A city of a thousand bridges

by DarkKnight_RUS

Chapter 4 - Horse Circus / aka / Circus with horses

"...Why did I agree to this?" Loadstar grumbled, walking behind her friends. "Skipping the part that your plan is insane, I had no time to properly prepare for this!"

"You promised to Mouse, and I will make you keep your promise," Aria replied. "And knowing how much time you can spend preparing, we would have waited for you til morning."

The moon had passed beyond the midnight mark and was starting to lean towards the horizon when the three friends exited the library tower. Each one of them carried a thick stack of parchments. Working together, they, despite Loadstars prediction, had finished their essays in record time.

"But we have no idea where we are going!" the little mentat objected.

Aria sighed.

"Curly, come on... We need to find some kind of an animal. Where can we find one? At the `Starlight Square, obviously! It’s past midnight, and I can guarantee that we will find someone performing with tamed animals. It's that easy."

Grey Mouse blushed being mentioned. Surely she thought that she will get in the way of her friends.

Loadstar, unable to argue with Aria's plan, only grumbled.

"Just make sure that we’re back before the sunrise. We still need to turn in the essays! Otherwise, we'll get even in more trouble that we are now, and this night will feel like Day of The Warming Hearth!"

The flight-lead just rolled her eyes. «What a nerd!» could be read on her face. Luckily, Loadstar could not see that. But to be fair, the little bookworm voiced the same concerns Aria had.

Said square was located just a few blocks away from the library tower and was used in olden times for public performances. Long time ago, when one of the main islands of the Spire was just getting settled-in (and no one called it the Guest Island yet), Starlight Square was heavily used for public hearings. Later on, when the thestral’s population grew and laws changed, the vast square became home for annual fairs and random street performers, island itself grew a thick brush of hotels and entertainment facilities.

Round spaces were paved with dark hexagons made of pressed dustolite - the simplest material that can be made from the star dust, and looked like a dark matte stone with flecks of glitter. Most of the capital building of Starspire were made from it, as well as some roads.

And at the moment, the square was packed with ponies and fillies. Classes had ended, and later part of the night was reserved for games, at least for those who were not in trouble (Loadstar sighed from this thought) or sick. So CMSs easily merged with the crowd.

Although, there was still a chance that they would run into someone familiar or even, Luna forbid, one of the teachers. Just thinking about what would happen if they were to meet with Blue Sage made Loadstar tuck her tail in fear. On the other hand, it was highly unlikely for a reputable mentat to roam around Starlight Square. Well, not that meeting Aria and Mouse’s instructors would not be any better, they would just inform the Master later on.

The square was filled with sweets merchants and performers. Even though it was midweek, Starlight Square turned into a full scale fair: music, magic and tricks, treats and games… In spite of silly rumors, thestrals are just normal ponies, and just like everyone else, they like to have fun, sing, eat sweets, and enjoy the company of their own kind. Moon Guard parades, torch marchs, solemn chants, and martial arts tournaments - were all part of the night kin, but they had their own time and place.

Seeing her friends eyes lighting up from candy, fizzy drinks and other goodies, Loadstar tried to get their attention with a few pokes.

"Girls. You do remember why we are here, right?" She asked, trying to sound strict.

Aria sighed bitterly but did not object. Right now her friend’s fate was decided, and other things, like colorful, sweet, foamy, cotton candy could wait. Grey found it difficult to look away from clockwork figurines, and only lowered her eyes and ears.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked as she lowered her wing onto her friend’s back.

"Thank you," she replied shyly, "You are doing so much for me... I'm so embarrassed."

"You're always embarrassed," Loadstar smiled encouragingly.

"Look, I think that's what we are looking for," Said Aria, looking past the food stand, and swallowing heavily.

The pair followed the thestral’s hoof and saw what she was pointing at: a small scaffold and two performers bowing before the audience. First one was a very snazzy pegasus: her light-blue fur contrasted with full spectrum of colours spilling on her mane and tail. Surely, she used some kind of paint, or magic.

Second one, CMSs thought to be a regular light-brown earth pony, but when she bowed, they all saw her little round ears. When she turned, her pegasus-like wing could be seen, and her little bobble tail, so unlike any pony’s. And her legs ended in unnaturally small hooves.

"Oh my goddesses!" said Loadstar. "A real Peryton! never seen one before!"

"You're looking the wrong way," Aria corrected her, shouting over the stomping of the crowd, "There, next to the stage."

Loadstar looked where she was pointing, and saw some creature covered in colorful clothes, standing next to the stage. It paid no attention to what was happening on the stage, it just stood there, chewing phlegmatically. It was twice as tall as any pony Loadstar knew, and was very skinny, very hairy, with big pouting lips. Its back arched high into a big hump, and creature stood on four, weird looking legs. Legs that ended in what did not look like hooves at all.

"Why is it clothed?" Asked Grey Mouse.

"Its freezing, probably" Aria smirked. "They say that Starspire is quite cold comparing to the ground."

"And Cerveceria, land of the deers, is far south, beyond the ocean." added Loadstar. "It all adds up."

"So what are we waiting for?"

The three fillies moved forward, or at least tried to. It was hard to navigate in a packed crowd. Naturally, Aria and Mouse could have flown up and above the crowd, but they would have had to abandon Loadstar. Plus, flying above the crowd at any public event was a bad idea: if someone in the crowd would want to take a closer look or move, it would become a midair mosh-pit.

When they finally got to the stage, weird creature was long gone.

They heard weird flopping sound on the stage above their heads, as it turned out, the guest from far south was already there.

