• Published 15th Sep 2011
  • 3,806 Views, 81 Comments

Shadows of the Sun - theamberfox



A sinister plot for power develops in the shadows of the sun that changes the world forever.

  • ...
8
 81
 3,806

Chapter 3

Shadows of the Sun
By theamberfox

Chapter 3

The sun had almost completely vanished beyond the horizon when I arrived at the inn about an hour north of Canterlot. It wouldn’t normally take so long to set, but Celestia was carefully extending the daylight, giving me a few extra minutes to make some progress. It wasn’t much, but I understood why she may have felt guilty for sending me alone and wanted to help out as much as she could. I didn't blame her for my solitude. It wasn't her fault that I was alone. As a member of the nobility, I was well aware of the council's decisions and how they removed the escorts and researchers from my journey, stating various unreasonable excuses for their removal. Their reaction was almost expected, they had not always been immune to corruption over the years, but Celestia's was not. I had expected her to fight harder against the decision. It just felt like she had given up so easily. In a way I was kind of flattered. Did she really have so much faith in my ability that she was willing to accept the idea of sending me alone without a second thought? I don't know why she felt that way, but the fact that she did only intensified the importance of my journey.

The drought was getting worse and it was becoming more obvious every day. Ponies were eating less and working more. In the days before the expedition had even been mentioned, I hardly ever saw any of my friends. They were all just too busy with their lives to spend any time with a librarian in a tree. So I spent my time reading, writing and otherwise trying to extend my intellectual ability as I had done before I met them. It gave me some time to learn about the council in depth. I knew that the council was elected and that it served as a check on Celestia's power, but I didn't really know much about their exploits. Celestia had always been blamed or praised for everything that was done. Why? It was a question I was still asking myself, even here. I wanted to spend more time on the subject, but the journey had thrown me completely off balance, leaving me to traverse a whirlpool of confusion.

The distance I had traveled in the day had finally worn on me and I turned towards an old wooden building. A single lantern illuminated the word “Inn” written on a battered sign hanging below. I neglected the last few minutes of sunlight and stepped through the doorway into the inn, pushing the heavy wooden door out of the way as I entered.

The room inside was warm, but not well lit. A wood burning stove sat in the corner of the room. The fire danced inside, making small cracking and popping noises as it moved. A rough wooden counter was positioned directly across the room where an elderly earth pony stared at me with a bright welcoming smile. Her mane was tied into a tight knot above her head. It reminded me of another old pony's similar hairstyle and brought memories flooding back to my head. They were memories of my first visit to Ponyville and how nervous I was about doing something so simple, making friends. It was all so very different to me. I lived most of my life in solitude, but what I experienced changed everything. I didn't want to be alone anymore, not when I didn't have to.

“Why hello there dear.” she said, breaking the silence of the room and separating me from my memories. “We haven't had many travelers since the drought started. Are you here for a room?”

“Yes please. I don't need anything special, just a bed to sleep on.” I replied, trying to smile back.

“Of course. It's forty bits a night, miss..?” her words trailing off as she tried to get my name.

“Twilight Sparkle.”

I lifted some coins out of my bag and set them on the counter in front of the innkeeper. The coins clinked gently as I released my magical grasp and let them fall on top of the solid wood counter top. The old mare gathered up the coins and quickly slid a large book from out under the table, setting it down where the coins had been only moments before. She flipped open the cover and slowly turned the pages. Each page had names, signatures, and general information about the ponies that had stayed at the inn. Reaching a blank page, she grabbed a quill from a nearby ink pot and began to jot down my name and description as well as some other information.

“If you'll just sign your name here, Miss Sparkle, then I can get your room key.” she said as she marked the paper with a small 'x'.

Wordlessly, I took the quill she offered me, copied my signature onto the book and replaced the quill to the ink pot. The old mare closed the book and grabbed a key from a small hook on the far wall, placing it gently on the counter in front of me. As I moved the key into my bag, the bright smile that had remained on her face suddenly disappeared and was replaced by a look of concern.

