//------------------------------//
// Act I Chapter IV 
// Story: The Forlorn Moon 
// by Doctor Blizzard 
//------------------------------//

Every time Cloud Strider roused himself from his slumber, he had to convince himself that reality was ever present. And every time he awoke, he stared up at the tapering ceiling with silence all around. He did not want to believe he was sleeping in a giant bed inside of an even bigger castle. He even tried tricking himself into thinking that everything was just a big dream planted firmly in his mind. Exonerated from his functions, Cloud laid in his bed without a purpose. Even if for only a few passing minutes to himself.

'Ech,' he looked outside through the looming balcony door.

"Rise and shine, idiot..." Cloud Strider slowly rolled out of bed and stretched. Getting from his bed and to the bathroom already became routine once he forced himself awake every day. His hoof scraped down his face as he wiped his eyes to see the toilet bowl and relieved himself.

"Eh-mmh." He glanced in the mirror and finished his business in the bathroom.

"I can trim later." Cloud paced out and towards the room door, knowing Twilight was already up and ready for the day. He glanced down at his hooves and noticed there was an envelope with a wax seal stamped onto it.

"Huh?" Cloud Strider picked up the letter quietly and looked around his bedroom.

"How didn't I notice these?" His eyes led him to an elegantly wrapped box nestled up against his nightstand as well. The letter seemed more important to him as the words "To Cloud" were beautifully written on the front.


Dear Cloud Strider,

How are you doing in Ponyville with Princess Twilight? I can only hope you have found time to relax and reflect upon your experiences, perhaps making a few new ones as well. Princess Twilight has kept my sister up to date every day by simply writing letters of you. My dear sister tells me what an interesting stallion you are and wishes to know more about you. Well, Princess Twilight's words, not Celestia's—but she is interested, if not more so. As for me, I am deep in study and I believe I am on the precipice of a discovery. A discovery that will determine what your path to being whole will be. It has also come to my attention that you have been remote and not exactly living up to Princess Twilight's standards. I understand this must be overwhelming for you, but try to talk to her about it. You are a foreigner to Equestria and it may be hard for Princess Twilight to see that, but consider the possibility. I must also confess my sincerities to how I treated you when we met. My standards sank once I came into contact with Nightmare Moon and I'm sure you know why. And before I forget, enclosed in the box is something that Celestia wrapped up for you. May it bring you good fortune, Cloud Strider.




With anticipation,
Princess Luna


Luna was not wrong.

"Well, I guess she's not a big fan of me snoopin' around the castle. Twilight really wasn't happy when I went in her room and rifled through everything. I didn't know it was hers for fuck sake, geez!" Cloud Strider had a laugh at himself. He folded the letter up and tossed it onto the nightstand. The letter was aesthetically pleasing, coupled with the dignified writing; something he wanted to keep.

'Wonder what's inside?' He sat down and tore apart the wrapping paper. The one thing that made him wonder was why the box was wrapped up nicely too. 

"Hmm," his hooves lifted the flaps and he peered inside. "Woah..."

Cloud Strider pulled up a new set of saddlebags and a sword harness. They looked so new and unused, as if fresh from the artisan who created the equipment. He noticed there was a note at the bottom of the box.

'Synthetic leather traveling gear.' The note read. He turned it around and read the back.

'I noticed your bags were pretty well roached. Equestria has difficult views on the use of animal products and leather is considered a taboo in this country. They are yours to do with as you please, Cloud. We shall keep in touch.

—Princess Celestia'

"Damn, I must be pretty popular. Everyone's writing to me." Cloud Strider inspected the dyed leather and how it almost matched his coat. Metal buckles and loops attached to the saddlebags shone brightly in his eyes. The stitching was uniform and contrasted well with its white hue against the dark.

'I'll break 'em in later.' He set his present aside and trotted to the door, grabbing the finely written letter with him. The door closed fluidly behind him once he stepped out, hearing the echo bound across walls. He was accustomed to the silence and how it made him feel solitary. Twilight Sparkle tried to keep him updated, but she knew that word would travel fast across the land. He was forced into hiding; cloistered from the outside for the time being.

"Glad they don't know where I am..." He said. Cloud continued to trot along, not knowing where Twilight or Spike was in the castle. The foyer crested in front of him and the instant aroma of baked goods wafted through his muzzle. He changed his course and headed for the dining room. Long beams of sunlight cut through the halls, the windows without a scratch on them. Cloud could hear the unmistakable chatter of ponies fill the cool air.

"Definitely got company," Cloud twisted his head to the left and peeked into the room. A crystal table lined all of Twilight's friends and plates of food for anyone to dig in. Twilight ate peacefully and Spike waltzed in with a large platter of pancakes from the kitchen. He quickly noticed a new face suited with crown and adoration as he slowly stepped in. Twilight looked up and leaned forward, causing a stir in the room.

"Good Morning, Cloud. You hungry?" Twilight studied his frown but thought nothing of it. She knew his emotionless face was quite normal for him. Everyone looked at Cloud and put him on the spot, but he was more enthralled by the soft pink mare with a certain smile on her face.

"Uh... Yeah." Cloud Strider said.

"Sit down where ever you'd like." Twilight replied, "we need someone like you to eat all this food."

"Heh, thanks." He figured his sure-fire bet was with Rainbow Dash and sat next to her. A plate settled in front of him with pancakes and assorted fruits, it all looked delicious to him. He tipped his head to Twilight.

"Here." Rainbow Dash slid the pitcher of orange juice and a cup to him.

"Aye, thanks." Cloud poured himself a tall glass and dug into his pancakes methodically. Rainbow looked at him, as did everyone else still. He figured something was not right.

"Somethin' wrong?"

"No, Cloud." Twilight Sparkle signaled most of her friends to stop staring. "Cloud, I'd like for you to meet Princess Cadance. She's my sister-in-law."

Princess Cadance bowed her head with her gracious smile from before.

"It's so nice to meet you, Cloud Strider... That's correct, right?"

"Yeah, call me Cloud."

"A-And you can call me Cadance. Twilight and the princesses told me that you were defiant about calling ponies by title, but I won't mind. Even though it seems a bit rude, I'm not one for being treated with a higher respect than others." Cadance gave her full attention and nodded her head.

"Well-eh, thanks, Cadance. I assume you've been told a lot more than that though." He said as he drank his orange juice.

"Like you wouldn't believe. All these rumors going around about you being Nightmare Moon and whether ponies give you credence to the stories. I'm shocked that it's only been, what, five days? It's a good thing that ponies don't know exactly what you look like, so we think you're safe as of right now." Cadance swabbed a forkful of pancake into some maple syrup.

"So long as you don't do anything that will catch the attention of ponies," Twilight said.

"Yes, Twilight filled me in on a lot of who you are. At least, as much as she could squeeze out of you." Cadance laughed.

"Oh, haha..." Cloud rolled his eyes with a smirk, "just about every day."

"Well, speakin' of which. Tell us more about yourself, idiot." Rainbow Dash said.

"Rainbow Dash," Cadance looked at her.

"Nah, don't worry about it, that's just the nickname she gave me. I wish it was more clever though." Cloud Strider glanced at Rainbow Dash.

"Alright, I'll think of something "clever". Just you wait."

"Counting on it," Cloud said.

"But, could you please tell us?" Twilight tilted her head.

"Yeah, but I have a question."

"What might that be?"

"Why are you here, Cadance?" Cloud Strider watched her smile fade.

"Ah, well. I'm not sure if you know, but I wanted to come and apologize personally to you all for Shining Armor's mistake. I'm his wife and Shining is Twilight's big brother. So, I came here to try and clear things up." Cadance stated formally.

"Yeah, he's pretty lucky he didn't hurt anyone..." Cloud replied.

"I know, and I just feel awful about it. Even I can't help getting mad at him for that..." She furrowed her plucked eyebrows, "it will not happen again."

Cloud drank the last of his juice and blankly stared at the half-full plate in front of him.

"He's being punished I hope. I don't fuckin' tolerate criminals or mutiny, contrary to what you might think of me."

"Cloud! Language please." Twilight pointed to Spike who stared back at Cloud.

"Yes, Cloud. He's on home arrest for a month and he has to take a few training courses on subservience. After that, I'm going to force him to personally apologize to everyone involved." Princess Cadance listed off Shining Armor's punishments on behalf of his absence. Cloud nodded and noticed Rainbow Dash wearing the necklace.

"Alright, enough of this aggravating topic. Cloud, you promised to tell us more about yourself." Twilight said.

"I did, yeah. What do you wanna' know?" He prepared himself for an intense line of questioning as everyone began to look at him.

"Well, um. You said you're from Norway, but where did you live uh-exactly in Norway?" Fluttershy spoke among her group.

"In a village called Auvåg. Sorta' near the coast and on a flat plain of grasslands and forests. There were fjords everywhere and the mountains at our backs."

"How many ponies live there?" Spike asked.

"About 200 or so, everyone knew each other there. So if one pony had a problem, everyone had their back. Doesn't seem to be the case around here in this country."

"Give it some time, Cloud. All this just needs to blow over." Twilight said.

"I have a question. What did ya' do in Norway that made ya' come to Equestria?"

"Applejack, quit that." Twilight Sparkle kept the peace, "he came here to get help."

"Yeah..."

"Oh! What did ya' really do in Norway? Like, did you have a job or somethin'?" Rainbow Dash blurted just after finishing her stack of pancakes.

"Also, do you have anything in mind for a job or hobby around here?" Twilight added.

"One question at a time you two." Cadance put her hoof on Twilight's back, she being to the closest to her. Cloud Strider looked up at everyone and began to lean back in his chair.

"Doesn' even look like he's lifted ah hoof in his life." Applejack inwardly chuckled.

"In the long winters, I'd be on weather patrol. In the summer, I'd also work as a blacksmith's apprentice. You know, as much as I love smithing and learnin' what it has to offer, I can't tolerate heat worth a-uh, crap. Bein' around a white-hot forge all day is awful. You're angry, tired, covered in soot from head to hoof, it's great." Cloud filled his glass with more orange juice.

"Also, Luna and Celestia sent me some things." Cloud swiped the letter to Twilight. She picked it up and began reading.

"Weather patrol, eh?" Rainbow raised her eyebrows and simpered, "I'm the captain of the weather patrol around here."

"Really? Well, judging by the way you move, you must be really good at it, Rainbow."

"And how do ya' know that? Whata' you two been doin' together?!" Applejack crossed her hooves.

"'Cause I'm faster than him and more agile? Calm down, Applejack. Hehe, what were you really thinkin' over there, hmm?" Rainbow Dash glanced at Applejack wantonly. Applejack sat back in her chair, tongue in her cheek.

"Alright foals, that is quite enough. I'm trying to act polite for the scenario, but it's rather annoying." Rarity said. "And quite frankly, I'm surprised that Pinkie Pie hasn't done anything since we've arrived."

