//------------------------------//
// Headline News 
// Story: Rescue on Diamond Mountain 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 2: Headline News

A few more uneventful days passed.  While Sweetie Belle was still troubled over the lack of anything that might have led to her finding her cutie mark, she managed to keep her feelings on the matter a secret from her friends.  Otherwise, things remained normal, or as normal as anything ever was in Ponyville.
Twilight's own training under Arkenstone's tutelage was progressing well, to the point where she was no longer required to train as often.  This freed up more time for Twilight to throw herself into researching the growth of the wintersilk appleseeds, a gift she had received from Arcana Lulamoon, one of the seven Celestial Knights and the older brother of Trixie Lulamoon.
The most important thing that Twilight could determine was that the seeds required the ground to be frozen solid in order to sprout.  However, she had yet to figure out what conditions promoted the fullest growth of the seeds.  It was entirely possible that, unlike the Apple Family's zap apple trees, the wintersilk trees would not grow rapidly to maturity.  It seemed to be unlikely that, even if they managed to get the seeds to grow, that there would be a crop of wintersilk apples for the Apple Family this year.
After several days with no progress, it was Arkenstone who, albeit unintentionally, provided the solution.



"Ugh!  I don't get it," groaned Twilight, planting her face into her notebook.  On the table in front of her, the miniature biosphere, the self-contained environment she had constructed to simulate all the different weather conditions the seeds might grow in, loomed like an oversized snow-globe.  In this case, the description was more literal than usual, as there was a very real snowstorm raging on the inside of the biome.  Snowflakes poured down onto a layer that was settled over the frozen dirt below, where the seed was currently resting.  The only sign that anything at all was living in there was a single tiny, blue-white shoot sprouting up and out of the snow, its two leaves unbowed.  At least the plant's healthy.
"Perhaps you may just need to accept that the wintersilk tree won't grow as quickly as the zap apple trees did," suggested Arkenstone, "Plants in wild conditions rarely grow as rapidly as those found in cultivated territories, unless such an attribute was a part of their nature from the beginning."
"But why do plants in cultivated lands grow so quickly then?" asked Twilight.
"Earth pony magic," Arkenstone replied with a shrug, "However, even our magic can't be used to magically accelerate the process of growth beyond a certain extent.  That's why Applejack and her family can't magically grow mundane apple tree saplings to full-growth in an instant."
Twilight pondered that for a moment.  Earth pony magic, from what she had learned in her studies, was normally used to promote the quality and quantity of growth, rather than the speed.  She remembered the story that Applejack had told her about how Granny Smith had found the zap apple trees, including the reason why Granny Smith had ventured into the Everfree Forest in the first place.  Even though the Apple Family had brought seeds with them, they were still threatened with the prospect of starvation because the seeds hadn't instantly grown up into trees, and wouldn't reach their full growth for several years.  It was true that things grew faster on earth pony farms.  But, from what Arkenstone had taught her about Cultivation, it generally took years of continuous tending, sometimes generations worth of years before ponies saw improvement in the rate of growth.  And even then, that was still a long ways away from the explosively instantaneous outgrowth the zap apple trees had demonstrated.
However, something occurred to Twilight.  "Wait, you said that plants in wild territories naturally grow slower than plants in cultivated territories, right?"
Arkenstone nodded uncertainly.  "That is correct."
Twilight thought a little more.  "What if the zap apples are actually slow-growing trees in the wild?  I mean, the only ones that have actually been grown were the ones that Granny Smith brought out of the Everfree.  Nopony has charted their growth in the wild."
"That's reaching a bit," said Arkenstone, "While the land Grany Smith planted the zap apple seeds on was officially considered cultivated territory, it had only just begun to be Cultivated.  The ambient magic of the Apple family hadn't completely suffused the land yet.  There wouldn't have been anywhere near enough to fuel such monstrous growth."
"Hmm," mused Twilight, staring at the biosphere, "I wonder..."  She looked back at her coltfriend.  "Arkenstone?"
"Yes?"
"Is there any earth pony magic in the soil for this biosphere?"
"No, there isn't," said Arkenstone, coming over and resting a hoof against the glass.
"But I had it brought straight from the Apple Family orchards."
Arkenstone shook his head.  "The magic lies within the land itself.  But dirt is still dirt.  Any earth pony magic that was imbued into it remains where you collected it from.  If it were possible to carry our magic in soil along with us, it wouldn't take generations for earth pony farms to establish themselves and Cultivate the land they settle on."
Twilight frowned.  "Is there any way you could start Cultivating this soil here?"