"Ahnd now, ladies and gentlepohnies," he said, surprising the CMS's with a thick accent as he addressed the crowd. "You will see deh mysticahl Mbandi Ka Gumene, an enchantress of deh mystairious cult of vudu, who will show you magical marvelss of Zebrika!"

A green cloud of smoke covered the stage with his final words. When it cleared, the weird presenter stood next to the fillies, taking on a phlegmatic expression as he chewed on straw.

A zebra appeared on the stage, dressed in her country’s traditional clothes. Loadstar remembered that she had read about that country and its locals. How they endured the most severe crisis of state during Era of Discord, and hadn't really recovered since then. Practically all of the territories of the country returned to a tribal system, or even to the wildness of herd life.

The striped enchantress showed pictures made of glowing fog, chanting mystical words in a foreign languages. The three fillies were utterly bewitched by what was happening on the stage, but Loadstar could see through all of it - simple tricks with alchemy powders, those that did not leave any arcane traces.

"Excuse me," the little filly asked phlegmatic presenter. "Can you understand me?"

He lowered his head from up high and leveled with the little mentat. His big-lipped face broke into a smile.

“Eh, little unicorn? Are you not entertened by de show? What could old Amir do for you?”

"I am a mentat!" Loadstar pouted a little, "But that's not important... may I ask... what are you exactly?"

“I am a Dromahd, little mehntat,” Starspire’s exotic guest replied with a smile, “from kamel tribe, dat lives next to Zehbrika and Cervidas. Far beyond the Bitter sea. Your tribe calls this the Sea of Eternity.”

"I have never heard about your kind..."

“Dat means you have not read the works of gret Mahrko Pohne. Or you don’t care about Equestrienne trade routes.”

Loadstar bit her lip and nodded. Marco Pone was one of the ancient flyoneers, who reestablished Equestria’s diplomatic and trade connections after the age of Discord, when all of the worlds nations were thrown into primal savagery. She had heard about him, but did indeed, never read his books, because they were scheduled for the next year’s curriculum at the academy.

“Oh great Omnivor! That is adorable!” Amir laughed, noting the mentat’s confusion. “Go, watch de show, enjoy de night, have fun with smol friends! Old Amir will bore you with stories of old Camelu some other time.”

Loadstar sighed. Looking back at her friends, she wanted to call them aside, but seeing the enthusiastic looks directed at the stage, she stopped. In the end, it was already past midnight, it was pointless to look for any kind of animal at this point. And, cross her heart, she wanted to watch the colourful fog, dancing shadows, moving dolls, and mysterious lights…

«Ah, heck!» Loadstar thought and sat on her behind, looking at the stage. «you have to rest sometime!»

Pillars of green fog grew on the stage, zebra gazed at the crowd and announced:

"To show my power to you all,"
"I summon now the bravest three!"
"Which one of you, bat-ponies folk,"
"From danger wouldn't flee?"

"I am not afraid!" bright voice replied, before anyone could react.

The zebra smiled.

"Amazing! but there is no queue!"
"And i still need another two!"

"Mousy!" Aria proclaimed.

Ignoring loud squeaking of her friend, she grabbed the smaller filly, and flew to the stage, cheered by the crowd.

"And Curly," Aria called from the stage, looking sternly at the mentat. "Get your hind over here!"

Loadstar could not believe her eyes and ears. It wasn’t like they had nothing else to do but entertain the crowd on the Starlight Square, attracting much unnecessary attention.

«Although,» she thought that, while walking up the stairs to the stage. «If only master Sage wasn't here, if only he wasn't!» she started to panic. «And no one from my class too!»

Mbandi Ka Gumene up close turned out to be a very young zebra, dressed in flowers and leaves. Fake ones, which made sense: no way you can carry around a wagon full of exotic flora. Her deep brown eyes were underlined with ink, and she wore a crown of exotic feathers.

«Those can't be bird bones, right?» Loadstar thought, looking at the zebra’s necklace.

The rainbow-coloured pegasus and winged deer that performed earlier, following the zebra’s signal, dragged three boxes on to the stage. The boxes were painted with creepy masks and exotic inscriptions. The front walls of the box were doors. Ones that could fit an adult pony.

Mbandi asked the little fillies to enter the boxes, closed the doors, and left them standing in grey dusk that would look like complete darkness to any other pony. Loadstar noted that the inside walls of the box were lined with additional panels. She could not tell what they were, but to touch, they felt like glass or something as smooth and polished.

Soon enough the doors opened, and additional panels turned on hidden hinges. Loadstar could hear that Mbandi was saying something about «disappearing ponies», and at first, she did not realize why the crowd was cheering and stomping.

«But we are right here!» she thought.

The crowd, it looked like, could not see her standing in the box. She even tried jumping and waving her forelegs, but no one noticed that.

Taking a closer look, little mentat smirked. The trick was very simple: weird panels were indeed mirrors, one way mirrors at that. And from the crowds view, it would appear that boxes were indeed empty, even though there was a filly right in front of them.

Suddenly the panels turned, and the crowd cheered the «reappearance» of the mentat. But before she could do or say anything, the doors closed again, and muffling the sound on the stage.

Doors opened a few times more. It was accompanied by clouds of colorful fog and 'mystical' chants.

Apparently, Mbandi was showing the «re-appearing» and «disappearing» fillies in random order.

After a few minutes, all three were released from the «Gates of Horror» and presented to the roaring crowd. Loadstar looked at her friends and realized that they too, were disappointed from just standing in the box.

