An Extended Holiday

by Commander_Pensword

155 - The Cipher

Extended Holiday
Chapter 155: The Cipher
Act 27

Vital Spark groaned and stretched as he stepped onto the Ganthrithor’s main deck. The sun and the sea had done wonders for his coat and overall complexion. He and Trixie practically glowed as she strode out to join him.

“Gotta say, I’m gonna miss that massage therapist. That’s the most relaxed I’ve felt in years,” the stallion said wistfully. “Well, barring certain activities that shall not be named in public,” he said with a smirk as he butted his head playfully against Trixie’s shoulder.

“Grif was right about that island.” Trixie nuzzled him back. “It was practically paradise.”

“That’s anywhere with you, dear,” Vital flirted shamelessly as he kissed his bride.

She grinned. “After the week that we just had, you still think you need to charm me?”

“Nah. Just keeping in practice for the thousands of weeks to come.”

“I feel we should talk about foals soon,” Trixie noted.

“Because that time of the year is approaching?” Vital guessed as he motioned to the gangplank with a gentlepony’s wave.

She nodded. “Best we know where we stand before we start,” she said as she crossed the gangplank.

“Well, I was thinking of waiting till we were better established. A year or two, just to get properly settled and set aside some savings. What were you thinking?”

“I wouldn’t mind the prospect of having a foal soon off, but I can see the wisdom in waiting.”

“We’ll be able to have plenty eventually. After all, you and I are going to have a long time to spend together.” He nuzzled her gently. “And I intend to make the most of every moment.”

“Well now, you two love birds, maybe you should save this till you’re in your room?” Grif spoke up as he approached them.

“I don’t know, Grif. You and the ladies seem to do the same thing an awful lot. Then again, you’re a lot more subtle than I am,” Vital teased. “So, just for the sake of bracing, how close are we to Tuesday again?”

“It’s sunday. You’ve got a day to prepare.” Grif chuckled.

“Hey, you wouldn’t find it so funny if you were always on the receiving end of some sort of problem each week. I swear, Garfield’s Mondays have become my Tuesdays. At least while we’re here in New Unity and Ponyville.”

“Tuesdays are generally chaotic for everybody,” Grif noted.

“True. But I can’t help but feel like I’m being targeted sometimes. Take the explosion in the lab last month. A fly decided to settle into my potion, despite the wards I set up specifically to avoid getting any foreign particulates involved. My mane was green for a week, and Clover nearly castrated me.”

“And I spent twenty six years re-growing up with no memory of who I was, fought in a war, betrayed a species, and then became a pretty big figure for said species. Life is strange. Buck up and get used to it,” Grif answered.

“That happened on a Tuesday? Dang. Also, are you telling me to make mistakes, Miss Frizzle?”

“You’ll figure it out. Now, I believe you two have a teacher who’s got a few weeks’ worth of catch-up work ready.”

“Don’t you mean a week’s worth?” Vital asked.

Grif laughed for a few seconds, before deadpanning. “No.”

“Well, we’re screwed.” Vital sighed. “You ready to face the executioner, darling?” he asked in his best imitation of a posh accent.

Trixie laughed. “It’s not that bad. I don’t see why you’re scared. You’re obviously her favorite.”

“I don’t know about that one. But I do try to live up to what’s expected of me.” Vital shrugged. “Anyway, I guess it’s time to get back to the regular grind of things. Besides, I need to check up and see how Pensword is doing with his homework, too. And we need to see about getting a bigger room for the two of us,” he added.

“Is there something wrong with my room?” Tixie asked.

“That depends on if it’ll have enough room for the both of us. Then again, we could always see about using that spatial compression spell Clover cast, if we really need the room.”

“Now then, lets see what she has for us.” Trixie smiled as she levitated her luggage and headed for the fortress.

Vital shook his head. “It’s going to be tough being the gentleman for her if she keeps carrying on like that.” He chuckled. “Well, guess I’ll just have to be creative. Wish me luck, Grif.” He waved to his friend as he followed after his wife.

The wind whipped tempestuously as sheets of rain pelted the sides of the castle. What had started out a sunny day quickly dissolved into the first of many a spring storm waiting to blow over the forest terrain. The castle was eerily quiet. For some reason, rain always had that kind of effect on creatures, no matter their species. Four hooves clopped morosely down the corridors. The mare drew her cougar cape around her for warmth and comfort as she strode through the halls, staring sightlessly at the many paintings and displays.

Much though she wanted to, she couldn’t sleep, but neither could she remain in the guest apartment Pensword had provided her. Worse yet, she knew she was being followed. Accepting Pensword’s offer had all but ensured the necessity of such a force, even if she couldn’t necessarily catch them in the act. That meant any attempts at speaking aloud to think through her problems would be completely impossible. She sighed and shook her head as she stared up at a particularly regal portrait of a very young Princess Luna. “What am I supposed to do?” she finally asked aloud.

Nopony responded.

Night Terror knew what her father would say only too well. Her mother was dead and long since gone. She couldn’t trust anypony in the fortress or the clans. That would lead to immediate banishment, and then where would she be? But who could she turn to for honest counsel? Who wouldn’t judge her and be able to speak impartially? And more importantly, who would she turn to in the future, when her service to her father ended? She couldn’t very well tell him how she felt about Pensword. She didn’t even know exactly how she felt in the first place! It wasn’t like falling in love was a common thing for a Thestral of her station back in Canterlot.

And yet, she always felt awkward around the stallion, and not from lack of effort. Now that he was actively seeking to essentially adopt her into his family, she didn’t know how to react. The colts were exuberant in their welcome, and the little one, Moon River, looked gravely before she offered a boop to the nose. The family was at least trying to accept her. She didn’t know how to feel about that. In a way, it felt more like the games of chess she would play with Pensword on occasion. Or … perhaps it was something more. Were they the pieces? Was that even a possibility?

She shook her head. Such musings were unhealthy and impractical. No. If she were truly to get proper advice, she would need to seek counsel from someone experienced in such things, one who wouldn’t be afraid to speak with her in the first place.

Nopony in the noble classes would so much as consider reading her missives. Her impure blood saw to that. And to write the princesses would be absolutely ludicrous. She would face far worse than banishment, were her activities to be made known to them. The elements were also out of the question, especially Applejack. That mare could smell a lie a mile away. In that regard, at least, Night Terror was grateful for the night schedule she’d been required to follow. Regardless of how many times she passed through the options, there was only one Pony arrogant enough to disregard the stigma of associating with her to be blatantly, even hurtfully, honest.

“I can’t believe I’m considering this,” she muttered as she trotted toward the nearest stairwell. She needed to get back to her room.

“Yes?” Fox Feather asked as she opened the door. Her ear cocked in confusion. She didn’t recall any appointments being made for that time of night.

“Hey, Fox Feather. Is Pensword in?” Vital Spark asked.

“Yes, but he’s a little busy at the moment. If you want, he left his week’s schedule open on his desk. You can take a look.” She fluffed her wings and smiled coyly.

“Vital raised a curious brow, but didn’t push. “All right. He’d best have some free time available soon, though. We have lessons that need to be performed.”

Fox Feather smiled. “Let me show you something.” She beckoned Vital toward the desk. “I think he’s been practicing your lessons for an hour in the morning and night for the last week while you were on your honeymoon.” She flicked her tail and smirked enticingly. “How was it, by the way?”

“Relaxing, enjoyable, and nonya,” Vital said casually as he peered over the book.

“Nonya?” She teased back and flicked her tail. What Vital read over the week had been jammed back with hours devoted to personal training, troop training and exercises, another Military council meeting, various leadership responsibilities, and a section titled Homework for Vital. When Vital turned back, he found his nose smacked with a packet. “Your homework from Pensword. He never did finish your Equestrian History lessons, so he wanted to give this to you.”

Vital hovered each of the books and documents over, then casually passed each one back to a nearby table. “Read that, read that, studied that, did that, already know that one, and Clover insisted I look over this one when I was prepping for siege training.” He looked pointedly at Fox Feather. “And for the record, nonya means nonya business,” he added with a wink. “I’ll be back for Pensword later. His homework is about to get a lot more involved.”

She giggled. “Oh, so the little colt is a stallion now, is he? I look forward to when you get your second wife.” She swished her tail teasingly. “You’ll need the books for your essay. You may have read it under Clover, but you need to pass Pensword’s expectations. Now he could be teasing you or wanting to test your knowledge.” She closed the schedule book to show a small booklet “That’s a gift for you.” She winked at him as she walked around a screen. “He doesn’t want you forgetting another past of yours.”

“Fox Feather, a warning for the future. I know you like to tease, but you’re going to give the wrong idea eventually, if you’re not careful. I’d rather not be portrayed as a cuckolder, especially to a wife who can quite literally disintegrate me while I am still conscious and make me feel every moment of it. Do try to rein that part of yourself in. I know I’m quite the catch, but we’d rather not make Pensword jealous.” He winked.

Fox Feather shook her head with a sly grin. “And that is why I tease you. You never take it as anything but teasing. Besides, as you pointed out, I have Pensword. He was my catch. And you were Trixie’s catch. But you two can be hopelessly clueless at times with flirting. You’re far too direct. I’m merely trying to teach you a better way.”

“We prefer being open with our flirtation,” Vital said with a shrug. “It suits us just fine. In case you haven’t noticed, subtlety and I are like oil and water on most occasions.”

Fox Feather shrugged with her wings. “A mare can try. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to join our little herd of snugglers to sleep for a while. If you still need to talk, Pensword will find you when he wakes up.” She paused mid-turn. “Oh, yes, Pensword had a picture made for you and Grif. It’s on the side table on the way out. If you don’t mind, could you deliver Grif’s copy while you’re at it?” She didn’t leave Vital Spark enough time to respond as she sauntered out of the room.