"Hmm..."  Arkenstone tapped the glass.  "Maybe.  The results would be minor at first, and it could be days before there is any noticeable accumulation.  But perhaps..."
Arkenstone leaned his forehead up against the glass and inhaled deeply.  As he exhaled, his breath misted the glass around his nose and mouth.  He remained like that for several minutes, simply breathing deeply and keeping contact with the biosphere.
Then, there was a low rumbling sound.  The biosphere began to vibrate.  His eyes opening in surprise, Arkenstone took a step back from the glass dome, which was shaking harder and harder with each passing second.
Abruptly, the little blue-white shoot poking out from the snow suddenly shot upwards in a burst of explosive motion, thickening, branching, sprouting leaves...It continued to grow until the branches pressed up against the glass, which began to crack, then shattered.
Twilight yelped and threw up a shield spell around herself and Arkenstone.  In addition to the glass, snow flurried through the lab as the carefully constructed weather simulation spell lost its containment.  Twilight quickly disabled the spell before the entire basement could be covered in a layer of snow as the tree continued to grow, its roots piercing through the bottom of the boisphere and reaching down towards the earthen floor for further nutrients.
Then, the whole thing stopped as abruptly as it began.  A fair-sized tree now stood in the center of the basement laboratory, its branches covered in blue-white leaves with a few emerging buds sprouting along their length.
"Why did it stop?" asked Arkenstone.
"Because of the temperature," said Twilight, "It was growing because the temperature inside the biosphere was low enough.  But outside, it's still too warm to promote effective growth."
"I don't understand though," said Arkenstone, "I'd only just started inputting my magic into the soil you had in the biosphere.  That wasn't nearly Cultivated enough to promote even the most basic growth, much less...this..."  He waved a hoof at the now mature tree dominating the basement.
"It's as I thought," said Twilight, "It wasn't ever dependent on the amount of earth pony magic, just its presence.  The earth pony magic in the soil reacted with the natural wild magic in the plant itself, which is what caused that sudden surge of growth.  That's why the zap apple trees grew so quickly too."
"Remarkable," said Arkenstone, pressing his hoof against the trunk, "That means, once the environmental conditions are met, these trees wills grow almost instantly.  The Apples could have their first crop this very winter."
"Not only that," said Twilight, "But the trees will be growing in space that has been Cultivated for generations, that should produce apples of top quality."
"A very good thing indeed," said Arkenstone.
Up above, the door leading to the library swung open as Spike trotted in, a newspaper clutched in his claws.  "Hey Twilight," he shouted irritably, "Could you warn me before your study ses-WHOA!"  His eyes nearly dropped out of his head as he gaped at the tree that had come to dominate the library basement.  "What the hay happened?"
"Well," said Twilight, grinning sheepishly, "Arkenstone and I just figured out how to grow the wintersilk tree.  I guess things got a little out of hoof."
"You can say that again," said Spike, "I guess that explains why the library's a mess again."
"Ack!"  Twilight teleported upstairs where she surveyed the main room of the library.  Books had been knocked off their shelves and now lay piled up around the room, some having landed in potentially damaging positions.  "Oh no!  I guess we shook up the entire building with that."
"Well," said Spike, stepping past her, "I guess we'd better get started on getting things cleaned up."
"No," said Twilight firmly, her voice causing Spike to freeze in place.
"Huh?  Why not?" asked the confused dragon, looking up at his older sister.
"Um...well...what I meant is that not 'we,'" said Twilight, smiling down at her assistant, "I meant 'I.'  This is my mess after all."  Her horn began to glow and Twilight opened the bit-box she kept in her bedroom, calling down a small hoofful of bits that she levitated into Spike's hand.  "Why don't you go and get something from Sugarcube Corner.  Better yet, see if you can treat Apple Bloom to something.  You haven't really gotten to spend any time with her since the festival, right?"
"Really?" asked Spike, looking at the bits in his palm eagerly.
Twilight smiled and nodded.  "Sure, you've been working hard.  You deserve a break."
"Wow!  Thanks!"  Spike began heading towards the door.  However, something caught Twilight's eye.
"Wait!  What are you doing with that newspaper?"
Spike froze and looked down at the newspaper he had tucked under his other arm.  "Oh right!" he said, "I almost forgot."  Turning around, he presented the newspaper to Twilight, "They printed Dawn's story today.  It's on the front page and everything."
Twilight's magic nearly tore the paper as she ripped it from Spike's claws and held it open in front of her face, her eyes scanning over the headline and reading the article.



