An Extended Holiday

by Commander_Pensword


48 - One Thousand Years Later

Extended Holiday
Ch 48: One Thousand Years Later
Act 5


As the moon rose over the fortress bathing all in its radiant light, Pensword stood keeping watch from one of the towers in the inner sanctums. He gazed upon the forest and sighed. So much had changed. Trees were not in the right place. Much of the undergrowth had been cleared and replaced with cruder walls that had sprung up to provide extra protection. Out on one side of the valley he could make out the scar where many elder trees had been felled, most likely to provide warmth and comfort in the chill of the mountain winters. Still, the Thestrals maintained their love of life, taking only the old growth and dead wood while leaving the newer trees time to grow for later use and harvest. If any fires were to start here, it would be a simple matter to extinguish.

He swiveled an ear behind him towards the walls and smiled at the sound of shovel striking earth. Unicorns liked to build tall things, Pegasi built clouds and the like in the sky. And Earth Ponies built more like Earth: solid, firm, and long lasting. Thestrals, Thestrals it seemed, loved to tunnel and build underground. Caves were their monuments, and their escape. Having seen the extensive tunnels in an earlier tour, he could not help but recall the ancient temples in the Middle East from back on Earth, built into the very mountains themselves. He paused as he heard hoofsteps echoing behind him.

“Um … Commander Pensword, sir? … Permission to speak?” The voice was young. The pony couldn’t be very far past its foalhood.

“Permission granted,” Pensword replied, smirking as he continued to look down on the world below. He liked the gumption the child had. He sought him out, and most likely did not give up at the first sign of failure. Certainly he could spare a few moments to hear what the boy wanted to say.

“My name is Nightwing, sir. I’m from the caves. And, well … I couldn’t help but ask ... How did you get moonkissed?” Turning around, Pensword could see the young foal in the moon light. His fur was a deep blue, his mane blacker than the night itself. A black mask with a pegasus wing on one side and a Thestral wing on the other served as his cutie mark.

“That, I cannot say,” Pensword replied. “Not because I cannot, nor want to tell you, but because for as long as I can remember, I have been so. My parents told me when they found and adopted me into their family, and the Dream Clan, that I was already moonkissed.” He smiled and bent down to the young colt’s  level. “Be not pinning for things you cannot have. I have done that in the past. I still do in some matters, but it is no use crying over lost moonlight. Look for your own path. Seek your own destiny. Faust has a plan for you, just as she did for me. It will take time to find it, and effort to stay on it, but know that when you do, you will be singing to the Moon with all your heart and weeping tears of joy.”

“... I do wish I was moonkissed. I’ll admit it. Before we had to hide, my family always had at least one every generation. I just don’t get why it suddenly stopped. Did we fall out of favor with the moon? Have we done something wrong?”

Pensword paused. “Did you come from the Caves? From the Meeting grounds?” He had an idea, but he would need to find some information first. ‘Great,’ he thought to himself he was thinking like Twilight. Actually ... no. He paused in his thinking as he realized something. He thought like this before he even met Twilight. He hid the shock, but he had to acknowledge the facts. His human memories had faded into the background. He didn’t know whether to like this, or be afraid of it. Either way, this would take some getting used to.

“Yes,” the child replied. “This is the first time I’ve been able to really enjoy the night sky. We’re all excited about it.” Nightwing said, smiling sheepishly.

“Well, maybe enjoy the moonlight then. Go out and fly and have a good time. This is a time for celebration, a time for joy and wonderment.” Pensword said as he looked back out from the old landing tower.

The young one perked up. “Thanks. Um … would you like to fly with us? That is … if you’re not too busy,” Nightwing asked, scuffing a hoof on the stone sheepishly.

“Why not? I have a night free to myself. However, you might have to allow an extra flyer to come with if she shows up. I can never say no to my mate flying with me.” He replied with a small chuckle.

The child’s eyes lit up like a shooting star in the night sky. “Really?”

“Really really.” Pensword replied with a chuckle. “So, where do you want to fly to first?” He asked as he laid a wing over the colt’s shoulders.


Twilight Sparkle moved to her door wondering who would be knocking at this time of day. She was almost finished with ‘105 ways to cook with alchemy, volume 4.’

“Who is it?” she called as she opened the door.

“You ask and open without giving me a second to answer,” Hammer Strike replied with an unamused look.

“Uh… sorry?” Twilight asked, confused.

“So, a thought occurred to me which was along the lines of the fact that you have no idea how lucky you got off last time you messed with Thaumaturgy,” he started, shoving his way through the door and into the main sitting room of the library. “As such, I have decided I’m going to show you just how lucky you were.”

“O-okay.” Twilight’s ears lowered a bit as she recalled the incident. “I’m really sorry about that. I was just curious.”

“I hadn’t put what would happen with failure. And with that lacking, it’s obvious that curiosity would take over. So, in order to show you why I wrote the warning, I am doing two things. First, I am writing the best case scenario in case something goes wrong in the book. And second, I’m going to actually show you what happens.”

“Should I take notes?” Twilight asked with an equal mix of curiosity and anxiety.

Hammer Strike shrugged. “If you want. But I’m positive you will remember it,” He said before clapping his hooves together and rubbing them. “So, we will need a wooden box, or chest that you no longer need, a good amount of room away from wandering eyes, like a basement, and…” He paused as he turned the gem on his bracelet, reverting to his human counterpart. “I need to be like this.”

“Okay.” Twilight nodded. “Give me a minute.” She left the room for a few moments before returning with a non-distinct small chest. “Will this do?”

“Perfect. Now, if you know how to enchant objects to be more resilient, I would suggest doing that.”

Twilight’s horn glowed brightly as her magic wrapped around the box before vanishing.

“Good. Now I just need to steal the flame from one of your candles...” He said looking towards the nearest one.

“You're going to take a flame from a candle?” Twilight asked.

“Well, this-” He said, snapping his fingers to create a small flame on his finger. “Is cheating.” He finished, extinguishing the flame.

Twilight’s jaw dropped.

Continuing on his current task, Shawn walked over to one of the candles in the Library and placed his hand next to the fire. “Step one.” He said, closing his hand over the flame. “Breaking down and condensing.” He moved his hand towards Twilight as he opened his palm to reveal a small orange crystal.

“It seems stable,” Twilight noted.

“I’ve practiced a few times.” He replied. “Now, the box, and I guess a trip into the basement away from anything… not easily replaceable. Just in case.”

Twilight opened the box for him as Shawn placed the crystal inside. Afterwards he closed it and grabbed ahold of it, severing the levitation spell Twilight had been using. “Mixing magic is something I want to avoid for the moment,” he explained.

Twilight nodded sheepishly before she led him down the stairs to her basement laboratory.

“What in the world is that thing?” Shawn said, looking at the giant piece of technology that looked like it belonged in the Batcave for the Batman show in the early sixties.

That, is my computer.” Twilight smiled with pride. “It’s state of the art. I only have access to it because I’m Celestia’s student.”

“State of the art…” He said, looking around the thing for a moment. “Uh…”

“It has a whole ten megabytes of computing power,” she said proudly.

Shawn gave a brief snicker, before shaking his head. “Alright, let’s continue,” He said, finding a nice open space away from most of the objects in the room. “Now, we step to the back of the room,” he said, leading Twilight to what he deemed a safe distance. “Anything to say before I start?”

“No. We should be safe down here,” she said

Shawn snickered again. “We’re only safe because I made the smallest crystal I could.” He pointed towards the box. “Now say goodbye to everything on that side of the room.”

“What?” was all Twilight could get out before Shawn snapped his fingers. The box burst into luminescence to match the sun for all of a couple seconds before dimming back down to nothing.

“Kidding, of course,” he commented, chuckling at Twilight’s reaction. “Done.” The box was still on the other side of the room. Nothing seemed damaged or out of place. All in all, everything looked the same. Twilight approached the box cautiously.

“...What happened?” she asked.

“Go ahead and open the box,” He said in response.

Twilight carefully opened the box with her magic. The interior was burned and blackened. What once had been smooth finished wood now stood rough, charred, and uneven against her hoof. Several chunks broke off into fragments while other segments had been completely burned away, leaving only a thin layer of wood between it and the edge of the box. Yet despite the damage, there was no sign of ash. No residue. Nothing remained on the inside.

“But, but, that’s impossible,” Twilight sputtered. “Even magic can’t totally destroy something,” she said, checking the box once more.

“That’s because it’s not destroyed. It’s all around us,” Shawn replied as he raised his hand towards his head. “And the fun part,” He sighed as he placed his hand on the side of his head, igniting it in blue fire as his eyes began to glow. “It’s all around us.” He said, repeating himself once again while looking around. “The aspects that made up the box are floating around the room, each separated from its solid mass.”

“So then, if this hit a living pony…” Twilight started, stopping to gape as the realization hit her.

“Life, broken down into strands of energy, strands of aspects, scattered in the wind around us,” Shawn finished as he removed his hand from his head. His eyes ceased glowing as he looked around again. “Invisible to the eyes.”

“You’re bleeding,” Twilight said, motioning towards her nose with a hoof.

Shawn placed his hand under his nose for a second and pulled it back to show glistening blood. “And that, is why you try to limit the use of seeing thaumic energies by pouring some into the eyes.” He shook his head lightly. “I’ll be fine. But now you know why I put that warning there in the first place.” He looked at her. “Now do you know why I was upset that you even tried?”

“But how did you control it then?” Twilight asked.

“Honestly, by studying every piece of information in the book, running through worst case scenarios mentally, and trying to understand how to avoid them. But most of that information, oddly enough, comes from later chapters in the book.” He shrugged. “However, since you now know why I told you to not try anything without me being here...”

“What about another aspect? Not every element is as destructive as fire, right?” Twilight asked, stampeding over Shawn’s statement. Fortunately for her, he didn’t mind.

“Oh no, definitely not. They get to be worse the more compounded the aspects are. Fire is a base aspect. There are six base aspects,” He replied, pulling out a book from his coat. “I have them written down here,” He said holding the book towards her.

Twilight grabbed it in her telekinetic grasp and opened to the front page. Suddenly, 105 ways to cook with alchemy didn’t seem like such a necessary skill to have. “We will get to experiment with this, right?” she asked.

“As long as I am here to ensure the conflicting fields of magic don’t clash horribly.”

“When will we be able to start?”

“Unless you make trips to New Unity, not for awhile, sadly. There’s still plenty of work to do, rebuilding a city and whatnot,” he replied as he started to trot up the stairs. “I’ll be heading out now,” He said, turning the gem to revert back to Hammer Strike.

Twilight scanned the table of contents carefully as she followed him. “There are chapters missing,” she noted.

“Exactly. And it should stay that way,” he replied as he stopped at the front door.

“But the book’s incomplete.”

“I still have chapters to translate, but those ones are going to stay untranslated.”

Twilight gaped at him, her expression a mixture of horror and confusion.

“Some things are going to stay unwritten, not because they are dangerous,” he started. “But because they are fatal.”

Twilight shuddered, then nodded sadly as Hammer Strike walked out of the door, closing it behind him.


Thalia marched next to the new warrior as the two made their way towards the heart of the garden. At intermittent intervals, Big Guns had asked her to wait while he broke away from the path, as if he had suddenly remembered something vitally important. When he came back he was wearing a new piece of equipment and looking more confident with every step. His most recent acquisitions, a large black sword, a giant stone hammer, and an archaic war axe glinted in the light as they hung in their places, complimenting the red pauldrons and harness complete with knife set he had already found previously. The sword and hammer  were strapped to his massive back while the third remained attached to his waist in a side holster.

