//------------------------------// // Of sound and fury // Story: The Impossible Dream // by Merc the Jerk //------------------------------// Macintosh stretched, the glow of the morning still not even gracing his room. It didn't matter how early it was though, he had a busy day ahead of him, and he needed to jump on it as soon as he could. He groggily made his way across the hall and into bathroom. The stallion moved to the sink and deposited his yoke on top of the counter. Mac dove into the shower, not even bothering to turn on the heat. The chill washed over him, and he was alert within seconds thanks to it. After toweling off and reattaching his yolk, he quietly went downstairs. Upon seeing the kitchen empty, he moved towards one of the high shelved cabinets, rising on his back hooves to reach it. He brushed aside containers of oats and dried pasta, and pulled out his prize: a box of cereal. Not just any cereal though; it was his favorite, Chocolate Frosted Sugar bombs. It was something Pinkie Pie had suggested to him once, after he mentioned he was getting tired of oats in the morning. By Celestia, that mare knew cereal. Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, with a rich, velvety fudge taste that was so synergistic with milk that it should be a crime. Of course, it was something he couldn't indulge in often; Applebloom always wanted to eat what he was having, and he was confidant that Cheerilee would kill him if he dropped off an overcaffeinated filly at school. That, and he was pretty sure if he ate it every day he would develop some form of vitamin deficiency. He poured it into a large bowl, then went to the fridge. Opening it up, his easy smile all but evaporated. No milk. “Damn.” The stallion grunted, looking longingly at his breakfast. It was then that he made an impulsive decision. He quickly swung a coin pursed filled with bits from the counter onto his yolk and cantered to the living room before heading out the front door, a stallion on a mission. 000 The road toward Ponyville was completely deserted this early in the morning, not that Mac minded. Instead, he took the time to appreciate the quiet. That was the problem, being the sole stallion in a house full of mares. He never had all that many quiet moments, unless he was outside doing chores by his lonesome. Even then, nine times out of ten, he'd be interrupted by a- A pony's whistle pulled him from his thoughts. Mac glanced along the lonely road. Seeing nothing, he turned left, gazing at the empty fields that stretched almost to the western horizon. Finally, he cocked his head right, towards the white fence that marked the boundary of his home. The red stallion noticed with a scoff of resignation that a plank had busted, its splintered remains all crumbled up in the dirt. One thing after another anymore. “Up here, big guy!” The voice of Rainbow Dash called out. He craned his neck up and spotted the blue pegasus waving casually from a low flying cloud. She effortlessly rolled off it, gently landing in front of him. “Mornin'. Yer up early, Dash.” Macintosh said, he himself barely repressing a yawn. “Tell me about it.” She hotly agreed, frowning. “Weather team called us all in for today.” “Why?” Mac questioned. “I saw the weather report earlier, we were jus' supposed to get a light shower in 'bout an hour or two.” “That was the plan, yeah.” She agreed, a bored look on her face as she talked business, “But I guess some of the higher ups in Cloudsdale noticed we were behind on precipitation, so we're having a pretty nasty storm to catch up.” The mare smirked. “I was on my way to the farm to let you know, but...” She trailed off, unashamedly looking at the cloud above them. “Well, I thought a quick powernap to recharge the batteries would be a good idea, ya know?” “Well shootfire. Wasn't expectin' a full on storm.” The red stallion grumbled. “Guess plowin' the south field's gonna have ta wait fer another day.” “By the way, why you heading to town so early?” RD asked, shuffling her hooves a bit. “Gotta get some milk fer breakfast.” “From where?” “The market of cou- aw dammit.” He suddenly answered, realization coming to him halfway through his words. “I take it you remembered they open at eight?” “Eyup.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. Despite that, she smirked warmly at Macintosh. “Tell you what; since I'm in a totally awesome mood despite being up so early, I'll fly to my house and bring you some. Deal?” “Ya don't have to do that, Dash.” “I don't. But I'm gonna.” She casually replied. “Just do me a solid, big guy. Make me some toast or something when I get there.” “Deal.” The giant pony agreed, turning to head back towards the farm gates. Rainbow Dash continued to watch him, her smile slowly fading with every step he took. Silently, she rose and turned her way north east. She passed by a few other pegasus ponies who were gathering clouds and preparing to coat the bright morning with them. She nodded wordlessly to them in passing, rather than her usual approach of small talk. If she had to explain why, well, she would say it was because she was pretty bummed out. Granted, she was thankful for what she did have: Six awesome friends, tons of admirers, and acrobatic skills that could put even the Wonderbolts to shame. Still, there was something missing in her life, and seeing Macintosh lately felt like a punch in the gut reminding her of it. The blue hued mare scraped those thoughts from her mind and flew, propelling herself over the acres of the Apple's homestead, over the near empty streets of Ponyville, past the road leading to Fluttershy's home, and finally coming close to her own abode. The expansive cloud castle floating in the air was far from modest on the outside- if anything, it was bold