//------------------------------//
// 06: Settle For A Draw 
// Story: The Rejects 
// by Argonaut44 
//------------------------------//

Blinding white light bent and buckled all throughout the cabin, leaving all in the room with sore splotched spots of multicolor madness. 
“That’s everypony,” said Starlight, her horn dimming for the first time in what felt like hours.
Wallflower coughed up some sparkling turquoise dust. 
“I think I’m gonna throw up,” Wallflower muttered, gripping her twisted stomach.
“You’ll get used to it,” Starlight smiled, helping Wallflower up to her hooves. Lightning and Suri had traveled alongside them, both lying on the floor, exhausted.
"Are you all alright?" Starlight asked.
Lightning staggered up to her hooves, refusing to allow herself a rest.
“What is this place?” Lightning asked.
“Somewhere safe,” Starlight said. 
“How many times have you told us that already?” Suri snarled, from the floor "Starlight Glimmer. I swear. One of these days, I'm gonna-"
Lightning's glare convinced Suri to stop while she was ahead.
They were atop a golden rose rug, with ribbons of firelight washing back and forth over like a wave, crawling out from the lit hearth beneath the chimney. 
The cabin was cramped with forgotten-fad furniture and faded photographs hung up crooked on the wall. 
“Starlight.”
Starlight’s attention snapped towards the nearby door to the other room of the cabin, where Sunburst had stepped out from the shadows. 
Starlight felt like bursting into tears, and was overcome by relief.
She ran to embrace him, cupping his cheek and inspecting his face; the blood was still wet.
“I’m fine,” Sunburst assured, almost dismissively. He pulled away from her.  
“What’s this supposed to be, your summer home?” Suri asked.
“My mother’s old cabin. It was the first place I could think of to go. The blizzard outside will slow them down, if they think to look here,” Sunburst explained. 
The northern storm had arrived at last; and the shuddering winds brought with them heaps of snow. Starlight had no idea how far from the city they were, but regardless, they could not stay here forever. 
“How many?” Lightning asked; part of her wished she had been there to help the others, or perhaps more so to prove that her wings’ injury was of little hindrance. 
“...Thirty or forty,” Starlight said.
She spun around the room, eyeing each of them, before her face became twisted and her eyes flashed red. She could spot the corpses and red gore, all of it in its grave repugnancy. 
“Where is she?” Starlight muttered. 
Trixie bit her lip, she was still shivering from the cold. That, and her nerves had gotten the better of her.
The front door swung open, and the bitter gusts of stormwind howled and howled like a pack of starved wolves, silencing all inside the cabin. 
There was Sunset Shimmer, her mane coated in snowflakes, her nose red and her breath stunted. Behind her, she was dragging their newest guest.
Subduing Redshift had been a task, after she had managed to slip into the teleportation tunnel alongside Sunburst, Starlight, Sunset, and Trixie. 
Finding herself overwhelmed by the four unicorns, it took mere moments until she was rendered helpless, wrapped up in snakelike magical chains.
Sunset had meant to kill Redshift off the bat; it was Starlight who had made sure no more blood was spilled. 
“It’s over,” she had said, before she would return back to the Crystal Empire to retrieve Suri, Lightning, and Wallflower. 
Starlight’s glare was enough to send the others backing away with caution. Trixie glanced at Sunset, who pulled at Redshift’s chain leash with a ferocious taunt; she sought to boast of her prize. 
“We caught one?” Lightning exclaimed, incredulously. 
“What for?” Suri asked, rising to her hooves. 
“Leverage. If it comes to it.” Trixie suggested. 
“You poor idiots,” Redshift spat from the ground, springing to life, buckling in her chains, “The entire royal army is looking for the lot of you, and now they know where you are. Only a matter of time now. You’ll be running for the rest of your short little lives...”
Sunset planted a hard kick to Redshift’s chest, silencing the serpent-eyed unicorn for a moment. 
“Twilight wants us dead. They all want us dead. We’re going to be scrounging for scraps to stay alive. Why waste any of it on her?” Sunset wondered. 
Starlight caught her breath; she had only been waiting for the subtlest excuse. 
She marched towards an unflinching Sunset. The others all drew still.
Persian blue eyes met cyan, entangled in a bloody coil of jest.
“What you did back there is never going to happen again," Starlight said.
Sunset’s twisted smile grew like a ray of morning sunlight. 
“Still afraid of a little blood?”
“You didn’t have to kill them!” Trixie interjected, “You didn’t have to kill them all!”
Lightning had not seen the bloody mess left in Sunburst’s home, so she stayed out of the fray. Suri cared not to choose sides. And Wallflower, she was far too terrified to say much at all.
“I wouldn’t have had to, if you two hadn’t stuck around trying to save that squirrely wizard of yours,” Sunset said.
Sunburst shrunk under the weight of her words.
“We’re not leaving anypony behind,” Starlight said. 
“You’re really going to try and blame us for what you did? You’re psychotic!” Trixie exclaimed. 
 “That’s some way to say thanks for saving your skins. What exactly are you after?” Sunset asked, narrowing her eyes at Starlight.
“The same thing as you,” Starlight said. 
“Are we?” Sunset asked, “When it comes to it, when you have Twilight bloodied and beaten and begging for mercy, could you do it?”
Starlight faltered, unprepared for such a question.
“Twilight’s turned her back on us. The world’s turned its back on us,” Sunset said, rising to her hooves, “And you all want to give in to it still?”
“Those soldiers were only doing their duty,” Starlight said, defensively. 
“Yeah, they were. Pity their duty was to die,” Sunset countered, “Equestria despises us. There’s no point in playing the hero anymore.”
“Nopony said we had to be the heroes. Doesn’t mean we have to be the monsters they think we are,” Trixie said.
“The three of you would have all been captured or killed if I hadn’t gone back and taken care of it. Or maybe our fearless leader would prefer to die with her delusions,” Sunset spat. 
“Sunset, as much as I admire your persistence…None of us are going to survive this if you want to earn Equestria’s wrath,” Starlight said. 
“You can keep your death wish and your code of ethics. You think honor is what will save Equestria? Your friends, the changeling and the dragon queen, did honor save them?”
“Careful,” Trixie muttered. Wallflower noticed Trixie’s horn twitch, and a few sparks flew out.  
Wallflower and Lightning stood close beside each other, while Suri stood off to the side, silent as the grave. 
“It’s selfish. Laying down your life to play it safe when you’d do more good alive. You have no idea what Twilight is even planning! If we all die, it could mean the end of Equestria itself, for all we know,” Sunset exclaimed.  
Starlight hesitated, noticing the fear in Sunset's eyes. She suspected Sunset was keeping something from her. 
“If we ever want to stop Twilight, we need each other. No one of us can defeat her alone,” Starlight said. 
“Starlight,” Trixie said, cautiously, “...You saw what Twilight did to Thorax. She’ll rip us apart without breaking a sweat.”
“We’re dead no matter what, right? Twilight will never let us return to the way things were. None of us,” Starlight said, her eyes passing over each of the others.
“But we’re not hurting innocent ponies. If what we’re fighting for is right, then we have to go about it the right way,” Starlight insisted, "We have to work together, as a team. It's the only way." 
“We are not a team," Lightning said, catching Starlight by surprise, "I like you, Starlight. But why should I have to die for your little revenge fantasy? This isn’t my fight."
“And what is?” Trixie said, “You just want to tuck tail and run, because you’re scared. We all would rather go home, but that’s not an option.”
"Well, unlike the rest of you, I'd be harder to catch," Lightning retorted.
“Twilight wants all of you dead. Because of me,” Starlight said, silencing the both of them, “I won’t let her get what she wants. We’re in this together, whether we like it or not.”
“Friendship, love, harmony…Twilight would be so proud. Still living the lie she raised you on,” Sunset said. 
Starlight was a hair away from lashing out, but was able to contain herself. 
Sunset took advantage of Starlight’s lack of a response, stepping forwards once more.
“When we left that frozen hell, we agreed to stick together," Sunset reminded, "Now it’s either us or them. There’s no going back anymore.”
Suri scoffed. 
“And what about her?” Suri asked, glancing at Redshift, who had been struggling in her chains since she was first dragged through the door. 
Sunset glanced back at Starlight.
“She lives, for now,” Sunset said, spitefully.
Starlight nodded, and subtly glanced at Trixie.
Trixie lowered her horn.
 The fire cackled at them from its stay, and watched on as each of them took to their own spot in the cabin. 
Wallflower sat in the darkest corner, alone; Suri sprawled out on a leather couch by the warmth of the hearth; Lightning to the rafters to practice flying on her injured wings.
Starlight found Sunburst having retreated to the kitchen, using an old rag to clean up blood from his injuries, courtesy of Lieutenant Hawkbit.
“I’m sorry I didn’t step in sooner,” Starlight said. 
Sunburst glanced at her, and returned to his work. The silence was filled only by the howling winds outside, that shook the window frames and splintered the glass. The room they were in was shaded blue from the snow-reflected light flowing in from the scratch-studded window. The door was shut, preventing any of the heat or light from the hearth room from reaching them.
“...You can walk alright?” Starlight asked..
“Yeah,” he muttered.
He continued wiping down the blood and dirt. 
“I’m sorry this happ-”
“All I had to do was close the door,” he interrupted, “And lock it shut, and pretend I hadn’t heard your voice coming down the walk.”
Starlight’s face fell.
“...That was everything I had. My home. My life. I can never go back. They’ll make it slow, once they have me. They’ll make it last days,” he said, shuddering.
“Twilight would never hurt you,” Starlight insisted. 
“She’s willing to kill you. She certainly won’t have a problem killing me.”
“So you believe me now?” Starlight said, “That I didn’t do it?” 
Sunburst, again, declined to answer. 
“I don’t want you to get hurt. Sticking with us means your life's in danger,” Starlight said. 
“In case you haven’t noticed, it’s going to be in danger for a long time anyway.”
“I never meant for this to happen to you,” Starlight said, distraught. 
“Never meant it,” he repeated, punctuated by a subdued laugh of despair, “You keep putting your life on the line for me, one day it will get you killed.”
“I would die for you,” Starlight said, suddenly, “I wouldn’t think twice.”
Part of her expected some validation in return, though Sunburst had no such intentions.
“We were parted, once. And it nearly killed me. I can’t leave you again,” Starlight said.
Sunburst’s heart sunk in his chest, and he could not bring himself to even make eye contact.
“You should go check on your friends,” he said, his eyes nervously darting to a stray spot on the floor. 
“Sunburst,” Starlight continued, “...I-”
“Don’t,” Sunburst said, sporadically bringing his hoof towards her mouth, “Please, don’t." 
Starlight was frozen for a moment, and Sunburst’s merciless cold eyes left her alone in that blue inferno; she could not see, she could not hear, nothing except for those eyes of his, and those words that stung like murder. 
Starlight struggled to back away, though, on shaky legs, she managed to stumble away from him, out the door back to the warmth of the hearth.
Sunburst tried not to steal a glance at her before the door shut; he was out of breath. He checked the old clock on the wall that miraculously still worked. He scratched his beard, he wiped the sweat from his brow, he sighed and shut his eyes, and prayed that it would all be over quickly.
Soon enough, it would be worth it.