When Mbandi started to cite poems about 'ancient voodoo magic', Loadstar frowned and shouted, crossing her forelegs at her chest.:

"That's not real magic. Just alchemy and slight-of-hoof tricks"

Zebra looked at her with a smile.

"Are you saying little one,"
"That honest folks I fooled for fun?"

"I did not say that. Just don't call it magic when it clearly isn't. Poems and colorful fog - are nice, but still just tricks."

Aria punched her friend’s side:

"Do you have to be a showoff?"

But Loadstar's magician’s honor was hurt, so she persisted:

"This so-called, 'magic', leaves no arcane traces. And by default, can not be called such."

Zebra continued to smile.

"The sorceress's skepticism is clear to me,"
"I will dispel all doubts with glee."

"I really doubt that you can," Loadstar replied.

"And if i prove I tell no lies"
"Will you then apologise?"

"Deal, but you will have to impress me with something bigger than preschool alchemy and lame flipping mirrors!"

Grey Mouse lowered her face to Loadstars ear and whispered:

"You are being rude..."

Loadstar did not answer, but flicked her ears. She too thought that last reply was a bit rough, but it was too late.

Mbandi turned to the crowd and proclaimed:

"Ladies and gentlecolts, witness this test,"
"An ancient ritual I shall perform!"
"From a little enchantress, a lofty request!"
"You'll witness a miracle, out of the norm!"
"When the spell is cast, (and i'll do my best!)"
"Our insolent friend will reform!"

The zebra, cheered by the crowd, drew a triangle on the stage and placed a horseshoe, a big feather, and a green stone at it corners. After that, she turned back to little fillies and asked,

"Please, take your places, little friends"
"On items ancient spell depends"

Loadstar noted, that the crowd went silent, and that other performers were looking interested at what would happen, unlike zebras previous tricks.

It looked that her pride was hurt too, and she decided to show something new.

The little mentat snorted. She walked and sat next to the feather, Aria went with the shoe, and Mouse with the stone.

The middle of the triangle was left for the lit brazier, that Amir, with great difficulty, pulled onto the stage. Mbandi pulled out some kind of blue powder and sprinkled it over the blazing coals. Blue smoke soon filled the whole stage, and zebra’s voice became omnipresent.

“Fillies, three, upon the stage
Want to put my magic to the test
Spirits from another age
Come, help me put their doubts to rest
I hope that after this session
Every filly will have learned a lesson!”

She threw some sticks and leaves on the coals. The smoke started to smell funny, not unpleasant, but irritating for the nose.

Suddenly, Loadstar felt something. Looking at the zebra, she saw two fiery eyes and swirls of blue smoke around them. It became really uncomfortable. She thought that the zebra could have mixed some sort of hallucinogen into the powder! In that case, how could she tell what was real at that point?

But the zebra continued, and darkness started to swirl around them. It felt like everything around was starting to disappear: the square, Starspire, the whole world... there was nothing left but deep, blue, scary eyes.

She felt a pinch in her horn, normal when Loadstar detected a vague presence of magic, but that was it. Worse than that, the little mentat’s own magic stopped responding to her calling. Loadstar wanted to tell this to her friends (to keep them brave), but could not make a word.

She had enough time to regret her bravado, characteristic usually reserved for Aria (truly, lead by example!) and closed her eyes in fear.

Suddenly it all ended.

There was a brief pause of silence, one that was immediately broken by an uproar of the crowd.

Loadstar opened her eyes and realized: something was wrong. Starlight square looked different. It felt like it was much darker, with thicker shadows, and the magical lamps that lit the the streets turned from being bright to some hue of evil green. The whole crowd was covered in shadows, and only a blinks of golden eyes and vague shapes could point that it was filled with thestrals.
The whole of Starspire was covered in darkness, highlighted by spare lights of the streets.

"What's going on?" asked little mentat.

Just to be sure, she tried to look over her glasses, but her theory about them being broken or tinted was false: nothing changed, well, aside from it going all blurry for a moment.

She tried to detect any trace of magic spells around her, but her magical concentration did not bear any result, she could not feel anything. She was going to turn to the enchantress, but looked at her friends and stopped in awe.

Because they were different.

Instead of Grey Mouse she could see a very confused deep-green unicorn with, again, pale-green mane. Aria’s place was occupied by a yellow-ish earth pony with fiery red mane and... adorable freckles on her face.

Loadstar heart skipped a beat, and she slowly looked down. She saw snow-white hooves and a sky-blue tail, that somehow reminded her of lollipops.

Jumping up, she felt that something was tugging at her back. Looking back, she predictably saw very accurate, ruffled wings.

With feathers.

She could not say a word, but heard Aria’s scream, and her voice was filled with notes of real panic.

"That's what?! How?!" the little earth pony turned to the crowd. "You see it too?!"

Crowd cheered and laughed with some voices agreeing with her.

The little yellow blob with a fiery red mane jumped to the enchantress and started to shake her:

"Make it go back!"

Crowd’s laughter became louder.

Loadstar was completely stumped, and trying to gather herself.

Wings.

Something, that she was denied from birth. Something that would make her... normal. The violet eyes of the white pegasus that Loadstar had turned into filled with tears.

She felt someone hugging her gently, and looking up, saw a smiling Grey Mouse... One who did not look too shocked by the sudden change in her pony type.

"Don't cry," she said, "Aria is going to vent, you will ask for Mbandi's forgiveness, and she'll turn us back."

Loadstar reflexively folded her wings and leaned closer to her friend. She could hear angry shouts of Aria Midnight, but freshly-made pegasus was filled with her own thoughts.

