//------------------------------//
// Chapter 24 -Swinging on a Star- 
// Story: Shattered Skies 
// by Arctikfox 
//------------------------------//


-Swinging on a Star-



Fluttershy smiled to herself as she held her small wicker basket in her mouth, trying in vain to keep her scarf up as a frigid winter gust kicked up. She shivered, but her destination peaked through the trees beyond the path.

The lush green valley of Skyfall's estate had been covered with a thickening layer of snow. The house, however, had stood above the snow and against the forest as proud as it always had. A white plume of smoke extended from its chimney to the overcast sky.

Fluttershy stopped and saw an arctic fox crossing through the field, she tried to call him over, but he seemed to be watching her from a distance and was intent on keeping it that way. He bounded twice before falling on his face, he gave an excited cry as he buried beneath the snow.

"Wonder what's wrong with him?" Fluttershy asked aloud.

"He does that." 

Fluttershy yelped when Sif stood up from the snow behind her, shaking bits of frost off her fur.

"I've been trying to catch that fox for a month." Sif raised an eye brow at Fluttershy's panting. "You okay?"

"Y-Yes. What are you doing out here in the snow?" Fluttershy asked, picking up her spilled sweets.

"I was stalking you." Sif pointed at the trail through the snow that ran parallel to Fluttershy's.

"W-Why?" Fluttershy looked around her for anyone else that may have been following her.

"I'm bored." Sif approached Fluttershy and sniffed her basket. "Sweets, huh?"

"Oh, yes." Fluttershy gave a small smile. "I baked too much and thought I would bring some to Skyfall."

Sif gave Fluttershy a wry smile. "Over baked, huh? Is that why all the cookies are in little hearts with butterflies on them?"

Fluttershy's coat started to go red while she tried to shrink away.

"Ease up, Shy." Sif patted her on the shoulder as she passed. "Come on, Sky isn't home, but you should get out of the cold before another snow squall hits."

"Oh, I thought he was back." Fluttershy said quietly. "I wouldn't want to impose."

Sif stopped and looked to the sky, trying to pick up when Storm Front was going to let loose another snow storm. When the sky grew even darker, Sif sucked her teeth. "Fluttershy, I insist. A heavy snowstorm is about to hit and you wouldn't make it to your house before it hit."

Fluttershy opened her mouth to retort, but Sif waved her forward. "No time to argue, looks like you're spending the day with me and Cadance."

Fluttershy scurried to catch up to Sif. "What about Nim and them other ponies that stay with you?"

"They're either at the guard post or they're elsewhere. It's just me and Cadance today. We've been in a grueling financial battle with each other for the past few days." Sif groaned.

"Oh my, that sounds horrible."

"You're telling me." Sif laughed as she opened the front door before shaking off the excess snow. "There's no way I landed on three hotels in a row."

Fluttershy stopped in the doorway. "Wait, what?" 





Same time in an abandoned shipping facility on the outskirts of the fish district.





"You think he'll betray us?" Daring chuckled as she dropped the rolled up maps on a large, half rusted table that sat in the center of an empty bay.

Skyfall took the marker out of his mouth and gave a sarcastic scoff of disapproval. "An honorable stallion like Caballeron? No. Never."

The abandoned shipping facility had proved to be invaluable for both Skyfall's and Daring's needs. It was far enough to not be noticed, but close enough to remain convenient. The grounds had two waterways that traced through it for what used to be ship access, leaving the center building on a small island accessible only by flying, teleportation, or by use of a small rotating bridge..

Daring walked around, looking at the facility's interior, making questioning huhs and hmms. "So why did you choose this place again?"

"It lays on a magical lay line." Skyfall muttered, drawing a few lines on light blue schematics before doodling notes next to them. He glanced up and saw the questioning look on Daring's face. "Lay lines, you know, the places on Equus where magic is at its strongest?"

Daring rolled her eyes. "You gotta get up early in the morning to pull that one on me, Skyfall. Lay lines are a myth, a myth that has been researched to the point the board of magical study refuses any more theories. It's like bighoof, or the headless horse, or..."

"Shattered Skies?" Skyfall raised an eyebrow at Daring.

"You can't sit there and say they're real. Are they?"

"They are." Skyfall rolled up one schematic before opening another one. "And Fuzzy is a nice mare."

"Fuzzy?"

"The Headless Horse, her name is Fuzzy. Real chatterbox, that one." Skyfall chuckled at Daring's baffled look.

"I'm either on the right track to making history or I'm in an insane asylum licking a window and trying to kick my head." Daring sat up and started to unbutton her shirt for comfort. "So when are we going to go with the others to start Caballeron's 'reclamation project?'" Daring punctuated her question with sarcastic air quotes.

"Our other associate will be going tomorrow." Skyfall said bluntly. "But we'll be going in twelve hours."

"Twelve hours?" Daring removed and folded her shirt into a makeshift pillow. "We're doing this alone?"

Skyfall nodded. "I made an anonymous tip to some guards earlier about one of the ponies at Caballeron's little get together. I figured that the guards would want to know that Mr. Sticky Hooves has a few wanted posters in the sun district for unrelated burglaries."

"And Caballeron will think he squealed, leading to a botched heist." Daring finished.

"Bingo."

"Bingo?"

"You're ruining the moment, Do." Skyfall chuckled as he traced three more lines and threw his marker down. "Done."