Sunset sat beside Redshift, and the two could enjoy each other’s malicious glares by the light of the fire.  
Redshift’s serpentine eyes were like doses of venom.
Redshift struggled against her magical chains, which were strong enough to dim her own magic, prohibiting her from doing much other than lie helpless on the ground. 
“I imagine this must be difficult for you," Sunset said, "Captured like a dimwit village girl carted off by marauders.”
Redshift, who would prefer sticking to the silent treatment, reluctantly gave in.
“You can’t win. We know your name. Your face. And if there was ever any doubt what kind of ponies you were, now there’s twenty butchered corpses of the royal army that would beg to differ," Redshift said.
“Keep up that attitude, and it’ll be twenty-one.”
“Who am I to judge?” Redshift shrugged, “If Princess Twilight wanted me dead, I'd be scared enough to do whatever it takes. But luckily for me, I’m not some washed-up outcast chasing a headline.”
“No,” Sunset replied, “Instead you’re a glorified errandgirl following your princess’ orders like a beast of burden. Did you manage to finish washing out her chamberpot before you left her highness’ pretty palace in Canterlot? Or will she be missing your dutiful services?”
Redshift tilted her head, bearing a resentful, amused grin. 
“Your friend’s turning them against you,” Redshift said.
Sunset narrowed her eyes.
“The pegasus, the seamstress, the gardener, they may be rotten, but they're nothing compared to you. They think of you as a monster. They'll leave you behind, the second they get a chance.”
Sunset glanced back behind her; Starlight was still in the room with Sunburst. 
“Starlight Glimmer is not your friend. Sunset.”
Sunset slammed her hoof into Redshift’s nose, crushing it.
“Shut up.”
Redshift snickered, while blood trickled over her lips.
“You might have fooled some of them, Sunset Shimmer. But not me. I know that look. The humiliation. The jealousy. Twilight’s ruined you. Made you into some villain, some campfire horror story. All you ever wanted was to be the hero, no? But that was taken from you. All around Equestria, they say your name with hatred, with disgust. Must be frustrating. And there’s nothing you can do about it. Or, maybe there is…”
Redshift’s grin was unnerving.
“You could be the hero again, Sunset. Turn Starlight in. She’s the only one Twilight cares about, you know that. The only one that has to die.”
Sunset shook her head, horrified. 
Redshift’s laugh made Sunset’s heart sink.
“You don’t want to go down this path. You think killing is the sweetest thing? The antidote to your anger, that hole inside you? It’s not. I would know. All I ever wanted was to have it my way. To take a life, it gave me all the power I ever wanted. But it never helped. I learned to live with that. The emptiness. But here you are, with the same choice. You’re running out of time, Sunset Shimmer. Join us, give up Starlight, and save yourself. Or else you'd better learn to live with it too.”
Sunset rose to her hooves, her smile having faded into deep revulsion. 
“I already ran out of time.”
Redshift smirked, and lowered her head back to the ground, enjoying the warmth of the fire. 
Sunset fell back from the fire, away to the cold corners of the cabin, that cursed and crooned and cared little for her confusion. 
And Redshift smiled into the flames, that danced and sang and bore flakes of fire to climb through the air. Her serpentine eyes fell easy against the fire, and despite her chains, she was safe and sound. 





Down the moss-sodden charcoal steps of the Silkwood palace, beneath stony gray darkness and past the coarse wooden dungeon doors, Bandolier had arrived alone. 
At his own insistence, Bandolier had seen Amity Stiletto and Flamberge be made to watch over Lavender at all times during the day. 
And while the fair lady was under strict protection, Bandolier had seen himself out from the fray of terrified aristocrats gathered in frilly flusters, begging for answers and wondering which of them might be next. 
He was escorted to the dungeon by request, his horn glowing brilliant ruby red. 
The dungeon was empty, as it typically was, with the exception of one shadow resting against the musky bone-black brick, in the farthest, darkest cell. 
Bandolier waited for his escort to close the door behind him, the faint sound of water drops on the brick singing their miserable tune. 
He trotted down the narrow path between the brookbed rock, past the dim cell bars and dust-coated spiderwebs. 
Coming to a stop before that last cell, he wondered who would have to speak first.
The silhouette, still boasting her canary yellow dress, paid him no notice. 
Bandolier reached into his belt, and pulled out a knife, eight inches long. Its shine, its shimmer, its song, the girl behind the bars seemed to recognize.
“This is dragonsteel,” Bandolier said, gliding its blade across his hooves, staring into his shadowy reflection in its silver glory. The hilt was carved from fine bronze metal, engraved with rust gold accentuations; and from its maw was that precious blade, that had come all too close to taking poor Lady Lavender’s life into its cold indifference. Molded by dragonfire, its hot shimmering sleek finish was unmistakable. 
“Where’d you steal it?” he asked, his eyes shooting back up to the shadow. 
The girl raised her head suddenly, and seemed to be offended. 
“I’m not a thief.”
“Honest ponies don’t come by weapons like these.”
“...It was a gift to me,” she said, though it came as an alibi.
“Of course. And to do this gift justice, you use it to make a name for yourself as a cutthroat.”
“I’m not a cutthroat, either.”
Bandolier’s smile faltered.
“A personal vendetta, perhaps.”
The girl had an evil smile to her, and it made Bandolier uneasy. 
“You’re dumber than you look. Did you know that?” she grinned.
Bandolier smiled again, amused. 
“You can talk yourself to death in there, rotting in that cell. Or I could help you.”
“You came to gloat. You've gloated,” she said, “Your lady will be wanting you. Nopony is ever truly safe, not anymore."
“She’s not my lady. I’m here to protect her from the likes of you. Now, if you’re quite finished, who do I have the pleasure?”
The girl crept forwards from the shadows, her starry violet eyes sparkling in the stray streams of dustshed light that spilled in through the odd cracks in the stone. 
She eyed him, uneasily, and instinctively he reached back for the knife. 
“Ah. Erased. Of course,” she groaned.	
Bandolier raised an eyebrow. 
“You know who we are?”
“Who else could you be? You’re not as clever as you all like to think.”
“Speak for yourself,” he replied, glancing at the prison bars. 
“Why are you helping her?”
“Lavender was designated a potential target for the killer. Looks like that prediction was correct,” Bandolier said, relishing in his victory. He was picturing Alias' face, the honors, the medals. 
The girl snickered in disbelief.
“You think I'm the killer? Maybe you're not all as clever as I thought.”
Bandolier stared at her, blankly, unsure what she was alluding to. 
“You really don’t have a clue, do you? I’m not the killer.”
“Then tell me who is.”
The girl opened her mouth to answer, but quickly shut it before any words could escape.
Bandolier leaned in closer, intrigued. 
“...I can’t. She’d kill me, if I told-”
Bandolier eyed her, letting the silence apply the pressure he needed. 
“Just forget it, OK? It won't do you much good to stick your hoof deeper into the hornet's nest. Just get out of here.”
Bandolier nodded, deciding not to pester her for information any longer; since it appeared he wouldn’t be getting any.
He turned to leave, but stopped almost instantly. 
“I’m Bandolier, by the way.”
The girl’s eyes fluttered.
“...Clover.”
Bandolier left her with a cordial nod, before leisurely finding his way back out of the darkness.





Blinking white lights drowned the hospital bed in fluorescent fog, when his eyes opened with a violent shake and withered grunt. 
He was alone, lying on that white-sheeted bed in a pristine patient’s room. Reaching to itch his stubbly face, Blondie was grieved to find his right front hoof was handcuffed to the rail of the bed. 
He tensed up all over, and meticulously inspected his surroundings from the bed. His memory was all smoke, and his head was pounding. 
He truly seemed to be alone, to his relief. 
But only for a short while, before the door to the room came swinging open.
“Oh, look who’s awake. I was just about to get the nurse,” said his visitor, a pale gray earth pony mare with a sunstruck auburn mane, hidden beneath a blue-brimmed cover. 
Blondie recognized the mare, faintly, from years ago. When he had worn that same blue uniform, had time not forgotten. 
“...How did I get here?” Blondie muttered in a dull growl, ignoring any version of pleasantries. 
The police officer, whose name was Copper Top, took a seat in the tiny chair by the door, facing the belligerent Blondie’s weary glare.
“We found you in the wreck. Miracle you survived.”
Blondie raised an eyebrow. 
“...The Den,” Copper Top elaborated, “It came crumbling down. Foundations torn apart by explosives.”
Then a spark set off in the back of Blondie’s head, and his memory was purified. 
Salt.
“Your friends were here earlier, to see if you were alive. They weren’t disappointed. Lucky you.”
Rainbow Dash.
Blondie was having difficulty containing his rage, his eyes manically darting along the ground. He tugged at the cuff locked onto his hoof.
Copper Top laughed off his attempt. 
“You’ll remain in custody until we figure out what exactly happened downtown. There’s a lot of dead ponies that need explaining. You cooperate with us, you may only see a few years instead of life.”
Blondie grew tired of Copper Top’s threats, throwing his head back down against the pillow behind him.
“I remember you, you know.”
Blondie glanced at her.
“I was a first-year. You were a transfer from Ponyville, friends with Trigger Happy.”
Blondie did not remember her, though was delighted to hear mention of an old friend. 
“How is he?”
“Shot dead, two weeks ago. He’ll be spinning in his grave to know you of all ponies was working with the crooks that killed him.”
Blondie caught his breath.
“He didn’t deserve that.”
“No. He didn’t. I remember you. You were thrown out for stealing cash from the evidence safe.”
Blondie sighed. 
“I thought you were a hero once,” she said.
“Sorry to disappoint you," Blondie muttered.
Copper Top glared at him, angrily. 
“If that’s all,” Blondie muttered, glancing at the door.
“That’s it? You have nothing to say for yourself?” Copper Top demanded. 
Blondie’s deep green eyes locked onto Copper Top, unsettling her confident façade. 
No words came from his lips; he felt weaker than normal. A step behind once again. 
Copper Top saw little point in prodding at his silence.
“The Deputy is coming down here this afternoon. Maybe then you’ll be in a talking mood.”
Blondie’s eyes flashed towards the door, though Copper Top was already en route. 
The door slammed shut. 
Blondie rested his eyes again; his heart was beating too fast. There was no one left to trust, no one left to go to. He was alone. 





 “Watch your step.”
Scootaloo ignored Kickstart’s warning, tripping over the snakish rough-runged root and toppling down a short hill.
Scootaloo shook herself off and glared at him, as if to assign him the blame. 
He glared at her, unsympathetic. 