---

...Academy gates. A flock of foals, all with horns on their heads. Proud parents, those thestrals, that Luna’s grace granted a child, imbued with arcane magic.

Excitement, happiness, pride - all reflected in many faces. And only few eyes were filled with tears, even though the deal was agreed upon long ago.

Two thestrals, a grey stallion and a pure-blue mare, hugged their white-maned daughter, one, as she leaned towards her parents.

"It's not because we don't love you, Loadstar," said Father.

Mom agreed

"It's the opposite."

The stallion continued, patting his daughter’s curly head.

"The Academy will take care of you. And your gift."

Loadstar sobbed quietly, unable to reply as her mom nuzzled her mane with her head.

"Remember, you are special. Double that. You’re not just a mentat, but a mare too, and that is very rare."

The filly managed to reply through her tears.

"That means that i will be a Lone-star..."

Parents did not reply.

She always wanted wings instead of her horn. At that age, she thought that her parents were just... getting rid of her.

Her mom joined in.

"That's not true. I am sure that you will find great new friends at the Academy. You will have the best teachers, and interesting classes."
Loadstar stopped holding herself, and started to sob helplessly…

---

«But i don't want to turn back!» Loadstar wanted to scream, from all her memories flooding in. «I want to be just like everyone else! With wings!»

Deep inside, she always thought that having a horn instead of wings was the reason her family abandoned her. Right now she really wanted to run away and stay a white pegasus forever. But at the same time she knew, that according to the base laws of magic, if all three were enchanted by the same spell - all three will have to be disenchanted to remove the effects. And leaving her friends behind just to save her new wings... tempting as it was, would be too selfish for Loadstar to do. Too... disloyal

In the meantime, the zebra, struggling to keep herself from laughing while looking at Aria’s speckled face, turned to Loadstar.

"We had a deal little mentat: no need to puff!"
"Admit that my voodoo magic is not a bluff!

The little cream coloured earth pony, still clinging to the zebra's neck, turned her head and saw that Loadstar was sobbing in Mouse’s embrace. She started to shake zebra's neck with new strength.

"You! Made! My! Friend! Cry!!"

A few leaves and feathers fell from Mbandi’s crown.

Loadstar raised her tearful eyes and said, "Fine! Voodoo magic - is real! Evil and vile magic, bringing nothing but pain and suffering!"

The zebra’s face turned serious. She carefully grabbed flailing cream pony, and sat her next to her friends.

Ignoring Aria’s angry hissing, and a roll of quiet whispers in the crowd, Mbandi sat in front of the three and looked into Loadstar’s eyes.

"This magic has no evil intents!"
"It simply reflects how your inner self presents!"

"My inner self is wingless?!" Aria shouted. "I'm gonna turn your inner image outward!"

Zebra looked at her reproachfully.

"Look not at appearance, but look at the essence."

Her deep blue eyes, still flickering with mysterious lights, turned to Loadstar.

"You too, my friend, forget this not!
An important lesson has been taught."

Little fillies looked at each other in confusion, while she continued.

"Your spirit is winged"
"And it soars up high"
"Gravity cannot hold it,"
"No matter how hard it may try!”!"

"And what about Mousy?" Asked Aria, pouting. She had already lost her anger at the Zebra’s explanation. "And why is my image is wingless?"

"She knows magic's secrets, although she is shy"
"Your fate, however - is not in the sky!"

She said it loud enough so that the crowd could hear. After those words, many ponies started to stomp in approval, and Mouse’s whole face turned red.

The fillies looked at each other.

«Is this how my mom sees Starspire?» Aria suddenly thought, but asked aloud,

"You mean, you can predict the future?"

Mbandi made a vague gesture with her hoof, and playful sparks crossed her eyes.

"Oh, little brave heart, you should know"
"old spirits know how time will flow!"
"And if you ask them how you will grow,"
"to some, sometimes, the truth they'll show."

"But can you tell us, when will we get our cutie marks?" Aria perked her ears. "And which ones?"

Mbandi just smiled cryptically and continued:

"Oh, not today, my little friends,"
"It's time to get you back to your old selves."
"So stand in the triangle, as the spell ends,"
"So you can continue your cutie mark delves."

This time the smoke was pink, and soon enough, bright colours returned to the streets of the night city.

And if Aria and Mouse felt relieved, Loadstar just sighed: she would give anything to exchange her magic for a pair of regular pegasus wings. But in her heart she knew, if that were to happen, she would turn from an outstanding young enchantress into a burden in the flight wing. Simply because she had absolutely no idea how to use those wings. And because she could not imagine herself living anywhere else other than the Academy, or her home in Starspire.

Her experienced friends would have helped freshly-turned pegasus to «break her new wings», but she knew she would cause many problems for whomever would accept her in the unit. And Loadstar knew well enough what it meant to hold the class down. She really did not want to be someone whose failure would ruin everyone's marks, just because she wanted to be «just like the others».

And to top it of, her parents, and the mentats board (represented by master Blue Sage) pinned such great hopes for the young student, that Loadstar could not even imagine letting them down. No way!

As soon as she imagined the disappointment of her mentors, she bashfully lowered her eyes and ears. Yeah, wings would have made her normal. But just thinking about betraying her superiors hopes and plans made her very sad.

So, she knew that she could live without wings, but would never exchange someones else's hopes and happiness for a chance to fly.

That's why she just sighed, and did not say a word when she heard the new spell flow around them.