"Oh well, I just got a big appetite is all!" Pinkie Pie inhaled all of the food on her plate and the plate itself. "How else do you think I keep up all my energy?"

"What? I'm only the fastest pony in Equestria, don't ya' know?" Rainbow Dash stoked the coals a little more.

"Yes, Rainbow... You're the fastest pony in Equestria. I know; we all know. Well, except for Cloud because he hasn't been around long enough." 

"Wow. Th-Princess Luna wrote this? And-and sent it to you?"

"Yeah? You look surprised?" Cloud Strider looked at Twilight. "Don't you get letters from them all the time?"

"She's never gotten a letter from her before. Uh, I think." Spike hopped up onto his small pedestal.

"Yeah, you should feel honored. She must've sent it without my understanding somehow. She may have given it to you while you were asleep." Twilight Sparkle carefully handed the letter back.

"Huh?"

"Princess Luna rules over the night and watches all who sleep. She probably read your dreams and delivered it personally." Princess Cadance said.

"Read my—is that why my dreams last night felt kinda' cozy, I guess?" Cloud folded the letter back up and tucked it under his wing.

"Hmm, possibly. But everyone experiences it differently. She makes sure that you have pleasant dreams when you rest deservingly. It's an elusive art that only she knows about."

"Ach, that gives me the creeps a little bit." He visually shuttered.

"Hehehe, I assure you she only has good intentions for it." Twilight mentioned, "what did she give you?"

"Well, I think Celestia gave me the present, but it doesn't really matter. She gave me some new saddlebags and a sword harness. Like, brand new too."

"That's great, Cloud." Cadance said.

"Looked like you needed it too. Those things were falling apart before." Twilight pulled over some pancakes for Spike to slaver over. She just laughed once he swallowed his food whole without even suffering any repercussions. Cloud Strider found the opportunity to eat the rest of his food and then some.

"How's that necklace treatin' you?" He looked over at Rainbow Dash who slowly realized he was talking.

"Oh, uh. Good." She looked down at her neck, "It's-ok, you know?"

"Take good care of it, yeah?" Cloud watched her nod.

"I will."

"Cloud Strider? You said you worked in weather patrols?" Cadance asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, Norway is farther north than most countries. Are the winters really dark or what?" She straightened her back and watched him.

Ye-Yeah. I didn't live that far up, but there was always a week or so that the sun would never rise. If you go further up north in the northern tip of Norway, you can experience the midnight sun and polar night. Seein' the sun in the dead of night is pretty cool if ya' ask me."

"I'd bet it is. I live north, but not far enough to see that certain phenomenon occur." Princess Cadance heard Twilight speak up.

"I don't mean to interrupt, Cloud. But have you thought about what you want to do here?" She said in hopes of receiving a clear, concise answer once again.

"Maybe we should wait until Luna has an answer, Twilight," Cadance affirmed.

"I know, I just want an idea is all."

"I could try to squeeze you into workin' with me." Rainbow Dash tapped her fork on her plate. "But I gotta' see what you can do first."

"Sounds fun, but I kinda' want to work on my blacksmithing ability. I've been wanting to make some things since I left home."

"Hmm." Twilight pursed her lips, "well, here's my concern. What Cadance said is true, we still don't know how long you'll be here. And how will you get the stuff and equipment to start doing those things?"

"I think joining the weather patrol is best, Cloud. It would not incur any risk or problems." Cadance declared.

"We'll see when Luna decides. Don't want to rush things along." Cloud Strider lowered his head slightly. Hearing everyone else share conversations in the background freely and without care.

"That's fair, but may we ask more questions?" Twilight asked.

"Hit me."

"Uh, Norse descendants. Are you from a family of Norseponies, Cloud?" Her quill and notepad came out of nowhere.

"What does "Norse" mean?" Spike blurted out.

"Yeah, you lost me there, Twilight." Rainbow Dash added. Cloud looked at them but did not mind. He knew they were eager to learn about him as a foreigner.

"A lot of ponies don't know." He said.

"Well, Norse is pretty much the language we use in Scandinavia, especially in Norway, obviously. So, yes, Twilight. My bloodline is full of Norseponies like most of the village I came from. They were Vikings from Iceland and migrated to Norway about a century or two ago."

"Amazing..." Twilight's mouth was agape, "Do you consider yourself one? A Viking?"

"Hard to say. We don't pirate like we used to back then or hold onto as many prolific beliefs because ponies change. It comes down to what you think and how you devote your life. There are-"

"Girls? Please. Could you at least listen?" Twilight's hoof rapped the table.

"Sure, silly." Pinkie said.

"I have been..." Rarity spoke up. "Please, continue oh barbarian."

"Stop that, Rarity." Twilight demanded.

"Like I said, There are times where I feel like I'm stayin' true to my roots, but I remember that there are some things that I do that go against it. But I don't want to go into that." Cloud said.

"That's ok," Cadance said.

"Also, that sword you have doesn't look like any sword I've seen. What is it?" Twilight asked.

"It's a Viking sword. It doesn't have a pronounced tip because it's typically used for slashin' due to its heavier weight, but it can still thrust effectively. It's not an Ulfberht, but it gets the job done."

"Ulfberht?" Twilight continued to write.

"They're these Viking swords with the name inlaid in the fuller. No one knows exactly who made them so they remain a mystery to this day. In fact, these things are so valuable and well-made that one intact could buy you a nice house and then some." Cloud Strider looked around at everyone in the circle. Twilight flicked her eyebrows.

"Wow, that's new."

"That much? R-Really? For a sword?" 

"Not kidding."

"Geez, that's an expensive sword!" Pinkie Pie let her jaw drop, netting a few laughs.

"Well, that gives me some more material to research. Thank you, Cloud." Twilight Sparkle made her notes disappear away to someplace else. She glanced up at the clock and nodded.

"Alright, well. Guess I'll make myself scarce. You all probably want some mare time or somethin'."

"W-Whoa, hey. Where do you think you're going, Cloud?" Twilight stood up.

"Uh-"

"You're coming with us to the spa, Bonehead... How's that one?" 

"Good one, Rainbow." Cloud stepped back into the dining room, "better than the last one at least."

"Also, what spa?"

"The spa in town. I figured that this would be a good time to test and see if ponies recognize you." Twilight helped Cadance gather the plates. 

"And what would I even do there?"

"Well, you could get that haircut for starters. It's a little long for a stallion." Rainbow Dash stood, as did everyone else before her.

"Oh c'mon, Cloud. It'll be fun." Cadance trotted to the kitchen, putting the dirty dishes in a sink. He knew she was poking fun but really wanted him to relax.

"Not like I have a choice. Never even been in a spa before." He immediately heard Rarity gasp. It was no surprise to him given the circumstances of how much she valued beauty. She whispered into Applejack's ear and they started laughing.

'Cowards...'

"Well, don't keep me waiting."

———

"Ugh..." Cloud Strider adjusted his eyes to the newfound brightness and unrelenting heat, "always so damn hot in Equestria?"

"Just a big heat wave." Rainbow Dash took flight and hovered above everyone, "believe me, I'm not a fan of it either."

"Alright, let's hurry, then. Twilight? Where's the spa in Ponyville?"

He watched Cadance slow down and let Twilight lead instead. The group seemed scattered around the path into town, something he did not expect. Cloud caught glimpses of Cadance and Twilight happily talking to each other. He knew the two mares had history but his knowledge remained inadequate. The way they spoke to one another, their giggly and modestly animated attitudes forced him to wonder what they had. He looked up at Rainbow, but her tail kept brushing against his muzzle.

"Hey," Rainbow Dash noticed Cloud Strider follow her example. "Glad to see someone actually using their wings 'round here..."

"Yeah-yeah, I'm just not as conditioned as you. Call me an egghead or whatever you want." Twilight simpered at Rainbow Dash.

"And you don't get out much, either."

"I know, Cloud. But I prefer to work on my studies. Mmm, I probably should work on my flying though... But, I hope this trip to the spa makes up for it." Twilight caressed her muzzle. She tried to treat Cloud respectfully when possible, her jokes and playful banter were put on hold mostly.

'I feel like he'd take a joke seriously, I just need to play it safe right now.'

"Yeah, me too, Twilight. Being in The Crystal Empire all day really makes you forget a lot of things."

"It'll be fun, Twilight! You need some well-deserved R&R for working so hard recently. I'm sure dealing with him is rather taxing."

"Well, Rarity. Other than a few mishaps, he's been very well-behaved, mind you." She covered her mouth and giggled.

"Heh, hehe. Sorry again 'bout that. I didn't know that was your room."

"Don't worry, no harm done. It was kinda' funny when I walked in."

"I like funny things." Pinkie Pie jumped in front of Twilight.

"Sorry, Pinkie. It's a secret."

The road before them soon widened, and the tromp of their hooves caused a stir amongst the ponies on the sun-parched dirt. Cloud Strider noticed that townsfolk gracefully bowing upon their hallowed grounds. Groups stopped and secretly spoke, some starred vehemently and could not break their gazes. Many had never seen Princess Cadance personally and in public.

"Alright, act like a princess..." Cadance and Twilight forced smiles on their muzzles and gentle waves back. Rainbow and Cloud landed next to them, he did not want to draw attention to himself either.

"Keep on marchin'." Rainbow fanned her wings one last time.

'No kiddin'. These ponies look so brainwashed.'

"Don't worry, the spa is just around this corner." Twilight glanced about and directed the party down another walkway on the right. She then trotted to the left, pointing to a one-story building with a wooden sign reading "Ponyville Day Spa" in calligraphic writing. After losing most of the attention, they entered the spa with a feeling of relief. The cool air and relaxing aromas surrounded their bodies effectively. The inside was surprisingly formal but had a few country accents that made the place cozy in the small town.

"What a relief," Cadance moved to the side and let everyone group in.

"Hello?" Twilight rang a bell on the receptionist's desk. No sooner a pony's hoofsteps were heard.

"I'm so sorry,  I had to check some-" The light brown mare immediately went wide-eyed.

"O—Oh! My apologies, Your Highnesses." She bowed deeply.

"Don't worry about it, you're fine." 

"Wh-What kind of treatment would you like today? Are you all together?" The mare asked.

"Yes, we are." Cadance looked over at Twilight's friends, receiving mixed emotions. But her smile remained most genuine nonetheless.

"Cloud? Do you want to get your haircut or not?"

"Yeah, but it's kind of specific."

"That's fine, just try to explain it as best as possible." Twilight acknowledged the receptionist once again. "I think I can speak for everyone here that we'd like the daily special. He'll need a haircut on top of that."

"Alright, 97 bits please."

"Oh shit, I forgot my bits, Twilight." Rainbow Dash furiously shook her head.

"It's alright, Rainbow Dash. I've got everyone covered." Cadance pulled a large bag of bits from her magic and set it down on the desk.

