//------------------------------// // Driving Force // Story: Fortune Favors The Bold // by TheEquestrianWing //------------------------------// When the early evening came about, the seven ponies decided to go back into the town. Bronze Star, Walther, Alpine, Mauser, and SIG Sauer planned to head back to the embassy. Applejack and Rainbow Dash initially took this as their cue to go home, but Bronze Star and Walther invited them to join them at the embassy for dinner. Rainbow Dash eagerly accepted this offer. Applejack consented to it as well, but first she swung by Sweet Apple Acres and let her family know she would be away for the evening. While Applejack went to her farm, the other six ponies made their way to the embassy. When they arrived at the gates, SIG Sauer declared that he was going back into town for a few minutes. He claimed that he planned to invite somepony to dinner as well. Nopony asked who, but Bronze Star had a pretty good idea. Ten minutes later, Applejack returned to the embassy. She was carrying a basket of apples on her back. She explained that since somepony else was making dinner for her, she was compelled to return the favor by making dessert. Bronze Star and Walther made dinner that night. The meal consisted of lentil soup, braised beets, and mashed potatoes. While the prince and the Wonderbolt were preoccupied with this job, Applejack busied herself with making her grandmother's famous apple cinnamon cobbler. Mauser, Alpine, and Rainbow Dash had nothing to do while they waited, so they chose to set the table. By the time everything was ready, SIG Sauer returned to the building. He was accompanied by Noble Edict, which did not surprise Bronze Star. He had expected the red mare to be SIG Sauer's guest. After all, other than Dr. Sharp Seams, Noble was the only pony in town whom the pine green Unicorn would have reason to invite over for dinner. Once SIG Sauer, Noble Edict, Mauser, Apline, and Rainbow Dash were seated, Bronze Star, Applejack, and Walther brought out the food. Once the three of them were seated as well, everypony tucked in. For the first five minutes of the meal, nopony spoke a word. Then Noble Edict uttered "These beets are excellent. Who made them?" "I did, Noble," Bronze Star enlightened her, "Walther made the potatoes, both of us made the soup, and Applejack made the cobbler." "Well, my compliments to the chefs," the red Earth Pony declared, "I must say, Bronze; for a member of the Canterlot Royalty, you're a fine cook." "Well, thank you," stated the gold stallion appreciatively, "You should tell that to Haute Cuisine, Canterlot Castle's head chef. I got my cooking lessons from him." "That would explain why you helped make this meal," Noble Edict noted, "Everypony already knows Applejack's one of the best bakers in Ponyville. But tell me something, General. What business does a stallion with nearly thirty years of military service have in the kitchen?" Walther scoffed and replied "Well, before I joined the Wonderbolts, I actually had another goal. That goal was to become a great cook." Noble Edict, Mauser, Apline, and Rainbow Dash were a little surprised to hear this. Bronze Star and SIG Sauer already knew this bit of information, and Applejack was just indifferent. "Really?" said Rainbow in astonishment. "Yes, indeed," Walther confirmed, "I know it sounds absurd. After all, the armed forces and fine dining don't exactly go hoof-in-hoof. In fact, I would say the average military instillation's cuisine is just one or two steps above that of a prison's." "As a retired army officer, I'm inclined to agree," SIG Sauer remarked, "Back in my military days, the food was about as pleasant as the exercises at boot camp." "As a current army officer, I can validate that the food hasn't gotten any better in the time since then," Mauser commented. "Makes me glad I never had to sample one of their meals," Bronze Star slyly pronounced, "That's like the one thing my military training doesn't cover. How to eat like a soldier." "You're better off not knowing, sir," Walther proclaimed. He looked around at the other ponies and told him "Needless to say, my ambitions to become a master of the culinary arts was very short-lived. But I still had a fondness for them after I joined the Wonderbolts. Often times when I was on leave, I would look up a classic recipe and try my hoof at making it. My experience gradually increased over time. Sometimes I would even make meals for my fellow officers." "Yeah, I remember that time when you cooked for the Firebrand Regiment," Bronze Star recounted. "The what?" Rainbow Dash queried in bewilderment. "The Firebrand Regiment," the young prince expounded, "It's a Special Ops team that answers directly to me. When he's not my trainer, SIG Sauer is the squad's commanding officer. Walther is their executive officer. There are eight other ponies on the team; five stallions and three mares. All of them work or have at some point worked for the government, the military, or both." "That's cool," the cyan mare remarked, "So, what exactly do they do?" "I can't tell you; their activities are classified," Bronze Star bluntly replied. "Okay," Rainbow mumbled. Although she was somewhat curious, she was willing to respect Bronze Star's privacy. She turned to back to the mahogany Pegasus and asked him "So, General, do you still enjoy cooking?" "Oh my, yes," Walther confirmed, "However, it's been a long time since I prepared a meal for another person. I think the last time I cooked for somepony was also the last time my daughter visited me." This comment took Applejack and Noble Edict by surprise. The latter raised an eyebrow and said in astonishment "You have a daughter?" "That's correct," he affirmed, "Prince Bronze Star, Alpine, Mauser, and SIG know about her. I'm certain Rainbow Dash knows who she is, as well." "Why's that?" Applejack queried. "Because she's in the Wonderbolts, too," Walther expounded. The cyan mare smirked and stated "Yeah, I know pretty much every flyer in the Wonderbolts. It