"Three little fillies"
"It is time"
"to turn back the magic"
"with my rhyme"
"And i will tell, i know your fates"
"ahead of you , adventure awaits"

***

...the moon was starting to lean really low when three friends finally returned to the tower.
Fillies were laughing and reminiscing about the events of the night when they entered the hall, where they were supposed to stay and study. But, Loadstar’s smarts, Aria’s energy, and Grey’s artsy approach allowed them to finish the tasks far faster than Princess Luna prepared to roll away the moon.

Loadstar would have never thought that you could do the homework and slip away for the night. In her mind, disobeying orders automatically meant that you would not succeed in class, no way around it.

"Well, that was fun," Loadstar tried to smile, while still dreaming about her magical wings, "We managed to do it all: homework, CMS agenda meeting, and even to go out and look for Grey’s cutie mark... although, I think we were just having fun outside."

"Yeah, it was cool!" Aria jumped around the room. "I could have never thought that anyone could do homework so fast!"

"And I was really spooked," Grey confessed, folding her ears, "when Mbandi said that I had disappeared."

Loadstar smiled indulgently and reached for the tube, that had their essays scrolls and notes on the events that happened.

She found nothing.

"What's wrong?" Aria worried, seeing her friend’s face change.

A sudden realisation struck her like a lightning: she remembered going up the stairs, helping with the trick, and then they were all going back, leaving the tube leaning next to the stage, right next to the Amir the Dromad…

Feeling guilty and with a reddened muzzle with pressed ears turned to her friends.

"Girls... I think, the tube is back at the circus..."

"The WHAT?!" Aria jumps. "How could that happen?"

Mouse, looking completely dumbfounded that her mentat friend could be so unorganised, just looks at her friend in awe.

Loadstar blushed red under her gaze:

"I took it off, to take part in the trick, and I think I left it by the stage."

The fierce thestral wanted to accuse her friend of irredeemable forgetfulness. But this time her mind went faster than her tongue, and she realised that it was her, Aria, that called Loadstar to be a part of the trick.

So little flight-lead just replied sorrowfully, holding her head.

"You mean what? All of our hard work went bye-bye?"

"Well..." Grey Mouse struggles. "Maybe we can state the truth, and say that we lost it?"

"And admit that we have sneaked out to Starlight Square? Yeah, the mentors are sure going to believe that we went looking for the cutie mark, and not to ogle at performers, while we were supposed to be doing our homework, not after!"

"We could write them again." Loadstar proposed. "We still remember what we wrote, right?"

"Oh-h NO!" Aria shouts, imagining what it would feel like to rewrite the whole essay or to apologise to trainer Bane Fire. "We are going back there right now! we can still make it in time!"

Fillies ran to the exit.

"I'll go ahead, catch me up on the spot" Aria shouted taking off.

Before her friends could have said anything, she disappeared in Starspire’s dawn sky.

"Catch her!" Loadstar shouted, galloping on the paved street.

Grey Mouse, flying next to the mentat, looked at her.

"Catch Aria? No way..."

Loadstar brow arced: sure, little flight-lead was fast, but any grown thestral should be able to keep up with her, even a few of her peers were better at flying. She did, however, fly at breakneck speed without any sense of direction, so in a fair race she had a chance overtake her more cautious opponents. And if she would manage not to hit every single obstacle on the course, she could even take the pedestal.

Soon little mentat regretted two things: missing her wings (she was still enchanted by the experience), and not trying hard enough in her gym class. She could barely pass the minimal requirements.

Although, they found Aria sooner than expected: she was waiting for them at the closest crossroad, dancing in frustration, looking at her friends.

"One for all, and all for one!" She proclaimed, swinging her hoof and almost hitting a random pedestrian. "Let's run together!"

Grey Mouse landed and nodded, soon enough, all three were running back to the Starlight Square.

In a shot while, they had to slow down to a modest trot, Loadstars side’s were heaving, her meticulously brushed mane was tousled and wet with sweat, and her legs felt like they were on fire. Unlike Aria, who did not even broke a sweat. And Grey Mouse, who was running next to her, did not look tired at all, and that made it even worse. Her shy and timid friend turned out to be far stronger then she appeared to be!

Loadstar could feel her friends looking at her, disapprovingly. She could only blush profusely, and not from running. Grey and Aria, obviously, had not said a word, but Loadstar could feel that she was dragging them down. Yes, physical fitness was never a strong side of night unicorns. After all, in the next year, she would have taken apparition classes and would be able to teleport anywhere with ease! But that would be next year, and for now, she had to run.

When the three friends arrived at the Starlight Square, they were in for a shock: the stage was occupied by a different set of performers. Two thestrals, looked like twins, were in the middle of a shadow theatre play, moving figures in the dim light.

And of course, the tube was gone.

After a few spastic questions, the fillies found out that old Amir tried to find the owner of the tube in the crowd, but eventually just packed it with his stuff at the circus wagon.

"Where are they?" Sniffling Loadstar asked old thestral that was playing chess with his friend. "Where did they go?"

"Well that's easy," old stallion replied, "they went down, back to Equestria."

Loadstar plopped on her rump helplessly.

This was a disaster!

They had no chance to find the essay until dawn, no time to rewrite them, they probably could not even make it back to the library at this point. Although, latter mattered little: missing homework would forever ruin Loadstar’s flawless report card.

It was hard to look at her without feeling sad: purple ears hanging powerlessly low, red eyes full of tears.

Aria felt an unusual feeling of protest rising her chest.

No way she could allow some lousy homework make her friend cry! Especially if Aria felt like it was partially her fault!

