Chapter 40
The lyrics of “The Last Flight of Captain Celeano,” a sea shanty dating back at least nine hundred years.
A Princess kept a treasure dear
'Twas not too safe to hold it near
She searched the skies for many a-year
And found a pirate old
Chorus:
The Captain bold and The Princess fair
Who sailed out on the open air
They met once more as old friends there
And hid a chest of gold!
The Captain she was old and grey
But promised she would find the way
She took the treasure to hide away
Beyond the rocks and shoals
[Chorus]
Her crew was gone, she sailed alone
She flew away to shores unknown
And she knew deep inside her bones
This quest would take her soul
[Chorus]
The Captain flew to Zebra seas
The treasure was bound with locks and keys
Her ship was caught up in the breeze
They dashed her to and fro!
[Chorus]
Her air-ship fell upon the spire
Her wings were weak, but her heart burned fire
She heaved herself up from the pyre
This captain brave and bold!
[Chorus]
And near that far forgotten bay
The Captain, she did die that day
But the treasure was hid safe away
Beyond the rocks and shoals
[Chorus]
Her bones stand vigil on the rock
Her soul still watches like a hawk
Upon her chest she guards and stalks
This pirate queen of old
[Chorus]
For those who search for treasure bright
Prepare yourselves for quite a flight
She won't give up without a fight
This treasure that she holds!
[Chorus]
The bauble sits beneath the claws
Of Capper's nimble, graceful paws
Placed within this hint it was
To find a worthy soul
[Chorus]
I warn ye sailor take my heed
For if your eyes be fraught with greed
The gem is not what you may see
That sparkling diamond cold
[Chorus]
The wizard's skull will guide the path
And shield you from the island's wrath
Lest the winds they grab and cast
Your body onto the shoal!
[Chorus]
So sailor, don't you waste a day
And seek the treasure without delay
Find the lost forgotten bay
And find the chest of gold!
[Chorus]
Heed ye this riddle and learn this song
And you'll be rich before too long
With treasure of this Captain strong
In this tale that I've told
1113 AF, Jubilation
“Remember, darling, you promised.” Rarity eyed Heartwing sternly as they trotted down the gangplank towards the harbor city that sprawled out in front of them. “I get at least some uninterrupted shopping time in the markets.” She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of sea air, desert wind, and the thousand other scents that floated through the air from the zebra city.
“Could you at least try to be productive while you do?” Heartwing asked, his voice exasperated. “I’d hate to remind you again that we’re not tourists here.”
“I’m well aware of why we’re here, Heartwing,” Rarity tossed her mane, trying to hide just how eager she was to explore the new city she saw spread out in front of her. “I just don’t see why we can’t enjoy ourselves when doing it.”
“Because you have a habit of losing focus.”
“Moi? Lose focus?” Rarity huffed. “That may be the absolute worst example of a pot calling a kettle black. You have the attention span of a—”
“Yes, yes,” Heartwing interrupted impatiently. “I’m a cad, I’m irresponsible, all that. Just, while you’re buying whatever souvenirs you need in the markets, you could ask about the song. It’s the best lead we have for the Element of Magic.”
“I can,” Rarity said slowly, as the four of them waited for the sailors to finish tying off on the long wooden dock so they could disembark. Rarity could see both pegasi shifting from hoof to hoof, their wings twitching with impatience to be off the ship. Neither one had done quite well with motion sickness over the journey. “But it’s been a millennia, darling. If the song was supposed to be a clue, wouldn’t somepony have already found it?”
“Not if there were clues meant for you to decipher,” Heartwing said. “Besides, it’s a thousand year old sea shanty. There could be different versions, with different clues. While you’re shopping you could ask around. But!” He held up a hoof. “First we’re going to check in with my Knights here in Jubilation.”
“You have an embassy here?” Emberglow asked, her right hoof idly fiddling with her eyepatch. Heartwing shook his head.
“Nothing official. I have a Knight stationed in Jubilation, and a few more throughout the Free Zebra Republic, supporting various militias and guerilla groups that fight the Diarchy’s expansionist armies here. Officially, the government of Jubilation recognizes the Equestrian government-in-exile out of the Crystal Empire as the rightful rulers of Equestria. We’re just vigilantes to them, legally.”
“You make it sound worse than it is,” Terminus scoffed. The sailors moved the gangplank into position, but Terminus was airborne already, floating over the gap between ship and dock to land before Heartwing’s hoof even touched the wood gangplank. “The creatures love us here.”
“Some creatures love us here,” Heartwing warned. “We’re safe here, but Jubilation is a free port. There’s all kinds here, including agents of the Diarchy, so we do have to be watchful.”
“Then why are you all in armor?” Rarity asked. “Not that you don’t all look rather dashing, of course.” She noted, with a small grin, the way Emberglow’s cheeks got just a little pinker at that.
“Show of force,” came a voice from the dock. Rarity looked up to see two more earth pony Knights approaching, followed by a young teenaged unicorn stallion. They were drawing wary glances from the sailors and zebra dockworkers unloading cargo and moving freight. One of the Knights, like Terminus and Heartwing, wore the traditional yellow armor of the Knights Discordant, while the other mare wore Twilight’s colors, complete with the yellow bands on the shoulders that indicated loyalty to the Discordant. The colt was not wearing armor, but instead simple cotton robes. It was the younger of the two who had spoken. “My idea, actually. Welcome to Jubilation, sir.”
Rarity followed Heartwing off the boat and stepped up to the two new mares. Emberglow was close by her side, watching the new Knights warily. Rarity didn’t blame her; the first seemed pleasant enough, a middle aged mare with a long brown braid and golden-yellow fur, but the second was much more intimidating. She looked older than her companion, but the wrinkles and lines of age did nothing to hide the fire in her eyes. There was something frightening about her hard look that sent a shiver down Rarity’s fur. Her dark navy fur was marred with horrific scarring across her throat, and her eyes darted about with the wariness of a trained soldier.
“Emberglow, Rarity, meet Golden Willow and Justice, two of the best Knights I’ve ever had serving in Jubilation,” Heartwing said. Willow beamed at the praise, but Justice merely nodded silently. “I don’t think I’ve met this stallion, though.”
“H-hello, s-sir!” The colt stepped forward, while the silent older mare’s mouth twitched in a slight smile. “My name is Ch-chocholate Chip! Lady Justice has taken me as her s-squire!” He stammered nervously, but his expression was confident. “It’s wonderful to meet you!”
