Extended Holiday
Ch 83: Return of the Princess
Act 11
Pensword and Lunar Fang were both hovering and flitting about the room, joyfully reclaiming the use of their wings and hooves. Celestia and the others stared, confused at their antics, and two very worried Gryhponesses had joined them. When Grif had emerged from the portal, he was covered in cuts and scrapes. He clung to the two still-simmering Gryphonesses in a tight embrace. Tears stood in his eyes at the thought of almost being unable to see them again. Next came a somewhat wide-eyed Vital Spark, who quietly made his way to the edge of the room and promptly sat down on his hind quarters.
Next came Twilight and Spike. The girls immediately grinned and rushed to greet the victorious princess, embracing her, patting her on the back, and performing all other motions fitting their personal character. Celestia smiled warmly at the scene, and Luna sighed with relief. Twilight’s element was firmly affixed on her head.
Lastly came Hammer Strike. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders, only to immediately experience the clinging sensation that was Rarity Belle glomping his neck as she sobbed into his shoulder.
“I was so worried!” she exclaimed.
Hammer Strike returned the hug. “I’m sorry to have worried you, but at least I’m back now.”
Rarity pulled back to look him in the eye. “Next time you have to go on one of these adventures, I’m coming with you.”
“It depends,” Hammer Strike said.
“Depend nothing. I’m coming and that’s that.” She folded her forelegs assertively.
Pensword and Lunar Fang were dancing in the air, a giddy pair before they finally came down to face their princesses. “Where are Cadence and Moon River?” they asked.
“Napping together. It’s a little bit on the late side, or perhaps it’s better to say early. Your daughter has taken a great liking to Cadence. It seems the world’s best foalsitter still has the magic touch.” Celestia smiled. “You’ll find them in your guest room if you want to head there now.” She looked hopefully towards the mirror.
Pensword nodded before letting loose a wicked grin. “Oh, I think I am going to spend time with my family. I know Hammer Strike needs to get to his forge, and I do not wish to break up the reunion for Twilight and her friends.” He looked over his shoulder. “So congrats, Vital, you just got volunteered to report to the Princess. Come along, Lunar Fang.” He chuckled as he led his wife from the room.
Vital shook his head. “Wait, what? Pensword!” But it was too late. He rolled his eyes, snorted in aggravation, then proceeded to approach the princesses. He saw Celestia’s expression fall as a dim flash went off behind him.
“So … she’s not coming.”
“She’s alive, Celestia. That’s what matters.” Taking a deep breath, Vital Spark proceeded to narrate the events as best he could under the circumstances. While hesitant and more than a little embarrassed at being the center of attention, he gradually warmed to the role and donned a mantle as old as the universe itself, that of the storyteller. The cries of outrage, the appearance of sorrow and loss, the growls of anger, and the curt nods of approval were all the approbation he required. “So yeah, Twilight basically put Sunset on parole in the other world, where she’d get the chance to learn the error of her ways, rather than have to come here, where there would be no choice but to let Luna be the judge at a trial where Sunset would doubtless be ruled guilty and either be executed or sent to fight in the badlands.” Vital Spark felt his cheeks burn as the memory of Sunset’s chaste kiss returned. His brow furrowed as another conversation came to mind. “Begging your majesty’s pardon, but I’d like to arrange a private audience if I may at a later date. There are some questions I need to have answered, and some things that I need to say to you alone involving a mutual acquaintance.”
Celestia looked wilted, and for the first time in the history of any modern Pony’s memory, her mane actually became somewhat limp, “... I’ll see what I can arrange, Vital Spark. If you’ll excuse me, I must go see to the rest of the summit’s arrangements.” With that, Celestia left.
Luna looked after her sister, concern in her eyes. “Tia …”
“She feels like she failed Sunset Shimmer, Luna. A lot like how she felt she failed you all those years ago. You should go to her. We can find our rooms ourselves and see you later.”
Luna said nothing as Vital and the others left. She simply stared at the mirror. Finally, as the room cleared out, she spoke. “Thirty moons, Sunset Shimmer. I pray you use them well. For if you hurt my sister again, it matters not how many worlds separate us. I will hunt you down. And when I find you, the pain I bring you will be spoken in whispers amongst the deepest denizens of Tartarus’ cells.” The promise echoed into the nigh empty room for an eternity before the lunar princess turned and headed off towards her rooms.
The Mane Six were all walking and talking as Twilight went over some of the specifics Vital had skipped when Twilight suddenly bumped into one of the guards. The clatter of armor was heard, along with the solid thump of her rump hitting the floor. She got back up with the help of a yellow hoof that led to a familiar blue and yellow mane.
“We have to stop bumping into each other like this.” The yellow Pegasus laughed as he helped her up before returning to his patrol.
“... Who was that?” Twilight asked as she stared after him. She was having a peculiar sense of dejavous, and she could feel a mild blush in her cheeks.
“He’s a new member of the Castle Guard. Flash Sentry, I think. Why?” Cadence asked, looking slyly at her favorite foal. “Do you know him?”
Twilight smirked as she pressed ahead of her friends. “Not exactly.”
“Ooh! Somepony’s got a crush on the new guy!” Applejack jeered as she poked a knowing hoof in Twilight’s direction.
“No. No, I don’t!” Twilight said as her eyes darted left and right nervously. She was getting flustered, and the signs were showing.
Rarity let out a gasp. “She does! She absolutely does,” she sang.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t even know him,” Twilight countered. “He just–”
“Totally reminds you of a guy you met in the other world who played guitar, was in a band, and helped prove you didn’t destroy all the decorations for a big dance so you could still run for princess of a big dance, and then asked you to dance at that dance?” Pinkie Pie asked in one of her long continuous sentences, but even this one stressed her lungs as she took a deep breath to recover. “Right?”
Twilight looked back at her friend and cocked her head in confusion. “How did you know that?”
Pinkie shrugged, giving her classic enigmatic grin. “Just a hunch.”
Twilight laughed nervously and continued forward, doing her best to ignore and not comment on Pinkie and her friends’ teasing. “I think I’m going to bed. Like I said before, all that dancing really made me tired. I’ll see you girls later. Don’t wake me till breakfast, okay?” With that, Twilight smiled down at Spike, who smiled back in return as the pair made their way back to her room for a well deserved rest.
