//------------------------------// // 28 - Reconciliation // Story: The Hollow Pony // by Type_Writer //------------------------------// The Princess had to really lower her head to get through the door of the jail, and the building’s ceiling was low enough that I thought I I could see her genuinely consider crawling on her knees. She continued to stand, though she was clearly uncomfortable in the compact space, and she had to hold her head below eye level to avoid knocking bits of plaster off the cracked ceiling. Oddly enough, she looked as though she didn’t really need to strain. I could sense how brightly her fire burned, and how powerful the living goddess was. If she so desired, she could flick her horn and rend this building asunder. Instead, I got the sense that she moved so delicately because she wanted to avoid exactly that. Out of courtesy and concern for the ponies within, she was more than happy to uncomfortably squeeze her way inside, no matter how silly it looked. It was worth it to see the reactions from the guards, however. Applejack’s chosen wardens leapt to a shocked sort of attention as Princess Celestia crammed herself into the building. Snails was with them, and together they came to a count of three. As soon as she was completely inside, and confident that her tail wouldn’t knock anything over, she gave them a courteous nod. “Commander Applejack has been relieved of her position, and I’ll be pardoning the prisoners myself. I’ll be making a formal announcement outside town hall, if you gentlestallions would like to meet everypony else there?” The two unnamed guards got the hint, and awkwardly shuffled past everypony to leave. Snails hesitated when he saw me, however. “C-can I help? I know Holly, and D-Dinky.” The Princess looked at me for any objections, but I had none, so I gave her a nod. She smiled gently, and used a wing to indicate the door downstairs. “Go on ahead—it’ll take me a moment to navigate the staircase, I should think.” Snails opened the door for us, and both of us proceeded downstairs, as Princess Celestia carefully moved down the narrow steps behind us. The jail itself was almost completely unchanged from the last time I’d been here, though it looked as though somepony had boxed up the deck of cards on the table. We moved to Dinky’s cell, and the sound of our hooves on the stone floor was enough to rouse her and the rest of the jail’s inhabitants. We tuned out the groaning of the mindless Hollows in the cell across from her, as Dinky weakly sat up. To my relief, it didn’t appear as if she had Hollowed much more than the last time I’d seen her. “H-hey, you’re back...” she murmured in a drowsy, wistful haze. I nodded, and smiled faintly. “The Pr-Princess came to help, and Applejack l-left. We’re g-gonna get you out, she just n-needs a second to get down the st-stairs.” Dinky blinked, then looked towards the door, eager with anticipation. She actually smiled a little, and it was rare seeing the filly get excited. “The Princess? T-Twilight?” Princess Celestia chuckled quietly, as she bowed her head to step through the door frame. She still couldn’t stand properly in here, but she seemed to fill the room with sunlight as she entered. “Not quite, Dinky. Though I- Oh, heavens.” Just like when Pinkie had come down here to visit us in jail, the Hollows in the cell opposite started to go nuts with hunger as Princess Celestia entered the basement. The fact that there was a living goddess that burned as brightly as she did only leg-lengths away seemed to drive them crazy, and the Princess’ temporary mirth plummeted again as she saw how they fought over themselves to reach towards her. She looked at all of them in turn, locking eyes with each as best she could, but there was nothing there except for feral, undying hunger. With a sad sigh, she turned away, to focus fully on Dinky. Her expression shifted rapidly through several emotions, chief among them fear and sadness at the current state of the filly, but eventually she resolved into a warm and calming smile. “Dinky. You’ve grown a bit, and seen quite a bit more, haven’t you?” Dinky looked a little nervous, but she seemed more embarrassed at her own state, for the Princess to see her as a Hollow. “I have, though...I d-don’t think Twilight ever got the ch-chance to introduce us...b-before she, um...left.” “Her letters were quite thorough. It’s an honor to meet you myself, and I just wish it could have happened sooner.” Princess Celestia said, as she focused on the locked door of the cell. “Give me a moment, and I’ll have you freed. Snails, do you have the keys?” Snails jumped as he realized the Princess meant him. “Oh! Uh, no. N-not for the cell d-doors, or the bindings. Only Ap-Applejack had the k-key…” He trailed off as he said it, and looked despondently back up the staircase. The Princess only nodded, however. “That’s not too surprising. No matter, it won’t take much to brute-force it.” Her horn came alight with golden magic, that looked like flowing sunlight, and her field enveloped the lock of the door. “Hm...minor enchantments. Durability and hydrophobia combined, a pickbreaker, and a linking spell to a bound key...easy enough; you’ll all want to step back, and avert your eyes.” Dinky crawled to the far end of her cot, while me and Snails did as asked. After a moment, I heard the hum of magic, and a sharp whistle as the room brightened. Heat bloomed, though it was still nothing compared to the Princess. I heard a hiss as something hot boiled the dew on the stone floor to steam, and then the spell ceased. A moment later, Celestia pushed open the door with a squeak. “I wouldn’t look directly at it, but it should be safe to turn around.” The lock on the cell door