It was the end of an exhilarating-yet-exhausting day for the Marendelle royals as well as the Young Six. The family had wasted no time in introducing the lost children to the many wonders of their palace, the countless items they had, and the delicious food served to them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Naturally, the Young Six were excited to see all the new things they hadn’t before. It gave the royals great joy to see the glee and curiosity on their faces. It even made them grateful for all the blessings they had in their lives. However, this wasn’t the only upside to their day.
Yona learned about the traditions of her homeland through Bubble Gum reading a book about Yakyakistan to her. She even honored some of those customs by wearing a green rug as a shawl and having her hair braided by Aerodynamic.
Chicken Face took a lukewarm interest in griffon history, but he greatly enjoyed the stories about brave knights and daring heroes. When coming up with a new name for himself, he and Snowflake came across the word “gallus”, which meant “self-confident”. Thus, he proudly chose his name.
When Smoky learned about the Dragon Lands, she was ready to become a real dragon. It took a while for her to relearn how to breathe fire, but with a little help from a Windigo Ghost Pepper, she gained a zest for her new ability. As for her new name, Quill Scarlet listed synonyms for “smoky” until they happened upon “smolder”. And so the name for the young dragon was decided upon.
Mothball thought it was best if he taught Bug Eyes about changeling history and culture. The younger of the two listened with great interest and fascination. When Mothball pointed to each of his body parts and mentioned their names, Bug Eyes was amazed that a changeling’s eye was called an ocellus. In that moment, the young changeling knew she wanted to name herself “Ocellus”.
Kelp Head had the easiest time fitting in. Since he was a pony, he had no trouble learning about pony culture from Little Button and Rock Salt. But even if he was glad to be somewhere that was like home, he was worried about his friends and if they would ever get back to their homelands. When Skater asked him what he wanted to be named, he chose “Sandbar” because that was where he and the other five were rescued. And to the surprise of everyone, he got his cutie mark just by spending the afternoon on the beach!
Bird Horse was the easiest to impress because she was enthralled with every knick-knack in the castle, even mundane items such as the kitchen sink! Truthfully, she was also the hardest to keep still while being read to about the hippogriffs, partly because the Quad Squad kept distracting her. And yet, she was the most enigmatic because she didn’t know what happened to her kind. She told the royals that the slavers told her she was a freakish hybrid of a bird and a horse, hence earning her the moniker of “Bird Horse”. When they asked her what new name she wanted, she couldn’t choose from – as she put it – “so many wonderful names”. So, in an effort to whittle down her choices, the royals asked her if she remembered her original name or had any clue pertaining to it.
Bird Horse then dug into her mane just behind her left ear and pulled out a small metal tag with the initials “S.S.” on it. She explained that she had this chainless tag for as long as she could remember and was advised by other slaves to keep it hidden from their masters. Snow Pea and Screwball thought to use this tag as a means of finding out Bird Horse’s real name in case it was kept in a record somewhere. When the Young Six and royal children were getting ready for bed, they were naturally too excited to go to sleep and hence started jumping on the beds. After Screwball converted the beds into a giant netted trampoline, she and Snow Pea used this opportunity to contact Twilight about the hippogriffs.
“A hippogriff?!” Twilight cried in excitement through the large wall mirror. “You actually found a hippogriff?! Oh, girls, this is amazing! This is practically history in the making!”
Screwball winced, “Well, before you get too excited, Bird Horse doesn’t exactly know where her relatives are, much less her kind.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow, “’Bird Horse’?”
Snow Pea explained, “That’s the name the slavers gave her.” She then levitated the small tag, “She gave us this tag with her original initials on it: S.S. We’re wondering if you could find anything on a hippogriff with those letters in her name.”
Screwball joked, “I’m surprised it’s not ‘S.O.S.’.” She chuckled at her own joke as Snow Pea gave her a soft scowl.
The alicorn said, “I’ll be more than happy to help you and Bird Horse, but I’m afraid there isn’t much information on the hippogriffs shortly before they vanished. Thankfully, the records that were left behind on Mt. Aris were copied into the Canterlot archives so they wouldn’t be lost. So, how old is she?”
Snow Pea answered, “She doesn’t know. None of her friends know their age, either.”
Screwball then suggested, “She might be a teenager. Try five to ten years before the hippogriffs disappeared.”
“Oh, wait. They said they grew up on an island that speeds up a creature’s age.”
“Some of them did, but not Yona and Bird Horse.”
Twilight contemplated, “Well, in either case, I could leave Applewood early to research the archives.”
Suddenly, there was a bright flash behind her and Discord appeared. “Oh, why waste time going to Canterlot when I can bring Canterlot to you?” With a snap of his fingers, Twilight was immediately swamped with piles of books and papers.
