//------------------------------//
// Trouble at Every Turn 
// Story: Of Harmony & Chaos 
// by BBeee 
//------------------------------//


It was a long time before anypony spoke. Nopony wanted to speak, and even if they did, nopony knew what to say. Eventually however, one did.
 
                “…What happened? Wha’ was that… that thing! What’d it do ta Bright Eyes!?”
 
                “I don’t know, Craggy.”
 
                “Don’ you dare give me that! You… you the Grand an’ Mightyful Via-tor! Where’d she go!? Answer me, darn it!”
 
                “I said that I don’t know!” the showstallion roared. Silence fell over the valley once more, as the ranger and sorcerer glared at each other.
 
                “…Then we search,” Craggy spat before quickly checking and organising his gear and saddlebags.
 
                “You won’t find her.” All eyes turned to Discord.
 
                “S’cuse me?”
 
                “You heard me. You won’t find her,” the draconequus calmly replied.
 
                “An’ how ya figure that, huh? S’pose ya know where she is, then?”
 
                Keeping his expression neutral, Discord padded over to where the vortex had been, and began to trace the scorched rock with his paw. “Less a case of ‘where,’ more a case of ‘when.’ Of course, it’s just a theory, but I’ve felt that sensation before, when that vortex was open.”
 
                Luna, who had been worrying over her sister’s charred horn, looked up and frowned. “…What do you mean, brother?”
 
                “I mean, little Luna, that feeling as if you’re getting older and younger at the same time. ‘Time’ being an important word there.”
 
                “Discord… you think that was some sort of… time portal?” Celestia asked, despite the pain in her horn.
 
                “Precisely, dear sister. I remember a time, when I was much, much, younger, where me and… well… my birth mother, met another one of my kind. I don’t remember his name, but I do remember that he entertained us by making small, magical jumps through time, making copies of himself, all those sort of things. But I distinctly remember that same, strange sensation when he would cast his spells.”
 
                Before any more of Discord’s story could be told, he was interrupted by Firefly taking centre stage by flailing her hooves. “Just hold on a minute, guys! Time travel!? Is that even possible?”
 
                “Theoretically, yes, the same way teleportation is possible. In fact, I believe Uncle looked into it at some point, but I’ve looked myself, and there’s seemingly no prior research into it,” Dawn explained while rubbing her chin in thought.
 
                “Now jus’ back up a minute! Y’all sayin’ tha’ no matter how hard we look, we ain’t gotta hope of findin’ Bright Eyes?” The question made them all face the hard reality of the situation. None of them, baring Craggy, had known Bright Eyes for long, nor had they known her particularly well in that short time. Yet even so, potentially becoming lost in time was not a fate any of them wished on anypony.
 
                Wordlessly, Surprise floated over, sat down next to the quivering earth pony and gave him the most comforting hug she could muster. Luna soon joined her, and even Viator gave the ranger a gentle pat on the back, albeit somewhat awkwardly.
 
                “…Well, technically, that isn’t true.” The disheartened eyes of the group shot up to stare at Dawn, who was still rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “If it was a time portal, then it’s unlikely it would move her location in space, just in time. Now, the fact that we haven’t already run into her future-self means it’s more likely she was sent to the future, in which case, she could appear in this spot at any moment.”
 
                “So… all we have ta do is wait?” Craggy asked, hope returning to his eyes.
 
                Suddenly, Dawn looked down to the ground, and began idly kicking a few stray pebbles. “…Yes. If she was sent to the future… But…”
 
                “But what?”
 
                She looked up again, showing that there was very little confidence in her expression. “It’s impossible to tell for how long we’d have to wait. She could have been thrown anything from an hour to hundreds of years along the timeline. You could wait here for the rest of your life and not even come close to seeing her again.”
 
                Without a moment’s hesitation, Craggy firmly placed his flank upon the ground and crossed his fore hooves. “Then ‘am waitin’. These mountains are home anyway.”
 
                “Craggy, don’t be silly. You heard Dawn, you could be waiting here for years. Wouldn’t it be better to just move on, and let her find you?” Though faint, there was but the slightest hint of annoyance in Celestia’s voice. She admired Craggy’s resolve, but what he was doing was completely irrational.
 
                “Nope. She’s a friend, and I ain’t abandoning her.”
 
                By this point, the white alicorn had risen to her hooves and was slowly walking towards the ranger. “Craggy. Listen. I know you don’t want to leave her, none of us do, but what you’re proposing is ludicrous. You could waste your entire life just waiting.” Her voice grew sterner by the moment.
 
                “Way I see it, if it’s time used waitin’ for a friend, then it ain’t time wasted. I’mma doing it for her, and I’d do it for you.”
 
Something had changed in the stallion, that much was clear, no longer did he have a perpetual goofy grin, and no longer did he incessantly talk over other ponies as if he wasn’t listening to them at all. But it still wasn’t enough to stop Celestia’s words. “We aren’t friends.”
 
A hushed silence fell over the group, as each looked at her in shock. Even Celestia herself seemed surprised she had said what she did. “Sis…” Luna bubbled from beside the grief-stricken ranger.
 
