The Festival of Lights

by Dusk Melody

Chapter 1 - A Thousand Years Later

"Us. You want us to go to Umberfoal?"

Twilight felt her eye start to twitch at Cloudburst's question. "Yes, that is what I said."

"You want us three to go back to the Badlands?" the pegasus, sat on Seafoam's lap, pointed to Sparkler and Stonecutter.

"Yes, Cloudburst, that is exactly what I want."

"Um, begging your pardon, Headmare Twilight," Stonecutter asked, "But why us?"

“That's simple," Twilight smiled, "You three were the ones who lifted the enchantment of the statuettes. You bought the city and its inhabitants into the modern day. Evenlight the Wise has invited you to the Festival of Lights."

Sparkler spoke up, "We were invited?"

"By name, yes," Twilight responded, "To attend the first Festival of Lights in a thousand years."

"No."

As one entity, four pairs of eyes - one twitching - turned to Cloudburst. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said, no. With respect, Headmare, I'm not going."

"May I ask why?"

“Yeah," Stonecutter exclaimed," What gives, CB? I'd have thought you'd be happy to attend a party in your honour."

"Well, I'm not." the pegasus asserted, "I'm not going."

"But, but the Festival of Lights is a big deal!" Sparkler added, "It's like the Crystal Faire in the Crystal Empire, or the Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot!"

"I'm not going, because the last time I was in the Badlands, I was almost kidnapped by bandits, I was almost eaten by a tatzlwurm, I nearly had my wings broken and I was very nearly killed by Moonbeam. And now, I'm even more pregnant than I was then."

Seafoam reached around his pets’ waist and protectively held her rounded belly. “If my pet says no, then she says no. Please respect her decision."

"I'm sure it'll be safe, CB," Stonecutter started, "It's only a festival, what can go wrong?"

"For us?" Cloudburst snorted out a laugh, "Just about everything? We were only supposed to watch the pets and look how that turned out."

Twilight then raised a hand for silence before Seafoam could again ask them to back off. "Cloudburst, I had no idea you were pregnant. May I offer you both my congratulations?"

“Thank you, Headmare," Seafoam smiled, though he gripped his pet's belly protectively.

"Of course, if you are pregnant, then you are excused from attending the festival," again, she held up a hand for silence, this time from Stonecutter and Sparkler, "That being said though, I do feel the pegasi need a representative. How about Inky Rose?"

"Inky?" Cloudburst burst out a loud laugh, "I don't think so, Headmare."

"And why not? Last I looked on her, she doesn't have many friends, this could be a turning point for her."

"Because," Cloudburst explained, "Inky hates loud sudden unexpected noises. She sheds feathers if you slam a door near her without warning. Send her and she'll come back bald."

"Hmph..." Twilight had to concede that would be a bad look, "Okay, then what about Night Glider?"

“With respect, Headmare, can I please make a suggestion?"

“Of course, Cloudburst, go ahead."

"Cloudy Skies."

Other than the fact that Cloudy Skies was a transgender pony, transitioning from stallion to mare, Twilight had to admit she didn't know a lot about Cloudy Skies. "What makes hi... pardon me, her, a viable choice?"

Sparkler and Stonecutter began listing off the pegasus's attributes, "She's loyal, hardworking, dependable, resilient, she can wrangle clouds..."

"If you send her," Cloudburst cut in, "Then you can send Blackbeak as well. She won't go anywhere without her Master, and you can tick off diversity too."

Twilight’s eyes shone with possibilities. "Hmm...it is entirely possible that the ponies of Umberfoal have never seen a griffon...yes, excellent! You go and find them; I'll make the arrangements with Evenlight. Please meet me back here in three days."

As Stonecutter and Sparkler stood up to leave their Headmare's office, they noticed Cloudburst had not moved from Seafoam's lap. "Hey, CB, are you coming?"

“Yeah Stone, we'll catch you up in a minute, we want to ask the Headmare something first."

"What is it?" Twilight asked when it was just the three of them in her office.

Cloudburst smiled when Seafoam gave her a reassuring, if surreptitious, pinch on her ass. "Thing is, Headmare, we both graduate in six months, and well, with me being pregnant and all, we were planning on leaving Ponyville to start a life on Mount Aris..."

"And you want me to allow you to go now, correct?"

"Yes Ma'am," Seafoam nodded, "My parents are members of Queen Novo's Palace guard, they've guaranteed me a job, and they already have a house for us."

"And I've been training as a weather pony, something the Hippogriffs are in need of to control their weather."

"Well...I could allow it, write your remaining few months off as a field trip, set you Friendship assignments to complete, however, you would need to return for a few days each month to report your progress."

"Thank you, Headmare Twilight Ma’am," Cloudburst leapt from her Master's lap and hugged the alicorn tightly, "You're the best!"

Far from being startled or surprised, Twilight hugged Cloudburst in kind. "So, I've been told, much to Luna's displeasure," she smiled warmly, "Consider it my personal thank you for being one of the three who saved my friends and I from the statuette enchantment."

