled, surprised by the sudden address. “Quite far, I suppose, yes.”

“Sweet Blossom mentioned you comin’ through the Southern Hills on your way here, which last time I checked was the opposite direction from Canterlot—though you can’t be certain of anything these days, maudit ce bétaille. Sounds like you’ve been away from home for quite some time.”

“Canterlot isn’t our home, not really. To be honest, I don’t remember it at all. My sister and I were smuggled out a long time ago, back when Discord attacked. Though for you-” She stopped herself, wondering just how much of their time-altering shenanigans she should reveal, or could even explain, for that matter. “We grew up in a small seaside town called South Sea Post, sort of. Like I said-”

“Long story,” Meadow Flower finished for her with a smirk, before shaking her head in disbelief. “To think our world is so small after all.”

“What do you mean?” Luna half-grunted as she was forced to take a high step over an exposed root.

“South Sea Post is where I called home for many years, too. Raised ma petite fille there, before she moved back to the bayou ahead of me, back before Discord attacked. To think he would come to such a sleepy little village…” She pondered for a moment, connecting mental dots. “Tonibas! Were you the reason he came to the village? You must have arrived when I left with that kind gentlecolt almost to the day!”

“‘Gentlecolt’?” she asked, both genuinely curious and trying to avoid digging herself into a deeper hole than she already had with this subject.

Meadow smiled, thinking back to the stallion who had entered her life out of nowhere and somehow convinced her to return to her daughter in Haysead Swamp within days of meeting. “We both have our stories, ‘seems. There were many bizarre happenin’s in my last days at South Sea… Perhaps I should not even be surprised that Princesses were one of them.”

Luna laughed uncomfortably, hoping the topic had passed. As they continued on, a hazy memory drifted into Meadow Flower’s mind, obscured in all but feeling. Glancing back as they traversed the swamp path, she felt a strange tug as she caught a glimpse of Celestia’s pale coat and pastel-pink hair. She looked forward again, noting a similar feeling about Luna’s pale purple coat and dusty blue mane, as if seeing her in a different light, though she couldn’t put her hoof on it. She shook the feeling off, chalking it up to her ageing mind, and returned her attention to the path ahead, changing the topic.

“If I may be so bold, what is it like being an alicorn?”

The blunt question caught Luna off guard, not only by candour, but the existential realisation it posed. She had spent so many years of her life training to become an alicorn, seeing it as her only real goal in life—besides defeating Discord, of course—that she had never really considered what it meant for her to finally be one. She had celebrated when it happened, of course, taking her time to appreciate her new wings, and even flying them out of that pit… But what did it really mean to her? What did it mean to be her now? It felt strange to acknowledge, but… she was technically another race now, right? A different species? She had always felt the pressure of being a ‘chosen one’, to put it like they do in storybooks, but now she truly was different to everypony else... No longer a unicorn, more than a pegasus… Was she even still ‘Luna’ any more?

“Pardon, I did not mean to insult you. It was nothing more than an idle thought,” Meadow apologised, having read the awkward silence.

“Oh, uh, no, it’s not... I just don’t know, really, to be honest. I don’t- I mean, I do feel different, having wings now-” She looked back at her own body, spreading the feathers she was suddenly very aware of. “I don’t really know how to put it into words.” She looked up, remembering that her horn was still hidden behind a now unnecessary enchantment and released it.

“Of course, how silly of me to ask. How do any of us feel being the way we are? I could no more tell you what it feels like being old compared to when I was your age. We are ourselves, non? No more, no less.”

“Well, I wasn’t always an alicorn—it only happened recently, actually; like, a week ago.”

“Mon bleue! Such things just ‘happen’? I had no idea one became an alicorn. Est-ce une sorte de… ‘princess’ thing? Or should I say, ‘royal blood’?”

“It’s a long-” She stopped, chuckling at her own repetition. Pushing a branch aside, she thought back to one of the many days of preparation their mentor had put them though. “Starswirl told us that anypony can ‘become more than they are’ by ‘facing hardships with a pure heart’, or something like that, so I don’t think it’s just a ‘princess thing’. All I know is that for me… it just happened.”

“And did you face hardships, Petite Bleue? Have not we all?” There was a hint of bitterness to her question, though it wasn’t aimed directly at Luna.

“I suppose so, but nothing other ponies haven’t faced before. I don’t know what makes me special, it’s not something I ever asked for… I would give anything for every pony in Equestria that has suffered to gain these powers, so we could all stand up for ourselves against Discord… But for now, it’s just me and my sister.”

“Excusez-moi, I did not mean it as an accusation.”

Meadow Flower took a deep breath and thought deeply about why she was acting this way. Was it a sense of weakness—that if she’d had the strength to defend her daughter, perhaps things would have gone differently? The thought that anypony could become an alicorn if only they suffered enough was enough to turn her stomach. Was her suffering not valid? Had she lived in pain for so long for nothing? Shaking the intrusive thoughts from her mind, she called back to Celestia in an attempt to focus on the present.

“And what of you, Grande Blanche? When do you get your wings?”

Celestia sneered at the back of Meadow’s head while holding aside some low-hanging vines. If it was supposed to be a joke, it was not funny. “I'm waiting for the right moment.”

Meadow Flower’s lip curled in amusement, already understanding the tension between the two sisters.

“By the way,” Luna began, choosing to leave the last topic far behind. “You mentioned that you go to Silent Pines to gather herbs. What herbs are important enough to travel so far for?”

“Oh, this an’ that. All flora is unique to its environment; the same ingredient can differ in its effect or taste dependin’ on when and where you pick it. Unicorn scientists would have you believe that everything is definable, that success relies in knowing the minutia ahead of time, but I find the uncertainty of alchemy liberatin’. There’s a pride that comes with making somethin’ work with your own four hooves, non?”

“Alchemy? I thought you were an apothecary?”

“Ç'est kif-kif. One day you’re brewin’ tea, another you’re distillin’ tinctures. I am different things to different ponies, mon amie. ‘Selon le temps’, as they say. This is why they call my Meadowbrook ‘Mage’, you know?”

Luna shook her head.

“Honestly, a filly your age not knowing the Mage Meadowbrook? I thought she inspired all mares your age, at least ‘round these parts.”

“Sorry, we were… petrified, for quite some time.”

“Mon bleu, for how long?”

“You said it yourself-” Luna’s voice became dry and her eyes glazed over. “Ever since Discord attacked South Sea Post...”

“But that was… Zut alors. You were in stone for twenty-nine years?”

Luna’s silence spoke volumes as she recalled those final moments, readying to fight Discord with Starswirl by their side—the last time they would ever see him.

“Then you wouldn’t know, would you… About her, or the pillars, or Starswirl… I’m sorry.”

The alicorn remained silent as she brushed past a large fern.

“Long before my time, ponies ‘round these parts used to call my kind ‘sourciers’, on account of us usin’ nature’s source for our cures,” Meadow Flower continued, hoping to redirect the filly’s attention. “Maybe some saw our ways as magic, which is how the name spread to unicorns, but things came full-circle when ponies saw my Meadowbrook work her ‘magic’ on those in need, pony and critter alike. She had a remedy for everythin’; things even I ain’t seen before,” she chuckled dryly. “Ain’t no magic in it, just a lifetime of study and practice, but I guess that can seem magical to those who don’t know, just like them old days. That’s how she came to the title of ‘Mage’.

“Her mask became somethin’ of a symbol,” she continued, talking faster as she tried to keep pace with the quickening steps of the filly ahead of her. “It’s too bad we left so quickly; many have asked to see her mask, but I keep it safe. I would have liked to introduce you, though. Masks were a big part of our culture long ago, said to hold the spirits of their owners. I’ve tried to keep the practice alive, but I fear that one day ponies will see my masks and those of our ancestors and not know their significance. They say you die twice, you know: once in body, and again the last time your name is said with meanin’- And please, mon amie, slow down,” she gasped, slowing to a stop before hunching over.

Not realising she had become so focused on walking, Luna turned back to check on Meadow Flower. It seemed they had pushed a fair way ahead of the others, too, so a break was for the best.

“Bien,” Meadow panted, putting her hoof on the alicorn’s shoulder. “Regarder, I have somethin’ that may interest you.”

Catching her breath, she straightened herself and opened her saddlebag, pulling out a thick and well-worn tome, on the front of which was a mouthdrawn snowdrop. Holding the book in her knee, she flicked through its browning pages, past many inserts and hoofwritten notes, before stopping on an illustration of a thick-stemmed white flower, with a bulbous, drooping head.

“This, vous voyez, is known as Basilisk's Tear. Though I have never had need to brew it myself, it is said that squeezin’ the ever-closed petals releases a single drop of potent depetrification elixir from its pistil, no reagents needed! It’s like a potion from nature itself; c'est incroyable. One of only a hoofful of flowers to ever behave in such a way.”

“That’s incredible.” Luna studied the image closely, taking in every detail on the page.

“Oui, and the best part?”

“It’s in Silent Pines?”

“Exactement!I thought it just propaganda from his followers, but if that beast is truly petrifying those who would stand against him, this little flower could be invaluable on your journey.”

“This is fantastic, thank you!” Luna’s eyes glittered, her sour mood already forgotten.

“Of course that depends entirely on whether his magic behaves in the same way as magic we know… But it can’t hurt, non?”

“Wait, what’s this part?”

Luna pointed to a note written entirely in the bayou’s language next to a roughly drawn image of a cockatrice.

“Oh, that, well-” She cleared her throat. “The reason they don’t grow in these parts is because this unique mutation is thought to only occur when the flower is fertilised by cockatrice droppings. As such…”

Luna looked Meadow Flower in the eyes, not wanting to finish her sentence.

“Cockatrice sightin’s are rare, mon amie. As long as you get a sample first and keep an eye out, you should be fine,” she attempted to reassure the filly, though the fact of the matter was that she had never recovered a sample herself because it simply wasn’t worth the risk. “Just don’t look look them in the eyes, n'est-ce pas?”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”

As Luna answered, Celestia appeared from behind a fern leaf, looking relieved to have finally caught up.

“Can you perhaps not run off on your own? You’re the only one who knows their way through this blasted muck,” she snapped.

“Désolé, it shan’t happen again,” Meadow apologised, tucking away her precious book before taking the lead once more, leaving Luna to walk beside her sister.

“What was that about?” Celestia asked.

“Nothing important, but there’s a flower we should look out for when we reach the forest…”

The remainder of the swamp trek played out in relative silence, finally broken when their guide spotted the golden glow of sand between the trees. If for no better reason than the view itself, the party emerged from the wooded shade to stare out across the sea of hazy yellow before them. Just like the first time they had seen it, the heat and glare generated by the desert sand despite the twilight sky above them took the sisters by surprise, forcing the less experienced ponies to shield their eyes.

“Nous voilà,” the lilac pony announced, taking a deep breath of much fresher air than she was used to, akin to a swig of pure spring water. “We can remain beneath the canopy as we travel north. It may be slower than the path, but more comfortable. Your hooves will thank you.”

Without caring for the view, Rootin’ Tootin’ immediately began walking north, the path clear this time, soon followed by Meadow Flower and Celestia, leaving Luna and Sweet Blossom at the back of the pack. As the two took long strides over the unkempt outer-jungle grass, it didn’t take long for the blonde terran to strike up conversation.

“Y’know, until Ah met you, Ah never dreamed I’d get to visit this swamp, much less Central Equestria! Well, Ah dreamed, of course, but never thought it’d actually happen.”

“I’m sorry you didn’t get to spend much time in Haysead, we thought your uncle would show you around and take you home himself,” Luna apologised.

“It’s okay, Ah was prepared to go home alone anyway, but then one thing lead to another and now this adventure’s become even more excitin’ than I could’a hoped!”

Luna smiled weakly, feeling that this mare’s presence was both a liability and unavoidable. As lovely as she was, Luna didn’t want this sweet mare to be put in harm’s way, and that’s exactly where they were going, but she also felt like she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Ah was losin’ mah mind, spendin’ every day of mah life between those rocks; cookin’, cleanin’, minin’—there’s only so much a pony can take! But then you two came along and gave me an out, if only for a short while, and- and Ah just wanted to thank you, Pretty Blue.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Luna blinked with a confused laugh.

“Pretty Blue… Ain’t that yer name? That’s what Meadow Flower called ya’.”

She blinked again before snorting into laughter, leaving the terran confused.

“No, that’s not my name, I honestly don’t know why she calls me that.” As her amusement faded, retroactive social anxiety set in. “Did I never introduce myself? We’ve been together for days!”

Sweet Blossom shook her head with a smile.

“Why didn’t you ask?!”

“Seemed rude to, Ah suppose. Figured it’d come up sooner or later—that’s how Ah learned Celestia’s name—plus what with y’all being Princesses and such.”

Luna groaned, having to stop just to cover her face in embarrassment. Of all the social faux pas listed in ‘A History of Royal Etiquette’, not introducing oneself was top of the list, short of poisoning the cucumber sandwiches. She began walking again once the flush had faded from her cheeks.

“I am so sorry. My name is Luna, and Celestia is my big sister, of course. I- I’m so unused to meeting new ponies, it never even occurred to me, despite literally reading the book on it. I didn’t even introduce myself to Meadow Flower until she asked, and then she went on to call me another name anyway. I’m so bad at this—I’m really sorry.”

“Ain’t nothing to fret about, Luna! Don’t worry yourself none. Oh, uh-”

Sweet Blossom stopped in her tracks and bowed deeply, immediately flustering the smokey-blue alicorn.

“W-What are you doing?! Get up, please!” she hissed, not wishing the others to see the embarrassing display.

“Just felt right, Ah guess, this bein’ our formal introduction and all, Princess Luna,” she beamed as she stood up. “Such a pretty name, too! And hay, in the stories granny used to tell me, princesses always had somepony else to introduce them anyway, so don’t worry ‘bout forgettin’.”

She wasn’t entirely wrong; it was the Master of Ceremonies’ job to introduce guests as they arrived, though that didn’t extend to the host—but that was neither here nor there right now. The two resumed trotting, quickly catching up to the unaware ponies ahead.

“A princess should be the epitome of decorum and a shining example to all others,” Luna quoted from the book as she straightened her posture. “I need to think more about my image, especially when I introduce myself to new ponies. Even if we are not on the throne yet, I must never stop being an example to everypony; that is my Royal Duty.”

“Sounds like an awful lot a’ pressure to put on yerself, Princess. Yer too young t’ be worryin’ ‘bout that kinda stuff.”

“I do not have time to be ‘young’,” she snapped, suddenly acutely aware of her responsibilities. “The fate of the entire world rests on my sister andmy backs. We have no reinforcements or safeguards, it is just us… Just us.” She trailed off, brought back to thoughts of Starswirl as her head lowered.

“Ah’m sorry, Princess, Ah know you’ve got a lot you gotta deal with… Guess that’s why ya sister’s so grouchy, too. There’s an awful lot ridin’ on yer success, huh? Ah can’t even begin to imagine what that must be like. The biggest responsibility I’ve ever had is cookin’ the food on time.”

“Celestia’s always been moody, but since she heard about Unc- Uh,Starswirl, she’s been unreasonably mean, especially to you.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, you don’t deserve it, and I’m sure it’s not because she doesn’t like you…probably. Don’t take it personally.”

“Ah don’t; don’t you worry ‘bout me, Princess, Ah’ve stayed cheery through worse. Some ponies can get real nasty passin’ through Old Mac, ‘specially after we started taxin’ them.”

“You don’t have to call me ‘Princess’, you know. Just Luna is fine,” she smiled.

“Well then, ‘Just Luna’,” she grinned cheesily, “you can call me Sweet, or Blossom, or Sweet Blossom, or Sweet Pea, though only Uncle Rootin’ calls me that.”

Luna giggled as the pair continued north through the shaded grass next to the dirt path. Meanwhile, Celestia had been telling Meadow Flower her life story, having just explained their isolated lives within the time-bubble, with no regard to what might be considered confidential.

“I had no idea that was even possible,” Meadow Flower exclaimed, shaking her head in disbelief. “To spend that much time living together—trapped together... He truly was like a father to you, non? Had I known you were that close, I would not have been so brash earlier.”

“He was our uncle, but not by blood. I guess you could say he filled that role in our lives growing up, though it felt more like exactly what it was: being imprisoned with your tutor.” She would never openly admit to enjoying the non-stop studying, of course, especially considering the freedom it cost them. “Our real father passed our care on to him before Canterlot fell, though neither of them could have known it would come to this. It’s not like I have any fond memories of him, either...”

“Nopony could predict this madness, mon amie. Such is the nature of that chaotic bétaille, taking what it pleases with no rhyme, reason, or mercy.”

“I resented Starswirl for taking all those years of our lives, studying every single day just to fail…” She told herself aloud, grimacing, though really it was herself she blamed for their loss to Discord, and by extension Starswirl’s end. “But hearing that he had… passed… I’m still struggling to process it.”

“I know that feeling well, chérie. It has been twenty-nine lunes now, and there still ain’t one day I don’t think about her—ma bébé. All those years you spent resenting your uncle for being over-protective, I spent resenting myself for being too passive, for lettin’ her away. Somewhere between those two must be what a normal family is like,” she chuckled dryly. “When it comes down to it, was he any less of a parent than I was? Perhaps it is I that did not rise to the role of mother.”

“I don’t think that’s true. If you weren’t a good mother, you wouldn’t still be blaming yourself for your mistakes.”

Meadow Flower nodded in reflection with a huff and a wry smile. “You and your sister really are somethin’ different, Grande Blanche. I never gave much care to the royalty up north—it felt like a world away to us in the swamp—but if the King and Queen were anythin’ like you two, I’m startin’ to see what everypony else saw in them.”

Celestia gave a crooked smile to the bittersweet compliment. There weren’t many ponies who could understand what it was like for strangers to know your parents better than you did, let alone not being able to confirm or deny anything about them. The only memory she had of her mother was a warm feeling and a kind smile, and nothing less than the opposite of her father, but who’s to say that’s really how they were? The scraps of memories she had of them was nothing compared to the lives they must have led before she was born… Perhaps once they had discovered the fate of Starswirl, she might look into the history of their parents and the kinds of ponies they truly were.

“Some ponies can move on, some can chalk it up to experience, while others simply blank it from their minds,” Meadow Flower continued. “But there are a few, like you and I, I feel, that choose the suffering; to remember. We seek to atone for our mistakes when it’s already too late to make amends. In our suffering we honour them, and do better by the world in their memory. Am I wrong?”

The Princess frowned, thinking back to the last few weeks. Was that really what she was doing?

“I blame myself for losing to Discord. I’m the older sister, the prodigy, the one that aced every test… I trained almost every day of my life for that moment, and I failed miserably. I stood no more of a chance against him than the helpless filly I was back at the palace. I failed Luna, I failed Starswirl, and I failed all of Equestria. How many have suffered because I was too weak to stop him that day in the desert?”

Meadow Flower remained silent.

“My mother, my father, Starswirl, all the ponies that gave their lives protecting us—your daughter—How can I possibly live up to their expectations? Honour their memories?” She lowered her voice further. “Sometimes I wonder… Maybe I could bring them back, if I became an alicon. They lost their lives so meaninglessly, and maybe together we-”

“Stop right there, ma chère,” the terran commanded, though retaining her measured voice. “There are few things truly wrong in this world, but interferin' with the Carousel a' Life is just about the worst thing imaginable. We may not like the cards fate has dealt us, but if this is the natural order of things, then that’s how it be. What is gone is gone. Gone. Treasure the things you have while you have them, then treasure your memories of them after.” Her voice softened as she reminded herself that she was talking to a hurting child. “We’ve all had these thoughts in our darkest hours. ‘What if-?’… It’s okay to wish things were different—would that it were that way—but you’re a powerful unicorn, one day an alicorn, and you might just have the means with which to make a terrible, terrible mistake. I know it hurts, believe me, I do, but life is the one thing in this world that must never be tampered with. Ain’t nothin’ natural that can come back from the other side, you remember that.”

She looked the princess in the eyes as they walked, though they had glazed over as she sullenly dragged her hooves, deep in dark thought.

“We have a sayin’ on the bayou: ‘Que sera, sera’—‘What will be, will be.’ Don’t matter how strong, wise, or rich you are; your fate will always find you. It may not be fair who or what we lose, ma chère, but because of it we will fight harder an’ live smarter. There was meanin’ to their lives so as long as we live ours in their memory.”

Meadow Flower looked up at the orange and blue sky peeking through the canopy. Perhaps if somepony had said those words to her so many years ago, she might not have lived such a pitiable life full of regret and time lost. Perhaps this was her fate, to pass this knowledge on to the younger generation—the saviours of Equestria, no less—so that they might live better and fuller lives. Either way, the Carousel of Life continues to turn, so she needed to start enjoying the ride while it lasts.

With the apothecary’s words echoing in her mind, Celestia could not help but think back to the days she had spent trapped inside the South Sea Post house, living a simple life with Luna and Starswirl that had almost become nostalgic in the few short weeks since leaving. As much as she resented the cage they had been locked in, it would be wrong to say that calm and enjoyable days weren’t had there, with one such day coming to the forefront of her mind…

South Sea Port, Day 2,148

“As loathed as I am to speak such fictitious drivel aloud, it behooves any member of high society to at least be aware of all subjects that may arise in conversation,” Starswirl announced with unveiled resentment. “As such, thanks to Celestia's discovery yesterday, and Luna's incessant pleading, today's lesson shall be read from this copy of ‘The Collected Works of Equestrian Mythology’, compiled and foreword by one ‘Astro Divinatio’.”

Starswirl sighed, turning his nose up at what he considered barely fit for publishing, let alone touted as ‘historical’ and taught in class. While the original texts were likely written in Old Ponish, this anthology had been translated to Equestrian Ponish for the laypony, adding a further layer to its inaccuracies and hogwash. That said, a brain cannot absorb information efficiently without breaks, so he would write this day off for whatever entertainment value this book had in the eyes of these fillies.