“And just how did you know these things were there again?”

“I don’t know. Big Guns just … knew. Like they were part of me.” The large creature had been struggling with his speech, trying to sound a little more like he remembered his old self being, rather than his new self. However, it seemed he was getting a little more comfortable finding a middle ground for both. Thalia looked over the weapons with a trained eye and wondered who they may have belonged to before Big Guns had taken them.

The black sword gleamed like glass, but when tested, withstood blows harder than diamond. Just what substance had gone into its creation? She wondered if it might not be the result of some form of alchemy that had taken place here. The hilt of the blade was made from bronze polished to glow as red as fire, intricately crafted and accented by a silver snake curving and slithering along its length as it perched on the crossguard. Some of the coils lowered themselves down to the pommel, wrapping around it to form the mount while others wrapped around the two great onyx stones that were mounted in place beneath the guard on either side of the blade. Two serpent heads formed the edges of the cross guard near the hilt, their tiny ruby eyes gleaming as they gazed out into the world. At times, she could almost swear the snakes were moving while the sword rested in its sheath, but that would be impossible. She shook her head as her gaze wandered to the other two acquisitions.

The war axe was beautifully crafted, made from pure silver. When it caught the light, little veins of purer material shone brightly, pulsing like a living work of art. Could this be the legendary mythril she had heard so much about? The way it sparkled, it was almost as if flecks of diamond had been used in its forging. The massive shaft of the handle shone brightly polished in the afternoon light. After a multitude of tests, Thalia had come to the conclusion it could only be the mighty black wood of Zebrica, one of the densest trees in all Equis. Commonly called Zebra Wood due to how the creatures guarded them zealously for their resiliency, beauty, and sacred spiritual nature. Most of the time, this wood would be used to craft totems and a variety of other mystical items for shamans, witch doctors, and tribal leaders to use in their professions as well as for the natural healing properties in their leaves. A large spike jutted up from the center, tipped with a light but powerful metal. In testing the weapon earlier, Big Guns had been able to bore a hole in a nearby boulder in mere moments. She shuddered to think what it could do to a creature’s armor.

Lastly, the battle hammer stood in all its glory. The great weapon had been expertly chiseled from a type of rock she could not identify. The stone was relatively dark, but not to an extreme. It rather reminded her of the whetstones they had used to predict the weather while travelling through the everfree. The stone was cool to the touch and interwoven with a spiralling scroll of metal branching out from its base. The metal gleamed in the sunlight and seemed to take on a variety of colors depending on how the light touched it. A great polished opal lay affixed to the bottom of the axe, mounted in a metal fixture from which the tendrils she had noticed earlier sprang and wove up the shaft like roots.

When Big Guns held it, the metal shone silver mixed with cool blue. While when Thalia had been given it, a mixture of yellow, orange, and blood red blazed up and down the shaft. She did not dare attempt to lift such a weapon. Still, the wood was unknown to her. Once again, quite resilient. Her claw would not leave so much as a scratch. Only a couple of fine flakes from the varnish fell into her open hand. The shaft was a deep reddish brown when normally held. But when Big Guns entered a battle stance, the wood seemed to darken and the mark she had left disappeared. It was almost as if this weapon were alive. And if such were the case, Big Guns would need to be wary of it. Enchanted weapons were dangerous enough, but living weapons could easily take control of their users just as much as the user would take control of them. Or worse yet, abandon their owner and refuse to be used in time of need.

“Don’t worry, Lit-errr Thaila.” Big Guns said, chuckling nervously at his mistake. “Big Guns will be fine. They like me.” He said, motioning to the weapons with a nod of the head.

“Just … be careful, alright Big Guns? … I don’t want to have to fight you again.”

“We won’t. Big Guns likes you. He … I  won’t fight you unless Big Guns has to.” He groaned. “Sorry. Speaking normal is harder than it looks.”

Thalia chuckled, then broke out into a full throated laugh. “Don’t worry about it, Big Guns.” She said, patting him on the back as she stood on her hind legs. “It sure has been a long trip these last few days though, hasn’t it?”

“Lots of ground to cover. And I had to get you back to the path.” His face fell. “I can’t believe Big Guns fell for something like that. Magic always has a price.” His head dropped and his shoulders slumped as he heaved a heavy sigh.

“But at least you got your wish, right? And you’re still you in there. That’s something at least.”

“To tell you the truth, Big Guns doesn’t know anymore. He- I mean I-” He groaned in frustration. “You see what I mean? Can’t even talk straight.”

“Sure you can. You’re just talking more like a minotaur would than a pony, that’s all. Your new form probably was given new habits and mannerisms to help you adjust. You sure seemed like you were able to use your fingers well when you handled your weapons. And I haven’t seen talent with arms like that in a long time. My mother would be impressed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Grif was too.” She winced a little as she remembered the tall gryphon with the smoldering eyes. Such fury, such loss, such rage. Was that what her father was like when he had been alive? And how could she face him? Looking back on the events, she definitely could have handled things better despite her fear for her mother’s leg. “... stupid.” she muttered, rebuking herself.

“What’s stupid?”

“Oh, nevermind, Big Guns. I was just thinking about some things I did before all this started. If it weren’t for Zecora, I wouldn’t even be here right now. And my mother’s leg would have been lost entirely.”

“Zecora?” Big Guns snorted in shock. “You know Zecora?”

“Do you?” Thalia asked, surprised.

“She helped Big Guns big time before he came here. Told me to go back to Ponyville after having some tea. Even pointed out the path. She made me feel better. She was different, like me. But … I wasn’t ready to go home yet. So Big Guns went the other way instead and got lost.” He sighed heavily. “Wish I’d listened now.”

“Big Guns, you can’t change the past,” Thalia said, batting a parasprite casually as they continued along. “But if there’s one thing this crazy journey’s taught me, you can learn from it. Look on the bright side for now and just keep going. Maybe you’re like this because this is what you need. Your special talent was supposed to be strength, right?”

“... Yeah. Big Guns fell pretty flat in that though.”

Thalia laughed. “Big Guns, you lovable idiot. There’s more than one kind of strength in the world, you know. You were brave enough to step into the Everfree all by yourself, unarmed. You met a mysterious Zebra who everyone thought was a witch and discovered she was actually kind. And then you continued to walk through the Everfree until you found what you wanted. It may not have turned out the way you planned, but that still takes a lot of courage and a lot of strength to manage. Especially with all the wild monsters you had to face to get here.” She stopped walking and poked a claw at the minotaur’s chest. “Your true strength is right in here. Every warrior’s is.”

Big Guns smiled as his mark glowed briefly. He straightened himself back up and looked the gryphoness in the eye. “Thank you, Thalia. That’s the nicest thing anypony’s ever said to me.” He grabbed her in a big hug and squeezed before putting her back down again. “I’m not gonna cry. I’m not gonna cry,” Big Guns said, turning away briefly as he swept tears from the edge of his eyes. Thalia gasped, gulping air as she recovered from the sudden bout of affection before she preened her feathers back into alignment.

“Well, um … you’re welcome, I guess,” she said as she scuffed the dirt with one of her paws. “We should probably keep moving though. I need to get those leaves.”

“Right. We’re almost there. The lake should be just over this hill.”

A mischievous light glinted in Thalia’s eyes. “Race you to the top?”

Big Guns smirked. “You’re on!” The pair charged ahead. Big Guns ran with his head down, horns forward as Thalia sprang into the air, her wings fully extended. By the time Big Guns made it to the top, she had already alighted safely on the ground. The minotaur snorted, then laughed. “Alright. I guess you win this one. Next time we race, we’re doing it ground only, got it?”
“It’s a deal.”

“Well well, I was wondering how long it’d take you tae finally get here,” a familiar voice spoke from behind. Azeez sat hovering in a floating lawn chair sipping tea as he eyed the gawking pair. “That is, if’n ye were tae get here at all, mind ye. Ye broke the rules. Buuuut it wasn’t all your fault. So I convinced the garden tae let ye by this time. It helps having a resident tae guide ye, don’t it?”

“Big Guns is no resident,” The minotaur snorted.

“Of course ye are. The garden’s left its mark on ye, just like it does every other visitor who stays,” he said calmly as he poured another cup. “Why else do ye think ye’ve got those vines in yer mane? And besides that, ye said so yourself. Ye’ve been tae the tree before. I warned ye when ye first came what the consequences would be, Big Guns. Magic always has a price.”

“You tricked him.” Thalia growled, drawing her axe.

“I did nothing of the sort, lass.” Azeez said, raising a placating hand. “I warned him tae get what he wanted, he’d lose something as well. Equivalent exchange. Such is the way with magic. Ye cannae have somethin’ for nothin’. The Garden supplied what he wanted. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s his own thirst for power that undid him in the end. Though I’ll fancy the sprout at the wall helped him along. Nasty little weed, that was. But that’s all past now, isn’t it? Come along. I’ll take ye the rest of the way.”

“Wait,” Thalia ordered.

“Ye’ll both be gettin yer answers in due time. First come with me tae the lake. The tree’s a waiting. I’ll explain when we get there.”

“You swear by this?”

“I give you my solemn vow,” He said, all playfulness gone from his demeanor. “All will be revealed when we reach the tree. If not, then I will wither away and die, and a new caretaker will take my place.”

“... So be it.”


Pensword looked around, confused. Mere moments ago he was sleeping in bed with Lunar Fang, or Moonshade depending on who you asked. Now he was somewhere else. He scanned his surroundings as he made out what appeared to be a tall podium with a large book next to it. Over to the right he could just make out a stand with several empty seats broken up into three separate pews. Above him, he could see the colors of Equestria flying among the rafters with the flags of victories past. And there in the very heart of them all, waving directly over his head, a flash of red white and blue caught his eye. “... The American flag?” he whispered in confusion as he eyed the sun’s rays shining through its cloth. He followed them to its source, craning his neck.

Far above he could just make out a massive stained glass window. He stared, dropping his jaw as he took in the details. A human knelt weeping in the center on a desert floor. His hands were folded tightly over his chest, clutching the jagged half of a red heart. Below, the broken remains of machine parts lay scattered as bolts bounced and rolled into cracks in the parched ground. Wires sparked weakly as the human’s eyes looked down. Teardrops fell to the ground, each holding the face of a human from the past. A strange man with a white beard and a hat reflecting the colors of the American Flag stood looking one way, while a different human looked out the other way in profile. A kindly smiling woman, a taller, broader man in a suit. All so familiar, all so well known. Above, two more humans stood behind the first, each placing a hand on his shoulders. The left one smiled mischievously with a sad glint in his eyes as two sword hilts stuck out from his back. A large red gauntlet hung at his side, emphasizing the lighter blue of his iris. The other human stared with a piercing gaze filled with determination and loyalty accented by his roguish garb and poofy neck accessory. Hovering overhead with a worried expression, a thestral looked on. Above her, the edge of a shining orb accented with green and blue shone brightly. Earth portrayed in all its beauty from space. He lowered his gaze back to the courtroom and peered into the darkness ahead.The other side escaped his vision for now, swathed in shadows.

