A city of a thousand bridges

by DarkKnight_RUS

Chapter 7. A fate untold

The CMS’s morning started around the same time Starspire’s fillies would normally go to bed. The weird looking wooden clock on the wall showed that it was nine in the morning when three CMS’s were awoken by a delicious smell.

Opening their eyes, the night ponies were forced to squint and rummage around for their goggles as the bright morning sun poured in through the wagon’s open windows.

Mbandi was cooking and dancing in front of the stove, mumbling words of a foreign song. Ashiana and Amin were already up, and only Aurora was still in her cloud bed.

Ashiana tried to drag her friend out by grabbing Aurora’s tail with her teeth. The rainbow-headed mare kicked back, and resisted muttering that a Noble Heir needed more sleep and that simple-minded land creatures would never know the struggle.

"Yu doing id wrong again!" hinted Amin, looking up from his paperwork. Judging by the diminished amount of scrolls left in front of him, he did not sleep at all.

Ashiana stopped and dropped the rainbow colored tail that instantaneously disappeared under the blanket. The Peryton waited for a minute, then smiled and tapped her head with a hoof.

"Oh Amin, what would I do without you..." She turned back to the cloud and shouted: "Aurora! Breakfast!"

"She keeps fogetin dat" Amin complained dryly. "Every morning is de same wid this two..."

Aurora’s blue eyes shined brightly when she jumped out of her bed.

"First! Wash up and serve the table," Ashiana chuckled, "Then we eat."

Aurora mumbled something about ‘pegasus oppression’ and ‘horned wood savages’, but obeyed and trotted to the washbowl.

"Same for you three," said Ashiana, turning to the waking fillies, “I'll help Mbandi."

Aria, out of habit, opened her mouth to protest but stopped. There was not a single reason for her to complain, and the zebra’s cooking smelled mighty appetizing.

Some time after, they all were sitting at the table, enjoying freshly stewed vegetables. This time no spices or herbs were added to the food. Well, except Amin’s breakfast; he was chewing on a thorny vine, instead of the usual brick of hay.

After they were done with the meal and poured the tea, Ashiana asked:

"So, what's the plan for today?"

"Perform!" Aurora replied enthusiastically. "We already lost a whole day because of these little leeches."

Aria again, wanted to protest, but this time her mouth was filled with chewy peanut brittle. And while she tried to chew it faster, Ashiana objected:

"But Aurora..."

"Aurora what? Why the hay are we doing babysitting these three?"

"Because she asked us to, at least until this evening," Ashiana replied.

"Who?" perplexedly asked the rainbow colored pegasi.

"She" Ashiana repeated, emphasising the word.

Aurora lost her ardor, folded her ruffled wings, and drooped in her seat.

"Okay," she muttered, hiding her eyes, "since she asked... how can we deny..."

"When did sheh asked?" asked Amin.

"Her request came in the night," Ashiana explained.

Mbandi confirmed:

"And if you would have went to bed,"

"Her royal highn..."

She stopped, catching Loadstar quizzical gaze. The little mentat was about to ask something, when Aria finally chewed through the peanut brittle and said:

"Very tasty, is cooking your talent?"

Mbandi shook her head:

“No, that's not the talent of mine,

The skills that I have are far more divine.”

"What’s that then?" persisted Aria, looking at the zebras flank. "It looks like a cauldron... I guess."

“That's not a cauldron, I'll have you know.

That petroglyph - is a wheel of fate.

This talent of mine - other’s futures are shown.

To tell them, what tomorrow has in stake.”

The fillies’ eyes lit up, all three had the same idea.

"I heard that zebras can see the future," said Loadstar, "but never believed those rumors."

"Can you do it?" asked Aria Midnight, hovering above the table in excitement. "Can you tell us our fortune?"

Mbandi smiled:

“Unknown is Hidden, Aria, but!

Those mystical meanings I can foresee... somewhat.”

"Please, please show us!" filles started to beg, but Aurora stopped them:

"Okay, NO! First we need to figure out what to do today with you three"

"Make dem sit in wagon, no?" proposed Amin. "Wid me close, dey do no harm."

"Bo-o-oring!" moaned Aria. "We still need to find our cutie marks!..."

"Oh heck no!" growled Ashiana Leaf. "No more adventures for you. If you promise to behave, we can go for a walk, but that's it..."

A debate broke out but stopped just as quickly when Grey Mouse started to quietly voice her opinion. Everyone had to pipe down just to hear what little thestral had to say.

"I really-really want to go to the Inventions Expo. It's the last day, and they will show hoofmade machines and devices."

"What about our cutie marks?" Aria was taken aback.

"We can get them back home. One day would not make much difference, and the Expo is open only once a year! When will we ever get a chance like that?"

"Well, I'm in," said Loadstar. "Surely the Expo will have something interesting to look at."

Aria Midnight wanted to argue, but saw two pairs of pleading eyes and gave up.

"Oh fine, if you want it so much..." She looked back at the performers. "So, will you take us there, or should we go alone?"

"I vill go," said Amin before Aurora had a chance to fire back at the thestral, "You go perform, girlz."

"YAY!" a victorious, three-voiced chorus shook the wagon.

Loadstar anticipated a long talk with wise Amin, Grey Mouse - a rare chance to look at various mechanical wonders, and Aria Midnight still kept her hope to fly around and get her Flyoneer cutie mark. And if her friends decided to slack off in their quest, surely she would be the first one to get her cutie mark!

"Good," said Aurora. "C'mon Mbandi, do a quick séance so we can start our own performance."

"Yeah," Added Ashiana Leaf. "Do it, we'll clean up and start prepping for the show."