“You're not traveling alone, are you?” she asked.

“Not willingly.” I joked, trying to bring the smile back to her face. “I'm going to Prance on behalf of the princess.”

“But you're so young. Are you sure you're going to be alright by yourself?”

“Unfortunately, I don't really have a choice. Things aren't getting any better and I'm supposed to find out what we can do about it.”

“You’re very brave Miss Sparkle. I don’t think I would have the courage to go off and save the world like that.”

I laughed at the idea, but the innkeeper just smiled. I guess I never really thought about it like that. Saving the world seemed like the kind of thing that you read about in fairy tales, and legends. The heroes were explorers, saints and warriors, not librarians. I didn’t believe that anyone would actually ever consider me to be a hero, but theses were strange times indeed. I always believed that a single spark of hope could ignite a fiery passion that changes the world and sparks can be found in the most unlikely of places.

~

The next few days were uneventful. I left the inn and continued to travel north towards the border, stopping only occasionally to rest or eat. On the fourth day of my journey I reached the border. I never would have believed it would be so plain. A large wooden sign was engraved with the words “Bienvenue en Prance” and rested between two identical stone columns. This sign was the only thing that separated Equestria from Prance and my homeland from the complete mystery of the strange world beyond it. I recognized the characters on the sign, but I was oblivious of its meaning. I had tried to learn the language while I traveled, but it was impossible to learn more than a few words in such a short time. Celestia had assured me that Le Roi Pierre was fluent in English and the map she gave me was well detailed, so I wasn’t incredibly concerned. It was, however, an elegant and beautiful language in its own right. The strange words seemed to flow like water, unlike those in my native tongue that seemed to be more descriptive and harsh.

As I stared past the towering sign in front of me, I began to realize what little difference there was between our two nations. Both landscapes had rolling hills, patches of trees, and houses and farms spotted throughout the countryside. It was calming to think that one could be so far away from their home and still be reminded of it.

I continued on past the sign, enjoying the pleasant scenery and weather as the hot sun beamed down on my back. It was hot, but not unbearably hot. I followed the path until I was met with another sign on the edge of a great forest, this time with much more complicated words than those on the border. As their meaning escaped me, I ignored the words and continued on. The path quickly became a winding trail through the dim forest with only a few cracks of light seeping through the canopy and reaching the forest floor. It was strange, despite all its similarities to the Everfree forest, I was not frightened. Like much of the landscape before it, the forest brought back pleasant memories that reminded me of home. Memories that reminded me of the time I had spent with my friends and the adventures we had together. But my reminiscing was interrupted when I heard faint voices echoing through the wooded wilderness.

“These northern folk are the prefect victims. They just hand it over and run away.” A voice called out from deeper within the forest and was followed by a cheerful laugh.

I stopped. I could understand what was being said on the path ahead of me, but it was unpleasant. Their words, laced with evil intentions, informed me of their purpose. Thieves, bandits, the worst kind of ponies, they picked on the weak and the innocent for personal gain and thought nothing of it. Celestia had kept vigilant watch over Equestria and crime was mostly a thing of the past, but she couldn’t prevent what went on beyond the border. The bandits had obviously come north to avoid prosecution in Equestria, believing that Prance wouldn’t keep the same watchful eye over her inhabitants.

The voices continued, but they were quieter now. Had they heard me? I ducked behind a tree along the path and closed my eyes, trying to keep silent. My heart raced, trying to escape from my body and the danger it was in. I wanted to stop them, but I knew it was an impossible feat. I was alone and I could pick out at least four different voices on the trail ahead. Alone and afraid, I resorted to the only thing I could do. I glanced off into the darkness of the forest far beyond the edge of the path. I would have to move around them and hopefully meet up with the path further ahead. I could warn Le Roi Pierre of the bandits when I arrived at the capital, but I wouldn’t arrive for a few days. By then, it would be far too late for anyone that encountered them.

“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.”