A young Luna clapped her hooves excitedly at finally breaking his will, while Celestia remained reservedly attentive, not wishing let on how curious she was at the book’s contents. Both princesses were sat comfortably on the wooden flooring between the kitchen and sunken lounge as Starswirl perched on a stool in front of them, out of deniable ways to delay this any further.

“Then let us begin, if I must.” He opened the book with his magic as it rested on his hooves, flicking through the lengthy introduction and to the first chapter. “‘The Elements of the Universe’ by Solar Sails,” he sneered, lowering his voice. “This should be good.”

“The universe began as eight elements in their rawest of undefined forms, classically named ‘heavens’,” he read aloud, “each separate yet devoid of definition, existing as mere concepts within the ether of nil. Untold millennia passed this way, with the void around them infinite and stagnant, until a glimmer of sentience suddenly twinkled into being within the eighth and youngest element's primordial essence, giving it the seed of an idea. This first sentient element was something that could only be described as the embodiment of chaos-”

Starswirl paused, taken aback by what he had just said. He thought the purpose of fiction was to escape reality. They couldn’t possibly be referencing Discord, of course, as this book was decades older than his accidental summoning from Elysium knows were. An unfortunate coincidence to their contemporary issues, nothing more. He cleared his throat and continued.

“-the embodiment of chaos, and despite the ageless raging of its non-euclidean form, the universe outside itself was undisturbed—tranquil. With this singular idea of existence filling its amorphic mind, the essence of chaos did what no other thing in the universe had done before: it reached out. No longer content to exist writhing in its own singular bubble of existence, chaos seeped out into the vast expanse of nothingness that was everything, seeking to disrupt the order of the null universe, and thus creating it.”

Starswirl paused to rub his forehead, wondering just what he had gotten himself into.

“Where first there was nothing, now order existed: a mirror of relativity to the encroaching chaos, and the ninth and newest element. Order's existence brought with it duality, and the universe, once but a void, now filled with form. This form was shapeless to begin with, but like a magnetic cascade of universal proportions, the other elements began to seep from their dormant states, bringing with them life as we know it.

“First was the element of earth, plains, and mountains, giving physicality to this new form. This eldest and most expansive of elements is now called Mundus; the ground on which we walk.

“Second was the element of fire and sky; formless yet undeniable. It bore a beating heart to the cold stone that came before it, wrapping it in a blanket of soft air to separate it from the cold beyond. This second-eldest element was given the name Tös; the giver of breath and smell.”

Starswirl looked up sternly, locking eyes with the foals. “I cannot stress enough just how unsubstantiated these allegedly historical claims are. This is not peer-reviewed research and should be seen as creation-mythology at best. It is not be taken seriously.”

“Boo! Quit th’topping and read!” Luna hollered through her missing tooth before pouting.

The ex-Court Wizard grumbled to himself, acquiescing to the demand despite his aspersions. Remember, it’s just fiction; for entertainment purposes only. Elysium help him.

“Third was the element of sea and solitude, soaking the mountaintops and crevasses of the land to give the world depth and island sanctuaries. This third eldest element was named VVuetnus; quencher of thirst and tears of life.

“Fourth was the element of jungle and bounty, soaking up the moisture and heat of those before it to birth verdant nature upon the barren rock. The middle-child, this element was named Thyst; bringer of life and provider of food.

“The next two were lesser elements, like the paired sides of a coin. The fifth element of hoar and discontent, Fris, and the sixth element of sand and heat, Satyr. Together they bathed the land in fire and ice, manipulating those before it to paint a glorious picture across the dull emerald landscape. From frigid peaks to arid deserts, their fingers reached deep into the rock to bedazzle its barren core with colourful gems. They are known as the painters of riches, without whom life would be ascetic and otiose.”

“Uncle Starshwirl?” Luna interrupted.

“Yes?”

“What doth oaty-outh mean? And athetic. And th’ome other word’th before that.”

He sighed. With the archaic wording of this worthless relic, it wasn’t even suitable for foals, thus losing its only possible redeeming function.

“Otiose means… dull, meaningless. Ascetic means drab—plain. Honestly, just try to follow the story between the words you don’t know. Unless… you’d rather this be a Ponish lesson? I can certainly-”

“NO! No, ju’tht read it, please.” Luna grinned, hoping she had dodged accidentally asking her way into more work.

Celestia smiled wryly as he sighed again.

“Very well. Where was I… Ah, yes.

“The seventh element was perhaps the most important of all: the essence of progress and rebirth. With its touch came the beginning of all things, spilling forth the tide of time that we all are swept by, conceiving of the very notion of life and death upon our patterned world. The youngest of the core elements, it came to be called S’hndüm; the beginning and the end.”

“But do not forget of the spark of madness that began this existence we call life, waking the slumbering alls to bestow these gifts upon the nothing. The final two elements, known only in spirit: Order and Chaos. Ephemeral concepts, Order embodies the solidity of the world we exist on and anchors cause and effect, while Chaos embodies intangible aspects of our lives, such as creativity and fortune. Mere specks compared to their elder heavens, they had no sway over this newly formed world, but would grow in power and consequence as it, too, did.

“Combined, these nine elements formed every star in the sky, along with the earth that you tread beneath your hooves: Terra, a name that has existed beyond all record. We grant her the title of mother, as she has birthed us just as the heavens birthed her.

“A thousand score moons passed from the genesis of this planet, and with this new existential plane of universe so too did the elements take their own forms, with which to exist among the reality that their presence had created. Each heaven became a mighty beast that stood as tall as a mountain, piercing the sky with their crowns and flattening continents with their hooves.

“Mundus, the eldest and largest, took the form of a fearsome ram. So mighty were his two grand horns that none dared encroach on his green plains, which stretched far and wide across the central breadth of Terra. As an element he had carved the world as he saw fit, raising mighty mountains and gouging deep chasms to separate the lands, giving him dominion over all things. The other great beasts resented him for his incursions on what they now considered their domains, but none could rise up against his great power. He sat upon the central continent that we now call Equus, confident enough in his domination that he need do nothing but bask in his creation.”

Starswirl glanced up to read the room. Surprisingly, Celestia seemed to be quite wrapped up in the telling, while unsurprisingly Luna was transfixed by this new and fantastical account of their world’s creation, despite its dense wording.

“Luna, we may not have covered it yet, but Equus was the name of our continent before Equestria was formed and the uniting of the pony tribes. Some still use it to refer to the continent as a whole, particularly in non-pony regions, though I expect those races would challenge our naming of it before we spread as much as we have post-Equestria.”

The blue princess nodded her head enthusiastically, though it was unclear if she was actually listening to this historically accurate aside. Feeling somewhat defeated by the educational value of today’s session, Starswirl returned to reading the next passage, audibly deflated.

“Tös adopted the form of a mighty bird of prey, upon which the mightiest of mountains it would perch its colossal talons, looking down upon the living lands below with disdain. Its woeful presence was enough to pull at the heart of the planet, blasting forth an eruption of fiery rage where it stood, belying its silent and watchful demeanour. As a thing of air, the boundaries of the other beasts meant nothing to it, though by preference it avoided the colder climes. Try as they might, none could tame the wing’ed beast’s free spirit or vengeful temper.

“VVuetnus retreated deep into the watery territory it had formed long before, entering the physical world as an indescribable creature of the darkest depths; an abundant mass of tentacle and scale. Though swords of magma and shields of ice may briefly disturb its borders, none can claim but a speck of the vast and all-consuming domain borne of solitude. Ever-present and ever-eroding, this great beast knew no fear or urgency, for even the most silent of seas can become a raging typhoon or vacuous whirlpool without warning, consuming all that comes before it.

“Thyst knew well the lush, green jungles she had formed, blending in perfectly as a colossal jade snake amidst the vines. She was as beautiful as she was deadly, tempting those of weak minds with a honey-tipped tongue before consuming them, body and mind. Plenty was her lure and patience her rod as she coiled among the trees of her domain. She would win this war of great beasts not by strength, but by numbers; a horde of followers driven to march by greed and bounty. All she need do was wait for them to come.

“Fris despised this new plane of existence, wishing to return to the nebulous nothingness of the before times. He retreated far from the other great beasts, taking the form of a wingless dragon at the crown of the world, to sit upon his hoard of haw and bitterness, curled like a rope as he waited for the world to end. So great was his hatred that his influence spread across the entire globe, frosting over the tallest mountains and deepest seas, only held at bay every half-year by the one he might have called sister.

Starswirl paused again to massage his forehead, overwhelmed by this laundry list of fantastical characters he was supposed to believe somehow created their world from nothingness. In contrast, both sisters seemed far more invested in this story than he had ever expected, waiting for him to continue with bated breath. Perhaps growing up in isolation predisposes one to accept fantastical ideas more readily as a means to stimulate the mind? With a small eye-roll he looked back down and continued reading like a tired parent at bedtime.

“Satyr was the opposite of her brother: vivacious and eager to see what this new physical reality would bring. Inquisitive and a natural trickster, she took the form of a giant cat, claiming the kingdom of sand as her plaything, and like her ever-shifting dunes, she would not remain still for long. Every half-year she would travel the globe, melting her brother's white blanket with her boundless energy as she explored the land time and again, waiting for the glimmer of new life to spring forth beneath her great paws. But make no mistake, she was no kitten, as her eagerness was fuelled only by her desire to test and torture whatever new life she might find, breaking it just to see what would happen, then moving on to the next once her ephemeral patience waned.

“S’hndüm was an enigma to the other elements, choosing to remain incorporeal and aloof like an ever-flowing stream. Though they took no form, time remained absolute and ever-present, forever progressing, forever changing, and forever unchangeable. They cared not what happened to the world around them, only that it continued happening, for patience was their weapon in this war for supremacy. Even if it took countless millennia, one day the other beasts’ power would lessen, and that would be when they strike. All things crumble beneath time’s infinite gaze, even the heavens themselves.

“And then there was Chaos, the last of the original elements, from whom came Order. Chaos remained a mere concept for the longest time, unable to exist in this new physical reality it had spawned due to its relative weakness. When the youngest element finally did take shape, its body remained in constant flux, ever-shifting between an amalgam of animals yet unknown. A true agent of disharmony-”

Starswirl stopped, furrowing his brow as he swallowed the lump in his throat, re-reading the last passage to himself. This was becoming too uncanny. He looked to the sisters, the youngest of whom remained entranced by the colourful story, while the elder appeared to now share his concern. It had to be a coincidence, surely. How could it not be? This was a work of fiction, a literary puzzlework of old myths and legends. Discord had appeared through a portal mere days ago from Elysium-knows-where; he was not some kind of… ancient creation deity. That would be preposterous; pure insanity!Though it might explain his unnatural magic… No, he would not entertain such ideas. Shaking the troubling thoughts from his mind, he continued to read the passage aloud.

“A true agent of disharmony, his form and goals could not be defined, as if viewed through the cut facets of an ever-moving gem. Chaos roamed the new planet now split into fiefdoms like a gnat among giants, absorbing knowledge and observing its elders like an eager child, all the while whispering discontent in their ears. A friend of none, the closest thing it had to an ally was the sadistic Satyr, who revelled in creation for the sake of its destruction.

“Finally, Order; the light borne of Chaos’ shadow. No older than the rock upon which they how reside, it was by far the weakest—a newborn without true sentience. So weak was this newest element that it could not take physical form as the others had, instead retreating to within the planet itself. Order embodied existence and all that is factual, as undeniable as the dirt beneath our hooves, yet meek and unable to influence its older siblings. Much like its twin, this heaven chose to observe, though unlike its other, Order saw cautionary lessons and allegory in the great beasts, rather than behaviours to emulate.”

Starswirl sighed, flicking through the remaining pages with his magic to see where the chapter ended. “Do you sincerely find this mythology nonsense entertaining?”

The girls' nods answered his question plainly.

“Very well, but we need not cover every line of this fanciful nonsense. This is an anthology, after all.”

He stopped the pages as he landed on a new section written by a different author. Perhaps this one would be more palatable? Best to not get his hopes up.

“To be clear, you are only expected to have a cursory knowledge of such… fringe topics, so let us not dwell on this too much longer.”

“Will there be an exam on this?” Celestia asked.

“No, of course not.”

Luna pumped her hoof, given that almost all readings did have a written exam after them. Massaging his brow one last time, Starswirl began to read the new section entitled ‘Ancient Ponies and Old Gods’ by Istoría Iógios, written some time after the first, though still at least a hundred years old by now.

“It is said that the elements are the source of all magic in our world. Once isolated, nebulous entities called Heavens, a spark of chaos that had formed over millions of years brought them together as one, forming our planet, Terra. Now existing on a physical plain, each element was forced to take physical form, and thus began a battle for dominance over the land. In-fighting tore at the land for millennia, forming the continents and biomes we know today, but unexpected things happen when chaos is involved, and nothing was so unexpected to the Titans as the creation of ponykind.

“Life began with the confluence of heat, water and air to form vegetation, such as grass, trees and fruit. Simple beings at first, but rich in the building-blocks of life, ready to adapt and evolve and grow with time. From the waters’ micro-life came fish, and from the ground’s mites, worms. Soon creatures would litter the landscape, from the harsh sands of Satyr's deserts to the wastelands of Fris to the plains of Mundus, and among them were equine's first ancestors.”

This one might at least have a sliver of historical insight between the nonsense, Starswirl dared to hope, taking a long blink to recuperate his eyes.

“The first trial of life on Terra was to survive the violent confrontations between the elements: the earthquakes of Mundus as he stamped his cloven hooves, the magma rain of Toos' spitting volcanoes, the churning seas and consuming tidal waves of Wetnus, the poison and temptation of Thyst’s jungles, the bitter winters of Fris, the wilting heat of Satyr, the decay of Sahdum and the machinations of Chaos. But they did not strive unaided, as Order believed in equality between all things, and with the introduction of new life came a new discrepancy to balance.

“The second trial of life on Terra was to withstand the attention of the Titans. As the strong survived and prospered against all odds, the scales of the world began to tilt as Order restored the balance of power, siphoning the elemental magic from the Titans and distributing it amongst the lesser creatures. Every year the great beasts became weaker; smaller. Every year ponykind grew smarter and more numerous, increasing the rate of magical dissemination, and every year the elements became more aware of their waning glory; sapped of the strength to move the world to their will, though unaware as to why, for who would suspect the ants scurrying beneath their hooves to be capable of toppling kings?

“From the first caveponies living on twigs and berries to the first tribes with grass skirts and wooden huts; the more ponykind evolved, the more the Titans noticed them. The silent and omnipresent element of Order continued to rectify the skewed power-dynamic, unable to be stopped or reasoned with, for she was the very earth that held all within the void. By the time the sky-scraping titans stooped to but a few trees tall, Thyst was finally in her element, drawing in many of these lesser creatures to her way, having them erect temples in her honour and form an army around her worship. Satyr also extolled the arrival of these protoponies, seeing them as the infinite supply of playthings she had always wanted. As for the other Titans, holding on to their power was of greater concern, as an infinite drain on their magic would spell death for them all.”

Starswirl paused, giving his brain a moment to sieve out any possible truths from this ridiculous account. Finding it a mess of meaningless names and pretentious pseudoscience, he shook his head hopelessly and continued, resigned to this being yet another work of fantasy.

“Through fear and coercion, Mundus had the ponies of the plains craft him an ornate bronze bell, within which he would store a sliver of his power to ensure his everlasting. Toos chose to split itself into parts, with each avian familiar now housing a smaller yet less divisible portion of its magic, spread far and wide across Terra. Fris welcomed the fading of his own life, and though his cold depression remained as gripping as permafrost, his form became one with the blizzards around him, embodying the battering weariness of his character.

“It was around this time that the first records of these mighty beings were written-”

“If that's the case,” Celestia interrupted, “then what was everything before now based on?”

“Precisely,” Starswirl grumbled.

“Shh!” Luna hissed, ushering their mentor to reluctantly continue.

“-that the first records of these mighty beings were written, with some Titans becoming revered as creators of all, called ‘göds’ (Editor’s Note: Old Ponish for what would become our concept of good, lit. ‘goodness’) if deemed beneficent, or ‘diabolos’ (Old Ponish for what would become our concept of evil, lit. ‘destroyers’) if thought of fearfully. Each Titan was given a new name by the tribes that worshipped or appeased them, as they would not share their own, knowing that a creature's true name is the source of its power.”

“Then how-” Celestia began again, but was immediately hushed by an entranced Luna.

Briefly looking up at the interruption, Starswirl continued reading the paragraph.

“Mundas came to be known to the ponies of the plains and mountains as Grogar.”

He stopped. ‘Grogar’? As in the Grogar, harbinger of Equestria’s woeful fourteen-year-long Dark Age? This book had to be written in jest, surely. You can not take tyrannical historical figures and give them fantastical backstories like this. Yes, he was a powerful and fearful symbol to First Age ponykind, the likes of which has not been seen before or since—well, at least until Discord—but some kind of... space-energy god? This was insanity, even for tasteless fiction, which this book professed it was not. Celestia's sour expression seemed to mirror his sentiments, though Luna only showed contempt at the story being interrupted yet again. He pressed on.

“Toos in its original form came to be known as Roc, while its smaller fragments were named Phoenixes. Wetnus, the unspeakable creature of the deep became known as Charybdis, only whispered of by fearful sailors who dared venture from land and survive. Thyst was given a new title by her loyal worshippers in veneration: Cihuātlahtoāni Chicomecōātl.”

As Starswirl struggled with the pronunciation, Celestia silently balked, recognising the name from her favourite work of fiction, Summer Twinkle and the Temple of the Golden Sun. The Summer Twinkle ghostwriter must have read this book and liked the name, or something, right? It couldn’t possibly be the other way around due to the age of this anthology. The jungle and snake theme certainly fit... Perhaps the author never revealed their true name because they were plagiarising ancient texts? I mean, it couldn't possibly be real, could it? She couldn't be real…

Letting out an exasperated breath, the wizard continued the story.

“Fris was felt across Terra as a vengeful deity, intent on wiping out crops and freezing unprepared ponies, earning his vengeful spirit the title of Storm King. The tricksy Satyr had collected her favourite toys around a singular oasis, a nation trapped by boundless deserts that spited her with the name Sphinx. Such was the new era for the six eldest Heavens, known to the lesser beings as Gods, and to us now as the Old Gods.”

Celestia rubbed her temples, recognising yet another name or two. Summer Twinkle, as the author signed their books, must have read this book and used it as inspiration for the adventures, there was no other reasonable explanation.

Starswirl read on.

“Unlike their elders, the youngest three elements, or ‘Concepts’ (Editor’s Note: In the Old Ponish alphabet, ‘element’ and ‘concept’ are only one character apart and have been seen to be used interchangeably), were drawn to somewhat different fates:

“The Concept of time and life, Sahdum, remained an observer to the world, though ensured that his presence was known. Roaming the world in a far smaller form than the Titans, he met the protoponies on a more personal level, and shared with them his true name: Ankh Khan, the Wanderer. Despite his nomadic ways, various groups began to revere him as a God in his own right, much to the ire of his elders, though he was never in one place long enough to face their wrath. Given the passive nature of his magic, he did not fear the flow of time—he was it, and so he let the world play out as it would, for only he would be left in the end.

“The Concept of Chaos was both the weakest and least favoured of all the celestial beings, despite (or perhaps due to) being responsible for this new existence of flesh and war, as well as being a consistent thorn in the side of his betters. In a rare moment of cooperation, the six elements banded together with Ankh Khan to eject Chaos from this reality and into another, forever being rid of his pestering and volatile presence. With his disappearance, calm began to settle in the world as all things found their place, though his influence still lingered, dotted throughout history in moments of turmoil and unease. (Editor’s Note: If Chaos ever had a name, it was never known, or burned from all accounts.)”

He felt a migraine coming on. This being of chaos was ejected to another realm? This has to be apophenia. There was no way this one forgotten tome of aggregated bedtime stories could be referring to the greatest foe of the current age, to be found in some backwater fishing village’s one-room-school’s bookshelf.

“The Concept of Order had fully merged with the planet, too weak to sustain its own form or influence events. As such, the final and youngest Concept became known as the earth, Terra, basis for all and absolute, and the earth upon which we tread. From Order came adaptation and equality, blending the sharp angles of others together, and prospering without the influence of its twin and progenitor. As mountains crumbled and trees burned, it was they who brought rock anew from the sea and sowed seeds within the ash. As existence was shared between all things, so too was the celestial magic of the Gods. It became She as the Mother Earth, keeper of life and soul of Terra.

Starswirl rubbed his brow, bestowed a brief respite by the horizontal line between paragraphs. He soldiered on.

“Feeling weak from their essence leaving them, spread among the growing pony population, the six eldest Gods birthed their own races into the world to serve as insurance for their longevity. From Grogar came the first Centaur, Minotaur, and Cyclops, given their lord's cloven hooves and horns as a mark of strength. Roc split its remaining magic in twain, leaving its strength and size to the Lesser Roc, and its tenacity and fire to the smaller Pheonix. Charybdis broke apart, with each of its many tentacles becoming the seabeasts we know and fear today, from Sharks to Sea Serpents to Hydra. Chicomecōātl was content with the creatures around her, enhancing their existing forms with magic to create Cipactli, Ahuizotl, and the Salamancers-”

“Why is there so much in common with Summer Twinkle!?” Celestia blurted out, drawing the surprise of the others.

“You’ll find that all fiction is based on fact, Celestia, in one way or another,” Starswirl answered, happy to do anything but read more. “It should be of no surprise that different authors might pull ideas from the same source, or from other works of fiction in this case.”

“And all these gods, and creatures, and civilisations- Are you saying that Salamancers are real too?!”