"Aaw...Headmare, you don't have to do that," Cloudburst blushed, "But, if you wanted to say... I dunno, show your gratitude by giving me a reference to show the Mount Aris weather team, I'd be amazingly grateful."

"Consider it done, was there anything else?"

Cloudburst looked at her left forearm, at Moonbeam's bracelet, "Yeah, how is Moony? How's she doing?"

“Moonbeam has volunteered to go on my friendship retreat at Hope Hollow. It just so happens to coincide with Mayor Skies' Rainbow Festival."

"Good," Cloudburst looked down at the floor, prompting Seafoam to get up and hug her from behind, "She's a good pony, she just needs a chance to show it."

"Oh, I know," Twilight smiled, "That's why she has the second chance. She earned her redemption, because of you." the alicorn lit her horn and she levitated over a photo from her desk drawer. "She wanted you to have this."

Cloudburst held the photograph in her hands, of a smiling Moonbeam posed at the central fountain of Hope Hollow looking much happier than the pegasus had seen her the last time she had seen her.

"She also sent you this," Twilight passed Cloudburst a sealed envelope that felt heavier at one end than the other. "It's a letter," she explained regarding the questioning look she was given, "And a dragon seal. It's enchanted so your reply letter will always find her."

"We can keep in touch, wherever, whenever?"

"I think that's what the Headmare said, yes," snickered Seafoam into his mare's ear.

"Thanks, Headmare, this is really awesome," Cloudburst slipped the photo and the envelope in her bag to read later.

"You are very welcome. Now, if you don't mind going and finding Mr. Blackbeak and Miss Skies, I have work to do." she shot the pegasus a wry look, "I believe somepony needs a reference to start a job..."

With Cloudburst emitting the most girly squeal of delight ever witnessed, Seafoam dragged his pregnant mare from Twilight's office.

~ ~ ~

Outside the offices, Blackbeak and Cloudy Skies had been enjoying the morning sun. To say it was late fall, very nearly winter, it was still quite warm. The couple were currently sat with Cloudy on Blackbeak's lap, and the griffon was casually feeding his mare strawberries straight from the tray.

Alas, their peaceful together time was not to last. As they sat on one of the benches surrounding the central island and the fountain, a pegasus stallion hovered down from the sky.

Almost immediately, a small crowd of excited students gathered around the stallion like moths drawn to a flame. It wasn’t hard to see why, he was wearing a Wonderbolts racing suit, complete with goggles.

No sooner had the crowd assembled around him than the stallion started boasting to his fan club, telling tall tales of his speed and his skill in the air. With every boast, he ran a cream hoof through his flame red mane.

Cloudy Skies, content on her Master's lap, paid the Wonderbolt no mind. She wrapped her long legs, which were perfectly framed by her black yoga pants, around Blackbeak's muscular waist and she took another strawberry from his beak.

"Mares and stallions, fillies and colts, if any of you can best me, the awesome, the amazing, the faster than light Fire Streak, in a demonstration of speed and dexterity, then I, the unbeatable Fire Streak, will bow to your excellence!"

The assembled crowd looked from one another, none of them wanted to put their hand in the air, and Cloudy smirked, leant into her lover and she kissed his ear tufts, "Blowhard..."

Blackbeak snickered, "You can take him, pet."

"Master, you know I'm not big on the speed, I'm a weather pony. Or I will be."

"Come my friends!" Fire Streak exclaimed loudly when he saw that nopony was eager to accept his challenge, "Won't any of you race me? How about I sweeten the pot, I'll wager a hundred bits that I will win!"

The mention of bits made Blackbeak's eyes shine. Quickly he stood up, drawing some attention to him, as he was so tall, and he thrust Cloudy forwards with a shove to her back, "My marefriend accepts your challenge!"

"Excellent!" Fire Streak clapped his hands as the small crowd parted to let Cloudy and Blackbeak pass.

"Master what are you doing?" Cloudy Skies hissed, "I can’t win a race against a Wonderbolt!"

"Beat him, pet," Blackbeak whispered into her ear, "And not only will I let you out of your cage, I'll let you wear skirts and dresses for a month..." he leant in close, "And I'll buy you anything you want from the MiAC store."

Cloudy Skies was sold on the first thing her Master had said. "Bring it on, Wonderbolt! You're going down!" her wings bristled with readiness. The chance to be uncaged didn’t come around very often. She was going to win!

Fire Streak had the crowd cheering for him like it was the Buckball Cup final by the time Cloudy Skies was stood by his side. "The rules!" the pompous stallion cried, "First, a high ascent through the cloud cover and a race for three miles skimming the clouds east. Then, we dive and slalom through Old Mare Butterwick's apple orchard, then we turn back west and speed along the final stretch, passing under the arch in the bell tower and the first to get back here wins!"

