//------------------------------// // Chapter Three: Bow Them Over // Story: Waning Moon // by InsertAuthorHere //------------------------------// To call the campsite dead would be a sack of lies, as it was actually quite active. The foals, having returned from one of life's many crushing disappointments, were now busying themselves with preparing for a day full of fun and edutainment. Ponies dug about in their backpacks for basket weaving kits, applied sunscreen for swimming tests, and snuck bites out of the candy bars and cookies they had smuggled out of their kitchens. Tents rustled like they were caught in a whirlwind, and more than a few began to panic as they remembered those last few items they had forgotten in spite of their parents reminding them a thousand times to check for. But what struck Luna the most was the voices. In the tiny number of years since her return from exile, she had visited every corner of Equestria and spoken with every kind of pony imaginable. From Manehatten ballrooms to Hoofington saltlicks, her royal ears had bare witness to every possible mangling of the Equestrian tongue. And yet, the same was never true when ponies attended court or just visited the palace, where they tried their best to adhere to a Canterlot accent out of fear of offending their loving rulers. Her sister had complained at length about this quirk, especially when the Trottingham delegations visited; neither pony would tell anypony, but Celestia had always found their manner of speaking alluring. Still, Luna had long since accepted it as a matter of royal life. Ponies simply were not themselves around a princess; indeed, trying to act too familiar would be a serious breach of royal protocol but a thousand years prior. She could still sample the many accents of Equestria just fine by attending banquets, charity auctions, and sporting events, not to mention her planned visits to Ponyville. But this was something altogether different. She had heard foals talk before, certainly, but mostly in Ponyville and Canterlot. Here, she was surrounded by fillies from Trottingham, Hoofington, Manehatten, Cloudsdale, the frontier towns, and anywhere else that might house ponies in this land. And there was certainly something to be said for how a child speaks. The elegant tongues of the grown ponies were replicated with scratching pitches, missing vowels, mispronunciations, and more than a few colloquialisms. They all melded together like a rich stew, each item remaining independent while still absorbing the flavor and richness of its compatriots. Alas, Luna had chosen to wax philosophical about this just as Cheerilee stopped, forcing any further thoughts to cease. The two had made their way to a pair of tents, both of which were surprisingly well-pitched for ponies so young – outside of one or two missing stakes, that is. There were no signs of any ponies standing around, but there was still plenty of rustling and crashing noises coming from within the temporary shelters. Cheerilee's right hoof stomped against the ground with enough force to send even Luna jumping back in alarm. “Good morning, girls! I have somepony to introduce to you!” The impact was enough to break the last vestiges of Luna's deep thinking, and a shake of the head loosened and swept out the debris so that rational thought could break though. Remember, you are on a mission. This is no different from when you rescued Trottingham's founders from the Great Walnut Rebellion. Identify your targets, analyze them, and finish your assignment. And then you won't be a filly anymore. The first ponies to respond were a trio of older fillies, clad in the ceremonial scarfs and berets that denoted their membership in the Filly Scouts. It took Luna only a moment to recognize this trio. The Cutie Mark Crusaders, the fillies Twilight keeps mentioning in her reports. Banned from twenty molasses stores and blacklisted in the newspaper industry. “Um...girls?” Cheerilee's face twisted in worry, which was not an uncommon reaction to some of their antics in the past. “Shouldn't there be four younger ponies here, too?” Scootaloo groaned, Apple Bloom smacked her own forehead, and Sweetie Belle just looked around in confusion. “Would you foals get out here already? Miss Cheerilee's talking to us!” The cry was enough to get the other tent opened, and the four Junior Filly Scouts poured out like they were tumbling from a clown cart. The first was instantly recognizable to Luna. Lofty, the daughter of my daytime attendant and Celestia's friend. A bit excitable and lacks any understanding of royal protocol, but also rather adorable and friendly. The second was a blue filly, who was still adjusting her vest and beret as she emerged. Luna's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight. Ribbon, the daughter of two bakers. Has knowledge that nopony her age should have regarding Kuchen. Might be key to the case. The third was a white filly, her face glowing with excitement and courage. Gusty, daughter of one of the teachers at Blueblood's school. Over-eager and willing to smash property, even if by accident. And finally, there was a pinkish-lavender filly, who was eying the newcomer with surprise. Buttons. Blueblood's other friend. Probably nothing else of interest. The ponies slowly merged into a cohesive whole, with the older fillies standing in the pack and the younger ones taking up the front in case of trouble. Cheerilee motioned a hoof towards Luna, alerting her just enough to get her