“Well, many races have come and gone throughout history, though whether one name refers to the same creature is questionable. A race by that name has been documented in the past, though I have never heard it brought up contemporary scientific circles, hence why it has never appeared in your studies. They were likely an ancient race at some point, now having their name disgraced and repurposed in some frivolous light-fiction… No offence.”

“They… are real?” Celestia stammered, having thought herself safe from the until-now fictional organisation of lizard-ponies bent on world domination.

“Once, perhaps. Do not concern yourself with such thoughts; fiction is fiction, nothing more. If said species were to suddenly appear after centuries of having never been seen, I will eat my hat.”

Luna smiled, entertaining that thought, while Celestia stared holes into the wooden floor. With a plaintive sigh, Starswirl let his eyes fall back to the foxed pages of the book.

“The Storm King’s brooding wrath grew in his formless state, spawning Windigos as extensions of himself to spread his discontent across the land, feeding off those with a shared ill heart. And finally, from Sphinx came the Mau (Editor’s Note: Old Ponish for the Abyssian race), a race of highly intelligent shysters that she could rely on to spread her mischievous ways.

“The Titans who still lingered in the physical realm turned to hibernation in an attempt to retain what magical reserves they could, lest they become no stronger than a common pony, who had begun to display these new powers leached to them. It is said that all equine life began as terran, before magic bore our kind wings and horns, splitting our ever-growing race into like tribes. Even non-pony races showed signs of this great equality, from the mystic witch-doctor zebras of the west to simple pyreflies of the forest.

“As the once-powerful Titans of old receded to their self-made shells, Ankh Khan spread his influence across the world with even more intent, returning to the jungles that Chicomecōātl called her own. He had finally found something that he wanted, and it was the creations she had borne from the willing flesh around her. Exercising his silver tongue, Ankh Khan stole away all but her loyal pet, Cipactli, and settled in his own temple to the east. Enraged by this transgression, Chicomecōātl was too weak to empower new followers to oppose him, but could continue to attract new ponies to her flock, evermore tightly coiled within her lush and dangerous jungle.

“The beasts of the Titans spread far and wide, ensuring that their legacy would never be forgotten. We continue to see their influence even to this day, having named the seven days of the week after the seven most influential elements: Munday, Tösday, Wetnusday, Thystday, Friday, Satyrday, and S’hnday (Editor’s Note: Shown in Old Ponish for context), with Order living on as Terra beneath us, and Chaos being forgotten to time.

“To own or befriend one of the Titan’s beasts was seen as a blessing of the Old Gods, especially the immortal Phoenix-”

Starswirl grunted, having finally given up on this chapter and began flicking through the pages again.

“Hey! Why'd you shtop? It wath’ juth’t getting intereth’ting!” the youngest Princess complained.

“Luna, this is pure nonsense and I am not about to read this entire book to you. You are more than welcome to do that in your own time if you so wish.”

The blue filly pouted, having hoped to be read to all day and skip doing any work. Starswirl continued to flick through the book, but had entirely lost the will to continue reading this drivel.

“I mean, look at this;” he continued with a snarl, quoting a random paragraph he had landed on. “First there was stone, the bedrock upon which we all stand. Then came fire, water, and sky, and from them birthing life, first by plant, and then by creature. This rainbow of existence is from what we all stem: grey becomes red and blue, red and blue become green, and from these primary colours, all things Are. A tapestry of chromatic magic that-”

With an exasperated breath he clapped the book shut with his magic and lowered it to the smallest filly’s open arms.

“Absolute nonsense, every page of it,” he finished.

“I have a question,” Celestia began as she watched her sister eagerly open and rifle through the pages almost as large as she was. “How are these ponies writing about a time before life or even matter existed, let alone recorded history?”

“Because it is all garbage,” Starswirl snapped. His eyes drifted to the younger sister as she stared intently at the faded words on the page before her, her eager mind sucking up every scrap of this fantastical account of the beginning of all things. As much as he detested the method, he certainly could not fault the authors for sparking the pursuit of knowledge in one so young. He sighed, preparing himself for compromise. “But... it does incorporate scraps of truth I’ve seen in peer-reviewed research and ancient archaeological findings, not that such things are my forte. For example: heat, moisture, and oxygen are the building blocks of life. Magma does erupt from volcanoes, though the involvement of a giant bird is questionable at best. The oldest discovered protopony remains are of a terran. I suppose I can think of worse things than linking scientific fact together with some flowery prose to educate the young… Fiction does serve a practical purpose; to make the unknown less scary, to teach moral lessons, to warn others of danger, and, of course, to simply pass time that would otherwise be dreary.”

“So those stories were more like fables than myths?”

“You could say that, I suppose. It can be difficult to tell fact from fiction when stories are passed down through generations by word of mouth, and who knows how much the authors embellished on top of that. Honestly, if you are that interested, go read the Encyclopedia Beastaria again. All the evidence you need to distinguish fact and fiction resides in books—scientifically accurate books—and if the Institute of Fauna Studies states that there has never been a sighting of a roc, or any sign of a salamancer society this side of the Tribal Era, then that’s good enough for me. A true scientist takes all things with a grain of salt, of course, but if you are comparing the literary works of—what was it, Summer Sparkle?—to the publication of a peer-reviewed journal, then, well…”

Celestia scrunched her nose, feeling stupid for even asking.

“Sho the world wath’n't really made from sth’pace magic?” Luna asked, sounding a little deflated.

“I- Well, that is-” Starswirl stammered, stopping to shake his head with a smirk. For perhaps the first time in his life he found himself unable to answer a question with certainty that Stargazer might be able to. “That is not something we have the answers to yet, but the absence of fact does not legitimise theory. That said, the last theory I did hear was that some sort of… ‘reaction’ did create everything from nothing.”

“So... it i’th real? I'm confu’thed,” Luna moaned.

“No, it’s-” Starswirl grunted, pinching his sinuses between his hooves. “I fear reading this book has done more harm than good at this point. I want you to write me a two-page essay on what you have ‘learned’ by the end of the day, so that I may assess the damage.”

“But you said-,” the sisters wailed in unison.

“No. I am taking this book to my tower so that it may not poison your minds further,” he announced, snatching the tome from beneath the clearly upset filly. “Perhaps I shall allow its reading when you are old enough to be capable of clearly discerning fact from fantasy.”

With that, Starswirl made for the staircase, carrying the book aloft with his magic and a pleading Luna from his hind leg. It might have seemed harsh at the time, but the ill-prepared social recluse was only doing his best to give what he thought was the best care to these two young mares under his sole care. For every tough lesson or boring class, there were just as many fond memories, making the best of the time they spent locked within those four walls. If it had to be anyone, they were glad it was him…

Celestia smiled to herself, never imagining that such a mundane moment could become a cherished memory just a few years later. Starswirl’s opinionated wisdom and Luna’s exhausting energy were moments that could never be had again, and as much as she resented them at the time, they now lingered in her mind like a warm hug. Maybe it was just nostalgia, but her childhood hadn’t been that bad.

“I know that face, Grande Blanche,” Meadow Flower smiled knowingly. “The faeries took you to a better place, non?”

The princess blinked, disorientated and confused. “Faeries?”

She chuckled again, shaking her head. “Just a saying we have. The past is a powerful drug, mon amie. It gives and takes in swathes. Rememberin’ is what makes memories worth makin’, but don’t let its sweet nectars stop you from makin’ more.”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, still not following.

“Pay his old mare no heed, perhaps the faeries are takin’ me too,” she laughed as the pair continued walking.

Meanwhile, after Sweet Blossom had paused to smell a bright pink desert flower, Rootin’ Tootin’ and Luna found themselves in a somewhat awkward conversation.

“So, what do you trade with Haysead Swamp that makes it worth the trouble?” the small alicorn asked.

“Oh, this an’ that. Haysead’s main export is a particularly nasty little weed called Smokeleaf,” he chuckled. “It thrives in the dank atmos of the swamp. As popular as it is with the locals, they still grow enough of the stuff to trade with us outsiders.”

“Smokeleaf? I’ve never heard of that.”

He smiled, shaking his head. “Wouldn’t expect such a sweet an’ innocent thing as you to have, mah dear. Not its ‘botanical’ name, ‘course. Maybe when yer older…” He looked away, interrupted by his own thoughts. “But enough ‘a that. The future ain’t predictable. Who knows where we’ll be in a day or two, let alone years from now…”

Luna tilted her head, not expecting such crypticism from their ambiguously intentioned companion. The pause in conversation lingered just enough to become uncomfortable.

“Don’t you have a schedule to stick to?” she asked. “Seems like you’re going pretty far out of your way.”

“Ah find the best business is made on a loose schedule, mah dear. Leaves you open to unexpected and profitable opportunities. ‘Sides, Ah was planning on going north after Haysead anyway.”

“But you didn’t bring anything to trade with you,” she pointed out, looking at his lack of a saddlebag.

He cleared his throat with a laugh.

“Not everything in life is about profits, darlin’. Ah may not have given the best of first impressions, but Ah assure you that carin’ for mah family is of high priority to me. If Sweet Pea has her heart set on seein’ the Pillars, then Ah intend to make sure she gets there and back safely.”

As unpredictable as his behaviour had been, Luna could tell there was genuine sentiment in his feelings towards his niece. If he put Sweet Blossom’s safety before doing his job or slacking off in town, he had to be a good pony at his core, right?

“That nickname you call her, what’s the story behind it?”

“‘Sweet Pea’? Hah, no; no story there. Just bein’ a young stallion, lookin’ upon that newborn babe… Such a small an’ delicate thing…” He smiled wistfully, thinking back to the family gathered around his sister’s birthing and seeing Sweet Blossom for the first time. “She might be big now, but part ‘a me ‘ll always see that little filly when Ah look at her. Maybe one day you’ll know that feelin’ too.”

“Maybe one day. But ‘the future is unpredictable’, right?”

He was silent for a moment as the twinkle faded from his eyes.

“Right.”

Chapter 20: The Crossroads of Fate

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After days of travel blending together, the troupe of unlikely companions finally had Central Equestria’s southern-most forest, Silent Pines, within their sights. Crossing the bridge over Silent River, they followed it upstream to the west as the main bridleway stretched north, all the way to Canterlot. All in good time…

The riverbank path was scattered amidst the lush grass, used exclusively by forest foragers and pilgrims visiting the henge, as they now were. Celestia, Luna, Sweet Blossom, Meadow Flower, and Rootin' Tootin' would soon arrive at Ponehenge, the final resting place of The Pillars, and where the sisters hoped to learn of their uncle and mentor’s final moments through the spellbook he had left behind.

“I don’t mean to sound rude,” Celestia began as she walked beside the eldest pony in the group, “but you’re a lot friendlier than I thought you would be when we first met.”

Meadow Flower chuckled, shaking her head. “Nothin’ so effrontée as youth. I’ll admit, I was not in the best of minds. When you stew in your own dark thoughts for so long, it changes a pony. I didn’t know it, but this trip was exactly what I needed: a little fresh air and company that don’t trot on eggshells around me.”

“I’m glad you came, too. It’s nice to spend time with a pony that’s sensible, isn’t my sister, or…” Celestia looked back at Sweet Blossom, who was excitedly recounting some story or joke between her uncle and an overwhelmed Luna. “Whatever that is.”

“Fillies can be a hoofful at any age, mon amie. This you will learn in time.”

As the Princess looked back at their companion from Old Macintosh, then to the pale blue alicorn beside her, she pondered for a moment before voicing her thoughts.

“Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be a different race? I do love the convenience of magic, but sometimes it feels more like a curse than a blessing. I guess regular unicorns don’t have all the pressure and expectations on their shoulders that I—that we do, having to train all your life to be the saviour of the world… Sometimes I dream about leaving my horn behind and running away as a terran; go breed chickens on a farm somewhere far away and leave this all to a real hero.”

Celestia pictured the ever-valiant Summer Twinkle—ten times the hero she could ever be—as Meadow Flower broke into laughter at the thought of this regal and slender mare tending chickens in the mud, though she stifled herself, knowing it was not said in jest.

“You are destined for many things, Grande Blanche, but tendin’ chickens ain’t one of ‘em, I feel. Maybe one day, but for now…” She sighed, hitting a more sombre tone. “We do not get to choose our destinies, mon amie, and struggle as we might, I feel we all reach them in the end, like it or not. This, too, is part of The Carousel. I can’t blame you for wantin’ to run away from such unimaginable responsibility, having lived with it all your life, but up to now I think you’ve proven that you’re up to the task. To answer your question, as a pony of the earth, unicorn magic continues to shock and amaze me, even at my age; but we all have our strengths, and our weaknesses—that is the price we pay for them. Were I to gain a horn tomorrow, what of my old self would I lose? My way with plants? My traditional mask-makin’? A cost too high. And for what, being able to reach the top shelf?” she chuckled.

“But if I’m supposed to be so powerful, both in magic and title, what will that cost me?”

“Grande Blanche, your stories tell me that you have already paid in spades with your foalhood—your freedom. As for ‘power’, do you not think that leaders are chained by bureaucratie and public opinion? I dare say the more ‘powerful’ you are, the less control you actually have. I’d take my mouldy old tree-house over a palace any day if it means I get to keep my independence…” An awkward pause settled as she realised she was not making a reassuring point. “What I mean to say is; you’ve earned what’s owed ya’. Trials of the heart make us true and pure, and I can’t imagine Equestria bein’ in better or more compassionate hooves than you two. Time will prove me right on that one, believe you me.”

Celestia plucked a leaf from a passing tree with her magic as she thought on the mare’s words, having it fly around in front of her absent-mindedly. This ironic flaunting of magic not lost on the older mare, who was brought back to the topic of race.

“Who we are in body is so much a part of us, I don’t think we realise just how much of ourselves we would lose until it were gone,” she continued to muse. “Much as it is for a blind mole or a deaf snake, you do not know what you have never had. Life is like a jigsaw puzzle, non? Everypony is the shape they should be, they just gotta find where they fit in.”

“What’s a ‘jigsaw puzzle’?” Celestia asked with a quizzical look.

Meadow Flower raised her eyebrows, amazed that anypony could not know the staple toy. She shook off the thought, remembering the sisters’ extraordinary circumstances.

“What I mean to say is, don’t look down on earth ponies just because we don’t have magic horns or feathered wings. Everypony has something unique and powerful to contribute, even if they don’t realise it at first—just like cutie marks.”

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to offend you,” Celestia offered earnestly, though her mood quickly slumped again at the thought of cutie marks and her lack thereof.

“No offence taken, mon amie, it is certainly not a sentiment new to me. Remember this: no matter what shape pieces we might be in this life, while two individuals may not fit together, every piece is required to complete the picture. I’ve seen the cold attitude you have toward the free-spirited one behind us; just because you do not get along does not mean that she is not a valuable individual with thoughts, feelin’s, and skills to contribute. What some see as flaws, others may laud as a métier.”

“I don’t-” She glanced back, feeling a stab of guilt. “I don’t dislike her—that much… She’s just-” The princess sighed, shaking her head as she thought of all her undeserved rudeness. “I just-”

“Do not apologise to me, mon amie. Some ponies simply do not fit together—that is life—but it is only you who chooses how you make others feel.”

Celesia nodded thoughtfully as the party continued following the river. She didn’t hate the energetic mare, of course, she had just been through so much lately. Even with the days of travel in between, it had been one thing after another; from running for their lives to losing Starswirl, to trying not to alert Discord and his spies… It was a lot. She just needed some time to think and unwind, alone, that’s all…

The glare of the San Palomino Desert began to fade behind tall, straight tree trunks as the forest slowly enveloped them. Long gone was the stink of the bog, with the sand’s nose-burning dryness subsiding to moist and lush vegetation. The smell of fresh pine, mushrooms, and moss refreshed the weary travellers as the dirt softened beneath their hooves, telling them that they were nearing their destination.

“The henge should be just up ahead,” Meadow Flower announced, recognising a landmark hollow tree stump sprouting red fungi—a powerful diuretic, but not what she had come for.

Rootin’ Tootin’ looked around as he fumbled with his necktie, seeming to be on edge or watching for something.

“You seem a little nervous there, Rootin’,” Celestia probed, having grown no fondness for the stallion over the past few days of travel.

“Nervous? Me? Why ‘course not, darlin’.” He forcibly stopped himself from fidgeting as Celestia hawkishly watched him from the corner of her eye. “Simply scopin’ the unfamiliar for danger, s’all, as any good chaperone would. Can’t be lettin’ mah niece and her good friends get jumped on by a wild timberwolf, now can Ah?”

“Uh-huh.”

As the group passed a small patch of white flowers and increasingly larger chunks of mossy stone, a clearing began to emerge before them. As the trees subsided, a circle of six house-tall standing stones loomed around a broken plinth at the centre. They had finally arrived: Starswirl and The Pillar’s final resting place, Ponehenge.

“This is it?” Luna asked quietly, awestruck by the scene.

“This is it,” Meadow Flower affirmed.

The three younger members of the group galloped forward, stopping in front of the crater at the formation’s heart while looking around for markers. Six stones for six members of The Pillars, so they had to be named, right? Some kind of engraving, or a chest to protect the book?

“So this is where…” Celestia processed aloud, first looking down at the central crater, then to the flanking spires. “Where’s the book?”

Meadow Flower left Rootin’ at the edge of the clearing, coming closer to inspect the pedestal in front of the nearest pillar, then scanning the others’.

“What do you know of it, Princesse?”

“Sweet Blossom’s grandma said they had left relics here, but that’s all,” Luna replied. “If she knew they were here, they can’t have been hidden…”

“There should be six items, one in front of each of the stones,” Sweet Blossom answered, knowing Pink Pearl’s oft-repeated stories well. “A book, a shovel, a mask, a shield, a flower, and a blindfold.”

The group looked around hopelessly, seeing nothing in the clearing but stone and moss.

“I’m afraid if such items were simply left on show…” Meadow Flower trailed off, not wishing to tell the sisters that the long journey had been for naught. She bowed her head and solemnly made her way to the western-most pillar, gently placing her hoof on its plinth.

“This was for ma chère, ‘Mage’ Meadowbrook. She made quite the name for herself, becomin’ a ray of hope within so many ponies’ hearts during this dark time, along with the others. I was one of the first contacted when they learned…” She trailed off again, stroking the stone as though it were a warm memory. “Like you say, when I first saw the stones, each marker bore an object. I took Meadowbrook’s-… Her mask. Truthfully, I know nothin’ of the others’ families, and I can only hope for the best, but the truth of the matter is…” She looked up at the princesses, their eyes filled with hopelessness. “Truth is, if they were simply left out here, it would only be a matter of time ‘fore others took ‘em.” She sighed, shaking her head as she lowered it. “Nothin’ is sacred in this world anymore. I’ been back here since then; never saw those items again.”

An enraged scream burst from Celestia, stamping her hoof as the others remained in sympathetic silence. The sound of her voice seemed to echo through the straight pine trees of the forest, rustling the needles and scaring away a flock of distant birds. If there was no book then what were they to do next? They couldn’t confront Discord as they were, and who else could possibly teach them the means with which to do so? Silence settled back to the sleepy forest as each pony contested their own thoughts.

“Which was his?” Celestia growled, her red eyes hidden by displaced hair.

Meadow Flower looked up at each stone, searching her memory of that first visit before pointing towards the northernmost pillar. Celestia dragged her hooves toward it, unsure of what she hoped to find beyond an identical stone spire, yet still desperately needing some form of closure. Luna followed, her eyes vacant and senses numbed.

“So this is it,” the elder sister stated dryly before it. “This is what we came to see. A rock.”

“It’s so impersonal,” Luna almost whispered. “So cold. So empty.”

Celestia looked to the tip of the obelisk, which seemed to have been shorn off in an unnatural manner, interrupting its simple decorative carvings with a sudden and smooth concave edge. She looked down, eyeing the entirely nondescript platform before her that showed no signs of a book, no hidden compartments, and no secret message left just for them—nothing but solid stone. She grit her teeth and pounded her hoof against the surface, doing more damage to herself than it.

“Do you think he left us a clue?” Luna asked quietly, wary of her sister’s anger, yet desperately wishing for an answer she didn’t already have.

“He thought we were dead,” she snarled, trying to fight back the tears, though she couldn’t stop her legs from shaking. “You don’t leave clues for ponies that can’t find them.”

Luna stared at the bookless plinth and rested her hoof on it. Was he beneath this stone? Had Discord even left any remains? Perhaps it was best she didn’t know the specifics. Either way, he was gone and had left nothing for them—at least nothing that remained.

“I thought they knew something I did not. If I had known they expected those relics to still be here…” Meadow Flower chastised herself aloud, biting her lip. “I could have brought the book back with me all those years ago, had I known… But I couldn’t have known, how could I?”

“Yes, it is awfully sad, isn’t it?” an unfamiliar voice answered her from behind. “All that effort gone to waste. Hope dashed in the snap of a finger.”

Meadow Flower looked back with a start, slowly turning her body to the speaker as her blood ran ice cold. She tried backing up, but her hooves would barely move. She tried to scream, but no sound came out.

“Lost for words? I have that effect on ponies, it seems.” A cruel grin crossed his lips as his serpentine body straightened up to its full height. “I certainly hope I’m not interrupting anything too important,” he called out to the sisters, who visibly froze as they heard his voice.

The Princesses answered in unison, once the grip on their throats had loosened; one voice fearful, the other full of hate.

“Discord.”

“In the flesh,” he announced joyously. “Sorry, were you expecting a more dramatic reveal? Here, let me try again.”

With a snap of his fingers the sky turned red and rain began to hammer down. He cackled maniacally as he floated into the air, arms spread wide as lightning silhouetted him dramatically from behind. The sisters remained planted to the spot as they stared over their shoulders at the display. Meadow Flower collapsed to the floor under her weak knees, holding onto Meadowbrook’s pillar for comfort, while Sweet Blossom backed into the shadow of the nearest stone.