had simply been reduced to iron slag, which dripped down the frame and boiled against the floor. The stone seemed to be melting slightly as well, but both would cool in a few moments. Even as I glanced at it, the puddle of molten metal on the floor had cooled from white-hot to merely red-hot, and the room was already beginning to cool thanks to the windows. Dinky gulped nervously as she looked down at the remains of the lock, and then back up at the Princess. “You’re, um, not g-gonna melt the bindings too, r-right?” Princess Celestia let out a quiet giggle, as she stepped over the dull red molten iron. “Of course not, I don’t want to hurt you. But breaking those spells with a delicate touch will take quite a bit longer.” Once again, I was reminded how motherly Celestia seemed, as she gently pulled Dinky into a calming hug, then lit her horn and began to feel the cold iron around the filly’s own horn with her magic. Dinky squirmed slightly to get comfortable on the bench, and looked up at her forehead while the Princess worked. “It’s cold iron...I d-don’t know if you can use magic to b-break it.” “Not all the way through. It’s a very clever device, but they must either be crafted entirely from the material, which makes them unenchantable and thus vulnerable to mechanical manipulation, or partially from mundane materials, which allows them to be protected magically. This device is mostly cold iron, but the bolts and locking mechanism themselves are made of brass. Still impossible for the wearer to remove by themselves, but it’s doable with help.” She glanced down at the filly. “How have you been? What have you been working towards, since my student took her leave of absence?” “Too much, and n-not enough.” Dinky said with a sigh. “Starlight t-took over from Twilight, but sh-she had to leave, and she didn’t even tell me w-where she went. I still can’t get into the crystal c-castle to get at the library’s spellbooks, and I st-stopped trying when Applejack really locked down F-Friendship Square. I’ve been kind of drifting all over t-town, helping ponies wherever I can and learning f-from every unicorn willing to teach me. Amethyst has b-been really helpful in particular, she taught me about infusing g-gems and crystals a while back.” Celestia flicked her head, and two of the screws holding Dinky’s horn bindings together made a sizzling noise, then disappeared in a puff of sparks. She gave the filly another comforting smile, though she was clearly still curious. “How did you end up in jail? I have Magnus’ report about the caravan, but your name was omitted until very recently.” Dinky smiled sadly. “He probably didn’t want me to get in t-trouble, the lunkhead. He thought that it’d be a g-good experience for me to g-get out and see some practical combat, and that we m-might encounter more spellcasters outside the walls that I could learn from. On our way b-back, Apple Bloom—Applejack’s little s-sister—attacked us, and led a bunch of deer right into the c-caravan. Snails and Holly helped as m-much as they could, but sh-she…” There was pain in that expression. Pain that both me and Snails shared as well, and we all looked away so we didn’t have to face it, or remember. After a moment, Dinky swallowed and continued. “...After...after Apple B-Bloom was finished, she turned on us, and w-we ran. I got us out of d-danger for a little bit with a Wink, but P-Ponyville was too far, so we ran the rest of the way by hoof. The th-three of us just barely made it back to t-town, and Applejack arrested me and H-Holly for desertion. She b-blames us for getting Zecora k-killed.” Princess Celestia turned to the guard beside me. “But not Snails?” The colt looked suddenly nervous under her gaze, but Dinky shook her head, which brought the Princess’ attention back to her. “I...d-don’t think Applejack ever understood that he left. She started giving him or-orders right there, and was annoyed that he had been m-missing his shifts. What happened to Applejack, anyway?” “She fled,” the Princess stated simply. “Magnus and my guards are following her to find where. I strongly suspect she’ll merely retreat to Sweet Apple Acres, but it’ll be good to have confirmation, just in case.” A moment later, the collar around Dinky’s neck sparked again, and it crackled with electricity as Princess Celestia’s horn flared. It split in two, and the horn cage around Dinky’s head noticeably loosened. “There you are. You should be able to remove it yourself, now.” The Princess stepped back, and Dinky started to fumble with the anti-magic bindings. As she pulled them the rest of the way off, Princess Celestia looked around the jail, and saw the only other occupied cell. She tilted her head slightly at the silent pegasus within, who was giving her a very intense look of hunger, but she moved to help him anyways. “Pardon me, my little pony. I’ll be back in a moment.” While she began to work on melting the lock on the other cell—with Snails trailing behind her, in case she needed protection—I took her place, and started to help Dinky pull the birdcage off her head. As soon as it was off, Dinky’s horn let out a golden spark, and she sighed in relief. “Ohhh, I missed that feeling...I wasn’t sure I was ever going to be able to feel my horn again.” I hugged her tightly as well, and though she leaned into it, the jangling chains of her cuffs reminded us she wasn’t free yet. With her own horn free, she started to work on them herself, and probed at the screws with her own magic. “So we’re c-completely free? No strings attached?” I shook my head. “She d-didn’t say anything about any. And she s-seems too nice for that, anyways.” Dinky chuckled as she tugged at a cuff around her hind hoof. “I bet T-Trixie’s happy