//------------------------------// // 77 - Princess Summit // Story: An Extended Holiday // by Commander_Pensword //------------------------------// Extended Holiday Ch 77: Princess Summit Act 10 Vital Spark trotted down towards the dungeons humming happily to himself as he followed Crystal Text’s directions. To get the chance to actually see the laboratory that once belonged to the great Starswirl the Bearded would be a wonderful thing, assuming he could actually get past whatever seal may have been placed over it. Eventually, a flickering light caught his attention. Different from the other torches, it shifted and warped like it was passing through water. “Must be getting close,” he said. Turning the corner, he discovered a giant stone archway filled with what looked almost like a glimmering white mist, and yet it emanated light, not just reflected it. Above the large stone archway on the keystone lay a flat piece of familiar white bark glowing dimly. Across its surface, engraved in a deep red, was a circular symbol formed of many intricate runes and glyphs with what Vital realised, to his awe, was a twenty-pointed star drawn in the center. The seal thrummed with  so much harmonic energy that he could feel his soul tingle from the overload. “... Harmony?” Vital whispered. No response came, yet the feeling was still the same. “What’s her bark doing all the way up here?” he asked as he approached curiously. “Is this what’s hurting her?” He tentatively poked a hoof toward the barrier. A few sparks jumped at him, but for some reason, he could feel no repelling force. “Is this going to be a Titan AE moment?” he asked himself. “Well … guess I should just go at it. Hasn’t done anything yet.” With that said, Vital reached in and plunged the hoof through. He was instantly reminded of his human form, handling dishes fresh from the dishwasher. They were hot, but not too hot to handle, just uncomfortable. He waved the hoof a few times to make sure he had freedom of movement, and would have tested further had he not heard the sound of hastily clopping hooves. “Wuh-oh.” With that said, he plunged through the barrier. There was a bright white flash, then all was as it had been before, though the bark did glow just a little brighter. Vital swayed on his hooves next to the ward as the galloping hooves screeched to a halt in front of the door. “Who’s there?” a familiar voice shouted. “Show yourself!” “Cadence?” Vital Spark asked, steadying himself against a wall. “Oh, it’s you … Vital Spark, was it?” she asked. “Um … yeah, that’s me.” He shook his head to clear it. “What are you doing with the barrier?” she asked him. “And how did you get past it for that matter?” “I wanted to see Starswirl’s laboratory, and, well … I just went to touch it and then I heard hoofsteps running, so I panicked and jumped through, and well … here I am.” “But how did you get through? We haven’t been able to breach that seal yet, and Aunt Celestia herself tried,” cadence said. “We thought Starswirl’s formula was unpassable.” “I … don’t actually know,” he said. “I just sort of did it.” Cadence was speechless at that. “Cadence? Are you still there? … Hello?” Hammer Strike grinned as he helped Alto finish the wrap on the dagger. After a quick mental debate, he had the filly help him forge it to test if she liked doing more than just watching. “And there you go,” he said as he tapped a rivet in, finishing the simple wrap. “The finished product.” “Wow,” Alto said as she looked at the dagger. “It took a while, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought.” “And it only gets easier.” “How long did it take you to get so good?” “Years of practice,” he replied looking at Alto with a grin. “Like I said, in my free time, I usually go to the forge and just work the day or night away.” “I hope I can be that good one day.” “If you keep learning, and keep working at it, I’m sure you will,” Hammer said as he pulled out a heavy leather sheath and some silver. “Could I maybe send you a letter from time to time about how I’m doing?” Alto asked. “... If that's okay?” “I’d love that.” “Thanks.” She smiled. “So is smithing all you do?”. “I do plenty of things, though mostly paperwork, smithing, and sometimes practice with certain weapons,” Hammer replied with a shrug. “If I’m lucky, I get time to work on side projects that I come up with from time to time.” “So… could I visit you again tomorrow? Maybe you can show me more?” “I’d be alright with that.” “Thank you, Hammer Strike,” Alto cheered as she rushed to hug him. A few moments later, she released the embrace. “I should be heading home now. Cady will be worried. Bye.” She trotted up the stairs and was gone a few moments later. Hammer Strike simply gave a soft chuckle as he placed the dagger into its newly ornamented and engraved sheath. Silver ivy leaves curled around the blade in a protective embrace. “One day, I could see you being a great smith if you keep at it,” he said softly to himself as he carefully polished each leaf and pulled out a set of engraving tools. Vital scuffed anxiously against the stone floor with his hoof. Cadence had said she would be back, but waiting like this made him feel more and more nervous, not to mention bored. He sighed heavily. “I hate waiting,” he grumbled. He kept tapping his hoof and pacing until one of the stones accidentally depressed under his weight. “... Oh crap.” The sound of grinding stone echoed relentlessly through the hall as the many doors slowly began to fill up and disappear, leaving behind less and less until they reformed into a new taller archway with a Minotaur-sized door. “... Alrighty, then. Wonder where that goes.” Against his common sense and better judgement, Vital Spark approached the new doorway, slowly creaked it open, and peeked around the corner. A Multitude of wooden tables stood off to the far right, each cluttered together in a clumsy semicircle and bedecked with all manner of colorful vials and beakers filled with various fluids, powders, and other ingredients. A circular set of steps led down into the center of the chamber, where the royal seal of the Princesses resided. In the middle of their yin-yang symbol, the crystal heart shone prominently. Far on the other side of the room, stacks of books piled up on the floor around a single table where a gold filigreed mirror embedded with emeralds, rubies, and sapphires waited to be used alongside some old scrolls. To the left, Vital’s eyes widened as wall upon wall of books towered on massive shelves, stretching back for several yards, the great black mahogany shelves still shining as if it had not aged a day. The scent of parchment and fresh paper hung heavily in the room, and Vital couldn’t help but smile as he breathed it in. Memories of some of his favorite books entered his mind as he reminisced, recalling how he sat down in a comfy chair by the public library on Earth and read for hours. He savored the memory briefly, then snapped back to the room again. “... Is this what I think it is?” Vital asked as he cautiously stepped forward. The door instantly slammed shut behind him, shoving him the rest of the way into the room before it slowly faded out of existence. “... Crap.” “Is ... is this working?” a voice echoed through the lab as the light in the room seemed to be drawn to a single central point, forming an ancient-looking bearded Pony wearing a hat and cloak with bells. “Starswirl? Starswirl the Bearded?” Vital asked, slightly frightened. He prayed this wasn’t a security system. He wasn’t nearly advanced enough to even begin to try to take on a master magician like Starswirl. “Good, so you can hear me, that is, if this message is playing, then you can indeed understand me. I am Starswirl the Bearded,” the wizard said, “and you are either a particularly gifted thief, or you somehow managed to get by my warding seal.” “That would be the latter.” “Before we go further, I should inform you that responses to your statements will be conditional. I wasn’t able to think of a way to transfer my personality to this construct, so all responses are pre-recorded.” “Makes sense. So is there a reason why the door slammed on me and disappeared, then?” “You may have triggered the failsafes. Do not be alarmed if the door slams shut and vanishes. Once your intent has been confirmed that you are not here to do evil, you will be released. And If you are in fact evil…. well, I sincerely doubt you can survive three hundred thousand degrees kelvin, now can you?” he chuckled. “Whoa, Starswirl, a little dark, don’t you think?” “I don’t play around,” Starswirl’s projection answered bluntly. “Fair enough. If you’re as powerful as history says, it makes sense you’d want to protect your research from anyone and everyone who’d want to steal it.” “Now, being that you are still alive, I take it you are not here for evil, so don’t be afraid to ask if you have a question.” Vital paused a moment and pondered his options. “Is this your real lab?” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” “Alright, can you tell me about why you have a fragment of the Tree of Harmony hanging outside the entrance to your wing in the palace?” “You’ve been to the tree?” the construct asked. “She’s my friend.” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” “Okay, let me try this again. Yes, I have been to the tree.” “Well, I’m shocked anyone else managed to get to it. I’d originally put this in as a joke, as I’m sure you can tell by my tone of voice.” “So you don’t have many more reactions for this line of conversation, then.” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” “So what can you talk about?” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” Vital Spark groaned. “We’re just going to keep doing this all day aren’t we?” he muttered to himself. “Alright, you made the ward as a failsafe in case anything happened to the empire, right? What were you safeguarding?” “I couldn’t allow Ambrosia to get anywhere near my research.” “Who’s Ambrosia?” “Archduke Ambrosia Orchid is the first cousin to Queen Blood Orchid. I suspect him to be plotting against the Crystal Empire’s royal family, though I have no direct proof.” “Any guesses as to how he’ll accomplish the plot?” “Dark magic,” Starswirl responded. “I suspect he has already found a way to steal the crystal heart. With it gone, he will be able to use dark magic to kill the queen and her family and ascend the throne.” “What are the typical signs of this dark magic?” “In small doses, it can cause the eyes to take on a green hue with purple irises, and trails of vapours run off from the eyes themselves. The horn may also experience bubbles of dark energy and black or red electrical-like discharges. Over long term use, however, the horn takes on a deep red tone and begins to curve upwards. The vaporous runoff eventually gives up for simple green and purple eyes.” “And these symptoms can’t be hidden?” “They only show during the use of dark magic,” Starswirl explained. “Sounds like Sombra,” Vital said, shrugging. You’ll be happy to know he’s been dealt with.” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” A thought occurred to Vital Spark. “Did you know Grif, Hammer Strike, and Pensword?” “Yes,” Starswirl responded, “though Grif and Pensword are only recent acquaintances.” “What can you tell me about them?” “Lord Hammer Strike is an Earth Pony noble who is possibly older than any other known historical figure. With appearances dating past the pre-unification era, he’s vanished and reappeared through time, usually when he’s needed. Commander Pensword is a Thestral-Pegasus hybrid hailing from the tragic duchy of Mountainside Falls. He has a sound tactical mind, and made his name taking the Gryphon Military fort, Triumph, a feat that was thought to be nigh impossible. Grif, son of Graf, was a Gryphon mercenary born in the Northern Isles just after its secession from the Gryphon empire. He is the only Gryphon known by history to have taken a stand with Equestria during the war, and has shown himself to be an apt commander in the grounds of guerrilla warfare. The three of them form a nigh unstoppable juggernaut.” Vital put a hoof to his chin for a time. “Will this recording replay any time I need it to?” “No.” The answer was simple and blunt. “Well, that’s a bummer. I wanted to bring Clover here. She’d have liked to see you again, I think.” “Is she well?” “It was touch and go, but she’s alright. She’s teaching me now, actually.” “Please, I know you owe me nothing, but if you can, tell her I’m sorry.” “For what?” “She’ll know.” “I think I can do that.” Vital smiled and nodded. “But before you go, I do have a couple more questions to ask. First of all, what were you working on in here that was so important? And secondly, how do I take down that barrier you set up, anyways? And thirdly, how do I get the door to appear again?” “Please do not bunch up your questions.” “Okay, so what were you working on in here that was so important?” “I was working on my hypothesis regarding separate worlds and the veil between them.” “I can see why that would be so important to protect. Okay, second question. How would I go about taking down that seal you set up?” “If you could pass through the barrier, then likely you alone can remove the seal,” Starswirl answered. “But how?” “Pull it down.” “The bark?” “You’re not simple, are you?” “I have no experience with magic, Starswirl, except what little training I’ve received from your student.” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” “Of course they’re limited!” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” “Starswirl,” Vital growled, “please, give me exact instructions to pull down the barrier.” “Remove the bark powering the barrier, and you’re done,” he said slowly. “Does the bark have any magical defenses I need to worry about?” “It’s made from the tree of harmony’s bark. Why would it need defenses?” “Because the tree is sick.” “I’m sorry, my responses are limited.” “Alright, so last question, how do I get the door to reappear?” “It will come when it feels like it.” “So it’s sentient?” “Well, that's the thin…. power gone, goodbye,” and the figure promptly vanished. “Oh no he didn’t,” Vital Spark said, his horn igniting as he stomped his way towards where the door used to be. “If you don’t open in the next five seconds, so help me, I will blow you open myself, and I can do it, too,” he growled threateningly. The door promptly reappeared, hastily opening itself. “And you’d better be there when I get back,” he said, eyes narrowed as he stomped back up the corridor to the barrier. He then proceeded to pass through said barrier to face a very shocked Cadence, the flat expression of Hammer Strike, and a very angry looking Grif. “Are you okay? The old coot didn’t have anything in there, did he?” Grif asked. “Starswirl just trolled me,” Vital grumbled. “That is his specialty. What’d he do this time?” “... He called me simple.” He frowned. “Just because I asked a few clarifying questions.” “There, there,” Grif said, patting Vital Spark’s head gently before letting out a snort. “The- the truth- the truth can be painful,” the Gryphon managed to get out before he started laughing. Hammer Strike grinned at the statement. “What was the answer to all your questions?” “This.” Vital Spark concentrated and a blue stream of magic emanated from his horn to touch the bark. With some effort, he managed to finally dislodge it, causing the barrier to slowly dissolve downwards as he seized the fragment. “So, you guys want to go in or not?” he asked as he looked back at the others. “Uh … Cadence, are you alright?” “But, but Twilight couldn’t even move it!” Cadence shouted, gaping at the archway. Vital Spark shrugged. “Maybe it’s because I talked with Starswirl’s recording?” “Recording?” Cadence asked. “Yeah, a magical projection with pre-recorded answers based on certain parameters of questions an individual could ask,” Vital clarified. “So, where do we have to take the Death Star plans?” Grif asked him, still caught in his laughing fit. Cadence just stared, confused. “None of those. But what he was working on could be just as dangerous. He’s got a whole new branch of magic in there, guys: interdimensional travel.” “Then I should probably have those notes locked away,” Cadence said. Her tone implied she knew more than she was saying. “Over my dead body. I’m taking those notes,” Hammer Strike said firmly. “But these are highly ... dangerous.” Cadence’s words left her as she caught the dark stare on Hammer Strike’s face. She sighed heavily. “Okay.” “And that’s why he’s the boss.” Grif sighed, his laughing fit finally petering off before getting to his feet. “Let's get this done. I’ve got to have dinner finished soon. It’s an important night.” “The lab’s down this way,” Vital Spark said, waving a hoof for the others to follow as he led them down the newly revealed hall. “What's in this room?” Grif asked as they passed a doorway on their way. “I don’t remember this when I visited him.” “That reminds me. Why didn’t you guys tell me about Ambrosia and what you did?” Vital asked. “It was a thousand years ago. You expect us to remember everything?” Grif’s voice shook as he closed his eyes, his heart racing as he struggled to hold back the rage at Sombra for the crimes he had committed. “I’m going to check this out,” he said, perhaps a bit more brusquely than he would have liked as he dodged the question entirely. The room was mostly empty, but seemed to be an office of sorts with a large mahogany desk that held only a single piece of paper. The Ponies of that era must have had a peculiar fascination for the wood. The paper itself was covered in what seemed to be a picture of hoof markings. “Okay, that's really really weird,” Grif noted as he folded the paper and placed it in his bag for later before doing one last check around and moving back to join the others. “Find anything interesting?” Vital Spark asked. “Questions for later,” Grif responded as they headed for the lab. “Well, here we are.” They