//------------------------------//
// CRISIS: Equestria - Chapter Twenty-Six 
// Story: CRISIS: Equestria 
// by GanonFLCL 
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CRISIS: Equestria


Chapter Twenty-Six: Inimicality


Two distinct types of terrain made up the majority of the southeast coast of the northern continent. Near the southern exit of the World’s Wound, a solid stretch of rocky ground tapered off into a cliff that jutted a few dozen yards above the ocean and fell into the sharp rocks below. To the east, at the bottom of a steep, winding slope that hugged the cliffside, the Bonesands stretched out in a distinctly bleached white sandy expanse that was left consistently damp by the rolling tides. The beach ended at another short reach of rocky terrain, abruptly stopping at an irregular cliff that stretched for miles into the air, clear enough to be seen even from the entrance to the World’s Wound without much effort.

The slowly dying thunderstorm whipped the already rough waters of the ocean into a frenzy that lashed against the coast, smashing rock and pouring over sand. But another sound, coming from the rockstrewn entrance to the canyon, could be heard over the din of the crashing waves. The sound was gentle at first, but as it got louder, the great thunderstorm above slowly began to clear, letting the glow from the Beacon’s veil come through and shine some semblance of light on the darkness below. Its color shined brighter than ever before, almost as clear and bright as a normal summer’s day. The sound became clearer, and the crashing waves became whispers, eventually being drowned out entirely so that the only thing one could hear at all for miles around was just this one entrancing sound.

A softly twanging banjo, with a cheerful, peppy voice singing a heartfelt song in tune with the slow and gentle notes. The sound of drawing violins and the striking of piano keys joined the strumming banjo, until it became a full orchestral collection of instruments. Their music was carried along by the brisk sea breeze in a slow, light-hearted melody.

“♫Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
And what's on the oooother side?
Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see
Someday we'll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me

Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somepony thought of that
And somepony believed it
Look what it's done so far
What's so amazing
That keeps us stargazing
And what do we think we might see
Someday we'll find it
That Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me
Aaaall of us under its spell
We know that it's probably maaaagiiiic

Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name
Is this the sweet sound 
That called the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm supposed to be
Someday we'll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me ♫”

Pinkie Pie slowly strummed the banjo a few more times before the sound died out completely, the other instruments - none of which were present - dying out with it. As soon as she stopped, the sound of the ocean came roaring back as if it had never been gone; it was loud enough that it actually shook the group out of the temporary dazed focus they’d all been in.

Rainbow Dash let out a loud sniff and hurriedly wiped her eyes. “D-dangit, Pinks... you know that song always... m-makes me...”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, a wide smile on her face. She playfully nudged Rainbow in the side. “Well ain’t this somethin’? Golly, Rainbow... are y’all... cryin’?”

Rainbow rubbed her eyes again, frantically trying to hide her face in the collar of her jacket. “I’m not crying! Really! I got... sand... in my eyes. Sand!”

Pinkie, banjo in hoof, leaned over to Applejack and said matter-of-factly, “Oh, she is. She always cries when I sing this song. And she loves it, don’t you Dashie? After all, it’s our song! I love it too - it’s totally super sweet and all, and reminds me of just why I love her so dang much!”

Rainbow sniffed again. “D-dangit Pinks!”

“That was... well, the only way I can describe it is very sweet, Pinkie. Touching, really,” Rarity smiled sincerely, patting the earth pony on the shoulder, “I didn’t know you and Rainbow already had a song. And such a wonderful choice! It is awfully romantic.”

“It’s... nice,” Fluttershy agreed with a grin, “I feel happy just listening to it...”

Twilight gave a light nod, “So do I, Fluttershy. Usually... I find Pinkie’s songs to be... unnecessary, but this... was nice.”

Flathoof nodded as well, “Yes... it was very nice. I never pegged you for such a good singer when it came down to it, Pinkie. Most of the songs you’ve sung have been more... uh...”

“Weird?” Tick Tock suggested.

“Silly,” Flathoof corrected, “All good songs to be sure, but... uh... not really anything I’d consider ‘emotional’.

Pinkie smiled and returned her banjo to her mane, then wrapped Rainbow Dash in a tight hug. “See, Dashie? Everypony loves it! Happiness everywhere! Mission accomplished! C’mon everypony! We can turn those frowns upside-down! We’re on the home stretch, so let’s get ready to give those Hope’s Point ponies some big happy smiles!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I bet they’re just dying to see us. Hmph...” she sighed, “I really wish I’d known what to do... that I hadn’t tried to do it alone. I can’t say enough how sorry I am that I left you guys alone...”

“Awww, you don’t have to keep apologizing for that, really,” Pinkie said, hugging the pegasus tightly, “We’re all feeling bad, Dashie. This is the hardest thing we’ve ever done! Six days without food, fighting for our lives every other day? I bet when we’re all done with this adventure, when we get back home, we’re gonna be able to beat ol’ Discord up without the Elements of Harmony at all!”

“Discord... right.” Rainbow flittered her wings nervously. “Well... to be honest guys, I think I should tell you all something else. I mean... I know I said a lot of mean things, and I’d love to blame it all on lack of food, but... a lot of it came from me.”

Applejack rolled her eyes and rustled Dash’s mane. “Dash, really, ya heard Pinkie. Ya heard me. We all said it - we forgive ya. Y’all don’t need ta keep-”

“No no, hear me out, I’ve got something more important to say than that,” Rainbow interrupted, “I know a lot of what I said came from me. All of that was in my head, in my heart. But, I was sort of spurred along, I think, into seeing things as being worse than they really were.” She sighed, “Grayscale Force and I talked a lot before we all split and... I think I took a lot of what she said to heart that I shouldn’t have.”

Rarity and Fluttershy shared brief glances. The unicorn coughed. “I think I understand what you’re talking about, Rainbow Dash. Miss Force said something that sounds similar to what you’re saying here. You told her... an awful lot about what you were thinking, didn’t you? Confided in her? Darling, if something we were doing was bothering you, why didn’t you say something sooner?”

Rainbow nodded, “I didn’t want to bring it up to any of you, because a lot of the thoughts were... very negative. I didn’t want to upset you guys, you know, get us off track? But the more I talked about it, the more Grayscale convinced me that I was right and that I should... take action. That I should make you guys see what I was seeing. And the more things seemed to go wrong, the more I was convinced she was right.” She let her wings droop. “I exploded at you guys because I’d hit the last straw... and... I’m sorry.”

“She seemed... happy about you leaving,” Fluttershy added, “Like she wanted it to happen.”

“Yes, that she did,” Rarity agreed, “At the time I thought it was odd, since she and Starlight Shadow seemed to have been dead set on you and her facing off. But now that you bring this up... I wonder if there’s something more to all of this?”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “What did she and Starlight say after that?”

“Starlight praised her for her efforts,” Rarity hummed, “She said something about their father being pleased with her ‘success’. Again, I thought of that as odd. Contradictory, even. If their plan was to have you and Grayscale battle one another, then why would she want you to leave?”

Rainbow waved a hoof and frowned. “So wait... she acknowledged she was trying to do it? Trying to... I dunno, manipulate me or something?” Rarity nodded firmly. Rainbow clapped her hooves together in realization. “I knew it! That’s exactly what my reflection was trying to convince me of!”

“Your... reflection?” Tick Tock asked.

“Long story,” Rainbow Dash dismissed, “Say... I wonder if...” Her eyes lit up. “Hey! What if the others were trying to do the same to the rest of you? I didn’t even notice Grayscale was doing it until it was too late, but heck if I’m going to let her dumb sisters do the same to the rest of you. So think, did any of them say anything... suspicious?”

Pinkie scratched her chin. “Well, remember how Red was trying to scare me and stuff? Maybe that was her trying to keep me from being happy, like... the opposite of laughing? Seems kind of an awkward way of going about it though. Well yeah, actually, that makes sense. No wonder she went after Fluttershy - her attempts to scare me weren’t working, right? So that was what she was doing, but she wasn’t doing a very good job. It must be frustrating being no good at your job.”

“I... wouldn’t exactly call her ‘no good’ at it, Pinkie,” Flathoof coughed.

“Well, she was,” Pinkie huffed, “At least, at first. She got better.”

“Personally, I don’t think Insipid was doing much to me, if she was even attempting to do so at all,” Rarity stated, “She tried to get me to do what she wanted, and all that seemed to be was giving her beauty advice and makeovers. Such a waste of my talent. I don’t see how that would be trying to turn my generosity around - if anything, it proves how generous I am, to give her something she wants when I barely even know the girl.”

“Hmmm... yeah, that is kind of weird,” Rainbow Dash acknowledged, “It’s like she got it backwards.”

Rarity continued, “Oh, and she didn’t bother to keep up with maintaining any of it! So then she goes and cheats by using that rotten Curaçao’s magic somehow to make herself look better. That doesn’t even make any sense! If Curaçao can turn invisible, then how does that lend to Insipid being able to turn pretty? Hmph. Surely she must’ve said something just awful to you, Applejack?”

“Now, I know that that there Curaçao filly was downright awful to ya, Rarity, but I’m gonna go ahead an’ disagree with ya there,” Applejack said firmly, “All that she ever talked ta me ‘bout was navigatin’, an’ family, an’ friends. She seemed real int’rested in talkin’ with me about this ‘n’ that. Ta be honest, if it weren’t fer y’all an’ Pinkie tellin’ me that she fights all dirty like, I’d‘ve said she was a pretty decent mare all ‘round.”

