//------------------------------// // CRISIS: Equestria - Chapter Fifteen // Story: CRISIS: Equestria // by GanonFLCL //------------------------------// CRISIS: Equestria Chapter Fifteen: Innocence Havocwing paced back and forth, threatening to wear out the rug at the foot of her bed. Starlight had decided on an unannounced meeting in the dead of the night and insisted they review Havocwing’s assignment again. Reviewing seemed to Havocwing to be a total waste of time and effort, and if Havocwing hated one thing—and she hated a lot of things—it was wasting time and effort. So, she huffed, snorted, grumbled, groaned, and in general made such a complete show of her discontent that an average pony would have dropped the whole thing just to avoid a confrontation. “This is so stupid,” she said, snorting smoke out her nose as she shot Starlight another impatient glare. “Why are we wasting our time with this? Why are you making me waste my time with this? Again?” Starlight, obviously, was not an average pony. “It would be appreciated if you could maintain a lesser volume, Havocwing,” she said, meeting Havocwing’s glare with one of equal irritation. “This is completely necessary, so pouting does you no favors. The situation has become more complicated since we departed from the city, and I am inclined to ascertain your suitability to effectuate your orders.” Havocwing sighed and held her hoof up. “Look, boss, I’m tired. I have no idea what the hell you just said.” Starlight narrowed her eyes, then stuck her nose in the air. “I wish to ensure that you do not ‘screw up’, as you and Grayscale would so eloquently put it.” “Me?!” Havocwing exclaimed. She snorted more smoke and pounded her chest. “I ain’t gonna screw up squat, boss. You know damn well I’m the most reliable in the group. Working that wuss over is going to be a piece of cake. What could be so different that we need to review, huh?” “Well for one, I would theorize her opinion on things has perhaps adjusted in light of recent events. After all, she has met her very first Gargantuan. Have you adjusted your tactics to incorporate this new information?” “Well, duh. I’m not some blind, dumb idiot, boss.” Starlight snorted. “However, a threat has arisen that was not in our original debriefing: the stallion, Lockwood.” Havocwing raised an eyebrow. “What? How’s he a threat?” “Did you not just iterate to me that you are, quote, ‘not some blind, dumb idiot’?” Starlight asked through clenched teeth. “In case it has not made itself apparent, allow me to clarify: he and your target are enamored. Fluttershy is not likely to respond to your tactics if she possesses somepony else to rely on, especially one such as he.” “They are, huh? Hmm... yeah, I can see where that might be a problem. So let me guess, we need to have him ‘taken care of’?” Havocwing shrugged. “Damn shame, he’s kinda cute. Oh well, you kill ‘im, I grill ‘im.” “What? No. No, you imbecile.” Starlight sighed and put her hoof to her face. “I merely advise caution in proceeding with your assignment so long as he is present. I otherwise do not perceive any complications in convincing that diminutive weakling that her compassion for nature is sorely misplaced given the Gargantuan incident.” “Yeah yeah, whatever, ruin my fun why don’t you? Fine, I’ll try to play it smooth around him,” Havocwing said, waving her hoof. “Last chance to change your mind, y’know. It’d be real easy to make it all look like an accident.” Starlight rolled her eyes. “For the last time, Havoc, we will only utilize force as an emergency measure, and lethal force is absolutely out of the question unless father is convinced it is necessary.” A cackle sounded from behind them. “Which is such a shame, since I bet those guys taste reeeally good!” Havocwing leapt several feet into the air as something cold probed her wings, then wheeled around, hooves ablaze, to assault the surprise assailant. Her panicked expression hardened into an angry scowl the moment she saw Red Velvet slink out of the shadows of the corner of the room, a smug smile on her face. Tendrils of Velvet’s blood retracted themselves back into a gash along her spine, save for one that was holding a plateful of fruit and bread from dinner. Havocwing had to fight the urge to throttle the pink pony until there was nothing left but a pile of ash. “Dammit Red!” she shouted, swooping forward and butting her face against Velvet’s so that they were nose to nose. “Stop buckin’ doin’ that! One of these days, I’m gonna—" Velvet snickered and patted Havocwing on the head, ruffling the red mare’s mane. “Aww, don’t be so jumpy, Havoc. You’re not on the menu. I mean, I’ve thought about it plenty of times since you’re really lean and tender, but you’d probably give me heartburn.” She blanched, pretending to shove her hoof down her throat. “Blech. No thanks.” “Yeah well, you just stay the hell away from me,” Havocwing snarled, hovering away from the pink psychopath. “What are you doing here, anyway? I don’t remember inviting you, so get the hell outta my room!” “Hey boss!” Velvet said with a brisk salute to Starlight. “You called?” Starlight nodded. “You are quite punctual, Velvet. I was not expecting anypony else so soon. I was just privately recapitulating Havocwing’s assignment, as her target parameters have been modified since our departure.” “Wait, you called her here, boss?” Havocwing asked. She threw her hooves in the air. “Aw come on, I don’t need this freak show in my room.” Havocwing’s eyes darted to the plate of food, which Velvet was casually snacking from, dropping crumbs everywhere. “Dammit, Red! You can’t bring food upstairs! That’s how you get ants! Out!” she shouted, pushing Velvet towards the door. “Havoc!” Starlight snapped, stomping her hoof again. “If I am required to repeat myself again, I will seal your mouth shut.” Havocwing snorted and pushed Velvet away. “Yeah yeah, whatever. But c’mon, boss, look!” she added, pointing at her rug, which was now not only covered in bread crumbs and flecks of fake fruit, but blood stains as well. “She’s tracking blood too! The other ponies’ll think I was doing something and’ll worry about being safe around me.” “Aww, and here I thought you'd want everypony to think you were a dangerous murdering sociopath,” Velvet said, laughing and covering her mouth with a hoof. “Not everypony can be as intimidating as me, y’know. I figured I’d help you prove it.” “I don’t need your help proving it,” Havocwing spat, igniting a hoof. “If you want to help, just stand still so I can cook ya. Then we’ll see who the intimidating one is, ya bucking nutcase.” “Oooh, I’m shakin’ in my horseshoes here,” Velvet taunted. The gash along her spine reopened, letting strips of blood seep out and form into various bladed and pointed objects. “You’re gonna need more than threats if you want to scare me, Havoc. Speaking of cooking—" “Enough! Both of you!” Starlight snarled, slapping them both across the face with a lash of magical energy. “If you two wish to mutilate one another, it can wait until after we have completed the assignment at hoof.” Starlight cleared her throat and turned to Velvet. “Now, Red Velvet. I summoned you to deliver a status report. How fare you with Pinkie Pie?” Velvet hesitated, scuffing her hoof on the rug. “Well... to be honest? Not so swell.” Starlight narrowed her eyes. “How so? Your assignment is rather elementary, Velvet. Father did not foresee any difficulties, and neither have I. In what manner is Pinkie Pie complicating matters?” “She’s just... impossible!” Velvet exclaimed, throwing her hooves and tendrils into the air. “Nothing I do frightens her for longer than a few seconds, and when it’s all done she just laughs it off! I’ve never seen anything like it, boss. I can’t work under these conditions!” “Maybe you are simply not putting forth an adequate-enough effort? Make more vigilant attempts. I will not have our impeccable strategy negated because of your sloppy performance.” “Sloppy?” Velvet laughed, twirling her bladed tendrils around. “Please, if I was allowed to be sloppy we wouldn’t have this problem, boss. Look, everything I’m doing here would work wonders on anypony else. They’d be wetting themselves at night for weeks. Months, even! I mean check it, my techniques have no trouble giving Havoc the heeby-jeebies.” Havocwing snorted smoke and made to protest, but reconsidered it when she saw Velvet gazing at her with a dark, hungry look that sent chills down her spine. She tucked her wings close to her body out of concern for their well-being and took a step back. Velvet smirked, then continued. “The pink putz must be immune to my techniques or something. She’s a little touched in the head, I think.” Havocwing snickered. “Sounds like you two were made for each other.” She shrunk back again when Velvet shot her an angry glare and flared out her tendrils. “What exactly is complicating the situation, Velvet?” Starlight asked. “Surely there must be some variable we have not considered that is modifying the scenario in her favor.” Velvet rolled her eyes and gestured at her tendrils. “Well for one, if I were allowed to use my blood magic, I’d—" “You would accomplish nothing save for abandoning a key element of surprise for any possible-though-unlikely future confrontations,” Starlight said, swatting the bloody appendages aside. “Additionally, if you did terrify her in such a manner, she would most certainly alert the others to your doings and risk driving a decisive wedge between them and us, which would devastate all of our efforts as a whole. No Hemomancy.” Velvet groaned and slumped onto her backside. “But boss, I’ve tried everything I can think of. I’m using the Grade-A material here, and nothing’s working.” She threw her hooves in the air again. “She thinks my special talent is pranks. Pranks! Everything I do just gets a laugh in the end!” “Lower your voice, Velvet,” Starlight hissed. “Surely you possess more techniques in your repertoire.” Velvet sighed and rubbed her temples. “Well, earlier tonight I tried to do my dream trick.” “Dream trick?” Havocwing asked, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah!” Velvet’s wide, fanged grin sent shivers down Havocwing’s spine. “You don’t know about it?” She threw her leg around Havocwing in a half-hug, pulling the nervous pegasus in close. “Well, it’s like this: I pop into your head while you’re asleep and I can see your dreams, and with the right application of effort I can turn them into nightmares. And, if I get a really good hold in there, anything I do to you in dreamland happens to you in reality.” “Y-you can do that?” Havocwing gulped and turned to Starlight. “Boss, can she do that?’ Starlight shook her head. “If she is capable of such an ability, I am unaware of it.” She tapped a hoof to her chin. “Hmm... though it does sound as if it would prove quite effective.” Havocwing tittered and waved off the idea with a hoof. “Aw, no way she can do that. Eh heh... g-good one, Red. You’re just bucking with me. If you could see what I was dreaming, you’d be able to tell me—” Velvet’s mouth curled in a tiny smirk. “Bunnies.” Havocwing froze and stared at Velvet for a long moment. “Problem, Havoc?” “Ha... ha ha, what? Man, ain’t no way I dream about... bunnies.” Havocwing shook her head. “You’re full of crap, Red. Nice try.” Velvet’s smirk widened, causing Havocwing to gulp. Then, she shrugged and continued, “Anyway, that didn’t work either. Her dreams were filled with rainbows, candy, and all that kind of sappy-happy, lovey-dovey stuff. So much of it, in fact, that I bet Havoc here would puke her guts out at the sight of it all. Mmmm...” she moaned, licking her lips, “entrails...” Havocwing inched away from Velvet, making sure to keep her eye on the pink psychopath. She prefered to keep her guts where they were. “That’s how sickening it all is!” Velvet shouted as she threw her hooves in the air, causing Havocwing to stumble away in panic. “I would rather not go back in there, okay?” She shuddered, and she continued, her tone becoming nervous. “It felt weird. Super weird. Like, I felt like all that happiness and stuff was just going to swallow me up and never let me go. Freaky.” Starlight rubbed her temple. “A most unfortunate circumstance, but surely you possess other methods?” “I’m running out of ideas, boss! Listen, maybe if I traded with Havoc?” Velvet asked, giving a bright smile and plopping herself down at Starlight’s hooves. “Please? Oh please? Her target should be so so so much easier to scare!” “Hey buck off, freak show!” Havocwing snarled. “Dad gave this assignment to me. Just because you’re losing your touch—" Starlight interjected, yanking her hoof away from Velvet as the pink pony grabbed it. “I grow impatient with these excuses. Red Velvet, re-evaluate your situation and, if need be, elect a different—" Velvet’s eyes widened and she scooted forward, wrapping her hooves around Starlight’s leg in a pathetic pleading gesture. “But boss, I—" “Do not interrupt me!” Starlight spat, her horn flaring up and shoving Velvet away. “Father assigned you a task, and you will complete it as requested!” “Boss... voice,” Havocwing said, keeping her own voice low. Starlight snorted and stomped a hoof. “Frighten the joy and laughter out of that ridiculous mare, Velvet, or you will soon be attempting to frighten moon rocks for the remainder of your pitiful existence. Am I clear?” Velvet whimpered. “But boss—" Starlight flared her horn again. “Am. I. Clear?” Velvet nodded, defeated. “Crystal clear, boss...” “Heh... looks like we’ve got a new pony on the bottom of the totem pole,” Havocwing said, with a laugh. Velvet glared at her, her eyes red with rage, but Havocwing was loaded with newfound confidence in light of Velvet’s losing face. “How does it feel to replace Insipid down there, huh? I never thought anypony would make that airhead look good.” “I’d be glad to put you down on the bottom myself, Havoc,” Velvet said, rising to her hooves and brandishing a single overly-large bladed tendril. “Dead ponies might not look so good to the boss, y’know, since they’re not gonna do anything but sit there and rot.” “Problem, Velvet?” Havocwing asked, her hoof ablaze. Velvet seethed for a moment, then took a deep breath and returned to an eerily-serene state. She gave Havocwing a bright smile. “Bunnies.” Havocwing froze up and sputtered: “Sh-shut up!” Starlight sighed and separated the two of them again. “It is in situations such as this where I find it difficult to believe that I am the youngest.” There was a knock at the door. “Aww, now what?” Havocwing groaned. She trotted over to the door, and was genuinely surprised at who was on the other side. “Gray?” she muttered, raising her eyes to meet with the larger pony’s. “The hell are you doing up this- oh, right. The boss called you too, huh?” Grayscale completely ignored Havocwing’s presence, and instead looked around the smaller pony’s shoulder and saluted to Starlight. “Ah, Grayscale, you are more punctual than I expected.” Starlight nodded back and beckoned her into the room with a simple tilt of her head. Grayscale shoved her way past Havocwing, who watched the bigger pegasus with irritated disdain before circling around to Starlight’s side. “You needed something, boss?” she asked, rubbing her eyes. Starlight quirked an eyebrow. “Grayscale, are you well? You appear fatigued.” Havocwing noticed it as well. Grayscale’s mane and tail were unkempt, and her eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them. It appeared as if Grayscale hadn’t slept for days, despite it having only been hours. Grayscale grumbled. “Choosing the room next to Dash seemed a good idea at the time. Then, I discovered the walls in this place are paper-thin.” “What’s that got to do with anything?” Havocwing asked. “Pinkie Pie.” Havocwing tilted her head and continued to look at Grayscale, expecting more to the story. Starlight shook her head and patted Grayscale’s shoulder. “Most unfortunate that this was the manner of which it was discovered, but at the very least you have confirmed that fragment of intelligence. I was beginning to worry that perhaps father’s information was inaccurate.” “What the hell are you—" Havocwing paused and her eyes widened. “Ohhh...” Grayscale snorted. “I’d like to try and get some sleep, so what did you call me for boss?” Starlight cleared her throat. “Yes, well, father requested that I obtain a periodical status report from each of you. Seeing as how we have completed our first day of activity, I feel it would be prudent to get some initial impressions. How would you gauge your progress with Rainbow Dash, Grayscale?” “Ugh... can’t this wait until morning?” Grayscale asked, her plea sounding bizarrely genuine. “Status report please, Grayscale. As recompense, I possess knowledge of a spell that will assist you in earning some repose.” Grayscale sighed and ran her hoof through her mane. “Fine. To be honest, there’s not much I really need to do to make this work. Dash already doesn’t like the Chronomancer or Lockwood and is pretty upset that her friends don’t feel the same. She just needs a little... push.” Starlight nodded. “Yes, I bore witness to some of your accomplishments at supper. Excellent. I am pleased that you are fulfilling father’s expectations so admirably. If everypony else could accomplish your results,” she added, shooting Velvet a disapproving glance, “our task could be completed by week’s end. I only hope Insipid and Curaçao are encountering such success.” “Ah, speaking of which,” Grayscale continued, “I was taking a nap in the hall after dinner and—" “You were taking a nap... in the hall?” Havocwing interjected. She shook her head in disbelief. “What the hell is wrong with you? I knew you liked sleeping and stuff, but necrology?” “Narcolepsy.” “Whatever.” “Well, unlike some of us,” Grayscale said with a yawn, “I know the importance of shutting up and listening. I could instruct you, but I doubt you’d listen. Kinda defeats the purpose.” “I’ll teach you how to shut up,” Havocwing said, igniting a hoof. “Havocwing, Grayscale is delivering her report,” Starlight said, shooting Havocwing an angry glance. “Keep silent.” Havocwing snorted and glared at Grayscale. “Kiss-ass,” she muttered under her breath. “Continue, Grayscale.” Grayscale shrugged. “As I was saying, right after dinner I headed up to the hall outside the washroom, where Curaçao was taking a bath. Rarity decided to wait when she got there, then later Insipid came up and told her she saw Applejack go outside alone. “Here’s where it gets weird,” Grayscale continued. “Later, Applejack came by. Rarity pulled her aside and they got engaged in a pretty deep discussion. I didn’t hear anything since they were real quiet about it, but it must’ve been something important and it looked like pretty heated. Any ideas?” Starlight tapped a hoof to her chin. “Hmmm... this perhaps poses complications,” she said, her tone becoming more serious than usual. “Applejack is, according to father, possibly the most difficult mare in the group to persuade into our fold. Her unflinching honesty may perhaps provide her with adequate ability to discern deceptions.” Velvet suddenly perked up and bounded over. “Ooh ooh! Maybe Curaçao’s having trouble too? Oh please, oh please, oh please. Being on bottom stinks.” Starlight rolled her eyes. “It is much too soon to assume anything. I can only hope Curaçao possesses a proper control of the situation. Her report should... hmmm...” She frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. “She should have already arrived. Curaçao is normally the most punctual.” She turned to Grayscale and pointed at the door. “Grayscale, check the hall.” Grayscale nodded, then trotted over to the door and opened it before glancing out into the hall. “Speak of the devil,” she said. “Huh. She