“So I heard that there were duplicates of us over in that world you went to,” Rarity said pleasantly from the worktable she and Hammer Strike shared. The ruffle of blueprint paper and the familiar scent of quill and ink was comforting as they each peered over their designs. “What was the other me like? And for that matter, what was the other you like? It must have been rather awkward during your first meeting.”
“More than you can imagine,” Hammer Strike replied.
“I sense there’s something you’re not telling me, darling.”
“Well, there was a notable age difference in that world, I’ll give you that.”
“Did she try to come on to you?”
“More like how someone would act to meeting a celebrity.”
“I find myself wondering how you managed to deal with it,” she said as she shifted to a side view of her sketches and began to include measurements she knew only too well. She smiled sidelong at Hammer Strike as she continued to work. This noble armor would be a jewel of a design.
“Wasn’t a long encounter, thankfully. Though the conversation with myself was interesting.”
“I think that needs a little more explanation,” Rarity said as she looked up from her work to stare him in the face.
He shrugged. “As you already know, In that world, there was another me. The only difference between us was how we each grew up and what society we grew up around. Other than that, we acted the same, had some hobbies that nearly matched, you name it.”
“And that felt strange to you?”
“Imagine it as though I was talking to a mirror, because it was pretty much like that.”
“You spoke at the same time all the time? Like a twin?”
“We did have the occasional mistake like that, but not all the time.”
“Did he have a passion for drawing all sorts of armor designs and making them, too?” Rarity smirked just a little.
Hammer Strike paused as he remembered countless designs for firearms, engines, and other miscellaneous projects. “Somewhat. Though he had more overall for designing things, primarily because he doesn’t limit himself.”
“And why do you anyways? I’ve watched you actually burn some of your documents after you’ve finished designing them. Are they really that dangerous?”
“Some of the designs I’ve drawn are more than I’m willing to give this world.”
“Because we’re not ready?” She jotted a few extra measurements.
“Because if you so much as twitch, it could kill everyone in a mile radius...”
“Why would anyone want to create something like that in the first place?” Rarity said, aghast. “Oh, and which color would you prefer: blue, red, or green?”
“Because who knows if I’ll ever have to use them? And blue.”
“Blue it is. You know, you really should try widening your color pallette some time.” With a dramatic flourish, the design was finished. “I’ve got it! I think I’ll call it KEVLAR.”
“Kevlar?” Hammer Strike questioned at the familiar name.
“Knightly and Eloquent Victory Lovingly Assured by Rarity.”
“A tactical vest?”
“Of sorts. I’ve been working on my designs to make them less noticeable while still fitting your unique fashion choices. Since you prefer something more conservative, I’ve had to improvise, but I do believe this should do rather nicely.” She levitated the sketch over with her horn for Hammer Strike to peruse.
Hammer Strike rubbed his chin. “Hmm. Maybe so.”
Pensword fluffed his wings in the infirmary with Lunar Fang by his side. They leaned their heads together, enjoying the sensation of fur and wings again. Pensword sighed happily. His body tingled as he got a small medical scan. “So, how is our health?” he asked the nurse.
“You and your friends are perfectly fine, Commander, but could you please step off the scanner? Lady Lunar Fang, if you could move more towards the center, please? I think we need to scan you again,” the crystal doctor said.
“Is something wrong?” Lunar Fang asked.
“No, no, we just need to confirm something in the test results.”
Pensword gave Lunar Fang a worried look before nodding his head. “You’ll do fine, dear. We did just go to another world after all. Nothing too serious should have happened.”
Lunar Fang shuddered as the scanner’s magic passed over her. The doctor examined the results and raised his eyebrow.
“How old is your daughter?” he asked
Lunar Fang smiled. “Four months.”
“Have you been exposed to any strange spells, taken any kind of medication, possibly eaten some kind of exotic flower?”
Pensword and Lunar Fang looked at each other. “Well,” Pensword began, only to have Lunar Fang cut him off.
“Well, if by strange you mean becoming a two-legged being without wings, fur, or hooves; having to learn how to use these new members called hands, fingers, and feet; and then having to function in this strange new world like I’d had that body my whole life, then yes.” She barely suppressed another shudder. “I think I can honestly say I never want to go back.”
“... Well then, my Lady, I, um, have some interesting news for the two of you.” He chuckled nervously. “We’ve checked the machine’s mechanics and magical components for accuracy. There doesn’t appear to be any mistakes.” He shuffled from hoof to hoof. “You may want to sit down, Commander.” He took a deep breath. “Within a ninety nine percent accuracy, you’re with foal.” Lunar fang’s eyes bulged. “You can understand my surprise. It’s entirely unprecedented for a mare to be with foal in such a close period.”
After a moment, the beakers and lab equipment in the room began to shake and tremble under the two pronged assault that was Lunar Fang and Pensword’s voices. “What?”
Lunar Fang turned and glared at her husband. “Explain. NOW!”
Pensword flinched. “Humans,” he began, “Human females are fertile almost all the time.” He closed his eyes and waited for his wife to clobber him, or bite him, or whack him with her wings. What happened instead frightened him even more. He felt the violent hug of two strong hooves, the gentle embrace of leather membrane, the warmth of her lips on his cheek as she kissed and nuzzled him.
He opened his eyes a crack only to have his entire face whacked forcefully as he tumbled onto the floor.
“The first part was for making sure we have an heir to the High Dutchy. That last part was for not warning me about Human females. Your third part is going to wait till tonight. You get to spend all night with Moon River. If you do well, we’ll go out on a date before we go home. Deal?”
“Yes, dear,” Pensword spoke. “I ... I’m sorry.” He was about to speak more only to suddenly be silenced by two aggressive lips on his own.
“Uh...?” The nurse spoke as she brought in some vials for blood samples to be taken. The doctor also stared at the rather passionate display.
“I kiss him whenever he uses a contraction. I need to do something to reinforce them, don’t I?” Lunar Fang responded with a mischievous giggle.