“You took a squire, Justice?” Heartwing looked shocked, and Justice nodded, her smile widening just slightly as she patted the colt on the shoulders. “Miracles do happen.”
The silent pony rolled her eyes at him, then jerked her head towards the rest of the port city.
“Justice is right,” Golden Willow said. “We should get on our way. We’ve prepared room and board for you here while you…” she trailed off and waved a hoof vaguely, “… do whatever it is you’re here to do. That I probably won’t like, and will most likely make my life difficult.” There was a smile in her voice as she said it.
Justice turned, looking expectantly behind her while the others followed. Golden Willow moved to stand alongside Rarity.
“So, the news wasn’t an exaggeration,” she said, her eyes bright with curiosity. “We all knew the Saints were once real ponies, but I never imagined one of them would still be around.”
“I imagine it came as quite the shock,” Rarity said with a smile as they followed Justice. She noticed that ponies really were staring at them as they passed, though there were several nods of respect and even a few cheers from the passing zebras.
“Working for the Big Guy, nothing much shocks me any longer,” Golden Willow said in a stage whisper. Heartwing turned to give her a look. “Well? You’re weird. And weird stuff happens around you. And to you. I love it.”
“Thank you, Willow, for that glowing testimonial.” Heartwing smirked. “I would like to hope some of that rubbed off on you.”
“Most assuredly, sir!” Willow gave an awkward salute while walking, and Rarity laughed. “And proud of it!”
“Willow here was my squire, once. Years ago,” Heartwing explained.
“Was that an age crack?” Willow muttered under her breath.
“Speaking of squires, I’d love to hear about Justice and young Chocolate Chip, here,” he said, glancing speculatively at the young colt.
“You can call me Chip, s-sir,” Chip said. “I’ve lived in Jubilation since I was three. My m-mom tried to hide me from the Mystics when I was born, but we h-had to f-flee over here. I’ve been l-living here ever since, and Lady Justice just agreed to b-be in charge of my t-training last month.”
“That explains why I wasn’t told.” Heartwing nodded.
Rarity was only half-paying attention to the conversation, allowing her eyes to drift over the foreign city with curiosity. They had moved away from the bustling port and were now walking through a residential district, filled with squat, one story adobe homes, built with wide open windows. The locals continued to glance at them with idle curiosity.
Rarity made sure to take note of the zebra fashions; the flowing pale robes looked like they would be rather wonderful in the heat, and the beadwork on their jewelry was intriguing.
“Is it o-okay?” Chip was saying, his eyes darting with worry between Heartwing and his mentor. Justice nodded, and Heartwing laughed.
“Of course it is, young colt. I just like to meet all Knights after they take their oaths, at least. Justice here is free to train whoever she likes.” He eyed the young colt up and down. “And if she picked you, you must be something truly remarkable. As far as I know, Justice has never taken a squire.”
Justice shook her head silently.
“Um, forgive me for being rude,” Rarity began. “But how does she train you? I assume her silence is not by choice.”
“Oh, it’s a challenge s-sometimes,” Chip admitted. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Lady Justice is a hero around here for those of us who’d still like to go home to Equestria someday. That’s why Lady Willow said you all should wear your armor.”
“Not just a show of power, but a reminder?” Terminus mused, and Willow nodded.
“If you’ve been reading my reports, sir, you’ll know that things are getting strange here in Jubilation,” Willow explained. “Local politics have been shifting towards a more open view of the Diarchy. They’ve been allowed more missionaries, and the city council just passed an ordinance that allowed their embassy to double the size of their garrison. In exchange, Diarchy naval patrols have been backing away from the port, and the city’s gotten some rather favorable trading contracts.”
“I see.” Heartwing pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Anything to be worried about?”
“Not yet.” Willow shook her head. “Jubilation is still neutral ground for all the Republic tribes, as well as other nations like the Diarchy and the Empire. But if things keep going this way, I might have to be relocated. I’m too well known as the face of the Discordant in town. We may need to think about realigning how we interact with Jubilation. In the meantime, though, I thought it best to remind them of how much the Republic owes the Discordant.”
“By parading one of our greatest heroes in front of them, who has spent almost her entire life fighting alongside zebras against the Diarchy.” Heartwing nodded. “Good reasoning.”
“A hero?” Rarity asked curiously. She felt oddly out of place in the conversation, like a third wheel.
“Oh yeah.” Willow nodded. “Justice is a legend in Zebrica. I’ve heard Diarchy troops call her ‘The Ghost’. She’s racked up more loyalist Knight kills than anypony I know.” Rarity couldn’t help but shudder a little bit, but not before she saw the somber look on both Heartwing and Justice’s faces. Willow seemed to notice that the mood had shifted. “I-in any case, you were unclear about what you needed here in your letter. Besides arranging for lodging, is there anything we can help with?”
“We’re here looking for Captain Celeano’s lost treasure, actually,” Rarity said. “Any help you could give would be appreciated.”
“That old wives tale?” Golden Willow giggled, and even Chip glanced at her skeptically. “You know, if there were something to that silly legend, it was probably found years ago.”
“Yes, well,” Rarity replied. “Heartwing seems to think that my old friend Celeano may have been charged with hiding one of the Elements of Harmony.”
“You mean they’re real?” Willow gasped. “I thought…” She glanced at Rarity again, her eyes wide, then cleared her throat. “Um. We should probably talk about this indoors.”
The party silently followed until they stopped in front of one of the squat adobe buildings.
“This is Iodine and Bolero’s house,” Willow explained. “They’re good friends, and they’ve agreed to put the four of you up for as long as you need to stay in town. Let’s go introduce you guys.”
As they approached the house, Rarity could hear the bright, brassy sounds of a piano from inside, floating out of the wide window. It was a delightful melody, almost a march, with a cheerful up-tempo beat. It brought a smile to her face.
“Well, I’m sure whoever is making such a lovely sound must be a lovely pony,” Rarity smiled. Willow nodded, and knocked on the wide wooden door. The music stopped.
“Coming!” a voice sang from inside. Rarity heard the clatter of hooves before the door swung wide, revealing a handsome middle-aged earth pony stallion with yellow fur, wearing a loose white silk shirt. His face was split with a wide, welcoming smile. “Willow! And your guests! Come in, come in! Iodine is out procuring groceries for an epic feast tonight.” He stepped back with a wave of his hoof, and the ponies followed him inside. Rarity saw the stallion’s eyes take them all in, flinching ever so slightly when they laid on Justice, but widening when they rested on her.
“Thank you for your hospitality, darling.” She stepped forward with what she hoped was a winning smile. He gulped, somehow managing to close his gaping mouth.
