//------------------------------//
// Thawing Evil 
// Story: Night Patrol 2: Awakening 
// by Foxgear 
//------------------------------//

Night Patrol 2 Chapter 29 
By Foxgear



Goodnight soars through the sky, weaving left and right, Sweet Dreams acting as his wing pony as they dive through the coarse Commander Sixes set up for their training. They dive through a ring of clouds towards the ground adjusting their trajectory as they near the ground. He feels his chest plate grind against the ground, he adjusts his wings, pumping harder to get some height. He levels out and checks to see how Sweet Dreams is doing. She gives him a nervous grin as numerous scraps also adorn her armor. They bank left, Commander Fierce Fury yelling for them to do the course again.
“This is a lot harder then I thought it would be!” Sweet Dreams bemoans as they fly straight up to the beginning of the course again. This would mark the fifth time this morning they’ve had to run it in the last hour. Their poor wings were screaming at them as the weight of their training armor added to their strain. The armor was double the normal weight of their regular armor and much more encumbering. With specially made pieces designed to throw off their weight and balance, greatly diminishing their maneuverability. 
They reach the top of the course taking a few moments to breathe as they wait for Fury to give the go ahead. For the full five seconds, they got to rest their lungs burning with resentment for undergoing this training. Compounding on the fact this was only the fifth day of it. They had been given a week’s leave to see friends and a family after the mock battle concert, before and quoting Commander Sixes, “Completely destroying the ponies they had once been.” 
“Get going maggots!” 
“YES, SIR!” 
They take the plunge again. Diving at a forty-five-degree angle, catching speed quickly. Already Goody felt his body tremble and shake in the wind. The turbulence was fierce, so much so that he couldn’t open his wings. He guides his body to the right going into the curve of cloud rings, pressure builds in his ears at the drastic change in altitude. He sucks in a breath and breaths out his nose, his ears popping as the hot air fogs up his goggles. 
“Use your masks! They weren’t put on there for show!” Fury berates them from the ground. 
The only thing not clunky about their armor was the helmet. Some new design from a Platinum De Belle, it had a respirator to help control breathing at different altitudes, a shade visor, built in gem communicator, and an aerodynamic design. The only downside to it was to use the advanced features it needed a constant feed of magic from the wearer. Something neither he or Sweet Dreams were used to doing. Part of the training, besides improving their wing strength and control in unfavorable conditions was to constantly feed their helmets till it was second nature. 
“Hit the ground again and you’ll be doing this again!” Fury warns them as they careen towards the cloud rings leading to the ground. 
Determined not to do this again! He adjusts his wings, doing some quick and dirty math as he tries to account for his weight and speed. That was the stickler for them as Thestrals. They shared many traits with Pegasus save for the biology of their wings. Thestral wings were leathery, nimble, made for quick adjustments in tight spaces. They were not evolved to handle high speeds turns and stops. They were defiantly not meant to try and turn a pony with two hundred extra pounds and going at 18.6 wing power (362 MPH)! 
“Aim high Sweets!” 
They enter the rings keeping their eyes trained towards the top of the rings to keep their trajectory high. He zooms out of the rings, teeth clenched and eyes squinting, but there was no scraping noise! 
“OH YEAH! WE’RE AWESOME!” Sweet Dreams screams over the gem com. Together they level out, braking hard with their wings as their boots hit the dirt. The skid and slide through the finish line all but falling to their bellies, their bodies exhausted. Goodnight looks up, Fury standing over them with his back to the sun, creating a fiery red outline of the Rinin. For a moment he was scared they’d have to do it again. 
“Good enough for now.” Fury said and with a flick of his claw, the clunky training armor straps were loosed. “Take that crap off and see how you feel.” 
Gratefully Goodnight unbuckles the heavy armor, his bones popping as he stretches. Kicking off his boots he helps Sweet Dreams unfasten her armor. The thestral mare blushing as she plants a quick kiss on his cheek when Fury had his back to them. 
“Thanks, you’re a true gentle colt.”
“Haha… I try.” He goofy replied with a blush of his own. When Fury turns around they both stand at attention as the red rinin looks them over. 
“Jump, now.” 
They both did as commanded with no questions, kicking off the ground and feeling… light. 
“Wow, I feel like a feather!” Sweet Dream swoons. 
“Good, now do the course again.”
“But…”
“Say one more word and you’ll be putting the armor back on.”
At that threat Goody and Sweets kick off into the sky, their wings and bodies still aching, yet in a mere blink, they were at the top of the course again. 
“There’s going to be a little twist this time! Now go!” 
They jump off the start cloud diving at high speeds, yet it was so smooth now, their bodies turned with the faintest gesture, easily and controlled. Evening as a barrage of golf ball sized fireballs come into their path he and Sweet Dreams were able to nimbly evade them, even at their current speed. Which must be at least 15 wing power (302mph). Nearly double his usual speed without armor. 
“Wahoo! Look out, Goody!” Screams Sweets as she comes roaring past him, her wings folded and her body spinning like a top. It was similar in the way the rinin would fly. Taking the hint he does the same, corkscrewing through the sky after his wing pony. They zoom through the cloud rings, unfolding their wings to level out mere inches above the ground. They skid to a stop in front of Fury, who looked pleased for once. 
“You’re not completely hopeless. A few more weeks of this and you might have a chance to be Commandos yet. Shower off, we’re done for today.” 
“Thank you, sir!” They salute, the red rinin saluting back before taking off into the sky. What was he in such a hurry for? Well didn’t matter! They were free! Trotting happily the duo enter the nearby showers. A crude outdoor setup, but the water was still hot. Fury told them once the Commando base was rebuilt they would be moving there, till then, training field twenty-nine would have to do. It was on the far outskirts of the city, almost at the edge of the cliff, the castle far off in the distance, but The Nightmare was in view. It was private and out of the way, which was kind of nice for the training they were doing. 
“Whooh! That was more intense than yesterday!” Sweet Dreams states from her stall. She exits the stall, wet and drying herself off with a towel using her wings, her tail raised high. He keeps his eyes turned on the shower head of the stall, waiting for her to finish. She seemed to notice this and went right into teasing mode. “Oh, come on Goody! It’s nothing you haven’t seen already.” 
“Public professionalism, Sweetie. We’re still on the clock, remember?”
“But Fury said we were done with training for the day! Come on let’s go have some fun!”
A whoosh of wind signaled the arrival of another flyer. It didn’t take many guesses to know it was Sixes. Goody finished his shower quickly exiting his stall at attention, with Sweet Dreams doing the same, and choosing now to be embarrassed as the black and orange rinin looked them over with a bemused smile. He pulls several thick books from his saddlebag letting them hit the ground with a ‘thud’! 
“Physical training may be over, now it’s time for mental, here’s your homework for the week. I expect you to have a basic understanding of the material by next week. Self-study.”
“No lecture?” Goodnight said with surprise. 
“I’m not a professor, take some damn initiative and teach yourself.”
“What are we learning exactly?” Sweet Dreams gingerly asks well flipping through the book. 
Sixes replied with, “All of it.”
“All of it?”
“All of it.”
“But this book is six hundred pages long!” 
“There’s some pictures. And Before you start whining at least read the damn title.” Sixes picks up the book and holds in front of their muzzles. The two bat ponies squinting while leaning the head back to read the title. 
“How to operate and repair an AT-45 tank! We’re learning how to drive tanks! That’s so awesome!” Sweet Dreams began to bounce in place, positively ecstatic! Only to quietly stop under Sixes' stern glare. “Right um… continue… sir.”
“I’m glad you’re enthusiastic. Cause you’ll be going through physical training with Fury every morning for six hours. In the afternoon head down to the Tank docks and see if you can learn anything from the mechanics. All I care about is you can drive and make basic field repairs to a tank, the will be a short-written test, but I think Platinum is dealing with that. Try and get this down quick.” Sixes kicks off the ground and flies away. 
“They’re very hooves off with their training huh?” Sweet Dreams state. He could only nod in reply, his eyes still fixed on the massive book lying before them.
“Yeah, come on, let’s get back to the barracks. If we read a hundred pages a night we should finish it in time for the test.” 