Cloudy Skies gulped nervously. The cloud surfing, she was sure she could do, and the slalom didn’t sound too bad, but the sprint at the end? She knew she had no chance.

Behind her, Blackbeak could tell by the way her wings froze that his mare was having doubts. He placed a clawed hand on her toned rear, squeezing it through the tight yoga pants. "I believe in you," he nipped her ear, "Make me proud, my love."

Once they were both ready, Fire Streak counted down from five to one, and on the word "Go!" they both took off into the blue sky.

Towards the end of the very thrilling race, in which Cloudy Skies managed to keep the lead throughout the cloud surfing and through the slalom, though a few of the apple trees did suffer, Cloudburst and Seafoam came out of the school and they saw the crowd. They saw Sparkler and Stonecutter stood over by Blackbeak, who was looking up into the sky.

Cloudburst looked up into the sky and followed the gaze of the students and she saw her good friend turning to face the west, "Why's Cloudy racing Fire Streak?” she asked, recognising the latest Wonderbolt through association, her parents were Wonderbolts, after all.

Watching with the cheering crowd, Blackbeak was amazed that his marefriend was actually a wingspan's length ahead, "I volunteered her."

"Why?" Cloudburst asked, "No offence, but she can't win." Sure enough, now the race was on the final stretch, the sprint, Fire Streak had overtaken her and was pulling ahead.

"I know," Blackbeak admitted, watching as second by second, the gap between the Wonderbolt and Cloudy Skies grew wider and wider.

Sparkler turned a confused look to the tall griffon, "Then why? If you don't mind me asking?"

"I like to see her try," Blackbeak smiled broadly, for even though the gap between them was clearly insurmountable, he was pleased to see his marefriend was still flying as hard as she could.

Sure enough, as inevitable as it was, Fire Streak passed under the bell tower and he arrived back at the school fountain with so much time to spare that by the time Cloudy finished, he had done three victory laps of the courtyard and signed all the autographs.

"Thank you, thank you!" Fire Streak bowed to his cheering fans, "Any time you want to see me win again, just follow The Streak!"

"Well played," a very sweaty, tired and exhausted Cloudy Skies extended her hand to the bragging pegasus, "You were great up there."

"Oh, I know I was," Fire Streak smirked obnoxiously, avoiding the mare's hand at the last moment and leaving her hanging, "Now, I believe the bet was for a hundred bits?"

"How rude!" Sparkler bristled and stepped forwards, only to be stopped by Stonecutter, "You could at least shake her hand!"

"I don't touch losers," Fire Streak sneered, holding his hand out for his winnings.

"Pardon me," Sparkler spoke up, "I believe that the wager of one hundred bits was to the one that beat you. At no time did you specify the one who beat you had to pay you money."

"Hey!" Blackbeak snarled, not caring for the technicalities, his talons extending from the tips of the griffon's claws as his wings extended in a threatening posture. Fortunately, Cloudy Skies gripped her Master's arm and stopped him.

"Fire Streak!" Rainbow Dash's raspy voice rang out loud and powerful with authority.

"Lieutenant Commander Dash!" Fire Streak snapped to a hasty salute just in time as his superior officer flew to a hover in front of his face.

"Cadet Fire Streak," Rainbow Dash spoke slowly and evenly, though her voice was dangerously low, "Captain Spitfire really wants to know why you aren't at the academy. I want to know why you're trying to shill teenagers when you should be training."

"Bu-But u-um...a-aaah we-well y-you see, I um..." Fire Streak stammered uselessly, impotently, under Rainbow's dressing down. As he flustered, the crowd, his 'fan club', started to disperse.

"Did I say you could speak, Cadet?" Rainbow asked tersely, and she was pleased that Fire Streak had the good sense to shut up. "You know you need the practice. Then you could beat somepony other than a school kid. Now, report to Commander Soarin' for your punishment detail. Oh, and give the nice lady the hundred bits."

"What? Why?" Fire Streak stupidly found his voice, "Why should I?"

Rainbow Dash, who had been about to fly back up to the sky, turned to face her cadet. "Because, Fire Streak, the pegasus you beat happens to be that exceptionally large, and incredibly angry, griffon's mate. You insulted his mate when you dishonoured her by not shaking her hand. If you don't cover the debt, he's honour bound - and capable - to rip your wings off and feed them to you."

Fire Streak hurriedly pulled out the money, five twenty-bit notes, and thrust them at the snarling griffon. "There's no honour or glory in beating somepony who can't beat you. Ten demerits from me, Cadet. Get out of here,"

When Fire Streak was nothing but a speck in the sky, Rainbow Dash turned to Blackbeak, who looked a lot happier than he had a moment ago. "We cool?"

"Honour has been satisfied, Professor Dash," he smiled, taking the money into his wallet, before bumping fists with his Loyalty teacher, "And, I was only gonna hit him a bit, I wasn’t...y'know, 'tear his wings off'..."

