//------------------------------// // Chapter 35 // Story: Rekindled Embers // by applezombi //------------------------------// Chapter 35 EVOE Radio broadcast, dated 1113 AF Aurora Morning: Good morning.  You’re listening to one oh three point nine, EVOD, the voice of the Diarchy.  I’m your host Aurora Morning.  My co-host, Fiery Muzzle, won’t be joining us today; he’s home sick with a cold.  Get better, FM!  Instead, I’m joined this morning by a very special guest, Sir Frosty Monsoon of the Knights Jubilant.  He’s here this morning to talk about a discovery he and his fellow Jubilants have made regarding the recent inclement weather. Frosty Monsoon: Thank you, Aurora.  I’m happy to be here. A.M.: So can you tell us why our skies are getting flooded with snow clouds? F.M.: Well, Aurora, nothing is proven yet.  But for the last few months, I’ve been part of a joint research team between the Jubilant and the Mystics, working on this very problem. A.M.: That sounds important. Are you sure we’re allowed to talk about this stuff? F.M.: It has been classified until very recently.  Now, I’ve been authorized to share some of our findings with you all. A.M.: Well, don’t leave us hanging, Sir Frosty! F.M.: Very well.  Our research indicates that there very well may be a theological aspect to our weather problems, rather than simply scientific. A.M.: How so? F.M.: Recently released records held by the Mystics suggest that this isn’t the first time something like this has happened.  There’s some documented evidence that, hundreds of years ago, the Saints became rather dismayed at the behavior of ponies, their laxness in following the Book, and the way they fraternized too closely with unicorns.  They sent the weather as a reminder to ponies to stay humble and to remember them. A.M.: You think the same might be happening again? F.M.: We believe so, yes.  That’s why, the Knights Jubilant, along with our brothers in the Mystic, are declaring a Season of Renewal.  We will beat back this foul weather with the light of faith and obedience.  Each pony in the Diarchy is asked to rededicate themselves to the will of the Saints.  Over the next several weeks, we will be instituting several new programs to fight against complacency and heresy, renew our service to the Saints, and strengthen our faith. A.M.: That all sounds so exciting!  But that’s not all, is it? F.M.: No it isn’t, Aurora.  As an additional offering to the Saints, the Knights Jubilant, working closely with our Mystic brothers and sisters, have a spectacular announcement to make.  Though some of you may already be well aware, the Diarchy has recently opened diplomatic relationships with our wayward crystal cousins in the north.  We wish to announce to all that my sister in faith, Lady Turquoise of the Jubilant, has made landfall in the Northern Empire and has begun the tireless work of bringing those ponies to the light of the Saints. A.M.: All our prayers go with you, Lady Turquoise. 1113 AF, New Canterlot City              The interior of the carriage was a bitter memory to Lofty, a piece of a life he’d tried to leave behind.  He hated the implication, the pretense of it all.  He hated being carted around by other ponies, being seen as above those who labored on his behalf.  He hated being so separate from others, walled off by wood and satin and social status.  He hated that appearances had to be maintained.              “Boo!” his marefriend cooed cheerfully as she popped the carriage door open.  Lofty couldn’t help the wide smile that split his muzzle.  He held out a hoof to help her into the carriage, and she sidled up alongside him, their hips touching on the seat.  Without hesitating in the slightest, Topaz leaned over and kissed him, her lips pressing against his with passionate abandon. “Did you miss me so much?” he said when he came up for air.  She giggled, only a hint of a flush on her orange cheeks.  “It’s only been two days.”              “Maybe you’re just irresistible,” Topaz said while laughing. “You can probably expect me to be a bit hoofsy for the entire trip.”              “I think I can put up with that,” he noted, gently brushing one hoof along her mane as he pulled her close for another quick kiss.  When they broke, he held his forehead against hers, reveling in her warmth.              Topaz was a balm to his worries, and her presence filled the void in his life that he hadn’t even realized was there.              “So where are we going, lover?” she asked him gently.              “My sister finally agreed to let us use the family cabin.  I’m taking you skiing in the mountains.”  She smiled, looking pleased, though he still had one last surprise for her.  “If there’s time, I think we might even make snowponies.”              She gasped, her eyes alight with excitement.  With a touch of amusement, he realized that Topaz probably would be just as excited about actually making snowponies.  But this was a code phrase they’d spoken about, in his dreams, days ago.              If everything he’d set into motion worked out, they were on their way to Old Canterlot.  Righteous Tale had offered to make all the arrangements, but Lofty had insisted that he only make introductions to the various agents.  His grandfather had complained, but Lofty insisted.  If he was to be in charge of this task for the family, he would have to learn how to manage on his own without Righteous micromanaging everything.              There was a knock on the door of the carriage.  Lofty cracked it open to reveal one of the earth pony servants, dressed in Tale family livery, bowing respectfully. “The madam ambassador’s luggage is stored, sir, and we’re ready to depart,” he said.   Lofty nodded. “Thank you, good stallion.  You may depart whenever you are ready.”              “Of course, Master Lofty.  The trip to the cabin should take about five hours.  Please inform us if you or the ambassador need a break.”              Lofty nodded his thanks and closed the door.  With a gentle lurch, the carriage began rumbling towards its destination.  He settled back next to Topaz, wrapping a hoof around her and pulling the two of them into a comfortable snuggle.              “So who’s watching True for the weekend?” Topaz asked, concerned.  It warmed his heart every time he saw how taken she was with his son.              “He’s spending the weekend with Grace.  They’re going to the circus, and I think she mentioned that she was going to tour his preschool.  He’s pretty excited.”              “Is everything okay with your sister?” Topaz asked.  From the tenseness in her body, he could tell she knew just how loaded that question is.              “For now,” he replied slowly.  There was no other way to say it, and he didn’t think the uncomfortable status quo would last long. “With what’s happening, I don’t see them getting any better, either.”  They’d long ago decided to be careful about everything they said out loud, but she nodded with understanding.              “I’m sure everything will turn out fine,” she nuzzled against his neck, her voice full of boundless optimism.  “Oh!  And I have some good news.  It turns out I’m real.”              “Um, congratulations?” Lofty was confused.  Topaz laughed.              “A friend of yours was concerned that I might be a figment of her imagination.  She came up with a clever way to prove I really exist.”              “How’s that?” Lofty asked.              “Hmm…” Topaz mused coyly, and he laughed.  That was fine.  It wasn’t something they necessarily wanted to talk about.  It wasn’t that it was likely they were being overheard right now, but they had both decided to play things as safely as possible.              “Well if you’re not gonna say, at least tell me how she’s doing?”              “She’s… better.” Topaz sounded uncomfortable answering the question.  She took her job very seriously, especially the part where she’d promised not to divulge the secrets of anypony she was helping.  Topaz had told him that Emberglow had given specific permission, though, so she had shared at least some of the details of their session with Lofty.  “It helped to hear what you said.”              “Good.  I’m glad.” Lofty didn’t want to pry, but it was nice to have a line of communication with his oldest friend, even if it was second-hooved.              Both ponies lapsed into a comfortable silence as the carriage rolled towards their destination.  