Sweetie sighs deeply as she picks up her copy. “I thought I was done with homework after getting out of the academy.” 
He laughs giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Well, if you study hard I’ll give you a reward.”

“Oh yeah? Do tell, because it sounds like that’s more for you.” 

He shrugs, “It’s for both of us.”

She giggles, making him smile wider. “I guess, that is if we can move. Last night I was stiff as a board from training! It hurt just lay there in bed! Until you have me that massage… Oh is that my reward?”

“Part of it.” He smirks as they land at the barrack. Which was depressingly empty. It wasn’t the same one they were in before, but still, the lack of other guard ponies was fresh in their minds with the attack only roughly a month ago. Then again, they weren’t guard ponies anymore, they were commandos in training. As far as they knew, they were the first and only ones undergoing training currently.

They walk through the quiet barrack to their room. Even with all the extra space they still shared a room. There were various reasons why, some them less than professional, but no pony raised a fuss about it. Really the main reason they shared a room was the bunks. To make the room homelier they made the closet bigger so the bunks could fit inside to give them a more cave-like feeling. Sleeping in pitch black cramped spaces was very relaxing to their kind and made it a lot easier for them to fall asleep. The rest of the room was pretty standard, two desks, and a dresser and armor rack. Though they still haven’t been issued the new commando armor yet. 

“Hey Goody, look! I think that door’s open! Maybe we have a new recruit!” Sweet Dreams said excitedly already bouncing over to the door. 

“It can’t be, Fury and Sixes didn’t mention anything about a new recruit.” He argued but followed her anyway. Maybe one of the cleaners just left the door open by mistake. 

“I see a tail! Hey neighbor! How’s it going… what are you doing here?” Sweet Dreams asks the occupant of the room. To see what all the fuss was about Goody craned his neck over the female thestral to look through the open door and see the former captain of the guard, Shining Armor himself, with his head shaved in a rookie cut unpacking a suitcase. The former Captain raised a hoof saluting them. 

“Private Armor reporting for training.” 

A lot of thoughts went through his head, one is surprised about seeing the former captain of the guard here, two he was saluting them, and three he was a private. The lowest rank. Lower than them. If he understood their transfer papers, they were unofficial Lieutenants now until their training was done. They couldn’t really order any pony around while in training, that and they didn’t have any pony to order around until now. Actually, he should get that clarified, could they order ponies around? Either way, they still get saluted as if they were of higher rank at least. 

“Um… at ease Captain, I mean Private. Oh, sweet Luna, this is weird. Just put your damn hoof down. What are you doing here?” 

“I’ve been enrolled in the commandos by Princess Celestia. I’ll be undergoing training alongside you and I’ll be living here too.”

“What about Princess Cadence? You wife? Isn’t going to be hard on her if you're living here?”

