//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Wisp 
// by Corsiva 
//------------------------------//


Hayseed Swamp; Unknown - Dusk


"I can carry him for a bit." The mare earth pony, through almost nerve wracking silence for many an hour, attempts to solicit anything but. Like once before, and with that many more having been ignored, she continues on. "My coat is dry and it might be better for the both of you?"

With yet another snub, she furrows her brow with lowered indirect stare. Without much needed distraction, her mind wanders like the eventual rise of eyes, onto that which lays slumped over towering shoulder. "Please don't let go." 

As if to answer her fears of fate still to be considered, tall and slender comes to gradual cease of long stride. Stepping forward and to the side, she does her best to look about against the faint residual light to the ever growing twinkle above. Finding nothing of note save for swamp muck and sparse rubble of stone, she looks up to speak before ushered into further silence by the shine of deep green iris. 

She cannot help but scream in fright, to the ever rising hollow pillar of dirt and stone threatening to swallow them whole. Of partial turnabout, she rears back and bumps her rear into tired leg, causing it to almost buckle even if she is not aware. Her breathing increases to the same rate of swallowing sky, dull twinkle given of greater focus through the lens of dwindling escape. "W-what's going on?!"

She rears back again, of this time nothing stopping her eventual backwards tumble onto what was once soft and wet, now painfully hardened. Whipping around in darkness, she finds no solace or comfort in company now thought lost. With nostrils given of rapid flare, her ears begin to pound to the heightened pressure along with her worry. "Hello?" of resounding echo, "Hello?!"

With not to subtle but familiar sounding mumble, does the mare freeze having not known just how close. Forced to focus on the only light, of darkened green hue, the loud stomp before her ears brings forth a scream once more along with shut eyes to sudden flash of light.

"This sucks, this sucks, this sucks." The mare uses the underside of bent foreleg to frantically rub up and down her face, "Foalnapped, dragged through the swamp, rescued by somepony who refuses to even talk, blind...!"

"...Mo...Mox..ie..?"

The mare, still partially blinded to the red haze of impacted bright light, gives fuller attention in ear. "Steadfast?!"

Through light step and grunt, does the rustle and more familiar voice forced into light moans of pain bring her trotting forward. In her haste, she once more barrels into that which remains softer than bedrock in body only, plopping back down on her haunches with the underside of both forelegs giving rub. "S-steadfast? L-listen we're okay, something came and drove them off. Your hurt so don't...!"

"...c-can't...see.." To which clops usher closer to just behind laid sideways head. "...c-can't..."

"Hey..hey you gotta hang in there okay? Listen we got some help and I think he knows what to do to." The mare, overburdened with guilt and ever constant ache of her own wounds, cannot help but let eyes glisten to the blue shimmer of selenite. "Don't let go, okay?"

"..is it...what we...were sent here for..?" Steadfast pivots one ear sideways. "Is it a...pony..or?"

"I don't know, Steadfast." The mare answers in an dry and exhausted tone, "...and I don't know what it is."

"...safe?" Steadfast, with weakening and exhausted voice of his own, asks of most important question.

She responds after some hesitation, "Safer."

"..okay..." Steadfast whispers out with exhaustion forcing him back into silence once more.

"Okay." She, in turn, states the very same with eyes downtrodden.

"The infection shall take him, twice the sunrise." Tall and lean, much to the eye widening surprise of almost frozen mare, make first raspy reply. As if rusty, he grunts with the closing of his mouth and slight twist of neck, finale of signature sigh with hand still resting on stallion.

With the ever slow slide of large eyelids, water pushes out and down southward tipped muzzle. "..hello to you too."

"Of even sooner, that which was forced to flee shall venture back many fold." Tall and lean remains focused on down and wounded stallion rather than ever sullen mare slowly slipping off makeshift bedding. "They would consider my actions shortsighted. But of careless mistake."

"..."

"Of such accusation, I would be forced to comply." Tall and lean continues once more to the slight narrow of newly directed eyes.

"So why did you save us!?" The mare forces through sorrow into misguided rage.

"To set free was of my own violation, E'quus." Does his own agitated gaze bare down on the mare's. "Do not mistake one for the other." 