Lofty was doing his best to relax, though he felt the tension of excitement in Topaz’ body as she pressed it next to his.  The atmosphere in the carriage was heavy with the unspoken, the curiosity and fear and anticipation of things they couldn’t talk about.  *   *   *   *   *              Four hours into their journey, the carriage slowed to a stop, and there was a knock on the door.              “I’m sorry to interrupt, master Lofty,” the porter was at the door.  “We’ve reached a roadside inn, and the ponies that run the facility have given us some bad news.”              “Nothing too dire, I hope,” Lofty said with faked concern.  He’d been expecting this.              “It seems the road ahead has been buried in deep snows.  It would be unsafe to pass by, perhaps even impossible.”              “That’s awful,” Lofty gasped, perhaps a little melodramatically.  A sidelong glance from Topaz let him know he was overacting just a little.  “Well I certainly wouldn’t want to endanger the lady.  We’ll have to see to the accommodations of this roadside inn.”              “I’ve been here before, sir.  Years ago.  It’s perhaps not up to your family’s standards but it’s comfortable.”              “You forget, good stallion, I spent several months in the Ivy Seminary.  I’m used to roughing it a bit, as it were.”  The porter flinched to be reminded of Lofty’s disgrace.  “That is, if the lady doesn’t object.”              “I suppose we don’t have a choice,” Topaz demurred, though her eyes sparkled with amusement and curiosity.               “Very well, we shall do our best to enjoy ourselves in this…” He made a show of glancing out the window.  “… rustic establishment.”              In truth, Lofty loved the look of the inn; it reminded him of something out of a foal’s fairy tale.  It was three stories tall, made of dark stained wood.  He could see quaint, faded floral curtains in each window.  The front lawn was dusted with snow, and somepony had set up snowpony decorations out front made of painted wood.  They were arranged out front in a variety of poses, from engaging in a snowball fight to making snow-pegasi and building snow forts.  He heard Topaz make a coo of delight from beside him, clopping her hooves together at the sight.               “Ooh, let’s go in and see the inside,” Topaz gushed.  There was no need for her to act; she seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself.              “Very well.  You stallions, very nicely done.  Smooth ride, the entire time.  I’ll arrange a room for you two, as well.”  He winked at the two porters.  “And a bar tab, that I will take care of personally.”              The two stallions couldn’t help themselves, they let out a little cheer.  Lofty grinned at them, then motioned for Topaz to follow him towards the inn.              “Come, my lady.  Let us see if this inn has suitable accommodations worthy of your grace and beauty.”              Topaz giggled.  “Did you just call me high maintenance?” she said under her breath, sounding amused.              “Not at all.”  Lofty didn’t miss a beat.  “Only that you deserve the absolute best.”  He stepped forward and opened the front door, a rustic stained wood door with a charmingly rounded top.  He gestured for her to go first, and she curtsied with a smirk.              “You think you’re very clever and suave, don’t you?” she said as she pecked him on the cheek as she passed.              “Am I not?”  Lofty laughed, and stepped in after Topaz.              The inn’s reception room was just as quaint as the exterior had hinted.  There were potted plants in hangers everywhere, and the front counter was covered with a fringed ivory tablecloth.  A middle-aged stallion with a long, bushy black moustache over salmon-colored fur smiled as they entered.              “Welcome to the Roadside Retreat.”  He gave them both a short bow.  “I am Restful Sleep, and my wife and I operate this little slice of traveler’s paradise.  How can I help you two?”  His eyes were sharp and observant.              “Yes, indeed.” Lofty affected a noble sort of air to his voice.  “I am Lofty Tale, and this is Ambassador Topaz Glitter.  We were on our way to my family’s mountain cabin when our porters informed us that the road ahead is too unsafe to travel at this time.  It seems we’ll be patronizing your establishment for at least one night while we make alternative plans.”              “That’s too bad to hear.” Restful’s eyes flicked between them as Lofty announced their names.  “I’m sorry you had to cancel your plans because of weather.”              “It may turn out to be a blessing in disguise,” Lofty told the stallion, taking in the room.  “Your inn appears to be utterly charming, and my mare here is quite taken with it.”  Topaz rolled her eyes at him at the possessive pronoun.  “I don’t think our time here will be wasted in the slightest.”              “Then the Saints have truly guided you here, sir.” The innkeeper smiled.              “I require your best room for myself and the lady.  My porters, good stallions both, require room and board as well.  They are both probably exhausted and thirsty.  The kind of thirst that can only be quenched by suds.”  The innkeeper laughed despite himself. “If you have anything to drink, I promised the pair of them I’d see to whatever bar tab they manage to acquire.”              “That’s very generous of you, master Tale,” the innkeeper said.  “And would you and the ambassador like something to eat or drink as well?  We have a fully stocked kitchen, and can cook to your requests.  Our cook is quite talented, though it may be… simpler fare than you’re used to.”              “I’m sure it will be splendid,” Lofty said.  “But the ambassador and I would like to rest up from our long trip, so if you could show us to our room, that would be lovely.”              “Um, master Tale, please don’t think I am presumptuous, but our finest room…” Restful actually blushed, his pink cheeks turning pinker.  “It’s the honeymoon suite, sir.”              “I’m sure it will be fine,” Topaz said, amusement, and just a hint of hunger, dancing in her beautiful eyes.  Lofty nearly broke his façade of noble grace with a laugh, though he just barely kept his composure.              “Well, uh—” Restful glanced at the two, his blush deepened for a moment, before he blinked and regained himself.  “Right this way, then.”              They headed up a wooden staircase to another door, this one decorated with a pair of hearts overlapping each other.  Topaz nudged Lofty with a hoof, giving him a suggestive look which the innkeeper pretended to not see.  He took a key out of his pocket and twisted the door open, swinging it wide so the two ponies could enter.              “Somepony will bring your luggage up soon.  Dinner will be in a few hours, but if you need anything, there is a bell pull to the right of the door.  The suite comes fully stocked with toiletries and fresh towels.  Please, let me know if we can be of any more assistance.”              “We will.  Thank you, Restful Sleep,” Lofty said politely, and with another small bow, the innkeeper left.  Topaz closed the door behind him.              “I gotta say, the whole ‘gracious noble stallion’ bit is really working for me,” she laughed as the two of them explored the suite.  It was humble but comfy, with a king-sized bed covered in hoof-stitched down pillows.  The bathroom was generously large, containing a porcelain bowl with brass feet, large enough for two ponies.  “I mean, being clever and mysterious is super sexy, but being generous and polite without coming off as condescending?”  She made a low hum.  “I’d pounce you right now if I didn’t know somepony would be by in a few minutes with our luggage.”              “If you’re impressed now,” Lofty smirked, “the best is still yet to come.”              “I’m pretty sure the best will be when I finally pounce you, actually.” Topaz slid up beside him, her rump bumping into him.  Her tail was swishing side to side, flagging just a bit with each pass.              “To be fair, I’m having a bit of a hard time behaving myself as well,” Lofty lamented.  “Too bad we have a bit more business before we can finally truly enjoy ourselves.”              “Oh?” Topaz asked, but there was a knock on the door.  