Shining bows his head, “I’d appreciate if you don’t ask about that, just know things between my wife and I are fine, and none of your business, ma’am.” 

Sweets blushed, looking a gasped. “Right, your right. My bad. I’m a bit scattered brained sometimes so… um… your living here! Um… welcome and stuff…Goody help me out here!”

He brushes past Sweets, patting her on the head with his wing as he holds out his hoof to Shining. “It’s good to meet you Private Armor. I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced, I’m Goodnight formerly of the night guard. This blushing bride of a bat behind me is Sweet Dreams. We’re from the southern Everfree Thestral tribe, near the wastelands.”

“I’ve seen you two around from time to time. Sorry for not being very forward, but our shifts were on opposite ends of the clock. We don’t get a lot of thestrals. Especially stationed in Canterlot.”

Goody clenched his teeth smiling as hard as he could. “Yeah, the captain before Spitfire played a role in that. Still, I’m hoping more of my brethren will join up with Luna back. But if you’ll excuse us, we have some training material to look over and a quick rest would do us some good, and I’m sure you want to get settled. So, we’ll get out of your hair, but if your free after training and not wiped out, we could go get some drinks or something?”

Shining shook his hoof, the unicorn looking… well, he didn’t know how to describe how Shining was looking, but hopeful? Happy? Goodnight couldn’t place it, but it didn’t seem bad at least. 

“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. If you don’t mind I invite Cadence along, if you're comfortable with that. Neither one of us has a wide group of friends. Casual friends I mean.” 

“We don’t mind. We’ll see around Cap… Shining.” Closing the door behind them Goodnight and Sweet Dreams leave the captain to his own devices. Shining looks at the door, rubbing his buzzed cut blue mane, it was being a raw recruit all over again. 

“Maybe things will be better this time.” He mutters pulling out a picture of him and Cadence and sets is on the nightstand.





“Sorry I’m late,” Sixes lands on a grassy hill overlooking the training fields, The Nightmare moored to the north alongside the cliff. The faint noise of repairs barely audible when the wind blew. It wasn’t the most romantic view in the world, but it was nice. The land sprawling view to the east was fairly breathtaking with the tops of the Everfree just in view. Maybe he should have found a spot with more flowers. “I hope you don’t mind just beer, I’m not much for choosing wines.”

He unbuckles his saddlebag, pulling a six back of Hard Apple cider out and setting on the blanket the mare waiting for him was sprawled across. Giggling Luna levitates a bottle of cider, popping the top and throwing it back with little regard of how it may look. She let out a satisfied “AHHH” patting the spot next to her for him to sit. 

“I’m not really much of wine drinker, it’s more for appearances at parties. I’m sure the noble class would be a gasped to see one of their princesses throw back a pint of ale. Though back in the day that was how everypony drank. I’ll never understand how we went from chucking literal pints of beer to dainty sipping from a twenty-four-ounce glass. It’s frankly a rather silly culture change.”

He takes a sip from his own bottle. “It’s just the same old story of ponies trying to outdo each other or show their better or something like that. I’ll never understand nobles.”

“Neither shall I and I’m technically nobler, I’m royalty, a super noble after all.” Luna laughs wondering why did nobles always have to act like they were so high class. What was wrong with enjoying simple things? “Oh, do you remember restaurant row?” 

“Yeah, one of the cooks… um… Hot Chocolate? Overheat hooked up with her once. After the first disbanding she went there to run a restaurant or something. Some of the others went and tried it. It was pretty good.” 

Luna moans. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give to eat Hot Chocolate’s cooking again. At one of the last meetings, we ordered takeout from one of the restaurants there. I’m not sure why the royal cooks were available. Oh no, I remember, Cadence wanted us to try this thing one of the guest cooks for the wedding made, so we ordered that. I was kind of disappointed by the food that came. It was three pieces of squares or something. Cadence was embarrassed and even asked the delivery pony if it was the right restaurant or if the chief had changed locations. He said no, and just replied that there had been a shakeup and this was the menu now.”

“A shakeup?”

“Don’t ask me what happened, I lean on letting the business ponies handle their business the way they like. Though I wonder how long they will last with such subpar food. It barely had any flavor to it.” Luna tips back her beer, Sixes looking glum in her peripheral vision. “What’s wrong?”

Sixes waves his claw. “Nothing. I just made a reservation at a restaurant tonight it’s supposed to be really good, it has some three something rating, but now I’m worried you won’t like it if it’s the same place.”

Luna rolls over nuzzling Sixes' neck. “My, my, look at you trying to be romantic. Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll be fine, if not, we’ll just grab some food from the royal kitchen, another six pack and come back out here and look at the stars. Really, I’d be content staying here, but since you went through the trouble.”

“No, if you’re happier here, then I’m happy.” Sixes scratches his head leaning into Luna’s neck and nuzzling her back. “Romance isn’t in my skill set. A reservation… well, its… well feels like I’m trying too hard. I know what you like or I should know and um…”

Smooch! Luna’s lips brush against his, silencing his babbling. 

“You are trying too hard, just lean back and relax. You already have my heart, Sixes.”

He laughs lightly bobbing her nose. “Now who’s trying too hard?” 

She huffs, sitting up and floating another beer over. “Well, even I like to be cute and romantic sometimes too.” 
“I found that out when we found the cheesy romance novels under your bed.” 

Luna’s cheeks turned red as fire. “Those were Celestia’s! I was only borrowing them! She was always swooning over the characters, but they were all so one note and… and… I’m just digging a hole here aren’t I?”

