What Lies Beneath
Light refracted off of every building in the Crystal Empire that morning. The first train of the day had pulled away, and Boltsinger walked through the streets. His gait was awkward, wings pulled down and his belly unnaturally raised. He looked down between his forelegs, cocking an eyebrow at the dragon beneath him. "Are you sure you need to hide like this?"
"Do you want to get swarmed?" Spike retorted, careful to hide his face. "The last thing we need is for the Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious to get in the way."
"Oh, it can't be that bad." Boltsinger dismissed with a roll of the eyes. "They get that way for just about anyone that saves the Crystal Empire."
"Twice." The reptile added, bringing two claws forward from under the equine.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're the big hero." He directed his attention to the castle in the center of town, calling up a memory. "Oh yeah! You remember that giant tornado that totally destroyed the kingdom a few years back?"
"Uh… No."
Boltsinger lowered his head to lock eyes with him once more. "You're welcome." He wrapped his tail around the end of Spike’s, pulling him out from under him to plop onto his back. “I think you’ll be okay." A twitch came to his ear, directing his attention to the square. The sound of cheers reverberated all through town, declarations of awe and praise for great beauty repeating themselves from nearly every voice. "Besides, I think your adoring fans are a little distracted."
Spike stood up on the Pegasus' back, following his gaze with a hopeful smile. "You think it could be Paradigm?"
The stallion smiled back at his cohort, bending down with anticipation. “Could be. Wanna find out?”
“Ooof course!” he settled into position on Boltsinger’s back, holding on tight as wings flared and hooves flailed. Before Spike knew it, they were off at a gallop.
The crowd they found was different from what they had expected. Normally, there would be loud cheers, but this one had gone silent since their arrival. Only subtle comments could be heard every so often over the mumbles of other conversations. Boltsinger began to flutter above the crowd in an attempt to catch a glimpse. Walking gingerly through the clearing was an elderly-looking Unicorn mare with a coat of a faded color reminiscent of berries, turning to white at the tips of her ears and hooves. She was tall and slender, even despite her age, with a pronounced curve to her horn and eyes of a pale cerulean. Her Cutie Mark depicted a misty cloud, but above all else, her mane and tail drew the most attention. They were gradients of arctic blue and turquoise, fading to lighter shades at the ends, and like the rulers of the nation, flowed in the wind with an almost magical mist-like quality. She wore a graying blue yukata, signs of wear evident at every edge with a delicate blue flower at the base of her neck. She gave respectful nods to all of the Crystal Ponies around, making her way down the road to a garden of crystal blooms.
Spike rested his head on Boltsinger’s mane, looking on at the pony that drew such attention. “Oh yeah, Mistmane is living up here now.” He chuckled to himself, settling back between the flapping wings. “It’s no wonder everypony’s so distracted.”
“Did I just hear what I think I heard?” came a question from the crowd. In an instant, all eyes turned to the airborne duo.
“And with that, I take my leave.” the stallion declared, smirking back at Spike. “I’ll gather info while you tend to your adoring public.”
Spike’s eyes widened, head reeling back a ways. “What?! Why do I have to do this part?!”
The Pegasus’ smirk only grew. “That’s what you get for saving the Crystal Empire.”
“Hey, I didn’t say I agreed to this! Let me at least say--” With a burst of wind, Spike found himself tumbling backwards in the air mid-sentence. He opened his wings and began to flap furiously, righting himself and ascending a little before scowling at the orange and blue streak that was rushing away from him. He clenched his fist, jutting his arm forward and raising two claws. “Darn it, Bolt! I saved the Empire twice!!”
Boltsinger laughed as the dragon sank into the crowd, turning his attention forward. His mind raced with ideas of who to talk to about the pony they sought. He could pay Cadence a visit, given the proximity and a desire to see his niece. But that seemed like more of a distraction than a direction. He’d been chewed out on that subject more than enough. He considered the library, or asking various ponies around the town, but he could have stayed with Spike if that was all he was going to do. No, he had to find somepony that would really know what goes on in the Empire. Somepony with a good eye. “Of course!” He slammed one forehoof into the other as the idea hit him, his flight path altering to the perfect destination.
Slowly but surely, crystals began to take floral shape in a peaceful garden of sand. There stood Mistmane, her horn alight in a color not unlike the mark on her flank with a face of content on full display. Her work in the Crystal Empire had been a new challenge, but a fulfilling one. And the ponies she’d met through it all were equal in their complexity. She took a deep breath, taking in the beauty of what she’d created as the sound of flapping wings filled her ears. “Come to see the gardens?” she asked, unmoving. “Or are you here for something else?”
