Bulletproof Heart

by PaulAsaran


Episode 12: Raising Barriers

11th of Warm Season, 1005 BA

Ever since Rarity had lashed out at Panting Dingo, the days had been tense. The caravanners, unarmed and always under the watchful gaze of at least two mercenaries, gave her a wide berth. Most avoided looking at her, only to cast sinister scowls when they thought she wouldn’t notice. Only Roma kept her revulsion out in the open, freely glaring at Rarity with every given opportunity. As much as Rarity wanted to avoid them, hiding in her wagon would only confirm their backwards views of her as a stuck up, useless princess of a pony. Or a coward. She guided the Thick Scales whenever she could and pulled her weight, determined to not be cowed by the passive aggression.

The afternoon rest periods were easier. There was no obligation for her to ‘hang out’ with the clods. As the afternoon was exceedingly hot even in the Warm Season, she took her meals in the wagon, often accompanied by one of the mercenaries – Shining had been wary of her being alone. She didn’t mind, as despite their brutal appearances, every one of them were amiable. Granted, it was obvious the one named Grape Shot was developing an infatuation with her, which was worrying. Still, he tried to be gentlecoltish about it – as gentlecoltish as one could be with minimal awareness of genteel behavior, that is. She tolerated his hopeful gazes. His approach was certainly better that than Panting’s methods.

Yet she couldn’t help feeling intensely uncomfortable. She watched their motions carefully, always waiting for the moment that they would try something. They never did, and her continued scrutiny left her feeling guilty, but that didn’t prevent it. None of them said anything, but she knew they noticed. Especially Shining Armor. With every passing day, she felt less and less secure.

She hated these feelings. If only they’d go away, she might be able to relax for a change. But they wouldn’t, and the endless fear lingering just under the surface of her consciousness ate away at her patience. When they encountered the periodic rest camps of the Rambling Company – thankfully not raided like the first – Rarity made no attempt to visit them. Hired stallions living a full year with nothing for company but each other and the sands, getting their first look at a young mare in ages? No thanks.

Rarity was enthralled by her first sighting of the Lonely Mountain. It suited its name perfectly, rising high above the salt flats and dunes like a monolithic golem. They’d snuck up on the geographical aberration in darkness, and it crept into their sight with the steady rise of the sun. It was perhaps another three days away, but there could be no mistaking it.

Everypony knew of the Lonely Mountain. Legend had it that once, back when the vast desert was green and fertile, Princess Celestia had considered moving the capital of Equestria there. Today it served a less noble but imminently practical purpose as the primary rest and resupply juncture of the Great Salt Plains. The Southroad and the Suntread met there, the one place guaranteed to offer safety and recovery for weary travelers on the desert roads.

And it seemed so far away.

“Don’t look so glum.” Shining Armor chuckled at her glower, riding along on his Dust Devil with gun in hand. “This means we’re more than halfway to Hoofington.”

That was relieving. Mooisville was only another two weeks north of Hoofington. Her family was that much closer, and she felt a renewed hope that she’d make it there in time. Taking the Southroad had likely saved her two weeks of travel, not accounting for having to move at the caravan’s speed.

Eyeing the mountain from beside her wagon’s sand lizard, Rarity couldn’t help marveling at the size of the thing. Its peak reached the clouds. The clouds themselves were a wonder, rare as they were out here. They were thin and didn’t go far from the mountain, undoubtedly created via the waterfalls and pools said to be prolific up there.

Rarity had to remind herself that she wasn’t here to sightsee. “And how long will we be staying for resupply?”

Scratching the stubble of his chin, Shining shrugged. “The physical resupply? A few hours at most. But it’s best to relax in the caverns for a night or two. Gives the lizards a change to recoup, and gives us the opportunity to rest.”

Pursing her lips, Rarity looked ahead to the traders leading the other wagons. “And what of our less-than-amiable friends?”

“Not much we can do about them,” he replied, losing some of his casual demeanor. “I’ll talk to the Chief Scout, let her know what’s up. I go to see her every time I’m here, anyway. Other than that? Keep your distance, stick to crowded areas. Keep me or one of the boys with you as much as you can.”

Not an ideal solution, but Rarity supposed she couldn’t be picky. She guessed there wouldn’t be much of a policing force in the Lonely Mountain, so her best bet for safety would be to stick with Shining and his fellow mercenaries. A shame. After spending so much time with ponies who hated her, she could have used some alone time. Too bad travelling on her own was still out of the question, what with rogue bandits roaming the area.

But she was getting ahead of herself. The Lonely Mountain was still several days away, after all.


The mountain was much larger up close than it had seemed at a distance. Which was saying something, because at a distance it looked huge. It took up all of Rarity’s vision as she craned her neck back. How strange that something this massive rose out of the solid earth so abruptly. There were no foothills, no steady slope. Just a sheer cliff of a grey mountain spearing the sunset-pink sky.

Grey. Not even the same color as the desert around it.

The wagon train’s approach brought them towards the bottom of a large waterfall, the first of its kind that Rarity had ever witnessed. It was a beautiful sight, made all the more so by the tropical trees and shrubs that surrounded the small lake it fed into. True to the stories, the water seemed to go nowhere, and Rarity couldn’t help wondering where it all went. Sadly, they didn’t approach the lake itself but instead moved towards a sandstone building nestled against the mountain.

They were still some ten minutes away when a figure launched from a cliff high above the structure. It glided to them, and as Rarity squinted she noticed more figures watching from the same cliff. As it grew closer, she recognized the pony to be a thestral. It hovered ahead of the wagon train and called out to them. Rarity couldn’t make out the words, but apparently Roma heard just fine, because she promptly responded back with their identity and destination.

Rarity turned her attention to the mercenary currently riding near her, a stallion around her father’s age by the name of Tiro Caliente. “So what happens now?”

Tiro responded with a thick Mareami accent. “Now the scouts inspect us for contraband. We’ll stop at the house ahead, sí? Once they give us the go ahead, we’ll enter the mountain and rest our weary pezuñas.”

Rarity had no idea how the ‘scouts’ were supposed to know contraband when they saw it, but it wasn’t really a concern. She was just a hitchhiker, for all intents and purposes. Any wrongdoings would be attributed to Roma and her crew. But then, they were hauling gemstones grown by the Pie Family, so it wasn’t like they had anything illegitimate.

The thestral flew back to the structure against the mountain, the wagon train following at its ponderous pace. As they got closer, Rarity was able to make out more defining characteristics. The building was some five stories high, which put it in rivalry with the taller buildings of Manehattan – at least, as Rarity had heard of the buildings there. Since she’d yet to visit Manehattan, and Mooisville had nothing taller than three stories, this was by far the largest structure Rarity had ever laid eyes on.

