//------------------------------// // Gather Your Friends // Story: My Little Teelo: Winter's Silence // by Ardwolf //------------------------------// In which we see the thrilling flight of a unicorn and witness Sun Hammer’s meeting with a Duke. The mare gasped, taking one involuntary step backward in shock. “Stay calm, Faerie Mist, it might not be what it looks like. She’s probably just stepped out.” The pegasus muttered to herself. She rapidly checked the bathroom (empty), the closets (likewise), and quickly returned to the bed. She noticed a smear of green crusty substance on the mattress. It was mixed with a smaller trace of rusty brown. That’s when she knew. “Oh dear Celestia!” She swore, spinning on her hooves and bolting out of the chamber. She galloped through two more rooms before reaching the door. Skidding to a halt she reared up and slammed the doors open with her fore-hooves. The guards turned to stare at her, their eyes narrowing. “In the name of Princess Celestia, I command you! Summon Princess Luna at once. Subtle Dancer as well. Do not ask questions. Go!” “Fairie Mist what is this all about?” One of the guards asked. She reared and flared her wings. “In the name of the Sun, heed me!” She slashed at his face, making him scramble back in shock. “I am Fairie Mist, First Lady-In-Waiting to Princess Celestia, and you have been commanded. Do not argue! Summon the Princess and Subtle Dancer at once or face charges!” “Have you gone mad?” His fellow guard demanded incredulously. “No, fool. I have full authority to order you!” She got in the second guard’s face. “You stay here with me. No one is to go into Princess Celestia’s chambers until the Princess and Subtle Dancer get here.” She glared at the first guard. “Why are you still here? Obey your orders, guard!” “As you command, Fairie Mist. I just hope you’re ready to face the consequences.” The guard spread his wings and arrowed away down the corridor. “You know you’re going to be dismissed for this, right?” The second guard asked her, raising an eyebrow. “You can’t come bursting out of the Princess’s chambers like a mad pony and start ordering the Royal Guard around. You’re just a glorified maid, Fairie Mist. Obviously the Princess has been far too liberal with you. You’ve forgotten your place.” “Fire Cloud, hold your tongue.” The lavender pegasus said, irritably tossing a lemon yellow forelock out of her face. “I am far more than a mere maid. This is a matter of state. Now be quiet, you do not want to draw any more attention to yourself than you are about to do, trust me.” “Hmmf.” Fire Cloud snorted in annoyance but kept quiet. It seemed like an hour but was probably less than ten minutes before a double flash announced the arrival of Princess Luna and a deep-black unicorn with silver mane and tail. The first guard came trotting down the hallway, face carefully expressionless as he retook his post. “What hath happened?” Luna asked. “We were just settling down to dinner, awaiting our sister. Why hast thou summoned us with such forcefulness, Fairie Mist?” “My apologies, Princess. Please, if you and Subtle Dancer would follow me? Guards, make sure no one enters until the Princess tells you otherwise. No one.” Fairie Mist turned and marched back into Celestia’s private chambers. Princess Luna and Subtle Dancer followed her, the latter closing the doors with a glow from his horn. “Now, Mist, what’s this all about?” He asked. “It’s not like you to charge about like a minotaur in a china shop.” “Princess Celestia’s gone. There’s blood on her sheets and some green crusty gunk. One of her flight feathers was torn loose and it looks like she was dragged over the foot of her bed.” “What?” Princess Luna stopped, mouth hanging open. Subtle Dancer leaped past Fairie Mist and trotted quickly into the bedchamber. “Do not enter, Princess.” He said as the other two started to follow him. “Your magic would taint the evidence.” “Of course, Chief Horn.” Princess Luna stepped back, and Fairie Mist followed her example. They could see the unicorn through the open door, standing stock still and apparently doing nothing. He stood like that for a good five minutes, not moving a muscle. “How did the Princess not notice?” They heard him mutter. “Absolutely massive. Why did she ignore it?” “Hast thee found something, Chief Horn?” Luna asked anxiously. “Oh yes. Nasty business. The Princess has definitely been abducted.” The unicorn said. “I need you to give the guards some orders. First, those two at the door need to be relieved of duty and escorted to HHQ, second I want a full forensics team here five minutes ago, and third, I need you to tell me everything that you saw when you got here Fairie Mist.” The black unicorn stepped carefully backwards out of the room. “No magic within her chambers unless it’s approved by a Horn, understand? We don’t want to lose the traces of whatever happened here. This is bad, Princess. We have no idea what we’re dealing with, and wherever she is I doubt the Princess will be able to raise the sun