Pacing back and forth in Blueblood’s chamber, Derpy waited for any news about her daughter. Guards had been sent to the letter writer’s home to retrieve her, but she wasn’t there, only a single older stallion, who had said he didn’t know where the writer was. Derpy didn’t know who this ‘Amber Vain’ was, nor what she or Dinky had done to earn her spite.
The door creaking open drew her attention, and she turned to see Blueblood enter, the stallion seeming exhausted. As he came closer, Derpy noticed red splotches dotting his coat and she ran over to him, placing her hoof on one of the spots. “It’s wet,” she said in surprise, turning Blueblood's muzzle to face her. “Is… is this blood?”
Blueblood snorted and pulled away, heading over to his drinks cabinet, where he forewent using a glass, picking up a large bottle of amber liquid and gulping some of it down. After taking his fill, the stallion set the bottle down with a sigh, turning to face the mare.”...s’not mine.”
“Then whose?” Derpy asked, frowning when Blueblood took another guzzle of booze. “Whose blood is it?”
With an angry snarl, Blueblood launched the now half empty bottle into the wall to his side, Derpy gasping in shock. “Does it matter?” he asked angrily. “She messed with my family so I messed with hers. All he had to do was tell me where she went!”
“Blue… what did you do?” Derpy backed away slightly, her eyes moving from the unicorn to the bedroom door.
“I roughed her father up! I don’t know how much,” Blueblood admitted, giving a mad cackle. “But it’ll teach her a lesson when she comes home and finds his broken body!”
Derpy had heard enough, running into the bedroom and slamming the door shut behind her, ensuring to lock it. Silence reigned for a few a few minutes, and then there was a gentle knock on the door.
“Derpy?” came Blueblood’s voice, now quiet and worried. “I… I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what’s come over me. I… I am going to talk with my aunts. Please… come join us when you’re ready.”
She heard his hoofsteps move away, followed by the door to the suite opening and closing, the mare letting out the breath she was holding. She then walked over to the bed and flopped down on it, crying herself to sleep.
She awoke a few hours later, looking out of the window to see the sun had begun its descent. Standing from the bed, Derpy stretched out then walked over to the door. She took a deep breath then reach a hoof to the handle, pushing open the door to see the lounge area empty.
A glance at the clock told her it was the evening meal time, and she briefly wondered if Blueblood had left her to rest… or just plain ignored her. Making her way from the chambers, a small blush grew as every guard she passed saluted at her, until she reached the throne room.
The table was set and plates piled with food, four of them, but the three ponies sitting there had not started. It took Derpy a moment to realise they were waiting for her. She slowly trotted over, slipping into the vacant chair opposite Blueblood, who averted his gaze when she looked at him.
Just as Derpy was about to begin eating, one of the castle staff came rushing in, galloping over to the table. He dropped an open box in front of Blueblood and then backed away, shaking slightly.
Raising his eyebrow, Blueblood lifted the box up in has magic and hovered it over the table, then turned it upside down. There were two loud thuds and a quieter one, all diner’s losing their appetites as they looked down.
Upon the table sat the heads of two ponies, both Katakans, one mare, one stallion; hers with two eyes, his with one. In between them sat something long, thin, and bluish-gray. Reaching a shaking hoof out, Derpy gently prodded it, letting out a scream as the severed horn released some of its stored magic in a flash of light.
Derpy suddenly found herself in her own home, but the place looked like it had been deserted for months, a glance out of the window showing the contents of the flower box there had wilted and died. The inside wasn’t much better, a thick layer of dust coating all of the furniture, and the couch… well, it’d be easier to just get a new one and burn the old.
Moving from her lounge into the kitchen, she saw the sides littered with plates, on top of which sat rotten leftovers. It was like they simply brought new plates from each meal. The stench hit Derpy’s nose and she almost lost the contents of her stomach, the pegasus quickly leaving the room.
Moving to the stairs, Derpy warily picked her way up them, for several large holes had appeared. She approached her bedroom, pushing the door open to find an utter mess. Her bedding hadn’t been changed nor the bed made, and the smell coming from in there was worse than the kitchen.
Closing the door, Derpy turned and walked over to Dinky’s room, preparing for the worst. She was surprised to see nothing in the room had changed, the room neat, tidy, and clean. Sitting at a desk in the room was Dinky, Derpy letting out a deep sigh as she walked over.