to snap herself out of Analysis Mode and into Acting Mode. “This is Eclipse. Her troop wasn't able to attend, but she was so eager to come that we agreed to take her on by herself.” Gusty raised a hoof. “Yes?” “Why is she an Alicorn?” asked Gusty. And in an instant, Luna began to regret those wing holes. The filly looked down at her feathered appendages, folding them so tightly against her body that they threatened to become one with the fabric. In all their plans, they hadn't quite come up with a plausible answer for anyone who asked that question; then again, Celestia never bothered to go beyond being a princess' niece, and everyone instantly believed her. Cheerilee's smile, however, was not going to stand for this and marched out, leaving a rather low frown to take its place. Gusty recognized the face her mother had worn many, many times and hunched down. “That's an awful thing to ask anyone. There are many different kinds of ponies in Equestria, including Alicorns. She just happens to be Princess Celestia's niece.” That was all it took to get the fillies chatting amongst themselves. Their faces erupted into expressions of pure joy, which then transferred a significant amount of energy to the springs that propelled their steps. Only Lofty seemed to not be bouncing about, instead settling with twisting her head just slightly so that she looked either confused or very tired. Luna slowly turned back to the seven, her face still a bit flush. “Greetin-” She paused. No, Luna. Remember. You are a filly. Stick with filly language. “Yo.” That was when the bouncing stopped. Sweetie Belle cocked her head. “Yo?” “Um...yes.” Luna's eyes darted about in her skull, either in a desperate attempt to pull free and roll away or to make sure nopony who knew her true identity was seeing her act like this. “It is...radical and bodacious to be here.” The fillies looked about each other for a few moments, digesting this new pony and her ancient, indecipherable tongue. Luna settled for another reaction. You stupid fool. You are trying too hard. You have to be more natural. Cheerilee, on the other hoof, paid all of this no mind. She just resumed her usual demeanor when dealing with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, smiling wide and nodding her head. “Now girls, you treat Eclipse like you would anypony else. For the rest of the Jamboree, she's just another scout like all of you.” She spun and pointed to the distant horizon, framed marvelously against the early-morning sun. In the distance, one could see rows upon rows of various stands, booths, and adult leaders, ready and willing to educate their young pupils in the long-lost arts of wilderness survival. “Filly Scouts, take charge of your juniors and head out! You have merit badges to earn and memories to build!” Luna opened her mouth to object – it was her understanding that such introductions typically required a bit of a breaking-in period before trust was truly earned – but Cheerilee's monumental pose and mighty tears had inspired the fires in her pupils' hearts. Scootaloo first, then Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, began to canter away. The others did not feel the same stirring, but nevertheless could not shake the awesome power of Cheerilee's command, and so followed suit. That left only Luna. The former mare's eyes locked onto the four fillies as they walked on, her face blushing as she saw Ribbon and Gusty laughing at each other. They are laughing at you. They must be. You have already failed your mission; you will never gain enough trust for you to get close. It would be best if... Then she looked back up at Cheerilee...and saw that her eyes had changed to piercing daggers of impatience. Luna let out a loud gulp, hunched back a few inches, and sprang forward at full gallop, slowing only when she was close enough to the others. “What took you so long?” asked Sweetie Belle. “Um...I was...just lost,” Luna muttered. “So, what activity do we have first?” The three older fillies leaned their heads together and let out a single, united chorus. “Archery!” ---------- There was one thing about post-breakfast celebrations that was rarely talked about: the clean-up process. Most foals paid no attention to this grown-up responsibility, instead running away to burn off the scrambled eggs and hay bacon strips without so much as a how-do-ya-do. Fortunately, nearly everypony involved in operating the Filly Scout Jamboree was a parent themselves, and thus were used to being unappreciated by their spawn. One such pony was Twilight Sparkle, although her “child” was a bit different from the norm. Most parents did not treat their young like they were siblings while they were raised by their mentors. Their foals also tended not to have teeth capable of breathing fire and swallowing gemstones by the platter. Spike stood dutifully by Twilight's side, his hand tracing a quill across a long parchment scroll, checking off one box after another as his companion recited a roll call. Every plate was accounted for (with fifty or so either chipped or damaged in some other way), as was every fork (with a few warped tines), spoon (covered in grease and spittle), and a couple cups (including an extra thirty-three). Years of serving as Twilight's personal attendant had trained him well, as he was able to keep up with the flurry of numbers and categories and not miss a beat. Finally, the last box was scratched closed, and the dragon let out a sigh of relief. “That's all of