A NIGHTMARE IN PONYVILLE:
A Young Colt's Unique Condition Leads to Unique Problems:
Article by Limelight of Canterlot;
By most measures of the term, Dawn Lightwing seems to be an ordinary colt.  He lives with his mother, goes to school, works a part-time job, and is currently still looking for his cutie mark.  He even has a fillyfriend.  But in truth, Dawn Lightwing and the life he lives is anything but ordinary.  His mother adopted him after finding him out in the Everfree Forest, he has been forced to fight for his very life multiple times.  But, perhaps most tellingly, Dawn Lightwing's eyes are completely distinct from those of virtually any other pony.
Dawn Lightwing was born with a rare condition known as the Eyes of Nightmare, an obscure affliction that causes a pony's eyes to take on a very inequine form.  Dawn's eyes are turquoise in color, with vertical slit pupils, giving them an appearance much like those of a cat, or a dragon.  The condition is so obscure and rarely documented that many widely-respected scholars have doubted its existence.  That has changed, as Dawn Lightwing is irrefutable proof that the Eyes of Nightmare are very real.
According to Dame Twilight Sparkle; Personal student to Princess Celestia and Bearer of the Element of Magic, who has had the opportunity to study Dawn's condition in detail, has said, "The Eyes of Nightmare are likely an ancestral trait that were passed down through Dawn's bloodline, possibly making it genetic in nature."  Dawn's personal manifestation of the condition is especially unique, as the Eyes are not normally visible, instead looking much like normal pony eyes, unless the pony possessing the trait is under considerable mental duress, while Dawn's eyes are locked in their altered state.  Dame Sparkle is currently researching the condition extensively and has been actively searching for other ponies who might possess the trait.
During the interview, Dawn was willing to discuss his personal history.  He revealed that he was cast away by his biological parents at a very young age.  However, he was found and raised by none other than Dark Wing, whom many ponies know as the Hero of St. Canard and the Terror that Flaps in the Night.  It is Dark Wing who tutored Dawn in the pegasus martial art known as the Gale King style.
The two of them traveled the countryside, staying in various towns.  Unfortunately, Dawn's eyes proved to be a source of conflict, frequently turning ponies against him, leading to him and Dark Wing being driven out of several communities and Dawn having to fend off multiple attempts on his life.  Eventually, Dark Wing passed away from illness, leaving Dawn on his own.  Rather than court further conflict, the colt instead fled into the Everfree Forest, where the skills that his Master (in this case the term being equivocal to "teacher") taught him allowed him to survive in the forest for over a year.  Dawn lived a life of isolation, his existence focused solely upon his continued survival as he foraged for sustenance and fended off attacks from the monsters that called the Everfree Forest home.
This solitary existence came to an abrupt end when Dawn crossed paths with Dame Fluttershy of Ponyville, who is also known as the Bearer of the Element of Kindness.  Dawn intervened and saved her from a pack of timberwolves.  In spite of his unique appearance, Dame Fluttershy was kind enough to convince Dawn to leave the forest and live with her.  She later adopted Dawn as her son and the two of them continue to live together.
Dawn's welcome in Ponyville was substantially different from most other towns he had tried to live in.  Aside from some severe friction with Dame Applejack: The Bearer of Honesty, Dawn was generally accepted into Ponyville life and began to enjoy the life of a normal colt, though the emotional issues of a life of persecution have caused him some difficulties.
In spite of those difficulties, Dawn has become an indispensable member of the Ponyville community, helping with several community events.  He even put his life on the line to help Ponyville's Weather Manager, Dame Rainbow Dash: Bearer of Loyalty, overcome the tribalist stranglehold over Cloudsdale, ending a drought that had been threatening the lives and livelihoods of everypony in Ponyville and the surrounding Cloudsdale Distribution Zone.  Dawn's contributions have been acknowledged and praised by none other than Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts, who personally witnessed his participation in the Battle of Cloudsdale.
However, Dawn's problems are not completely behind him.  Mere days after his return from Cloudsdale, Dawn was forced to fend off an assassination attempt.  Dawn has also been the target of other efforts by ponies who object to his very existence.
The primary group behind these attempts on Dawn Lightwing's life is officially known as the Cult Solar.  Their original name for themselves is the Order of Celestial Light, an order built around the veneration and worship of Princess Celestia, its members believing her to be a goddess.  Just as importantly, these ponies have been indoctrinated to believe that Princess Luna, whom they still refer to as Nightmare Moon, is the embodiment of all evil.  According to Dame Sparkle, Princess Luna is affected by the same condition as Dawn.  It was her transformation into Nightmare Moon that led to the Cult Solar coining the term, Eyes of Nightmare, as the name for the condition.