looks happy. Really happy.” Starlight and Havocwing shared puzzled looks, then moved to Grayscale’s side and glanced out into the hall. Curaçao was prancing towards Havocwing’s room, an energetic bounce in her step. She bounded into the room without acknowledging the ponies in the doorway, ignored Starlight’s greeting, and plopped herself directly in front of the room’s grooming station while humming a happy tune. She was humming it terribly off-key. “What the—" Starlight muttered. “What has you in such high spirits this evening, Curaçao?” Curaçao began combing her mane with the station’s provided brush. “Curaçao? What in Equestria are you—" Starlight shook her head and stomped a hoof. “Nevermind. I summoned you here to deliver your status report. Grayscale made mention of suspicious activity involving Applejack, and I anticipate your ability to aleve my worry?” Curaçao, now done with brushing, began to strike poses in front of the mirror, giggling madly at every one. Starlight’s eye twitched. “Curaçao! What is wrong with you?!” “Yo, miss fancy pants!” Havocwing shouted. “The boss is talking to you! Quit checking out your stupid mane!” Curaçao snorted and rolled her eyes at Havocwing. “Okay, like, my mane is totally not stupid? And I’m not even, like, wearing pants? Jumpsuits totally don’t count and junk. I mean duh.” Havocwing’s eyes narrowed into a half-lidded stare. “What.” Starlight flared her horn, bathing Curaçao in a bright silver light that washed over her, inch by inch. With a bright flash, the spell was complete, and the blue earth pony was no more. Standing there instead was- “Insipid,” she snorted, clearly not amused at the deception. “Oops. Uh... h-hi?” Insipid flustered. She sounded dejected as she looked at herself in the mirror. “Aww... did you have to do that? I was, like, checking out how totally super pretty I—" “Explain yourself. Now. Where is Curaçao?” Starlight asked through clenched teeth as she stepped towards Insipid. “She, like, told me not to tell!” Insipid blurted, backing away. “She said you’d all, like, totally ruin her plans and yours if you knew what she was up to!” “Our plans?” Havocwing asked, quirking an eyebrow. “What, like she’s helping us? Psh, like hell she is. I haven’t seen her do squat except take a bath.” “Hmmm... I wonder...” Grayscale mused. “She presumes to aid us from the shadows?” Starlight asked with a sneer. “Curaçao’s pretentiousness vexes me at times. “Ooh, she’s so sneaky!” Insipid said, her bubbly pep returning in earnest. “I’m, like, so super glad she wanted my help and junk. This is major fresh, y’know?” “I suppose when she arrives I may need to remind her that it is not her assignment to assist us with our own.” Starlight snorted. She took a deep breath before taking another step towards Insipid. “How about you, then? Status report, Insipid. How fares your assignment with Rarity?” “Oh, she like, totally made my mane all pretty and junk, see?” Insipid said, pointing at her hair. Havocwing noticed that Insipid’s mane was a little different, actually. The curls were a little curlier, the straight bits were a little straighter, and most of the tangles had been untangled. It was different, certainly, but definitely not “pretty” just yet. It would seem that even Rarity’s supposed expert touch could not improve Insipid’s style, but to Insipid it seemed that it was the thought that counted. Havocwing shrugged. “You still look like you brush your mane with a rake.” “Like, what-ever,” Insipid said, rolling her eyes and crossing her legs. “Curie liked it, and that’s, like, all that matters. She said it was, uh... ‘tray moy on’? I totally don’t even know what that means? But Curie said it so it must be good! Right?” Starlight held the bridge of her nose with her hoof. “Insipid, how can I communicate this simply enough for your primitive brain to understand? I inquired as to your progress with bending Rarity to our methodology. So please: elucidate.” Insipid pulled her head back and gave Starlight a nervous look. “Uh... right here, boss? Now?” “Yes, Insipid, here and now, if you please.” Insipid’s eyes darted around the room to the other mares present. “But... but everypony’s watching...” Starlight stared at Insipid, then groaned and rubbed her temple. “Elucidate means ‘explain’, you imbecile.” “Oh? Ohhhh... right! I thought you meant- nevermind. See? You think understanding Curie is hard? Like, cha.” Starlight narrowed her eyes. “Proceed with your report, Insipid.” “Yeah yeah, okay. Rarity’s, like, totally under my hoof? I mean, I got her to give me a total makeover, right? So like, I think I kinda figured out what she, like, wants, and I’m totally working on getting her to go after it! That’s what I was supposed to do, yeah? Right? Do you, like, want to hear the details or something?” Starlight rolled her eyes. “No, that is adequate enough. I would rather not listen to your brainless babble any longer. Very good, Insipid.” Insipid beamed. “You think I did good, boss? Yay! Curie’s gonna be so proud of me!” “Incidentally, I suppose Curaçao herself is all that remains. Where is that devious charlatan? It is most unlike her to be tardy.” “I bet she’s just taking another bath,” Havocwing suggested. “Can’t have too many baths when you’re otherwise useless, so you may as well make yourself look pretty, right?” “Not that she ever gets her hooves dirty,” Velvet added. Insipid bolted forward and poked Havocwing in the chest. “Hey, like, that perfection of hers takes diligence? That’s what, like, Rarity said anyway, and she’s totally, y’know, in-the-know?” “I don’t think she spends any time or effort on her looks,” Grayscale said with a shrug. “I mean, she can change appearance, so she’s probably able to look however she wants without actually doing anything.” “Like, oh. My. Stars. You can’t be, like, serious? She totally puts effort in, ‘cause, like, otherwise what’s the point? If she was, like, cheating, it would be so. Major. Unfresh.” Grayscale nodded. “Good point. Curaçao couldn’t possibly be cheating.” Insipid nodded in agreement. Havocwing and Velvet shared sidelong glances at one another, and Velvet swished her hoof over her head. “I don’t care how long she spends or how much effort she takes, the fact is she doesn’t do squat otherwise,” Havocwing said. “If she spent as much time doing her job as she does looking pretty we’d all be done by now! She’d have probably done all of our jobs for us.” Starlight snorted. “That seems to be precisely what she is attempting, Havocwing.” “What kinda jobs ‘re y’all talkin’ ‘bout?” asked a familiar drawl from the doorway. Everypony wheeled around to face the voice. Insipid, whose back was to the door, did so too fast and tumbled face-first to the floor. Applejack stood in the doorway with an accusatory glare. “Aww crap,” Havocwing muttered. Velvet elbowed her hard in the ribs; Havocwing quickly adjusted her words. “Uh... h-hey there, Applejack, h-how long have you been there?” Applejack frowned and immediately began to backpedal. “Long enough.” “Eavesdropping, hmm?” Starlight asked. She stepped out into the hall with Havocwing and Grayscale flanking her sides and Velvet trailing just behind. “What did you hear?” “I heard everythin’,” Applejack said as she backed further down the hall. Her eyes flicked to the stairs, probably to judge the distance she’d need to move in order to escape. “I knew it! Tick Tock was right, y’all ‘re up ta somethin’! I’m gettin’ Twilight, then we’ll see what she—" Starlight’s horn flashed. Applejack, who’d tried bounding for the stairs at that instant, became bound in magical chains that had appeared from the floor, trapping her just a yard away from the stairs. She struggled to free herself, but the chains tightened with every attempt until she could barely move at all. She was caught. She glared at Starlight. “Let me go ya sneaky—" “Most unfortunate,” Starlight tutted, stepping over to Applejack and glancing over her. “It would seem as though father’s forewarning was well-warranted.” “Boss, she heard way too much,” Havocwing said, sidling up to Starlight’s side. “We can’t just let her go.” Starlight frowned and nodded. “Indeed. Perhaps now would be an appropriate instance to evaluate my capability with memory-altering magicks...” She turned back to the doorway, where Insipid had just exited to join them in the hall. “Insipid, fetch Curaçao. I should like to ascertain her opinion on—" Insipid’s eyes brightened. She giggled, then leapt all the way down the hall from Havocwing’s door to Applejack in a single bound, sailing over Velvet, Grayscale, Havocwing, and Starlight in the process. As soon as she reached Applejack, she gave a happy squeal and wrapped Applejack in a tight hug, pinning the earth pony to the floor. Havocwing snarled, and stepped forward to pull the flighty unicorn away. “Insipid, what are you—" “What in tarnation‘re y’all doin’?!” Applejack shouted. She struggled harder against the chains that kept her bound, apparently more desperate now than ever to get away. “Call ‘er off!” she yelped, looking right at Starlight. “Y’all don’t need ta torture me, I promise I won’t talk! Just get her off...” “Awww, it’s so, like, totally super cute when you try to be sneaky,” Insipid cooed, nuzzling her cheek against Applejack’s. “Oh stars I’m gonna be sick,” Velvet muttered, holding her stomach. “So... much... joy...” “What the hell is going on?” Havocwing demanded. Insipid let out a dreamy sigh. “You can’t fool me, Curie.” Applejack grumbled, then melted away, hat and all, into the familiar blue form of Curaçao. “Merde. Zis is vhy I ‘ad to be careful, voyez-vous? You may ‘ave blown my cover, ma copine.” Starlight’s jaw dropped. “Curaçao?” She released her spell, not that it would help Curaçao get off the floor so long as Insipid pinned her even more tightly than the chains had. “What in Equestria are you doing?” Grayscale nodded sagely. “Saw that