//------------------------------//
// CRISIS: Equestria - Chapter Thirteen 
// Story: CRISIS: Equestria 
// by GanonFLCL 
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CRISIS: Equestria


Chapter Thirteen: Instigation


Twilight stared off into the east at the large range of mountains that made up the Goldridge Pass. They stood as a beacon of hope, and even at this distance she could see where the range got its name. It was a vast stretch of what looked like solid gold for miles across the horizon. Some mountains were taller, others shorter, giving the ridge a sort of jagged appearance, but it did not appear unpleasant. It was certainly a more welcome sight than the Redblade Mountains had been.

The mountains were only hours away, but to Twilight it may as well have been on the other side of the world. The past twenty-four hours had been nearly non-stop, and the only real break she and her friends had gotten was the one measly hour on the Redblade Mountains. They were tired, hungry, and recent developments had crushed their spirits. Fluttershy’s condition was a devastating blow to all of them, but to Twilight and Rarity especially. Twilight just couldn’t figure out how to fix the problem, and every passing moment was one step closer to-

Twilight shook her head. There was no good in thinking about that.

Still, after another few solid hours of running, she and her friends were spent. So, at Tick Tock's insistence, and against Rarity’s vocal disagreements, the group had decided to take a much-needed rest. This was more than acceptable to Starlight Shadow’s group, as they had no manner of timetable to keep.

Twilight was grateful that Tick Tock seemed to be competent in handling gargantuans and their venom, as her assurances were all they really had to go by. According to the other unicorn, the venom was spreading quickly, but she was able to keep Fluttershy’s condition stable in the most unorthodox manner Twilight had ever heard: she was using precisely aimed barrier spells to isolate the venom, drastically slowing the infection’s progress. This gave them between seven and eight hours, which Tick Tock based on the bluish-green coloring of Fluttershy’s lips.

Rarity still fidgeted and paced in circles around Fluttershy, who now lay beside a campfire. The campfire was real this time, provided by the red pegasus from Starlight Shadow’s group, Havocwing. Twilight was still baffled by the pegasus and her ability to wield Pyromancy magic not only without a horn, but without any sort of aid. It didn’t seem possible, but there it was.

After being assured of Fluttershy’s current well-being, Twilight had been focused entirely on Havocwing. She kept her distance, trying her best not to be rude or intrusive. It was a fascinating sight, really, seeing the pegasus stoke the flames with her bare hoof. Was she flameproof as well? That seemed a logical benefit, but that just raised further questions.

Her focus was such that she didn’t notice another pony walk up beside her.

“Do Havocwing’s flames intrigue you, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight jumped to the side, clutching a hoof to her chest. Starlight Shadow had taken her completely by surprise. “Oh... well, to be frank, yes. I’m curious as to how a pegasus can wield Pyromancy in this manner. I know that talented pegasi can, if their flight speed is high enough, generate trails of a semi-magical nature, but this is... not that.”

Starlight chuckled. “It is quite a boon, is it not? However, apprehension in this situation, as understandable as it is, is a fool’s errand. Neither myself nor Havocwing can comprehend the manner of which she is granted this capability, but she possesses it, so that is all that matters.”

“I suppose if she doesn’t understand it either, there’s no sense in being intrusive about it.” Twilight sighed. “It would take too long to perform experiments anyway, especially without my equipment. A non-unicorn using unicorn magic... just think of the academic possibilities.”

“Ah, you fancy yourself a scholar, then?” Starlight smiled and patted Twilight on the shoulder. “I sense an opportunity for an enthralling conversation. Would you object to engaging in some amiable discourse?”

Twilight glanced sideways over at where she could still see Tick Tock slaving over Fluttershy. She felt she should be helping, but Tick Tock had insisted that she could handle it alone. Still: “I still don’t know if I should be leaving Fluttershy,” she said. “I know Tick Tock said she can handle it, but—"

Starlight laughed and patted Twilight on the shoulder again. “Twilight Sparkle, this is your opportunity to replenish yourself, as well. If Miss Tock desires the opportunity to ‘handle it’, then allow her to do so. I understand your concern: your friend is standing at death’s door, and you are entrusting her livelihood to a pony other than yourself.”

“That’s... mostly true, I suppose. I may not be an expert in Restomancy, but Tick Tock is self-admitted as having zero knowledge of the subject. I don’t see how she’s more of a help than I am. Still...”

“Allow your mind to be at ease, to temporarily place these issues along the wayside.” Starlight began to trot away, and gave Twilight a gesture to follow. “Come, converse with me. I am certain you will not be disappointed. You may even attain fresh knowledge.”

Twilight nodded. “Yes... yes, I think you’re right. Tick Tock is taking care of Fluttershy, and doesn’t want or need my help. A little friendly conversation may do me some good.”

Twilight followed Starlight a few dozen paces away from the rest of the camp. She glanced sideways at Havocwing again, then shook her head. As she shifted her eyes along her friends, she could see that some of them were talking with other members of Starlight’s group as well. Pinkie and Red Velvet had taken to each other rather quickly, it seemed, and while she couldn’t see very well from here, it looked as though Applejack and Curaçao were too.

“Sparkle?”

Twilight snapped to attention. “What? Oh, sorry Miss Shadow, I was just.... nevermind. You were saying?”

Starlight shook her head. “I am aware that I intended to distract you from unpleasant thoughts, but a curious conundrum has arisen.” She placed her hoof over her heart in some manner of apologetic gesture. “I hope I am not intruding, and it was not my intent to eavesdrop, but I did overhear some manner of argument you had with your friends earlier. Rarity and Rainbow Dash, was it?”

Twilight frowned. This wasn’t surprising, but it was still disappointing. “I don’t blame you for overhearing, Miss Shadow—"

“Please, no pleasantries are necessary, Sparkle,” Starlight said with a smile.

Twilight returned the smile. “I don’t blame you for overhearing, Starlight. Rainbow wasn’t exactly... tactful, in keeping that entire conversation private. I’m glad that they both saw it my way in the end, though. We really needed this rest, even if it is short. I know I’ve had my doubts before about Tick Tock, but...”

Starlight glanced off into the air. Twilight followed her gaze up to where Rainbow was circling above at a slow, deliberate pace.

“Your friends’ faith in you is waning, if I may be so bold to make such an accusation,” Starlight said, returning her gaze to Twilight. “Perhaps you are even beginning to doubt yourself?”

Twilight shifted, pawing at the dirt beneath her. “Well, I... do sort of feel that some of the things that have happened these past few days are my fault, in a manner of speaking. Certain things could have been avoided had I been more attentive.” She gave Starlight an appraising look. “How did you know that, though, just from that little conversation?”

“I am a very astute judge of character. I once found myself in a similar position as your present self. Not for an extended period mind you, only a matter of hours, but I do understand and sympathize.”

“Well, I thank you for that,” Twilight said, tilting her head slightly. “What do you mean by ‘a similar situation’ though?”

Starlight smiled and gestured towards the campfire and those sitting there. Rarity was missing now, for some reason, but Tick Tock, Lockwood, and Flathoof still stood watch over Fluttershy.

“You and your companions are a most captivating bunch,” Starlight said. “You are so diverse in personality and ability, and yet you work cohesively. I believe I can relate that to my sisters and I.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Sisters?”

“Why, yes. Not by blood, mind; we were adopted. But enough of that, back to the topic at hoof. While I am not completely certain, it is my understanding, Sparkle, that you are the leader of your group?”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly say that,” Twilight said, tilting her head to the side so as not to let Starlight see her blush. “I just have good organizational skills, really. I guess if being able to organize and direct others makes me the leader, then I guess that’s what I am. I don't know if I’d call myself ‘leader’, though. More like a... manager.”

Starlight laughed and shook her head. “Ah, you are modest. Do not be. I witnessed your diplomatic initiative earlier, and I notice the manner in which your friends seek out your guidance. You may not agree, but I do not theorize any of them hesitating to nominate you to such a position, if pressed.

“I also detected the barrier spell you utilized in defense of your comrades, and not from some trivial distance, either. You wield extraordinary magic, Sparkle. If not for you, your friends would not be present in camp, enjoying reprieve. They would surely have perished, and you alongside them. Your friends require your power to continue this journey of yours. Do not be shy in admitting it.”

Twilight blushed and rubbed her neck. She had an odd relationship with being praised for her ability. On one hoof, it felt nice to be good at something and have others acknowledge it. On the other, she still felt self-conscious about seeming like a braggart or a show-off, even if she’d been told a hundred times that she should be proud.

“Well, I suppose when you put it that way, I do have some capability,” she said. “Tick Tock certainly jumped on that bandwagon quickly enough... and now you are too. Am I really that special?”

“I am well aware of the notion, Sparkle,” Starlight said with a nod, “that without your intervention, nopony in your vicinity would accomplish anything? It must be—"

“My friends and I don’t have that kind of relationship,” Twilight interrupted, trying to keep her voice from cracking. “I rely on my friends just as much as they rely on me. I value their opinions, their contributions, and their friendship. Without them, I wouldn’t be the pony I am today.”

“I did not intend insult.” Starlight’s mouth curled in a tiny smile. “Though, perhaps if you did not pay heed to others quite so much, you would not have entered into this predicament in the first place. Rather, if you paid more heed to your own evaluations.”

Twilight made to speak again, then stopped a moment to think. “What do you mean by that?”

“This friend of yours, Miss Tock? You claim she is serving as your ‘guide’, correct? And, you claim that it was she that decided to make across dangerous volcanic territory?”

“Yes, that was Tick Tock’s plan,” Twilight said. “But we all agreed to it. We are on an awfully strict time limit. I know that not all of us thought it was worthwhile though.”

“Were you amongst those that disagreed with Miss Tock?”

“I was, yes. Rainbow, Captain Flathoof, and myself were outright against it on grounds that it was dangerous. Everypony else eventually agreed that the danger was worthwhile... but...” Twilight sighed. “But I still think we’re not in that big of a hurry that we needed to endanger ourselves so much.”

Starlight’s smile grew into a smirk. “So then, you proceeded with her plan anyway, because of, I assume, a majority vote?”

“Yeah... we did.”

“A foolish endeavor, if there ever was one.”

Twilight laughed and rolled her eyes. “That’s what we said... well, not exact words, but you know. I mean, what was she thinking, carrying us—”

“Her? Oh no, Sparkle, you misunderstand. I was not referring to Miss Tock’s plan—though it was foolish, to be sure—I was referring to yours.”

“Mine?” Twilight sputtered. “B-b-but—"

Starlight laughed again and gave Twilight a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You encountered a dilemma, Sparkle. Your theory was that that route seemed unnecessarily dangerous. Rainbow Dash and Captain Flathoof joined you in voicing disagreement. But, eventually, you succumbed to Miss Tock’s argument anyway, despite your own misgivings, which you based as much on logic as she claimed to utilize to support her own.”