“W-W-What do we do?!” Luna stammered, unable to think.

“What we’ve been planning to do this entire time; stand and fight.” Celestia turned around, facing their intimidating foe with a solid stance, though her forced smile gave away her true fear. “Besides, it’s not like we have a choice, right?”

“We can’t fight him now, we’re not ready!” Luna hissed back. “You’re not an alicorn, and I don’t know how to use my powers yet!”

As the rain flattened Celestia’s pastel pink mane against her body, behind her scowl she could not help but agree with her sister. Fighting him here, now, they stood no more of a chance than they had back at the desert. One wrong move and they could be statues for another thirty years.

“We can’t let him hurt the others,” she growled, reluctantly conceding. “Whatever we do, we need to let them escape.”

Luna nodded as Discord exhaled with satisfaction, floating back down with some kind of webbed rain-shelter on a stick in his hand. Landing, he retracted the object’s webbing, shook it off, then snapped it and the stormy sky back into non-existence before performing an exaggerated stretch.

“Ah, you have no idea how good it feels to dust off a short decades-long nap with a little bit of classic chaos—good old fashioned fire and brimstone stuff, like when I first arrived on this dreary ball of physics. Or perhaps you do, considering the last time I saw you two you were collecting sand as a pair of quite attractive art installations. Now what did I name you…? Ah yes, ‘Disappointing’.”

“Your quarrel is with us, Discord,” Celestia shouted out. “Let the others leave.”

“What, no ‘Hello, Discord’, ‘Nice to see you, Discord’, ‘You don’t look a day over one-thousand, how do you maintain your scales, Discord’? Honestly, you two have no manners, it’s like you were raised in a time bubble by one old, incompetent fool. Oh wait.” The cruel twist returned to his lips. “I must give you credit, though; I’ve stoned hundreds of ponies by now, and you two are the first to ever break out. Just how did you manage it? It certainly took you a while by the looks of things, unless you pony princesses age differently.”

He squinted at the pair, who seemed no different than that day nearly thirty years ago… until his eyes settled on the smaller, purple-ish one’s wings. Those were new, right? Or maybe it was the horn. Either way, he was sure she didn’t have both to begin with.

“Well, well, well, so the information was correct,” he mused, stroking his long chin hair. “Now how did you go and become an alicorn without getting my attention, hm? I’ve certainly heard the stories—you little ponies won’t shut up about ‘alicorn-this’, ‘princess-that’, blah-blah-blah.” He teleported next to the filly, pulling her wings and yanking on her horn as he continued. “I see the wings and the horn, but you don’t feel any different.” He teleported back to the central plinth before they could react, leaving Luna quite ruffled. “If you only woke up recently, perhaps you have yet to harness whatever power it is that they say you have. Or perhaps it was nothing but superstition and the grasping dreams of slaves all along. Still, you do look the part—one of you, anyway.”

“Let the others go and we’ll answer your questions,” Celestia demanded with forced authority.

“You think I need your permission for answers?” he scoffed. “I could read you like a book if I wanted to—literally, I’ve done it before. And who cares about some random side-characters you brought along on your little school trip to The Most Disappointing Place in Discordia™?” He gestured broadly at their surroundings before bringing his hand back to his chin and lowering his voice. “No, the only thing I care about right now are what those little wings and horn mean to me.”

Accepting this as an answer, Celestia looked to Meadow Flower, who was still cowering in front of Meadowbrook’s pillar, staring back at her in horror. With a nod from the princess, the old mare locked her eyes on Discord’s back as she slowly inched away, before breaking into a full gallop towards the entrance, grabbing Sweet Blossom’s leg from behind her pillar on the way out.

“I must say, I am grateful to the loyal informant that passed on your whereabouts and had me woken up—this is not something I would have wanted to sleep through. Too bad for the little pony that had to rouse me, but you accept certain risks while under my employ. The benefits are worth it: free dental, not being immediately turned to stone… Well that’s it, really, but I think it’s quite a good deal.”

“Rootin’ Tootin’,” Celestia growled, having known the obvious from the beginning.

“Yes, that sounds about right. What’s-Your-Name, show yourself.”

Rootin’ Tootin’ leaned out from behind the same pillar that Sweet had used for cover, having come closer as the others were fleeing. He had caught a glimpse of his niece's face as she passed him, being dragged by Meadow Flower. That was a face he would not soon forget, but he was doing this for the greater good—for their safety! With Discord in charge and unopposed, life was stable. Predictable. Unmoderated. And perhaps with his favour, their lives could become very comfortable, too. He couldn’t risk these nopony ‘Princesses’ ruining the life he had built up. He couldn’t let anything happen to his Sweet Pea.

Swallowing, the traitorous trader came out from behind the monolith and lowered his hat to his chest, timidly inching closer to his master in a bow.

“Well done,” the draconequus announced almost sarcastically, not even turning to face his prostrating servant. “Your service to chaos has been duly noted.”

Discord’s eyes were locked onto the sisters, eager to witness that singular moment of betrayal cross their faces and relish in their interpersonal agony.

“M-M-My pleasure, Yer Majesty,” Rootin’ stammered from behind, a fearful smile crossing his lips as he dared to look up.

The moment passed and the sisters’ expressions seemed unwavering from the look of passive hatred he had grown quite accustomed to. How disappointing—something that he was coming to expect from these two.

“Well then, off with you,” Discord waved his hand dismissively, already bored of this aside.

“G-Given mah service to Yer Chaosness, m-might Ah ask for a boon as reward?”

“A boon?” he sneered, spitting out the plosive.

The moment that Discord turned to face him, Rootin’ knew that he had overstepped.

“You ask for a boon, from me?” His lip twitched as he glared down at the grovelling pony. “Well, far be it from me to not oblige some nameless underling. Here’s your boon.”

Rootin’ barely had time to change the hopeful look on his face, let alone state his wish before Discord snapped his fingers and he flashed away without a trace.

“UNCLE!” Sweet Blossom shrieked as she was dragged away, just barely catching the pitiful scene between the thickening trees.

“What did you do to him?!” Luna screamed, showing uncharacteristic assertiveness.

“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that; he can’t. Now, where were we?”

“Bring him back this INSTANT,” she boomed in the Royal Canterlot Voice, her wings spreading wide as she arched her back like a feral cat. Discord sympathiser or not, he was one of their companions, Sweet Blossom’s uncle, and most importantly, a living pony with rights.

“Oh, the little one has some bite after all. I’m starting to see the family resemblance.”

The ground slowly began to tremble as a dark purple, almost black energy began to seep from beneath Luna’s hooves like tentacles, reaching and writhing as her eyes glowed white and her mane blew back by an unseen force.

“RETURN HIM, NOW.”

Celestia backed away from her sister’s display as though she were a stranger. This was unlike anything she had seen from her before. This feeling… Was this alicorn magic?

“Really, all this fuss over one pony—and one that betrayed you, no less. I have a hundred more like him, you can have one of those instead.” Discord folded his arms, attempting to look unimpressed as he felt an anxiety unlike anything he had experienced this side of the mirror. He should snap her right now and be done with it… but a morbid curiosity wanted to see where this was going. Perhaps he should push it further?

“It’s not like any ponies will miss him back at that bog; I’ve made sure of that,” he smiled cruelly, despite the bead of sweat forming on his brow. This pressure… It was exhilarating!

The dark magic began to flow from the recesses of Luna’s horn, licking around its form before ebbing outward like a cold flame. Electricity sparked around her body as a new, green energy flowed from her eyes. Though Celestia had never seen a power like this before, she knew it was wrong. This couldn’t be alicorn magic; it felt angry—evil. She couldn’t allow her sister to be consumed by whatever was happening, even if it gave her the power to defeat Discord. Luna could end up becoming an even greater threat than he was!

“Luna, don’t do this!” Celestia shouted over the pulsing air pressure as cracks split the standing stones around them. “This isn’t you! This magic- You were right, we can’t risk losing to Discord here, not before we’re ready. If we fight him now, we’re putting Equestria’s future on the line! Unless you can absolutely guarantee that you can win this fight- … Losing yourself is too high of a price!”

She threw out every reason she could think of, and something seemed to stick. The green fire around Luna’s eyes flared as they began to twitch, the spread of the dark and unnatural magic stalling as she seemed to struggle for control within. Celestia turned to Discord, hoping to bluff her way through de-escalating this unexpected development.

“Does the power of an alicorn scare you, Discord?” she shouted over the energy-waves. “This is only a fraction of what she’s capable of!”

“‘Scared’? Do I look scared?” he barked, though his mocking sneer was nowhere to be seen. “It’ll take a lot more than empty threats and some 4D experience to put me on edge, my dear. If your so-called ‘alicorn’ is so fearsome, then prove it! This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for! Show me what your poor excuse for a mentor promised me so long ago.”

Luna’s chest was heaving, though she seemed to have stabilised her condition with the breaths, just barely caging the seething rage that literally seeped from her. The dark tendrils slowly retreated, though energy continued to snap and crackle around her.

“What did he promise you?” Celestia asked, confused and thrown off her bluff by this revelation.

“A challenge, my dear little pony! I’ll admit, seeing you again after giving you the statue treatment was a pleasant surprise, but Lightshow here isn’t as impressive as you think she is. I want spectacle. I want a rival. Something I can really stretch my magical muscles against. I gave that bearded fool ten moons to present me with a real alicorn—one that wouldn’t disappoint me like your pathetic excuse for a King—and what does he do? Goes and blows himself up with his whole group of merry mares in less than one. It was quite unsavoury, really, and that’s coming from me.”

Between the insults to their father, their mentor, and the supposed decline of Equestria’s former saviours, Celestia could barely keep up with the situation, let alone the effect it was having on Luna’s stability.

“‘Blew up-’ … Are you saying you weren’t responsible for The Pillars?”

“Why would I sabotage my best chance for some fun? Perhaps they did it just to spite me; I don’t know or care, but now you’re here, albeit twenty moons late. I think I’ve been more than patient, so give me one reason why I shouldn’t snap my fingers and be done with your whole disappointing species, ‘Alicorn’.” His finger tapped against his arm, any fear he had fading behind pessimism. “If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s baseless showboating.”

This was it; this was her last chance to protect Equestria’s future and give them the time they so desperately needed to harness their latent powers. She had never been a good liar, and never needed to be, but now everything they knew and sought to protect rested on this bluff. Their lives had been moulded specifically to prepare them for this encounter, and yet here they stood; helpless, powerless, afraid. Never had the weight of their responsibility weighed so heavily on her shoulders as it did in this moment. They had already failed once; she could not afford to fail again.

“Alright, I admit it, you’ve called my bluff.”

Discord raised an eyebrow, unclear on the new direction this stand-off was taking.

“This isn’t alicorn magic,” she continued, betting on the same bluff that Starswirl had so long ago. “This is unicorn magic at best, and only a fraction of the potential that Luna has as a fledgeling alicorn. Her ability is only a few weeks old, and yet it was still enough to give you pause. You can see it, can’t you? The challenge you’ve been waiting for? Well before long I’ll be an alicorn too, and you’ll have twice the challenge to test yourself against, and tenfold the power you’ve seen today with training.” She swept her foreleg dramatically, like a carnival crier. “Give us the same deal you gave Starswirl, and I promise you, we will face you with a magic you couldn’t even begin to imagine.”

Discord scoffed, having heard many a tall tale of magical powers and revenge against him, all ringing untrue in the end. Though none had come this close to proving it…

Luna’s dark magic crackled, her whole body now visibly shaking under the strain of trying to repress this power—or perhaps she was fighting to keep the charade up, just long enough to sell the bluff and not show this uncontrollable outburst for what it was. Either way, Celestia needed to resolve this situation immediately.

Wary of accepting an already once broken promise, Discord couldn’t help but remain impressed at this show of raw power, the likes of which he hadn’t seen since Tirek left for his homeland. He was intrigued, and he did so need a spark of excitement in this predictably dull plane of existence. Dare he get his hopes up?

“Alright, Eyeliner, prove to me that this isn’t just a phase.”

He steepled the talons of his left claw and wiped his right paw across them, revealing an orange balanced atop. He held it forward, directly between him and the twitching alicorn.

“Blast the fruit, and I’ll consider giving you an extension.”

Despite her eyes glowing pure white, Celestia could feel Luna glance at her, to which she hesitantly nodded. Regardless of the origin of this dark energy, they needed something to prove themselves worthy in this moment, or their journey might come to an abrupt end, along with all hope for Equestria.

Aiming at the presented fruit, black lightning began to surge around Luna’s horn as dark smoke seemed to billow from her hooves once more. The energy wasn’t as raw or as threatening as it had initially been, but with a frustrated scream came a beam of black and purple energy, ripping from the tip of her horn and engulfing the unsuspecting orb, continuing past and leaving a hole clean through Discord’s chest.

Luna panted as a second of stunned silence fell between the group, punctuated only by the residual crackles of her energy. Celestia’s jaw dropped as Discord leaned down to look through the melon-sized cavity in his chest. The elder sister was shocked that he hadn’t used this opportunity to play another trick on them, be it to move the target or simply turn them to stone once more. Instead, Discord merely floated there, struck with a seemingly mortal wound and without a quip in sight.

“This is what we could have together,” a voice whispered into the younger sister’s ear. “Deny me no more, and we alone shall save Equestria.”

Discord raised an eyebrow as he spotted an orange object on the ground through his hole. Straightening up, he extended his arm unnaturally far from where he hovered, plucking the target off the ground and bringing it closer to examine between his taloned fingers. While intact and nary a mark on it, the fruit had begun to sprout black crystals across its rind, mainly from the direction the blast hit it.

“Interesting. Very interesting indeed,” he mused aloud, apparently unfazed by his wound and without any pretence to his awe. “This certainly isn’t the kind of magic I was expecting from the latest ‘Saviours of Equestria’, but I can’t complain about the results.”

“I’ll not be your puppet… You are not me,” Luna muttered to herself, too slurred for even her sister to hear.

Discord tossed the orange over his shoulder and focused back on the sisters, snapping his fingers to refill the hole in his chest.

Except nothing happened. He looked back down in confusion, snapping his fingers again.

Nothing.

He peered closer, only now noticing small, black crystals forming on the walls of the cylindrical piercing. He reached in and plucked one out, examining it like he had the orange. What in the world were these crystals?

He looked back to where he’d tossed the orange, having intended for it to disappear once out of sight, and yet there it still lay. First those two royal disappointments somehow dispelled his petrification, and now this fruit was defying his will as well. He did not like not being in control. He turned to face the flagrant citrus, now fully ignoring the sisters, and held out his hand.

Snap.

The orange remained.

Discord’s brow furrowed in genuine concern for the first time. Why was his magic not working? This had never happened to him before, honest.

Celestia swallowed, unsure of what Discord was doing, and painfully aware of her ailing sister. Luna slumped forward, her knees momentarily buckling as she struggled to remain conscious after that discharge of energy. The unnatural green fire from her eyes began to flicker as black crystals formed on her horn and the smoke faded from her hooves. She didn’t have long left.

“Lost for words, Discord?” Celestia mocked, parroting his own introduction. It was risky, but she needed him to leave before Luna collapsed.

Discord remained in thought for a moment longer, flicking something away before facing them again.

“Alright, my little ponies; you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention,” he spoke dryly, uncharacteristically serious. “Clearly there’s more behind your words than that old coot ever had, so I’ll cut you a deal.” He held up a taloned finger. “One year. One year to show me the greatest potential of all ponykind. I look forward to seeing what you do with it, Dark Crystal.”

With a forced smile, Discord spread his wings and took to the sky, slithering away like a winged python. He couldn’t risk openly failing to teleport himself in front of those ponies. He needed time to find out what that dark magic was and why these crystals blocked his own chaos magic. He had no intention of waiting the full year, of course, but better for them to think him beneficent than rattled.

Celestia let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding, visibly deflating as Luna’s eyes regained their colour, only to roll back into her head. The dark cloud around her fully dissipated as she dropped to the floor.

“Luna!”

Having laid her sister on Starswirl’s plinth as comfortably as possible, Celestia rushed to find whatever large leaves or medicinal herbs she could to provide first-aid. To her surprise, Meadow Flower and Sweet Blossom reappeared at the side of the glade, cautiously checking to make sure Discord was long gone. Spotting the fallen pony, the pair galloped to her side.

“Heavens above, what happened?!” the lilac terran gasped, pressing the back of her hoof to Luna’s forehead.

“Nothing serious, I think. I think she’s just exhausted,” Celestia answered, approaching the gathering slowly as her exhaustion got the better of her now that help had arrived. There was no use scaring these ponies with what had really happened.

“‘Nothing serious’? These crystals-” Meadow Flower leaned in, afraid of disturbing the unknown ailment as she retracted her hoof. Her brow was hot and clammy, certainly not just from simple exhaustion.

“I think they’ll pass. She just needs rest for now.”

As if by command, one of the small crystals fell from her sister’s horn, skipping to the ground harmlessly. She needed to ask Luna what that magic was and where it came from. If other ponies learned of this power, would they fear her? Was this the magic she too would inherit by becoming an alicorn? Was that something she wanted? She sighed, gently brushing her sister’s fringe from her eyes.

“Is… Is mah uncle really…” Sweet Blossom began, almost immediately trailing off. She felt selfish for bringing up her own worries in this moment of concern, yet still terribly heartbroken over the probable loss of a family member, traitor or not.

“I don’t know, I’m sorry.” Celestia shook her head. “I… wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

The normally energetic pony nodded silently, her face contorting as she turned away to hide it.

“I have some sal ammoniac in my saddlebag, should we need to rouse her,” Meadow Flower stated softly. “But it’s probably best to let her rest if she’s not hurt. I don’t know what you two managed to ward ‘im off, but I doubt anypony but the rightful Princesses of Equestria could’ve done the same. Not that that were ever in question.”

“Discord said he did something to the swamp…” Celestia recalled, biting her lip as her eyes lay on her sister.

“Did he, now,” Meadow mused coldly. “Well, we’re here now, and we’ll do all we can to help you two before we think of turnin’ back. Bayou folk are hardy; we’ll survive, no matter what that bétaille may have done, count on that.”

“Ah couldn’t ‘a lived with mahself if we hadn’t come back to check on ya,” Blossom choked out, turning back to the group. “Ah know Ah ain’t good for nothin’, ‘specially ‘gainst somethin’ like Discord, but friends should stick together, no matter what. You ain’t alone no more.” She placed her hoof on the plinth in a show of solidarity, which to her surprise Celestia reciprocated, placing her own hoof on hers. For the briefest of moments, the Princess could have sworn she saw a pink glimmer in the terran’s eyes before she blinked back more tears.

“I think we should camp here for today, but-” Celestia sighed as she released Blossom’s hoof, feeling deeply ungrateful for their kindness. “But I think you two should return home. Your families need you now more than ever, and without the book… Honestly I don’t know what we’re going to do next.”

“No way! We came this far, we’ll see you through to the end!” Sweet Blossom protested. “Plus Ah need to get Discord back for what he did to mah Uncle.”

“And with all due respect, I think you’re underestimatin’ the practicality of my medicinal and horticultural knowledge,” Meadow Flower continued. “Poisons, potions, all manner’a reactions—I’m yer gal. If you plan on havin’ any future run-ins with Discord like this, you could do with a few brews to hoof.” She looked down at Luna, concern still chiselled on her brow.

Celestia smiled weakly, genuinely appreciating their camaraderie and not wanting to argue over it. Instead, she tenderly looked back to her sister, dabbing sweat from her brow with a soft leaf.

The remainder of their day passed slowly and fretfully, though quietly; each pony struggling with their own loss. Sweet Blossom prepared the group a hearty broth as usual, specially mashed and cooled to be sip-fed to the still unconscious Luna. Meadow Flower spent much of her time scanning her thick book of flora, making notes and planning recipes to help in the coming days. The recent friends spent the evening in relative silence, telling the occasional bittersweet story of what may now be gone as they sat around a campfire. Time was—of course—entirely relative now that the sky was shared by both sun and moon, but their agreed time for bed arrived, and each settled under what little they chose to cover themselves with; tonight not having Luna’s starlight spell to lull them to sleep for the first time in a while.

Around four hours had passed since the last goodnight was spoken when Celestia opened her eyes. She carefully got to her hooves and silently levitated her and Luna’s saddlebags onto her back, and then Luna herself. She offset the weight with her magic the best she could, then slowly crept for the north-west edge of the clearing. Sweet Blossom and Meadow Flower were good company, generous, and skilled in their own ways… but against Discord, bringing them along would only put them at risk. That foul creature was willing to discard his own deluded followers like they were nothing, so he would surely use any of their companions against them were he to be confronted seriously. No, this was for the best for everypony, regardless of the bitter taste it left in her mouth. They would understand; they had their own scattered lives to get back to: Meadow, with whatever Discord had done to Haysead Swamp, and Blossom having to tell her family about the loss of a member and trading lifeline.

Celestia followed the darkest path she could, hoping to remain unnoticed as she travelled by the green half-light of bioluminescent mushrooms. However, barely half a minute passed before a familiar voice broke the forest’s silence, freezing her in place.

“Thought you could sneak away, huh?”

The startled Celestia turned back to find Meadow Flower standing in the centre of the path, rim-lit by the mushrooms’ otherworldly glow.

“Always was a light sleeper, without the crickets and critters of the swamp around,” she continued, the tone of her voice unreadable.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to seem ungrateful…”

Meadow Flower let her head drop into a nod, pausing a moment before walking closer.

“I understand. There’s only so much regular ponies and potions can do,” she affirmed, seemingly resigned to their departure. “But there’s no reason for you to go wandering off aimlessly-”

“Sweet Blossom—I don’t think she could get back home alone-”

“Non, ma belle, you misunderstand. I will take le demoiselle to her home safely, don’t you worry about that. I speak of where you plan to go next. You yourself said you had no plan, non?”

