Twilight kept pacing around the room, her gaze not fixing in any particular place. “It’s all my fault! I should have known that the portal would close at sunset. I should have taken us out before that!”
Applejack walked to her side, blocking her path and touching a hoof to her shoulder. “This ain’t your fault, sugarcube.”
Rarity approached from the other side. “She is right, darling. We all got a little carried away with how beautiful this land is. Besides,” Rarity pointed at the mossy green round carpet adorning the center of the room, who had been on the losing end of Twilight’s hooves for the last hour, “a furrow across the room would ruin the delightful decor.”
The memory of a small purple dragon chiding her for the same reason bought a sad smile to Twilight’s lips, and for the first time since Seabreeze brought them to his home Twilight took notice of something besides her own pacing. It was a cozy room, the walls peachy and the floor light blue. On the wall there were a few large windows that doubled as doors and a passageway for the more private parts of the house. The central table was a large, white mushroom with pale green circles haphazardly spread across it’s surface, and most of the other items in the room followed a similar fungal theme.
The overall effect was oddly calming.
Twilight sat and sighed. “I still think I should have stayed with Fluttershy. What if she -”
Rainbow Dash was suddenly in front of Twilight. “Didn’t we just talk about that? Gee, Twilight, chill out! We can’t understand the Queen anyway, and she did ask to talk with Fluttershy.”
Pinkie went by springing on all four hooves. “It’s not as if we are trapped forever, the portal will open again next year!”
Applejack was opening her mouth to answer when the largest window opened, Fluttershy and Seabreeze flying through. A purple flash of light later Twilight was standing in front of the pair. ”Fluttershy! Did you find anything? Is there another exit?”
Seabreeze glanced at the startled Fluttershy, then back at Twilight. “Sorry, we breezies don’t know another exit. But there is one. Wait.” He went for the bedroom, coming back with a book carefully held in his hooves. “A pony found a way in many years ago. This is his journal. Take it.”
Twilight looked back at the book, now in her purple aura. “How did it get so small? A pony journal should be larger than this house.”
“Um.. “ All eyes turned towards Fluttershy, who had walked to the center of the room. “The Queen told that it shrunk together with the pony when he asked the Queen to turn him into a breezie. Seabreeze is the only one that can read it.”
Twilight nodded and opened the book, quickly scanning it’s pages. “I’m not seeing the name of the pony, but whoever he was, he kept a record of his whole journey. We should be able to follow from the end to the start and -” Twilight’s eyes opened wide. “Wait, if this pony was turned into a breezie, isn’t he here? He could tell us where the exit is, perhaps even guide us!”
Seabreeze lowered his head. “He can’t. He was Bluezephyr, my great-great-great-grandfather. The queen is the only breeze alive that knew him.”
Twilight nodded slowly. “Sorry.” She looked back at the book idly swaying in her magic. “Are you sure you want us to take the book? It seems important to you.”
Seabreeze shook his head. “It’s no problem. Next year you can give it back.”
A bouncing pink figure passed between them. “Told you so!”
Seabreeze pointed at the book. “He came from outside the kingdom. It’s too dangerous for breezies out there. The Queen said you can turn back to ponies after you leave the kingdom. I will take you to the border”
Twilight looked through a few more pages and closed the book. “Well, seems like we are as prepared as we can be. We can leave at any time.”
Fluttershy yawned and pointed at the open window, where a few stars could be seen against the midnight blue of the sky. “Maybe we should wait until morning? We had a full day.”
Seabreeze laughed, the others quickly joining. “Yes, maybe.”
The ponies woke up with the sun (to Rainbow Dash’s vexation) and were joined by a small group of breezies, the same ones that they led from Ponyville, each carrying a pair of baskets and talking excitedly.
“They want to go with you to the border. To say goodbye,” said Seabreeze with a smile.
The group flew over the fields, brought to life under the morning light. Gone was the gentle glow of moss and strange flowers; in it’s place an explosion of color, with large flowers of many shapes forming an intricate carpet, while breezie-sized trees gently swayed in the always present breeze. More than once Rarity reached for her sketchpad.