“Really? Nothing?” Rainbow shrugged, and turned to Fluttershy. “Huh... well... what about you, Fluttershy? Havocwing say anything to you to try and get you to be less kind or something?”

Fluttershy thought a moment. “Oh... w-well now that I think of it, the only thing Havocwing and I really talked about was her trying to help me be more assertive. And she did a really good job at it too, I think, so I don’t... I don’t see how that’s a negative at all.” She looked over at Rarity a moment, frowned, and shook her head. “At least... I think so. I don’t feel less kind. I have been taking care of Lockwood after all. If I wasn’t kind, I probably wouldn’t care... right?”

“Well... despite that... I think... I-I think I see where you’re going with this... Rainbow Dash,” Twilight breathed, still leaning into Tick Tock for support, “Starlight... she was trying to convince me to be a leader... but... but a leader more like... she is. Not so much... a leader... as a violent... egotistical sociopath that somepony... decided to place in charge.”

“A brute, basically?” Rarity scoffed.

Twilight glumly nodded, “I... I’d considered what she said, at one point. But... then everything started going wrong... and then I got hurt. After everything that’s happened... I think that now I realize that... I’m no leader...”

Rainbow frowned, “Hey, c’mon Twi, nopony said that. Oh... um... other than me... but I was mad! I didn’t really-”

“You did, Rainbow. You said it, and you... meant every word, even if... somepony else spurred you along. And you know what? You’re right,” Twilight wheezed, “Everything that’s happened... since we left the city... could have been avoided had I just... listened to everypony in the first place...”

Tick Tock rolled her eyes, “Really, Twilight, everything could have been avoided if things had just gone according to plan. If it weren’t for my rotten bad luck apparently spreading to all of us, we’d be in Utopia by now.”

“Yeah, but it’s my fault... that things got so... out of hoof... so quickly. I could’ve done more to... make things right...”

“I could’ve been nicer,” Tick Tock said adamantly, “If I’d been honest with you all in the first place about the volcanoes, we might not have ever taken that route in the first place. It’s my fault we went that way, not yours for listening to me.”

“But it’s my fault I-” Twilight started again.

“Guys, really?” Rainbow grunted, “This is exactly what they want: for us to fight with one another over stupid stuff like this. Let’s just drop it, okay?”

“Rainbow’s right, of course,” Rarity chimed in, “Nopony here is solely to blame for anything that’s happened to us throughout our travels, and in fact a great deal of our misfortunes have just been simply bad luck, not anypony making bad decisions.” She chanced a quick glance at Lockwood and made to speak again, but Fluttershy’s stern look in her direction made her reconsider.

“Saaay...” Pinkie said, pointing a hoof, “This all sounds pretty familiar, doesn’t it?”

“It does sound awfully similar to what Discord attempted to do to us all,” Rarity nodded, giving a glance at Tick Tock, who nodded in approval, “Tick Tock had a similar theory, didn’t you dear?”

Tick Tock cleared her throat, “Well, as you say, it was just a theory, but this new information certainly fits together with it spectacularly. If anything, I’d say that perhaps there is a connection here that we’re not seeing. Why would they have been trying to corrupt you all in such ways? If they’re answering to Nihila, as we believe they are, does she have some connection to this Discord fellow? Considering that Nihila and Harmonia possess the power to create dimensional portals, it just makes me... curious.”

“What, like Nihila and Discord are in cahoots and worked together to bring us here?” Rainbow suggested.

Tick Tock shrugged. “A distinct possibility. You did after all end up right at her doorstep, and theoretically they would be able to communicate, but with him encased in stone as you say he was, that seems unlikely. Still, I’m not about to discount anything. All we know is that you should all be wary as to anything those six said to you. As Rainbow Dash so clearly pointed out, even if it seemed like they were helping you... they could have been manipulating you.”

Applejack spoke in her own defense. “I don’t rightly see how anythin’ that Curaçao said was tryin’ ta manipulate me. Like I said, all we talked about were navigatin’ - which even y’all, Tick Tock, agree was good fer us in the long run - an’ family, an’ nothin’ she said there seemed the slightest bit dirty or dishonest. I’m mighty good at spottin’ liars, an’ everythin’ that mare said was as wholesome as apple pie.” Everypony’s stomachs rumbled. “Shoot, I mentioned food ‘gain didn’t I? Sorry.”

The party continued talking as they hiked down the winding cliffside trail. Once they reached the bottom, they looked out upon the large stretch of the whitest sands they’d ever seen. At the other end of the expanse, they could still clearly see the massive cliff that Rainbow and Tick Tock assured them led up to Hope’s Point. Rainbow was glad that for once she was able to help confirm things Tick Tock said and feel like a part of their navigating as well. 

Suddenly, Tick Tock trotted forward with Twilight in tow, and brought her over to Flathoof. She shoved her leg into his chest, forcing him to stop in his tracks. To the surprise of everypony who saw her do it, she set her to lean on him instead without a word to either of them.

“Eh?” Flathoof blinked, “Tick Tock?”

She cantered forward with a brisk pace to stop Applejack, who was as always at the front of the group, from stepping off the rocky ledge and jumping eagerly into the sand proper. The earth pony stomped a hoof in annoyance and tried to go around Tick Tock, but the unicorn shifted slightly to bar her path again.

“Whoa there, Applejack, let’s not be too hasty now,” Tick Tock warned, putting her hooves up in defense.

“Huh?” Applejack asked, eyebrow raised, “What gives? Come on, we’re almost there, let me just hop in and-”

“Trust me,” Tick Tock interrupted, “It’s not a good idea to just ‘hop in’. Beyond here, we’re officially in the Bonesands, and I assure you that like everything else out here, that name isn’t ironic. It would do you well not to just wander out like some wide-eyed idealist, understand? We were supposed to be able to skip this bleedin’ place, but both those options are out of the question now so we’re stuck trying to cross, and that’s not exactly a walk in the park.”

“I still don’t see what’s the big deal about this place that’s got you all jittery,” Rainbow Dash stated, “I flew over it earlier, and I didn’t see anything dangerous about it at all. Other than the weird color of the sand, it looks like any other beach.”

“That’s because you didn’t step in it, though with your speed I doubt you’d have had any trouble getting away,” Tick Tock explained, casually stretching her hooves, “Okay everypony, limber up! Get those legs stretched, because we’re going to be moving hard, and moving fast. I know we’re all exhausted, but we’ve got to push with everything we’ve got. If we go at top speed, we’ll be at the other side in a couple of hours, and we can’t afford to dawdle. No stopping, no rests, just running. Got it?”

The others all looked at each other tentatively, not at all liking the sound of running full speed for hours on empty stomachs and with various lingering injuries. 

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes impatiently. “No, really. What’s the big deal? I don’t see anything out there that even looks-”

Tick Tock rolled her eyes and held a hoof up to interrupt the pegasus. “You’re acquainted with Gargantuans, yes? Horrible mutant bugs, killing machines?”

Rainbow huffed. “Yeah, I’m-”

“Familiar with the fact that they live underground and only surface to kill or feed or mate then?”

“Yeah...?”

“Well, then you shouldn’t be surprised that the creatures that live here are also underground dwellers until provoked, and by provoked I mean you just walk on the bloody sand. We need to move, and we need to move fast. Silt threshers are arguably more dangerous than Gargantuans in the proper numbers, and with my luck there will be proper numbers.”

“What the hay is a ‘silt thresher’?” Rainbow scratched her head.

Applejack, to everypony’s surprise, spoke up. “Well, ‘silt’ is like sand or sediment, normally carried along by water. And ta ‘thresh’ means ta separate, like grain from wheat.” Tick Tock and Twilight in particular looked at her with welcome praise. “What? Silt is earth-stuff, an’ threshin’ is farm stuff. I ain’t allowed ta know yer fancy-”

Tick Tock calmed her, “No no, we’re just... impressed, is all. That was a well-put definition.”

“Yeah well, it don’t explain none what the hay they are,” Applejack huffed, “How d’ya thresh silt?”

Tick Tock smiled, “They’re difficult to explain straight away, but you’ll see them soon enough. Short version is, they’re magically-infused creatures that have been given life and enchanted to protect a certain pony, place, or thing. In this case, they’re charged with protecting the Bonesands to keep ponies out of Hope’s Point - the Pandemonium military had them created maybe... oh, ten years after Hope’s Point really started making a name for itself some fifty, sixty years ago. If Pandemonium is going to lose any taxpaying citizens, it wants to milk every last drop of money it can get out of them, and them saving money on an airship ticket by coming here is decidedly a strike against them.”

“That’s... that’s just cruel,” Fluttershy frowned, “Don’t they know ponies might die if they do something like that?”

Tick Tock gave her a look. “Sweetheart, that’s the point. Bloody dangerous things. Scared off a lot of potential travelers, but you still get a few brave souls that attempt the crossing.”

“Well that’s a waste,” Rainbow scoffed, “I flew over just fine, so any pegasus could. Seems pretty dumb to have a defense that only stops two out of three ponies.”

“I said they were dangerous, not that their creators were smart,” Tick Tock laughed. “As far as what the significance to their name... well, they’re basically threshers made of silt, not things that thresh silt. I can’t really explain much more than that, sorry to say, but as I said you’ll see soon enough, I guarantee it.” She turned to her other side. “Flathoof! Do you think you can carry two ponies?”