“I’m going to send a message along to your doctor in Equestria. For the sake of everyone involved, I think we should have you seeing a professional constantly until delivery. I also would think that Canterlot Medical University may be sending somepony along to ask you a couple of questions. Is that going to be alright?” the crystal doctor asked.
Pensword sighed and shook his head. “Why not?” He began to laugh as his wife leaned in with a question in her eyes. “I’ll tell you later,” he explained, still laughing. “Still, we are going to be parents, and this time, those snooty nobles cannot get this child. Since we have this wedding agreement with Cosy, by cultural standards the next move is our moves to make, not theirs. We just placed ourselves another peg up on the pecking chain.”
“To Tartarus with the pecking chain,” Lunar Fang said as she kissed him yet again.
“Knock knock?” Grif poked his head cautiously into the room. “Breakfast?”
The two Gryphonesses were sound asleep, curled around one another to conserve body heat, just as Grif had left them a few hours earlier. A wide blanket had been draped over them to help maintain the warmth as they supplied blood not only to themselves, but to the growing cubs in their wombs as well.
Grif smiled to himself as he wheeled the covered trolley into the room as silently as possible. The rich smell of eggs, cheese, and bacon filled the air as he did. Scanning the surroundings, he took notice that Hammer Strike had delivered the small chest Grif had taken from the other world. Moving silently he pulled the chest aside and opened it, revealing two neat stacks of books and a small plastic container filled with different individually wrapped meats that had been kept cool up until this time. Grif began to sort the books as he waited for the two to wake up.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Grif chuckled. Some things must just be universal. He had found several copies of this book amongst the shelves of Hammer Strike’s library in the other world. It had initially been a shock to find the book was so eerily similar to the book he remembered from Earth, and yet there were obvious differences. Of course, the naming scheme was the most obvious difference. He smiled as he looked at the covers of other classics. Grimble and Grumble’s Collective Fairy Tales, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, 1001 Tales, each book made him smile with nostalgia and anticipation to read them again. He was so enticed in his work he didn’t even pick up the movement behind him. In a matter of seconds, Grif found himself pinned to the floor by two grinning Gryphonesses.
“Good morning, handsome,” Avalon said.
“We missed you,” Shrial continued.
“So you’ve forgiven me?” Grif asked, remembering back to their rather brutal reunion the previous night.
“Not even close,” Shrial said, her eyes hard. “But we’re willing to overlook what happened if you stop being so impulsive. Let us know the next time you plan on going to another world beforehand, idiot.” She kissed him lovingly on the cheek.
“How are we supposed to be able to raise these cubs if they don’t have their hero of a father to raise them?” Avalon said as she sidled up on the other end and rubbed against Grif’s side.
“With the mountains of gold and jewels I stored away and the faithful clanmates who would do anything for you?” Grif chuckled dryly. “But seriously, it wasn’t something I planned, and I promise I’ll be more careful. But this journey wasn’t without profit.” Grif gave them both a kiss before gently moving them aside and rising. “These books. In Equestria, there aren’t any copies like them from what Twilight’s told me, and chances are she’d know. They're not exactly the books I grew up with, but they're similar enough that I have something to show our cubs. A few special stories to read to them before bed,” he said, picking up the book on fairy tales. “In a way, I can give them more of me this way.”
“With all the stories you have in that shell-cracked head of yours already?” Shrial asked.
Avalon also looked on skeptically. “Didn’t you say you already could remember most every story you read from before you came to Equestria?”
“This book holds over two hundred and eleven stories on it’s own,” Grif said, indicating the fairytale book in his hands. He pointed to another. “And that one has a thousand and one tales. My memory is good, but not that good.”
“It still doesn’t outweigh the risk,” Avalon said.
“I also managed to acquire some special meats from animals that we can’t hunt here. That smell? Those omelets on the trolley are cooked with bacon from a non-sentient pig.” Grif smiled. “Overfed all it’s life, the fat was practically melting off of it when I cooked it.”
“And how do you know they weren’t sentient?” Shrial asked as she folded her arms warily.
“Because I researched it,” Grif told her. “Technology is much more advanced there. Science rules, and there is little to no magic around to sustain nearly as many sentients on their planet as there are in this one. Most farm animals posses less intellectual capacity than a common dog.”
Avalon had inched her way over to the trays as her stomach rumbled. “... You’re sure?”
“Cross my heart hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Grif said, parroting the motions of the most sacred of oaths. A collective shudder ran through the room.
“What was that?” Avalon gasped.
“That was probably Pinkie Pie taking note of the promise,” Grif explained. “No one breaks a Pinkie Promise. Well, no one wise anyway.”
“That felt like a pact with the Winds.” Avalon shuddered again. “Just what is she?”
“Jury is still out on that,” Grif said as he retrieved a cloak from his pack and proceeded to fasten it. “Now eat up. Today we spend the entire day together, just the three of us, and I’ve heard from Vital Spark that the market has almost everything from across Equis. Let’s spend some money frivolously. What do you say?” Grif asked them.
“First we eat. Then we shop,” Shrial said assertively. Avalon had already begun on her first slice of bacon.
Pensword and Lunar Fang slowly stepped hoof by hoof towards the door, both of them worried about what they might find. They knew that she would forgive them, and all would go back to right in her world, but still.... Lunar Fang nodded her head and pensword put a hoof out and pushed down on the handle. After feeling the latch click he pushed the door forward and stepped into the room and looked around, curious to see what Cadence, Shining, and Fox Feather had done with Moon River while they were away.
They found Moon River and Fox Feather napping serenely on the rug in the center of the room. The little filly had her forelegs draped across Fox Feather’s barrel with her head slumped in the direction of the door. Her crossbow lay on the floor by Fox Feather’s stomach, making it clear the couple had narrowly avoided an ambush.
Pensword smiled widely. He looked to Lunar Fang with a gleam in his eyes. They shared a slight conversation with a series of body signals. Theen they circled around and stood over the two would-be-ambushers before they collapsed onto the rug, pressing up against the two bodies and creating a larger pile. Pensword was next to Fox Feather and Lunar Fang close to Moon River. They nuzzled the two. Ever so slowly, Moon River stirred. Fox Feather’s eyes snapped open, only to find herself in Pensword’s warm embrace.
