//------------------------------// // 05 - Life in the Battlefield // Story: Black Feather // by Recon777 //------------------------------// “Haha, you can’t escape!” Dusty zoomed his Equestrian SkyGuard action figure around to encircle and confront the toy zebra once more. His aerial advantage left the zebra with little chance of winning this fight. Thinking quickly, the zebra had one last option. He— The imaginary encounter was interrupted suddenly when a shimmering indigo-tinted bubble appeared around Dusty’s body, breaking him out of his playtime reverie. He looked up, startled. The bubble was barely wide enough for him to fit within. What was this? It— “Ow!” Something had just bit his ear. It hurt worse than a bee sting. Before he could put a hoof to his ear, a large, black adult pony slammed into the ground right in front of him. A pegasus, from the looks of it. Dusty flinched, squinting as he fought to see through the cloud of dirt and dust kicked up from the impact. Wait, that's no pegasus. The adult seemed panicked. As the dust settled, the colt could see that this grown-up had a horn as well. Then he saw her eyes as she opened them, locking onto his own. No. It couldn't be. It was! It was her. How was this possible? A single muffled boom echoed in the distance. It sounded like Pinkie Pie's party cannon or somepony setting off fireworks. Nitemare Nyx looked over her shoulder, focusing on the sound. She then stood up and spread her magnificent black wings, casting a shadow over him. Dusty stared up in awe. She was amazing. Sleek, towering, and powerful. He watched the feathers of her wings fan out as she spun around and bent her knees just a little, preparing to leap into the air. Nyx glanced down to look at him for a split second, and the shield bubble around his body evaporated. “Run!” Dusty tensed up. He remembered what his mother had taught him: Find an adult. Get inside. Stay safe. He galloped toward the schoolhouse door, glancing back at Nyx as he ran. Nyx tore off into the sky, faster than any creature alive. Dusty watched from the school doorway until she had vanished behind the trees. He ran inside the school, seeking his teacher. Cheerilee was sitting at her desk, grading papers. “Miss Cheerilee! It's Nitemare Nyx! She's so awesome. She plowed into the ground right next to me and put me in her shield, and she looked right at me! It was so cool! Then she stood up and it was so amazing; her wings are huge. She flew off so fast. I couldn’t believe it. You missed it; she was right outside!” Dusty paused to let the air back into his lungs. His teacher glanced up from her paperwork for a moment and stared at him with one of those stares grown-ups give when they aren’t really getting the message. “Yes, Dusty, she’s a real super pony, isn’t she? Say, I’ve got to finish these up, so be a dear and take your adventures back outside, okay? I’m sure you don’t want to use up your recess just talking to me.” Her smile matched the flowers on her cutie mark. “Miss Cheerilee, you don’t understand. She was here. It was awesome, and…” Cheerilee looked off to the side, her ears swiveling about, listening, but clearly not to him. The ambient chatter in the playground had shifted tone. The word ‘blood’ drifted in ever so subtly. All the kids had just become focused on the same thing. And that thing was not fun and games. Dusty watched Cheerilee looking about, unsure if she was even hearing him. She seemed really concerned about something. Suddenly, her head snapped back to look at him, not quite meeting his gaze. Her eyes widened. Why was she looking at him like that? Was she looking at… his ear? Cheerilee stood up so fast her chair fell backward. Just then, two other kids came in from the playground, talking over each other and panting. “Stay inside!” Cheerilee instructed, directing the two newcomers to sit with Dusty. She trotted to the door and looked outside. “What’s goin’ on?” the filly next to him asked. “We saw Nyx practically land on you and put you in a shield, then fly away! We told the others, and now everypony’s talking ‘bout it.” Cheerilee had her head outside the door and spoke with authority. “Children, come inside. Hurry!” “I don’t know,” Dusty replied. “I came in to tell Miss Cheerilee all about it, but I don’t think she heard me.” The other children came pouring in through the doorway while Cheerilee kept watching outside. “Dusty, there’s blood running down your ear. Did Nyx do that to ya when she slammed