"Uh, thanks, Princess." Rainbow bowed her head gratefully. He watched how she bowed and looked up at Cadance in her charitable mood.

"Thanks..."

'Feels good to be poor, doesn't it? Good thing Twilight is exchanging some of my kroner into bits.'

"Follow me, Your Highnesses." The mare happily smiled and led the group down a short hallway. There were plenty of spa amenities that came with the short walk. The main attraction was the open room with a large hot tub and sprawling chairs for relaxation. A few rooms were devoted to saunas and personal pedicures of the sort. Cloud Strider did not understand most of it, but he had been in plenty of saunas before.

"Here you are, ladies." The mare left the group in the open room, "and you... are right in here."

Cloud was led down a few doors and finally ended up on the right.

"Someone will be with you shortly. Just pick a chair and get cozy." Cloud looked at the earth pony and nodded.

"Thanks, miss." Cloud watched the mare trot out, leaving him in silence. He paced around the room and looked out of the window, seeing ponies go about their day. With friendly faces and cheer, they seemed to have no regard for a present danger just beyond the glass.

"Maybe this Nightmare Moon business blew over already... or maybe ponies just don't wanna' think about it." He shifted his attention towards the reclining chairs and sat down in one. Staring at the mirror revealed to him a side of his personality, but he knew it was no easy feat to express. He knew his limits; being a reserved, observant, and stubborn pony. Although he acted practical, he wanted to believe in sentimental values. Values that grew to become his crutch.

Unexpectedly, the door gently creaked open and Cloud's ears directed towards the only entrance. He whipped his head around and saw another mare walk in. Only this time she was a light cream color with a wavy, frosty white mane and tail. The unicorn picked up a pair of scissors, much like the pair that made up her cutie mark. 

"Hi there, I'm Flawless Cut and I'll be cutting your hair." Her voice was uplifting and singsong the entire time she spoke.

"H-Hey, I'm Cloud Strider-" Cloud instantly stopped.

'Can anyone connect my name to Nightmare Moon?!'

"Oh! Well, glad to meet you. Uh, anyways, have you got an idea for what you want?"

"Eh-a little."

"Need some guidance? I've a few ideas, but I'll let you think while I get your hair ready." Flawless Cut turned the chair around skillfully and lowered his head into a washing basin.

"Woah," He felt his mane get combed through as well as his tail.

"Relax, you're already a little tense."

"No one's ever combed my hair—O-Other than my parents, that is."

"Well, now. I guess that includes me too, eh?" Her citrusy magic grabbed the shower nozzle and unleashed the full torrent of warm water into Cloud's mane. He let his body actually relax, breaking down his ever-present guard for someone.

"Now you're gettin' it."

"I didn't expect a haircut to be, relaxin'. I'm not one for luxury, I guess. But it feels good as much as I hate to admit it." Cloud looked directly at Flawless Cut.

"Nothin' to be ashamed of, hehe. You think the spa is only for mares?"

"I mean, yeah, a little."

"Oh don't worry. There are plenty of stallions that come here to get pedicures. Yeah, surprised?"

"Yeah, but what is a pedicure?" Cloud Strider inwardly laughed.

"Wow, you're really new, huh?"

"Yeah, no joke about that." Cloud Strider felt the chair swivel back around as he faced the mirror once again.

"Now, about your hair." She tapped her muzzle.

"I want my mane to be undercut with a small bit of hair left on the sides. And I know this is asking a lot, but could you braid my mane and tail? I-I want it in a tight, thick braid right up against my scalp for a little under halfway and let the rest of the braid move freely."

"Uh, I mean-"

"It's ok if you don't want to, I could probably braid it myself."

"No-no, I'll do it. So you want that tail to be a single braid and the mane too?" She watched Cloud nod.

"I've never had such a strange request before, hehe. I think it has potential." Flawless Cut gently pushed his head straight and began cutting. After gliding through and making his mane more workable, she grabbed the shears.

"Where did you grow up? I've never thought of a haircut like this."

"Nor—Finland."

"Whoa! You're far from home. Isn't Norway around there?"

"Yeah?..."

"All these rumors are going around about someone that came from Norway as Nightmare Moon or something. I don't believe any of it, but isn't that strange?" 

"Yeah, it is." Cloud Strider avoided her gaze. She continued to shear through his mane, but she stopped. Cloud controlled his breathing and looked at her through the mirror. He was ready to act if need be.

"Wow." She gawked at the side of his head. Cloud noticed the sides of his mane were cut just right, leaving just a little more than just stubble.

"This scar, w-what happened?"

Cloud turned his head to see it, "oh, right."

"I was attacked by a manticore about seven or eight years ago." He studied the unsightly scare that ran along the side of his scalp partially.

"Ouch..." She continued to make a few final adjustments, lifting his mane up and back to his neck. She quickly dried his mane and began braiding it against his head. 

"That good?"

"Yeah, just right." He watched her tactile hooves lay the foundation for her magic to complete the repetitions. It was thick like he requested and it soon detached and dangled freely.

"Alright, I left a little on the end with no braid. I'll put something on to keep it from unraveling." Once she did, she moved onto his tail and began replicating the same thing.

"Aye, long as it get's the job done, it's fine with me."

"I don't have a problem with that, but I want to make sure its good for ya' at least." Flawless Cut pulled his tail taught and continued to create tight coils. 

"Almost done here." He nodded at her words and looked at the gray band twisted around the end of his braids.

"There, all done." She stood back, "like it?"

"It's great. It's-it's just like how it used to be..." He played with his braided ponytail somewhat and smiled. He rested it on the right side of his neck and stood up.

"I have to say, it's startin' to grow on me. That's the first time someone wanted their hair like that."

"There's a first for everything." Cloud diverted his gaze towards the door, seeing another pony walk in.

"Well, thanks, miss. Puttin' up with me isn't easy, I know."

"Hehe, no problem. Come back if you need another cut or somethin'..." She cleaned up some of the mess and gave him a winsome smile in return. He exited the room at his own pace, going back the way he came from.

'I hope they're still in the same place.' Cloud Strider took a few more bounds and peeped around a corner. He did not hear anything in the open room and eavesdropped in on a few closed rooms, but he turned up nothing.

"Damn, that feels great." He felt the air sweep over his mane and partially exposed scalp. Cloud sighed in relief once he was able to see everyone in the large room resting on the chairs.

'What the fuck? Are they awake?' He stepped up closer and momentarily looked at them before sitting down. There were a few ponies tending to their hooves, but some were just sitting and now chatting somewhat. He did not lay down as they did, finding the idea a little odd to him.

'Relaxing doesn't come second nature to me. How can you be so carefree?'

One of the ponies noticed him and walked towards him.

"Are you here for a pedicure?" The timid silence was broken as everyone looked.

"Uh, no, no thanks."

"Who-o-oa. Nice hair, dude. Hahaha!" Rainbow Dash did not even try to hide it. He looked up with confusion.

"Don't like it?"

"It's weird. But, you know, you're pretty fuckin' weird already."

"Rainbow..." Twilight prodded Rainbow's sides, "you could at least pretend to be nice."

"Don't sweat it, Twilight. This is how I did my hair back home all my life. Feel's good to have it going again."

"Point taken, Bonehead."

"Well, I didn't expect to see that at all, hehe!" Cadance chuckled, "I—I'm so sorry, I can't help it."

"Don't worry, Cloud. You look good." Fluttershy looked at Rarity in the corner of her eye, silently laughing. Applejack steadily remained speechless upon seeing his hairstyle, not exactly caring all that much.

"I wasn't sayin' it's bad, it's just a strange haircut is all." Rainbow smiled by design, getting a rise out of Twilight. "It... fits."

He smirked, abstaining himself from ruining the best compliment she had for him.

"Relax, Cloud. It's a spa for a reason, you know?" Cadance closed her eyes.

"Hehe, letting my guard down is hard for me nowadays."

"You'll be ok, Cloud. No one's gonna' hurt you, I Pinkie Pie Promise!" Pinkie began to cross her chest, but the lack of coordination in her muscles caused her movements to slur into some jumbled up mess. Cloud Strider tipped forward and glided his hoof over his head. He grumbled, and once he finally began to lean back, he was stopped.

"Holy shit, Cloud. What's that on your head?!" Rainbow Dash stirred everyone up again.

"Huh? The scar?"

"How long have you had that?" Twilight's voice seemed somewhat concerned, revealing something potentially crucial to his identity.

"I was attacked by a manticore about eight years ago. Bastard dug its stinger in me right before I sliced the damn thing off. Oh man, I chased that thing for a mile when he ran off before realizin' how bad the gash was. I was barely able to make it home before passin' out from the venom and loss of blood."

"Well, uh, you're here now. So you must have done something right..." Twilight cleared her throat and looked back at Fluttershy to see if she was reacting negatively. Fluttershy bided her tongue and let it go, seeing Twilight looking at her.

"Surprised you're even still standin'..." Rainbow Dash was shocked.

"Uh, Cloud?" Fluttershy spoke up, "how are your wounds from, Canterlot? A-Are they ok?"

"Yeah, they're all pretty much healed up. I think there was somethin' that Celestia did, who knows." 

"Ok, good." Fluttershy watched Cloud Strider get up and wander around the room. He examined the pieces of abstract art and wall decals before pacing up a small set of stairs. A frothing hot tub lay in the center of the marbled platform puzzled together in an effective pattern. He carefully dipped his foreleg into the water, feeling the steam and bubbles surround his leg.

'It's too fuckin' hot outside for this right now, but it feels kinda' nice to the touch.'

"You can go in there, Cloud. If you want to."

"Oh! Yeah, go ahead." Twilight waved him in as she inspected her hooves, "I think most of us are about to get in anyway."

Cloud looked over and slowly stepped in, letting the water inch up his legs and body soon after. He leaned back against the molded seat in the shell and abandoned his pursuit of vigilance. The perfect mix of heat and the tingling sensation to come after it forced him to relax, if only for that insignificant moment in his stunted existence.

"I'll... I'll only be in for a few," Cloud Strider forced himself to stop yawning.

"Uh huh,"

"Don't worry about it, Rainbow." Cloud left his head on the marble stage, closing his eyes. The water ungulated around his body and the surreality of the situation settled into its place. His reality shattered once he quickly opened his eyes, propping his head back up.

"Huh?"

"Wake up, sleepy head." Cadance's voice cooed as she smiled.

"Did I seriously pass out?"

"For about five, six minutes." Twilight stood above him and grinned, "We didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful."

"You were sleepin' away like a little foal." Pinkie Pie beamed.

Cloud Strider got to his hooves as everyone began sitting in the water. He climbed out and wiped his eyes.

"Wait, wait! Don't shake yourself dry." Twilight grabbed a towel, "c'mon, Cloud. It's ok, really."

"I'm just disappointed in myself for letting my guard down." Cloud dried himself with the towel.

"Letting your—there's nothing wrong with that, you're alright. Even if something tried coming in to get you, we wouldn't just let it happen."