Granting no return motion against the sudden rise of front hooves between himself and the bed ridden stallion, he continues his stern return stare onto most rigid of glares. With no verbal threat from mare or recourse from foreign tall and lean, they continue to attempt judgement of each others intent. With the movement of long limb, the mare tenses up with eyes quickly switching to and fro.

"Are we prisoners?" The mare keeps her eyes narrow with the light swish of her tail. 

"Only to your words, E'quus." Tall and lean makes passing remark with hand finding it's mark. Lifting up and over, that of imperfect swollen clay comes to rest upon the floor just before makeshift bedding. Using light twist, the lid grinds in rotation until wretched aroma almost forces him to twist it shut once more. Shaking his head with disgust, he sets the lid off to the side before sliding his fingers down inside.

Through the pivot of ears forward, the mare shifts her sight upon the clay jar. The slow crane of her neck forward serves as her mistake with the sudden rearing and wild head shaking. She lifts her forelegs in order to bury her nostrils in between with tightly shut eyes.

"What is that?!" She yells under the muffle of clenched forelegs. "Smells worse than an barrack full of new recruits on high protein diet!"

"The third sunrise." Tall and lean almost scoffs in tone to the theatrics displayed by both, but perhaps even more to the hobble backwards of the mare on her haunches against his gradual stretch of gunk just before her ever tightening forelegs. He ignores her slow but steady rise of muzzle and fall of hooves to the vapor of something just a little less vile, of purpose most valuable.

"You help us, and then you act like it was the last thing you wanted to do." The mare opts to only stare towards surprisingly gentle touch of gel like medicine to swollen stub. "You make me think I wouldn't have enough time to save him, and now you're giving him the chance."

His lack of reply forces her to almost gallop around the bed to the other side, to force face to face.

"You know we have somepony like that back home? He likes to mess with you and see how you react." Her eyes stern but not yet in glare, "But it's chocolate milk, pink manes, walking statues, and a bunch of silly crap." even to the change in tone. "My brother's life isn't silly crap."

"I fail to see the comparison, E'quus." 

"You shouldn't play games with somepony's feelings like that."

"You venture onto my home, bringing with you haste to that which has already run out of time. Imprisoned, you would take but my good will to your plight and cast it aside as if paltry." Tall and lean retracts his hand in order to bring it into clenched ball. "Further, you would threaten me with the Princesses of hubris and covetousness." Giving steady rise onto both of his feet. "And you dare accuse me of games?"

"I-I...listen I'm just trying to say t-that..." The mare stutters against the sudden display of controlled sharp edge as if held like an knife.

"Go to sleep, E'quus. I shall safeguard until I see you fit to be on your way." He finally turns to walk away, tone of firm grit. 

Hesitant to raise further fuss, given her circumstances, she watches as tall and lean slowly fades to past the reach of shimmering light. Frustrated, but of even greater confusion, she starts to trot in circle to the bedding that comforts her brother, muzzle hung low with brow shifting about to the process of her garbled thoughts. Of just a few rotations, her travels are cut short to the sudden eclipse of darkness to light, almost tripping in the process. 

"Hey!" She yells to no avail as neither footstep or voice gives any consideration.

With a few shakes, her freedom still denied, she begins to rustle and kick with instincts beginning to take hold. In her frantic frenzy, she topples over just as light begins to creep in from down and then all around, now reminded of the fruits of day to the sting up and down her spine. She no sooner rolls back onto her nestled below legs that the unnoticed dust causes her into sneezing frenzy, four fold.

Of unlady like behavior, almost wipes her wet nostrils onto the top of her foreleg before taking in what had caused yet but another inconvenience. Giving her right foreleg a stretch with her muzzle lifted high into the air, she pulls it closer and gives a hearty blow onto dirt and dust caked fabric. Looking about, of no where to be found, she resides herself to having to accept such mannerisms as her front legs starts to pound, drag, and fold the large fabric into something fit to lay upon. 

"...maybe the floor is cleaner?" She stares down at somewhat presentable top cover, most unclean hidden underneath. Of single sigh, she moves closer before setting down upon the bend of her forelegs, her rear still high in the air to the squint of eyes to mostly faded etched pattern now given notice. Letting her eyes drag along subtle edges of curious pattern, her ears pricked to distracting interest.

"The moon." She crooks her neck as her narrowed eyes traces even more. "Surrounded by stars?"