Princess Celestia when asked about the group's actions has repeatedly and vehemently stated that the ponies of the Cult Solar are not acting in accord with her wishes, stating frankly that they "are acting on the basis of delusions of their own making and are according me a status that I neither asked for or wanted."  She has also said, "By saddling my beloved sister with the blame for all the problems in the world, they have hurt me more than any blade or spell possibly could.  I love Luna with all my heart and soul and the notion that she is somehow my evil opposite is beyond absurd."
After the banishment of her sister, it was a similar condemnation from Princess Celestia that resulted in a deterioration of the Cult's power and influence, to the point that they were forgotten by all but the most dedicated scholars.  However, in recent years, the Cult Solar appears to have begun a resurgence, which has been credited to the efforts of a mysterious individual known only as the Supreme Pontiff, who appears to be the Cult's acting leader.  Very little is known about the pony behind this title, which casts doubt on his very existence.
What cannot be doubted, however, is that the Cult Solar's influence is very real has stretched into some surprising places, with such ponies as Valencia Orange, Dame Applejack's father, and even Fleetfoot, who recently made headlines for being arrested and discharged from the Wonderbolts, having been members.  In fact, it was her father's influence that was the source of Dame Applejack's initial conflict with Dawn Lightwing during his initial arrival in Ponyville.  Even more troublingly, it was Fleetfoot who was responsible for the most recent attempt on Dawn's life, having been the one who sent the assassin to Ponyville.
In spite of this, Dawn continues to make the most of his life, having come to find a measure of peace and no shortage of love in Ponyville.  While Dawn fully expects that the Cult Solar will continue to harass and attack him, Ponyville is firmly behind the colt, with several members of the close-knit community expressing their willingness to support Dawn.  He also has the express support of Princess Celestia, who visited the colt shortly after his arrival in Ponyville.
Dame Sparkle continues to study the Eyes of Nightmare and has issued an open request for any ponies who might be affected by the condition to step forward to provide further opportunities for testing.
Thus, Dawn Lightwing's life in Ponyville, as tempestuous as it has been at times, is one of hope and promise.



"It's everything we hoped it would be," she said softly as she continued to read.
"So I take it things are going according to plan," said Arkenstone, coming up behind her.
"For now," said Twilight, "The problem is, while we can guess what the Cult Solar's response will be..."



Morning Star couldn't keep himself from smiling as his eyes scanned over the page.  With each successive line, his smile grew wider and he began to chuckle.  However, he was pulled away from the article by the sound of somepony rapping on the door to his sanctuary.  Schooling his face to a more neutral, albeit optimistic mode, Morning Star set down the paper.  "Enter."
"You called for me Holy Father?" asked Terra Heart as he stepped through the door.
The pink unicorn chuckled lightly, prompting an expression of confusion to cross the dark-brown earth pony's face.  "Is something funny?"
"No, it's just that this is such a rare occasion," said Morning Star, "It's rare that I get the news ahead of you."
"What makes you say that?"
Morning Star tossed his copy of the Equestrian times so that it landed at Terra's hooves, the headline clearly readable and the central image of the page, a photograph of a very familiar colt, clearly visible.  "If you had gotten the news before me, you would have probably smashed my door down to get in here."
Terra sat down so he could pick up the paper and start reading it.  As he did, the air in the sanctuary began to grow thicker and heavier.  With each line that his eyes scanned, Terra's expression grew darker still.  By the time he finished the article, he was in a simmering rage that seemed to make the very walls of the chamber vibrate.
"It would seem that our opponent has stolen a march on us," said Morning Star rather calmly.
"How can this be?" exclaimed Terra, practically throwing the paper away so that it slapped against the room's wall, "Princess Celestia herself could not have possibly been so deceived by this demon."
"Please keep in mind that this is a newspaper article," said Morning Star, calmly picking up the scattered pages of the newspaper, "In the end, it is merely an arrangement of ink on paper that reflects the author's perception of the state of reality...or the perception that the author wishes to impress upon her readers.  That the words are there is not proof that what they say is truth."
"I thought you were going to send somepony to deal with this colt!" snapped Terra, briefly forgetting Morning's position.
"I was," said Morning calmly, "But that is why I said our foe had stolen a march on us.  He must have anticipated Blenheim giving us his location and expected some form of reprisal.  So he preempted us by announcing his existence to all of Equestria, and everypony in the Order as well.  Before today, his location was only known to a select few of my choosing in preparation for his extermination.  But now his presence is known to everypony and, even worse, was announced in an article that carries an outright denunciation of the Order.  It's the worst kind of over-the-top provocation.  He is dragging our conflict out into the open so that ponies who have no true knowledge of the situation can lay judgment on us for the mere appearance of our actions."