“That conniving little….” Vital shook his head and smiled ruefully. “I may just have to charge her next time. It’d serve her right.” He chuckled. “All right, Grif, let’s see what Pensword’s got for us to work with.”

The picture showed a bedroom with a massive bed large enough to fit ten Ponies. The apartment had been adorned with tiny glowing rocks in the ceiling that sparkled like stars as a moonstone glowed gently on the nightstand next to the bed. Pensword slept peacefully under the covers. His armor hung on a rack that stood in the far right corner. Moon River cuddled up next to him under his left wing. Day Moon sandwiched her against her father's torso, while Inigo and Cristo curled up next to Lunar Fang. The Pegasus’ feathers blended with the Thestrals’ leathery wings to form a living blanket over the colts. One could easily see the distension of the mare’s belly as she nuzzled one of the foals’ manes in her sleep. Fizzpot stood in the far left corner of the room, barely visible in the shadows where he hid.

“And of course, Fox Feather took this.” Vital rolled his eyes. “One of these days, we’ll have to complete the picture. Perhaps with a little payback for the tips she offered those cadets.”

Grif eyed the hallway around him carefully. When he designed the compound, he’d been sure to leave as much open to the clan’s knowledge as possible, but there was one room, one room he’d worked carefully into the plans and sworn the few people that worked on it into secrecy. After assuring he was alone, he reached over to a bust against the wall and pushed the beak inward before tipping a nearby painting on its side. Art being such a large part of Gryphon culture was common in the public area, and thus no one would expect the significance of these two pieces being within arm’s reach.

There was a barely audible click as a section of the frame pushed forward just enough to reveal a small ledge separating it from the rest of the wall. Carefully tracing the lip with a talon, he found the clasp on the inside and flicked it, allowing him to slide the wall section away enough for him to slip inside. The section resealed itself behind him as the clasp magically locked back into place and the portrait and bust reset themselves. Behind the section of wall was a small room roughly half the size of his office. The walls were lined with shelving, and the center held several individually locked display cases.

Grif took a minute to take stock. There wasn’t much, admittedly, but everything here had to be secured for their own reasons. Along the walls were several of the darker materials he’d secured from Grask’s home, things that held either at one time or currently, abilities he didn’t want getting out. On one shelf, inside a thick metal lock box lined with runes for several heavy duty enchantments, lay a dozen thaumic grenades Hammer Strike had trusted him with incase of emergency. Beside it lay several boxes of all the ammunition Grif possessed for his revolver and his flintlock. The two guns hung holstered on pegs above said ammunition.

Once he was sure everything was accounted for, he made his way to one of the central display cases and opened it to reveal an all too familiar golden bracer complete with an emerald in the center. Grif shed the bracer he currently wore on his left wrist and placed it in the case before taking the gold one and lashing it on tightly. He moved his arm around to make sure it didn’t interfere with his mobility, making minor adjustments where needed until he was satisfied.

Closing the case and securing it, he took a few steps away and, with some trepidation, turned the stone.

He nearly tumbled forward as his body shifted to that of an upright human. When he stood up, he nearly banged his head on the ceiling. He looked himself over carefully, more than a little shocked at the changes to his human form after having been a Gryphon for so long. His skin was darker, a deep tan. His hands were larger than he’d remembered, and his human nails had developed a pointed edge. Dark bangs tipped with a deep green hung in front of his eyes.

Disconcerted by his changes, he attempted to take a few laps around the room and found his gait unfamiliar and uncomfortable. He supposed it made sense. He hadn’t believed he’d be returning to this form in this fashion or use the bracer again. Yet with the way things were looking, they would need to return to Earth to find what Daring needed.

He drew a knife and thanked the Winds for small mercies found. He still could use it with as much skill as before, even if it took time to adjust to the meaty human fingers. He took several more laps around the room, until he felt comfortable walking again, then flipped the gem. He turned for the exit with the brace still lashed to his arm. Hopefully, after this trip, he could return it to its case permanently.

Hammer Strike hummed to himself as he sorted through work orders. The roads were laid out and prepared, so it was time for the crew to work on the larger structures. 

“Be careful with the foundations on that one.” A hoof tapped a work order. “Back corner begins to sink in a decade or so. Really nasty clean-up”

“Had plans to bring up structural integrity.” Hammer Strike looked up. “Doctor, what brings you to these parts?” He peered at the ground, where a metal basket filled with six glass bottles full of a white liquid waited. “On a milk run?”

“Yes, but that’s beside the point. Someone's been messing with time,” Time Turner noted as he looked at Hammer Strike. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d ask if you knew anything about it.”

“Unless you mean my trip with the others to Zebrica, then no, I do not.” He shook his head. “Which was, mind you, some time ago.”

“Ah, so that was you. I was wondering about that, seeing as I’ve never been to Zebrica during the Minotaur Invasion,” he noted. “So … I assume you wouldn’t resort to something as nasty as a vortex manipulator. How’d you do it?”

“Oh no, I don’t ever plan on touching one of those again.” Hammer Strike shook his head. “To put it simply, I willed it to be. To actually explain it, I somewhat created a tether between the current point in time and a segment in the past by using objects that exist in both times and matching our own respective timelines to what appeared to be our arrival.”

“You willed time travel to happen and it happened?” The Doctor gaped. “My species spent a million years developing machines to do that, and you just willed it?”

“Remember the whole thaumaturgy deal?”

“Yes, I remember. I also remember my teachers telling me to stay away from it at all costs,” the Doctor stated. “All power comes with a price.”

“It does.” Hammer Strike nodded. “Oh, trust me, Doctor. It does.”

“Can you at least promise me you won’t mess around with time at the drop of a hat? I have enough trouble with people I can outthink messing with time.”

“Don’t you have faith in me, Doc?” Hammer Strike questioned as he sat back in his chair. “It’s not like I actively worked against Time. He was on the side watching, even,” he muttered the last part.

“You’ve met … Time?” the Doctor asked exasperatedly, then plopped down onto his rear as his mind processed the sheer weight of that statement.

“Technically, yes. He’s an interesting being, to say the least,” Hammer Strike replied and shrugged again.

“Starting to think I'm out of my league. Do you know how weird it is to say that?”

“Hey, you’re the one who accepted the rules to not go this far.”

“Well, at least I know where the time manipulation came from. I won’t have to worry about some nitwit with a vortex manipulator causing trouble.”

“Definitely.” He nodded. “Damned thing just seemed to be so unstable. It really messed with my field.”

“Nasty piece of work. The electric scooter of time travel.” The Doctor grimaced.

“Though I’m curious as to how you shrink a time-based device so small. The amount of shortcuts you’d have to take would be ridiculous.”

“The amount of safety protocols you need to ignore alone would stagger you.”

“I’d believe it,” he replied with a faint chuckle. “There aren’t many of them at least, right?”

“That I know of? A few dozen. But you always have people trying to make their own version of it. Ponies in the future are particularly bad for it.”

“I’d suspect so. The prospect of time travel always tends to be a big topic.” He hummed to himself. “I could see the reason behind it, but after going through it, mostly for the past though, it feels like a sort of normal thing.”

“Well, if that's that, I should leave. I’ll need to get the milk home before it goes bad.” Time Turner rose back to his hooves and picked up his cargo.

“Said the stallion that deals in time. Until next time Doctor.”

“You say that, but the wife always knows.” The doctor chuckled as he took his leave.

Pensword smiled as he and Moon River sat before the partially skinned carcass of a rabbit. The young mare had already been shown how to make snares, so this was the next natural step in her training. Then he would show her how to cook the meat. He smiled as she watched intently. If she was anything like he had been in youth, he looked forward to taking her on her first true hunt. His weapons sat out in the setting sun to dry after he’d finished cleaning them. Everything from Concord, Lexington, the modified Gryphon bow (which was going to need another adjustment in the next few days), and even the flintlock. It had been some time since he tried using the weapon, and Hammer Strike would have chewed him out if he didn’t at least care maintain the device properly.

He sighed as his ear twitched. “I can hear you, Grif. Either you’re in the tree branches or in the bush. Did you bring your daughters to watch how to clean a rabbit Thestral style or are the giggles something else?”

“Those giggles weren’t my doing,” Grif noted as he landed nearby, his own bow was collapsed and strapped to his back.

Pensword raised a brow. “And Dakota isn’t nearby. I think he’s got a soft spot for Gryphon cubs.” He shook his head and smiled. “So, you having a good day?” he asked while Moon River hugged her uncle happily.

“It’s been okay. I’ve been mapping out the hunting grounds. We need to start separating our hunting parties, or else we won’t be able to sustain both Gryphons and Thestrals in the area,” Grif said as he returned the hug.

“Ah. The Wolf Clan was thinking along the same lines. They were mapping last night and most of today. If you have the maps with you, I could take a look to verify before you take them to the Wolf Clan.”

“If you’ll have them drop off copies of their own in return,” Grif countered.

“Of course. Also, just a heads up. All my Gryphon daughters are with cubs. It seems they acted fast after the wedding.”

“That's to be expected.” Grif laughed as he passed the Pegasus several pieces of parchment.

“Why so fast?” Pensword asked as he put the maps in his saddlebags. Then he returned his attention to the kill. “And while I’m at it, would you like a small rabbit scarf, Moon River?”

“Our race may have long lives, but the warrior’s path leads to a lot of death. The sooner the cubs come, the more chances for the bloodlines to carry on.” Grif shrugged. “We have laws regarding when a male or female can seek out a mate, simply to keep them from starting families too early.”