“…I’m sorry, Craggy, I didn’t mean-”
 
“Nah, I heard it clear as day. Nopony says that without good reason. What ya mean?”
 
Another moment of quiet as the two locked eyes, finally, Celestia sighed. “I don’t like you, Craggy. We don’t like you. None of us want to see you hurt, or spite you, and we’re all grateful for everything you’ve done to help us, but… you’re just… difficult. You’re annoying and talk over us, you don’t listen when we speak, and no matter what we do, there’s just no polite way to make you stop following us!”
 
Craggy frowned, and his face contorted as his mind tried to process what he had heard. Celestia felt awful for making the admission, doubly so for the time and place. But she couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I don’ git it… why didn’t y’all jus’ say so?”
 
“Well… because we didn’t want to hurt your feelings! Why else?” Surprise sounded as confused as the others looked. Despite all that Celestia had said, Craggy seemed to not be too concerned.
 
“You don’t hate us, do you Craggy?” Luna squeaked.
 
“’course not! Not everypony’s a perfec’ match for another. Now I don’ know what it is I done ta upset ya, bu’ If ol’ Craggy’s was drivin’ y’all cuckoo, ya should have jus’ said! Ya ain’t hurt nopony’s feelings, nope, wha’… wha’ happened ta Bright Eyes…” the stallion looked mournfully over at the scorched ground where his friend had vanished. “…that’s gone hurt ma feelin’s. An’ they gonna hurt even more if I jus’ abandon her. I respec’ that ya told me what y’all really think, jus’ so long as ya respect what I really think. An’ that’s that I can’t leave.”
 
Just like before, nopony knew what to say and Celestia was not the only one to shuffle her hooves in discomfort. Unlike the others however, the alicorn was taken by surprise when she felt something cool and smooth brush against her hooves, something that gently rang like glass when tapped. Looking down, she allowed herself a smile as two perfectly cut gems sparkled back up at her. “…We understand, Craggy. I’m sorry, for everything. Goodbye.” The two exchanged smiles and nods, before Celestia turned back to her companions. “Everypony, let’s push on.”
 
Most looked uncertain with Celetia’s decision, but soon followed suite with their own goodbyes once Discord and Dawn had quickly made their own, Discord’s in the form of a casual salute.
 
“Wait.”
 
Eyebrows raised, the group turned to look at Viator.
 
“I’m staying as well.”
 
He stood vigilant in the face of their stares.
 
“What do you mean, you’re ‘staying’? As in, staying staying?”
 
“Yes, Discord, staying. I’m not leaving this place, yet.”
 
“You’re not coming with us, V? Why?” Although she was the only one to voice it, Firefly’s question was one they all wanted an answer to.
 
The showstallion took a moment to look down at Craggy. “That spell, that took Bright Eyes. Whatever it was, it was powerful. There’s still traces of it… residue, and I want to study it. That and… well, Craggy here might be able to find his way through the roughest of mountains, but he’ll need my help if he wants to find somepony abducted by magic.”
 
                The friendly smile plastered on Viator’s face soon disappeared when the aforementioned ranger leapt up to give the sorcerer a tight hug. “I jus’ knew I could count on ya, pardner!” Even though he tried to maintain his scowl, Viator could not help but let an awkward smile return to his lips.
 
                “So you’re really leaving us?” Luna glumly asked, her face a picture of childish disappointment.
 
                “Yes, Luna. I know what I said about the Elements, that I wanted to help hunt them so as train myself, but… I think this journey has already taught me enough. Time I put these new skills to use,” the stallion explained as he continued to try and push off the ecstatic earth pony. “I’m sure we’ll meet again sometime. After all, I am the Grand & Mightful Viator! If our paths don’t cross again naturally, then I’ll make them cross.” With that, grins spread around the group. “Now go on, get moving. You’ll have to find somewhere good to make camp before night falls.” Night was indeed falling fast. They had been walking for hours, and had made excellent progress, but would have to find a suitable place to lie for the night, or be forced to wander, exhausted, in the dark.
 
                Each pony approached their friend and in turn, gave him their farewells, starting with Dawn.
 
                “You’re an incredible magician, Viator, and a real inspiration. I might not be able to use magic, but seeing a unicorn as young as yourself stand up to somepony like Uncle, well… it just shows how much one can achieve if they set their mind to it.”
 
                “I’ll be sure to share what I find, next we meet Dawn. Perhaps one day, when you’re up to the highest standard, we can go into business together?” He did not get a true reply, simply a mumbled goodbye before Dawn trotted away, cheeks ablaze and a goofy grin on her face.
 
                “Catch you later, V. Keep practicing, alright? I wanna see another awesome duel between you and gramps!”
 
                “Oh, it’ll be more than awesome. It’ll be the greatest thing you ever laid eyes on, Firefly.” The two competitive souls exchanged hoof-bumps and wide smirks, before the pink earth pony left to join her waiting companions.
 
                “Aww, I’m going to miss having you around, V! You stay safe and happy, promise?”
 
