To their dismay so great, this storm had spread
Throughout their sight, until the skies were red
With sun so blue, as was before. They shut
Their eyes, t’ avert them from the sand, instead
Of their cloaks, should they lose them. As they’d strut
Through such disaster, she would ask him, “What
Force dares to stop us, even here and now?”
“We’re at the place your sister sent us – th’ hut
Beneath the ground could have protected – how
Could we have lost it? How did we allow?”
She shook her head. “I wish to say I know –
But th’ answer is beyond me. I will vow
To safeguard you, as you have me. We’ll show
The sandstorm that we cannot e’er be slow.”
We’ll go together, never separate,
And keep us in each other’s sight.” “How so?”
“Just watch!” And with a bit of magic great,
She bound the two together. “I would hate
If you had claustrophobia,” she told him.
And then, “Regardless, we’ll keep moving straight.”
She lookt around for th’ cliff, whose sight was grim
From where she was, and took a step – a slim
Wing cover’d up his back, by reflex pure.
His fur a shaggy mess, yet feathers prim
Would give him shelter, where his cloak for sure
Would fail. With her, he surely could endure
The storm – he just had t’ focus on the trip.
One step forth, never back, and such demure
Efforts would yield a victory. A rip
Behind him startl’d th’ baker – ’long his hip
The sand would course, like needles on his hide.
He lookt behind – of course, he’d need a strip
Of fabric to repair the gap. He sigh’d –
Perhaps, if he had thought of just how wide
The gap had been, he would have fix’d it soon.
He shook his head, and kept on as her guide.
His back would find the cliffside soon, one hewn
From sand that prest down o’er time from a dune.
He felt it crumble, ever just, from where
He lean’d against it. Looser sand was strewn
From high-spun winds, and where his hide was bare
Would suffer far the worst. He did not care;
He was quite confident that this would pass
Without more incident. “You’d think I’d spare
Not one bit t’ mend that tear?” A bit of sass
Would tell him that her magic could surpass
The unicorns of where he liv’d. He felt
A pull upon the cloth, and that crevasse
Was pull’d together in her magic, dealt
From her horn, stitching up, which hid his svelte
Form once again. “I thank you,” spake he. “Why
Did you do that?” “Why not?” she said. “I’ve dwelt
In storms of sand myself as well, and sky
Above, I’ll let you suffer not.” A sigh,
And she would add, “Not when I could amend
What I have done to you.” He would reply,
“What have you done to me?” “I would have lend
A hoof to you, in Shade’s Corruption, send
It out your mind, but here we are, in spite
Of all I’ve done within your head – dear friend.”
As though on cue, the Princess of the Night
Would feel his absence – e’en with her spellrite,
They could not be together at each time
She would command. Then she lookt to the height,
And saw her sister there appear. What rhyme
Made this thing possible? What sort of chime
Could summon her here at her magic will?
She thought t’ herself. Might she help in the climb
Uphill? Would she instead preclude? So shrill
The winds would sound within her ear, the fill
Of sand would only block the noise. Her form
Was vague at first, but soon would become still
Enough to form a figure white. The storm
Would seem to settle, though the sandy swarm
Still somehow hid the baker from her view.
The heat, too – it would cool to merely warm,
As though it were a pleasant day. The blue
Princess would hear her sister speak right through
The storm. “I pray you hear my voice,” she said,
Her words echoing through the land. Too true
Her words were – ev’ryone could hear, the dead
And living both alike. And in her head,
She could not shut her out, nor did she wish
To do so – she could only pray instead
That she could hear the other way, cherish
Her words, and offer her help. Like a fish
From water, she however could not tell
Her all her troubles she fac’d. She’d vanish
Before she could begin so, just as well.
“But fear me not,” she would continue, “dwell
Upon the promises of your return.
“I cannot say the same for him – a spell
May work, but it may not. He’ll have to earn
A spot beside you.” “Did he not?” “He’ll learn
The ways of our Equestria, our home, first.”