“Eeeekk” Startled, I let out a high pitched scream and backed up slowly.

A black pony with a white mane had snuck up behind me while I was looking into the forest. A red handkerchief was tied around his neck and, upon inspection, his flank was bare. The pony had obviously dyed his hair and covered his flank in an attempt to disguise his identity.

“A pony travelling all alone in the splinter forest.” He continued with a smile. “The splinter forest isn’t safe you know.”

“I’m sorry if I interrupted anything. I’m just trying to get through.” I said nervously while trying to collect myself and continuing to back up. “Eeeekk”

I bumped into another pony while moving backwards. His hair was dyed black and white, identical to that on the pony with the red handkerchief. Instead of a handkerchief, the larger pony that I now turned to face had an unusually messy mane. It was dirty and tangled and went in every direction. The pony stood silently, glaring down at me with a menacing grin.

“Oh you’re not interrupting anything. We’re just so glad you’re here.” The pony with the red handkerchief continued, his smile growing larger and soliciting a chuckle from a pony that had appeared on my right side.

The new pony was obviously female. She was smaller than the others, including myself, and her mane and tail were tied in several points with green bows that matched her irises. She walked gracefully up beside me and crossed her right foreleg in front of her left before she stopped laughing.

“We love getting clients.” She said as she resumed laughing quietly and staring at me.

“One more.” I thought to myself, counting the ponies around me as I stood next to the large tree I had tried to hide behind. “There has to be one more.”

“You see, we offer a service.” The pony with the handkerchief said. “We clear the path through the splinter forest and make sure it’s safe. Then we charge the ponies crossing through a modest sum for our trouble.”

In the corner of my eye I noticed a pony resting leisurely against a tree behind the pony with the handkerchief. He wore a dark brown cowboy hat that covered most of his face, revealing only the fat cigar that stuck out from under the brim. Puffs of smoke would gradually rise up from the red tip of the cigar and dissipate in the air above his head. He obviously thought that his participation was unnecessary and wasn’t even looking in my direction.

“I think it's a fair agreement.” he continued.

“But you look like the kind of pony that could afford to contribute a larger sum to our cause.” The female pony with the bows said, starting to laugh again.

I couldn't afford to give them my money or my possessions. I needed them. I depended on them. They were essential materials for my journey and, without them, I would be stuck all alone in a foreign country with no hope of returning. The realization of my cruel fate was horrendous and a flood of panic washed over me. What could I do? How could I get away? I needed a plan. I needed to find a way to get away from here with my possessions, even if it meant fighting these brutes.

With this knowledge, I began to search the surrounding area. Above the pony with the messy mane was a large branch. Old and decaying, it could be easily knocked loose and appeared to be heavy enough that it could knock the pony out if it fell on him.

“Of course, if you made a large enough donation than we could give everyone else a free pass for the rest of the day.” The pony with the handkerchief lied. “I’m sure they’d be very grateful.”

The female earth pony laughed again, still crossing her front legs she wobbled from side to side, slightly unstable in the relaxed position.

“Actually, why don’t you just hand over everything? That would certainly save us all a lot of work.” He said as the smile on his face turned into a menacing glare.

He was standing near a large round moss-covered stone. It seemed light enough that it could be lifted, but heavy enough that it could still seriously injure someone if it was thrown fast enough.

“So how about it. You want to help a good cause?” The pony with the bows asked, laughing again.

“I’m not much of a philanthropist.” I replied, recollecting my thoughts.

The other ponies were obviously surprised by my reaction and they didn’t really have time to react to what I did. I reached out with my magic and snapped the large branch over the messy-haired pony. The old branch cracked and fell directly on top of the pony’s head. Simultaneously, I turned around and kicked hard at the pony with the bows. Aiming for her front legs, I knocked her off balance and she fell to the forest floor. The pony with the handkerchief started to leap towards me, but I hurled the moss-covered stone quickly at the side of his head and he fell over. Turning back, I checked to make sure that the messy-haired pony was out before I kicked the female pony as she tried to get up. My hoof landed firmly in her face and sent her hurtling backwards before she hit the ground unconscious.

