Diprosopus

by WritingSpirit

Le Chevaline Se Trouvant

"Dinner's 'bout ready."

"Not exactly, Daps," Ganger butted in, much to his sister's annoyance.

"The lichen isn't exactly cooked yet. You guys wouldn't wanna eat uncooked lichen. Gives you the worst diarrhea you would ever have, especially if you consider the chances of butterfly droppings on these stuff."

"Brilliant 'un, Ganger. That's gonna liven up our appetite."

The Caravan howled in laughter at Ollivander's sarcasm, all of them seated on logs circled around a cozy campfire in the tundra. It was one of those nights where they were finally smiling at one another, which was especially great news for Pinkie Pie. She herself just glanced giddily at the rest, her own tail wrapped around her form with the cup of hot chocolate in her hooves aiding her in her desire for warmth with glee written all over her face.

It was a long night, mostly because none except Ganger Deuce had anticipated the extreme length of time needed for cooking a bunch of lichen. Still, it was a peaceful one, with the whole forest submerged in a pool of serene yet eerie silence. It was almost as if every barren birch tree around was staring down at them, eavesdropping onto a conversation or two with branches threatening to snag their manes. Of course, it was nothing new to them.

"So, got any bardy tales for us, Phoenix?"

"Not tonight," was his answer, to which everyone let out disappointed 'awww's that filled the air.

"Well, you guys must've had some tales to share, right? Saves me from doing all the talking."

"What about you yourself, Ollie?" Dapple nudged.

"You must have some sort of story worthy for a shot of whiskey, right?"

"Ain't have any. You yerself, however..."

"Sorry, chaps," Ganger said in one of those rare moments of support for his sister.

"The Deuces' Fables kinda ran out for a while now. Drier than Saddle Arabia at this point."

"No oasis?"

"No oasis. And stop trying to be funny, V."

"Just trying to liven up the mood," the assassin replied with a smirk.

"Anyone else? I myself don't really have anything special to share."

"Well, Ollie?"

The gryphon looked over his shoulder where Selena's head rested, her red eyes sparkling longingly at him. The rest just looked on awkwardly as she randomly nudged her mate at his wings, though no words came from his mouth, a form of contact established only with his widening eyes.

"Aren't you going to tell them?" she asked with a hint of mischief, hoof twirling into the tuft of feathers of his head, which made the rest snicker once Ollivander's cheeks turned beet red.

"Yeah~!" Ganger called out slyly, still cooking the lichen.

"Aren't you going to tell us?"

"T-Tell you guys what? Selena, what're you implyin'?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Selena's dreamy and sultry mix of a voice trailed off a little.

"Let's see... how about we start with me... how shall I put it... blew you up?"

"No dirty stories in my caravan, guys."

Another condescending burst of laughter erupted throughout the caravan, despite Phoenix wearing that glum look. Even Fleetywit let out a trill of delight on his owner's head, happily joining in the mischief of the crowd. Pinkie was a little surprised; she never pictured their esteemed leader to be the conservative type. She had heard him crack a dirty joke or two herself, but once she gave his refusal a second thought, it seemed to fit the Phoenix Mellow she knew.

"I really have no idea how you guys would live with this," he said, flustered.

"Seriously, how hard is it to keep private things bottled up?"

"If you don't like it so much, I got something for you to do," Ganger suggested.

"We're short on a few holly berries here. Wanna pick some from the forest?"

With a sigh, Phoenix stood up, Fleetywit hitching a ride on his mane as he trotted off from the group, sparing himself from whatever perverse shenanigans they might be going into. He always didn't like those kind of stories where lusty, lascivious acts come into play; all of it sickens him to the very center of his heart like a plague.

"I'm going as well!" Pinkie exclaimed suddenly, hopping from her seat.

"I think Phoenix needs a little bit of company!"

"Go on with 'im," lass," Ollivander chirped.

"We'll be right 'ere! That's a promise!"

Trust Pinkie Pie to be his ever loyal follower, Phoenix lamented to himself. He would never know what Pinkie might be doing now had he never existed. Perhaps she felt as if she owed him for taking her in and guiding her through the wilderness of Celestia-knows-where, though she could just opt for more lenient ways.

The first of the red holly berries was picked from the clutches of a rather barren bush that they managed to find after a fifteen minute walk of silence. There were a few snappy conversations between them, yet nothing important enough to be mattered with. Pinkie did try her best to crack a few jokes now and then, but it was still not enough to drill through the awkward pauses that seamlessly fit in between every time.

"How many did you find?"

"Just two," Phoenix answered, groaning in his fruitless search.

"Can't blame us. Holly berries really ain't the easiest plant to look for."

The mare remained silent, scanning the frosty landscape around her warily. It was peculiarly dark, a night in the tundra, where the icicles chime from the branches of the trees, the wind speaks in sinister, numbing whispers and the crunch of snow beneath one's hooves formed a vanishing trail throughout their makeshift path. The darkness could be concealing anything, its intentions either warped or pristine. It was a fear of every possible casualty instilled within them from nature that kept their awareness at the very peak.

Unbeknownst to Pinkie, however, Phoenix had another fear. It was not shared by the mare; rather, the fear itself revolves around the mare in an endless orbit. Despite the smiles she had been holding up, the shocking murder she had committed back in Valewood was too vivid of a dream to discard. He didn't want to believe she would never recall how she took the lives of those ponies with a single blade. She wouldn't too, no matter how much he would try to convince her.