Screwball was somewhat suspicious of her father’s actions. She could understand that he’d help out her mom or her Marendelle aunts out of the goodness of his heart. When it came to Twilight, however, it meant there was something in it for him. She asked him, “Hey, Dad, is there any particular reason why you want to help Aunt Twilight out?”
Discord shrugged with a smile, “Just feeling extra helpful, I guess.”
Twilight deadpanned, “This is because your daughter’s on a mission, isn’t it?”
“Well, you know there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for my children.” His hands then flew to his lips as he uttered, “Oops!”
Both mares on the other side of the mirror gaped before they cried, “Children?!”
“Oh, I might as well give you the good news…” He then squealed in delight, “Mommy’s pregnant!”
Snow Pea and Screwball shouted in complete and utter surprise, “No way!”
Suddenly, Screwball cheered and bounced around the room, “Woo-hoo! I’m getting a sibling! I’m getting a sibling!” She then stopped in mid-air as she realized, “Wait a minute.” She zipped back to the mirror and said with her eyebrow raised in shocked disbelief, “You decide now to give me a sibling after I’m all grown-up and married?!”
Discord defended himself, “Well, we thought she was aging!” He then added in a mutter, “Don’t tell her I said that.”
Snow Pea asked, “What do you mean by ‘aging’?”
Twilight gave a sigh before she started to magically sort through documents and explain, “You see, most of your aunts and I inherited Grandma’s slow-aging genes, so biologically, we’re still in our prime.”
Screwball remarked in a stunned tone, “Wow. I don’t know how to feel about this. I’m…glad that I’ll have both of my parents for a long time, but then…what about the others? Uncle Fancy and Uncle Timber won’t live as long as you will.”
“We’re trying to figure it out as we go.” She then levitated a stack of aged papers as she said, “Here are the birth certificates with double-S names and up to five years before the hippogriffs vanished.” After she teleported the papers to the mares on the other side of the mirror, she asked, “Screwball, would you return those to the archives once you find what you’re looking for?”
She saluted her aunt, “Will do, Your Highness!”
Discord then said in a bored tone, “I suppose you want me to send all these back where they came from?”
Twilight said as if expecting him to be mischievous, “Knowing you, you’ll send the copies to Mt. Aris where the originals are.”
Discord smirked, “You’re catching on after 38 years.”
After he snapped his fingers and the records disappeared, a low boom shook the Applewood suite.
Snow Pea asked in concern, “What was that?”
Twilight answered, “I don’t know, but we’ll be right back.”
Just as Twilight and Discord rushed into the main room, Applejack opened the door, unleashing a deluge of soap bubbles into the suite. They and the other guests who were affected tried to swim through the mass of bubbles that had flooded their rooms. After a moment or so, their heads popped out in the hallway and they spat out any soap residue that had gotten into their mouths.
Canter Zoom soon surfaced and asked in a flabbergasted tone, “What in the name of Faust is this?! There are bubbles everywhere!” When he caught sight of a moving mound of bubbles, his face contorted into anger when he realized who it was. “Juniper Montage!” The mound stopped at the mention of the name and a surprised Juniper surfaced from the bubbly mess. Canter spat out more soap before he scolded her, “How many times have I told you: no making bombs out of bath bombs!”
Juniper nervously tittered with a cheesy smile, “Eh-heh-heh-heh…Oops?”
Discord waved his talon nonchalantly, “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ve been known to make a few explosive bath bombs myself.”
Fluttershy scolded him softly, “Not helping, Discord.”
Capri spoke up, “I suppose I should clean this up.”
With a snap of her fingers, the mass of soap bubbles disappeared from the hallway.
Canter Zoom walked up to his niece as he sighed in exasperation, “Oh, Juniper…I asked you to be on your best behavior and lay off your crazy schemes while the guests were here!” He then added with a discouraged whisper, “Have I taught you nothing?”
Neighsay then walked up to the group and said, “You mustn’t be so hard on yourself, Your Majesty. You’re an excellent teacher. It’s not your fault the princess has learned nothing about proper etiquette and the responsibility that comes with being a great leader.”
Canter Zoom said as if considering what his advisor stated, “Hmm. ‘Responsibility’.” He then asked Juniper with an eyebrow raised in discipline, “And do you know the meaning of that word, Juniper?”
Juniper – with her head hanging in shame – whispered, “I understand, Uncle.”
“And do you understand the task that comes with your birthright? Upholding our traditions. When you become of age, then you will be Applewood’s rightful queen.”
Juniper began to argue, “Look, just because I made one mistake doesn’t mean I’ll destroy years of tradition!”
Neighsay then shouted, “But one weak link can break the chain of a mighty kingdom!”
Everyone stood in silence for a few moments until Juniper’s lips trembled and her eyes began welling up with tears. She let out a whimper as she ran around the corner behind her.
