//------------------------------//
// Ch 3: Webs We Weave 
// Story: Path of the Unforgiven 
// by HeatseekerX51 
//------------------------------//

Canterlot Castle

The light of Luna’s orbital trust shone in spectrum through the stained glass windows, rays of pastel colors playing across the walls of the castle. The Diarch of the day strolled through the throne hall, the window scenes frozen in motion passed over her white fur, distorting their features. 
Twilight’s innocent discovery had unsettled Celestia, so much so, that she had been unable to put the matter out of her mind since. The affair with Thule, and Prince Æclypse in particular was a shame in the history of Equestria, and for her personally. One of the few times when she had to admit to herself that she had failed. But she also knew that she was in the right, and the blame for what happened was not hers to bear.
Still, Twilight could not have the proper context to understand why things happened the way they did. This is what she told herself to justify inhibiting the junior princess, that Celestia had to make sure Twilight didn’t jump to conclusions. 
Celestia paused, and glanced over to the window that portrayed Twilight and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon. The image of the villainous Alicorn reminding her of another personal failure. As she stared at the artwork a more distant memory occurred to her, one that hadn’t had cause in centuries. She remembered watching Prince Æclypse leaving the Thulian throne hall for the last time, and the look in his iridescent eyes, prideful as ever as he turned back to speak his last words to her. 

“I pray the day never comes, that you be forced to raise arms against your kin.”

The pain in his voice as he spoke, betrayed to Celestia that the bidding was not just a retort to the cause of his exile, but a prayer, his own unpretentious plea that the Alicorn’s never turn on one another. 
Thinking of it now, with millennia of hindsight, it seems that even then the warning signs were showing. Perhaps she had been too blinded by her own indignation and worries to see the gesture for what it was. Æclypse had given her a forewarning, and her refusal to listen was a yoke of fault that lay squarely on her shoulders. 
But the depiction that loomed over the hall was not just one of defeat, but of liberation, of restoration. Luna’s curse had been lifted and their sisterhood reunited, after a thousand years of regret and remorse. Even Discord, who was once feared for his maniacal and tyrannical subjugation of Equestria had been reformed, mostly. So perhaps the time was coming for this bit of history to come into the light. 

Why did Twilight have to be so bloody curious? She thought to herself. Hopes aside, she had to make sure this didn’t get out of hoof. 

The double doors at the hall’s main entrance opened, two guards at either side to hold the doors back. Between them stood a single stallion guard, his blue mane groomed smooth as it poked out of the top of his helm. He approached Celestia with a soldier’s stride, and presenting himself to her, offered a sharp salute. 
“Flash Sentry, reporting as ordered your highness.”

Celestia dismissed his formal salute with a wave of her hoof, the guards at the entrance closing the doors. Left standing alone in the royal hall with the supreme ruler of Equestria, Flash was visibly nervous in the company of the Alicorn. The Pegasus ruffled his wings, feeling uncomfortable. 
Celestia reassured him with a smile, “please relax Flash, you’re not in trouble or anything. Follow me.”
Flash exhaled, and fell in step when Celestia turned and began walking back along the length of the hall. 
“How are you enjoying the 3rd shift?”

Flash fumbled for a answer to the highly unexpected question, “It’s peaceful, Your grace.”
“Good.” she responded, aware of how painfully awkward this must be for the young stallion. “there is something I need to ask you Flash, and please be truthful.”
“whatever you ask Princess.” 

Celestia paused as she approached the throne on the dais. “I’ve noticed the gleam in the eyes whenever you and Princess Twilight catch sight of each other.”
Flash visibly shrunk back, afraid to say the wrong thing, but uneasy with voicing how he felt. “I, uh..”
“It’s fine Flash, I think it’s cute as a matter of fact.”    His cheeks blushed under her inspection, despite the obscuration the helmet offered. 
“It’s because I believe you to genuinely care about her, that I have you in mind for a, rather delicate task.”
“What… What would you have me do your highness?”