about that, at least. Did she run off to g-get her wagon already?” The mention of Trixie’s name soured my mood, and I think Dinky noticed before I was conscious of the frown creasing across my own face. “Whoa, Holly, that’s a l-look. Did something happen?” I shook my head, before I pressed it against her shoulder. “Just...Tr-Trixie is an ass. She tried to k-kill me, and then ran off to chase after your t-teacher.” “Off to B-Baltimare?” Dinky said, blinking. “And she tried to k-kill you? Why the hay-” There was movement in the cell beside Dinky’s, as the Princess opened the shackles of the other prisoner and turned to us. “Pardon me; you said Baltimare, Dinky?” Behind her, the former prisoner scampered out of the cell, to the confiscated equipment chest. Several cloaks lay within, notably a star-spangled blue one, and a heavy brown cloak in an extremely familiar style. He pulled it on, and the Gravewarden was up the stairs and long gone before I could say a word. Princess Celestia noticed, but let him go without comment. Dinky was still focused on her own shackles as she responded, however. “Yeah. When T-Trixie was locked up in here with us, she m-mentioned how she heard rumors that Twilight was in Baltimare, g-going through the library there. I d-dunno how long ago that was, but I don’t think Trixie cared. If she was hunting my t-teacher, that’s probably where she’d go.” “And if Trixie still has the Element of Generosity…” The Princess mused to herself quietly. “But Baltimare’s a big city, and without the troops to spare for a search…that changes things. Hm.” Dinky’s eyes went wide. “Trixie has the-” “Your friend, Holly, she can tell you more than I. Come to the town hall when you’re finished re-equipping yourselves, so I can speak to you both personally after consoling the town.” Princess Celestia began to leave, though she paused by the door, and looked back at the jail cell filled with feral Hollows. “Snails. Would you consider that cell secure?” The guard colt looked at the door, and the steel bars that kept them contained. “Um. y-yes, Princess.” “Good.” She let out a sad sigh, and a shake of her head. “They deserve a better fate than this, trapped within their own corpses like that. I can understand some of what Applejack did because of the Hollow curse, and how containing ponies became necessary as the curse ate them away. But her own stubbornness and dedication grew wildly out of control, especially as time went on.” She looked back at all of us, with sadness in her eyes. “Everything we know becomes unrecognizable with the passage of time.” After a moment, she composed herself. “Snails. Keep that cell secure, and the jail guarded. I’ll assign more ponies to this building. If we ever find a solution to this curse, then I’ll cure these poor souls myself. I won’t fail them again.” Snails swallowed. “Un-understood, Princess.” She left by the stairs, and all was quiet in the jail as Dinky and I worked to remove the rest of her bindings. All except for the constant, hungry growls, whining, and whinnies from the locked cell across from our own. * * * I didn’t have much to really take for myself when we left the jail, since I didn’t have much for Applejack to confiscate in the first place. It was good to have my own lightgem back, though, and it replaced Zecora’s. Her gem was dim, even in the light of the basement, and I suspected it wasn’t long before it burned out entirely. I tried not to let that thought make me depressed, but I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about it, no matter how much I tried. I also grabbed Trixie’s cloak; though I didn’t really want it, I had a feeling that if I didn’t, then no pony would ever retrieve it from the confiscation box. After a quick rifle through the rest, I was satisfied there was nothing else of use for us within, and we exited the jail for the last time. It was oddly comforting when we reached the town square once more, and heard the rhythmic ring of hammer and anvil. Rockhoof was still hard at work as ponies from across town crowded into the park, and a few watched him with interest while they waited. Most looked nervous at the militia ponies who stood beside them in the square, but a few were excited or even just relieved to see their friends again, without worrying about the uniform that separated civilians from soldiers. There were more than a few teary-eyed hugs and reunions in small pockets amongst the herd, as Ponyville was able to come together once more, as one. I scanned the small crowd for any sight of Mistmane, and to my great relief, I spotted her a few moments later. She had sat next to the resident blacksmith, and was talking to him while he worked. I gently pulled Dinky in their direction, and she greeted him as we approached. “Hey, R-Rockhoof.” “Eh?” The stallion paused as he recognized both of us, then set his hammer down beside him. “Holly and Dinky? Well you two are a right pair now. What happened to ya, lass?” Dinky swallowed nervously. “Applejack. I d-don’t wanna talk about it.” “Aye, that’s fair. My condolences. Try to keep your head up now, sounds like things are improvin’ a bit.” Dinky nodded hopefully, while Mistmane smiled at me. “Ah, Holly! It’s good you’re here; I was just considering whether I should head back to Cloudsdale to search for you. I see Trixie isn’t with you, but…how did it go?” For hopefully the final time, I recounted our journey to, up, and across the dam, then the interior of the weather factory. My audience of three was enraptured as I described the building and the dark lake below, and the impossible interior of the structure itself, as well as the imposing Gravelord that lurked within. I especially noticed Rockhoof paying attention as I