Canter Zoom didn’t exactly feel proud about what just happened and he asked Neighsay, “Don’t you think that was a bit harsh? She’s just a teen.”
The unicorn responded, “And what would you have her grow up to be? An irresponsible mare who prefers indulging herself over governing her kingdom? At this point, you have two options: start training her like the princess she is, or give the crown to another.”
The regent was at an impasse. Of course he couldn’t pass over his own niece – the rightful heir – but if she didn’t start learning control now, then how could she rule a kingdom like her parents did before her?
He sighed in defeat, “You’re right, Neighsay. She is to be kept inside the castle while the guests are here, and when they return home, her training begins.”
Timber spoke up, “Umm…You do know we’re here, right?”
Canter Zoom blushed and he rubbed the back of his neck, “Oops. Heh-heh.”
After looking through the birth certificates, Snow Pea and Screwball finally found the one with Bird Horse’s baby picture on it. She was Silverstream, Queen Novo’s own niece! When they told her about this, she was so excited to be related to royalty! Of course, she would’ve been excited about her identity anyway. All that mattered was that she had a family to reunite with. Though the other children were unsure about having families of their own, the royals promised to find them so they could finally go home.
The next morning, Apple Butter and Zealot took the Young Six out to see the town. Since they were with royals, the kids were treated like, well, royalty. The baker gave them sweet treats to eat, the jeweler gave Smolder a few gems to chew, and the toymaker gave them neat toys to play with. For the first time in forever, the Young Six could actually be kids!
When the group got back to the castle, Silverstream beamed with joy, “That was so amazing! I never knew so many things existed!”
Smolder agreed, “Oh, yeah! Who knew that opals and garnets would taste so good compared to rubies and sapphires?”
Yona let out a big burp before saying, “And chocolate chip cookies! No forget chocolate chip cookies!”
Gallus deadpanned, “How can we? You ate a whole batch of them.”
Sandbar smiled to Apple Butter and Zealot, “We can’t thank you enough for doing this for us. We didn’t get to do this every day when we were slaves.”
Zealot comforted them, “I know. Being treated like a piece of dirt, having no books, no toys. You were just there to be someone’s servant. Well, no more, I say. From this day forth, you six are free.”
The Young Six cheered and hugged each other and the couple before they calmed down.
Gallus started to sing, “Here we are, merely strangers…with royals we only just met…”
Sandbar joined in, “But then you…made each of us someone new…”
Smolder sang, “Trav'ling far on a journey…that’s the longest we’ve taken yet…”
Silverstream then sang, “We’re so happy that we can only…say ‘thank you’…”
Ocellus joined in with her sweet song, “Though our lives are tattered and torn…all we’re feeling now is reborn…”
Yona sang, “We must be…in a place of miracles…”
Apple Butter sang to the kids, “Where you can be free…”
She and her husband sang together, “In a place of miracles…”
Zealot sang, “A miracle was brought to me…”
He and his wife sang together while holding hooves and looking at each other, “A free colt and a princess…locked in an embrace…in a place of miracles…”
Sandbar crooned, “We thought we’d never know…that warm and loving glow…though we would wish with all our might…”
Ocellus finished his verse, “We thought no creature of different race…was ever meant for Heaven’s light…”
Smolder sang, “All this time…”
Gallus joined her as he overlapped, “This time, it’s time…”
“I’ve been certain…”
“We’ve earned…our freedom; Our luck has turned…”
“Our chances at freedom had flown…”
“From the dark, cruel den we have flown…”
“And what's more, I’ve pretended…not to care…”
“To a gentle island and her king…”
Zealot began to sing his own verse, “But now we’re here to guide you…”
Silverstream overlapped, “And now we know that we…can finally be free…”
Zealot and Apple Butter sang together, “No more need for a heart of stone…”
Yona sang cheerfully, “No more need for a heart of stone!”
Gallus and Smolder sang together, “Though we set out for lands unknown…they're lands that care…”
Apple Butter sang in kindness, “Now you have hope for Heaven’s light…”
The Young Six all sang in a chorus, “We have reached a friendlier shore…We have found a haven once more…Now we are…in a place of miracles…Now we will come home…to our place of miracles…”
Sandbar sang alone, “No longer will we have to roam…Could there be a country kinder to our race?”
He sang with his five friends, “In a place of miracles…”
Apple Butter sang next, “In a place of miracles…”
Zealot sang, “In a place…”
All eight of them sang together, “Of miracles!” They vocalized before they finished the song.
In Applewood, Skyla decided to talk to Juniper Montage in the hopes of comforting her. She asked Canter Zoom where she was and he directed her to the lion statues she’d always sit on top of just outside the castle library. Accompanied by Blackthorn and Capri, Skyla managed to find Juniper sulking on the back of one of the statues.
Skyla said to her, “There you are.”
Juniper sulked, “Just go away.”