Her eyes went wide as she approached, for Dinky reached up and itched at her bare forehead, a little lump where the filly’s horn should be. With a strangled cry Derpy snatched Dinky into her hooves, holding her daughter tightly against her chest as the tears began to fall.
“Mommy,” came Dinky’s voice, but it was empty, lacking the usual life in the filly’s words. “Why? Why didn’t you and daddy save me?”
Derpy held the filly out so she could look at her face, seeing that her eyes matched her voice, empty looking and soulless. Derpy looked down at the filly’s desk, giving a gasp, for a newspaper there had the headline ‘Prince Blueblood happily announces his wife Amber Vain is carrying his foal’. The light in the room suddenly went out, a mad cackle echoing from the walls.
“Stupid pegasus!” came Amber Vain’s voice seemingly from everywhere at once. “I told you I’d win!”
Derpy’s screams were drowned out by Amber’s howling laughter...
Derpy’s head shot upwards as she screamed with her eyes red from the build up of tears. She started to hyperventilate as she looked around to see she was in a dark bedroom, with the moon being the only light that shined through the window. When she heard a groan coming from her side, she turned to see Blueblood looking at her.
“Derpy?” Blueblood rubbed his eyes to remove the gathered rheum and raised himself up to sit upright on the bed. “What’s wrong?” he asked her and tried to reach out a hoof to her.
When she saw the hoof approaching her, Derpy yelped and pushed herself off the bed, glaring at Blueblood. “This is all your fault!” she suddenly shouted, running over to the door and pausing to look over her shoulder. “You stay away from us!” With that, she ran from the room, ignoring the calls from the stallion for her to stop, Derpy muttering to herself as she went. She didn’t even notice several of the guards leave their stations and gallop after her.
Down several of the corridors she ran, turning this way and that to ensure the stallion had no chance of following. Just as she turned a corner, her entire body slammed against something hard. She fell on her haunches and rubbed her sore nose before she looked up to see the face of Princess Luna looking down on her.
“Derpy, are you alright?” she asked the pegasus as she helped her back up to her hooves. Luna saw Derpy’s eyes were kind of glazed over, and leaned closer to hear the quiet words the pegasus was saying.
“Dinky, horn. Dinky, horn. Dinky, horn. Dinky, horn,” the words repeated as Derpy trotted in place, her gaze jumping from one shadow to another. Movement behind Derpy drew Luna’s attention, some of the guards having caught up. Giving them a nod, Luna lifted Derpy in her magic and set her on her back, the pegasus still mumbling away even as her hooves wrapped around the alicorn’s neck and held on tightly.
Perhaps a nightmare… Luna thought to herself as she trotted along the corridors. It didn’t take her long to reach her own chambers, where the Katakans standing guard favoured the mares with confused frowns. Stopping at her door, Luna turned to the mare standing there, who went rigid in place. “Find Prince Blueblood and tell him where his fiancee is,” she ordered her guard, who saluted her and dived into the shadows.
Stepping into her room, Luna set Derpy down on her couch and climbed up next to her. She waited patiently for the pegasus to speak, but too soon did the silence become uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, Luna opened the conversation. “Did…. were you plagued by a nightmare?”
Derpy gave a slight nod, but her muttering never ceased. Growing concerned for the pegasus’ mental state, Luna lit her horn and formed a small image in front of her. “Look, my dear Derpy,” Luna said, pointing a hoof at the image. “Little Dinky is fine, and with your parents.”
Slowly, both of Derpy’s eyes focused on the image, then lost their slightly manic look. Derpy shuddered once then burst out sobbing, burying her muzzle in Luna’s shoulder.
“I must apologize for not being present to deal with your nightmare…” Luna trailed off before she cleared her throat to speak again. “I was within another nightmare that had to be dealt with for the sake of Equestria… but that does not excuse me not being there to help you, especially since you are a part of my family now.”
Derpy just pressed closer to Luna, and she held the mare until her crying quieted down into small whimpers. “Are you feeling a little better?” the alicorn asked the pegasus, getting a weak nod in response. “If… if you feel up to it, do you wish to tell me what happened exactly?”
Derpy tried her best to recount the events that occurred in the nightmare, though she was interrupted at times thanks to her sniffling. As she finished, she looked up to see Luna still looking down upon her.
“Most ponies don’t realize this… but nightmares have a purpose in one’s life.” Luna said as she closed her eyes slowly. “They help us with addressing current issues and showing us the potential dangers in our lives… Such as your daughter nearly being embraced by death or being crippled for life.”