Celestia sighed, looking down.

“Have you heard of the Dragon War to the north?” Meadow Flower asked, already knowing the answer.

Celestia looked back up, her brow furrowed.

“It’s been goin’ on so long now it’s practically myth,” the elder mare continued, her voice remaining as soft and gentle as the glow around them. “Word spread south many years ago that around the time Discord overthrew Canterlot, dragons also invaded the Highlands. The pegasi rallied against them, but how well they’re doin’ depends on who you ask. Either way, those brave ponies are just about the last bastion for those who openly oppose Discord anymore. I don’t know how helpful they’ll be on your quest, what with the dragons and all, but it’s a good’a place as any t’ start.”

She didn’t reply immediately, allowing this new information to sink in. She had heard of Equestria’s troubles from Summer Twinkle, and of the nebulous Anti-Discord Resistance from Pink Pearl, but this was the first time a concrete faction they could visit had been mentioned.

“Thank you,” she finally responded with a huff. “If anypony is capable of teaching us something to use against Discord, it’s probably them.”

“Many years ago I was approached by the Resistance to stand against Discord, but I was so consumed by the loss of ma belle that I would not listen. Perhaps if I had taken action then, things in the Bayou would have gone differently now…” Meadow Flower’s eyes locked sadly on Luna’s unconscious body, though her thoughts lingered on Sweet Blossom. “In my own way, I hope ma bref part in your journey has helped make up for that. Follow the river north until you reach Ponydale, and from there you’ll see the Highland Mountains to the north-west. Pegasopolis won’t be far from there.”

“Pegasopolis…”

Celestia had read about the fantastical city-in-the-clouds back at South Sea Port, wishing she could visit such an unbridled and dream-like place, free of those prison walls. Perhaps now was her chance?

“Can’t guarantee you’ll find anythin’ but ash an’ cinders, though,” the apothecary continued, shaking her head. “Resistance folks don’t come to Haysead no more, and to think anypony could stand against the might of a dragon to begin with… It could well be too late already…”

“It’s better than nothing.”

She nodded solemnly. “Then please allow this vieille fille to do one last thing for you,” she began as she reached back to her saddlebag, pulling out her mouthwritten book of flowers and herbs. “Pour toi. I want you to have this.”

“Your book? That looks really important to you, I don’t think I can-”

“Nonsense. Everything I need to know is up here.” She tapped her temple before holding out the tome. “This guide will do you as much good as I ever could from here on out.”

“If… you insist.”

Celestia hesitantly received the compendium with her magic, beginning to struggle under the weight of her load and concurrent spells. Despite this, she smiled thankfully at the old alchemist, who smiled back, showing a brief glint of purple in her eyes in the green half-light.

“Well then, guess I’ll head back,” Meadow Flower concluded, slowly turning before pausing halfway. “Take care of yourself, Grande Blanche, and take care of Petite Bleue, too. She needs you more than you think.”

“I will.”

The lavender terran smiled sadly, nodding as she completed her turn and trotted back to the henge glade. Guilt washed over Celestia as she held the treasured book in the air and their customised saddlebags on her back. This was the right thing to do… right? Then why did it feel so wrong? She looked back at Luna, who remained limp over the bags, for the first time needing a second opinion and not having one. She sighed, shaking her head as she turned back north and away from their temporary companions.

Chapter 21: Scars of the Past

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Luna slowly opened her eyes, her vision barely returning before she was overcome by a throbbing headache and twisting stomach, each vying for which was the worse pain. She clutched herself, feeling as though she hadn’t eaten in days.

“Celestia?” she groaned, screwing her eyes tight as she fought back the pain. “Anypony?”

The reply of silence was not reassuring.

She took some laboured breaths, hoping to stave off the hunger with air alone for at least long enough to get her bearings. She once more attempted to open her eyes, grateful to the relative gloom of their environment for offering her this little pity, though her gratitude did not last long.

“Celesti—a…”

At first she could not comprehend what she was seeing, struggling to think behind the noise of her migraine, but the shape before her soon became unmistakable. Luna found herself lying on the cold, damp ground of a particularly mossy track, lit almost exclusively by luminescent green mushrooms, as Celestia stood before her in a frozen pose, once more bound by stone. It was a horrifying sight that Luna had never hoped to see again; her sister caught mid-back-peddle, a look of fear chiselled into her face from her unknown assailant. The alicorn desperately spun around, first looking for enemies, then for friends.

“M-Meadow Flower?! Sweet Blossom?!” she screamed raspingly; confused and desperate for aid, her dry voice failing her. “Rootin’ Tootin’?”

But reply came there none.

Where was she? Where were they? What should she do?! Should she try reaching into her sister’s sleepless dream like she had in the desert? She had no idea how she’d done it the first time, let alone how to replicate it, and she didn’t exactly have energy to spare. It was so hard to think clearly beside her various pains… What was the last thing she remembered…?

Discord. She and her sister had stood against Discord in the henge. But then what? Her memory was foggy… dark…

Tantabus.

It was a name she didn’t recognise, but it was all she could find in the darkness of her memory; like the oily whisper of a predator in her ear, the name chilled her to the core. But whose was it? Why did she know it? Did they do this? And what of their companions?

No, these were questions for later, after she had saved Celestia.

She stood up, or at least tried to, her knees buckling under her own light frame. How long had she been unconscious? When had she last eaten? The vivid memory of her last hearty meal—courtesy of Sweet Blossom—only served to accentuate the dryness of her mouth.

Luna tried to stand again, this time managing to slump against the nearby rotting log, her condensed breath illuminated by its mushrooms, taunting her with their patent inedibility. She used her newfound vantage to survey the scene in more detail, spotting a familiar looking book on the ground next to her embroidered saddlebag, from which a slightly withered carrot had rolled. Any concern for taste or texture left her mind as she grasped the vegetable with her magic and thrust it into her eager mouth, laboriously chewing the petty meal as she tried not to gag; eventually stomaching it with multiple swallows. Knowing what other treasures awaited her within, she tipped the bag upside down, exposing a rather soggy-looking cabbage, a few raw potatoes, and against all odds, a rosy-red apple, looking just as ripe as the day they’d bought it in Haysead. She ravenously bit into the crunchy orb, feeling life jump back into her muscles as the tart juice lubricated her throat, finishing core and all in just a few bites. Next she unclasped the waterskin from her bag and swigged it greedily, ignoring the trace drops that ran down her cheek and chin. Breathing a gasp of relief after downing half the container, she wiped the streaks from her face and leaned back against the log, sliding back to the floor with closed eyes, revelling in the satisfaction of such a meagre feast. The new residents of her stomach felt strange and almost as painful as their absence, but this would pass as clarity began to settle back into her mind and her heart rate slowed to a regular speed.

Her most basic of needs met for now, she opened her eyes and confronted her situation anew, looking up at her petrified sister with a mix of guilt and sorrow. What had happened while she was unconscious? And unconscious she certainly was, as it had been a dreamless sleep, which was unheard of for her. Her dreams were normally so vivid, visiting that vast and beautiful moonlit field of endless possibilities and serene nature… Some days she could not wait to fall asleep just to see that view again, and escape into its vast, tranquil freedom. But that wasn’t important now. Both she and her sister had been cast with an unnatural sleep, and once again she found herself awake first, though this time she felt no dream-link with which to wake her kin.

With her stomach beginning to settle, Luna pushed herself back up, now capable of standing unaided. She surveyed the scene once more. Whatever had petrified Celestia had spooked her into rearing back, likely jettisoning herself, her saddleback, and the book from her back. Had her sister not reared back, Luna’s bag and food would have been petrified along with her, possibly as well as Luna herself. Had Celestia saved her life? No, that would mean- She saved their lives by making sure she could save her in return. Exhaling under the burden of these assumptions, Luna looked once more to the familiar book, now fully recognising it.

“This is Meadow Flowers’-”

She looked around, hoping to see their companions emerge from the shadows with a smile and an explanation.

They did not come.

She looked back to the book, lifting it from the damp, mossy soil with her magic. Wait, Meadow Flower had told her about a plant remedy for this very situation! Whether it was luck or experience, Luna thanked the cosmos for the terran’s foresight. Now what was it called? Something-Tear?

She flicked through the dense pages with her magic, skimming calligraphic names and mouthdrawn images until she spotted the familiar white flower. Thank goodness Celestia hadn’t put this book in her saddlebag, or it would have been petrified with the rest of her! Now all she needed to do was find this singular flower somewhere in the vast forest of pine and danger that surrounded her, not least of which was the predator surely responsible for their situation: a cockatrice. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of such a beast, capable of turning ponies to stone with a single glance. One mistake and the hope for Equestria’s future would be over—everything rested on her lone shoulder now.

Luna stilled her breath, pacing herself as she donned her saddlebag and placed the book and its scattered contents back within. She closed her eyes and mentally reached out to Celestia, probing her for some kind of connection like they had shared before; but just as that day in the desert, her waking mind could not sense anything within the cold stone. She exhaled, this time picturing the flower in her mind’s eye. Plants were living things, after all, so who’s to say they don’t dream too? She mentally reached out, this time feeling a faint light in the distance. The darkness of her vision gave way to a gentle glow, as though she were sensing every living being from behind her eyelids. A shining white tether sprouted from her horn, snaking its way silently and delicately through the air, leading her to something. Feeling a sense of familiarity with this power she had never used before, she did not question it, simply following its lead, walking blindly forward with her eyes still closed.

She walked an invisible path, walled by the living spirits of the plants and trees. The string led her, unseeing, through the forest, avoiding all obstacles and heightening her other senses. The musk of the mushrooms, the sound of the leaves and needles rustling in the soft breeze, the gentle compression of moss and mud beneath her hooves. It was like a waking dream; a twilight of the mind, where all life shared equal measure. Trees swayed, alive, resting, their days spanning years of pony consciousness. Berry bushes birthed fruits; a dance of giving and taking so utterly natural to the world, taken for granted by all involved. The dream of life was all around her; calm, infinitely knowledgeable, everlasting. The plants knew how to be, what they were, where their destinies would take them, and excelled in their life to perfection—something that ponies were far from achieving. Was she walking, or was she floating across the lush carpet of life that spread beneath her? Was she sleeping, or had she become one with the unconscious all? Was she following the guide, or was it pulling her like a twig downstream, unable to resist, yet absolute in purpose?

She had arrived. The tether from her horn reached down to grass-level, where a cloud of white sparkles shimmered in her half-vision. She opened her eyes, blinking back the disorientation of having them closed for so long and finding her body in a completely unfamiliar part of the woods—not that her previous location had been familiar either. She looked down, and as though she had awoken from a prophetic dream, there sprouted an unassuming cluster of the dumpy white flowers detailed in Meadow Flower’s book. A smile spread across her face—she would be the one to save her sister this time!

Luna chuckled smugly to herself, leaning in for a closer look. Now how was she going to transport the flower’s essence back? Should she empty out her waterskin as a vessel? No, it was way too big, and would waste much-needed water for the rest of their journey. Perhaps she should carry it back with magic alone? She could concentrate for that long, right? Perhaps not if she entered that dream-walking state again, considering she didn’t know the way back by sight. It would be a shame to break the flower off just for her use, the poor thing…

The rustle of undergrowth and snap of a twig from behind made her decision for her. She dared a glance over her shoulder just long enough to spy a beak and green feathers before snapping her eyes shut. Was she too late? Was she turning to stone? … No, the moment passed and she was still able to think and move her hoof, but the vicious creature was still very much there, hissing in territorial rage as it stalked towards her. There wasn’t time to think, only do, so she swallowed hard and ripped the flower’s stalk from the ground with her magic, desperately galloping back the way she had come with her eyes tight shut. She didn’t have time for the magic to take her as it had before, and as the misty half-vision slowly reappeared like candles in fog, she found the guiding tether absent from her mind. She turned her head back as she ran blindly forward, finding the white cord still trailing behind her, past the patch of white flowers and the red spectre that chased her. Where was it going?! She needed to get back to her sister, and she definitely wasn’t that way! Come on, you stupid thing! To Celestia!

The spirit-cord tugged against her will before begrudgingly re-guiding itself forward and thankfully down the path she was running, but unlike last time, it now split itself at the upcoming intersection. A bright white cord danced to the left, which she felt was redirecting to the same destination as the previous route behind her, while a pale pink cord fluttered to the right. Celestia! Without a choice to be made, Luna skidded around the corner, banking right and galloping back to her sister with the cockatrice in hot pursuit. As dreamy as her initial trip had been, this return race somehow felt longer, despite her galloping. Fear and adrenaline pushed her burning lungs and aching joints past their weakened limit as she stumbled over a fallen branch, invisible to her half-vision of living things. She skidded to a halt as the end of the pink tether came into view, where she knew her sister must be despite the lack of visible life-energy. She turned around, eyes still shut, to find the threatening red aura almost upon them. Not knowing what else to do, so she took two burning lungfuls of air and screamed:

“BEGONE! YOU SHALL DO AS WE SAY!”

The Royal Canterlot Voice boomed throughout the forest once more, disturbing another—or perhaps the same—flock of birds from the treetops. The cockatrice slid to a halt with a yelp, wide-eyed and fearful as it scrambled to retreat. Luna panted as she released the tension in her face, daring to squint open her eyes just in time to see the scaly tail of the feathered beast disappear into the darkness.

“Oh… Well that was easy.” She scratched her neck, wondering if the creature really was as scary as she had thought, before remembering the state her sister was in. “Oh, right!”

She turned back to the statue, approaching it as she retrieved the prize from her saddlebag. With a silent hope and calming exhale, she squeezed the flower’s bulbous head over her sister, seeking the ‘tear’ from within. Sure enough, a milky-white secretion dripped from its core, landing on the unicorn’s forehead and running down to her lips, just like Meadow Flower’s book had detailed. Luna stared with bated breath. This was the right flower, right? She didn’t mess up?

From where the droplet rested, colour slowly began to spread across the greyed mare’s body, returning her off-white coat and soft-magenta eyes. Luna stepped back as she watched the process, her sister remaining frozen until all colour had returned to her form. No sooner had the last tip of grey retreated from her pastel-pink tail, the unicorn resumed the scream she had been stuck in for who knows how long, slamming back into the fallen trunk behind her. As if suddenly struck by how long she had been frozen in that pose, she began to violently cough from her dried throat, desperately scanning her surroundings as she rubbed her watering eyes clear.

“Celestia! Are you okay?” Luna inched forward, lending a concerned hoof.

“You- You’re up-” she wheezed, struggling to gather herself after such a fright. “Is it- it-”

“Here, have my water.”

Luna offered her levitated waterskin, which was desperately grabbed and chugged, with the remainder used to splash her eyes. The alicorn patiently waited for her sister’s breathing to calm before asking again.

“Are you alright? What happened?”

“Chicken-” Celestia barked with dilated pupils. “Evil- Evil chicken!”

“Chicken?” Luna echoed. “You mean the cockatrice?”

“E- Evil chicken. Red eyes. Red, red eyes, right there.” She pointed a trembling hoof forward, though the creature was obviously long gone. “So red, its eyes. Cold. Red and cold.”

“It’s alright, I scared it off.” Luna gently lowered her sister’s outstretched hoof with an equally gentle smile. “You’re okay now, I saved you.”

“Saved me? But I was- I was saving you.”

“Then I guess we saved each other.”

The young alicorn smiled broadly, which was surprisingly effective at calming Celestia’s nerves.

“So… It’s gone?”

“It’s gone. For now, anyway. We should get back to the others before it thinks about returning. Meadow Flower will be so proud that I used her book, I can’t wait to thank her for lending it to us! Why did you have her book, anyway?”

Celestia looked down, her eyelids heavy.

“About that… We-”

She sighed, briefly glancing into Luna’s eyes before looking back down. Rather than continue, she attempted to stand up, using the trunk to support her weak legs like Luna had, though this time she had her sister to help. The pair stood in silence for a moment, side-by-side.

“We’re going on alone from here,” she finished, continuing to avoid eye-contact.

Luna’s mouth opened as she took a step away.

“W-Why?”

“We can’t risk their lives on our journey. It’s too dangerous. We’re not strong enough to protect ourselves, let alone others… We’ve had nothing but misfortune ever since we left town—ever since we were born!” she snapped, looking toward the darkened path she was travelling before the interruption.

“This is ridiculous, I’m going back-” Luna began, starting to turn.

“You can’t, they won’t be there. You were unconscious for days, and however long I was… like that.” Celestia rubbed her eyes again, still feeling the soreness of whatever magic had been cast on her, and definitely not a welling inclination to cry.

“Why- Why would you decide that without me?!” Luna stepped back again, unsuppressed tears welling in her eyes. “I didn’t even get to say goodbye!”

“We can visit them again one day, once this is all over.”

“You can’t just make decisions for me like that!”

“You were unconscious, Luna!” she implored, facing her sister with regret clear in her reddened eyes. “I had no choice. After your fight with Discord, I knew we wouldn’t be able to keep them or any other ponies safe. Not before we’re ready. If I can’t protect you, then…”

“Discord…” Luna turned back to the path from the henge, seeing nothing but indistinguishable trees and darkness in the distance. “What happened back there?”

“You tell me!” Celestia snapped, her regret switching to anger. “What in Equestria was that magic?! It was so dark—so- so…”

“Magic?” Luna faced her sister, her eyes becoming hazy and unfocused. “What magic…?”

“You don’t remember?” The unicorn’s anger became concern just as quickly, her eyebrows chiselling worry on her forehead.

“No. I remember… a name, and darkness. It was like-” Luna stopped, knowing she had not told her sister of the dark dream she had experienced in the desert, and her black self that had left its mark on her. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, but if that was alicorn magic…” Celestia trailed off, thinking of the lifetime they had spent in pursuit of this power, without ever knowing what it was truly like to have. She could barely remember her parents or what it was like to be around an alicorn, but history books were very clear about the catastrophic outcome of the Black Night and the destructive power their father had wielded. If alicorn magic was predisposed to such terrifying acts as erasing an entire nation’s capital from the map, perhaps it was innately evil, and not something they should continue to seek. Starswirl had never mentioned such a crucial topic in all their years of living together. Perhaps he was well aware, and this dark magic was Equestria’s last hope, good or evil.

“Did I- … Did I hurt anypony?” Luna asked after both had fallen to silence.

Celestia focused back on the present, knowing there was no good in scaring her litter sister with what might be the inextricable curse of their destiny. If they did save Equestria with dark alicorn magic, there may come a time when she would need to seal the both of them away, for the sake of the world… That destiny would be her burden to bear, not her little sister’s.

“No. You saved them, and me,” she answered with stern encouragement.

Luna smiled weakly, feeling only loss over this situation. Was Celestia protecting her? Perhaps she had scared them off with her display, whatever she’d done. She wanted to explain herself, reassure them that she was still the same unicorn filly she had always been… But she would not get to see her only friends again for a long time, assuming they even wanted to see her again after this. The young alicorn looked back at her saddlebag, within which was Meadow Flower’s horticultural book. Somehow she felt that it had been a gift intended for her, so she wanted to be the one to hold on to it for now. She would be the one to return it to her, once all of this was over.

“You’ll see them again, I’m sure,” Celestia reassured her, reading her face. “For now, we need to head to the Highlands.”

“‘The Highlands?’”

“Meadow Flower said that’s where the Resistance is—fighting dragons, apparently. If anypony can teach us something to use against Discord, it’ll be them.”

“But the thread…”

“‘Thread’?”

Luna looked back once more, this time closing her eyes. Sure enough, the white luminescent tether snaked off back the way they had come. It was pointing her to something—something important—though she didn’t know what.

“We don’t have anything better to go on, Luna. We’ll head north-west, and hopefully find some more food and water as we go. Meadow Flower said there was a town named Ponydale on the way, so if we’re lucky we might be able to sleep on real beds for a change.”

“Okay.”

Celestia turned onward, adjusting her saddlebag as Luna took one last look back toward the henge and the mysterious thread, before joining her sister as they continued through Silent Pines, now slightly more aware of the creeping eyes that lurked within the shadows. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Luna turned to her sister, sporting a wry grin that was more like her usual self than she had been in a while.

“That ‘chicken’ was in a pretty fowl mood, huh?”

The unicorn slowly met her gaze with an intense stare, though couldn’t help but crack a smile as she looked away, despite herself. Hopefully Sweet Blossom hadn’t rubbed off on her sister too much.

The following days of travel were ultimately uneventful, despite the hidden noises and lurking threats of the forest. In fact, as the trees slowly parted to reveal a picturesque river and quaint village on the horizon, Silent Pines would prove to be the least of their worries.

The sisters reached a river that ran all the way from Mount Friendship and Canterlot in the north-east, to the South Brine and furthest reaches of the San Palomino Desert in the south-west. They crossed the conveniently placed, hardy wooden bridge that spanned it; the first pony-made structure they had seen since Haysead Swamp, and wide enough for fully loaded carts to cross—likely part of the trade route between Canterlot and Klugetown. As the distant farming village came into view, it became clear that all was not right there. Little more than craters, ruins, and overgrown brush remained of what were once verdant homesteads. The homely watercolours they had seen in Equestrian travel guides were replaced by a stark vision of what life in ‘Discordia’ was like for ponies who did not bend a knee.

“What happened here?” Luna asked under her breath, awed by the horror spread out before them.

“I don’t know, but I can guess,” Celestia replied as they slowly and carefully approached the centre of what was clearly once a battlefield.

It wasn’t just the rotting food crops, displaced earth, or fire-blackened farmhouse ruins that painted the grim scene; the very ground beneath their hooves was layered and curled like sheets of paper, as though they were standing on the pages of a giant book—the culprit of which was more than obvious. Celestia kicked at the edge of a small hole, lifting up its burnt pages with morbid fascination. Did that monster’s corrupting magic know no limit?

“Who do you think he was fighting?” Luna mused, kicking a stone that bounced away like a rubber ball, to her surprise.