“Look, your uncle only wants what’s best for you.”
“Well, he didn’t call me ‘the weak link in the chain’.”
“I know Neighsay can be a bit…harsh, but I’m sure he didn’t mean what he said.”
“Oh, I know what he meant: irresponsible, ignorant of the traditions. He practically accused me of bringing down the kingdom!”
Capri joked, “Yeah, I can see it now. There goes the Applewood sign!”
As the draconequus chuckled, Skyla said through gritted teeth, “Not helping, Capri.”
Juniper jumped down from the lion statue and snapped, “You can laugh about it!”
Blackthorn advised, “Your Grace, I know it’s not easy to take on the responsibilities of being royalty, but you must rise to the occasion if you are to prove you are worthy of taking the throne.”
Juniper protested, “But I’ve got years to do that before I have to become queen. Can’t I do what I want now with the freedom I still have?”
He then sighed, “Life doesn’t always work that way, young princess. It will always send you in different directions than you anticipate.”
Skyla then got an idea. “Oh, say! Why don’t you show us around your home? It’d be good manners as host and your uncle would be proud of you for that.”
Juniper replied in an unenthused tone, “Yeah, sure. Whatever. Just follow me.”
“And this door goes to my uncle’s study. On your left is the Hall of Fame, filled with pictures and autographs from the most famous stars to ever come from Applewood.”
Capri whispered to Skyla and Blackthorn, “Sheesh! She’s sure being a killjoy, isn’t she?”
Skyla responded, “Give her a break. She’s just in a bad mood because of what happened last night.”
Blackthorn said, “Not to sound like Neighsay, but I hope she learns from this experience.”
Skyla touched his shoulder and told him, “You always mean well.”
Juniper continued in a bored tone, “And on your right is the Hall of Art. Shall we look at the different and unique paintings there?”
Skyla nodded politely, “That would be very kind of you.”
The group went into the hallway and viewed every painting and sculpture they passed. Admittedly, they were all very exquisite and a sight to behold. However, no one could imagine what they would find at the end of the corridor.
Juniper spoke to her guests, “And now we come to the painting my uncle and grandparents admired so much since its arrival here. Fillies and gentlecolts, I give you Forest Wonder.”
The mere sight of the large painting stole Blackthorn’s breath as he gazed upon the artwork with wide eyes. There was Thicket and its city gates, captured in all of their regal glory. Several deer were also included in the painting, including the king and prince themselves! It was as if they were staring in caution at the invisible painter (well, the king had more of a scowl on his face). Blackthorn inched closer to the painting until he could almost touch it.
Before he could put his hoof on the dried paint, Juniper warned him, “Hey! Don’t touch the painting!”
He turned to face her and apologized, “Forgive me, my princess. Just where did your family get this?”
Juniper answered, “I don’t remember much of the story, but I do know that during a festival in Applewood, a stallion presented my grandparents with this painting to win a contest for the prettiest art. Naturally, he won and he got a big fortune out of it. Normally, the winning entry is just a temporary installation, but my grandparents liked it so much that they decided to hang it here.”
Skyla remarked, “I know what you mean. It’s very lifelike.”
Blackthorn slit his eyes in suspicion, “Too lifelike.” He knew that to get to the bottom of this, he had to divulge his secret, even though he didn’t like that very much. “This looks exactly like my home of Thicket.” He then pointed to select deer as he further explained, “And that's King Aspen and his son, Prince Bramble.” He continued to his present company, “We were a very secretive society. No pony alive would’ve seen the city this up close and still tell others about it, much less show a painting of it.”
His fiancée asked, “But what about the myths surrounding Thicket? Surely, ponies must have seen it without getting caught.”
“They either hid at a distance or fled after only a minute. But to catch the attention of a herd of deer and still come out of the forest with a painting of…No. No deer would’ve allowed that, not even the king himself.”
Capri hinted slyly, “Yes. It’s simply not like them to leave the city unguarded.”
Her words set the gears in Blackthorn’s head into motion. His eyes darted around the painting, but there was no trace of even a single deer guard. Then, a terrible revelation dawned on him.
He asked with mounting dread in his heart, “Juniper, when did your grandparents receive the painting?”
“I think it was about 60, 65 years ago?”
It was confirmation enough. He faced the painting and he uttered, “It’s them. This is where they’ve been this whole time!”
Skyla gasped, “They’re trapped in the painting?!”
Capri held out her hands to calm her friends, “Hang on. Let me test that theory.”
When the draconequus protracted her tiger claw, Juniper protested, “Wait, don’t do that!”
Capri then ran her claw down the painting, but to the surprise of her friends, the canvas remained intact!
“Yep. Just what I suspected. It’s an enchanted painting.”
Blackthorn spoke up, “Then we’ve no time to waste. We must inform the regent of this at once.”