"What do you mean?" asked Terra.
"Now that they know his location and now that he has manipulated the press to make such incendiary remarks on his behalf, I fully expect many in the Order to head to Ponyville straight away in an ill-advised effort to destroy this demon."  Morning Star sighed.  "But they lack the scope of view to understand how such a course of action will disrupt the accomplishment of our actual goal.  Worse, I am already expecting to hear that progress on the temples is faltering as ponies abandon their work to go on some crusade against this demon.
"Ponyville is now a flytrap.  The demon has made himself into bait in order to lure out our brethren so that he can amass further sympathy.  To make matters worse, he has the Element Bearers under his thrall.  This vile creature has put himself in a position that threatens everything we have spent the last decade building."
Morning chuckled.  "In all honesty, I'm impressed that he made such a cunning move.  Normally these demons are so obsessed with remaining hidden that the notion of one exposing himself to the world at large seemed an inconceivable move.  And yet, that is exactly what he did and it is now threatening to bring us to our knees."
"Then what do you propose we do?" demanded Terra, "The members of the Order will not be restrained so easily now that the demon has incited their wrath.  How do we keep them in place?"
Morning sighed.  "By doing the one thing I wanted to save as a last resort.  I will keep the Order's wrath restrained by reassuring them."  He gave Terra a solemn look.  "And I shall reassure them by assigning you the task of the demon's extermination."
Terra's eyes widened for a moment, before narrowing again.  Abruptly, the orientation of the room changed drastically.  It was now as though Terra was standing at the bottom of a deep abyss, Morning feeling as though he was simply going to plummet right into the earth pony.
"It shall be done," said Terra, his voice unbending, like solid steel.  He turned and began to step towards the door.
"Wait," said Morning, raising a hoof.  The pink unicorn had somehow managed to retain his calm demeanor in spite of such a terrifying demonstration.  "Do not go yet.  You must wait."
"What?" asked Terra, "Every moment that demon remains at large is a moment for his influence to grow.  I must snuff him out immediately."
"On the contrary," said Morning urgently, "If you act now, you could do irreversible damage!"
"I promise to keep his destruction discreet."
"There is no possible way you could do that," muttered Morning, "What I meant is that you are likely to inflict grievous harm to the Element Bearers if you act rashly."
That actually gave Terra pause.
Morning continued.  "Right now, the demon has ensnared their minds and made them his thralls.  If you destroy him right now, the resulting backlash could completely shatter their psyches and, with the one power guaranteed to bring about her defeat rendered useless, Nightmare Moon would be free to run rampant once more."
"But if I delay, then his influence over the Element Bearers will only grow," Terra pointed out.
Morning shook his head.  "Not necessarily, not if we wait long enough.  I should have seen it sooner, but the colt has been using the seasons to his advantage."
"What do you mean?" asked Terra.
"We are currently in the middle of fall.  In fact, we've already passed the tipping point of the autumnal equinox.  With each passing day, the night grows longer and the demon's power grows."
"All the more reason to deal with him immediately."
"No!  For you see, the growth of his power will not last.  It will peak with the winter solstice before his influence begins to wane once again.  The demon is aware of this, that is why he made such a brazen move to lure us into open conflict with him.  He is aware that his advantage will be temporary at best."
"So you wish for me to deal with him after the solstice then?" asked Terra.
"Not after the solstice," said Morning, "For, so long as the night outlasts the day, his power will be substantial.  It is the vernal equinox you must wait for.  Once he passes the tipping point in the other direction, the colt's hold on the minds of his thralls will be sufficiently weakened that he can be disposed of without the threat of breaking their minds completely."
"But still..." protested Terra, "In the meantime, they must truly suffer under the demon's thrall.  I can't stand to leave them like that.  If we delay, they might break anyway."
Morning rested a comforting hoof on Terra's shoulder.  "Peace, my friend.  Have faith in the Element Bearers.  Though they might be ordinary ponies, within them lies the power to drive back Nightmare Moon herself.  They have been chosen by Her Radiance for this purpose.  Have faith in their strength and their ability to endure."
With a sigh, Terra closed his eyes and nodded.  "I shall bow to your wisdom, Holy Father."
"Good," said Morning Star, "Now, I want you to see that a missive is sent to all branches of the Order and to as many individual members as possible.  Inform them that I have appointed you to personally oversee the demon's destruction and that nopony else is to respond to his provocations.  Make sure that they understand that if anypony tries to take matters into their own hooves, they will only put their sisters and brothers in greater danger and that such actions are inexcusable."