into you?” “She didn’t slam—” Dusty put a hoof to his ear. “Ow! That stings.” There was a fair amount of blood flowing from his ear down his jawline and dripping onto the floor. He looked at the red stain on his hoof. The filly gave his ear a closer look. “That doesn’t look like any kinda cut or scrape I’ve ever seen. It’s like a little part of your ear is missin’.” Cheerilee looked at Dusty from the doorway. He could see the concern on her face, and it began to frighten him. After the last of the kids finished coming in, she closed the door. “Everypony in the center of the room,” Cheerilee said, her voice teetering on the edge of panic. Why was she so scared? What was going on? Was this because of Nyx? “Now, who can tell me the first thing we do in an emergency?” Half the room raised their hooves high. Hidden in the shadows, the zebra’s gaze remained fixed on the scene before him. Razor watched as the alicorn known as Nyx stood with her pegasus companion amidst the smoldering zebra remains. The air was tinged with the acrid scent of burnt flesh, a scent that even reached his own nostrils despite the distance. His heart beat a steady rhythm as he observed her through the scope of his weapon, his expression impassive even as turmoil churned within. Nyx’s prowess was undeniable, as was her determination. She had responded swiftly to the threat, saving the child and eliminating his assassins with a display of sheer power that Razor hadn’t anticipated. His hoof pressed ever so slightly on the rifle’s grip, a momentary flicker of frustration coursing through him. No. He hadn’t made all these preparations to simply shoot her, as tempting as that might be. It was a reminder that his vendetta wasn’t just to merely kill the alicorn—it was to attack her where it most hurt. Averting his gaze slightly, he cast a cautious glance around, searching for the empath that he suspected would be nearby. He knew his emotions had to remain in check. Any hint of hostility could betray his presence. He couldn’t allow that to happen. Not yet. As the seconds ticked by, he found himself studying Nyx’s demeanor. The way she held herself, the intensity in her eyes, it all spoke of a deep-rooted determination. She was a formidable target, and the knowledge only strengthened his resolve. His son’s life had been claimed in that arctic city three years ago, and since then, every breath Razor took had been marked by the fire of vengeance. In the aftermath of the attack, Nyx’s gaze swept over the area, her ears swiveling on high alert. Razor held his breath, keeping his emotions steady. His plan was now in motion, and this encounter was just the beginning—a test, a provocation. As Nyx’s attention shifted elsewhere, Razor allowed himself a small, calculated exhale. The stage had yet to be prepared. Soon, all the actors would be in place and the game would begin. There was a fire in his eyes, a burning determination that matched her own. He wouldn’t rest until his vendetta was fulfilled, until he saw her world crumble just as his had. Nyx was staring at the flames licking at the remains of the zebra soldiers. This wasn’t how she intended to deal with them. What had just happened? She had killed them with… with what, exactly? Her emotions? Her fury? Was that even possible? She felt a brief, familiar pang of guilt. Two more lives. But they deserved it. This was inexcusable. An outrage! Why were they targeting children? The zebras had just recently killed over seven hundred children at Brumby Ridge. They left no survivors. And now this? They were monsters! The emotional dam that held back months of built-up stress began to crumble within her. Nyx let out a guttural scream at the burning remains. She spread her wings wide and sent the embers and ashes flying in a telekinetic outburst. Without warning, she leapt up into the air and tore across the sky toward home, leaving her friends behind. Upon stepping out of the elevator, she buckled to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. Everything was falling apart. It just wasn’t… it couldn’t be this bad. Was this truly how life would be now? That nowhere was safe, not even the carefree school where Nyx herself had spent so much of her youth? Walking into her bedroom, she was about to collapse on the bed when she heard the hum of the elevator kicking in. Rumble and Flitter would be here in just a moment. She quickly dried her eyes and straightened up, busying herself with tidying the room. She was