"Where's the bathroom? I just need to clear my head, ok?" Cloud looked to the ground and sighed. 

"Calm down, Cloud. Breathe." He listened to Twilight's words.

"You need to realize that you don't just have yourself anymore, ok? You don't have to take all of the burden like you used to."

"I know, alright?!... It's just, old habits die hard for me, I can't help it." Cloud Strider stepped down from the stage.

"You'll get there, I promise—The restroom is the first left right there." Twilight watched him walk away lethargically, putting the underside of her hoof over her mouth and gently shaking her head.

"I'm worried about him. He-He needs to learn to get back into society." Twilight turned around and sat down in the water. 

"But how can he get back to normal if I have to keep him in the castle because of his Nightmare Moon thing? On top of that, I'm afraid of what he can do and what he can do to others." Twilight scanned the room for anyone lingering about.

"Don't worry, Twilight. I think I can tell he's tougher than most," Cadance patted Twilight's back. "He will find a way. Just think about Princess Luna and how she had to adjust back into society again after all those years. I mean, she still struggles with a few things to this day even. You're doing an excellent job. Just tell him or try to connect with something he feels personal about, give him a push in the right direction."

"I just... I don't know. Maybe this is something I can't control for once."

"Don' know why you'd think you can control pure evil, Twi. He's bad news."

"I must agree with Applejack, I do not fraternize with ponies that have something to hide." Rarity crossed her hooves.

"Why? W-Why are you two so stuck up your own asses? I'm pretty sure everyone has their own secrets." Rainbow Dash leaned forward and stared right through their acts. She was drawn a blank, stupefied by the words oozing from their gullets.

"Rainbow... come on."

"What? You're criticizing me for calling out their bullshit?! Seriously, Twilight?!"

"Rainbow Dash, that's not at all what she meant." Cadance tugged her back prudently. Rainbow Dash subserviently complied without ease.

"Why are ya' protectin' him? You of all ponies."

"You damn well know why! What did he ever do to you?!"

"He's puttin' my friends in jeopardy, that's what. Ah can tell what a fat, disgustin' liar he is!"

"Girls! Stop!" Twilight grabbed both of them with her magic and forced them to sit back down. Waves of water splashed out of the tub, alerting the workers at the spa.

"I'm sorry, I'll clean that up soon." She proceeded by casting a spell around the platform, bubbling everyone inside of a sound-proof transparent sphere.

"You two need to keep your voices down! We're trying to keep his identity a secret and you two blowing your tops doesn't help! Applejack, I don't understand your hatred; the same goes for Rarity. Rainbow Dash, I know you're trying to make it up to him, but blindly protecting him isn't the answer." Twilight's sudden bout of anger caused the bubble to disintegrate almost immediately as she began to speak. She felt that it was not even worth it at that point.

"Wha- Wow, don't even start with that shit, Twilight. You're not the one who was on the receiving end. You seriously couldn't stop your brother from being a complete donkey?! You were right there and you watched him throw that fuckin' spear at me..." Rainbow Dash could not be redder in the face than she was at that moment. 

"He pushed me down and it really threw my magic off! I didn't know what he would do if I stopped him!"

"Welp, there it is. Keep strokin' that ego of yours, Twilight."

"That has to be the most hypocritical thing I've heard come out of your mouth, Rainbow."

"See this? He know's he doesn't have to do anythin'. He can just rip us apart by bein' 'round!" Applejack hysterically flung her hooves around.

"Oh Geez, everyone's mad, huh?" Pinkie Pie received no response.

"Please, everyone. Please stop this senseless bickering!" Rarity stood up from the water and dried off. "Obviously, I will not be doing any relaxing today. My apologies."

"Rainbow, do you have something to say? Anger like this doesn't come out of nowhere for you." Twilight Sparkle forced herself to think carefully. She could read Rainbow Dash easily given previous experiences with her. Crossed hooves, no eye-contact, crimped ears, the hurt frown; they all came together.

"No..."

"I want to know what's wrong, ok? Look, I'm sorry for taking the high road. But I know you have something on your mind, please tell me." Twilight looked beyond her previous words but knew that Rainbow Dash was not acting normally. Rainbow clumsily hugged herself, now visibly shaking.

"N-No..."

"Dashie, you don't look so good." Fluttershy messaged Rainbow's neck.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not, spill it." Twilight barely squinted at her. Rainbow slumped and rid her lungs of breath in one motion.

"I—I just." Rainbow Dash wiped her eyes, "I can't sleep at night..."

"'Why not?"

"I'm... I'm scared, ok?..."

"Scared of what, sweetheart?" Cadance held her still.

"Because, because-I nearly died. I've only slept a few hours a night, a-and I can't fucking stop thinking about what woulda' happened if he wasn't there... I keep havin' flashbacks with the-the spear h-hitting me. There, ha-happy now?"

All of her friends were dead silent. No one wanted to move but they wanted to comfort her as much as possible.

"No, Rainbow! I'm not happy! That's, that's just—terrible!" Twilight left her mouth gaped just enough.

"Why didn't you tell us, Dashie?" Fluttershy carelessly hugged Rainbow Dash.

"I wanted-to be a r-role model for everyone..." Rainbow avoided contact at all costs but found herself and everyone else dragging themselves from the water.

"He's not a-as bad as you th-think," Rainbow Dash's words carried weight.

Cloud Strider pulled his ear away from the painted white wall, letting it flop. The words in his mind could not formulate clearly into expression as he sat against the wall. 

"Huh..." His eyes drifted down as he bit hard on his lip until it was raw. He wanted, needed to remind himself of pain in his stale body. Sequestered by law and the will of the world. He was a muddy hoofprint on the pristine bathroom tile. Cloud mindlessly put his ear back up against the wall.

"Rainbow, please don't cry."

"You're a great role model; the bravest of us all."

"Uh, s-sorry for yellin', Rainbow."

He heard everything just to cheer her up. He heard what he was doing and he knew. The thoughts of them were filled with trepidation in his ailing mind. Cloud watched the casting shadow of ponies walking by, making him stare up at the window. He got from his haunches and walked over, finding the latches unlocked. His head stuck out as his wings lifted him down to the ground. A few ponies stared at him, gawking at either what he did or the estranged hairstyle he bore. He walked along the street, making sure nobody was around him. In front of him, merchant carts lined the street with almost nobody around. Casually, he strode by behind a merchant stall and slipped two bottles of mystery booze with him.

'Jeg kommer til å trenge dette.' He spread his wings and propelled himself high in the air with one stroke. His listing eyes glared at the castle, beating his wings feverishly towards his goal with the necks of bottles in his maw. Cloud Strider landed hard but did not feel it at the moment, grabbing the door handle and pulling it open.

The sounds of his own hooves filled his ears as he climbed to the top, making quick work of closing the distance. He watched Spike ogle at him but soon realized something was wrong.

"Hey, Cloud? Where you goin'?" Spike scuttled to the mouth of the hallway and watched him keep going. Cloud walked into his room and grasped the first thing he saw. He dumped the contents of his bags on the ground, picking up his prized possessions, even if they had no value to others. The bags flung across the room, items shoveled into his new bags for keepsake. 

'They're at my beck and call.' Cloud strapped down, tightening the harness around his underbelly and chest. He stuffed his collar into his bag and trotted out of the room, even closing the door behind him out of courtesy.

"Whoa!" Cloud Strider felt something strike his hooves. He dipped his head and saw Spike frightened, looking up at him directly with a cowering set of claws in front of him. He stepped back exchanging direct stares, trying to gauge and analyze each other in still beating moments. The only thing he thought was how much of a monster he was to everyone, and it showed on both of their faces. Both stark and terrified.

"Hey..." Cloud gingerly helped Spike up, letting him bound back some. Cloud Strider paced by Spike but stopped halfway down the hall.

"Tell Twilight I'm goin' away for a little bit." Pulling taught his sword harness ruptured the clunking and clinking of his gear.

"Whe-Where are you, going?" Spike slowly fell behind, hearing Cloud Strider go down a few steps. He walked to the door and closed it behind him, now back in the boiling fields abound and seeing no signs of Twilight or anyone else. Cloud forced himself to slow down, feeling that his previous actions were hastened too much. Trotting over an embankment and towards the copse of trees he scoured ahead methodically. He wanted to beat his wings and soar into the air but was even denied that comfort.

He brushed past the low-lying shrubbery and scattered trees, passing the village by and surrounded by hills and frosted mountains beyond. But oddly enough, he was drawn to the Everfree Forest. Something knawed inside of him, telling him to go there and find what he was seeking. It was inborn once it called to him, at his ropes end he had nothing better to do and heeded the call.

Cloud Strider pulled his legs up another hill. The smell of breathing woods and the comforting stemming creek rested at the foot of the hilltop. He immediately recognized where he was once Fluttershy's cottage revealed itself to him. He trotted down the hill, keeping his balance in check if he needed to slide instead. Cloud crossed the dirt path, eyeing Fluttershy's house and how different it looked in the sun's light. It looked alive.

Cloud stopped and stared ahead, feeling a certain chill permeating from the forest. Trees croaked and shed their leaves for the coming fall, shutting down more as days went by. Letting his eyes see into the forest, he found a crack in the shell. He trotted and parted a few branches blocking his entry, watching the snaking path wind through the forest. Hoofprints deeply gouged into the dirt and faced the opposite direction from him, forcing him to examine what was ahead of him. What was still missing.

"These are mine..."

——— 

"Is that better, Rainbow?"

Fluttershy, much like everyone else, sat around Rainbow Dash. They all wanted to make sure she felt safe and comfortable in her time of need. Rarity just came back with a warm towel in her magic and draped it over Rainbow Dash, but she shook her head no, only to thank Rarity. Applejack came back with a glass of water as requested and gave it to Rainbow. She guzzled it down before Applejack could even sit. Once she looked cared for, Twilight stepped away and cleaned up the water on the floor. She thought and thought but could not come to a conclusion, getting mad at herself for losing the battle against her emotions.

"Need anything else?"

"No, I'm f-fine." Rainbow Dash felt chagrinned for how she was acting in front of everyone. She buckled down and forced her emotions back inside of her. Twilight glanced at her after quickly cleaning the mess and shook her head sympathetically. She jumped and swiveled her body around.

"Hey, Twil-whoa!" Cadance raised her brows and stepped back.

"Sorry-sorry, Cadance."

"A little on edge, huh?"

"Yeah, how can I help it right now of all times?" Twilight sat down in a chair and massaged her temples. Cadance looked up at Rainbow Dash and how ragged she was. It took her a verbal fight and argument to finally see that Rainbow Dash was not well.

"Did you know about this, Twily? A-About Rainbow's problem?" Cadance turned back.

"No... I didn't have a clue."

"Really?"

