Prologue - Before - Redone

The two guards flanked the little filly as they marched down the street.

The street, lined with double story wooden buildings on both sides, was empty at this time of night; the only light in the street was a murky, flicking, light cast from one of the few street braziers. The trade district, despite being prosperous, wasn’t felt to be prestigious enough to warrant actual street lighting.

The guards kept their eyes forward, but their ears flicked towards each new sound they heard. The little filly, a dark green unicorn, struggled to keep up with them as they marched on. She occasionally had to break into a canter just to keep up with them. Her eyes were wide as she continually looked around the street. The mounting look of horror was plain on her face as she started to recognize where she was.

Stopping outside a store, one of the guards leaned forward to look in through a window; the candlelight inside illuminated a solitary figure, hunched over a book.

He looked down at the filly. “Is he alone?”

The fillies eye’s glowed for a second as she scanned left and right. Her eyes returned to normal and she looked up at the guard. “I - I can’t see any other auras. H-he’s alone.” She lowered her head. “Mr Sable is alone.” She whispered.

Turning to look at the other, he gave a sharp nod before looking down at the filly. With a tap of his hoof on the ground, she looked back at him again. This time, her eyes were filled with pleading. She knew exactly they were going to ask her to do. He reached into his bag and withdrew a dagger in its scabbard. A large red crystal, set into the end of the hilt, was the only thing that marked the dagger as different from normal.

Flipping the dagger so he held onto the scabbard, he presented the hilt to the girl. He leaned in towards her. “You know what you have to do?”

The other guard took a step closer to the girl, looming over her. “And what will happen if you fail?”

Looking from guard to guard, she nodded. Slowly, she reached up to the dagger and drew it out of its scabbard, only to promptly drop it.

With a whimper she immediately fell to the ground, scrambling around to find it in the murky light.

The first guard looked up at the second and slowly shook his head. The other silently nodded in agreement. She had no chance, it was too soon and everyone knew it. Scrolls had taken a personal interest in her and had done everything possible to make sure she failed. They both suspected that was why her ‘Rite of Passage’ was being done in such an unorthodox manner.

The guards were not alone in their contempt of Scrolls. Many ponies would have liked to express their dislike of him in a more direct manner. However, being favoured by one of the chancellors was enough to stay the hoof of even the brashest of those ponies. It was joked in the guard room that if he ever fell out of favour, the queue would be out the door and down the street.

The filly got up, pressing the dagger tight against her chest. Tears were rolling down her face.

The first guard opened the door to the store and stood to one side.

He closed it after she had entered.

* * *

Mr Sable looked up at the sound of soft hoof-falls. Getting on in years, the chestnut stallion still prided himself on the fact that his hearing was still as sharp as ever, even if his eyesight wasn’t. It was late for a customer and with the bookstore having seen better days, any customer at all was, quite frankly, a surprise.

The store itself consisted of two walls of shelves with books, a counter facing the door and a staircase going up to his private room against the back wall. The single bookcase in the middle of the room was empty, it’s contents piled up in columns on the floor pending re-filing. Almost all the books he had on display were faded and worn.

Seated at the counter, going over the ledger, he had been working out his losses for the week.

In the candlelight he could make out what looked like a young filly stood at the door. Any distraction from the books, maybe even a sale, was appreciated. Putting on his glasses he smiled as he recognized the filly. There would be no sale, but her company was always welcome. She’d been in his store enough times, he even knew her name, her real name, by now.

“Why hello there little one. You’re up late, shouldn’t you…”

The filly, still several body lengths away, and with the counter between them, held up the dagger. Pointing it at him with a shaking hoof.

Mr Sable nodded, then closed his ledger. “Ah, I take it that I have been selected as the subject of your ‘Rite’?”

She nodded.

“Scrolls selected me, right?”

She nodded again. He could see the tears.

He rubbed his face. ‘Damn you Scrolls! You knew we were friendly. And that’s the entire reason, isn’t it?’

He looked back up at the girl, eyes wide, her whole body now trembling. Her hoof with the dagger had started to shake violently.

‘How is she even able to hold onto it?’

In answer to the question, she dropped the dagger with a clatter. Sitting down on her haunches, she wrapped her forelegs around her chest as she stared at the floor.

“I - I don’t want to do this Mr Sable. I don’t want to be a monster.”

Standing up he walked around the counter and over to her.

“Shhh, little one.” He whispered as he stroked her forelock.

She looked up hopefully at him.

He could feel the lump in his throat. He was out of options. ‘Damn you Scrolls. For this, for those white stripes on her back. For making me do this. There will be a reckoning… but not by me.'

He sighed. “I don’t want to do this either little one.”

He bent down and picked up the dagger.

The fillies eyes grew wider as, dagger in hoof, he towered over her.

“M-Mr Sable?”

“Shhh. Close your eyes little one…”

* * *

The two guards lifted their head at a fillies scream. A second later, there was the sound of a body hitting the floor.

“At least this way she’s free of Scrolls.” The first one commented.

The second nodded. “Let's go clear up the mess... and persuade him to keep quiet.”

Walking in, they both stopped to stare at the scene.

The filly was struggling to get out from under the unmoving storekeeper pinning her to the floor.

One of the stacks of books had been knocked over, scattering books all over the floor. Stepping carefully over them, and ignoring the filly reaching out to him, the first guard went over the storekeeper and prodded him.

No movement.

“H-help me, please.” She begged.

The guard rolled the storekeeper off the girl. Not so much to help her, but to make sure he was actually dead. The dagger embedded in his stomach, the blade thrust upwards into the chest cavity, confirmed that.

He looked over to the other stunned guard. He finally found his voice.

“Well horseapples, that’s gonna mess up the betting pool.”

The other nodded, before stamping a hoof. “Buck it! I drew her name on the sweepstake. I damn well went and threw the ticket away. Humm, maybe I can still find it in the bins…”

A hint of malice entered the first one’s voice as a half-smile formed. “Of course, this is gonna ruin old Scrolls’ day.”

The other returned the smile. “Oh yeah. He’s sooo gonna bust a blood vessel when he finds out she passed. He’ll no longer have control over her.”

They both turned to look at the little filly. Now free, she’d moved to the edge of the room and was staring at the body, eyes wide and shaking.

“Let’s get this done.” The first guard went over to the body. Placing a hoof on its chest he took hold of the dagger and pulled hard on it. With only a small spray of blood, the dagger came free.

Turning it over, he could see the red crystal was glowing slightly. “Good, it worked.”

He turned to the filly. “Congratulations” he smiled at her, “you’re officially a clan member, you’re a Snake now little one. What do you choose as your ‘Symbol of Passage’?”

“N-necklace. H-his necklace… He said… He said...” She looked away.

The guard looked over the body and lifted the head up to remove the necklace.

He held it up to look at it. A mostly clear crystal, with a dark, flickering core. It had a fitting around the crystal that allowed a silver chain to run freely through it.

“Good choice.” The guard pressed the tip of the dagger against the crystal of the necklace. The necklace glowed red briefly before fading. Checking the crystal on the end on the hilt, he found that the crystal was now dark.

“Good, we’re done here. Let’s go.”

Walking over the girl, he lifted her head before dropping the necklace over her head.

She looked down at it like he’d just put a noose around her neck.

Smiling the guard looked at her flank. “Hey look, ‘The Rite’ even brought on your cutie mark. Congratulations.”

The young filly stopped in shock and looked around at her flank.

A snake, jaws open in mid-strike and with icicles for fangs, looked back at her.

Collapsing to the floor, she started sobbing uncontrollably.

Chapter 1 - Prisoner Escort - Redone

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Denuo [anew , again; a second time]
Fortuna [chance , fate, lot, luck, fortune]

Chapter 1 - Prisoner Escort - Redone

Laying on her back, she looked up at the tree branches that overhung the track. Trying to get as comfortable as possible in the cramped cage, she stretched her hind legs out through the bars and over the edge of the body of the wagon as it trundled down the track.

The woodland had steadily grown denser as they travelled onwards. It was now dense enough that, coupled with the thick undergrowth, it was impossible to see further than a meter or two into the woods. Tree branches, dense with leaves, overhung the track on both sides, meeting in the middle.

She reached out with a forehoof towards a sunbeam shining through the woodland canopy, letting it play over her hoof.

The guards kept a close eye on her as she did so. The dark-green unicorn mare had a substantial bounty on her, and with the outpost being only two days away now, they weren't taking any chances.

Four unicorns, six earth ponies, and three pegasi escorted her. The unicorns and earth ponies were evenly split in front and behind the wagon, with the three pegasi flying a little way in front, scouting, thirteen guards in total. A tad excessive in her opinion, but she’d readily admit her opinion was biased at this point. She understood that she represented more money to them than they could hope to earn in a year, even split thirteen ways. No way in Tartarus would they be ‘just letting her go’.

They were the entire guard contingent of the town, plus one guard from a nearby village, that she had been captured in. Her capture itself had been embarrassingly easy. After being given drugged food at the local inn she’d woken up in a cell, chained down, with the inhibitor ring on her horn. In retrospect, the waitress had smiled a little too much, been a little too friendly. A lone mare, a wanderer, was usually the target of so much unwanted attention. The ‘usual’ attention from the stallions... and the usual hate from the mares, namely for getting the ‘usual’ attention from the stallions.

That was until they learnt who she was of course. Then they were all smiles, all make nice... and terrified sidelong looks. She’d made sure it was well known what happened to the first bounty hunter that had come after her. When they threw all the bits they could find into the coffin, they couldn’t have missed that it didn’t add up to a whole pony.

Thus waking up in the cell, chained, with a pounding headache and cut off from her magic came somewhat as a shock to her. Her reputation alone was usually enough. She’d spent the next hour ‘busy’ as her body purged the drug from her, in every way possible. In between retches, she made it quite clear as to what she wanted to do to the guards, in general, and to the waitress, in particular.

The guards, having recently returned from helping raid a Diamond Dog den, and releasing quite a few captured ponies in the process, were even more full of themselves at having ‘caught’ such a high-profile fugitive. They were all too eager to show that without her magic, not to mention heavily outnumbered and chained down, that she was nothing special. She was just another low criminal to them, one that they were all too willing to take down a peg or two. The bounty specified whole, but not undamaged. She’d had to sleep on her right side ever since setting off.

A pothole caused the entire wagon to jolt, bouncing her into the air. She cursed loudly as she landed heavily on her left side.

Bringing her legs in, she rolled over onto her stomach. In doing so she displayed her most striking feature, her back, from the bottom of her neck to the base of her tail, was pure white. The white fur extended down onto both her sides for a few inches, forming a ragged, but very distinct, boundary between the two colours.

Looking up at the pony pulling the wagon she pulled a face at him. “Honestly, are you actually aiming for every bucking pothole?”

The guard pulling the wagon grunted.

She felt a spear prod her side. “Hey.”

She turned to look at the earth pony guard walking next to the wagon.

“I suggest that you enjoy your current ‘royal’ treatment. When we get there, I doubt you will have such luxurious accommodation.” The leer made her want to grab him and smash his face against something out of sheer principle.

“We made sure that the date for our arrival was a few days later than what we actually expected. Whoever the ponies that want you alive, they won’t be there until a few days after you arrive.” The leer grew. “And up at the outpost guards get so... bored. Miss high-and-mighty will find out just how dirt is treated.” He leaned in closer and made a suggestive motion with his hoof. “They’ll enjoy playing with something new.”

She blinked at him. ‘Bastard! You’re enjoying your little power trip aren't you?’ She studied his face. ‘And… And you're not joking, are you? I… I think I’m gonna throw up.’

“Who knows… maybe you’ll enjoy it, end up asking for more, like the little…”

The spear going through his neck cut him off.

They both stared at the bloody spear tip stuck out of his neck, pointing at her. Unthinkingly, she lifted a hoof to try and wipe the bloody spray from her face. His mouth just kept opening and closing without sound.

His eyes rolled up and he collapsed. The wagon pitching forward a second later caused her to slide forwards into the bars at the front of the wagon.

The screaming and cursing started up all around her. The familiar smell of hot, fresh blood hit her nose and instinct finally took over. Diving for the floor of the cage, she desperately tried to make herself as small as possible.

Trying to keep low, she glanced around. The pony pulling the wagon was laying on the ground staring at the spear in his side, a look of confusion on his face. Still attached to the wagon, his falling had caused the two-wheeled wagon to pitch forward.

Two of the pegasi were laying on the ground. One lay still, the other was screaming at the spear embedded just in behind his front leg. The third was just hovering and staring at them, open-mouthed.

Two of the unicorns were down, multiple spears sticking out of them, and both of them laying still.

One of the unicorns behind the wagon was calling out orders, trying to get everypony left to form up on her.

A second, smaller volley of spears came from the tree line. The hovering pegasus was hit and went down without a cry. Another unicorn went down, again to multiple spears, and another earth pony fell. The fallen unicorn, despite the three spears now in him, was still alive judging from his screams. The earth pony, with a spear jutting from just in front of her hind leg, was trying to crawl towards the remaining guards. They were behind the wagon and trying to form up around the unicorn yelling out orders.

Diamond Dogs rushed out from thick undergrowth wielding swords and clubs. One group headed towards the ponies forming up behind the wagon. The rest headed for the wounded with clear intent.

The second group went for the screaming pegasus first, his screams rose louder for a moment as they surrounded him, swords and clubs rising and falling repeatedly. One headed for the pony that had been pulling the wagon. Still laying there, he was unable to look away from the spear as the Diamond Dog lifted his chin and calmly cut his throat. The pegasus stopped screaming and the group split up, some headed towards the earth pony crawling towards the other guards, the rest towards the screaming unicorn.

The earth pony screamed out for help as she saw them charging at her. The unicorn never saw them coming.

The other guards were too busy fighting hoof-to-hoof with the first group to care about them.

The earth pony mare screamed as they caught up to her. She screamed louder afterwards. The unicorn’s scream’s stopped suddenly.

The rest of the guards had finally formed up and were keeping the first group of Diamond Dogs away from the last unicorn. There was a bright blue flash and this time, it was a Diamond Dog that screamed. The smell of burnt flesh and fur filled the area.

The three earth ponies, while outnumbered, were trained and armoured. They were effectively holding the first group at bay. Their armour and padding were soaking up the Diamond Dog’s club and sword strikes that got through, while their short swords were inflicting serious wounds on the unarmoured Dogs. The unicorn mare behind them, now protected, started firing off blue blots at the Diamond Dogs. As the first group of Diamond Dogs started to take casualties, their confidence began to fail.

Two more quick blasts at short range, followed by two more screams, and what was left of the first group turned and scattered. The rest of the Diamond Dogs, having finished with the wounded, had already started to move forwards, to support the first group, when they saw them scatter into the woodland. They quickly followed suit. Too late for the earth pony mare though.

Laying on the floor in the cage, the green unicorn watched the ebb and flow of the battle through the bars of her cage in a detached manner, idly trying to decide which side she should be cheering on. A blue bolt hit her cage, making her jump sideways into the bars. Looking around she found a little Diamond Dog hiding by the side of her cage.

“Shoo… You’re drawing fire.” She tried to wave the Diamond Dog away as another bolt hit the cage. He just cowered there, obviously too scared to move.

Another bolt passed close, causing her to flinch. “Oh buck this. I really don’t want to die, so I’ll take your side.” Reaching through the bars, she grabbed the Diamond Dog’s collar and hauled him towards her. His eyes were wide with fear as she lowered her head, pointing her horn at him. “Take this bucking ring off my horn and I’ll deal with the damn unicorn. Quick, before you get us both killed you bucking idiot.”

The Diamond Dog blinked. Then painfully slowly he reached up towards her horn.

“C’mon! Hurry up, hurry bucking up!”

Another bolt sailed overhead.

Lunging forward, he grabbed the ring and wrenched it off her horn. He quickly dropped to the ground and curled up afterwards.

“Great, now…” She curled up in pain, holding her horn, as her magic returned.

Laying there panting, she didn’t notice another bolt, aimed at the Diamond Dog, miss her by inches.

As the pain receded, she found herself on her back. She threw all her legs outwards in frustration. “I bucking hate pain!”

Still panting, she rolled onto her belly and lowered her head, aiming through the bars at the unicorn.

‘Aim at the centre of mass, steady the breathing… as much as possible anyway...’

The guard unicorn was busy firing blue bolts off into the undergrowth when a white beam caught her, just above her right hind leg. The area around the point of impact frosted over instantly.

There was a pause, then the frosted area shattered, scattering red and white crystals onto the floor, along with the bottom half of her hind leg. Around where the beam had caught her was now a jagged, red crystallised surface. Mostly red, some white bits stuck through the surface where her leg should have been.

The unicorn fell to the ground screaming, clutching at the crystallised area.

Back in the cage, the unicorn scowled at her aim. ‘Low and to the right.’ She took aim at another guard.

This beam hit an earth pony in the neck. The other two watched in horror as his entire neck shattered and his head fell off. His lips still moving, the head rolled around on the ground, finally coming to a stop upside down. It blinked once at them.

The two guards both turned and ran. Unfortunately for one, he tripped over the still screaming unicorn behind him while turning. The other managed to get a clear start running down the track, throwing his sword away as he did so.

At the sight of the unicorn going down, the Diamond Dogs had surged forward again, now fueled by bloodlust. The earth pony who had tripped over the unicorn got to his feet, only to be tackled back down by a diving Diamond Dog. He didn’t get up before the rest got there. He screamed loudly, if briefly.

Several set off after the other guard.

The unicorn rolling around on the ground was surrounded by visibly upset Diamond Dogs. She’d been responsible for quite a few of their pack’s deaths now. They closed in and her shrieks got louder and more urgent. The Diamond Dogs’ primal instinct took over and they discarded their weapons in favour of their teeth.

Back in the cage, seeing that the ‘battle’ was now over, the unicorn got up, trying to ignore the extremely disturbing screams now coming from the guard.

Moving to the door of the cage, her horn glowing, she lowered her head and brushed the tip of her horn over the lock of the door several times. With each pass, the lock steadily became more-and-more encased in frost. With the fourth pass, and apparently satisfied, she lifted her head and turned in the cage to face away from the door. The buck to the door, shattering the frosted lock, caused the door to violently swung open and bounce off the cage. It rattled on its hinges several times before coming to a rest, closed.

There was another scream from down the track, it seemed that the other guard hadn’t run fast enough she absently noted.

Pushing the door open with her snout, she jumped down from the wagon, landing awkwardly and stumbling forward as a result. “Buck it all. I…” Looking up, she found herself surrounded by seven Diamond Dogs.

The unicorns’ screams ended in a gurgle. She stood there in the deafening silence. The Diamond Dogs hunched over the guard turned to look at her with bloodstained mouths.

'Err... Hi?' She queried as she waved a hoof.

Chapter 2 - Payback - Redone

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Chapter 2 - Payback - Redone

Despite the fading light, the looting was in full swing now. Bodies from both sides were being stripped of anything of value and having it thrown onto the back of the wagon. A couple of Diamond Dogs had unhitched the earth pony who had been pulling the wagon and were currently rolling him, unceremoniously, out of the way.

Sitting on the side of the track, the unicorn watched the looting with a carefully neutral expression. Her expression flickered only slightly as she watched them start to use hammers to shatter the leg bones of a pegasus; her armour had been dented by an impact and was proving difficult remove. By breaking her legs, they were hoping that they could bend them to angles that would help them get the armour off her. Diamond Dog bodies were being treated little better.

She’d found out from one of Diamond Dogs that they were from the den that the guards had raided earlier. While the loss of slaves from the den was a major blow to it, the guards hadn’t stopped there. Elders, mothers, and even pups had been among the dead, not to mention they had collapsed a large portion of the den. The ambush wasn’t for slaves.

As most of the Diamond Dogs had seen her take down the unicorn guard who had been holding them off, a measure of ‘the enemy of my enemy’ had been extended. So, for now, they were leaving her alone.

Her feeling of unease grew as she got more and more sidelong looks, each followed by a knowing look towards the empty harness on the wagon. The fact that more than one Diamond Dog was now proudly showing off their new ‘unicorn horn’ necklace wasn’t helping her to relax either. She ran a hoof down her own horn as a Diamond Dog passed her by, sporting one.

‘Waiting to see if they were going to leave me any supplies to grab was a bad idea. Right! Time to leave.’ Standing up, she turned to go, only to find a Diamond Dog towering over her.

“Think little pony should pull wagon.”

Taking a step back and charging up her horn, she glared at him. “Buck you!”

The Diamond Dog laughed as a glow surrounded her horn. “Not scared of little light.” Taking a step forward, still laughing, he grabbed her horn.

‘Bucking Idiot.’

His eyes widened as a frost quickly covered his arm up to his elbow.

Quickly realizing that he couldn’t let go of her horn, his tugs became panicked, causing her to wince in pain at the shocks to her horn.

“That bucking hurts, s-stop it! I hate pain! I’m warning...”

The jolts became more frenzied.

Trying to focus as her head was pulled this way and that, she took a wild swipe at the arm he was holding her with, catching it midway between his paw and elbow.

The frosted limb didn’t bend or give on impact, it shattered. A spray of crystallized red-and-white fragments was sent over the track.

The Diamond Dog stood there, staring open-mouthed at his stump as she sat back onto her haunches, holding her head with both hooves as she waited for her world to stop spinning.

Still dizzy, she fell back onto all four legs and swung her head back and forth trying to help clear it, inadvertently sweeping her horn over the three Diamond Dogs that had started to move towards her. Stopping dead, they watched her horn intently, flinching as it passed over them. In unspoken agreement, all three turned to loot the same nearby body as they tried to look as non-threatening as possible.

As her world stopped spinning she looked around at the Diamond Dogs. All seemed very interested in the bodies they were currently looting.

‘Focus you stupid mare. Get your flank outta here while you still can.’

She shook her head a few more times before taking a step away from them. Pausing by the Diamond Dog missing his forearm, she prodded him in his chest. “I’d suggest you bandage that before it thaws out. You might experience a slight ‘stinging sensation’ later. You have a nice life now.”

Turning, she started walking back down the track, flicking her tail at him as she passed.

‘Steady! Don’t run yet!’

Walking rather stiffly, she could feel the eyes of many upon her. Keeping one ear pointing backwards, she made her way towards the bend in the track.

Once past it, and certain they could no longer see her, she broke into a full gallop.

* * *

Sitting under a tree, catching her breath from her headlong run, she began contemplating her options in the moonlight.

‘I could stop here, but I think the more distance I put between myself and those Dogs the better. Besides, I want to get back and recover my saddlebags, and contents. Not to mention, I do so want to thank that waitress... properly.’

A half smile formed.

‘Plus my bounty, she’ll have my bounty.’

A full smile formed.

‘Oh yeah. Let’s go collect ‘my’ bounty. Hopefully, she’ll have been too busy drinking herself silly with it to worry about my saddlebags. Mind you if she’s lost them or, more importantly, what’s in them...’

Tapping on her horn with a hoof she thought. ‘I would really have to get unpleasant and...’

Pausing, a frown formed as she felt around her horn with a hoof. Her shoulders slumped as realized what had happened. With a flick of a hoof, the Diamond Dog paw that was still wrapped around her horn came loose, flying up into the air and shattering when it hit the ground.

* * *

Scarlet Flagon trudged home from the bar.

Already exhausted from the long hours of waitressing, the mud sucking at her hooves drained what little energy she had left. The mud, already coating the bottom half of her, was now starting to pepper everywhere else on her with splashes.

She didn’t really notice this as she was still seething at her unicorn co-waitress for getting the pay rise instead of her. Her mental tirade against all unicorns, and her co-waitress in specific, had continued unabated from the moment she had left the bar.

‘That damned unicorn bitch, able to just float three mugs over to three customers at once. She spills every one of them, -every- damn time. Yet the head bartender still seems to love her.’

She paused to consider this.

‘Probably more than figuratively.’ she added spitefully. ‘Whereas I don’t spill a drop, but being an earth pony I can only go to one table at a time.’ She paused and slammed a hoof down, causing a spray of mud.

“It’s so unfair!” After a second she hung her head, feeling somewhat ashamed at the childish outburst.

‘It’s true though. Quantity over quality, that’s all he cares about. Well, that and a shapely flank.’ She thought, unable to resist the barb.

Stomping through the mud she eventually came to the door of her house. ‘Right, smile on, let's not worry the little one.’

Walking in, taking care to wipe as much as the mud off her as possible, before undoing her saddlebags and hanging them up in the hallway.

“Hi Sweetie, mummies home. How was your day?”

A young filly’s voice came from the living room. “Hello mummy, today was wonderful. Found a great new friend to play with!”

Scarlet kicked the front door shut with a back hoof and trotted into the living room, making a mental note to run a bath as soon as possible.

In the living room, her young filly was enraptured at the sight of her two rag dolls dancing a waltz together in midair.

In the middle of the room, sitting with her back to Scarlet, was a unicorn mare, with a white back.

Scarlet’s mouth fell open. ‘A white back, a-a-a white back! Oh my Celestia! She’s gotten free... and is sitting with my foal!’

Scarlet, eyes fixed on the unicorn, managed a strangled, “Sweetie!”

The two rag dolls stopped their dance. Both slowly turned their heads to look at her and raised their forehooves to beckon her further into the room. She jumped when the door to the hallway behind her closed with a click.

Her young filly looked at her with an innocent expression. “Isn’t she so cool mummy?”

The unicorn looked over her shoulder at Scarlet, a lopsided smile on her muzzle.

* * *

With an amused expression, the unicorn watched the young filly sulk and moan at being sent to her room so early. Levitating up the dolls for her, the unicorn offered them to the filly, who took them in her mouth before leaving the room with muffled grumbles.

Scarlet deliberately stepped between the unicorn and her daughter.

“Nice filly you have there, Mrs. Flagon.”

“Miss.” Scarlet corrected automatically. “Please, she’s got nothing to do with this, I’m the one you want, please...” Her voice became pleading. “Please, just leave her alone.”

The unicorn raised her eyebrows in surprise, a second later her expression turned to a scowl, causing Scarlet to flinch.

“I don’t hurt foals, Miss Flagon. And whatever you may have heard, I also try not to hurt ponies for other ponies transgressions.”

Scarlet relaxed a fraction.

“You however. You have wronged me.”

Scarlet’s knees started to feel weak. “I…”

“You gave me sleeping potion, Miss Scarlet. So I trust that you were aware of the correct dosage for a unicorn mare my size and weight, hmm?”

Scarlet turned her head away.

“So, let’s start there shall we, giving me a sleeping potion with no idea of the correct dosage and therefore the possible effects on me; the stealing of my gear; my being dragged off by the guards and the bruises I got from said guards; the inhibitor ring they put on me.” Her tone darkened. “And finally, let us also not forget what would have actually happened to me after I had been delivered. A fate I’d rather avoid if you don’t mind.”

The unicorn suddenly growled at her, causing Scarlet’s knees to give way and land heavily on the floor.

She looked down at Scarlet, her voice filled with venom. “Yes Miss Flagon, as you might have detected, I have formed an opinion on your actions.” Her tone suddenly turned bright and cheerful. “But first, a question. The answer to which will greatly influence your immediate future. Where are my saddlebags?”

Scarlet, now laying on the ground, pointed a trembling hoof to a cabinet.

The unicorn turned her head towards the cabinet and white glow appeared around the cabinets doors. The door opened, revealing a set of tan canvas saddlebags that were quickly floated over to the unicorn.

Noting that the bottom of one of the bags was now stained green, she opened the other side first. She felt for the lump in the hidden pocket, it's opening disguised to look like a line of stitching.

The lump she was after was still there.

She turned an unpleasant smile upon quivering pony. “Well Miss Scarlet, it seems that I won’t be killing you right now after all.”

Turning her attention back to her saddlebags she floated out a necklace with a crystal attached. Bringing it up to eye level, the unicorn stared at it for a few seconds then, grabbing it with a hoof, she pressed it against her chest as her eyes closed. A rare, genuine, smile formed on her face.

‘Glad to have you back Mr Sable.’

Opening her eyes, the unicorn slipped the necklace on before turning her attention back to the saddlebags. Floating out a wooden box with a brass clasp on it, she let out a sigh of relief when she saw that both crystals were still in their velvet-lined depressions inside. Closing the box, she turned her attention back to the open side-bag.

Scarlet cringed back when the unicorn turned a glare upon her. Scarlet had already found the bag of bits that used to be in there.

Turning her saddlebags around, the unicorn gave a small snort as she examined the staining on the other bag before opening it up.

Laying there, Scarlet tried to keep her breathing steady as the unicorn stared into the bag with an increasingly frustrated expression. She watched as some documents, two vials, and a herb pouch was floated out, all stained green.

Floating the documents up, the unicorn flipped through them before throwing her a glance. “Still readable Miss Scarlet. But you’re not out of the woods just yet.”

Two little vials of red liquid were floated up next. Scarlet saw the unicorn relax when she saw that, while stained, they were otherwise intact.

Turning the saddlebags upside-down, a shower of glass shards fell out onto the floor. Without looking round at her, the unicorn gave the bag a shake. “That bottle of dye was the closest match I could find to my coat and was quite difficult to find. You really should be more careful with other ponies stuff. I mean, a pony could get upset.”

Placing the saddlebags back on the floor, she examined the herb pouch, frowning at the stains before opening it.

‘Humm, a little bit has come through but it looks mostly okay. Enough to keep me going until I can make some more anyway.’

She turned and smiled at Scarlet. “You have no idea how vital these herbs are to me Miss Scarlet. Had you ruined all of what was in here... I would have had to kill you.”

The unicorn started to repack her bags. “What happened to all my other equipment?” She looked around when she didn’t get a response. Scarlet was laying on the floor, shaking uncontrollably and staring off into space. The unicorn tilted her head. ‘Uh, what’s up with her?’

Scarlet jumped when a rolled up piece of paper, stained green at one end, bopped her on the nose. She found the unicorn looking at her with an amused expression. “I’ll say it again, what happened to all my other equipment?”

“G-guards took it.”

The unicorn grimaced as she turned back to her packing. ‘Damn, that’s all gone to the pawn shop then.’

The unicorn finished re-packing and turned to look at her.

“Now to, almost, the last issue. My bounty. As I was, instrumental to you getting it, I feel I deserve a share of it.” Her tone hardened. “All of it in fact. Turn it over.”

Scarlet curled up into a ball. “T-There’s nothing left.”

The unicorn head pulled back in surprise. “What! You can’t have drunk it all by now!”

Despite herself, Scarlet bridled and lifted her head. “I do not drink!” All bravado faded as the unicorn just slowly blinked at her.

“Bills to pay, repairs, shopping, those dolls, debts. One thousand bits don’t go far these days.” Scarlet firmly watched the floor, awaiting the unicorn’s wrath.

Her head snapped up at the laughter. The unicorn was sitting there, laughing. After quieting down the unicorn waved a hoof at Scarlet.

“Let me run a scenario past you, see if it sounds familiar in any way. You see a white backed unicorn in your bar and you’ve heard she’s got a bounty. You nip out to the guard, who suggest you drug her, as they didn’t want a fight.”

Scarlet nodded. “Mostly right.” She mentally added. ‘Don’t think I’ll mention drugging the food was my idea.’

The unicorn continued. “While she, that’s me, is out cold in the cells, you ask about the bounty, to which one of the guards says, ‘I’ll go and collect it for you’.” She shook her head. “Then the nice, generous, guard comes back with the proceeds of the promissory note... and hands you a bag with a thousand bits in. You take it and don’t look back.”

Scarlet nodded again.

“Oh my dear, it looks like the guards are the biggest crooks here. Last time I checked, my bounty was fifteen thousand. You merely accepted what they offered you.”

The unicorn gave a snort of laughter at Scarlet’s expression.
“Anyway, I do believe we should visit the guard house after sunset. Fourteen thousand bits being discovered on the guards’ bodies... I think I would have noticed that reaction. So they probably left it in the guard house. So...”

She trailed off as noted Scarlet’s expression.

“Y-you managed to kill all the guards?”

“Not all! One, two. Two! I admit that the unicorn guard, I as good as killed her, but I did not kill all of them. Two! Three if you’re going to be picky about it.”

Looking into Scarlet’s eyes, her shoulders slumped.

‘Buck! This is going to grow. I can see it, I’m gonna be blamed for all of this. Killing thirteen guards. No, -horribly- killing thirteen guards. Horseapples! My bounty is going to get bigger after this. just what I don’t need. That means more ponies looking for me, even after the example. Buck, I should have dyed my coat before coming to town, even if it wasn't the right colour.’

She looked up at Scarlet and squared her shoulders.

“Miss Scarlet, I am going to be remaining here for a couple of hours until after sunset. The doors are sealed magically, so please, don’t try and leave. In the meantime, I am going to be stealing some supplies off you and cooking myself something to eat.” She leaned forward, looking Scarlet in the eyes. “No, I won't be letting you cook for me.”

* * *

The unicorn watched as Scarlet bucked the door to the guard house with a little more gusto than was strictly necessary. She tried to suppress her smile at the sight.

‘Oh dear, it seems that Miss Flagon might have some issues with the guards right now. Can’t imagine why.’

The sound suppression spell she had cast kept the sound of splintering wood to a minimum. The door frame splintered and gave way first, letting the more-or-less intact door fall to the floor.

‘Metal reinforced door, wooden frame holding it. Bucking amateurs.’

The unicorn smiled at Scarlet. “Well then Miss Flagon, let’s go ransack the place shall we?”

* * *

Scarlet looked at the pile on the desk. It would appear that the unicorn was planning a trip. A bedroll, a guard cloak, a bandolier of daggers, a sword, and a scabbard. Some long life supplies had been found as well, but no money.

The unicorn seemed unphased by this, she was just busy packing her saddlebags.

“No money here, they must have put it somewhere else,” Scarlett commented.

“Pfft, you don’t know guards.” A white glow surrounded the tea urn, lifting it up to shake it. The unmistakable sound of bits chinking could be heard.

“Really?”

“No safe or strong box. In one of the cells is far too obvious. Plus they put more faith in a bar on the outside of the door rather than a lock.” The unicorn winked at Scarlet. “Cell doors are from guild-approved suppliers and the locks they use are cheap and easy to pick. They’re not allowed to use others.”

The urn floated over to the desk and tilted, spilling out bags of bits over it. The bottom bags were damp with tea stains.

Scarlet watched as the unicorn started splitting the bags between her saddlebags, trying to get an even distribution of weight. When there were two left unpacked, the unicorn turned to her.

“Now then, Miss Flagon, your penance.”

Scarlet’s eyes snapped onto the unicorn. Her knees were feeling unsteady again.

“Say you’re sorry.”

With surprise on her face, Scarlet managed “I - I’m sorry.”

There was a pause while the unicorn rubbed her chin, considering this. Her hoof came down with a click on the floor.

“Nope! Not good enough I’ve decided.” The unicorn’s look became glazed. To Scarlet, it felt like she was looking right through her as her horn started glowing. “I feel something more... direct is appropriate. May I suggest you start praying to whatever deity you happen to worship.”

Scarlet fell to her knees, her mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out. She could only stare at the unicorn as she slowly approached her. She desperately wanted to get up and gallop away, or at least to go down fighting. She lay there, unable to move.

“You drug me, steal from me and leave me to the wolves, Snakes even in this case. Do you have any idea what would have happened if they got their hooves on me?”

Scarlet could now only look at the horn, she could feel the cold radiating from it now.

“Did you honestly think I was just going to... let you go?”

Scarlet was frozen, all she could manage was a feeble “Sweetie” before she closed her eyes and turned her head.

After a minute she mustered up the courage to open her eyes.
Sitting there, with an amused expression, the unicorn watched her. Her horn, thankfully, no longer glowing.

“Today’s lesson: be careful who you... betray. While I will admit to some… quite a lot in fact, satisfaction in doing that, I am also entirely sure you will remember this lesson. There are ponies out there who are not as nice, or forgiving, as I am.” Her tone turned harsh. “So remember, your every breath from now on is a gift from me.”

Scarlet jerkily nodded, all she was capable of at the moment. She rested her head on the stone floor.

The unicorn turned went back to the table and finished putting on her gear, ignoring the shivering mare on the floor. Trotting past Scarlet she paused by the door.

Two bags of bits, landing noisily in front of Scarlet, caused her to recoil in shock.

“Buy the filly something nice.”

Chapter 3 - Mountains - Redone

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Chapter 3 - Mountains - Redone

Slowly sliding down the boulder her back was pressed against, she whimpered quietly in the early morning light.

“Oh buck, oh buck, oh buck.”

She’d been following the narrow track as it had wound alongside mountain for several days now. Yesterday, much to her relief, it had finally reached its highest point and she’d started to head downhill. She’d set up camp for the night where the track had become a wide ledge. Even littered with boulders, most near the edge, there was still room for her to stretch out. In fact, she’d seated herself on one of the boulders and watched the valley below, with its long lake, fill with shadows as the sunset lit up the mountain range behind her.

Not that she was appreciating the view at this point. Right now she was hiding behind one of the bigger boulders, trying hard to not panic and, more importantly, not to be seen by the mountain troll currently poking around her campsite.

‘Think dammit you stupid mare… Mountain trolls, what do you remember about them, apart from them being able to tear a pony apart with its bare hooves... paws... talons? Focus! Right, it’s skin absorbs magic, so unless you’ve got an alicorn's level of magic to throw at it… don’t.’ She glanced down at her amulet and slumped. ‘And as you don’t work, I am sooo bucked.’

Jumping at the abrupt growl coming from the campsite, she was very glad she had already relieved herself this morning. In fact, it was the very reason she was behind the boulder in the first place. She’d been roused out of her meditative state of mind by shuffling noises coming from the other side of the boulder. Peering around it, only a rapidly applied, unwashed, hoof to her mouth had stifled the scream. A mountain troll was poking her still-warm bed roll.

Walking upright, trolls vaguely resembled Diamond Dogs in appearance and height, however, where Diamond Dogs tended to be thin, trolls were grotesquely over-muscled, especially in their upper torso and arms. Their short, stubby legs looked out of place on them but belied the speed they could reach when ambushing prey, even if they couldn’t keep that speed up for long. Their muzzles were far more pronounced than that of a Diamond Dog, enabling them to open their mouths wide, wide enough so a ponies head could comfortably fit between their jaws. With the front row of their teeth angled backwards, anything, once bitten down on, was not getting away. With its furless body having the colour, and texture, of rock, they easily blended into the mountainous terrain, allowing them to effortlessly ambush prey. Coupled with it’s immunity to magic, and a basic level of intelligence, they were the apex predator in the mountains. Anywhere where there were no dragons anyway.

Laying behind the rock, she was very much aware of this as she desperately tried to control her breathing... and her bladder.

‘Daggers? Swords? No! Its skin is thick enough to be like armour, besides, you left them in the campsite you bucking stupid…’ Pulling her lips back she snarled. ‘I can’t fight it! It’ll catch me and a view of its tonsils will be the last thing I’ll see right before...’ She shook her head violently. ‘Shut up, shut up, shut up! Not helping!’

Closing her eyes she slammed her head sideways against the boulder.

‘Ugh, now get a grip you stupid…’ Her eyes snapped open. ‘Oh Tartarus. Noise!’

Looking up, expecting to see the troll looking down at her, she crouched even lower. ‘Maybe I’d have time to throw myself off the cliff first...’ A few seconds passed. ‘Calm yourself you stupid mare, there's nothing there! It didn’t hear. Don’t panic, breathe. I just...' Putting her head between her forelegs, she closed her eyes tight. ‘Oh horseapples, I just wanna run right now.’

A stomp from the other side of the boulder made her curl up into a ball.

‘Don't charge up your horn! Don't charge up your horn! It can detect magic, but as I’ve been here all night, the area is saturated in my background magic. I’m hidden in the background noise as long as I don’t charge up my horn.’

Grinding her teeth, she was finding it surprisingly difficult not to charge up her horn when threatened.

‘Oh horseapples! I’m gonna die here. Death by troll, I was so close…’

A gust of wind, causing an entire body shiver, brought her out of her downward spiral. A gallows-humor snigger followed. ‘Careful, with the wind chill, you could freeze to death out here. Hah! I know quite a ponies that would pay to see that, and... Wait! I can’t hear it… maybe it’s moved on.’

Stretching her neck, she slowly moved an eye past the boulder.

‘Has it moved a boulder? I don’t remember there being one there. I should have a clear view of the campsite... Oh... Buck!’

She lay there, unable to move, as she stared at the troll’s back. Close enough so that she could make out the individual hairs on it. The troll had seated itself down, its back to her, and was watching the campsite intently.

Her breathing, now short and erratic, was fortunately drowned out by the mountain wind.

As was her gasp when it suddenly stood up.

Kicking the ground, it turned towards the path and shuffled off, never once looking back and seeing a face peering around a boulder. With her eyes wide, but her pupil's nothing but a pair of tiny dots, she watched it leave.

She finally drew her head back and stared into the distance as her entire body started to shake uncontrollably.

‘You should be dead now, you stupid mare, freezing like that. I… Shut up! Move! Get your stuff and run!’

She continued to lay there.

‘Get up! Get up… Oh please get up… Oh buck! I can't move my legs! Think, think, think...’

Lowering her head, she sank her teeth into her right hind leg.

That broke the spell her body was under. Slowly pushing herself up into a sitting position, she took a minute to get her breathing back under control before trying to stand up. Keeping a close eye on the path where the troll had gone she, hesitantly, re-entered her campsite.

Making sure not to use magic, she slowly lifted the bandolier of daggers up with her teeth and flipped it over her head. Lowering her head again she took the middle section of her saddlebags between her teeth.

A rockfall nearby caused her head shoot up in alarm. With both ears pointing in the direction of the sound, and saddlebags swinging wildly, she stood there frozen.

A shuffling noise just beyond the campsite prompted instinct to take over.

She ran, not caring where she was running to, just as long as it was away. She didn’t notice her saddlebags, still gripped in her teeth, slapping her forelegs with every stride of her panicked run.

The bed roll, cloak, and the sword were all left behind.

* * *

Finally slowing down to a stop, she spat out the saddlebags and let herself fall to the ground. Looking over her shoulder, panting heavily, she could see nothing moving on the track behind her.

‘You bucking stupid mare! Damn lucky you didn’t trip over those saddlebags and send your sorry flank over the edge.’

She looked down at the cuts and bruises on her legs.

“Still preferable to being eaten alive,though, what’s more…”

Her nose wrinkled. Lifting her head, she sniffed the air before turning to look, with a sinking feeling, at her hindquarters.

* * *

Sitting in the middle of the stream, her hindquarters submerged as her tail streamed out behind her in the flow, she tried to look as nonchalant as possible.

For most of the afternoon, while descending into the Equestrian foothills, she’d been on the lookout for a stream big enough for her purposes.

She rolled her shoulders. “Note to self, drink upstream.”

Sitting there, she took the time to look around the pine woodland she was now in. The sun, now low on the horizon, was casting long shadows and tinting the woodland red. She scowled at the pine needles covering the ground.

‘Going to need to find somewhere to sleep, without getting all those needles in my fur.’

Her head started to droop as the cold water slowly lost its battle to keep her awake. It was her chin hitting her chest that woke her up.

‘Okay, need to lay down, need to sleep. Don’t care about the needles. Just need to make it out of the stream. Deal with ‘whatever’... later.’

Every limb now feeling very heavy, she hauled herself out of the stream, collapsing just a foot away from the bank.

‘Okay, I am gonna be picking needles out of my fur for days now… Don’t... care...’

And she was asleep.

* * *

Plunging her face into the cold water of the stream, she shook her head from side to side, trying to wake herself up. While the sun had been up for hours, she’d only been up for a few minutes now. Her late breakfast, the last of the dried biscuits, had not been as filling as she’d hoped.

Looking down at the fur on her belly, she winced when she tried to pull out one of the many needles now embedded in her fur. With a shake of her head, she let her hoof fall, without trying again.

Her gaze turned to her saddlebags. “No point putting this off any longer… Oh, I am so not looking forward to this.”

Levitating her saddlebags over, she floated out the wooden case that held the two flat crystals. Opening it, she stared at them for a minute before turning her head to look at the cutie mark on her left flank.

A white snake, jaws open in mid-strike, icicles for fangs, looked back at her.

“And you, my lovely, are going bye-bye.”

Levitating one of the vials of red liquid out from her bags, she lay down before using her magic to twist it into the soft ground. She made sure it could stand upright unaided before removing the stopper.

Selecting a sturdy-looking fallen branch, she floated it over to in front of her face. Turning it, she examined it intently before opening her mouth and taking the branch between her teeth.

‘Seems okay, I...’ Her ears fell flat. ‘I hate pain.’

Turning back to the open box, she levitated one of the crystals out in front of her. Making sure that the notch was pointing upward, she floated it around to her left flank and placed it against her cutie mark.

For a few minutes, she lay there doing nothing.

‘This is not getting anything done, lets do this... Actually, how about we don’t and just say we did?’

Biting down hard on the branch, she pushed magic into the crystal. The crystal felt warm against her flank, then…

The sound of sizzling flesh, and a muffled scream, could be heard in the woodland.

* * *

Laying there, panting rapidly, her thoughts slowly returned. The branch, now with a deep set of teeth marks, had been spat to one side and an empty vial lay in front of her. She couldn’t remember doing either. Unfortunately, the directions on using the vials had been clear, drink afterwards, only.

Letting her head drop onto the ground, tears in her eyes, she lay there for a good twenty minutes.

Hesitantly, she lifted her head to look at the results. Where her snake cutie mark used to be, were two hoof silhouettes side-by-side and pointing upwards. A black circle of burnt fur surrounded her new cutie mark.

‘Oh thank buck for that, the right way up. He said the potion should be an effective pain-killer, prevent infection and speed up the regrowth of the burnt fur. If it doesn't... I’m so gonna nail his hide to the wall.’

Turning to look at the other cutie mark, she grimaced before turning to look at the remaining crystal. An sly grin formed at a growing realization.

‘Hah, I’m getting butterflies. My body always was smarter than me.’

Levitating out the other red vial, she placed it in the same hole made by the first, digging it a bit deeper this time. The branch was placed back between her teeth again and the last crystal was floated out and placed over her right cutie mark.

Only to be yanked away before she even started to charge it up.

‘Make sure the bucker is the right way up -before- you start, you stupid mare.’

Placing the crystal back over her cutie mark, the notch now facing upwards, she tried to push magic into the crystal. On the third attempt, she was finally able to push the magic into the crystal.

-* * *

Bitten in two, the branch lay in front of her. She’d drunk the second vial of liquid, unmindful of any splinters that may have been in her mouth at the time.

After a while, she was finally able to lift her head and examine the cutie mark on her other flank.

With a sigh of relief, her head fell to the ground and she smiled faintly.

‘All ok, hope that was worth all the money, and pain... Damn, I smell like I’m the guest of honour at a griffon barbecue. At least now nopony will be able to detect my old cutie marks. Not unless they’re an alicorn.’

Burying her face in the soft earth, she listened to the noise of the woodland as a soft smile formed.

“I made it! I actually bucking made it Mr Sable! I’m here. So, welcome to Equestria, Miss… Miss...” Looking up, she smiled as she reached and let a sunbeam play across her hoof.

“Miss Sunbeam.”

Chapter 4 - Some Introductions - Redone

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Chapter 4 - Some Introductions - Redone

Sunbeam looked up at the signpost and smiled, Ponyville was only a mile away now.

Looking further up at the clear sky, the smile turned to a scowl. It was a bright, hot, sunny day… and she was hating every minute of it. Always one to prefer the winter, she had never been particularly fond of hot, sunny days.

Sitting down by the road, she took off her saddlebags, relishing the feeling of fresh air on her back.

Looking around, Sunbeam could see cultivated fields stretching out to the horizon on all sides. The road itself was lined by wooden fencing on both sides, with golden wheat fields growing on one side and fields lying fallow on the other. The grass in the fallow field next to her was growing unevenly, and the solitary tree which stood in the field was the only one she could see for miles around. In the distance, what looked like apple orchards covered several hills.

She bent down and took a bite of some grass that was growing by the side of the road. When her food supplies ran out a few days ago, she'd started eating what raw foods she could find. She smiled at the thought of all the bits she was carrying, but having nowhere to spend them.

‘I am going to buy myself the biggest, buck-off, pizza I can find when I get there. With lots of cold beer. Humm, what restaurants do they have here again?’

She opened a saddle bag and floated out the pamphlet on Ponyville. It was a couple of years out of date, and stained green now, but, she’d reasoned it should still be mostly accurate. The pamphlet seemed to struggle to say much about the place, which was a good sign as far as she was concerned. It meant that Ponyville was the nice, dull place she was looking for. The extremely low crime rate was a bonus. Not because she was worried about crime, but it meant that, hopefully, any guard presence would be minimal. While not technically wanted here, avoiding guard ponies’ attention was strictly a matter of habit for her. She had also noted there was some brief mention of the Everfree forest being ‘a wild and untamed place’. This seemed to be the most exciting thing the pamphlet had to say about Ponyville.

She looked down the list of restaurants. ‘One of them should do pizzas.’ She tapped her chin in thought, then shook her head. ‘No, I’m not buying a place next to a pizza shop! That would be bad. Mind you, I should be able to buy most places outright with my bounty now.’ The thought of that made her smile. ‘No need to rent, but I’ll still need to get a job though. Blending in being the main objective here.’

She took a sip of water from a canteen.

‘And I’ve just the job in mind.’ She looked round at her new cutie marks. ‘You match up with what I’ve got planned so well.’

She looked up at her white back and sighed. ‘But I do wish I had been able to disguise -that- before I got to Ponyville though.’

She looked up into the sky. 'I look forward to seeing how this all falls apart.’ Sunbeam winced. ‘Positive! Be positive you stupid mare! Okay... I’m positive that this is going to all fall apart and...'

She noticed a rainbow trail in the sky, fast approaching her. Focusing on it, she watched the rainbow trail veer off over the fallow fields and commenced to do some tight twists and turns in midair.

She stuck her tongue out at it. 'Huh. A pegasus showing off, how unprecedented.'

As she watched her opinion softened, the pegasus had skill. Most of the pegasi she knew would have ended up nose-first into the ground by now if they had tried half of those moves.

'Okay, I admit it, I’m quite impressed. Oh, a nosedive... they're leaving it a little late to...’

The rainbow trail turned ninety degrees at less than a meter above the ground… and promptly blasted through a hedgerow with a spray of debris. Tumbling, the pegasus fought to regain control.

“Oops-a-daisy! Well, looks like she’s starting to regain control, they’ve just got to miss the...”

The pegasus managed to hit the only thing in the air for miles around… The tree in the middle of the field next to Sunbeam. Upon impact, birds flew out of it in all directions as branches and leaves rained down from the tree.

Sunbeam shook her head. 'I suppose I should go check if he or she is okay. Mind you, rescue missions aren’t the best way to keep a low profile though.' Levitating her bags onto her back, she pulled a face at the damp feeling she got putting them back on.

As Sunbeam approached the tree she could hear the pegasus cursing. Trees, branches, and hedgerows in particular, seemed to be the target of the curses.

‘An impressive range of curses there. Think I’ve heard only a couple repeated more than once.’

She got to the tree and jumped up so that her front legs were resting on the trunk. The tree had quite dense foliage, but she could see patches of cyan fur showing through the branches.

“Are you ok?” Sunbeam called up.

The cursing stopped. “Oh, did you see that?” Came from somewhere in the tree.

“Not only saw but could hear you from halfway across the field. You could give drill sergeants pointers in cursing. You can colour me duly impressed.”

There was a moment of silence, before a faint “Ponyfeathers” from above. “Heh, well I've kinda got myself tangled up in the branches here, so if you could, you know, erm, help... that would be awesome.”

Sunbeam smiled, it sounded like pride had taken the brunt of the damage.

Her eyes glowed as she looked up, trying to locate the pegasus by her aura.

“Argh!” Sunbeam threw a hoof over her eyes. ‘Wow! She's got a lot of power there. Like looking into the bucking sun. A pegasus shouldn't have that much... In fact, no pony should have...’ She shook her head. ‘I’m just tired and over-sensitive at the minute. Yeah, that's it. I have been on the go for days now. Get a grip!'

She shook her head again and toned down her sensitivity to a minimum. Looking up again, she could see the pegasus clearly now. A golden pony silhouette shone through the branches and leaves, which in turn appeared as dull, brown-orange, outlines. Without leaves distracting her, she could clearly see the branch the pegasus was caught up on.

“Hang onto something, I’m about to break the branch that’s in the way.”

Her horn glowing, she forced the branch in question to bend until she heard the loud snap. For a second nothing happened, then, with a small scream, the pegasus fell from the tree.

Sunbeam danced to one side to avoid being hit as the pegasus fell to the ground and bounced.

With a shake of her head, Sunbeam walked over to her. “You okay?”

The cyan pegasus, sprawled out on the ground, looked blearily up at her then shook her head. “I'm a pegasus, not a squirrel. I fly, I don't do climbing.”

Sunbeam tried to see if there were any wounds on her as the pegasus slowly stood up and shook her head again.

Placing her legs wide, the pegasus shook herself vigorously, causing Sunbeam to raise a hoof to cover her eyes as the debris was thrown off.

“Thanks for sharing that.”

The pegasus looked sheepishly at her. “Oops, my bad. Heh, just as well you were out here. They...discourage, me from doing practice over Ponyville itself these days. So I practice over open fields.”

Sunbeam looked at the hole in the hedge and nodded in understanding at their reasoning.

The pegasus looked over herself, taking note of any nicks and bruises due to the accident. She looked at her wings and sighed.

“Think I've sprained my left wing, a bit, nothing that'll hold me down though. My feathers are all over the place, though, I'll need to preen them properly before getting airborne again.” She seemed lost in thought for a bit.

“Of course, a Wonderbolt would know when to rest her wings and heal.” She recited, seemingly from a mental script.

Sunbeam kept a carefully neutral tone. “So, that’s what they would do eh?”

The pegasus glared at her. “Oh yes, the Wonderbolt medical officer is a tyrant. I swear he's got it in for me.”

Sunbeam blinked. “W-wait, you’re are a Wonderbolt? As in the elite guard unit?”

The Pegasus puffed her chest out. “Oh yes! Well kinda. Part time at the minute, in training to be a full one. Got the uniform and everything. Heh, bet you didn't expect to meet a Wonderbolt today. Cadet Wonderbolt.”

Sunbeam stared at her, her voice coming out as a dull monotone. “No, I can honestly say I did not expect to meet a member of an elite guard unit today. Even a cadet, while going into Ponyville.”

The pegasus scratched the back of her head. “Should be a full Wonderbolt soon, in fact, most ponies say that I should have been one already, it’s just they got no idea what to do with me. Hah, can you believe that? I bet they’re just working out how best to use my skills, after all, I am Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in Equestria.” She said tapping a hoof on her chest.

'Modest much... Oh great, just bucking great. The first pony I meet and she's a guard… an elite guard. Way to stay low Icef... Sunbeam, it's Sunbeam!' She stomped a hoof and then slumped. 'No good deed goes unpunished I suppose.'

Sunbeam pulled herself together. 'Come on, you didn't expect there to be -no- guards here, you can work this. You're just a little surprised. Okay... a lot surprised.’ She took a calming breath. ‘Lets just hope that there are no more big surprises in store.'

Looking up she extended a hoof and tried to smile. “Let me introduce myself, I'm Sunbeam and I'm looking to take up residence in Ponyville.”

Rainbow had been giving her a quizzical look at her cycle of emotions before noticing the outstretched hoof. “Hiya Sunbeam, it's nice to meet you.”

“Sorry if I’m a little distracted. It’s been a very long, very tiring, not to mention trying, trip.”

Rainbow looked towards Ponyville, then off down the track Sunbeam had come on. “Hang on, if you’re going to Ponyville, the road you’re on only leads back to the Tall Mountain Pass... You came over the mountains?”

‘Well that didn’t take long, hello ‘it’s all falling apart’.’

Sunbeam plastered on an imitation smile and said nothing.

Rainbow felt proud of herself for spotting that Sunbeam didn't want to talk about it. “Anyhoo, look, about the tree...”

Sunbeam's smile looked more genuine now. “Don't worry, I won't say anything about you crashing into it.”

Rainbow smiled faintly and rubbed the mane behind her head. “Actually, it's not about that, it's about the cursing. A Wonderbolt shouldn't curse like that ... in public.” To Sunbeam, it sounded like she'd had that point driven into her.

Sunbeam raised her eyebrows and tried to look innocent. “What cursing?”

Rainbow seemed to relax a bit. “Thanks.” She then looked at her wings. “Well, I need to rest these. Guess I'm walking back into town with you, if you don’t mind?” She pulled a face. ”Otherwise I could be grounded by the medical officer, again.” She shuddered at the memory.

“Sure, maybe you could point a few things out on the way in?”

Rainbow looked up at Sunbeam. “I can do better, I can show you around town, point out all the places of interest... and the mayor's office. If you're planning on staying, you'll need to register there.”

An idea seemed to strike her. Rainbow smiled in a way what Sunbeam could only describe as 'unsettling'.

Rainbow wrapped a foreleg over Sunbeam's neck. “Say, if you're new here, you haven't met Pinkie Pie yet... have you?”

* * *

Sunbeam stood there, all four legs spread wide, head held level with her body and her jaw in danger of becoming dislocated. She stared at the back of 'The Pink One' who was bouncing off down the street.

Apparently, she had a ‘welcome to Ponyville’ party to attend. Strangely, her survival instincts were kicking in, saying it would be best to go.

