Fortune Favors The Bold

by TheEquestrianWing

Opening Up

Author's Note:

Hey guys! I've got about half of "Dragonshy" in this chapter. The rest will be in the next one. Depending on how long it takes to wrap everything up, I should have the next chapter posted by tonight or tomorrow. I'm shooting for tonight, because I start my senior year of college tomorrow.

Overall, the Firebrand Regiment's mission in Hoofington had been a success. They still had to make certain that their activities in the city were kept private. So before they left Hoofington, the Regiment took steps to ensure that they left no loose ends. The chemical spill at the Rosebud Hotel was quickly cleaned up, and the bodies of Maelstrom and Raoul's other bodyguards had been collected discreetly by the Hoofington P.D.

Near the end of that same day, Walther sent Bronze Star another message with his blackboard. At that time, the General was checking in to inform the prince that Material Study's stash of chemical compounds had been acquired, and that he and Raoul Jowl had been transported to Canterlot. Currently, the two stallions were being held in a private location in the capital city. Whatever happened to them next was Bronze Star's call.

It did not take Bronze Star long to decide what would be done now. Before this day, the gold stallion already had reason to believe that somewhere in Equestria, there was a secret organization with radical intentions. The meeting in Room 1128 had confirmed his suspicions. He was now certain that this organization did in fact exist, and that its members were directly plotting against the government.

Bronze Star felt that Raoul Jowl and Material Study knew enough about this plot to help them uncover it. So, he decided that they would both be questioned thoroughly. He was inclined to believe that neither of the stallions would be willing to talk without some encouragement.

Fortunately, the Firebrand Regiment was well-equipped for this kind of job. Peacemaker was a specialist in all types of interrogation, Heckler had a gift for determining when a person was lying, and Caracal had been trained to think like a criminal.

Bronze Star had authorized the Regiment to do whatever they needed to get Material Study and Raoul Jowl to confess. However, he asked them to wait until SIG Sauer returned to Canterlot to begin the interrogation. His reasoning was simple: the pine green Unicorn had spent all his life bringing people like Material Study and Raoul Jowl to justice. He was well-known for having absolutely no sympathy or tolerance for people who openly opposed the government. Plus, he was perhaps the most "persuasive" individual Bronze Star had ever met. He could get just about any suspect to break.

Walther and the others agreed to hold off on interrogating Material Study and Raoul Jowl until SIG Sauer arrived back in the capital city. After all, they were in no rush. Lavender Dazzle had mentioned that it would be at least a month before she contacted either of the stallions. Until then, they had been instructed to keep a low profile. As such, nopony would have been suspicious if Material Study and Raoul Jowl went missing, and it was logical to assume that Lavender Dazzle's organization was not planning on striking anytime soon.

Later that evening, Walter sent Bronze Star another message. In this one, he described how he and Carabine had uncovered something very interesting in the Everfree Forest with the help of Trixie. The veteran Wonderbolt was confident it was a good lead on determining the whereabouts of Hazy Wisp. The gold stallion requested more specific details, but the mahogany stallion told him that it would be better if they waited until they were face-to-face to discuss the findings. Bronze Star agreed to this, as he trusted the General to properly handle sensitive information.

Nothing especially noteworthy happened over the course of the next week. It did not take the inhabitants of Ponyville long to recover from the Ursa Minor attack. The attack itself was nearly forgotten, but the entire town would remember what Twilight Sparkle had done to resolve the conflict for a long time.

Bronze Star spent most of the next seven days interacting with his friends. That included both the ones he recently made during his stay in Ponyville and the ones he made long ago when he lived in Canterlot. By now, the gold stallion had found that he enjoyed the lifestyle of a civilian just as much as he enjoyed the lifestyle of a royal. Although he sometimes liked being the center of attention, he still preferred it when everypony treated him as their equal instead of their superior.

Near the end of the week, Mauser, Alpine, and SIG Sauer had started talking about returning to Canterlot. Mauser's leave time had almost been used up, and he needed to get back to the capital city soon so he could get active in the Military Enforcement Corps again. The professors at the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns had allowed Alpine to carry out her studies in Ponyville, but unlike Twilight, she had not been permitted to study abroad for the rest of the semester. Most importantly, SIG Sauer was needed in Canterlot to continue his duties as the Royal Guard's head trainer, the leader of the Firebrand Regiment, and an upholder of national security. Now that he had fully recovered from his stab wound, there was no reason for him to delay any longer.

The Sauers had agreed that they would go back to the capital city whenever Princess Luna decided to move there. The blue Alicorn was aware of their decision, but they assured her that they were in no rush. They did not want to pressure her into leaving Ponyville before she felt she was ready.

Although Luna was now much less withdrawn than she had been at the Summer Sun Celebration, she still preferred to pass her awake hours in her quarters. She still saw her nephew twice a day: in the morning when she went to sleep and in the evening when she woke up.

Bronze Star had begun to notice some interesting things were going on with his aunt; mainly some changes in her physical appearance. They had started on the night of the Ursa Minor attack. When he brought her dinner that night, her mane appeared to be sparkling and moving. At the time, Bronze Star had assumed that he was just seeing things.

In the past week, he had come to the conclusion that he had not been hallucinating. Luna's mane had indeed started becoming wavy and glittery. It had begun to bear an eerie resemblance to her older sister's flowing mane.

This was just the first of the changes to Luna's physique. Her coat was becoming a darker shade of blue. It had gone from a shade of sapphire to a deep indigo. In addition to that, she was getting taller. She used to be just a couple inches taller than her nephew. Now she was half a foot taller than him. Her horn was getting longer as well. By now, it was nearly as long as Celestia's.

Eight days after the Firebrand Regiment's business in Hoofington, Bronze Star had another meeting with the mayor and City Council. This meeting was relatively short, as nothing much had happened in the past week, and the Ursa Minor incident had been covered in last week's meeting.