making her bed when her family arrived. “Sorry it wasn’t as fun a flight as we were hoping,” Nyx said casually while her heart bled within her. She didn’t turn around but continued to make her bed, tucking the blankets in neatly along the sides. Grabbing a feather duster, she began cleaning the trinkets along the shelving. Rumble sat down on the edge of the bed. “Nyx… are you—” Nyx glanced over her shoulder, her voice shaky as her glistening eyes locked onto his. “Why wouldn’t I be okay, Rumble?” She looked away again and continued dusting. “It’s just war, right? I mean, what can we expect? This is just how life is now.” Hesitating a moment, Rumble continued with caution in his voice. “Do you need—” Her voice cracked. “Yes. Yes, please.” She held still for a moment, waiting. “Alright. We’ll be in the lounge if you want to talk.” Rumble and Flitter left her alone and closed the door. Nyx collapsed onto the bed, taking a deep breath as she once again stared at the ceiling. Her mind couldn’t process what had just happened. She lay there motionless for two minutes before sitting up. Her eyes caught a thin layer of dust on the nightstand next to her bed. The levitated feather duster danced across its surface before coming to a stop in midair. Nyx regarded the upper drawer, remembering what was inside. She resisted the urge to open it. Her hoof touched the drawer. Don’t open it, don’t open it, her mind whispered to her will. She opened it anyway. Inside was a photo. It was from that silly office event at her mother’s research institute where everypony had brought their daughters to work. Her mom had thought it would be fun to bring her, despite Nyx being a married mare in her early twenties. Nyx could already feel the tears forming in her eyes as she touched the photo. She lifted it up, revealing a second item in the drawer—a child’s colored pencil sketch of Nyx herself. Investigators had recovered the items from a filly’s saddlebags after the massacre at Luna’s School of Applied Magic in Brumby Ridge. Nyx was in the photo, along with her mother and one of her researchers. Sitting beside Nyx was a little pastel blue and yellow filly with this huge grin on her face like it was the best thing in the world. She remembered meeting the filly, who seemed to think much more of Nyx than she felt she deserved. This one was special; she had an exceptional gift. Something to do with linking to another unicorn’s abilities. Amazing talent and potential. Nyx flipped the photo over, her breath catching in her throat as she put a hoof to her lips. On the back, Nyx herself had written a message. For Misty, You’ve got the makings of a real hero. I can’t wait to see what you become when you grow up. -Nyx Sparkle Tears streamed down her cheeks as she held the photo to her chest with her eyes closed. This would never have happened in the world Nyx grew up in. The loss was overwhelming. When would it end? Somepony knocked at the bedroom door. “Nyx?” It was Rumble. She opened the door, and he looked in to see her sitting on the edge of the bed. She felt like such a mess. Rumble approached and saw the photo. “Nyx, come on out. It’s okay.” She put the photo away and followed Rumble to the lounge. Seated on the couch, she cuddled with him while Flitter sat in the reclining chair. There was no use hiding her feelings from her family. She leaned into him as he put a hoof around her shoulder. “Rumble?” “Yeah, hon?” “I miss home.” Rumble shifted. She knew he wondered what she meant. “I miss Equestria. How it used to be.” There it was. He held her tighter, and she knew he understood. Her mind wandered to the dark places that she usually tried to keep hidden. So many lives lost, she thought to herself. And for what? She thought about what life in Equestria was once like before the war—recalled what was lost. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this, Rumble. Do you remember what it was like when we were kids? What’s the most serious thing that ever happened—Discord’s pranks or the occasional monster from Everfree? Struggles of friendship? Rainbow Dash breaking the weather factory? Never an entire nation bent on our destruction. Never… Ponies aren’t warriors, Rumble. Not most of them. They’re not made for this. Thousands of years of relatively light conflict, peace and harmony, and now this. Countless families ripped apart, especially after Aria was lost.” Nyx paused, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She carried on, her voice trembling. “I’m trying to be strong. I really am. But I feel like we’ve all lost so much. Everything we grew up with. All the love and happiness… this isn’t the way it’s s-supposed to be.” Rumble held her close. She pressed into him, burying her face into his chest, tears flowing. “I—I can’t remember the last time we could just run around and play, or dance in the street without worrying that somepony might get shot, or hearing that a pack of zebras came rushing into a school and k-killed everypony, or… or,” she sobbed. Rumble held her tightly, letting her get it out, ignoring that his chest was soaked in snot and tears. All the pent-up stress Nyx had been holding back for months came to the surface. Each tear stabbed at her soul. Each drop, the blood of an innocent life she couldn’t save. The weight of her failure was crushing. She had promised to protect them. How could she have known there was a war coming? How could she have known that she could not save them all? She wept until her tears ran dry, but there was still more blood on the scales. Eventually, she quieted herself, still breathing erratically. “I don’t know how much longer we can hold on. Will we ever have normal lives again?” “Someday,” came Rumble’s comforting reply. She lifted her face off his chest, suddenly aware of the sticky mess she had created. “Oh my. I…” “Shhh. Don’t worry about it.” Flitter brought Nyx a cup of hot cinnamon tea and a box of tissues. Despite the snot still trickling out of her nose, Nyx was feeling much better, having got all that off her chest. “Thank you,” she croaked as she grabbed a tissue, “Listen, I’m sorry about mentioning Aria—” “It’s okay,” Flitter said as she put a hoof to Nyx’s mouth. “We all have our moments. This war is tough on everypony. You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed once in a while. You were there for me when I lost my home and my entire family. Nopony is keeping score.” “Thanks, Flitter,” Nyx replied, relaxing a bit. Flitter gave her a hug and joined the couple on the couch. “You should take it easy,” Rumble said with concern. “You probably came close to burning out after… after whatever that was out there.” Nyx’s thoughts focused on the spell matrix resting at the base of her horn. The number which appeared, floating in mid-air before them, read seventy-eight percent! Nyx did a double-take; that wasn’t possible. “Wait, weren’t you down to twenty-something percent yesterday?” Rumble asked. “I-I yeah, but— It was like…” Nyx had no words. What was going on? She had clearly just used a whole bunch of energy, but now she had more stored up than before the fight. “Nyx, you incinerated those zebras. Not only that, but you looked like… well, you looked pretty scary.” “I’m sorry, hon. I honestly don’t understand. I was so angry, and everything was just a blur. It felt like I had just… like I got a glimpse of something that’s beyond any description. And then it was gone.” “Not to make light of that, guys,” Flitter interjected. “But I’m a bit worried about the fact that zebras are attacking schoolchildren in the middle of Equestria. Ponyville isn’t exactly anywhere near the front lines. What was that about?” “No idea,” Rumble said. “Doesn’t make any sense to me. They even lost a tactical team over it.” Nyx shook off the strangeness of her magical outburst as a sense of urgency fell upon her. She leaned forward off the couch and stood up, grabbing her saddlebags. “We have to get to the school right away. I need to make sure that little colt is okay. I imagine he’s pretty freaked out.” “Did you see who it was?” Flitter asked as she and Rumble joined her in the elevator. “I’m not sure. I’ve never seen him before. He was so cute, Flitter, you should have seen him. He had no idea what was going on. He was just having fun with his toys in the schoolyard without the slightest clue that… that his life might have ended in an instant.” Chills ran down Nyx’s back. “I’m a little worried he’ll haunt my dreams.” Nyx’s mind traveled to dark places for a moment as the trio left the clubhouse. “Imagine if we had failed, Flitter! Or if we hadn’t shown up at all. The colt would be dead. What would the repercussions be for his whole family? How would it affect the colt’s mother and father having discovered their precious little one had been killed and for no reason? Would his friends even understand what happened, or why? How many lives would be devastated if we had failed today?” “Nyx!” Rumble interrupted