For Everfree

by NPP6

Beginnings

The doors opened as the blue box finished materializing, reavealing a brown eath pony, a greay pegasus, and eight bags with pictures of plants on the sides.
"Doctor," Midnight spoke, "I figured you had somewhen else to be when you disappeared after the jailbreak. What brings you here?"
"Debt." Came the reply. "Consider these a 'thank-you' for taking care of Ditzy. If you plant all of these seeds now, the first one will be ready to harvest in a month, and then another one every three weeks after that. I know it's not enough, but there's only so much I'm allowed to do using timey-wimey stuff to interfere with ordinary events. I hope it helps."
Moonchaser's eyes shone. "You have no idea. The nine of us have actually been discussing this exact problem. We'd come up with several solutions, but none of them were quite enough."
Contrail examined the bags. "If these produce at the average rate for the seeds we sell at my parents' shop... this'll feed about twelve ponies after that month mark... out of the forty-seven who've decided to stay out here in the forest after a dozen ponies have changed their minds again."
Rebel nodded, "Then that's a fourth of our problem solved. Now how are we going to feed the other thirty five?"
"Contrail?" Featherdancer asked, "Do you think you can provide some seed bags too?"
The grocer paused for a moment before shaking his head. "If it were only a bag or two... but for thiry-five? I don't think we even have that many seeds in the store, it's not exactly our primary item. And even if we did... my family barely gets by as it is, if we just gave away that much stock we'd starve."
Moonchaser spoke up, "What if I purchased some bags?"
"Well, you're not a farmer, so any more than four would draw suspicion. Still, I suppose that that's six more ponies we don't have to worry about in the long-term."
Lotus Blossom chimed in, "I could see if I've got anything lying around. Since I'm a gardener I could probably get away with smuggling a few more bags out of the city. Maybe enough to feed... ten?"
Cloudwing suddenly realized something. "Wait a second, a third of these ponies are foals, so they won't eat as much. Shouldn't we count them as half a pony each?"
Midnight shook his head, "No, they'll ned the extra for winter, planting next spring, and in case they get any more ponies."
"Shame they can't just live off the grass." Dust Runner noted.
Sunbeam responded, "That's actually not a bad idea, that'll probably halve our short-term load and take another pony or two off our long-term needs. Won't work if that's the only thing they eat, but it can fluff up the rest of their food some."
"What about wild fruit from the forest?" Rebel asked.
Lotus nodded, "That won't be easy to find, but it'll probably cut short-term needs in half again and should combine with the grass idea for a total of three ponies."
Ditzy spoke up as she pushed the last bag out of the TARDIS and did some quick math. "That's thirty one, only sixteen left to feed." Her excitement at how well this was going was tangible.
The excitement faded as the silence grew longer, everypony waiting for somepony else to make the next contribution. Finally Rebel sighed and rested his head on his hooves where he was lying. "Nopony else has any more ideas either, huh?"

---

Lotus Blossom quietly walked up behind where Midnight, Moonchaser, and Dust Runner were sitting. "I finished helping them get this miniature farm set up. Good thing we don't have to worry about water with the river right there. I set it up as best I could, but... at most, they'll be able to feed forty ponies. It's just not enough."
Midnight turned to face the sunset. "I don't know what to do. I can't think of anything that could help here."
Dust spoke up, "Well, we're not going to find answers here, are we?"
Moonchaser shook her head, "No, and we'll only add to the burden on their already limited supplies. We need to get back to Everfree, send them more supplies, and see if we can't find a solution there."
"I've got an idea." Sunbeam made her way along the edge of the cliff, Rebel and Cloudwing trailing a little behind her. "But the fact is that none of you are going to like it. I know it works, I know for a fact that it works, but it's not exactly any of your styles."
"It's better than nothing," Dust Runner summarized. "It's probably either that or let ponies starve. I can tell you right now which choice I'd take."
Sunbeam took a breath to steady herself. "The only way I can think of to feed these ponies is the same way I've fed myself for the past six years. If we can't get it by any other means, then we're going to have to steal it."
"No!" Everypony stared at Moonchaser in shock. It was a good thing that they weren't near the camp. "Sunny, we've talked about this, stealing isn't right! I understand that you had to do what you did, but you don't anymore! You can't go back to that lifestyle! You... you..."
She was cut off as Dust Runner threw a hoof around her neck and Midnight spread a leathery wing across her back. (All of them were in "Civilian" form at the moment) Dust Runner was the one who spoke, "Sometimes Moony, you don't have a choice between good and bad, right and wrong. Sometimes it's between bad and worse, and something that would be wrong in one situation is right in another."
"There will be rules," Rebel spoke up, "You're absolutely correct about it not being right to just rob innocent ponies, but what about robbing Discord? Government warehouses, guard cellars, Tartarus, even if we only stole scraps out of the nobles' garbage, it would feed at least a few mouths." He stepped around Sunbeam to stand in front of Moonchaser, flaring out his wings and lowering his head and shoulders in the standard pegasus submission pose. "I give you my word, we will do everything in our power to keep innocents from getting hurt."
The tableu was still for a moment before Moonchaser assumed the position of dominance, placing her right forehoof lightly on the part of his spine between his wings. "And I will hold you to it."
According to ancient traditions, she had just accepted responsibility for taking his wings if he broke his oath.