"Oh, I know," Rainbow smirked, "But he didn’t know that did he? Now, you six get to the hayburger, have fun." She sped off back to the academy, resolving to thank Gilda for the lessons on griffon culture she had given her back at Junior Speedsters Flight Camp.

~ ~ ~

“Okay,” Stonecutter said once their group was at the front of the queue in the Hayburger Queen joint, “Everypony put in their order.”

“What are you...”

Expecting resistance, Stonecutter quickly interrupted Sparkler, silencing the unicorn with an index finger to her lips. “I got this, and that is that, Mistress.”

Realising it was pointless to argue, Sparkler kissed her marefriend’s fingertips and doffed her head. Just this once. “Well then, I'll have the Number One meal, go large.” her order given, she stepped away from the counter.

Next in line, Cloudburst looked hopefully to Seafoam, “Can I have the double hayburger and the cheesy fries please, Master?”

“You can,” Seafoam acquiesced with a smile, for he pictured stealing a few of those cheesy fries for himself, “Seafood special for me, Stony.”

“I'll have the Foal's Meal Number Six, please Stony,” Cloudy Skies said after she had made up her mind. She never ate from the adult menu. Blackbeak liked her to take care of her figure, to keep it as feminine as she could.

“I’ll have what CB had,” Blackbeak, studying the wall menu behind the serving counter, “But make it the Daddy size, extra-large, thanks Stone.”

“Got it,” stepping up to the very bored looking mare behind the counter, Stonecutter placed all their orders, and she ordered an extra-large meal for herself. Anything less just wouldn’t touch the sides.

“Let's get a seat,” Sparkler said while her marefriend was ordering, “Stony can bring the food over when it’s ready.”

“You got it, Sparks!” Cloudburst spotted an empty table big enough to seat eight over by the large window that looked out onto Ponyville’s market square and, when they were all seated, she turned to Cloudy Skies, “So, Cloudy, racing a Wonderbolt. Adventurous for you, isn’t it?”

“My Master volunteered me,” Cloudy threw Blackbeak a pout, to which he just kissed her lips and made her blush, “You know that hundred bits was to go for this meal, right?” she asked, deftly changing the subject.

Sparkler shrugged, “Let Stony have her moment. Maybe Blackie will let you buy something sexy for the two of you with the money?”

“When I allow her to buy,” Blackbeak said, before affectionately nipping Cloudy Skies’ ear, “She always buys sexy.”

Like she had been in Twilight’s office, Cloudburst was sat on Seafoam’s lap. She leant her head back and she whispered, “Can I tell them our news yet?”

“May as well, as that won't change it.”

Sparkler though stopped the impetuous pegasus before she could say anything more. “Whatever it is, please wait till Stony comes back.”

While Cloudy Skies was busy squeaking at her nipped ear, Cloudburst grinned at her friends, “Right you are, Sparks.”

A few moments later, Stonecutter walked over from the serving counter carrying two loaded trays, one in each hand, and she placed them down on the table. “Don’t be shy guys, grab your own.”

Cloudburst did have the restraint – just – to wait until Stonecutter had taken her seat next to Sparkler before she tried again. “Now can I tell them, please?”

Seafoam casually stole two of his mare’s cheesy fries, “Yes love, you can tell them.”

“Well, tomorrow, when you lot all go on your big trip to Umberfoal, Foamy and I are headed to Mount Aris!” the sky blue mare clapped her hands and she was so excited that she accidentally made static electricity crackle between her palms.

“So,” said Stonecutter after she had swallowed her first mouthful of her burger, “You're leaving Ponyville for good?” This wasn’t exactly news to her or to Sparkler. They both knew their friends were thinking of leaving, it was just a matter of when.

Cloudburst nodded, “That's the plan, yeah,” she replied thickly through a mouth full of cheesy fries that had not yet been stolen.

“My parents have a house ready for us, CB’s folks have been good enough to furnish it for us, and the Headmare has kindly allowed us to call it a six month field trip.” the turquoise hippogriff squeezed his mare gently, “We have to come back twice, and for grad day.”

“Well,” Sparkler announced grandly, “When we get back from the festival, we'll have to stop by and do a proper housewarming for you. First, we have to, it says so in a book I have. Second, I need to show off my fashion sense with your Mount Aris dress code.”

Smirking, Cloudburst shook her head, “Is there anything you don't get from a book, Sparks?”

Playfully, like she was pondering the question, Sparkler tapped her chin, then, before she could answer, Stonecutter said, “You want to tell them what I did?”

Sparkler’s green eyes shone, “I didn't get that from a book!”

“You're not reading the right books,” Blackbeak snickered, “If you want, I can lend you a few.”

Laughing along with the rest of her friends, Cloudy Skies put her hand up like she was in class and she was trying to get the teacher’s attention. “Excuse me, but you just said, when you lot all go on your big trip to Umberfoal. Um, where’s Umberfoal?”

