//------------------------------//
// Hero's Welcome 
// Story: Dark Matter 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 15: Hero's Welcome

"This way," said Arkenstone, nodding towards a gap in the crystal formations that had been nearly invisible to Twilight's eyes.  Two outgrowths of pink and cyan shards seemed to mesh together in a solid wall of jagged edges and pointed tips.  In fact, the pink crystals were slightly larger in size than their blue-green cousins, but set a little farther back, creating a perspective trick that made it seem as though they were the same distance away.  However, as Twilight got closer, she was able to see that, by stepping around the cyan formation, she could see an opening in the cavern wall just beyond the pink one.  Perspective tricks had no effect on a blind pony after all.
Sniffing like a bloodhound, Arkenstone stepped past Twilight, following Elderflower's scent as it led deeper into the caverns.  Silently, Twilight cursed herself for forgetting that the Crystal Caverns' namesake crystals generated all sorts of ambient magical energies that completely baffled the effects of her tracking spell.  As a consequence, Twilight had been forced to go back and get Arkenstone's help after her coltfriend finished making sure that the last of Elderflower's guards were taken into custody.  The crystals' magic had done nothing to hide Elderflower's scent, it seemed.  Thus, Arkenstone was easily able to follow the Baron's trail as it wound through glittering caves and twisting passageways.  The two of them had been seeking Elderflower for the better part of an hour now.
Arkenstone paused, raising a forehoof to stop Twilight as she stepped up next to him.  Looking around nervously, Twilight asked, "What is it?"
"I think we aren't far now," said Arkenstone, "But..."
"But what?"
"I smell blood," said the blind stallion, his nose wrinkling, "A lot of it...even more than what I spilled up in the mansion.  A large number of ponies have been killed up ahead...slaughtered is probably a more appropriate word for it."
"That's..."  Twilight looked ahead, wondering just what they would find as they proceeded forward.  "Are you sure that's where Elderflower went?"
"I am," replied Arkenstone, clearly not liking his answer any more than Twilight did.  He tilted his head towards her.  "You need not go any farther than this.  Perhaps you should let me take it from here.  Whatever is up ahead...I doubt it will be pleasant."
Twilight was sorely tempted.  It wasn't often that she saw her coltfriend troubled or disturbed like this.  The fact that she knew full well that Arkenstone was no stranger to bloodshed, even on a massive scale, only made it all the worse.  However, closing her eyes, she thought about all that had happened, all that she had been through.  "No," she said finally, "I need to see this through to the end."
"So be it," said Arkenstone, "If you're sure, then let's proceed."
They emerged into a massive cavern.  Twilight gaped as she stared at the walls and ceiling, utterly astounded by the sheer size of the space.  She'd seen some impressive scenery in the caverns while escaping with Cadance during Queen Chrysalis' attempted invasion of Canterlot.  However, the scale of this place was awe-inspiring in its own right.
The mass of corpses on the cavern floor detracted from the grandeur of the spectacle a good bit though.  The bodies and the state that they'd been left in made Twilight want to retch.  There were easily over a hundred ponies in here and they'd been butchered without mercy.   It put the spectacle of the aftermath of Arkenstone's fight against the Banehammers to shame.  Forcing the contents of her stomach back down where they belonged, Twilight noted a certain similarity the victims of this event shared with Arkenstone's victims.  Though their bodies were often in pieces or covered with their own blood, she could see a great deal of armor and a large number of various weapons scattered about.  The air carried the faint traces of ozone and a low hum that accompanied a large number of unicorns casting powerful spells in a confined space...attack spells if the scorch marks and craters in the wall were any indication.  These ponies were fighters and they had apparently died fighting something...or someone.
"Who do you think they are?" asked Twilight.
"You mentioned that Elderflower and his allies had been recruiting muscle for an assault on the Palace," observed Arkenstone, "I think these were the ponies they recruited."
"But who could have done this?"
Arkenstone sniffed the air.  "I think I have a good idea.  I smell somepony familiar...Perlin Bluestreak."
"Huh?"  Twilight once again looked to take in the spectacle of death before them.  "But Perlin was working for Baron Elderflower.  Why would he turn around and kill all of Elderflower's soldiers?"
"According to Ms. Pommel's story, the Baron was holding her as leverage to ensure Perlin's good behavior," said Arkenstone, "He even went so far as to allow Shade Steel to escape with the knowledge that Elderflower had both you and the Elements in his custody.  It would seem that Perlin has terminated their contract...or...he wasn't working for Elderflower to begin with."
"What makes you say that?" asked Twilight.
"I can smell another pony here.  There is something familiar about his scent, but...I just can't seem to place it."  Arkenstone continued to sniff around.  "Elderflower came in and stopped here..."  He paused at a particular point.  "He was attacked...not by Perlin...but something else...something I can't place.  It..."  He frowned and shook his head.  "I can't even begin to tell what happened here...what this other pony did."
"Well..." said Twilight, feeling faint as she stepped past Arkenstone, "I don't think Elderflower is going to be a problem anymore."  She desperately wished saying those words would actually make her feel better than she did now.  However, what she saw made that an impossibility.
