//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Warp Runner // Story: Dream Sickness // by XenoPony //------------------------------// "Y–you... You're an alicorn?" Twilight stammered as the fanged mare was lost in a moment of confusion. "What... D–don't you ever call me that!" she spat, bristling like an angry manticore and covering her horn stump with a wing. It was just enough time for Luna to get the upper hoof, and she twisted her body out of the other mare's grip. Like an elegant serpent, she corkscrewed back, wrapped a foreleg around one of the bat pony's and flipped her to the floor. Twilight leaned back, sure that anypony would have been outmatched by Luna's alicorn strength, yet this mare was not so simply bested. Like lightning, the bat pony struck out with a rear leg, a hoof to hoof technique that Twilight was sure boasted reminiscence to that of ancient zebra monks and warrior shamans. Luna staggered at the attack, allowing the mare to slip free. "Okay, that's enough. Both of you stop it!" Twilight thrust a wing between the two mares. "I did not come all this way to see two grown mares fight like foals!" The two mares looked at her oddly, Luna's ears folding flat to her mane as the stranger snorted and took a step back. "Well, I did not come all the way out here to be found by the likes of you!" Luna's apparent shame at being scolded by the 'mare' she loved was washed away in seconds as she glared at the odd bat pony. "Lies, you know how hard it was for me to leave you. You would not go!" "A thousand years ago, Luna! Where did you go all that time?" The stranger snarled, then pressed a forehoof to her chin. "Oh, yes, let me think... The world was not good enough for you, so you just had to try and take over!"      "A mistake, I swear, a transgression I'm am still paying for with my every waking second," Luna retorted. Twilight mentally noted how she was almost starting to slip back into her old Equestrian dialect. "Not a day goes by that I do not regret what I let the Nightmare do." Luna's ears folded and her head drooped. "For years since I punished myself for it... It took others to allow me to see reason." She glanced at Twilight, and no matter how conflicted the dragoness felt, she was sure a part of her heart melted at the sad look. Oh, she can express emotions like she's some kind of masterful portrait. I never blamed her for Nightmare Moon, she knows that, the little princess in Twilight's head reasoned. Seems whoever this 'friend' of hers is sees things differently. Twilight draped a wing over Luna's back, ducking under a low banister and a set of grimy pots hanging from it to stand alongside the night princess.  "Hey, she's not Nightmare Moon!" she declared bluntly, then looked down at the downtrodden princess. "The Luna I know is nothing like that monster." By Celestia, that smile, so small yet so... Glancing at Luna, Twilight had to stop herself from getting lost in thought as the stranger pivoted and began to trot away with a flick of her dark red tail.   "The mare I know had more similarities to her than you might think. You always were ambitious, Luna, you must like to hide it. The freedom-fighting warrior princess to those who really knew you, introverted second sister to Equestria to the masses." The bat pony glanced back. "Siren to those who loved you."   "Neigh, thou lie and blaspheme thou..." Luna began to bellow, before cutting herself off as Twilight could not help but shoot her an odd look. Blushing, the night princess went on quietly. "Never did I dare to fill the descriptions you offer, nor did I wish to leave you." "Sure, just another one of those lost when you decided to become a psychopath." The stranger stomped a forehoof, ears pressed back as she drooped for a second. "I'd have at least thought I'd the first pony you'd come back for." "Well, she's here now, isn't she? Forgive me for saying, but I think this is the last place anypony would come looking for you," Twilight interjected, stealing the bat pony's attention.  The fanged mare rolled her eyes. "Did you ever consider that may be the point?" She fixed another glare on Luna. "But you knew just where to find me, even after so long."       Twilight blinked, yet Luna did not say a word to the bat-winged mare as her attention went from the disguised night princess, up to the dragoness. "Looking at you I can guess pretty easily why you're both here, Princess Twilight." Twilight felt a sudden spike of alarm, but one reassuring glance from Luna and the tension in her loosened, wings drooping.  "Might I say, you're looking... well, rather impressive. Though, being a dragon around here may not seem as luxurious as back home in Equestria," the thestral went on.     Twilight shook herself out of her stupor, then frowned. "So I've seen." She glanced back at the mark Razorback had left in her tail before looking back at Luna and adding. "I have no idea who you are or how you know me... But I guess it's nice to meet you." "The feeling would be mutual, that's if I was sure you were here just to see me," the bat pony responded. "Do you still have the map?" Luna suddenly asked, seemingly reluctant to do so, and when the stranger's face dropped Twilight had a feeling she was about to understand why.  "See, after all this time that's all you're really after." She kicked a forehoof at a half-broken glass sending it clattering down a boarded offset of stairs. "Yes, I still have it, right where you left it. It's pretty hard to get something out of my dreams, Luna!" "Wait, wait, a map? She's got the map to this realm of dreams?" Twilight asked, looking between the two, before fixing her draconic eyes on the stranger. "I'm sorry, do you at least have a name?" The bat pony looked at the dragoness coolly, as if staring down a beast with fangs, claws and the ability to breath fire was nothing. She seemed just about ready to open her mouth to introduce herself when, from the crowded tavern behind her, a new and unrecognizable, gruff voice called out.    "Warp Runner!" The stranger's ears drooped and her head fell with a dry, bored sigh, before she turned to the door, pulling up her hood again. Twilight cocked her head and blinked at the mare in confusion as Luna looked very unsure, magically re-summoning cloaks around the both of them. The thestral merely looked back over her shoulder and shrugged. "My friends call me Warp Runner." She said the word identifying the relationship as if it tasted foul, before adding with a huff, "And this could take a while."   The pair of them only had a moment before the mangy old curtain separating the back room from the rest of the tavern was shoved aside and in barged a rather grizzled set of shabby barding clad creatures. From what Twilight could make out only one of them was a pony, unicorn horn and all. Yet his hind paws and talon tipped forelegs, along with his lion tail suggested that he was not entirely equine. Another pair were griffins, glares made more menacing by one's clouded right eye and the other's metal beak. The largest of the group stood on her hind legs, had four limbs tipped with hooked claws, and a yellowed set of sharp teeth. It had been years since Twilight had even laid eyes on a diamond dog, and never had she seen a female of the subterranean canine species outside of her books. Yet she could now confirm the shaggy brown-furred biped looked just as menacing as those depictions. Last of the group was another griffin, or that was at least as close as anything Twilight could compare her to. "Did I hear the word friends there, lil-batty?" the lead creature cooed as the tapping of large talons on moldy wood signaled her advance. "You flatter me, really, I'd never imagined I'd have friends before." She looked back over the others and the group seemed to force a laugh. Most of her large, quadrupedal body was covered by a dark leather tunic, into which was sewn many pockets, bandoliers, and pouches. Many were filled with glass vials or jingled with coins. There were even two sheaths at her sides, each housing a set of serrated blades. Is it just me or do those look like they're made of bones? Twilight wondered, studying the creature further. By Celestia, I really don't want to imagine where they came from. Her sleek attire left all but her crimson wings, claws, tail and head up to the imagination. The former most were similar to how Twilight's had been only a week ago, half-covered with feathers and mostly composed of a rugged, leathery membrane. The flesh at their base, near the creature's shoulders, was red and scaly, as was her long, serpentine tail, spines running down its length to where it ended in a tuft of maroon fur. Her head was most peculiar of all, covered in a shaggy ruff of feathers and equipped with a muzzle full of sharp teeth that ultimately ended in a serrated beak. Her eyes were bright yellow, more cat-like than any griffin the princess had seen, with pupils as thin as a knife-edge. Behind them, a rugged crown of dark red feathers sat between a pair of curved, ram-like horns     Goddesses, I've no issue with love across species but by Celestia! Twilight thought, trying not to stare as the little alicorn in her head chimed. I know, she's even more freaky than you, Twi! "Oh, Gracie, I'm sure if you really wanted some friends all you'd have to do is ask." Warp Runner cocked her head with a smirk. "One mean look from you would have most folks just dying to follow you anywhere."   