“I’d better,” she began, only to freeze at the piercing eyes of Lunar Fang glaring at her. She eeped as she slumped to the ground. “Why?” She asked.
“Because,” Lunar Fang began. “I consider you Pensword’s war bride. You were by his side when I couldn’t be. You fought and saw him growing up better than I.” She smiled as she closed her eyes halfway, making her look surprisingly creepy. “We talked, and we think that before we leave the Empire, we’ll be bringing you into our herd. Moon River likes you, and it certainly looks like you helped grow her trophies. Not to mention you can handle Moon River’s love of her crossbow far better than anypony else.” She smirked.
Their talking was shushed as Moon River finally finished waking. She snuggled into Lunar Fang’s side. “Mommy warm. Miss red mommy.” Pensword was floored. It was babble, he was sure of it, but he was positive at this exact moment he knew just what his daughter was trying to say. He smiled as he prodded Fox Feather with his own wings to have her move next to Moon River.
The last words of that night in the room were from Lunar Fang. “Besides, who else would preen his wings in the field of battle, predict his moods, and anticipate when he’s about to do something incredibly stupid?” Lunar Fang grinned. “Fox Feather, usually in a hunt, a Thestral always gets what she wants.” She turned her eyes to Pensword, who had dropped off like a rock in the last minute. “I just never thought I could get him like I did.” She yawned. “Curse him and his adorable form. I need to recalibrate to the night again. Tomorrow, you shall inform us of our daughter’s exploits.”
Fox Feather nodded, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at her lips. “Yes, ma’am.”
Vital Spark sighed as he flipped through yet another page in the large tome he’d received from Starswirl’s lab. “You know, Starswirl, I know I’m a bit of an idiot when it comes to magic, but you really don’t have to be so snarky over it. I wasn’t always a Unicorn, you know.” He rolled his eyes and snorted angrily. “Not that you can actually hear me.”
“It was a different time,” Twilight’s voice spoke up defensively as she entered the room. “Ponies were much harder back then.”
“Even after harmony was established and Equestria was founded?”
“He was over five hundred years old at the time. When I get to be that old, I hope people will be able to put up with my old fashioned habits.”
“I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to adapt, Twilight. You won’t have to worry about your body getting crippled with age to make you cranky. You’re pretty much a major voice for harmony. People couldn’t hate you if they tried.”
“Trixie seemed to think otherwise. Sunset Shimmer wasn’t exactly my biggest fan either,” Twilight pointed out.
“The first was a matter of stupid pride getting in the way. The second was a matter of misplaced aggression. As far as I’m aware, no normal Pony would want to hate you. Not unless you gave them a good reason to, anyways.”
“Concerns for the future aside, how goes the studying?” Twilight asked him.
“It’s coming … slowly. I’m … more than a little hesitant about this, Twilight. Back home, magic was something evil. To use it, you had to draw on spirits that could potentially do terrible things to you or those close to you in exchange, even let them take control of you. I was trained to stay away from it and avoid it at all costs. Now I find myself with no choice but to use it in order to defend myself, not to mention protect people from me. How did you do it? It must have been so much harder for you to control after your cutiemark manifested. I … I don’t want to hurt anyone else.”
Twilight came and sat down next to Vital, placing a supporting hoof around his shoulder. “You know, that might be the wrong way of looking at it. Rarity once told me that Grif’s been teaching her the hardest part about using a weapon is controlling it. Do you believe that?”
“I suppose,” Vital said after a time.
“And in some cases, a weapon is most dangerous in the hooves of those who don’t know what they're doing. Being Unicorns, we’re given a special burden. We’re given a great tool, but while it is great for research, study, and other necessities, it also doubles as a destructive weapon. If left uncontrolled, there’s no telling what we can destroy with it.” She tapped her horn.
“Is that why you’re afraid to try using Alicorn magic?”
“I guess it is.” Twilight nodded. “And it’s something I’m working to overcome. But at least my Alicorn magic doesn’t surge like my Unicorn magic did when I was a foal. If you don’t learn to control your magic, you’re going to start surging again, and it’ll probably get worse.”
“... I know.” Tears trickled down his fur. “It’s just … I made a promise, Twilight, a covenant. Now I find I have to break it if I don’t want to hurt anyone else. I’ve already used magic a few times, but only when I felt like it was the only choice, or when I felt like it would burst out of me otherwise, and I felt terrible afterwards when I had time to think about it. Is this really my only choice?”
“I’m not sure what to tell you, Vital Spark.” Twilight shook her head. “I can only offer advice from my perspective. Have you talked to one of the others yet? Surely Grif or Pensword must know how you feel.”
“Pensword might. He has Matthew’s memories, after all, and Matthew and I shared the same beliefs before all of this happened.” He sniffled and ran a foreleg over his nose.
“Then maybe you should start there. Until you can come to some sort of terms, you're going to slow yourself down with magic. No teacher can help you if you’re not willing to help yourself.”
Vital smiled weakly. “Thanks, Twilight. Do you know if Pensword is up yet? I heard he was trying to get back into a nocturnal sleep schedule again.”
“Sorry, I’m not sure,” Twilight said. “You going to be okay?”
Vital was quiet for a good while, then he chuckled. “You know, Twilight, I honestly don’t know. A lot’s happened, and a lot more is going to happen, and here I am still struggling to deal with being a Unicorn and a Human all wrapped into one.” He shook his head and smiled ruefully. “I’ll figure something out. But I’d appreciate it if you could keep me in your prayers while I do.”
“I will.” Twilight offered him a reassuring hug before turning and leaving the room.
Pensword walked the halls of the crystal palace with Lunar Fang and Fox Feather. Moon River, who was holding a tiny plush sword, sat on her mother’s back. Having been told that the sword she clutched was a safe choice, and been given at least a dozen assurances that no mean stallions might take her crossbow with everyone to guard it, the weapon in question had been stowed away in Pensword’s saddlebags. Moon River squealed in delight, burbling a stream of words as her ears twitched. “Perch. Perch. Perch!” The familiar sound of two footsteps echoed down the crystal halls one after the other as Conor came into view. He smiled kindly at the foal.