She opened it to reveal a middle aged earth pony mare with matte yellow fur and a burnt orange mane in a tight bun.  Their luggage was stacked on the floor next to the door.              “Sorry to interrupt,” she said, her voice cheerful and matronly.  “I’ve got your things.”              “Oh, but that’s not…” Topaz pointed at an unfamiliar crate, and Lofty quickly held out a hoof to hush her.  The older mare gave them both a look.              “Thank you so much, Ms…” Lofty trailed off as he stepped into the hallway to help, beginning with the odd crate.              “You can call me Quiet Sleep.  Me and my husband Restful own the place, you met him earlier,” she said as she helped move the rest of the luggage into the room.              “What is…” Topaz began again, but Lofty glanced warningly at the open door.  Quiet Sleep closed the door behind her, and breathed a small sigh.              “It’s all there?” Lofty whispered.  Quiet nodded.  He pried open the lid of the crate, and Topaz couldn’t help but lean over, curiously.              Inside, gently packed away, was a rune gauntlet, complete with three full batteries.  He glanced at them with surprise.              “Three?  I only arranged for one!”  Three was an unexpected bounty, a literal fortune of magical motes.              “New orders from the Big Guy,” Quiet Sleep said.  “You and the young miss here are important to the boss.  Nopony said why, but we’re supposed to help you as much as we can.”              “The boss?” Lofty frowned.              “Sir Heartwing, grand master of the Discordant and all that.” Quiet waved a hoof dramatically, with an amused smile on her face.  She glanced at Lofty.  “From everything I’ve heard, maybe I’ll be calling you ‘brother’ soon.”              “Brother?” Lofty was confused.  “What do you mean by…” He trailed off as the other horseshoe dropped.  Quiet Sleep, the sweet looking, motherly mare standing in front of him, was one of the Knights Discordant.              He expected to feel more… something. More frightened, maybe, or more shocked.  Maybe even sick.  But instead he felt simply a mild surprise.  It was just like he’d told Topaz; he didn’t feel guilty for losing his faith, but he felt guilty for not feeling guilty.              “Are you really?” he whispered.  Quiet Sleep gave him a gentle smile, her matronly demeanor totally at odds with the horror stories he’d heard his entire life of the Knights Discordant.  She nodded with a proud smile.              “Since I was fifteen years old, young stallion.  And before you ask, yes it is safe to speak openly in this room.  All the other preparations are in place, as well.  The potions for you two are in the crate, underneath the gauntlet.”              “Potions?” Topaz asked.              “Disguise potions.  Crafted by a very clever zebra spymaster,” Quiet Sleep said.  “You drink them, and hold an image in your mind of a pony you want to look like.  Meanwhile, two other ponies drink them while holding an image of you, and continue on the path tomorrow morning towards your family’s manor.  If you are being tailed, your Mystic pursuit will follow your decoys, while the two of you are off doing whatever you need to do in Old Canterlot.”              “You arranged all of this?” Topaz didn’t hide her admiration as she looked at Lofty.  He laughed, and resisted the urge to puff out his chest a bit.              “From what I hear, Lofty Tale is quite the asset to our cause.  Not nearly as lukewarm as your predecessor,” Quiet Sleep commented.  Lofty didn’t know if he should feel proud at a compliment from a heretic, but he knew he had to start getting used to the idea.  After all, he was one now too.              It was something he had to keep reminding himself of, over and over again.              “So, you won’t need to come back here to give back the gauntlet, but I’d appreciate it if you did,” Quiet Sleep admonished him.  “These things don’t grow on trees, young stallion.”              “I shall do my best,” Lofty promised.              “That’ll be good enough,” Quiet Sleep grinned at him, then winked.  “Now you two be sure to get enough rest.  You’ve a long way to go in the morning to get to the train tracks.”  The twinkle in her eyes, and her smirk, let Lofty know that the mare knew exactly what was probably coming next.              If Lofty’s current streak of good luck continued, that was.              The door closed with a gentle click of the latch, and Lofty glanced at Topaz.  His heart leapt with excitement at the almost predatory gaze in her eyes.              “Generous, clever, sexy, and kind.  And now all alone, stuck in a honeymoon suite, with me.” Her grin grew with every point she listed.  “The problem is, I don’t know what your whole plan is, so I don’t know what we have time for next.”              “We leave to do some skiing tomorrow morning,” he said vaguely, grinning as he replaced the crate’s lid.  Just because the innkeeper had said the room was safe didn’t mean he wanted the gauntlet, or the potions, out in the open.  “So we have plenty of time tonight.”              “Skiing?” Topaz asked, one eyebrow arched.              “Cross-country skiing, yes,” Lofty replied.  “If you’ve never tried it before, you should be prepared for some very strenuous physical activity.”              “Strenuous physical activity?” Her voice was low and husky.  “I like the sound of that.”              “Don’t be so sure,” Lofty teased.  “It’s a very hard sport.”              “’Very hard’ you say?” she giggled. Inwardly he cringed; that one was low hanging fruit.              “Yes, lots of taxing, repetitive movement,” he continued, causing Topaz to laugh.  “Why, it’s not unusual for all parties to end up panting and sweaty at the end.”              “But satisfied, I hope,” Topaz added.              “My dear, I can swear to you on all that is holy, if you engage in this activity with me, you will be deeply satisfied.  Perhaps many times over.”              “I see.”  Topaz was flushed, her eyes half lidded as her tail swayed back and forth.  She didn’t walk over to him, she stalked, like a feline chasing its prey.  Soon they were nearly nose to nose.  She leaned up, her lips trailing against his cheek as they tickled back towards his ear, which she nibbled gently.  “Why don’t you come show me, if you’re so confident about my satisfaction?”  Her words were the merest puff of air dancing in his ear.              Then she broke away, prancing backwards with easy grace.  A single, fluid motion was all it took to slip out of her dress, and then she was on top of the bed, over the covers, spreading out as she beckoned to him.  Lofty gulped.  He had seen mares unclad before, many times.  Even Topaz, in his dreams.  But this was different.  It was magical. He chased after her onto the bed, shedding his own clothing with urgent haste. *   *   *   *   *              A beam of cold sunshine, brightened by a sparkling fresh layer of snow outside, peeked through the inn’s window to awake the young lovers.  Lofty woke first, glancing over at the glittering crystal pony next to him.  Sometime during their activities, she’d burst into light, her entire form becoming crystalline and translucent.  He’d nearly stopped in shock, but Topaz had demanded his continued participation, promising an explanation in the morning.              Now, as he looked over Topaz, still smiling slightly in her sleep, her mane splayed out in disarray on the pillows about them, he remembered what she’d said weeks ago, in the dream, about the crystal transformation happening as a result of pleasant or happy emotions.  It made him feel a bit smug.              Suddenly Topaz blinked, squinting to the light as she looked up at him.  A wide, satisfied grin split her face, even as she tried to squirm back under the covers.              “Oh wow.  I am the best kind of sore right now,” she moaned happily from under the sheet she’d managed to hide beneath.  “You’re not getting up yet, are you?”              “I’m afraid we have to,” Lofty said reluctantly, running a hoof along her barrel, hidden by the sheets.  “Sorry, Topaz.  We have places to be.”              The reminder got her attention, and she snuck her head out, grinning excitedly at him.              “We really are sneaking into Old Canterlot?  Where Starlight might be?”  She nearly leapt to her hooves, standing on the bed while she stretched each part of her body.  