• Published 12th Oct 2014
  • 3,852 Views, 518 Comments

DayBreak - MyHobby



After an attempt is made on Celestia's life, Twilight Sparkle must assemble a team to track down the assassin and bring her to justice. Danger awaits as they delve into the origins of both the attacker and alicorns.

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Split

Spike leafed through the pages of one of Twilight’s manuscripts: An unfinished novel called Fire in the Mountain. He chuckled and set the book aside. “She really should think about publishing this stuff.”

Night Light’s horn flashed as he levitated a stack of books onto a nearby shelf. “Fifteen years ago, I never would have thought I’d see my studious, no-nonsense daughter writing fiction. Reading it, of course, but writing it?”

Spike spun the loose-leaf binder between his fingers. “Soon as she gets back, I’m gonna bug her until she sends it to her publisher. Life’s too short, you know?”

His reply came in the form of a snort from behind a shelf. Night stuck his head around the corner, a smirk on his face. “She’ll counter than she’s an immortal alicorn and you’re an undying dragon.”

Spike grunted, pushing a table back into place with his tail. “Fine. Other people’s lives are too short.”

Night Light trotted up to Spike. He was a good deal shorter than the dragon, with thin legs and a narrow jaw. His high cheekbones would have evidenced severity if he hadn’t been smiling most of the time. He reached his hoof up and squeezed Spike’s shoulder. “It will work out, Spike. So many ponies are all working together to make sure of that.”

Spike nodded. He rubbed his eyes and surveyed the castle library. “That’s the last time I let Aunt Yearling study unmonitored.”

“She does have a very active researching style,” Night muttered. He gathered up a cloud of loose pages. “She drove Velvet crazy when they served together. The armor was never polished enough, the spears were never sharp enough, and the bedroll was never tight enough. I think the instant she left the service she vowed never to clean up after herself again.”

“No wonder she needed Mom as an editor if her whole life is this disorganized.”

“Not quite. She seems to take very good care of any artifacts she finds.”

Spike pressed his lips together. “People are funny, Dad.”

“You don’t have to tell me.” Night Light flicked an ear toward the back of the room. “You hear something?”

Spike’s filmy ears spread, catching a faint and familiar vibration. He craned his neck around to face the centerpiece of the library. It was a tall mirror, hooked up to various gizmos and doodads that recorded magic flow, continuously tested connections, and spat forth data. Atop the mirror was a hefty book. The red cover shook and the pages glowed with magic as somebody at the other end of the link wrote a message.

Spike reached up and took the book. It opened to a blank page, but it didn’t remain blank for long. Ink scrawled across the page, forming words and sentences quickly and surely.

Hi Spike,

Just checking to see how Twilight’s doing. We’re awfully worried about her. When is she expected to arrive in the Crystal Empire? Please keep us posted.

Sincerely,
Sunset Shimmer

P.S. Pinkie says to tell your Pinkie to hurry up and get married. She wants to see her kids as cute pony babies.

Night Light read over his shoulder. “The connection with the mirror world is still going strong, huh?”

“Yup. No issues to report. Looks like Starswirl built this mirror a tad sturdier than the others.” Spike took a pencil and scratched a quick reply, speaking it aloud. “Hi, Sunset. She’s still hurt, but the doctors in the Crystal Empire should be able to figure something out. She’s supposed to arrive tomorrow. Just in time for Nightmare Night, I guess. I’ll let you know about any changes. Sincerely, Spike.”

After a thought, he added: “You know Pinkie told you she’ll get married when the right pony comes along and not a second sooner. She says this will be her answer forever so forget it.”

An answer came through almost instantly. Spoilsports.

Night Light chuckled. He scanned a few book spines for their location on the shelves. “Speaking of Nightmare Night, what are your plans?”

“Twilight was gonna dress up as Clover the Clever, and I was gonna be this castle.” Spike grimaced, his shoulders slumping. “I figured I’d hang out on the front steps and hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters.”

Night frowned. He gave the dragon a slow nod. “I don’t suppose there’s room on the steps for a castle and a djinni?”