Dodge Junction; Just North - Midnight Approach





"Hey I'm not sure how I feel about this!" Rainbow Dash yells back over the deafening rush of wind over her ears.

"But you're doing such an wonderful job of it, my dear!" Rarity yells back from further back. "You too, Fluttershy!"

"Mmmmm!" Fluttershy, doing her best to keep up the balancing act of her side, keeps her nose pointed far into the wind.

"Ah don't wanna hear it Rainbow!" Applejack yells next, "Ah pull the wagon full of apples every durn morning into market!"

"Okay, first off that's made of wood!" Rainbow gives raspy retort, "Second, this isn't!"

"Hey I'm doing the best I can to lighten the load!" Twilight responds under subtle strain, her horn clasped in vibrant hue with the chariot in question the very same, but of lesser shade. "Besides, this is our responsibility and this is the fastest way there!"

"So, uh, what exactly do we intend to do once we get there, sugarcube?" Applejack poises her question. "Ah mean, the Sergeant has an head start and since you said not to tell the other princesses we have nothing really to go on."

"While I'm in full agreement to righting our wrongs, I'm afraid Applejack does have a point, my dear." Rarity, somehow oblivious to the light glare sent her way under stetson cover, pushes the notion further along. "We lack even a map to find our way, and past nightfall?"

"Ain't no map like there ain't none for the Everfree. Sides, what good's some map gonna do us if we're looking for ponies?" Applejack points her hoof towards Rarity, readying yet another volley of words before her attention is pulled to just behind instead. "Hey, Pinkie!"

To the silent reply, does stetson orange move but a few feet forward. "You're awfully quiet there, Pinkie."

"Hey isn't that those two stallions who almost won your farm?" Pinkie tilts her head before her hoof raises up to wave.

"Pthu!" Applejack hides nothing with her forelegs bent over the railing, tail swishing back and forth to the squabble of offended diamonds just behind. "Hah! Got one!" The turning of her head ends with slight tilting, "Sugarcube, ah don't think he's waving atcha no more."

"Applejack!" Rarity almost shrieks, "That was absolutely, positively, disgusting!"

"Don't hurt me none." She gives no effort in reply, "Serves em right for all they've gone and done. Some things ya can't easily forgive."

With apples and diamonds giving onto each other squabbling discourse, Princess Twilight can do little more than sigh to yet another of what has become many fold. Pushing back for another time, she opts instead to push even more magic into that which already shows strain.

"Rainbow! Fluttershy!" Twilight yells forward, "I'm going to try and speed this up a bit okay! Just close your eyes and keep doing..." Her stare turning half sour to the cyan half lidded one given in return. "Okay Rainbow, just close your eyes and keep doing what you're doing!"

With Rainbow's concentration returned forward, Twilight's own begins to encompassing not just of the same but all around. With her horn set almost ablaze, the entire chariot becomes shrouded in translucent pink, flickering almost violently before teleporting them far forward.

"Okay! You can open your eyes now!" Twilight yells once more as what was once summer breeze turns into shivering chill. Careful not to lose herself and that of chariot filled friends, she does take notice of slight worry on those just inside. "We'll be okay."

"It's.. so dark." Rarity is the first gives sound to her thoughts, "And cold." to which her light shivering brings quick sympathy. 

"Ah reckon it is a bit chilly here." Applejack returns to her foreleg overhang perch. "And spooky."

"Um, Twilight?" Pinkie raises her voice while looking over opposite railing.

"Yes?" 

"I see big fireflies." She looks back with an worried expression, "Really really BIG fireflies." Pinkie's words start to bring all but that which cannot less control is lost to shifting weight of carriage, just as the sudden pull downwards from front left sends them all rolling with. 

"What are you doing?!" Rainbow screams to the heavier pegasus taking hold of her reins and dragging down. "Stop!"

"Shut off your magic!" Sergeant Clover commands, "They cannot see where we land!"

"What do you mean by...!" Twilight, now on rear decline to front, takes in that which widens her eyes. Of immediate response, of both horn and lightly glowing chariot, does the hesitant but ever increasing free fall begin. "They can't take all the weight!"

"Why aren't you in proper barding?!" Sergeant Clover once more chastises, "It's imbued to prevent this sort of thing!"