“Ah.” Pensword nodded. “Anything I should know to help raise the cubs? I know Thestral customs by heart, but Gryphon customs are always a little confusing to me.”

“For starters, this can't happen,” Grif explained, signaling to Pensword’s hunting with Moon River. “The first hunt needs to be done alone. It’s an important rite. Also, never stop them from wrestling or fighting, and start to train them early.”

Pensword nickered in surprise, then sputtered. “No first hunt alone? That’ll be hard to not do. Thestrals train their children to prepare them for their first solo hunt, like I did with Dakota.”

“To survive, one must realize how to feed oneself. Hunting is instinct as much as it is skill, and the predator must always be aware that they could end up the prey,” Grif explained.

“I guess we’ll have to sit down and craft a hybrid training, instead. They will neither be pure Gryphon nor Pony. Logic dictates we should train them in the best of both societies.”

“That well come with time, and will ultimately be up to the parents to decide. For now, I need to get back to work.” Grif patted Moon River’s head. “Be good, okay?”

“Okay.” The filly giggled.

Pensword hid his smile as his eye glanced over Grif’s crest briefly, then back to his face, before turning to salt the meat.

“I’ll see you back at Unity,” Grif said. And with a pounce, he vanished into the branches.

Pensword chuckled as he followed the familiar glint of the sun’s rays catching a metallic-colored bow Moon River had tied to her godfather’s head.

Vital Spark rubbed at the bags that had developed under his eyes as he dropped the stack of papers filled with formulae and diagrams that was his make-up homework, or at least a portion of it, onto Clover’s table with a heavy whump. The reinforced oak hardly even vibrated under the sudden weight as the Pony peered over the edge to look his teacher in the eye.

“There it is, formulae and corresponding magical sigils and diagrams for the creation and implementation of various higher-tier magic spells, including transmutation, curses, blessings, and certain lesser summons.”

“Well, you got that done faster than I anticipated,” she said.

“You’re the one who told me to learn how to live without sleep.” Vital’s head drooped slightly and his whole body shuddered as he snapped back up to attention. “By the way, why aren’t there any records of this Momonga in the royal archives? His name is embedded in just about every spell formulae you’ve had me study in this set, sort of like a signature. You’d think this kind of genius would put him on a level with Star Swirl easily.”

“He was better, actually.” Clover shrugged. “His methods were just unsettling for most.”

“At the risk of being called simple, I’m going to ask, because I’m about ready to collapse here on the floor. What kind of unsettling, and/or how so?”

“He studied a lot of what is labeled as dark magic. Some of the light magic he created is heavily based on existing dark magic spells.”

“As in for a means to counter said dark magic or merely a means to create an equivalent with similar effects that light magic users can find more palatable?”

“A little of both.”

“And he was shunned for that? How else do you expect to innovate a means to counter such spells if you can’t study them in the first place?”

“Star Swirl basically controlled the thought of the time. He wouldn’t accept anything remotely dark magic related. He also was less than thrilled to be outdone by a mage who wasn’t even a Pony.” She rolled her eyes.

“Now that’s pretty rare. I thought Star Swirl would have wanted to study something that unique. There aren’t many other species capable of utilizing magics of that type,” Vital mused.

“Oh, he loved studying other unique races’ magic, so long as they didn’t make him look bad.” Clover chuckled.

“I take it Momonga succeeded there?”

“In style. He found ways to do things Star Swirl said was impossible.”

“For some reason, I’m not all that hurt about the sudden cutting out of Star Swirl’s pride. His last message may have been nice to you, but it was a real jerk to me.”

“I can imagine.” She nodded. “He thought a lot of himself, not so much of others.”

“Ironic, given the foundational nature of magic here in Equestria.”

She shrugged. “Genius fails to realize not everyone’s like them. When others can’t understand them, they get annoyed.”

“And when they don’t want to understand others?”

“They never understand others.” Clover chuckled again.

“What about the rest of the pillars? Didn’t he understand them?”

“I wouldn’t know much about that,” Clover noted. “I was trapped in stone when that happened.”

“I wonder if they ever looked for a means to cure you while they were on their adventures. I should think they must have, unless you told them not to.”

“I doubt it. That being said, most of what I’ve read of the situation has all been written by Star Swirl or his hierophants. Seems like the pillars didn’t realize their history was being written down in Star Swirl’s favor.” She sneered. “Any of these pillars that aren't him are either considered non-existent or their life is mired in misinformation. Like always, he had to make himself the spotlight of the situation.”

“A need to take the lead as an automatic authority jumping to his own conclusions through deductive reasoning that he deems infallible, despite the fact there may be other equally logical deductions that could refute it?” Vital guessed.

“We spent a week straight arguing after the Hearth's Warming event about what happened. He’d have everyone believe the fire was a magical flare caused through long term exposure to unstable magical elements. Nothing more.”

“In other words, not the combined mana of six Ponies from each of the three original tribes with an effect similar to a wild Alicorn’s magic?”

“The idea of emotional attachments having greater magical meaning was preposterous.” She laughed.

“And yet we find it seems to now hold merit, at least where the Elements of Harmony are concerned. How curious.”

“Anyway, I have a few things to look into, and you probably could use some sleep,” Clover noted.

“That, and my wife will probably force me into bed, if I don’t go get some myself,” Vital agreed as his head drooped again. “Catch you later, Clover?”

Clover Nodded.“Have a good day, Vital Spark.”

“It’s day?”

A few hours later, Clover stood outside of Hammer Strike’s current studio with a large square object held carefully in her magic. It was wrapped in several layers of cloth, and she seemed to take more care with it than her usual parcels.

“You’re free to enter,” Hammer Strike called out from within.

Clover did so carefully. “Good day, Hammer Strike.”

“Ah, Clover. What brings you here this afternoon?”

“I was hoping you might be able to help me with something.” She set her burden down on the table.

“What’s giving you trouble?” Hammer Strike questioned as he turned his attention fully on the mare.

“While I was in stone, a portrait of someone close to me degraded without me around to restore the spells on it. I can’t restore it with magic,” she explained as she unwrapped it to reveal an ancient canvas covered in an image so faded, one could barely make out the form of a Pony.

Hammer Strike hummed as he looked over the painting. After a minute, he attempted to look at it thaumically, and was able to make out the differences much easier. “I could possibly restore it,” he mused as he continued to stare at the more visible image. It depicted a young stallion. He couldn’t have been older than sixteen or seventeen. His coat was a deep royal blue with a lighter blue mane that contained silver highlights. He wore finely made platemail armor and seemed to be leaning on a polished zweihander. He smiled fondly at the painter.

“If I may ask….” He tilted his head as he continued to scan the painting. “Who is it of?”

“His name was Starlight Bulwark.” She smiled sadly. “This was finished a few months before he got a wanderlust and left home. I never saw him after that. He was my son.”

“I believe I can restore it,” he said, then frowned.

“I’d appreciate it. It’s all I really have left of him. I’ve been working on the genealogy scrolls to see if he ever had any family, but with what Discord did to records… It’s been slow going.”

“Understandable.” He finally looked up from the piece and let his eyes return to normal. “I’ll … I’ll get to work on it shortly.”

“That means a lot. Thank you.” She nodded. “He never had a head for magic, but he loved that sword. Kept it polished to the point where he had to keep the blade wrapped up outside to keep it from blinding others.”

Hammer Strike gave a faint smirk. “He must have been taught well in maintaining equipment.”

“He was.” She nodded and swallowed to clear her throat. “His teacher was very strict about keeping equipment maintained. I like to think that he made a name for himself with that sword, slaying monsters and protecting Ponies weaker than himself. But I was his mother, so I may be biased.”

“I’m sure he led a life and made a name for himself.” Hammer Strike smiled warmly. “With him being your son.”

“Thank you, Hammer Strike, for everything. I mean it.”

“It’s no problem. I should have it done by tomorrow.”

She nodded. “Very well. I’ll see you then. Have a good day, Hammer Strike.”

“You as well,” he replied.

Pensword stood in the White Tail Woods and stared down his new daughter-in-law. “Now, seeing as you called me gramps in such a disrespectful tone, I think it’s time that you saw just what a properly trained Thestral can do. And the best way for you to learn that is to experience it for yourself. Rainbow Miriam Dash, prepare to have your training expanded. And you’re doing this on your own time, just as I do my training on mine.”

“I can take whatever you throw at me easy.” Rainbow polished a hoof on her chest as she smirked. Pensword said he’d wanted confidence and boastfulness, and she definitely delivered.

Pensword smiled smugly as he walked to a dead tree, reached under his cloak and threw it aside with a dramatic flare to reveal a bandolier tied around his barrel with four holsters each holding a long shaft of oiled wood and a sharp head with a tail spike jutting back to assist in maintaining balance.

He yanked the first tomahawk from its resting place and peered at the tree for a few seconds, then released. The weapon buried itself at an angle and shuddered as he removed the second tomahawk from his belt. In a few minutes, all four had been embedded into the bark of a distant tree. Its four heads glinted in the light to create four points of a diamond. The heads weren’t equidistant, but the shape could still be discerned.

“I’m still somewhat rusty,” Pensword admitted, “but as you can see, I can manage. A well-trained Thestral would be capable of dual-wielding with both wings, making them an especially dangerous foe. The ability to perform a ranged attack while engaged in direct combat is a powerful skill, and the ability to throw silently, speedily, and accurately from the shadows even more so. My mother was a master of that technique, both with her hooves and her wings. The number of targets she could strike at once was breathtaking. She would have gone far in the guard, had she chosen to serve in that capacity, and had the laws of the time permitted it.”

