“The who-what of what-now?” Skywishes asked incredulously, clearly perturbed.
“The Queen of Chaos.” Minty replied, matter-of-factly.
“Um, Mints?” Pinky interjected, equally as puzzled, “I think she doesn’t know what-- who-- that is.”
Lamplight came forward, “Minty is right, for a change,” this received a glare from Pinky and Minty both, which the doctor ignored, and pressed on, “This is a mythological illness, and calls for a mythological treatment. Skywishes, you must seek out this ‘Queen of Chaos,’ and when you find her… Well, Minty, as much as I prefer not to rely on folklore, it seems you may actually know more about this than myself.”
“Apology accepted,” Minty said, as she gave Lamplight a sideways glare, stepping towards Skywishes. “So, um, Sky? How do I put this…” She scratched her chin with a hoof in thought, eyes wandering to Starcatcher, before settling again on Skywishes. Minty sighed, resigned, and a bit confused. “Skywishes, my dad used to tell me this story sometimes when I was a filly. It was a favorite among donkeys and those who traveled with us, dunno why, really… Oh, but--”
“Mate, I’m not tryna be rude,” Starcatcher cut in, “but my wife is sick, could ya maybe take a deep breath and collect ya thoughts?”
“R-right, sorry… I-I--” Minty began, but was cut off again by Pinky, who wrapped a foreleg around the back of her neck and pulled her to her side in a gesture of comfort and support. Minty had always felt more confident with her marefriend there by her side. She took in a deep breath, gave an ox-eyed look to Pinky as thanks, and turned back towards the ailing mare in bed. “Skywishes, the Queen of Chaos is a big, scary, goddess-type-of-thing… A-and the rules of how things-- like, the laws of nature or whatever-- work is… different, when you get close enough to her...”
The five other ponies looked upon Minty with wonder and terror as she explained this being, her ever-shifting appearance, her odd riddles, otherworldly wisdom and her ability to shift the very fabric of reality around her. It was impossible not to notice the growing look of pride on Minty’s face as she got to regale this story from her foalhood, even the circumstances being as they were.
“Skywishes, you must seek out this Queen of Chaos, and 'defeat' her within a year,” Minty finished, with uncharacteristic solemnity.
The others stared in awe at the little mule. Lamplight in astonishment that such an odd and unserious little creature possessed such knowledge of mythology, and the other three-- especially Skywishes-- simply gawked in their struggle to entirely comprehend what they had just been told.
“So, let me get this straight,” Starcatcher began, looking befuddled at Minty and Lamplight both, “you think my very sick, BEDRIDDEN wife needs to get up outta bed, and run all around the continent-- possibly the world-- to find a mythological CREATURE that she might have to fight?”
“Starry, wait,” Skywishes countered her wife, “I know I’m frail, but I can still walk around a bit for now.”
Pinky Pie felt Minty flinch a bit at Starcatcher’s understandable upset, and held her tighter to her side. “Maybe Minty and I can go out ahead for a week, maybe a month, and see if we can get any information on where to take you?”
“That won’t work,” Lamplight said, with no malice, but all of her usual snobbery, “Skywishes’ condition will only worsen in that time. If she were going to travel, she would have to do it now.” Lamplight held her fetlock against Skywishes’ forehead, and looked thoughtful for a moment before levitating an ice pack onto the earth pony’s head with her yellow magical aura. “If only we had a recall rune, you and Minty could just teleport Skywishes to wherever she needs to be.”
Minty’s long ears prick up, and she suddenly runs off and out, with a big grin on her face. The other four stared after her out the door, but continued their conversation. This sort of impulsivity was nothing new for Minty, even in such dire situations. Pinky and Skywishes found this charming, but Starcatcher had somewhat limited patience for it, and Lamplight had none at all.
“What exactly is that?” Starcatcher was the first to break the silence.
Skywishes looked at her, perplexed, and pointed at the top of her head with a hoof. “It’s… an icepack, sweetie.”
“No, no, the… recall rune or whatever.”
"A magical artifact that a unicorn can use to teleport themselves, or a group, to any place they've been before," Lamplight explained, "but they can only be used twice a day-- a round trip-- and it puts a lot of strain on the caster."
"I don't know if that'd be much use to us even if we had one," Pinky rebuts, "I've never been very good at magic, no matter how much potential you say I have..."
"Well, I can't leave the office, especially not with cutiepox season fast approaching!"
Minty then barged back in, returning to a confused room a few minutes later with saddlebags on, out of which she took out a small velvet pouch. She opened it and carefully set the item inside, a small jade-carved boomerang with arrows embossed at either end, on the table.
Lamplight gawked at the talisman, then Minty, then back to the item, then back to the mule. "H-how- what- where did you get that??"
"It was a gift," Minty stated flatly.
"From who???" Lamplight demanded with incredulity.
Minty didn’t respond, and was evidently shaken. Pinky puts a hoof on her shoulder to comfort her, and shoots Lamplight a look as if to say 'it's none of your business', so the elder of the unicorns drops it.
“Is that it?” Starcatcher asked, and appeared a bit more hopeful.
“Yuppers!” Minty chirped, now with genuine glee.
Lamplight nodded her head, “Mhmm,” and visibly tried not to pester Minty about it too much more, lest she incur the wrath of Pinky Pie. Ms. Pie tended to be a pushover herself, but always stood up for Minty.
“Great!” Starcatcher spoke, withholding her sarcasm more than she would have liked. “What do we do with it, though?”
“Well, I was thinking,” Pinky began, “we could do what I suggested earlier. Minty and I could go out ahead of you two, and then come back for Skywishes when we find The Queen.”
“No ya don’t!” Starcatcher interjected, raising her wings and smirking, “I’m comin’ with ya. I can’t stand the idea of not directly helpin’ get her better.”
“Um, Starcatcher, I don’t mean to impose, but, could I have you back here with me instead?” Skywishes asked, putting a hoof on her beloved’s back to get her attention.
“Yes, that will work.” Lamplight states, and Starcatcher looks more than a bit embarrassed that her first priority wasn’t directly taking care of the mare she loved. “If this goes on long enough that Skywishes becomes incapable of taking care of herself, I cannot always be on standby. You, as her wife, will fill that role better than I ever could.” Lamplight gave a slight nod and smile in the direction of Starcatcher. Coming from the incredibly grumpy and reserved doctor, this was a display of tremendous confidence and affection.
“I think you could still come along sometimes!” Minty bleated out, “Pinky could use the rune to come back here, grab you, and then return you the next day. Oh, and Lamplight!” Minty trotted over to her, “You can use your crystal ball to get in touch with Pinky and I, to let us know if Starcatcher is ready to come with, or if she’s needed back here.”
“Wow, Minty,” Starcatcher says, genuinely surprised, “that’s a.. An incredibly concise and decent plan, mate!”
“I’m going to ignore how back-hooved that was, and accept it as a compliment,” Minty said with a wink, and shared a chuckle with Skywishes and her wife.
“Alright, it’s getting late. We should pack tonight, and leave tomorrow by midday at the latest.” Pinky stated authoritatively, before leading Minty and herself to hug their two friends goodbye, and head out the door.
"Was my plan actually any good, hun?" Minty asked, suddenly feeling apprehensive.
Pinkie hushed her worries with a very tender kiss on the head, which resulted in a high pitched squeak from Minty, and a tight hug. "Yes, sweetheart. It's a great idea. I'm sure we'll get this all figured out..."
'I certainly hope so, at least,' she thought to herself.