"What makes you say that?" asked Arkenstone.
"This is the point where Elderflower's scent ends, isn't it?" asked Twilight.
"How do you know?" inquired Arkenstone.
"Because I think  this is all that's left of him," said Twilight, raising a hoof to touch the wall, resting it on the darkened shadow that formed a faint silhouette of a unicorn that had apparently been burned into the stone.



Dealing with the aftermath of Elderflower's scheme went surprisingly quickly for Twilight and her friends.  Shining Armor had quickly taken charge of the situation, the Royal Guard taking custody of the Baron's captured guards, as well as both Greenblight and Inkwell, now the only surviving members of the Banehammers.
Though Elderflower himself was clearly not present for questioning, the Guards, now that they had unrestricted access to the Baron's mansion, successfully harvested a veritable treasure trove of information in the forms of files and ledgers Elderflower had kept on his activities, including his numerous associates.  Shining was pleased to announce that, once the rest of the Royal Guard returned to Canterlot, a large number of other nobles would be subjected to Equestrian justice for their part in Elderflower's act of treason.  By his own reckoning, they now had enough evidence and reason for Celestia and Luna to declare an end to the Noble Court itself, when all was said and done.  Twilight was certainly hopeful in that respect, as it meant that the second of the two biggest thorns in her and her friends' sides would finally be nothing more than a passing memory.
Though Twilight did want to see everything through to the end, Shining, Cadance, and even Celesstia and Luna, all pressed her to return home to Ponyville.
"I can understand that your desire for closure, but you've done your part," said Celestia with a smile as she shared dinner with Twilight the very evening after she'd successfully been "rescued" from captivity, "But you have friends in Ponyville who need the reassurance of your presence."
"You sent a letter to them, didn't you?" Twilight pointed out.
Celestia chuckled.  "I did...by courier.  I'm afraid that I will be recommending that Spike not send or receive letters for the next three weeks at least."  She sighed.  "The poor boy worked himself ragged coordinating with my Guards during the raid on the Cult Solar.  Because of that, we were immensely successful in securing a large number of prisoners."
"That's my Spike," said Twilight fondly, "I'll definitely make sure he takes it easy when I get back to Ponyville.  I'm glad to hear that your raid was a success.  I'm sure that'll be good news for Fluttershy, Dawn, and Flaxseed."
Celestia nodded.  "I doubt we are even remotely close to capturing everypony belonging to the Cult.  However, I believe that this will hopefully send a definitive message to the remainder of the organization regarding my view of them.  I can dare to hope that those who remain will see sense and either give up their allegiance or turn themselves in to atone.
"I doubt that I will have worry about their leader twisting recent events to suit his chosen narrative.  From the reports I received from my Guards who raided the temple outside Trottingham, he apparently vanished into thin air, abandoning all his loyal underlings to their fate without so much as a word."
"But that's not really the end of it," said Twilight, frowning.
"No it isn't," said Celestia with a shake of her head, "What I saw in Appleloosa and the reports from the other temples made things clear.  Never, not even in my worst nightmares, did I dare imagine that two of my problems were, in fact, one and the same."
"Morning Star...He's still out there, isn't he."
"He most certainly is," said Celestia, staring out the dining room window, "He disappeared because the Cult Solar has apparently served its purpose to him.  That much is clear.  Nothing I or any of my Guards have tried has been able to even scratch the devices found in each of the temples.  To make matters worse, I fear that this is only beginning."
The somber mood was interrupted by the sound of Twilight's hoof smacking into her own face, prompting a start from Celestia, who looked in confusion at her student.
"Sorry," said Twilight, grimacing, "You just reminded me of something really stupid that Elderflower said earlier today."
"Oh..." said Celestia, "I think I get the drift of what he must have said.  My apologies.  In any case, I am sure that the final part of Morning Star's plan will take place here in Canterlot."
"Then shouldn't I stay?" asked Twilight, "Depending on what Morning Star might be up to, we might need the Elements of Harmony to stop him."
"I've considered that," said Celestia, "But there is no telling how long this may take.  Morning Star has been exceedingly patient.  He spent ten years using the Cult Solar as a front to disguise the construction of his array.  The next phase of his plan, whatever it may be, may take ten more.  I have no desire to confine you and your friends to Canterlot for what might be an unknown period of time.  I will have my Guards and whatever Knights are available look into it and keep you abreast of the situation.  So please return to your friends.  I think they have waited long enough for you to come back."
"Okay," said Twilight a little reluctantly, "If you're going to be using the Knights, does that mean Arkenstone-?
"Arkenstone will be returning to Ponyville with you," said Celestia, "Besides the fact that I want him to stay close to you in case the remaining nobles try something before we round the rest of them up, he is also the Siege Perilous.  It is best to keep him in reserve unless it is absolutely necessary."
Twilight nodded.  "All right then."  Secretly, she felt quite relieved that Arkenstone would be coming back with her.  After everything that had happened, she was looking forward to just spending some time with him.