Flathoof pointed at himself. “Me? Well, sure, I think I can manage that.” He scratched his ear then shifted his hoof to point at the unicorn leaning against his side. “Let me guess - Twilight’s gonna be my second passenger? Is that okay with you, Twilight?”

Twilight nodded weakly, “I’m okay with it. I suppose... since we have to move quickly... I’m in better hooves... with you...”

Tick Tock nodded, “Right. I can’t move at top speed while helping her walk, and we all need to be moving top speed. You can move fast enough with both of them, Flathoof. I’ll help keep her and Lockwood steady, while the rest of you all keep us covered. Sound good?”

“I... yes?” Rainbow said, tilting her head.

“Well, let’s see what these here things are like then, I guess?” Applejack nodded as she straightened her hat.

“I’m not looking forward to this, not one bit...” Rarity grumbled, “But I suppose we have little choice.”

The group all lined up just beside the sand while Fluttershy helped Twilight up on Flathoof’s back, nesting her comfortably in place next to Lockwood, who was still asleep. Tick Tock tied them in with a rope-like extension of her magic, and double-checked to make sure it was tight but not uncomfortably so. With a deep breath, she signaled for the group to move out. Everypony took a few anxious steps into the sand, expecting something to pop out at any second. They could feel thicker, harder sediment beneath the wet sand, stabilizing the path. For several dozen yards nothing seemed to happen, at least nothing that warranted Tick Tock’s warnings. Just sloshy sand and wet hooves. 

Rainbow Dash let out a long, aggravated sigh. “See? What did I tell ya? Nothing. Just a big bunch of nothing,” she grumbled.

“Just keep moving!” Tick Tock shouted back, “We don’t have time to-”

The wet sand in front of her exploded upwards. She and Flathoof screeched to a halt to avoid running straight into the pillar that was rising from below. Applejack, who’d been just in front of them, was knocked flying several dozen yards ahead. She tumbled forward, barely holding onto her hat as she rolled through the surf into another burst of sand to come to a stop. Tick Tock did not waste time, and hurriedly ushered Flathoof around it, gesturing for the others to follow. As they did so, more sand burst out around them, forming mounds that pursued the fleeing ponies.

“What in the hay are these things?!” Applejack yelled as she narrowly avoided another burst of sand while trying to get to her hooves.

“These are bloody things I was talking about!” Tick Tock yelled, trying to keep up with Flathoof and barely avoiding tripping over the unstable ground.

The mounds began to form great towers, several feet tall and almost as wide. As soon as they were tall enough to be out of the surf, the sand dried, hardening into tightly-packed torsos. These sprouted long, thick arms at their sides. Glowing red eyes blinked in where their expected heads would be. Their bottoms were still firmly attached to the sand beneath them, which they slid through with astounding pace, as if skating along ice. As they gave chase, they let loose roars that echoed through their sandy bodies. They were gaining, and they were gaining fast.

“This isn’t good!” Tick Tock yelled, “We’re not moving fast enough!”

“Sounds like y’all need a distraction,” Applejack grunted from the front, changing directions and throwing her hat over to Rarity, who barely caught it with in her teeth.

The unicorn flipped it up and it plopped on her head, and she gave Applejack a worried look, knowing full well what Applejack was attempting to do. “Applejack! What in Equestria do you think you’re doing?!” she yelled as Applejack bounded briskly over her head.

“Givin’ y’all a distraction! Tick Tock said I can handle mahself out here without none o’ yer help, and I mean ta prove it!”

“Oh no you don’t!” Rainbow shouted as she looped around and gave chase, “If anypony here is good at being a distraction, it’s me! I can move fast enough to catch back up!”

“Fine, whatever, y’all can come along! C’mon, let’s buy th’ others some time!”

“You got it, AJ!” Rainbow called with a salute.

Exploding into a lightning bolt, she careened straight at the nearest patch of the sand creatures, punching straight through one, then another, and another, zipping back and forth through them with as much force as she could muster. The golems all looked down at the holes left in their forms, and without further thought turned towards the direction Dash had charged in, gathering up sand from beneath them with their hands to fill in the chunks they were missing as they did so.

Applejack, her body made of the same sand as the golems, easily avoided swipes and jabs by sinking into the sand. She popped up again in front of one to buck as hard as she could and smashed its ‘head’ apart. The thresher groped around where it had been struck, and used the sand from its hand to rebuild the missing bit before sinking its arm into the sand below and refilling its arm. Applejack grit her teeth and spat on the ground.

“Well shucks, ain’t that a fine how-d’ya-do? These things jus’ rebuild themselves! How’re we s’pposed ta-”

Another thresher burst out of the sand and, letting loose a guttural growl, raised an arm to bash Applejack in the head. She had no time to defend herself. Then, in an instant, it was set upon by a ferocious Pinkie, who ruthlessly did the same to it what it was about to attempt upon Applejack. She sliced through its head multiple times with a glowing, pointed blade attached to her leg until it was just a pile of sand on the ground. When the thing was finally worn down, she hopped off its remains and joined AJ at her side.

Applejack gawked for a dumbfounded second, and got a chance to take a good look at Pinkie’s new... costume. The party pony was covered head to hoof in armor that hid all of her soft parts completely. A thick black bodysuit showed through at the joints of her legs, along her spine, midsection, and neck. Dark green plating covered other crucial areas for additional protection. Once again a matching helmet hid her face, with her eyes completely obscured behind an orange-gold reflective visor.

“Pinkie-245, reporting for duty!” Pinkie saluted, her voice distorted from behind the helmet.

“I swear,” Applejack muttered.

Pinkie scoffed, “That’s a pretty bad habit, Applejack. I’ve been trying to get Dashie to quit it since she’d been real bad about it since we got to this world and all. Don’t make me get out the swear jar.”

Applejack shook her head. “Pinkie! What in the hay’re y’all doin’ here?! Ya shoulda stayed with th’ others!”

“Uh duh? You said you needed a distraction, and I’m the most distracting thing ever? Helloooo. Pay attention, AJ.”

Applejack blinked, then sighed, “Can’t argue with that logic. C’mon! We’ve got work ta do! Do... whatever it is yer new costume let’s ya do, I guess. I ain’t got any idea how ta direct y’all with yer powers changin’ e’ry other day.”

“Don’t sweat it. I am the pinnacle of military efficiency,” Pinkie Pie said with another salute.

Pinkie placed the device where the blade generated from on a slot near her flank, then grabbed a bulky weapon off her back, leveled it, and went charging headlong into the next batch spraying bullets all the while, leaving Applejack behind to gather her wits. She was distracted by a rumbling sound behind her, and turned to face it. The thing Pinkie had just finished smashing into the sand was collecting itself again or perhaps being replaced by another one, Applejack wasn’t sure which, but it was just like the others had been doing even when this one had been totally beaten into the ground. For a frantic second, Applejack remembered dealing with the abominations from the Blood Mire, endless in number, and realized in horror that these were worse. Much worse.

She turned back and yelled into the sky. “Rainbow Dash! This ain’t workin’! They’re just gettin’ right back up!”

Rainbow swooped around. “Shoot... alright, I’ve got an idea! You two keep them gathered together!”

Rainbow zipped over the remaining stretch of beach to the ocean and swept low, skimming the surface and picking up water as she flew. She looped back around with a collection of it in her wake, carrying it along and forming a cloud that was easy to corral behind her. Once over the beach again, she delivered a swift kick to her cloud, cascading water down on one bunch of the threshers that had been grouped together by the two earth ponies. Their arms flailed and clumped together. Dampened and weak, they crumbled apart like poorly-built sand castles. The sand beneath them, also wet, tried to repair them, but as soon as one was formed it immediately crumbled to the ground again..

“Well, that worked!” Applejack shouted happily, “C’mon, let’s catch up... ta...” 

Her eyes widened as she watched the sand below her. She could feel movement heading east, with a pace much faster than she thought possible. Compounding that, so few of the threshers were bothering to attack her or Pinkie anymore. Almost as if- 

“Consarnit, we’re th’ ones bein’ distracted! They’re headin’ fer th’ others! We gotta move!” She turned sharply and darted east with all the speed she could muster, merging herself with the sand so that she could move through it unabated.

“Right behind you, AJ!” Rainbow called as she darted forward to catch up.

“We’ve got your back!” Pinkie shouted, putting away her rifle and sprinting as fast as her legs could carry her, which Applejack was surprised to see was actually very fast.

Rainbow and Pinkie overtook Applejack after only a few dozen yards of running, as Applejack was busy trying to stamp out more of the threshers as they formed to prevent them from becoming obstacles. She found it rather trying on her patience as they sunk back down and popped back up in random locations, causing her to lose her footing several times before realizing she’d lost a ton of ground. She abandoned her task and set out to catch up, when her leg was caught by one of the creatures reaching out and grabbing her, causing her to trip, yell, and fall face first into the sand. Rainbow heard her yell and turned to sweep back for her as more threshers popped up to overtake their fallen prey. Pinkie followed suit, grabbing her rifle again and taking potshots at the threshers that were trying to envelop Applejack.

“Just get movin’!” Applejack shouted as she kicked the thing off her leg and leapt out of the way of another one swinging its fists down at her, “I’ll be fine, y’all get back ta Twilight an’ th’ others! Go! Go!”

“But AJ-” Pinkie started.

“Just go, dagnabit!”