"Twilight!" Rarity nearly screams, "We're falling!" almost in hysteria from explosive impact to her side of chariot.

"Dive you idiots! Dive!" His stern commands brings even gentle butterscotch into rapid descent worthy of any royal escort. He flies up and over, slamming his hooves onto the back of the chariot in order to do his best to grapple proper leverage, rapidly flapping his wings.

"I can't see a damn thing!" Rainbow grudges out, "Where the hay are we going to land this thing?!"

"J-just...ahead...w-water!" Sergeant Clover struggles to even speak against all his effort to keep the chariot level in descent to the forward pegasi own, almost growling as the decline starts to flatten out. "N-no more...cup..cakes for any..of you!"

"Girls!" Twilight yells as out as she can to grab all of their attention. "Rainbow make sure you and Fluttershy cut loose once over the water! The rest of you I want you to grab onto me and I will teleport us off before we hit!" Giving stern to incoming worry, "Got it?!"

"Got it!/Yep!/Okay!"

"I think I see the water!" Rainbow calls out to oncoming shimmer.

"Okay everypony!" Twilight calls out to the sudden envelope of less than joyous embrace, "Get ready!"

As greater chill hits her muzzle, Rainbow veers to her right, grabbing onto that which binds Fluttershy to harsh fate to release before doing so of her own. With giving light bump, she sends the butterscotch pegasus veering off to further safety with herself flying shotgun, matching velocity and veer perfectly. She hears the pop before the crash, of which still serves to cause her eyes to squeeze shut for but a moment.

With both pegasus giving sharp turnabout, they can only cringe to the powerful flickering of magic given cushion to impact of murky water. With worry and fear they swoop forward, like birds of prey, to the water's disturbance. They are given even further surprise to the sudden and harder impact mere seconds later, of much less ripple as it too disappears under the surface. 

"Oh no Oh no!" Fluttershy murmurs to the shedding of tears as they near the point of impact, diving in unison to cyan beside her onto even greater darkness. Flailing her hooves out and about, she finds jarring impact to which she lunges forward and pulls up along with her.

"I...ack..Is everypony okay?!" Twilight calls out once to the surface, taking with her haste that of nasty taste. She swivels about, making to give each and every pair of eyes that she knows so well direct contact. "Where's Applejack?!" Causing magenta to sink once more.

"S-she tried to...oomph! ...grab hold of her hat!" Rarity forces out the words to her gagging, "She went back down before she could!"

The sudden splash between them all almost brings an end to several already rapid heartbeat, but such is forgone to the rise in joy to the cyan and orange, both coughing and hacking while suddenly embraced. 

"We gotta get out of the water!" Rainbow screams with urgency, and less than subtle fear. "Twilight, teleport us to the shoreline!"

"W-wait!" Applejack's waterlogged voice too low to grab attention.

"O-okay!" Twilight, unsure of what has brought fear to her cyan best friend, takes actions over contemplation with the embrace of six once more to the light pop and clop of hooves on harder ground. She finally looks about, and then above. "Where's Sergeant Clover?"

"Something pulled me under! Applejack catches her breath, "Ah saw him hit it and go down farther along with it!" She begins to gallop back into the water before almost falling to deep gash hidden behind adrenaline and darkness. "Ah...dang nabbit!"

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy flutters closer in order to inspect, "Y-you're bleeding!" with eyes glued to her left rear pastern, even if her ears pivot towards the sound of impact of water, yet again. "Ah! The kit was left on the chariot!"

"Rarity, go help Fluttershy with Applejack. Pinkie, we need to help...Pinkie?" Twilight whirls about only to find no sign of pink or cyan. With worry growing even more having only seen cyan dive back in, her ears pivot towards the water to that of eroding splashing. "Pinkie?!"

"A-applejack, you need to lay on your side okay? Applejack, now you need to listen to...!" Fluttershy, having tried to block that of stubborn orange no longer of proper stetson, finds even wounded three hooves are more than enough to lose to. "We've got to stop the bleeding."

"Ah'm alright, gosh darnit." Applejack refutes, "We gotta help the Sergeant and then ah'm getting mah pa's hat back!"

"Applejack, now see here!" Rarity comes shoulder to shoulder Fluttershy, "Rainbow and Pinkie are already back in that dirty water, of which you need not a drop more. And I assure you we will look for your family memento no sooner than everypony is safe and sound."