“Surprise!” Seafoam gave the transgender pony his best jazz hands.

“Surprise?” Cloudy Skies wore a puzzled look on her face, “What do you mean, surprise? Are we going to Umberfoal?”

Blackbeak frowned, “What's Umberfoal?”

“Headmare Twilight thought that a pegasus with a dick that looked feminine, with actual tits – sorry CB - and a culturally diverse griffon would be prefect for the Festival of Lights in Umberfoal.”

Cloudburst gawped open mouthed at the yellow unicorn, “W-What!?”

Stonecutter shared her best friend’s open-mouthed expression, “Sparkler!”

Unabashed, Sparkler shrugged her shoulders and she innocently took a few bites of her meal, “What can I say,” she looked around at the arrayed stunned faces, “My mom is rubbing off on me.”

Blackbeak had his head to one side while Cloudy Skies was currently losing herself laughing, “Oh...is Umberfoal that thing the Headmare won't shut up about for the past month? That and that Moonbeam chick you three bought back from the Badlands with you?”

Stonecutter wore a profoundly serious look on her face, “You know, that ‘Moonbeam chick’, is a good friend of Cloudy’s.”

“Yeah,” Cloudburst bristled, her wings flaring dangerously, “That 'chick' is alright. Least she's making real friends now and not statuettes.”

“Hey,” Blackbeak held up his clawed hands in apology, “You guys know I didn't mean nothing.”

“You'll like her when you meet her. So, yeah,” Sparkler pointed at Blackbeak and Cloudy Skies then at Stonecutter and herself as she spoke, “The two of you are going with the two of us to Umberfoal. The Professor has a portal set up we can use, so we should just be two or three nights and then back.”

“It will count for extra credit too,” Stonecutter added after she had finished demolishing her large stack of salty fries.

“I’m not sure what they will do to keep the library clean without you, Master.” Cloudburst joked, timing her jibe just as her coltfriend had just stolen the latest of her fries.

Seafoam almost choked on the stolen cheesy fry, then when he had recovered, he sniggered, “I believe I'll pass on the cleaning duties to Compass Point. He's watched us enough times, him and Echo, that changeling he’s friends with benefits with.

“This is the place that was hidden for a thousand years, right?” asked Blackbeak, who was quite intrigued by this sudden trip. Plus, it meant getting away from the school – and the teachers – for a bit.

“Yes!” Sparkler exclaimed, joy on her face, “I can lend you a book to help you prepare for the festival!”

Blackbeak sighed, while he wasn’t stupid, he was by no means a studious griffon. Books did have a use, mostly for smacking his pet’s ass... “I can't believe I'm saying this, but if you could, that'd be great. Forewarned is forearmed.”

Giddily, Sparkler clapped her hands, “I do so love to spread knowledge!” grinning ear to ear, she kissed Stonecutter, “You may now tell them of your new gift, that I didn't get from a book.”

“I can heal wounds!”

Cloudburst erupted in a fit of giggles, “Yeah, you must need a lot of band-aids and antiseptic wash with a clutzy neat freak like Sparky!”

Not only did Sparkler roll her eyes noisily at her brash friend, she stuck out her tongue and gave her a loud raspberry to fully communicate her feelings. “No,” Stonecutter clarified, “As in magic. I just put my hands on a wound and I heal it.”

“No way!” Cloudburst immediately thought that such an ability would have been super useful back in the Badlands when Moonbeam had knocked her out. “Really? You can do that?”

“I can!” Stonecutter closed her eyes, she concentrated hard, and her hands glowed bright yellow.

“Her new gift prevented me from giving up on a promising teleportation career.”

“Can I get a demonstration?” Blackbeak asked, eager to see what his friend could do. When Stonecutter nodded ‘yes’, the griffon nipped Cloudy Skies’ ear hard, keeping up the pressure until blood started to flow.

Seeing the blood, Stonecutter reached over the table and, with her glowing hands, she touched the pegasus’s bleeding ear, which healed instantly. “Ow!” Cloudy yelped and swatted her lover’s shoulder, “Warn me next time!”

Blackbeak gave his mare an affectionate lick, “Where's the fun in that?”

“You're lucky I love you...”

“The Magic of Love is Friendship 201,” Sparkler pointed out, not bothering to keep the smug tone from her voice.

Cloudburst snorted, “Teacher's pet...”

“Careful, my pet,” Seafoam gently nipped his pet’s ear, while at the same time he not-so-gently pinched her ass with his talons.

“We leave in three days, so you have time to look at the book. I'll drop it off at your dorm room in the morning,” Sparkler said, trying not to laugh when Cloudburst jumped up and yelped out loud.

“Yeah,” Stonecutter added, “We're excused from classes till we get back. You and Foamy staying till we leave, CB, or are you taking off right away?”

Cloudburst shrugged, “There is packing to do.”

“Figured we'll leave when you leave,” Seafoam said after a moment’s consideration, “Give us chance to get settled on Mount Aris by the time you get back from your trip.”