Boltsinger gently touched down behind the mare, bowing low as he did. “Well… I’m… here to speak with you…” He opened his eyes and rose, looking around the area. “Though I certainly can’t deny this place is beautiful.” When his eyes finally fell upon Mistmane, a lump formed in his throat. Up until that moment, it hadn’t yet dawned on him just who he was addressing. This was a sorceress on par with Star Swirl. The one Rarity looked up to, and the progenitor of her Element of Generosity. “Um… M-my name is…” He looked away, scratching his mane with his wing. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter to someone like you, huh?”
“Why wouldn’t it matter?” she asked, glancing back at him. “It wouldn’t trouble ‘someone like me’ in the slightest. But if you’re not comfortable, that’s perfectly alright." She gave him a soft smile, a glimmer of recognition in her eye. “So, then, what is it you’d like to speak with me about?”
The sorceress’ words put Boltsinger’s mind at ease to a degree, forcing him to slap his face with his wings and clear his throat. “Well then… My name is Boltsinger, and… I’m looking for a friend.”
“I see.” She turned to properly face her guest, taking in his features with a finely-honed eye. “You remind me of a pony I met a couple of moons ago.” She moved to a solitary rock in the center of the garden, taking a seat and putting a hoof to her chin. “He showed up in much the same way you did, actually. Quite sudden, like a flash of lightning.”
“Like lightning, huh?” Boltsinger cocked a curious eyebrow. “Sounds like an interesting pony.”
Mistmane slowly nodded, patting the space next to her. “Would you like to hear about him?”
With a light flap, Boltsinger took the offered spot, coming to a rest on the stone. “Absolutely.”
Mistmane looked up at the castle, stroking her chin with reverence. “Well then… As I said, he appeared in much the same way you did. I was standing just over there…”
It was another beautiful spring day in the Crystal Empire, in which Mistmane tended to the work she had come to love. She had long since been tasked with managing the crystal gardens, and the only thing that brought her more joy than the blooms themselves was the faces of the visitors who took it all in. She turned around to face one such visitor as he strolled in. He was a brown-coated Unicorn stallion with silvery eyes and a black mane. The smile on his face was different from what she was used to. Yes, there was appreciation, but at the same time… something else. She gave the pony a low bow. “How wonderful to see you in the gardens today.” she greeted, approaching him with a cordial hoof extended.
The stallion bowed in kind, taking her hoof and shaking. “Well met, indeed. You’re… Mistmane, yes?”
She nodded slowly, her eyes never breaking from his. “I am. But you have me at a disadvantage, sir.”
“I’d wager nopony has you at a true disadvantage, madam.” he corrected, lowering his head respectfully. “The ground upon which you trot is always the high ground.” He looked up once more, flashing a brilliant smile. “But it would be rude not to give you the courtesy. My name…” he put his hoof over his heart. “... is Paradigm.”
“I knew it!” Boltsinger exclaimed, swinging an enthusiastic hoof. “He did come here!”
“So he’s your friend, then?” Mistmane wondered, smiling at the stallion’s excited face. “I did think you felt alike. Something in your Cutie Mark seemed familiar. But I digress… A story must needs be told.”
Boltsinger froze for a moment, soon lowering himself to the floor. “Yes. Of course. Sorry about that.”
The elderly mare chuckled to herself. “You’re quite alright. Now, where were we...?”
“My name is Paradigm.” the stallion finished, returning to his full height with his hoof lingering over his heart. “And I’ve travelled quite a ways to meet you.”
The sorceress rolled her eyes. “Just like half of the ponies that visit.” Her face drooped slightly. While she loved what she did in the Crystal Empire, she had quickly learned the price of her legendary status. It was a minor inconvenience, but… “Do you have any questions for me?” One she was willing to deal with if it meant showing the land the true meaning of beauty.
Paradigm rose once more, stepping forward and waving a hoof in front of him. “Oh, I’ve a plethora, but I feel I don’t deserve to ask until I’ve proven myself.”
“Proven yourself?” A sense of intrigue found its way to the forefront at that statement. “And what sort of pony would need to prove themselves to me?”