described the fight, and I suspected that part of the story would have earned me a round of drinks in happier times. The mood turned somber when I described the mare within, and the glowing necklace she wore. I saw Mistmane and Rockhoof exchange looks when I told them how she turned to glowing dust, and how Trixie had taken—and drained—the soul inside the glowing necklace. Dinky looked somber again, but as I described how Trixie had gone mad and kicked me into the lake, I was outright interrupted by Rockhoof. “Wait. You survived falling into the dark?” I nodded slowly. “S-sort of. When I hit the w-water, the impact k-killed me again. I lost the m-mace there too. I didn’t have it on m-me when I woke up.” I shivered suddenly as I realized something. “It w-was...like the lake had t-taken it. It was t-trying to take away all my l-light.” Mistmane quirked her eyebrow in curiosity, but her face fell a bit. “You lost it?” She sighed, and shook her head. “That’s...regrettable. It was a gift from Somnambula, you’ll recall. Hopefully she’ll trust me with another enchanted weapon, the next time I go and meet her.” I winced when I saw the look of sadness on Mistmane’s face, and the distrust in her eyes. She knew I had a bottomless bag; she had no way to know if I’d just stolen her mace, and lied about it. It didn’t help that I had returned alone. If I’d heard the story from somepony else, I’d have my own suspicions about the details. Maybe Mistmane suspected all of it was made up, and if she did, I couldn’t totally blame her. The only reason I believed it myself was because I had lived it. I didn’t want to think about that suspicion in her eyes any more, so I turned to Dinky. “Y-you made a lightgem for Z-Zecora, right? Like you d-did for me?” She nodded, and I continued. “I th-think it kept me safe. It felt like nothing else was r-real, outside of that light. If I d-didn’t have that, I th-think I would have been lost in the lake.” Rockhoof still looked as though he didn’t believe me, and even Mistmane looked a little skeptical. She tilted her head at Dinky. “Just a lightgem? I think you should show me how you make those, little filly. I don’t want to call you a liar, Holly, but…I’ve never heard of anything like that before.” I swallowed nervously, and again decided to omit what happened after I’d crawled out of the lake. I wasn’t sure myself if the unseen creature had actually emerged from the water, and I think I’d have completely discredited myself if I described the talking cat. Instead, I changed the subject back to the mare at the center of the Gravelord. “Who w-was she? The m-mare made of d-dust.” Rockhoof took over again. “That mare...From your description, she was almost certainly Rarity, one of the Elements of Harmony. She was a seamstress here in Ponyville, but more than that, she was a hero.” Mistmane stepped in again. “I told you about my friends, the ‘Pillars of Equestria’ as they’re now called. The Elements of Harmony are the modern incarnation of that group, in a way. Another six heroes, a group of friends, who stepped up to save the world together. You’ve met Pinkie Pie and Applejack, of course, and now you’ve met Rarity as well. Fluttershy has been missing for a very long time, while Rainbow Dash stayed in the Golden Guard. Twilight Sparkle has also disappeared, though Celestia seems to be keeping her location secret for the sake of security. They all had necklaces like Rarity, except for Twilight Sparkle, who had a tiara. Fitting for the Princess of Friendship.” Rockhoof leaned back as he recalled them for himself. “Five of them served in the Golden Guard, actually. They took command positions during the Dragon War, overseeing their own divisions, and worked together to end it as quickly and bloodlessly as they could...but they could only prevent so much blood from being spilled on both sides.” He growled in frustration, and shook his head. “That Fluttershy mare, she opposed the war, and kept trying to get Princess Celestia to make peace. She really blew up near the end of the war, when things got nasty. Got into a screaming match with the other seven in the castle, and disappeared not long after. At least that chaotic abomination went with her.“ Mistmane shivered as she remembered something vividly. “Good riddance. That beast...I don’t know why Celestia kept him around. He’s still making trouble for us, but at least it seems to be indirect.” I coughed quietly, to get their attention. “B-but what about Rarity?” “Rarity. Right,” Rockhoof said, with a nod. “Rarity wasn’t a very strong spellcaster. Could do complex work, but only on a very small scale. She was much better as a tactician, planning offenses and overlooking the battlefield. Kept her away from the front lines, too. Damnably clever mare. Designed a few new formations that saved lives when dragons tried to cook ‘em.” “But above all,” Mistmane interrupted, as she glared gently at Rockhoof, “she was, in every way, the Element of Generosity. She gave her troops the best armor with the finest enchantments that could be woven into them, and she made sure everypony got fed and outfitted. She gave up her own equipment so somepony else could use it a dozen times over. And she always sought and accepted surrender from the Dragons, which prevented more deaths and more costly battles than we could count.” “When the dragons didn’t turn around and betray her trust, after they surrendered,” Rockhoof grumbled. “They learned very quickly not to do that, after Rainbow Dash brought her division in to cover Rarity’s own,” Mistmane said sadly. “After the war, she mostly went back to Ponyville to take up her old job as a seamstress. I spoke with her a fair few times after, but she always seemed restless. I