This week's meeting was over by eight o'clock. Princess Luna was still awake at the time. She stood at the top of the stairs throughout the meeting. She was not listening in on the discussion; she was merely waiting for it to end. After Mayor Mare and City Council left the embassy, she called down to her nephew and requested to speak with him in private. Naturally, he accepted.

He quickly trotted upstairs and entered his aunt's bedroom. She closed the door behind him and bid him to take a seat. Once Bronze Star was settled in a comfortable chair, Luna she sat down on the side of her bed. A short period of silence followed. In that period, the two Alicorns kept constant eye contact with each other.

Finally, Luna broke the silence with the following statement: "I'm certain you've noticed that I'm… surfacing."

Anypony else would have been confused by this statement. Bronze Star was not confused; he knew exactly what his aunt meant. In addition to being immortal and omnipotent, Alicorns developed in a very different manner from Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi. They underwent an extensive process which they referred to as "surfacing."

Bronze Star raised an eyebrow and remarked "Surfacing? That's what's been going on with you?"

Luna nodded her head and stated in perplexity "Indeed so. You seem surprised to know that."

"I assumed something was up, but I had no idea you were surfacing," Bronze Star explained.

"I find that difficult to believe," Luna thought aloud, "You may be disguised as an Earth Pony right now, but you are still an Alicorn in every other aspect. Surely you must know about surfacing."

"My mother told me about it a couple times," Bronze Star disclosed, "But never in great detail. She mostly described it as a phase that all Alicorns go through."

"Oh, it's more than just a phase, Bronze Star," Luna enlightened him, "It's the stage in an Alicorn's life when one starts to grasp the full extent of their true power. Once they go through it, they possess magic, endurance, and strength that would allow them to have total control over everything in nature."

"That would explain a lot," Bronze Star commented, "My mother told me that after she went through surfacing, she gained the power to raise and lower the Sun by herself."

"That is true," Luna affirmed, "Similarly, when I first went through surfacing, I acquired the ability to raise and lower the Moon by myself."

"Wait, you went through surfacing once before?" Bronze Star inquired in sight bewilderment. As Luna nodded her head, the gold stallion stated "Odd. My mother once said that an Alicorn only undergoes surfacing once in his or her lifetime."

"There's a reason why I'm going through it a second time," Luna expounded, "When I transformed into Nightmare Moon, I was consumed by dark magic. The dark magic took complete control of my mind and body. I was unable to do anything on my own in all that time. Once I was freed by the Elements of Harmony, I regained control of my mind and body. My mind was intact, but a thousand years of inactivity had left my body weak. Somehow, when the dark magic was lifted, I reverted to a younger version of myself. Do you remember what I looked like when we first met?"

"Of course I remember," Bronze Star replied.

"That was what I looked like over a millennium ago, before I underwent surfacing," Luna informed him, "The version of me you see before you now is what I looked like when I actually underwent it."

"Less than a month has passed between then and now, though," Bronze Star pointed out, "I've heard that the surfacing process occurs over a period of several years. You seem to be going through it at a much more accelerated rate. Is your body like… catching up with you?"

"That is exactly what it's doing," Luna confirmed, "I know how old I am, and my body knows that as well. I have the mind of an Alicorn who has been through surfacing, but I have the body of an Alicorn who has not. My metabolic rate has been significantly sped up to compensate for that difference. In other words, I'm going through surfacing – a process that would normally take years – in a matter of weeks."

"Is it painful?" Bronze Star inquired anxiously.

"No," Luna assured him, "Most of the symptoms of surfacing are harmless. As you can see, I'm already experiencing five of them. My mane is moving independently, it's started sparkling, my coat is darker, I've become taller, and my horn is grown. I may exhibit some other symptoms overtime."

"Like what?" Bronze Star inquired.

"It generally varies," Luna responded. "At any rate, it will not be long before I finish going through surfacing."

"How long do you think it'll take?" Bronze Star asked in interest.

"Based on the rate of acceleration, I'd say five or six days," Luna observed, "Once the surfacing process is completed, I will have regained my full strength. Then I'll be fully regrown, and I will be able to freely raise and lower the Moon again."

Bronze Star smiled widely at that and stated "That's wonderful, Aunt Luna."

She smiled as well and declared "Indeed it is. I'm telling you this for two reasons, Bronze Star. Firstly, I was aware that you had begun to notice the changes in my physical appearance, and I wanted to assure you that everything was alright with me. Secondly…"

Luna paused here for a moment. Her nephew calmly gestured for her to continue, and she finished with "I have decided that the time has come for me to move to the capital city and reassume my duties as the Princess of the Night."

Bronze Star smiled again when she said this. He told his aunt supportively "That's splendid. More than that, it's magnificent."

"I'm glad you think so," Luna stated, "I just hope I'll be able to make a steady transition to the capital city. I can imagine it'll be quite different living there than here."

"It will be, but I don't think you'll have any difficulties," Bronze Star proclaimed, "You've convinced me that you are up to date on Equestria's modern customs and cultures, and I haven't any doubts in your ability to govern the people. You are fine leadership material. The citizens of Canterlot will be overjoyed when you address them for the first time."

"I imagine they will be," Luna coincided, "One thing that hasn't changed in the last thousand years is how the public displays incontestable love towards the Equestrian Royalty. However, it's not what I'll find in Canterlot that concerns me. The only thing that really bothers me about moving to Canterlot is the fact that… well, the fact that you won't be there."

Bronze Star was stunned to hear that statement. "Really?"

Luna lightly nodded her head and stated "During my stay in Ponyville, I was able to take steps to familiarize myself with Canterlot's standard of living. I have several people to thank for helping me along the way. SIG Sauer, his children, Noble Edict, General Walther, your friends in Ponyville, … and you most of all. Without you, I never would have regained my self-confidence. I don't think I could properly express my gratitude for that in words. I'm going to miss you, Bronze Star."