While pegasi and peryton ran about in the background – moving the dishes and sweeping the floors– fortune reading attributes were placed on the table: a crystal ball, some twigs, dolls made of dried grass, cloth scraps and other stuff that added to the overall mystical appearance to the zebra’s magic.

Mbandi drew a seven-headed star on the table and placed the crystal ball in the middle. Other things she spread in the corners of the star. She reached for her pouch and threw a hoof-full of powder up in the air. It began to sparkle and turned into green fog.

Grey Mouse sneezed, while Loadstar struggled to see anything around.

Weird shapes glimmered in the crystal ball: shadows, stars, something that looked like a full moon.

Aria could not wait any longer.

"What is it? What’s in the future?"

Zebra mumbled something and the ball on the table flashed in bright light, blinding the night ponies even through their goggles.

When they managed to regain their vision, they saw that the stuff Mbandi laid in the corners of the seven-headed star now laid under the faintly glowing ball.

Prophetess herself was sitting at the table with unblinking eyes wide open. Noticing Mbandi's perplexed face, Ashiana and Aurora trotted to her side.

"Mbandi?" asked Aurora, "What's wrong?"

"What was it?" asked Ashiana.

"No need to get upset 'cause of a failed trick" rainbow-headed pegasi smiled, but Ashiana pushed her aside:

"If you don't believe in fortune telling - don't loiter. Mbandi... what did you see?"

"Yeah, what did you see?" asked Aria.

Same question could be read on all of the CMS's faces.

Mbandi slowly looked at everyone in the room, then focused on the fillies and said:

“Don't know what happened, little folks.

But the future of yous, is hidden in smoke.”

Three pairs of ears drooped in disappointment.

"Aw heck," said Loadstar, "I could swear I felt something..."

"What?" asked Aria.

"I don't know. Some kind of magic I guess."

"Foal'ies" said Amin, standing up from his pillows, "Come, Mbandi will tri again in de evening. Now, she need to preepare for de work."

CMS's started to argue, but Amin reminded them that the Expo would close soon. They quickly packed, (Loadstar retrieving their homework, still packed in the tubes, and tied it neatly to her saddle bag) and walked out of the wagon. Amin stopped in the door frame and frowned back at Mbandi, she weakly smiled in return.

When only three performers were left in the wagon, Aurora turned to the zebra:

"Now will you tell us?"

Green eyes looked back at the pegasus, and Mbandi started talking, shaking feverishly:

"I saw death and darkness." sais zebra, not bothering to rhyme anymore. That sudden change made pegasi fold her ears in fear.

"Oh, forefathers," Ashiana whispered. "That's why you said nothing... you didn't want to scare them?"

"No," Mbandi replied, "There is an ancient truth - if the prophecy is not told, it can be prevented. That way, little ones might have a chance to… avoid their cruel fate."

Aurora pondered for a moment and said,"Didn’t you do the same thing when you tried to read Ashiana's fortune?"

Now it was peryton's turn to panic.

"That's true! ...Mbandi! I asked you about my homeland!"

Green eyes peered back at her.

"You heard the know, it's the same for you. Don't make me remember those visions and tell you what it all means."

"How much time do we have?" asked Aurora.

Zebra continued to talk without rhyming, and that affected everyone. It felt like something familiar, unbreakable, suddenly turned alien:

"I do not know, a couple of years... maybe."

An oppressive silence settled over the wagon.

They could hear the sounds of town square outside of their wagon. Stalliongrad, as well as the rest of Equestria, lived and enjoyed the new Age of Prosperity, enlightened by the power and kindness of the Sister Princesses.

What could possibly disrupt this order that lasted for over a thousand years?

"Come," said Aurora Blast, "The scene is empty since yesterday. The crowd awaits."

They all felt uneasy.

But, as we know, the best way to clean your head from doom and gloom - is to do something you like…

* * *

The Technological Marvels Expo this year occupied a massive brick building topped with a glass roof. For the little CMS’s, the roof itself was a marvel to behold: no one in Canterlot or Starspire could ever create anything like it without the help of magic.

Loadstar walked down the aisles, followed by her friends and Amin. The Dromad attracted a lot of attention: a tall figure draped in pale overcoat stood a few heads above the crowd was likely to draw stares. Not to mention that when Amin walked instead of expected hoof clatter, his calloused legs softly flopped on the floor.

The Expo was a place to behold!

Self-propelled carriages that used springs and steam to move around. Water wheels, Automatons, and wind-up toys of all sizes and shapes imaginable. Peculiar mechanical clocks and weird measuring devices.

Grey Mouse was overwhelmed with joy, and Loadstar could not help but ponder how local artisans could have achieved unbelievable results in mechanics.

«If only» thought Loadstar, «they were to surpass their pride, and use magic to power their machines, that would bring a new era, for sure.»

Sudden loud horn attracted everyone's attention.

On a small scene, (which held a self propelled vehicle with eight wheels just a few moments ago) now stood two colts, white and grey. One of them held a bugle, the other was preparing to deliver a message.

Both were dressed in snow-white shirts and red neck-ties.

The grey colt’s brittle but loud voice filled the room.

"Now comrades! We announce a call for young inventors to participate in our competition! Teams of no more than three will have three hours to assemble a mechanisms (out of parts we will provide) that could benefit our local economy! The winning concept will be mass produced! You can sign up with us at the registrar’s table!"

White colt blew the bugle, ending the announcement.

Loadstar could not believe her eyes when she saw... Grey Mouse! shooting over the crowd straight for the table. She was the first one to land in front of the colts.

Ignoring Amin's shouts, Loadstar ran to her friend. When she finally managed to squeeze through the crowd, Aria was already there, scolding at Mouse.

"...and didn't even bother to ask us first!" Loadstar heard flight-lead lecturing her subordinate.