They had been traveling for two days now, having left Zecora’s hut the second Kickstart found his strength again. Though both of them had grown fond of their forest protector, Kickstart was averse to staying in any one place too long.
Kickstart tried to pay little attention to his companion, who had not once managed to close her trap since hearing of his crooked upbringing as a lab experiment. 
“Did they have labcoats and stuff? Did they let you have ice cream after? When I had my tonsils removed-”
“Shut up for a second,” Kickstart muttered, sticking his hoof in front of Scootaloo.
The forest had begun to draw thin, he noticed; the sunlight was returning through the canopy, and the grass grew a bit greener.
“The zebra was right. This must lead out of here.”
Scootaloo felt her heart spring out of her chest. 
“I really thought we were never ever gonna get out!” Scootaloo exclaimed.
Kickstart continued on, and Scootaloo caught up, her eyes stuck upwards at his scarred face. 
“Where will you go, do you think?” she asked.
Kickstart’s face did not change from its sullen stay. 
“Can’t go back north…blackcoats will still be crawling around Ponyville. Canterlot too. Could be a village near here, find work,” Kickstart said, though he had not given much thought to the matter. 
“You’ve got any family anywhere?” Scootaloo asked. 
He glanced at her, pitying her hope for a happy answer. 
“No,” Kickstart replied.
Scootaloo dropped her head, forlornly. 
“You could stay with me, I wouldn’t tell anypony.”
Kickstart laughed off the idea.
“Why’s that funny?” Scootaloo demanded. 
“The girl who doesn’t know how to shut up wants to keep a secret.”
“I keep lots of secrets. Like, my friend Sweetie Belle used to lick her cat because she thought she was helping clean it. And Apple Bloom, she was the one who-”
Kickstart eyed her.
“Hm…Maybe you’re right.”
“Or I could go to Cloudsdale. Whoever comes for me next, they’ll have to fly first,” Kickstart said. 
“Cloudsdale?” Scootaloo repeated, suddenly distraught, “...Uh, I can’t fly to Cloudsdale.”
“Why not? Afraid of flying? At your age?”
Kickstart glanced at her, confused, and then noticed her flapping her smaller-than-ideal wings. 
“Hm,” he said, understandingly, “I can’t fly well either, y'know.”
“You don’t have to try to make me feel better. I know it’s pathetic.”
“I’m serious,” Kickstart said, flapping his red-feathered wings, which did appear slightly misshapen and stunted. Scootaloo glanced at him.
“They took me when I was still growing. Never had the chance to sprout a proper pair of wings. That and the things they did to them….”
“I’m sorry,” Scootaloo said.
Kickstart glanced at her. His face hardened, as more memories returned to him. 
“Did you consider it, ever?” she asked. 
“Consider what?”
“...Giving in,” Scootaloo said, “When everything seemed hopeless. Taking things into your own hooves, I mean.”
“And what good would that have done?” he asked, “They’d only find some other kid and stick him into my old slot,” Kickstart said, increasingly becoming agitated, “No. One of us had to live. One of us had to make it out. Now the blackcoats want me dead, because they’re scared. Scared I could ruin everything for them.”
“But you can’t,” Scootaloo said, “Not by yourself. You said there were hundreds.”
“Yeah, hundreds. Hundreds of ponies are going to get what’s coming to them.”
Scootaloo raised her eyebrows, wondering whether Kickstart was serious or not. 
“My friends are probably worried about me,” Scootaloo said. 
“You should go home, kid. It’s not safe. Ponies are looking for me. You too, probably.”
“...I can’t.”
Kickstart glared at her, “You will.”
“No, I’m not. I’m staying with you.”
Kickstart laughed, heartily, uncertain if she was serious. 
“You just don’t know when to quit, do you?”
“You don’t have anypony,” Scootaloo said, almost aggressively, and Kickstart was caught off-guard, “I’m the only pony on your side in the whole world right now. You need me.”
“Why do you care what happens to me?” Kickstart muttered, baffled by her insistence.
Scootaloo was not sure how to answer. 
“Nopony can make it alone.”
Kickstart decided not to argue with her, and carried on forwards. 
 Scootaloo stuck beside him, smiling to herself, as they neared the end of the treeline. 





He hated the smell of cigarettes.
Working alongside Alias, consequently, was an exceedingly difficult task. 
“Eight Ball, who was that pony from the Pykelands who was carrying on yesterday? Clutter…?” Alias asked, his grim voice billowing within the tight conference room walls. 
Eight Ball, who was seated among the other twelve higher-ranking Erased agents in the control chamber’s conference room below the streets of Canterlot, glanced up from his crossword. 
“Clutterbuck.”
“What’s this?” another agent, an earthpony named Scorn, asked. 
“Supply constraints, he said,” Eight Ball explained, “Came up before the Senate yesterday to whine about the Badlands embargo. Said the southern villages won’t make it through winter.” 
“Trust in the likes of dragons, trust in disappointment,” said Slick, a green-haired pegasus.
“The southerners’ judgment isn’t the issue. The dragons are stubborn. They won’t come to terms until the killer is caught.” Alias said, sourly, “Which absolutely cannot happen.”
"Twilight has sent some sort of envoy to treat with them," Eight Ball said, "I'd be surprised if they returned with all parts still attached."
“We have to take action, Chief,” Scorn said, aggressively, “We can’t just sit here and do nothing. The longer Twilight Sparkle keeps up her charade, the more ponies are going to starve to death in the south.”
“And after that, there will be rebellions. Savagery. Chaos,” Eight Ball continued. 
“Chaos!” Alias bellowed, rising to his hooves. Despite his age, his voice carried strong still over his disheveled subordinates. “Chaos will be telling the world their princess has betrayed them! We’ll have slaughter! Civil war!”
“One way or another,” Eight Ball added.
“If it’s inevitable, why wait to let Sparkle take the upper hoof?” Slick asked. 
“She already has it,” Eight Ball reminded, "She sits the throne. She's taken out her opposition, for what cause we still don't know. The only ponies strong enough to oppose her are firmly on her side."
“We owe Equestria the truth,” offered a blonde-haired pink pegasus agent, Pink Mist. 
“The truth will have them lying in early graves,” Alias corrected, “Every army united on a single front still could not hope to stand a chance against Twilight. She’s young. Her power is still growing.”
“The draconequus could stop her,” Eight Ball posited. 
Alias laughed. 
“Not in a heartbeat. He can’t be trusted, under any circumstances.”
Eight Ball’s eyes twitched, and he lifted his head back up again.
“Should it come to it…I can think of three creatures who might have what we’re looking for. The only problem is they’re frozen in stone,” Eight Ball said.
Alias glared at him, and the room was stolen silent. 
“Deliver us from one tyrant into the hooves of three others. Brilliant, why hadn’t I thought of it?”
“Otherwise she stands unopposed! We have to stop her, somehow. Before whatever war is brewing with the dragons becomes unavoidable!” Eight Ball exclaimed.
Alias sat back down, at a loss.
“Twilight's sphere of influence must be contained, for the meantime. She needs to be kept at bay, before her roots are sunk so deep the entire city bends to her will…Eight Ball, contact Sergeant Genever in Ponyville. I want him moved to Canterlot, with a team of twenty keeping surveillance on Twilight, non-stop. Understand?” 
“Yes sir,” Eight Ball replied.
“Our researchers will continue testing to find a weakness. Something to exploit. All we need is time,” Alias said.
“Time is what we’re running out of,” Eight Ball said.
Alias sighed, and scowled beneath the cold gray light of the conference room. 
She could not be invincible. 
Everypony can be killed.  
“Chief,” came a message-runner’s voice bellowing in from the doorway.
Alias raised his head. 
“We have a problem.”





Those sparkling spires waved goodbye to her, buried in blizzard-bred snow. The storms ran over the mountains, devouring the city in whole.  
For days, Cadance had been locked away in her chambers, sitting at Flurry Heart’s bedside, refusing to eat or drink if it meant leaving her alone. She had not spoken much at all, not to Shining Armor her husband, not to Windchill her Captain of the Guard, not to her servants or emissaries or ambassadors. She found the distraction she craved in her daughter’s innocent eyes, her refuge from the storm whirling about her palace outside.
But her distraction was fleeting to a point; she knew that her safety was an illusion, that the dark thoughts that kept her awake at night would never go away. Not until she could find the reason behind the madness.
Twilight Sparkle.
Those were the last words of Detective Gore’s notebook, the lasting conclusion of his investigation, the toiled-over result that cost him his life, she suspected.  Why else leave it with her?
I have to finish it, she thought. 
They might be after her next, she feared, whoever murdered that grizzly griffin. 
She may have craved safety, and her distractions. But she was also Princess Cadance, First of Her Name, the Chosen Leader of the Crystal Ponies, the Selvites, Moose, Dains, Yaks, Ice Ponies, and the Frost Ponies, the Protector of the North. She was sworn to guard the lives of nearly three-million, until death should relieve her. She knew her duty, she knew she could not sit idly by while wicked forces lurked in the periphery. No matter how much love she had for Twilight, she could not ignore the truth. 
So she said her farewells, donned her sheer rose-pink gown and white wolf furs, and boarded her royal carriage.  
She told nopony of her departure, save for Shining Armor, and when the sun rose and she was miles away, nopony in the capital even knew their princess was gone.
She chose to start where Gore had forgotten; old enemies of the Crystal Empire, now reluctant friends who may just have the answers she was in search of.
The Changeling Kingdom’s dronish buzzing had been quieter than it was known for as of late, since the murder of their beloved King Thorax. 
The changelings were not a particularly mournful group. But they were industrious; two monuments had already been built in Thorax’s honor, within days of the news.
Thorax had fathered no children, nor had he married; thus the title went on to his brother, the cantankerous, belligerent bug-king himself, Pharynx.

