//------------------------------//
// The Things That Bring You Back 
// Story: Yaerfaerda 
// by Imploding Colon 
//------------------------------//

	Floydien sat on the balcony of the Sehlp Manor, overlooking the village of Bountiful and the forest beyond.  He gazed east towards the mountains, beyond which the fabled heart of Val Roa lay in hiding.  He took a deep breath, running a cloven hoof over his skull, shuddering at the lack of antlers.

"They're lying bedside in your room."

Blinking, Floydien turned to look over his shoulder.

Duchess Arcanista stood in the doorfame to the balcony.  "It isn't right for me to rob from you, just because I wish to make some sort of a connection."  She swallowed a lump down her throat.  "If I had treated you more fairly this morning, then perhaps you wouldn't have lost your temper in the way you did."

Floydien marely stared at her.

She clenched her jaw, fidgeting slightly. "This... must be so terribly much for you to take in.  I suppose I was... f-foolish to think that you could somehow turn back into my brother overnight.  It's just that... after all these years, I've... I-I've felt so alone."  She grimaced.  "Mother and Father passed away... and then you left for the west.  And while I-I never truly blamed you for your actions... a part of me felt somewhat bitter and rejected.  As peaceful as this kingdom is, there are truly enemies on all sides... enemies far more cold and and menacing than the Cartel.  Having to deal with them all on my own while looking out for Bountiful has... n-not been easy."

Floydien was silent.

"For all of my talk, I think the truth is fairly simple."  Arcanista shuddered.  "I need you, Floyd.  And if it's true that I need you more than you need me, well, who am I to try and change what must be?"  She hung her head.  With a shuffle of her skirts, she turned and trotted towards the heart of the manor.

"... ... ...Floydien is sorry."

She froze in mid-step.  Slowly, she turned around and gazed out onto the balcony.  "Hmmm?"

"Floydien made a huge mess mess of regal boomer's house," he muttered.  "Floydien simply wanted his shimmer glimmer back.  There was no need to get boomer's guards mixed up with stabby stabs."  He bit his lip, avoiding her gaze.  "Floydien m-may not remember what boomer wants him to, but Floydien does remember good manners."  He cleared his throat.  "It's what the boomers on board Nancy Jane have taught him, and Floydien cares for those boomers a lot."

Arcanista stepped out onto the balcony again.

Floydien sighed.  "Floydien doesn't know what to think beyond that."  He gulped.  "Just know that he... h-he's sorry for the wreck wreck."

Slowly, Arcanista smiled.  "These friends of yours.  They didn't own your ship."  She shook her head.  "They didn't pay you in silver or in gold.  And yet you took them on board your 'Nancy Jane' and helped them on their trip east, not knowing what sort of trouble you would get yourself in."  She leaned her head to the side.  "Why?"

"Hrmmmf... Floydien doesn't know any of that spit."

"Or perhaps, deep down, you truly did," Arcanista said.  "You knew that you would be returning home.  Or else... you didn't care, because you knew that you would be helping your fellow equines."

Floydien was silent.

"I know you don't sense it, but with each passing minute that I so much as gaze upon you, I see more and more of my dear brother Floyd."  She sniffled, eyes moist.  "A wrecked manor is a small price for having family again."

He stared down at the floor, his brow furrowed.

Suddenly, the Duchess brightened.  "Here... come..."  She tugged on his shoulder.  "I want to show you something."

"Hmmmff?"  Floydien blinked awkwardly.  "What?!  Why the tug-tug?!"

"You'll see..."





"Nnnngh..."  Floydien gritted his teeth, nervously glancing left and right.  "Fl-Floydien isn't sure about this."  He gulped with rattling antlers.  "Floydien's still feeling the sting of the stabby stabs..."

"You will not harm anyone," Arcanista said confidently.  She was dressed in a simple gown as she strolled down the road, passing under the arch of the old wall.  Accompanied by four reindeer guards, the siblings trotted into the outer circle of Bountiful.  "I do not believe for one second that you would even want to.  Besides... you're home."

"Mrmmmff... Floydien does not feel as though he is home."

"You keep telling yourself that."  Arcanista winked.  "In the meantime, allow the sights and smells to make you feel once again."

Almost as if on cue, Floydien's nostrils flared.  He sniffed the air, red eyes twitching.  "Is that... that...?"

Arcanista nodded with a smile.  "The finest baked bread in the whole kingdom."  She pointed at a building with a smoldering chimney across the way.  "The Dough Family.  They've been improving their recipe for the past five generations.  Our parents would give us samples with sweet jam for Blizzard's End."

"Blizzard's... End?"

"The most celebrated holiday in the year."  Arcanista giggled.  "Well, at least around these parts."  She pointed.  "And over there is Prim Flower's school. She's been teaching for over forty years.  Every semester, we pay a visit to bless the children and encourage them in their studies."

"We d-do?"

"Well, we used to..."

Just then, several gasps lit the air.  Ponies and deer stopped what they were doing, gazing at the pair with wide eyes.

"The Duchess!"

"And who is that with him?!"

"Could... could it be?"

"I-I don't believe my eyes!"

"Praise God!  It really is him!"