The mountain itself made up the primary support, with the structure appearing to lean backwards against the surface. As a consequence, every floor was smaller than the one below it, although Rarity couldn’t properly judge scale at her low angle. The whole thing was made of large sandstone bricks, with small windows appearing periodically, and battlements on the top from which ponies armed with rifles peered at them.

By the time they pulled to a stop outside the wide double doors, a trio of earth ponies and a unicorn had stepped out to greet them. Roma met them and immediately started talking business, a stone-faced Shining Armor at her back to make sure she kept her story straight. Panting Dingo hobbled out of the wagon he’d spent much of the trip lying in and was promptly ushered inside by one of the earth ponies, most likely to get that leg healed. Grape Shot was right behind them.

Scanning the mountain, Rarity noted the gaping cave to the left of the building. With the sun beating down on her back and a desperate desire to get away from the traders, she turned to Tiro and asked, “I don’t need to be here for the entire inspection process, do I?”

He shrugged, not taking his eyes off the exchange between Roma and the inspectors. “Just tell them you’re a tagalong, not a trader. They’ll check your bolsa and let you in.”

Tiro’s words proved true, and after a brief inspection of her backpack she was permitted to go inside. Not through the cave, that was apparently for wagons, but through the front door. Tiro went with her, if only to make sure she didn’t get cornered later by one of the traders. The interior was drab and largely undecorated save for a few tapestries displaying a pair of thestral wings splayed out from behind the Lonely Mountain.

“It’s the emblem of the Scouts of Canterhorn,” Tiro explained as he led her upstairs to what would be their rooms. “Their order is said to predate the Day of Burning. They say the Lonely Mountain was called Canter Mountain in those days. So, Scouts of Canterhorn.”

That was news to Rarity. She’d heard of the Scouts only rarely, and never by their full name. She certainly hadn’t known about their supposed origins. She wondered if Spike would confirm the story?

Their rooms were on the fourth floor. Tiro said the Scouts liked their guests to be high up both to protect them from potential attackers and to make escape harder should they find something out. A bored looking officer guided them to a hallway and assigned rooms for the entire caravan. Alas, they weren’t as private as Rarity had hoped, each room designed to hold up to four ponies at a time. She would have to share a room with the mercenaries. She thought this would prove a problem, seeing as she didn’t want to force one of them to stay with the traders. What if the traders ganged up on him or something?

Her worries proved unfounded when the officer explained that Shining Armor had a special suite always reserved for him. This struck her as curious, and she wondered just what circumstances made that possible. Maybe something to do with his former military service?

Then Rarity learned that the elevated waters in the mountain allowed for indoor plumbing, and she was once again treated to that incredible feat of pony engineering: the shower. A lukewarm shower, but still a shower. She spent more than an hour getting the grime of weeks of desert traveling off of her, drowning her fears and anxieties in the sheer joy of being clean again. Upon leaving she wore one of the extra sets of clothes she’d created at the Pie house and Limestone’s coat. She also thanked Tiro for his immense patience. He took it like a champ, bless his heart.

A glance out the window revealed that the inspection of the wagons was ongoing. She also found that the traders’ weapons had already been moved into the room, apparently by Shining Armor himself. She felt good about that, but then she learned something else: Shining had moved all her things to his room. It seemed he intended to let her have it while he stayed with the mercenaries in this uncomfortable barrack.

Rarity had no intention of permitting that.

Against Tiro’s suggestions, she made her way downstairs to find the former military officer. Tiro followed behind, clearly flustered by her constant desire to be on the move. She idly wondered why he didn’t put his hoof down and make her stay put. He certainly had the ability. It never happened though, and instead he followed her around like an overgrown child who wished the adults would let him loose.

A large portion of the main building had been repurposed as living space for the Scouts and their visitors. It had grown to be a small community in its own right, albeit one built around a militaristic lifestyle. The cafeteria provided all their culinary needs, so no restaurants existed, and the only place in the building with a commercial aspect to it was a small bar. There was a section made into recreational facilities, but nothing like she might expect to find in a proper town.

Shining Armor was nowhere to be found, but one Scout familiar with the ex-Major pointed her in the direction of the caves. It only made sense that the Scout House would have direct access to the caverns in the mountain, but whatever would Shining be doing in there?

Rarity faltered with her very first step into the caves. Her eyes dazzled at a magnificent collection of hues and illuminations as she took in an entire cave structure made up of nothing but crystals. “Oh, wow…” She gaped at the beauty of it all, not noticing the drool on the corner of her lip until she realized Tiro was watching her.

With a furious blush, she wiped her mouth clean and resumed walking. “I’d heard of the Crystal Caves, but I had no idea they’d be so lovely.”

Tiro followed, paying far less attention to his surroundings. “Sí, muy bonito. Too bad it ain’t worth much.”

She gaped at him. “Not worth much? Look at this place. Do you know what kind of dresses and jewelry I could craft with fabulous specimens such as these?”

“They lose their colors and brilliance when taken from the mountain,” he explained. His tone was awfully dull and conversational considering he’d just shattered Rarity’s heart. “Just like the ones in the Crystal Empire. Whatever magic once powered them, it’s muerto save for in places like this.”

“Oh.” Her ears drooped as she took another look around at her magnificent surroundings. “I guess that explains why nopony has bothered to mine this place.”

“They did once.” Tiro shrugged. “At least, that’s what the Scouts claim.”

They walked on in silence, their hoofsteps strangely muffled despite the crystal ground. The caverns were being used extensively for supply storage, with several of the larger caverns filled with boxes of preserved foodstuffs. They climbed up smooth, shallow slopes that, after almost an hour, eventually brought them back outdoors to a cliffside. The wide open space was so big it actually had a corn field, currently being maintained by a pair of thestrals. Tiro explained that there were over a dozen similar farms all over the mountain, which made it possible for the Scouts to feed themselves all year and still provide for travelers passing through on the Southroad and Suntread. She was quite impressed by the efficient use of space.

They entered the mountain again from a different tunnel. Tiro was anxious to get back. The inspection would soon be over and he didn’t want to risk the guns being found by the traders. Rarity convinced him to let her search this final level of the mountain before they would return. As fortune would have it, it was all she needed.