think she missed working with metal and making armor, as well.” Rockhoof picked up the hammer again, and held it respectfully. “Aye. These are her smithin’ tools, in fact. Took me a time to gather them all back up after she disappeared, and ponies grabbed what they could for weapons against the demons.” “But how did she end up in Cloudsdale, of all places?” Mistmane asked, as she rubbed her chin. “She wanted to stay here in town, live a more quiet and relaxed life. She even closed down her other franchised buildings in Canterlot and Manehattan, to keep her business in Ponyville.” Gently, I shook my head. “And T-Trixie took her necklace, so we d-don’t even have that.” Though if I had been the one to draw the soul from Rarity’s necklace, would I have gone mad and attacked Trixie instead? Maybe it would have been worth it, just to understand what she had seen. Just to satisfy my own personal curiosity. “Those necklaces,” Rockhoof growled dismissively. “They always wore those stupid things. Never took them off, even in battle. They just wore them under their armor. Hay, I think Applejack is still wearing hers, under all that barding she hides in.” My eyes widened slightly as I remembered the day we’d left on the expedition to Baton Verte, when Applejack had come right up to my face with the smell of gunpowder wafting off of her, and I had seen a light coming from under her collar. Another Element under my nose this whole time, and it had been a pony such as her. “Those necklaces are the Elements of Harmony, just as much as the mares that wear them are.” Mistmane countered. “I personally think they’re quite beautiful, although nopony would ever tell me who crafted them. I assumed they were Rarity’s work, in fact, until she told me otherwise.” “Beautiful or not, they shouldn’t be worn into battle,” Rockhoof said with a snort. “Jewelry has no place in a fight. It’s too easy for an opponent to grab or steal, and they create space between a pony’s flesh and their armor. That’s space that a blade could slip between.” “I’m sure they had a good reason.” Mistmane said, though Rockhoof just snorted again. She rolled her eyes, and turned back to us. “In any case, the Element of Generosity—that is to say, Rarity’s necklace—is extremely important. I’d be willing to bet Celestia is trying to find ponies to track Trixie down and recover it, right now.” “Sp-speaking of,” Dinky interjected. “She’s stepping up to the p-podium now, we should go listen to her sp-speech.” Mistmane glanced over to the town hall, then nodded. “Good luck, you two.” Beside her, Rockhoof nodded in agreement, then picked up the sword he had been working on before, and slid a glowing red gem down the length of the blade. The steel turned bright red, and he began to shape the blade again, like he had been before we interrupted him. Dinky and I started to politely push through the crow of Hollows, while I tried to get a better look at the Princess. I could see her glowing mane standing just outside the front door of the town hall. It seemed that somepony had dragged an ancient podium out from inside the crumbling building, though the Princess hardly needed it, considering she was already taller than almost anypony else present. A nearby militia pony spotted us and waved us to the front of the crowd, where Princess Celestia noticed us and smiled. Pinkie was beside her on the porch, and she seemed to have perked up a bit since we saw her last. As she looked over the rest of the crowd, I saw Pinkie’s wings flutter slightly in excitement at the sight of so many ponies. Princess Celestia addressed the crowd clearly, but only raised her voice slightly, so that she could be heard clearly through the town square. “Greetings, citizens of Ponyville! I understand some of you may be confused, or even concerned about your own safety. I would personally like to assure you that your security is first and foremost in my mind, which is why I’ve come to see you all personally today. “It is also for this reason that I have asked Applejack to step down from her position as Commander of the Ponyville Militia. I came to understand that she was working with a zeal that was unhealthy, both for herself, and for you. To anypony that she hurt, directly or indirectly, I personally apologize, and I will do everything I can to mend the damages to health, home, and heart. Blame not the ponies of the Ponyville Militia themselves, for they are your own fellow citizens, and under very much the same pressure that you were. I will personally ensure that Applejack makes amends with all of you, once she has had some time to think about her past actions and understands how she overstepped her boundaries.” There were some minor rumblings of distrust through the crowd. The militia ponies who had been in the square shifted nervously, as they could see just how hollow that promise was. But when the Princess raised her hoof, everypony quieted down to listen. “I will be assigning a new Militia Commander within the day, once I have the chance to speak to several ponies who might be able to fill the role. In the meantime, look to Ponyville’s own Pinkie Pie—” She turned her hoof towards the pink alicorn, who waved at everypony in the crowd. “—and the local Commander of the Golden Guard, Flash Magnus, who is currently indisposed. The two of them will make announcements in my stead, and will hold council with the as-of-yet unchosen Militia Commander to make decisions regarding the safety of Ponyville, present and future. “Now, onto some more distressing news. A pony by the name of Trixie Lulamoon—some of you may be familiar with the mare—has stolen an artifact of extreme importance to Equestria. It has the appearance of a golden necklace, with