He approached the tree and removed the hatchets, then embedded them, so the handles would create a proper diamond. “This is the pattern that every hunter is trained to be able to replicate. When one is able to manage this level of pinpoint accuracy at sufficient speed, one proves him or herself worthy to hunt for the clan, rather than just themselves of their family. Until then, there is no guarantee you will be sanctioned for any hunt, especially given the coordination we now must maintain between our clans and the Bladefeathers to preserve a sustainable game population.” He nodded to the shadows of the trees and a Thestral mare approached silently with a rolled bundle of tomahawks. She laid them at Rainbow Dash’s hooves and backed respectfully.

Rainbow Dash looked at the pattern, then back to the weapons. She was fast, but flight and throwing were two separate skills. This would take time. And that only made her more anxious to get on with it. “Which do I focus on first, speed or accuracy?”

“Accuracy,” Pensword answered emphatically. “Get the pattern down first. Muscle memory will help you develop the speed afterward.” He picked up the bundle and strode toward the tree. “Come on,” he said.

“Where are we going?”

“Closer, obviously.”

“What?” she yelped.

“First off,” Pensword pressed as he continued his approach to the tree, “you have no experience whatsoever with this weapon, save the brief training you received as part of your crash course. As such, you need to focus on refining your technique and ensuring you are competent enough to hit your target before you increase your distance.

“Secondly, this exercise is designed to also keep you out of trouble and keep that big mouth of yours shut. It’s one thing to exchange banter. It’s another to directly insult one of the heads of a clan when he or she is clearly still recovering from serious injury. You nearly sparked off a brawl with your carelessness. Your status as a relatively new addition to our clan and some very smooth talking from myself and your mate were the only things that kept you from enduring a veritable gauntlet of angry Thestrals. This is to be your punishment. And as you work on your skills, you are to review the finer points of Thestral etiquette, particularly pertaining to courting, boasting, and the various exceptions to those rules.

I anticipate you likely won’t finish these lessons until at least after the birth of your first foal. I hope you will use every second of this time wisely.”

“But I only—”

“You only wanted me to hunt again. I know. I appreciate the boldness you showed, Rainbow Dash, but as you know, charging in half-cocked can and will get you in a sea of trouble. You need to think more about the consequences of your actions, especially as a member of a noble house that you chose to remain a part of, despite your marriage to Kahn. You represent the Twilight court, which means you represent Twilight herself. How do you think that would go over politically, if word of that behavior traveled through the Thestral community without us knowing you personally?”

Rainbow frowned as her ears drooped and she lowered her head.

“You are a leader now, Rainbow Dash.” Pensword raised her chin with a hoof and smiled kindly at her. “I know how difficult that kind of burden can be to adjust to. In this case, study will be your greatest ally. Practice, listen, learn, and then apply those lessons as you execute your duties. You’ll find yourself better prepared overall and less likely to make mistakes.” He placed a tomahawk in her hooves. “Now come on. Let’s see just how well you remember those first lessons.”

Hammer Strike frowned to himself as he continued to apply paint to the canvas. The job was nearly complete. It just needed touching up in certain parts. The portrait left him feeling unsettled the longer he worked on it, a dull ache settled so far within himself he couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He continued to work, frowning to himself all the while as he painted bit by bit.

Until he started to hear hoofsteps rapidly approaching his office. He frowned. The pace and weight weren’t familiar. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure on who it was. “You’re free to enter,” he called out as usual.

The door swung open easily as Daring made her way into the passage. She quickly placed a worn carpet bag on Hammer Strike’s desk and withdrew a cloth-wrapped bundle. Seconds later, she revealed a perfect stone sphere coated in a series of flowing patterns and runes. “It took forever, but I finally found it. I had a test run by your mage to prove its age.” She passed the rock to the Pony lord. “Say hello to your cipher.”

“So we can finally figure out at least a generalized location on where the rest of the books are?” Hammer Strike asked as he continued his work on the painting, having shifted his attention for a moment to view the construct.

“It depends on the book itself. If the record was a magical artifact that’s endured this long, then it’ll leave a series of breadcrumbs to follow. A piece like this never likes to be separated for long. Honestly, I’m shocked they haven’t been found and reunited by now.”

“Well, I know the reason why they haven’t been already,” Hammer Strike replied. “And you’ll learn shortly.”

Daring raised a curious brow. “Dare I ask after your source?”

“You’d never find him or hear from him. But I’ve determined his validity.”

“Well, regardless, the cipher appears to have been modified with a hidden set of runes that lies within the exterior. It took me time to figure out how to open it. It only seems to react in the presence of an Alicorn’s magic, according to the reliefs where I found it. The exterior shell appears to have been crafted specifically to protect the information within the core itself.”

“So, we need alicorn-based magic is what you’re saying?”

“Or something of equivalent or greater power.”

“Whilst I would love to risk opening it myself, I’ll defer to actual Alicorn-based magic.” Hammer Strike sighed as he approached his desk and penned a letter. Then he rolled up the scroll, sealed it with his stamp, and held it off to the side before dropping it. The second it left his hoof, it vanished into the air.

A few moments later, Luna seemed to melt out of the shadows in the far corner of the room. “I just received your message.”

“Perfect on the timing,” Hammer Strike replied. “Daring has discovered a cipher, and rather than risking to open it myself, I figured it would be best to activate it by the means of power from which it was made.”

“Night magic?” Luna asked as she examined the sphere.

“Alicorn magic,” Hammer Strike clarified.

“Oh….” Luna seemed to consider this for a moment. “Well then, how do we go about this?”

“I’d assume it would be best to briefly use your magic on it and steadily increase the flow until we either get a response or you feel worried that it’ll break.”

Luna nodded and lit her horn. A tentative stream of her magic reached out to the sphere and levitated it gently into the air. A dull light pulsed along the stone as it began to spin slowly in her grasp. The flow continued as the ball spun faster, and Luna’s magic intensified. “It’s … pulling at me,” Luna grated as the lines pulsed faster and she reared her head back against the artifact’s absorption. In due course, the energy became solid and curled along tiny intricate fractures that looked almost like circuitry to flow into the main sigils, which glowed a hot white. Luna’s own eyes took on a similar coloration as she flared her wings and raised her head.

The sphere rose to the ceiling at her command, spinning faster and faster, until it finally jerked to a stop. A loud crack sounded, and the stone fragments broke apart with arcs of blue and white energy joining to a pulsing purple center. The rushing whisper of voices filled the room as alien runes and letters bobbed to the surface of the core, then disappeared again. The fragments slowly shifted from their positions to orbit around the core, and Luna opened her mouth to speak in a voice that echoed with duality and power.

Hammer Strike’s eyes widened when he recognized the language.

“Verifying genetic identification.” Tendrils of purple and white reached back along Luna’s magical stream to touch her horn and travel down the spirals. “Confirmed. Guidance core reclaimed. Alert. Emergency protocol activated. Bestiary and global positioning data have been scattered. Activating reclamation beacons.”

The core burned a radiant white as a scale model of Equis appeared in a holographic projection.

“Error. Objects not found. Engaging secondary search protocols. Accessing aetheric tethers.”

A series of white tendrils flowed out of Luna’s horn to wave in the air before them.

“Accessing historical files. Last known entry recorded by Zoologist Primus Zixeon. ‘Merciful Faust. It’s gone. It’s all gone. I’ve lost contact with the empire. All efforts to get through have yielded no results. They’re coming. I won’t let them have my work. Sleipnir give me strength. This may well destroy me, but the animals won’t be able to hack the security protocols without the whole record.’” Luna’s brow furrowed as the tethers reached out and passed through a misty gate. “Tracking telemetry. Tracing the course. Signal acquired.”

The orb flared again and a secondary projection appeared. “Fragment signatures detected. Location: Gaius, Terra Firma, Earth.” Luna’s legs began to tremble as sweat beaded her brow. “Warning: Mana levels reaching critical. Breaking connection to ethereal plane. Closing emergency protocols.” The tendrils retracted back into Luna’s horn, and the remaining energy from the core retreated as the stone shell slammed together with a thunderous crack. It clattered to the floor as luna’s magic ebbed. She gasped as the white light left her eyes and she regained consciousness.

“What … what happened?”

“Take it easy.” Hammer Strike stepped forward and used his body to keep her steady. “It was basically an automated system, and it took a lot of your magic to run it.”

“Did it find the information you needed?” Luna asked tiredly.

“Yes.” Hammer Strike sighed. “It’s on Earth,” he finished in Draconic.

“So you’ll need to talk to Discord again.” Luna smiled.

“Definitely,” he replied, rubbing the side of his head. “Hopefully, the time synchronization isn’t too far off this time,” he muttered.

“I need to rest,” Luna admitted. “Is there anything else you need?”

“No, that’s all I needed. Thank you again. If you’d like, I can make a portal back for you. I’m sure your magic reserves are low.”

“That would be appreciated.” Luna nodded, trying her best to keep face.

“Um, excuse me. Can somepony explain what the buck just happened?” Daring interjected. “And what do you mean talk to Discord? What’s he got to do with this? Are you trying to travel through time?”

“No, the remnants of the book are … elsewhere. Another world, to be frank,” Hammer Strike replied. “That entire deal was in another language, one that I, admittedly, hoped would never have had root here.”

“A dead tongue with no written record anywhere. I assume it’s the language the Alicorns spoke?”

“So it would seem.” Hammer Strike frowned.