Spike couldn’t keep down the sudden snicker. “For you, Dad, there’s always room.”

The fire in Spike’s heart flared up. He covered his mouth in surprise, but couldn’t contain the belch that shot forth. Green smoke swirled around the room until it collected together into a scroll, sealed with the mark of a trio of stars. Spike sliced the wax with a clawtip and unrolled the message.

“It’s Mom. She says… she says she’s on her way, and she’s gonna bring company.” Spike tilted his head. “And that’s it. Weird. Looks like she wrote it in a hurry.”

“Brace yourself, Spike.” Night Light pulled the corner of his mouth up. “Your mother’s gone on another adventure.”

Spike snorted smoke. He gave the message a once-over. “Who do you think she means by ‘company?’”

***

Blankety Blank leaned his head against the window, listening to the clackity-clack of the train tracks. A hollow pit gnawed at his stomach and accompanied the prickly feeling in his fangs. He shut his eyes and groaned, clutching his belly.

His ears perked up at the thump of hooves on the wood floor. He turned his pink eyes to his visitor. “Hi.”

Care Carrot carried a tray in her telekinesis. She set it on the seat beside him and took the bench across the aisle. “I brought you some ginger ale. You look ready to throw up.”

He picked up the cup and pressed it against his warm forehead. “T-thanks.”

Care rested her hooves in her lap. She furrowed her brow as she thought of what to say. “Is it because you fed off that… thing?”

Blank took a small sip. “Some magic d-doesn’t digest right.”

Care tilted her head. “Makes sense.” She scratched the base of her horn, just beneath her bangs. “I… wanted to apologize.”

Blank swished his drink. “For what?”

“F-for harassing you all this time.” Care played with a lock of her mane, turning her eyes towards him. “I… At the party. At Twilight’s castle. Everywhere from Ponyville to Canterlot. It wasn’t right. You were just doing your job.”

“So were you.” Blank turned an ear towards her. He looked out the window and watched the mountainside fly past. “A d-darn good job, too.”

Care flushed, her mouth pulled down. She turned away with a grumble. “Yeah, well… Not always.”

Blank sniffed the air. There it was again. Care’s lingering, pungent guilt. “Celestia once told me that s-secrets were precious. Precious… b-but not always good.” Another sip of the sparkling liquid ran down his throat. “Y-you wanna talk about it?”

“Not… really.” She jerked her head, swishing her loose green mane. “Drink your soda.”

Blank cradled his cup between his forehooves. “I mean, it’s not your fault Celestia—”

“You don’t know that.” Care’s voice grew low. An aura of firmness, like the crust of stale bread, surrounded her. “Hurricane plunged the spear into her heart. But I let her.”

Blank winced. His stomach swirled before he managed to forcibly calm it down. “I… I don’t believe you m-meant to let her.”

“She was right there.” Care hit a weak hoof against her cushion. “She had already knocked down Caution Tape. She stood there with a spear in her hooves and shouted a speech about usurpers. I had plenty of time to fry her with a spell, or grab the spear, or just jump in front of her. But I didn’t.”

She rubbed her face with a hoof. “Celestia almost died because I didn’t do my job. My one job. The one thing I do that really matters.”

Blankety’s eyes stung. He covered it up with a hefty gulp that made his head swim.

“I’ve seen her make an entire room full of angry creatures sit down and shut up. She stopped weapons in midair, Blank.” Care tipped over to lie across the bench. “But the one time she needed me, I failed her.”

Blankety Blank set his empty glass to the side. He blew a soft breath between his lips. “Y-you thought she was invincible, too, huh?”

Care flicked an ear. “You’re the one who said nopony’s invincible.”

“That was in hindsight,” Blank said. “Hindsight is th-that huge, invisible monster. There to remind you of wh-what you could have done to prevent it. Th-there to make every d-detail crystal-clear. T-to showcase your every fault.”