"Let's go!" the little thestral said. "The circus could have not made it far, they just spend the whole night performing!"

"Go where?" Grey asked quietly, hugging her sobbing friend with a wing. "They went down..."

"They went down, so shall we," stated Aria Midnight and flew from excitement. "We’ll catch up to them and get our essays back!"

The friends looked at each other.

Grey Mouse, shocked by her friend’s proposal to descend down into Equestria, looked at Aria with eyes wide open, hoping for her to admit that this was a joke.

On the other hand, the Star Bridge was not a forbidden place and open to anyone. It's just that thestrals, usually, had no reason do descend into Equestria. Plus the fact that Equestria lived on a different schedule, while thestrals were hiding from the blazing sun, day ponies were just getting out of their warm beds.

Also, every night pony knew from young age that down below, there were a lot of places as dangerous as the islands of the Belt. And you could get into trouble easily without even realising what had happened.

There were a lot of tales told in the floating city about horrors of living on the ground. Although telling what was truth and what was false? Impossible.

"We will be punished," Loadstar said helplessly, "If we will go without permission."

"We will be punished either way!" Aria stopped her. "But you will not get an F, just because someone nicked our homework!"

"But how can we..." the little mentat was lost. "We will go alone? Without adults?"

She was on the surface once before, but she was with a group of other students. And master Blue Sage, who was looking after little mentats at the School for Gifted Unicorns, recently established by Princess Luna.

"Aww, we'll be quick," the little rascal smiled. "No'ne would even notice. And even if they will, we'll be punished for going unattended, and not for losing our homework!"

Loadstar noted that Aria Midnight was getting really good at persuading others. A noteworthy skill for a flight-lead, but she only used it for her mischievous pranks.

But a single glance at Aria's face, and all of the doubts were gone.

"So, let's not waste any time!" said Loadstar. "Since we'll go just for a bit, no need to pack our bags, we might get too far behind and lose the trail."

Three fillies bumped hoofs in agreement, and walked toward a tall building that had a massive silver arch that was leaving the island.

Loadstar, filled with excitement for a new adventure, suddenly noticed that Grey Mouse was looking hesitantly at her friends.

Aria noticed too:

"What's wrong Mousy?"

"N-nothing..." little thestral whispered, covering herself with a wing. "N-nothing important..."

Aria rolled her eyes.

"Oh spit it out! We all know too well how you act when you want to say something!"

"I..." she whispered even quieter, "Its, nothing really... we'll have no time for it"

Loadstar stepped closer and leaned to her friends side.

"Tell us Grey, we promise we will not laugh."

"I thought... if we are going down there... then maybe... I might get my cutie mark, by befriending some local Equestrian creature?"

"Well, that's a good idea" Loadstar smiled. "We'll just have to decide when we get there!"

Aria raised her brow:

"What's this? No extensive planning, no unnecessary preparation? Curly you're... matureiening, yeah."

Loadstar replied in kindness.

"Just like you Auritia, I see you have learned a new big word!"

Friends looked at each other and laughed.

It was easier to conquer massive essays, travel, and even break some rules, when you are doing it together.

Because pleasure and happiness multiplied by three, while burdens and punishments were divided by three.

***

The Star Bridge.

So many stories, tales, and legends surrounded it. Just think about it: why would winged ponies even need a connection to lower grounds? But wiser creatures will tell you that, even gliding down from such heights is not a trivial task. And returning back, up in the sky? Legend says that only a few, strongest and sturdiest winged ponies ever managed to do it.

Starspire, floating above the clouds, where even midday sky does not turn blue, and stars can be seen with the sun, would have been inaccessible for most ponies, if not for the Star Bridge, a gift from the night princess.

In ancient times, first thestrals that stepped on the lower islands of Twilight Isle, Celestia Fields, and Dawn Rock, were mighty warriors, exhausted by the ascent, to what felt like, the Night Princess’ sleeping quarters. And as a matter of fact - was true, but that for the longest time was debated by historians and theologians. Right up to a moment, when the Princess herself confirmed the events, as she was the owner of the only structure on the islands that thestrals found - the Luna's Tower.

Settlement went slow: huge heights, harsh environment (the magical barrier were not raised yet!), and numerous political disputes that raged down on the surface had brought the bat-winged pegasus tribe to a brink. But leaving leaving inhospitable mountains, way up in the sky, thestrals found security, and harsh nature of the magical islands.

When Luna appeared to her tribe, aside from righteous anger for the internal conflicts, she brought The Great Gifts of the Night: magical songs and stardust. A universal material that, with a simple spell, could be transformed into anything: houses, tools, daily necessities, and alchemical components.

And the pinnacle of the magical engineering was the Star Bridge: a cyclopean structure made of stardust, that connected the Starspire to the Sister's Castle.

Externally, the Bridge looked like a thin arch that emerged from the ground next to the station on the Twilight Isle and arched down.

Both sides of the bridge ended with transport hubs, looking like train stations. With one major difference: tickets for the Star Bridge were free, in accordance with the 'free roaming' law in Equestria.

Naturally both the stations and the bridge were just a visible part of a far greater magical structure, created by the princess herself.

Up here, to get to the bridge, you had to go through the real castle, built from dustolite. The walls were covered in murals, telling the stories of the night tribe, their traditions, and notable events. A crystal roof allowed night sky’s stars to shine down on the ever-polished, mirror-like floors. A few spells that 'bent' the light inside created an illusion that three little fillies walked through an endless night sky.

