Chapter 36

Introduction of the Book of Remembrance

Here lie the names of creatures whose lives were cut short by the evil and hate that have poisoned our land. No memorial will ever make up for their loss, but we will remember forever that they lived.

We begin with the heaviest loss of all:

Princess Twilight Sparkle

“This is all unnecessary, embarrassing, and undignified!” Bubblegum protested.

“We could always postpone until you’re better,” Emberglow suggested. “You don’t have to go for an outing this morning.”

“But…” Bubblegum whined. “I’m bored! I’m going stir crazy, and I’m pretty sure I’ll stop getting better if my morale’s low.”

Emberglow snorted at Bubblegum’s blatant hyperbole. “If you want to go out, you’re going in a wheelchair. I’m not going to negotiate, Bubblegum. And Doctor Plasma isn’t either. You want me to go get her?”

“No.” Bubblegum’s voice was tiny. Emberglow smirked; Bubblegum was intimidated by the doctor, and that certainly made it easier to get her to follow instructions.

“Well, then stop whining and let me help you into the chair,” Emberglow suggested. Bubblegum sighed and nodded.

The hospital room was almost like her second home now. She’d spent so much time visiting Bubblegum that it had become familiar. She was pleased to see one change, though; Bubblegum’s IV stand was gone. She’d had it removed earlier this morning.

“I know I’m not the world’s best patient,” Bubblegum mumbled. “I’m sorry if I come off as ungrateful. I really do appreciate this.”

“You’re forgiven if you sit up so we can start moving you over,” Emberglow pointed to the chair.

“Yes, ma’am,” Bubblegum saluted. It took a great deal of effort, but Bubblegum didn’t complain or whine about that. Emberglow saw the strain in her face as Bubblegum grunted and pushed herself so she was sitting up.

“Barely a challenge for a mare like you, right?” Emberglow helped her turn in the bed, so she was facing the wheelchair.

“Oh yeah, motivational encouragement. You’re sounding just like my physical therapist,” Bubblegum scoffed. “You’re right, though.”

“Med school included a basic overview of PT techniques, including motivational tools,” Emberglow replied. She sat on the bed, slipping a hoof around Bubblegum’s shoulders, while her second wrapped around Bubblegum’s front. “I haven’t had much chance to use it, but it’s there. Ready to move?”

“Remember, slow, steady movement,” Emberglow warned as she felt Bubblegum’s muscles tense. Bubblegum nodded impatiently, and the two of them moved. Bubblegum gave a sudden gasp of pain, and Emberglow stopped. “Are you okay?”

“No, they’re fine. It was my legs, I swear,” Bubblegum protested. Emberglow raised her eyebrows, and Bubblegum chuckled nervously. “I learned my lesson, and I listen to doctors one hundred percent now.”

“Good,” Emberglow nodded, and with as much grace as she could manage, helped Bubblegum the rest of the way into the wheelchair. “Do you need a blanket or something?”

“Do I really look that decrepit?” Bubblegum snorted. “C’mon, Emberglow. I’m not some grandma pony who needs the wheelchair and a blanket.”

“But you’ll tell me if you’re too cold, right?” she insisted. “Because I’m not really your doctor, but I am a doctor.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bubblegum waved a hoof impatiently. “I’ll tell you, I promise. Can we go yet?”

“Sure,” Emberglow laughed, and pushed her out of the room and into the waiting room. They waved to the old stallion receptionist and ventured out into the city.

It was her first day out and about in her new robes. They were still white, just like before, only with a double yellow band at the sleeves that announced her new allegiance.

It had inspired a number of looks on her way to the hospital, looks that took her by surprise. She remembered with distaste the growing fear and separation she’d felt from other ponies before Manehatten. There was none of that in Angel’s Rest.

Instead, ponies who saw Emberglow in her new white robes lit up with excitement, waving their hooves at her enthusiastically.

“You noticed that you’re a celebrity now, Lady Emberglow?” Bubblegum teased, as a gaggle of foals up ahead stopped to point and wave. It was some sort of club or field trip; each small pony wore a uniform of sorts, a gold and red lined cloak with a shield symbol on each. They were accompanied by an adult, a single unicorn stallion who wore a cape like theirs. “C’mon, let’s go over and meet your fans.”

“Push my chair over there before I have to do it myself, okay?” she demanded, and with a sigh, Emberglow pushed the chair over to the foals. Bubblegum was already grinning and waving back.

“Cutie Mark Crusader Field Trip!” the group of foals chorused, in a way that made Emberglow want to cringe from the noise. The adult leader flinched, though he had a fond grin on his muzzle.

“We’re gonna learn about turning poop into food!” a colt giggled, earning himself a disapproving glance from the adult.