His tail swished lackadaisically behind him, moving without direct thought as he stared numbly outside. “I th-thought she was invincible until Chief Velvet called me back to C-Canterlot. That w-was when I heard the news. I’ve been wrong be-before, but I didn’t want to be wrong about that. She’s… She means a lot to me.”

Care’s muzzle wrinkled. “It’s my fault.”

“I-I think Celestia would say it wasn’t.” Blank flicked his eyes towards her. “E-even if it was, sh-she’d say to get right back up and… and keep moving forward. D-don’t let them hit you wh-while you’re down.”

They sat in silence for a while, just rocking with the motion of the train. Care sat up and stretched her legs. She took a deep breath.

“How’d you meet Celestia?” she asked.

Blank’s eyebrows shot up. He tilted his head and nibbled his lip. “I… I was k-kicked out of my hive. I tried to hide in Equestria, b-but… I wasn’t too good with disguising on the fly.”

“So I’ve gathered,” Care said. “You’re still the same-old you even when you’re serving royalty.”

Blank gave her a smirk. “Yeah, well… A changeling can’t survive long in Equestria if they can’t hide. I was found in some family’s barn and taken away by Royal G-Guards. Stayed cooped up in the dungeons for a couple d-days.”

His smile faded. “Then Celestia visited me. She spoke with me for hours. Talked about me, about ponies, ab-about the kingdom… It was l-like we just talked about whatever came to mind. She did that for a few weeks. J-just talked with me.”

Care furrowed her brow. “Seeing if you could be trusted?”

“M-maybe.” He studied his hooves and let out a calming sigh. “I th-think she might have… been trying to see if I could be a friend.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve always f-figured that’s how she kept sane. Surrounding herself w-with friends.”

Care rested her chin on her forelegs. She nodded silently.

“I…” Blankety pressed his lips together. “After a while, sh-she asked me if I wanted to m-make Equestria my home. She—she made me the Knight of Secrets, and told me that I would know when a secret needed to be kept. I think—” He bobbed his head towards Care. “I think she would want you to know these secrets. She w-would want you to take strength from them. T-to know that you’re not alone. I want to help Celestia, too.”

Care lay quietly for a while, pondering his words. Blank could taste her thoughts waver between sticky-sweet acceptance and the sour tang of refusal.

Care settled on a mix between the two. “Thanks,” she said in a flat voice. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

“I-I have been meaning to ask…” Blank cleared his throat. “Wh-when you picked me out of the crowd—at the m-masquerade—h-how did you know it was me? We’d only j-just met.”

She pushed herself up, her limbs feeling like they were lifting the weight of two sets of armor. She cast a weary gaze to the disguised changeling. “You stood out to me, I guess. Your mannerisms and voice. You’re a very distinct individual.” She let her head droop. “It helped that… that it was easier to talk with a total stranger than my own cousin.”

Blankety swallowed. “You had a falling out?”

“Not with her specifically.” She scratched her ear. “I haven’t seen any of them in a long time.”

Blank looked out the window, his eyes half-closing. His deep frown came from his heart. “That m-must be hard, being separated from y-your family.”

“It’s not.” Care turned to look out the opposite window. “Getting away was the easy part.”

Blankety Blank’s head swiveled around. He gaped at her with lowered eyebrows. “W-why? Why would you…?”

Care snorted, shaking her head. “What does a unicorn soldier have in common with one of the largest earth pony farming families in Equestria?” She rubbed her eyes and avoided Blank’s gaze. “It was just easier to not visit or write. And it got easier as time went on.”

“Y-you could still try t-to mend things.” Blankety reached a hoof out. “Y-you could start to visit again, or write more often, or—”

“That’d just be awkward for everyone.” Care chuckled without a smile. “No. We see each other on Hearth’s Warming. Exchange gifts on birthdays. We’re still family. We still love each other.”

“S-speaking as a changeling,” Blank said, “that would starve me.”

“Who asked you?” Care snapped. She forced her shoulders to relax and let out a defeated breath. “Why are we even talking about this?”

Blank wrung his forehooves. “I-if you hold things inside, the pressure builds until it blows. It’s easier to t-talk to s-somepony.”