Bronze Star almost felt a tear of pure joy come to his eye. He rose up from his chair, trotted over to his aunt, and embraced her warmly. She happily returned the embrace and held her nephew close. When they came apart, Bronze Star looked her in the eye and told her "I'm going to miss you as well, Aunt Luna. I'm happy that I've given you such a positive impression of myself. But I don't want my absence to have a dismal effect on you. I mean, just because I'm living in Ponyville right now, that doesn't mean I'll be living here permanently. I'll be going to Canterlot for the Grand Galloping Gala, and I'll probably visit a few times before then. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to see each other in the coming months."

Luna grinned widely and stated "I'm relieved to hear you say that, Bronze Star. And thank you for your words of comfort. General Walther was right about you."

"What do you mean?" the gold stallion inquired.

Luna straightforwardly clarified "When I first met General Walther at the hospital, he said that you always know what to say, and that it's what everypony wants to hear. Looks like he was correct."

Bronze Star lightly scoffed and said cheekily "I wish that was the case. I won't deny that I'm really good with words; I'm well-known for it. However, even I can't get on the good side of every pony I meet. Some of the Canterlot elite can validate that."

"Well, we all have rivals," Luna pronounced, "You can't expect to please everypony. What really matters is that you make an effort to try. You must always look on the bright side of life."

"I do," Bronze Star affirmed, "That's a policy my mother taught me to embrace. Stay positive, stay proud, and even in the darkest, most unpleasant of times, it helps to stay optimistic."

Luna nodded her head in agreement. There was a short interval of silence between the two Alicorns. At one point, Luna happened to look up and gaze towards the window. The curtains were not drawn, but very little sunlight was pouring through the window. One would think it was still nighttime.

"You mean times like now?" Luna wittily pronounced.

"Huh?" Bronze Star said in response, baffled.

The blue Alicorn gestured to the window. When her nephew turned to it, she thought aloud "You'd think the Sun would be up by now."

"It should be," Bronze Star muttered. He trotted over to the window and gazed outside. It was definitely the early morning, but a significant percentage of Ponyville was covered in shadow. Bronze Star directed his gaze upwards, and he noticed there was something in the sky.

"Take a look at this," Bronze Star proposed.

Luna got up from the bed and approached the window. She peered outside and saw what her nephew saw. A huge black cloud was hovering in the air a thousand feet above the ground. It was opaque, extensive, and it appeared to be spreading.

"Is that smoke?" Luna uttered softly.

"I believe it is," Bronze Star remarked, "But where is it coming from?"

"I don't know…" Luna stated, "But it seems to be getting larger."

Just then, there was a heavy knock on the main entrance of the embassy. Bronze Star hastily made his way downstairs, opened the front door, and came face-to-face with Twilight Sparkle.

"Hey, Twilight," Bronze Star greeted his friend, "Everything alright?"

"Not quite," the lavender mare replied uneasily, "We've got a problem."

"I know; I just looked outside," the gold stallion bluntly stated, pointing upwards, "So where's the fire?"

"No fire," she apprised him, "Something else is producing the smoke. I need you, Alpine, Mauser, and SIG Sauer to come with me. I'll tell you what's going on when we get into town."

"Okay," Bronze Star agreed. He went back inside for a moment to get the Sauers. Luckily, he found all three of them in the kitchen. They had just eaten breakfast, and they were in the midst of washing the dishes. When Bronze Star told them about the smoke and that Twilight needed to see them, they decided that the dishes could wait.

The five natives of Canterlot quickly headed into town. Twilight said that she planned to make an announcement. Bronze Star assumed that they were heading for the town square, as that was typically the most ideal place to deliver a speech. However, on this particular morning, there were very few ponies in the town square. Most of the townsfolk was gathered in the park that morning. Because of that, Twilight decided that the park would be the more practical destination.

That was good judgment on Twilight's part. There were scores of ponies in the park, including the other five Element bearers. Applejack, Rarity, and Noble Edict were having a friendly conversation. Rainbow Dash was bouncing a ball on her head, Pinkie Pie was observing the cyan mare, and Fluttershy was ineffectively trying to get the crowd's attention.

Twilight Sparkle had more success. She trotted to the center of the vicinity and called out "Listen up! Smoke is spreading over all of Equestria."

That quickly got everypony's attention. All throughout the crowd, people were mumbling things such as "What?" "Oh no!" "That's awful!"

Fluttershy muttered quietly "That's what I've been trying to—"

"But don't worry," Twilight Sparkle interrupted her, "I've just received a letter from Princess Celestia informing me that it is not coming from a fire."

"Oh, thank goodness." Fluttershy sighed in relief.

Her relief was very short-lived. Twilight then announced "It's coming from a dragon."

Everypony there gave a collective gasp in shock and surprise. Fluttershy had the most unsettled reaction. She uttered fretfully "A... d-dragon?"

She was not the only one who reacted in distress. Soon there was restless murmuring all throughout the crowd. The majority of the ponies there had never even seen a dragon (other than Spike), but they knew enough of them by reputation to feel afraid.

Twilight Sparkle soon noticed their worry, and she proclaimed "I would ask that you please not panic. There is no cause for alarm just yet. Princess Celestia has already devised a plan to handle this matter."

At that, almost everypony calmed down. Except Fluttershy. The yellow mare was shaking in fright.

Once she had the crowd's undivided attention, Twilight Sparkle opened up her letter from Princess Celestia and announced "I need the following ponies to come forward: Noble Edict, SIG Sauer, Alpine Sauer, Mauser Sauer, Gold Streak, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy."

Luckily, all ten of the ponies on that list were assembled in the park, and four of them were already standing right next to the lavender mare. The other six ponies swiftly joined the group. Once all eleven of them were together, Twilight Sparkle continued with "Everypony else, you are free to continue about your day. Act like this is just another average ordinary day. I can assure you that everything will be just fine."

While many of the Ponyvillians were still somewhat uneasy by the knowledge that a dragon was close-by, the magic student had convinced them that the situation was under control. So as per her instructions, they went back to what they were doing before she had arrived in the park.