and invigorating, full of spires and rainbow rivers that poured off the cloud base and evaporated before touching the ground. It was a phenomenal design that, granted, wasn't her idea. She would have went with something more Wonderbolts themed, but her parents had most of the say when it came to the house. It was theirs, after all. At least, it was before the accident. Her jaw clenched up at the thought, and she shook her head, getting rid of the bad memories. The pegasus slowly came in for a landing by the front door, and after wiping her hooves clean of dirt, she entered her home as her mind returned to the problem at hoof. It wasn't that she was jealous of Mac, she argued with herself as she made her way towards the kitchen. Well, ok, maybe she was a bit jealous, but she really did wish him and Zecora the best. It just seemed unfair, out of everypony she knew, Macintosh was one of the last she'd expect to find somepony special, what with him working on the farm day in and day out. The fact he more or lass had an opportunity fall right into his hooves... Dash laughed once, a sharp, bitter tone that reverberated through the empty house. She made it to the kitchen and grabbed the glass jug of milk from the fridge, setting it on a cloud molded counter. One instant later, she was wiping her eyes dry with an angry hoof. She was not a sap. She didn't cry, she was tough. So what if she had yet to find a mare willing to give her the time of day? It was their loss. If they couldn't see how totally awesome she was, she'd much rather be alone anyway. Her dark musings stopped when she felt something gently bump into her back leg. She glanced down to see her pet turtle, Tank, looking expectantly at her. “H-hey buddy.” She sniffed. The turtle leaned in, resting its neck to her leg. She picked him up and gave a fierce hug back, before setting him down once more. “Thanks. I needed that.” Rainbow Dash sniffed. She paused, before giving a wry smile. “You know, I think I totally forgot to feed you this morning before heading out.” The turtle nodded in agreement. “My bad. You know me, dude. If I don't get my eight hours in, it's zombie city.” The blue mare smirked, feeling a bit better at her turtle's intrusion. She headed towards the living room, her pet slowly following behind. Dash walked past the entertainment center, loaded with the latest CD by Vinyl, and made her way to a fairly high shelf loaded down with a few framed photographs, and a bag of seaweed flakes Fluttershy said Tank would absolutely love. After she dropped a scoop into his food bowl, she put the bag back up, only to have one of the framed pictures catch her eye. She picked it up, and found herself slowly smiling. It was a shot of the Apple Clan, taken a few years back during winter. It was a good time. She helped build a snowman with Applebloom, went sledding with Applejack, and was pulled on a carriage by Macintosh. Then, to top it off, Grannie Smith treated them all to coco. Seeing that picture, taken by Fluttershy while Rainbow Dash was laughing at some dumb stunt Applejack pulled off, well, it spoke to her. It reminded her of something integral to her character. It didn't matter what life threw at her. It didn't matter what mares thought of her. It didn't matter even if her idols had no respect regarding her abilities. The most important thing that mattered was simple: The Element of Loyalty stayed true to her friends, her dreams, and, maybe most importantly, to the ponies she considered her family. If she did this, she could remain happy. With a self depreciating roll of the eyes at her earlier theatrics, The mare gave Tank one more pet on the head, and left home, milk securely in place in a travelers satchel. 000 After finally getting to eat his Sugar Bombs and treating Rainbow Dash to cheese covered hash browns, Mac felt ready to face the day. It was a shame his chores were shot, thanks to that big rainstorm coming towards the farm. He sure as hay couldn't plow in that kind of weather. As such, he made himself busy sweeping the dining room and kitchen floors, noting with no real surprise that Rainbow Dash had left quite the mess in her frantic run outside after wolfing her meal down. As fast as that mare gets around, I don't even have an inklin' 'bout how she's late all the time. Macintosh chuckled lightly at the thought. If he had that kind of speed, he'd never be worried about missing things, that was for sure. A noise towards the dining room caught his attention. He looked up from his sweeping to see the yellow stallion currently staying at Sweet Apple Acres coming down the stairs. “What has so solidly struck thine funny bone, Ser Macintosh?” Tilting Windmills asked as he stepped onto the ground floor. “Jus' thinkin' 'bout Rainbow Dash.” Mac drawled, before nodding his chin towards one of the dining room chairs. “Have a seat.” Tilting complied, grabbing a chair and bringing it over to rest at the counter that separated the kitchen and dining room. He dropped easily into it, holding back a yawn with a hoof. “Ya hungry?” The giant stallion drawled. “Neigh, I am fine. I appreciate thine offer, though.” He said simply, a polite smile on his face. “Suit yerself.” Mac shrugged, placing his two powerful hooves onto the broom, and going back to sweeping. The Knight stared hard at the counter, his forelegs resting upon the surface. After a moment of silence between the two, Tilting spoke once more. “I request something far greater than substance from you, Ser Macintosh.” “Oh?” He replied, stopping in the middle of sweeping. He lazily raised his face up. “What ya got, pardner?” Tilting swallowed, his normal bravado gone from his tone. “I request thee as an escort. I would like to examine where thou found me, and see if I can find any