just so happens that your daughter is on my favorite squad." "Maybe I've heard of her," Noble Edict stated, "What's her name?" "Fleetfoot," Walther answered, "She's her squad's third-in-command, after Spitfire and Soarin." "Oh, so you're Fleetfoot's father?" Applejack remarked in fascination, "Can't really say I'm much of a fan, but I know Fleetfoot's team must be good. Rainbow talks about them all the time." "Who's her mother?" Noble Edict queried. "Another Wonderbolt named Zippy Zap," Walther informed her, "She and I met at the Wonderbolts Academy when we were both just cadets. Although there was a rule against fraternization, we quickly developed an interest in each other. Before long, our relationship got a little too personal, and a court martial and Fleetfoot resulted from it. Thankfully, at the time of that fiasco, we were just a few weeks away from graduation. So the board of directors decided not to expel us. However, Zippy Zap and I still had a young filly to care for." "Is Zippy Zap still in the Wonderbolts?" asked Applejack. "No, she resigned her commission long ago," the mahogany stallion enlightened her, "After she left the force, she moved back to Cloudsdale where she got a job as a flight instructor for foals. Since then, we've somewhat drifted apart. I can't even remember the last time I saw her. Some would say Fleetfoot is the only thing we still have in common." "At least she chose to follow in your hoofsteps," Bronze Star pointed out. "Yeah, Fleetfoot definitely takes after her old stallion," Walther declared, "In a few years, she may achieve the rank of Captain." "I'm surprised she hasn't already gotten that high up," Rainbow commented, "After all, while she may be a little smaller than average, she's agile enough to outmaneuver almost anypony." "I'm confident that she'll get there in time," Walther stated, smiling proudly, "After all, she does belong to a lineage of dexterous flyers." "No argument there," SIG Sauer coincided. There was a brief interval of silence. Then Walther sighed and dismally said "I just hope that whenever she does get that high up in the ranks, she'll start speaking to me again." "What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked in perplexity. "Fleetfoot and I were once very close," Walther glumly disclosed, "When she was a filly, she idolized me. I was the whole reason she decided to join the Wonderbolts. Nowadays… we don't get along as much. She thinks of me as more her superior officer than her father. I try to keep in contact, but she only occasionally returns my letters." "Did something happen between you two?" Applejack queried. "Yes, but I prefer not to talk about it," the mahogany Pegasus replied, "All I will say is that I once did something. Something that I thought would help Fleetfoot. Instead, it just made her resent me. I've tried making amends with her several times, but she's never forgiven me." "Oh, I'm sorry, General," Rainbow told him apologetically, "That's awful." "Yes, it is," Walther professed, "However, I don't blame Fleetfoot for harboring a grudge towards me. I brought it on myself. So for the present, I'm keeping my distance and letting her stay angry. I just hope she won't be furious forever." "She shouldn't," Mauser debated, "She should be more understanding of what you did. She should also be grateful that both her parents are alive." "I agree," Alpine concurred, "You can't say the same about me and Mauser. That's why I believe family should always come first." "I most certainly agree," Bronze Star interjected, "If you ask me, the thing Fleetfoot should be most grateful for is that she actually knows who her parents are. There are some people who would give a lot to be able to say that about themselves." "And you're one of them, sir?" SIG Sauer presumed. "Yes, SIG," the gold stallion affirmed, "You have no idea what it's like, having no idea who is responsible for your own existence. It's not enough to drive you mad, but it is enough to leave your mind wondering incessantly." "Well, Princess Celestia must have her reasons," SIG observed, "Only she knows what they are. Perhaps some things are never meant to be known by certain people." "Maybe," Bronze Star uttered softly. There was another period of silence. Then the gold stallion thought aloud "Unless anypony has any objections, I propose that we change the subject." As luck would have it, nopony objected. Noble Edict gazed around the table before turning to Bronze Star and saying "On that note, may I ask where Princess Luna is?" "Upstairs in her room," Bronze Star apprised her, "She's been meditating a lot these past few days. She's also started sleeping during the day and staying awake at night. She should be getting up pretty soon, though." "It's a shame she had to miss this meal," Applejack remarked, "Because it was mighty tasty." There were mutters of agreement all around the dining room. When they subsided, Bronze Star said "Well, we have plenty of leftovers. I'll take some up to her when we're done here." "Good idea," Alpine commented. "So, is Luna comfortable here?" Noble Edict inquired. "Yes, very much so," Bronze Star responded. "I'm glad to hear that," Noble remarked, grinning lightly, "Although this building may be one of the largest and most sophisticated dwellings in Ponyville, in my opinion it's hardly equipped to accommodate royalty." "Well, I seem content here, don't I?" Bronze Star cheekily pointed out. "Yes, but you're incognito, 'Mr. Ambassador,'" Noble wryly retorted, "Everypony would expect a humble politician to feel at home here. More so than a regal prince. Or princess." "That's a good point, Noble," Bronze Star admitted, "All the same, my Aunt has come to enjoy living here. She's had plenty of solitude, an opportunity to read up on Equestrian history, and a chance to familiarize herself with the new customs of the Canterlot Royalty. She's actually a bit reluctant to leave." This time, everypony was surprised by this remark. Rainbow Dash questioned "When will she be