Luna rested her hoof on Derpy’s chin. “However, nightmares should not be lingered upon for too long… for if a pony should dwell on their fears, they are left vulnerable in the end.” As I was back then…
Derpy’s ears flattened as Luna said that, a knock on the door alerting the two mares to a visitor. Not bothering to wait for Luna’s approval to enter, the door opened and Blueblood stuck his head in, his face awash with worry. Seeing him open his mouth, Luna shook her head and her horn glowed softly, the mare in her hooves suddenly falling limp.
Luna then waved Blueblood over, gently placing the now slumbering Derpy atop his back, using a hoof to turn his muzzle towards her. “I shall look after her during her sleep for the remainder of the night, but during the day… that task falls to you. Go now, return to your chambers,” Luna said, giving both of them a kiss on the cheek, eyeing them as Blueblood slowly walked out of the room.
For what you’ve done… you’re getting a visit. Luna thought to herself, then had a little giggle. And Tia doesn’t even have to know! With a deep breath Luna closed her eyes, slipping off to sleep instantly in an ability honed over her long years of life. There was one other mare she’d be seeing tonight.
As the sun’s beams shined through the open window of their bedroom, Blueblood’s eyes opened to see Derpy sleeping peacefully in his arms. Just as he caressed her cheek, he saw her eyes flutter open and locked her pupils with his. When he saw her pupils shrink and felt her try to push herself away, he held onto her and brought her into an embrace.
“Shh, it’s okay Derpy… it’s okay…” Blueblood whispered into her ear, continuing to say those words as though they were a mantra. As he felt the mare relax in his arms, he let go of her slowly and turned to see her looking down in shame with quivering lips and moist eyes.
Derpy raised her head a little to lock her eyes with Blueblood’s, only for to look away again. “I’m so sorry…” she muttered, only to have her fiance look at her in confusion.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, if it’s about—”
“But I did!” Derpy interrupted as she raised her voice, only to close her mouth with both her hooves and blush. “I said those awful things to you last night… just because I had some stupid nightmare…”
I wouldn’t exactly call that nightmare ‘stupid’... and I must thank Luna for showing me it after we came back here. Blueblood sighed before he nuzzled his mare softly. “Derpy, I don’t blame you for what happened last night… especially with what has happened lately.” he tried to reason with his fiancee, only to have her wrap her hooves around his neck and plant her face into his shoulder. The stallion turned his head and felt her cry.
“I’m so scared Blue…” Derpy confessed as she lifted her head from his shoulder and sniffed, only the tears wouldn’t stop streaming. “I’m scared about our filly… I mean, what if something like this happens again to her?! What if she gets herself killed by some crazed lunatic or some noble wants to have her way with her and—” she was silenced when her stallion planted his lips against hers.
Blueblood removed his muzzle from Derpy and nuzzled her cheek. “If our baby becomes the target of some conspiracy, we’ll face that together as a family…” he trailed off as he sighed. “I’m also scared for her, and for you my love,” he said as he removed himself from her. “But, we shouldn’t let fear of the future dictate our lives.”
“Wise Words once told me ‘Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mysterious… but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.’” Blueblood quoted his butler’s words that he had said not so long ago.
A small smile emitted from Derpy muzzle as she leaned into Blueblood’s, kissing him briefly before speaking again. “Why do you always say the right things to me?” she asked him as she leaned her forehead against his, avoiding his horn.
Blueblood shrugged as he stared into her eyes. “I don’t know…” he answered Derpy, nuzzling her cheek again, the both of them climbing from the bed and walking out into the main room. “Shall we go down for breakfast?” he asked her.
“Not yet…” Derpy trailed off as she grabbed a hold of Blueblood and pulled him over to the couch, sitting him down then following and laying her head in his lap. “I want you with me right now,” she declared as she reached up and put a hoof around his head, lowering his muzzle to hers.
The stallion nodded and reached his hoofs to her wings, giving them a massage as they embraced each other. Just as their lips connected, a knock on the door stopped them from proceeding. Derpy groaned as she stared at the door and rolled herself over, Blueblood gently stroking her mane before calling out, “Enter...”
Trotting through the castle halls, Luna looked in every strange location she felt a shadow essence. Ever since she and her sister had left Nightshade and Wise Words staring out over the gardens, Luna hadn't seen nor heard anything from either pony. So, there she was wandering around, before the sun had even risen, trying to find her Shadowbolt captain.