SIG Sauer then turned to Twilight Sparkle and requested "Would you care to elaborate, Twilight?"

"Let's not discuss this while we're out in the open," Twilight suggested, "I'll explain everything when we get to the library."

"Sounds good to me," Noble Edict commented.

The eleven ponies quickly made their way to Golden Oaks Library. Once they arrived there, they immediately got down to business.

Applejack opened up the discussion with "What in the name of all things cinnamon swirled is a full-grown dragon doing here in Equestria?"

"Sleeping," was Twilight's blunt answer.

The other ten ponies looked around at each other in confusion, and then they all said at the same time "Huh?"

"According to Princess Celestia, he's taking a nap," Twilight elucidated, "His snoring is what's causing all this smoke."

"He should really see a doctor," Pinkie Pie suggested, "That doesn't sound healthy at all."

"Well, Pinkie, I'm studying to become a doctor," Alpine proclaimed, "You're right about that; dragons don't typically exhale smoke when they sleep."

"Well, at least he's not snoring fire," Rarity noted, "What are we meant to do about it?"

"I'll tell you what we're meant to do," Rainbow Dash buoyantly pronounced, "Give him the boot."

She began punching the air with her hooves, saying "Take that. And that!"

Then she accidentally crashed into a bookcase. Bronze Star scoffed in mild amusement and Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes.

"I'd recommend that you not be so hasty, Rainbow," Mauser advised, "Dragons are a force to be reckoned with."

"We need to encourage him to take a nap somewhere else," Twilight expounded, "Princess Celestia has given us this mission, and we must not fail. If we do, Equestria will be covered in smoke for the next one hundred years."

Fluttershy gasped in alarm.

Rarity grunted and remarked "Talk about getting your beauty sleep."

"Can we expect any assistance from Canterlot?" SIG Sauer queried.

"No," Twilight Sparkle replied, "Princess Celestia is confident that we can handle this without reinforcements."

"So, she expects the eleven of us to deal with a fully grown dragon?" Noble Edict presumed.

"Actually, she only expects seven of us to do that," Twilight illuminated, "Those seven would be me, Bronze Star, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy."

"Then what the hay are Noble, Alpine, Mauser, and I doing here?" SIG Sauer inquired in perplexity.

"She wants the four of you to look after the town and Princess Luna," Twilight Sparkle explained, "However, she has made it clear that if any of you wish to assist in the matter of the dragon, you are free to volunteer."

"In that case, you can count me in," Mauser declared, "When I entered the Constabulary Contingent, I received some training on how to defend Canterlot in the event of a dragon attack. Of course, it's different when you're on the offensive side of the equation, but I have a feeling that my expertise on the defensive side can be of use."

"I might be able to help, too," Alpine announced, "Although my specialty is in the biology of equines, I once took a course on the anatomy and temperament of dragons. Perhaps I can find a way to get the dragon to cooperate and stop snoring smoke."

"Sounds like a good idea," Bronze Star commented. He turned to the red mare and pine green stallion and asked them "What about you guys? Are you in?"

"I think I'll stay in Ponyville," Noble Edict pronounced, "I'm not saying that because I have a fear of dragons or anything. It's just that I'm not a combatant. I'm a security officer. My responsibility is to protect the people before the land."

"Normally, I would be more than willing to accompany you, Your Highness," SIG Sauer told the gold stallion, "However, this is a dragon we are talking about. Dragons can be utterly unpredictable. If something goes wrong on the mission, the dragon may decide to take his rage out on Ponyville instead of us. If that happens, somepony will have to be here to defend Princess Luna."

"Those are both respectable reasons to stay behind," Bronze Star perceived, "As much as I'd like the two of you to join us, I wouldn't want to leave Ponyville undefended. I'm certain we'll be leaving the town and my aunt's safety in capable hooves."

"You can trust us, sir," Noble Edict guaranteed him. SIG Sauer nodded in agreement.

"Alright, everypony," Twilight Sparkle professed, rolling up her letter, "I need you to gather supplies quickly. We've got a long journey ahead of us. Let's meet back here in less than an hour."

"Okay, guys, you heard her," Rainbow Dash announced, flying above the others, "The fate of Equestria is in our hooves. Do we have what it takes?"

Bronze Star, Applejack, Mauser, Alpine, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity all muttered in affirmation. Fluttershy just mumbled softly "Um, actually..."

Before the yellow mare got a chance to say anything, everypony except Twilight departed from the library and went their separate ways.

Bronze Star, Mauser, Alpine, and SIG Sauer all headed back to the embassy. They got to their rooms and began making preparations. SIG Sauer started drawing up a plan to reinforce the embassy in case the dragon chose to attack Ponyville. Mauser had brought along his military uniform and gear. He chose to don them, as he considered this assignment an act of service to his country. Alpine anticipated that they would probably need a physician on this job, so she put together a pack of medical supplies.

Bronze Star chose to wear the same thing he wore on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration: his workout attire, a supply pack, and a belt of weapons. He thought about bringing along the Shroud of Valor as well, but he decided that there was no real reason to do so. After all, they would not be using the Elements of Harmony this time.

While he was getting ready, Bronze Star was visited by Princess Luna. When she entered the room, he grinned at her and said "Oh, hello, Aunt Luna. I didn't know you were still up."

"Just because I'm nocturnal, that doesn't mean I can't be awake past the early morning," Luna wittily told him, "Aside from that, I was wondering if you found out anything about that smoke."

"Yeah, Twilight just got a letter from my mother," Bronze Star explained, "Turns out that smoke is being produced by a sleeping dragon."

Luna raised an eyebrow in perplexity and remarked "A dragon in Equestria? I remember when the people of this country were at war with dragons."

"That was a very long time ago," Bronze Star pointed out.

"Not that long for immortal beings like Alicorns and dragons," Luna countered.