a purple gem as the centerpiece. The artifact must be recovered, but Trixie herself is not to be harmed, and will not be punished in any way should she return the artifact herself. Should anypony recover this artifact, or come across it in their own travels, it is to be given to Pinkie Pie, Flash Magnus, Ponyville’s Town Archmagus, or the as-of-yet unannounced Militia Commander, who will then escort the bearer to Canterlot, where I will inspect the artifact for authenticity and reward them in person. This message will also be relayed by courier to any safe settlement. However, any ponies willing to risk life and limb for the safety of Equestria should present themselves after this speech, for I have more information that will narrow your search.” The Princess’ speech went on for a while longer, but not much more of it seemed terribly relevant to me. Most of it was just talking about how important Ponyville was, as the frontlines against the Everchaos, and how the army would be reinforcing the town’s interior as well as checking over the walls to keep everypony safe. A few ponies had questions, and the Princess answered them to the best of her ability, but almost all of her emphasis was on pushing back the chaos first before anything else major could be done. She finished her speech shortly afterwards, and the crowd mostly started to disperse. Several ponies, including one or two in Militia armor, joined me and Dinky near the Princess. I recognized Maud as well, wearing her incredibly distinct stone armor and carrying her ridiculously-oversized club. It looked like it must have weighed fifty times her own weight, but she held it slung over her back with only a single hoof. Pinkie was overjoyed to see her again, of course, and she leapt down from the raised porch to wrap her much-shorter sister in a crushing hug. I could swear I heard the stone armor grinding from the pressure, and yet Maud herself didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. "Mauddles! You're back in town again, did you just get back?" She nodded, and began to talk about her own journeys. As she spoke, and Pinkie chattered excitedly, Dinky gave my shoulder a nudge. "Hey, Holly. Remember you went out to their farm? You should tell them about that." I winced. "B-but they look so happy. I d-don't want to give s-sad news." Dinky looked sympathetic, but she nudged me again. "I know, but they deserve to know all the same." I glanced back at the two sisters, and swallowed a lump in my throat. "I g-guess…" Pinkie smiled as I approached, though my nervous expression did seem to dampen her spirits slightly. "Hey Holly! Good to see Dinky's free again, bet you're happy about that!" I couldn't keep myself from smiling a bit. Pinkie was right, knowing Dinky was free and safe was incredibly relieving, and I turned back to give my friend a happy smile, though it sagged a little because of my inescapable feeling of fatigue. She giggled just a little at the sight, before waving a hoof towards the others as a reminder. Right. I swallowed nervously again, and forced myself to talk. "Y-yeah. I d-don't know what I'm gonna do next, b-but I needed to tell you s-something. When me and Tr-Trixie were working for Ap-Applejack, we came across what she c-called a rock farm…" Pinkie and Maud looked at each other, then away. Maud nodded sadly, while Pinkie's gaze fell to her hooves. "It's okay, Holly. We, um, we know. About the farm. Maud's been out there a few times, though she said those mean pigs were gone now. Did you do that?" "S-sort of," I said with a nod. I considered explaining in more detail, but Maud suddenly fixed her gaze on me in a manner that I could tell was her subdued version of a knowing glare. I got the hint. “M-me and Trixie...got them to l-leave. Just f-figured you should know, in c-case you didn’t already.” Maud’s glare softened in relief behind Pinkie, who smiled sadly at me again. “Thank you for that, Holly. My family’s...already mostly gone, just me and Maud now. But knowing the farm is safe is still really comforting.” She gave Maud a gentle bump with her flank. “Hey Mauddie, when you find Trixie, tell her I said thank you, ‘kay?” “Y-you’re going to go and try to track her d-down?” I said, surprised. Maud shrugged, and looked away. “She’s a friend of a friend. Mostly.” Pinkie nuzzled her sister happily. “It’s still really nice of you! Bring her back safe, won't ya? See if you can drag Starlight back from the Crystal Empire too, I miss all of them.” Pinkie’s expression turned morose again. “I miss everypony.” “I’ll bring her back.” Maud promised, before she turned to me. “Would you be willing to help? You were traveling together last.” I shifted on my hooves awkwardly. “I...um...I d-don’t know. She...she hurt m-me. In m-more ways than one.” Again, a look from Maud was all it took for me to sense that I should avoid elaborating in front of Pinkie, but I felt it was softer this time, more sympathetic. The tall pink mare looked really sad at that, and shook her head. “Aw. I...I hope she didn’t mean to do that. I know she can be a little difficult, but I bet she’ll apologize next time you two see each other.” “I...she...m-maybe.” I concluded with a sigh, while I looked back at Maud. Then I recalled the cloak in my bag. I reached in to pull out the star-spangled cloth, and passed the bundle to her. “Either way, y-you should have this. It was st-still in the confiscation box.” The stone-faced and stone-clad mare watched me for a few moments as she took the cloak, and I felt like a bug being inspected under a magnifying glass. Eventually, she just said, “Thank you. We’ll talk about Trixie after Celestia briefs everypony.” I nodded, and turned away to trot back to Dinky, though