But this time Grey didn't back down. Spreading her wiongs she looked straight at Aria and replied:

"I have to do it! I... I feel it! All my life I dreamed..."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't!" Aria stopped her stepping closer. "I'm mad 'cause you didn't sign me and Curly up as your team!"

"...Huh?" Grey was confused. "Aren't you..."

"We are the Cutie Mark Stalkers!" Aria proclaimed with a hint of pride. "And we do things together, no matter what!"

Still breathing heavily from the long walk detour through the crowd, Loadstar finally managed to approach them.

"Fuhh..." she wheezed. "Yeah, Grey, you know, you can count on, us."

The shy thestral blushed and covered herself with a wing. Loadstar walked to the registrar’s table.

"Are we too late to join her team?" she asked.

"No," replied white colt and grabbed his quill. "So then, you three are together?"

"Definitely," said Aria.

"Names and team name?"

"Aria Midnight. Loadstar. Team name - Cutie Mark Stalkers," Grey Mouse blurted before anyone had a chance to say anything.

"Comrade bat, are you the team leader?"

This simple question made friends look at each other.

Aria shook her mane, looked Grey Mouse straight in the eye and said.

"Yes, she is our captain."

Loadstar did not object. In her mind, that was the only sensible solution...

* * *

...The moment of truth was closing in.

The jury has already voted, and young contestants now waited on stage for the final announcement.

"Oooh," Mouse squealed quietly, tears filling up her eyes, "We botched it up..."

Aria bit her lip. Their initial plan had backfired. The machine that they assembled had an array of moving plates that were *supposed to* sort and arrange the books according to the user’s input. However, when they ran it for the first time, device chewed the books into fine dust and spit it back at little fillies.

In front of the jury and a room full of ponies.

Good thing those were old, battered books.

Well, other competitors didn't have much luck either: a self-propelled carriage failed to move even a hoof forward, the flying apparatus managed to hover above the stage for a while, but eventually fell apart and slammed back to the ground. Other small mechanical gizmos that participated, although they worked as intended, paled in comparison to these three.

"Maybe... we'll get commended for its size..." Aria muttered, looking at the massive machine, its empty receptacle now looked like an open maw.

"Nah, flying apparatus was bigger," Loadstar explained, fixing her goggles that wouldn't stay comfortably on top of her glasses.

Her nose was covered in rust flakes: not all parts provided for the competition were new, and not all parts could be lifted with telekinesis, so they had to get dirty to make it in time.

The past three hours were the most stressful in her life: never before had the little exemplary student have to work with her hooves for so long. Grey Mouse lost all of her shyness and timidity. As soon as the start bell rang, she turned into a ruthless and demanding foreman. Mouse quickly scribbled a blueprint on a scrap of paper and went to work with contagious enthusiasm, her friends followed.

And three hours later, book-sorting machine was complete.

Grey was worried: something had gone wrong with the balance of the receptacle blades – plates that were supposed to gently lift the books and move them – because they had shredded the whole stack in a blink of an eye.

Aria Midnight was happy: this was a great adventure! She could not have imagined that something so cool could be made from a pile of scrap. Rusty and destructive. She could not stop thinking about her most hated math book, imagining it being torn and chewed up by the machine.

A loud blast of a bugle returned them all back to reality. The white colt lowered his beloved instrument and fixed his cap that had slid over his eyes.

An old earth pony stood up from behind the jury table. The CMS’s knew that he was the head juror, honorary Doctorate of Technical Sciences, ex-director of the *Equin-O-Masch* factory, and was very harsh in his judging.

"Yes..." earth pony slowly unfolded a piece of paper with the final voting result. "First place goes to the three guests from a land far above, the Cuddly Mark Stalkers! For their marvelous paper mulcher!"

Loadstar was at a loss for words, and looked back at her friends.

"But that's not a mul..." she started, but Aria quickly grabbed her mouth shut: "Shush!"

Aria swiftly grabbed the plack that read “Book sorting machine for libraries” with her tail and quietly threw it under the machine. She then walked to the jury's table with the most charming grin she could master, praising Princess’ that she turned the machine on and destroyed the books before Loadstar had a chance to loudly explain what the device is supposed to do.

Stomps and shouts of approval made the glass roof shake in its frame. Few moments later jurys approached three fillies and gifted a crying Grey Mouse with a diploma and a brass cup with a gear stamped onto it.

Each of three CMS's got a small medal. Accompanied by the crowds roar, they received their rewards and stood on the stage, shining their fanged smiles.

Not one of them expected to win. But a random mistake brought them victory. Aria was so excited, she flew up in the air and rolled a couple of times.

Head jury, in the meantime, proclaimed:

"Mulcher's blueprints will be forwarded to the engineering department of *Equin-O-Masch*, and after a few tweaks, will be sent to the assembly lines. Truly, this is an easier way to destroy documents, much easier then burning it! Please accept sincere gratitude from all citizens of Stalliongrad, little Cuddly Mark Stalkers!"

Something brightly flashed on the stage and Grey Mouse quietly gasped.

Loadstar turned back to see what happened.

Her suspicion was true: the shy filly’s flanks were now adorned by a cutie mark that looked like two connecting cogwheels.

Almost like Gy Ro's back at the *Selena*.

"Aria," Loadstar called, "look!"

Flight-lead, noticed the change in her friends appearance, squealed in excitement and grabbed Grey Mouse with her fore legs:

"CutieMark! CutieMark! Congratulations!"

Crowd roared anew: appearance of a cutie mark - always a special occasion in any pony’s life. Everyone knows that: foal and adult alike.

Amin walked closer to the stage. Thanks to his height, hes head was almost on the same level with three fillies. A smile danced on his thick lips: he was truly happy for the fillies achievement, especially - Grey Mouse’s.