“The Resistance, I suppose. Perhaps the surviving Royal Guard fleeing Canterlot, given how old it looks.”

Indeed, some thirty years of growth and decay had weathered the remains of the township to little more than cairns amid the plant life that had reclaimed them. The only things that didn’t look their age were the paper-like craters and patches of quilted dirt that Discord clearly had a part in creating, the latter of which were uncomfortably reminiscent of the chequerboard he had left in the San Palomino Desert, along with their former statues. Celestia was surprised that news of such destruction hadn’t found its way back to Meadow Flower; though that would, of course, require survivors with which to bring it…

“Didn’t Starswirl tell us he once fought the centaur prince, Tirek?” Celestia recalled aloud, thinking back to one of their mentor’s many cautionary tales told in the time-bubble. “Discord was obviously involved too. Whoever fought here was powerful beyond words, that’s for sure.”

“Do you really think it was Starswirl?”

“Could be. These craters are massive, and he said that Tirek was the most fearsome creature he had ever fought—not that he had ever been in a fight before,” Celestia smirked, though it immediately turned bittersweet.

“He was in the War; though I guess casting spells from the flank is different from fighting somepony casco a casco,” Luna mused, knocking away an errant pebble as she casually trotted through the bones of a once beloved farmhouse. “Still, he was a pretty good teacher. Not that it helped us much in the end.”

“Yeah… I used to wonder if he was more of a prodigy than we ever were. He should have been the one to get the wings, not us,” the unicorn scoffed dryly.

As the pair moved through the epicentre of the destruction, Celestia began to sense something faintly familiar, like the subtle aroma of freshly baked goods on the breeze.

“Do you feel that?”

Luna looked up and surveyed her surroundings with focused senses.

“… No?”

“It feels like…”

Celestia closed her eyes, focusing only on her horn to track the ‘scent’. With sudden purpose she turned sharply and began trotting, her eyes shut as she relied solely on her heightened sixth sense to guide her. Her heart beginning to race, Luna pursued her sister, equal parts excited and apprehensive. As though bursting through the analogous door of the secluded and aromatic bakery, Celestia’s eyes snapped open as she stopped, staring intently at the source before her.

“Uncle!”

Luna arrived beside her, confused by the outburst, but now able to sense what her sister had tracked from a few houses away. Before them lay nothing but rubble and a scar upon the earth, no different from any of the other dozen ruined farmsteads here, except for one faint magical signature they had come to recognise as second nature. Not content with her first impression, Celestia scrambled into the shallow ditch; an ancient battle-scar now grassy and revived, which would have seemed no different to any other grassy divot, were it not for the lingering scent of a malicious magic upon it—Tirek, perhaps? Unlike the spoiled tang of chaos energy that permeated the corruption, this was more like a hot spice; bitter malice that singed their magical senses.

Celestia began to follow the scar down its westerly length, holding her horn to the ground like a tracking-dog until she found what she was looking for. She began to dig into the rubble and dirt like a pony possessed, scuffing her hooves with no care of cleanliness as she could not risk using her horn, lest her magical signature mask the faint trace she was hunting for like a hog for truffles. Despite her alicorn form, Luna was clearly lacking a level of acuity her sister had; unable to pinpoint the wisp she felt on the wind and forced to watch on helplessly.

The unicorn suddenly stopped her frantic scrabbling and cupped something in her hooves, turning to her sister like the picture of madness as she triumphantly held up a small stone from amid the identical piles around them. Luna briefly considered if Celestia’s encounter with the cockatrice had done far more damage than previously thought, before herself recognising the invisible yet familiar ‘scent’ from within her sister’s grasp.

“Uncle Starswirl…” Luna whispered, recognising his lingering presence at once—something she thought she would sense again.

Celestia smiled, seeming to regain some of her usual poise as she climbed out of the rut and brushed herself off, the stone held safely aloft on one hoof.

“This was his, I know it was,” she stated warmly, looking upon the nondescript rock as though it were a fond memory as she held it between them.

“But what is it? It looks like any other stone here.”

“If it was Starswirl’s, it couldn’t just be a stone. There has to be a reason it resonates with his magic, and after all this time, too…”

Luna looked around, as though expecting answers within her sight, before focusing back on the rock.

“Should we try to activate it with our magic?”

“I don’t know, not knowing what it is…” Celestia’s lips tightened. “It could be anything from an undetonated magic-bomb to just another piece of brickwork he accidentally blasted.”

“It’s only this one rock, though, right?” Luna asked with a tilted head as she tentatively nudged the stone on her sister’s hoof.

“Yes, just this one, or I wouldn’t have been able to track it down. Either way, it proves that Starswirl was here at some point.”

“And didn’t leave much else standing.” Luna sighed, shaking her head. “Not even Uncle Starswirl could stop them from destroying a village, and we’re supposed to save all of Equestria.”

“One thing at a time, sister. Think of it like a test: if you tackle the whole paper at once, you’ll stress yourself out; but tackle it one question at a time, and you’ll be done before you know it.”

A typical Celestia-ism.

“Well, no point sticking around here; we can take the stone with us,” Luna concluded, kicking a loose pebble into her sister’s ditch. “Shall we move on?”

Celestia nodded, her excited expectations for the ‘scent’ and excavated stone now tempered by reality as she slid it into her saddlebag. “There’s nothing else for us here. Meadow Flower said Pegasopolis would be north-west of Ponydale, which would be… that way.”

She pointed toward a nearby forest circling the base of a massive mountain range. Once this was all over, she would seriously consider banning all trees from Equestria.

Luna craned her head up to survey the twilight sky. “It’s a floating city, right? So it shouldn’t be hard to spot…”

“Yeah.”

Only now considering they should already be able to see their destination, the sisters hopefully scoured the sky around the snow-tipped peaks ahead, expanding the scope of their search as desperation set in. While a little imagination was required to translate the picturesque illustrations of Pegasopolis into a realistic view from below, neither sister was able to spot a single cloud one could even generously call ‘city-sized’.

“Now what?” Luna asked, having drawn the same conclusion as her older sister.

Celestia sighed. “I guess there’s only one option.”

Matching her sister’s gaze, Luna’s expression dropped as both stared up at the intimidating wall of rock ahead of them.

“No way!”

“Yes way. If we can’t see it from here, Pegasopolis can only be on the other side of those mountains.” Celestia closed her eyes, resigned to her fate. “Either way, the high vantage point will only help us.”

“I am not walking up a mountain!”

“What are you complaining for, you’re the one with wings!”

Luna scrunched up her face before kicking at the dirt, still far from confident about using her wings, and unwilling to look a fool in front of her sister. “I… wouldn’t want to leave you alone.”

“Then don’t complain. It’s not like I have a choice.” Celestia sighed, shaking her head as she turned away. “Let’s refill our waterskins and get going.”

Following after her sister, the pair trotted back to the stream they had initially crossed, which thankfully ran crystal clear and free of chaos pollution. Checking the withered and rotting fields on their way back, the princesses scavenged what few edibles had survived decades of neglect and self-seeding, before continuing on toward their next looming obstacle: the Highland Mountains.

“Well, at least we didn’t see any dragons,” Luna offered, trying to find a golden lining to the long hike ahead.

“Yet.”

“‘Yet?!’ Don’t say that!”

Celestia smirked at her younger sister’s reaction, though the reality of her own statement quickly wiped the smile from her face. They could potentially talk their way out of another encounter with Discord, but a dragon would not be so rational—relatively speaking. She swallowed, making a mental note to keep her eyes open for smoke or caves on their ascent.

Chapter 22: Through a Forest Darkly

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The sisters steadily made their way through the oaks and aspens of the Lowlands Forest, a blanket of trees that skirted the base of the Highland Mountains. Unlike Silent Pine’s reputation for the troublesome beasts that dwelled within, the Lowland Forests were known for a complete lack of predators and an abundance of natural foods, making their passage a comfortable one. It didn’t take long for Ponydale to disappear behind a wall of trunks, leaving the pair completely isolated from the outside world once more, now bathed in the heady fragrance of fallen leaves.

“It’s a good thing you woke up when you did,” Celestia began without provocation. “I was hoping the ponies of Ponydale would help you recover. Lot of good that would’ve done.”

Luna snorted, though the humour of her sister’s sardonic remark was blunted by the shadow of recent events that loomed over her. Celestia had turned away the first and only friends they had ever made, and she acted as though that meant nothing to her. Meadow Flower was kind, wise, and experienced in herbal remedies; so why her sister thought some farmers could have offered better aid was beyond her. Sweet Blossom had been the kind of chatty, excitable, and starry-eyed friend she had always dreamed of—the sister she wished she’d had in the time-bubble—and now the long stretches of silence were palpable without her. And to think Celestia could turn that poor mare away, right after losing her uncle just as they had, blood-kin or not. She never even got to say goodbye.

“Now’s probably a good time to rest,” the pink-maned unicorn announced, having neared a blanket of particularly plush-looking leaves, at least as far as leaves go. Their destitute travels had taught them not to be picky. “How are you feeling?”

“Better now. The headache has faded. I’m worried we’ll start running out of food soon, though.”

“We’ve got enough for now, but we can forage a bit after we wake up.”

The sisters circled the small clearing to pick their choice spots and settle down, setting their bags aside. A light drizzle had made the ground and everything on it less than ideal to lie on, but as water-rationing travellers that had tackled not one, but two deserts, they had come to appreciate any moisture where they could find it. Without pegasi around to schedule the weather, Celestia could only assume these somewhat regular weather patterns had been persuaded out of Discord by his followers. Perhaps there’s no fun for him in drought and global famine, or he’s mortal after all, and needs to eat and drink like the rest of us… Either way, one needs others in order to sow chaos, so the extinction of all life doesn’t suit his twisted interests.

“It’s amazing how long Sweet Blossom made our supplies last,” she continued, rummaging through her saddlebag as the memory of creamy mushroom and potato stew briefly graced her taste buds. They wouldn’t be eating like that again for quite some time, that’s for sure. “At least this forest has apple trees.”

Saying this, Celestia retrieved a previously stowed fruit from her saddlebag and bit into it with a juicy crunch. Luna sighed, staring through the layers of freshly fallen and mulching leaves below her. She couldn’t keep this to herself any longer.

“I can’t believe you left them behind,” she mumbled, not entirely committed to being heard.

Celestia exhaled loudly, the front of her forced positivity slipping. They had already talked about this, why was she bringing it up again?

“I told you, they would be in danger if they came with us,” she answered between chews. “We can’t foalsit terrans while we’re barely able to look after ourselves. What if Discord returned and made one of them disappear next?”

Luna grit her teeth as those final, hazy memories flashed before her eyes. Informant or not, Rootin’ Tootin’ was Sweet Blossom’s uncle and she adored him, so he couldn’t have been that bad. Nopony deserves to be… ‘disappeared’.

“I- I could have protected them,” she insisted, trying to convince herself as much as her sister. “If we can’t protect a couple of ponies, how are we supposed to save all of Equestria? I’m an alicorn!”

“Yeah, and look what good that did you!” Celestia snapped, before turning away to calm herself.

She wasn’t angry at Luna, of course. It would be easy for her to point the hoof at Discord; a black-and-white villain they need only best to right every wrong in the world. However, reality is never that simple. If her fear proves true, and alicorn magic is evil, then she was no less a victim to that same darkness germinating in Luna right now. The weapons required to defeat the greatest threat Equestria has ever faced would one day replace him; and who then would oppose those evil alicorn sisters? Their father had destroyed an entire capital city with a single strike, so by saving the world now, they were ensuring its doom later on… It was a thought that made her question everything she had ever been taught, and hate herself in equal measure. Maybe her anger was selfish, fuelled by self-preservation, but witnessing that change in the normally introverted and gentle Luna had instilled a deep dread within her. Ponies were surviving under Discord’s reign, which might not be true after they succumbed to the darkness. Were they the real villains here?

Celestia exhaled, shaking her head to clear the fatalistic thoughts. Surviving wasn’t good enough, just like when Grogar enslaved their kind; this was no different. Luna didn’t remember the transformation, so perhaps the whole confrontation was staged by Discord to shake their resolve? He did seem genuinely afraid, but… No, she could debate this with herself for years; now was the time for action, not second-guessing the truths they knew. If things do go wrong after Discord’s defeat… she’ll seal the both of them away, before anypony gets hurt.

“You can’t control your alicorn magic yet,” she continued with renewed calm. “But when you can—when we can—then we can consider companions, whatever good that will do. Hopefully it will all be over by then anyway.”

Luna remained apathetic, laying her head on the bed of damp detritus. An awkward silence settled as heightened emotions prevented either from relaxing. As Celestia settled her head onto her foreleg, the despondent alicorn broke the silence with an unexpected question.

“When do ponies get their cutie marks?”

The elementary query confused Celestia, though she assumed there was a reason behind it, and so answered accordingly.

“When they discover their special talent—a singular pursuit they’re truly passionate about, whether it’s skilled-based or emotionally significant. Starswirl covered this.”

Luna pondered the answer she already knew.

“I wonder what our talents will be.”

“I don’t know,” Celestia grunted, having asked herself the same question for years. “If we’re both supposed to save Equestria, maybe we’ll get our cutie marks in that?”

“Shouldn’t we already have them, then? Can you even get a cutie mark in ‘saving the world’?”

Celestia sighed. “It doesn’t have to be specific. Just because a healer’s cutie mark is a heart, that doesn’t mean they literally operate on them. Starswirl’s cutie mark was for ‘magic’, but he enjoyed reading, teaching—all sorts.”

“You can’t have a cutie mark in ‘magic’, Celestia.” Luna raised her head. “That would be like having a cutie mark in ‘wind’ or ‘having fun’. His cutie mark is… was… a shooting star; so maybe his special talent was astrology, and he just wasn’t able to do it in the time-bubble.”

Celestia also raised her head as the pair descended into one of their old sibling arguments. “That’s ridiculous; I think he would have told us if his cutie mark was in astrology. That was… whatshisname’s field. Starswirl is a prolific incanter with an unprecedented mana pool; there’s no way his special talent isn’t magic!”

“Then why is his cutie mark a star?! If his talent was magic, it should be a magic-y thing, like sparkles, or a scroll—or a horn!”

“Don’t be absurd; a horn cutie mark? Do terrans get cutie marks of hooves, or pegasi, wings?! I don’t think so,” she mocked, rolling her eyes. “I don’t know; his name is Starswirl, so it’s a swirling star. What’s the mystery?”

“But he was named before he got his cutie mark, so are you saying it became that because of his name?” the alicorn countered, throwing her hooves up in protest. “Does that mean my cutie mark will be, like, the moon, and yours… I dunno, stars? And what does it even mean to have a cutie mark in ‘magic’? All unicorns can use magic, and yeah he’s good, but he got good from researching and hard work! That’s why his cutie mark is for his secret passion: astrology!”

“Honestly, I don’t know how we’re related sometimes. Cutie marks are the definition of symbolism! They appear when our innate magik peaks—like puberty, but a magichemical reaction—so of course the mark can be affected by our name, our interests, our emotions, whatever! It’s—magic!” the elder sister huffed, folding her forelegs. “It’s like you’ve never read a textbook.”

“That’s rich coming from you, Miss I’m-Your-Biggest-Fan-Summer-Twinkle!” Luna jeered, pouting her lips and fluttering her eyelashes in parody.

“Hey! That’s not fair. How’s a pony supposed to react when their favourite fictional character turns out to be real, and is currently saving them from cannibalistic tribesponies?!”

Luna grimaced. “Y- You never said anything about them being cannibals. Were- Were they cannibals?!”

Celestia contorted her face in thought, looking up as she recalled her well-read copy of Summer Twinkle and The Temple of the Golden Sun.

“No… No, probably not. That might have just been headcanon.”

“Headcanon? Cannibals?! What’s wrong with you?! Why can’t I have a normal big sister instead of some weirdo book-nerd?!”

“Hey, remember which ‘weirdo book-nerd’ taught you how to count after Uncle Starswirl gave up on you. You’d be as thick as his journals if it weren’t for me.”

“Hah!”

A silence of mock indignation lapsed before the two princesses began to snicker, then burst into full laugher; the first time either had genuinely laughed in a long time. As the laughter faded, a more comfortable silence settled, with both mares lingering on the momentary comfort felt from forgetting their adoptive uncle was no longer with them.

“Unlike puberty, I guess it happens when it happens,” Celestia mused, her tone melancholic as her smile faded. “The books all said we should have found our special talents by now… But I suppose those foals had normal lives.”

“Yeah…”

As Celestia sighed, the light drizzle slowly returned, pattering calmly on the leafy canopy overhead. Whatever season Discord had frozen the world in, this moment felt a lot like how the books described autumn. It was… peaceful.

“I wonder when Summer Twinkle got hers?” Celestia pondered, resting her head back down on her folded leg. “Did you see it? An astrolabe, just like I imagined from the books. So cool.”

Luna rolled onto her back to watch the leaves twitch above them. “I hope… I get a cutie mark in making friends,” she wistfully wished aloud, knowing her life would never be ‘normal’. “It was nice being around others for a while.”

Celestia pondered this statement and her own feelings on the matter, having never stopped to reflect on the whirlwind of their lives post-isolation.

“Yeah, it was,” she reluctantly agreed, though her thoughts quickly returned to memories of their late uncle. She sighed again, forcing herself to focus on the future instead. “There will be more at Pegasopolis.”

“How are we even supposed to get to Pegasopolis if it’s a city in the clouds? I can fly now, but you can’t. Yet.”

Celestia closed her eyes, fighting back the fresh wave of inadequacy that threatened to sour her mood once more. “We’ll think of something. We always do.”

As a more lasting silence settled between the pair, Luna cast her protective spell of starry night around them, and a surprisingly restful sleep followed thereafter.

The following morning began like most others. Once their odd meal of found mushrooms, berries, and apples was prepared—kept non-poisonous thanks to Meadow Flower’s reference book—the two ate in silence, sitting either side of a small bonfire. As Luna stared into the flickering flames, her mind began to wander back to recent events and dark places. Her dreams had become a bastion of fantasy and comfort since her ascension, but now it was the day that brought unpleasant memories and twisted thoughts she could not escape from. Feeling her chest sink beneath the growing weight of the silence, she forced herself to break it.

“Do you… ever have nightmares?”

Celestia looked up, her mouth full of an unconventional mixture of fruit and fungi.

“Nightmares? … I guess? Not in a while, though.”

Luna nodded slowly, hoping for a different answer. A thoughtful silence relapsed before she tried again.

“Do you ever… have dark thoughts? Like, the bad side of you is talking in your head?”

“What?” Celestia asked with almost judgemental confusion, swallowing her food to continue. “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing. Nothing…”

The young alicorn lowered her eyes and bit into her apple, held aloft by passive blue magic. Of course Celestia didn’t understand; why would she? She was relatively normal, all things considered, and there was nothing normal about feeling the hot breath of an unseen predator whispering dark promises behind your ear. As restful as her dreams had become, she could not deny that ‘it’ was still there at night, lingering in the periphery of her vision, its voice too quiet to make out. Was this all part of becoming an alicorn? Had her parents experienced this same stalking presence, testing their convictions with its twisted and selfish temptations? Was this why her father…?

Luna exhaled through her nostrils, the crisp and juicy apple tasteless in her mouth as she listlessly chewed its pulp. She thought back to the recent encounter with Discord, and how it felt to lose control to her ‘other’. This dark seed had been germinating within her since she became an alicorn, but only now did its threats feel real, having almost lost herself completely to a singular moment of weakness. She would not soon forget that sensation; desperately struggling to regain control, before being swallowed whole by exhaustion and unconsciousness. She imagined it was what drowning felt like. And when she finally did awake from that black abyss, the first thing she saw was her sister’s petrified body. Had she done that—or rather, had her ‘other’? In that first second of consciousness, she feared she had lost the world, all by her own hoof.

She subconsciously began to massage her tight neck muscles. ‘Its’ touch lingered on her mind like a bruise; its words staining her thoughts like ink blots on paper, seeping into every cavity and highlighting the cracks. It mocked her as only a warped mirror could; knowing her deepest secrets, exploiting her darkest fears, and showing her what skulked beneath the light and revelled in the shadows of her mind.

“I represent the darkness within you, Luna. The resentment of your sister; the shackles of your imprisoned life; the burden of becoming an alicorn; the guilt of killing your mother.” Those were the scars the creature she had come to know as ‘Tantabus’ had left upon her during their thirty-year sleep, draining her will with a thousand shallow cuts.

“I have left my mark on you,” it had whispered in the Temple of Chicomoztec, assuring its lasting presence by manifesting as a literal stain on her flank.

Luna couldn’t help but look back at the black mark spreading across her hips. At first she had optimistically thought it a cutie mark, as undefined in shape as it was; but as time passed, and her shadow’s words echoed in her ears, she came to consider its statement quite literal. Would this creeping darkness slowly consume her, body and mind? And now that she thought about it, was her dusty-blue coat already becoming darker?

“Did you have a nightmare?” Celestia asked, pulling the filly from her introspective stupor.

“What? Oh, no, my dreams are pretty peaceful. I just…”

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “You just…?”

“Nothing.”

“Alright…”

Celestia returned to chewing her food. As unconvincing as Luna’s answer was, there wasn’t much she could do if she didn’t want to talk about it.

“Deny me no more, and we alone shall save Equestria,” Tantabus had whispered; the last thing she could remember from their stand-off at Ponehenge. Its words hung in her mind like they were her own.

“Let’s get a move on,” Celestia announced, so loudly and abruptly as to be intentionally jarring. She stood, brushing the dead flora off her lower-half, before snuffing out the fire with her golden magic.

“Oh, r-right,” the blue alicorn answered in a daze, following her sister’s command without question.