“Not poop, Laser Sights. Compost,” he corrected. “We don’t use pony waste for food composting. It would be unsanitary.”

“Smells like poop,” the colt muttered, and Emberglow couldn’t help but laugh at the disappointed look on his face.

“Sorry, we’ve been very rude, haven’t we, fillies and colts,” the unicorn said. “A new Knight has joined the Discordant. May we have your name, Lady Knight?”

“It’s so wonderful to see new faces in the Knights,” he said. “Welcome to Angel’s Rest, Lady Emberglow. I’m Stormchaser, and these are…”

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders, Troop Seven!” the foals all chorused loudly together, shouting over whatever their leader was going to say.

“Thank you for your service!” they all chorused again. Emberglow found herself blushing.

“It’s a club for foals,” Stormchaser explained. “Heartwing instituted it as a way for foals to work on dozens of different life skills and fun things while trying to discover what their special talent is.”

“I see!” Emberglow smiled down at all the foals. “And you’re on a field trip?”

“Yeah!” one of the small fillies chimed in. “We’re learning about mushrooms!”

“Yeah!” another chimed in. “And maybe one of us will get our cutie mark?”

“Can you imagine a cutie mark that looks like a mushroom?” a prissy looking filly chimed in with a look of disgust on her face.

“Could be cool,” said the colt who’d mentioned poop. Emberglow was beaming at their contagious excitement.

“Um, were you hurt, Lady Bubblegum?” a shy colt asked, nervously edging forward enough to touch Bubblegum’s hospital gown. Bubblegum nodded.

“Yup. I was pregnant, remember?” Bubblegum said. “Well, I was going to have the foal, but something went wrong, and I needed to go to the hospital. Lady Emberglow here saved my foal’s life.”

Suddenly the field trip was temporarily forgotten, and every foal crowded around Emberglow. A cacophony of questions flooded from the excited children.

At the last, Emberglow froze, her blood going cold. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. What was she supposed to say to that?

“Nah, Lady Emberglow doesn’t kill ponies,” Bubblegum said matter-of-factly, and her voice was so confident that Emberglow could have hugged her. “Nopony really likes to fight the bad ponies, but we hafta sometimes. Lady Emberglow’s job is to patch us up when we get hurt in the process. See?” She gently lifted the side of her gown, to show the bandaged wounds on her barrel. The foals crowded around and made appropriately impressed noises, and Emberglow was far too amused to correct Bubblegum, even though they technically weren’t battle wounds. Finally Stormchaser cleared his throat.

“Fillies and colts, please give the Knights some space. You’re crowding Lady Emberglow. I’m sure they have someplace to be.”

“We have a little time,” Bubblegum said. “We were just going to write some names in the Book.”

All the foals went silent with reverent awe. Stormchaser nodded solemnly. “We won’t keep you, then. Come on, Troop Seven. Let’s leave the Knights alone. They have an important duty.”

“But can you please bring them by the hospital this afternoon, if you have time?” Bubblegum pleaded. “I’d love some visits, if they can behave themselves during the field trip.” The last was said coyly, towards the foals, who all suddenly stood up a little straighter.

“We’ll be good, Lady Bubblegum!” one of them chimed in, the rest nodding with affirming noises. Bubblegum smiled.

“Yes, ma’am!” they all called out in unison. Emberglow hid a giggle behind her hoof.

“I’m sure,” Bubblegum said with a sage nod. “So if you’re good, and your Troopmaster says it’s okay, you can come visit me in the hospital later and I’ll tell you a story about how Lady Emberglow and I fought some pirates together once.”

The barrage of foal excitement was interrupted by a shrill whistle, and adults and foals alike flinched slightly at Stormchaser’s signal.

“That’s enough questions for now, Crusaders. Let’s hurry off, and we’ll see if we can fit in a visit to the hospital later.”

He led them away, and Emberglow watched the gaggle of bouncing foals depart with a bemused expression on her face. After they turned a corner she shook her head and smiled down at Bubblegum.

“You’re good with foals. Popular with foals, too. Who would have thought?” she mused as she began pushing the chair again.

“I guess not. I just never got the chance to see you around foals.” Emberglow sighed wistfully. “I want one now.”

Bubblegum giggled.“Foals are amazing. I’ve already gotten in trouble with both my husbands for saying I want a little sibling for Emberspark.”

“You did just have a very close brush with death as a result of your first one.” Emberglow frowned. Bubblegum shrugged. “That reminds me. Before, during your delivery, somepony mentioned a procedure that might have contributed to Emberspark’s complications?”

“Oh, that,” Bubblegum nodded. “Well, you know there’s all sorts of rune spells, right? But the Diarchy are only worried about the ones useful for war. Here in Angel’s Rest, the Discordant have developed all sorts of spells good for all sorts of everyday things.”

