"You're WHAT?"
Pennington cringed. He thought that he had gotten used to Twilight chewing him out over his "insanity" and yelling at him for being so "ridiculous," but his time away from Equestria had obviously re-established his sensitivity to the near-screaming. Twilight had sprung to her hooves when he had recounted his meeting with Luna in Canterlot, but he was sitting in front of the small wood-burning oven in the corner of the room, which Moonstone had started a roaring fire in. He was quietly writing out a message on a scroll, almost deceptively calm.
"We're going after the one attacking Equestria through its weather."
"You mean the ancient, gigantic, bloodthirsty DRAGON?"
Pennington took a deep breath, releasing it only after several seconds of trying to stay calm.
"Yes."
"Are you CRAZY?" Twilight shook her head, pacing back and forth across the study. "I mean, first of all, how are you planning to get there? On hoof? Do you have the necessary equipment for mountain climbing? Do you have any kind of plan for dealing with this radically changing weather? And what about if you actually manage to find this dragon? Are you just going to politely ask him to stop? Are you going to brandish your sword at him and expect him to be intimidated?"
Pennington felt a more-than-small amount of indignation beginning to build.
"Well, Princess Luna seemed pretty confident that I would be able to do it..." He muttered, his aggravation beginning to show.
"Princess Luna thought that you would be able to keep your changeling side at bay, too, and you wound up being forced to work for Queen Chrysalis until you cut off your own horn! She CAN make mistakes!" Twilight shouted, stamping her hoof and breathing heavily with rage.
No one moved for several seconds after Twilight finished, and the tension in the room seemed to peak during this pause. Twilight had lost her temper, as sound as her logic had been. Looking down at his note and keeping his back to Twilight, Pennington hastily scribbled the last few lines, then rolled and tied a ribbon to the scroll. Calmly and quietly, he stood up, turned around, and passed the note to Moonstone, not even looking at her.
"Moonstone, this is a letter to the Sure Shot, my friend from the New Lunar Republic. If anyone with any kind of sense in their heads is running the emergency response teams, every all-terrain vehicle should be being used right now to transport ponies from poorly-equipped rural areas to the safer urban environments with more protection, like Canterlot."
"So, what does the letter say?" Moonstone asked, glancing back at Twilight for a moment before returning her full attention to Pennington.
"I'm just going to ask for a ride when they make their way here to Ponyville. It shouldn't take them another day or two to get their rescue efforts here, and the Cliffjumper's gotta be out there, somewhere. That's why Twilight probably could have waited one more day and probably wouldn't have needed to open the Vault." He finally turned back to Twilight, taking another deep breath. "That's how I plan to get to Equestria's southern border, since the trains have been shut down completely in most places. I'll stop at the NLR for supplies, equipment and possibly some short training sessions, and then I'll set off on hoof the way that I have on every adventure I've ever been on to get through the mountains and find my way to Scorch. Hopefully, we'll be able quell his fury with some kind of precious gift... If not, it might come down to fighting." His eyes narrowed as he stared directly into Twilight's. In her eyes, he could see that she was regretting her earlier words to him about his failure at the mercy of the changelings. "If I need to fight Scorch to stop him, then I will. That's why I'm here: I need the Vault's artifacts if I want to stand any kind of chance."
Trying to calm down, he took another deep breath. Twilight is scared right now, and deep down, so am I. What she said was said out of fear for me. I have to keep that in mind.
He finally turned away from her again, knowing that they both had chewed one another out enough, and walked towards the dark doorway of the Vault.
"As for the changelings, neither of us were expecting the Queen to show up on my doorstep... And your brilliant mind didn't seem to think that my changeling side was a problem at the time, either. Luna can't account for everything, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't know what I can or can't do... Didn't Celestia ask you and your friends to stop Discord on your own? Didn't Celestia ask you and, in your words, you alone to save the entire Crystal Empire?" He shook his head, descending down into the darkness of his secret basement. "And you were able to do both of those things, in the end, with a little help from your friends."
"That's right!" Pennington heard Moonstone finally speak up, and the sound of fluttering wings warned him to brace himself as she landed heavily on his back, nearly knocking him off-balance. "And Penn isn't going to be alone, either! I'll make sure that he stays alive and gets the job done!"
Penn could tell from the sound of additional hooves on the stairs that Twilight was following him into the Vault.
"But Celestia had expected me to do it all on my own, and I wasn't able to... Who's to say that Luna isn't overestimating you the same way?"