He tried to swivel his ears only to find they would not obey him. Worried, he raised his hand to check what was wrong. He jolted suddenly when he realized just what he was staring at. A hand. A very human hand with a human arm attached to it, covered with human clothing. Looking down at himself, he realized he was wearing what looked like the traditional garb of a colonial soldier. How was this possible? He couldn’t exist in this form. He’d died the last time they tried. And yet, there it was. He could feel his glasses on his nose, the K-BAR from his uncle strapped to his thigh. And there, at his feet, lay the silver attache case he had taken with him that fateful night so long ago.

“Is this …?”

“A dream?” The human turned to face the opposite side of the room as bright pinpricks of light flickered into existence. Gradually, the shadows retreated and coalesced into familiar shapes. Moon stones hung in cleverly crafted fixtures, revealing the wooden panels lining the floor. Cobbled stone walls rose to the vaulted ceiling where a stained glass window shone brightly in moonlight, portraying a blue pegasus with white mane and folded wings, his head bowed. A line of tears flowed down his cheeks as a thestral embraced him. In the circles below the main figure, images of ponies from the past danced and wavered a light blue, shimmering in the moonlight that streamed through. He recognized them as the ghosts of the past, of family long since gone, yet still here. In two golden orbs to the upper right and left of the pony, Hammer Strike and Grif stood. Hammer looked down with his same usual flat expression while Grif smiled mischieviously, a dagger in one hand, sharpened claws extended with his other. Above them both, the two royal sisters stood smiling down, their wings extended in a protective manner, reaching to embrace the four as the Mane Six smiled serenely from their six golden spheres evenly spaced around the edge of the window. Their elements stood proudly on their necks and tiarra respectively.

Staring in awe, he could just make out the The banners of the princesses, the Thestral Nation, the Gryphon Slayers, and lastly, the banner of House Pen. They hung in sequence, intermittently spaced as they left the middle ground to meet above a dark blue pony with tufted ears and pegasus wings. His white mane shone brightly with his tail, perfectly groomed as they sprouted from his formal garb. The sword and armor of his station glinted and creaked in the evening light. His gruff voice bespoke wonder and confusion mixed with a hint of outrage.

“Pensword?” The pony turned his piercing gaze on the human before his eyes widened.

“... Matthew?” he asked uncertainly.

“I … think so?” Matthew answered, still feeling very much confused and more than a little groggy.

“But … you are supposed to be dead.”

“Gee. Thank you so much for that lovely thought,” the human said, heaving a heavy sigh.

“I am … sorry.” Pensword shifted a hoof nervously, looking away from the human across the way as he apologized.

“Look, we can worry about technicalities later. Where in Celestia’s name are we? And why are we separate?”

Pensword motioned to answer, but was overridden as a booming voice echoed across the expanse of the room. “All rise for the Honorable Judge Luna!”

“Luna?” The two cried in unison, jumping to their feet and hooves respectively as a bright beam of light began to shine above the seat at the top of the podium. It continued to grow in intensity until at last, the two had to look away. There was a bright flash combined with a sound as a great wind rushing through trees. Then came the silence.

When the two were able to see again, there stood the alicorn princess in all her glory wearing a black judge’s robe. Her mane flowed casually behind her, adding to the appearance of grandeur. A white judge’s wig hung from the top of her head, held in place by her horn. Behind her a stained glass window reformed, taking the shape of a stalwart mare with a flowing mane, confident and bold. Her flank met with that of a gentler mare with a less certain expression. Her head hung lower as she looked on timidly. Both shared the royal cutie mark. Above the two, a large full moon shone brightly, dotted with stars. Below them, the image of Princess Celestia smiled warmly up with a gentle golden halo. Between their horns, the eye of the Thestral Nation looked out upon the courtroom, a symbol of order and peace.

“Matthew, Pensword,” Luna began, nodding to each respectively. Her gaze was firm and resolute. “You have been hiding behind each other, refusing to meet. Refusing to reconcile the forces of nature that are your passion, will, and sense of self. If I am to have a Commander in peace, the Commander I want and need, then you two SHALL,” her voice, while it had not risen in volume, shook the room nonetheless. “Make amends, find peace, and come to a middle ground. Grif has already done so. Hammer Strike has not had this problem. I shall stay here to keep this dreamscape stable. Your mission is to establish just who you are, what you are, and where your loyalties lie. Begin!” Luna smashed her hoof on a metal dish, filling the room with the great clop of the Royal Equestrian Gavel.

“What?” Matthew asked in a shocked tone as his voice rose in pitch. “What is this?” His eyes widened as he turned to Pensword. “You … you’re me?” He asked, trying to understand things. It felt as if he had only just woken from a very long dream. “Who are you?”

“I am Commander Moonkissed Pensword of the Dream Clan of the Northern Bear Tribe. I have fought to save the lives of ponies so none would have to suffer as we did.”

Matthew flinched as a bombardment of images and memories came to the fore, playing in the intermittent space between the two. He nearly lost his dinner. “But did you have to be so bloody about it?” Matthew asked, his face pale. “Did you have to push and drive the Gryphons with a vengeance unseen since the times of Babylon or the Huns?” The history books and movie scenes Matthew had researched from his studies played back next to the images of Pensword’s actions during the war. This time, Pensword recoiled, but soon recovered.

“You and I both know that these were entirely different circumstances. They would have done as Attila the Hun did, or your Adolf Hitler,” Pensword countered, using Matthew’s memories of his research from World War Two and the crimes committed therein. “They butchered my family, my town, and hundreds if not thousands of innocent ponies. Living, intelligent beings, because they were supposedly inferior. Just like those Jews.”

“... Point taken.” Matthew paused, then tried a different tact. “Why did you never try to find your past? You accepted adoption and yet you never looked for your birth parents. Why?”

“Because I was happy. I had a family, I had loving parents, a brother, and a sister who worshipped me almost as much as I loved her. Why did I need to go searching for others?”

“Because family is what drove me. You were adopted into Thestral society, but did you study past what you saw? Asked why, just because you could?” Matthew looked at the counter and then back up at the Pegasus Thestral hybrid. “You didn’t even wonder why you had your cutie mark at such a young age. Do you have any idea how hard that is, being locked away for so many years? I could hardly remember anything from my old life until Luna brought us here.”

“Why did I need more?” Pensword shouted. “I was happy. We were happy. Why did we need more from the world?”

“Because you- we had something missing. A void,” Matthew replied. “You were scared that you would wake up and this family would have been nothing more than a dream.” He clenched his fists. “Five open heart surgeries taught me to love life. Both the good and the bad. You dealt with the bullies in the village, but you were scared to push your mind past the boundaries while I was trapped staring out, starving, shrinking into nothingness. You were scared to let me out because you thought I would say that you had to lose your family.” Matthew looked right at Pensword. “Why were you so scared to lose that life?”

“Why are you so scared to accept it?” Pensword countered, thumping his chest with a hoof. “Life here has been better to us. We have health. We served something greater. We found love!”

“Greater? I serve a Crown. I serve a symbol of oppression from Earth. I know Equestria can be different, but you come from your world and I come from my own. MY family severed their ties to royalty to fight for the freedom of the colonies. Colonies that eventually became my country. They formed their own government, all to have the right and freedom to live in peace, to pursue happiness. To avoid persecution and abuse!” He balled his hand into a fist. “... I was getting better,” He growled as tears formed in his eyes. Suddenly, a voice he recognized echoed in the room. He clenched his teeth. It was his surgeon.

“We might need to watch him. If his heart rate doesn’t improve in a year, he could need a pacemaker.” The voice lingered, holding over the last word.

Matthew glared at Pensword. “I may have better health, but it was as another creature.” He took a breath to steady himself. “We found love, yes, but can ... what if we have to go home? What if...?” he trailed off as a hoof from Pensword slammed the bench. The pony snorted steam, heaving.

“Would you dare to leave her, even if you could? Would you leave our foal? Would you just abandon everything we have built here?” he growled at Matthew as the image of Lunar Fang appeared before them, smiling as she looked down at her distended flanks. His squadron of cadets and the Gryphon Slayers appeared behind her, all beaming with love and respect. “Equestria is just as much our home as Earth was!”

“But what if we have no choice?” Matthew shouted back. “I was ripped from Earth without a say. I’m scared I’ll just wake up one day and have this be nothing more than a dream or a coma.” He slammed his hands on the desk. “What if it comes back down to sacrificing our happiness for an entire nation? I know you. In that case at least, you and I would make the same choice. We’ve done so in the past, delayed gratification for the greater good.” Matthew took a calming breath. “That’s part of the concerns. Another is how do you think our foal will be born? Will there be the risk of my heart disease surfacing? Something from the human genes manifesting? Your body, my body … our body, was a magical construct to begin with. Are… are we even flesh and blood? … Have I become a figment?” he asked, a little fearful at where his line of questioning was leading. He quickly shook his head and broke away from that thought. “Look. Can we at least agree that family is a keystone to our beliefs?” As he asked, the images of their loved ones beamed off the windows and projected into the middle of the room like a hologram, joining those who already stood there. “What did you fight for in the war?” He asked as he stared pensively into their faces.

“I fought for others. Family first of all, but I fought so no foal would need to know the pain we felt on that day. Has Grif not told you before never to stake too much into ‘what ifs,’ as he called them? That it would drive you mad?”

“I know. I’m a historian, after all. And a darned good one. One that sees just how lucky we were back then. Change one insignificant little detail in the pattern of events and suddenly the whole house of cards falls apart. I can’t help but think things were too easy. We won’t always be so lucky, you know.” Matthew threw his hands up in the air and let out an exasperated yell.  “Look, I just realized I’ve been leading us away from the main point of this conversation. Let me reiterate. Just who are we?”

Matthew’s answer came in the form of a hard buffet from a wing as Pensword launched himself at the human. “Who are we? Is that even a legitimate question? We are who we have always been. When the cards were down, we pulled through. When others would give up, we pressed on. We survived things that would have killed most ponies, and we accomplished things that lesser people would have backed away from. We are Matthew and we are Pensword.”

“We are also someone who has grown. We are ones who have had lady luck, if she exists, smile on us.” Matthew stood tall, despite the pain from the blow and the red mark that followed on his cheek. “Also, we both are hard headed and stubborn. To quote some of the values we believe in ‘Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.’” Matthew sighed heavily. “We really do need this talk, don’t we?” he asked as he collapsed back down into his chair. You are as much a person as I am.” He looked into Penswords eyes. In them he could see the same concerns burning as he had. “Let’s address the main issue head on then, agreed?”

“... Agreed.”

“We are both afraid that we might vanish, leaving the other in full control. That is what I am afraid of. That I will cease to be, leaving only my memories, or what little of them is left by now, for you.” He saw a motion from Pensword to continue and Matthew sighed with a sad smile. “You know me too well. Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m jealous tool. Taze and Shawn can be human, and yet… I am always Pensword. I can see our mind, calling us Pensword even in my memories.” He looked at his other self as the many arguments ranging from loyalty to opposite sides of government to difference in culture and species an all things in between crumbled away, revealing the true heart of the matter.

“I am jealous of myself. Of you, Pensword. I want to be back, but we both know that doing so would kill us. What kind of a world would that be? Yet, I cannot allow myself to vanish.” Matthew spewed it all out as realization finally dawned within him. He wasn’t attacking out of loyalty or stubbornness. He was attacking because he was afraid.