Lofty watched appreciatively, practically leering, while she eyed him with amusement.  “Ooh!  I hope we have time for a bath.  Maybe a shower, at least.”              “Most definitely a bath,” Lofty eyed the large tub in the bathroom.  “Perhaps a joint one?”  He raised his eyebrows enticingly.              “How much time do we have?” she asked in mock-scandalized tones.              He glanced at the bedside clock, and gave a disappointed sigh.  “Not enough for too much fun, but I’d happily massage your sore muscles.”              “You have convinced me,” Topaz said regally, then cackled with delight as she leapt off the bed towards the bathroom.              The bath was regrettably not nearly as long as Lofty wanted it to be, and both ponies were flushed and disappointed when they had to dry off and dress for their journey.  They put on warm winter clothing, but with layers, as Lofty instructed.              “I wasn’t joking about the hot and sweaty part,” he explained.  “Cross country skiing is really demanding, so after a while we’ll probably be wanting to remove some layers.”              “I still want to remove some,” she muttered, and he laughed.              “C’mon.  Let’s go get a hearty breakfast.”  He led the way downstairs to the kitchen, where the innkeeper and his wife were cooking.              “Come on in, young master, young lady,” Quiet invited.  She stood over a huge pot, stirring something thick that smelled of cinnamon.  “I’ve just the thing for your long trip.  Come on in, we have a small kitchen table here.”  She gestured to the table, where two seats waited for them.              “How are my porters doing?” Lofty asked.               “Sleeping off a righteous hangover, I’d bet,” Restful Sleep said.  “They took you at your word, sir.”              “I’m glad,” Lofty smiled fondly.  “Let them sleep in.  We’ll be long gone before they wake up.”              Lofty and Topaz sat down at the table, and Quiet placed a steaming bowl of fragrant oatmeal in front of both of them.  “Hang on, I’ve got some fruit chopped up.  You’ll want lots of energy for your trip today.  Either of you want coffee?”              “Tea, if you have any,” Lofty said.              “I’ll take some coffee,” Topaz said.              “Cream or sugar, dear?” Quiet asked as she spooned a healthy helping of chopped peaches and strawberries into each bowl.              “Both.  Plenty, please.”              “You want whipped cream and sprinkles to go with that?” Quiet teased, and Topaz blushed, but grinned.              “Sure, if you have them,” she said.  Lofty thought she might have been joking, but when Quiet pulled out a small canister of sprinkles Topaz didn’t correct her, even clopping her hooves in delight when Quiet topped her whipped cream with sprinkles.              The two innkeepers let Lofty and Topaz eat in peace, but there was a question Lofty was curious about.  He watched Quiet while the mare went about her kitchen tasks, doing a dozen mundane, completely normal chores like a completely normal pony.  Finally he had the courage to voice his curiosity.              “Hey, Ms. Quiet?” he began, selecting his words with great care.  “Remember what you said yesterday, about me reminding you of your brother?”  It took a few seconds for Quiet to piece together what Lofty was referring to.              “Yes, what about it?” she said briskly.              “You seem to admire your brother very much,” he continued.  “If I wanted to emulate him more closely, what would that take?”              Quiet Sleep appeared thoughtful, but her eyes were bright with excitement.  “Self-improvement is always an admirable goal.  In some cases, all it takes is a simple declaration of intent.”              “That’s all?” Lofty was incredulous.              “Well, that’s the first bit,” she said vaguely.  “There’s more, but not much.”              “Will you help me?”  Lofty said.  “I’d like to… belong.  Again.”              Once he said the words out loud, he realized how true they were.  He’d only been a Knight for a matter of months, but already he was feeling the void, the missing piece of who he was meant to be.  He remembered the camaraderie he had felt with the Vigilant during his brief time there, and he missed it.  He’d made relationships and friendships that had evaporated after his discommendation.               “I can do that,” Quiet Sleep said with a firm nod.  “We’ll talk more before you leave.”              They finished their breakfast quickly after that.  Lofty, already excited, felt an even stronger sense of purpose.  After breakfast, they went upstairs, followed by Quiet Sleep.              “Did you mean it?” she asked without preamble when the door closed behind the three ponies.              “I think so,” Lofty said.  “I want to be a Knight again.  Except for the right side, this time.  Is that okay?”              “You don’t sound so sure,” Quiet teased lightly, her tone belying the seriousness of the conversation.              “I don’t know if I know what I’m getting into, for sure,” he admitted.  “I’m not even sure I have a choice.”              “You do,” Quiet said.  “You always have a choice.  We would love to count you as an ally, even if we can’t count you in our numbers.”              There was a confidence in her voice.  A complete openness, even a surety.  It bolstered Lofty.              “Okay.  I want in, then.  What do I have to do?”              “That’s it, actually.  For now, at least.  Sir Heartwing insists on meeting each new recruit eventually.  He’s the boss, the grand master, the Big Guy, whatever you want to call him. He’s a unicorn, so I hope that doesn’t bug you.  Something more than that, if the rumors are true.  But he has this way of looking you in the eye and knowing your heart.”              “Why do they call him Heartwing if he’s a unicorn?” Lofty asked, curious.  “It has to be a pseudonym, right?”              “I don’t know for sure,” Quiet hedged.  “But there are rumors and legends.  One says it’s to honor his lost love, Saint Fluttershy herself.”  Lofty gaped at her incredulously, but Topaz was silent, with nothing but a speculative expression on her face.              “Really?  That’s impossible,” Lofty scoffed, though inwardly he doubted.  The line between possible and impossible was rather blurred these days.              “You’ll have a chance to ask him yourself when you meet him, Sir Lofty,” she said, emphasizing the title.  He felt a glow of pride, and Topaz nuzzled his cheek.  “Sorry I don’t have any spare armor with Fluttershy’s mark on it.  Not that you’d want it where you’re going.”              “Thank you, Lady Quiet,” Lofty replied formally, though he was grinning.  She reached out and hugged him.  It was a very different feel than the arcane and disquieting initiation he’d had into the Vigilant.              “Welcome to the Discordant, Knight.  You’re on the right side now.” *   *   *   *   *              “So the ski’s designed to push forward, but not really slip backwards?” Topaz asked, her voice quivering with nervousness as she wobbled on her skis.  She didn’t look like herself; the potion had transformed the both of them to look like the pair of earth ponies that were now taking their place.  Topaz was still a mare, with long blonde hair and creamy orange fur.  Lofty was now a black-coated stallion with a blue mane.              “That’s exactly right.  Remember your forehooves are for steering and balance, not pushing.  Your skis on the hindhooves do all the work.”              “O-okay.  I can even go uphill like this?”              “It’s harder, but yes.”              Topaz turned out to be an apt pupil, and in no time at all they were powering their way across the countryside.  Lofty did his best to be aware of his companion, especially since she wasn’t enhanced the way he was. They took frequent breaks.              On the way, Lofty used his new gauntlet to cast a pathfinding spell every few miles.  The area was heavily wooded, and they could easily get lost if he took a wrong turn.              “So we’re not going to ski all the way up the mountain, are we?” Topaz was panting after the first few miles.              “Goodness, no,” Lofty called back behind him.  “We’re heading to a lonely spot on the train tracks between the new Canterlot and the old one.  