coming.” “Hee hee, I, like, totally told you she was good,” Insipid said as she stroked Curaçao’s mane with loving adoration. “She even fooled you, boss. Like, how totally cool is that?” “Quite,” Starlight said, eyebrow twitching. She cleared her throat and glared at Curaçao. “I suppose you should consider yourself fortunate that Insipid ascertained the truth before I deleted your memory, Curaçao. I do not much appreciate being duped.” Insipid’s expression became panicked. “Oh! Y-you weren’t really going to wipe her brain, right boss?” She tugged Curaçao closer, gripping so tightly that Curaçao wheezed. “Not my Curie... nooo...” “Do not fear, ma copine, zee capitaine vould not ‘ave done anyzing of zee sort,” Curaçao said as she attempted to wiggle out of Insipid’s hold. She gave Starlight an apologetic look. “Je m’excuse, ma capitaine, but I ‘ad to make sure zat my plan ‘ad gone flawlessly, non? If even you could not spot zee ruse, zen I should say my disguise is perfect enough to escape even Twilight Sparkle’s magical detection, n’est-ce pas?” Starlight sneered and gave Curaçao a terse nod. “An intuitive scheme, to be sure. So then, none of them suspect your guise, or guises, as the case may be?” “Not a one.” Starlight nodded again, then tilted her head towards the doorway. “Let us continue in Havocwing’s room, so as to avoid possible discovery.” She trotted off towards Havocwing’s door and entered with the others just behind her. Once everypony was present, she shut the door behind them and turned back to Curaçao. “Hmm... how fare you with Applejack, in particular?” Curaçao laughed. “I assure you zat it vill not be long before zee Applejack falls far from zee tree.” She paused a moment when the others gave her confused looks, then shrugged. “I don’t know vhat zat means eizer, but for some reason it feels approprié.” “Aww, she’s so clever!” Insipid said. “I bet it’s, like, the perfect plan!” “What manner of plot are you scheming?” Starlight asked, sounding genuinely curious. “Father outlined our established strategies, leaving it to us to modify them as the situation provides, but I do not recall him delivering anything of the sort to you.” “Ah, ne vous inquiétez pas, I ‘ave it all under control. Viz mon génie, Applejack and Rarity ‘ave formed un lien, oui? And vhen zat crashes down around ma petite pomme? Victoire.” She gave a great open-mouthed laugh, evidently pleased at the prospect. Had she not needed to be quiet, it might have been much louder. “Ah, so that was you in the hall,” Grayscale said, nodding in understanding. “The hall?” Havocwing asked. “From my report earlier, when I saw Applejack and Rarity chatting in the hallway.” Grayscale eyed Curaçao, then tilted her head to the side. “Let me guess... you were... Applejack?” Curaçao grinned and brushed the idea off with her hoof. “Ooh là là, une magicienne never reveals ‘er secrets, voyez-vous? It vould ruin zee illusion.” “I love it when she gets all, like, devious?” Insipid said. She giggled and wrapped Curaçao in another hug. “Oooh, Curie you’re such a totally amazing actress. So. Major. Fresh.” Starlight snorted. “Hmph. I suppose we have settled matters for now, then. I am pleased with some of your reports, though some amongst you leave a great deal to be desired,” Starlight said, shooting another disappointed glance at Velvet. She turned to the others and flourished her hoof through the air. “Morning approaches, presenting an endeavor ahead of us if we are to obtain success without further incident. Continue on as you have been: draw your marks aside, engage them on a personal level. Dismissed.” Starlight flared her horn and disappeared in a bright flash, leaving the others behind. Havocwing yawned and stretched out her legs. “Okay everypony, you heard the boss, you’re all dismissed. That means: get the hell outta my room! Now!” “Aww, sweet dreams, Havoc,” Velvet cooed as she trotted towards the door with a carefree demeanor, previous incidents apparently forgotten. “Oh, and don’t let the bedbugs bite, okay? I hear the ones out here are pretty vicious. But hey, maybe you’ll dream about me instead of bunnies this time!” “Bunnies?” Insipid asked. Havocwing snorted smoke. “Shut up, Red.” Velvet’s grin widened, revealing rows of sharp fangs. “Be careful though, I bite harder than bedbugs do...” Havocwing paled, but maintained her composure. Velvet wasn’t going to scare her anymore, not so long as she was the weakest link in the chain. “Whatever, just get out.” As Velvet left, Curaçao and Grayscale followed behind. “Oh! Curie!” Insipid shouted, throwing herself at Curaçao’s hooves and making a pleading gesture. “Pleeeease can I share a room with you? I’m, like, not even next door to you! That dumb ol’ Pewter guy put me, like, on the other end of the hall! I’m so totally, totally lonely, and that is so totally, totally major uncool. Like, tray bad. Uh... how do you say it, Curie?” “Mauvais...” Curaçao said, her tone flat. “Movie?” Insipid rolled her eyes. “Curie, we, like, don’t have time for a movie?” “Merde alors.” Curaçao rubbed her temples. “You can sleep on zee floor if you—" “Yay!” Insipid cheered as she bounded out the door into the hall. “This is totally tray awesome, I can’t wait! I get to, like, sleep where your hooves have been, wheeee~” Grayscale chuckled. “Not that I care, Curaçao, but how do you put up with it? Insipid I mean.” Curaçao shrugged. “She is a useful pawn, non? I cannot object to ‘aving my own pet unicorn. Zey are so useful for zings zat ve earth ponies cannot do viz just ‘ooves, tu ne crois pas?” “I suppose. Though maybe you should give her acting lessons. Oh,” Grayscale added, tapping her temple, “and you were Applejack in the hallway.” “Oh? Vhat makes you zink I vas Applejack zen, hmm?” “Just call it a hunch.” Curaçao smirked, then morphed her face into that of Starlight Shadow. “Well, sister, if you are not intending to accommodate my request for information, then I fail to see any grounds for why I should present my own.” “Ooh, I didn’t think you’d imitate the boss,” Grayscale said with a terse nod. She chuckled. “That just let’s me know I’m right.” Curaçao shrugged, morphing her face into Insipid. “Cha. Like, whatever. Think what you want and junk?” Havocwing snorted smoke and threw her hooves in the air. “Are you two gonna leave or what?!” Curaçao tilted her head towards Havocwing, her face molding into Red Velvet’s in the process. “Oh, hush, Havoc. We were just leaving, weren’t we Gray?” Havocwing sneered and pushed Curaçao out the door. “Out!” She snapped her head towards Grayscale when the larger pegasus laughed, then shoved her out the door too. “Out!” *** The next morning came with crisp air and a low temperature. The sky above the checkpoint was as dark as ever, with no indication that it was now daytime. Tick Tock rifled through a saddlebag of supplies, checking that everything she’d asked for was inside. This one was filled with more climbing equipment, mostly ropes. Satisfied that everything was in order, she passed it over to Twilight, who floated it over to their growing pile and ticked another mark off her checklist. Pewter had provided them with all the supplies he could spare, including dried food rations, canteens filled with water, and other survival equipment. With their extra traveling companions, they could carry more supplies between them, so Tick Tock wasn’t worried this time about saddling anypony with too much; last time, Applejack and Flathoof had been given the brunt of the supplies to carry. Speaking of Applejack, Tick Tock noticed the other pony was being abnormally quiet in helping her put all the supplies together. Applejack had always been social with her, but this morning she’d barely said two words. Well, to Tick Tock, at any rate, and to Flathoof when he’d come by to offer help in putting everything together. Tick Tock noticed that Applejack was still being plenty sociable with Curaçao, who was teaching her how to use the more advanced features of Tick Tock’s map. Tick Tock was surprised the blue earth pony could use the map so expertly, given that it was an antiquated, complicated magical item. Even Tick Tock had taken a few years to learn how to utilize all of its features, and was still hazy on some details. The only explanation Tick Tock could think of was that perhaps in Curaçao’s travels with Starlight Shadow, the unicorn had taught the earth pony some basic fundamentals. Starlight seemed the type of pony to teach another pony how to accomplish a task so that she would no longer need to do it herself. Starlight, in the meanwhile, was assisting Rarity and Insipid—coaching Insipid to assist Rarity, more accurately—in taking some of the clothes they didn’t need anymore to make a harness for Fluttershy, so that she could be more easily transported. Fluttershy’s dress and Twilight’s cape served as a foundation, and Pinkie’s hat and jacket provided the material to hold it all together. It resembled a hammock more than a harness, really, and would be carried between two ponies when it was finished. Tick Tock shifted her gaze upward, to where Grayscale Force and Rainbow Dash were circling around the checkpoint, too far up for anypony to hear the conversation they were engaged in. When she shifted her gaze back down, she saw Pinkie Pie and Red Velvet hustling to and fro amongst the others, keeping everypony’s spirits high with their singing and cheerful demeanor. Tick Tock noticed, however, that Velvet seemed to be having a tough time keeping up with Pinkie, looking more tired now than when she’d woken up. Tick Tock’s focus then shifted to Havocwing, who seemed the oddest of the bunch at the moment. She’d trotted over to where Fluttershy was asleep, some distance away from the commotion with Lockwood and Flathoof as her only company. Again, they were too far away to pick up much of the conversation, but Havocwing seemed to have hit it off somehow, as