this morning.” Fairie Mist’s eyes widened. “But that means…” “That’s exactly what it means.” He said grimly. “Think you can raise the sun today, Princess?” “It appears we have little choice in the matter, Chief Horn.” Luna responded. “Whether we are capable of assuming our sister’s duties remains to be seen. We are weary from bringing forth the moon twice this day, but necessity is a harsh mistress, is it not?” “Can anyone do anything to help you?” Fairie Mist asked. “Nay, Fairie Mist. The magics involved are far beyond even the Chief Horn’s abilities and he is the finest mage in all Equestria, save for ourselves. Alas, while we are a better mage than our sister, she was the one gifted with power that dwarfs all others. Raising the sun would strain us while fully rested. In our current state—” She shook her head. “Could you borrow power from other unicorns?” The pegasus asked. “That’s possible, but she could only absorb a single unicorn’s magic.” Subtle Dancer said. “There’s no unicorn in Equestria with a tenth the needed power.” “There is one, perhaps.” Luna said thoughtfully. “Our sister’s student, Twilight Sparkle. She is capable of great bursts of power, although she lacks finesse in its application. If we could absorb power from her it might be enough.” “Isn’t she in Ponyville? That’s a half hour’s flight from here.” Fairie Mist asked. “Then a chariot must be dispatched at once!” Luna horn started to glow. “Princess, no!” The Chief Horn shouted. Startled, the blue alicorn let the glow in her horn die. “Oh no, we forgot!” She exclaimed in dismay. “Our humblest apologies, Subtle Dancer. Let us retreat outside where we can teleport.” Once safely beyond the chamber door Luna teleported out while the Chief Horn dispatched Fairie Mist to summon a detachment of the Guard. He stayed behind to keep an eye on the guards, although he was careful not to arouse their suspicion. Once the new guards arrived Fire Cloud and his partner were escorted to the Horn headquarters while other guards prevented anyone from entering Celestia’s chambers. When the forensics team showed up Subtle Dancer settled down for some hard thinking. ooOoo A loud insistent banging woke Twilight. It was still night, she had no idea what time it was. Muzzily she stumbled out of bed and used her magic to open the window. Looking out she was startled to see a chariot parked in front of the library, with only one pegasus in place. Worried by the presence of the chariot she teleported to the yard. The flash attracted the attention of the other pegasus, who was banging on her door. “What’s going on?” Twilight asked urgently. “Twilight Sparkle, your presence is required by Princess Luna immediately. You are to come with us at once. Please get in the chariot.” The guard trotted to the chariot, readying himself for flight. “What?” Twilight didn’t move. “Our orders were to get you to Canterlot as quickly as possible, Twilight Sparkle. Get in the chariot, by order of Princess Luna.” “All right, I’m coming, I’m coming! What’s going on?” She asked, settling down in the chariot. Without responding the two stallions broke into a trot, then a gallop, exploding into the sky with such force the unicorn was forced to brace herself or be tumbled out of the vehicle. “Hey, watch it! You nearly lost me!” She yelled into the wind. “Sorry! Hang on!” One guard threw over his shoulder as the chariot turned toward the distant capital and the two pegasi accelerated to a sprint. The purple unicorn blinked in the wind stream, completely befuddled. She had no idea why the pegasi were sprinting. There was no way they could hold this pace all the way to Canterlot! They were already starting to pant heavily. “What’s the big rush?” She yelled, only to have them ignore her. The guards kept up the pace for another five minutes. To Twilight’s worried eye they looked ready to faint. She glanced over the side and gulped. They were really, really high up. If the pegasi fainted now she wouldn’t survive the crash… Two more pegasi, sans armor, rose from the ground and caught up to the speeding chariot. To her horror one of the pegasi pulling the chariot suddenly closed his wings, falling out from under the yoke. She screamed as the stallion fell toward the ground so very far below. One of the newcomers took the fallen guard’s place and the other guard promptly folded his wings and fell out of the yoke. The other newcomer took his place and the chariot accelerated again, the unburdened pegasi able to fly much faster than the armored-laden guards. Looking back she saw to her relief the original guards’ wings snap open as they glided gently toward the ground. By now the chariot was tearing along so fast she had to duck down below the rim to escape the punishing wind. It would take Rainbow Dash to catch up to them at this pace… After another five minutes of the insane sprint the chariot lurched again. She braved the wind long enough to see new pegasi swapping places with the old ones, in that same stomach-churning maneuver. By now she could see