Celestia took a deep breath, “Recently the Princess has stumbled upon a bit of history in the library, that… I’m not ready to explain to her just yet. I need you to, how should I say this, keep an eye on her and let me know if she tries to investigate anything having to do with a Prince Æclypse, or a Kingdom of Thule.”
Flash Sentry found himself further off-balance, the request seemed so strange coming from the kind and patient Celestia. “You want me to… spy on Princess Twilight?”
Celestia flared a bit at the way he put it, but she couldn’t argue that he wasn’t technically right. “Essentially yes, but, it’s not out of distrust you must understand. Twilight tends to let her curiosity get the better of her.”
The Pegasus guard cast his eyes across the floor, as if some rescue from this predicament could be found on the carpet. “Your majesty, I’m a soldier, not some secret agent.” he pleaded.
She appreciated his reticence, but having someone trustworthy keeping an eye on Twilight would go a long way to easing her mind on the issue. So she offered him the same reassuring smile she had shown to a thousand different ponies, “I’m not asking you to skulk in the shadows dear, I can tell you’ve been wanting to find a way to spend some time with her, and now’s your chance.” 
It was true enough, even when Twilight was visiting Canterlot, it was near impossible for them to run into each other. So even if he found this mission unpleasant, it was a chance he’d been wishing for. “If… if you think this is what’s best your highness.”
The second time tonight she heard the phrase, and both times it made her cringe. “It won’t be for long, Princess Twilight will only be here another night. After that, the task will be complete. She has already gone to bed for the night, so I would like for you to simply take a position guarding the library, just in case she hungers for some late night reading. Then tomorrow, after your rest, you can begin your mission.”

Celestia awaited his next nervous objection but none came, instead, he came to attention, and offered a salute. “Yes, your Majesty.”
“May the rest of your night be uneventful then.” she bid him, before Flash dropped his salute and turned to leave. 
“Oh, and Flash…” The guard stopped, and spun around at attention. “Your Highness?”
“Your mission stays between you and I, that’s an order.”
“As you wish.” Flash complied, a sliver of the nervous tone back in his voice. 

Celestia watched the young Pegasus as he left, and she felt his discomfort for the job. She turned her gaze to another of the stained glass windows that lined the lofty hall, this one striking a particular chord with how she was feeling. Floating above his hapless marionettes, Discord tormented ponies as they wailed under his cruel laughing face. 
Normally she saw her orchestrations as vehicles for others to achieve, and overcome their limits. Tonight she felt like she was washing down a crime scene, covering-up her own misdeeds. She believed, she knew, that she was doing the right thing. But if that were true, why did she feel so terrible? 

I see there are still things for me to learn, even after all these centuries.

The weight of her thoughts and of the hour forced a pang of tiredness across her face, and she yawned, putting a hoof across her face. It was getting late, and she needed her own rest in time for dawn and morning court. 
The snow-coated Alicorn headed for the less advertised door hidden behind the dais by the full length red curtain, a much more direct route to the royal chambers. 
But her departure did not go unnoticed. Watching Celestia’s effervescent tail disappear through the partition from the upper gallery, Princess Luna stared at the empty space with narrowed eyes of confusion. 