“We’re in this together,” Pensword said as he extended a hoof. “You think Lunar Fang would forgive me if I ever got rid of you?”

Matthew felt the room grow smaller and he moved a hand out and wrapped it around the hoof of his other half. “I doubt she would, as I was the first iteration. You, however, broke barriers that I could not.” He frowned. “Still, I would like to walk on two legs at some point.” He looked at Pensword. “Make one promise to me, please, and I shall rest in my own mind easier.”

“Name it.”

“That you remember the oath I signed as a Cadet.” Matthew sighed hollowly. “... An oath that only stands in my heart now. That you would uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. Against all Enemies foreign and domestic. So help me God. That means that as long as the Constitution stands and the nation stays true as best she can, you will not wage war against her, and by all that you hold holy by Faust and by God, you will come to her aid if you can.”

“I swear on my life … our life.”

Matthew smiled wanly. “Thank you. I think we can hold off on how to honor my side of the heritage at a later date. I feel drained. But for now at least, I have peace. We ... we both didn’t want to have this talk. I think for fear it would tear us apart.”

Pensword chuckled “I think it did just a little.” He said, pointing out their surroundings. The courtroom had been trashed. The moonstones lay on the floor, still glowing amidst the remains of their stony embrasures. Torches sprawled across the floor while splinters of wood and chunks of granite lay scattered throughout the hall. A great shining blue sphere had surrounded the moon princess as tendrils pushed out and into the walls, floor, and ceiling. Luna’s eyes were closed, her brow furrowed and sweaty as she pushed back the scape into its proper proportions. Matthew balked for a moment, then he just laughed as he joined the pegasus on the floor, falling to his back as he curled up in a fit of giggles. Pensword soon joined him.

“Wow. We really know how to blow things up, don’t we?” Matthew asked, finally getting a hold of himself as he wiped his eyes.

“Years of practice,” Pensword replied. “You remember how we beat that pegasus supremacist at her own game?”

“All those traps we laid?” Matthew chuckled again. “Brilliant strategy, by the way.”

“I would not have been able to do so without you. Your training on Earth gave me the knack for tactics here in Equestria.”

Matthew sighed. “Good times. Good times.”

“So … do we have peace?”

“I think so. Just,” he turned to Luna’s podium. She was panting heavily, but looked well satisfied as she took up her regal stance once more. “Luna, find a way for me to be human again, even if my human body has to be a magic construct…. I, I need to remember that.” He looked to Pensword. “I hope you don’t mind… I am the alien here, after all. I think I can get away with a few requests like that.” He tried to smile. “If you want, you can say something like that to the President of the United States when we meet him. After all, you would be the Alien then.”

We would.” Pensword said, chuckling once more. Matthew started suddenly.

“Oh! I almost forgot. Could you do me just one more favor?”

“... What?” Pensword asked suspiciously.

“Start using contractions again, won’t you? I miss those.” Pensword winced.

“It doesn’t have to be all the time. Just … please. I think it’ll help me, well, us I guess, be more balanced.”

“... We shall see. One step at a time. For now, I think we are finished.”

“I think you’re right.”

The pony and the human stood shaking one another’s hand and hoof amidst the twilight that filled the courtroom, replacing the two extremes. The two stained glass pieces merged into one, shining a white light as they met. When all had settled, a new picture was revealed. The Pegasus now stood with the human shaking hands while their two best friends looked on in approval standing back to back with their Equestrian counterparts. Lunar Fang stood between them, smiling happily as the twin sisters hovered above, wings still extended. Beneath them, the ground of Equis stood while the figure of Earth still shone above, dotted with stars. The half heart beat on in the human’s chest, despite the lack of the mechanical portions. Two rings surrounded the edge of the window. The first was smaller and dyed a deep blue with black writing inscribing the names of family, friends, and loved ones intermittently spaced betwixt human and pony. The outermost layer was dyed a rich gold as each member of the Mane six smiled together in a circle of light. Their six elements bathed the unusual pair in a rainbow glow that arced out to form a multicolored six-pointed star. As a final touch, Spike appeared on Taze and Grif’s shoulders smiling that same happy go lucky smile of his while holding on to a pack of Joe’s donuts.

“It is done,” Luna said simply as she left in a flash of light. Her voice echoed within the cavernous space. “Enjoy your dreams, boys. We have a lot of work to do come next moonrise.”


Grif stalked the halls of New Unity cautiously. The hour was late and he didn’t want to wake anyone. As he passed the armory door he heard a gentle clicking sound that Renati sometimes made in his sleep. Remembering what shawn had said earlier about the phoenix waiting by the swords he could use, he peeked into the room.

Renati was asleep, perching nearby the two blades that Shawn had finished. Grif cast his eyes upon the swords. This time it seemed shawn had gone for a set of curved scimitars. They lacked embellishments save for Hammer Strike’s usual symbol on the base of the blade, but they held a fearsome sharpness to them. The blades gleamed in such a way that it almost seemed they could cut moonlight. The path of the light revealed a sharp, well honed edge. Grif took the blades into his talons, careful not to wake the phoenix. He weighed them carefully in his hands, giving them a few test swings. The balance was near flawless and he felt much stronger with the slashes than his blades from the crystal empire. Beside the blades, a set of sheaths lay in wait. The inner sheath was made of wood with several metal bands adding support to the structure. The wood itself had been bleached white. The straps designed to connect to Grif's weapon harness were made from cured deer hide reinforced by chains. With a smile, Grif unhooked his previous blades and replaced them with the new ones so the swords curved inwards between his wings, the ends of the sheaths touching together.

He attempted to stalk out silently, ever wary of waking the phoenix, only to lay his paw on a creaking board he miraculously had missed the first three times. Renati lazily opened his eyes and stared at the intruder. Thankfully, the bird didn’t seem to want to move at the moment and settled on giving Grif a strong glare that promised something in the future.

“Sorry, big guy.” Grif smiled awkwardly. “I’ll get you some coal tomorrow, okay?”

The glare never left Renati’s face.

“Get some sleep, buddy,” Grif said before slipping out of the armory. Moving as quietly as possible, he made it to his tower without incident. Now he just needed to not wake Shrial. He shuddered. If he woke her, then he’d really be in for it.


“So you're finally going to show me how to do some of this stuff?” Grif asked as he and Shawn walked into the forest clearing. Open sky graced their faces, bathing the ground in liquid moonshine as the stars glittered like well polished jewels. New Unity lay a good couple of miles behind them.

“Considering I blew up a chest in Twilight’s basement to ensure she knew why I didn’t want her to mess with it without me being there, I figured why not show you a few things,” Shawn replied. “Rule one. Human form only.”

Grif nodded before switching into his human form. For a brief second the figure of a bipedal gryphon flashed during the process.

“I shouldn’t have to say any more rules besides that. You should already know the rest.”

“Don’t act before you do, don’t push past what I can do, and keep concentrating at all times.” Taze shrugged. “The rest are dependent on the situation”

“If you don’t think you can do something I tell you to, tell me then. And do not be overconfident about yourself, because it will kill you here. There is no second chance.”

“Very well, Sensei. The floor is yours.” Taze swept the night air with his hand.

“I’m also going to test a few dangerous things as well.” Shawn gave a slight shrug. “We’ll see how that goes…” He said, pulling a matchbook out of his coat.

“Where do we begin?”

“We’re going to start with a nice, simple trick. Crystallizing aspects from a source,” He said, raising the matchbook into view. A moment later he pulled a few candles.

“You realise that you can keep going, right? I’m clever. I’ll keep up,” Taze said, lifting an eyebrow.

“I would love to. And should you miss one little detail, not even kidding, one detail, you could kill us both.”He replied. “So yeah, basics for now. Fire.” He said, lighting a candle and placing it down. “You read the first two chapters, know how to concentrate and, basic jist of it. Sense aspects?”

“Yes.” Taze nodded.

“Good. Now I’m going to do it once and explain the process while I perform each step. So first-” He paused and pointed towards the candle. “After sensing where the aspect is and what it is, pull on it.” He said, making a gesture with his hand as though he were pulling the flame. The further he “pulled” the weaker the flame got. But Taze could tell the energy of it was there, collecting itself under Shawn’s hand. “Once you do that, you simply compress it, slowly.” He said, putting emphasis on the word. “Do it too fast and you’ll collapse the energy and make it scatter, which is not the nicest thing.” Soon, under his hand, a small orange crystal began to take shape. It slowly increased in size until the flame died off. As soon as it finished Shawn quickly brought his hand under and grabbed the crystal. “Simple process.”

“So reach out and feel it, grasp it and pull it slowly, and apply pressure gradually to prevent explosive decompression. Am I correct?”

“Pretty much. Think you can do that?”

“Light it up and let’s see.”

Shawn noded, pulled out another match, and lit the candle once again.

“Also, out of curiosity, why the matches?”

“I’m not going to mix magic fields.” He said, making a small ball of fire above his finger. “This is fueled by raw magic, and created by raw magic. Technically a mixed aspect if you view it from a Thaumic point of view. From an Equestrian viewpoint, it’s their field of magic creating fire itself.”

“So, not ready for a possible contaminating influence. Okay.” Taze nodded. “So feel it first. Check.” Taze took a deep breath before closing his eyes and concentrating. It took him longer, but he managed to locate the energy of the fire. “Find it. Check.” It took a few attempts before he was able to “grip” the flame and start pulling on it, but he finally got a good hold. Gradually, he collected the energy. It took nearly four times the length it had taken shawn, but eventually, he felt the energy from the flame gathered in his hands. The area it had formerly occupied was now empty. “Pull it. Check.” He began to push on the heat, slowly applying pressure on all sides and gradually increasing it. He didn’t open his eyes. He didn’t allow himself so much as an afterthought as he focused. Bringing his other hand beneath the force, he kept pushing until he felt something land in his palm. Letting out a breath he wasn’t sure when he started holding, he opened his eyes. “And squeeze. Check.” He grinned at shawn, holding the crystal out for inspection.

“Well, it didn’t blow you up, so I call that a success.” Shawn replied as he grabbed the crystal. “I’ll have to release the aspects later, as I would rather not have small explosives that I haven’t fully tested yet.”

“Like C-4 quality? Nitroglycerine?”

Shawn hummed for a moment before looking around. “Let’s see… Stay right there.” He said, walking a good distance away. A moment later Taze saw him place one of the crystals on the ground and walk back. “Now, you know exactly where I put that.” He smiled. “I did this trick with Twilight but the crystal was in a locked box that was enchanted. This is going to show you the true damage it can cause if the energy is released violently.” He pointed towards the crystal. “Ready?”

“If you’re blowing stuff up, then I’m ready and waiting.” Taze smiled.

Shawn nodded and snapped his fingers. Just like before, the crystal burst into light for a few moments before dying off once again. “Shall we investigate?” He asked, holding his arm out.

“Sure. And dang, that looked liked napalm,” Taze noted.

After a brief walk the pair came to ground zero. A large ring of grass and dirt had burned away leaving no ash, no residue, nothing, despite leaving a crater that sunk into the ground by a half a foot. The ground seemed to have scorch marks, but nothing that couldn’t grow back over in time.

“... So this is one of those ‘burns everything’ kinda deals, right down to the atomic level?” Taze asked.

“Sense the aspects around you right now.”

“Something should be there. A hill or something,” Taze noted as he extended his consciousness once again. “It’s just gone.”