Twilight frowned. “She’s our guide. She... knows her way around out here. I mean, that’s what she says...”

“That is beside the intention of my argument, at any rate. No, the unfortunate circumstance here that led me to my earlier statement, is that you failed to utilize your greatest gifts to ensure the safety of yourself and your friends.”

“My greatest gifts?”

“Your intellect, for one,” Starlight continued, pointing at Twilight’s head. “I can discern quite a lot just from how you speak. You are highly-educated, or at the very least extremely well-read, if not a combination of the two. You are certainly intelligent enough not to desire wandering through active volcanoes.”

Starlight gave Twilight an appraising look, which Twilight met with a sheepish grin and another blush. Her grin widened. “Why you did not assert yourself and your superior intellect is beyond me.”

Twilight shook her head. “She sounded so confident. She said she’d done it before, dozens of times. I’ll admit that I don’t have her experience in the terrain around here, and she certainly proved she’d traveled that route before when she showed me how to modify a Personal Temperature Aura to survive extreme temperatures and cover an entire group.”

“So, you surmise that just because of that simple explanation, she is more well-versed than you?” Starlight shook her head. “Perhaps her experience exceeds your own, but your power far outstrips hers. As you posses that manner of power, that places you in control. Without your incredible magical stores, she would not have been able to attempt that route in the first place. You possessed the upper-hoof in negotiations, and you relinquished it.”

“Well... just because I’m a little stronger—"

“Again with the modesty?” Starlight snorted and stared directly into Twilight’s eyes. “Sparkle, let me forward with you. You are the single-most powerful unicorn present here, excepting myself.”

Twilight tilted her head. “You?”

“I am unhesitant in declaring myself superior, which is where we divert. Surely you do not doubt my claims, Sparkle?”

Starlight lit her horn up just slightly, enough that Twilight could easily detect and see the bright silver glow, for a brief second. A very simple spell intended to coat one’s body with latent magicks.

“If you did before, I implore you to consider otherwise. Go on, then. Read me.”

Twilight nodded and closed her eyes, letting her mind relax so that she could detect Starlight’s magical signature. She cracked one eye open when the magical sensation flowed through her.

“Hmm...”

“Does something trouble you, Sparkle?”

Twilight shook her head. Starlight’s mostly-passive magicks resonated with such strength that Twilight was almost convinced the other unicorn was cheating somehow. She knew that some unicorns back at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, when taking magical exams, would divert excess magic into their spells to make them seem more powerful at the expense of having less magic to use.

After taking a moment to examine the spell, Twilight knew otherwise. Starlight had a great deal of magic, and was not afraid to flaunt it. She couldn’t be sure of the full extent of the other unicorn’s powers with a spell such as that, but it was enough to convince her that Starlight was not like any other unicorn she’d ever met. There was no certainty that Starlight could match her strength, but she certainly did exude the confidence that she was able to.

“You certainly make a valid point, as there is a great deal of magic around you,” Twilight said at last. “I appreciate the compliment, being compared with somepony with such ability, but I don’t follow.”

“I am disappointed that you do not, but I am not surprised.” Starlight grinned and gestured towards the camp again. “You have become acquainted with my sisters and witnessed the strength they possess. Do any of your companions share that level of strength?”

Twilight remained silent and gave a despondent shake of her head.

“I suspected as much. But I digress. Despite each of my sisters possessing suitable lethality that they need not fear anything, there is something that they all respect: me.”

Twilight made to speak.

“Do not misinterpret, Sparkle,” Starlight continued, giving Twilight a careful glance. “I am willing to entertain their opinions, and I value the input of my lieutenants. But, even they are aware that at the conclusion of discussions, my word is final. It eases the maintaining of order, and believe me when I claim that such a diverse, complex collection needs order. Surely you agree?”

Twilight hesitated a moment before speaking. “I agree that being orderly and disciplined is nice and everything, but I don’t know if I agree with your... methods. You can’t treat your friends like tools, and you can’t rely on fear to—"

“Fear?” Starlight laughed and waved her hoof to dismiss the idea. “Again you misunderstand. I merely speak of my self-confidence. The power I wield is far beyond their own. While they need not fear anything, they are but ponies. They fear all the same. Myself? I possess no hesitation in braving any challenge presented to me by this harsh world. Thus, I posses no apprehension that any would challenge my authority.”

“Your companions are awfully... violent,” Twilight said, glancing again at Havocwing’s fire. “I’m honestly amazed that you can keep them all in line. Are... all ponies around here like this? The ponies I know back home aren’t.”

Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Back home? Ah... you are attempting flight for home, correct? You mentioned that earlier. That would imply you are from... Utopia, then?”

Twilight nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

Starlight rolled her eyes. “Understand, Sparkle, that this hemisphere is incomparable to your own. If you are not willing to utilize all of your power to defend yourself, you are liable to perish. The gargantuan may be the deadliest predator in the Wastelands, but their territory is self-contained, thus it is simple to divert one’s route around it. There are dangers that you cannot simply plot a detour around, however, and I warn you that they are deadlier than those ridiculous creatures by a fair margin.”

Twilight gulped. Greater dangers than the ones they’d already faced? If that was true, then perhaps Starlight had a point. Perhaps it was folly to hesitate in using her powers with confidence, rather than act as if Tick Tock’s expertise was the end-all be-all solution to their problems. Each time she and her friends had gotten into a dangerous situation thus far, she’d been the one to solve the issue using her magic.

Starlight continued, apparently unfettered by another of Twilight’s distractions. “My sisters respect my confidence, and comply with my commands because I am an inspiration. You, on the other hoof, do not wish to risk coming across as pretentious, so you downplay your intellect and magical prowess. That is the source of your misfortune. Your friends are hesitant to follow you unquestioningly, because you lack the confidence to lead them unquestioningly.

“You certainly do not have to agree with my leadership techniques, but I do implore you to consider my philosophy. If you do not assert your authority more strongly, you and your friends may be gambling with your lives.”

“I... guess I can understand that,” Twilight said. “I don’t know if I can follow your example to the letter, but... your philosophy makes sense.”

“My father’s words to me when I took on the mantle of leadership would benefit you, Sparkle. Listen well: ‘audacity leads to courage; hesitation, fear’.”

“Your father sounds like a wise stallion. A strong leader.” Twilight smiled and nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Starlight. I do appreciate the rescue earlier, so I don’t want come off as unappreciative.”

Starlight smiled and offered her hoof. Twilight took it, and gave it a firm shake. “Please, do not mention it, Sparkle,” she said with a smile. “After all, what is one favor between two like-minded individuals?”


***


Applejack busied herself with Tick Tock’s map, still confused as to how the thing worked. She’d seen Tick Tock use it, and attempted to mimic the motions, but each attempt was met with little result. Magical fruits, yes, that was a field she felt well-versed in. Magical maps? Not so much. Twilight had insisted she try and figure out a bit more about their upcoming route, but without Twilight or Tick Tock to explain the map’s intricate nature she may as well be reading another language.

She figured this was just Twilight’s way of trying to help them both learn more about the new world around them. If she could, perhaps Twilight would have somepony she truly trusted and had faith in to help direct them. Twilight hadn’t said as much, but Applejack knew her well enough to guess. Granted they’d still have to rely on Tick Tock for certain things, but at the very least it wouldn’t be a total reliance.

She’d been able to figure out the basics at the very least, or at least what they meant. For instance, she knew what the tiny green dot with Tick Tock's name above it was, same with all the other colored dots with similar names above them. Accurate locations of herself and her friends on the map would come in handy if they ever got separated. She figured that the dotted green line stretching northeast into the Goldridge Pass was their planned route, and that the red one leading southwest was the space of that route already traveled. She recognized the compass, she knew how to read the legend, and for the most part the map itself was outstandingly clear.

It was the other features she didn’t know how to work. Tick Tock was able to zoom the map in on specific locations, as she'd done when planning the route through Redblade. The map seemed to update itself automatically to fit whatever shape she held it in. But, she didn’t know how to draw her hoof along to make the routes Tick Tock did, nor did she know what sorts of shapes she could fold the map into for different effects. Apart from those, it was just a regular old map.

“Ah, Miss Applejack, are you ‘aving trouble viz ta carte?”

Applejack turned to face the blue earth pony that had approached her. “Oh, howdy there Miss...”

She frowned, and silently berated herself for not remembering the other pony’s name. It had sounded fancy, she knew that much. She glanced at the map, at the blue dot that matched this pony’s coat.

“Cure-a-cow?”

“Curaçao,” the other pony said with a smile. “Zee second ‘c’ is pronounced like ‘s’, oui? It is a common mispronunciation.”

“Oh... right. Sorry.” Applejack removed her hat and fanned herself with it. “I ain’t much used ta fancy names like that. My tongue’s got a hard time sayin’ ‘em, is all.”

Curaçao chuckled and gave Applejack a pat on the shoulder. “It is quite alright, Applejack. You ‘ave only known me a short time, non? It takes time to learn to pronounce such beautiful names as mine.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. Just what she needed, another Rarity. “Right, well, ta answer yer question, yes, I am havin’ some trouble tryin’ ta figure out this here map. I ain’t much on magical things like this, y’see, and—"

“May I?” Curaçao asked, reaching out a hoof for the map. “I ‘ave some experience wiz zese sorts of zings. Like a fish to water, voyez-vous?”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, but passed the map over. “Well sure, I guess it won’t hurt none ta give ya a fair shot.” She shrugged and replaced her hat on her head. “I don’t rightly see what y’all can do with it, not havin’ any magic yerself, but—"

Curaçao crumbled the map into a ball.

“What in the hay are ya doin’?!”

“Ah, ‘ave no worries, dear Applejack,” Curaçao said, jerking away to keep the ball of paper from Applejack’s hooves. “Watch and learn from une professionnelle, hmm?”

She finished molding the map into a ball, then offered it out to Applejack and waited a brief moment. “Voilà!”

Applejack watched in surprise as the ball flashed white, then formed itself into a perfect sphere. Rather, a globe. Having never seen it before, she found it fascinating to look at. The planet was divided into mostly-even thirds. Her dot, and those of those beside her, was just a tiny pinprick on the vast, brown northern continent. The southern continent, a lush green in color, bore a large golden star on the eastern quarter marked, Utopia. Separating the two was a massive ocean with a thick, black smear across the equator.

Applejack took the globe in hoof for a moment and studied it. “How’d y’all do that?” she asked as she passed it back to Curaçao.

Curaçao shrugged and unfurled the map back into a neat, compact square. “Zese magical maps, zey are très facile. Well, pour moi, at least. I understand if some ponies are less zan adept wiz zis sort of zing. No offense intended.”

“So y’all ‘re an expert in maps, huh? Are ya the navigator fer yer group?” Applejack asked, glancing at Curaçao’s cutie mark. Oranges, huh? Heck if that wasn’t a familiar sight. “Yer cutie mark don’t really look like it makes ya no expert in that kinda thing, if ya don’t mind my pryin’.”