                “Safe? Promising makes it sound as if I would have to try. Goodbye, Surprise.” The occasion was marked as the proud stallion let the blond pegasus hug him without any resistance on his part.
 
                Next was Luna, who walked slowly up to the sorcerer, sniffling. “P-promise we’ll see each other again?”
 
                “More promises? Luna, you have my absolute guarantee that at some point, we will meet again. I’m not sure when, but we will,” he responded, giving the blue alicorn a comforting pat on the head. Her face soon lit up once more, and she nodded, sealing their agreement before running off to stand by the others.
 
                “Ah, Viator, what can I say? You and me, together we would have had so much fun potential. Such a shame!” Discord cried in his staple melodramatic fashion.
 
                “Together? Oh no, you should know by now that I don’t share spotlights, Discord. When we see each other again, maybe we should duel, see who is worthy of it!”
 
                “Ha! Sounds like a plan! I shall bet you right now that it’ll be my name that gets the bigger place in history!” the draconequus chuckled, his face an image of mischief and humour.
 
                “We’ll see, Discord, we’ll see.” The two shook hoof and paw, then Discord snapped in and out of existence, teleporting to the others.
 
                “Viator, everypony. Before we go, I’ve found something I think we’ll all want to see” Celestia called from the front of the group.
 
                The showstallion’s horn suddenly lit up as he spoke. “I can guess.” Celestia blinked, but soon felt the tug of magic on something in her saddlebags. Before she could react, the two gemstones, one red and the other a light orange, she had scooped up from the ground shot from her pack and floated over to Viator, for all to see. He examined both for a moment and he seemed to have an epiphany, a slight smile curling his lips. “Honesty and Loyalty, just as I thought. Funny, I joined you all in your search because I thought these trinkets would give me a good opportunity to become more powerful, to learn. Turns out all I needed was some mountain ranger.”
 
                “…What do you mean?” Celestia asked while the others gawped at the Elements and Discord stood smirking.
 
                The unicorn looked at Celestia for a moment, deciding on his words, before simply shaking his head. “You’ll understand someday, I’m sure. Now go on, it’s getting dark.” With a flick of his head, the two mysterious stones were returned to their place by Celestia’s side. “Goodbye, all of you.”
 
                A small chorus of “goodbye” and “farewell” rang out, and no pony stopped waving until their one-time travelling companions were completely out of sight. The party travelled on, and soon began to find the tall mountains shrinking back down into simple hills. Before they left the Western Range proper however, a loud bang and colourful flash drew their attention back to the labyrinth of peaks and valleys. What they saw was a grand, magical fireworks display. Arrows of magical energy flew into the starry sky and lit it up with a prismatic display. They all knew who it was from, and it was a farewell gift truly worthy of the Grand & Mightful Viator.
 
______________________________________________________________________________
 
 
                “…he…alright…?”
 
                “…Fine… regaining conscious…”
 
                “…idiot.”
 
                Though at first, the stallion had not been sure where he was, or even if he was awake at all. All he knew had been the disjointed voices, seeping slowly into his mind from the darkness. However, that final, berating voice confirmed several things. Firstly, he was not dreaming; that illusion, created by the voices of several mares fawning over him, had been shattered quite quickly by being called an “idiot”. Secondly, the ache that was gradually growing around his stomach and the occasional sensation of a stinging salve confirmed his suspicions that he was in some sort of medical bay, or at the very least, was being treated on. One by one, Coin Bag’s memories began to piece themselves back together like a jumbled jigsaw.
 
                When the darkness had been shaken to the point of collapse, Coin Bag opened his eyes. Another set of big, worried eyes met his gaze, eyes that quickly bubbled with tears at the sight of him waking up. Before he could utter a word, the air was forced from Coin Bag’s throbbing chest as two striped legs wrapped themselves tightly around him.
 
                “COIN BAG! You’re… you’re okay!!”
 
                “…By… by golly, lass… you didn’t think a gang of… ruffians would take me out of the game… did you?” the merchant wheezed, struggling to draw breath from the pain in his chest and the ecstatic zebra crushing him with affection.
 
                “Ms. Kromi, please, if you could move. I can’t treat my patient’s wounds with you in the way. That, and you may be suffocating him,” a caring though professional voice politely asked from somewhere close by. Kromi darted her head back, then quickly withdrew from her dangerous embrace.
 
                “Sorry… I’m just so glad he’s alright!” she apologised while scratching the floor sheepishly.
 
                “That’s fine, Ms. Kromi. We all are. But he still needs treatment,” the other voice replied. Coin Bag assumed correctly that this voice was the doctor on one particular pony’s ship.
 
                “I’m not especially pleased about him using up our medical supplies. But better this than him getting blood all over my ship and stinking up the holds.”
 
                A particular pony named Sharpsail.
 
                Despite the sharp pain it caused him, Coin Bag managed a chuckle. “See you’re still as loving as ever, Sharpsail dear –Oh, oww…”
 
                “Shut up Coin Bag, you wimp. I know members of my crew who lost hooves to sharks, only to then beat the overgrown fish senseless, yet you faint after a fleshwound. Still…” Though Coin Bag’s vision was still a little blurry, he was sure he saw something come over the fierce sailor as she looked over his bed to the zebra on the other side. “…You managed to protect something precious. So I’ll let you off this time.”
 
