Discord has a mission, and Celestia is not going to like it. Discord decides to send the young versions of the Main 6 to a particular school of magic.
Discord always help the world of Equis but not everyone likes it when he tries to keep balance.
However, Discord has a mission to make sure that Equis will not be lost while he has a say. Taking three souls from Earth and main six on an adventure through a magical school of Hogwarts.
There was a hole in reality. In truth, it was more of a state of mind than a location. Within, the only rule was that there were no rules, and the monster who maintained this realm was an avatar of that concept. With mismatched limbs, the beast reached into nothingness and withdrew a book that looked older than time. As he opened it, he gave a nostalgic smile before the corners of his mouth drooped and a single tear of regret fell and sizzled into nothingness. He closed the book and place it into a refrigerator that spontaneously appeared.
For a moment, he reflected upon the words within the tome, prophecies untold. There would be chaos. There would be a reckoning. All the alternatives were worse, unless . . . With a snap of talons, the book appeared, along with a phoenix feather quill and an ink pot. He let his imagination run free, and the quill followed along on the pages. With another snap, the tome was sealed. He gave a snort and headed for the realm of limbo. There was work to be done.
Prologue The end was near. It had taken over 3000 desperate days. It had taken over 3000 blood-soaked nights. The unenlightened would have called it a war. Witches and wizards had fought and died trying to serve his ends or trying to thwart them. In truth, it had been a massacre. Muggles and squibs had been powerless against the onslaught; some had been targets; some had been obstacles; some had been collateral damage. He hadn't bothered keeping count of the bodies; it didn't matter; they didn't matter. He was now on the cusp of attaining ultimate power and on the verge of immortality. He now knew how to find the key to the last piece needed for his Horcrux.
Voldemort needed the founders' relics. Early on, he had collected Helga Hufflepuff's cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, and Salazar Slytherin's locket. All that was left was Godric Gryffindor's sword.
Unlike the other items, the sword did not usually exist in the physical plane. The way to summon it was simple. It only required that a Gryffindor exhibit the defining traits of the house during a time of great need. "Simple", unfortunately, was not the same as "easy." The forces of light had long ago deduced his plan, and the Gryffindors had gone to ground in a move worthy of Salazar Slytherin himself.
After months of fruitless searching, the Dark Lord decided that it would be more efficient to flush the candidates from hiding. Who cared about mass murder with the goal almost at hand? It wasn’t truly mindless. Aside from the entertainment value, it drew Gryffindors determined to protect the innocent. They came under the aegis of the Order of the Phoenix, fanatically fighting to the death, denying Voldemort his prize.
Where warriors had failed, bone pickers had taken over. For years, Death Eaters had scoured the records in the Ministry of Magic to trace every last twig of Godric Gryffindor's family tree. While it had contained a comprehensive history of the magical side of his family, neither muggles nor squibs had been recorded there—the last descendant of that ilk was recorded in the 18th century.
While the thousands of deaths that had ensued from that discovery had been more than mildly amusing, they had hardly been constructive. Voldemort had dispatched Death Eaters to scour the General Register Office in London. It had taken three years of research, 500,000 pounds sterling in bribes, and a bottle of liquor that Voldemort had sworn he would never let out of sight, but the Dark Lord now hands on the answer he had sought.
[London: T – 10 Hours]
Everyone in the neighborhood knew of the haunted flat in the house at the corner of Pardoner and Weston. The sketchiness of the area amplified the eeriness of the bestial growls that came with unerring regularity during the day. The wails and moans that could be heard after dark were worse. It was clear that something occupied the place; whether is was living or otherwise was a matter for debate. No one had ever been seen entering or leaving, but at times, the most enticing aromas could be found in its hallway. The popular theory was that the occupant was a ghoul trying to lure Hansel’s and Gretel’s modern counterparts.
The flat’s occupant, however, had no idea how such ridiculous rumors could be spawned. As far as he could tell, it was the same ordinary apartment it had been since he took over the lease almost fifteen years ago. When he had announced that he’d landed a job as a chef in an upscale nightclub, his childhood friends Angel and Solomon had taken it upon themselves to find a place within walking distance. Granted, it wasn’t in the nicest of neighborhoods by any stretch of the imagination, but the price was right, and he’d done a favor for the previous leasee.
For most of the country, it was tea time. For Aetherdal, it was time to get up and get ready for work. Reluctantly, he rolled out of bed and stretched. Groggily, he straightened the frame with the certificate that declared he was a three-star chef. It was too early for this sort of nonsense. Shave, shower, and coffee were the top priorities. Only then would he be truly ready.
He had scarcely finished pouring himself a cup of coffee when a pounding at his door jolted him out of his reverie. He withdrew a Centennial Airweight from the holster at the small of his back. Flipping the cylinder open, he confirmed that all five chambers were loaded. Snapping the cylinder back in place, he quietly stepped toward the door, ready for the worst.
A shrill voice came from the doorway. “Dammit, Aetherdal! Open up! It’s me and Solomon.”
Aetherdal breathed a sigh of relief and holstered his weapon. Once he opened the door, Angel and Solomon burst in. Aetherdal did a double-take. “Are you guys going to a wedding or something? That’s way too fancy for a dump like this.”
Solomon replied, “Who are you to talk? I mean, who wears chartreuse with anything?”
“What are you talking about? I’m drinking coffee.”
“I meant the color,” said Solomon.
Shrugging, Aetherdal replied, “They’re all shades of gray to me.”
Angel snapped, “Would you two cut it out! It’s past four, and we’re late enough as is!” Glaring at Aetherdal, she said, “You were supposed to meet us at the bookstore an hour ago.”
“Since when?” asked Aetherdal.
“Since when?” screamed Angel. “Pansy! Get your arse over here! You had one job, one!”
Aetherdal gasped when a small, shabby figure with long, pointed ears walked into view. He exclaimed, “What the hell is that?”
“What have you done?” gasped Solomon. “Don’t you care about the Statute?”
“Not now!” said Angel.
Aetherdal groaned as his friends continued bickering while the small creature wilted under Angel’s criticism. After a moment, he put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. He pulled himself up to his full two meter height, towering over Angel. “Explain. Now.”
The woman shrank back. “We’re late. Let’s go to the bookstore first.”
“Not until you explain. I know normal.” Pointing at Pansy, Aetherdal continued. “Whatever that is isn’t normal.”
Solomon sighed. “Aetherdal, you need to come with us before it’s too late.”
“Too late? You think you know someone and then they pull something like this?”
Angel said, “Look, do you know how everyone says your place is haunted?”
Aetherdal nodded.
“The things that go bump in the night have found you. We have to get you out of here before . . .”
The building quivered for a moment. The room exploded in a flash of orange and green.
A lone draconequus was drifting in the void on a nest of cotton candy. Despite being a god of chaos, he found his actions were becoming predictable. He could feel his magic slowly drain away as each move became more ordered than its predecessor. It was getting to the point where ponies were setting up blinds and selling tickets in advance.
"There has to be something I can do for fun without upsetting old Sunbutt." He casually flipped a basketball that rocketed away before it vanished in the event horizon. He sighed. "Does it matter? No matter what I do, my world will end in absolute order. Everything will be utterly still. Everyone will be utterly dead."
"I suppose I could play with the Elements of Harmony, but what's the point? That'd be good for a laugh, at most. Besides, Sunbutt's the only pony who knows they even exist."
A giant rubber mallet materialized and struck him from behind. He looked up to see a tsunami cresting over him. After the wall of water receded, he found a life preserver around his neck. "S.S. Minnow? Are you trying to tell me something, little buddy?"
He snapped his claws, and travel brochures for the United Kingdom appeared in front of him. "Maybe I could send a future element bearer or three on vacation. I'm sure they'd appreciate a whole new world." He drummed his talons against his chin. "Of course, if they don't survive, then Moonbutt wins."
"Maybe I should bring a few humans here. I mean, no one is going to miss a few out of four billion." He shivered. "After a quick pick-me-up." He summoned a bowl of chicken noodle soup and slurped down the molten glass that the bowl became. With his lion's paw, he cleaned a window that let him look Earthward. "It looks like there is three somebody who is about to become somebody." With a snap of his claws, he exchanged the tree for figures made of taffy. On Earth, a blast of fieldfare reduced them to ash.
Looking at the humans suspended in stasis before him, he pointed as he spoke. "You are now a thestral. You are now a pegasus. You are now a kirin. Teach your children well. The fate of Equestria depends on it." With another snap of his claws, he sent them on their ways.
"Let the fun begin!"
Cloudsdale, Equestria
Solomon opened his eyes slowly. He was in a sea of white. If he was in heaven, why did it hurt so much? White gave way to blue skies and puffy white clouds . . . with buildings on top of them? Were those liquid rainbows? What was that funny sensation? He was falling!
Instinctively, his hand flew to his side. He frowned when he noticed there was no robe to impede his progress. He growled when he found his wand was gone. He blushed when he noticed a distinct lack of pants. He felt something sticking out from the base of his spine. Looking over, he saw a horse's tail in a dark shade of purple protruding from a body covered in mint-green fur. What was confusing was that the hairs were not pointing down. That's right! He was falling! He screamed.
A cyan filly flying in lazy circles turned to the sound of the scream. She saw a young colt in freefall, with wings buffeted about by the wind. She sighed. "Looks like the playground monitor is sleeping again." With a sharp snap of her wings, she rocketed toward the hapless thestral.
Solomon could swear he heard something over his screams. "Open your wings! Open your wings!"
Rainbow Dash looked in horror as she approached. Cuts and bruises on the colt's body looked fresh and painful. The colt's wings were not flightworthy. Carefully, she moved to match his speed before reaching out and holding him close. Angling her wings, she went into a gentle climb.
Solomon could feel his ears pop as he gained altitude. He looked down to see that cyan-furred arms held him. He screamed, "Don't drop me!"
A scratchy voice replied, "Chillax. Let's get you to the hospital. What happened to you?"
"There were so many of them. They jumped us."
Rainbow growled. "Show me when you're better. I'll teach them a lesson."
Solomon tried not to scream as the two crashed through the emergency room door hooves first. He staggered against the admitting desk when he was released. He turned to find that his savior was a rainbow-hued filly who eyed him with concern. The filly said, "Dude, the docs take care of you." She studied him critically. "Y'know, you have the eyes of a griffon."
"What happened?" asked a pegasus nurse.
"Someone beat him up and dropped him to die," said Rainbow.
The nurse gestured, and two orderlies took Solomon away on a gurney.
A clock chimed the hour. "Oh my gosh! I'm late!" Rainbow Dash flew out in a chromatic blur.
Rainbow zipped over to the academy, scanning the athletic field. As she expected, a pink-maned pegasus filly was waiting in the stands. Gently, Rainbow touched down next to her. "Hey, 'Shy. Sorry, I'm late. I had to take some colt to the hospital."
Softly, Fluttershy said, "I hope he's all right."
Rainbow Dash gave an uneasy smile as she trembled slightly. Fluttershy drew her into a warm hug. "What's wrong, Rainbow?"
"That colt. If I hadn't seen him, that colt would have died."
"That's terrible! Can we go see him?"
Rainbow Dash smiled. "Race you there!"
Ponyvillie
The orange-furred filly galloped down the streets of Ponyville, screaming, "Timberwolves! Timberwolves! Help! Help!"
A flash of light drew her eyes skyward. She stopped to watch as a bright streak headed directly for Sweet Apple Acres.
Angel frowned. Nothing she did change her course; she had gone ballistic. In her path, she saw a couple besieged by what looked like giant wolves made of broken branches. She reached for her sleeve. It was gone, along with her wand, along with her clothes. In her mind's eye, she visualized her mana flow coalescing around the wolves. She cried, "Bombarda!"
The smaller wolves disintegrated into clouds of splinters. The alpha looked on in surprise as the streak of light entered its body. It then exploded, joining the rest of its pack.
Bright Macintosh and Pear Butter both gasped in surprise as their attackers disappeared in clouds of splinters. Pear Butter grabbed her husband and began dragging him toward the barn. Bright Mac shouted, "Wait!" He galloped out to collect a pegasus filly whom he saw lying in the debris. With that, they raced toward safety.
Thirty minutes later, Applejack returned with a contingent of guards. The splinters had formed into twigs. The twigs were on their way to creating branches when the guards sprayed them with kerosene and reduced them to ash. The guards then left to make sure there were no more of the beasts lurking about.
Applejack yelled, "Ma? Pa?"
The barn door opened. "Over here," said Pear Butter.
"Who's the pegasus filly?" asked Applejack.
"I don't know," said Bright Mac. "She saved our lives."