they’d just started laughing at something she’d said. All this struck Tick Tock as bizarre. She’d known these mares for a few days now and helped them with everything she could, but apart from general tact and politeness they didn’t seem to think too highly of her; Pinkie, of course, seemed the exception since she apparently thought highly of everypony. Starlight’s group, on the other hoof, had known them for less than a day and already everypony seemed to be bonding together. Even Flathoof and Lockwood, fellow natives of this world where trust was hard-earned, were quickly trusting these new mares. There was just something off about all of it. Tick Tock, so focused on trying to figure out her latest dilemma, did not notice somepony walk up behind her. “Something on your mind?” Tick Tock wheeled around in surprise, and held a hoof to her heart when she realized who it was. “Oh, Pewter.” She shook her head, not meeting the muscular stallion’s gaze. “No... no, it’s nothing.” “Well, if you say so.” Pewter rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you really have to go so soon? You only just got here and I was hoping for a chance to catch up, Tick Tock. It’s been years since we’ve seen each other.” Tick Tock sighed. “I’m sorry, Pewter. I really am. But we’re on a tight schedule, and I need to account for any other delays. We can’t risk losing much more time.” “I still say you have enough time to stay another night,” Pewter said with a hopeful smile. “You mentioned that your accident in Redblade bought you an extra day taking this route. Why not spend it here, recuperating? Fluttershy could certainly benefit the most from it.” “As tempting as that all sounds, I’m afraid we must decline. I really wish I could... but business is business.” “And business before pleasure, I know.” Pewter sighed. “Well, since you’re in such a hurry to move on, is there anything else you think you’ll need? I still have some spare supplies here and there.” “I don’t think we need much else, at least anything I can think of.” Tick Tock turned her head towards Applejack and Curaçao. “How about you, Applejack?” Applejack didn’t turn to face Tick Tock when she replied. “Yeah?” “Pewter wants to know if there’s anything else we might need?” Applejack shook her head as she looked over the pile of saddlebags they’d gathered so far. “Nah, we’re fine enough fer a week-long trip, I reckon.” Tick Tock turned back to Pewter and nodded. “Well then, there you have it.” She moved in close enough to whisper: “Thanks again, Pewter. For all of this. For last night, for everything. You truly are too kind to me. What would I ever do without you?” “You’d be a week away from Hope’s Point with nothing but a wing and a prayer to get you there,” Pewter said with a smile. Tick Tock rolled her eyes. “I’ve bloody well faced worse, and you know it.” Pewter laughed and shook his head. “I’ve heard the stories. Don’t be a stranger Tick Tock, and do take care of yourself.” His smile fell, and he took a step forward to put his hoof on Tick Tock’s shoulder. “You worry too much. I’ll be fine, Pewter. I always have been.” She leaned up and gave him a big hug. “You stay safe here too, yeah? I’ll be back in no time at all, you’ll see.” He returned the hug, stroking his hoof through her mane. “You don’t have any idea what I’d do if something happened to you...” *** Up close, it was clear where the Goldridge Pass mountain range got its name. The entire mountain was colored bright gold for as far as the eye could see, with a sheen so perfect that it reflected every glimmer of light that came its way. If the sun were able to peek through the veil of magic up above, the entire range would shine for miles around, a beacon of hope to ponies making the long journey to the coast. Rarity took the chance to examine one of the many rocks that littered the path. Upon holding it in her hoof and judging the weight, she was alerted to an incredible fact: the gold wasn’t just color; every single thing in the mountain range appeared to be made of solid, unblemished gold, and in fact, the rock she held now appeared to be roughly twenty-two carats, an incredible find. Rocks shined like golden nuggets, trees stood fully-blossomed with literal gold leaves, and even the very dirt that Rarity and her companions tread upon was made of gold dust. Rarity was never so unafraid to get dirty. She tilted her head to her left to glance at Lockwood, who was slowing his pace to keep stride with her. That he’d insisted on assisting her in carrying Fluttershy filled Rarity with elation, as it was just one more point to add to his tally. Fluttershy herself lay between them upon her hammock-harness, sound asleep and wrapped in Lockwood’s jacket. Fluttershy’s condition saddened Rarity to no end, but she continued to keep a straight face so as not to bring the others’ spirits down. Several hours into their hike, the party rounded a corner and came to a clearing. As Rarity rounded the bend, a sight so wondrous that it made her knees weak and her jaw drop came into her view. The temptation was too much, and she insisted the group take a momentary breather so she could get a closer look, dragging Lockwood and Fluttershy with her. “Oh my...” Rarity gasped A massive boulder towered over her, measuring half a dozen yards tall and almost as wide, and just like the rest of the mountain it was made of solid gold. This rock, however, appeared to be made of an even better quality, perhaps as good as twenty-four carat gold. Rarity fanned herself, awestruck at the sight of the thing. “It’s... beautiful...” she panted. “The gold in this rock is of a much greater quality than any of the surrounding rocks, and in such a high quantity too! Why, this grandiose specimen is the find of the century—" She stopped and dramatically threw her hoof into the air. “No! The millennium!” “It is?” Insipid asked. She gave the giant golden stone a quick once-over, then nodded enthusiastically. “Yup! It is! Oh, like, maybe we could, y’know, figure something out? Divvy it up between us and junk? Ooh, I totally call the biggest piece!” Rarity continued her fawning, not feeling one ounce of shame in it. She stepped out of the hammock-harness, easing Fluttershy onto the ground to avoid dragging her and Lockwood along, then gave the giant rock a hug. “Girls, do you have any idea how much this absolutely gorgeous hunk of gold is worth?” she asked as she starting petting the rock. Rainbow sighed. “No, but I suppose you’re gonna tell us?” “Assuming that this delightful specimen is solid through-and-through, it’s worth—" “Nothing,” Tick Tock interrupted. Rarity shot Tick Tock a glare. “I beg your pardon? Far be it from me to criticize you in anything, Tick Tock darling, but—" “Gold is practically worthless, precisely thanks to these bloody mountains,” Tick Tock continued. “Completely buggered up the New Pandemonium economy hundreds of years ago because bits were made with gold back then. It might be worth something if it weren’t so plentiful.” “Well of course I didn’t intend selling it in Pandemonium, darling,” Rarity said with a roll of her eyes. “Elsewhere however, it might be worth an absolute fortune! Enough to buy a mansion on some beautiful coastline I’d wager!” She was all but drooling now, giving the giant rock a healthy dose of petting with every word. “All the amenities a pony with real class and sophistication could possibly hope for, and then some!” “Like, yeah! We could be living the highlife!” Insipid said, popping up beside Rarity and giving the giant rock a hug as well. “We’d be so totally super rich and junk!” Rarity turned to her friends with a bright, pleading smile. “Surely there must be some way we could—" “Oh no,” Twilight interjected, shaking her head and waving her hooves in front of her face. “No no no, I am not lugging around a giant rock again just because you think it’s valuable. This thing is loads bigger and heavier than the last one.” Rarity snorted. “Oh please, darling. This delectable hunk of splendid metal is very, very real.” She shuddered and gave the rock a longing glance, her eyelashes fluttering. “Oh just think of the possibilities...” “Ooh ooh! Can we make pretty tiaras?” Insipid asked. “I’d love a tiara! Then I’d be, like, a pretty princess!” She turned to Curaçao and gave the earth pony a bright smile. “Curie! Wouldn’t I make the prettiest princess if I, like, had a tiara and junk?” Curaçao hummed and nodded. “It vould be un joli accessory, oui. Hmmm... but gold by itself, c’est ennuyeux. Surely ve would need somezing to, ‘ow you say, accessoiriser zee diadème. Mademoiselle Rarity, vhat do you zink?” Rarity chuckled. “Why, that’s quite a valid observation, Miss Curaçao. Certainly gold by itself isn’t the best accessory, no matter its shape, besides wedding bands of course. We would need gems to decorate it! And, if I am not mistaken,” she added with a wide grin as she lit up her horn, “there are certainly gems somewhere nearby. I suspect deep within the mountain, if we have the opportunity to look.” Twilight groaned and held the bridge of her nose. “No offense Rarity, but we have more important things to worry about right now than divvying up a golden boulder and hunting for gems. Or are you forgetting Fluttershy?” Rarity paused and glanced down at Fluttershy, still snoozing quietly between her and Lockwood. Twilight had a point, certainly. Attempting to carry even a fraction of a rock this size could weigh down the whole group, even if further divided amongst them. That would certainly complicate matters in transporting Fluttershy, and that wasn’t even accounting for issues that extra weight would pose in traversing the terrain normally. She wanted to make the most of the situation, but she didn’t want to inconvenience the others, especially not Fluttershy. With a heavy sigh, Rarity slinked back away from the boulder. “Perhaps you’re right, Twilight. Forgive