//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: The Council of Friendship // Story: One Thousand Years Ago // by Scroll //------------------------------//     In a deep trance, Cozy Glow can feel the energy within her crystal ripple through her. In doing so, she notices her own magical energy within herself as well. It is like putting dye in a river then visibly seeing the path of the river’s flow.     The feeling is much akin to being in the water for a long time, getting used to the rippling motion of the water, then getting out. Even as she dries, she can still feel the dizzying motion of the ripple continue through her body, except magic has extra sensations attached to it. It feels like warmth mixed with a tingling that makes her body itch slightly. Sometimes it also feels like tiny ice pricks, especially if the energy is shaped and defined.     But, in keeping with her teacher’s instructions, Cozy simply felt the flow of energy. She uses it to train her brain to recognize the presence of her own internal magic in order to help her better tap into it later.     Except it feels like the third time she's felt something like this. One was her own brief experience as an alicorn, another is through the memories of Sombra she recently gained, and now.     “Okay. That's enough. You can open your eyes now,” the ghost of Sombra instructs within her room.     Cozy slowly does so, then takes a deep breath.     “Very good, my pupil,” Sombra commends her. “You are learning.” He tilts his head at her slightly. “Odd that you seem to be able to focus more after a traumatizing experience. That's not how concentration normally works, but I think there is more going on here than meets the eye.”     “You can say that again,” Cozy agrees with a calm and somewhat empty sounding voice. “The experience I gained through living a piece of your memories was eye-opening. I found it very depressing, but I also remember what it felt like for you to channel your magic within those memories. You were very good at it by then. Maybe that's what helpes me now.”     Her gaze shifts down to look at the floor as she frowns, then asks aloud, “Master . . . what if I lose myself in this experience? What if . . . in pursuit of this magic business, I become another emotional and mental copy of you?”     Sombra frowns at her a bit, then says, “I'd like to tell you that is ridiculous because plenty of other ponies have channeled their magic before, and doing so didn't force them to become some other pony. Magic is part of who you are, young mare, just as it would be for anypony. I've even helped to train other non-unicorns to channel and cast their magic from sources like this before. I won't say they didn't have their own problems, but it ultimately worked.     “That said, your experiences are rather unique here. First you gain memories and experiences of your human counterpart, and now you're starting to get it from me.”     He looks out the window in this room to the bright blue sky beyond while wearing a wistful, thoughtful, and reminiscent expression.     “I have her memories too, quite possibly to a greater degree than you,” Sombra mentions. “It is enough to know she had a very different mode of thinking than I am accustomed to. Almost all of her thought process was compared to chess piece movements.     “If I concentrate real hard, I can even catch a glimmer of her feelings and motivations. She certainly did not lack that. For all of her really structured thought process, she was also dominated by her emotions far more than she realized. Love and hate were especially strong factors for her.”     “Do you feel like you are losing yourself to her memories?” Cozy checks with a look to him and an edge of anxious hope in her voice.     “Not really,” Sombra admits as he looks back at her. “The feelings I get from her are mostly cold.” He waves a hoof at her. “They do influence me, but in much the same way a book or stage play influences me. She feels like a distant fictional character that I've somewhat lived through and can understand her perspective, but without those experiences dominating me.     “And that is the way you need to process this experience. I won't deny that it may feel like an intense experience for you, but in no way does it make you less you. Instead, it only adds to you. You are the one who needs to figure out who you are as a direct result of these experiences. Take it as it is. These memories will change you, I won't deny that, but it is the same as any other experience. All of us are constantly changing as a result of the experiences we gain and the choices we make.”     Cozy's look slowly drifts away from him as she processes and internalizes his words. She realizes there is a depth to this experience that deeply frightens her. It not only has the chance to change her, but change her profoundly. She can't even tell if it will be a good thing or a bad thing. Likely it will be both.     