“By Celestia, you’re really real,” he breathed.
Willow giggled. “You didn’t believe me, Bolero?” she accused, though her lips turned up in an amused smile.
“Don’t tease the poor stallion, Willow.” Rarity hid a small laugh of her own behind one hoof. “He’s not the first pony to be nonplussed by my presence.”
“Oh!” Bolero suddenly jumped, a blush spreading over his cheeks. “I’m terribly sorry, I’ve been so rude. You must be Miss R-rarity.” He barely stammered over her name.
“Yes, I am Rarity,” she said graciously, holding out a hoof for him to shake. Instead he leaned down and kissed it gently, causing her to blush slightly. “My friends are Sir Heartwing, Sir Terminus, and Lady Emberglow.” She pointed to each in turn.
“We’ve met Sir Terminus,” Bolero said. “He stayed with us a few nights, a couple of years ago. It’s good to see you again.” He shook Terminus’ hoof. “Welcome, all of you. Come inside, we’ve got cool drinks while we wait for my husband to come back with the groceries.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Rarity said as she stepped inside the house.
The inside of Bolero and Iodine’s home was a monument to good taste. They followed Bolero into a large lounge, complete with several couches and pillows, all of which matched each other.
In one corner was what appeared to be a small shrine, built around an old photograph of a stallion. Rarity eyed it curiously, but beside her Emberglow stiffened and gasped, trotting over to the shrine and staring intently at the picture.
“I assume you have things you need to discuss,” Bolero said as they all found places in the wide, cool room, trotting further into the house. “I’ll bring some snacks and drinks while we wait.” He slipped out of the room, leaving his guests to get comfortable.
“Is everything okay, Miss Emberglow?” Rarity asked softly.
“I knew him,” Emberglow said, pointing at the stallion in the photograph. “I met him once.” She fell silent, and Rarity reached out to brush her hoof against Emberglow’s shoulder. She was shaking slightly.
“Would you like to talk about it?” Rarity asked. Once again, Emberglow silently shook her head. “If you like, I can ask our host about him. So you don’t have to.”
“His name was July Blaze,” Emberglow whispered, before finally finding her own seat. Rarity gave her one last curious glance before looking out over the assembled Knights.
“I trust everypony here, Rarity.” Heartwing seemed to see the unspoken question in her eyes. Rarity nodded.
“Very well. Most of you know why you’re here. You’re all probably familiar with the sea shanty Heartwing shared with us all, ‘The Last Flight of Captain Celeano’. Heartwing and I both believe that it must contain some sort of hint as to where Twilight hid the Element of Magic. Since the shanty seems to have originated here in Jubilation, we thought it best to look for hints and clues here.”
“You’re not the first to have that idea, though,” Willow noted. “That song’s been around for a few hundred years. Adventurous zebras, and some ponies as well, have been looking for Celeano’s treasure for centuries. As far as we know, nopony has found it.”
“That’s because they weren’t destined to find it, darling,” Rarity said, waving her hoof in a grandiose gesture. She noticed Heartwing’s eyes narrowing. “Yes, I know we can’t rely on that. But I’d like to think the momentum of fate is on our side.”
“The momentum of fate may be, but the momentum of history isn’t.” Willow shook her head. “I don’t mean to be a downer here, but I wasn’t kidding when I said creatures have been looking for centuries. I doubt there’s a stone in or around Jubilation that hasn’t been turned over.”
“What about some sort of hidden message? Some clue buried in the song, an inside reference, that only somepony who knew Twilight or Celeano would understand?” Rarity asked.
Willow shrugged. “It’s possible. But it’s an ancient song. There’s dozens of versions.”
“So the first order of business is to collect as many versions of the story as we can,” Rarity said. “I’d also like to get a feel for the town itself.” Heartwing sighed loudly, and Rarity narrowed her eyes at him. “Yes, Heartwing, that does mean time spent in the marketplace. Honestly, darling, how else am I supposed to get a feel for the creatures and culture of this beautiful city if I’m not allowed to experience it myself?”
“You may have a point, but…”
“Oh relax, Heartwing. I’m not going to go overboard.” Rarity tossed her mane with a huff. “Besides, we’re relatively safe here. Safer than we were back in the Diarchy, right?”
“That may not be exactly right.” Willow shook her head, and Justice and Chip both looked concerned. “As I mentioned, local politics have been shifting towards a more open relationship with the Diarchy. Some of the merchants’ council have bit signs in their eyes, and they’re interested in trading relationships that don’t involve piracy.”
“What does that mean, practically?” Heartwing asked. “Are there more Diarchy forces in Jubilation? Are they going to try to arrest us?”
“Yes and no,” Willow answered. “There are more Knights than usual. A few days ago, we got word of a ship with three Knights, and a couple dozen marines. They’re staying at the Diarchy Embassy, and so far they’ve been pretty quiet.”
“Do you know who it is?” Heartwing asked, and Willow shook her head.
“I didn’t get names, or a good description. Only that there’s two Mystics and a Radiant. That’s on top of the four Adamant and the two Jubilant that are permanently stationed here.”
“Nine Knights,” Heartwing mused. “And they’re staying in their embassy. I wonder what their goal is.”
“I only have one informant in the Embassy, a maid that doesn’t have very much access. She reports, however, that the new Knights have been talking a lot about the weather.”
“The weather?” Heartwing narrowed his eyes.
“Something about unseasonably cold weather over in New Canterlot City,” Willow explained. “I thought it might be code for something.”
“It could be,” Heartwing scratched his chin. “It has been getting colder in the capital. The state radio has been reporting that it has something to do with ‘dwindling faith among the citizens’ or something like that.”
Justice gave a loud snort of disbelief, shaking her head, and Willow was nodding along. “Ridiculous. As if a pony’s behavior could have an effect on the weather.”
“it’s not unprecedented,” Rarity said, and everypony stared at her. “There’s that old legend of the Windigoes, after all.” She felt her cheeks heating up at the sudden attention she was getting. “Of course, I don’t know h-how much of that fable was history, and how much was elaborated on for the sake of the Hearth’s Warming tale.”
“Windigoes were real, once,” Heartwing said. “I always thought the Diarchy destroyed them while I was a stone. But I don’t know for sure.”
“Wait, Windigoes? What’s that?” Willow looked confused, and Rarity glanced around at the other faces in the room. Emberglow, Terminus, Justice, and even Chip looked on uncomprehendingly.