evidence that would give proof to what Lady Sparkle suggested is fact.” “Twilight's sayin' what, exactly?” Mac questioned, curiosity getting the best of him. “I have no idea how to explain it concisely for thine consumption, Ser Macintosh, but to put it in a way understandable: I come from an Equestria that is a heartbeat from yours. It carries quite a few similarities, yet holds differences.” He paused. “If Lady Sparkle's assumptions are correct, anyway.” Macintosh rolled his neck. “Well, I reckon if Twilight's the one sayin' it, there's a good chance that's right.” He chewed the sprig of wheat in his mouth briefly. “Tell ya what, Tiltin', ya'll can come with me today. I gotta head near there anyway, what with dropin' off Zecora an' all.” “Thank you.” Tilting said, bowing politely in his chair. “Are there any supplies or provisions I should bring? I recall hearing you state it was an area rife with danger.” The farmpony shook his head. “Jus' bring yer wits. Everfree ain't the best place ta be clownin' around.” Tilting visibly flinched at Mac's words, he seemed almost paralyzed with surprise toward the large stallion. After a beat, Macintosh narrowed his eyes in concern. “Somethin' the matter?” Whatever had come over the yellow stallion vanished as quickly as it came. He shook his head briskly. “Neigh. Just... just had nostalgia wash over me. 'Tis nothing to be concerned with.” “Alright.” The red stallion said, resuming his sweeping. “I reckon we'll get on outta here bout ten. I figure Zecora'll be up by then.” He stopped, noticing the rhyme. “I swear, that zebra...” He said under his breath. Tilting rose with deadened hooves. “I-indeed, Ser Macintosh. That shall work.” He stammered. “If thou will excuse me, I must return to my room.” Without waiting for a reply, the Knight slowly took the steps to the second floor. He stopped in the hallway, giving a long and thoughtful glance to his front hoof. “Everfree.” He muttered, nearly losing himself in the storm of conflicting emotions that came from the word. 000 Twilight took another drink of orange juice in a desperate attempt to clean the taste of soap from her teeth. It didn't do much, but it at least was worth a try. She put her cup on the kitchen counter. The lavender unicorn had got the letter sent off at about six thirty, and was expecting a message from Celestia just about any time. It was a comforting thought, knowing that answers were coming. It kept her from collapsing where she stood. That, and coffee. With caffeine at the forefront of her mind, she briskly started up another pot. This late- or early, depending on a ponies perception- in the day, sleeping would just throw off her body's biorhythm. A grunt from the main room suggested to Twilight that her guest had possibly awoken, so the unicorn walked into the library proper, while the coffee maker worked its metaphorical magic. Sure enough, Rarity was awake, though her mane was disheveled, her eyes were bloodshot and tightly squinted from lack of sleep, and her false eyelashes appeared to be missing. “Mrrr.” She spoke, her voice dry and cracked; barely above a whisper. “Uh... didn't catch that.” Twilight sheepishly admitted, moving a few steps closer to her friend. “Mirror.” Rarity repeated, her tone louder than before. “Oh. Well, I don't have a hoof-mirror around, but you are quite welcome to use my bedroom mirror to straighten up.” She grunted her thanks, moving past Twilight and up the stairs. With an easy shrug at her friends behavior, Twilight returned to the kitchen. As the coffee finally came to a full boil, she heard an awful commotion coming from upstairs, followed by a shriek that could only belong to her number one assistant. Her drink forgotten, she dashed out of the kitchen, and made for the stairs. She put one hoof on the first step, just as the figure of Spike came tumbling down. He crashed into her, knocking both of them prone. “Spike!” Twilight exclaimed, picking Spike up with her magic as she struggled to her hooves. “What in all of Equestria has gotten into you?” Spike flushed, panting from shock. “I- I had a dream where Rarity came into our room, and was standing at the mirror. When I tried to get her attention, she turned, and her head was a wrinkled monster!” His lower lip quivered. Twilight hugged the baby dragon close, once she knew he couldn't see, she stared upward, as if silently asking Celestia to give her strength. “Let's keep this dream our little secret, ok?” She finally offered, not having the heart to tell him the truth. “Y-yeah.” He nodded, breaking away from the hug, and taking a few steps towards the table sitting in the middle off the room. “My heart's still beating fast. I think I-” He interrupted himself with a belch. Flames erupted from his mouth, along with a small, rolled up scroll bathed in a blue black light. It levitated briefly in front of him, before he grabbed and tossed the scroll to Twilight. She deftly caught it with a levitation spell, and fluidly broke the Royal seal that secured it shut. Unrolling it, she began to read. “Ahem.” She coughed, clearing her throat before she read the letter to Spike. “Mine sister's dear student, Twilight Sparkle,” The unicorn in question paused, her grin drooping at the realization of the letter being wrote by the Princess of the night, Luna. “We regret to say that Celestia is currently past Equestrian borders on a diplomatic trip. She has had all mail, magical or otherwise, redirected until she returns. We wrote this to inform thou of the situation. Fear not, We respect thine privacy, and did not read thine friendship report. It shall remain sealed until your teachers return. With the warmest regards, Princess Luna.” “So she thought it was a friendship report and didn't even read it? Geez, all that work