There is a knock on her door.     “Who is it?” Cozy asks as her gaze shifts to her door.     “It's Gallus, Your Majesty,” announces the nasally sound of the male griffin guard beyond her door. “I was sent here to inform you that The Gathering is about to take place soon. Do you wish to attend?”     “The Gathering?” Sombra echoes to Cozy questioningly.     Cozy looks at Sombra as she mentally answers, “Mother's first royal decree as Princess of Equestria is for her friends to gather with her once a moon in order to socialize and reconnect. Ever since I was adopted, I've chosen to be part of this ritual occasionally.”     “Oh.” He blinks at her. “I see.”     “At first, I wasn't really interested in their social connection, though I did pretend to be,” Cozy continues. “But, in truth, I was interested in reconnaissance. I wanted inside information on the most influential ponies to the ruler of this land, but over the years . . . I mostly found their discussion to be boring prattle.     “However, there are now a few ponies who attend the meeting that are, more or less, there for specifically me. Flurry Heart is one of them.”     “Ah.” He nods at her calmly. “In that case, you should probably go. You should not disappoint her.”     Cozy grins at him as she thinks to him, “You really care about her a lot, don't you?”     “Your Majesty?” Gallus presses after a period of silence to him.     “Yeah, I'm coming,” Cozy informs Gallus. “Hold on. Let me get dressed.”     “Sure,” the palace guard accepts. “I'll be right out here if you need me.”     “To keep an eye on you, I take it?” Sombra assumes. “Your mother may indeed love you, but that doesn't automatically mean she trusts you, and given your past . . . I can understand that.”     “I know my way around the castle,” Cozy assures as she hops out of her bed with a brief flap of her wings to assist her jump from a sitting position. From there, she makes her way to her trot-in closet. “The escort isn't necessary on that level, so you're right. My mother doesn't trust me. She's smart like that.”     Sombra notices how Cozy alludes to the fact that she is, indeed, untrustworthy, but he decides to let that subject slip. Instead, he focuses on completing a previously mentioned idea.     “Anyway, to answer your question earlier, I don't consider it important what my personal feelings to Flurry Heart are or not. Instead, what I consider important is the fact she is a royal princess, and it is therefore my duty to be loyal and polite to her. Royal monarchs have a lot on their shoulders. The fate of their land and all who live there is at stake, so it is important for me to ease their burden as much as possible. Nothing more, and nothing less. Anything else is an irrelevant indulgence.”     “Huh,” Cozy notes while within her closet. “Since you put it that way, is that how you feel about me?”     “I do see the potential for royal duties burdening your shoulders, yes,” Sombra answers. “As a result, I consider it important to help train you to become stronger, even if it exceeds your comfort level. In my eyes, that is necessary to prepare you for what is to come.”     “You keep mentioning that ruling will become a burden, but I'm sure there is room for fun stuff, too,” Cozy suspects. “With that much power, there is extra potential for other things, too. Power makes what is otherwise unlikely to be quite plausible. Why do you think I want it so much?”     Sombra passes a coy smile in Cozy's direction as he says, “Be careful what you wish for, young mare. It is likely that your wish will be granted, but I warn you . . . power in any form has a price. Power always has a source, and a source will always have a cost.”     “I dare you to try to convince Discord of that,” Cozy thought with a bitter sneer. “That entity is accustomed to instant gratification of every wish.”     “Are you so sure about that?” Sombra asks cautiously. “If what you say is true and if you believe that his power has no cost, does that mean he is constantly happy? Have you ever noticed even the slightest bit of stress from him?”     “Of course I have!” Cozy assures. “I was the source of his woes at one time,” Cozy seems to note proudly.     “Then you see my point,” Sombra replies evenly. “If his power didn't have a cost, he'd be incapable of misery. As it stands, power of his kind can serve as a disconnect to others, and that is very isolating. As the spirit of Disharmony, I think he used to be proud of that disconnection, but now . . . I think his new friends have taught him to regret the source of his own power. Likely that kept him from getting as close as he wished to be. Trust me, I've seen his type before. In some ways, I'm one of them.     “Heed this lesson, young mare; if you are going to be a ruler, you need to carefully measure your thoughts, words, and actions, for a lot is riding upon it. You can't afford to focus only on the small picture anymore, such as your life alone. Much else must be taken into account.     “Foals long for power because they lack it, but once they have it . . . they learn it is a burden to maintain. Having bits to spend on what you want is nice, but it requires a pony to go to work in order to earn it, and there are also bills to maintain which therefore shifts the focus of some of their power from fun to daily necessity. Power without burden is a pleasant fantasy of the young, but such foalish whimsy does not match the rigors of reality.     “Let that sink into you as well, Your Majesty. For as long as you believe that power does not have a cost, it reveals that you still have some growing up to do, but that will come whether you like it or not, just as it comes for us all eventually.     “Anyway, I bid you to enjoy your evening. Process and internalize all of your experiences. Emotion is the fuel for magic, and the kindling for emotion is the memories you gain. Respect it accordingly.”     He fades away.     Arriving at the throne room, Cozy Glow is greeted by the familiar sight of The Gathering of her mother's friends, also known as the Council of Friendship. Surveying those who are here, Cozy notices that the only adult mare missing from this group so far is Pinkie Pie. The rest are here.     Upon meeting eyes, Cozy's mother pauses for a brief moment with her conversation with Rarity in order to wave a hoof to her daughter and bid, “Welcome, Cozy Glow. I'm glad you decided to come!”     Cozy can tell that her mother really is happy to see her here. She noticed, over these years, that The Gathering is a period of time her mother seems especially lively and animated. In meetings like this, she is in her element. Her Element of Harmony.     “Hello Mother,” Cozy greets back.     Shifting her focus from Cozy to Gallus, Twilight says to him, “Glad to see you as well. Care to mingle with us?”     Cozy knew that offer had been made many times before, and he usually accepted. He is an official guard here, but he is also a close friend.     Looking at Gallus, Cozy pays especially close attention to the golden helmet that he is wearing which Cozy thinks of as his “duty helmet” because, whenever he wears it, his personality shifts from open and friendly to stoic and dutiful, and vice versa. Right now he is wearing his helmet, but as Cozy continues to regard him, she notices him reach up, take off his helmet, and tuck it under his left forward limb. Casually, he also brushes back some of his blue with yellow tip feathers on his head but it is a useless gesture. The feathers go right back to sticking off the forward of his head again.     “With pleasure,” Gallus says to his friend happily.     “Thank you!” Twilight beams at him happily which is the most likely explanation why he decided to accept her invitation. He loves seeing her happy.     “Why Cozy! What a lovely little chiffon you are wearing!” commends Rarity.     Looking back at Rarity, Cozy notices Rarity's own outfit of a purple, silky dress. She also notices the fashionista bouncing her purple mane with an aging gray streak through it as she says, “I'm glad I'm not the only pony in here who appreciates the beauty of elegance and style.”     After receiving the complement, Cozy glances at her own multi-layer blue dress with lace trimmings and nods with satisfaction.     “It may be elegant, but it must be a nightmare to fly in,” Rainbow Dash's raspy voice complains. “Seriously, Cozy, you're a pegasus, for crying out loud! Doesn't all that extra weight bother you?”     “Not everypony thinks lahk ya, Rainbow Dash,” says Applejack who is standing right beside Rainbow. “Some ponies have very different priorities, I reckon.”     Rainbow winces in disgust as she says, “It's just so hard to wrap my head around. All that extra weight is just . . . ugh!”     “She's the daughter of our friend Twilight, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity reminds her rainbow-maned friend sharply. “She's royalty, so of course she should dress the part. Besides, how much flying does she really need to do in this old castle anyway?”     “Look, all I'm saying is that it doesn't seem natural,” Rainbow returns to Rarity.     “The Wonderbolts wear their own uniform as they fly,” Rarity reminds Rainbow.     “Yes, but that outfit is tight and aerodynamic,” Rainbow argues.     “It wasn't always so aerodynamic,” Rarity reminds again, this time with a slightly taunting edge to her tone.     