"Fishy!" Does the high pitched voice of party extraordinaire ring across the water. "Bad Fishy!" 

"Pinkie?!" comes all four on shore in unified concern.

"I got the med kit!" Pinkie yells out while in desperate paddle to shore, rising blackness growing in her wake. "I think it's hungry!"

"Pinkie, hold on!" Twilight begins to flare up her horn, undeterred to future consequence against the emergency in the now. Just as she envelopes Pinkie in further pink hue, rising darkness seems to be shot out of the water and to the side, adding only to further confusion.

"Guppy!" Pinkie twists about, kit in one hoof, other outstretched to that of disappearing black figure to the view of two smaller ones.

"Rainbow! Sergeant Clover!" Twilight calls out in smile to the relief in sight. "Hurry and get to shore before it comes back!"

With all that be drenched in the chill of swampy night now safely ashore, they all attempt to recover their bearings to mixed avail. Fluttershy and Rarity continue to try and docile the highly agitated farmer pony, verbally thrashing to lost father's hat, while Pinkie stares out from shore to that of lost new friend. Rainbow Dash and Twilight, however, appear trapped to the silent considerations of even stare Clover.

"You came alone?" Sergeant Clover asks in flat tone.

"Yeah we did." Rainbow answers before Twilight gets a more understanding set of words in, "We're not helpless you know."

"I have to agree, Miss Rainbow Dash." Sergeant Clover responds of mixed tone to words voiced. "You all are of a great many things."

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow grits her own voice a bit, "You know we came here to help you, you big jerk."

"And now hundreds of marauding creatures are headed this way to help as well." Sergeant Clover responds with rising anger. "Furthermore, an Element of Harmony has been poisoned and needs immediate medical attention where none is to be had."

Rainbow begins to respond with ire of her own, before taking but a moment to consider. Her eyes still narrow, she swivels about to look upon each of her friends until eyes are forced downward, to that of on her side Applejack. "AJ!"

"No matter what I may feel right now, I must insist upon the safety of all of you." The Sergeant pushes aside what he yearns to say until later, "Dodge Junction has a readily supply of treatments for this particular venom. But you need to go and you need to go now."

"But they're see us if we take to the air." Twilight gives worried reply, "And I don't think I can teleport all of us like that again after doing it twice already, chariot and all. It's too far." with ears going flat. "And we just came from there. We're cut off less we head north."

"C-can you tell me more about the venom, Mister Sergeant?" Fluttershy ventures from wounded Applejack towards light brown pegasus stallion, having long since given back his natural cover from that of magically altered under barding. "M-maybe I can make it out here."

"So what's gonna happen to her, huh?!" Rainbow, of inner frustration, haphazardly unleashes upon the only one not her friend. She glares in preparation for whatever my come, but almost loses her vigor to the lack thereof along with grim returned expression. "W-well?"

"Her life or her hoof." Sergeant Clover responds with unheard of softer tone. "But for one such as her, it's the same thing." Opting to move just to the side of butterscotch tinted ear, "Cytotoxins." Of whispered words now dissipate, so does the hope of quick remedy.

"Ah ain't losing nothing ya hear?!" Applejack, much to the frightened and worried expression of Rarity, whom also fears for her own with attempting to hold down and out apple farmer from further self injury. "Just tell how long ah got... before ah'm in real trouble."

"About a day and a half until it's decided for you, Miss Applejack." 

"Well okay then!" Applejack, under the underpowered force of light blue hue, begins to move back to her hooves.

"Maybe just half if you continue to walk on it."

"Well okay then..." Applejack, under the overpowered force of inner fear, begins to lay back down upon her side just as pink glow slowly overtakes light blue both in area and vibrant display. "Ah, thanks darling. But aren't ya too dang tired to be lobbing be around?"

"Physically, no." Twilight begins to explain, "I've been controlling everything from the chariot to the pull stress on the harnesses. I'm mentally exhausted and while group teleportation requires perfect multitasking, I think I can make due with basic levitation." 

"Egg head brain dead?" Pinkie tilts her head with soft smile, of jest not entirely for her own benefit with the light chuckles given about.  

Twilight is about to refute in similar jest, until the cold chill hits her side once more as Sergeant Clover trots by. Instantly robbed, along with any and all who feels the same cold air in the wake of stern stallion, she hesitates to speak even when he stops facing away from them all.