Loadstar, overwhelmed with emotions, looked at the crowd. Suddenly she felt a cold breeze on her back.

Two hooded figures, accompanied by local guards, entered the room: Master Blue Sage and trainer Bane Fire.

Guards pointed at the stage and started to flank the crowd from both sides.

«Run!» a thought flashed in Loadstars head, but it faded as fast as it came.

Run where, but more importantly, why prolong the inevitable? It was silly to expect that a search party would not find the little runaways in a couple of days.

And now, the three little rebels were surrounded by the guards: Bane Fire and Blue Sage entered the stage and bowed to the crowd, all while looking directly at the fillies.

The victors were cheered for a while longer, after that, Mouse was gifted a small pouch of coins, in return, she gave her sketchy blueprint to the jury.

When the crowd started to disperse, CMS's dreaded fears came to life.

The night ponies and Amin walked to the far corner of the massive room so that they can talk in private. After the competition, Stalliongradians returned back to the usual Expo activities. Although, a bugle’s faint sounds could be heard for a while later on until grey colt finally took the instrument away from his friend.

Loadstar didn't pay attention to that, her world was now focused on her mentor.

"So, young lady," said Blue Sage calmly, "care to explain your actions? Please make it exhaustively convincing."

Aria Midnight tried to shield her friend, but was quickly pushed aside by Sage’s telekinesis. Next moment, her ear was firmly grabbed by Bane Fire’s hooves.

"oWoW!" Aria squeaked.

Excitement left her body: she was ready for her punishment, even spanking, but an ear - is far too delicate. Tugging at someone's ears is just cruel and unfair!

And of course, Bane Fire knew that too well.

"Where da heck are you going, flight-lead?" she asked. "Your two heads are on the chopping block too, you know!"

Amin wanted to intervene, but decided to stay back for a while, giving the fillies a chance to explain themselves.

Loadstar knew this talk was inevitable. She sighed and started from the beginning: lost homework, their futile chase after the performers, flight aboard the *Selena*, Stalliongrads hospital, and finally, the troupe that took CMS's in for the night.

"Yep, all true," confirmed Aria Midnight, rubbing her pulsating ear.

"Unbelievable," said Sage, "In thirty years, I have never encountered such arrogance. And from you? Little filly, my best student... my protegee!"

Loadstar could not know it, but right now her mentors thoughts went in a completely different direction from what she expected.

«If we could expel anyone from the Academy - this would be the perfect case. But a mentat in Starspire has nowhere else to go... oh what am I to do with you, little stubborn filly?»

His external calmness started to fade. Loadstar, unable to look him in the eyes, lowered her head.

«Whips, definitely whips» she thought and folded her ears. «And in front of the whole Academy... how shameful»

"...Yes" said Bane Fire, who was lecturing her subordinates, "But I expected it from you, Aria Midnight. Nevermind Loadstar’s guidance, this was far too reckless even for you. I am certain you caused all of this mess, and you Grey Mouse, you silently followed her lead again! For that both of you will be punished."

"I think we should remove your mobility privilege, Loadstar." said Blue Sage. "If we can not trust you to move from your dorm ro the classroom without getting in trouble, you will have to do it accompanied by an adult."

"Great idea, master," added Bane Fire, looking down at her students. "From now on, you two will fly only under my watch, and on a leash."

Loadstar saw tears in her friend's eyes. No kidding! Flying on a leash was for little foals! It was almost as bad as being sent back to preschool. The Mentat felt that her eyes were filled with tears.

Finally, Dromad decided to intervene, he stood above the night ponies like a mountain covered in rags:

"Blessed master" he said. "Allow me do introduce myself, Amin Abu-al-Fath Omar ibn Sheshez al-Nishapuri, troupes compere and accountant."

"Uh-huh," Nodded Blue Sage and bowed, quickly moving his front hoof in a traditional Camelu etiquette. "So I was told. Please accept our tribe’s gratitude, honourable Amin ibn Sheshez, for taking care of these hooligans. The Academy will compensate any expenses."

Dromad shook his head.

"Dats not de case master. It is, of course, your pupil... but I swear to AllOne, even in de Madrasa they do not keep students under lock and key, away from de real life. What wisdom could dey attein inside four walls? Pah! Empty knowledge! It only bring sadness in deir lives."

Loadstar was conflicted. On one hoof, she was thankful for the Dromad’s intervention. But on the other - she knew those words fell on her mentor’s deaf ears.

But for some reason, Blue Sage didn't object Amin's logic. He stood there, thinking. And when Bane Fire tried to reply he stopped her with his hoof.

He finally asked:

"What say you, my protegee? How can you explain your actions? Was I wrong, Loadstar, expecting you to act like an adult? What changed in your attitude towards your studies?"

Loadstar looked at her mentor, then at her friends. She felt her heart beat faster in her chest, pushing long suppressed emotions to the surface.

Two teardrops rolled on her cheeks and fell on the wooden floor.

"What changed..." she whispered quietly, raised her head and looked at Sage’s goggles, straight into her mentors eyes. "You know what, master Blue Sage? Nothing changed!"

"But certainly something has..." He tried to reply.

"NOTHING! Changed!" Loadstar shouted, stopping him. "I... I HATE the Academy! Got it?" Everyone around her were shocked, her mentor and friends, even Amin stopped breathing for a moment. It would appear that they all thought of Loadstar as a classic example of a teachers pet whose life was devoid of anything other than endless classes and thirst for knowledge.

Loadstar, remembering the events of the past few days aboard the *Selena* and in Stalliongrad, continued.

"For me, the Academy always felt like a prison! I loathe my parents who pushed me into this system, not even bothering to ask if I wanted to! And I.. I..." her voice cracked from crying, "I want to travel! I want to explore this world, and not just read about it in old dusty books!"