“Hello, little one. And how’s my niece faring today?” Conor extended a finger and rubbed it under her chin.
“Careful,” Pensword warned, but it was too late. Moon River jerked and gave Conor a love nip. A solid red line ran across his fingertip, though she had been careful not to use her fangs, so she hadn’t drawn any blood. Pensword sighed and shook his head before carrying on. “So. how are you doing? The girls and I were just about to head out for a night on the town. Would you care to join us for dinner?”
Conor held his smile and shook his head. “No, that’s alright. You guys enjoy your family time. But when you get back, Pensword, could you meet me in my room? There’s something I need to talk with you about alone.”
Lunar Fang looked pensively at Conor, then turned to her husband. “We’ll catch you up later. We might use this time to plan a few special treats.” She smiled mischievously at him.
Pensword noded. “Okay. “Let’s find an empty room. Something in your tone makes it sound like it is important. Also, we are Thestrals, we do the late night all nights. Do not worry about it. If you want to believe some scholars, we invented the all nighter.”
“Pensword, I don’t want to keep you from your family. This could take hours.”
Lunar Fang giggled. “Perfect. Fox Feather and I can plan her dress and colors for the wedding. After all, we have a lot of planning to take care of. Take as long as you need.”
Pensword nodded in approval. “Right. Now this way, and we shall take care of this.”
The pair were soon back in Conor’s living quarters. A very large and familiar leatherbound book sat next to the much larger tome Starswirl’s spell had hurled at Vital Spark just a little over a week ago. Conor walked to the table and picked the old book up. Its gold-embossed pages and simple black tabs brought many memories back for the battleworn commander. In a sudden flash of inspiration as bright as Celestia’s sun, he knew what his friend wanted to discuss. Conor twisted the diamond on his arm band and Pensword stood face to face with Vital Spark. The book was being cradled against the Unicorn’s chest with a gentle foreleg.
“I’m not exactly sure how to begin with this,” Vital said as he looked down at the book both Ponies had held so dearly in their lives. “I, well, I wanted to ask you about you. You, and magic.” The Unicorn’s eyes had already begun to water as he struggled to maintain his composure.
“Yes?” The brusqueness and formality that was Pensword’s speech was gone. In its place, a familiar voice had emerged, one that wished only to listen, discuss, and learn. “What about it?” Matthew sat down on his hindquarters and stared at the ceiling. “Magic is as much a part of this world as quantum mechanics and wormhole theories, or the hubble telescope, or using a full computer on a small phone was in ours.” He smiled. “It’s a force of nature given to this world to control and shape it. It is literally what keeps this world moving forward. Does that sound evil to you?”
“I know, Vulpix. I know the theory. I know what the books say. I just … I can’t help but feel terrible about this.” As Vital bowed his head, his horn glowed dimly and a few pieces of stray parchment began to levitate around him.
“Why?” Pensword looked consolingly at his friend and shook his head. “You’re overcomplicating it, Omni. You’re here. If you weren’t meant to be here, it wouldn’t have happened. You and I both believe that. You’re here, and you’re a Unicorn. If you weren’t meant to use magic, you would have been something else. You were given the power to manipulate the very fabric of this world. In moments like this, you need to just step into the dark and trust.”
“But what if I can’t? What if it’s wrong? What if this is a test and I fail? I can’t do that, Vulpix. I can’t.”
“What if, what if, what if.” Matthew shook his head in disbelief. “So your test is to be in the same boat as you friends, have the same problems, and face the same present, yet you have a different test? I find that very, very hard to believe, Omni.” He closed his eyes. “Frankly, I think it’s more a means of getting a small part of your dream. I can fly, I’m strong, and I don’t have to worry about my health with these.” He spread his wings.
“You have the means to protect friends, project your will on a pen and paper, and write as the thoughts come to your head because the quill will respond to your thoughts. You have the challenges that come with that form, too. This could very well be a blessing in disguise.” His face clouded. “If I was not adopted by the parents I had back then, I doubt I would be as together as I am right now after going through everything. Back home, you used to talk about going through your own personal Gethsemane. Here, I’ve gone through my own personal Tartarus. This isn’t meant to be a burden or a curse. This is a gift. You can still turn human and back. If Equestria had had her way with you, you would be stuck a Unicorn your entire life. Now the choice is yours. Like it or not, being a Unicorn is a part of your nature now. The way I see it, you have two choices. You can choose to accept this, or you can hide away as a human for the rest of your life and still have a magic of sorts surrounding you anyways.”
The tears streamed freely down Vital’s muzzle. “... How did you cope with all this?”
“I have my own ways. I have good friends, and I have those that I can go to for advice and help. I found love, I got married, and now I’m a father raising a daughter.” He sighed. “But It also helps that we were taught to pursue knowledge, take from all the good books, and use wisdom to apply what we learn. To you, what you have on your head is as dangerous as man found the atom to be. It can be as productive as a power plant or as destructive as a bomb. Basically, it’s what you use it for that matters. In this world, magic is a tool, nothing more, and nothing less. It’s just like a rifle or a … flying machine. What you choose to use it for, that’s the real test.” He sighed. “Pensword wants me to tell you that he has a Thestral gift that gives a bit of a peek of what others think who we don’t normally don’t get to talk to.” He grimaced at Vital’s inquisitive look. “Fine, fine.” He cast his eyes heavenward and threw his hooves into the air. “I talk to dead Ponies, okay? I can talk to the spirits of the dead.” His expression had suddenly become tense.
“So you can see through the veil?” Vital smirked. “I have to admit, I’m a little jealous.” Then he chuckled. It was weak, but it was there. He sighed. “I’ve basically had two sides warring in me for weeks over this, Vulpix, and I can’t afford to keep this up anymore. If I do, it’ll destroy me.” He shook his head, clopped over to the desk, and placed the book again. With an assertion of his will, he managed to return the parchments to where they belonged and stem the glow from his horn. “Thanks for the talk, Vulpix. If you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone for a while. I have some serious thinking to do.”
“If that came from any other Pony, I would post a suicide watch over their door.” His face softened. “But from you, I’ll leave you be. I still expect to see you up and about tomorrow for breakfast, though.”