Gracie? Twilight caught the name, as her thoughts chimed. No offense, but she's about the least graceful thing I've seen all day. Meanwhile, Warp Runner looked around at the group behind the dragon-griffin hybrid, while Gracie snorted smoke. "Come on guys, if any of you are here because you're actually this lizard brain's friend, please speak up!"   If nothing else, Twilight could not fault the bat pony's boldness. Warp Runner had the entire band of grizzled looking creatures glancing at each other awkwardly after just a few sentences. "So, when are you planning on telling me who exactly this mare is?" she asked, nudging Luna's side with a wing.  Luna did not budge as she muttered back. "I was hoping things would be less complicated. All you need to do is what I say and they'll be no need for trouble." Twilight blinked. Why, what is she about to do this time? The more she wondered the more her draconic thoughts began to simmer. Oh, that's right, just stay behind the perfect pony princess, she'll keep you safe. Some dragoness you are! "Watch that mouth of yours," Gracie growled, shooting her companions a dangerous look before glaring into Warp Runner's eyes.  "Why, you and the Syndicate gonna come lock me up? I know for a fact that Eris won't do that," the bat pony responded, calm and unflinching as the hybrid growled.  "The way I see it, you have two fangs and a flapping tongue. I got a whole mouth full and don't take smack from lackeys like you," she hissed, and when Warp Runner opened her muzzle to retort, the hybrid lifted a claw up to cut her off. "And, as a matter of fact, I'm here because Eris ordered me to look for you." She jabbed a claw at the thestral's chest. "You failed to pay in on that collection job, you owe us." The bat pony seemingly pretended to think about that for a second before responding. "Oh, you mean that job?" she cooed, then rubbed a forehoof against her chest. "Well, you see I was never in the business of shaking down creatures just because you think they owe you money. Life's hard enough for them down here as it is." Gracie's growl grew louder as smoke began to seep from her muzzle, while Warp Runner still failed to even budge. "If the Syndicate says someone owes us, then they owe us, end of story. So are you gonna pay up or am I going to have to make you?" she pressed, and once again Warp Runner feigned thoughtfulness.  "You, and I both know you don't want to do that," she stated casually, flicking a forehoof in the air. "Plus, you know the tavern rules, Syndicate's not allowed to start fights in here." Gracie's eyes narrowed. "Like I care about that. I never got anything done by following the rules." The hybrid smirked. "Besides, what're you going to do, fuzzy ears? There's five of us and you're what... Gonna get your mysterious pals out there to help you out?" She peered around the fanged mare. "That's right, I see you, don't you know it's rude to have hoods up indoors?" She gave a nod to the pony hybrid beside her and he proved his magic still worked as his horn lit up and telekinesis ripped down the pair's hoods. Twilight instantly winced, waving a foreclaw awkwardly. Oh, what to say? Say something or say nothing, do what Luna says or do what the dragon side of me wants to do? Urgh, my brain is so messed up! Gracie only looked at Twilight with confusion, it appeared as if she'd have burst out laughing if her attention wasn't swiftly diverted to Luna. There her expression turned into one of bafflement, while the disguised night princess's harsh glare caused everyone else in the group to fall silent and take a step back. "By the great egg, Razorback was not kidding," the draconic griffin stated. "Ha, first time that dumb oaf's spoken a word of truth!" Luna stiffened. "I'm sure that you've heard, yet I assure you that my business here has nothing to do with you," she declared, but Gracie snorted.   The draconic griffin finally laughed. "Ha, you're kidding, right? You think you can just disappear for a thousand years and nobody’s gonna hold a grudge? Syndicate be damned you're my business." She drew one of her bone blades in a flash, running her claws along its edge. "I bring you in and I'll be so rich I'll never have to set foot in this squalor again!" She grinned, calling back to the others. "You ready for an early payday, guys?" The group gave a series of low cheers, drawing weapons of their own as Gracie spread her leathery red wings.  