"While I am familiar with your talents along with having read of your stargazing hobbies, I shall still inform of the best route north." He states with his normal professional tone. "Some ways directly ahead you shall come to yet another small lake. You must avoid it at all costs. Once in sight, keep clear and go about into the west and continue as such until you reach the clearing, of south Dodge Junction."

"But what about you? And what do you know about all of those creatures?" Twilight asks with caution. 

"Best that I can tell, an unknown breed of Diamond Dogs and some form of reptilian bipedal." He states to the lowering of once pointed hoof, "Along with what I can only describe as moderately sized dragon like creatures of lesser progress."

"D-dragons?" Fluttershy backs away slowly. 

"These mold their wings and front limbs as one, and seem entirely bipedal if but for their heavy slouch forward." He finally turns around. "I came here for answers and I found them. Now I'm gathering for what may be the start of an invasion of unknown forces. I cannot leave."

Of greater patience, and awkward stare, he watches as all before him shift their eyes on and about. "Damn it..."

"So... it's just you here?" Rainbow fails at intended feign ignorance.

"They're dead, Miss Rainbow." He grumbles to the shock and sadness that he himself is refused time for. "But they may not be the only ones if you keep dawdling! You're only hope of not being the beacon that leads them is by being far enough ahead of them."

"So you came down here for revenge, huh." Rainbow denies attention to any light gasp near her. "Well that's what I would'a done."

"You speak too casually of something not yet allowed to bleed, Miss Rainbow." Nearly gritting his teeth in the process.

"Well maybe I just don't think it's good to see somepony go out like you're gonna end up doing." Rainbow steps forward but a few, "I mean the Princesses said they sent an entire regiment to mount an rescue right? So what's going to happen when they all run into those things?"

"An entire regiment?" He turns to face Twilight, "You did? But you said you came alone."

"No, I didn't. And yes, we did." Steeling herself to the less than subtle letdown growing upon Sergeant Clover's face. "Princess Luna came to inform of the dispatch of guards to the Hayseed Swamp, and also took with her former Captain Virtuous."

"Former?"

"We fired his pompous flank." Rainbow, aloof to the continued interruption of others unable to get an word in, finds her muzzle slowly wrapped in light blue hue much to her frantic surprise and struggle. "Mmmph!"

"What Rainbow means to say is that we relieved that ruffian of my splendidly designed barding for dreadfully misrepresenting all that we stand for." Rarity finally gets to speak, "But we understand words may never be enough, Sir Clover. That is precisely why we're here."

"We never meant for anypony to be abandoned." Fluttershy hunkers down just a bit while looking to the sky. "It's just that we thought if something bad had happened he would have just stayed and helped while sending word for us to...wait..d-d-d-ragon!"

"Everypony get behind the rocks!" The Sergeant forces a low toned command before he rushes over and under, "Drop her on top of me, hurry now..alright, get moving!" to which his angered confusion focuses on zipping cyan headed back across the water instead.

"Rainbow...!" Fluttershy  cries out before being grabbed by Rarity's magic and pulled alongside with to just behind small rocky formation.

"What in tarnation is that girl.." Applejack's worry pushing down rising anxiety like wet stetson on blonde mane, "...doing? Mah hat!" 

"Shhhhh!" Pinkie hisses out with all hunkering down and behind to the sudden vibration almost directly on opposite side, to which enough room is given for but Princess Twilight Sparkle to look under proper cover, pink forearms holding back disgruntled cyan gruff.









Canterlot; Throne Room - Just after Midnight




"Preposterous!" Princess Luna thinks aloud, of echoes throughout heard only by personal Lunar Guard, parchment held of magical hue with her eyes shifting to and fro, over and over again. "He makes them out to be nothing more than arrogant tyrants!"

"Honest Applejack would never use her status to gouge the bits of her family's apples." Shifting out several parchments to align side by side, "Or gracious Rarity to threaten punishment against those whom her barding design is not granted it's rightful beauty."

"And here!" Her foreleg lifts and moves to tap her hoof onto the paper's edge, "To insinuate that Princess Twilight Sparkle couldn't care less about the well being of her fellow ponies, or that she would give snide remark to proper discourse of Royal Guard. Or towards her...!"