MORNING
Carousel Boutique

The warm touch of sunlight filled Sweetie Belle’s colorful room, the unicorn filly stirred under her green blanket, a sigh of contentment escaped her as she turned over. But a trickle of laughter from downstairs roused the girl, and her eyes sleepily opened. The sound of her sister’s giggling drew her attention, and a smile crept across her face with the remembrance of their house guest. 
Sweetie Belle quietly made her way down the stairs, desiring to eves-drop on whatever conversation they could be having for Rarity to laugh so, she spied on the kitchen from a position on the staircase. She saw her sister sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in her hoof, she flicked her hair as she giggled again to something Wanderlust was saying. He was using his magic to wiggle a skillet back and forth on the stove, wherein a pancake with swirls of red and blue cooked.
“So I asked the guy again, ‘are you sure you wouldn’t rather have the three bits’? but he says: ‘No! you want cross river in boat, you give sandwich!” Wanderlust phrased the response in a strange, terse accent, mimicking one that apparently didn’t share the common tongue with Equestria. “So, since I wanted to get away from Mooscow sooner rather than later, I gave that grizzled old Kostroma my lunch, and he ferried me across.”
“Well at least you got to keep your bits then right?” Rarity questioned, watching as he flipped the pancake. 
“I could have spared him a dozen bits for the ride, that sandwich was special made for me by a particularly intoxicating Mooscovite mare, and I really, really liked her baked garden & field sandwich.” Wanderlust levitated the finished pancake onto a plate, and poured the batter for another into the pan. 
“So, if this mare was so intoxicating, what had you fleeing Moosow so urgently?” Rarity asked coyly, taking a sip of her drink. 
“Her husband.” he answered, without a trace of shame. Rarity’s sip caught midway down her throat, but went down after a hard swallow. “Oh my.”
“In my defense,” he started, making sure the cake didn’t stick, “I didn’t know she had a husband until that first shot whizzed through my mane.”
Despite herself, Rarity couldn’t help but chuckle at the indiscreet admission. And while she enjoyed the laugh, Wanderlust smiled; “yes, those pellet wounds can be quite nasty.” he mused to himself.
“Pellet wounds?” she asked incredulously.

The slip of the tongue caught him off guard for a split second, but laughed it off just as quickly, “Ah, yes, apparently he was quite the antiques buff.”

From her spot on the stairs, Sweetie Belle could smell the fruity aroma of the breakfast, she could tell there was blueberry and strawberry mixed into the batter. Still famished after the moonlit flight, her tummy rumbled, the food smelled so warm and flavorful. 
“It smells so good!” she exclaimed as she bounded the rest of the way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Both adult unicorns turned to smile at her, and for a moment they let the image stand in their minds. 
“Just in time then.” Wanderlust happily spoke, his magic moving a platterful of pancakes over to the table. 
“Oh they do smell simply divine!” the alabaster unicorn purred, taking a deep whiff as the plate was set down in front of her. The cakes were swirled in an elegant pattern of interlocking red and blue, as visually appealing as the aroma. 
Sweetie Belle bounced into her chair, eagerly awaiting to be served. 

“The trick…” Wanderlust began, simultaneously levitating plates, utensils, napkins, and pancakes through the air, in a synchronized storm of objects. “is to keep the cake from sticking to the pan, that way both sides avoid being darkened, saving the design.”
“Neat!” Sweetie Belle said, sitting up to get a better look, “did you use some kind of mixing spell to get them like that?”
“a toothpick actually. Sometimes art requires a personal touch.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” said Rarity, as the table was set before them. She took a fork in her magic, but Wanderlust parried her with the syrup bottle. 
“It’s not quite the decedent syrup one might find in Saddle-Arabia, but, warmed up, it’ll serve fine enough.”

Placing a thick, fluffy pancake on each of their plates, Wanderlust squeezed a portion of maple sauce for them, using his magic to shape the syrup into a prancing unicorn. 
Rarity tittered, “oh how delightful!” 

“can I eat it now?” Sweetie Belle asked, pleading. “Dig in.” the stallion enjoined, and all three took their first bites. 
Wanderlust took a bite and chewed contently, satisfied that he had not lost his touch, but when he looked to see if the girls were enjoying it, he was a bit surprised. Sweetie Belle sat there with the fork still in her mouth, apparently dumbstruck. Rarity was a little better off, she had managed to put her fork back down but simply stared ahead, her forehooves down by her side. 
“Rarity? Are you ok?” he asked, his concern growing.
“I, uh, I need a moment.” then her eyelids dropped halfway, and she leaned forward slightly. 
“Where did I pick those berries?” Wanderlust glanced over to his saddle-bags, trying to remember where exactly he’d gotten the berries he used. 

“I can taste colors…” murmured Sweetie Belle. 