Managing to close her mouth she slowly turned her head towards Rainbow Dash. Who was rolling on her back, holding her sides and laughing fit to burst.

“Oh stop, my sides, my sides hurt…”

Giving up on the pegasus, Sunbeam looked back down the street to where 'The Pink One' had gone.

Oh yes, most of her old teachers would not approve of... 'Pinkie' wasn't it? Dull and stern the lot of them. A smile started to form as a thought took hold. Something about all her old, stodgy, and more importantly, weak hearted teachers... as she threw an unexploded 'Pinkie' into the same room as them and locked the door.

“You'll okay their sugar?” Asked an orange pony wearing a stetson. She was looking at Sunbeam with mild concern.

Sunbeam gave a slow nod, as the smile grew bigger at the thought of their hooves, failing madly against the locked door as Pinkie went to work.

The orange pony continued. “Saw Pinkie with somepony new and thought I'd check up to make sure y'all okay. Don't worry too much, she has that effect on most ponies. Though y'all seem to be takin' it a little worse than most, judging from the smile.” She tilted her head. “Best not to think about it is the best advice I can give.”

Sunbeam tried to stop thinking 'happy, happy thoughts' about her old teachers and tried to regain control of her facial muscles. The smile didn’t seem to want to leave though.

The orange pony gave a glare to Rainbow, who was calming down by now. Unfortunately, upon seeing the glare it set her off giggling again. The orange pony gave a huff and turned to Sunbeam and held out a hoof.

“Hi, I'm Applejack, m'ah friends call me AJ.”

Sunbeam reached out her hoof. “Hi, I'm Sunbeam.”

Applejack took Sunbeam’s hoof...

When Sunbeam got her hoove back, she shifted all her weight onto the other foreleg and let the abused leg drop and hang limply, not quite letting it touch the ground. An expression of polite interest in what Applejack was saying was the only thing on her face.

“So you're saying that all the apple trees I saw on the way in are yours?”

“Yep siree and more, Sweet Apple Acres, home of the finest apples in Equestria.”

'Ah, another modest person. Must be something to do with all the fresh air.'

“Well, I guess I'd better get back to m'ah stand, Big Mac will be wondering where I’ve gone. Come on over, I’ll treat you to a free sample.” She said the last bit in a hushed tone, seemingly hinting at conspiracy at making the offer. “It seems that RD has recovered now.” She noted.

“You two know each other?” Sunbeam inquired.

Rainbow, who by now had got up and was walking over to them, still sporting a wide grin, answered before Applejack . “Oh yeah, we do. Oh your face Sunbeam, wish I'd had a camera.”

Sunbeam shook her head before looking up at a clock face on a nearby shop. It was mid-afternoon.

“I think I'll deal with getting a house tomorrow. Bank first, then sort out a place to crash for the night and then, most importantly…” She turned to look at them. “Can you recommend a place to get something to eat? Pizza in preference.”

“Banks behind you on the left.” Rainbow pointed. “The Daisy Cafe serves a mean daffodil sandwich, not too sure about pizzas though. That's on the other side of the market place. 'The Pony's Leg' is a decent enough place to stay. Not the best but a good place for the price. That's a little way into town. I can show you later... Oh ponyfeathers.” She said looking at the clock on the shop front.

Applejack coughed pointedly, Rainbow's head slumped down.

“I know, I know, thanks for reminding me, no swearing in public. Look sorry Sunbeam, can't stay, remembered I got a weather team meeting to attend in about five minutes.”

Spreading her wings, grimacing slightly, she took off. Hovering for a second, she flew back down to Sunbeam.

“Erm, been meaning to ask.”

Sunbeam looked over her shoulder at her white back

“Foalhood ... incident.” She said with a carefully neutral tone.

Rainbow nodded and flew up again yelling down. “Laters AJ, nice meeting you Sunbeam.” As she gained altitude, she winced. “Ouch! I hope the M.O. doesn't find out about me damaging my wing again.”

Sunbeam watched her go and turned to Applejack.

Applejack looked a little awkward. “Would love to offer y'all a place to stay and some real home cookin', but we’ve got most of the clan stayin' over. Place is fit to burst.”

“No worries AJ, it'll give me time to wander around Ponyville and get to know the place.”

Applejack looked around, “Is it right about ya'll wanting a house in Ponyville.”

Sunbeam nodded.

“Don't take the old Stockyard place, they've been trying to offload it for ages. It's next to 'Vinyl's Place', a big music club. House is fine, provided y'all don’t like sleeping at nights.”

Sunbeam smiled, “Thank you kindly.”

Chapter 5 - Essential Supplies - Redone

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Chapter 5 - Essential Supplies - Redone

Sunbeam stretched out in the bed... and thought about getting up. The bed, the first real bed she’d slept in for ages, was exceedingly comfortable. Rolling over, she went back to sleep.

‘The Pony’s Leg’ was a decent enough inn, nothing outstanding under normal circumstances, but after too long on the road, or in a cage, being able to have a hot shower, some cold beers, a smuggled-in pizza and a soft bed, Sunbeam was in paradise.

* * *

Sunbeam glared at the sunlight coming in through the window that had woken her up. Flipping the pillow over onto her face, so that it covered her eyes, she pinned it there by stretching her forelegs over her head.

‘Breakfast will still be served for a while longer yet. Just five more minutes...’

An hour later, she got to the dining room. Just in time for the final sitting of breakfast.

Studying her options, she noticed the sign next to the apple bowl. It apologized that the apples weren't from ‘Sweet Apple Acres' as the clan reunion was currently under way. She could hear the grumbles from the other diners as she happily munched on one. ‘Picky bunch, these are quite nice. Pity about the coffee though.’ She pushed the coffee mug away with a hoof tip, hardly touched. ‘Somepony needs to learn to rinse the mug out properly after washing it. Soapy coffee… Eww! Now that’s just wrong!’

Returning to her room with another apple, she seated herself down at the small desk. Emptying out her saddlebags, she took stock of what she still had. All her bits had been deposited into the bank yesterday, before a wide-eyed young stallion teller.

Going through the maps and documents, ones that she felt were still useful were thrown onto the bed behind her, anything else was thrown into the bin. The bandolier of daggers was also thrown onto the bed with a mental note to: ‘oil them later’. Finally, the small pouch of herbs was placed on the desk. Opening it, she studied the top of it.

‘Going to need another dose soon, let's find out who much I have to chuck thanks to -Miss- Scarlet.’ An old map was floated out of the bin and laid on the desk. Making sure that there were no drafts, she carefully emptied out the pouch onto it.

“Oh Buck!”

Once past the top layer, almost all of the herb mixture was stained green.

“Buck, buck, buck.”

Trying hard not to rush, and with a shaking hoof, Sunbeam did her best to separate what was still good and what was ruined.

She stared at the distressingly small pile of unstained herbs. “Miss Scarlet, be bucking grateful you aren’t here right now. That’s almost a six month supply you’ve ruined.”

Sunbeam rubbed her face. “Deep calming breaths. In, two, three… Out, two three... Okay, ‘Night Owl's Slumber' isn’t that hard to make... and it’s only been three weeks since my last dose. I’ve still got a week-or-so before my dreams become vulnerable.”

‘A week until the Night Princess can find your dreams… Then, if you’re very lucky, she’ll only kill you in them. If you’re not... she’ll tell the Day Princess. And then the Day Princess will come looking for you.’

Sunbeam shivered. ‘Remember: don’t let the Day Princess take you alive! Whatever you do, don’t let the Day Princess take you alive! Any fate is better than that. Any!’ Sunbeam shook her head when she realized she had started mouthing the words.

“Ugh, focus you stupid bitc…”

Looking up at the ceiling, she took a deep breath in before letting out a slow exhale. “I chose to come here, I chose to be this close to the Day Princess.” Sunbeam snorted in amusement. “They wouldn’t think to look here, I mean, what snake, even an ex-snake, in their right mind would get this close to her. They would have to be crazy.” Sunbeam made circular motions next to her head.

“Seemed like a good idea at the time. Being this close to the… Ugh! Best if I try to not even think about the Day Princess. I know it’s a just a silly superstition! I know thinking about her won’t call her to me! In fact… Pink elephants, I’m gonna think about pink elephants now.”

Sunbeam stared at her hooves.

“One crisis at a time you stupid mare. Night Owl’s Slumber is my current problem. Most of the ingredients should be readily available from the local shops. Two could be problematic, though. Rhillion extract is a rare herb, whereas Mortanis Root is illegal. I certainly can’t go into a shop and just ask for it. Well, let’s see what I can get and then worry about the rest later. Maybe get an un-soapy coffee as well.”

Making a list of ingredients, listing Mortanis down as 'MT', she then levitated up the tourist pamphlet and started looking through it for apothecary shops... and coffee shops.

* * *

Sunbeam had found the apothecary's shop after asking around. She finished her coffee outside before going in.

Willow Bark, the owner, was a chestnut coloured slender mare that befitted her name. The range of stock she held was impressive, holding all the ingredients, bar the Mortanis Root, that Sunbeam needed. Even a little Rhillion extract was in stock. Sunbeam made sure to buy a few other herbs as well, so nopony could pin down exactly what she was making.

Sunbeam watched as Willow Bark tipped some shredded Salme into a pouch for her. “So, where do you get all these herbs? You’re certainly a lot better stocked than most apothecaries I've seen, and that includes most of the big towns.”

Willow Bark smiled. “Thank you. We get most of it from the Everfree Forest.” Her smile dropped. “But it's a dangerous place to get it from. So most ponies, including me, avoid it.”

“So how do you get it?”

“Zecora. A zebra that actually lives in the Everfree Forest. If you can believe it! Comes into town sometimes to trade herbs for equipment and other things.” She looked uncomfortable. “Of course, there was a time where…” Willow trailed off. “Well that's all water under the bridge now, she is more than welcome in my shop and, as you can see, she provides an excellent range of herbs. My shop is the envy of every other apothecary shop for miles around. I even get orders from Canterlot.”

“So, how do you get in contact with this Zecora? Like if you wanted to place a special order for the next week?”

Willow Bark frowned. “That would be difficult, she only comes in monthly and she was here only last week. Other than that, you could always walk into the Everfree to find her.” She laughed. “If you’re suicidal that is.”

Sunbeam forced a smile. “So if I wanted to leave a message for her, where would I leave it?”

Giving Sunbeam a puzzled look, Willow Bark shook her head. “Even walking up to the Everfree is dangerous.”

Grinding her teeth, Sunbeam tried again. “Yes, but let’s say you needed an ingredient for a rush job, where would you leave the note to make sure she sees it.”

Willow blinked at her. “If you must, the path starts a little way before Fluttershy's place. Big oak tree, looks like it's been split in two, marks the beginning of the path. Don't linger though, Timberwolves have been know to come out of the Everfree sometimes. She still probably won't see any note until next time she comes out though.”

Sunbeam relaxed and smiled at her. “I’ll risk it.”

‘Besides, as long as I’m careful, how bad could a forest be?’

* * *

Sitting there on the path, she looked at the forest.

“Okay, the pamphlet was quite understated in its description of the place. ‘Creepy as Tartarus’ would have been a better description. Ugh, let’s get going.”

Standing up, Sunbeam entered the Everfree.

* * *

The track became narrower and the twisted branches of the trees on either side overhung the path, interlocking over it, blocking out the light. The light that did make it through the canopy was filtered green and a smell of damp earth was prevalent. Further in, the light dwindled into a gloomy green as the air became damp and clammy. Trailing vines hung down from the branches, making the track feel narrower than it was.

Sunbeam stopped as she finally became aware of the mist forming, cutting down her visibility even further.

Sitting down, Sunbeam threw her forelegs into the air. “Oh gimme a break!” Glaring at the forest on both sides, she set off again.

Sunbeam’s back crawled as she got further into the forest. The feeling that she was being watched only got worse the deeper she went. She tried to shake the feeling that it was the forest itself watching her.

Three pairs of eyes, low to the ground, watched her as well.

Tense, and unable to relax, Sunbeam continually scanned the forest, frequently looking over her shoulder to check behind her. Her fur slowly became sodden in the humid air, only further souring her mood. A brief attempt to look for auras had quickly been abandoned when the entire forest became one huge blinding glow.

“Oh, this is definitely not one of my better plans. Let’s go into the creepy forest, let’s follow the path and find this Zecora... somewhere in the middle of it. Let’s also hope she actually has some Mortanis root and is also willing to sell it. All this for some damn herb mixture...”

‘A herb mixture that keeps the memories at bay, that keeps the Night Princess at bay and that keeps your dreams at bay, in that order of importance. A mixture that allows you to function in society without being a quivering mess on the floor. Oh, and keeping you out of the hooves of the Day Princess is also a nice bonus.’

Sunbeam viciously stamped on a branch laying across the track, snapping it. “Okay, I admit I need it. Doesn't mean I have to like being a slave to it.”

Her head fell. “Horesapples, I’m being introspective. Nothing good comes from that.”

‘That’s because you’re too scared to look inside, to find out exactly what’s looking back out at you.’

Sunbeam staggered, almost falling over. Letting out a faltering exhale, she ran a hoof through her forelock. “Damn it! Looks like I’m gonna need a dose sooner than I thought.”

* * *

Sunbeam followed the path for almost an hour more. The forest had gotten thicker and more overpowering; the track she was on rougher and narrower, to the point where two ponies would have had trouble walking side-by-side. More than once, a trailing vine, or a branch sticking out from the edge of the track, brushed against her back, resulting in a stifled yelp as she spun round, horn glowing and heart pounding.

Jumping at every little noise, seeing shadows moving in the shadows, Sunbeam fought the urge to run blindly. With her horn constantly charged now, her eyes and her ears moved constantly, searching for the smallest sign or sound of movement.

So focused was she on the edges of the track, Sunbeam didn’t notice it until she was upon it.

The path split into two.

Sunbeam let out a scream of frustration before sitting down.

‘Left or right? I so don’t want to spend any more time that I have to in this bucking place…’

Sunbeam stared at the split, indecision gripping her.

‘Com’on. Choose…’

She didn’t move.

Sunbeam threw back her head and laughed before pointing a hoof at the forest.

“Okay I admit it, you’ve got me scared. Well done!” She giggled. “But you can’t drive me crazy!” She jabbed the hoof at the forest. “You’re too late! Someponies already beaten you to that prize!”

She stared at her hoof, pointing at a tree, for a while. Bringing the hoof back in, she rubbed her eyes with it, trying to regain her composure.

‘Get a grip you stupid mare. The forest is messing with your head. Just choose a path… any path!’

She looked down at the two paths and pointed a hoof.

“Eeny, meany, miny…”

The stared down, at all the fresh hoofprints on the right fork, with virtually none on the left.

Sunbeam facehoofed.

* * *

Sunbeam came to the hut quite soon after taking the right fork. A small wooden shack, with a chimney on one side. The clearing in front of the hut was mostly devoted a small herb garden, with a chopping block and a pile of covered wood next to the hut.

Walking up to the door, feeling considerably more relaxed now, Sunbeam knocked. She stood there for a minute before she realized she wasn’t getting a reply.

“Of course, she'd be out during the day, collecting herbs and such like. And I’ve no idea how long she’s going to be. Buck! How long do I wait? I do not want to be heading back in the dark. This place is off-the-charts creepy in the daylight.”

Sunbeam lay down next to the hut. “I’ll wait here for a bit. No way am I going into a zebra’s hut without permission.”

Sunbeam was actually dozing off by the time a voice came from behind her.

"Somepony I've not met before has found herself outside my door."

Sunbeam jumped and scrambled to her hooves. ‘Where the buck did she come from?’ Pulling herself together she turned to face the zebra and smiled.

“Can I assume that you are Zecora?”

The zebra smiled and nodded. "By that name, I indeed am known. But why do you, yourself alone, dare venture through the Everfree for naught but to parley with me?"

Sunbeam pointed a hoof at Zecora. “A better question is: ‘why do you live here?’ I can understand not wanting visitors, but damn. This place is creepy!”

"Of course, to virgin eyes, this place would seem a fright and a disgrace. But I have not a cause for fear, these woods are more than they appear. The trees accept me in their grace, and calm for me is always near."

Sunbeam looked around the clearing, at all the trees surrounding it. The feeling of being watched returned.

Sunbeam rolled her shoulders as she looked back at Zecora. “I need some Mortanis Root.”

Zecora didn’t even flinch. "This request, most all would view as dangerous, illegal too. For what concern would you be pressed for me to fulfill this request?"

“You’re an alchemist, Mortanis Root has lots of properties. And living alone like this, no pony is going to...” Sunbeam cut herself off and took a deep breath in. “Look, I need it to make some Night Owl’s Slumber.”

Zecora blinked at her. "I have heard tales about this brew, a potent dream suppressant stew. So powerful, it's said to be that even others cannot see the dreams of those who take a drink. Even a princess, I would think. But brewing it takes quite some luck, for if you err..."

Sunbeam looked up. “I know what I'm doing, I’ve made it enough times. I can tell you how I make it if you’re worried about that.”

As Sunbeam listed off the ingredients, the ratios and how she’d mix it, Zecora stood there, nodding occasionally.

Zecora looked impressed. "I see no flaws in what you know, you've surely learned the way to go. But why the shredded leaf of Salme? It does not improve on this balm."

Sunbeam adopted a poker face. “It stops it tasting like you've already thrown up in your mouth when you take it.”

Zecora looked blankly at her for a minute before laughing, a deep melodic sound. “Somepony desperate enough to come into the Everfree, just to ask for an ingredient, is desperate indeed... Desperate not to have dreams.” Zecora added darkly. Sunbeam looked down as Zecora studied her. "How long have you taken this for?"

Sunbeam rubbed her chin. “Erm, about eight-nine years now.”

Zecora showed no expression. Sunbeam could hear the sounds of the Forest around her.

“Err, can you help me then?”

Zecora studied Sunbeam for a long while, before apparently reaching a decision with a nod of her head. “I will help you.”

Sunbeam sagged with relief. ‘Now to figure out what she wants for it and organize getting it delivered to Willow Bark, suitably disguised, on a regular basis.’

* * *

Turned out that Zecora wasn't too interested in bits, but upon telling her about her frost talent in magic, Zecora almost bounced with glee.

Leading Sunbeam into the hut, Zecora gave her a pouch with the root in it from one of the shelves that lined the hut. Looking around, Sunbeam could see a small bed, a cauldron, and a little circular table. She cringed back at the sight of the wooden masks on the wall. Most ponies would assume that they served as nothing but decoration, but she’d met a zebra before and knew better. She kept a careful eye on them all the while she was in the hut.

Zecora picked up an empty bucket and went out the hut, indicating that Sunbeam should stay. A few minutes later she returned with a pail of water.

"The skills you claim shall just suffice. Please turn this water into ice."

Giving Zecora a puzzled look, Sunbeam charged up her horn and dipped the top of it into the water. Sunbeam made sure to pull away just before the water froze solid. She'd made the mistake of having her horn in water before when it turned to ice. Never again!

Zecora smiled. "This serves to keep the heat at bay during the vexing heat of the day and help me sleep at other times. As for your payment..."

* * *

Sunbeam trotted along the path feeling smug. ‘Well, that went better than I thought. I can make up some Night Owl’s Slumber tonight and secured a source of Mortanis Root. All I’ve got to do is visit Zecora a few times a month to assist in some preservation of herbs. Sweet!”

Her trot slowed down as she looked around. ‘Huh, the forest seems a lot less oppressive now. Go figure. Even the feelings of being watched have stopped.’ Slowing to a halt, she looked back along the track and raised an eyebrow. ‘And what did you mean ‘The forest has accepted me’ Zecora? Are you trying to freak me out or what?’

Sunbeam looked up at the sky through the trees. ‘Still only early afternoon. So if I get a move on, might be able to visit the Mayor's Office today and sort out a house for…’

A filly's scream up ahead stopped her dead in her tracks. Sunbeam’s shoulders slumped before her head fell. Lifting her left foreleg out to the left, she swung it back, half-heartedly aiming at a small stone on the path. Skimming the top of it, it only rolled an inch to the right.

Sighing, she looked up and started galloping in the direction of the scream.

“What a great idea, let's run towards the bucking screaming!”

* * *

Crouched down in the undergrowth, Sunbeam could see five timberwolves and three fillies. The three fillies had somehow managed to climb a tree in a small clearing. The timberwolves were seated below the tree, all looking up at them.

‘The sound suppression spell should stop them from hearing me. And I hope that they’re too close to the fillies scent to be able to smell me. I mean, I did shower yesterday. Five should be okay, with the element of surprise. I hope.’

From her hiding spot in the edge of the clearing, Sunbeam took note of where the timberwolves were in relation to her. Two were standing close to her, side-by-side; two were sitting down, looking up at the fillies; and the fifth was circling under the tree.

She silently cursed the fillies, timberwolves, Miss Scarlet, and a quite a few other things out of general principle as she backed up.

* * *

Scootaloo hung desperately onto the branch, unsure of how she'd actually managed to climb the tree in the first place. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had also seemed to have gained the ability as well.

‘Maybe a cutie mark...? Not now Scoots! Oh, where were you Rainbow? Perhaps we shouldn’t have followed that unicorn into the Everfree. She did have a white back and looked all suspicious...’ Scootaloo slipped a fraction on the branch, causing her to tighten her grip.

Applebloom looked over at her from her own branch. “Darn it Scootaloo. I told you we shouldn’t have gone into the forest!”

“If we hadn’t lost that unicorn this wouldn’t have happened!” Scootaloo shot back. “It was your idea to head back anyway.”

Applebloom glared at her. “How was I supposed to know we were going to meet a pack of Timberwolves taking a nap in the middle of the track? Besides, you...” Applebloom yelped as the Timberwolf pacing under the tree, suddenly jumped up at her, trying to grab hold of her tail that was hanging down.

Sweetie Belle, seated on a branch and clinging onto the trunk of the tree, threw her tail over a nearby branch, the other quickly following her example. “Please don’t argue girls! I’m sure they can’t get us up here. All we need to do is wait for our sisters to come looking for us and…”

All three winced.

Applebloom spoke the thought on all their minds, suddenly unmindful of the timberwolves below. “We’re gonna get our hides tanned for this, ain’t we?”

Scootaloo nodded as she counted the timberwolves around the tree again. ‘Two sat down, one circling, two stood over by the edge of the trees… and one more a little way off. Six, six in total. Rainbow is gonna be so mad...’

The unicorn they’d been following charged out the undergrowth, slamming into the timberwolf nearest her, throwing it into the timberwolf next to it. As both timberwolves were sent tumbling, the unicorn skidded to a halt in a sitting position, her forelegs spread wide.

Scootaloo watched open mouthed as the unicorn, her head already lowered, aimed her horn at one of the timberwolves seated under the tree, just starting to look around at her. A beam of white light caught it in its midsection, causing it to explode in a shower of branches. Swinging her head around to the right, she fired off two more beams of light, one at the other timberwolf seated under the tree and one at the timberwolf pacing under it. The second beam missed it’s target, going past its head by inches, the third beam caught the wolf on the hind quarters, causing it’s rear-half to explode. The unicorn quickly turned her head back to the second wolf and fired again as it stood up to face her, this beam caught it full in the face.

As the headless wolf collapsed, she charged forward, rearing up over the two timberwolves laying on the ground, struggling to untangle themselves. Bringing both her forehooves down onto the head of one of them, Scootaloo could hear the crunch as it’s head disintegrated into broken sticks. The unicorn aimed her head at the other timberwolf as it got up. At point blank range, she fired a beam off at the fifth wolf.

Scootaloo went to scream out a warning as the unicorn started to trot towards the tree with a smug look.

The sixth wolf jumped onto the back of the unicorn, causing her to stagger with the weight of the impact. Biting down on her shoulder, just behind the neck, it sank its teeth into her.

Rearing up on her hind legs, Sunbeam screamed out in pain.

Chapter 6 - Recovery - Redone

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Chapter 6 - Recovery - Redone

Her mind fogged with pain, Sunbeam didn’t notice the voices around her, that she was being dragged.

Sunbeam passed out.

* * *

Sunbeam lay there, eyes closed and unmoving, but awake.

‘I can’t feel anything... I can’t move anything... Why am I so relaxed about that? I should be panicking. Ugh, everything feels so numb... Why am I glad I can’t feel anything? Can’t think right now, everything is so fuzzy. Let’s wait here and see if it wears off, not like I have a choice...’

As Sunbeam lay there, she listened. At first, she couldn’t make anything out, but soon she started noticing the little sounds, the little sounds that were normally lost in the background; a gentle bubbling; a crackle of a fire; some distant bird song.

She suddenly felt so tired.

Sunbeam drifted back off to sleep.

***

After several attempts, Sunbeam managed to open her eyes. She slowly blinked them a few times to make sure, but there was no change. Open or shut, there was only darkness.

‘Must be night time. I hope.’

She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

* * *

Still not quite awake, Sunbeam groggily looked around the room having, with much effort, lifted her head off the pillow. A cauldron sat in the opposite corner to her, a small circular table was next to her bed, an open book on it, and on the walls shelves full of bottles fought wooden masks for dominance. A sense of unease went through her as she looked at the masks.

‘Masks. Where do I know... Zebra tribal masks! I’m in a bucking shaman's hut! Get out! Get out now!’

Sunbeam scrambled to get up.

Gasping in pain, she fell back onto the bed as her forelegs buckled, her shoulder burning in agony at its sudden violent movement.

When the pain had started to dull, and when she could think clearly again, Sunbeam carefully looked round at her body. Mid-barrel to just below her neck was covered in bandages and a small, brown stain was visible where the bandage covered her shoulder.

She glared at her shoulder. ‘Where the hay did -that- timberwolf come from?’ Sunbeam glanced up at the masks. ‘Bucking wonderful. I’m in a shaman’s hut and I can’t move to get out.’

Hesitantly looking up at the masks, her voice was croaky as she tried to speak. “Look I’m not going to do anything, I promise. Let’s just try to ignore each other for now, okay?”

Laying her head down, she watched the masks. The masks did nothing but gaze blankly back.

Sunbeam’s face suddenly scrunched up. ‘Eww… how did I miss that? Have I thrown up recently? Water! Is there anypony around?’

With effort, she lifted her head up again and called out.

“Hello. Anypony there?”

There were sounds of movement from outside the hut and a moment later, the door opened.

Sunbeam smiled at the silhouette in the doorway. “Am I glad that you’re here…” Her voice tapered off as the silhouette walked into the light to reveal a Zebra.

In Sunbeam’s still somewhat muddled conscious, an old memory merged with the present.

Sunbeam cringed back in the bed, eyes wide. “Please! I didn't steal anything! It was the others that did. I-I put the money purse back. As soon as I realized it was a shaman’s hut I put it back! I didn’t take anything. It was the others that stole from you.”

The zebra cocked it’s head at her.

Sunbeam looked away and closed her eyes. “Please, I'll be good. I’ll...”

A memory from a dark place triggered.

“I’ll be your good little filly, Mister...”

Sunbeam’s eyes flew open as her entire body went rigid. Lips curling back, an old fire sprung to life behind her eyes. Staring off into the distance, a trembling hoof twisting an imaginary dagger, a single name was hissed out through clenched teeth.

“Scrolls...”

Zecora took a step back, her puzzled look quickly replaced with one of concern. The look in Sunbeam’s eyes was that of a wounded beast, one ready to lash out at anything that came near.

In a soothing voice as possible, and keeping her distance, Zecora called out to her. “Be calm, Sunbeam, it's only me, Zecora, just as you can see. You've convalesced for three days now, and though I'm glad that you're awake, you need to focus on my words and calm your thought before they break. Peace, calm, my words your balm.”

Sunbeam blinked several times before focusing on Zecora. “Zecora?” She looked around the hut. “Oh, I’m in your hut. I - I remember now.” Still trembling, she took several deep breaths as the rage retreated back into her.

Sunbeam sank back down into the bed. “Zecora... I have a bad taste in my mouth. Can I have some water please!”

A second passed.

“A new body would be rather nice as well.”

* * *

Sunbeam put down the empty glass. “So, according to those fillies, after the timberwolf had taken a chunk outta me, I reared up on my hind legs... and then proceeded to reverse body-slam it back into kindling. After which, they dragged me here.”

“That's what the young ones claimed to see while you did fight to set them free.”

Sunbeam snorted. “That's a bunch of Horseapples! I probably just reared up in pain, lost my footing and fell backwards onto it.”

Sunbeam twisted round to prod her barrel. “The fact I shattered it just by falling on it doesn't do wonders for my self-image though.”

Placing a hoof behind her head, she turned slightly, a mock serious expression on her face. “Tell me honestly Zecora, do these bandages make me look fat?” The smile faded and she slumped back down onto the bed. “And with that, I do believe I've used up my entitlement of good fortune for this lifetime... and the next. Ugh, I am not looking forward to the karmic backlash on that one.”

Looking at Zecora, she placed a hoof on her chest and bowed her head. “Thank you for looking after me. Many wouldn’t have.”

‘Many would have fed me to them.’

Zecora nodded back at her.

Sunbeam looked around the hut. “So, how long have I been here?”

“Three sunrises you have missed.”

Sunbeam blinked at her. ‘Three days… Oh buck! That means Night Owl’s Slumber is starting to wear off.’

Playing nervously with her hooves, Sunbeam looked down, not wanting to look at Zecora.

“Err, Zecora, about the potion, Night Owl's Slumber... I’m gonna need to take some, before the end of the day. I don’t care about any possible interactions with the current medications. It won't matter about the medications if I don’t take it.”

Sunbeam closed her eyes. ‘All the medications in the world won’t help me if the Night Princess finds my dreams!’

Zecora nodded with a small smile. “The fact you came alone to see me deep within the Everfree I took to mean that you, indeed, were possessed of an urgent need. I chose to give some as you slept. I hope that your trust I have kept? Nothing I've given you shall be obstacles to recovery.”

Sunbeam felt the wave of relief go through her. “Thanks, you’re a real life saver, more than you know.”

Sunbeam opened an eye and gave Zecora a puzzled look. “Out of interest, did you put any Salme in it?”

Zecora shook her head.

“Hence the vomit taste.” Sunbeam sighed and picked up the empty glass. “Can I have another glass of water?”

* * *

Sunbeam lounged on the bed, wanting to get up and do something, anything in fact, as long as it took her mind off the infernal itch under the bandages.

Zecora had said she needed to keep still for another couple of days yet, to let the wound bind properly. The poultices and the incredibly-nasty-tasting potions were speeding her recovery, but any movement could reopen the wound and set the whole process back. So Sunbeam lay there, trying to keep as still as possible and ignore the itch. Unfortunately, the greatest menace to bed-rest had also started to make itself known.

Sunbeam looked up at the ceiling. “Great! I’ve only been awake for a couple of hours now... and I’m bored! Bored bored bored... Booooored nooooow!”

She looked around the hut again. “Not even a Daring Doo book.” Accidentally, she glanced at one of the masks on the walls and shivered.

Making sure that the door was shut, she turned to look at the biggest mask on the wall.

“Look, I’m not going to steal anything, honest! Anything that 'may or may not' have happened in the past comes under lessons learnt. I’m not going to even attempt to steal anything from a zebra shaman again. I can remember the screams of the others that did....”

Zecora opened the door, a bowl of soup balanced on her back.

Sunbeam clamped her mouth shut.

“Some soup, and herbs to help you heal, to go along with this your meal. Now that you have a conscious mood, I can give you herbs not pre-chewed.”

Sunbeam stared at Zecora, pulling a face as soon as she worked out what she’d meant. “Thanks Zecora. I could have lived not knowing that!”

* * *

The next day, Sunbeam lay on the bed, her horn glowing, as she made two sticks fight like swords in front of her. So engrossed in this was she, that when Rainbow put her head round the door and greeted her, she jumped quite badly.

“Hiya Sunbeam, how ya doing?”

The two sticks flew up into the air, bounced off the ceiling, and landed in pieces the middle of the hut.

Adopting an innocent expression, Sunbeam turned to Rainbow as if nothing had happened. “Hiya Rainbow! C'mon in, keep me company for a while… A long while… Please!”

Rainbow gave her a knowing smile. “Yeah, bed rest drives me up the wall as well. How’s the…?” She gestured at the bandages.

“You missed Zecora changing the bandages about twenty minutes ago.” Sunbeam pulled a face at the memory of the mess underneath. “Zecora’s shaved the fur away and there’s quite a bit of stitching there now. She says it looks a lot better than it did though. Any scarring should be hidden under the fur, once it grows back anyway.”

Rainbow nodded.

Sunbeam shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. “The shoulder itself feels 'tight’, but that’s about it. Whatever the painkiller is that Zecora has me on, it’s very effective. It makes me feel so good I kinda suspect the legality of it.” Sunbeam winked at Rainbow. “I’ve been trying to get the recipe off her.”

Smiling, Rainbow nodded again before looking around. “Where is Zecora anyway?”

“After she’d finished with me, she left. Certain herbs need to be collected at certain times of the day.”

“She left you here all alone? What if something gets in? This is the Everfree you know.”

“She said I’d be safe. Apparently everything knows better that to try and get in here.” Sunbeam looked squarely at the biggest mask on the wall. “Something I can totally believe.”

Rainbow followed her gaze to the mask and shuddered. “Creepy lookin’ thing.”

Sunbeam nodded before rubbing her face. “So, how are the little ones? I do hope they’re not getting yelled at too much.” She tried to suppress the grin. ‘Oh dear, it appears the new me isn't above some schadenfreude. Oh well.’

Rainbow scowled. “They'll all be married by the time they're allowed out again. Going into the Everfree? Getting somepony hurt because of that?” Rainbow shook her head. “Sap in fur, a few little-wrecked things? We can sigh and just carry on, but when ponies start getting hurt because of them…” Rainbow rubbed her eyes. “They have to be made aware they crossed the line this time. And what if you hadn’t been there?”

Sunbeam looked up. “Hey, they didn't make me take on five timberwolves”.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “They got themselves into a dangerous situation, again, where they needed rescuing, again. And this time, the pony going to their rescue got hurt. They’ve got to learn...” Rainbow gave her a puzzled look. “Five? I thought there were six timberwolves?”

“There were six. And I took on five, very successfully thank-you-very-much. Remember your victories Rainbow. Even if they do need some very careful editing.”

Rainbow snorted. “You're alright Sunbeam.”

Playfully, she slapped Sunbeam's shoulder.

“...Oops.”

* * *

Once the pain had died down, Sunbeam went through the thank you letters brought by the ‘suddenly very bashful’ Rainbow Dash.

Reading the top one, she looked up at Rainbow. “Applejack is inviting me to stay, even despite the clan reunion. She says she’d kick out some, quote 'no-good clan member’ if needs be.”

Rainbow rubbed her chin. “I wonder who’s been causing trouble this year?”

Placing the letter on the table, she looked at the next. “Who’s Rarity?”

“Sweetie Belle's sister.”

Sunbeam nodded. “Ah, well she’s inviting to visit her boutique, for a free fitting and dress or something like that. The letter itself is quite gushing. Very gushing.”

‘Embarrassingly gushing in fact. You trying to make me blush here Miss Rarity?’

Seeing her finish with Rarity’s letter, Rainbow handed her a hoof-drawn card.

“The crusaders all worked on it. They asked me to give it to you.”

Sunbeam stared at the hoof-drawn card. It was a green unicorn, with a white back, fighting timberwolves. A timberwolf stood on the back of the unicorn as three fillies clung to a tree. Looking inside, all three had written their thanks for saving them. Carefully, Sunbeam put the card to one side, making sure it wouldn’t get creased.

Rainbow looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Leaning in, and with great care, she hugged Sunbeam with forelegs and wings.

“Thanks for looking out for Scoots and the others.”

Rainbow let go. “Of course ‘The Dash’ doesn't go in for the mushy stuff, so that didn't happen.” The raised eyebrow indicated that Rainbow wasn’t going to be giving any ground on the subject.

Sunbeam fought to keep a suitably serious face. “Of course.”

“Oh, and one more thing Sunbeam.” Rainbow offered a small piece of paper to her. “It’s a party invite to a ‘Crusader Saviour Party', scheduled for when you get back into Ponyville.”

Sunbeam took the invitation off Rainbow.

Rainbow continued as Sunbeam read it. “There are too many ponies moving into Ponyville these days for Pinky to throw a party for every single one. So she does a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party once a week for newcomers. You missed yours, but she decided it was in a good cause.”

“Oh... Good?”

“So she's throwing an extra party just for you.”

“Timberwolves couldn't keep me away.”

* * *

Walking along the path with Zecora, Sunbeam’s shoulder had started aching with every step a while ago. Also annoying her was the padded gauze that covered the wound as it had caught some fur when it had been applied and was tugging on that very fur every time she put her hoof down.

‘At least those foreleg exercises Zecora made me do for the last week had some effect. Made it over halfway before my shoulder started aching. Pity I want to gnaw off my own leg right about now. And I still say it’s a bucking stupid limp.’

Zecora smiled and stopped to let Sunbeam catch up. Reaching her, Sunbeam lifted her foreleg just off the ground as she caught her breath. “So, you said that the room at The Pony's Leg is still mine, right?”

Zecora nodded. “It seems the efforts didn't clash, of Rarity and Rainbow Dash. With threats kept vague and offers made to pay twice for the room in trade, the keeper thought it best to keep a room where you might come to sleep.”

Sunbeam adjusted her saddlebags, causing the bottles of medicine in there to clink.

Zecora pointed at her. “Now don't forget your medicine, to grow and heal your fur and skin. And don't worry about the strain, with work and time your limp will wane. And take the bandage off tonight to let it breathe until the light. Should it not weep, then let it be.”

Sunbeam nodded. “Gotcha.”

She noticed Zecora’s look.

“I mean it. Following the doctor’s orders is the quickest way to heal properly and I want to be healthy. Not being healthy slows you down.”

‘And slow makes you dead.’

Smiling, Zecora pointed a hoof up the path. “We’re nearly past the Everfree.”

After a couple of steps forward, Sunbeam could see the fields through the trees. ‘Huh, and not one Everfree monster ever came near us.’ She cast a glance at Zecora. ‘I suspect the presence of Zecora had something to do with that. Scratch that, it had -everything- to do with that. Takes one to know...’

Zecora turned, catching Sunbeam looking at her.

Sunbeam smiled. “Well I think I can make it from here, just this damn stupid limp slowing me down now.” Sunbeam took a deep breath. “Thank you for everything, if there’s anything I can do for you…”

Zecora held up a hoof.

“In thanks, I ask you not pursue a search for those who've wounded you. In mind, body and soul.” Zecora looked away. “When you were brought to me I stole an inspection of you, to see, had you no other injury. It was a prudent course, I thought. What I found...”

Sunbeam cut her off, her tone tired. “Yeah, I figured you might. Main reason I hate going to the doctors is all the unnecessary questions. And you don’t have to worry about me going looking for them, kinda defeats the whole reason why I’m here. Besides, the pony they're looking for died in the woods just over the Tall Mountain pass. My aim is to just quietly fade away.”

‘And maybe even be mistaken for a normal pony once in a while. I wonder how many cats I’m gonna end up with?’

Zecora looked back at her. “I shall tell none the scars you hide, nor that Night Owl's Slumber you need. Just remember, the memories inside will surface when you least take heed.” Zecora was silent for a second. “All then that will all come back to bite you on the flank!”

Sunbeam started in surprise and turned to look at Zecora, who was no longer there.

“I hate it when they do that!”

Chapter 7 - Back to Ponyville - Redone

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Chapter 7 - Back To Ponyville - Redone

On a road bordered by green rolling hills and the odd tree, Sunbeam limped back towards Ponyville. Wincing with each step, she tried desperately to take her mind off her aching shoulder.

“So that’s decided then, a double mushroom and onion pizza.” She nodded to herself. “Yep, that’ll be it, maybe some sweet corn as well. Peppers? Do I want peppers?” Her head tilted to one side. “Nah. Everything else though, all on one buck-off huge pizza... and beers. Mustn’t forget the beers. No offence Zecora, but I need some real food and drink in me, not all that healthy horseapples you served. Oh, and a soft bed… Oh yeah.”

Her eyes glazed over as she walked, so she didn’t notice when she walked past the first of the outlying buildings of Ponyville.

“A soft bed, a pizza, beers… ” Sunbeam smiled at the thought. “What more could a mare want?”

She stopped and thought about it for a second.

“My bucking shoulder to stop bucking hurting with each bucking step would be bucking nice!”

Sunbeam lowered her head and took several deep breaths as the echoes died.

Looking back up, she carried on talking in a normal voice as if nothing had happened. “A hot shower, a soft bed, a pizza and beers.”

She set off again. “On that pizza, possible toppings I could have: Spinach - nope; mushroom - heck yes; peppers - maybe, avocado - yuk; onion - yes…”

Sunbeam stumbled and whimpered.

‘Focus on the toppings, focus on them.’

Sunbeam walked on, carrying on reciting the pizza menu toppings list from memory, again.

She didn’t notice the noise level steadily increasing as she approached Ponyville.

“Sweetcorn - yes; cheese - well duh; bananas... Bananas? Whoever came up with bananas as a...”

Walking past a large wooden warehouse, she blinked as the noise finally filtered through to her consciousness and got her attention.

Frowning she slowed down. ‘That’s an awful lot of noise… Only -a lot- of ponies could make that level of noise.’

Cautiously she approached the corner of the building.

With a deep breath, she carefully leaned around the corner of a warehouse, her ears immediately pinning themselves back at the brutal impact of all the noise rolling over her.

The market was in full swing, the market square itself was one seething mass of ponies, all shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, all talking and shouting at once. Even the pegasi that were airborne were having to dodge one another.

She rapidly took a step back, retreating back to safety behind the corner of the building.

‘A market day! Didn’t know they did market days here! The flyer didn’t say anything about…”

Her hoof came up and hit the side of her head. “Stupid, stupid, stupid mare! You should have realized! Markets days happen in most towns and villages.” Her head fell.

‘So many ponies.’

Sunbeam took several deep breaths. She glanced at the corner of the building. Her hotel was that way.

Her ears shifted so they were flat out to the sides. “Buck! That!”

Slowly, she turned and walked the other way, back out of Ponyville.

Comfortably away from all the overwhelming sights and sounds, she angled off towards a tree, laying down in its shade.

“My shoulder aches and going around would only make the trip so much longer. And that would make it hurt so much more. If I wait here until they finish I can rest my shoulder. Yeah, that’s the reason.”

She shifted around, getting comfortable.

‘I’ll go back in tonight. When there aren't so many ponies around.’

She lay her head on the ground.

‘Too many ponies. Waaay too many ponies right now.’

* * *

Broken Bones shuffled his hooves and looked around the alleyway that was his, and his partners, usual hunting ground. It was a narrow alleyway, with three-story buildings on both sides giving a dark and claustrophobic feel to it, even during the day. At night, it was ideal for stepping out of one of the darkened doorways and persuading ponies to hand over their valuables.

The mare that him, and his partner, were currently trying to persuade to hand over her valuables had walked into it alone, at night, and so obviously lost.

His partner, also an earth pony who was called Big Red, took a step towards the mare. His sheer size was often intimidation enough he found. “Look missy, we’ll get to you before you charge that horn of yours, so jus’ do what we say an' nopony needs to get hurt here. Jus’ hand over everything you’ve got, including that pretty little necklace, an' you can be on your way. All nice an’ injury free.”

The dark green unicorn mare, with a white back, looked back up at Red.

Broken sighed when her incredulous expression morphed into an all too familiar look of defiance.

‘Why do small towns breed heros? Back in Manehatten everypony knew the drill, nopony had to get hurt. Now she’s gonna make us hurt her, and for what? A few easily replaceable buables… Stupid!’

She lowered her head and gave them a half-smile. Broken saw the glint in her eye.

‘Oh buck she’s gonna do something -really- stupid.’ Broken reached out to warn Red, but he’d seen the look as well and tensed up...

So when she seated herself down and looked up at the roof tops, it took them both my surprise.

She shook her head as she called up to the rooftops. “I don’t think they’re changelings. Changelings are generally smarter than this.”

Big Red looked around at Broken with a puzzled look.

Broken just blinked at the crazy mare.

She kept looking up at the roof-tops, ignoring them. “Just two muggers, small fry. I’ll take care of them.”

Broken looked up at the roof tops. ‘What’s she looking at? There’s nopony there.’

Red took a step towards her, brandishing the dagger. “Who are you talking...”

She gave Red a dismissive, somewhat-annoyed, wave of a hoof.

“Put that thing away before you get yourself hurt.” She waved vaguely upwards. “There's an entire detachment of… of Lunar Guard up there, watching you. Try anything and you’ll get your flank handed to you very rapidly... in a basket... one that I will personally tie a pretty pink bow to.”

Red almost dropped the dagger as he stared at her.

Her sigh, and following eye roll, was almost theatrical. “Look, buck-wits, the Lunar guard are here trying to find a... changeling nest here in Ponyville itself, and you two are about to blow an entire month’s worth of surveillance. Not a smart move.”

Both Red and Broken looked up the roof tops. They looked empty to Broken.

Empty, but filled with so many deep shadows.

‘Can’t see anything up there, there’s nothing up there. There’s no pony up there… is there? Mind you the Lunar Guard -are- supposed to be a bunch of sneaky bad-flanks. Real hard-core ponies. The kind of ponies you really don’t want to mess with and…’ Broken tilted his head. ‘Did something just move in that shadow?’ The back of his head started to itch.

Red pointed his dagger at the mare. “I see nothing.”

Bringing a hoof up, she polished it on her chest. “Well that’s kinda the point isn’t it. With the Lunar Guard you don’t know we’re there until after you wake up in the promised land.”

Broken’s ears perked up and looked around at her. “Did you say ‘We’re?’”

The mare glanced at him. “I mean ‘they're’.” She smiled at him. “After all, it’s highly illegal for a Lunar Guard to go around looking like a normal pony.” She winked at them. “Isn’t it?”

The smile she flashed showed a lot of teeth.

Broken blinked. ‘Did I see fangs? Or was that just my imagination playing up?’ Broken took a step back. ‘Horseapples, you don’t mess with the Lunar Guard! They’re all psychos!’

Red looked around at Broken. “Uh… Is she a…?”

Broken dashed over to Red and shoved a hoof in his mouth. He smiled awkwardly at the mare.

The mare’s expression had changed to a bored look, hardly paying them any attention she looked casually around the alleyway.

The itch had moved to between Broken’s shoulder blades as his hackles rose. ‘A Lunar Guard. She can’t be... oh buck, She’s got a crazy enough look in her eyes to be one though. Definitely counts as ‘too dangerous for normal society’ with those eyes. Tartarus! Why didn’t I see it before! Her build is all wrong for a unicorn, only prolonged martial training could… Oh buck it, this isn’t worth it anymore. Those are crazy eyes… I don’t want to mess with eyes like...’

What was left of Broken’s confidence failed and he started pulling on Red's foreleg. “Let’s leave Red. Let’s leave this… totally normal mare… alone. She’d got important business to be about.”

Red, still with a confused expression glanced between the mare and Broken. “But I don’t see anypony up there, why...?”

Broken started pulling the bigger earth pony away. “Red! Forget it! Let’s go!”

“Gentlestallions.”

The cold, dead, tone got their attention. Broken stopped pulling on Red as they both turned to look at her. He flinched at the sight of her horn was glowing. They were now too far away to reach her before she cast any spell.

Her smile was disturbingly pleasant. “Now I’m being uncharastically generous here when I... suggest that you both leave town.” Her tone turned to a snarl, just for a second. “For good.” The happy tone returned. “I really don’t want to see either of you around here ever again. If I do, I will personally see to it that you both...’

Leaning forward, the pleasant smile never wavering, she drew her hoof across her throat.

* * *

Sunbeam watched as the two stallions fled.

She sniffed loudly at their departing forms.

“Morons.”

Turning, she flicked her tail at them before looking down at her amulet and prodding it.

“See Mr Sable, I can play nice... I let them go. Now I’m going to go back to the hotel and think pleasant, non-violent, thoughts on a soft bed. Maybe get a pizza... if the pizza place is still open. I hope it’s still open. Speaking of the hotel...”

Sunbeam looked around the alleyway her shoulders slumped. Sitting back on her haunches, Sunbeam threw both her fore-hooves into the air.

“I still have no idea where the bucking thing is!”

* * *

Sunbeam, having eventually found the hotel more by luck than anything else, lay on her bed.

Her room consisted of a bed that had a clear, if narrow, space around it on three sides. On the right was the wall with the window and a small bedside table, which had an alarm clock, one of her daggers and half-empty beer bottle on it. On the left was the bathroom and little corridor leading to the the entrance. The headboard was against the wall, and opposite bed was a small table where’d she’d thrown her saddlebags on walking in.

Laying there, looking up at the ceiling, with an empty pizza box and several empty beer bottles laying on the floor, Sunbeam groaned as she rubbed her stomach.

“Oooo, I’ve eaten too much. Should have saved that last slice.”

Reaching out to her right, she grabbed the beer and tried to take a swig, while still laying on her back and without spilling any on herself. She was almost successful.

She rubbed her chest, helping the beer soak into her fur.

‘Lip malfunction! At least it was over me and not the bed. Oh this bed is so comfortable. Certainly more than Zecora’s orthopedic plank-of-wood. That’s it, I am soooo -not- getting up again until tomorrow afternoon. At the earliest.’

She let her head fall back down onto the pillow. ‘Ugh, I need to take the bandage off. Tomorrow morning! I’ll do it then, it can wait until tomorrow morning. I am -not- getting up.’

Sunbeam sunk into the bed, gently smiling as the drowsy feeling swept over her.

Sunbeam lay there for a minute before she groaned and opened her eyes.

‘I need to pee.’

* * *

Sleeping on her right side, Sunbeam rolled onto her back. As she did so, her left foreleg swung over and bounced on the bed, not quite waking her but enough to rouse her out of her deep sleep.

In an half-awake state, memories merged with a dream.

Books everywhere, a stallion towered over her, a dagger in his chest, a blood-stained hoof held the dagger, he started to topple towards her...

Her eyes flew open.

Within a second, her bed-sheet was grasped in magic and thrown towards the entrance, blinding any attackers on that side, as she rolled out of bed in the opposite direction. With the bedside dagger now in her hoof and her horn glowing intensely, she landed with her lips pulled back into a snarl. Her ears were pinned back and her heart was thumping in those ears as her eyes darted around the room, looking for the threat that had woken her.

The bed-sheet gently settled on the floor.

The snarl faded into a confused look as she found no threats. The only thing marking the disturbance was the sheet thrown on the floor and her wildly beating heart.

The glow around her horn dimmed as she tried to calm her breathing down. She scanned the room again, her ears rotating to-and-fro as well now as she tilted her head.

Sunbeam smiled ruefully as she seated herself down and rubbed the back of her head. “Chill out girl, you’re getting jumpy. There’s no pony here.”

Her hoof came round from the back of her head and rubbed her eyes. “There’s nopony here. There’s nopony here. It just Night Owl’s Slumber being a little slow at suppressing the night terrors. Breathe, relax. And owww! My shoulder!”

Putting the dagger back on the bedside table, she gingerly climbed back into bed, levitating the sheet back over her. She lay there staring at the ceiling, waiting for her heart rate to drop back to normal. While waiting, she lifted a hoof in front of her eyes and watched it as it shook.

‘Why can I smell paper?’

* * *

With the morning sun shining in through the window, and still dripping wet from her morning shower, Sunbeam’s horn glowed as she peeled the gauze off with magic.

She grimaced as the gauze still stuck to her fur pulled painfully on her skin.

“Ow, ow, ow… Oh, I hate pain!”

She pulled the gauze a bit more until it was free from the wound itself, exposing the pink flesh and black stitching. The gauze itself, however, was still stuck to her fur all along one side. Panting, she glared at the gauze and the offending fur before looking up and around the room.

“Scissors. I need to find some bucking scissors.”

* * *

Sunbeam looked up Carousel Boutique as she munched on an apple from the hotel. As no ‘Sweet Apple Acres’ apples had yet been delivered, she’d had her choice of the others apples that were there. While glad she’d had her pick , she quietly bemoaned how picky some ponies were at times.

The cloak she was wearing, borrowed from the mare behind the reception, was a plain brown affair and itched. But it hid the injury from prying eyes and gave the injury a layer of protection as she had walked through town.

‘Okay, according to the note, this ‘Rarity’ said she’d be willing to make me a dress.’ Sunbeam snorted at the idea. ‘Not really into dresses, so perhaps I could persuade her to make a cloak instead, of a certain colour pattern. Or at least make it with a large discount if nothing else. Saving her sister should count for -some- discount, I hope.’

A little bell chimed as Sunbeam walked in,

“Coming.” A posh sounding voice came from the depths of the shop as Sunbeam looked idly around.

‘Ribbons. Why does anypony need so many ribbons?’

A white unicorn, with a curled indigo main and tail, trotted out from a back room.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique where everything is…”

She stopped and brought a hoof to her mouth. “Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. Darling, you have come, well, let’s be honest here, not-quite-in-time.”

Sunbeam watched impassively, turning her head to follow the unicorn, the one she presumed to be ‘Rarity’, trot around her.

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. That cloak. Let us start by getting rid of that monstrosity.”

The cloak was encased in a blue glow and practically ripped off her, causing Sunbeam to half-raise a hoof to grab for a dagger, one that was still on the bedside table back in the hotel room. Sunbeam stood there in partial shock, hoof in the air, her injured side facing away from the unicorn.

Rarity deposited the cloak in the furthest corner with an expression of distaste before looking back at Sunbeam.

Her hoof came up to her mouth with an intake of breath. “Oh my, it’s you...”

Sunbeam’s attention snapped into focus on Rarity. ‘If she knows who I am I may have to…’

“...It’s so you darling! Your look is so… ‘you’. Now with a few tweaks, you’ll look simply fabulous dear. And with a dress to accentuate it, you’ll be simply stunning.”

Sunbeam’s rear legs folded up and her flank landed heavily on the floor “Huh?”

“Your colours, that white back, your athletically muscular figure, you most definitely do manage to carry that look off. Although I must add that perhaps you are a tad over-developed, muscle-wise, in places. But whatever, you sooo stand out in a crowd my dear. I’m so jealous.”

Sunbeam flinched at the ‘standing out’ comment.

Rarity carried on. “And may I add, it’s so good to see a unicorn not following the unhealthy, skin-and-bones, caricature that most unicorn models seem to be setting these days. Oh, I see so much potential there just waiting to be pulled out darling. Once coupled with a proper mane cut, some tail styling, makeup, a good grooming, a hooficure, a…” She shook her head. “Anyway, I am certain I can make you a dress that would have all the stallions fighting over you.”

Sunbeam blinked rapidly at Rarity, her mouth falling open. ‘Unh… Ponies already fight over me… Dead or alive, I’m worth quite a bit. Wait, dress?’

Rarity carried on. “You must tell me darling, what exercise plan did you use to get your figure?”

‘The ‘I-just-want-to-stay-alive’ plan.’ Sunbeam shook her head as the unicorn walked around her. ‘Focus! Cloak, you came in here -just- for a cloak.’

“Oh, yes I can see so many things that would compliment your look, why I…”

Sunbeam looked around at the sudden silence and groaned.

Rarity had walked around her and had seen her injuries. She was staring at the shaved pink flesh with the black stitches.

A lounge was hurriedly pulled over just in time for Rarity to collapse onto it in a dead faint.

Sunbeam blinked in the silence.

Sauntering over to the lounge and looking down at the Rarity. She tilted her head before, none-too-gently, prodding her several times.

* * *

Sunbeam stood by Rarity, flapping a piece of fabric at her with her magic.

‘You should be glad I didn’t go with my first thought and just start slapping you to try and bring you round. Yay, I’m being considerate -and- sensitive, all at once.’

Rarity groaned, in a most lady-like manner, and opened her eyes.

Keeping her injuries facing away from Rarity, Sunbeam decided to introduce herself. “Hi, I'm Sunbeam, and you are Rarity I believe? You sent me a letter inviting me over.”

Rarity blinked at her. “You're Sunbeam?” She scrambled up, her eyes wide. “You’re Sunbeam! Sweetie Bell told us all about that dreadful business. Y-You allowed yourself to be ... disfigured... like that for Sweetie Bell?” Rarity’s ears folded flat. “This is simply dreadful darling, I simply have no idea how to express my gratitude for saving her now. This is so distressing.”

“I didn’t exactly ‘allow’ it to happen.” Sunbeam shrugged. “Anyway, once the fur grows back it should cover any residual scarring.”

“Oh you are being far too dismissive darling. Such bravery should be rewarded. If only I had something worthy to respond with.”

“Well, I was looking for a new cloak.” She ventured.

“Darling, after seeing what you were wearing, I'd insist on giving you a new one anyway. Now... I can barely do justice to what I need to do. Oh no, a whole ensemble is the least I can offer right now.”

Rarity drew herself up

“And by the time I’m finished with you, you will stand out. Not only in a crowd but In all of Equestria. I swear I will make it so all of Equestria, no, the world, will want to look at you.”

Sunbeam blinked slowly at Rarity before taking a half-step back, her ears pinning themselves her head.

‘That... is one of the most disturbing threats I’ve ever heard.’

Sunbeam tried desperately to regain control of the conversation. “L-look I was just looking for a cloak, a cloak in a special pattern. A pattern that blends into woodland. Mottled greens, browns, and blacks kinda thing. I'll be willing to pay extra for the trouble.”

Rarity looked like Sunbeam had actually slapped her.