Curaçao laughed. “Ah, per’aps I ‘ave a little talent wiz navigation skills, but it is more of an ‘obby, voyez-vous?”

Applejack joined her in laughing. “I hear ya. Seems ta be the case with me too. My cutie mark don’t got nothin’ ta do with a lot o’ the stuff I’m asked ta do.”

Curaçao scratched her head. “Oui... ta cutie mark n’est pas claire. What are zose?”

“They’re apples.” Applejack waited a moment, but Curaçao’s blank expression didn’t falter. She sighed in defeat. “I guess that means y’all don’t know anythin’ ‘bout ‘em either.”

“Je suis désolé. I meant no offense.”

“Don’t sweat it. Y’all were sayin’ ‘bout yer navigation bein’ just yer hobby?”

“Ah oui, I am une experte wiz navigation, but I am not zee autorité. Starlight is zee leader, and if she wants to go anozer way, zat is ‘er decision and it is our job to follow ‘er orders. I find it une bonne idée to ‘elp ensure zings go smoozly zough, so she listens to ma opinion. I am sure zat you do zee same for your capitaine, n’est-ce pas?”

Applejack tilted her head. “My... capi-what?”

“Your leader. Zee one zat makes all zee important decisions. Ah! Unless you are une démocratie? I zought zat zee unicorn was your leader, zee purple one?”

“Oh, ya mean Twilight?” Applejack scratched her chin. “Well, she does sort o’ take charge ‘n’ all, so I guess y’all could call her the leader if’n ya really stretched it. I s’pose I do help with those kinds o’ things lately. Twilight respects my know-how o’ mountain climbin’, and what with us goin’ through another range o’ mountains, I guess I can see why she’d rely on me.”

Curaçao smiled. “Zee rest of your friends trust you too, zen?”

“Well, yeah,” Applejack said, returning the smile. “I’m the most trustworthy, hardest workin’ pony there is. O’ course my friends trust me, an’ they know they can depend on me fer just ‘bout anythin’ there is that needs doin’. Ain’t nothin’ to it.”

“And you ‘ave so many friends, too! Merveilleux!” Curaçao flipped her mane and gave a dreamy sigh. “I wish I knew so many ponies so well. But ah, zis Tick Tock? She is a newer friend, non? Zat is what your Twilight explained, zat you all met ‘er in zee city?”

“Well... yeah, we only met her recently. Her, an’ Mister Lockwood, an’ Flathoof are all our new friends.”

Curaçao’s mouth curled in a coy grin. “Just ‘Flathoof’, zen? No ‘Mister’? Ooh là là, you two are on a first-name basis zen, à ce que je vois? You must zink ‘ighly of ‘im.”

Applejack hesitated. “Well... yeah I s’ppose y’all could put it that way. I just feel more comfortable ‘round him, is all. He kinda reminds me o’ myself, ta be frank: he’s got a nice family, he’s hard-workin’ ‘n’ honest. Can’t go wrong with a combination like that, no sir.”

“Ah, la famille is très importante to many ponies, n’est-ce pas? I can see why you like ‘im so much.”

Applejack turned pink and coughed into her hoof. “Whoa there, missy, don’t go makin’ assumptions like that. He an’ I ‘re just friends.”

Curaçao frowned. “Oh, je m’excuse. I did not mean to intrude.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it none.”

“So you say you two are not togezer, c’est bien ça?”

Curaçao tilted her head towards the campfire. Applejack followed her gaze over, seeing Lockwood, Flathoof, and Tick Tock talking amongst themselves while they watched over Fluttershy. For a second, Applejack was concerned with why Rarity wasn’t there.

Curaçao speaking up again distracted her. “Ooh là là, per’aps ‘e would be interested in moi?” She chuckled and smoothed her mane back. “‘e is très beau, wouldn’t you agree? Il est plutôt robuste, non? Mmm, magnifique.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes. It took all her effort not to snort too. “Sorry ta burst yer bubble, but I don’t think he’d go fer ya. Mister Lockwood might be more yer type: he likes dainty lil’ things like you, though y’all might be outta luck if Rarity gets her way.”

Curaçao laughed, covering her mouth with a hoof. “Oh, Applejack, do not worry. I vill not be stealing your boyfriend.”

Applejack flustered, knocking her hat off her head. “Now I just done told you—"

“Relax. C’est une plaisanterie. A joke.”

“Yeah... a joke, right.” Applejack snapped her hat out of the dirt and placed it back on her head. “Let’s just change the subject.”

“Bien sûr. Blague à part, you say you ‘ave famille, non? Tell me more about zem. I am curieuse.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “I thought yer name was Curaçao? Don’t go changin’ on me now, I told y’all I can’t—"

Curaçao raised a hoof to stop Applejack from talking. “Ah! Non non, je m’excuse. I am curious. Sometimes I forget zat not all ponies pick up so easily on my native tongue.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Right. Well, as much as I’d like ta go inta the details an’ all, we’re kinda pressed fer time don’t ya think? I don’t know if I really got time ta go over my family.”

Curaçao gave a big pout that reminded Applejack a little too much of Rarity. “Oh non... just a little bit, s’il vous plaît?” After a moment, she clapped her hooves. “Ah, très bien, I know! I’ll tell you about ma famille, so we are even, d’accord? You already know zer names, n'est-ce pas?”

“What?” Applejack laughed and shook her head. “I don’t know anythin’ ‘bout yer family. I ain’t never met y’all before.”

“Ah, but you do know zem.” Curaçao gestured towards Tick Tock’s map. “See? Look at zee map, you can see zem on zere.”

“Now that don’t make no—" Applejack started to say. Then, she glanced at the map and saw the other five new dots, and it all clicked together. “Wait... ya mean yer travelin’ companions?” She laughed and nodded. “Well shoot, I getcha now! Twilight ‘n’ the others are just like ma family too.”

“Ah, but of course.” Curaçao smiled and put a hoof over her heart. “‘owever, we are more zan zat. You see, we are all sœurs... ah, sisters. Adopted of course, but sisters none zee less.”

“Y’all ‘re adopted?” Applejack frowned. “Ya mean... none o’ y’all got any parents?”

Curaçao shook her head. “Our only parent now is our papa, who took us all in and ‘as taken such good care of us since we were very young, just little fillies. So we are all sisters, voyez-vous? Our real parents... well, I do not know what happened to zem. I was too young to remember...”

Applejack removed her hat and put it over her heart. “No parents...” She shook her head. “Well hang on now. I hope y’all don’t mind if I pry, but if y’all were raised together, how come only y’all got an accent?”

“Well... zat is because I was born on vacation. Or so I ‘ave ‘eard.”

“Hmm...” Applejack nodded. “Yep, sounds legit.” She laughed. “Well, since y’all shared a bit ‘bout yerself, I don’t feel right not tellin’ ya somethin’ in return. I guess I could tell ya ‘bout the Apple Clan a lil’ bit, if that’s what y’all want.”

“C’est magnifique,” Curaçao said with a bright smile. “I am sure zis will be très intéressant.”


***


Rarity paced in a circle around Tick Tock and Fluttershy, her eyes darting between the two with every action the former took. Fluttershy’s breathing had steadied, a fact that Tick Tock attributed both to keeping her warm, and to the slower infection rate. Lockwood’s jacket served as an excellent blanket, so Rarity made sure to add an extra check under Selflessness in the list in her head. A large campfire blazed only a few feet away, stoked occasionally by Havocwing. Rarity reminded herself to thank the pegasus later.

Tick Tock, in the meanwhile, was hard at work keeping Fluttershy stable. She’d told Twilight earlier that she was applying barrier magic with the necessary precision to slow the spread, and as such, her horn hadn’t stopped glowing once since they’d stopped to rest. The strain of keeping her magic up like that was making the green unicorn sweat bullets, but she had yet to doze off or divert her attention for a second.

Rarity could not help but worry. This was no minor injury, and this was not a hardier pony. “Are you absolutely certain she’s going to last long enough to make it?” she asked, stepping over to Tick Tock for the dozenth time in the past five minutes.

Tick Tock sighed, but kept herself focused on her work. “I don’t know how many times I have to answer this bloody question, but yes, she’ll last. My original itinerary was twenty-four hours, if you recall? We are six hours away from the checkpoint, seven at most. She’ll be fine. You’re all doing a fine job at helping, by the way. Well, those of you who are,” she added, nodding at Lockwood and Havocwing.

“It’s no trouble at all, really,” Lockwood said with a bow. “Anything to help a friend in need. I still don’t even know what sort of help I’m lending anyway. This isn’t like a cold, is it?”

“Either way, thank you again, Mister Lockwood,” Rarity said, putting on her brightest smile. “I’ll make certain Fluttershy knows all you’ve done for her.”

Tick Tock rolled her eyes. “The thing with gargantuan venom is that it saps body heat at an alarming rate. Think hypothermia on steroids with a personal trainer. This should buy an extra thirty minutes or so, more than enough to excuse taking a little breather. We’ll be fine so long as we don’t run into any more bleedin’ delays.”

“I don’t see how any more delays would be possible,” Lockwood said. He gestured towards Havocwing and her campfire. “These new friends of ours are appropriate bodyguards, wouldn’t you say? Lucky we came across them, I say.”

“They certainly did help us out of a jam,” Flathoof said. “They seem interested in getting to know everypony, too. I get the feeling they do a lot of traveling and spend most of their time alone together. Probably don’t meet too many other ponies.”

Tick Tock snorted. “Interested in us? Right. I don’t know about you two, but they’ve hardly said a word to me. In fact, I think I’ve caught them giving me a few strange looks. I’m a little bothered by it.”

“Sounds like somepony’s jealous,” Lockwood said with a laugh. “I’ll admit I feel left out not getting to know them just yet, but everypony comes around eventually.” He glanced sideways at Havocwing, then coughed and turned back to Flathoof. “I rather like the jumpsuits they’re wearing. Very stylish, very... form-fitting. Right, Flathoof?” he added, nudging Flathoof in the ribs.

“Hey hey, I didn’t say anything,” Flathoof said, taking a step back. “They have an interesting look, sure, but—"

Rarity snorted. “Tacky is more like it. Why even bother to wear anything at all if that’s what they’re going to wear? And such a gaudy color, silver. They’re traveling across a desert, not holding a... rock concert.”

“They’re out in the Wastelands, there’s no law out here that they have to wear anything anyway,” Tick Tock explained.

“That’s absolutely right.” Lockwood turned to Rarity and gave her a bright smile. “Seems odd to me that you other girls are still following it even when you’re not from around here. Loosen up a little.”

Rarity narrowed her eyes. “If you’re asking what I think you are—"

Lockwood put his hooves up in defense. “Not what I meant! I mean, we all have our quirks. Maybe it’s a uniform?” He tugged his collar. “A uniform that doesn’t leave much to the imagination...”

