//------------------------------// // 21. There are no other ponies' foals // Story: The Guardian // by Alexshy //------------------------------// “I suppose you may find this interesting at the very least, Blueberry!” princess Celestia grabbed it by the horn right upon entering the room. She lifted some rolled papers higher with her aura and waved them in the air displaying the matter of her concern. Asking the guards if her regal sister was in the room, the princess knocked nevertheless, only entering after the permissive response from behind the door – the sisters kept being amusingly meticulous in some aspects, such as privacy for example. The last few months though, Celestia was specifically careful when entering sister’s bedroom. This time it was submerged into faint twilight, lit by the fireplace and a few candles only. The fire had already faded, but the embers glowed strong keeping the November chill behind the ajar balcony door. Throwing glares on the polished furniture surfaces, they shimmered as the stripes of flame ran across and made everything in the room cast long dense shadows, which swayed and flowed on the heavy reaching the floor curtains, the large dresser mirror, the bookshelves belting all the free spots of the walls, and Luna’s wide desk. Quietly whispering, the embers sighed once in a while sinking lower and letting out a crackle as the tiny sparks launched themselves up the chimney. The Night Princess had been awake for a while already; the large bed was made and the maid left adding something fragrant into the hearth. Filling the air and mixing with lavender, fresh flurrying aroma floated around the room making even tired and sleepy Celestia feel chipper at once. Her sister nested in the broad armchair, her back to the warming fireplace, she was scanning through a scroll – the blue aura slowly reeled it in Luna’s sight. Whichever it was, the news brought a dainty smile on her face making princess’ eyes shine. The night-coloured waterfall of Luna’s mane and tail streamed over the back and armrests of her seat, gleaming with thousands of sparks where her own stars mixed with the glares cast by the flames in the hearth. “Good evening, Sunny! What’s bothering thee?” perking one ear, Luna turned to her sister; the lush thick carpet on the bedroom floor apparently wasn’t enough to disguise the visitor, even if Celestia’s golden-shod hooves were sinking in its tender softness up to the fetlocks. With a noticeably concerned expression, the Sun Princess pranced to sister’s desk, beckoning Luna with the fore hoof instead of an answer. “Have a look, Lulu,” Celestia put the scrolled sheets down; she spread them smoothly, moving the calendar saying November 3rd, 4 NLE slightly aside. With a nonchalant smile, princess Luna let the scroll she held curl up and put it aside raising from her armchair and almost prancing cheerfully to her desk. Strangely though, her smile remained becoming rather more mirthful as she examined the papers. What her sister brought looked like a newspaper editorial where, under the “The Canterlot Chronicle” header and the cheeky “Tricks and Treats” article title typeset large, a relatively dark unprofessional photograph was flaunting. On the hazed background where the wooden bridge could be barely discerned, “Nightmare Moon” and the human were depicted well enough to recognize at once. Obviously, Celestia was referring not to the place, in which Luna quickly identified the south edge of Ponyville, and even not to the participants but the situation rather. In that casually taken photo, “Nightmare Moon” was cuddling the human from behind tenderly squeezing his wings and shoulders with her fore legs softly and pulling closer. But Celestia’s flush when she threw looks at that image was caused by the simple fact that her sister’s lips were tightly locked on Alex’s planting a deep kiss; even that monochrome photograph couldn’t fail to reflect the passion of the latter. Mare’s wings were halfway to close before the obvious lovers, in the faint attempt to shield from the public attention, but something, most likely the sensation and excitement, made “Nightmare Moon” lose her guard and let the camera catch the moment. To top it all off, Alex’s head was thrown back to meet princess’ lips in the most comfortable way and one hand outstretched to caress the dark blue cheek. “So, what do you say to that?!” Celestia couldn’t stand the silence anymore seeing how Luna observed the page for a minute or about with the same content smile, frowning a bit only once. “The horizon is skewed!” after a few seconds more, Luna noticed thoughtfully; she lifted one eyebrow and performed a control shot. “And the focus is lost a little… But what didst thou wanted from an amateurish photo taken spontaneously at night in the torchlight, Sunny?” “Errmmm… That’s seriously the only thing bothering you, Lulu!” princess Celestia felt how her jaw was involuntarily dropping. “It was the pre-printing layout for the Canterlot Chronicle tomorrow issue we could intercept and withdraw barely in time. Half an hour more and it would have hit the press and half of Canterlot by lunchtime.” However, that tirade made the Night Princess only huff imperturbably, shrugging in the most relaxed way. “Calm down, Tia!” the big blue filly nuzzled her sister’s cheek tenderly. “If ‘t be true they wanted a sensation, then they have fallen arrant late, in the earnest. It may be some news for Ponyville, but rest assured, those in Canterlot who could be interested in that scene… had seen everything already at the Gala this Summer.” “Methinks half of our high crust would have rather complained about the leading article being boring beyond expression,” added Luna leaning her head on sister’s shoulder and rubbing her cheek against Celestia’s neck. “Dost not even let that into thy head, Sunny!” “But… but…” Celestia seemingly tried her best at finding some argument yet couldn’t imagine any capable to withstand sister’s tranquillity regarding the matter. “Somepony hath gotten their bearings really fast…” muttered Luna chuckling. “Dry shot anyway!” “Nothing changeth under the Moon. Canterlot Chronicle manageth to hit the yellow press margins ever and anon!” With her magic, she grabbed and crumpled the pages throwing the resulting clot into the fireplace over her shoulder and making a perfect hit. The dormant flames rose and devoured the papers at once, with the hunger of a manticore feasting on its prey. “Whence kissing the beloved one became a crime, Tia? Regardless of the social status or origin of the parties…” “Knowest what?” Luna looked at dumbfounded Celestia extremely slyly. “Be it a better photo or even a colour one… I’d demand for a copy to myself!” * Mornings at the farms always started early, even in late autumn when the crops were harvested, fields ploughed for the winter, cattle were safe, warm and fed in the sheds. Work on farms never ceased, for example, to keep the named cattle warm and fed. While sounding simple, it took quite some time and effort in reality, even not mentioning the smaller labours galore. Naturally, that morning at the Sunflowers’ farm wasn’t an exclusion. Almost with the sunrise, the large family house started filling with sounds: first yawning and sleepy ones then busy and cheerful shortly after. The two-storey building under the red tiled roof was built with love and thoughtfulness by Jocund Sunflower and Willow Chime several years ago when they moved from the Crystal Empire to the heart of Equestria; the area was chosen deliberately as the most suitable for their labour of dream by its climate and natural conditions. Built from the ground practically by the couple themselves with a bit of help of two salaried workers, this house became the material embodiment of their aspiration – peaceful life far from the herds and city noise, own farm and ground only waiting to be cultivated by careful and masterful hooves and finally a few foals to feel the air with much more pleasant noise of young laughter and shenanigans. With laudable meticulousness Sunflowers successfully brought their plan to life. A large plot was bought in the property for the part of the joint capital of Jocund and Willow. Immediately, Jocund started building the house and Willow joined her husband with determination mastering hitherto unfamiliar crafts in the process. The abode came out great, exactly as the young stallion and mare wanted; Jocund refused using paints where it was possible, covering the finely polished wooden details with transparent varnish to keep and emphasize the natural texture and atmosphere of the country house. Willow barely waited for the work being finished; as the last nail was hammered in and the house changed its building odours to the homely scents, she got pregnant and the celestial blessing gifted the family with a nice colt Storm then a filly Aurora three years after. Soon, every neighbour, despite the natural distance between farms and villages was considerable, knew the always cheerful and hardworking tea-green earth stallion with moon yellow mane and changeless straw in the corner of smiling mouth and his light-greyish emerald crystal pony wife, whose coat’s sparkling shine could probably fade a little since Willow left the Crystal Empire due to the distance from the Crystal Heart, but her long curly light coral mane became seemingly only softer and lusher with their family growth. Willow Sunflower was an epitome of tenderness and kindness (easily catching up to Fluttershy at that) regardless to the direction she aimed them: her foals, her significant other, the neighbours asking for help or to Sunflowers’ cattle or crops in the field. No wonder their house always kept that true hearth warming feel not only at the corresponding holiday but the entire year before and after. That was why that morning felt discernibly different for Sunflowers. Just like the day before when the whole family started feeling the indefinable anxiety and depression; it hit on them faintly first and then harder and harder till they, usually caring about each other, were to invest noticeable efforts to not reveal their feelings thus upsetting the dear ones. Each morning the foals spent a few minutes to rush and dash about the upper floor of their house, laughing and foaling around right after washing themselves up. That day, however, they simply went downstairs for the breakfast unusually quiet and serious, submerged in their thoughts to the level every happy foal commonly shouldn’t be. Greeting their parents, the colt and the filly noticed their father sitting silently at the large family table, resting his chin on the hooves; carefully hidden gloom was still glimpsing deep in his sky blue eyes and the appearing for the first time ever crease on his forehead. Jocund raised the eyes on his foals and let out a tiny smile wishing them a good morning, but his eyes looked seemingly through them, still fixated on some problem keeping him unrest. Throwing a glance at their mother, busy by the stove with the pancakes, which were Sunflowers’ breakfast that morning, the foals noticed with relief the unchanged tenderness and love written in her sparkly golden eyes, looking at them as always. However, Willow behaved visibly detached only slightly stroking her foals manes, which presented an outstanding gradient mixture of their parents’ mane colours perfectly fitting their names, upon greeting instead of usual cuddles and kisses. That solely felt like a thunder strike in the clear skies and exchanging the concerned glances Storm and Aurora quietly took their places, watching in dismay their mother silently setting the table for them. She finally sat a little further away at the table, which made both foals nervously fidget. The whole breakfast passed under the auspices of tense silence or short monosyllabic phrases, totally unlike all the other meals in that family. At long last, Storm couldn’t stand the so unusual for him tense atmosphere, deciding to find out its source no matter what. “Dad, mom!” started the kashmir-blue colt accurately putting off the cup. “What’s going on? Did something happen? You can tell, I’m big enough to understand,” added he quietly. “Yeah, mom…” Aurora raised her eyes of liquid gold already glistening treacherously. “Me too.” “Dad, the way you both look and… act today… It’s so unusual, so hard to understand…” muttered Storm, then he looked into father’s eyes adultly. “Do we have problems? We would do anything to help you with mom. I’m sure Aurora is with me at that. Please tell us!” “Well, son… Maybe it’s still not crucial. Maybe… but yet unpleasant,” the stallion uttered after a few silent moments as if he was choosing the proper words. “We bought too many cattle this year, you know… And… the harvest was decent, but I have very serious doubts that it is enough for us to cross the upcoming winter in surplus.” Jocund chewed his lip for a while. “And there is no question of expanding the fields next year as we planned… but frankly speaking, it would hardly help us at that exact moment anyway. I’m rather concerned about not selling the sheep, yet letting them starve wouldn’t be an option obviously.” “That’s in brief, Storm,” sighed the stallion, yet a faint smile curled his lips when he took a fresh look at his son as an adult helper already. “Are you worried about the farm business also, mom?” the colt alternated between father and her. “Or…” “You didn’t even hug us with Storm this morning…” his little sister looked at their mother with worry peppered with a considerable dose of natural foalish fear about parents’ wellbeing and family stability as the result. “Of course, I’m worried,” sighed Willow. “But there is a reason for me distancing. I feel as if I’ve caught a cold, dear… and I don’t want any of you getting ill as well.” “Oh, Aurora!” the mare reached daughter’s hoof. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. My head was full of other concerns… Please, forgive me for scaring you both!” Storm wanted to say something but stumbled lost in thought instead. Under any other circumstances, the colt would rather exhale with relief and smile inwardly – the problems described were actually far from something, which their family couldn’t overcome; moreover, they had already come across similar troubles numerous times as the farmer’s life was never supposed to be simple as an orange. But not this time for some reason. Personally, Storm was concerned mostly about his parents’ problems, his wish to support and help them and realization of the mere fact that he was unfortunately too young to do it effectively. There was also his sister: in the sad and tearful mood, she sat at the table unusually quiet and so unlike of bright and positive Aurora he knew. “Dad, when did you find out?..” asked Storm feeling that something was seriously wrong and it kept going since the day before. “Mmmm…” the stallion pondered. “Something around mid-October, son. What…” “Sorry! Mom?” inquired Storm – his faint suspicions started turning into an idea. “Do you feel bad since you fixed the farther hedge around the field with dad? Two days ago exactly, it was raining cats-n-dogs…” “Probably…” muttered the mare, then shook her curly mane glancing at her son – unnoticed by them, he had considerably matured. “And you, sis? Something is bothering you for some time?” before anypony could tell anything, Storm turned to the filly, putting the fore hoof on sister’s shoulder gently. “I’m afraid…” the filly sniffed not raising her eyes. “Mom and dad, and… and even you became strange… And I feel strange, too!” she bit her lip throwing a quick glance at Storm. “You seem to be right…” drawled Jocund realizing where his son’s thoughts headed. “Something really strange is going on since yesterday’s morning… or about…” “But we didn’t eat or drink anything unusual…” semi-inquiringly said Willow; she moved directly to the possible roots of the problem. “I heard sounds…” “However, we all feel depressed… seemingly out of the blue. Now, thinking of it better… We can make it, it’s not some mortal threat. As a last resort, we can ask aunt Crystal for a little help this year,” Jocund even let out a smile, as if he was trying it on the first time for that stressful day. “What, dear, sorry?” “I heard sounds…” repeated Aurora a bit louder, finally rising her scared eyes at the parents. “That’s why I’m scared… Some scratching and crackling… It came from the basement. Yesterday several times… and today when we went downstairs… I think I fancied it again.” “Definitely!” exclaimed the colt; his sky blue eyes stopped at his younger sister. “Now, when you said… I also heard it, just thought I was hearing things or the wind was messing with the house!” Not worrying about her cold anymore as there were more important things to consider, Willow got up and cuddled her foals tightly; the mare kissed Aurora’s cheek comforting her frightened daughter. “Scratching, you say…” the farmer pondered. “It wasn’t very loud indeed as we heard nothing with mom.” “Now, we didn’t have any rats for a few years in a row already. Maybe the pesky critters found the way back to the basement?.. Anyway, I will check today and get rid of them… just like the last time. Nothing dares to bother my sunny!” the first time for that day, Jocund smiled with his usual signature smile. The next moment something making them all cling to the seats happened, the floor under their hooves palpably trembled; even the large heavy proudly made by Jocund himself dining table moved a fraction of inch on the wooden floor, producing a nasty screech. The muffled prolonged crackle reached Sunflowers’ ears from below making the whole large house sigh. One more shiver came through the constructions. “What the…” slowly uttered Jocund rounding his eyes. “These nasty rats must be huge…” “Quickly! Get outside…” he jumped to his hooves gathering the family. “We never had earthquakes here, but…” Nuzzling calmingly her colt and filly, Willow followed them to the front door urging softly. Jocund looked back bemusedly at the doorstep: the furniture visibly shook, plates and cups started dancing on the table. The ponies rushed to the exit; quickly getting off the porch, they found out with amazement that the ground under their hooves was still. It was only their house shaking and rumbling, their beloved home, which turned hostile the day before. “I don’t want to risk!” Jocund called his frozen on the spot family. “If it’s not the quake, then we’ll wait here. Come on, honey, take the foals!” he already held open the large hatch cover of the cellar, which was originally built for some cold storage, but could easily be used as a storm or hurricane hideout. “There, big boy!” breathed out the stallion, letting his son step onto the dark stairs. “Hold your sister well… and don’t roll down you both.” He lifted the filly, helping to get over the hatch edge and making sure the colt was supporting her. “Mommy!!!” the girl cried already. “I don’t want to go without you…” “We’re after you, dear! Just get down with Storm…” “After you, honey!” the stallion held the hatch for her; he threw a wild glance over the shoulder on the shaking house. There went their dream! The large two-storey building let out a long groan; with heavy rumbling and dry shots of crackling and breaking wood, the house started to implode, collapsing like some cardboard and raising a huge cloud of dust into the air. In a matter of seconds their meticulous work, their fortress turned into a shaking pile of rubble; a trail of smoke snaked towards the low autumn sky and the smell of burning reached their nostrils. The noises faded; however, the pile their house turned into kept trembling. Something was fidgeting under the rubble, climbing outside of the ruin. In the moving debris, something huge raised higher and higher. Before Willow even put her hoof on the stairs, the glimpse of something horrid behind made the large hatch cover slip out of the weakening hooves of Jocund Sunflower; one of the metal support rods bent under an unusual angle and got between the cover and the hatch, not letting the latter close shut. * The room was semi-dark, despite Alex drew back all the curtains upon waking. The sky was a constant array of dully floating low clouds and their shadows flowed across the bookcases, chairs and floor making the room darker or lighter, depending on denser or thinner they were. It breathed with damp coolness through the ajar window; the light lingering rain veiled the landscape outside, rustling sadly on the glass. Alex didn’t turn the lights deliberately: the wind was so strong at times, its plaintive howls reached through the thick walls and the windmill rotated as if it was going to wrest its metallic bearing truss and fly away; they were to switch it through the speed reducer, otherwise, it would give enough power to light a couple of streets not only the Library. After the early breakfast, Alex returned to his room to check his papers and take some of them to the smithy, where another work day was waiting to start. For an unbeknown reason, he found himself near the window first, watching the depressing view outside and submerging into thoughts. The quiet knock on the door slowly pulled him out to reality. “Oh! Come in, Twilight,” with a light smile, he recognized the hoof easily; her manner to knock even at day time, even in her own house always looked funnily touching for Alex. “I simply wanted to find one book, if I’m not of much disturbance,” the opening door revealed one perked ear and one violet eye scanning for the human. Finding him and not registering anything concerning, the alicorn girl entered the room and Alex’s view entirely. The issue was that the books resided everywhere in that abode; the room where Alex moved into was a part of the Library and he merely added a sleeping spot for himself to it. Otherwise, the main space of the room was occupied by the books resting in the ceiling-high bookcases along all of the walls except the door and windows. Alex was pretty fine with that, especially considering that he could almost always find the book, which interested him, right in his so-called bedroom. But at the same time that meant that Twilight was occasionally forced to disturb Alex needing a book or two, or a dozen; at least she thought that she disturbed him, despite her human friend always tried to convince her otherwise. “Twi, that’s your home,” Alex shook his head once again, the thousandth time maybe. “I am the guest here, so it’s perfectly fine to not be that scrupulous.” “I know, I know, just a habit of checking,” Twilight trotted inside heading to the far end of the room and examining the shelves in her search for the book, “in case you are…” “I’m never naked outside of the bathroom, Twi!” chuckled Alex. “And if… then I’m not that naked for you to consider even in the mornings. Nothing that you haven’t seen already, to be honest.” The human was hinting the times when he had been wounded and unconscious at Fluttershy’s cottage and both girls had been to take care of him. “Oh! Stop it, Alex!” flushing a little, Twilight snorted. She stared at the large bookcase pensively cupping her muzzle with a hoof. “What’s bothering you again, by the way?” the girl took the opportunity to change the delicate topic as she noticed his gloomy glance Alex threw outside. “This!” Alex approached the low table and flopped on the sofa observing the papers galore in front of him. A large oblong metal construction rested over the pile of sheets: faceted, with the obvious muzzle part but without any notable visor, the front part of it was strangely elongated, protruding much further than an average pony muzzle would. It looked as if the upper part of it or better say the back part was made long enough specifically to balance the face. Under Twilight’s eye, he pushed the object with his fingers lightly and the large metal chunk slid with the upper paper sheet half of an inch producing a heavy sound. “I wonder if I even need to take it with me today to tune properly. It seems I made it for nothing as I can’t make up my mind to test it on somepony…” Alex sighed shaking his head. “The anti-Seekers helmet,” guessed Twilight, she glanced at him over the shoulder, levitating the books one by one with her aura and looking for the necessary one. “Yeah,” Alex sat half-turn pointing at the front part of the device. “Here, it seems blind, but actually contains a visor gap below and a system of mirrors inside, thus the muzzle part is so long. The helmet allows its user to see everything indirectly. The rest,” he clicked loudly on the backside, “is a simple weight equalizer.” “Point is I can’t choose or look for the so-called… “test subject”,” Alex shuddered at that word. “Was the one myself once – won’t wish that even to an enemy! I don’t know if the idea works one hundred per cent and don’t want to take responsibility for even one per cent failure if any…” “I see…” slowly and pensively said Twilight; she found the book and approached Alex, watching the creative mess on his table over human’s shoulder. “Speaking of which,” Alex smiled suddenly, “and entering the room at any time – I don’t keep anything top-secret here, so… Nevertheless, I clearly saw that somepony had looked over my papers recently,” he raised one eyebrow jokingly. “Oh,” Twilight looked confused. “I forgot to tell you… Lyra came yesterday. She was looking for you, but you were at the smithy already…” “Strange…” muttered Alex. “Nopony came to visit me there yesterday. Hmmm…” he shrugged with the fold wings, accidentally tickling on the nose the still standing behind girl. “Oh, sorry… And what did she want?” “I don’t know exactly,” Twilight blushed slightly. “She muttered something about her wanting to see how the only human in Equestria was doing and if you had any new interesting stuff… something along these lines.” Twilight sighed. “The point is I was in that room and before I spotted her, she was already examining your papers, Alex. In particular, she was quite interested in your latest blueprint of the armoured glove,” she pointed her hoof at the upper sheet, which the heavy helmet rested upon. “And she asked about that thing, of course. I… I answered as generic as I could,” Twilight glanced into Alex’s eyes with concern. “I hope I did nothing wrong…” “Oh, don’t worry, Twi,” with a smile Alex stroked her shoulder lightly, calming down his already worrying alicorn friend. “Methinks it’s a pure filly curiosity… Okay,” he slapped on his knees raising from the sofa. “It’s time to go, we have a lot of work with uncle Will today.” As usual with the words “uncle Will” heard from Alex, a tiny smile appeared on Twilight’s face. The sudden fast rattle on the front door made them both wince; perhaps it wasn’t the first attempt to gain the attention of the Golden Oak Library residents, the previous could be less audible. Then, an unheard incident for quiet Ponyville, the front door flung opened even bumping into the frame. “Excuse me!!!” the trumpeting male voice reached Alex’s and Twilight’s ears. “Is anypony home! An emergency message from…” Not listening to the end Alex already rushed to the main halls on his toes closely followed by Twilight, whose concerns didn’t prevent the girl from levitating the book with her. A ruffled and frothed unicorn guard appeared in their sight: the stallion breathed heavily and leaned to the doorframe. No matter if he was running or teleporting there, he had it hard on him, showing that wherever he came from, it was at a considerable distance. Looking at stallion’s seeking eyes, Alex sensed trouble. “Thank Celestia, you are here! Emergency message!” wheezed the stallion barely taking a breath. “Monsters… Seekers outbreak at the farm north-west from Ponyville! The direct princess’ order to notify you…” he stumbled and coughed, choking on words. Twilight squeaked out, dropping the book and cupping her mouth, Alex’s heart sank. ‘Shit!’ only flashed in his mind. Alex rushed to the guard barely holding himself not to shake the information out of the poor huffing stallion. “North-west of the town where exactly?” “Twenty miles north-west, beeline form here…” squeezed out the armoured unicorn. “Did it just happen?” dropped Alex on the run, with the lightning speed he dashed back to his room appearing in a second with a folded glaive in his hands. “The first signs were registered yesterday,” the stallion regained his ability to speak normally. “The farm was under constant observation since. But I believe the actual incident happened half an hour ago…” ‘Half an hour ago?! It could be a week ago with the same results now!!! Merlin’s fucking pants!!!’ Alex froze on spot with the skewed expression mentally going over the vast list of expressive words he couldn’t freely voice near Twilight. “You won’t miss the place – a large house with the red roof and lots of outbuildings nearby placed in a rectangle shape,” taking a glance over Alex’s face, the guard turned to the exit. “I need to go! I’m ordered to inform and bring there miss Fluttershy as well.” “Fluttershy?!” Alex’s heart skipped a beat. “So there are… victims?!” semi-affirmatively asked he or better say hissed coldly, making the guard flinch. “Y-yes,” reported the unicorn. “The farmer’s family was still there when…” Alex closed his eyes mentally counting to ten not to kill anypony on the spot; Twilight watched him concernedly, seemingly understanding his feelings. “Heed me at thy best,” slowly articulated the human towering over the pony guard. “I realize that ye aren’t obliged to follow mine… alowest me to put it as friendly advice. But… relay to thy… colleagues please that ye must cordon off the place of the incident and allow nopony inside the perimeter… thy mates included yet. I shall inform Fluttershy on mine own! Expect us shortly…” “Twilight!” he turned to the alicorn girl. “Please, beest so generous and let mister Steel hear about mine emergency… I don’t know whether I can address our mutual matters today and deeply apologize!” With these words Alex rushed through the front door, soaring right behind the doorstep, so only gravel creaked under his feet. “Sweet Celestia!..” muttered the stallion following the unfurled giant wings receding in the gloomy drizzling sky. “What was that…” “Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere else already, officer?” sarcastically inquired Twilight taking a raincoat from Spike’s paws when the guard nodded confusedly and departed with a teleport flash. ‘“Under constant observation” my ass!!! Seriously! Morons… they could easily leave the farmer’s family to deal with the Seekers themselves, with the same consequences naturally!’ at that moment, the nasty weather totally corresponded Alex’s mood; he was extremely disgusted by the authorities’ inertness and shortsightedness. ‘Merlin’s pants! It’s too late already… Was late yesterday!!!’ The rain fell endlessly; it muffled the sounds and washed away all the smells outside, leaving only dampness and wet leaves scent. The cold drizzle made Alex’s clothes stick to the body immediately. Somewhere far away, a single dull thunder strike rolled and faded in the heavy clouds. Clenching his teeth from barely controlled rage, Alex whizzed above Ponyville making the tiny water drops swirl behind him in a noticeable trail; a few random ponies were stopping and raising their eyes in surprise, following the dark arrow, which pierced the low bleak sky. In a couple of minutes, Alex crossed the town, darted over the stream and the southern field heading towards the noticeable clump of trees, which surrounded Fluttershy’s cottage. Alex sighed inwardly at the contrasting peace and tranquillity of the place, comparing to the events and the news he was about to bring; even the wind calmed down there and the rain felt less cold and nasty. Most of Fluttershy’s small friends hid or got into hibernation already making the cottage surroundings unusually quiet and deserted. Only Harry didn’t enter his habitual winter sleep yet. Yawning with his entire maw, the bear was slowly raking the old leaves in the front garden. The rain rustled on the large umbrella, which Harry tied to his back to keep over the head, and lulled the already sleepy beast; apparently he volunteered to that dull work deliberately to hibernate faster. At any other time that would have looked extremely funny to Alex; even at that moment, some deeper part of his mind chuckled at the opening view, but the current circumstances gave no place for jokes. “Harry!” not to startle the sleepy bear, Alex slowly landed in front of him. “Where’s Fluttershy? I need to talk to her, urgently!” The bear stared at the human as if princess Celestia suddenly dropped from the sky in front of him; stifling another yawn, Harry blinked several times digesting the question and resting the rake handle on his shoulder. Thankfully, the majority of Fluttershy’s friends understood pony or human speech and the bear finally poked with his paw towards somewhere behind the house. ‘In the back yard!’ guessed Alex. “Thanks!” shouted he on the run; slipping on the wet leaves, he darted around the cottage. The human even stopped for a second regretting of the inevitable breaking of that peaceful and beautiful moment. Quietly crooning something tender, his pegasus marefriend fluttered around and over the recently wounded and smartly fixed by their joint efforts maple tree; checking the integrity of the tar seal on the crack for the rainwater not to infiltrate, Fluttershy was barely touching the trunk with her gentle hooves. Apparently, the maple was doing well enough – a light peaceful smile was lighting girl’s face. ‘Forgive me, my love, for coming with that…’ Alex cleared his throat audible enough not to startle her, yet to gain attention the softest way possible. “Oh, good morning, dear!” Fluttershy’s smile became brighter as she turned to him midair. She swayed her mane back from her face; the wave of wet pink silk shone making Alex’s heart stop for a moment and his eyes capture that image forever in his soul. Lavishing a glance over her wet mane, he felt how his mouth was going to open involuntarily. “What’s going on, Alex?” the girl landed and looked at his face intently. The concern appearing in girl’s eyes, as she examined Alex’s ruffled and worried look, made him remember the aim of his visit fast enough. “Another Seekers breakout!” exhaled Alex closing his eyes for a second, not to show Fluttershy the sparks of rage deep in them. “Oh, Celestia!..” “I’ve been just notified about by a guard!” nodded Alex gloomily. “There is no time for a long explanation. A single farm north-west of the town, about twenty miles!” He gritted his teeth audibly. “The idiots were “monitoring”!” the human huffed. “Just imagine – were monitoring the “suspicious activity” for the whole day.” Fluttershy listened to him, cupping her mouth with the hoof and her eyes were widening progressively. “Yeah,” Alex interpreted her shock and unasked question properly. “There will be victims… or are already most likely, as the farmer’s family wasn’t evacuated in time. Therefore I came for you, my love.” “I’ll surely go,” amazingly, Fluttershy braced herself almost momentarily. The wind fanned the wet mane around her determined face. “What do I need?” “Nothing, except thyself!” Alex couldn’t hold back a smile witnessing such agility. “ And… I don’t doubt thy capabilities as a flyer,” he stated accurately, “but the distance is long while time – short, hence I shall carry thee…” “However, I can’t provide thee personal protection at which hour we arrive… and all the time after,” their glances met relaying Fluttershy all the seriousness of the matter. “Thou shall need to keep away from the incident till it’s over… as long as possible at least! Promise me…” For a very long moment, the man and the mare stood among the naked trees and the wind brushed the fallen leaves around their legs; the cool drizzle settled on their skin and coat. “I know!” Fluttershy suddenly brightened remembering something, her eyes shone. “By chance, I have something as if specifically made for that case. Come on!” seeing that Alex wasn’t going to move, the girl added soothingly. “Don’t worry, Alex! I won’t risk… without a crucial reason.” With that matter being sorted, they rushed to the cottage. “And what is this, pray tell?” Alex stared at something black and leathery by its looks laid out on Fluttershy’s bed. The thing or better say the clothes, as these were exactly, resembled some pony size and fashion catsuit of some looked thick and even armoured fabric, naturally making Alex blink in bewilderment. “I had no idea about something alike in…” “That’s a special operations suit,” with a tiny smile Fluttershy shrugged closing the large wardrobe closet. “Or so it was called by Rarity when she made it for me. Supposedly it was a Nightmare Night costume first, but you know Rarity,” the girl approached her bed, “she didn’t need to change much when I… needed…” “Needed what?” Alex looked genuinely puzzled examining the headpiece with full mask and night visor. “It’s a long story, next time probably,” Fluttershy let out a charming smile. “Remember somepony sneaking onto the Canterlot Castle grounds when you were… errmmm… examined by princess’ scientists…” Alex cringed at the memory of that period of his equestrian residence but immediately perked up gazing at Fluttershy. “…we…” “We?!” the human caught himself dumbfounded and rapidly blinking, while the girl was packing herself into the tight-fit suit diligently until her slender frame and the entire wings ended wrapped in the same fabric as well as the braided tail, which now resembled a whip. Various belts and cords crossed the suit boasting plenty of pockets with zippers. A knife in the sheath was strapped on the left shoulder its handle downwards; equally black medkit with the small purple cross took its strategic place on the left flank. The only bright part of the suit was the Equestria blazon on the left shoulder. “It doesn’t matter right now, Alex. What I say, it is a bit… tight,” Fluttershy put her hoof on his chest. “Could you help me with it?” She turned unambiguously demonstrating a reinforced zipper along her back. “I guess we can go without the head part,” concluded the girl when they finally managed to close the zipper, nodding towards the headpiece remaining on the bed. It was supposed to cover her whole mane and ears with the same black armoured fabric with metal-like netting. Fluttershy’s muzzle would be hidden behind some sort of a mask with the metal grid at the mouth part and valves, three tubes with lenses finished the ensemble with the visor. “The night vision is futile yet and it’s so gloomy outside, the helmet would only interfere.” “Well,” Fluttershy examined herself with a tiny nod of approval. “It surely won’t protect from serious threats, rather from some accidental cuts and bruises, but… As I said, I’ll be careful. Alex?” she turned to the silent till that moment human. The whole suit turned out sitting so tight on her figure, revealing only Fluttershy’s head with the lush silky damp mane and her tail; Alex involuntarily and loudly gulped, unable to pull his eyes off the girl and feeling the rising flush. While he helped Fluttershy dress the floral-honey aroma filled the room and Alex was to admit – a little longer and he would have started boiling. “Oh, come on…” bashfully, the pegasus girl looked aside; she nudged Alex with her shoulder then rushed downstairs. “You said we had no time!” “Wait!” Alex pulled her back when they stormed out of the front door and Fluttershy was already going to soar. “Remember? I was going to carry you.” “Are you sure you can withstand?” the girl measured his a bit distracted look, making Alex only roll his eyes. He tried to avoid concentrating on the sensations when she snuggled to him, wrapping all four legs around Alex and hiding her blushing nose on his neck. With a single powerful thrust, Alex soared securing the yellow filly in his embrace. The speed was so high, she felt her ears blocked; nevertheless, Fluttershy decided to bear that unpleasant sense and only buried her muzzle deeper to Alex’s chest, avoiding the oncoming chilling wind. Squinting, she glanced down from time to time to see how the landscape changed darting below them: the town flashed and was left behind, the railroad with always busy station and warehouses, then fields and woodland belts started blinking one after another. Fluttershy tried that speed herself only once: when she took part in pegasi joint lifting of huge masses of water for Cloudsdale Weather Factory. ‘He progressed immensely for the last couple of months,’ thought she when they passed one by one a couple of small villages; Fluttershy barely noticed how they whizzed by below. ‘It looks as if Alex was going to take the sonic barrier…’ glimpsed in her head. Only a wide cultivated valley spread out below; a thin thread of smoke, barely visible against the clouds, snaked to the sky at the horizon. “We got late!” Alex somehow squeezed out a croak and sped up even more. He already felt the non-mistakable for anything sense of tension, which usually came with the Seekers. “Harmony help them…” whispered Fluttershy stifling the tears. The thin cordon ring approached, soon they could distinguish the guards belting the scene of the incident far in the field below and the rare mages among them doing their best to shield the military from the seekers’ effects. “Are you ready? I’m going to drop you here, in the safer area!” Alex turned over in the air to let Fluttershy soar easier. “You too be careful!” she wanted to add something else, but instead planted a short hot kiss on his neck; separating from him and unfurling her wings, Fluttershy pulled aside. The sudden closing of their hideout before the parents could even attempt to get in with them brought the two foals in the state of silent shock for a while. Little Aurora wasn’t even crying, despite that would have been her most natural reaction at her mom failing her promise – for the first time in their life perhaps – namely, to stay with them. Instead of that, an expression of offence froze on her cute muzzle and in her widely opened eyes. Storm was completely terrified, and he wouldn’t hesitate of confessing that to himself later, mostly feeling than thinking at the moment he pulled his sister closer cuddling her protectively. When the sounds of collapsing house ceased, the unbelievable silence fell outside, rarely disturbed by the random heavy hoofsteps. The latter didn’t even distantly resemble their parents’ usual gait, mom and dad seemingly didn’t let out a sound. The surrounding darkness and lack of discernible information from the surface became stressful enough to switch at least Storm on. With a bit of surprise, he found out that the darkness wasn’t absolute, dispersed by a ray of light coming through a quite wide gap, which appeared because of the support rod getting under the hatch edge. Still holding Aurora close, Storm slowly moved closer and took a peek through the light. The rain fell and fell, filling the air with the cold drizzle; with monotonous rustle, it soaked the wilted grass and soil, slowly turning the latter into the dirt. Yet the high humidity was the only reason why the house remnants didn’t catch on fire – the thickening smoke trail already snaked from the spot where the kitchen hearth supposed to be. Water suppressed the fire but it didn’t prevent the wood to smolder slowly, producing more and more bitter and acrid smoke; it partially spread along the ground and trailed into Storm’s nostrils causing his throat to itch mercilessly. The colt tried his best not to cough, despite the next image stifled his breath even more. Their parents were still there: apparently, they had time to run a few steps from the hatch (Storm couldn’t understand why) and were lying on the greyish grass at the moment. The colt was unimaginably happy to see them alive; Willow and Jocund Sunflowers kept their heads above the ground strangely staring into the distance. At the same time, it looked as keeping the heads up took all their energy as they didn’t even move. Facing each other, their mom and dad seemingly didn’t even register each other’s presence in its usual sense: each of them rather looked through the partner, Jocund didn’t bother to rise to his hooves or help Willow up. The latter was specifically shocking for the colt, his first urge was to rush to the parents and look, what was going on with them. Coping with that urge as they were not left there with his sister for nothing, the next moment Storm turned glad that he stifled the cough earlier: with the heavy sound they already heard, a giant black leg with intimidating hoof stomped right near their hiding place, making both foals flinch. Then another. Something passed their view heading towards the debris. The foals could count four equine legs and lost count at the number of ghostly sheets and tendrils of some black mist curling around the mysterious creature. When the intruder receded far enough to show entirely in their narrow embrasure, Storm was to cup his mouth with the fore hoof to stifle an unwitting whoop: the monster looked like a headless torso put instead of the horse neck on the huge equine body, the extremities of constantly moving dark mist-like substance made for its arms and tail, the same dark mist veiled around the whole monster’s figure. It passed the lying stallion and mare indifferently, as if not paying them more attention than some natural obstacle on its way. Storm remembered at once, they were warned about such creatures in summer, to avoid them, especially any close contacts or direct look. Indeed almost instantly, the feeling of depression and panic became nearly unbearable and the colt realized that the stronger fear of the situation was the only thing overshadowing those sensations before. They had nowhere to run, practically locked in that cellar while the living terror prowled around. When another dark figure entered their view from aside, Aurora snuggled into brother’s shoulder with a muffled whimper. Storm felt that he was on the edge of sanity himself: he wanted to yell, to gallop somewhere, no matter where only to be as far from these creatures as possible. Thankfully, the happy foals didn’t have many unpleasant memories in their life, otherwise, they would probably have been flooded with them. Nevertheless, some yet withstanding part of Storm’s mind noted that the anxiety about his parents’ problems seemed to be taking over his conscious entirely. He had no idea how long they could hold before doing something in panic and becoming found by the monsters; Aurora silently cried on his shoulder. Trying not to look at the creatures, which were still slowly rambling around the ruins as if they were looking for something, the colt stared at the narrow stripe of the distant sky inwardly calling for any help the Universe could provide. Suddenly, to his faint hope, as Storm was ready to wait for any miracle, something changed in the sky. A little speck appeared; barely visible first against the grey running clouds, it grew in size approaching at a considerable speed. In a few seconds, the colt was able to discern two huge black wings, which carried that strange silhouette. Inwardly pleading that it wouldn’t turn out yet another relative of those monsters stomping around, Storm stirred up his sister lightly, silently nodding to look through the gap. Apparently, the dark abominations had no enthusiasm about the approaching something; they felt it at once, turning to face – if that could be said about something having no head – the flying object and straining visibly. One of the monsters started bucking the ground, frustrated or scared by the newcomer. Meanwhile, the flying silhouette slowed down a bit over the field and turned over in the air… dividing in two to the silent bewilderment of the watching foals. The smaller one, black with bright yellow wings and a streak of pink – a pegasus was guessed in this silhouette – glided by the wide arc landing in the field somewhere out of their view. The larger “part” turned over again and sped up visibly; approaching faster, it started shining metallically changing its surface in the air. In a few seconds, Storm opened his mouth involuntarily and forgot to close it, Aurora squeaked in surprise: they could clearly see a bipedal figure clad in spiked armour, its wings turned out really huge overshadowing part of the sky; quickly unfolding, some unseen by the foals before weapon shimmered in its arms. The arrived creature had no face – the smooth glass-like surface of the helmet shone reflecting the scarce daylight. At the same time, it looked like an enemy for the black abominations and one to be taken seriously: both monsters prepared for the battle, the dark mist seeped back into their bodies completely and strained legs ploughed the ground threateningly. Despite all the improbability of that, the coming creature was the only help the foals could count on. Leaving Fluttershy at the cordon distance, Alex could at least not worry about her; one thing he was sure about – the guards would never let anypony approach the incident scene while the Seekers were still there. From the bird’s view, Alex quickly estimated the situation. To his displeasure, both monsters turned out to be the materialized ones – the worst case among possible. Besides, they looked really large even compared to those he was to deal before. The human noted the farmhouse, which turned into a shapeless pile of rubble, the smoke trailing up and spreading around in the damp air and two lying on the wet grass ponies. The latter were alive but didn’t show more liveliness than a tree in still weather. “So… Late again… and there are suffered ponies already!” Alex gritted the teeth feeling how rages started boiling in him, emerging slowly but determinedly. “Okay, freaks! Let’s dance!” With is faintest mental order the armour began revealing itself, enveloping Alex on the fly, the last was the helmet, veiling his view with the thin transparent slightly refracting film and muffling away the sounds of the rain. Reaching and grabbing the glaive, Alex turned the ring unfolding the weapon. The Seekers felt his presence already, both huge black centaur-like monsters turned to face the enemy not going to give up easily. “They don’t pay much attention to the farmers!” automatically noted Alex. “That can only mean that both poor ponies were objected to the Seekers’ effect already. However, with a bit of luck, I may be able to keep the bastards away from them. It’ll make my job only easier anyway, as there is no chance I can take both ponies away before attacking.” He decided to force his own rules of fight upon the mind-wringing intruders to gain from the very start and keep ahead of them. The fast aerial attacks allowed Alex to use his main advantages – wings and speed, allowing to take over the large and restricted to the ground beasts. However, the human wasn’t short-sighted to call them clumsy or count on that; all Alex’s previous contacts with the Seekers showed that seeming dumb and bulky at the first sight, the monsters could move at unexpectedly high speed and deliver some really hard strikes if not taken seriously. They might be not very intellectual in general but they didn’t need to be, made with the sole purpose of seeking something and reflecting any threat violently enough to keep their own integrity. If not for Alex, they would have coped with that task perfectly as long as they kept away from the really large groups of guards or princesses themselves. Folding his wings as an arrow and preparing the glaive, Alex darted down; he planned to take out one of the Seekers or at least wound it severely with one decisive blow, driving it out of the fight at least temporarily. Inwardly thanking Luna for her gift, Alex was to admit its value, he felt the oncoming air even with the full helmet on when the surroundings smudged in his view with the ruins and two monsters being the only clear spot. No matter how nonintellectual they were, the latter resorted to their proven tactics, which was supposed to help them keep away the majority of living threats. Both Seekers jumped onto the large pile of house wreckage and let out their misty tendrils again. Raking the debris with their fore hooves and misty extremities, they chose out the sharpest and most uneven ones, quickly launching them at the enemy; the air filled with the cloud of stone and wooden shrapnel. Alex had about a second to react, spreading the wings fast and suppressing the impulse, feeling the enormous strain in the shoulders; the very next moment the vast wings flapped shut in front of him forming an angled, solid feathery shield. The improvised shards were loudly drumming into it, sliding off the smooth large feathers not doing any harm; a good portion of rubbish rained back on the offenders. At the moment of occasional pause in that shelling, Alex unfurled the wings soaring and regaining the lost height. He made a loop almost touching the low heavy rain clouds and faced his enemy again. Spinning the glaive in front of him and reflecting the projectiles in random directions, so they lost their impulse and feel on the ground, Alex rushed for the second attempt on the chaotic broken trajectory, avoiding the largest pieces of debris. In the cellar, at their safe vantage point, two foals opened the mouth silently at the battle view unfolding to their widened eyes. Storm Sunflower nudged his sister, glancing at her and nodding towards the fight: the monsters clearly had no time for the ponies at the moment. ‘Not good!’ glimpsed in Alex’s mind. ‘I can reflect the smaller stuff with glancing blows, but the truly large objects can damage the weapon.’ He was to dodge a few big chunks of the woodwork already as his glaive would get stuck in them, wrestled from Alex’s hands or broken. One of the larger stones hit him in the wing quite palpably making him squint and perform a somersault in the air. As if in confirmation of his thoughts, two black bastards below suddenly unearthed a large part of the hearth masonry from the ruins – the smoke plume became wider and thicker – heavily launching it at the approaching human. In a few fractions of second Alex got the strongest déjà vu feeling with his first encounter with the Seeker at the abandoned mill. There were the parts of stonework as well and the mill rotor back then. There was the sleepwalking Alex back then also. But the current Alex had wings – the acquisition, the whole importance and value of which he only started to comprehend. Rather automatically than consciously, the human dodged the relatively slowly ascending piece of stonework, then rushed after it in the sky. Alex already had the plan to stop that unfortunate advantage of his enemies on the ground. He caught the moment when the piece of hearth lost its impulse, outracing it in the air; in a wink, he turned over “landing” on top of that fragment and hitting it strongly with his legs. Correcting its trajectory, Alex kept pushing the part of the hearth speeding it up to the ground. “That way nothing will remain from our house at all…” whispered Aurora glancing at Storm. Her brother only gulped down, unable to peel his eyes from the heavy spear with the stone point coming to the ground. The Seekers realized what it was going to end with; stopping their shelling at once, they winced back. At that very moment, the chunk of stonework hit the debris pile right in the spot the monsters were second ago. The heavy strike shook the ground reaching even the foals’ hideout; the pieces of rubble sprinkled everywhere. ‘Crap! Missed!’ the last moment before impact, Alex darted from the stone surface towards the retreating Seekers. His plan was to smash at least one of the abominations but the latter turned out not so dumb. With a lucky sway of the glaive, he managed to cut off one of the misty tendrils, which quickly dissolved in the air, separated from its owner. However, that didn’t hurt the monster much. The only result was that the Seekers quickly drew their tendrils in, locking the Dark Mist inside of their materialized forms and relying on the physical impact again. They already turned around ready to face their enemy with large solid dangerous hooves. Their red “eyes” slid across the human’s figure, not making any harm to him, but unambiguously stating their strong wish to make that harm if only they could. “Does he plan to exhaust them?” not addressing anypony exactly, asked Storm. With his sister they watched, how the winged armoured creature swooped on the monsters again and again like a falcon, bringing down a cloud of sizzling strikes and looking for the moment to find and hit the weak spot. Alex already noticed that chosen tactics wasn’t working as he expected; while he had the definite advantage in speed and manoeuvre in the air, he still couldn’t hurt the Seekers seriously enough to take down at once for a number of reasons. Both monsters were fully materialized, complicating Alex’s task of contacting with the Dark Mist – the fastest and easiest way to destroy them. Their magical essence was carefully hidden inside the solid bodies, under the thick skin, not letting the human catch them off guard by an accident. Besides, the Seekers were really big, the amount of force put into their creation must have been considerable. The smaller cuts quickly healed on their coal smooth bodies, not letting anything out, as the materialized Seekers still had no blood in the common understanding of that fluid. The storm of aerial attacks Alex brought on them left the multitude of cuts, the same amount was dodged or reflected by their strong legs with hooves, but to make his attempt efficient, Alex seemingly was to cut in halves the retreating but constantly fighting back Seekers. “I’m afraid they may hurt mom and dad!” Storm even held his breath watching the skirmish of two equine-like and one bipedal creature. Indeed, attacked from above the monsters were to move constantly and their trajectory inexorably led them towards the spot where two affected ponies were lying still, watching the scene dispassionately. Step by step, pressed by their winged enemy, they approached Willow and Jocund. A few seconds more and the beasts, several times larger and heavier than an average pony, were already trampling near the farmers couple. The reaction was momentary: before the inevitable could happen, the flying figure left the monsters alone and soared higher. Making a loop in the air it approached the beasts from the opposite side, attacking them fiercely and hovering above the lying ponies as soon as the black creatures stepped back. ‘Nothing changed!’ thought Alex striking the enemy then quickly returning if they made any move towards the ponies. ‘To take them down I literally need to stick my bare hand into some large wound on them. Even my blood may hurt them, but it must get on their bodies to kill them efficiently.’ The Seekers seemed to have felt the weakness of their enemy, if not physical, then the tactical one. Finally, they separated but each showed the tendency to sneak into the centre of the circle mentally drawn by the human, where the affected ponies were. The dark bastards decided to use their own victims to distract Alex and make him disperse his attention. The situation changed! Under the new circumstances, Alex’s ability to fly became an ineffective advantage – with his giant wings it was impossible to manoeuvre close enough to the ground and the ponies. Any other position meant the considerable distance from them and the inability to protect in time if the Seekers approached for the strike. The latter already circled like two hungry sharks as if teasing Alex. It was an easy to make decision, without the second thought Alex rushed to the laying ponies and landed. Apparently, he was to take this battle on the ground where only speed remained from his advantages. The wings spread, keeping low and shielding the ponies from the accidental hit; Alex spun up the glaive ready to face the mind-wrecking bastards there and then. The rain poured mercilessly, drops drumming on the armour and feathers loudly and rhythmically. Fanning the old straw and grass into the air, the wind became stronger gathering the darkening clouds. The first thunder strike ripped the low sky with snaking lightning right above the ruined farm, making both foals in the cellar crouch and flatten their ears. The attack didn’t linger to come down at them, the Seekers cannoned into the battle realizing their advantage in number and position at last. The barrage of heavy strikes came down from the opposite directions on the human, threatening to crush the motionless ponies under his protection. The glaive blazed spinning, reflecting the strikes of the stone-hard hooves and spraying bursts of sparks at each impact. Alex was to stand still like a lighthouse, dividing his attention and the affected area of his weapon between two monsters in front and behind him. Slow and cold rage slowly raised inside the human making his eyes under the helmet almost black again. At the same time, he saw everything crystal clear as if the time around was flowing slower. Only the rare hits sneaked through his swirling shield of sizzling steel; they slid on the armour and quickly pulled away – the monsters felt all the danger of lingering in the proximity of those spikes and blades. Storm fruitlessly tried to swallow a lump watching how the two beasts were ramming into the sparkling dome formed by the strange rotating dual-bladed weapon. It looked as if flames were running between the fighting parties when the blades met the hooves of the attackers; the flashes were hardly dimmer than a few lightning bolts ripping the clouds above the increasing rain. “What if lightning strikes into them?!” squeaked Aurora. “I don’t know…” breathed out Storm, unable to look aside while the fountains of sparks flashed one after another at the constantly increasing rate. “Let’s hope it doesn’t!” The wings took their part in the fight as well, occasionally delivering a hard blow into the red-eyed creatures torsos. That served badly: suddenly the rear Seeker, flinching from the stinging lunge of the glaive stomped accidentally on the wing edge. Stomped accidentally but didn’t remove its hoof deliberately. The large wing appeared to be nailed to the ground, stretched and restraining the armoured creature; the ponies remained under it like under the huge feathery umbrella. By some inscrutable reason, they stood indifferent to all the terrifying events surrounding them, including the rain of sparks and heavy stomping of the beasts. Seeing how their defender struggled to free the wing, Aurora squeaked out, tears started filling her eyes. Overcoming the pain, Alex stretched the wing nevertheless – the rear monster kept pressing it to the ground, but there were two innocent ponies under it. The vicious wretch started drumming another fore hoof into the wing surface trying to get to the victims no matter what. However, either it didn’t have enough space for a proper swing or the wing turned out to be not so simple, the beast couldn’t get through. At least that allowed Alex to concentrate on the front enemy more keeping the situation behind at the semblance of control and delivering occasional lightning-like blows to keep the rear Seeker on distance. The next moment something, that nopony of the present expected, happened. With a bright flash of the teleport somepony else appeared under Alex’s stretched wing. Bewildered, Alex gazed down to see the unicorn guard teleporting right into the middle of the battle. The nameless hero diligently stared at the ground squinting not to meet the Seekers’ piercing “gaze” accidentally. Losing no time, he grabbed both motionless earth ponies, the farmer and his wife, to take them out of the danger zone. The next moment all three vanished in another flash taking them somewhere in the field. Where exactly didn’t matter as the ponies stopped being the involuntary hostages of the situation and the monsters at once. ‘Heh, we’ll see how it goes now!’ Alex grinned under his helmet. With the victims taken out of the enemy reach, nothing prevented him from finishing the monsters at the spot… except maybe the wing still nailed to the ground by the Seeker’s hoof. However, that little flashing fortunate moment was enough of the distraction; taking a glance at the saved ponies, Alex missed quite a heavy blow of the stone-hard hoof on his left shoulder. The armour absorbed most of the energy with the earsplitting boom, but the remaining impulse was strong enough for Alex’s arm becoming irresponsive for a while. Cringing, he felt that he couldn’t lift the left arm higher than his chest level without the overwhelming pain or move it at sufficient for the fight speed. Fortunately, the same teleport spell which made Alex miss the enemy strike served as the distraction for the beasts as well. The front Seeker lost a moment to continue and emphasize its advantage, delivering a few more blazing hits, Alex had fewer chances to reflect. The rear monster winced from the flash; losing focus, it leaned back a bit – that tiny weakness was enough for the human to jerk his wing from under the pressing hoof. The next moment the giant wings rushed forward and met in the stunning blow like a mallet and an anvil, heavily smacking the front Seeker from both sides, catching the monster off guard and disorienting for a short moment. Drawing a whirl with the glaive above the head and making the rear Seeker step back escaping the silvery shining death, Alex ripped the armoured glove off his contused hand. With a lightning-like swing, the blade painted red with the blood from the palm. Exhaling forcefully, Alex performed a wide sway and bent his knees; the glaive directed by one hand axed right on the monster legs. Like a felled tree, the front seeker collapsed to its knees and the glaive already raised for the finishing strike. “Hhhhaaaa!” Alex put all the strength into that blow, driving the blood painted blade deep into the middle of monster’s body; shivers came across the large carcass, the Seeker tried to raise on its fore hooves but it was doomed at the moment human’s blood found its way into beast’s body, already etching and destroying it from inside. But that wasn’t all: forcefully pushing off the ground, Alex ran up the convulsing Seeker frame. Using the glaive as a lever, he made a circle on enemy’s large torso, gaining momentum and throwing himself towards another monster. With a blood-chilling crunch, Alex’s bleeding fist smashed right into the red “eye” of the Seeker preparing to attack the human while the latter was busy with the monster’s partner. It ripped through, plunging inside; the second Seeker crashed to the ground as if it was shot with a bullet. Like thunderstruck, unable to move or utter a word, the guards in the field and both foals in their underground hideout watched the human standing on soggy slippery ground with the glaive buried deep into one monster and his arm ripping the life force out of another. Both Seekers twitched a couple more times and died down; the Dark Mist started flowing everywhere out of their bodies as if nothing could hold it inside anymore. Looking as if it tried to escape the inevitable, the dark substance was pulled into the centre, towards the human figure. Driven by the unknown force it gathered around, seeping into the invisible gaps between armour parts and ending up consumed by the human. For a very short moment, the silence flooding the scene became so overwhelming that the monotonous sound of rain seemed deafening to the ponies around. Two monsters’ bodies, bereft of their driving and binding matter, were disintegrating before the eyes of the astonished witnesses, turning into the clouds of dark ash-like substance pressed down by the water falling from the skies. “What the hay was that?..” started one of the unicorn mages. Not waiting any second more, Fluttershy soared and rushed forward, to the incident scene, where a few guards already walked carefully the saved farmers couple. The drizzling rain finally laid the dust and dispelled the remnants of the dark mist, which managed to escape their fate unconsumed by the winged creature; their parents stood supported by the royal guards, not knowing what to do with the victims next. Storm saw mom and dad being alive, but completely inert. Shockingly for him, they looked as if they barely found strength, moreover the wish to keep their heads up. The armoured figure approached and leaned down to them; the colt watched him examining mom and dad briefly. Storm remembered them all being informed about the so-called human and the strict warning about not using magic on him; the colt had much fun that time appreciating all the nonsense of notifying an earth ponies family about that. The fear for his parents and the concern about himself and his younger sister struggled in Storm soul; he didn’t know what to expect from that, frankly speaking quite intimidating, newcomer when the latter leaned lower and asked something. Not getting any response or merely any reaction from the pony couple, he seemingly lost any interest towards them, soaring with visible effort and landing on the top of the smoking debris pile, which was once Sunflowers’ house. Storm felt a faint warm touch on his shoulder, Aurora snuggled closer to take a look outside as well. The filly barely held back her visible wish to call her mom; her ears dropped, lips shook and eyes started filling with tears again. “Keep quiet!” just in case whispered Storm from the corner of his mouth and noticed how Aurora nodded fast, biting her lip. At that moment, another event participant entered their view: a pegasus mare was coming down unfurling her large wings. She managed to land gracefully on the slippery ground and, throwing her long wet mane back, started bustling around Willow and Jocund, examining them more carefully. Her gentle touch and care made both the mare and stallion move a little and removed the hard rock from both foals’ souls – at least their parents looked physically unharmed. Meanwhile, the human kept inspecting the house ruins, he moved slowly around the debris and seemingly even sniffed or tried to feel something, unknown yet to the watching foals. Finally satisfied with the results of his investigation and leaving the ruins, he joined the pegasus mare; the foals watched in bewilderment how the armoured figure and the mare in the strange tight black suit were quietly discussing something over their absent looking parents. They couldn’t discern the exact words but the whole tone was rather calming, making both foals relax a tiny bit. ‘Yellow coat, lush pink mane, soothing voice… That must be miss Fluttershy from Ponyville’ glimpsed in Storm head; from Ponyville his mind referred to the last Nightmare Night celebration. Seeing that the mare was addressing her armoured partner with a small but sincere smile, Storm made up his mind. He gathered all his strength to push the heavy cover from below and it moved a tiny bit. The armoured figure turned to them momentarily; the dim autumn daylight glimmered on the mirror-like face of the helmet when he noticed what probably seemed a part of the debris to him first. The foals instinctively flinched back, hearing the approaching heavy steps they snuggled closer to each other, despite there was no visible danger. Aurora stifled a squeak when the clawed metal fingers got under the hatch edge lifting it without much effort and throwing back; squinting from the light, suddenly appearing bright after the darkness of their cellar, the colt and the filly stared at their reflection in the mirror face for a very long moment. The human sighed hollowly; enveloping in the silvery glow, the helmet started fading, turning into a thin metal band around his head in a couple of seconds. The sea-green eyes looked at them with care and deeply hidden sadness. “So, whom do we have hither? You must be their foals, correct?” making a faint smile attempt, the human nodded back towards the ponies surrounded by the coming guards. Fluttershy remained near them selflessly shielding the lying on the ground ponies with her wings, as the rain never ceased; cool and annoying, it soaked the foals’ coat in a wink. “Yes!” Storm made an effort to climb out of the hatch when he felt two arms accurately lifting him and putting on the ground nearby. In a second, his confused sister appeared next to the colt. The giant black wing spread over them shielding the shivering foals from the elements. “We were in Ponyville at the last Nightmare Night celebration…” Storm finally made up his mind. “Now I remember, we saw you there… You are the Nightmare Knight, right?” “Errmmm…” the human seemed to be seriously stumped by that question. “Are they hurt? Can you help them?” finding out that their company was safe, the filly moved straight to the matter which naturally bothered her the most, interrupting the human. “They are fine physically,” the human shook his head with regret. “However, they were affected by the Seekers… to the certain extent,” dealing with foals, Alex did his best to find the possibly least terrifying words, “by these monsters you might have seen from your hiding place. Personally, I can’t help that…” “…and your lady?” bluntly asked the filly, throwing a quick glance full of hope towards Fluttershy, who was already heading to them. The guards helped the mare and the stallion to their hooves, covering both with raincoats and supporting as the couple didn’t show much interactivity or presence. The human wanted to say something, let out a tiny smile instead and lightly stroked her wet mane minding his armoured glove. “We’ll see what can be done hither. One thing I promise, we won’t leave you or your parents without help. They will be fine ultimately!” He expressed more confidence than he felt but Alex couldn’t do otherwise. “So…” he turned to the approaching mare. “What’s the prognosis, Shy? Can you do something?” “Miss Fluttershy! Please…” both foals threw a full of desperate hope glance up at the mare. “Oh, Celestia! Poor things…” she dived under his wing cuddling the foals in a wing hug, then looked up with all seriousness. “I’ll do my best, Alex. But not here, of course…” “Now, kids,” she looked at the young Sunflowers tenderly, “I’m Fluttershy as you properly guessed. What are your names?” “Storm Sunflower,” simply said the colt. “Aurora is my sister. Younger sister,” elaborated he getting a little pouting glance from the filly. ‘Great!’ Alex raised to his feet pondering. ‘We dealt with the monsters, fortunately. But the kids… they are left without the roof and the parents. Even if temporarily…’ “Ahem…” finishing his own survey of the ruined house, the guards’ commander approached making Alex frown with a frustrated expression; the human turned slowly and demonstratively. ‘Who knows what they are going to do with formally homeless foals…’ flashed in his mind. Alex preferred not to think that the foals became homeless mostly due to the officials’ lingering, otherwise he would probably have been raging full time. ‘Despite there is at least one true hero among them, the rest are completely drill-driven and most of them are incapable of non-standard actions demanded by the non-standard situations.’ “What were your orders for that case, officer?” he asked the guard insinuatingly calm; the latter raised one eyebrow with reproach, yet condescended to answer. “We’re going to take the victims to Canterlot. Obviously, you’re going with us… as the witnesses and participants of the incident,” uttered the commander. “The adults, who suffered from Seekers, will be getting the appropriate treatment. First from miss Fluttershy, then by the Canterlot local medical staff. The foals…” “Enough…” shortly dropped Alex, gritting his teeth in realization what he could hear the next moment. “We’re going with you, but…” “Fluttershy!” throwing the wet hair back from his face, Alex turned to his marefriend. “Please, whatever befalls, dost not leave Storm and Aurora out of thy sight!” after her nod, he addressed the guards again. “Fine! How exactly do you plan to transport everypony?” “Teleportation,” the unicorn shrugged with deliberate perplexity as if he was surprised by human’s slow wits. “As neither of us possesses enough powers for a single transfer, the several unicorns will teleport everypony one by one in a series of… hops to reach Canterlot in about quarter of an hour. The question is how you are going to follow,” he glanced at the human with emphasis, “as we can’t apply magic to you.” “I will follow you in my own way. Flying obviously!” smirked Alex wryly. “Fluttershy, dear, please do as I said, wait for me absolutely, don’t let them undertake anything in my absence!” “And…” he leaned closer to the guard making the unicorn involuntarily recoil. “Take that as a… friendly advice – don’t remove the cordon completely yet. I don’t predict the aftereffects, but…” “Don’t you worry,” added the human seeing commander’s puzzled face and properly reading the reasons. “I won’t be late after you… too much.” Freezing in awe, Storm and Aurora watched with widened eyes how the huge wings unfurled; a few flaps almost throwing everypony on the ground lifted the heavily armoured human, who hovered in the air and watched their departure. The officer was already giving out commands occasionally throwing scornful glances at the winged figure. A few unicorns joined them, the horn of one lit with magic preparing the transfer spell; the rest of the guards remained to patrol the ruins of the farmhouse. “With all the tricks you have shown here already, I’d like to see how you’re going to throw that one…” muttered the commander gesturing his guards. Before the teleport flash took them away, Storm could see how the human soared higher heading to the north. * ‘No doubt, they are going to shove the foals into some orphanage!’ Alex cringed bitterly, ruffling and shaking the water off wings. Automatically without even thinking about that, he did a barrel roll in the air making the small drips spray everywhere around. ‘It doesn’t matter how kind and understanding Celestia can be towards them, the procedure is verified over the years and natural for the officials… just like on Earth.’ ‘Even if there are some other relatives, they won’t be able to take the foals at once most likely. That again meaneth a few days in the orphanage!’ Alex shook his head in disapproval. The weather and surrounding landscape correlated with his mood surprisingly: rain-washed fields painted grey by late autumn, lonely houses scattered far in the valley, the distant stripe of the forest looking almost black and the dense fog curling under the trees like the dusty cotton – walling everything around, the cold rain seemed endless on this gloomy November morning. Alex circled the area with the farm outbuildings cordoned on the perimeter by the chain of guards; the large house looked like a smudged still smoking meteorite crater with the multitude of rays on the ground – the debris splashed outside with the centre in the spot where the large chunk of stonework fell. Only the foundation, still protruding through the rubble, showed the actual former boundaries of the building. Remembering the direction to Ponyville – south-east – Alex took the road directly to the east instead, approaching the line of the trees at a nice speed. Soon the dark pines began flashing by underneath, half-flooded by the fog deeper in the forest. In a few seconds more, the trees parted opening a wide clearing with the railways running amidst – he recognized the north line from the town. Alex hovered for a moment taking a look along the rails. Here on the flat, the road was straight as an arrow, directed to Canterlot and hiding in the misty tunnel between the trees further away. A sudden loud whistle reached his ears from behind and a train showed up breaking the wall of fog and making its clouds flinch and crawl away from the road. The dark blue locomotive pulled the endless tail of cars, puffing and rumbling; steam swirled around its heated body, which evaporated the mist and falling rain. Erupting from the tube in half with the sparks, the dense smoke cut the gloomy sky with its dark-grey blade: the train reached its top speed and no stops were supposed nearby, it whizzed under Alex letting out another warning whistle. The human squinted, the loco was easily making about one hundred and twenty miles per hour. ‘Postal express!’ Estimating the time, Alex smirked at the spontaneous idea. He dived down and spread his wings, speeding up next to the metal snake rolling and rolling along the rails. In a wink, he passed the rushing locomotive and managed to notice the rounding eyes of the motorpony in the side window of the cabin. Overtaking the train, Alex darted up into the sky as the direction was now clear. He pierced the thick layer of the low rain clouds, for a few moments feeling as if his face was wrapped in wet cold rags, even the armour cooled down immediately. Escaping that dampness and rising higher, Alex could see the tiny shining sparkle on the horizon – the ice cap of Canterlot peak shining in the morning light. The sun was still low but it was undoubtedly better than the chilling drizzle below. Taking the direct course to the shining mountain, the human felt how his dark armour slowly but determinedly warmed in the sunlight. ‘We can’t let them take the foals!’ With that decision, Alex darted above the curling sea of clouds sewn by the rare long lightning zigzags. The helmet appeared on his head shielding from the oncoming strong wind. Even being an adult, even realizing the whole severity of his current condition and the inability to revert anything, Alex constantly remembered his parents, seeing them in his nightly dreams and carefully suppressing the feelings during the day. He could perfectly understand the foals, deprived of their mom and dad at once with the perspective being quite cloudy, to say the least. To leave them without any actual home (not the formal house, some roof over their heads, but the homely feel itself) would be the worst choice at the moment, officially confirming their orphaned status and leaving them completely disarrayed. ‘Fluttershy would do her best of course, but she can’t hold them forever. I need to talk to the princess first!’ Alex gritted his teeth. ‘And the time is short!’ The wings folded into the large arrow automatically, everything smudged around him, distant objects rushing in his face so fast he lost the breath for a second; through his helmet Alex heard a juicy bloop as if some giant string broke. The air sizzled and hummed, being cut by his body at that unbelievable speed. * “Let us go, my dear!” Princess Celestia stopped looking back at somepony still hidden in the shade of the dimly lit gallery behind the Throne Hall of the castle. “Royalties never get late they deign to linger, of course,” chuckled the princess examining her dress critically, “but making your subjects wait too much isn’t something I personally approve. Respect is always bidirectional, remember that.” It was something unusual in Celestia attending her regular audience at the full parade, as such splendour was usual for the galas rather than the casual meetings princesses had numerous times a day or night, depending on which Crown it was referring to. However, the next moment, with a quiet rustle, a young mare in a radiant opulent dress exited the stripe of shadow between the rare torches, which accompanied by the narrow windows barely dissolved the twilight of the hallway. She stopped in the light looking slightly hesitant, closely followed by another milk-chocolate earth mare in a strict maid uniform dress. “Don’t worry, Velta!” Celestia let out a dainty smile watching the high society girl and her modestly looking protégé. “Aren’t we doing that to make you familiar with the routine, feeling comfortable when it is time for you to care of your heritage and subjects’ needs?” “You know, auntie Celestia, I’m more than ready to address the subjects’ concerns and needs!” the young mare cocked her head; to hear the tints of Germane accent in her Ponish one would need a truly musical ear. “The question is: would they see me as the one capable enough, considering…” she stumbled and light flush played on her snow-white cheeks. “It mostly depends on how you position yourself, my dear,” the princess looked fixedly at the daughter of her distant relative from the Germane royal line; Celestia knew that when it came to confidence and determination, the girl could give a hundred handicap points to anypony else. Actually, both girls could. “To doubt is normal; however, avoid showing that to those who trust and rely on you… Especially if they are less informed!” Celestia knew Velta’s constant source of concerns very well. Being born within the inscrutable but sincerely loving alliance of a single pegasus heiress of ancient Germane count family and a simple earth stallion, who reached the knight title all by himself (aspiring it in the end purely to be able to unite with his beloved without creating any false rumours), Velta Weisserstrahl inherited father’s genetics. To the chagrin of her pegasus mother, whose line even had unicorns as well, she turned out completely father’s daughter physically: with his stature and strength of an earth pony. However, this didn’t affect the relationships at all unable to shake Weisserstrahls position of one of the exemplar loving family. Nevertheless, proving her capabilities to the others and especially to herself became Velta’s credo almost from the cradle, as she inherited her mother’s character and strong will of the upper-class pony. “Yes, auntie Celestia,” the filly finally smiled; shaking her gathered into the high hairdo emerald mane, she glanced over her shoulder. “Come on, Evenia. Trainiere hart, siege leicht!” The long, coloured coal dark eyelashes batted once gesturing the agreement better than any words; actually throughout the years together the mares understood each other with half-glance, frequently making others wonder if the mistress and her handmaiden could exchange thoughts, despite both being earth ponies. The maid entered the light; the next careful look at her made it clear – her dress, despite seeming simplicity, was made with great class and meticulousness, likely by the same tailor as her mistress outfit. Evenia Getreu wore it like the royal attire, evidently treating her duty, if not say vocation, gravely serious. Serving the young lady as long as Evenia remembered herself, just like her whole family did for the Weisserstrahls for ages, she couldn’t imagine herself at any different position. Both girls caught up with the royally trotting princess, looking against her like two torpedo-boats near the white dreadnought. Especially Evenia who was quite miniature, thus often forced to dress her mistress from a small stool; the mare was to pace up noticeably, but nothing revealed that as she did her best to keep her flowing gait. Back into their foalhood, Velta could easily lift her slim and light protégé. Nothing changed since then, except both girls became more vox populi driven, not playing those games at least in public. “By the way, young ladies,” noticed