writing the darn thing, too.” Spike complained, coughing loudly. “Easy Spike.” Twilight said, watching over the sick dragon. “I'm sure if she knew what was inside the letter, Luna would have been more earnest to read it.” Spike grumbled his agreement. “But what do we do? It might be a bit before Celestia's back.” “The letter's important. Or, at least it could be.” Twilight reasoned. “I'll just compose a few words to Luna; explain the situation to her.” She smiled to Spike. “In the meantime, I want you to get some rest.” “Fine.” Spike nodded. “Maybe this time, I'll have a good dream about Rarity.” “Why dream, when the real one's around?” A mare's voice asked from the stairs. Rarity stood at the top, looking completely refreshed and beautiful. She gracefully took off down the steps, coming to a beaming pause before Twilight and Spike. “Wow, Rarity, you look great!” Twilight said, amazed at the complete change in appearance from a few moments earlier. “I'll say...” Spike dreamily agreed, enraptured by the designer. “I would hope I look presentable, it is my job to make sure ponies look their best, after all.” She cooed, smoothing out a few barely noticeable strands of errant hair from her pristine mane. She paused, shock on her face. “Job.” The unicorn repeated, color on her face draining. “Gracious! I need to return to my boutique! I hope I'm not opening late!” “It's seven. You got time.” Twilight quickly replied. Rarity relaxed, if slightly. “Good. If I had been late, that would have been the worst. Possible. Thing.” She bemoaned, putting a hoof to her forehead. “I still have quite a bit to clean up from yesterday, so I shall take my leave of you both.” With that, she moved past them, heading for the door. “Do you need a hand?” Spike hoped. “Oh Spike!” Rarity nearly squealed, turning from the door and wrapping the baby dragon in a tight hug. “I'd love that, but you're sick! I couldn't impose!” “It's not a problem.” He reassured, gasping for air in her tight embrace. “I'm not even that sick. A bad egg isn't gonna stop me.” Twilight coughed, drawing their attention. “Sorry, Rarity's right. You need rest.” The dragon took a step towards Twilight. “B-but-” “No buts.” She firmly said, closing the argument. “Fine.” He frowned, his entire body visibly slumping. “Perhaps next time, when you feel better.” Rarity offered, kindly smiling as she turned, opening the front door. She paused, her gentle expression fading as she stared outside into the barely stirring market. “If anything arises regarding you-know-who, contact me.” The pony stated to Twilight. “You'll be the first to know.” The lavender mare reassured, giving the designer a wave goodbye. Upon the white mare's departure, Twilight moved over to a table and levitated a quill and parchment paper to her. With the casual ease years of practice brought her, she began to write. Dear Princess Luna; Twilight paused, tapping the quill to her chin in thought. She had never wrote to the Princess of the night, and had no idea how to appeal to her. Grimacing, she continued to write, each word a potential landmine. While I greatly appreciate your respect regarding my relationship with Celestia, She frowned deeply. “What's wrong?” Her assistant asked. Twilight flinched, so lost in her letter that she forgot about Spike being in the same room as her. The dragon stood casually by one of the copious bookshelves, disinterestedly thumbing through a magazine. “It's hard writing for a pony you hardly know.” The dragon closed his magazine. “Just write like you do with Celestia.” “Luna's different.” Twilight disagreed, staring at Spike. “She might expect a formal letter, if it's personally addressed to her.” Her complexion paled. “Or, what if I'm too formal? She might think I think she's a stick in the mud who has to have everything prim and proper! Not to mention the whole 'we' thing that she does.” Twilight seemed visibly uncomfortable, she squirmed in her chair like an overactive filly at the thought. “I'm sure she'll understand any problems you have regarding writing to her.” He droned in a monotone. She sighed. “I sure hope so.” Without any more delay, she returned to writing her letter. I have to inform you that the letter in question was more than a friendship report. Rather, it was a request for knowledge. I'm not sure how much you've learned regarding the world since return from your- Twilight gave consideration to her next word, before settling on a fairly neutral one. Absence, but science has made leaps and bounds. At the moment, I was hoping to gain insight on the multiverse theory, a hypothesis put forth by the great mind of Dr. Stocking. It suggests we live in conjunction with a near infinite collection of parallel universes that never truly touch, but are always there. If you or anypony you know has any solid evidence regarding the theory, I would be indebted to you if you supplied it to me. Please reply at your earliest convince. Your faithful stu- She stopped, scowling briefly at the mistake as it was crossed out. Subject, Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn promptly sealed it, and levitated it over to her dragon companion. Spike grabbed the scroll and daintily held it in front of him, before blowing fire gently onto it. The parchment turned to ash and danced towards the ceiling from an unfelt wind. Outside, thunder rumbled with warning, threatening rain. 000 Macintosh took a few uneasy steps into the Everfree forest. He sighed as he glanced down at his soaked saddlebags and hooves. He had to admit, the one welcoming about Everfree right now was the relief from rain the thick treetops above provided. Rainbow Dash had been right on the bits; today's storm had taken a turn for the nasty. It had been pouring since eight thirty, and was