He stood up and walked to Care’s side of the train. He sat across from her and fidgeted with his tail. “Changelings see things differently. W-we don’t just look at the outside. We can… taste what other ponies feel. We can sense p-pent up p-pressure. I see cracks forming on you, C-Care. When those cracks b-break, y-you and the ponies close to you will g-get hurt.”

Care gave him a dim look. “Do all changelings think of themselves as psychiatrists?”

Blank’s ears folded back. “Can’t I t-tell you this as a f-friend?”

Care’s lips became a thin line. “We’re not friends, Blank. Allies, yeah. Comrades in arms, sure. A team, most likely. But not friends. I don’t know you and you don’t know me.”

She got to her hooves and walked towards the end of the train car. “And right now, I’m fine with things staying that way.”

Blankety gritted his teeth. He yelped as she opened the door. “Killing Hurric-cane won’t make you feel b-better about yourself!”

Care slammed the door with a deafening crack.

Blankety cupped his head in his forelegs with a groan. “That p-probably wasn’t the right thing to say.”

***

Princess Luna collapsed to the floor of the Dream’s Keep, the sun having been sent to its resting place beneath the horizon. She heaved in breath after breath, fighting her heart for energy. Dreamwalking took a great deal of magic energy. To view the unconscious mind was no small feat, and after days of living within Celestia’s dream, Luna felt exhausted in her body and soul.

To have to lower the sun on top of that?

A plate was by her side, holding a loaf of bread, a slice of cheese, and a glass of water. She considered leaving it, but the rumble in her stomach banished that thought. She snarfed down the bare-bones meal and guzzled the water. She noted that when all the troubles with the assassin were over, she would need to thank Natter heartily.

The bell hanging in the dome of the ceiling jingled. The mirrors around the room twinkled in the starlight. Faded images of ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, and many other Equestrian citizens flashed through the smooth surfaces. Children were especially prevalent early in the evening, at least the obedient ones who went straight to bed without complaint.

The saints, Celestia had once called them. The blessed souls who were just as eager to see their dreams as Luna was to keep them safe. She smiled to herself as she regarded one dream through the haze of distance. A mountain of ice cream, a sudden snowball fight, a foal laughing themselves through the night.

It was beautiful, she decided.

She washed the last of her bread down with the final drop of water. She had also decided that they could wait. Twilight Sparkle needed a friend more than anything. Luna would merely step into her dream and spend some quality time with her. It would refresh them both.

“Tomorrow’s sunrise shall see you safely into the Crystal Empire,” she said to the northern sky.

She lit her horn, let her eyes shut, and leaped into the realm of dreams. She hovered over the earth, searching the people below for any sign of the young alicorn of Ponyville. A glimmer caught her attention, warm and familiar. She reached out for that spark, that sense of unity and friendship that held so much together, and touched it.

She opened her eyes to see a vast library, dwarfing even the Crystal Empire’s massive storehouse of knowledge. Two shelves stretched into infinity, overflowing with tomes and encyclopedias. They rose to the vaulted ceiling, and were dotted with long ladders to reach the highest shelves.

Behind Luna, the shelves were empty, their books cast to the floor. Piles of crumpled paper notes were tossed here and there alongside empty ink bottles.

A little purple unicorn rifled through the pages of one particular book. She growled when she reached the end. “Ugh! No! Not this one either! Spike! Spike!”

She sighed. She let the book drop to the floor. “I need you.”

Luna was careful not to crush any books underhoof as she made her way to the unicorn. “Perhaps I can be of assistance, Twilight.”

Twilight blinked bleary eyes. “Luna? Is that you?” She jumped up and wrapped her forelegs around the alicorn. “It is you! You’re here! This is perfect!”

Luna blinked back tears. “It is good to hear your voice, my friend.”

Twilight grabbed her hoof and dragged her over to a shelf. “Come on! I need your help to research this Hurricane pony. She’s way more dangerous than we thought. We need to find her and find out why she’s doing this before she hurts you!”