“That makes sense,” Emberglow said thoughtfully. “There’s no law against the common pony using rune spells here, is there?”

“Yeah, but batteries are rare, so we tend to conserve them unless absolutely necessary. Anyways, there’s a lot of spells that have to do with fertility and foaling.” She paused, her head cocked to the side. “Hang on, I’m telling it out of order. So Heartwing, he says Equestria’s all messed up and out of balance, right? There’s no Harmony. There should be a balance between unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies. But right now there’s one pegasus for every ten earth ponies, and only one unicorn for every hundred earth ponies. It’s out of whack, and something’s gotta be done to fix it.” She turned, wincing a bit in discomfort at the motion, and looked Emberglow in the eyes. “That’s what the trip you’re leaving on later today is about, right? Something about restoring Harmony.”

“This is just another way. If a mare’s pregnant, you can cast a spell on her that increases the chances that she’ll have a unicorn. By messing with the odds like that, we increase the number of unicorns. At the cost of a slightly increased chance of pregnancy complications,” Bubblegum finished the last a bit ruefully.

“And you knew this before you went through with it?” Emberglow asked incredulously.

Bubblegum nodded. “Yeah. The doctors said the odds were still really low. We talked it over, the three of us. By then I was already pregnant anyways.”

Emberglow did the math in her head. “So you were pregnant when I fought you,” she said softly.

“Yeah, but don’t you dare let that bug you,” Bubblegum laughed. “I didn’t know yet either. I was even a little bit preggers when we were on the ship. The way I figure, it was the ‘goodbye sex’ I had with Windy right before we left.”

“Ugh. I don’t need to know when you actually conceived, Bubblegum,” Emberglow groaned.

“I’m working on it,” she admitted. They rolled down the street in silence for a few moments.

“I could help you with that,” Bubblegum offered. There was a hint of sly teasing in her voice.

“I don’t need your help with that!” Emberglow scowled, trying to ignore Bubblegum’s snickers. Even if they were friends now (and Emberglow, despite her expectations, certainly considered Bubblegum a friend now) she wanted to keep this part of her life far away from Bubblegum as she could. The mare liked to tease far too much.

“I could give you advice!” Bubblegum protested. “You know, ideas for positions, possible kinks, that sort of thing. I could be your wingpony, and help you find attractive mares!”

“I can still take you back to the hospital,” Emberglow growled, and Bubblegum laughed, but subsided.

“All teasing aside, Emberglow,” Bubblegum said when she’d stopped giggling. “I’m happy to offer advice or answer any questions. And I promise to do my very best to tease you as little as possible.”

* * * * *

Regardless of how uncomfortable conversations with Bubblegum sometimes got, the teasing did help to ease some of Emberglow’s worries by the time they got to Prism’s cathedral. The confessor was there already, dressed in official looking robes. He smiled to greet them as they entered. There was a large book, a gigantic tome, wider than a pony was long, sitting closed on a portable plinth that had been set up between the statues of the Saints.

“Welcome, Emberglow. Welcome, Bubblegum. I’m glad to hear you’re recovering,” Prism said. “Please, have a seat. We’re waiting for two more.”

“Heartwing said he’d like to be here,” Prism said, and Emberglow nodded. “And…” He paused, glancing with concern at her. “Night Eye wants to be here too.”

Emberglow’s blood went icy, her limbs frozen in place. Suddenly, something seized one of her forehooves, and she looked down to see Bubblegum grabbing onto her from her wheelchair, a stern look on her face.

“Don’t run, Emberglow,” Bubblegum said softly. “Besides, you’re strong enough to do this.”

“For you, Miss Emberglow,” Prism said gently. “He wanted to wait to put Night Star’s name in the book until you could be there, too. For closure.”

The door to the cathedral suddenly opened wide, and Emberglow jumped, expecting the worst. But it was only Heartwing, bursting into the cathedral with a dramatic flourish.

“I’m here, I’m here!” he called out, his voice slightly out of breath. “Nopony started without me, did they?”

“Emberglow and Bubblegum only just arrived,” Prism said softly. He leveled a disapproving look at Heartwing. “And you don’t need to yell.”

“Sorry,” Heartwing smirked, looking not at all sorry. “Just trying to emulate the Saints. Every one of them believed firmly in dramatic entrances.” He looked up at the statue of Saint Pinkamena and gave her a comic salute. “Makes me wish I had a party cannon.”

“Remind me to tell you about the real Pinkie Pie someday,” Heartwing said with a fond grin up at the statue. “She was a gem.”

The door opened once again. She turned to look, and Night Eye was standing there.