Rainbow narrows her eyes and sneers at Rarity as she says, “Yeah, and their outfits weren't always so nice to look at either.”     “Styles come and go all the time, darling,” Rarity returns with a wave of a hoof and keeps her eyes closed during the sentence. “Yesterday's fashion rarely belongs to tomorrow.”     “Just let it go, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack advises. “None of this here stuff’s important ‘nough tah argue about. Just let it go.”     “Fine!” Rainbow agrees with an angry groan.     “Cozy, over here!” happily greets and waves Flurry Heart.     Upon noticing her, Cozy moves to join the nude alicorn mare.     “Something is different about you,” Flurry notes when Cozy arrives. “Still mostly lost and empty, but something else as well. Fear, I think? Maybe twinged with a bit of excitement?”     Flurry lowers her hoof from the bottom of her chin to the floor, formerly in a discerning pose.     “Either way, that means you have news,” Flurry figures. “So out with it. Spill the beans.”     “I, ah . . . am starting to connect with magic again,” Cozy reports a little lamely. “That is to say, I'm learning how to feel it again.”     “That's wonderful!” Flurry cheers brightly.     Cozy's facial expression becomes sheepish as she goes on to say, “Yeah, well . . . in order to do that, I had to learn to channel the energy that is within this crystal.”     “So?” Flurry inquires with a blink.     “So . . . it means also communing with the entity that is within the stone. Also, I recently experienced a flash of his memories. During that time, I totally forgot about myself. I was him at that moment.”     “What?” Flurry tilts her head. “How?”     “Sunset Shimmer has a magic crystal that allows her to . . . to . . .” Cozy's train of thought drifts away as she notices the fact that Sunset Shimmer isn't here. She knows for a fact that Sunset was invited to this meeting, and yet she didn't show?     “Ah . . . speaking of which, Mother.” Cozy calls to her mom. “Isn't Sunset Shimmer going to attend this gathering?”     “I think so,” Cozy's mother replies with an edge of uncertainty. “I know she's invited, and I know that she knows the way here. She must be a bit busy with something. Reading is my guess. I know she's borrowing some books to study up on magic again. She wants to get back into the swing of things in order to help her prepare for the journey.”     “Journey?” Flurry echoes questioningly. “What journey?”     “That's kind of a long story,” Cozy replies to Flurry. “Suffice it to say, I need to go on a journey to distant lands to find old relics from King Sombra. With them, Sunset Shimmer can use them to spark old memories in the entity residing within this crystal that he has forgotten. The hope is that, by doing so, his confusion can be set to rest, then he will be set to rest. As soon as that happens, my human counterpart from another dimension will rise from her coma again.”     “O . . . kaaaaay,” Flurry expresses with an astonished and confused blink. “Well . . . that sounds interesting, at the very least.” She tilts her head. “When you say distant lands, how distant are we talking about here?”     Cozy opens her mouth to respond, but hesitates when she hears the giant doors to the throne room open again. First Cozy swivels her ears in that direction, then her head to gaze back at who is entering. Upon doing so, she notices Pinkie Pie bounce her way into the throne room, followed by her considerably less energetic daughter Cheese Pie who trots in a more normal way.     Cheese Pie immediately makes her way to Cozy, wearing a warm, subdued smile as she extends a hoof by way of greeting. “Cozy! My good buddy! Just how the hay are you doing this fine day, may I ask?”     “It sounds like she’s having a complicated day,” Flurry answers in Cozy’s stead. “She’s starting to connect with magic thanks to that crystal she’s wearing on her neck, but that crystal also has a sentient entity within it that is apparently Sombra? Furthermore, Aunty Twily said that Cozy may be going on a journey soon. She was about to tell me where until you showed up.”     Cheese looks at Flurry for a moment, then returns her gaze to Cozy, “Care to explain that one to me, Cozy?”     “Ah . . . which subject? The crystal, or the journey?” Cozy queries back to Cheese.     Cheese nods, with a smile, “Yes.”     “I usually find it best to begin at the beginning,” Flurry recommends to Cozy.     “Um, well . . . okay, but I’m warning you both, this may take a while, and I don’t like to repeat myself, so listen up.”     