Pinkie and Rainbow looked at one another, and with hesitation turned back around and raced east towards the others. More of the threshers kept springing up beneath them. Ahead, they could see more of the mounds moving east, chasing after the other group. Rainbow snagged Pinkie up in her hooves and lifted her up to fly over the threshers attempt to bar their path, and flew faster than before to try and catch up. They saw could see their friends now, far ahead, their pace slowed by trying to fight off the monsters that got too close for comfort, which with only Fluttershy and Rarity to do the job was proving next to impossible. 

They could see Fluttershy flying overhead, keeping up just out of reach of the silt threshers. Ophanim, changing into seemingly random animal forms, delayed as many as he could before falling out of range, zipping back to Fluttershy, and starting again. This served almost no purpose at all other than keeping the threshers off of them for seconds at a time, because as soon as Ophanim was gone, the threshers he was dealing with just dug underground and gave chase again, able to catch back up in seconds to deal with Ophanim once more. The familiar’s strikes were growing more and more sparse, and he was having difficulty standing. He would not last much longer on his own.

Rarity, of course, was doing what she could to keep Tick Tock boosted. The green unicorn had extended a Barrier in front of Flathoof to help him plow through threshers that attempted to spring up in their path, but she was still growing more and more drained. She desperately tried to help defend the group, launching bolts of magic to and fro, while at the same time trying to ensure Twilight and Lockwood were safely on Flathoof’s back. Rarity herself occasionally flung any rocks she could find at the nearest thresher, stopping it for all of a few seconds before it regenerated and was back in pursuit.

Rainbow and Pinkie joined the fray with an explosive entrance: Rainbow Dash flung Pinkie as hard as she could into the middle of their group of friends. The earth pony was quick to nimbly land on the head of one of the creatures that was much too close to Rarity for comfort. She bashed its head in with the butt of her rifle, primed a grenade, and inserted it into the gaping space that she’d created before leaping off. The thresher regenerated its head and made to lash out at her, then the grenade exploded, spraying sand everywhere.

Meanwhile, Rainbow arced around and rocketed through the nearest group of threshers she could find with more force that she’d been using before. She proceeded to spin around them to create a quick whirlwind that swept their sand away as they attempted to regenerate. All this did was slow the process down. The creatures continued to pay no attention to her and focused instead on the targets they could actually reach, making Rainbow quite upset that she was being ignored.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the creatures reacted not only to movement in general, but to the amount of movement in the area. When Pinkie had landed on the sand and joined them, more of the things started popping up than had been there before, and it did not take long for them to start to overwhelm the group. 

Tick Tock was forced to stop using her Barrier entirely, focusing more attention on keeping Flathoof’s passengers stable so that the bulky stallion could assist in driving off some of the threshers that were getting too close to Rarity. The white unicorn seemed to be their primary target; they were not only strong, fast, able to regenerate, and capable of creating a distraction, but could also organize and single-out what they considered a threat. Fluttershy tried to do her best to direct Ophanim from her higher vantage point, but his light was flickering out by the minute. Rainbow’s lightning and Pinkie’s weaponry weren’t buying them any ground either, and within minutes, they found themselves surrounded, and despite everything they were doing, nothing seemed to keep the creatures down.

“Dammit,” Tick Tock spat, “This would’ve been much easier if we could all move faster...”

“We’re gonna have to blast our way out,” Rainbow claimed, “Ready, Pinks? Focus everything you’ve got on the eastern group, we’ll punch on through.”

“Roger that, Dashie,” Pinkie saluted, priming another grenade, this one a ball-shaped one that glowed a bright bluish-purple, “Let’s do-”

A noise behind them drew their attention as another of the creatures burst forth from the ground in close proximity to Pinkie, knocking her off balance. Rainbow was about to move towards the thing when it suddenly turned and, to their surprise, smashed another one of the creatures square between its eyes, crushing its head completely. The ponies all watched in stunned awe as the new thresher began to tear through ranks of the others, eventually causing them to draw their attention away from the ponies and onto itself. Rarity’s eyes widened in surprise, and without a word she let loose a torrent of magic at the newcomer. It doubled in size, allowing it to knock away the great number of opponents that had begun to clamor upon it without a second thought. The big one single-mindedly reached its great hands into the heads of its enemies and ripped something out, and either threw it aside or crushed it in its grip. Whatever it was doing, it was preventing the things from regenerating.

Before long, the giant sand creature had cleared away all the smaller ones. The ponies all gasped as it turned upon them. The creature lowered its head down to Rainbow Dash, who’d charged ahead a little to place herself between her friends and the giant thresher. The sand on its face melted away, and Rainbow’s jaw dropped when she saw the familiar shape of Applejack there, her body made of a strange purple rock that glowed in the light of Tick Tock’s horn.

“Well howdy there, Dash!” Applejack chuckled, “Y’all look like ya was ready ta try and wallop me. If’n y’all ‘re lookin’ ta tussle with me now, I’m game.”

“Applejack?” Rainbow blinked. She turned to Rarity, “You knew? I figured it was a berserk one or something.”

“Well of course it’s Applejack,” Rarity nodded with a wide smile, “I saw the creature’s eyes when it looked at us earlier. The others all have these little beady red eyes, very unsavory. It makes them look absolutely dreadful. This one’s eyes were green, just like dear Applejack’s. I put two-and-two together, simple as that.”

“But... how?” Rainbow said, scratching her head as she circled around Applejack’s ‘vehicle’.

Applejack flexed a foreleg, causing one of the arms of the thresher she now controlled to mimic her movement. “See this here weird rock I’m made of? Found it in the head o’ this thresher thing while swimmin’ around back there, thought it looked mighty suspicious.”

Tick Tock brightened, “Aha! That’s it!”

“What’s it?” Rainbow asked.

“Silt threshers are magical constructs, and so are required to have some sort of ‘foundation’, similar to a living thing’s organs but focused on a single object. It could be considered a weak-point of sorts. Like a...” She thought a moment to think of the correct word. “‘Heart’, I suppose.”

“So this... uh... ‘heart’?” Rainbow Dash mused, “It’s made of this weird rock?”

“Eeyup,” Applejack smiled, “And it ain’t all weird neither, or at least it ain’t nothing I can’t work with. I can tap inta it jus’ like dirt or sand or anythin’ like that. So, I’m the new ‘heart’ o’ this here thing, that I am. An’ since I know what the rock looks an’ feels like, I can sense it in th’ other threshers too, seek ‘em out, and break ‘em apart.”

“Cooool,” Pinkie said, poking Applejack’s thresher’s torso with a hoof. Applejack chuckled at the touch, making Pinkie grin wide, “Ooh, AJ’s new thing is ticklish! I’m gonna-”

“Well if the magic lesson is over,” Flathoof interrupted, putting a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder to stop her, “Can we get a move on?”

“Oh! Yes, of course,” Tick Tock hastily blurted, “We’re a little more than halfway across now, let’s keep up the pace and our new escort can keep us covered. Applejack, if you’d like to take the lead?”

“Thank ya kindly,” Applejack nodded, letting the sand around her collect again and hide her from view. She circled around the party and took point, then gestured that she was ready. 

Tick Tock and Fluttershy double-checked to make sure Lockwood and Twilight, the former of which was still fast asleep and the latter of which was barely even registering anything that was going on anymore. The others straightened themselves up, and with an rallying cry from Tick Tock-

“Onward!”

They were off. 

The ponies galloped ahead, Applejack’s enormous personal sand golem leading the way. More silt threshers popped up around them en route, but with Applejack’s assistance, the entire grueling experience had been reduced to a mere exercise in caution. The giant golem slammed its hands into random parts of the creatures as they came forward to attack her, sometimes fishing around inside to find the little magical rock, which she’d then toss skyward for Rainbow Dash to catch and smash or Pinkie to shoot out of the sky. They reached the rocky slope that led off the beach and towards the cliff, and the party quickened their pace to get out of the sand; Applejack stayed just at the edge, and turned around back towards the beach to face the growing horde of threshers charging after them.

“I’ll clear out these here stragglers,” she called, “Y’all go on ahead.”

Rainbow Dash hurriedly took the lead, coralling her friends over to the large metal and glass box at the bottom of the cliff that the party rushed to board. Rainbow stayed outside, not needing to take an elevator up; Fluttershy did not follow suit, and went inside to keep an eye on Lockwood. Once the party had completely boarded, Tick Tock, the last one in, pressed a big green button on the stand just beside the platform door, shutting the door behind her. With a great clang, followed by a loud whirr, the platform started to rise off of its metal base.

“C’mon, AJ! We’re leaving!” Rainbow called.

Applejack continued to beat back oncoming threshers, and yelled back, “I’ll catch up! Don’t worry ‘bout me none!”

The others watched Applejack fight off dozens of the smaller things as they continued to ascend the cliff, and despite the frighteningly slow pace they were soon well out of any sort of height that Applejack would be able to jump to.

“AJ! Come on!” yelled Pinkie, opening the door and leaning out to make sure her voice carried through. Tick Tock and Rarity had to grab her and yank her back in to keep from falling.

“Darling, really!” Rarity chimed in, latching her magic onto the door so she could close it, “You won’t be able to catch us at this rate!”