Cadance came to the wasteland gates alone, leaving her drivers and pull-horses on the grassy border to rest.
A million pairs of eyes surrounded her, their cold glares like spotlights or jagging jeers; she stepped lightly; one wrong move and a thousand changelings might be atop her at once.
She made her way through their winding grass-moored steps and paths, up woven lunges and weather-worn catacombs.
The changelings bunched together in their hissing droves, eager to take a grudging look at their ancestral enemy. Cadance the Cruel, she had heard some mutter beneath their breath.
Thousands of years of war and hatred between their kinds had left ill-rot animosity lingering in the mud; a treaty may guarantee peace, but not forgiveness.
Cadance paid them all no notice, climbing those wind-swept stairs up the great hive spire, the tallest point in fifty miles every direction. At its peak, she hoped to find the changeling she was looking for.
Some of the changelings crept farther behind her, or buzzed past in the air with a watchful eye.
Leave. Leave. Leave. She imagined them thinking. 
She found the topmost level, an open platform resting just below the mist-muddled clouds, guarded by a pair of sleek sable barred gates.
“The King will see no outsiders,” bellowed one of the two guards blocking her path.
She approached the pair with caution. She could see past the gates, the open roof of the great spire, with its claws on the mists and vapors that floated by at such heights. 
Though these changelings were more pleasant than their previous incarnations, they still had much to learn in the way of simple pleasantries.
“It’s rather important,” Cadance explained.
The guards would not budge.
“Let her in,” came a gravelly voice, dragged through the weeds and stone cracks, shook and choked and rasped. The voice came from the other side of the gate, hidden beneath the pillars of fog and mist.
The guards were alarmed, and obeyed the command, stepping out of the way, the gates swinging open in tandem.
Cadance left them with a nod of courtesy, and proceeded forwards.
She at last felt free from those watchful eyes, though she was unsettled once more, when she realized she could not see her own hoof in front of her; the fog was too thick.
"Far from home, aren’t you, princess?” the voice came again; he was toying with her. He came from everywhere, and nowhere all at once; his voice was inside her head. 
“I’ve traveled a long way to see you,” Cadance said, though she was not sure which direction to address.
“To do what? Finish off my bloodline?”
“I only wanted to speak with you,” Cadance pleaded, and the desperation was almost noticeable.
The fog suddenly subsided, and Cadance could see the face behind the voice at last. His eyes were the color of the night sky, his horns blood red, and his crown of silver, the same as his brother’s, sat crooked over his head. 
“Then speak.”
“I wanted to offer my condolences. Personally. Thorax was a good friend of mine. He helped unite our kingdoms after decades of war and distrust,” Cadance said.
Pharynx’s furrowed brow hardened.
“Remorse won't bring him back.”
Cadance sighed. 
“You could have flown up here. Saved yourself the climb,” Pharynx said.  
“I didn’t want to be too sudden. For some reason I didn't think I'd have a warm welcome.”
Pharynx’s subdued smile fell apart in an instant. 
“How many of their fathers and mothers were murdered by you and your Crystal army? They sing songs about you. Dreadful songs. You’re to them what Chrysalis was to you.”
“I had hoped we had made progress since then.”
“Our peace was Thorax’s doing. Now Thorax is dead. And our alliance is seeming less and less worth the costs every passing day.”
“I want to catch whoever was responsible, as much as you.”
Pharynx scoffed, and abruptly turned away from her, retreating towards the edge of the spire. Its base was made of old stone, and the odd ruinous pillar sat here and there, with mossy ferns spitting out its cracks and nooks. 
“Look at them down there,” he muttered, gazing down at the marketplaces and homesteads surrounding the spire.
“Few even come above ground anymore. Most of them stay hidden. Cowering like rats.”
Cadance took a few steps closer towards him.
“We were bred to survive. We were bred to protect what's ours. And ours alone," he said.
Cadance narrowed her eyes. He was defending himself. For what?
Pharynx lowered his head, sheepishly, and turned back to Cadance.
“They don’t want me as their king. They never have. It was Thorax they crowned, Thorax they loved. I would have followed him, right to the ends of the earth if he had asked it of me. Instead my brother is dead, and me, the wretch, I endure. He's dead, rotting in the dirt, butchered like some low thief. Twilight Sparkle took me for the fool she took him. But I will not be satisfied until the debt is paid," he said, his voice choked and coarse, “I have only ever loved two things. The hive I’ve sworn to protect, and Thorax. Now Thorax is gone. But the hive is still here. We’re still here.”
Cadance glanced at her satchel, and stuck her hoof inside it.
“I came to show you something.”
She revealed the black notebook, and Pharynx glared at her.  
“I wasn’t sure whether to believe it or not. I wanted to know what you think.”
Pharynx’s eyes narrowed, the more he flipped through the pages; after a few minutes he aggressively stuffed it back in her hooves.
“The thought had occurred to me,” Pharynx regretted.
“I heard you spoke with her, just weeks ago,” Cadance said.
“...She was cold. That’s all I remember. Cold, and distracted.”
Cadance nodded, solemnly. 
“We cannot be fighting amongst ourselves, if this is true. We’re going to need each other when the time comes.”
“We’ve fought beside the Crystal folk once. We can manage it again,” Pharynx said, and his voice was weakened, “You should leave. It isn’t safe for you here.”
Cadance agreed, and took a few steps back. 
“Be careful, Princess,” Pharynx said, while Cadance spread her wings, “True friends are hard to come by.”
Cadance took flight, bursting through the dense mist that hovered above, disappearing into the dizzying swirl. 





Lightning Dust landed with a wood-splitting thud, the floorboards bending and creaking like an old stallion, up there on the cabin’s open second story perch. It was the size of a closet almost, guarded with rails, right below the attic. And, at the moment, it was Lightning’s personal crash test site. 
She was staring up at the rafters, the orange light from the hearth slithering over the brittle beams and trembling cabin roof boards. Scampers the rat, who usually had his claws dug into Lightning’s shoulder, was cleaning himself in a melted pool of snow, and she could have sworn the rat had been laughing at her a few times. 
I’m doing my best, she thought, bitterly. 
She gritted her teeth, and tried once more.
Taking off into the air, she fluttered, fluttered, and fell, this time knocking her head against the side of a particularly splintery crate. She groaned in agony, wiping blood off her cheek while lying on her back. 
“You shouldn’t be trying it, so soon.”
Lightning lifted her head from the floor, and saw Wallflower, sitting by the stair railing. 
The blizzard wind rattled the cabin, and it felt as though they had all moved two inches. 
“Haven’t you got somewhere else to be sulking?” Lightning muttered, shaking herself off.
“I thought you could use some company.”
“You thought wrong,” Lightning snarled, flapping her bruised wings a few more times. The pain made her want it even more, to conquer it, to prove she could not be defeated so easily.
“Heartburn said you need to rest, and heal.”
“I've got to fly,” Lightning retorted, bitterly. 
“You won’t ever fly again, if you get hurt like last time.”
Lightning glared at her.
"What do you care?" Lightning muttered.
"I do care," Wallflower insisted, "Whether you want me to or not."
Lightning narrowed her eyes. 	
“...Do you know I could have been the best flier Equestria’s ever seen?” Lightning asked, as if mourning a dead friend, “Fastest Wonderbolt in Academy history! That’s what they said about me. Before they threw me out. Like I was just some nobody.”
Wallflower had not meant to provoke Lightning, who, upon realizing she had said more than she had wanted, decided to give up and allow herself some much-needed release.
“My parents wouldn’t even speak to me. They were too embarrassed. It was more than disappointment, they acted like I'd betrayed them. I wanted to win them over again, work hard, do them right this time,” she said, fighting the tears as much as she could help it, “But no flying academy would take me. Nopony would hire me. My friends all ignored me. I almost made it back to my hooves, started my own team, but the ponies I thought I could trust left me in the dirt. Just like everypony else. Maybe I deserved to be stuck back in that prison. Nopony else wants me."
"I do," Wallflower said, "The six of us have got to support each other, or we're never gonna make it out of this."
"I don't know how," Lightning said, her voice shrinking, "I don't. A-And I don't need friends, anyway. Friends just slow me down, OK? So stop trying to turn me into something I'm not!" 
Her voice was quivering, and she glanced up at the ceiling, avoiding having to look at Wallflower as she stuttered over her words. 
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be....Shoot," Lightning muttered, "I shouldn't yell at you."
"No, it's OK," Wallflower said, reaching out softly with her hoof.
Lightning shut her eyes, and got control of herself before she could break down right then and there.
"...Whenever I couldn’t take it, whenever I felt like it was too much, I would just go for a flight. Take in some fresh air, fly up above the clouds. Sometimes I thought I'd never come down, I was so high up. I was free. I could go anywhere. Do anything. And everything, everypony was far away. When I had nothing, I could at least fly. Now what do I have…”  
“...You really want to leave us? Head back home?” Wallflower asked, hesitantly.
Lightning paused before attempting to take flight again.
“And would you be the one to stop me, Wallflower Blush?”
“I wanted to talk you out of it.”
Lightning snickered. 
“I thought maybe you would be the only other one to have the sense to get as far away from all this as possible,” Lightning said, “Guess not. I like them, but they're all nuts.”
“We’re wanted as much as they are,” Wallflower said. 
“I'm no good to them, anyways. They don't need me. I'm a flier, not a soldier," Lightning said.
“Neither of us would have escaped without them. You know it, I know it. We were both hurt. They could have left us both to die to free up dead weight. But they didn’t. Don’t they mean anything to you?”
Lightning sighed through her nose, and turned away from her, refusing to answer.
“They do need us. And we need them," Wallflower said.
“I don’t need anypony,” Lightning said, spinning around spitefully, “And nopony’s ever needed me. I’ve made it this far, haven't I?”
“With their help,” Wallflower added, “We owe it to them.” 
Lightning was practically seething.
But Lightning had no chance to reply, when a strange sound came barreling through the snow outside.