“Creatures that thrive on disharmony and imbalance between the pony races,” Heartwing explained. “They’re creatures of ice and snow. The stronger they grow, the colder things get.” He shrugged. “I figured they were all gone, or else we should have seen something when the Diarchy started locking away unicorns in their own communities, and then eventually killing them. But since Equestria hasn’t been buried in yards of snow, it seemed safe to assume they were no longer an issue.”
“That’s the reason we all celebrate Hearth’s Warming, to memorialize the day the pony races united in peace and harmony to finally cast back the Windigoes,” Rarity chimed in, once again to several blank stares. “Let me guess. That’s another one of the holidays that the Diarchy has co-opted.”
“They also call it “Saint Twilight’s Night,” Terminus explained. “Saint Twilight brings the light of knowledge and truth to cast back the dark, cold mists of ignorance and heresy. It’s a day of reflection and renewal of faith, where we contemplate the lessons we’ve learned over the past year.”
“No Hearth’s Warming Tree?” Rarity asked, and Terminus shook his head. “No gifts? Carols?”
“There are Saint Twilight’s Night gifts,” Emberglow chimed in. “Though the confessors usually encourage educational gifts, things that promote spiritual growth during the coming year. And what are carols?”
“Hearth’s Warming songs, dear,” Rarity said, but Terminus and Emberglow were both shaking their heads.
“It’s more of a quiet, contemplative holiday now, Rarity,” Terminus said gently. Rarity huffed and stomped a hoof.
“That’s unacceptable. Heartwing, we should make it a priority to bring back the real Hearth’s Warming as soon as possible.” The others smiled at her in amused disbelief, but Heartwing was nodding.
“Why not?” he shrugged. “At the very least it’ll be good for morale. At best, it’s a good step on the path of bringing harmony back to Equestria. Not exactly why we’re here, though.”
Everypony fell silent, and Rarity felt self-conscious. Not for the first time, she remembered just how different these ponies were from her. She was about to clear her throat and begin speaking again when Bolero reentered, followed by a dark furred stallion. Both bore numerous trays full of sliced vegetables and other snack foods.
“Sorry I’m late, everypony,” the second stallion called out as the two of them set the food down between the assembled Knights. “I had to pick up some supplies. I’m Iodine Mark, and I’m honored to have you in my home.” His gaze drifted over the assembled ponies, and he even did a double take, swallowing loudly when he saw Rarity. “You… um, you’re…”
“Rarity. Charmed to meet you, Iodine. You have such a lovely home, and I’m ever so honored to be enjoying your hospitality. Thank you.”
“Yes, um…” He flushed, enough that she could see the darkening of his cheeks even over his dark fur. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Nonsense, there was a lull in the conversation anyways.” Rarity waved her hoof. “A good time to break for a snack, wouldn’t you all say?” There were murmurs of agreement, and the assembled ponies dug into the graciously provided meal. Rarity watched Emberglow approach Iodine Mark, hesitation clear on her face. She moved closer. Not to overhear, of course. Whatever was happening was bothering her, and Rarity wanted to be close to offer support if needed.
“This shrine, here,” Emberglow began, her eye darting between the photograph at the shrine and Iodine. “Um, this stallion. Who was he?”
“July Blaze was my brother,” Iodine said, walking over to the picture and picking it up. “He’s the one who helped smuggle Bolero and I out of the Diarchy. After that, he didn’t want to stop. He kept smuggling ponies out of the country, anypony that didn’t want to hide any longer.”
“I know. I met him. Back when I…” Emberglow was breathing hard, and Rarity silently reached out with a steadiying hoof. Emberglow shot her a grateful look. “Back when I…” she gulped. “I was… um, it was after he was arrested. The public pillories, in New Canterlot City. He was kind.” She fell silent, bowing her head.
“Do you think you could tell me about him?” Iodine whispered. Emberglow swallowed hard, and nodded. “When you’re not busy with your meeting, of course. If you’re able.”
“I don’t mind. We’re pausing for lunch anyways, right?” Emberglow gave a weak laugh. “I’m not really hungry.”
“You should eat something, Emberglow,” Rarity chided. “I’m sure we can talk about it while we eat.” She made eye contact with Iodine, and a bit of silent understanding passed between them. He took one of Emberglow’s sides, and Rarity stood at the other. Between the two of them, they gently but firmly guided her to the food.
“Yeah. Yeah, of course,” Emberglow said. The three of them selected their lunch from the small buffet, with Rarity ensuring Emberglow got enough to eat. “Sorry. Terminus has to keep reminding me. Rule three.” She sighed impatiently.
“It takes time, darling,” Rarity patted her on the back with one hoof. “Everypony is patient.”
“It took me years before I stopped feeling guilty for the dumbest things,” Iodine chimed in.
“It’s not guilt,” Emberglow admitted. “It’s… I don’t know.” The three of them sat down, with Emberglow in the middle, and she began to talk.
She told a story about being a young page, feeding the poor souls trapped in some sort of barbaric public punishment. Rarity had nothing to add more than sympathetic nods and occasional comforting pats with her hoof.
When she was finished, Iodine was silent for a long time. He’d even stopped eating. His eyes were distant and unfocused. Finally he took a deep, shaky breath.
“Thank you for telling me,” he said. “It’s… good to know he was still able to find a reason to smile. Even at the end. And thank you for showing him kindness.”
“Did I, though?” Emberglow whispered, her voice raw. “I could have…”
Emberglow fell silent, and Iodine nodded. Rarity sat silently, watching two ponies share a quiet moment. She wanted to say something, but no words came. She shuffled her hooves, carefully trying not to watch as the two ponies gazed mournfully at the shrine. There was a part of Rarity that wanted one of the two of them to end the silence, say something more, maybe even change the subject. But the quiet lingered. So she did what she could, leaning over and giving Emberglow a comforting squeeze.
After everypony had eaten, it was time to make plans. Rarity stood, calling everypony’s attention with a polite clearing of her throat.
“I think it’s time to make some plans, now that we’ve all eaten,” she began, with a grateful nod to her hosts. “Given what Willow has told us about the state of the city, we should split up into large groups. I think two should be sufficient?”
The rest of the conversation was practical, as they discussed the groups. In the end, they decided that Rarity, Terminus, and Emberglow would scour the market for rumors or other versions of the song, with Chocolate Chip serving as their local guide. Meanwhile Willow, Justice, and Heartwing would see what they could discover from the area around the Diarchy embassy. Their hosts even offered to try and procure some sea charts, so the Knights could get a look at some of the islands surrounding Jubilation.