Terra bowed his head.  "Understood.  I will see to it at once."
The dark-brown stallion made his way out of the sanctuary.  Once the door slammed shut, Morning Star let out a sigh of relief and swiped an arm across his forehead.  "Truly," he said, casting a wan glance at the troublesome newspaper, "It is those who have the least idea of the repercussions of their actions that can cause the greatest problems."



"Hey Dawn?"
"Hmm?"  Dawn looked up from the copy of the newspaper he had been reading.
"Are you really gonna be okay with this?" asked Scootaloo, gesturing to her own copy and the article it contained.
When Spike made the short journey from the library to Arkenstone's teahouse in order to invite Apple Bloom to go out and have ice cream with him, the others had ultimately ended up joining in.  While the young dragon had been a bit disappointed that he wasn't going to be able to spend any time alone with his fillyfriend for the moment, he couldn't begrudge his other friends the need to see what the reporter had written about Dawn themselves.  So, with Arkenstone's permission, they had all left the teahouse to go over to Sugarcube Corner, where they helped themselves to a selection of Pinkie Pie's treats (Dawn was delighted to learn that Pinkie was now offering the soup dumplings as a regular menu item, evidently for his benefit.) before sitting down to read the article for themselves.  Pinkie helpfully supplied them each with their own copy of the paper.
Dawn looked back down at the article and the picture of his face.  The picture of him with his eyes open, albeit with a shocked expression resulting from the unexpected camera flash, dominated the center of the front page, giving the readers a clear view of the colt's most distinguishing features.  The article continued on a page further in the paper, where it was paired with the other picture that Limelight had taken, an image of Dawn contentedly resting in Fluttershy's embrace, the two of them enjoying a moment of comfort in the midst of of a stressful interview.
"It's a bit late for doubts now," said Dawn softly, "I was aware of the potential problems when Twilight Sparkle first proposed this plan."
"So do you really think they'll come for you?" asked Rumble.
"I'm fairly certain that they will," said Dawn, "I'm not sure how or when, but they will come."
"What do we do then?" asked Sweetie nervously, scooting closer to Rumble, who obligingly wrapped a wing around her.
Dawn fixed all his friends with a stern gaze.  "Then you will do as I tell you.  If I tell you to leave me, then you need to do so-yes, even you, Scootaloo-"  He fixed his fillyfriend with an even harder gaze as she opened her mouth to protest.  "No heroics, no trying to argue against them on my behalf.  Step aside and let me deal with them."
Scootaloo lowered her eyes and gazed forlornly at the table.  Apple Bloom, seeing her friend's distress, patted Scootaloo's shoulder sympathetically.  "It's fer the best Scoots.  We've all seen what Dawn can do when he starts fightin'.  If we're around gettin' in his way, we're gonna be a bigger problem fer him than those darn nutjobs."
"But I can fight too," protested Scootaloo.
"You can," said Dawn, "But I think you remember why you shouldn't be trying to fight just yet."
Scootaloo's mouth snapped shut with an audible click of teeth as she was besieged by the memory of the last time she had unleashed her power against another pony.  Images of the ruined wall of her home and a broken stallion, lying unmoving in the road flashed before her eyes.  Abruptly, all desire to protest Dawn's instructions died and dissolved into a squirming mass of unease that settled into Scootaloo's gut.
Dawn, realizing how upset he'd made her, leaned over and nuzzled against her.  "I'm sorry," he said, "That was too much."
"No," said Scootaloo, sinking down into her seat, "You're right.  I have a lot more work to do before I'm ready to fight another pony."
"So if the cultists come for him, basically our roll is to get out of the way and let you handle it," observed Spike.
"Or possibly Storm Front and Red River.  If they are in the area, then they may be the ones dealing with the situation." said Dawn, "It depends on the situation."
"But at least the article said some really nice things about you," commented Sweetie Bellle, "I bet a lot of ponies are going to be on your side after reading about this."
"I certainly hope so," said Dawn, feeling a little bit dubious about how well things would turn out.



"Well," said Shining Armor, setting down the paper, "That's that, I guess."
"Are you worried?" asked Cadance, sidling up against her husband to read the paper alongside him.	
"Yeah," admitted Shining, "I've sent word out to all the Guard units to be on the lookout for any signs of unrest in response to the article.  The problem is, if the Guards belong to a town with a heavy Cult Solar presence then..."
"Then it's likely members of that Guard are part of the Cult as well," finished Cadance.