“I'm so excited!” Sparkler let out a squee of sheer delight, “I get to visit places I've only read about!”

“Yeah,” Cloudburst said dryly, “And discover new and fun ways to get eaten, and places to run for your life in, amongst other things...”

“So, basically, a trip to the Everfree Forest?”

“You laugh now,” Cloudburst said once they had all indeed stopped laughing, “See how you laugh when a tatzlwurm thinks you're lunch or a momma roc thinks you're her chick.”

“I can always wear my armour,” Blackbeak offered nonchalantly.

“Hey, Master, you only wear that for really special occasions!” Cloudy Skies pouted. Again.

“You're wearing your armor now, right CB?” asked Seafoam, and Cloudburst giggled, because she knew he meant her denim shorts and white tee shirt she was wearing.

“You're the one that kicked the tatzlwurm in the jaw and played chick chick for the roc, Cloudy,” Sparkler pointed out helpfully.

“While that is all true,” Cloudburst conceded, “And it was a blast, but...I think my adventuring days are done, or at least they’re restricted to weather duty.”

Stonecutter could understand and appreciate that. Her best friend had something to be protective for, the life she was carrying. “I still want to rub your belly before you leave.”

“I second that,” Sparkler said quickly.

“Consider the motion thirded!” Cloudy Skies then gave Blackbeak an obvious hard nudge straight to his ribs.

“Alright,” Blackbeak grunted with a roll of his eyes and a rub to his sore ribs, “I want a rub too. I’ve met the monkey; I should at least meet the organ grinder.”

“HEY!”

~ ~ ~

The thrum of pure magic echoed around the vast chamber as the wave of pure magic passed over the four friends. They stood on the other side of Twilight’s still open portal, and they felt the sheer power buzzing around them, making their fur and feathers stand on end. Manes and tails twitched involuntarily, as if they were coursing with electricity.

With the closing of the portal, the moment passed, and four pairs of eyes were drawn through the large circular opening at the end of the cavern. Where once the rune covered door had been closed, now it stood open. What first seemed to be torches lining the edge were in fact brightly glowing crystals.

“So, this is Umberfoal?” asked Blackbeak, staring around the huge chamber, “I thought it would be bigger. And have ponies in it. And houses.”

“Ah...no,” Stonecutter explained with a shake of her head as she hefted the large backpack onto her shoulders. Since they had not bought her wagon this time, and they didn’t anticipate needing food and water supplies, she carried everything on her back. “This is just the entrance chamber, Umberfoal is through there.”

“This is where we faced Moonbeam before,” Sparkler clarified. If this chamber had not already been documented, she would have pulled one of her many blank notebooks from Stonecutter’s pack and started writing.

“What are these?” Cloudy Skies walked up to what she had first assumed were two guards, but on closer inspection they turned out to be stone statues standing either side of the open door.

Blackbeak stepped up to the twelve-foot-high statues and studied them closely. They were obviously carved, but they were perfect, his sharp eyes detected no tool markings anywhere on the ponies’ bodies or the armour they wore or the weapons they wielded in their stone hands. “Impressive,” he passed his judgement, “They remind me of the Guardians of Griffonstone.”

“They’re Pony Golems,” Stonecutter shuddered as she stepped up the dais towards the door, “Guards, enchanted to attack anypony – anycreature – trying to get in there who doesn’t have any business being in there,” she pointed to the open door before her.

“A-At-Attack?” Cloudy Skies gulped and took a big step backwards, her heeled horseshoes clacking on the stone floor. Suddenly, the statues didn’t seem as interesting as they had a moment ago.

“Don’t worry,” Blackbeak immediately wrapped a strong muscular arm around his mare’s waist, “I’ll keep you safe, pet.”

“Yeah,” Sparkler sniffed, “We had to fight two just like these the last time we were here,” in the far corners of the cavern, she just made out, amid the cleared rubble, the shattered remains of the two they had fought before. “These must be replacements. Don’t worry, we have passes, remember?” she pointed to the ID card hanging from the lanyard around her neck that bore her photo and Twilight Sparkle’s official Princess seal.

“I knew that,” Blackbeak fingered the seal that was attached to his ID card as he walked past the two silent stone guards. He tried to not let the deep breath he released once he was past them be too obvious. He almost succeeded. He was left with a new respect for his friends, for he knew that had it been necessary to fight them, the fight would have been a hard one.

Seeing that it was safe, Sparkler smoothed out her school uniform – her dark blue sweater with the School of Friendship crest on the left and her knee length crimson skirt – and took a step past the huge imposing guards. “Come on, we need to go this way,” she entered the dark passageway beyond the door.

Stonecutter didn’t much like her school uniform. She hated the way the sweater stretched across her fat belly, even though she wore a size bigger than she was. Cloudy Skies looked far better in her uniform, which just made her hate hers all the more. But she had agreed to wear it, because they were representing the school, weren’t they?

