“Thanks to Mischief, Blaze, and the twins, we had enough wood to reconstruct ten houses!” Cauldron finished explaining at the dinner table.
Roller rubbed his hoof against his chest and gloated, “Yep. I never leave my friends or anypony else hanging.”
Skater said as she rubbed her chin, “Still, those Shadowbolts seem pretty sketchy. Why would they try to recruit you if you’ve never even heard of them?”
Her twin said, “I know….” He then smirked, “…but you’re glad I didn’t accept their offer, right?”
Cauldron praised, “That is true loyalty right there. You know, the only loyalty I ever see is when ponies are loyal to money. I mean, what kind of loyalty is that?”
Mischief cast an aside questioning glance that suggested that she was loyal to money as well.
Flurry smiled, “I’m glad Mischief and the others showed heroism today.”
Cauldron agreed, “Yes. If they didn’t help out with the fire and the wood, half of Hollow Shades would’ve burnt down to the ground and a ton of ponies would’ve been homeless for quite a while. Come to think of it, some are homeless, but it’s a few compared to how many others would’ve been, too.”
Apple Butter asked, “But who would do such a thing?”
“Hollow Shades is a hiding place for crooks, fugitives, and others who want to escape their lots in life. Believe me, there’s been arson before, but not as bad as this.”
Flurry shamefully said, “I think it’s because of me. Bad things are only happening in Hollow Shades because I’m here.”
Nova said, “But it’s not your fault. You didn’t steal the food or start the fire.”
Blaze agreed, “She’s right. It means someone’s after you.”
“It can’t possibly be Skyla, can it? She’s stuck on the moon.”
Flurry said as she looked out a window at the moon and the four stars now seemingly inches closer to it, “And she’s going to be free very soon.”
Mischief remembered that Flurry was a princess and everypony had to protect her. Even if he might never have a chance to be with her, the least he could do was keep her from harm.
He suggested, “I’ll take a scouting party to search the forest and Hollow Shades for suspicious characters tomorrow. We’ll look for any signs of trouble or danger before it comes to hurt Flurry.”
Cauldron asked, “But who will be keeping Flurry company?” She was hoping against hope that Mischief might change his mind and stay with Flurry so their relationship can grow.
Her adopted son answered, “Blaze can.”
Blaze was surprised to hear that. He didn’t want to be separated from Nova again, not since they had something growing between them.
The unicorn then suggested, “Maybe I should go with you and Nova can stay behind.”
Nova was offended and asked, “Why? You don’t think I can handle myself out there?”
Before Blaze can say anything, Mischief explained, “I’ve seen how strong your magic is, Blaze. If anyone can protect Flurry from harm, it’s you.”
Mischief was about to leave the table when Flurry started, “Mischief…”
Their longing eyes met each other for a few moments. Flurry saw in his entrancing green eyes that something wasn’t right. Mischief tried to resist her dazzling blue eyes so he wouldn’t grow fonder of her, but he couldn’t. When he looked at them, he felt like he was looking at a normal pony, not a princess. No. He had to remember that someone of her rank would never marry a lowly creature such as him.
Flurry then said, “I hope you’ll be safe out there tomorrow.”
Mischief tried to exude a confident air as he said, “Of course I’ll be. I know that forest like the back of my hoof. Don’t worry about me.” When he climbed the stairs and was out of sight, his ears drooped and his head hung low as he thought, Please, don’t.
When Cauldron Bubbles was getting ready to leave for work the next morning, Mischief, the twins, Apple Butter, and Nova Rose began preparing for their extensive search around the forest and the town. No matter how much his heart ached, Mischief decided it was for the best to keep his distance from Flurry Heart so he would get used to not being with her. He couldn’t be with her. He just couldn’t.
Blaze wished he could take back the words he said at the dinner table last night. Everything went so well for him and Nova until he ruined it…again. Nova thought that Blaze had changed, that he was a better stallion. But no, she was wrong, like how she was wrong about her mother. Was there anypony who just showed their true colors and not mask it?
Flurry didn’t understand why Mischief was acting the way he did. Maybe he was realizing the severity of Flurry’s actions and decided not to be her friend anymore. Maybe he thought that she was nothing more than a wrecker of everything. Well, if that was the case, then she definitely wrecked her friendship and possibly her future with him.
As Cauldron and the scouting party left the house, Mischief dared to look behind him. There was Flurry, standing by a window with worry and sadness etched across her face. Mischief hated seeing her like that, but he couldn’t betray his emotions.
He looked towards the forest and thought to himself, You’re just protecting the princess. You’re just protecting the princess.
The scouting party then split up so the twins could search the west side of the forest, Nova and Apple Butter could search Hollow Shades, and Mischief could search the east side of the forest all by himself. After the ponies disappeared into the forest, Flurry sadly went back upstairs to her guest bedroom. Blaze just stood at the foot of the stairs before he went to find a book to occupy himself with. When he found a fairy tale book on the table, he opened it to an illustration of a noble knight protecting his lady fair from a ferocious dragon. He wanted that kind of thing for him and Nova, but he knew it would never happen. His happiness was gone because Nova took it with her. He just wanted to lock himself up in his bedroom tower and never come out.