"I think that the fate of Equestria says so." Pennington muttered. "Would you rather that I just sit here at home until the country is ripped apart and ponies really do start starving in their homes? This needs to be done, Twilight, so I'm going to do it!" Looking back at Moonstone, Pennington nodded towards a small lantern in the ceiling, and she nodded and flew up to light it. As a bright glow filled the room and illuminated everything inside, Twilight finally caught up to Pennington, standing beside him.
"You mean, 'we're going to do it,' right?"
A wave of warmth washed over Pennington for a moment as she gently placed her hoof on his shoulder, feeling somewhat melancholy as he realized the truth of the situation.
"Twilight... You can't come with me on this one."
The words seemed to inflict a physical blow to Twilight, causing her to step back in shock and stare at him in confusion.
"What? Why? Didn't I save you in the desert? Didn't I help protect your mind from the hive? Didn't I rescue you from Carnival Cat?" (At this point, Moonstone cleared her throat indignantly.) "Haven't I proven that I'm good enough for your crazy adventures?"
"Twilight, the desert and storm-ridden mountain ranges are two very different monsters to challenge, Twilight! Not to mention that you had the Elements of Harmony, your friends, and Zecora guiding you when you went into Everfree!" Pennington walked to one of the transparent compartments in the wall, lifting up the note to peer inside before a flash of his horn disengaged the lock with a grunt. "I can't protect you if there's an avalanche, and like it or not, with most of my magic gone, you would be trying to cast spells for the both of us and getting distracted. If I'm on my own with Moonstone, I can focus on a magic-less effort." Reaching inside the open compartment, Pennington pulled out a wand about as long as his foreleg, topped off by a sapphire the size of his hoof.
"Moonstone, in terms of dragon values, how much would the Tidal Wand be worth?" He passed the item to the dragon, who had climbed down to stand beside him.
"But- Pennington, I know we can do this together! You don't need to risk going on your own!" Twilight shook her head, following after him. "You don't need to worry about me, I can take care of myself!"
Moonstone, tapping the gem with her claw and examining it closely, nodded in approval. "In terms of size, it's okay... But the enchantment alone should make increase its worth tenfold. It would make a suitable gift if you wanted to quell his anger... for trespassing or something minor. We'll need more than this if he's angry enough to declare war on an entire country on his own."
Pennington nodded. "And if we need to fight him, getting him to munch on it would be enough to summon at least an entire lake's worth of water down his throat, and possibly his lungs." Turning away again, Pennington shook his head.
"Twilight, we're going to be long and far away from just about any help once we leave Equestria. The Eastern NLR stops at the Tigerous Forest, but the Southern Branch doesn't go beyond our borders. Suppose, for example, that we met another monster comparable to the dune worm in the mountains? Sure Shot won't be there to rescue us and nurse our wounds back to health. The stakes are much higher, and though you're skilled in magic far beyond anything I'll ever be, I still don't think you're ready..." Opening another cabinet, Pennington pulled out a thick, heavy black cloth.
"The Invisibility Cloak?" Moonstone asked. "I don't think he'll value that much... So you're bringing it for strategic reasons?"
Pennington nodded, placing the cloak on the ground in the center of the room, and then laying the Tidal Wand on top of it.
"Wait... Why don't they go farther south?" Twilight asked.
Pennington and Moonstone looked questioningly at one another for a moment, and Pennington moved on to more containers while Moonstone approached Twilight.
"Twilight, you do know that dragons are naturally carnivores, right? Children like Spike and I can live or even thrive on a lithovoric diet because we've been fed it since hatching, but most dragons need meat."
"Well, of course I know that! I learned all about dragons when I first adopted Spike!" Twilight nodded. "Celestia told me that I was to only feed him assorted rocks and minerals until he was five, and then try to move him towards pony food supplemented by gemstones!"
Moonstone nodded. "Dragons' ability to adapt is one reason they've lived so long as a species. Now, we reach the problem with traveling south of Equestria-"
"Moon Moon! What about the Sapphire Stone?"
"Are you joking?" Moonstone spun around, eyes wide with surprise. "The last thing we need is two of him!"
Pennington, who was holding the artifact in question, a blue statue of two jackals standing back-to-back, glanced at it, then back at Moonstone, a silly smile overtaking his serious expression.
"Or you, Penn!"
Pennington's smile lessened and he placed it back in its compartment, muttering something under his breath and moving on to the next one.