“Twilight, I—” Luna allowed herself to be led by the hoof, but pulled her head back uncertainly. “I do not wish to speak of the mare. I came so that I might spend some time with you.”

“I’m searching so that we can have more time in the future.” Twilight scrambled up the closest ladder. Luna followed her up with swift wing beats. “Right now, if we don’t stop the assassin, she could end up destroying Equestria as we know it.”

She pulled out a book and began to read. “By the way, did you know Commander Hurricane founded Cloudsdale? I learned that in magic kindergarten almost twenty years ago, believe it or not.”

“Of course, I was there when it happened.” Luna flapped a few feet away. “Does this mean that these books are all your memories?”

“Darn right.” Twilight tossed the book atop the others and pulled out a hefty tome marked Public Embarrassment: 996-1003. “Ick. My teenage years.”

As Twilight perused the tome for clues, Luna rubbed a hoof across her foreleg. “Would you mind taking a break? I feel… I would very much like to simply relax. To talk. I’ve missed you.”

Twilight threw the volume aside with disdain. “Sorry, Luna, but this is important. If we wanna be ready to ambush Hurricane at the masquerade, we need to know everything about her!”

Luna’s wings failed her. She was only just able to hold them steady enough to glide safely to the ground. “The masquerade?”

“Yeah, you know? You’re the bait; Applejack distracts Andean; me, Daring, and Care jump her when she attacks; the whole works.” Twilight pulled three books off the shelf at once. “That’s tonight, right?”

“Twilight,” Luna said, “you are aware that you’re dreaming, correct?”

“Of course I’m not dreaming.” Twilight waved a page. “You can’t read in a dream.”

“That’s actually a falsehood perpetuated by…” Luna shook her sparkling mane. “Never mind. Twilight, the masquerade has come and gone.”

“No.” Twilight wrinkled her forehead. She shook her head back and forth. “No! I would remember if it had. I would have been there. I would have helped!”

“You tried, Twilight.” Luna’s chest tightened. “Oh, Creator, you tried so hard. You were late arriving to the party.”

“No!” Twilight climbed higher up the ladder. “No, I’ll be at the party tonight. Don’t worry.”

Luna followed her up with quick downbeats. “You were ambushed on the way by Hurricane herself. She hurt you, Twilight.”

“I would remember!” Twilight gestured at the library, extending into the distance. “I remember everything! I would know if I had gotten hurt. No, stop distracting me. I need to help Luna. I need to help Celestia.

“You can help me right now by just being a friend.” Luna touched Twilight’s shoulder. “Please. Just one glass of tea. That’s all I ask.”

Twilight slid out from under her hoof and scampered upward. “I can’t rest while there’s still a problem.”

Luna sucked a breath through her teeth. “The problem will still be there when we’re done, Twilight!”

Twilight reached through the rungs for a small book. “This isn’t just a problem! This is about the kingdom! This is about my friends!”

Luna fluttered to the floor. She sat amid towering piles of discarded books. Blue feathers drifted through the air. “You will always have problems. But you won’t always have your friends.”

Twilight opened the tiny cover. The inside held a picture. It was her and her friends, all gathered together in a group hug in Ponyville’s town square. She sat quietly on the ladder, sniffing occasionally. She wiped a tear. “M-maybe not.”

She rested her chin on the shelf. “It doesn’t mean I can’t fight for them.”

She turned an ear downward at a faint tingle of magic. She chewed on the end of her mane. “Maybe you could help me? We could search together and… and…”

She looked down to find herself alone in the library. She turned around on the ladder, searching for any sign of the alicorn princess. “Luna? Luna?

Her weak voice was almost swallowed up by the uncountable books. “Are you there?”

A little purple unicorn crawled down the ladder and sat among her overflowing mountains of knowledge. She pawed at the marble floor under her hooves. “I miss you, too.”

***

Daring Do stood before the massive doors of Ponyville’s palace, tapping her hoof as quickly and quietly as she could. She cast half a glance at the mare by her side. Care’s orange coat stood on end. She pointedly stood as far away from Blank as was possible. Blank, too, stood on the far side of the crystal steps, keeping Time Turner between himself and the rest of the ponies.