the princess watching both girls and letting out another smile. “We treat that quite democratically here, however, there are theoretical cases when maids can’t follow the countess…” Both fillies slowed down, Evenia even stumbled and the flush started filling her muzzle to the roots of dull-golden mane gathered into a tight long braid, while girl’s eyes widened. She exchanged bewildered glances with Velta, unable to imagine the case when she couldn’t follow the mistress. The petite mare was even carrying a dagger with her to be able to stand on defence of the lady at any moment if necessary. “But there are, theoretically again, some methods to get around that onerous formality,” added Celestia with a sly wink, seeing the girls’ troubled and confused look. “I’m sure you both are more than capable to find a way out of the situation if it occurs. If not, then you may ask auntie Luna; you won’t find a better specialist in… errmmm… negotiating with circumstances!” The simple mention of princess Luna made Velta break into a smile, which pleasantly lit her beautiful and usually slightly arrogant face. If there was anypony in the Castle whom the filly loved and respected as much as Celestia, that was “auntie Luna”: the one in whose company Velta could easily feel herself without restraints. “I understood,” shortly nodded the girl returning the sly glance and even Evenia pursed her lips to stifle a smile. A few more hoofsteps and Velta was to squint from the bright light when the Throne hall opened to them in its entire splendour. Being a frequent guest in Canterlot, Velta froze in awe for a second each time entering it, just like the first one. Its beauty was accompanied by the bright sunlight: situated high on the mountain side, Canterlot never suffered from a stray rain, the sun being a welcomed guest all the time except some watering was planned by the weather pegasi. Even if it was simpler in comparison to the Canterlot one, Weisserstrahls owned a castle as well. Velta always felt as an autocratic princess back home, in its walls and galleries. Partially because of the parents’ attitude; they never ceased to cosset and spoil their single daughter. The Getreu family added to the company: both Evenia’s parents served Velta’s mother and father correspondingly, but they were glad and eager to fulfill any will of the young mistress as well. Velta’s father was the “worst” coddler; probably feeling guilty for the heredity turning out that unfortunate way, the valorous stallion pampered and indulged his daughter the most… except maybe Evenia, whose case was easily explicable. Thanks to parents’ love though the domineering and wayward filly grew up kind in general, returning them her love in surplus; especially to her father, whom she doted, unlike the rest of the stallions. However, in the vastness of that hall, under those high arcs, lit through the tall windows, Velta always felt lost and insignificant – truly the striking and unusual feeling for her. Maybe that was the reason for the girl to ask princess Celestia to guide her through the typical audience there exactly, moreover in full parade. Overcoming herself was the highest point of Velta Weisserstrahl’s aspiration. “Come here, dear,” when their eyes accommodated to the bright light, the girls saw the princess waving them from the elevation with two thrones at their end of the giant hall. “You too, Evenia. Don’t shy yourself out,” Celestia chuckled lightly. “You may take that place,” she gestured Velta towards the second throne when both fillies climbed up the three stairs separating the platform from the floor level. “Aunty Luna’s seat?!” Velta’s eyes widened almost awestruck. “No, no, auntie Tia… I-I may just stand… here with you…” “Oh, come one, my filly!” Celestia rolled her eyes theatrically. “Why such modesty? Rest assured, Lulu wouldn’t object that, especially in your case.” ‘I’m sure she would let do that the way less trusted person as well,’ glimpsed in her mind making Celestia snort under her breath. Overcoming the awkwardness, Velta barely perched on the edge of the throne, which seemed huge to the hesitant girl. Rich, with dark blue luxurious casing on its soft seat, already heated by the direct sunlight; the filly seemingly felt its warmth the moment she sat. Evenia froze beside her mistress; almost lost in the shadow of the large throne, the petite filly was still at the distance of reaching, hearing and assisting to her lady. As always. “Well, that’s not bad… for the start,” noticed princess Celestia, watching Velta’s fidgeting; throwing a single estimating glance over them all and the hall, she beckoned the nearest guard. “Let the first visitors in, officer!” she kept waving though, till the stallion came closer, then leaned to quietly add into the perked ear catching each royal word. “Warn them about all that… parade being done specifically for my niece enjoyment, not to scare them otherwise.” When the guard nodded and rushed to fulfill the order, princess Celestia straightened with benevolent and slightly detached expression, inwardly smiling at the attempt of Velta to find and try the most independent and proud look from her collection. ‘The girl has much to learn but she is a fast apprentice!’ * “So? How long are we going to hang around here?!” the commander alternated from one hoof to another impatiently, time and again throwing glances towards the clear skies. All they finally reached Canterlot, appearing the last time right at the foot of the high stairs leading to the main entrance of the Castle. It took the whole company a few so-called hops, when each of accompanying them unicorns transferred them all at the distance he or she was capable of, then the next one did the same in their turn – none of the unicorns was able to teleport from nearly Ponyville to Canterlot in the single go, each of the mages was to rest for a while after the distant transfer. Sending them back to guard quarters, the commander remained in the company of Fluttershy, both foals and a couple more guards; he visibly yearned to report to Her Highness and finish with the annoyance of that task, thus lingering at the doors made him more and more annoyed with each minute. “As much as it inevitably takes him to arrive!” quietly but adamantly stated Fluttershy, she kept watching the officer with reproach, wing-cuddling both foals who instinctively snuggled to the mare. Thankfully, due to the Canterlot high geographic position, the rain clouds remained far below letting everypony quickly dry and warm up under the blissful sunlight, which flooded the park in front of the castle. The deciduous trees had dropped their leaves already, standing dark and naked, throwing their empty branches to the sun, but the conifers, of which there was a considerable number in the park, evergreen shrubs and grass were still green, boasting almost fresh lushness to the beholder. The hedges seemed to be cut recently, as the strong smell of foliage reached their noses calming everypony down a bit. “We were waiting about five minutes maximum,” added Fluttershy keeping the ruffled foals under her wings. “And spent nearly fifteen, travelling over three hundred miles before, right?” “He said that he would come shortly after us,” elaborated she under the inquiring glance of the unicorn. “I suppose that five minutes aren’t the upper limit of “shortly” when it comes to that distance! So…” she jerked her nose letting him know that was the end of the discussion. “Calm down, kids,” Fluttershy addressed the unlucky foals quietly. “I’m not going to leave you! But it’s not going to be easy either, I’m afraid.” “Do you have any other relatives?” asked she the colt in half-voice; Fluttershy thought, she got what Alex was planning. The girl’s soul was torn apart by conflicting feelings of joy and uncertainty of own capabilities. “Yes, an aunt…” whispered the colt understanding where she was going. “But she lives in Crystal Empire. She works in the toy shop there and will need some time to get here anyway.” Fluttershy shortly nodded: normally, Storm and Aurora would have needed to spend a few days under the official supervision, but… The wind played with the manes of the becoming despondent foals when the guard commander huffed impatiently again. The sudden noise reaching their hearing made everypony look up: first, they heard the strange distant sizzling as if something large was cutting the air on high speed, it turned into the hum in a few seconds. A black dot appeared in the clear sky, quickly approaching and turning into an arrow-like silhouette. A white trail of turbulence followed the object, staying in the sky for a while after it passed. In a moment, the silhouette started slowing down, separating from the fading trail; the sizzle died down and the object went upwards for a loop to drop the speed faster. Making a flip in the air, it headed right to them aiming at the foot of the large castle stairs. * After about twenty minutes of a mad rush, Alex reached the Canterlot mountain side. He started slowing down a little beforehand not to hit the cliffs accidentally, that sudden boost became a total novelty for him as well. The industrial area stayed down under the thick blanket of grey rain clouds watering the factories and storage facilities mercilessly; the living districts spread ahead with the large white castle crowning the whole city higher on the mountain. Coming closer and slowing down even more, Alex reached the edge of Canterlot. Finally, his smudged on the edges vision came to normal again and he could see in detail the elegant and noble beauty of the city. Making a mental note of the large waterfall, shimmering with billions of diamonds in the sunlight, the adjacent railway station behind the city wall, Alex aimed directly at the white shiny mass of the castle, rising for a loop to drop speed. The white walls of terraces, high thin towers, colourful roofs and streets, filled with ponies passed below; facing the ground again, Alex scanned the castle park landscape for the familiar colours. He finally noticed the dark slim frame with spread yellow wings and pink mane and tail right at the bottom of the castle main stairs, surrounded by the guards and comforting two smaller figures. Alex dashed to them, turning in the air and spreading his wings to slow down and land. With a dose of spiteful satisfaction, he noticed the dropping jaws of the guards headed by their commander. Flapping the wings faster, Alex landed raising a cloud of dust and reached the stairs in a few quick steps. “So, how long did it take?” inquired he with a wry smile. “About twenty minutes, dear,” Fluttershy was smiling. “Twenty-two at maximum.” That made Alex stumble and count something mentally; he shook his head with a strange expression, returning to the important things. Noticing the faint shade of hope in foals eyes, Alex braced himself – he couldn’t let them down. The single glance at the officious muzzle of the guard commander made cold rage rise in human’s heart again: that one was more than confident to follow the procedure to the letter, not needing even regal encouragement. “They have an aunt,” Fluttershy reached to his ear rising on her hind hooves and stretching, saying in half-voice so only Alex could hear. “But she lives in Crystal Empire…” “Understood!” Alex nodded shortly, visibly glooming as his worst suspicions were confirmed, then he turned towards the guards. “Well, you were going to report to the princess as soon as possible, I suppose,” uttered Alex dryly, gazing at the doors at the upper end of the stairs. “I see no reason why we should linger now.” “Shy, stay with the foals no matter what!” he turned to the mare and his glance warmed up, then Alex leaned closer to the colt and the filly, adding quieter. “Kids, stick to miss Fluttershy, while I… negotiate,” he winked, then turned and rushed up the stairs, so the rest barely kept up. They passed the front door without a hitch, entering the long narrow hallway leading to the actual throne hall. However, the last doors were closed and the guards didn’t show much cooperation despite the commander of their escorting group was insisting on the importance of their report. “Her Highness is in the middle of the audience at the moment,” squeezed out one of the armed stallions. “We can let you in between the visitors perhaps, but not amidst the appointment!” With a sigh called to mask the inward fury, Alex moved aside the rushing to intercept him guards commander and stepped forward; Fluttershy managed to notice how human’s eyes darkened dangerously. * “…with that, you may leave, assured that the Day Crown is listening to your concerns,” princess Celestia kept the overly official tone deliberately to help her relative tune in easier and distract the filly from her own insecurities faster. “The repairs of the bridge will be co-funded from the royal treasury to suffice their completion in time.” She lightly nodded to the avalanche of gratitude poured by the solicitors, waving her hoof graciously, and smiled to Velta lightly as if telling that the latter should relax and stop taking the audience as something that terrifying. The mare and the stallion, evidently representing some small town in need of government help, stepped aside ready to leave with all the conventions of etiquette – they caught the tone of the audience at once, when some muffled noise reaching everypony from the far entrance doors stopped them. What sounded first as a heated argument, quickly faded making even princess Celestia stretch her neck and perk ears in curiosity. What happened next made all three mares on the throne elevation jump on the spot a little and the visitors – wince aside, then freeze in terror. Everypony fancied a loud, soft slap and the throne hall doors burst open; a stallion guard (whose muzzle probably pushed the doors exactly) entered sliding on the floor on his stomach like some penguin on ice. In a moment he crossed that way half the distance to the thrones and stopped trying hard to focus his chaotically rolling around eyes. Princess Celestia blinked twice, Velta felt how her mouth opens involuntary; on the one hoof, she found the scene downright comic, on the other, something outrageous was definitely happening. The rest of the guards around the hall raised their weapons keeping them at the ready. Something dark appeared in the doorway causing a tiny hiccup from the princess’ visitors. The wings “entered” first. They seemed to increase even more than it was necessary to keep their heavily armoured owner in the air, filling all the free space around the doors and making the nearest guards retreat a step. The longest edge feathers almost flowed around the columns, grasping on them like some octopus tentacles and literally pulling the dully shining figure into the throne hall. Alex didn’t remove his armour, only the helmet was habitually shimmering as a thin metal band around his head. The wings seemed to only spread further occupying more of the hall as he walked forward heavily, each pen-feather looked searching for something to grasp on making the guards step further aside from the columns those “feathers” curled around; the linear pattern played in the slanted sunlight on the spiked armour. Noticing as Celestia swallowed an involuntary lump, Evenia stepped from behind the throne. Like a shadow, the little mare slid out in front of sitting Velta, shielding the mistress with herself – the size of possible threat didn’t matter. “What’s with that performance?!” Celestia managed to pull herself together already and her voice suddenly thundered under the arches of the hall showing the premises of the Royal Canterlot one. “Care to explain yourself, Alex!” Velta threw a wild gaze at the princess alternating between her and the bipedal visitor several times. The unfortunate solicitors did their best to become invisible and only Evenia seemed cold as an iceberg, a tiny but very adamant iceberg. “Nothing fancy, Your Highness! Simply arrived with a report!” mockingly calm but hardly quieter stated Alex; stepping over the still lying flat guard, he spread his arms with wicked cheerfulness written on his face. A tense pause hung in the air. “According to the given orders,” feeling that he had all the possible attention, Alex started quietly, “your guards were “monitoring”,” he gritted his teeth with emphasis, “the possible Seekers breakout location.” With each word, human’s voice gained power and he almost spat the officious formula in disgust. “Twenty miles from Ponyville, a single farm, a family with two foals, Tia!” Velta choked on air from the seeming mutiny taking place, while Alex continued almost growling. “They registered the first signs of the Seekers… yesterday!” “They notified you and Fluttershy as I ordered in that case, didn’t they?” inquired Celestia. Her artificial calmness only infuriated Alex more. “Yes! Today!” he almost hissed coming closer, the huge black wings twitched nervously. “When the breakout. Actually. Started. Happening!!!” Celestia’s eyes narrowed at his tone, Evenia strained even more, the solicitor ponies were on the verge of fainting in general. Velta in her turn watched the scene with wide-open eyes hardly believing her eyes. “As the result,” Alex squeezed out a smile dripping with venom. “The farmhouse ended up ruined arrant! Mind that, Tia, before I attended the situation… Both farmer and his wife got under the Seekers’ malignant effect and are now… not themselves. Two foals lost their parents… even if temporarily, their abode, their calm and promising foalhood finally! All at once…” he clicked his fingers making a loud clank with the armoured glove. “I’m at a loss hither, Tia! Wondering,” Alex brought his clawed fingers together watching the princess fixedly, “if ‘t be true tis being the correct way to handle the situation?! They could evacuate the owners as soon as the suspicious activity was reported! They could inform us earlier… But instead,” he smirked bitterly, “they were “monitoring”! Letting us know only WHEN THE ACTUAL BREAKOUT STARTED BEFALLING!!!” he almost bawled out. “Alex!” sounded from the entrance doors; Fluttershy broke through to the throne hall. Faithful to her promise, the mare pulled both foals with her not leaving them with the guards outside and adding to the stir with their ruffled look and her outstanding action suit. Wrought-up to the extreme, the human let her call slip past his ears. “Well…” accurately stated Celestia. “Everypony is alive. The foals are safe as I can see. And the Seekers are taken down. Right, Alex? So what being so hyper for?” That was seemingly the last thing to hit the switch. In a few quick steps, Alex crossed the rest of the hall. Hanging over the sitting princess and barely minding the distance for his spiked armour, he grabbed the edge of her throne backrest so hard that clawed glove furrowed the wood. The wings shot to the ceiling unfurling fully. “Isn’t it truly wondrous,” roared Alex bringing his face nose to nose with sitting Celestia; the princess noticed how his eyes became almost pitch black, “that utterly strange, moreover dangerous things keep befalling, the subjects keep suffering and… the authorities are pretending that everything is in hooves!” he inhaled convulsively. “Sticking to the measures ideal for some peaceful times, not something alike we have presently!!!” A small trickle of dust fell from the ceiling. “Alex!!” Fluttershy was already near the thrones; both foals, even the younger filly, watched the unrolling scene with undisguised interest, alternating between the human, the princess and the rest of the present ponies. With the glow flaring up in her big light magenta eyes, Celestia straightened up, levelling her face with Alex and raising above a bit. Everypony almost saw the electrical discharges between these two when her voice rolled under the arched ceiling of the throne hall. “You are crossing the line, Alex!!! What is going on with you today?!!” “Me?!” The human leaned closer nearly pressing the tip of his nose to hers, making Celestia even pull back a little with some memory glimpsing in her wide-open eyes. “On the contrary! I’m perfectly in line hither! In the line of logical conclusions, mindst that please! Mayhap these foals are crossing the line? With their mere existence?! Becoming homeless at a wink because of ineffectiveness of… the crisis management!” “Do you imply that you could do better?!” “I could do faster in the earnest!” Alex shrugged both with his shoulders and outstretched flowing wings, the claws scratched on the throne backrest a little. “If given permission to deal with these monstrosities appropriately and arrant information in time…” he started to wind up again. “How can’t thou comprehend, tis turning into… a war with first victims already?!” “ALEX!!!” it thundered in the large hall so loudly, it made everypony instinctively duck a little; dust flowed from the ceiling again. Throwing back a wild glance, Alex noticed how Fluttershy was breathing heavily, spreading her wings and gazing at him and Celestia intently; now he understood how his usually quiet and restrained marefriend could shout at Luna even impressing the princess. “Can you stop? Please!” asked she in her normal voice already, which was perfectly audible in the surrounding silence. Using the moment, the visitor ponies attempted to slide out of the situation and the hall itself. Alex exhaled slowly and closed his eyes for a second; the spiked glove released the backrest. His wings shrunk a little but stayed spread in discontent. “Apologies, Tia! I… flamed up… a bit forsooth!” “Exactly! Just a little…” noticed the princess with dry sarcasm when he took the dignified distance. From the corner of her eye, Celestia noticed how Velta could finally close her mouth and Evenia relaxed a tiny bit. “I’m truly sorry about all what happened!” added Celestia softer. “But… I suppose you wanted something else except,” she raised one eyebrow, “except scolding the royalty like that…” “Sorry, Velta,” she addressed the filly while Alex was grasping his thoughts, “for the slightly messed up morning. That’s Alex, the human, Ponyville local engineer, the… only undoubtedly effective weapon against the monsters attacking Equestria, these Seekers you might have heard about…” ‘And the big pain in the plot!’ sighed the princess inwardly adding loudly instead. “Obviously I would prefer to introduce you the other way, but… Alex, this is Velta Weisserstrahl, my niece from Germane. And her protégé, Evenia Getreu,” she nodded towards the frozen girls. Alex nodded clumsily, barely sliding his eyes across the fillies he probably just noticed. “Yeah, I wanted indeed…” uttered Alex; he finally folded his wings, stepping back. The dangerous darkness in his eyes dissolved returning them the usual sea-green colour as he raised them at Celestia again. “Methinks I know what the standard procedure is in their case,” he glanced at the foals, “even if it takes their aunt only a week to come, they would be placed into the orphanage for that time period. Am I correct?” “I’m not going to allow that. Period!” stated Alex seeing the short nod of the princess. “We are taking them with Fluttershy, Storm and Aurora must have the real home until their close relatives can take care of them.” The princess looked at him with some interest as if she was least expecting that claim, then she took a look over Fluttershy spreading her wings over the two foals; the latter didn’t look scared at all, rather wondering what would happen next. “I think that can be done,” mercifully drawled the princess. “As I know that at least miss Fluttershy,” with that official tone, Celestia glanced at the human quickly, “has all the conditions for that.” “If the foals in question don’t mind that solution, naturally!” added she with emphasis then aimed her eyes at the colt and filly. “No, Your Highness! We don’t mind! We’ll go to miss Fluttershy and the… Nightmare Knight!” the foals exclaimed simultaneously; with anticipant sparkles in their eyes, both seemed to enjoy the whole scene rather. Celestia coughed and Alex facepalmed inwardly, with that phrase the kids hardly defused the princess sentiments towards him. “Then I think there is one problem less!” the princess mercifully nodded making the foals brighten. “I wonder if that truly called for so much noise though…” pricked she Alex once more. He moved his jaw making a suspecting face – Celestia agreed too easily in Alex’s opinion. But evidently, he had nothing to nitpick; with a tiny smile, Alex glanced at Fluttershy cuddling the foals. “Well… With that we leave,” he slightly bowed with gratitude. “Your Highness! Miss… mhm… Fraulein Weisserstrahl!” Alex stumbled a little on the unfamiliar name, then he noticed that the little maid was still shielding her mistress. Seeing her, at first Alex was really puzzled why Scarlet Rose got dressed as a maid, later he realized his mistake – the petite girl was an earth pony, not a unicorn. Now the mare was returning his glance with stern tranquillity, being the only pony in the hall not faltering at Alex’s more than impressive arrival. With the emphasized respect then human nodded to the little maid, causing the first-ever sign of her being a real pony not some masterfully made doll – the girl huffed gazing daggers at the troublemaker. With a tiny smile – he noticed a streak of bemusement on maid’s muzzle, Alex stepped back gesturing Fluttershy and the foals to follow. However, almost at the throne hall doors, he turned, remembering something. “I’m sorry, Princess!” he raised his voice a bit to be heard. “I thought about one question peeving me ever since the Baltimare incident I heard of…” “And what is it, Alex?” Celestia glanced at him with genuine interest. “Just trying to lay something in my head,” Alex scratched his nape. “What was the factory the Seekers appeared at there?” “There is no secrecy,” shrugged the princess. “It was a magical crystals refinery… and the monsters came there, not appeared at the plant.” “Hmmm…” it was impossible to decipher what he was putting into that ambiguous hum stumbling for a short moment with a pensive expression. * “What was that, pray tell? Auntie Celestia?” When these four finally left, Velta uttered a word for the first time since Alex stormed into the throne hall. In disbelief and bewilderment, the girl watched the visibly calm princess with rounded eyes. “I-I’m sorry… auntie Celestia, b-but… this is unprecedented… I mean that… creature… storms here… almost assaults the castle, to tell the truth. It’s some unimaginable impudence!!!” “As I said, my dear,” the princess casually scanned through the small scroll with the list of visitors for that day’s audience, “it was a human. I suppose you never saw one before, Velta…” noticing the dumbfounded filly shaking her head, Celestia elaborated with a tiny smile. “Normally, they look different, of course, have no wings and aren’t armour-clad… That’s a long story, believe me,” answered she the unvoiced question in Velta’s wild glance. “The thing is, at the moment he and the mare with him provide the most effective methods of confronting the magical abominations pestering our domain and the consequences of their contacts with the subjects,” the princess made that confession half-heartedly. “However, I must agree, Alex usually manages to scare the witnesses nearly more than the Seekers do…” added she pursing her lips. “He… called you “Tia”…” quietly drawled Velta still unable to believe her ears. “That happens when he gets wedged…” chuckled Celestia, seemingly bringing her far relative’s outlook to even greater disarray. “Usually when something contradicts his vision of justice or truth. Otherwise, Alex is meticulously courteous most of the time… even if a little eccentric sometimes…” princess’ cheeks gained faint colour at some memory, to filly’s terror. “Remember how he specifically recognized Evenia’s valour. I think he mistook her for somepony familiar from the castle at first…” The little maid audibly huffed making some effort to keep an apathetic face and refrain from frowning. “Anyway…” Velta Weisserstrahl was still shocked by Celestia’s tolerance towards that bipedal annoyance. “What does that ape-like brute allow himself?!!” This time even her maid, being an epitome of composure throughout the entire incident, couldn’t hold back a small but visible nod accompanied by an agreeing hum. “Hmmm…” the princess watched both girls amusedly. “The last pony who called him that way found themselves knocked out in less than two seconds…” seeing how the two fillies cocked heads almost identically, Celestia added, “…and was lucky not getting into hooves of my dearest sister after that. Although, I must confess they tried to hit the human as well… What I mean, if you need to find out more about the human, better ask Lulu – I suppose they communicate quite frequently.” “A-auntie L-Luna!..” this time Velta wasn’t even bothered maintaining her image dropping her jaw and widening her eyes again; the filly choked on words. After a long moment of silence, she shook her head in abashment. “Well… That won’t change my opinion of aunt