Shaking her head, Moonstone turned back to Twilight. "He never learns, does he? Anyway, as I was saying, the reason that traveling south is the fact that, the moment you set hoof outside of Equestria, you are in dragon country. And that is where Celestia's treaty with them runs out. The moment you cross over the border, you go from 'delegate' to 'delicacy.'" She heard a light snicker from Pennington as Twilight took a moment to process the idea that ponies could be considered fair game for food.
"That was almost poetic, Moonstone," Pennington said as he returned, holding another object. This one was an intricate ruby pendant on a thin chain. The jewel itself was encased in a lattice of silver, looking almost as if the had been spun by spiders, rather than crafted by pony hooves, that kept it in place and attached to the chain. "How about this?"
Moonstone turned and took it from him, examining the object.
"Well, the workmanship is certainly intricate, and dragons have an eye for quality." She lifted it up, holding it between her eye and the lantern, peering through it. "Definite clarity in the gem itself..."
"What- what's that?" Twilight asked.
"The Ruber Locomotus," Pennington replied. "You can place it on any kind of analogue for a body and it'll come to life. The only downside is that you'll have a homunculus without any physical needs that has only one driving instinct: to destroy the one who created it." He sighed as Moonstone passed it back to him, nodding her head, "Physical damage to the body doesn't seem to deter it, some kind of invisible force will continue to hold it together. So you can create life that only exists for the sole purpose of ending yours. Ironic, isn't it?" With little thought, he tossed it alongside the Tidal Wand, forming what was quickly becoming the most powerful mess of trinkets in Equestria.
"That- That's amazing!" Twilight shouted, rushing over to inspect it more closely.
Moonstone raised an eyebrow, somewhat dubious. "So, Twilight, you understand why you can't come, right?"
Twilight, who was almost completely focused on the pendant, seemed not to hear her.
Pennington rolled his eyes. "Twilight, are you listening? Twilight?"
"Twilight?"
"SPARKY!"
"Huh?" Twilight finally looked up from the amulet, giving him a somewhat confused expression.
"You understand why you have to stay here, don't you?"
"Well... No! If ponies are fair game where you're going, then I would only be in as much danger as you!" Twilight shook her head. "And that's nothing new! Not to mention that there's safety in numbers!"
Moonstone shook her head. "Twilight, you have to keep in mind that a hungry dragon would be more than a match for both of you at your full strength, and the more ponies on this expedition, the more likely they are to be discovered! Not to mention, Pennington has something that you don't. Something that will increase his odds of surviving dramatically."
"What?"
Pennington smiled and stepped up next to Moonstone, gently patting the spines on the top of her head. "A member of the Adelind bloodline. Moonstone has family in the South, and they might be able to help us stop Scorch."
"Adelind?" Twilight asked, tilting her head.
"Moonstone Chalcedonia Alis Adelinda, in fact!" Moonstone smiled and gave a small bow. "But you can just call me 'Moonstone!'"
"When Moonstone was first introduced to us, Luna just used her first name for simplicity's sake," Pennington continued. "But names are actually a bit more important to dragons than they are to us."
"The respect for my family might garner enough respect from other dragons to stop them from eating Penn," Moonstone nodded, "but I wouldn't hold enough sway for them to pass up two tasty morsels. That's another reason Penn and I need to go alone."
Twilight shook her head. "But I have Spike! He could-"
"What's his last name?" Moonstone folded her arms across her chest.
"What?"
"It's not the fact that I'm a dragon, Twilight! It's because of my blood. So where does Spike's blood come from?"
"I... I named him. He never needed a last name, because he was a member of my family..."
Moonstone shook her head. "Then all he would be able to do is stand by and watch as you're eaten like a candy bar."
Twilight looked down, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "But... I want to help you, Penny. I don't want to lose you all over again!"
"Twilight..." Pennington sighed and walked to her, sitting down and putting a hoof around her shoulders. "If I could do anything to lift this burden on you, I would... but sometimes we need to do things we don't want to. Being asked to do dangerous things is just a part of being trusted by Princess Celestia and Luna: we need to step up to the task sometimes. You fought Discord and saved the Crystal Empire, now it's my turn to save Equestria from danger." He nuzzled her cheek, giving it a gentle kiss.
"But- why did it have to be you? Again? Hasn't Luna had enough proof of who you are?" Twilight shook her head.
Pennington chuckled, pulling her to lean against his shoulder. "You know, I really can't say. She thinks I'm the only one who could do it on my own! And for me... This might be my chance to make right what happened at the wedding, so I'm taking it. I think, maybe if I do this, I can find some way to feel at peace again. I'll be able to stop searching for something to redeem myself. I think that I might need this as much as Equestria does."
"But what if you die? I'll never see you again!"