“That was pretty impressive.”

The pony with the hat and the cigar was looking at me from the tree he was still leaning against. He pushed himself up and started walking towards me, his hat glowing as he picked the cigar out of his mouth and threw it carelessly onto the path.

“Where did you learn how to do that?” he continued.

“I read a lot of books.” I shrugged.

His brow furrowed. “Fine. I never assumed you would tell me the truth.”

He lifted the hat off his head and tossed it to the ground, revealing the horn on his head. As he neared closer, I noticed the moss-covered stone on the ground beside the pony with the handkerchief.

“I hope you know that I’m going to have to kill you now.” The unicorn said, forcing me to back away from him.

My heart beat faster. He was serious. I picked up the stone and threw it at the unicorn, just as I had done to the pony with the handkerchief. He caught the stone midair and threw it directly back at my face. I didn’t have time to react and it hit me in the mouth. He hadn’t thrown it very hard and didn’t cause any permanent damage, but my mouth had started to fill with blood and I staggered backward. My vision blurred for a moment before coming to focus on the unicorn again.

“I don’t want to be here.” I thought. “I want to go home. I want to be with my friends. I want to be with Celestia. I want to be anywhere but here.”

He laughed. “That was too predictable. Next time I won’t be so forgiving.”

“I don’t want you here. Go away.” I said, looking directly at the unicorn as my eyes began to water.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He said as he flashed a smile and his horn lit up.

I picked him up and threw him against the tree he had been resting on. He had tried to struggle, moving his legs frantically and using his magic to try and keep himself on the ground, but it was all futile. I had spent nearly my whole life building up my magical ability and there were very few ponies left on the planet that could surpass me.

As soon as he hit the tree and fell to the ground, I ran. I ran down the path and through the winding trail of the forest. Tears were filling my eyes and droplets escaped and fell to the ground below. My mouth hurt, but the reason for my tears was different. I didn’t want to do this anymore. I didn’t want to save the world or be a hero in a legend. I wanted to go home, but I knew I couldn’t. I had to keep going. I had to keep running.

“You're not travelling alone, are you?” she asked.

“Not willingly.” I joked, trying to bring the smile back to her face.

~

“I’m so sorry Twilight.” Celestia interrupted as she stared at the ground ahead of her. “If I had tried harder… If I hadn’t let you go alone, then none of this would have happened.”

Celestia and Twilight were sitting in the throne room. Celestia had asked the guards to step out and give them some privacy when Twilight had arrived, so the two were alone now. They sat in the middle of the room, the sun bathing them in a warm orange light as it began to disappear over the horizon.

“I don’t blame you for what happened, Celestia.” Twilight said, trying to reassure the princess. “It wasn’t your fault. There was nothing you could do.”

Celestia turned her head up and met Twilight’s gaze, her eyes glistening in the remaining sunlight. “There were some others that I wanted to send with you, but the council believed more important matters required their attention.”

“I know.” Twilight said as she turned to look out the window and pull herself away from Celestia’s eyes. “Sometimes I think the council is doing more harm than good.”

“Sadly, I have to agree with you Twilight.” Celestia said, looking down again. “They’re different now. Everything they stand for has changed. When I made the council, I never expected anything like this to happen. Luna didn’t deserve to spend a thousand years trapped in the moon and you didn’t deserve to endure what you had to over the last few months.”

Twilight looked away from the window and back at Celestia. The bandages covering her body were worn and covered with dirt from her recent travels to Ponyville. She had left well before the sun had risen in the morning and returned just before the sunset at the end of the day. It had given her barely enough time to tell her friends that she was alright, but not nearly enough to fully explain what had happened. She was going to return tomorrow so she could spend a more significant amount of time with them.

“But in the end, was it the right thing to do? Do you think the world is a better place now? Were the decisions made in everyone’s best interests?” Twilight asked, pausing briefly before each question was raised.