still going strong two and a half hours later. Behind him, Mac could hear the quick, splashing steps of Zecora and Tilting Windmills as they made their way through Fluttershy's fields. They quickly joined the red stallion at the edge of the woods. Zecora pulled back the hood of her cloak and took in the sights. A smile started to grow on her face as she observed the gloom. Macintosh was far less enthused, his eyes worriedly scanned every scant opening in the trees for movement. “I still ain't sure how ya manage 'round here. Not exactly the friendliest of neighborhoods.” “The land itself is fine, it's the creatures that make me draw the line.” The red stallion looked deeper down the road. “Speakin' of creatures, I'm hopin' we don't bump into any more Timberwolves. I don't think I could handle a repeat of last time.” Tilting walked past the two, adjusting the side pick he was carrying with a calm focus. “I have no clue what a Timberwolf is, but I do know that we shan't make progress standing idle. Come, friends.” With that, he was off, heading at a brisk canter down the path. Seeing that he was out of earshot, Zecora gave a glance toward her stallion. “Do you suppose he'll find any good clues?” “What at this point does he have to lose?” Mac replied slyly. An earth shaking rumble of thunder assaulted their ears, followed almost instantly by a blast of lightning, the flash blinding both of them. In a heartbeat, Zecora had taken a defensive position by the farmpony; her front hooves dug hard into the the muddy path, and her hind legs were tensed, ready to strike out. Macintosh was of the same idea, his green eyes wildly searched the road for any threats, and he pawed at the dirt nervously. On seeing nothing awaiting them, they both released breaths they didn't know they were holding. “We've stood around long enough, lets get to my hut.” Zecora quickly offered, on the move again. “E-eyup.” Macintosh agreed, swallowing nervously as he joined her in a brisk canter. 000 Twilight sat in her room, reading a book while listening to the heavy, fat drops of rain pound against the window. The mare rolled, adjusting her position on the bed until she was lying comfortably on her stomach. Twilight closed her eyes in thought. It had been almost four hours since Spike had magically teleported the letter to Luna, and she had yet to hear anything back. The mare wondered if she had said something to offend the princess of the night. As that thought came to her, Spike rolled over in his basket, mumbling something in his sleep. The student of Celestia smiled fondly at her oldest friend and assistant. He could sometimes be a pain in the flank, but he more than made up for it. Usually. As he turned to lay on his back, he grunted, which led to a coughing fit. Before Twilight could rise to make sure he was alright, a belch powerful enough to rattle her bedroom window erupted from his mouth. Just as she started to give a disapproving glare his direction, she noticed a letter swimming in a blue and black aura levitating a mere foot in front of him. Despite the loud interruption, Spike apparently hadn't heard the belch, and still slept soundly. Not wanting to wake Spike, Twilight remained on the bed, and used her horn to beckon the letter towards her. She quietly undid the Royal seal, and began to read. Dear Twilight Sparkle; We apologize for a lack of promptness in response to thine call. Due to covering Celestia's morning obligations, and our evening meetings, We find ourselves keeping odd hours. We were unfamiliar with Stocking's theory; it is indeed an idea far beyond our time. For you, We inquired with a few of Canterlot's brightest mathematical scholars. While they informed us further about the multidimensional theory, that is all they mentioned, theory. There has been no evidence to suggest or disprove it, so Stocking's words sit in a scientific limbo. The writing seemed to briefly pause; Twilight could tell there was a small blot of ink where a quill had stopped in deliberation, before continuing. We may be overstepping our boundary, Twilight Sparkle, but our curiosity is a ravenous beast. Thine sudden interest in Multidimensional theory suggests something to us. Pray tell, does thou know something our top scientists don't? If it is a trouble to answer, We understand, and will not hold it against you; you who so bravely stood before us as we wore the regalia of Nightmare Moon. We apologize for the lack of genuine information we can provide you. Warm regards, Luna. Twilight frowned. If even the top minds of Canterlot couldn't provide concrete evidence of its existence, then maybe she was looking at it wrong. She shook her head. No. There's no other explanation. AJ's trust in him, the language he spoke when I first saw him, what he knows about Rarity's new book, it's the only thing I can see making sense. Twilight narrowed her eyes in determination, as she rose from the bed. The mare quietly made her way out of the room, and proceeded to the stairs. She made it halfway down the flight, when an ear shattering growl of thunder reverberated the house, and her sense were blinded by an impossibly bright flash of lightning. The bookworm squinted her eyes shut, inwardly cursing whatever pony it was that could have dropped a bolt that close to her home. When her vision returned, the library was pitch dark. She carefully made her way to the ground floor, and flicked a light switch by the kitchen a few times up and down. Nothing. “Great.” She groaned. After briefly concentrating, she summoned up a small, purple light to emit from her horn. Thankfully, she was well prepared for a power out, and made her way through the distorted shadows to the check out counter. The pony opened a drawer, pulling out a few candles and a