The scenery was also notable by the absence: there was no animal life. No birds, no insects, no animals on the ground big or small.
After a while the group finally saw the low stone wall that marked the kingdom border. It was made of gray stone, graced by delicate green moss. At regular intervals large white obelisks rose from the wall, their faceted tops glowing even in the daylight. Beyond the wall was a huge green field, with gigantic - or, rather, normal-sized for a pony - trees visible in the distance.
Twilight’s ears perked at the sight. “A magical circle! It’s huge, even for a pony!”
Seabreeze slowed a bit until he was side by side with Twilight. “Aye, our border is magical.” He pointed to a place where the gray wall had crumbled. “We stop there. It’s where grandpa got in. We eat, if you want, and then we say goodbye; breezies can’t leave the kingdom.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Why can’t you leave?”
She was immediately met with an excited exposition in the Breezie language.
Twilight’s face was mired in confusion. “Sorry, I can’t understand you.”
Seabreeze shot her an apologetic glance. “I know your language. But not enough to explain. Easier to see anyway.”
The group landed close to the gap in the wall, the breezies unloading their baskets full of strange and colorful fruits. Everypony was enjoying the pause, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie using the opportunity to get into an impromptu eating contest. Twilight wanted to let everypony rest more, enjoy the current peace, but they couldn’t delay; the way the land outside was described in the journal, it would give Everfree a run for it’s bits.
With a forced smile, Twilight looked towards her friends. “Let’s go, everypony. We need to leave.”
Soon the other five ponies turned breezies assembled besides her, Rainbow Dash coming last with a distended belly. Seabreeze floated before of them, stopping in front of Fluttershy.
“To remember us by, “ he said, while gently placing a blue flower on her hair.
The friends turned around, waving at the breezies. Fluttershy came last, happy tears in her eyes. “Thank you! I'll miss you. I'll miss all of you!”
Passing over the low wall, Twilight heard her friends startled voices.
“Woa!”
“Oh, my!”
“What?”
“What in the hay!”
“Weee!”
Twilight looked back. The wall, and anything beyond it, was not visible anymore; in it’s place a large, featureless grassland.
Twilight’s eyes opened in realization. “That is what he meant!”
“Uh... “ Fluttershy floated to Twilight’s side. “How do we get back if we don’t find the exit?”
“Don’t worry, we can use the journal to get back.” Twilight flew a bit further, landing in the grass. “Okay, gather round.”
As her friends landed around her, Twilight’s horn glowed purple, unleashing a magical flash. Where six breezies stood before there were now six ponies, flexing their legs and wings. Twilight was glad to see that the journal was now at the proper size for a pony. A smile crept into her face; going into an unknown forest, based on an old story. It was just like old times.
“First things first. Rainbow Dash,” Twilight looked at the named pony, “ go high and take a look at where we are. We might need to come back.”
“Consider it done!”
Twilight turned to the other assembled ponies. “As soon as she returns I will explain what I found in the journal. Finding the exit might involve some danger.”
Flitter and Featherwind were leaving the palace, a concerned look on their face.
Earlier in the day, Spike had cornered Flitter in the market, jumping up and down with a scroll in his hand while shouting something indecipherable. Flitter had taken the scroll, frowning as she recognized Princess Celestia’s seal, and unrolled it; she was being summoned to the palace. Princess Twilight and her friends were missing; she and Featherwind were the last ones to have seen them.
Flitter had quickly gathered Featherwind, both leaving for the palace immediately. The palace guards quickly and efficiently led the two pegasi towards a small audience room, where before long they were joined by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
The interview went as well as could be expected; both rulers gently, but firmly, asking them about everything that happened before Princess Twilight disappeared. Both rulers appeared always amiable and unconcerned, though Flitter had detected a twinge on Luna’s mouth from time to time.
On the way back to Ponyville Featherwind kept staring blankly, flying mechanically; Flitter could only guess at what he was thinking, though she didn’t even spare the effort to try. She had more to think on her own.