Daring stood up and walked over to the table. "You finished a heist plan that fast?"

"Mhm. Not my first rodeo, kid." 

"I'm not a kid." Daring squinted at Skyfall who laughed, rustling her mane in return. 

"To me, you're all kids. Even the Princesses are kids compared to my dusty flank." Skyfall grabbed a ruler and rolled out the floor plans to the museum that Daring so graciously provided. "Now, the plan."

Daring sat for a full minute in silence, staring at the plans. "Sky."

"I know, I know, you can start the praising."

Daring looked over. "...You."

"Yes, I'm really-"

"-dumb." Daring said in shock. "You drew circles on the skyline’s windows and wrote 'smash' next to them. Then you drew a larger battering ram on the Nassau Galleon. There's no way this'll work. And coming from me, that's saying something."

Skyfall started laughing.

"I don't get it, why are you laughing?" 

Sky pointed at the schematics. "Those are simplified exfiltration plans."

"You’re going to smash the windows and put a battering ram on the front of the ship?" Daring asked sarcastically. 

"No, once we have everything on board, I'll fly out of there." Skyfall tapped on the plans. "Biggest issue will be our escape route through the sky and our journey to Farhaven."

"But what about the actual museum?" Daring asked, slapping Skyfall's shoulder. "The lasers? The dogs? The guards? The six foot thick vault door?"

"No power. Dogs love me. Wrap up the guards. Floor isn't six feet thick." Skyfall recited, smiling at Daring when he finished. "Honestly, you ponies watch too many movies."

"How will you get the Nassau in the air?" 

Skyfall grabbed a photo from the set that Caballeron's servant provided him and slide it over to where Daring was sat. "This ship's name isn't the Nassau, it's the Good Fortune and she's mine."

"Of course." Daring chuckled. "Explains why it can't fly."

"Takes a special hoof to get her off the ground." Skyfall winked as he strode over to an old couch. "You should sleep, we have a busy night tonight."

Daring lamented and strode over to lay on the couch, adjacent to Skyfall. "Night, Sky."

"Night, Daring."

"..."

"..."

"Sky?"

"Yes, Daring?"

"You're old, right?" Daring turned over to look at Sky as he tried to read an untitled book.

"What do you want to know?" Skyfall closed the book slowly. "It's clear you want a bedtime story."

Daring gave a tired, breathy laughed. "Were you around when Roam burned?"

"I was." Skyfall smiled. "Kind of a funny story."

Daring inhaled sharply and rearranged her body so she was facing Skyfall. "Can you tell me about it?"

"Which part?" Skyfall asked quietly. "Their meandering political system? Most ponies want to know if Nero really played a fiddle while his city burned."

Daring yawned. "Everything."

Skyfall leaned to one side and ran his hooves over one another, trying to recall the memories from the time. "Where to start?" He smacked his teeth a few times. "Aha, let's start with how Secretariat won the throne from Seabiscuit in the second age."

Daring smiled.




Back to Sif trying to eat all of Fluttershy's cookies.




"Sif!" Cadance scolded as she entered the room, forcing the white mare to duck down to avoid a bunched up towel. "I take a bath for five minutes and you're here trying to eat Fluttershy's cookies."

Sif stuck her tongue out at Cadance before lobbing the caught towel back at Cadance. "They're too good to resist."

"Oh it's fine, Cadance. They were for Skyfall, but he isn't here." Fluttershy cooed. "They would become stale if Sif didn't want them."

Sif and Cadance saw the sad look on Fluttershy's face. Sif nodded at Cadance and left the room.

Fluttershy looked surprised as Sif strode out of the room and down to the basement. "Did I say something? Oh, no, I should apologize."

Cadance stepped in front of Fluttershy. "Sif's fine, Fluttershy. It isn't you."

"Oh, okay." Fluttershy sat back on the living room couch. 

Cadance smiled. "What's wrong, Fluttershy."

"M-Me? Nothing, I'm fine." Fluttershy struggled to fake a smile. Her hooves started to fidget so she grabbed a throw pillow to hold close in an effort to look more comfortable than she was.

Cadance sat next to Fluttershy and reached forward to place a hoof on her leg. "Be honest, Fluttershy. What's really bothering you?"

Fluttershy shook her head, trying to put her mane before her eyes to block Cadance's staring. After a few moments, she heard Cadance give a deep sigh.

"Oh look, Skyfall's back."

Fluttershy perked up, but only saw a smirking Princess. "So, you're sad because Skyfall isn't here?"

Fluttershy tried to deny this, but she lamented. "Yes."

"Want to talk about it?" Cadance asked.

"Dr. Wolf says I should." Fluttershy held the red pillow to her breast.

"Who's Dr. Wolf?" Cadance asked.

"Oh, he's a therapist who used to practice here in Ponyville." Fluttershy said happily. "He was our only wolf resident before he opened a larger office in Canterlot."

"A wolf therapist?" Cadance leaned back in Skyfall's recliner.

"I had trouble going at first, but Twilight brought me to his office and he helped me deal with my anxiety." 

Cadance raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, it helped a little." Fluttershy shied away. "He also told me before he left that I should open up more to ponies and confide in my friends more often."

"Will you talk to me about what's bothering you?" Cadance leaned forward in her chair, trying to meet Fluttershy's downward gaze. She waited for an answer, but a soft nod from Fluttershy was her only answer. "Wonderful, let me put on some tea and we can have some girl talk."