Twilight fidgeted, looking down at Luna unsurely. "Not to be an issue but I really don't think I'll be able to take anycreature on in here and not accidentally burn the place down." "No one is fighting anyone, Twilight. We're leaving," Luna stated, moving to trot away. "Oh no you're not, just because Razorback isn't tough enough for you don't mean I'll back down," Gracie threatened, yet before she could shove her way towards Luna, a dark blue foreleg was thrust between them. "Gracie, you're too young to remember so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But, like I said, you don't wanna do this," Warp Runner said calmly, and that seemed to be the last straw for the hybrid griffin.  "Oh, I'll show you just what I wanna do!" She drew her second blade and leaped up with one beat of her leathery wings. Dragoness or not, Twilight's eyes sealed shut as her forepaws covered her face. She's just going to slice her forehoof right off! Oh, Celestia what have I gotten myself into?  Yet there was no scream of pain, or splattering of blood. There was only silence, and when Twilight dared open her eyes she saw only Gracie staring dumbstruck at Warp Runner's very intact foreleg. Her very, ghostly looking foreleg.      The scaly hybrid blinked once in confusion before her snarl returned and she bared her fanged muzzle. "Oh no, don't think you can go pulling all your dumb magical tricks on me!" she roared before rearing up to strike her full weight down on the bat pony. Warp Runner's bored expression was the last thing to disappear as the bat pony faded away in a cloud of dark smoke. A 'go incorporeal' spell, I thought that school of magic died out eons ago? Twilight thought as Gracie's claws struck the floor with a splintering crunch. As if the two had somehow orchestrated the attack perfectly, the hybrid had just enough time to let out a frustrated growl before Luna's hind hooves struck at her through Warp Runner's smoky haze. Staggered, the scaly creature fell back as Luna rounded on her and struck out with one forehoof, relieving the smoke-snorting griffin of one of her bone blades.   "What are you waiting for, an invitation!? Get them, you idiots!" Gracie called out to the others in her group, who'd seemed content with just watching apprehensively for the time being.  Meanwhile, Luna kicked up, spinning in the air like a silver hurricane and striking out with another of her forehooves. Gracie let out a grunt as she shifted aside and twisted back to her feet, striking out at the disguised alicorn with her claws. "Luna, look out!" Twilight called as she shoved her way forwards. The sensation of something heavy landing atop her back and another thing wrapping around her neck gave the dragoness pause, however, and she had about a second to look down and see the wooden shaft of a spear below her chin as well as the two muscular brown arms either side of her neck.      "Silver mask and a pretty bag of scales, boss is gonna give me... Uh, us a raze, yes, yes!" howled the diamond dog as she practically bear-hugged Twilight's neck, yanking the spear back and heaving the dragoness with her. Twilight gasped, breath struggling to reach her lungs as she floundered. Smoke bubbled from her snout on instinct, but every time she tried to shake off her attacker the dog's claws ripped through her cloak and dug into her scales. "That right you ride that drake, Poppy!" called the griffon-unicorn hybrid as his magic lit up again and before Twilight knew it, there was a rope snaking around her hind legs. "Ha, This one's going down like a total fool!" chimed one of the scared griffins, as the one with the metal beak darted away from one of Luna's kicks. "A little help here!"  Twilight choked out, catching the shocked look on Luna's face as the disguised alicorn turned. The momentary break in Luna's focus was not something Gracie seemed about to ignore, however, and taking full advantage of her briefly diverted attention, the draconic griffin lunged. "Look out!" Twilight called again, her wings surging open as she tried to bat off her canine assailant. Luna was shoved aside, shattering a barstool before she was leaped upon by Gracie. The hybrid's face was a mask of exhilaration as she loomed over the downed silver mare triumphantly.  "See, you ain't so tough, no idea why my family's always had such trouble with you," she growled. Twilight's draconic mind was screaming before she knew it. Argh, this is ridiculous. You're a dragoness, stop floundering like a stupid foal and do something! "Luna!" she roared, kicking up with her hind legs, snapping her bonds and throwing the dog perched atop her back over her head.   