leaving?" "Sometime in the next week or two," Bronze Star revealed, "Maybe sooner. You see, although she loves living here with me, she feels obligated to return to Canterlot soon so she can reclaim her title as the Princess of the Night." "Well, whenever she's ready to go to Canterlot, we could go back with her," Alpine proposed. "I like the sound of that," Mauser concurred with his sister, "She may feel more comfortable upon her arrival in the capital city if she was traveling with some ponies who have already been there." "As well as ponies who are close to her nephew," SIG Sauer added. "She certainly would appreciate it," Bronze Star conjectured, "If the four of you went to Canterlot with Luna, everything should work out for her." "'Four?'" Noble Edict said in bewilderment, "There's SIG Sauer, Mauser, and Alpine. Who's the fourth person?" "That would be you, Noble," Bronze Star candidly replied. The chief of security did not expect this. "Why me, sir?" "Two reasons," the prince notified her, "One, you're the individual who's primarily responsible for keeping this town and its inhabitants safe. Two, you've already got some business in Canterlot. Business with my mother." "Oh, I see," Noble Edict commented, "The other day, SIG Sauer stopped by my office. While he was there, he mentioned something about how Princess Celestia wishes to 'commend' him and me. Is that the business you're talking about?" "Yeah," Bronze Star confirmed, "According to General Walther, my mother wants to honor you and SIG for the role you played in her rescue. She intends to hold a ceremony the two of you." Noble Edict raised an eyebrow and said in interest "A ceremony, huh? What would it involve?" "The usual," Bronze Star illuminated, "An acknowledgment of your past accomplishments, a couple of speeches, and official acclamations for your heroic deeds. Maybe a banquet or something afterwards." "That sounds nice," Noble Edict perceived, "Seems a bit much, though." "My mother is very serious about expressing her appreciation," Bronze Star disclosed, "I'd say you earned it. You definitely proved your allegiance during the Celebration." "And who knows, Noble?" Applejack remarked, grinning, "Maybe she'll dub you a Lady." "I can see that," Rainbow Dash declared, rubbing her chin and gazing upwards, "'Lady Noble Edict.' It seems quite fitting." Noble Edict scoffed lightly and said "Probably, but 'Lady Noble' sounds more like a position on Celestia's court. I highly doubt I did enough to earn that title, anyway." "Well, my mother does not make people Lords and Ladies very often," Bronze Star thought aloud, "I'm not that certain how she decides. Bellerophon was made a Lord after his fifth year of serving as her chief of staff. Several members of my mother's council are Lords and Ladies, as well. My mother might actually make you a Lady, too, Noble." "If she does, I'll be sure to express my gratitude," Noble declared, "I'm not very certain how, though. My job requires that I be well-versed in public relations, but none of the regulations says anything about how to approach a meeting with royalty." "Don't worry about that, Noble," SIG Sauer assured the red Earth Pony, patting her on the back, "I've attended this type of rite before. Since I'll be by your side during this one, I can help you through the formalities." Noble Edict smiled at the pine green Unicorn and told him "Thanks, SIG. That would mean a lot to me." "Anytime," he asserted, grinning back. The eight ponies had been eating all throughout their conversations. By this point, they were almost finished. Most of the rest of the meal was spent in relative silence. They did make a few casual remarks about various topics, but nothing that resulted in another full-fledged discussion. After dinner, everypony helped clean up. Some of them cleared off the table, some of them washed the dishes, and some of them wrapped up the leftovers. Bronze star made sure to set aside a little bit of everything. Once the dining room and kitchen were spotless, the eight ponies decided to socialize in the study. All of them except Bronze Star went there straightaway. The gold stallion planned to join them soon. He took the plate of leftovers, headed upstairs, and trotted to Princess Luna's door. It was closed, so he knocked on it several times. "WHO IS IT?" a booming voice yelled in response. "It's me, Aunt Luna," Bronze Star calmly replied. He heard hoofsteps approaching him, and a moment later, the blue Alicorn answered the door. She smiled down at her nephew and told him "We apologize if we startled you." "You didn't," he guaranteed her, "But do you suppose you could cut back on using the Royal Canterlot Voice a bit?" "If we are disturbing you, we can refrain from using the Voice in your presence," Luna rejoined. "I see you've made a habit of using the royal 'we,' as well," Bronze Star noted. "Indeed, we have," Luna affirmed straightforwardly. Bronze Star scoffed and uttered "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Luna merely smiled and remarked "Yes, I am. What can I do for you?" "Just wanted to bring you dinner," her nephew replied. He held out the plate of food to her and stated "We got lentil soup, braised beets, mashed potatoes, and apple cinnamon cobbler." "Why, thank you," Luna said gratefully, taking the plate with her magic aura. Bronze Star had been holding the plate in his right front hoof. When Luna took it, she noticed he was no longer wearing a bandage. She commented happily "I see your hoof is all better." "Yeah, Alpine fixed it up with a new spell she learned," he enlightened her, "There may still be a scar, but I can handle scars." Luna nodded in approval. Bronze Star then lowered his hoof and looked up at her. That's when he noticed something odd. His Aunt's mane was sparkling in a few places. The back part of it seemed to be moving on its own. Bronze Star was perplexed by this, but he was impelled not to say anything. Out of courtesy, he chose to remain silent. After a moment of silence, he announced "Well, I'll be down in the study if you need me. Hope you enjoy your meal." "We believe we shall," Luna declared thankfully. She bid her nephew good night, stepped back into the room, and closed the door. Bronze Star went back downstairs a moment later. He was intrigued by what he had just seen. A sparkling mane capable of independent movement? There was only one person he knew who had such a mane: his mother. Yet now his Aunt appeared to be developing one of her own. He wondered if something was happening to her. He was a little concerned, but he told himself that if something was in fact going on with his aunt, he would be the first one she informed. Bronze Star pushed these worries aside and made his way to the study. The other seven ponies had already gotten comfortable there. Walther was reading the contents of a folder. Alpine, Mauser and Rainbow Dash were having a friendly game of cards. Applejack was just lounging on a couch. Noble Edict and SIG Sauer were talking. "So, SIG, there's one thing I'd like to know about that ceremony," the red mare stated, "Will it be like a presentation to the community?" "No, these types of rituals are not generally open to the public," SIG Sauer informed her, "Typically, it involves an audience with the Princess in her throne room. The only people who attend are Celestia, her council, some of the Canterlot elite, and a number of Royal Guard. It's a relatively private gathering." "Good, I was hoping for that," Noble Edict disclosed. "How come, Noble?" SIG Sauer inquired. "Because I don't care very much for being the center of attention," Noble Edict explained, "I appreciate it when I receive some recognition for my work, but not to the point where everypony else makes it their business to know about what I'm up to. From what I've seen, people who are given that much attention tend to abuse it rather easily." "No kidding, Noble," Bronze Star coincided, "One such individual showed up in town today." "I assume you are referring to Trixie?" Noble Edict presumed. "Yeah, I am," he confirmed, slightly astonished, "How did you know about her? I didn't see you in the crowd when she was showcasing her abilities." "That's because I wasn't there," Noble Edict elucidated, "I spent most of the day at the barracks. I found out about Trixie at work. Several times this afternoon, somepony came by my office to file a complaint about her use of fireworks. Some ponies requested that I arrest her for disturbing the peace." "Did you?" Applejack queried. "No, I needed more than complaints to take her in," the red Earth Pony recounted, "I could only arrest her if she was using fireworks illegally. She wasn't. She has a valid license to create and use fireworks. She was also cleared to perform in a public area. So she's free to continue showcasing." "That's a shame," Rainbow Dash grumpily pronounced, "She was being utterly obnoxious today. She went out of her way to embarrass me, Applejack, Rarity, and Alpine during her show. She mocked Twilight, SIG, Mauser, and Bronze. And, of course, she made up some ridiculous bogus story about how she defeated an Ursa Major in Hoofington." "Ridiculous, perhaps," Walther interjected, "Bogus, perhaps not." "What do you mean, General?" Bronze Star asked in interest. The mahogany Pegasus held up his folder and announced "This is a summary of everything that has happened in Hoofington over the past four months. Included is a report of an Ursa Major attack which occurred less than a hundred days ago. The report is composed primarily of the testimonies of the survivors. The description of the Ursa Major itself is vague at best, but the description of the damage it inflicted on the city is rather vivid." "So, how did the town get through that ordeal?" Noble Edict enquired. "There are actually several different accounts of what happened," Walther disclosed, "Most of the details tend to vary between them. Such as how long the Ursa Major was there, how much damage it inflicted, and how many casualties there were. However, in terms of how the town's complete destruction was averted, almost all of them focus on the intervention of a Unicorn." That last statement caught everypony's attention. Anypony who had not been listening before was listening now. "What does the report say, General?" Bronze Star inquired. "Again, the accounts differ greatly," Walther illuminated, "Most of them are clearly exaggerating. Some say she physically fought off the Ursa Major. Some say she used a deadly spell to banish it from the town. Some say she obliterated it into nothingness. However, one thing they all agree on is that if it was not for that mare, Hoofington would have been reduced to a massive pile of rubble." "Incredible," Alpine murmured quietly. "That's amazing," Mauser uttered in agreement. "Yes, it is," SIG Sauer proclaimed. "Did the locals say anything specific about the Unicorn? Her age? Her coat color? Her mane color? Her cutie mark? Maybe even her name?" "Surprisingly, no," Walther revealed, "Almost none of the witnesses provided a physical description of the Unicorn. Apparently, her appearance wasn't nearly as noteworthy as her actions. Plus, she did not stay around for long once the Ursa Major was gone. The locals do not believe she had ever been to Hoofington before that day." "So, at least part of Trixie's story checks out," SIG Sauer perceived, "She's a travelling performer, so if she was that Unicorn, it would make sense if the townsfolk didn't recognize her." "I'm still not convinced," Applejack declared, "All we know for sure is that a Unicorn was there. All Trixie has is her word. There's no firm evidence that she was that Unicorn." "She's right," Rainbow Dash agreed, "There are plenty of Unicorns in Equestria." "True, but Unicorns account for less than twenty percent of Hoofington's population," Walther pointed out, "The majority of them have families. There aren't many Unicorns who would go there without a reason. All that together suggests the possibility that Trixie may be telling