                Kromi frowned and looked about, confused as the room’s attention was suddenly focused on her.
 
                Sharpsail did not let the silence last for long. “Calm Beat. When will he be out of bed?”
 
                “Not long, Captain. I’ve just got to apply some more dressing, and he should be fine. Won’t be in any condition to work for a few days, and he’ll probably have the scar for the rest of his life, but otherwise, he’ll be fine,” the doctor, Calm Beat, swiftly reported.
 
                “Did you hear that Coin Bag? Your first big scar. Though knowing you, it’s probably your first ever scar. Anyway, we’ll be arriving in Ploughmouth soon, so I want you up and ready to get off my ship as soon as possible.” Her expectations given, Sharpsail promptly left, leaving Coin Bag and Kromi alone with the doctor, who was too busy applying bandages to Coin Bag’s stomach to talk.
 
                “…So, Kromi. I hope you’re doing better than little old me?” the merchant asked after watching Sharpsail leave.
 
                The young equine nodded vigorously, and seemed itching to give Coin Bag another hug. “Only because of you!”
 
                He smiled and nodded in response. “I don’t think you know how glad I am to hear that!”
 
                “And as much as I hate to break up the moment, I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Ms. Kromi. Mr. Coin Bag here needs his rest, if he wants to be able to walk on his own four hooves by the time we get to Ploughmouth,” the doctor dutifully informed them both.
 
                The stripped equine looked back and forth between the Calm Beat and Coin Bag, unsure whether to protest, or do as the doctor told her. To her disappointment, the bed-ridden pony nodded in agreement. “…Go on, Kromi. You’d best do as the good doctor says. Can’t say a bit of shut-eye would go amiss.”
 
                “Oh… okay then. You’ll get better soon, right?” she asked with a hope-filled voice.
 
                “Oh, I should think so. Sharpsail isn’t in the habit of taking on anything but the best for her crew. Forty winks and Calm Beat here should see me right as rain. Now off you go, I’m sure you can see Ploughmouth from the deck.”
 
                Reluctantly, Kromi nodded, and trotted away after snatching another quick hug, much to Calm Beat’s disapproval. She could hear Coin Bag’s snores before she even left the sick bay. The moon greeted her, however, as she emerged out onto the open deck. Despite the chaos that had wracked it earlier that day, an intense feeling of calm had returned. Barrels were smashed, weapons lay discarded everywhere, and there were even a few drops of dried blood here and there. And yet, the crew carried on cleaning up and attending to their normal duties as if nothing had happened, the same confident grins and smiles plastered over their lips as they casually talked and worked. The only pony to look troubled was their captain, who stood at the ship’s wheel. She wore a frown and distant expression, the two of which were magnetic for a caring individual like Kromi.
 
                “…Sharpsail?”
 
                Almost immediately did the veteran sailor snap from her trance to face the zebra. “Kromi. I’m glad you came. There is… something we should discuss. About Coin Bag.”
 
                Kromi blinked. “…W-what about him?” she stuttered.
 
                The brown mare took a moment to scan Kromi’s face, as if she wasn’t sure what she herself should say. “…What do you think of him?”
 
                “Of Coin Bag? He’s… he’s the kindest and most wonderful zeb- I mean, most wonderful pony I’ve ever met!” she beamed with unbound honesty.
 
                “Hmm.” Once again, Sharpsail began to stare off into the distance, her hooves automatically adjusting the wheel as necessary as if it were by reflex. “Kromi,” she finally spoke, “there is something you should know about Coin Bag. Something that I worry he is too much of a coward to tell you himself.”
 
                “I don’t understand…? What do you mean?”
 
                Sharpsail sighed and looked straight into Kromi’s eyes. “My dear, dear Kromi. It… it was Coin Bag who was responsible for whatever happened to your village.”
 
                The captain’s words hit like a ton of bricks. She didn’t know what to say, not that she was capable of saying anything in her stunned state. Eventually, she managed a garbled “what”.
 
                “I’m sorry, Kromi. Let me explain… Your village, I presume, was well hidden, and it was too far even for the griffons to hunt in normally. Something led them there, showed them that there was something there. The only thing it could have been was Coin Bag, sailing in from the north. I’m sorry Kromi, but it was that… idiot, who led them to your village.”
 
                Things started to click in Kromi’s mind. The how’s and why’s all started falling into place. “…Did… did he mean to do it…?” she whispered, head down.
 
                Sharpsail remained silent at first, trying desperately to retain her composure. “I… no. Coin Bag is a fool who shouldn’t so much as swim in the sea, no doubt, but neither would he intentionally cause so much suffering. They must have followed him without his realising.” She waited, but didn’t get a response from the zebra. “…I imagine you’ll want to talk to him. You don’t know how much it pains me to tell you this, when by all rights he should be, but it’s something I simply cannot leave buried.”
 
                The wind whistled calmly around them, and the chatter and noise of the crew sounded distant to the point it may as well have not been there at all.
 
