A muted grey unicorn mare walked along dragging a cart with her as did a few other ponies as they went down the streets of Canterlot. She glanced around and sighed as she took in an all too familiar sight. The city’s middle class seemed to be doing well after the devastating cannon, and when ponies from all over heard a call, most came.
The mare stopped outside Canterlot General and looked up at it. A few others with carts stopped beside her and started to unhook themselves from the carts. As the mare glanced along the walls, she noticed a few pegasi helping put back in windows, and a griffin was there among them wearing a similar outfit to the Sky Wings.
She noticed the griffin glance at one of the open windows, nodded, and turned to look among her crew. He grinned and flew down, floating a bit for the last before touching down a few yards from her, a few of the pegasi doing the same. She reached up and brushed her teal and yellow striped mane aside as she extended her hoof towards the griffin.
He grinned as he walked up, “Name’s Quicktail, and I guess you're our spare supplies from...where?” He took the hoof and shook it gently.
“Fillydelphia, and I’m Opal,” she gestured to the other carts, “Most of these are from there, but a few others are from Manehattan too.” She looked back at the griffin, “Unusual to see a former Sky Wing here, let alone helping with rebuilding.”
Quicktail’s eyes widen for a moment, “How did you know?”
“Your outfit shows you to be more along the lines of a guard to the ambassador.” Opal shrugged slightly, “As for the former part, that was just a guess.” She chuckled softly, “Anyway, we were told to report to Head Nurse Faith Cure.”
“Right, the other pegasi can start helping to unload the carts,” Quicktail turned and started inside, with Opal and a few others following. Quicktail lead them inside and up to the reception counter, with Light Gaze behind it. “Hey Gaze, where’s Faith Cure at the moment?”
Light Gaze looked up, glancing behind the griffin for a moment, “More injured?”
“Nope, spare supplies.”
“Oh good, they can start bringing them in now, and Faith should be on the second floor. I think she and a few others were checking in on the more injured ponies from that attack,” Gaze gestured towards the stairs with a sigh. “At least none are critical now.”
Opal turned partially and looked among her crew with a soft grin. “I’ll go check in with Faith, the rest of you can help unpack. After a short bit of rest,” She turned towards the stairs and followed after Quicktail.
The pair walked in silence as they made their way up a floor and around it, with Quicktail asking for which way Faith had gone. They eventually made it to one of the rooms that was over looking the gym they had and Quicktail peered inside first, grinning some.
Opal blinked slightly as he grinned, and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Opal quickly looked towards the door at that voice as Quicktail almost pranced into the room. Opal followed in to see Faith and Emerald looking over a pair of pegasi. However, Opal barely noticed the others as her eyes fell on Emerald. She saw the changeling beneath, the red carapace hidden slightly by closed bat wings, the thicker tail instead of the frayed horse tail.
“E...Ember?” She squeaked out at a whisper, as Quicktail approached Faith.
“Our extra supplies are here, ma’am,” Quicktail stated calmly as he gave a minor salute, earning a chuckle from Ember. Ember turned to look at who followed him in and immediately went silent, her ears shooting up as she looked shocked. Opal had taken a few steps in and kept her eyes focused on Ember the entire time.
The sound of a door closing brought Opal back to the real world, making her quickly shake her head and look at Faith, whose horn was faintly glowing.
“Judging from the look you were giving my nurse. You must be related.” She said calmly, as she watched Opal look away quickly.
“D-don't know her.” She muttered.
“Yeah right, Opal,” Ember chuckled softly. “Don't worry, everyone in this room knows what I am.” She quickly glanced around at Rime, Crimson, Faith, and Quicktail, and then grinned back to Opal. “We can catch up later, ok? You said you brought supplies?”
Opal quickly looked back at Ember, then looked at Faith, “Y-yeah… This is unexpected.”
“I’ll say,” Quicktail started up. “That makes ten now?” Ember nodded at him as he continued, “I’ll go help her crew unload their carts,” Quicktail started towards the door. “Shouldn't be more than an hour or two, dear. Then perhaps we can retire early?” He glanced at Faith who had followed after the griffin, and nodded back at him.
Quicktail and Faith then left the room, leaving Ember and Opal there in the room with the pegasi chuckling softly and watching them. Opal shook her head and turned, “Ten, eh?”
Ember started towards the door, nodding, “Yup. You make number ten.”
“Right… who all have you seen again?” Opal asked, following behind her.
“Can't say here, and giving you their pony names probably wouldn't help,” She shrugged slightly, “For now, let's unload those supplies. Okay?”
Opal looked around the small home as Ember chuckled softly, sitting on the couch next to Quicktail. Opal was sitting in a chair by the couch. Her eyes fell on the mantle, where the statues and Leg guards, now repaired, sat.
“So, Torch, Brimstone, Gemstone, Spark, Cinder, Tinder, Spear, You, and Talon… Yea, with me that makes ten,” Opal blinked, looking back at Ember. “I… still can't believe it.”
“To be fair, Opal. We all kind of scattered when that happened. And it appears we each took a different route to get to Equestria. Heck, not all of us are in Equestria! Cinder is a winemaker in the griffin kingdoms, near Griffinstone under the name of Coldbeak,” Ember sighed loudly, looking up at Quicktail.
“After this is over, we definitely have to do something,” Quicktail nodded, snuggling up to Ember with a grin. “Lode Stone should be here soon. Guess our little home is gonna get crowded, isn't it?”