Cadance tried to make small talk with Fluttershy as she attempted to mimic her father's tea recipe. Every step was perfect; the mixture, the ratios, and even the right amount of honey in each cup, but once she took a sip she scrunched her brow and placed the tea down harshly.

"Something wrong?" Fluttershy asked.

"No, I just can't seem to make tea as well as Skyfall does." Cadance shook her head and magicked a tea cup over to Fluttershy's waiting hooves. "Sorry, but it just tastes like hot leaf water."

Fluttershy took a sip and shrugged. "Practice makes better."

"That's what Skyfall says." Cadance smiled sweetly. "Did you hear that from him?"

Fluttershy nodded. "He comes over every once in awhile to check on me and my animals before staying for tea."

"He stays for tea?"

"Oh yes, he forces me to sit and he makes it." Fluttershy sat back on the couch and looked out the window as it was pounded with sheets of white snow. "It's nice that he comes over for tea. Discord hasn't been talking to me lately."

Cadance thought about it possibly being connected to her father's return, but chose to forget about it. 

"I like when Skyfall comes over."

"That's not all you like, is it?" Cadance asked.

"What do you mean?" Fluttershy used a small spoon to stir tea tea.

"I think you know." Cadance asked. "You two would be perfect for each other."

"W-What?" Fluttershy asked.

"Nothing, sorry. All the business with Spirits has my head all cluttered." Cadance lied as she ran her hoof over her eyes, thankful she was able to recover as fast as she did.

"I imagine being away from Shining Armor stresses you out."

"Quite the opposite actually." Cadance chuckled. "I love my husband, but every once in awhile I need some time to unwind and Skyfall has been gracious enough to allow me to stay here while this whole Spirit business blows through."

Cadance bit her lip and thought about her husband. She knew the Empire was self-sufficient, but traveling back and forth to see her must have been taxing on him.

"How is it living with Skyfall?"

"It's nice. He is a good cook, so meals are always extremely good. He also likes to teach when the school foals come by, so I get to hear little tidbits about his life. Although, I will say that, at times, he is a bit cold. He is also very secretive and gets snippy whenever someone asks what he’s been doing." Cadance smiled deviously at Fluttershy. "Do you want to go and look around his study?"

"Oh, oh no. I couldn't." Fluttershy shook her head and placed her cup down so she could grab her red pillow again, but failed when Cadance teleported next to her.

"Come on, Fluttershy. Don't tell me you aren't the least bit curious? Skyfall will be gone till tomorrow at the earliest."

Fluttershy prepared to say no, but Cadance cut her off. 

"Skyfall said I could go inside his study at any time, he didn't say I couldn't bring in anypony." Cadance winked at Fluttershy. "Even if he found out, I know he could never be mad at you."

"What does that mean?"

Cadance bounded from the couch. "Follow me!"

"C-Cadance, wait up!" Fluttershy called as she took to the air to follow her. When she finally reached Cadance, she was sitting in front of the large wooden door, smiling like a child doing something she wasn't supposed too. "I don't think we should go in."

"I think Skyfall would be happy to find that you've taken an interest in him." Cadance cooed as she opened the doors. "Have you been in his study before?"

"I don't think so?"

"Oh you would remember." Cadance trotted into the large office and jumped in Skyfall's chair. She reached down and started to spin herself around and around. 

"Are you sure this is okay, Cadance?"

'No.' Cadance smiled. "Of course!"

"Okay, if you say so." Fluttershy landed and walked over to a lush couch that sat near the center of the room. She looked around and marveled at the statues and trinkets that seemed so old and foreign even an archaeologist would have trouble identifying them. 

"You like him don't you?" Cadance asked.

Fluttershy paused, she wanted to avoid the question, but telling her thoughts to another pony was exactly what she knew she needed. And who would be better to confide in than a Cadance?

"I-I do." Fluttershy said quietly, barely loud enough for Cadance to hear.

Cadance stood up slowly and walked over to Fluttershy as she sat on Skyfall's couch. "Do you want to talk about it? You've always been the quiet one of the group so we've never talked much. I promise I won't repeat what you tell me."

Fluttershy looked up Cadance who smiled down at her. "I... Okay."

"Would this make you feel better if I shut the doors, shut off the lights, and turned on the fire?" Cadance said. "Skyfall does that and it makes me feel better."

"I would like that very much." Fluttershy chirped.

In a few teleportations, Cadance reappeared beside Fluttershy with some hot cocoas and some blankets, excited to hear what she had to say. She gave the cocoa to Fluttershy and pointed her ears to hear everything. "How long have you liked Skyfall?"

Fluttershy played with the marshmallows in her cocoa. "I'm not entirely sure. I've always thought he was handsome, but he looked too... "

"Distant?" Cadance asked.

"Yes." Fluttershy said softly. "He looked very distant whenever he was around. Ponies bad mouthed him whenever he wasn't around, which was a lot considering he lives out here."

"Do you remember when you realized you started feeling for him?"

Fluttershy nodded. "It was two months after he moved here. I was walking into Ponyville and I saw a mother carrying her foal to the market and the foal dropped his stuffed animal. Skyfall walked out of a nearby store and picked it up to return it to the little foal before going back to what he was doing."

Cadance smiled sweetly, proud of her father. "What did the mother do?"

Fluttershy's face grew sad. "She snapped at Skyfall and asked him what he was doing to her foal."