Daring snorted. She hoped that whatever drama had invaded their gang would sort itself out. Her ears perked up as Twilight Velvet pounded a hoof against the crystalline door.

“They really ought to install a doorbell,” Velvet grunted. “It’s been almost a decade.”

The corner of Time Turner’s mouth quirked. “Does one call an electrician or a jeweler to install a doorbell in a crystal palace?”

“Crazy part is that they don’t even need one.” Daring took a step forward and smacked a hoof against the door. It rang out loud and long. “You can hear a knock on the door throughout the entire castle. It’s like it all resonates on the same frequency.”

Time muttered to himself and tapped the smooth, purple surface. “Strange magic, but useful.”

Daring stared at the night sky while they waited for an answer. It was dark, devoid of a moon. The stars still sparkled in their assigned places, though. She picked out one constellation in particular and winked at it. It winked back in return.

She slid her wing over Time’s back. “You guys take it easy. Time and I’ll take the books to the library. We’ll set up for tomorrow’s study session.”

Velvet narrowed her eyes. She gave Daring a moment of scrutiny before nodding. “You’ll still be joining us for supper? Spike’s no slouch in the kitchen. He’s using my grandma’s lasagna recipe.”

“Huh? Oh, sure. Sure.” Daring licked her lips. “Spinach lasagna with alfredo sauce, right? Sweet.”

“I’ll come,” Care said.

“S-same,” Blank mumbled.

The door creaked open. Night Light’s narrow face poked through, wearing a bright smile. “Hello, dear.”

Velvet gave him a peck on the lips. “Nighty. You gonna leave us out in the cold or are you gonna invite us in?”

Night peeked past her. “Huh. It’d be a full house if it wasn’t a castle.”

“Warmth now, jokes later.”

They filed into the entryway. Time Turner took the bulging saddlebags from Blank, while Care and Night made their way to the throne room. Before Daring could set out for the library, Velvet dragged her aside.

“Hay! Watch the hooves!” Daring spread her aching wings to brush Velvet away. “What gives, Chief?”

“You’re doing it again,” Twilight Velvet said.

Daring Do scrunched her muzzle. She flicked an ear. “Going on an adventure?”

Velvet shut her eyes. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Eating lasagna?”

“No, I mean about Time Turner.” Velevet ran a hoof over her tightly-wound mane. “Daring, I think you’re making a mistake.”

Daring sat down. She crossed her forelegs and watched the others move down the hallway. “Really? I’ll have you know that I like having him around. Seems like he likes having me around, too. We could be pretty great friends.”

“Yeah.” Twilight Velvet shook her head. She rested a hoof on Daring’s shoulder. “But how many of your ‘friendships’ have lasted, Daring?”

Daring rolled her eyes with a bitter-tinged chuckle. “Not all of us are built for thirty-six-year marriages, Vel.”

“It’s not even about that.” Velvet pulled Daring to her hooves. “Just… go easy on him. Take it slow this time. Get to know each other before—”

“Look, I appreciate the concern.” Daring smirked. “But I got this. Trust me.

“I do trust you. With most things, at least.” Twilight Velvet clenched her jaw. “Just be careful.”

“Hay,” Daring Do said, walking backwards down the hall, “it’s me.”

That’s reassuring.” Twilight Velvet trotted deeper into the castle.

***

Time Turner set the bags on a table, letting books spill out the top. “I vote we arrange them by weight, because those were killing my back.”

“Naw, it’s easy.” Daring Do jumped on top of the table and spread the volumes out. She selected one, gave it a cursory scan, and tossed it to the far end of the table. “That pile’s for things written by Hurricane herself”—she tossed another book to the neighboring table—“and that one’s for everything else. Let’s get cracking.”

“Simple enough.” Time flipped past the cover of a small, black book. “Is this her penmanship?”