Below, Suri rose from her couch, and Starlight from her spot by the hearth.
Redshift giggled from the floor.
The door flew open in a flash of red heat, smoke billowing in through the room. The fire died with the wind, and the cabin was suddenly black and blue as the night commanded. The wind screamed, a chorus of banshees, while the snow blew inside.  
Starlight cast a wall of magic in front of them, uncertain of whatever was storming inside.
“Starlight.”
The frozen night revealed a pair of icy blue eyes, loosely hidden behind a wavy blonde mane, a frozen magical aura shimmering around her horn. There was Snowfall Glitter, an ensemble of royal soldiers filing into the cabin behind her.
Starlight held the shield, while Sunburst rushed inside from the other room, and Sunset jumped to her hooves. 
Up above, Lightning stuck her wing in front of Wallflower, keeping her close behind. Lightning could feel the sweat dribbling down the side of her face. She was not strong enough to risk getting herself killed again. 
I have to do something, she maintained. Wallflower glanced nervously at her. There had to be twenty or more soldiers below. More outside, probably. 
“Snowfall Glitter,” the ice-eyed unicorn introduced, “We never got the chance.”
Starlight was silent. The wind took sweeping breaths outside, and more and more snow blew into the cabin. Snowfall was the only one not shivering. Starlight noticed the bruises on Snowfall's face and chest. She recognized her own work. 
“Looking for somepony?” Sunset asked, dragging a bound Redshift along beside her. 
The moon was almost visible in the doorframe, casting light on Redshift’s unbridled fury kept contained by her chains. 
"Redshift," Snowfall said, flatly.
"Snowfall," Redshift sneered, bottling up her humiliation.
“Starlight, listen to me. There’s no need for anymore violence,” Snowfall said.
“There will be, if you all don’t leave now,” Sunset said. Her horn glowed blue, and she was delighted to see both rows of soldiers flinch and move backwards uneasily; most of them had seen what that horn was capable of. 
“Sooner or later, you’ll run out of spots to hide. Run out of friends. Run out of chances,” Snowfall said.
Starlight’s horn glowed brighter, but then suddenly fizzled out. She attempted to cast a spell again, until a piercing headache sent her collapsing to the ground in agony. The shield broke into shattered shards. Starlight groaned while the pain died down, gasping for breath, trying to rise back to her hooves. 
Terrified, she glanced up at Snowfall. 
“An inhibition charm,” Starlight wondered. Snowfall nodded in affirmation.
“Temporarily powerless," Snowfall remarked.
Sunset too, realized her horn had short-circuited, dim sparks flying out wildly through the air. Trixie fared no better, as Starlight discovered, her horn spitting up a messy spew of sparks. 
Redshift’s chains had evaporated, and, now free, she managed to seize upon her captors’ disorientation, crawling over towards Snowfall. Starlight shook her head, madly almost. 
“No, no, that charm has to be personalized,” Starlight said, her voice shot with despair, “You couldn’t have cast it!”
Snowfall’s eyes flickered over to the pony by the door, whose eyes were stuck on the ground, who could not bring himself to speak on his own behalf. 
“No,” Starlight said, while Sunburst’s horn gently dimmed. 
Keeping his eyes stolen to the floor, he dragged his hooves over to Snowfall and the soldiers’ side of the cabin. The others were all watching him as he went, petrified. What was he doing?
He sauntered over towards Snowfall, grinding his teeth between his shivering. 
“...You little rat!” Sunset exclaimed, horrified. 
“Sunburst?” Trixie muttered under her breath, scornfully. 
Suri backed up towards Trixie, confused and scared out of her wits.
“He gave us a call, let us know where you were,” Snowfall said, all while Starlight’s eyes were locked on Sunburst, splitting tears and insisting this had to be some clever bluff.
“It’s over,” Snowfall said, firmly. 
Five pairs of eyes were staring daggers at Sunburst, who kept his head lowered and his eyes half-shut. Sunset could have sworn the stallion had shed a few tears.
But Starlight was not enraged as they were, or vengeful or distraught; she felt lighter than air at that moment. 
Twilight
Sunburst
Who was left at her side still? Trixie? For how long?
She broke down into laughter, and the tears came with it.
“...You couldn’t,” Starlight whispered, horrified. 
Sunburst could not bear her gaze; his lip was trembling, he was shaking all over. 
Snowfall’s horn glowed the color of ice, and she took a step closer. 
“You’ll be coming with me, Starlight.”
From above, Lightning subtly spread her wings, which were still partially wrapped in bandages, while Wallflower glanced over at her. 
“Lightning…” she whispered, “You can’t,” she cautioned.
Lightning sighed, turning her head towards her.
“After this, I don't owe anypony,” she muttered, dumping Scampers in Wallflower’s hooves. The rat frantically climbed its way into Wallflower’s curly mane, terrified. 
“Lightning,” Wallflower said again, raising her hoof to try and stop a grinning Lightning.
But it was too late.
Lightning Dust came soaring down towards Snowfall, her withered wings able to glide her haphazardly towards her target. She collided with Snowfall at a wicked speed, and along with three other soldiers, knocking them all to the ground. 
“Kill them! Kill them all!,” Redshift roared, rising to her hooves, her magic gradually returning after having been inhibited for so long. Her eyes darted wildly across the room, and centered on Sunset.  
“Sunset!” Starlight cried, pulling her back right as the row of soldiers drew their spears, approaching Suri, Starlight, Trixie, and Suri with murderous intent. 
“Trixie?”
“My magic’s shot too,” Trixie muttered. 
One of the guards threw his spear straight for Suri’s head; though Trixie was able to flip over a table and block its roaring tip, with half a second to spare. 
Trixie was able to hold up the table in front of them, blocking three more spears before her grip fell apart. 
Sunset shoved Trixie over behind the corner of the chimney stones, finding some short-lived cover while the soldiers continued their march. 
Starlight reached to the ground for a book that had fallen off the spear-leaden coffee table, and threw it at one of the guards, knocking him backwards.
Starlight broke into a sprint, trampling the guard and scouring for where Lightning had fallen.
Lightning was swinging her hooves in every which way, having already knocked out three guards cold. 
The soldiers seemed disinterested in her, for the most part, until one had his spear pulled back, prepared to drive it straight through Lightning’s heart.
Starlight arrived first, however, shoving the soldier into the wall and pulling Lightning back with her. 
Suri had taken a liking to Starlight’s book-throwing technique, having already thrown the majority of the cabin’s library at the row of soldiers pressing forwards.
Starlight and Lightning arrived back beside her, the latter suffering some mild head trauma from yet another crash landing.
“I think I need to work on that,” Lightning muttered, deliriously. 
"Are you OK?" Starlight asked, and Lightning nodded her head, narrowly avoiding a passing blast of magic. Starlight held Lightning by her shoulder, helping her stand upright. Lightning leaned against Starlight, grunting in pain from her recent collision.
“What do we do?” Suri screeched. 
“I’ve studied that charm, it will wear off after a while…We just need to hold them off,” Starlight said, dodging a crossbow bolt that would have torn through her neck.
“There’ll be an army pouring in here soon enough,” Sunset said from the chimney edge.
Wallflower took them all by surprise, jumping off from the stairway perch, landing hard on her side.
“Ouch,” she muttered.
Starlight helped her up, and the six of them were all backed against the wall.
“Suri, Trixie. Go out the back and see if we can escape into the snow,” Starlight muttered.
“Into the blizzard?” Trixie asked, shocked, “Are you out of your mind?”
Starlight glared at her. 
“You’re right. It’s not a good plan,” Starlight said, “What’s yours?”
Trixie faltered, and, without delay, ran along with Wallflower towards the adjacent room, where the backdoor exit was. 
Sunset reached for Lightning, and together they pulled down one of the grand old bookcases, using it as cover once more.  
But Lightning did not notice, when a unicorn soldier’s beam of furnace-orange magic came searing towards her forehead. 
Wallflower pulled her back towards her, and held the exhausted pegasus in her arms. 
She was lighter than she looks, Wallflower thought.
Lightning fell into Wallflower’s arms, and nodded a show of thanks. Wallflower was not sure if that was a smile on Lightning’s face or not. The pegasus looked dazed, or half-conscious. That fall must have scrambled her skull a bit. 
“Starlight!” Snowfall yelled from the other side of the room, “I could end this the hard way, right now if I wanted to. But I don’t want that. Twilight doesn't either...Please, give up.”
Starlight winced at the mention of Twilight, and suddenly became enraged. 
Redshift glared at Snowfall, and her magic was nearly restored. 
“End this. We have them,” Redshift muttered, gritting her teeth. Snowfall made no movement.
“Snowfall. End it.”
“They’re defenseless,” Snowfall said.
“So end it.”
“...We can't.”
“Haven’t they slaughtered enough!” Redshift yelled, “How many more have got to die, because you’re too much of a coward!”
Redshift then felt her horn spit up some sparks, and her serpentine eyes flushed red for a moment.
Her magic now restored, her horn glowed a vicious green, and she sent off her wicked ray of ear-piercing death straight for Sunset’s head, which was partially poking out from behind the bookcase.
But the blast never found its mark; Starlight had seen it first, and shoved Sunset to the ground before she could be incinerated. 
“Thanks,” Sunset muttered, and it seemed to ail her. 
“This way!” Trixie cried from the other room.
Starlight shoved the others along towards the backdoor, the soldiers racing to catch them. 
Starlight waited until the others were all through before following after them herself. 
But she was held back, when a soldier’s spear found its target, slicing open her left hind leg.
Starlight cried out in pain and buckled to the ground. A host of soldiers were upon her, and she could only think of the pain.
Trixie came first, slamming her hoof into the jaw of one soldier, robbing him of his helm and knocking it over the skulls of two others, sending them both toppling to the ground.
Lightning came second, rushing to slam the door shut before anymore soldiers could come pouring in. 
“Is she alright?” asked Suri, waiting by the door.
The soldiers pounded on the door to the other room, and Lightning knew she was losing her strength.
“Come on, I’ve got you,” Trixie said, pulling Starlight to her hooves. 
A beam of icy magic nearly cut Lightning in half, bursting apart the door and giving the soldiers free reign to storm in after her.
"Hey, wait up!" Lightning cried.
Lightning ran out the backdoor into the blizzard, disappearing into the nightstruck white madness after the others, who had all vanished like ghosts. 
Six of the soldiers gave pursuit, disappearing themselves, and Snowfall held off from following after. 
Redshift stalked in beside her, gripping her chain marks. 
“However many you brought. Have them pursue,” Redshift muttered, “That charm won’t last.”
Snowfall’s eyes danced along with the windtorn snow. 
“The blizzard will take them first. The capital’s not for another 20 miles. Rhinefrost not for another 40. They’ll lose each other in the storm, and we’ll at least have a few less to worry about,” Snowfall said. 
“We can’t risk that. We need to pursue,” Redshift insisted.
Snowfall turned to her, aggressively. 
“It was your impulsivity that had them get the better of us last time, that had you taken prisoner. This time we do things my way. If they survive, they’ll rendezvous in the capital. We’ll meet them there.”
Snowfall trotted past Redshift, who glanced over at the ruthless blizzard winds. It was unlikely for anypony to survive such a storm on hoof, though, nonetheless, Snowfall was not wholly confident.
 For these ponies, the unlikely seemed to be of little concern. 





Rainbow Dash had been shifting in and out of consciousness on her hotel bed for hours, while Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy lay strewn about on the couch, exhausted.
“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked, realizing Rainbow was finally awake. 
Rainbow shook her head rabidly; there was a searing pain in her forehead. There were marks on her neck, and her breathing was weak and thin. 
She sat herself up, and took a look around the dingy hotel room, with its poorly-working television and a mountain of snow resting on the window sill. The city lights shed colors of all kinds on the canvases of snow, atop park benches and streetlamps and roofs and storefronts. 
“What happened?” Rainbow asked. 
“You were hurt, we had to get out of there,” Fluttershy said. She was expecting some form of retaliation, though Rainbow was utterly spent; she could manage the effort. 
“Blondie?” she asked.
Fluttershy shook her head.
“We saw him earlier in the hospital!” Pinkie said, eagerly. Fluttershy glared at her. That was the last time she would trust Pinkie Pie to keep quiet. 
“You left him?” Rainbow asked.
“The big stallion left him too. The police got him,” Fluttershy explained.
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Rainbow shot back, frustrated, “...None of this mattered at all, did it. Twilight sent us on a wild goose chase. That was it from the start.”
“I’m sure she thought we could be of help, she proba-” Fluttershy started.
“You know Twilight as well as I do. She’s always got a plan. She’s always prepared. She knew exactly what she was doing.”
Fluttershy narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t talk about her like she’s the problem.”
Rainbow decided against pressing the matter any further. 
“We were sent this too!” Pinkie exclaimed, revealing a folded envelope. 
“Twilight’s called for us to come back to Canterlot. She heard what happened up here. She thinks it’s too dangerous for us,” Fluttershy said.
Rainbow stared at the envelope in disbelief. 
“So that’s it, huh?”
“Yeah. Once you’re feeling well enough, we’re boarding the first train back to Canterlot.”
“You can go when you like. I’m not leaving.”
Fluttershy sighed. 
“You said it yourself, we should never have been here.”
“We shouldn’t have. But what’s done is done. And we can't just leave him here to be arrested or killed. We need to sort this out.”
Fluttershy laughed, astounded by Rainbow’s persistence.
“You know what? Fine. I don't want to argue with you, Rainbow. I just want to go home.”
“Me too,” Pinkie confessed.
Rainbow nodded, and sat back into the folds of her pillow.
“Tell Twilight. I’ll be right here.”
“Don’t get yourself killed for him, please,” Fluttershy said.
“First I have to find him."