The pair donned their freshly resupplied saddlebags and continued their journey to the mountain range. Luna remained deep in thought as they walked, while Celestia enjoyed the companionless silence she had desired for so long. Between their isolation from society, the seemingly untouched nature around them, and the comfortable freshness of the air, one could almost be lulled into thinking that everything was normal with the world.

That, of course, did not last long.

“We’re lost, aren’t we?” Luna asked rhetorically, speaking for the first time in hours.

As large as the Silent Pines forest was, there were frequent enough landmarks to prevent you from getting lost, even on your first journey through. The Lowland Forests, on the other hoof, felt like a kaleidoscope of nature, repeating as far as the eye could see. Between the woody trees, dense vegetation, increasingly claustrophobic canopy, forced path adjustments, and the occasional sheer mountainside, it was safe to say they had made no meaningful progress at all.

“I don’t- I mean, there’s a limit to how big this forest can be,” Celestia argued, having continued to walk out of pure spite for some time now. “We have to be getting closer to the Highland Mountains, or a pass, or something. It can’t be infinite.”

“With Discord around, is that really so out of the question?”

Luna sighed, not really believing Discord’s involvement herself. He seemed to like the ‘personal touch’, and didn’t have any reason to delay them from fulfilling their agreement.

“Why don’t I take a look above?”

Celestia frowned for a moment, still not used to the thought of her sister being able to fly. Were either of them more familiar with her new wings, one might have suggested this seemingly obvious idea hours ago.

“That’s… not a bad idea, I guess,” the elder sister reluctantly admitted. “We should have brought a compass or something.”

“Maybe we didn’t ‘bring a compass’ because we had three companions who knew where they were going?!”

“Hey, do not-” Celestia began, interrupted by a sudden buzzing from her saddlebag, which spooked her into bucking the whole lot off her back.

“What the hay?!” she screeched, spinning around to face the ejected satchels.

“What’s wrong?!” Luna yelped, startled by her sister’s unprompted reaction.

“Th- There’s something in my bag!”

The pair watched the fallen bag intently as it continued to subtly move from the vibrations; images of vengeful hornets and red-hot pyreflies filling their minds. Pooling her courage, Celestia cautiously inched toward the satchel and kicked it, leaning back in anticipation of retaliation, magic at the ready.

No reaction.

“Is it a bug?” Luna squeaked, keeping her distance.

“I don’t know,” she replied through gritted teeth. “It’s kind of… pulsing, don’t you think?”

“Eww!”

With a steadying breath, Celestia used her magic to open the bag, hoping the unknown creature might leave on its own with no hard feelings. A few tense seconds passed as the buzzing continued, taking its time to slowly creep out and into the open. She carefully circled the saddlebag to get a better look at its spilled contents, only for her fear to quickly turn to confusion as she straightened her back.

“What in Equestria?”

“What is it?” Luna pleaded, hating the suspense.

“I think it’s…” She trailed off as she approached the exposed culprit, its rhythmic vibrations accompanied by a now visible pulsing, blue glow. “It’s the stone, from before—Starswirl’s stone!”

As confusion gave way to realisation, the unicorn pounced on the bag and scrabbled to grasp the vibrating pebble between her hooves. Was it some kind of communication device? Was Starswirl still alive after all, finally able to contact them now they’d found his enchanted stone?

“Starswirl’s stone!” Luna repeated, at first excited, then apprehensive. “W- Wait, we still don’t know what it is yet. Why is it vibrating? Is it going to—” she swallowed “—explode?”

“What? No. I don’t think so.” Celestia stood up, holding the artefact out on one hoof. “It doesn’t feel dangerous, it feels…”

Not finishing her thought, the white unicorn began to slowly turn on the spot as she stared at the pulsing glow.

“Celestia?”

“It feels like it’s connected to something. Can you feel it?”

“No, but I’m not touching it. Did you activate it?”

“No.” Celestia stopped spinning. “But something did. It feels like it’s being drawn somewhere, like… magnetic attraction.”

“Well, I guess you got your compass,” Luna smirked, before remembering what she had experienced in Silent Pines, and that second thread that had somehow felt so familiar. Her expression became serious as she announced with uncharacteristic assertion, “We should follow it.”

The elder sister nodded in agreement, feeling as though Starswirl himself had his hoof on her shoulder, pointing them toward their goal. Had he left this otherwise nondescript stone intentionally for them to find, knowing they would have to pass through the village ruins on their way to Canterlot? And if so, to what end? The stone held no answers, only a silent vigil leaning in the direction Celestia was now facing. With a heavy breath, she nodded once more to herself, and began to follow the invisible path lay before them.

Luna hesitated in following, instead closing her eyes to feel for that thin, white tether once more. She expected—or at least hoped—to find the thread guiding her down the same path as her sister, but frowned as she turned to see it leading in almost the exact opposite direction. What was it connected to, and why were these two guides so disparate?

She sighed, but held her tongue. Celestia had no more answers than she did, as their journey so far had taught her. She would follow her elder sister’s lead for now, but if they hit one more dead end, it would be time to start making her own decisions and stand up for herself.

Opening her eyes, the dusty-blue alicorn galloped after her sister, who was so intently focused on following the stone’s pull that she had already walked into one tree trunk, and was in danger of cantering straight into an upcoming nettle patch as well. With a small nudge, Luna guided her sibling around the danger, and toward the unknown, together.

Time and space lose meaning as they walk through the labyrinthine forest, guided only by the enchanted stone’s increasing vibration and glow with every step, like a trail of breadcrumbs left in a foalhood fable. Just as their hope began to falter, the gentle twilight of a familiar sky began to crack through the treetops once more, and then ahead of them.

Like a diver clawing for air, the pair galloped to the treeline and out from beneath the musky canopy that had choked them for so many hours. Gasping in relief and almost collapsing from exhaustion, the pair stumbled to a halt, torn between crying and laughing. Catching her breath first, Celestia looked up to find a shadow in the distance—but not just any shadow; a figure. She frowned at first, wondering who it could be, then stared wide-eyed at who it might be.

“St-”

She barely started the name before breaking into a full gallop once more toward the silhouette. It was him, it must be! Who else would have the paired stone?!

Luna looked up to see her sister running ahead, then spotted the figure herself. It cut the figure of a stallion for sure, so she understood her sister’s excitement, but something about it was unfamiliar. Either way, she hurried to catch up to Celestia, who was already slowing to a stop.

Arriving at her sibling’s side, the silhouette walked the remaining distance between them, revealing its features as it approached. Instead of the wizened wizard they had come to call uncle and mentor, a pale-green terran approached them in silver armour scarred from battle.

“Who are you?” Celestia snapped, bitter from disappointment.

“Ah should ask the same thing,” he replied, standing firm before them.

Celestia pulled the vibrating stone from behind her ear with magic and looked down at it. The glow and hum were now constant, indicating the target was near.

He frowned. “Where’d you get that?”

The sisters returned his gaze with equal suspicion.

“It was left for us,” the elder asserted.

The stallion paused before reaching into his breastplate, revealing an identical stone on the flat of his hoof. The two stones were so attracted at this point that they almost moved on their own. No doubt remained that they were paired.

“Mine was also left for me,” he stated, before sighing and shaking his head. This stalemate was getting them nowhere. “Name’s Little Cobb. What’s yours?”

The sisters looked at each other before silently agreeing.

“Celestia.”

“Luna.”

The well-built pony nodded slowly. “And… what’s your connection to Starswirl the Bearded?”

The sisters shared another glance, this time of shock.

“You know Starswirl?” Luna asked first.

“Of course he does,” Celestia answered for him. “More important is what he knows.”

A wry smile crept onto the stallion’s face. “You’re an odd pair, ain’tcha? Ah get the feelin’ this ain’t gonna be a short story, so how about Ah show you back to camp? You’ll catch neighmonia spendin’ too much time in that forest.”

Another shared look.

“Alright,” Celestia replied, her eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

Little Cobb chuckled and turned around, the red plume of his helmet waving with the motion. A few minutes of silent walking passed before he spoke again, addressing the pair behind him without turning.

“So, how did you know Starswirl?”

“You first,” Celestia answered curtly.

The stallion laughed, but it wasn’t a warm or hearty laugh—it was the laugh of a tired warrior, well used to impetuous youths with something to prove. It was the laugh of an adult; of someone who knows what they know, and has no illusions otherwise.

“Ain’t a trusting pair, are ya? Probably for the best.”

A few more minutes of silence passed.

“Starswirl saved me once. Saved the whole village, you could say—besides the village itself. Anypony reachin’ these parts will have seen it. Ponydale. Nothin’ but a crater now. That’s why…”

He paused, taking a deep breath of the crisp grassland air.

“That’s why Ah came all this way when the stone came back to life. Ah thought…” He mockingly chuckled, lowering his voice as not to be heard. “Ah thought somehow he’d come back.” His voice raised back to a confident bellow. “Well, no such luck. So, when’d ya get yer hooves on that stone? You seem awful young to’ve known him.”

“We found it,” Luna answered first this time, “in Ponydale.”

He took a moment to process this information, giving Celestia a chance to glare at her sister, who mouthed “What?” back in confusion.

“Just now,” he posed dryly; finishing her sentence rather than asking.

Silence. An awkward silence this time, as if the soldier’s hospitality had suddenly run out, turning the air cold. A feeling of dread swept over the sisters that any schoolfoal who has angered their headmare will know only too well.

“We were his students,” Celestia offered reluctantly, if only to appease the misunderstanding that they were interlopers.

He scoffed. “If yer gonna lie, at least make an effort.”

“We’re not lying!” Luna plead, her words carrying a sincerity that confused the soldier’s intuition.

“Impossible, he disappeared decades ago. Unless you’re hidin’ your real ages…”

He looked back with mistrust and scorn in his battle-hardened eyes, then forward again. He could smell a lie like sweat on a pig, which meant either these two were expert conmares, or the impossible was possible. One way or another, he’d find out soon enough.

Chapter 23: Chance Encounters

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“Welcome to New Canterlot,” Little Cobb announced with faked ostentation, presenting the unassuming view with a grandiose sweep of his leg.

Before the sisters spread a vast, if sparse, farming village; encircled by a monolithic wall of stripped tree trunks, bolted together to form a solid wall—far too high and straight for anything without wings to overcome. The scene was reminiscent of the illustration of pre-calamity Ponydale that Celestia remembered, besides the wall, mixed with a slew of basic military fixtures and tents. Ponies wandered the crop fields as far as the eye could see, farmers and soldiers alike, all busying themselves with their various daily tasks. One might almost forget the state of the world outside these high walls, were it not for the astral anomaly hanging high above their heads.

Aside from the implied residents of Haysead Swamp, this settlement was shaping up to be the most populated location they’ve visited so far. All these ponies; all individuals with their own lives, their own loves and hates, their own stories, just like theirs… It boggled the mind to consider the toll this invasion had taken on each and every one of them. A cursory scan suggested most of the ponies living here were terran, and it dawned on the unicorn that they had seen very few of the other pony races on their journey. Why was that? Were terran simply more numerous and spread out, or were pegasi and unicorns that much more useful on the front line?

“Right this way,” the stallion resumed, satisfied they had taken in the squalor long enough.

The trio followed a well-trodden and muddy path around the outskirts of the town, forged by years of innumerable hoofprints. A few ponies passed them on the short walk; some ignoring them, others staring at Luna as they passed. The path spread out as they reached a small encampment of tents. Vegetables roasted on an open fire pit, as a particularly imposing red-and-white striped pavilion loomed ahead of them, standing out among the others as a place of import.

“Is the Commander in?” their escort asked, saluting one of the two similarly-armoured soldiers standing guard at the pavilion's closed flap.

The guard nodded, remaining stony-faced.

“Legionnaire Cobb, sir. You have visitors,” he called to the Commander within, standing to attention.

“Visitors?” a gruff voice replied, leaving a healthy pause before continuing. “Come.”

Little Cobb looked back at the sisters and motioned for them to follow, before lifting the waxed canvas aside and entering. The princesses shared an apprehensive glance before Celestia lifted the heavy tarp with her magic, and the pair followed him in. Within the pavilion was what might be described as a ‘war room’, featuring a large, wooden table in its centre, upon which lay a map of the local area, and numerous marker pieces. Thick, flickering candles lit the enclosed tent with an orange glow, as a lone stallion stood proud on the other side of the table, his bronze armour glimmering gold in the firelight.

Like most of the soldiers they had seen so far, this white unicorn was surprisingly well-built, and suffered from no lack of scars. His helmet sat defiantly on the war-table, revealing the thick pleather straps that covered his right eye, and a severe burn scar across his left cheek, which affected the growth of his stubble. A short blue mane lay flat against his frown-creased forehead, while a bushy goatee hid his lips, leaving only one, weary eye to tell his warrior’s tale.

“These two mares asked to see you by name, sir,” Little Cobb reported, standing to attention in the corner of the room.

“Oh did they now?” the Commander mused, looking the pair over from afar. “And to what do I owe the pleasure? Looking to join the Royal Legion?”

“Is it- Is it really you?” Luna asked as she stepped forward, her eyes struggling to adjust to the dim candlelight within.

“If you are looking for Commander Ustiarius of the Royal Legion’s Light Brigade, then I am he, yes.”

“Really?” Celestia asked again, beginning to walk toward him.

Little Cobb stepped forward to block her approach, but the Commander held out his hoof, allowing her to come. Celestia rounded the table, with Luna sticking close behind.

“Or perhaps you’re Loyalists, seeking my head on a pike in the name of Discord?” the old stallion joked dryly. Any unicorn with ill intent would have attacked from afar, if that was their goal—and these two had very ‘unicorn’ physiques.

The white mare approached him, coming so close that he could see the lines in her pale pink eyes. Those large, intelligent eyes… Why did he feel like he’d seen them before?

“You know, it’s common courtesy to introduce yourself before approaching somepony in their home,” he warned, looking down at her unflinchingly. “Did your parents not teach you manners?”

“I didn’t know my parents—not really,” the elder sister answered without hesitation, remaining uncomfortably close. “The closest thing we had was our uncle; Starswirl.”

His eye widened and all pretence dropped as he heard this; years of stoic defensiveness eroded like sand on a beach.

“Star- … Uncle- …”

Every piece of the puzzle slotted together as soon as the picture was revealed to him. Two mares, sisters; the elder, white with a pink mane; the younger, dusky-blue with a light-blue mane. They had only spent half a moment together, but how could he ever forget the night that Canterlot fell? Those days were scarred into his mind as vividly as the last sight of his missing eye. No pony on Terra would have called that old goat Starswirl ‘uncle’, except…

“Princess… Celestia,” he whispered in disbelief. “Princess Luna… But he said-”

Little Cobb frowned, having never seen his Commander react like this before. What had they said to him? It wasn’t unusual for a trickle of new recruits to seek out the Royal Legion like this, but none had ever asked for the Commander by name before. Were they informants? Dissenters from Discord’s cult? He had no reason to doubt the little one was what they had called an ‘alicorn’, but as for what that meant for them…

“So it is you,” Celestia confirmed aloud, stepping back to a more comfortable distance. “I never would have guessed we’d find you here. Not like this.”

“H-Hello,” Luna offered in a meek voice, undoubtedly intimidated by his gruff appearance. “My name’s Luna, n-nice to meet…”

Ustiarius’ eye turned to the small filly, whose voice collapsed the moment he looked down on her. Even in shock, the large, armour-clad stallion cut a fierce silhouette in the trembling candlelight.

“Luna… Baby Luna… How you’ve grown up,” he mumbled in astonishment. “But- But that was decades ago.” He looked back at Celestia. “You can’t possibly be this young.”

“We’ve been getting that a lot,” the unicorn scoffed. “You can thank Discord for that, for the most part.”

“Discord… Starswirl said he’d lost you; that the Princesses had fallen.”

“And we might have stayed that way, if it wasn’t for Luna.”

The elder sister stepped aside in a rare showing of deference, allowing the torchlight to better illuminate Luna’s wings. If the Commander’s eye could have opened any more than it already was, it might have fallen out.

“My—”

The veteran soldier was rendered speechless. He turned to the table and placed his hooves upon it, staring blankly at the map as he processed this new information.

“This… This could turn the war in our favour. With an alicorn on our side, we could… not just win, but end this living nightmare for good! If she possesses but a scrap of the power the King had… There’s a chance, if used correctly, with the right strategy…”

Celestia looked to Luna, who stood paralysed with wide-eyed dread; clearly not ready for the sole responsibility of saving Equestria. She wouldn’t have to do it alone. Soon.

“Before that,” Celestia interrupted, keen to refocus the stallion. “Perhaps you could give us a little background on what’s going on here? We need all the help we can get before confronting Discord.”

“‘Confronting Discord’… Hah! I never thought I’d live to see the day.” He turned back to the sisters with anunfittingly warm smile on his face; the first time he had smiled in… a very long while. “Very well, let’s continue this outside. This room is a thing of the past; now, we speak of the future!”

Ustiarius walked past the girls with an almost giddy chuckle, shedding light into the room as he passed under the tent flap. The sisters looked at each other in bemusement before following him out, with Little Cobb in tow.

Exiting the pavilion and returning to the relatively brighter twilight, the group began a slow clockwise walk around the outskirts of the village, following a path around the inner wall. The brisk farmyard air was surprisingly refreshing, despite the inescapable odour of fresh manure; likely due to their proximity to the snow-topped Highland mountain range. Ustiarius began his introduction as the group passed the large wooden gate they had just entered through.

“New Canterlot. I’ve lived here for some thirty years now, since that day; longer than I ever lived in ‘Old’ Canterlot,” he snorted grimly. “Our youngest Legionnaires have only ever known this place. For them, there never was an Equestria; only‘Discordia’.” He spat the name out like venom on his tongue before sighing. “When Canterlot fell, so did the legend of the alicorn. To foals these days, alicorns are no more real than the windigos of yore—a bedtime tale meant to warm the cold reality of our lives. Aren’t many of us who actually saw one with our own eyes left to tell the tale. I suppose you experienced as much getting here?”

The sisters looked at each other as they thought back. It was true, only the oldest ponies they met seemed to recognise Luna as an alicorn, except Sweet Blossom and her granny’s stories. For the most part, young-adult ponies that even noticed Luna were more confused than awestruck.

“Anyway, unlike its grand namesake, New Canterlot was only ever a frontier-town-turned-fort, overrun by Changelings during the Great Griffon War. Though it was eventually reclaimed, there wasn’t much use for a settlement so far from the capital, so only a hoofful of guards remained to maintain the watchtower, just in case they returned.”

Ustiarius pointed to a high wooden tower on the south side, which could clearly see over the massive walls in all directions. The watchtower showed signs of damage and repairs, but did stand out as one of the older constructs in the sparse village.

“Lucky for us, the Lowland Forest is made up of a special kind of ever-wet tree; if you passed through there, you’ll know how damp it is. The pegasi keep the air moist, but without that wood to absorb it, we would have been burnt to a crisp as soon as the dragons arrived. I don’t know why it works, but I thank the earth it does.”

“Why dragons?” Luna asked, having finally built up the courage to speak again.

“I ask myself that every day,” he sighed, shaking his head. “You’d have to ask Discord; there never were dragons in these parts before, until he turned up. Dunno if he has a pact with them or what, but a whole gild have taken up residence in those mountains. It’s all we can do to keep them from turning what’s left of Equestria into a moat of lava around his corrupted castle.”

“Dragons shouldn’t be outside the Dragonlands. They’re territorial beasts, and famously reclusive,” Celestia interjected, recalling the specific page from Starswirl’s Encyclopedia Beastaria.

“Were that the case! All I know is the world’s gone to Tartarus since that monster showed up. Do you think this is how I imagined my life at your age? Fighting dragons in a musky farm-shack?” Ustiarius grunted, looking away in spite. “We’ve been so busycounteringthese cursèd oversized lizards, that we’re no closer to dealing with the root of the problem than when we started!”

“Kinda sounds like a hydra,” Luna casually observed.

Ustiarius scoffed. “Don’t give him any ideas. Last thing we need is more long-necks to deal with.”

“How are you even able to fight dragons?” Celestia asked, not realising the explicit insult it carried.

“With difficulty,” he dryly quipped; too old and tired to take offence from such small missteps. “Discord probably expected the whole lot of ‘em to swoop down on us at once—drown us in a sea of fire. Thankfully, the dragons seemed more interested in finding new lairs in the mountains, giving us the staggering we needed to survive. They’re as predictable as the sun and the moon, you know.” He looked up, as if forgetting the state of their twilight sky. “Oh, uh, I guess that phrase doesn’t hold up any more. My point is, they sleep for very specific amounts of time. It varies between colour, size, and how much gold they’ve hoarded; but we’ve learned when each one wakes up, so we can be there to put them back to sleep again.”

Ustiarius pointed his armoured hoof towards one of the closer mountains, where the black speck of a cave was barely visible to the naked eye. The sisters followed his line of sight as they continued to walk around the town’s outskirts.

“That one up there,” he continued. “Twenty-one days. We learned the closest ones first, of course. Leave them awake too long and they’ll start working together, so it’s all about keeping them isolated and spread out, time-wise.”

“Wow, you’ve really got ‘survival’ down here, huh?” Luna marvelled, surprised by the intelligence hidden beneath the warrior’s harsh exterior.

“Unfortunately,” he huffed. “It wasn’t by choice, I can assure you. Dragons aren’t even the worst of our problems.Thatdark day Discord turned our world topsy-turvy, he brought with him one of Equestria’s oldest enemies: Tirek, the centaur prince. Those who survived, fled the castle—just like us—but He wasn’t far behind. Tirek laid waste to Canterlot Town, which is likely the only reason he didn’t catch up to us, and end our tale prematurely.