Cozy Glow spends the next several minutes explaining to her friends most of the details that happened to her and her counterpart recently. A counterpart that they were already somewhat familiar with because Cozy discussed this before, especially the part about gaining some of her memories. This time Cozy updated them what happened to her human self since and explains why they think this is happening to her. She also goes on to specify how they plan to rectify this. Finally, Cozy explains what happened to her recently with the memories she gained from Sombra and her magic training since before coming here to The Gathering.     “Okay. Wow!” Flurry expresses with a stunned blink.     “Um… that’s quite something,” Fluttershy said quietly as she makes her way closer to the other mares, “Are you certain you want to go on it?”     “Why wouldn’t she?” Cheese asks, “It’s a chance to learn more stuff and maybe make a play for power without having to impress mommy Twilight, right?”     “Uh . . . something like that,” Cozy admits lamely. “But that isn’t the whole story. My counterpart is basically the reason I got freed from stone, so I owe her.” She looks to and speaks to Fluttershy next. “I will admit that this journey does make me nervous, but I am also determined. Part of me is also glad that I have this chance to even the score, plus . . . the magic! That part does excite me, at least.” She looks off to her side. “Or at least it used to.” She looks across her friends, including Fluttershy. “I used to be abused by magic which is why I hated it, but I was also jealous of it. I figure that if I can master it somehow, I might not resent it as much. Any of us can see how it can come in hoofy.”     Cheese nods, “Uh huh! That’s true! Nevermind how much more secure you’ll feel with a way to fight back, right?”     “It probably helps,” Cozy acknowledges. “My wits and charm used to be my greatest weapon. To use it properly, I have to convince others to defend me, but what if I could use a power like this to defend myself? Well, in that case, I just have another layer of defense because I’m still smart and adorable. Right?”     “Sure, we’ll go with that,” Cheese giggles as she pats Cozy on the shoulder.     “Of course you do!” Flurry agrees cheerfully. “That’s why you are our little friend. Cozy Glow, our friend.”     “Um… so… how do you intend to go on this trip, exactly?” Fluttershy asks seriously.     “Stygian came to discuss that earlier,” Cozy informs them. “He’s trying to gather funding to go on an expedition to the lands beyond Equestria, quite literally in uncharted territory. Right now, we’re thinking of going to the community Stygian himself grew up in because, apparently, that is where Sombra came from as well. If we can find that place,  we might also find old artifacts that he, that is to say Sombra, used to own. With it, Sunset Shimmer may use them to help unlock more of his memories.     “As for how we intend to get there, we were thinking of using a giant airship as soon as we gather the funding and the crew for it, of which I intend to be on. Me and Sunset both.”     “You’re… talking about exploring ancient civilizations?!” Cheese asked, “And, we’re bringing along a relic of that civilization too?”     Cozy grins at Cheese because she knows that Cheese Pie is interested in anthropology. Cheese is even pursuing a doctorate in that field which is quite remarkable for a mare of her age.  A mare about as old as Cozy herself, not counting her years frozen in stone.     “Yes,” Cozy answers with a slightly taunting sneer and narrowing of her eyes. “We are planning something along those lines.” Cozy continues in a more casual, informative way. “We don’t know for certain what civilizations, if any, we will encounter out there, but we are definitely pursuing an area that used to have some. In fact, this place predates the founding of Equestria, and some of its founders came from there like Princess Platinum, Chancellor Puddinghead, and Commander Hurricane. Basically, we’re going to the place before they came here, because Sombra was there as well.”     “Okay, I’m so going with you!” Cheese squeaked.     “Really?!” Cozy exclaims in surprise and even hope, for it would be nice to have a friend to come along. Notably, a friend that could actually be useful to this journey, too.     “Oh… my,” Fluttershy gasps.     “Yes, really, of course. Why would I pass up a chance to explore ancient civilizations and talk to a pony who was actually there?! Of course, why would I want that much time away from you?” “I wish I could go,” Flurry laments as her ears droop. “But I’m getting bogged down with training for royal duties. Mom and Dad expect me to succeed them in ruling the Crystal Empire. It’s likely so that they can go on vacation or retirement or something or another.” Flurry sighs. “You’re serious?” Cozy double checks with Cheese with rising hope in her voice. “Are you just going to ignore me?” Flurry asks with sudden irritation. Cozy glances at Flurry with a teasing wink and sticks her tongue out at her tauntingly for a moment, but then looks back at Cheese with sharp interest as she says, “Because, if you’re serious, that would be great! I love to hang out with my friends!” Cheese snickers, “I mean, as serious as I ever am, I guess? But, yes, I’m going. Whether you like it or not.” “Oh, believe me, I like it!” Cozy cheers, then amends, “Well, as long as you’re happy with it. I don’t want you to go if you consider it a burden, but if you do want to go then I’d love to have you.” Cozy suddenly whips her head in the direction of her mother and asks aloud, “Mother . . . is it alright if Cheese Pie joins me on my mission? She wants a chance to study ancient civilizations, you see, and probably also to keep me company and give me moral support. Plus, if she goes, she can keep an eye on me. She knows when I’m lying and all that because she can sense emotions too, just like Flurry Heart here.” “Journey?” Rarity queries, “What journey?” “What are all of you gabbing on about?” questions Applejack. “Um,” Twilight pauses a moment to see if anypony else will speak next, then looks at her daughter as she expresses, “Of course! I’d love for her to go as long as she’s fine with it.” She addresses her next question directly at Cheese. “You are interested?” Cheese blinks, then looks at Pinkie, “Mom, just what do I have to do to get my point across?” “I dunno, Hon. Maybe you should use one of your dad’s neon signs to light up and flash the message across the room?” Pinkie replied as she stuffed a hoof into her mane, and withdrew a large flashing neon sign with the words “I’m going!” written across it, flashing bright pink, then orange, then pink again. “It’s lucky for you I keep one around just in case of neon sign emergency!” “Ah! Thank you Mom! I know I can always count on you!” Cheese cheers.     Pinkie waves a hoof in dismissal at her daughter as she expresses, “It was nothing, Baby! I always like to be prepared. You know that!”     “Well, I both see and acknowledge your sign,” Twilight says after a small giggle. “Since you are that interested, I’d love to see you go. That way you can help keep up my daughter’s friendship training.”     “Mom!” Cozy cries out in embarrassment and irritation.     “You still haven’t graduated from friendship school,” Twilight reminds. “Friendship is very important.”     “Are ya serious, Twilight?” Applejack asks in surprise. “You’re sending Cozy Glow on a distant journey?”     “Why do you ask?” Cozy asks Applejack then bats her eyes at the apple farmer rapidly. “Don’t you trust me?”     “No,” the Element of Honesty bluntly replies.     “It’s okay, Applejack,” Twilight assures her orange-hide friend. “Cozy has a very good reason for this. She’s actually trying to help out another.”     “Oh yeah?” Applejack inquires with sudden interest. “Do tell, Twilight.”     Twilight sighs, then says, “It’s kind of a long story, but do you remember Cozy’s human counterpart?”     “Oh yeah!” Rainbow recalls. “We even saw her in your magic mirror a few years back.” She rubs a hoof behind her neck. “It’s so weird seeing us as alien beings from another dimension.” She lowers her hoof back to the ground. “Anyway, what’s your point?”     “Human Cozy is in trouble now,” Twilight informs. “She’s gone into a coma again, but she’s not rising from it this time. Apparently . . .” Twilight trails off as her eyes look over to her daughter again while Twilight thinks about it, then decides to say,  “Well, anyway, Cozy wants to do something to help her alternate self.”     “Ah!” Applejack smiles proudly at Cozy. “That’s mighty tall of ya. Good on you for think’en on helping another besides ya self.”     In response, Cozy rolls her eyes.     “Oh don’t be like that, Cozy! You know she doesn’t mean any harm, don’t you?” Cheese asks, nudging Cozy in her ribs.     “Yeah, and I suppose it’s understandable,” Cozy acknowledges. “Trying to destroy the world a couple of times probably does put a damper on trust.”     “Oh big time! I’m surprised they’ve forgiven you, honestly!” Cheese says.     “Um… It’s important that we acknowledge that you’re trying to help out now,” Fluttershy says.     “Ooo!” Rainbow cries out excitedly as she looks back and forth between Twilight and Cozy as she asks, “When she goes on this journey . . . is she going to fight a bunch of cool and epic monsters?”     “Maybe! That’d be pretty cool!” Cheese chirps.     “Oh! Goodness, I hope not!” Fluttershy says with a shake of her head.     Pinkie looks at her daughter, a small smile on her features, “Now now, Baby, you’d be surprised how often a party is a better solution than a fight. Don’t go looking for trouble, avoid it if you can help it! Remember. a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet!”     “Well said, Pinkie,” Twilight agrees proudly.     