Canterlot
Aetherdal was starting to feel claustrophobic after being trapped in a sea of green for what felt like hours. This had to be the most confounding hedge maze he'd ever seen. He shivered as he watched the sunset. He was naked and all alone.
A girl's voice said, "Ow!"
As he turned to face forward, Aetherdal said, "Sorry about that. I wasn't looking where I was going." He reached down to help the purple-maned filly to her hooves.
The unicorn filly replied, "That's all right; accidents happen. I'm Twilight Sparkle of the House of Stars."
Aetherdal brought her hand to his lips. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Aetherdal Godric Terrian. Everyone calls me 'Aetherdal.'"
"Nice to meet you. I was wondering why you are in the restricted part of the gardens," said Twilight with a hint of worry.
"To be honest, I just woke up here. Would you be so kind as to get me out of this maze?" begged Aetherdal.
"Sure, just follow me," said Twilight.
The two chatted, trying to get to know each other better as they exited the garden. Aetherdal stopped when he felt the presence of another. He looked up to find a tall mare glaring down at him.
The expression on the mare's face was one that Aetherdal hoped never to see again. It was pure, unadulterated anger. He could swear he could see wisps of smoke coming from her ears as her powerful muscles flexed. He could not tell whether she was about to punch him out or chew him out. Whatever she had planned was sure to be unpleasant.
Slowly, her hands reached for his shoulders. He could not help but shut his eyes and shield his face as he waited for the inevitable. He opened his eyes when he found his shoulders held in a gentle grasp. To his surprise, the mare was now looking at him with concern.
"I . . . is there s . . . something wrong, m . . . miss?" sputtered Aetherdal.
The mare replied, "I am fine, my little pony. Who did this to you?"
"Huh?" Confused, Aetherdal rubbed the back of his head. He stopped when he felt something sticky. He held the hand in front of his face; the palm was stained red. "Tis just a flesh wound." With that, he fainted dead away.
Quickly, Celestia caught him before he reached the ground. Calmly, she said, "Twilight, hold him steady."
A magenta aura surrounded the colt and laid him on his back at Celestia's waist level. A beam of yellow magic painted his body, sealing the scrapes and cuts. The reds that had decorated the colt's body were now dull brown.
Satisfied with her work, Celestia said, "Stand by me, Twilight." Once the filly was beside her, there was a crack of displaced air as the three vanished.
The trio reappeared in the medical wing of the palace. The duty nurse produced a gurney and shouted, "Trauma Alert!" as she wheeled the colt into an operating room.
Celestia turned to Twilight and said, "I'm very proud of you, my faithful student. There's no telling how badly he would have hurt himself if you hadn't kept him calm."
"Thank you, princess."
"Now, can you tell me how he was so badly hurt?"
Twilight shook her head. "No. I found him wandering in the maze. I don't even know how he got in there."
"And how are you doing?" asked Celestia. "You're looking a little green."
"I . . . I've never seen so much blood before."
"Why don't you go to your room and get some rest?" said Celestia. "I'm sure it will do you a world of good."
"Of course, princess." With that, Twilight left.
Several minutes later, a doctor walked out, stripping the mask from his face. He said, "It's a good thing you brought him in when you did. I was able to treat his wounds, but somepony stole all his magic. It's a wonder he's still alive. We tried giving him an infusion, but his body rejected it."
"I see," said Celestia. "Might I take a look at the colt?"
"By all means, your highness." replied the doctor.
Celestia followed the doctor into the recovery room. The monitors showed that the colt's vital signs were barely out of the critical range. The doctor said, "He's hanging on, but barely."
A yellow aura surrounded the colt for a moment before fading away. Celestia said, "I think I see the problem. Could you please project a map of his thaumatic system?"
The doctor complied. A network of orange lines and nodes appeared above the colt. Celestia said, "I found blockages here." Suddenly, the system looked more black than orange.
The doctor said, "How is he even breathing? It would take me years to unblock all that."
"Perhaps I can help," said Celestia. With the precision of a microsurgeon, she traced each path with her magic, unblocking it. The black of the display was gradually replaced by orange as it tracked her progress.
After an hour, the display was utterly orange again. Celestia said, "Try your infusion now."
The doctor complied. The effect was galvanic as the colt's vital signs shot back into the normal range. The doctor ran another scan. "His body is absorbing the magic. We should let him rest for a while. He needs to regain his strength before we give him any more magic."
"Might I have a moment alone with him, doctor?"
"Of course." With that, the doctor walked out.
Softly, Celestia said, 'Philomena, please come here."
In a burst of flame, a majestic red bird appeared, hovering in the middle of the room before roosting on Celestia's shoulder. Celestia stroked the bird's head and said, "Philomena, this colt needs special attention. Could you please look after him?"
The bird cocked her head and then flew over the Aetherdal. She perched on his chest and eyed him critically. For a moment, she stood in concentration. She nuzzled the colt and then turned to Celestia and nodded.
Celestia smiled before returning to the lobby. A pegasus mare in a blue uniform was having an animated conversation with the admitting nurse. Celestia asked, "Capitan? What seems to be the matter?"
The Wonderbolts captain saluted sharply before replying, "Somepony tried to murder a colt by crippling his wings and dropping him from the weather factory. I'm here to file the report."
Celestia was about to reply when a guard pony galloped through the door. Celestia asked, "Are you injured, sergeant?"
The guard replied, "No, your highness. I'm here to report that a filly injured in a timberwolf attack in Ponyville."
"How badly?" asked Celestia.
"Minor scratches and bruises, but we think she may have a concussion. We were unable to get any coherent information about her parents."
Celestia said, "Please send a notice to all towns in the vicinity, and have someone from Foal Protective Services make sure that she fostered until we can locate her parents. I will visit her after I investigate the captain's case in Cloudsdale." With that, the princess stepped outside and took flight.
Cloudsdale
He was dead. There could be no other explanation. He felt as though he were floating in darkness as he heard the voice of an angel. He could not understand the words, but the melody soothed his troubled mind.
Solomon opened his eyes and immediately regretted it as lances of pain seemed to bore through the back of his skull. Weakly, he gasped, "For Merlin's sake, would somebody turn down the lights?"
There was a gasp followed by a soft click. A scratchy voice said, "Light's off. Who's 'Merlin'?"
This time, Solomon opened his eyes just a crack. Satisfied that the light was sufficiently dim, he opened his eyes fully. He saw that he was on a bed with side rails. The smell of disinfectant, coupled with the sight of bandages wrapped around his chest, could only mean one thing. He was in a hospital.
Looking to his left, he saw a filly with a scruffy, rainbow-hued mane, sitting. She looked at him with an expression of grave concern. Looking to his right, he saw another seated filly who hid behind her long, pink mane when he turned her way. She, too, was worried.
Looking back to his left, he said, "I remember you. You saved my life, uh . . ."
"Rainbow Dash," replied the filly. "You were lucky. I saw you. What's your name?"
"Solomon."
Rainbow clenched her right hand in a fist and gently moved it toward Solomon. After a moment of confusion, he mirrored the gesture and touched his fist to hers. She said, "And this is my friend Fluttershy."
Turning to his right, he saw the filly shrink away, mumbling. Rainbow said, "It's all right. She's not good with strangers."
"Where am I?" asked Solomon.
"Cloudsdale General," replied Rainbow.
"W . . . would you like me to get a nurse?" asked Fluttershy.
"Please," said Solomon. As the filly rose, Solomon realized that she wasn't one who would like to draw attention to herself. That meant her mane color was natural. That said that she had to come from a magical bloodline. Playing a hunch, he activated his magic sight.
"Ah!" he exclaimed as he shut his eyes.
"What's wrong?" asked Fluttershy.
"I took a peek at your mana pool. I've never seen anyone that strong."
Puzzled, Fluttershy said, "Strong?"
Solomon turned to Rainbow and instantly regretted it. "Ah! That 's twice!"
Rainbow gave a small smile and buffed her nails on her blouse. "I know I'm awesome."
Solomon turned off his magic sight before opening his eyes again. Fluttershy was gone. Rainbow said, "Solomon, who did this to you? Let me know, and every decent pegasus in this town will track them down."
"I don't remember. I was with my friend when the building collapsed. I think he pushed me clear."
The filly looked even more worried. "Kid was in Cloudsdale. The buildings made from clouds."
Desperately, Solomon said, "You have to help me! Whatever happened to me is nothing compared to what happed to Aetherdal! With his magic level, he's practically a cripple! You have to find him!"
A mature voice said, "I believe I can help." Solomon turned back. He saw Fluttershy peering around a tall mare wearing a tiara. Her magic levels were so high that he could feel her strength without using any spells. She looked at him with concern and said, "Hello there, my little pony. My name is Princess Celestia. I came as soon as I heard about your case."
"Forgive me for not bowing," said Solomon. "Could you please tell me how you can help?"
"Your friend is being treated at my palace. He will recover in time. Now, can you tell me how to find your parents? I'm sure they're worried."
Solomon sighed. "No parents."
"Can you tell me who did this to you? Can you tell me what happened?"
"I . . . I can't remember."
"I see. There is one more thing I can do for you."
Solomon gasped as he was encased by a yellow aura. He could swear he could feel himself healing. In a moment, the princess said, "That should take care of the worst of it. When you have recovered, please come to the palace as my guest. I'm sure it would do your friend a world of good to see you."
Solomon yawned. Drowsily, he said, "Thank you." He then drifted off to sleep.
Celestia turned to the fillies. "I am leaving this colt in your care. I will provide you with a royal warrant for any supplies you may need."
"We got this, your highness," said Rainbow. Fluttershy nodded in agreement.
Ponyvillie
Angel winced as she woke to the world's biggest headache. She groaned, "Wasn't that a party?" She fumbled about, feeling the nightstand. "How am I supposed to cast a detox charm without my wand?"
"Ah!" she exclaimed as she touched her head. "Bandages?" Her eyes shot wide open. "This isn't my flat." Looking around, she said, "This isn't St. Mungo's."
Gingerly, she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. There was a distinct clop when she stood. Tentatively, she took a step. Another clop greeted her ears. Looking down, she exclaimed, "Hooves?" She staggered to the bathroom and threw open the door. For some reason, the sink seemed higher than usual. Looking up at the mirror, she saw a filly staring back at her. Instead of her standard jet black, the pony had an electric blue mane. Where she expected gray eyes, she found a deep orange. Experimentally she flexed a bicep. "That's different." Her hand traveled down to her belly and gave it a tentative rub. "Nice firm. Goodbye, kevlar!"
She walked to the closet. "Empty? How am I supposed to sneak out of here in a hospital gown?"
A knock came from the door. Startled, she jumped. "Come in."
The door opened, revealing a stallion and a mare dressed in work clothing. The stallion said, "Hi, there, little filly. I'm Bright Mac, and this is my wife, Pear Butter." Who might you be?"
"Angel."
Smiling, Pear Butter replied, "I can't think of a more appropriate name. If it hadn't been for you, we'd have been goners."
Holding up a brown paper package tied in twine, she said, "We brought you some clothes to show our thanks."
"You didn't have to get me this, but thank you for the gift," said Angel.
Bright Mac asked, "Can you tell us how to get in touch with your parents?"
Angel shrugged. "They've been dead for years."
"Who's taking care of you, then?" asked Pear Butter.
"I can take care of myself, thank you."
Bright Mac and Pear Butter looked at each other with concern. Looking back, Bright Mac asked, "Is there anything we can get for you?"
"Well, I really could use my glasses." Angel sighed. "Going by these bandages, I'm willing to bet they've smashed to smithereens."
Pear Butter said, "We'll go see if we can get you some help." With that, the two left.
After the door shut, Angel opened the package. It contained a black tank top and a pair of ragged cutoffs that cut to expose the hips. She said, "I suppose they think that punk is my style."
Quickly, she donned her new clothes. She opened her door, only to find a pink-maned filly staring her in the face. The new filly gasped and dashed off before Angel could say a word. She blinked for a moment and said, "Note to self. This place is crazy."
2000 hooves above ground level, en route to Ponyville
The smart ponies hid at the sight of flames trailing from the royal sky chariot. Blinders kept the enchanted horse's armor pegasi blissfully ignorant of the living fire that the mane and tail of their passenger had become. There were stories of Celestia's wrath, generally mentioned only in whispered tones as cautionary tales to misbehaving foals. The truth was far more frightening. Celestia was so angry that she did not care who knew it. The only thing holding together the hot mess her chariot had become a shell of magic that had been cast for just such an occasion.