“’Twas his home too!” “My dear, you need concern
Yourself not what he knew before – his thirst
For knowledge compensat’s for what was curst
Upon him.” Luna ponder’d sister’s speech –
What curse had he encounter’d? What’d be th’ worst
That he experienc’d? Luna had seen each
And ev’ry hazard in his path – their reach
In this land was extensive, so ’twas worth
The pain. “Honeycomb!” shouted she. “Beseech
Her words, if you are able!” Yet the dearth
Of his response did not confide – no mirth
Would show itself right now. “You ought to hear
What I shall say to you. You’ll soon unearth
What you have set out to discover. Near
The top – ” she pointed thus – “it will appear
To you.” “Describe it to me! I must know!”
But Luna’s words went sans an answer mere.
The winds pict up again, and she would grow
Closer to Princess Luna, even though
Her sister might be well unable t’ see.
As th’ apparition lean’d, she saw the glow
And then she spoke again. “You must not flee
When danger rears its head.” Her voice
Took on an unexpected darker edge
“Now heed my words, and soon you will be free.”
And then she lean’d back out, as though a wedge
Was driven ’twixt the two. The storm would dredge
Her visage from the sky, as though she’d not
Existed. Luna noted where the ledge
Would meet the mountain proper – winds had wrought
A pathway upwards. Shouted he, “I sought
Your presence for so long, yet I’d not find
You in the storm!” He truly had been caught
Completely unaware, despite the bind
That Luna plac’d between them, which defin’d
Their amity. “I praid the storm not lose
You, anyway.” “It did not – ’tis behind
Us now, in any case.” “I know that ruse –
It was Celestia, was it not? She’d use
The storm to separate us, just to talk
To one and not the other.” “You accuse
My sister of such doing – what a shock!
But then, e’en I know not of why this flock
Behav’s the way it does. And furthermore,
I tried to speak with her, but she would mock
Me with her ignorance,” she said. “I swore
That she could hear me, just as had before.”
“I’m just glad you did not spill blood,” he said –
“Or otherwise, it’d be much more a chore.”
Luna did recall her warning in her head –
As they proceeded on the road ahead,
They did find other beings, who’d explain
Their pasts to them. To wit, the law-mare shed
No falsehood before, yet it brought her pain;
The recordkeeper made it rather plain
That she would die before she would offend;
The jester sought out laughter – once again,
She fail’d to understand the path she’d wend
Would bring her to a rather hapless end;
The clerk, whom she had found had long decaid,
Was generous to others, not to him – he’d spend
Each moment to his detriment, to aid
Another, should they need; they would be straid
From their path by the hippogryph, Whale-Road,
Who would build a raft of such a grade
That it would speed them on their way; th’ abode
Of Hideaway was hidden well, which’d bode
Not well eventually; in any case,
None of them were slain by their hoof, which show’d
Their lack of bind still to the land – their pace
Was far too quick for them to litter th’ place
As such. “I think we’re in the clear,” she spake,
Although the sandstorm still rag’d on. “Your face
Should still be cover’d up, i’ th’ meantime. Shake
The grains loose; we’ve a newfound path.” She’d make
It clear to him; the wind had carv’d their way –
’Twas just a walk. “My wings need not to ache
To lift ourselv’s up th’ mountain.” Then a ray
Of sunshine pierc’d the swirling dust, and they
Knew that the storm would soon subside.
They brav’d the dying winds, not much to say,
And started winding up the cliff. She ey’d
That, somehow here, the sandstorm had not tried
To overcome the cliff. Up here, ’twas though
It never happen’d, not at all. She sigh’d –
Perhaps if she had brav’d the load, the flow
Of sand would never have been quite the throe
For them. But then, she’d not see sister dear
And hear the words that she spoke, nor to show
Herself to her. In fact, she’d truly fear
That such an action’d make her miss her here.
But with the storm’s help – or Celestia’s – well,
They could advance with all due haste. So near
They both were to their goal, and yet they fell
So far behind, that Luna had no spell
T’ reverse their time spent listening to those
Who shar’d their tales with them, of where they dwell,
And what they did in times before. Who knows?
Perhaps they did impart some wisdom-prose.
But that she’d have to ponder later – now,
She’d have to trace the scent along her nose,
And reach their shared prize. “If you’d allow,”
He said, “I’ll walk ahead, and will endow
You anything I find as hazardous.”