Applejack ignored them and continued to fight even as she was swarmed upon by more and more of the smaller threshers, not wanting to risk any of them being able to somehow get to her friends. She turned again, and saw how high up her friends were. Confident they were safe, she swept a mighty arm in a wide arc and swatted a great deal of the threshers away from her. In an instant, she burst out from the back of her thresher’s head, causing it to crumble apart without its power source. The other threshers gave chase, but Applejack had fused her energy with the solid rock beneath her hooves, abandoning the strange material she’d been made of in favor of more traditional earth, and with this connection she was able to move much faster than they could. She grit her teeth and leapt, but landed nowhere near the elevator platform, which was now much too high for her to jump to. She hadn’t been aiming for that though. Instead, she latched onto the cliff itself, jamming her hooves roughly into the rock and sticking there effortlessly. She looked down below as the pursuing threshers below rushed up to the wall and stopped. They stared upwards for a few moments, then scattered back to the sands, where they melted away in retreat. Rainbow swooped below the platform and attempted to grab Applejack to carry her up top, but AJ warded her off with an outstretched hoof.

“If’n y’all don’t mind, Dash, I’d prefer ta climb,” Applejack smiled. Rainbow gave her a look, so she continued, “T’aint hard ‘r nothin’, an’ ta be honest It feels good havin’ this here kinda earth beneath mah hooves again. We ain’t gonna have none o’ this in the city, an’ I jus’ would like ta enjoy it, y’hear?”

Rainbow shrugged, “Suit yourself, AJ. Just don’t tire yourself out, huh?”

“That won’t be a problem, I don’t think,” Applejack chuckled, “Somethin’ ‘bout this here earth feels right, makes me feel at home again. It don’t feel like the Wastelands. It feels... good. I dunno, jus’ like it gives me energy ‘r somethin’.” Rainbow nodded, and held up a hoof as if she’d remembered something. She swept up to the elevator, quickly returned in a flash, then plopped Applejack’s hat back on her head. Applejack smiled again, “Thank ya kindly, Dash. An’ tell Rarity thanks fer holdin’ onta the darn thing so well, an’ not tryin’ ta eat it.”

“I can hear you, darling,” Rarity snorted from up above, stamping a hoof on the metal plating so that Applejack could at least hear the look of disapproval she couldn‘t see.

The platform continued to climb, slowly but surely moving up the cliff at a pace much too slow to really excite the riders much. If anything, it made them impatient. Antsy. But they were excited nonetheless, knowing they’d finally made it; Hope’s Point was nothing more than an elevator ride away. They all looked skyward as the platform ascended, eagerly watching as the top of the cliff approached inch by grueling inch, foot by agonizing foot. After nearly an hour, they were just short of the halfway point.

Rainbow Dash circled around the platform in little loops and rolls, lazily trying to pass the time. “Geez... what’s taking this thing so long?” she groaned, “This must the be the slowest elevator in the world! The one back at that NPPD joint moves faster than this!”

“Yeah... it does,” Flathoof agreed with an aggravated sigh, “After taking that damn thing up and down a dozen times a day for a so many years, I know how fast it moves. This thing is going slow. What gives? I thought these ponies out here had at least as good of techno-magic as Pandemonium does?”

“It might be running out of juice,” Tick Tock said with a scratch of her head, “We’ll have to remember to inform them that their elevator’s battery is running low. Might land us in their good graces.”

“Frankly, I don’t mind too much,” Rarity said pointedly, “This pace is relaxing, even if it is rather slow. And... well... to be honest, I’ve developed a sort of a... um... fear of heights?” she added with a nervous chuckle, “One too many sudden drops from astounding heights, you understand. I was terrified when that brutish Starlight Shadow kept me dangling up in the air last night. You haven’t any idea how scared I was when dear Fluttershy and I attempted to escape!”

“You and I have something in common then, it seems,” Tick Tock said, patting Rarity on the back, “I’m terrified of heights too, what with all the sudden drops I’ve dealt with lately. We should start up a club or something of that sort.”

“What, like a Mile High Club?” Rainbow snickered, “Afraid that one’s taken, girls. Exclusive membership.” She winked at Pinkie Pie, who snorted into her hooves. Both Tick Tock and Rarity looked at one another and shrugged. “Eh, it’s a pegasus thing.”

“Aww Rarity, there’s nothing to be afraid of here,” Pinkie chuckled, “We’ve got the best flier in alllll Equestria right here with us! She’s done it before, she’ll do it again! So you fall, nooo problem!”

“Having somepony to catch me again isn’t what I’m worried about,” Rarity gulped as she looked out the solid plexiglass windows over the side of the platform, glad that they were thick enough that she couldn’t possibly fall through them. “Besides, Rainbow couldn’t catch us - we’re inside a sealed box.”

“You worry too much, Rarity,” Rainbow rolled her eyes, “This thing looks perfectly safe.”

Pinkie slapped a hoof to her forehead. “Dashie... that’s just asking for trouble...”

“She’s right though,” Tick Tock assured her, “Rarity, really, there shouldn’t be any fear of falling here. Those windows are inches thick, and none of us are going to try and break them and throw you out. You’re not that annoying.” Rarity didn’t laugh; Tick Tock nervously tugged her collar, “Right, I’ll leave the jokes to Lockwood, when he gets up. My apologies. What I mean is, this contraption, despite its dreadful pace, is rather well-built. Take a look at the cable.” She pointed at the line of cable that was pulling them up mechanically. It was a brilliant silver color that shined in even the paltry light of the Beacon veil up above. “Don’t ask me how these Hope’s Point ponies got ahold of the stuff, but this here is Obidium. Now, I know there’s some of the stuff around and about here and there, but to get enough of the pure stuff to fashion a cable and platform like this is astounding. The Hope’s Point ponies are a more resourceful bunch than a lot of ponies give them credit for.”

“Obidium? I recognize that name,” Rarity hummed, “Mister Gilderoy said that most of the Sanctuary was made of that metal, that it’s artificial?”

“Artificial and exceedingly rare,” Tick Tock nodded, “The gryphons invented the metal, and while there are records of the process with which it is made, it’s impossible to make it anymore, not without the techno-magic machinery that synthesizes it. That’s down to the south, in the Gryphons’ old research facility. Uh... ooh, my memory’s a bit hazy.” She grumbled, “Elysian... Islands?”

“That name sounds familiar too, from the murals,” Rarity nodded, “What’s so special about the stuff anyway? You make it sound special at any rate.”

“It’s a magical material, well-regarded for both its malleability, durability, and its extreme resistance to magic,” Tick Tock nodded, “Once it’s been forged into shape, the only creature that can utilize magic against the metal effectively is the original forger. The gryphons made a lot of their most advanced techno-magic out of the stuff, so that it was effectively indestructible. The Beacons’ central cores are made of the stuff, hence why they can withstand such incredible energies. The only thing that can damage Obidium is more Obidium, according to everything I’ve read on the subject. Can’t say I’ve seen it in action myself, but the theory makes sense to me.”

“They must have used it to keep the platform safe from ‘saboteurs’,” Rainbow hummed, “The guards at the gate mentioned something like that, that’s why they don’t just let anypony in. Probably keeps it safe from getting broken by the other things around here too. Wouldn’t want a Gargantuan stumbling over and bucking up your elevator.”

“Well spoken,” Tick Tock nodded, “See Rarity, there’s nothing to-”

There was a sudden twanging sound from above them, and they all looked up to see what it was. They only had about a split second to register it, before gravity took over and they began to fall.

“Aw, bollocks. Me and my big bleedin’ mouth!” Tick Tock yelled.

“Told yooooouuu!” Pinkie screamed.

Applejack saw it begin to move. In a flash, she stretched herself out and caught it with her fore hooves. Sparks flew from her rear hooves as they screeched against the cliff wall. The platform didn’t even begin to slow down.

Rainbow Dash swept down below and pushed with all her might, beating her wings desperately to get the wind to push with her. Applejack’s hat sailed off in the updraft, but she was too focused on the elevator to pay it any heed. Her legs quaked under the pressure, and Rainbow’s wings flapped furiously, but the platform still wasn’t slowing down.

Applejack grit her teeth and took a deep breath. And, slowly, the earth began to gather. Applejack felt herself grow heavier and heavier, taking more and more rock into herself and pushing as hard as she could against the platform. The ground was approaching fast, but not as fast as it had been. They were slowing. Applejack pushed harder, gathered up more material; they slowed more. The ground was only hundreds of feet away, but they were slowing. Finally, after a few incredibly tense seconds they grinded to a stop.

Rainbow Dash, who’d been busy pushing with all her might as well, finally opened her eyes, and looked down. The base of the platform, several dozen feet below, was still too close for comfort.

“Whew...” she breathed, “Great job, AJ, you really did a number there.”

Applejack sighed in relief, “I tell ya... sometimes I don’t rightly know if we’d ‘ve made it without these here powers...” She adjusted her shoulders and very slowly started to push, carrying the elevator up with her.

Rainbow fluttered up to check on the others, who were all piled together haphazardly in the center of the elevator car. “You guys alright?”

“As we’ll ever be, I’m certain,” Rarity groaned, rubbing her head.

“I really hope that was the last near-death experience we have to put up with for a while,” Flathoof grumbled as he checked to make sure Lockwood and Twilight weren’t jostled by the incident.

Tick Tock shook her head as she looked outside the platform, where the snapped cable fell off into the sea. “This doesn’t make any sense...” she mumbled. She opened the elevator door. “Rainbow Dash, help me reel this in, please?”

“Oh... uh, sure,” Rainbow nodded, grabbing the cable and passing it to the unicorn.