He sang sadly, “I was the one who had it all…I was the master of my fate…I never needed anybody in my life…I learned the truth too late…”
Meanwhile, Mischief sat at the edge of the pond where he and Flurry had their wonderful evening. He couldn’t help but be saddened that he’ll never have more with her than he had now. He sang, “I’ll never shake away the pain…I close my eyes, but she’s still there…” Just like that, an apparition of Flurry appeared at the opposite edge of the pond. She floated over the water as he sang, “I let her steal into my melancholy heart…” The apparition then streamed into his heart via a wisp of whitish air. He sang as he held his heart, “It’s more than I can bear…”
In their separate places, both colts sang, “Now I know she’ll never leave me…even when she’s far away…”
Blaze sang, “She will still torment me…”
Mischief sang, “Calm me…”
“Hurt me…”
“Move me…”
They both sang, “Come what may…”
Blaze sang, “Wasting in my lonely tower…”
Mischief sang, “Waiting by an open door…”
They both sang in their separate places, “I’ll fool myself she’ll walk right in…and be with me for evermore…”
Mischief stomped his hoof as he sang, “I rage against the trials of love…”
Blaze sang as he shook his hoof at the sky outside the window, “I curse the fading of the light…”
“Though she’s already flown so far beyond her home…”
“She’s never out of sight…”
They both sang, “Now I know she’ll never leave me…even as she’ll fade from view…She will still inspire me…be a part of everything I do…”
Blaze sang, “Wasting in my lonely tower…”
Mischief sang, “Waiting by an open door…”
They both finished in their separate places, “I’ll fool myself she’ll walk right in…And as the long, long nights begin…I’ll think of all that might have been…waiting here for evermore…”
Nighttime soon came and the blemished moon rose with the stars so precariously close to it. Flurry closed the curtains in her room for two reasons: she didn’t want to be reminded of her misery, and Nightmare Sky wouldn’t find her here. Besides, Mischief would want her to be safe. But what about him? What if he somehow got captured and couldn’t get help? She fought against her will to keep the curtains closed and opened them again anyway. That’s when she saw a cloaked pony weakly emerging from the forest.
Downstairs, Blaze heard a frail voice calling out, “Help. I’m in need of help.”
He rushed outside to find an olden pony barely walking to the house. She was wearing a worn-out cloak and four rusty horseshoes on her hooves.
Blaze asked in concern, “Are you okay?”
She panted as she fell onto the ground, “The town…The town…is in serious danger. Please…help them…”
Blaze gasped, “Nova!” He rushed right into the forest without another word.
Just then, Flurry came out of the house and asked the olden pony, “Are you all right? Where’s Blaze?”
The wrinkled mare said, “Your friend? He went to get help. Er, would you mind taking off my rusty horseshoes? I’m so tired from walking in them all the way here.”
“Oh, sure.”
After Flurry took off the metal horseshoes, the olden pony sighed in relief, “Thank you, kind filly. And because you’ve been so good to poor old Granny, I’ll share a secret with you.” She reached into her cloak and pulled out a basket of apples. “These are no ordinary apples. These are magic wishing apples.”
Flurry asked, “Wishing apples?”
“Yes. One bite and all your dreams will come true.”
“Really?”
“Yes, filly. Now, make a wish and take a bite.” When Flurry seemed hesitant, the olden pony enticed, “Surely there must be something your little heart desires. Perhaps there’s someone you love.”
That got Flurry thinking. There was Mischief, but she didn’t want her wish to make him love her. Her mother taught her that love was only real if two ponies cared about each other. If Flurry wished that Mischief would love her, it wouldn’t be real love at all. Then, there was Skyla. Oh, how she desperately wanted her sister to be loving and not evil again. What if the antidote didn’t work? Perhaps this way, she can wish for Skyla to return to normal so they could mend their bond.
Flurry said, “Well, there is someone.”
The olden pony chortled, “I thought so. I thought so! Heh-heh! Old Granny knows a filly’s heart. Now, take the apple, dearie, and make a wish.”
When Flurry took the apple, she asked, “Is it okay if I just whisper my wish?”
The old mare smiled, “Whatever you want, whatever you want! Just make your wish.”
Meanwhile, Blaze panted as he approached Hollow Shades. He saw all of the ponies in the scouting party near Cauldron Bubbles’ shop and ran up to them.
He exclaimed, “Guys! Is everything okay?”
Nova asked in confusion, “Blaze? What are you doing here?”
Mischief asked in rising anger, “And why aren’t you with Flurry?”
Blaze panted, “I heard…there was trouble in…Hollow Shades…An olden pony…told me so.”
Apple Butter shook her head, “There’s no trouble in Hollow Shades.”
Blaze breathed with wide eyes, “But that means…”
Mischief looked shocked as well, “It was a trick. Flurry’s in danger!”
He was the first to dash off towards the forest and Cauldron and the others followed suit. They raced through the woods like there was no tomorrow, hoping it wasn’t too late. Suddenly, they heard an unfamiliar sound echoing through the trees. It sounded like…cackling. By the time they reached the other side of the forest, they gasped and skidded to a stop. An old cloaked mare cackled madly in triumph as Flurry lied on the ground with a bitten apple next to her.