“Darling, first off, I refuse to take any payment for this. I simply must insist that I make you an ensemble that shows off your natural beauty for free. Second, I certainly can make the cloak pattern you requested, plain and boring as it that may be.” She winked. “Besides, you are not the first pony to ask for such a design, so I believe I know the pattern you are looking for.” She paused for breath.

Sunbeam was still catching up, her mind having derailed somewhere around the 'natural beauty' remark.

Rarity continued. “In the meantime can I offer a cloak I have in stock, for free of course, that you can use instead of whatever you were wearing. I sure I have something that will compliment your look, maybe not the same degree of something specifically made though.” Rarity sighed. “It does seem a shame to cover up such a striking feature as your back, but you do need to protect that wound while it heals I suppose. Still, no time like the present as they say.”

Sunbeam, still pulling herself together, hadn’t noticed the fleet of tape measures, quills, and notepaper that had all floated up and were hovering around her.

Rarity took a step forward and stopped when she caught the sparkle of Sunbeam’s necklace.

With professional interest, she leaned forward to study and identify the stone. Her head tilted to one side, a puzzled expression until she lifted a hoof to point at it. “Is that...” Her hoof trembled. “Is that what I think it is?”

Sunbeam followed Rarity’s hoof, ending up looking at her own necklace. Placing a protective hoof over it, she pulled back slightly. “I have no idea. Why? What do you think it is?”

“I'm sorry my dear, the study of gems is a bit of a hobby of mine. And something rare gets always my attention.” She placed a hoof over her smile at some private joke. “I think what you have there a Resoulten crystal, In fact, I’m sure of it, the black flicker inside gives it away. Incredibly rare. Certainly flawless with that flicker. And very valuable for its looks alone. Do you mind if I ask where you got it?”

Sunbeam became very still, her voice a flat monotone. “I got it when somepony I knew passed on.” She shook her head to clear it. “Resoulten Crystal eh? Only ever heard it called a Soul Gem before.”

A smile spread over her face. 'If nothing else works out here, a new name to research. I may find out why this damn thing never worked.' She looked down at the crystal and prodded it. 'Hear that Mr Sable, I've got a new lead to follow about getting you working.'

She looked up at Rarity. “Could you write that name down for me?”

Rarity smiled as a hovering quill scribbled onto a floating parchment and floated it over to her.

Sunbeam took the parchment, a wide smile on her face. Only then did she notice all the paraphernalia floating around her.

Sunbeam looked around desperately, she was surrounded.

Rarity smiled at her and, with all honesty, said: “I will need some measurements... this won't be a minute.”

Taking deep breaths, Sunbeam tried to relax as Rarity took her measurements. She found keeping her eyes closed as everything flew around her helped a lot.

She never noticed Rarity measuring her injuries and making a transparent template of them.

* * *

Rarity watched Sunbeam limp away, now wearing a light green cloak. The old brown cloak was hidden in a nondescript bag she’d given her. Certainly not one with the shop’s name on.

‘I do wish she’d have let me burn that horrid thing. Even if it isn’t hers, the owner still needs to get rid of it. Still, at least I persuaded to have an…’ Rarity twitched at the word, ‘off-the-rack cloak. But I shall make you something much better than that in time Miss Sunbeam.’

She frowned. ‘But first, I need to make the special cloak you requested. That pattern is usually only requested by officers of the guard for 'field duties' as they put it. Why you want one, Miss Sunbeam, I can only guess at.’

Sunbeam turned a corner and disappeared from her view. Rarity shook her head as she turned back to the shop and headed for the stairs.

‘First, however...’

“Sweetie Bell, could you come down here please.” She called out.

A door opened and Sweetie Bell peered around it.

“It’s okay for me to come out of my room?” she asked hopefully.

“Only for a minute darling, your punishment still stands.”

‘And having seen Sunbeam’s injuries, I’m so very much tempted to increase it.’

“I need you to come down here as I need to check something.”

Sweetie Bell came down the stairs and stood still as Rarity placed the template of Sunbeam’s injures on Sweetie Bell’s shoulder. The template reached from her side to up-and-over her back.

Sweetie Bell started in surprise when Rarity threw her hooves around her neck and started crying.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam left the Mayor's office smiling.

‘Well this day’s just getting better and better. Very little paperwork needed to buy a place here, which is great. Only about ten minutes to prep the required forms. And I only needed two evasive answers, didn’t need to lie once. Now all I need is to decide on the actual house I want, write the address on the prepared paperwork, and I’m good to go.’

She trotted down the street before looking at the map floating next to her.

‘And I must visit the library sometime. Certainly if it’s as well stocked as the mayor said it is. I do hope so, now I’ve got a new name for the crystal to look up hopefully I can find out why my amulet never worked. Maybe even get it to work...’ She smiled at some inner vision, ‘Can you imagine it, if you got the amulet working? You could...’

Sunbeam stamped a hoof. “Stop day-dreaming. Focus on the here and now. Besides...”

Sunbeam looked up the street, at the treehouse housing the library.

‘...The library is shut right now. Why the librarian was called away on 'Princess Duties’ I don’t know. What could a Princess want from a librarian from a backwater such as this?’

Sunbeam rolled her shoulders.

‘Not to mention the ‘whole new princess’ thing! Four of them now! Last I heard was three, with one waaaay outta the way somewhere cold. Glad I was sitting down when the mayor dropped -that- one on me. At least I didn’t just curl up on the floor and start hyperventilating when she told me. Yay emotionally strong me.’

She tilted her head and slowed her walk down. ‘Okay, so, a new princess. Why -would- she want the help of -this- particular librarian? Are they friends? Surely there must be plenty of librarians up in Canterlot to assist in new duties? Must look into that later. Right now looking up details about my crystal takes priority.’

She looked at the map and smiled as she worked out where the first of her prospective new houses were.

Sunbeam’s expression soured as a thought occurred to her.

‘Huh if this librarian is connected to a Princess I’ve gonna have to be extremely careful around her. If she suspects anything about me... and reports it to a Princess... I’ll be royally bucked. Excuse the pun. Unfortunately, I need to use the library, as any chance of getting my Amulet working is too good an opportunity to miss. Especially if the library here is as good as the mayor boasts.’

Sunbeam tapped her chin.

‘So, it’s a calculated risk, but worth it. It’s pretty much a certainty I’m going to run into this librarian, this 'Twilight' at some point in a town this small. Might as well be as I’m using the library. So I’ll just have to be careful and hope that there are no Princesses around when I do meet her.’

* * *

Sunbeam looked around her new house.

“Welcome home Miss Sunbeam.” She smiled. “Well that’s it, I’m settled here. Paid in full, financially committed now. No more running, time to lay low. Time to fade-away.”

She clutched her necklace and smiled. “We made it Mr Sable! We made it.”

Sunbeam looked around and her smile grew.

“Home.”

Chapter 8 - Settling In - Redone

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Chapter 8 - Settling In - Redone

Sunbeam blinked in confusion as she looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling.

A slow smile spread. ‘Oh yeah, -my- ceiling.’

The smile lasted for a second before she winced. “Ow, my head hurts. Okay, I admit it, Pinkie... you throw one heck of a house warming party. And once we got rid of the little ones… Ahem, I mean once the little ones were gone and Applejack’s special reserve cider came out... Ooowweee. That's some rocket juice right there girl.’

Sunbeam smiled again, then winced again. ‘Actually my head is starting to hurt quite a lot now. How much -did- I drink? I was trying not to drink too…’

Sunbeam belched and the taste of cider filled her mouth.

A second later she was dashing for the bathroom.

* * *

Sunbeam took a mouthful of water and swirled it around before spitting it out.

“Blegh! Okay, clean my teeth first, then find the painkillers.”

Opening the bathroom cabinet, she started moving things around inside it. “Where did I put the painkillers...?”

Sunbeam slumped, letting her hoof fall. “Horseapples. They're in the kitchen. Why the buck did I leave them in the kitchen?”

Weaving slightly, she made her way along the corridor and, carefully, down the stairs.

Walking past the living room, she stopped and took a hesitant step backwards, looking in with blurry eyes.

‘Okay, something is wrong with my couch. It’s the wrong colour for a start.’

Taking a few steps in, and rubbing her eyes, she was slowly able to make out some features of the ‘blue blob’ laying on her couch. A few more blinks, plus some more eye rubs, and the blur resolved itself into the vague outline of a pegasus, a pegasus with a rainbow coloured mane, laying sprawled out in a most ‘unlady-like’ manner over her couch.

Sunbeam, very gently, shook her head, feeling proud of her level of deduction. ‘And how much did -you- drink... Rainbow Dash? A bit more than me I seem to recall.” A smirk formed. “I think the academy might have some unofficial lessons going on. I do remember you not being able to walk straight, or even sing straight.’ Sunbeam’s head lowered as the smirk grew to a full smile. ‘Oh yeah. Seeing -your- hangover is gonna make mine feel so much better.’

Sunbeam raised an eyebrow and frowned. ‘Which brings us to the next question: why -are- you still here Rainbow?’ She looked up in thought for a second. ‘Oh yeah, I said you should crash here. I suppose it -is- for the best if an intoxicated pegasus doesn’t fly.’’ She gave Rainbow one last glance as she walked out of the living room. ‘Because who knows what damage a high-speed impact from a drunk pegasus could cause... and I’ve heard stories about you Rainbow. As I’ve just paid for this house, I’d prefer if it wasn’t demolished by you within the first week, thankyouverymuch. As they say: ‘friends don’t let pegasi fly drunk’. She sniggered. ‘Also called: ‘enlightened self-interest’ and...’

Sunbeam stopped, head coming up. ‘Friends?’ Her head tilted to one side as she considered the word. ‘I hardly know you Rainbow, not to mention you’re a guard, why would I say that? Okay I admit you’re likeable, and so is Applejack, Rarity seems okay, if a little over the top at times and Pinkie is…’ Sitting back on her haunches, Sunbeam rubbed her temples with both hooves. ‘...Is too much to think about right now. It’s way too early, and I’m way too hungover, to think about Pinkie right now.’

Standing up, and carrying on walking, Sunbeam snorted. ‘Or… this could be the best time to think about her. I wonder...’

Sunbeam’s train of thought was disrupted when she caught her uninjured shoulder on the doorframe which sent her careening off into the kitchen, just missing the kitchen table as she staggered around just trying to stay on her hooves before coming to a stop.

Even with all four legs spread wide, Sunbeam stood there swaying.

“Okay next time, I’ll definitely drink less.”

There was a pause before Sunbeam threw back her head. “Hah!”

“....Ouch.”

As she pressed a hoof hard down on the top of her head.

“Coffee. I need some coffee to deal with this... and painkillers. And maybe some pancakes, gotta craving for pancakes right now...”

* * *

Sunbeam watched Rainbow polish off her third helping of pancakes with an open mouth as they sat at the kitchen table.

‘I’ve seen timberwolves eat with more grace.’ She glanced at the nearly empty syrup bottle. ‘And I’m glad I had some syrup -before- Rainbow decided she needed something to dip her pancakes in.’

Rainbow paused her remorseless attack on the pancakes to down some coffee.

Sunbeam shook her head, gently. “You must be a guard Rainbow. Sound asleep... yet the smell of breakfast and coffee wakes you up in an instant.”

Rainbow looked up at her and opened her mouth to say something.

Sunbeam threw her foreleg up in front of her eyes. “Close your mouth if you’re still eating!” She glanced over the leg, to make Rainbow had, before continuing. “That was just gross Rainbow! Okay, let me amend my previous statement: the smell of somepony else, cooking breakfast wakes you up in an instant.”

Rainbow smiled and dived back into her breakfast. Sunbeam picked up her coffee with both hooves and sipped it, still untrusting of her magic at this point with something so valuable.

She watched Rainbow eat. ‘Seriously, weaponize that appetite and empires would surrender. I’m gonna need to go shopping again for mix and syrup. Let’s see, I moved in, what… three days ago?’

Rainbow pushed the plate away from her.

Sunbeam watched her. ‘Don’t belch, don’t belch, please don’t… Ewwww.’

Rainbow picked up her coffee. “Thanks for breakfast Sunbeam. Mmmmm good coffee.”

Sunbeam nodded, looking into her coffee as she waited for the painkillers to kick in. “Thank you. I spent out on the coffee machine and paraphernalia. I only buy the good quality beans as well. Good coffee is a kinda a hobby of mine.”

Rainbow took another mouthful of coffee. “Oh yeah, that’s good wake-up juice. Another one of these and I’ll be ready for my morning exercise routine. Right as rain.”

Sunbeam glanced up over her coffee and pointed an accusing hoof at Rainbow. “Aren’t you hungover? You drank way more than me.”

Rainbow waved a hoof. “Nah, I don’t get hangovers.”

Sunbeam put her coffee down with a click, cradling it with both hooves. “On behalf of all those ponies that do get hangovers Rainbow... I have to officially hate you. I sorry, but It’s in the rulebook.”

Rainbow waved a hoof at her as she grinned. “You're a hoot Sunbeam.” Rainbow glanced outside. “C’mon AJ would have been up for hours by now.”

“You want me to go outside this early in the… Wait! AJ would have been up for hours?” Sunbeam looked out the window. “But it’s still morning!” Sunbeam sank her face into her hooves and whimpered. “Oh no. Please don’t tell me Applejack’s a.. a… morning pony. Oh Rainbow, that’s even worse than your no-hangover thing. I had such high opinions of you all.”

Rainbow leaned back and laughed uproariously as Sunbeam shook her head, slowly, with her face in her hooves.

Rainbow eventually calmed down and slapped Sunbeam’s back, not noticing the whimper and jolt that ran through her as she did so.

“C’mon, if we hurry we can see Fluttershy first, then catch AJ as she’s sitting down to lunch. We can turn up ‘just in time’ for lunch, by accident of course. They have to offer if they have guests, it’s a point of pride to the Apple family.” Rainbow beamed at Sunbeam.

Sunbeam didn’t look up, just glad the painkillers were taking the edge off her headache, as well as the recent assault on her back.

‘Subtlety isn’t one of your strong points, is it Rainbow? And considering that’s coming from me...’

* * *

Rainbow flew around Sunbeam as she limped towards Fluttershy’s house, with Sunbeam silently cursing the bright daylight, and her shoulder, most of the time.

She glanced up at Rainbow.

‘Yep still talking.’

“...And apart from Fluttershy and Twilight, that’s the entire gang you’ve met. Flutters would have been at the party, but she had to stay away to look after a sick pet. I saw the note she sent to Pinkie asking to be excused from attending the party so she could look after it.”

Sunbeam raised an eyebrow. ‘I think Pinkie may take her parties a little -too- seriously.’

As they approached the door, Sunbeam looked up at Rainbow. “And Twilight?”

Rainbow blew a raspberry. “Oh she’s still up in Canterlot on ‘Princess Duties’. Lame. Oh, you better let me knock. Flutters can be a little shy.”

* * *

Sunbeam was seated on Fluttershy’s couch, with an empty cup of what had been a surprisingly tasty herbal tea in her hooves.

She was watching the bear, watching her, through the window.

‘A bear! Seriously? A bucking pet bear and -she’s- frightened of strangers?’

Whenever both Rainbow and Fluttershy looked away, it would pull its lips back and bare its fangs at her.

‘Oh I hate animals. But I’m reasonable. I’d hate them less if they hated -me- less.’

Sunbeam looked back over at Fluttershy as she came back in from her back garden, still looking quite annoyed.

She gave Sunbeam an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry about what happened out in the garden Sunbeam. I’ve never seen them act like that before to a guest. I am most upset at them and have given them all quite a stern talking to, Angel especially. I’m sorry, but his throwing is quite accurate these days.”

Sunbeam rubbed her forehead where the nut had hit.

Rainbow muttered something under her breath.

‘Now that didn’t sound complimentary about the little furball, so I gonna have to agree with it.’

She looked back to a concerned looking Fluttershy. “Don’t worry, I’ve had much worse.” Sunbeam nodded towards her injuries.

Fluttershy stepping forward to inspect them again. “Yes, your injuries do look like they are healing up quite nicely. Did Zecora give you anything to help? Because I have something that might help if she didn’t.”

“Thanks for the offer but Zecora did give me something, even if it does smell like horseapples.”

Fluttershy smiled and picked up Sunbeam’s empty cup and turned towards the kitchen.

Sunbeam watched Fluttershy. ‘Now, by the way, you didn’t even flinch, I’m gonna guess you’ve seen stuff like this before. Humm, I wonder if you’d be any good as an off-the-record doctor? Hospitals do seem to ask all those unnecessary questions these days, like: ‘how did it happen?’

Fluttershy came back and looked at the clock on her mantelpiece.

"Well Discord should be here soon, you are welcome to stay if you want."

Rainbow groaned. "Oh no, not that creep."

"Rainbow! He's really a nice pony, I mean being, once you get to know him. You really should try and make an effort, all of you should."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "He gives me the heebie-jeebies Flutters. Do you know how long it took for me to get over the whole ‘losing my wings’ thing?" Rainbow made a point of looking at the clock. "Well anyway, look at the time, the Apple family should be sitting down to lunch soon. We really should be going Sunbeam."

Fluttershy just sighed.

Sunbeam stood up. "It was nice meeting you Fluttershy, and all your animals, even if they did run away from me.. or attack.”

Fluttershy mumbled some apology before glaring out towards her back garden.

Standing up, Sunbeam cocked an ear. ‘Did I hear a load of whimpers come from the back?’

As they walked out, the bear stood itself protectively next to Fluttershy.

As Sunbeam passed the bear, she whispered to it. “You know, griffon's like to stuff and mount their prey over their fireplaces. I think I should embrace other cultures more, if you know what I mean.”

* * *

As Fluttershy watched Rainbow fly circles around the limping unicorn there was a small pop from beside her, indicating the arrival of Discord.

"Hello Discord, I hope you've been good today."

Discord pulled a face. "Yes, I have been very dull today." He looked down the track at the backs of the departing ponies.

A smile crept over his face, getting wider and wider until the top of his head fell off.

"Please stop that." Fluttershy turned back into the front room and trotted towards the kitchen. "Would you like some tea Discord? I have some made up."

The top half of Discords head reappeared on his head. "That would be lovely my dear." His eyes remained riveted on the departing pair.

Fluttershy turned to look at him as stood outside the front door.

"I do hope you are not planning on doing anything... chaotic."

"Me? My dear, plan...?' Discord pressed his claws together and a golden ring appeared above his head. “I have no intention of doing anything so boring."

Fluttershy nodded and turned back to the kitchen.

The golden ring popped and two little red horns sprouted from his forehead. He used his talon-tips to push them back down into his forehead.

'Planning is so tedious.’ He smiled. ‘Oh, that unicorn should bring some delicious chaos to around here. And I won't have to lift a talon. How wonderful.'

He tapped the side of his chin.

‘Now, should I make the Amulet around her start working at full power. No! I think watching somepony actually work towards bringing chaos is so much sweeter. But let us expedite matters before I get too bored.'

In Golden Oaks Library, a book appeared on a shelf in the gem section and, more importantly, appeared on the inventory as well.

He rolled his eyes back so far they fell out his ears. ‘Because Twilight is sooo dull.’

"Would you like sugar today Discord?" Fluttershy called from the kitchen.

His eyes reappeared where they should be. "Not today, thank you." Discord replied. ‘Today is sweet enough as is.’

‘Now all I have to do is wait, as much as I hate that. No, if I rushed matters old Celly would get suspicious -before- Sunbeam could work out how to use her Amulet.’ The smile grew. ‘Oh no Sunbeam, Old Celly will not react well to you, not at all. Oh I so want to see her face when she realises you’re 'one of them’.’

He tapped his chin again. ‘Probably from a distance though. Celly doesn’t normally hold a grudge, but where her sister is involved...’

A very thin, very wide, mustache appeared on his face that he commenced twirling.

‘Oh Celly, you tried so very hard to get rid of all them didn’t you?’ Discord looked in the direction of Canterlot. ‘You really did blame them didn’t you, for turning Ol’ Moon-butt against you. After you’d banished her, I could feel the chaos that followed, even as a statue. The fact that some have survived...’

Discord rubbed his talons together. ‘Oh yes some glorious chaos is indeed on the horizon. To make matters even sweeter I’ve had nothing to do with it. Well, almost nothing, aside from the book thing. Now just to sit back and enjoy the show.’

There was a flash and Discord was seated in a hovering recliner-chair. A strange peaked hat sat on his head; it looked like a helmet with two deep cups attached to either side with a straw arrangement down to his mouth. He grasped a bucket of popcorn in with his talon and a small stick, with a triangular flag on it, in his paw.

He waved the flag; on one side it said 'Sunbeam of Ponyville,’, on the other: 'Icefang of the Snake Clan'.

Chapter 9 - The Apple Farm - Redone

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Chapter 9 - The Apple Farm - Redone

Sunbeam limped along the path towards Sweet Apple Acres. A wooden fence ran alongside the path on the left with an apple orchard behind it, and on the right was open fields.

Rainbow flew lazy circles around her, describing her latest stunt as she did so. Sunbeam didn’t turn her head to follow her, but she did keep the nearest ear pointed towards the pegasus at all times.

“And then I pull up at the last minute…”

Sunbeam frowned for a second before turning her head to look at her. "Wait! Isn't that the one where you demolished the hedge and ended up assaulting the tree?"

Rainbow hovered, bringing a hoof up to her chin. “Umm…”

Stopping, Sunbeam rolled her eyes. “Okay, I see I’m gonna have to be more specific. I mean the crash when I first met you."

Rainbow narrowed her eyes. "Hey! I only crash when practising new stunts... and that’s only down to me needing to properly calibrate my angular acceleration, drag and wing loadings in the stunt itself." She looked away, not meeting Sunbeam's eyes. "Of course, while I am perfecting them, overshooting when performing those high-speed manoeuvres is likely, and the resulting ‘deviation’ from my projected flight plan often ends up as an impact.” Rainbow sighed. "My thrust-to-weight ratio is so outside the norm that the current g-forces tables for pegasi flight manoeuvres are pretty much useless to me." Turning back, she jabbed a hoof at Sunbeam. "Let me tell you, it’s no fun having to work out your own flight-envelope by trial and error... Why you are you looking at me like that?"

Sunbeam gave her slow blink. “Could you repeat all that for me. In non-pegasus?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Okay, for all the unicorns in the audience, I practice to get better. Which means until I do get better there may be errors in my flight course. Once I’ve perfected the stunt, I don’t crash… ahem, I mean deviate from my flight plan anymore. Hardly anymore anyway. Once I’ve done that, I can go onto perfecting my next stunt, in which case the problems predicting my flight plan may occur again."

Rubbing her chin, Sunbeam looked down. "Right, I think I got this, you only crash when you've practising new stunts? And as soon as you’ve perfected the old one, you start a new one, which is often. Hence why you seem to be crashing all the time."

Still hovering Rainbow shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t always crash. Sometimes I can project stress loads and probable flight patterns from previous stunts onto the new stunt and help prevent cras... deviations from my flight plan.”

Sunbeam started walking again. "Have you ever told anypony this?”

“No, it’s all pretty obvious. Isn’t it?”

Sunbeam smiled. “You’d be surprised. Can you do me a favour Rainbow? Don’t tell anypony what you’ve just told me until after I’m pointing the camera."

* * *

Sunbeam looked over the orchard, stretching over the hills before her.

"Wow! And you say Applejack and her brother harvest that all by themselves?"

"Used to, not anymore. The rest of the girls have persuaded Applejack to get help these days. Before that... well, let's just say Applejack can be a tad stubborn at times."

Sunbeam nodded. 'Considering the source, I get the feeling that you’ve just been royally dissed AJ.'

Rainbow looked over the orchard. "Getting AJ to swallow some of her pride and get some helpers in for bucking season on a regular basis was a battle. A battle that should be in a stained glass window if you ask me."

Sunbeam nodded. 'The battle of bucking season… no prisoners taken...’ She tried to suppress the snigger which ended up as a snort. ‘Oh get your mind out of the gutter Sunbeam.' Pausing, a small, but genuine, smile grew on her face. 'First time I’ve called myself Sunbeam without thinking about it. Yay me.'

Sunbeam looked up and realised Rainbow had been talking and she’d missed most of what she had just said.

"... of course, she does get the occasional bad apple as it were.” Rainbow smiled at her own pun. “But she can weed most of them out in the interview stage."

"Good at spotting slackers, liars and cheats then?" Sunbeam chipped in, hoping to give the impression she’d been listening all along.

Rainbow gave Sunbeam one of the biggest smiles she'd ever seen, a sight that made her distinctly nervous.

"Oh yeah, slackers and cheats she can weed out fast. Liars…” The smile managed to grow. “They all fall at the first hurdle."

Sunbeam could feel the knot forming in her stomach. “Erm… Applejack can spot liars that easily?'”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Well, she is the Element of Honesty and all that."

"Element of Honesty?"

Sunbeam stopped and tilted her head in thought. ‘Element… Elements… Element of Honesty… Come on, you know that name you stupid mare...’

Rainbow actually landed in shock, her eyes wide as she stared at Sunbeam. "You don’t know?! You’re kidding me! Tell me you’re… Yeesh. What rock have you been hiding under for the last however many years?"

Sunbeam head snapped round, the sudden fire in her eyes making Rainbow take a step backwards.

Sunbeam’s lips pulled back and through clenched teeth, she snarled at Rainbow. "Let's assume I’ve been under a big rock… From ever since I was a…”

She looked away, the fire in her dying and leaving only a weary-sounding mare in its place. “Let's just say it was for too many years and move on."

Rainbow took another step backwards. “Err...”

Closing her eyes, Sunbeam forced a smile as her voice dropped back to normal. “Sorry about that Rainbow, it’s a touchy subject but I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. I apologize.” She looked up at the pegasus, her voice straining with forced humor. “In fact, it’s something that should be left under a rock… and never mentioned. Ever again. Let’s both move on shall we?”

Rainbow nodded, taking the hint.

Both walked in silence for a minute before Rainbow tried to fill the uncomfortable silence. "Well, you know, AJ is the Element of Honesty, as in the Bearer of the Element, the Elements of Harmony and all that."

Rainbow talked for a bit longer before noticing that she was alone on the path now. Looking back up the path she saw Sunbeam had sat down, her mouth hanging open, as she stared at her.

Rainbow flew back up to her.

Sunbeam opened and closed her mouth several times before pointing a hoof at Rainbow. "The Elements of Harmony! As in ‘supercharged magic conduits’, enabling non-alicorns to use magic at alicorn levels of power. As in enabling them to actually channel magic directly from the source itself. Those bucking Elements of Harmony?!"

"Well I’m not too sure about most of what you just said there, but we have kicked some flank with them." Rainbow stuck her chest out with pride.

Sunbeam’s forelegs slowly slid forward so that she ended up laying on the ground. Her voice had gone up noticeably in pitch. "We! As in you're a bearer as well? No wait… Of course you are.” She wrapped a hoof over her eyes. “And AJ is a bearer! Let's see, who else?” What sounded like a muffled sob came from the mare. "Let me guess, all your friends you’ve introduced me to?"

Rainbow nodded in confusion. "Yeah, well Twilight, AJ, Flutters, Rarity, Pinkie and myself are Bearers.” Rainbow flew up and tapped herself on her chest. “How's that then, the first pony you meet in Ponyville is one of the Bearers of Harmony and I've introduced you the rest of the group. All barring Twilight of course."

Sunbeam didn't seem to take this as Rainbow expected. She buried her face into the ground, and with one hoof over the back or her head, started pounding on the ground with the other.

Rainbow was unable to hear the muffled conversation Sunbeam was having with the ground.

"Buck, buck, buck!"

"I’m hanging around the bucking Bearers of Harmony…"

“I’m used to plans going south… but this is a whole new level…”

"Highest level national defence asset, of course no one is going to want to check up on who they're hanging around with..."

"Not to mention they have the personal interest of the Princesses…"

There was another sob-like sound from Sunbeam.

“Should have just got a bulls-eye as my cutie mark…”

"And of course running away screaming might draw unwanted questions..."

Sunbeam stopped pounding the floor and after a couple of silent seconds sat back up and attempted to smile at the now puzzled looking Rainbow Dash

Putting on a posh Trottingham accent Sunbeam carried on if nothing had happened. "Well then, I do believe we are going to be late for crashing the Apple family’s luncheon. We had best make haste."

Rainbow flew up next to Sunbeam. “Erm… you okay there Sunbeam?”

“Why shouldn’t I be? I mean we are only going to partake in a spot of delightful lunch at the Apple family residence, are we not? I mean what could possibly be wrong with that? Not only is our host an Element bearer, but she can also spot lies. Ooh, I can hardly wait. At least I know now there can’t be any more surprises…”

Sunbeam closed her eyes, before slapping a hoof over them. “And I just said that didn’t I? Okay Rainbow, just to eliminate one possible scenario, no Princesses are planned to be attending this lunch... are they?"

Rainbow, still confused, shook her head. "No, no princesses in attendance. Mind you, got a letter today. Twilight is going to be back in Ponyville in a few days. Spike will be back tomorrow to get the library ready."

Sunbeam slumped in relief. "Well, while the Twilight remark is a little off-the-wall, it’s certainly nice to know that I won’t have to... spruce myself up for a princess."

Sunbeam rubbed her face. 'And by spruce myself up I mean run screaming in a blind panic. Right, focus you stupid mare. You -can- get through this. Just be on your guard and don’t lie… directly. You’ve got this far, maybe this can all work out… Yeah.’

Sunbeam let out a tiny whimper.

‘I really don't think I can handle any more surprises right now.’

Rainbow threw a hoof over her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll all be better once you get some good old Apple family cooking in you. Pity Twilight isn’t here yet though. I’d love to introduce you to her.”

* * *

Seated on a very comfortable couch in the living room, Sunbeam still felt a little embarrassed at ‘just turning up’ and expecting to be fed. Applejack and the rest of her family didn’t seem to be phased by it at all, they had made her feel welcome. She noted that they seemed to be used to ponies, read Rainbow, ‘just happening’ to turn up for lunch.

While lunch wasn’t quite ready, the smell coming from the kitchen as Applejack cooked it was making her feel very hungry. Sitting down on the couch, Sunbeam could feel Granny Smith and Big Mac discreetly eying her injuries. So was Applebloom, but she was being a lot more open about it and was simply staring at them.

It was Big Mac that broached the subject in the end. “Sooo, six timberwolves.”

It was Applebloom that answered. “Oh yes…Miss Sunbeam took on six big timberwolves for us… There may have even been more. Big, huge, wolves... ”

Applebloom then proceeded with her version of what happened in the woods, as Sunbeam quietly died of embarrassment at the young filly’s exuberance. Exaggeration was pushed to the limit as six timberwolves rapidly become twelve, and with Rainbow egging Applebloom on, they further grew not only in number but size as well. By the end of the story Sunbeam was holding down house-sized timberwolf under her left hoof, firing off multiple beams at the huge numbers of incoming timberwolf reinforcements while bucking timberwolves off the fillies.

An unprecedented blush formed on Sunbeam as she studied the craftsmanship of the ceiling. She could hear Applejack snickering in the kitchen as Big Mac and Granny Smith smiled good-naturedly at Appleblooms enthusiasm. Rainbow’s attempts at keeping a straight face were failing miserably.

She glared at Rainbow.

Rainbow waved back at her. “Say Applebloom, didn’t Sunbeam heroically cover you, telling you to get to safety as she held them off?”

Applebloom nodded with a beaming smile. “Oh yes, she did! She was telling us to run to Zecora’s while she held them all off as long as possible and not to worry about her...”

Sunbeam sank her face into her hooves.

* * *

Smiling at Applebloom’s exaggerated story, Granny Smith turned her attention back to Sunbeam.

The smile dropped marginally. ‘None of them knows what is actually sitting across the room from them, do they? Well Miss Sunbeam, when we first settled here, we had to learn the hard way what Everfree critters were merely dangerous... And what ones were darn right lethal. I’ve learnt to trust my instincts on these matters... and mine are telling me that there's a predator sat in this room. Sat right there in your seat there Miss Sunbeam.’

Granny watched Sunbeam lift her face out of her hooves and make an attempt to try to tone down some of the story Applebloom, with Rainbow’s assistance, was spinning. No, there had been no dragons... or packs of diamond dogs… or Shadowbolts.

Granny rubbed her chin as she watched her. ‘Well, I ain’t gonna say anything. Gettin’ yourself injured savin’ Applebloom means we owe you a debt. And the Apple family -always- pay their debts. But ignoring that, what exactly is a pony like you doing in a town like Ponyville Miss Sunbeam? What is here that appeals to you?’

Granny tilted her head as she watched Sunbeam, she watched her as she delicately lifted a teacup up and took a restrained sip in an effort to distract herself from Rainbow’s laughter and Applebloom’s puzzled look at it.

A small smile grew on Granny’s weathered lips. ‘Oh… Oh that just beats all. There’s nothing here! And that’s the entire reason, isn’t it? You’re tryin’ hide, to fit in and not stand out ain’t you? Tryin’ to be all restrained an’ polite like while you hide in plain sight. Oh but that predator is still there, isn’t it? Just waiting underneath for some poor dolt to rouse it.’ Granny looked down and shook her head. ‘And Celestia help them when they do.’

She looked back at Sunbeam only to find Sunbeam was looking at her with a puzzled tilt to her head. Granny smiled at her. ‘Oh just ignore me dear, jus’ an old pony here.’

A question from Rainbow made Sunbeam look away from Granny.

‘You felt my suspicion, didn’t you? Well that predatory instinct could be useful, if put to proper use.’ Granny looked over in the direction she knew Canterlot lay ‘I see you Celestia! Grooming my granddaughter and her friends for your plans. Well my granddaughter may be a powerful filly now, but like the others, she’s still just a filly. They’re all good fillies, too good for your plans. They’ll hesitate to take that last, necessary step when it’s going to be needed. And that hesitation could kill her.’

She looked back over at Sunbeam as she discussed with Rainbow about something from the first Daring Do book. Apparently, if Daring had just killed the head hench-pony when she had the chance, it would have saved her a lot of trouble later on.

Granny glanced back towards the direction of Canterlot. ‘I’ve worked on a farm close to the Everfree long enough to know just how easy dying is Celestia. And dying anytime soon -ain’t- gonna to be my granddaughter's fate. You may have a hooves-off approach to most things, but I’ll be damned if I pass up any opportunity to give my granddaughter an edge.’ She looked back at Sunbeam. ‘Oh yes, Miss Sunbeam you are going to give my Applejack that edge, you’ll teach her to act without hesitation when needed. You are going to install a bit of your killer instinct in all of them if I get my way. My granddaughter isn’t gonna die just because somepony hesitated. Least of all herself.’

They all looked up as Applejack stuck her head around the kitchen door. “Soup’s on.”

Granny nodded to herself as everypony started to rise. ‘Yes, I’m gonna need to get you and Applejack to hang around each other as much as possible. You need to teach them not to be quite so goody-four-shoes. To… do what is necessary.’

She looked around at a pleading howl from outside. ‘Even if it does mean that Winona wants to stay outside every time Sunbeam is here. What is up with that dog anyway? Running out of the room like that when Sunbeam came in. Darn disrespectful.’

* * *

Sunbeam fought a valiant, but ultimately futile, battle.

She covered her mouth with a hoof as she let the belch out. “Excuse me. Maybe that third helping wasn’t such a good idea.”

Applejack shook her head. “Well darn girl. You can sure put it away when you want to.” She leaned in. “I think even Big Mac is impressed.”

“Eeyup.”

Sunbeam leaned back and patted her stomach. “You gotta eat the good stuff when you can get it. You’ve got no idea when you might be forced to go without out in the field. Or maybe even have to eat something that you really don’t want to.” Sunbeam pulled a face. “With Silver’s lot, we had to resort to griffon rations once. And they're mostly meat..." Sunbeam trailed off, suddenly aware that she was the centre of attention.

She rolled her shoulders. “Of course, we all put the meat to one side.”

Everypony relaxed.

Sunbeam looked down. ‘Only because we needed to cook it first though. Raw meat, even I draw the line at that. Blegh! But once cooked in, and heavily disguised in a stew, it was... still bucking disgusting! Okay, change of topic before I -do- start retching at the mere memory.’’

Standing up, she levitated her empty plate. “Here, let me help you wash up.' She turned and trotted away towards the kitchen.

Applejack's eyes narrowed as she watched Sunbeam go into the kitchen with Big Mac following close behind with more empty plates.

She leaned in towards Rainbow and whispered into her ear. "Have you ever heard her mention anything about her past before like that?"

Rainbow shook her head. "She'd kinda touchy… very touchy about that. Avoids or outright ignores any questions. She slips now and again though, like that.” Rainbow rubbed her chin. “Humm, ‘out in the field’ now that is a guard term.”

“Do you think she’s an ex-guard then? If so, why’s she keeping quiet about it?”

Rainbow shrugged. “Maybe got kicked out or something…”

Granny Smith added herself to the whispered conversation, causing both mares to jump.

"Well, whatever she's got in the past, I say we leave it there. Here and now, she’s saved the lives of three fillies and got mighty hurt in the process. So we owe her a debt, a debt we can repay by being good neighbours and not stickin’ our noses in where they don't belong. In fact I think we should all try to get to know her better rather than trying to find reasons to keep away."

Applejack lookup at the ceiling as Rainbow studied her hooves.

After a pause, Rainbow nodded. “She does seem lonely at times. I say she needs friends.” She looked up with a smile. “And who better than us?”

Applejack returned the smile. "Yep, certainly involve her in our get-togethers more. She needs to get out more. Hey, maybe even on some of our more 'interesting trips. D'cha think?" She added with a smile.

Rainbow smiled. "Oh yeah, this is gonna be awesome. She's gonna love going on all our adventures."

Applejack nodded determinedly. "We certainly ain’t gonna take no for an answer!"

Granny Smith sat back and smiled.

* * *

Sunbeam sat in the living room, waiting for Rainbow Dash and the others to finish drying up after being shooed out of the kitchen by Applejack. Guests didn't have to help.

Rainbow did though, as she was viewed as pretty much part of the family these days. And much to her chagrin, she got included in the roll call of chores as a result.

Granny Smith would have kept Sunbeam company, but had gone to sleep in a chair, and Big Mac had a few chores to do outside. So Sunbeam just sat there looking around the room before walking over to a table filled with pictures of ponies she guessed were all part of the Apple family.

Seating herself down, she studied all the photos that covered the table. ‘So many. And they all look so happy. One big family. One big, happy, family. Huh, I wonder what it’s...’

"Excuse me, Miss Sunbeam..."

Sunbeam jumped. Her hoof flying to her chest as she grasped for an absent hilt.

Applebloom looked up at her. “Sorry Miss Sunbeam didn’t mean to make you jump. I just wanted to ask you a question.”

The hoof slid down to over the centre of her chest, having not found anything to grab. Sunbeam could feel her heart thumping under the hoof. “Holy… Try not to creep up on me like that kid.”

‘It could be bad. No, It would be… Oh don’t look at me like that. Seriously don’t. Oh buck, you could weaponize those eyes.’

Sunbeam looked away as she got her breathing back under control. “It’s okay Applebloom. It’s okay you just took me by surprise. You can stop looking at me like that… please. Right, a question, okay ask away. Just as long as it’s not the one about where foals come..." Sunbeam snapped her jaw shut with a click. Applejack and Rainbow were putting the last of the plates away in the kitchen and could hear her. “Umm, Okay… What was it? The question that is.”

"What's your cutie mark mean?" Applebloom studied Sunbeam’s twin hoof symbol on her flank.

Sunbeam noted that both Applejack and Rainbow now had an ear pointed at her as they finished up.

"Well, I’m quite knowledgeable about the anatomy of ponies, and several other different species; I know just how much torque muscles, joints, and ligaments can, and will, take. Not to mention my talent makes me extremely adept at finding those…” She rolled her shoulders. “Sensitive spots.”

She smiled down at Applebloom.

“My cutie mark is in massage. I'm a masseuse."

Chapter 10 - Job Hunting - Redone

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Chapter 10 - Job Hunting - Redone

Sunbeam lay spread eagle on her bed staring up at the ceiling, it was still early morning but already the heat was slowly cooking her bedroom.

She lay on top of the bed without the sheets. After they’d started sticking to her during the night, she’d magically gathered them up in a ball and thrown them violently at the wall opposite.

With effort, she brought a hoof up to her eyes to look at it. The fur was flattened against the leg with sweat. With a grunt she let it fall back out to the side where it bounced several times on the bed.

After a minute she brought both hooves up and pressed them against her temples.

“Ugh. My head feels like it’s in a bucking vice. Annnd this is why I’ve stayed away from hot climates all this time. I bucking hate the heat!”

Turning her head to the side, she glared at the curtains. The top, where the curtains didn’t quite meet, was letting a shaft of light through. As she watched, she swore she could see the beam of light getting brighter.

Sunbeam threw all four of her legs out in frustration. “Arrgh! Okay I give in you celestial bitch, I’ll waste a little magic. I’m not gonna be ambushed...” Lifting her head, she glanced around her room quickly. “...It’s unlikely that I’m gonna be ambushed in my own bedroom. I don’t have to keep it all in reserve. Ahhh buck it!”

Her horn started glowing and the room temperature slowly began to fall.

After twenty minutes she powered down her horn and relaxed in the cooler temperatures.

Ten minutes later, the room had lost its pleasing coolness but wasn’t hot yet.

Another ten minutes passed and Sunbeam groaned. “No, I’m not using up any more magic. Besides, if I go any colder I may start damaging stuff… like structural support walls. I can handle a little heat.”

Fifteen minutes later the room was starting to cook again. Sunbeam threw both her fore-legs over her eyes and whimpered.

* * *

Still damp from the long, tepid shower, Sunbeam stood in the hallway, absently straightening the picture the CMC had given her. She stared at her front door like it was the doorway to Tartarus.

“I’m a cold weather pony. I don’t want to go out there. It’s too hot… Oh buck, let’s do this you stupid mare. Move your flank! It’s just a little heat.”

Opening the door the blast of heat made her take a step backwards. “Holy horseapples!”

It was still mid-morning but there was already a heat-haze out there. With not a cloud in the sky, it promised only to get warmer.

Sunbeam stared out the door. “Maybe do this later, when I’m not gonna melt…” Slamming a hoof down, she shook her head. “Nope, can’t put it off any longer. Let go do this, let's get a job at the spa.” She smiled. “Let's go be a productive member of society. In a hopefully air-conditioned building.”

* * *

Sitting outside the spa, Sunbeam stared blankly ahead, a look of shock on her face. Pinkie was sat beside her, a hoof round her neck.

'"They didn't want me." Sunbeam repeated for the fourth time.

Pinkie just nodded.

Sunbeam was in too much of a state of shock to question how Pinkie had just turned up next to her, or even that she was sitting in the hated ‘direct sunlight’.

She turned to look at Pinkie. "It was part of the plan Pinkie. Get to Ponyville, get a place, get a job and be a normal pony. Fade into the background and fade away being normal. It was all going to be okay once I reached Ponyville."

Pinkie just nodded again.

She sank her face into her hooves. "I get here and what do I happens…? Timberwolves trying to tear me a new one; muggers trying to tempt me to bad old habits and now I find the job I was supposed to get I’m not good enough at!” She pointed a hoof at Pinkie. “Me! ‘Not gentle enough.’ I can be sweet and gentle Pinkie… with a run up, but I can.” She threw a hoof out in a wide arc. “And let’s not forget to mention the bucking icing on the cake; I find out after I get here, that Ponyville is the residence of the bucking Elemuuungh..."

Biting off the last word, she glanced guiltily at Pinkie, hoping that the Element Bearer sat next her didn’t catch on.

Sunbeam frowned. ‘Actually, now I think about it, how did Pinkie suddenly turn up? I don’t remember...”

Pinkie hugged her, derailing her train of thought.

“Muggers? Did somepony try to mug you Sunbeam?” Pinkie rubbed her chin. “Mind you I thought I felt two ponies suddenly disappear from Ponyville. Almost as if...”

Sunbeam rolled her eyes as she cut in. “I didn’t hurt them before you go there. I merely expressed the opinion that leaving town would be beneficial… for their continued good health.”

Pinkie nodded. “I had planned to go see those two meanie-pants soon anyway.” Pinkie smiled sadly at her. "So, what did you expect from Ponyville?"

Sunbeam opened her mouth… then closed it as she thought about this. She slumped forward and sighed.

"I don't know. Ponyville was always just a place to get to. Somewhere concentrate on getting to. A beacon of hope. ‘It'll be all 'sunshine and ladybugs' once I get there kinda thing.” She paused for a minute to gather her thoughts. "It was something to make me take that next step when all I wanted to do was lay down and…”

Sunbeam looked away suddenly. “Anyway, it was all about the getting here, everything would be okay once I got here.” She let her head fall with a derisive snort. “I suppose if I’d actually thought about it I might have, you know…” She made a vague motion with a hoof. “...Had an actual plan for once I actually got here." She sank her face into her hooves. “Now I’m here… I don’t know what to do. Nothing is going as I thought it would.”

Pinkie hugged Sunbeam again. "Ponyville is a nice place Sunbeam, but no-where is perfect in reality. And that’s why I don’t like reality.” Pinkie smiled as Sunbeam snorted in amusement this time. “Anyway, that just means you have so many possibilities to choose from now." Pinkie smiled and nudged her. “Why limit yourself to just one?”

Sunbeam looked up in surprise. “I suppose I do. I was only focused on being a masseur. I could consider doing something else.”

Sunbeam rubbed her chin in thought. ‘Now I think about it, would I have even enjoyed being around ponies all day, having to make pleasant small talk. Saying the same horseapples day-in, day-out. Let’s be honest here, I’m not -really- what you’d call a ponies pony. How long before I snapped…’

Sunbeam swallowed. “I suppose I could look for something else to do.”

Pinkie smiled. “That’s the spirit. Just look inside yourself and I’m sure something will come up.”

Sunbeam shivered. ‘Oh buck no! No way in am I looking into that Tartarus-hole. Not sober anyway. Besides, the only thing that comes to mind…”

Looking down, Pinkie missed Sunbeam’s expression flicker from ‘pained’ to ‘burning hatred’.

‘Singing was her dream. A silly foal’s dream. I’m not her, she died at his hooves a long time… -Shut up-!’

Sunbeam battled to bring her face back to neutral before looking back up. Her voice held only a trace of a tremor as she looked at Pinkie. "Does Ponyville have a bar? I really need a drink right now."

Pinkie pointed down the street. "Well, there is the 'The Swift'. It's Ponyville’s only bar."

"Well, come on then. Let's go to 'The Swift', me and you. I'm buying."

Pinkie opened her mouth, Sunbeam leaned in before she could speak. “Please Pinkie, it’s been a long time since I’ve even felt the need to buy somepony a drink. Let me do this, let me be a nice, normal pony today.”

* * *

Sunbeam put her glass of beer back down onto the bar with a thud.

"This beer is warm!"

The barkeeper shrugged. "It's a hot day. We got nothing to chill the beer with until we get more ice from Canterlot. Some very expensive, magical ice... all the way from Canterlot. From the only supplier of ice in Equestria I might add." He tilted his head at her. “And for some reason, there's a big demand for ice on hot days. Go figure.”

As he turned away Sunbeam made a rude gesture behind his back. She looked around the bar. It dark and humid and her beer was warm.

‘This is not what I want! I want a cold beer dammit!’ Her ears fell to the sides. ‘And this horseapple-hole is Ponyville’s only bar. Well, If they can’t chill it, I certainly can.’

"Pinkie, put your glass next to mine."

With a questioning look, Pinkie did so.

Sunbeam lowered her head and a white glow appeared around her horn.

‘Careful, concentrate. Just enough to chill… You don’t want to freeze it solid.’

She touched the side of Pinkie's glass for a second causing a frost pattern to form on the glass before pulling away. She repeated the action on her own glass.

She levitated up her glass and took a swig. “Ahhh, cold beer.” Sunbeam he could feel the cold liquid going down her throat.

Pinkie took a swig and started bouncing. "Oh Sunny, didn't know you could do that, how cool."

Sunbeam facehooved at the pun, then lifted her head to look at Pinkie.

“Sunny?”

Pinkie just smiled at her.

After a second, Sunbeam rolled her eyes and resigned herself to the nickname.

‘Been called worse. Much worse. Most times by ponies wanting to introduce my internal organs to the open air.’

She looked around. ‘Still too humid in here. Now if only I could cool the air as well without having to actively use my magic all the time. That would be nice.’

She took a few more gulps of her beer as she thought about this.

She raised her glass again, only to find it empty.

“What? I demand a recount.” She tapped her hoof on the bar as watched the bartender fill a bucket with foam as they changed a barrel.

She lifted her head as a memory stirred. 'This serves to keep the heat at bay during the vexing heat of the day and help me sleep at other times.' Sunbeam smiled. “Zecora, you’re bucking genius. I can freeze some ice in buckets and forget about it as that chills the room.”

She rolled her shoulders. ’And the fact I didn’t think of it myself we’ll just gloss right over. Okay, drastic times calls for drastic measures. I’m going to have to draw some attention to myself.’ She took a deep breath in.

"Barkeep! Another of your finest warm beers... and several buckets of water. I have a proposal for you."

* * *

In the stifling heat, Rainbow flew towards the library, the air flowing over her helping keep her cool.

‘Okay Spike is back today, and probably going through a huge list of things Twilight wants done before the library opens again. Lets hope that three days is enough time for -that- list.’ Rainbow shook her head. ‘Poor little dude, having to do that in this heat.’ She smiled. ‘Being the Element of Loyalty like I am, lets go see if I can give him a hoof. And while I’m there, I can also see if I can get my hooves on the latest 'Daring' book before anypony else. Which is totally -not- the main reason I’m doing this. No siree.’

Rainbow flew lazily towards the library. ‘Lets see, Twi said she would be back the day after the library opened. At twelve thirty-seven approximately...’ Rainbow rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, Twi, ‘approximately’ So until then, Spike is 'acting librarian. Ha, the little dude is gonna be so proud.’

Rainbow started gliding downwards.

‘Anyway, the party for that night is just for us. Twi made it sound like she was fed up with all the huge, stuffy ones up in Canterlot. Well, her first one back is gonna be just us girls. The one the following day is the one with -all- of Ponyville, now that -is- gonna be a riot. Twi is probably gonna want to meet Sunbeam as well at that one.” She grimaced as looked around. ‘Provided we haven’t all passed out from the heat first.’

Rainbow glared up at the cloudless sky. ‘Oh yeah, that, the weather team is gonna catch so much horseapples over this. All the clouds they had on back order being diverted to Canterlot at the last minute means we have none in reserve now. Shouldn’t have let it get so low in the first place. And with this heat continuing for a while yet, it’s only gonna get worse.’

As she flew towards the library she noticed a crowd outside ‘The Swift’

“Odd, not many ponies normally go in there. Okay, let's see what’s up.” As she got lower she could see a hastily written banner hung outside.

'COOL AIR, COLD BEER'

Rainbow grinned. 'Good enough for me.'

Landing, Rainbow squeezed through the crowd and into the bar.

The cool air caressed her. “Oh sweet Celestia! That’s good.” Stretching out her wings, she spread her feathers as wide as possible, letting the cool air in between them. Completely unmindful of the ponies around her

“Oh sweeeeet!”

After several ‘unintentional’ knocks from other ponies into her wings, she brought her wings back in again with a scowl.

Looking around the crowded bar, she saw a group in the middle chanting, 'lower, lower.' She also noted several buckets of ice placed around the bar and somehow, somepony had placed a freestanding bathtub full of frozen water in the centre of the bar.

Squeezing through the group, she found Sunbeam and Pinkie. There was a clear space around Sunbeam of several body lengths as she had her head down, her horn touching a complicated looking thermometer set on a wooden stand. Pinkie was stood next to the stand, reading off the numbers from a distance. Taking a step forward into the clear zone, she immediately regretted it. The drop in temperature was enough that even her Pegasus resistance to the cold found it hard to cope with. Another pegasus pulled her back in and shook her head. Looking around, Rainbow noticed several unicorns around the circle had their horns glowing, obviously keeping the cold in check.

"One thirty, one thirty-one. One thirty-two…” Pinkie read off

The crowd continued to chant.

"One thirty-six, One thirty-six and a half. Oh, she’s slowing down! One thirty-seven. Will she make it to one-forty?”

Puzzled, Rainbow tilted her head but stayed put.

"One thirty-nine and a quarter... a half, three-quarters..."

There was a pause.

"One forty! Minus one-forty degrees C!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. Rainbow noted some bits changing hooves.

Sunbeam sat down, lifting her head away from the thermometer and powering down her horn. Despite the cool air, she was coated in sweat but also wearing a big smile on her face.

Sunbeam levitated over a glass of beer that a pony had been holding. She drained half of it one go before noticing Rainbow. Lifting a hoof she waved at her as she brought the beer up against and frowned. She turned the beer glass upside down. The frozen beer stayed in the glass.

"More beer! Anyway, hiya Rainbow. How's my favourite guard today?"

Looked around, the unicorns had stopped whatever they were doing. Rainbow took a half step forward towards Sunbeam, it was cold but not like before. She could feel the air rapidly warming back up now.

"Hiya Sunbeam.” She gestured around her. “What's this all about?"

Sunbeam tilted her head and gave Rainbow the puzzled smile of the slightly inebriated.

Before she could answer though, Pinkie leaned in. "She's a frost talent! Our Sunny is an ice caster! Look, she's cooled all the kegs of beer and managed to chill the room. Everypony in here is happy and having fun!"

Pinkie bounced on the spot for a bit, then leaned in toward Rainbow. "I also think she's a little drunk, even more than at her welcome party. But look at her, she's happy!"

Rainbow nodded. A tiny bit of her wonderbolt guard training reluctantly came to the fore.

“Perhaps a pony that can freeze things to those temperatures shouldn’t be getting too drunk. Perhaps she...”

Pinkie stuck her hoof in Rainbow’s mouth. "She’s happy!"

The look that followed that would have done Fluttershy proud.

Rainbow closed her mouth... once Pinkie had removed her hoof.

* * *

Quick Service looked at today's takings.

“Never made so much in one day before. Perhaps ‘The Swift’ can be saved.”

He scowled as he looked in the direction ‘he thought’ Canterlot lay. ‘Those high-and-mighty unicorns up at Canterlot, charging a wing and a foreleg for a single block of ice.’ He smiled. ‘Well, Pinkie’s little friend is gonna put an end to their little monopoly on that… and that’s gonna upset them no end. I just hope that Pinkie remembers to speak to her. When she’s sobered up that is. Oh yes, the job of: 'Bar ambiance and liquid refreshments temperature control pony’ is sooo hers.’

His smile grew. ‘And with ‘The Swift' being the -only- place in town with both cool air and cold drinks... Oh yeah, that mare is going to bring me in so many bits it’s gonna be unreal.’ The smile dropped. ‘In a couple of days anyway. Apparently, Pinkie has plans for her. And no way in Tartarus am I getting in the way of any Pinkie Pie’s 'Super-Duper Plans'.’ He shivered. ‘That kinda trouble simply ain’t worth it!’

Quick Service tapped his chin. “When her friend takes the job, I wonder if could persuade her to wear the uniform. It should make that stunning white back of hers really stand out in a crowd. Ahem, among other things, I mean, what mare doesn’t want to stand out in a crowd?”

Chapter 11 - A Campfire Story

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Chapter 11 - A Campfire Story - Redone

Sunbeam looked morosely at the campfire.

“Goodie, camping. Like I’ve never done this before. I mean, why would I want the perfectly good soft bed at home when I can lay on the cold, hard ground. Why on earth would I want to be close to the kitchen with all its chilled beer, the bathroom with its hot water and flushing…”

Applejack playfully slapped her shoulder. “Aww, quit your moping.”

Sunbeam turned to Applejack. “Okay, what I don’t understand is: how did Pinkie get in? I’m sure I locked the door as I much prefer dealing with my hangovers in private.”

“Partner, some things are best left unknown.”

“Yeah, well there I was, on the couch and totally not whimpering in pain when Pinkie waltzes in and tells me she had a 'Super-duper' plan and that I was invited. For invited read: I was coming no matter what. And at that point, I was in no condition to run or hide. Heck, I think it would have taken me several attempts just to find the floor. Now if I’d had a few more hours I might have...”

Rainbow shook her head. “It wouldn’t have worked. Running or hiding from Pinkie doesn’t work. Trust me on this.”

Sunbeam looked up at Rainbow with surprise. After several seconds, Sunbeam rubbed her eyes. “For the record, I find that statement incredibly unsettling. Anyway, here I am, out camping, away from all things soft and fluffy. Still, I’m not alone and as they say: misery loves company...”

* * *

Rarity sighed. “But Pinkie dear, I'm far too busy to take time out for a camping trip. I want to help Sunbeam, of course I do. Some bonding would help her open up but... Please don't look at me like that Pinkie, Pinkie! Please don't... I'm not looking Pinkie. I'm not looking. Gah! Stop that Pinkie. Okay! Okay! I'll go! I'll go... Now if you don't mind, I've got to cram several days worth of fashion into one now.”

Pinkie smiled. “Now to get Rainbow and Applejack.”

Rarity watched her bounce out the door and shook her head. “Poor dears… they haven’t got a chance have they?”

* * *

The campsite was quite close due Sunbeam's still-healing injuries. She hardly limped now, so it wasn't too bad. but she had outright refused to ride in the wagon pulled by one of the others.

Sitting on the log next to the fire, she watched the Cutie Mark Crusaders attempt to put up a tent.