“I’d ask why you hoped that language wouldn’t be here, but I get the feeling you wouldn’t tell me, even if I did.”

“Correct,” Hammer Strike replied as he reached to his side with hoof aflame. A ring of fire soon appeared at his side. “That should open up in your office, Luna. Sorry, but I don’t have a mental marker for any other location.”

“Thank you, Hammer Strike.” Luna smiled before she made her way through the portal.

Daring nodded as the portal closed behind the Alicorn, then turned her attention back to Hammer Strike. “I assume you want to keep the artifact with you?”

“It would be for the best. I’ll have to study it further, myself, but afterwards, I’ll have to gather the others for the trip to collect the other parts.” He sighed. “Well, Daring, you’re free to take some time off. On pay, of course, while we gather the rest of the parts. It could take as little as a week or as long as a month, depending on how things go.”

She shrugged. “Staying put that long isn’t usually my style, but if it’s for the sake of this mission, I suppose I can make the sacrifice.”

“How about I sweeten the deal, besides the fact that it’s a paid vacation?” Hammer Strike reached into his coat and pulled out Ulkrusher. “You like to study things that nobody else has been able to. How about it? It’ll help keep you stationary while we’re away.”

Daring’s jaw dropped. “You … want me to study that?”

“I’m sure it’ll help keep you from wandering off while we gather the pieces.”

“I could write a whole dissertation on this! This is a prime example of dwarven craftsmanship.”

“Have fun, and try not to flaunt it about. It’s not light, and it was made for war.”

Daring rolled her eyes. “Please. I’m not Rainbow Dash.”

“Yes, but you’re quite excitable.”

A few hours later, after some rest in Filly de Ys, Luna returned to Canterlot. She felt it would be wise to inform Celestia on the events that were in play, and what they may lead to.

It didn’t take long for the Lunar Alicorn to find her sister. There were only three or four locations Celestia frequented. The solar diarch was within her office, where a personal library nestled among the walls of the room. Her paperwork was neatly organized and completed, leaving her enough free time to have a cup of tea and read a good book. As soon as Luna entered, she smiled and lowered the tome she had been studying.

“Good evening, Sister,” Luna started off. “How was your day?”

“It was all right, though court dragged on longer than I would have liked.” She shrugged. “What brings you here?”

“Well, you probably weren’t aware, but I was here earlier today when a message arrived from Unity. You were busy, so I decided to answer it myself. It was from Hammer Strike. When I arrived, I found him and Miss Do waiting for me. You are familiar with her, I take it?“

Celestia frowned. “I’m sorry I missed you earlier. Had I known, I would have taken a break. But yes, I know Miss Do, and how she ties her archeological work into her stories. Why was she with Hammer Strike?”

“Apparently, Hammer Strike is having her look into information regarding the old Alicorns.” Luna smirked

“Is he trying to find the island?”

Luna nodded and her smile widened.

“It’s almost time, then.” Celestia smiled as she placed her book back onto one of the shelves. “How long have we been waiting?”

“You’d know better than I would,” Luna pointed out.

“Come on now, Luna. I know that I haven’t been the only one anticipating these events.”

“Soon, Sister.” Luna gently placed a wing on Celestia’s back. “Soon it will all be made right.”

Celestia gave a brief chuckle. “I wonder how much will change.”

“Too much.” Luna returned the chuckle. “And yet, I feel very little.”

“Well, I’m certain there will be plenty of talk in New Unity, at the very least. And Canterlot as soon as everything is settled.”

Luna laughed. “We’ll have to move the capital again.”

“I’m almost inclined to agree.” Celestia shook her head and smiled. “We’ll have to assist in any way we can in terms of locating it. Was there anything important he would need to look into?”

“He found a … device of some kind from the old ones. It needed Alicorn magic to activate.” Luna shivered. “It was an experience.”

“But everything turned out all right at least, right?”

“They need to locate … well, I think it’s a book, somewhere on Earth to bring back here.” Luna shrugged. “They’ll probably be approaching Discord soon about a portal.”

“I can bring it up to Discord, speed things along for him.” Celestia hummed to herself. “As for whatever other preparations they need, only time will tell.”

“I’m sure it will be fine. It is their homeworld, after all,” Luna noted. “Everything will go according to plan.”

“Of course it will. I’m sure he’ll make enough plans to cover all outcomes.”

“I’m sure he will,” Luna agreed.

Hammer Strike frowned to himself as he looked over several notes laid out in front of him on his desk. He didn’t have a general location just yet, but with Celestia, Luna, and Discord’s assistance, they should be able to make the portals as close to their objective as possible. Given the scale of the planet, however, it was likely to vary. He’d sent Vital to summon Grif and Pensword to his office. It was only a matter of time until they arrived, giving him just enough time to figure out points he wanted to cover.

Vital Spark appeared in a flash of light. “Figured I’d bypass the door this time. The others should be here shortly.”

Griff arrived a few seconds later. He gave hammer strike a nod before moving to the corner of the room.

Pensword trotted into the office wearing leg weights and two wing weights. He smiled casually, then stretched. “So, what’s the news?”

“To put matters simply,” Hammer Strike started as he placed his papers down. “Regarding the project Miss Do has been working on for some time now, we now know the location of the rest of the book. The reason you’re all gathered is because it’s on Earth.”

Pensword fell flat on his face as his hooves scrambled out from under him in his shock. “Say what?” he yelled. He took a breath as he stood back up and dusted himself off. “Okay, this can’t be a coincidence. My grandfather’s adopted brother is from Equestria. We end up here.” He held up his feathers and counted them like fingers. “And I am sure there are a few other ties I can’t remember right now. But you’re saying this book is now on Earth? Are we going to have to storm the Vatican? Buckingham Palace? The vaults of the Smithsonian?” He looked to Grif. “Tell me I’m not the only pony who’s starting to think our two worlds were linked at some point.”

“Earth, in the most likely case, is the closest realm to Equis,” Hammer Strike explained. “Meaning, when you cross the barrier, it’s most likely right after. Whatever attacked and killed the Alicorns left them in such a mess that one of the researchers sent the knowledge elsewhere to keep it secure, leading to the closest world he could throw it. Keep in mind, this is all hypothetical.”

“It fits, though. If you want to make sure no one can make use of your data, what better way than to fling it somewhere it can never be deciphered, other than perhaps destroying it?” Vital asked.

“The written text is certainly interesting, and takes some effort to understand, but,” Hammer Strike’s expression shifted as he sighed. “The verbal language isn’t something I’m unfamiliar with.”

Pensword’s ears flattened. “Don’t tell us it’s a dead language. Ancient Egyptian? Norse?”

“Si modo,” Hammer Strike muttered. “The verbal language is Latin.”

“I was hoping it was something different.” Pensword deadpanned.

“So, we just swoop in, pick it up, and do a quick fly by back to Equis, with a possible side trip to the UN, so I can address the representatives of the world about Equestria?”

“It’s apparently in multiple pieces, so we’ll all be split up to gather it,” Hammer Strike hummed to himself. “You all, of course, do not have to go. I simply thought it would be best to put the offer out.”

“You know I’ll go,” Grif spoke up.

“Historical artifact? Adventure? History?” Pensword danced on his hooves. “Oh, yes. I so want to do this.”

“When were we planning to leave?” Vital asked.

“Sometime soon, at least within the month. I’d like to get this dealt with as soon as possible,” Hammer Strike replied as he picked up a few papers from his desk and began reading through them.

“I take that as a sign this meeting is done and we go get our affairs in order for this trip?” Pensword asked.

“Prepare everything you need, and I’ll give you all a date when I can.”

“All right. I’ll let Trixie know, then. Any other errands you need me to run before I start my preparations?” Vital asked.

“Not right now, but perhaps later today.”

“I’ll keep the comms crystal on me, then. See you later, Shawn.” The Unicorn clopped out the door and out of sight.

Hammer Strike gave a brief wave. “The same goes for you both as well. I’ll keep you posted on when we’ll be going as soon as I figure it all out myself.”

“Sounds good,” Pensword answered. “I’ll see you tomorrow. It’s going to be a while talking to the wives about this situation.”

“Okay. I need to talk to Clover, anyway. There’s a project we need to work on.” Grif casually walked out the door, followed by Pensword.

“So, by using an argon crystal core and ebony for the arcane circuits, it should be capable of holding a magical charge for just about a week in an anti-magical environment. Given that we don’t have an environment like what you asked about, I thought that might be the closest thing,” Clover explained to grif as they examined the object on the table before them.

It was an octahedron made from a metal that looked like gold. Deep black wiring wrapped around it to attach at various points.

“And we will be able to draw from it?” Grif asked.

“There’s the design flaw.” Clover sighed. “Each battery will only hold its charge until you draw power from it, meaning that you have to take everything out of it. If my calculations are accurate, each probably contains a twenty-four-hour mana charge.”

“It’s better than nothing. It should at least keep us from coughing up blood by the second day this time.”

“As long as you don’t exert yourselves,” Clover added. “This is all based on you not using any magic while you’re there. If you have to use any, I’d suggest being as sparring as possible. You’ll have to repress your urge to show off.”

Grif chuckled at the barb. “I’ll do my best to suppress the need.” He scrutinized the object. “And these are stable?”

“Stable as I can make them, given the time frame. I wouldn’t suggest hitting someone over the head with one, but barring repeated severe blunt force, I think they’ll stand up reasonably well.”

“So, now comes the question. How long will it take you to rig up thirty-five or so of these?” Grif asked cautiously.

“Thirty-five?” Clover asked.

“Apparently, we’ll be having a few unexpected tagalongs,” Grif noted. “I’d rather have as many of us prepared as possible.”