"Well, even so, we've been at peace for centuries," Bronze Star informed her, "In the meantime, my mother has tasked me and some of the other people in this town with getting that sleeping one to depart from Equestria."

"Why you?" Luna queried in interest.

"Maybe she only trusts us to get the job done," Bronze Star theorized, "Regardless of why, it's urgent that we accomplish this assignment as soon as possible. The longer he sleeps, the more his smoke spreads over the land. This time tomorrow, the entire country could be covered in shadow."

At that, Luna started chuckling lightly. As Bronze Star fastened his belt around his waist, he looked up at his aunt and asked her "What's so funny?"

"It would seem I wasn't the only one who was determined to cast eternal darkness on this land," Luna enlightened him, "Not a month after you stopped me, this dragon shows up and threatens to do the same thing, albeit indirectly. Then there's the matter of that cult… it's as if everypony is trying to shut out the daylight."

"Well, none of them will succeed," Bronze Star boldly declared, "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Well, what a relief," Luna wryly commented, "I'll sleep better today, knowing that you're on the job."

"Thank you," the gold stallion said appreciatively.

Once Bronze Star was all suited up, he bid his aunt good morning and headed downstairs. He found Mauser, Alpine, and SIG Sauer standing by the front entrance. They were saying their good-byes, as well.

"Good luck out there," SIG Sauer advised his children, "Just remember what I told you: keep well, be safe, remain vigilant, and stay cautious."

"Don't worry about us, Dad," Alpine said to her father, "We'll be alright."

"Yeah, Dad, we'll come home in one piece," Mauser assured his father, "A whole, undivided piece."

SIG Sauer nodded in approval and warmly embraced his son and daughter. Bronze Star then descended the staircase and approached the three Unicorns. When they pulled apart from each other, the young prince told his trainer "I'll take good care of them, SIG."

"I know you will, Your Highness," SIG Sauer stated, smiling lightly, "Anypony who functions under your leadership is pretty much guaranteed to pull through."

"Thanks, SIG," Bronze Star said with a smirk. There was a short period of silence, and then he added in "We'll see you when we get back."

"See you then," the pine green stallion acknowledged.

The jasper stallion, the chartreuse mare, and the gold stallion then left the embassy. They rendezvoused with the other six mares outside Golden Oaks Library. Now that everypony was accounted for and at attention, Twilight Sparkle announced "Alright guys, listen up. I'm mapping out the fastest route, but we've all got to keep a good pace if we expect to make it up the mountain by nightfall."

"M-m-mountain?" Fluttershy stammered nervously.

Twilight Sparkle nodded and pointed to a tall mountain several miles away. The cloud of smoke appeared to originate from its peak. She proclaimed "The dragon is in that cave at the very top."

"Looks pretty cold up there," Applejack perceived.

"You bet it is," Rainbow Dash asserted, "The higher you go, the chillier it gets."

"Good thing I brought my scarf," Rarity noted. She pulled a white and pink striped scarf out of her saddle bag and put it on.

"Ooo!" Pinkie Pie commented, "Pretty!"

"Heh, oh yeah," Rainbow Dash sardonically remarked, "That'll keep you nice and cozy."

"Well, just in case it gets too frigid, I know a few spells that can keep us warm," Alpine informed the others.

"It might be easier to just wear an entire set of clothes," Mauser speculated, "Apparently, Bronze Star and I were the only ones who thought of that."

"Well, we didn't know we'd be going hiking," Pinkie Pie declared.

"I doubt I have any mountain apparel, anyway," Applejack stated.

"I think we'll manage without," Rainbow Dash observed.

Twilight needed a few minutes to compile the best route to the mountain. The others passed the time by talking amongst themselves.

At this time, Rarity was visually studying Mauser's military getup. She appeared to be fascinated by its structure. When she was done, she smiled and pronounced "I must say, Mauser; the armed forces certainly do have an intriguing sense of style."

"I'll take that as a compliment, Rarity," Mauser candidly remarked.

"Oh, it is," the white Unicorn confirmed, "Your costume makes you look rather handsome."

Mauser blushed slightly at that and looked away. He muttered softly "Umm… thank you."

Alpine laughed at her brother's reaction. She patted him on the back and said slyly "What'd I tell you?" Mares love a stallion in uniform."

"Good news for me," Mauser muttered sarcastically, "If only I was actually looking for a mare."

"I don't think you'd have any problems finding one, Mauser," Bronze Star told his friend, "When I first started training with your father, I did a lot of research about the armed forces. I learned several interesting facts. One of them is that all the branches of the military contain a very large percentage of married people, especially the Constabulary Contingent. On average, there are more married than unmarried ponies who work for the Military Enforcement Corps."

"Really?" Mauser remarked in interest, "Wow, I honestly didn't know that."

"Well, it's like Alpine says," Bronze Star stated, "There's nothing more desirable and respectable than a pony who wears military apparel."

"What about a pony who wears a crown?" Mauser cleverly refuted.

Bronze Star opened his mouth to respond, but then he noticed the irony in Mauser's statement. All he got out was "Uh…"

"He's got a point, Bronze," Alpine claimed, "If you had crown right now, you'd easily outshine the rest of us in the popularity department."

"Well, there's no denying that," Bronze Star admitted, "You know something funny? My mother once told me that the first thing people proverbially look for in a member of the Equestrian Royalty is good leadership skills. However, she also said the thing that they physically look for is the crown. Not wings, a horn, or unusual height, but the crown."

"I'm not surprised," Rarity interjected, "I bet we've all desired to wear a crown at some point or other."

"Speak for yourself, Rarity," Applejack remarked, "Only thing I've ever wanted to put on my head is this here Stetson."

"That's why I never refer to you for tips about fashion, Applejack," the white Unicorn stated frankly.

Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Mauser lightly chuckled at that. The farm mare just rolled her eyes and said mockingly "Hardy har har."