"Oh."

Fluttershy nodded. "I thought about that for the rest of the day. Skyfall just nodded at the lady and turned around, unphased, and I admired that."

Fluttershy looked at the photos on the bookshelves. "I started thinking about him more and more, but we'll never be together."

Cadance turned her head. "Why?"

"He isn't interested in dating anypony." Fluttershy sighed. "I've thought about asking anyway, I've even walked here dozens of times, but I always turn around at the gate."

Cadance tapped her chin. "I could try and work my magic to get him to open up."

"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to impose." Fluttershy placed her hoof on Cadance's should before Cadance trapped her hoof with her own.

"If you want Skyfall, then I will help you." Cadance said. "But make sure you want this."

Fluttershy nodded. "I can try."

Cadance smiled. "Soon, we'll have to welcome you to the family!"

"Family?"





Skyfall sat in the shipping hanger, his shoulder leaned up against the wall as he looked out at the rising moon. The gentle sound of the wind and the water lapping at the sea walls put his mind at ease. 

"So my mystery guest is back." Skyfall said quietly without taking his eyes off the moon.

A soft chuckle was heard from the darkness. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Change in the air flow." Skyfall stated. "Are you going to tell me who you are this time, or will I be left with more questions than answers like last time?"

Skyfall glanced over at the shadowy figure as she slowly entered the cascading moonlight. Her black coat and rusty mane were complimented by her eyes as the glowed blue and yellow like a gemstone. 

"That was my fault." She cooed as she sat on the concrete, shipping dock. "I was so excited to see you that I failed to keep my distance."

"Do I get a name, or will you settle for beautiful?" Skyfall quipped.

The black mare smiled sadly. "I'm so happy you think I'm beautiful. You're exactly how I remember you."

Skyfall raised his eyebrow, unphased by his new visitor.

"I told you I am not your enemy." She said.

"That remains to be seen." Skyfall countered. "Friends don't withhold their names from each other. You know who I am, now who are you?"

An apparent internal battle raged inside the mare as she bit her lip and muttered to herself. When some time passed, Sky scoffed.

"Of course."

"Nightingale." She said curtly. "My name is Nightingale."

"Just Nightingale?" Skyfall asked. "And why have you followed me from Ponyville to an abandoned facility, Nightingale?"

"To warn you." Nightingale's voice took on a double tone as she spoke.

"So a Spirit has come to warn me?" Skyfall said pointedly. "A Spirit of what I ask."

Nightingale squeezed her eyes shut. "Please listen to me."

Skyfall scowled at the small, black mare. "Why?"

"Because you have to live." Nightingale said firmly. "I've watched over you since the Alicorns were massacred."

Skyfall laughed and shifted in his spot slightly to face her better. His calm demeanor made Nightingale even more unsure by the second as to if Skyfall would believe her. "And yet this is the first time I've met you. Granted, you know what my real identity is, but that doesn't prove you've watched me since the massacre."

A silent moment passed and Sky nodded with finality as he turned back toward the moon.

"You... " Nightingale started before swallowing hard. "You wept when you found the queen's body. I watched from the shadows as you rushed in past the twisted husks and slid to the queen before you held her to listen to her last request. You tore through creatures as you tried to fulfill both her requests and I've watched as you kept your promise. Even now, you still hold that terrible memory-"

"Enough." Skyfall's voice boomed through the shipping yard. He shook his head, tired of hearing her banter as he turned his back to her.

"I'm here to protect you, like you once did for me." Nightingale moved in and hugged Skyfall from behind. "Tonight at the museum, there is trap that is set to spring the instant you leave through the ceiling. A detachment of discharged night guards will try and board your ship to apprehend you."

"Night guards?"

"Not Luna's." Nightingale informed. "They are night guard rejects meant to fool you. It will be obvious to you that they're fake, but to those that see you escape will see-"

"-royal guards chasing a Spirit out of Canterlot." Skyfall finished.

"Please be safe. You now face your second enemy and she's far more shrewd than Lonely Graves."

Nightingale kissed Skyfall's cheek. "I'll see you soon."

Skyfall glanced up as Nightingale disappeared into a mirage of light.

"Seemed serious." Daring called from the rafters.

Skyfall gave a low chuckle. "Won't change anything."

"Why not?" Daring asked as she landed next to Skyfall.

"Our little friend just tipped us off. An enemy will show herself tonight and she seems to be affiliated with the necromancer I've been hunting." Skyfall smiled deviously.

"You really want that stallion don't you?"

"Oh yeah, he's mine." Skyfall stood up. "But one thing at a time. It's about time for us to move out, just need to make a few adjustments."

"Adjustments?"

Skyfall's form grew and a two toned laugh echoed through the large room. His golden eyes glowed in the shadows as he moved silently towards the main building. "Yes. They should be here now."

"They?"

"You ask a lot of questions, you know that?" Skies massive, antlered head shot out from the shadows. He pattered Daring on the head. "Tonight, we're going to put on a show."

Before Daring could say another word, Skies winked. "Put on your hood, unless you want ponies knowing you're helping the Forest Spirit."

Slowly, she pulled her hood up and followed the Chimeran Spirit through the dark hallway. When they reached the end, the sounds of talking grew until Skies entered their planning room.

"I see you all heeded my message." Skies commented the creatures gathered around the table as they commented on the museum's floor plans.