The silvery magic in the stallion’s horn made itself evident in an instant, sparks of electricity surging within as his face turned to a smirk. “The sort that would take you away from this place.” He turned to the side, revealing his mirror of a Cutie Mark to be crackling with lightning, an image of her own mist cloud reflected within. Mistmane’s eyes widened at the marvel of a mark, only wondering what it could mean. Her pondering was short-lived, though, as Paradigm hunched over in a deep bow not unlike her own practice. Touching his horn to the ground, the whole area began to shake. Out of the ground sprouted a plethora of new crystals, twisting, turning, and converging into a singular shape above her. When the rumbling finally died down, the form that loomed ahead was one she’d not seen for more years than she could rightfully remember.
“How did you…?” she asked, met only with a playful smirk from Paradigm. “Hardly anyone knows what I once looked like… Let alone could create it like... “ she gestured to the wonder of statuary she now beheld, a vision of the mare from a time long before. A time when she had the outer beauty to match what she saw in others. Her eyes fell on the stallion, her own face the very picture of befuddlement.
Paradigm put a hoof on his creation, breathing a sigh of relief as his magic faded. “I couldn’t have done it without you.” He stood in front of the statue, looking back at his flank. “Your talent truly is incredible.”
“My talent?” she repeated, approaching him with an inquisitive eye. “Then what I saw before… On your flank?”
“As a matter of fact, yes.” he affirmed, gesturing to his Cutie Mark. “I suppose you can say I’ve always had an easy time learning from others. One might call it my calling. Which, frankly, brings me to my point.” He walked to the middle of the garden, gazing in reflection at the crystals all around. “Some time ago, I thought that I was worthless without the things I got from others thanks to this mark. Then I met some ponies that taught me that that’s not quite the case. Rather, that it helped me in ways not many ponies had access to. But that’s not really fair to everypony else, is it?” He looked back at her, gesturing to the area around them. “Why should I have this kind of skill if not to make it simpler for others? Teach them what my friends have taught me. That we can all be better if we simply watch and learn.”
Mistmane let out a chuckle, a chord of familiarity having been struck. “So you wish to teach like they do at the school Princess Twilight started?”
Paradigm winced for a second, hiding a mild blush behind his hoof. “Well, they’ve all certainly been a major influence…” He looked away with half a smile. “Some… more than others…” He closed his eyes reverently, finding his focus once more. “But no… I believe my path lies elsewhere.”
Mistmane sat by the statue, extending a hoof out to the stallion. “Very well, then. Care to tell me what your plan is?”
Paradigm’s mane fell over his eyes as he made his approach, an audible laugh ringing through the garden. “It’s simple. I need a troupe again.”
“A troupe, huh?” Boltsinger put a pondering hoof to his chin, reflecting on the choice of words. “When we met in Trottingham, Paradigm had this whole ‘Talent Troupe’ thing going on that had ponies thinking he was the only one that could spread the kind of knowledge and friendships they wanted. Starlight said it reminded her a lot of when she was more on the morally grey side, actually.”
“Yes, he explained that situation to me in detail.” Mistmane confirmed. “He also told me how you and your friends helped him try to change.” She looked away for a moment, her flowing mane moving to obscure his view of her face. “I am sorry for not being upfront about knowing who you are. You seemed... nervous when you landed.”
“I mean, I’m nervous when I meet anyone.” the Pegasus admitted, rubbing his neck with his hoof. “At least you weren’t as intimidating as Star Swirl.”
The sorceress smiled at the mention of her old friend, letting out a giggle. “Yes, he has that air about him, doesn’t he?” The ponies shared in a more boisterous laugh, easily regaining their calm. “I indulged him for a while of course. He seemed sincere, so I thought to hear him out. But rather than continue his pitch, he simply bowed and thanked me. It wasn’t for another two weeks that I saw him again…"
Paradigm stood alone in the crystal gardens as Mistmane made her approach. His presence had been expected since their last meeting, but she admitted to herself that this method came as a surprise. He had already begun tending to the flowers in much the same way she'd become accustomed, creating blooms that looked crude at first, but quickly changed into something with more flair to it as he went. “No… I’m not sure that’s right... “ he told himself, furrowing his brow at his most recent attempt. “Hers were more like…”
“It’s something more like this.” Mistmane finished, lighting her horn to effortlessly shape the crystal into a stunning rose. “But that was a good start. Have you been practicing?”
He turned around, a shade of red appearing on his cheeks. “Off and on, yes. I’ve been trying to get a grasp on it, but the sheer power of your talent is… a lot to handle.” His eyes drifted toward her Cutie Mark, a tiny spark flickering on the end of his horn. “It seemed a good idea to make my case again anyway.”