He pops the top of another bottle with his claw, snickering as Luna hid her face behind her hair. “Only a little one. I notice there was a lot of wear on a certain book what was it titled again? It was pretty racy”

“Oh, you just never mind that!” Luna slapped his chest lightly. “That is if you don’t want me to do what that mare did.” Sixes blinks blankly. “You didn’t read it did you?”

“Why would I? It was a romance novel.” He replies eyeing her curiously. “So… what did the mare do?”

“She… well… it’s a certain… never mind forget it!” Luna screams with a hearty blush as she drowns the last of her bottle and quickly pulls her third. She sways a bit as she drowns half the bottle instantly. “Ugh, I’m starting to feel it… waz… timz is it?”

Sixes looked at the sky. “Probably two o’clock?” That reminds him. “Didn’t you have a meeting to go to at one?” This was supposed to be a quick lunch together, how did it turn into two hours?

Luna just waves her hoof, slumping against him like a young puppy that didn’t know how to walk right. “It’s ok. Celestia said she’d handle it. Cadence is there too. Besides it’s not like we were discussing anything that needed my attention today.” She nuzzles against his stomach mumbling. “You’re so warm.”

“Well, your half buzzed anyway.” Sixes laughs adjusting Luna in a more proper sleeping position before laying down beside her, draping his wing over her body. She was already fast asleep. She didn’t have the alcohol tolerance she had in the past. A yawn escapes from his mouth. He didn’t either it seems. Two beers and he was already feeling sleepy. His eyes closed as a gentle wind breezes by the soft rustling of leaves the last thing he heard before slumbering off. 





“HAAG! I hate all this paperwork!” Fleetfoot, newly appointed captain of the Wonderbolts screams as she throws a stack of papers into the air. She snorts angrily, leaning over Spitfire’s old desk growling at the official-looking pony with yet another stack of papers for her to read and sign. She’s been at this tedious work for eight hours! Enough was enough! “No!”

“Ma’am…”

“No! Put the stupid things over there! I’ll get to them tomorrow!” 

“There will be more tomorrow.” The pony replied. She answered back by slamming the whiskey bottle she found in Spitfire’s desk. The pony sighed and bowed. “Very well.” 

The fresh stack of papers set aside the pony left and Fleetfoot kicked back with a long swig. She hated this. She missed out on the invasion because she got sick, then the mock battled happened, and now the whole Equestrian military gets flipped upside down! Next thing she knows Spitfire’s promoted and she’s filling the Captain’s chair. A position she didn’t want or ever even thought about wanting. She was happy with being the number two. Yeah, she had some responsibilities, what officer didn’t? But she could handle them with little effort and time with enough time to clock out and go drinking and looking for a stallion, maybe a mare, but long-term she wanted a stallion. Like the one, she ran into at one of their shows. What town was it again? It was a big red earth pony. It didn’t matter, a stallion like that wouldn’t be on the market long. 

Flopping back Fleetfoot began to slowly spin in the chair nursing the bottle of whiskey. This wasn’t her. This wasn’t what she wanted. A list of names when through her head of who could take the job from her. Soarin was probably the closest bet, but he like her, didn’t want the job. Then there was the problem of too many Wonderbolts were either too young and fresh or on the brink of retirement. There wasn’t a wide selection of viable candidates to choose from. On top of all that, no pony wants to deal with all the change that was coming down the pipelines and Spitfire wouldn’t accept her resignation until things settled down. So, one to two years at best. Not that she wants to retire that early or could without being injured or court marshaled. 

“Why’d I sign a ten-year service contract?” 

“Because you were a hot-headed eighteen-year-old, running from her family’s arranged marriage meddling that wanted to be a Wonderbolt no matter what.” The door slams closed. She hadn’t even heard it open in her inner ravings. Fleetfoot swivels around smiling with joy as Spitfire stood before her. The former captain, now colonel clicks her tongue looking around the office. “Barely two weeks and you’re already pulling out the whiskey. I thought you’d at least last the month.”
Wordlessly Fleetfoot passes the bottle to Spitfire who takes a swig and lays her colonel’s badge on the desk. She does the same with new captain’s badge and takes the bottle back. 

“There are some glasses in the left top drawer,” Spitfire says. Two glasses were set on the table and half filled. The two fliers make a toast and drink. Spitfire holds her glass in her wing, staring the reflection. “I know you didn’t want this. But there’s no pony else.”

Fleetfoot doesn’t say anything, taking another long slip and staring at the badge on the desk. “That mission in Germane was the worst I’ve never been on, the team captured or killed, cold, injured with the enemy on my tail. I thought for sure even I made it back I was going to have some permeant injury, like frostbite or something, maybe lose a wing or something. Didn’t happen amazingly. I was fine.”

“You were sick. I should have kicked you off the team during the wedding and made you recover properly.” Spitfire said hotly, though it was towards herself. 

“Yeah, I should have listened. Maybe I wouldn’t have been dead weight and needed to be left in a closet.” A low point in her life for sure. First, she makes home after a tough mission looking ragged, but badass and next thing she’s being pulled out blanket cocoon after the invasion was over and done with. “I shouldn’t be here. There’s gotta be a better pony for the job. What about Daring?”

Spitfire laughs, spitting out her drink. “Daring? Are you nuts? As if she’d take the job! Even if the Princess agreed, Daring would probably never come back from where ever the hell she is.”

She nods, knowing the idea had been stupid. “I must be disappointing you.”