Blondie hated to be kept waiting.
The clock struck three, and the deputy had yet to arrive.
To such an extent, that he had begun to wonder what exactly was keeping him lying still on that dour hospital bed. Besides the hoofcuffs, of course.
He was restless.
He had run out of friends, it had seemed, and he had little in the way of taking his grand rescue plan up alone. Though it appeared he had no choice.
Shattered glass suddenly came sprinkling out from the window beside his bed. Blondie flinched, turning right as a cyan pegasus came barreling in through, landing on the ground with an audible thud.
He watched her struggle to her hooves, brushing herself off.
"Nice entrance," he remarked, impressed she had only suffered a few minor cuts.
"I'm getting you out of here," Rainbow said, "You can thank me later."
Rainbow frantically found one of the pagers sitting on the bedside task, and approached Blondie's cuffed hoof.
Blondie got the message, pulling the chain taut against the bed post.
"Try not to break any bones."
"No promises."
Rainbow smashed the pager over the chain, once, twice, three times, until a thundering crack shot through the chainlink. 
The door had swung open not a second later, and in came Copper Top, who was smugly sipping at her medium cup of coffee.
“You’ve probably been-What the-! Hey!”
Copper Top frantically reached for her taser, but not quick enough; Blondie had already torn the chain free, springing up from the bed.
Rainbow pulled on him to follow her, while Copper Top struggled to unfasten her taser from her belt. 
"You much of a flier?" Rainbow asked, without much care for an answer. She shoved him out of the window in a rush, and zipped off after him, right as Copper Top finally lined up her aim. 
Rainbow jumped over the ledge of the window sill, narrowly avoiding the sparkling beads of the taser that Copper Top had fired. 
“Central Hospital, Two-one-one! Runner!” she cried into her static-shaken radio.
Blondie struggled to take flight, his wings slightly damaged following his recent brawls. 
He made it to the sidewalk below intact, however, and Rainbow was right beside him in an instant.
"C'mon!" Rainbow exclaimed, pulling him along. 
Together they fled towards a nearby crowd of pedestrians.
"Mind telling me what happened back there?" Rainbow stammered, scurrying through the crowd.
"Salt's got the case," Blondie explained, bitterly. 
"The giant?" Rainbow asked, leaping over a merchant's cart of apples. 
"That's the one," Blondie said, and they escape the crowd in a part of town that he recognized better.
"This way," Blondie said, nodding for her to follow his lead. 
Sprinting down the street, the two of them only made it a few yards.
"Hey!" Rainbow cried out, feeling a pony's hoof wrap itself around her neck.
Blondie stopped in his tracks, and turned around to see six more ponies reveal themselves from the surrounding allies. Rainbow squirmed under the stallion's grasp, as she felt the air slip out of her lungs. 
Blondie was speechless, until a familiar face followed after the others from the dark of the alley. 
With a yellow grin, Crozer pawed at the bruise on his face, gifted by Blondie just a day prior. 
"Luck's just not on your side, is it, Blondie..."





Snowfall Glitter, along with her company of fifty that had taken off for Sunburst’s cabin, returned to Crystal Empire the next morning, half-frozen to death and starved to near-madness.
Redshift envied Snowfall, who never seemed to suffer the cold.
The whole way, neither had dared speak a word to each other.
“Lieutenant,” said one corporal greeting Snowfall at the Crystal Gate, “Princess Twilight has summoned you, at the vision pool.”
Snowfall glanced at Redshift, and she could barely contain her nervousness. 
“Escort Mr. Sunburst to the palace. Hold him there for now,” Redshift ordered. 
“What?” Sunburst cried, when two soldiers grabbed a hold of him, “You promised me freedom! Mercy!” 
“She might’ve,” Redshift said, glaring at Snowfall, “It’s a shame I’m not as trusting.”
“He’s no threat to us,” Snowfall muttered, while Sunburst was dragged off, kicking and fighting while a magic restrictor was fixed to his horn.
“We’ll need that charm of his again, I suspect. And I happened to catch wind of some affections our dear Starlight has for him.”
“Must we stoop that low?” Snowfall asked. 
“If it’s your blunder that gives them the head start, then I say yes.”
Snowfall sighed. 
“If we went out there, a third of our troops would have been killed,” Snowfall said, “Either by the cold, or worse, Sunset Shimmer.”
“I knew it. This had nothing to do with strategy. Just weakness,” Redshift snarled. 
“I’ve seen enough of our ponies die this week.”
“You’re a coward. And I’ll be sure to tell the Princess. We had them on the run and you let them go, just to save a few sorry spearponies!”
Snowfall was undeterred by Redshift’s threats, glancing over at the troops returning in through the gate. 
“Starlight and her friends are doomed ponies. But our troops don’t have to be,” Snowfall said, turning to follow the messenger down the busy market streets, “We shouldn’t keep the Princess waiting.”  

Within the military camp set up on the far edge of the city, Snowfall and Redshift were both brought to a great pool of bubbling magic that spewed and spat out a spinning portal showing off the face of their exhausted princess protector, Twilight Sparkle.
“Your highness,” Snowfall and Redshift said in unison, kneeling down before her. 
“How have you fared?” Twilight asked, ignoring any pleasantries. 
“We pursued them into the snows, your grace. The blizzard took them,” Snowfall said. 
Twilight's eyes narrowed.
“I asked for them to be captured alive or dead. Not left up to interpretation.”
“Your highness, nopony could survive tha-”
“I want bodies, Lieutenant. Do you understand?”
“...Yes, of course, princess.”	
Snowfall could feel Redshift’s smirk beat down on her from behind, and her face flushed red beneath Twilight’s rebuke. Redshift opened her mouth to speak, her grin still warmly stitched to her face. 
“And you,” Twilight said, her eyes shifting towards Redshift, catching the serpentine-eyed unicorn by surprise, “I could think of no worse shortcoming for you to survive than to have yourself be captured by a measly band of convicts.”
“Your highness, we-” Redshift attempted, desperately trying to save face. 
“I’m not interested in your excuse, Lieutenant. Clearly you are not fit for this role. I’m going to have you-”
“Princess, forgive me," Snowfall interjected, "but…Lieutenant Redshift’s capture was planned, a part of the deal we made with Sunburst. She ensured he would cooperate and hand over the location."	
Redshift had her head lowered in defeat, until Snowfall’s interruption came to her rescue.
Twilight eyed Snowfall, sniffing out any hint of deception. But Snowfall did not falter, she held her position firm as the mountain snows.
“...Very well. Act now while they’re still within reach. I expect results from here on.”
“Yes, your highness,” Snowfall replied, bowing her head. 
The portal collapsed on itself, splashing into the magical pool below. 
Snowfall took a deep breath, having struggled to keep herself composed. 
“Why did you do that?” Redshift asked, still in a state of shock. 
Snowfall glanced at her, spiteful.
“None of what you said was true,” Redshift said, confused. 
“I may not care for your recklessness, that doesn’t mean I want you as an enemy.”
Snowfall trotted past Redshift, who was still frozen in place, watching on as Snowfall disappeared into a crowd of soldiers. 





Cadance jolted awake when the carriage came to a sudden halt.
She had no idea how long it had been, since her carriage had departed from the Changeling Kingdom. Glancing out the window, she saw they were parked on a cliff face, overlooking the sea. A gorey storm was swirling over the waters in the distant, and the sounds of crashing waves on sharpened rocks echoed far and wide. 
“Delia?” Cadance yelled to her driver, “Oz?” and to her guard. 
“They’ve taken an indefinite leave of absence, your highness.”
Cadance spun around, to find a hunched gray earth pony with receding grayish brown hair, whose eyes were peering in through the cabin window. He wore a black coat over his suit and tie, and he had a menacing scowl plastered onto his wrinkled face.
“May I come in?” he asked, though he did no wait around for her reply.
He swung open the door and climbed inside. 
Cadance glared at him. He was too well-dressed to be some road robber, nor some marauder from the hill clans.  
“Who are you?” Cadance demanded, her horn beginning to glow a rageful turquoise. 
“My name is Alias. We’re Erased.”
Cadance recalled the name, and what Twilight had said of them; and she remembered only that they were dangerous. 
The carriage was back in motion, to Cadance’s shock.
“Who’s driving?”
“He’s with me," Alias said,"We’re taking a detour.”
“This is madness. Am I being ponynapped?”
“A cynical way of thinking, but yes," Alias said.
“I could have you thrown in the Ice Dungeons. Hellhatch.”
“Do away with your threats, Princess. You’ve brought this upon yourself.”
Cadance did not understand.
Alias raised up the black notebook in his hoof. 
Cadance frantically checked her satchel.
“How did you-Give that back!” she said, snatching it back. Her glare was merciless. “It was you! You were the ones that murdered him. Gore, you killed him, because he knew!”
Alias’ kindly smile faded. 
“Who else have you shown it to?” Alias asked.
Cadance hesitated, though saw no reason to lie.
“Pharynx.”
“Yes, we know Pharynx. Anypony else?”
“No.”
Alias knew better than to believe her, though made no challenge.
“We hadn’t wanted this, but now we have no choice. You’re a part of this now," Alias said, "We can help each other put a stop to whatever Twilight is after.”
Cadance glared at him.
“Why should I help a murderer?”
Alias scoffed.	
“You’re not obliged. You can go back home, pretend everything will turn out alright and there’s nothing to worry about…or you can come with me, and fix this before it really is too late. You know as well as I do now, how serious this is.”
Cadance wavered, glancing at Gore’s black notebook tucked back in her satchel.
“I won’t let any harm come to her,” Cadance said.
“Certainly not,” Alias replied. 
Cadance nodded, albeit cautiously.
“You’re in deep now, Princess.” 	