She had hoped to never again have such egregious cases of foal abuse. The colt in the garden, Aetherdal, had been suffering from the loss of both blood and magic. It seemed as if somepony had drained every last thaum from the poor thing. The pegasus colt, Solomon, was only marginally better. His pegasus physiology would heal his broken bones in a few weeks. The worst part about the incidents was that the two refused to give any details about their assailants. The patterns of their injuries showed that some of the blows had come from the front. As tempting as it had been to simply read their memories, she refused to become the sort of monster that had abused the colts. Given time, she was sure the information could be coaxed from them.
By all accounts, the third foal was in good shape, suffering only from exhaustion and minor, superficial injuries. The filly was sure to be more cooperative.
The stench of burning hair broke her out of her reverie. A pegasus messenger flew beside her and said, "Your highness, there has been an incident near the palace."
Celestia looked back. There was a plume of smoke cheerily dancing around the southern tower. Celestia turned to the messenger and said, "Have the Royal Guard stabilize things and bring me a damage report. If anything requires my immediate attention, I will be in Ponyville."
Ponyvillie
A scorched trail marked the chariot's landing in Ponyville Square. With great effort, Celestia calmed herself enough to extinguish her mane and tail. As she looked around, she found that the town was eerily quiet. She frowned. At this hour, the square should have been filled with a bustling market. Now, however, there wasn't a town pony anywhere in sight. Turning to the charioteer, she said, "Go to the hospital and see if you can find anypony. I'll go to Town Hall." Celestia frowned as she entered the building. Scattered papers spoke of a hasty exit. "Hello!" she shouted. "Is anypony here?" Cautiously, she walked from office to office. Everyone told the same story. When she returned to the square, the charioteer rushed up and saluted. He said, "Hospital is empty, your majesty. It looks like everypony ran away." Suddenly, the messenger dropped in front of them. He saluted and said, "Your highness, you are needed in Canterlot." With that, she and her charioteer rushed to the chariot.
One hour later
From the sky, Celestia could see that the scene below was one of sheer chaos. Squinting, she spotted a red galea amid the confusion. She leaped from the chariot and glided down. She grabbed the tail of the soldier and yelled, "Guard Commander! Report!"
The guard stopped and saluted. "Your highness, Little Hooves Orphanage has burned to the ground. There have been reports of feral foals from every quarter."
"How many of the orphans have you recovered?"
"Zero, your majesty. They are too elusive."
The messenger dropped in. Saluting, he said, "Your highness, the railyard reports that foals stole a train. It was last seen heading for Yakyakistan."
Another messenger dropped in. "Your highness, there are reports of pegasus foal disintegrating the buildings of Cloudsdale."
Turning to the second messenger, Celestia said, "Order the Wonderbolts to secure Cloudsdale." She then turned to the first messenger. "Tell the stationmasters along the route to sidetrack any suspicious traffic." Turning back to the guard commander, she said, "Rally the troops. Have them do a coordinated search." With that, she returned to the palace. At the gates of the palace, Celestia stopped, shocked. The walls were no longer a pristine white. Muddy little hoofprints covered every surface. Walking to the pantry, she opened the door. A dozen foals with dirty faces stared at her a moment before darting away. Celestia looked at the bare shelves they left behind. Her precious cake collection was gone. She screamed, "No!!!"
Waking Up Celestia woke with a start. She rushed to her balcony and looked out over the city. The morning had broken, but the city looked completely normal. She turned when she heard a knock at the door. "Please come in."
An elderly butler entered with her morning coffee, rolls, and newspaper. As he set it on the table, a senior advisor came and waited beside the table. Once Celestia had taken her seat, her advisor did the same. The old mare said, "There are rumors around the castle that you are planning a trip to Ponyville today."
"Really?" asked Celestia. "Why should I go to such a small town?"
"There's been news of a miracle filly. She single-hoofed, defeated a pack of timberwolves. Also, she has no parents, so that makes three mysterious orphans that have cropped up in one day."
"You're quite correct," said Celestia. "I shall visit the orphan in the hospital wing later today before I look for the filly." She sighed. "Please station extra guards around the Little Hooves Orphanage today."
A warm breeze made the white curtains dance lazily, casting crazy patterns of sunlight and shadow. Aetherdal mused that this room was nothing like the NHS nightmares he had endured. It was almost as large as his studio flat, and it had two particular areas cordoned off by magic. The first was a therapy chamber, where Aetherdal could practice magic without having to worry about hurting anything or anyone. The second was the only thing that was keeping him sane; it was a kitchenette, with a two-burner stove and a small oven. A cupboard and a worktable completed the ensemble. He would have been spending all his time there, except that everything was locked down. He could use these areas only if there were someone supervising him.
He carefully paged through a book as he absently spun a hard-cooked egg on the table next to his bed. Bother were gifts from Twilight. She had been shocked at his complete ignorance of Equestria and magic, and she was doing her utmost to bring his education up to the third-grade level that matched his apparent age. She started with simple books, kindergarten texts on Equestria, and magic. She then branched off to Equestrian customs and common law, as well as going into more depth.
Aetherdal had been shocked by her utter incompetence in cooking. He had shown her some necessary skills, and she had begged him to teach her. He had been happy to oblige.
They had fallen into a routine. Every day, she would visit. For the first hour, she would tutor him. He could swear that she was some sort of savant. For the second hour, he would mentor her. To say that she was maladroit would have been too kind. If he were honest, he would admit that she was doing better at cooking that he was at magic.
The third hour was the most exciting and the most terrifying. It was during that time that they would just talk. It was painfully evident that Twilight was most comfortable in a classroom setting. Without any structure to guide her, she seemed utterly lost. Aetherdal had done his best to guide her, and she had gradually started to ask questions on her own. They had started innocuously enough. She had quizzed him on his understanding of magic; he had drawn on his vast knowledge of television, anime, and video games but yet consistently found just the wrong answer. In the third week, she had finally asked about things other than magic. He still could not understand why anyone so young would ask what his preference was in mares.
Aetherdal had asked her to hold her horses while the tried to come up with an answer. After a moment, he had answered honestly. He had never given the question any, though. Somehow, he could not shake the feeling that the hungry looks that Twilight kept giving him had nothing to do with his cooking. Somehow, it was both unsettling and exciting.
Now that he had cleared to leave the medical wing, he knew that he would be staying in one of the rooms in the palace. Twilight had hinted that she had asked for his room to be near hers. For some reason, the prospect of being so near to her terrified him. For some reason, the prospect of being without her terrified him. He struggled to determine how he had gotten to this point.
Five Weeks Earlier
Aetherdal gradually woke to the scent of honeysuckle that drifted in on the warm breeze that came through his window. The white walls and bland decor looked utterly unfamiliar. The door opened, admitting a familiar figure. It was the little filly who had led him out of the maze. What was her name? Twilight? Why did it look like she was about to cry? "What's the matter?": asked Aetherdal quietly.
Startled, Twilight exclaimed, "Gaah!" She backed up and tripped over her hooves. Fortunately, she was able to break her fall with her gluteals. Gingerly, she rose, massaging her wounded dignity. She grumbled, "You really shouldn't scare ponies like that."
"Sorry. You looked like you could use someone to talk to."
Twilight said, "Thanks . . . I think. I . . . I don't want to talk about it. How do you feel?"
"With my hands," quipped Aetherdal. "Seriously, though, you should talk to someone about whatever it is that's bothering you. It's not healthy keeping it bottled up like that." Picking up a box of tissues from his nightstand, he said, "Here, it looks like you could use these."
A magenta aura plucked a tissue and brought it to the filly. Gently, she wiped her eyes before sitting on the edge of his bed. She then said, "How about a straight answer this time? How are you feeling?"
"Been better, been worse. Just a little dry and dizzy," said Aetherdal. Gently, he touched the bandages on his head. "Shouldn't we get the doctor?"
Twilight shrugged and pressed the call button. A stallion in a lab coat soon entered.
"Hello there, Aetherdal. I'm Dr. Hay Worth."
"What's up, doc? What's the prognosis?"
The doctor hesitated for a moment. "You've got a bit of rehabilitation in front of you, but you should make a full recovery after your surgery. In the meantime, your diet will include things to build up your magic reserves."
"Surgery?"
"Well, there's an organ that regulates a pony's magic. Yours is gone. We'll implant a lobe from a donor."
Aetherdal looked shocked. "Will . . . will I be able to play the violin after the procedure?"
"Of course," replied Dr. Worth.
"That's great, doc. I've never been able to play the violin before."
Twilight laughed despite herself. The doctor grumbled, "Every pony's a comedian. So, young colt, do you need anything for the pain?"
Aetherdal snorted. "Compared to what the past few years have been like, this is nothing. As long as we're serious, tell me how much all this is going to cost."
"That's a discussion I should be having with your parents."
Aetherdal looked away. "I've been on my own for years."
Twilight piped up. "I can talk to the princess. I bet I can persuade her to let you stay next to me in the palace."
"I'm no charity case. I'll have you know I'm a three-star chef."
Twilight and the doctor looked at each other, concerned. The doctor gently patted him on an unbandaged portion of his head. "Why don't you try getting some rest? You have a long road to recovery ahead of you. It'll be months before we can get your magic back to proper levels." With that, he left.
Awkwardly, Twilight hugged him. "I think some pony's hurt you more than anypony deserves.
Shifting uncomfortably, Aetherdal said, "Look, I'll prove it to you. Get me an egg, a cup of cooking oil, a lemon cut in half, some salt and some mustard, a couple of mixing bowls, and a whisk.
Twilight huffed. "Fine." With that, she left. When her back turned, her tears began to flow.
Puzzled, Aetherdal watched the sobbing filly leave. No girl had ever given him a second glance, except for Angel. Her interests, though, seemed to be purely business-related. Perhaps his was some sort of dream. After all, people didn't spontaneously transform in real life. Whatever it was, he knew in his heart that he hurt far too much to be dead. Meanwhile, Twilight dried her eyes before she entered the medical wing's kitchen. A mare in chef's whites greeted her. "Hi, Twilight. Are you going to surprise Princess Celestia with another exploding cake?"
"Hey! That was an accident."
"So, what brings you way out here?"
"Well, there's this colt . . . "
The mare winked. "I get it. The fastest way to a colt's heart is through his stomach."
Blushing, Twilight said, "It's nothing like that. He hurt his head, and now he claims he's a chef."
"Do you want me to talk to him?"
"He claimed he could prove it with a few things."
The chef smiled as Twilight rattled off the order. After she set the items in one bag, she prepared a second bag and dropped a note in it. The chef then said, "Have him open this after he finishes with the first bag."
"Thanks," said Twilight as she took the bags.
Twilight returned to the room to find the bed raised to allow Aetherdal to sit up. She levitated a tray table across his lap and set the first bag on it. As he unpacked it, Twilight said, "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You should just try to get better."
"I'm no invalid," said Aetherdal as he separated the egg and placed the yolk in a bowl. He squeezed some lemon juice into the bowl and started whisking.
Curious, Twilight watched. She said, "It just looks like beaten egg yolk."
Aetherdal replied, "Here's where the magic happens." As he whisked, he slowly dribbled oil into the bowl. Gradually, the yellow mess transformed into a creamy gel. He seasoned it and said, "Here. Have a taste."
Twilight accepted the proffered spoon. Skeptically, she touched it to her tongue. Her eyes shot wide open as she cleaned off the spoon. After she swallowed, she said, "Here. Chef Mellow Muffin asked me to give this to you when you finished." Aetherdal read the note and blushed. "What is it?" asked Twilight.
"The chef asked me to share with you and share with her." Aetherdal removed two hard-cooked eggs from the bag. He peeled them and carefully cut them in half with the table knife from the container. He then scooped the yolks into a bowl and mashed them before mixing them with the mayonnaise and a touch of mustard. He put the result in a piping bag and fill the egg whites before garnishing them with a bit of paprika. Handing one half to Twilight, he said, "Here you go. Deviled egg."
This time, Twilight sampled with gusto. She said, "This is amazing! How could you do that?"
Aetherdal shrugged. "Years of practice."
Gently, Twilight caressed his hand. "I've got to show the princess!" Hungrily, she looked at him and said, "You know, you'd make a great special somepony." She then took two of the halves and darted off.
Aetherdal watched as she left. A burst of flame caught his attention as he lifted the remaining half. Turning, he saw a large red bird that was staring at him and licking its beak. He sighed. "I suppose you want one, too."
Gleefully, Philomena snatched the remaining deviled egg.
Aetherdal groaned. "It looks like it's hospital food for me."
Back to the present
Aetherdal sighed. Before the incident, Angel and Solomon had insisted that he should be able to do magic. He had laughed; he could barely manage the most straightforward card trick. With Twilight teaching, he was now very much like a toddler taking its first steps in the world of real magic. He could hardly wait to discharged so that he could visit them and show what he had learned.