the truth." "Then maybe we should speak to her," Noble Edict proposed, "We could ask her to describe the event in detail." "I actually plan to talk to her sometime before I leave for Hoofington tomorrow," Walther disclosed, "But not about the Ursa Major." "Then what, Walt?" Bronze Star inquired. The mahogany Pegasus did not verbally respond straightaway. Instead, he closed his folder and placed it on the coffee table next to another folder. Then he picked up the other folder, opened it up, and removed a slip of paper. He held the slip up so that everypony could get a good look at it. They quickly realized it was the photograph of Dense Miasma's cutie mark. "What would you possibly wish to discuss that with her?" Noble Edict enquired, baffled. "Bronze Star and I spent most of the past two days and this morning studying this symbol," Walther apprised her, "Since we failed to find anything about it, we were prepared to give up the search this afternoon. However, there may actually be some information about this symbol out there after all. We were just looking for it in the wrong places." "Why do you say that?" Rainbow Dash inquired. "Trixie," Walther explicated, "Earlier today, when I showed her this picture, she appeared to be perplexed by it. But underneath her confusion, I saw she was experiencing something much stronger. You know what it was? It was fear." "Fear?" SIG Sauer remarked in fascination. "Yes, she was afraid of this symbol," Walther affirmed, "Made me wonder why. I mean, people aren't afraid of anything without reason. That led me to believe that Trixie may actually be familiar with this symbol, and something about it bothers her." "That's a lot to assume, General," Noble Edict commented. "I know," Walther professed, "Often times, I have to make grand assumptions off of very little information. But I never make these assumptions unless they have a reasonable chance of being correct." "Then let's say for a moment this one is correct," Bronze Star proposed, "If Trixie does know something, do you really think she'd be willing to share what she knows with us?" "Perhaps not," Walther admitted, "Maybe she can be persuaded to help us out." "You don't mean 'persuaded' as in 'coerced,' do you?" Noble queried anxiously. "Of course not," Walther assured her, "I only advocate that approach against known criminals. As of right now, Trixie isn't one. What I'm suggesting is that we could 'persuade' her as in 'offer her something in return' for helping us." "That might work," SIG Sauer thought aloud, "Assuming we actually have something she'd want." "Everypony desires something," Noble Edict debated, "Trixie is no exception." "She's right," Alpine declared, "If we can find out what Trixie wants, she may be willing to tell us anything." "We could stop by her trailer in the morning," Mauser suggested, "All we'd have to do is ask. Even if we don't have what she wants, at least we'll have started getting somewhere." Everypony agreed to this idea. Here they stopped talking about Trixie and went back to what they were doing before Bronze Star arrived in the study. Walther continued reading his folders. Mauser, Alpine, and Rainbow Dash returned to their card game. Noble Edict and SIG Sauer resumed conversing. Applejack just laid back on the couch. Bronze Star decided to join her, so he approached the couch slowly. She smiled up at him and moved her hind legs to make room for him. He sat down and the two of them got comfortably settled. For the next half-hour, the atmosphere in the room was relatively peaceful. There were no outbursts, no disturbances, and no interruptions to bother them. However, at the end of the half-hour, Applejack opened her eyes and sat up straight. She uneasily declared "Do you guys hear something?" The other seven ponies stopped what they were doing and listened to their surroundings. SIG Sauer muttered "No… wait, yes." "Sounds like thunder," Alpine remarked. "Can't be," Rainbow Dash claimed, "We're not scheduled to have a storm for several days." "Is it a tremor?" Walther theorized. "If it is, it's an abnormally erratic one," Noble Edict professed. "Whatever it is, it sounds as though it's getting closer," Mauser noted. Just then, there was a heavy knock on the front door. Bronze Star went to answer it, and there was a security officer on the other side. He appeared to be greatly shaken, and he uttered urgently "Mr. Ambassador, pardon my intrusion, but I was informed Noble Edict came here for dinner. Is she still here?" "Yes," the gold stallion replied, perplexed by the officer's behavior, "She's in the study." The stallion nodded in acknowledgment and trotted past the young prince. When he arrived at the study, he hauntingly told his boss "Noble, I need you to come with me immediately." "What's wrong, Copper Hollow?" Noble Edict inquired anxiously. "Ponyville is under attack," the stallion informed her directly, "An Ursa Major just came out of the Everfree Forest!" At that, Noble Edict jumped of her chair, approached Copper Hollow, and declared "Then there is no time to waste. We have to stop it before it destroys the town." Before Noble and her agent went anywhere, SIG Sauer stood up and offered "Need some assistance?" "Yes, please," Noble Edict replied, "If this Ursa Major is anything like the one that attacked Hoofington, we'll need all the help we can get." "Then you can count on me," SIG Sauer declared. "Us, too!" Bronze Star pronounced. The gold stallion spoke for everypony in the room when he said that. "Good," Noble Edict commented, "Now let's get moving!" Copper Hollow promptly made his way to the embassy's front entrance. Noble Edict, SIG Sauer, Bronze Star, Walther, Applejack, Alpine, Mauser, and Rainbow Dash followed him close behind. After passing through the front doors, Bronze Star ordered the Royal Guard stationed outside the building to remain with Princess Luna and protect her if the Ursa Major reached the embassy. Then the gold stallion left the grounds with the others. "Where are we off to, Copper?" Noble