“I don’t know.” Celestia replied as she turned to face Twilight. “That’s something that I still have to think about.

“I don’t know everything that happened on your journey Twilight. I want to hear more, but it can wait until you return from Ponyville. For now, let me help you with those bandages.”

“But what about the drought?”

"I don't want to put any pressure on you right now, Twilight. I know this may sound naive and I do not wish to discredit your journey, but the complications of the drought are being washed away with the rain. Everything is finally returning to normal and the ponies need some time to settle before we make any drastic changes.

“The knowledge you have will be an important tool in the future, but it's nothing that can't wait until you're feeling better.”

“I guess so.” Twilight said, disappointed that she was unable to help Equestria when it really mattered.

The two sat in silence as Celestia removed the bandages and focused her magic on healing Twilight's wounds. It was a long, straining process that required her full attention, something that she didn't want to jeopardize by holding a conversation. Twilight didn't mind the silence. She was busy thinking about her recent actions. Although Princess Celestia had tried to convince her that the journey had not been made in vain, the psychological pain she felt from failing Equestria overwhelmed the physical pain she experienced from her wounds. And even Celestia, with her nearly infinite power, could not heal those wounds. It was something that only time or retribution could repair and it would be a retribution that would almost certainly be directed at the council.

~

Goldenroot read through his notes. It was seven forty-five, fifteen minutes before he had to meet with Crescendo in his manor. Convincing him wasn’t going to be easy, but Goldenroot had always lived with the opinion that nothing worth doing ever was.

As he started to make his way outside, there was a knock on the door. Three consecutive taps, unevenly spaced as if the pony outside the door was trying to recreate some kind of tune. Goldenroot swung open the door. He didn’t have time to deal with anyone right now and certainly not the kind of person that would knock so strangely. He hoped to deal with them quickly so that he could carry on with the more important business ahead of him.

“Why hello there, Sir Goldenroot.” Vortex said, bowing her head slightly as she attempted to parody the most common greeting amongst the nobility.

She was standing casually on the step, her light blue mane and tail unusually tidy as it shimmered in the moonlight. Goldenroot blinked. He was surprised by her presence at this hour. She almost never came to visit him, so why would she show up now? Goldenroot was genuinely curious and the effort she had made to make herself presentable only added to that fact.

“Please, not now Vortex. I’m meeting with Crescendo in fifteen minutes.” Goldenroot replied, trying to sound annoyed and cover up his curiosity.

“But that’s exactly why I came.” She said, restoring her voice to a tone that Goldenroot recognized.

“How did you know I was going to meet him today?” Goldenroot asked, taken aback by the pegasus’ strange comment.

“At eight o’clock?” She said, smiling. “You’re kind of predictable, but that doesn’t matter. I came because I thought you could use some help. You seemed pretty serious about this whole thing when I talked to you about it in the morning.”

“Yes, I am serious about it and that’s precisely why I can’t let you come with me.” Goldenroot replied, still shocked that Vortex was able to correctly guess exactly what time he would meet with Crescendo.

“I’m not giving you a choice, Goldenroot. Trust me, you’ll need all the help you can get.”

Goldenroot sighed. “Alright let’s just go already.”

The two stepped out of the doorway and started on their way to Crescendo’s manor. It wasn’t far away, but Goldenroot couldn’t afford to be late, not with something so important. The streetlights illuminated various parts of the path, along with the light that shone brightly out of the houses nearby.

Goldenroot noticed the spinning torrent of water on Vortex’s flank. The water rushing around in a circle was chaotic, unpredictable and perfectly suitable for the type of pony that Vortex was. Goldenroot had always been curious how a pony could have a cutie mark that so accurately resembled who they were. He was aware that some ponies changed their name upon receiving their cutie mark, in fact it was commonplace, but the idea that a pony could have a name that accurately depicted the cutie mark they had yet to receive was marvellous.