stared at a blank wall. “Um … Vital Spark, that’s a wall,” Cadence said. “It’s right here. Just dissapeared is all. I figure it’ll rematerialize eventually.” “Maybe Hammer Strike should make a new door?” Grif suggested. In a flash, the door appeared before them and swung open. “Hmm … why am I getting a feeling of dejavous from this?” Vital asked. “Omni, we have a laboratory full of magical goodies in front of us. Concentrate, man!” Grif said as he headed for the room. “Just be careful. If you get too greedy, I’m pretty sure Starswirl’s defenses will kick in,” Vital warned. “Starswirl’s lab. I don’t think I’ve been in here since …” Cadence sighed and shook her head. “Too long.” “It looks just the sa--oh yeah, time travel.” Grif sighed. “I spent some time here. Even a Gryphon had a lot to learn from him.” “It’s a pity I didn’t get the chance to meet him,” Vital said. “I’d like to get to know his less jerky side.” He glared daggers at the central seal where the hologram once had been. “You might have been decent acquaintances,” Hammer Strike replied from his position at a desk ahead of them, his muzzle buried in papers. “So the first things we want to find are Starswirl’s notes on interdimensional travel, right?” Vital asked. “Already got them,” Hammer Strike replied, still reading. “Anything of interest?” “A few documents making comments on the magical construct that you saw earlier.” He looked to Vital. “So, how many invalid questions did you ask?” “... Too many.” “Don’t feel bad; after two, he designed the spell to make his responses became sarcastic and sassy.” Vital groaned. “... Why do I get the feeling you’re the one who suggested that feature?” “Nope, but if it was me asking those questions, he apparently made the answers straight forward. Primarily because I would break through and survive any traps anyways.” He looked back to the paper again. “Grif and Pensword would have gotten… same responses you would have gotten, but with a higher clearance level.” “So he would’ve been nicer to them, but because he didn’t know I’d be there, he didn’t prepare anything that would fit me. Can’t beat the logic there, I suppose.” “Nope. He would have said the same things to them. It’s just by his math, they would have asked seventy percent less invalid questions.” “I’m a thorough guy, okay?” Vital whined. “No, Pensword’s thorough. Going by this, you're just paranoid,” Grif said scanning the sheet over Hammer Strike’s shoulder. “That's literally how he describes the levels.” “His answers are straightforward… What did you need clarification on?” Hammer Strike questioned. “Whether there were any extra protection spells around the bark. Its magic flowed into the arch, but that doesn’t mean it would protect the main seal itself. At least, that’s what I thought might be the case.” “I told you that Aunt Celestia couldn’t breach the barrier. Did you think taking away the seal didn’t occur to her? Why would it need additional protection?” Cadence asked. “... I don’t know. I just thought all its power would be focused on the doorway and not on itself.” He sighed and blushed deeply. “That was kinda stupid of me to assume, wasn’t it?” From one of the book shelves, a book flung itself at Vital Spark’s head. “Ow!” Vital rubbed a hoof against the point of impact. “Who threw that?” “Starswirl’s automatic response system,” Hammer Strike said.. “I know I’m going to regret this, but response to what?” Vital asked as he gingerly lifted the book. “A response to…” he scanned the page a bit more. “Lack of magic knowledge, level Gamma.” “To quote a certain fiery Unicorn, ‘convenient.’” A wet towel slammed into Vital Spark’s head next. “Fire suppression,” Hammer Strike read casually as another wet towel flopped against Vital’s head. “You have got to be kidding me!” Vital’s horn sparked as he levitated the towels off his head and threw them onto the floor with a violent smack. “I’ve got the whole list right here,” Hammer Strike commented. “Very long list…” “... Starswirl’s Magic for Dullards?” Vital Spark yelled. “Wow, first edition copy, too,” Grif said. “And signed. Twilight’s going to be so jealous.” “Dullard. Otherwise, you would know it as dummy, idiot, dummkopf,” Pensword said as he entered the study. “Wow, I never got to get into this area before. I only got to be in his guest lab.” He smiled as he walked up to the others. “So, what did we find? What secrets do we have to dollop out in small little tastes?” A sudden burst of streamers and confetti rained down on Vital Spark, sticking to his mane and fur while a banner dropped down from above. “Congratulations on admitting you’re an idiot. Now comes the first steps to knowledge.” “Wow, Starswirl was cruel, but had an interesting sense of humor,” Hammer Strike commented, still reading the paper. “This explains so much about Clover,” Grif said. “... Tell me about it.” Vital sighed. “Starswirl, can’t you just cut me a little break? I’ve had enough excitement for one day.” “So, is this system sophisticated enough to send any necessary information we might ask for at Vital Spark’s head?” Grif asked. “Like, say, The Winds?” Grif lifted a talon as a book slammed into his palm at head level. “Yeah, sorry, old timer-” another one slammed into his head from the other direction. “Please tell me no books will be flying at my head,” Pensword muttered, raising his wings defensively. “I have to ask this. Do you have anything for me?” In response, a tiny piece of paper slowly descended from the ceiling and landed on top of his head. “Sorry, I have nothing for you, Pensword. You know what to do.” “So,” Pensword continued, “what spells do we have access to?” Hammer Strike looked up from the paper. “Phrase, surprise.” Confetti burst from the ceiling above everyone, followed promptly by a cupcake. “Well, he was at least prepared for Suprise, if she ever got in here…” he shrugged. Pensword’s eyes grew misty. “I miss my Commandant,” he whispered. Then he snorted. “Hammer, you are hiding something, so I am asking again. What is the research that was so important he locked it up in here?” “Plenty of things. Golemancy, documentation on the work of Circlet (keeping that for her), dimensional gateways, arcane runes, conduits, magic constructs for spectral images of recorded messages,” Hammer Strike flipped to the next page, “snarky responses for automated response system, a recipe for nachos…” He shrugged. “Crystal manipulation, notes on Comic, warnings for Parchment, a strong spell to make the documents in this room fireproof and make them ignore wind damage, and an extra codex of encryption for Pensword.” “That is good to know. I think we need to test that nacho spell soon, and--” Pensword paused before contining with a perfectly level tone of voice. “Did you say dimensional gateways?” A collective chill traveled down the party’s spines. “Yep,” Hammer Strike said, unfazed. “Though highly unstable on set locations, even with his knowledge. He only got a bit farther than the book I got has.” “Then I want research started on detecting other gateways into this world. If Starswirl was working on this, then others might be working on it, too, and they might not be as gold-hearted as he was.” “Impossible. You can only find thin veil locations at best,” Hammer Strike commented, still reading. “Yes, but if we can detect an incoming gateway, we can be ready to greet whatever comes through.” “Can’t really detect them. It was by luck that we arrived in a location near Ponies.” “I think you need to stand down here, Pensword,” Grif said. “This seems too dangerous for us.” “Yes, I know it is dangerous, but if I stand down, how can I defend this nation? This is my purpose, and I need to.” “Pensword, military code 6656 states that in the condition that it involves a volatile magical field, you defer to the expert. Defer to the expert, or I am going to find Lunar Fang.” “I know,” Pensword muttered, “but you guys, I have to. We have been through too much not to hide my worry here.” “There is nothing we can do but prep for the worst,” Hammer Strike said, flipping through another set of pages. “Which is what we do normally.” “We always do,” Pensword answered, “which makes me feel happy.” He giggled. “I’ve even been working on a modified War Plan Red.” “Well, on a lighter note, don’t you guys think it’s time for us to enjoy our vacation now that we’ve got what we need from the lab in the first place?” Vital Spark asked. Grif’s eyes widened. “What time is it? I need to get back to the kitchen and finish dinner.” “I got more work to do,” Hammer Strike commented, still reading. “I think I am going to visit the library and, oh… I was to find your husband, Cadence. I have some things I need to talk to him about.” “Okay,” Cadence said. “I’ll have some scholars come down and help sort everything.” “Trust me, he doesn’t have that much stuff down here. Though some of it, I would suggest only sending trusted scribes down for,” Hammer Strike replied. “Other than that, I shall be keeping some of the more… sensitive