Emberglow thought her heart would stop. Her limbs shook, and her throat constricted, but Bubblegum’s hoof wrapped around her own forehoof, squeezing her tightly.

Night Eye walked up the rows of pews slowly, his eyes on Emberglow’s the entire time. She tried desperately to calm her heart, calm her breathing, but the stallion’s eyes were just so much like his son’s. In her head, she was still seeing his last mad charge, his face twisted in rage. She felt her own cold fury, and the feeling of Gadget going still and limp in her hooves.

“You’re Lady Emberglow, aren’t you?” his voice was gentle, a deep rumbling bass. She nodded soundlessly. “I’m sorry to surprise you like this. I…” he trailed off silently, looking at the floor. “You’re hurting because of all this. I know. I just wanted you to know I forgive you.”

Then he was hugging her, his hooves wrapped around her. Desperately she clutched him back, shaking as sobs of grief and pain tore through her throat.

“I know,” he patted her back, then pushed her out to a hoof’s length. “Come here.” Gently, he prodded her over to the book.

The cover was nondescript, bearing only the symbol of a crystalline tree. Night Eye took her hoof, guiding it to the cover. It was soft and warm to the touch, and she nearly jerked her hoof back instinctively.

When the tree on the cover began to glow gently, she did move her hoof back. A soft light filled the crystalline tree, from bottom to top, sliding up until the branches were glowing. The cover flipped open, moving of its own accord to the first page of the huge book.

“Here lie the names of creatures whose lives were cut short by the evil and hate that have poisoned our land,” she read. Her words echoed in the silent reverence that filled the cathedral. “No memorial will ever make up for their loss, but we will remember forever that they lived. We begin with the heaviest loss of all: Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Emberglow glanced back at Heartwing. His eyes were closed, but in the solemn look on his face she saw the weight of what she was reading. She glanced back at the book, and the pages were moving again. As the paper flowed past, Emberglow saw that they were filled with hundreds of names, all in different hoofwriting.

Finally the book stopped moving, resting on a page where the names ended, leaving a blank, open paper. Confessor Prism stepped up beside them, carrying an inkwell and a single quill.

“Thank you,” Night Eye said. He took the quill and leaned over the book, scribbling onto the paper with a stoic look on his face. Emberglow watched, entranced. She noticed a few discolored spots on the paper, realizing with a stunned sort of sadness that they were dried teardrops.

Once Night Eye was done, he guided her into his spot with a hoof. Emberglow felt suddenly overwhelmed and out of place. She didn’t belong here, in this holy place that was the opposite of her entire life’s work.

“Every death is a tragedy,” Prism said. “It doesn’t matter what side they were on, we mourn their loss regardless.” Emberglow nodded shakily, and leaned over the book. Night Star’s name was at the bottom of the list, in short, awkward letters. She backed away again.

“Is it okay if I talk about them? While I write them down?” she asked. Everypony nodded at her, and Bubblegum waved her hooves as if to say ‘go on’. Emberglow turned back to the book.

“Okay, we’ll start with Ice Arrow,” she said out loud, her hoof shaking as she wrote the late sergeant’s name. “She was afraid of needles. Terrified. But she wasn’t the kind of mare to let her fears stop her from doing what needed to be done. She was that way until she died.” She pulled the quill back, looking at her hoofwriting. It was sloppy, because she’d been shaking a bit. But many of the others were the same, so maybe Sergeant Arrow would be in good company.

She wrote Bitterroot’s name next. “I wish I’d known you for longer. I could have learned so much from you.

Delver Deep. “You were the right mentor for me. I couldn’t have served under a better Knight for my first mission.”

She was avoiding the last name, and as she stared at the large blank spot on the page, the huge, empty white of tragic potential. Tears dripped down and marred the void.

“Gadget,” she said as she wrote. “I wish we’d had more time.” A hundred thoughts, a thousand things to say, trickled through her head then out again. In the end, that was it. She turned around, and the other ponies were watching her, looks of mingled pity and sympathy on their faces. Night Eye patted her on the shoulder.

* * * * *

Heartwing was walking alongside Emberglow, as she pushed Bubblegum back towards the hospital. The three ponies looked back to see Night Eye running up.

“I’m sorry.” The older stallion came to a stop in front of them, his eyes darting between all three of them. “I can’t. I know what Night Star wanted, but he’s not here any longer. I have to say no.”

“Okay.” Heartwing reached out and patted Night Eye’s shoulder. “We’ll respect your wishes.”

“Of course.” Heartwing’s smile was gentle. “You don’t have to explain yourself. And I won’t try to convince you.”

“Oh. Um. Thank you, Sir Heartwing.” He hesitated, raising a hoof as if he were about to offer it to Heartwing to shake, or even a hug, but then simply nodded and left.