Daring drew up to his side, pressing her shoulder against his. “Hmm… Nah. Not swirly enough. She makes the Os kinda look like clouds.” She took another book from the pile. “See? She’ll have that little hurricane in the corner, too. Her cutie mark signature.”

Time grimaced and set it in its respective pile. “It should come as no surprise that I am untrained in this particular art.”

“Then consider this lesson one.” She tucked the book under a wing and saluted him. “I’ll learn you book reading or my name isn’t Daring Do!”

Time Turner glanced at another tome and tossed it into what he hoped was the proper place. “To millions of adoring fans, it actually isn’t.”

She shrugged. “What do they know? A.K. Yearling’s as good a penname as any.”

“Alright.” He tilted his head. “Why a penname at all, though? Doesn’t seem like you’re exactly shy about being the author.”

Daring Do shut her book quietly. She gave Time her wryest smile. “Publishers don’t appreciate obvious self-inserts, and Celestia didn’t want them published as autobiographies. Something about ongoing investigations and national security and all that.”

She sat down and reached over her shoulder to grab another book to be categorized. “Amber was my mom’s name. Kestrel was my dad. They called me their little yearling. Kinda wanted to remember them, you know?”

Time frowned as realization flashed in his eyes. He dipped his head. “I’m sorry.”

“No big. Happened a long time ago.” She rubbed her chin. “Even before you were born, if my guess is right. You said you were thirty-five?”

Time blushed. “Last I checked.”

“Yeah, right around there.” Daring Do smiled. “I had family to take care of me, though. I turned out alright. None the worse for wear.” She lowered a brow at a book he’d tossed in the “Written by Hurricane” pile. It was the Grimoire Alicorn. She pulled a face and moved it to the other spot. “Not quite, dude. This stuff looks more like hornwriting to me.”

He pulled off his duster coat and hung it on a chair. He set his grappling gauntlet on the table. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not get in your way.”

“Suit yourself.” Daring laughed to herself. “So long as I get to see more of those cool gizmos in action next time we get into a fight.”

“You might not see much of this one,” he replied. He unscrewed the bronze-colored bolts that held it together. “It keeps jamming up. It either won’t retract the hook or it won’t come off of my hoof.”

“Rough.” She ran her hooves through her mane, making sure it was just the right amount of tousled. She walked up to his side, her wing extended just enough to brush against his back. “Y’know, we could find another way to pass the time ’til supper.”

Time Turner pushed his goggles onto his forehead. He dropped the screwdriver onto the small mess of springs and bearings on the table. “What do you mean?”

She leaned against him, bringing her lips to his. She slipped a foreleg around his back and flicked her tail around his.

She pulled softly away from the kiss. “There. Wasn’t that nice?”

He stared at her, eyes wide and jaw gaping. His throat constricted as he tried to force words out. “I-I-I-I-I beg your p-pardon.”

“Now you’re starting to sound like Blank.” She snickered and rubbed his foreleg. “Hay, don’t go all tense on me. It’s just me, right?”

She craned her neck to whisper in his ear. “Maybe we can skip supper altogether. Come on. We can head to my room and—”

“No!” Time Turner backpedaled away from her, almost causing her to lose balance. “N-no, we can’t!”

Daring Do raised her eyebrows. She lifted a hoof and opened her mouth. “Huh?”

“I c-can’t—” He shook his head violently. “We met less than a month ago. We barely know each other. We aren’t… we shouldn’t…”

“What’s wrong?” Daring stepped up to him, an understanding smile on her face. “You don’t have to be nervous. Is this your—”

“I just… want to wait.” Time closed his eyes. “I want to wait until there’s something special, something that can’t be ignored.”

“Special?” Daring spread her wings, regretting it a moment later when they cramped up. “We—I like you. I’m pretty sure you like me, too. You’re funny, nice, a little goofy, but smart. We get along and enjoy each other’s company. We’re healthy, strong adults…” She absently twirled the end of her tail around her hoof. “I thought we did have something special going.”

“It’s just lust, Daring,” Time choked. “That’s something you can find anywhere.”