them.” “Perfect!” Twilight gave her little dragon an affectionate rub on the head. “That takes care of breakfast. Now we just need to help Zecora set up her booth and we'll be set! Why don't you go get a start on that, my number one assistant!” Spike snapped a quick salute and began to run off towards the edge of Whitetail Wood, the designated spot for the botany class. He made it about fifty feet before he realized he wasn't being followed. Indeed, when he turned around, he saw that Twilight was heading in the opposite direction, towards a collection of carts and wagons. “Hey Twilight! Aren't you coming?” Twilight spun around, her smile fading as she did so. “Not right now, Spike. There's somepony I need to talk to before things really get started. I'll be with you in a few minutes.” Now, Spike may have been a baby dragon, but he was no fool. He knew exactly who Twilight was talking about, and that she was nothing but bad news. But if he had any opportunity to stop Twilight from going ahead with her no doubt insane plan, it was brought to a close when she simply kept walking away until she was well out of earshot. Still, he was her assistant, and he had a job to do, so he just shrugged his shoulders and sauntered off to help Zecora. He'd have plenty of time to point out Twilight's mistake later, like the next time she felt the urge to toss him out of bed at an un-Celestia hour. Anyone who woke up before eight clearly had issues. ---------- The archery range, such as it was, consisted of a few bales of hay, a red line drawn on the grass, and about thirty meters of empty space in between. A wooden barricade blocked off the sides, just in case any bunnies or birds or hapless ponies happened to come waltzing by and got caught in the crossfire. And as a finishing touch, each hay bale was adorned with a sheet of black paper with a big target mark printed on it. They had experimented with not using paper in the past, but the wooden boards were a pain to carry, and the foals were not quite as eager to jump into a strange and potentially dangerous event if there wasn't also a chance of carrying a trophy of their victory to rub into their arch-nemesis' muzzle. Luna's mind shifted back and forth between two thoughts. On the one hoof, it had been so long since she had seen a simple archery field; outside of the Royal Guard and other military branches, it seemed like the old sport had faded out of Equestria's eye. But on the other hoof... “How many bulls-eyes we gonna hit?” asked Gusty. “You think you could really split an arrow with another one, like in that book?!” added Lofty. There was the matter of the foals. The four Canterlot fillies were tailing just a slight behind the rest of the group, their slightly smaller legs moving frantically to keep a pace. They were speaking amongst themselves excitedly, although Luna had to struggle to pick up anything out of their rapidly-flapping mouths and occasional squeals. Lofty was jumping with joy at shooting arrows, Ribbon was just following along while rolling her eyes, Gusty was bursting at the possibility of scoring a thousand bulls-eyes (a term whose origin Luna did not want to reveal to the happy youths), and Buttons was merely hanging out in the back and doing her best to remain isolated without being alienated. Luna smiled. Foals. She turned her head to the other three fillies. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were off in their own world, talking about what an archery Cutie Mark would look like. Of the three, Scootaloo was the most obviously excited about the prospect, while Sweetie seemed more or less uninterested outside of spending time with her friends. Luna's smile tensed into a frown. Shouldn't these three be looking after the others? By this point, the trio, accompanying quartet, and one newcomer had reached the gathering area. At least a dozen other fillies were already in attendance, ranging from the veteran scouts to their junior counterparts. Standing on the right side of the range was a mare with a dark blue coat, blackish mane, and an arrow sticking in an apple for a Cutie Mark. The only other adults around were a pair of completely uninteresting mares at the other end of the range, making the final adjustments on the range. And of course, bows and arrows had been placed in a neat row, totaling six bows with three arrows each. “Good morning, my little fillies!” The mare's voice carried over the crowd like she had swallowed a megaphone. “And welcome to our archery range!” A cheer erupted across the crowd of anxious fillies. Luna's smile grew even as her ears shuddered, for not even temporary deafness could overpower the pride of seeing one of her favorite sports being received so eagerly. The mare took a step to her right, which brought her directly in front of one of the weapon sets on display. “Now, how many of you little ponies have ever used a bow and arrow before? And I mean arrows that don't have suction cups at the end.” Not a single foal raised her hoof, although one or two had to force their excited limbs to stay put. Luna just sighed at yet another restriction her cover placed upon her. The mare nodded. “Not a problem. Today we're just going to go over the basics. We'll be firing in groups of six each, with three shots for every filly. Make sure that you're aiming at your target, because if you hit somepony else's it'll still be counted as a miss. And remember, these are real arrows. They won't shred armor like the kind the military uses, but they can