"Truthfully, I think that your hat suites you rather well, Applejack," Bronze Star disclosed, "While it's humble in appearance, its durability makes it the kind of thing a reliable hard worker would wear."

Applejack smiled and said gratefully "Thanks, sugar cube."

"You're quite welcome," was all Bronze Star said in response.

While this conversation was going on, Fluttershy was trying to get Twilight Sparkle's attention. She seemed to be rather disturbed by the idea of going on this mission, and she was hoping to get herself excused from it. Unfortunately, because of her shy demeanor, she was unable to clearly speak her mind. At one point, she assumed that Twilight had accepted her request to remain behind in Ponyville, but it turned out the lavender mare was just talking to herself. Contrary to that notion, Twilight insisted that Fluttershy come along, as the yellow mare had a way with wild animals which the lavender mare felt would be useful. She also informed Fluttershy that Spike would take care of the animals at her cottage while they were gone.

Before the group headed out, Rainbow Dash approached Twilight Sparkle and voiced her concern that Fluttershy might just impede the mission. Twilight had a little more faith in Fluttershy; she was confident that the yellow mare would be alright once they got started. She just needed a little push.

Once Twilight finished drawing up the group's route, she declared "All right girls, Mauser, and Bronze, move out!"

At that, everypony except Fluttershy began galloping towards the mountain. The yellow mare was caught up in the middle of them, so she was carried along with the rest of the group. She tried to protest, but all she got out was "But... but..." and a scream.

A few hours later, the nine ponies arrived at the base of the mountain. Once they got there, they heard a huge rumbling sound that make the ground shake. Twilight recognized it as the sound a dragon makes when he snores. The mountain was even larger than they thought. Rainbow Dash wanted to go ahead and fly directly to the top, but Applejack stopped her and proposed that the entire group stay together. Reluctantly, the cyan mare agreed.

The group made their way up the side of the mountain. The stone pathway was inclined at a steep angle, but the ponies were very good at keeping their balance.

It was not until the group was fifty feet above the ground that they realized that Fluttershy was not with them. She was lingering at the bottom of the mountain. She was extremely nervous about climbing up the mountain. Rainbow Dash suggested that she just use her wings, and Pinkie Pie helped encourage her.

This seemed to work at first, but then the dragon gave out another loud snore. When that happened, Fluttershy whined in alarm and her wings clamped shut. Then she froze and dropped to the ground.

Some of the others became deeply concerned. Bronze Star, Mauser, and Alpine trotted back to the ground to check up on the stunned Pegasus.

Alpine took a moment to examine Fluttershy. She looked deep into Fluttershy's eyes and waved her hoof in front of her face. The yellow mare did not even blink. Alpine then tested Fluttershy's reflexes by poking and squeezing her hooves and sides. Nothing she did provoked a reaction out of the stunned mare.

As the chartreuse mare continued her examination, Bronze Star asked her worriedly "What's wrong with her?"

"Looks like acute stress disorder," Alpine declared. She talked loud enough so that the entire group could hear her.

"What's that?" Rainbow Dash enquired.

"By definition, it's a psychological reaction that arises in response to a terrifying or traumatic event," Alpine enlightened her, "Essentially, sometimes a person can become so mentally overwhelmed that their body and mind just shut down. They don't even have to take any physical damage for that to occur."

"In the military, it's known as 'combat stress disorder,' or 'shell shock,'" Mauser divulged, "The triggers are very different, but the symptoms are pretty much the same. I've seen this happen before."

"When was this?" Rarity queried in interest.

"Three years ago, when I was serving a six-month tour in Saddle Arabia," Mauser specified, "I was assigned to a convoy that was transported needed provisions and armaments all over the country. We were making our way towards the capital when we came under attack by guerrillas. At one point during the battle, the lieutenant, my spotter, and I got separated from our platoon. It was not long before we were flanked on all sides by the enemy. When that happened, the lieutenant just collapsed in front of us. At first we thought he'd been hit. But we quickly discovered he had just given out from shock."

"That must have been scary," Pinkie Pie conjectured.

"It might have been for the lieutenant," Mauser spoke aloud, "My spotter and I didn't have time to be scared. Somehow, the two of us managed to drag the lieutenant away from the scene before we were completely surrounded. We eventually made it back to our camp, but the lieutenant was completely unresponsive for two days. After that, a psychotherapist showed up, and he managed to bring back to his senses."

"Well, we don't have a psychotherapist," Bronze Star noted, "We don't have two days, either. We're kinda pressed for time here. We need a faster way to bring Fluttershy around."

"Usually, a shot of adrenaline or epinephrine can revive people who experience ASD or CSD," Alpine stated, "Unfortunately, I don't have any of either. Aside from that, I'm not licensed to administer such injections."

"So what can we do?" Twilight Sparkle asked somewhat impatiently.

"Right now, it may be best if we just do nothing," Alpine proposed, "Fluttershy might be able to recover on her own. However, that could still take several hours."

Twilight Sparkle was quite annoyed by this. She muttered "Uh, we don't have time for this."

Applejack then removed the map from the lavender mare's supply pack, unrolled it, and studied it closely. Twilight asked her inquisitively "What are you doing?"

"I'll need this if I'm going to take her around the mountain another way," Applejack straightforwardly responded.

Rainbow Dash groaned and mumbled "Around the mountain? That's going to take them forever."

Applejack ignored this statement and slid down the incline until she reached the base of the mountain.

"Well, the alternative is to drag her up this slope," Bronze Star pointed out, "Going around would be much safer."

"Exactly," Applejack concurred. She took a moment to read the map, and then she announced "There's a pass that spirals aroun' the mountain. It goes all the way up to the halfway point, where the terrain becomes flat. I'll meet you there; y'all can go on without me."

"Hold up, AJ," Bronze Star interceded, "You'll get there faster if you had some assistance. I'll go with you."

"Are you sure about that, Bronze?" Applejack queried.