“Well—” She paused. A storm clouded her face as she wrestled several thoughts at once. She swallowed hard, unable to find words. “Well, I—” Red raced across her cheeks, lit from beneath by blood rushing to her face. “I just thought we could have some fun.”

Time Turner sighed through his nose. “I want to be one with a single pony, Daring. Just one. I want to make sure that they’re the right one.”

Daring scowled. “So I’m not good enough?”

“I don’t—I didn’t—” Time coughed. “That’s not what I—”

“No?” Daring prodded his chest. “Because it sure sounded like it!”

“That’s not what I meant!” Time yelped.

Daring’s magenta eyes bored into Time’s blue. She took a breath and let it whistle between her teeth. Her face softened. “I know. I’m sorry.”

Time got to all four hooves. He forced himself to look away from Daring. “I’m sorry, too.” He steeled himself, tensing the muscles in his legs. “Daring, I—”

“Suppertime!” Spike’s voice could be heard echoing through the castle, making use of impossible, magic-assisted acoustics. Daring’s ears swiveled as she briefly tried to guess where the sound was coming from.

She rubbed her forehead and wobbled towards the door. “So, what were you just going to say?”

“I think you’re a wonderful pony.” Time Turner matched her pace. “But it wouldn’t be right.”

They reached the dining room and sat on opposite sides of the table, Time beside Blank, and Daring beside Care. The four of them never said a word as the meal was served and eaten.

Twilight Velvet tried to ignore the tension in the air. She held her husband’s hoof close and welcomed the warmth Spike always provided. She looked at her team with weary eyes, sizing them up, comparing them with the coming ordeal.

She forced down the sickly feeling in her stomach and focused on eating her lasagna.

***

Dreams slipped unnoticed past Luna’s vision. She stared into the mirror. Her faint reflection stared back. The mare she saw had a tangled mane from sleeping on her side for days on end. The mare’s coat was mussed and dirty from lack of care. Her cheeks were gaunt with worry, her eyes bloodshot with stress.

An itch crawled along her back, touching the tips of her wings. She scratched with her hooves, not taking her eyes away from the frightful reflection. “I should have just stayed. Why didn’t I stay? I could have helped—shut up! Just… just shut up. There’s nothing I could do. They’re her memories. I have no right to… Didn’t she offer? Couldn’t I have given her that much peace of mind? What about my peace of mind? She couldn’t have cared less for that. Why did I even bother?”

She spun, kicking the empty plate across the room. “Why do I even bother?” she shouted.

The plate shattered against the far wall, cracking the mirror that lay against it. She stared at the new, broken reflection. Shadows creeped around her hooves as she took a step closer. Black hair mingled with her blue coat. She pulled in a painful breath.

“I’m not a good pony,” she whispered hoarsely. “I can’t take this anymore.”

She gripped her head in her hooves, bunching up her starry mane. “I can’t just make the hurt go away.”

Her ears perked up. She lifted her eyes to meet her reflection’s harrowed stare. “Can’t I?”

She licked her lips. She searched her illusory counterpart’s face for inspiration. “Who is responsible for everything that’s happened? Who sent these disastrous events into motion? Who was it who struck Celestia down and cut Twilight to pieces?”

A smile crawled across Luna’s face, bearing a perfect set of predatory fangs. “Who would have dared to travel hundreds of years to face us? Who would be stupid enough to anger an alicorn princess of Equestria?”

Her eyes flashed white in the darkened room. “Who would dare oppose me, ruler of the land? Who would risk my wrath and the endless nightmares at my disposal?”

She cackled loud and long. “What an imbecile! What a fool! What a childish notion! To think that she seeks to stand toe-to-toe with me!

The crazed laughter shook her frame as she stumbled back to the center of the room. She folded her legs underneath her, lighting her horn with blue magic. “Very well, Hurricane,” she spat. “Sleep while you can, for the night is just beginning. On this Nightmare Night Eve, the Queen of Nightmares hunts you!”

Black eyelids closed over draconic pupils. “You’re nothing more than a dying dream, Commander.”