"I found number three!"

Pinkie practically dived into the bushes for the last berry they needed, head popping out amid the branches with the fruit gripped in between her lips after a few seconds of rifling through the leaves. With a chuckle, Phoenix began trotting back down the trail from whence they came with the pink mare quickly hopping along behind.

"What's the matter, Finny?" she asked after a minute of silence.

"You seem a little grumpy tonight."

"M-Me? Nah," the stallion lied with a laugh.

"Just... thinking about where we might be heading tomorrow."

"Oh... okay... but I really wanna know what it looks like. You know, the Mammoth's Waterhole place you guys keep talking about? It sounds superdy-duper exciting!"

"In due time, Pinkie," Phoenix said.

"In due time. And that's a promise."

"Aw... but I thought we're gonna see it soon."

"We will. Just have to be--"

Phoenix Mellow stopped in his tracks, his hoof extended to do the same to Pinkie, who just looked at him, an eyebrow raised with a tremble down her spine. The stallion's snout twitched, raised up high in a frantic search. That scent was there just a moment ago... a foreign scent... a scent that came with hunger and blood.

"Stay perfectly still, Pinkie," he whispered to the mare.

"Stay... perfectly... still..."

"Why? What is it?"

A growl silenced her immediately as a giant figure emerged from the frozen undergrowth, the mare's jawline slowly falling at its majestic size. Its fur was the whitest of white, to the point of it looking like part of the snow-covered backdrop. It had the largest paws she had ever seen (so far) with black claws reaching out like rapiers digging in the snow. What made her gut twist, however, was the black eyes: they were soulless, relentless like a dark whirlpool with an unquenchable thirst of blood, flesh and bone, and it's looking right at them.

"Don't... move..." Phoenix reminded.

"That's... that's a--"

"Whitewind..." he said quietly, the creature heading closer and closer, its black bud of a nose sniffing about.

"I don't think it's noticed us yet, if I'm not mistaken."

"Alright! Hooray! Gr-Great!" Pinkie huffily said, slightly relieved.

"So how are we going to get out of here?"

"I... I don't know..."

"WHAT?!"

Immediately after Pinkie realized her mistake, the bear abruptly turned to them, a glint sparking in both bloodthirsty eyes before letting out a humongous, earth-shattering roar, baring the multitude ridges of its fangs. Quickly, Phoenix grabbed the pink mare's hoof before galloping away, though the Whitewind bear soon came lumbering after, charging through bush after bush with its saliva flying in the wind.

"What do you mean you don't know how to get out of here?!" Pinkie asked after a minute of galloping.

"Hey, it's not my fault that I didn't meet a Whitewind bear before!!"

"But you could've just... threw a rock over its back or something!!"

"I was about to, but SOMEPONY just had to scream her lungs out!!"

"Who WOULDN'T scream their lungs out?!! I don't want that thing to eat meEEEEEE--!!"

Pinkie felt her mane being yanked to the side, before being tossed the ground. She looked up, a mix of annoyance, surprise and relief washing over her at the sight of Dapple Deuce, standing bipedally on her two hind hooves with a blunderbuss on her left and a scimitar in the other.

"Dapple!!" Pinkie cried out her name.

"We gotta get out of here! You can't fight that thing!"

"R cng krk rg no!"

"What?!"

Dapple suddenly spat something out, hastily wiping her mouth free of her drool. She stared up at the bear, grinning slyly once it roared defiantly at her face. A sinister ticking soon followed, to which Pinkie, after peering over her comrade's shoulder, discovered was, to her utmost horror, from a grenade, with its corresponding pin lying a few feet away from it.

"I said I can't talk right now!!" she shouted, grabbing Pinkie's hoof.

"Now RUN!!!"

A loud *BOOM!!* rocked the entire forest, one which both mares narrowly escaped from, leaving them covered in soot, ash, snow and a few visible bruises as they were thrown into the air, pummeling into the snow below. With a cough, Pinkie and Dapple helped themselves up, the latter crawling to the side to reach for the scimitar that was tossed across the snow from the explosion. The smoke surrounding them started to dissipate, the sounds of galloping coming into clarity from a few familiar figures heading towards them.

"Dapple!" Pinkie heard Ganger's voice, looking up to see the colt helping her sister up, blurred by her haze. Somepony else came to tend to her, reaching out a gray hoof for support, her vision clearing to see Velvet's concerned look staring down at her. The pink mare felt something squirm in her throat, her cheeks flushing a slight red at the sight of him. Of all the members of the caravan to help her up...

"Gotta... gotta-- nrgh!!" Dapple screeched suddenly, gripping tightly on her hoof.

"Don't worry, guys. J-Just a sprain..."

"You don't look okay to me," her brother said, before turning to the others.

"We gotta go before that monster comes back."

"Wh-Where's Phoenix?"

Pinkie's question reverberated through every pair of ears, the absence of their fellow leader leaving them senseless. It was the roar of the now livid Whitewind bear that rekindled their hooves to retreat, this time charging ahead with no destination in mind. They couldn't see it: the bear was seemingly invisible and incredibly swift like a fleeting shadow in the darkness, evading the visions of each of its prey. Only its roar remained to chase them away, warning them of a painful death at the end of its fangs.