"Of course I am," Bronze Star asserted, "Between the two of us, we'd be able to carry Fluttershy instead of drag her. That'd allow for much faster movement."

"Good point," Applejack commented.

"I should probably come, too," Alpine declared, "If Fluttershy's condition worsens, I'd better stay by her side."

"You'll get no argument out of me," Bronze Star coincided.

"Me either," stated Applejack, "Like I said, safety in numbers."

"Alright then," Alpine remarked in satisfaction.

Bronze Star turned to the jasper stallion and told him "Mauser, stay with the other mares. Once the five of you get halfway up the mountain, wait there until the four of us arrive."

"You got it, Bronze," Mauser avowed.

Applejack looked upward at the lavender mare and called out to her "Don't worry, Twi. We'll be there lickety-split."

Twilight was still somewhat irritated by this setback, but she did not regret bringing Fluttershy along.

Soon the nine ponies started climbing up the mountain again. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Mauser took the more precarious but quicker route. Bronze Star, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Alpine took the safer but longer route.

It did not take the prince, the farmer, and the medical student long to locate the pass. Once they got there, it was decided that Bronze Star and Applejack would carry Fluttershy together. They were the two strongest members of the whole group, after all. Alpine was given the map so that she could lead the way.

Fortunately, they encountered very few obstacles along the way. The pass was a natural part of the mountain, but the path was so even and clear that one would think it had been paved.

Every now and then, Alpine had her companions stop so she could take another look at Fluttershy. She did this to ensure that the yellow mare was not deteriorating.

The fourth time she did this, Bronze Star inquired "You think it'll be long before she comes out of this catatonic state?"

"She's not catatonic," Alpine informed him as she worked, "Catatonic people respond to certain words or actions. People who suffer from ASD and CSD don't respond to anything until they recover."

"Oh, okay," Bronze Star rejoined, "In any case, how long do you think it'll be before Fluttershy recovers?"

"Well, she's not getting any worse," Alpine apprised him, "She's still completely unresponsive, but she can understand everything going on around her. Her eyes and ears are capable of movement now. At this rate, she should be back on her hooves by the time we regroup with the others."

"Good," Bronze Star thought aloud, "I'm not saying she's a burden, but I'd prefer not to carry her all the way up to the mountain's apex."

"I hear ya," Applejack said in agreement.

The three ponies walked on in silence for a few minutes. Then Applejack turned to the chartreuse mare and stated "So, Alpine, where'd you get the ambition to be a doctor?"

"My mother," Alpine answered directly.

"Was she a doctor?" Applejack queried.

"No, she was a trauma therapist," Alpine informed her.

"A trauma therapist?" Applejack repeated curiously, "Is that like the Emergency Room equivalent of a psychologist?"

"Somewhat," Alpine expounded, "They're quite different from normal therapists. Trauma therapists specialize in providing console and support to people who have been through terrible ordeals and are unable to cope with them. That includes people who are one the verge of… giving up."

"You mean people who have lost the will to live?" Applejack uneasily presumed.

"Yes," Alpine confirmed, "My mother had dozens of such patients. A couple of them actually had plans to end their lives as soon as the meeting with her ended. However, none of them ever went through with it. You see, my mother was very good at her job. She was one of the most empathetic and compassionate people I ever knew. Everypony who went to her received all the support they needed. No matter how difficult the case, she never gave up on any of her patients."

"Damn, that's incredible," Applejack stated in astonishment.

"SHE was incredible," Alpine corrected her.

"Certainly seems that way," the orange mare commented, "If you don't mind me asking… how did she die?"

"She was murdered," was all the chartreuse mare said in response.

Applejack was alarmed by this. She asked softly "By… by who?"

"By a coldblooded monster in pony form," Alpine remarked. There was a notable amount of angst in her voice now. "You see, my mother's killer used to work for the government. She seemed to be a faithful servant of the public, but she turned out to be a mole. She betrayed her country, she betrayed Princess Celestia, and worst of all, she betrayed my father."

"She betrayed your father?" Applejack remarked in perplexity.

"Afraid so," Bronze Star replied for Alpine, "The mare who killed SIG Sauer's wife was his partner when he worked for the Equestrian Threat Neutralizing Agency. His own partner killed the mare he loved. He didn't even discover she was dirty until the deed had been done. That's the worst part of it all."

"I can't even imagine how SIG Sauer must have felt," Applejack thought aloud, "If somepony I knew and trusted was directly responsible for the deaths of my parents, I don't think I'd be able to handle the shock."

"Just hope you never have to go through it, AJ," Alpine stated.

"Oh, I never will," Applejack muttered softly, "Both my parents are already dead. They died in an accident when I was very young."

Bronze Star and Alpine were shocked to hear this. The chartreuse mare turned to the orange mare and told her "Oh, I… I'm sorry, I…"

"It's alright, Alpine; you didn't know," Applejack assured her, "Since you've lost your mother, you must know a bit about how I feel. Just be glad you still have your father. I lost both my parents at the same time."

"That's terrible," Bronze Star declared sympathetically, "I can't tell you how sorry I am, AJ. Nopony should have to endure that. Nopony."

"Thank you for saying that, Bronze," Applejack told the gold stallion appreciatively, "It's true what you say, though; nopony deserves to have both parents taken away at once. But I think the loss of mine was even harder on Apple Bloom than it was on me."

"Who?" Alpine queried.

"My little sister," Applejack explained, "I was just a filly when my parents died, but at least I have many wonderful memories of them to remember them by. However, Apple Bloom was very young at the time. She barely remembers enough about them to miss them at all. She doesn't even remember what it's like to have a mother and father."

"That's even worse than what I've been through," Alpine declared, "I'd much rather remember the death of my mother and miss her than not remember her enough to miss her."

"You think that's bad?" Bronze Star countered, "I don't even know who my father IS. I have no idea if I should even miss him or not."

"Now that's what I'd call a totally undesirable dilemma," Applejack remarked. "At least we all have the ability to move on. As well as the capacity to make do, so to speak."