There was no sound, no answer, no air to carry her screams. She was drowning in the seas, and above the waves she saw a pink pony, with a wavy purple mane, teal streaks, and Persian blue eyes, standing above her. 
Starlight.
She cried, she screamed, but the deeper she sunk, the farther she was from rescue. She could not do it. She could not do it, she screamed, not to Starlight. 
Not herself. 
“Your highness.”
Twilight snapped out of her daydream delirium; she had almost forgotten she was late for another royal council meeting. 
“Forgive me,” Twilight said, having just walked inside the council chamber, just a few chambers down from her royal throne in the Canterlot palace.
Its overlook of the city was better than her own; the sun had returned between the passing Northern storms, and the vapor had brought back some of the forgotten summer heat. 
It was Featherglass who had greeted her; a frail stallion, near middle-age, though still bearing youth in his face. He had a tall build, a twisted nose and piercing eyes. From a glance, he could be called handsome, and his voice was rhythmic and calming on the ears. He wore a pale yellow coat and a greying, black mane with a pointed beard. Formerly an assistant to Posh Paramount, he had moved up in the world since she met her untimely demise, and now he carried her title and a seat on the council, as the Treasury Secretary. 
Twilight took her seat down at the table. Beside her was an empty chair, which used to belong to Princess Luna. 
As far as Twilight was aware, Luna was still safely stowed away in her mansion, indifferent to the matters at hand. One less alicorn to worry about. Of course, Twilight feared she was being careless, to have left Luna alive. She felt a similar way to Cadance. But they were her family, as far as she was concerned, and soon enough they would see things the right way, and come to terms with the truth. 
She thought of Celestia. How would she fix this? It was Celestia who had put her in this mess to begin with, she reminded herself. Left her in the weeds to dig herself out. Only, she was fighting to survive, all by herself.
Wedge Ward, the stubbly Captain of the Guard, was seated to her right, and Marius Moonshine, the bloated, bald-headed pig-faced Director of the Royal Intelligence Agency, sat in the successive seat, and beside him was Dr. Bone Marrow, the Royal Physician. The Royal Justiciar's seat, belonging to Lady Lavender, lay empty. As was the Defense Secretary's, belonging to Commander Archangel. 
“Have you sent Colonel Splinter’s Regiment to the western shore settlements?” Twilight asked Wedge, taking her seat. 
“I did, your grace,” he replied, “Though, er,” he cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to say, as much as I am grateful for the seat, my duties lie in the guard, I-”
“Your duties lie as they serve the interest of the realm,” Twilight interrupted, “General Archangel is serving as an envoy to the dragons, and you will have his responsibilities while he is away. You are capable enough to serve in his stead, are you not?”
“Of course, your grace. Forgive me,” Wedge said, falling back in his chair.
“I do wish our friend Archangel the best, though I fear this is a doomed errand," Featherglass said, "The dragons have been consistent with their threats. We received another letter today. They demand we take action of some sort."
"Our envoys will bring them to the table, at least, and we may proceed from there," Twilight dismissed, “All measures have been taken." 
“As necessary,” Moonshine said, “Yet your recent orders to mobilize our armies have frightened the nation. They fear a war is brewing.”
“They’re right to be afraid. These are frightening times,” Twilight said.
“I took the liberty of ordering Captain Radiance to the southern border with the Velvet Regiment. To keep everything in order,” Wedge announced.
Twilight took a moment to process what he had said, and had trouble containing her rage. 
“...You did this without my permission?” Twilight asked.
“In the interest of the realm, your grace,” Wedge smirked.
“And in this grand deception, you send Periwinkle Radiance? She’s little else but a trophy academy student touted around to boost enlistment. Not a competent strategist by any means.”
“The Velvet Regiment has never lost a battle.”
“How many battles have they fought again? I’ve forgotten.”
“....One.”
“One. Against a band of rebel Yak lords not large enough to raid a pantry.” Twilight said.
“No concern at all, then? The rabid army of dragons plotting vengeance?” Featherglass said. 
“My intent was not to poke the bear. Open war with the dragons was avoidable. Now that you've sent a regiment to the border, I'm not so sure.”
“I had proposed a union. With the other kingdoms. Solidarity against the dragons would do well to keep them in check,” Moonshine posited.
“A marriage, you mean?” Twilight asked.
“Something concrete to bind the kingdoms together. The dragons know they could never defeat every army Equestria has at its disposal.”
"The dragons are driven by wrath, not reason," Bone Marrow said. 
"Any attempt at deterrence is better than none," Marius countered, "Or are we so eager to have open war?"
“You act as though the other kingdoms are pleased enough with us to even agree to a marriage,” Featherglass said, “The Changeling King has just banished out ambassador from the Hive.”
“The Hippogriffs could be a start,” Wedge said.
The others all glared at him. Wedge was known for his prowess in combat, not politics. 
“The queen has already married,” Featherglass pointed out, dryly, “As is her niece Skystar, the next in line once she’s of age.”
“Not the queen. Her daughter. The princess,” Wedge said.
“Silver Stream,” Twilight recalled, “She was a student of mine. Graduated now.”
“And where do we stand with the Hippogriffs?” Featherglass asked.
“Ocean Flow will accept the offer without much thought. She trusts us,” Twilight confirmed. 
“Her sister was wiser, and didn’t.” Featherglass said. 
“We ought to keep her in the capital to begin. To ensure the Hippogriffs remain loyal to the crown,” Bone Marrow said.
“I will not have this girl as a hostage,” Twilight said.
“She would be safer here than anywhere else,” Featherglass said.
“On the contrary, there’s nowhere more dangerous she could stay,” Moonshine said.
“Send for her. But specify she will be under my protection. No harm will come to her,” Twilight said.
Marius Moonshine nodded and rose from his seat, bowed to Twilight, and trotted off to draft the summons. 
“Your grace. About this matter up north, with your pupil. I think we ought to-” Wedge attempted.
“I’m handling it,” Twilight said, flatly, and she too rose from her seat. 
“Worry about the affairs of the nation. I will worry about my pupil,” Twilight muttered.
She stormed off, without the faintest farewell.





Today is the day.
Whirling white wind blew back and forth, birthing cascades of mountainous heaps of powdery death.
Six soldiers had rushed out into the madness to catch Starlight and her exhausted companions, and six soldiers could be found as frozen corpses lying in the icy waste. They had all collapsed from the cold, lost to the blizzard’s undying indifference.
But Starlight was alive, as far as she knew. She was half buried in snow, climbing forward with all the strength she had left in her. They were two miles in, she believed.
She had expected Sunburst’s treacherous charm to wear off by now, and perhaps it had, but the cold had frozen over her horn, and she could not concentrate much at all.
“Starlight!” cried a voice from some distance.
Starlight had no idea whose it belonged to, turning around to march through the path in the snow she had just carved. 
“Here!” cried the voice again.
It was Suri, half-buried in snow, pointing frantically at a blue hoof partly exposed above the frozen wasteland. 
Starlight panicked, and helped Suri to dig out poor Trixie.
“Trixie!” Starlight yelled, shaking Trixie free of the snow, rattling her enough to bring her back to a semi-conscious state.
“We’re going to freeze to death,” Suri muttered, terrified. 
“Keep her warm, I’ll be back,” Starlight said. 
“Your leg!” Suri exclaimed.
Starlight knew it looked worse than it felt; her leg was torn open to the bare muscle, and the cold was doing her no favors. She ignored it, she was too furious to be slowed down. 
“There!” came Sunset’s voice from farther up ahead. 
Starlight climbed over a steep mound of snow to make out the blurred silhouette of Sunset, who was desperately pointing her hoof at something in the distance. 
 She searched, and searched, and searched some more through the white hell, until she saw it:a faded golden light bundled in blistering billows of snow, no more than another mile ahead.
Starlight returned to Suri and Trixie, and waved to Lightning and Wallflower who were farther behind. Today was not the day after all, she thought. 

Sunset was the first to break free of the dense mounds of snow, toppling over into the powdery ground beset before the golden light she had spotted, the oil lamp hung on the doorpost of some homely stead. 
And beyond it there were others, a village’s worth of warm homes, that sat beneath a great mountain. And beneath the black cliffs dark as night, reaching the snowy falls below, there were five proud pillars of solid ice, as hard as diamonds and as tall as the spires of Canterlot.
Sunset was overcome by the sight, and she did not notice when her five companions came stumbling over the edge of the snowbank, gasping for breath. 
“The Icehearth,” Sunset realized.
“The who?” Lightning muttered, brushing herself off of snow. 
“We can find a place to stay here,” Sunset said.
“If anypony sees us here, they’ll turn us in,” Trixie said, between her manic shivering. 
“Better that than freezing to death out here. Come on,” Starlight said, helping the others back up to their hooves.
Lightning spun around to Wallflower, who was practically wheezing. 
“Are you alright?!” Lightning asked, terrified, rushing towards Wallflower. 
“I’m fine, I’m-oh,” Wallflower said, when Lightning reached into her curly locks to retrieve Scampers, who had been holding on for dear life the whole while. 
While Lightning cradled poor Scampers like a foal, Starlight arrived beside her, limping along through the snow.
"Hey, thanks for the save," Starlight said.
Lightning glanced up at her.
"Don't mention it," Lightning said, "Sorry about your...y'know, friend."
Starlight glanced at the ground. 
"Don't mention that either," Starlight muttered, before turning back to the others.
"Is everypony OK?" Starlight asked.
"Starlight, are you OK?" Wallflower asked, glancing at Starlight's leg.
Starlight waved off the injury.
"That doesn't look good," Suri said, and Starlight was surprised to hear concern in the seamstress' voice.
"I'll live," Starlight said, "C'mon, all of you."	
Starlight led the group deeper into the village, which appeared to be mostly asleep.
A frozen Ponyville, Starlight thought; the two towns were similar in size. 
“The Ice Ponies keep to themselves. The Crystal guard usually leaves them be,” Sunset said. 
“Or better yet, forgets they exist,” Trixie said. 
“This place might work for a while. But don’t let your guard down,” Starlight said. 