the distant spire of Canterlot Castle. She had only been in the air for about ten minutes! This was insane. Why would Princess Luna want to see her so quickly? It didn’t make any sense. The chariot pullers changed one final time and less than a minute later the chariot was slowing and making a shallow dive toward the top of the Sun Tower, where Celestia normally stood when she raised the sun. The chariot landed on the roof of the tower, and braked so hard she was thrown against the front of the vehicle. “Out!” One of the pegasi snapped. Utterly confused she scrambled out of the chariot and watched open mouthed as the two pegasi pulled it over the edge and dove nearly straight down. She watched them soar back into the sky and head for the chariot stables. “We are happy thee came so swiftly, Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Luna boomed as she stalked out of the darkness. “We must make haste! There is no time to explain to thee what has occurred, thee must trust us. We have need of thy magic. Our own energies are depleted; we need thy strength, for the good of Equestria.” “Princess Luna? What’s going on?” Twilight demanded. “Fifteen minutes ago I was home asleep!” “Foul deeds are stalking us, dear Twilight.” Luna said. “We dare not say more, lest thee become too upset to act. Dost thou know the spell Wind Spear’s Succor?” “Yes, but—” Twilight said. “Then cast it now, Twilight. We promise to explain everything, but now we have need of thy strength. Cast the spell and direct thy strength at us.” “Why? I can’t just—” “In the name of the Sun and for thy love of our sister, we command thee obey, Twilight Sparkle!” Princess Luna roared in the Royal Canterlot voice. But it was the desperation on her face that really convinced Twilight. “All right. Are you ready?” She asked. Luna nodded, a soft glow coming from her horn. Twilight closed her eyes, reviewing the steps of the spell. It was a simple spell, the resulting burst of magic of no use to anyone who wasn’t a mage themselves. Twilight’s horn flared to life, the glow quickly spreading over her entire body. Opening her eyes she pointed her horn at Luna and released the spell. A ray of intense white light shot from the tip of her horn and hit the tip of Luna’s. Once contact had been made the ray of light rapidly increased in diameter until a six inch beam of incandescence joined the two ponies. Twilight held the spell as long as she could, until spots started dancing in front of her eyes and her heart felt like it would burst from the strain. “Nothing left!” She gasped, the beam snapping out of existence. The purple unicorn collapsed, flanks heaving as she desperately tried to draw in enough air to keep from fainting. “Our thanks, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna said softly before turning to face the east. “We pray that thy sacrifice will suffice.” “What—what do—you” Twilight said brokenly, still panting. “What are you doing? Where—oh my—where is—whoa!—Princess Celestia?” “Taken.” Princess Luna said as she reared. Twilight’s eyes widened as she realized what Luna was about to do. Why is Princess Luna raising the sun? I didn’t know she could do that! She shielded her eyes as the alicorn suddenly became too bright to look at. Twilight stiffened as Luna let out a loud groan. She watched the sun wobble slowly over the horizon. It looked wrong—it was moving from side to side as it rose. Luna screamed in pain and the sun slid sideways two hoof-widths before steadying. It jerked upward just before the alicorn’s flaring light cut off and Luna collapsed, her flanks heaving as she shuddered and gasped. “Princess Luna! Are you all right?” Twilight staggered to her hooves, not believing how weak she was. She took a couple of stumbling steps toward the alicorn before her strength gave out and she sank to her knees. “We—need time to—rest.” The alicorn responded, blowing hard as she tried to catch her breath. “Our dear sister did not tell us the sun was so dreadfully heavy.” The two ponies stayed on the roof for another fifteen minutes before either felt strong enough to dare the stairs. “Truly, we know not how many more of those are in us.” Princess Luna said. “Join us for your morning meal, Twilight Sparkle. Thou hast surely earned thy hay this day!” “Of course, Princess. But why did you raise the sun? Where is Princess Celestia? What does taken mean?” “We know we promised thee an explanation, but let it be over food.” Princess Luna said as they descended the tower stairs. “We are hollow inside, as though we have not eaten in days.” “Now that you mention it I could eat a whole bale of hay myself.” Twilight admitted. “Wind Spear must have been one heck of a powerful pony to come up with that spell.” “She was, or so my sister informs me. I was imprisoned for the entirety of Wind Spear’s life.” The Princess led the way into a room with a small table and a large sideboard filled with food for both breakfast and supper. “I’m sorry.” Twilight said quietly. “I didn’t mean to remind you.” “Nay, good