The spear clattered to the ground as the large canine was tossed through the air and right into Gracie's side, the pair of them sent slamming through several old seating booths before coming to a stop in a pile of moldy old wood.   Luna was on her hooves again in a flash, so too was she set upon by the metal beaked griffin as the remaining two thugs both rounded on Twilight. The dragoness snorted smoke. "Back off I'm warning you, I really have no idea how to control this thing!" she warned, looking at one of her paws as she flexed her claws. The scarred griffin and pony-avian hybrid looked at one another, shrugged, then leaped at her with claws and sword ready. Twilight did all she could to ignore her instinctive equine drive to flee, and her usual urge to just use magic to solve her problem. Instead, she flared a wing in the path of the two attackers, flicking the lavender membrane forward and stunning the two with a blast of air. The half-pony fell back, head swaying while the griffin recovered first.  He was in the air before Twilight could even retract her wing, talons striking along the exposed membrane and cutting a series of painful gashes. Twilight winced at the sting, an uncontrollable grunt escaping between her bared teeth as, carried by his momentum, the griffin struck the side of her neck with all of his weight behind it. Twilight staggered, her still alien limbs floundering under her as she collapsed through another set of bar stools. Miniature princesses dancing in her blurred vision, the dragoness looked up just in time to see the griffin land on her chest and press a claw to her throat. "Scales ain't so thick on the underside, so how's about you just come along with us all nice and qui..." Before the avian-feline could finish a pair of silver hooves connected with his head and sent him tumbling down an old set of stairs. "One would think that they'd have learned to speak less and just fight in the past millennium," Luna panted as she appeared beside Twilight.       The dragoness shook the fluttering alicorns from her vision and managed to lock her swaying sight on Luna. "One would think you'd explain why I'm suddenly being assaulted by thugs in a tavern halfway around the world!" she exclaimed, lashing out with her tail and unintentionally smacking the pony-griffin hybrid across the room over the head with it.   Twilight winced as he fell into the mess of broken planks with a weary groan. "Urg, stupid body... He'll be okay, right?" "As okay as any soul stuck out here I'm sure," Luna offered before reaching out a forehoof to assist the dragoness back to her paws. "Twilight, your wing, are you alright?" The dragoness shifted the limb to inspect the gashes the griffin's claws had torn in it, wincing a little. "Nothing worse then I got running off into the Everfree forest." Luna didn't look quite convinced of her companion's well being, but Twilight rolled her eyes. "You did say this trip may be dangerous, it's just a scratch, nothing a little healing spell won't fix."     Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I... I... You're right... And a time and a place will come for explanations too, I assure you," Luna assured, then sighed. "For I had hoped to simply come here, get what we needed, and leave without complication." "Oh, if you think you can just wander into our town and get what you want, you got another thing coming," Gracie muttered as she rose from the pile of wood Twilight's toss had left her in, the stunned diamond dog groaning at her side with a paw to her snout. Luna stepped in front of Twilight, her horn glowing as the scaly hybrid strode across the newly unconscious body of the metal beaked griffin. "Things have changed in the last millennium, now the Syndicate's got me and..." There was a sharp whoosh and the hybrid's words trailed off as her words faded. "And... I... sleepy..." She hit the floor with a hard thud to expose Warp Runner standing behind her, a wing neatly folded across her chest. There was a small silver blade on its edge, like the elegant wing blades Twilight had read about in ancient thestral culture, before their oaths as protectors of the night. Any other time she'd have squealed at the pure fact that she could lay eyes upon something of such historical significance. Right now, however, she wanted nothing more than to be back home in Ponyville with her old body and a whole month's worth of study material to work through.      "Night soul poison, remember that one, Luna?" Warp Runner asked as she inspected the small blade on her wingtip. "Just enough to knock most creatures out cold, never to kill."  Luna collected herself, running a forehoof through her messed up mane as she responded. "Old habits die hard, I see?" Warp Runner chuckled as she folded her wing and stepped forward. "I just wanted to see if you were still all you used to be. Still a fighter, that's for sure."  Luna didn't look impressed in the slightest as she peered down at the shorter mare. "Glad to know I still impress, though more assistance would have been appreciated." "Oh, but you had your big dragoness to beat them all up. Looked like you had it all under control," she countered, glancing around Luna to address Twilight. "Not bad, your highness. Those guys are trained to take down dragons." Despite herself, Twilight blushed. "W–well... I... I–I...Thanks, I guess." She scratched the back of her head with a foreclaw, before finally giving up and letting it flop back into the mass of broken wood under her. "So she is the reason you're here then?" Warp Runner went on. "You did the thing again, didn't you?" Luna seemed to battle so hard not to look awkward at those words, a rosy blush pooling in her cheeks. "I... I may have allowed my feelings to slip... A thousand years out of practice, you see." "So all we ever did is even wasted, figures," Warp Runner said with a long sigh, and a look of regret spread across Luna's face in place of embarrassment.   "Look, I really have no idea who you are or what's gone on between you and Luna, but she came halfway around the world to find you,  so will you help or not?" Twilight finally interrupted. Warp Runner turned her attention to the dragoness, an unsure look plastered upon her face. "Once I'd have helped with whatever my princess asked, but now..." she trailed off, taking a deep breath. "But it's not just our problem anymore, is it, Luna?" she asked, looking back at the disguised night princess as Luna sighed. Twilight looked between the pair, wondering what she'd have to say next to get them to stop arguing before Luna finally spoke up. "No, it's not, this is my mistake and I have to fix it." She tentatively reached out a forehoof and placed it on the bat pony's shoulder. "But I need your help. So yes, that is what I came all this way for." Warp Runner glanced at Luna's outstretched forehoof and huffed. "At least you can still be honest." Luna's awkward smile returned as Warp Runner glanced back at the band of unconscious thugs and finally added, "All I know for sure is that if you don't want to end up in a dungeon, we're going to have to go somewhere other than here."  ******** "So this Syndicate, what? Can they just do whatever they want out here?" Twilight asked as she squeezed her way down the narrow, rocky tunnel after Luna and Warp Runner.  "That pretty much sums them up, they got claws, hooves, and skies know what else in all kinds of places around here. Anything goes down this side of the Luna ocean and they'll know about it," Warp Runner elaborated as she led the way, startling glowing roaches and snake tailed rats as she did so.  "Then how come I've never heard of them? I've read books on the far west before and all records stop at the east border, before the desert of glass," Twilight persisted, both curiosity and shame that she did not know everything pushing her to do so. "All records of lands this far west are scarce in Equestria, the last trade routes to run here were lost over a millennia ago, so our current knowledge is limited," Luna explained, glancing back.   "Yeah I can tell, you come all this way and expect it to be just how you left it," Warp Runner added and Luna frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?" the disguised princess asked, and the bat pony rolled her eyes. "You just prance around the streets looking like that and expect no one to notice, you may as well just be your real self," she stated, much to Luna's apparent irritation.  "Well, do forgive me if I expected things to be a little more civilized. I thought the Syndicate destroyed. Sure, I was prepared for a few thugs but it seems there is no fixing things this far away from home," Luna huffed, holding her head so high it was a wonder her horn did not scrape the low ceiling.   Warp Runner's eyes rolled again. "I see that sense of nobility hasn't gone anywhere. I forgot you're always right, Luna," she said, and the night princess frowned. "You're just lucky I'm in good with Riptide or you'd have to take a sum out of your treasury to fix up the tavern."  