I didn’t go far. My friend was already talking to the Princess, and I picked up their conversation as I drew close. “...I understand, after your experiences. Would you still be willing to take up the position of Ponyville Archmagus again? I’ve been speaking as though you were already reinstated, but I wanted to officially ask you, just in case you had other plans.” Dinky looked nervous at the idea, but didn’t disagree. “W-would I have to go outside the walls? Since I know I’d b-be coordinating with Magnus again.” “Not unless you wanted to,” Princess Celestia stated. “Or in case of emergency, but…I hope that shouldn’t ever become necessary. You should be perfectly fine to stay here in town, at least until the fires of Chaos are pushed back. Then the walls will be taken down, though I’ve been considering a more permanent wall bordering the forest. It’s certainly caused Ponyville no end of trouble in the past, and having a solid, properly-built wall dividing the two would help keep ponies safe.” “Th-that would be really nice,” Dinky admitted. “But w-we’d have to get rid of the d-demons first.” “Precisely.” Princess Celestia tilted her head as I approached, and she looked at the both of us with a curious expression. “By the way, I apologize if it’s rude to ask, but...have you developed a minor speech impediment recently? I don’t remember...Twilight never mentioned it, and she was otherwise very exhaustive in her descriptions of you.” Dinky swallowed nervously, and looked away. “It’s a s-symptom of Hollowing. I notice odd m-muscle spasms a lot, and my hooves sh-shake sometimes. I d-don’t...don’t like to think about it.” The Princess looked like she wanted to cry, as she looked down at the Hollow filly. She raised a hoof as if to embrace her again, but she clearly decided against it, and leaned in close. If I wasn’t standing right next to her, I don’t think I would have heard the Princess ask Dinky, “Would you like to come back to Canterlot with me, instead? You’ll be safe there, and you can continue your education using all of the resources available to students in Canterlot. We can pick up right where Twilight left off, in fact.” Dinky clearly struggled with the question. She closed her eyes tightly, and shook her head as she fought an internal war over the idea, clearly divided over the question of whether to stay or leave. Eventually, she groaned, but didn’t open her eyes. “I...want to. I r-really want to. B-but I don’t know anypony there; my f-friends are all here in P-Ponyville, fighting to keep it s-safe. I n-need to help them, even if I can’t d-do it directly.” “You know me,” the Princess offered, but Dinky shook her head. “P-please. I’m sure. But...th-thank you, Princess.” Princess Celestia clearly didn’t like the idea of it, but she didn’t fight Dinky on the point. She lowered her head, and nodded. “I understand. Keep them safe, Dinky Doo. I trust you, and you have my full support should you need anything to help. I’ll send any spell books or literature you require, as well.” There was a rush of movement behind me that took my attention, and I turned to look at two bedraggled-looking Hollowed pegasi, who wore no armor. A stallion with faded green fur carried an Equestrian mailbag, while the other, a light blue mare, only had a tattered pair of saddlebags. “You r-requested civilian couriers, P-Princess?” I stepped aside to let them pass, as Princess Celestia nodded, and lit her horn. From behind the podium came four bound scrolls, and she passed two each to the couriers. “I did. These are to be delivered for a public reading at the towns of Fillydelphia, Manehattan, Las Pegasus, and Appleloosa. Keep your ears open for any word of refugees or occupied towns as well, I need fresh reports on where Ponies might still be living and in need of protection.” They both shakily saluted, and then galloped away to take wing, though they both headed the same direction at first to put distance between themselves and the Everchaos before they turned towards their destinations. The Princess watched them leave, then moved back behind the podium to speak to the smaller group of ponies before her. Pinkie and Dinky moved beside the stand, with myself, Maud, and several militia members standing in front of it. Princess Celestia looked sad when her eyes passed over our group, and until she spoke, I wasn’t sure if she was let down by how few volunteered...or how many. “I wish I did not need to ask my little ponies to risk their lives like this, but my troops are preoccupied by the offensive against the Everfree. This artifact is too essential to the wellbeing of Equestria, and the world as a whole. Before I ask you kind ponies to go forth and retrieve it, know that there will be no recrimination or investigation should you choose to step away, and seek your own safety instead of putting your lives at risk. To put it simply, you can always back out to keep yourself and your friends safe instead.” A few of the ponies in the group looked at each other. One of the militia ponies swallowed, then walked away. He pulled his helmet off and tossed it on the ground as he left, letting out a sigh of relief. The Princess looked at everypony else who stayed, and bowed her head. “I understand. Thank you, all of you.” Her horn lit with magic, as she looked up at us again. From behind her podium, she pulled a map of Equestria, and a broad-tipped pen with which she tried to circle Baltimare. The pen was long dry, however, and she shook it briefly before grumbling in a most undignified manner and finally discarded it. “From the reports given to me by Knight Holly and Archmagus Doo, Trixie Lulamoon—henceforth referred to as Trixie—was working to retrieve the artifact herself from