Pinkie nods, “Thank you, Twilight,” she takes a small bow, “I’ll be here until nine!”     “Now I really wish I could go!” Flurry laments. “Not only does this sound exciting, it also seems important. I can hoofle myself in a pinch, and I can defend my friends as well.”     In demonstration, Flurry Heart raises a magic bubble around herself for a moment before dropping the yellow, spherical barrier.     “How soon is she going on this here journey?” Applejack inquires.     “As soon as we can figure out how to gather funding for the journey,” Twilight answers. “If necessary, I can fork over the bits, but that would mean diverting funding from other projects.”     “Ooo! Then I have the perfect solution for you!” Flurry pops in excitedly, happy to finally contribute something useful to this conversation. “I actually know somepony who might be helpful with this project.”     “Who?” Twilight inquires to her niece with interest. “Please tell us,” she eagerly invites.     Flurry grins as she says, “I know somepony who is not only extremely rich, but who is also eager to go on a journey in order to expand his merchant contacts, and that pony is none other than Prince Salizar Alabaster of Saddle Arabia.”     “Prince Salizar?” Twilight echoes as she thinks about it, then admits, “I haven’t thought of him, but he honestly might be perfect.”     “Who is Prince Salizar?” Rainbow wonders aloud.     Twilight looks at Rainbow as she answers, “As the name implies, he is the crown prince of Saddle Arabia. Furthermore, I know that the royal family used to be merchant lords. That’s still a benchmark for them, so it makes sense they’d be interested in any venture that would expand upon their country’s prosperity. It is how they primarily lead their nation.”     “Benchmark?” Rainbow asks with a confused squint.     To answer Rainbow’s question, Twilight places a hoof on her purple chest, closes her eyes, and declares in a lecturing voice, “Benchmark . . . a standard of excellence or achievement against which similar things are measured or judged.”     Rainbow rolls her eyes as she says, “You really are a living dictionary, Twilight.”     “Why thank you!” Twilight cheers in a giddy way.     “That wasn’t a . . .” Rainbow began in a tone of objection, but then waves a hoof off as she says, “Oh, nevermind.”     Sitting near the throne, Spike pauses a moment from writing his paperwork to laugh at what Rainbow Dash just said. He, more than anyone, is accustomed to Twilight’s scholastic ways, but it sometimes amuses him to be reminded that not everyone else is used to it. Even some of Twilight’s closest friends.     After he recovers, he offers, “You know, Twilight, if you’re interested to contact Prince Salizar, I could write him a letter right now and send it.”     “That’s probably not a bad idea, Spike,” Twilight figures. “In any case, there is no harm in asking.     “Sure, send him a letter. In it, tell him to contact Professor Stygian here in Canterlot. Let the prince know that the professor can fill him in on the noteworthy details of this journey.”     “You got it,” Spike acknowledges before pulling out another scroll, seemingly from his posterior area.     “It actually does sound like this journey might be dangerous,” Gallus notes aloud. “Do you want me to accompany your daughter and help keep her safe, Your Majesty?” When he asks that, there is also a subtle look on his beaked face which seems to add, “Also, to keep an eye on her?”     “Maybe,” Twilight replies to Gallus. “I think we can wait on making any official decisions on who else will be going on the airship. It can only support so much crew, after all, and we know Cozy and Sunset have to go.”     “Don’t forget me!” Cheese chimes, “Oh, and also, Gallus, I actually had another stallion in mind to accompany and protect our dear Princess Cozy Glow!”     “Really? Who?” Gallus inquires to Cheese curiously.     Cheese turns to look at Cozy. A knowing, devilish grin crossing her features. “I think Rumble would make a great addition to this crew!”     “Really?!” Cozy asks with sudden, sharp interest. “You can arrange that?”     Cheese winks, “I think I can arrange that… He owes me a few favors by now. Time to call one in. Besides, he likes to try new things, and it doesn’t get much newer than this!”     “Oh! That would be dreamy!” Cozy expresses as she places a hoof to her forehead and swoons. “If you can indeed arrange that, Cheese, then I would owe you a favor. Great deal, right? Exchange one favor and cause another to owe you? That’s economical!”     Cheese giggles, “Oh you and your silly crush! No, I don’t mind. No favor needed in return or anything!”     “Okay! I’ll take it!” Cozy agrees enthusiastically. “You got a deal!”     Then, under her breath, Cozy adds to herself, “Soon, my love. Soon . . . you will be mine!”