Daring looked over their guests; four earth ponies. A griffon. A small, blue dragon, and a cloaked Pegasus.

The griffon looked around at the others in the silence that sat above them all and spat as his red coat ruffled. "Looks like I shall by the one to give first greetings."

Skies raised his brow at the Griffon's ire, but let it go as he bowed. 

"I am Garnet, My lord. I acknowledged your summons and after much consideration, I see your cause to be noble and give my services to you."

Skies gave a shallow bow. "Then you shall stand by my side." 

Garnet looked up to See that Skies' wing was extended in a welcoming gesture, a gesture he accepted immediately.

"Now the rest of you." Skies continues when Garnet sat on his left. He watched as each guest introduced themselves and was invited to stand next to their new leader. One pony, however, remained cloaked.

Daring poked Skies' elbow and motioned him to come closer so he could hear her. "Is this the one Nightingale warned you about?"

"No, he isn't our enemy." Skies cooed before lifting his head. "Why don't you drop your hood and introduce yourself?"

That stallion's gaze cut through the shadows that cloaked his face. He reached up and pulled down the cloth to reveal a graying mane and a light blue coat. "I was sure I was going crazy when a random, cloaked stallion told me about this meeting before disappearing into a tree. Now that I stand here, I know I'm crazy."

"Hopefully, It's the good kind of crazy." Skies laughed. "I'm glad that you considered my invitation, Wind Rider."

Daring bit her lip. "I thought I recognized him."

"Easy, Ravenhoof." Skies commanded.

"Skies, he framed one of the elements. You can't be thinking of taking him in?"

"I am." Skies said with finality in his voice and a stern look to silence her. "Wind Rider made a mistake, he has paid the price and seems to want a new life. Isn't that right, Wind Rider?"

Wind Rider whispered. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"I, Wind Rider, offer my allegiance to you until my last breath."

Skies chuckled. "Is that not the same thing you said in your youth when you took the oath of a wonderbolt for Celestia, what will convince me that you will keep this oath?"

"Celestia allowed me to be convicted by a military tribunal."

"Rightfully so." Daring commented under her breath.

"My companion has a point. You did commit a crime, why should I believe you?" Skies stepped closer to the former wonderbolt captain. "Why offer me fealty?"

Rider winced. "My jealousy ruined my life and you were kind enough to offer me a second chance."

"Then offer me your arm." Skies voice rolled through the room, ready to examine his life through his blood. 

Biting creatures to examine their lives posed a risk to users of blood magic. Used improperly, the biter would experience a mind melding of sorts and be affected, effectively changing the user, little by little. 

Skies was guilty of using blood magic too often throughout the ages, but he saw it as a necessary evil since it allowed him to solve questions faster.

Rider's determination showed itself when he sat up and pulled his sleeve back before offering it to the Spirit's open maw. With one firm bite later, Rider's head felt light causing him to lose balance fall sideways into Skies' arm.

"Wind Rider, you've earned your second chance." Skies said to Rider's small smile. He witnessed all the good that Wind Rider had done and the little evil that at times was all too necessary. "Farhaven awaits you."

"Thank you, my lord."

Garnet strode over and helped Rider to his feet. "So what's the plan, my lord?"

Skies summoned duffle bags over from the corner of the room and placed one before each of Farhaven's newest citizens. "Take these bags and make your way to the sun district. Find the alley named Enford way and get dressed. Remain in the shadows until I signal you inside."

Daring followed Skies as he walked out of the room. "I hope all of you have your affairs in order, because you might not be returning to Canterlot for some time."

Skies reached forward and disappeared with Daring into an old tree that had grown into the side of the building.

Daring stumped and fell over when they reappeared outside the museum. "You hate warning ponies when you teleport them, don't you?"

Skies chuckled to himself. "It's an urge I can't deny myself."

Daring laid down to stop her head from spinning. "Are you sure you want to do this? Ponies will see it as you being villainous."

"I know, but it's necessary."

The traveled archaeologist scoffed. "Stealing the entire museum is necessary?"

Skies looked down at Daring Do and gave her a wry look. "You've spent your career recovering artifacts from all over Equus; dangerous or otherwise. In the end, you showcased them here. This is to keep them away from ponies like Caballeron and to cover up the recovery of the Sunset Effigy."

Daring nodded. "I know... River is the leader of the trade union and I know she intends to sell my life's work to other countries for gold; likely to balance this countries mounting debt. I just hate that It's come down to this." She sighed and looked up at the old museum that she's known since she was a foal. "What will I do in Farhaven?"

"Nothing. Everything. It's up to you, really." Skies reasoned as he hefted Daring onto his back and flew into the sky. "If you want a museum to be built in Farhaven, then you just have to petition the court for one and luckily for you, you have my support."

Daring smiled. "Are you offering me a job?"

"Someone has to watch all this history." Skies said quietly as he glided through a window that had been conveniently left open. He stood and tisked to himself.

Daring looked around the dark museum exhibition rooms and mumbled. "That was easy..."

"Trap, remember?" Skies walked quietly to the front of the museum and looked down to see his team gathering across the street. "That was fast. Wonder when the others will be here?"

"Fashionably late as usual, huh, Skies?" 

Daring and Skies glanced over to see Honos, Inko, and Storm Front relaxing on an old chariot.

"I take it the guards are knocked out already?" Skies asked.