Walking along the corridor that ran past the entrance to the wing where Blueblood had his chambers, Luna stopped and cocked her head, looking down the corridor. She felt several dozen shadow essences outside the castle, but only one inside. Knowing that neither her nor any of her Katakan commanders had ordered a guard to be inside her nephew’s chambers, Luna turned from the main passage with her horn glowing.
The rooms on the first two floors were empty save one, where Sly Cur was currently residing. Making her way up to the third floor, Luna felt the shadow essence grow stronger. The trail led to the door opposite Blueblood’s, Luna pausing and blinking in confusion, then teleported to the hall. She slowly raised her hoof and knocked thrice on the wooden portal, hearing hoofsteps on the other side coming closer.
The door swung open to reveal a mare that rivaled the princess in size, her yellow slitted eyes going wide when she saw the visitor. Stepping into the hall, Nightshade gently closed the door behind her, looking at Luna. “Night-mistress, how may I be of service?”
“How is he?” Luna asked, looking back at the door Nightshade had just emerged from. “I imagine he is taking it quite hard.”
“He is… adjusting,” Nightshade replied, giving a sad sigh. “He… made a decision last night, and I offered my thoughts on the matter.” Seeing Luna open her mouth, Nightshade shook her head. “He confided in me, and I will not betray his trust, to you or anypony.”
Luna worked her mouth a few times, before closing her eyes and smiling softly. “I understand, Nightshade. You are given leave to be there for him… much like you were yesterday.”
“Somepony had to do something, Night-mistress,” Nightshade said, giving a shrug. “Could… could you see if the prince is up? This is something he wants to do as soon as possible.”
Giving Nightshade a nod, Luna faced the other door and knocked loudly, then pushed the door open slowly. Taking a look around the room, she saw Blueblood sitting on the couch with Derpy sprawled across him, her head in his lap. “Good morning nephew," Luna said as she entered, quietly as to not disturb the peace that filled the room. She had a feeling it would be broken soon enough.
Once she had entered the room and pushed the door to, Nightshade entered the other room once more, looking around at the luggage that had been placed by the door. Movement caught her eyes as Wise Words emerged from his bedroom, wearing a faded old brown suit. “You do not have to do this,” Nightshade said, hoping the stallion would listen to reason.
Wise Words just gave her a small smile, then trotted from his room with Nightshade following. They could both hear hushed voices from Blueblood’s room, which stopped when Wise knocked.
“Enter,” came Blueblood’s voice.
Taking a deep breath, Wise pushed the door open and made his way in, stepping in front of the prince. There was a tense silence, the younger unicorn knowing something was wrong, but he couldn’t comprehend what until the elder stallion spoke. “Prince Blueblood, I have been in your service for over thirty years. I was present when you were brought home from the hospital the day you were born,” Wise said as he floated out a white envelope from his suit pocket. “We’ve shared many laughs and our worries over the years, which is why with deep regret, I officially tender my resignation. Goodbye, Master Blue.”
Bowing his head, Wise turned and began to walk towards the door, not meeting Nightshade’s gaze as she stared at him. He had just made it to the exit with his head outside the room when a quiet voice from behind made him stop. “Wise, wait,” Blueblood said, gently easing Drepy from his lap. He got up and walked over to the doorway, his ears splayed back. “Please, don’t go…”
“I can not continue to serve you, knowing what my own flesh and blood has done,” Wise said, giving a sad sigh. “I am long overdue for retirement anyway.” He went to continue on his way, but was blocked by Blueblood stepping in front of him.
“She may be yours biologically, but her heart and mind are nothing of the filly whom I use to run in my family gardens with,” Blueblood said, his face showing no emotion. “This other mare, Amber, is not your daughter Wise, and none of this was your fault.” Floating the letter over, Blueblood looked at it carefully as he thought what to say next. “I… will accept your resignation as my butler… but please… don’t go…”
Wise saw Blueblood’s expression change, one he had last seen when he had visited the hospital with the prince as a colt, his face full of fear and uncertainty. “Master Blue…”
“You’re my friend, Wise, and nothing will ever change that. And,” Blueblood thought about his words, making sure to choose the right ones as not to offend the older stallion. “You… you’re the closest thing to a father I’ve had… since… since,” Blueblood couldn’t hold back any longer, his head lowering as tears ran down his cheeks and to the floor.