“It’s still there, but just the aspect energy. Just like when you drew the energy out of the fire. Before you condensed it, that’s what it was. If you let it go, it would quickly spread itself out, which could cause issues if you are close to it.”

“Well, glad I didn’t find out the hard way,” Taze noted. “I’m going to guess this whole thing’s like a muscle? Gets easier the more you work it?”

“Pretty much,” Shawn replied with a shrug. “Now, to test the dangerous thing.”

“Do we need radiation suits for this?” Taze looked at Shawn with an eyebrow raised.

“Nah. Wouldn’t save you anyways.”

“You know, if it were anyone else, I’d probably be terrified with that revelation. But from you, it’s surprisingly easy to take.”

“Now, remember how I described this?” He asked as he created a small orb of blue fire in his hand.

“Magic and fire. Compounded aspects.”

“Yep. I’m going to separate it and crystallize it.”

“Okay. You want me to stand back, or would that also be futile?” Taze asked.

“I just want you to stand at a distance and make sure NOTHING, distracts me. If something does, the aspects will scatter and it could kill me.”

“Okay.” Taze nodded in agreement, taking several steps back

Shawn moved the fire in front of him before pulling his hand back and placing it on the side, his other hand moving in the same pattern, both palms turned skyward on opposite sides of the fire. After a moment Shawn exhaled and took a breath in as he focused on the orb.

Over time Taze could sense the energies separating as the crystals began to form, one in each hand. The first one orange, the other purple, each steadily growing in scale as the fire in between them died off.

A few minutes later, two decently sized gems stood in each of his hands. He exhaled and took a few breaths. “May have used too much power in that fireball.”

“I’m guessing you nearly slipped?” Taze asked.

“No, just too much of the aspect.” He said showing the crystals to Taze. “These are very much full, and if not well cared for, very dangerous.”

“Yeah. Considering that other crystal was the size of a marble and you unmade a hill, you probably want to be careful with those.”

“On the upside, these can be used in tests for the next few chapters I need to translate.”

“What are those going to be?” Taze asked.

“Infusion and Enchanting. Also, under no circumstances should you ever try what I just did,” He said. “I’m most likely not going to try that again for a long time, at least until I do more research on it.”

“I think I’m going to stick to the small stuff. Maybe something a little less… fiery than fire.”

“Don’t worry. All of them are just as dangerous,” Shawn said casually. “Compound ones are worse though.”

“Maybe, but the heat from the fire is kinda uncomfortable,” Taze noted while idly rubbing his hands.

“I can’t say I understand the feeling, primarily because I can’t feel its heat anymore,” Shawn replied calmly as the two continued their lesson.


The trickling flow of running water ran down the slopes to the inlet as gentle waves lapped against the muddy shores. A sandy embankment marked with buoys showed a safe swimmer’s zone where a couple of ponies played and laughed, lobbing a volleyball over a net formed from coral and lake weed. One launched a spike while the other promptly leapt out of the water and smacked it back with a thick and powerful fish tail. Its leg fins and finish mane glinted and flashed in the sun, showering the water with a rippling rainbow before the pony splashed back under again. Thalia’s and Big Guns’ jaws dropped.

“Hipocampi,” Azeez said casually as he looked on. “Playful little ponies. Distantly related tae the dread Sirens, only far more cheerful. As ye can see, they love tae make guests feel at home.” Even as he finished his sentence, the other pony that had been playing hiccupped as a small pair of fins jutted out from the side of her head. She touched them for a moment, then laughed and continued to play while scales washed down her lower half and her hind legs and hooves began to merge into her frame while her tail began to shift and expand, becoming see through as the cartilage stretched.

“Shouldn’t we do something?” Big Guns asked.

“Nae. The foal asked for it. She’ll have plenty of friends in her new home, ye needn’t worry. Steven is always happy to share the lake with them.”

“Steven? He lives here?” Thalia asked, scanning the waters

“And where else would he, lass? Sea Serpents need water tae live in, after all.” The sun shone brightly on the peaceful waves, turning the water white as the trio arrived at a bluff with two rotted wooden stakes embedded in the ground. “Hmmmm … may need tae get those replaced soon.”

“You think?” Thalia asked sarcastically.

“So how do we get across?” Big Guns asked as he looked at the tree. “Last time Big Guns was here there was …” He eyed the stakes thoughtfully, then looked back at the satyr. “That’s not …”

“I’m afraid it is,” Azeez replied with a sigh. “Time is a curious thing in me garden. As a service in payment, a bridge was built here long ago. The same bridge you crossed once. It was in bad shape then, but only got worse as time went on. Now these are all that remain.”

“But -”

“Explanations will come. But first we need tae reach the tree.” Azeez let loose a sharp whistle and the waters began to roil as wave upon wave tossed across the beach. The hipocampus and its new friend laughed and dove under the waves, playfully dodging to see who could miss the impacts most while riding the crests. A few moments later, a large, dark shape burst from the water, dripping rivulets as it blocked out the sun. Big Guns reached for his war axe, but Thalia stopped him with a steady hand and shook her head. He snorted and let go of the axe, but still remained alert as he eyed the creature. A few seconds later, a very familiar orange and purple mustache broke out from the sun as Steven Magnet eyed the guests.

“Well my oh my. This certainly is a surprise. I half expected you to be lost like all the others, Thalia. And look what we have here. You found a friend? Oh, the scandal. What would your mother think, fraternizing with a minotaur. Are you two dating?”

“... On second thought, Big Guns, feel free to pull out that axe,” Thalia said with a stony face.

Steven simply laughed. “Oh, Thalia, you really need to learn to take a joke. Hello, Azeez. I assume you’d like transport to the island?”

“If’n ye don’t mind, Steven.”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure.” The serpent smiled and bowed before raising his coils. “Hop on, everypony. Magnum transport is about to leave the station.” Glowering, Thalia did so. Big Guns looked skeptical, but once Azeez was on, he followed suit. The journey was a pleasant one. No sudden dives through underwater caves or facing monsters. Instead, Steven glided through the water, propelling with his tail while making casual conversation with the adventurers. When they had reached the other shore he raised his coils to the mouldering remains of the stakes that had held the bridge. “I’ll meet you over by the tree. Good luck,” he said, waving to them as he dived underwater.

“Why didn’t he just take us to the tree directly?” Thalia grated.

“Because each of us has tae make our own way. Steven’s the guardian. He’ll have his own entrance tae make. Visitors must take their own. This way,” Azeez said, motioning with a hand as he pranced along.

“You said you’d explain things to us. Start explaining,” Big Guns demanded.

“In a moment, Big Guns. First, I have something I need to show you.” The trio walked up a large set of stairs to a great sinkhole. Sparkling gems jutted out from the sides of the wall, glowing with a pale luminescence. “Just a few more moments,” he said. The clouds above the island parted, allowing golden rays to shine down, striking the crystals. The rays refracted, jumping from crystal to crystal in a crazy pinball array until the light struck the large pond below.

“Is that it?” Thalia asked, cocking an eyebrow as she folded her arms.

“Wait for it,” Azeez said with a playful smile. A small burst of bubbles rose to the surface followed by a distant rumble. Then the whole island started to shake as the crystals began to shift along the wall, writhing like snakes. Geysers of water shot up in various locations as the island began to crumble. Without warning, a large root broke out of the ground, carrying the three as a bright glow emanated from the pool. Moments later, a massive canopy shattered the surface, sending shards of water flying everywhere. From the nothingness that once existed the tree continued to spring, growing taller and broader with every second. Soon enough it loomed over them as tall and stout as the Princess’ castle in Canterlot.

The droplets glistened on its bows, giving the tree an almost crystalline appearance. A dull silvery green glow suffused its leaves as its lower branches unfurled like a weeping willow, laden down with fruits of all shapes, sizes, and smells while still maintaining a full, lush appearance. Thicker boughs puffed outwards towards the top, reaching for the sun. A light, sweet smelling mist gradually pressed out from its crown. When all had grown quiet once more the landscape was drastically altered. The hollow of the tree now stood over a great pool, its roots burrowing deep into the lake surrounding the island. The once taller incline had worn down to a low, flat surface surrounded by soft green grass and sandy beach as Steven broached the surface and waved a hand. His body now wrapped around the island and he gazed warily towards the outer shore, ever watchful for intruders.

“Allow me to introduce ye tae the Tree of Essence,” Azeez said, bowing his head. “Where waters of life flow pure and free, there ancient essence also must be. Where one stream’s flow means journey’s end, new life is possible, and old wounds can mend. Such was the use of this aged tree by creatures of old who had the need,” Azeez said, smiling fondly as he patted the root on which they stood. “In a far off land, an ancient spring flows, granting all who drink of it new life and greater health. This spring is connected to an underground channel that flows to many places across many leagues. However, in the end, these mystical waters wind up here at the Tree of Essence, where they feed and nourish the tree before being released from its crown as water vapor to return to the land from whence they came at the mercy of the winds. And so the cycle continues and the path begins anew. Tis a closely guarded secret.”

“Then why tell us?” Thalia asked skeptically.

“Because ye have the right tae know what ye face before ye face it.” The satyr heaved a weary sigh. “This tree and its water is what keeps the rest of my garden alive. And by extension, me. As keeper of this place, I am able to feed upon the essence distilled within the tree, and thus extend my life. Should I break my vow tae ye, or my contract with this tree, I would be instantly cut off and my essence consumed tae feed the garden and its residents. The tree is fickle. It chooses what it offers based on what the visitor desires most. Should the visitor accept, the tree must take something in return tae replace what it has lost.”

“Essence,” the pair said in stereo.

“Exactly. What happened to you, Big Guns,” Azeez lilted in his brogue. “Is that ye desired to be bigger, stronger, and though ye did nae admit it at the time, you wanted tae be meaner than those who had picked on you previously. You wanted revenge.”

Big Guns dropped his head as memories from his first visit to the garden returned to him. He remembered how he had felt as strength came to his body; how he wanted more and more and more. “... and I couldn’t stop,” he said with a raspy voice.

“Do ye wish to know why?”

“Does it matter?” he snorted.

“More than ye’d think.”

“... Fine.”

Azeez leapt onto a bough and bobbed there as he drank some of the dew from its leaves. “Storytelling always makes me thirsty. Anyways, your story is a sad one, but it is not the first. Nor shall it be the last. The tale I have tae tell is short enough. But its impact was far stronger than any of us could have thought. Ye know about the tree at the edge of the garden, correct?”

“Don’t remind me,” Big Guns groaned

“You called it a weed. Why is that?” Thalia asked, curious.

Azeez brightened. “Exactly! Good, very good. You see, there was once a mighty warrior of the Minotaur nation. His prowess was legendary. However, as great as his skills in arms may have been, his bloodlust was greater. He battled and fought for dominance amongst his people and revelled in the right to kill as he pleased. In the end, he murdered one too many calves. The king of their nation could look away no more, for his only child had been counted among the dead. It took an entire squadron of their leader’s most deadly warriors to bring him in. When the time came for judgement, the king cast the warrior out of their land, swearing that if he were ever to return, he would take the warrior’s head himself.”

“Why did he show mercy?” Thalia asked.