me, I got a little... flighty.” “It’s okay, Rarity,” Applejack said, sidling up beside Rarity and nudging her in the side. “It’s just a part o’ who ya are to be thinkin’ the fancy angle all the time. An’ anyway, what would ya’ call this one, huh? Dan? Frank?” Rarity narrowed her eyes. “I believe I asked for us never to speak of that incident again, hmm? If you’re going to resort to that to dissuade me, very well, let us just forget it.” “Aww, but I wanted to make pretty tiaras and junk!” Insipid wailed. She bounded over to Starlight and grabbed the other unicorn’s leg with both hooves. “Boss! You gotta, like, do something! Please? I want it!” Starlight gave Insipid an impatient glance, but before she could speak, Curaçao chuckled then trotted over to pull Insipid off of Starlight’s leg. “Ma capitaine, surely zere is somezing you can do. Look at ‘er, she is just so ‘opeful! Can’t you see she just vants a tiny piece?” “Miss Curaçao, we really don’t have room in our bags for this sort of cargo,” Tick Tock said. “And we’re wasting our time standing around and participating in this ruddy banter. Can we move along?” “Tick Tock’s right, we really must be moving,” Twilight said. Insipid turned her pleading, puppy-dog eyes to Twilight, causing her to take a step back. “Um... I’m sorry Insipid, but I don’t think we have the time to carve this rock up small enough for anypony to carry.” “Such a pity...” Rarity sighed. “Aw, don’t worry about it none, Rarity,” Applejack said. “You get too worked up over these sorts o’ things.” “Yeah, Rarity, it’s just a dumb ol’ rock,” Rainbow added. “You’ve got gold at home.” “That’s not the point, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, giving the rock one last desperate look. “This is a monumental find, once in a lifetime. I doubt I’ll ever get a golden opportunity like this again.” Pinkie snorted into her hoof. “Pfft... golden.” “I wish there was something we could do, Rarity, but we have more important things to worry about than souvenirs,” Twilight said. Starlight’s eyes darted between Insipid, Curaçao, and Rarity, then her mouth curled in a tiny smile. “Fear not, everypony, I have a solution.” She lit up her horn and fired a bolt of magic at the giant rock, tearing off a chunk about the size of a bowling ball. She lifted this over to Insipid, then used her magic to lift a small food container out of one of Insipid’s saddlebags. The container was already empty from their first lunch break, so Starlight opened it, lifted the boulder over it, then flashed her horn again. Her magic sliced the gold rock into the exact size and shape needed to fit snugly inside the box. What was left of the rock she tossed aside. “There we are,” she declared, patting Insipid on the head and passing over the gold-filled container. “I assume that will be satisfactory? I am afraid we lack anything larger with which to carry it.” “It’s... perfect!” Insipid grabbed the box in her hooves and hugged it tight, then collapsed to the ground due to the box’s weight. She didn’t seem to mind. “Yippee! My very own gold cube!” she cheered as she began to pirouette around the party, sluggishly lugging the box with her. “Oh my stars, I am so totally gonna make this the prettiest tiara, like, ever!” “What’s the big deal? There’s gold everywhere,” Havocwing said, scratching her head. “Vhy, ‘avocving, it is simple, non?” Curaçao asked as she watched Insipid dance about. “Insipid vanted somezing from zat particular boulder. Rarity said ‘erself zat it vas zee best gold of zee bunch, oui?” “Yeah! I’m, like, trying to be the prettiest princess, y’know? Duh,” Insipid said, rolling her eyes in Havocwing’s direction. “Pretty princesses get gold, but prettiest princess get the best gold. So like, if this gold is super totally awesome and junk, then I want it!” “And, it is my obligation as the leader of this troupe to ensure that my subordinates are operating at optimum enthusiasm,” Starlight added. “If Insipid’s happiness depends on a miniscule portion of gold, then far be it from me to deny her. It was a simple task, at any rate.” Rarity stared at Starlight a moment, then cleared her throat and stepped forward. “I wonder—" Starlight put her hoof to her forehead. “Oh, forgive me for forgetting my manners! Rarity, would you care for a portion as well? If there are no objections of course, to tarrying any further?” she said, tilting her head towards Tick Tock. Tick Tock snorted, having been distracted from looking at something that she quickly replaced into her pocket. “Whatever. When we’re through wasting time passing out souvenirs, maybe then we’ll be able to move along with our journey, hmm?” As Starlight went about carving up a similar piece of gold, Insipid sidled up beside Rarity and wrapped her in a half-hug. “See? Nothing makes a pony happier than getting what they want!” Rarity hummed and gave a small nod. It was certainly different, having somepony ask her what she wanted or to express desire for something and not have it dismissed out of hoof like a flight of fancy. Her eyes glanced over at Lockwood, then down to the sleeping Fluttershy. She knew exactly what she wanted most, and she was going to make sure it came to pass, or her name wasn’t Rarity. *** Fluttershy woke up late that night when her neck began to ache. She hadn’t felt the burning sensation since that morning at breakfast. She moved her neck in an attempt to relieve the pain, but it didn’t help much, and she found that in general it was difficult to move. Lockwood’s jacket and her hammock-harness were tightly tucked around her. At least, she thought, she was warm. The nearby campfire was a pleasant addition as well, and the soft glow allowed her to take a good look around. She noticed that her friends were sound asleep around the campsite. Is it nighttime already? Was I really asleep all day? “Ah, Fluttershy darling, you’re awake. Did you have a good sleep?” Fluttershy shifted her gaze towards Rarity’s voice and saw her unicorn friend laying beside her atop a length of the hammock-harness. That certainly explained what was keeping her makeshift blankets weighed down. “Good evening, Rarity,” she said. “I’m sorry I slept so long...” “It’s quite alright, sweetie, don’t feel ashamed,” Rarity said, patting Fluttershy’s head. “You need all the rest you can get if you want to recover quickly.” She gave Fluttershy a quick once-over. “You do seem to be looking better. The color is coming back to your face again.” “Oh, well that’s good.” Fluttershy let out a great yawn, then covered her mouth in embarrassment. “Um... s-sorry. I guess I’m still a little tired...” Rarity frowned, then scooted closer to wrap the pegasus in a hug. “Is there anything I can get you, darling? Are you hungry? Are you warm enough?” “I’m fine, Rarity, thank you,” Fluttershy said. She glanced around, curious as to the absence of another pony she figured would be nearby. He had, after all, been carrying her alongside Rarity this entire way, hadn’t he? “W-where’s Lockwood?” Rarity smiled. “Ah, Lockwood is having a little chat with Captain Flathoof over there,” she said, pointing in a direction away from the campsite. Fluttershy followed Rarity’s hoof to where two stallions were having a hushed discussion near a large rock formation. She couldn’t hear what they were talking about, but it seemed as though Flathoof was upset about something. “Flathoof seemed a tad distressed, if I’m not mistaken,” Rarity continued. She tapped her chin. “I’m used to seeing him chatting with dear Applejack, lately. Odd that he wouldn’t be speaking with her at this hour.” “I wonder what they’re talking about,” Fluttershy said. “Well I don’t know for certain of course,” Rarity said. Then, she cleared her throat. “But private matters are private matters, and it wouldn’t do to pry into another pony’s personal life, would it? Most unladylike.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement. She still recalled the embarrassment of everypony hearing about her having tail extensions. To distract herself from worry, she looked out amongst the camp again, letting her eyes linger over the sleeping figures of her other friends on one side of the campfire. Applejack, to her surprise, was asleep. This was the first time she’d seen the earth pony in such a state since they’d arrived in this strange world, as she was always awake when Fluttershy got to sleep and always woke up before the others. Twilight slept close to Applejack, and to Fluttershy’s amusement was using Tick Tock’s map as a blanket. She couldn’t see Rainbow or Pinkie, but assumed they were nearby. Then, her gaze shifted to the other side of the campfire. There lay the sleeping figures of some of the other mares she’d met that morning. Fluttershy turned her focus back to Rarity. “Um... are our new friends n-nice, Rarity? I didn’t get to talk to them much...” Rarity chuckled and patted Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Never you worry, dear, they’re all exceptional individuals. Ah, speaking of which, there’s somepony I most definitely want you to meet.” “Oh... b-but I already met all the new ponies,” Fluttershy said, raising an eyebrow. “Let’s see, their names were... Starlight Shadow, Curaçao, Grayscale Force, Insipid, and Red Velvet.” “Yes, darling, I know you met all of them already, but this other dear wasn’t there at breakfast, to my sincere disappointment,” Rarity said with a large pout. “You’d already fallen asleep again by the time she joined us, and I didn’t want to wake you. She is just the most marvelous pegasus, and was so helpful in keeping your condition stable yesterday after your encounter with that... that monster.” “That animal,” Fluttershy corrected. Rarity didn’t seem to notice. “Oh, I hope she’s still awake. Let me go fetch her.” She got up and trotted around the campfire, and Fluttershy heard her talk to somepony on the other side. This mare’s voice didn’t sound like