The reindeer guards closed in protectively as the villagers of Bountiful flocked over.  Equines and quadrupeds from all walks of life dropped whatever they were carrying and crowded together, their faces awash with joy and shock.  Dozens of voices mixed in the air while many bowed low in reverance.

"Uhhh... uhhh..."  Floydien grimaced, trotting backwards.  "Floydien d-doesn't know if he is ready for all this fluff stuff..."

Arcanista steadied him with a calm hoof.

He glanced over.

She smiled.  "It'll be okay."  She turned and spoke to the crowd.  "Ladies and gentlecolts, I know that you are beside yourselves with joy.  Please understand: so am I.  But you must give your long-lost Duke some space.  He's been through a great deal, and now that he's back he deserves the same kindess he's given to us throughout the years, wouldn't you agree?"

"Absolutely, Madme!"

"It is so wonderful to have you back, Duke!"

"We've prayed, my lord.  My whole family and I... all these years..."

"Bless you and your antlers, my lord."

"Yes... Floydien... erm... th-thanks you for the holy spit."  Floydien awkwardly blinked at Arcanista.

His sister giggled merrily.  She looked down to see a filly nuzzling her hoof.  She leaned down to rub her cheek against the child's, then lifted her up and hoofed her over to her smiling mother.  The pony gave both nobles a teary smile, then trotted over to stand with her gawking family.

"Floydien doesn't understand," the elk murmured aside to his sibling.  "Are we... b-better than the peasant boomers?"

"I've never thought about it like that," Arcanista said.  "We're not so much better as we are blessed with a power that the earth ponies and other creatures here do not possess."  She turned towards him, speaking quietly.  "While they can afford humble, quiet lives out here in the country, we cannot.  It is our duty to fight for them in the Council, and to spend our years protecting them with every fiber of our being."

"They praise us as gods," Floydien stammered.  "The silly boomers..."

"It's not about praise," Arcanista said.  "Don't you see?  We're family to them."  She placed a hoof on his shoulder.  "Both of us.  And that's what makes everything precious... especially the fact that you've returned."

Floydien said nothing.  He merely gazed into the crowd as they beamed back at him.





Rainbow Dash and Roarke sat side-by-side on a gold-thatched roof, almost directly above the crowd of ponies who had congregated around Floydien and Arcanista.

"He's not blowing anyone up," Roarke muttered.  "Just how long are we going to play 'sentry' over this town?"

"Call me paranoid," Rainbow said.  "I just figured he was going to flip his rocker again.  I-I mean, we Jurists knew all along that Floydien was never quite there.  I just never imagined he'd get tangled up with something like this."

"You never imagined he had a home?"

"Pffft... Well, when you put it like that."

"Your concern is well respected," Roarke droned.  "But we should give the Duchess some credit.  She knows how to deal with her brother."

"She didn't know how to deal with him this morning," Rainbow muttered.

"She's obviously breached the wall between them to some extent," Roarke said.  "You can pat yourself on the back for that."

"I'd rather you pat my back."

"Mmmm... indeed."

Rainbow giggled.

Roarke raised an eyebrow at her.  "What is it?"

"I-I just had a silly thought."  Rainbow smirked.  "Here's Floydien... arriving in some quaint little place and suddenly rocking their world."  She glanced aside at Roarke.  "And here we are sitting on our flanks, pissing the time away."

"Yes.  And?"

"I dunno—it just makes me wonder if this is what it felt like for the rests of the Jurists while I was visiting around Durandana."

"Believe me."  Roarke grunted.  "This is not what Durandana felt like at all."

"Well, of course not."  Rainbow stuck her tongue out.  "You jealous melon fudge, you."

"So you've just noticed that the wind is windy and that water is wet."

Rainbow giggled again.  "I dunno which you I like better.  The 'denial' Roarke or the 'open-heart' Roarke."

"Wouldn't you rather have both?"

"Heeee... yeah, sure."

Roarke gazed at her.  She slowly leaned in, stroking her cheek against Rainbow's neck.

Rainbow's wingfeathers twitched.  She smiled while absorbing the full brunt of Roarke's nuzzling.  "Wow, you're certainly touchy-feely lately."

"Hmmmm..." Roarke wrested her neck around Rainbow's.  "Do you dislike it?"

"Pfft!  Of course not."

"Then good."  Roarke held Rainbow closer.  "I would hate to have to beat you up about it."

Rainbow blinked.  "Roarke, is... e-everything okay?"

"Mmmhmmm..."

"Did... like... something happen back in Amulek?"

Roarke's thin blue eyes blinked.

"Something you w-wanted to tell me?"

Roarke gulped.  "Yes..."  She clenched her moist eyes shut and nuzzled Rainbow softly.  "I fell in love with somepony."

Rainbow rolled her eyes and nuzzled her back with a soft smile.  Her voice shook slightly, "At this rate, you're going to have to use your metals to fill your teeth 'cuz of all that that sweet sugar, girl."

"Whatever."  Roarke gulped.  "Just be here."

"B-but I am here, Roarke."

Roarke said nothing.

Rainbow blinked worriedly into the distance.  Fighting the sudden urge to shiver, she glanced down at the warm crowd instead, watching as ponies surrounded Floydien, blessing the elk's name.