"Of course? You think I would save any for a lackadaisical reindeer like yourself?" Storm laughed as he jumped off the chariot. "So when's the trap getting here?"

"How'd he know about the trap?" Daring asked.

"Open window." Everyone said in unison.

"That obvious?" Daring commented. "It could have been an accident."

"At a world renowned museum?" Skies reasoned to Daring's shoulder shrug. "Well, I better let in our newest citizens."

"I'll get them." Inko said as she teleported away, leaving the others to make their way towards the museum's, stone antechamber. 

"So what's the plan?" Storm muttered absentmindedly. "Smash and grab?"

"No." Skies extended his wing and laid it over Daring's head. "This little one can deactivate any and all alarms, leaving us to pack up and load up the Good Fortune."

"What?" Storm asked. "Your ship is here?"

"Right?" Skies said in disbelief. "I'm one hundred percent sure that Celestia pawned it off when I was asleep."

Storm Front started laughing. "And she put it in the middle of all the artifacts she's guarded for the past thousand years. Oh, she'll be furious."

"That's half the plan." Skies stated factually. His playful mood changed when the double doors opened to reveal the fake night crew. "Excellent, you all look authentic."

"We smell authentic too." A  earth pony named Charge, added.

"What's the plan, my lord?" A black earth pony named Dash, asked.

Storm Front walked forward when Skies nodded at him. "All the guards are tied up at the moment. Take positions in the spots that Feather of Truth tells you two and wait for our go ahead."

Skies exited the room with Daring as Storm Front briefed them on the impending trap. He took a deep breath and pushed open the doors and felt conflicted when he saw the state that his old ship was in. "You put silly little flags on it... why?"

"It looked like this when we got it." Daring defended. "I'll go and turn the systems off while you do whatever it is you're going to do."

Skies smiled at Daring as she exited behind a 'staff only' door before brooding at his ship. "And they painted it sea foam green."

After a few minutes of examining the outside of the Good Fortune, Skies watched as the artifacts started to trickle in being hefted by whoever carried them. Daring flew back and stopped where everyone else sat to watch as Skies stood before a quivering ship. 

"Why is it shaking like that?" Dash asked. "Is it okay to fly out of here?"

Skies and the other Spirits started to laugh. The laughter grew as did the confusion among the disguised night crew.

Skies' laughter abated and he reach over and touched his ship, causing it to jolt upwards marginally before resting at a higher height. "First off, it isn't an it, it's a she. And second, she's more than fit to fly."

"Is she alive?" Daring asked.

"I think it's better if I show you." Skies said as he strode to the on ramp and started to walk towards the deck, each step caused something to change on the ship from the canvas unrolling to paint starting to crack. When he reached the helm, Skies tapped into the ship, giving it some of his power allowing it to pull on its restraints, breaking them.

Storm Front smirked and nodded at the amazed group. "Good, now load up the artifacts. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can pop the top and leave."

Storm Front teleported to Skies' side as he pumped more magic into the ship to repair one thousand years worth of decay and grime out of her, he grunted and stopped after a minute. "This damage will take some time to repair."

"More time than a few hours?" Storm asked.

"Much more time. It looks like being removed from me for one thousand years took its toll on her. Dry rot has seeped deep into her hull." Skies scratched his head. "The extra paint and knickknacks on her makes her heavier and will slow her down."

"Anything we can do to get her sky worthy?"

Skies chewed his cheek. "I'll start tearing off the frilly decorations. If what I'm suspecting is correct, then we'll meet armed resistance when we leave meaning we'll need to be able to defend ourselves at the very least."

"I'll go charge the cannons then. We won’t have anything to shoot with, but the threat should be good enough." Storm offered as he walked away from Skies who feigned romantic feelings for him doing so.

"Time to clean you up, you old girl." Skies chirped before grabbing a 'photo opportunity' sign and tossing it overboard for it to crash onto the marble floor.





Three hours later





"Everything is collected, my lord!" Dash said as he saluted Skies. "Every crevice of the Good Fortune is packed with cargo and ready for transport."

"Good job everyone." Skies complimented as he looked at the barren museum walls. "But there is one issue."

"What's that, my lord?" Dash asked.

"Where is the Sunset Effigy?" Skies asked.

Daring landed in front of Skies. "It wasn't in its case."

Skies broke eye contact with Daring Do and glanced around the room. "Storm, secure the ship and get ready."

"Bad news?"

"Yeah." Skies said under his breath. "Everyone, refer to Storm Front for your positions on the ship and prepare to set sail. Ravenhoof, you're with me."

"You heard the stallion!" Storm Front bellowed, jolting the bystanders to spring into action.

"What about me, my lord?" Wind Rider asked.

Skies set his hoof on Rider's shoulder. "You know as well as I that we have parts to play. Yours will come, but not this night. Go and prepare for our retreat."

"Retreat, my lord?" Rider asked, a little upset. "Why retreat?"

"I appreciate the gusto, Rider, but overstepping our bounds right now will lead to us all getting killed. Go and prepare for our retreat." Skies commanded in a deeper, louder voice.

Rider saluted and flew up to the mast to start his prep work.

"Are you still sure he was a good idea?" Daring asked.

"Yes. He is just over enthusiastic and has a need to prove himself." Skies mused. "Not unlike yourself at a young age, or even now."

Daring smirked. "Fair point."

"Now, take me to the Effigy's pedestal." Skies said, following Daring as she flew to the second level of the museum to an enormous, ornate, stone room with a glowing pedestal in the center.