In a similar vein, Twilight had been going through her own set of mistakes as he taught her the basics of cooking. Just like him, she had her ups and downs. Still, she kept trying.
He set down his book as he smiled. Who was Twilight to him? Who was he to Twilight? Whatever it was, it had all started with an egg. He peeled his open and took a bite. He grimaced slightly as he realized it was overcooked. It looked like both he and Twilight had a long way to go.
This was wrong. The darkness was all-encompassing. In every direction, things felt soft and indistinct. "Lumos." cried, Angel. Nothing happened. "Lumos!" she cried again. Still, nothing happened. "LUMOS!"
The light suddenly banished the darkness. The drop onto the hard floor provided some orientation. Excitedly, a young voice chattered. "I'm not Lumos; I'm Pinkie Pie! Did you like my big bag of fun? I haven't seen you before, and that means you're new here. EEEEEEEE! "
The blur vanished. In its place was a vanilla cupcake with cheery pink frosting.
Confused, Angel blinked. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she could see Pear Butter in the doorway, holding the cupcake. She could hear Bright Mac behind her.
Pear Butter said, "Hello, Angel. May we please come in?"
Angel picked herself up and stepped aside. Pear Butter handed the cupcake to Bright Mac before stepping inside and taking Angel's hands in hers. As Bright Mac headed for the table, Angel asked, "Um . . . ah . . . um . . . what just happened?".
Pear Butter chuckled. "That was just Pinkie being Pinkie."
"Pinkie being Pinkie?" asked Angel. "Do I want to know?"
Pear Butter shook her head. Angel asked, "What's going on?"
Pear Butter turned to her husband and asked, "Bright Mac, are you almost done?"
"Eeyup," he replied, quickly flipping through the forms.
Pear Butter released Angel's hands and walked to her husband. She whispered, "The forms are two-sided."
Bright Mac sat up in surprise. "Well, I'll be! I guess this will take a bit longer than I thought."
"Maybe you should finish them at home instead of taking all of Angel's time," Pear Butter suggested.
Bright Mac nodded before he turned back to the table. Impossibly, the cupcake had grown googly eyes and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. It begged, "Pizza?"
"AAAAAH!" screamed Bright Mac as leaped and climbed onto the ceiling fan.
The cupcake looked up and asked plaintively, "Pizza?"
Dr. Horse burst into the room, brandishing a fire extinguisher. "What's going on here?"
From the ceiling fan, Bright Mac pointed at the table. "The cupcake is evil!"
Dr. Horse groaned as he lowered the fire extinguisher. "Mr. Apple, I know hospital food is bad, but don't you think you're exaggerating just a little?"
"Look at it!" said Bright Mac.
The doctor walked to the table. "This looks like one of Pinkie Pie's."
Bright Mac blinked and looked again. The cupcake on the table was perfectly normal. Sheepishly, he lowered himself from the ceiling fan.
Laughing nervously, Pear Butter turned to Angel and said, "Don't mind him, dear. The incident with the timberwolves has been hard on all of us."
Angel ignored her as she stared out the window.
With concern, Pear Butter said, "Angel?" She gasped as she followed Angel's gaze. An impossibly bright spot was coming toward them, growing ever larger.
The window exploded as the meteor crashed through. The room disappeared in a bright flash.
When Angel could see again, she was lying on the floor. The cupcake was on her chest, staring at her. Screaming, she slapped it away and clambered to her feet. The cake splattered against the wall. As it slid to the floor, it re-formed, complete with googly eyes and a blood-stained mouth full of razor-sharp teeth.
She backed into a corner as the confection bounced up to her. In a smooth tenor, it said, "Hello, there, my little creation. I hope you are enjoying your new senses."
Angel tensed every muscle. "What do you mean?"
From overhead, the voice continued. "Surely, you've heard of the prophecies that the Unspeakables safeguard." Angel looked up. The creature that looked back seemed to have escaped from Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory. It had an elongated body like a serpent with limbs, but no two parts matched. The face was not human, and it seemed to be patched together from the hides of different animals. In a fraction of a second, she assessed the situation and made the logical response. She screamed like the little filly that she now was.
The creature vanished. Angel took several deep breaths as she waited for her heart rate to return to normal. She started when she looked forward. Standing in front of her was a tall, gray-haired gentleman in a brown business suit. He had odd eyes, and his gloves, socks, and shoes were all mismatched. Angel asked, "What are you?"
The man replied, "I am Discord, master of chaotic magic." Behind him, a stage appeared. An elephant and a bear appeared one holding cake and the other pizza. From the ceiling, a banner reading "Welcome to Equestria" unfurled. Discord said, "I hope you enjoy your first day in this new world."
Angel managed a weak smile. "I hope this doesn't sound rude, but what in the world are you talking about?"
Discord snapped his fingers. A carousel slide projector and a portable screen appeared. With a click, the carousel turned, and a slide dropped into the slot. Angel frowned at what she saw. The figures looked to be young women at first, but they had hooves instead of feet. Two of them sported wings, while two others wore a single horn. The hair colors seemed to have been taken from a child's illustration, while the skin tones were in pastels that generally indicated disease or death.
"What are they?" asked Angel.
Discord replied, "For want of a better term, they are ponies. This was taken just before the end of Harmony. These six were the truest friends up until the end. The purple one was Twilight Sparkle, their leader; there was no finer mage in the land. The cyan one was Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier ever. The white one was Rarity, a generous soul. The orange one was Applejack, the most honest pony ever. The pink one was Pinkie Pie; she would always find a way to bring a smile to your face."
"Who was this?" asked Angel, pointing to the yellow one.
"This was Fluttershy." Discord's tears began to fill the room. "She was the only one who understood me."
Concerned, Angel asked, "Are you all right?"
As he and Angel floated toward the ceiling, Discord replied, 'I'm fine. I . . . I just never got the chance to let her know how much she meant to me."
Angel swam toward Discord and hugged him. Something felt different. Looking down, Angel was shocked to see that her arms had transformed. Ignoring the change, she asked, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
The tears stopped. "Do you really mean it?"
Angel nodded.
Discord beamed. "You have no idea how much this means to me; that is why I brought you and your friends here. I had to get to you agree first. As they say, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't tuna fish."
Suddenly suspicious, Angel asked, "What do you mean, my friends and me?"
Discord chuckled. "The three of you looked like you could use some help, so I thought we could help each other."
"Where are my friends?"
"They're in the best hands you could imagine," replied Discord. "You'll get to meet them after they've recovered from their injuries."
"What are you planning to do with them?" Angel asked coldly."
"The first thing is to have them build their strength up. Their magic pathways were not as open as yours. That caused some . . . complications in their transformations."
Discord gently returned Angel's hug as the tears drained out of the room. She glowed as he infused her with his magic. Angel asked, "What do pathways have to do with . . ."
Discord interrupted. "This is Equestrian magic, not human magic; it's more complex; it's more concentrated."
Angel groaned. "Surely, you have a better explanation of that. I do have a master's in magic theory."
Giving a wistful smile, Discord said, "Twilight would have loved to talk shop with you." He snapped his fingers.
Angel winced as she banged her ankles on the support rail of the classroom desk where she now sat. Discord stood behind a lectern. He now wore a black suit with a white bowtie. Over the suit, he wore a scarlet robe with a black silk lining. A mortarboard completed his ensemble.
Angel smirked. "Eh, what's up, doc?"
With a flourish of his pointer, he tapped the chalkboard behind him. It quivered like jelly. "Magic!"
The board now showed a picture of Twilight, a picture of Rainbow Dash, and a picture of Applejack, each with a taxonomic designation. Discord said as he pointed, "Let's begin with the basics. Equestrian magic is race-based. The three main races are a unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony. Unicorn magic is what most people think of when they say magic. It's the most obvious, and it's the type closest to human magic. As you've seen for yourself, pegasus magic gives the power of flight and resistance to collisions. It also is used to control the weather. Earth pony magic is the most subtle. It grants strength and endurance. It also is used to aid plant growth."
He looked back at Angel, who stared in disbelief.
"Wait, there's more! Every sapient species has its own magic!" The board changed to show pictures with taxonomic designations. "Griffons, Dragon, Penguins, Zebras, Kirin, Buffalo, Yaks, Sea Ponies, Diamond Dogs, they all have their own magic. Any questions?"
Angel asked, "What are you?"
Discord gave a sad smile. "I am a draconequus."
Looking down, she said, "So, these changes that are happening now are me transforming?"
Discord nodded.
"What did you do to me?" she asked.
"Now that the illusion spell is wearing off, I've changed things a little, so you'll fit in better. Be careful with those hooves, though; they're a lot harder than feet."
"Don't you think the people back home will get worried about us being gone?" asked Angel.
Discord shook his head sadly. "How do I put this delicately? You and your friends are dead, or at least you are at the time I found you. I was going to transform you into young foals, but I need you to have your memories. Since your bodies were in pretty rough shape, I managed to dig up some from long-departed children and transfer you into them as a starting point." Angel stared at him in disbelief.
"I didn't mean literally! It's tricky blending in the individual part so that it doesn't show. You and your friends now have brand new lives in brand new bodies. The essence of who you are, your memories, your magic, your souls, is still with you." Annoyed, Angel said, "My major was magic, and you're not even going to try to explain?"
Discord shrugged. "It's the equivalent of many of your lifetimes of postdoctoral studies. We only have time for the kindergarten version."
"Fine. Could you please tell me what you turned us into?"
Discord smiled. "Angel, you already know you're a pegasus; it fits your name perfectly. Solomon is a thestral since he's a night owl. Aetherdal was the most interesting, so I made him a kirin."
Flatly, Angel said, "You turned him into a beer?"
"No, I . . ." Discord caught the hint of a smile on her face. "You still have your sense of humor. That will help you." Angel studied the three figures that were on the chalkboard. Under Aetherdal's name was a portrait showing off his green eyes and his midnight blue mane. A forked horn protruded from his forehead. Under Solomon's name was a half-body drawing. He had amber eyes and a chestnut mane with blonde streaks. Leathery wings protruded from his back. She inhaled sharply when she saw her picture; it was transforming as she watched. Her mane was darkening to a midnight black with a red streak. Her brown eyes faded to baby blue.
Angel stood and looked over her shoulder. She watched her wings and tail as she tried to move them. Each obeyed her commands.
Discord asked, "Are you ready for the next lesson?"
Looking forward, Angel nodded. With a snap of his fingers, Discord changed the chalkboard into a map. Theatrically, he exposed his sleeves and showed that his hands were empty. With a flourish, he pressed his hands together and rubbed them together. Six photographs came up and flew to the map. Two went to each of the three locations marked on the map. Looking closely, Angel could see that these were younger versions of the ponies who were in the group photo.
Pointing, Discord said, "This is where you are, Ponyville. Solomon is up here in Cloudsdale. Aetherdal is here, in Canterlot." "What now?" asked Angel.
"Learn," said Discord. "I have to be quick, or Sunbutt will realize I'm out here. I've left a list of the things you and your friends will need to study on your glasses. You'll be able to meet them in a few months in Canterlot's castle garden. Seven months after that, you'll get your admission letters."
Discord began to pixelate. "As usual, if you or your friends are captured or killed, the secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This recording will self-destruct in ten seconds. WAKE UP ANGEL!" He snapped his fingers.
Ponyville General Hospital
The morning had broken. Angel's eyes snapped open. It seemed as though everything around her was white. She sat up and reached for the glasses on the table. The room came into focus as she put them on. There seemed to be something flashing in the lower-left corner of her lenses. She looked down and saw the picture of a closed book and a hand. The hand tracked her eye movements, allowing her to leaf through the book. She frowned. At least part of the dream was real.
She got out of bed and walked to the mirror. A pony with orange skin, black mane, and baby blue eyes looked back at her. She said, "Let's see what else is real."
She turned to the larger table in the room. Walking over, she found that it was a packet of clothing. She read the letter on top.
"Dear Angel,
Words can't describe how thankful we are that you saved us. Our duties prevent us from being here when you wake up but know that you are always welcome at Sweet Apple Acres. We would be honored if you could drop by after you check out so that we can accurately show our gratitude.
Sincerely, Apple Family
As Angel folded the letter, she heard the door open. Turning, she saw a young mare in a nurse's uniform.
The nurse said, "Breakfast is ready." She set the tray on a bright spot on the table and lifted the lid.
Angel inhaled deeply, taking in the scents of oatmeal, apple, and cinnamon. She said, "Thank you, Sister . . ."
The nurse giggled. "You must be from one of the lands beyond. Out here, it's just 'nurse.' I'm Nurse Blue Heart."
Angel shook the proffered hand. "Pleased to meet you, Nurse Blue Heart. I must say, when you first came in, I thought you were a fashion model in disguise."