Beside murals, they saw locked doors, sealed with princesses crest. There were rumours, that she wanted to build more Star Bridges, leading to all major cities of the land. Which in turn meant, that just by passing through Starspire, you could travel from across whole Equestria in a single day.

Far better, than spending weeks rattling on the ground routes, even the Royal one.

And if the thestral capital would have turned into a major commerce hub for the whole country, prosperity would have been inevitable. Considering that other countries and major ports could have been 'connected' too.

It was also rumoured that the massive ports of Manehattan were built to sustain the cargo flow it would bring.

Loadstar led her friends to the opened gates.

"Have you ever been down there?" she asked.

Both thestrals shook their heads, which was not surprising: little night ponies had no reason to, unlike a talented mentat, who had spent six months in Canterlot’s school for gifted unicorns.

"I've heard, that the bridge is very long," said Grey Mouse, "And that you have to walk for very-very long time, holding to the rails..."

"What nonsense!" her white-maned friend stopped her. "Do you think Princess Luna just stretched a huge wooden bridge between Twilight Isle and Equestria? Think about it, Starspire is constantly moving, how could it be solid?"

"How does it work, then?" Aria asked.

Loadstar fixed her glasses and, using her favourite mentor’s tone, explained that the Bridge is just a complex techno-magical construct, rigid in physical form, but ever flexible on higher planes of reality, which in turn allowed the bridge to 'stretch' and even 'flicker' in objective reality, just like a mirage.

And of course, you did not have to walk all the way, that would take a whole day.

Anypony that stepped on the silvery bridge turned into a single spark of light that would shoot to the other side of the bridge. The whole journey would take roughly a minute and was a vivid experience: rapid ascension or freefall down. It was recommended to keep your eyes shut during the travel, but other than visual changes, there were no other effects or sensations.

"I'm scared," Said Grey Mouse, hugging Aria.

"Just remember, that we are going for your cutie mark too," the mentat smiled.

Aria Midnight hugged her friend with her wing and nuzzled behind her ear.

"We are together. And new adventure awaits!"
The shy filly smiled, and the friends firmly stepped through the wide gates of Star Bridge.

"Just remember," Loadstar warned, "during the day on the surface, we have to wear special goggles to save our eyes. And the sun - is far more brighter and warmer."

"And moon?" Aria asked.

"Moon? It doesn't change. You just see less stars due to the thicker atmosphere."

"Where will we get those goggles?" Grey Mouse whispered quietly.

"On the surface side, they are always available at the station. We will give them back when we will be done."

A clatter of small hooves changed tone, and friends looked down at the floor. Dustolite floors changed into the solid surface of the Star Bridge. It looked like it was made from little silver stars, shimmering and glistening in dark tar. Little sparks flickered and slowly floated forward.

"This is it!" Said Loadstar and pointed her hoof forward, "You see that golden line? we step behind it together, and that's where the crossing starts."

Aria nodded. Grey Mouse shivered, looking at her friends. Although you could see that fierce thestral was shaken too, but tried to hide it.

Loadstar just smiled, feeling very adult-like next to this two winged fillies.

«First time is always exciting,» she thought. «No matter what it is: first descent on the Star Bridge, first night away from home, first pop quiz!... I am a bit jealous.»

With these thoughts, three little hooves stepped beyond the golden line, and the night sky jumped at the Cutie Mark Stalkers...

***

Ground side, or as thestrals called it, the lower part of the Star Bridge was quite close to the Sister’s Castle. It was also a hub for the Royal Routes, a network of wide and comfortable roads.

This wall was made not from dustolite, but from ordinary stone, and instead of murals you could see massive tapestries, showing lives of day ponies.

A guard that was sitting at the exit, an older thestral dressed in royal uniform, and refused to let little fillies go to the surface.

"Not without adults or at least a written permit," he said, fixing big tinted glasses on his face.

Grey Mouse lowered her ears, and Aria militantly raised her wings and took a step forward. But before she could say a word, Loadstar intervened.

"Sir, we... are assistants in the circus that just went by, and we were delayed in Starspire, with very important task, related to paperwork."

The thestral looked at a black crystal ball of Solid Truth, that would flicker red, if someone were to lie next to it. Its surface remained dark: fillies were telling the truth. Single red flick that he saw, he wrote off on sunrise reflecting on the surface.

"Which artist?" he asked, following protocol.

"Zebra Mbandi Ka Gumene, an enchantress. We assisted her with a stage performance tonight."

Guard looked at the sphere again, but it remained dark, silently supporting little mentats story.

"Better hurry up then, girls," old thestral said, "Circus should be done loading on the ship by now."

Fillies looked at each other.

"What?" Loadstar asked, "What ship could dock in the middle of a continent?"

"A flying one. As far as I know, it should depart any minute now, apparently your colleagues decided to relax while they travel."

"Oh no!" Aria shouted, jumping, "Lets go!"

"Goggles!" Loadstar and guard screamed in unison, when little thestral launched for the gate.

Aria Midnight screeched to a halt by the doors. Looking back, she grabbed a pair of goggles with heavily tinted lenses and jumped through the crack in the door.

Loadstar and Mouse, who had not yet picked up the goggles, had to turn away from the blinding light of the sun that poured in through the gap.

When they finally fixed the goggles and followed their friend they did not have to look far. Aria was sitting right outside of the doors, and awed at the world around her.

This side of the Star Bridge also ended inside a station building, but unlike Starspire’s, this one had a massive gallery with bulging transparent walls, through which you could see Sister’s Castle, the beautiful gardens around it, and a part of the Royal Route. And all of that was filled with vibrant colours and the warm bright light of the sun, nothing like gloomy Starspire.