They found Shining Armor in a large cavern. A waterfall entered the place through the ceiling, filling a pool in the center of the cave that ran out into some low-ceiling river. They almost didn’t see him amongst all the water. He sat on the opposite shore, staring at an unusually smooth plane of pale purple crystal. He appeared to be deep in thought, his lips set in a sad frown and his shoulders slumped.

Rarity shared a look with Tiro. He shrugged and gestured for her to go on before turning for the exit. There was no way for her to know if he intended to wait for them or was leaving her to Shining’s watch. It could go either way, really.

The idea of interrupting Shining’s apparent melancholy suddenly didn’t appeal to her. What if he wanted to be alone? She didn’t want to intrude. She hadn’t liked it when Coco and Cranky kept bugging her back in Spurhoof, now had she?

But then, she had come to appreciate the gesture. Maybe Shining would too. At least, that’s what she hoped as she quietly walked around the pool. Her hoofsteps, though still mysteriously muffled, seemed obnoxiously loud in her ears. At least the waterfall masked the noise quite a bit. Keeping a respectable distance, she sat facing the wall as he was.

She said nothing at first, instead following his gaze. The purple crystal was so smooth that she could see her own reflection, and far be it for Rarity Belle not to check her appearance in a readily available mirror. Her brown pants constituted the only exception to her jeans-based lower clothing, whereas her button-up shirt was a plain white cotton, the top open just enough to reveal the tan undershirt. To her satisfaction, her necklace remained perfectly hidden. She took a moment to tilt her wide-brimmed hat into a proper position and straightened Limestone’s large coat.

The only disappointing element was her mane and tail. They were still far more luxurious than those of most ponies, but the weeks of travel were beginning to take their toll at last. She suspected that proper mane care products wouldn’t be plentiful in a place like the Lonely Mountain, and this would only get worse the longer she traveled. A pity, but she had far more important things to worry about than split ends.

When she realized she’d overlooked Silver Lining and Ruby Heart, she felt a wave of nausea. She really was getting used to them, wasn’t she? They’d practically become an extension of her person by now. What would she have thought about that a year ago?

Abruptly, she realized that she had an audience of one. Through the reflective surface, she noticed Shining Armor staring at her. Not the stare of a lovesick colt or a hungry predator, but of a stallion flummoxed by what he was witnessing. She gave him a weak smile via the reflection, abruptly feeling foolish. What proper drifter spent time fussing over her mane?

Shining, his brow furrowed, spoke hesitantly. “What are you doing out here?” He paused just long enough for her to comprehend the question before pressing the query. “Are you running from something? Chasing something? What is it that makes a pony like you the Bulletproof Heart?”

What made the Bulletproof Heart tick. She frowned to herself, wondering how much she should reveal. It didn’t take long for her to come to the conclusion that she trusted Shining enough for the truth. Most of it, at least.

So… “I once had to protect myself from a pony not unlike Panting. I was afraid and confused and didn’t know what to do, but I had an opportunity to do something.” An unpleasant sensation swelled up inside of her at the memory of Braeburn’s hands on her. She stared at her reflection, feeling at her arms as she did. There was muscle there now. Far more than there had been. “He wasn’t as fortunate as Panting.”

“Was he an Apple?” At her raised eyebrow, Shining shrugged. “I heard about the caravan.”

Of course, how could she forget? Stupid newspaper. “Yes. And now the Gang is on my tail.” The Bad Apples. The name alone left a bad taste in her mouth, and she fought the urge to spit. Instead, she pulled out Silver Lining, raising it up to examine it carefully. “In Rockstead I learned that they’ve taken some ponies important to me.”

She aimed at her reflection, going for the heart. Her bulletproof heart. The Bulletproof Heart. If she killed that strange, violent new version of herself, could she still protect her family? She didn’t think so… but oh, how she longed for a way to do it. She grit her teeth as the gun lowered once more. Someday, perhaps. But today, she had to be what ponies expected her to be. “I won’t let them have their way,” she growled, more to herself than Shining. “They can chase me all they want, from the Everfree Sea to the Atlantian, and I’ll cope. But they’re threatening my family now. I have to draw the line somewhere.”

Shining crossed his arms and studied his own reflection, seeming lost in thought. Rarity took the time to brood, her eyes on the holy sigil Marble had given her while her free hand rubbed the necklace beneath her shirt. She wondered if the Sisters were paying any attention to this conversation. Probably not, but one could hope.

“I have a sister.” Shining’s gaze didn’t waver, though his eyes betrayed a deep sadness. “She’s a little know-it-all. Smart, but also convinced that she’s always right. Prove she’s wrong and she’ll hold it against you for weeks.” The corner of his lip twitched up at his own words, but this did nothing to ease his mood. “I love her more than I can say. She was my best friend, despite being ten years my junior.”

Rarity found it a curious coincidence that her own sister was of a similar age difference from herself. She didn’t let her thoughts drift, however, instead focusing all her attention on Shining’s confession. “What happened to her?”

He snorted, eyes narrowing. “She was obsessed with Princess Luna. Was convinced that the Church’s teachings were wrong, that the Princess still resides in Equestria. We thought it was just a phase, a kid’s infatuation, but then…” He closed his eyes and bowed his head. “One day we woke up and she was gone. She’d left a note saying she was going to find the Princess.”

“Oh, my.” That seemed a bit extreme. How could anypony, even a young filly, think that such a thing was a good decision? “Did you ever find her?”

He shook his head, hands limp in his lap. “We searched all over, but she was gone. She never came home.” A long, heavy sigh. “Mom was ready to abandon everything and go searching the wilds. I convinced her and Dad to stay home. And me?” His eyes met hers through the reflection of the crystal. He looked so… weary. “I gave up my military career. Here I am, years later. Still searching.” He turned his attention to his own reflection, going silent once more.

Rarity’s first thought was to be critical of Shining’s little sister. It seemed like such a selfish thing, to run away like that in search of some childish notion. And yet, when she turned her eyes to her reflection, a wave of guilt washed over her. Had she not done exactly the same thing? She could just see her parents and sister sitting around at home the day after she’d left, worried and miserable. And when the wagon train she’d taken to Manehattan had been attacked… What if she’d not been so lucky?

She would have disappeared, as surely as Shining’s sister. Her parents would have had no way of knowing what had become of her. Would her father have started searching Equestria, as Shining was now?

She felt like such a fool.

“She’s dead.”

The sudden declaration pulled a gasp from her lungs. She looked to Shining, directly this time, but his head was bowed once more. The sadness was back, as strong as ever. “She is?”

“Probably.” He stared at his hands, as if expecting them to have something wonderful and disappointed to find otherwise. “I know the odds. I honestly gave up hope a long time ago. If Twily’s out there, I’d have found her by now.”