Blue Heart smiled. "My, you're such a nice young filly. Now, enjoy your breakfast. I'll be bringing a doctor to talk with you afterward."
"Thank you."
Blue Heart cocked her head and then picked up Angel's chart. Nervously, she laughed. "That's funny. I could swear your eyes were brown yesterday."
Angel quipped, "I haven't had to talk to my boss today."
Gently, Blue Heart said, "Now, now. Little fillies shouldn't be talking like that. There'll be plenty of time after you grow up." With that, she left.
Angel read through the book as she ate her breakfast. She rose when she felt her legs going numb. She groaned. "It looks like a good time to try the exercises. Let's try the front splits. The bed frame gave a loud clang as she accidentally kicked it. "Ow!" Grimacing, she massaged her hoof.
A voice from the door said, "Did I come at the wrong time?
Angel looked up. The stallion at the door looked like the tastiest piece of eye candy from a bodice-ripper. Angel drooled as her imagination ran wild.
A gentle poke on her shoulder broke her out of her reverie. "Angel, are you there?"
Nervously, Angel laughed. "Yes. I was just daydreaming."
The stallion said, "I'm Dr. Horse, and I need to get some information for our files before I can discharge you."
Worried, Angel said, "Discharge? Is there someplace I can stay until I find a job?"
The doctor laughed. "Such a little filly shouldn't have to worry about such big things. If you can tell us how to contact your parents, we can send somepony to get them."
Angel looked down. "They're dead."
"Who's taking care of you?"
Drawing herself up to her full height, she said, 'I can take care of myself, thank you."
"That's very brave of you, Angel, but we can't have somepony so young on their own. The Apple Family has volunteered to take you in until we can make further arrangements."
"Apple Family?"
The doctor pointed. "Yes. They've sent over a couple of fillies to take you to their farm."
Looking out the window, Angel saw the two fillies whose photos had been pinned to Ponyville. She leafed through her book to be sure. Her mission had begun.
In the royal gardens, a kirin colt lay on his back atop a red and white checked blanket. With his eyes fixed on the distant blue skies, he basked in the gentle warmth of the sun as a gentle breeze whispered through the leaves.
He closed his eyes. Try as he might, he could not dispel the feeling of unease. There was no rest, no respite for him.
His eyes snapped open. Aetherdal sighed. "Angel, Solomon, why couldn't you trust me with the truth?" The puffy cumulus clouds above did not answer.
Unseeing, his eyes turned back to the memory that denied him his rest. No matter how hard he tried, he could not clear it from his mind.
It all had started with a familiar voice. "Aetherdal, open your eyes."
Aetherdal had replied, "Nuh-uh. Don't wanna." He had turned away from the disturbance.
With a hint of annoyance, the voice had huffed. "You're sleeping in your dream. Seriously, how can you even do that?"
Dream or not, the impact on the floor had been cold and hard. Aetherdal had reluctantly opened his eyes, only to wish that he had kept them shut. The anger that the unfamiliar face had radiated had been terrifying.
Shocked, Aetherdal had choked out, "Angel?"
The filly had replied, "No, it's a ventriloquist. Of course, it's me. Who else would be speaking to you with my voice?"
"Seriously, Angel. A little teasing is one thing, but this is . . . Wait. Why are you even in my dream?"
Another familiar voice had answered from behind. "She's not the only one here."
Aetherdal had spun around to face another colt. He stood and held his arms in the sign of a cross. "Stay back! I have garlic, and I'm not afraid to use it."
The leather-winged colt had rolled his eyes. "It's me, Solomon. I'm a thestral, dammit, not a vampire."
"Prove it."
Solomon had snatched the clove of garlic that had been dangling from Aetherdal's hand, chewed the bulb, and swallowed. "Satisfied?" he had asked.
Angel had pinched her nose shut with one hand and had waved with the other. "Wonderful. The smell that gets you coming and going."
Solomon had walked between the two and smacked them both in the backs of their heads.
"Enough joking around," Angel had said. "There is much we must discuss, and we don't have much time until you wake for real."
All hints of mirth had drained from Aetherdal's face when he had seen the funeral expression that Angel had worn.
Angel had led the Colts to a shady spot under an elm tree. Once all had been seated, she had said, "The story you are about to hear is real. We had hoped to keep you out of it, but that choice has been taken away from us. The first thing you need to know is that the world of magic is real, and both Solomon and I are from that world. I am a witch, and he is a wizard."
Aetherdal had rolled his eyes. "Go ahead and pull the other one."
Solomon had added, "We're serious. There's a war going on, and the other side thinks you're our secret weapon."
Angel had continued, "Our world was supposed to be a secret from yours. You had forced us to erase your memory each time you stumbled on it."
Aetherdal had frowned. "So, I wasn't going barmy. Those weren't yours to take."
Angel had shrugged. "It seemed kinder than killing you."
"You were a real trouper," Solomon had added. "If only you could use magic, we'd have been proud to add you to our team."
"What now?" Aetherdal had asked. "Are you going to erase my memories again?"
Shaking her head, Angel had replied, "No. The rules have changed, and so have we."
Aetherdal had deadpanned, "Could you say that again? You're a little horse."
"This is serious. We were brought here to help this world, and they, in turn, will help ours."
As one, both Solomon and Aetherdal had said, "Wait, what?" They had then looked at each other, pointed, and said, "Jinx!"
Exasperated, Angel had replied, "This is serious! We've been brought here by a powerful wizard named Discord. We're part of a true prophecy that involves six friends from this world. Let me show you a local program."
With a wave of her hand, a viewscreen had appeared in front of them. The colts had watched for a moment before Solomon had said, "'My Little Human'? That doesn't make any sense."
Puzzled, Aetherdal had added, "It's a cartoon for little girls. What does that have to do with us?"
Angel had said, "Look at the characters."
"That's our college study group!" Aetherdal had exclaimed.
Solomon had laughed. "We're toons." He had then pointed at Aetherdal's character.
Aetherdal had huffed. "I'm not fat; I'm just drawn that way."
Angel had sighed. "The worst part of it is half the folks here are humares."
Solomon had quipped, "Are those good humares, or is that ice cream?"
"Humares are adult fans of the show," Angel had replied. "The good news for us is that they are less likely to care about traditional gender roles."
Aetherdal had asked, "What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed how everyone treats you like you have 'special needs'?"
"Hey!" Solomon had exclaimed. "I'm still recuperating."
Aetherdal had added, "Now that you mention it, they don't let me do anything even remotely dangerous without an adult present."
"We're considered children now. The real problem comes when we reach a majority," Angel had said. "To be blunt, you two are stepping stones to some woman's career advancement."
Solomon had frowned. "Now that you mention it, Rainbow Dash had said that I could help her graduate from trainee to full Wonderbolt. Fluttershy also said that with my help, she could become a real veterinarian."
"Twilight and I are just friends," Aetherdal had insisted. Looking away, he had continued. "I do have to admit; I'm getting tired of being challenged to a duel every day."
"You two are husbands on the hoof. All of the higher positions require a mare in a relationship that can produce children. It's their attempt at eugenics." The colt had shied away from the anger radiating from Angel.
"Are you telling me that Rainbow and Fluttershy just want me for my body?" Solomon had asked. "I feel used." With more than a hint of sadness, he had added, "They were so nice to me. I thought we were friends."
Aetherdal had replied, "Maybe you are. I know Twilight is my friend."
"Open up your eyes!" Angel had exclaimed. "You are just a means to her ends."
Aetherdal had glared at her. "You haven't seen her when we're alone. It's the only time she can be herself. In public, I'm the only thing keeping her out of forced marriage. She may act like she's trying to seduce me, but that's all for show. If not for me, she'd have forced to marry a noble by year's end."
"I'll trust your judgment," Angel had grudgingly admitted. "As for you, Solomon, we can see if the girls care about you."
"What do you have in mind, Angel?" Solomon had asked as he edged closer.
"See what they do when you tell them you're already in a herd. I'm sure Aetherdal can cover you if you need to bail out."
Grumpily, Aetherdal had replied, "Of course, I have you covered. I'm still annoyed that you couldn't trust me." He had sighed. "I guess we all have secrets we need to keep."
With more than a hint of sadness, Solomon had replied, "It was either that or your life, Aetherdal."
Angel had then held him close and said, "I'll make it up to you; I promise. There's one more thing you need to do, though."
"What's that?" Aetherdal had asked.
"Wake up."
Aetherdal's eyes had shot wide open. The early morning sunshine had given the hospital room's ceiling a warm glow. He had turned to the spot of warmth to his side, only to find Twilight's head resting on the mattress as she slumbered in the chair next to his bed. Aetherdal had sighed as he went back to sleep.
Cloudsdale
The sensation of being sandwiched between two fillies had gone from comforting to confining. Solomon carefully worked his way free. One way or another, he would uncover the truth.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both woke with a start. Where there had been a colt between them, there was now a pillow. They tumbled out of bed, frantically searching. The breathed a sigh of relief when they spotted Solomon sitting next to the window. Softly, they walked over and took their places at his sides.
"Morning. . . " Rainbow yawned. "Solomon."
Solomon deadpanned, "Morning."
With concern, Fluttershy hugged him gently. "What's wrong, Solomon?"
"I'm beginning to remember. I don't belong here; I belong with my herd."
"Herd?" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. "Where are they? We've got to get you there, stat!"
Fluttershy added, "They must be worried sick! We'll call a sky chariot! I should have enough bits saved up."
Solomon sighed. "It's not that easy. One of them is in Ponyville, and the other is in Canterlot."
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked like each other, aghast. Rainbow asked, "So, your parents aren't living together?"
Shaking his head, Solomon replied, "They aren't living, period. It's just me and Angel and Aetherdal." His shoulders slumped. "We thought we'd conquer the world together. A fat lot of good that did."
"What happened?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"The folks that attacked me broke us apart."
Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. You've been with us all this time. How do you know where they are?"
"My magic lets me visit their dreams. Angel is in Sweet Apple Acres with the Apple family, and Aetherdal is in a hospital in Canterlot with someone named Twilight Sparkle."
"That's amazing," said Fluttershy. "I thought you just had pegasus magic."
As she dragged Solomon by the hand, Rainbow Dash said, "Change of plans, Fluttershy. I know a filly who can help us."
Hastily, Fluttershy dumped Solomon's meager belongings into a valise and followed her friends.
"Where are we going?" asked Solomon as they reached the edge of the cloud.
"Ponyville. It's an easy glide."
Rainbow leaped, taking Solomon with her.
The thestral screamed, "Wait! I don't know how to fly!"
Ponyville The Golden Oaks Library was typically a neat and orderly place. The ever-growing pile of wadded paper was threatening to dispel that image. The pegasus foal crossed out yet another sheet full of equations and formulas and crumpled it. She groaned. "I did my post-doctoral thesis on teleportation. Why can't I figure out a way back? The magic here is so strong that it's practically glowing, and I can't figure out how to do anything with it." With a measure of disgust, she added the ball to the ever-growing pile.
A familiar voice called out as the library's door opened. "Angel, darling, are you here?"
Angrily, the other patrons shushed her.
Angel stood and waved. A small unicorn quietly trotted over and sat across from her. Angel softly said, "Hey there, Rarity. I got so caught up in the work that I lost track of time."
As Angel started to clean up, Rarity said, "Darling, you need to get out more. Staying inside a stuffy library all day is going to ruin your complexion."
Angel stretched as she rose from her chair. "I can't figure out where to even begin trying to work out this spell. I know the answer is out there, somewhere."
Rarity gave her friend a sad smile. "I don't think pegasus magic works for that. Unfortunately, you won't find an expert in an earth pony town like Ponyville."
Angel groaned. "I used to do this sort of stuff in my sleep."
"May I see?" asked Rarity. "I still remember the basic theory from school."
Angel shrugged and scrawled a formula onto a blank page. Rarity took the proffered page and knitted her eyebrows as she studied it. "This is nothing like what I've learned in school. Where did you get it?"
"Aetherdal made it for us as a joke. Believe it or not, it worked back home."
"He must be quite the mage to come up with this sort of work," said Rarity.
Angel snorted. "He has no magic and no idea what he's doing. Still, he manages to come up with something that works each time we ask."
"That sounds fascinating." Rarity smiled. "I can't wait to meet him."
"He's an absolute savant, even though the rest of the world refuses to believe," said Angel.
"What's there to believe?" asked Rarity.
"Everyone thinks he's too young. Everyone thinks he's too inexperienced. No one believes when he proves them wrong." Angel crossed her arms and huffed.
Rarity smirked. "That sounds like a very special somepony."