                “…Thank you for telling me,” Kromi muttered, before turning on her hooves, intending to leave Sharpsail be. Her face never rose from the floor.
 
                “Kromi, stop,” the earth pony called tenderly. It was an odd tone to hear from Sharpsail, and it would normally have earned the captain a whole round of frowns, but Kromi was the only one to hear it, and the zebra was in no mood to appreciate the rare event. Nevetheless, it was enough to catch the stripped equine’s attention, and she turned her head to look despairingly at Sharpsail, who sighed once more. “Kromi. You… you mustn’t blame him. I know I did, at first, and it drove me to the edge of wanting to beat him to within an inch of his sorry life, then throw him to the sharks. But you and I both saw the way he protected you against those griffons. He cares for you, Kromi, more than I’d care to admit, and while his mistake cost you a lot… that is what it was, a mistake. I’m sure if he could take it all back, he would. If anything, blame the ones who chose to take your village away, not the bumbling jester who accidentally brought them.”
 
                First, there was the silence. Then the sniffling and bubbling eyes came. And finally, the floodgates opened, and the young zebra rushed into Sharpsail’s hooves, sobbing and wailing. The two rocked back and forth as the normally fierce earth pony gently stroked little Kromi’s mane. “Shh, shh… there, there…” she softly cooed.
 
                There they both stood, pony and zebra together, for nearly half an hour. During all that time, the rest of Sharpsail’s crew knew better than to interrupt them, even though several of the officers had reports to make. When it became apparent to Sharpsail how long Kromi needed, she carried the crying zebra to her private cabin, and gave control of the wheel over to the first mate. In the cosy confines of the captain’s quarters, they both sat on a lush sofa by a porthole
 
                “…I don’t know what I should think…” Kromi finally squeaked after her eyes had no more tears to give, and her lids were red raw.
 
                One of many sighs sounded from Sharpsail’s throat. “I understand, my desert flower. Even I struggled. A part of me still wishes to maroon him on Gryphos, but I know atonement when I see it. Coin Bag’s hatred for himself is more than enough, were we to add yet more hate to that pile, then he would surely be crushed.”
 
                “…But… what about the Taloned? Should I…?”
 
                “Should you hate the griffons?” Sharpsail finished for her. “No.”
 
                “But…!”
 
                “But nothing, Kromi. Coin Bag annoys me to no end, and has done a terrible thing to you. But do I hate all of ponykind because of it? No. Hate those griffons which have torn at your heartstrings, but for the griffons as a whole? They deserve only pity.”
 
                Once again, Kromi opened her mouth to protest, but her mind managed to process Sharpsail’s words before she was able to respond, and instead she buried herself into the earth pony’s fur, pondering on the wisdom she had been given.
 
They both lay there for sometime, mulling over their own circumstances, before a gentle tapping on the cabin door snapped them from their mental wanderings. “Enter!” Sharpsail yelled.
 
The door swung open to reveal Calm Beat, the ship’s chief medical officer. “Captain. I just thought you and Ms. Kromi-” The doctor suddenly stopped mid sentence, and looked awkwardly over at the young zebra cuddled up closely to her captain. “…I apologise, was I interrupting…?” she asked, a nervous hint easily detectable in her voice.
 
Sharpsail frowned, and followed the doctor’s gaze down to the beautiful equine, who, despite the captain’s loud order for Calm Beat to enter, had managed to fall into a peaceful sleep. Her deep thoughts had prevented her normally keen senses from even realising when Kromi had drifted off, and the sight of the exceedingly cute zebra curled up beside her, combined with her own incredible loss of spatial awareness let Sharpsail’s composure slip, if only just slightly.
 
“…N-No… you aren’t… uhh… G-Go on. You were saying…?”
 
Calm Beat blinked a few times, and had to hold back the incredible urge to comment on the situation further, but she knew her captain well, and also knew she’d be better off leaving it. “Yes… Anyway, I thought I would inform you that Mr. Coin Bag is conscious again, and is making a quicker recovery than I originally thought. First Mate Salt Hoof also asked me to tell you that we should be arriving in Ploughmouth within the next few hours, around the break of dawn. He recommends you get some sleep before then, though… Ms. Kromi has obviously taken the initiative.”
 
“…Thank you, Calm Beat. Dismissed,” the captain informed her officer.
 
Calm Beat dutifully nodded. “Captain,” she respectfully added before turning to leave.
 
“Oh, and Calm Beat?” the immensely comfy earth pony hastily added.
 
“Yes, Captain?”
 
“Not a word to anypony about… this.” she quickly gestured to herself and the sleeping zebra, just the slightest hint of a blush lighting up her cheeks.
 
Calm Beat couldn’t help but let a grin escape onto her muzzle. “Of course, Captain, of course,” she assured before leaving the two in peace and shutting the door firmly behind her.
 
Yet another sigh sounded around the cabin, though it was one more of tired humour than of anything else. “Ah, sweet little Kromi. Whatever am I going to do with you…?” Sharpsail allowed herself a small chuckle, before resuming stroking the zebra’s mane softly and eventually drifting off to sleep herself.
 