There was one other topic that Twilight wanted to bring up.  "What about Coco Pommel?  Can she come back with us?"
"Right now, Cadance is taking Coco's statement," said Celestia, "At first, we were considering Coco Pommel as a possible accomplice to Elderflower's crimes.  However, from what you and Arkenstone have told us, I believe that she can be pardoned for her part in all this if Cadance approves."
"I certainly hope so," said Twilight, glancing down the table at Scootaloo and Rumble, who were eating quietly, trying not to look as though they were listening in, "Coco's suffered enough at the hooves of two separate nobles.  I'm sure that Rarity will be happy to have her back."
"Yes," said Celestia, flicking an ear, "I'm sure she will."  Her expression grew a bit more serious.  "Now, we move to the most important matter."
"The Elements?" asked Twilight.
Celestia nodded.  "I have kept the Elements in their vault, here in Canterlot, for their safety, to prevent them from being stolen...which is exactly what just happened."  She sighed.  "Of course, there was the incident with Discord as well...and let's not forget how keeping them there forced you to fight through a swarm of changelings in an effort to get to them during the Royal Wedding...an effort that ultimately failed.  Because of this, I am forced to re-evaluate how we can keep the Elements secure from now on."
Twilight nodded.  "What will you do?"
A sad smile crossed Celestia's face as she envisioned all the hardship that could have been averted.  "What I should have done from the very beginning.  When you return to Ponyville, you will be bringing the Elements with you.  I want you to keep them safe."
"Me?" gasped Twilight, pointing to herself, "But...I'm a librarian.  I may have some decent security measures, but for something that important..."
"It isn't physical security that is the issue," said Celestia, "Here, in Canterlot, with all the measures I had taken, my efforts to ensure that were foiled, rather easily it would seem.  I've realized now that the Elements would be no safer in a bank vault or any other 'secure' space I could envision.  It is not that that you need to secure the Elements.  You will keep them safe because they are with you and your friends, the ponies who use them and understand them best.  When you destroyed and restored the Element of Magic in front of Elderflower, it demonstrated that your bond with the Elements transcends mere physical concerns.  To be honest, the Elements belong with you and your friends and I should have left them with you the very day you rescued Luna."
"I see," said Twilight.  When she put it like that, Celestia had a point.  Ultimately, the greatest obstacle to using the Elements against whatever crisis came up was the need to go to Canterlot to fetch them, which had worked against Twilight and her friends in two out of three cases.  However, if the Elements could be kept on hoof, then it would be easier for her and her friends to deal with whatever threats arose in the future.  Assuming nopony stole the Elements from them.
"That being said, I believe I shall omit the specifics of where the Elements are," said Celestia a twinkle of mirth glimmering in her eye, "It will probably work to our advantage, should somepony get the brilliant idea of trying to steal them again."
That made Twilight smirk.  "It might," she agreed.



The train ride back was uneventful and Twilight spent it leaning up against Arkenstone, watching quietly as Scootaloo and Rumble tried their best to comfort and reassure Coco Pommel, who was sitting across from them.  The poor girl was gradually growing more and more anxious as their train approached Ponyville, absolutely certain that there was no way that Rarity would allow her back after everything that had happened.
"It's going to be fine," said Scootaloo insistently, "Rarity was just as scared for you as she was for Twilight."
Rumble nodded his agreement.  "I know she won't hold it against you."
"Y-yes but..." stammered Coco, "...h-how can she?  I took her trust and...I betrayed her..."  She let out a low sob.  "I could have told her, told everypony.  But I was too scared."
"Then why are you coming back at all?" asked Scootaloo.
"B-because...after everything Ms. Rarity has done for me...I...I owe it to her to a-apologize...even if she doesn't forgive me."  Sniffing, Coco ducked her head.  Scootaloo and Rumble exchanged a resigned look as they gently brushed their wings against Coco's back in an attempt to reassure her.  For all that they were sure that Rarity didn't bear any ill will towards Coco, there was very little they could do if Coco refused to believe that.  About the only option they had was to simply wait until they got to Ponyville so that Coco could see for herself.
A couple hours later, the train pulled into Ponyville's station.  As she stepped off the train, Twilight was half-expecting to see her friends already waiting for her there.  However, none of them were present.  She supposed it made sense.  Celestia's letter had simply told everypony that Twilight had been rescued and that everything had been taken care of.  But Celestia had neglected to say when they might expect Twilight back.  Given that Spike was taking a leave from his work sending and receiving letters, there had been no way to let them know when Twilight was on her way back, short of another courier.  However, Twilight hadn't wanted to strain Celestia's resources any more than they already were.  She figured her friends would know soon enough, now that she was back.
"Hey!  Where is everypony?" demanded Scootaloo, looking around the platform.
"They probably didn't know when we were getting back," said Rumble, "Maybe we should just head home and let our families know first."
Twilight's head perked up and she got an idea.  "Actually...why don't we head to the library first.  I think I have an idea of where everypony is."
The foals blinked in confusion.  "Okay then..." said Scootaloo.