“It’s decided, then? We’ll meet back here right before dinner?” Everypony nodded, and the Knights, Rarity, and one squire set out into the city, towards the open air markets.
Before they separated, Lady Justice took Chip aside, giving him a significant look and pointing at Terminus and Emberglow. He nodded, and Rarity looked at him quizzically.
“I’ve been given orders to follow Sir Terminus’ and Lady Emberglow’s instructions to the letter,” the squire said, earning a proud smile and nod from his silent Knight.
“We’ll take care of your squire, Justice,” Terminus said, and Justice nodded. Rarity followed him and Emberglow out of the home, accompanied by the young squire.
“I just can’t wait to see the market!” Rarity’s walk became a prance of delight, even as Terminus and Emberglow both shot her an amused look. “What? For purely businesslike reasons, of course!” She didn’t even begrudge them their amused laughter.
* * * * *
“Th-there’s two main markets in Jubilation,” Chip explained when they’d split off from the others. “The Gold Run is mostly for foreign merchants, trade goods, and exotic s-stuff. The Four Ways M-marketplace is where locals go to buy everyday th-things.”
“I’d love to see the Gold Run, first,” Rarity said. It wasn’t just because she was utterly curious about what wonders a foreign exotic market might hold. It wasn’t. But Terminus and Emberglow were both smirking slightly when she said it, and she rolled her eyes. “It’s where we’re more likely to find well-traveled ponies, after all.”
“S-sure, follow me!” Chip said cheerfully. “It gets pretty c-crowded, so stay close.”
He had not been kidding. The sounds and the smells of the market arrived long before Rarity could see it. It had the smell of commerce, of spices and food vendors, of dust and sweat and labor. It sounded bright and messy, full of cheerful arguments and bickering bartering.
The Gold Run was set in a slight recess, a scoop in the ground surrounded by much taller buildings. Huge tarps spread over crowds and booths alike, providing a hodge-podge of shade over the bustling creatures. Zebras, ponies, and other creatures of all sizes and ages jostled about the market, laughing, shouting, pushing, greeting and cheering. The sound flowed up over the market like a tide, washing over Rarity in a cacophony of energy and life.
Rarity tried to take it all in at once. In a way, it reminded her of the marketplace at Klugetown, though this one was cleaner. It was just too bad that she had to be there for business, rather than leisure. But if she happened to just simply... stumble across a bargain on some dressmaking supplies, maybe exotic cloth or some nice lace trim…
“Miss Rarity? Are y-you okay?” Chip’s question cut through her fantasies of foamy lace and silken dresses, and she blinked, coloring a bit when she noticed everypony else was staring at her.
“Just fine, dears. Sorry about that. It’s just all so wonderful, isn’t it?” The question was rhetorical, not really addressed at anypony, but Chip nodded.
“I l-love the Gold Run. I don’t have a lot of spending money, usually, but it’s f-fun just to hang out here.” He pointed with a hoof. “There’s a lot more than j-just zebras and ponies, too.” It was true. Rarity could see minotaurs and griffons, and even a few creatures she had no name for. Hooved deer with swooping horns, a pair of bipedal dogs that looked like sleeker, cleaner diamond dogs, and even a small dragon darting about above the crowd, hovering on her batlike wings.
The sight gave her a pang of homesickness as she suddenly thought of Spike. Gulping past the sudden lump of emotion in her throat, she tried to focus on the task at hoof.
“Shall we split up?” she asked, and immediately the corners of Emberglow’s mouth turned down in a frown. “Just to cover more ground, of course. We can talk to more ponies if we’re not together.”
“I’m not really comfortable with that,” Terminus said. He was glancing around himself nervously, his wings twitching. “There’s a lot of ponies down there. Crowds make me nervous; they’re unpredictable. Easy to get lost in.”
“Well, it may not be the most efficient, but I don’t mind braving the crowd with a contingent of Knightly bodyguards,” Rarity conceded with a grin.
“We’ll keep you safe,” Emberglow said quite seriously, stepping a little closer. Rarity had to hold back a laugh; she’d been being silly, of course. But Emberglow’s presence, plus the other Knight and the squire, did make her feel quite confident in the bustling crowd.
“I think we should find a local storyteller,” Terminus said. “If I remember correctly from the last time I was in Zebrica, there are a few that do street performances for the tourists and foreigners. We could probably collect a few different versions of the song from them.”
“Storyteller?” Rarity asked, intrigued.
“Look for a really brightly dressed zebra, usually standing on a stool or a box of some sort. Sometimes they’re singing, other times reciting poetry. There might be puppets, too.”
“Very well.” She set off through the crowd, and the others followed her lead.
It felt odd, being the pony in charge. Here were three others who knew this world better than she did. Who had grown up in it. She was an outsider, a newcomer, not even a part of their order or their command chain, but Emberglow and Terminus both seamlessly followed her instructions as if she were. It made her a little uncomfortable, even though she understood Heartwing’s reasons for putting her in charge.
Suddenly Emberglow let out a gasp, stumbling backwards until her flank bumped into Rarity. Rarity glanced over at her; Emberglow’s eye was wide and surprised.
“Terminus, how many Mystics did they say came over?” Emberglow’s voice sounded shaky.
“Two,” Terminus said.
“I thought I just saw…” Emberglow breathed, then shook her head. “No. it was probably me imagining things.”
“Tell us who you think you saw,” Rarity coaxed gently. Emberglow seemed skittish, her hooves tapping nervously against the dirt floor of the market.
“An old acquaintance. Her name is Joyful Noise. Earth Pony mare, a Knight Mystic. We were in the seminary together, and then she was at Manehattan.” She went silent, which wasn’t surprising. Emberglow rarely liked to talk about what happened in Manehatten before Rarity had awoken.
“You’re sure you saw her?” Rarity asked, and Emberglow pursed her lips, shaking her head.
“What does she look like?” Terminus’ wings spread wide, and he reared slightly on his hind hooves, ready to spring into the air.
“Short blue mane with lighter blue streaks. Greyish fur,” Emberglow said.
“Don’t you go picking a fight, now,” Rarity cautioned, and Terminus nodded.
“I’d just like to get a better look, Rarity, if you don’t mind.” He waited for her nod before springing into the air with a mighty leap. Zebras around them stopped and stared as the pegasus gained altitude, his eyes scanning the crowd. He didn’t even get out of earshot, but Rarity still watched him nervously until he flapped back down to them.
“I couldn’t see anypony with that description, Emberglow. But it doesn’t mean you imagined her. Maybe she slipped out of sight after catching sight of you.”