still really hurt and take out an eye. If I see anypony so much as thinking of pointing one of these at another, they will be ejected from the range and face severe disciplinary action.” The foals all nodded in compliance, well aware of the terrible connotations of the term “disciplinary action” even if they couldn't fathom the words themselves. Seeing that everypony was in compliance, the mare smiled and stepped to aside. “And with that out of the way, let's begin.” The assistants, having finished their tasks, trotted down the lane and took up positions around the crowd of foals, herding them until they were in six orderly and even lines. “Will the first six fillies please step forward?” The front six, which included Buttons and Gusty, walked up to the line. The setup took a few minutes, as the young foals had to be taught how to hold the bow steady with their forelegs while using their hind ones for balance, but after a few plops and a couple of whining sobs, the mare had taught them as much as she could. The six held their bows in the most awkward manner Luna had ever witnessed, but in the interest of fairness, the mare gave the order to fire...after backing a good ten feet away, of course. The first volley flew crooked and full of lies, with most arrows merely bouncing to a stop two feet in front of them. A pink-coated filly wearing a tiara in front of her cap let out a huff and walked off after the first arrow, her nose sticking up like the most practiced Canterlot snob. Gusty's arrows actually flew the best of them all, almost making it to the hay. The second volley fared no better, and the third was only remarkable because Buttons tripped, released her arrow in mid-slip, and ended up scoring a bulls-eye. Once it was safe, the assistants galloped forward, retrieving the arrows as quickly as the eye can blink. They then removed the targets, which they handed back to the fillies as a souvenir. The presiding mare clapped her hooves. “Congratulations, my little ponies! Remember that nopony starts off perfect. Just keep practicing and one day you might win the gold in the Equestria Games!” The promise of a reward was enough to chip away at the disappointment the fillies were feeling over their defeat by the laws of gravity and the cruel tricks of evolving into a quadrupedal species. They walked off to the side, allowing the next set of ponies – which included Luna, Scootaloo and Ribbon – to step forward and take up their bows. Luna stared at her bow for several seconds before picking it up. Her temporary mentor continued to give the same lecture on posture and grip, but the words just washed over Luna. Finally, the word came to prepare to fire, and the princess raised her arrow. Sweat beating down her brow, she let go... And watched the arrow impale itself in the red ring. The second arrow flew, and hit the yellow. And finally the third impaled itself through the black. Three shots, all of them hits. Whatever manner of beast was attacking my ponies would be well and truly dead by now. Smiling in triumph, she turned to the nearby Scootaloo...and saw three arrows cleanly embedded in the yellow, mere inches away from the bulls-eye. The pegasus's jaw dropped, as did the princess', but for very different reasons. The other fillies did not have as much luck, and were it not for the safety precautions of the Filly Scout Jamboree Oversight Committee, the entire countryside would have been peppered with sharpened shafts. Ribbon was the only one who came close, landing a few shots just inside of the paper but not on the target itself. “Wonderful!” the mare shouted even as her assistants scurried off to gather the spent ammunition. “It seems we have two very talented fillies with us today.” Luna, unfortunately, was too busy being flabbergasted to really pay any attention. A-A filly defeated me? I was the Champion Youth Archer of 183! I trained under Commander Hurricane! I...I... The brief break in her thoughts was enough for a bit of air to get into her lungs. This was followed by the organs demanding even more of this intoxicating stuff, and soon enough she had taken in so much that it had to be exhaled deeply. No, Luna. That was then, this is now. She is the true filly. This is her moment to shine. Congratulate her as you would have when you wer- are an adult. The filly stepped towards her fellow scout, her right forehoof extended. “Congratulations...” “Drat!” That was when Luna noticed that Scootaloo's eyes weren't facing towards the field, the princess, or the mare. Instead, she was staring at her large, blank flank. “Still nothing! Is this stupid thing ever going to show...” That was when she noticed Luna was staring at her, and her expression changed from frustration to embarrassment. She grinned, chuckled, and finally darted back to the staging area, returning only long enough to drop the bow she had absentmindedly carried off before vanishing in another puff of smoke. Luna's eyes dropped a bit. It would seem that Twilight's reports were not off the mark. “Um...Eclipse?” Luna spun around to find herself facing Ribbon. Her face suddenly went bright red, which was nothing compared to the bouncing and jumbling of her nerves. “Oh...um...hello.” “I...I just wanted to say...you were awesome back there. C-Could you teach me how to shoot like that?” Luna kicked at the ground nervously. “Um...of course. I would be honore- I mean, I would like that very much.” “Thanks!” Ribbon squealed like a pig in fresh mud reared onto her hind