"Yeah, the only time she was acting out was right after the incident. Other than that, she's been fine. Acting fine that is... This isn't something I feel will go away in a few days, it's really messing with her. Everyone faces death in a different way."

"Twilight, I know you're telling yourself that it's somehow your fault. The way you're talking and the way you look right now. You couldn't have done anything—I know you were capable of stopping him, but you didn't want to hurt your brother. Oh, th-that came out wrong, uh-"

"No-I, I understand what you're trying to say... Don't worry." Twilight peeked up at Cadance after she tenderly rubbed her back. 

"Listen, you just worry about making her forget this nasty business. And I'll make sure no one knows what's going on with this whole Nightmare Moon stuff, yeah?" Cadance winked and suggestively pointed her horn towards the spa staff.

"Thanks, Cadance. Sorry for this trip being ruined for you." 

"We still have the entire day to spend time together, things happen." Cadance stood up and nudged Twilight to follow through. Twilight Sparkle walked away apprehensively, only worrying about pleasing Rainbow to feel better. There was a brilliant flash behind her, but no one seemed to notice what happened or who it was. Twilight sat down after almost everyone began to give Rainbow her space back. She dropped right next to her, slowly looking up into her voided eyes and giving Rainbow a short-lived nuzzle.

"Rainbow, if there's anything you want that'll make you feel better, tell me."

"Twilight... I'm fine, ok?"

"No, Rainbow. I want you to try and move on. I know you're hurting but you have all your friends here to help you get better. You shouldn't have to hide your feelings from everyone because you think it's a sign of weakness."

"But-I,"

"Shhh, no, Rainbow Dash. It shows that you're alive. You're not weak because you would never allow that for yourself." Twilight turned her head completely, waiting for Rainbow to respond.

"I guess so... I don't feel like it though." Rainbow Dash hung her head low. She had stopped her rogue tears and tried to look more masculine in front of her peers.

"Oh, come on. That's not the proud Rainbow Dash we all know. Besides, I know you'll bounce back. You always do." Rarity remained chipper in everyone's trying times.

"Yeah, I mean. You've done lots of dangerous stuff. More than I can count!" Pinkie Pie cheerfully smiled, "you're a thrillseeker. It's what you do."

"I-I know Pinkie. It's just this time felt, different. My life was in someone else's hooves other than mine. I think that's why I'm freakin' out. I didn't have a choice or control."

"And it's natural to feel that way." Twilight chuckled. "You know? Cloud Strider told me something about you a few days ago."

"What'd he say?"

"He told me how stubborn you were after you two had that fight in Canterlot. He said you were hardheaded and self-deprecating just like him. But he also said that it doesn't matter if you're weak or strong, the only thing that matters is how much heart you put into your purpose. And that you have fire running through your damn veins. His words, not mine."

"He said that about, me?"

"He really said that, Twi?" Applejack seemed somewhat skeptical, but no one else questioned her after all.

"Uh, yeah? Of course, Rainbow." Twilight nodded happily, seeing Rainbow Dash slowly coming back.

"Th-Thanks, I remember he said somethin' almost similar after that too." She raised her head and glanced around briefly.

"Where is he?"

Everyone inclined their heads, looking around sharply for any signs of him.

"Now that you mention it, he's been gone for an awfully long time... I hope nothing's wrong." Fluttershy stood up and addressed the group fully. Cadance flicked her ears and confirmed her new objective, pacing to the bathroom doors and putting her ear up to the stallion restroom.

"Cloud?" Cadance knocked a few times, "are you in there?"

She waited for nearly a minute and still did not get any response. Cadance opened the door and walked inside; she immediately noticed the window was wide open.

'Crap.' Her stomach twisted and wretched as she scrambled to the window, looking both ways outside. Cadance spotted a group of mares standing at the corner of a building just across from the spa.

"Uh, hello? Excuse me." The mares automatically gave Cadance their complete attention.

"Of course, any—anything you need, Princess!" Each mare spoke over one another.

"Did you ladies see a pegasus with dark blue fur and a mane with a large braid?"

"Was it a stallion with a strange cutie mark, Your Majesty?" One of the mares became the voice.

"Bingo."

"He went that way towards the castle, looked like he was in a hurry."

"Thank you very much." Cadance heard them abide but did not have the time to bow her head and wait as she was already out of the bathroom.

'Well, this can't be good. Not at all can this be good.'

"Hey, did you find him?" Twilight stood up and stepped closer to Cadance.

"He's gone, Twilight. I asked some ponies where he went and they said he went to the castle!" Cadance made sure that her voice was on a lower volume.

"What?! When?!" 

"I didn't ask. We should get there now."

"M-Maybe he's not feeling well?" Fluttershy simply asked. 

"Y-Yes. C'mon everyone, let's get to it." Twilight pumped energy into the group as everyone affluently stood ready at the charge.

"I'll teleport us there, we shouldn't waste any time." Cadance seamlessly cast the spell in a matter of moments, no one could even recollect that it even happened. The group barged through the entrance door, rushing up the steps and into the grand foyer.

"Spike! Spike?!" No one responded.

"Why did he leave the spa?" Rainbow Dash puckered her brow, "he wouldn't just hop up and leave like that."

"That is rather strange, Rainbow. Even if I don't exactly mind it, it is discerning." Rarity flaunted her mane with a gentle flick while Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.

"What, you know 'em so well or what?" Applejack gave out a mellow sneer.

"Ugh, whatever. I don't know him that much..."

"Rainbow, you've been talking to him every day you get the chance to," Twilight smirked with a knowing face plastered on. "It's like your new favorite pass time."

"Nuh uh..." Rainbow Dash watched each set of eyes dig into her.

"Ok. Maybe I have been talking to him. But if you think we're like, really good friends now or whatever, that's a bunch of hooey."

"Well, you know him better than us. Any ideas where he went?"

"I told you, I don't know. He keeps a lotta' things to himself."

"Don't we all..." Cadance shallowly phrased. The group continued to call out Spike's name while Rainbow Dash suddenly got an idea. She slipped away from the clamoring and trotted down a hall.

"Rainbow Dash? Where are you going?" Twilight paced forward.

"To his room."

"Ok, then. Just look for anything." Twilight heard Spike's voice bellow in from behind her.

"Spike! You're ok!"

"Yeah-eh. H-Hey! Cut it out!" Spike protested against everyone hugging him.

"Did he do anything to you?" Rarity frowned deeply.

"I assume "he" means Cloud, right?" Spike politely brushed his scales and inspected his claws, receiving a wide range of agreements.

"Uh, no. He did push me down, but it was an accident and he helped me up. He looked like he was in some big hurry."

"Is he here? Did-Did he say anything or-" Twilight felt someone silence her pointless ramblings.

"He said to tell you that he's going away for a while?" Spike clicked his claws on his mouth and studied their individual faces. Everyone had a subtle freight mingled in their eyes and mouth.

"Something tells me that's... bad? He was kinda' freakin' me out, the way he was acting."

"We don' know yet, sugarcube."

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash turned the knob on Cloud's door and pushed in hard.

"You have some fuckin' nerve to-huh?" The sudden gust of air and pressure change blew the curtains around, along with the letter that Luna had written to him. She picked it up and set it down where it was, looking at the room right after. Rainbow left the door wide open as her hooves idly paced deeper inside. 

"All of his stuff, is gone?" She unraveled the bedspread, hoping to find his sword or anything she could go on, telling her that he wasn't gone. In the corner of the room, Rainbow Dash spotted his old saddlebags and quickly opened them.

"What the-" Rainbow reached in after giving it a foolhardy search, finding a small journal bound in flax linen and cord. She only glanced at the book and deliberated the worn saddlebags further. 

"Ah!" The bag thumped to a dead stop further away from her. Rainbow jolted back and wiped her hooves on the floor.

"Shit... That's leather." Her sudden panic attack also caused the book to fall at her hooves, landing on the pages. Her eyes caught wind of something peeking out of the parchment. Deft hooves swiped the small booklet in her grasp and she turned it over.

"I don't think he'd want me to," With prying eyes, she had already taken enough looks from the corner of her eye to break an unexpressed oath. "I mean, maybe he won't mind?"

Rainbow Dash did not know what she was looking at, looking a few pages ahead of the severely creased center page with a noticeable gap. She could not read a single word; everything was written in Old Norse. Even trying to phonetically sound out anything notable came out plain idiotic and silly, even by her standards. Rainbow was glad no one could hear her talk all by herself.

"I wonder what he's writing about?" she decided to look into the folds and opened the middle. There were no words, no explanations or anything that she did not have to understand. The two pages both had a drawing. The left page had the drawing of a village steeped in tradition, surrounded by mountains and abundant pines, alders, and ash. But the other had only the sights with no charcoal village in the center. Although it was not expertly drawn, the latter looked smudged and dashed with flecks of water damage.

Rainbow Dash carefully handled the piece of cardstock barely hanging from the pages now. She flipped it over, not exactly expecting much from it. She wanted something to clarify what was before her hungry eyes and strange thirst for knowledge. What she was greeted by was far beyond what she expected and prepared for. Unknowing of what was going on with her emotions and the warmth running the course of her spine, Rainbow scrutinized with the faintest hint of approbation staining her muzzle.

A light purple unicorn stood jovial on the right pane. No cares in the world in the very moment, captured in a permanent stasis of memory. A light blue pegasus stood proudly on the left with his large hoof atop a third pony's head who beamed with delight and exuberance. The adult stallion had various symbols of consecration looped in his knotted mane and tail, more than Rainbow could count. The purple mare had her hoof wrapped around the stallion maddeningly while he had a sharp eye on the excited colt below him.

Rainbow Dash allowed her mouth to hang on its boney hinges.

"Is that?—"

"Rainbow Dash?! What is taking so long?!" 

Rainbow Dash heard Twilight's voice cut through the air, along with the sounds of hooves drawing near. She darted her eyes around, looking for something to hide the booklet. Without exactly thinking quickly, she stowed it under her preened feathers and locked up tight, just as Twilight entered.

"Rainbow, I called your name like ten times? Are you ok?" Twilight went up close to her, ready to console if need be.

"Uh... yeah. I'm just confused why he left."

"Oh, don't worry. I think it's in his nature to have a lot of alone time. Cadance is trying to locate where he is right now because, you know, all that dark magic that's going on." Twilight gave Rainbow a hug, she shifted her wings around, making sure Twilight did not feel what was under them.

"He's a tough bastard, y-you're right. I'm sure he's fine but it doesn't really answer my question." Rainbow Dash stepped away from Twilight and signaled her hoof around the room.

"Why did he pack up and leave?"

"We'll find him, Rainbow. Now c'mon." She paced to the doorway but stopped, "are you coming?"

"Why do you need me?"

"Are you crazy? Rainbow Dash, I know you're not feeling confident in your abilities right now, but we need you more than you realize."

"I'm not well, Twilight. That experience really fucked my head up."