Much to all of their shock, Dapple suddenly turned around, that exhilarated grin of hers lighting up her face again at the sight of the Whitewind bear charging straight towards her. Her heartbeat accelerated in a way she had never felt before, adrenaline zooming through her veins like marathon runners in a circuit, and she felt... she felt as if she was on fire.

And she liked it-- no... she loved it!

"Dapple!!" Ganger shouted, Velvet holding him back before he could rush to his sister's side.

"Dapple, come back here!! You're gonna get yourself killed!!!"

"Buck you too, G!!"

"I'M SERIOUS, DAPPLE DEUCE!! COME BACK RIGHT NOW!!"

"I'M NOT GONNA LET THIS CELESTIA-DAMNED CHANCE GO, YOU PRICK!!"

Dapple Deuce raised her blunderbuss, clicking her tongue and reveling in the flurry of excitement washing through her. She was hunting some big game, probably the biggest she might ever find in her entire lifetime, and she could win the battle by pulling the trigger. The rest looked on helplessly as the Whitewind bear lunged towards her at full speed, clenching their eyes shut at the very last minute.

"Here goes..." she whispered silently to herself, letting out a small puff as she readied the gun.

"Your one and only chance."

*BANG*

Right in the shoulder blades! Dapple's grin widened as the bear teetered to the side, growling plaintively with a stream of blood matting the white fur on his paws. Its eyes fixed at the mare responsible for the wound, who just readied her scimitar and her smoking blunderbuss once again, her tongue clicking impatiently and tauntingly.

"Come on, you big brute!" she called out breathlessly.

"You're having a little bit of steel for supper!!"

The Whitewind bear suddenly leaped towards her, fangs bared and claws protracted. Before Dapple could even swing her blade or pull the trigger, she let out a loud shrill of pain as the bear smacked her to the side, feeling herself whirling through the air before slamming into a tree, screaming once her back hit the bark. Wincing gently, she looked down at her chest, biting her lip when she saw three large gashes across her skin, blood already leaking out in copious amounts and forming a small puddle beneath her limp form. She gritted her teeth as a shadow washed over her, the savage eyes of the Whitewind eyeing her like a reward well earned.

"Well, shit," she sighed to herself, chuckling weakly.

"It was fun while it lasted."

Dapple Deuce closed her eyes, just as the bear raised its giant paws up...

And swung down at full speed, one of its glinting claws puncturing through the chest of Brutus the minotaur.

With a grunt, Brutus clutched the paw tight to his chest, much to Dapple's horror. The blood of the Highlander splurted and splashed onto the ground, mixing with that from the mare in the white snow. All she could do was quickly raise her blunderbuss with her magic, feverishly aiming at the bear's head before pulling the trigger.

The loud gunshot echoed throughout the forest, as did the loud crash once the bear fell forward, dead as a doornail. Quickly, Dapple tossed her weapons aside and crawled towards the minotaur, carefully pulling him out from the claw he was impaled on. She gritted her teeth just as the rest came up to them, her hooves trying to plug all the blood leaking from the minotaur's chest in vain. A small tear crawled down her cheek then. A small, rare tear, freezing up into a crystal and hovering down onto the floor, came from the stone-cold Dapple Deuce, who just glared down at Brutus, trying ever so hard to stop the bleeding.

"You idiot..." she hissed at the unconscious minotaur.

"You... y-you IDIOT!!"

"Våben på jorden!!"

Before any of them realized what was happening, they found themselves surrounded by a multitude of crossbows, arrows all ready to be fired. Pinkie held a gasp at the silhouettes of the bearers: they had the builds of a pony, only with slimmer pairs of legs, with a grand pair of protrusions coming from their heads like demons. Their eyes glimmered a bright yellow like a predator hungry for meat. Like a soldier hungry for war.

"Weapons down, guys!!" Phoenix's voice rang through all of their ears. All of the caravan turned to see their glum-looking leader, his hooves raised up in surrender with a crossbow pointed to the back of his head.

"Listen to them. Surrender your weapons."

All of them tossed their weapons onto the ground, glaring up angrily at their captors. Sure enough, these beasts stepped into the radiant moonlight, revealing their slightly long snouts and brown hide with white spots at the rear. They had thin, slender hooves that gracefully skimmed across the snow as they strode towards them, the protrusions on their heads displayed as large antlers.

"No... NO!!" Dapple screamed, being dragged away from Brutus with hooves kicking furiously. The unconscious minotaur was hoisted up by the bulkier ones of their captors, his chest peculiarly being covered by the snow on the ground, making Brutus grunt from the stinging pain.

"They had many names," Phoenix's words echoed in Pinkie's ears as they were taken away.

"The Tarandro, the Tonakai, the Hirana, to name just a few. Even the pilgrims of the Princess Terra have met them; Parish called them the Réinfhianna."

But she had read enough to know full well who these so-called 'beasts of legend' were:

The reindeer.

O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O

"Not there, Spike."

"I'm trying my best. Just gotta focus..."

"You'll only get a half of what you want. Move it a little bit here..."

"Just let me focus, Rarity," Spike hissed, claws starting to quiver.

"I just have to aim it right and score..."