“Well, the number is larger than I expected, but not outside the realm of possibility.” Clover trailed off as she performed some calculations in her head.

“Well?” Grif pressed.

“Give me a day.” Clover strode to the door. “I’m going to call in a favor.”

Pensword smiled as he watched Cristo, Inigo, and Day Moon all playing with Moon River. They were currently all out in the Thestral area as the four of them gathered up old soap boxes, axles, and wheels to create, of all things, a Soapbox car. Night Terror, Fox Feather, and Lunar Fang stood on either side of him.

“Should I be worried?” Night Terror asked as she eyed Day Moon’s antics with the screwdriver in an attempt to mount brackets that would hold the axle in place. “Shouldn’t you be helping?”

“I did,” Pensword replied. “I drilled the holes. They want to build it themselves, so I’ll let them. If they want my help or their mothers’, they’ll ask.

“Did you ask the others about this idea?” Lunar Fang asked. “This seems to be moving things along rather quickly.”

“In what way? Did you not hear about the Ponyville derby?” he asked. “That is a school project that build carts, and then there's the Ponyville parade with their floats. We’re safe. After all, New Unity needs its own events. We can’t mooch off Ponyville forever.”

“Perhaps.” Lunar Fang shrugged.

Fox Feather wrapped a wing around Lunar Fang and grinned. “Are you jealous you aren't building a cart? I’m sure we can get spare wood to make something for the adults.”

Pensword’s eyes lit up, and Lunar Fang smiled. It reminded her of when they first met. 

“That is so right,” Pensword said. Just because we’re grownups and running the city or dukedoms or businesses and cities doesn’t mean we can’t have just as much fun. We should make an event for the grownups, too.” His mouth parted into a toothy grin.

“Family?” Moon River suddenly asked from Pensword’s back. Night Terror jumped in surprise and let out a startled hiss, then blushed when she realized what she’d just done.

“She was just over there!” Night Terror pointed exasperatedly with a wing to the empty box Moon River had been sitting on. “How can she be on your back now?”

Pensword ignored the question as he took to the air, twisted, and caught his daughter in midair. “Yes, we should do that,” he agreed. “In fact, that would help with something I need to tell you all.” He settled onto the ground, but the light in his eyes faltered, even as he continued to smile.

“All right, what’s the situation, Commander?” Fox Feather asked. She knew that expression too well.

Pensword sighed. “Well, it seems that there is a very important historical artifact that Lord Hammer Strike needs to locate, one that could shine a light on the early Equestrian history. The only problem is, well, it’s located where Matthew is from.”

“The Human?” Night Terror asked. “How’d they get this book?”

“Don’t know,” Pensword fibbed. He knew Lunar Fang and Fox Feather would ask later, “But I have to go to his world to look for it.”

“Earth?” Moon River asked. “Wanna see,” she declared excitedly.

“I’m sorry, but it’s a little too dangerous.”

“I want to see.” Moon River brandished her toy Crossbow. “Wanna see!”

“You won’t get to see Cosy, if you do,” Pensword countered smoothly. He just prayed they could get the prince to come visit.

She strung together the next sentence, speaking each word slowly and clearly. “I want to see Earth.”

Pensword looked to Lunar Fang in desperation.

His silent plea did not go unanswered. “You’re not going,” Lunar fang told her daughter matter-of-factly.

“I want to go. I want to go!” she whined.

“Why?” Night Terror asked.

“I want to,” Moon River said.

“Why?”

“I wa—.”

“Why?” Night Terror interrupted again.

This time, Moon River’s mouth hung open, and she paused, then scrunched her eyebrows together in intense concentration. It took nearly a half a minute for her to consider how best to put her desires into the limited vocabulary she had at her command.

“Mommy went,” she said uncertainly. Then she added an assertive, “Family,” as if that would explain everything.

“What if I brought back pictures for you?” Pensword asked.

She shook her head. “No. I want family.”

Pensword frowned. “But you have family right—.” And then the lightbulb went off. “You mean you want to meet the rest of them.” Pensword sighed and shook his head. “I can’t do that this time. You’re still too young to make the journey, and Discord will be straining as it is with the extra passengers. What if I were to bring back a present from your grandparents?”

Moon River was quiet for a time as she thought this offer over. “Fine,” she finally acceded. “But no fake animals!”

He frowned. “What do you want, then?”

“Book!”

“Okay.” Pensword sighed,  wondering how in Tartarus he was going to get a book from his parents signed, mailed, and delivered before they had to come back. He doubted they would land anywhere close by this time around. Vital Spark was definitely a possibility. If he really intended to stay in New York, that provided a proper location to mail the package. Then Vital Spark could deliver the package to him, and he could give it to Moon River. Brilliant!

“But I go when safe?” Moon River wheedled. Penword shuddered. It was clear that while the battle had been won, the war was far from over. The foal’s crusade had only just begun.

“Moon River, come over here and help with the steering gear,” Day Moon called. Suddenly, the foal was gone in a blink of an eye.

Night Terror stared wide-eyed at the three parents. “Is nopony going to tell me how she does that? It’s getting harder to tell where she is, even for me.”

Pensword and Fox Feather smirked. Lunar Fang hid a chuckle behind her wing.

“She’s our daughter. And frankly, I think you need some time loosening up, so why don’t you go help them? Go on, get your hooves dirty. They won’t mind,” Pensword encouraged.

Night Terror shook her head. “This is just unbelievable. I don’t know who’s right about foal-rearing and family dynamics anymore, the Solar Courts or the Lunar.”

“Maybe between the two?” Pensword suggested and smiled gently. “Come on, dears. Let’s see if we can make something for ourselves. We should be willing to get messy as well, after all.” He winced as Moon River knocked over a small jar of deer grease. The bath that was sure to follow would prove to be a great trial; he knew. “Just … not that messy.”

Moon River giggled wickedly.

Rarity sang to herself as she finished off yet another gown for her newest line. This one followed a more cosmic theme, taking a futuristic approach with an aquamarine fabric surrounded by a series of filmy rings that hovered weightlessly around the dress, thanks to cleverly sewn runes hidden in the hem and lining of the dress itself. The headpiece was tipped by an elegant trio of feathers fluffed to appear as cloudlike as possible. “Yes, I do believe I’ve absolutely outdone myself on this one,” she said with a smile.

“I’m inclined to agree,” Hammer Strike commented as he stepped closer. “Certainly one of your more intricate works.”

Rarity let out an indelicate scream as she leaped into the air, then landed in Hammer Strike’s forelegs. “Oh, Darling, you startled me!” She laughed then and kissed him on the cheek. “Though if I get to be held like this every time, I could get used to it.”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you,” Hammer Strike apologized. “But, I’ve come with news.”

Rarity chuckled. “Put me down, then, and I’ll get a pot of tea going.”

Hammer Strike did so and followed her into the kitchen. “It’s time for me to keep a promise.”

“What sort of promise?” Rarity levitated a purple-and-white china pot down from a cupboard and opened a jar to levitate a combination of leaves and dried flower blossoms into a diffuser.

“Well, I promised you that the next trip to Earth, I would take you along,” Hammer Strike replied with a small smile. “I’ve already talked with Celestia and Luna about making you a charm to help disguise you.”

“It’s that time already?” Rarity poured water into a kettle and handed it to Hammer Strike. “Would you mind, Dear?”

Hammer Strike steadily heated up the water as he held the kettle. “Yes, it is. Though, this is more for business than pleasure,” he clarified. “We have certain relics to recover, but with how the last trip went, I’m positive I can keep things fine.”

“You always keep things fine.”

“So, with this happening, I thought it might be best to get some practice in, as I’m sure you’d appreciate the ability to move in a bipedal stance without tripping.” His smile widened. “They should almost be done with the charm, and then we can get to it.”

One flash of light later, the kitchen suddenly felt a lot smaller as two Alicorns flared their wings and finally retracted them to peer at the couple.

“Oh, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. I wasn’t expecting you. I assume you’re here about my artifact for the journey?” Rarity asked.

“And I take it Hammer Strike has already explained his desire to bring you with him to the human world,” Celestia returned. “Yes, we have your accessory here. Luna and I just wanted to ensure the attunement was successful.”

“Well, this will be interesting. I’m going to have an audience for my first change,” Rarity said. “And with the princesses no less.” She smirked at her joke. “How close are we to steeping temperature, Darling?” she asked of her husband.

“Just about now,” Hammer Strike replied as he lifted the kettle.

“Would you care for a cup of tea before the show, ladies?” she asked as she inserted the infuser into the kettle using her magic.

“I think I could stand at least one cup of the legendary brew from the Dancing Dragon.” Celestia smiled as she sat down near the table. Luna soon followed as Rarity and Hammer Strike each took their own chairs around the tiny table.

When the four had enjoyed a session of tea with the accompanying cookies and other treats, Rarity strode back to the front of the shop and flipped the sign to Closed. “All right,” she said as she entered into the kitchen again. “Let’s get this over with. I know I’m going to have to learn how to work with this form, and I want to be good and ready when it’s time to cross over.”

Luna nodded. “These should prove satisfactory for the event.” Her horn lit up and a small box levitated out of a saddlebag that seemed to waver into existence out of thin air. When Rarity opened the box, a pair of delicate gold earrings stared back at her. Two diamonds had been mounted in either setting, etched with the smallest and most intricate runes that gave the jewels a partially cloudy appearance.

“And the trigger?” Rarity asked as she levitated the earrings onto her ears.

“One full three-hundred-sixty-degree turn,” Celestia said. “It will need to be deliberate, of course, but it should work well after it’s been matched with your unique magical aura.