legs, and galloped off to join her two waiting friends. Meanwhile, Luna was just staring at the blank spot. She owed her brain a chance to beat itself for botching another social interaction. ---------- Blueblood only needed the ten minutes between leaving Sugar Cube Corner and arriving back at the library to realize one thing: he was not going to enjoy the next few hours. The bowler hat the pink one had thrust upon his scalp was obviously built for a grown pony, and kept sliding down over his eyes. Were it not for his many pauses to lift the brim enough that it stopped obscuring his field of vision, he would have certainly been back five minutes quicker. Even worse, the inside smelled like a mixture of cake frosting and cheap conditioner; apparently Pinkie Pie had not discovered the wonders of cleaning one's garments. Were it not for the desperation of his situation, he would have thrown the entire thing aside and gone back to the library bareheaded. When he finally arrived, however, there was no sign of Pinkie Pie, or anypony else for that matter. The dragon was gone, his aunts were no doubt attending to their business, and the librarian's custodian had vanished. All that was there to greet Blueblood was the scratching of the bushes against the tree's trunk, the whispering of its leaves against the rustling wind, and the scintillating scent of books and learning. The colt came to a gentle stop on the library's doorstep, lifting his hat just enough to wipe the sweat from his brow. I'm sa- "HELLO!” Blueblood yelped and leaped into the air, twisting about as he reached an appropriate height for a safe flip. Pinkie was standing behind him, with not even a displaced blade of grass to mark the direction she had passed from. The prince had only a moment to properly regard this maddening creature before landing with a soft plop on the ground, his hat bouncing just slightly before settling itself over his eyes. “B-But...how...why...no...” “Oh, you silly little pony!” Pinkie's laugh was like a clown shaking a tin can full of marbles, in that it made absolutely no sense and was a poor metaphor to begin with. The only thing even more inappropriate was when she pulled Blueblood in for a big hug, although by the colt's standards it might as well have been the strangling grip of a creeping bloodvine. “I told you I'd meet you here! You didn't think I was going to let you do this dangerous investigation alone!” Blueblood hacked out a response, but it was ineligible to pony ears, so it only managed to slightly warm Pinkie's ears. The mare finally released the hapless colt, who managed to let out a gasp of relief mere seconds before plopping face-first into the soft ground. “Oh...sorry. It's just that it's been a long time since I got to do any investigating and..” “I...I understand.” Be civil, Blueblood. Remember your mission. The colt removed his hat, punched his hoof inside until it regained its natural poofiness, and smugly sat it back upon his crown. “I was only a little surprised by your entrance, that's all. But now, may we please proceed with the investigation?” “Well, duh!” Pinkie reached behind her back, fuddled with the empty space, and pulled out her deerstalker cap and pipe, along with a bottle of bubble liquid. A quick spin of the hooves sat the headgear in place, a descending swipe shoved the pipe into her mouth, and a quick pour of about half the bottle was enough to get some serious bubbling going on in that thing. Once she was certain the mood was appropriately set, she lowered the pipe from her lips. “Now, what is the most important thing to do when investigating?” Blueblood tapped a hoof to his chin. Well...I have no idea. You would think I would have some idea, considering how much I spent on private investigators over the years. “Um...look for...clues, I suppose?” “Exactly!” Before Blueblood could react, the Pink Thing had shoved a magnifying glass into his hooves...or more appropriately, his entire body. The sudden impact sent the colt sprawling back onto the roundest portion of his hindquarters, leaving him sort of bobbing like a rubber foal's toy. “Now you go look in the bushes under the balcony, and I'll check inside the house!” Blueblood's eyes drifted down to the giant seeing-eye glass, even as he managed to force himself back to a more balanced posture. “Are you certain you can even get inside? The library does belong to Celestia's student, after all...” “Nah, it's no biggee.” It took about two-point-six seconds for Blueblood's brain to realize that the voice was coming not from right next to him, but instead from a much higher origin. There was the requisite one-point-three second delay for the colt to finish processing the information, and finally less than half a nanosecond for him to reorient his head in an upwards position until he was facing the balcony itself. His eyes swelled to an unnatural size as he saw the pink mare waving to him from far above. “Twilight always leaves a spare key in the beehive. Now you get to work down there, and we'll meet up in time for lunch!” She paused, turned to the beehive, and then back to Blueblood. “Actually, you might want to wait about five minutes. The bees get awfully cranky whenever we have to take that key out. Something about it being a gift from the Purple God...” ---------- “Well, that was a big bust,” Sweetie Belle mumbled. “Even when one of us does something good, we still fail.” The Cutie Mark Crusaders were taking up the rear this time, only piping in to prevent