“Now, wait.” Rarity reached as if to put a hand on his shoulder, but he was out of reach. She hoped the gesture alone would be helpful. “You don’t know for certain. She might be—”

“Please, save your breath.” He turned away roughly. “I can’t go home to my parents empty handed, but the best hope I have now is finding out… finding out exactly what happened to her.” He tilted his head over his shoulder, but didn’t meet her gaze. “Go home, Rarity. Go back to your family, where you belong. Keep them safe. Do that, and the Bulletproof Heart’s story might be worth remembering.”

He stood up, brushing at his pants as if to rid them of dust. “I’ll be outside. Let me know when you’re ready to head back down.” She watched him go, heart heavy with unpleasant thoughts.

The idea that ponies would remember the Bulletproof Heart instead of Rarity Belle left a hole in her chest.


Spike,

Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Lonely Mountain has a post office. A post office, but not a bank? For shame! But then, it’s not exactly a thriving metropolis, is it?

Please accept my most sincere and heartfelt apology for the brief and blunt nature of my message to you when I was in Rockstead, and for not coming to visit when I had the opportunity. I have recently been made aware of just how tragic it can be to wait for news that may never come, and I should have treated your patience with greater respect. I promise that I will come by to visit at my very first opportunity, and it will be a longer stay than just a couple days.

I am on my way home, to Mooisville. I have reason to believe my family is in danger. I intend to rescue them from the clutches of the foul villains, even if they aren’t aware of the situation yet. How I shall do so, I can’t be sure. Something will come to me. Regardless of the solution, there is no doubt that your gift will see its fair bit of use in the coming months.

I know I should keep running. I know that charging head first into battle against the Bad Apple Gang is foolish and may cost me my life. But they have my family, and I cannot tolerate that. There are boundaries not to be crossed, and the Apples have run wildly over them! It infuriates me more and more every day, such that sometimes I have difficulty maintaining my cultured image. Yet I shall persevere somehow, and with my hide intact.

But what after? When my family is free, they will no longer be safe in Mooisville. I am at a loss of what to do. I’m not even sure how they will react when they see me, their darling, prissy snob of a daughter wearing jeans and toting handguns like a seasoned drifter. What if they are offended by my new personae? Mayhap they’d want nothing to do with me. Such a result would be

No. I apologize. I’m starting to use this letter to vent my worries. I don’t want to use it for something like that. These letters should be positive, and I am spoiling it. Again.

I have to end this, for my wagon train will be leaving soon. But, oh, how I hate to leave on such a sour note! I’ll try to cheer up for when I next write to you from Hoofington. Until then, I will maintain my faith. In myself, in the Sisters, and the future. The Bad Apples haven’t beaten this young mare yet!

Your friend,

Rarity Belle

Rarity reread the letter, guilt building up within her. She really should have visited Spike after leaving Elysium. If only there was more time, she might have penned a letter to the Pie Sisters as well. That idea was soundly crushed by the shifting, grumbling presence of Solar Stalker, the fourth and least amiable of the mercenaries in her group. The stallion had no interest whatsoever in her desire to spend time writing letters, constantly tapping his booted hoof.

She huffed at him before turning to the postmaster, a smug-looking pegasus mare. She took the letter and rolled it up, moving quickly but with a carefulness Rarity could appreciate. “Don’t you worry, miss. Soon as our unicorn gets back on shift, I’ll have him send it to the nearest bank.” She’d already seen Rarity’s Message Orb and knew exactly who to send it to. Rarity had to wonder who she thought the message was really going to, what with that mischievous expression on her.

“All right, we done? Let’s get out of here.” Solar Stalker turned on his heel and walked out of the office at a brisk pace, not bothering to check if she was following. It seemed he had little interest in tact, a point Rarity had been sure to note in her earliest encounters with the drifter. He couldn’t be too bad, though. After all, he had sided with her against Roma and her traders. Exactly why was a mystery given his apparent irritation with her, but beggars can’t be choosers. A gruff and direct individual, but not necessarily mean.

They left the post office, which was situated on the top floor so that pegasus messengers could more easily access it. The others were getting the wagons hitched up, and no doubt they’d be waiting on her soon. Rarity had no intention of being a bother, at least not to Shining, Tiro, and Grape, so she didn’t protest Solar’s fast walk. Their things had already been placed back in the wagons, so it was just a matter of meeting them outside.

As they walked, Rarity took in her surroundings one last time. She might not get another chance to visit the Lonely Mountain, so it seemed prudent to take it in. The Scout House itself was clearly old, if the worn bricks and visibly reconstructed parts were any indication. It was a shame that the place was so terribly unadorned. For a place so memorable in history and function, one would think the Scouts would have given it a suitably matching appearance. Well, if they couldn’t be bothered to create a proper aesthetic, she would simply have to remember the Lonely Mountain for its natural quality. It had plenty of that to spare.

The sun seemed brighter than usual today, its hot rays descending upon the two of them the instant they stepped outdoors. Rarity adjusted her hat to accommodate, but didn’t complain. What good would it do? Months of trekking this foul desert, alone or in a group, had adapted her well to the ever-present heat. How horribly she’d reacted to it during those first few days in Long Horn’s caravan, and they’d not even been travelling the desert at that time.

Should she be proud of her adaptation? On the one hand, she’d grown stronger, more resistant. Sturdier. Yet, on the other, this new proclivity for shrugging off the scorching rays of day served to indicate just how far she’d fallen.

The last of the wagons was just pulling out of the caves when Rarity and Solar met the caravan. The traders didn’t acknowledge their presence in any way, like they were little more than mirages of the desert heat. She took this in stride, finding no need to fret over the opinions of such rubes. Taking the reins of her wagon’s Thick Scale from Grape, she led the creature in line at the back of the wagon train. Grape and Solar mounted their Dust Devils and took to the front of the caravan.

And so it was that Rarity found herself going north once more. They travelled at a calm, easy pace that filled her with fresh anxiety. If only she could trust herself to survive out there, she’d have purchased a mount of her own and ridden beyond the horizon already!

But she would be patient. One hand pulling the reins lightly, the other rubbing the nub on Silver Lining’s grip, she reminded herself over and over that this was the only reliable way to travel, at least across the desert. Soon she’d be in familiar territory, and she’d have the opportunity to travel on her own.

A couple hours passed before they rounded the mountain to properly go north. A few hours past that, she turned around to observe the Lonely Mountain, if only so that she might ingrain its image into her memory. It truly was a majestic sight, still towering high over them despite the distance already formed. It would provide a grand alternative. She’d need stories to tell Sweetie, after all, and somehow brutal gunfights didn’t seem appropriate material.