Like Stonecutter, Blackbeak hated his school uniform. The crimson trousers were too tight, the sweater was made to itch him to death, and it tugged at the bases of his wings. He much preferred his regular dress of denim shorts and white tee. Still, it wouldn’t do to complain. He was after all getting extra credit for this.

As they all entered the dark stone passageway, with Sparkler at the head lighting the way with her horn casting a bright light ahead of them, crystals mounted in the walls began to glow with a mystical blue light, further illuminating the corridor. The way was wide enough where they could walk two abreast, and they walked in a diamond, Sparkler at the front, Stonecutter and Cloudy Skies side by side, and Blackbeak bringing up the rear.

With the added light of the glowing crystals in the walls illuminating the way, the party were able to see through the gloom. Presently, after fifteen minutes, they came to a set of wide stone stairs that lead down even further into the darkness. “Good thing I’m not scared of the dark,” Cloudy Skies nonetheless held Stonecutter’s hand, and she was pleased to feel her friend squeeze her hand in return. “You think they’d have sent somepony to greet us...”

“They’re probably busy organising the festival,” Sparkler said from her lead position.

“And getting used to not being statues,” Blackbeak snickered helpfully.

“Yes, no doubt that, too,” agreed Sparkler. She bravely took a step onto the dark stone staircase and as soon as her horseshoe touched the step, she was amazed to see that it lit up with the same glow. “I don’t think light will be a problem, Cloudy,” said Sparkler.

As the group descended the stairs, each step reactively lit up whenever it was stepped on, leaving behind a soft blue underglow from the steps behind. Added to the crystals on the walls, which kept pace with their descent, the path was well lit. Still, Sparkler kept her horn lit, for one never knew what might happen.

After what seemed to be a long and winding descent, conducted mostly in silence, Sparkler, at the head of the group, noticed the conditions change slightly up ahead. Moving carefully, and lighting her horn even more, she saw that the chamber in front of her seemed to have no floor.

“Wow...” she breathed, for the staircase lead to an opening high up on the wall of a much larger cavern. Looking around, she saw no obvious continuation. “Guys, be careful here, the archway leads out into nothing,” she warned.

Thanks to Sparkler’s warning, Stonecutter was able to hug the wall and avoid the path to thin air. “That,” Blackbeak stood under the archway next to his friends and his marefriend, staring out into the cavern, “Is an excessively big drop...” it was so big, they couldn’t see the bottom.

Moments later, after standing under the archway for a short time, the cavern around them seemed to come alive with magic. The now familiar blue glow that had followed them the whole way from the door and had illuminated the staircase now spread along the walls until it filled the arch with the same blue light, only it was brighter, much brighter.

In a flash that was so bright it swamped the light from Sparkler’s horn, the light erupted throughout the cavern ahead; both shining rocks and strange looking fungi fill with the blue glow. Scattered across the walls they transformed into brilliant points of light like the stars that lit up Luna’s night sky.

As the cavern continued to fill with the soft ethereal blue glow, the party saw just how vast the cavern was. Vast, huge, immense, boundless, expansive, all adjectives that failed to convey the sheer scale of the space ahead. It was so massive that it was difficult even for Blackbeak to see the other side from where they were.

Below them, far, far below them, they could see in the added light the base of the cavern was filled with sparkling water: a subterranean lake. Rising up from the lake water were several towering pillars of rock, the largest of which was the closest. The pillar flared outwards towards the top creating a wide stone platform that was many kilometres across. On top of it they could see structures that were unmistakably buildings!

“Is this...” Stonecutter couldn’t finish her question. She was awed into silence by the sight that greeted her eyes, as were the others. Spreading across the main pillar and even scattered on the smaller ones – the smaller pillars were still easily three kilometres at the top – was a city.

“Umberfoal...” Sparkler breathed, at last finding her voice. “It’s...wow...” It was like looking at Canterlot, if the city was underground rather than on the side of a mountain. Under the circumstances, ‘wow’ seemed appropriate.

From the brightly glowing edge of the archway, a long arching stairway began to form. Not out of rock, but of light. Projected out into the expanse of the cavern, the ethereal stairway materialised fully, joining where they were stood with the sprawling city below and in front of them.

“Sweet Celestia’s Grace...” Stonecutter breathed, completely awed and humbled by the magic on show. She slowly reached out her hand and, expecting to pass straight through the stairway, she was amazed to see – and feel – it was solid, if slightly transparent.

“The Spectral Stair!” Sparkler clapped her hands and danced in place, hopping from hoof to hoof.

“The what, now?” Blackbeak and Cloudy Skies asked together as one.

“The Spectral Star!” Sparkler clapped her hands and danced, giddy like she had just been told she had scored an A+ on a pop quiz in class – something that happened a lot – her eyes wide in wonder. “I’ve read about this! It’s the Spectral Star! The way into Umberfoal! Let’s go!”