Twilight set off for the library, Arkenstone falling in next to her.  Trailing reluctantly behind them was Coco, who had Scootaloo and Rumble on either side of her, both of the foals working to urge her along.  During the trip to the library, Twilight looked around, trying to see if anything looked out of the ordinary.  However, Ponyville seemed perfectly fine.  Everypony was going quietly about their business.  A few of them even called out greetings to Twilight and her group as they made their way along the streets.  According to Arkenstone, news of Twilight and Coco's abduction had not been spread to the to the town at large to avoid causing too much unrest.  Still, Twilight had expected her arrival to cause more of a stir.
As the library came into view, Twilight's eyes narrowed.  She noticed that the windows were suspiciously dark.  The building and everything in its immediate vicinity seemed unusually quiet, as though it was holding its collective breath.  Yep, thought Twilight, I knew it.  From the way his ears were twitching, she could tell that Arkenstone knew that something was up as well.
When they reached the front door, Twilight held up a hoof.  "Let me go in first."
That earned confused glances from Rumble, Scootaloo, and Coco.  The former two probably should have known what to expect after living in Ponyville their whole lives.  Still, they'd probably been too distracted trying to keep Coco's spirits up.
Taking a deep breath, Twilight stepped forward and pushed the door open.  Just as she'd expected, the library had been plunged into darkness and she couldn't see a thing.  Might as well get this over with, she thought with an amused smile.  Stepping in, she looked around.  "Whenever you're ready, Pinkie."
"SURPRISE!!!"  The combined shout of Twilight's friends, led by Pinkie Pie made Twilight press her ears up against her head.  Still, she couldn't quite restrain her smile as the lights came on, revealing everypony there waiting for her.  Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were all a given, especially Pinkie, seeing as the party was undoubtedly her idea.  Mayweather was standing next to Pinkie, chuckling at the pink mare's exuberance as she resumed setting out plates of various treats.  From the kitchen, Twilight could see Flaxseed's head poking out, the stallion having apparently hidden himself there to avoid having the "surprise" part of the surprise party trigger another of his panic attacks.
The Crusaders were there as well, Dawn looking rather silly and out of place with such a composed expression while standing between Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, who were both sporting ear-to-ear grins.  Behind the three of them stood Melon Cream, who was smiling warmly at Twilight over the heads of the foals.
Rumble's family was there too.  Flitter, Cloud Chaser, and Thunderlane all sported excited grins, clearly eager to welcome Rumble back, though Twilight could see the faint twitches to their eyelids that betokened a reckoning over Rumble's sudden and unexpected departure.
Besides Applejack and Apple Bloom, the rest of Ponyville's Apple Family were present as well.  Little Dinky was practically hopping in place, perfectly happy to be part of a Pinkie Pie Party, but probably not really understanding exactly why everypony was celebrating.  Standing slightly behind her were Big Macintosh and Ditzy, who both gave Twilight relieved smiles when they saw her.
On the couch, set off to one side of the library, Storm Front and Red River lounged, both of them looking better than Twilight remembered, but still only partway along the road to recovery.  Storm Front in particular seemed especially happy to see them again, which was understandable, given that it was his student had snuck off on a dangerous mission to Canterlot.
Her eyes were drawn to a flash of purple emerging from between Rarity and Applejack.  Twilight braced herself to catch Spike as he tackled her.
"Twilight!  You're back!" he shouted as Twilight wrapped him in an affectionate hug and nuzzled the top of his head.  She noticed that Spike was less concerned about his image as tears flowed freely down his face.  She could also hear the faint rasp in his voice, the consequence of his throat being worn down through the sending and receiving of so many letters.
"Oh Spike," she said, her voice nearly a whisper, "It's good to be back.  Thank you for working so hard for all of us.  I'll find a good reward for you."
Spike sniffed and pulled away so that he could beam up at her.  "I'm just glad to have you back," he said, "That's reward enough for now."
Laughing Twilight nuzzled her assistant once again before letting go.  Spike stepped back, giving Twilight's other friends room to greet her.
"Oh Twilight!" squealed Pinkie, throwing herself at the mare in question, "We were all so super worried about you!  Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Pinkie," said Twilight, returning the hug, "Everything's okay."
"I'm glad," said Fluttershy as she hovered over to nuzzle Twilight's cheek, even as Pinkie refused to let go.
"Ya sure gave us a mighty good scare, sugarcube," Applejack weighed in as she approached Twilight's other side and began to pat her back.
"Indeed.  We were afraid that you might have been suffering all sorts of things while in the custody of that...that brute," said Rarity, snarling out those last two words.  Using her magic, she began to carefully pry Pinkie off of Twilight.
"I didn't suffer," said Twilight, "Well...not that much.  The worst thing that happened was that I was bored for the most part.  It was like staying in a four-star hotel and getting room service every day, but not being allowed to go anywhere or do anything."
"As it turned out, my presence was apparently quite unnecessary," commented Arkenstone wryly as he stepped in to stand next to Twilight while her friends pulled back to give her more space, "Twilight was actually doing quite a good job of rescuing herself when I found her."