material.” “Duly noted,” Cadence said. “I’ll make sure they’re loyal and discreet.” “Well, I’ll see you guys later,” Grif said as he hastily strolled out. “Oh, by the way, guys, when you get the chance later, we need to talk. I’ve had the absolute weirdest day today,” Vital said as he walked casually with the others, levitating his copy of spells to study from later. “You mean the weirdest day you have had?” Pensword teased back. “Because I think we can,” He paused. “Yeah, I can give you some time, most likely around dinner. It sounds like a nice dinner table discussion.” “Sure. As long as we’re all together. Let’s just say it has something to do with dragons and riders and leave it at that. I’ll fill you guys in later.” “Sounds good,” Pensword answered. “See you at dinner.” Pensword walked the hallways of the palace. He was amazed to have been given such freedom in the halls of power, and unsure of what to do. He frowned at one train of thought before shaking his head clear of it. He looked up and spotted his target. “Prince General!” he shouted, having learned his full rank thanks to one of the local guards. “Might I have a moment of your time?” “Ah, Commander. You know you can just call me Shining, right? You and I are roughly the same rank,” Shining called back as he slowed down, allowing Pensword to fly to his side. The Pegasus stayed in the air as they continued on their path. “I was heading to the kitchens to sneak some ice cream from Alto if I can.” A strange look overtook his muzzle. Pensword guessed it was due to the fact that Shining’s brother and sister-in-law, and even his wife, were much older than he had thought. “Well, what is it you needed to ask?” “I was thinking about opening up some officer training slots for the Crystal Empire Military to attend. I think Cadence would enjoy the three months of classes to get to know Moon River better, and Lunar Fang, too. Meanwhile, I get to put you through some new paces. Still, at the moment, the broken Crystal Army is the most raw source of training, information, and potential I can have access to. I have Gryphons to tap, and the Demon Slayers, but I have to think of the future, and hope to grow the ties between the Crystal Empire and Equestria.” “Touché. However, Pensword, you need to calm down.” Shining put a hoof on the hovering Pegasus’ shoulder. “The war is over. We’re at peace, and you’ve secured an ally on the Gryphon Throne. You can breathe, take it easy, and maybe take up a hobby. How about wood carving or surfing?” He chuckled. “Maybe writing poetry? I know some soldiers who paint. Get a hobby that isn’t military related.” He turned to the kitchen. “For your own good and your wife’s peace of mind.” He paused. “Well, maybe for the peace of mind of your troops. If they see their commander actually doing a hobby that isn’t directly tied to your profession, it will show you’re more than some bigger-than-life warrior. You need to find a balance.” He smirked. “Doesn’t help that your first reaction to new spellcrafts is to think of a means to counteract them.” “You heard about that?” Pensword chuckled. “Well, I cannot help myself. I have to be ready for the worst. You were ready.” He sighed. “As a soldier and warrior, we have to be the watchmen on the wall to protect our citizens from harm.” He looked to Shining. “I cannot help that. I literally grew up to fight, to wage war against the enemies of both my tribe and my nation.” “Then how about a trade?” Shining replied with a smirk. “You teach me your war games, and I’ll teach you some fun tabletop gaming.” Pensword raised a wing. “Well, that is an odd choice, but I think that is a fair trade.” “Good.” Shining’s smirk widened to a grin. “I’ll have your character sheet made up for you by the time we start our first training session. And no, you don’t get to create your first character. If you’re going to put me through grief and pain, I’m going to do the same with you. You need to learn to think outside your comfort zone.” Pensword pointed a wing to Shining, about to object. He closed his muzzle, opened it, closed it, then finally spoke. “... Touché.” He sighed as he lowered his wing in defeat. Shining chuckled. “Come on. Let’s get some ice cream before Cosy and Alto finish it all off.” Three days later, the group made their way slowly towards the train station to greet the royal car from Equestria. Grif smiled widely with his wings wrapped around his two wives. “What time are they supposed to be here?” he asked. He and Avalon seemed to have trouble keeping their eyes off each other for too long. “Well, I heard the train whistle; however, with how flat the land is, and the snow, I think they are ten minutes away,” Pensword replied. “You can hear ten minutes down the track? Dang, Pensword,” Conor said as he stood by the platform and messed with the part in his hair. “He has a way with trains,” Grif said. Moon River giggled as she flapped her leathery wings. “Luna,” she spoke. “Sunny.” She giggled as she nommed a bone happily, the beginnings of fangs starting to push through her gums. “Sounds like someone’s excited,” Conor said as he smiled down on the little foal. “Uncle Perch!” She cried as she flapped and jumped from Lunar Fang to sit on top of Conor’s head, giggling madly. Conor chuckled goodnaturedly. “You know, you’re starting to get a little big, kiddo,” he said, laughing. “Don’t worry, I can still hold you a while longer. After all, that’s what all this training’s been for, right, Grif?” “You’re getting there.” Grif smiled “Sort of makes you have a new respect for ancient humans, huh?” “I always did. This just adds to it.” Conor started to tickle the little foal, making her break into a fit of giggles as she flailed her wings. Grif smiled as he saw the filly laugh. “Kinda makes you excited for the future, doesn’t it?” he whispered to his wives. “You have no idea,” Shrial said as she kissed her husband on the cheek. “Took the words right out of my mouth,” Avalon said as she followed suit. Grif said nothing, but chuckled as he hugged them closer. Hammer Strike stood in the back, mostly to himself. Mostly, because of Alto, who was currently sitting on his back. “So you can make better metals by mixing other metals together?” the filly asked him, fascinated. “Certainly. For example, you can make a strong alloy called eclipsed steel from a combination of lunar steel and celestial steel. Two variants of it, actually,” he explained. “But won’t the weaker metal make the whole thing weaker?” she asked. “Both metals actually reinforce themselves in the process.” “That’s awesome!” Alto squeaked adorably. Hammer Strike’s eyebrow twitched as a strange feeling went through him, but he couldn’t help but grin. The filly continued to question him about metalworking and the forge as they waited for the train. Soon they all could hear the engine chuffing through the barrier, steam hissing and smoke puffing as the brakes squealed into the station. The train reached a standstill and a small group of guards exited the cars to flank a red carpet, standing at the ready to greet the Princesses as they exited the car. Luna exited the train in her full battle armor with her Ursa fur cape draped dramatically behind her. The helmet was not on her head, but buckled to her side, and Meteor Impact was secured snugly to her back. Celestia was her total opposite, only wearing her usual regalia; however, Hammer Strike grinned as he noticed Solaire strapped to her side. Pensword smiled with his eyes as he snapped to attention, presented his weapon, and yelled. “Attention!” The guards stiffened in surprise at the sudden bark. “Good morning, my faithful high duke,” Luna greeted Pensword with a bright smile. “I trust you have been enjoying your vacation?” “We have, High Chieftess,” Pensword answered as he dropped his stance. His wings brushed against Lunar Fang’s and Fox Feather’s sides. “Princess,” he nodded his head to Celestia. “I thank you for this vacation.” Luna’s eyes widened slightly as she noticed Alto on Hammer Strike’s back. “Teacher, I see you and Princess Alto seem to be getting along well.” “We certainly are. She’ll make a fine smith one day if she keeps at it,” Hammer replied. “Of course,” Luna said. She gave Grif a nod of acknowledgement. Grif returned the nod respectfully. “It’s good to see you, your majesties,” Conor said, smiling at the princesses. “Hello, Conor, it’s good to see you’re doing well,” Luna said. “It’s been a nice break after all that training,” the human replied. “I even got my fortune read.” “Oh? And what did it have to say?” the solar diarch asked, raising a curious brow as she smiled indulgently. “I uh … wanted to save that for later, actually. It’s kinda personal.” “... Fair enough. And how is little Moon River faring?” Celestia asked as she approached Lunar Fang. “Oh, you know, teething, playing.” A suction cup bolt hit celestia on the horn. “Performing tactical operations. Kids’ stuff.” Pensword couldn’t help but giggle at the scene. “Careful,” he whispered before