Sunbeam winced every time one picked up the mallet.

‘Those poor tent pegs, I don’t think they’ve done anything to deserve to be treated like that.’

Sunbeam looked up at the rapidly-darkening sky as the sun set.

‘At least I have a job proposal to go back to now. I can try it out, see what working at ‘The Swift’ is like. Plus, it isn’t too far from my house.’

She looked back at the ‘tent’ that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were standing proudly next to.

Sunbeam’s train of thought de-railed. “Uh… How?"

Rainbow put a hoof around her neck. “Don’t worry, we packed an extra tent.”

* * *

“Come on Sunbeam, you must be able to think of some scary or creepy campfire story.” Applejack sighed. “It’s kinda traditional before turning in.”

Sunbeam sipped her coffee. “Well apparently ‘The Slendermare’ is old, ‘The Headless Horsemare’ isn’t scary, ‘The Rusty Horseshoe’ story...'

“Is boring.” Scootaloo chimed in. The other crusaders nodded.

Rainbow smirked at her. “Come on Sunbeam, surely you can think of a story that could keep us awake tonight.”

Sunbeam wracked her head for something to tell, something that fit for young fillies ears anyway.

‘Okay, I think I can write off most of the stories from Silver’s Mercenaries. And the whole Zebra shaman thing is -never- being told...’

Her eyes narrowed, a tiny smile on her face, as an idea popped into her head. “Okay then, I think I’ve got a story.”

Sunbeam took a breath in. “Right, first off, the backstory. This is a story told to me by ponies. Many, many times over I might add, so other ponies would learn from it.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Like we haven’t that opening before.”

Rarity hugged her shawl over her. “Do give the poor dear a chance Rainbow.”

Sunbeam gave a nod towards Rarity. “Thank you Rarity. Right, this all starts a little over a thousand years ago, in a country very much like Equestria. This was because they modeled it on Equestria. They had two princesses, a Day and a Night Princess. They even ended up fighting like our Princesses.”

“Now these dual rulers were kind, fair, wise, the whole nine yards kinda thing. By all accounts, the whole place was pretty much a paradise.”

Sunbeam smiled. “‘Pretty much… Now you see there was the problem. Ponies being ponies, there was still crime and corruption. This was where the two princesses didn't quite see eye to eye. The Night Princess was of the opinion that it was part of pony nature and best to just try and keep a lid on it as much as possible. However, the Day Princess was of the opinion that 'her little ponies' were better than that. That not only could it be stopped, it should be stopped. Totally.”

“Now after one particularly bad event, which was never really recorded, the Day Princess decided no more.” Sunbeam looked upwards. “She decided to remove to flaws of paradise, without telling the Night Princess…. And thus the seeds were sown for the fall of paradise.”

Sunbeam’s eye’s glazed over, her voice becoming dull as she repeated the words on rote. “The Day Princess decided to set up an organization, a glorious organization to bring about peace and harmony to all her ponies. An organization to remove the last flaws from paradise. These gallant ponies were to be her 'sharp edge' on the war on crime.” Sunbeam rolled her eyes as she made circular motions in front of her with a hoof. “Yadda, yadda, yadda…”

“Quietly she recruited the best she could find from all fields and gave them guidelines to operate under. A slightly relaxed version of the rules the normal guard operated under. But still a straight-jacket to what they eventually decided was needed.”

“So with all this talent, they made many breakthroughs and advances. It is rumoured…” She glanced around at the assembled ponies with a half smile. “...That they even made a set of powerful amulets that allowed the six users to wield enormous power. Those six ponies would be able to act as judge and jury. No one pony making a decision on guilt or punishment, but rather it would be a subconscious consensus deciding guilt and punishment. It was a travelling court that could dispense justice in seconds. But this still wasn’t enough. As the organization toiled away under the constraints of the law, they seemed to make little headway. For every gain there seemed to be a loss. For every criminal caught, another sprung up.”

Sunbeam winked at them. “Ponies can be awfully stubborn at times can’t they?.”

“Anyway, there was an incident. An incident which set the organization on the path to…” Sunbeam winced. “...Glory. Short version, the brother of the head of the organization was killed in a revenge attack. Now the head of the organization did what a normal pony would do under those circumstances. Their best operatives found those responsible and killed them. No court, no judge, no waste of time or materials.” Sunbeam looked away, her voice holding just a trace of bitterness. “And thus they set the tone for future generations.”

Sunbeam rolled her shoulders. “Now here was where the head of the organization failed in his willpower. He became more and more distraught at his actions at the days went by. However bold ponies...” She made small circular motions by the side of her head with a hoof. “Yeah… bold ponies… In the organization noted that the crime rate had fallen dramatically in the aftermath. They realized they had frightened the flawed criminals of the land. Now these ponies saw their leader faltering. To stop him undoing the good he had done they decided to act before he went to the Princesses and confessed his actions.”

“He was retired.” She smiled evilly. “And not in the dictionary meaning of the way.”

Sunbeam paused and sighed, the dull, reciting tone returning. “These bold ponies took power in the organization and threw off that straightjacket of rules and laws. While still answerable to the Day Princess in theory, they tailored their reports to make acceptable reading to the Princess to conceal their true actions from her.” Sunbeam yawned. “Apparently it was a glorious time. The flawed ponies in paradise were being retired and soon organized crime would be a thing of the ugly past, not of the glorious future.”

Sunbeam stuck her tongue out.

“Paradise was complete... almost. While organized crime was gone, crimes of opportunity and passion still occurred. Now this troubled these great…” Sunbeam pantomimed sticking her hoof down her throat. “...Ponies, for it meant a flaw still existed in paradise.”

Sunbeam rolled her shoulders again. “So they turned all their efforts to a way to counter this. To make ponies worthy of the Tartarus…. sorry, paradise, that the organization was striving for.”

“Success, one of their best and brightest found a way to predict such events, with a ninety percent accuracy rate. Unfortunately how this was done was lost in the purges, a loss that all ponykind should lament. Yeah, that would have worked great at Las Pegasus.” Sunbeam blinked. “Excuse me. But now their operatives could go and remove these ponies before they became flawed. The ten percent error was deemed an acceptable cost for paradise.”

Sunbeam’s voice turned back to bored. “So wonderful, glorious, boring paradise existed. Yay... There was no crime as ponies hurried from one point to another as quickly as possible. Most stayed inside, refusing to go out unless absolutely necessary, further reducing the chance for them to become flawed. Yay… Wonderful crime-free paradise. Did I mention Yay?”

A smile flicked on her face. “But this was only for a brief moment. A new event was predicted, many months away, a horrible, terrible event. Paradise was to be lost, sending them all into a… “ Sunbeam adopted a high Trottingham accent as she placed a hoof on her chest. “...Frightful panic.”

“They looked for the catalyst, the reason for this horrific loss. They expended many, many resources until they found it... The Night Princess herself would be the catalyst.” Sunbeam flashed an evil grin again. “Oopsie.”

“Now the Night Princess was the sister to the Day Princess so any action taken against her would have repercussions. Well duh! What troubled them most was that if a Princess was flawed, could not everypony be flawed? The princesses were supposed to be perfection, any other view was close to heresy in their books. So they thought about this, they examined it, and finally a breakthrough in self-denial was achieved. They reasoned that the Princess herself couldn’t be flawed, it was an outside influence acting upon her that would make her flawed.” Sunbeam shrugged. “Don’t ask me how that’s any different, I’m just repeating it. Doesn’t make any sense to me either.”

“But try as they might they couldn’t discover this source and what with time rushing towards the fall, they had to make a decision. A decision that would have left lesser ponies mad with despair.”

Sunbeam smiled again. “And very bad decision it turns out.”

“They would retire the Night Princess! Now this decision was not taken lightly. Apparently, it even caused a brief conflict in the organization itself, but after honorably retiring the objecting members, the organization was now pure and ready to act.”

“They selected thirty of their best and trained them day and night. All their resources were diverted into making powerful amulets which enabled the users to operate by themselves. Each one a powerful tool for paradise. Each one with the power close to that of an Alicorn. This came at a cost however; being able to use such an amulet indepently would have terrible consequences for the user.

Sunbeam rubbed under her chin. “You see, the six amulets previously constructed could only be used together as a safety function. They allowed each bearer to draw a safe fraction of the magic needed through each of them, with the flow combining to becoming more than the sum of its parts. Whereas a single user would have to draw all the power needed through themselves at sustained alicorn levels. Now a pony's body isn’t supposed to channel that much magic in one go and will burn out if the user tries to use too much. Like fighting a Princess for example. But those insane… I mean brave ponies, accepted this as a just cost for paradise. Such was their... devotion, shall we say.”

“The night came and those ponies marched off to glory, to secure paradise.”

Sunbeam took a sip of her coffee.

“No pony knows what went wrong. The records do show that it all kicked-off before it was meant to though. The Day Princess joined in, fighting beside her sister. Now that really didn’t help the plan. While the Night Princess herself was grievously injured in the course of the battle, she lived. Thus cursing paradise to its terrible fate of being able to make its own decisions.”

“So, the dust settled and all those brave, suicidal ponies were all dead. But… they had made sure that they carried nothing that would link them to the organization just in case this happened. So in the many investigations that followed, some carried out by the organization itself, nopony found anything to identify who was to blame.”

“The Night Princess became, justifiably, paranoid at this. Thinking things were being hidden from her, she became distrustful of her sister and began seeing plots against her everywhere.”

“It was during this time that the Night Princess started infiltrating dreams, looking for those plots.” Sunbeam shivered and looked around briefly before continuing. “The organization was aware she could do this and had taken steps to keep her out of their dreams. But when the Night Princess flies into your room one night and makes physical contact with you as you sleep… no drug is gonna stop that. She’d grown distrustful of the lead investigator, who was in the pay of the organization and by making physical contact she was able to break through every defense he had and see directly into his mind. The organization and all it’s actions lay exposed to her. The Night Princess decided to act. Oh yeah, the lead investigator was found dead the next morning, his face twisted in terrible fear.”

“The very next day, the Night Princess and almost all of her guard stormed the main buildings of the organization. No pony inside was spared. They fought with valor, from the lowest of cleaners to the highest of council members. They fought shoulder-to-shoulder.”Sunbeam’s voice filled with gleeful malice. “And shoulder-to-shoulder they were mercilessly slaughtered.”

“It was all over by the time the Day Princess arrived with her guard. She confronted the Night Princess over what she had done, but by now the madness had hold of the Night Princess. She accused the Day Princess of forming this organization, the very organization that had tried to kill her. The Day Princess refuted knowledge of the plot to kill her, but wasn’t able to counter the fact she had formed the organization. She begged her sister, killing her was not what the organisation had been meant for. Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Enraged by her sister's betrayal in her eyes, the Night Princess turned on the Day Princess.”

“In all the books I’ve read about it, what happened next was called: ‘the fall of paradise.”

Sunbeam took another sip of coffee.

“And from what I understand, that’s a polite way of saying: ‘major property damage over a very large area’. Anyway, bloody and bruised, the Day Princess stood victorious. But she had been…” Sunbeam air-quoted with her fore-hooves. “Infected by her sister's madness. Or, it could be argued, that she was just a little upset with the organization.”

“She turned on the remains of the organization that had been hers.” Sunbeam adopted a faux shocked expression. “Apparently, she blamed the organization for corrupting her sister, can you imagine that?”

Sunbeam’s smile faltered. “Thus the purges began. Anypony connected to the organization disappeared. Nopony knows what happened to them, but the rumors…” Sunbeam swallowed. “Don’t let the Day Princess take you alive’ was the chant.” Sunbeam’s eyes glazed over as she stated into the distance. “And still is, ‘whatever you do, don’t let her take you alive... Best to retire yourself before letting her take you… Don’t let the Day Princess take you alive...”

Sunbeam shook her head and plastered on a smile.

“Now you may be thinking this means it was all over for them, but the organization persisted. Even before the operation to retire the Night Princess went into action, they knew there would be consequences. So in foresight, a group was dispatched to another land, to await the message it was safe to return. That message never came.”

“So, they began rebuilding. Rebuilding without the errors and flaws of the past, or the Princesses. To build and bring about paradise...” Sunbeam waved a hoof in a bored fashion. “Etcetera, etcetera… you get the picture.”

“However, they soon encountered their first major problem. Sunbeam looked down. “They needed new recruits. But in these new lands, all that surrounded them were simple villages and even simpler, vastly flawed, ponies. They would have to mold the new recruits from as early as possible to stop those flaws from forming.”

“So they sent out operatives in secret. Going from village to village, searching for potential recruits. Trying to spot recruits as young as possible, before flaws had a chance to set in. These operatives selected foals based on their talents. Sometimes they were sent out with specific lists to look for, but they are always on the look out for powerful or unusual talents. These rare ponies were always selected.”

Sunbeam kept looking down, her hoof twisting into the ground. “Always selected. So once an operative had spotted a... potential recruit, they would enter the household at night and would take these recruits to their…” Sunbeam spat the word out. “...Glorious... future in the organization. And just to be nasty… and just so that the rest of the household might know the glorious fate that awaited their offspring, they would leave a hand carved gift in the shape of a snake. The animal the organization had adopted as its emblem.”

Sunbeam hoof kept twisting itself into the ground. “I’m sure everypony considers that a fair trade, right?.”

Taking a breath, she looked up. “Now these new recruits, while still young, had been brought up in a flawed environment, so flaws were still present. Most notably being blind to the future being offered them. Some would try and escape. This was deemed to be down to the pull of old blood ties. So it was decided that new blood ties would need to be formed. The 'Rite of Passage' was introduced to rectify this and to help the new recruits bond to the Clan.”

“Before 'The Rite' they are treated like the flawed ponies they are, with harsh punishments handed down. They are, however, given full knowledge of what 'The Rite' entails and what lays beyond it to help entice them forward. Full membership of the clan awaits them. Once deemed ready…” Sunbeam let out a bitter snort. “Yeah, ready... they are sent out to retire a specific target.”

Sunbeam tailed off. Lifting a hoof, she examining it intently, unconsciously wiping it on her chest several times before putting it back down.

“Those that fail are viewed as an unnecessary drain on resources, they become little more than slaves. But if you pass…”

There was nothing but the sound of the fire as Sunbeam stared into it.

Her voice cracked. “You’re supposed… to be treated better. Supposed to be given luxuries, better quartets, better food. Supposed to be treated with kindness, as befits a full member of the Clan. They are supposed to welcome you into the Clan with open forelegs. Not fly into a fit of rage and...”

She shook her head and took several deep breaths before carrying on.

“But some still try to leave though, even after the rite. The sudden freedom goes to their heads. They leave to try to return to their old families. It never works out though, they can no longer fit in with their old blood ties, not after everything they've done. Sure, everypony tries, but the knowledge of what they've had to do gnaws through at any trust. Fear grows. Fear of reprisals against any village helping them as well doesn’t help. Often the villagers will just drive out those that have returned. They are not the same ponies anymore. Plus they don’t want the reprisals.”

“Some ‘retire’ themselves at this point.”

“Most return to the clan. Now fully aware that their old blood ties, their old families, no longer want them anymore.” Sunbeam looked up. “And they are the worst. They return only because the clan is now the only family they have left. The only ponies that will accept them for what they are, what they have done. They are the most... unquestioning... in following orders. They become the true monsters. Willing to follow any order of the clan. You can look into their eyes and you can seen nothing. Ponies you thought you knew are dead on the inside, friends, roommates, your own brother…”

Sunbeam took a breath in. “You’d expect the clan to treat them harshly when they return. No, it’s much worse. They treat them as long lost members of the family. It is a day of celebration, of rejoicing. They become truly lost at that point as they are accepted back into the fold.”

She looked up with a smile. “Okay, here is where the all backstory stops and it started getting interesting. Against all that, there is one who escaped... Okay, I admit just walking out the front door of the infirmary, when she was supposed to be out cold, may be stretching the term a little, but she did escape. They had taught her stealth, infiltration, concealment. To an unusual level it turns out as they had a specific purpose for her.” Sunbeam looked away for a second. “Guess they should have thought about that a bit more before they had to start looking for her.”

Sunbeam looked back. “So, she escaped…” She tapped the side of her head meaningfully. “...But not exactly unscathed.”

“Now while the Clan does try to find everypony who leaves, dead or alive, most ponies are only gone for a month, two at most. Five years is an unfathomable amount of time to them. They search for her greatly because of that. Not to retire her, but to guide her back to the fold. They view her as ill, an illness that needs to be cured with kindness and generosity. But she knows the real reason why ponies in command are so desperate to get her back, even if most looking for her don’t.”

“So time passes. This mare knows she can’t go back to her village and is starting to find herself in need of a few little luxuries in her life: food, water, shelter... those kinda superfluous things. So after a few false starts, the mare ends up joining a mercenary band.”

Sunbeam smiled. “She’d been trained to sneak around and the mercenaries were all too eager to show her how to apply that skill on the battlefield. Of course, there's a name for ponies that go around, sneaking up on ponies with intent. And she got so very good at it. At range or up close, her name became feared on any battlefield. You could be miles away from the battlefield and suddenly the pony standing next to you falls dead, his or her head shattered. Or you could wake up in your tent one morning and find the pony you’d been sleeping next to all night, well, they they got a major problem in the throat area and they ain’t going to be waking up anytime soon.”

Sunbeam shook her head. “Funnily, ponies really don’t take well to that kinda thing. They much prefer some moron standing in front of them, swinging a blunt object. At least that way they can fight back. The enemy who you can’t see, who kills without ever giving you a chance to fight back... That seems to upset them for some reason.”

Sunbeam sighed. “It also starts so many rumors. Even amongst the ponies you're supposed to be working with. They don’t seem to like efficiency in that regard and it all ends up with you being feared by so many, friend and foe alike. You can even end up with a bounty on your horn.”

“Anyway, her tenure with the mercenary group was suddenly cut short when it managed to get itself wiped out. The details of which I won’t bother going into, suffice to say it wasn’t her finest hour. But she did survive, more out of luck it must be said. Afterwards, she earned a living making use of the skills she learned, skills that would always be in demand to the right pony. She still needed bits to live after all. Those skills got her one heck of a ‘pretty little bounty’ and an even bigger reputation. Ponies hated her… But were still willing to pay enormous amounts for her skills… Of course the Clan placing a quite large, unofficial, bounty on her didn’t help.”

Sunbeam stared into her coffee, her voice distant. “Wherever she went, ponies were after her.
She quickly ran out of places to run to, places to hide. Constantly on edge, just waiting for somepony to...”

Sunbeam finished her coffee. “One time, a bounty-hunter even caught up with her. But when it came down to it, she saw the bounty hunter before they saw her. Bad mistake. And having been chased for so long, being hunted, always on edge… she vented all her frustration on that unfortunate mare. She made it a warning to others.”

She looked around, there was look in her eye that made everypony uncomfortable.

“Don’t ask what she did. You really don’t want to know. Not even when she was with the mercenaries had she done anything quite like that before. But it was that night she realized just what the Clan… just what he… just what everything had done to her... Just how far she’d fallen...”

Sunbeam looked down into her almost-empty coffee mug.

Her tone was emotionless.

“She enjoyed it.”

Sunbeam lifted her mug and drained the dregs. Putting the mug down with a click, she looked into the fire.

‘It was just the frustration coming out that night. That’s all it was. A one-off event... A teeny-tiny little slip. It was -only- that one time after all, it’s not like it’s ever happened again. So it’s still possible to be normal. With a little effort, normal is still possible. It was -just- that one time… So, with some effort admittedly, normal is still doable.”

She felt her shoulders relax as she looked into the distance. A soft smile on her face. ‘Normal -is- still possible.’

A sincere smile grew on Sunbeam’s face. The others looked on in horror at it as her last words kept repeating in their minds. ‘She enjoyed it…’

Rarity pulled her shawl over her tighter; Pinkie sat with her mouth open, the popcorn falling out of her container while Applejack shivered and Rainbow wrapped her wings around herself.

Looking up, Sunbeam started when she saw the others all staring at her. She’d momentarily forgotten they were even still there.

She cleared her throat.

“Ahem… Uh… Anyway… It doesn’t show you know. She still looks like a normal pony. This mare, this cold blooded merciless killer, could be the pony you walk past her in the street. Could be the pony you’re stood next to in the shop. Could be the pony you’re making small talk to as you wait to buy some apples from the Apple Families stand.”

Sunbeam leaned forward towards the Crusaders. The campfire underlit Sunbeam’s face, casting odd, dancing shadows over her face as her eyes were cast into shadow.

“She could even be the pony seated across a campfire from you… A monster that looks like a pony... and you’d never know until it was all waaaayy too late.”

She gifted them with a smile of somepony enjoying a private joke.

The fire crackled loudly in the silence as Scootaloo, Applebloom and Sweetiebelle all shivered as a feeling they'd never truly encountered before, a cold, slimy feeling, crept up their spines.

Leaning back, Sunbeam suddenly clapped her forehooves together, making most jump, and in an ‘obnoxiously chipper’ tone she addressed all present.

“Sooo, I hope everypony enjoyed that little story... and I hope everypony sleeps really well tonight.”

Sunbeam tried not to smirk. “Speaking of which, which lucky pony is sharing a tent with me tonight? I really hope they don’t snore...”

Chapter 12 - Working On It

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Chapter 12 - Working On It

Sunbeam dropped her saddlebags on the floor and limped over to the couch. Both she and the couch groaned as she fell onto it.

Laying there, the incessant ache in her legs slowly became more demanding. ‘I need a nice relaxing bath, yeah, that’ll be nice. Pity about that job thingy to go to in an hour. No way I’d get out of a bath in time.’

‘Perhaps I should have taken up the offer of riding in the wagon. Ohh Tartarus my legs ache, please stop aching.’ She let out a sigh. ‘Sleep, sleep would be nice as well.’

Finding herself dozing off Sunbeam tried, and failed, to get up.

'Right, laying down was a mistake. C’mon, up an' at 'em, gotta go see whatshisname. You gotta wake up! Coffee... I hear you a callin’.’

She rolled over and placed a single hoof on the floor.

"Yay!"

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Sunbeam sat in Quick Service’s office, listening to him drone on about the job and the bar, mostly about the bar. The office itself was quite plain she noted, drab grey walls with an off-yellow carpet. How he’d got the huge ornate desk, all dark wood, and green velvet, into the cramped office she’d never know. It dominated the room and looked totally out of place in the colourless surroundings. As he continued to talk she tried to stifle her yawns behind a hoof.

'Start tonight? Well, didn’t expect him to be “that” anxious for me to start, wonderful...’ She rubbed her face with a hoof. ‘Okay. If you keep me marinated in coffee I might make it through. Right. I’m working behind the bar, check. Chilling the beer and bar area, already done. In fact, as soon as I walked in, you asked me to do those.'

‘Honestly, I’m beginning to think all you want me for is my horn.’ The thought causing a brief grin.

Quick Service, seemingly oblivious to Sunbeam’s now flagrant inattention, had moved onto the circumstances of how he had employed his brother’s services behind the bar.

'Oh c'mon! I don't need all these horseapples, just tell me how much I’ll get per hour. Please just let me get up and move about some. Look, I will just get up, crawl onto your desk and fall asleep if you carry on much longer. Gimme a coffee!'

She tried tensing and relaxing her leg muscles to get the blood pumping in a last ditch attempt to keep herself awake.

'Wake up! Wake up, you stupid mare... Wait, what's that he’s holding up?

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"And this will be your work uniform." Quick Service shifted uncomfortably. "It will encourage customers to come into the bar."

‘Certainly stallions.’ He thought.

"You will be able to use my office to change in, if so desired."

Quick Service relaxed a bit as he came back to more familiar territory.

"Now, I was thinking of starting you on four bits an hour and increasing to five bits after a trial period. Your duties, as I’ve said, will be temperature control of stock and the bar area. Also, you'll be expected to help out behind the bar and waitress in uniform and... and..."

Quick Service trailed off as he finally noticed Sunbeam's expression, her eyes were fixed on the uniform. ‘Oh, um, that’s not a good expression to be trapped in a room with.’

He lowered the uniform behind his desk, looking longingly at his office’s door. The door to his freedom. The door behind Sunbeam.

"Erm, let’s make that seven bits per hour, shall we? We’ll forget about the uniform and the trial period as well, I-I'm sure you'll be fine."

Sunbeam’s gaze flicked from the uniform to Quick Service. She had watched the uniform like it was some sort of venomous insect, one that she was unfortunately trapped in the same room with. Quick Service now received the same look.

Unfortunately, he was looking dejectedly at the uniform at that point, instead of at the glare that was now directed at him. The glare that was currently melting holes in the wall behind him. If he had seen it, he certainly wouldn't have made one last attempt to persuade Sunbeam to wear the uniform.

He looked up at her. "You sure? I mean It’ll make you really stand out..."

The silence that followed was profound.

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Bar Service looked at the new bartender who was currently sipping a levitated coffee like it was liquid bliss.

"You mean to say that my old skinflint of a brother offered you ten bits an hour, an hour's paid lunch and as much coffee as you want?"

She nodded, taking another sip of her coffee.

"Wow! How big was the stick you threatened him with?"

Placing a hoof on her chest, she put on a solemn expression "Honestly..." she stated, "after he finished, all I said was “want coffee!”. Oh, and I may have thrown a smile at him as well."

"A smile... A heinous crime." Bar Service replied with a chuckle.

"Many would think so."

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The brothers sat together in Quick Service’s office, the bar having closed an hour ago. The two earth ponies relaxed, sharing shots of expensive bourbon.

"Well, Quickie, how are tonight's takings?" Bar Service knew his brother hated his old college nickname, so made sure he used it at much as possible. What else were brothers for?

Quick Service scowled at his brother. Not being able to think of a comeback he, chose to ignore it and carry on.

"Good, very good. In fact, another couple of nights like this and we'll be in the black!"

Bar Service sat up at that. "T-That good? Sweet Celestia!"

"Sweet indeed. Once we factor in not having to pay those crooks up in Canterlot for ice, we can really cut down on overheads. In fact, they've already sent me a reminder that I'm overdue to reorder ice."

He smirked at that, knowing full well that they would be ‘upset’ if he didn't need to use their ice. Every bar used their ice, every successful bar anyway. He wondered how they would respond once they found out he was able to cool beer without needing them?

‘Not well. I’m going to be threatening their monopoly.’ He shrugged. ‘Meh! I’ll worry about it later, if and when it becomes a problem.’

Taking a deep breath, he guardedly looked around. "Erm, how did Sunbeam get on?"

Bar Service sat back thinking about the question. "Well, apart from her temperature control skills, which I am no position to comment on..." He took a breath. "Didn't take her too long to get the hang of pouring the beer without too much of head on it, she should only get faster as she gains experience. If anyone gets fancy and orders a cocktail she'll need to look it up, of course, but then again so would I."

He tapped his chin with a hoof. "A little slow on taking orders and getting orders to tables, but again, that should improve with experience. Not a big talker, good listener though." Bar Service cocked his head in thought. "If she flirts she should get some decent tips, but I don't think she's the type, which may hurt her in the pocket."

Bar Service looked at his brother. "I also note she wasn't wearing a certain piece of attire you've had in storage for ages. Honestly, you've been trying forever to get a mare in here to wear that damn thing. I take it she shot you down?"

Quick Service nodded. "In flames, dear brother. In flames. Oh, while I remember, she asked for tomorrow off, she wanted to go to the library as soon as it re-opened."

Bar Service shrugged. "Funny didn’t take her for the “go fawn over the new Princess” type."

"Neither would I. Anyway, I gave it to her. She can be... intimidating." Quick Service looked at the floor. "I think we can add “bouncer” to her list of attributes. I think Fluttershy must be giving lessons on “The Stare”."

Bar Service winced. He could remember the night Fluttershy had come in with some of her friends. The night where one of the regulars had hit on her. The night where a pony really should have taken “no” for an answer.

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The heat of the day still lingered, gently cooking the still air of the night.

Sunbeam’s bedroom was hot and stuffy; even laying on top of the sheets, she couldn’t sleep. In frustration, she flipped the cushion over with her teeth.

‘Well that’s bucking wonderful. I’ve been exhausted all day, and what happens when I finally get to bed? I can’t sleep. Mental note: must remember to go punch the entire weather team.’

She lay there, her mind wandering back to the bar. ‘My first honest day’s work. Shouldn’t I feel all nice, warm and tingly now?’ A half-smile formed at the thought. ‘Well, I’m warm anyway.’

‘Mind you, I could have made so much more money simply by stealing something.’

‘Nope! Not doing that. You are not bucking this up young lady! Not at this point. You are going to be nice and meek, you got that? You are going to be a good little filly.’

She blanched at the sound of something shattering against the far wall.

"Buck!"

Carefully, she illuminated the room with her horn and looked around. The vase that had been by her bedside now lay in pieces by the wall, it’s flowers scattered in the wreckage, a water stain on the far wall marking its impact point.

A trembling foreleg, outstretched, pointed towards the remains of the vase.

‘I... I don’t remember doing that. Did I do that?’

Reaching over to turn on the bedside lamp, she let her horn dim.

"I need some air."

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He jumped at the sound of something shattering. Diving into the shadows, he looked around frantically for the source.

He froze as a bedroom window lit up. A unicorn mare opened it and leant out into the night.

‘Damn it, go back to bed, go back to bed!’

She rested her head on a forehoof and stared out into the darkness.

He was glad he was wearing a black cloak, even in this heat.

After what seemed an eternity to him, she retreated back into the bedroom, the window closing and the light going out a moment later.

He relaxed and continued on his way.

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Sunbeam watched the shadow move away while she sat behind the window.

‘Really? You think simply by wearing black no pony will see you? You look like a dark patch on a light background.’

‘Humm, I could just stay here, crawl back into bed and ignore whatever that guy is up to...’

‘Unfortunately for him that’s not happening, he’s roused my curiosity. Plus I really could do with a distraction right about now.’

Her horn gave off a very low glow, just bright enough for her to be able to find the drawer containing her “hunting apparel”.

Taking out and slipping on the bandolier of daggers, she adjusted it to sit as comfortably as possible across her shoulders. Tugging on each dagger she made sure none would be stuck in its holster if she needed them.

Next was the cloak Rarity had made. This was far better than what she had been expecting.

Throwing the cloak over herself, she admired the craftsmanship. With the patterns of greens, browns and blacks all resembling undergrowth, it would really break up her outline.

She smiled. ‘Rarity knows more about this than she lets on.’

A set of shoes was next. These were black and had thick, ridged rubber soles. The pair for the forelegs had mountings to allow daggers to be attached.

Reaching back into the drawer, she pulled out what looked like a tiny black wizard’s hat with a disproportionately large brim. Placing the pointed section over her horn she pushed it down, making sure that the brim laid flat on her head. She smiled after tying the cords under her chin; no glow from her horn could be seen in the darkness.

Stepping out of her house, she set off to find the target.

‘Oh, I’m gonna sweat like a pig in this get-up.’

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Her target stood outside the front of a house, simply staring up at a bedroom window.

With the moon just peeking over its roof, the front of the house was cast into deep shadow.

The target stood just far enough back for the top half to be illuminated by the moon, albeit in a grainy black and white form.

Crouching in one of the darker shadows, her stomach barely an inch off the ground and head held low, she gave herself as low profile as possible as she watched the target.

‘Why’s the bag just staring at that window?’ She wondered, using the name she’d been taught to use to refer to any living target.

The approach to the target had started five minutes ago from the neighbour's garden. Aided by the dark shadows and the long grass of an unkempt lawn, she’d remained unseen as she closed in. Approaching from the left of the target, she was careful to keep out of his peripheral vision.

As the target continued to be unmoving, simply staring up at the window. she continued to approach, a dagger held gently in her mouth.

Before the start of the approach, she had taken a dagger out from under the cloak and placed it in between her teeth. Caution was needed when carrying it in such a way, cut cheeks were not fun. She could taste the charcoal that she had used to blacken the blade. Hopefully, enough was still on the blade and not just all over her lips.

Her left foreleg slowly reached forward, floating just above the ground. Just before full extension it stopped and brushed gently left and right, pushing to one side anything that couldn’t be seen, before carefully being set down. The right hind leg then moved forward in the same manner and repeated the brushing motion. She glided forward at a slow pace until her opposite hind leg reached full extension and was pulled up onto the tip of its hoof.

Her teachers had always said ‘When hunting in groups, hunt like a wolf pack; when hunting alone, stalk like a cat.’

Now within two metres of the target, she was close enough to strike. Bringing the trailing hind leg up, she placed it next to the other and then slowly lowered herself onto the ground. With the grass of the lawn gently prickling her stomach, she lay in the shadows, body and head on the ground, her eyes never leaving the target.

‘Huh, the bag’s done nothing but stare fixedly at that window, I could have marched up singing.’

‘Honestly, no appreciation for the time and effort I’m putting in here.’

Slowly bringing up a forehoof, she twisted her head to attach the dagger to the shoe. Now she was ready. The dagger could be in the target’s throat in less than a second.

The tableau was frozen as the target continued to try to decide what to do. With Sunbeam watching and waiting.

Watching the target, she began to take notice of the heat, that her fur was now sticking to her skin with sweat. The weight of the cloak pressing down on her damp back. The small sounds of the night became louder: the chirping of crickets, the target’s breathing, a dog barking on the other side of Ponyville. The smell of dried cut grass. The swirling pattern of hairs on the target’s throat, now clearly visible in the moonlight.

‘This is getting uncomfortable, please do something before I cramp up.’

Her target stepped forward, stopping just before the front door of the house.

She raised herself off the ground a few inches. Tensing muscles in her hind legs resulted in her hind quarters being raised up a fraction, with a corresponding dip and pulling back of her head and shoulders. Now she now focused entirely on the target, all other distractions fading from her awareness. Now she was ready to strike, she was within range, she just needed the reason to.

The target lifted up a rock, placed something under it, turned and galloped off down the street.

She blinked and watched the target rush off. ‘The bag’s out of range now. Suppose I’d better go see what was left under the rock, see if I need to pursue.’

She stood up and stretched her legs. Turning her attention to the rock, she approached it a questioning look on her face.

Levitating the rock up she could see that just a note had been placed underneath it. With a shrug, she levitated up the note to see what was written on it. The glow from the levitating spell being enough to read by.

‘My dearest Daisy, my heart longs for the moment we meet again until our lips know each others once more. Where we can express our true feelings simply by looking each other in the eyes, leading to...’

The silence was broken by the sound of a rock being slammed back down followed by muffled hooves galloping off.

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Sunbeam sheepishly opened her front door and turned on the light.

‘Okay, that was embarrassing. I am so glad that no pony saw that, for oh so many reasons.’

‘Huh, just a bag...’ She shook her head. ‘Pony! Pony with a love letter.' She snorted. ‘Heh, you win this time Ponyville.’

‘Got a little carried away, didn’t we, filly?’ Said a voice inside her. She cringed.

She levitated off her horn cover and then her cloak, hanging them both up in the hallway. Using one of her rear hooves she kicked the front door shut.

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A different set of eyes had been watching as Sunbeam headed to her front door.

He had been scavenging for food in bins when he had seen ‘Mr Love-Note’. Reading his notes was always a welcome distraction, so he had followed him intent on reading his latest offering. After watching Mr Love-Note scurry off, he’d stayed still and started to count to ten. He always gave Mr Love-Note some extra time, as he sometimes changed his mind and came back for the note. The first time that happened he’d nearly been caught!

That was when she’d stood up. That nearly give him a heart attack., he hadn’t seen her at all before that point.

For now, curiosity replaced hunger as he followed her home. He wondered what was in the letter that had spooked her so badly.

‘Perhaps Mr Love-Note had got a bit suggestive in that last one?’ He thought with a grin.

He watched her walk into her house and turn on the light, he started giggling as she took off her horn cover. ‘A horn hood, hehe.’

‘The cloak is camouflaged as well! Oh I want one. I wonder if... What?’

He stared into the open doorway as she hung up her cloak before kicking shut the door.

‘A white back! A dark green unicorn mare with a white back, no bucking way!’

‘It’s her! It’s her! “The Lost One”... I’ve found her!’ He bounced on his hooves.

‘I will have to watch her carefully before I make my move.’

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Sunbeam laid back down on her bed.

‘Right, chill the buck out, you stupid mare. You have all of tomorrow to yourself. So get yourself down to the library and start some serious research. The librarian herself should be back around midday, so hopefully she can help. Remember, she’s close to the princess, so be careful.’

She took a deep breath and wrapped the sheets around her.

‘So tomorrow’s plan: get up; breakfast; library; research; take out lunch; meet librarian. All this while avoiding anything to do with princesses. Woohoo! Sounds like a plan.’

‘A nice, safe, above all, dull plan. A dull tomorrow... how wonderful.’

Chapter 13 - The Twilight Of Hope, Part 1

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Chapter 13 - The Twilight of Hope - Part 1

“Boss! Will you please stop pacing.”

Applejack looked up.

“You’re gonna wear a hole in the floor and we’ve only been open for ten minutes!” An exasperated Sunflower declared from behind the counter.

Applejack looked around the shop nervously. “Well, lan’s sake girl, we should have had somepony come in by now. I mean we held off opening day so it was the same day Twi, I mean Princess Twilight, got back. Well, we should be swamped by now.”

Sunflower gently placed her forehead on the counter. ‘‘Boss, it Is only ten past eight, the Princess doesn’t arrive until midday, there is nopony out there yet! Why don’t you just go and let me run the shop.”

“Well, I don’t want to leave you all alone, who knows what could happen without my help”

Sunflower lifted her head off the counter. “Boss! You can’t do everything. You are going to have to let others run things once in awhile. Just let me do my job...please. Besides, you gave me a list of contingencies to contact you over.”

‘Co-written by Twilight “huge lists” Sparkle herself.’ Sunflower added mentally.

“Well, if things go wrong I could...”

Sunflower cut in. “Your shop, lots of money, I get that. However, at this point, you are just getting in my way.”

“If you have any problems I could point out the right way to...”

“Damn it AJ! I have been on your apple-bucking team for last three seasons, in charge of it for the last bucking two. I think I can handle anything that comes up regarding a four staff and a shop for a day. I can handle this.”

Applejack looked around her store. Her old market stall stood in a corner by the glass front as a memento and as part of the window display. On one side fresh apples were displayed, cooked apple products on the other, hot food displayed in middle. She made sure that the smell could waft out, it felt like cheating a bit, but not lying, so she could live it.

She opened her mouth.

“Go! For the love of Celestia, go! Go chill out, go the spa or something, go be somewhere else... anywhere else, please! Just go before you give me a Celestia-dammed heart attack!”

Applejack closed her mouth and stared at Sunflower.

“Look, if a herd of rampaging manticores come through, I swear I’ll come get you. Otherwise I’m sure we’ll all be fine. You did make me the damned manager. You know, to run your shop, while you are not here.’

Sunflower gazed out the front of the shop, into the market square as she tried to slow her breathing. She noted that Sunbeam was passing, her white back ensuring she really stood out in the crowd.

‘Oh, Sunbeam is passing the shop by the way.” Sunflower pointed out of the window.

“‘Huh?” Applejack tilted her head.

“You... Wanted... To... Talk... To... Sunbeam.” Sunflower said through gritted teeth. “You know, unicorn, white back, saved Applebloom, She’s just passing the shop.”

‘Sorry about this Sunbeam, buts it’s either you or my sanity.’

“Oh, Oh!, oh right, thanks Sunflower. But I just need to sort this before...”

“Get Out! Let me run your damned store before I throw you out.”’ Sunflower yelled, pointing her hoof at the door.

“Oh right, I’ll just go then...” Applejack turned and ran out the door.

Sunflower collapsed on the counter.

Sprinkle Shine looked out from the back room. “Is she gone? Is it safe to bring out the coffee?”

From her collapsed position on the counter Sunflower piped up. “Yes please, gimme a coffee. She’s gone, I know its our first day but...” She groaned. “Two hours preparing before opening and she’s been driving me up the damned wall from the very start!” Sunflower took a deep breath. “I swear I’m never letting AJ get out of her comfort zone ever again!”

Sprinkle Shine nodded, placing a mug of coffee down beside Sunflowers head.

“Cheers.”

The bell over the door chimed.

Sunflower’s head snapped up.

“AJ I told you... oh, sorry...” Sunflower took a calming breath. “Welcome to ‘The Apples Shop’s’ grand opening, what can I get for you?”

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“Sunbeam! Wait up”

Sunbeam stopped and looked round.

Applejack was galloping after her. With a raised an eyebrow she waited for Applejack to catch up.

“Can I help you AJ?”

Applejack caught up and paused for breath. “Morning Sunny.”

‘Damn you Pinky.’

“Just wanna talk for a bit, you off anywhere?”

“Just off to get breakfast, then off to the library, need to do some research. Something you want to talk to be about AJ?”

“Well, it’s about Granny Smith... and you.”

Sunbeam pulled her head back in surprise. “Huh?”

Applejack waved a hoof dismissively at her. “Nothing you’ve done.” She took a breath. “Granny can get an idea fixed into her head sometimes. Now that she’s got no reason to complain about her hip no-more, looks like she’s fixin’ to find something else to complain about, or rather somepony else.”

“Me? What’d I do?”

“Oh, she’s not complain' about you, she’s complain’ we ain’t hanging around you enough. Sayin’ we ain’t being friendly enough.”

“But weren't we were all out camping the other night?”

“I know, in fact I’ve a been gettin’ kinda worried about...” Applejack trailed off, lost in thought. “Anyway, just givin’ y’ah the heads up on that. The other thing I wanted to say, don’t want you to think we’re leaving you out, especially since what you done for us, but...” Applejack looked down. “We’re havin’ a little get together with Twilight tonight, the girls... just the girls.”

Sunbeam smiled and nodded, feeling proud of herself at spotting the unspoken words. “And I’m not invited...” As Applejack’s face became growingly dismayed she waved a hoof. “Hey, it’s a private thing, no problems here. Old friends catching up, I don’t want to interfere with that. I am not offended in any way, shape or form I can assure you.”

‘Besides, I like my alone time.’

Applejack’s relaxed, looking like a weight had been removed. “Thank’ll kindly for your understandin’. You don’t know how much that means to me. What with Granny riding m’a flank about...” Her eyes shot wide open, bringing a hoof to her mouth.

Sunbeam smiled as another social mannerism was about to be practiced. “Sorry, didn’t catch that last bit.”

‘Keep going like this I may even start to get good at it.’

Applejack, now red in the face, nodded in appreciation. “But! tomorrow night is a big party and we do want you to attend that, I’m sure you’ll meet Twi before, but it’ll be a good chance to socialise with all of us.” Applejack gave Sunbeam a wan smile. She turned to leave “Better be gettin’ back, be seein’ y’ah”

Sunbeam watched Applejack trot back towards a shop, quite a few customers stood outside now and Applejack seemed to be hesitating about going back in.

Sunbeam turned and set back off to the cafe.

‘Ugh! More socialising. Seriously, a couple of days off would be nice.’

She sighed. ‘Okay, I know I need to socialise to be normal and have friends but...’

‘You don’t deserve friends.’ An inner voice stated.

Sunbeam stumbled and sat down heavily in the middle of the market square.

With a glazed expression she tried to reassemble her thoughts. Slowly looking to her left, then to her right, she took in all the ponies around her in the crowded market. Ponies, all smiling and chatting to each other, merchants shouting out greetings and encouragements to come try their wares. Happy, cheerful voices and faces all around.

Sitting there, ponies flowed around her, oblivious to her, as they went about their business in the market. All the sounds of the market now started to merge into a single background drone to her ears. With a jolt, she became aware that everyponies face was a blank to her. The meaning of any expression they wore elusive, slipping away before she was able to grasp it. They might as well all be wearing masks. Eyes darting from pony to pony, breathing shallow and rapid, she took a step back, seeking now to only get away from this crowd of living mannequins.

She felt like she was in the middle of a play, a play she didn't have a script for.

A feeling of nausea swept over her as she fled from the crowd.

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“Hiya AJ, Sunflower sent me through when I asked to see you.”

Applejack didn’t turn round but kept looking the cart bringing new apples to the back of the shop.

“Hiya Sunny, thought you were off to get breakfast?”

‘“Lost my appetite.” Was the quiet reply.

“Uh-huh” Applejack kept her eyes on the cart, she didn't want any of her apples getting bruised by the stallions delivering them.

Behind her, Sunbeam looked down at her hooves, her left forehoof drawing patterns on the wooden floor. Her voice becoming hesitant. ‘Anyway, umm, I was kinda thinking. If you’re free that is. I'm off to the library, didn't know if you wanted to come with me.”

Applejack remained silent, she was glaring at the delivery stallions who were currently throwing around her precious apples so recklessly. She wasn't really paying attention to Sunbeam anymore.

Sunbeam closed her eyes. “Or we could go somewhere else if you want, that’ll be fine. Just got a few things I want to get off my chest. I’ll pay of course. Wherever we go. You’re choice. Whatever the cost...”

“Yeah. You.” Applejack snapped, pointing a hoof at her eyes, then at each of the delivery stallions. They’d noticed she was watching them intently.

Sunbeam shrank back, eyes snapping open. “Y-you know, maybe go and chat about things, stuff. Get to know each other. You know, friendship stuff, even. Possibly.” Her voice trailed off. She brought a forehoof up to her face, with puzzled expression she examined it, why was it was trembling?

Turning her gaze at the back of Applejack’s head, putting her hoof gently down, she whispered. “P-please. I’m trying to...”

Looking down and closing her eyes tight, She forced a barely audible whisper out.

“I need help AJ... I-I’m damaged,”

Applejack gave no indication she’d heard, she just kept watching her apples being unloaded.

Nailing a determined expression to her face, she looked up at Applejack and took a deep breath. In a clear voice, ignoring the tightness in her chest and sudden dryness in her mouth, she started. “AJ, I...”

A box of apples crashed down, spilling apples all over the floor. Applejack cursed and glared at delivery stallions.

“Look sugar, kinda busy right now. New shop if you haven’t noticed and I gotta keep every-pony in line. You two! Here! Now!” Her annoyance showed through in her voice.

“Oh right, sorry, I’ll stop distracting you and go. Sorry to disturb. I’ll just go. I’ll just... Sorry.”

Applejack gave a deep sigh. “Look hun, I’m a little on edge right now, please ignore that. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you.” She looked round, Sunbeam wasn’t there.

‘Dang, guess I better go apologise later on. Aww, shoot, didn’t even really catch what she wanted either.’

Sunflower came out a minute later. “How’s it going boss?”

Applejack was still scowling at the now cowed delivery stallions. “Could be better, a box of bruised apples now and I snapped at Sunbeam, guess I gotta go apologize later .”

Sunflower nodded. ‘You better, she looked like you’d just kicked her puppy when she galloped through.’

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‘What the Tartarus were you thinking you stupid mare, she’s an element bearer, she will tell the Princess. You trying get caught by the Day Princess? Remember what she’ll do to you! Get your bucking act together!’

With deep breaths, Sunbeam lifted her head and gazed blankly over the crowded market square. Over all those happy ponies. Remaining motionless for almost an hour, she reached a decision.

‘Daisy sandwich, all the trimmings and a side-order of hay fries. Yeah, that sounds good.’

Setting off with a smirk firmly adorned, she aimed the thickest part of the crowd. She relaxed, she was back to normal.

‘Yay, looks like my appetite is back!’

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Twilight levitated up her schedule and stabbed it brutally with a quill. The train was an hour ahead of schedule, the timetable had changed and she hadn't been told until this morning.

Her companion, Greywing, sat on the bench opposite, currently checking one of her preparation lists for when they got back to the library. Being her personal advisor, he went where she went and helped to assist her in whatever she needed. Spike was still her official assistant, she had been quite insistent on that, so they had made up the role of ‘advisor’ for him. As Greywing was also a member of the guard, he doubled as a bodyguard. The position of ‘advisor / bodyguard’ he’d held for a full week now.

The briefing by Shining Armour he would be remember to his final days. Shining hadn’t shouted or threatened but had politely asked him to, “safeguard his loving, sweet, cherished, little sister, oh, and the whole princess thing as well... by the way.” Shining had then smiled at him before dismissing him without another look. The smile had made promises about his future if things went wrong. Greywing had never flown so hard before trying to find Princess Twilight.

Twilight looked up from her schedule and considered her advisor for a moment. Shiny had insisted that, okay, while in the castle, she didn’t need personal guards. If she was leaving the castle however, she would need guards, period, end of discussion.

It wasn’t.

An advisor slash bodyguard was the compromise hammered out. Princess Celestia had mediated personally for the last fifteen minutes of the ‘high-decibel debate’ without either party realising until after they had shaken hooves. Both Twilight and Shining looked suitably embarrassed when they realised this.

This was the first time Twilight had the time to review Greywing in a calm environment.

‘Acceptable. That would be the first word I’d use. A little stiff and formal around me, certainly professional but perhaps a little cold. Well, once I’m back in Ponyville I can work on that. Am I not the Princess of Friendship, title pending. We will be friends, it’s just going to take time.’

She sighed and looked out from the compartment. She missed her friends and was excited to be seeing them again. She’d purposely chosen, much to Greywings objections, the public compartment, as it brought back old memories of her and her friends travelling back from Canterlot. The memory was rapidly becoming corrupted as all the other passengers seemed reluctant to come near, let alone strike up a conversation with her.

She found herself missing being able to walk down the street without the stares, pointed hooves and the bowing.

That little edge of fear in their eyes, she could see it so clearly now, just before they averted their gaze and bowed. How Celestia had dealt with that for so long she couldn’t fathom. She could see it now when ponies talked to any of the Princesses, even Cadence now. That even Cadence would be shown that fear burned her on the inside.

Not all ponies had the fear though, her friends certainly didn’t have it. They could, and would, still look her in the eye and tell her she was wrong. She suspected that was why Celestia invited them up so often, not just for her sake, but for Celestia and Luna’s sake as well.

Friends, Celestia had devoted lessons to the concept. Hold onto them! Protect them, treasure them. Even if... temporary. The pain behind her eyes when giving these lessons was almost hidden.

‘It’s the fear you catch in most ponies eye’s, just before they look away, that’s what’s would eventually gnaw through you. You would start to see them as ‘less’ if you didn't continually reign yourself in. Any pony that didn’t have it... well, you make sure you keep as close as possible.’ Twilight could remember the whole phrase verbatim.

Her friends, some guards and some of the castle staff didn’t show that fear. A common point about those particular ponies was them receiving a royal invite to serve at the castle out of the blue. A white pegasus, with a pink mane and tail, also seemed to be a common occurrence beforehand.

She pondered about the fear, and the lack of it in some ponies as she sat there.

‘Hypothesis: that the fear isn’t a constant ‘cause and effect’ from direct exposure; if so maybe it could be resolved; or even prevented.’ A smile started to form.

‘The girls don’t have it, that’s five cases, all in localized area. A random variable is unlikely given the repetition frequency in such a confined zone. Celestia offered the staff positions whenever she came across them, that being spread over time and distance. Those would be best viewed on an individual, case by case, scenario. So, we are looking for a different cause than what could be considered normal.’

‘Oh yes, this is a project worthy of my attention, for the betterment of the lives of all the Princesses. A research project! And am I not the foremost researcher in the land. And that was even before I became a Princess.’ A smile stretched across her face as the idea took hold.

‘Possible cause designation alpha: ‘Location’; that would mean something to do with Ponyville; or something in Ponyville. Like the Elements.’ Twilight frowned. ‘If it is something to do with the Elements, or more exactly, just the way they act on the bearers that means... No! I can rule that out, other citizens of Ponyville don’t seem to be so badly affected by my elevated status either. So definitely something to do with Ponyville itself. A subject from the current population would be good to study, but to be able to see the actual change itself. That would help most to pinpoint the cause... a new arrival! That would be ideal. I could map out the change as it happened. Yes! I need a new arrival to Ponyville to study.’

‘Oh yes.’ Her Princess training was sorely tested to stop her bouncing on the bench. ‘A new arrival. I would, of course, need to know everything little thing about them, to assist in the mapping. Their history, mental state, habits, everything, every-little-thing, EVERYTHING!’

Twilight took a deep breath and gave a small smile as she calmed herself down. It was fun to go overboard sometimes, sometimes she even missed it. Knowing when to stop, when it was starting to go too far, that was the trick. Celestia’s training had reigned her in considerably on that. Celestia had spent a lot of time coming up with mental exercises for her, a Princess having a “Smarty Pants” moment could only end badly. Those lessons had been vigorous and repeated, often.

‘It would be nice to have more ponies, friends even, without that fear though.’ She knew Celestia's description of friends as “double-edged swords” was applicable though, given her new situation.

‘I am not going to isolate myself though. However, if I come across some pony that was suitable...’ Her smile turned beneficent. ‘Am I not the Princess of Friendship? So to speak.’

Greywing shifted position uneasily. The Princess had a smile that boded no good. Somepony was “in for it” in his opinion. He hoped it wasn’t him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike groaned as somepony knocked on the door to the library, again.

Putting down the duster he went and opened the door

“I’m sorry, but Twi doesn’t get back until midday - ish.”

The unicorn looking at him tilted her head in puzzlement. “I’m not after Twilight, I’m here to do research.”

“Research? Wow! Erm, please come on in. It's a pleasure.” Spike stood to one side of the door and made a mock courtly bow.

The unicorn extended a hoof and said in a faux posh voice. “Well, delighted to meet you, I am Sunbeam the first, and you are?”

Spike shook the hoof and tried to respond in a similar fake posh voice. “I’m Spike, acting librarian until Twi gets back, erm... the first.’

His eyes widened and he dropped the fake voice. “Wait! Sunbeam? You’re the unicorn who saved the CMC?”

Sunbeam nodded.

“Pleased to meet you, how can I help? Oh come on in. Research ‘eh, Twi’s gonna love you.’ He babbled out.

Sunbeam smiled and stepped over the threshold.

‘See, you’re all okay. Back to normal, back to yourself, back to Ice-Fang, back..’

Spike jumped as a hoof slammed on the floor. Looking up, she regarded his questioning expression for a second.

“Spider.”

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Spike had been eager to help Sunbeam, to the point she suspected that quantity of ponies coming into the library to do research was next to none.

Looking around she noted that only the fiction section seemed well used. The ‘D’ section of fiction to be precise.

Finding a table with a clear view of the front door she set her saddlebags down. She didn’t want to miss when Twilight got back, making a good first impression was important. Keeping an eye on the door anypony would come in through was merely a plus, she mentally insisted.

Opening up her saddlebags and spreading out parchment, ink and quills on the table she felt ready to start. Rarity’s note on the name of the crystal was also placed on the table.

‘I’m ready to go learn stuff, now, where do I start? Gems, magical, I think.’

She trotted up to a wall lined with row upon row of books. She paused looking at it all, a vast, wide, sea of books.

‘Where the Tartarus if the Gems section? Time for a simple solution...’

“Oh Spike, I got a question.”

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Twilight got off the carriage with Greywing. They both had travelled light, their main luggage had been sent ahead yesterday. All they needed were saddlebags today. Twilight had a new set, a pegasus set. Her old ones, while still fitting, were now uncomfortable to wear for extended periods due to her wings. The new set, still to be fully broken in, were uncomfortable to wear for extended periods due to chafing.

Twilight looked around at the empty platform as the train pulled away. Greywing and herself being the only ones to get off. She wondered about that.

‘At least this means no crowds. Just means I will have to come back here in an hour when I am expected to arrive. Don’t want to throw everypony’s else’s schedule out now do I?’ She shuddered at the thought of being responsible for that.

‘Where to go for an hour and not be seen? The Library would be best, I could see how Spike is getting on and help him. But how to get there unnoticed? I need a frame of reference, who turns up to the library suddenly without being seen first?’

‘Apart from Pinky.’

She smiled “Greywing.” She unfolded her wings. “Follow me, we are going to be approaching the library... Dash style”

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Sunbeam looked at the section on gems Spike had pointed out. They all looked dull and uninteresting, so they probably had all the information she wanted hidden in them... deeply hidden. Only one book looked out of place. It was larger than the rest, with a deep black cover, it looked like it had been buried for a long time and only recently dug up. It was the last book on the right in the section on gems.

She levitated the first book on the left out. ‘Gems, properties of.’

“Sounds like a good place to start.” Her head shot around. ‘Did somepony groan behind me?’

Scanning the library with narrowed eyes she couldn’t anypony.

Relaxing, but still scanning the library, she trotted back to the table facing the door and placed the book down on the table.

‘Time to get started, oh this is going to be so much fun... not.’

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Twilight hovered above the library at a very large height. Both Herself and Greywing had flown virtually straight up from the train station before stopping at this height. With no other pegasus normally flying this high, well, no other pony apart from a certain cyan one, the approach to the library had been free of incident.

“Now what Princess? We’ll be gliding in circles for ages to get down from all the way up here.”

Twilight gave him an odd look then smiled. ‘Of course you hadn’t hung around with Rainbow before.’

“Follow my lead.”

She folded her left wing in, rolling ninety degrees to the left she then pitched her nose downwards and commenced to dive, unfolding her wing as the dive started.

“Princess!”

Greywing uttered a curse and dived after her.

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Sunbeam was bored with the book, she levitated it up and flicked through the pages.

‘No bucking index, copied directly from the hoof-written original. I will find the author and slap him while he sleeps.’

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Twilight pulled out of her dive several metres before her balcony. She floated down the last metre and looked up to watch Greywing approach.

‘Oh, Rainbow would have been exasperated with you long before now.’

He had pulled out of his nosedive a lot earlier than the Princess.