Luna in the slightest, nor my respect of her, of course!” she finally squeezed out. “But to say I’m deeply puzzled by her attitude towards that… subject,” Velta made a visible effort to find a neutral word, “is to say almost nothing!” “My filly, I see your attitude towards the stallions, in general, didn’t change,” Celestia let out a dainty smile. “Oh, Your Highness, that’s my attitude towards their groundless highfalutin!” parried the filly. “Unlike my father, the majority of them have the entire world at their hooves almost since birth and by the so-called right of the latter!” Velta snorted loudly in vexation. “At least in Germane it is exactly that way! Your domain, auntie Celestia, is like a breath of fresh air in that aspect… Yet even here we can witness…” she made an indefinite gesture with her fore hoof, called to point at the recent events. “I’m sorry, auntie! You know me, I can defend my position for hours when it comes to that…” “Yes, my dear. And I’m glad that my nephew isn’t here at the moment!” that sudden tirade brought a little understanding smile on Celestia’s muzzle, showing that talks alike took place with enviable consistency. At the mentioning of prince Blueblood, a faint shadow of barely hidden disgust crossed Velta’s beautiful face. “Okay, let’s listen to the few remaining visitors, my dear,” Celestia waved her hoof to the guards to let the next solicitor in. “This audience lingered a bit too much, don’t you think? I feel for Evenia, who needs to keep on her hooves all that time.” “I’m sure we can compensate,” muttered Velta perking her ears and stretching a little, just enough not to destroy the dignified image of the future countess. “But, of course, as you say, auntie!” From the corner of her eye, the princess managed to catch the mysterious glance two girls exchanged with a little smile lighting their muzzles. * Getting out of the castle, Alex inhaled the full lungs of the fresh cool air thinking that Celestia agreed to fulfill his request suspiciously easy. Moreover, she looked unusually calm, considering how he entered the throne hall. Alex could probably say that he felt a little prickle of conscious… if he really did; he stood his ground though – the measures so far taken by the Crown were to say mildly half-hoofed. ‘Does she keep testing me?.. I wonder what she wants to prove then…’ He could still read a little reproach in Fluttershy’s eyes but generally the girl was glad that their problem was sorted almost peacefully. As for the foals, they were absolutely happy about not waiting for some official directions, not going to any orphanage, not sticking in the castle for nopony-knew-how-long. They were going to Ponyville instead; that was almost like going home, considering they visited the town several times before. Besides, their supposed caretaker for the next few days was supposed to be Miss Fluttershy. That strange human seemed okay as well; before, the foals saw only a few adults unconstrained like him. No wonder, they almost went prancing and running around Alex and Fluttershy when the whole company stopped for a moment at the upper broad landing of the castle stairs. The only thing keeping them from that was a sudden thought about their parents, which struck Storms mind momentarily extinguishing the started to flare up joy. It relayed to his sister as if by some magic, making Aurora fade as well only glancing at the older brother. “Don’t worry, foals!” Fluttershy properly interpreted the suddenly falling silence. “Your parents are going to get all the necessary treatment. I’m sure they will be fine as soon as it is only possible to assist,” added she softly hugging the dejected colt and filly with her wings. Even if she knew all the complexity of the task, there were so much confidence and soothing calmness in her voice – the foals simply couldn’t believe her not. Thankfully that made them thaw out a bit. “I knew, you would take care of them, miss Fluttershy,” Aurora Sunflower let out a weak smile but it was quite an encouraging change. “Speaking of which,” Alex sighed realizing that her work would only start. “You’ll need to stay and give them… initial pull, my love.” Both foals exchanged glances and Storm winked: the blissful trait of the unstained yet foals’ psyche making them concentrate on rather positive things, dissolving the negative experience quickly. “I know, Alex,” Fluttershy nodded; she glanced over the human and two foals with concern. “How will you reach Ponyville though? Don’t tell that you are going to carry them…” “Not that I even thought about,” chuckled Alex. “I doubt they need to travel all that distance carried like two kittens, right guys?” It was hard to say that Storm and Aurora objected anything, judging by their excited look; however, Alex on contrary knew well what he was talking about. About three hundred miles in the sky wasn’t the best experience for the foals, considering he either would be unable to carry them properly, or their speed would be rather slow. It wasn’t worth the effort anyway. “I think that in the worst case we’ll take the train,” said Alex quickly estimating the time and distance. “Will take the same several hours…” “Oooh!” drawled the foals with a touch of disappointment. “We thought we would fly!” added the colt looking up at Alex hopefully. “Come on, kids! Look at me,” Alex realized that he still was packed in his armour. “I can’t carry you safely or we won’t be able to reach a decent speed…” he shrugged as his armour shone brightly starting to fade and revealing Alex’s casual clothes; the thin metal band around his head remained. “Cool!” Squeaked out Aurora. “Is it the… thing on your head doing this?” she tumbled to the point fast. “Can all humans do that?” “No!” Alex broke into a smile involuntarily. “That’s a present, a very precious present of immense helpful value.” From the corner of his eye, Alex noticed how Fluttershy let out a tiny sigh. “Errmmm… most of the humans don’t have wings either…” “Can you do that again? Please?” Alex felt as the colt was pulling him on the tip of the wing lightly while his sister thought over the last Alex’s phrase with a little sceptical expression. “Oh… Okay.” Under the delighted glances of the foals and reproachful of the guards carrying their shift at the castle doors, Alex made the armour appear again, including the mirror-faced helmet. Storm and Aurora started jumping around when he removed it after a few seconds. Fluttershy watched them all with a light smile making Alex secretly feast his eyes on the mare who managed, by some inscrutable way, to look cute even in that formidable suit of hers. “Hey!” their joy was interrupted by another guard hurrying to them from the shade of the castle hallway; he slowed down catching up to them, huffing and catching the breath. “It’s good… Ufff… That you all are still here!” the guard took a look over the company. “Her Highness ordered to take you,” he pointed towards Alex and foals, “to Ponyville by a balloon.” The eyes of the foals rounded again and they let out an excited squeak while the guard turned to Fluttershy. “I’m sorry miss but you are needed here, obviously. I’ll escort you to the place where the… affected are kept.” Fluttershy nodded agreeing while Alex couldn’t refrain of a frown, despite he understood that the stallion used the most neutral term to refer Storm and Aurora’s parents. The foals seemed to miss that phrase thankfully and the guard turned to Alex again. “You three wait, please. I’ll return and show you to the balloon landing pad.” Catching Alex’s inquiring glance, he added following the mare. “Don’t worry, the princess ordered to give miss Fluttershy a lift as well when she is done with her work here.” “Yay! We’re going to fly back!” the foals unfroze the moment they left and started jumping around Alex again. “That’s super cool!!!” exclaimed Storm, then he stopped, remembering something. “And you yelled at the princess! For real!” he poked at Alex in bewilderment. “I never thought I would see something like that.” “Know what? That was super cool!!!” the colt broke into a wide grin while his sister giggled. “Umm…” Alex was going to reason with them but he felt how his lips started spreading into a smile unwittingly. “Don’t tell anypony! Okay?!” “You too by the way!” his eyes stopped at two ponies – a mare and a stallion – who exited the castle a second before and squinted in the light. They were trying to decide how to get around that company and especially the human as discretely as possible and stumbled noticed by him. “Listen… Please forgive me for scaring you and interrupting the audience so abruptly,” Alex stepped to the ponies, who winced back, despite he looked much less intimidating in his common clothes. “That was truly unwanted, thus… My apologies.” “But…” Alex paused with emphasis ensuring that two pairs of wary eyes fixed at him. “I need to ask you to hold your tongues about that scene. Let’s keep it between us, okay! For princess’ benefit…” * “Uncle Will, may I…” the filly knocked on the closed door lightly. The mere situation was quite rare for Steels’ house as when Willsmash worked he never kept that in secret from Silver Ingot. The latter suspected that secrecy wasn’t the actual reason that time either, but the old blacksmith was carried away by something important. “Yes, Silver, come in,” uncle Will hid a smile in his moustache when the filly curiously peeked inside. “Are you okay? Maybe need something?” Silver Ingot threw a concerned glance at the old unicorn blocking his work from her sight. “You are sitting here since morning… and it’s over lunchtime already. Maybe I should bring you at least some hot tea – it’s cold outside and you are keeping the window ajar…” She would have asked if her uncle needed anything anyway, but the main reason was Sil’s curiosity, which brought her there. The window indeed was opened slightly letting in the chilling autumn wind, but it appeared to be a deliberate measure as the twang of brazing, flux and resulting smoke trailed up girl’s nose upon the very entering. Seeing that Willsmash wasn’t objecting her curiosity, Silver Ingot came closer and peeked over uncle’s shoulder: soldering tools, some openwork metal casing, a few magical crystals – bare and packed into the setting formed artistic chaos on his desk. “I won’t object some tea, my filly,” nodded the blacksmith, looking up at his niece with a smile; the questions ripening in her were too obvious to ignore. Will’s smile became only wider when the prudently prepared teapot and a cup enveloped into her aura appeared from behind the girl – Sil came panoplied. “I wonder what captured you so much, uncle Will?” she noted as if meanwhile, filling the cup with steaming tea. “So, you even forgot about the meal completely. Looks like the part of the glaive…” she gazed at the desk again. “Yes and no,” the blacksmith snapped up the cup in the air with his aura. “You see, as our plans underwent serious corrections this morning, I decided to address the problem not giving me rest for a while already. Better say even two problems.” “As you noticed – these are the parts of the glaive, more like future parts… if I can make it work,” Will poked at the framed crystals faintly glowing violet. “Ever since assembling the folding mechanism I wanted to make it easily rechargeable. For the human in the first turn. And that means shielding them with the magical crystals from each other as otherwise it can bring the unpredicted but undoubtedly destructive results.” “Judging by the multitude of variants and… the process sticking amidst,” Silver Ingot shook her head lightly, “the thing isn’t working exactly as it was supposed to… yet.” “Well, for now, I either can’t shield the crystal and its magic from the contact with human hands upon changing…” chuckled Willsmash. “… or the mere connection of it to the rest of the mechanism becomes so complicated that it makes it easier to use somepony’s help to change.” “And the other thing?” Sil leaned over the table examining the sheets of paper mottled with the thin lines of some drafts so densely placed they even overlapped – so many variants the old blacksmith seemed to estimate. Drawings, notes and figures covered the papers showing the intense search of a viable variant. “Don’t look like parts of the glaive for me…” “I always thought that relying on a single solution was short-minded,” uttered the blacksmith taking another look over his notes as if he saw them for the first time. “It suits the weapons more than anything. Judging by the recent events, even the Nightmare Night incident showed that having something in addition to the glaive, something totally different maybe but as effective could be helpful.” “The few look like… Hmmm…” Silver Ingot levitated one sheet for a closer view. “Yeah, frankly speaking, I thought about some distance weapon,” nodded her uncle. “But considering the royal ban of the firehooves… I don’t know how exactly something alike would be accepted. For now, I’m mostly thinking of some melee variants instead. Hmmm… More sugar please!” Will held out the teacup. “It all balks into the physique and size difference…” drawled he while Sil added a couple more pieces. “As you know, most of the equestrian weapons are just too small and lightweight for the average human… and something tells me that Alex is a bit bigger than average. Thanks, dear!” Will made a sip and froze for a moment listening to himself and enjoying the warmth flowing through his body. “To make the warrior-weapon partnership effective, the one must truly feel their “partner” and be able to interact the best way possible.” “I guess so if the weapon resembles a toothpick in his hands, Alex may equally take a real toothpick with the same effectiveness, right?” Sil chuckled with a nod. “Exactly!” her uncle let out a smile. “The glaive we made suits Alex ideally due to the simplest reason – he chose it! He imagined and projected a weapon to his style, liking and abilities. Now the task is to come up with something as effective and suitable, but different from the glaive. In case of circumstances changing in the battle… and to surprise the potential enemy!” Willsmash winked with his healthy eye. “Hmmm… Maybe…” The filly cupped her chin with the fore hoof. “Uncle Will, why don’t you find that blade you’ve got while travelling to Neigpanese islands with the army? The last time you showed it to me when I was a foal, but it must be somewhere in the house still. As far as I know, the style it calls for is completely different from the glaive, so… How was it called? Katana, right?” “Yeah…” chuckled Willsmash; his eye veiled with the past for a moment. “It lies safely here indeed as every precious present with memories connected should do.” The blacksmith sighed quietly. “I wonder what the destiny of its previous master is. We were unable to contact ever since. And… Well, Sil, she was an adult mare when I still felt almost as a colt next to her… Life…” the moustache fluttered as a warm smile twisted Will’s lips; he didn’t tell what he supposedly was going to about his previous life, adding instead. “It’s a large katana actually, my filly.” “Well…” Silver Ingot smiled inquiringly. The filly didn’t interrupt her uncle’s musings understandingly. From the scarce moments, Will was in the mood to mention that period and related memories the girl knew that despite being spent quite far from home, these few years were a rare case of the happiest times of uncle Will’s life. Maybe even the happiest one. Silver Ingot often wondered, why her uncle didn’t stay there, feeling tiny pricks of self-consciousness for her secretly thankfulness for that turn of destiny – if Willsmash stayed in Neighpan, her own future would have been at the very least quite foggy… if any at all. “What stops you both from trying that variant,” asked the filly when her uncle woke to reality. “Maybe he can accommodate with a completely different style… I don’t know…” musingly drawled the unicorn. “The problem is that it is a “large katana” for ponies, Sil. Not for the human… For him this weapon will still be too light, he won’t be able to make a proper swing with enough impact…” “Besides… I’m not proud with that sentiment, Sil, but can’t help feeling the dread, thinking that something may happen with it,” confessed Willsmash with a smile of confusion. “I know it’s a weapon, and the weapon must live its… destined life. I never clung to the things, you know, except maybe that single case.” “It’s too dear to me,” Will shook his head after a short moment of silence. “Maybe I needed to let it go long ago… I don’t know. Maybe it would be better for everypony? Anyway, I’m not yet ready to do that, Sil.” “On the other hoof,” Will glanced at his niece more cheerfully, “I wanted to make a replica anyway… But I always wanted to leave the original one to you, my filly, when time comes,” old unicorn’s voice warmed up suddenly. “Oh, come on, uncle Will! I’m not the militant type, you know!” the filly gave a laugh. “She would have laughed at your assumption as well, dear, thinking that you underestimate yourself!” musingly said Willsmash. “And would have liked you, I’m sure… She had two daughters of her own; a bit younger than you currently…” “By the way, have you seen our new employee, Sil?” finally shaking off the memories completely, the old blacksmith changed the subject. “He is busy since the very morning…” “Diamond… Chisel, right?” Silver Ingot wrinkled her forehead slightly. “Last time I saw the colt outside, uncle; he interrupted for the lunch only. It seems he did every unfinished supplementary job we had for today. Impressive efficiency! At this pace, you can jump right into the main tasks, when you are ready to!” “Why don’t you bring him something warming to drink either then?” accompanying the smile, a spark of amusement glimpsed in Will’s squinted eye. “The wind is becoming icy lately, especially here at the windswept place,” noticed he, seeing the slight flush on filly’s muzzle; Will’s aura accurately closed the window as most of the soldering fumes winded out. Washing the town and the surroundings since morning, the drizzling rain finally died out as the thick low rain clouds ended up swept away by the strong fresh northern wind, which turned piercing and cold very shortly. Thankfully, it dried the wetness from the roads and streets, as otherwise, the latter could become even slippery. The field though absorbed most of the water and the uncut grass lied under the wind covering the ground limply like some seaweed during the low tide, filling the air with the tart smell of damp old hay. The same wind was driving mercilessly the scattered and disoriented clouds across the sky like the playful shepherd-dog drives the sheep, even letting the occasional patch of sunshine reach the ground. One of them fell on the smithy flooding the house and yard with unexpected light and warmth; it made Silver Ingot squint taking a look around from under her fore hoof as the filly peeked out of the front door. She providently levitated the teapot behind herself, hiding it from the outside chillness to preserve the best of the freshly brewed tea. Upon accommodating to the suddenly bright light, filly’s eyes found their new worker near the smelter: the stallion leaned over the long workbench he brought closer to the heat source; he concentrated on something small and calling for precision slowly rotating some reel with his sparkly aura. The guess of what exactly he could be making there caused a tiny smile on her muzzle; filling the teapot on the go, the girl crossed the yard. “Hey, you must be freezing, despite your closeness to the smelter, sticking here the whole day!” Silver Ingot levitated the steaming cup to him. “Are you always that meticulous, Diamond Chisel, or it’s because of the boredom of this mediocre day?” “Mostly. Especially when I am to learn and get accustomed to something new!” the stallion nodded but his eyes and the lion share of attention were still chained to tools on the workbench and the actual job Diamond Chisel focused on at the moment. “But you’re right, Silver Ingot, it may be a bit of both.” “Oh! You brought me a hot drink,” he gazed at the cup enveloped in the aura of quicksilver. “Thank you! Can you put it on the workbench here,” the stallion showed with his glance only. “I simply need to finish with that reel, sorry. Otherwise, the metal will either overflow or cool down and get stuck. Well, whom am I telling…” Diamond Chisel chuckled rotating the handle very slowly but with constant speed. The filly accurately walked around him and put the teacup where Diamond pointed, in his field of view but not to interfere with the current work. The day indeed turned out less promising than they were hoping for since morning when Twilight’s note arrived, ruining some of the plans and making the three unicorns quickly find other work calling for attention to fill the unexpected free time. Thus Willsmash locked in his room wizarding out some idea that haunted him for a while. After the usual household trivia, his niece addressed her abandoned for a while jeweller work alternately sketching something on the sheets of paper and rushing to construct and solder something small but very complex gripped on her desk into a few clamps of the corresponding size. Diamond Chisel in his turn managed to complete the whole variety of small and not so small auxiliary operations about the smithy, thus making their expected work easier in future as they could focus on the main things. At that moment he was making exactly what Silver Ingot asked for a while ago – namely, some thin silver wire. Usually, the process was separated into a few stages, all of them equally slow and boring but necessarily done one after another in the certain pattern: the silver stock, and it could be even old, broken jewellery bearing or their parts, was melted, poured into the small moulds forming the thin slabs of pure metal, then rolled in shafts with calibrated gaps and pulled through the plank with holes of the desired diameter. Diamond Chisel turned out tech-savvy enough to improve and simplify the process using the advantages of the smelter he was already acquainted with in general. He dragged an empty workbench closer to the smelter and placed the tools of his trade on it in a row, fixing them tightly on the surface. A few pairs of shafts with decreasing gaps, a few metal calibres gradually decreasing to the small windlass with changeable reels – all put in the order denoting the usual wire making process. With one exclusion! The stallion got hold of a belt somewhere connecting the rollers and the windlass that way he could rotate the handle of the latter and simultaneously propel the whole improvised conveyor. Putting the refractory container with silver fragments right next to the half-opened radiating shutter of the smelter, he waited till partial meltdown then tilted the whole thing a tiny bit, so, the thick almost liquid silver started flowing down slowly cooling and hardening in the cold autumn air. Diamond caught the tip of that almost-wire thing with pliers and slowly, not to break the continuity of the soft metal thread, pulled it through the whole row of tools he prepared and reeled on the bobbin fixing the end. Then, it was a matter of slowly rotating the windlass and pulling the naturally hardening silver thread, gradually rolling it to the desired diameter on the way. With a little smile, Silver Ingot watched the stallion who leaned over his makeshift machine-tool controlling the workflow fixedly. The short cut mane was gathered into a small ponytail fixed with a leather cord, the grey eyes followed closely the barely moving thread, which cooled down being reeled onto the coil and changing its candent shine to the dim glow in the dull November daylight. “Silver, can you please put the container horizontally?” Diamond addressed the girl when the bobbin he rotated became almost full. “So we can pause the process.” Nodding shortly, the filly put her own cup on the workbench; the quicksilver aura enveloped a thin leaf of metal, turning out to be the fragment of one of the early glaive blade attempts. She accurately pulled it from under the can of melted silver making the latter stand straight; the thin metal thread tore off the elongated tip quickly dimming in the air as it slowly pulled into the gap of the first roller. “So, are you a jeweller by your vocation, Silver?” when the coil filled with the last loops of the metal thread, which faintly tinkled jerked out of the last calibre, Diamond Chisel let go the handle; his bright scintillant aura picked up the cup. “Because I can’t imagine anypony else needing that much of silver solder,” the stallion made the first sip of the hot tea leaning on the workbench and inhaling the aromatic steam. “Yeah, I haven’t mentioned it indeed,” Sil’s lips curled into a tiny smile. “As one, I had better days; without the customers and with all the troubles lately I almost forgot about that passion. But we finally started getting the new orders, including the jewellery ones.” “Truth be told, the latter started coming in surprising numbers,” the filly’s smile became brighter; in her thoughts, she was returning to the job left in the house as her dreamy eyes seemingly saw some inspiration Silver ingot planned to implement in shiny metal and gems. “Prejudices or not, ladies still need something to impress the herd and so do some stallions.” “Hey, I wanted to ask before, as I couldn’t fish anything definite from these two,” the girl gazed sparkles at Diamond, “uncle Will muttered something indiscernible and… Well, you know Alex. He is smiling only when he refuses to give something out.” Silver ingot shrugged but rather with sympathy than frustration. “So, what made you look for that job here? I’m not objecting, of course. I’m genuinely interested, because of all those… talks, you know…” “Well… Let’s start with that one day I managed to cure from letting the common opinion affect me too much… and found out that it was exactly among the things holding me back from personal composure and happiness,” Diamond Chisel chuckled stealthily watching the tall slender girl and admiring her bright-golden long flowing mane and tail she didn’t yet braid that day. “Besides, I always thought that the… umm… town-folk version of your uncle’s story was, softly neighing, quite ambiguous. Common sense tells me that even a commander can’t be always blamed of casualties without the proper judgment, let alone a private.” “But who speaks about common sense when it comes to the rumours, right?” the filly glanced at him with a spark of interest. “Exactly!” huffed Diamond Chisel with a shrug. “Talking about curiosities is fun,” stallions muzzle cringed scornfully, “who would check the real facts… and what for, when it’s already fun,” concluded he with acid looks. “So, did you do?” Silver Ingot raised one eyebrow. “I mean checked the facts.” The stallion made a long sip and deepened into the thoughts. The girl kept waiting patiently for the answer; surprisingly to herself, Sil wanted to know what their new worker thought about that story. “Well,” Diamond finally broke the silence sounding very serious; he even put away the cup. “Frankly speaking, one doesn’t need more than the school history program to spot the inconsistency of those rumours. Naturally, one needs to pay to that history program slightly more attention than to the desk the book is placed on to do that!” The stallion smirked. “When studying, that means when I had more free time, I had some interest in Equestrian history, wars of the past included. The bridge episode actually is in the study book…” “Touched shortly, I admit, but…” he continued after a short pause, turning his back to the wind and looking directly into filly’s eyes. “But it’s enough to find out what happened then and what did not!” “So, do you prefer to believe what you see… well, read in this case?” “It’s not that simple, Silver. At least in this case. I stumbled upon that episode afterwards in a few other works on history, during the school and… The point is – everywhere it was the same, your uncle’s story was described similarly in all the sources I saw. Even if we take authors’ opinion and analysis into consideration…” “I suppose you know what that usually means,” the stallion glanced at Silver Ingot. “Okay, okay, I admit that it can mean that something is… “fixed”, but… such consistency of opinions everywhere rather speaks about pure facts.” “And the facts are,” added he, listing, “an ambush, his survival, the task of great importance being completed despite all the circumstances being against. To my mind, that’s what must be estimated first.” Silver Ingot listened to him with warmth in her eyes. “As for the moral side of the events…” Diamond Chisel chuckled levitating his cup again. “What could he have done? Survive not? Abandon the aim? He had all the reasons, moral and physical to do exactly that. Should he? To not be treated as he is presently in the town.” He sipped his tea and shook the head slowly. “I can’t tell what I would have done in his place, but… to think of it, your uncle did