“Not many lived to warn others of what happened that day,” he sighed, “but I was unfortunate enough to see it with my own two… eyeswhen I returned. I galloped back from South Sea Post as fast as I could, just in time to be at Ponydale when He showed up. Gives me chills just thinking about it, even now; that hulking red beast, carving up the land with his vicious magic; chasing down defenceless farmers as he gleefully sucked the very life from their bodies, as if feeding from them; laughing like a lunatic the entire time… Ponies are like playthings to him—dolls to be tossed around—or maybe apples, whose cores are flung to the side once eaten.” He sneered, scowling into the middle-distance. “Dragons are tame in comparison.”

Luna shuddered at the mental imagery. She had learned about Tirek from Starswirl, of course, but a clinical description was nothing like the emotional account of a survivor.

“For whatever reason, I survived while others fell—twice. Perhaps it was dumb luck; perhaps it was these.” He looked down at the well-worn Royal Guard armour on his hooves, and subconsciously felt the red cloak shifting against his back. “I led the surviving farmers west, into the forest for shelter. Sooner or later, we ended up here. Once word got out of a Resistance, others have joined us in dribs and drabs ever since.”

A period of silence lapsed as he became lost in the past, having experienced many, many things since that fateful day. Drawn back to the present, Ustiarius began to repeatedly glance back at the sisters, trying not to be noticed as he inspected them in more detail.

“How- Uh… How much do you remember?”

His glances were far from subtle, particularly given his loss of eyesight on Luna’s side; but the sisters had become accustomed to strange looks on their journey. Celestia merely raised an eyebrow to the question.

“Of Canterlot?”

“Any of it.”

The elder sister took a deep breath, exhaling as she looked across the crop fields. Much like the muddy path they currently walked, these memories were well-trodden, yet hard to decipher. Luna merely watched her own hooves, having nothing to remember.

“Not much before the house,” Celestia began, having never shared these recollections with anypony but her sister before. “I remember stone walls. A long dinner table. Stories. Starswirl. Running. Waking up in a moving cart, and feeling the crisp woodland air on my face for the first time. I remember the sense of freedom for the first time in my life, and it being stripped away just as quickly. The rest… The rest is all in that house. That—” She clenched her teeth, suppressing more savoury words. “—house.”

“Do you… remember me?” he posed tentatively.

“Only through Starswirl. Sorry. I remember he wasn’t the one pulling the cart, but that’s it, really. He spoke fondly of you, though, which is why we’ve been looking for you.”

The soldier snorted, smirking as he shook his head. “He did, did he?”

As brief as the encounter had been, those days following Discord’s arrival were burnt into the ex-guardspony’s memory like they were last week. ‘Uncle Oosty’ was the closest he had ever come to having a family of his own, and they didn’t even remember him.

Celestia continued to give a brief account of their time trapped in the hyperbolic time bubble, Luna’s ascension after their loss to Discord, and the journey from Macintosh Fort to Haysead swamp to Ponehenge; all leading up to this moment.

“That explains your ages, I suppose,” Ustiarius mused, pretending to understand. “So for you, it actually was last week.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Celestia replied, thinking back on their long journey. “It took us something like a month to get here by hoof, not to mention the twelve years we spent trapped in that house; hardly ‘last week’.”

“I see… We may not be locked in here, but ‘trapped’ seems pretty accurate. We’ve been fighting off these dragons for so long it’s become somewhat monotonous; but leave for a day, and we can all kiss Equestria goodbye.”

“When was the last attack?” Luna asked meekly, pulled between her curiosity and intimidation.

“Yesterday, actually; a brown’s cave up north. Pegasopolis should be back any time now.”

“Pegasopolis,” Luna repeated in wonder, reminded of how excited she was to see it.

“I get how pegasi could hold their own against dragons, barely,” Celestia began. “But how do all the terrans help?”

“‘Terrans’,” he scoffed. “Been a while since I heard that word. Well, you’d be surprised what numbers alone can achieve. Besides, the Light Brigade isn’t about fighting head-on—clue’s in the name. We scout, flank, ambush, and swarm them when they’re downed. Wings aren’t everything, and ground ponies can’t be beat when it comes to raw strength. The facts don’t lie; we’re still here, and those dragons are snoozing off their last beating, waiting for their next.”

“But you’re a unicorn! Why don’t you have a team of spellcasters to shoot them out of the sky?”

“‘Spellcasters’? You really were brought up by Starswirl, weren’t you?” He shook his head disparagingly. “With Canterlot Town in ruins, who do you think is teaching the unicorns spells? We get by with the few unicorns who had training, but most of us can barely lift a quill, myself included.” He sighed, looking up to the mountains. “No, it’s not about what you are any more, it’s about what you can do. I bet you wouldn’t expect unicorns to be in the Nephophytes, but there are! Can’t shoot a fireball, but they can soar around as good as any pegasus. It’s terrifying to watch, if I’m honest, but I’ve seen Blazing Glory keep up with Shooting Star herself!”

“Nephophytes?” Luna asked, head cocked.

“Pegasopolis’ all-pegasus defence force,” Celestia answered for him. “Or they used to be, anyway.”

“Right. I guess things have changed a lot around here since your last history lesson. Here’s the short version: the Resistance is more formally known as the Royal Legion, and has three distinct parts. The Nephophytes maintain their role as Pegasopolis’ aerial defence force, taking in the few surviving Valkyries and pegasi Royal Guard. I lead the Light Brigade, which is a mixture of ground pony Guard, refugee farmers from Ponyvale who took up the lance, and weak flyers who still want to fight. The rest are civilians; ponies who work the fields, rear foals, and give us a home to come back to. Without one, the other two fail.”

“I can see why everypony calls you the last bastion of resistance against Discord,” Celestia mused.

“We fight for what was, what is, and what could be again.”

Ustiarius stopped walking as he looked up to the sky in thought, his tattered red cape fluttering in the breeze.

“I’m sorry for what happened to Starswirl,” he finally spoke. “You must have been close after all those years together. Family.”

“We were,” Celestia replied quickly, surprising even herself. “We… were.”

“Never had time for one, myself, what with the end of the world and all. Didn’t stop others, luckily, or there wouldn’t be as many of us left, but… I kept thinking about you two. When Starswirl came here to re-”

“Starswirl came here?” Luna interrupted, surprising him with her volume.

“Yes. He came looking for members to join his group to stand against Discord. By all accounts, they did a pretty good job while they lasted. Ponies started calling it the dawn of a new era, naming them ‘The Pillars of Equestria’, for holding up everything that we stood for before the fall. He asked me to join, but… I couldn’t. My place is here. I was just a Legionnaire back then, but I knew I couldn’t risk not coming back. The Pillars might have been the vanguard, but without somepony to defend what they were fighting for…”

Ustiarius shook his head, looking down to the ground, once again asking himself if he had made the right choice.

“He took one of our best fliers instead; Flash Magnus. Can’t believe they all-” He scoffed, shaking off the dark thoughts in favour of his aged cynicism. “News of hope spreads fast; news of despair, even faster. In the end, who knows if they did more good than harm. Hopelessness is a powerful weapon, and I think Discord knows that all too well. That’s probably why he let them form in the first place; give us hope just to snatch it away…”

He huffed as he began to walk again, noticing a pegasus slowly descending from the sky to land just outside his war-tent.

“Looks like they’re almost here. Let’s wrap this up.”

Having walked around the majority of the walled town, there wasn’t a faster route back than to complete the circuit. Just ahead of them began the only cluster of buildings in New Canterlot, where all the ground ponies lived; a ramshackle mass of wooden planks, fabrics, and repairs. It wasn’t too dissimilar from Haysead Swamp, though scored points for not hanging over a fetid bayou.

“So, how did you become Commander?” Celestia asked as the number of ambient ponies steadily increased, forcing her to dodge around them to keep up.

Ustiarius strode confidently forward, cutting a path through the civilians like a plough. He was not an especially tall stallion—boosted a little by his hoof armour—but radiated a commanding presence that stood him out from the masses. The few greetings he received spoke a lot to the respect he had earned in this community as their protector.

“Time and hard graft, I suppose,” he answered. “Don’t get it wrong, though; I’m not the ‘boss’ here, I only lead the Light Brigade. Commander Ironhead leads the Nephophytes, and—” He loudly sighed, rolling his eye. “—Mayor Stargazer oversees the settlement.”

“‘Mayor Stargazer?’” the sisters asked in unison.

“With a reaction like that, I take it you know him. Trust me, he was not my first pick either; but in times of crisis, ponies seem to like being told what to do, and he was willing to do that in spades. Oh, thank you.” Ustiarius took the fresh carrot offered to him by a passing farmer, which he gladly bit into before continuing to talk. “So, how do you know the old windbag?”

“Uncle Starswirl mentioned him pretty often,” Luna replied.

“They had something of a rivalry, though I think it was fairly one-sided,” Celestia added.

“Yeah, that sounds about right. I recall he had some choice words with Starswirl when he visited, and seemed more affected by his passing than most. Don’t feel sorry for him, though; he won’t hesitate to remind you who’s in charge of this little scrap of the world, given the chance. I’m shocked his cutie mark isn’t in politics, because he can talk your ear off over nothing.”

Passing into the depths of New Canterlot’s meagre residential district, the sights and smells became almost indistinguishable from Haysead Swamp, besides the mud under hoof. It was a rickety slum at its core, with mud-splattered plank walls, drying laundry on any available ledge, and never far from a coughing pony or crying foal. Considering the majority of the walled settlement was airy fields, this change in atmosphere was stark to say the least.

Ustiarius could sense the sisters’ discomfort without needing to look back; it was the same reaction most new arrivals had, after all.

“It’s now how I would run things, that’s for sure, but you can’t criticise the results. Every pony has a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, and it hasn’t fallen to pieces yet; so who am I to judge?”

“They seem to like you,” Luna observed, noticing the respectful distance and occasional bows he was receiving.

“Any respect is earned, I assure you. They keep me hale and hearty, I keep the dragons off their crops. We’re all equals here, regardless of titles—though some tend to forget this fact.”

The group of four passed by a remarkably well-constructed house as he said this, from the top of which seemed to sprout a rather unsafe looking, wooden telescope. The red banners and block lettering over the door made no secret that this was Mayor Stargazer’s home, with very strict visiting hours posted beside it.

“That hardly seems fair,” Luna sneered at the audacity amidst the squalor.

“You might think that, but like I said, we work on an honour system here. The carpenters wouldn’t have built it if they didn’t think they owed him something, and he’s earned his right to stay thus far.”

“Is this what Canterlot was like?” she asked, running up to his side for the answer.

“Hah! No. Canterlot was a place of history and beauty. Stone walls, turrets and towers, paved streets, proper shops and bakeries… By Elysium I miss the bakeries.”

Ustiarius smiled to himself as he thought back to the good—and not so good—times. He looked down at the little alicorn to judge her reaction, only to find her silent and sullen. Of course, she had only been an infant when they escaped the Palace.

“I suppose you… don’t remember any of that.”

She shook her head, not taking her eyes off the ground.

Ustiarius grunted despondently, before noticing the attention they hadattracted behind them. A small crowd had begun to follow after the alicorn, murmuring to themselves while keeping just behind the flustered Little Cobb. But why would they follow them? Then he suddenly realised; he had rarely ever been bowed to on his frequent walks around town before—they weren’t bowing for him, but for her, the alicorn princess.

“Huh… I suppose you get this quite a lot,” he teased.

“N- No, not really,” she stammered, blushing as she looked back at the growing crowd.

“We’ve been trying to stay incognito,” Celestia snapped, thinly veiling her jealousy before dropping to a more serious tone. “Haysead Swamp was destroyed just because we stopped there; we might have already brought doom upon you all.”

“‘Doom’?” he scoffed. “We’ve survived doom for near three decades. If Discord wanted us gone, I’m sure he could do it with a single snap of his talons. No, we’re his playthings. Trust me, this is no undercover operation; he knows exactly what we’re doing, and delights in watching us scurry around against our inevitable demise.”

As the group and their entourage exited the mound of housing, a parade of colourful war-tents came into view just ahead, having made a full circle of the camp.

“Starswirl said it best,” Ustiarius continued. “He wouldn’t have any fun if there weren't any ponies to torture, so our time isn’t up until he gets bored with us. Put on a good show, and you get to live.”

“That’s a pretty grim outlook on life,” Celestia stated. “And that didn’t stop him from destroying Haysead on a whim.”

“It’s realistic. Sorry to burst your bubble, Princess, but survival is just the suffering between the beginning and the end. We’ve weathered his whims for this long, and we’ll keep on surviving until one of us is defeated.”

The procession cornered a line of tents to reveal the familiar fire pit from before, and the Commander’s larger war-tent beside it.

“I have no delusions of heroism,” Ustiarius continued, coming to a stop. “I’m not a one-pony army, but I don’t plan on stopping until I see the Royal Standard flying from Canterlot Palace once again, either. So long as a single one of us remains standing, the Rebellion stands strong, and more will join. Discord could make us all disappear in the blink of an eye, but he will never crush our spirit. We are the Royal Legion, and we shall take back what is ours.”

His chest swelled as he stewed in his own pride, deflating once he noticed the somewhat sceptical princesses looking at him with quizzical eyebrows raised.

“Uh, yes, anyway; if you’ll excuse me, I need to be debriefed on yesterday’s operation. Would you mind waiting out here? Warm yourselves by the fire, and I’ll arrange some accommodation for you afterwards. I’m sure you must be tired.”

“Yes, thank you,” Luna agreed, making her way to the large fireside logs.

“Keep an eye on these two, please, Legionnaire Cobb,” the stallion ordered, before ducking under the entrance to his striped pavilion.

The princesses can’t have been left waiting for more than ten minutes, but the stares of the gathering crowd made it feel twice that. Little Cobb did what he could to afford them some breathing room, but there was only so much one soldier could do, even with the assistance of the two tent guards. A few civilians slipped through their perimeter, with one offering Luna a hoof-sewn quilt, and another passing them a basket of freshly smoked vegetables.

“Wow, these ponies are so nice!” Luna marvelled, not waiting to take a hearty bite out of a still-warm sweet potato.

Celestia only rolled her eyes, very aware that none of these gifts were being offered to her. She was just some unicorn, after all.

“Okay, will do, Commander,” a female voice called clearly from the pavilion’s flap, just before exiting.

Celestia’s angst and jaw dropped as she made eye-contact with the emerging pegasus. Though she was now wearing the light pleather strapping of a Royal Legion Nephophyte, her face was unmistakable.

“Summer Twinkle?!” she shrieked, forming a small clearing around her.

“Celestia?! And Luna!” The older mare’s shock quickly turned to joy as she bound over, embracing the pair in a hug. “What are you two doing here?!”

“I should ask you that!” Celestia uncharacteristically babbled, feeling her face heat up. “I thought you said you didn’t come up to Central Equestria?”

“I didn’t,” Summer Twinkle began, taking a step back to beam at them. “But meeting you two showed me what a fool I was being. I was so afraid of what was happening in the world, that I blinded myself with routine; a safe bubble that wouldn’t burst so long as I didn’t change anything. But that’s not how the world works, is it? Losing myself in magic artefacts and dangerous adventures… None of that matters if the ponies you’re doing it for have bigger problems! So, I joined the Legion!”

Summer Twinkle’s smile was entirely unlike the brave and dashing explorer they had met in the Temple of Chicomoztoc. As an ageing explorer, she had begun to doubt her capacity for derring-do; an insecurity that was exacerbated by her helplessness in the face of Discord’s tyrannical reign. She continued to write manuscripts abouther adventures, righting minor, changeable wrongs; but who would read them when regular ponies were living worse horrors every day? Her adventures had become escapism, not for readers, but for herself.

However, the Summer Twinkle that stood before them now was filled with a youthful energy she hadn’t felt in a very long time. She had purpose; pride; and was no longer running away from what she feared, but toward it. This was the bravest adventure of her life, and she wasn’t writing it down—she was living it.

“So, you’re a soldier now?” Luna asked, far more confused by this development than her starstruck sister.

“Well, sort of. I haven’t been here long, so I’m acting as a liaison between Pegasopolis and New Canterlot for now—a glorified mailmare, really. But you should have seen the looks on their faces when I showed them what I can do! They said they’d never seen a mare my age with such stamina and agility!” she chuckled proudly. “I’m not complaining, though; I’m happy to do anything that makes another pony’s life a little easier. Maybe in a few weeks I’ll be on the front lines, beating off dragons left and right, just like the old days!”

Luna chuckled along with her awkwardly, not sure how to handle the mare’s newfound enthusiasm.

“B- But what about your books?” Celestia asked, barely containing the building pressure of her excitement and concern.

“I never thought I would say this, but I’ve never been more inspired!” she gushed, to Celestia’s relief. “No more boring old biographies for revenue, though—oh no—I want to write a fantasy story!”

And just as quickly, her heart sank. No more ‘Summer Twinkle and’s?

“How come?” Luna asked plainly, not nearly as invested as her sister.

“Have you seen the housing over there?” Summer Twinkle motioned to the residential slums. “It’s cramped, drab, and there’s precious little for the foals to do. I want to give them a world of whimsy to get lost in; far, far away from our miserable little slap of mud. I want to fill those little minds with dreams of clear blue skies, crackling fireplaces, and a life without fear or peril… I want to give them giant snails and rainbow clouds, talking monkeys andliving armour, orange water and purple grass-!” She stopped herself with a laugh. “Sorry. I’ve taken liberties with my writing now and then, but I’ve never allowed my imagination to take over like this. I had no idea I had so many ideas!”

“So… no more adventures?” Celestia asked dejectedly.

“That dependswhat you mean by adventures, I suppose. There won’t be any more ‘Summer Twinkle’, but I promise there are equally captivating stories that can be told without fighting and liberating relics. Flying carts! Singing fish! Friendly ghosts! Lightning in a bottle!Oh, I really need to write these ideas down!”

“No more… Summer Twinkle…” Celestia went limp,looking as devastated as she had when learning about Starswirl’s passing.

“Hey, cheer up,” Luna offered with a nudge. “Maybe she’ll let you see her old manuscripts? Then you’d have those adventures all to yourself.”

Celestia’s head snapped up, her eyes wide and hungry with desire. Summer Twinkle laughed, waving her hoof.

“Sure, be my guest. I left all that stuff in my old cottage; if you can find it, it’s yours. Though don’t expect any Ponitzer Prize-winning writing; it wasn’t published for a reason. Anyway, I should get back to Pegasopolis.” She turned to leave. “Oh, look, it’s cresting the mountain now.”

The sisters stood off their fireside log as they gazed up at the mountain range ahead of them. What could have been any other cloud continued to grow in size as it slid from behind the Highlands; their mouths opening in awe as it appeared. Larger and larger, the emerging cloud revealed its colossal form, topped with the faint specks of columns and pediments, and trailing rainbow waterfalls from its sides.

“It’s… beautiful,” Luna whispered. Celestia could only nod in agreement.

“Wait ‘til you see it up close!” Summer gushed, before looking at Celestia. “Or- Uh- Closer, anyway.”

Celestia huffed, tired of her inadequacies always being spotlighted. She was well aware that only pegasi could walk on clouds, and alicorns by extension. She’d levitate herself up there, just to prove she can! When did ponies start looking down on unicorns, anyway?

“I was away for so long, I forgot how beautiful it really is,” Summer Twinkle continued. “And being alone for so long… Ah, but I’ve talked your ears off already, and I need to report back to Commander Ironhead. You two take care, alright? Are you sticking around? I’m sure I’ll see you again either way.”

“A few days, probably,” Celestia answered.

Summer smiled and nodded, turning and spreading her strong, tan wings for takeoff.

“Oh, wait! Um, Ms. Twinkle?” Luna anxiously asked, stepping toward the pegasus.

“Yes?”

“Um, I’ve been needing somepony to teach me how to fly since I got these things,” she admitted, spreading her own wings limply as she kicked the dirt. “Do- Do you think you could teach me? Later. If you’re not too busy.”

“Oh, sweetie, I’d love to, but-” Summer Twinkle tightened her lips in thought. “Well, I could show you the basics; but if you need somepony to teach you how to really fly, I can’t think of a better choice than Lieutenant Shooting Star. She trains all the Nephophytes—recruits and veterans alike—and she’s been doing it almost her whole life. That’s your mare.”

“Wow, and you think she’d agree to train me, too?”

“An alicorn princess? Who in their right mind would refuse! I’ll let her know you’re here, so stick around, okay?”

“Okay! Thanks!” Luna beamed, leaving Celestia to roll her eyes in contempt.

With a smirk and loose salute, Summer Twinkle beat her wings and shot vertically into the sky like an arrow, redirecting a second burst toward the slowly approaching city in the clouds. The sisters watched as she glided into the distance, still recovering from the unexpected meeting.

“I don’t think this could have gone any better, do you?” Luna asked her sister with a smile.

Celestia merely grumbled in reply, feeling a migraine coming on from the increasingly rowdy onlookers still swarming around them. The sooner they got their training and left, the better.

The Tale of Two Sisters

by Underwood

Prologue: The Forgotten History of Equestria

Chapter 1: A Wizard's Duty

Chapter 2: Reflection

Chapter 3: When You Stare into the Mirror, the Mirror Stares Back

Chapter 4: The Best Laid Plans

Chapter 5: Escape from Canterlot

Chapter 6: An Unexpected Journey

Chapter 7: A Rock and a Hard Place

Chapter 8: Home Sweet Home

Chapter 9: Meadow of the South Sea

Chapter 10: Those We Leave Behind

Chapter 11: Ragnarök

Chapter 12: Double Jeopardy

Chapter 13: Desperate Times

Chapter 14: The Longest Day in Equestria

Chapter 15: Within Me, Without You

Chapter 16: Temple of the Golden Sun

Chapter 17: The Long Way Home

Chapter 18: Bayou Blues

Chapter 19: Myth and Magic

Chapter 20: The Crossroads of Fate

Chapter 21: Scars of the Past

Chapter 22: Through a Forest Darkly

Chapter 23: Chance Encounters