Vital Spark broke into a fit of laughter. “I’ll be there, Vulpix. Don’t worry.”
“Hammer Strike?” Grif called as he entered the small smithy that had been set aside for the Pony lord.
“Yeah?” Hammer responded. He was sitting at one of the side tables, a cup in hoof.
“Well, first time in a while I’ve caught you relaxing.” He chuckled. “Been quite a week, huh?”
“You could say that again. Third world on the list now, and here I thought two was going to be the limit.” He took a deep swig.
“You know, sometimes I find myself a little surprised. Where we are, what we’ve been through, that all of us are still alive. It’s a lot to take in, you know?”
“It’s a miracle we’re still alive, honestly.” Hammer gave a small laugh. “To be honest, by most standards I should have died after the three story drop, or whatever it was.” He shook his head with a disbelieving smile. “Guess I’ve always been stubborn.”
“Well, you did beat up the grim reaper pretty badly.” Grif laughed. “Maybe that's why we keep defying the odds?”
“Trust me, he still tries for all of us. I’m not the one stopping him ... most of the time.”
“Still pretty wild, huh? We’ve been in three wars, a bunch of smaller battles, made fortunes, lost them, made larger ones. I mean, this kind of stuff doesn’t happen in real life, so how did we end up here?”
“Through something we thought to be fiction, something that now has bound itself to us. It’s our little gift that keeps us going through it all.”
“Well I suppose if I was going to be stranded on a fictional world, made to fight for my life, sent back in time with no memories, had them restored, and then end up here with anyone, it would be you guys. Sometimes I catch myself thinking, ‘What could possibly be next?’ you know?”
“In a place like this? Anything can happen next, and I guess that’s the thrill of it. Who knows what will come tomorrow?” Hammer Strike took another drink, then looked pensively into his mug.
“So you and Rarity, huh?” Grif smiled. “How long are you going to make her wait?”
“Honestly? I was going to propose while we were here, but the whole trip to the other world got in the way. Doesn’t help that we’re leaving soon. I do have a plan for when we get back...”
“Word from the not-so-wise,” Grif chuckled. “Don’t wait too long. The moment may come and go, and it can be hard to find another one.”
“Don’t worry. Like I said, I’ve got a plan.”
“I forgot. More contingencies than Batman, huh?” Grif laughed. “Honest question. If you could go back, I mean go back and stay, would you?”
“To Earth? No. I gave up on going a long time ago.”
Grif nodded respectfully. “I can understand that. There are things I miss, people I miss, but there are things here that I couldn’t live without.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” The corners of his lips twitched ever so slightly.
“It’s been awhile since we’ve just sat and talked, you know?”
“Not much time between everything to do it. That, and my antisocial ways.”
“You’re not antisocial. You’re just not interested in conversations not worth your time. I appreciate that we’re still close enough friends that I’m worth talking to.”
“I’d never let that change.”
“So very soon we’ll have been here a year. Well technically it’s been longer, but I mean it will mark a year in this time period. We need to mark the day, even if we just meet up and do stuff together. We need to remember the day we came here.”
“I wouldn’t plan on doing much. I can bet that something will happen on that day.”
“True. Murphy does seem to hate us, doesn’t he?” Grif chuckled before getting to his feet again. “Good talk. Unfortunately, I’ve got a few things to take care of before we leave, so I’m going to head out. See you later, okay?”
“See you later.”
“Ach, did they say when they’d be back? It’s been forever already, and it’s so quiet I have to drink more to keep from hearin’ myself think,” Demolition Grenado grumbled as he sat at the gate house.
“They’ll get here when they get here, Grenado. You just have to wait.” Big Guns snorted frustratedly as he knocked the stone of his warhammer on the parapet and rested his hands on its pommel. “Besides, Hammer Strike already gave you permission to blow stuff up for your experiments. Why don’t you use a manticore for target practice?”
“Ya think I haven’t tried? Third one in, the demon bunnai comes, and we all know the trouble that one causes.”
“Maybe we should have some target practice, then? Big Guns has been wanting to work on his swing,” he said meaningfully as he motioned towards his hammer.
“Shouldn’t ya be askin’ the Heavies about that?” Grenado raised an eyebrow.
“It’s more fun to hit targets with exploding barrels. Heavies don’t know how to do that. Only you do. You bring the boom, BIg Guns brings the stick.”
“I like your way of thinking, mah friend.” Demolition Grenado laughed. “Charge! Get the barrels ready! We’re gonna have us some fun!”
Big Guns smirked. “Make sure they’re flashy!” Then he leaned down and whispered to his hammer. “Ready for some fun?” The hammer glowed a smoldering red tinged with gold. “Good. Big Guns can’t wait.”
“Which barrels are ye callin’ for?” Charge questioned.
“The ones that explode,” Grenado shouted, “and one full of ale!”
“Just one?”
“Yur right, better make it four.” Grenado chuckled. “Oh, and some of the watered down stuff for the light weight,” he said, jerking a meaningful hoof back at Big Guns.
“Are you challenging Big Guns?” the Minotaur asked, his eyes narrowing as he brought his face down to the Ponies’ level.
“For it to be a challenge, lad, you’d need to have a chance in the first place.”
“It … is … on!” The minotaur’s eyes bulged angrily as he accented each word with a snort.
Grenado shook his head. “We tried to warn him, Charge.”
“Poor lad…”
“Well, that had to be one of the absolute longest train rides I have ever been on. Seriously, who's idea was it to herd a bunch of wild sheep in front of the steam engine?” Conor asked. He groaned and stretched onto the platform, holding the door open for the others. As a matter of courtesy, Avalon and Shrial were the first to be let off, followed by Lunar Fang, Fox Feather, and Moon River. Lastly, Hammer Strike, Pensword, and Grif stepped off, each with a look of relief on their faces to finally be home. The Princess Summit had gone off without a hitch, and Twilight, while nervous, had managed to slide fairly well into her role. The princesses had had such a great time together, they felt it was best if they were to return to Canterlot via the royal cart. Naturally, the rest of the Mane Six followed. They’d probably be back in about a day or so.