Without further ado, the dart flew from the dragon's fingers, hitting just a few millimeters from the center. Rarity couldn't help but giggle once Spike's head drooped down like a withered flower, pouting with a quiet sigh at his stroke of bad luck. Fifth try already, and yet the bulls-eye is just barely out of reach.

Still, one could say they have an ounce of luck for them to be in a presence of a carnival. It was one of the many events headed by the Equestrian Performers Association, alongside other shows such as the Canterlot Young Talents in which Sweetie Belle was in. For ponies to be able to run such events in a chaotic time like this is impressive, to say the least.

"I could've gotten that bulls-eye..."

"You could've if you listened to me," Rarity chimed, strutting in front of the pouting dragon.

"Of course, it's nothing worthy of a fuss, Spike. It's only but a little reward."

"You might be right... but still, it was a little too close. Sweetie Belle probably might not want the teddy bear, but we could just give it to Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash instead, y'know? Foals and all..."

"I suppose. You're welcome to try again, if you wish."

Rarity held back her giggle once she heard a low, disgruntled growl from the dragon, the fuse that was his patience having burnt out just a few seconds ago. The couple made their way through the crowded street, glancing at a few standout booths among the usual group, sometimes even setting on a few nooks and crannies being put on display, though their minds were not set on purchasing anything. Yet.

Their interest soon waned, deciding to call it a day and rest until Sweetie Belle's next performance later at night. It had been a long journey for her, but the teenage mare was about to compete for her spot in the semi-finals of the Canterlot Young Talents. They all had faith that she would go very far, even though Sweetie Belle herself said she wasn't confident about all of it.

It took them a few minutes to return to the palace and another two more to return to their room. Rarity quietly sighed, looking forward to her sister's performance tonight while wistfully thinking about the strange period of peace they were having. Not much had happened ever since the Manehatten incident, leading to many questions around the city surrounding the enemy. Of course, on a humdrum day such as this, sometimes it can become a bore.

"Whatever shall we do today?" the mare asked, laying herself onto the bed, with Spike following along.

"There's only the carnival, which I do think isn't the best place to be now. We could help Sweetie Belle with her rehearsals or help Twilight rearrange some books before she comes back. What do you think, Spike? Spike?"

"H-Huh?" Spike muttered, his senses jumping back.

"Oh, uh... sorry..."

"You were dozing off, weren't you?"

"N-No, I wasn't!" the dragon nervously proclaimed.

"I was just... th-thinking of stuff! Yes! Thinking!"

"Seriously, Spike, you're a bad liar," Rarity remarked, a little annoyed.

"I'm suggesting a few things that we could do and there you go, ignoring me and starting to doze off. I'm sure you had enough sleep even after all of that. More than me, I dare say. Even so, you still owe me something for what you did to me last night."

"Wh-What?"

"You bit my neck."

Silence.

"Again?" the dragon asked.

"Yes, again."

"W-Well, I couldn't help it. Dragon instincts."

"Those 'dragon instincts', as you phrased them, hurt a little, for your information," Rarity said.

"While you were busy snoring on the bed, I was spending time wiping the... blood off my neck and your sharp fangs. Really, sometimes you take it a little too far for my taste."

"Fine. I owe you one."

Spike sighed quietly to himself at his predicament, admitting defeat as he gave her a kiss on her cheeks. It was no use arguing with Rarity; he had enough experience to show for it. He didn't mean to bite her neck in the first place, but sometimes the feral side that laid dormant within him most of the time would take over his role, ravaging through both himself and, subsequently, the mare of his dreams.

"Alright, what do you want me to do?" he asked.

"Should I... I don't know, get something from the carnival? We haven't check some of the sections yet."

"Perhaps some new fabric would suffice, if there is any. Or a brooch. Or a necklace of some sort."

"Don't you already have that glass pendant?"

"I know I do," she snapped.

"It's just... I don't feel comfortable wearing it around."

A small frown grew on the dragon's face. Usually, when something intricate and fashionable such as the pendant they've obtained from Pendant Lakes is involved, Rarity would've thought nothing about it, yet she had never worn the treasured accessory anywhere, insisting that he get another one. It felt particularly strange then, for the mare to bring it from Ponyville to Canterlot for the sake of its safety, yet never wore it around for the sake of her own.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I... I don't know how to explain this..." Rarity muttered.

"It's just... whenever I wear it, it feels... it feels like somepony's watching me. Sometimes, it even feels like it's dragging me down all the time. But every time I wanted to leave it at home... I just want it. I don't know, but I just need to wear it again. To take it wherever I go... as if I needed it."

"Does it scare you?"

Her answer basically came in a form of a nod.

"But you can still wear it, right?"

Rarity wanted to slap him so badly for saying that. Sure, he can be rather daft, but sometimes she felt as if he was doing it intentionally just to irritate her. Twilight did reminded her of how naive he still was, despite already being a teenage dragon, though from her personal experience with teenage dragons -- no offense to Spike -- they weren't exactly as bright as they seem.

"I prefer not to," she tried to say in the nicest possible way.

"You do remember it's still has something inside."

"We don't know for sure," Spike stated.

"That thing could just be enchanted to make us think there's something inside."

"Then why hide it? Why put it in the least expected of places and set up such sophisticated machinations around it?"

"Hmm... you might have a point."

"There's still a chance that this pendant might not be of Palgiot origin," Rarity speculated.