Seeing the younger unicorn couldn’t come up with anything else to say, Derpy stood up from the couch and walked over, giving Blueblood a supportive nuzzle before looking at Wise Words. “I…” It was the first time she had spoke to the now ex-butler since learning the truth about Amber Vain, and she momentarily felt angry at the stallion, but that was quickly overtaken by shame for feeling like that at him at all.
Taking a deep breath, Derpy pulled away from Blueblood and threw her forelegs around Wise’s neck, holding on tightly. “Now try to leave,” Derpy whispered into his ears, a small smile coming to her face when she heard him give a quiet chuckle. “Please don’t go… the idiot behind me,” Derpy said, loudly and clearly. “He’s going to need more guidance.”
“Hey! I am not an idiot!” Blueblood grumbled, frowning at the back of Derpy’s head. “Well, not all the time.”
Giving a sigh, Wise Words raised a foreleg and returned Derpy’s embrace, not fighting his own slowly falling tears. “I… I guess I can stay for sometime,” Wise said, pulling away from Derpy. “And it would be nice to move around the castle whilst not looking for something to clean. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must put my things back.”
“Allow me,” Luna said as she trotted past, easily lifting up the several suitcases in the hallway as Wise followed. “I shall discuss it with my sister, but I think we can return your noble rank to you.” Luna saw Nightshade out of the corner of her eye, the Katakan mare sporting a wide, toothy grin. Even Luna tried not to shudder at the sight of Nightshade’s sharp fangs.
Nightshade followed Luna and Wise into his chambers, the alicorn taking the luggage into the bedroom. When she came back, she gave the stallion a smile as she walked towards the door. She paused and raised an eyebrow at Nightshade, but said nothing and left, closing the door behind her.
Nightshade bowed at Wise Words, causing him to raise an eyebrow in confusion. “Earl Wise Words, I am glad you decided to stay,” she said, hiding her giggles well when she heard him gasp.
“How do you know that is my noble rank?” he asked, as his raised eyebrow switched places with the other.
“I am captain of the Shadowbolts,” Nightshade said, standing back up and shrugging. “I make it my business to know the history of everypony who is or was employed here during my time.”
“You can still call me ‘Wise’, Nighty,” the stallion said, shaking his head. He turned towards his room but spun around again when he felt the mare move close behind him, seeing her face right in front of his. “N-Nightshade?”
“I am so very glad you stayed, Wise,” Nightshade whispered with a sultry growl. Wise Words only had time to raise his eyebrows as she pounced. Wrapping her forelegs around the stallion, she swept him up into the air, kicked the bedroom door shut with her rear hoof, and landed on the bed with the stallion below her. All of this happened in less than five seconds. “So very glad indeed,” Nightshade said with half lidded eyes, lowering her muzzle...
“Um, Princess… What’s all this for?” Dinky asked Twilight as she sat on a stool in the latter’s laboratory, having an odd looking helmet attached to her head and her horn connected to a cord that connected to the headpiece.
Twilight sighed inwardly as she calobrated the machine on the other side of the room. I wish Spike was here… “Just call me Twilight, Dinky… and to answer your question, this is used to read unique magic.” the alicorn explained as she walked towards the filly. “Unicorn magic won’t necessarily affect this machine, but there are a few cases in which a unicorn’s magic is different from others…”
“Oh?” Dinky tilted her head, trying to comprehend Twilight’s words as best as she could.
“There are some unicorns born with an ability that makes their magic more powerful from others… how that happens is with them being influenced by their emotions.” Twilight trailed off, giving pause when she saw Dinky’s blank stare. “In other words, the magic becomes stronger when a certain emotion triggered.”
Dinky blinked as she looked at the alicorn in confusion. “So, you’re saying that my magic may be different?”
“It very well may be… since I believe you may be an Emotion-Caster.” Twilight answered the filly as she turned a few knobs that were situated on the helmet. “Those are the names we give those unicorns and alicorns that have that ability.”
“Are you one of them, Twilight?” Dinky asked the mare.
Twilight nodded as she removed her hooves from the helmet. “Yes I am..." she replied to Dinky, her smile diminished as she sighed again. “Now, before I start the this test, I need to get a baseline reading of your normal magic, so I want you to focus and channel magic. Can you do that?” she asked the filly, receiving a nod from her. “Good… begin.”