"See, it's gone." Daring gestured to the where the Effigy had been displayed. "It was behind magical trip sensors. Lasers. Shatter and cut proof glass. And an expensive gravity well in case everything else failed."

Skies looked everywhere else except where Daring was pointing.

"What are you doing?" Daring asked. 

"The Effigy is still there, it's being hidden by refractive light." Skies said. "I'm looking for the caster."

"Oh, still such a sharp stallion." A mare came into view all of a sudden. She was sitting sweetly on top of the glass pedestal, smiling at both Daring and Skies. Her light blue coat glowed in the faded light of the room and her orange eyes smoldered when she looked into Shattered's eyes.

"River." Daring growled.

"Daring Do." River giggled. 

"She's a Spirit." Shattered Skies proclaimed.

Daring looked up at Shattered Skies' angry expression and backed up till she was next to him.

"Very good, Shattered Skies." River leaped off the glass case and hovered in the air. "You showed yourself, I guess it's only right that I meet you halfway, big boy."

The blue mare spun in the air like she was a dolphin swimming in the ocean and as she swam, her body changed. Her legs fused into a long tail and her head grew goat horns. Golden shells clacked as the bumped into one another from her ornate headpiece. River gave a long stretch. Her bones creaked before she glowered at her visitors. "That's better. Now, down to business."



Daring looked back at Skies. "Who is this?"

Shattered Skies stepped forward, putting himself between Daring Do and this new creature. "Good question. In all my years on Equus among both mortals and Spirit, I've never seen you. Even as a member of the Spirit high council, I would have seen you at least a few times. Who are you?"

The Capricorn-like Spirit floated down to the floor gently. "I don't expect you to remember me, traitor."

Skies squinted. "What is your purpose for being here?"

"You." River smirked.

"And your real identity?"

River started to laugh. "You really are a smart one aren't you?" The Spirit's body shook happily. "I don't remember you ever having such a cold look in your eyes, but this suits you... and me."

"Well, River-"

"Please, call me River's End!" End guffawed. "We'll get to know each other real well, real soon."

"Right." Skies felt the air in the room beginning to rapidly cool and watched as the walls started to leak water, first at a trickle and then into gushing holes. In the time it took for Skies to ponder their situation, the water was ankle deep and started to funnel out of the room.  "So, you're a water Spirit?"

End smirked, but yelped when a display case cruised past her leaping form. "Who dares throw furniture at me!"

Feather of truth lumbered in while his armored hooves thumped through the rushing water. His eyes burned with intense fire as he glared at River's End. "My lord, permission to fight this cur?"

"Granted." Skies said and admired the explosive anger that Truth directed toward River's End. He summoned golden spears and slashed at his dancing foe, trying to slay her in vain. Skies saw that she wasn't worried in the least. He bit his lip. "Daring, we better hurry. He can't hold her off."

Skies leaped forward and landed on the raised floor where the pedestal sat. "How do I get in?"

"I turned off the defenses, but that should have opened the case." Daring said as she looked over the glass enclosure. "Without, the passcode, I don't know how to open it without tripping the museum's alarm system."

"Who does the alarm notify?" Skies demanded.

Truth let loose a loud roar and tried to blast River, only to miss and take out a wall. When he did, a waterfall erupted and flooded the room more and more as the seconds ticked back.

"Everyone." Daring said. "Even the castle."

"Good." Skies said, glaring at River as she dodged Truth effortlessly. 

Daring yelped as Skies pushed her up and out of the immediate area of the Effigy. She tried to recover, but landed in the water as it rose.

"Hey, River!" Skies bellowed.

End spun around and with a stream of water, blated Truth clear out of the room. She looked surprised as she skulked closer. “Yes, Skies?”

Skies shot his hoof up and brought it down on the case, shattering it. River lunged forward to stop him, but they were both caught in the magical, gravity well. 

"You're an idiot!" River seethed. "You'll all die when the room fills up!"

Skies fought the extreme g-force and reached up to grab the Effigy. It glowed in the same golden light that Shattered's eyes possessed. After a few moments, it slowly rolled toward his hoof and exploded in light when it finally fell into his grasp.

Skies roared as he fought the downward pull. The strain fought his body as he glared at River's End. He almost collapsed, but a lightning bolt shot past him and collided with the gravity well, destroying it.

"Looks like you needed some help." Storm called.

River stood and backed away when the rest of the Spirits entered the room. She scowled and glanced at the Sunset Effigy in Skies' hooves. "You can't run from your mistakes forever."

Skies squinted as River mouthed two words and closed his eyes as she disappeared into one of the torrents of water before they spewed more water in with no signs of stopping.

"We should go." Skies sighed, but Storm stopped him as he passed. "What were those two words she mouthed at you?"

"I don't know." Skies lied, but his lie was met with a firm hoof.

Storm brought his head over and talked quietly so only they would hear. "Skies, what did she say?"

"I'll tell you later, it's not a conversation for a sinking museum." 

Storm nodded. "Gotchya."

They turned and ran to the Good Fortune. Skies launched off a stone banister and glided over to the waiting ship, it hovered mere meters above the water. "Storm, let's blow this popsicle stand!"

"Aye!" Storm Front's horn started to glow brighter and brighter until the lightning shot off in dangerous arcs around him. He reared up and let loose a vicious blast that cut through the museum's glass roof, leaving a large, gaping hole. The blast vaporizing the shards of glass into mere particles.