"Yes, he is a lovable goof." A small smile started to cross Angel's face.
"Let's not get too carried away," said Rarity. "We do have our spa appointment."
Angel gasped when she looked at the clock on the wall. "How did it get so late?"
"Come along. I have a delivery for the Apples, so we'll pick up Applejack from there."
Angel hastily packed up her things and followed her friend. Angel politely ignored the gossip that Rarity passed along; she had no desire to do any social climbing. Soon enough, they reached their destination.
"Angel, if you could be a dear and go get Applejack from the barn?" Rarity smiled.
"Should we meet you at the house?" asked Angel.
"Of course, darling."
As Angel carefully placed her steps, the hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention. It was quiet, too quiet. As she approached the building, she stepped away from the door and placed an ear against the wall. She could hear desperate whispers, but she could not make out what was said.
Reaching into her purse, she withdrew what looked like a new pencil. A careful observer would have noticed the purple end of a hair that had taken from Rarity's brush. Ollivander would have been appalled by the effort, but Angel now had a seven-inch cedar wand, stiff, with a graphite and unicorn hair core.
Using the door as a shield, Angel pulled it open. "Lumos Solem!"
Inside the barn, daylight dispelled the darkness. Startled exclamations filled the air as the occupants were blinded.
Cautiously, Angel peeked inside. She saw the town's children blindly staggering around. The interior decorated with festive streamers and banners, and the refreshment table was piled high with goodies. Hanging from the rafters was a banner that said, "Welcome, Angel."
Angel blushed as she walked in. A mass of pink suddenly filled her field of view. "Surprise!"
Angel stepped back. The mass resolved itself into Pinkie Pie, hanging upside down on a trapeze bar hung from the rafters. Pinkie said, "This has to be the best surprise party ever. Everypony was surprised!
Berry Punch staggered over. "How did you get the light to come out of a stick?"
Angel said, "It's unicorn magic."
Carrot Top said, "But you're a pegasus."
Eagerly, Applejack asked, "Does this mean anypony can use unicorn magic?"
"Yes, and no," replied Angel. "The reasons are a bit complicated, but if you're good with any magic, you can learn to do this."
At that moment, Rainbow Dash walked in. "Hey, AJ! I heard you have an angel hanging out here.
The partygoers stared as a yellow pegasus, and a thestral followed the cyan pegasus.
Angel exclaimed, "Solomon? What are you doing here?"
Just as the colt opened his mouth, the door slammed shut.
Angel watched in horror as black forms dropped from the ceiling, covering everyone except her. Screams of agony filled the air as the forms merged into one giant wraith. As it loomed over her, Angel cried, "Avada Kadavra!" The phantom was unfazed. Just when it was about to drop on her, she heard the snap of fingers, and the wraith froze.
A familiar figure stepped out from within the form. The disappointment was evident on his face. Angel said, "Discord?"
"I showed you the only fillies you were supposed to show the wand to. A timeline can only bend so much before it breaks."
"I was scared!" said Angel.
Discord sighed. "Are you a child, or are you a professional? Consider this your only warning."
Angel looked downcast. "I'm sorry."
Discord snapped his fingers. Angel screamed as the form dropped over her and pulled her in all directions at once. Everything went dark.
Angel heard a steady set of double thumps. She opened her eyes only to be greeted by darkness. "Where am I?" she groaned.
A soft glow revealed a thestral. "Hey, Angel," said Solomon. "I thought this dream felt familiar."
A familiar voice appeared in her ear. "Let's take this from the top. I've rewound time. It would be best if you talked to your friends. Do try to get things right this time."
Angel groaned. "Operation SNAFU, take two."
Things were more comfortable for Angel the second time around. Having felt the price of failure, she had been motivated to ensure that nothing went wrong. This time around, she had urged Aetherdal to visit, posthaste.
Now, she smiled as she leaned on her broom. The other guests had left long ago. Now, the six avatars of harmony were alone in the barn with all the displaced humans. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were escorting Solomon, wary for any sign of distress. Twilight Sparkle and Atherdal were sides by side, looking every bit like the best of friends. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack showed the casual familiarity of classmates. The nine of them had stayed behind to help clean up.
Taking her wand from her purse, she cast a privacy charm. She shouted, "Everyone! Your attention, please!"
Everyone in the room stopped and stared. Applejack broke the silence. "What is it, sugarcube?"
"I was hoping to get all of you together. Before I get started, I have a question for you all."
In dreams, the three displaced humans plotted and planned. In reality, they were miles apart. Angel was in Ponyville. It would be up to her to get Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie to the rendezvous point. Solomon was in Cloudsdale with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. He was to be their guide. Aetherdal was in Canterlot. He had already completed the most challenging task. He had persuaded Twilight Sparkle to secure nine V.I.P. passes to the Grand Galloping Gala from Princess Celestia.
It was to be a test of her leadership abilities. The gala was normally reserved for the highest of high society, and the princess was well aware of the ponies who were to use the passes. While this would not be the first time the princess had a personal student attend, it would be the first time she allowed any other children without direct adult supervision. It would be up to Twilight to make sure that all of her friends stayed out of trouble.
Cloudsdale
A winded Solomon climbed through the window of the convalescent facility. By pegasus standards, he had not gone far, but even after seven months, he had not fully regained his stamina. With a damp washcloth, he wiped away his sweat before lounging on the small divan in the room. He checked the pocket on his shirt; the gilt-trimmed envelope was still there.
He took a moment to catch his breath before leaning over to the intercom. He pressed the button and said, "Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy? I have something for you."
The buzzing of wings could be heard as they raced from the lobby. When they opened the door, Solomon could not help but notice how much they had matured in seven months. Rainbow Dash now sported a rebellious look. A denim jacket and dungarees complemented her black t-shirt. Her shoulder-length mane was done up in an ombre style that showed off the color bands.
By contrast, Fluttershy looked more like a wallflower. Her form was all but hidden by a loose green hoodie and a baggy pair of khaki pants; only the yellow wings that protruded through the slits in the back showed anything distinct about her body. The chunky, black, birth control glasses frames that she wore would ensure that only the most desperate would give her a second glance.
As one, they asked, "What is it, Solly?"
The thestral replied, "I've already talked with your parents, so it's safe for me to share this with you." He took the envelope from his pocket and handed it to the pair. Rainbow Dash removed the engraved card and gave it to Fluttershy.
The yellow pegasus read aloud. "Dearest Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Solomon, I would be honored to have you as my guests this weekend. I have arranged for accommodations for you at the palace so that we can all attend the Grand Galloping Gala. We will be awaiting your answer by the statue of Discord at 4 o'clock this afternoon. Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle."
Rainbow Dash said, "She can't be serious. The gala is in two days, and I know we don't have anything fancy enough for that sort of party." Fluttershy gulped audibly.
Solomon said, "Everything's already been worked out. My friends and I wanted to surprise you, so we'd been working quietly with Twilight to make all the arrangements."
The clock chimed. Fluttershy looked up, startled. "Oh my! Did you say we were to meet at 5 o'clock?"
Solomon shook his head. "Four o'clock."
"It's three-thirty," said Fluttershy.
Rainbow Dash grabbed Solomon with one hand and grabbed Fluttershy with the other. "This looks like a job for the Rainbow Dash Express."
Canterlot Commuter
An attentive observer would have noticed that today's train sported a second caboose. The extra car had been added to the very end of the train and had been pressed into service as a private car. Inside, Angel enviously watched Rarity and Applejack napping. As much as she wanted to join them to rid herself of her headache, she could not; Pinkie Pie was too distracting.
Angel groaned. "Pinkie, could you please be still?"
The pink pony was bouncing up and down so rapidly that her features were blurred. "Nuh-uh. My Pinkie Sense is telling me that your secret is a doozy, and it won't let me stop until I find out what it is."
"Fine! You win!" Angel said, "All right! Up and at them!"
Rarity blinked as she removed her sleeping mask. "Are we in Canterlot already? I can't wait to see the secret my parents promised."
Applejack stretched and yawned. "Slow down, Pinkie. You're going to wear a hole in the floor."
Angel cleared her throat. "Now that I have your attention, I have an announcement to make." She took a gilt-trimmed envelope from her pocket. Pinkie Pie snatched it and read the engraved card within. For the first time in an hour, she stood still.
Impatiently, Rarity asked, "Well, what is it?"
Pinkie hugged Angel. "That's a real doozy! Twilight's invited us all to the Grand Galloping Gala!"
Applejack said, "Wait a minute. We don't have anything but the clothes on our backs. We can't go to a high falutin' party like that!"
Angel gave a pained smile. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the arrangements. Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to make a reservation for a carriage."
"How can you contact someone in Canterlot from the train?" asked Rarity.
Angel pulled out her improvised wand. "It's magic."
Canterlot
The small room in the royal library had become the usual venue for Aetherdal's magic lessons. Twilight had initially believed that his unorthodox views on the mechanics of magic were absurd. However, the more she thought about it, the more she appreciated the creative aspect of magic. There was still no difference in the way that one cast a spell, but with a slight change of perspective, the applications for a spell expanded dramatically.
The most basic unicorn spell, levitation, was something every unicorn beyond a particular age used for the mundane task of moving objects. Without Aetherdal's prompting, she never would have thought to cast it on air to form a curtain to block out flying insects. She had even cast it on herself to make it look like she was walking on air.
She was hovering near the ceiling when Aetherdal called out, "Hey, Twilight! It's the time! If we don't go now, we'll be tardy!"
Twilight glanced down at the grandfather clock before lowering herself to the floor. Taking Aetherdal by the hand, she sniffed, "Twilight Sparkle is never tardy!" With that, they made their way to the gardens.
Despite the urgency of the situation, the three groups of friends did their best to act nonchalant as they made their way past the magnificent displays of topiary. The natives knew there were aliens among them, creatures of myth and legend. They were filled with questions that the displaced humans had declined to answer. Alien or not, Angel and her companions had proven themselves worthy of friendship, and worthy of being herdmates. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy could hardly wait to make that a reality.
The statue was an unmistakable landmark. Solomon couldn't help but think that it was something Dr. Frankenstein might have put together after an incredibly long night of drinking. He could swear that it winked at him when they passed. As the three of them touched down, Fluttershy said, "Looks like we're the first ones here."
"That's a shocker," replied Rainbow Dash. "Usually, we're late." She released her hold on Solomon.
Solomon turned and glared at her. "Why didn't you let me fly on my own?"
Fluttershy smiled softly. "Well, we know you're still recuperating, and that was a long flight."
Rainbow Dash added, "Besides, you still can't pass the basic flight test."
From across the garden, Aetherdal shouted, "Hey, Solomon! How does it feel to be the load?"
A multi-colored blur tacked the kirin and pinned him to the ground. Rainbow Dash grinned from her perch on his rear. "Give it a rest, Aetherdal. Not every pony can be as awesome as me. Do you want me to take you on a quick spin? You'll love the Buccaneer Blaze."
Twilight sighed as she approached the two. "Mind your manners, Rainbow Dash."
The pegasus stepped back and let Twilight help the kirin to his hooves. As she glanced upward, she thought she saw the statue wink at her. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. This time, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Why did you tackle me?" asked Aetherdal.
Rainbow Dash grinned. "You're the one who said he wanted a little more excitement in his life." She flew back to Solomon.
Aetherdal groaned. "I don't think I'll ever understand women -- of any species."
From the opposite side of the garden, Rarity called out, "I do hope we are not too late, darling." She and the rest of the Ponyville entourage hurried to join the others.
"We just got here ourselves," replied Aetherdal. "Now that the gang's all here let's head up to my new place."
"What new place?" asked Twilight.
"You'll see."
As Aetherdal led the way, Twilight said, "Wait a minute. This is the way to the nobles' chambers."
"That's right," replied Aetherdal. "I won Princess Blueblood's section of the tower in a duel. It has enough rooms for all of us, and it's nice and quiet."
Rainbow Dash walked in front of him and stopped. "Wait. Do you beat a filly in a duel? Colts always lose. How could you beat the top-ranked duelist?"
Aetherdal grinned as the thought back on the fight. "I'm not a normal colt, remember? Besides, NO ONE EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!"
Angel lagged behind the pack. Once the others had turned away, they looked up at the statue and smiled. The corners of its mouth turned up slightly for a second before returning to normal.
After they entered the palace, Aetherdal led the group to a plain-looking door.
Rarity sniffed. "That seems to lack a je ne sais quoi."
Aetherdal smiled as he opened the door. The mare within looked out and said, "You must be the ponies that Princess Celestia told me about. I am Tatted Lace, her tailor."
The high-pitched squeal from the visiting fillies almost shattered the windows. Tatted Lace continued. "You must want to freshen up after your journey. My assistant will take the rest of you to the spa while I start on Miss Dash's fitting."