the Junior Filly Scouts from wandering off course or eating the pine cones. Luna, on the other hoof, was walking up with the temporary scout leaders, if only to avoid too much suspicion on Ribbon's part. “I...I don't think that was a failure. Scootaloo did shoot better than anypony else.” “But we still have no Cutie Marks!” whined Scoots. “And I almost got a bulls-eye, too!” “Three bulls-eyes,” Apple Bloom said. If her tone was as downbeat and defeatist as the others, the accent did wonders to conceal it. “Y'all would think that would be enough.” Luna cocked her head slightly. “Well...perhaps you could attempt again the next time the class is offered?” Scootaloo's hoofsteps came to a sudden halt, causing everypony else to freeze in turn. “Next time? What makes you think there'll be a next time?” “W-Well...” Luna's eyes fluttered to and fro, perfectly matching the frantic scanning of her brain as it searched for the relevant information. “I was told that we sign up for some activities, and then we...um...do them real good. Y'all.” The younger fillies nodded and smiled among themselves. “I wanna do it tomorrow!” Ribbon shouted, although the last word was only partially legible due to a sudden squeal distorting the last syllable. “Me, too!” added Lofty. “Me too,” added Buttons, her voice hushed. Apple Bloom shrugged. “But we have so much more to teach you! We have nature walking, basket weaving, zoology, music appreciation...” As AB caught her breath, Sweetie stepped in, carrying the load for her brave friend. “Volleyball, magic theory, cooking, sculpting...” Finally, Scootaloo stepped forward, her chest puffed out with pride. “The point is, we have a lot to show you fillies before this Jamboree is over. How else are you going to learn all about Cutie Marks?” “Mom always said we'd get them when we're bigger,” said Ribbon. Sweetie Belle crocked her head and scratched the side of a bang with her hoof. “Well, I guess that's true...” “But sometimes it just doesn't come, no matter what you try.” Scootaloo gritted her teeth. “And that's why we are the Cutie Mark Crusaders, determined to try everything in Equestria until we have found the one thing that makes us special! Whether it be climbing the tallest mountain, or scouring the ocean floor, we shall overcome our blankness and stand triumphant!” On cue, a trio of eagles came roaring overhead, squealing and cawing the sounds of victory like a squad of Wonderbolts. The actual little foals all gasped in amazement; even Lofty was apparently able to let go of her hatred long enough to take in this amazing kernel of wisdom. And then there was Luna, who had no other option that to roll her eyes and wait for the day she was big enough to lecture a little sense into these foals. ---------- It wasn't exactly hard to locate Trixie's lodgings. Many of the adults, especially those who were within a comfortable galloping distance of Ponyville, had brought their own wagons and trailers with them. Some were simply carts with a blanket tossed over the top, and others had settled for the newer metal models that saddled the line between a wagon and a house, but all shared the same common goal: keeping the elders safe and warm while their young ones toiled away in mud, grime, and hastily-pitched tents. After all, how else were they to teach them the wonders of camping? Trixie's wagon, however, stood out against all others. Despite the loss of the original during the Ursa Minor incident, the showmare had apparently managed to dig up one that looked exactly the same. The yellow boards were still tacky, with just a vague hint of graffiti hidden underneath the new coat, and the side window was not quite aligned correctly, but otherwise, it was a perfect replica. It was also considerably smaller than many of the other wagons, looking more like a square box in a land of rectangles, and felt considerably cheaper in design. There were no lights, but the wagon's thin walls did little to muffle the sound of somepony moving around within. Twilight paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and rapped her hoof against the small door at the wagon's rear. “Um...Trixie? Could I talk to you?” The first answer was a frantic rustling, creating a cacophony that Twilight was only too experienced with. She could hear several quills being pushed back into place, books being slid about, a couple scrolls rolling around, and a slight slip on an outstretched garment, with the sounds becoming progressively louder with every second. After nearly a minute of the audible madness, the top half of Trixie's split doorway swung out, revealing the pony herself. Twilight recoiled slightly as she laid witness to Trixie's countenance; the mare looked even more tired, even a bit sickly, than she had just that morning. “Ugh...Sparkle? Why have you come to disturb Trixie?” “Oh, it's...nothing.” The mare scratched the back of her mane like a filly about to ask her parents for a raise in her allowance. “I was just...wondering if you were ready for your Magical Presentation workshop. Got to teach those fillies how to show off their magic and all...right?” Trixie's eyes narrowed. “Right. Did you think anypony with such a magical pedigree as the Great and Powerful Trixie would need help teaching foals how to demonstrate their power? I've toured hundreds of magic shows across Equestria and other lands. My feats are spoken of proudly in the Griffon lands! Even dragons bow to-” She paused as she noticed a familiar look of contempt in