Dinky clenched her eyes closed and started to conjure whatever magic she could muster. A dim glow started to emit from her horn, soon becoming brighter with each second. Her ears perked to the sound of the machine beeping on the other side ofthe room, with Twilight reading a scroll that ejected from it.
“Hmm… above average for a foal her age…” Twilight muttered under her breath as she turned to Dinky. “Alright, we’re going to another test now Dinky.” she told the filly as she walked towards her. “This will feel a little weird, but please bear with it.”
“Okay…” Dinky replied, her eyes still closed with her horn aglow.
The alicorn cleared her throat as she lowered her horn to the headpiece. “Starting test in three, two, one…” Twilight said and ignited her horn with magic, that soon encased the helmet with in a bright lavender aura. After a few seconds, she removed her horn and looked at Dinky with a combination of curiosity and concern.
Dinky looked around the room and shrugged before multiple images flashed before her eyes. She gasped when she saw herself and Pipsqueak as they sat alone on a bench outside the night of the Grand Galloping Gala. A blush came to her face as she watched herself leaning towards the colt and gently press her lips to his.
Twilight watched with wide eyes as Dinky’s aura lightened a few hues. “That’s…” Twilight started as she looked at the next print out. “This is similar to love magic! I’ve got to get you and Cadance together some time to see how you compare! Quick, another test!” she said, her horn flashing and the image changing.
This time, her Pip was being chased in the Trottingham forest by the very Katakan that had abducted her and nearly killed Deadeye; the monster Dark Star.
“Leave him alone, you creep!” Dinky shouted out at the images, not realizing that the helmet on her head had started to react. The machine’s lights began to flash, with a scroll of paper being ejected from it.
Twilight grabbed hold of the paper and read its contents. “So she is an Emotion-Caster too! This is so exciting!” she cheered to herself as she turned to Dinky. “Alright, I’m going to shut the machine off now—” her words were cut off when one of the machine’s lights exploded, causing her to yelp and look at the now malfunctioning contraption.
“I said leave him alone!” Dinky gritted her teeth in rage, with her horn accumulating more magic as though she were trying to launch a spell at the image. The headset started to wobble on the filly’s head, emitting smoke from the top of where the wires were connected.
“Dinky! Stop!” Twilight called out to the the filly, but to no avail. The alicorn saw the unicorn’s magic intensify, releasing itself in the form of a blinding light that filled the entire room.
Once the light faded, Dinky blinked and looked around and found the visions gone, replaced with thick black smoke coming from several machines, including the one on her head. She saw Twilight coughing whilst trying to get rid of the vapours, yet found it difficult with her magic being interrupted by her coughs. The doors burst open to reveal two ponies of the Solar Guard, both of them looking around the room until their eyes landed on the princess.
“Princess Twilight,” one of the guards spoke to the alicorn before he looked around to see the destroyed machinery. “What happened here?” he asked when his eyes landed Dinky.
“We were just conducting an experiment,” Twilight answered as she finally cleansed the room of the black vapours. When she looked at the now broken machine, she sighed and shook her head as she analyzed the condition of the contraption. A shame that had to happen… I don’t think Blue will give me funds for a third one.
“I’m sorry…” Dinky trailed off she she lowered her head and flattened her ears to the side, looking down to the ground in guilt.
Twilight turned her attention to the filly, slowly walking towards and lowering her head to meet her eyes. “It’s okay Dinky,” she said. “It’s just a machine.” she continued as she removed the helmet from the unicorn’s head.
“Did I… Did I do all this, Twilight?” Dinky asked the alicorn as she looked at the broken machinery and the broken glass that lay scattered across the room.
“Let’s get you back to your parents and we’ll discuss what happened here,” Twilight replied as she used her magic to pick Dinky up from the chair and placed her on her back, making her way towards the two guards. “Can you get a clean-up crew in here?” she asked them politely, receiving a salute from both of them.
“Yes Princess!” Both barked out and trotted down the hall towards an unknown destination.
Twilight walked the other way and looked back at Dinky, who had fallen asleep on her back. Magic exhaustion… She must have used most of her magic in that one spell… Just as she turned her head to face the path she was walking, her eyes landed on Blueblood and Derpy.
“Ah, Twilight… how is she?” Blueblood asked the mare, waiting patiently as Twilight raised his daughter from her back and deposited her carefully to his.
“About that… Blueblood… I think we need to talk…”