Her eyes caught something, a speck darting out of the higher reaches of the mountain. It flew across the sky at a rapid pace, making its way northwest. A pegasus courier, no doubt, though even a pegasus couldn’t cross the Plains easily. The idea brought her back to another pegasus, one she had lost in the vast desert. Now that she seriously considered it, would Yearling have been in any danger given the speed of flight? With little to weigh her down, it was conceivable she might have simply flown at high altitude out of the Great Salt Plains.

Even so, Rarity didn’t permit herself to linger on that possibility. Getting her hopes up would be foolish. With no small amount of guilt, she turned back to the north and pushed the archaeologist out of her mind.

She had her own problems to deal with.


Something shoved against Rarity’s shoulder, jarring her awake from terrible dreams of being chased through crystal tunnels by faceless stallions. She went from unconsciousness to alert in seconds, and before she had time to think she’d pressed Silver Lining’s barrel beneath Tiro’s chin. Fortunately for him, she recognized him in time to keep from pulling the trigger.

Eyes wide as dinner plates, the drifter froze in his awkward position leaning over the wagon’s back panel. “Easy, señorita. I like my head right where it is, sí?”

The barrel didn’t move. She sat up and hissed in his face. “In that case, you’d best have a very good reason for sneaking into my wagon while I’m asleep.”

“Are bandits a good enough reason?”

She blinked. “Bandits?”

He nodded. Very slowly. “Coming from the west. Got about ten minutes. No time for chit-chat, sí?”

Sucking down a slow breath, Rarity pulled the gun away. “My apologies, Tiro. I’m… not fond of being touched.” She’d think on how terrible her reaction was and what it meant for her state of mind later. “Let me get the guns.”

“Think nothing of it,” he replied, though there was a hint of relief in his tone. “Just hurry. We need to be ready for los banditos sooner than later.”

Bandits. The same ones Shining had been looking for? She went to a spot in the very center of her wagon, carefully moving aside some small gem crates. Finding the one she was after, she popped open the lid to reveal all the guns that had been confiscated from the traders. As loath as she was to give Roma and her thugs arms, they’d already agreed that an event like this called for everypony to be ready to fight. She only hoped the traders kept their guns pointed in the right direction.

She passed weapons to Tiro, who in turn handed them out to whatever ponies were behind him. She spotted the traders hurrying past as they were armed, but couldn’t get a grasp of their mood. With the last gun handed off, she checked her ammo for Silver Lining and Ruby Heart before going outside, all thoughts of dreams and sleep long gone.

The setting sun was half-hidden by the horizon, casting the world in a low red hue. Rarity eyed the west but saw nothing. Turning her attention to the wagons, she saw traders and drifters alike set in defensive positions, all watching the sun’s gradual fall. Spotting Shining at the second wagon, she hurried to meet him.

Crouched by the wagon wheel, she asked, “Where are they?”

“In the sun.” Noting her confusion, he nodded around the corner and let her by. “They’re using the sun itself as a blind. If you don’t look right at it, you won’t see them. We’re lucky Solar has such good eyes, else they’d have started firing before we even noticed their approach.”

Taking up his former position, she squinted into the sunlight. All she could make out were a few blurry specks shifting where the horizon met the fiery orb. She pulled back and rubbed her eyes to get the glare out. “Do we know how many?”

“No.” He hefted his pistol, expression grim. “But we’re as ready as we’ll ever be. Get behind one of the Thick Scales, fire over it.”

She turned to the sand lizard, her stomach churning. “Y-you want me to use Sarsaparilla for cover?”

Apparently missing her hesitation, Shining brushed her aside and got back into position, narrowed eyes set on the sun. Rarity considered objecting to his idea, but after a tense moment swallowed her words and went to the creature’s side.

Sarsaparilla, typically an off-white green, had adjusted her scales so that they matched the yellow-brown sands around them. She’d also hunkered down, legs squeezed close to her body with head and tail turned away from the coming threat. A well-trained lizard, it seemed. Rarity hesitated, gently reaching out to scratch the creature’s head just behind the muzzle. Curious green eyes opened to glance at her, and Sarsaparilla trilled. It was a very deep, heavy sound, very different from what Piecazzo offered.

She cringed. Why did she have to think of Piecazzo? “It’s alright,” she whispered, both to herself and Sarsaparilla. “We’ll both get through this, won’t we?”

The Thick Scale hummed, the sound reverberating deep within her chest, and closed her eyes once more. It was as if she didn’t care about the coming battle at all. Perhaps she didn’t. Whether that was a good thing or not, Rarity couldn’t be certain.

With another deep breath, she settled into a one-knee crouch and looked over Sarsaparilla’s backside. With the sand lizard hunkered down in its defensive posture, she could just aim Silver Lining and Ruby Heart over the creature’s back. She could even rest her arms on those wide, tough scales, though they were uncomfortably hot for that. The position would have been far better suited for a rifle.

Eleven ponies stood ready to defend the Pie Sisters’ gems. Four were clearly veteran combatants she could trust. Six were traders of questionable value in combat, none of whom could be trusted to fire only at the bandits, and then one of them was already injured. Then there was her, the so-called Bulletproof Heart. As much as she hated the name, she prayed to the Night Mother that it wasn’t all nonsense.

Seconds passed. A calm breeze blew sand across the defenders’ faces. Rarity could only look into the sun for short periods of time, but she could see the bandits more clearly now. She did a quick headcount before turning away. Seven of them. Was that all? Perhaps the sun was blinding her worse than she’d believed. That or the bandits were desperate. Their very survival depended on successful and frequent raids, and if they’d gone too long without…

This might not prove much of a fight.

“Easy, ladies,” Roma called out. “We can take them.”

Another peering glance. Yes, only seven. They had to know they’d been spotted, but still they came on. They had to be desperate, there could be no other explanation. Rarity would do her part, but in truth she wasn’t sure if she was even needed. She focused her vision down the Ruby Heart’s sights, knowing it would give her the best aim, but couldn’t look for too long. She had to admit, coming from the direction of the sun was a smart strategy.

Sarsaparilla snorted, lifted her head. Rarity, blinking away sunspots, watched as the sand lizard stared east with a low rumble. Wondering what had caught her attention, she looked in the same direction. She promptly offered to the sky a most unladylike curse.

“Behind us!”