“Attune away,” Rarity said meekly. “I’m ready.”

It didn’t take all that long. The princesses’ magic touched Rarity’s aura, and a bright purple not unlike the color of her element circled around the mare before it flared and licked around the rings. The twin gems glowed the same color, then died down again to their usual clarity. When the magical wind summoned by the attunement finally died down, she smiled and nodded.

“I suppose all that’s left is to try it. I assume I’ll want to be in a wide open space to help with balance?” Rarity asked her husband.

“For the best,” Hammer Strike replied as he raised his hoof and turned the gem on his own charm, changing to his human form. “Probably be best if I assist in form as well.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so tall,” Rarity said with a coy smirk as they left the kitchen to enter her living room. “Well then, let’s see how I look.” She used her magic to turn the command gem. A bright flash of light emanated. When it receded, a sleek woman about five-foot-eight stood in the place of the Pony. Her features were healthy and strong on her pale skin, revealing just a hint of her cheekbones. Her figure was lean and fit, with shapely muscles that carried over from her training with Seamripper. Her long black hair stretched down to the small of her back, and it flashed purple when the light struck it at just the right angle. Her eyes remained as endearing and expressive as always, and her lashes were perfectly styled to match the combination of blush, eyeshadow, and mascara she wore.

The new human swayed unsteadily on her feet as she struggled to remain upright, only to stumble directly into her husband’s arms. “Well, I suppose that answers the question of how well I’d do,” she said with a flirtatious giggle.

“Lasted a good few seconds. And considering you’ve never been in a different form, especially one that is bipedal, I’d say you’re doing just fine,” Hammer Strike replied with a smile.

“So, this is what it feels like to have hands and … feet, you called them?” she asked as she wiggled her bare toes in the air. “How strange.”

“You’ll get used to it,” he replied. “And, given that we aren’t leaving for at least a week or so, you’ll get plenty of practice time, and most likely come up with new designs for clothing.” He placed his coat over her. “Without fur, it tends to get cold as well.”

“I … suppose it is just a tad drafty in here,” Rarity said as an involuntary shudder passed through her frame. “Though it is supposed to be more pleasant for this form in the later spring and early summer, isn’t it?”

“Depends, but for the most part, I’d suspect so.”

“Will it still be this cold when we pass through?”

“Depends on what season it is on Earth, so I’d suggest nothing too thick, but make an overcoat in case.”

“Duly noted.” She flicked her head and her hair swayed dramatically behind her as she looked intently at a nearby roll of measuring tape. The roll didn’t budge an inch. She furrowed her brow and tried again, practically glaring at the item as a flush that definitely had nothing to do with makeup rose in her cheeks.

“The human form doesn’t have a focus to allow your magic to escape,” Hammer Strike explained as he noted her struggle.

Rarity gasped and released her concentration. “Well, that would explain a thing of two,” she said as she looked down at her hands. The fingers were all curled into balls to form her natural hoof. One by one, she willed them to separate and flex on their own. “I’ll have to remember to thank Twilight for the warning. Even though I know these should move on their own, I still feel the instinct to clench them together,” she mused.

“Allow me,” Celestia offered as she raised the measuring tape in her golden aura and levitated it to Rarity. “If you need some help taking your measurements, Luna, Hammer Strike, and I should be more than sufficient to ensure accuracy for you.”

“Though a sketch or a picture may also help,” Luna noted. “You’ve designed for humans before, but never a female of the species. There are bound to be some differences.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t the slightest clue what’s happened to mine. Sweetie and the crusaders said they had to borrow it. Something about an unseeable alien.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Hammer Strike said dismissively.

“Dinky said it was perfectly safe, regardless, and it’s not like they haven’t gone through worse here in Ponyville,” Rarity pointed out. “I told them as long as they had a responsible adult with them, like Time Turner, they could use it.”

Hammer Strike stood silently for a moment before briefly glancing over to Celestia and Luna. “Responsible. Yeah.”

“With the threat of Derpy hanging over his shoulder if anything happens?” Rarity added.

Hammer Strike deadpanned. “Responsible. Yeah.”

New Unity’s war room had changed during the year-and-a-half since the trio had traveled back to the Third Gryphon War. With the aid of Crystal Empire tech imported courtesy of Comic, they now had a functional holographic table displaying a constant update on the city’s progress while thin crystal sheets embedded in the walls displayed scrolls of information varying from statistics on troop readiness to various threat levels. Some techs Comic had trained worked on tweaking the systems while secretaries recorded various memos on typewriters and recruits were trained on battle tactics using a smaller version of the great table to run combat scenarios, such as the first Changeling invasion.

“Huh. This place got a real update since the last time I was here,” Vital noted. “Comic really is a miracle worker when he wants to get a job done, isn’t he?”

“Well, when you have Crystal Pony technicians and more money than Faust….” Grif chuckled.

“Point taken,” Vital said.

“It is rather impressive, but I’ve noticed that seems to happen often to Hammer Strike.” Rarity smiled sweetly. A hairpin with three diamonds had been set into her mane just above the ear. A flowing dress with a light jacket completed the ensemble.

“Certainly keeps things interesting,” Hammer Strike replied with a faint chuckle.

“Interesting? Please, that’s far from the word I’d use for it.” Discord’s voice rang drolly through the air in a disembodied echo. “Hammer Strike always gets the fun toys. It’s so depressingly predictable.”

“Hello, Discord,” Pensword muttered as he worked to smooth his feathers and fur from the shock.

Discord appeared on one of the screens in a flash of light. His figure was a perfect digital rendering. “Pensword, always a pleasure to see you jump. Ah, and the lovely Rarity. Radiant as ever, I see.” The Draconequus smirked as he stuck his head out from the crystal surface and said appendage returned to its regular form. “And I see you’ve brought Trixie along. Where are Sun Butt and Looney? I thought we were all supposed to be enjoying this meeting together.”

“Shut up, Discord,” Grif grunted. “Not the time for this.”

“I can only handle one being at a time disrespecting the princesses, and Girf is already here. So, please, show some respect.” Pensword grit his teeth as he struggled to keep his temper under control.

“Oh? I don’t recall hearing any other insults being sent their way. Besides, it’s good for them to develop a thick skin. Perhaps you should consider it, too. I could help you, if you like,” he said with a malicious grin as he held a taloned hand primed to snap. Then he frowned at Hammer Strike. “But I suppose the party pooper over there wouldn’t approve.” He sighed and appeared in the middle of the room in a flash of light. “So, how much longer do we need to wait on the princesses before I send you all off? I do have certain other engagements to attend to this evening, after all,” he said as he pulled out a large scroll that unrolled to spill onto the floor and into the wall, where it began to build up into a crumpled pile.

“I already have a headache,” Pensword muttered as he rubbed his forehead with a wing tip.

Grif looked at Hammer Strike, as if asking permission. When he got a small nigh-imperceptible nod, he walked toward the Draconequus. His claws glowed abnormally for an instant before they smacked fully into the chaos spirit’s gut and pinned him to the floor. He grinned at the surprise on Discord’s face. “Oh, this? I can’t kill you, but Hammer strike’s shown me enough to make it hurt. So, listen up and listen good. While we’re gone, you aren’t going to cause any trouble around Unity or Ponyville. You go to Fluttershy’s, you leave, and not a single needle on a Windsdamned pine tree is off by a single shade of green. You do anything, and we’ll know. And then you’ll wish you were a mortal. If there is an emergency, you will help to the best of your considerable power. If you can’t, you’ll call us back instantly to help. No waiting, like you did last time. Am I transparent?”

“This isn’t exactly the most endearing behavior, Grif,” Discord said through narrowed gaze. “At least I’m trying to help. Give a Pony some credit.” He craned his neck to look at Hammer Strike. “And as for you, I am very disappointed. Giving away secrets like that. Tisk tisk, Hammer Strike. For shame.”

Hammer Strike shrugged. “Considering you found a way to temporarily dispose of me, I figured a backup would be best.”

“It wasn’t endearing letting Chrysalis attack Unity unopposed while my wife was giving birth either.” Grif gave his talons a sharp twist before he withdrew them.

“And you expected me to simply pull you back, just like that, when it took nearly everything I had to give you the charge you needed to remain last time?” A second Discord appeared in a flash of light, this one dressed in a snazzy lawyer’s suit and tie, complete with glasses as he pulled out a document from a briefcase made out of soap. “And let’s not forget the fact that the defendant in question had only just begun his reformation, and as such, could not be expected to follow all norms and expected guidelines, having not learned to understand the greater subtleties associated with friendship.”

“How long do you think it would take him to re-grow his larynx?” Grif asked Hammer Strike.

“Grif, I think he gets the message,” Vital said placatingly. “And if it’s really taking that long, then why not have Hammer Strike send them a message? He has the dragon fire lamps, after all.”

A few seconds later, twin flashes of light heralded the princesses’ arrival.

“Okay, is it just me or is practically going blind from teleportation glare turning into a bit of a theme here?” Vital asked as he rubbed his eyes.

“I wouldn't know. Pegasi are used to lighting flashes. While bright, they’re not too bad,” Pensword quipped. Lunar fang had shut her eyes the moment it hit, and was currently rubbing her head with a hoof.

“Sorry we’re late, everypony. There were some last minute issues we had to address at the Solar Court,” Celestia said.

“And by we, she means she,” Luna added.

“Luna!”

“It’s the truth,” Luna pointed out with a mischievous smirk.

Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes. “We had hoped to prepare something special for the governments of your world as a sign of peace and good faith, but we couldn’t decide on a proper gift.”