There’s a train full of supplies going up later this afternoon, and we’re going to jump it.”              “We’re going to jump onto a moving train.”  Her voice was dead even, and she’d stopped in her tracks.  He looked back at her, his grin just a little crazy.              “Yeah.  Sounds like fun, right?”  He laughed at the way her eyebrows climbed.              “Is it hard?” she asked, nervously.  “I’ve never jumped onto a train before.”              “Neither have I,” Lofty admitted.  “I’ve read about it, though.”              “You’ve…” she trailed to a stunned, silent halt.  She’d frozen in her tracks entirely.  “You’ve never… You read….” She shook her head violently.  “Are you insane?”              “Possibly.  I think we’ll be just fine, though.”              “Oh?”  She laughed hysterically.  “Lofty, confidence is sexy, but not if it gets us in mortal danger.”              “We’ll have some time before the train passes.  I’ll go over the procedure with you, and I have spells that will help.  I believe this is something we both can easily manage, so I’m going to have to ask you to trust me.”              “Okay…” she said hesitantly.  He grinned and continued through the snow-dusted woods.              “Besides, jumping back off the moving train will be harder anyways.”              “Lofty!”              He laughed at her reproachful tone, pushing forward on his skis.  She followed behind, grumbling in annoyance. Soon, despite the cold temperatures, they were stripping off their outer layers of clothing due to heat.              “I thought you were kidding when you said we’d be taking off layers,” Topaz said wryly as she stuffed her outer coat into her pack.              “Not at all,” Lofty smiled.  “This really is—” he cut off, interrupted by the loud screech of a bird of prey.  “Huh.  Must be a hawk we disturbed.  Probably not used to seeing many ponies this high in the forest.”  He called out to the unseen bird.  “Sorry, mister Hawk.  We’ll be moving on soon.”              “Wait,” Topaz said, holding up a hoof.  Her ears perked, and she listened to the sounds of the forest.  As soon as everything was still, Lofty was suddenly aware of the sounds of silence; the heavy, laden sort of silence that only a snow-blanketed forest can hold.  Suddenly the forest sounds were ripped apart by another cry from the hawk, and Topaz’ eyes shot sharply towards the forest.              “If I’m not mistaken,” she said softly, “we’re being followed.  And not by an enemy.  That sounds like a red-tailed hawk.  Last I checked they didn’t live this far south.  If I’m right, somecreature’s trying to find out if he can trust you.”              “What?” Lofty wasn’t following.  Topaz grinned.              “Just keep going.  He’s shy, but he’ll come introduce himself soon.  I’m just surprised.  I didn’t think he came south with the rest of the embassy.”  She turned to the forest, in the direction of the hawk’s cry.  “It’s okay, Escher!  I trust Lofty.”  With a nod, she turned back to him.  “Okay.  Let’s go.”              “Escher?” Lofty asked.  Topaz shook her head, motioning to the trail.  With a shrug, he continued.  He trusted her, after all.  He continued on, glancing back behind his shoulder to ensure Topaz was following.  It didn’t mean he wouldn’t keep a close eye on the surrounding forest, though.              “Escher’s a good friend from up north.  We were neighbors growing up.  He’s pretty much my brother.”              “You’re brother is a hawk?” Lofty asked.  Topaz laughed, shaking her head.              “No, he’s not.  Um…” she hesitated.  “I’d rather not say too much.  Some secrets don’t belong to me.”              There was a sudden rustling sound of feathers cutting through the air.  A bolt of brown and red shot through the sky, slowing down just as Lofty jumped and spun, ready to protect Topaz.  She was smiling, though, as a beautiful hawk with boldly piercing eyes rested on her backpack.  His eyes were far too intelligent for a simple bird, and Lofty got the distinct impression that he was being weighed and measured.              “Lofty, meet my best friend Escher.  Escher, this is Lofty Tale, my coltfriend.”  They hadn’t exactly used the word yet, but when she said it his heart leapt for joy.  “How long have you been following us?” she continued suspiciously.  “Because if you were watching last night, you should know that was totally inappropriate.  A definite ‘socks or necktie on the doorknob’ moment.”  She glanced at Lofty.  “Sorry.  Inside joke.  Back in the Empire, Escher and I are roommates.  The sock on the door is how we signal to each other that we have…” she managed to smirk even as her cheeks colored, “…uh, pleasurable company.”              The hawk screeched, but Lofty could have sworn there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.  Suddenly the raptor spread his wings, flapping just enough to fly over and land on Lofty’s backpack.  Lofty glanced over his shoulder, and the hawk stared back.  It was a test of some sort, he thought.              “He’s the best, Escher.  Kind and brave, and funny.  I think you’ll like him.”  The hawk’s gaze shot back at Topaz, then returned to Lofty, before slipping back at the trail ahead.              “I guess I pass for now?” Lofty said, and the hawk screeched in what seemed like agreement.  “Good.  I’m glad I live up to the standards of a bird.”  This time the screech was angry.  “Yes, I get it.  You’re not really a bird.  I’m going to start moving again, so keep your balance, okay?”              They continued on their way again, though this time Lofty felt less paranoid about what might be following them.  He was very curious about the creature that now sat on his backpack, though.              “So, Escher,” Topaz began.  “I know you weren’t a part of the embassy.  Did the Empress order you to follow me?”  The hawk gave a short, dismissive squawk.  “Not the Empress?  Then the Princess?”  Topaz’ voice was full of surprise.  “Wow.  I know we don’t get along, but it’s nice to know she cares.”              “Escher, you work for the Princess of the Crystal ponies?” Lofty asked.  “What sort of work do you do?”  The hawk screeched again.  “Yes, I suppose you can’t answer me with words, can you?  How does Topaz understand you so well, then?”              Topaz was laughing.  “He used to be an investigator for the Knights Vigilant, Escher.  He’s pretty sharp.”  The hawk cried softly, and Lofty looked back.  He looked relaxed, perched atop the backpack with closed eyes.  “Okay, just stop me if I go too far.  Escher doesn’t always look like a hawk.  He works for the Princess as one of her elite guards, and he’s very good at his job.  Very loyal.”              “I thought the princess was angry at you?  Banished you from court.”  Lofty didn’t look back this time, and his eyes scanned the forest around them.  His muscles were already aching with a pleasant sort of warmth.               “That’s true, but it was temporary.  Just for show, really.”  Topaz sighed.  “I know she loves me, even though we don’t get along.  I’m her granddaughter, after all.”  Escher screeched his agreement.  “So, she sent you to keep me safe?  Thanks, Escher.  It honestly makes me feel better knowing you’re here.”              Meanwhile Lofty was compiling everything he’d learned on the mystery of Escher.  He was friends with Topaz, roommates even.  He wasn’t a hawk all the time, and was even an elite royal guard.  Something tickled his memory, from the dark and disturbing ceremony when he joined the Knights Vigilant.              “Back before I was expelled from the Vigilant, I learned some of their deepest secrets,” Lofty began casually.  “There’s an ancient story.  More than seven centuries old, really.  After the Siege of Manehatten, the Knights Vigilant were tasked with guarding the heretic Sunset Shimmer and carrying her back to New Canterlot for execution.  Only, something went wrong.”              He knew he had both of their attention by the way both Topaz and Escher had gone completely silent.               “There was a switch, only those ancient Vigilants have no idea how it happened.  Sunset Shimmer was in a locked room.  There was no way anypony could get in, and the Vigilant even cast spells to seal the doors.  Spells that were intact.  When they went to get her the next morning, something else was in her place.              “It looked like her, but it wasn’t her.  