Aetherdal and Solomon slipped away while the others made their way to the spa. Once they were out of earshot, Solomon said, "I thought you'd jump at the chance for some quality time with Twilight."
Aetherdal replied, "There's still quite a lot of work to be done on the teleportation rune. Besides, the girls will be so busy; they'll never even notice we're missing.
Two Days Later
Aetherdal and Solomon had worked practically non-stop. Plates and utensils from hastily-eaten meals were scattered haphazardly throughout the room. Sweat and grease coated their clothing and every exposed bit of fur. They had just put the finishing touch on the teleportation rune when the door burst open. All eight fillies glared at them.
Applejack growled, "You boys are in a heap of trouble,"
Innocently, Solomon asked, "What's wrong?" Aetherdal face-palmed as soon as the words left his lips. He could see that the fillies were all dressed to the nines.
With her magic, Twilight picked Aetherdal up by the ear. "Does the phrase 'Grand Galloping Gala' mean anything to you?"
Rarity repeated the maneuver on Solomon. "It starts in five minutes, and you two look like something the cat dragged in."
Angel brandished her wand. "Sorry, guys, but this is going to hurt you a lot worse than it's going to hurt me."
It was a dark and stormy night. Sheets of rain cascaded down, soaking the two colts to their core. Thunder pealed, and then their world was covered in puffy white. Solomon cried out in fear, "This is the end! It was nice knowing you, Aetherdal!"
Aetherdal groaned. "Must you be such a drama queen?"
Another downpour drowned out Solomon's response. The howl of a whirlwind masked the chattering of their teeth as they shivered.
Finally, the light broke through. The two were inside the room with their portal. Twilight smirked. "And that is how you cast cloudburst and drain at the same time."
Applejack and Pinkie Pie drummed on the galvanized washtubs that had been filled with suds. The farm filly said, "Ah swear, Ah, 've seen cleaner pigs in a mud pit."
Aetherdal stammered, "C-c-c-cold."
Rolling her eyes, Angel drew her wand and cast a warming charm. "Now whose fault is that?"
"You should look at yourselves," said Rainbow Dash. "I love the new 'do."
Shyly Fluttershy added, "It's called a bouffant."
Solomon asked, "Would it help if we said we're sorry?"
Rarity glared at the colts. "I should say not. I did not work day and night to have my masterpieces ignored." She levitated a bundle to each colt. "Put them on. We're late enough as is."
The colts looked at each other and then looked back at the fillies. Aetherdal said, "A little privacy would be appreciated."
Rolling her eyes, Twilight gathered the fillies to her side and cast a privacy screen between the fillies and the colts. As the colts hastily disrobed. a regal voice came from behind. "I see we have a full moon tonight, or is that two?"
Red-faced, the colts turned around. They and the fillies bowed to the princess and her retinue. A golden aura washed over the colts, and they found themselves clad in their new clothing.
"Please rise," said Princess Celestia. Turning to her retinue, she said, "Please send my apologies to my guests. I will need some time with my student and her friends."
The guards saluted while the assistants bowed. Together, they left the room, closing the door behind them.
"Princess Celestia, shouldn't you be at the Gala?" asked Twilight.
"All in good time, my faithful student," replied the ruler. "I thought it was more important to give you a proper send-off first."
"Send-off?" asked Twilight. "I'm not going anywhere."
Smiling, Celestia replied, "I should start by sharing what we've discovered about your friends."
Eight Hours Earlier
Princess Celestia cocked her head as the castle urgently whispered to her. Someone inside was working on powerful magic, someone who had no business doing so. She cast a scrying spell to take a peek at the proceedings.
She quirked an eyebrow as she recognized the colts who were involved. It was obvious who was the brains and who was the brawn. She frowned when she recognized what they were doing. A quick query to the royal vaults confirmed that all copies of the dimension-hopping spells were secure within. The pegasus colt clearly knew more magic than somepony his age should.
A knock at her door drew her attention. "Come in." When the door opened, she said, "Ah, Raven. Please tell me what you have dug up on our mystery foals."
Raven turned slightly green. "I wish you hadn't said that. We exhumed the graves, and the remains of a unicorn foal were in each. The paternity spells confirmed their identities."
Celestia replied, "That makes this quite the mystery. None of our foals are unicorns, but the paternity spell shows that they are twins of the departed."
"Perhaps they were abandoned because they weren't unicorns?" said Raven. "Our nobles have been known to do crueler things."
"That's where the situation becomes more muddled. Each of our foals is from a noble family, and each has apparently been disowned. However, since this was all done unofficially, they are all entitled to their birthrights by law. By law, I have to reinstate them. This is going to be a disaster."
"How so?"
Celestia replied, "Angel, the member of a prominent and influential family. The scandal of abandoning a foal is sure to taint their reputation. Solomon's case is even worse; he's Blueblood's brother. I don't think his parents will live that down."
"What about the third one?" asked Raven.
"Aetherdal? He's the easiest to handle. Since he's the last of his line, I will restore his title and lands once he comes of age."
Raven opened a file folder and pulled out the sheet on top. "I also have the results of their thaumalogical potential tests. All of them have some anomaly that is preventing us from getting an accurate reading."
"May I have a look?" asked Celestia. When Raven nodded, the alicorn picked up the report with her telekinesis.
Her brow wrinkled as she studied the results.
"Is something wrong?" asked Raven.
"That is a matter of perspective," replied Celestia. "This is chaos magic."
"I thought the only one who used chaos magic was hosting pigeons in the garden," said Raven.
"There are many, many others," said Celestia. "I thought they were all a world away."
She levitated the files from Raven. "Please cancel my appointments for the rest of the day. This calls for action."
Celestia noted the confusion that the mystery foals showed after they heard her story. The princess said, " Angel, you're in the Baumeister family. Solomon, you're in the Most Noble House of Blood. Aetherdal, you are the House of Lamperouge." She sighed. "I thought you'd be happier after you heard the news. Except for Aetherdal, you're not orphans. You have means. You have families. "
Aetherdal said, "It's not that we're disappointed; it's that we didn't do anything to deserve the honor of your presence."
Twilight added, "I still don't understand why you're sending us off."
"It's a matter of chaos magic," replied Celestia.
"I thought that was a dead field," said Twilight.
Smiling, Celestia said, "It would be more accurate to say 'petrified,' given that there is only one creature from this world who can use this."
Looking pointedly at the mystery foals, Celestia said, "There is another world where chaos magic is the norm. Tell me, my little ponies, are you actually humans?"
Angel sighed. "Yes, your highness."
"And are you not planning on returning to your world tonight?" asked Celestia. "You seemed very anxious to finish that dimensional portal."
Angel said, "We are revenants, princess. We were given new bodies so that we might escape what would have been certain death. Thanks to your generosity, we have recovered enough to return to the human world and fulfill our destinies."
Together, Rainbow Dash and Twilight screamed, "You guys are humans, as in 'My Little Human'?"
Solomon and Aetherdal drew back when they saw the hungry expression in the fillies' eyes.
Fluttershy and Rarity looked at each other. "Oh, my."
Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly. "That makes you guys even more super special!"
Applejack picked Angel up by the front of her blouse and held her so that their eyes were at the same level. "Why didn't you tell us when you made us promise about your magic? We trusted you."
Angel replied, "We wanted you to like us for who we are, not what we are."
"Can you blame them for wanting true friends?" asked Rarity.
"Ah suppose yer right," said Applejack as she set Angel down. "Don't get me wrong, and I'm grateful for all you've done for mah family and me. It's just that it sounded like you were trying to pull a fast one."
"You're right; I should have told you sooner," said Angel. She held out her right hand. "Friends?"
Applejack hugged her tightly. "Friends. Yer the only reason Ah'm not an orphan."
"Wait," said Twilight. "Are you going to a dimension just like the one in the show?"
Solomon replied, "Actually, it looks like some of the characters are modeled after us." The other transformed humans expressed their displeasure with slaps to his head.
Shyly, Fluttershy asked, "Which characters are you?"
"Angel, I think it would be easier if you just show them," said Aetherdal as he edged away from her.
Angel pulled out her wand and cast an illusion spell. She conjured the figure of three of the main characters. "That's Aetherdal. That's Solomon. That's me."
Rainbow Dash shouted, "Ponypile Ringleader!"
Suddenly, Angel found herself in the middle of a group hug.
"This is so awesome! You guys are so amazing! Can I get your autograph?" said Rainbow Dash. The others were about to chime in when a golden aura covered them and pulled them away from Angel.
Angel breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, princess. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier."
"I understand your reasons," said Celestia. "I would, however, like to ask a favor of you, assuming my little ponies are amenable."
"What is that?" asked Angel.
"Let my ponies go with you."
"What? Why?" asked Twilight.
"You've learned so much of Equestrian magic. Would you like to learn magic from a different world?"
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flanked Solomon. Rainbow Dash said, "We got your back."
Fluttershy added, "Same friends, a different world."
With pleading eyes, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie looked at Angel.
"It would be my pleasure," said Angel
Earth
While not lovely, the haunted forest was dark and deep. While not of this world, the horridly asymmetric shadow that flitted about was not out of place. With a touch here and a nudge there, a path formed. Only the deepest lore student would have recognized the shade of a draconequus as it shaped destiny.
The makeshift portal chamber in Canterlot Castle was abuzz with excitement as the fillies grilled their transfigured friends about the alien world from which the three had come. Celestia smiled as all thoughts about the Grand Galloping Gala had been swept away by the spirit of adventure. She projected a subtle golden aura as her magic kept the former humans from being overwhelmed by the fillies' enthusiasm. Once the questions had slowed to a trickle, Aetherdal took charge.
"Listen, everypony! I know you're all excited about the trip, but we have to treat this as an expedition."
Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Give me a jacket and a pith helmet. If Daring Do can do it, so can I."
Frowning, Aetherdal replied, "This is real life. If you mess this up, at best, you'd be miserable."
"I can rough it," replied Rainbow.
With concern, Solomon said, "At worst, we'd all be dead."
Aetherdal walked to the chalkboard and started writing. "This column lists the supplies and equipment we need." He walked to the other edge of the board and continued. "This column has the personal items you should bring."
Angel walked to the board. "That's fine for the muggle part of things, but we want to enter the wizarding world." With that, she started the third column.
Twilight carefully scrutinized Angel's work. "I understand most of the things for practical magic, but what is a piece of magical power?"
Solomon groaned. "You're doing it again, Angel." Turning to the fillies, he said, "What she really means is a focus or a channel for magic. We're all magical beings, so long hair or a feather would work. In my world, if you match the right wood with the right focus, you can bring out a witch's or wizard's full magical potential."
Applejack said, "That's all fine an' dandy, but where are we gonna get all this stuff? You said we had to leave soon, and all Ah have is what Ah packed."
"She's right, darling," said Rarity. "All the store are closed for the . . . . Oh, my word! The Grand Galloping Gala! We're missing the Grand Galloping Gala!"
Timidly, Fluttershy said, "Um, Rarity, there's always next year."
"Yepperooni!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie. "This is going to be the best trip ever, right, guys?"
Twilight deadpanned, "The colts have left the room." Her statement was punctuated by the sound of the latch clicking shut.
Smiling, Celestia said, "Go pack your things. I'll have the royal quartermaster supply everything else.
A unicorn father opened the door to the modest townhouse. Fanfare from two trumpets caught him in the ears as the heralds played. A black-maned unicorn mare said, "That's enough!" The heralds looked at her and pouted. She rolled her eyes at them before reading from a scroll. "Nightlight and Twilight Velvet, I am Princess Celestia's representative, Raven Inkwell. You are hereby summoned to an audience with Princess Celestia."
A unicorn mare came to the door. "Who is it, dear?"
The stallion turned to the tapping on his shoulder. "WHAT DID YOU SAY? I CAN'T HEAR YOU."
Raven said, "Are you Twilight Velvet?" The other mare nodded. Raven continued, "You and Nightlight have been summoned to an audience with Princess Celestia."
"Oh, my!" exclaimed Twilight. "When are we supposed to see her."
"Now." With that, the heralds hustled the two to a waiting carriage.
Nightlight and Twilight Velvet entered the makeshift portal chamber. They frowned when they saw their daughter chatting excitedly with two colts and several fillies. They could see the stack of transit cases next to the children. Reflexively, they knelt when they saw Princess Celestia.
The princess smiled. "Please rise. Tell me, did Raven brief you on the situation?"
"She did," replied the elder Twilight. "What did she mean by another world? Aren't you even the least bit concerned about them sending them into the unknown by themselves?"