“Always good to see you’re not letting things get you down,” Flathoof said, sighing and shaking his head. “Though maybe you shouldn’t keep thinking with your—”

Rarity gave Flathoof a look, as if daring him to finish the sentence.

“Er... wallet,” Flathoof finished. “I’m... sure those jumpsuits are expensive.”

A greasy streak of yellow, black, and silver sidled up to Rarity, so fast that Rarity leapt to the side in surprise.

“Oh! Hey... hey—" Insipid apparently forgot what she’d come for.

Rarity cleared her throat. “Um... can we help you, dear? Insipid, was it?”

“Hey... Rarity!” Insipid shouted at last, throwing her hoof in the air in realization. “Can I, like, borrow you for, like, just a teensy minute?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. She hadn’t really spoken much with the other unicorn outside of introductions, so this was a rather sudden surprise. “Yes, darling? What is it?”

Insipid leaned forward, putting a hoof to the side of her mouth. “Well, I wanted to, y’know, like... talk to you, uh... alone?” she said in a conspiratorial whisper.

Rarity noticed that Insipid’s hoof was on the wrong side of her mouth and that everypony else could easily hear what she was saying, judging by the raised eyebrows all around and Havocwing putting a hoof to her face.

“Whatever for, dear?” she asked.

“Um...” Insipid tapped her hooves together. “It’s kinda embarrassing, see, and I, like, really don’t want anypony else butting in? Totally super secret stuff.”

Rarity sighed and shifted her glance to Fluttershy. “To be honest darling, at the moment I am rather preoccupied. I really must make sure that Fluttershy is taken care of.”

Insipid followed Rarity’s eyes to the limp yellow pegasus and gasped. “Oh yeah, I totally forgot! She got, like, stung by one of those buggy things and junk? That’s totally sad! But, like, isn’t your friend, here, uh... Timey... Wimey?”

“Tick Tock,” Tick Tock said, still not averting her gaze from Fluttershy.

Insipid pointed at Tick Tock in confirmation. “Tick Tock, right! It’s like, y’know, you’re the one taking the most, like, care of her? That’s right, right?”

“That would be the case, yes. I’ve got things handled here, Rarity. Fluttershy is going to be fine. If I need any assistance, Lockwood and Flathoof are here too. You can spend as much time as you’d like with your new friend.”

“That’s right,” Lockwood said, patting Rarity on the shoulder. “I’m more than happy to keep an eye on things in your stead, if Miss Insipid wishes to speak with you about something. Fluttershy will be fine.”

Rarity frowned and stroked Fluttershy’s mane. “I don’t know... I’d really rather not leave her when she needs me the most...”

“Aww, c’mon, please?” Insipid asked with a pout that Rarity openly cringed at. She looked rather like a duck. “Your friends are, like, gonna take care of her and stuff! It’ll be totally fine? I mean for serious, maybe you could spare, like, a few minutes to help me solve a little problem? Prettiest pleases?”

“Well...” Rarity sighed, finding no polite escape. “I suppose."

“Oh! Thank you so, so, so totally much!” Insipid bounced into the air and grabbed Rarity up in a hug.

Rarity winced at the sharp static shock that Insipid had delivered. How did the other unicorn even generate a static charge out here in the sandy desert? She turned to Tick Tock. “You’ll come get me if anything changes with Fluttershy’s condition, won't you?”

“Of course,” Tick Tock said with a terse nod.

“Trust me, Rarity, she’ll be fine,” Lockwood said again.

Rarity nodded, then followed Insipid away from the campfire, not really sure what to expect. She and Insipid shared so little in common that she wasn’t able to figure out what the other unicorn could possibly want with her.

Insipid stopped and turned to face Rarity, a scrutinous look on her face. “Okay, like, here’s a good spot?”

“Darling,” Rarity said, “what is this all—"

“Can you make me look, like, pretty?”

Rarity blinked, then tilted her head. “I... beg your pardon?”

“Pretty! I want to be pretty!” Insipid shouted. “I mean, for real, like, just look at me! I have no clue how to fix all of this... this.” She spun her hoof around herself.

“Darling, you just gestured to all of yourself,” Rarity said, aggravation creeping into her voice.

“I know! Like, everywhere!” Insipid wailed as she slumped down onto her rear. “I don’t know, like, what to do!”

“This is what you came to me about? Seriously?” Rarity shook her head, finding it harder than ever not to let her impatience get the better of her. “You dragged me away from Fluttershy to give you a makeover?”

“I know! It’s totally super serious, right?” Insipid said, as if there wasn’t any problem with it at all. “Please tell me I’m not, like, a hopeless case? Oh please please please!”

Rarity hesitated. True, this mare and her friends had certainly done a lot to help them out, but couldn’t this wait? No, better to do it now. Show that generous spirit, Rarity.

“Well... I suppose I could do something with you.”

“You can?” Insipid said, her eyes widening and her mouth cracking a bright smile.

“For sure.” Rarity realized a second later what she’d said and put a hoof to her face.

She cleared her throat to retain her composure, then began to scrutinize her client with her expert eyes. “Firstly, your coat desperately needs a good washing, preferably with a shampoo that promotes shine. There’s nothing I can do about that at the moment, unfortunately, but perhaps the checkpoint has a bath you can use. Next, your mane and tail I can help with, at least temporarily seeing as I lack any product or even a brush. Like your coat, you need a good shampoo, preferably something that treats tangles and split ends.”

“Anything... good?” Insipid asked before biting her lip.

Rarity hummed, then nodded. “You at the very least have beautiful eyes, darling. There’s no need to touch those at all. You’ve got a knack for applying eyeshadow and false eyelashes, that much is for certain. It’s actually sort of strange, like looking in a mirror. ”

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!” Insipid squealed, clapping her hooves together. “This is going to be, like, so totally awesome and junk? Major. Fresh.”

Rarity blinked and shook her head, trying to process everything that the mare was saying. Insipid’s manner of speaking was truly astonishing. Rarity was not quite able to tell when Insipid was telling or asking something. It was the mare’s habit of raising her voice at the end of her sentences, making half of them sound like questions.

“Right... well, I do have one question though, before I get started on all of this,” Rarity said. “Why? Yes, okay, your look is certainly... unique, but it is nothing I would consider too far below average standards. If anything, it looks like a cheap knock-off of my style, truth be told. Only you’ve got too many cowlicks to make this kind of curl practical,” she added as she bounced her own mane curl, “and whoever did your dye job—I do apologize if you did it yourself—hasn’t a clue what they’re doing and should have their license revoked immediately.”

Insipid pawed at one of her dangling bangs. “So like... you really don’t like my mane?”

Rarity shook her head, flinching away slightly. “Please tell me you didn’t try this yourself, darling. Really now, using paint is hardly a good idea.”

“This is, like, totally my natural color? I swear to stars I’m not using, like, anything!”

Rarity frowned. It was a sad situation that not every mare had perfect coloring schemes from birth, and she knew a few mares at home that resorted to dyes to properly complement their coat colors. Insipid was slightly different, in an unusual way. Gold certainly meshed exceedingly well with black in the same way it did with white, giving the illusion of royalty but with an air of darkness to it that attracted an entirely different class of stallion. This particular hue would work if only it weren’t so unsaturated.

“Uh... hello?” Insipid said, tilting her head.

Rarity shook her head and chuckled. “Oh, forgive me. I was in my own little world for a moment there,” she said, dismissing her inner monologue with a hoof. “Back on topic, I believe I was asking you why you wanted an expert’s advice? Out here. In the middle of nowhere?” She laughed and gave her best smile. “Normally I’d jump at the opportunity, but you’re asking me to divide my attention away from something very important to me.”

Insipid squirmed for a moment, clearly going through her own inner discourse. “I... I can’t... like, say?”

“And why not?”

Insipid rolled her eyes. “Uh, duh. I don’t want to? I mean, hell-ooo?”

Rarity snorted. “Darling, really—"

“Look, can you, like, help me or can't you?”

“Well, perhaps then you can you at least tell me why you want my help in particular,” Rarity said, narrowing her eyes. “Granted, I certainly do look like I’d know my way around a brush, but I have other priorities at the moment. Can none of your other companions—"

Insipid waved her hooves around in a panic. “No! No-no-no. I totally don’t, like, want them to know what I’m trying to do. They’d make fun of me forever! For-ev-er! Like, you see? So not fresh. And you... you’re, like, the second-prettiest pony here, so—"

Rarity balked. “Second?! Of all the uncouth—" Her eyes narrowed and she stuck her nose in the air. “So, who’s the first then, in your opinion?”

“Oh come on! Don’t make me, like, say something all embarrassing?” Insipid said, glancing behind her. “Somepony might hear and then I’ll, like, be totally super caught!”

Rarity’s nose remained up, and she turned and started walking away. “If you won't tell me, then I won't help you. My assistance doesn’t normally come easily, you know, yet all I’m asking for right now is a simple response to a simple question.”

Insipid flustered and waved her hooves around in a vague attempt to convince Rarity to stop. “But... but... grrr, this is what I get for asking!” She slumped back on her rear again and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Hmph. Okay. Okay! Whatever! But, like, you promise you won’t tell anypony? Like, super swear?”

“Of course, dear,” Rarity said, turning back and giving an easy smile. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”

Insipid blinked and tilted her head.

Rarity chuckled. “Sorry. Old habit. Let’s just say it means I promise, yes? Now go on darling, you were saying?”

Insipid looked around to make sure nopony was eavesdropping, then, in a hushed whisper into Rarity's ear, she said: “Curaçao is the prettiest.”

Rarity drew her head back in surprise. “You can’t be serious...”

Insipid remained firm.

“You are serious. I see.”

Rarity glanced over to the other side of the camp, where the blue earth pony in question was busy chatting with Applejack, much to her curiosity; how those two could have possibly hit it off was beyond her. The distance didn’t allow much as far as a keen eye was concerned, so she thought back to their introductions. Curaçao was certainly pretty, yes, but this silly unicorn thought that Curaçao was prettier than her, the always-fashionable Rarity. Preposterous.

And yet, perhaps the opinion of the scatterbrained mare beside her had some merit. “Hmmm...” She shrugged. “While I disagree with your position, I certainly can see why you have it. Curaçao does have a certain fanciful quality to her, I’ll give her that. Her mane is styled wonderfully; a simple style that fits her facial structure and body tone, and she maintains a perfect shine. I’m impressed that she can do so out in these conditions.”

Insipid spoke as soon as Rarity ended her sentence, apparently forgetting she’d ever been whispering. “Oh I know, her hair is all silky smooth and there isn’t a tangle or anything anywhere! So much better than mine? And it’s got, like, this orange smell? Totally fresh.”

“Her choice in accessories is simple and practical. That headband perfectly matches both her coat and hair, and is a good choice for traveling conditions. Her... jumpsuit is unfortunately quite a tacky choice, but as it seems to be a uniform, I cannot fault her for that. The form-fitting nature certainly accentuates her toned figure.”