“That case about joining your little troupe?” she queried.
“That would be it, yes.” he stated, stepping aside to let her work. “I thought I could observe you while we talked, if you don’t mind. Perhaps you could teach me your method?”
Rolling her eyes, Mistmane moved the flower into place. “There’s not much to observe today. But I’d be glad of the company.”
“There’s plenty to observe in such a presence as yours.” he told her, making for a nearby path. “How about a tour, then? I don’t come to the Crystal Empire near often enough.”
Mistmane stood with a genuine smile, striding ahead of the stallion. “Yes, I think a stroll would be lovely.”
“Excellent!” Paradigm trotted in place, an excited flicker of electricity popping from the tip of his horn. “There’s a lot I want to ask, and this seems the perfect opportunity!”
The sorceress gave him an affirming nod as they began their walk. The gardens kept Paradigm in awe for a while, asking about the magic used to create such wonders. She indulged his curiosity for a while, talking at length about the philosophy behind her spellwork until the city proper came to view. All over, they saw examples of ponies working together, playing together, living together. A spark of wonder flew from his horn as he observed that which inspired his ambitions. He seemed especially curious about the particular activities the Crystal Ponies performed, how their Cutie Marks would sparkle when they accomplished their tasks. The more he looked, the more his horn began to discharge. Like he was tapping into the ponies around him. In a flick of intrigue and magic alike, she closed her eyes, letting an unseen magic spill from her horn. It washed over the ground around her, coming up and enveloping all sources of magic in the area. As expected, it crept up Paradigm’s legs, swirling around his Cutie Mark a little before moving up to his horn. From there, it shot out in every direction in jagged arcs, each landing on a different pony’s flank and pulsing back to him.
Most telling of all was the look in his eyes as each pulse returned. They grew wide for a moment, the silver in them flashing with power and a hint of hunger. He looked at all the ponies dotting the town, smile ever-widening before finally looking back at the legend in his company. “Is everything alright, Mistmane?”
The eastern mare’s eyes shot open, washing away the image before her to see the stallion’s concerned face. “Oh! Yes, quite alright.” She resumed her walk, taking a calming breath to regain herself. “I just got carried away by my thoughts.”
“Thoughts, eh?” he trotted up to match pace with her, quirking his eyebrows. “You wouldn’t happen to be considering my offer, would you?”
Mistmane smiled, beckoning him along to the garden. “There’s more to it than that.”
Paradigm lit up like a birthday colt, leaping ahead of her and flicking his tail. “Really, then? Do tell!”
“It’s about that magic of yours.” she explained, igniting her horn with a streak of magic that wrapped around his own. “I’ve been paying close attention to it, trying to see what makes it tick.” She sent a surge of her own opal aura into him, sending the stallion reeling back with a surprised gasp. “I’ve learned much in a short time. Like how you can feel every helping of power you access with that spark of yours.”
Paradigm’s face flushed for a moment as he waved the magic from his horn. “Is that so? I… hadn’t noticed.” His gaze went down, looking at his reflection with a weak smile. “I suppose it does feel good to learn from friends, doesn’t it?”
“It really does.” she agreed, slowing her pace as the horizon revealed the statue Paradigm had created. “Your cause is a truly noble one. It’s not the first time it’s been done, but nevertheless it’s one of the most admirable pursuits a pony can take on.”
Paradigm came to a stop in front of the statue, a realization beginning to form within. “I’m sensing a…”
“But…”
“There it is…”
“I don’t think that’s all there is to it in your case.” She put her hoof on the statue’s base, taking in its beauty once more. “Behind every beautiful dream belies something less lovely. I’ve seen it time and time again in the adventures my friends and I shared, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t see it in you.”
With a sudden snort, the black-haired Unicorn approached once more, a more prominent stomp in his step. “Less lovely? What can you possibly mean by that?”
Mistmane took a mournful look back at him, letting her hoof fall away to reveal cracks in the statue’s foundation. “The more power you take in, the more cracks appear.”
Paradigm’s forehoof did another stomp, extending the cracks further. “Power? What’s wrong with taking in a little power every now and then?” He waved a foreleg broadly, eventually pointing to the south. “Rarity told me that it was perfectly fine to do it if it helps me keep calm, and that’s precisely what I do!”
“That might have been true at first, but not so anymore from what I can see.” She put a hoof on his shoulder as she began her trek home. “You need to center yourself before you can authentically pursue your ambition. It won’t be easy, but it can be done.” She flashed him a small smile. “And when you’re ready, I’ll be ready to listen.”