Taking advantage of the amount of open space, it was literally like being outside, except there was no sun in this sky, Blackbeak and Cloudy Skies both spread their wings and took to the air, content to hover their way down. Sparkler confidently stepped onto the transparent stairway, but Stonecutter remained rooted to the archway.

“Look at this!” Sparkler enthused, looking down at the lake far below through the transparent ghostly staircase, “It’s amazing! Such a feat of magic! What do you think, Stony...Stony?” she looked around and only then did she realise she was alone on the stairs. “Stone! What are you doing?”

What she was doing, was panicking.

“I can’t...” Stonecutter shook from head to hoof, her ears were pinned all the way back to her scalp, sweat was pouring from her forehead. “I-I ju-just can’t...” the earth pony had stepped back all the way to the stone wall, and she was pressed against it like she was trying to merge with it.

“Stone, look, it’s okay, it’s safe,” Sparkler stepped away from the glowing handrail to demonstrate how solid the stairs were.

“I know,” Stonecutter whimpered, “But I... can’t!”

Sparkler sighed, for her marefriend’s fear of heights was as pronounced as her fear of germs and dirt. But she had a plan. She glanced left and right, to Cloudy Skies and to Blackbeak, and she motioned for them to stay where they were. “Stonecutter, do you trust me?”

“I... I trust you, Sparks, it’s just...oooh Celestia...it’s a long way down!”

“You trust me, Stone,” Sparkler’s voice took on a commanding tone, “Pet, do you trust your Mistress?”

“Yes Mistress, I trust you.”

“Good, pet. Exceptionally good,” Sparkler walked towards her scared marefriend until they were side by side under the archway. She lit her horn and, using her Creation skill, she magically created a long ribbon which, after she had taken hold of the earth pony’s hand, she wound around them both, joining their forearms together. Keeping her horn lit, Sparkler then created from the ether a thick blindfold. “Your Mistress requests that you show that trust. Can you do that for me?”

“Y-Yes Mistress, I can do that...”

“Good girl,” Sparkler used her telekinesis to tie the blindfold around her pet’s head. “Now,” she said once she was sure it was snugly in place, “We will walk together, because I trust you, you trust me, and we trust our friends.”

Stonecutter felt her Mistress take a step forwards, and then another step, and to keep up, she took the steps alongside her. She felt the rough stone surface under her horseshoes. One step, still stone. Two steps, still stone. Three steps, four steps, stone. Her fifth step however, that was smooth. Perfectly flat. Solid. She knew she was on the staircase.

Sparkler felt her pet start to freeze up. She was ready and she acted quickly. “Shh pet. You are not scared.”

Stonecutter squeezed her Mistress’s hand as they took a sixth step down together, “I-I-I'm not?”

“No,” Sparkler said with utmost confidence as they took a seventh and an eighth step together, there was now a clear metre behind them between them and the arch, “You are not scared, because I have not given you permission to be scared.”

“I-I’m...” Stonecutter found, as she walked with Sparkler by her side, holding hands that were joined together, that she was not scared. A strange, reassuring calm washed over her. She was with her Mistress. Her Mistress said it was safe. Her Mistress would make sure she was safe. Her Mistress wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Steps nine, ten and eleven came much easier. “I’m not scared, Mistress.”

“Good,” Sparkler descended the Spectral Stair, she saw Blackbeak and Cloudy Skies keeping pace with them, flying either side of the staircase. She was glad they were there, but she knew it wasn’t necessary. She could feel the magic of the stairs through her hooves. It was ancient, powerful, strong. “Good girl. We are on the Spectral Stair, you can feel it, can’t you?”

With her vision taken from her, and her fear not allowed near her, Stonecutter felt the surface under her hooves. She truly felt it. An earth pony draws her magic from the ground through her hooves. Now she was becalmed, she felt the sheer power of the magic on display. “I can feel it! It feels...beautiful.”

“Good girl, Stone, good girl,” Sparkler cancelled the magic she had used to create the ribbon, and she held her lover’s hand and they walked down the staircase as easily as they walked down any other. Twenty steps, thirty, forty, “We’re almost halfway there now. Umberfoal is so close. I’m going to remove the blindfold now.”

Stonecutter offered no resistance at all once the blindfold was removed. She looked straight ahead, she walked confidently. She was with her Mistress and her friends, and she was not scared.

Fifteen minutes later, they had stepped off of the Spectral Stair, and they were in Umberfoal.

Comments

[Zervon Tora]

After spending so much time with the three, Cloudburst, Stonecutter and Sparkler, it is interesting to see it takes two to cover for one. Looking forward to see how this group works together.

[Dusk Melody]

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There has to be four. If Cloudy Skies is going, then so is Blackbeak.

[Nira Lightshine]

Such a good story can't wait for more of it

[Dusk Melody]

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I hope you liked the new characters.

[Flora Blossom]

It seems promising *sorry* I can't criticize you till it's finished.