the ruins of Cloudsdale, before she turned on Knight Holly and fled to Baltimare.” Knight Holly? I was a knight now? “Baltimare’s true status is unknown. The city appears to be abandoned at a glance, but scouts have reported movement. Ponies seem to still live in the city, but it seems as though they want to hide their presence. Many reports indicate that those scouts were themselves being watched, but any attempts to contact the city’s residents were unsuccessful. Why this might be is completely unknown. It’s possible that a demon incursion upon the city might have been catastrophic, and the survivors may still be hiding from those demons, or perhaps they have taken issue with the crown, and so wish not to work with the Equestrian government. “Any residents you may come across are not to be harmed unless in self-defense. If possible, please attempt to make contact with any sort of leadership present, and inform them that we are willing to provide aid and evacuate any and all Baltimare citizens to protected cities, such as Canterlot or Fillydelphia. But the primary goal remains locating Trixie and the artifact, and returning them both to safety. Trixie is also not to be harmed unless in self-defense. “The artifact itself is a golden necklace, with a purple gem set into the center. It is called the Element of Generosity, one of the six Elements of Harmony, and it was stolen from its bearer, Rarity Belle, who eagerly awaits its return in Canterlot. This is a major strategic asset for Equestria, and once it is returned, may provide the turning point we need in the war against the demons.” A few ponies murmured at that. Some of them remembered Rarity, it seemed, and remembered the Elements. They understood how important it was that it be returned...Though I wondered why the Princess was lying about Rarity’s wellbeing. After all, Rarity was dead. I knew this better than anypony, since I killed her. Princess Celestia continued, after the murmurs quieted down. “The first place to start looking is the Baltimare public library. That is where Trixie would most likely be headed first, and she may have left clues to her current location there. If not, it may be possible that she was waylaid on the way there. I would recommend some ponies work backwards from there towards Cloudsdale in case she, or any clues to her location, can be found en route. “Finally...” Princess Celestia bowed her head and smiled gently. “As of this moment, you are all to be granted temporary Knighthood of Equestria, and carry that authority with you wherever you go. Ponies who display great feats of valor, and those who retrieve Trixie and the artifact or make contact with Baltimare, will be granted full knighthood. They will also be given the choice to join the Golden Guard, and continue to serve Equestria, if they so wish. Armor and weapons will be provided by Commander Magnus upon his return, to replace any arms and armor you may feel are lacking. Wear the armor with pride, and make Equestria-” “Princess Celestia!” The eponymous Princess looked up at the interruption, just as a mass of feathers, golden armor, and blood fell out of the sky into the square. Everypony jumped at the clattering sound, as the metal plate armor slammed into the cobblestones, and the pony that wore the armor sprawled tiredly. The Princess scanned the sky for anypony else, before she leapt from behind the podium to investigate the fallen pony. Our little group followed her, and the ponies who had weapons readied them, just in case. To our surprise, it was one of the Golden Guard that had pulled Princess Celestia’s phaeton, and who had left with Magnus to follow Applejack. He was curled up in a tight ball, and seemed to be protectively shielding something. One of his wings had broken on impact, and he squirmed from the pain, but the other protected his underbelly, even as the feathers trembled. “TInder,” The Princess murmured, before her horn lit. Her horn instantly ignited with golden healing magic to heal his wounds, even as she spoke to him. “Stay still, you’ll be alright. Where’s Flint and Magnus?” “C-captured,” the guard whimpered. “We were f-following the Militia C-Commander from the air, but she d-disappeared into a shack. We l-landed to investigate, and f-found an escape tunnel. At the other end, th-there were so many ponies w-wearing militia armor, and they all at-attacked us...” Princess Celestia furrowed her brow. “She’s been planning for this...Or something like this.” “Fl-Flint got lassoed and went down under a p-pile of ponies, but M-Magnus caught an axe to the neck. T-took it right off his sh-shoulders. I barely m-managed to get away, but…” The stallion looked around himself, at the small crowd of ponies standing around him. He especially eyed the ponies still wearing militia armor warily. “N-not here. Not safe…” The Princess looked up at everypony present for a long moment, but then shook her head. “It’s safe here, Tinder. I assure you, I trust these ponies. I’ve granted them temporary knighthood for their task.” He didn’t seem to quite believe her, but reluctantly, he folded up his wing, and exposed what he was carrying. “I c-couldn’t grab his b-body, they were already pulling it away...but I t-took what I could.” As he pulled his wing away, it revealed a golden helmet, stained with dark, ichorous blood. Within the helmet was the decapitated head of Flash Magnus, separated with a ragged cut at the neck. Blood still dribbled out of the stump, but more alarmingly, his eyes were still a pair of brightly burning embers, and they focused on the Princess, then at everypony around the guard. Flash Magnus, despite his head being quite thoroughly separated from his body, was still very much alive.