matchbox. After setting the candles up, she opened the matchbox, only to find it empty. With a roll of her eyes, she leaned towards the candles, and erupted flames from her horn, igniting the wicks with impressive precision. Now that she had a non magical source of light, she used her powers to call forth a quill and parchment, and proceeded to write. Dear Princess Luna; I would be more than happy to share what drew my interest to Stocking's theory. It wasn't something that drew my attention to that particular field of study, but rather, somepony. We are currently in possession of a stallion named Tilting Windmills, an earth pony who claims to be a Knight-Errant in you and your sister's name. Not only that, but he seems to be emulating a book series about a brave pegasus that goes on a multitude of adventures. I no doubt assume you believe he is misguided or crazy. Perhaps even both. I believed that as well, until he knew things he shouldn't about an unfinished book in the aforementioned series. In addition, Applejack- the Element of Honesty- claims that a majority of his tales are true. I can't think of any other reasonable explanation; he's an earth pony, so he couldn't use magic to conceal himself or trick Applejack, and from my impression of him, I sincerely doubt anypony else is helping. I can only hope Celestia may be able to shed light on this situation. I thank you for the time you spent investigating, Luna. With the hope this letter finds you well, Twilight Sparkle. Satisfied with the letter, Twilight rolled it up, sealing it with a dab of wax. After extinguishing the candles, she rose to return upstairs and awaken her assistant. 000 Macintosh and the medicine mare finally caught up to Tilting Windmills on the road. They wordlessly walked the path in the woods, before Zecora stopped. “In the air, a peculiar scent I caught. It is the smell of a creature's rot.” Tilting sniffed hard at the air, before coughing loudly, rubbing his nose. “'Tis true.” He agreed. The red stallion slowly breathed in. It certainly was the smell of a rotting carcass. A scent he was all too familiar with from farm living. Not that they had many deaths, but things happened to pigs, chicken, and cattle from time to time. “Eyup. Probably that Timberwolf that tried ta get inside yer house.” The red stallion said. Zecora raised a brow, lowering her voice to exclude their third. “You slayed it? That must have been a difficult decision to commit.” “Nnope.” He quietly stated with an easy shrug. “There was a choice between it an a pony, I ain't gonna lose no sleep over killin' somethin' like that.” The zebra saw his point, but remained silent. The three crept closer to the edge of the woods, before finally peaking out towards the clearing that held Zecora's hut. Each took stock of the gigantic Timberwolf corpse collapsed against Zecora's nearly busted hut; its bloated mesh of flesh and bark were rotting, but at lest the scent wasn't overpowering; rather, it was slightly muted by the pouring rain. “By the goodness of Heaven...” Tilting marveled, covering his nose with a hoof, and moving towards the gigantic creature. The Knight tried to lift its collisional tail with his front hooves, but struggled against the weight, barely hoisting it up a few inches. He gave up, dropping the weighty object like it was a hefty sack of grain, before turning to his companions and loudly speaking. “This beast is one of the largest I've ever seen. I can understand thine reluctance to encounter these creatures now, Ser Macintosh.” The stallion moved towards the near ruined hut, and stopped to gaze at the creatures face. “'Tis mangled. Whatever encountered this beast was just as ferocious in its blow. 'Tis missing an eye.” Macintosh nearly shivered in disgust at the thought of his hoof coated in the Timberwolf's gore, but held on to his stoic demeanor. Tilting looked at one of the creatures visible teeth as Macintosh and Zecora joined him by the body. “Almost as long as my leg. This creature could swallow a pony whole, if it tried hard enough.” “It almost did.” Mac quietly said. Zecora reached out, briefly taking Macintosh's hoof in her own to comfort the stallion. The two looked at the zebra's home. The front door was in pieces along with a large portion of the west wall. Rain splattered onto the once comfortable abode, the damp coming down in thick drops on the hard packed dirt floor. The mare frowned at the damage, eying the scattered potion bottles on the ground. “First things first; if we're gonna get yer hut up to snuff, we gotta move that body.” The farmpony said, turning to point his chin at the Timberwolf. “I reckon I can move it, provided ya get me some rope. It's gonna take a while, though.” Tilting Windmills cleared his throat. “As much as I despise being a pony that puts his own personal gains ahead of others, I would greatly appreciate thou taking me to where I was discovered as soon as you can.” “A corpse this big can't be good fer the land 'round it. I gotta get it moved 'for we start stompin' off.” Macintosh argued. Zecora stepped past the two stallions and entered the ruined home. She picked up a few bottles, putting them back on a shelf. As she reached down for another, the label on it caught her eye, and she placed it carefully to the side, on a small table by her cauldron. Macintosh paused in his conversation with the yellow pony and peeked over Tilting's head to observe the zebra. As she carried over a small jar to the window and started to fill it with water, Mac had to sate his curiosity. “Darlin', what ya doin'?” She didn't look up towards the stallion's voice, rather, she focused on her task intently, carrying the jar over, and pouring its contents into the cauldron. Zecora then took one of the vials she had put to the