“I don’t know how long he stayed in the garden after that.” Mistmane went on, regret lining her face as she looked back at Boltsinger. “Just that he was gone the next morning.”
Boltsinger stood with a stretch, breathing a sigh. “I can imagine it wasn’t easy to hear that from you.” He offered her a hoof to stand up. “But then again, nothing worth doing is ever easy.”
The Pegasus found his offer graciously accepted, as the elderly mare was soon looking him in the eye. “You sound as if you know from experience.”
“All too much, I’m afraid.” he admitted, scratching his neck with his wing. “There’s so much I’ve not been sure about. But it’s easier with my friends.” He started a walk down the road, beckoning the misty mare to accompany him. He chuckled at a thought that sprang to mind, but before he could voice it…
WHAM!
Something purple and green landed in front of them, groaning with pain. “Owww…” Spike pushed himself up from the apparent groove he’d made in the ground, spying the ponies as he took in his surroundings. “So that’s where you went.”
"How are the fans doing?" Boltsinger teasingly wondered, helping the dragon to his feet.
"Oh they're fine. Don't know a thing about Paradigm except that he went to visit…" he caught a glimpse of the Unicorn in their company. "... Mistmane. Hi."
“Lovely to see you again, Spike.” she replied with a courteous nod. “Your timing is impeccable, actually.”
“We’ve been talking about Paradigm for a little while now.” the Pegasus added. “It’s been… interesting.”
A glimmer of hope shined forth from the dragon's eyes, looking up at the elderly mare. "Interesting like you know where he went interesting?"
"I was going to get to that soon, yes." she confirmed, starting down the road with her guests. "This was just a few days ago, actually. The last time I saw him…"
"Mistmane!" Paradigm called, yanking the sorceress' attention from another visitor
"Mistmane, I need you to reconsider, please!"
She turned to face the stallion. His body was shaking like she had never seen before, hair disheveled, and a crooked smile on his face. She stepped up to him, extending a hoof. “Paradigm? Paradigm, are you alright?”
“I’m fine! Perfectly fine!” he answered, knocking the hoof away and trotting around her. “I’ve been working hard, after all! Trying to do what you asked! Can’t you see the difference from when last we met?”
“I can, indeed.” Her horn went alight, putting an ornate wall of magic in front of him. “And you seem troubled. Agitated.” She put a hoof on his shoulder, where his trembling sent a shock through her system.
He sent her a widening smile, eyes shrunken with an electric spark within. “I just did as you suggested, of course!” He let out a nervous laugh that only grew louder and faster, stepping back and looking at the sky before his head snapped back to look at her. “I haven’t ‘taken in power’ for two weeks! And I feel lo-ho-ho-hoooads better, as you can see!” He gestured broadly at himself. “So, I’m most certainly ready! How about you listen like you promised?”
“Yes, of course!” she sat beside the twitchy stallion, giving him a shaky smile. “Tell me everything, please!”
For a moment, Paradigm’s shaking slowed. He lowered his head, looking at his hoof with a deep breath. “I just… I can’t…” He raised his hoof so as to look at the bottom, as if expecting a kind of reflection there. “I can’t do this alone… I need…” He closed his eyes, hoof falling to the ground. “I need friends…”
“So, too, do we all.” Mistmane affirmed, scooting closer. “None of us would be who we are were it not for our friends.” She placed a hoof on his back, feeling his tremble all the more. “And someday I hope I can name you among mine.”
Silver eyes went wide once more, shifting to look at the mare next to him. “Someday?” He brushed the gray hoof away, brow furrowed and fierce as his horn came to life. “You just agreed that I need friends, but you hope that you can be one someday?! Why not now?!” He rose to all fours, his horn sparking with electricity that pulsed through the garden. “I’ve told you just about everything there is to know about myself! So why is it someday?”
The silver-eyed stallion’s sudden fury sent a strange pain to Mistmane’s head, forcing her a few steps back as she stumbled to her hooves. She shook her head, planting her hooves and standing firm. “You have to understand, Paradigm, that ‘someday’ is not ‘never’. I know about you, yes, but I don’t know you!” She put her hoof over her heart, attempting to step toward him. “That takes time and effort, just like anything else!”