“Because they had once been friends. And more than that, the warrior’s skill in weaponry had risen the practice to an artform. Such achievements merited a degree of mercy in their culture. But sparing the poor soul’s life was far more than that … it was foolish.” Azeez’s countenance darkened as a cloud passed over the sun, covering all in a chill shadow. “The monster found his way tae the Everfree, slaughtering all in his way.” Azeez waved his hands as the mist congealed into shapes acting out the tale as he continued to narrate. “He lived on bounties given by twin sisters who ruled in a castle closer tae the border. But eventually, his desire to test his skills led to him taking trophies for himself. He often would go on the hunt for dangerous creatures. Cockatrices, dragons, sea serpents.” Azeez looked pointedly at Steven. “All of them would feed his desire. Desire for strength. Desire for power. Desire, for vengeance. He would depose his former friend and brother in arms by strength of will and buying the loyalty of the nation. Then he would challenge his humiliator to a duel to the death and win the right to rule. So corrupted had his soul become. So blinding his ambition.”

“What happened?” Thalia asked.

The mists reformed to show a familiar wall with a hulking horned shape outside. A miniature satyr materialized behind it. “He found me garden. His time in the Everfree had taught him not only to be brutally strong, but cunning. He passed me test and earned the right tae enter me garden. My garden.” Azeez shuddered. “He was a bad un, he was. And every step he took darkened our home. His essence was so pungent it tainted the very ground he trod. I think that’s what started the bridge tae wastin’ now that I look back on it. Everything he touched seemed to writhe, wither, then die. Weeds sprung up in their place. You have no idea the amount of time and effort it took tae expunge that influence.

“Still, I honored the contract. He’d followed the rules and kept tae the path. I’ll never forget what happened after. He stated his terms, but the tree stayed perfectly still.” He shuddered as the mist changed color. “I watched as the bark, the leaves, every part of this tree turned black as midnight. Screams and shrieks cried on the winds followed by wicked laughter. And slowly, ever so slowly, a fruit came tae be, shrouded in black mist, beating like a heart. The monster cried aloud in victory and ate the fruit, savoring the juices as they flowed down his cheeks like blood. I watched as his essence left him. A tiny shred of red cloud entered the tree’s leaves while the rest separated and engulfed the creature. He bellowed as he grew into a true behemoth, laughing all the while like the maniac he was.” Azeez shook his head sadly.

“The cursed fool. He moved to strike the tree, seeking to steal all of its essence. But he was too late. The black shell was breaking. And with the sound of shattering glass, the three shone white as the pure fallen snow, shedding its dark skin and blowing the creature back. Its pure essence dwarfed the power the dark one had gained as the very roots on which we now stand surged up from the ground and seized him. They pressed and squeezed until at last, they opened to reveal a great black pit, pulsing with red lines like veins.” The image of the tree flared white as the mist lightened while more mist wrapped around the black creature. The darkness was pressed to form a dense ball of compressed black gas before it shot off like a shooting star. “The tree flung it as far as she could. But it could nae leave the garden. The pact had been made and he was protected. Instead, the seed landed by a cool river at one of the many flood gates that surround our home.”

“Wait a minute. You don’t mean to say …”

“Aye, aye. The tree that ye faced, the one from which Big Guns had eaten, was drawn to even, were the twisted remains of the monster of whom I spoke,” Azeez said, waving his hand as the mist dispersed and the sun returned. “When you ate the fruit from the tree, ye imbibed what little good essence remained from that warrior, Big Guns. But it wasn’t enough for ye. The essence was enough to bolster ye, make ye stronger, but the tree could nae take much in return. Not yet. Inevitably, ye were drawn tae what the warrior had become to fulfill his twisted plans. And ye were snared as he’d hoped, consuming his corrupted essence tae replace the old. He fed on it, relished it as he consumed the old you while he fed the invincible warrior he wished to make you. His champion. His servant. His slave. Were it not for Thalia, he would have succeeded. She proved the more cunning, and the more valiant, ridding the garden of a terrible evil, and ensuring your contract stand fulfilled with the tree in one blow. The essence the creature had managed to harvest and siphon from the waters, passers by, and from the tree itself, returned to its rightful place,” he said as he tapped against some creeper vines. They immediately fell from the root and into his hands.

“These were how he intended to take over. By slowly choking the tree to death he would ensure his own rise to power. In killing him, ye’ve saved the Tree of Essence, ye’ve saved me garden, ye’ve saved me, and most importantly, ye’ve saved our home.” Azeez glared at the tendrils before they burst into green flames and dropped to the ground. “Big Guns, ye now have the strength ye desired, but ye’ve kept the most important part of yer essence to yourself; yer heart. The tree wishes ye tae keep that as thanks for what ye’ve done, along with the other gifts she’s given you.” Big guns motioned to his new weapons with a questioning look. “Aye, those. They were placed in our care long ago. It’s time they served someone with the proper strength,” Azeez said, winking. Big Guns blushed while Thalia eyed the satyr quizzically.

“As for you, Thalia, yer unique skills and traits gave ye the edge to overcome temptation. Ye were mislead, but in so doing, were granted a great boon and a second chance at what ye seek. But is what ye be seekin’ what ye want most? We’ll soon see.” Azeez bowed and motioned up towards the trunk. “She’s waitin’ for ye. Good luck, lassie. You’re a little rough around the edges, but I like yer spunk.”

“You’ll do great, Thalia. Don’t settle for anything less than what you want. Just think of your mother,” Big Guns said, folding his arms as he brooded at the tree. Then he smiled. “See you when you get those leaves.”

“Good luck!” Steven called as he waved, smiling. Thalia huffed and smirked as she spread her wings and took to the air.


Luna had not left the forges since an hour after declaring the ceremony the next day. The loud ringing of hammered metal filled the fortress. The only time the High Chieftess was seen or spoken to was when she came out to request silver, ebony, sapphires, moonstones, black diamonds or other such materials. Food had been brought to the door at meal times and an empty tray lay in wait for collection afterwards. Finally, the forge door opened and Luna walked out an hour before the ceremony was to commence.

Now Luna sat in her new throne, washed, and wearing her ursa armor without the helmet. A large chest sat at her side. The Lunar princess looked upon the throne room. Thestrals from across Equis had gathered together to bow before their chieftess. Stallions and mares stood in disciplined lines while the foals kept a more relaxed posture.

“My ponies, my thestrals. On this day I declare this once Fort Triumph, seat of power to the gryphons, to be Filly De Y’s!” Luna announced looking upon the gathered ponies. “It shall be our royal seat of power and we declare that a city for the thestrals shall be built around this seat. Does this please you, my little Thestrals?” A wave of sound swept the rooms of the fortress as cheers and shouts rang through the halls.

“But what is a princess without her nobility? And truly what is a royal city without those to set the example. On this day, I will appoint those who will be forever more deemed as noble blood. My honor will be yours just as my pain has been yours. And unjustly so.” Her face fell as she recalled the incident so many years ago. Then she raised her head proudly. “However, before such honors and festivities can be commenced and dispersed, we must first remember and honor those who have given us the fortress and surrounding lands on which we shall build our capital. Step forward Commander Moonkissed Pensword Hurricane and Major Lunar Fang.”

The two stepped forward dressed in their military best from the war. Stars danced behind them as their wedding cloaks flashed in the torchlight. The child was no secret now. Anypony with eyes could tell the mare was pregnant. The two tried to keep a serious expression, but they practically radiated happiness. Perhaps it was because of the glow of newlyweds. Perhaps it was the momentous occasion of this day and what it would mean for Thestral kind. Perhaps it was a combination of things. Whatever the case may have been, the two were stunning and beaming even as they approached the throne and knelt before their High Chieftess.

“Pensword, Lunar Fang, you stand now before your family, having given what is yours for them. As it is said in our laws, spoil from battle cannot be so easily taken, only traded. I require no oath of loyalty from you, for your loyalty has been tried and proven in battle many times over. I require no great act. For what can I ask that you have not already done greater? Therefore in my royal right, I wish to offer you two the title of Grand Duke and Duchess of Y’s, first amongst the Thestral houses.” As she spoke, her horn glowed and opened the chest, revealing two intricately crafted circlets made from interwoven bands of silver and ebony atop a variety of other accessories. They rose from their resting place and hovered before the two ponies. Pensword’s held a large moonstone mounted in the front while Lunar Fang’s held a great sapphire. “Will you accept the honor and responsibility I offer the two of you?” she asked.

Lunar Fang looked to her husband and Pensword looked upon the ornament. In a way this could very well prove the step beyond returning to humanity. He moved an eye to look at Lunar Fang before looking at Luna, his face turning stoic. “I feel I can speak for both myself and my wife in this. We are humbled to accept the offer.” He slowly bowed his head in respect, finally coming to peace with another part of himself. Like it or not, it was just taking too long waiting for a means to go home. He would have to accept the bed and home he had built here in Equestria. He just hoped that in the coming years he could visit to inform his family of what he had done with his life.

“Then kneel,” Luna spoke. Instantly they complied. Raising the circlets up for all to see, she placed them on their heads. “Rise commander Pensword, Grand Duke of Y’s, and Major Lunar Fang, Grand Duchess of Y’s. You may now present yourself to your fellows.”

They both turned around and stood to face the Thestral nation. Pensword saluted the with his sword, a slight smile on his muzzle as the light from his moonstone intensified. An idea formed in his head as he looked around. He would have to speak to Luna about it later. Still, here he was, seeing the Thestrals soon able to help form and push Equestrian politics in a new direction.

“Now, I will hand out the titles to the chieftains first…” and so the rest of the night would consist of Luna handing out titles beneath the radiant moonlight.


Thalia alighted at the hollow where the pool sat. A light mist rose from the waters, giving a sense of tranquility to the environs while the hollow reminded the gryphoness of a mother’s womb.

“You really are a girl, aren’t you?” Thalia murmured. The leaves rustled and the tree sighed as a wind swept through its boughs. “I don’t know if that’s supposed to be a response or not, but um … I’ve come for something my mother needs. I was told your leaves can help. Another sigh echoed followed by the moan of wind whistling through cracks. “Look, I get this might be painful for you, but I swear, I only want them to help her, not me.” Thalia heaved a heavy sigh. “Look at me. I’m talking to a tree for crying out loud.” She groaned and placed her face into her hands, dropping to the ground as she rested her front torso on her elbows.

She stayed that way for a few seconds until she felt someone tap her shoulder. She raised her head, only to see one of the reedy tendrils from the lower boughs of the tree. It was stripped bare of all save a thin layer or bark, but it bent in ways a branch shouldn’t be able to, no matter how much the wind might move it. It motioned with a come hither, shifting its edge to look much like a finger beckoning. “... o-kayyyyy … I guess I’m supposed to follow you?” The tendril dropped significantly before raising up again. It retracted, rising above the hollow to where the trunk met its parts before continuing its climb. Then it shot up into the boughs, leaving Thalia uncertain what to do next.

“Um … alright, I’m here. What did you want to do?” In answer to her question, Thalia watched as the canopy above her lit up like a Hearths Warming Tree. Mist gathered, filtering down and glowing as it entered the trunk before the gryphoness. Slowly, a shoot grew, pressing its way out as it thickened and expanded into a branch. Green shoots and leaves sprouted all along its length, glowing the same greenish silver as the rest as a sweet smelling blossom burst out on its end. In mere moments, the blossom faded, leaving behind a large silvery fruit tinged by red and black stripes shaped like scratches. As she inhaled the scent, her mind was flooded by images of battle. Enemies screamed while the traitors begged for mercy. And there, in the center of it all stood a tower of controlled fury and fluid grace. The gryphon cried aloud with a piercing shriek as blood speckled her feathers. Another head decapitated. A metal feather glinted in the afternoon sun as she continued to attack, slaying left and right.