"...former..." Her words hang to the forward crane of her neck on right most parchment. "...my sister is not disproportionate!"

"Nicest way to be called fat, I am sure." Comes the soft but tired voice of yawning Princess Celestia. "Are those the official statements?"

"Official rants of an scorned stallion, I'd rather call them." Princess Luna leans farther right, "From Virtuous, nonetheless."

"You shouldn't torture yourself, Luna." Princess Celestia states in understanding tone, "Each of them are loved throughout the land for merits that cannot be so easily undone, regardless of truth or lies."

"How can I not worry?" Luna responds with more emotion in her voice, "This is how it starts!"

"And it is through us that we can guide so that never again there need be such an ending." Celestia returns with a bit of her own. "Both of us, Luna, not just through myself. They all love you and to suddenly become so distant as to not even explain..."

"That there shall be inquiry into their possible misconduct?" Luna almost snaps back. "Or that even after a thousand years, even I myself still must struggle day and night to the never ending questions of answers I still fear to give? I am the last pony they need at their side in this."

Celestia slightly opens her mouth, but closes it just the same to just listen.

"Of mere fortnight, I had made it priority to visit one of Canterlot's schools for our youngest. Of so many questions, with so many answers, it was but from one little colt who rushed up and gave me but the tightest hug upon my foreleg that one so small could." Her pause covered by  with fluttering sigh, "When I asked if everything was alright, he said it was so that I wouldn't be..." with yet one more. "..sent away again."

"So there I was, sent back a thousand years by the hug of one so small. I had to use my wings to embrace in return just to hide my eyes!" Luna shakes loose that which she barely wrestles back from casting even more, "And all I felt was humbled guilt."

"Guilt." Celestia moves forward with slow but steady clops, "Is not what a bad pony would ever feel. Of neither you, nor I, can such revelations ever be made more clear." until reaching but the first of several short steps. "Even if we ourselves cannot take solace."

"Yet guilt by association is not one to be so easily ignored. Such is the way of wandering mind even today." Luna quickly deflects into new direction, "Which is precisely why it would be best for you to stand beside them during this turbulent time, and not I."

"I cannot do them justice." Celestia confesses, "I am but infallible purity given form like that of the sun above. Surrogate mother to both young and old, of innocence and sin, and to whatever my hoof may touch shall be deemed absolute, absolutely." with long wave of hoof.

"You sounded absolutely thrilled of each word ushered, dear sister." Luna's low and flat tone rides second to her mundane stare.

"Oh, I do hate it." Celestia once more confesses with arched brow from widened eyes. "Were I to befriend any pony they would be placed so high on an pedestal that not even I could keep sight. As were If I to smile down upon either party of what but for a short time acted as one, the other would immediately be cast aside as guilty, even if through intention or ignorance both share blame."

"Are we not saying the same thing, sister?" Luna begins to lose some of her patience, "Again?"

"I would like to think not?" Celestia eases down her left brow, "Less of course you insist on abandoning me to raise just over an million of our little ponies alone." Of surefire jest, not entirely hitting the intended mark.

"Did you just call me a stallion?" Luna narrows her eyes into intense glare.

"No, but..." Celestia's muzzle etches into hearty smirk, "If I had, you'd have to be the prettiest stallion I've ever seen."

Luna intensifies her glare before erupting in snorts, her foreleg raised to try and quell that which lays just behind.

"I'll have to talk to discord about next Draconequus day perhaps..." Celestia rubs the underside of her muzzle.

"Don't you dare!"

"Mmm?" Celestia feigns ignorance, "Oh I wouldn't worry Luna. It's me for hoof sake." 

"I know."

"Luna." Celestia adopts a more humbled tone, rarely heard and enough to realign them both once more. 

"We are but equals, in almost all things save for perspective. Of that, I am not afraid to admit, I would look onto you for personal insight." Celestia continues forth, "I lack the experience of the heart, of which is most needed by ones too young to understand the cost."

"What of night court?" Luna gives one last attempt to diversion, betrayed by the ear twitching chirp from distant corner. With the slow closing of her eyes, and deep inhale and forthcoming sigh, "And what if some of the allegations have merit?"

"Then look forward to your friendship reports!" Celestia gently smiles, to ever increasing groan.