Edict inquired hastily. "The town square," Copper Hollow responded, "We must hurry!" Nopony had to be told twice. The nine of them started galloping towards the town square. Copper Hollow led the way. He filled the others in as they moved through the streets: "The Ursa Major arrived in town just ten minutes ago. I was in my office when I heard screaming. When I went outside to investigate, I saw Snips, Snails, and Spike running through the town. That's when I saw it." "How much damage has been done so far?" Noble Edict queried. "The Ursa Major bit off part of the roof of a house, and it's destroyed a wooden trailer," Copper Hollow replied, "It's probably destroyed more since I last saw it." "Any fatalities?" Noble asked restlessly. "None yet," Copper assured her, "But the townspeople are starting to come out of their houses. Once they realize what's going on, we'll have a panic on our hooves." "I want everypony we got ready to face off that beast," Noble Edict proclaimed. "Most of our staff is suiting up at the barracks," Copper Hollow revealed, "But it may be several minutes before they're prepared." "Then we've got to hold the Ursa Major off until then," Noble Edict decided. "Understood," Copper Hollow acknowledged. Soon, the nine ponies arrived in town square. A few dozen other ponies were already gathered there. Trixie's cart had been demolished; all that remained of it was a pile of broken planks. She was standing near the center of the area with Snips and Snails. Standing before them was the Ursa. It was massive. It had to be at least thirty percent bigger than Ponyville's tallest building, and twice as large. It had dark blue fur, which appeared to be shimmering. Its claws could slice through trees, and its teeth could devour a grown pony in one bite. "Holy buck," Applejack muttered under her breath. "What in the name of hay…" Rainbow Dash gasped. In the next two minutes, Trixie attempted to stop the Ursa twice. She tried using a rope trick to lasso it and a raincloud to stun it. Both efforts were entirely ineffective. They ended with Trixie, Snips, and Snails running away in terror. Just then, Twilight Sparkle showed up. She asked in concern "What's going on?" "We brought an Ursa to town," Snips answered straightforwardly. "You what!?" The lavender mare shouted in shock. "Don't worry," Snails told her calmly, "The Great and Powerful Trixie will vanquish it." All eyes were on the brilliant azure mare. The majority of the ponies there looked to her for a solution. Trixie gradually backed away from the Ursa. After ten seconds of tense silence, she closed her eyes, hanged her head, and declared gloomily "I can't." Several of the ponies were astounded to hear this, particularly Snips and Snails. They yelled "What!?" Trixie turned to the assembled ponies and admitted "Oh, I can't, I never have. No one can vanquish an Ursa Major. I just made the whole story up to make me look better." "Made it up!?" the two colts screamed in disbelief. Just then, the Ursa growled, stood up on its hind legs, and roared in fury. Most of the ponies in the area gasped in surprise and backed away. None of the nine ponies who had just come from the embassy did. Bronze Star took the initiative and quickly devised a plan to deal with the monster. He started by telling the chartreuse mare "Alpine, now would be a good time to use that defensive charm of yours." Alpine nodded and trotted to the center of the town square. She stopped a couple meters away from Snips, Snails, and Trixie. Once she was focused, her horn lit up, and a large burst of magic spouted from it. The stream of magic quickly grew into a large durable square of energy. It was positioned firmly between the Ursa and the citizens of Ponyville. The Ursa seemed bewildered at first, but then it roared again and began beating against the energy shield with its front paws. "That should hold it off for a while," Apline called out, "But I don't know how long I can sustain the shield!" "Hang in there; help is on the way!" Bronze Star pronounced. He then instructed the jasper stallion, the pine green stallion, and the mahogany stallion "SIG, Mauser, run alongside the Ursa Major to divert its attention away from Alpine and the townsfolk. Walther, fly over the Ursa Major for the same reason. Don't get too close, and don't give it a reason to chase after you. Just keep it distracted." The two Unicorns and the Pegasus complied with this command. Over the next few minutes, they approached the Ursa from all angles. They made certain to keep a good bit of distance between themselves and the monster. The Ursa frequently switched its attention between the three stallions and the energy shield. Ultimately, it just roared again and resumed beating the energy shield. Bronze Star approached the red mare and her agent and stated "Noble, Copper, do you see anything we could use against the Ursa Major? Any openings or blind spots?" "I don't see anything of the sort, sir," Copper Hollow disclosed. "Neither do I," Noble Edict coincided, "It doesn't look as though we can disorient it. Calming it is out of the question. And we don't have the stallionpower to fight it off." "Then we only have one option," Bronze Star concluded. He trotted over to Twilight Sparkle and told her urgently "Twilight, we need your help." The lavender mare understood what the prince was asking of her. He wanted her to use her magic to stop the Ursa. Inwardly, she was still resistant to the concept of performing her magic in public. However, she cared far more about her friends' lives than her modest image. She nodded in understanding and gradually approached the Ursa. She stood next to Alpine and instructed her friend "Lower the shield." "What?" the chartreuse Unicorn remarked in confusion. "Just do, Alpine," Twilight Sparkle insisted, "I know what to do." Alpine was still somewhat hesitant, but she did as Twilight asked and disbanded the shield. Once the barrier was gone, the Ursa gazed down at the two Unicorns and growled at them. Twilight