Emberglow watched him go, with a sense of growing worry. There was a gravity to the conversation that she didn’t quite understand. She turned her eye on Heartwing. “What was that all about?”

“Night Star was an organ donor,” he said vaguely, and he looked away. Emberglow glanced at Bubblegum, who shook her head.

“How many world-shattering revelations do you need in a month, Emberglow?” Heartwing’s mouth was quirked in a sardonic smile, but his eyes were sad. Emberglow pinned him with a hard look.

“No more secrets. I’m done. Whatever it is you were talking about, you can tell me.” There was a glimmer of a glow from the gem Emberglow wore underneath her robes, and Heartwing nodded.

“There’s two ways to make the serum that creates a Knight, Emberglow. A circle of unicorns, usually seven or eight, standing around channeling their magic into the potion for weeks, working themselves to exhaustion, can create the effect. Or…”

“Or you can distill the severed horn of a unicorn who has passed,” Bubblegum finished. Emberglow felt as if a vice were suddenly crushing her heart.

“She doesn’t need softening. It’s Emberglow. One of the strongest ponies I know.” Bubblegum patted Emberglow’s hoof.

Emberglow swallowed hard. Her brain was galloping a billion miles an hour. She could still taste the potion; the chalky, gritty texture. She heard the babbling voices. How she had felt lost, a billion emotions screaming in her head.

She didn’t know how long she had stood there, reliving old memories, but Bubblegum and Heartwing were waiting patiently. “Is it true?”

“Emberglow.” Heartwing’s voice was gentle. “You had no way of knowing.”

“Of course not. Because I was just a dumb, ignorant victim of it all, right?” Suddenly anger surged up, drowning out everything else she was feeling. “Poor, weak Emberglow.”

“We make most of our potions the hard way,” Heartwing said. “A unicorn can volunteer their horn after they have passed. We steal nopony’s horns.”

She searched his face for some sort of deception, some trickery. There was none. Emberglow found her hoof subconsciously drifting up towards the Element under her robes.

“Night Star’s horn will be buried, as was his father’s wish. We won’t use it without permission, Emberglow.” Heartwing smiled. “And since it looks like we’ll be travelling companions, you should know my wishes on the subject. Should I fall in battle, I wish my own horn to be used to create another Knight Discordant.”

Emberglow stared at him silently for a few seconds, before she grasped the handles of Bubblegum’s wheelchair and began pushing again.

“I guess…” she began slowly. “I guess it doesn’t matter. What’s done is done.”

“That’s what I say,” Bubblegum said. “Still… it keeps me up sometimes.” Emberglow was stunned at how closely their thoughts aligned.

“My own potion was the same,” Heartwing admitted. “At least you two had the benefit of ignorance.” The two mares stared at him, but he shook his head, before a plastic smile slid over his muzzle. “C’mon. I’ll walk you both back to the hospital.”

“Sure, boss,” Bubblegum said, exchanging a concerned look with Emberglow. “You guys, um, all ready for your big adventure?”

“We leave this afternoon,” he said. Bubblegum sighed with dejection. “You okay?”

“I wanna go,” she pouted, and Heartwing grinned. “I mean it! I’m sick of being on medical leave, boss. I wanna get out there and do something.”

Bubblegum flinched. “I know, I know. I wouldn’t really go. That doesn’t stop me from wanting.” She sighed, and turned longing eyes on Emberglow. “I’m gonna miss you, you know.”

Emberglow’s throat tightened at the sudden sentiment she felt. Her friendship with Bubblegum had been one of the most surprising and delightful things about the last few weeks. She didn’t want to have to lose that.

“I’ll write when I can,” she said, and Bubblegum nodded, her own eyes wet. “Stop, none of that yet. We haven’t left, and you’re still going to come see us off, right?”

“Yeah, sure,” Bubblegum said. “You have to say goodbye to Spark once we get to the hospital, though. I don’t think they’ll let me bring him to the send off.”

“Um, better?” Bubblegum said warily. “Well, he’s started magic surging. Doctor Plasma says it’s completely normal, but it’s making us all a bit stressed when he teleports and leaves his oxygen tube behind.”

“Unicorn foals can teleport?” Emberglow gaped. Teleportation was supposed to be a very rare talent in unicorns. Heartwing stopped, eyeing her with amusement.

“That’s right, you haven’t spent much time around unicorn foals,” he said, and she flinched. That was an opportunity that had been taken from her. Heartwing seemed to notice her reaction too late, because he cringed as well. “Ah. Right. Sorry.”

“Yeah,” Emberglow whispered. Bubblegum gave her a confused look. “I had a brother that was taken. A unicorn. Lucky Break.”