before she could get into a full-blown panic attack. She looked at him. “We didn’t fail. He’s alive! Let’s just focus on that.” “I know, I know.” She took a shuddering breath, forcing a calm over herself, “Sorry. Let’s… let’s go check up on him.” Wings spreading wide, she took flight over the trees. After getting her class to calm down, Cheerilee turned her attention back to Dusty. He was shaking. His ear was bandaged up now, and blood had begun to soak through. Having got a good look at it before patching him up, she knew it was definitely not a normal playground injury. Cheerilee walked over to the window and looked outside. She was pretty sure Dusty had been shot. But why, and by whom? And how was Nyx involved? She peered out the window and tried to gauge the situation. Ponyville looked as normal as ever. There were no gunshots to be heard, and nopony was running around in the streets. She sat down with Dusty again and looked over the rest of her class. Some of the children looked confused. Others, she could tell understood what had happened, and they looked frightened. Dusty was still shaking. He looked up into her eyes. “I almost died, didn’t I, Miss Cheerilee?” She held him to her chest. “Shhh. You’re safe now.” There was a knock at the front door. Finally. Cheerilee motioned for one of her students to go check who was there. It was Amethyst Star, wearing her dark green Ponyville Militia combat vest and harness. At her side was a rifle in addition to an array of TK flechettes slotted into her harness. Amethyst also happened to be the mother of one of the students in the classroom. Cheerilee waved her inside. “We’ve just been put on alert,” Amethyst said as her eyes scanned over the students. A little filly got up from her desk and ran to the front door. “Mom!” Amethyst took her child in her hooves. Relief spread over Cheerilee’s face. “Amethyst, thank you so much for coming. I’ve been so worried.” Amethyst noticed Cheerilee holding Dusty close. She came inside and sat next to them. “Is he alright?” “A little stunned, but he’s okay. What’s going on out there?” “We’re still working that out,” Amethyst replied quietly so as to not be overheard by the class. “Flitter came and told us there are zebras targeting the school. The rest of the militia is sweeping the area.” The mare regarded Dusty carefully, noticing his bandaged ear. “What happened to him?” “I think he was—” Cheerilee caught herself and hushed her tone. “I’m pretty sure he was shot.” “Nopony else hurt?” Cheerilee shook her head. “We’re just a bit shaken up and not sure what to do.” “For now, we sit tight. I’ll stay here until we get the all clear, then I’ll escort the kids to the town hall.” “Thanks, Amethyst.” Nyx and her friends set down outside the school where somepony quickly came out to greet them. It was Amethyst Star, a longtime Ponyville resident. She and her daughter waved as Nyx approached. “Nyx! What happened out there?” A thousand questions were lined up behind those worried eyes. “Pretty sure it’s over,” Nyx replied, her heart racing. “Is everypony okay?” “Only the colt is injured if that’s what you mean. Everypony else is pretty freaked out.” She hesitated a moment. “Flitter said you found zebras?” Nyx nodded. “Here in Ponyville? I don’t suppose you could set the kids’ minds at ease? If you’re sure it’s safe, I’ll be leading the class to the town hall where the mayor will address the town. We could use your help to keep rumors from spreading.” Nyx sighed in resignation; she really didn’t feel like making a public appearance over this. “Fine. Let’s talk to Cheerilee first.” Amethyst seemed happy with that. She opened the door, and Nyx followed Rumble and Flitter into the school. Every child’s eyes were glued to them. Nyx looked around at all the little faces. “Hi, everypony.” Three children immediately raised their hooves high, causing Rumble to snicker. Cheerilee cleared her throat. “Everypony wants to know what’s going on, Nyx. We know there’s some kind of threat. Are we in danger?” “We took care of it,” Nyx said with finality in her tone. “There’s no danger now.” The entire room seemed to release the collective breath it had been holding. “You’re sure?” Cheerilee prodded. “Positive. Boooom,” Rumble said with a wide grin. His hooves gestured an explosion, causing Flitter to wince and five or six colts in the classroom to giggle. Cheerilee visibly relaxed and proceeded to address her students. “Alright, class, I’d like you all to go