Sadly for Captain Sharpsail, she was denied the pleasure of a full night’s rest, due to the frantic banging that sounded from her door not long after she shut her eyes. Wearily, she rubbed her eyes and gently manoeuvred herself out from underneath the still slumbering zebra. Kromi stirred, but did not awake, and Sharpsail was able to trot to her cabin door without any guilt for waking her.
 
“What?” she droned after pulling open the door with some reluctance. Surprisingly, it was her First Mate, Salt Hoof, standing on the other side of the threshold. Sharpsail’s senses became instantly alert. Salt Hoof, more than any other pony alive, knew not to disturb his captain’s rest unless in vital circumstances.
 
“Sharpsail, ma’am. I think you ought to come see this,” Salt Hoof calmly informed her.
 
The captain took a moment to scan his face for any hint that the situation wasn’t serious, though she knew she wouldn’t find any, and she didn’t. Normally, she would not even consider doubting any of her senior crew like that, but that time she had somepony else sleeping in her cabin. “…Of course. Lead the way.”
 
Salt Hoof did just that, and Sharpsail soon found herself at a table surrounded by her best pegasi scouts and navigators, grim expressions all around, who were furiously calculating movement for some other ship, or entity. “Cap’n, we’ve got some worrying reports. Massive flock heading our way from the south. Rate they’re moving at, they’ll get to Ploughmouth maybe hour or two after us,” the pegasus, Scope Sight, quickly informed the commanding earth pony.
 
“Flock? Griffins? They wouldn’t dare attack a city as large as Ploughmouth, there’s not a tribe on Gryphos big enough.”
 
Despite the confidence in the great Sharpsail’s voice, the mood of the room did not improve. “You’re right, Cap’n. The problem is… it’s not griffins. It’s worse. Much, much worse.”
 
_____________________________________________________________________________
 
 
                The moon and stars shone brightly over the Everfree forest, and not a single animal stirred. Even the wind was still, freezing the landscape in a still, silent state, like that of a masterpiece hung on the wall of an empty museum. The heavenes were not, however, the only source of light on that cloudless night. From the window of a stone library, a warm, orange glow lazily shone from one of the windows. Within the old, ivy ridden structure, Equidae Aumean sat, staring into the crackling flames of a fireplace. The powerful alicorn was not alone, at least not physically, as Star Swirl the Bearded lay on a pile of cushion nearby, snoring loudly. As much as she enjoyed company however, the mare was thankful for Star Swirl’s lack of consciousness. She wanted to be alone, with her thoughts, regardless of how much those thoughts were tormenting her. She knew something bad, terrible even, was going to happen, and yet she did nothing to stop it. She had seen everything that had happened after Star Swirl cast his spell, saw how much danger her children and their friends had been put in because of it, and seen how an innocent pony had been scooped up and displaced from her very own time. Even Aumean’s powers were not great enough to divine that pegasus’ fate, and while she doubted the world would become such an awful place, to be taken from everything and everypony you knew and loved was a horrible thing to endure.
 
                “…Ughh… Change those runes… zzz…” Star Swirl quietly mumbled in his slumber, his brain still reviewing his experiment even during sleep.
 
                Aumean looked in her friend’s direction and smiled weakly. She was also glad he hadn’t seen what she had seen. Star Swirl wasn’t an irrational pony by any means, but the red-maned mare worried what the guilt would do to the ancient magician’s focus and drive if he found out. Of course, she wouldn’t tell him, because he wasn’t to blame. The responsibility was solely in her hooves. She had chosen not to relocate the vortex when she had the chance, despite knowing it would end in tragedy. She had been afraid, afraid of once again shouldering the responsibility of guiding the young ones, of pulling at their strings from afar, an inevitable result of interfering when she had altered her own spell to give up control over when and how the Elements would appear.
 
                A sad chuckle escaped the alicorn’s lips. Things hadn’t quite gone as she had envisioned. Of course there were supposed to be times of difficulty, hurdles for them all to overcome. It was even intended by the powerful mare for her protégées to encounter danger on their journey. That was the whole point, so they could let their experiences teach them the true meaning of friendship, so that one day they may be able to guard and wield the Elements with wisdom. It was only then however, that Aumean realised that she herself could perhaps do with a refresher course. Had she lost confidence in them? Or in herself? Either way, she doubted that the ancient artefacts would bend to her will as easily as they had once done; that she could muster all that was needed to wield that awesome power.
 
                It was funny, she thought, how ponykind, when it still remembered what an alicorn was, had looked up to their ancestors in awe, as gods even. She could not blame them for it, as it was easily understandable how the alicorn’s natural affinity for magic, and their immense longevity would give such an impression. What never failed to amuse her however, was how wrong they were. The alicorns were, despite their powerful magics and seemingly immortal lifespans, nothing more than ponies.
 
______________________________________________________________________________
 
 
                Satisfaction was something a certain group of travellers had been receiving in spades during a lengthy journey such as the one they were on. However, seeing the stone port city of Ploughmouth, their next destination, in the morning light from high atop a hill was a moment that forced them to take a minute or two to simply stand, and look out over the plains and town that awaited them. The wind whistled quietly, projecting an odd sense of calm over the hustle and bustle of the city below them.
 