Twilight's eyes, then closed her own. “I am ready.” “Oh...okay,” Twilight said. “I was just...wanting to make sure you were...” “And what is the real reason you came here?” Twilight froze in horror. “Wh-What do you mean?” Trixie grinned and let out a small grunt that was somewhere between a scoff and a harrumph. “Did you really think you could fool somepony like Trixie? The first thing any true performer learns is how to read an audience, and your face is like a kindergartener's pop-up book. You didn't come here to discuss any class, now did you?” Twilight gulped down what could have very well been her last gasp. “Well, it's just...when we last saw each other, you seemed apologetic, humble, even a little sorry.” Trixie groaned. “If you are referring to that...incident with the Alicorn Amulet, then yes, I am sorry. The Great and Powerful Trixie shall no longer consort with cursed artifacts and such dark magic again. But she will also not allow a single mistake to rule her life. She will not cower and cry like she did after the Ursa Minor, nor will she ever prospect another bloody rock. Seriously, breaking rocks for days just to get one with a gem in it? What monster invented that ghastly profession?!” Twilight quickly looked left and right, just in case Pinkie or anypony else in her family decided to come rolling in to defend the family honor. Fortunately, that proved to not be the case. “Look, I'm sorry if I offended you. I just...want this trip to Ponyville to be a bit happier, that's all. And ponies here really don't react well to a lot of posturing and egotism.” “Personally, I would like this to be over and done with as soon as possible.” Trixie turned her head towards the distant fillies, all of them eagerly at play or partaking in various scouting activities. “This town's ruined me twice over. If it were up to me, the Great and Powerful Trixie would never have darkened its doorway with her magnificent presence again.” “Trixie, I...” Trixie turned back to Twilight, her eyes crossed and narrowed. “Now if you will excuse Trixie, some ruffians threw some garbage into her wagon.” She levitated out a paper cup, baring the logo “Hobo Joe's Haybale” on its side, and tossed it into the distance. “And when she discovers who did such a thing, she shall make them pay dearly for crossing the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Twilight opened her mouth, although whether it was to preach about the importance of friendship or the importance of preserving Equestria's natural beauty would remain forever unknown against the pounding sound of the top of Trixie's door slamming shut. ---------- Fortunately, it was only a quick trot down from the archery range to Fluttershy's cottage. The small hut was perched at the edge of the town limits, dangerously close to the dreaded Everfree Forest. That was also the reason why the number of adults began to increase as they drew near. While the ponies from Ponyville and the surrounding cities might have been well-versed in the dangers posed from these woods, more distant foals were far less likely to truly appreciate the dangers these brave citizens faced on a daily basis. The last thing anypony needed was a trip to the nurse's office to get de-stoned. If the foals had noticed the added security, however, they made no effort to show it. Their eyes were instead locked on the menagerie that sat before them. There were falcons and eagles, snakes and lizards, cats and dogs, ladybugs and aphids, and even buzzards that could really buzz...and all that was just a small sample of the many, many critters on display. Each of the animals sat in perfect attention, albeit fearful of the foals that approached. And standing in the middle of it all was... “FLUTTERSHY!” Before anypony could react, Lofty broke ranks and charged through the crowd, skidding to a halt just in front of the yellow Pegasus. Fluttershy yelped and raised a hoof to her lips in shock, but once she saw it wasn't a rampaging manticore barreling in her direction, grinned and cocked her head at the panting, wide-eyed filly. “Oh...um, hello, and welcome to our Critter Care Workshop.” The creatures immediately let out a welcoming chorus of screeches, caws, bawks, quacks, buzzes, hums, bird songs, worm songs, snaps, squeaks, and creeps. Each cry was accompanied with a squeal of laughter from the fillies. Even Luna was not immune to the charming sounds of the animal kingdom, yelping along with the rest of the scouts. “Where did you get all these animals from?” asked a white-coated filly in the back row. “Oh, from all over Equestria, I suppose.” Fluttershy's voice did not rise or fall in pitch even once, even as she shivered slightly at the question. “Some of them came here for help, and others just to be safe from the...Everfree Forest.” A bead of sweat slipped down her face. “Are any of the animals dangerous?” asked one of the adults, aka the only group of ponies in the area that really cared if a bear would be biting their young one's head off. Fluttershy shook her head, with a couple of the critters following the cue. “Oh, of course not. I mean, Barry – he's a bear, but he's not here right now – gets awfully cranky when his back hurts, but he wouldn't actually hurt anypony. Besides, the secret to taking care of any animal is just showing them a little kindness. Keep them well fed, don't yell or push them around too much, and give them plenty of love, and they'll love you right back.” Lofty simultaneously spun about and hopped to the