“Know the father …” A voice whispered in her ear as she watched. Thalia started as she finally recognized the gryphoness for who she was. Thalia the battle born laid waste to to her enemies with no mercy, revelling in revenge. She shuddered. Could this be what her father was like? Would he kill like this with no restraint? What was it like? Was it enjoyable? Something inside of her whispered, yearned even, to find out. Almost against her will, her taloned hand reached for the fruit, ready to pluck, ready to eat … ready to kill. Her eyes glowed red a moment, flickering back and forth as her hand trembled.

“Or save the mother.” A sharp cry echoed across the battlefield, shattering the image as Kalima shot to the forefront. Her leg had gone from bad to worse. Infection had spread to the paw, covering it in abscesses and gangrene. Her fur had long since fallen off along her side and hamstrings. She trembled in pain, staring into the nothingness as Nurse Redheart worked applying medical compresses and administering pain medication.

“Thalia …” Kalima sighed, tensed, gurgled, then let loose a sickening rattle. Thalia’s blood ran cold.
“... Choose.” The voice echoed again and again, whispering through the leaves. Or was it merely her imagination? The vision closed and Thalia opened her eyes, darting between the fruit and the leaves. The fruit promised power, strength, and unbeatable prowess in the field of battle. The leaves promised the power to save the one person she had left to love in the world. The fruit would give her knowledge of her father. But it would cost her her mother. What should she choose?

Letting loose a cry, she slashed at the fruit and sent it flying as juices bled and ran dry. An angry shriek filled the air as it withered and died, dissipating into a silvery grey mist. “... well done.” Thalia jumped. This time the voice was male, deeper and more masculine. A golden chain dropped over her neck. A large gold talon embossed with silver dangled before her crest. Taking it in her talons, she held it to the light and gazed on it, confused. “A golden talon? What’s this doing here?” No voice replied. Shrugging her shoulders, Thalia placed the trinket in her side bag for now, carefully securing the pocket so it would not fall out later. She then withdrew the wooden container Zecora had provided for her and began to pluck the leaves, breaking them off the branch with her talons before gently depositing them into the container. When she had stripped the limb bare, she turned and prepared to leave, but stopped mid flap.

“I don’t know if you understand me, or hear me, or what. … But thanks.” With that, she launched herself into the air and soared to her friends. She smirked, this time a little more happily. Friends. She liked that.


Nurse Redheart sat humming to herself in the hospital when the door burst violently open. “Excuse me, visiting hours are- oh. Thalia, it’s you.” The gryphoness came rushing in, holding the wooden container aloft. A large, imposing minotaur clopped in behind her, his arms folded over his muscled chest as he stared the nurse down. “And who is this?”

“No time to explain. I got the ingredients. Where’s Zecora? I checked at her hut. She’s not there.”

“Up at your mother’s … room.” Nurse Redheart deadpanned. All that remained of Thalia was a cloud of dust as she dashed down the hall and literally flew up the stairs. Moments later, the door to the primary care room burst open. Thalia was panting as she screeched to a halt. Kalima lay in a deep sleep, her breathing shallow. The leg had become as horrible as she had seen in her vision. Black skin grew up and down the limb in a cankerous sore, oozing puss and other fluids. The stink was horrendous. Zecora sat on her staff, her cloak hanging on a nearby chair with her saddlebag of remedies and treatments.

“You’ve come, that is good. I am prepared. We have not a moment to be spared.” She hopped down from her staff gracefully as it twirled in the air before she caught it with a hoof and lowered it gently. “I’ll go to work with all possible speed. But first things first. Do you have what I need?”

“Here!” Thalia said, shoving the box into the pony’s hooves. Zecora opened the box and smiled at the glow within. “You chose right. You passed the test. Your part is done. Let me do the rest.” She smiled mischievously as she closed the lid and placed the container into a pocket in her saddlebag. Then she withdrew a small vial filled with a clear liquid.

“But … but …” Thalia said, not understanding.

“No potion nor salve could ever succeed. The leg was far too atrophied. But one last resort I had prepared, that your mother’s life might be spared.”

“Then you had me go on a dangerous quest, nearly get killed, tossed around by a sea serpent, half drowned, and almost corrupted into a servant of chaos, all for some box of leaves that don’t even matter?” Thalia asked, her voice slowly raising to a crescendo.

“Those leaves are very vital to me. I always use them in my tea. The essence makes me feel alive and helps these weary bones revive. But there was still more reason yet. This water cannot simply be let. Their healing powers must be earned with tests and lessons that must be learned. You’ve grown so much. That I can see. We’ll talk of it later over a cup of tea.” With that, Zecora took a pipette from a drawer nearby and dipped it into the vial. Without a word, she compressed the bag, pushing out the air before letting the vacuum do its work and suck up some of the liquid. She dropped the substance in key points on the leg, then sprayed it onto some clean bandages before wrapping the flesh. Lastly, she forced Kalima’s beak open and squirted three doses into her mouth and down her throat. A light golden glow emanated from the bandages. When she had finished, the bells in town hall began to toll.

“By the sounding of this chime, the leg should improve in three hours time. Give then at least three days more, to ensure that all has been fully restored.” Zecora carefully returned the vial to her saddlebag and added the pipette for good measure. Donning her cloak and saddlebag, she nodded as her eyes glowed yellow beneath the hood’s shadow, then smiled knowingly as she left. “I’ll leave you alone. She has waited for you. There will be much to say and much more to do. Prepare yourself.” With that, Zecora left as Thalia looked first to her mother, then back to the zebra making her way down the hall.

“This isn’t over, Zecora!” Thalia shouted after her. The Zebra just laughed.

“I know, child. I know.”


The moon shone in the night sky as ten Thestrals flew in formation over Northeast Ponyville. Two more pulled a sky chariot where Pensword and Lunar fang rested, surrounded by boxes and bundles. Pensword looked to the stars and smiled as the moon shone on his mane. Slowly, he leaned his head against his wife’s neck. His eyes roamed over the cloud bank northwest of Canterlot Mountain. He knew they would be safe now; they were deep in Equestrian territory. He sighed at the lovely night then furrowed his brow as he looked over the cloud again. Something about them was off, but he couldn’t put his wing on the problem.

“Dear,” Lunar Fang yawned with a small niker of contentment. “It’s going to be so nice to see New Unity again.” She stretched her wings and laughed. “I must say, of all that I taught you about Thestrals, I never let myself so much as dream about teaching you the traditions for married life,” She said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

Pensword smiled and opened his mouth when a sharp whistle cut him off. A shaft of wood whizzed over their heads, continuing its deadly arc for a good five feet more before it began to fall. Pensword immediately sprang to full alert, using his senses to pinpoint the shaft’s origin even as he raised a protective wing over his mate.

“Drop your weapons and any money or food you're carrying to the ground!” a voice called out.

“Unable to comply,” Pensword said, his expression placid. “It is a tad difficult to throw our things to the ground when we are airborne.” Pensword extended his other wing to the skies around them as the escort fell into battle formation. His flat expression broke into a smirk. The irony of the demand was not lost on him, nor on Matthew. Casually, Pensword moved his head and ears, listening for the sound of wingbeats to locate the assailant. Another shaft flew from the opposite direction, grazing his foreleg.

“It wasn’t a request,” a new voice growled.

Pensword glared at his men. They looked back, their expressions grim. They were not prepared for a battle. They knew what might happen. “Banditry will not be tolerated. Princess Luna shall be informed and you will be hunted down. Do yourselves a favor. Give up now.” A lone silhouette caught his eye as it flitted into the clouds. The flash of a golden tail gleamed in the silver light. “Gryphons,” he hissed. Before he could issue an order the flash of metal flew by as a large wooden shaft crashed through the tongue of the chariot, causing it to enter freefall. Pensword and Lunar Fang quickly took to the air, grabbing their weapons. His eyes glinted angrily. “You just attacked a diplomatic escort with unborn children. You shall stand down, or I will retaliate. This is your last warning.”

“Go for the mare. Taking her will make them surrender!” another voice crowed as the gryphons attacked. Some bore a familiar red banner with a black feather. Pensword growled and let out a bellow that would make a manticore flinch. He dove viciously, attacking the poorly armored underbelly of the nearest gryphon where patches of fur and feather poked through its incomplete chainmail. Blood and entrails trailed as the gryphon fell. Pensword lost his dagger, catching it on the ribcage, but the Gryphon was dead. He rose to the air and withdrew a new invention Luna had started to implement.

Clenching an envelope in his hoof, the sound of breaking glass could be heard. The letter soon caught fire before shooting itself up and exploding in the clear sky, releasing a red burst of bottled magic before he dove once again. “Triumph Squad! Form up around Lieutenant Commander Lunar Fang!” He bellowed as he corkscrewed around a trio of attacking Gryphons. He eyed the ground below, taking note of the various positions of enemy archers as a volley of arrows flew up at them. The ponies skillfully dodged as they glared at their attackers, swords at the ready while the gryphons pressed the advantage. Moving quickly, Pensword jerked with his teeth, tearing the oil cloths from his wing blades as they extended with a metallic ring. The time for talking had passed. It was time to add some more feathers to his pillow.

Lunar Fang soon found herself surrounded by the enemy. They were not harming her yet, but their aerial maneuvering was gradually forcing her to the ground, giving no quarter for escape. Clearly, they had performed raids like this before. “You do realize my mate will never surrender. He is Pensword.” Her ear twitched and she smirked at her adversaries. “And you all are dead.”

“First volley, aim your shots and loose!” a familiar voice barked from the ground as several large shafts shot up. This time, the shots found their marks in gryphon flesh as they pierced the armor of Lunar Fang’s attackers. The raiders fell like stones. “Second volley take out the higher targets. Aim …. and loose!” Dark Blue feathered shafts with silver tips whistled in the moonlight to the metallic clank of a crossbow as it releases.

The other Thestrals were holding their own, but three had fallen, spiraling to the ground. They were injured, but still alive. Pensword lost sight of the as they crashed into the treetops. A gryphon with a frustrated and panicked expression launched a skilled shot, narrowly missing Lunar Fang. His fate was sealed.

“YOU SHALL NOT HARM HER!” Pensword bellowed as he dove down into the fray, wing blades at the ready. Falling with the speed of a falcon in full pursuit, he sliced through the attacker’s left wing and watched as she fell to the ground. He turned and roared. “I AM COMMANDER PENSWORD OF THE THIRD GRYPHON WAR! YOU SHALL SURRENDER OR DIE!” he growled as he locked eyes with the enemy flag bearer, his rage fueled even further by his memories of the massacre so long ago under that standard.

He heard the sound of grinding metal behind him and answered with an aerial spin, ready to meet blade to blade. He stared as a meaty thunk met his ears followed by the gryphon’s arm spiraling out of sight, axe still in hand. The gryphon hovered there, surprised as another familiar gryphon hovered nearby, his eyes glaring. “Big mistake,” Grif said before cleaving the would be assassin's head. The body flapped spasmodically for a few seconds before its wings seized up and it fell to join the rest of its parts in the forest below. “Well now, Pensword, I don’t know how our quarry found you, but thanks for detaining them for us.” As he spoke, another gryphon approached dressed in newly forged armor and carrying a yellow banner with a red lion on it.