gulped in apprehension. Then she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and concentrated. An aura appeared on her horn a moment later, and her magic was at work. A strong wind passed through the area. In the distance, gentle music was being produced from broken cattails. The music had a soothing effect on the Ursa. Its growls turned to grunts, which soon turned to a guttural sigh. "Nice use of number sixteen," Spike complimented her. While the music was playing, Twilight used another spell on one of the town's water towers. With some difficulty, she removed the storage compartment from the derrick. After emptying it of water, she levitated the compartment through a dairy farm and quickly filled it with milk. Then she sealed the top of it. "That's new," Spike commented. Twilight soon brought the makeshift bottle over to the tranquil Ursa. The beast took it in its hooves and began suckling on the top. As it drank, Twilight used another levitation spell to carry the Ursa out of town and into the Everfree Forest. She managed to levitate all the way back to its cave. Once all this was over, Twilight groaned and released the spell. Once she did, everypony in the area started cheering for her. "Unbelievable!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "That was amazing!" Spike shouted. "Heavens to Betsy!" Applejack pronounced, "We knew you had ability, but not that much!" Strangely, Twilight Sparkle did not appear to hear their praise. She muttered worriedly "I'm sorry. Please, please don't hate me." "Hate you?" Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity remarked in astonishment. "You have got to be kidding, Twilight," Bronze Star commented in exasperation. "Why, whatever do you mean, darling?" Rarity inquired. The lavender mare explained "Well, I know how much you all hated Trixie's showing off with her magic tricks, and I just thought—" "Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rainbow Dash interrupted her, "Magic's got nothing to do with it. Trixie's just a loudmouth." "Most unpleasant," Rarity added in. "All hat and no cattle," Applejack concurred. These statements seemed to bring some relief to Twilight. "So, you don't mind my magic tricks?" "Of course not," SIG Sauer assured her. "I wouldn't have spent the past three days with you if I didn't," Alpine stated. "Your magic is a part of who you are, sugarcube," Applejack pointed out, "And we like who you are. We're proud to have such a powerful, talented Unicorn as our friend." "And after whuppin' that Ursa's hind quarters, we're even prouder," Rainbow Dash stated. "You are?" Twilight uttered hopefully. "Uh-huh." "Mm-hmm." "Mm-hmm." "Look at the bigger picture, Twilight," Mauser advised her, "You just saved the town from an imminent destruction. Even if you were trying to show off your abilities, we would still be much more impressed by what you did than how you did it." "He's got a point," Noble Edict remarked. "Yes, he does," Bronze Star concurred. By now, Twilight was convinced that none of her friends were cross with her, much to her relief. Her assistant approached her and exclaimed "Wow, Twilight, how'd you know what to do with that Ursa Major?" "That's what I was doing when you came looking for me," Twilight elucidated, "I was so intrigued by Trixie's bragging that I was compelled to do a little reading up on them." "So it is possible to vanquish an Ursa Major all by yourself?" Spike presumed. "That wasn't an Ursa Major," Twilight revealed, "It was a baby, an Ursa Minor." "That was just a baby?" Trixie uttered in disbelief. As Twilight nodded, Walther thought aloud "That would explain why its size and appearance didn't match the description of the Ursa Major that attacked Hoofington." "And it wasn't rampaging," Twilight illuminated. She glared over at Snips and Snails and added in "It was just cranky because someone woke it up." "Awww..." the two colts mumbled, looking at the ground in guilt. "Well, if that was an Ursa Minor, then what's an Ursa Major like?" Spike asked curiously. "You don't wanna know," was all Twilight said in response. After a short period of silence, Trixie grimaced and scoffed furiously. Then she stood near the center of the town square and declared "You may have vanquished an Ursa Minor, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!" After that, she conjured up a cloud of smoke to conceal herself from everypony's sights. By the time the smoke dissipated, Trixie had started galloping out of Ponyville. Rainbow Dash scowled, ascended into the air, and muttered "Why, that little..." She was about to fly after Trixie, when Twilight Sparkle stopped her and said "Just let her go. Maybe someday she'll learn her lesson." The cyan mare eased down and slowly descended to the ground. Mere seconds after she was standing on her hooves, another Pegasus sailed over her head. This sudden action took her quite by surprise. She queried in interest "Who was that?" "I believe it was General Walther," Noble Edict replied. "It was," Bronze Star confirmed, "Looks like he's going after Trixie." "Why?" Spike asked, astounded. "Your guess is as good as mine," Bronze Star remarked, "Most likely, he's following a lead." "Oh, alright then," said Spike. After this, Twilight Sparkle confronted Snips and Snails about their negligence. They were willing to accept responsibility and do whatever they could to make up for it. They were too young to be formally charged with a crime, so Noble Edict let Bronze Star and Twilight Sparkle determine their fate. They decided that Snips and Snails could clean up the town square and help repair the roof of the house that got damaged. As a bit of a joke, Twilight Sparkle used some growing magic to give the two colts and Spike mustaches. Spike was elated, and Snips and Snails took very well to this part of their "punishment." Soon after this, everypony returned to their homes. Twilight Sparkle planned to write a letter about another friendship lesson she had learned to Princess Celestia as soon as she