“You know you could’ve come to me for ideas, right?” Vital pointed out. “I could’ve told you a plethora of gift ideas that would have been welcomed with open arms.”

Celestia facehoofed. “Why is it I always seem to overlook the most obvious answer?”

“Probably because the nobles in Canterlot keep making things too complicated,” Vital replied.

“While this conversation is truly a riveting experience, can we please get on with the reason we’re all here already? I have a tea date to keep with Fluttershy, and I would rather not be late, thank you very much,” Discord snipped.

“I believe you said you needed the both of us, Hammer Strike?” Celestia asked. “Luna filled me in on the basics, but not quite everything.”

Hammer Strike tapped a familiar device on the table. “Basically, using a steady field of power from both of you would keep the device from draining you entirely. Using it while the portal is active would help guide the portal’s destinations for us, leading us to at least a close enough point to find said objects.”

“And there won’t be any ill effects from its interaction with Discord’s magic?” Celestia asked.

“Unlikely, as it seemed unresponsive to anything that wasn’t to an extreme.”

“So this artifact is designed to absorb an Alicorn’s magic to function,” Celestia mused. “Does it accept commands? That might help increase the accuracy when pinpointing the location.”

“It might, but I am uncertain on how to phrase it or if it will even grant access to the records.” Hammer Strike glanced over to Celestia. “Sed intelligere potes?”

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Celestia asked as she cocked her head to the side in confusion.

“‘But can you understand?’ said in their native tongue,” Hammer Strike replied. “The problem is that not everything can be translated over, so it takes time to form questions that would work perfectly in our favor.”

“So you want us to power this instead, and hope that it will point you in the right direction when it activates?”

“I’ll see what questions it responds to. Based off its previous results, it is bound to lead us in a general direction, at the very least.”

Celestia turned to Discord. “How long will they have this time?”

Discord shrugged. “How should I know? I’m a god of chaos, remember? I’ll give them a boost and push them through, but the rest is up to them.” He glared at Grif. “And no, I’m not being stingy, mister starchy pants,” he said pointedly as his hand turned into a broom and he flicked a pile of dust into the air out of nowhere.

“Give us your best guess,” Luna stated coldly.

Discord rolled his eyes, which promptly popped out of his head and morphed into polyhedron twenty-sided dice with a roving pupil in each core. “I would assume somewhere around whatever amount of time it took last time. How should I know for sure? I’m not an oracle, you know.” His eyes returned to his head after he blinked twice. “I would assume anywhere between two to five days, a week at the very most,” he groused as he folded his arms. “There. Happy now?”

“It will do,” Luna said. “Are you all prepared?”

“As can be,” Hammer Strike replied simply.

“Same.” Grif nodded.

“Eeeyup,” Vital said.

“I am. I just need to ask Vital to contact my family for me. There’s a particular item I need them to ship to him, wherever he winds up, since he’s planning on reporting to the UN, anyway,” Pensword replied.

“Sure. I can do that. What’s their number?” Vital asked.

Pensword blinked. “Uh…” He rooted around in his saddlebag and pulled out a book. “I am so glad they wrote down the information. I’m not sure if the number is still there, but you can look for the Cloud Ranch in George Park, Gold County. It’s owned by Heather and Hector Conner. If they send letters or packages, bring them with you. I’m sure they’ll send more than the children’s book I want. Oh, and don’t forget to ask them to sign it with a letter for Moon River.” Pensword shook his head and sighed. “I just wish there was time to visit. Maybe on a third trip.”

“I’ll look into it,” Vital promised. “And Trixie will make sure I don’t forget, won’t you, Trixie?”

She laughed. “I’ll nag him about it until he does it.”

“Good. Because I do not want an angry Moon River when I get back.”

“Then let’s get to it,” Hammer Strike said. “First, let’s activate the device. Discord, once it is active, open a portal to assist in it giving a location.”

Discord spun in a blurring tornado. When he slowed again, he we bedecked in a pristine white sea captain’s outfit, complete with ascot. “Aye aye, Admiral!”

Pensword’s left eye twitched, then narrowed.

Luna and Celestia both stood on either side of the core and looked to one another with blank expressions. The tension was strong in the room as the pair began to circle the orb, slowly at first, then in a steady trot. Their horns glowed, and as they continued, their magic reached out to the artifact and bent to form a spiralling pattern as the two cast in unison.

“Get ready,” Celestia said. “Something’s about to—”

Once more, the orb flashed open. This time, the power remained contained. The white energy held tightly around the orb as its shell orbited.

“Okay, that’s pretty cool,” Vital said. “Anyone else getting Atlantis vibes?”

“Which is a funny analogy, as this is from a lost empire as well, and we are looking for the lost Island, so I’m not surprised you got that.” Pensword paused. “I wish we had as cool of a submarine, though.”

“Discord, if you would, please?” Celestia said.

A few seconds later, a swirling blue portal appeared, sucking away at everything in sight and stirring the room with its wind. Discord dusted himself off. “There. It’s done. Now hurry it up. I can’t hold these things open forever, you know. Well, maybe if I were angry enough, but you haven’t pushed me nearly far enough yet.”

“You’re chaos, not wrath.” Pensword quipped as he looked around. His ears splayed back to display his worry. “So, will we see where we’re landing or are we going in blind again?”

“I would assume relatively blind. We should recognize where we are, though, once we’ve had a chance to orient ourselves, right, Hammer Strike?” Vital asked.

“For the most part,” Hammer Strike replied. “Once we can get a tether going from the device, it’ll help locate things and adjust the position of the portal.”

“And how long will it take for this tether to—?” Celestia was cut off from her question as a concentrated beam shot out from the core into the portal. Discord’s creation flinched and pulled in on itself, as though it had taken a heavy blow. Then it stabilized again, this time with a lighter shade of its usual color. The light continued to pulse regularly into it. “I suppose that answers that question.”

“I thought it was going to do something like that.” Pensword glanced around. “Shall I go first?”

“Observe the destination and keep to your objective.” Hammer Strike directed their attention to where the portal revealed sprawling sands and the distant rush of crashing waves. A hot dry wind blew out into the room as the silicate danced and swirled in playful eddies. There were some signs of civilization in the far distance, but nothing close enough to determine exact location. Pensword’s wings flared almost against his will at the warm air playing over his feathers, even as the glare of the hot sun sent heat waves billowing before them to distort all sense of proper direction.

Pensword blinked from the harsh sunlight and the heat of noon day. “A Desert. How… typical.” He looked to the others. “I wish I had my pith helmet, but I’ll do my best. How will we know when we find the locations?”

“Central point of the portal should reveal it,” Hammer Strike directed once more.

Pensword looked, but saw nothing but sand and a cliff in the distance. “So, uh, just follow straight? Try to stay in a straight line?”

“Keep your destination in mind and head for it,” Hammer Strike replied simply. 

Pensword nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped purposefully into the desert beyond the portal.

“Advance to next segment,” Hammer Strike called out in Latin, hoping the device would accept the command.

The portal shifted to depict a large flat grassland field with towering mountains in the distance and a clear blue sky. Beneath the shadow of the mountains, horses ran wild in the heat of the day. Near the center of the portal, a river flowed smoothly across the country.

“I’ll see you in a week.” Grif nodded to the others as he flared his wings and soared into the blue sky on the other side.

“Advance to final segment,” Hammer Strike commented once more, watching at the portal shifted to reveal a large white structure with countless pillars and archways. Thankfully, his search was narrowed to the fact that it had a sign out front, naming it the Smithsonian National Museum.

“Well, after we head through, it’s up to you Discord to line up a portal for Vital and Trixie,” Hammer Strike commented as he stepped up to the portal with Rarity. Both had already switched to their human forms as they stepped through.

“To the UN, Jeeves, and step on it,” Vital Spark exclaimed as he turned his gem and returned to human form. Discord scowled, but the humor was well placed. He would have to plan something special for the Unicorn later. “Trixie, I can’t wait to show you my friends on the other side.” The Unicorn smirked. “Remind me to show you The Princess and the Frog, if I get the chance.”

“Of course,” Trixie said as she lifted her leg and carefully turned the gem hidden among the pearls. The figure that stood before them wore a simple dress that streamed down her frame in a stately, almost ethereal design. Stars speckled the navy fabric in an approximation of nighttime, while an opening along the back had been shaped like a wand to embody her cutie mark. The familiar shape of the crescent scythe had been hidden as waning crescents cradling the stars. Her hair was a startling shock of white that offset the ensemble and stretched all the way down to her waist. Her cheeks were prominent and lush with the natural beauty that absolute confidence creates in a woman. Her fair skin brushed the pale hand of her husband as Conor stood in the same garments he had worn when he fell through to Equestria the second time. He offered her a fur stole to complete the ensemble.

“A little flashy, but it’ll do for now. We can see about getting more casual clothing after we report.”

“Would you love me any other way?” she teased.

“Always,” he said as he kissed her cheek. “No matter how you look.”

“As sweet as this revolting sentimentality is, we have a deadline to keep,” Discord said as he snapped his fingers and the familiar shape of an open pavilion appeared. A circle of flags surrounded the area, each bearing the colors of a foreign nation. “Go on. Get moving!”

Vital chuckled. “After you or together?” he asked his wife as he slid his hand into hers.

“Do you even have to ask?”

The two stepped in synch, and the portal disappeared as Discord, Celestia, and Luna all collapsed on the floor. The core clattered as it bounced and rolled over the wooden floorboards. Whatever was to happen next, it was out of their hooves and hands now.

“Good luck, Hammer Strike,” Celestia said in a low voice. “You’ll need it.”