Tick Tock and Rainbow yanked at the cable until the end reached them, and Tick Tock gave a loud hum as she examined it. It was a neat cut, perfectly smooth without any inkling that the cut had been difficult to manage. She scratched her head, sighed, and let the cable fall.

“It would seem my rotten luck is now capable of defying the laws of magical chemistry and physics. Wonderful. Bloody fantastic,” she sighed, “Nopony saw anypony up there cutting the cable or anything right?”

“Not a soul,” Rarity shook her head, “The cable snapped way up above us. It just... snapped. Most peculiar, if everything you said is true. Though that’s not exactly the word I would like to use to describe what just happened. That was terrifying.”

Applejack continued to push, with Rainbow Dash helping as much as she could, which still proved to be a rather difficult venture. While the pace was slower than it had been with the proper elevator system, they were glad to be moving up rather than down. Eventually they reached the top and the ponies inside all hastily exited, eager to be back on solid ground again. Applejack sidled careful up the side, and as soon as she did, the platform dropped towards the ground several miles below. Applejack and Rainbow watched it fall for nearly a minute before it finally slammed into the platform at the bottom, smashing apart from the force of the impact.

“Guess it was a good thing we got y’all outta there,” Applejack whistled, “Guess that stuff ain’t as indestructible as y’all said.”

“If I never see another elevator again, it’ll be too soon,” Rarity breathed, fanning herself with her hoof, “Oh goodness, why must all these misfortunes befall us? Did I do something wrong before we all came here? Is this some form of bad karma? It’s beginning to get ridiculous.”

“Well, we won’t need to deal with it much longer, I hope. Come along all, we’re almost there,” Tick Tock said, pointing to where the party could clearly see the giant shield covering the city.

As Applejack finally let her powers loose, a timely breeze whipped through her hair. She suddenly perked up in a panic and patted around her head. “Mah hat! Where’s mah hat?!” She frantically looked around the immediate area, and couldn’t see it anywhere. The others began to search around as well, and after several minutes of searching and not turning up anything, it became clear that- “It’s gone...” Applejack sniffed, “I can’t believe it’s gone...”

Tick Tock was about to speak up, when Rarity abruptly put a hoof to her mouth. “I know what you’re about to say, but don’t,” she whispered, “Trust me, it’s not ‘just a hat’, hmm?”

Tick Tock nodded, and sighed. “I’m sorry that we can’t look further, Applejack. I don’t want to sound like I’m rushing you, but-”

Applejack stood firm and turned towards the giant city. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. It’s more important that we get ta Hope’s Point. Y’all’re right - we’re too close ta stop. We need food ‘n’ shelter ‘n’ rest, an’ that’s more important than... than mah hat...” She shook her head, wiping her eye quickly so that nopony would see. “C’mon y’all, let’s go.”

They moved east at a brisk pace, their next destination being finally within reach after nearly two weeks of total travel, the six days of which had been devoid of food, lacking in rest, and rife with exhausting combat, running, and injuries. Rainbow Dash excitedly led the way, knowing already where to go and how to get to where she’d been stopped last time, eager to see her friends get through with the solution they now possessed. The large building that led inside the city was just ahead, and with the others trailing behind her, Rainbow flew up to it and knocked, a wide smile on her face. As before, a small screen popped up with a burst of static, and on the other end appeared one of the two unicorns she remembered from earlier; this time, it was the shorter, stouter unicorn. Her smile disappeared in an instant and was replaced by an incredibly disappointed frown.

“Who goes- oh, it’s you,” he said, suddenly eager and rubbing his hooves together, “So you came crawling back, huh? Change your mind about that alternative payment?” He chuckled light at Rainbow’s sneer. “Oh well, it was worth a shot. Pegasi are a bit a dozen around here, and I’ve seen better to be honest. Well, we haven’t finished your background check yet, so-”

“Just open up and let us inside,” Rainbow interrupted, “I’ve got wounded here, and we don’t need your stupid background check anymore.”

“We?” he asked. She moved aside a little so he could see behind her, where her friends were just now catching up. “Huh. So you did have friends out here. Fancy that. Ooh... a nice collection too. I don’t suppose any of the earth ponies would consider-” He stopped when her sneer grew more intense, “No? Shame, earth ponies are fun. Oh alright, come on in, let’s get this train rolling, if you insist on doing this the legit way. I hope you’re not wasting my time again.”

The gate gave a great clanging sound, then started to slide open with a screech. Rainbow and her friends eagerly walked through the opening and entered the building, hurriedly moving along the tiled floor as the gate closed behind them. Rainbow led the way to the secondary gate system, past the rows of ponies still waiting to get in. Rainbow didn’t see any new faces, but she did see that the red unicorn mare was gone. She let a smile temporarily creep up, hoping sincerely that her background check had cleared, and not that she’d caved in to the gatekeeper’s demands.

“These ponies are all waiting?” Rarity asked worriedly, “Oh my...”

“Can’t we let them in with us?” Fluttershy asked.

“We’ll see what Lockwood’s contact can do for us,” Rainbow nodded, “I’m more concerned about getting us in first though, so let’s worry about that right now.”

As before, she pushed the big red button to start up the connection with the unicorn gatekeeper who had his datapad handy already. The others all settled in beside her, with Tick Tock helping Twilight down off Flathoof’s back so that she could stand, as she was beginning to come out of her dazed stupor and was once again alert.

“Okay then, let’s see... Rainbow Dash, right?” he questioned. She nodded, her face still not letting go of the sneer. “Okay, let’s have the names of the rest of you, so I can see if you’re on my list.”

“We’re not,” Tick Tock said, stepped forward, “We didn’t check-in at the airstation back in Pandemonium.”

The unicorn on the other end rolled his eyes, “Well then, let me get your names then so I can start the background check. This might take a while, what with there being so many of you, but-”

“And there won’t be any need of that either,” Tick Tock interrupted, “We’ve got a voucher inside.”

The unicorn blinked. “You... you do? Oh... well why didn’t you say so? Okay then, first up, what’s the name of the pony who knows this voucher? Bring him or her forward so I can get confirmation.”

Tick Tock turned around and beckoned to Flathoof; the earth pony stepped forward and turned slightly to his side so that Lockwood was clearly able to be seen. Tick Tock then lit up her horn with a soft white glow, which enshrouded Lockwood’s head. His eyes opened slowly.

“Eh? Wha?” he mumbled, lifting his head and looking around, “Oh... oh good, I’m awake... and I didn’t have to get hurt to do it. Um... where are we?”

“Hope’s Point,” Tick Tock explained, “We’re at the gateway inside, so it’s your time to shine, eh? They need your name and I think they want you to be the one delivering it?”

“Oh good... finally...” he smiled lightly. He turned up to the screen and spoke, his voice hoarse. “Well hello there. I guess you need my name then? Lockwood.”

Tick Tock turned to the screen, “Okay so here he is. Now what?”

The unicorn jotted down Lockwood’s name, then turned back to them, casually taking a sip out of his coffee mug. “Okay, now the name of your voucher?”

Lockwood spoke again, “Briarthorn.”

The unicorn spit what was clearly not coffee, judging from its color and frothiness, all over the screen. He hastily wiped the bronze liquid off with his magic and a rag, then stared into the screen with a look of bewilderment. “Seriously? You’re serious?”

“Does he look like he’s joking?” Rainbow asked. She turned to Lockwood quickly, “You’re not joking right?”

“Yes, I’m serious,” Lockwood nodded.

The unicorn shook his head, “This is a first. Ah... well, okay, guess we’ll see what happens. Hang on a second.”

The screen glowed blue for a second and the group watched as some sort of magical beam shot out and briefly ran across Lockwood’s face. It didn’t seem to bother him. When finished, the unicorn punched up some buttons on his work station and lifted a small device to his ear and waited. And waited. And waited. Suddenly he perked up.

“Briarthorn?” he asked. He instantly jerked the device away from his ear, as though whoever was on the other end had been shouting. Satisfied that the shouting had ceased, he brought it back and spoke again. “Yeah, hey, I’ve got a pony here claiming he knows you and he’s using you as a voucher- ...what? Yeah... yeah I know. He’s got like seven mares with him and- ha ha, yeah I think they are. Yes, they’re insistent- ...look, I’ve just gotta do my job and go through the motions, if you don’t know them then just say so and we’ll be done with it, okay? ...no... what? Hey! It’s not my fault they- ...look, can we just- ...what? ...right, okay! Fine. The pony who personally asked for you is a... Lockwood? Sending his picture through now.” He waited a few seconds, then looked at the device with curiosity. “Hello? Briarthorn?” Then he jerked the phone away again. “What? Oh... oh okay then. See you in a few.” He hung the device up, and turned back to the screen. “Well it seems you’re all in luck. Go ahead and pass through to phase two, Briarthorn will meet you inside.”

The ponies outside the small gate all beamed as the gateway started to open. Tick Tock ruffled Lockwood’s shaggy mane. “Glad to see you’re good for something, you dumb git. I knew we brought you along for a reason.”

“I thought you brought me along for my good looks?” Lockwood asked with mock disappointment. He laughed, and then immediately coughed. “Ahh... g-geez... that didn’t feel good...”

They all eagerly walked through the second gate, entering a small room with another gate on the other end. The first gate closed behind them, and so now, they waited. And waited. And waited. And a few moments later, the gate ahead of them started to open. As soon as it did, they could see a pegasus waiting for them, bearing a large grin on his face as he walked, or more like sauntered, out of the opening and into the room with them.