Spitfire sets down the glass, looking Fleetfoot in the eyes. “It’s too early to have done that. The job is overwhelming and you never wanted it. I know that you told me that how many times. Alongside your life plan, have an amazing flying career and get married when you had your fun. I get it. This isn’t what you wanted, but Equestria needs you to step up, the Princesses’ need you, I need you to. Just for a little while, three to five years tops.”

“Three or five years?” She laughs. “That’s not asking for nothing, Spitfire. But… agh… I’ll try my best.”

“Things will settle down. Once they do you might find you even like the job.” Spitfire took up her glass again, toasting with Fleetfoot again. They sat in silence for several minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company. 

“So, what’s it like being a colonel? Sitting down with the princesses and generals and whatnot?”

“It’s really nothing different from when I was a captain, it’s just on a grander scale. I don’t just deal with the Canterlot forces anymore, but all of them. We’ve had about three meets these past few weeks on equipment upgrades and several others about various other things that I can’t tell you about yet. It’s weird having Scarlet and Cobalt back. I feel like a new recruit again.” 

“I know right?” Fleetfoot agreed nodding. “It’s so weird! Those two have not aged at like all! Scarlet is like a G…”
“Please just stop,” Spitfire quickly interjected.

Fleetfoot blinked. “Grandma. I was going to say Scarlet is a grandma, right? What did you think I was going to say?”
Spitfire sips her drink, “Nothing, just forget it.”

The awkward silence builds. 

“Let’s go out and get wasted!” 

“You're already wasted, Fleet. Besides I have things to do.” Fleetfoot proceeded to pout sprawling herself across the desk. Spitfire rolls her eyes. “No. Don’t give that pouty look. No... no… fuck! Fine, but only if we get something to eat.” 
“The Rusty horseshoe?” Fleetfoot said expectedly. 

Spitfire’s stomach rumbles. “I guess, a hayburger cheeseballs and onion rings don’t sound bad I guess. Come on, let’s go.”
Fleetfoot happily trots off her desk landing beside Spitfire, who was looking out the big window behind the desk. The only thing out there was darkening skies and recruits training. Then she remembered. 

“You come here looking for Fury, didn’t you?” The red rinin was aiding the retraining of the Pegasus officers off and on. “The love bug starting to set in already?” She teased, Spitfire looking only mildly embarrassed as she pulls her cap down over her face. 

“Well, I took the gene test thing and just waiting on the results.” 

Fleetfoot blinked, “He was serious about that? I thought a thousand years would be enough time that stuff like that didn’t matter.” 

“Some believe that but who knows. Frankly, it would be weird.” Spitfire replied as they enter the hall. 

“So, what are you hoping for? What if you are related?” 

“Then nothing,” Spitfire replies curtly. “Just shut up about for now.”

“Whatever you say, boss.”





Restaurant Row. Well known as Canterlot’s premier culinary center for the best and diverse foods. Or it once had been. Luna under the guise of Emerald Moon sat across from Sixes in his officer uniform without his medals, his wild orange hair slicked back, his claws morphed into hooves for the first time she’s seen since his awakening. He was going all out to look normal. Or as normal as he can be. 

Really it was silly for them to hide, but neither really wanted to deal with the gossip ponies that roam the streets looking for the slightest whiff of a news story. If any pony were to find them out it would probably cause the buzz they were avoiding. They should have just stayed on the hill, but Sixes had gone through the trouble to take her out for supper. And after sleeping the afternoon away, both of them were ravenous and their small picnic lunch of beer had done little to quell their hunger.  

That being said their meals didn’t either. 

“Dammit,” Sixes growls staring at the three pieces of triangles on a square plate seated before them. The meal was just as she had described earlier, only as a triangle. It was small portioned, bland, and overpriced. “I’m going to go talk to the damn chief. Want the Moon’s name is this crap? I’d rather eat grass!”

His teeth were showing. She reached across the table to calm him. “It’s ok. Let’s just go somewhere else. I’d rather not cause the owner harm if they find out who I really am. If ponies found out a princess walked out on her meal they’d lose business.” 

Sixes' sighs visibly taking a deep breath and exhaled through his noise small fumes of smoke rising from his nostrils. He looks at her and then the restaurant and then back to her. They were the only ones here.

“Check please,” He calls, the waiter promptly arriving. Looking about as excited as they did as Sixes places seven bits on the table. “Keep the change.” 

“Thank you for your patronage.” The waiter said dully. 

Wing in wing the couple exit the restaurant and into the bustling street blending into the crowds of ponies. Their stomachs rumbled. Dissatisfied with their meager meal. They search for another eating establishment, but they all looked the same, from what they saw through the windows the food was the same too. Every restaurant all with the three hooves stamped on their signs. 

“I’m starting to think these hooves are a bad omen.” Sixes grumbles. 

“Indeed, I know the restaurant over there helped cater Cadence’s wedding and the food was delicious! What happened?” Luna sighs and moves closer to Sixes so they were flank to flank. “Still I am enjoying myself. It may not be romantic, but we could go get some hayburgers from one of the fast food places on the other side of the city, go to the royal kitchens, or even the Rusty Horseshoe.”

Sixes laughs nuzzling her muzzle with his. “I think we're a bit overdressed for the Rusty Horseshoe.”

“You know of it?” 

“Yeah Fury told me… Fury?” Sixes came to a sudden stop, as did she following her mate’s eyes to see the familiar red hue that was Fierce Fury standing in an alleyway. There was also quite the aroma coming from that direction too. “Hey, Fury! Over here!” 