got back to the library. As a bonus, she had also finally selected which type of magic was the one she excelled at. Unsurprisingly, it was the magic of friendship. Meanwhile, Trixie had already galloped beyond the outskirts of Ponyville. When she was about three miles away from the neighborhood, she noticed she was being followed. Rather than attempting to elude her pursuer, she decided to confront him. She gazed upwards at the sky and shouted demandingly "What do you want?" Walther just lowered himself to the ground, set down in front of Trixie, and candidly replied "A moment of your time, if it's not too much." Twilight scowled irately and snapped "Give me a reason why I should listen to you." "I'll give you three," he told her, "I'm asking you nicely, I'm probably the only person in Ponyville who doesn't have an extremely low opinion of you, and what I have to say pertains to a matter of national security. It may be in the best interests of both of us that we talk." Despite how angry Trixie felt at this time, she was strangely compelled to hear the Wonderbolt out. After hesitating a bit, she stated "Alright. But you better not be wasting my time." "Trust me, I'm not," he guaranteed her. There was an interval of silence. Trixie eventually broke it with "So, what do you wish to discuss?" "Today during your show, I showed you a picture of a certain symbol," Walther recounted, "I asked you if you could identify its background and meaning." "Yes, you did," Trixie stated, "As you may recall, I failed." "No, you refused," he corrected her. "What's the difference?" she queried. "The only way you could have failed was if you truly did not know anything about that symbol," Walther expounded, "I'm fairly certain you actually do know something about it, and you're just reluctant to talk about it?" "What would drive you to think that?" Trixie asked in interest. "Well, when I demanded an answer, you referred to yourself in first person," Walther recollected, "There were only two other times during your show when you spoke in first person. The first was when you challenged the audience. The second was when you apologized to Alpine. One was a formal declaration; the other was an effort to make amends with another pony. You also spoke in first person when you told the truth about how you never defeated an actual Ursa Major. Notice a pattern yet?" "No, I don't see any pattern anywhere," Trixie replied. "Well, there is one," he enlightened her, "Every time you went from third person to first person, you spoke with sincerity and coherence. If you really were unfamiliar with that symbol, I'm certain you would have continued to speak in the third person when you dismissed my challenge. Yet you didn't. Because of that, I'm willing to wager that you DO know something. Am I right?" Trixie did not answer straightaway. She took a while to contemplate an answer. Ultimately, she let out a deep sigh and confessed "Yes, you are. I have seen that symbol before." "Where?" he requested. "Hoofington," she informed him. "Oh?" he remarked, raising an eyebrow, "Was this before or after the Ursa Major attack?" "About a month after," she answered him, "Although my account of how I defeated the Ursa Major was fabricated, I heard rumors that another Unicorn had somehow managed to repel the beast." "I'm aware of that," Walther disclosed, "They're not just rumors. The authorities took statements from dozens of witnesses. All of them mention the involvement of a Unicorn." "There actually is a ring of truth to that," Trixie revealed, "I was… shall we say, looking up information on the attack when I stumbled across that symbol you showed me." "Might I ask the specific circumstances of how you came across the symbol?" Walther requested. "You might," Trixie stated, "But before I give you that information, I'd like to know if you're offering me anything in exchange." "You'd certainly have a right to ask that," Walther professed, "After all, from my past experiences, information is seldom given out for free." "So, if I cooperate with you, is there anything in it for me?" Trixie said hopefully. "Absolutely," Walther assured her. He paused for a moment, and then he stated "I'll make you a deal. Are you planning on going anywhere in the next few days?" "I was, but as you may have noticed, my trailer was destroyed," Trixie pointed out, "Everything I own or value was in there. None of it was insured. So now I have nothing to my name and nowhere to go." "Perhaps I could remedy that problem," Walther proposed. "How would you aim to do that?" she enquired. "I have the means to replace what you lost," he illuminated, "I can get you a new trailer, new apparel, new fireworks, new everything. I'll handle all the expenses myself. As a bonus, I'll even apply an insurance policy to it all." Trixie smiled widely and remarked "If you can actually make that happen, I'll be willing to tell you just about anything you'd want to know." "Good, we understand each other," Walther perceived. There was another short pause, and then he continued with "I'll be going to Hoofington tomorrow. I have some business there that I must get done. It should be completed by the early evening of the day after tomorrow. Once it's over, you and I can talk." "So, do you want me to go to Hoofington?" Trixie assumed. "Correct," Walther confirmed, "Wait for me at the Municipal Building. When I'm done with my other item of business, I'll meet you there. Then we can talk about that symbol in greater detail. Once you've told me what you know, you'll receive your new trailer and everything else." "Alright, General," Trixie acknowledged, speaking with respect for once, "I'm expecting you to keep your word." "As long as you keep yours, I'll keep mine," he asserted. "Then I guess I'll see you in two days," Trixie decided. "I shall see you then," Walther affirmed. The brilliant azure mare and the mahogany stallion then parted ways. Walther made his way back to the embassy in Ponyville and Trixie began the long journey to Hoofington.