Another group of bandits five ponies strong charged from the east! They had crossed over the nearest dune just as Rarity had turned to look, and would be entering firing range within seconds. She turned about, weapons ready, but it was one of the traders who fired first with a long rifle. A miss, apparently.

Rarity took a closer look at the sand lizards they rode and felt her heart drop into her hooves. Those were all Leapers! One of the beasts jumped from atop the dune and spread its wings wide, gliding for the caravan with alarming speed as its rider took aim with a long-barreled pistol.

Shots rang out. Silver Lining barked. Ruby Heart roared. The bandit she’d been aiming for toppled, though she couldn’t tell if it was from her shot. She heard a few deep sounds, like a ‘thunk’, and realized they were bullets striking Sarsaparilla. Her throat clenched as she cast a quick look, but was relieved to see the shots bouncing off the creature’s thick scales. They’d need something much bigger than that if they were going to—

More thunks reminded her that she was dangerously exposed, and she scrambled for the nearest wagon. She fired blindly at the oncoming group as she did, swearing under her breath as something bit into her arm. Just a scratch, but enough to make her redouble her efforts. Turning as she moved, she screamed as a Leaper came directly for her! Its orange legs were a blur, sand kicking up in its wake as it opened a tooth-filled mouth wide. Its thestral rider bore her fangs in a wicked grin, shotgun aimed and at the ready.

There was no way she’d stop both of them with just her guns. Rarity did the only thing she could think of, desperately hoping she remembered the spell correctly. No time to doubt! Her horn flashed and a thin blue shield snapped up just as the Leaper lunged. The creature struck her shield, bouncing back hard.

Then its rider fired the shotgun.

It was like being hit with a sledgehammer. That was on fire. If Rarity didn’t know better, she’d think her horn had just split in two. Stumbling, she struggled to see through the spots in her vision. The Leaper was recovering, the rider probably reloading. With the world swaying and her knees wobbling, Rarity fired wildly. Within seconds, the Leaper was on the ground and her guns’ hammers were clicking uselessly.

Her vision cleared in time to see the rider climb to her hooves, apparently untouched by the bullet storm thanks to her mount. Gone was the pleased smile, replaced by a vicious snarl as she raised the shotgun. Rarity tried to grab the two barrels in her magic, but was rewarded only by a searing agony that brought her to her knees. No, not a magic overdose, not now! She looked up and opened her mouth to cry out—

The bandit’s head snapped sideways, blood splashing across the desert sands as she toppled. A moment later, Shining Armor was standing over her. “Rarity, you okay? Rarity!”

His voice echoed in her skull, bouncing around like a hammer thrown wild. Even so, she nodded. “I’m fine.” She could barely make out her words. The little pony in the back of her head was running circles, screaming No, I am not, fine, there is nothing about this situation that is fine! Ignoring that annoying little voice, she focused on reloading her guns. Her hands trembled as she worked, but somehow she replaced Silver Lining’s cylinder without trouble. Ruby Heart wouldn’t be so easy, and she hadn’t the time to waste.

Shining was already gone, fighting his own battles. Shots rang out in an explosive, chaotic medley, backed by a chorus of shouts and screams and roars. Sand billowed about in a fresh wind that bit into her cheek. Rarity stumbled to her hooves and saw that the fight on the east side was already over, bodies lying about the sands. Taking no time to identify them, she turned back to Sarsaparilla and almost fell in the act. Strangely, the sand lizard hadn’t moved. It just lay there, eyes half closed and appearing for all the world to be taking a nap. The sight was strangely calming.

With the world still rocking from the fire in her horn, she wobbled her way to the lizard and looked to the ensuing battle. In the midst of a blue glow, she could see there wasn’t much left to do. Only three bandits remained, and they were turning tail and fleeing. Make that two; she watched in numb silence as one of the lagging bandits dropped from his seat and struck the ground, unmoving. And just like that, the fight was over. It couldn’t have lasted more than a couple minutes.

Her gaze shifted to the source of the glow, and she felt her heart skip a beat. Shining Armor stood in the middle of the drifters, his horn offering a brilliant glow. A shield had been formed, but not like her meagre little wall. This was a solid dome, the barrier clear as glass and no less solid in appearance. Bullets lined the sand all around its perimeter, giving credence to its strength. If she could produce something like that…

The shield fell. Tiro turned his attention to Grape Shot, who was nursing a wound in his hip. Solar ran back to the wagons. Shining watched the bandits run, lips in a thin line and a fire in his eyes. Rarity wanted to ask about his shield spell, but right now she couldn’t work up the energy. She slumped against the apparently unharmed Sarsaparilla and let out a slow breath, taking with it all her tension. As she put her guns away, she realized it was so much nicer fighting with allies.

The tension came right back. No, it isn’t nice. It’s horrible and all the more scary because your allies have just as much of a chance at dying as you do! So don’t try to make this sound like a ‘good’ fight, because there is no such thing!

“Shut up,” she growled under her breath, rubbing at her burning forehead. The last thing she wanted was an argument with her old self. She tried to stand, only to sway as the world started spinning again. “H-he must have fired both barrels, the jerk…” Stumbling back to keep from falling, she turned to survey the damage. The Leaper lay in a heap before her, its thestral rider only a couple feet closer. More bodies filled her vision. It seemed not a one of the bandits on this side of the caravan made it.

They weren’t alone. Two of the traders knelt over a figure lying in the sand. She took a couple shaking steps closer and saw it was another one of them. Jumping Bean? She thought that was his name. She watched as they closed his eyes and said a few words, not sure how to feel. Remorse, because a pony was dead? That same pony had held a gun on her not too long ago, had been about to let one of his own do things to her. Yet all she could feel was a strange guilty sensation. Why? What could she have done differently? She’d been so busy worrying about her own survival…

“Don’t.”

Rarity flinched, more because of the spike of fire the voice produced in her skull than anything else. Hissing through her teeth, she turned to peer with one eye at Shining Armor. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t think about it. It only makes things harder.” He eyed her before looking to the traders. “I’ve seen that look in the mirror a few times. You learn to stop worrying about what you could have done differently. We held them off, and only came away with five casualties. That’s really good considering their sneak attack.”

“Good? There’s nothing good about…” She paused, the full meaning of his words hitting her. “Five? We lost that many?”

His ears perked. He looked to her as if she were speaking in gibberish before understanding bloomed across his face. “Oh, no. ‘Casualty’ just means someone got hurt. You’re thinking ‘fatality.’”

That didn’t help her to relax. Her eyes drifted to the deceased trader. His friends were already leaving him to check on the others. He seemed so… alone. “And… how many fatalities?”