Fury turns towards them, looking surprised as they approached. “Princess, Sixes, what are you doing here?” 

“We’re on a date.” She replied with a bit of giddiness in her stomach. It was so nice to say aloud. She really wasn’t for keeping things quiet, she liked thing out in the open. Most of the time. “What are you doing?” 

“Well… I was running an errand when I got hungry and I found this place here. Smells really good. Like Hot Chocolate’s cooking. Better than any other place on this damn street. 

The couple looks down the alley spying an exotic looking establishment. “That does look rather inviting… no, it is inviting! I decree we eat there! Care to join us Fury?” Luna asks the red rinin. 

“I don’t think I should, you two are on a date. I’ll just be a third wheel.” Fury glances toward Sixes who cocks his head in response before grabbing the red rinin by the shoulder. 

“Come with us, brother. Who knows maybe we’ll have a cute waitress for you.” Sixes glances at Fury’s saddlebags, noticing a stack of files peeking out of the flap. “Unless you have some work to attend to.”

Fury reaches back touching the pouch with the papers. “No.” He says hesitantly. “Just some personal things to sort out.”
“Then let us go find a table,” Luna says approaching the restaurant door. 

The three of them enter, standing awkwardly in the entryway as they found the place barren of any other ponies. A young tannish brown mare with a purplish black mane exits the from the kitchen looking surprised by their presence. She quickly swipes away her frustration and smiles at them. 

“Hello! Welcome to the Tasty Treat! I’m Saffron Masala table for three tonight? Please come this way. Come this way. Our special tonight is carrot curry, with spicy rice, Dijon grass sandwich, and vegetable Biryani. Oh, look at me getting ahead of myself. What can I get you to drink?”

The three look amongst themselves. Luna speaking up first. “What do you have to drink? Punch or liquor?”

Saffron looked nervous, “We are new. We still applying for liquor licenses, sorry for the inconvenience. But we have many punches available, strawberry, blueberry, and pineapple.”

“I’ll have Blueberry, how about you Sixes?”

“I’ll have the same.”

“Pineapple for me,” Fury answers. 

“Great, I’ll be right back, here’s menu.” 

Luna cracks open the menu, practically drooling. “Oh, this all looks and sounds so good! I almost want to try everything!” Sixes leans over pressing against her, but she didn’t mind. 

“Hmm, looks like they don’t have a full menu yet, so I guess we could order it all. I’m sure three of us can eat all, if not we’ll get some to go and give some to the first pony we see back on the ship.”

Luna smiles. “Oh, so we’re going back to the Nightmare tonight?

“The quarters are soundproof.” 

Fury just shakes his head at their banter as Saffron comes back and passes out their drinks. When they tell her they want the whole menu she drops her pen as well as her jaw to the floor. Excitedly she tells them to wait while she gets the first course ready to go. 

They make small talk as they wait. Within ten minutes, Saffron appears again levitating several bowls and plates and setting them down before them. Everything looked great! And smelt even better! The lovely unicorn mare invited them to dig in and they did just that. Each one grabbing a dish.

“Ohhh… now, this is flavor!” Luna moans. “Peppers, garlic salt, oh this favored so nicely!”

“Soups not bad either,” Sixes slurps down the thick broth munching up the diced tomatoes, peppers, and noodles. “Gotta kick to it. Could use a bit more spice, but it’s better the tasteless crap from before.”

Saffron perked up! “You like it! And you don’t think it’s too spicy?”

“I thought it was salty myself,” Fury replies. “Could use some crushed red pepper or habanero. When you breathe fire not much is spicy.”

Saffron blinks, probably noticing for the first time tonight just how different the two Rinin were. She only made a slightly noticeable look of fear before calming down. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you weren’t ponies, but other creatures. How rude of me.”

“Don’t worry about,” The rinin replied. “We’re used to it.” 

“Well, you are welcome back anytime my friends. I have to go check on the food again. Please be patient.” 

Course after course was brought until they tried everything on the menu and their bellies were filled. They stayed chatting with Saffron till closing time, no other pony entering. They paid for the food, leaving a big tip for the wonderful service before leaving. Flying together the three land on the Nightmare’s flight deck. The horrible noise of power tools rumbling from deep below the ship.

“The crew is still working?” Sixes shouts over the noise. That kind of putter a hamper on his late-night plans. He wasn’t sure the soundproofing was meant to keep out this kind of noise. 

Fury shouts back, “They’re going through the engines! There was some corrosion even with the preservation spell, so they got to go through everything now!” 

They walk into the depths of the ship. The noise even louder. Several ponies rushed past them, racing to their rooms to escape the horrible noise. They quickly followed suit. Fury only taking a brief glance back as Sixes and Luna enter Sixes' room together. Here he thought they’d go to Luna’s room the bed was bigger. 

Entering his room Fury shuts the door, the repair noise becoming mere dull pounding. That was one downside to a metal ship. The noise vibrates through the whole damn thing. Course it wasn’t just the engines they were looking through, but all the other stuff, from the tanks to the helicopter. The repair crew was working in tight shifts to get everything checked out. The biggest thing was they get the engines down quick. Even if one engine was down the Nightmare down 25% it’s usual speed and power. The massive gem engines power everything on the ship. 

Deciding to check how the repairs were going later. Fury drops his saddlebags to the floor and pulls the files out and lays them on his desk. On the folder read the words “Genealogy report”. He had been half joking when he told Spitfire and Fleetfoot he’d need a genealogy report before starting any relationships. He was surprised by the boldness of the yellow captain now a colonel. Frankly telling him she wanted stuff like this out of the way so she didn’t waste her time. He could appreciate her boldness in that regard. 