“Princess, that sort of landing is not recommended. I mean you only had metres left before you pulled up.”

“Remind me to introduce you to Rainbow Dash sometime, she leaves centimetres.”

Greywing looked suitably horrified.

‘Usually.’ Twilight added mentally. Before pushing open the doors to her old library bedroom.

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Sunbeam looked in dismay through the third book.

‘What is wrong with these ponies! Do they have a vendetta against indexes? Indexes are nice things. Wonderful, beautiful things.’

She placed the third book on the pile on the desk and hauled herself up.

‘Right, this time gonna check for an index, before I take it back to the table.’

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight looked down the stairs into the library. A dark green unicorn was looking through a book at the “gems” section.

The unicorn had a snow white back. ‘Interesting, I would love to know how that happened.’

She watched as the mare flicked through the book, then pumped the air with a hoof. With a huge smile she then trotted over to the table and sat down, the levitating book following her.

Twilight noted the other books piled on the desk, as well as the parchment and quills.

‘She must really love books.’ A big smile formed.

Greywing looked at the Princess, then sorrowfully at the mare below. ‘Sorry, I would warn you, but my first duty is to the Princess.’

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Spike walked past Sunbeam and stopped, looking up the stairs with his mouth hanging open.

Twilight held a hoof up to her mouth in the ‘shhh’ motion.

Spike nodded.

Twilight walked up to her bedroom door, winking at Spike before she slammed it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam jumped at the noise, it was behind her, up the stairs. ‘Somepony behind me! What did I miss?’

“Hi Twilight, didn’t expect you to come in that way or this early.”

She relaxed, ‘Sounds like Twilight got back early and took the back way in... from above? Huh, a pegasus as a librarian? Had more the mental image of a unicorn. Well, not to judge.’

She could hear the two hugging and greeting each other.

‘Two, possibly three ponies, okay make that one or two ponies plus one dragon, up there.’

Sunbeam kept looking at the book, the wonderful book with an index, but her ears were rotated to listen to the conversation going on behind her.

“Oh that’s Sunbeam. Bit of a celebrity, I’ll fill you in later. Only arrived a week or so ago.”

She winced at ‘celebrity’.

A new voice added. “A new arrival! How wonderful, what’s she looking for?”

‘Ahh, that must be Twilight.’

‘Gems, she’s researching gems, in your library. Research is being done in your library Twi!’

‘Can I hear somepony bouncing up and down on all four hooves?’

Hoofsteps approached from behind her, she could now ‘hear’ the grin that this pony, Twilight, was wearing.

“Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle.”

She smiled, placing a marker in the book she closed it and stood up. ‘Right, it’s showtime.’

She turned and raised a hoof to greet Twilight.

“Hi, I’m Sunbeam and...”

“BUCK MY LIFE!”

Chapter 14 - The Twilight of Hope - Part 2

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Chapter 14 - The Twilight of Hope - Part 2

Sunbeam lay on the floor holding a paper bag firmly to her face.

She only sound in the library was the crinkle of paper bag as it inflated and deflated before a click of a hoof on the wood floor as Twilight took a step towards Sunbeam with a smile. Her reward was a cringe and a penetrating glare from the mare.

‘Well, at least she’s breathing normally now. She's also not hiding the fact at all that she’s frightened of me. In fact I’ve never met a pony so open about it. I need to try and gain her trust so..’

“Who are you and what are you doing in the Princesses house?” Greywing’s sudden demand totally derailing Twilight’s chain of thought.

Scowling at her advisor for upsetting her plan even before she had started it, she snapped back. “Greywing! This is a public library, she has every right to be here. In fact, I wish more ponies would come in here.”

“She’s an unknown Princess and I don’t like that. She’s new to Ponyville so no pony knows her.” Walking forwards, he leant in towards Sunbeam. “Who are you, where are you from and what are your intentions?”

“Sheesh, paranoid much there?” Spike cut in, mirroring Twilight’s thoughts.

With an exasperated glance at Greywing, Twilight trotted forward to address Sunbeam, who had switched her glare to the advisor, the glare itself now intensifying many times over.

“Ignore him Sunbeam, you are welcome here." Trying to channel Fluttershy’s tone and pitch in her voice she continued. "Are you feeling any better? You’re breathing is a lot more steady and calm now.”

With the bag fixed in place, the mare nodded, still glaring at Greywing.

“I take it from your... exclamation earlier, that you were not expecting a Princess as a librarian?”

Sunbeam’s eyes glazed over as her eyebrows rose. The bag inflated twice before a long, slow shake of the head.

“Bit of a shock then I suppose.” Now Sunbeam focused on her. A certain dragon, now terrified of yellow ponies, would have had flashbacks before two slow nods followed.

‘At least she is responding to external stimuli now. Need to keep the ball rolling while keeping everypony calm and the situation civilized. Let's see, what’s everypony likely to find relaxing?’

The lavender alicorn tapped a forehoof on the ground, tilting her head backwards in deep thought.

“I know! Spike will you some tea going please. We can all have a nice, relaxing cup of tea round the table and talk like civilised ponies.” The last part directed clearly towards her advisor.

Spike headed off to the kitchen with a “Sure thing Twi, right on it.”

“We can all get to know each other, you too Greywing, won’t that be fun!”

Both the mare on the ground and the guard winced in unison.

“Twi, can you give me hand a second?” Spike called out of the kitchen.

As Twilight headed for the kitchen, Greywing raised a hoof to his face, pointed at his eyes with it, then rotated it to point at Sunbeam with a jab.

With narrowed eyes, Sunbeam slowly took a hoof away from her face and...

Greywing’s head jolted back in shock at the obscene gesture.

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Twilight set the tray with the pot of tea and cups down on the table with a faint click. Both Sunbeam and Greywing had moved to the table but were watching each other so intently that they had missed Twilight’s arrival.

“I said, I hope you two have been getting on.”

Both jumped at Twilight’s voice. Greywing started to examine ceiling while Sunbeam looked down to play with the paper bag in her hooves.

Mentally, one had been thrown in the deepest, darkest dungeon in Canterlot and left to rot. While the other was now missing certain parts of his anatomy due to frostbite.

Studying both of them it occurred to Twilight that it had all the same signs as certain other meetings she had sat in on. At least this time neither party were about to throw armies at each other.

“It’s nice to see everypony has made it to the table.” Twilight managed to keep most of the sarcasm from her voice.

“Are you feeling a bit better now Sunbeam, do you need another paper bag?”

“No, thank you.” Was the embarrassed reply, the mare not looking up from her hooves.

“Well, let’s start this by introducing ourselves. I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, Element of Harmony, Bearer of the Element of Magic, also Librarian of Golden Oaks Library.”

Suppressing a scowl Sunbeam wasn’t impressed. ‘Nice to know... now. Funny nopony thought to mention that fun little fact. “Oh by the way Sunbeam, funny thing, the librarian is a princess, isn’t that a hoot?” Yeah. At least she’s trying to be nice. Giving me paper bag as I collapsed into a quivering heap on the floor for example. Goodbye self-esteem I will hold fond memories of you.’ Looking up at Greywing she added. ‘As for you Greywing, you are just a royal pain-in-the-flank.’

“Okay Greywing, introduce yourself.”

“I am Greywing, personal advisor to Princess Twilight Sparkle, hoof-picked by the Captain of the guard himself, Shining Armour. Also her bodyguard, so don’t try anything!”

‘Oh please. You’re just a meat shield.’

Twilight scowled at Greywing. “That last bit was unnecessary Greywing.” Turning to smile at Sunbeam she continued. “And you are?”

‘Bucked.’

“Ahem.” After two taps on her chest with a hoof, she replied. “I’m Sunbeam.”

In the silence that followed, she realized that perhaps they wanted more.

“I’ve been in Ponyville for under two weeks now. Met all the Elements of Harmony, bought a house and spent most of that time recovering from injuries received in Ponyville .” Looking aside she added in a muffled voice. “Welcome to Ponyville.”

“Yes, I did notice you injuries, hard to believe they happened in Ponyville, what happened?”

With a shrug, Sunbeam answered. “Took on five timberwolves, turns out there were six.”

“Oh yeah, she totally saved the CMC.” Spike enthusiastically added.

“The what?” A confused Greywing asked .

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders, three fillies. Timberwolves had them trapped in a tree when Sunbeam charged in and stated zapping them, the Timberwolves I mean.” Spike replied while making ‘zapping’ motions with his claws.

Shifting uncomfortably on the cushion when the other two ponies turned to look at her with astonished expressions, Sunbeam added. “Well, maybe I’d have put it in slightly more tactical terminology but essentially correct.”

Both Twilight and Greywing mouths hung open.

Twilight recovered first with a shake of her head. “Oh, excuse me. Where are my manners? Tea?”

“Err, milk, two sugars please.”

Pouring the tea from the levitated pot Twilight asked. “So, if you’ve bought a house already, what is your source of income, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Had some bits left to me as an... inheritance. Now working at ‘The Swift’.

Bringing a hoof up to her face, Twilight asked. “Please tell me that Quick Service isn’t still trying to get mares to wear that thing he calls a uniform?”

“Oh he is, I persuaded him not to press the issue with me.”

‘Oh, a definite smirk there.’ Twilight noted.

“So, how does working there tie-in that with your cutie mark, if at all?”

Jumping out of the cushion and totally the wrong conclusion Sunbeam swung her head round to stare at one of her ‘new’ cutie marks.

‘Buck, buck, buck... she’s an alicorn, of course, she can see through the enchantment, how did I forget that?’

Turning to bolt, she found herself running on the spot while floating in a lavender magical field.

Twilight shook her head. “You were doing so well.”

‘I’m so dead.’

“It would seem that you are having what could be medically termed an ‘episode’.”

Sunbeam just let herself go limp in the lavender aurora head hanging between her forehooves, while Twilight scrutinized her with a sad look on her face.

“I could tell from the moment you met me that you are terrified of me.” Twilight’s voice sounded pained. “But you were able to control those fears, right up until a moment ago when, for some reason, the very act of asking about your twin hoof cutie mark set you off. However you appear to be recovering quite quickly though. So what are frightened of? Me or the whole alicorn princess thing?”

Sunbeam let out a long breath. ‘She sees the new one! Right, get a grip, you’ve got a chance.’

Attempting to collect her thoughts, she babbled out. “It’s not you, personally, I actually quite like you. It's the whole ‘alicorn princess’ thing.”

Twilight leaned forward. “But why?”

Sunbeam leaned back, her only course of action while still being levitated, and lied with the truth. “It’s something I’ve always remembered having. Brought up with it I suppose. Just an irrational fear, I guess.”

‘If you can consider fearing the Day Princess will make you relive every terrifying moment you’ve ever had over and over ‘irrational’.’

Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof, while filing away ‘brought up with’ for future study. “You are self-aware enough to realise the problem, even able to control it to a degree. So you’re rational mind is strong enough, mostly, able to overcome this fear so treatment should be able to start from an progressed setting. Hmmm, it would be unorthodox to mix the object of fear with the practitioner trying to help, but given your level of control demonstrated I might get away with it...’

Twilight blinked. “I mean this could work. I could help you overcome these fears, both through treatment and through controlled exposure. I could show you that you don’t need to fear me, alicorns, alicorn princesses.”

“Oh, no. Wouldn’t want to impose on your important time.”

“Nonsense.” Twilight’s face hardened. “You agree that being irrationally frightened all the time is detrimental to a pony.”

“Well, I suppose.”

Twilight carried on. “So, the best thing is to control or remove that irrational fear.’

“Yes.”

“And treatment would do that?”

“Possibly.”

“And any treatment should be done with minimal inconvenience on the lifestyle of that pony.”

“Well, yes.”

“You are currently doing research in the library and therefore plan on coming back?”

“Yes? Can I ask...”

“So coming back to the library would have minimal inconvenience to you, right?”

“Yes....err...”

“You previously agreed that treatment should take place with minimal inconvenience, right?’

“Hang on... well, yes”

“So treatment in the library would have minimal inconvenience to you right?”

“I, I, yes?”

“So you want treatment in the library for minimal inconvenience to you, right?”

“I guess so... yes?”

“So you want your treatment to be in the library, for minimal inconvenience to you, right?

“Yes”

“You drive a hard bargain, but I accept your terms.”

“Good... Wait, what?”

“I accept. You want me to treat you, in the library, for the minimal inconvenience on your lifestyle. I accept your terms.’

“Oh... good?”

“Let me just go get my schedule. I’m going to have to rearrange virtually everything to fit you in, but this is important to me... everypony”

After being released from Twilights magical field , a bemused looking Sunbeam watched Twilight bounce off.

Greywing leaned in with a smirk. “She likes you if she’s willing to rearrange her entire schedule. Seriously though, you really that scared of her?”

“I’m not scared of her, I’m scared of what she could do. Its the difference of being scared of the dark, and being scared of what’s in the dark.”

Twilight shouted, “Found my schedule, this is going to be fun!”

Sunbeam shook her head. “I still get the feeling that I’ve been hustled.”

“Her teacher is Princess Celestia. And she’s been hustling entire countries for millennia. You think you had a chance to begin with?”

“Story of my bucking life.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam had finally got home about an hour ago, after arranging months worth of sessions with Twilight.

Now sat at her desk, ‘The List’ hovered next to her, the quill poised, as she contemplated the next addition to it. This was important. It needed to be done and it needed to be accurate. The less time spent out actually completing it the better.

‘Lets see, carrots, mushrooms, apples. Hang on... Nope got apples.’

The quill drew a neat line through ‘apples’.

‘Ugh, shopping. That means talking and socialising with ponies.’

She laid her head down sideways on the table, quill and parchment still hovering. Her gaze came to rest on the hula filly doll on her desk, an impulse buy she’d admit to if pressed. Raising a hoof and gently jabbed at it, setting the head with flower garland necklace bouncing over the grass skirted body. She repeated this twice more, until on the third time where she tapped the doll too hard, causing it to fall over. It lay there, looking forlornly at her as she stared back.

‘Why am I still here? I could just leave, the money isn’t worth it. Twilight will be asking all kinds of questions in those sessions that I really won’t want to answer.’

Tearing her eyes off the doll, she gazed out the window.

‘Getting dark now, end of the day, and what a day that was. Another glorious day in Ponyville.’

With a scowl, she sat up and tore open a draw. Out floated some old paperwork, flicking through them she found what she was looking for.

The Ponyville tourist pamphlet.

The scowl deepened as she searched for an author, a publishing house, anything that would incriminate somepony.

‘Clever, not putting who’s responsible for this travesty on it. Well mark my words, I will find you, and then...’

She took a deep calming breath.

‘...The word ‘horrific’ will appear on your autopsy report.’

Tossing the pamphlet over her shoulder she laid her head back down on the desk.

‘Ugh, what would any normal pony do now?’

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Bar Service watched Sunbeam sit down at the bar.

“Wow, you look rough.”

“Love you too Bar. Double Jackie D please.”

Bar Service turned round and filled up a shot glass. “Bad day off I take it? That’s lousy if so.” He said without looking round.

“Not as relaxing as I’d hoped.”

“Well, just to give you a heads up. Quick’s gone and installed those metal sheets you may have noticed on the walls. Looks like they are for you to chill instead of having buckets of ice everywhere. So if he see’s you he’s gonna ask. Looks like another hot one tonight, so could get busy.”

Sunbeam nodded and looked round the still fairly empty bar. Basically a big rectangle, with light wooden paneling on all walls from halfway up, below that the wall was painted a dark green. The bar counter itself was a dark wood with a selection of harder drinks hung up behind it. Stretching nearly three-quarters along the back wall it had several doors behind it, one of which to Quick’s office. Circular tables and low chairs filled in most of the space inbetween the bar and the walls. The entrance was facing the bar with a large smoked glass windows on the left side. The metal plates had been put up on the side walls over the wooden paneling and to the right of the entrance.

Not taking proper attention she took a bigger a sip from the glass than planned, causing her to splutter and wince.

‘Okay a few more shots like that and I’ll be up to interacting with ponies.’

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“Dang it Rainbow, you said you’d have the weather fixed by now.” Applejack pointed a hoof at the cyan pegasus.

“They were supposed to re-route the first batch of new clouds here, but nopony changed their destination details in Cloudsdale, so currently they are on the way to Manehatten. Next batch is still being put together.”

“It is rather warm darling, any a clammy coat is so unbecoming. Is there anywhere that wouldn’t be so humid?”

Pinky bounced up and down with a hoof in the air. ‘Oh, Oh, I know, I know. Pick me, pick me.’

Twilight smiled and point at Pinky. “Yes, the pink mare in front has a suggestion.”

“The Swift. What with Sunny chilling the place and the refreshments. It super-duper cool.”

“Ugh, that uncouth establishment, however, if it is the only cool place in town... One could make sacrifices I suppose.”

“Umm, I don’t like it, what if there are any more nasty stallions like last time.” A nervous sounding Fluttershy commented.

Rainbow flew over to her and gave a hug. “Hey, no worries, after last time I’m sure they’ll leave you alone... bruiser. And besides, we’ll all be there.”

Twilight looked around. “Well, if there are no objections then, let's go to ‘The Swift’.”

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“Please Sunbeam.” Quick Service whined.

“Oh for buck’s sake... Table two, heads down.” She shouted out.

The ponies on table two looked at her quizzically for a second, before slowly bending down.

Lowering her head Sunbeam aimed at the metal sheet to the left of the bar. The white beam hit the middle of the sheet, frost quickly covering it.

Twisting around she pointed her head towards the sheet by the entrance, she called out. “Table eight, heads down.”

This time, the ponies immediately ducked as a white beam shot across their heads.

She twisted back round to face to the right of the bar. “Table eleven... duck.” She suggested. The ponies on table eleven dived for cover.

In less than ten seconds all three of the sheets were covered in ice and she was still sat happily the bar with her drink.

“Right, happy now, Quick?”

She turned to look at him puzzled by his lack of response. His mouth was hanging open, as was Bar Service. The whole bar seemed to be quiet.

“What?” Turning round she saw the reason for the silence.

Princess Twilight was stood at the entrance with the rest of the Elements of Harmony. Her mouth hanging open staring at Sunbeam. She’d seen everything.

Turning back to the bar she let her head fall onto the bar, or would have if her horn hadn’t of got in the way and taken the brunt of the impact.

“Buck, buck, buck.” She stammered out, holding the base of her horn.

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Sunbeam sat at the bar, her head laid sideways on it, an ice pack placed on the base of her horn.

“Would you like a straw?” Bar Service asked with a grin.

“Buck you.”

“Now now Sunbeam. So if you can do ice, why do you need an ice pack?”

“Just hurt horn, doing magic hurt more. Don’t like hurting.”

“You know I do have a way to take your mind off things.”

“I can hear those lewd smiles gentlecolts,” Sunbeam said loudly from her position on the bar.

The other stallions at the bar attempted to look innocent.

Bar Service continued. “A pegasus, a unicorn and a manticore walk into a bar...”

“Oh come on.” Sunbeam sat up, still holding the ice pack to her head with a hoof.

“You have a good story Sunbeam then?” Ask Thunderlane.

An evil smile appeared on her face. “Settle down gentlecolts, Bar can you get me another shot or three, while I tell all of you the story of the ‘two mares and the candlestick maker’.”

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Fluttershy looked up. “Well, I guess, umm, that’s it’s my round then?” With a gulp, she looked at the now full and noisy bar.

“I’ll come up with you Flutters.” Applejack stood up. “Need to speak to Sunbeam over there, so might as well get this over and done with.”

Turning round Applejack noted that most of the stallions at the bar were clustered around Sunbeam.

As Applejack got closer, she could hear Sunbeam over the noise of the bar.

“...And that, gentlecolts, is the origin of the phrase ‘burning the candle at both ends’.”

All the stallions around her turned bright red, several brought hooves up their mouths before they all rapidly dispersed. Even Bar Service looked a little unsteady, holding onto the bar for support. Sunbeam had put her head back down on the bar, her shoulders bouncing up and down in laughter.

“Oh their expressions Bar, I can’t breath...”

Steeling herself she went up to Sunbeam.

“Hi Sunbeam.”

The laughing petered out. After a moment she sat up and twisted round to face Applejack.

“Hiya Applejack.” Her tone cool but not hostile.

“Look about earlier, I wanna apologize for my lack of manners, I was brought up better than that.”

Sunbeam looked at her for what seemed an age to Applejack before a smile split her face.

“It’s okay AJ, in fact, you stopped me making a darn fool of myself, so in a way, I should be thanking you. But I’m gonna guess you just want me to accept it, right? So I do. Accept it that is. The apology I mean. Argh, I accept your apology. Bar, how many of these have I had?” Sunbeam held up an empty shot glass.

“If you’re gonna keep telling stories like that... way too many!” Bar Service called out.

Sunbeam pouted for second before sticking her tongue out at him.

“Well thank for that sugar, I appreciate it. Well just going to help Flutters get the round back to the girls.”

Watching Applejack and Fluttershy head back to their table, a crazy idea popped into the mare's head.

‘Oh why do they come to me after a couple of drinks?’ She sank her face into a hoof. ‘I’ve gotta do it now, it’ll just eat me up if I don’t. I really should cut down...'

Bracing herself she stood up. ‘Okay, lets do this.’

With unsteady legs, she approached the table with Twilight, her chosen target.

As she walked towards the table, Twilight noticed her advance and followed it with a puzzled smile.

Stopping by the table, Sunbeam’s shield of alcohol to started to burn off rapidly at the realisation that all eyes were now on her.

‘Okay let’s do this... while I still can.’

She took a deep breath.

“Twilight... I didn’t say it earlier but thank you for trying to help me. It means a lot to me.”

Twilight waved the comment off, the beaming smile betraying her nonchalance.

“Nonsense, helping a pony is what pony should do.”

“That’s right sugar, I’m sure if you’ve got a problem any of us would be willing ta help.”

“Indeed darling, saving dear Sweetie Bell does put me in your debt... and don’t you even dare to think that those silly little things I made for you make us even.”

Various nods and sounds of affirmation followed from around the table.

“Uh, thanks, I mean thank you. Uh... bye.”

“I think we plumb embarrassed the poor mare there Twi.” Applejack dryly noted as the white-backed unicorn ran from the bar.

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“Damn it! Running away like that I should have...”

‘It’s what you always do, you’re nothing but a...’

“Oh shut up! Twilight is going to help me and I am so going to be free of you!”

Sunbeam tilted her head as if listening for something. A smile grew when whatever she was listening for didn’t make a sound.

“Looks like I’m a stayin’ Ponyville. Lock up your... um” Her ears dropped as she was unable to find a suitable finishing to the sentence.

After a couple of seconds of reflection, she added.

“But please, I beg you Ponyville, no more adventures. Pretty please.”

Chapter 15 - Preparations

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Chapter 15 - Preparations

The dark green unicorn stallion sat in one of the three low chairs in the corridor as he waited. Staring at the oak paneling on the wall, he tried to discern patterns in the wood to distract himself from the oak door that was at the end of the passageway.

That door opening brought him back to here-and-now with a jolt, as a scrawny, tan colored earth pony trotted out from around it.

“The minister will see you now.”

He gave the pony a brief nod before standing up. Walking past the pony and through the door, he entered into the office beyond. The office itself was a modest affair, with a desk on the left and two sets of green filing cabinets on the right. The door facing, however, dominated the room. Lined in light green velvet and studded in a diamond pattern, it was the final barrier between him and the Minister of Strategic Affairs, arguably the most influential pony on the council. He waited for the secretary to close the outer door and walk past him to the other door. A brief knock with a hoof and then the earth pony opened it, gesturing him to go through.

With a deep breath, he steeled himself and went into the minister's office.

The office inside was huge, all walls and the ceiling were oak-paneled but in a much higher quality to the corridor. The floor was carpeted in a deep red shag pile, muffling his steps towards the desk. The desk, like the paneling, was a deep oak color. In fact, the only thing that looked out of place was the minister himself. An overweight, pale blue unicorn with a white muzzle from age. His horn was illuminated with a dark blue glow, as was a quill that was writing into a file on the desk.

Glancing up he acknowledged the others presence.

“At ease Captain. Please, sit down.” The minister gestured to the chair before looking back down to the yellow file.

Looking around briefly, he sat in the chair opposite the minister.

Finishing writing, the quill was laid down, the folder closed and was levitated into a wire tray on the left of the desk. Looking up at the Captain the minister smiled and pulled a yellow file over a stack on his right. Opening it he looked down, studying it for a second before making eye contact with the Captain.

“Good afternoon Captain Sharp Fang. Let’s see, with the designation of ‘Fang’ that means you were with the ‘03’ intake, correct?”

The minister observed the Captain tense at the statement. Before a brief nod.

‘I suppose any mention of Fang does usually end up with ‘that’ question being asked. Worry not Captain, not today.’

“I also see that you have been in command of the strike squad for two months now.” The minister looked to be reading the file for the first time, where in fact he knew it all off by heart now.

“So far a perfect success rate, several minor missions and one major. The major one being an incursion to retire a large brigand group. Thirty-three confirmed kills, with four foals and two pregnant mares recruited, all with no casualties. Excellent work if I may say so Captain.”

“Thank you minister.” Was the flat reply. “They had no real magic users, plus...” He tapped the amulet around his neck. “Even with only a five-minute charge, channeling magic means we outclass anypony else on the battlefield. It wasn’t a fight.”

“You disapprove?.”

“Of course not, I am a soldier. I can and will take any advantages I can. There is no such thing as an honorable second place in combat.”

Smiling, the minister pushed the open folder to the left before pulling a much thicker one over from the pile. Opening it, he levitated up the first sheet of paper for within it.

“Well this might be of interest to you as it is, potentially, your next mission. Three days ago we got a letter from within Equestria, addressed to us specifically.”

The Captain blinked. “Addresses to us?”

“Fortunately one of our assets was able to intercept it before it caused too much... undue comment. It does make for interesting reading though.”

The minister watched the Captain adopt a blank expression.

‘Thinking this is going to be just another search and destroy mission eh? I think you are in for quite a shock Captain.’

“It describes a... ‘dark green unicorn, with a white back, who is adept in ice magic’. Now, Captain, does that sound like anyone we know?”

Looking back at the Captain, the minister noted with amusement that the Captain was now leaning forward, eyes sparkling.

“Ice Fang!”

“Indeed Captain, I thought you might like to know.”

“Where is she? The Captain looked ready to leap up and dash off there and then.

“Steady now Captain, this letter is from a non-reputable source. We are not going to be deploying any major assets based solely off this.”

The Captain deflated. “Yes sir.”

“Your eagerness is understandable though. Anypony in the clan would jump at even the smallest chance to return her. You, however, really should try and contain yourself, especially at your rank.”

“Of course sir. Sorry sir.”

“Now, while the sender is not reputable, the information supplied is accurate enough, relative to what we know, to warrant further investigation.”

Pushing the thick folder forward on the desk, he pulled another folder from the stack. Opening the folder the minister addressed the Captain without looking up.

“I am activating this asset to assess the situation. A valuable, yet expendable, asset. She is based in Canterlot Castle, and to forestall you next question Captain, it is totally safe. The poor dear thinks she’s working for some ‘unicorn supremacy group’ so it’s totally safe if she’s discovered. Well, for us anyway.”

The Captain noted a distinct smirk on the minister's face at the last remark.

The minister’s views on such groups were well known. Any attempt to form such a ‘supremacy’ group within the clan would result in retirement for all involved. Once ascended, all were clan. There were no other distinctions.

Pushing the folder diagonally forward to a corner of the desk, he pulled the Captain's file back in front of him. The minister levitated a white envelope out of the folder and over to the Captain. Watching the minister, Sharp Fang was reminded of a chess master moving pieces around the board, all seemingly random movements, right up until the point where you realized you’d lost.

“Please bear in mind that this mission is still very speculative, but inside are your written orders Captain, if her presence is confirmed that is. If I may summarize. You and your team are to enter Equestria, locate and retrieve one potentially hostile agent, viz Ice Fang, and return her. You are to expend all reasonable resources to ensure that said agent is returned alive. The envelope contains: the original letter; the analysis of it; potential threats and locations. I expect a plan of action on my desk for my approval within three days. The asset will confirm or deny the presence of Ice Fang within four.”

The minister locked his eyes onto the Captain.

“We are fully aware of your relationship to Ice Fang. In fact, that is why I have chosen you.”

Sharp Fang remained motionless, but the minister was able to spot the tensing of the jaw muscles in the Captain.

“We know she is your snake sister in relation to intake year. We also know that she is your blood sister from before the intake.”

The minister waved the comment Sharp Fang was going to say before he had a chance to make it.

“Oh come now Captain. Breaking blood bonds is hard enough when all contact is severed. But still being with each other, having to go through recruitment together, ascending together. We are not blind nor stupid enough to think that sort of bond is going to just go away. That is why I have chosen you, as you will expend all possible resources to return her alive, and then some.”

Sharp Fang just nodded, they had tried to be so careful to hide the relationship when younger.

The minister nodded back. His tone turning cold.

“You understand why we want her alive. Why this is so important, to all of us. The whole thing that happened.” He shook his head. “A stain on all of us, that such a thing could happen... unthinkable. Every day she is out there that stain grows deeper, the knife plunges deeper.” The minister spat out the last words like they were a bad taste in his mouth.

Sharp Fang leaned back, the minister was renowned for being reserved. To be showing such emotion was unheard of.

“Alive Captain. Alive. Much rejoicing throughout the clan will ensue when you return her alive Captain.”

The minister was silent for a moment, regaining his composure. He moved the Captain's file forward to the other corner of his desk. He pulled Ice Fang's file back in front of him.

“Two more things Captain and I’m sorry to be the one that breaks this to you. The analysis goes into it in more detail, but given her length of time alone, and if the letter is correct in her behavior patterns...” The minister took a breath. “You can expect her mental state to have deteriorated from the point of when you last met her.”

The minister locked eye contact with a now bristling Sharp Fang.

“Understand Captain, since leaving she had been involved with three main groups. The first one, a small bandit group, which mysteriously disappeared leaving her the only survivor. We can’t work out exactly what happened but the presence of a Zebra Shaman is listed as the probable cause. The second was a mercenary group, which my predecessor thought would be a good idea to attack to try and find her. Pity she was in the support caravan and escaped while both sides were busy inflicting heavy casualties on each other. The third was another small bandit group. They were attacked by an enthusiastic local law enforcement group. Again she escaped, but she has been alone from then on, alone Captain, for two years. Any group she tried to be with got wiped out, that is bound to have had an effect Captain. I am telling you this so you so can get a grasp on her current mentality. I expect you to factor this into your plan of action.”

“Yes sir, and the other point you wanted to make.” Sharp Fang stiffly replied.

“Oh good, you hadn't missed that I hadn't mentioned it. The town itself. Now here I have to give the filly a round of applause for the choice. We would not have looked for her there. It was only by chance that a failed rite-of-passage recruit had fled there, for a completely unrelated reason I might add. Upon seeing ‘The Lost One’, as he calls her, he decided to try and contact us, in the hopes that we will give him another chance.”

“Sir? I thought we retired all recruits that failed the rite-of-passage?”

The minister looked irritated by the interruption.

“Some do escape, obviously, we don't advertise this. While we do try to find and retire failures, we don’t chase them. Unnecessary waste of resources frankly. They usually end up retiring themselves, or pulling some stunt that gets them retired.” The minister levitated up the original letter again. “This one had thoughts of retiring an Element of Harmony no less, to try and buy his way back in. Kindness I believe. Of course, you only get one chance at the rite. If he returns, well, at least he will be retired honorably.”

This time the minister slid a red file in front of him after moving Ice Fang’s file back to original position.

“The town is Ponyville Captain.”

Sharp Fang blanched. “You’re kidding, sir.”

“No I am not, Ponyville Captain! Home of the Elements of Harmony and thus home of the personal prodigy of Celestia herself. Not to mention said prodigy being a Princess now. Now Ice Fang was unlikely to know about the Princess thing, but locating herself next to the Elements of Harmony was a clever move. Either that or she was just incredibly unlucky. Whichever way, locating herself so close to the Princesses in Canterlot... she has guts I’ll give her that, an inspired move.” The minister tilted his head in thought. “I approve.”

“Sir, any attempt to extract Ice Fang forcibly from Ponyville would not end... well. Even with our amulets, to go up against the Elements while they are backed up with a Princess..." The Captain shook his head leaving the sentence unfinished. "Not to mention that the Day and Night Princesses might intervene as well, being so close. They are a tad protective of them.”

Another red file was moved, along the edge of the desk, but not opened. The Captain watched it intently. The timberwolves in front of you were dangerous. The timberwolf that leaps out at you from the side, previously unseen or dismissed... those were the ones that killed you.

Looking at the files spread out on the minister's desk Sharp Fang got the distinct impression that he was being maneuvered. They were chess pieces in the minister's mind, and he had lost several moves ago.

“Ah, Captain. That is why I am activating the asset in Canterlot Castle. If she does confirm the presence of Ice Fang, she can go to phase two.” He nodded towards the unopened red file. “Neutralization of the Princesses and hopefully the Elements as well. At the very least we’ll put the Day and Night Princesses out of commission long enough for you to complete the extraction. The Elements, plus Princess Sparkle, should be... otherwise engaged because of it, if they themselves are not affected.”

Another red file was pulled out, placed in front of the minister and opened. He stared into it for a few seconds.

“I think... The Grand Galloping Gala would be an ideal time, enough for you to reach Ponyville and be in position. Well then Captain, please bear in mind as I said, that this is speculative. If my asset cannot confirm the presence of Ice Fang the mission will be scrubbed. Understood?”

“Yes sir.”

“Well Captain, I guess you better get going, plans to form and all that.”

Sharp Fang looked at the Minister and then at the desk, at all the folders arrayed against him.

‘Checkmate, I believe that is the term you are looking for.’

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Azure Dawn looked around the bustling marketplace. She had arrived in Ponyville last night and had decided that the best place to start looking for her target would be the market. Everypony ended up going to the market at some point so sitting at the coffee shop table offered a great view and a good reason to pony-watch. Levitating up the coffee she observed the mainly earth pony market. Being early, the air was still cool but the day promised much heat later.

Looking around she noted that an orange earth pony, with a stetson hat, walking across the market like she owned it.

‘ Applejack!’ With extreme force of will she prevented her lip curling back in a snarl.

‘That an earth pony should be an Element Bearer, disgusting!’ Azure took a deep breath. ‘Calm yourself filly, you have a mission to complete.’

Shaking her head she tried to clear her thoughts

After the second coffee, she was preparing to move when she saw her target. Walking around the edge of the market was a dark green unicorn with a white back. A cyan pegasus with a multicolored mane flew next to her.

‘Well with that mane it could only be the Element Bearer Rainbow Dash.’

Watching them, she noted that Rainbow Dash looked to be doing all the talking, with lots of gestures, most towards the sky. The unicorn just continued to trot around the edge of the market with an occasional shake of her head. Finally the pegasus flew in front of the unicorn and jabbed a foreleg at her. The unicorn sat down before jabbing a foreleg back at the pegasus herself.

‘An argument?’

Rainbow flew back a bit at whatever was said before a sly grin crossed her face, the grin being obvious to Azure, even from this distance. Again with the gesture towards the sky, this time followed with a sweeping gesture covering all the ponies at the market. She then flew up a bit and took a deep breath, looking like she was preparing to shout something. A white glow surrounded her and dragged her back down. The unicorn, looking shaken, jabbed a hoof again at the pegasus, but without much conviction this time.

Rainbow crossed her forelegs with a smirk. Azure watched the unicorn’s head fall towards the ground, raise a hoof and wave it in defeat.

The pegasus backflipped with a whoop, punched the air and flew off half the length of the marketplace before flying back to the unicorn and pointing off to field outside Ponyville. Without looking up the unicorn nodded and turned to walk towards the field, while the pegasus flew off towards the Everfree Forest.

‘Well, my mission is complete. Suppose I should observe the target some more, see what they are up to. Not like I have much else to do in this backwater, next train isn't for a couple of hours.’

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‘Poomf’ was the only way Azure could describe the sound. The white beam had lasted only a second, but still left after images that left her blinking. Looking around the bush, trying to ignore the afterimages, Azure Dawn tried to work out what had happened.

Rainbow Dash was sitting on the ground with a stunned expression, covered in what looked like bits of cloud. The unicorn was sitting there as well, with an unmistakable ‘I told you so’ look on her face.

Azure watched Rainbow shake off any cloud remnants before flying up. Glaring at the unicorn, she made a ‘stay here’ motion with her hoof and flew back off towards the Everfree. The unicorn watched the pegasus fly off before looking around with a bored expression.

‘What are they up to?’

A few minutes later Rainbow returned, pushing a small cloud. It was one from the Everfree and the only word Azure could think of to describe it was ‘wild’.

A comment from the unicorn caused the rainbow maned pegasus to stop and nod. She then grabbed the cloud with her forehooves and hugged it tight, squeezing it, before flying back down to the ground and slapping the unicorn on the back of the neck.

This brought a glower from the unicorn, which the pegasus laughed off.

Aiming her horn at the cloud the unicorn sent a very diffuse white beam at the cloud, nowhere near a intense as the one from earlier.

The cloud grew darker as the beam was played over it. After a minute the beam cut off and the now tired looking unicorn waved a hoof in the direction of pegasus. With a smile, the pegasus took to the air and landed on the cloud. Leaning down she sniffed it, nodded to the unicorn, then jumped up and down on the cloud.

‘Snow? They made a snow cloud?’

The pegasus looked jubilant, back flips, punching the air, putting on veritable whole stunt show. The pegasus flew down to the unicorn and talked to her, pointing back to Ponyville. With a nod, the unicorn set off. Watching her depart Rainbow flew up into the air before placing a hoof in her mouth and letting loose an ear piercing whistle. After a minute several other pegasi flew up to Rainbow. With excited gestures, she pointed into the Everfree. Some winced, most just nodded. Azure could pick up on the air of desperation that hovered around the entire group even from her hiding spot. They all flew towards the Everfree en mass.

Azure watched them go before following the unicorn back to Ponyville.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘A town meeting of earth ponies, what joy.’

Azure Dawn looked around.

‘Looks like everypony from this dump is here. Now, what’s the mayor blabbing on about? Something about the weather?’

When the mayor stood to one side and Rainbow Dash took to the stand, an air of irritation become noticeable to Azure. Holding her hooves up Rainbow addressed the crowd.

“Okay, okay. The weather team did screw up to begin with. But it's the stiff-necks now causing the holdup. They have decided that rather than adjust the schedule, it's just going to be simplest to continue with the original one. That means we go without rain until we are next scheduled for it, so no clouds for us.” An angry murmur ran through the crowd. “However, I’m not going to leave Ponyville hangin’. A definite smirk there. “We have come up with a plan. We are moving a cloud from the Everfree over to Ponyville as we speak.”

An earth pony shouted up. “That’s great darlin’ but us farmers know that clouds from the Everfree don’t act like the made ones from Cloudsdale. They don’t just rain unless they want to. Even with pegasus persuasion. ”

Rainbow smiled. “We have ourselves a secret weapon. We’re gonna soften them up first” With a flap, she flew up and darted over to the unicorn. Wrapping her forelegs around her and lifted up the surprised unicorn. “Sunbeam is gonna chill the cloud first, then we’re going to make it snow. Which will be just as good.”

Azure could see the unicorn’s look of surprise at being scooped up. The look quickly changed into a scowl at all the attention she was now getting. Those were definitely not complementary words being directed at Rainbow.

A shadow fell over the meeting as a team of weather ponies pushed a large cloud over them.

Rainbow set the unicorn down and started calling out instructions to the flying pegasus. The unicorn just looked up at the cloud and gulped. A pink earth pony bounced over and hugged her as the pegasus began to compress the cloud.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the unicorn played her white beam over the cloud, the pegasus broke bits off and flew off with them, certain groups earth ponies following each one when they left.

A lavender unicorn sat watching the unicorn more that the cloud. With a start Azure Dawn realized it was no unicorn, it was Princess Twilight.

‘Why is she was interested in my target? Suppose I need to report this as well, ugh, more paperwork.’

The unicorn’s beam cut off and she lay down panting. A yellow pegasus trotted over and spread a wing over the unicorn. Applejack took to the stand.

“K, you’ll listen up. Looks like ol’ Sunbeam here is done here for the time bein’. We’ll all be stopping now until she feels ready again. No sooner, y’ah all hear.”

Only a few disappointed sounds were heard. They were quickly silenced by a glare from Applejack.

“You’ll be gettin' your water soon enough, without her you wouldn’t gettin’ any. Now give the girl some time to recover.”

Azure Dawn shrugged.

‘I have all the information I need, more even. Time to get out of ground-pounder central and back to civilization.’

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Rainbow landed next to the exhausted Sunbeam with a flurry of wings. "How ya doing champ?"

A grunt was all the response she got.

"Just to let you know, almost all the farms around Ponyville have enough water to last to the scheduled rain now."

Another grunt. With her eyes closed and head laying between her stretched out forelegs, it really did put Rainbow in mind of a sleeping dog.

Rainbow leaned in to whisper into the collapsed mare's ear. "I'll keep my end of the bargain, you helped us all out and I don't tell everypony about what I heard."

Sunbeam's ears flicked towards Rainbow.

"I know what I heard when you were under that waterfall. You forgot I practice out there, didn't you?"

Sunbeam's irritated tail flick a good enough response for Rainbow, with a smile she leaned in closer.

"You have a awesome singing voice Sunbeam." Rainbow playfully prodded the unicorn. "Surprised it's not your cutie mark."

Rainbow walked away with a annoyed expression. 'Why did she flinch at that? It was supposed to be a compliment. She made it look like I kicked her.'

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The minister watched Captain Sharp Fang sit down.

“Well, I have been through your plan of action Captain. Before I approve it, I seek clarification on two points.”

The Captain nodded, he knew exactly which two points the minister was going to bring up.

“Lets start with the minor one first. Your preferred, initial approach to Ice Fang.”

“Well, I will need to do an on-site evaluation of course, but you would have to admit it would be best case scenario for all. That is why I will take one pony with me, only if they agree, will I enact it.”

The minister nodded. “It would indeed be the least troublesome, but walking up and...”

The Captain cut in. “She’s my sister, I know that walking up to her, nuzzling her and saying in a gentle tone...”

‘Time to go home little sister. You don't have to hide anymore, come be part of a family.’

“... will work, even if her mental state is...” The Captain sneered the next word. “'Compromised'. I know her minister, spending that long alone, she’ll be hurting, she’ll want to be accepted, She’ll just need a nudge in the right direction and she’ll be back with us... willingly."

'And close observation initially of course, to prevent any desperate moves.' He added mentally.

"However, as fate like to mess with us, that is why I have listed several other contingency options in my plan of action.”

“I am inclined to agree Captain, I just wanted your reasoning. Now the second. Why do you want take...him?”

The smile that grew on the Captain's face gave even the hardened minister a chill.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Azure Dawn came back into her room and out of habit checked a small wooden box. Usually empty, this time it contained two rubies. Levitating the brighter one up to her eye she could see her instructions within it.

To: ROSEBUSH
From: ACORN

Enact protocol: SPILL
Timeframe: INDIGO

Extra 1 of 2: Confirm receipt of instructions
Extra 2 of 2: Confirm enactment of instructions on second message crystal

Response level 2... END

Happy it was a valid message, Azure levitated the ruby over to touch her horn. Running magic through it she added beneath the original message:

ROSEBUSH, Confirm receipt. Commence Spill (3-4-8) Timeframe Indigo (1-4-8).
Second message to ACORN on completion of instructions.

With a final push of magic into the stone she activated the return spell. The ruby it glowed red before vanishing.

‘Oh yes, our time is at hoof.’

She looked over to the cabinet. The means to this end were hidden in a secret compartment within.

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The cell door slammed open.

“Prisoner two-one-one-seven with rise.” Yelled one of the two guards that had entered the cell.

“Hang on to your mules lads, I’m a gettin up.” The older brown unicorn, with deliberate slowness got off the bed. Just slow enough to annoy the guards but fast enough not to warrant getting ‘help’ from them.

“Now, whatcha want. Getting my beauty sleep here.” Annoying the guards entertained him.

A dark green unicorn stepped in between the two guards.

“Get the prisoner ready for transport.”

“Now hang on, where I’m a going?”

“Prisoner two-one-one-seven will be quiet!”

The unicorn placed a hoof on the screaming guard.

“He’s quite at liberty to ask.” Turning to address the prisoner the unicorn continued. “You have been selected to assist in a high priority mission for the entire clan.”

“Ha, listen lad, I’m no soldier, so I ain’t going to be helping.”

The unicorn just turned and walked to the doorway as the two guards grabbed the prisoner and placed cuffs on his legs.

“Look, I ain’t going to be any use to ya.”

The unicorn turned his head over his shoulder.

“Oh you underestimate your usefulness prisoner two-one-one-seven. You are an extremely important part of the plan.”

The smile that grew on the unicorn held no warmth.

“You will be the bait... Mr Listed Scrolls.”

Chapter 16 - Rest and Relaxation

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Chapter 16 - Rest and Relaxation

Sunbeam lay face down, sideways, across her bed. With her head and forelegs hanging over one side of the bed, her hind legs jutted out into air on the other side. To complete the scene, her tail made an almost-perfect right-angle as it fell over the edge of the bed, its tip brushing against the floor.

Morning sunlight streamed in through the window onto one side of her face. A twitch started in the affected eye before it groggily opened and glared accusingly at the window.

A whimpering, “Damnit Celestia! Does your tyranny know no end?” Was heard before the curtains lit up with a white glow and were brutally closed. The accusing eye shut, but she realised the damage had been done... she was awake.

After several attempts, Sunbeam was able to keep both eyes open, without being blinded for her efforts. With a grunt, the head was lifted and turned to look at the bottle on the bedside table.

“Only half a bottle of Jackie D last night. Woohoo filly, thy name is restraint.” Lifting a foreleg up she patted herself on the back of the head before letting it fall back down, a moment later her head followed suit.

After a quarter of an hour of staring at the pattern in the carpet, the momentous decision to actually move was reached. This was started with a side-to-side rocking motion with Sunbeam shuffling herself backward with each rock. When her head was resting back on the bed, a failing foreleg found a cushion and stuffed it under her head.

"I need a reason to get up. Breakfast!"

Energy flowing through muscles again at the prospect, hooves did grab the edge of the bed and drag herself forward. With her head back over the edge of the bed again, her hooves fumbled under the bed until the felt the edge of the box she was looking for. With a buoyant smile she dragged it out and opened the box to regard her reward.

“Leftover pizza for breakfast, the breakfast of princesses.”

Her horn glowed and the remaining pizza slice was, with extreme caution, levitated up to her head height. She was careful to make sure that none of the precious topping slipped off in the process.

“Now do I heat it up? Damn, wish I was a fire talent about now. Anyway, hungry, now!”

With a lunge and a snap of teeth that would have done a timberwolf proud, she tore a chunk of the levitating pizza off.

“Mmmm, best way to start a day!”

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Sitting at the kitchen table, with half a cup of coffee, the blank notepad in front of her represented her to-do list for her three days off. Quick service was doing a stock take for those days and the bar would be shut, so he didn’t need her services. She’d repeated the last bit three times, the last time slowly, while carefully enunciating each word, before Quick Service decided he didn't actually need her for those three days, she should take the time off, paid.

Levitating the coffee up, she took a sip, while the quill hovered over the notepad.

‘Right, need to go to Rarity’s, hopefully she should have the rest of that dye remover now.’ A scowl fleeted over her face.

‘That reminds me, gotta go see if Mr Autumn Ray has “it” for me. If so, rest of morning will be spent fulfilling my, obligations, shall we say.’

‘Then onto the library.’ She sighed. ‘There has to be something in one of those celestia-damned books about Resoulten Gems. Anyway, at least the “Twilight problem” has been resolved, for the time being anyway.’ A smile formed as she felt a pang of pride to her solution to that problem.

Leaning back, her gaze rested on the now framed picture the CMC had drawn for her. A white glow around the picture straightened it before she brought the coffee mug up, only to find it empty. She stared into the empty mug.

“I demand a recount.”

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The door bell jingled as the door opened to Mr Autumn Ray’s shop. Hidden down an alleyway, it was the kind of shop you never knew was there unless somepony told you. The ponies that did know were a select few and were careful with who they told. Sunbeam had been shown it by the shops best customer, who happened to be one of her two targets now.

Inside the shop itself was bare, just a counter and door behind it leading to his workshop. A dull brown earth pony stood behind the counter looking alert. Mr Autumn Ray made special, made-to-order, one-of-a-kind goods. This meant most orders took time, but Sunbeam understood that perfection could not be rushed and as such was willing to wait.

Sunbeam smiled at the pony. ‘One day I will work out how you know anypony is about to come in, I very much doubt you stand there all day.’

“Good morning Mr Ray.”

“Good morning Miss Sunbeam. I have completed your commission.”

Reaching under the counter, Autumn Ray gently placed a paper bag on the counter.

Sunbeam looked into the bag. The contents were black and shiny. Horrible, yet beautiful in purpose and craftsmanship.

“Oh yes, this will do nicely.”

“Oh, Miss Sunbeam, I believe the two you are looking for are by the lake today.”

Sunbeam threw him a suspicious look.

“Come now Miss Sunbeam, I do hear things in my line of work. Those two have had this.” He tapped the side of the bag. “Coming for some time. There are ‘others’ who are taking a good deal of interest in how this goes I might add. If this goes well, you will be popular in certain circles for some time.”

He smirked at her. “Good hunting, I believe the term is.”

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Sunbeam could see her targets from her vantage point. Both were stood next to the lake, their backs to the tall grass that surrounded the lake.

‘Perfect, approach from behind, the grass will give me cover until I am within striking distance.’

Sunbeam carefully withdrew from her hidden position to get to the most beneficial start point of her approach.

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Sunbeam moved cautiously through the long grass, crouching low, her belly barely an inch off the ground she could feel all the vegetation that was now sticking to it. Her tail was doing even worse, with it dragging on the ground behind her, she knew it she was going to be picking debris out of it for ages.

Stopping she slowly raised herself up just high enough to see through the tops of the grass to her targets.

‘Still got their backs to me, need to adjust approach angle slightly to the left.’

Lowering herself back down she continued her stalk.

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Sunbeam could make out what they were saying now. With both her ears with pointing forwards, she could roughly triangulate her targets position with sound alone.

Stopping again, she lifted herself slowly up, to get one final visual on her targets.

‘Within strike range. Angle of attack is good.’

Lowering herself she reached behind and took Mr Ray’s work out of her saddlebags before discarding them.

Muscles tensed, her horn illuminated as she gave her hind legs some magical power to boost her range and accuracy.

‘I Seeeee…..’

She lept.

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Rainbow turned to Pinky.

“Heh, this has been a cool week Pinky. An entire week on leave from the Wonderbolts and weather management. It’s been a hoot with all the pranks.”

Pinky nodded and pointed across the lake “Hey look, some ponies on the other side of the lake.” Pinky waved to them.

Rainbow looked over the lake and rubbed her chin. “Hey, I wonder if we could prank them, I still got some…”

A Changeling landed between them with a heavy thud.

“......Yoouuuuu!” It hissed.

Two screams were heard over Ponyville.

Sunbeam slowly peeled off the Changeling mask and jabbed a hoof at each of the ponies. Both of which were now lying on their backs, nursing minor cardiac events.

“That is for putting purple dye in my shampoo.”

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Autumn Ray stood on the other side of the lake with the crowd of ponies gathered there. Lyra’s horn glowed as she gave a running commentary.

“She’d just told them that’s for the dye in her shampoo. Oh, now she’s stuck her tongue out at them.”

Autumn Ray looked around the crowd. “Ladies, gentlecolts, I think a round of applause is due. After the tartarus that has been last week, payback has now been made, courtesy of Sunbeam.”

A murmur of consent ran through the crowd, and even though Sunbeam couldn't hear it, a round of applause was given to her from the crowd.

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Sunbeam pranced towards Carousel Boutique with a high step. The grin plastered on her face would not be moving for some time.

‘That, felt good.’

As she approached Lyra opened the door to Carousel Boutique and left, giving Sunbeam a nod and a large smile in passing.

‘Odd, don’t speak to her that much.’

Rarity had noticed her coming and was stood in the doorway, also sporting a large smile.

‘Okay, all the smiles I'm getting is now officially starting to get creepy.’

“Hi Rarity, just popping over to get some more dye remover, still got some brown fur in places.”

“I know darling, brown is such an unbecoming colour on you. Still, I heard that the perpetrators have met justice.”

‘Ah.’

“Please come on in, I have something to show you.”

Sunbeam entered the boutique with a raised eyebrow.

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“Well, what do you think Sunbeam?”

Sunbeam’s hind legs had given way, much like her mouth.

“It’s beautiful, Rarity.” She managed to splutter out.

“It’s yours. I told you I would make you a dress and there it is.”

“Rarity, I, I… It’s for me?”

“Of course.” Rarity leaned in and nudged her with an elbow. “You can show it off at the Grand Galloping Gala in a few weeks. With your colours and my dress you will stand out in the crowd. Who knows, maybe you could pick a nice gentlecolt.”

Rarity didn’t notice Sunbeam’s wincing at the last two parts. With a forced a smile she asked weakly, “What? Only a gentlecolt, not a prince?”

Sunbeam did notice Rarity’s wince. Her voice was definitely strained as she continued.

“Well, no, darling. Lets set our sights a little… higher, shall we.”

‘Okay that smile is forced, even I can tell that.’

“Okay, Who else will be there then?”

“Only the creme-de-la-creme of Canterlot society. Not to mention the Princesses and the element bearers. Princess Celestia even of hoof delivered our invites last time.’

Sunbeam took a step backwards towards the door. “You’ve already got your invite for this time, right?”

“Oh yes darling, we have standing invites. With or without official tickets we will be allowed in these days, the Princess was most insistent on that point. Seems that last time our original invites got lost, some mix up the Princess said. Turns out that the gala planners not only managed to misplace them in the first place, but then accidently destroyed them when some guard managed to find them again. How they ended up in teapot in the back of wardrobe in the first place I have no idea. Do you know that no pony had even told the Princess about them going missing either. Why Princess Celestia herself only just noticed in time, if she hadn’t… well we wouldn’t have been able to go that year. So she ended up hoof-delivering them herself. I do recall that the Princess did look most put out by the whole affair though.”

Rarity rubbed her chin in thought.

“Yes, there was a big meeting afterwards, Princess Celestia wanted to talk to the planners, alone, if I remember correctly. Must have been about proper care and attention about the handling of future invites.”

Sunbeam stared at Rarity, her mouth having dropped open again.

‘Did any of them get out alive? Uh, anyway, add one Princess to the mix and you can subtract one Sunbeam.’

“Sorry Rarity looks like I won’t be able to make it, no ticket. Certainly wouldn’t be able to afford one.”

“Oh don’t worry about a silly little thing like that, we can bring along guests.”

‘Oh joy, well, looks like I'm going to be sick on that day.’

“Can’t wait Rarity.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam slammed the book shut and laid her head on it sideways.

“Still nothing eh?” Spike asked.

“This is nuts, I’ve been though half the books in here on gems and such like. Nothing but a few passing comments. Am I looking even the right place? I now know more about gems than I ever really cared to.”

“Some ponies like learning.” A disgruntled voice added from behind her.

“Is she still pouting Spike?”

“I’d give her a nine point three on the pout scale.”

Sunbeam sighed and sat up, without looking behind her.

“Sorry Twilight, but until you get that psychotherapy plaque on the wall, saying you’re qualified to give such help, I’m not letting you up here.” Sunbeam tapped the side of her head. “It is quite delicate up here.”

‘...And fragile.’

“But to pass those courses takes years,” Twilight whined.

‘We can only hope.’

“You mean you don’t want to do it properly, by the book, Princess?”

In the ensuing silence, Spike leaned in and whispered. “Ohhh, that’s low.”

Sunbeam nodded, she did feel a bit bad going there, but not bad enough not to.

‘Okay, guess I better play nice now. Time to deploy the secret weapon.’

“I am agreeing to exposure therapy am I not. Being coherent enough to insist on the proper procedure being followed, even while in your presence. Wouldn’t that count as progress?”

“Harumph, I suppose so…”

Sunbeam looked at Spike. “I guess I need to buy her a present, any ideas.”

Spike rubbed his chin before gesturing around the library with a raised eyebrow.

Sunbeam pantomimed slapping her head. “Oh yes, Oh look, I just happen to have a book here for you in by saddlebags Princess.”

Sunbeam ignored spike face-clawing as Twilight trotted over, trying to look disinterested about a new book. She failed, utterly.

Sunbeam levitated out a book, a red ribbon tied around it, from her saddlebags and over to Twilight.

Twilight read the title.

“Psychotherapy: Course notes; pass first time with maximum marks.”

As Sunbeam was being crushed in the hug, Spike leaned in.

“Smooth.”

Sunbeam’s slightly strangled whisper back was.

“It's all about knowing where to hit them.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam flipped over the pages of the new book she just got down.

“I know all this already.”

Spike lifted a gem Twilight had given him.

“Amethyst, Mohs hardness scale seven, mineral class: Quartz. Amethyst is a variety of Quartz family, colored by traces of manganese, titanium and iron. Deeper-coloured amethysts are more highly valued. Rich purple has always been a rare and noble colour…”

“You pass.” Spike dryly noted.

“Thank you professor. However, I had the book open on the right page and was just reading it out.” She shook her head. “Darn my honesty.”