It attacked them, and when it attacked it took the form of a bug-like pony, with chitin instead of fur.  I’ve always thought that was a really interesting story.  Creatures that can take the shape of ponies, or even other creatures. It’s one of the darkest secrets in the Vigilant.  It’s a lesson in constant, well, vigilance.  A warning.  We’re also taught all the details of this creature, to always be aware of shapeshifting spies that can take other forms.”              “Um, interesting story,” Topaz said nervously, while Escher was completely silent.              “Now that I’ve been cast out, it’s mostly just a curiosity, really.” Lofty said casually.  “But if such creatures did exist, they’d be really useful in the ruined city we’re going to.  In fact, the mere presence of one on our side would make me feel even more confident in our success.”  It was fine if Escher didn’t want to confirm what he’d said.  Their silence did that all on its own.  *   *   *   *   *              The train track cut an iron scar across the green and white landscape.  Lofty found a large tree for the three of them to hunker behind and wait. If all went according to plan, the train would be passing by sometime in the next hour.  Hopefully they would have enough time to hear it coming and prepare themselves.              Jumping onto a train was easy, in theory, and mostly involved running fast enough to catch onto a railing or a handle somewhere.  The train between Old and New Canterlot wasn’t as quick as the barreling engines that supplied the dragon and griffon war fronts, but it was still dangerously fast.               “Don’t worry,” Lofty reassured Topaz.  “As soon as we hear the train coming, I’ll cast a spell on you that will increase your speed and your physical strength.”              “But what if I don’t make it on?” Topaz worried.  “Or maybe I make it on, but I fall off?  What if…”              He cut her off before her panic could get a full head of steam.  “Topaz, please trust me.  This will go just fine.” Her concerns were very real.  But he remembered all the time he spent tutoring Emberglow on combat back in the Ivy Seminary, and he knew that sometimes panic and doubt had a huge effect on how a pony performed.  If she saw that he was completely confident, their chances for success went way up.  “Besides, if the worst comes to pass, then Escher will help you.  Right, Escher?”  The bird flapped his wings and squawked.               “Once we’re on the train, we’ll have to get off before it reaches its destination,” he explained.  They’d gone over this before, but repetition instilled confidence, as well.  “Only the palace walls are closed off and fully guarded.  The Mystics patrol the city itself, but there are no walls, and there simply aren’t enough Mystics to fully secure it.” He knew this from his own foray into the ruins; if he and Emberglow hadn’t been fleeing like panicked foals, they probably would never have been heard by the patrol.              “What happens if we run into a patrol?  Or get caught on the train?” Topaz asked.  Lofty pulled the large pack off his back, the one that carried their extra supplies and food.  Wordlessly, he retrieved a belt and sheath from the pack.  Topaz gaped.  “You brought a sword?”              Really it was a very long knife, not quite a sword.  He would have preferred a spear, but stealth and surprise would probably matter far more than skill in any violent encounters ahead.              “Yes, and I beg the Saints that I don’t have to use it.”  The response was automatic, and he flinched.  Topaz gave him a sympathetic look.  “But if I do, stay back, and I’ll try to finish things as quickly as possible.”  She cringed, her face stricken.  “I’m sorry, Topaz.  I don’t want to kill if I don’t have to.  But if it means the difference between you living or dying, I won’t hesitate to do what I need to to protect you, okay?”              “Okay,” she whispered in a very small voice, her eyes locked on the knife.  He strapped it around his barrel, where he’d be able to draw it in a hurry.               “If we’re careful, it won’t matter,” he reassured her, though inwardly he dreaded the moment when she saw death.  There was something light and innocent about Topaz, and he absolutely didn’t want to see it shattered if she had to watch him kill.  “If a fight does happen, keep your eyes open, keep out of the way, and hide.  If…” he gulped, his throat suddenly dry.  “If I die, run.”              “You’re not going to die, Lofty,” she scoffed, and suddenly it was her confidence he was leaning on.  She patted his shoulder.  “Don’t you feel it?  There’s a… weight to all of this.  A sense of destiny.  Everything’s going to be okay, because it has to be.”              “Says the mare who was just bombarding me with what ifs,” Lofty teased.              “I’m just trying to be prepared for everything,” she protested. He reached out and pulled her into a tight hug, pressing their chests tightly together.  He was worried for a moment about being so affectionate in front of her long-time friend, but when he glanced at the hawk, Escher somehow looked pleased.              “I know.  Thank you for looking out for both of us.”              “You too,” she replied, and the nervousness in her voice told him she was still worried about watching him kill.  He held her for a silent minute, breathing in the scent of her and reveling in the feel of her pressed against him.               “Let’s pack up the skis and get ready for the train,” he broke the silence, reluctantly moving away from Topaz.              They packed away their skis, securing them tightly to their packs.  From the packs, Lofty also pulled out a pair of large cloaks with white, green, and brown patterns on them that would serve as camouflage.  Then they sat down to wait, cuddled close together to share warmth in the frigid air.  Lofty slipped one of the cloaks over the both of them, and Topaz nestled into his slightly larger frame.              When the train did come, Lofty’s ears perked up first.  He stood, stretching each limb and trying to ignore the whimper of protest from Topaz.              “I know it’s a little scary, but keep remembering the payoff, okay?” Lofty said.  “Tonight, when we bunk down in a ruined building in a millennia-old city, you’ll be able to meet the oldest dreamwalker to ever live.”              “Yeah, yeah,” Topaz said, her voice shaking.  “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”              “Okay, so let’s get behind a tree,” Lofty said, as the rumbling of the train rattled the nearby tracks.  “Once the engine is past, we start to gallop.”  He lifted his gauntlet in the air, tracing glowing runes.  Three spells; one to increase Topaz’ speed, a second that would affect her strength.  The third blurred the air around the both of them, making them harder to spot if one of the train workers happened to be looking along the tracks.  The cloaks would help as well.              “I’m really glad Quiet Sleep gave us three batteries,” he said, glancing at the gems on the one he had slotted into his gauntlet.  Two of the green gems were already dim, though the third held strong.  “It will be quite helpful to have extra resources.”              “Why do you think the Discordant are being so accommodating?” Topaz asked as the train grew closer.              “If I had to guess?  You.” Lofty replied.              “Me?”              “You told Emberglow about the Element of Laughter, right?  She probably passed that on to her superiors.  This ‘Sir Heartwing’ stallion.”              “I see.”  Topaz looked uncomfortable at the mention of the name.  Lofty was about to ask, but the engine was almost upon them.  He tensed, ready to spring from their hiding place behind the tree.  “Get ready, Topaz.  We’re aiming for a car somewhere near the back, a box car.  You take the lead, I’ll run behind you in case there is trouble.  Escher, if you could stay close to Topaz in case she needs your help.”              “Yes sir,” Topaz saluted with a nervous laugh.  Even the hawk managed a silly salute with his wing.  There was a blast of air as the train shot by them.              “Now!” Lofty shouted.  The two sprang into a sprint.  Lofty let Topaz sprint in front of him, bringing up the rear.  The train roared past, a rushing, deadly wall of colorful containers and screeching wheels.  