It wasn’t his height that was unusual, though he was a bit tall. He wasn’t as bulky as most taller ponies were, but instead was lithe and completely built for aerodynamics. His goldenrod coloring was common enough, with a slightly darker mane and tail, both of which were slightly messy as if left that way on purpose. His mane was pushed up out of his face by a pair of thick flight goggles with blue-tinted lenses and silver metal rims on his forehead, just above a pair of bright hazel eyes. His clothing was where he began to seem a bit unusual, but it was still nothing beyond a little curious. He wore a plain white shirt under a brown, heavily-pocketed vest, and a large belt around his waist loaded with full pouches; how somepony could walk with so much loading him down was what surprised them. Despite this, he seemed completely unencumbered and made a beeline straight for Flathoof and Lockwood.

There was one thing - two things, actually - that made him distinct from other pegasi though, and those were his large wings, big enough to completely cover his sides, actually curving back and upwards. Excluding Celestia and Luna, the only pony that the group had ever encountered possessing wings this imposing was Grayscale Force, whose wings were larger, but hers were large for the sake of powerful flight, whereas these seemed built more for dexterity. They were the single defining feature that stood out more than any other part of this pegasus.

Right up until he opened his mouth.

“Lockwood, Lockwood, Lockwood. I never expected to see your face out here,” he said with an slightly and uncomfortably loud, fast, yet smooth baritone. Without stopping for an answer, he grabbed hold of Lockwood’s hoof and gave it a few solid shakes, not noticing for a moment Lockwood’s pained groans, nor the fact that Lockwood was sitting on Flathoof’s back, nor the fact that the red stallion was giving him a nearly point-blank look of utter disbelief. “So good to see... you?” Suddenly realizing where Lockwood was, he raised his eyebrows in barely veiled amusement. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, you’re on a dude’s back. That’s not your typical thing, as far as I knew. What gives? You switched teams on me? Is it that fun?”

“Why does everypony keep making that assumption?” Flathoof balked.

“Well you are... a handsome lad, hero,” Lockwood chuckled, “Hey there, Briarthorn... long time no see...” He weakly smiled, trying and failing not wince through a laugh.

Briarthorn suddenly stopped the hoof-shaking and gaped at Lockwood’s side in realization. “Hey. Hey! Hey! Whoa now! No, no, no, Lockwood, quit being you for a moment, your too-damned-nice self, holy horse-crapples. If you’re this hurt, we’re going to fix that first, then friend-talk later. That sound good? Give me like... buck, I dunno, thirty seconds? I dunno how angry-” He held up both forehooves, shaking them with mock presentation. “Her Highness is going to be. I’ve only irritated her twice today so far, so maybe the third time’ll be the charm? Wish me luck.”

He stepped away a few feet and reached up to his ear, pushing at something there for an instant with an audible click, then standing and waiting for something to happen. After a moment, his ears perked up, and he began to pace in a circle while speaking to someone only he could hear, his voice despite all odds quickening even further and his body pacing in easy circles as he talked.

“Hey, hey, hey! Queenie Blackburn, it’s your favorite- ... ...hoo! You’re a barrel of laughs too, your grace. … ...hell yes I’m calling you by name over- ...what?! No no no, don’t hang- look, I’ve got some ponies here at the phase two gateway. ...yes! I obviously know this is a restricted channel, but I need override codes- ...yup, just like yesterday, and the day before that. And this morning. But this here? This is actually serious. Like life-and-death medical emergency serious. Remember Lockwood? He’s seriously hurting- … ...what d’ya mean ‘you don’t’? Oh, come on, you know Lockwood, everypony at some point or another knows- ...yes, the gray pegasus stallion that, if I am not mistaken- … ...if. I. Am. Not. Mistaken... you said on one of your better drinking nights had prettier eyes than mine- ...wait, what?” He gave a barely registered slight chortle, “Talk all the trash you want about my eyes, your beautiful worshipfulness, but could you just authorize the damned override already? Lots of pain and suffering- ...yes, an EMT! What did you think- ...I already told you: the phase two gateway. This has to be fast, and I mean fast. Unicorns only; we need good teleporters- …aw hell, I don’t know, Blue Cross and... Steady Hooves, maybe? Six Two Oh Seven. ...calm down! YES, Six Two Oh Seven, I am not waiting on some pissant Oh Five, mobilize them, or I swear, O Wondrous Ruler, I will swipe that Hundred-Year Burgundy you’ve been saving straight from your bucking office safe when you’re not looking- ...yes, I will, you know I will, I know the combination- … ...oh yeah? Change it again, I’ll still end up swilling it back like it was the cheapo Blue Malt crap that Moonshine brewed last Tuesday! I won’t even bother smelling it or commenting on its rich smooth piquancy or whatever the b- ...yes! Do you get how serious this is now? This is a friend, potentially mortally injured here, well worth wasting your stash in ten seconds flat ...uh, excuse me? Yes I would drink it that fast- ...so what? So I’d puke, and then all you’d get to do is stare at it as it melted a hole in the floor. ...yeah, you bucking heard me, princess. Come on! Just hit the bucking button! Again: potential mortal injury here!”

Two unicorns popped into existence beside him carrying a gurney, but he just kept on talking. The two ponies shared brief, professional glances, lifted the gurney over Briarthorn, and carried it over to Lockwood. Flathoof and Fluttershy assisted the two in carefully lifting Lockwood off of the former’s back on onto the gurney.

Briarthorn kept chatting into his ear as they went. “Now, see? Was that really so hard for- ...still, that’s what I call service- ...yeah, I know I call a lot of things service.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “You want to meet me at the bar later? I’ll give you some legendary ser- ...fine, fine, fine, I’ll bother you about it next week. ...yup, same as every other next week. ...no, I don’t get tired of it, why do you ask every time, like I’m suddenly going to ‘see the light’ or something?”

Flathoof leaned in close to Lockwood’s ear. “You’ll be okay, buddy,” he said reassuringly as the pegasus was strapped into the gurney, “You hear me? You’re gonna be okay.”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” Lockwood winced, “You all get some R-and-R, okay?”

Briarthorn did not for an instant stop talking into his ear. All the while, he kept pacing in an increasingly tight circle, occasionally pitching his wings upward in triumph, giving regular, if brief glimpses at his Cutie Mark: a circular, bronze shield marked with a ‘V’ the precise color of his mane, with long, white gold ribbon-like streaks stretching out from the shield, flowing down his haunches and out along his leg.

“Alright. ...okay, okay, okay, I get it. I’m so- ...hey! No, no. No! Quit going all air-raid on me, jeez- ...okay! Sorry, sorry- … ...it is a dramatic situation, if you’re where I’m standing- ...okay, yes, I am double-sorry. Triple-sorry. Quadruple-super-serious-super-sorry. Seriously, I won’t touch your good stuff, I just said that to make it clear- ...okay, thanks. Again, sorry- ...I’ll stop apologizing when you relax. ...sure, I’ll give your crew a round this week. I’ll use my entire bonus. ...what do you mean, ‘what bonus’? The one you were planning on giving me, of course. ...what? Yes you did, don’t act like you didn’t- ...yes, I was planning on giving it out anyway, I’m not an alcoholic- ...hey, I actually rely on the stuff professionally, unlike some ponies- ...what? Pfft. Says you, Madam Queen Sir Lady Drunks-a-Bunch- ...I was! I was, in fact, planning on it! Is it that big a shocker? I mean, sure, I planned for it like forty-five seconds ago, when I saw a baker’s half-dozen of beautiful-” His voice dropped an octave. “If half-starved-” Then returned to his normal pitch. “And lovely women just waltz in the door.” 

At this everyone but Lockwood, who stifled a laugh but immediately groaned in pain at the attempt, stared at him with varying degrees of sudden incredulity and distaste. 

“Who does this guy think he is?” Applejack huffed quietly to Rarity, “I don’t like ‘im.”

“Just put up with it, darling, he’s helping us,” Rarity sighed, “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to deal with an uncouth lout for a while. Besides, he’s a friend of Lockwood’s. That has to stand for something, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll bet it does,” Rainbow snorted.

Briarthorn apparently didn’t hear them and kept right on talking. “Makes sense now, doesn’t it? ...of course it still counts- ...ha! You’re not jealous, are you? ...riiiight, right, of course not, why would you be jealous? ...no go on, keep playing hard to get, milady, keeps things interesting when business is slow  ...oh, sure, now you’re busy. You’re clearly really busy what with you still talking to me... oh, and now it’s goodbye too, huh? Sure, sure, sure. I’ll see you later, boss ma’am sir ma’am Blackburn ma’am- ...but your name is just so fun to say! ...sure! Bye-bye! Adieu! Ciao! Briarthorn out, over, roger wilco, end transmission.”

He again pressed his ear with a click, and finally looked at the group, waving a hoof dismissively at the unseen pony with whom he’d finally gotten done talking. “Man, you guys, some ponies. Good thing Lockwood had me vouch for him. The crazy lady upstairs doesn’t keep track of where the bathroom is, much less ponies she should remember. Says she’s too busy running the city or something. Bosses. Am I right, or am I right?” 

With Fluttershy and Flathoof still helping the medical team attend to Lockwood, the rest of the group, sans Pinkie who rapidly nodded in sympathy, were all doing their best to impersonate Fluttershy’s Stare. These had little effect on him, and he smiled and waved at them with misguided friendliness. 