"I'm glad you came anyway," said Twilight, nuzzling her coltfriend fondly.
"Me too," agreed Arkenstone.
As she pulled away from their display of affection, Twilight grinned at Rarity.  "I managed to bring somepony else back with me as well."
An awkward silence fell over the assembled ponies as Coco nervously crept through the library door, cringing as though she were about to be attacked.  Both Rumble and Scootaloo were behind her, gently urging the young mare on.  Shivering, Coco slowly looked up, but not all the way, not daring to meet Rarity's eyes as Coco faced her.  "Ms. Rarity...I...I'm so so-EEP!"
Coco's voice cut out with a surprised squeak as Rarity surged forward and wrapped her arms around her apprentice, pulling Coco into a tight hug.  "Oh Coco!" wailed Rarity, "I was so worried about you.  We all thought that you might have been..."  Her voice trailed off and Rarity instead simply leaned into press her neck up against Coco's.  Like a dam breaking, Coco's emotional restraint crumbled away and she began to sob up against Rarity, who held her and rocked back in forth, whispering soothing noises.
Coco wasn't the only one experiencing an emotional reunion.  A short distance away, Scootaloo was facing down her mother and Dawn, both of whom looked none too happy with her.  Fluttershy hovered awkwardly in the background, clearly not wanting to add to Scootaloo's discomfort, but not able to do anything to defuse the situation either.  The warm smile Melon had been wearing when Twilight had come in was nowhere to be found.  Instead, she fixed her daughter with a stern glare that made Scootaloo wished she could fight Inkwell three times over, rather than face her mother's glare for any length of time.
"Mom...I'm-"
"Do you have any idea how much you terrified me, young lady," admonished Melon, her harsh tone cutting Scootaloo off sharply, "You disappeared without a word, leaving all of us to worry about what might have happened to you.  You could have died out there and we would have never even had the chance to say goodbye."
"I'm sorry," said Scootaloo, her ears drooping and a faint whimper finding its way into her voice.
Melon continued to glare at her until something finally snapped.  She reached out and pulled Scootaloo up against her, enveloping the orange filly in a crushing hug that squeezed the air out of Scootaloo's lungs.  "Don't ever scare me like that again!"
Scootaloo tried to say something, but found herself unable to speak as the combination of her own emotions and the vice-like grip her mother had on her served to keep her voice from emerging.  Finally, after Scootaloo was fairly certain that her orange coat was beginning to turn blue, Melon released her.
Looking down at Scootaloo, Melon' expression was still stern, but softer as well.  "Ever since you started learning martial arts from Dawn, I figured that you would be going out to fight someday," she said, "But...please don't do that again.  Don't disappear without a word to me or Dawn."
"O-okay," said Scootaloo, unable to stop a few tears from leaking out of her eyes.  She turned to Dawn, who was still frowning as he watched her.  "Dawn...I'm sorry for not telling you either."
Dawn sighed.  "It's just as well," he said, "I don't really have anything to add.  I, at least, can consider it a taste of my own medicine.  Now I know what it was like for you every time I went off somewhere to fight."
Stepping up to her, Dawn pulled Scootaloo to him and captured her lips in a kiss.  Scootaloo let out a surprised hum as her wings buzzed excitedly on her back.  After a moment, she relaxed and lost herself to the kiss, wrapping her forelegs around Dawn's shoulders so that she could pull him closer.  It was the longest, most intense kiss they'd shared yet.  When they finally pulled away,  Scootaloo and Dawn were both panting slightly.  Dawn spread his wings and wrapped them around the back of Scootaloo's head, pulling her forehead up against his as his feathers closed out the outside world.
"I'm glad you're all right," said Dawn in a soft voice, "And I'm proud of you."
"You are?"  Scootaloo blinked, a bit shocked to hear that from her coltfriend after finding out just how worried he had been.
"I'm proud because I think, this time, you entered the battle for the right reasons," said Dawn.
Pulling back out of his embrace and away from his wings, Scootaloo glanced over at the sight of Coco, still crying like a foal in Rarity's embrace.  She smiled and sniffed, a tear coming to her eye.  "Yeah...I guess I did."
"I also hear that you did quite well for yourself," said Dawn, raising an eyebrow as he smirked at her, "I would like to know the details."
"Um...uh..."  Scootaloo felt her cheeks heating up.
"Oh!  That's right," said Melon, her smile coming back, "The letter we got mentioned that you even saved Arkenstone.  I have to hear about this."
"I'd like to hear it as well," interjected Fluttershy, "...If that's all right with you."
For once, Scootaloo was feeling a bit uncomfortable being the center of attention.
On the other side of the room, Rumble was cowering under the stern glares of his brother, Cloud Chaser, and Flitter.
"You've got a lot of explaining to do, bro," said Thunderlane, crossing his arms, "You just up and vanished without a word.  Flitter and Cloud Chaser went out of their minds worrying over you...I mean...I was okay, 'cause I-ooph!"