Topaz tried to do as she was instructed, but Lofty could see as she ran that she was shying away from the monster of steel and speed beside them.  “Get ready!” he shouted behind her, as loudly as he could over the deafening sounds.  “Any one of these cars.  Hurry!”              “Hurry?!  But…” she nearly argued, but then Lofty watched her steel herself.  With a lunge that probably took more courage than he would ever realize, Topaz dashed over and seized the railing for one of the cars.  Lofty’s heart leapt with terror as he saw her body jerk forward, and he saw rather than heard her yelp of pain as the momentum of the train wrenched her limb.  But a split second later she was fine, safely standing with shaking legs on the steps that led up to the boxcar.              Perhaps a bit more smoothly, he jumped up and grabbed his own railing, lurching onto the boxcar two behind her.  With a wince, he rubbed his sore shoulder joint, and silently hoped she remembered the next bit.  Though it may not have seemed it, the next part would be even harder.              He climbed up beside the boxcar, to the point where the two cars were hitched together.  He reached up and hefted his head above the moving train, squinting in discomfort at the rush of air hit his face.  To his great pride and relief, Topaz was already on top of her boxcar, hunched down belly flat against the roof while she inched her way towards him and the back of the train.  Escher hovered above, beating his wings to keep up with the rate of the train.              He knew she wouldn’t hear or understand a word he said, so Lofty simply grinned encouragingly at her as she slowly approached.  The look of abject terror on her face would have been comical, if there weren’t a good reason for it.              Without warning, the train jolted slightly, and Topaz’ lips parted in a scream he couldn’t hear as her hold slipped loose.  She slid down the roof of the train car, careening towards the edge of the roof.  Escher darted towards her, but at the last second she snagged onto a roof slat.  She was still about two pony lengths away from Lofty, so he could clearly see the heaving of her panicked breaths and the wide pounding horror in her eyes.              He held her gaze, trying to will as much courage and comfort as he could into his expression, despite his own pounding heart.  He tapped on the roof, motioning to himself with one hoof, and hoping she understood.  Did she need him to come up and help her?  It took a few breaths, but finally she shook her head and carefully crept the rest of the way to where he was.              As soon as she was within reach, he seized her hooves and helped pull her to the small platform between cars.  The wind was much quieter here, even though now there was the loud sound of clanking, screeching metal of the wheels on the track and the connection between the two cars.  It was just quiet enough that he could hear Topaz’ short, panted breaths.              “I never… wanna do that again,” Topaz gasped, and Lofty laughed with relief.  There was a squawk as Escher landed next to them, hopping over to spread a wing comfortingly over her back as Lofty held her tight.  “I don’t even wanna think about getting off.”              “We have at least an hour before we have to worry about that,” Lofty said.  “Relax as much as possible.”  He glanced at the hawk.  “Escher, are you doing okay after all that excitement?”  The hawk glanced at him and nodded.  “Good.  I know it’s going to be tough to rest on a tiny, rattling metal platform, but let’s do our best, okay?  Well done so far.”              “You sound like a soldier complimenting his troops,” Topaz laughed.  “Should I be saluting?”              “Only if you feel like it,” Lofty said with mock dignity.  She laughed again.  “Besides, I am sort of in charge, it’s my job to compliment my troops on a job well done.”              “You want to be in charge?  Hmm, I didn’t get that impression last night,” Topaz teased.  Lofty laughed, a deep, satisfying belly laugh, as Escher screeched with indignation.  “What?  I’m going to flirt with my brand new stallionfriend, and if you have objections, that’s your problem.  Consider it revenge for that time you forgot to lock the door when you brought that yak, whats-her-name, home drunk.”              The hawk somehow managed to look embarrassed, dipping his head. Lofty, on the other hand, heard the implication.  A hawk, after all, didn’t quite have the anatomy necessary to seduce drunk yaks.  He kept his curiosity to himself, though. *   *   *   *   *              Over the next hour, Topaz’ good humor evaporated in a rising tide of anxiety.  Both Lofty and Escher kept giving each other nervous glances.              “How much longer?” she asked for at least the fiftieth time.  Lofty held her close, but she was still twitching and fidgeting on the small platform.              “About five minutes now,” Lofty said.  Topaz nodded shakily.  “Tell me what’s wrong.”              “I can’t do it,” she whispered, her voice breaking with terror.  “When we jump off I’m gonna fall and trip and I’m gonna break my leg or something and then we’ll get caught and they’ll lock us away and they’ll execute you and it’ll all be my fault…”              “Topaz!  Please, relax,” Lofty forced a light laughter into his voice.  “You’re overthinking all of this.  You’re going to do just fine.”              “I’m not!” She was growing more hysterical, trembling with fear.  “I don’t know if I can do this, Lofty!  I really don’t!”              “Topaz,” Lofty began carefully, as if he were talking to a frightened foal.  “If we don’t jump off the train, they’ll definitely catch us.  I need you to calm down so you can do this, okay?”              “Calm down,” Topaz laughed hysterically.  She was hyperventilating.  “Okay.  I’ll work on that.  Calm down.”  He could practically hear her heart rate increasing.  “I’m calming down.  Can you tell?”              Lofty and Escher shared another concerned look, and the hawk nodded.  A burst of green fire surrounded the hawk, and before Lofty’s eyes he was replaced by a brown furred pegasus with a red mane.  Even though he’d suspected that Escher was a shapeshifter of some sort, it still made him jump.              “Don’t worry,” the pegasus said.  “I’ll get you down, okay?”  He glanced at Lofty with a smirk.  “I can’t hold two, though.  You’ll have to jump yourself.”              “I think I can manage,” Lofty said shakily.              “Escher, you didn’t have to…” Topaz murmured, but Escher shook his head.              “Don’t worry about it.  We’ll talk about it later.”  His eyes shifted to Lofty.  “It’s not like he didn’t figure it out anyways.”              “Thank you,” Topaz said.  Lofty still had his hooves around her, but she reached out to squeeze Escher’s hoof.  Lofty felt uncharacteristically jealous; he’d been trying to keep her calm for nearly an hour, but it took her friend only a second.  He shouldn’t have been surprised, as they’d known each other much longer.  But still, it stung a little.              “Close your eyes, Glitterbug,” Escher said comfortingly, and Lofty flinched at the endearment.  Topaz nodded and closed her eyes.  “I’ll fly her off, Lofty.  You sure you can get down safely?”              “I’m sure.  Keep her safe, please,” he said graciously, even though it pricked him that he couldn’t do so himself.  Escher gently lifted Topaz, who was still shaking, and with a hard leap cleared the train and disappeared.              Lofty stepped up to the edge quickly.  He’d read about jumping from a train years ago, in a silly foal’s tale.  He hoped the tips he remembered were accurate; he didn’t focus on the ground beneath him, instead fixing his gaze away from the mountain, out towards the spread of the city beneath them.              With a leap of faith, he jumped from the train, wheeling his hooves in the air so he was running when he hit the ground.  Snow splashed up into the air and he grunted with the pain of impact.  He kept his hooves for a few dozen steps before tumbling and rolling in the blessedly soft snow.  The train rumbled past, shooting up the mountain without him.              Escher and Topaz caught up a few minutes later.  He was flushed with the effort of flight, and Topaz looked embarrassed.              “I’m sorry,” she whispered.  “I don’t know what came over me.  It was just, suddenly in my head I could see all the possible things that could go wrong, and the ground was just moving so quickly.”              “You don’t need to apologize,” Lofty pulled her into a hug, and Topaz clung to him.  Escher gave them both a patient smile and a few moments before chiming in.              “We should get moving.  I don’t think anypony was looking, but I don’t want to test the idea,” he said.              Lofty nodded.  “Good idea.  Um, is it okay?  For you to keep that form?”  He led the way, staying close to the harder ground near the tracks.  The other two followed.              “It’s not like I need to hide anything from you,” Escher allowed.  “Topaz trusts you, so I trust you.”              “Thank you,” he said sincerely.  “For that, and for your help.”              Escher shrugged.  “I was here anyways.  Besides, it seems to be my mission in life to keep Topaz out of the worst of her trouble.  It’s just blind luck that I’ve never had to arrest her yet.”              “Hey!” Topaz protested.               “Nope.  You introduced me to your stallionfriend, so I get to have my revenge for years of teasing.  I have a decade worth of embarrassing stories.” Lofty glanced back; Escher’s expression was predatory.  “If your mother were still around, she’d say it was my solemn duty.”              “Your mother has passed?” Lofty asked gently.  He still didn’t know nearly as much about Topaz’ family as he would have liked.              “Yup, when I was about eleven,” Topaz nodded.  “That’s why me and Escher got to be so close.  Our moms both passed early, and our dads just kinda became best friends, so we did too.  We did everything together, except when somecreature decided to join the royal guard.”              “You could have too,” Escher protested, and Topaz gave a snort of amusement.  “Why not?  It would have done you good.”              “Sure.  Up until the court martial,” Topaz joked.  Escher nodded and smiled.  Once again Lofty felt the mournful sting of jealousy for what they shared.              “So, Escher,” Lofty tried not to think that he was awkwardly changing the subject.  “I couldn’t help but notice you were a hawk a few minutes ago, and now you’re not.  Care to comment?”              Escher laughed.  “That’s quite the way to ask what I am.  I’m a changeling, Lofty.  This isn’t even my real body.  I don’t know anything about the story you told earlier, about Sunset Shimmer, but that sounds like one of ours.”              “Why is there no reference to you in our literature?” Lofty was incredulous.  “Outside of the secrets of the Vigilant, that is.”              “We erased ourselves,” Escher said.  “We’re taught that when the Diarchy faith came into the open, moving from a secret cult to an actual movement to take over the government of Equestria, changeling infiltrators slipped in and began removing every reference to our kind in printed literature.  By then, we’d mostly all moved up north anyways, so few ponies knew much about us.  It wasn’t perfect, and it took decades of hard work, but we just… disappeared.”              “That’s… unbelievable,” Lofty breathed.              “Yeah, well, obviously we didn’t get everything,” Escher snorted.  “The Mystics still have a few odd accounts that we know of, and apparently there’s the bit that you lot know.  But we’re practically phantoms down south.  It makes spying quite a bit easier.”              “You have changeling spies in the Diarchy?” Lofty asked.              “Ever since the shield went up, yeah,” Escher said.  “My great uncle was one, actually.”              “So you just… take pony form and pretend to be one of us?” Lofty asked.  The idea was oddly unsettling.  With a sudden cold chill, he wondered how many changeling spies he’d actually met.              “You don’t have to worry too much about us,” Escher replied, as if reading Lofty’s thoughts.  “There’s not very many of us down here at a given time.  Really, the odds of you even having met one of us is beyond low.”              “But I still wouldn’t know, right?” Lofty said with a shiver.  “I could have gone my whole life not knowing that one of my friends or neighbors or even casual acquaintances could have been an imposter.”              “Again, the odds are ridiculously low,” Escher said dismissively.  “I don’t know the real numbers, but we can’t have had more than two or three in New Canterlot City.”              Lofty was going to comment on more, but as they followed the train tracks that looped around the conical mountain above them, the ruined buildings of the old city were slowly coming into view.  Lofty remembered the cracking and broken spires from the last time he was here.  Before, they’d brought a sense of wonder and imagination.  He felt the same now, though there was also anger.              That came as a surprise.  He’d never felt anger like this before.  His loss of faith had simply been something he’d accepted.  Now he felt a bubbling fury, an anger at being lied to and betrayed.              It was more than that, though.  Here was an entire city before him, beautiful and grand, with a storied and glorious past, and it was locked away, hidden from the ponies below.  Lofty hurt for the aging beauty of Old Canterlot, pushed aside and kept out of sight.              “It’s gorgeous,” Topaz breathed behind him, and Lofty found himself agreeing completely.  Gorgeous, yes. But also neglected and abused.              “Come, let’s move quickly,” he said, banishing the thoughts.  Anger was a distraction, now.  “We need to find a spot in the ruins to hide until nightfall.”              “You think you’ll be able to find your way to where you were before?” Topaz asked.  “To where you met Starlight Glimmer?”              “No,” Lofty admitted.  “It was dark, and I wasn’t exactly watching for landmarks.  I think we’ll be led to her.  We just need a place to sleep, first.”              “Sleep?” Escher asked, confused.              “I don’t think I can find my way, but I’m pretty sure Topaz can get in touch with somepony who can guide us,” he smirked, and Topaz clopped her hooves together in glee. *   *   *   *   *              In the end, Escher turned out to be a blessing of the Saints, though Lofty had to cringe when he thought of it that way.  He scouted ahead of the ponies in the form of a mountain eagle, this time a creature that was actually indigenous to the region.  Lofty and Topaz kept under their camouflage cloaks, staying as silent as possible as they crept between the broken buildings and the rubble filled streets.              They eventually spotted Escher roosting comfortably on top of a small building.  The second floor was destroyed, but the first was intact, with the floor above as a roof.  There was no door in the entrance.  Lofty stepped carefully inside, and was pleased to find a staircase down into a basement.              “I wonder what it was like,” he whispered as he and Topaz tiptoed down the stone staircase into an ancient cellar.  It used to house wine; the barrels were long rotted away, but Lofty recognized the rusted metal rings that used to hold the barrels together.  “Living here, back then.  I wonder whose house this was.”              “Imagine if they’d left some wine in the cellar,” Topaz laughed.  “It’d be quite nicely aged by now.”              Lofty snorted.  “Or dust. It’s been eleven centuries. Let’s set up our bedrolls.  I’m sure you’re rather sleepy, and I think I could use a rest, too.”              Escher flew down the stairs then, and there was a flash of green fire.  Instead of a pony, though, he had taken the form of a raccoon.              “You’re planning on being lookout?” Topaz guessed.  Escher nodded.  “But when are you going to sleep?”              “Somepony will need to stay awake,” Lofty noted, giving a grateful nod to Escher.  “Thank you, friend.”  He tried not to laugh at the sight of a saluting raccoon.  “You’ll be okay for a while, though?”  Escher gave him a wry look.              “He’s a guard back home.  He’s used to standing watch,” Topaz said.  Lofty watched, bemused, as he saw for the first time ever a raccoon stick out his tongue at a pony and blow a loud raspberry.  “Don’t worry, Lofty.  We can rest easy.  Escher will wake us if something goes wrong.  Let’s go meet the Princess of the Night.”