"Stop that, ok? I can see you're hurting and I'm sorry. Please, we need someone who knows him to try and talk to him. He trusts you more than any of us as far as I'm concerned." Twilight clenched her teeth and sighed deeply.

"You're a leader, Rainbow Dash. I may be an alicorn and a figure of power, but you're the greatest leader out of all of us." She noticed Rainbow's ears perk up.

"You have aspirations that I would be afraid to even think about."

"Don't bullshit me, Twilight."

"Why would I do that? I'm serious, everything I know about leadership and bravery comes from you... I know this isn't going to bring you down, not that easily." Twilight Sparkle watched as Rainbow Dash pecked the ground with her hooves. She thought for the answers to the questions ringing in her mind without end in her conscience.

"You really mean it?" Rainbow Dash roughed her neck and dawdled her head around. "You really learned all that from me?"

"Well, yeah. I'm pretty sure everyone here does."

Rainbow lowered her head with an endearing smile, wiping her eyes nonchalantly as her legs motivated her to move.

"You egghead, you're makin' me act up." Twilight rolled her eyes and smirked, her eyebrows leveled and suggestive.

"Let's both agree that today's been really crummy, yeah?"

"Yeah, what a crappy day..." Rainbow closed in, feeling the book snuggly resting in her wing. Twilight closed the door behind Rainbow and started down the inordinate passage of crystal. The silence made Rainbow think about how she acted before in front of everyone.

"Twilight?"

"Yes, Rainbow?" She glanced back at her.

"Did you mean what you said?"

"Yes, I said that already."

"N-no-no. At the spa. You said I was tryin' too hard to make it up to him and gettin' my priorities mixed up in all." Rainbow Dash caught up and paced by Twilight's side. "Did you mean all that?"

"Well... I can't just lie to you like that, Rainbow. It looks a little shallow of me to say that, but yes."

"I didn't know what I was doin' was bad. I just thought-"

"Rainbow, that's just my opinion, ok? I feel like you're trying too hard is what I want you to think about."

"H-How else can I ever repay him? I owe him a life debt, Twilight. I'm not a pony who goes and doesn't pay what I owe. I really don't see any other way I can make it up to him." Rainbow and Twilight neared the junction point of all of the stemming hallways, hearing ponies talking amongst themselves in mixed confusion. 

"I know, I know, believe me. But have you even talked to him about the incident ever since that night?" 

"Well, I, n-no, not at all..." 

"Talk to him about it, tell him how you feel and what you can do to thank him. Alright? I mean, you should know him better than me, but he isn't all that he's cracked up to be, right?"

"Yeah, o-once you get to know him, he isn't that bad of a pony. Others might disagree. Fuck, lotsa' ponies would definitely say no. I mean, don't tell anyone about this, but I think he's kinda' cool. Seriously, not a word to anyone, Twilight."

"Hehehehe, your secret's safe." Twilight masked her muzzle as she giggled. She steered ahead and noticed Cadance sitting down at the bottom of the staircase.

"Sit tight, let me see if she knows where Cloud is yet."

"Alright, we really gotta' get moving though." Rainbow Dash entered her group of friends continuously speaking about something she cared little to understand. Twilight tipped her head and stepped across the rug.

"Any luck?" Twilight nudged Spike to the side, he went to the other side of Cadance hurridly.

"He's near, it's just really hard on my love magic, you know?"

"Just give me a general location of where he might be. We'll find him, Cadance. He doesn't have a firm grasp on advanced magic that I know of, so he won't get far."

"Yeah, his dark energy doesn't really keep him hidden quite well, does it? Hehe."

"Ugh, you think it's bad now? All that energy sometimes wakes me up in the middle of the night when it intensifies. Well, either that or Spike's obnoxious snoring."

"Hey! You know I can't help it." He felt Cadance's warm touch cross his scales with an almost condescending pat on the head. 

"Oh, you know I'm kidding. Gotta' try to keep spirits high one way or the other... I only wish that we can find him as soon as possible."

"If dark magic was not so fickle, I'd of found him by now." Cadance felt herself shiver. "Speaking of which,"

Twilight leaned in and crooked her ears forward.

"He's in the Everfree Forest somewhere, there's a lot of energy centered inside." Cadance shook her head and stood up quietly, allowing Twilight to help.

"Why is he going there of all places?" Spike anxiously tapped his head.

"Everyone, come here and get ready. I need you all to be on alert." Twilight beckoned her friends to come forth.

"I guess we will just find out, won't we?" Cadance replied behind Twilight's back who addressed the situation.

"What's the matter, Twilight? Did you find him?" Fluttershy poked through between Pinkie Pie and Rarity. 

"Sort of. Cadance says he's somewhere in the Everfree Forest, so I need everyone here to be on the lookout for each other. We all know just how dangerous of a place it can be, but we need to find him before he does something."

"Like what, Twi? What would he do out there other than gettin' himself hurt?" 

"Well, you just took the words out of my mouth, Applejack. Think of this like a search party because that's exactly what it is: a search party. C'mon, I'll explain to you what needs to be done on the way there. Spike? Hold down the fort while we're gone, please?" Twilight was not joking either, and teleportation seemed to be her best quality. Before anyone in the group knew what had just happened, the callous heat suddenly altered their sentiment of pleasant warmth. And the outskirts of the thick forest wavered in the winds only a stone's throw away. Spike did not even get a chance to say anything.

"Really, Twi. You gotta' warn us before ya' go teleportin' us someplace."

"Sorry, but there isn't time to waste."

"Twilight, you gotta' calm down. He can handle his own, you know?" Rainbow Dash looked around the forest's edge and how it stretched on.

"No, I'm worried about what he's doing."

"So, you don't—trust him?"

Twilight chewed on the inside of her cheek, "I guess so. I don't know what he's capable of, none of us do. I'm sorry if that upsets you, Rainbow."

"That's fine, it's not like you're the only one. I think everyone has their 'ifs' about him." Rainbow Dash simultaneously searched for a clearing to enter. "We should hurry like you said, Twilight"

"Right, right. My bad. Fluttershy? Do you know the forest well? Could you show us spots Cloud might have gone to?" Twilight watched Fluttershy turn her head and nod.

"Rainbow Dash, can you fly over and scan the forest from above? I know how good you are at aerial reconnaissance and we really need someone on the front."

"Uh, yeah, sure." Rainbow tensed her wing muscles tremulously of the task given to her. The book smothered even deeper into her down feathers and blue fur.

'What if they see me take the book out? Are they gonna' question me?'

"Alright, I'll just—go stretch real quick." Rainbow Dash picked her hooves high as she trotted behind the group, waiting for everyone to look forward or talk idly. The moment presented itself surprisingly fast and she professionally put the book between the teeth, making sure she was not getting saliva over it. Her friends noticed Rainbow's shadow soar over as she flew high above the trees.

"Rainbow Dash! If you don't know where we are, yell for us!" Rainbow Dash heard Twilight hollering at her, making her stop with a book in her mouth. She nodded without turning around.

"I'll give out signals every now and then, stay safe!" Twilight Sparkle continued to yell, even when Rainbow Dash was out of sight and fleeing over the treetops. 

"Alright, let's go."

———

'Ah, shit...'

Cloud Strider breathed in his surroundings and could not make any sense of it all. Everything around him looked so familiar that he started to develop a mild headache. If he really was lost, he knew what had to be done to get himself out of his hole. A myriad of insects croaked and chirped in the stagnant, sultry air. His very steps echoed through the brambles and thorny vines that grappled onto anything sturdy. The path that lay ahead had opened up rather well; the coarse grounds were printed with hoofmarks that were definitely not his. In fact, they looked deformed and different than what a pony would leave behind.

He noticed the trees ahead of him began to open and splinter in the sun's rays, forcing him to trot to the edge of a steep inclined cliff. More trees covered the bottoms of the land as he followed his eyes up to the horizon. Withdrawn from the living world and detached by a merciless and bottomless glen, he could see where his path was taking him. It definitely piqued his interest far beyond his expectations. The ruins of an old chateau or castle now completely overgrown and rotting away. He knew it in his mind that he had to check it out.

With a watchful eye behind him, he prepared himself for a little flight once more. Adjusting the fake leather straps of his equipment and rolling his wings, the skies looked clear for take-off. Cloud Strider gained some momentum and galloped towards the edge.

Without so much as a warning, something flew over in a colorful streak, bolstered by the sharp cutting of the air that grew in decibels.

"Rainbow Dash." Cloud dug his hooves in the dirt and stopped himself from jumping off. He frantically looked behind him, backing up to the edge of the clearing. It was not hard to know who was leaving those contrails once he followed their path.

'Fuck, she's comin' in for another pass!' Cloud watched the prismatic colors dig left over the outskirts of the forest. His wings spread naturally as he forced himself to leave, sliding down the inclined rockface. He controlled his descent, sending loose rock down with him. And with a leap of faith, he pushed against the surface with his powerful hind legs, gliding speedily through the path well below the taller trees. Rainbow Dash deathly flew over, as silent as the night itself and scanned the precipice now behind him.

'I reckon their already tracking my movements, no way they could've figured it out without their magic.' Cloud Strider knew he was not going to make it to the ruins and seamlessly landed with a gallop. The trail slithered around bends and small embankments until an old rickety bridge impeded on his progress. Its state of dilapidation—much like the ruins right after—egded on imminent collapse.

Testing the bridge proved daunting as his hoof caused a board to slip from its knot. Cloud glanced back at his equipment and knew that his weapons hindered his ability to actually flap his wings for flight.

"Rainbow Dash! Where did you go?" Cloud Strider flicked his ears back. Twilight's voice ricocheted from the various surfaces.

"Right here, haven't seen him yet." Their voices were far, but not far enough. Most of their conversation was murky right after. He turned towards the bridge.

"No reason to worry now..." He pushed himself to go for it, stepping onto a few solid planks with a boisterous creak. As the ropes pulled taut, so did his nerves. He hopped to another plank and stepped across another gap. The glen below his hooves looked absolutely desolate; filled with chilling fog and a bottomless existence. 

A loud snap came from behind him, causing Cloud to swivel around carelessly. The bridge continued to crackle and threads of rope frayed and separated. Cloud continued to stare at the path behind him, waiting for someone to emerge from the shadows and see the sorry state he got himself into. He took in a deep breath and carefully unfastened his shield, throwing it towards the trail just barely. He buckled and slipped on the bridge, hearing another vicious snap as the ground quickly ascended.

"Ugh!" Cloud Strider tried prying his hoof from two planks pinching his leg tightly. "C'mon, loosen up for fuck sake!"

Finally, the ropes went slack and he freed his hoof. But he collided with the side of the small canyon, blurring his vision with the impact and debris. He was able to lurch away from the sides and fly down slowly, not being able to see anything in front of him clearly in the process. Hearing came into play. And fortunately, he had acute hearing from his years alone on the road. The gentle swaying of his wings and the air gave him guidance.