Her graciousness knew no limits; his vow
He’d honor in turn, seeking them out, plus
T’ discover any other way up. Thus,
Their partnership has proven most benign
So far, with barely anything to muss.
Before they left, behind them, where the fine
Sand settl’d, there came creaking of a spine.
’Twas not hers, nor his; rather, the hermit
Had climb’d from his hole in the ground. “I pine
Not for a ruin’d hiding space – I’d split
Before too long; the sandstorm made me sit
For longer than I wanted.” Luna’d ask,
“Do you think we are int’rested i’ th’ fit
Of a mad artist? Go about your task
And leave this place – seek out a hole, and mask
Your presence. We’ll be climbing up this place
To seek out what we’ll need t’ escape, and bask
In victory.” She turn’d around – a pace
Too quick for other times – and made the chase
Vertical. Meanwhile, Hideaway would pack
Just what he needed, then left sans a trace.
“Listen,” Honeycomb said, “I mean no flack,
But what did she tell you? I can’t go back
And try to listen for myself.” “Indeed,”
Replied Luna – although she had to wrack
Her mind to find an answer, fill the need.
“She said nought that I knew, but we’ve agreed
That nothing out to stand i’ th’ way, t’ defy.”
“And yet you mustn’t spill their blood – I’d heed
That warning just as well.” Up in the sky,
He saw that such a long climb was. A sigh,
And he would start uphill. Much steeper than
Before, the path would never modify
Itself, lest they take longer. If they ran,
They’d run a risk of falling off – the tan
Ground show’d its weakness towards the end.
“However,” he said, “we can start to plan
On th’ fact, consid’ring such a recent trend,
That we can count on others to help mend
Whatever problems we would surely meet.”
“O baker,” said she, “don’t you e’en pretend
That that is even true. We should not greet
Another so, no matter just how sweet
That any of them might seem at first glance.
You do remember th’ dragon; don’t you cheat
Your memory! We both gave him a chance –
You know what th’ outcome was. Nay, we’ll advance
Upon the path by just ourselv’s.” “We’re set,
My Liege” – though truly this won’t change his stance.
How far up was it? Luna peer’d, to get
A better view – alas, the clouds’d not let
Her see the highest point. Perhaps, she thought,
We’d not climb the fullest way, I’d bet.
As she went climbing up the path, she caught
Her hoof inside a crevice, one she’d not
See sooner, even if she mind her walk.
She pull’d it free, but knew that if she sought
A safer way, for her and him, she’d balk
At such a revelation. She would knock
Lightly on th’ cliff to their left, and it gave
Not much at all – in fact, a single rock
Would tumble down from high above – it’d shave
Away a small amount, yet she was brave
Enough t’ ignore that. Still, the solar heat
Would start to bear them down. Perhaps a cave
Or two along the way could help them beat
The clime – perhaps, if the air cool’d to meet
Their acclimation, they would agonize
N’ at all. But then, they’d have another feat
To overcome – air thins as ponies rise;
A pegasus won’t e’er say otherwise.
And with it, heat would drop, but not to where
They’d be more comfortable. In the skies
Above them, to the peak, they might not bear
The consequences from the thinning air.
I hope I’ve magic well enough to fix
The complication, should it ever dare
T’ arise, she praid. She knew so many tricks
For other issues, yet no specifics
For sickness of the climb. He said, “Look!
I clearly see how far we’ve gone!” Th’ antics
O’ th’ baker proved well enough to hook
Her sight. And what she saw had left her shook:
They barely made their way along the side
O’ th’ mountain, but the distant vista took
Her breath away. O what a sight her guide
Had found! She saw the raft on which they’d ride,
And down by th’ creek, she saw Serenity
From which ’twas hewn, and further in the wide
View, they saw where many a spring-fed tree
Would grant them rest and shelter, both for free.
And furthest of it all, another splash
Of black dust – Shade’s Corruption? – “A, we
Should be upon our way.” Sudden whiplash
Would make her pause her musings, then to wash
Them out her mind, as though they never were.
But then again, she thought, that might be ash
From Tângroen’s raid, and it was all a blur
In any case. “Let’s go.” And so, with her
With him, he’d keep his lead, and she would trail
To seek their prize – on that she’d bet her fur.