Shining groaned. “You’re not going to make this easy on yourself, are you?”

A fire burned in her chest. Rarity turned on him with a snarl so fierce he actually stepped back. “It’s not supposed to be easy. These are ponies, dead ponies. And I will feel sorry for their deaths regardless of who they were or what they did because I have a sense of decency!”

His hand was on his pistol. She realized, belatedly, that hers was on Silver Lining. Sucking down a sharp breath, she pried her fingers from the handle and held her hands behind her back. But she kept her eyes on his face. “I apologize. I’m in no condition to discuss this rationally.”

He let go of his own weapon, already at ease. “It’s okay. I get it. I used to be the same way.” His eyes drifted up to her horn. “How’s the head?”

As if in reaction to the query, a fresh wave of fire surged through her skull around her horn. She cringed and rubbed the base of it with her thumb and forefinger. “It feels like I’m wearing a crown of hot coals.”

“Overdose?”

She nodded.

He hummed, crossing his arms and rubbing his stubbled chin with a thumb. “That was very impressive, what you did with the shield.”

“Don’t be patronizing,” she grumbled, turning away. “Yours was far better.”

“Well, sure. But shields are my special talent.”

That brought her attention back to him in a flash. “Really? Do you…” She hesitated, realizing that now might not be the best time to ask. But she’d started, and he was giving her an expectant look. It was too late to back out, wasn’t it? With hands behind her back once more, she looked to the sands and finished the query. “Do you think maybe you could help me improve mine? It would be so useful, I can’t possibly imagine.”

He said nothing at first. Was he at least thinking about it? Or maybe he was disgusted that she’d even ask, considering how rude she’d just been. She couldn’t blame him, not really. If only she hadn’t wasted her chances by letting her emotions get the better of her. With a sigh, she looked up, an apology on her lips.

It died at the sight of his grin. “Shining?”

His eyes sparkled at what must have been her apparent confusion. “I thought you’d never ask.”


In the end, four of their number died to the bandit raid, all traders. Panting Dingo was among them. Shot in the throat. Nopony could have helped him. Nothing disturbed Rarity quite so much as the awareness she was secretly relieved by his passing. The thought left her angry, and she avoided the others for a long time.

With no means to take their dead, Roma resorted to having them laid before a large dune, which they then collapsed onto the bodies. It wasn’t a proper grave, but it was the best they could offer. Shining and Rarity offered to help, but Roma’s only response was a long, vicious glare. They watched from the wagons, neither saying a word.

It went without saying that they’d have to let the remaining traders keep their guns. They had no means of taking them away without further raising tensions, and nopony wanted that right now. It was going to be hard enough keeping the wagons moving at a decent speed as it was.

They continued north. Rarity kept her distance from the rest, brooding over her dark thoughts. She looked at her views regarding Panting Dingo’s death and was not pleased by what she saw. That disgust only grew as she thought on her fights of the past. It dropped to its absolute worst when she realized, in a fit of horror, that she’d barely mourned for Cayenne’s posse. She’d defended herself, killed four ponies… and barely felt guilty.

What kind of pony was she becoming, that she had to feel guilty about not feeling guilty?

Thinking about it did her no favors. Taking a distraction, knowing with no small nausea that she was running from the problem, Rarity approached Shining on the second day about those shield lessons. He seemed genuinely excited by her interest and wasted no time. They practiced for a couple hours every day when the wagons stopped for the hot afternoons.

Which was why they were now sitting in the sand behind the last wagon.

“Alright, Rarity,” Shining said. He cupped his hands and, with a flash of his horn, produced a small, semi-transparent cube that fit neatly in his palms. “Just like that. Let’s see you do it.”

Rarity concentrated on her hands. She channeled the magic through her horn, envisioning a cube in her mind’s eye. She knew, from old conversations with some earth ponies, that non-unicorns tended to think that unicorns could just ‘think up’ what they wanted their magic to do. If only it were so simple. It was true that she had to envision what she wanted in her mind’s eye, but the spell didn’t end there.

To describe unicorn magic to a non-unicorn was… difficult. There are books that try to put it down in simple terminology, but Rarity found the few she’d read lacking in accuracy. This was partially because every pony channeled their magic a little differently, so precise, universal explanations were practically impossible.

For Rarity, the magic always started as a gemstone, not unlike one of those on her cutie mark. She would see a gem, feel it somewhere deep in her chest, and adjust its Colors. Yes, magic had Colors, and those Colors meant something. Oh, a unicorn’s aura would always be one color, but that was just a filter, the horn expelling excessive energies wasted in the casting process. The magic within was where the real Colors existed, and their purpose was the one thing that all ponies could agree on.

Shining hadn’t needed to inform her that Yellow was the necessary Color for the shield. He interpreted it as meaning ‘to protect.’ Rarity saw it in another way: to create. With eyes half-closed, she let the Color of the gem bleed out into the darkness around it, then carefully molded the nebulous mass of Yellow until it was a cube. That done, she ‘pushed’ the image out through her horn, working to impose the image of the cube over her palms.

Her horn flashed, but nothing formed.

Shining nodded encouragingly. “Don’t worry, it’ll come. Remember, the shape isn’t enough.”

“Right.” Taking a slow breath, Rarity brought a Yellow gem into focus once more. This time she didn’t just observe its melting Colors shifting into a cube, but also tried to imagine the cube having form. Having function. She thought of the edges as being sharp, the face as smooth. She gave it texture, heft, solidness. It took longer, but she at last had an image in her mind. Concentrating, ears flat against her skull, she ‘pushed’ the image out once again. Her horn flashed.

A small, precise blue cube appeared in her hands. Rarity blinked, grinned, then raised it up high. “I did it!”

The cube promptly shattered like glass, the individual pieces floating up lazily before fading into nothingness. She stared at her empty hands, jaw loose. “But… what happened?”

“You lost your concentration.” Yet Shining was grinning as he slapped a hand on his knee. “But hey, only two tries. That’s really good. Most ponies I’ve shown this to take half a dozen at least.”

“Oh?” That made her feel a little better. “Well, maybe I’ll be able to make a proper shield before we get to Hoofington.”

“Maybe.” As calm as he appeared, Shining’s grin and the light in his eyes betrayed excitement. He gestured to her. “Let’s demonstrate something. Make it again, and this time try to hold it.”

Rarity did as she was told, coming up with the spell much more quickly now that she understood the basic method. The cube appeared in her palms, and by maintaining it in her mind she was able to keep it intact. She raised and lowered it experimentally, finding it as light as she’d intended. She tried lifting it between thumb and forefinger, and it proved easy.