breaking out in yet another giggling fit. Celestia picked the suction cup off her hoof, examined it, then looked up at the station roof, where a tiny shadow crouched with a tiny crossbow. The alicorn princess smirked as her horn glowed and a suddenly shrieking and giggling Moon River found herself hovering in front of the Princess of the Sun. “Hello there, little one. I think you dropped this,” she said as she handed the bolt back into Moon River’s hooves. Moon River took the bolt with a grin and moved to hug the snout of the Princess. The guards stiffened at the physical assault that was happening. She giggled as her eyes glinted in the sun. “Boop,” she cried, repeating a word that her parents spoke to her on many occasions. “She really is adorable,” Celestia said as she placed a hoof gently on the filly’s snout and then removed it. Lunar Fang beamed with pride at the action. “I know, and, thank you for humoring her, but I think it’s time to start teaching her who not to shoot. If we don’t now, she might get the wrong ideas later on.” “I’m sure you and Pensword will do a fine job.” Celestia smiled and nodded as she hovered Moon River over to her mother. “Grif,” she said, turning to face the clan leader and his wives. “I see Shrial’s coming along nicely. How long do you have left?” she asked. “Two months and a week,” Grif said with pride as he nuzzled Shrial. “You’ll make a good father with your protective instincts,” Celestia said, though her smile grew a little less as she spoke. “I hope so,” Grif told her. “I really hope so.” Shrial elbowed Grif in the ribs. “What my husband means to say is that he definitely will be. Our girls are going to be some of the best warriors this world has ever seen.” Grif smiled at her appreciatively as he nuzzled her again. “And I see you haven’t changed a bit, Shrial.” Celestia laughed. “It’s good to see you. I’d better see some pictures when you finally give birth.” “We’ll see, Celestia. It might not hurt you to get off your cushy throne and come visit us yourself, you know.” A collective gasp came from the guards. Celestia blinked in surprise, then started laughing. “You know, you should be careful what you wish for. I might just do that, assuming I don’t have certain secretaries working for Blueblood trying to keep me away.” She looked apologetically at Luna. “I sometimes wonder why Blueblood even tries,” Hammer Strike commented. “Because he’s a jerk,” Conor said. Everyone stared at him. “What? Everybody knows that.” He shrugged. “Wait, I thought Twilight said she and the other elements were coming with you,” Grif said. “What happened?” “You know the elements. They each had their own preparations to make. They’ll be here on the next train or so; a day or two at the most,” Celestia said. “And you know Twilight. Normally, she would keep to the schedule of arriving with you,” Hammer replied. Pensword shook his head. “Then it is a good thing that I helped change the orders a little.” He paused as the others stared at him. “I would rather not have Twilight going crazy trying to impress you. We are all on vacation, and frankly,” he snorted, “the others need time to pack. Not everyPony has a set of luggage set aside for a trip to Canterlot, let alone the Crystal Empire.” “So, Twilight will be arriving a little later than the rest of us. We want to make sure everything is ready for her first summit. It can be a little overwhelming for a new princess. Isn’t that right, Cadence?” Celestia asked. “It’s only more so when you're a queen,” Cadence said with a laugh. “We’ll start by having her observe the meetings so she understands how diplomatic sessions are conducted, then start to integrate her into the proceedings.” “For now, why don’t we work on making sure her first summit goes without any unforeseen incidents?” Cadence asked. “We’ll discuss that in private. Right now, I’m guessing it would be wise if we get to the palace before a riot starts.” “I hope you two have your masks prepared,” Cadence said with a smile. “Oh, it’s been ages since my last masquerade,” Luna said cheerfully. “I’ve been preparing for months. Just wait until you see my dress.” Pensword’s eyes went wide. “My first noble masquerade!” he said, looking almost as giddy as a cadet passing muster for the first time. “I wonder… I’d better go hunting for a mask and outfit,” he muttered, a mad gleam in his eyes. He immediately ran out. “Okay, Cadence, how many Gryphons are in the Crystal Empire right now, honestly?” Grif looked blankly at her. “Don’t worry, Grif, I’ve thought of that. You’ll see when you get there,” Cadence promised. “What about the rest of us? We don’t have anything to wear,” Conor said. “Rarity will have a few hours. I think we’ll be fine,” Grif replied. “You really think she can pull all those together in just a few hours though? That’s a lot of costumes.” Grif looked at Hammer Strike and, to Conor’s surprise, Hammer Strike actually let out a small chuckle. “You obviously don’t know Rarity well enough,” Griff laughed. “... I guess not. You guys always did know her and the others better than I did.” “There will be time for you to get to know them better later. For now, let us get to our quarters. Moon pies await!” Luna said before regally speed-walking towards the palace. Deep within the crystal palace, in a dark and dusty room, a bejeweled mirror stood atop a two-tiered platform. Ancient paintings, photos, crystal pillars, and various figurines were scattered across the room, collecting dust. The great double doors near the ornately decorated mirror were closed and locked as a brief ripple passed over the mirror’s surface. A few moments later, a hoof passed through, holding what appeared to be a long rectangular piece of metal. Its surface glowed and a tiny red light blinked within the white as the hoof turned it about the room. Then, without warning, it swiftly retracted back in, casting further ripples across the surface of the mirror. A minute later, a large series of silvery-white ripples crossed over the the mirror’s surface, spitting out a cautious-looking yellow Pony with red and yellow highlights running through her mane and a red and yellow sun for a cutie mark. A pair of saddlebags hung on her sides as she took in her new surroundings. “This… isn’t canterlot,” the mare noted, looking around. Taking a few clumsy steps forward, she reacquainted herself quickly with four-legged locomotion before making her escape swiftly and stealthily. By the time the new guard detail had arrived, it was as if nothing had changed. As the mare made her way through the crystal palace, finding herself getting lost more than once, she pilfered a plain black cloak from one of the spare coat rooms. Keeping the hood low to cover her face, she eventually found her way out the front of the castle. She needed to find out where she was and where the element of magic was hiding. She only hoped it was close enough that she could get it and get back in time. Much to her surprise, she was surrounded by a massive crowd of shimmering Earth Ponies, each going about their business as some bartered for masks while others pulled costumes off of racks with a flourish. Not too far off, a massive heart-shaped blue crystal pulsed within the main square, its energy flooding into the streets and the building it stood beneath. “Excuse me,” she said, pulling up to one distracted Pony casually. “I, um, just got off the train. Whats happening?” she asked. “Why, we’re getting ready for the Royal Princess Summit, of course.” An elderly looking light lilac crystal coated Pony with a set of horn-rimmed glasses and a light green crystal hat with a pink ribbon stood before her, positively beaming with enthusiasm despite her advanced age. “Why would Princess Cadence and Princess Celestia need a summit?” Sunset Shimmer asked. “You mean Queen Cadence, dearie. And don’t forget Princess Luna, and of course, our newest Princess, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Oh, so much has happened. And to think, it’s only been about a year since she and her friends recovered the crystal heart and saved us from King Sombra. Oh, how rude of me. Let me introduce myself. I’m Amethyst Maresbury, the royal librarian.” The librarian extended a hoof. “The… the Crystal Empire?” Sunset Shimmer felt her eye twitching beneath the hood. “Um ... thank you,” she said in the most authentic, nice voice she could come up with. Then she shook the mare’s hoof before walking away. She was in the Crystal Empire, which was apparently ruled by Princess, no, Queen Cadence. On top of that, there was a new princess, this Princess Twilight Sparkle, whose name definitely seemed familiar. Hadn’t that been one of the heirs to House Sparkle before she left? How did she end up a princess? And since when did Princess Luna return? She was supposed to be banished to the moon, trapped without a way to turn back to what she had been before. How did she get changed back? Sunset shook her head. Those were questions for later. Right now, she needed a way to