any of the other five, and in fact sounded rather coltish, sort of like Rainbow Dash. After a moment, Rarity returned with the pony in tow. “Fluttershy, darling, I’d like you to meet Miss Havocwing,” Rarity said with a smile, gesturing to the pegasus beside her. “Miss Havocwing, this is my darling friend Fluttershy.” “Hey,” Havocwing said, tilting her head in greeting. Fluttershy nodded. “Oh... um, h-hello.” Fluttershy’s shrunk back at the sight of the newcomer. Havocwing’s lean muscles made her look every bit as built for speed and athletics as Rainbow Dash. She also had a distinct overbite with a single fang, which Fluttershy recognized as a canine from her knowledge of animals. Ponies weren’t supposed to have canines, were they? Her eyes were particularly odd, as despite having beady pupils, they seemed... familiar. “Miss Havocwing here made just the most cozy little campfire the other night when you needed to keep warm,” Rarity said, drawing Fluttershy out of her thoughts. “Tick Tock and Mister Pewter both said that keeping you warm helped keep you alive out there, and that it will likely aid in your recovery. I guess you could say Miss Havocwing helped save your life as much as anypony.” “Hey now, no need to go that far,” Havocwing said with a chuckle. “I don’t need all that sappy stuff. It’s not really my style.” Fluttershy smiled and nodded. “Well... th-thank you anyway, Miss—" “Don’t mention it.” Havocwing rolled her eyes. “No really, don’t mention it. The others might think I’m going soft, see, and I can’t afford that kind of hit to my reputation.” “R-reputation?” “Yeah! I’m my group’s heavy hitter, y’know?” Havocwing said, pounding her chest. “Out here, every traveling party needs somepony with guts. That’s me. Gutsiest pegasus alive, best damn fighter this side of Pandemonium.” Fluttershy couldn’t tell if she should be impressed or worried, or perhaps both. “Well that sounds... nice?” “She made quite an impressive show of handling one of those foul creatures, and a particularly large one at that,” Rarity added, patting Havocwing on the back. “She didn’t just save you, darling, she played a part in saving all of us.” She stuck her nose in the air and huffed. “Normally I am not such a proponent for violence, but I should think that sometimes the situation calls for a little... less refined tactics.” Havocwing shrugged. “Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.” A black, yellow, and silver blur slid up to Rarity, and Rarity to put a hoof to her face in response. The presence of Insipid was impossible to miss or ignore. Apparently, she was awake too. “Hey Rarity!” she said, giving Rarity a peppy wave. “Uh, like, could I talk to you? I need some more, y’know, advice on keeping my totally super fresh look, um... totally super fresh? My mane’s getting all droopy and junk, and I’ve got, like, no idea what to do!” Rarity put a hoof up to stop Insipid from continuing. “Yes, all right darling, I’ll be with you in a minute. Just let me finish up over here a moment, will you?” “Yes! Totally awesome!” Insipid squealed in delight and bounded away with joy, leaving an exacerbated Rarity behind. Rarity sighed, then turned to Fluttershy with an apologetic smile. “Forgive me, Fluttershy, but that poor dear has requisitioned my services as a stylist, and I feel obligated to help. Heavens, the poor dear’s mane... it’s as though she brushes it with a rake.” Havocwing snickered, then flustered a bit when she realized it had been out loud. “Will you be okay if I go help her with this for just a teensy moment? I promise I won’t be long.” Rarity frowned and rubbed her temple. “Oh... but I do hate to leave you alone. What if you get lonely, or want to talk, or—" “It’s okay if you want to help Miss Insipid, Rarity,” Fluttershy said with a tiny smile. “That’s what you do. I wouldn’t want to stop you from helping somepony else.” “Hey, I’ll stick around if you want,” Havocwing suggested, putting her hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. Rarity beamed and patted Havocwing’s hoof. “Oh, thank you Miss Havocwing, that means a lot to me. I’m sure Fluttershy would like to get to know you better as well, wouldn’t you darling?” “Oh... uh... s-sure,” Fluttershy said, her eyes darting back to the intimidating pegasus. “I’m sure we’ll... get along just f-fine...” Havocwing smiled, which only made her single fanged tooth more pronounced. “Oh, I bet.” “I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, sweetheart,” Rarity said as she tucked Lockwood’s jacket around Fluttershy more snugly. Fluttershy always enjoyed Rarity’s choice of animal metaphors; it helped put her at ease. Rarity turned back to Havocwing and put on what Fluttershy knew was her brightest smile. “Thank you again, Miss Havocwing. Do take care of her, will you? The poor dear is very sensitive, and she is important to me. Very. Important,” she added, dropping her voice. “Understand?” Havocwing shrugged. “No sweat.” Rarity waved a brief farewell to Fluttershy and trotted away, leaving the two pegasi behind. After Rarity’s departure, a silence filled the air, unbroken except by the crackling flames of the nearby campfire. Fluttershy was glad for the quiet, and began to doze off again almost instantly, as she was still tired and achy. As Rarity had said, she needed all the rest she could get. The silence faltered when Havocwing coughed. Fluttershy was startled by the sudden noise and attempted to move away from it. When she got nowhere, her eyes darted back to Havocwing. “Whoa, no need to get jumpy. Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you,” Havocwing said, her mouth curling in a nervous smile. “So, uh... yeah, how are you feeling, anyway?” Fluttershy took a deep breath. Maybe this other pony wasn’t so bad. “W-well, I still feel a little... weak,” she admitted, not meeting Havocwing’s expectant gaze. “But... at least I don’t feel much pain anymore. Only a little...” “Getting the feeling back in your wings yet?” “Y-yes, actually,” Fluttershy said. She turned her neck to look at her back as she attempted to flex her wings, but Lockwood’s jacket was in the way. “Oh dear... the jacket’s too tight...” “Here, let me.” Havocwing leaned in and loosened the jacket enough that Fluttershy could feel the bitter night air around her. Fluttershy shivered, her teeth chattering as the breeze chilled her to the bone. She was terrified at how quickly it had happened. This was nothing like having a bad cold. “B-b-but they s-said I need t-t-to keep w-warm...” she said through clenched teeth. Havocwing held out her hoof. To Fluttershy’s surprise, a spark appeared there and ignited a flame which Havocwing kept in-hoof, apparently unbothered by the heat at all. Fluttershy watched with rapt attention as the flame danced and trickled outward over Havocwing’s leg, changing color from red to blue. Havocwing then lifted her hoof and the flame to her mouth, and blew. The heated air rushed forth and accumulated under the jacket, puffing it outwards like a tiny hot air balloon. Fluttershy felt a deep warmth envelop her like a freshly-dried wool blanket. The sight baffled her. This pony could make fire without flint and tinder, or a horn to use magic. Rarity had mentioned that their new friends possessed strange magicks, which were unlike anything they’d ever seen from a normal pony before, but Fluttershy hadn’t expected this. Havocwing smiled much too widely, her fang gleaming in the light of her hoof-held flame. “That better?” Fluttershy attempted to flex her wings again, and found that, even though she could barely feel them, the sensation of their movement was definitely there. The more she let the warmth envelop her, the better they felt and the more she could move them. They were still a little numb, and she couldn’t quite feel her individual feathers, but this was an incredible improvement. “M-much better, yes,” she said with a nod and a smile. “Good, you’re recovering well then.” Havocwing tucked Fluttershy back into the jacket. “Oh man, this is harder than I thought...” she muttered. Fluttershy perked up her ears. “What’s harder?” Havocwing froze. “What? Oh, uh... I mean, it’s hard... seeing another pony like this. I’m used to seeing my sisters get into trouble, but they’re made of tougher stuff so I’m not really sure what to say or do with somepony else.” Fluttershy smiled. “Well, you’re doing a... good job. You’re... making me feel better.” “Right...” Havocwing scuffed her chin, then realized her hoof was still on fire and doused it. “Well, you should be good to start walking again within a day, I guess. You’re making a good recovery.” “Oh... y-you know about that kind of stuff?” Havocwing pounded her chest. “Psh, yeah, total expert here. I deal with those nasty monsters on a pretty regular basis.” Fluttershy frowned. “They’re not monsters; they’re animals. They’re just... d-different...” Havocwing raised an eyebrow. “Uh... right... animals. What’s with the insistence?” “Well... they’re living things, but they’re not plants or ponies, and... they don’t speak like some other creatures do, like... gryphons. To me, that makes them animals.” Fluttershy shook her head. “I don’t like seeing animals hurt.” “Ah, right, your friends said you were an animal lover.” Havocwing shrugged. “No offense, but out here, that kind of talent ain’t gonna help you much, even if you’re as good as your friends say.” “What do you mean?” “Well, if you were some sort of... I dunno, beast tamer or something, why’d that bug thing attack you?” Fluttershy hesitated. She was beginning to doubt it more every time she said it, but she said it anyway: “It was... just an accident.” Havocwing sat down and crossed her hooves over her chest. “Well, that should just go to show that they’re not animals, just monsters. I mean think about it: if they were really animals, they’d respond to you, right?” “W-well... yes, but... I mean, s-sometimes