"Quit trying to act tough," scolded Cloud Chaser as she jammed her elbow into Thunderlane's ribs, "You were pacing up a storm in the living room.  I was sure you were going to wear a hole in the floor."
"It's just cloud," protested Thunderlane, "I could've patched it easily...er..."  Realizing he was admitting that he was worried, Thunderlane let out a resigned sigh.  "Look," he said, turning back to Rumble, "I was scared.  You're the best little brother a pony could ask for.  I can't imagine what I'd do without you.  Besides, imagine what it would be like for me to have to tell Mom and Dad that you went and got yourself killed."
His ears lying flat against his head, Rumble shrank back from the three ponies' collective glare.  "Sorry," he said.
"Isn't there somepony else you owe an apology?" prodded Flitter, stepping aside so that Rumble could see where Storm Front was still resting on the couch, watching the exchange with a carefully neutral expression.
"Y-yeah..." said Rumble, feeling even more nervous now.  Not only had he snuck away with Scootaloo to Canterlot and gotten involved in a very dangerous battle, but he'd also stolen his teacher's weapon to do so.  Even now, the meteor hammer Rumble had "borrowed" from Storm front was still coiled about his right foreleg beneath the sleeve of his silk shirt.
Trembling, Rumble approached his teacher, who continued to watch, Storm's expression giving absolutely nothing away.  "S-S-Storm...I'm sorry...I..."
"Why?" asked Storm.  There was no accusation in the tone, only simple curiosity.
"Huh?"  The stutters died on Rumble's lips.
"Why did you go to Canterlot?" asked Storm, "I imagine that it was Scootaloo's idea.  But what prompted you to go along with it?"
"I...uh..."  Rumble looked down at the floor, thinking very hard about the answer.  Storm waited patiently, watching the colt with an unblinking gaze as he waited for Rumble to formulate an answer.
"I...Ever since I started learning how to use the meteor hammer, I've been wondering about why," said Rumble, seemingly talking to himself as much as he was to his teacher, "I mean, at first it was something really cool.  I thought it was amazing when I watched you practice and I thought it would be awesome if I could do that myself.  But...the more I practiced, the better I got, I started wondering what I was going to do with it.  I don't really think I'm cut out to be a mercenary like you.  What was I going to do, once I learned how to use it?"
Storm remained silent, merely waiting for Rumble to continue his explanation.
"At first, I thought the two of us going to Canterlot with Arkenstone was a really bad idea.  I mean, I've never actually used the meteor hammer in a fight before.  But...I could see it myself.  Arkenstone was having a hard time.  He was doing a good job of hiding it, but I think he was still hurt pretty bad from his fight with Terra.  I remembered watching those ponies take Ms. Twilight and Ms. Coco away and I thought about how scared Ms. Coco looked.  I put all those things together and I just thought...I thought I couldn't just do nothing when there was something I might be able to do to make a difference."
"Hmm..."  Storm seemed to be examining Rumble very closely.  "Let me see it," he said, fixing his  gaze on Rumble's right foreleg.
Rumble nodded and pulled back his sleeve so that he could uncoil the weapon.  After Cadance's blessing and using it in a real battle, his very first one no less, Rumble was more than a little reluctant to part with it.  However, Storm Front was its rightful owner.  Rumble had only "borrowed" it after all.  Despite his desire to keep it, it wasn't his.
Storm carefully lifted the weapon, allowing the coils of the cord to drape over the fetlock of his good foreleg and lifted it up to inspect it.  "Interesting..."
"What is it?" asked Flitter, coming up behind Rumble.  She'd been expecting Storm to be more strict with his student.  She was surprised by Storm's inquisitive, but reserved attitude.
"...What did you do?" asked Storm, glancing away from his weapon at Rumble.
"Um...Cadance...uh...helped me with it," said Rumble.
"Cadance?  Princess Cadance?"  Flitter stared down at the colt, trying to figure out just where the Princess of Love, of all ponies, fit in to all of this.
"I see...That makes sense," said Storm, a slight upward stretch of the corners of his mouth forming the beginnings of a smile, "That explains a lot."
"It does?" asked Flitter, feeling completely in the dark.
"This is not my weapon anymore," said Storm, his smile growing as he hoofed it back to Rumble, "It belongs to you now."
"What?" exclaimed Flitter, "He stole that from you and rushed off on harebrained scheme to get himself killed and you're actually giving it back to him?"
"Well..."  Storm leaned away from Flitter's wrath as Rumble quivered in front of her, "I could scold him about such things, but I'm not a fan of hypocrisy when all is said and done."
"What do you mean?" asked Flitter.
"I am no stranger to the adage about it being easier to ask forgiveness rather than permission," he admitted, "I have done similar things in the past as well, some of them much more ill-advised than what Rumble has done.  Granted, I was a bit older at the time than he is now, but I understand his position.
"Besides, he didn't do this out of some reckless desire to prove himself or a chance to 'try out' the real weapon as it were.  He did it because he genuinely felt it was something he should do, something he believed was right to do.  I can't fault a pony for following his convictions, even if that puts him at risk."  He gently brushed his hoof through Rumble's mane and gave the colt a much sterner look.  "However, you do have to make amends for the worry you put your family through.  No amount of my approval or acceptance of your actions is going to change that."