A bit later, after the Belle girls had recovered and Sweetie joined her friends for school, Rarity walked beside Wanderlust as she toured him around town. “And that delectable looking house over there is Sugar Cube Corner, run by Mr. and Mrs. Cake”
“I take it that confectionary construct is a bakery of some kind?”
Rarity chuckled, “Well it’s not exactly subtle now is it?”

They strolled into Market Row, where ponies set-up their push carts to sell their various goods. Displays of produce, tools, and various odds and ends lined either side of the street, the village bazaar bustling with customers. Wanderlust glanced about, happy to see the activity of the small community. Rarity, who walked a step behind him, bit her lip trying to muster the courage to express what she had on her mind. 
“You know I uh, I never really thanked you properly for saving Sweetie Belle.”
Wanderlust craned his neck as they walked to face her bemused by the admission. “I’d hate for you to think that I saved those fillies from the Timberwolves for some recompense.”
“Oh no, I was just um, thinking that I could perhaps make you something, some new saddle bags maybe? The ones you’re wearing have, shall I say, seen better days?”
Wanderlust knew perfectly well that his bags were not easily replaceable, but she was right, enchanted as they were, their service days were coming to an end. The bottom corners were worn nearly to threads,  “Hmm, I tend to be sentimental about some things, buuuut I guess I could use a new set.”
“Oo-hu-hu, I already have a fantastic design in mind!”

The day was pleasant, and Wanderlust was enjoying the outing, and in no small part due to the company. So far his estimation of the Element bearers was correct, if not a disservice. The brief meeting with AppleJack allowed him to take his first measure, and so far his time with Rarity was proving that these small-town mares were the real deal. Perhaps what he had heard wasn’t too good to be true? 
Rarity noted the sudden silence from her companion, and fearing he had lost his interest, she used her magic to adjust her mane, and tried a different vein. “Sweetie Belle certainly seem to have taken a shine to you.”
This got his attention, as Wanderlust found himself tugged on by the thought. He was glad to be a friend to the little filly, but there was something about the mares situation that seemed odd to him. 
“She’s an adorable girl, which makes me wonder about something if it’s not crossing a line?”
“What is it?”
“I was wondering why she was living with you, where are your parents?”

Rarity was visibly taken aback by the question, and Wanderlust paused, “If it’s not something-”
“It’s alright dear,” she cut him off, her chipper attitude giving way to demured optimism. “You see, I was already living on my own when Mommy and Daddums had Sweetie Belle, and her birth apparently came right in the middle of their enjoying the golden years. Eventually I guess they wanted to pick up where they left off, so before embarking on an grand road trip across Equestria, they asked me to look after her.”
“How long ago was that?”
“A bit over two years ago, a few months before her 5th birthday.” Rarity finished by giving him a hopeful smile. 
Wanderlust looked to her with concern. The mare loved her little sister, but the burden of having her parents dump their youngest on her while she was still getting her own life established stuck him as ignoble, callous even. And he did not like the taste of it one bit. His face twisted with a frown, that Rarity saw immediately, “Oh, but I’m sure they’re planning to come back home and settle down before long.”
“It seems to have been quote long already. Have they given any sign of their desire to return?”
“Not as such, no…” Rarity said, rubbing her chest with a hoof, “but they do send their postcards every few months, checking in on how we’re doing.”
Again, Wanderlust peered into her eyes, finding only wearied hope. “Well, it’s good then that she’s with somepony who cares for her so dearly.”
“But of course.” Rarity said a bit defensively, “she’s my little sister, we’re family.”
Wanderlust gazed away, mulling a thought. “Family has always been very important to me.”
Rarity seized the moment to break-up the tension in the conversation, “Where is your family from? Are there any near to Ponyville?”
Wanderlust was caught totally off-guard by the question, and stared at her for a moment lost for an answer. Finally his wits returned, and he constructed a semi-truthful reply. “I come from an old family, we used to live in the north, but, the climate became inhospitable. Sadly I am the last of my kin.”
“Oh”. Rarity felt even worse, and suddenly the lovely day had become quite uncomfortable. 
“But enough of our pasts, come, you must regale me with gossip about all the obscure day-to-day goings on with your friends.”
“Oh you!” she scolded, thumping her shoulder into his, her spirit revived. “that reminds me, I have my weekly lunch date with Fluttershy at the spa today. So I’m afraid you’ll have to fend for yourself awhile.”
Wanderlust returned the jovial mood, “I think I can manage, plus I should stop by and see AppleJack.”
“Well, be back at the boutique for dinner, you simply must try some of my cooking. Oh, you wouldn’t happen to have any more of those berries would you?” she asked, batting her eyelashes. 
“ahhhhh, that’s where I got those berries.” Wanderlust jostled the bags on his sides, listening for the tell-tale noises. “I think I have a few left.” he said with a sly grin. 
Rarity smirked and turned to walk away, brushing her tail across his chest in the process. “maybe we can have them for desert then. Ta.” She spoke the last word melodically, as if to tease him. 
He watched her leave, a single eyebrow raised. “This is turning out much better than I anticipated.”