Pensword laughed. “At least it wasn’t Buffalo,” he said in Draconic. He promptly switched to Equestrian. “So.” He looked around the train station with a happy sigh. “Home. Oh, it is so good to be home.” He laughed as he looked to Lunar Fang. They had kept their news of what happened during the human trip under wraps. They didn’t want too much fuss over the wedding, and besides, they had to wait for Rarity to get back to make Fox Feather her dress. “Ponyville feels like home.”
“Yeah.” Grif smiled, stretching his wings. “It’ll be good to get back to business.”
“Certainly will be,” Hammer Strike agreed.
“Really? I figured you’d have a little more than business on your mind.” Grif chuckled.
“Grif, shush,” Hammer Strike whispered flatly.
“Business? What kind of business?” Conor asked.
“Not my place to say,” Pensword said, effectively cutting off the path of inquiry. “I have a few things to take care of. Heavens of Celestia and Luna knows I will have letters and papers from the nobles for me to go over from vacation. I have to be ready for the troops to return, and a few other things need to be planned besides.” He allowed his gaze to wander briefly towards Fox Feather.
“Sorry, Hammer Strike. Sometimes our husband doesn't know when to keep his giant beak shut,” Shrial said as she took Grif by his arm. Avalon flanked him on the other side while Snowy dug her talons ever so slightly into Grif’s shoulder.
“Anyway, once I get you three back to unity–” Grif smiled at snowy. “–You’re going to have to try harder than that to make me feel it, by the way.” He turned his head back to the others. “I have a meeting with Me-Me to get to.”
“Say hello for me,” Pensword said. “I’ll stop by later.”
“I guess I’ll just get to work on packing. We’re supposed to be leaving for Earth soon, aren’t we?” Conor sighed.
Pensword froze as his ears twitched and he turned his head around to look at him with the flexibility of the equine neck. “Do you know something we do not know? Because last time I heard, that is almost impossible. We have no means to even find it, let alone visit.”
“Yes, I’d rather like to know that myself,” a familiar voice chuckled from above as Discord descended, clinging to an umbrella with his taloned hand. “Ah, my dear boy, it’s been far too long since our last meeting. When was it, a couple thousand years ago?”
“When you pulled me from my home? Approximately,” Conor answered. His face had become flat, his tone forcefully neutral.
Pensword glared, his eye twitching at the familiarity of the Draconequus’ entrance. But he kept his mouth shut.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am about the mixup. I really was such a naughty thing back then. I simply must assure you, it was a phase, nothing more. We beings of chaos have a tendency to go through them, you know, being random and all that.” He smirked as he popped up behind the human and laid his taloned hand and lion paw on either shoulder. “Do you think you could ever forgive me?” he asked, clasping his hand and paw together as he widened his eyes to look as cute as a newborn foal’s. As an added touch, a glowing halo hovered between his two horns.
Something whizzed past Discord’s head, catching the halo and pulling it along until the throwing blade embedded in a nearby tree. “Yeah, no,” Grif said.
“Oh, come now, Grif. You absolutely ruined a perfectly good apology. And besides that, you nearly cut your friend’s hair, among other things.” He tsked, wagging a finger. “Bad form, Grif. Bad form.”
“You’re not captain hook,” Grif said.
“On the contrary, I can be whoever I want.” In a flash of light, Discord stood in a perfectly crafted red coat and pirate hat with a hook prop on his taloned hand. Immediately, Gummy proceeded to smack Discord in the face. The toothless alligator savagely mauled the draconequus in his own fashion, that is to say, by gnawing at him with his toothless gums. A pocketwatch had been tied to his tail.
Pensword found himself on the ground rolling in laughter. He was sure that somewhere, he could hear Pinkie Pie’s laughter passing on the wind. He just couldn’t stop as his mate and future mate looked in confusion. “What?” Fox Feather asked. “Lunar Fang, is this some form of humor only the other one can understand?” she asked, referring to Matthew’s mind.
Discord promptly tore Gummy off of his face, looked at him distastefully and tossed him into a portal he’d created in the air before shifting back to his normal self. “Oh, don’t worry, I sent him back to his peppy pink owner. Spoil sports.” He frowned. “Anyways, back to the main point. How did you know I was coming with the big news?”
Conor shrugged offhandedly. “A prophecy cast with Dragon bones. You and the mare might be acquainted. Have you ever heard of Angela the Witch and her feline companion, Solembum?”
Discord frowned. “Those always take the fun out of surprises. But how did you–?” He suddenly stiffened, his eyes shifting nervously. “She isn’t coming here, is she?” He shuddered.
“Why, Discord,” Grif smiled unsettlingly, “if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were afraid of this Angela.” He practically purred in delight.
“Me? Afraid?” Discord scoffed. “I only fear the Elements and how they seem to always love giving me a stony complexion. Honestly, it took me weeks to get all that rubble out of my fur and scales.”
“Oh, that’s good then, because I hear she was headed out this way for the winter.” Grif winked at Conor.
Discord squinted as he looked at Grif before pulling out a large cartoonish pocket watch. “Well, so sorry to cut this little meeting short, but I think I have to water my snapping weeds. They get cranky if I don’t feed them cotton balls from Celestia’s cupboard. Besides, it gives me a chance to enjoy some of her chocolate cake.” He smirked in Grif’s direction. “Also, please tell Fluttershy I’ll be hosting our usual tea party at my place this week.” He promptly reached into thin air with his tail as his tassel turned into a white furry hand. It grabbed at the thin air and twisted it like a doorknob, revealing a swirling vortex of chaos. “Pleasure seeing you again, uhhh … whoever you are. I’ll get your name next time we chat, once Hammer Strike gets back from his next trip. Arrivederci!” And with a loud slam, Discord was gone as fast as he had come.
“... Wow, never thought I’d see Discord actually acting scared. Well, aside from Shawn’s threats, I mean,” Conor said.
“Agreed. Now… shall we get home?” Pensword asked. “Before we are stopped by anything else?”
A loud detonation rumbled through the air followed by a bright flash of light. A few seconds later, another detonation rumbled.
“You said something, so there is the response to it,” Hammer Strike commented.
“Welcome to Equestria, where every time you say something the wrong way, Murphy instantly takes control and complicates stuff.” Conor chuckled and shook his head. “Shall we, gentlemen?”