“It’s okay,” Emberglow said, but it wasn’t. She tried not to think about Lucky. She’d tried to avoid it for years, first since it was commanded to forget your unicorn relatives, and now because she had to mourn him all over again. With a sickening little twist of her stomach, she wondered which Knight was now empowered by her brother’s stolen horn. Heartwing slid over and hugged her awkwardly with one hoof, and Bubblegum reached back to pat her hoof with one of her own.

“It’s not okay,” Bubblegum whispered, echoing Emberglow’s own thoughts. “And that’s why we fight. That’s why you’re going on this adventure, right? So nopony else has to lose a brother?”

“Yes.” Emberglow wiped at her eyes. “Spark deserves to grow up in a world where he doesn’t have to hide what he is.”

“It’s a good thing he has two dads,” Emberglow teased, trying to latch on to the lighter mood. “If he’s anything like Bubblegum, it’ll be impossible for just two parents to keep up with him.”

“Ha ha,” Bubblegum said humorlessly. “So because you don’t know, Emberglow, baby unicorns have magic surges, where they suddenly have access to, but no control over, magic abilities beyond what young ponies should have. Teleportation, levitation, sometimes other complex spells.”

“Not all the time,” Heartwing giggled. “Just when it’s most appropriate for comedic timing, and most inconvenient for his parents. I should tell you about the time Pinkie Pie volunteered to babysit for a unicorn infant. It was a story she was quite proud of.”

“Comedic timing?” Bubblegum sounded terrified. “He’s really doing it at the worst possible times? On purpose?”

“I’m sure it’s completely subconscious,” Heartwing said airily, waving a hoof in the air as he cackled. “The world is simply full of ambient chaos energy, and a unicorn’s horn is a natural magical channel. Before they learn any sort of control, it sometimes sort of… slips out. It used to make ponies burst into song randomly.” He sighed. “I miss that bit.”

“Yeah. In groups. Spontaneously. In harmony with each other, with fully choreographed dance numbers.” His voice was wistful.

“Woah,” Bubblegum whispered. “For real? Like, you’re not just making this up to mess with me?”

“I swear to Fluttershy,” he said. “I did it a few times myself. It was... transcendental. You simply would let the magic flow into you, and dance.” He smiled sadly at the two of them. “That’s what we’re fighting for, too.”

“Yes, fight for your right to sing and dance,” Bubblegum laughed. “I can get behind that. So boss, when do I get to fight again?”

“When the doctor clears you.” His demeanor changed from wistful to stern in an instant. “Cobalt will be in charge of the Knights while I’m gone, and you’ll listen to him.”

Once at the hospital, Bubblegum directed them to the nursery. They paused just outside the door, glancing at each other with alarm at the crashes and shouts of panic they heard from the other side. Heartwing rushed ahead and yanked the door open with his magic.

The nursery was a disaster. It was lucky that Emberspark was currently the only patient, otherwise any other foals he was sharing a room with would probably be shrieking with fury and terror. The tiny foal himself was zipping about, upside down on the ceiling with his horn glowing bright white. He was panting and out of breath, but giggling with glee as he levitated the small oxygen tank he was hooked to behind him.

Doctor Plasma was rushing about the room, jumping up and down trying to retrieve the giggling foal. She was flush with exertion, and her eyes were bright with worry.

“Well, at least he’s brought his equipment along with him,” Heartwing said underneath barely suppressed mirth.

“Spark, honey?” Bubblegum called out gently. “Can you come down and see mama?” The foal squealed with glee and dashed down into his mother’s arm, dropping the levitation spell in the process so that the oxygen tank flopped wildly, smashing against Heartwing in the process.

Heartwing cried out in pain, muffling it as quickly as he could at the concerned glance from the little foal.

“Heh, it’s nothing, little one,” Heartwing said in a strained voice. “A little ouch is totally worth the chaos you cause.”

Meanwhile, Bubblegum was worriedly adjusting the oxygen tube, making sure it was correctly placed in Emberspark’s nostrils after all his fun. It was endearing, Emberglow mused, to see Bubblegum acting maternally. Doctor Plasma rushed over as well, watching with approval.

“Don’t you have unicorns here that can help counter them?” Heartwing asked.

“Yes, and they have days off and sometimes call in sick,” Doctor Plasma laughed, almost hysterically. “I tried to fly after him, but…” She spread her wings and flinched. Emberglow could see a collection of bent and broken feathers. Probably where a wildly swinging oxygen tank had struck her wing.

“Is this regular?” Emberglow asked nervously. Doctor Plasma rolled her eyes.

“Not when Miss Bubblegum’s here. He’s a perfect angel for mama.” She glanced at Heartwing. “Sir Heartwing, a pleasure. I don’t suppose you could help tidy up?”