"What do you mean by 'make do'?" Bronze Star queried.

"Although Apple Bloom is growing up without parents, Big McIntosh and I are making sure she has proper guidance," Applejack clarified, "For the past several years, he and I have been like a surrogate father and mother to her. She sees us as her older siblings and her role models."

"That's admirable of you," Bronze Star proclaimed.

"I just want my lil' sis to have a happy life," Applejack stated. She paused for a moment, and then she turned to the gold stallion and asked him "What about you? Do you have a father figure in your life, Bronze?"

"Actually, I have quite a few," Bronze Star disclosed.

"Really?" Applejack said in fascination, "Like who?"

"Lord Bellerophon, for starters," Bronze Star explained, "I've known him for as long as I can remember. He started working for my mother when I was just three years old. Ever since then, he's been my mentor and my counselor. Another example is Haute Cuisine, Canterlot Castle's head chef. He taught me all I know about the culinary arts, and during our lessons, we have a type of bond that transcends that of teacher and pupil. Then there's Purple Heart, the Surgeon General. He was there when I was born. In fact, he's the stallion who delivered me. He's also the Equestrian Royalty's personal physician. My mother and I trust him to keep both of us healthy. And then, of course, there's SIG Sauer."

Alpine was mildly surprised by this, but in a pleasant way. She smirked and stated "Really? You consider my Dad to be one of your father figures?"

"Oh, yes," Bronze Star confirmed, "He has all the characteristics of a desirable father. He's stern yet reasonable, fierce yet forgiving, unbiased yet unwavering, insightful yet discreet, and strict yet lenient. Aside from that, he's been my coach for the last ten years, and he's one of the most dependable people I know. I trust him with my life."

"You should tell him that," Alpine suggested, smirking again.

"Oh, I'm confident he already knows," Bronze Star informed her, "But I'd like you to tell me something, Alpine."

"What might that be?" enquired the chartreuse mare.

"One thing you and I have in common is that we both have one parent," Bronze Star pointed out, "I have my mother, and you have your father. I consider your father to be the closest thing I have to the real thing. Do you ever feel the same way about my mother?"

Alpine took a minute to think about this prospect. Then she replied with "To be honest with you, I actually have regarded Princess Celestia as a type of mother figure to me. After all, it was thanks to her that I was accepted into the Canterlot School for Gifted Unicorns on a full scholarship. Plus, after my mother died, she went to great length to give her comfort and support to me and Mauser. And every year on our birthdays, she sends us each a gift. Mauser typically gets a type of weapon or something to help him do his job, and I generally get some medical equipment or something to help me with my studies. At any rate, it's always something useful. So, yes, Bronze. I suppose I do consider your mother to be the closest thing I have to my real mother."

Bronze Star grinned at that and stated "Well, how about that? Your father is like a father to me, and my mother is like a mother to you. In addition to that, you and Mauser are like siblings to me."

"We feel the same way, Bronze," Alpine disclosed, "All that's left is for my father and your mother to develop a fondness for each other."

Bronze Star scoffed and cheekily remarked "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that'll never happen. My mother's relationship with your father has always been entirely professional. I've never seen either of them exhibit even the slightest bit of attraction towards the other. Sure, your father rescued my mother on the Summer Sun Celebration, but he insists that he was just doing his job."

"Oh, well," Alpine casually stated, "I suppose it's a good thing that our parents don't have those kinds of feelings for each other."

"How so?" Bronze Star inquired.

"If things ever got serious between them… well, let's just say you and I would have another reason to think of each other as siblings," Alpine delicately explained, "Not that there's anything wrong with that per se, but I don't think Mauser and I would be too pleased by the implications of it."

"What implications?" Bronze Star queried.

"For one thing, Mauser would probably have to resign from the Military Enforcement Corps, and I would probably have to put my ambition to be a doctor on hold indefinitely," Alpine illuminated, "I've never wanted to be a princess, and I'm pretty sure Mauser's never wanted to be a prince. He loves his job in the armed forces, and I eagerly look forward to the day when I possess my own medical license. I don't think those occupations are sought-after by royalty."

Bronze Star frowned slightly and observed "You make it sound as though the Equestrian Royalty has very few options on what to do with their lives."

"That's not what I meant," Alpine claimed, "Aside from that, I know it isn't true. After all, you became Canterlot's ambassador to Ponyville. All I'm saying is that it's one thing to be a politician. It's another one entirely to be a soldier or a physician. The main difference here is that the members of the Equestrian Royalty have always been politicians."

"That is true," Bronze Star contended, "But that doesn't mean they can't be other things. If they wanted to, they could also be soldiers or physicians. Heck, they could be just about anything. Attorneys, inventors, bankers, architects… even farmers."

For the past few minutes, Applejack had been as quiet as Fluttershy. But when those words came out of Bronze Star's mouth, she raised an eyebrow, tapped the gold stallion on the shoulder, and stated curiously "Is that right?"

"You bet it is," he affirmed, smiling, "My mother has always encouraged people to find a way to serve themselves and their neighbors. She also recommends that they do this by doing something they enjoy doing. In other words, she advocates that you pursue your dreams."

"Wow," Applejack stated in amazement, "I had no idea the Equestrian Royalty had so much appreciation for following the heart's desires."

"You'd be surprised, AJ," Bronze Star proclaimed, "There's a lot of things people don't know about the Equestrian Royalty. One of them is that we don't make any judgments based solely on an individual's social status. To me and my mother, a farmer is just as honorable and reputable as a politician."

Applejack could not help but smile at that remark. She patted Bronze Star on the back and told him "I'm deeply moved by that. I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Bronze Star assured her, "But feel free to speak your mind at any time. I'd like to hear to whatever you have to say."

"I'll remember that," the orange mare declared.

Comments

[Sea_Swirl]

AWESOME!!!.. is all I can say for it because it was so wow.. AWESOME!!!!!!!