Starlight picked the first tavern they came across to be their place of refuge. A small inn, the Crooked Stool.
They filed in, all six of them, like frozen ghosts in the dead of night.
Starlight expected all eyes to fall on them, but the twenty-odd patrons of the candlelit tavern seemed to hardly even hear the door swing open.
“How can I help you?” asked the stallion host, a stately fellow with blood red eyes. 
“Table for six,” Starlight said, ringing out snow from her mane. 
The host nodded, though was visibly upset by how a mess they appeared.
Starlight, Wallflower, and Lightning sat on one side of a wooden booth facing the others, all crammed in tight. Their waiter followed close behind.
"Anything to drink?" he asked. 
“A coffee would be nice,” Trixie asked. 
“Make it two,” Suri commanded. 
“What have you got on tap?” Lightning asked.
“I’m afraid it’s too early to serve, miss,” the waiter replied.
“Too early?! The sun’s already set!” Lightning exclaimed.
A rowdy roar of laughter erupted from every local patron within earshot. Even the host had gotten a chuckle out of it.
“There is no sun in the Icehearth, miss. Only the black of the blizzard. It’s one in the afternoon. Village ordinance says no sale until six,” the waiter said flatly. 
“Remind me to never move here,” Lightning muttered, “Three coffees it is.”
The host nodded and left them alone to warm themselves by the lit candle on the wooden booth table. 
“The snows never stop up here. The village is frozen all year long,” Sunset explained.
“You’ve been here before?” Trixie asked, sticking her hooves over the candle. 
“No. But I’ve heard of it. Miserably cold. Dark as hell. They weren’t kidding.”
“I’d rather not make this our permanent residence,” Suri said.
“I second that,” Lightning said.
“...I think we should split up,” Trixie announced. 
“Split up?!” Wallflower exclaimed.
“Trixie,” Starlight said, disapprovingly. 
“I mean we need to spread ourselves out. We can lay low better and cover more ground that way,” Trixie elaborated. 
“Sure. And if one of us gets caught, they’ll squeal and tell where everypony else is.” Sunset said. 
“If we’re smart, and avoid going on brazen murderous rampages,” Trixie said, eyeing Sunset, “We won’t have to worry about that. We’re not going to survive, or get to Twilight if we’re on the run all the time. We need to spread out, communicate with each other, and have a plan this time,” Trixie said.
“The magician is right,” Lightning said, slamming her hoof on the table with a grin, “I’ll be off to Cloudsdale.”
“Save it, flygirl," Sunset said, "We're keeping you on a tight leash. You'd sell us out the second you get."
“No she won’t,” Starlight said, and even Lightning was surprised to hear it. “See if you can get us help. Find out what you can."
Lightning hesitated, and straightened herself up in her seat.
"I will," Lightning said. 
She nodded her head, softly.
“Starlight…You said we were in this together,” Wallflower said. 
“We are,” Starlight assured, “But Trixie’s right. There's too much heat on us right now. We need to throw them off us somehow. We’ve gotten lucky. We’ve barely made it out each time they find us. And, I’d bet on it, Snowfall will find us again.”
Wallflower sighed, and fell back into the booth. She had nowhere to go, though she could not admit it. 
“I still have accounts open in Manehattan. I could get us bits we might need,” Suri suggested. 
Starlight nodded, she liked the prospect. 
“Wallflower can’t go anywhere far with that bullet wound. It’s not healed,” Sunset said, glancing over at Wallflower, “I’ll stay here with her. We’ll keep an eye on that blonde bitch and her royal dogs, keep them occupied."
Starlight nodded, and for a moment Sunset had forgotten about those thoughts that had been tearing her apart as of late.
Was Glimmer’s approval what she wanted? Was that all? Who was left for her to prove herself to? She recalled Redshift, and her wicked words, and if there was ever a pony she wanted to tear apart limb from limb, it was that snake-eyed vulture. She had her chance to wipe that sinister smirk off her face, and now it was lost.
She was not sure whether to hate Starlight or thank her for not giving up on her; one thing she was sure of, they ought to be better off without each other.
Or worse, she feared.
“Trixie and I will head to Canterlot,” Starlight declared, "Once it's safe for all of you, we'll regroup there."
Trixie burst into laughter.
“Oh, you’re serious.”
“That’s where Twilight is," Starlight said, "So that’s where we need to be. We need to find out everything we can about what she's been up to."
“Just don’t go doing anything too crazy before the rest of us get there,” Sunset warned.
“We’ll all get back together once it’s safe. We’re only just getting started.” Starlight said.
The others seemed agreeable, to Starlight’s relief; even Sunset. Did she hate the pony, because she was what Starlight feared becoming? How sweet would her revenge be, but only if she was true to herself the whole while. But the lies, and the treachery, and the darkness that swelled in her mind from time to time; how could she stop it? Twilight had everything she needed to tear her apart, in her own mind. She knew it, and she was powerless against it. Only time would tell, she thought. Soon they would meet again. Soon Starlight would have her vengeance, for the slain innocent and her own cursed soul. She only wished Twilight knew what was coming for her.  





The sunstruck plateau deep in the heart of the Badlands was a fiery first of rock and magma, coughing up smoke into the purple dusk. Mayor Mare wiped the sweat from her brow. She had come with an armed escort of thirty soldiers from the Velvet Regiment, in addition to the twenty changeling drones and eighteen hippogriffs sentinels, though she still felt little more than a hostage on trial. She found herself at the Torch, the great meeting place of the dragon tribes, where new emperors had been decided upon, centuries past. 

Beside her was Commander Archangel, the Defense Secretary, Prince Terramar of the Hippogriffs, and Elytra, the princess of the changelings. They had been made to enter a coliseum-like structure, a stony structure that held all of the great dragon tribes. There was the Fire Drakes, the Black Horns, the Burned Ones, the Howlers, and the Stone Snakes. There was the Moon Brothers and the Little Amphipteres, the Groundwyrms and the Cannibal Kings. All of them greeted their guests with toothy snarls, slimy spit, and deafening roars. Mayor Mare put on a brave face, reminding herself of the ponies charged with her protection, of Twilight's assurance that she would be safe.

Equestria had not been enlightened to the dragons' activity as of late, making Mayor Mare and her companions the first to meet the newest elected Dragon Empress.

The Empress stood on a rocky throne that peered off of one end of the colosseum, watching as Mayor Mare and the envoys flooded into the pit. The dragons tribes' representatives all sat around them, sneering down with sharp-toothed scowls. 

The Empress herself was a pale purple, with an off-white underbelly. She wore a crown of four white horns, two by hear ears and two higher up, sprouting from the tops of her skull. Her eyes seemed to glow a deep red, ruby red, like endless bloody voids. She was called Cinder. 

"Be welcome," she said. Mayor Mare had trouble obliging her.

"Your grace," began Archangel, "We come on behalf of Princess Twilight Sparkle. She wishes to congratulate you on your coronation, and extend a hoof of friendship, with the hope of restoring the union between our kingdoms, as was celebrated during the reign of your predecessor."

The dragons began to stir, incensed by the mention of Ember. 

Cinder raised a claw, silencing the colosseum.

"Three kingdoms come to treat with me," she mused, "We have yet to lift a claw, and our new friends are already terrified."

The dragons grinned and snickered, while Archangel firmly held his ground.

"There is no cause for animosity between us," Archangel said, "...You've heard that Starlight Glimmer and Sunset Shimmer have been designated the likely culprits behind her grace's murder?"

"Yes, I've heard these rumors. And I do not care for them. Starlight Glimmer had no quarrel with our queen. Nor the other."

Archangel smiled, struggling to come up with a response.

"They did not act alone," Archangel said, "There were others involved with the murders, some of whom we have already apprehended."

Mayor Mare glanced at him. Why would he tell such a brazen lie? They had apprehended no one. 

"Ms. Mayor? The letter?" Archangel muttered. 

Mayor Mare cleared her throat, and reached for the scroll in her satchel. It still bore Twilight's seal. 

"These are Twilight's words. She means this message as a gesture of friendship. She would be deeply grateful for your cooperation with the investigation," Mayor Mare announced, mustering up the courage to approach Cinder's throne, "I was instructed to deliver this to the empress herself."

Cinder raised an eyebrow.

Mayor Mare marched to the throne, and placed the letter in Cinder's claw.

Cinder ripped open the seal, and unraveled the letter.

Cinder scanned the letter, and glanced up at Mayor Mare, hesitantly. 

"Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and Sovereign Protector of Equestria..." Cinder began, reading aloud "...informs her most honored Cinder, Queen of the Fire Drakes, Dragon Empress, that she who delivered this message is she who killed Ember."

A silence drew upon the crowd, and all eyes drifted down to Mayor Mare.

Cinder glanced up from the letter, staring right at the trembling Mayor Mare.

Twilight, she thought, What have you done?

But Mayor Mare could make no reply, not before the first of the dragons descended from the ranks, storming into the pit. 





The paper had come late that day.
Consequently, Bon Bon’s morning routine was all but ruined.
Her mane was a mess, she had yet to eat, and she still could not find the source of that ear-splitting security alarm.
“Damn thing is always broken,” she muttered to herself, scouring all over the house for its source.
On a typical Tuesday, the paperboy’s delivery would land with a proud thud on her bedroom window; a more effective wake-up mechanism in comparison to her lackluster alarm clock two-decades old. 
Lyra was even worse; she would refuse to get up even when awoken. Their bed was astoundingly soft, as a matter of fact. 
But today was no typical Tuesday.
“Lyra? Lyra, what’s the passcode for the securi-” Bon Bon yawned, sauntering back to their bedroom, expecting to find her newlywed still wrapped in four separate blankets. 
But Lyra was not there, to her shock.
She hardly recognized Twilight, who was a whole foot taller than the last time they had a proper meeting. But she did recognize Lyra, held down to the ground beneath a pillar of purple magic.
“...Twilight?” Bon Bon managed, rubbing her eyes three times over.
“Bon Bon,” Twilight said, blankly, “How’s married life?”
“What are you doing?” Bon Bon yelled, glancing at Lyra, who was struggling with all her might to break free from Twilight’s restraint. 
“Bonnie!” Lyra screeched.
“How did you get in here?!” Bon Bon yelled. 
“You should calm down,” Twilight said, unphased, “I wanted to ask you a favor.”
“You’ve got a funny way of asking!” Bon Bon exclaimed.
“...I know you used to work for Alias and his motley crew of wannabe secret agents. But you’re no longer Erased, are you?”
Bon Bon was frozen. 
How could she know?
	She supposed the Princess of Equestria of all ponies would be the one to know, though still, the accusation took her by surprise.
“...Not since the dissolution,” Bon Bon said.
“Right. But you have connections, still. Resources.”
“You want my help? For Celestia’s sake, Twilight, you could have just asked me,” Bon Bon said, “If you need my help, of course I’d be willing to-”
“I think I’m finished trusting in the ponies I thought were my friends,” Twilight said, “You’re going to do this for me. Or else there will be consequences,” she pushed down harder on Lyra, who squealed beneath the pressure of Twilight’s magic. 
“OK! OK! Just stop, please!” Bon Bon yelled. 
Twilight loosened her grip, accompanied by a smile of satisfaction.
“My soldiers have had trouble following instructions. So now you're going to help pick up the slack. You’re going to find Starlight Glimmer for me, and execute her. And her friends, if possible. You will not speak a word of this to Alias or any other blackcoat, for that matter. This is between you, me, and your darling wife,” Twilight said.
“This is sick,” Bon Bon said, horrified, “You wouldn’t. Twilight!”
“You have no idea what I would do. Do this for me, and no harm will come to her. Refuse, and it’ll have been a short marriage.”
Bon Bon sighed in frustration, and nodded her head begrudgingly. 
“Good.”
In a flash of purple light, Twilight and Lyra were both gone, leaving Bon Bon in a state of disarray.
She was on the verge of bursting into tears, unsure where to even start. 
But she had her task, she knew what had to be done should she ever see Lyra again.
Kill Starlight Glimmer.