"I do think that maybe the Palgiots discovered it instead of made it and placed it in that room. It might possibly even predate the family itself!"

If there was ever a time Spike was uncertain about something sparkling and shiny, this would fit the bill. He knew what Rarity meant when she talked about how much it scares her; his scales quivered like a sparrow stuck in the winter every time he was near it. If it being some ancient relic was a true fact, he could not imagine the power it might actually be storing within, not to mention what might happen if they ever opened it.

"No matter what age it's from," he said.

"We gotta need to do some research if we really wanna open it."

"Spike."

"Yeah?"

Rarity opened her mouth suddenly, but closed them again, instead giving a weak smirk.

"Nothing," she gasped out in a sigh.

"It's just... sometimes, I don't know what to do these days..."

"Why? What's bothering you?"

All Spike got was an unsatisfactory, if not impulsive, answer, before the mare closed her eyes, draping the red sheets over her with her horn. Glumly, the dragon joined his marefriend off into another rickety nap, mind processing through the minimalist yet abstract answer that she'd given him. There was certainly something bothering her, though from the way she said it, he didn't like to know what it might be.

"Things," was what she said to him.

"Just things."

O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O

"Lade os fejre!!"

"Til ære for rensdyr!!!"

"Lad festlighederne begynde!!!"

It was all a thunderous uproar of shouting and cheering, with lit torches and ceremonious flags raised up in the sky. The crowd of reindeer was in the midst of a glorious celebration that had rarely graced their lands, for it was the celebration of a successful hunt in a land where food is scarce. Of course, their prisoners were not the feast of the folk, but the feast of the ones they preach; a sacrifice for the gods to answer the common prayer.

All their eyes glimmer yellow with intent as they eye the sacrifice of the night. It would've been more glorious for the caravan if they weren't lead around like slaves, their hooves shackled by rope binds with their flanks prodded by antlers incessantly and indecently around the cobblestone streets. Around them stood thatched Nordic longhouses, with walls built from the sturdiest wood and occasionally large, irregularly shaped granite blocks. They tower around the city, squeezing the smaller streets into alleys while the larger roads sliced through, forming atolls of homes all around. The ones they were on now lead to some sort of circular opening, where most of the town's population had gathered. In the center was a stacked bunch of wood, with a tall pole jutting out right from the center.

"Where are they taking us?" Selena piped up the question quietly.

"Don't know," Phoenix muttered.

"I could only guess is that we're gonna be part of some big ritual, judging from how they're celebrating like there's no tomorrow or something."

"I have a feeling it isn't going to end well for us," Velvet hissed from somewhere behind.

"If we're actually going along with it, I mean."

"Wanna use yer blades and help us out, V?"

"Can't... exactly... reach them from here, Ollie," the assassin gasped.

"What about you, Ganger? Can you reach for your weapons?"

"Sure. I'll just have to make sure my hooves are not tied together-- oh, wait. Surprise, surprise."

Like the rest, Pinkie groaned underneath her breath, wanting to smack Ganger for his badly-timed joke. Still, at least Ganger tried his best to keep his optimistic spirit up, even though they were close on the verge of death; they could suffice with a last laugh. Of course, the same could not be said for his twin sister.

Dapple Deuce... she wasn't the pony she was anymore. Normally, she would've been struggling at her binds or cussing at her captors, but this time she was like a dead mare walking, dispirited and broken. Sniffles could be heard from those close enough around her, forming a trail of tears across the road as they were paraded around the city. The three crimson gashes across her chest were jarring to the eyes, though all of them, Pinkie included, knew that wasn't the reason of her despair.

"Standse!!"

Stopping suddenly, the caravan, surrounded by reindeer of all ages, were beckoned (more like forced) to face forward, staring up at perhaps the largest of the Nordic buildings in the town. A set of stone stairs lead up to the entrance, split in the middle by a row of marble bowls with hungry flames bursting from within, its curves designed with intricate runes and carvings. Unlike most of the houses, the doors leading inside were made of the finest granite, parting open with a loud resounding groan. A group of robed reindeer soon strode out, wearing the most serene smiles that Pinkie had ever seen. One of their captors rushed out, kneeling on one hoof with his head down.

"Mor præstinde," he said.

"Vi har fundet ubudne gæster i vore lande. De har dræbt en af ​​de store Hvid Vind Isbjørne."

"Who are they?" Pinkie asked.

"Judging from the clothes..." Phoenix spoke in a low voice.

"They're probably the priestesses of the town, which seems like an important position to hold."

"What are they talking about?"

"I'm guessing it's about the bear, If the Whitewind didn't mean anything to them, they wouldn't bother hauling it all the way here. They're probably gonna use it for one of their rituals."

"Hvem af dem?"

"Den grønne dame."

A small scuffle soon roused their attention, before Dapple was suddenly pushed out of the group, the mare stumbling forwards into the view of the priestesses. With a grin that assured her and unnerved her at the same time, the priestess came towards her, lifting her grim face up to meet the deer's own.

"Velkommen," she began, her voice cold as the snow around them, her sly smirk growing.

"Or should I say, welcome."

"Wh-Wha--?"

"You're from the Sydlige Heste Jord, or Equestria, as you called it," the priestess said, smiling at the surprised looks of the entire caravan.