Twilight had no idea what the thestral had said to the hippogriff running the bar, she was pretty sure the muttering she’d heard and the subtle passing of bits between the two wouldn't have been enough to pay for the damage, no matter the state they'd found the back room in. Nevertheless, after that, and a swift healing spell from Luna on her wounded wing, Warp Runner had been swift to lead them both deeper into the caverns below the skyport, the only place she was sure the Syndicate would never look.  "And how was that our fault, those creeps attacked us?" the dragoness blurted, then pressed a claw to her muzzle.  What did I tell you about speaking for me! The little princess in her head snapped at her draconic side. We don't just go around wrecking other's property! "Still don't get it, do you? After that stunt back there, plus whatever you did with Razorback, the Syndicate's gonna be all over you." Warp Runner warned, looking at Luna in particular. "Eris is not going to let the fabled Silver Mask out of her claws."  How many more monsters are going to come after us now before we can get this mess sorted out? Twilight wondered. Look on the bright side, it's like a real adventure, like Daring Do or Lord of the Golden Horseshoes. Hmmm, maybe there'll be treasure... Lots of treasure. She almost had to smack herself to keep from drooling as Luna once again spoke up. "Let them try, I'll put them down like I did last time. Whoever this Eris is, I'd like to see her take anything from me," the disguised night princess stated. "Yeah, just the Luna I remember," Warp Runner observed casually. "Doesn't look like you have big sis to back you up this time though."   You know I'd really like to know what Luna and Celestia neglected to put in their diary, Twilight wondered as she finally collected herself enough to ask.  "A–and why do you remember her, what is it between you two?" That gave the bat pony pause, and for a split second Twilight swore she could see a look of sadness in the fanged mare's eyes. "W–we were friends... A long time ago," Warp Runner told her, before swiftly marching on towards a large metal door at the end of the tunnel.   She began to undo the multitude of locks, levers, and latches that sealed the door like one of the secure Canterlot vaults, muttering inaudibly as she did so. "Warp Runner and I were... Well, it's a long story. I..." Luna began to say, but for the first time since Twilight had met the nightly mare, the princes of the night was silenced by a glare. Warp Runner's red and blue eyes narrowed as she shifted a forehoof and the door shunted open. Meanwhile, Luna huffed again. "What? It's not like you cared all this time either, I'll bet you didn't even keep any..." The door swung to one side to reveal a small grotto, its right wall exposed to the sunlight below the cliff as the grimy cavern containing the tavern had been. A wooden walkway ran around its edge, supporting several tables, a charcoal fire, and a hammock. Glasses and vials littered the place, and hanging roots had been made into make-shift storage, from which hung food, drying cloaks and the odd weapon. If not for the gusty exposure to the sky beyond the cliff it may have been cozy, but one glance to the middle of the cavern and it was clear why such a gaping hole was necessary. The skyship was smaller than most, for a crew of no more than five, Twilight guessed. Its aetheric balloon was as sleek and narrow as its slender hull suspended in the dock below, each of them flanked by wing-like sails that, even tied down as they were, rustled in the wind. The deck was polished blue wood, as was the cabin towards the ship's stern. Yet most striking of all was the vessel's deep blue coloration, decorated with stars, comets, and nebulae as if to perfectly blend into the night's sky. One last detail, positioned just behind the sharp silverpoint upon the ship's bow, caught Twilight's eye.    "Eternal Nightshine," Squinting, Twilight read out the name of the vessel, while at her side Luna stammered and Warp Runner looked back at her with a grin.   "Y–you... You kept it?" the disguised alicorn managed to mutter as the bat pony nodded. "Of course I did, the thing's worth more than most of Ironstal," she assured, moving over to stroke the ship's hull. "And for where you're gonna have to go, I think you'll need her." At that, Twilight had to fight hard not to feel faint. A journey by airship? The little princess in her head was giddy with excitement. Dear Celestia, I really am living out an adventure novel!