Realizing that he had been staring at Vortex’s flank for an unreasonably long time, Goldenroot quickly turned his head back and looked forward down the dimly lit streets. Out of the very corner of his eye, he noticed that Vortex was looking directly at him and smiling happily. Embarrassed, his cheeks turned red and he looked in the opposite direction.

“I thought you weren't interested in this kind of stuff.” Goldenroot said, still looking away.

“I'm interested in the important stuff.” she replied.

“Everything in the council is important, Vortex. It affects our lives. Big or small, every decision we make is important.” Goldenroot said, turning back to look at Vortex as the redness in his cheeks disappeared.

“That's just your opinion Goldenroot.” Vortex said, maintaining the pleasant smile on her face. “Taxes, construction, land subdivision, whether you can or can't spit on the sidewalk in the nobility quarter of Canterlot... None of that is important to me.”

“It's not my opinion, it’s a fact. The world changes when we make these decisions.”

“I like you Goldenroot, but you seriously need to loosen up sometimes. You put too much value in being correct. It's not the end of the world to accept that you're wrong and move on.”

“And do you think I'm wrong about all of this, about what were doing right now?”

The smile on Vortex's face faded. She was rarely ever serious about something, but when she was it was obvious.

“No. I believe in what you're fighting for. I may come across as apathetic sometimes, but I want to believe in a better tomorrow. Every once in a while I tend to forget, but you always seem to find a way to remind me of the reason I got caught up in all of this in the first place.”

Goldenroot just smiled, Vortex returning the expression as they approached Crescendo’s manor.

“It's just up ahead here.” Goldenroot said, changing the subject. “I don't know what you plan on doing, but I would appreciate it if you let me do the talking.”

“I don't mind. Personally, I just want to stick around and watch.”

The two ponies moved quietly up the walkway towards the manor. A set of large dark brown doors were accented by two lanterns on each side, the flames inside burning brightly in anticipation of their arrival. On the base of each door was a large bronze plate that stretched the entire width. Traditionally, this plate was used for knocking. When a pony kicked the door with their hoof, it would prevent the door from being damaged by an overzealous knocker. Goldenroot kicked the plate twice in quick succession and moved back away from the door. They waited for about a minute before the door swung open and revealed a grey pony wearing a black suit and a tie. The pony had a tired look on his face, a result of his obvious ageing. He blinked twice and moved aside.

“Sir Goldenroot. Lord Crescendo is expecting you in his study.” The butler said. “Shall I take you there?”

“That's quite alright. I know the way.” Goldenroot replied as he and Vortex stepped through the doorway into the manor.

The manor was filled with extraordinary paintings, carvings, and statues. They were expensive works of art that dated well beyond the manor itself. Sitting on top of the brilliant marble floor was a single rug depicting a forest. The gnarled trees and winding path similar to that of the Everfree forest that Goldenroot had spent so many years occupying in his youth.

“I've never been in here before. Crescendo's got a pretty lavish lifestyle.” Vortex remarked, stepping around the rug as she made her way across the main entrance and towards the study nearby.

The study was a spacious room. On the wall directly across from them was a large fireplace. It was not in use; however, and contained three logs, neatly stacked on top of each other. Instead, the study was illuminated by a series of lamps that were placed sporadically around the room. Lord Crescendo was lying in a large cherry red sofa, sipping tea from a cup that floated in the air in front of him.

“Please, come in Sir Goldenroot. I was wondering when you were going to arrive.” Crescendo said, glancing in their direction and setting the cup on its corresponding saucer. “I wasn't expecting you; however, Lady Vortex. Although, I suppose you have as much of a part in all this as we do.”

Vortex simply winked as Crescendo looked in her direction.

“Have a seat.” Crescendo continued, pointing to the two empty sofas placed around the table. “Would you care for some tea?”

“I think we'll be fine, thank you. Tea's usually more trouble than it's worth when you're not a unicorn.” Goldenroot said, raising his hoof in objection before lying down on the sofa. “I'll be honest with you, I don't want to beat around the bush. Let's get straight to the point. I want the law to go through tomorrow and I want to know what your opinion is.”