Wanderlust swung his head around to continue his discovery of the town, but when his head came forward, he found himself nose-to-nose with the blue eyes of a pink mare. “Oh, hello.”
The mare jumped twice her own height into the air, gasping as if in mortal shock. In a flash she zoomed over his head, off to wherever. Wanderlust stood there, staring at in the direction she had gone. 

“PINKY PIE YOU GET BACK HERE!”

Another object raced over his head, chasing after the pink mare, this one leaving a trail of rainbow colored light behind it. 
“Pinky Pie?” Wanderlust said to himself, questioningly. Then it hit him, “Pinky Pie! Rainbow Dash!”
He looked to the skies, and smiled. “The gods are having their fun with me now, aren’t they.”

PONYVILLE ELEMENTARY 

By midday, class was humming along just like usual. Ms. Cheerilee’s lesson on local plant life was generally interesting, though her admonishment that Poison Joke was in fact no joke at all was the point she drove home. The teacher sat at her desk, going over papers that needed scoring. This left the class open to their own antics. 
Rumble tried to focus on his work, but couldn’t help but look over when ever the earth-pony fillies Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie giggled. The girls sat next to each other, and took every opportunity to pass notes between them. Every so often, Sunny would glance back in his direction, then turn back to her friend and giggle. The bluish-grey Pegasus colt didn’t quite understand why he found the attention so interesting, he just knew he liked the way she looked at him. 
A crumpled wad of paper struck him in the head. He looked over to see Scootaloo and Applebloom having a stifled laugh. 
“Got him right in the head!” the apple filly chuckled.
“totally.” Scootaloo agreed. 

Rumble’s face furrowed in irritation, but he didn’t have long to ponder his resentment. The school bell rang, and everyone got up from their seats. 
“Alright, recess everyone!” Ms. Cheerilee announced, the class making their way out to the playgrounds. 
Outside, Rumble was making his towards the training steps, set up in front of a thick cushion for pegasi foals to practice flying. 
“Rumble! Wait up!”

Beside him, Shady Daze, the blue brother of Sunny Daze trotted up, “hey Shady, are you remembering a lot of this stuff about flowers?” Rumble asked.
“I think so, but sometimes I get confused on what’s a plant, and what’s an animal.” Shady said, looking to the ground.
“Yeah, I though the same thing when she talked about fruit bats. They look like strawberries, but their bats.” 

The two went silent for a moment, before Shady perked his head up; “We got some weird animals around here.”

“talkin’ ‘bout weird animals are we?” came Pipsqueak’s Trottingham accented voice, as the patchy earth pony joined them. 
Rumble chuckled, “yeah, maybe living next to the monster filled Everfree forest isn’t such a great idea!”
The three colts shared a laugh, and it was then that Shady Daze spied Sweetie Belle across the yard with her usual companions. She seemed to be in a strange state, with Applebloom and Scootaloo asking questions. “Hey, where’s Button? His mare-friend over there is looking a little weird herself.”
Again, they laughed at the comment, knowing full well that Button Mash hated when they made fun of his crush on the unicorn filly. Rumble took notice of how occupied Applebloom was. 
“you guys wanna help me out with something?” Rumble said, eying the training steps. 
Shady and Pip shared a mischievous glance; “What do you have in mind?”