"Funny, to let a fremmed -- a stranger -- be responsible for the death of one of our greatest enemies: the Hvid Vind Isbjørne, or as you call it, the Whitewind bear. Many of our brave krigere have tried to dispose of it, to no avail. For you to do so... skæbne har ført dig her."

"I-I'm sorry?"

"Destiny has lead you here," the priestess translated.

"I am Ypperstepræstinden Vetur Fryst, or High Priestess Vetur Fryst, if you wish to call me in your language. My fellow præstinder and I worship the Frosne Prinsesse Crystallia, the goddess of our lands. By the power vested in me, you shall be named as the Hvid Jæger, the White Hunter, for such a remarkable achievement."

"I don't..." Dapple muttered, a little dumbfounded.

"I don't understand..."

"Hush, my child. For tonight, we shall celebrate."

With a small gesture from the High Priestess, the caravan was suddenly nudged forward, angry protests rising from them as they were grappled and poked about, being nudged unwillingly to the center. Dapple's eyes widened once she saw the reindeer dragging her struggling friends towards the wood, the intentions of what they were planning becoming palpable in her head.

"No! Let them go!" she demanded.

"They're my friends! You can't do this to them!"

"They're but offerings to Our Lady Crystallia now," the high priestess said.

"We have to give a proper sacrifice to the Goddess above, lest she unleashes her wintry wrath upon us all. We must satisfy her, sate her, perhaps even earn her blessing, for our kind to live on. The forsaken land is a test of our fortitude: to search for the most rewarding treasures of nature in the bleakest of places to be offered to her, and she, in return, will guarantee a prosperous harvest for us all."

"I said, let them GO!!"

"Even one such as you can't deny tradition," she continued with a bow.

"You have been spared, for you have spared us from the claws of the Hvid Vind Isbjørne. Its body is also a perfect gift for our Goddess, and she will reward us splendidly with what we have to offer. For that, in behalf of my kind, I thank you."

"YOU'RE CRAZY!!! LET THEM GO!! LET THEM GO NOW!!!"

Dapple's screams were all in vain as she was pulled back by two of the stronger reindeer before she could lunge at her friends. The caravan just watched helplessly as they were pushed into a line, one by one leading up towards the stack of wood, with Phoenix at the starting of the line. Before he could accept his fate and step up onto the platform, however, he was halted by the high priestess raising a hoof.

"Han skal gå senere," Vetur Fryst announced solemnly.

"Lade tyren mand være først."

"W-What did you say?" the once-hardy mare stammered.

"Answer me! What did you say?!"

"The bull-man shall be first."

Horror froze the blood in her veins, her face paling as those exact words sink into Dapple's mind, echoing within her like a broken record as she helplessly watched the unconscious Brutus being carried down the path. The entirety of the caravan gritted their teeth once the minotaur was placed on the stack of wood. One of the priestesses stepped forward, holding a large jug of oil and pouring over the wood evenly like icing on a cake, soaking the minotaur's coat along with it.

"Please! I'll do anything!" Dapple's fruitless protests fell on deaf ears, the mare collapsing from shock.

"Just LISTEN TO ME!!! Just... just..."

"Please..."

"STOP!!"

The new, squeaky, high-pitched voice shunned every single being in the town to a standstill, with the exception of the caravan. Their attention was turned towards a small, young reindeer running up to them, though this one looked amazingly different from the rest; the deer had a white coat instead of the usual brown and mottled white, with its antlers tinted a pale sky blue. One would estimate her to be around ten years old, yet what was astounding was that once her presence became known, all the reindeer around -- including High Priestess Vetur Fryst herself -- stooped to a bow! They couldn't believe it, bowing to a fawn twice as young as they are!

"The Princess has spoke to me," she said.

"She said to spare them. Spare the prisoners."

"B-But... but the sacrifice--"

"It is an order by the Frosne Prinsesse, Vetur Fryst. You do not wish to defy Our Lady's orders, do you not, my dear Ypperstepræstinden? Could you imagine the wrath she might bring upon us all if you did so?"

A brief pause.

The caravan couldn't believe what just happened.

Did that fawn actually...

"Sandsigeren har talt!!" the high priestess suddenly exclaimed.

"Løslade fangerne!"

Suddenly, the bindings of each and every one of the caravan were cut, ending the misery. Immediately after Dapple's hooves were freed, she galloped towards the wooden stack, desperately clambering onto the wooden stack and kicking some of the wood beneath her before reaching the minotaur's side. The gaping wound was still there, blood mixing with the stinging oil and forming a stream down the hips. Quietly, Dapple held his hand, clenching her eyes shut; it was so cold... his heartbeat was so distant, fading into naught... he doesn't have much life left to cling onto.

"He needs some medical attention!!" she yelled back to the group.

"NOW!!!"

"You heard her," the fawn said, glancing at some of the priestesses.

"Get the bull-man into the temple. Ready the medicine."

"Yes, my lady."

Quickly, Brutus was hoisted up yet again, this time being carted up the stone stairs and through the doors. The rest, Dapple included, could only watch from there on out, before turning to the young deer that saved their comrade's lives with her words. Phoenix stepped out from among them, his head hung low as he said:

"Thank you for saving us."

"It is as the Goddess wishes," the fawn replied with a soft smile.

"I am but a servant carrying out her orders."

"Pardon me for intruding your privacy," Velvet said from behind.