“Oh, tell me about it! She’s got, like, no fat at all and is all poised and trim?” Insipid gushed, poking herself in the sides. “She’s got, like, the totally perfect body, y’know?”

“Does she do pilates? Yoga, perhaps?”

Insipid tapped her chin. “I think she’s into some other stuff, like, she really gets into it? Like, sometimes I see her training and junk, and gets totally major sweaty.” She swung her hooves around in a wide arc. “Hi-ya! All, like, making noises like that?”

“Hmm... martial arts, then?” Rarity shrugged. “She’s also fluent in Romantique! C’est magnifique!”

Insipid’s jaw dropped. “You speak fancy-talk too? Oh. My. Stars.” She grabbed Rarity’s hoof, her eyes as wide as dinner plates, and her lips puckering in that duck-like pout again. “Teach me. Now.”

Rarity laughed. “I’m still learning it myself, sad to say,” she said, earning a colossal frown from Insipid. “I think I have a few years left ahead of me before I can come close to her fluency. I’m rather jealous. It’s as though she was born speaking it.”

Insipid regained her bubbly composure immediately. “I know! It sounds so totally pretty when she says it in, like, that voice of hers? ‘May wee boo-coop!’ Right?”

Rarity suppressed the urge to groan at the horribly mangled language.

Insipid’s face suddenly contorted into a foal-like frown. “It’s not fair. I’m, like, totally never gonna be as fancy as her. You said it takes, like, years to go out and learn that language? I totally don’t have that kind of time. I want to learn it, and learn it now!”

Rarity tapped her chin. “Well, I could teach you a little bit so long as we’re traveling together, if you’d like?”

Insipid brightened back up. “Ooh! Yeah, that would so totally work! For. Sure.”

“For sure,” Rarity said with a nod. She then stopped and put her hoof to her face. “Wonderful, there it is again. You’ve got me doing it now.”

“Doing, like, what?”

“Nevermind, you were saying, darling?”

“Oh! Right. As long as the boss thinks I’m doing, like, a good job, she’ll let me talk to you and junk, so like—"

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon? Good job at what?”

Insipid’s eyes widened. “In protecting you guys, I mean!” she blurted. “Yeah, like, if she thinks I’m, y’know, goofing off or something, she won’t let me do anything in my free time? She’s totally all super strict, y’know?”

“Well, wouldn’t asking me for a makeover and fashion advice count as ‘goofing off’, darling?” Rarity asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

“Oh, like, not really, that’s all totally a part of the plan? Or whatever,” Insipid said with a nod. Her eyes widened again and she shook her head. “Because... because, uh... oh! She, like, wants me to make some new friends! So, uh... the plan is, like, for me to make new friends, y’know? Yeah. So, like, anyway, you were gonna help me and stuff?”

Rarity rolled her eyes. This one was a bit scatter-brained, but the poor dear was obviously ecstatic to have somepony help her with her little problem. She’d forgive the bout of nervousness, as well as pulling her away from Fluttershy. After all, Insipid was, for all intents and purposes, a crime against fabulosity. She could not allow that. Would not allow that.

“So you want to be as ‘pretty’ as Curaçao, do you?” she asked, giving Insipid another once-over. “Well... as I said, that is not going to be an easy task. It takes a lot of work and dedication to be as pretty as she and I are,” she added, “and it takes diligent discipline to maintain it, and you may not have that kind of luxury.”

“I so totally don’t care how much work it takes, or whatever. I just, like, want to be pretty and fancy like her, y’know? I’ll do, like, anything!” Insipid grabbed Rarity’s hoof again, and gave her a fierce look. “Anything.”

Rarity nodded, then flared her horn and analyzed Insipid’s mane first. Just from looking at Insipid’s mane and tail she could see more than a few cowlicks, but combing through it she could feel dozens more that she couldn’t see with her naked eye. This might take a while, she thought. This wasn’t just a job, this was a project.

“So tell me, how long has your little troupe been traveling together?” she asked, hoping to calm the fidgeting unicorn down so she could work more easily.

“Um, like, as long as I can remember?” Insipid said with a shrug. “So, like, a super long time? What about you and your friends? You all seem, like, totally close and junk.”

“Well, we all became friends as a group a few years ago, when Twilight first moved to Ponyville.” Rarity tugged her magic through a messy tangle, earned a yelp from Insipid. “Sorry. A few of us knew one another from before that, though. Why, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy knew each other from flight school, at least until Fluttershy dropped out and moved to Ponyville.” She drew her magic to smooth out a cowlick that was not cooperating. “That’s when I met her.

“I heard a rumor about a new animal care-giver in town, and thought I’d drop by to see if she could help with my precious Opalescence. My cat,” she added, noticing the confusion on Insipid's face. “Apart from her, I had little interaction with the others before Twilight arrived, since we weren’t all friends yet.”

“So you’ve, like, known... uh... Fluttershy the longest?” Insipid asked, pawing at one of her loosened bangs.

“Not exactly, no, but of my closest friends she is the one I’ve been close to the longest,” Rarity said, catching Insipid’s new plaything and smoothing it through the rest of the unicorn’s mane. “Which of your friends did you meet first?”

“Curaçao,” Insipid said with a dreamy sigh. “She was the first thing I saw after the... uh...”

Rarity stopped combing. “Yes, darling?”

Insipid shook her head, setting Rarity’s progress back several minutes. “Like, Curie was the first thing I ever saw that looked as beautiful as she does or whatever? So she, like, opened my eyes, as if she was the first thing I ever saw?” She rubbed the back of her neck, obviously unsure if she’d said the right thing. “Uh... yeah. We all met pretty much right after that, so like, I’ve known the others nearly as long. But Curie the longest, for. Sure.”

Rarity smiled at the way Insipid was fumbling. She knew that kind of nervousness anywhere. “That’s quite a way to put it, darling. Very poetic. You certainly are trying to sound as romantic as I’m sure ‘Curie’ is.”

Insipid blushed and turned her face away from Rarity. “So you and Fluttershy, like, get along really well and stuff? Utopia sounds like it has some, like, pretty tight-knit communities?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Utopia? I never mentioned anything about—"

Insipid laughed, perhaps a little too loudly. “I was making, like, a... guess, y’know? Yeah, uh... because Pandemonium doesn’t have anything like flight schools? I guess this little, like, journey of yours is trying to go back home? Changed your mind or whatever? Decided to go back?”

“Yes... changed our minds,” Rarity said with a small smile.

“For sure. So yeah, you and Fluttershy? I’m like, on pins and needles here. You two: bestest friendsies, right?”

“Yes, she and I are the best of friends.” Rarity tugged her magic through more of Insipid’s mane, straightening it out. Progress! “Do you and Curaçao share anything like that? She seems to me like she’s your closest friend.”

Insipid sighed. “I dunno! All I know is, like, Curie is the bestest pony in all of Equestria. For. Sure. None of my other sisters even, like, compare?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Sisters?” She coughed into her hoof. “Darling, you do realize that would make your relationship with Curaçao... awkward.”

“Pshaw, no way. We’re, like, adopted and junk?”

Rarity blinked. That complicated matters. What was the social acceptability of adopted siblings in this manner of relationship? “What about their gifts?” she asked, dismissing the awkward topic. “I have yet to see Curaçao use any manner of abilities like your other companions, even if I don’t quite understand the rest of them. Yours, for instance! Was that some manner of weather magic you were using? I don’t see how that meshes up with your cutie mark.”

“Curie and the boss said I should, y’know, keep that on the, like, down-low? Because it’s like, the boss doesn’t want me to throw away a good opportunity and junk? Then she always says ‘as usual’ and, like, I don’t see—"

Insipid interrupted herself again, speaking faster than she had been already, “Oh. Oh! B-because my power’s for, like... cleaning... stuff. Like garbage? Yeah! I like, use lightning to... clean. It’s... uh, what did the boss say to call it? ‘Eco-friendly’ or some junk? I, like, can turn trash into energy... or something. I dunno! I just, like, do it? Cha!”

Rarity just gave her an awkward smile.

Insipid continued, unfazed, “And the others? Like, none of the others really have much of what I would care about anyway, y’know? Havocwing’s fire powers? Like, yawn, boring. I can’t fly, so Grayscale’s powers don’t really, y’know, interest me? And Red’s? Like, gag me with a spoon! Let’s just say I’d, like, rather not talk about hers?” she added with a shudder.

Rarity continued to stare, perplexed by the black unicorn’s stream of consciousness. After a moment, Rarity realized it had gotten quiet again; Insipid had stopped talking, and was looking at Rarity expectantly. Not for the first time, her thoughts raced and tried to decipher the last thing that had been said.

“Ahem,” she said, returning to combing Insipid’s mane. “Strange, I never really saw much of Miss Velvet’s abilities to earn such a reaction. Well, what about your ‘boss’, Miss Shadow?”

Insipid rolled her eyes. “Well, like, the boss is super powerful and junk, so like, her powers are awesome? But she isn’t anywhere near as pretty as Curie is.” She leaned over and added in a whisper, “Don’t tell her I said that, okay? She’d kill me. I’m totally not kidding. I don’t know what ‘atom-by-atom’ means, but it sounds messy?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, darling.”

Rarity combed her magics through Insipid’s mane once more, and the other unicorn’s hair was finally starting to straighten out. But, Rarity found that without the proper tools, she was likely not going to make it hold up. Insipid had more cowlicks than she had ever seen in three ponies, let alone one. There were atrocious split-ends at every turn, the hair just seemed to want to tangle and knot at every opportunity, and it was a miracle most of the stuff hadn’t just up and fallen out altogether with the horrendous condition of her roots. She was wondering if perhaps it would be better to try a new style entirely, rather than try to fix the disaster the poor girl called a mane.

Again, Insipid’s curiosity broke the silence, like clockwork. “Sooo, like, how did you and... Fluttershy, get to be such total PFFs anyway?”

“Hmmm? Oh!” Rarity laughed. “Yes well, as I said, I sought out her services to assist me with caring for my dear Opalescence. She was just a kitten then, and I was having trouble with figuring out her diet—cats are so finicky, you understand, and kittens even more so. Fluttershy was most helpful and gave me just the best advice. I starting going back once a week to chat with her about things, and we bonded together like two halves of a whole.”

“Cha, I know the feeling,” Insipid said with a sigh. “I’d, like, do anything for Curie, too.”

Rarity smiled. “Is that why you want to look pretty, then? For her? How romantic, darling! Trying to earn the affection of the one you love by making yourself look your best, are we?”

Insipid flustered. “Pfh, no? I just want to be as pretty as she is, for sure. I mean, like, just look at her! Everything about her look is perfect. I want that look... I want it! And I’d, like, do anything to get what I want. Don’t you, like, have something that you’d do anything for or whatever? What about Fluttershy? You’d, like, do anything to make her happy, right?”

“I’d do anything to make my friends happy, of course.”