“What does that mean for us?” Rarity asked. “Are we in danger?”
“Probably,” Terminus said. “We’ll keep an eye out for any more of Emberglow’s old acquaintances.”
“We shouldn’t let them intimidate us, whether or not the Mystics are here watching us,” Rarity said, noting Emberglow’s nervous glances. She completely understood the sentiment; Emberglow’s last encounter with loyalist Knights was not one even Rarity wanted to spend too much time thinking about.
“L-look!” Chip called out, and Rarity’s heart leapt, thinking he’d spotted one of the enemy Knights. Instead, however, he was pointing at a middle aged zebra stallion dressed in a dizzying palate of rainbow colored silk. He was surrounded by a fascinated crowd of mostly zebra youngsters, though there were a few other creatures gathered about as well. His mouth and hooves were moving animatedly, though she couldn’t hear what he was saying.
“We’ve found our first storyteller, it seems,” Rarity said cheerfully, happy to move on from the worrisome topic. She trotted over, close enough to hear the tail end of his latest tale.
“…as tall as the mountains, and warmer than the sun. But Snowflake Flutter was undaunted. She knew she was all that stood between her family in the ship and the creature before her.” The zebra storyteller flourished his hooves, releasing some sort of powder into the air. It ignited in a tiny puff of light and smoke, and for a briefest moment, Rarity could see an image of smoke and flame; a vast dark dragon looming over a tiny pegasus.
The surrounding zebra foals all gasped and clapped their hooves together in gleeful terror, and even some of the adults ‘oohed’ in pleasure. Rarity came to a stop on the edge of the crowd, and her companions fanned out around her. She saw the storyteller meet her eyes, and he flashed her a dashing grin before continuing.
“But how was one lone pegasus to face off against a dragon? All she had was her wits, her wings, and the enchanted yarn the shaman had given her. But there wasn’t much yarn, and she didn’t think the dragon would stop rampaging if she knitted him a sock.” The gathered foals giggled, and the storyteller drew a single, rainbow-colored thread out of his voluminous sleeves. He waved it about, gracefully trailing it through the air and dancing it about with his hooves.
“The dragon wasn’t about to give her time to think. He snapped down with his jaws, trying to swallow her whole. Snowflake wracked her brain, trying to remember the shaman’s words when he gave her the yarn. ‘Spin the yarn in darkness to find light. Spin the yarn in prison to find freedom. Spin the yarn in danger to find freedom’. Snowflake didn’t know what it meant, but she was out of options.”
There was another flourish of hooves, and a pop of sulfur, and another image appeared in front of the storyteller; this time the tiny pegasus was desperately flying away from the dragon.
“Summoning all her courage, Snowflake shot forward and kicked the dragon, right in the nose. Of course this didn’t sit well with the monster; he roared in fury and shot after her, away from the ship and her family. He was much faster than she was, though, so it wasn’t long before the demon opened his jaws wide and snapped, trapping Snowflake in his gullet. With a gulp, he swallowed, and the heroine was gone.”
The assembled foals called out protests and whimpered in fear, but the storyteller’s eyes were glinting.
“But not all hope was lost. For Snowflake’s last act of courage had awoken the enchantment in the yarn. It flowed out of her hooves and spun around her like a garment, becoming a cloak that wrapped around her and protected her from the fires of the dragon’s stomach. She curled up in fear, but the cloak wrapped around her, powered by courage and love, keeping her safe. Even the dragon started to feel the holy glow from inside him.”
There was a third tiny firework, accompanied by the (rather uncouth, though impressive) image of the smoky dragon regurgitating a brightly glowing pegasus.
“With a wretch, he rejected the hero from his gullet. He was ready to strike, but her love and bravery shined from her eyes like a beacon. It filled the dragon with such fear that he turned and fled.”
“So Snowflake Flutter landed on the ship, and was immediately surrounded by her adopted zebra family. And the ten of them continued on their way home, on clear seas.” He finished with a final tiny explosion, complete with the image of a small sailing ship floating off into the distance. There was a brief silence, before the foals exploded with applause. The storyteller took a bow, and motioned dramatically towards a wide-mouthed clay pot set on the ground in front of him. A few of the adult zebras tossed a coin or two in the pot. With each donation, the storyteller smiled winningly.
“That was quite the performance,” Rarity said, approaching as soon as the crowd had cleared enough for her to get close. She fished a few bits out of her saddlebag and dropped them in the pot. “I’m sad to say I missed the beginning. I can’t say I’m familiar with the story of Snowflake Flutter.”
“Oh? It’s a fairly common story,” the zebra’s eyebrows raised, though he was smirking. “I must say, though, even if you had heard her story before, I doubt you’ve ever heard it told by somepony as talented as the Great Yazid.”
“I find myself lucky for the experience,” Rarity laughed. For a moment she was reminded of Trixie, and was rather surprised to find that the memory was accompanied by a strong sense of loss, rather than annoyance or resignation. She cleared her throat, trying to drive the melancholy thoughts from her head. She had other business. “And from somepony so well dressed, too. I must say, you have quite the sense of style.”
“Why thank you, Miss Unicorn. A zebra does try.” He spread his forehooves and posed dramatically, and Rarity laughed again. Next to her, however, Emberglow cleared her throat. Rarity glanced over; Emberglow looked uncomfortable, and a little upset, though Rarity could not tell why. Still, it was good to focus on business.
“If you have more time, Great Yazid, me and my companions would love to hear another story,” Rarity glanced significantly at her saddlebag, and she could have sworn that Yazid had bit signs in his eyes.
“I would be pleased,” he replied. “But from the looks of you and your companions, you probably have quite the story of your own? I’ve never known the infamous Knights Discordant to live anything less than interesting lives.”
“I’m sure our lives are far less interesting than you think,” Rarity lied, but from the small huff of laughter Yazid gave, he didn’t believe her for an instant. “We’re much more interested in ancient stories. Such as ‘The Last Flight of Captain Celeano’?”
“You claim to not be interesting, then reveal yourself as a treasure hunter.” The street performer laughed. “Tell me, young lady, what drove you to seek fortune and glory?”
He was digging for a story in return, but Rarity wasn’t sure how much of their business she wanted blasted about the marketplace by overeager zebra storytellers, so she chose to keep her answer vague. “Can’t you tell, darling? I was born for fortune and glory.” She tossed her mane a little, and the storyteller’s eyes twinkled.
“Well, who am I to become an obstacle on that path? Now, would you prefer the narrated version, or the song?”