                Surprise in particular seemed in a state tranquillity. “Wish I could record all this. Would be great to be able to show everypony at parties. It’s a pretty beautiful view, right Fire?”
 
                “Hey, don’t try and make me get all sappy, but… yeah, I guess it is,” the speedster replied with an equally serene smile on her face.
 
                “Couldn’t we use magic? To record it?” Luna inquired, looking to Celestia, Discord and then Dawn in turn.
 
                “Sorry Luna, but I don’t think anypony’s developed a spell quite like that yet,” Dawn replied apologetically.
 
                The midnight filly looked down to the ground in disappointment, but a quick nuzzling from her sister soon lightened her spirit. “Don’t worry Luna, I’m sure at the very least, we’ll all always remember it.” Smile restored, they looked back down onto the hub of commerce.
 
                Much like New Manesterdam, or Manehatten as it had been renamed, the town of Ploughmouth quickly flourished since its founding, being the single link between all of Equestria and the zebra lands, far to the south across the sea. And somewhere, in that myriad of markets and warehouses, was yet another Element of Harmony.
 
                ‘…or the lessons needed to earn it,’ Discord told himself. Though what that lesson would be, he could not be sure. What he was sure of however, was what he hoped the lesson would and would not involve. He couldn’t be doing with more loss. Especially if it involved a certain, beautiful, white alicorn.
 
                “Discord? Are you alright?”
 
                The draconequus was flung back into the cruel, and in that instance, compromising realm of reality. “Fine, dear sister! Admiring the view is all! Wonderfully… varied, would you say? A bit of primal nature here, a bit of chaotic civilisation there…”
 
                Celestia’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “You were looking at me, Discord. I hope you weren’t planning some kind of prank again. We’ve still got quite a lot of ground to cover, and no time for mischief.”
 
                The fun-loving chimera looked at his adoptive elder sister with saucer like eyes. “Me? Mischief?”
 
                The only response he got from the pastel-maned mare was a roll of her eyes as she turned back onto the path, though he still managed a giggle from Luna. And thus they set off on the long road once more.
 
                Sadly however, Discord had been looking at Celestia, and even after they had set off he struggled to stop his eyes from wandering back to her shapely self. For a time, he’d been able to suppress such thoughts, but the incident with Bright Eyes, the realisation that they could experience actual loss, had sent the draconequus’ mind racing with dangerous notions regarding his step-sister. He couldn’t bare to lose any of his family, any more of his family, but he especially couldn’t bare to lose Celestia. It was an odd feeling for him, having his mind and heart in such chaotic conflict, even more so given how he had no idea why he loved his sister so. By all rights, she should have been the last pony he fell for, and not just because of their relationship as brother and sister. And yet, Discord could only see her as perfect, the missing half of the whole, the yang to his yin. He knew that unless he did something, his emotions would eventually tear him apart. But he couldn’t do anything now. Not when they were at such a milestone in their quest, it would disrupt things far too much. ‘No,’ he resolved ‘not yet.’
 
                They marched on, through sloping hills and eventually across wide plains. By all rights, it should have been as idyllic as every other time they had had the chance to walk through such peaceful terrain. And yet, the closer they got to the city of Ploughmouth, the more the air felt ominous, threatening even. None could quite put a hoof on what it was, but the once tranquil fields became increasingly forbidding. It wasn’t until they were just a few minutes trot from the gates that they noticed scores of other ponies fleeing the town to the east and west, hastily packed belongings dangling from their packs or carts. It was a worrying sight to say the least.
 
                “Seems somepony’s got their tails in a twist. Or whole town of ponies, as it were,” Discord remarked coolly.
 
                “What in Equestria is going on…? Come on everypony, we should hurry,” Celestia instructed before breaking into a gallop. Her companions nodded in agreement and speeded up themselves.
 
                It did not take them long to enter Ploughmouth proper, and it took even less for them to etch expressions of shocked confusion onto their muzzles. The entire city seemed to be in a panic. Whole families ran to and fro while others lined the roofs, doors and windows of their houses with sandbags.
 
                Taking the iniative, Dawn approached one stallion who was in the process of picking up various supplies he had dropped from his cart. “E-excuse me! Would you mind telling us-”
 
                “Get out while you can!” the stallion shouted as he loaded up his cart once more and quickly vanishing into the distance as he cantered off as fast as he could.
 
The others followed Dawn’s example, but none of the befuddled travellers could get anypony to stop long enough to tell them what was happening.
 
“Sis, what’s going on? I’m getting worried!” Luna cried while pushing herself closer to her elder sister.
 
“…Don’t worry Luna, we’ll find out what’s wrong…” Celestia replied, trying to keep the concern from her voice.
 
Surprise, who had taken a quick jaunt into the air, came swooping back down. “Can’t see anything wrong with the town, but… there’s this big, I don’t know… cloud out at sea!”
 