scope things out and find out just who the element of magic was. It was customary for one hosting a meeting of royalty to host some kind of reception party. Judging by the masks, Queen Cadence was throwing a carnivále for her Ponies, so it was likely the elite were to be invited to a masquerade. She scanned the crowd, looking for a noble. “Are you honestly telling me that this trash is the best you have to offer?” A snooty victorian voice demanded. “Scandalous! Upper Crust, don’t waste your time here. We’re taking our business elsewhere.” Sunset smirked as she moved in a somewhat clumsy manner towards the pair of Ponies. They were obviously nobility judging by their puffed-up manner of speaking and flashy clothing. Making a show of stumbling, she careened right into the mare who was complaining. “Oh, sorry,” she said. “Watch where you’re going,” Jet Set snarled as she readjusted the poofiness of her purple and white streaked mane. Her dark green eyeshadow caused her eyes to smolder as she stared Sunset down. “Honestly, is noPony civilized in this backwater dump?” “Beg pardon, my lady,” the mare snivelled as she backed off into the heavily crowded streets. The moment she was safely immersed into the crowd, a sneer replaced the fear on her face. She pulled the large rose-colored invitation from under her cloak and scanned it quickly, confirming the information on it. “There’s one born every minute,” she joked to herself as she withdrew a sizable wallet of bits from under her cloak as well. “Thanks to her ladyship’s generous donation, I think it’s time for me to go shopping.” The dining table was a long, rectangular surface. On the north side, a small golden sun shone brightly, just peeking over the horizon that was the table’s edge as its rays extended over polished redwood, giving the impression of a sun rising. Celestia sat on a somewhat larger chair, smiling at the depictions as memories from happier days flooded her mind. On its southern end, a silver crescent moon curled, its points curved inwards towards the center as the a polished black wood glinted in the torchlight like obsidian. Tiny flecks of silver embedded into the wood substituted the stars. Luna smiled as well as she looked to the center of the table. Two effigies met in the center circling one another, one of Luna, the other Celestia as their wings spread out, their eyes closed in serenity. A small glass crystal heart acted as the perfect centerpiece while the friends gathered together and sat, awaiting their meal. One chair remained empty between Shrial and Avalon. Grif had chosen to oversee the cooking to ensure a flavorful meal, and to exchange recipes with the other chefs. As the friends all sat together, a white light pulsed gently at the table’s core, slowly increasing in intensity until it shot into the centerpiece. A miniature aurora wove its ribbons over the dinner guests’ heads. Occasionally the lights would coalesce to form the shapes of various Ponies and other creatures as they ran, flew, or swam across the ceiling. Pensword looked about in awe. “This is amazing.” He paused to look at Lunar Fang. “How did they make it dance like this? And without any whistling.” “I think it’s magic,” Lunar Fang said with a cheeky grin. “Indeed it is,” Luna said, smiling at the crystal gem. “Celestia and I used to come to this villa quite often when we were younger. Starswirl worked with a famous alchemist named Caring Circlet to create the prism you see before you.” “I remember Luna and I used to play for hours with it, creating little armies, playing games of chess. The possibilities are limitless as long as you can guide the magic properly,” Celestia said. “Oh?” Pensword asked with a gleam in his eyes. “I like the idea of little armies. I wonder, is this the only one, or did she make more?” “Perhaps Queen cadence would allow you to use it for the betterment of Equestria’s military,” Luna said, smiling good naturedly. “While that is a fun idea, I would rather not take this item from the Crystal Empire,” Pensword returned. “So, if I wanted to, I could make a chessboard right now and start a match?” Vital Spark asked. “It certainly sounds entertaining,” Avalon said. “I’ll play you,” Pensword said, grinning at Vital. “I have not played a game in a couple of weeks.” “No games at the dinner table,” Grif chided as he entered the room followed by several Crystal Ponies carrying an assortment of covered trays. They swiftly began placing the dishes before everyone. Grif made a point of placing Fox Feather’s and Celestia's himself. “Dinner tonight will be chicken cordon bleu sided with scalloped potatoes and mixed vegetables. For our other friends, I have prepared fettuccine pasta with a fish alfredo sauce. Breadsticks are available in the baskets in front of you. I hope you all enjoy.” He smiled before moving to his empty seat. “And there’s plenty of each left over if anyone’s still hungry,” he said, giving Pensword a wink. Pensword grinned lopsidedly, his eyes shining with joy. “That’s good to hear.” Not even a moment later he grimaced from using a contraction, even as Lunar Fang kissed him on the side of the muzzle and giggled. Luna looked at the breaded chicken curiously, taking a moment to sniff it. “It smells strange,” she noted before using her knife and fork to cut a small chunk and carefully brought it to her muzzle, biting it and chewing thoughtfully. “The chicken is very flavorful and well cooked, but there seems to be something else within. Another meat. Perhaps … is that ham? Oh, that is most clever. And what's this? There is yet another flavor within the ha-” her irises shrunk to pinpricks. “Is this cheese within the ham that is within the chicken? TRULY THIS IS A MEAL OF LEGEND!” Luna exclaimed, partially slipping into the royal canterlot voice. Pensword coughed into a hoof to hide a laugh. “Oh, heavens above. I dare not think what she would do with Gooducken or a Turducken.” “Uh, Pensword, what exactly is a turducken?” “I’ll tell you later,” Pensword said, eying Luna meaningfully as he moved to eat his own cordon bleu. Hammer Strike simply continued chewing quietly on his pasta, listening to the conversation. “I haven’t had this since I was a cub,” Avalon said as she bit into the mixture and smiled. She moaned in ecstasy. “What cheese did you use, Grif? And did you season these breadcrumbs yourself? Something is definitely different.” Shrial was carefully raising the fork to her beak, though her arm trembled and her eye spasmed from the effort of restraining herself. “I think I’ll be taking you up on that offer for more, Grif.” “You know, I’m not usually a fan of fish, but this time, it’s actually pretty good.” Vital smiled as he levitated his fork to his mouth, chomping and happily swallowing. “Well, technically, while it’s not bad for you, fish isn’t exactly part of a Unicorn’s diet.” Grif looked towards Hammer Strike. “Or Earth Ponies either.” Hammer Strike simply took another bite without a care, a flat expression on his face. “So, you guys want to hear about my little adventure in the town square now?” Vital asked. “I do,” Pensword answered after he swallowed his bite of scalloped potatoes. Vital Spark looked up at the lightshow above. “Maybe I can tell you and show you. Celestia, how did you say we could manipulate this thing again?” “You use your magic and your emotions to shape it into the image you want, then direct it as you see fit.” “So I just have to concentrate?” Celestia giggled. “Pretty much.” Vital Spark closed his eyes as his horn began to glow. The aurora in the sky began to twitch and shift, then, gradually, it coalesced into the shape of the town square. Soon, the tent and its owners appeared, as did a miniaturized form of Vital Spark. “So, my adventure has to do with a rather special mare and her cat. See, she had an interesting quirk about her, and a great sense of humor. She was pretty upfront and honest with me, too. She said she basically faked fortunes to Ponies because they couldn’t handle the truth and didn’t want to hear it.” The image of the mare in question waved her hooves over a crystal ball before smashing it and laughing. “After that, she mentioned how for … certain travelers, she’s willing to give a proper reading.” A large pouch appeared out of the ether, opening to reveal a sparkling, swirling vortex. “A reading that Taze, Shawn, and Matthew will likely find very familiar.” The vortex solidified into chunks with glowing runes and markings before a hoof grabbed them and flung them into the fire of the ethereal camping ground. “She used dragon bones.” “The future isn’t set in stone,” Grif responded, grim faced. “So?” Pensword asked with a raised eyebrow. “No being knows the beginning from the end.” He gave Vital a glare. “You know what I am trying to say.” “She didn’t give me a direct prophecy. Well, she gave me a choice at least.” And with that, he related the prophecy in its entirety and what the mare had said, finishing with the telepathic advice he had received from the