nothing wrong either.” “Thanks, Diamond Chisel!” that came out so quiet that the stallion barely heard, but girl’s brightening face told him that it was coming from Sil’s heart. “Mind that he continued with the army after,” added Diamond, “retiring after another incident only. Unfortunately, the information about it was truly scarce, I couldn’t find anything thorough enough, even feeling interested. But… I seriously doubt there was something, throwing a shadow on him! Considering that was the same Willsmash Steel…” Silver Ingot downcasted, then looked aside curtaining with her mane as if hiding her muzzle from the wind, which became quite fresh. “So, the so-called common opinion was the last thing determining my application here,” said Diamond Chisel in a brighter tone; he let out small laughter. “There is one more reason if you want to know, quite a down to the ground one.” “Really? Which one?” Silver Ingot raised her glance at him, shaking her head shortly to dispel something, which sparkled in her eyes. “Ponyville is a small town,” the stallion looked surprised by her question. “All jobs are taken and it’s a miracle when something new opens. That was my chance… to escape the place, the atmosphere of which began getting under my coat… and not in the good sense.” “Hmmm, that’s exactly what Alex said placing that ad,” Sil let out a tiny smile. “That the jobs were limited, yet needed, despite all the rumours. You tend to judge things more attentively, too, Diamond.” “Yeah, that usually helps,” the stallion couldn’t hold back a grin as well. “Even more – lately, when I started to trust my own opinion more than the often groundless public judgment. Come to think of it, perhaps I would like to find out who actually started that witch hunt long ago… and what for…” “By the way, Alex never knew what actually caused all the rumours,” Silver Ingot turned pensive suddenly. “He always accepted things as they were, saying that he couldn’t judge the past whichever it had been.” “I see that the human trusts what he sees and can “touch” more than anything, except for his intuition maybe.” “Celestia to the witness,” the girl took an appraising look over Diamond, “sometimes it seems that you met before with Alex. Eh?” She glanced at him intently. “Ahem…” the stallion cleared his throat. “Seriously though, it’s easier to find somepony who “met the human” in Ponyville than somepony who didn’t,” he scratched the nape with a strained smile. “So, naturally I did as well…” “Besides, he often appears in the town news and talks,” added Diamond Chisel before Sil could say a word elaborating her idea. “With the main source of the information being Lyra Heartstrings; I must admit that source never depletes,” chuckled he under Sil’s fixed glance. “However, giving her due credit, Lyra filters what she gives out very carefully. Even if she pursues her own interests, she always minds human’s either.” “Yeah, umm…” the unicorn filly felt a bit confused losing the thread of her thoughts. “Look, you’re shivering already,” Diamond Chisel took a fixed look over her frame. “That won’t go!” he shook his head with a smile. “The wind is really strong here. I bet Mr Steel would give me a good kick if he finds out that you caught a cold chattering with me.” * Despite the flight back to Ponyville took noticeably less time than one might think – somehow the balloons in Equestria managed to move quite fast making Alex think that at least that particular line was magically enhanced – the human started feeling his back and legs exaggeratedly sharp soon enough. Normally he couldn’t keep doing nothing for a long while; simply standing made Alex itch all over. The basket was relatively small not giving enough space to walk and stretch freely; besides Alex was to keep an eye or better say both eyes at double on two very active and curious foals. Feeling the responsibility for the safety and future of Storm and Aurora, he couldn’t simply sit on the basket floor leaning on the side, as he did during a few previous rides. Back then his mobility was limited by the simple fact that Alex was deadly scared of heights but the last few months changed everything; now Alex couldn’t jump out of the basket and follow the balloon on his own wings, simply because he worried about the foals becoming overexcited (if over was even applicable to their current degree of excitement) and risking to fall. Thus Alex spent about an hour lifting the brother and sister Sunflowers in rotation (he didn’t risk lifting and watching close both nimble foals at once) for them to be able to observe the passing by landscapes, squeaking from pleasure and looking with eyes wide open; even Storm forgot for a while that he was staying for the most responsible Sunflower for the time being. The elderly guard drove the balloon silently keeping the imperturbable expression on his seemingly cut from the old oak muzzle, yet Alex could notice from the corner of his eye how the old chap smiled secretly into his moustache watching the human babysitting two foals. With the landscape becoming lower and flat, dense rain clouds veiled the ground below as their guide kept the balloon above the elements, in the warm sunlight. However, that didn’t make the ride less interesting for the little Sunflowers: both of them were equally fascinated by the endless sea of swirling mist below as by the passing by cliffs, forests, fields and inhabited areas before. Alex was totally lost in conjecture how the guard knew when and where to land, when the latter made their transport slow and go down smoothly. For the human the image under their basket was all the same for the last half an hour; that was why going to Canterlot he was to find out the exact direction first, being unable to orientate otherwise in such weather. When first the basket with all the passengers and then the bright colourful balloon itself turned up submerged into the thick grey blanket of heavy autumn clouds, Alex was to kneel and cuddle both foals tight taking them under his wings. The clouds looked fluffy from the ground only; getting inside them, all the ponies and the human felt the chilling humidity on their coats and skin at once. Even the seasoned guard frowned a little wiping the mist settling on his muzzle. Thankfully that was the only bath the weather prepared for the travellers at that moment – the rain ceased underneath; probably, the running by clouds depleted their water reserve for a while mercifully leaving Alex and the foals almost dry. Another pleasant surprise waited for them at the town outskirts: near the balloon landing pad, Alex noticed the familiar lilac figure. The wind played with stripy tail and mane throwing the latter onto the waiting girl’s muzzle and ruffling her feathers. ‘I extend mine hope nothing else hath befallen hither during our absence!’ flashed in Alex’s mind. However, Twilight quickly dispelled his concerns; the alicorn girl was smiling when they landed. Of course, that could be the result of her watching the human exiting the balloon basket with Aurora Sunflower in his arms with her brother following close; girl’s expression puzzled Alex making him downcast while putting the filly back to the ground. “Here we are! Back home,” Alex coughed in confusion, throwing a glance at Twilight – her smile kept shining; the girl watched them, raising one eyebrow a little. “What, Twilight? Is something…” “Welcome to Ponyville!” Twilight greeted the foals, ruffling their manes lightly. “I hope your journey was fast and pleasant.” “Mostly yes, except for the last part with coming through clouds,” chuckled Alex still guessing what could amuse his friend so much. “The kids are alright though…” ‘What can’t be said about their parents!’ Twilight read in his eyes. “It was great, Your Highness!” reported Storm Sunflower with his eyes shining. “And exciting!” added Aurora even jumping a little. “I enjoyed flying… Your Highness!” Both foals bowed making Twilight embarrassed in her turn. “Umm… Simply Twilight, okay. Miss Twilight if you insist to put it more officially,” she masked her blush behind the smile. “Yes, Your… err… Miss Twilight!” exclaimed both foals happily. “I see you are completely ready, Alex?” the sly expression returned to Twilight when she lowered her tone leaning closer to his ear. “Ready for what?” Alex squinted at the girl suspiciously, as they let the foals run forward entering the road to Ponyville. “This-ahead,” nodded he to Storm and Aurora showing them the direction and surprised by their energy. “We’re right behind you.” “Well… for different things…” mysteriously smiled Twilight. “For the responsibility for these foals in particular!” “Mmm…” chuckled Alex walking along with her. “I was thinking that… Eh, never mind! Is everything okay? You came to meet us here.” “I thought that wouldn’t hurt,” shrugged Twilight. “To make the kids feel welcome and stuff… Everything is quiet if you’re about that, Seekers and so on. I told Mr. Steel that you had an emergency with our mutual “friends” and probably won’t be able to come to the smithy today.” “He said that it was fine, they could address the things, which didn’t need your attention,” she added answering Alex inquiring gaze. “Besides, you have an aide now. Sil though… Poor filly wasn’t herself when heard about Seekers,” noticed Twilight; Alex coughed slightly. “Princess Celestia informed me in general,” continued the girl smiling to the prancing foals. “Is it that serious?” she asked him from the corner of her mouth. “Well… They definitely got affected,” Alex gloomed at the memories of the morning events. “I sincerely hope that Fluttershy can turn that thing into amnesia again. She is still there in Canterlot, coming later today; Tia ordered to deliver her then.” “By the way, Her Highness asked me to watch after you better, especially that you rest at least sometimes – her exact words to tell the truth,” Twilight looked at Alex fixedly; she even forgot to speak quietly. “What did happen in Canterlot if I may ask?” “He quarrelled with the princess a little, miss Twilight!” chuckled Storm perking his ear right the second before, so he could hear her last phrase. “Can you believe, he shouted at princess Celestia, so even the dust fell from the ceiling?” “You did WHAT?!” Twilight felt how her jaw dropped involuntarily. “Yes, first the Nightmare Knight…” started Aurora with a giggle. “Ahem…” “…okay, okay! First, Alex shouted at the princess, then she at him… then… miss Fluttershy managed to reason with him,” summarized Storm briefly. “That was quite a look!” “Errmmm… I got really angry because of all the lingering and visible unconfidence of the authorities,” Alex scratched his nape shrugging while Twilight looked at them with round eyes. “I admit I was a bit harsh… But seriously, Tia behaves as if nothing outstanding is happening… And… Well, we came in the middle of the audience… but only two visitors were there at the moment,” Alex smiled wryly. “Oh, and some high society filly with her maid…” For a few minutes Twilight walked with them silently, opening and closing her mouth. She shook her head waking from her stupor only when they reached the outskirts of the town. “Errmmm… Well… Ahem,” Twilight’s eyes slowly returned to their usual size. “I guess it’s okay as you… But I would never imagine.” “We neither, miss Twilight!” chuckled the colt. “But you made Velta witness that, Alex,” drawled Twilight shaking her head slowly. “That would effectively make you an enemy… She, to put it mildly, doesn’t favour stallions in general.” “I guess I’ll live with that burden somehow,” Alex made a face. “So, it was decided that younger Sunflowers stay with you and Shy, right?” Twilight properly felt his wish to change the topic. “I insisted,” chuckled Alex. “They stay with Fluttershy technically,” whispered he, “but I’ll attend to them as much as I can either.” “At least until your aunt arrives from the Crystal Empire, right?” addressed he the foals louder. “How’s her name by the way?” “Crystal,” Aurora smiled brightly. “Crystal Chime! And she’s the best aunt in Equestria!” ‘Auntie Crystal from Crystal Empire,’ Alex smirked inwardly. ‘Let’s hope she is indeed the best!’ In conversation, they reached the first street of Ponyville and Alex stopped. There was no need to walk the foals through the town on the first day, gaining unnecessary attention; besides, he understood that despite their visible energy, the foals must have been reaching its limits already. “By the way,” Twilight opened her saddle bag and started digging inside hastily, “I thought you may need that at the end of the day. So… ummm… I took the liberty to gather and bring you this!” The girl levitated and dropped into Alex’s promptly stretched hands something tightly folded. Checking the parcel, Alex recognized a change of underwear wrapped into his clean shirt; for a moment he stood there blinking. ‘Did she really brushed through his clothes to bring that?!’ At rare occasions, Twilight could be even blunter than Pinkie when it came to her caring about the friends, but that time Alex was thankful for such tactlessness. “And here is another one – right from Rarity!” Twilight already handed him another larger soft parcel; the ribbon it was bound with over the thick paper formed a heart-shaped bow. “She came shortly after you left and was desperate finding out that she missed you by a matter of minutes, then asked me to give that to you. If I were you,” she leaned closer to him lowering the tone, “I would have unwrapped it only being alone – who knows what may be there.” Alex squeezed the larger parcel lightly – it was soft and felt as some fabric folded. He looked at Twilight and decided that the girl might have point. ‘It’s some clothes most likely, but I won’t bet on that!’ knowing Rarity, Alex rolled his eyes inwardly. “Are you sure you don’t need any help?” seeing Alex frozen at the spot, Twilight tapped his elbow lightly. “We’ll be fine. I’m going to cope,” Alex glanced at her slyly; a revenge idea for the earlier joke came into his mind. “Anyway, these are my first foals as well,” added he in girl’s ear making her suddenly flush to the roots of her lilac stripy mane. “Oh… Ahem…” Twilight made an effort, clearing her throat. “I guess we don’t need to expect you early today, right?” “Yeah. In the morning most likely,” Alex waved her; with the foals he was going to hit the road belting the edge of the town, thus bringing them to Fluttershy’s cottage faster. * After the long walk, the cottage emerging from behind the bare trees beckoned with a promise of anticipated rest. Even from the distance, it was bearing that unique homely feel, Storm Sunflower couldn’t explain even if persistently asked. Seemingly a common two-storey house, smaller than their own… At this thought Storm bit his lip not to show any sign of weakness; he promised himself to be strong as long as it was necessary and ever after for his little sister. Nevertheless, that simple cottage almost made one wish to live there; the more the closer they walked. Walls painted light, clean accurate windows, the whole well-maintained yard behind the low neat fence – everything at that place waited to provide the traveller comfort and repose, whoever that traveller was. When they came closer crossing the garrulous creek over the small bridge, Storm could see the numerous birdhouses attached here and there in the tree crowns, which hid them from prying eyes during the warm seasons. That dense placement made the colt wonder, how awesome must the place be, so all those birds could nest there at once overbearing the close vicinity of different neighbours of various species. Almost at the gate, the foals heard the distant even measured noise as if some giant beaver was lazily slapping its tail on the water. Impressed by this analogy, Storm didn’t realize at first that it was the large water wheel, which could be seen right to the cottage; the creek it was placed in skirted the backyard of the cottage. The human opened the barely creaking gate revealing the front garden with fallen leaves accurately raked by somepony and the flowerbeds already prepared for winter. Stepping on the gravel of the front walkway, Storm took another general look over the cottage. If he was asked to describe it as brief as possible, the colt would have probably answered that “the loving mare’s hoof felt everywhere in it”; he was sure that the impression wasn’t going to change upon entering the house either. “So, is this your house?” Storm was to throw his head back to look at human’s face. “I… I mean it’s cute, but…” the colt stumbled confusedly. “But?” smiled Alex enquiringly, he crouched not to make their height difference too oppressing for the foals. “Well… I would never think that somepony as you is living in a house like this…” Storm blushed a bit, unsure if he was tactful enough, still curious to the point he couldn’t have asked not. That made Alex plunge into the thoughts: several months in Equestria and he didn’t yet possess any place of his own while technically he could already allow himself a house. Being forced to call this world his home by the circumstances, Alex was still unsure where his mentioned real home was. ‘Is it because I can’t still accept the situation in entirety?’ Alex shook his head driving away from the unnecessary sentiment. He was to admit that Storm caught it perfectly – nopony could tell that Alex with his current lifestyle suited to Fluttershy’s dwelling. Could that be said about his temporary place at Twilight’s Library then? Anyway, that was hardly a fitting explanation for the foals. “You are way too observant for a colt of your age, Storm! But you both are still thinking of me as of Nightmare Knight, guys, aren’t you?” chuckled Alex softly. “Rest assured, that’s a misconception… And the second thing, it’s Fluttershy’s house, she lives here. I’m only a guest here, technically. Now, does that fit your world concept, bud?” “So are you two?..” first time since they arrived, Aurora asked a question, still watching the cottage with interest and admiration. “I mean… Eh…” She downcasted confusedly, but he understood the unvoiced part. “Not yet officially…” Alex shrugged with wings letting out a tiny smile and wondering how easy that tiny addendum went out. “Rather… dating?” her brother glanced at the human semi-inquiringly. “Mom and dad told us how they met and got to know each other!” “Nothing can escape your attention, Storm!” Alex ruffled colt’s mane lightly, noticing it still being peppered with ashes. “Yes, we are. I guess that can be named that way…” “Look,” Alex didn’t let the foals focus on that topic too much. “Methinks the first thing we need is to bring you both into some semblance of order at last.” “You know, you speak funny sometimes, big human!” giggled Aurora Sunflower. “Remember the Nightmare Night celebration, sis,” Storm winked at her meaningfully. “Alex speaks very much like princess Luna, of whom he is most likely a close friend.” ‘You don’t even know how close… but most likely are guessing!’ with a laughter Alex opened the front door letting both foals inside. “Woooow!” Storm and Aurora made a step and froze: the large bright living room was truly spacious and exceeded their expectations from the cottage. Practically merged with the hallway, which was presented rather by a small functional zone behind the front door, the main room occupied most space of the ground floor. Boasting the natural wood where it was only possible, the room was decorated in light yellow and green tones accompanied by pastel variations of brown. Yet the main motive was light, thus the living room looked sunny even on such a grey November day. Providently placed along the walls, the furniture left plenty of space in the middle, except for the sofa at the far end of the room and a couple of large armchairs. If necessary, more than two foals could easily play catch-up there. The next thing making young Sunflowers smile involuntarily was birdhouses. Despite their natural outside placement, there a few resided on the spots, quite unusual for a common house: along the walls and bookcases and under the ceiling. Some of them were still occupied by those who didn’t hide or leave for winter, as the light hurried rustle told the foals that their inhabitants whisked inside right the moment the unknown ponies entered the house. What surprised the foals even more was the exemplar tidiness of the place, unexpected for one populated by so-called wild animals. Something told Storm and Aurora, that case differed and the hostess indeed was easily finding a common language with the critters, as she was famous for. With a light scratchy noise, one specifically curious squirrel ran along the wooden beam crossing the room under its ceiling. The red ruffian jumped and landed right on Alex’s head where it quickly sniffed human’s ears, making him chuckle; the squirrel checked behind Alex’s shirt collar and on his shoulder, taking a seat and squeaking inquiringly. “Oh, sorry, I have nothing today!” Alex spread his arms smiling. “But I’m sure that not only you are hungry at the moment. We may try fixing that though.” “Cool!” exclaimed Storm Sunflower when the squirrel hung on Alex’s shirt its head down, firmly clambering the cloth with all her four paws and warily staring at the newcomers. “They aren’t afraid of you!” “Well, some animals are naturally darer than the others,” chuckled Alex. “Some got used to my presence and a few are simply overly curious and truth be told unceremonious.” Growing bolder finally, the squirrel got down Alex’s stretched arm and started sniffing Aurora’s mane tickling the filly and making her giggle. “Okay, the plan is as following!” Alex concluded cheerfully; he headed to the kitchen, large doorway to the left. The squirrel climbed back onto his shoulder, riding with comfort. “First you both need to eat, whatever we can find and prepare fast, then a bath and some, I’m sure, long-anticipated rest.” The other time the foals would have probably protested against the last position, but that day they obviously had enough; Alex saw that despite some natural confusion and well-played bravado, both Aurora and Storm were about to collapse from fatigue at any moment. “Hey, kids!” Alex turned to the foals glancing at them as conspiratorially as he only could. “Don’t tell Fluttershy that we swapped bathing with meals.” “Aye, sir!” The quick inspection of a pair of hands and two pairs of hooves came out successful and after a few minutes both foals were already sitting at the kitchen table, chewing the hastily cooked snack. The squirrel whisked away, back to its nest, getting the desired treat. Musingly watching the sleepy foals, Alex thought that he needed to make something more nutritive later; besides, Fluttershy was going to come tired and no doubt hungry as well. Alex smirked to his thoughts; adding the foals to his usual life looked a more difficult task than it could seem from the first glance, but… given another chance he wouldn’t have changed his decision. ‘However, letting them completely on Shy shoulders is unacceptable…’ Alex scratched his nape estimating his “parenting capabilities”. ‘Let’s say, I’m not the best role model after the work and till morning,’ he was to admit inwardly, ‘books and drafts, staying awake till late, sleepwalking. Kids better stay with Shy during nights!’ ‘Besides, Storm must have been studying at home already… Now everything is gone with the house.’ Alex frowned but then shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Well, a couple of weeks of sudden holidays won’t hurt both. Unless I can convince the schoolmaster to take the colt to the corresponding class… Or would it be better to talk to miss Cheerilee first?’ ‘Thankfully, Storm and Aurora are from farmer’s family,’ smiled Alex watching the foals, who meanwhile chewed and blinked almost at the same rate and speed; finally relaxing, their bodies remembered about being exhausted. ‘They know well how to entertain themselves without providing much trouble to the adults, they can help and they aren’t afraid of the variety of small work.’ ‘Resolved! I’ll be taking them to the smithy each day… If they aren’t interested with metalwork, I’m sure Sil can fascinate them with her jewellery. And the kids will have the whole playground at their service as long as I can convince them to stay within the nearest field boundaries,’ Alex nodded enthusiastically noticing the foals coped with the meal more or less. “Okay, sleepyheads, time for the bath. And then sleep. Pronto!” “I’ll clean everything, don’t worry,” with a smile, he noticed Aurora’s impulse to gather the dishes to the sink. “Let’s go while you still can keep on your hooves!” The foals barely moved their legs; Alex was to follow them through the living room and upstairs, ensuring that they didn’t stumble and roll down. Seeing that Aurora almost sleeps on the go, once in a while trying to lay her head on brother’s back, Alex picked her up in the first-floor corridor and carried to the room. The bedroom stayed exactly as they left it in the morning: the half-drawn curtains left it semi-dark, which was quite fitting to the current condition of the foals, the ajar wardrobe door barely swayed in the draught coming from the window. Alex was glad that the rain didn’t come through making a puddle on the floor. As they entered the floral-honey aroma embraced the human and the foals: Storm stopped and inhaled deeply breaking into a wide happy smile; even sleepy Aurora raised her head in Alex’s arms and sniffed with pleasure. Alex couldn’t help but join them in that mood; that scent was always able to tune him into a positive mood no matter what, just like another one. And the mixture of two, as he recently found out, was truly thrilling, almost palpably vibrant, making him… However, a slight hitch disturbed his pleasant flow of exciting thoughts right at the bathroom doorway. Alex alternated between the soft and relaxed filly in his hands and the colt sleepily leaning on the doorframe, then he looked at the large but single tub. “Mom’s always bathing us together,” sleepily muttered Storm, properly guessing the reason for awkwardness. “She says that’s easier and she can be sure that one of us stays clean while another is still being washed,” he sighed slightly at the memory about their mother, whose condition was questionable at that moment. “So it’s okay.” To save time as the foals were extremely sleepy, Alex decided in favour of a shower instead of a proper bath helping Aurora and Storm to get into the tub. The filly almost napped on her hooves when Alex put her down; she put her muzzle on the tub edge and let out a slumberous smile. “Let’s simply wash away the dust for now! You can properly soak in the water later,” Alex adjusted the water minding that typical horse comfort temperature was a couple of degrees higher than for an average human. He kneeled beside the bathtub switching to the showerhead, chuckling. “I’m sorry, kids, if that cheers you up a bit…” “Squee!” Aurora Sunflower even opened her eyes widely when the jets of warm water ran over her neck and back quickly soaking the coat; Storm started giggling at sister’s reaction but almost jumped at the spot as well when the stream reached him in his turn. However, the temperature was comfortable and both foals relaxed; the filly muttered something sleepily. “So… Does your aunt… Crystal, right? Does auntie Crystal work for a large toy market?” Alex’s aim was to keep both foals awake till they finished with the water procedures. “I mean she will certainly have some difficulties rushing here out of the blue.” He took the shower gel and squeezed some on filly’s back, passing it then to the colt. “She actually owns a large toy shop there in Crystal Empire,” Storm sounded rightfully proud for his aunt, “and even produces some toys of her own making with the help of her staff.” He sat on his plot and started washing his coat by himself while Alex soaped and rubbed sleepy Aurora. “Naturally, she will need to arrange everything before she can leave. Why do you ask?” he glanced at Alex with interest. “Did you study at home, Storm?” asked the human instead of an answer. The colt nodded shortly watching with a smile how his sister raised on her hind legs, putting her fore hooves on Alex’s shoulders for him to better reach her sides and legs. Being ticklish, Aurora started wriggling and tittering when he scratched along her ribs. “You both can’t sit in four walls from dawn till dusk and over, be it a week or a few,” Alex took a clot of foam from his cheek and put a large soap bubble at the tip of Aurora’s nose making the girl cross her eyes and try to huff it away funnily. “Here you go!” “If I can talk you through with the Ponyville school headmaster, so they let you attend… Which frankly speaking would be a miracle and you won’t fall back in studies, Storm,” Alex examined the filly critically and spotting no unwashed places turned to the colt, helping the latter with the back and hind legs. “But if I can’t, we will need to find for you both something to do, because I’m mostly busy the whole day, so is Fluttershy… a bit less in late Autumn and Winter but still…” “Hey, you thought that I reconsidered taking you both here, guys?” Alex looked at Storm intently; the colt downcasted. “I would never do!” Alex booped the storm cloud coloured nose lightly causing a smile on colt’s muzzle. “Speaking of work,” Storm visibly cheered up. “They say you’re working at the local smithy… Is it so?” “Yeah, and I thought about taking you both with me the next day,” Alex turned on the shower again and was already rinsing both foals. “Otherwise you would probably sour from boredom most of the day.” “Cool! I never saw how somepony worked with metal,” drawled Storm. “Can one learn how to make things like this?” he pointed at the thin band of Alex’s helmet. “Probably. Not so fast though. It’s the work of one very powerful alicorn mage; personally, I would never reach such level,” Alex let out a smile. “But the rest of the armour is of our own making. While it lacks magical powers, it’s quite durable on its own. I’ll show you then…” Aurora seemed less enthusiastic about the whole idea, so Alex added with a mysterious expression. “Anyway, I know somepony, whose work will surely fascinate you and gain your attention. Now! Let’s address the manes and tails!” and he started pouring the water all over the foals making them giggle and splash. “Can you read us a story?” That question caught Alex totally off guard when a few minutes later he carried the wrapped into a large fluffy towel filly back to the room; Storm followed closely not even daring to stifle yawns already. Trying to savvy hectically if he saw any kids’ books in Fluttershy’s cottage, Alex uncovered the bed with one hand, accurately putting Aurora down as she was. The filly momentarily curled into a comfortable ball burying her nose into the flower-fragrant pillow. “Give me a minute, mates,” Alex helped Storm onto the bed next to his sister. “I feel non-less sweaty and tired than you. Dying for a shower.” “Don’t go anywhere!” chuckled he storming downstairs to pick his folded clean clothes, which Alex left on the low table next to the front door. However, the minute he spent for that was enough for the exhausted foals to travel to Lunaland, surrounded and lulled by Fluttershy’s shampoo aroma. This way exactly Alex found them upon return: Storm Sunflower peacefully breathing in his deepening sleep and Aurora snuggling her forehead to brother’s shoulder with a tiny smile. ‘Maybe it’s better that way – I’m not in the mood for fairytales right now, besides I’m not sure if I can find any suitable book here.’ His glance fell on the large parcel, which lied in the armchair exactly where Alex drooped it upon entering. Checking the foals and making sure they were sleeping deep, Alex untied the scarlet heart of the ribbon and slowly unwrapped the gift. There were clothes indeed. Contrary to Alex’s fears the motley piece on top, white-grey with some complex black pattern, appeared to be a thick knit sweater. Considering the approaching winter, that was something Alex became genuinely happy about. Another one was a nice jacket; at first, he even took the material it was made of for some leather, but remembering where he was Alex quickly dismissed that assumption. At the closer look, the jacket turned out made of some wool. Even without trying them on, he was sure the clothes would fit perfectly, made entirely according to the proverbial Rules of Rarity. ‘Sakes alive! It seems I won’t be freezing this winter,’ Alex let out a quiet whistle. ‘All the same, we are unfair to the girl… sometimes!’ Opening the window a tiny bit to let some fresh air in, Alex headed to the bathroom in his own turn. Standing under the streams of running water and listening to its measured noise, Alex felt how the strain and troubles of the day slowly leave him as if being washed down the pipe with the sweat and dust. He couldn’t remember how long he spent in the shower nor he paid much attention to the time before that: it seemed a couple of hours to him; Alex had no wish to leave the warm water washing himself from head to toe at least two times. His shoulder stopped reminding about the morning contusion and that alone was a blessing. Feeling that he was about to creak from cleanness if rubbed, and changing into the fresh, Alex finally dragged himself out of the bathroom. Met by the quiet relaxed sniffing of the peacefully sleeping foals, Alex checked the wall clock. In reality, he hardly lingered more than for half an hour, but the sky began darkening showing him that the day passed its equator long ago. Even keeping in mind that it was November already, it meant that Fluttershy spent in Canterlot several hours, while the actual “operation” should have taken a few minutes maximum according to Alex memories from the last time. Back then, he, Fluttershy and Princess Celestia visited the first victim of Seekers’ mental influence; it took Fluttershy just a moment to Stare the enraged unicorn back to sanity. What could be different at that time? Alex had no idea. Before concerns crawled with their cold paws into his soul, Alex heard the front door quietly opening; the slow, tired hoofsteps followed and stopped somewhere amidst the living room. Alex’s heart made a jump; unable to hold back a smile, he rushed downstairs like flying trying at the same time to avoid much noise not to wake the foals. Fluttershy reached no further than the kitchen doorway, where exactly she leaned to the frame closing her eyes. The girl looked a bit ruffled, even her lush mane and tail seemed to dim a little; her suit was dusty to her knees telling Alex that she had quite a day and most likely ran all the way from the balloon pad to the cottage. But the closer look told him that Fluttershy was fine generally, simply overly tired, almost exhausted; that at least dispelled his worries at once as Alex was about to think that something could go seriously wrong in Canterlot making his marefriend stay there that long. “Oh, good evening, dear!” Fluttershy opened one eye first focusing on the human with a little effort. She then tried to turn to him, but still kept leaning on the doorframe with her side. “To tell the truth, I thought that it was going to be easier as well…” she properly read Alex’s expression and let out a tiny smile, shaking her mane. With relief, Alex saw that neither fatigue nor unusual troubles could affect girl’s cuteness and mood; the wave of floral-honey aroma reached him as Fluttershy threw back her mane glancing at the human more vividly. “How are Storm and Aurora doing?” asked she before Alex could say a word; Fluttershy took a look around seeing no sign of the foals activity in the house. “They were overwhelmed by the day,” shrugged Alex. “I could barely feed and wash them… and they fell asleep shortly after. They are tired but fine… well, as fine as one can be after similar things happening to them all in one day. I’m rather concerned about you, my dear,” he watched the girl still leaning on the doorframe. “What happened, Shy?” Alex kneeled next to Fluttershy and hugged her gently. “Did something go wrong with the farmers?” he lowered his voice as if trying to avoid telling the bad news to Storm and Aurora, despite both foals were sleeping deeply upstairs. “No, no, they are fine… finally. Well… as much as somepony finding themselves totally amnesiac at once can be,” with another faint smile, Fluttershy leaned on him allowing Alex to walk her to the kitchen, where he finally seated her. “But they are already treated by the best medics Celestia could find. I think they’ll be fine… after a certain while, of course.” “But it turned out so hard to help them at first, you can’t imagine Alex!” she raised her eyes at Alex, who picked the glass and was pouring some water for her. “I couldn’t simply Stare them right away and it was a surprise for me. As the result, I struggled for a few hours with that…” “But…” “Yeah, I thought that too. Thanks!” she took a sip soothing the dry throat and elaborating. “That first time it came out so naturally… like it usually does. But I couldn’t do it easily with the farmer and his wife. I wonder why.” “I mean, it’s no class if I spend so much time with a single pony when we are probably going to have many more victims of these monsters sometime soon…” Fluttershy looked at the human when he sat next to her hugging girl’s shoulders; she fell silent suddenly listening to herself. She seemingly expected to become shocked by her own spontaneous conclusion, but to her surprise, Fluttershy took that idea quite easily. “I need to learn how to treat them faster,” she shook her mane firmly flooding her human with sweet aroma again. “Well…” Alex pondered for a second. “Maybe it came out faster the first time because that stallion suddenly fell in rage and… could provide some real danger to the others. So your reaction was natural and justified, Shy.” “This time the farmers were completely inert,” he ruffled her mane slightly pulling the girl closer and stroking her hair gently, “so, technically you had no need to Stare them to adequacy, even if you realized that it was necessary due to their miserable condition.” “It seems, you need to learn to use your… errmmm… power somewhat on demand, not only when it is inevitable. Bee careful, Shy, it’s a powerful military-grade mass destruction stuff!” Alex chuckled; the daily tension called for some détente resulting in that clumsy joke attempt. “Mmm…” muttered Fluttershy. She raised her glance and Alex saw that the girl hardly heard or at least comprehended his last phrase. “What did you say, my love?” The last couple of minutes Alex was scratching her behind the ears, absently brushing through the lush, soft, fragrant mane; that made Fluttershy a bit cross-eyed and she snuggled to him softly. Suddenly Alex felt a small warm kiss on his bare chest, then another one and a series of them rising to his neck as the girl stretched to cuddle him. “You just came out of the shower…” Fluttershy wanted to wrap her fore legs around Alex’s neck but reconsidered examining her dusty suit closer. Alex pulled her closer planting a small kiss on the tip of girl’s nose and making her giggle quietly. She rested the head on his shoulder and glanced up at Alex, who noticed the playful sparkles lighting up in these beautiful turquoise eyes. Apparently, some power reserves remained non-depleted in her. “So, where did you place the little ones?” completely innocent question was followed by such a stretch, which made Alex’s blood run faster at once. “I hope you coped with their settling, Alex…” she snuggled closer to him tickling with the long pink mane. “I didn’t have time to check the guest room, let alone set it if it was necessary. So, I brought them to your room.” Alex stroked her mane softly making it emit more and more floral aroma with each touch. “Sorry if that brings some inconvenience, Shy. I was to arrange them for the night in your bed…” “It’s okay, Alex. Everything can be done tomorrow – we all had a tough day!” Fluttershy rubbed her cheek against human’s chest; she wanted to hug Alex but threw a regretful glance at the sleeves of her dusty suit instead. “I just had a thought, Alex,” the girl suddenly giggled; light flush barely touched her cheeks with tangerine tint. “Umm… Funny, yet… Not that it was a problem for me, but it suddenly came into my mind…” “What is it, my love?” “Exactly that!” Fluttershy giggled again and the flush spread a bit further to her nose. “I just tried to imagine what could your parents think if they saw me, not only sharing the house with you… but… being so close. Ahem, you understood perfectly well what I meant,” she nudged him jokingly, seeing that Alex looks a bit lost. “We are pretty much horses to your kin, right? And the horses aren’t very… errmmm… civilized in your home world. Luna, in her turn, is big enough to amplify that image.” “Ehhhh… What?” “Wouldn’t they be shocked that their son has a marefriend?.. The keyword being “mare”! Moreover, two marefriends!” the girl glanced up at Alex slyly. Alex blinked. For himself, he reconciled with this issue long ago: somewhere in Celestia’s medical facility, getting yet another confirmation that the number of legs and the smoothness of skin were the last aspects determining a personality. Besides, Alex was to admit that he wasn’t prejudiced towards the close interspecies contacts of the fourth kind from the beginning, as long as both parties were intelligent enough to make that decision together. “Oh, come on, Shy!” Alex even laughed aloud, then cupped his mouth, remembering about the sleeping foals. “They have quite flexible minds, dear. I’m sure it would have been enough for them to talk to either of you for half an hour to form the correct vision.” “And if they could find out what had happened to us during the mere half a year,” added he with full seriousness, “they would have admitted that things only went naturally.” “And… errmmm… Elen? Right?” “We were good friends long before we started dating…” with a tiny smile, Alex put it the simplest way possible. “I suppose I could have explained the situation to her if necessary. Anyway, it’s too complex to theorize about it now. I wonder why you asked in the first place.” “As I said, it just came into my mind,” the girl shrugged most casually, but her eyes shone with happiness. “So I wanted to hear what you thought about that. Umm, theoretically…” “I see,” Alex watched Fluttershy with amusement in his eyes. “Rest assured, the public opinion is the last thing to make me change my mind. Let’s say, if somepony feels uncomfortable around my girlfriend, they may as well not visit us at all.” He planted a determined kiss on the tip of her slowly regaining usual colour nose. “Can you help me once again, dear?” the girl slid to the floor leaning her fore hooves on the table edge and turning her back to Alex. She pulled her shoulders forward, so the suit stretched tightly between the shoulder blades flashing brightly in the soft light with its zipper. “I don’t want to stain you touching with it; the suit desperately calls for laundry.” Alex produced some indiscernible sound and swallowed, feeling his pulse intensifying; he caught himself upon reaching the zipper lock with slightly trembling fingers. Fluttershy sighed as he fidgeted with the intractable zipper for a while; Alex’s heart made a leap. Finally, he coped with the task unzipping the suit to the end of the fastener on Fluttershy’s waist and ran his palms under the thick armoured fabric on her shoulders pulling it off. Returning to the close contacts of the fourth kind, there was a girl in his arms, regardless to the species. ‘A beautiful… woman,’ that came out so natural, Alex even smiled inwardly, ‘so tender and graceful, dressed into something provoking the daredevil fantasies!’ “Mmm…” Fluttershy wiggled her shoulders with relief. “It might be comfortable outside, but spending the whole day in this suit indoors wasn’t quite nice!” She froze enjoying Alex’s touch on her coat as he pushed the sleeves off girl’s fore legs. ‘Hot?!’ pulsed in Alex’s head, when he cuddled Fluttershy tenderly, unable to resist. ‘You’re so hot in this suit! That’s for sure…’ Her coat felt so sharply delightful against his fingers; it seemed that some electric sparks were running between his hands and girl’s body. Alex caught himself upon flushing like a schoolboy first time touching some girl’s hand; but contrary to that schoolboy, he flushed not of embarrassment but excitement and knew what he wanted. Snuggling tightly into the pegasus mare, Alex buried his face deep into the mane, enjoying the touch of Fluttershy’s feathers on his bare chest. “Come on, Alex, stop it!” giggled Fluttershy. “I feel all hot and sweaty under the suit; tired or not I need shower not to become a repellent.” “Are you kidding me?” Alex lifted her long mane, which felt silky and pleasantly heavy in his hands; he ran his face up girl’s neck inhaling her heated scent and barely touching with his lips, making the mare shiver and squint. “You smell awesome, Shy!” Caressing her soft shoulders and back, Alex kept nuzzling Fluttershy until the short pink hair on her neck stood on ends; he buried his face in the soft pink wave kissing the girl on top of her head between the excitedly perked ears. Another shiver ran along mare’s back. Slowly, Fluttershy turned in his arms throwing her fore legs around Alex’s neck; thrill and surprise were written in her widened eyes where Alex could see his determined reflection. He leaned closer brushing through her flowing mane and making their nose tips touch. “Ahhhh…” Fluttershy wanted to say something but caught Alex’s tender kiss with her slightly open lips instead. She snuggled tighter to him, feeling the next second herself lifted and seated at the kitchen table. With a happy sigh, the girl answered him with full passion. “The foals…” breathed she out after a while when her head slowed down spinning. “They may wake at the unknown place and get scared! We can’t leave them for long…” “Then we have very little time, my love!” Watching Fluttershy’s reaction, Alex stroked her between the shoulder blades and started planting small kisses along her stretched in pleasure neck; the girl trembled, wrapping the legs around her human. * “She did what? Oh, dear!” Luna reclined at the throne backrest with a silvery laughter; it was so contagious that even her sister couldn’t hold back a tiny smile which glimpsed through the general grumpiness of her evening mood. “Mine crown to that! Tis wondrous, the girl is truly a pony of many talents…” “Excuse me, Blueberry, for being less enthusiastic about today’s morning incident,” Princess Celestia coped with herself pursing the lips and taking a deliberate look around the hall as if checking if nothing else had gotten damaged, while her regal sister kept having much fun. “You wouldn’t be either perhaps if you saw what it looked like with your own eyes.” The sisters met in the throne hall at the borderline of the Day and Night Courts when the day was about to call itself and the low sun barely peeked inside from behind the high, narrow, richly curtained windows. The alternative was meeting at the dinner when the regal sisters shared it, much like breakfast each morning. That day though, Luna woke up earlier than usual, perhaps because in November, the visibly gaining nights called for her feeling of duty earlier or due to some other unknown reason. Anyway, the Night Princess ordered to bring her meals to her room instead where exactly she stood for quite a while that day puzzling the guards with a long talk with some other mare, then thinking, then working at some document. The latter was mixed with mysterious laughter: evidently, the princess enjoyed something about that part of her work; Luna’s eyes sparkled with fun when she called after a maid to deliver the scroll. Thus despite the early fall of the twilight, Princess Luna got down to the throne hall quite late. The daily light gave place to the multitude of candles in the hanging from the ceiling large exquisite chandeliers and torches alongside the hall walls and columns. Despite the electric generators ready to be implemented where necessary, Celestia was adamant – all the premises of political and court value were to keep their traditional look. That included the lightening, so, the candles kept their place tinting the usually ringing silence of the throne hall with faint crackling and the air – with the smell of wax, aromatic quite often when Celestia was in the mood for that. The Day Princess almost became desperate to wait for her sister; it was obvious that Celestia anticipated the possibility to tell Luna something as well. Which she addressed almost at the first glimpse of the night coloured smiling alicorn mare. “The dust fell from that fusty ceiling! Really?!” Luna let out another burst of unconstrained laughter; obviously, her fun only doubled after she heard sister’s story. Even the little details were enough for princess’ joy to dispel the ceremonious silence rolling under the hall arcs so vividly that even some guards started smiling secretly. “I can imagine that as the result of thy efforts, lief, even if rarely… Or Alex’s… But Fluttershy!” Luna kept chuckling. “The girl progressed so much in terms of finding herself and confidence. Even more for the last half of a year methinks.” The Night Princess shook her head humorously but with visible respect. “The point is, only she could call him to order… even not from the first attempt,” Celestia lingered to share sister’s entertainment and lift. Perhaps, her slight grumpiness could be explained by upcoming winter not being “Celestia’s time” in general or by the need to lower the Sun earlier; moreover, to do that slowly for the prolonged time. Anyway, the white alicorn mare sighed with the most unhappy expression continuing her thought. “Not the daily court taking place, not the solicitors… Frankly speaking, he scared them deadly, not mentioning the overall image they received and might interpret wrongly. Not even the guests – Velta was with me this morning – could make him reconsider and mind the words better. And I’m not even talking about the looks here…” Celestia took a breath toning down her tirade a bit. “Not even the foals, if we speak about them finally… As they served the reason.” At the mention of the foals, Luna’s smile became even wider. “Well, thou can’t say that the carpenter failed at his vocation!” she took a closer look at the backrest of Celestia’s throne. “It looketh as if nothing was even scratched.” “Well, of course!” huffed Celestia proudly. “…as for the rest,” Luna produced another dainty smile, “Velta enlightened me ere, Sunny.” “Yes, yes, the filly hurried to share her concerns so much,” she answered Celestia’s unvoiced question. “She visited me shortly after mine awakening and didn’t skimp on colours painting that image,” sparkles were dancing in Luna’s eyes. “So?” apparently, even if the Day Princess expected some certain reaction from her sister, that wasn’t fitting the predicted margins. “Oh, comest on, Tia!” Luna waved her fore hoof nonchalantly. “I kept in mind that it concerned Alex… and that it was Velta telling the story. Thus I divided her impression by two… Hmmm, at the very least,” Luna’s lips curled again slightly. “And the result didn’t look like some calamity to me, in the earnest.” “I mean, I love the filly very much and respect her opinion. And I ain’t blind failing to notice that she returneth the attitude a hundredfold!” elaborated the Night Princess. “But tis Velta, Sunny. We all know her “love” for stallions, no matter of the actual species methinks. I doubt I lie telling that she and Alex in one place make an explosive mix in emotional sense… And that’s not even telling her Alex’s story!” Luna chuckled softly. “However, that can’t justify the whole play he staged here, sister,” retorted Celestia with a frown. “And the accusations he stated almost publicly…” “And what actually he did, Sunny?” Luna shrugged with the most unperturbed look. “Shook some dust off? Apologies, but methinks you three invested equally into that valorous act,” she smirked again at the mental image of her sister, Alex and Fluttershy having a bit of… “intense diplomacy”. “Made Evenia… Oh, Harmony!.. blush and confuse a zilch? Unpunishable in mine books! Mayhap we even need to thank him for letting the filly let loose slightly,” Luna openly giggled at that point. “Receive me correct, Tia, I adore the girl non less than Velta,” elaborated Luna replying the shocked gaze of her sister. “But methinks she started taking her duties overly serious lately. Recalling that thou art not an unbreakable ninja doll once in a while shan’t hurt. Dost thou think not, Sunny? Especially considering that Alex was – and that’s exact Velta’s words – simply paying respect.” “Did she say that?” Celestia looked genuinely surprised. “Mmm… Semantically!” Luna raised one eyebrow. “Methinks she is still undecided for herself if ‘t be true Alex, at which hour being perfectly polite verbally, is de facto desperately scoffing the collocutor he aimeth his sarcasm at.” “Hmm… Sounds familiar to me!” chuckled Celestia. “Well… That’s mine Alex for thee,” Luna smirked visibly proud. “Something tells me that under the different circumstances you would have enjoyed the big sister’s role as much,” the Day Princess watched her sister appraisingly. Luna huffed indefinitely, returning to the discussed matter. “To quote her exactly, she said that Alex was “respectfully impudent” or “impudently respectful”; she hadn’t decided yet. Truth be told, I couldn’t receive what Evenia thought about the situation because the girl was… diligently compensating for her momentary weakness the entire time we talked with Velta.” That made even Celestia chuckle; whatever happening, she couldn’t deny both her sister and niece the sense of humour. Then she turned serious again in a wink. “But you admit the mere fact of accusations being made, even debating the authorities, Lulu, don’t you?” “The question isn’t that simple, Tia,” Luna glanced at her sister suddenly serious. “If ‘t be true we concentrate at the substance omitting the form… his claims sound rightful to a certain extent.” “Wait, please…” she halted preparing to retort Celestia for a moment. “What exactly did he want? To receive the information about the Seekers-related incidents faster? More directly? Without the excessive procedures enveloping the contents… till it can’t be seen?” “Well, methinks he hath right to do that!” dropped Luna after a moment of overwhelming silence. “Especially keeping in mind that his and Fluttershy’s effective aid is needed anyway for settling the… so-called incidents; more importantly – their consequences.” “But…” “Apologies, Tia, but these two know what to do with the mind-wrecking monsters better than any of our mages, let alone guards. Thou shan’t deny that, correct?” Luna’s meaningful look made Celestia downcast and sigh quietly, inwardly admitting correctness of that assumption. The Night Princess kept nailing it deeper. “Moreover, it taketh thee too much power to eliminate the Seekers, even one of them at once. Alex, on the contrary, may have problems with the physical part of the encounter but their nature is nothing to him…” “You’re right, Lulu,” muttered Celestia, “but whatever you’re saying, that exactly aspect keeps bothering me.” “…in mine own turn I doubt I’m capable to inflict only physical damage to the monsters – that’s not enough oft, as mostly they are vulnerable to Solar magic, fire and… guess, Tia? Alex’s impact!” Luna simply waved off sister’s repetitive doubts. “Methinks the mere idea invested into those Seekers was that they were made specifically to confront us – ponies, unicorns, even alicorns. While Alex is naturally two steps ahead of them, despite their master attempts to accommodate to the changing circumstances.” “Still, what you suggest, Blueberry, is practically letting the guards report to the human about all the incidents with the Seekers!” Celestia cocked her head making the concern burning up in her eyes visible. “Even worse: to order them to report, perhaps prior to their reporting to us if I properly continue your thread of thoughts, dear! Moreover, to be sure the guards will need to report all the magical disturbances most likely.” “Hmmm… I fail to see the trouble hither, dearest sister,” Luna’s eyebrows flew up so genuinely that even made Celestia believe. “Carest to enlighten me?” “Where is the borderline then?” Celestia asked the rhetoric question. “We don’t yet subordinate the guards to him… but the first step is made that way.” “Thou art still thinking about that dream of thine, Tia?” Luna clearly saw the shadow of sister’s nightmare in her widened eyes. “Recallest what I said, a dream is only a dream oft!” “You can’t deny either that quite a few of the things I saw became true since then,” parried Celestia. “Not in the same form or combination but it’s still troublesome!” “You trust him, Lulu! Without any stipulations as I see,” she turned to her sister elaborating ardently. “And I’m still unsure… if I can, moreover, if I must do that. And the latest episode only strengthens my doubts!” “The problem even isn’t in Alex himself, dear,” calming down after that impulse, Celestia drawled. “I believe, he is a nice human… in general. Even with his impulsiveness. You see, Lulu, the problem is that sometimes when he sleeps… we all are a part of his dream. I suppose he can do anything at that time, even he doesn’t realize it entirely yet.” “Who can say that they absolutely won’t be tempted ever?” The Day Princess glanced at her sister meaningfully. “Oh, wrong pony to address then, Tia!” Luna shook her head rising the fore hoof in a defensive manner. “I’m definitely not the one to judge hither…” Celestia huffed emphatically. “…but, as thou said afore, I trust him,” simply said Luna. “If ‘t be true I learned anything then it would be learning on mistakes, own and others’.” She looked up at her sister to see Celestia flushing faintly. “Thus, listening to Velta’s story and on reflection about the entire situation, I decided and ordered the Night Watch to double their vigilance towards these monsters-related occasions and anything, which only may look alike, and… to report these to Alex immediately, regardless of the time and place.” Unable to believe her own ears, Celestia facehoofed while Luna continued adamantly. “The order must have reached the Night Watch guards already. Henceforth they are to provide any help necessary dealing with the Seekers, if ‘t be true the human and Fluttershy request.” “Oh, Harmony…” sighed Celestia; she sat there for a few minutes trying to lay the news in her head and regain emotional balance. By the look of her sister, the princess could tell that Luna was solidly determined about her order and wouldn’t change her mind – sometimes that girl could be amazingly stubborn in her decisions… just like their father. Following this memory with a faint sigh, Celestia wondered, for the umpteenth time, that huge favour of trust Luna done the human, knowing him for a few months only. ‘It’s more serious than I thought before. Purely by intuition, I asked him to take care of my sister… and it turned out having a deeper meaning than I implied. She loves him evidently! But so does Fluttershy; I saw that from the very beginning,’ Celestia shook her head. ‘Where will that lead?’ Thinking that she had enough for one day, the princess threw a glance through the nearest window where the last rays of sun faded in the spreading night. “Fine! You are a big girl, Lulu, you can decide for yourself. Let’s hope you both know what you’re doing. As for my part, I need to think it through… In silence and tranquillity,” Celestia rose from her throne nodding Luna good night. “Sleep is something that I need much as well; the day was too eventful for my liking.” “By the way,” halfway to the exit, Celestia looked over the shoulder, “speaking of reporting to Alex immediately… ermmm… “regardless of time and place” if I remember right… Did you inform Alex about that advantageous changes to his routine, Lulu? Not that I was judging your methods, dear, simply asking…” “Oops!” That needed no further explanation. Just like the gamine sparkles in Luna’s eyes and her entire look of a forgetful school-filly. Of the big, mischievous, dark-blue alicorn school-filly. * The hoof-made lake lied flat and calm at its widest edge facing the gently descending valley overgrown with the dense forest and belted by the railroad on the east. Born in the lake and running the waters through the valley, the river started its path between the sheer cliffs entering the plain soon, spreading wider and calming down for the most of the year, except those days when the heavy rains overflowed its cradle. The mist, which was specifically thick in that predawn hour, covered the entire smooth dark mirror of water with its thick milky swirling blanket effectively muffling every sound from the drops falling off the rare crooked trees at the cliffside to the lazy splash of some sleepy fish. However, even that thick cotton cover was unable to completely mute some monotonous hum coming from the farther narrower end of the lake. Except the few specifically prepared and equipped technical descents, the banks were steep and rocky making the casual observer wonder how those stunted trees survived on the seemingly bare stones while their siblings below in the valley and above on the mountain shelf grew unchallenged – it looked as if nothing could hold on the high sharp cliffs. The curious one should also have had a boat and a considerable amount of dare to find out what was the source of that noise becoming louder the closer to the narrow gorge one approached. Coming too close was neither smart nor advised though, as the daring adventurer would have been met by the steaming hasher of the sharp cliffs hiding under the dark surface and tons of roaring water crushing from the giant dam. Thankfully the strong current from the dam wall into the centre of the lake made it almost impossible to approach the foot of that artificial waterfall, unless the water flow was limited from above on purpose allowing the checking and maintenance of the dam base and the lower bed. That considerably lowered the number of accidents on the object, nevertheless, the duty engineer was always present at the lower observation post – a nondescript grey two-storey building placed at the stony bank of the lower basin. If one was not only curious enough but had an admittance as well, they could have entered the building, checked in with the named engineer on his post and taken the long twenty-storey way up the dam, through the brightly (thanks to the new generators) lit stairwell cut in the body of the mountain to the 120-foot processing and control level and gallery where the main dam machinery was placed. Or even to the upper maintenance level right at the top of the giant concrete wall, on 150-foot height. There the maintenance platforms stretched alongside the dam from both face and back connected with the few catwalks over the actual edge of the concrete wall; below them, the row of emergency gates was placed, closed at the moment unlike the work gates at the lower level, which spilt water twenty-four hours a day. With the commissioning of the generators, every square inch of the corridors, maintenance platforms and pathways accessible for the dam staff was brightly lit by the electric lamps when necessary. The very top of the construction resided in twilight though as nopony normally walked on the dam wall itself on the regular basis; mostly because it was usually too cold and windy there even during summer days. The lights were turned on when the maintenance works took place only. It was the first Alex’s visit to the site after the summer tragedy; it would be silly to assume that he didn’t force himself to come even if work called for that. However, Alex was to admit – he needed that: to overcome and release the past. He specifically arrived before dawn when fewer workers were present at the dam thus addressing the matters in relative tranquillity. Besides, he was to pick up Storm and Aurora later in the morning: Alex took the foals to the smithy with him the last few days as he couldn’t yet arrange Storm’s studying in the Ponyville school. He didn’t force the process too persistently though because inwardly admitted that Aurora would have it harder without constant presence of her older brother. Thus Alex’s common day started with coming to Fluttershy’s cottage where two foals already waited for him and their day at the smithy as for something immensely more interesting than common school. There was always something to do at uncle Will’s house even for the foals, despite Alex’s initial apprehensions: the little aid around the workbenches was in demand often and when it wasn’t, Silver Ingot took care of the foals showing them something from her jeweller mastery, accepted as a true miracle by the kids. Solving his questions at the machinery level, Alex went up to the dam control post and exited to the actual wall edge inhaling the fresh wind and cringing a little from the morning chillness – November reminded of itself even in Equestria with its milder, as Alex could have noticed, climate. Nopony could imagine a couple of months ago that he would take a walk on the dam top that easily; Alex smirked bitterly to that thought thinking for yet another time that he would give anything for being able to do that so easy back then when it was vital. Sitting down right on the dam wall edge, he wrapped himself into his wings tighter and took another look across the concrete monster connecting the edges of the natural mountain fold: the upper basin banks were usually deserted at that hour, the only lonely light glimpsed through the window of the upper post’s building he just came through. Far ahead and below, behind the forested valley, lied Ponyville faintly visible in the predawn haze. The sun wasn’t yet raised by Celestia and the eastern edge of the sky only glimpsed with the gradient of pink and yellow making the town and railway station further to the left of it look ghostly in the cold foggy air of the valley. Yet it gave some hope that the day might turn out sunny, despite the low heavy layer of the clouds overshadowing the sky above the dam and its reservoirs. Sitting cross-legged on the cold concrete, Alex watched the torrents of water escaping the ajar floodgates, storming down onto the turbines’ impellers and providing juice for the six new generators feeding electricity to the nearest region. The upper gates were closed at the moment and the entire hoof-made sea of water splashed lazily behind Alex’s back touching the maintenance platforms and almost reaching the dam edge. Filling the river, the recent heavy rains overflowed the upper basin and made the crew of the new hydroelectric station open the safety gates to controllably dump the water excess. As the result, the usually calm river billowed up and even down at the plains water touched the lower edges of Ponyville bridges keeping its level till that day. Trying to imagine the raging elements roaring at the foot of that concrete monster during the days of the emergency dump, Alex inwardly shuddered – nothing could reach the bottom of the lower basin, moreover, the lake exit safely. There was no chance to survive that fall but Alex kept questioning the possibilities and torture himself somewhere deep inside daily. One fact kept him doubting the seemingly obvious conclusion. ‘That river is the only aquatic exit from the dam spillway and the lake, it flows down the valley and belts the town,’ Alex sat on the dam edge staring into one point for so long, he even made the duty engineer on the upper post watch him from the corner of the eye, just in case. ‘It has several branches, of course, but all of them come through the inhabited areas… and the search was extensive. Anything should have been noticed anyway… Damn!’ the human closed his eyes. ‘And if, by some inscrutable miracle… why haven’t they appeared anywhere yet. No there is no hope they’re alive… But… I… can’t stop thinking…’ Something cold and tiny touched Alex’s forehead open to the morning wind then once again; the faint feeling existed for the short glimpse of time then vanished to appear inches aside. Alex opened his eyes: the low heavy slowly floating south-west clouds finally gave their crop; a few snowflakes fell onto his outstretched palm dying on the warm skin. Their tears mixed on the face with the settling on the skin thin mist rising from the artificial waterfall below – the cloud of steam and foam started shimmering in sunrise light. ‘What must the mother be feeling then?! Poor mare…’ realizing that he started freezing, Alex got up stretching the numb legs and shaking off water dust from his wings. The stripe of light at the eastern edge of the sky was widening gaining more tints of pink and yellow; at the dam though, the snowflakes started coming down denser as if the first November snow hurried to show itself before being driven away by the wind and sunlight. Alex turned back; he fancied the faint sound of flapping wings breaking through the waterfall noise. The sun was rising fast making him feel the difference at once, specifically contrasting on that chilly November morning. The first rays of it flooded the dam top making the far edge of upper basin gleam and play with millions of small diamonds; the borderline of light flowed down the concrete wall heading to the roaring water and machinery and reminding Alex of another morning with a painful throb of his heart. Covering the eyes from the glares of reflected light, Alex watched the pegasus figure lit by the rising sun; somepony approached from the upper lake’s shore intending to land on the dam where Alex stood. With the metal clank, the maintenance door of the upper post opened to the catwalks revealing the duty engineer; the concern was written on stallion’s muzzle – he must have noticed the newcomer and rushed outside putting on the safety helmet on the go. “It’s okay! I know her, everything’s fine!” Alex gestured calmingly to the engineer pony; he recognized the blindingly white mane shining the in sunlight. Seeing that the pegasus headed to Alex indeed, the stallion muttered something and waved his fore hoof; however, he kept watching, hiding inside the building only when the mare safely landed on the solid concrete next to the human. The strong gust of wind ruffled the feathers on her tightly folded wings and started rushing the cloudy herd above their heads driving the snow away from that place, somewhere to the western mountains. “Missis… errmmm… Rainstorm!” Alex decided to not remind the family name and address her by the first name instead; he was almost to shout because of the roaring elements, even turning his back to the noisy machinery and water. Having absolutely no idea what to say in such a situation, Alex made a few steps closer to the cloud grey pegasus mare and nodded trying to savvy the possible ways of dispelling the awkwardness. Meeting her at the dam was the last thing he expected even if assuming that Rainstorm could come there occasionally was basically natural. “Good morning, Alex,” the pegasus mare nodded softly; the shimmering electric blue eyes travelled over the human from head to toe, watching him appraisingly but without a tint of frustration to Alex’s relief. “I hope I’m not of much interference!” he finally made up his mind to talk approaching her not to shout, overtaking the roaring water; still, Alex was to raise his voice considerably to send his words through. “Do you come here often?” That sounded a bit off; Alex was about to scold himself mentally for that clumsiness when he noticed the mare smiling lightly. “No. That’s the first time, since… Since a while…” the vibrant eyes glistened treacherously but Rainstorm made an effort swallowing the lump; she threw back the long braid determinedly, the black band contrasting with snow-white hair. “I was actually looking for you today… and a for a couple of days before.” Alex stumbled, like thunderstruck, he froze and watched the mare, letting the rising with the wind thin water dust cover his wings, shoulders and face; with all creativity, he couldn’t think about the single reason making Rainstorm search for him. “You are quite hard to catch, Alex,” from afar, the mare continued with a little smile. “Especially to have a talk both of us would most likely prefer to stay private for now. You either sit in the library… and I’m not the type of pony to disturb others during their work, or at the smithy… lately with two foals. I heard the story, Alex,” she slowly nodded with approval, “and I think you both did right with Fluttershy. Anyway… the market is not an option,” continued Rainstorm while Alex was still guessing, completely dumbfounded, “due to the reasons I named. And…” she smirked wider, “I don’t see that well in the darkness to catch up to you during your… night shifts.” “So, when Twilight said that you were going to visit the dam – I decided to look for you at the library yesterday, without much success obviously – I thought it would be a chance,” shrugged Rainstorm casually. “Errmmm… Maybe we could talk somewhere,” Alex finally regained his words, “not deafened by all this water falling?” The mare nodded squinting from the opposing sun; so, they soared heading towards the upper lake bank. Alex waved to the engineer pony once again, signalling that everything was fine and followed by the sceptical eye of the stallion. “Well… if that suits…” Alex spread his arms apologetically, as if justifying the spontaneous place choice when they landed on the small open area separating the facility fence from the road running up the hills and down the mountain side to the lower post and the town eventually. “What did you want to talk about?” He wiped small water drops from his face keeping the wings spread to let the sun dry them faster; Rainstorm shook off the water like a bird ruffling her feathers. Any other time that would look amusing to Alex but he saw the serious and determined look on mare’s muzzle and stifled the smile. “Ever since that day,” started Rainstorm quietly, “I couldn’t find my place. Nothing seemed to be like before, nothing worked like before, despite I realized perfectly that the life went on… it was to go on no matter what.” Alex downcasted, surprised by that precise reflection of his own sentiments as the mare continued. “Even my… cloud-wrangling became not the same, Alex… half-hoofed to say the least… as it didn’t matter anymore. Or so I thought…” “I understand…” quietly sighed Alex. “As much as I can. If anybody wants to make that not happen nearly as much as you, then here I am… but…” “You can’t,” Rainstorm shook her head slowly, but without visible grief. “I can’t either… But don’t worry, I coped with that, Alex. I finally learned to release them and live on…” Watching her fixedly, Alex noticed that there was no tiny glimpse of pathos in mare’s words, she became strong enough to overcome her loss even if she wasn’t before and strong enough to admit and openly talk about it. But he also felt that it alone hardly was the reason Rainstorm looked for him for the whole three days to tell about; with a short nod, Alex prepared to find out the real one. “But with that, I realized that there was something absolutely worth doing, something I could and was to do for them… to be able to sleep and wake with a clear heart,” the mare raised her eyes at the human. “I know that you are the only one who really does something against those black abominations, the one who searches and takes effective measures; moreover, the one who can actually do something and isn’t hesitating to try. And the last incident on the farm only confirmed my confidence…” “I… I couldn’t cover all the cases anyway,” Alex shook his head raising hands in defence of the authorities. “The princesses and regular army do what they can… Only…” “Only they could have been more flexible, right?” Rainstorm let out a tiny understanding smile making Alex wonder how easy he could return it. “They do, but they don’t dare to risk… and the guards always wait for the others’ decision before acting.” Frankly speaking, Alex had nothing to retort with and hardly wanted, so the mare continued without hesitation. “I realized that there was a thing I wanted… no… desired to do,” Rainstorm’s face hardened. “To help get rid of those things as much as I only can. And… if there is a chance to eliminate a few myself,” she dropped with sudden determination, which even surprised her causing a shudder of unease. But Rainstorm recomposed in a wink. “Yes, to kill those Seeker-bastards if I can!” “I know that you are working on something to neutralize the Seekers’ effects on ponies, Alex,” the mare spoke ardently before he could even put a word in. “In theory, that is… And I know that to progress you need to… test… errmmm… what you already have.” A long pause hung; Alex slowly and noisily exhaled, like a balloon releasing the air. Deep inside he always knew that a similar talk would have place sooner or later, but being prepared for it turned out impossible. For a moment only the wind rustled in the feathers bringing the smell of dampness from the dam behind their backs. The human clenched and released his fists several times under the determined and anticipating glance of the pegasus mare. “I want to become that volunteer tester,” Rainstorm broke the silence first. “Not because I have nothing to lose… but because I have much to gain in case of success. I want to help and do something really necessary to stop them, to prevent them from wreaking havoc among us.” “Although, not that I had something to lose either!” she chuckled sadly but with calm realistic acceptance. “Who… Ahem…” hearing himself speaking a bit hoarsely, Alex cleared the throat and asked again. “Who told you about that… supposed testing, Rainstorm? I mean… I don’t deny that in general… Simply want to know… As I kept that in secret till the very last moment.” “I probably see the reasons making you do that,” Rainstorm nodded knowingly. “In my case you are free from their load, really. I realize what I want to do and am perfectly fine with that. I’m ready to take the full responsibility!” added she adamantly. “Still… If you don’t mind, of course…” “There is no secret here,” Rainstorm glanced up at the human. “Lyra Heartstrings told me that, exact quote, “the human is making the anti-seekers protection and needs to test it, but unsure about sending somepony into the field with the prototype”. We stumbled upon each other somewhere in the street. Not being close friends, she simply interested how I was doing, then mentioned your problems. I don’t even remember how the talk slid from me to the Seekers and the… helmet; what I remember now is that she approached me.” “By the way, she told me about the farmers family and their foals,” added the mare quietly. ‘Damn your curious nose, Lyra!’ Alex gritted his teeth not knowing if to anathematize or to thank the minty girl for that sudden help with his moral dilemma; he understood that his choice hardly became easier, but the pegasus mare kept watching him expectantly. ‘That must be the day when you looked for me but instead poked your nose into my papers noticing the helmet prototype and fishing out from Twilight everything you could.’ He frowned a little making Rainstorm bite her lip in concern. ‘However, I must admit you perfectly guessed everything untold, smart filly… Interesting…’ “Please, Alex…” the mare didn’t let him think to the end of what he wondered about. “I want to help, I want to be useful, I want to take part in… purging these monsters from our world!” Even if he might sound like an overexcited school-filly at the moment, Rainstorm’s voice gave out enough passion to sound rather convincing than comic. Alex made an indefinite gesture, which the mare preferred to take as the request of some time-out to think. ‘Interesting… Was it a carefully planned strategy, Lyra?’ Alex walked back and forth on the wet from the melted snow square all in a fluster. ‘Or was it pure coincidence that you came across the seemingly only sufficing variant in the town, which I overlooked or preferred not to take into account inwardly?’ he was to admit that there was reason in Rainstorm words no matter what he personally thought about the whole problem. ‘It surely doth look more like the first variant… Merlin pants! Tis wondrous thou had no idea about mine plans to have more helping hooves to deal with the Seekers! And… thanks Harmony,’ Alex chilled at the only thought, ‘that it didn’t reach the fluffy ears of, example gratia, school students! In this case, their enthusiasm would overshadow the common sense and survival instincts in no time…’ “Okay!” Alex stopped and looked into Rainstorm’s eyes gravely serious. “I confess – thou art saving me from stalemate situation. For which I’m grateful!” the light bow came out completely natural, without a tint of pretence, met with a simple nod of the mare. “But beest aware of some inevitable consequences,” Alex spoke ardently as if secretly expecting Rainstorm to reconsider and gladly giving her that opportunity. “The theory behind the protective helmet is as I said – only the theory. I have no idea if it really worketh… Moreover, I can’t guarantee thy mental safety in the process… and,” Alex pursed his lips, “I can only do my best to keep thee physically safe, but… the whole thing is a zilch different in thine case compared to mine…” “I know and I agree!” listening to this tirade, Rainstorm rolled her eyes with a little smile. “…then… What?” “I said, I realize all the stipulations,” the mare repeated patiently, watching Alex with interest. “I suspected exactly that after Lyra’s story… Otherwise, you won’t have a problem finding somepony for that… job, right?” Alex nodded bemusedly; he finally folded the dry out wings and looked a bit tired as if making that decision took some physical effort non the less. “Mindst that I’m still undecided about the… final step,” muttered he not giving up completely. “We shall see then… But at least thou can help me to fit and tweak the helmet and armour as well. But!” he glanced at the mare strictly. “Dost not blame me if ‘t be true I hold thee back against the Seeker instead of giving thee the green light.” “Okay, okay! Now calm down please, I didn’t get half of what you said,” Rainstorm broke into a laughter. “I promise, I’ll be a very obedient aide!” Something in her cyan eyes, maybe the naughty sparkles, told Alex that it wasn’t that simple but he truly had no other variants. He took a look around, over the rocky slope, the drying in the wind road, the clearing sky with the rising sun, as if asking them for advice without any hope to get any. Alex sighed shaking his head, but Rainstorm saw that it was the agreement. “Hmmm… I wonder if all the humans are that inconsistent at times,” the mare let out a smile, “or it’s your own… special talent!” “Actually, the majority of humans are like that. Big pain in their own… backs often,” huffed Alex; he smirked mischievously. “Don’t put your hopes up, I’m pretty common in this regard.” “Dunno, dunno…” Rainstorm slowly shook her head, then gazed at the human expectantly. “So?!” “Well…” Alex scratched his nape. “As we are at that, it would be stupid to lose time, right?” “Bear with me having a word with the dam staff, before we depart,” after her nod, Alex elaborated his idea. “Then we’ll head directly to the smithy… Well, not directly… I need to pick up Storm and Aurora from Shy first,” he couldn’t hold back a warm smile and Rainstorm caught herself on sharing it in a second. “We need to fit the prototype to you better and… well, generally take some measurements. I thought about making the lighter armour for pegasi specifically,” added he soaring. “Just a couple more minutes…” Heading towards the upper control post again, Alex left the mare at the square behind the facility gate. Rainstorm followed his receding shadow then turned her muzzle to the still warming sun, squinting and smiling to some thoughts faintly; regained tranquillity smoothed the started once appearing wrinkles of concern in the corners of her eyes. This way he caught her a few minutes later upon return. ‘A filly!’ chuckled Alex inwardly landing quietly next to her. ‘I wonder how ardent was her wish to help me eliminate these Seekers if… she even started looking younger having it granted?’ “Ahem…” he cleared his throat subtly. “Ready to go?” The dam with all its constructions and the road shrunk in the view and quickly left behind when they both soared heading to the south edge of the town, as Alex was to pick up the foals first. In practice, it meant that they were to wake up two sleepy heads most likely, wait till they bring themselves to order and have breakfast and only then head to the smithy all four. “I hope you don’t mind the delay and… a trot if I still can’t wake Storm and Aurora completely,” Alex chuckled glancing at Rainstorm, who flew to the left and a bit lower, thus giving him enough wing space yet keeping close enough to talk normally. “Not at all!” the mare watched the leafless trees running behind under their flying shadows; another faint smile lit her muzzle. “Great!” Alex coughed a bit confusedly. “Well… As I said we’ll need to make the better fitting of the helmet and think of some ways to simplify the process of putting it on and taking off for you, as I want all the ponies to be able to use it not only unicorns.” “You see, I always thought that the regular guards’ army was too slow and drill-bound to be effective in such a case of completely new and unknown, yet obviously mobile threat!” elaborated Alex, when they reached the field behind the forest line. “So are the mages, they stick to what they learned and follow the orders, even if see that it fails to work efficiently.” “A group of devoted enthusiasts may cope with the problem better, don’t you think? A squad where each member does what they can the best and can rely on others no matter what. Besides, these must be ponies devoted to their job, even more than that – inspired to do it well,” he gazed at Rainstorm whose eyes widened from some idea. “I think I know what you are talking about,” the mare looked genuinely enthusiastic. “Fast, flexible, knowing what to undertake and… passionate about succeeding. Yes. That would probably make such cases like Sunflowers’ and… and my… well, extinct.” “I would like to be a part of that,” added she under her breath. “That returns us to the question of suitable armour,” in his inspiration, Alex let the last Rainstorm’s phrase slip past his attention. “Light and durable, easy to equip and use for everypony, be they pegasi, unicorns or earth ponies. And the main thing – effective! That means – we’re starting from the smithy.” With a smile, Rainstorm watched him struck by his pet obsession evidently. “Here it is! Fluttershy’s cottage, I mean,” Alex woke, approaching the group of trees in the field; the shortening shadow of the enormous Clock Tower pointed exactly at it like the giant road-sign. The human chuckled descending. “Come on, Rainstorm. Let’s tickle some foals to awakening!”