Spike opened his mouth to comment when the library door slammed open and a rainbow steak flew in.

Spike reflexly curled up on the floor, arms over his head awaiting the downpour of books. Sunbeam’s horn was quick to glow as well, with a corresponding white glow forming over the shelf of potential flying objects next to her.

A lavender glow covered the rest of the shelves in the library.

“Rainbow! I thought you weren't going to fly into the library anymore.”

“Oops, my bad, hey look, no books to pick up though.”

Spike looked up with an expression of stunned hope and disbelief.

“Only because Sunbeam and myself held the books in place from all the turbulence you caused.”

Rainbow waved a hoof.

“Whatever, anyway, I wanted to invite my newest prank companion to our meal tonight. By the way, that was totally awesome prank you played on us. Anyway, as it is my turn to pick the restaurant I’m inviting you, Sunbeam, to come along. Don’t worry, I insist on paying for your meal. No, no. No need to thank me. Cya here at seven, bye.”

The rainbow blur shot out of the door.

Sunbeam looked at Twilight.

“What just happened?”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Looking around the restaurant, Sunbeam noted that it seemed to cater to mainly pegasus poines but served both earth and unicorn ponies as well, judging from the mix of ponies present.

All the other girls had got their meals, only herself and Rainbow's remained to be brought out. Rainbow had insisted that she buy Sunbeam the most expensive thing on the menu.

The waiter brought out two plates, setting one down in front of a grinning Rainbow before placing the other down in front of her.

“Herring, done in the chef’s special sauce. A great honour to have this bought for you by another pegasus I might add. Bon appetit.”

‘So that’s your game, oh my dear Rainbow, are you all in for a shock. I have eaten meat before, although not that much in one go I'll admit.’

Twilight gave Rainbow a stern look. “That is not very nice Rainbow, expecting a unicorn to eat…”

“No, no, Twilight. It is an honour to be served this, I will have to eat it.” Sunbeam tried to look distraught at the prospect.

Rainbow leaned over her plate, took a herring in her mouth, bit it in half and swallowed. A smug look was then directed at Sunbeam.

Sunbeam levitated up a herring, pulled her lips back and gingerly took the head in between her teeth, then with a toss of her head... swallowed it whole.

A shocked silence engulfed the restaurant. Especially when Sunbeam repeated the action with all the rest of herring barring the last one. That one wasn’t swallowed-in-one like the rest, instead she ground it between her teeth, the sound of crunching bone echoing around all the tables.

Levitating up a napkin she dabbed at the corners of her mouth.

“Delicious. Pass on my complements to the chef.”

The waiter wasn’t the only pony in the restaurant that looked like they were about to pass out.

‘Oops, poor Fluttershy, perhaps the bone thing was a bit much.’

Rainbow stood up and with great solemnity, saluted Sunbeam.

Still seated, Sunbeam returned the salute. Then leaned over to Twilight, who sat next to her, and whispered.

“Just off the little fillies room. Too much fish, too quickly. Think I’m gonna throw up now. Excuse meeeee.”

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Sunbeam crossed the day off the calendar in her kitchen.

“Giving the day all due consideration, I enjoyed it. Today, I was a normal pony.”

Closing her eyes and leaning back on her haunches, punched the air with a hoof, then the other one, alternating the punches while shifting her flank in time with the punches.

"Go me, go me, go me…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sharp-Fang looked at Listed Scrolls. Taking a rag, he carefully pressed it into a nearby dung pile with a hoof before levitating it up.

“If you don’t shut up, I will gag you…”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The minister was looking over Ice-Fangs file again.

“Sir, I will be leaving now, anything you want before I go?” The secretary called out.

“Uhhmm, Oh right. Suppose I should be getting along as well. My wife does worry that I spend too much time in the office.”

Standing up he left the file open on his desk. The section about Ice-Fangs Amulet being the first ever not to work, and all subsequent amulets not working, left open.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He hid in the shadows, watching the ‘Lost One’s’ house. When the bedroom light went out he smiled.

‘Nearly everything is in place. Once I return with ‘The Lost One’ and having retired an element of harmony, they will have to let me back in.’

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight bounced along next to Princess Celestia.

“Your teleportation spells are improving, Twilight.”

“Oh thank you, I've been working on them.”

“So, how was your day?”

“Well, Rainbow got pranked herself, twice.” Twilight tried very hard not to smirk at that.

“Oh dear, I hope she is okay. However, knowing her, I take it they were well deserved?”

“Oh yes, Day Princess, she...”

Twilight was stopped by a golden hoof. Looking round Twilight had never seen such an intense expression before on Celestia's face.

“Tell me, faithful student, where did you hear the term, ‘Day Princess?’”

Chapter 17 - Monsters in the Night

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Chapter 17 - Monsters In the Night

“Good morning Lulu” Celestia chirped.

Letting loose a massive yawn, Luna sat down in Celestia's private quarters while levitating a huge red mug of coffee.

“I will be turning in soon, something you wished to talk about Tia?”

With a sip of her tea to counteract Luna’s slurp of coffee, Celestia adopted a carefully neutral expression.

“I was called by an old name last night.”

“And what is this name that makes you request my presence at this late hour.”

“Early hour Lulu.” Celestia waved playfully at the sunrise.

“Bah!”

Celestia delicately levitated her cup of tea. “Day Princess.”

Luna mug of coffee stopped halfway up to her mouth. Celestia quietly took a sip of tea and set the cup down with the faintest of clinks. Luna’s mug was set down with a louder bang.

“That is an old name Tia. Who said it?”

“Twilight, but she was repeating what a mare in Ponyville called me.”

With a tilt of her head, Luna brought the coffee mug back up and took a sip.

“Could be just an unfortunate coincidence. You realm is the day after all, a slip of the tongue, a garbled expression maybe.”

“My thoughts exactly, the mare is… troubled, as Twilight delicately put it. A garbled term is indeed a possibility.”

“Tia, you wouldn’t have called me in here if this didn’t trouble you.”

Raising a hoof to giggle behind Celestia continued. “Am I that transparent these days?”

Luna stood up and with regal pose walked over to Celestia, buried her head in her neck, and blew a raspberry.

Celestia jumped sideways. “Oh you jumped up unicorn!”

“Over-inflated pegasus.” Luna rejoined, jabbing a hoof at Celestia’s flank.

“Lulu! Leave my flank out of this!”

“Lardy flank! Lardy flank!”

History doesn’t show who threw the first cushion, but soon every cushion in the room was airborne and en route to its respective target, picked up and thrown again. A lull in the battle descended as both sides were left staring at the sight of a cushion impaled on Celestia’s horn.

The Lunar and Solar guards stationed outside the private quarters all shared a furtive glance, as two sets of fillyish giggles came from the other side of the door.

Luna trotted up and nuzzled Celestia, as Celestia levitated the impaled cushion off her horn.

“Feel better now sister?”

Dropping her head Celestia nodded.

“I really must be transparent if you knew how much I needed that. That name is a reminder of my failure. How many suffered at their hooves because I failed to see what they were doing.”

“I know you Tia. It wasn’t all your fault.”

“I won't lose you again Lulu, I was, in turn, both blind and blinded them. It will not happen again… never again.” Celestia managed to stop her hoof-stamp from cracking the floor tiles.

Luna stopped her nuzzling and simply rested her head on the back of Celestia’s neck. In a second Celestia had rested her head on the back of Luna’s in a mirror image. Neither knew how long they had been like that when a gentle knock on the door by a steward reminded Celestia that breakfast was now being served.

Luna lifted her head first.

“You’re still going to Ponyville aren't you. You still think that any of them are out there?”

“I am only going to see how my favorite element bearers are, maybe have a little get together before the Grand Galloping Disaster.”

“And…”

“And, maybe see if I can help this ‘troubled’ mare, I mean, what good are sovereigns for if they can’t help their subjects personally once in awhile.”

“At least tell me you will not be taking half the guard with you.”

“Oh no, Lulu. If it's nothing, they won’t be needed.”

“If it is something?”

Celestia’s face became a mask.

“Then I won’t want them there.”

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Short Notice looked up and hastily rose to bow to both of the Princesses entering his office.

“Your Highnesses.”

“Please rise Mr Notice. Have you worked out my schedule for the next month?” Celestia inquired.

“Of course your highness.”

Luna stood a little behind Celestia and took a noisy gulp from the red mug floating next to her as the Solar Matriarch looked down and scratched a hoof on the floor. Luna quietly applauded her sisters acting, she actually looked sheepish.

“What do you want me to change?” Short Notice sighed, then remembering himself, he quickly added, “your Highness.”

“A day’s visit to Ponyville before the Grand Galloping Disaster.”

Luna nudged Celestia.

“Grand Galloping Gala.”

Short Notice blanched. “A whole day Princess! I..I..I…Of course Princess, I shall begin rearranging it right away.”

‘There goes any chance of leaving on time for the next week.’

Celestia noticed Short Notice’s ears flatten.

“Aw, poor Short Notice.” Celestia leaned in and nuzzled him for a second. “Put it down as a ‘random inspection of a primary military defense asset in situ’.”

Celestia beamed at him before turning and leaving his office. Luna took another loud slurp of coffee, eyeing Short Notice, before turning to follow her sister.

While being stunned at being nuzzled by his Princess, he was still able to take a pencil and note down: ‘Tea with Elements.’ It was much easier to write after all.

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“Your Highnesses!” Short Notice yelled, galloping up towards them, making sure to slow down before he reached the guards. They did not like it if you galloped right up to the Princesses.

“Yes Mr Notice?” Celestia inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Gathering himself, he flourished a letter. “You wanted to be notified of any travel by…him” Short Notice coughed. ”He left Canterlot this morning, we presume for Ponyville. He has ‘it’.”

A wince was shared by all present, even the guards.

Taking a step towards Short Notice. “Why wasn’t I informed immediately?” Celestia demanded.

“He put the travel notification in the wrong file. It wasn’t spotted until I started rearranging your schedule a minute ago.”

Bringing a hoof to her face Celestia sighed. “He did that on purpose. Still, we have some time to warn them. Have you some note paper ready Mr Notice? Good work in spotting it by the way.”

“Yes your Highness, some paper right here your Highness, thank you for your…”

“Enough!” Luna snorted.

Celestia levitated the scroll and quill and jotted down a quick note, before sending it off in a green puff of smoke.

“I only hope they have time to prepare.”

Luna leaned in to whisper to Celestia. “Does he have any chance?”

“None, Twilight knows what she’s doing, besides, the Elements will stand against him as an added barrier. They will probably just vacate Ponyville upon reading the note.”

Celestia shuddered, as a traitorous thought flashed through her mind of what would happen if he was successful.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sat at the library table Sunbeam flipped a rather dull page over in her current book when a strangled scream was heard from upstairs.

A frazzled looking Twilight raced down the stairs as Greywing charged out of his basement sleeping quarters looking for the cause of the scream.

“Spike! Get everything ready to leave, tell the girls they need to leave for a few days, pack the bags, tell the mayor we’re leaving, ready the…”

“Princess?” Greywings flared, only to find himself ignored.

“Whoa Twilight.” Spike yelled, “I can only do one thing at a time.”

“Right! Right, right, ummm, go tell the girls, I’ll pack. Remember to tell them who is coming.”

“Like I’d forget that.” Spike murmured before bolting out the door.

Both Greywing and Sunbeam watched as Twilight packed books and food into a bag only to throwing them back out.

“Won’t need this, will need this, no I won’t, yes I will… argh!”

Greywing stepped forward. “Princess Twilight what’s wrong?“

“He’s coming, he’s coming…”

“Who?”

“Him!”

Greywing and Sunbeam shared a look, a look that spoke volumes about being the only sane ponies in the room.

“Who is ‘him’?” Sunbeam gently asked.

“Blueblood.”

Now Greywing paled. “He-he’s coming here! How? When?”

Twilight glanced at the clock. “According to the train timetable, in the next fifty-three minutes, approximately.”

“Who is Blueblood?” Sunbeam inquired, her curiosity now piqued.

“Bad news,” Greywing shouted as he galloped back down into the basement.

‘I’m getting the whole, ‘time to leave’ vibe here.’

Sunbeam! How can you sit there so calmly? He’s coming!” Twilight yelled.

“What is wrong with Blueblood?”

“It's terrible, he’s coming to... He wants to... He’s trying to marry me!”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam walked with Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity and Greywing. The others were planning on joining them at the rendezvous point.

“Ever since my coronation, he’s been…” Twilight winced, unable to continue.

“Sniffing around you like a timberwolf in heat. He sees you as a way to the throne.” Rarity stated with a sniff.

This brought thoughtful silence to the group, as they all considered Rarity's choice of words.

“So a simple ‘no’ doesn’t work?”

“It’s complicated, he found some old obscure law that if a prince presents a princess with a special rose at a certain time, they are considered married. He went out and managed to find one.”

“Trust that ruffian to desecrate such a romantic gesture.”

“Ouch, surely Princess Celestia can stop it though?”

Twilight placed a hoof on her face. “It’s going through the process to be taken off the books as we speak, but it’s being purposely delayed. If it comes to it the Princess will just announce the laws annulment. But...”

Greywing leaned in. “The political fallout from such a move would be enormous, even with such an outdated law. It would cause chaos, especially if somepony is trying to act on it at the time.” Taking a deep breath he continued. “And that’s what they want. And before you ask, I’m referring to a certain set of nobles. In such a state of chaos, they could push through many laws and acts. It would take forever to untangle and get rid of them.”

“Uncouth barbarians. To think I wanted to be among them.” Rarity interjected. “He was supposed to be sequestered in Canterlot until the law was revoked, apparently, he’s got out. This is what this little trip is about. If he can’t find Twilight, he can’t do the dastardly deed. ”

Sunbeam nodded. “So gathering some guards up and dropping him down a well isn’t an option?”

“No.”

“Well....”

“Humm...”

“Already suggested.”

Twilight bristled. “Rarity, Rainbow, the words you are both looking for is, ‘no’, Greywing, I am not even going to dignify your answer with a response. Look ponies he’s being manipulated by the rest of the nobles, he just doesn’t realise it. However, he is still a prince and due all the respect of one.” Sunbeam noted a twitch on Twilight's face as she said that.

“Only in name darling. Only in name.” Rarity poofed her main with a hoof. “And for the record, I do indeed give him all the respect he is due.” The emphasis she placed on that one word gave Sunbeam an idea of how far that went.

Realising they were on the outskirts of Ponyville, Sunbeam turned to leave. “Well, girls, I’ll head back now. You said where you’ll be camping so I can come get you when he leaves.”

“No, no, no. What if he found out you were with me. What if he compels you to talk, what if he throws you in a dungeon” Twilight’s main suddenly looked a lot messier than Sunbeam ever remembered seeing it being before. Sunbeam took a step back as Twilight shook her head. “What if he tortures you with feathers… no, no, no you have to come with us now.”

“Erm, feathers? Twilight what are you talking abooooouuuttt.” A lavender nimbus surrounded her and she found herself levitated off the ground.

“You have to come with us now. I can’t let you stay and suffer.”

“Rainbow, Rarity, Greywing even, help!”

Rainbow and Rarity looked at Sunbeam then at each other, then at Twilight. After a second of staring at the flustered princess, both solemnly shook their heads, as Greywing just grinned at Sunbeam.

‘This is not doing my exposure therapy any good, and so help me Greywing, I will do unpleasant things to you.’

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“I’m sorry Sunbeam. I sort of panicked there.”

“You don’t say.”

“I’ll write you a letter to Quick Service explaining things. Why you couldn’t go to work.”

“Hehe, a note from your parents Sunbe…”

Greywing’s jibe died in his throat at the look he got. He shuffled slightly away from the mare.

“Hey look sugar, we can all get to know each other better.”

Twilight clapped her hooves together. “Oh yeah, we can all bond.”

“Tell scary stories,” Rainbow added, then pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “And no cheating, this time, Sunbeam, your last one was more like a history lesson, we only jumped from that stunt you pulled. Just saying.”

“Noted.” Was the laconic reply.

Sunbeam lay her head on the ground. ‘A ready saddlebag, three days of supplies in, survival gear, just sat inside my door… still just sat inside my door...’

Sunbeam looked around the campsite. Seven sleeping bags and a set of blankets were arranged around the campfire with all the ponies sat on their bags. Sunbeam herself had been given the blankets for her bedding as her attendance had been... unexpected. The campsite itself was set up just outside the treeline of WhiteTail Woods, just as the sun had started getting low. With only a red tint on the horizon now, the campfire provided all the light around the camp.

With a grin, Greywing pointed to Sunbeam, “So, we're all bonding now eh, so, what’s you’re favorite food then?”

“Goodnight all!” Was her response as Sunbeam turned onto her side and pulled the blanket over her head.

“Aw, don’t be like that.” Greywing mock whispered. “Besides, I do have a proper question.”

Sunbeam flipped the blanket down from over her face. “As long as it’s not the one ‘where do foal’s come from’.” A grin formed on her face. “Because I might just have to tell you.”

Leaning back, Greywing held up a hoof. “No, no, no. I was actually going to ask about the whole Ice thing you do.”

“Ugh, Twi, your department.” She groaned and flipped the blanket back over her head.

Clapping her hooves, Twilight squealed in delight as she got to go into lecture mode and dispense information to her captive audience.

“You see certain unicorns have an affinity with certain elements. I thoroughly tested Sunbeam…” Most of the ponies around the campfire noted the shudder from under the blankets. “...and she does have an affinity with ice. Most unusual, for ponies that is, it's a much more a common occurrence for Griffons. Anyway, it means that she can cast ice related spell much more easily, powerfully and a lot more efficiently. Certainly compared to ponies without such an affinity.”

Twilight paused for a breath.

“With some ponies its fire, some weather, whatever the affinity is with, they get a benefit when doing those types of spells. With Sunbeam its ice, in fact, she has such an affinity that the ‘power expenditure to reserve usage’ ratio when casting ice spells is close to my own.”

In the stunned silence that followed, a muffled voice from under the blankets was heard.

“My overall reserve is slightly below average. And my unusually high affinity to ice results in any other type of spell costing more than it should. Of course Twilight with her affinity for ‘magic itself’ can do any spell she like with that benefit. Of course, couple that with her, what’s the word… 'impossibly-huge reserve' and you have the epitome of magic. Being close to her level is a relative term.”

Pinkie giggled while toasting a marshmallow, “Sounds like little Sunny is jealous of little Twi.”

Folding the blanket back and sitting up she pointed a hoof at Pinky. “Huh, what’s to be jealous of, being able to do any spell, at any power level with never having to worry about draining your reserve, like ever. Oh no, no, no, yes. Totally.” Sunbeam fell backwards onto her blankets, throwing a foreleg over her eyes.

Twilight looked down at her hoof and drew circles on the ground. “It’s not all ladybugs and sunshine. I have to do calculations, risk analysis, emergency planning for any new spell. Plus Celestia wants to be there with me every time. I mean the hoops I have to...”

Rainbow cut her off with a yawn. “Well I don’t know about everypony else, but this magic lecture has made me all sleepy, I’m turning in.”

A murmur of agreement passed round the camp and all but Greywing started to settle down into their sleeping bags. Leaning over Greywing prodded the mound of blankets where Sunbeam was hiding under.

“We’re gonna need someone to stand watch, just in case. I’ll go after you.” A malicious grin spread on his face as he leaned in and whispered to the mound. “You’re first.”

Two sets of eyes watched from a grassy ridge in the tree line, as a grey pegasus took the air as magically propelled blanket was launched at him.

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“How many?”

“Three maybe four pegasi, same number unicorn, two earth. Can’t tell if purple one is unicorn or pegasus. Eight total.”

The two Diamond Dogs watched the campsite. One pony was still sat up, obviously on watch, while the other slept around the campfire.

“Go tell Night Runner, eight ponies for capture. He right to set up camp in woods, ponies do keep coming here.”

Sweet Howl nodded and in a jog took off down the track in the moonlight.

Keen Eye watched him go with a shake of his head. “Too keen to please.”

Turning back to the campsite he looked for the pony on watch.

“Where unicorn go?”

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Sweet Howl jogged into the camp. Three wheeled cages with harness and a wagon formed a circle in the clearing. Several tables and chairs had been set up in the middle, with four tents sat haphazardly to the side of the ring. There were no sources of light in the camp, the moonlight provided more than enough light for Diamond Dogs to see well.

Jogging up to Night Runner, Sweet Howl stopped a respectful distance from the big Diamond Dog.

Most Dogs in the pack knew that he would be next Alpha, so did the current Alpha. So he’d been sent out to capture at least six more ponies for mines, in the hope that he’d come back short and in disgrace. Night Runner had no intention of this happening, coming back with six or more ponies would improve his position and weaken the current Alpha. Not enough to usurp him… yet.

“Night Runner, eight ponies, two earth, three four unicorns, three four pegasi, had trouble identifying one.”

Night Runner gave Sweet Howl a playful swipe with a paw. “Ha, Keen Eye can’t tell wing from horn now. I go see, see if I can help him tell difference.” This brought a chuckle from the other five Diamond Dogs.

“Show me where Sweet Howl, rest of you, prepare for capture.”

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Sweet Howl looked around in confusion.

“Keen Eye should be here! He said watch ponies from here!”

Night Runner looked at the campsite with the ponies, the campfire cast enough glow to illuminate all seven of them sleeping. Looking down at the ridge he could see the flattened grass where two dogs would have been laying.

“This is where he was.” Night Runner pointed to the grass, leaning in he gave it a sniff. “Keen Eye here while ago. Where he now?” Rubbing his jaw he shrugged. “Maybe he head back to camp, lets go, then we all come back to capture ponies.”

He smiled at Sweet Howl’s joy at the prospect.

‘Eager, he soon learn some ponies fight.’

“Come.”

They both jogged back to the campsite.

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Sweet Howl yelped as he pitched forward into the mud on the track.

“Something trip me up.” He exclaimed as he pulled his muzzle out of the mud.

Night Runner laughed at the inexperienced Dog.

“Probably tripped over own paws Sweet Howl. When you tell left paw from right you catch up. I go on, want to start readying for capture.”

Still laying sprawled in mud Sweet Howl nodded and watched Night Runner jog round the bend in the track. He lifted a paw to wipe more mud off his face.

Something heavy crashed into the top of his back, forcing his face back down into the mud drowning out any cry. Before he could lift his muzzle, his head was pushed deeper into the mud.

‘Can’t breathe! Can’t breathe!’

As his head was pushed into the mud as he thrashed in panic.

His face was kept in the mud, even after he had stopped struggling. His body was then dragged into the undergrowth.

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“Where Keen Eye?” Night Runner asked.

The other looked around and shook their heads. Night Runner scouted round the camp in case Keen Eye and come back and had not been noticed.

‘Keen Eye not here and Sweet Howl should be back now as well. Something not right.’

He thought for a minute. “You, Runt. Stay here. Guard Camp. Rest of you, with me. Weapons. Something not right.”

Within a minute five armed Diamond Dogs ran off up the track. Little Paw, who hated that nickname, sat in chair with a sword across his lap in the centre of the camp.

‘Guard camp, no fun. Never let Little Paw show how good he could be. I be good tracker, I be good warrior, if let me show.’

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Night Runner looked at the mud, he could see the mud spray of a fight and where something had been dragged into the woods.

Long Jaw spoke up. “This not good. Something take Sweet Howl, where is Keen Eye? You said he missing, missing like Sweet Howl maybe?”

Ignoring him Night Runner knelt down to examine a head sized indent in the mud. Standing back up he pulled his lips back into a snarl.

“Anything?” He angrily called into the woods.

Two Dogs came out and shook their heads.

“Nothing, trail lead up to stream, then stop. Odd though, stream look like it be thawing from winter still.”

“Argh, head hurt, get back to camp.”

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Entering the clearing they knew something was wrong. All the cages and the wagon were listing to one side or another. Supplies, tables and chairs had been scattered all over the camp and the tents collapsed. Little Paw was nowhere to be seen.

Long Jaw walked up to the wheeled cages. “Look like axe taken to wheels.”

Night Runner walked up the chair where Little Paw had been sitting when they left. Unlike the rest of the camp, it was still stood up with a sword neatly placed neatly across it. He could see two lines in the grass where something had been dragged away. Taking a step towards the chair a crunch under his paw gave him pause. What looked like little rubies and pearls were scattered on the ground near the chair. Picking up what looked like a ruby, he found it cold to the touch and rough in cut. Holding it in his paw he felt it warm up, and amazingly, melt, into a blob of…

He shook his paw vigorously, then dragged it across the ground.

Long Jaw said what was going through all their minds. “Something hunting us.”

Night Runner spun round to face Long Jaw. “Shut up! That not help.“

He looked around at the other four Diamond Dogs. All of them showed fear in their eyes to some degree.

‘Need ponies, lose face if not come back with them. But other Dogs ready to run, fear spreading like illness through them. Alpha not say how soon need ponies though. We go get more dogs, fight later, capture ponies later.’

“Gather supplies, we leave for Den, then come back with more Dogs, then we hunt.”

As Night Runner watched the Dogs start to root around the camp for usable supplies he rubbed the pommel on his sword. ‘Good keep them busy, take mind off what out there. If one runs, others follow. We come back, we find this, we kill this.’

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Light Paw whined at Tough Flank. “Please. Need to do this.”

“No, you need to go, go. I not hold hand. Or anything else.”

“Just need you to keep watch. I not be long.”

“We supposed to be getting supplies. Argh, quick then. Do not go far into wood.”

Light Paw bounded off towards the tree line, as Tough Flank followed at a more sedate pace.
‘Guess he need to go.’

Light Paw bounced from paw to paw a look of impatience and Tough Flank took his time, glaring at the trees.

“Be quick”

“I just go behind tree.”

Tough Flank carefully watched the trees, his grip on his spear tightening at each little noise from the night-time wood. He tried to block out the new sounds coming from around the tree, a grimace forming as he did so.

The sounds ended, then, silence.

“Light Paw? Light Paw don’t make me come round.”

The silence stretched on.

“Light Paw?”

“I be fine.” Light Paw came back round the tree. “Needed that.”

“Com’on, Night Runner not in good mood.”

Light Paw nodded and waved a paw at Silent Step on the other side of the camp.

Silent Step raised his paw...

The white beam hung there, stretching from out of the woods to Silent Step’s chest. Blinding in the night, causing both dogs to shield their eyes briefly, both saw what happened next though. Silent Step’s entire chest burst into a cascade of rubies and pearls bouncing down over the lower half of his body. With his head tumbling backwards and his arms cartwheeling away from where his shoulders once were, his lower torso crumpled to the ground.

Both screamed.

Night Runner, already alerted by the flash was sprinting over to them.

“What happen?”

Tough Flank found his voice first. “A, a beam. A beam hit Silent Step, then, then… he, fall apart.”

Howling with frustration, Night grabbed both of the dogs and shoved them towards the remains of Silent Step. “A Beam, you saw where it came from, why you not chase it down? Instead you stand there and scream like little ponies.” Night Runner towered over the terrified Dogs. “You two stand there, while Dog dies.” He screamed. “You two, bad dogs.”

Both were whimpering now.

“We should go, before it hunt again.” Long Jaw spoke up, having jogged after Night Runner when he had sprinted off.

Night Runner turned and back-pawed him across the muzzle, sending him stumbling backwards.

“You shut up. You put fear in Dogs.”

Rubbing his muzzle, Long Jaw stared defiantly back at Night Runner. “We stood in plain sight, arguing, we should be running.”

“We need supplies then go.”

“It hunt us! It going to kill us, all of us! We need to run! Now!” Long Jaw took a step as if to do this.

Night Runner grabbed Long Jaw in both paws and dragged him close. Bearing his teeth he opened his mouth…

The flash of white light was blinding. To Night Runner it felt like the flash had been right in front of his eyes, while his face was pelted with ice shards at the same time. Letting go of Long Jaw he covered his eyes and stumbled forward, only to fall over and land heavily on the ground.

Laying there he made sure to keep low to the ground while his sight returned and the after images became more manageable. Blinking he turned his head to focus on what he had fallen over. Long Jaw lay there under his rear paws, just that instead of a head, his neck now ended in a crystallized red stump.

Looking up he saw no sign of the other two dogs, both of them having long since run off into the woods.

Laying there, staring at the neck stump for a few minutes, he felt the rage and frustration of the failed mission rise in him. Standing up with a snarl, he drew his sword.

“Come out, fight me coward.” He screamed into the woods.

He kept turning round and round in a half crouch, sword in paw, scanning the tree line around the camp.

“Come on! Come fight me!”

A white glow appeared in the woods behind him.

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Greywing grunted as Sunbeam prodded him.

“You’re turn on watch. There’s still coffee in the pot.”

Greywing slowly got up and stretched, spreading his wings as well.

“Hey watch it with those things.”

Sitting down was able to study Sunbeam from light cast from the camp-fire.

“Why are you covered in mud and branches? You look like you've been rolling in the mud, your entire back is brown.”

Sunbeam looked down and rubbed a hoof on the ground.

“Too much coffee and *ahem* had to go into the woods. Slipped in some mud and fell into the trees going in. Got most of it off now but I still need to go dunk myself in the stream. Thought I’d better wake you first.” She grinned at him.

Barely suppressing a snigger he reached up and took a branch out of her mane near her ears, causing them both to twitch.

“You must have looked like a bush if this is just what's left. Really can't tell where you end and the tree begins.” Sniggering quietly, he could imagine Sunbeam as a walking bush. “Well, anything happen?”

“Nothing of interest.” Was quipped back as Sunbeam headed off into the night.

‘How can she see where the stream is?’

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam, having cleaned and dried herself by the fire while managing to ignore most of Greywings playful jibes, had settled down in her blankets.

‘You killed them.’

Sunbeam sighed.

‘They deserved it. It was a 'justifiable resolution' to that threat they presented.’

‘Yes they were justified kills. That is not the issue. You are the issue! You enjoyed it! You had fun!’

‘No! I...’

‘You are a...’

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Gah! Don’t sneak up on me like that Sunbeam, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Why are you up?”

Giving Greywing a faint smile she replied with a quiet voice. “Oh you know, feel all sleepy, but as soon as you lay your head down, you’re wide awake.”

Greywing nodded. Both sat in silence staring into the fire.

“How’s your exposure therapy going.” Greywing asked, restraining himself from doing the air quote thing as he said it.

Shifting position, Sunbeam looked at the fire. “It’s going fine, hanging around Twilight and getting to see all her… personality quirks. I’m beginning to see a pony that happens to have horns and wings. Seeing all her neurosis is enough to see that she is not an omniscient, omnipotent, vengeful being.”

‘And she’s hasn’t seen through the cutie mark enchantment. Yet.’

“Well I’m sure she’ll be glad to hear that.” Greywing playfully shoved Sunbeam with a wing.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes as fire crackled loudly.

“Strawberry Ice Cream.”

“Huh?”

“Earlier, you asked my favorite food, Strawberry Ice Cream.”

Turning to Sunbeam, Greywing noticed her face was in the shadows.

“My parents gave it to me on my fifth birthday. It was so wonderful, I’d never had anything like it before. I remember thinking ‘I have never been happier’, heh, even with the ice cream headache I gave myself, twice. That day I felt like the happiest, most loved filly in the world. I never told them that, I said I was happy but I wish I could have told them that. I wish I could have told Mummy and Daddy that I....”

Both sat in silence as Greywing tried to work out if Sunbeam was going to continue.

“Greywing, can I ask you a question?”

“You can ask.”

Sunbeam made sure her voice was neutral.

‘You are a…’

“What would your description of a monster be?”

Chapter 18 - Found It

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Chapter 18 - Found It

Both Twilight and Rainbow stood away the campsite, watching as Thunderlane flew back to town.

"Com'on Twi, let's get back before they eat our breakfast as well."

The others sat around the smouldering campfire, eating their breakfasts while eagerly awaiting the return of the two and the news from Ponyville.

Apart from Sunbeam that is, she was just trying to stay awake and was holding onto her coffee mug with grim determination. Her expression left no doubt to a pony's fate if anypony tried to take it from her. Twice now she'd almost ended up going face-first into her breakfast, asleep, and had given up on the idea.

Noticing this, Greywing got up, and while still chewing his last mouthful, walked over to the sleepy unicorn with narrowed eyes. Giving Sunbeam's shoulder a nudge with his hoof he gave her an exasperated look before swallowing the last of his breakfast. “I said you should have woken me earlier. You were supposed to be on watch only for a couple of hours, not half the night! And how long did it take you to get to sleep after that?”

Lifting her head and fixing him with a plaintive look she replied. “Not sleepy then, sleepy now. Want more coffee”

Greywing shook his head before looking up at Twilight and Rainbow came back to camp.

“So, any news about Blueblood?”

Rainbow spoke up first. “Only he left Ponyville last night on the train. He had the flower with him all the time while searching for Twilight. Made himself a real pain apparently.” Rainbow gave Twilight a playful shove with her wing. “Sounds like he’s got the real hots for you princess.”

“Not helping Rainbow. Argh, I’m a princess but I’ve got to go hide in the woods whenever he comes around like a, like a, like a....”

“Common criminal?” Greywing casually inserted, before slapping a hoof over his mouth and blushing.

The glare from Twilight was the one he was expecting, as was the snigger from Rainbow.

Twisting her neck from side to side to try and relieve a cramp Twilight carried on, purposely ignoring Greywing.

“At least we can all head back now. We don’t need to go 'ahem hide' in the woods.”

Greywing nodded as a still sniggering Rainbow stretched her wings. “As I was saying earlier, there’s that nice little clearing I know, only little way into the woods from here. It makes a great campsite. If there is a next time of course.”

Leaning towards Twilight he lowered is voice. “Although I think we might have had a problem with Sunbeam if we had needed to do go into the woods. She seemed" He paused looking for the word. "Afraid, is that the right word? For us to go into the woods, especially when I mentioned that clearing."

Twilight nodded, making a careful mental note of that. “Yes, she did seem to become quite agitated at that proposal.”

Both of them turned to look at Sunbeam as she began reaching for the coffee jug. Applejack beat her to it, unaware Sunbeams half outstretched foreleg and look of horror.

Pouring the last of the coffee into her cup, Applejack swirled it before pointing the mug at Twilight. All the while being totally oblivious to the faces Sunbeam was now pulling at her. “So what now Twi? Head back on into town and continue on as normal until he tries again?”

Twilight nodded. “Hopefully, Celestia can get that law revoked before he tries again.”

“As much as I adore a romantic gesture, that buffoon Blueblood has ruined another one. The sooner that Princess Celestia is able to get it off the law books the better.” Rarity said, staring into her mug of coffee with disdain.

Pinky pulled a muffin out of her saddlebags. “Aw cheer up, I have a blueberry muffin here for you if you turn that frown upside-down.” Pinky waved it around close to Rarity’s face. “Hummm, muffin.”

Narrowing her eyes at Pinky, Rarity’s face became stone as the muffin passed in front of her. Opening her mouth to make her views known, she was interrupted by a small giggle from next to her.

“Fluttershy?”

“Oh sorry, you look so stern there, with Pinky waving that muffin in front of you.”

Closing her eyes, Rarity rubbed her temple. “Okay Pinky, maybe I was being a little too despondent there, I would love to have the muff..mmmmpf.”

With a snap of her wings, and ignoring Rarity’s muffled cries, Twilight tried to get everyone’s attention.

“Let's start packing up soon, I’m sure we all got things to be doing when we get back.”

Fluttershy lifted herself off the ground. “Oh yes, I need to make sure all my little house guests are fed. And on the way back Sunbeam can tell me some of the amusing stories she has, I’ve heard they quite unforgettable.”

Six sets of eyes turned on Sunbeam, who was currently staring morosely at the empty coffee jug she held in her hooves.

After a few seconds, Sunbeam became aware of the silence. Looking up she hugged the empty coffee jug to her chest and blinked rapidly.

“What?”

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Flying over the group as they walked back, Greywing’s head lifted as he remembered a question he wanted to ask. Flying down, he gently landed by Sunbeam as they walked back. “So, how does it work.”

“How does what work?” Was the curt reply. She didn’t bother to turn her head to look at him, she was just concentrating on putting one hoof in front of the other. This also meant that Sunbeam hadn’t noticed that she was being guided to the front of the group, while Fluttershy was being careful herded to the back.

“Last night, whenever you went off into the night, you knew exactly where to go, like you could see everything. So, how can you see at night, a spell?”

Stopping, Sunbeam rubbed her eyes with a hoof. ‘Ugh, too tired.’

“Yes and no. Yes, it is a spell. No, it’s not true ‘seeing at night’. I'm seeing magic.”

Greywing tilted his head, saying nothing, he did, however, raise a hoof and made a circular backwards motion with it, indicating she say more.

Starting to talk again, Sunbeam found herself a bit more awake as she talked.

“It’s part of a spell I’ve been taught. When it’s active I can see magic and because all living things have a bit of magic in them, I can see them irrespective of light levels. So trees, plants, animals all show up as outlines, the more magic in them the brighter, more filled in they appear.”

Pausing she pointed at Applejack in front of her. “They, the Bearers that is, they all show up like lighthouses in comparison to everything else. Suppose it’s the residual magic leftover from channeling magic through the Elements.” Chuckling she continued. “Of course you’d want to channel magic through the Elements and not through your own body. Not unless you’re an alicorn... or have a death wish.”

Greywing could see her eyes widen in horror in realization. “Oh, please don’t tell Twilight that, the seeing magic thing I mean. I had enough tests when she found out about the whole ‘Ice Affinity’, no more thankyouverymuch.”

Greywing playfully rubbed his chin with a hoof. “Wellllll, maybe, if you’re good.”

Sunbeam took a half-hearted swing at him, which he dodged easily by flying up backwards into the air.

“Ha, missed. Seriously though, this seeing magic thing, you can walk around at night and see everything?”

“No, things need to have magic in them to be able to see them, so rocks and buildings don’t show up. It’s not perfect, but better than being totally blind, just gotta watch out for the boulders.” Bringing a hoof up she pantomimed adjusting her nose.

Sunbeam lifted her head in thought. ”And buildings, trying to use it in a built-up area would result in Miss Sunbeam walking into a wall very quickly. Plus there’s the whole privacy thing.”

Greywing raised an eyebrow before asking. “Privacy?”

“Yeah, with it on I can see what ponies get up to behind closed doors. Not pretty.” She shuddered just before Greywing caught on and shuddered himself.

“Ewwww. So, moving swiftly on to another topic, whatcha up to when you get back?”

“Sleep, shower, pizza, beer.”

“Ah, the important staples of life.”

“You said it brother.”

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The hastily assembled council of war sat round the table in the library. This consisted of all the bearers, Greywing, and Spike.

“It’s been delayed… again!” Twilight muttered as she rose and began stomping around the table while the offending letter was held up in her magic field.

“How long can they keep doing that sugar?”

“They could delay it indefinitely if they really tried. Won’t go that far though. They’ll stop before the Princesses get really upset at them.”

Greywing rubbed his chin. “They will keep it up for as long as possible though. So I have an ‘alternative’ option." He paused to make sure he had everponys attention. "It all comes down to Blueblood having that darn flower. If something ‘unfortunate’ was to happen to that flower however…”

Twilight swung her head round to face Greywing. “What are you suggesting?”

“That I go to Canterlot and ‘ahem’ gain entry to the Prince's chambers and remove the flower.”

Rainbow flew up to the ceiling with a punch to the air. “Woohoo, now that sounds like a plan.”

“No, no, no. I will not condone breaking and entering plus theft of property.”

“Is that the marriage march I hear?”

Twilight’s expression didn’t change. “You will need to take a unicorn with you, Blueblood is one and therefore will have most certainly placed a magical seal on it. But none of the Elements can be involved, if this goes wrong and you get caught…”

“It’s okay, I have the perfect unicorn in mind for this mission.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greywing knocked politely on the door.

The door opened just enough for a head to poke around it.

“Yes, can I help you?”

“Hello there. Princess Twilight needs your help. May I come in... Miss Heartstrings?”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam hadn’t reached the shower, technically she hadn’t fully reached the bed. Her head and shoulders were resting on the bed, with her forelegs stretched wide. While the rest of her was collapsed down by the side of the bed, blissfully asleep.

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Willow Bark looked at the broken door to her shop as the guards searched for clues.

"And that's how I found it this morning."

Leaning in one of the guards inspected the door. “Looking at the impact points, I’d say this door was bucked by a small mare or an adolescent stallion, earth pony most probably. Any idea what was taken?”

“Certain herbs, whatever pony did this knew exactly what they wanted." The guard noted that Willow looked more distraught at this than at the break in itself.

“Any idea what the herbs taken could be used for?”

“Yes, although I haven't looked properly. The selection taken could be used for a few things in parts, but viewed as a total... It's a sleep powder, fast acting. Enough for three doses.” Willow shuffled uncomfortably.

The other guard walked over to him. "Looks like we got a crime wave going here, first Time Turner's tarpaulin goes missing, then Berry Punch's Wagon last night. Something is going on."

Nodding the guard turned to other next to him. “Better get a call out to all the clubs and bars, they need to be on the look out for any suspicious activity.” Looking down at his notes he underlined ‘Adolescent stallion’.

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“Yes, yes, yes.”

Both Twilight and Spike watched with open mouths and Sunbeam literally danced around the table in the Library.

“I found it, I found it, I found it.” She singsonged.

Spike was able to recover first and dryly commented. “Do I take it you found something?”

Noticing them, Sunbeam made no attempt to calm down. Pointing at the shelf she let out a whoop before making a gesture that left Twilight scrambling to cover Spike's eyes.

“Finally found something on Resoulten Gems. And it's only the second to last book on the shelf which I haven’t read.”

“You mean you’re not going to read the entire shelf on the subject?” Spike asked with a grin pushing Twilight's hooves away.

“Buc… I mean nope. No more unnecessary reading.”

Twilight threw her hooves in the air at that. “Unnecessary! Argh, I’m going out. Spike, you’re in charge.”

Both watched silently as Twilight stormed out before Sunbeam gave a little shimmy with her flanks.

“Woohoo.”

“Seriously though Sunbeam, last book. You never know what’s inside it.”

“Already looked in it.”

“Huh?.”

“Oh come on! A big, black, ominous-looking book, completely out of place with all the rest on the shelf. Don’t you think it wasn’t the first one I tried when things got hard?”

“So what’s in it then?”

“No idea, don’t care now.” Seeing Spikes puzzled expression she explained further. “Its all written in Ancient Equestrian or something. I can’t make head nor tail out of it, so I gave up on that idea pretty quickly.”

Sunbeam continued to dance around the table, while spike just shook his head at her antics.

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As Spike went into the kitchen to make lunch for Twilight and himself, Sunbeam calmed herself down enough to begin to take notes in earnest. Her levitated quill frantically scratched as she read.

Resoulten Gem, Literally Re-Souling Gem.

It has been my honour to be allowed to study this rare gem by the Royal Family of Zebriaca, the only flawless one in their impressive collection I might add. The more common flawed gems, while still rare, lack the lustre and truly magic properties of the flawless gems. However, these are still sought after by the fashionably rich for their appearance, if not their magic potential.

First off, the basics. It is a crystalline stone belonging to the same group as a diamonds. However, in the process of forming, it is speculated that it has been exposed to a large quantity of ‘Life Elemental’ magic, resulting in its unique colouration - when charged, magical properties and it's rarity. This gem falls squarely under the school of ‘Life Magic’.

Sunbeam tapped her hoof on the words ‘Life Magic’ before looking down at her amulet. "I think I have a suspicion on why the spell they tried to put on you never worked Mr Sable. Trying to enchant an already magical charged item." She shook her head. "Plus I very much doubt it was a spell from the 'Life Magic' school...and we all know how well mixing schools of magic goes." Looking up at the book, she continued reading the entry.

In general looks, 'uncharged' it appears as a common diamond, but when ‘charged’, a black flickering flame appears inside the gem. The larger the charge, the larger the flicker, to a point it is theorized it could give the appearance of being entirely black.

The gem, when worn, absorbs the life energy given off by the wearer to give it a ‘charge’. In every documented case, and in my limited testing, this process appears to be non-hazardous to the wearer.

The first, and in my opinion minor, magical quality of the gem is what makes it so currently popular with the fashionista. The black flickering flame. This is merely an effect of the charge being stored. This is the only property a flawed gem is capable of.

The second quality, and only available to flawless gems, is where it’s true potential lies. The stored life energy can be channeled back into the wearer upon severe injury to keep the wearer alive and assist in the healing of injuries.

Note: Some caveats on that last sentence.
First, the wearer must be wearing it upon the injury.
Second, the injury must be severe enough to disrupt the life flow from the wearer. The cessation of flow into the gem will trigger the life energy stored to flow back into the wearer.
Third, any stored energy must have come from the wearer themselves. See footnote.
Fourth, any injury is not instantly fatal.

In relation to my third point, If the wearer of a ‘charged’ gem were to pass it over to another individual, any stored charge would dissipate almost instantaneously to allow a 'new' charge from the 'new' wearer to start accumulating. Given that it can take years to charge a gem for it to have a medically viable charge, plus its non-transferable nature, the medical applications are somewhat limited at this point.

“Odd!” Sunbeam gave the gem around her neck a puzzled look. “This has always had a flicker, even when I first... received... it....” She focused intensely back into the book trying to suppress those memories.

Popular mythology: With it being called a re-souling gem, ponies assume that it can bring back the dead, this is, of course, inaccurate. The gem, while huge in storage capacity, does not have the means to draw a soul into it. No, the gem itself stores ‘life energy’ which it channels back into the wearer if needed, which may indeed give the appearance of bringing a terminally wounded individual back to life.

Footnote. It is possible to transfer a gem and retain its charge, provided two specific conditions are met. Both of these tie into properties given to it by it’s ‘Life Magic’ nature.

‘Ahh, here we go.’ Sunbeam grinned and the levitated quill continued writing.

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Spike came back to the library to find the front door open and library empty.

‘Where’s Sunbeam?’

Walking over to close the door he glanced at the notes scattered over the table with one sheet laying on the floor. Leaning over to pick up that sheet he couldn’t help but notice the last sentence on the half finished page.

‘Huh! Must have been in hurry to leave, she didn’t even finish the last word.’

Footnote. It is possible to transfer a gem and retain its charge, provided two specific conditions are met. Both of these tie into properties given to it by it’s ‘Life Magic’ nature.

First: The ‘donor’ must have died without the gem triggering. A ‘living’ transfer is not possible due to the ties the gem generates to its owner.

Second: The ‘recipient’ needs to feel a deep emotional bond with the ‘donor’ at the time of transfer. For example: Something akin to a father-daughter relationsh

Chapter 19 - Hidden Things

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Chapter 19 - Hidden Things

Sunbeam sat staring into the entrance to Everfree. Bringing the bottle of Jackie D she held in her hoof up, she took a mouthful of the amber liquid, before placing the bottle down on the ground.

"Father-daughter relationship. Hah! He wasn't my father, he wasn't my father... he wasn't my father! He had no right to be like a..."

Out of habit, her hoof came up to check her amulet around her neck.

A yelp was heard as if somepony had just been burnt, followed by cursing at a knocked over bottle.

Rubbing her eyes with a hoof, she reached a decision.

"I'll head back, I'm being a stupid mare even thinking about this."

Taking a deep breath a final look into the forest before she left, she tilted her head in puzzlement at some floating green lights beyond the tree line.

'Firefly's? During the day? No! Eyes! They're green eyes. Looking at me. Timberwolves!'

A half smile formed as her thinking becoming focused, confident and so very, very cold. It was Icefang that entered the forest.

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While a unicorn mare was marching into a forest, Soarin, Spitfire, and Doctor Pulse were sat by the runway at the Wonderbolt academy, watching a rainbow coloured streak perform complex manoeuvres overhead.

Two were watching her intently anyway, unfortunately for Spitfire, she found herself getting distracted from the display by the whimpers, and wing twitches, coming from the doctor at every tight turn Rainbow performed. A particularly loud whimper caused her already strained patience to snap and she spun round and thrust a hoof at the Wonderbolts chief medical officer. “Buck it doc, you’re the one who said to her ‘go up there and show us what you can do’.”

Hanging his head, he sounded broken. “I know. It’s just some of those maneuvers should have torn her wings off." Stamping a hoof he looked down. "This is impossible, she is impossible, that is impossible." Shoulders slumping, he carried on. "I just hope I can get some useful data from the G-force harness she’s wearing.”

Never looking away from the display above, Soaring spoke up. “Oh, that’s what it was. I thought you'd bought her something from the ‘more advanced’ section of a marital aids catalogue.”

A blush exploded on the doctors face.

“It’s highly advanced scientific apparatus designed to record how many G’s a wearer pulls while wearing it. It’s designed to position meters at strategic points all over the wearers body, without impeding their movement. Although now you mention it...”

Wincing, he now understood his receptionist’s reaction to it when he proudly showed it off to her.

“I think I know why Rainbow was wearing a cloak over it when she came out of the billets.”

Soarin, wearing a big smile, turned to the doctor. “Hey doc, you got Rainbow Dash to wear something that could be called downright kinky. Do you realise how many stallions, and a few mares, want to shake your hoof right now? On a unrelated note, are you going need, say, pictorial evidence of this, ‘cause... ”

Soarin tailed off as he felt Spitfire's glare land on the back of his head. Any other pony would have needed a baseball bat to achieve the same effect on him.

Still glaring at Soarin, Spitfire continued. “So doc, why do you want to record how many G’s Cadet Dash pulls?”

Raising a hoof, and pointing it at a particular violent turn the rainbow streak had just made, a despondent note entered his voice. “Because that move should have just liquidized her internal organs. And don’t even get me started on the sonic rainboom and the ninety degree turns. My medical books all weep at the thought of what she does." The doctor took a deep breath. "I just want to know how she’s doing it. So I'm trying to gather some data, even though I suspect it's just going to make me even more upset.”

Looking back up to the display, Soarin shrugged. “Hey, it's magic right.”

“No!" Stamping a hoof for emphasis the Doctor Pulse glared at Soarin. "Not at this level. All pegasus have enough magic to fly. Some though, have flying related talents, so as their internal magic flows out through their talent, magically enhancing their flying skills. Keyword here is enhance.”

Jabbing a hoof at the rainbow streak he grumbled. “What’s happening up there is not magic enhancing flying, its magic throwing the rulebook out the window and letting her do whatever she damn well pleases.”

Hanging his head, his wings drooping to the point they were almost dragging on the ground, the doctor turned to leave.

Without looking back, he softly added. “When she’s finished, please sent her to see me in my office, with the G-force harness. I want to analyze the data, see if it can give me a clue on what’s happening up there... Which I seriously doubt." He slammed a hoof into his face. "Argh, she is an impossible pegasus!"

Spitfire and Soarin watched the doctor set off to his office, with leaden steps.

“I get the impression it bothers him,” Soaring stated. “And you too.” Pointing a hoof at Spitfire.

Nodding her head in agreement Spitfire added. “It does, I actually have no idea what to do with her. If she put her mind to it, she could fly circles around all of us. I just...”

The rest of whatever Spitfire was about to say was lost in the sonic rainboom that echoed over the airfield.

Everypony on the airfield just stopped and watched the rainbow steak go through patterns at sonic rainboom speeds. Spitfire and Soarin weren’t the only ponies to wince at the ninety-degree turns.

Still staring at the streak, Spitfire rubbed the back of her neck. “Okay, what have we got that can top that?”

Soarin just shook his head. Then raised his hoof to point at the rainbow streak, now at ground level, heading straight at them.

“Erm…”

Stopping dead, mere feet from them, Rainbow threw in a dramatic pose. Her late stop, in Soarin's opinion, caused him to fall over backwards and Spitfire to flinch at the near miss. At least at what any other pegasus would called a near miss.

“Awww, yeah. Err, I mean Sirs.” Rainbow’s pose changed to a hovering attention stance and crisply saluted, while Soarin was scrambling to get back on his hooves.

With a nod, Spitfire acknowledged the salute. “Cadet, I believe the good doctor would like to see you, with the G-force harness. Once you’ve changed and hit the showers.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Oh I forgot I was wearing this… thing. Cloak please Soar... I mean sir.”

Soarin sat there just staring at Rainbow and the harness just long enough for it to become uncomfortable before realising and passing her the cloak.

“Thank you...sir.” Grabbing the cloak with her teeth, she threw it over her. “Can’t wait to get out of this thing, It looks… blegh.” With the cloak over her, Rainbow trotted off towards the billets, Soarin watching her all the way.

“Lieutenant!”

“Ma’am.” Soarin jumped into the air assuming a hovering attention pose, with a salute.

Looking coldly at him for a few seconds, her face split into a wide grin, a grin which could inspire cold sweats in anypony that knew her.

“Lieutenant, you have been staring at a very attractive young mare, while she was wearing very provocative attire. You are now hovering in front of me with your hips at my eye level while wearing a very form-fitting flightsuit. Please land… now.”

Soarin landed very rapidly with a noticeable thud, the blush was extra. “Permission to be excused, ma’am?”

“Oh no, Lieutenant.” Looking around she spotted a group of cadets. “Cadets! Front and centre.”

The four cadets rushed over to Spitfire and saluted.

“The good lieutenant here is now going to demonstrate how to properly wear a flight suit. Make sure he shows where the seams on the underneath go. As they so often get forgotten best to do them first don’t you think?”

Spitfire turned to leave as several cadets got out notebooks and pencils.

“Carry on lieutenant.”

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“Cadet Dash reporting as ordered Doctor.”

“Thank you cadet, please put the harness over there, I’ll begin to get the data off it in a second. Oh and please sit down.”

“Thank you sir.”

Placing the harness down where the doctor had pointed, Rainbow took the time to look around his office. Plain white walls, the only decoration being several framed certificates on a side wall. He sat behind a drab pine desk with the window behind him as the box on the desk started to download the data from the harness.

Rainbow drifted off mentally before being brought back as the doctor banged a hoof on the desk as he sat transfixed the box.

“No! No! No!” Looking up at Rainbow, he pointed an accusing hoof at her. “What are you?”

Leaning back, Rainbow blinked. “Sir?” She had long since discovered that this was the best response to such an open question from a superior officer.

“This harness is rated up to two hundred G’s. You maxed it out before you even got to the sonic rainboom. Most meters are broken now.” The accusing hoof returned. “You should be a sticky paste on the runway. A red mist even. What are you?” His voice rising in volume and pitch.

Leaning back further, Rainbow stared at the now irate doctor. “Sir, it is the cadets duty to report that the doctor is making the cadet feel… uneasy… sir.” Her hard-won training being tested to it’s limit not to buck the doctor into next week.

With that, the doctor’s anger collapsed. With his elbows resting on the desk, he sank his head into his hooves. “I apologise to the cadet. If you feel this matter needs to be taken further I will not attempt to…”

“Nah we’re cool doc. Sir. Been called worse by friends. Just it was a little…” Bringing a hoof up she rubbed her jaw. “It does seem that you’ve been on my case ever since I got here doc, why? I mean, may the cadet inquire why sir.”

Still keeping his face in a hoof, he waved the other in Rainbow’s direction.

“Because what you do is impossible. No pegasus can do what you do without major magic assistance, but there are no external spells. You are doing it all by yourself.”

“I just have awesome flying skills, sir.”

Doctor Pulse looked up at that, but the glare was half-hearted.

“Even with your talent being ‘awesome flying skills’, the normal magical boost you’d get from your talent still falls short of what you do. Unless, of course, you have so much magic trying to vent through your talent, you should just burst into flames.”

“Sir? I don’t follow.”

The doctor sighed. “Okay, magic builds up in you. This magic needs to vent out, which it does through your talent. This vented magic enhances your talent, meaning you can do it better and...”

Bristling, Rainbow cut the doctor off. “Thank you... sir. Bit I am fully aware of how cutie marks work.”

“However, what I doubt you know is that having too much magic in you is dangerous. In very rare cases magic builds up faster than is can be vented. In this case the poor ponies talent is massively increased as more and more magic tries to vent through it. ‘Tipping Point’ is point where the magic starts building up inside you faster than you can vent it. ‘Saturation Point’ is where the magic starts finding its own way out.”

His mind wandered to the description of ‘Saturation Point.’

The subject’s internal organs suffer total failure as they basically cook from the inside out, but the magic maintains the consciousness of the unfortunate subject until it has been fully exhausted. No painkiller, spell or drug, has been know to work. The subject’s vocal cords are distressing active in those moments. Those in attendance frequently require therapy after witnessing such an event.

Rainbow watched the doctor shudder with a raised eyebrow.

“You!” The doctor pointed the hoof again. “The only way I have to explain your abilities is that there is a huge magical charge in you, which is venting out through your ‘Awesome Flying Skills’ talent. However, this is rendered invalid as you are still very much alive. So, you fly in the face of everything I’ve been taught, it's… frustrating, to put it mildly.”

“Sir.” Was Rainbow’s only response.

“I’ve been through your medical files many times looking for any information regarding magical check-ups, but they seem to be missing. You’re supposed to have a magical build up check every five years after you develop your cutie mark, but I can’t see one being done on you in over...”

“Three weeks ago sir, at Canterlot Castle. All the bearers get one every month.”

Sitting back in his chair the doctor blinked. “Every month! Once every five years is viewed as sufficient.”

Rainbow raised her eyebrows. “Well, Princess Celestia herself insisted. Top of the line stuff with best docs in the field, I've been told. We’ve all been going every month ever since we first used the elements. Odd that it isn’t recorded in my file.”

Doctor Pulse had a sinking feeling wash over him.