“We can fit four in here with little to no problem. None of us mind sleeping on the floor, I think,” She glanced to Opal with a smirk. “Unless somepony has developed a taste for beds.”
Opal quickly shook her head, “Nope. I’m pretty much used to the floor. I have a small store in Fillydelphia that deals with selling gemstones and such. Like what Gemstone did. Only my gemcraft has never been as good as his, however my bracelets are third to none.” She chuckled softly, then glanced to the door, a few seconds later it opened and in stepped Lode, grinning softly as he looked at Ember, a basket in his mouth.
“I brought dinn… er…” He trailed off as he noticed the other unicorn in the room. Dropping the basket as his jaw hangs open, eyes going wide. “Opal?! IS THAT YOU?!” Opal grinned and gave a quick nod, then yelped as she was suddenly tackled. “Sweet merciful hive!” He yelled as he hugged her.
“ACK! Torch!” She yelped as both of them fell back with the chair. Lode chuckled and stood up slowly.
“Sorry, just… excited,” He grinned and moved off to the side, and helped her back up.
“It's okay. Today has been kind of a shocker in general, but I'm afraid I'm only here for a short time before I have to go back to Fillydelphia,” Opal grinned and relaxed in her chair again.
“You don't seem as cheery as before Opal,” Lode commented as he went back, closing the door and sliding the basket towards Ember.
“Losing your hive can do that. Don't worry, I can still pull out a few tricks, but I'm more down to earth now,” Opal shrugged. “To be honest, I was silent for a few years afterwards. Once I finally came to terms with the fact me and another might be the last of the Ruby Hive, I simply moved on with my life. Made myself Opal the unicorn, a simple jewelcrafter and designer of exotic bracelets.”
She sighed, glancing at Ember. “Though I wish I designed that one,” She pointed to Embers fetlock. “It looks so lovely.”
“Topaz… er… Gemstone made it for us,” Quicktail grinned and leaned on Ember who leaned back into him.
Opal grinned as she watched the pair. “Glad to see you found someone, Ember.”
“Indeed,” She grinned and wrapped an arm around her griffin and tugged him closer. “Have you found anypony?”
“I’ve kept in contact with a stallion, I may push it to the next level. I just don't know, since that wedding happened and all,” Opal shrugged and sighed.
“Really, there is no harm in trying, and if he does truly love you back, I don't think he’d care either way,” Lode grinned widely. “Now, we’ll need your address so I can add that to my little book.”
Opal raised an eyebrow as she watched Lode pull out a small book from his satchel and a pen, flipping it open to a few pages and grinned up at her. She chuckled at the pen hanging out of his mouth as he waited.
“I assume you have every changeling of the hive you’ve contacted in there?” Lode nodded quickly, making Opal grin warmly, “How I’ve missed all of you.” She sighed contently, then gave him her address as he quickly jotted it down.
“Huh, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit, Fine Brew?” Ember had opened the door just before the black unicorn mare before was about to knock. Ember and her crew were about to depart back to the hospital.
“Distant and I are just going around, warning ponies that Blueblood has grown increasingly unstable,” Fine sighed heavily, frowning. “We fear that he is planning an uprising.”
“Against the Royal Guards and the Wonderbolt reserves that have been helping mend this city against the destruction those horrible Shadowbolts caused?” Ember gasped. “Is he insane?”
“Hey, somepony else that agrees with me!” Distant smirked, looking over Ember’s little group. “But yes. We are urging everypony to get into the shelters, and we want your little band here to do the same.”
Both Ember and Quicktail shook their heads, as Ember started up. “My place is at the hospital. If there are wounded, that's where I’ll be needed most. I think I can defend myself from a few crazy rich-blooded ponies,” Ember waved a hoof.
“And if there is rioting, the hospital isn't as guarded as everywhere else,” Quicktail looked at the pair of mares. “So my claws would be better suited there.”
Fine sighed, looking toward the griffin. “Just don't hurt them too badly then, ok?”
“Where are these shelters?” Opal asks, finally speaking up.
“Closer to the castle, just follow the stream of ponies,” Distant steps back and points, then looks back at Opal. “What, don't want to stay out here with these two?”
Opal quickly shook her head. “No, I’d rather be somewhere safe. They don't need me at the hospital anyway. Lode and I can head to the shelters,” she turned to Ember. “Just you be safe, okay? I don't want to lose you again,” Opal pulled Ember into a soft hug.
Ember hugged her back. “You two take care. Don't worry. If things get too bad, I can flee.”
“I’d suggest you take any possessions you have with you,” Fine said softly. “If you have any that is.”
Opal looked up at Ember, who glanced back into the house. “Just one, the rest can be replaced after this is all over,” She glanced at Lode. “Take those leg guards with you. Talon will be wanting them when he comes back.”
Lode nodded and grabbed them, putting them into a satchel, then looked at the statues. “What about these?” Ember shook her head softly.
“As much as I’d like you to take them, I don't want you getting weighed down. Just be careful you two,” Ember turned back to Fine. “We should all get going.”
The pair of mares turned and went onto the next house, as Ember waited till her little group was out of the house, and locked the door. She turned to them, nodding slightly. “Go on. We’ll be safe.” They nodded back and followed the crowd of other ponies, as Ember turned to Quicktail. “Care to give me a lift to the hospital? I think flight would be faster, given the sea of ponies out here.”
Quicktail lowered himself as Ember climbed on his back, she chuckled softly as he stood back up. “Onward, my steed!” Quicktail just shook his head with a grin, and quickly shot into the air towards the hospital.