Pennington took a brief pause, then nodded. "That's true. But if I don't do this, then there are lots of ponies, families, friends, and even lovers, who will lose one another forever... The needs of the many have to come before the needs of the few, but the few also need to be willing to put themselves aside. I'm ready and willing to put myself aside, Twilight, but... that forces you to do the same thing, whether you want to or not." He placed his hoof under her chin, looking straight into her eyes. "This isn't like in the border town when we first met. I'm not hiding anything from you, and I'm not going to sneak away while you're asleep... but you can't follow me this time. I know that this is scary. It might even be scarier for you than it is for me. But if I don't do this, there are countless other who will surely go through the very heartbreak you're afraid might happen to you. So, I'll ask you this with them all in mind: Can you bring yourself to put yourself aside for countless others?"
Twilight looked up at him for a moment, then resigned herself to leaning against him, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"O-okay... But next time, I want to go with you!"
Pennington smiled, nodding and leaning down to kiss her cheek again. "Okay. Next time, we'll go on an exciting adventure together. One with volcanoes, tropical forests, and maybe even a few native tribes that we can stir up and barely escape with our lives!"
Twilight reluctantly found herself laughing through her tears, the giggles coming out in short bursts. "Maybe we could discover some ancient artifact or circumvent a thousand-year curse?"
"Sounds like fun! I think I know just the place we could go once I get back!" Pennington's grin grew wider as his hoof wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.
Moonstone, recognizing the tender moment, nodded quietly towards the stairs and, with a confirming nod from Pennington, ascended back up into the study, where Spike was patiently waiting.
"So, what are you guys doing down there?"
Moonstone smiled, turning around and quietly shutting the door to the vault.
"Just preparing ourselves for what's to come, Spike." With a short flap of her wings, Moonstone was up on top of Pennington's desk. Hopping down into his wheeled chair, she took a reclined position, putting her claws behind her head. "So, what do you say you tell me all about the Crystal Empire? It was too far out of our way for Penn and I to visit on our way back."
Somewhat concerned, Spike glanced at the closed door to the vault.
"Aren't they-"
"They need a little quiet time, and it's perfectly simple to open from the inside!" She chuckled. "From the looks of it, they've both been under a lot of stress lately. It'll be healthy for both of them to have some private time to relax."
Spike gave one more concerned look at the door before shrugging and walking over to the desk to join Moonstone in the oversized chair.
"Well, you should know that I'm the one who saved the entire Crystal Empire! It all started with a letter from the Princess!"
"Doesn't it always?"
Dear Sure Shot,
My old friend, I apologize for the lateness of the hour. As you know, Equestria is in peril, and you are likely being called to help with the relief efforts, seeing as the Cliffjumper is the most reliable ship in the NLR. If you aren't in Equestria already, brace yourself, this weather's going to push your baby and her crew to their limits! In a similar manner, Princess Luna has called me to help, though the mission is going to push me to my limits. To make a long story short, I'm going to be leaving Equestria and trekking through the dragon lands in the South in order to find the malevolent claws orchestrating this attack and put an end to it. Unfortunately, this means that I need a ride to the border. I've already made a request to be placed aboard the Cliffjumper once relief efforts reach Ponyville, and Princess Luna approved it. I don't think I need to tell you that this mission is of the utmost importance, and you should be getting a debriefing letter soon.
I look forward to seeing you again soon.
The clock moves hour by hour,
Pennington Inkwell
Dear Pennyton,
You don't need the whole "lateness of the hour" thing in your letters, any more! We all know how to recognize a letter from Moonstone at this point. Not many ponies use dragon mail, so the security on your letters ain't so harsh, any more!
Anyhow, you're right. The Cliffjumper and I are on our way to Equestria right now, and if we get assigned to Ponyville immediately we oughta be there in two days. We'd all be happy to have you riding with us again, you're always welcome on my ship! I'll have Constant and Close keep a bed open in the medical bay for you, haha!
However, I think that, since you gave me a warning, I should give you one in return. Since this is an emergency operation, the NLR demanded we take on a few extra crew members so we'll be prepared if something goes wrong. That includes Quick Strike... I didn't like the look on her face when I told here you were coming. She said something about a "pop quiz." Ms. Yearling is here, too, though she didn't seem to be thinking anything bad. She just looked kind of... what's that word? Melancholy? Constant says that's right.
Anyway, since I know you're a distrustful stickler for security, here's your confirmation code: The clock is wound tight and the hours pass quickly. A late hour is but an illusion to the moon.
See you soon!
Sure Shot