“I’m going to guess the Demos got bored,” Grif said. “And judging by the distance some of those explosions are getting, Big Guns did, too.”
“That, or they’re using a trebuchet. Either way, I can’t wait to get back. I want to see the Demos at work. Let’s go.” Conor grinned as he made his way off the platform.
“Ah, back to normal,” Pensword said happily as he followed, Lunar Fang and Fox Feather in either wing. The others just shrugged and walked after him. It was just another day in Ponyville.
The courtyard of New Unity was torn apart when the returning heroes arrived. Large areas of scorched grass or exposed ground laid haphazardly over the visual range. A few of the stones from the wall where scorched or damaged. Several large empty barrels and a few empty tankards lay near the east wall, along with a familiar passed out Minotaur with black fur and a red rooty mane. The sight had surprised them when they arrived, but the group seemed to have lost the novelty of that particular detail, except for Moon River, who was happily drawing on his face with a piece of charcoal she had mysteriously acquired from parts unknown. Of course, by parts unknown, it clearly meant Grif.
Pensword looked around the courtyard. “Well, we were planning on digging and flattening the ground here.” He paused at seeing Moon River. “Where…? Grif, she is not a Jigglypuff!”
Lunar Fang looked around with concern. “Demo!” She barked. “Front and Center. I want to know where the Thestrals are. They were supposed to be staying near here. Tell me where the Dream Clan is!”
“Ach! Will ye stop with the shoutin’?” Demolition Grenado groaned as he and Demolition Charge stumbled haphazardly out of the gatehouse and over to stand in front of the livid Thestral.
“Well, I wouldn’t shout if one of you were at least sitting next to your barrels so we can see you,” she shot back. “My question still stands. Where is the Dream Clan? I was hoping Moon River’s little troop would be here to greet her,” she replied with a fang-filled grin.
“Train from Ys got delayed. Somethin’ about a crisis up north. They never made it back from there yet to be campin’ out near Ponyville in the first place,” Grenado said. “Weren’t you in the north?”
“How did …? Oh, right. Your clan’s got those special gifts,” Conor said, sighing. “We should probably send them a message so they can get back here as soon as they can.”
“So, the land’s torn up and the place smells like booze and gunpowder. I take it you three had some fun?” Grif asked
“Just a wee bit,” Grenado said.
“The lad should be happy. He got through a whole barrel in under an hour,” Charge mentioned.
“Huh. I didn’t know the big guy drank. Didn’t he say he used to be deformed before he changed species?” Conor asked.
Big Guns let out a loud belch and turned onto his side before he resumed snoring.
“Yes, but Minotaurs do it all the time. If they’re not constantly chopping each other to bits, they’re trying to prove each other’s dominance one way or the other. It looks like Big Guns picked up that trait,” Thalia said, winging gracefully down from above.
“Hello, sister.” Grif smiled “Did you and Mother enjoy your trip to Manehattan?”
Thalia shrugged. “Honestly, it was noisy, slow, and they tried to give us a ticket just for landing without a permit. That city’s full of bigger windbags than the empire was, and more rules than any sensible person could ever keep track of.”
“I didn’t want to spoil your excitement. Did you two at least manage to see the sights she wanted?”
“Oh yes. Broad Hoof Way, the Statue of Harmony, Far East Town, Little Bitaly, and anywhere else. The prices were ridiculous, but it was worth it to see Mother smile.” Thalia inclined her head in acknowledgement of the other adventurers. “I take it you all had some fun on your ends, too, judging by your appearance.”
“Oh, you know, your classic stuff: spending time with friends and family, shopping, stopping Celestia’s evil ex student from using the element of magic to destroy two worlds. Just your average run-of-the-mill vacation.” He chuckled.
“Only you three could manage to go on a vacation and still wind up having to save the world.” She rolled her eyes. “I honestly don’t get why Celestia even bothers.”
“Not my job.” Grif’s smile turned to a mischievous grin. “My job is to get paid for being the necessary muscle, and to make sure our entire family is safe. Speaking of which, has everyone returned from spending their vacation money yet? It’s almost time to dedicate the compound, after all.”
“Pretty much. We’ve still got one or two stragglers, but they should be back on the next day or so.” Thalia shrugged.
“Good.” Grif nodded. “I want to have a roof ready for three special little heads later this year.” He winked at Thalia. “How is everyone? Supplies? weapons? meat? Anything lacking, or any major emergencies?”
“Nope. Things have been pretty quiet, but then again, Tuesday is just around the corner.”
“Okay, can you see that these two take it easy?” Grif gestured to Shrial and Avalon. “I need to see a Changeling queen about a desk.”
Thalia shrugged. She knew it was better not to ask. “Sure. The nest’s all ready for them when they are.”
“What do we do about Big Guns?” Conor asked as he looked on the recumbent form of the Minotaur.
“Never wake a sleeping Minotaur,” Grif warned as he recalled certain of his mercenaries from his days in the war. “Let him sleep.”
“Agreed,” Pensword said. “Still, when he is waking up, make sure you have a target he can charge if he gets cranky.” He frowned. “The Demon Slayers should be back on base tomorrow.” He sighed. “Lunar Fang, I am looking forward to getting my military family back.”
“... If you say so,” Conor said, letting out a heavy sigh. “Charge, Grenado, can you guys keep an eye on him till he wakes up? I think he and I need to have a little conversation once he’s sober.” He looked almost pityingly at the creature.
“Right. Come here, Moon River. We are going back to our rooms, and when we do…” He turned to face the steamer trunk marked just for the little foal. Where some parents would be aghast at the toys that their children might have gotten, to the two Thestrals, Moon River had started her trophy collection just a little early. True, they weren’t technically prey, but each item had been won by their daughter fair and square. So, instead of boar heads and fox pelts, her part of the room would be covered in stuffed animals and plush toys. Pensword winced as he felt his daughter nibble on one of his ears. “Um, Lunar Fang, I think it’s time for one of those new teething rings we talked about. Moon River’s starting to get a little too sharp for comfort.”
Moon River raised her head, sniffed daintily in disdain, and then promptly returned to nibbling her father’s ear.