"So it does have a floor." Cloud's hooves reached for the ground and landed with an immediate stop. After clearing his eyes and head, he finally had the chance to look around. There was something close, something that glowed and shimmered with luminescence under an overhang. The ruins hung dreadfully near the ledge with bunches of low-hanging moss clinging to the sides. But the giant glowing object was too much to ignore.

The fog began to clear up around him, beating his wings as he pulled out his sword. He instantly sheathed his sword as a giant crystal tree came into his view. Surrounded by razed stalagmites with scattered rosy blossoms resting on top. The sparkling lights and brilliance showed on his face, eagerly stunned with captivation. He nearly tripped over one of the roots, but he quickly trotted up close to the bulbous tree trunk. The markings were clear and finely chiseled into the crystal shafts. All of the fine hues of blue and purple attributed to the sun and moon markings seemingly without their natural colors: they were dull. But he stepped back.

At the center was a giant six-pointed star colored in purple, sprouting other large branches around it.

"Wha-What is this..." He pointed out five other colored stones on the tips of the branches. They felt familiar, yet, unsettling to his stomach. "How-"

Cloud Strider retreated back into the fog, feeling the scathing beauty of the tree burrow itself deep in his mind.

'That feeling... It's, It's gettin' stronger than before.' He looked above and spired up to the ruins, landing inside of a large hall. The roof collapsed slowly over the years as a lot of the stone piles were covered with moss and lichens. 

'I wonder how old this is. Why is it hidden away from the world?' Cloud Strider mindlessly walked deeper into the crusty ruins filled with corridors and balconies. Everything was faded and lackluster compared to its speculative days of old. 'Or who lived here...'

The rooms began to slur into darkness away from the heat and sun as a wave of cool air washed over him. Incessant dripping of shadowy water and the stout echo that followed suit felt almost claustrophobic. He gazed up at the standards hanging stalely and started to put the pieces together. One side of the grand hall bore the colors of the sun and the other side basked in the colors of the moon. Two thrones cemented in time were crumbling and without leaders, the dual colored rug was torn and partly missing. He looked to his left and sat down on the throne with the blue banners, finding it only fitting. Cloud was amazed, the castle had to be centuries of years old at it still retained a certain serenity anywhere his eyes landed. 

He continued on his exploration, resorting to his magic to create a ball of light around his leg. The hallways could go on forever and there were so many doors, but he continued to trudge. A doorway presented itself on his left with a small trickle of sunlight at the end. He trotted down the hall and entered a vast courtyard overgrown by nature. Small saplings, grasses, piles of washed up leaves, and a felled tree propped haphazardly against a busted turret and crumbling wall. Something else caught his eye as he went along the stones. There was some roofed structure connected to the courtyard, lying beneath a few stone steps. It had no walls, but the view was rapturous.

Cloud Strider could see for as far as his eyes could muster. The castle ruins were situated on a grassy plateau separated from the forest. He looked to the east, seeing a glittering river run through the lowlands and grassy fields cover the vast expanse. Railroad tracks cut across a line of trees on the river and a road traveled due south closer by.

"Hey..." He lightly stepped down into the room and found all sort of tools he knew too well. It was a smithy packed with everything he needed to work with. He picked up a peening hammer and looked at the rusted anvil and lonely forge. He simply nodded and gently put the hammer back, leaving the courtyard back to its natural state.

"Cloud?! Please! If you can hear me, say something!" Twilight's voice carried over the ruins once more. 

'They probably thought I fell. Good.' Blackened hallways greeted him once again. There was a set of steps leading up into the lofts of the castle, feeling the sensation grow deeper. But as luck would have it, he was sidetracked again by another discovery. Entire bricks were strewn across the staircase as someone had dug a way through the wall on his right. It looked recent as well with a pickaxe laying nearby.  A narrow crevice descended into the ground with wet steps carved into the stone. He could barely fit through the pathway it was so narrow. It did not take long to squeeze into a small room somewhere under the castle. There was a black pedestal in the exact center where on an object would have fit snuggly inside of the basin.

Cloud Strider slowly looked down. He could see through the floor and the crystal tree was right under him. Cloud even leaned down and noticed there was a small shard of something sparkling on the floor; a sliver of what was once whole. Even in the absence of light and movement, the shard glimmered on its own. He put it into a pouch in his bag, still staring at the large tree situated right below the pedestal.

'What is this for?' He decided it was time to get out. He threw the pickaxe inside and piled the bricks into the hole, creating a large pile that could barely stay up.

The staircase soon began to spiral upwards instead and he knew his path was true. His immutable heartbeat and adrenaline pumped hard, his twitchy ears throbbed painfully.

"Dammit..." The light near his body began to flicker terribly, even after he channeled more of his concentration to keep his only light source alive. His motives were taxing on his body, reaching his limits of how long he could hold a simple spell. With a static discharge, the spell collapsed in on itself, forcing Cloud Strider to glaze over. His vision wavered as did his legs. He sat down on the steps just to catch a moment's respite; passing out was not an option, especially when he felt something surging through his body. 

"Don't turn... calm down." Cloud breathed but the energy welling up inside of him tried to coax it out.

"Nice try, bitch." He took out his canteen right next to one of his pilfered drinks and only drank a few sips, enough to moisten his throat as he closed his eyes tight. Pushing himself over the top in both his condition and the weather would only spell disaster for him. He put his water away and uncapped the mystery bottle, tasting its liquid contents with a few big gulps. It was smooth and buttery, it tasted of his favorite candy that he could consume religiously: toffee.

"Savin' that scotch for better times then..." Cloud sat up against the central pillar for the staircase, feeling the cool and humid air hash it out on the steps. He looked up the steps in the darkness, hearing something echo somewhere around his figure. Whatever he heard sounded rhythmic and hollow. Deciding it was time to keep moving, his satchel bag clicked securely as he faced the source of his irrationality. His steps spread out, hearing just how slow he was moving. Any amount of his of previous methods of "calming down" were instantly forgotten. Light peeked through at the top, seeing a large doorway bathed in light. He lightly poked his head around the corner, but there wasn't anything or anyone in the broken room. 

Pillars,  rubble, broken windows, the smell of mildew filled his nostrils. The room bellowed and catcalled as the wind carefully blew in from the shattered windows. Parts of the stone wall were missing and filled with gaps, most of the building was not structurally sound. Layered plinths were set at the end of the rectangular room, they were largely round and short. Cloud stepped inside, avoiding the glass and loose bricks as he studied the walls. He flew into the air and wiped off layers of dirt on a fraction of the wall, finding elegant etchings like the ones he saw in Canterlot. 

But he quickly took notice that there was something more to the room. The floor was different, but not just different, there was a unique shape scorched into the stones. Certain portions of the floor were lighter and colored a dull white while the rest of the floor was grayed out. Cloud landed hard and stood in the middle of the white ring bleached into the floor. There were six nodes evenly spaced out in the circlet and absolutely no deviations in its form. A double helix shot out from the ring and ended its twisting motion into a starburst effect. It lashed against the ground in ribbons, leaving a gray silhouette of a body in a submissive position.

"What happened here..." He took a big step back, taking in the full picture. The very spot where the silhouette lay stunted his nerves. It was cold and devoid of humanity, whispering to him in forlorn wisps of black. Cloud Strider sat down next to the burned figure and simply stared at it, actually feeling, seeing his eyes blur. He rubbed his hoof on the marking, finding that the bottom was covered in a black residue that clung onto him easily. And it reeked of malice.

Cloud slowly looked to his left at the doorway, his hoof stayed suspended in the air. Rainbow Dash appeared from the darkness, not knowing he was looking directly at her for a few moments. He noticed a book in her mouth, seeing her jolt in place when she noticed him. Rainbow dipped her head and cautiously approached him, she knew what this place was and shuttered to think why he was there. Confused and frustrated, he coupled his hoof to the ground with a low growl.

"Leave me alone." Cloud suddenly heard her stop.

"W-Why did you leave?"

"Because I wanted to, what's it to you?" 

"Uh, because we're worried about you? Don't be an asshole about it." Rainbow Dash walked closer. "Why did you leave? Give me an answer."

"Hehe, you wanna' bet on that?" Cloud stared into her eyes, but she was not afraid to push back. "You and your friends are just out for themselves."

"Why are you so fuckin' mad, huh? Why did you ditch everyone? I'm not gonna' play around with your bullshit, Cloud!"

"I was bored and left, big fuckin' deal. Why do you even care?" Cloud stood up and faced her.

"Eheh, excuse me? Nice little stunt at that bridge there. We only thought you fell and got hurt. No, no big deal. Packing up and going out here by yourself without even sayin' anything? Nah, no big fucking deal!" Rainbow pushed the book into his chest, making him stagger backward.

"You forgot something you dense fuck. I kept it hidden from everyone so they wouldn't want to see what was inside. I figured, "hey, Cloud values his privacy, I'll show him what a good friend I am!" Guess I was wrong about you giving any shit about me... I looked inside, I'm sorry. I'll forget everything I saw..."

Cloud gazed down at his booklet, seeing Rainbow's teeth marks printed deeply into the cover.

"Tell me somethin', was going out of my way to talk to you every day and hang out with you enough to make it up to you? Because all I wanted to do was repay you and be your friend."

Cloud Strider watched her walk away slowly, actually stunned over what she did to him. Nonetheless, he was not surprised in the least bit possible. He felt his face glow red hot and tried to shake it off. 

"Rainbow-"

"Piss off."

"Rainbow Dash, just listen-"

"You wanted to be left alone, so shut the fuck up and be alone." She shook her head now hanging low. Cloud ground his teeth sharply and furiously closed his eyes. He felt his magic spark up, welling up in his mind with the overwhelming feeling of trepidancy.

"Rainbow Dash!" His magic peaked and he was sent directly in front of her in a bright blue flash of crackling light. "Just listen to me for a fuckin' minute, ok?!"

She fell back onto her haunches, clutching a hoof to her chest in a mild state of perturbation. Cloud looked at his hooves and body, wondering if what happened had actually just happened.

"Did I just-"

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash inspected his front side, "I'm listening."

"Ok, just... You're barking up the wrong tree, Rainbow. Whatever your tryin' to gain from this; a friendship or "repaying me" like you said? It isn't worth your time and effort. If you don't believe anythin' I say, believe this one shred of advice I'm givin' you."

"Is it too much just to be your friend to talk to, Cloud?! That's all I wanted! I think you're... you know, kinda' c-"

"Cloud?"

"Shit..." He turned his head and watched the rest of the group shuffle in. But the look on Twilight's face made his stomach churn dreadfully. A mix of anger, fear, and confusion overloaded her senses, showing as a malformed mess on her face.

"Cloud Strider, what are you doing here?" Cadance had lost her warm tidings and projected pure contempt towards him. She glanced around the room and felt her heart go into overdrive.

'Why here of all places?'