side, and poured it into the heavy iron pot. As the medicine mare moved to grab the next vial with her hooves, she quickly paused to speak with him. “You and your friend have much to do. Don't worry about the body, I'm crafting a corrosive brew.” Macintosh glanced at the massive corpse beside him. “I ain't doubtin' yer abilities, but jus' how much of that stuff ya plan on makin'? Couple a gallons?” He guessed. She raised one of her many hoof sized jars and shook it for effect. “Thou would be wise to never anger her, Ser Macintosh. You never know where a dab of poison could be.” Tilting warned in good humor. Zecora said nothing to those words, only looking up from her work to give the stallions a sly, cryptic smile. Mac remained neutral, a calm, stony expression plastered on his face. “Ya sure you'll be fine by yerself here?” He asked. “I've lived in these woods by myself for a few years. That alone should help ease your fears.” “Alright.” The stallion reluctantly agreed. “But if somethin' happens. I want ya ta get somewhere safe. Don't worry 'bout us none.” She nodded, giving a quick wave goodbye to the two as she worked on her potion. Mac left the remains of the hut and raised a hoof east. “This way.” “As you would have it.” The Knight agreed, falling behind Macintosh. Together, they marched. 000 The farmpony guided Tilting off the path, going down a small drop that took them to a lower level of the forest. They carefully walked between the tightly packed trees, and over the barbed vines that grabbed at their hooves. Finally, they came to a large clearing covered in red flowers and housing a large rock towards the center. In the distance, past the clearing and deeper into the other side of the woods, Macintosh was able to faintly see the stone remains of a large, ancient building through the downpour. Subconsciously, the red stallion shook his body violently in a futile attempt to dry off. The water splashed against Tilting Windmills, but he didn't notice. The Knight simply gazed at the ruins on the other end of the forest, his mouth agape, and his senses nearly dead. “Somethin' the matter, pardner?” Mac asked. Tilting swallowed in an attempt to calm his nerves. “Ser Macintosh.” He gravely spoke. “I know that building.” The farmer raised a brow. “Ya sure 'bout that? I thought ya said that ya were-” “Yes, yes. The multiverse theory Lady Twilight brought to our attention.” He quickly agreed. “That does not change what my eyes perceive, however. What in front of me is clearly the remains of Castle Steedhelm.” Mac rubbed his chin. “Steedhelm? The town ya'll said ya was from, right? Ya sure? I mean, the rain's comin' down pretty hard. Maybe ya'll are jus' seein' things.” “Neigh. The layout of the columns by the front door still stand. As does the western spire leading to the Astronomy tower.” “That can't be right.” Macintosh concluded. “I have to be sure.” Tilting replied. He stole another glance at the ruins, before taking off in a hard run through the clearing. “What the- Wait!” Mac called after him. He swore under his breath, putting his powerful body into motion as the Knight sprinted ahead, passing by the large stone in the center of the field. “Don't! There's a drop!” The red stallion called, only to see Tilting vanish from his view. Macintosh made his way over to where he saw the overall clad pony just seconds ago, and breathed a sigh of relief when he found Tilting hanging by his front hooves over the long drop to the cavern system. With a grunt, the workhorse lifted Tilting up and deposited him safely on the ground. “T-thank you, Ser Macintosh.” The Knight panted, adrenaline pounding through every fiber of his being at the close call. “Eyup.” Mac replied. He stood in the rain, debating his choice of words. Finally, he shrugged. “If ya think we need ta take a look at that castle over yonder, we can. Jus' don't be dumb 'bout it. Ain't no sense runnin' headlong inta trouble, ya hear?” Tilting nodded urgently. “'Tis sound advice.” The giant took a step over the pit, gesturing to the Knight to do the same. “Let's get outta this damn rain at least.” He wryly smiled. 000 It was a slow journey to the castle, full of treacherous paths caked in mud, and a creaky wooden bridge over a deep gorge. Macintosh definitely wasn't fond of that one- he had never been the biggest fan of heights. Considering what sort of creatures roamed the forest though, he considered himself lucky that they didn't bump into anything more problematic than a few rickety steps on a bridge. After crossing the bridge, the two stood amidst the dead vegetation and gazed up at the ruins of what was once a large, impressive castle. The stone roof had caved in long ago, and the windows were empty of glass. Lightning flashed, briefly vividly illuminating the observatory to their left. Swallowing nervously, Macintosh approached the foreboding twin doors, and entered. The main hallway was as ruined as the outside suggested it would be; rain splattered on the cracked stone flooring, and rubble seemed to block all the entryways save for one leading to the observatory. What drew the eye, aside from the large, broken throne at the opposite end of the room, and the broken columns lining the area was a strange, five pronged monument that nearly towered over Macintosh. “What happened, to make it decay so?” Tilting questioned. “Just passin' time, I'd reckon.” The farmer stated. Tilting somberly nodded at this, preparing to say something for the briefest of moments, before silencing himself. Mac took a step towards the monument, eying it critically. “I reckon this is where the Element's of Harmony were back when Nightmare Moon was spookin' about.” “Nightmare... Moon?” Tilting repeated. “What Luna turned into after fallin' from grace.” “Luna would never give into temptation. She is a light shining in the darkness.” The Knight resolutely argued, whipping around to stare Macintosh down. “I'm jus' tellin' ya what was. 