Pensword yelled out. “Behind you!” as he dove headlong at the standard bearer. “We got two battalions!” He cried to his forces as he tried to figure out how to survive this battle without hurting Lunar Fang. The way things were going, he might wind up having a face to face conversation with his adopted father sooner than he had expected.

Grif just managed to grab his friend’s backplate and pull him back. “Hold on there, commander. Look at the chest plate.” Grif pointed to the near traumatized gryphon’s armor, shoving Pensword’s muzzle into it for a closer look. There on the armor, the symbol of two feather shaped blades had been carefully engraved. The commander immediately relaxed his stance, his expression sheepish. “Report,” Grif said.

“They had this ambush well planned. We caught three squads stationed to the south waiting to charge. No deaths yet, but we have had three casualties so far,” The gryphon said, saluting to Grif.

“Very good. Retrieve any and all downed Thestrals and get them to safety. If they won’t accept your help you have permission to knock them out. But they must survive, understand?” The gryphon nodded and sped off immediately.

“Grif, you want your clan to do well in my eyes? Get me one of those banners. They attacked me. I want those colors. Two if you can manage it, so one can go to your clan to display with pride.” He looked to his friend and smiled. “I can see you are happier,” he said, casually diving to avoid another arrow. He turned his head at the attackers and yelled. “You carry the flag of a black wing. I killed the elite black wings in my day. You hatchlings are worse than the recruits were back then!” he bellowed as he battled towards one of the standards.

“These mercenaries attacked their fellows over money a while back,” Grif explained as he casually parried an ill placed thrust.“They came to us with no food, many of them dying from lack of medicine. I guess you could say this is vengeance for my new ‘family.’”

Pensword nodded his head. “Then we shall have give no quarter. Either they sound a full retreat or die for their crimes here and now.”

“Fifty gold bits to the first gryphon who brings commander pensword the enemy’s colors!” Grif called out.

Pensword looked to his friend with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. “Sixty bits for the Gryphon who presents Clan Leader Grif with his own set of enemy colors for the clan hall!”

A little over an hour later, the battle had finally ended. Mercifully, the Thestrals and the Blade Feathers hadn’t suffered any deaths. A few severe injuries had been noted and the fallen were being laid on slings in preparation for travel.

“And here I was thinking you wouldn’t have made it back before the big day.” Grif smiled as he gave Lunar Fang a hug, the enemy banner still wadded up in one taloned hand. “They didn’t get you, did they?”

“Just a scratch on my cheek. Nothing serious. But I think you should  should go talk to your friend. Pensword’s worrying himself sick over my health. I feel fine. A little shaky from the rush of the battle, but Thestrals have been known to fight in this stage of pregnancy before. It’s no cause for alarm” She smiled as she lay on her bed in the castle. “Did you hear what Pensword is doing for our first born? He’s going to incorporate that black feather from our attackers into her personal crest.” She said, beaming at the gryphon. “So, you got a place of honor for your enemy colors?”

“The compound is nearly finished.” Grif said as he smiled back. “It’s a project that keeps the gryphons out of New Unity so the Gryphon Slayers don’t go bald from uneasiness.” Grif chuckled as the image passed through his mind. “Honestly, I’m surprised you both took everything so well.”

“You forget that I came from this time period first. Gryphon merchs are okay by me. But Pensword, my dear, dear Pensword. ... He’s in our war room making plans in case the Gryphons turn on him. He’s more than a little concerned how the Gryphons would see him. You’re the boogeyman to them, whatever that means. And he says it should be enough. But honestly, I think he could molt some of his feathers if he’s not careful. He needs someone close to help calm him down. And after that battle, I’m just not the one for the job.”

Grif nodded and hummed. “I’ll go try and reassure him then. If you need anything, there’s always someone nearby.” Grif nodded in farewell before closing the door and making a beeline for the war room.


Grif didn’t even need to knock. The door stood ajar, showing a large table where a very disheveled Pensword was pouring over a new model of the map he had used during the Third Gryphon war. New magic meant new controls. It was a blast, or so he had said, to relearn the tools and information. More details, more stats, more safety. But the pony Grif saw now didn’t look too excited. Pensword poured over the map, squinting at the census records that now hovered in front of him showing all the Mercenary Gryphons in Equestria.

“So many are guards for Nobility. Or bouncers,” Pensword mumbled as he shook his head. “The Golden Torch are contracted to be bouncers for every high end bar in Manehatten.” He shook his head again. “This could turn bad if some black tips were to buy them off,” he muttered before his ear twitched. He turned, looking up at Grif. He looked even worse from the front. Bags weighed heavily under his eyes and his feathers were all askew as stray hairs from his mane drifted in front of his face. “Hello,” he said, his voice sounding raspy and strained. Clearly he had neither eaten, drank, nor slept since their encounter in the forest.

“What did I do to lose your faith?” Grif asked plainly as he walked in. “Tell me and I’ll do whatever it takes to gain it back.”

Pensword looked up and let out a tired sigh. “Too many Gryphons too fast.” he admitted. “Something out of your control. You did the right thing. But for me, at this moment in time, I cannot help but see it every time I look in their eyes, hear their voices clicking from their beaks. I see Mountainside Falls.” His bloodshot eyes watered as he turned to trot to the window. “You did the right thing. And you do need the clout. I am just worried about the others factions. I know you are their clan leader and Gryphon honor, if it is intact, would state that they should follow you into Tartarus itself if you commanded it. However, there are other merch bands out there. Ones that you can’t control.  Like the Black Wings, or the Golden Torches, just to name a few. They are the unknowns. And some have easy access to high profile citizens.” He took a shaky breath and turned to face his friend again. “You have not lost my faith. You never could,” he said, smiling sadly.

“Well, for starters, your mapping this wrong,” Grif said casually. “I sent out a message for any and all clanless who would join me. I’ve already received assurances that these,” he said, knocking down three Golden Torches from the map. “Will be joining me as soon as their contracts are up for negotiation. Furthermore, the Golden Torches as a whole share no love for the Empire and stand ready to meet them if I send for them.” He looked grimly at the black feathers. “And their social structure is currently in flux. They’re hardly organized enough to be a threat to anyone within the next two years.”

Pensword sighed. “I need you, Grif. I couldn’t have realized this without you.” He looked to his friend with a wan smile. “What do the Gryphons say about Pensword? I read in one book that I was called a Demon. I, I do not want to jeopardize your work here.”

“Some call you a monster,” Grif admitted, shrugging. “The butcher, the blood bathed, the pony who brings painful death on the winds.” Pensword seemed to grow smaller with each new title.  “But, still more see you as an epitome of shame. Not shame to you, but for what was done to you and yours. The clanless have had over a millennia to look at history and many are seeing it for what they did. Several of these gryphons are from bloodlines who went into self imposed exile for their crimes.”

Pensword nodded his head slowly. “It will take time, Grif. I have not had a millennia to heal. I haven’t even had so much as a year. To me, the wounds, the war, the death. It is all so fresh.” He looked to the window and the moon shining in the doorless arch. He sighed again. “Let me repeat myself at the risk of sounding redundant. You have not lost my faith. If anything, I fear I might be the danger to progress here.” His breath caught, almost breaking into a sob. “I … I had better go see the docs. I might have hurt myself during that battle. Would ... would you be willing to accompany me?”

“Of course.” Grif smiled. “No matter what happens, remember you can come to me. And secondly, remember that I have everything under control, alright?” Grif asked, smirking at his old friend with a sideways glance.

“I pray to Faust that that remains true for the future. I have a child who is to be born, and I need her Godfather to protect him or her if I go crazy. I cannot even project what a civil war might cause,” Pensword muttered as he slowly clip clopped towards the infirmary. Both picked up on the sound of hooves clip clopping their way down the hall towards them. But who would be awake at this time of night? They tensed, ready for the worst as a figure walked out of the shadows.

“Pensword, Grif. Glad to see you’re both fine.” Hammer said as he stepped into the light of a torch in its embrasure.

Pensword smiled and rushed to meet his friend with a hug. “Hammer Strike! Boy are you a sight for sore eyes. How have you been? I hope things were boring while I dealt with some Thestral things. Some of the Dream Clan is actually going to be setting up a camp here as well.” He paused. “Uh, did we get that last group of cadets yet?” he asked, suddenly remembering their original plans.

“I’m not sure. Been stuck in my study for awhile with a nice pile of letters and documents that required my attention.” He shrugged. “Not when I last checked though.”

“Oh boy, that is going to be something to see when they show up. At least we are here and not in Ponyville. And now we have the road in place. How are the outposts coming along?”

“Progress is going from what I remember, but our main priority is still set on finishing New Unity so it can be secure.”

“Understood. I heard that the Clan Hall is going to Grif’s Clan, so that is good news. Still, it is good to be back home.” Pensword paused as he looked to Hammer Strike. “Uh, there is some news you might not like,” he said, shuffling a hoof. “Lunar Fang and I are Grand Duchess and Grand Duke of Filly De Y’s. He tried to smile a little. “Seems we will both be sitting in the royal chambers next time we have a session called.”

“And the thing that I won’t like is...?”

“Well, uh, the Constitution, and articles of nobility?” he whispered in English. “Then again,” He said, switching back to Equestrian. “We have started to make a home here. Still… I am nobility. I have power and authority that just outright scares me. Then again again, I suppose you feel the same way?”

“Hammer Strike could send Celestia and Luna to their rooms,” Grif pointed out, laughing.

Pensword snorted behind a wing. “He did that a little with Princess Celestia and the weapon training he put her through, didn’t he?”

Hammer Strike simply shrugged in response. “That’s about right.”

“Uh, I had a thought. You do not think Luna is trying to put us into nobility to try and change Equestria do you? Also, how… much has she learned about Earth technology from us? I know she knows about Nuclear powered subs.” They were in a secluded section of the castle so he figured they could speak candidly. “Along with missiles and a few other things.”

“Considering all of us know limits to advances, I doubt it will be over the top,” Hammer replied.

“I can’t help but feel something big’s still on the horizon,” Grif said. “Like we’re still only at the edge of the pit and we haven’t even started our descent yet.”

“Considering we’re still young, at least physically, yeah. We still have plenty to do,” Hammer replied.

“I hope it is a path down into the pit and not a free-fall,” Pensword muttered.

“You shouldn’t complain. You have wings.” Hammer smirked.

Pensword paused with a deadpan expression. “Touche.”

“Used it up for the month already?” Grif laughed.

“I’m sure I can use some in advance.” Hammer shrugged.

“Very true.” Pensword paused and looked up at the ceiling and cracked stones. “Well, anything else I missed hearing about?”

“Not that I can remember off the top of my head.”

“Okay, I shall look forward to getting back.” he paused. “Where are the Gryphon Slayers, by the way? I hope they were smart enough to bug out for a while till the Gryphons settled in.”

“Out and about in the forest looking for old locations,” Hammer Strike replied.

“That sounds good.” Pensword said as they reached a branching hallway. “I am going to see the docs. Get checked up after that battle. ... I might be sleeping there tonight. Tell Lunar Fang for me, won’t you?”

“Got it,” Grif said with a brave salute. “But first, let’s get you there in one piece, eh? I’d rather not lose one of my best friends after surviving a war together,” he said, smirking. The halls were soon filled with laughter as the three friends walked together into the darkness.