“Yes, odd that, all that specialised, sensitive data regarding a, a, 'national defence asset' being absent from your file." His voice became hollower as his mind started presenting uncomfortable scenarios to him. "You know, I sent a request off, asking about a 'magical build-up' check for you, plus the fact it wasn’t in any of your files. All official like...I signed it and all”

“Doc, you okay? You suddenly look pale.”

“Tell me Rainbow, when did you first perform a sonic rainboom?”

“When I got my cutie mark.”

Doctor Pulse nodded, while his gaze was now distant.

“Yes, understandable. When you first get your cutie mark it does tend to vent all the magic that had been stored up for years since you were born. Perfectly safe and normal. When next?”

“At the ‘Best Young Flyers Competition’.”

“Tell me, was that ‘after’ you became a bearer?”

“Yes, why does that have anything to do with this?”

“No, no, no. These monthly tests you go for, strictly routine I take it.”

“Oh yes. Just routine they say. Both Princess Celestia and Luna are there every time, they even cast spells on us with the other doctors.”

“I see. Well, thank you for your time cadet, you are dismissed. I h-have a few things I need to get in order before… before... Dismissed.”

With a puzzled expression Rainbow left the doctor’s office. When Rainbow had left Doctor Pulse sank his head into his hooves.

There was a knock on his office door.

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The timberwolf dashed through the trees as a white beam hit the trunk of a tree close to it.

“Come back and fight me you coward!”

After it had become clear the wolf wasn’t going to be coming back, Sunbeam sat down and looked around the clearing. It was a small clearing, the twisting trees trunks reached up and over, leaving only a small gap in the middle for a sunbeam to come in. The rest of the clearing was bathed in a green light that had filtered through the leafs. The remains of the rest of the timberwolf pack were also scattered around the clearing.

‘I'm gonna need a bigger monster.’

Twisting her head around, she levitated another bottle of Jackie out of her saddlebags, while applauding her foresight to pack several bottles.

Sitting there, staring off into space, she opened it and took a swig from the bottle.

‘Where can I find a bigger monster in the Everfree? Throw a rock normally...’

‘Look in a mirror.’

Sunbeam sat in shock for a few seconds, before her lips drew back, baring her teeth and...

The birds close to the clearing took all took flight. The fleeing timberwolf paused in its flight and threw its head over its shoulder looking back.

As the echoes of the scream died down, the forest seemed strangely quiet.

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Sunbeam had positioned herself so that she lay with her back against a tree, between two root buttresses, with her rear legs splayed out and her tail trapped under the right leg. An empty bottle lay at her rear hooves with a new one hovering in a white glow. Her now empty saddlebags thrown to one side.

She could hear something approaching, it was making no attempt to be silent as if it wanted to be heard.

The hovering bottle moved into a forehoof and the glow around it died as the hoof took its weight. However, the glow around her horn increased in brightness.

It was getting closer, approaching from the other side of the clearing. Sunbeam took a swig from the bottle while watching the perimeter of the clearing intently.

“Goodness, what a mess you have made.”

Sunbeam raised the hoof with the bottle in it and shook the bottle.

“Have a drink with me Zecora?”

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Princess Celestia sat in the corridor, next to the door to the janitor's supply closet, as guard ponies thundered past her. The castle was in an uproar, somepony had broken into Prince Blueblood’s chambers and the guards were turning the castle upside down looking for them. She found it quite amusing as the guards tried to run past her and bow at the same time.

Turning her head, she sat there in silence, watching as Shining Armour approached.

“Any news Captain?”

“None your Highness. Whoever broke into Prince Blueblood’s chambers is not around anymore.”

“Goodness, anything of value taken?”

“Just that damn… I mean just the rose he was trying to wed my sister with.”

“I do hope that your personal opinion of the Prince will not hamper your search for the miscreants captain.”

“Of course not your Highness.”

Princess Celestia tilted her head in thought, while looking at the janitor's supply closet door. “You know, it strikes me that we should concentrate all the guards to the south part of castle. I know it will leave the north part empty of guards but I am sure that is where they are. It would be unfortunate if the miscreants were to go to the north gardens. With all the guards in the south part of the castle, a, let’s say, grey pegasus and a mint green unicorn could escape by going north."

Shining Armour set his face in stone and saluted.

“Your highness, I will order all guards to go to the south, while leaving the north clear of guards. It should take about five minutes.”

Princess Celestia nodded and watched Shining Armour depart yelling orders at any guard that passed.

The Princess addressed the air next to the door. “You know, Prince Blueblood is quite a nice pony, once you get to know him. He does actually have a thing for Princess Twilight. Hopefully, he should move on once he realises she’s not interested in him. It is just the nobles encouraging him down the wrong path. You really should give him a chance.”

She sat there for a few more minutes.

“Oops look at the time, best I better be going, glad there is nopony around right now.”

With that, she turned and left the janitor's supply closet with a slow, prancing step that echoed down the hallway.

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Doctor Pulse sat in the little office deep within Canterlot Castle, no windows or any decoration on the wall, just a desk, an artificial light and the midnight-blue unicorn mare, sat the other side of the desk, watching him.

Looking down at the document before him, he knew he had lost all control of his life right now.

“Can I read it first, before I sign it?” He asked, more in hope than expectation.

“A copy is yours for reference, after signing.”

“Do I have an option?”

The unicorn, who had a full moon behind a cloud for a cutie mark shook her head, she had never offered a name.

With a sigh, he picked up the quill in his mouth and signed on the dotted line.

“Excellent doctor, please come with me, someone wants to see you. By the way, that is a magically binding contract. Thy will not be able to communicate anything you learn or currently know about this to anypony. It's all explained in detail in there.”

Standing up, the unicorn magically opened the door and went through it. Pausing on the other side, she gave a head flick, indicating he should follow.

The unicorn took him through what could only be the service hallways of the castle. They were tight, dull and only illuminated with glowing crystals. As they progressed the hallways grew in grandeur and size. Only when he passed a window did he realize it was now dark outside.

Stopping by a pair of big, pure white doors that were decorated in gold, the unicorn knocked politely on them.

“Come in Lulu.” Came from the other side.

The unicorn opened the doors and gestured for the doctor to go in.

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Zecora fixed Sunbeam with a baleful eye.

“You wish to die? For this seems to me to be what you seek being in this forest this deep.”

Rubbing her temple with a hoof, Sunbeam closed her eyes. The shadows in the clearing had grown longer and the green tinge had become deeper. She was feeling so tired right now, leaning back onto the trunk of the tree, her eyes closing. The bottle in her hoof was brought to her chest and held there with both hooves.

After a few seconds, Sunbeam fixed a stare at the zebra. “No! I panicked when I found something I wasn’t prepared for and I ran. I just needed to get away from everypony. The thought… the thought did cross my mind though.” Sunbeams head slumped down onto her chest.

Looking around Zecora took in remains of the timberwolves. “May I inquire to the source of your distress?”

Sunbeam, remained quiet for a while then scrunching her eyes tight, spoke softly into her chest.

“I looked up to him like a father. I swore never again afterwards.”

Opening her eyes, she looked directly at Zecora with a humourless smirk

“Isn’t that a riot, I swore never again.” A giggle followed.

Zecora stayed silent, letting Sunbeam get whatever she wanted off her chest.

Sunbeam fell silent herself, her eyes looking at something only she could see. She wrapped her forehooves around the bottle and hugged it tight. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

“I - I tried, I tried so so hard.... I swore never…never again. ”

Sunbeam took a swig from the bottle her hoof noticeably shaking. She spoke in a whisper, her ears flat.

“It took him less than a week to break me.”

Sunbeam leaned forwards and curled up into herself.

“I don’t even remember who it was anymore, I can't even picture their face. I can only remember being so glad it wasn't me.”

“He stood there watching us when I....”

Looking back up at Zecora, Sunbeam’s voice became calm and quiet. A distant look came into her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips.

“My mummy used to tuck my up in bed every night. She’d kiss my nose and tell me I was a ‘good little filly’.”

Her expression morphed into pure rage. The half empty bottle of Jackie D was launched across the clearing.

“That bastard Scrolls called me a ‘good little filly!...the blood was still wet on my hooves”

Chapter 20 - Accidental

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Chapter 20 - Accidental

Sunbeam had woken up a few minutes ago. As she lay on the bed, staring up at nothing, feeling smugness that she'd worked out, via the masks on the wall, that she was in Zecora’s hut was slowly giving way to a feeling of dread.

‘What did I do? I did something… clearing, timberwolves, killing. Zecora!’

Curling up into a tight ball of full, her ears fell flat back against her skull as her tail wrapped around her.

‘No, no, no, no, no. I didn’t, I didn’t… Wait! Singing!’

Relief, filled her as some memories returned.

‘I sang, I learned on Zecora and I sang as we walked back here. She’s okay. I didn’t...’

Relief turned to embarrassment.

‘Huh oh, I sang. I must have really been out of it, I even remember telling her...’

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Tending her herb garden next to her hut, Zecora took a half step back as the door to her hut was thrown open and Sunbeam galloped out, or at least as best she could gallop with a hoof over her mouth.

“Either Miss Jackie is demanding payment for last night’s entertainment, or she’s remembering her wayward words.”

Zecora shook her head at the retching noises.

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Zecora had been patiently waiting for Sunbeam to emerge, a glass of water ready for her. A slightly pasty looking, but grateful, Sunbeam downed it in one. Zecora noted that she was avoiding looking her in the eye.

“About last night, I feel we need to clear the air.”

Keeping her eyes down, Sunbeam just gave a slow nod. She could feel the world she’d spent so long trying to get to slipping away from her. The feeling of nausea returned.

“A civilised approach I feel is best." Zecora raised a hoof to point a table set up outside her hut. "I have prepared tea outside.”

With a nod and a slightly unsteady gait, Sunbeam set off towards the table. ‘Well, at least I didn’t wake up dead. Thanks a plus... Cheers, thanks for that brain.’

Sitting down a little heavier than planned, Sunbeam sat watching as Zecora went to the other side of the table to sit opposite her.

“Milk or sugar in your cup?” Zecora inquired.

“Just milk, thank you.” Her voice sounding a lot calmer than what she felt.

Lifting the jug of milk and poured some into Sunbeam’s cup. Wordlessly looking up Sunbeam, Sunbeam nodded that it was enough.

Zecora placed a tea strainer over Sunbeam’s cup and poured out the tea. The smell was reminiscent of the tea’s Sunbeam had had before, but none had had the heady, appetizing smell of this one. Repeating the actions with her own cup Zecora poured hers.

Sunbeam’s cup was pushed over in front of her. Lifting her cup up with her hooves, she took a sip. The taste had something she couldn't put a hoof on but it was delicious.

Zecora carefully looked at Sunbeam, as Sunbeam kept taking small sips of the delicious tea, trying not to gulp it down. She could feel herself relaxing.

‘Good tea. Must get some.’

Zecora’s face became blank. “You told me enough of your tale for me to give me worry.” Zecora closed her eyes for a second, before opening and fixing them on Sunbeam. ”I have reached my decision.”

‘Here it comes.’ She closed her eyes tight, holding the cup, awaiting the inevitable.

“You saved the young ones with little thought for you well being. For that alone, I am willing to turn a blind eye to crimes committed outside Equestria. And these are where I hope they will stay.”

Sunbeam managed a slow nod. Trying hard not to drop the cup.

“I see a pony wanting a chance. and a chance you shall have.” Her tone darkened. "A... chance."

Sunbeam smiled, then shook her head as if to try and clear it. Her mouth felt dry.

Sunbeam finished her cup, how Zecora had managed not to drink any of her wonderful tea baffled her.

“Okay, look…” Sunbeam blinked as a warm sensation grew inside of her “Very nice tea, by the way, odd aftertaste that I’m getting… right... now...”

Sunbeam went to place the cup back down but found it falling from her grip inches from the top of the table.

Zecora sat watching Sunbeam intently as Sunbeam started smiling vacantly, her ears falling flat sideways. Studying her face, Zecora gave a small nod as Sunbeam’s pupils started to dilate.

“It would be remiss of me to take your word at face value when there is so much is at stake... Especially when a truth potion is so easy to apply. Fear not, it is harmless, but, it does prevent you from remembering."

Zecora leaned in and mentally prepared the questions. The potion needs straight-forwards questions to work properly.

“What name or names have you been known as?”

Sunbeam swayed a bit as she sat there, a distant smile on her face.

“Sunbeam, Icefang…” Her voice became strained. “...Singing Flower.”

Zecora nodded as she poured her cup of tea away.

“Tell me, which do you prefer to be called?”

“Sunbeam.”

Zecora settled back. Reaching into a basket of picked flowers next to the table, she pulled out a small, unmarked, black bottle that had been placed under the flowers. Placing the bottle on the table between them she looked at it with a frown, before looking up at Sunbeam.

“I hope I don't have to use this. Now, Sunbeam, why don’t you tell me all about yourself.”

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The castle kitchens were in their usual state of uproar, noisy, filled with rushed ponies and steam.

Azure Dawn looked around. ‘How does anything get done in here? It is pure chaos, Discord would be proud.’ Any further thoughts were lost by an angry shout.

“Who are you and what are you doing in my kitchen?” A burly Orange earth pony demanded with a voice that echoed around the walls.

Azure Dawn flinched at the volume and thrust the levitated papers towards who she supposed was Apple Gourmet, Canterlot Castle’s head chef.

“I’m Azure Dawn, I’ve been transferred to the kitchens.”

Apple Gourmet barely looked at the papers before looking Azure up and down.

“Huh, a unicorn being transferred to the kitchens. What’d they catch you doing?”

Waving a hoof he cut Azure off before she could reply.

“Well, I don’t care, I don’t care for unicorns, and I don’t care for ponies that have no cooking experience being transferred to my kitchen. Especially a mere week before the gala as well.”

Rubbing his chin, while staring at the mare, he turned to look over the central table.

“Fast Food, you got any use for a unicorn that knows nothing?”

“Can she stir a spoon?”

Apple Gourmet looked back at Azure.

“Well, can you stir a spoon?”

Fuming, Azure nodded, not trusting her voice.

‘You will be in the first group to be thrown to the manticores, I swear it.’

With a dismissive wave, Apple Gourmet turned away from her.

“Well, go follow him then.”

She trotted up to Fast Food, looking at Apple Gourmet with bloody murder in her eyes.

Looking her up and down with an unimpressed look, Fast Food handed her a spoon.

“You, stir that. Keep stirring that. I’ve got better things to do, so you’ll be over there by yourself.”

Looking over where Fast Food and pointed, Azure could see a huge mixing bowl.

“What’s in it?”

“Feel honoured we think you’re good enough to even stir it. It will be the Princesses main cake for the gala. It going to be given to the Princesses, the Element bearers and all the higher members of the court. So make sure you stir it good.”

He gave her a predatory grin.

“That’s only half of it, there more to go in yet. It will need to feed a lot of ponies.” With a toss of his head, he walked away, gloating. “Get stirring… and enjoy.”

He grinned in satisfaction at her jaw hanging open, but not for the reason he thought.

Watching Fast Food trot off, Azure gently patted the concealed pocket, making sure that the small blue bottle was still there.

‘Well, that was easy. So, what am I going to do for the rest of the week?’

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Rolling over, Sunbeam could feel a presence by the side of her bed.

With an effort, she managed to crack an eyelid open.

“Zecora?” She croaked.

Zecora smiled at lifted up a glass of water to her.

‘Oh, my mouth is so dry. What was I, I mean how much did I drink last night? Why am I in Zecora’s hut? What did I do or say…?’

Zecora could see Sunbeam’s memory kick in as her eyes went wide and her body went stiff.

“Hush now little one. You were obviously still tired, you fell asleep on me.”

Sunbeam relaxed, marginally. After several attempts, she managed to sit up and with shaky hooves, take the water.

‘Ugh, been a while since I’ve felt this bad, the last thing I remember is… horseapples! I was singing! I need to...’ Looking up Sunbeam could see Zecora’s face harden. ‘Oh yeah, I screwed up as well...’ Fighting the urge to curl up into a ball she sat there, staring at Zecora.

“Sunbeam, I have considered what I know.”

‘Here it comes.’

“I will give you a chance, that is all anyone can ask. I will be watching you though, this you can know to be true.”

Sunbeam slumped back down into Zecora’s bed.

“Thank you.” Was the quiet response. “Ponyville has kinda grown on me, I like it here.”

Zecora couldn’t suppress the grin as Sunbeam lay there, blinking in shock at the admission to herself.

“Perhaps as you intend to stay, opening up some to ponies should be the order of the day." Zecora tapped a hoof against her chin. "Also, as you leaned on me as we walked to my hut, you did serenade the forest with a voice most gracious… and a song so crude, That might I suggest you consider a career in music Sunbeam. Singing other songs.”

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Trotting down the track from Zecora's hut, Sunbeam’s gait had a bounce in it. To Sunbeam’s surprise, she found herself in a good mood, even despite Zecora finding a tiny bit out about her past.

'Huh, deciding whether or not to stay must have been weighing on my mind more than I realised.' She found herself quietly singing, not paying any attention to the forest around her.

Which was how she came upon three timberwolves, two sitting one laid down, not two meters in front of her on the track.

Both parties sat and stared at each other for a good couple of seconds before anyone reacted. The timberwolves reacted first, with yelps, they scattered into the forest, leaving a stunned Sunbeam standing there.

After a few moments, Sunbeam continued on the track, the song and the bounce in her step now noticeably absent.

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Walking back into Ponyville, Sunbeam had made good time, but doubt had entered her mind as she approached Ponyville.

‘I want to stay, but if they find out...’

Her lip curled back.

“I want to, I want..’

‘Buck it! I’m gonna do what I want to do for a change! Not what is needed, not what others want or expect. Matter closed.’

A smile spread on her face as the tension fled from her shoulders.

“Now that’s settled, I’m staying, I’m gonna have to be, yuk, more friendly and approachable.” She stated in a jovial tone. “What’s more…”

Coming to a stop, she stared at the crowd of ponies all gathered around a cart in the marketplace.

“Make way!” She heard called out. As a unicorn and an earth pony rushed up to the crowd.

Making sure she didn’t get in the way, she trotted up to the nearest pony on the outside of the crowd and tapped him.

“What’s going on?”

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Celestia looked over the crowded day court, making a careful count in her head who she would save if a disaster were to happen here and now.

“Princess?” Short Notice inquired noticing the Princess’s expression.

“Twelve,” Celestia stated out loud before a brief look of embarrassment flitted across her face.

Short Notice, nodded. He’d served the Princess long enough to guess what she had been doing. Knowing that he was one of those twelve he found oddly comforting. Looking away from at the retreating noble, he held up the schedule.

“Next to see you is…”

A puff of green smoke and a scroll appeared next to Celestia.

Celestia gave the scroll a puzzled look.

“Short Notice, I thought all the Elements, minus Rainbow, arrived in Canterlot last night?”

They had arrived last night, several days early, to do some shopping in Canterlot and help with the preparations for the Gala. While Celestia had wanted to meet them, and this ‘Sunbeam’, in Ponyville, the thought of unleashing them upon the Gala planners was a too good an opportunity to miss. “I am soooo, looking forward to seeing the Gala planners faces when I introduce their new co-planners.” Had been stated to Luna, with Celestia sporting an ear-to-ear evil smile that few knew she was capable of.

Short Notice picked up his notebook and checked inside. “Yes Princess, they all should be out shopping in Canterlot as we speak.”

Celestia levitated up the scroll and unfurled it.

‘Princess Celestia, It’s me, Spike. There has been an accident...’

Short Notice could see Celestia’s mask become strained.

“Day Court is suspended until further notice!” He called out. Ignoring many groans and grumbles from the assembled nobles.

“Shining Armour!” Celestia called out.

“Princess?”

Celestia rolled the scroll back up and levitated it over to him.

“Your fastest flyer is to deliver this to Captain Spitfire at the Wonderbolt Academy, she is to get it to Rainbow Dash as soon as possible. Liaise with Short Notice, find the rest of the elements and gather them here. I will see them as soon as they are here.”

“Ma’am.” Shining Armour saluted before turning to a guard and calling out orders.

Standing up Celestia called out in a voice just shy of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “Day court is suspended for the rest of the day!”

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Spitfire looked at Doctor Pulse as they both sat in her office. Picking the written orders, she continued reading them.

“So doc, due to your diligence,” Spitfire mentally substituted ‘diligence’ with ‘obsession’, “with Rainbow Dash, you are too, and I quote, ‘to observe and note her progress, with minimal interference, with the specialized equipment supplied’, yadda, yadda, yadda.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Spitfire studied the doctor. He looked, in her words ‘out of it’ at the moment. Simply staring at the wall behind her. ‘Shock, it looks like he’s in shock’

“So, doc, you finally got approval to poke and prod Rainbow until…”

“No! I mean no, Ma’am. I have strict guidelines I must adhere to. If I fail in any of these you are to contact Princess Celestia directly.”

Doctor Pulse handed over a sealed envelope address to Spitfire, it bore the royal seal.

“These are my boundaries and how much I am allowed to… Well, they specify what I am allowed to do, they also contain some orders for you, in reference to my extra duties.”

Spitfire leaned back.

“Princess Celestia is as keen as anypony to see what Rainbow Dash is capable of, and why. As I am already the Wonderbolts Medical Officer she felt it best for me to continue, while doing some limited testing. However, she feels it possible I could get, overenthusiastic, and I need some boundaries. The letter contains those and your orders to supervise me in case I exceed them, involuntary or otherwise.“

‘I also know the other lines I’m not allowed to cross, ones that most definitely are not listed in there. Ones ‘Other Ponies’ will be watching me for.’

Spitfire grinned. “Well, she did help save Equestria several times, not to mention bringing the Princess’s sister back to her, so I guess she might feel a little, protective of her.”

‘Oh...You have no idea.’

“Well, doc…” Spitfire was interrupted as Solar Guard pegasus marched into her office and saluted.

“Ma’am. Please excuse me barging in, but I have orders from the Princess to give this to you immediately.” He presented the scroll.

Standing up, Spitfire walked around her desk and took the scroll. Her eye’s widened as she read it. Bolting up to the door she yelled out.

“Soarin, get your sorry flank moving, find Rainbow Dash! Get her to my office asap! Move!”

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Nurse Redheart jumped as the doors to reception at the hospital were almost wrenched off their hinges as a wild looking Rainbow Dash threw herself through them.

“Where is she!”

Rainbow launched herself across the reception floor towards the nurse, only to stop midway, encased in a white glow.

“Rainbow, you need to stop, you can’t do anything at the moment.” Sunbeam snarled through gritted teeth. Levitation was not her strong point, Rainbow Dash was a powerful flyer and holding her was pushing Sunbeam to her limits. Slightly more than her limits, if the way Rainbow was still slowly moving towards the nurse was anything to go by.

Nurse Redheart gave Sunbeam a slight nod of appreciation. “Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo is in the operating theatre as we speak, do you intend to barge in there mid-operation?”

Rainbow sagged like a rag doll, with only her wings supporting her, her shoulders, head, and hips all collapsed towards the ground. Her slow creep towards the nurse came to a stop. The white glow faded from around her.

Staggering as she let Rainbow go, Sunbeam grabbed a nearby table to steady herself.

“She is in the best place for her at present. The doctors in the surgery are the best we have.” She didn’t add they were the only ones the hospital had, but they were good.

“I-I’m sorry. I kinda lost it there.” Rainbow mumbled, not looking up. “What happened?”

Nurse Redheart looked down at her notes. “A wagon at the market had its load improperly secured. Several barrels fell off when the crusaders crashed into it. Scootaloo got hit by one. Your friend,” The nurse gestured towards a now sitting Sunbeam, “Stayed here for you in case you needed her.” Nurse Redheart paused and glared at Rainbow. “Or in case I needed her.”

Looking up, Rainbow turned to Sunbeam. “Thank you. I kinda made a fool of myself.”

Sunbeam waved a hoof. “Nah, I prevented you from making a fool of yourself.”

‘That’s what I should say, right?’

Rainbow gave a wan smile before turning back to the Nurse. “How is she?”

“Internal bleeding, multiple lacerations, the doctors are seeing what else needs to be done.” Rainbow winced at each word.

“Is there anything…”

“I’m afraid all you can do is wait for them to come out of surgery.”

Any life that was left in Rainbow fled and she landed, heavily, her head bowed.

Sunbeam, having recovered enough, stood up to walk around to Rainbow when another pegasus walked in. A white one with a pink mane and tail.

“Rainbow Dash, are you okay?” She inquired with a regal sounding voice.

Rainbow head snapped round. “P- Sunny? W-what are you doing here?”

“I heard what had happened, so I came here to see how you were. And possibly fix any damage you may have caused.”

Using a wing, Rainbow pointed to Sunbeam. “Thank you… Sunny. Sunbeam thought ahead and prevented me from doing anything... rash.”

Turning to face Sunbeam, Sunny looked at the mare then nodded. “You have my thanks.”

Sunbeam could feel herself being evaluated. “No problem, it’s what friends do, right?”

“Indeed they do. Miss Sunbeam.”

Sunbeam nodded in relief, she felt like she’d just passed a test.

“Any friend of Rainbow Dash, or any of the Elements, is a friend of mine. We should get to know each other.” Sunny said, walking over to Rainbow and putting a wing over her back. “But right now, being there for Scootaloo and Rainbow I believe is the priority.”

Looking up, Rainbow scanned the reception room. “Where are the others?”

“They are on their way back, they took the first train they could. They will be here in a few hours. For now, we need to wait for the doctors to get back to us.”

“Anything you could do for her…”

“Rainbow, you know if I could, I would. ”

An accepting nod followed from Rainbow.

Sunbeam watched them. ‘Seem they're good friends, looks like the second part of the plan won’t be needed. Darn, I think I was actually hoping to do it.’

All three settled back down in the reception room and waited.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow jumped up as a doctor in surgical scrubs came out into reception.

Looking around he fixed his gaze Rainbow “Miss Dash?” He took a deep breath as Rainbow nodded. “I’m pleased to say we expect Miss Scootaloo to make a full recovery.”

Flying at the doctor, nearly bowling him over with the impact, Rainbow hugged him tight.

“Thankyou thankyou thankyou.”

Prising Rainbow off him, he continued. “She will need to stay in for observation for at least a week, and in hospital for bit longer after for tests.”

Sunny trotted up. “Thank you doctor, may I have a word?”

“Miss?”

“Oh, this won’t take long.” Sunny gave him a big smile.

Sunbeam walked over to Rainbow.

‘Damnit, I’m going to do it.’

“Rainbow, can I see you in private for a minute?” Sunbeam pointed to the door to the mares room.

Rainbow looked puzzled but nodded. They both walked over the door.

Once in, Sunbeam closed the door and turned to Rainbow.

‘Oh please let me be right!’

Walking up to Rainbow, Sunbeam threw her hooves around the pegasus neck and gave her her best hug.

“She’s going to be okay Rainbow, she’s going to be okay.”

In the silence that followed, Sunbeam’s eyes found themselves darting around the room. The sudden stillness from Rainbow was unsettling. She wasn’t returning the hug.

‘Oh no, I got it wrong, I got it wrong. Think of something...ugk’

The cyan mare threw her hooves around Sunbeam nearly crushing her. The silence continued, but Sunbeam could feel Rainbows shoulders bouncing up and down and then the harsh, uneven, intakes of breath started.

Sunbeam relaxed. ‘I got it right! I got it right! I got it right.’

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Looking in through the crack between the door and the doorframe for a second, Sunny wore a big smile on her face, before backing away and letting the door close.

‘She looks so stiff. Her body language screams guard, but she seems so young. Feel I’m missing something, wish I was in my full form then I’d know. Too many questions if I did though, besides, I rather like this personna. So for now, with reservations, have my blessings Miss Sunbeam.’

Sunny sat down to wait for the rest of the Elements to arrive.

‘Must remember to tell Short Notice that I won’t be needing that day off after all, guess I’ll be catching up with all the duties from today. Oh. Joy.’

Nurse Redheart looked up with concern at the sigh that came from the white pegasus. Her head had slumped and her wings fallen so far as to actually drag on the ground.

Chapter 21 - The Usual

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Chapter 21 - The Usual

Wiping down the bar, Bar Service watched as Sunbeam wiped down the last two tables simultaneously with levitated cloths.

“Cheater.”

A tongue stuck out at him was the response to his remark.

Finishing the tables, Sunbeam sat down by the bar and looked around the empty room. The empty bar seemed strangely melancholic to her. Wordlessly, Bar Service placed a glass of Jackie D next to her.

“Thanks.”

“So, what’s been up with you?”

Looking up from her glass at him, she raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

“The last three days you’ve been nice, pleasant and respectful. It’s downright terrifying. You’ve even been calling my brother by his proper name.”

Ever since Sunbeam had found out Quick Service’s nickname of ‘Quickie’, she’d gleefully refused to call him anything else.

“He’s sure you’re up to something. I keep coming in expecting to find he’s barricaded himself into the stallions room or something.”

Lowering her head, Sunbeam let out a snigger. “Now I’ve reached the conclusion that I am actually staying in Ponyville, I’m trying to…” She waved a hoof in front of her in a vague manner. “...you know, make an effort, be a normal, nice, pony kinda thing. ” Rubbing her eyes she let out a sigh of frustration. “Argh, two days I’ve been trying to think of a better answer, but that’s still the best I’ve got.”

Reaching over the bar, Bar Service placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“I think you’re doing great. Do you want me to put Quick out of his misery and tell him?”

She shook her head. “Oh Tartarus no! Watching him get paranoid while I do nothing is funny as buck.” Pausing she considered her last remark. “For the record, I’m trying to be a good little…” A slight wince crossed her face before she corrected herself. "I’m trying to be a better pony, not a saint.”

“If you’re trying to be a better pony, perhaps you could come in tomorrow and help out on your day off.”

“I said a better pony, not a stupid pony.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Waiting for Bar to finish locking up, Sunbeam sat just outside the Swift, looking up at the night sky. Even in the middle of Ponyville with all the street lights, the night sky was magnificent.

Bar came out the door, switching the last of the lights out, before locking the side door. Noticing Sunbeam staring up at the sky, he felt he had to comment about the faint smile on her face.

“I hope you’re not going to start waxing poetic about the night. If you burst into verse, I’m running.”

Sunbeam continued to look up at the night sky. “I’ve always liked the night... feels like home these days.”

‘Also makes me a harder target to hit.’

Bar tried the door handle, making sure it didn’t move. “You should join the Luna Guard then if you like the night that much.”

Sunbeams head snapped round. “Excuse me? I am way too nice a pony to do that!” Bringing a hoof up to her chest, she did her best to look mortally insulted.

With a shake of his head, Bar starting walking away. “Well, enjoy your day off tomorrow.”

“Today you mean, it's two-thirty in the morning.”

“Well enjoy the rest of your day off then. And as always, be careful on your walk home, you never know who is about.”

Sunbeam nodded and started on her way home. Any pools of light cast by street lamps were carefully walked around.

Almost home, a quiet noise from an alleyway gave her pause. Walking up to the wall next to the entrance, she carefully peered around the wall into the alleyway, making sure as much of her stayed hidden as possible. She could see a small pony, that looked to be crying, sat next to a wagon. She relaxed.

Closing her eyes, she leaned on the wall. ‘Ugh, I just want to go home. Seeing as I’m doing the whole ‘better pony’ thing suppose I should find out if I could help.’

Plastering on her best fake smile, Sunbeam trotted around the wall into the alleyway and towards the pony. An adolescent stallion she was able to make out, as she got closer.

“Hi there, you’re up late. Is there a problem.”

Not responding, the pony kept crying.

With a slight grunt, Sunbeam took a step closer.

“Are you okay?”

Still no response, so she walked up to the young stallion and tapped him on the shoulder.

“I said…”

In one fluid motion, the pony turned to face her, bringing up a hoof up to his muzzle and blew a fine powder into her face.

Pulling her head back, half lifting a foreleg in surprise, she was too late to avoid inhaling most of the powder blow into her face.

Blinking twice at the pony, her foreleg that was raised fell limply. Her eyes half closing and her ears falling flat to the sides, she stood there swaying unsteadily. Her other foreleg giving out, she pitched forward while rolling sideways, resulting in her shoulder taking the brunt on her impact on the ground. Laying on her side, Sunbeam found herself just wanting to go to sleep.

‘Get up you... stupid mare! Get up. Get up… you…... stu……... pid……...... bitc...’ Her eyes fluttered, and closed.

He watched as Sunbeam lost her battle to stay awake. ‘I got her! I got her! Now to get her into the cart and away from here.’

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Sunbeam slowly came round, laying on her side she opened her eyes and tried to focus on the grey blur that greeted her. Trying to bring up a hoof to rub them, she found the hoof was only able to move an inch, causing a jolt to her shoulder as she tried to move it. A hiss escaped her lips as she curled up, her face scrunched up in agony, as the shoulder that had hit the ground screamed in pain.

After a few minutes, and now fully awake, the pain had subsided enough for Sunbeam to be able to think clearly. Along certain lines anyway.

“Somepony… is going… to die.”

Opening her eyes again, she lifted her head up and around, wincing at the spike of pain from her shoulder as she moved her head.

‘Think I’m starting to make things out. Thirsty! Ugh, a headache as well. I hate pain!’

Looking down at herself she could see all four of her legs were gathered together below her. Trying to move one of her back legs, while letting the others go limp, she found the others moved with it. Sunbeam was able to make out the rope wrapped around her ankles.

“So not into bondage.” Slowly letting her head fall back onto the ground, she contemplated her next course of action. ‘Too much to hope that I haven't got an inhibitor ring on, but I need to try, it would be so embarrassing otherwise.’ Sunbeam grimaced. ‘Of course getting captured like that is embarrassing. You let your guard down you stupid mare. If I get out… When, when I get out, I’m not doing that again. Well, time to try some magic, oh, this is going to hurt methinks.’

She started powering up her horn with the tiniest amount of magic possible. The ‘Ice Cream Headache’ as she would have called it, lasted five minutes.

Through clenched teeth, she snarled. “Okay, enough pain for this year, Somepony...”

She froze, her eyes opening in shock. ‘Somepony could be watching me right now!’

Lifting her head again, pushing through the burst of pain from her shoulder, she looked around the cave.

‘Cave, I’m in a cave. Finally! I can focus. Can’t see anypony... Annnd this place is a dump.’

Looking around the cave walls were lined with bits of wood, torn boxes and other debris she couldn’t identify. Most of it looking like it had been pushed to the edges to make room for her. The cave had a low ceiling, she would not have been able to stand upright on her hind legs. The wagon from the alleyway pushed deeper into the cave.

‘Once I am out of here, gonna need some immunisation shots. Focus! Escape first, bloody vengeance, later. There could be more that one, and with me without magic… First off, need to get free of ropes.’

This time, she curled back up again, trying to get a good look at the ropes without lifting her head.

‘Inch thick rope, good for securing small boats, lousy for knots. Amateur stuff, thinking the thickest rope is best. For ponies you need thinner rope that can have a tight knot, wrapped around multiple times for strength…’

Another lift of the head and another wince later, she stared at the knot. She could see the end of rope sticking out past the knot.

Reaching down, her mind a careful blank, she placed her teeth on the other side of the knot where the rope ended and bit down hard. With a grimace from the feel of the rope on her teeth and her protesting shoulder, she tugged on it. It moved...

Her expression became impassive as she stared at it for a few seconds. 'Somepony is in for a world of hurt.' She reached back down to the rope with her teeth.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sitting there, the rope thrown to one side, she twisted her head, trying to free any kinks out of her neck. Her shoulder still ached and the limp was atrocious, but she was mobile.

‘Time to leave, who knows what time our friend gets back. Could be others so can't stay and ‘say thank you’. Have to come back later and… Screw it, let’s just get the Tartarus outta here.’

Reaching down she picked up a length of wood between her teeth and took an experimental swipe with it. The bite marks in the wood became deeper when her shoulder flared in pain and she sat back down.

‘Okay, can't fight, can’t run. Can’t use magic. Buck!’

It was at this point the adolescent yellow earth pony from the alleyway trotted in, head held high. A basket of flowers in his mouth. Stopping dead he stared at Sunbeam as she sat there, the strongest rope he could find just laying contemptuously discarded on the floor next to her. A club in her mouth, glaring back at him.

Dropping the basket, he took a step back. A low growl filled the cave.

The two stared at one another, then Sunbeam slowly lifted her hoof and tapped her horn.

“Oh, you want me to take the ring off.”

A slow nod.

“Well, I can’t do that, see…” The growl was lower and harsher this time.

He took several steps towards Sunbeam until she raised a hoof, indicating he should stop. Lowering her head, but her eyes never leaving him, she pointed her horn at him.

Reaching out, he placed a hoof under the ring, noting a slight tremble when he touched her. With one swift flick, the ring sailed off her horn and bounced on the ground.

Watching her, he could see her wince again before spitting the club out of her mouth.

‘Must be the magic returning to her horn, hear that can be painfu...’

He never saw the glow develop around the horn, or around him. He did feel it when he was thrown upwards into the ceiling. The glow faded and he fell to the floor along with a shower of rock dust.

Laying winded on the floor, he was rolled over and a hoof placed onto his throat.

She looked down at him.

“I am upset.”

The pressure on the hoof increased, making it hard for him to breathe.

The pressure let off, but only enough not to choke him.

“How many of you are there here?”

“J-Just me.”

She nodded. 'He looks too scared to lie convincingly right now.'

“Now, you drug me, tie me up without even inquiring if I swing that way.” Her voice became lower. “And your sleeping dust, or whatever, I trust you worked out my mass, weight, and metabolism first to ensure I got a correct dose.”

“Umm.”

“How long was I supposed to be out?”

“F-Four hours.”

“How long was I out?”

“Twenty, twenty-one hours, I was getting concern…” The rest of the sentence was lost as the pressure on his throat increased drastically.

“Drugged, sorry, drugged badly, put into bondage, no idea where I am, and worst of all, my day off is shot. Still, my day is nowhere near as bad as yours is about to be.”

His eyes widened. “P-Please… Icefang.”

The pressure on his throat increased again, Sunbeam leaned in close to him.

“And believe it or not, your day just got worse.”

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Sunbeam sat at the entrance to the cave, looking out over the forest canopy while sipping a glass of levitated water. The cave was on the side of a mountain, not too far up, but high enough to look over the forest canopy below. Turning to face the moping stallion, she set her face in stone before addressing him.

“So, you know who I am… Who I was. This is not a good thing for you by the way. Why did you try…” ‘He succeeded.’ She mentally added. “...In trying to capture me?”

The young stallion looked glumly up at her. “I wanted to take you home.”

“Ponyville is my home.”

Glaring at her, he continued, spitting the words out. “Your home is not with these ponies, you are a Snake.”

The glass Sunbeam was sipping from shattered against the wall near to the stallion, causing him to wince. Standing up, she limped towards him.

“I am not a Snake.”

“You completed the Rite, you killed someone close. You are a Snake.”

His words stopped Sunbeam in her tracks. Sitting down, closing her eyes tight, she mumbled. “I didn’t have a choice, I never had a choice.”

“You didn’t have to do it, you could have failed.”

Opening her eyes, her glare could have chilled the sun. “Then I would have been handed over to… him.”

“So you chose to live, see still a choice. See…”

His sentence was never finished as a white glow encompassed him and he was flung against the wall, bouncing off it.

“I never had a choice! I killed him because I never had a choice! Remember that!”

Before he could pick himself up, she grabbed him with her magic again, this time pinning him against the wall.

“Remember! No choice!” Standing there, panting, Sunbeam looked around with a surprised look on her face.

Lifting up a hoof up to examine it, she was shocked to see the entire lower limb trembling. The glow around the stallion faded and he fell to the floor. ‘I lost control… Oh, buck, if I did that 'round friends... I’d hurt them.’

Picking himself up off the floor after a few seconds, the stallion jabbed a hoof at her. “Do your friends in Ponyville know how dangerous you are? They must be very accepting to allow you to stay.”

Sunbeam’s head swung up to face the stallion.

“Surely you’ve told them, being friends and all. They must be very accepting to allow a monster like you to stay. I mean, look how long it took you to attack me.”

To his surprise, Sunbeam took a step backwards, her eyes darting around the cave.

“I’m not a mon..." She started to whisper.

“You have told them, haven’t you?” He cut in. “What am I saying, of course, you have. Wouldn’t be friendly of you if you didn’t, would it.”

Flinching, Sunbeam shook her head. “Haven’t got round to it.” She mumbled. Her mind was still buzzing from her loss of control earlier.

“But these ponies are your friends, you’re not worried about it, are you? Of course, you're not, you’re not worried at all about their reaction at what you are… are you.” Feeling emboldened he took a step towards Sunbeam. To his gratification, she took another step back.

“No! No. I mean....” Sunbeam shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

“You trust them, so I’m sure they wouldn’t turn you over to the Day Princess the second you told them what you are. Nope, I’m sure they would all accept you with open hooves. Even Princess Twilight, the Day Princess’s personal protege. Oh yes, I’m sure Twilight would pick you over her duty to the Princess every time.”

Trying to suppress his glee at Sunbeam’s widening eyes, he pressed home his attack.

“I mean, you are sure she would pick you over her duty. Aren't you? You’re not worried about losing control and ending up hurting a somepony, are you. Oh no, you have perfect control don’t you, I can see that.” He sneered the last words. “Twilight would understand, wouldn't she, if you ended hurting sompony? Tell me, just how much more does Twilight like you over the Day Princess?”

He watched Sunbeam’s gaze become distant.

“Well? She does like you more, doesn’t she?”

“She... She... She adores her! I barely spend time with her, with anypony.” Sunbeam’s head fell. “She’d turn me over, and sleep well, as the Princess tortured me.”

“Like she does with any Snake. See you are a snake, you even admit that the Day Princess would think you are one. You should be around others of the Clan, others that won't turn on you.”

Sunbeam backed into the wall of the cave. Her head snapping round in surprise to stare at the sudden contact. Looking back round, she found the stallion had taken another step towards her.

“You need to be somewhere safe.”

‘Please stop, stop! I don't want to go back. I don't want to go.’ She didn’t notice her right hoof come up and tap her chest, just in the ideal spot for a dagger to thrust upwards into her heart.

“You don’t belong here, you’re in danger here. You don’t want the Day Princess to find you, to torture you. You want to feel safe don’t you?”

Not getting an answer he took a step forward and gently placed a hoof on her shoulder. He could feel it trembling under it. Her eyes shot open and stared at him.

Giving her his best smile and keeping his voice soft he repeated the question.

“You want to feel safe don’t you?”

Her body stopped trembling, her front hooves slipped forward into a more natural sitting position, her head falling forward so it almost touched the floor.

Closing her eyes, she whispered. “Yes.”

“Staying here isn’t safe, is it?”

“No.” Her voice had become strained.

“Being with your family, with ponies that care about you, with ponies you don’t have to hide who you are from. That is safe, isn’t it.”

Her voice had become almost inaudible. Her eyes closed as tight as she could. 'I'm sorry Mr Sable, I'm sorry...'

“Yes.”

“Please, let me take you home, Sunbeam.”

She couldn’t say the word, just mouthed as it stuck in her throat.

Yes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam sat the entrance to the cave, staring out, as the young stallion bounced around behind her in the cave, getting ‘things’ and supplies. Soon they would set off, he needed to do something first though. She sat there, feeling numb and her mind a blank, just gazing out into space.

Finally, a thought entered her head. Turning her head, she looked at him.

“Why are you here? In the first place?”

The stallion stopped his rummaging and with sad eyes looked up at her.

“I ran away like yourself. Found my talent even while doing it.” Twisting round he showed off his flank. A bird flying from a broken cage. “My talent is escaping. Went home to begin with.” A flash of anger sparked in his eyes. “My family rejected me. My blood family, so it was no longer my home or my family. Been trying to return, but I need an offering.”

Sunbeam gave him a wan smile. “And I’m it.”

“Oh no. You see I ran away during the Rite of Passage.”

A look of confusion spread on Sunbeam’s face. “You only get one try at the Rite, if you fail…”

“That’s why I need an offering, not you.” He smiled. “But with you and the head of the Element of Kindness, they will have to let me back in. Just to prove I can do it.”

Sunbeam expression became neutral.

“Fluttershy, you want the head of…”

“Of course, the whole body would be too heavy to cart around. So Just the head. And the Element Bearer of Kindness I would have the best chance with.” He turned back to going through the piles of junk in the cave, as Sunbeam just sat there staring at him.

“How?”

“Same way I got you… no offence. And while she’s out I would cut her head off” He replied, not looking up.

Sunbeam turned her head and looked back out over the forest canopy, not that she was seeing the magnificent view at this point.

‘Yes, the plan would work. Why do I feel nauseous? I want to go home. Fluttershy.’

Sunbeam stood up and turned back into the cave. “You know as you got me, you don’t need her.”

“Oh no, I need the Element’s head. I need to prove I can do it. Was planning on doing it earlier, but it was my duty to bring you back. So getting you was the first priority.”

“We could not go back. Go somewhere else.”

Lifting his head, he gave Sunbeam a puzzled expression before smiling.

“Oh good one, Icefang.”

“But what if you get caught?”

“Been caught before, you forget my talent.” He turned to show off his cutie mark.

“How long have you been here, thinking about this?”

The stallion stopped and looked up in thought. “Left a little over two years ago, been here a year and a half. Been scavenging and living off garbage ever since. All part of the plan, all part of the plan.” He turned to face her, an unsettling smile adorned his face, even by Sunbeam's standards, before returning to his searching.

‘He’s going to do it. I can’t turn him over to the guards, he’ll just escape and… and… Even if I did, they’ll all find out about me, the Princess would find me out. I can’t let him do it. He’s young, he’s too young. He's just an adolescent...’

Turning round, he held up a wood saw in his mouth. “This will do.” He mumbled.

Sunbeam stared at the saw. ‘...He’s too dangerous. I can’t let you do it. I won't let you do it.’ Her head fell forwards. ‘I like Fluttershy, she helped with my injuries…’ Lifting her head up again, she looked at the stallion. ‘You stupid bucker! I'm trying to let you go!' She let out a deep breath as her shoulders fell. 'I... I was trying to let you go.’

Sunbeam raised a hoof and pointed. “Hey! I think I saw something out there, can you come and have a look. You know this place better than me.”

Spitting the saw into the back of the wagon, he trotted over the entrance.

Sunbeam sat pointing to the tree line. “Think I saw something move in there, Diamond Dog possibly. Can you watch it? I need to cast a spell to detect such things.”

Nodding the stallion sat down, staring at the tree line while Sunbeam retreated behind him.

“Keep watching, now this spell is going to generate some cold, so don’t worry.”

Sitting there, watching the tree line, he was finding it hard to sit still with all the excitement he was feeling.

'No Diamond Dogs around here, but I suppose better to be safe than sorry. Oh, this is going to be great. I’m am actually going to be going back with Icefang and the head of the Element of Kindness, they’ll have to… Oh, she was right, whatever she’s doing back there is generating a lot of cold. Oh when I get back, what a day it that will be. It will be my. Best! Day! Ev…’

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunbeam trotted along the track. The shoulder had loosened up, although the odd jolt of pain was still there even after she’d numbed it with a cold spell.

‘Same damn shoulder as the timberwolf got.’ Stopping for a moment, Sunbeam looked around before setting off again. ‘Right, think I know where I am now. Back to Ponyville, and settle back in. Just like nothing happened. Should be back with plenty of time left before I've got to go to work. When I get in, I’ll need to clean up a bit, Bar always leaves a mess in the sink. Then I’ll need to make sure that I have spares for bottles behind the bar, then I need to...’

‘You killed him.’

Sunbeam to slowed down to a stop.

“I had no choice. He gave me no choice.”

‘Just like Mr Sable.’

“No! He was going to kill Fluttershy. I had to stop him”

‘You could have stopped him another way. You could have found a way, without killing him.’

“Not enough time, there wasn’t enough time. If I had time maybe, but in the time frame, it was the only option available.”

Sunbeam tilted her head. After a moment of silence, she relaxed.

‘You never even knew his name.’

Her back legs collapsed beneath her. She sat there, opening and closing her mouth.

“I- I- I-...”

‘How young was he? Not even an adult. You don’t know any other way, do you? Well, you’ve crossed the line this time, now you’re no different to any other Snake, you just took longer. Congratulations, you are now the usual monster they produce... Killing is what you usually do. Killing is what you always do. Killing is all you’re good for.’

Sunbeam fell to the ground. "Stop, please stop."

‘A monster, doing what it usually does. A monster, doing what it usually does. A monster...’

Pushing her hooves into her ears as hard as possible, she scrunched her eyes shut.

‘...doing what it usually does. A monster, doing what it usually does. A monster...’

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Sunbeam!”

Sunbeam jumped and stared at Bar Service.

“Damn filly, you’re jumpy tonight. How much coffee you had?”

“Coffee, oh yeah, right coffee. Guess I had a little too much.” Sunbeam looked around the empty bar. It would be opening for the night soon.

“You okay?”

“Been better, thank you Bar.”

Judging she didn’t want to talk about it, Bar decided on another topic.

“So, how was your day off, get up to anything much?”

Sunbeam looked at Bar for a moment, then looked away. As if she was looking for customers in the empty bar. Her voice became distant.

“Oh you know, the usual. I just did what I usually do.”

‘What I always do...’

Chapter 22 - Gala Day Blues

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Chapter 22 - Gala Day Blues

Frowning, Bar Service watched Sunbeam limp off, slowly merging with the shadows. Finishing locking up the bar for the night, he checked the handle before looking round, Sunbeam was gone now. Something was bothering her he knew, but the stubborn mare was refusing to tell him anything, insisting she would ‘get over it’.

‘Well I hope a good nights sleep does you well missy. It’s ‘The Gala Night Special’ at the Swift tomorrow, and I need you there, it’s going to busy, what with the Elements there and all.’

Rainbow had insisted that she needed to stay in Ponyville to help Scootaloo, and therefore wouldn’t be going to the Gala. The rest of the bearers had decided to stay with their friend as well, quoting ‘it wouldn’t feel right to go without her’. Pinky had been instrumental in persuading Rainbow and the rest to go to ‘The Swift’ instead as a ‘Super-rific Mini Gala’ party. Plus she had arranged some extra entertainment for the night.

‘Oops accidentally-on-purpose forgot to tell Sunbeam about the entertainment.’ A sly smile grew. ‘Should be fun to see what she can do.’

- - - - - - - - - -

Skidding to a stop on the top of the sand dune Sunbeam threw a look over her shoulder as she paused to catch her breath. Scanning the expanse behind her. All she could see were endless sand dunes, topped with a clear deep-blue sky.

“Can’t see it, but… It’s close! Keep moving you stupid mare!”

Frantically looking around she relaxed when she saw her house, perfectly perched on top of the next dune. The dark brown wood standing out clearly against the yellow sand and blue sky.

“Safe! I’ll be safe there!”

Giving one final look behind her, she took off down the dune and towards her house, kicking up puffs of sand with each step as she raced towards her house.

Slamming the door shut behind her, she drew the bolt with a shaking hoof before leaning on the door and slowly sliding downwards until she was laying on the sandy floor. The entire bottom floor of her house was just the four exterior walls, the staircase, and an uneven sandy surface.

As Sunbeam lay there, a growl came from just outside the door. Low and promising pain, at the same time a siren call in sweetness and pleasure.

“Go away! Leave me alone!” Sunbeam screamed, pounding a hoof on the door.

Something heavy slammed against the door in reply.

A few seconds passed, then another slam against the door, this time causing it to creak ominously. Scrambling to get to her hooves, she galloped upstairs and towards her bedroom.

Slamming the bedroom door shut, she backed away from it as a splintering sound came from downstairs. She knew meant that the front door had given way.

‘Safe, I’m supposed to be safe in here, I’m supposed to be safe...’

Bolting towards the wardrobe, she dove into it, trying to close the door quietly after her. Sitting down she clutched a yellow earth pony rag doll tightly to her chest with a hoof. Trembling she sat there staring at the inside of the wardrobe door. Another splintering sound and ‘it’ was in her bedroom.

Her breathing sounded deafening to her ears. Trying to keep quiet, she held her breath. If she was quiet, if she hid, maybe ‘it’ would leave her alone… Sunbeam closed her eyes.

'Mummy, Daddy, I need you...'

She found herself looking down from the corner of her bedroom with a strange feeling of weightlessness.

Confusion gave way to horror as she could see ‘it’. A metal unicorn, bronze in colour and all overlapping segmented plates. It stood looking at the wardrobe she was hiding in. Crouching down, the metal plates slid smoothly over each other, as it prepared to pounce. Sunbeam heard a whimper come from the cupboard. It leapt, smashing through the flimsy door and burying itself into the wardrobe... a yellow rag doll pony bounced out.

Sunbeam’s eyes snapped open and she stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. Slowly she rolled onto her side and curled up into a tight ball, her eyes never closing as she began to shake violently.

- - - - - - - -

Standing on her balcony, Celestia looked up at the night sky before turning her gaze to Luna beside her. Luna was staring intently at her moon, concentration etched on her face, as the moon set below the horizon. The moment it disappeared Luna gave a sharp nod in satisfaction, before turning to look at her sister. Smiling at her, Celestia looked back up to the sky, enjoying that moment in between, when the sky held neither the sun or the moon. Turning her head, she looked out over Canterlot to where her sun would rise.

Luna walked over next to Celestia as the sun rose over the horizon. Leaning in, Luna pressed her head against Celestia’s shoulders. Celestia looked around and rested her head against Luna’s.

“You’re still going to make me go to the Gala tonight aren't you Celey?”

“With the rest of the Element Bearers staying in Ponyville now… I believe the current term is ‘you bet your sweet cutie mark you are’.”

“Gah!” Lifting her head away from Celestia’s embrace Luna considered a dignified and measured response that befitted a mare of her position. The word “meany” was addressed to Celestia before a tongue was stuck out at her.

Lowering her head, Luna rested her head on Celestia’s neck.

“You do know I will be having your extra slice of cake don’t you?” Luna murmured.

“First off, everypony of importance… Well, everypony who thinks they're important, plus some ponies who actually are important, will getting a slice first, then…”

“Then all’s fair in love and cake?”

With a smile Celestia nodded, looking up at the sunrise, enjoying the moment.

“Of course, best behavior, we are Princesses and must act as so in such official circumstances. However boring.”

“Sounds like I’d have more fun back on the moon… Oh don’t look at me like that. I’m allowed to say it.”

Celestia looked back to her sunrise, forcing herself to relax.

‘Don’t you dare leave me again little sister.’

- - - - - - - -

Looking out the window, Sunbeam watched the sunrise. Her fifth coffee in her hooves as she sat at the kitchen table. As the Day Princess hadn’t ripped the wall off her house to get to her, she was fairly certain that the potion had still protected her from detection by the Night Princess.

‘Time to go visit Zecora. Need to get more Night Owl’s Slumber.’ The kitchen bin currently held what had been her supply. Sunbeam had waited for morning before setting off, even she wasn’t prepared to go into the Everfree at night.

Walking out into the hallway she levitated her cloak off the rack and her saddlebags…

Both dropped to the floor as Sunbeam spun round, her hackles standing on end as chills went down her spine. Somepony was behind her. Legs spread wide in a battle stance, head low and horn glowing, her eyes searched for the threat.

‘There! Top of the stairs, a yellow pony sat with its back to me.’

“You! What the buck do you think you are…”

‘You never knew his name.’

- - - - - - - -

Sitting, doing her morning meditating, Zecora listened to the patter of rain on her hut's roof. The knock on the door was unexpected.

With a frown, she got up. Glancing at the masks on the wall, making sure they were ready, she walked to the door and opened it.

Being rendered speechless was not a common occurrence for her, but the sight of a bedraggled Sunbeam sitting there, unmindful of the droplets falling off her muzzle did it.

“Can I come in Zecora? I’m drenched out here.”

- - - - - - - -

Sat by the fire, levitating a tea, Sunbeam trying to dry herself off. While Zecora fussed around her. Her shivers appeared to be reluctant to stop though.

“Why did you come here, so early and so woefully underprepared for such surly weather?”

‘Right, as you practiced on the way here.’

“He was going to kill Fluttershy! So I retired him.”

Sunbeam’s eye’s widened. ‘That’s not what I practiced!’

- - - - - - - -

Fast Food looked over the assembled kitchen staff.

“As you may have heard, Apple Gourmet hasn’t improved since his accident, a get well soon card is available for signing. I will be in charge for the Gala tonight and the foreseeable future.”

The collective groan was like a knife to his heart, without Apple Gourmet backing him up, the others intimidated him, and a part of his mind whispered to him that they knew it.

“You all know what you are supposed to be doing, so carry on.” He squeaked out. The sound of laughter as they walked off enraged him.

Spinning round he seized on the nearest target to vent on.

“You!” He pointed a hoof at Azure Dawn. “What do you think you are doing?”

Azure Dawn looked Fast Food up and down.

“Guarding the Cake. Making sure no pony takes any more samples.”

“Well I don’t...ugk!”

Azure Stalked towards Fast Food, her horn glowing. A similar glow appearing around Fast Food’s throat. In the busy kitchen, nopony could hear the hissed conversation.

“Listen up, you hornless ground-pounder. I am guarding the cake.” A vicious smile spread on her face. “You wanna complain, my schedule frees up tomorrow.”

Fast Food was on the point of wetting himself, Azure had been so meek since arriving, what was in front of him was a snarling manticore. A magical snarling manticore that had him by the throat.