"Y-yeah," said Rumble, cringing as he felt the weight of Flitter's gaze bear down on him.
"I'm glad to hear that," said Flitter, "Because you are grounded for the next month, young man."
"Right," said Rumble with a sigh.
"Besides, there's somepony else you owe an apology," said Flitter.
"Um..."  Rumble heard the sound of hooves clicking against the wooden floor and turned just in time to be slammed by Sweetie Belle in a tackle.
"Rumble!" yelled Sweetie, "Don't you dare do something that stupid ever again."
"I...I don't think I can promise that," said Rumble, now lying on his back with Sweetie on top of him.  "But..." he said, leaning up so that he could plant a quick kiss on her lips.  "I'm sorry for scaring you."
"With the benefit of hindsight, knowing the possible consequences of your actions, would you still have done the same thing?" asked Storm, smiling as he watched Sweetie continue to hug Rumble.
For a moment, Rumble thought about it.  Then he smiled up at his mentor.  "Yeah...I probably would."
A faint flash caught the eye of everypony in the vicinity and their eyes were drawn down to Rumble, who looked about in confusion when he saw that everypony was staring at him, this time with a different expression on their faces.  "What is it?"
"Bro, check out your flank," said Thunderlane, barely hiding a grin.
"Huh?"  Craning his neck, Rumble was able to get a view of his flank...and the brand new cutie mark that rested on it.  Now visible was the image of his cutie mark, a pair of hooves, one gray (just a little darker than the shade of his coat), which was curled around a white hoof, so that their fetlocks were linked together.
"You did it!" squealed Sweetie, her shrill tone actually causing nearby windows to rattle alarmingly, "You got your cutie mark!"
"Say what now?"  Apple Bloom and Spike both came over, with Scootaloo and Dawn not far behind.
"Rumble just got his cutie mark," said Sweetie Belle, finally getting off her coltfriend and letting him get to his hooves, her previous distress all but forgotten.
Rumble appeared dazed by the revelation as he gazed in stunned awe at his own flank, marveling at the mark that had not been there before.  "But what does it mean?" he asked.
"I think, in this case, the answer is obvious," said Storm, "Your personal drive is to reach out to others who are in need and provide them with help.  You felt you weren't ready for that battle, but you went along anyway because you felt there were ponies who needed your assistance regardless.  It's a cutie mark to be proud of."
"Wow," breathed Rumble.
Flitter nuzzled his cheek.  "I'm so proud of you," she whispered.  "But you're still grounded..." she added, her stern frown returning for a second, "...after your cutecenera."
From a short distance away, Dawn and Scootaloo watched as everypony fawned over Rumble's new cutie mark.  "So...I guess that means you're the last one," she said, with a sidelong glance at Dawn.
The ebony colt merely shrugged.  "Eh..."
Scootaloo couldn't quite keep a giggle down at Dawn's unconcerned response.  He would be totally casual about being the last one of us to get his cutie mark.  I wonder what it'll be though.
"Out of the way!" declared Pinkie as she began to work her way through the ponies around Rumble, "Let me at him!  I've got a party to plan!"
"Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home," commented Scootaloo wryly as both Melon and Fluttershy giggled behind her.



"How is she?" asked Shining as the chief surgeon employed by the Guard made his way out of the operating room.
"Stable," replied the doctor calmly, "I estimate that she will retain use of two of her legs.  She won't be walking again.  Her horn was completely shattered by the impact.  Repairing it is impossible, I'm afraid.  Combined with the damage stemming from what I can only assume was an incident involving severe overchannelling followed by either rough or nonexistent treatment, I very much doubt that she will be growing it back.  The damage to her alicorn is systemic, which means its growth has been severely stunted."
"Ugh," grunted Shining with a sympathetic wince.  Even if the mare behind those doors was one of the worst kind of criminals, he wasn't sure any unicorn should have to suffer like that.
The doctor shuffled some pages on the clipboard in front of him and continued.  "She also sustained severe injuries to her upper and lower jaw, loosing several teeth.  We tried reconstructive surgery, but were only partially successful.  We managed to realign her jaw and muzzle, but were unable to restore total function.  Unfortunately, she won't be able to consume solid food for the remainder of her natural life.
"Furthermore, her brain suffered damage as a result of the mentioned overchanneling incident.  It would appear that the damage has been aggravated as a consequence of her injuries.  The vast majority of her higher brain functions appear to have shut down.  Only time will tell if she will be able to regain any cognitive ability."
"So she's a vegetable?" asked Shining.
"A very angry vegetable," said the doctor, "From what we've been able to determine, Inkwell seems to be locked in a perpetual state of anger and hatred, possibly directed at the one who did this to her.  At the same time, she doesn't seem to be mentally capable of acting on that hatred, even if the pony it was directed at were right in front of her."