collect your bags and line up at the front door. School is canceled for the rest of the day.” The controlled chaos of twenty-four colts and fillies erupted in the classroom as all the kids scrambled to the back of the room to collect their belongings. Cheerilee turned to Amethyst. “Thank you for taking the children back to their parents. If you won’t be needing me, I’d like to stay and speak with our guests.” She patted Dusty on the shoulder. “I’d like this one to stay as well; please tell Rose he’s fine for me. I’ll come see her after we’re through.” “It’s no trouble. We’ll be at the town hall. I’ll see you there.” Amethyst then turned to Nyx, holding her daughter tightly at her side. “Thank you for what you did today. Thank you all.” She turned and led the class out of the school. Cheerilee sat down next to her student, who never took his eyes off Nyx. She checked his bandage, seeing that it was bleeding through. “It was zebras, wasn’t it?” Cheerilee said. It wasn’t really a question. Flitter approached the colt and knelt down, examining his bandage. She set her saddlebags down and pulled out some medical supplies. “Yes,” she said as she undressed the colt’s ear while his gaze remained fixed firmly on Nyx the whole time. “We were flying by when we spotted the sniper. We still don’t know why, though. We’ve never seen them operate like this. But then again, there have been other attacks we never saw coming either.” Flitter winced at the colt’s exposed wound. There was a rounded piece of his ear missing on the outer edge where the bullet had passed through. “This is going to hurt a bit, darling.” Flitter soaked a cotton ball with alcohol and pressed it against his ear. He flinched but didn’t shy away. She dabbed his ear with blood-stop powder and sprayed on a foam protectant that sealed the wound. Nyx waved at the colt, prompting a grin along with his own wave in return. “Cheerilee, if you don’t mind, I’d like to stay here with him while you guys talk.” Cheerilee nodded. She walked with Rumble and Flitter to the craft table on the far end of the room while Nyx approached the colt and knelt down on the mat with him. Nyx sat motionless across from the colt, feeling an uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. Would he shrink away in fear? Her unusual eyes had a history of intimidating children. He stared at her with a mixture of awe and disbelief. “What’s your name?” His eyes widened just a bit further, as if he was surprised she was addressing him directly. “Dusty.” Nyx studied him for a moment. This was someone’s precious little colt. Alive. Dusty, she thought to herself. Nyx felt a warming in her belly. She recalled the promise she had made to the princesses nearly fifteen years ago. This was her purpose—her identity. For that moment, the morning’s concerns about the nightmare were washed away. She scooted close to Dusty. He did not flinch or try to keep his distance. Nyx smiled warmly. “Hi, Dusty. I’m Nyx. And I am very happy to meet you.” Flitter sat down at the far end of the classroom with Rumble and Cheerilee. The teacher’s exhaustion was obvious, though she had done remarkably well managing two dozen children in a crisis like she did. The mare was a gifted and experienced schoolteacher. It had been many years since Nyx and Rumble were in her classroom, learning the basics of friendship and academics. “Thank you all for what you did today,” Cheerilee said with relief still in her voice. “It was almost too horrible for words.” Flitter nodded. “He’s taking the whole thing pretty well. I know that most kids would be pretty freaked out in his situation. Is he new here? I don’t remember seeing him before.” “Yes, he’s been with us for two weeks now. He comes from a military family, so he’s been in quite a number of schools all across the southern districts.” “Ahh,” Flitter chuckled. “That explains it.” “Hmm?” “Well, he’s remarkably brave. Practically fearless, in fact. It’s quite refreshing.” “Oh, that’s right, you can…” Flitter met the mare’s gaze without a word. It was no secret that Flitter was a changeling, though most ponies still seemed to forget on occasion. And even fewer ponies remembered that changelings were empaths. “During the famine, we saw so many pony kids living in fear,” Flitter continued. “It was hard to find anypony whose love outshined it enough to sustain us.” “I… I’m sorry if my fear is a bit overt, Flitter,” Cheerilee stated, blushing. “Please understand, an attack on my school