“If I must,” he gave a teasing eye roll. “As you know well, I’m much better at causing a mess than cleaning one up. But if you insist…” he smirked as the scattered and knocked over equipment in the room suddenly lit up in a yellow glow, righting themselves in an impressive display of control and precision.

“Thank you,” Plasma said with a relieved sigh, before turning an annoyed look on him. “You know, I’m fine in theory with the idea of encouraging and promoting more unicorn births, but usually only the parents have to deal with the repercussions of uncontrolled magic surge.”

“I’m sorry he’s giving you trouble, Doctor Plasma,” Bubblegum said as she held Spark close, cuddling him even as she gave the doctor a nervous look.

Doctor Plasma saw the expression on Bubblegum’s face and immediately reached out to pat her on the shoulder. “Don’t you worry for a second, Lady Bubblegum. Little Spark might be a hooffull, but that just comes with the territory of foals.” She grinned slyly at the young mother. “It’s only going to get worse, you know. The magic surges might slow down and go away, but nothing causes more chaos in a pony’s life than foals.” She glanced up at Heartwing. “Not even you.”

Bubblegum was looking between the two of them, appearing more and more apprehensive with each word. Emberglow rolled her eyes.

“They’re teasing you,” Emberglow whispered to Bubblegum. It was an odd sort of role reversal; Bubblegum usually was the one doing the teasing. “C’mon. Let’s get you back to your room. I’m sure Spark is hungry.”

* * * * *

In the end, Emberglow spent as much time cuddling her namesake as she could before she and Heartwing had to beg their leave and go. There was packing to do.

“I want one of those,” she admitted to Heartwing. Emberglow noticed she was saying that quite a bit, recently.

“What, a hospital?” Heartwing quipped. Emberglow rolled her eyes and shoved him gently with a hoof.

“No, spells that allow a co-mingling of genetic materials between two mares. That allow a mare to impregnate another mare.”

Emberglow felt her face heating up. “I think there are a few preliminary steps I’m going to have to take before I get to that point.”

“I’m taking those sorts of steps slowly,” Emberglow ducked her head slightly.

“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to tease you about it!” Heartwing sang, before his smile became somehow sweet. “Don’t you worry for a second, Emberglow. Somepony’s gonna snatch you up as soon as they see that blush of yours. Or maybe you have somepony in mind already?” His bushy eyebrows waggled, and Emberglow blinked, turning away quickly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she muttered, and he hooted with laughter.

“Just so you know, when you do decide to make your move, you have my and Terminus’ full support.” His voice was sly. “That mare needs somepony to make her happy.”

“Again, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Emberglow insisted, and finally Heartwing subsided.

As they approached Heartwing’s home, they noticed a stack of luggage just outside. Heartwing began to giggle even before they heard the sounds of argument coming from inside the house.

“Rarity has a bit of a reputation,” Heartwing smirked as he rubbed the back of his head with one hoof. “I warned Terminus, but it seems she thought she could get away with more than the one packed saddlebag I allowed.”

“She thinks we can bring all this luggage?” Emberglow stared at the pile. There were at least five suitcases.

“No, it’s probably a negotiation tactic,” Heartwing said shrewdly as he looked the pile up and down. “She tries for something completely ridiculous, like five suitcases, before somehow negotiating us down to only one or two. Which is probably what she wanted anyways.”

“I warned Termie, yeah. It’s best if you don’t get involved, especially if you have good reason to get in Rarity’s good graces.” He eyed her with amusement. “Just be ready to run if she says anything about eyelash curlers.”

“Eyelash… curlers?” Emberglow was confused. Heartwing pushed ahead as he chuckled, pulling the door open into the chaos inside.

“…but just because we’ll be travelling a long way doesn’t mean we need to travel without modern necessities,” Rarity’s voice came out of the open door.

“One saddlebag, Rarity,” Terminus repeated with a sigh. Emberglow heard a stomping hoof, and rushed inside.

In the living room, there were two more open suitcases laid out on the couches. Rarity stood between them, her face flushed with anger. Terminus watched calmly, while Heartwing took in the whole scene with a bemused look on his face.

“Maybe we could come to a compromise?” Heartwing suggested. “Rarity can bring as many suitcases as she can carry herself.” Terminus looked about to protest, but Heartwing winked at him. “Of course, the ship we’ll be taking has no room for storage. So any suitcases you bring will have to be piled on board whatever bunk you are assigned. I guess you could sleep on deck, if necessary.”

Rarity stared at him, openmouthed in anger, before stomping off to her room with a huff. Emberglow was torn; part of her wanted to side with Rarity just out of solidarity with her fellow mare, but she knew Heartwing was right. Finally, with an apologetic glance at Heartwing, she chased after Rarity down the hallway.