“Then take the time! Make the effort!” he commanded, stomping hard enough to leave cracks in the crystal below as another pulse erupted from his horn. “Don’t just write me off as a ‘not yet’ or a ‘not now’! Come with me and become my friend!” The lightning on his Cutie Mark started to crackle, showing the faint image of a crystal blue shape in the mirror.
“I would love to do just that!” she declared, straining to stay up as another pulse began to push her back. “But you know it isn’t so simple as that! I’ve a job to do here in the Crystal Empire!”
“Oh yes, you make pretty flowers!” Paradigm spat, swiping his foreleg in front of him to send forth yet another pulse. “Such an important job to do when somepony else is in need, isn’t it?”
The sorceress’ eyes narrowed at the comment, her mane beginning to billow amidst the magical force sent against her. “You think sculpting flowers is all I do?” A streak of magic climbed up the grooves in her curved horn, followed by a blaze of raw power. “If that were the case, I would never have been called here!” She closed her eyes, hoof over her heart, and held her head high as the power from her horn took shape. A roar filled the air as the magic swirled together, revealing the image of a long, snakelike dragon with antler-like horns looming over the raven-haired Unicorn. “The Crystal Empire is my home, and I give my all to protect it and the Crystal Ponies who--”
A loud snort interrupted the mare as Paradigm reared up on his hind legs, flailing his hooves in the air with silver magical wings flaring out. “I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE CRYSTAL PONIES!!!” he declared, bringing his hooves down with a force that blew the dragon facsimile away. The ground rumbled at his display, causing large crystal formations to spring up around him, shattering every flower, every tree, and every statue in the garden to rain only the smallest of shards upon the present ponies.
The shards settled a moment later, dust clearing upon a ruined garden with Paradigm standing there, panting and furious. The magical wings remained at his sides, extended to their full length while his Cutie Mark reflected the familiar mark of a crystal heart with gold adorning each side. It took little time for a crowd to form around them, some ponies shaken by the show of power, some commenting on the presence of Princess Cadence’s Cutie Mark, and some urging their foals to get as far away as possible. Each voice, each word, each emotion echoed in the stallion’s ears, reminding him all the more of what he had once been, and what he feared he would become again. Finally, standing over him was the elderly mare he’d come so often to see, a look of pity adorning her features.
“That is why I cannot call you my friend yet, Paradigm.” she told him, sitting down before him. “You need time before you can open up, and someone who can better understand your plight. Otherwise, you may get lost in this power and lose yourself.”
“Someone to understand…” he repeated to himself. The mark in his mark flickered for a moment, quickly fizzling away along with the wings. “That’s… good advice…” He stood tall once again, smiling down at the Pillar of Beauty. “I’m… sorry about all this. I think it’s best I take my leave. Perhaps when next we meet, we’ll become proper friends?”
Mistmane stood up with a genuine smile. “I would like nothing more.”
“And when all was said and done, he took the next train westward.” Mistmane concluded, gesturing in the direction of the train station. “I’m just glad he was able to see some reason after all of that.”
“What about the gardens?” Spike windered, moving to a hover next to her. “You said he destroyed everything, but it was all shiny and beautiful just a minute ago.”
“All he destroyed was something created on the surface.” the old mare explained, lighting her horn to bring another crystalline bloom from the ground below. “It is certainly beautiful, but its true value isn’t in meager flowers.” She tapped the ground next to the stem, bringing a few extra leaves sprouting forth. “It’s what lies beneath that counts. Once you know that, recreating a garden like that becomes easy.”
Boltsinger let out a laugh, stopping to take in the view around them. “Only you would think something like that would be easy.” He paused for a moment, feathers stroking his chin. “Well… you and Rarity.”
Spike’s eyes went wide, sending him straight up for an instant. “That’s right! And speaking of Rarity, we gotta keep going for her sake!” He burped out his notebook, landing in front of Mistmane with quill in claw. “You said he was going to the west, right? Any idea what towns he might be headed to?”
Far to the west of the Crystal Empire, a loud knock came to the door of a house in a town that smelled of sweet pears. A tall, slender stallion stood on the front porch, waiting patiently outside as the sound of hoofsteps came up and opened the entryway. Inside stood a gray mare with green eyes, a white mane that faded to black at the end, and a brilliant glowpaz necklace. The stallion gave a friendly wave, smiling wide with a spark in his eyes. “Ah! Hello, Sparks! You’re just the pony I was looking for!”
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Good chapter, buddy!
I like the interweaving of the present with the past stories, makes it very dynamic.
The twitchy lunacy of Paradigm when he's been "abstaining" is well done too.