“Alright.” Shining leaned forward, eyes on the little blue cube. “I’m going to hit it with a beam. Try to hold it.”

“Okay.” She let the cube rest in the palm of one hand and held it up and to the side. Shining’s horn charged up and emitted a small but continuous beam that struck the object dead center. Rarity felt pressure in her mind. The pressure built rapidly, making her image of the cube fuzzy. Within seconds, it shattered as it had before, and Shining ended his feeble assault.

Rarity shook her head and placed a hand to her temple. “That was unpleasant,” she noted in a dry tone.

“It’s meant to be,” Shining replied, tone lecturing. “Physical projections, like shields, are extensions of ourselves, at least on a metaphysical level. Damage to them can be seen as damage to us. My Mom once likened it to us using our brains as shields.”

As the pressure faded from her head, Rarity dropped her hand. “A disturbing but reasonable metaphor.” She hesitated before asking the next question. “Does that mean that this training risks hurting one of us?”

“I won’t let it get that far.” He spoke with unwavering confidence. “Yes, a pony can get seriously hurt under the right conditions, depending on the strength of the blow striking the shield or, for a particularly strong shield mage like myself, if a really strong shield is somehow shattered. The more powerful your shield, the worse the damage will be when it fails.” He tapped his own head as if in demonstration. “When in doubt, it’s better to lower the shield than let it shatter.”

“I think I understand.” Rarity took a moment to consider the cube and its Yellow form in her mind without calling on her well of magic this time. “Do the other Colors have uses for a shield?”

“Yes, but that’s beyond the scope for today.” He showed her his hands, cupping them as if to hold water. “Now, I want you to do the same thing, but this time create a small ball. As perfectly round as you can make it.”

That proved a simple task, taking Rarity less than a minute to produce. She held up a sphere that fit easily in the palm of her hand. “That seemed much easier.”

“There’s a reason for that.” He held his own hand up to his side. “Now, hold it like this. Same test as last time. I’ll shoot, you hold as long as you can.”

Following his instructions, Rarity devoted her efforts to keeping the orb intact in her mind. Shining’s beam struck, just as before, but Rarity noticed the pressure was far less forceful than the last time. Was he taking it easy on her? Lips pursed, Rarity tried not to get distracted. She peered at the small ball in her hand, paying special attention to where Shining’s continuous rose-colored beam struck.

Seconds passed. Then minutes. The pressure built steadily, but the image barely distorted in her mind and the ball held firm. Rarity bit her tongue as she fought against the ever-worsening pressure.

And then, abruptly, Shining stopped his ‘attack’. Rarity blinked, her eyes going to him. “Why did you stop? I wanted to see how long I’d last.”

He shook his head. “We could be at it for a very long time if we did that.” He pointed at her sphere, still sitting innocuously in her palm. “But as you can see, it was a lot easier for you to hold it this time. I didn’t increase or decrease the power of my beam from before, so what’s different?”

Taking the ball in both hands, Rarity turned it about to view it from several angles. Her inspection turned up no ideas, so she looked to him in hopes for an answer.

He gained that smile she was getting so used to and pointed to the ball once more. “The strength of the shield is dependent on three things. First is the magical strength of the caster, but that’s actually the smallest part. Second is surface area, and third is the number of ‘edges’.”

Seeing her uncertain frown, he formed the thumbs and index fingers of his hands into a rectangular shape. “Look at it like the construction of a building. Four walls gives you a fairly sturdy shape. Take a wall away, though—” he folded a thumb so that the rectangle had an open side “—and the integrity is weaker. Take away two—” he folded his other thumb in so his fingers were alone and parallel to each other, then began shifting them back and forth “—and your structure is even weaker. The magical construct works on the same principles, except that when one piece of a magical construct breaks, the whole things goes. It’s much easier to break a single wall in the structure than the whole structure.”

Rarity found the explanation surprisingly clear, and nodded as she considered the implications. And yet… “So why does a sphere work better than a ‘wall’?”

He raised a finger as if making a profound point. “Arches.”

“Arches?”

“Arches.” He pointed to the top of her wagon. “Like the metal arches that hold up the canopy of the wagons. Or, to use a far more apt comparison, arch construction methods. The arch redirects the weight of whatever it is holding, making for a very firm structure. The circle is nothing less than a perfect arch, meaning it distributes the weight perfectly. Again, magical constructs function the same way.”

Now he raised his palm so that his fingers were aligned between them. His other hand formed a fist and pushed against his palm slowly, his fingers bending around it. “A flat wall has no energy distribution. It just takes everything and, if the force is strong enough, folds.”

He gestured for her magical sphere, which she presented to him. He moved his hand as if to strike it, but as he did he splayed his fingers so they wrapped around the ball. “The sphere distributes the energy evenly across the entire surface. Instead of one small part of the construct taking the full blast, the entire construct works together, making the whole more resilient.”

And that was why shields were stronger curved. Rarity beamed as the knowledge took hold in her brain. “I get it! It’s really not that complicated after all.”

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. “I’m glad you think so. It’s how my sister explained it to me.”

Rarity’s ears perked. “Wait, your sister did? Isn’t she ten years younger than you? And didn’t you say shields are your special talent?”

His grin turned lopsided as a bit of pink touched his cheeks. “Yeah, but I was just casting them, y’know? Not thinking about it. Didn’t have to, because they came natural to me. But Twilight’s a magical prodigy. She had the theory down while I was still trying to figure out the basics.” His smile weakened as he turned to gaze into the desert. “All those smarts, and she still thought it was a good idea to head out there on her own.”

The sphere evaporated as Rarity lost all focus on it. She reached out to touch Shining’s arm. “She might still be out there. I’ll be sure to keep an eye open in my travels.”

He didn’t look at her at first. He reached up to pat her hand, then gently brushed it off. “Thanks, but… I’m not going to get my hopes up.” Climbing to his hooves, he stretched and let out a yawn that seemed just a bit too loud and long. “I think that’s enough for today. Same time tomorrow?”

Rarity considered pressing him, but elected to keep her peace. She didn’t have any room to make promises that probably couldn’t be kept. The fact he’d given up was disturbing, but what good would her words do against years of devoted searching? So instead, she just smiled and nodded. “I wouldn’t dream of missing it.”

As he went off to check on the rest of the wagons, her smile disappeared. “Twilight Sparkle. Will I disappear like you did?”

Gazing upon the vast, empty horizon, she idly wondered if such a fate was so bad. Perhaps, under the right circumstances, it would be a dream come true.