"It's hardly unknown," replied the princess. "We have experienced guides for their chaperones. It will be just like boarding school."
Nightlight said, "I understand how much it means for Equestria to access a new type of magic, magic that anypony can do, but they are our children. If they're in a different world, how will they be able to communicate with them? From what Raven told us, where they're going, we cannot follow."
Celestia handed the pair a stack of books. Each had a different cutie mark emblazoned on the cover. She said, "These are linked journals. Whatever is entered in one appears in the other "
The book with stars on the cover buzzed. The elder Twilight opened it and read. "Hi, Mom!" She then looked over and found her daughter waving at her. The mare turned back to Celestia. "I still don't like it. This could be the last time we see our daughter. How can you expect us to risk our own flesh and blood?
A fireball announced the arrival of a large red bird. Celestia said, "I have someone dear to me who will watch over them. Philomena?" The phoenix nodded. "You understand that you are to protect all these colts and fillies." The bird nodded. Turning to the parents, Celestia said, "Philomena will teleport everyone back here if they get into trouble."
The parents sighed. Nightlight said, "Are you girls sure you want to do this?" The response was overwhelming.
The elder Twilight said, "I guess that's settled."
Smiling, Celestia said, "I'm glad you agree. I hereby appoint you as my liaisons to notify the other parents.
Aetherdal carefully aligned the crystals that had been set at strategic locations on the portal's frame. As moonlight streamed through from a light pipe, the array came to life. Instead of a wall, a cabin in a forest clearing appeared in the portal.
Solomon exclaimed, "That's my old man cave! We're in the right spot."
Aetherdal said, "I'll go first." He pushed through three of the cases before following them into the forest a. He then stuck his head back through the portal and said, "Come on through! Everything's fine if a bit drafty." After he moved back into the forest, the rest of the children followed as they turned to wave to the adults. They could see the adults wave back before the portal shrank down before disappearing completely.
Rainbow Dash said, "What gives? I thought we were going to a big city."
Solomon replied, "You need time to get acclimated. We thought it'd be best if you got used to being human before we saw other people.
Twilight said, "Why do I feel so cold?"
Angel replied, "We're all human now. Let me explain what that entails."
While Angel briefed the fillies, Solomon led Aetherdal to the cabin. With Angel's makeshift wand, he said, "Accio pants." He handed the pair of dungarees that appeared to Aetherdal before repeating the spell. As he put on his purloined clothing, Solomon said, "It's not my size, but I was feeling a bit too cheeky."
"How did you end up with this place?" asked Aetherdal.
Solomon replied, "I used to make a living catching magical beasts on commission."
"I thought you were a barista."
"That was my day job. This was where the real money came from."
Aetherdal grabbed the wand. "Accio shoes." A pair of old flip-flops appeared.
Solomon snatched the wand back. "Watch a master. Accio shoes." This time, a pair of hiking boots appeared.
A roar caught their attention. The girls looked irate. Aetherdal asked, "Run?"
Solomon replied, "Run!"
The two bolted into the cabin and barricaded the door. As they braced against repeated blows, Aetherdal said, "What is going on!"
From outside the cabin, Angel replied, "Give me the wand, and I'll explain."
Solomon shrugged and slid the wand under the door.
Several spells later, the girls calmed down. Angel said, "It's safe to come out now."
Cautiously, Aetherdal opened the door. Rainbow Dash forced her way in, closely followed by Fluttershy. The rest of the girls entered at a more leisurely pace. As the two mobbed Solomon, Aetherdal asked, "What happened?"
Angel replied, "I might have explained the concept of modesty."
With tears in her eyes, Twilight walked up to Aetherdal and said, "Do I really mean that little to you?"
Horrified, Aetherdal replied, "You mean everything to me."
"Then why did you have all of us come through like that? Angel said that was only if you wanted . . . "
Aetherdal replied, "They didn't have human clothing. This was the best we could do. Do you forgive me?"
Twilight dried her eyes. "It's not your fault."
Meanwhile, Solomon disentangled himself. "You two are special to me, but it's too soon for that. Besides, we have to make dinner."
Aetherdal replied, "You mean I have to make dinner. I've seen you burn water. What do we have to eat?"
"I should still have pork chops and cabbage in the larder. The preservation spells should have kept them fresh."
Fluttershy asked, "What are pork chops?"
"They're pieces from a pig."
While the girl turned green, Angel said, "There's something distinctly not kosher about that."
Aetherdal's culinary mastery, when combined with new-found human sensibilities, quickly persuaded all of the former ponies, except for Fluttershy, to try the meat. She steadfastly stayed with cabbage while the others unleashed their inner carnivores.
After a hearty dinner, the others went to bed. It had been an extremely long day. Aetherdal and Solomon stayed up to clean. Solomon said, "We really should join them. They have a hard day of training ahead of them."
"What kind of training do you mean? We only have one wand."
"For starters, they need to learn to read English. I'll train them while you and Angel go into town for supplies and provisions."
Aetherdal yawned. "I hope Angel cast the expansion spell. I hate to say this, but your cabin is a bit small for all of us."
The two walked to the first bedroom door and opened it. There, they found Fluttershy sleeping on the bed accompanied by woodland creatures.
Aetherdal said, "Should I be more worried about seven little guys or a poisoned apple?"
A preternaturally beautiful face scowled as she observed the bedroom through a scrying mirror. Turning away, she snarled, "Huntsman! Bring me their hearts!"
The darkness courting through her veins was the price of the power she desperately craved. Much as she despised the darkness and what it had forced her to become, she could not satisfy her craving for it. She had tried everything else she could imagine, but it was the only thing that had shown any promise of locating the friend who had been so cruelly stolen. The power of the dark magic had allowed her to crush those who sought to disrupt her search. The power of the dark magic had led her from one clue to the next, finally taking her to Delphi, where it dragged out the goddess behind the oracle and compelled her to disclose the key to the quest.
The exchange had been enlightening, but less that fruitful. The ritual prescribed called for reagents that were beyond the realm of man. The ritual called for power unfathomable. The ritual called for the stuff of myths and legends. Her heart quickened as she again called on her dark powers to search for the impossible. What she saw nearly blinded her. Nine souls burst into her perception; the power of their magic blazed with the intensity of the sun. They were not alone. They were accompanied by two beasts straight out of fairy tales.
Abruptly, she shut down her search. When she finally blinked the spots from her eyes, she walked over to a cabinet and withdrew a bugle made from a giant ram’s horn. Putting it to her lips, she thrice sounded a trilling call.
A cloaked figure reeking of iron and fewmets materialized in from of her. In an eerie baritone, it said, “You called, madame?”
She responded, “I have a new assignment for you, huntsman.” In a thrice, she shared what her magic sight had revealed.
The huntsman replied, “Very good, madam. May I abandon my previous quest?”
She glared. “No! I refuse to believe that you cannot find three wise men and a virgin in Washington, D.C.!”
Icy winds nipped at the exposed face of the man who trudged past the bare trees. The cabin that he approached was deep in the wilderness, hidden from all without the gift of magic. No roads scarred its rugged terrain; it would take a day’s ride on horseback to get there from the nearest hint of civilization. It was exactly what Solomon wanted for his hunts.
What was nigh impossible for the mundane was routine for the magical. Portkeys allowed for instant access, and the man wore two as pendants around his neck. The one he’d just used brought him to a clearing near the cabin. The second had initiated his first foray in the New World.
His arrival in Salem’s historic town square did not go unnoticed. However, his was apparently not the first spontaneous appearance in that location. The tourists had besieged him with questions before one of the workers had rescued him. She was a witch playing a witch for the crowd, and she had taken him to the lunch room where they could talk in private.
For the price of a crouqe madame worthy of Marie Antionette, Aetherdal, received passage to the local magical community. From there, he found someone who knew someone who knew someone who was willing to let him pawn a flawless quarter-caret princess cut diamond for a quarter of its retail value. That allowed him to fund a bus ride to the big box blue shrine to the man from Arkansas. In the large duffel bags he now carried, he had provisions, equipment and clothing. In the small of his back, he again carried a small holster, but this time, he had the more modern Model 442.
He knocked thrice, varying the interval between knocks. Abruptly, the door opened, and several small hands grabbed him and pulled him inside. The door quickly shut behind him.
Eight adolescents regarded him eagerly. As he set down the duffel bags, he said, “I know you’re hungry, but dinner is going to take about two hours.”
“Two hours?” whined Rainbow Dash. The remaining sextet of girls echoed her sentiments.
Aetherdal replied, “Stewing takes time. However, we might be able to speed things up if someone can prepare the vegetables while I start on the meat.”
Twilight said, “I can do that. I mean, you did teach me everything I know about cooking. How hard can it be as a human?”
Aetherdal sighed. “It takes a bit of getting used to. Don’t worry about making things pretty; just make sure everything is bite-sized. Don’t forget to wash everything; the trimmings are going to be used to make stock.”
Twilight reached for her wand. Aetherdal said, “Ah, ah, no cheating.”
Twilight groaned. “Fine.”
Aetherdal picked up a boning knife. Smirking, Twilight said, “Ah, ah, no cheating. You need to practice your magic.
Aetherdal groaned. “Fine.”
Rarity picked up a saucepan. “I’ll start the water.”
Twilight took on her task with the full vigor of youth, as well as the consistency of inexperience. The resulting pieces varied in size from that of a pea to that of a golf ball. At the same time, Aetherdal used his wand to manipulate his knife as he set to work with an untrimmed tri-tip. DClumsily, he removed the excess fat and trimmed away the silver skin. Next, he cut two pounds of randomly-sized cubes before dredging them in seasoned flour.
He handed the knife to Rarity, asking her to clean it. Next, he set a dutch oven on the stove and set it to warm with some of the beef fat inside. At the same time, he heated a cast iron skillet.
Twilight said, “I think a got the hang of this; all the vegetables are done. What next?”
“The onions, carrots, and celery need to be sweated in the rendered beef fat. That will make our mirepoix base. Be careful not to brown them.”
While Twilight followed his directions, Atherdal browned the meat in the skillet, using a bit of olive oil. He placed the browned meat in a bowl before snatching a bottle of bordeaux from Angel.
“Hey!” she snarled as he deglazed the pan.
Smirking, Aetherdal replied, “You should know better than to drink on an empty stomach.”
Looking over to Twilight, he said, “Let’s have you make the roux; you’ll need a half cup of flour to go with that stick of butter. I’ll take over on the pot.”
Twilight mixed the two ingredients and stirred them over moderate heat. Aetherdal said, “Be sure to stop when it’s nutty brown.”
Meanwhile, the chef added the meat to the vegetables and poured in the boiling stock through a strainer. He added an assortment of herbs before putting the lid onto the pot. He said, “And now for the magic.” Interest piqued as an enticing aroma filled the room.
Angel went to grab the wine, but Aetherdal held it out of reach. He said, “Not until dinner time.”
Angel jumped, but was unable to reach. She snarled, “Hey, how in Merlin did you get taller than me?”
Shrugging, Aetherdal replied, “It’s magic. I guess whatever hits the fan doesn’t get spread evenly. I guess that makes me the adult in the room.” Condescendingly, he patted Angel on the head. “There was a little girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very, very good.”
Angel kicked him in the shin. “And when she was bad, she was horrid.” She retrieved the bottle and drank deeply as Aetherdal tended to his injured leg.
The others looked at the mirror in the room. Fluttershy squeaked, “My, we’re all so little.” The other girls similarly expressed their dismay.”
Angel said, “He must know the secret! Get ‘im, girls!”
Solomon stepped outside the menacing mob. He said, “You sure have a way with women, Aetherdal.”
In pain, Aetherdal replied, “It’s all in the wrist.” Gesturing, he said, “Accio cake.”
Angel said, “Nice, try, Aetherdal.”
Pinkie stopped suddenly. Her straight hair suddenly puffed up in curls. “Do I smell chocolate?” With a manic smile, she turned to the scent, only to find a large layer cake in front of Solomon and a fork in the youth’s hand. She sidled next to him. “You weren’t going to eat that all by yourself, were you?”
With incredible speed, Solomon dropped the fork and set the cake down on the floor. He then slowly backed away, desperately trying to look uninteresting. The girls descended on the offering.
While the girls were distracted, Solomon made his way to Aetherdal. “You’re going to pay for that.”
With a flick of his wrist, Aetherdal summoned a pumpkin pie from a duffel bag. “Will this serve as a down payment?” Mollified, Solomon started on his dessert.
After giving everyone a chance to eat, Aetherdal put his fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply. “Listen, everyone! We need to move before tomorrow. I found us a better place.”
A collective groan rose from the room. They’d have to deal with the drudgery of cleaning and packing.