Insipid snorted and stuck her nose in the air. Rarity was bothered by how perfectly she’d emulated her own gesture from earlier. “I’m just saying that makes me think, like, that you totally might want her as more than a friend, y’know?”

Rarity caught herself mid-fluster. “Good... good heavens, darling! I think you might be over-thinking this just the tiniest bit? Fluttershy’s my best friend and I’d do anything for her, yes, but I’d do that for any of my friends.” She hesitated, then shook her head. “Okay, I’ll admit, I’d jump through more hoops for Fluttershy than for, say, Applejack. Applejack rarely asks for help anyway. But that’s not because I like her like her.”

Insipid shrugged. “Okay, like, no need to get defensive. I didn’t mean anything by it and junk?”

“Right... right, of course you didn’t,” Rarity said. “I suppose I should not have made assumptions of your feelings for Curaçao. I apologize.”

Insipid rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah, what-ever? Totally no problem? Anyway, are we, like, almost done? I want to see how super mondo pretty I look!”


***


Rainbow slowed her gliding to a lazy drift, letting out a loud yawn and stretching out her legs, giving her wings a brief moment’s rest. It had been a long day, and every extra minute she stayed awake just added to her irritation. Except for the rarest of occasions, she wasn’t used to pulling all-nighters, and this was definitely the longest time she’d ever gone without sleep, or even a nap. Worse, there wasn’t a cup of coffee in sight.

Even worse that that, there wasn’t any sign of stopping. She wished she could use this short break to catch some shut-eye, but even with their new escorts, she just didn’t feel that her friends’ safety was assured. Thus, she’d taken it upon herself to maintain a vigilant watch of the camp from high above. None of those gargantuans, big or small, would get anywhere near the camp, not on her watch.

She would’ve liked to stay nearer to the ground so she could pass the time with Pinkie, but the abundantly-excitable mare had made a fast friend in Red Velvet, a pony from the other group. Rainbow still felt a disturbing sense of familiarity whenever she looked at the other pink pony, and it wasn’t just that she and Pinkie happened to look and sound extremely similar. I really hope we don’t have to go through that again, Rainbow thought, recalling Pinkie’s duplication accident.

The sound of wings flapping somewhere beneath her drew Rainbow out of her thoughts. Another pegasus, Grayscale Force, was floating her way up to meet Rainbow with grand sweeps with her impressive wingspan. Rainbow still felt uneasy when she looked at this other pegasus; that wingspan certainly made her feel just a little self-conscious. It wasn’t the wings, though, that truly awed her.

No, it was her power.

Sure, at first she’d thought that Havocwing had just the coolest superpower—Pinkie’s word, not hers. Throwing fireballs, how cool was that? But Rainbow had seen Grayscale land on a bug the size of a manticore and crush it like a grape. That implied either incredible strength, or incredible speed, and either one was something Rainbow found awesome.

Plus, this pony had style. The boots Grayscale wore on each hoof had a distinct metal—the music, not the material, since they were obviously made of metal—feel to them that just oozed cool. The matching jumpsuits she and her companions all wore were definitely cool as well, and gave them a look of tactical organization that reminded Rainbow of the Wonderbolts. Cool. Radical. Awesome.

Grayscale finally swooped up to meet Rainbow, giving a great beat of her wings and knocking Rainbow just a little off-balance. “Hey,” she said.

Rainbow just slightly tilted her head up. “Sup?”

She stayed silent for a moment. Okay, Rainbow thought, she seems cool. So, she offered her hoof up, expecting a hoofbump.

Grayscale gave a small grin, then raised her own hoof.

Hoofbump.

Yeah, Rainbow thought, definitely cool.

“You keepin’ watch?” Grayscale asked. “We’re not in gargantuan territory anymore, y’know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Rainbow said, dismissing the idea with a hoof. “Tick Tock said we don’t need to worry, right? But she’s messed up so bad lately, especially today, that I’m not really trusting her judgement right now, ya feel me? Like, she’s just got some stupid ideas.”

Rainbow laughed and shook her head. “I mean, ‘hey everypony let’s walk through an active volcano!’? That sound like a good idea to you? I don’t think her head’s on straight, if you know what I mean. I think she’s gonna get us all killed at this rate.” She then reconsidered herself and rubbed the back of her neck. “But, I really shouldn’t be talking about this with anypony. I mean, I don’t want anypony getting the wrong idea or anything.”

“She does seem a little overbearing,” Grayscale said. “I wouldn’t like her either. Weird that she’s all important.”

“Yeah... for somepony with so much ‘experience’, she sure doesn’t have many good ideas.”

A silence followed. Everything that needed to be said had been said; no need for awkward small talk. If Rainbow thought Grayscale was cool before, then this just solidified it. She definitely liked this other mare, the only pony she’d met that was this cool, but wasn’t a member of the Wonderbolts—Pinkie aside, but that was a different kind of cool, of course.

Grayscale yawned and cracked her neck. “So, what about your friends? They like her, or what?”

Rainbow snorted. “I wouldn’t say they like her, just that they’re willing to go along with what she says. I know I’ve got Flathoof on my side, but Twilight’s a hit-or-miss. Sometimes she disagrees, sometimes she doesn’t. She’s a... a—"

“Flip-flop?”

“Yeah!” Rainbow smirked, and hoofbumped Grayscale again. “I just don’t get why the others listen to Tick Tock so much even over Twilight.”

“So they don’t listen to you, either?”

Rainbow snorted. “Oh, they listen alright.” At Grayscale’s brief, sidelong glance, Rainbow sighed and rubbed her neck again. “Well... I mean, they’re always willing to listen to what I have to say, even if they don’t agree with me. I’m probably thinking about it too much.”

Grayscale shrugged. “Better not to think about it at all, right?”

Rainbow stayed silent a moment. “I mean, okay,” she said, “it is a little odd. Tick Tock supposedly knows her way around out here, so I guess her words just have more weight. But then, whenever we end up in a mess, everypony’s there to give out excuses. I’m with them, all the way, I just...” Rainbow lowered her gaze to stare at the ground for a moment. “Well, I’ve gotta stick by ‘em, no matter what dumb moves they make. I have to. Sometimes, I don’t know what they’d do without me. You get me?”

Grayscale chuckled, crossing her hooves over her chest and giving a small nod. “I get you entirely.” She gestured towards the camp below and all the little ant-sized ponies. “My team? Aside from the boss and Curaçao, nopony’s got any clue what they’re doing. They’d fall apart without those two. Then again,” she added with a smile, “the boss is really the one that holds the others in line. The fancy one isn’t imposing enough to do it.”

Rainbow laughed. “Ha ha, yeah. We’ve got our own fancy problems. Back in the city, Rarity wanted to decorate the apartment we were going to be in for like, a week? We’re going home, and she wants to put up curtains or something. Can you believe it?”

“Maybe she wanted to wallpaper the place, too? Get a bunch of tiny pillows that nopony can even use?”

“Yeah, exactly! I mean, I know she’s not trying to be so... difficult. I mean, I know the place was pretty dreary, and probably the scene of a murder or something, but a party made more sense than to get ready to live there.”

Grayscale tilted her head. “A... party?”

“Yeah, a party. Pinkie’s idea. She does that, she’s all about parties.” Rainbow smiled and nodded. “I mean, I get parties. A party can start and stop whenever, so it’s always a good time to party. Pinkie’s always got the right idea, even if sometimes she gets a little... goofy.”

Grayscale nodded. “Heh... goofy, but her heart’s in the right place, yeah?”

“Yeah...” Rainbow sighed. “I know that sometimes we all argue, but we’re all still together because we can’t just abandon one another because of one dumb idea. We gotta stick together, no matter what, even if some ponies like dumb pillows and others think walking through a volcano is a good idea.”

Grayscale chuckled, and Rainbow found it easy to join in. “Better yet, at least now Tick Tock won’t suggest anything too stupid. She can’t, right? Fluttershy’s life is on the line.”

Rainbow grimaced, and glanced downwards again with overpowering worry. The amount of trust they were putting in Tick Tock to keep Fluttershy alive hadn’t really occurred to her. What if she was wrong? Again? The others still trusted her enough to allow it, even—and especially—Rarity. That was about the only thing Rainbow could think of to keep herself calm.

“Rarity... really cares about Fluttershy,” she said after taking a deep breath. “If she trusts Tick Tock enough to put Fluttershy's life in her hooves, I can’t see how arguing would help. Besides,” she added, “Fluttershy’s in good hooves with Flathoof there too.”

Grayscale rubbed her chin. “And that other stallion too, what was his name? I didn’t really pay any attention to him. He’s helping watch Fluttershy too, yeah?”

“Who, Lockwood?” Rainbow rolled her eyes and scowled. “Yeah, I bet he is.”

“Hmm? Oh, I didn’t know you didn’t like him, either.” Grayscale shrugged.

“He’s just too nice,” Rainbow said, not bothering to hide her opinion. “I get that he did a whole bunch of stuff for us and didn’t ask for anything in return, but that’s exactly what makes me worry. Well, that and that he associates with criminals. Everypony ignores that fact, of course. And don’t bother trying to convince Rarity of any of this, she’d shoot you down so fast your head would spin.” She snorted. “I don’t even get why he wanted to come along.”

“Sounds shady.”

“Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing.” Rainbow hoofbumped Grayscale again, then laughed. “It’s nice to talk to somepony who gets it. I mean, I guess I could always talk about Lockwood with everypony else too, but... you know. Gotta keep the group together, so I don’t wanna rock any boats, right?”

Grayscale nodded. “I’m glad to give you an ear, and I can keep an eye on Lockwood for you, if you’d like? My team trusts me as a scout; I’m very good at spotting suspicious activity,” she added with a wink.

“You’d do that? Oh wow, that’s so cool. Thanks.”

Rainbow sighed and let her legs dangle. “Sometimes I think none of them understand why I don’t like him. They keep telling me I’m being mean or harsh.”

“Well, that’s just what friendly ponies do. Your friends are a friendly bunch.”

“Yeah... it’s just what they do.” Rainbow smiled and gestured towards the pair of pink dots down below. “Back at home, Pinkie knows everypony in town, and they all love her, and she loves them all. She takes pride in that, and frankly, I’m proud of her too.”

“She special to you?”

“Yeah... yeah, she is.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she helped out when the others decide you’re being too mean, then.”

“She—" Rainbow started to say.

Then, she remembered her conversation with Pinkie from night before. Pinkie hadn’t agreed with her, and in fact didn’t think any lesser of either Lockwood or Tick Tock, despite Rainbow’s passionate dislike of them both. Pinkie had told her to just “relax”, and was worried about her behavior. Still, it wasn’t as though Pinkie had agreed with the others and thought she was being too harsh.

Right?

Rainbow shook her head and smiled at Grayscale, trying her best not to let it falter. “Pinkie’s... always there for me. She’s got my back.”