cat. “She never admitted it, but I’m pretty sure I know who that Mare was. And … I’m more than a little worried about what that means, especially the line about sealing fate.” He shuddered as for the briefest of instants, a bipedal figure replaced the mare, winking at them mischievously while the cat nodded its head before they blinked out of sight. The light on Vital Spark’s horn faded away. “Reading the magic from dragon bones ...” Luna said. “It sounds almost like necromancy, but not quite.” “Vital,” Pensword began, “I would agree with Luna. This seems strange and worrisome. Still, you do not set your life to what random mares say.” He frowned. “You go forward, and do not think about that. We have lives to live. Others will act. You will act. For all we know, this prophecy may invalidate itself.” Hammer Strike continued eating. “I know. I’m just worried at what cost,” Vital said as he slowly began to eat again. The flavor was gone. It felt more like mush in his mouth. “Vital, I have learned to just let things flow. Do not worry. There are things you can worry about and change, and things you cannot change.” Pensword narrowed his eyes. “Why am I telling you this? This feels like something you would say to us.” “... Because I’m scared,” Vital said, his head bowed. The rest of the meal passed on in relative silence. Hammer Strike sighed to himself as he sorted through the documents left behind in Starswirl’s lab. He hummed, separating one document from the rest as he thought on one question. “Hammer Strike?” Grif asked as he entered the room, scanning the surroundings. “Yes, Grif?” Hammer Strike asked, sorting another paper to the pile to his left. “You remember that small office I looked at before? Well ... I found something.” “The strangely empty one that was most likely another scientist’s?” “Not sure why, but even holding onto this makes me feel uncomfortable,” Grif said as he handed over the sheet of paper he’d found. “It’s old hoof writing. You know a bit of that, right?” “Some of the servants at my old manor wrote like that, yes,” he said, grabbing the paper as he read it outloud. “Entry Seventeen,         Dark, darker, yet darker. The darkness grows in the child, soon to be uncontainable. The shadows themselves are cutting deep. And yet… Readings are a negative. But this next test seems very, very promising. What do you two think?” Hammer Strike ran his eyes over it a few more times. “It doesn’t contain a signature. No name.” “I know you aren't one for outward emotions, so forgive me if I ask, but does that sound half as creepy to you as it does to me?” “You don’t even know the half of it.” Hammer Strike gestured to the sorted documents on the desk. “Starswirl was writing these documents almost daily with another Pony, but one day, he stopped mentioning him. The name in each paper is blurred or plain gone.” He looked back to Grif. “Not a trace of who it was that worked with him. The closest name I could get was that of a flower not native to here. Comes from the line of Daisy.” “So Starswirl erased this guy from his notes? That doesn’t seem like him. He was old and bitter, but not that bitter.” “But from the way he wrote things, he somehow forgot the Pony as well.” Hammer looked back to the entry. “Perhaps… something happened.” “Yes. Well, the type of things that can happen that can wipe someone from the memory of a wizard like Starswirl aren't nice things.” “The darkness grows in the child…” Hammer Strike hummed. “Ambrosia?” He asked aloud, looking at Grif. “Starswirl did suspect he was up to something.” Grif nodded. “Perhaps he wasn’t alone in suspecting that… only, he didn’t get caught.” “That’s a sad thought. Some poor soul was practically erased from memory for trying to help.” “Not only wiped from memory, but physically as well, I think.” He paused, looking towards the door. Grif’s talons instinctively reached for one of his blades. “You feel that?” he asked. “Who’s out there?” Hammer called out. “Cadence?” Nothing answered them but the eerie silence of the empty laboratory. “I wonder who the third person was,” Grif said, breaking the silence. Starswirl mentioned sharing his notes with an old friend; an old hunter who helped gather pelts and such from large, dangerous creatures in this arctic land,” Hammer Strike replied. “Jäger.” He hummed. “Isn’t Jäger still around?” “And there’s Germane.” Grif smiled to himself. “He was too old to get involved in the raids, but he was the lead guard in the underground,” Grif noted. “I honestly would have taken him, but he seemed the best Pony to defend everyone.” “Perhaps we should talk with him at some point. Might be an interesting conversation.” “If I recall, he’s retired now. Lived in a house near the outskirts with his caretaker,” Grif noted. “Probably better to visit him at night. The old bat’s practically nocturnal now.” “I wouldn’t let him hear you say that.” Hammer gave a soft chuckle. “I still remember how you tried to spar him.” “Hey, I lasted against that scythe-sword-thing of his longer then most have. If I remember correctly, he nearly took you down one time as well. If he hadn’t had arthritis problems, he may have even won.” “Complain all you want.” Hammer gave a grin. “Let’s go. I got the documents I needed from here, and I keep getting this odd feeling.” “Yeah, let’s get out of here. I feel like we’re being sized up or something,” Grif said as they stalked out. Behind the duo, he watched quietly, unable to speak, and unable to interact, a fragment that soon found itself falling apart without a thought to guide it. “Twilight's first princess summit! I’m excited. Are you excited, Rarity? Because I’m sooooooo excited!” Pinkie Pie said as the train drove towards the empire. “Pinkie, dear, calm down. You’re worrying Twilight,” Rarity said as she scooted over to the lavender Alicorn. “Now don’t you worry, Twilight, everything’s going to be just fine.” Spike was busy trying to fan Equestria’s newest princess as she struggled not to hyperventilate. “Personally, I can’t wait to see--” she sighed dreamily “--Hammer Strike.” “Yeah, yeah, we all know you're excited to see your coltfriend.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You’ve been going on about being ‘finally re-united’ for four days!” “Oh, don’t worry, Dashie dear, I forgive you. You’ll understand once you get a coltfriend of your own.” Her smile suddenly flattened. “Err … eventually.” “Well, I’ll just be glad to get back home again. Poor Big Mac gets stuck with all the chores when I’m gone like this,” AJ said. “I just hope it’s nothing too serious. Because if it is, it might mean we all have to travel even further away from home, or we have to travel to solve some major problem that only we can solve, or…” “Twilight,” Spike spoke up with a nervous look. “You’re going to hit your head on the roof again.” He pointed a clawed hand to where the princess hovered. Twilight looked up, and true to Spike’s warning, her horn hit the roof. She laughed nervously as she closed her wings and landed hard on the cushion again. “Sorry.” She chuckled softly. “I’m just so nervous.” “Um … I hear deep breathing exercises can help,” Fluttershy said, raising a helping hoof. “I like to do that whenever I have to leave Angel Bunny behind. I always miss him something awful.” Twilight composed herself and began to do just that, casting her mind back on some of the exercises Cadence had taught her. She began to calm down, her mane, tail, and fur settling back to normal. They all felt the train come to a stop, brakes screeching as the engine hissed. A few moments later, a set of guards approached the train car door and held it open. Twilight stepped out nervously first, followed by the rest of the girls as Rarity looked into the gathered crowd. “Hammer Strike!” She galloped over and immediately proceeded to hug him. “Oh, it feels like forever since I saw you last. I missed you so much.” Tears pricked up at the edges of her eyes. “Hello, Rarity,” Hammer Strike said. In an instant that shocked the entire crowd into a combined gasp, Hammer Strike pulled Rarity forward into a kiss, a chaste kiss, but a kiss nonetheless. Rarity blushed red as the two of them remained locked for nearly a full minute before separating. “I missed you as well.” “... Wow.” Rainbow Dash looked on, shocked. “Didn’t see that coming.” “... Are we sure this here’s the real Hammer Strike?” Applejack asked as she eyed the lord skeptically. “Want to try a test of strength to determine it?” Hammer questioned Applejack. “I reckon I can manage that.” Applejack smirked. “Applejack!” Rarity glared at her friend. “He’s my Hammer Strike. He’s not a changeling, and that is final. I absolutely forbid you to wrestle with him.” “What changeling would be dumb enough to try and replace Hammer Strike?” Pinkie asked. “She’s got a point, girls,” Vital said. “Come on,” Grif said uneasily as the crowds began to grow. “I think we should get you all over to the palace before we’re swarmed. Rarity has her work cut out for her tonight