Twilight. Tis the demon Nightmare I blame for that, not thee.” Luna assured her. “Feel free to eat as much as thou may, for tomorrow thee and we must repeat what we did today. If ever we coveted our sister’s throne this crisis reminds us to be careful what we wish for!” Unwilling to use magic the two ponies grazed directly off the sideboard. It was horribly gauche, but since Luna was setting the example Twilight gratefully followed suit. After they had recovered enough to at least pile food on a plate and retreat to the table and the cushions around it, Princess Luna looked at Twilight gravely. “Our sister has been abducted.” She said quietly. Twilight choked on her food. “What? How? Princess Celestia is the most powerful magician in all of Equestria! Nobody could abduct her! She’s too powerful!” “Before this morning we would have agreed with thee, Twilight Sparkle. But when Fairie Mist went to wake our sister she found her gone, only a single feather remaining. A feather—and what Subtle Dancer informs us is a powerful poison, mixed with Celestia’s blood.” “Oh no.” Twilight felt like she was going to faint—again. Today was not proving to be a good day. “So—what? Something bit her?” “So it would appear. Given the amount of poison on her sheet the creature must have been enormous. Yet the two guards at the door swear no one entered or left her chambers. Subtle Dancer thinks there was some kind of magic used, powerful magic he thinks.” “But wouldn’t she have sensed magic that powerful?” Twilight wondered. “One would think so. But our sister moved the sun three times yesterday. Although she never showed it she was exhausted. Perhaps that is why.” “Why did you need me to raise the sun, Princess?” “Yesterday we raised the moon twice.” Luna said. “Plus we were summoned from slumber quite suddenly. Our magical reserves were critically low. Even with thy strength we barely managed to bring up the sun. Even fully rested we are not sure we have the strength needed. Equestria must have the sun, Twilight Sparkle. And we must have thy strength to be sure of raising it. Thou didst see the horrid mockery we assayed this morning.” “Hey, you did it, that’s all that matters, right?” Twilight said reasonably. “Nay. For if the sun strays too far from its appointed path things will go ill for the world.” Luna said somberly. “We think the sun is on track today, but another such raising and it may not be.” ooOoo Celestia came to, feeling a horrible throbbing pain in her flank. For a moment she was unable to make sense of where she was. It was cold, there were rocks digging into her ribs and her head hurt abominably. She couldn’t remember when she’d last felt this awful. Even those barbed wire tentacles of Discord hadn’t left her feeling this ghastly. She cried out when she tried to rise, her right rear leg would not bear her weight. Panting she tried to light her horn to see where she was. A sense of panic nearly overwhelmed her when nothing happened. Her headache started driving needles into her eyes, forcing her abandon the attempt. “So, you are awake...” A voice like falling ice spoke, the words echoing in the darkness. “It is fitting you should hear the passing of your sentence, prideful horse. Know that for your crimes against the natural order you will die here, alone, slowly crushed as the ice creeps ever closer. You will curse the day you stole from me, despicable beast. The sweet pain I have known from the beginning of the world is no more. My dearest enemy is no more. For that alone I would kill you. But you blasphemed against the Universe itself, and for that there can be no mercy.” “Who are you?” Celestia’s voice was hoarse, and she coughed up something vile, spitting it out in revulsion. “I am Tišina, sinful beast. Now it is time to take my leave. Die whenever it suits you.” There was a pop, followed by the most profound silence Celestia had ever experienced. Terror clawed at her there in the darkness. She had just heard a voice from the distant past, reaching out from the grave to snatch her life away, and the lives of her little ponies. In fact the lives of every living thing. It would end in ice, as the world lost its heat, the sun forever lost… Tišina, the very name chilled her soul. Great Mother of Silence, Mistress of Cold, Watcher of the Stillness. A story, a legend, a nightmare. Tišina was all these things. Celestia had thought her long dead by Discord’s hand. She had learned of Tišina from Discord’s boasting taunts during their never ending battles in the early days. From the history books he had mockingly created and given to her to “educate” her, she’d read of the earliest days of Equestria, then called Eris. The days before Discord wrested the world away from Tišina. The books had told of a boring lifeless world where the only movement was snow on the wind. Where the sun was a pale pitiful imitation of the warm orb that blessed Equestria today. Where even at noon it was still only the deepest twilight. She curled up as much as she could with her wounded flank and