She felt her friends hugging her. Aria and Mouse, obviously, they quietly walked closer to comfort her friend their friend in dire time.

But why did she feel three pairs of hooves?

"I told you to wait outside, Nightglow," Loadstar heard Sage's voice. She turned her head and looked at her classmate who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"Loadstar, why haven't you told anyone about this before?" Blue Sage asked.

Admitably, teachers didn't look too surprised of Nightglow’s appearance, which meant, he arrived with them.

"Can't you see, master? She is in no condition to explain!" said little colt, fixing his goggles and hugging Loadstar even harder. "Don't cry, Starly."

Loadstar felt grateful for her friends, she regained her composure, she replied still sobbing and sniffling:

"Because you all wanted me to succeed, you pushed me to excel and stand above the rest. You shaped me into example for everyone, especially because I'm a mare... None of that was my choice! I never wanted to go to the Academy! I'm normal... just like everyone else, ok? I want to have a normal life, normal family. I want everyone to stop looking at me, expecting great achievements. I just want to leave and see the world!... Is that too much to ask?”

She shouted the last part in despair, which attracted the attention of other ponies walking around them. Some stepped closer, a small crowd now surrounded the thestrals.

Loadstar continued to cry. Grey Mouse and Nightglow were still holding her, while Aria fiercely looked at the onlookers. The crowd around them started to disperse.

Next moment, a new flash of light (second, that day) lit the room.

Loadstar, continuing to cry, heard Sage's voice:

"Huh. Well, that changes a lot."

"What?" Loadstar raised her blubbered face.

"Take a look for yourself," he pointed.

Loadstar followed the direction of his hoof, her eyes were now looking at her own flank.

Flank, that was now adorned with a picture of a map and an astrolabes.

"An adventurers cutie mark!" someone shouted from the crowd, after that, the room filled with cheers and shouts:

"Congratulations! Discovery Awaits! Don't cry little filly!"

"My felicitations, little messtress" smiled Amin, rustling her white mane. "Now, only you is de master of your fate!"

Loadstar didn't answer. She continued to cry, overwhelmed by her emotions.

* * *

While the CMS's ran back to the square to say goodbye to the troupe, Bane Fire and Blue Sage waited for them at the sky chariot. Black with silver trim, it attracted locals attention, but not too much. Not more than four night ponies who had finally had a chance to actually buy souvenirs at the square.

Stalliongrad was abuzz with its daily comotion. Thestrals had a short flight ahead of them, back to the Star Bridge, and then - back to the calm and quiet of the Starspire.

"Blue Sage," asked ginger-eyed mare, "Are you sure it was a good idea to assign Aria and Mouse to Loadstar?"

"Until you asked, trainer, yes, I was. Now,... not so much." he paused and looked at Bane Fire. "However... I have never seen Loadstar happier.."

Bane Fire chuckled, while mentat continued:

"I can remember myself when I was her age. I spent all of my night with books, hated my parents, and was very strict towards myself and others... My first kiss was at twenty five..."

"Oh I remember," Bane Fire's smirk turned into a gentle smile.

"Now I know that I missed out on my childhood. And quite honestly, I do not wish for Loadstar to travel the same path. Plus, her cutie mark... who are we, to go against the nature's order? History teaches us that it is pointless."

"So, what are we going to do with them?"

"Let them study. Loadstar is still in charge of those two."

"And their punishment?"

"Already decided. For all four."

"Nightglow too?" asked Bane Fire.

"For disobedience and bickering, yes. Well, we can go easy on him... due to his current... state."

"Looking at them, I feel young again," said Bane Fire leaning to the Sage's side, "I could even say - youthful."

Sage looked at her surprise:

"I thought we talked this over long ago?"

"Heck it," Bane Fire waved her hoof, "What are your plans for this morning, master Blue Sage, after you'll be done oppressing little fillies?"

"Got any suggestions, trainer Bane Fire?" he replied in his most formal voice.

"Sure, grab a bottle of *Moonshine* and meet at my place for a morning of reminiscence, gradually turning into a day, and then night..."

"Like in the old days?" Sgae clarified.

"Exactly."

He finally allowed a smile to creep onto his lips. Smile, he thought was lost in years past. Smile, so familiar to the green-maned redhead mare, that found something attractive in the gloomy mentat eons ago...

* * *

Loadstar was back in the Library Tower. Despite her punishment, she felt ecstatic: no one would ever tell her again that a mentat’s fate is to be bound to the Academy.

The little filly was experiencing new, thrilling emotions that were emitted by her cutie mark.

During her trip back to the Spire, Loadstar pondered about her future. She kept peeking at her flank, afraid that the cutie mark might disappear as suddenly as it appeared.

Aria and Grey Mouse entered the carriage only when they got too exhausted from flying beside it. The flight-lead had even tried to pull the carriage together with Bane Fire, but she waved her off. They had no time to spare: little Aria could barely keep up with the grown mare's pace as it was.

Loadstar sighed. She wished that Bane Fire will not follow through on her promise to ground her winged friends and forbid them to fly. That meant Loadstar would not be able to see them for quite some time. Worse was her mentor’s silence on their punishment: Bane Fire flew with the thestrals back to the school as soon as they landed back at the Spire.

Nightglow was punished too, for disobeying his mentors orders. Later that night he joined Loadstar in the Library Tower.

Loadstar had no idea how to react.

On one hoof, she was grateful that her classmate stood up for her. On the other hoof however, Nightglow acted like an utter fool: what was the point flying all the way to Stalliongrad? CMS's would have managed without his help. Probably.

That is why Loadstar sat him in the furthest corner of the room, assigned him his homework and a stern warning - not to disturb her, until she would know what to think about his actions.