'Sides, she's back ta normal now.” Mac easily shrugged. Tilting wordlessly dropped the conversation; he moved to the back of the five pronged monument. The overall clad stallion crouched down, feeling around the statue's base. “What ya doin' back there?” Macintosh asked. “Investigating something. This statue seems nearly familiar to me.” The yellow pony replied. His hooves touched a small area on the monument with a bit of give. He pressed into it, and heard a loud click. To Macintosh's right, a wagon sized part of the floor dropped a few feet, and mechanically slid under another section of stonework, revealing a long, spiraling staircase descending into the darkness. “Ya know. AJ never mentioned anythin' 'bout hidden passageways when she was here, an' that girl told me everythin' bout that night fightin' Nightmare Moon.” The farmpony quipped. Tilting glanced towards the stallion as he made his way around the monument. “Art thou suggesting what I believe you are?” Tilting incredulously asked. Mac shrugged. “Depends on what that is, pardner.” “The Elements are missing from their pedestal. Is Jack part of the reason?” “Eyup.” Macintosh nodded. “She's one of the Elements a Harmony. Surprised she didn't mentioned it ta ya. I thought it was kinda a big deal to 'em.” The Knight frowned. “There are those that would use the power of the stones for their own pleasure and advancement. 'Tis smart for the bearers to play their cards close to heart, and show their power only when necessary.” “If ya say so.” The giant dubiously replied. “So, how did ya find that switch?” “Was a false stone in the statue's base. My castle has a eight pronged statue of the same style. I simply assumed the two would be similar to one another.” “Hmm.” Macintosh grunted, before giving a point of his head toward the underground entrance. “What's down there?” Tilting adjusted the strap of his overalls. “For me, it was where the nine Elements of Virtue were kept. For you? I have no honest idea. Frankly, I'm impressed that thine monument had a secret switch like ours to begin with.” Macintosh reached into his saddlebag and produced a lantern. After skillfully striking a match against his hoof, he leaned towards the stairway and lit up the darkness, the lantern's light piercing the shadows like a knife cutting cloth. “Let's press on, Ser Macintosh, and answer this mystery.” The yellow stallion hesitantly said, as if trying to encourage himself to continue, instead of the red stallion. “Ya alright, pardner?” Mac asked as they took their first steps downward. Tilting wiped his brow. “I shall be able to reply honestly after we see what lies beneath.” The spiral staircase led downward for what felt like years to the earth ponies. Darkness seemed to tug at their bodies- the shadows only kept safely away by the light of the lantern. The stairs abruptly ended at a five foot wide wall decorated with a golden six sided star. Macintosh moved closer to examine it. The design was chiseled into the wall; at the end of each of the star points was a obvious, hoof sized button, in addition to three buttons forming a triangle in the center of the decoration. “Mayhaps Twilight was wrong.” Tilting whispered under his breath upon noticing the star. Macintosh set their light source down on the stone floor. “I reckon this is another one of those slide things ya pressed upstairs. Ya know what ta do with this one?” Tilting approached the door, raising a trembling hoof. He took a breath, and brought it close to the design. “'The true Knight knows the virtuous heart; his is one that is seeped in Altruism.'” The overall clad stallion spoke to himself, seemingly reciting a quote. He pressed the top left button. “'One that carries steely Devotion.'” He pressed the top right button. “'One that brings together comrades great and small into Fellowship.'” Another button. “'The Knight wears not clothing of the finest silks and gold. Rather, he adorns himself in the battle worn and humble armor of Patience and Forgiveness.'” Click. Click. “'His only weapons against the wicked are the sword of Mercy, and a shield of Pure intentions.'” Tilting took a breath, speaking the last of the quote with a shaking voice. “'With these, the Knight freely sings the song of Love and Magic to the world.'” He pressed the last two buttons on the star shaped design. The wall slid upward, revealing a large room that stretched into the distance, nearly swallowing Mac's light. “What in tarnation?” Mac quietly asked himself, gazing into the darkness. “This shall be where we find answers, Ser Macintosh. Both of us.” The yellow pony wearily stated, taking a few careful steps onward. Macintosh shrugged, picking up the lantern easily with his mouth and falling in position behind Tilting. Neither were aware of the two pairs of red eyes watching coldly from the deepest shadows of the room. 000 Twilight finally felt comfortable enough to nod off after listening to the rain hit her rooftop for so long. She shut her eyes and sighed contently, giving up her plan to stay up all day. What was wrong with catching a nap, after all? Even Applejack took one occasionally. Just as she shut her eyes, and her breathing slowed down, a loud belch nearly made her jump out of bed in surprise. She shot a glare at Spike, then noticed the scroll swimming in a blue black aura floating just a inches away from his mouth. She yawned, pulling it towards her with magic, and undid the seal. Any hope of sleep vanished as her tired brain was instantly awoken at the tense, curt words on the letter. Bring the one who calls himself Tilting Windmills to us.