tried to keep warm and kick the trolls with pickaxes out of her skull. After what seemed like hours shivering in the deepening cold the headache finally retreated enough for her to risk lighting her horn again. This time she managed it, a pale firefly glow that lit only a couple of feet around her. If she hadn’t spent the last few hours in pitch-blackness she couldn’t have seen anything. It must be Tišina’s poison interfering with my magic. The unicorn thought as she tried to rise again. She nearly went down when her left foreleg slipped on ice but she caught herself just in time. Limping severely she hobbled around her prison to take inventory. The news was grim. Her prison was a cavern of ice barely as tall as her horn tip and perhaps three body lengths long by two wide. Aside from a scattering of rocks it was empty and there were no exits. Unless she came up with something in the next day she would suffocate before she froze to death. If I die here the world dies with me. I will not allow that to happen. Tišina, you have no idea who you’ve challenged. I will get out of here and when I do there will be a reckoning. Celestia carefully lowered herself to the icy floor and closed her eyes, seeking to travel inward, to the secret innermost sanctum of her soul where her magic dwelt. Ironically the silence and darkness of her prison made her task easier. Soon she was standing in the innermost temple of her mind, the mental landscape as dear and familiar as the face of her sister. But all was not well in her temple. Great heaping mounds of ice were everywhere. Where the fount of her magic normally burst forth joyfully it now trickled like a frozen spring, barely able to dribble. She could feel the strain on parts of her mental construct. If she didn’t do something quickly the weight of the ice would smash everything—and if that happened she was doomed, and all of Equestria with her. It was the poison. That was the issue. If she could do something about that she could fight back. Grimly she set to work, chipping away at the ice blocking the flow of magic. It was only symbolic, of course, she wasn’t really here, there wasn’t really any temple and her magic didn’t really look like a massive Greek fountain. Her horn wasn’t really chipping ice. It was all metaphorical. But symbols have power. And she was looking for one symbol above all else. If she could recover it from the ice she might have a chance… ooOoo The rumors had flown, faster than any pegasus. They always did. Whispers had slipped from ear to ear. Panic was spreading insidious tendrils throughout Canterlot. Before too much longer all of Equestria would know Celestia had been abducted. Including her enemies. Princess Luna’s face was pinched and she had a raging headache. Next to her Twilight Sparkle was bravely handling the furious tirade of Duke Shimmerling, managing to keep her head in the furious swirling argument the council meeting had degenerated into. “Furthermore, how dare you bring that pony into our presence? As if the situation wasn’t dire enough, you bring a murderous savage beast into the company of gentleponies! It is not to be born, Twilight Sparkle!” “ENOUGH!” Princess Luna snapped directing the Royal Canterlot Voice at the Duke, who was only a few feet away. He was pushed back by the sheer volume, his ears flattening against his head in self defense. “Enough.” She repeated more quietly in the shocked silence of the council chamber. “We hadst thought nobles of the court would see the gravity of the situation and come together for the good of Equestria, but instead we find petty bickering and behavior that would not be tolerated from newborn foals! Sun Hammer is here at our personal request, Duke Shimmerling. Something stole our dear sister from the safety of her own bed! Wouldst thou have the same happen to us? Or perhaps you wouldst see Twilight Sparkle stolen away? Without her strength we cannot raise the sun!” She stared at the Duke somberly. “Sun Hammer stands the best chance of making sure both of us are here on the morrow. Hast thou forgotten thee owes Sun Hammer thy life? The life of thy wife? Thy children?” The Duke looked uncertain. “Nay, Princess.” Sun Hammer spoke from his position behind her and Twilight. “Dinnae fash yourself on ma accoont. A ken what A be, and A ken what A done. No use tryin’ tae make of it more than it be. Now, most times A’d never dream o’ sullyin’ the Duke’s shadow wi the presence o’ ma savage self, but seems laik ye be needin’ a guard what ken their business, and that A can dae, better than those tin-plated stoaters, so A can.” Just for an instant a smile flickered onto Luna’s muzzle. It vanished just as quickly. “We trust thee to keep watch while we sleep, Sun Hammer. We trust thee with the safety of the world. And that, Duke Shimmerling, is all we shall say on the subject!” Her narrowed eyes swung around the table, challenging each council member in turn. No pony accepted the challenge. “Subtle Dancer, hast thou made any progress since this morning?” She