But that was unnecessary, the little colt (exhausted from the adventure) instantaneously fell asleep, snoring and drooling on the open book in front of him.

Loadstar decided not to wake him: his adorable snuffles brought a smile to her face.

Libraries doors flew open, and Loadstar was yanked back to reality.

Winged CMS's entered the room, smiling and looking around, they approached Loadstar's table that was brimming with books.

"What's all of that?" Aria asked.

Loadstars mind was still somewhere far, so she just replied:

"Huh? Oh, that's my homework."

"Which book?"

Aria couldn't know, but Loadstar finally realised what was so confusing for her friend, and decided to prank her:

"All of them." Loadstar replied, with a hint of pride. "Well, except the book on the bottom, that's my personal reading."

Grey Mouse made a weird squeaky sound. She reckoned, it would take at least a month to read all of those books!

Aria, seizing the stack of books taller than Loadstar herself, just asked:

"You mean, ALL of that is your homework?"

"Yep."

"Okay, can we help? What can we do?"

Loadstar tried to hide her smile, and replied skeptically:

"Calculate the momentum of Ley Lines and unorganized magic flows around the charted floating island to see how that affects the Spires orbit?"

She looked at her friends.

Grey Mouse quietly whispered:

"I don't get it..."

Aria confirmed:

"I didn't understand a hecking word after 'Calculate'."

Loadstar smiled:

"Relax girls, I'm joking. I just need to do a couple of telekinesis exercises, and catch up on 'magical theories'."

"Oh, we thought the old jerk would chain you up," Aria smirked.

Loadstar didn't enjoy talking behind somepony’s back, so she tried to change the subject. Besides, she thought her punishment was quite lenient. «Surely,» she thought, «whips were waiting for her back at the spire.»

Luckily, the master himself disproved that old stereotype about the Academy’s harsh punishments.

"Oh yeah," Loadstar looked at the thestrals, "Aren't you two grounded?"

"We ran away," Aria explained calmly, then added. "...Again."

"We worried for you," said Grey Mouse, "so I persuaded Aria to come with me."

"You?!" said Loadstar in surprise.

Flight-lead just waved her hoof.

"Don't sweat it. We got away quietly, and we'll be back before they start looking," she paused again. "...Probably."

Loadstar had no words. After all they went through, they (somehow) managed to save themselves from their mentor’s wrath, and all of it was for naught.

Grey Mouse just asked:

"Was it painful, Loadstar?"

"Huh?" Loadstar replied, while shy thestral lowered her ears:

"They say, mentats grow up with harsh rules and are whipped for any failure... How hard did they whip you for running away?"

Loadstar blinked her eyes. She realised that many students were still convinced that physical punishment was applied at the Academy, she herself was one of them until recently. Admitably, a whipping stick was present in every class in the Academy. But as it turned out, none of them were used (for over a hundred years) and would probably turn to dust if you swung them hard enough. Nevertheless, little fillies’ minds drew horrid pictures seeing those things around.

"Nonsense!" Loadstar shook her mane. "No one gets whipped at the Academy!.. We talked about this!.. I mean, they used to, but that was barred by Princess' decree. Have you forgotten already?"

"But they also say..." started Aria, but Loadstar cut her off:

"Oh stop! The Academy is just a bigger school, and teaches magic."

"Sorry," Mouse peeped.

Loadstar looked at them, she felt sorry for her sudden outburst.

"No, it is me who should apologise," she said punching the stack of books. "Oh girls, if only you knew how much I hate all of this. Well, I guess you know... If you haven't already forgotten that too."

Aria replied:

"We wanted to ask about that. How come? We thought it's your calling and all, you said it yourself. you're an egghea... smart! smartest!"

White-maned filly sighed:

"I, HAVE, to be the smartest. I'm a mentat. It is expected of me. Teachers, family... How could I let them down, by saying 'I don't want to'?"

"I thought mentats have no parents," Said Aria, scratching her head.

"Are you nuts?" Loadstar was outraged. "Where do you think mentats come from?!"

"I dunno. Where do the fillies come from?" flight-lead asked with blank childish frankness.

Loadstar covered her blushing face with a hoof:

"Thatsnotimportant..."

But now, Aria was intrigued:

"No, tell me. Where do they come from?" she asked and looked at Grey Mouse. Latter was blushing and chuckling. "You know?! And never told me?!"

"You never asked!" Mouse replied, squeaking in panic. "Never asked!"

Aria persisted, but Grey adamantly kept her mouth shut. Soon enough, Loadstar got bored of this and she explained the whole process to Aria. And didn't bother with the usual 'birds and the bees' metaphor, she went full frontal about it, straight to the core, just like she read in the medical books.

When Loadstar finished her long winded and colorful explanation, Aria sat on the floor motionless. Waiting for her friends reaction, Loadstar and Mouse kept quiet too. Stillness filled the room.

Finally, Aria Midnight skewed her face and stretched her tongue out in disgust:

"EWW! Disgusting!... And those ponies forbid me from licking my hoofs!..."

Fillies looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Loadstar couldn't stand still, she hugged her friends. Her heart was at ease: laughing at the absurdity of this situation, and at all of her bad thought in general, it felt her with warmth.

"What are you laughing at, girls?" someone asked, and CMS's suddenly realised they were not alone in the room. Sleepy Nightglow was standing next to them.

"Hoof licking," said Aria. "Whatsup, Nerd!"

"Ew," the colt wrinkled his nose, "Why would you lick it?"

"Cause I want to," Aria replied, and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Thank you, by the way," said Loadstar, "I forgot to say that, back at Stalliongrad."

"Yeah, thanks" Grey Mouse echoed quietly and hid behind Aria.

"For what?" asked Nightglow.

"For coming to save us."

"Lover-boy" Aria snorted, making little colt blush.