Shining nodded.  "They could deliberately downplay the unrest the article causes or, worse, be a part of it themselves.  I also don't like the idea of mobs of ponies descending on Ponyville because Dawn's there.  Things could get really ugly.
"But Dawn has Storm Front and Red River there to help," Cadance pointed out, "And Arkenstone is there as well.  Between the four of them, they should be able to easily keep things under control."
"True," admitted Shining, "I guess I'm a bit on edge since Twilight gets plenty of mention in the article as well.  I don't like the idea of her becoming a target of the Cult Solar in addition to Dawn."
"Fluttershy's at risk too," Cadance pointed out, turning to the picture of Dawn and Fluttershy together, "If anypony besides Dawn is going to be threatened because of this article, it's going to be her."
"I guess so," admitted Shining, "But we'll have to leave it to them.  I'd love to assign some of the Royal Guard to Ponyville to help keep things under control, but everypony we have right now is either involved in the search for Viscount Eventide or patrolling the city and keeping eye out for Perlin Bluestreak."
"About that," said Princess Celestia, stepping in through the door to Shining's office, "Have you made any progress on either front?"
"With Perlin, we've had a few scattered sightings here and there, but nothing definite and no real leads on his exact location."  Shining flipped through some pages on his desk.  "As for Eventide...mum...  The closest we've gotten to any actual lead was a couple members of his household staff overhearing something about him visiting the Crystal Caverns.  I've had a squad down there looking through the place, but they haven't found anything yet."  He looked up at Celestia.  "How's the Court taking it?"
"Rather well, all things concerned," said Celestia, not sounding too pleased in spite of that, "If I had to guess, Eventide is probably dead and his corpse, as well as the corpses of his mares at arms, disposed of.  This was probably the result of some conflict with another member of the Noble Court.  But they would pitch a fit if we didn't at least make a token effort to find out what happened to him."
Shining nodded.  "It feels weird to not have them screaming down my neck to find out what happened.  The press is making a bigger deal of this than the nobles are."
"Speaking of the press," said Cadance, "Have you seen the article on Dawn?"
Celestia nodded and looked down at the paper.  "I've already received several other inquiries about that article.  A lot of ponies are taking interest in his story."
"In a good way or a bad way?" asked Cadance.
"Both and neither," said Celestia with a shrug, "A lot of ponies have been asking questions about the Cult Solar, which is good.  I'm hoping that they'll help spread the word that I'm not too happy with them right now.  The more pressure we can put on them, the more we can hamper their influence and keep them from harassing Dawn."
"And on the negative side of things...?" prodded Shining.
Celestia sighed and looked down at the article again.  "Unfortunately, Dawn's actions in Cloudsdale, as beneficial as they were, are drawing attention as well, and not the good kind.  I've received some inquiries regarding Fluttershy's suitability as Dawn's guardian, given that she allowed him to participate in something so dangerous."
"From everything I've heard, Dawn can take care of himself just fine," commented Shining.
"That's quite true," agreed Celestia, "The problem is that Dawn is still a foal, especially in the eyes of other ponies, I've made arrangements to grant him certain special privileges and protections due to his impressive skill-set, but such information is not usually widely disseminated.
"What I'm worried about is that somepony will look into Dawn's situation and discover the certain...other conflicts he has been involved in..."
"You mean his fight with Storm Front and Red River?" asked Shining.
"Among other things," said Celestia with a nod, "I trusted their judgment on that matter when Twilight wrote to us about it.  As martial artists, they understand Dawn in a way that few other ponies will.  But most ponies will only see the fact that two grown stallions attacked and nearly murdered a foal.  There's also Dawn's conflict with Applejack, which was mentioned in the article.  We're lucky that the author didn't go into more detail about what happened or Applejack could face serious repercussions.  But if somepony were to take a closer look into the matter..."
"Yeah, that could be bad," agreed Shining.
Celestia shook her head sadly.  "Applejack and Dawn reconciled and have overcome their conflict.  But I doubt that would matter to ponies who don't truly understand what happened."
"It'll be okay," said Cadance, smiling at her husband and aunt, "We just have to trust in Twilight and the others.  Regardless of what struggles come, I'm sure they can pull through."
Celestia let out a soft chuckle.  "I suppose I can agree to that much."



"Now then, does everybody have enough food?  I'm not going to have much time to get any more supplies for you."
A chorus of chittering and other sundry noises greeted Fluttershy's inquiry as she went about distributing feed to her animals.  The past few days had been busy ones for her.  As Ponyville's resident wildlife keeper, she had been checking up on all the animals around town and the surrounding areas, including the park and Whitetail Woods, checking to make sure that all the animals going into hibernation would have enough food to keep them in their dens through the winter.  It was a long and tedious job, but one that the yellow mare was glad to have.  Once everything was settled, she would relax for the season, content in the knowledge that her animal friends would be spending their winters comfortably.