“But where are my manners? Hello, hello, hello, hey, and hi! Welcome to Hope’s Point! I’m Briarthorn, but by now, you probably all got that already. I guess I’m your... what should we call it? Tour guide? Yeah, tour guide sounds, uh, official-ish. As of now, me, tour guide. None better, I’d say.”

The two paramedics now carried Lockwood a few yards away from the others to clear room for their exit teleport. Fluttershy nervously stepped forward and raised a hoof as if to reach for him. “W-wait!” she peeped, “I... I don’t want to leave him alone...”

Flathoof put a hoof on her shoulder. “He’s in good hooves, Fluttershy, let him go. The teleport is safer that way,” he said in as gentle a tone as he could, “His friend is going to get him where he needs to be. We should rest too, and get something to eat. Lockwood wouldn’t want you to starve yourself any longer, would he?”

Fluttershy shook her head, “No... you’re right. Oh... please, take good care of him?”

The lead unicorn, a white stallion with a red mane poking out from under his small white cap, nodded. “We’re the best in the business, ma’am. We’ll take good care of him, don’t you worry.” With that, the two shined and popped again, disappearing with their patient in an instant.

“They’ve got him in our medical center and will be doing what they can to fix him up.” Briarthorn assured her. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it, it’s probably gonna take a little while- but hey, he’s right though. In the meantime, let’s get some... what did he call it? R-and-R? Yeah, that seems like our top priority, because if I personally supposed and subsequently heard you correctly... uh... big... guy?” He pat Flathoof on the shoulder. “Oh right, so you and Lockwood aren’t-”

“No!” Flathoof exclaimed, “By the stars, why is that always everypony’s first assumption?!”

“Well, you two do act awful close,” Rainbow snickered, “I’m beginning to wonder myself if maybe I should stop being worried about him liking-” Fluttershy suddenly glared over at her, causing her to take a half step back and nervously tug the collar of her jacket.

“Hey hey whoa, no offense meant there,” Briarthorn chuckled, “I know Lockwood well enough that he could land anypony he wanted, so I just figured... y’know, what with you being such a... big... guy. I bet you’ve got quite a- well whatever, the rest of you are apparently actually starving, and you look the part. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some mares aiming for thin before, but wow. Whoo-ee! Get me a couple sticks and we could have a xylophone concert. So, you know, in my completely inexpert opinion, food and rest would be probably life-saving for you as well as the medical attention is for him, said him being Lockwood, in case anyone happened to forget from hunger pains. Let’s go get those pains solved, shall we? Lunch, maybe? My treat - any friend of Lockwood is almost always usually a friend of mine.” He blatantly eyed Fluttershy, puffing his chest a little. “Espeeecially sweet kind gentle lovely little friends with similar coat coloration to myself and big pretty eyes! Did I mention you have pretty eyes, sweetheart?”

As he spoke, Briarthorn sidled shamelessly up to Fluttershy and put a hoof around her shoulder, earning immediate sharp looks from Flathoof, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash.  The latter two took half-steps forward, and Rarity’s horn lit up as she prepared a spell. Pinkie held Rainbow back just barely, but nopony seemed to be bothering to stop Rarity.

“See? Your good buddy Briarthorn? He knows how to get things done around here. And your big buddy’s right, you know. Lockwood is gonna be in good, and dare I say, competent hooves. Now, if you’ll allow me, I’ll make sure you’re in at least good hooves too.”

“I’m... just worried, is all...” she sighed, completely oblivious to Briarthorn’s advance, “He’s done so much for me... for us...”

Briarthorn blinked, and without missing a beat snatched his hoof away with an unoffended shrug and began to scratch his chin in one smooth gesture. “Well... yeah, I’d assume so. He’s a good pony like that. But I think we should get our minds in a hopeful state. We’ve gotta endure, right? That would be the Point of Hope. ...anypony?” He wiggled his eyebrows again with an oversized sidelong grin, and elicited groans from most of the group, except for Pinkie, who snorted into her hooves, earning a big smile from him. “There we go, a sense of humor in the face of prolonged death. I like it!” He inched ever-so-slightly away from Fluttershy and started in Pinkie’s direction. 

“But! We’re off-point here, so... anyhoozles, most of you look like you’re not only starving, but depressed too, and that just won’t do. Don’t you worry, Lockwood’ll be in and out, magically poofed back, easy-peasy. The rest of you, too, if you keep in mind that I just said lunch- heck, let’s say lunch and dinner and some nice beds are on me!” he added with a wink.

A few skeptical, unsavory looks at the way he’d mentioned beds seemed to make him realize he may have worded it wrong, but he cooly grinned again as if dismissing it.

“Now, now, now, don’t think me rude or a complete and total sleazeball here. Partially? I deserve it, but completely? Let’s keep things in perspective! I’m assuming you folks will want to go to bed without much interruption, so don’t worry about any rapscallions interrupting your undoubtedly well-deserved repose. I’ll make sure any and everypony steers clear of any hell-raising, with me to answer to for any attempts.” He gave a brief bow, the very picture of cordiality, perhaps the first gesture most of the group received well.

Fluttershy perked up. “Oh! Oh... um, excuse me? I hate to ask, but... what about all the other ponies out in the waiting area? Is there any way we can let them in with us?”

Briarthorn shook his head. “No can do, sweetheart. I don’t have any problem letting you all in at the drop of a hat, what with being in Lockwood’s company. I trust that he knows what’s what with all of you lovely young ladies... and big stallion. Those ponies out there, I know nothing about, and I’d have to ask Her Highness to authorize it anyway, and what with all that hoopla and hullabaloo earlier I doubt she’s too eager to let me do anything like that again for at least six more hours. I’ll put a good word or three in with Cutlass and Barnacle for you though, maybe they’ll double-time the background checks. Hang on.”

He tapped his hoof to his ear, waited a brief moment, then perked up when somepony on the other end answered, sliding into yet another one-sided conversation. “Cutlass! Buddy, buddy, buddy, hey, can you do me a- ...what, yeah, of course you’re my buddy, old pal. … ...no, I don’t remember that at all. … ...ohhhh, that? Pfff, man, that’s ancient history. Look, I’ll make it up to you and- what?! That’s a load of horse-crapples. You’re honestly going to say that you saw her first, what kind of- ...look, no, no, no, let’s not get dicey. We can think of something else. How about that nice mare that works down at Wyrm’s Head? You know the one. ...you don’t? The unicorn! With the flank twice the size of- ...yeah, that’s it! I’ll see what I can do about- ...no I can’t give you a promise, but I’ll- ...oh come on! Fine fine, and it’s on me. Happy now? Good, look, I need a favor old buddy old pal. Those background checks you’re doing on the other ponies out here in the waiting area? Yeah, could you be a bro and speed those along a little? Good, good, good, glad to hear it! I’ll do what I can to get- yes, I swear. Right then, over and out, sayonara, arrivederci.”

He turned back to Fluttershy. “See? Problem solved. Didn’t I tell you you’re all in good hooves? So! Let’s be off then, shall we? We’ll worry about introductions later, for now we’ve got some scenery to purview, some stomachs to fill, and some sweet dreams to be had! Let me know if I’m in any of them, of course.”

Briarthorn winked, and trotted over to the second gateway, then took a keyring out of one of the many pouches on his bulky belt and fit the largest key into the slot. The gate opened with a grating screech, revealing behind it the energy field that protected the city. Briarthorn walked up to it and cordially gestured for them to enter, causing the magical barrier to flicker at the point of his hoof’s impact and spread apart like a curtain. They followed behind him through it in earnest, their reservations about their strange host held back for the chance to get some food and rest. 

Rainbow Dash, a nagging question on her mind, raced up to Briarthorn. “Hey, uh... Mister... Briarthorn. Quick question,” she asked, waving for his attention.

“What can I do for you, Miss... rainbow-mare?” His words, tone, and smile were small, polite, and patient, completely different from his earlier performance. Its sincerity caught Rainbow off-guard; he was difficult to read, she thought.

She stared for a moment, then shook her head and pressed on. “W-well, hey, I came through to this gateway earlier, and I couldn’t make it in. I... I just...” she sighed, frustrated, “What’s the password? I was this close to figuring it out. It’s ‘stop asking questions, let me in, I forgot-’ ...forgot what?”

Briarthorn guffawed, instantly back into the swing of his grand overture, “Really? You didn’t get it immediately after getting that far? Well, I guess that’s good, otherwise it’d be actually and totally useless as security, wouldn’t it? But come on: you were two words away, ma’am. Ha ha ha haaa... okay, okay, okay, no need for any dirty looks, ma’am, no offense intended. It did its job, I can’t expect you to think like we do here. Allow me to dispel the mystery,” he said with another oversized smile, “If you want in, just tell them what’s usually the truth for us Hope’s Point ponies: ‘Stop asking questions, let me in, I forgot...’” He paused for dramatic tension, making Rainbow unconsciously lean in before he whispered, ”‘...my keys’.”

Rainbow’s expression soured. She looked up at Briarthorn, prepared to laugh at his little joke. He had an enormous grin plastered on his face as he spun his keyring around on his hoof. Rainbow blinked a few times and shook her head in desperate denial. She didn’t want to believe it, but he was completely serious. With a huge, pained groan, she applied a hoof squarely to her face.