Atop the training steps, about as high as an adult pony, Rumble and Shady Daze got a good look at their target. 
“Seems like a long way to go just to get her back for a wad of paper.” Shady said, raising an eyebrow. 
“Probably” Rumble answered, “but I can’t just throw it back at her, I gotta out-do her.” He tried to get the best measure of the distance as his could, his tongue sticking out from the side of his mouth as he concentrated. “You just gotta buck me hard enough, I’m pretty good at gliding.”
“If you say so.”

On the ground, Pipsqueak went ahead and got the plan rolling. He approached the CMC, looking as curious and chipper as always. 
“Hey Applebloom, I heard you got attacked by a giant Timberwolf last night!”
Applebloom turned to him surprised, “Yeah, how’d you know about that?”
Scootaloo shortened her neck slightly, looking apologetic, “I… might’a bragged about it a little this morning before class.”

With all the fillies distracted by Pip, Rumble and Shady prepared themselves for the finale. “Here we go!” Said Rumble before taking a crumpled paper ball in his mouth. He flapped his little wings, which got him just enough elevation. Shady leaned forward on his forelegs, waiting for his friend to move into position. Rumble guided himself over behind Shady, who raised his rear legs up to press against the Pegasus’ own. 
“Good luck!” the earth pony encouraged, just before he pushed away with all the junior strength he could muster. Which proved to be plenty as Rumble was sent sailing on his way. 

Pipsqueak, seeing that the bombardment was oncoming, kept the attention focused on him. “How’d you get away?” he asked, not disingenuously. 
“This stranger came out of the woods and smashed them all with his magic!” Scootaloo boasted, buzzing a few inches above the ground. It was now that she caught movement in the corner of her eye, and saw Rumble bearing down on them. 
Acting as quick as she could, Scootaloo threw herself in between her friend and the descending Pegasus. The whole process played itself out in slow motion, as Scoots closed her eyes, and loosed a drawn-out “nooooooo!”. Seeing the opportunity quickly evaporating, Rumble dropped the paper bomb, aiming for the back of Applebloom’s head. 
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widen in shock as she watched Scootaloo take the hit for their friend, Scootaloo taking the paper missile in the abdomen. The orange Pegasus crashed to the ground on her back, splayed out and unmoving. 
As Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Pipsqueak gathered around the fallen Scootaloo, Rumble landed, he and Shady joining the group. 
As the five foals gazed down at Scootaloo, Pipsqueak got visibly nervous, and he cast an accusatory hoof at Rumble; “I didn’t sign on for this! You said no-one would get hurt! You went too far!” 
Pipsqueak turned and fled, leaving the others confused. Sweetie Belle craned her neck over Scootaloo’s face, “being a bit dramatic aren’t you?”
Scootaloo opened her eyes and blinked, “I probably could’a just knocked it away huh?”
Applebloom faced Rumble with a smile, “Hey that was a pretty good idea to get me back, wanna come play with us?”
“Sure!” The young Pegasus agreed, running after Applebloom as she headed towards the collection of beach balls. Shady gave Scootaloo a hoof to help her up, and she responded by leaping over his back, and jabbing him in the shoulder.  
“Tag! You’re it!”
“Hey!”

As Scootaloo and Shady Daze scampered off to their game of cat-and-mouse, Sweetie Belle started to follow, but instead, cast a side-glance over to another group of foals playing on the hop-scotch grid. She could have sworn that one of them had been watching, but now, they were all focused on the game. Sweetie Belle shrugged, and cantered off to join her friends. 

Over on the hop-scotch grid, a dull green furred colt with a mane and tail of mixed light and dark shades of grey, watched as Sweetie Belle left, his eyes narrowing.