anyway.” They heard a small shout as Pensword rose into the air. He glared down at the crowd. A moment later, Lunar Fang jumped into the air with him as they looked at each other. The crowd wouldn’t stay at bay for much longer. “Come on, guys, all I have to do is tell them to back off. They’ll listen to me,” Spike said, buffing his claws against his scutes. The crowd immediately cheered loudly and pushed ahead all the harder to see their hero. “Oh … hooooo-boy.” Spike flinched back as the mob of Ponies ran forward. “EveryPony, hold on!” Twilight yelled as her horn glowed a bright purple. In a flash of light, there was no sign of the legendary heroes or the royals. Only the guards stood by the train in a stupor as they stared, wide-eyed into the rushing mob before they collided. Vital sighed as he passed through the halls of the castle. After Spike’s unfortunate blunder, the celebrities and he himself has been completely confined to the crystal palace. With little else to do, he had chosen to probe the depths of the great crystalline structure. He hummed to himself to try and pass the time as he looked within each of the doors to the spare rooms. There wasn’t much to see here except the patrol as they passed through the halls with their old fashioned head lanterns. At last, he opened a tall set of double doors to reach a musty old room filled with figurines and a strange looking mirror. “What have we here?” Suddenly, he found himself flat on his face as something hit him from behind. “... Oww,” he said as he got to his hooves. Before he could fully recover, something blunt and heavy came down on his head. The last thing he remembered was a glimpse of yellow and red. Vital Spark slowly came to with a throbbing headache. He shifted under the sheets, then pried his eyes open. He groaned. “Nyah hah hah! Oh, goody, you are awake!” A very loud and nasally voice spoke, which did not help Vital’s throbbing head. “... Ow … could you please keep it down? My head is killing me.” He felt a small hoof patting his head, applying something. “Excellent idea, Cor! That is sure to help.” “... Where am I?” “I found you knocked out inside the palace, so I brought you to my brother Comic’s house to help!” “... Comic?” Vital blinked owlishly. “Pinkie’s uncle?” As Vital’s vision cleared, he saw a picture taped to the wall, It was a foal’s drawing of three stick Ponies. A small white Pony with orange and blue in his mane was labeled “Daddy.” What appeared to be a foal stood in the center with the name “Cor,” and a larger white Pony with an orange mane labeled “Uncle Parchment.” “Yes! I take it you met him already?” “... Yes. On the platform at Ponyville Station. He was getting off.” Vital Spark put a hoof to his head and frowned. “Thanks for the help, but … do you think you could help me get to a doctor’s office or something? My friends will be really worried if I don’t get in contact with them somehow.” “Fret not, for I, Parchment, shall go to fetch a doctor for you. Cor will stay here and keep watch!” The small yellow filly simply gave a salute and an adorably serious expression. As she gave the salute, Parchment flung the door open and charged out, the winds closing the door behind him. “So … your name is Cor?” Vital asked as he forced himself to sit up. The filly nodded in response. “Nice to meet you.” He extended a hoof and missed Cor by about a foot. Cor simply grabbed his hoof, moved it in front of her, and tapped it with her own, a grin on her face. “Oh … great. I have a concussion.” Vital rolled his eyes and giggled briefly as the room swam around him. “Uh … Just keep my head up and don’t let me fall asleep, okay, Cor?” Cor gave another salute in response. “... Thanks.” Vital said as he started to slump in the bed. Cor promptly threw a glass of cold water in his face. “If I remember correctly,” Hammer Strike commented, pointing towards the house ahead of them, “that should be his place. … Unless he moved. But knowing him, he didn’t.” “Off on his own, check. Unimposing house anyone wouldn’t look twice at, check. Creepy beyond all reason vibe you get as you get closer, check. This is definitely it.” Grif nodded. “Considering he prefers being by himself, it makes sense why he would have a house this far out of town. Then again, I think I remember someone living with him; a housemaid. Can’t remember her name though.” “It was something Germane as well. I just can’t remember what,” Grif noted as they made their way towards the sagging front door. “Doesn’t help we only talked to her once before we had to go.” “So, you going to knock?” Grif asked as they stopped before the large heavy wooden door. Hammer Strike simply raised his hoof to knock, only to have the door open with a shriek of a creak, revealing a light tan Unicorn mare with a white braided mane. “Hello,” she said. Hammer Strike lowered his hoof. “Hey, I take it you saw us coming?” She nodded. “We need to speak with Jäger,” Grif said. She nodded again. “I’ll take you to him. Please, come in.” The duo entered the old building. Its boards had been painted a dark faded blue as its shingle roof sagged in. Its walls bulged out ever so slightly as a series of tiny planters with light blue-leafed plants accented the place, giving it the only sign of warmth. At the house’s foundation, a series of cold, thick mortared stones were covered in damp hanging moss while black ivy grew up the sides of the house. A series of chimney stacks jutted into the sky like tuberous teeth with one single jagged tooth stretching into the night as smoke wafted from it. The mare led them to an open room with a fireplace and a few chairs, one containing the stallion they were looking for. He was wearing an old coat and wide brimmed hat that covered most of him. He had a grey coat with a black mane, which was mostly covered by his hat. Leaning at the side of the chair he sat in was a large curved, solid, heavily worn blade. It had been dented and scratched over the years from many previous battles. Strangely enough, it was all forged from a single piece of steel. Leaning on his back against the back of the chair was a long folded wooden staff. “What brings you two back?” Jäger asked. “Up for another hunt, are you?” “Nice to see you’re doing well, Jäger,” Grif said. “Of course I’m doing well.” Jäger frowned. “I’m not an ‘old bat,’ as you put it. It’ll take more than some Pony with dark magic to kill me.” “Yeah, about that, so Starswirl suspected Ambrosia’s experimentation with dark magic, and it seems you were in on his suspicions,” Grif noted. “We had some questions.” “Knowing you two, you’ve already been in Starswirl’s lab, so I don’t see what answers I could possibly have for you,” Jäger responded. “What about your third friend?” Grif asked. “...Third?” Jäger questioned. “You mean Hüter? I don’t think she was mentioned in any of his notes.” “I think we both know we don’t mean Hüter,” Grif said coldly as he stared levely at the old stallion. The old stallion shrugged. “I don’t know who you’re trying to talk about. Could you be a bit more specific?” “He wrote in hoof speech,” Hammer Strike commented. “Kept logs like Starswirl.” The stallion hummed. “I think I remember who you’re talking about, but I can’t remember his name…” he frowned. “What was it…?” “That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Hammer Strike replied. “We only found one log of his. The rest are gone.” “I swear, I can remember Starswirl’s apprentice more than I can remember his name…” He sighed heavily. “I remember some things about him, but not much.” “Such as?” Grif asked. “He had an eye for detail. He worked with a relative of his on some projects and spells.” “Do you remember anything about him personally?” Grif asked. “Mane? Eyes? Coat color?” “Very determined. I think he damaged his hoof in one of his projects. Nearly had a hole in it, but he was able to get it patched up. I think he mentioned something about his right eye being light sensitive.” “And his relative?” Grif asked. “Anything you can recall about him?” “He had an affinity for gravity-based magic. Not much else.” “That all you can remember?” Hammer Strike asked. “Sorry, but yes.” Jäger sighed. “Is there anything else you two want to talk about?” “You and Starswirl worked together for a long time, right?” Grif asked. “Did you know Clover?” “Not very well. Only in short passing.” “Well, she's back. Just figured it was right to let someone who knew Starswirl know, since we couldn’t tell him.” “It’s good to hear she’s well. Last I heard, she had an incredible poison killing her. I take it you two found a cure?” “In a way, yes,” Hammer Strike said urbanely as he rubbed a hoof casually against his coat. “Well,” Grif said, “we’ll let you get back to ... whatever it is you do now. For what it’s worth, it’s good to know you’re okay.” “Just like it’s good to see you two aren’t dead.” “That's probably the nicest thing you’ve said to us,” Grif noted. “Now get going before I throw you out myself. I was just about to get to work on my equipment.”