She’d already heard the sea shanty version of the song, so the choice was clear. “The narrated version, please. I quite enjoyed the theatrical presentation of your last thrilling tale.”
It was much like the story they’d seen before, and it wasn’t long before a small crowd of foals started to gather, watching the storyteller with spellbound fascination. Like the story before, Yazid punctuated the tale with clever pyrotechnics and dramatic flourish. It was clearly a fictionalized version of the events in question; the story changed Celeano into a hippogriff, and the ‘princess’ was a zebra. But it was a thrilling tale nonetheless.
The princess had a treasure to hide from cruel enemies that wanted to take it away. She knew she’d be back for it someday, and if not her, then her heirs. So she begged her friend, the aging Celeano, to hide the treasure in the most remote location she could think of. Celeano agreed and set sail.
The tale was full of adventure and danger, and Rarity found herself getting caught up alongside the foals in the theatricality of it all. Yazid’s voice was mesmerizing, and she realized she was enjoying herself more than she thought she would. It was only Emberglow’s uncomfortable, impatient shifting beside her that snapped her out of her trance.
“Is everything all right, darling?” she whispered, as Yazid was recounting Celeano’s ship being battered by a particularly vicious storm. Emberglow colored and shook her head. Rarity wanted to press; the poor dear was sometimes so bad about internalizing her problems, not opening up to her friends, but now was not the time or place.
“Sorry,” Emberglow whispered back.
Rarity blinked at her in confusion. “Whatever for, Emberglow?” The question only made Emberglow blush harder and look away. Rarity dropped the question with a shrug, though she wished there were something more she could do. She hated to see the poor mare suffering, after all.
Finally Yazid was reaching the end of his tale, with Celeano crashing on her destination, an undiscovered island that hadn’t been found since. Using the last of her strength, Celeano filled the island with clever traps and safeguards, before locking the treasure away forever.
As with before, the foals clapped and cheered, though Yazid held up a hoof. He reached behind himself and pulled out a large stringed instrument, from where it had been hiding behind him. It was odd to Rarity’s eyes, looking as if somepony had combined a guitar and a harp. There was a large, round resonator, with a long, curving neck extending from it, with almost two dozen strings stretching down. He set the resonator on the ground in front of him and danced his hooves across the strings, and the air was filled with light, cheerful strums of music. Yazid took a few moments to tune the strings, turning keys on the instrument’s neck before launching into the song version of the story.
The performance was entertaining, but it was just like the one Heartwing had sung for them back in Angel’s Rest. There was nothing new here, except for the change in the character’s races. Still, Yazid had a soothing singing voice, and his playing was delightful. When he was done, he bowed once again, and gestured to his money pot. Rarity dropped a few more coins into the pot where they plinked metallically against the growing pile.
“Thank you so much for the tale and the song, Yazid,” Rarity said.
“It was an absolute pleasure to serve such a beautiful lady,” Yazid’s eyes were half lidded, his voice low. “I could stare into your eyes and sing poetry all day long.” Rarity blinked, blushing a little at the realization he’d been flirting with her. It was probably standard practice; this was how he earned his living after all. Still, she could be polite.
“As much as I would love to stay and listen to stories all day, I do have other things to attend to. I must say, though, for my first trip to Jubilation, you’ve made it quite memorable.”
He bowed and smiled, and Rarity turned to her companions, ready to move on and find the next storyteller. Emberglow still looked uncomfortable and shifted about from hoof to hoof, while Terminus was shooting her concerned glances. Chip seemed unconcerned, smiling with excitement. He was already looking about for the next storyteller.
“What…” Rarity began, but at Emberglow’s stricken, guilty look, she chose not to ask. Still, she wondered and worried a little. Perhaps it had something to do with the Knight acquaintance Emberglow had thought she’d seen earlier. “Um. Shall we find the next story?”
Chip was more than happy to lead the way deeper into the Gold Run, and before too long they were stopping in front of the second storytellers. This time, it was a young zebra couple working in tandem, with the mare telling the stories while the stallion provided background music on a small flute. Rarity waited patiently until they were done with their current story, before once again requesting their version of the tale. As with Yazid, they were more than happy to comply.
Their version was much like Yazid’s, with the main characters’ races being changed to a hippogriff and a zebra. But there were a few different details, such as the treasure’s location being a remote mountain, rather than an island. Rarity made a point of remembering every variation.
They spent several hours rather pleasantly moving about the Gold Run, listening to many different versions of the story. By the time the sun was beginning to set, they’d heard dozens of storytellers, all with their own unique style and detail, tell the thrilling adventure of the dying captain heroically performing her final duty.
“So what have we learned?” Rarity mused out loud as the four of them began their journey back to Iodine and Bolero’s home. The sky was alive with the painted hues of sunset, and the hot air was just beginning to cool with the slightest of breezes blowing in from the ocean.
“Most versions of the story seem to agree on the races of the creatures involved,” Emberglow began, her voice taking on a lecture-like cadence that made Rarity smirk. Sparklevoice, indeed. “Since all of the stories we heard refer to the Princess as a zebra, it’s safe to assume everypony has forgotten that the song was supposed to refer to T-twilight Sparkle. While most of the stories also make Celeano a hippogriff, there were a few that called her a griffon, as well.”
“I do wonder what happened to the parrots,” Rarity mused a little sadly. “They were majestic and proud creatures. Bipedal, unlike us. I suppose it makes sense that the songs and stories would change if the creatures were no longer around.”
She paused, and glanced at Emberglow, who was staring at her. “Sometimes it’s hard to think about the fact that you knew these ponies, er, creatures.” Emberglow shook her head. “Um. So Celeano’s race has been forgotten. But that’s perhaps all the stories agree on. The rest is kind of a jumbled mess.
“Some versions have the resting place of the treasure on an island, others a remote mountain surrounded by smoke. Probably volcanic. In some versions Celeano has a crew, others she’s alone. Though I don’t see how it would be possible to steer an airship all by oneself, especially if Celeano was as old as the songs seem to indicate.”
“Believe me, darlings, she would find a way. Celeano had an iron will and endless courage, when I knew her.”
“Maybe you should tell us how you met her,” Terminus suggested. “We could match what we learned from the songs with what you knew of her in life, and maybe learn more about where she might have hidden the Element.”
“Oh, so now it’s my turn to tell a story?” Rarity teased. “Very well, but don’t expect the level of talent or theatricality we saw back in the Gold Run.”
She began to regale them with the thrilling adventure, starting with the invasion of the Storm King at the Festival of Friendship. It was a bit of an odd thing to tell the story; she’d lived through those things, and even though they may have taken place centuries ago, for Rarity, it was only a few years old.