---

The nine ponies stopped at a point just outside the forest where the path they were on crossed another. The City of Everfree was just down the road, maybe a mile at most. "Looks like this is where we part ways." In response to everypony's confused looks, Midnight explained, "You all need to get back to the city. For me and Cloudwing, home's the tower. I guess I'll see you the next time a fight needs to happen."
Sunbeam cleared her throat. "Actually Inkwell, it might be a good idea for youto come into town with us. Lady Starshadow - Don't give me that look Moonchaser, I'm nowhere near comfortable calling her 'Mother' - took your visit as a promise to personally deliver Moonchaser. As in, she'll be expecting you to be present when she comes home."
Dust Runner stepped forward, "Very much so actually. After Sunbeam left she asked me to make sure the message gets passed on that she wants to sit down and have a conversation with you... It will likely be a lengthy one."
Midnight bobbed his head back and forth before nodding. "It won't hurt if I'm away from the tower for a few more hours. I've already told Starswirl that I'm safe... and I suppose I can get a message through if things take longer than expected."
Featherdancer spoke up, "I'll go with Cloudwing to the tower. We'll let Starswirl know what's going on and keep a lamp in the window for you."
The group parted, seven going one way, two the other. Quiet conversations picking up as they parted ways.
"What does Mother wish to speak with Midnight about?"
"She didn't say."

---

Midnight sat across a small table from the mare as she quietly sipped her tea. He had stopped by his parents' home before he came here and picked up a few things. Because this was a social call instead of a professional one, Silver Monocle had taken his robes to hang by the door. His saddlebags however he had kept with him, feeling that he may need several of the items in there for the conversation about to take place.
Lady Starshadow finally broke the silence. "My daughters seem to think highly of you. Tell me about yourself."
"I'm not sure there's much to tell M'Lady. I am simply a humble mage's apprentice." He paused for a moment. "Humble apprentice that is, Master Starswirl is quite fond of reminding me to reiterate that. Something about him having an image of vanity and skirtchasing to keep up."
The noblemare sighed, "Might we please dispense with the verbal jousting? I sense skill in you, but I'm afraid my energy is not where it need be for such, and I truly meant it when I said that I simply wanted to get to know you."
The colt dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Very well Lady Starshadow. You have likely heard something of me from your daughters, though I confess I am not sure what. Why don't we start by answering any questions you may have."
"Yes, what they told me... You are... different from what I was expecting."
"No surprise." Midnight removed a mirror the size of a plate from his bag. Briefly, he rested a hoof on the runes inscribed across the surface before said surface rippled and the runes disappeared. He laid the mirror on the table, and as he spoke, floating images, the size of a child's toy, appeared in the air over it. "My physical form is likely the most obvious detail. When Moonchaser and Sunbeam met me, I was a black pegasus with a deep blue mane and tail. In the dungeon, I revealed myself as a bat pony with the same coloration. Later, after the... ascension, I suppose would be that word, I was an alicorn, still holding the same coloration. Since I managed to make it so that we can shift back and forth, I have been both pegasus and bat pony with a dusky blue coat and a grey mane with some black streaks.
Let me make myself clear, that last bat pony is my natural body. The physical form that you see before you now is the one I came into this world with." All the miniature ponies disappeared except the one that matched Inkwell's present form.
"I'm intrigued as to your methods of shapeshifting, especially as you seem to have more forms than any of the others I've met, but perhaps the more pertinent line of questioning is your name. Sunbeam knows you as Inkwell. Moonchaser refers to you as Midnight Star. Dust Runner switches back and forth. What am I to call you?"
Midnight grinned ruefully. "I think that perhaps that question is best answered by explaining first my reasoning and giving second my answer."
"Very well."
"Prepare yourself, this story is quite fantastic. But it must be told. It is after all, why and how your daughter and I met..."

---

"...I see," Lady Starshadow finally said, "You have taken a great risk in telling me all of this."
"No greater risk than letting you know about my alicorn side would have been. Also... it seemed only fair to trade this secret, considering those secrets of yours that I know."
"Secrets?"
Inkwell paused before pulling a quill and parchment out of his bags. Silently, he wrote a complicated sigil which he laid on the table between them. "Let's start with basic facts. I know that Moonchaser was born as an alicorn, but doesn't know why or how she lost her horn. I know that Sunbeam was born an alicorn, and is very aware of how she lost her wings, and equally unwilling to discuss it. I know that Dust Runner is part of an exceptionally small circle of confidants who know the truth about your family. I know the true meanings behind your family crest and the 'secret crest' that you keep played close to your chest. I know that you are not Moonchaser's biological mother, and I also know you haven't told her that yet.
"None of this was too difficult to figure out. I'm Starswirl the Bearded's apprentice after all, and there's a lot that comes with that. Including that sigil - which I know you recognize - and the oaths which come with it. About the only thing I don't know is why. When the Draconequi made their coup a century ago, all of the alicorns were killed or banished. Starswirl thought he was the last member of any of their old orders of guards and supporters, and yet there's you. And then we've got two mares who were born as alicorns, which isn't supposed to be possible unless their parents are alicorns. Then the ascension happens, I'm still not sure exactly what powers we unleashed there, and we now have six alicorns running around, but somehow the Draconequi haven't managed to track any of us down yet.
"So before I this conversation goes any further, I need to know what you know. I need to know what's going on. I need you to tell me your story."
Starshadow sighed, closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Very well. There is, however, a condition. What I am about to tell you absolutely cannot reach Moonchaser's ears. I have waited many years for the time to be right, and I intend to continue to wait until it is. If I am going to trust you with this, then I need your word that you will not speak of it to anypony, and especially not her."
"Upon the counter-condition that if not knowing would cause her harm I am allowed to tell her, you have it."
"This is fair. I suppose I should begin at the beginning..."

---

In a hollow space in the wall, behind a portrait that stood between a pair of bookshelves, Moonchaser, Dust Runner, and Sunbeam held their breath. Watching through holes in the portrait's eyes and listening in on the conversation that they had decided to eavesdrop on, Dust Runner and Sunbeam switched to holding Moonchaser as the third mare's world came crashing down around her ears.