“Sounds pretty awesome, having somepony special like that.” Grayscale smirked and crossed her hooves. “You’re lucky to have such a loyal group of friends.”

Rainbow swallowed and nodded, though she did so with hesitation. That word, loyal, seemed alien to her all of a sudden. Her friends were supposed to be at her back when she needed them, but now they were mostly ignoring her. Instead, they listened to a pony who had yet to prove herself reliable and in fact had proven unreliable. They put their trust in a pony who had all the signs of being underhooved in his dealings with society.

She shook her head clear of those thoughts. She was overthinking this again. All of this would be put behind them when they got home, and they’d all be able to get back to their normal lives. “And I’m loyal to them, too,” she said with a hint of bitterness, “through thick and thin.”

Rainbow turned away too quickly. She hoped Grayscale hadn’t noticed. “Yeah. Hey, um, I... need to get back to my watch. If that's cool?”

“Yeah, it’s cool,” Grayscale said, waving her hoof. “Good talking to you, Dash.”

Rainbow nodded and hoofbumped Grayscale again. “Yeah. See you around, Gray.”


***


Two pink earth ponies sat huddled together a distance away from the rest of the camp, speaking to one another in hushed, excited tones.

“-and the best part is when you just slice right in,” one said to the other, demonstrating a precision slice. “I find that a serrated blade work best, since it gets through the thick stuff so that you can get to those sweet, sweet innards.”

“I love that part the most!” said the other. She licked her lips and rubbed her stomach. “The juices just gurgle and ooze all over the place. I find thicker juices have a better texture. Also, it makes it easier to keep neat. Nopony wants stains, y’know?”

“Oh absolutely, the messes are the worst. Sometimes you gotta get rid of the evidence, and stains make that really tough.” This earth pony laughed and circled her hoof around in the air. “But yeah, speaking of juices, you can tell when you’ve got something really good when it’s just the right shade of red.” Her eyes flashed. “The darker, the better.”

“Ohh, what about the smell?” asked the other. “If you get the job done just right, you can smell all the insides and stuff before you even start cutting.” She hummed and tapped her chin. “How long do you think is the best to let it sit for before eating?”

“Not too long, else you lose all that fresh, juicy flavor!”

“Can you believe some ponies refrigerate it? Or worse, freeze it? Blech, yuck. Then what do they do, microwave it? Just gross.”

“To hay with that, I eat it straight away!” the first pony exclaimed, laughing and patting her stomach. “It’s best when it’s fresh and warm.”

The second mare wrapped a hoof around the first in a friendly hug. “Sister, you have no idea how good it feels to have somepony to talk to about this kind of stuff. Everypony else just doesn’t understand my passion, y’know? But you? I’ve got a good feeling about you.”

“I know, right?” laughed the first, returning the hug. “It feels like we’re... kindred spirits or something! We really need to share our recipes some time. I bet your cherry pie tastes delicious.”

Pinkie Pie raised an eyebrow. “Wait, we were talking about cherry pie?”

“Well, duh.” Red Velvet rolled her eyes. “What did you think we were talking about?”

“Strawberry pie, of course,” Pinkie said with a nod, crossing her hooves over her chest. “Though I can see where there might have been some confusion for somepony that might have just wandered into the conversation right in the middle of it, especially without any frame of reference.”

Velvet snorted. “Yeah, they might have thought we were talking about murdering, cutting up, and then devouring some hapless pony. What a ridiculous idea. Murder. Ha ha!”

Pinkie giggled. “Good one!”

Velvet’s grin curled into a tight smirk, and she gave Pinkie a sidelong glance. “Though now that you mention it, I could go for a good slice of pony right now,” she said, sizing Pinkie up and licking her lips. “You look pretty tasty yourself actually. Nice. And. Juicy.”

Pinkie tilted her head. “Uh... what?”

Velvet growled and approached Pinkie, her menacing grin widening every second. She bared her teeth. “I bet you taste really... sweet too.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Pinkie said, taking a step back. “Uh... maybe if you covered me in sugar?”

“Now there’s an idea,” Velvet said.

Then, she vanished.

Pinkie gulped. “Uh...”

Velvet reappeared behind Pinkie, causing the other pink pony to bump into her. As Pinkie turned to face her, she leaned and whispered: “I wonder what kind of pie you taste like.” Her grin widened, exposing a row of gleaming fangs.

Pinkie yelped and fell back on her rump, scrambling away from Velvet. “W-w-what’s going—"

Velvet licked her lips and took another step forward. Pinkie was shaking, holding a hoof to her mouth in an obvious attempt to hold in a scream. Velvet continued advancing as her tongue slid across her fangs, drawing a thin trace of blood. The sensation of fear in the air was palpable, she could almost taste-

Pinkie burst into laughter. “Oh man, good one!”

Velvet recoiled as the sweet taste of fear turned sour. “What the—"

Pinkie giggled into her hoof, ending with a loud snort. “Hoo boy, you had me goin’ there for a second, Red,” she said, dismissing the situation with her hoof. “Pfft. Eating ponies. Ha! You’d have to be pretty twisted to do stuff like that,” she added, crossing her eyes and twirling a hoof around her ear.

Velvet strained to keep herself in check. Instead of exploding in rage, she chuckled lightly in response, just managing to keep herself under control. “Right. Ha ha... twisted, yeah. I sure got you good, Pinkie.”

Pinkie wiped her eye and sighed contentedly. “No really, that was great! You’d be a blast at my next Nightmare Night party! You should totally—" Her excitable bouncing was cut short, and she deflated to the ground like a balloon. “Right... you probably can’t come. Well shoot, there goes that idea...”

Velvet arched an eyebrow, curious to what the name meant. “Nightmare... Night?”

“Ooh, ooh, I know!” Pinkie exclaimed, continuing on with her own train of thought, apparently not hearing Velvet’s question. “I should have Rarity make up a dress for me that looks like it was sewn together from the coats of dozens of ponies! Really add to the image, y’know? Oh man, that’ll scare the horseshoes right off of anypony!”

Velvet’s tight lips curled in a very brief smile. Now that was an interesting idea. Then, her confusion returned: “Hang on, you... want to scare other ponies?”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Did somepony mix something up somewhere? She was supposed to be talking this pink putz into either feeling true terror, or delighting in delivering that same fear to others. But here Pinkie was, enthusiastically rambling on about traumatizing ponies with a dress seemingly made from other ponies.

“What is this I don't even—"

Pinkie laughed and shook her head. “Pfft, no, not all the time or anything. But on Nightmare Night, there are three super-duper, really, really critically-important things you need to do in order to call the night a complete success.”

Pinkie held up one hoof: “Important Thing One: you need lots of candy.”

“Lots of candy?” Velvet asked, pulling a small notebook and pen out of her mane.

“Lots of candy.” Pinkie pointed her hoof into the air, signifying an incoming lecture. “Rule One of Important Thing One is: chocolate is the best, followed by caramels and taffy, with fruity stuff way down on the bottom. Rule Two: if your tummy isn’t full to bursting by the end of the night, you’re doin’ it wrong. Rule Three: eat as you go so you have plenty of room in your pillow case. Rule Four: trick-or-treating isn’t just for foals, and anypony who says so is jealous of all your free candy.”

Velvet scribbled down her notes. “Free... candy...”

“Important Thing Two,” Pinkie continued, lifting a second hoof. “You need the absolute perfect costume. And by perfect, I mean quality; it doesn’t matter what it is, only that it’s good. Last year, I went as a chicken. Bugawk!”

“Costumes...”

“Important Thing Three,” Pinkie shouted, lifting a third hoof into the air. “You need to either get scared completely out of your wits, or you do the same to somepony else, preferably everypony you possibly can. That’s the whole point of the holiday after all! It’s also Dashie’s favorite part, because she’s so fast and sneaky.”

“Scare... ALL the ponies...” Velvet said, jotting down her last note. She bit the butt of her pen. “A whole holiday dedicated to scaring ponies... why am I just learning about this now?”

She glanced sideways at Pinkie. “So... you don’t get frightened very easily I take it?” she asked, a deep-seated worry starting to creep in.

Pinkie giggled. “Well, yeah! The way I look at it, there’s nothing out there to be afraid of that you can’t stand up to. Dragons, spooky forests, Cthulu, you name it!”

“Even, say, death?”

“Well you’d have to be just plain dumb to be unafraid of that,” Pinkie said with a roll of her eyes. “But you just gotta face your fears, and when it’s all said and done you can make those death-defying adventures into stories to tell your friends and family! If you can’t take what scares you and get some fun out of it, you may as well just lock yourself in your house. Why, I even wrote a song about it!”

Pinkie took a deep breath.

“A song? Right now?” Velvet said, taking a few steps back. It was already starting to hurt, being around the bundle of joyful energy that was Pinkie Pie, but the mention of a song had sparked up a fresh surge of happiness that made Velvet cringe. “Tell me you’re not—"

The sound of a band playing an upbeat tune filled the air around them, and Pinkie began to sing: “♫When I was just a filly and the sun was going down—"

Velvet slumped onto her rear. “You are.”


***


Tick Tock took a deep breath. All things considered, the situation could be worse. Despite the continued tension between the others, she remained calm and composed; stiff upper lip, exactly as she had said. There was no need to be pacing about or worriedly kneading hooves. She was taking care of everything, as she’d always done. Fluttershy would be fine, as Tick Tock had confidence in her own work. These miniature barrier spells were difficult to cast, and wouldn’t last long, but it was the only option she really had. This break in their itinerary was tolerable, but only because she’d needed time to give Fluttershy a more proper evaluation, and to ensure that the venom didn’t spread throughout Fluttershy’s system. Let the others think they were taking this breather just to rest their hooves, she thought.

Hoofsteps behind her caused her to perk up her ears. Just one pony, not two.

“So, what did she want to talk about?” Lockwood asked the approaching pony. “You were over there a while.”

Ah, Rarity has returned, and without Insipid. Thank goodness for that. 

Tick Tock tilted her head just slightly to acknowledge the other unicorn’s return.

Rarity gave them a coy grin. “Oh, just a little girl talk, mostly fashion and beauty tips. Nothing any of you boys would take interest in.”

Lockwood raised an eyebrow. “That’s what she called you away for?”

“Yes yes, but what does it matter now?” Rarity turned to Tick Tock and her smile fell into a frown. “How is she?”

Tick Tock wiped her brow with what was left of her sleeve. “She’s in a deep sleep, so she won’t be in any pain. The venom’s spreading has been slowed to a crawl, so as long as we hurry, she’ll be fine.”

Rarity sighed and nodded. “I am putting a lot of faith in you, Tick Tock. I only wish you’d allow Twilight or myself to help.”

“I’d ask, but this is a proper complicated procedure. I don’t need any manner of power boost, and I can’t ask Sparkle to assist directly; the process is too delicate.” Tick Tock shook her head. “I do apologize for not being able to do more.”