"It called to me, I don't know why." It became apparent that there was something about the room that freaked everyone out. He could see it their eyes.

"This isn't a time for jokes! Ya' had no right ta' runoff like that ya' varmint." Applejack appeared behind Twilight and paced directly up into his face.

"Don't do anything you'll regret... Just because you're a mare, doesn't mean I won't swing back." Cloud barely leaned in and lifelessly glared into her irises. "Tread carefully."

"Applejack, ease off." Reluctantly, Rainbow Dash stepped in front of him with a whisper and guided Applejack back to the group. "He's not kidding."

"There you go again! Protectin' 'em for no—damn reason! Wake up, Rainbow! We talked about this!" Applejack felt Twilight's grasp pull her back just a little more. She grabbed Rainbow Dash and pulled on her leg bruskly.

"Hey! Don't fuckin' touch her!" Cloud ripped Applejack's hoof away. "At least she's kind enough do what you can't!"

"I'm still pissed off at you, Cloud. If you think this is an apology, you're way off base."

"You may be mad at me, Rainbow. But I'm not mad at you. Take it as it is." Cloud Strider stepped away from the group slowly. "The truth is? You all have the right to be furious with me right now. I'm only here to tear you all apart like Applejack said."

Everyone exchanged worried looks at each other in mass confusion. Something felt strange as a litany of questions quietly edged into their minds.

"Did you, did you hear?-"

"Those walls are paper thin. I heard everything you guys said. From Rainbow Dash crying about how I nearly costed her life and Applejack's talk of how I'm separating your friendships. Are you really afraid of me like that, Twilight?" Cloud Strider addressed the group that now seemed somewhat embarrassed. 

"Oh, oh Cloud, I-w-we didn't-" Twilight tried to explain on behalf of her friends but Cloud Strider stopped her.

"You don't have to explain yourselves. Applejack has truth in what she says, you know? I'm a fuckin' shallow jackass who is inconsiderate of others like yourselves. But you don't understand why I'm like this! It-It's not like I want to act like this because it's the only line of defense I have left! It's the only way I can protect myself from getting hurt again. No one matters to me because no one cares enough about me, that's why I don't care about anything. And as far as I'm concerned? It'll be that way until I leave this world where no one knows I still exist... I wish I could explain what makes me like this, but I just don't have it in me to do that anymore. My life is tired. I-It just needs to stop." Cloud Strider looked at Rainbow Dash, immediately looking at each other.

"This is why I said you shouldn't try to be my friend, Rainbow. I'm unpredictable and I don't give a shit about what happens to me. And if we are friends? Don't be surprised to find that I've packed up and moved on one day. A friendship makes that ten times harder for the one putting in the effort." Cloud's breath shuttered with anxiety as he tranced off outside beyond the broken glass.

"So were you p-planning on leaving, now?" Rainbow paced only inch closer.

"Yes... I can't be responsible for ruining more lives."

"But, but-but, Cloud. Your treatment! If you leave, you'll never get better! Y-You'll only get worse! You're not going to ruin lives."

"You're right, but the more I think about it, I more I think that I was forced into undying fidelity with Nightmare Moon for a reason."

"Cloud, think about what you're doing. You're throwing away your life if you leave." Twilight desperately tried to reach out to him.

"There have to be some in the world to do this, Twilight. Maybe I'm supposed to be the one that suffers so no else has to."

"You haven't even been here a week! You can't just walk out now!"

"Sorry..."

"I don't believe that for a second, Cloud. I believe that no one should have to suffer for something so horrible like that." Cadance spoke up. "You need to stay, ok?"

"Please, today's been rough on everyone. Give it another chance." Twilight heard a few voices timidly speak in subtle agreement.

"But I'm worried that I'll do something bad. What if I turn into her? It's h-happened before and I don't know what comes after." He was greeted with cold silence for only a few moments. 

"Uh, d-don't worry about that. We've all had our fair share of saving Equestria. I think we can do it for you too." Twilight put on a brave face.

"I'm not kidding. If I turn without control, don't be afraid to use everything you have to stop me. Even if killing me is the only option."

"Killing you is not an option because it will never come down to that." Cadance went up to him and held her hoof out. "I think you dropped this."

Cloud Strider drifted down at the shield he dropped. He flipped it over and inspected the integrity of it, bashing it against the ground with just enough force. He quietly snorted and smirked slightly. "I guess you're right."

"We thought you fell into the ravine, Cloud. We thought you got hurt."

"Yeah, I heard you yelling, Twilight. Rainbow told me too. W-When she was yellin' at me, though." Cloud slowly fixed his shield to his back, his purpose quickly coming into question. Cloud Strider walked towards the end of the room, knowing that prying eyes were ever vigilant upon him. Scouring the crusted stone at his hooves, he examined the white objects burned into the ground and its end product. 

"Cloud? W-What are you doing?" He ignored the question and examined the compliant figure within the purity. "Please, just come back here."

"Why is this spot... bitter? And cold? It just feels so unnatural." Cloud Strider looked at the group of ponies with fearful expressions. As if they expected something bad to happen at that very instance.

"Uh-uhh. Twilight made some s-sorta' spell there."

"Yeah! Yeah, it kinda' got a little out of control, and-"

"And I had to, use my alicorn magic to help her."

"It got really bad, I was lucky to even come out alive! Hehe. Shows how much I need to be careful." Twilight made a shit-eating grin on her muzzle, trying to seem somewhat embarrassed in the process.

"Then why do you all look like, oh I don't know, like you're shitting bricks?"

"Well, we just don't like being, uh, reminded of it." Cloud played along and hummed to himself, looking back down at the marking.

"But, that didn't-" Fluttershy's muzzle was instantly covered by Twilight's leg, keeping her hangdog facade up and running.

"Ok..." Cloud walked back begrudgingly without being fully satiated in his quest for answers. They were acting strange and he knew getting a concise answer from them would prove impossible.

"Soo?..."

"So what?"

"Are you goin' to stay or not, dumbass?" Rainbow Dash carefully raised an eyebrow.

"Depends. If I have to stay outta' everyone's way and walk around on hot coals, I don't see the point in staying."

"No, no, no. You don't have to do that." Twilight lamented Applejack and Rarity for their recent behavior with a flashy but subtle glance. "Besides, If you can handle Rainbow, I think you're more than capable of staying around with us. There's so much more about everyone you're looking at that you haven't seen yet. And I know it's a daunting task to be in a different land you're not used to, and I'm sorry I cannot relate."

Cloud Strider went even closer to Twilight's bipolar ego. One minute, she was terrified out of her mind, and now she was consoling with uplifting undertones. She kept going on about what all this could mean for him and how things can change in an instant, only for the better.

"Twilight?"

"I promise th—huh?"

"Shut up." He held his inclined crooked hoof out, "don't break this Norsepony's promise."

"Uh, oh!-"

"There's an Old Norse Proverb that comes to my mind: 'No better burden can a man carry on the road than a store of common sense.' Going back out there is a nightmare in itself. It's—uncertain. Frankly, it really, really sucks to put it nicely. You think you could give me another chance then?" Cloud scratched his bearded muzzle and tilted his head. Twilight politely shook his hoof at an awkward angle.

"No, your-doing it wrong..." Cloud rolled his eyes and smirked. "It'll have to do."

"Of course we will. Just a little mess up, it's ok." She mirrored his expression quite well. "C'mon, I think we're all tired of this weather."

"Alright, I just need a minute. You go ahead." Cloud Strider watched Twilight nod and enter the freshly sprouted gaggle of her friends.

"Don't stay long, Cloud. Please." Cloud Strider went along with Twilight's simple plea of minute urgency. Cadance curtly bowed her head. "Thank you, Cloud."

"Uh, Don't mention it..." Cloud Strider chugged down more of his canteen and barely gasped for air. "Uh... Rainbow? Can I talk? T-To you?"

She stopped, turning around with speed on her side. "What?" 

"What you did, with the whole book thing, that was really nice, so. Thanks. If I left, I probably woulda' never realized until it was too late."

"Eh..." Rainbow dropped her head with a coalescing sigh. "You're welcome."

"Ech, I know you're mad at me for all the right reasons. But you never had to do all that stuff to make it up to me. You woulda' done the same, right?"

Rainbow Dash looked back at him but did not open her mouth.

"It didn't occur to me until you called me out on it just now, but. I never expected us to be, ermmh... friends?" Cloud sheepishly pursed his lips.

"Cloud, I-"

"The truth is, I like talking to you. I like that you don't have a filter and you tell it how it is."

"Cloud, let me-"

"So, if you're so invested in being around me in all. It's a dick move for me to just-"

"Bonehead!" Rainbow Dash forced her hoof to close his muzzle manually for a split second. "I get it... I get it."

"We're not touchy-feely, let's just leave it at that, eh? Now, come on you idiot."

"Rainbow Dash, are you coming?" Twilight shouted through the spirals. Cloud stared behind at the pony figure within the star of white, he knew it bore some importance. But the altitude of its importance still remained to be seen. He promised to himself that he would return.

"On my way, egghead."

"Ok... Thanks, I guess." Twilight quietly chuckled at herself as Cadance nudged her on the side. 'Glad Rainbow's acting better, at least.'

"Twilight?"

"Yes, Cadance?" Twilight felt Cadance lean in closely.

"How long can you keep up this lie?"

"I... don't know. I know can't lie about it forever. That's painfully obvious." Twilight Sparkle entered the main foyer and effortlessly made for the main entrance. 

"I'm not calling you ignorant, but you know he's not an idiot."

"I know you're not, and you're right. His ability to learn and adapt fast scares me." Twilight gazed upon the ground ahead, making sure her voice did not carry. "How do I even begin to tell him this is where it all began? And that we were responsible?!"

"I don't know the answer myself. But I'm terribly afraid of what his reaction will be. I think you just need to drag him out here someday and tell him face-to-face." Cadance wrapped her wing around her back. "Or someone he really trusts has to."

"No, I can't do that to Rainbow. Now is not the time to tell him, he's still in a delicate state. I'll be sure to tell the princesses to keep it a secret, hopefully. Maybe they can break the news?"

"Tell them what has happened here today because today seemed tantamount."

"Tantamount? How so?"

"He saw a lot of things here and shared a lot about himself. And worse yet, all of these things can easily be found with a little bit of research. Whatever happens next could be what decides his fate. You six girls quite honestly have his life in your hooves. You need to make sure that the only outcome is the best possible option. He needs a win." Cadance let go with a tight hug, letting Twilight reflect on her words.

"That's heavy... I wish this day had never happened. Everything took a turn for the worse."

"Well, we've got to make due with what we are given now. There's no changing that."

Cadance was right, but Twilight knew the mind is easily swayed. Cloud Strider seemed to be an exception, though. All those years of travel had netted him a stoic attitude and a hardened internal frame. His mind was a battlefield with such a disturbing refinement.

"I'll make this right, Cloud. Just hang in there."