“My opinion?” Crescendo asked. “You know me as well as everyone else. I have to be absolutely sure that this is going to benefit our nation. If we give the commoners a place in the council, do you really believe that they're going to help and not just work against us? Not everyone is as virtuous as you are.”

“I can only hope that they will. The future is never certain, but it is not entirely unpredictable. We all live in this country together and, although our goals may vary slightly, we all want the same thing.”

“And what, may I ask, is that?”

“A life of happiness, of dreams and experiences that we want to remember. Not every memory is a happy one, but the ones you spend doing what you enjoy with your friends and family are the ones that you want to keep. I think everyone can relate to that.”

“And what if you're wrong? What happens then?”

“If I'm wrong, then we won't really be able to make a difference anyway. The drought will come again and the commoners won't just stand around and starve while we continue to live a life of luxury. In our sheltered life, we don't wake up in the morning and wonder if we'll be able to eat today. Even if the price tag may fluctuate slightly, the food's always there and we can always afford it.

“They will rise up and overthrow both us and the princess. They will take our homes, our happiness, and perhaps even our lives. Why should I, or anyone else, sacrifice even a single happy memory when it is not required. I believe in this, perhaps more strongly than I have with anything else.”

The three ponies lay in silence for quite some time after Goldenroot finished speaking. Crescendo gazed into his teacup, staring at the leaves resting in the bottom of the cup while Goldenroot waited quietly for his response. Vortex, who had been sitting silently for the entire meeting, slowly unfolded her wings and stretched them out before returning them to their original position. As she repositioned them back on her sides, Crescendo looked up from his teacup and at Goldenroot.

“I'm glad you came to see me tonight, but I still require some time to think about all of this. I believe the gravity of the situation is something that I have underestimated.” Crescendo said, breaking the silence.

“I understand.” Goldenroot said, getting up from the sofa. “Have a good night.”

Vortex followed suit and the two walked out of the study and towards the main hall. As they did, Vortex looked back at Crescendo as he stared into his cup before taking a sip. The butler, appearing from nowhere, hastily moved towards the front door and opened it.

“Have a pleasant evening.” said the butler as the two stepped out through the doorway.

“Do you really think he's going to help us?” Vortex asked as the door closed behind them.

Goldenroot stopped. He looked up at the moon and the stars as they pierced through the darkness of night and shone brilliantly in the sky.

“I don't know. I want to think so, but I don't want to take any chances.”

As they walked out into the street, Goldenroot looked at Vortex and stopped.

“I'm going to see Wind Dancer tomorrow. Would you like to come with me?” he asked.

Vortex shook her head and tail violently, restoring her naturally wild look before turning to Goldenroot and smiling. The moonlight sparkled in her amber eyes and across her light blue hair.

“I never thought you'd ask. Of course, you know I'd come anyway.”

“Yeah, but lately I've been enjoying your company.”









________________________________________________________________________

Author’s notes:

Hello readers. Thank you for your continuing interest in the story!

You probably noticed that I switched narration styles during Twilight’s flashbacks. I wanted to find a way to separate the flashbacks from the actual story and I thought that switching to first-person would be an interesting way to pull it off. Hopefully it’s not too weird.

Unfortunately, I’m still looking for an editor so please excuse any sloppy errors. If you’re interested in helping me out, please contact me at my email or with the comments. I’d really appreciate it.

As another note, I’ve realized that I only ever seem to reply to the comments that are critical of my story, so if you were expecting a response and you didn’t receive one that’s completely my fault. I’m going to try harder to respond to everyone now.

As always, if you have any questions or comments about the story, you can reach me at my email: admin@theamberfox.ca I’ll also be keeping a close eye on the comments below the story.

________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer:

“My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” and its derivatives are the sole intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not have, nor claim to have, the rights to the intellectual property that this story is based on.