is the last thing I ever actually expected would happen. It’s just—” “Cheerilee, relax,” Flitter assured. “It doesn’t work quite like that. I’m fine. More than fine, in fact.” She gazed back to Dusty and Nyx playing with his SkyGuard action figures, soaking up the joy radiating off the child. “He loves the SkyGuard,” Cheerilee commented. “Idolizes officers like Rainbow Dash and Spitfire. Sometimes, I think he wishes he was a pegasus.” “His parents earth ponies?” Rumble asked. “Both, yes,” she replied. “His dad was killed in the war a few years ago. Most of it’s classified, so I’m not sure of the details.” Rumble leaned forward, trying to get a better look at what they were playing with. “That’s the new toy line by Equestria Forever, isn’t it?” he asked. “Maybe you should be over there, playing with them,” Flitter chucked. “Tempt me again, and I just might,” he replied with a grin. “I haven’t seen the new ones yet.” “Are you ever going to grow up?” she quipped. “Should I?” Rumble watched as Dusty examined Nyx’s cutie mark up close. “He sure seems to like Nyx. I might get jealous.” “Yes, he’s quite a fan,” Cheerilee said. “You should have seen his reaction when she showed up right in front of him from out of nowhere. He had no idea what was going on, but he understood that Nyx had just saved his life.” Dusty and Nyx giggled together while making the toys chase each other around. “And this one’s my favorite!” the colt said with excitement. “You’re going to want to see this,” Cheerilee said in a hushed tone as she nudged Flitter with a hoof. Dusty pulled something out to show a very surprised Nyx. A little black action figure rested in his hooves, bearing wings, a horn, and a purple mane. “This is Nitemare Nyx, Defender of Ponies!” the colt proclaimed. “She’s the strongest, fastest, most coolest pony in all Equestria!” Nyx just stared with her mouth open at the little toy while tears formed in her eyes. She embraced the colt, and he squeezed his little forelegs around her neck. “Thank you for saving me, Nitemare Nyx. You’re my hero.” Flitter’s heart swelled as the room flooded with positive emotions. Though out of the corner of her eye, out the window, she spotted a mob of ponies making their way down the street toward the school. “Hey guys,” she said, getting everypony’s attention, “I think we need to wrap up. Ponies are coming with questions. Lots of them, from the looks of it.” Nyx looked toward her with a contented smile which faded into concern. “I really don’t want to deal with that right now, Flitter,” she said with a sigh. “Can we just not do this? I just want to go home.” “You can go out the side door if you like,” Cheerilee offered. “No, they’ll see us for sure.” A hoof to her chin, Flitter pondered what to do. “Hmm… Okay, I’ve got this.” Flitter stood up, hooves apart and wings spread out. Her mind reached out into the Lifestream, tapping into the biological pattern of her friend, who sat across the room. It was uncomfortable taking a physically larger form, her bones and internal structure having to compensate in special ways to accommodate a less-dense arrangement. Thankfully, she would not have to hold the form for too long. With a flash of green fire, there were suddenly two black alicorns in the room. Dusty stared at her, awestruck. “I’ll lead them into town. After they’re gone, just head home,” the doppelganger Nyx said as she made her way to the front door. The crowd spotted her immediately, bursting forth with the chatter of overlapping questions as they approached. Flitter took flight with Nyx’s large, black wings, gliding slow over the streets toward central Ponyville. She could hear the ponies following as she rounded a corner, pausing to give them time to catch up. Half way down the block, she stopped in front of a random house and tapped once more into the Lifestream to get the sense of somepony who lived here. Bright green fire flashed again, and Flitter became a yellow earth pony mare with a beautiful fiery red mane. She casually walked up to the porch and climbed onto the outdoor sofa that sat there. With a smile, she watched as the throng of parents and curious citizens passed on by, paying her no attention. Suddenly, the front door of the house opened, revealing a handsome teal-colored stallion. He watched the stragglers of the crowd passing by before noticing Flitter. “Hey, sweetie. You’re home early today,” he said as he bent down and gave her a kiss on the lips. “What's the ruckus about?”