“Of course, darling,” Rarity’s voice sounded far too calm for her angry exit earlier. The door slid open, and a calm and composed Rarity smirked knowingly at Emberglow. Emberglow cocked her head in confusion.

“Oh that little bit of theatre out there?” Rarity scoffed. “That was just me being dramatic. Now that I’ve left, Terminus will gently scold Heartwing for being so harsh with me, and he’ll feel just guilty enough to allow me two saddlebags. And probably carry the second himself.” She gestured at the disorganized piles of dresses and blouses, skirts and socks, and even three pairs of shoes scattered about the room. “I couldn’t possibly narrow things down to just one.”

Emberglow stared at Rarity, who was smirking just slightly. “That’s so manipulative,” she said softly. Rarity beamed with pride, until she saw the look on Emberglow’s face.

“But one saddlebag is just insufficient for a world-spanning adventure,” Rarity whined. Emberglow raised her eyebrows, and Rarity did a nervous little dance with her hooves. “Emberglow, you have to understand, a lady needs to be prepared for…”

“How about this,” Emberglow cut her off. “I’ll be in charge of our packing. Unless you don’t think I’m a lady enough.”

“B-but, of course I…” Rarity waved a hoof frantically in protest. “I couldn’t possibly, I mean, yes, I do think you’re lady enough.” She took a deep breath, and narrowed her eyes at Emberglow with a snort. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

“Maybe a little,” Emberglow nodded. “But I’m happy to be in charge of both of our packing, if you’re struggling to fit everything into one set of saddlebags.”

“But…” Rarity whimpered, glancing around the detritus in her room. “I can’t possibly choose between all these.”

“Then allow me to choose.” Emberglow saw the stubborn set of Rarity’s jaw, and had a sudden burst of inspiration. “Besides, if we overpack, you won’t have room to shop in whatever exotic markets we find ourselves in abroad.”

Rarity’s eyes lit up like sapphires, and Emberglow melted just a little inside. “Why didn’t you say so, darling? That’s a marvelous idea!” Suddenly it didn’t seem so hard for Rarity to choose just enough to pack into a single saddlebag. With a flash of blue magic, she had the discards organized neatly in the closet while Emberglow watched with impressed silence.

“Rarity? Rarity, I…” Heartwing rushed up the hallway, drawing up short as soon as he saw Rarity’s room, neatly organized with a single set of packed bags. “I… oh.”

“It’s okay, Heartwing,” Emberglow said, sharing a grin with Rarity. She’d read Heartwing just right, it seemed. “We’ve sorted things out so she has just one bag.”

“On the condition that you let me go shopping in the exotic foreign marketplaces,” Rarity insisted. Heartwing simply looked relieved.

“Of course, Rarity. You’ll love Jubilation. And even the Diarchy port we’re smuggling out of has a nice little open air market, as long as it doesn’t rain.” He shot Emberglow a grateful look.

“A little smuggler’s port called Port Luminescence,” Heartwing said. “It’s one of the easiest places to sneak ponies out of the Diarchy by sea.”

“I’ve been there,” Emberglow’s stomach churned. “It was my first assignment. We hunted pirates out of the port. Do you think ponies might recognize me?”

“A few weeks. It was eventful, though. I was the medical officer at a…” She gulped. The guilt was stale, but still very real. “A public execution. We hung eight pirates that we caught.”

Some of her emotional state must have been obvious, for Rarity reached out and hugged her with one hoof. Emberglow hugged back.

“Thanks. It’s still a difficult memory,” she said. She turned to Heartwing. “Will it be a problem?”

“Perhaps,” Heartwing admitted. “We’ll be in disguises, though. Obviously Rarity and I will have to cover our horns somehow. But Port Luminescence is a sieve. It’s the best place to sneak out of the country.”

“The Diarchy thinks they have a handle on it,” Heartwing said. “They think they have the governor and bureaucrats there in their pockets, but they have no idea what’s slipping out just under their muzzles.”

“Like us,” Rarity whispered. Emberglow glanced at her, noting the anxiety in her expression. She squeezed Rarity before patting her gently on the back.

“Just a bit nervous, I suppose,” Rarity sighed. “I feel like I’ve just made this place my home, and now I’m heading off into an adventure longer than any I’ve gone on before. It’s a bit unsettling.”

Emberglow understood all too well. She’d been here a month, and barely felt like she had any roots at all in Angel’s Rest. It made her suddenly keenly miss her own parents, and her tiny, cozy little room back home.

“Don’t worry, you two,” Heartwing said jauntily. “I’m sure it will be not much more than a few weeks. Just a short hop over to Jubilation, and then we’ll be on our way back.”

Rekindled Embers

by applezombi

Chapter 36