"Couldn't have happened to a nicer mare," said Shining, "She's probably not going to be fit to stand trial, I guess."
"Probably not," agreed the doctor, "She will probably be institutionalized."
"Oh well," said Shining with a shrug, "What about the other one?"
"He is showing much more promise," said the doctor in a chipper tone, "Greenblight took a pretty severe beating.  But, when all is said and done, his worst injuries were self-inflicted."
"How?" asked Shining.
"He took several blows from a small, blunt object," explained the doctor, "In particular, he broke his left shoulder, his right wing at the base, the base of his tail, and two ribs.  On top of that, he took several more hits from the same object along the barrel and stomach.  All of these were substantial on their own, but the stallion aggravated them severely by virtue of heavy exertion after receiving them."
"Oh right," said Shining, thinking back to what he'd heard from Rumble, "He's some kind of berserker."
"I'd scoffed at the idea at first, but it is a sound explanation," said the doctor, "The broken ribs were the worst injury, thanks to the fact that they'd come dangerously close to puncturing his lung.  That was a consequence of continued activity after their breaking.  We were able to repair the joint in his shoulder, but the muscles and tendons around it will take longer to heal due to their damage.  I'd almost think he was trying to use his disabled limb as some sort of flail."
"That's exactly what he did," said Shining.
The doctor blinked before continuing.  "Then, of course, there are torn muscles, strained and snapped tendons, all manner of injuries consistent with exertion to ridiculous extremes.  This berserker state of his apparently allowed him to exert Hysterical Strength."
"What's that?" asked Shining.
"Under the proper conditions, a pony can, either consciously or unconsciously, override their physical limiters to exert their body's full strength.  Our bodies limit themselves in order to keep from causing too much damage to our muscles and connective tissues.  In this case, the stallion apparently used some form of self-hypnosis or similar procedure to induce a fit of maniacal rage.  As a result, he was able to completely exert his body's whole strength for a temporary period of time.  On top of that, adrenaline and various other hormones released during the process also reduced his response to pain so that he could continue fighting, despite what would normally be debilitating injuries."
"Sounds pretty convenient," said Shining.
"Also dangerous," retorted the doctor, "Those built in limiters exist for a reason.  Overriding them is supposed to be an emergency response, normally triggered as a response to life-threatening danger.  If used repeatedly and for extended periods of time, it would ultimately result in permanent damage to the user's muscles and tendons.  Greenblight was gradually  pushing his body to self-destruction.  The injuries he received earlier merely hastened this process.  I find it unlikely that he'll be able to fight again, if he should ever find himself outside of a cell after this."
"Which isn't likely, considering his laundry list of crimes," said Shining, "But he'll be able to stand trial."
"He will," said the doctor.
"Good," said Shining, "Thanks for your time."
"I'm glad to help," said the doctor with a smile, "Please say hello to your wife for me."



"So...how did it go," said Cadance, looking up as her husband entered their room.
"As well as can be expected," said Shining with a tired smile, "The doctor says 'hi,' by the way."
Cadance giggled and turned back to her own work.  She'd been tasked with interrogating Elderflower's captured guards, probably the only witnesses to his misdeeds, aside from the two ponies in the hospital.  They had been reluctant to talk, apparently believing that their employer was still capable of some form of reprisal, even from beyond the grave (which a few didn't quite believe he was in yet).  It was tedious work, building up their trust and developing a rapport she could work with to get useful information.  Such activities left her drained at the end of the day.
Laying down on the bed beside her, Shining nuzzled his wife.  "So what about Greenblight and Inkwell?" asked Cadance as she returned the gesture.
"Inkwell isn't going to be doing anything, possibly ever," said Shining, "Like the doctor said, she's a really angry vegetable now.  She's probably going to spend the remainder of her life hating the pony who put her in that state without any means, physically or mentally, of acting on it.  Frankly, it's no less than what she deserves."
"I wish I could believe that," said Cadance, "But she's the way she was because her brain was damaged when she overchanneled.  If she hadn't had that accident, she would have been the leader of the Banehammers.  She might have even led them in a better direction."
"I doubt it," said Shining, "The damage to her brain altered her ability to think in broad terms and caused her to focus on immediate things.  But it didn't alter her concepts of right or wrong in any way.  In that sense, she's very much the same mare she was before the accident.  Trust me, she deserves this."
Cadance shuddered, not liking the idea all the same.  Part of being the Princess of Love was believing in ponies' better nature after all.  "What about Greenblight?" she asked.
"Physically, he got off pretty light," said Shining, "Some of his injuries may be permanent, but he'll be able to look after himself."  A faint smirk crossed Shining's face.  "He just has to live with the fact that he was beaten by a foal who was participating in a real battle for the very first time, a fact that's going to get around to all the ponies he's had dealings with.  Greenblight's going to become a laughingstock in mercenary circles and he knows it."
"Now there's a fate I feel is well deserved," said Cadance with a small smile of her own.
"I couldn't agree more," said Shining, "Let's get some sleep.  The rest of the Royal Guard are going to be back in a couple of days and then things are going to get really hectic."