"Ready yourself for combat!" Skies bellowed. "Storm, Truth, Rider, Crunch, and Ravenhoof, stay on deck. Everyone else, man the below deck guns."

Skies flexed his powers and the canvas undid itself and with a mighty upward thrust, the ship exploded out of the museum and into Canterlot airspace. The creaking of the wood and the pulling of the ropes put a smile of Skies' face.

"Halt!" 

Everyone on deck looked over and saw three large metal ships, suspended in the air by larger balloons.

"Storm, it looks like rain, don't it?"

"Yep!" Storm swirled the air and thunder clouds started to form in the sky just outside Canterlot, giving them a clean escape route.

Skies turned the wheel dramatically and released all remaining canvases to catch all the wind the Good Fortune could grab. He glanced back to see a fourth ship rising from a sky yard that was built into the side of the mountain. It didn't have a balloon, but it did have two large forward facing, triple barreled batteries and one in its rear.

It ascended swiftly and two thick wings on each side gave off a thick jet stream as it blew past the three armored dirigibles. Skies scowled at the battleship as it put everything it had into catching up to the Good Fortune. He could see the fake lunar guards on the bow of the ship, likely acting as a boarding party.

"Skies! Hard to Port! Hard to Port!" Storm roared. 

The ship rocked violently as it dodged a few moments before an arc of fire flew past the Fortune's main deck, leaving a scorch mark along her side. The resulting boom, shook the houses below and soon, lights came on one by one in the city below.

"That thing has long range cannon on her front!" Storm shouted.

Skies looked closer and saw a port on her front that glowed red from the shot. At the rate they were going, the battleship would catch them before they reached the storm. "Storm, how we looking below?"

"One sec!" Storm looked around, any being that wasn't a Spirit was tied to the mast with a rope. "Ugh, we're good!"

Skies looked down to his main deck. "Hold onto your butts!"

The Good Fortune rocked forward as she slowed down in mid air. The Battleship barreled closer and when it looked like they were about to ram, Skies kicked a lever and for a few seconds everyone floated as the Fortune entered a free fall towards the streets below.

"Agh, what are you doing!" Daring screamed as the ground came dangerously into focus.

Skies and Storm laughed wildly as wind whipped over the deck. Skies continued until Storm stopped laughing and grabbed the mast in worry. With a violent heave, the ship's canvas extended and the Fortune made an arc below one of the bridges, grazing the water of a nearby canal before taking to the air once more.

Daring rose up with her hair looking like a hot mess. "That wasn't funny!"

"It was a little funny." Skies chuckled to himself.

"I demand my own office!"

"Gotta get out of here first." Skies winked.

Lights started to light up the sky as photographers started to take pictures of Skies as he flew the Good Fortune. "Smile people, we're going to be stars in the morning!"

Storm Front took the helm when they reached a proper altitude. "Rider, Crunch, go below deck!"

Skies waited until they did and he transformed into Skyfall. "You ready, Storm?"

Daring looked between them. "Ready for what?"

Storm's horn glowed with lightning, but Daring stepped in between them. "What's going on?"

Skyfall placed his hoof on her shoulder. "That mare in Donut Joe's might have been Celestia. She saw me in Canterlot shortly before all this. If I disappear along with this ship then she'll have more evidence to suspect me."

Storm smiled. "So I get to hit him with lightning, leaving our pursuers to pick him up to make sure he is not an enemy. When Sky 'wakes up' he'll shovel the Princess the noble hero act."

Daring looked back at Skyfall who nodded. "It was something I didn't foresee, but it may help us in determining who is behind this."

Truth walked up and struck Skyfall in the face. "Sorry, M'lord."

"What about me?" Daring asked. 

"Your identity should be safe from the princess, but you should wait for me at my estate. You'll be safe there." Skyfall was awestruck when Daring brought him into a hug.

"Thank you."

Skyfall hugged back and walked toward the railing. "You better land my ship right, Storm."

Storm smirked. "So long, hero."

With a flash of light and a loud crack, Skies flew off the Good Fortune's deck and down to the city streets. A thick cloud of smoke trailed behind him as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

The Battleship slowed and turned to intercept Skyfall's falling form before two wonderbolts rocketed past it to catch him. They grabbed his arms and flapped desperately to stop his descent.

"We got you, Skyfall!" Came a scratchy, female voice.

Daring stood at the back railing and watched as Skyfall was carried back to the castle.

"He'll be okay." Storm said without looking, keeping his mind in his task as he entered the storms wall.

"How do you know?" Daring asked, her steely character slightly shaken.

"He's too cunning." Storm said firmly. "He seems like he always has a plan."

"I hope you're right."





Gallant True was roused from his sleep as Lonely Graves entered his cell again.

"Ah, I see you're awake." Grave's said, his smile stained with a brown mucus.

Gallant could barely see through his swollen face. He attempted to sit up, but his shackles kept him from rising. He tried to spit at Graves, but his dry mouth refused to moisten so he settled for kicking dust in his direction. "Let me go!"

"Not until you tell me where Raven's library is." Graves demanded.

"I won't betray her." Gallant True said. "But you know this." 

Graves' eyes glowed green. "What did she do to earn your loyalty?"

"I won't tell you a thing." Gallant True sat against the wall and smirked. "Do your worst."

"I always do."