Really it was him who was nervous. Not the fact he could have any relations. He knew he didn’t have any foals before being turned to stone. As far as he knew Nightingale was the only possible candidate if he did. Which left to a few uncomfortable questions. 

Number one Nightingale moved on, married and had a family after he froze himself. He could accept that. He couldn’t blame her for that. In fact, he would be happy to know that she moved on. The second question was much more disturbing. If in fact he had gotten Nightingale pregnant and froze himself… well... he didn’t like to think about it. But he had to in this case. Either she didn’t know at the time or worse and maybe most hurtful had known and kept it secret from him. 

“I’m reading too much into this. Spitfire may act like Nightingale and look a little like her but I could be projecting too. There’s nothing to fret over, things will be what they’ll be. Don’t think about the kid I could or could not have or the fact Nightingale either hid the fact of it or not. Just open the page and look at the facts.”

His claw touches the lip of the folder. He eyes close as he opens the file taking a few seconds to breathe before opening his eyes. 




Meanwhile, in the frozen north, a certain adventurer was digging in the snow. The cold winds blew hard against her body. She pulls the strings on her parka tighter, her hooves wet and half froze. She’s been digging for hours. The top of her hole was now at least three times her height. She’d have to fly out. That is if her wings weren’t frozen.

“The damn thing should be around here somewhere.” Daring cursed scraping another layer of ice away. She could feel the amulet’s power. It was a sixth sense she’s developed over the years hunting for the dammed things. She couldn’t quite describe it. It was a like a pulsing sensation ran down her spine, it was more intense when she carried more amulet’s. Only certain ones though. She was unsure why. But the purple and black amulet were pulsing like crazy in her saddlebags. The magic radiating off them was starting to warm her body. As if the gems were eager for her to find their companion. Old magic items tend to have a mind of their own. “Found you!”

Daring cleared away the last layer of snow, a bright red glow breaking through the ice and snow. The red amulet lay beneath a clear sheet of ice, embedded in some sort of metal. Rather than foolishly break the ice, she dug around it some more, revealing more of the metal the gem was fused to. It was a suit of armor. The bones of its wearer still resting inside. A long-curved horn stuck out the top of the helm and broken wing bones lay at the armor’s side. There were even slots for the wings like with pegasus armor. 

“Was this an Alicorn? I guess I’m looking for Alicorn amulets, makes sense they’d be attached to alicorn bones, except this is the first body I’ve found out of four.” 

The time was neigh. The heat of the gems subsided with her discovery. She shivers as the cold sets in. She should return to camp, but she was so close! Pickaxe in wrapped in her wing she swings down, cracking the ice! 

“Come to mama, red.” She cooed going for the gem. As her hoof touched the red crystal something strange happened. The gems in her saddlebag began to pulse again, power flowed through her body and into the gem! “The fuck!” She pulls her hoof back, but the lines of purple and black magic continue to flow into the red gem! 

Raaagghhhh! 

Along growling, scream broke the silence of the icy wastes as the bones of the fallen skeleton began to move, from under the dead pony’s helm a single red eye glowed in the shadows of its hollow socket. 

“Gods dammit! What in Tartarus’s name is it with me and the undead lately!” Daring spread her wings and flew out of the hole, black inky shadows climb out of the hole staining the pure white snow black. She flew hard into the blizzard. Heading towards the outpost were Celestia was supposed to have some troops stationed. Hopefully, they had some means to contact the princess right away!