side, much like an ice skater in the middle of an award-winning performance. Her face beamed possibly lethal levels of smugness as she motioned to her idol. “That's right! With a little kindness, you could be as awesome as Fluttershy, DEFEATER OF DRAGONS AND MANTICORES!” All of the creatures yelped and squeaked in agony. The fillies' screams were so high-pitched that the very clouds threatened to crumple into nothingness. Fluttershy would have ducked behind the doorway herself if she wasn't afraid more for the animals she would be leaving at the mercy of a bunch of wild, careless foals. By the time the sound of her voice finally died out, even the other ponies were squatting close to the floor and begging for the ringing to just stop. And Lofty just stood there, smiling proudly at simply being able to breathe in the same molecules that passed Fluttershy's way. “A-Actually, you really don't want to make a lot of loud noises.” Fluttershy's voice wavered and jumped a bit, but nevertheless her underlying gentle tone did not seem to be broken by the increase in volume. “You see, many of these creatures have better hearing than ponies, and what might be normal for us can actually hurt them.” Lofty's smile faded into a neutral frown. “Oh.” Fluttershy turned back to the crowd. “There's actually a lot of things you need to learn about taking care of animals, even if you just want a little kitty for a pet. You need to know what they eat, when to let them get some playtime, and what you need to keep them away from. We'll be learning all about that during the class, but don't worry if you don't remember anything. Being able to communicate with animals is my special talent, and it took me years to memorize all of the different foods, sleep patterns, and activities each of these critters enjoy.” She brought her hooves to her lips and let out a mighty, yet kindly, whistle, and all of the animals she had gathered began to spread out into a loose formation. “Now, I want each of you to take a look at the different animals. You can touch them, but just be very careful. You might be small, but you can still hurt them if you aren't gentle.” ---------- Blueblood sighed as he kicked around the dirt and grass. There was still no sign of Pinkie, but there was plenty of rustling and banging sounds coming from within. In any case, he did not want to imagine what Twilight Sparkle's reaction would be when she finally came home. This is pointless. If there was a clue to be found, it would have shown up long ago. Nopony with the gall to attack a princess and steal a book like that would be foolish enough to leave anything incriminating, especially where anypony could just walk up and see it. What we need is a full investigation with the Royal Guard, not just some... That was when his hoof hit something that was rather distinctly not grass; that is, unless there was a variation made of solid metal. The colt froze in his tracks and looked down, and there, just at his hooves, was a dart identical to the one they had found inside the bedroom. He next turned his head upwards towards the balcony, and found himself staring at the edge of its underside, right where it met the railing. Wait a moment...Aunt Luna was on the balcony when we found her. Then perhaps that means... He looked back at the dart. On its tip, mixed with a dried crimson residue, were some splotches of green liquid... ---------- It was ten minutes into Fluttershy's presentation, and to everpony's amazement (especially Fluttershy's) everything was going without a hitch. Many of the foals had navigated towards the more directly cuddly creatures, such as the squirrels and bunnies, and were perfectly content with giving them a nice back rub after being reminded not to squeeze the life out of them. Still many more were excited by the majestic birds, gasping and awing over the exotic plumage and mighty beaks. And there were a few who even liked the lizards, snakes, and other creatures that most of the foals would only approach with dread. Luna, however, seemed to be the only one interested in the bats. What looked to be representatives of a small colony were perched deep in the branches of a large tree, contorting their bodies just enough to stay in the shadows. Luna smiled. “I understand. I sometimes feel like that about the sun, too.” She turned to the other foals, all of them happily playing with and learning about the other critters. “So many ponies do not appreciate us creatures of the night. They don't understand true beauty unless it is practically glowing and shoved in their face. The subtle twisting of shadow, the cool air of a summer night...they miss so much.” The bats squeaked, and Luna's smile faded. She could not speak their language, but that did not mean she couldn't understand their concerns. “You are right. I have no business being here. Celestia may be able to play a foal's part, but I am no such actor. I have been lost for so long...I do not even know how foals behave in this age. They were barely more than a nuisance a thousand years ago, only working the fields or apprenticing themselves to prepare for adulthood. Even the toys were just practice hammers and swords.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “I just do not know if I can do this. They probably hate me already...” That was when she heard the whistling. It started faintly, but quickly grew in pitch until it could be ignored no longer. She opened her eyes, looked up... And saw the arrow arcing towards her.