"But what position do you hold actually in the community? I know it might be offensive asking this, but aren't you a little young of age to be the head of the flock?"

"I'll explain in due time. Perhaps we shall continue in the halls?"

All nods given, the fawn soon lead the way, guiding them instead to the left and into one of the smaller buildings that Pinkie speculated was still a part of the temple. The pink mare was still slightly surprised on how easily those reindeer were swayed by the words of one of their young; it was as if they feared her, for reasons they were about to find out.

"My name is Artemis," the fawn began.

"I am the Sandsigeren, or the Oracle. I commune with the spirits to seek wisdom and knowledge to guide my fellow deerfolk to a path of enlightenment. Aside from that, I am the only one in this town that can summon our Lady Protector and Goddess, Princess Crystallia."

"Princess Crystallia?"

"The princess of ice, cold, frost and snow," she answered Phoenix's question.

"This is her dominion, as you can see from the lands around. She lead us here away from the darkness of the world and into a safe haven. It is here where she tests us to be stronger, hardier than the rest of the world. Normally, she has no plans when it comes to beings other than myself, but apparently, for all of you, she's making an exception."

"So does that mean..." Pinkie muttered, before gasping out loud at the conclusion forming in her head:

"Does that mean we'll see her?"

"Yes," Artemis replied, giggling like the young fawn she was, much to their excitement.

"Yes you will."

O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O=O

"... and you wouldn't believe it, but no matter how fast we were running, those dragons were still chasing me! It took a little bit of quick thinking, but in just a second, I used a teleportation spell to get us all out of there!"

A loud multitudinous wave of 'ooh's filled the room, the marveled colts and fillies all chuckling among themselves about one of Twilight's small adventures that the mare had decided to tell as their bedtime story. She initially wanted to resort to the books found in the haven of a library in the floor above, but with a little coaxing from some of the other ponies, including Trixie, she told some of her small tales of misguided adventures once again, like she did with her nephew.

"What happened after that?" one of the children asked.

"Well, Spike had a new pet phoenix," she said.

"But otherwise, nothing special happened. We just continued on with life, I guess."

"Aww..." some of them jeered at the ending, though that didn't stop the spark of awe that still flickered within their glimmering eyes.

"Alright then," Trixie declared happily.

"Storytime's over. Everypony to bed before the Masque snatches all your sweet dreams away!"

Giggles and quick bursts of laughter filled the room, followed by the eager pattering of colts and fillies rushing back to their little cots around the subterranean room. With a sigh, Twilight rose from her haunches, chest welling up with gleeful pride at another job well done. It wasn't long before Trixie stepped up to her side, softly smiling as she said teasingly:

"Well, that wasn't so bad, wasn't it?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess," Twilight muttered sheepishly.

"Still, it's not like I had a choice."

"Hey, you could still back out and no one would stop you," her rival snapped back.

"But honestly speaking, that was some great storytelling skills you have there."

"Oh, it's nothing worth bragging about. I'm sure you could do the same."

"You might be right about that part..."

Trixie paused for a moment of thought, before chuckling.

"Anyways, I think it's time we hit the hay as well. Wouldn't wanna wake up late for tomorrow and get showered from the children here with a bucket of water. Believe me when I say that's just the most innocent of their pranks."

With their goodbyes said and waves given, Twilight strode back up the spiral stairs, a little keen on the coming day. She wondered what she would've done if she hadn't decided to come here. Perhaps she would be flustered over her research concerning Janus and his origins, or she would just spend another day with her friends. Either way, she wouldn't have known about the Masque's abode and about Trixie as well.

A sigh escaped her mouth once she reached the Masque's and temporarily, her bedroom. Without further ado, she plopped herself onto the bed, lying there and staring at the ceiling like she did so for the past couple of days. Her mind had been scrolling through every same thing that had been plaguing her since the events of Pendant Lakes. Would they ever win this fight? More importantly, would Pinkie ever come back?

Those thoughts, however, could be reserved for later.

"Mademoiselle."

Twilight felt her heart skip a beat, though she withheld a gasp in time before it could escape. The Masque just strode to her side, smiling underneath his gleaming mask in his quiet return. He trotted across the room and towards an ornate chess table, where a pitcher of wine sat untouched since their last private conversation, pouring for each of them a glass.

"How were the children?" he asked.

"Good," she answered rather bluntly; her interests were set on something else for now.

"Anyway, there's something I want to ask you about--"

"Well, I'm glad you liked the children. I had some doubts that you can handle them at first--"

"Yes, right, can I ask you something?"

She didn't want to cut in that rudely, but the answer of what she was about to ask had been bugging her for the past few days now. Immediately, the masked caper stopped, giving her time to breathe in with her head resolute on what's about to come. She has to say it, no matter what.

"You lied to me."

"W-What?"

"You lied to me," Twilight repeated, firmer this time.

"Well, indirectly. I mean, you didn't tell me anything that could be considered a lie, so--"

"Vat are you talking about?"

"Your accent."

Twilight could've sworn she saw the Masque flinch when she threw her first accusative dart. The excitement in her hooves made her jittery already, her willpower burning brighter with her breath tense like those standing in the courtroom.

"If I am right, you apparently speak with a Chevaline accent," she said.