“Cloud? C’mon Surprise, I’m pretty sure a storm wouldn’t cause everypony to freak out like this!” Firefly said with no small hint of scepticism.
 
“Just telling you how it is, Fire!” came Surprise’s ever-cheerful response. “What do you think we should do, Tia?”
 
“We don’t have much choice but to keep searching,” the white mare sighed.
 
“Umm…” Dawn started. All eyes turned to her. “If you don’t mind me saying… we should head towards the nearest square. If this place is anything like Manesterdam- I mean Manehatten, then that’s usually where the authorities gather to give out orders. Maybe we should look there?”
 
Celestia blinked. “Of course…” sighing, she put a hoof to her forehead. “I should have thought of that…”
 
                Dawn shot her friends a bashful smile, before they all quickly turned their attention to finding a town square. Eventually, their efforts paid off, and they stumbled into a wide-open market place, with a fountain at its centre. By the statue, a bulky unicorn stallion wearing the armour of the guard was yelling orders at his subordinates, who all nodded and galloped off to perform their tasks. He must have been a high ranking officer, if not an outright captain.
 
                “Excuse me, sir?” the elder alicorn politely asked.
 
                The guard looked up from a map he was scanning, and seemed fit to explode before realising it wasn’t a fellow guardspony talking to him, nor was it a regular pony. “Yes, uhh… civilian? Please, be quick, you really ought to be evacuating.”
 
                “E-evacuating? We just arrived in town, why do we need to evacuate?” she stammered, clearly taken aback.
 
                Frowning for just a moment, the guard rolled his eyes and muttered “Tourists, of all the times… Look, I’m sorry but you’re going to have to evacuate. There’s a huge flock of dragons heading straight to Ploughmouth, and for all we know they could be intent on burning the city to the ground. I’ve no choice but to order an evacuation.”
 
                “Dragons!? Are you bucking kidding me!?” the party’s speedster yelled in outright disbelief.
 
                The guard shot Firefly a disapproving look. “No, I got confused. I meant to say butterflies. Of course it’s dragons! You think I’d be ordering a full-scale evacuation if it was a swarm of pigeons flying at us!? Yes, it’s dra…gons…” the officer suddenly trailed off, his eye having caught something. Celestia looked back, and followed his gaze to none other than Discord. Almost immediately, the guard’s horn began glowing with a menacing light.
 
                The draconequus blinked and looked around for anything else in his direction that might illicit such a response, yet he found none. “Ah, see, I know what you’re thinking, little pony, but I’m not-” Discord could not finish his sentence, as he was cut off by a ray of magic speeding towards his head. His reflexes saved him from an impromptu charring of his face, but that first beam was not to be the last. The unicorn began unleashing magical blasts at a rapid rate which quickly left scorch marks on the paving and walls of surrounding buildings as the wiry draconequus slipped, ducked and dodged past them all. “Ah! Stop! Please? Woah! Pretty please!?”
 
                “Sir, please, stop! He’s not a dragon, he’s a friend!” Celestia tried to explain, to little avail. The guard kept his aim up, and his horn a flurry of magic.
 
                The sight became too much for Luna, and she cried out as her eyes started to bubble. “Stop it, you’ll hurt my brother!”
 
                “Alright, that’s it, you crossed a line mister! Surprise, back me up!” the group’s speedster called as she prepared to launch herself in the unicorn’s direction with Surprise by her side.
 
                “W-Wait you two, we should try and talk this-” Dawn’s plea came too late to stop Firefly and Surprise’s double-pony charge. An attack, however, that was never to be seen through, as something beat them to it, or rather, somepony beat them to it. Earth pony and pegasus screeched to a halt as the guard was thrown off his hooves with a undignified grunt by an auburn blur.
 
                “…R-Redstone!?”
 
                The blond pegasus’ shock was met with a trademark bashful grin. “Hello, Surprise…”
 
                “Gah… What is the meaning of all this!? Arrest them! Arrest them all! We don’t have the time to be dealing with riots!”
 
                The two’s reunion was cut short by the captain returning to his hooves, and the circle of guards that had surrounded the square at some point during the fighting. The unicorns horns shone, while the earth ponies and pegasi brandished spears threateningly. Slowly, the circle began to tighten, forcing the group to stand back-to-back. They shared a variety of expressions, from a look of fear on Luna, to angry defiance on Firefly. Regardless, they all knew fighting back wasn’t an option. Aside from the fact that they could get seriously hurt, being branded as even more violent criminals was unlikely to help them anytime soon.
 
                “I’m sorry everypony, I’ve gotten you all into a mess…”
 
                “Heh, don’t worry about it Redstone! We’ll get it sorted! …I hope…”
 
                “Wow, even when we’re in danger, you two are swooning over each other-”
 
                The speed at which Firefly’s head met the paved ground under the force of Surprise’s hoof was enough to startle everypony present, guards included. Rather than let the sudden brawl that had erupted between the pink earth pony and white pegasus escalate into a full on riot, the Ploughmouth Guard instead decided to quickly arrest and restrain the entire party. A tense silence fell over the square, though whether it was due to the arrests, or the fuming pegasus, might never be known.