She talked about the dashing (but deceptive) Capper, about the despondent and defeated pirates, and how Rainbow and their friends had rallied them before they had lost their ship to the Storm King’s forces. She didn’t stop there, either, sharing the story of the seaponies as well, before finishing with the thrilling tale of retaking Canterlot from the Storm King’s creatures.
By the time they were finished, the four ponies were nearly back at Iodine and Bolero’s home. The other three proved a wonderful audience, and though Rarity could see Emberglow was bursting with questions and curiosity, she held back until Rarity was finished.
“After all that, Celeano and her crew went back to adventuring along the southern skies. We kept in touch, as much as we could, though only through the occasional letter she sent to Twilight. I only saw her in person one more time, when I visited Klugetown to see the reforms that Governor Capper was putting in place. It was still a rather…” she paused, looking for a polite way to say it, “… rough place, though it was getting much better than when we first visited.”
“Sad to think about now,” Terminus said. “Klugetown is a ruin now. There’s less left than even in Manehatten, and it’s just as filled with motic radiation and weird critters.”
“What happened?” Rarity asked, and Terminus shrugged.
“We don’t know. It’s not in any historical records, like the Siege of Manehatten, but it’s probably safe to assume that at some point the Diarchy sent forces down there to wipe out everyone. And from the state of the ruins, they were probably successful. Heartwing orders an expedition there every few years, when we can spare the ponies for it, just to keep an eye on things and see if we can learn anything about what happened.”
“Such a shame,” Rarity shook her head. “I don’t suppose…”
“Emberglow.”
The voice was unexpected, unfamiliar, and filled Rarity with dread. From the way Emberglow froze solid next to her, it wasn’t good news.
She spun to look behind her, seeing a tall, elegant mare with an emerald mane and sky blue fur. A single scar marked the center of her muzzle. What was more frightening, however, was the armor she wore; it was white and pristine, complete with a painted-on version of her own cutie mark.
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen the armor of the Knights Radiant before; Emberglow’s own armor had her cutie mark on it still, though she didn’t usually try to think about that too hard. But given the lack of yellow stripes on the forehooves, this was a Diarchy Knight, not one of Heartwing’s.
Behind the mare stood three Diarchy marines, all carrying rifles. They looked nervous, with eyes shifting about between their Knight and Rarity.
“You’ll have to forgive me, darling, but you appear to be wearing my cutie mark,” Rarity said loudly, stepping in front of Emberglow. Her heart was pounding. “I’m not sure I remember giving permission for such blatant plagiarism.” She made sure to toss her mane, so her horn was clearly visible.
“Rarity,” Emberglow whispered. “Get behind me.”
“Please, miss…” the Knight paused, glancing fearfully between Emberglow and Rarity. “…Miss. I’m only here to talk to my friend.”
“My name is Rarity, Knight. You can say it.”
“I…” the Knight shook her head. “Please. I promise I will not attack first. Please let me talk to Emberglow.”
“You can say whatever you like in front of all of us,” Rarity declared. The Knight’s eyes flashed with anger, but she looked at Emberglow past Rarity’s shoulder.
“Is that true, Emberglow? Does this… lie… speak for you?”
“Tell me what you want, Mercy,” Emberglow sighed. “My friends can hear whatever you have to say.”
“If you insist,” Mercy shook her head sadly. “Steadfast asked me to bring a message. An apology. He made a mistake, and he wants to talk.”
“Mistake?” Emberglow hissed. “Mistake?! He threw me to Brightblade, Mercy. I was tortured!” She stomped her hoof angrily on the ground.
“Excuse me, miss Mercy, was it?” Rarity said. “You seem to be Emberglow’s friend. Would you like to know what she looked like when I found her? When I rescued her from your friend?”
“You…” Mercy’s eyes widened, and she took an unconscious step back. “You rescued… she…”
“She was in terrible shape,” Rarity pressed forward mercilessly. “Broken ribs, a broken wing. Her fur was rubbed raw in places, and her face was bruised.” She paused dramatically. “You do know Steadfast was in that camp, right? He was there, the whole time. I ran into him. If it was a mistake, why didn’t he stop it then?”
“He… I…”
“I’m going to guess,” Rarity interrupted. “He found out something more. Something about Emberglow that makes her more valuable to whatever he’s planning.” Rarity glanced at Emberglow, whose eyes had widened.
“Emberglow, please. I just want to understand. I want to talk to you.” Mercy shifted, trying to catch Emberglow’s eyes. It was rather insulting, the way she kept ignoring Rarity.
“No thank you, Mercy.” Emberglow’s voice was shaking. “The last time I just wanted to talk ended with…” she shuddered, and trailed off. “We’re leaving. If you don’t want there to be a fight, please don’t follow us.”
“I… I can’t let you go!” Mercy begged. “Steadfast’s orders are to bring you back alive. If you come with me, then Brightblade can’t hurt you!”
Emberglow froze, her eyes wide. For a moment, Rarity was reminded of a small, panicked animal. The brave Knight seemed to shrink into herself, but then something hard flashed in her eyes.
“Chip?” Emberglow whispered. “You can cast shield spells, right?”
“Y-yes, Lady Emberglow.”
“Your orders are to keep Rarity safe, no matter what. As soon as you can, run. Terminus, please keep an eye on them and make sure nopony follows.”
“You’re doing it again, aren’t you?” Rarity demanded. “The sacrifice act. Oh no you don’t, Emberglow. I remember how that ended the last time.”
“But if Brightblade is here, somewhere…” Emberglow’s voice was nearly a whimper. “If he’s here, then I don’t know if I can protect you.”
“Rarity,” Terminus said softly. “Emberglow will be fine. I’ll stay by her side this time. You need to get free. Chip can keep you safe, and I’ll keep Emberglow safe. Try to find Heartwing and bring back help.”
“Very well, if…”
“Chip, Rarity? Run!” Terminus even had the cheek to swat her on the rump with one wing, but it was enough to get her moving. The soldiers cried out in surprise, and even Mercy took a threatening step forward, but Emberglow and Terminus both moved to block her. Rarity spared a glance over her shoulder as she ran.
“D-don’t worry, Miss Rarity,” Chip yelled, just as his horn lit up with a purple glow. “I’m good with shield spells, you’ll see!” His eager confidence was comforting, moreso when a purple bubble of force arose around them. “I’ll keep you safe!”
“Perhaps. But who’s going to keep her safe?” Rarity asked, with both heartbreak and anger in her voice.