asked, returning to business. “Yes, Princess. The spell used in Princess Celestia’s chamber has been identified. It was a portal—a gateway connecting two distant points so that anypony can merely walk through, as if the points were side by side.” “How do we counter something like that?” Duke Shimmerling asked, appalled. “If such a portal could be formed in the Princess’s very own chambers, then none of us are safe!” “Thankfully, Duke that is not actually the case.” The Chief Horn corrected him. “A portal is not something that can be created in a few seconds. It takes considerably longer to form. Any unicorn could sense it long before it opened and move out of danger. There’s also the issue of the colossal amount of magic needed—it’s beyond the capabilities of all but the most powerful.” “Could you do it?” The Duke asked. Subtle Dancer shook his head. “No, Your Grace. I have the skill, but not nearly enough power. Princess Celestia could do it, and Princess Luna. Perhaps Twilight Sparkle. Assuming they knew the spell, that is. That’s another odd thing. We’ve been analyzing this thing for hours. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The entire theory underlying it defies analysis. Whoever cast this couldn’t have been a pony.” “Why, Chief Horn?” Twilight asked with interest. “All spells have patterns.” He began, explaining for the benefit of council members who weren’t unicorns. “These patterns reflect the caster’s personality, their outlook on life, how they see the world. It’s almost instinctive. So a spell cast by a pony will always have a certain shape, a feeling, a scent. The Horns are trained to spot subtle differences in spells, to the point they can glean the caster’s species and gender. If they’ve see the caster use other spells they can even identify the caster directly.” “But this spell is different. I can tell you it wasn’t cast by any known magic-using species. I’m willing to bet the caster wasn’t a mammal, an avian, or a reptile. What that leaves I have no idea.” “Discord?” Baroness Splendid Light, a mare with a rare combination of chartreuse and fuchsia patterning and a scarlet mane and tail asked apprehensively. “No.” Was Subtle Dancer’s comforting reply. “Discord’s magic is chaotic, this was just the opposite. The spell’s pattern was orderly, almost crystalline. Discord could never have cast it. It would have poisoned him.” “A demon? One such as Nightmare?” Luna asked. “I—don’t think so.” Subtle Dancer said hesitantly. “Demons need a living host to cast any magic, and the demon must use the host’s own abilities to amplify its magic. Meaning a possessed pony’s spell would still be recognizable as cast by a pony.” He shrugged. “Unraveling the spell may not be possible at all. It will certainly take time.” “Time we don’t have.” Twilight said grimly. “I am open to new avenues of investigation.” The Chief Horn said mildly. “Investigation—” Twilight said slowly, eyes widening. “That’s it! Princess, remember when Teelo told us about how police in her world investigate crimes?” “We remember, Twilight Sparkle. What of it?” Luna asked curiously. “What if we sent a pony to her world to get her to help us? Maybe find one of these investigators and bring them back?” “A be thinkin’ Crush might be a mickle useful as well, Highness.” Sun Hammer added. “Should the trolls be thinkin’ tae take advantage o’ the situation A mean.” “Could the trolls have been behind this? After all the Princess disappeared right after they left.” A noble mare called Snow Tree offered. “Demanding Crush back after the Princess told them it wasn’t here! They all but called her a liar! The nerve.” She sniffed. “I know troll magic, Lady Snow Tree.” Subtle Dancer said tiredly. “This was not troll magic. Twilight Sparkle, if you think Lady Teagan could help us I would be willing to open the Bridge of Days to allow a pony to cross. But who would dare such a dangerous journey? We know nothing of her world.” “Chief Horn, ye say thon portal be no danger if’n a unicorn’s got thair wit’s aboot them?” Sun Hammer asked suddenly. “Absolutely. Once the portal has been started it can’t be moved. I’d say at a minimum you’d have several minutes warning.” “Then A’ll be the one crossin’ the Bridge.” Sun Hammer stated calmly. “Should A come tae grief we be no worse fer it, aye Duke? ‘Course its mair laikly A’ll be the one givin’ the grief, ya ken?” He chuckled. “Besides, Teelo an A have an understandin’, she’ll listen tae me, so she will.” “Are thee certain, Sun Hammer?” Princess Luna asked. “Once thou hast crossed and the Bridge closes, thee will be on thy own until the Bridge reopens.” “Oh aye.” Sun Hammer said dismissively. “A’m all growed up, ye ken. Buckle me awn straps an’ all, so A dae.” He grinned cheerfully. Of course on Sun Hammer a cheerful grin could signal either good humor or the onset of mayhem. Sometimes both simultaneously. “Very well.” Luna said decisively. “Now, concerning the rumors spreading about our sister’s abduction…” The meeting wore on past lunch, with no sign of ending.