“You’ve done your best,” Lockwood said, his smile unfaltering, “and we’re all grateful to you for it, I’m sure.”

Tick Tock closed her eyes in thought for a moment, calculating the time. “Break time is nearly over,” she said with a nod. “I’m going to make my final preparations on Fluttershy for the journey.” She turned to Flathoof. “You’re going to be carrying her this time, Captain Flathoof. I very much doubt we’ll require your assistance in combat.”

“Oh, I simply must thank Miss Havocwing, before I forget.” Rarity said, turning and starting towards Havocwing and the campfire.

Tick Tock found it peculiar that Havocwing hadn’t struck up a conversation with anypony, as the other five of her group had done. The pegasus had been stoking the flame all this time, keeping oddly silent for how loud she’d been earlier. Tick Tock decided to keep an eye on the conversation out of the corner of her eye.

“Miss Havocwing?” Rarity said as she trotted up to the pegasus, who tilted her head in acknowledgement. “I want to thank you for your assistance in maintaining Fluttershy’s well-being. This means a lot to me, really it does.”

“Yeah yeah,” Havocwing said with a dismissive wave of her hoof, causing the campfire to die down a little. She sighed and turned fully towards Rarity, crossing her hooves over her chest. “Look, don’t thank me too much, okay? I’m not doing this for anypony, I’m just following my boss’s orders. So boom, campfire.”

Rarity did not falter in the face of such a blunt answer. “Even so, I’ll make sure Fluttershy knows you lent a helping hoof. She’d want to thank you.”

Havocwing hummed. “Huh... I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe that’s why...” She tapped a hoof to her chin, causing the fire behind her to crackle and send wayward sparks into the air.

“Beg your pardon, darling?”

“Eh... yeah, sure.” Havocwing nodded and turned back to the fire, snuffing it out with a wave of her hoof. “You’re welcome. Send the creampuff my way when she gets better, or whatever you want.”

Tick Tock stood up, and trotted over to join Rarity and Havocwing. “Well, everything’s settled up back here. I’m going to fetch Sparkle and Miss Shadow so we can begin moving. Go ahead and get ready, okay?”

Tick Tock left the campsite and made for the boundary, where two purple unicorns still sat locked in apparently deep conversation. She shook her head to rid herself of sleep; it felt like days since her last good rest. Now was not the time to lose sight of the task at hoof or to lose her focus on recent events.

She wanted to talk with Twilight and Applejack, the only two in the group she felt had any sort of valuable opinions about these new “friends”, as Pinkie had called them. She’d been around too long to think that this proposed coincidence was what it seemed. Starlight Shadow’s explanation of detecting Twilight’s magic and coming to investigate was believable enough. Their destination, the Gryphon Ruins within the Goldridge Pass, certainly put them in the right place. Everything added up, but Tick Tock just found it too convenient to ignore. Then again, she’d been kindly reminded that Flathoof, Lockwood, and even herself had all come to meet Twilight’s group through the same sorts of circumstances. Why shouldn’t they trust Starlight’s group too?

She approached Twilight and Starlight. They must have seen her coming, as they dropped their conversation before she even got within earshot. That was a disappointment, as she’d actually hoped to at least have some understanding as to what they were talking about.

“Sparkle, we should get moving,” Tick Tock said when she got closer. “Fluttershy’s condition has been stabilized, but we need to ensure she gets the medical attention she requires.”

“Ah, what good tidings,” Starlight said with a smile in Twilight’s direction. “It gladdens me to hear your friend will soon recover, Sparkle.”

“Me too,” Twilight said, returning the smile before directing it to Tick Tock. “I appreciate everything you’ve done to help. So we continue straight east, right?”

“Minus a small detour yes, straight east,” Tick Tock said. “The nesting grounds have a lopsided shape, and a small bulge pops up directly east of us here. We’ll need to circle around it, but with the time we’re making we can certainly afford it.”

“Afford it?” Twilight snorted. “If your information is accurate, Fluttershy is dying a little more every second. I thought you would be the first to agree to take a shorter path?”

Tick Tock sighed and shook her head. “Look. I’m not keen on venturing into gargantuan territory willingly like some sort of lunatic. Fluttershy is still giving off pheromones, which only increases the risk. The detour would take five hours at most, and Fluttershy easily has another eight hours left, so—"

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d stop referring to my friend like a clock counting down.”

Tick Tock stopped a moment, her face turning red from embarrassment, then shook her head. “I... apologize. I didn’t even realize I was doing it. Force of habit, always looking at things in terms of time. I didn’t realize I was coming off as insensitive.” She rubbed her neck, hoping to think of something, anything, to say to save face. Twilight’s stern glare was not letting up. “Right, um...”

“If I may?” Starlight interjected, lifting a hoof and drawing attention to herself. “My companions and I are more than capable of ameliorating the situation at hoof. We can eliminate any foe that bars our way, presenting an unobstructed route forward. If memory serves, a straightforward path east would reduce our itinerary to three hours, accounting for relatively minor delays such as enormous mutant abominations.”

“That sounds like a great idea, Starlight,” Twilight said, her smile returning. “I didn’t want to impose on you and your sisters, so I appreciate the offer.”

“As good as that sounds, I will remind you again that Fluttershy is giving off pheromones, and the scent only increases with time,” Tick Tock said, shaking her head. “We’d risk attracting a lot of bloody attention, more than we dealt with before.”

“Attention, which I can assure you, my sisters and I are more than capable of surpassing,” Starlight said.

Twilight nodded. “I don’t doubt your ability to keep us covered, Starlight.” She turned to Tick Tock. “I say we take Starlight up on her offer. No sense in taking extra time to do something that we can do in less with no extra effort.”

Tick Tock huffed. “Really now, Sparkle—"

“I know you’re our guide and all, Tick Tock, but this seems to be a no-brainer situation here. I want to try and make the smart decision here, and with Fluttershy’s life in the balance, time is our major deciding factor.”

“A few hours may make some difference, so... ” Tick Tock sighed. “Very well, but don’t say I didn’t bloody well warn you if something happens en route.”

“Excellent,” Starlight said, patting Twilight on the shoulder. “A wise decision, Sparkle. I shall rally the troops, so have yourselves prepared for departure in no more than fifteen minutes.” She trotted away towards the campsite, leaving Twilight and Tick Tock behind.

Twilight did not remain still for long and made to follow. “Come on then, let’s make sure everypony is ready.”

Tick Tock reached out a hoof to stop Twilight before she could go too far. “Sparkle, we need to have a little chat.”

Twilight frowned. “Right now? Look, if you're going to argue with me about—"

“Not about that, you’ll get no argument from me. I understand your position, I was merely suggesting a safer route. I’d just like to make up for my mishaps earlier, is all.” She gave Twilight an uncomfortable smile. “You understand it was all circumstantial... don’t you? I didn’t lead any of you into anything I didn’t think we could handle. It’s just my bloody bad luck rearing its ugly head.”

Twilight remained silent a moment, then nodded. “True, a few unforeseen elements came about that I really couldn’t have expected you to predict. I can’t say I would’ve done much better given the circumstances.” She raised an eyebrow. “Is this what you wanted to talk about? Apologizing?”

“Well, no, not exactly.” Tick Tock shifted her glance towards the campsite, making sure she was out of earshot of anypony else. A quick glance upward told her that none of the pegasi were nearby either. All clear. “Something about these other ponies bothers me. I can’t put a hoof on it.”

Tick Tock shook her head and gave a nervous chuckle when Twilight just stared at her, eyes narrowed. It would seem that her worries were her own; nopony else had any suspicions. “Oh, nevermind. I’m just letting my paranoia get hold of me again. We need to get ready to move, don’t we?”

Twilight nodded and started towards the camp. Tick Tock purposefully lagged behind, keeping her eyes on the figure of Starlight Shadow, who was busy moving between her sisters and getting them moving. She had yet to see the other unicorn work any magic, but she could still feel it. Living in this world had taught her to always be on her guard, and that included detecting the inner magicks of things, be they unicorns or techno-magic constructs. This other unicorn was brimming with power, easily enough that she could probably match or even surpass Twilight. But the amount of magic wasn’t what bothered her. It was the way it felt. There was a strange familiarity to it that she thought impossible.

She was going to have to keep an eye on this Starlight Shadow.


***


Tick Tock led the way through a winding, rocky trail that led towards the Goldridge Pass checkpoint. It was a mostly flat climb that nopony had any trouble navigating, not even Flathoof, who carried a limp Fluttershy across his back. They rounded a bend, and at last the checkpoint, a large structure built just against the side of the mountain pass, came into view.

The checkpoint building was an unimpressive complex made of a drab green, rust-stained metal. Many sheets of brown metal had been placed over narrow, jagged holes, kept in place by thick metal bolts. It had exactly four windows—two on the ground floor, two on the second—that were all strangely intact and clean compared to the rest of the building. The foundation was large, some twenty ponies across and tall, but the way it met with the earth made it apparent that the structure continued underground. The whole thing was topped off with a large smokestack that even now had a thin funnel of black smoke trailing out into the open air.

Tick Tock’s ears and hooves had begun pounding the moment they entered the perimeter markings; a rumbling sensation came from the ground below her hooves. She nodded in content approval, satisfied that the checkpoint’s measures to repel gargantuans were still in good working order.

She approached the large gold door, knocked, and waited. She heard no sounds from the other side, so she knocked again.

“Keep your horseshoes on, I heard you the first time,” said a gruff voice from the other side.

A moment later, the door was answered by a brown unicorn stallion that stood a full head-and-a-half taller than Tick Tock. He wore a very simple set of survival gear: a thick vest over a tight-fitting long-sleeved shirt, decorated in a camouflage of several different shades of brown, as well as a belt laden with assorted tools. The stallion stood silent when he saw the group of ponies standing outside his door, glancing over the crow with wide-eyed surprise.

“Well shucks, I don’t usually see groups this big. I think I can make room for all of you, though.”

“I certainly hope so,” Tick Tock said, reaching a hoof up to poke the stallion in the chin and draw his attention down to her.

The stallion glanced down, and his already-wide eyes widened even more. “Tick Tock!” he said, his tone jovial and his smile beaming. “It’s been ages. How are you?”

“I’ve been better, Pewter.”

“Sorry, stupid question. I can see how you are just by looking at you,” he said, shaking his head and pawing his hoof at her torn bow tie. “My goodness, you look like you’ve been through Hell and back. What in Equestria happened to you?”

“It’s a long story, and it can wait.” Tick Tock turned behind her and gestured for Flathoof to step forward. “One of my traveling companions,” she said, pointing at the limp pegasus laid across Flathoof’s back, “was stung by an adolescent gargantuan on our way here.”

“Oh dear.” Pewter nodded rapidly. “Right, of course. Take your friend here upstairs while I fetch the antivenom.” He turned his head to address the rest of the group. “Come on in everypony, and make yourselves at home. Your friend is in good hooves with me, so you can just relax.”