"Stop it," said Loadstar. "I am sure, Nightglow had his reasons."

Aria just huffed and looked away. Apparently, she didn't want to argue, but didn't want to admit defeat either.

"I don't mind," said Nightglow, "Oh! What was it you were explaining before?"

"Where fillies come from," Loadstar replied instructively.

"Oh, and where is that?" Nightglow asked, forcing Loadstar to facehoof for the second time this night.

"Oh My Goddess! You would not believe this!..." Said Aria.

She (ignoring Grey's protesting squeaks) started retelling what she just heard from Loadstar. Obviously, Aria got it all mixed up, lied about half of it, and forgot the other half. She also made absolutely brutal faces to help.

Nightglow blushed, paled, lowered his ears, perked his ears, and overall tried to remain silent. But first one to cry for Aria to stop, was Loadstar:

"Please stop! You are telling it all wrong!"

"I know," Aria huffed and pointed at Nightglow, "But just look at him! Priceless!"

With that, she fell on her back, convulsing in roaring laughter.

But her friends didn't follow.

"That... was not very nice." said Grey Mouse quietly.

Aria wanted to object, but Loadstar agreed:

"Yeah Aria, you are being very rude."

Nightglow tried to raise his eyes and look at the arguing friends.

"It's ok," he said, "I don't mind..."

They all knew that was a lie, but no one said it aloud. Aria, (finally) stopped laughing and looked at her friends.

Seeing one disapproving face, then the other, thestral asked:

"What's wrong?

"Apologise," Loadstar commanded, peering back at Aria, making her feel uncomfortable.

"No need," said Nightglow and smirked with his trademark smile. "She's making herself look bad, not me."

He looked back at Aria.

"Why is that?" she replied.

"If I recall, you whooped me and the whole class for doing the very same thing you just did," young mentat explained, with a hint of victory in his voice.

Now it was Aria's turn to blush.

"Sorry," she squeezed, standing up and stretching her hoof towards Nightglow.

Their hoofs clunked, and Nightglow tried to change the subject:

"Girls, I must admit, I admire your bravery."

"Big deal," Aria huffed, "Happens to me everyday."

"No, I mean, you have permanently ruined your rep sheet, Loadstar’s grades got lowered, you skipped several school days... and all of that for a cutie mark and an awesome adventure in Equestria! I could have never done the same."

He stopped, noticing fillies ears drooping.

Each one of the CMS's thoughts about themselves, but overall the theme was the same. Loadstar realised that there was no way she could improve her ruined grades. None. That was the mark she would have to bear until graduation. And obviously, Captain Silver Shade would never take her in with B’s as her final grades. Who would ever need an uneducated and undisciplined helmsmare?

Aria felt sorry for multiple things at once: Loadstar’s problems, her failure, and a blank flank.

Grey Mouse knew that she got off easy, and she felt uneasy about it.

Aria Midnight was the first one to break the silence:

"Know what? I'm not sorry."

"Really?" asked Grey Mouse.

"Like, not even a bit! And no regrets either! When somepony risks it all for a dream, that's when miracles happen. And that -" Aria pointed to Loadstar and Mouses flanks, "- was totally worth it!"

"It's unfair, you didn't get yours," sighed Mouse.

Aria flailed her hoof:

"To heck with it!"

Her voice sounded playfully-indifferent, but Loadstar could see through her facade: flight-lead felt hurt that she was the only one left without a cutie mark.

"CMS's main goal - is to find Aria's cutie mark." said mentat, fixing her glasses. "After all, that's the most important task right now!"

Three hoofs clunked together, but this time, wave of friendly fondness was interrupted by Nightglows voice:

"Girls, can I join your club?"

"What?" Loadstar turned back to him, confused by his request.

Her friends faces showed same confusion.

Little colt got embarrassed by all of this attention, he blushed and tried to explain:

"Can I too, be a Cutie Mark Stalker..."

"But you already got a cutie mark!" Aria noted.

"So?" Nightglow softly persisted. "I can help you find yours... Plus, two of you got marks too."

Fillies exchanged glances, Grey Mouse smiled meekly.

Aria was still stubborn and shook her mane:

"Oh heck no! Boys always bring trouble!"

Seeing colts tasseled ears lower, Loadstar tried to defuse the situation:

"Girls, I still have my homework waiting. Nightglow can help me with that..."

"And your best friends can't?” Aria objected, planting her forelegs in her sides. Silly thestral, you went straight for the Loadstar’s trap!

"With Magic spells? Don't think so. Just let us work together, then I will be able to spend the rest of the night with you."

Aria seemed unaffected by this:

"Oh, pardon us! In the meantime, what the heck are we supposed to do while you two nerd over your nerdy stuff?"

Nightglow was about to retort, but Loadstars elbow punched the wind out of him.

"You can look for something cool," Loadstar replied.

"Like what?" Aria looked around. "What cool could one find... in the library?!"

Loadstar pondered. For her, the library was one of the best places in the whole Spire. Besides boring class textbooks, she could find heaps of books about adventures, farlands, and all that. But would that be interesting for Aria? And shy Mouse? Loadstar realised that she never saw these two sit patiently for more than a minute or so...

Mouse's voice came to her rescue:

"I have heard that Library Tower is so old - it houses lots of forgotten and hidden stuff."

"Stuff like what?" Aria perked.

"Stuff like old hidden passages," said Loadstar, "leading to rooms full of treasures and artifacts."

Nightglow winced hearing the last part, but he was ignored by three friends: Loadstar looked the other way while Aria and Mouse were mesmerised by their friend’s lies.