there’s a little hiccup, and—" “And you try to tame a monster, not an animal,” Havocwing interrupted. “Hey listen, that’s okay. I mean, we all make mistakes. It’s how you react that makes the difference, yeah? Some ponies like to yell, others like to swear, some just run away and cry.” She smirked and pointed at herself. “Then, there’s me, the best damn fighter this side of Pandemonium. When I get mad, I like to hit things,” she said, emphasizing the point by pounding her hooves together. “Usually I hit whatever's making me mad, so I tend to hit things a lot. How ‘bout you? What do you do when you’re mad?” Fluttershy thought for a moment. “W-well, sometimes... I get so upset that... I could scream. It n-never really comes out as much, though... I don’t have a very loud voice...” “But when you do it, doesn’t it make you feel better?” Fluttershy shook her head. “Oh no no no... I don’t like b-being mad at anypony.” “All the better reason to let it out!” Havocwing shouted. “If you let all that anger sit inside you, you risk going off at the wrong moment. You might take it out on somepony that doesn’t deserve it, right?” Fluttershy frowned, recalling her temper tantrum at the Gala. It was still a sore spot and she hated having it brought up, even if Havocwing didn’t know about it. “You... do have a point,” she admitted, “b-but... I really don’t want to hurt anypony... or anything, for that matter.” “Hey, I never said anything about hurting anypony, that’s what we’re trying to prevent, right? You just gotta start slow,” Havocwing said, waving a hoof. “If somepony tries to give you a hard time, let them know that you don’t like it. Gotta show that you’re not gonna just take it, y’know? Like some sort of... doormat?” Fluttershy was skeptical, as this sounded awfully familiar, but wanted to see where Havocwing was going with it. “Well, I’ve already kind of... had ‘assertiveness’ lessons. Lots of them, actually. They never worked quite right...” “Then you had a crappy instructor.” Havocwing shrugged. “Listen, out here you can’t afford to be a pushover. Out here, being soft is what gets you killed. Believe me, I’ve seen it happen. That’s what happened when you tried to be nice to that monster, yeah? It hurt you?” Monster. There was that word again. It disconcerted—no, infuriated—Fluttershy that everypony referred to those creatures as monsters. They were just animals that were doing what came naturally to them... right? Why did they have to keep referring to them as monsters? Just because they attacked her? Monsters. Hmph. “Um... I d-don’t think they’re really monsters,” Fluttershy muttered, more to herself than to Havocwing. “They’re just animals. They’re predators sure, b-but hunting is what predators do.” She took a deep breath and nodded. “Tick Tock is right... I... just let my guard down around a... p-predator, that’s all. They’re not monsters.” Havocwing rolled her eyes. “How many times have I heard that excuse? Listen sweetheart, those things aren’t animals, they’re just brutal, killing monsters. You haven’t gotten to see what those things can do to a pony yet, but it ain’t pretty, let me tell you. They do the same thing to each other, and that’s not predatory behavior. That’s just... wrong.” Fluttershy recalled Tick Tock’s explanation of Gargantuan breed and hunting habits, and it struck a chord. Were Tick Tock and Havocwing right? Were those things really- “I’m gonna keep sayin’ it until you believe me, because I don’t wanna see somepony get killed because of some stupid sentimentality. Assertiveness lesson one! When you know you’re right, don’t give up the fight!” Fluttershy inwardly groaned. Oh dear, she thought, more rhymes to remember. “They’re animals,” she asserted, “and I know I’m r-right, so that’s all there is to it.” Havocwing smirked. “See? There you go. You got angry there, I can tell.” Fluttershy peeped and hid behind her mane. “Sorry...” “Hey hey, don’t be sorry, that’s good!” Havocwing chuckled and sighed. “Seriously though, I’m telling you the cold, hard facts here. Ponies trying to make it out of the city are a Gargantuan’s favorite food, that’s all there is to it.” Be assertive. Defend your position. Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Well, like with... with any predator, if you just s-stay out of their hunting grounds, they won’t bother anypony.” Havocwing laughed. “That might work out here, but good luck with that in the eastern Wasteland. That’s where you’re headed after this, y’know? That whole region is Gargantuan hunting territory, so you can’t go around it. Why do you think so few ponies make it to Hope’s Point?” She smirked and scuffed her chest with a hoof. “I’ve done the run a bunch of times though. Best damn fighter this side of Pandemonium. Nothing scares me.” Fluttershy frowned. “I’m sure I could... do something to make it work.” “I dunno... I hear you tried to tame the thing last time? Well I’ll just warn you now, do that again and your friends are gonna have to scoop you up with spoons to take you home. Sorry for the blunt metaphor,” she added when Fluttershy cringed, “but it’s true. The eastern Gargantuans are a tougher stock. They don’t mess around. So, lesson two! To avoid a messy end, you’ve gotta learn to defend!” Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “Defend?” “Yup! Defend yourself, and your friends too. Those things only respond to one kind of action: violence. So, lesson three! If mutants bugs have got you down, you gotta crush ‘em to the ground!” Fluttershy squeaked, not at all liking where this was going. “You mean- oh... b-but I could never—" “You’re gonna have to learn somehow, otherwise you’re just putting yourself and your friends in danger. I hear your pals fought pretty hard even before your little accident. Smart ponies. A little slow on the uptake though, since you gotta use lethal force on them at all times, or they just keep coming. The bugs are stupid, but they’re not crazy: they won’t keep attacking something they think is a threat. So, lesson four! To save your time so you’re not late, don’t just fight, intimidate!” “I... I don’t think I could ever h-hurt another creature like that, though...” Fluttershy muttered. “Th-there has to be some other way.” “Believe me, they don’t respond to much else. Besides, you can make a little game of it.” Fluttershy balked. “A... game?” “My group runs into them all the time, so I’ve got a little bet running with Velvet and Grayscale on who can kill the most by the time we get to wherever we’re headed. We do it every time we take a trip out here.” Havocwing pounded her chest. “Yeah, I’m in the lead this run. Rescuing you guys really put me over the top.” Fluttershy’s jaw dropped. “Y-you... keep track? Of k-k-killing them?” “Yup. Great fun.” Be assertive. Tell her she’s wrong. Get mad! “H-how could you?” Fluttershy narrowed her eyes. “How could you?! They’re animals, living things!” “Whoa now, relax,” Havocwing said, holding out a hoof to keep Fluttershy under her covers. “I told you: they’re not animals, they’re monsters, and they should be destroyed. They can’t be reasoned with or tamed, they just kill, kill, kill. So why shouldn’t we do the same to them?” “That’s no reason to kill them! Just... just leave them alone!” “Like I said, in the eastern Wastelands, you can’t ‘leave them alone’. They just hunt you down relentlessly, and you can’t stop to rest because they will kill you in your sleep if given the chance. Lesson five! If all you ever do is run, when you get caught then you’ll be done.” Fluttershy sighed and wiped her eyes. “There just... there has to be some other way.” “Come on, haven’t you ever encountered a serious problem that you had to use force against?” Fluttershy made to argue again, but then came to a realization: three occasions had cropped up where she and her friends had been forced to be more than assertive, more than diplomatic. Three situations where they were forced to resort to, well, force. First there had been Nightmare Moon. She had planned to reduce Equestria to a land of eternal night, had captured Princess Celestia, and had attempted to kill her and her friends from the moment they stood in defiance of her. There was no reasoning with her, as her desire for revenge against a world she felt had snubbed her was far too great. They had to break her power using the Elements of Harmony, because she would not give it up herself. Force. Against a monster. Then, there was Discord. He threatened to throw all of Equestria into eternal chaos, and used his incredible powers to trap her and her friends in their own bodies with minds and intentions that were not their own. Fluttershy remembered too well the thoughts of cruelty of her modified self. Discord had nearly succeeded, had it not been for the bonds of friendship between her and her friends breaking them out of the spell. Then, when it came down to the final confrontation, the only thing he responded to was using the Elements of Harmony to seal him away. Even now he threatened Equestria again, and without the Elements of Harmony, what could stop him? Force. Against a monster. Then, there was Queen Chrysalis. She manipulated Twilight’s brother via the love he had for Princess Cadence, and had trapped her in a prison with no way out. She intended to take over Equestria, and with the power she’d drained from Shining Armor, she’d even been powerful enough to defeat Princess Celestia. She remembered Celestia’s first response being to use force, and the immediate thought afterwards was to gather the Elements of Harmony to wield against her. Force. Against a monster. Fluttershy nodded. “S-sometimes... yes, I can see how there are those who... r-require a d-different approach...” Havocwing smiled and patted Fluttershy’s head. “See what I mean? These monsters are like that. The sooner you realize that you can’t stop them, that you can’t run away from them, the better off you’ll be.”