On top of that, this would be the first winter where Fluttershy wouldn't have to spend most of her time alone in an empty, silent cottage.  This year, she would have Dawn, and both of them would be moving into Caramel's house until Winter Wrap-up.  The thought of being able to spend the season with her son and her coltfriend made Fluttershy positively giddy with happiness.
A chill wind whipped through the area, making Fluttershy shiver.  Her animal friends were already scattering, their feeding complete.  Now that the harvest season had officially ended, the Weather Team members were going about the work of further lowering the ambient temperature in preparation for the upcoming snowfall.  While it would still be a few weeks, the first snowstorm not being scheduled until just after Nightmare Night, the pegasi were bringing in some cold winds to help chill the ground over the nights so that Ponyville's first snowfall wouldn't result in a dirty, slushy mess.
However, while the temperature was lowering, there was still plenty to do outdoors.  Autumn was Party Season for Ponyville (or Pinkie Pie Season, as some called it), with a series of three celebrations being held in relatively short order.  First came the Harvest Festival.  Following that, just a few days from now, was the Running of the Leaves.  After that came Nightmare Night, the holiday that truly marked the end of autumn and the beginning of winter.
Seeing that her work had been done, Fluttershy looked to the sky and noticed that the afternoon was waning.  Dawn would be returning home before long, possibly from the teahouse, or training in the quarry with Scootaloo.  Deciding that a nice vegetable stew would go over well on a chilly evening like this, Fluttershy stepped inside to get started on dinner.  As she did, her mind turned to the newspaper article, which, even now, was lying on the table in the living room.
The days since the article's release had been surprisingly quiet and free from trouble.  After the article's appearance, Fluttershy had half-expected reporters to swarm down on Ponyville and besiege her home with requests for further interviews, constantly hound her all day with their cameras, and do everything in their power to disrupt her and Dawn's lives.  However, the matter seemed to have been glossed over.  Currently, the Equestrian Times was printing Limelight's interviews with the townsponies, along with her interview with Spitfire, in subsequent editions.  But not even Spitfire's interview had gotten the front page billing the original article had obtained.  It was enough to make Fluttershy wonder if someone else was deliberately keeping the media restrained...or something else was keeping their attention diverted.  Fluttershy supposed that the ongoing search for any evidence behind that noble's disappearance might have been one reason.
After prepping the ingredients and getting them in the pot, Fluttershy set the stew to simmer while she retired to the living room with a book she had borrowed from the library.  There would be little else to do until Dawn was home and dinner was ready.  Settling in, Fluttershy prepared to enjoy the remainder of the quiet afternoon.
However, it appeared that somepony did not care for Fluttershy's peace in the slightest.  She had barely started the first page of her book, when somepony started pounding on her door in a series of sharp raps that made Fluttershy jump with a startled squeak, knocking her book to the floor.
Before she answered the door, Fluttershy picked up the book and smoothed out the bent pages and put it back on the table.  Twilight would have a conniption if one of her books were damaged.  All throughout, the knocking continued without pause.  Nervously, Fluttershy approached the door and put her hoof to the knob, turning it with a click.  Almost immediately, the knocking stopped.  The abrupt cessation of noise was almost as startling as its initial appearance and Fluttershy gulped nervously, sweating slightly.  Just who was on the other side of the door?  For all that she knew, it could be a pony from the Cult Solar, coming after her the way Bedrock had back when she'd dropped Dawn off for his first day of school.
Maybe I should wait until Dawn gets back, thought Fluttershy, taking her hoof back from the doorknob and reaching to turn the lock.
"It's no use hiding in there Miss Fluttershy," snapped a prim and disciplined voice from the other side, "I am not in the mood for games.  You will open your door or you will automatically forfeit your rights as Dawn Lightwing's guardian."
"Eep!" squeaked Fluttershy, reaching for the knob again before freezing in place.  "W-who are you?"
"I am an agent of the Department of Foal Protection under the Equestrian Ministry of Welfare," said the mare sharply, "You may call me Softhoof.  Now, open this door at once."
Hesitantly, Fluttershy turned the knob and opened the door, shrinking back nervously from the hard gaze of the mare before her.  "H-how c-can I h-help you?" stammered Fluttershy.
"I am here for one purpose and one purpose only," said Softhoof, "I am here to judge your suitability as the guardian of Dawn Lightwing.  Should you be deemed unfit, you will lose custody of the colt, effective immediately."