"Aria? you ok?" asked Loadstar, stepping closer to her. "C'mon, we are going to be late!"

"It's. Just. Beautiful," thestral replied slowly, "It's so... bright! Even with the goggles!"

"Don't you dare take them off!" Loadstar warned. "a quick glimpse - and you'll be blinking your eyes for an hour or so, and any longer will ruin your eyes!"

"Weren't we in a hurry?" Grey Mouse asked.

"Heck yeah we were!" jumped Aria. "Let's go!"

Main gallery lead to the tower, that was ringed by wide spiralling staircases. One leading down - to the exit and Royal Route, and the other one - up, to the sky ship pier: landing place for skyships and blimps.

It felt empty. Princess Luna's project was geared for stable growth. One day, when the network of Star Bridges was complete, hauling cargo by air would be a booming business. That would demand a larger loading pier and a whole fleet of ships, and the main logistics hub would be here.

Princes Luna's plan was astonishing.

Upper deck of the tower looked just like any normal harbour would: wooden storehouses and docks, a number of loader ponies and customs officers, all busy with their jobs. A couple of sturdy stallions were moving the loading crane back to its place.

What was different, was absence of water splashing between the docks, only a distant rustle of trees down bellow. No smell of salt, or dampness: the sky port was always dried by sun and winds. Sudden gust of wind ruffled fillies manes and brought smells of wood, ozone, and some weird skyship scents.

A quick glance around, and fillies realised that they made it just in time.

Two ships, rocking bellow massive balloons tied by ropes, where just leaving the port.

First one was a very ordinary looking cargo ship, painted in yellow and red stripes. The whole upper deck was filled with boxes, and a weird looking sign, probably in some foreign language, was written on the balloon.

The second one... If you were to ask Loadstar, or her friends, they would answer in unison - that ship was the most beauteous they ever saw.

A long, pointy balloon was painted in black, like the colour of the night sky, and had silver rigging and decor that flickered in bright sun. The swift-looking hull of the ship was painted in dark-blue, the colours of dawn sky, and sharp fins and stabilisers fitted the shape and ornaments of the balloon. Lanterns filled with magical blue lights of Starspire hung on the sides of the hull, making it look mystical, even in broad daylight.

Not saying a word, the friends ran to the second ship. It was a common thought between them, that this was the ship suitable for the wandering circus. Obviously, no self respecting performer would travel stuck between dusty boxes. That would be silly.

Loadstar felt her friends grabbing her sides, and only just noticed that the gangway was stored, and ship’s hull raising rapidly above the pier.

She tried to scream for them to stop, but only a meek whimper came out when she felt flying through the air. It wasn’t too high above the ground - but scary enough for a wingless pony. She saw distant trees quickly fly below her and then wooden planks of the ship's deck. There was distant cry of a young stallion calling them over.

But CMS's did not notice, two young thestrals managed to fly up to the ship carrying a flailing, squeaking cargo. They landed not on the top deck where they could be seen by the crew, but in a side opening, where one of the steering fins was connected to the hull.

Miscalculating their approach speed, little night ponies rolled on the wooden floor and ended up, apparently, in some auxiliary compartments for the steering mechanism. Familiar darkness, worsened by tinted goggles, motionless steering mechanism, storage boxes fitted to the walls and various techno-magical devices made it easy to hide.

"What..." Loadstar finally caught her breath. "Are you crazy? Stowaways?"

"So what!" Aria Midnight waved her hoof and taking off her goggles. "What's important - we made it!"

"They'll throw us off!"

"Hah, I got a plan. We will hide here during the day, then, we'll sneak out, get our homework, and back to Starspire... somehow."

"SOMEHOW?!" the mentat hissed.

"Listen, you told me to improvise!"

"That doesn't mean «go nuts!»..."

"Relax, girls," Said Grey, stepping between her friends, "We're here. And if the crew hears us, they will throw us off without listening our excuses!"

Loadstar and Aria looked at each other. She was right, if the CMS's where to get caught right now, all would be for nothing: breaking the rules, detailed and extensive essays, and all of the running!

The friends looked around. It felt like some auxiliary compartment for the steering system. The thrusts for the steering fin were fitted to the ceiling, some mechanisms barely noticeably moved the main axis of the wing. It appeared that such a big room was needed for the thrusts to move freely, or maybe, to store the whole fin inside, during the storm, for example. This was evidenced by a huge canvas cover, folded against the wall and attached to the hooks by several cables.

Grey Mouse walked to the mound of thick canvas and touched it with her hoof.

"We can rest here," she said, looking back at her friends. "We have to hide either way, so let's gather our strength... if you don't mind."

"Good idea!" Aria smiled. "But there is no way i'm falling asleep right now."

And as if refuting her own words, she suddenly yawned.

Loadstar, trying not to smile, agreed.

"Let's just lay down for a bit, we have no idea when we'll get a chance to sleep properly," Aria wanted to object, but the mentat added: "You wouldn't want to fall asleep during the fun part."

"Okay, but we need to post guards," thestral agreed.

Loadstar touched the rough canvas and sighed. That was not her soft bed back at the Academy! Or even her old home! But, she had no choice. Ship was rising, and chilly wind started to fill the room.

"What for?" she asked. "If someone where to find us, we would have no chance to hide again. Let rest."

For a while, quite rustling and giggles could be heard.

If someone where to check the canvas cover in the right steering fin compartment, they would have found three little fillies sleeping serenely, huddled close to each other...