Loadstar tried her best to stay serious. She heard all of these stories when she was but a freshmare at the Academy and spent countless nights scouring over every crack in the towers floors and walls. All until she realised that seniors pull this prank every year on the fresh bunch of young mentats. But she had to admit, those nights were the best fun she had in awhile.

Seeing interest in her friend's eyes, Loadstar pressed on:

"I think, Archeologist cutie mark would be as cool as a Flyoneer's one."

"Well, you're not wrong," Aria agreed, "Mouse and I will take a look around... And when we find it, adventure Ho!"

"Naturally," smiled Loadstar, trying not to look condescending, "What, you think I'd leave you two alone in the face of danger?"

"I laugh in the face of danger!" Aria proclaimed loudly, jumped, and hovered above the floor. "Follow Mousy, we have great things to do!"

With that, she grabbed her friend and dashed for the bookshelves, where, apparently she thought treasures were awaiting.

"Am I correct in understanding that all of that," said Nightglow, "just to keep them busy?"

"Well, yeah." Loadstar nodded, "do you want them to hang around and moan from boredom?"

"Oh, no." Nightglow chuckled, "But don't you think it was a bit... harsh?"

Loadstar looked at him:

"I just proposed that she look for hidden stuff. If she would have bothered to ask me if I know of any, I would have answered honestly that no, there are none."

"That's... fair, I guess." Nightglow snorted. "Oh well, back to the books?"

"Sure..."

Two horned heads lowered over the book, but a sudden loud screech broke the silence. It sounded like stones grinding on each other.

Horrible sound had not yet fully subsided, when a new screech sounded through the library:

"Fo-o-o-und it!!"

Loadstar and Nightglow looked at each other in shock.

Impossible. Everyone in the Academy knew that the library tower was searched thoroughly throughout the years, there was nothing to be found. It was just a prank for the fresh blood to waste their time, they all went through that.

But how could a filly sit patiently, when her friends found something?

Loadstar and Nightglow ran to the furthest corner of the library, to find their friends hovering way up at the ceiling, next to a newly opened passage in the wall.

"C'mup!" Aria shouted, and waved her hoof for them to follow.

"How, exactly?" Nightglow muttered.

It seemed that Aria's recklessness started to rub onto Loadstar. Little mentat looked around and quickly found a way to get up to her friends.

Soon, two wingless ponies were marching on top of the massive bookshelves. Giant shelves filled with ancient books didn't even creek under their light weight and only little clouds of dust marked their way up.

Nightglow sneezed, while Loadstar asked:

"What did you find?"

"This!" Aria proudly pointed, "Can't you see? a hidden passage, just like you described!"

Loadstar stepped on something rigid. She looked down to find a spearhead from a spear that used to hang at this exact spot. It would seem that that exhibit was used to cover the entrance.

"Ah, don't mind that," said Aria, noticing Loadstars confusion, "There was a spear, but it fell apart when I yanked at it."

Nightglow frowned back at Aria:

"We were told that the spear belonged to Nightingale herself! And you broke it..."

"No, I yanked it," flight-lead replied, showing no respect for the hero of the past.

"It was over a thousand years old!" Nightglow cried.

Aria waved her hoof back at him:

"What, she couldn't afford a newer spear?..."

Grey Mouse and Loadstar just stood there, watching their friends bickering. Finally, Nightglow could not take it anymore:

"Nightingale - is a renowned hero! Mighty warrior, Night Princess' chosen one!"

"So, she's not gonna be angry! Obviously she didn't need the spear anymore!" Aria persisted.

White-maned mentat just growled back at her. No respect for the heroes of the old!

Nightglow pondered:

"Actually, we could just glue it back. No one would notice. I'm pretty sure no one would even bother to check."

Loadstar looked back at him in disapproval, while flight-lead backflipped from joy:

"Hey! The horny one is right! glue it up and all is good!... either way, if the spear is that important, what the heck is it doing all the way back here?"

Suddenly, Grey Mouse voiced her concern:

"Wasn't Nightingale armed with metal claws?"

Everyone looked back at her, Grey just blushed and shivered from the sudden attention.

Loadstar fixed her glasses and started to explain:

"Later on, yes. The Spear - was her first weapon, she started out as a common soldier. And here it was... uh, I do wonder, why is it here and not in the armory?"

"Uh, 'cause it's fake?" Aria snorted.

"Why would you say that?" Loadstar cried, while she herself, was still confused by the spears odd location.

Aria smirked and pointed to the base of the exhibit:

"'Cause it says 'replica'."

Loadstar puckered her lips and blushed. So obvious! Nightingale spear was just a weapon she used, and since those days, the original would have turned to dust.

Nightglow just moaned:

"But master Blue Sage told us this one was real..."

"Sure he did," Aria snorted again and went for the kill, "None of you hornheads would bother to climb here and check!"

"We trust what we are told," Nightglow blushed.

"Oh you little naive fools!" Aria proclaimed theatrically, obviously parroting some adult she knew. "No curiosity in their heads! only books! only studies!"

Conversation went in a weird direction. Blushing (as she usually is) Grey Mouse tried to fix that:

"Girls, Nightglow, do you remember why we are here?"

All eyes turned to the murky darkness of the passage in the wall. Here, without stars and lamps, even thestrals night eyes were useless.

"Shall we?" Aria asked quietly.

"But what about..." started Loadstar, but was stopped by Arias hoof:

"Not up for a debate. We are going after my cutie mark! No objections, Curly. It was your idea to look for a hidden secret... thanks for the tip, by the way."

Loadstar just sighed and nodded.

Stepping into the darkness, she looked back at the fading lights of the library:

«Thy tongue - is thy enemy, and mine will be the end of me!»

With that, she conjured a little ball of light on the tip of her horn (that illuminated the walls of the passage, carved not out of dustolite, but laid with ancient bricks!) and followed her friends.

A new adventure began...