"But ever since the night you visited me back at the palace, I could've sworn I keep hearing you break that accent into a typical Central Equestrian one. I thought it was my hearing at first, but after this afternoon, I was completely sure it was not my imagination."

"Miss Z'parkle! Y-Your accusations are--"

"What? True?"

The Masque's voice froze. The room fell into a pit of silence. Twilight just watched, narrowing her brows at the fumbling stallion, before he suddenly sighed, drooping his head down in a shade. The mare's triumphant smile at her victory faded once he stepped back into the shadow, figure becoming a mere silhouette soaked in shame and mystery.

"Perhaps I did lie," he muttered, revealing his true accent.

"What would you then? Reveal this place to the guard?"

"I promised I would never do that," Twilight reaffirmed.

"All I want to know is why? Why did you lie to me? I trusted you for such a long time and... and you never told me about it. Am I just... some other mare on the street? Am I not... good enough?"

"Twilight Sparkle."

It was weird hearing her name being spoken by the Masque without his false accent, but still she remained unfazed. Slowly, the stallion stepped back into the view of the moonlight, yet he still hid half of his body in the shadow, staring at the mare from afar.

"I would never compare you to the rest," he said.

"You were the one mare that I admired. The one that stood out and saved Equestria in the most dire of times. You did all the things I wanted to do... that I couldn't do..."

Silence.

Both ponies just looked down, thinking of something to say.

"Hey," Twilight said first.

"Hmm?"

"You did a lot of incredible things too, you know?" she spoke softly, smiling.

"I mean, look around you! What you did here, taking care of all this children and building such an incredible place to house them all... Equestria might need heroes like me to save the world, but we need ponies who can preserve it as well. Ponies who keeps everything alive and in good condition, ponies who can make sure others feel safe when they sleep at night, and ponies which..." Twilight felt her gut knotting, "which a hero like me can depend on and trust everything I have upon, including my... my own emotions."

"You sure do have a way with words."

"What can I say? I'm well read."

The Masque stepped to her front, hoof gently brushing her mane to the side with such tenderness, the mare's face already turned a beet red underneath his touch. Twilight felt something within her chest stirring; a desire she had latched onto and kept secret from many others, calling to her like a mother to her child. She was gently laid onto the bed by his graceful hooves, the mare biting her lip once she felt his lips touch her right thigh.

Slowly, his trail of kisses traveled up her form. She shivered when it reached her waist, her body starting to squirm when reaching her chest and finally a small moan escaped her mouth when he kissed her nape. He was very sensual there, licking it gently and making her squeak and squeal, her legs twitching with an aching need building in her loins, though finally, after all the teasing, she was released, looking up fervently at him, the dash of red growing across her cheeks.

"Take... take it off..."

The Masque did as he was told. One small click filled the silence and his mask was off. His face was still hidden in the darkness, yet those pale purple eyes stared right back her. Twilight's lips formed a smile, having been reminded of those eyes; the one thing she knew of the Masque's true identity. She reveled within it, breaths turning into small, quick pants as the stallion looming over her drew closer.

One drop down later, their lips met, setting off the most arduous sensations in both ponies. An array of colors danced in their heads, the passion making them swoon. Twilight felt everything within her being set on fire, gripping onto him tight and not wanting to let go of her first kiss. She needed it... no, needed him like never before.

It lasted long enough for her to smile once he broke it, the mare opening up her eyes to see him again, watching over her like a guardian angel in all of its majesty. Twilight bit her lip, unsure of what might happen next, though the Masque hushed her before she could even think of anything to ask.

"Before we move on, there's something I wanted to confess," he mumbled.

"Remember the first time we officially met?"

"The Royal Library?" she asked, to which he nodded.

"Certainly did. I nearly called for the guards."

"I gave you a rose, didn't I?"

Twilight nodded, still unable to fathom the reason of him doing so. It was his modus operandi: the Masque always leaves a fresh red rose at the scene of every crime he commits, no matter how big or how small. The night he gave her one in the library, however, completely baffled her to this very day.

"I had planned to steal something there," he admitted.

"Something very valuable."

"What is it?"

"It had been something I admired way back when Nightmare Moon returned. The moment I saw it on the news amid the Summer Sun Celebration... I knew I wanted to get it, come what may. On the night I met you, I gambled for that chance to happen and... well, I can say it has succeeded."

The Masque then turned to her, chuckling at her confused expression.

"I gave this rose to you..." he began.

"Because I wanted to steal your heart."

"You... you liked me?"

"For a long time now, yes..."

Twilight just smiled. With a hoof caressing his cheek, she rose up, kissing him on the lips once again, before plopping back down and bringing him along. She hugged him rather tightly, pushing him down on his back and clambering up to the top of his chest. Silently, she rested her head onto it, a soothing feeling melting her heart like butter as she felt his hoof run down her mane. She knew she was going to sleep with one of Canterlot's Most Wanted criminals, yet she didn't care; she had called to the world with her heart, and he answered it. Despite still withholding his anonymity, he answered it and that's all that matters.

"There's one thing I still want to know, however," she muttered.

"Who are you?"

The question made the Masque let out an elated chuckle.

"In due time, Twilight Sparkle," he said affectionately.

"In due time."

Author's Note:

Sorry it took a while!

Just a fun fact: Chevaline is French for equine. I picture ponified France to be called Cheval and the French as Chevaline.
Also, reindeer!