Behind her a horrible whinny comes, the shadows spread across the ground. A column of blackness rises with tints of red appearing as some sort of face appears in the black cloud. The face screams unintelligently charging towards her!
“Shit, shit, shit!” Daring curses as the shadow chases after her! Black silhouettes of pony shaped creatures emerge from the blackness, hundreds, no hundreds of thousands of them! There was an entire army!
“CRYSTALS! GIVE ME THE CRYSTALS!” The floating head demanded. 
Fuck. Was all Daring could think to describe the situation. What did she write in her report? I found the gem, but I also released a giant undead army in the frozen north… wait. Frozen north, an army of darkness, crystals. 
The Crystal Empire! 
She did some quick mapping in her head, remembering some of the old Equestrian maps her mother used to show her. Yeah, she was smack dab in the middle of what was once the Crystal Empire! It just disappeared one day, erased from time and history. She couldn’t remember the cause though.
“Crystals!”
“I’m guessing you had a hoof in it?” Daring screams back at the black cloud pony. Where was the damn outpost? A flicker of light appears through the blizzard! There! She veers down, catching speed, but also freezing her ass off as the north winds blew. She comes in hot skidding across the snow-covered soil to a stop. Right in front of three confused EUP ponies. She stares back, her wings weighed down with ice, the frozen stinging pain making her painfully aware of how screwed she was right now. “Where’s your outpost!” 
“Your standing on it ma’am.” The unicorn of the group said. “Is there something we can do for you, ma’am?”
Daring stares down at disbelief, she could see the chimney of what as probably the outpost’s cabin. “Please tell me you can one shot teleport a message to Canterlot.” 
“No, ma’am. Closest I can get is outpost at the train station.” 
“Um… Sir!” The earth pony of the group shouts, pointing his hoof north. “What’s that!” 
“Shit fuck! Everypony run!” Daring orders leading the small squadron. “Are there any other ponies stationed here?” The unicorn shakes his head. “Fuck, ok. Is there a pony at the station? Can they send a letter via magic?”
“To the next outpost, yes, but what’s going on?” 
“Above your pay grade. Get some paper and start writing, send a message for Celestia saying, Lieutenant Daring of the Wonderbolts needs assistance.” She looks behind at the encroaching blackness. “Make that a lot of assistance. Tell her to send help ASAP!”
“Alright!” The unicorn said frantically, pulling the required material from his saddlebag. He had just put ink to paper when a spear made of crystals ran him threw! They continued to run looking with horror as the impaled pony remained stationary as the army of blackness surrounded him. Daring saw the hissing equine shapes of shadow ponies emerge, their glinting carnivore teeth clear to see. The unicorn screams as they bite into his flesh! 
“Sargent!” The earth pony screams. Only to get cut short as a black figure pops out of the snow beneath him, a crooked horn running him through the stomach. The earth pony screams in agony as more of the shadow being surround him. “PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME!” 
“We have to help him!” The pegasus screams. She quickly smacks him with her frozen wing before he could do the stupid thing and die. 
“He’s already lost!” She grimly chides. The earth ponies scream already gone. The blizzard gave way to the darkness, giving her a clear view of their surroundings. Centuries of ice and snow was cleared away, revealing the hidden city beneath, a dark crystal tower standing boldly in what was once a wasteland. Daring looks to the pegasus. “Can you still fly?” 
The pegasus nods, revealing he’s wearing wing muffs. Special mittens for pegasus flying on subzero conditions. They did make it harder to fly through. 
“Fly ahead of me, get to Canterlot, and tell the Princess the Crystal Empire has returned. She’ll know what it means!”
“What about you! Those things are still after us and you can’t fly! Let me carry you!”
“Carry me and were both dead! Don’t worry, I have a guardian angel! I can’t die even if wanted to!” She laughs as he looks at her like she was insane. Which she might be. She was really testing her mysterious protector. “Go, I’ll be fine, seriously! You know who I am.”
The pegasus nods. “May the sun protect you, ma’am! I’ll be back!” He kicks off, soaring into the sky and away from the frozen hell. 
She runs and runs across the frozen wastes. She didn’t know where anymore. The train station wouldn’t do her any good, there were no trains out here. Her lung burns from the cold, her head dizzy as she slows to a crawl. The black wave still on her tail. 
“Might as use this once.” Pulling the rosary, she got from Nippon, the blue necklace floats around her hoof, a tingle of magic running up her leg. Pulling back her leg she whips head, the rosary coming undone taking the shape of a whip! The tip hits the snowy ground, creating a massive wall of ice! The black army slams into it, their high-pitched screams music to her ears. Whatever these things were, they could feel pain, so that means they probably weren’t undead. “Awesome, now what though.” 
Daring falls on her rump, that one attack draining the last of her strength She laughs pitifully. She had been half joking when she told the pegasus about her guardian angel, but as the ice wall was shattered and the giant floating head that started this all drew towards her. She really hoped her angel was still keen on saving her. She didn’t feel like dying yet. 
“Anytime you're ready.” 
The black head drew closer, it smirked mockingly at her, it’s smirk really pissed her off. The gems in her saddlebag pulse seem they were happy to be caught by the head. 
“Crystals… hehe…WOAH!” The head rears back, hissing as ice spikes Daring looks up confused. She hadn’t used the rosary, wait, where was it? It was gone! She looks around frantically a shimmer catching her attention. It stood in front of her, a cloaked figure, but the not usual one she was expecting. 
Instead of the tawny black mare from last time, this one wore a white cloak with blue lining. A tail swooshed underneath the cloak. She stood and walked beside her savior. The wind kicked up blowing her cloak up and revealing white blue scales and coat, silver hair, and blue eyes. The pony that saved her was a dragon pony! One she knew too. Nippon’s lost daughter, Princess Sake! 
“What in the frozen hell are you doing here?” Really that was a valid question. Nippon was offering a king’s ransom for any pony or creature around the world for info on their lost daughter and she just happens to show up here? Right in front of her? Daring notices, the rosary clasped in Sake’s claw. “That’s mine.”
“No, it’s not,” Sake says flatly. “You don’t know how to use it anyway. Let me show you.” The rosary began to spin around her claw. The Nippon Princess held up her claw, a blue sphere forming at the tip of claws. “KORI!” The sphere explodes creating a wave of ice. The black floating head goes into full retreat, the ice was different from before, it was glowing, shining even. When it touched the shadow ponies they sizzled and exploded! The floating head looked warily at them before making a full retreat into the frozen wastes. 
“Woah, what did you do?” Daring asked, but Sake was nowhere to be found. She looked in every direction, no tracks, no gust of wing from lifting off. The Nippon Princess was just gone!  “So much for getting the reward of the century. Better go find shelter.” 



“I did as you asked.” Sake knelt before a figure standing on a frozen ledge. Her master, though she refused to let her call her that. She looks up at floating black hair of the alicorn she devotes her life to. “Lady Dusk, what is my next mission?”
Dusk opens her eyes, staring at the setting sun sinking over the frozen wastes. Soon the pure what snow would be turned red with the coming battle. No. The war that was to resume after a thousand years. A bloody war that would take the lives of thousands if not millions if she did not turn the tides. 
“Fly home, Sake, it’s time for her to wake up.”
Sake’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “At once my lady!” 
Dusk watches the young rinin fly away, her eyes bright silver as she looks at what was to come. “I hope it will be enough.” She fades away like dust in the wind, not even leaving a hoof print in the snow.