Releasing him, Azure turned back to her position by the cake. ‘I couldn’t stop Apple Gourmet from taking a sample, but I could stop him coming back in. But damned if I’m going through all that again. Besides, it was kindness, the injuries from the accident will kill him before he really starts suffering.’

Coughing, Fast Food and held onto his throat and wheezed out. “I’ll see you fired tomorrow.”

Turning her head to face him, Azure smiled.

“Tomorrow.”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam sat watching Zecora intently, unconsciously edging towards the door. “So you’re not mad or anything?”

“I am upset, but I live in the Everfree. I am well aware that sometimes a dangerous animal needs to be ...retired as you put it. While not to be desired, it is sometimes required. I am actually glad you valued a friend’s life over an obligation to me, but I would be remiss if I didn’t think something else was amiss. Why are you here?”

Placing a hoof on Sunbeam’s shoulder she looked into her eyes.

“Your Night Owl’s mixture is flawed, I had a nightmare last night.”

Only the sound of the rain could be heard for a minute before Sunbeam looked away from the Zebra’s eyes.

“I saw him, this morning, sat at the top of my stairs. Sat in the pose he was in when I retired him.” Sunbeams ears folded flat back against her skull. “II was terrified! I couldn't think of anything else by running away. What’s wrong with me Zecora?”

“Your mind is unsettled, confused. You feel guilt over your actions.” Zecora took a breath. “Sunbeam, your conscience had caught up with you.”

- - - - - - - -

Zecora sat in silence as Sunbeam raged. Her floor was going to have some new dents in it.

“Why him? What right does he have to make me feel this may!”

“To do this to me!”

“To make me feel like this!”

“I did the right thing, dammit!”

Her voice returned to normal.

“He is unworthy.”

With interest, Zecora saw Sunbeam’s forehoof come up to her amulet as her voice became quiet.

“There are others much more worthy to haunt me.”

Her ears folded flat against her head as her head fell.

“Why him of all ponies?”

Getting up, Zecora walked over to Sunbeam and wordlessly placed a hoof on her shoulder before Sunbeam continued.

“I get it that he was young, he was lost, but I had to stop him, He was going to kill, so I had to retire him. I had to retire him. Arrgh, why did you tell me that kid? I was going to be going home with you.”

Zecora raised an eyebrow. “Really? He persuaded you to back with him? You want to go back to them?”

“I want to go home Zecora!” Another new dent was made in Zecora’s floor.

Sunbeam rubbed a hoof in between her eyes. Her voice became subdued.

“I just want to go home Zecora. To where I don’t have to hide, to where I can go to sleep without Miss Jackie D tucking me in. Where I don't have to wonder if I’m going to be woken to the sounds of a mob breaking down the door.”

‘Or the Day Princess making me her toy...’

Sunbeam looked at Zecora.

“But if I went home he’ll make me a monster and I don’t want to be a monster Zecora, I promised. I want to go home but I’m too scared to go.” Sunbeams eyebrows raised in a pained expression of acceptance, her voice quiet. “I'm scared... of him.” The sound of rain pounding on the roof went unheeded by either pony until Sunbeam spoke again.

“You know what, the whole legend…” A bitter laugh sounded. “Legend!” With a shake of her head, Sunbeam continued. “The whole legend of Icefang is based on a scared little filly who can’t decide on homesickness or fear.” Her forelegs slid forward until she was laying down, laying her head down between her forelegs, she looked up at Zecora. “Ain't that the most pathetic you’ve ever heard.”

Zecora gently placed a hoof on Sunbeams mane and stroked it as the rain continued.

“I’m pathet…”

“Shhhh. Little one”

- - - - - - - -

Luna watched as the cake for the gala was brought into the main hall. Three earth ponies carried it out, with a unicorn supervising them. Normally Luna would be in bed now, but she enjoyed watching the background work that went on in such events, so she’d stayed up a bit longer to observe. These ponies normally went unappreciated and she felt that an effort should be made to remedy that.

The cake was sat down on a table and the unicorn gestured the three earth ponies should go. To Luna’s surprise, they galloped away, almost like they were frightened of the unicorn. She sat down next to the cake, her glare obvious, even from how far away Luna was.

‘Humm, heard that Apple Gourmet is a bit of a tyrant in his kitchen, his underlings seem to be picking up bad habits off him.’

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam watched as Zecora placed a small brown bottle down in front of her.

“This will help over the short term, but will not heal your mind. For that, I find, only time and support combined will be kind.” Holding up a hoof, she cut off the reply Sunbeam was about to make.

“The contents should only be taken when the symptoms awaken.”

“Instructions, side effects? Warnings?”

“Take when needed, but be aware, the more you use, the more the effect will lessen . As for side effects, it works by relaxing both mind and body, so steer clear of foods spicy. Also for a while after taking, the pony in question becomes almost childlike in expression. Worry not, the side effect lasts but a moment in comparison.”

Zecora walked over to Sunbeam and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“The Night Owl Slumber mixture you complain of, your dream was powerful enough to break through, but against prying eyes, it will still be tried and true. For the dreams to cease, an increase in dose is what you wish.”

‘Great, gotta go fish it out the bin now.’

“And here is a salve for your shoulder, for I see you are limping… again. I must inquire what is with you and that shoulder?”

“Totally not my fault.”

Pausing, Zecora looked Sunbeam in the eye.

“Little one, to heal your mind fully, not talking about what ails you would be folly. So I am willing to listen, if you are so willing.”

Sunbeam gave a single slow nod.

‘If it will help, besides, it already feels like you know everything about me. How do they do that?’

- - - - - - -

Watching Sunbeam trot down the track, avoiding the puddles left by the rain, Zecora gave a wan smile.

‘She has managed to pull herself back together, she’s back to herself, for better or worse. But she will need help... soon.’

Retreating back into her hut, Zecora stared at the masks.

‘Those with blood on their hooves should indeed try to help each other.’

- - - - - - -

Walking along the muddy track, even trying to avoid all the puddles, Sunbeam found her legs streaked in mud.

Lifting a foreleg up, she examined it.

‘Wonderful. At least there are no timberwolves around. And waaay to jinx it Miss I-Shouldn’t-have-said-that. What's more...’

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of yellow in between the trees. Carefully keeping her gaze straight ahead, she placed the hoof back down. Sunbeam managed three more very stiff, steps forward, before breaking into a full gallop along the track. Unmindful of mud now being sprayed all over her.

- - - - - - - -

Slamming the front door shut, Sunbeam leaned on it as she slid down to the ground, panting.

‘Okay, too much soft living. Shouldn’t be panting that much.’

Laying there, she could see her cloak and saddlebags were still on the floor where she’d dropped them.

"See, no pony came in here..." Her head shot round to look up at the top of the stairs. The empty space wasn't as reassuring as she'd hoped.

Slowly getting to her hooves, keeping a close eye on the top of the stairs, she walked into the kitchen. Sitting down at the kitchen table, moving her coffee mug to one side, she took a swig of the bottle before placing it down carefully.

‘Okay lets wait for the side effects, I wonder...’

Walking past her window were a pair of depressed looking Cutie Mark Crusaders.

- - - - - - - -

Rarity finally spotted Sweetie Belle crouched down in a bush next to a small copse of trees, with Applebloom crouching next to her.

“Sweetie Belle! What are you doing in that bush?” She was looking for Sweetie Belle to make sure her homework was done before bed, but seeing the two laying there, trying to be motionless and quiet, piqued her curiosity.

Sweetie Belle’s response was not what she expected. “Ssshhh! You’re signposting our position.” Sweetie waved a hoof at Rarity in desperation. “We’re trying to get our cutie marks in ‘escape and evasion’.”

Giving the two fillies a flat look, Rarity’s horn glowed and both were dragged out from under the bush.

“That’s better, now, what are you doing under that bush, why you are covered in branches and mud…”

Rarity’s questioning was cut off as Sunbeam jumped out of the undergrowth, landing in front of all three. Sunbeam gently bopped Sweetie Belle and Applebloom on the nose before turning to Rarity. After a pause, Sunbeam bopped Rarity squarely on the nose as well.

“Tag, you're it.”

With a flurry of hooves, and her tail streaming behind her, Sunbeam leapt back into the undergrowth.

“Catch me if you can.” She called back over her shoulder.

All three ponies sat in shock, Applebloom recovered first.

“After her!”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle shot off into the copse, chasing after Sunbeam as Rarity sat there, her mouth hanging open. Slowly she raised a hoof up to her nose.

In a shaky voice, she called after Sweetie Belle. “O-okay, you’ve got five more minutes.”

- - - - - - -

Luna walked up to Celestia, two plates, each with a slice of cake on it, levitating next to her.

“Sister, how goes the battle against the tedium.”

Celestia nodded to a noble who had politely bowed his head in her direction.

“Two more hours.” Celestia hissed back, before taking the offered plate.

“Not one of Apple Gourmet's better cakes I’m afraid to say. Hardy a fitting end to his career. Still nice though.” Luna stated, before taking a bite of the cake.

“I have to agree Lulu. The almond taste is, and I hate to use the word, discordant with the rest. But not enough to for it to be bad. Ah, there is Fast Food, perhaps we could ask him.”

Fast Food practically fell over himself when Princess Celestia beckoned him over.

With a deep bow, he faced both Princesses.

“Mr Fast Food, congratulations on stepping up after Mr Gourmet's accident. I am sure he will be proud of what you have done in his absence.”

“T-thank you Princess.”

“One thing though, do you know why he put almonds in the cake?”

“Almonds? Shouldn’t be anything to do with almonds in there. I watched Apple put the ingredients in myself. Mind you nopony else had a chance to taste it. What with that new transfer looking after the mixture.” He added bitterly, looking aside as he said it.

His head was gently pulled round with magic to find himself face to face with Princess Celestia.

“Should be no almonds, yet it tastes of almonds. Nopony else tasted it apart from Gourmet, then he had an accident. There was a new pony, a new pony that you didn’t know, that was left alone with the cake.” Celestia stated in fightingly calm tone.

Fast Food nodded, his mind not yet connecting the dots. “Yes, the new transfer wouldn’t let anyone else sample it after Apple Gourmet. Do you know she assaulted me when I...”

Gently Celestia put a hoof on his mouth and looked around for Luna. Luna’s teeth snapped together on air, jarring them, as her cake was pulled away from her. With a hurt look she turned to face Celestia, the look soon vanished as she saw Celestia's expression. Luna raised an eyebrow with an unspoken question.

Celestia looked up and over the crowd of ponies.

“Ladies and Gentlecolts… May I have your attention please...”

- - - - - - - -

To: ACORN
From: ROSEBUSH

Spill enacted. Confirm delivery to: Seagull; Gateway and a broad array of Spectrums. All colours NOT, I say again, NOT, available for delivery.

Requesting pick up.

END

Azure sent the message crystal off, and sat in her room, nervously looking at the magically locked door every so often. She knew it would only be so long before they came looking for her. The magic on the door should deter them until they could work out how to safely open it and if it had been boobytrapped. No pony would dare try to teleport in blind. That still left her trapped in her room until she got a teleport crystal sent to her.

Pacing the room, she cursed the crystals for needing a set location to teleport in and out of.

‘Was that a knock on the door? They’re here too soon!’

A large crystal formed in the centre of her room.

To: ROSEBUSH
From: ACORN

Acknowledged. Seagull, Gateway and Spectrum - Confirmed receipt of delivery.

Colours: Purple; Blue; Yellow; Pink, Silver, and Orange - unable to take delivery.

Pick Up request confirmed. Charge this crystal to max and activate in standard manner for transit to barn.

END

Looking at her magically sealed door she performed a small dance.

“Finally, and byeeee.”

Touching her horn to the crystal she charged it up. Holding it up in her hooves she savoured the moment before activating it.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam sat behind the bar at ‘The Swift’, eyeing the stage with musicians warily. Her head still felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool, but it was clearing.

‘I hope Rarity is okay, my hoof wasn't dirty when I… horseapples, did I really do that?’

Wincing, Sunbeam turned her attention back to the stage. “Bar?”

“Yes?” His attempt at sounding innocent did not make her feel any better.

“Why is there a stage, with musicians, setting up in here?”

“Didn’t I tell you?.”

“No.”

“Ah, well we got some music for ‘Gala Night at the Swift’ courtesy of Pinky Pie.”

"Ah."

Turning away to take an order, several glasses levitated up next to Sunbeam in readiness. With a nod, two bottles levitated up as well and poured into those glasses, while a pint jug was placed under a beer tap and filled.

“That’s why I love a unicorn behind the bar.”

“You’d love to love the unicorn behind the bar you mean.” Turning towards Bar, she stuck her tongue out. “And that unicorn deserves a raise… Umm, allow me to rephrase that, as it could be taken out of context.”

This time, Bar stuck his tongue out at her. “You wish… in both senses.”

Looking around ‘The Swift’, Sunbeam considered it unusually busy, even taking into account it was the 'Gala Night Special'. Even with the Element Bearers in attendance.

'Must be the music they're here for. Hope the band is good then.'

Rainbow made her way through the crowd to the bar to order the drinks for girls. She found it hard to restrain herself from flying over the heads of other patrons, but past experience had taught her that it was considered impolite by her earthbound colleges to do so. Her ticklish hooves were ideal targets in such circumstances.

“Hiya Miss Dash, what would you like?” Bar inquired as Sunbeam served another pony.

“Three ciders, one martini, one pear juice with vodka - don’t ask, and a Jackie D for me… And when does the singing contest start?”

“Ssssh.” Bar waved a hoof at her. In a furtive voice, he added. “Sunbeam doesn’t know yet. I’ve signed her up. Don’t tell her.”

Rainbows eyebrows raised, then a smirk formed. “Is there a pool going?”

“Mayyyybeee.”

“Forty bits on Sunbeam.”

“Huh?”

Rainbow checked her purse. “Forty… five bits on Sunbeam.” Rainbow emptied her purse onto the bar with a cocky grin.

Balancing the tray with her drinks order on her wing, she made her way back to table leaving a perplexed Bar Service sweeping her bits off the bar into a bucket.

One of the musicians came forward.

“May I have a… Miss Carrot Top, please”

- - - - - - - -

All the ponies had gone up, even all the Bearers, even Princess Twilight. All had got applause. Applejack leaned into Rainbow.

“You’re wearing a mighty big grin there sugar.”

“Oh, I know who’s next…”

Applejack frowned but before she could say anything else the musician came forward.

“May I have a Miss…. Sunbeam, please.”

The noise in the bar became lessened noticeably. Behind the bar Sunbeam, who had her back to the stage getting a drink, froze. Her head slowly swung round to the stage, then reversed direction and swung towards Bar.

A slow chant of “Sunbeam, Sunbeam…” Headed by a certain Pinky Pie started.

Bar Service seemed unwilling to meet her gaze as the chant got louder.

“We are going to have words… Mr Service.” Sunbeam hissed, looking around and finding all eyes were on her.

Rubbing her eyes with a hoof she shook her head. ‘And I quote from the merc ‘Blunt Object’… ‘I don't get nearly enough credit for not being violent’. Arrgh, let's do this, one song.’

Stiffly she walked out from behind the bar and towards the stage.

Taking her place on the stage in front of the band, she leaned over and whispered to the musician, who nodded and went back to the rest of the band. Looking around at all the ponies staring at her, she found the tightness in her chest becoming ever more distracting.

The chant died down as the band started playing. Sunbeam closed her eyes and felt the beat.

The words stirred in her, and she opened her mouth…

Bar’s jaw wasn’t the only jaw to be hanging open at that moment. However, he was the only pony to see something that everypony else was missing.

‘She’s smiling, a proper genuine smile. With a voice like that why the Tartarus isn’t singing her cutie mark?’

Finishing her song, Sunbeam looked up and opened her eyes. Everypony was staring at her in a stunned silence, which was quickly becoming overpowering for her. Only Rainbow looked calm, smug even.

Sunbeam took a half step backwards, her left forehoof suspended in the air. The urge to run starting in the back of her head.

A hoof started stamping in applause, which was soon picked up by all present. Even Bar was pounding his hoof on the bar, despite the still stunned expression he still wore.

‘I like this, I could… No!’ Sunbeam shook her head. ‘Don’t you even dare to think like that you stupid mare... Don’t think about what you can’t have.’

With a hunched posture, Sunbeam made her way back to the bar, trying to ignore all the ponies patting her on the back as she passed.

Bar Service was waiting for her when she got back behind the bar.

“That was incredible Sunbeam, I am surprised that singing isn’t your cutie mark.”

Sunbeam gave Bar one of her better fake smiles. “Oh you know Bar, you don’t get to choose your cutie mark.” Sunbeam turned away from him and headed towards the storeroom.

"Yeah I know… Hey, you okay?"

“Yeah I’m fine. We need to dust in here more, got some dust in my eyes.”

- - - - - - - -

Bar sighed as a smug looking Rainbow sidled up to the bar.

“Yeah, okay, you win the pool. How the buck did you know she had a voice like that?”

“Can’t say, Pinky Promise.”

“Yeah well…” Bar pointed a hoof over the bar. “Hey, no minors allowed!”

Looking to see, Rainbow was surprised to see a panting Spike, scroll in claw, by the front entrance.

“Message from the Princess to Twilight. Red band.” He panted out.

Levitating the scroll from Spike, Twilight turned to Bar.

“Sorry about Spike barging in, but a Red-banded scroll is an emergency. And he needs to bring it to me as soon as possible.”

The entire bar fell silent as Twilight's face went from surprise to concern, then to anger as she read the scroll.

“Girls! Gather round.”

Rainbow flew over the crowd back to the Elements table hovering next to Twilight.

“What’s up Twi?”

With a purple flash all the Element Bearers, Spike, and the table vanished.

Sunbeam walked over to the now empty space and scratched the ground with a hoof.

“Are we going to be putting the table on their tab?”

Chapter 23 - Emergency Response

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Chapter 23 - Emergency Response

Looking down at her would-be mugger, currently curled up in pain, Sunbeam shook her head.

“Thought you could pick off some late reveler from the ‘Gala Night’ Eh? Well, I saw you from half way down the street. You suck at lurking my friend.” Placing a hoof on her chest, her voice gained a tone of faux-sorrow. “You really think so little of a unicorn's abilities? You must have seen my horn was charged and I was ready for you, and you still attack me?” Her hoof came down and gently brushed his mane. “So that is why when you lunged at me, a certain part of your anatomy stayed rooted to the spot. And while I will be fine, admittedly after I have scrubbed my horn with some disinfectant, you may have some lasting bruising to the affected area.”

“Now, what shall I do with you?” His knife floated up. Looking up, Sunbeam thoughtfully tapped her chin. “I think…”

Her gaze came to rest on a point under a streetlamp on the opposite side of the road.

Sunbeam’s would-be mugger, still curled in pain, never heard the sound of his knife falling to the ground, or the sound of a pony galloping away as fast as possible.

- - - - - - - -

Celestia looked around the table at the members of her emergency cabinet. Her sun, just raised, was throwing its first beams of light through the window.

“How stands my Equestria?”

Short Notice, the newly appointed ‘acting personal assistant’ to Celestia, shifted uncomfortably on his cushion.

“Assuming whatever was in the cake is going to adversely affect everypony that ate it…” He winced. “Every branch of the government had high level ponies at the Gala. So the disruption will be extensive at best, total at worst. The chances that the general populace panicing when they hear about this are also very high, further increasing the disruption.” Turning, he looked to Shining Armour. “Shining, you want to take over for the military aspect?”

Shining's nod back was slow and controlled, he hadn't slept last night and was starting to feel it.

“Your Highness, reports are still coming in, so we cannot accurately assess the threat level at this point. However, the disabling of the top echelons of the government can only classified as an act of war. Or a prelude to war as an overt attempt to disrupt any organised resistance." Shining rubbed his eyes. "With that in mind we are commencing full mobilisation of all reserves and placing our standing forces onto a war footing. Even if this is not a prelude to war, mobilization would discourage a third party from trying to take advantage of the situation.”

“Status of mobilisation?” Luna inquired.

“Orders are still being sent out, but by the end of tomorrow we expect to have partial mobilisation, effective mobilisation within three days, and full within five. Staging areas are in centralized locations, mostly well within our borders, as sudden buildup of forces on somepony’s border could give rise to negative comment. We have also stepped up security at all strategic installations.”

“Commander Whirlwind, your Air Force?”

The blue pegasus leaned backwards on the cushion.

“All available air-combat units will be running reconnaissance and air control patrols along our borders within a couple of hours.” The pegasus gave a nod towards Shining Armour. “Pegasus from Shining's guard units will be overseeing the airspace over high-value locations within Equestria itself. However, we are still implementing these patrols, so there will be some major gaps in our coverage for the time being. We are hoping to plug those gaps as more reserves become operational. We’re aiming to have near continuous sweeps along the borders within the next twenty-four hours, of course nighttime will hinder our operations.”

Celestia turned to Luna.

“Luna, how soon can you have your Lunar Guard integrated into those patrols to cover night operations?”

“By tonight, providing there is no friction between units. Of course, I will have to pull them off Changeling patrol duties for this, and even then they will still be spread pretty thin. I also want to keep an operational force based here in Canterlot itself.”

Turning back to Commander Whirlwind, Celestia pointed a hoof at him.

“The Lunar Guard will have no troubles, this is a national emergency and any petty squabbles could jeopardize Equestria itself. Any problems and I will investigate… personally. Is that understood?”

“Perfectly, your highness.”

“The Bearers?”

Short Notice pulled a document in front of him.

“The Bearers have been relocated to a secure location and are under twenty-four hour guard, at company strength.” Short Notice took in Celestia's raised eyebrow. “If this is a prelude to war, disrupting the government is a good first step, you and your sister have already been targeted. The Element Bearers would be the next logical step. It is only by good fortune that they weren’t here at the Gala.” Everypony at the table could see Celestia stiffen. “So an attack on them would be likely, either as a pre-planned operation, or by some opportunistic third party, foreign or domestic. Either way they are a high-value, high-profile target and the effect of their loss would be second only to the loss of either of you.”

Short Notice took a breath.

“And may I also add, I consider this meeting being held in the castle as ill-advised. This location has been compromised and has not been fully secured. Who knows what Azure Dawn did before she was discovered? We still haven't been able to get into her room.”

All eyes turned on Captain Hardhoof, head of castle security.

“We threw up an anti-teleportation spell as soon as we knew, nothing larger than a baseball would have been able to get in or out since then. All non-essential staff have been escorted off site and the head count out confirms who is in here from the last count. Only staff with security clearance of P2 and above are still on site, apart from the Gala guests of course, but they are secure in the Great Hall. In fact...”

Shining Armour slammed a hoof on the table.

“From last head count means nothing captain. This location has suffered a major breach, under your watch! Thanks to you we are all sitting in a compromised location.”

Captain Hardhoof forlornly noted how nopony was leaping to his defense.

Celestia cleared her throat and the table fell silent.

“We understand that this is not the most secure of locations at the moment. But come the morning, the populace will know what happened here and we must prevent wholesale panic. Luna and myself must stay here and show everypony we are okay, that Equestria still stands. On that note Shining, I would like all guard patrols increased and made more visible. Less for the effectiveness value, but more for peace of mind for the populace, there are going to be a lot of scared ponies this morning. Captain Hardhoof.” The captain jumped at his name.

“Your highness?”

“How goes the sweep of the castle.”

“My stallions and mares under my command are searching every nook and cranny of the castle, using every magic and conventional sensor we have. Azure Dawn’s room remains the only place in the castle that hasn’t been secured yet, at least on a general level. From reports, the door has multiple enchants, embedding into each other, making it impossible to remove them one at a time. We need to remove them all at once while making sure of no unpleasant surprises.”

“Is she still in there?”

“Unknown, your highness.” Hardhoof hung his head.

Celestia nodded and turned to an elderly pegasus mare. “Foreign Cloud, thank you for coming out of retirement for this emergency, where do our allies stand?”

“I have spoken to most of the diplomats already. Its still too early to confirm anything but, provisionally, The Zebras have offered their full support, including their military. The Deer offer their support, but not militarily. They are willing to secure their side of the border though.”

Celestia nodded towards Shining Armour and Whirlwind.

“Please liaise with your counterparts at the earliest opportunity, see if we can free up any units to bolster any current gaps.”

“Your Highness” they chorused.

“Please continue Foreign.”

“Thank you your Highness. Others offer sympathy and small tokens, but frankly only the Deer and Zebras are offering anything other than words. The Griffons made sure to tell me that they would not tolerate any buildup of forces on their border without a buildup of their own. I have seen the staging areas and suggest that the one nearest their border is perhaps a little too close and should be moved back… from a foreign affair viewpoint of course.”

Shining Armour nodded. “Noted.”

"Now, Doctor Everhealth, what can you tell me the status of the patients and the toxin?”

Doctor Everhealth, a green unicorn, sat up.

“We have converted the Gala hall into a makeshift hospital. Of course the nobles are grumbling about not being let out, but we need to keep them all together for ease of observation. My team has started working with the university on examining the cake, and while we can confirm the presence of a toxic element, we are having difficulty identifying it at this point in time. Tests on Apple Gourmet are likely to be inconclusive due to his pre-existing injuries but we are certain that it is not communicable. All those affected are showing increased temperature at the moment.” He took a deep breath. “However, there is definitely a magical element to the substance, so it is entirely possible that it will affect both you and Princess Luna to some degree. True your alicorn nature is capable of withstanding most common poisons, but it appears that this is not a common poison. All our current efforts are being put into identifying the toxin.”

Luna rubbed her chin. “Sister, I need to go to my room. I need to check on something that may help.”

“Certainly Luna. Captain Hardhoof?”

“Your highness?”

“Has Princess Lulu’s quarters been secured?”

“Of course, your Highness, yours and Princess Luna's quarters were the first ones to be fully swept.” A hint of bitterness entered his voice that anypony would doubt it not been so.

“I will assign some guards to accompany you,” Shining added nonchalantly.

Whirlwind added. “I will get some of my units to secure the airspace.”

Celestia nodded. “Unless anypony has anything else to add, we shall meet again in twelve hours to discuss how things are going, unless anything else comes up. Anypony wish to add anything?”

All the members present shook their heads and left, leaving Captain Hardhoof and his adjutant behind.

“They have all judged and condemned me.”

“Sir.” His adjutant replied.

“I have a letter to write.”

- - - - - - - -

“Celey!”

Looking down the corridor, she could see her sister galloping up towards her. Her own guards moved to one side to allow the Princess through, while Luna’s guards were galloping behind her in an effort to keep up.

Luna skidded to a stop in front of Celestia, a blue book hovering in front of her.

“I think I may have found the poison. It matches what we know so far.”

“Really, what is it?”

“Extract from Frost Rose. Tastes of almonds, and in first stages produces a raised temperature.”

“That’s promising Lulu, but it's hardly proof based on just those two facts.”

“Can we speak, a bit more alone?”

With a gesture for the guards to hold position, Celestia and Luna walked forward a few paces.

“The poison is one a few that would affect an alicorn, so it does make it a lot more promising. Assuming we were the targets, it would have been one of the poisons I would have used.” Luna whispered.

Luna held up a hoof before Celestia could speak. Looking down at the ground, she seemed reluctant to speak.

“W-when I was… unwell. I made a study of poisons… ones that would affect an alicorn.” Luna's voice grew fainter as she spoke.

“Frost Rose is one of them. On alicorns, the effect is non-lethal, but the side-effects can be nasty and will weaken an alicorn to the point where they would be vulnerable to a multitude of conventional attacks.”

Luna hung her head until Celestia gently placed a hoof under it and pulled it up to look at her.

“Thank you Lulu, for the courage to tell me this in an effort to save lives.”

The two sister nuzzled each other as the guards present tried to look anywhere but at them.

“Just as well the Element Bearers weren’t present for the Gala,” Luna noted.

“Oh?”

“The magical part of Frost Rose is the lethal part, it accelerates the magical build up in a pony. Affected ponies quickly become saturated in magic. And with their current elevated level, they wouldn’t have lasted long…”

The flash of Celestia teleporting left Luna rubbing her eyes and Celestia’s guards searching for her in a state of panic.

- - - - - - - -

Outside Azure Dawn’s room two university lecturers sat, studying the enchants on the door while taking notes on levitated pads.

Behind them, four guards on each side stood ready to defend or attack as the case called for.

A flash from behind them caused all the guards to look round as both the lecturers remained fixated on the door.

“Stand aside my little ponies.”

Celestia strode up the hallway.

“Y-your highness, you shouldn’t be here, the door could be booby-trapp…”

Celestia strode up to the door and placed the tip of her horn against the door.

“Princess!”

The door crumbled to dust. The two lecturers sat coughing in the cloud as Celestia simply stood, staring into the room. After a second she turned and headed back off down the corridor.

The first lecturer looked into the room and froze. The second walked past him and into the room, staring at the walls he continued making notes.

“Looks like the room and contents been incinerated. Probably in an attempt to prevent us gathering any useful information. My guess would be from a high yield, localized, magical blast. Probably from a device.”

Ignoring the sounds of his colleague being sick, he turned to the charcoal statue in the middle of the room.

“Judging from the blast pattern... she was holding the device when it went off.”

- - - - - - - -

The Minister pushed the folder over his desk towards this secretary.

“Please list Rosebush as deceased.”

“Yes minister.”

The minister snorted. ‘Unicorn Supremacy, hah!’

- - - - - - - -

After closing the door to Celestia’s private apartments, Luna marched up to Celestia, jabbing her in the chest.

“What in the bu…” Looking round she lowered her voice to a whisper. “What do you think you were doing? You are a Princess, not a front-line trooper. Get a hold of yourself. Do you have any idea what the reaction would have been if you had been injured?”

Celestia actually looked abashed.

“I know you feel responsible for the Element Bearers condition, but you were not to know that the Elements themselves had built up a charge after a thousand years of not being used.”

“Lulu, I condemned them, the instant they used the Elements they were saturated in magic. Only whatever the Elements did to them is keeping them alive. Unless we find a cure, I killed them. Horrifically.” Celestia hissed.

“I know you care for them Celey, but you can’t go risking your life…”

“And that is why they are in danger. If I had used the Elements…”

“You would be in their position! At least they have hope with you alive Celey. We all do. If you had known about the charge…”

Slamming her hoof down, a spiderweb of cracks appeared in the marble under her hoof.

“You overestimate me Luna. If I had known... to get you back... I would have still sent them.”

Celestia turned and walked away from a shocked looking Luna.

- - - - - - - -

As the emergency council sat around the table, Shining noticing that Luna was giving Celestia some very strange looks. With a shake of his head, he brought his attention back to the meeting.

Short Notice was jabbing a hoof at Commander Whirlwind. “So, what you are saying is, there are vast tracts of Equestria where we are blind. Vast tracts where your vaunted air force has yet to reconnoitre, vast tracts that could be hiding enemy armies for instance.”

Commander Whirlwind placed both hooves on the table, before taking a deep breath. “A county-wide reconnaissance sweep would be impractical, impossible even. Even at the best of times, even with weeks of planning, even with all our reserves... impossible. May I remind you we are organizing this on the fly, with only partial reserves. While more reserve units have become available, we have encountered problems in deploying them to where they are needed. The result of this is that our projected timetable has been pushed back by twelve hours, so by tomorrow we should be able to give an initial assessment.”

Short Notice leaned forward over the table. “That is unacceptable Commander. While we sit here, armies could be moving through Equestria, poised to strike... and we would know nothing about it until its too late.”

“Gentlestallions.” All turned to look at Celestia. “I believe that if armies were marching through Equestria, we would have heard about it by now. Even if they are, they have lost the element of surprise as our forces, even if only partially, are mobilized and ready to fight. I do not believe that is the current threat right now.”

“You think Azure acted alone?” Foreign Cloud asked.

Shaking her head Celestia continued. “No, I do not. From reports of Miss Dawn’s demise, it would seem that she was… removed from the equation on purpose, I suspect not willingly on her behalf. I personally believe we are looking at a small group of activists, activists that managed to get their hooves on an exceptional poison. But, until we can confirm that, we will, we must continue to assume that there is a real and present danger to Equestria and act accordingly.”

Only Luna heard Celestia whisper. “I have been wrong before” before she looked around the table at doctor Everhealth.

“Doctor, what news on the patients and toxin?”

Opening the file in front of him, the doctor scanned the contents for a second before replying. “We have confirmed, thanks to Princess Luna, the toxin is indeed Frost Rose Extract. Most of the patients are still in the initial stages, some, however, are now reporting an increase in their talent skills. That can only mean a build of magic starting within them, trying to vent through their talent. This toxin will eventually be fatal to all ponies that have ingested it, what will happen…”

“Thank you doctor, but most at this council are aware of the effects of magic build up on a pony,” Celestia interjected. “In fact, we have some measures in place that may assist.” Celestia nodded towards Short Notice.

“We have available six items of apparatus that can drain magic from a pony. However, I have been going over the numbers. I do not believe we can cycle through all of the guests with any efficiency. To begin with, we might be able to, but as the rate at which the magic builds up increases, we are not going to be able to drain everypony quickly enough.”

Closing her eyes, Celestia took a breath. “Short Notice, I want several lists made up of the guests present. Prioritise foals, pregnant mares, then essential skills. Set the number at the maximum efficiency we can obtain from rotation. Then decrease the number in stages down to six ponies.”

“Y-your Highness…”

Opening her eyes Short Notice felt she was staring into his soul.

“After you have given me the lists, I will finalize the lists before authorization.”

Short notice sagged in relief. “Thank you your Highness.”

‘And if any of the Bearers need them, I will personally decided who...’

Luna leaned over the table, disrupting Celestia's thoughts with a question to Dr Everhealth.

“Is there a cure?”

“Yes, its called wheat-thorn. The plant usually grows with frost-rose or least nearby as they share a symbiotic relationship. One increases the magic build up, the other slows it down. No we do not have any, we have checked virtually every garden and arboretum in the city. Those currently not checked will be checked, but I hold little hope in finding sufficient quantities at this point. They are a high altitude plant, found in mountainous areas and the odd attempt to cultivate them at low level were never met with success according to the records.”

“Commander Whirlwind, can we spare any scouts to search the mountains, bearing in mind that we are still assuming that there is a real and credible threat inside our borders.”

“We can spare some, but most are on patrol duties as we speak. However, I believe that is not the issue. Flying in mountains is tricky, variable crosswinds, downbursts, wind shear, etc. Flying high over mountains is easy, however, flying low over them, as we need to, looking for plants, is going to require experienced scouts. I can re-assign scouts quickly, but that level of expertise is in short supply. I will get back to you with the estimates as soon as possible after this meeting.”

Shining Armour’s adjutant leaned over and whispered into his ear, causing Shining to slump forward, his head falling into a hoof.

“Problem Captain?”

“Yes your Highness. The Element Bearers have had to be moved, again. This is the third time.”

Celestia now leaned forward.

“The problem being?”

Short Notice spoke up. “With the Elements being our primary line of defense, most other nations also see them as our primary line of attack as well. Everypony, including our allies, wants to keep an eye on their location.”

Shining nodded. “And therefore, every time we move them, they get followed. Their current site has just been overflown by three griffons.”

Heads turned to look at Commander Whirlwind.

“Most of my forces are stretched thin at the minute patrolling the borders, we cannot be everywhere at once. Another day or two and we can put a stop to that, but without reassigning from border patrols, or assigning guard pegasus to aerial roles, who are more trained in air to ground I might add, there's not much we can do at this point.”

“Are they in danger?”

“From those following them directly, no. But it would be possible to find the Bearers through them and that is where the danger lies. We know nothing of who we are up against and what their capabilities are. As they penetrated the castle I am unwilling to take risks in this matter.”

“How are they taking to being under twenty-four-hour guard?” Celestia tried to look innocent with that question.

Shining Armour grimaced. “Not well, a certain pegasus has already threatened to pull a sonic rainboom indoors unless she could go and see her daughter. An Alicon, that shall remain nameless, is desperately trying to find a way to ‘help’, is not taking no for an answer. The field commander has also put a plea in for books to be transferred in as quickly as possible. He has also stated that an earth pony is literally bouncing off the walls. By the way, he underlined the word ‘literally’.”

Celestia smiled “I thought as much, they do so want to help. So, an idea occurs to me that would mean they would be on the move constantly, assisting in the search for this wheat-thorn and free up a company's worth of ponies.

- - - - - - - -

“Unidentified unicorn approaching the library.”

“Oh, that’s Sunbeam.”

“Can she get in?”

“Oh… I gave her a key, she was the only pony coming in here regularly.”

“Buck! Okay, ponies, as soon as she comes in I want her taken down, quickly and quietly. Oh and non-lethally would be a bonus.”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam was busy putting the key back into her saddlebags when the library door shot open. A blue aurora pulled her in, a yellow aurora clamped her muzzle shut, placing an inhibitor ring on her horn at the same time and a lavender aurora quietly shut the door behind her.

- - - - - - - -

A less-than-happy Sunbeam paced up and down the library, scowling at the Element Bearers, Greywing, Spike and their ten solar guards, as Twilight explained the situation to her.

“So if that’s what happened, why the buck are you back here then? Anyone with half a brain cell would know this place would be kept under watch.”

The lieutenant scowled back at her as Twilight stepped forward.

“It would appear that the Element Bearer’s location is of international interest and everypony wants to know where we are.”

“The most powerful magic in Equestria, I wonder why!”

Ignoring the sarcasm, Twilight continued. “We have a plan to throw off any pursuers, then we are off to help find a cure for frost rose extract.”

Pacing past Twilight, Sunbeam snorted, flicking her tail in exasperation. “Good luck with finding any wheat-thorn around here, the only place you’ll possibly find it near Ponyville is in the Tall Mountains.” Reaching one end of the library, Sunbeam turned round and started pacing back, only to stop on finding herself the centre of attention.

“What?”

Fluttershy stepped forward. “It’s just, well, umm, that nopony here, told you what cure for frost rose was.”

Pulling the brim down on her Stetson, Applejack gave Sunbeam a long look. “A’h reckon you better tell us how you know this sugar.”

A quick glance at the guards confirmed Sunbeam’s suspicion that they were all prepped and ready to fight as they slowly spread out around the library, all focused on Sunbeam.

“Itwasinaschoolbook.”

“You wanna run that by us again.”

“It was in a school book. You know, when you’re in class. You idly flip through your text books when you’re bored. The book was on poisonous plants, the effects of frost rose was particularly gruesome, so it sorta stuck in the mind. So I made sure I knew the antidote. Silly thing I know, but I can still remember it. Plus both plants looked kinda pretty, which was why I read… in fact can we all ignore the pretty part please.”

‘Don’t think I’ll mention it was in the class where they taught us about poisons and how to use them properly. The part on alicorn poisons was tested, repeatedly, I recall.’

Applejack nodded to the rest. Rainbow slowly backflipped. “Wow, you must have been bored.”

“I was 'three thousand six hundred seconds in an hour kinda of bored' in that class.”

Sunbeam stalked past the guards to sit at the desk she had left all her research on. “Please ignore me and I request that you do not let me overhear any plans, destinations or any information that could be regarded as lets-torture-Sunbeam-for over. Thank you.”

“Princess, can you vouch for that mare?”

“Sunbeam, oh yes. Do you know she took on six timberwolves to protect the CMC? Err three fillies I mean.”

Rainbow idly flew over. “Yeah, she helped me get out the tree that, erm, jumped out at me, when I was training over at McCloud’s field. First time I met her, she was heading into Ponyville for the first time as well.”

Flying up next to Rainbow, Greywing nudged her. “Jumped out you say… Wait! Heading into Ponyville? The only way into Ponyville from that direction is from the Tall Mountains if I recall the maps correctly.”

“That’s right sugar. Born and brought up in Ponyville, so I should know.” Applejack added.

The Lieutenant tapped his chin. “So to summarize, Sunbeam knows what the plant we are after looks like, and I quote the word ‘pretty’. Can fight, reference timberwolves, and likely has been to the place we need to go…”

Smiling ear to ear and beating her wings, Twilight took off, hovering just off the ground. “Hey, that’s a really great idea, Hey Sunbeam...”

All eyes turned to where Sunbeam was sitting. The sight of an empty cushion greeted them. Looking round the door to the library hung open.

“Deja Vu” Spike commented.

- - - - - - - -

Galloping through Ponyville, Sunbeam had one plan in mind.

‘Get ready saddlebags, get outta Ponyville for next three days, three days to think of excuse…’

Skidding sideways and slamming into her house, hard enough for her to wince, Sunbeam collected herself for a moment before kicking the front door open and rushing in. Grabbing her ready-saddlebags she kept in the hallway with her teeth, she turned round, levitating her cloak off the peg.

‘Lets get the buck outta…’

“Whatcha doing?” Inquired Pinkie.

“Gah!”

Jumping backwards Sunbeam landed legs wide and her heart thumping in her ears. The saddlebags that were in her teeth swinging wildly as her cloak fluttered to the ground as her magical concentration shattered.

“Oh, Sunny! You heard our plan and rushed back here to get your stuff so you could come with us, huh? Huh?”

Turning her head and spitting out the saddlebags, Sunbeam trotted forward in the most dignified manner, her head held high. Reaching the doorway, Sunbeam leaned out past Pinky, looking left and right. Unable to see a certain stetson wearing pony Sunbeam pulled her head back in and, sitting down, looked Pinkie squarely in the eye.

“Yes, Pinkie. That’s exactly what I was doing.”

Chapter 24 - Departure Problems

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Chapter 24 - Departure Problems

Looking over her checklist, Twilight smiled as Sunbeam walked back into the library, Pinky bouncing in circles around her. “Ah there you are Sunbeam, we were wondering where you got to.”

Throwing a glance at Applejack, Sunbeam sat down.

“Yeah, well, I heard you lot talking and just had to run off... to get my saddlebags.”

Flying over to her, Rainbow playfully punched her shoulder. “For a minute there, we thought you didn’t want to come with us.”

Blinking several times at Rainbow, Sunbeam brought a hoof up to her chest. “Really? Whatever could have given you that idea?”

Tossing her head in a mock huff, she raised an eyebrow when she found herself looking at six guard mares, all sat silently in the middle of the library as Rarity fussed around them.

Turning back to her checklist Twilight waved a hoof at Sunbeam. “Oh, I believe that Greywing and Lieutenant Spear would like to talk to you out the back of the library.”

Shifting her weight, Sunbeam didn’t get up. “I like it here. Here is very comfortable.”

“Nonsense, it’ll be just you, Greywing, Lieutenant Spear and three of Celestia’s best guards. You’ll be as safe as if you were in Princess’s presence herself, so no need to worry”

Bringing a hoof up, pointing it at Twilight, Sunbeams response was interrupted as the library door opened, a guard mare with bulging saddlebags entered.

“I got all you asked from your shop, ma’am.”

Rarity’s correction was automatic. “Boutique please darling.”

The saddlebags were levitated off and various bottles and scissors were floated out. “Now I can get started.” Turning, she addressed to the guards in the middle of the library. “Please remove your armour.”

Without looking up, Twilight called out to the guard who and just come in.

“Oh Swift Strike, can you escort Sunbeam here to Lieutenant Spear please. She seems nervous for some reason.”

“Of course your highness.” Stepping to one side, the guard gestured to the door. “This way ma’am. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

- - - - - - - -

As Sunbeam was escorted round the back of the Library, she could hear the clang of metal on metal.

‘Sword drill? It's almost like they want to be seen… heard even. I wonder if it's part of ‘the plan'? If so I await with interest to see how it all goes wrong.’

On seeing Sunbeam, Lieutenant Spear gestured for the guard escorting her to come over and take his place against his sparring partner.

“Ah Miss Sunbeam, so glad you could join us. I see I can add ‘sneaky’ to your list of attributes, ten guards in the same room and you manage to sneak out without anypony noticing.”

Sunbeam gifted him with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“I approve of your camouflage cloak by the way, why, with that and I guess several days of supplies in those saddlebags, you could have disappeared until after we had left.” He gave her a conspiratorial wink.

Sunbeam’s smile didn’t falter.

‘Buck off and die.’

“That is why I approve of Mr Greywing’s plan. Not that you would need any incentive to stay and help, of course. However, I do suggest you do listen to the last bit Mr Greywing has to say.”

Greywing stepped forward.

“Under the provisions granted me, I am able to recruit civilians to assist in the defense of Equestria. In this case, your knowledge of the destination and the objective is most desirable to the successful completion of this mission. Of course, once recruited, civilians are subject to the laws of the guards, which includes the whole ‘desertion of duty’ thing and all the penalties that it entails.”

Lieutenant Spear whispered into Sunbeam’s ear. “Penalties include, prison, transferring to penal battalion and, if serious enough, the Princess herself will take personal interest to decide punishment. And why, I do believe that endangerment of a Princess, namely Princess Twilight, by non-assistance when required would fall under that last category.”

Sunbeam’s smile started showing teeth.

‘I’m going to geld you both while you sleep.’

Greywing stepped up close to Sunbeam and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “Congratulations, Private Sunbeam, you’ve just been drafted into the guard.”

Sunbeam's head slowly turned towards him.

- - - - - - - -

The train station was filled with guards from both Canterlot and Ponyville… and lots of noise. With the enchants on the armour giving every pony the same white coat, blue tails and manes it was impossible to tell one guard from another. This meant lots of shouting by NCO’s, trying to make sure that the right guards were in the right place at the right time.

The actual transfer of the Element Bearers, from the protection of the Ponyville Guard into the protection of the Royal Guard escorting them back to Canterlot, went without a hitch.

Watching the train leave the platform, the commanding officer of the Ponyville guard, a unicorn mare with a red cloak draped over her back, turned and gestured for the rest of detachment to follow her.

As they marched off, a pegasus guard flew up to a unicorn guard.

“I still say you got my tail wrong, it's way more awesome than that, it was way too styled... and you used cadmium-green when it’s so obvious that it’s supposed to be dark-pastel-green.”

“Darling, in good conscience, I could only, ugh, hack that poor mare’s mane and tail so much. And when did you become so knowledgeable about colour shades.”

The pegasus guard crossed her forelegs and humphed. An earth pony guard behind her shook her head.

“Well, I jus hope that mare takes good care of ma hat.”

At the rear of the group, two guards, a unicorn mare, and a pegasus stallion marched together. The unicorn, in slightly ill-fitting armour, hung her head low and had her ears folded back against her head, while the pegasus guard marching next to her held his head high and was trying his best to look professional. He didn’t quite succeed, as even the enchants on the armour couldn’t hide his swollen black eye.

- - - - - - - -

“Sir, may I have a moment please?”

Looking up from his desk the lieutenant nodded to the corporal.

“Well sir, when you were made acting head of this office, you asked us to look for any unusual orders that passed through this office. Well, I think I found some.”

Leaning back the Lieutenant nodded at the corporal.

The corporal suppressed a twitch. ‘Don’t get too used to the major's desk lieutenant. You’re only in charge of this office temporarily.’

“Sir I have here an unsigned palace order for a detail of Lunar guard to meet some V.I.P’s at an encoded location.”

“Thanks not unusual corporal.”

“Sir, it appears six times, all six orders going to the same location but there are definitely six separate orders. I can't tell where the location actually is, but the location encoding is the exactly the same on each order. Plus each order is for an above average quantity of guard as well. In total nearly an entire squadron of Lunar guard, plus supplies, are all going to the same location, at the same time. The orders were all put in from different locations and at different times, almost as if they were trying to hide it.”

The lieutenant got up and walked to the window. Staring out for a minute, he didn’t turn round before addressing the corporal.

“Good work corporal. I think I see it, some noble is panicking about what happened at the gala and is trying to make sure he is protected. An entire squadron of Lunar Guard is a bit excessive don’t you think?”

“Sir, I have yet to relay these orders, what do you want me to do with them?”

“Dispose of them. The noble is going to have to live with his own hired guards. The Lunar Guard is needed elsewhere. Besides the Lunar Guard might even get do some real work for a change.”

With the lieutenant still looking out of the window, the corporal risked looking out of the office’s door. Just outside the office, a sergeant and a private both stood, furtively looking in. Both tapped their ears before nodding at him.

Trying to hide his relief the corporal saluted. “Of course sir. I’ll just deposit these order in the nearest bin, ah you have one in your office here, sir.”

- - - - - - - -

Laying on his stomach, Dark Cloak slowly raised his head over the crest of the hill. Pulling out a small bean bag, he placed it on the ground in front of him before placing a telescope on top of it. Focusing it, he could see the seven guards as they started to shed their armour, the tree line of the forest just behind them. A faint smile formed as he watched their natural colours began to return as the enchants from the armour faded.

“Yep, that's the bearers alright. I thought Rainbow Dash’s tail looked wrong, way too styled. Did they really think they could pull a silly little switching-places stunt like that? I’ll head back and send a report…”

A heavy weight landed on his back, he didn’t have time to make a sound before a knife was plunged into his neck.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam shook herself, freeing herself of the last of the armour.

“I hate this stuff. Plus I think the mare wearing this before me hadn’t washed it out since her last route march.”

Looking up Rarity nodded. “I’m afraid I must agree with Sunbeam, however, I must admit to thinking you would be the type of pony to like armour Sunbeam.”

Sunbeam gave a small shake of the head. “I prefer the armour of not-being-seen.” She kicked the armour in disgust. “This stuff makes you stand out, standing out is bad. Draws attention.”

‘Not to mention pointy objects.’

Kicking the last of the armour away, Sunbeam looked up and watched Twilight pace back and forth.

“Where are they? We are supposed to have a detail of Luna guard waiting here for us, plus supplies.”

Scanning the ponies present, Twilight’s scowl slowly turned to puzzlement.

“Anypony seen Greywing?”

Everypony looked around. A series of shrugs and head shakes followed.

“Where is…”

Greywing landed with a skid and stumble.

Rainbow snorted. “I’d give that landing a two point three out of ten.”

“Sorry about that.” He gave all present a wan smile. “I, err, had a spicy bean burrito for breakfast, think that was a mistake.” He rubbed his stomach for emphasis.

Marching up to him, Twilight prodded him in the chest. “Next time let us know before you disappear…”

Try as he might, he could not focus on Twilight. He found himself staring at a point behind her, her lecture becoming a background drone.

After a while, he noted that she had stopped talking and seemed to be waiting for a response.

“I’m sorry princess, I shall keep that in mind.”

Satisfied, Twilight gave a nod and turned back to the rest of the girls.

Greywing tried to relax, wincing as he touched around his eye. ‘I can do this, I’ve been trained to do this. Ow… Sunbeam has a mean right hook, can't believe that Spear just sat there laughing at me. That’s right, everypony just carry on and ignore me and… Why is Sunbeam looking at me like that?’

Sunbeam held his gaze for a minute before turning and burying her head in her saddlebags.

Turning he sat down, staring at the direction he had come from. He found his mind churning with thoughts, but unable to focus on any specific one.

A tap on his shoulder made him jump. Spinning round he found Sunbeam, with that same odd expression, sat a few metres away. A bar of soap and a mirror hoving next to his shoulder.

Lifting her head up, she tapped under her chin and then her neck. “You have some… dried coffee stains... here and here.”

The soap and mirror floated into his hooves. Sunbeam half turned away but kept her head facing him.

“You need to be careful with coffee…”

She turned her head away and walked back to her saddlebags.

“...It can splash everywhere if you’re not careful.”

- - - - - - - -

Reflective Note lay on the bed, her first proper bed since the night before the gala. She had been led away from the main gala hall by two solar guards. Her pregnancy, now quite advanced, had slowed her down, but neither guard had rushed her.

The room she found herself in was well decorated, with five other beds well spaced out around it. Next to each bed stood a machine she could only call a spider-standing-on-its-back-legs-thingy. Being an earth pony, four of the ‘legs’ from the machine were wrapped around her hooves, but she could see unused attachments on it to fit it to wings, or horns.

‘I do believe that the nurse has done this before. At least I’ve got a comfortable bed for the time being. Oh, those nobles looked so pis… unhappy. Excuse me dad for nearly swearing.’

Watching five more ponies being lead in, Reflective note noted how each was treated with practiced ease, as wings, horns, or hooves were attached to the ‘spider’ next to their beds.

‘Hello, what's that?’ Idly she pulled a clipboard from the end of the bed. A pink butterfly was all that adorned the cover. Feeling a quiet thrill of looking at something private, she flicked through the graphs and notes. Whoever this was for, she could see that despite frequent drops whenever treatment was applied, the graph was creeping upwards overall.

“Huh, whoever did this graph got the scale all wrong.” Her talent might have been musical, but her sister was a studying to be a nurse and she had been given many a medical textbook to quiz her sister on. To the point, she was fairly certain that she could pass the entrance examinations to medical school herself. The ‘Magical Saturation Scale’ was simple. Two was normal, plus or minus one. Over ten was dangerous. Thirteen was lethal, with fifteen being instantly so.

Reflective Note shook her head. “Whoever this ‘F.S.’ is, no way do they have a magical saturation reading of forty-three.”

- - - - - - - -

Looking around, Twilight sighed.

“Look girls we are going to stay here tonight and decide the appropriate course of action in the morning. Hopefully, the escort and supplies will have turned up by then. We are just going to have to rough it tonight.”

Stepping forward, Greywing saluted. “I shall take first watch. Private Sunbeam will volunteer for the second watch.”

‘Buck you sideways with a manticore tail.’

Sunbeam deliberately saluted with the wrong foreleg, causing Greywing to wince.

The rest of the group settled down, trying to get comfortable on the ground, the three pegasi moaning about the lack of clouds to grab in the clear sky. Sunbeam levitated a compact sleeping bag and ground mat out of her bags. Knowing that letting the others see her grinning at their misfortune would result in unpleasantness, she tucked herself in, making sure she was facing away from them.

Greywing nudged her.

“You know that there is a princess over there, sleeping on the ground?”

“My preparation, my stuff, my good night's sleep!”

With her back to him, Sunbeam raised a hoof and made a ‘shoo’ gesture in his general direction.

Frowning, Greywing turned and stared off into the distance as the others settled down for the night.

“Greywing.”

Looking round he found a levitated hip flask floating next to him. Sunbeam lay on her side, now looking at him with a look of sympathy in her eyes.

“For you, for when you try to go to sleep.”

- - - - - - - -

As the sun rose, the makeshift camp was filled with a chorus of groans and winces from seven of the ponies present. Only Sunbeam, with her ground-mat and sleeping bag, had slept reasonably well.

Ignoring the glares she felt on the back of her neck, she levitated the sleeping bag and ground mat up and neatly folded them, before fitting it back into her saddlebag.

‘Should I share my breakfast? Share with six of the most powerful ponies in Equestria, six of the most powerful ponies in Equestria who might be about to mug me if I...’

“Hey girls I got breakfast here for all of us!”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam placed a plate of breakfast in front of Greywing.

“How did you sleep?”

Closing his eyes, Greywing’s head fell forward.

“Had some… trouble, to begin with.” He then lifted his head and smiled at Sunbeam. “Princess Luna herself came into my dream and… helped.” He scratched at the ground with a hoof. “Not that there was anything wrong of course. Here, you can have your flask back, I don't need it anymore.”

Sunbeam’s expression was carefully blank as she floated the flask back to her.

‘You get a princess to sooth your dreams!’ Sunbeams ears fell sideways a lump forming in her throat. ‘You lucky bastard. I wish...’

Abruptly turning, she walked away from Greywing.

Watching Sunbeam leave before he had a chance to say anything else, Greywing kicked himself.

‘Need to make sure I say ‘thank you’ , after all, I did need some liquid comfort last night.’

- - - - - - - -

Seven ponies watched Twilight pace back and forth. Eventually stopping, she stamped a hoof as her wings spread aggressively.

“Argh! We cannot just sit around here waiting for support that may or may not come. As we sit her the princess... I mean the princesses… I mean ponies, all get worse.” Looking up at others she took a deep breath. “I say we proceed onwards to the Tall Mountains to gather wheat-thorn before making our way back.”

“But Twilight dear, we have no supplies.” Gesturing towards Sunbeam Rarity’s tone became soft. “I do believe we ate all of Sunbeam’s supplies this morning for breakfast.”

“Then we need to gather some more. We can’t head back to Ponyville, we will lose too much time and give our deception away.” A map floated out of Twilights saddlebags and unrolled itself. “Sunbeam, can I have your opinion please? Where would be a good place to get supplies?”

Trotting over Sunbeam leaned over and examined the levitating map. “Well, there is a mining outpost here.” Sunbeam tapped a hoof on the map. “Two days away, we should be able to get supplies there.”

Twilight traced another path with a hoof. “Surely this way would be quicker? It would only be a day to get there.”

“Bad idea, that’s the way I came in. There's a…” Sunbeam covered her mouth with a hoof and mumbled.

Taking a step towards her, both of Twilight’s ears pointed towards Sunbeam.

“A what? I don’t think I heard that.”

Sunbeam repeated herself, her ears folded back. “A mountain troll.”

“A mountain troll!” Twilight screeched. “What in the buc…” Biting off the word, she took several calming breaths before looking Sunbeam in the eye as the others all looked on in confusion.

“What in the... world were you doing around a mountain troll?”

“Running away. Trying not to void by bladder in the process.”

‘At least I achieved one of those. Three damn days to get the smell outta my tail...’

Twilight’s eye twitched before shaking her head.

“Ugh, nevermind, priorities. Right, we need to gather supplies first. Sunbeam, can you go with Rainbow and gather food from the woods. AJ, go with Greywing and do the same, use my saddlebags. Rarity, Fluttershy, see if you can make something to help carry any extra supplies in, as I doubt two sets of saddlebags is going to hold everything we need. Pinky and myself will see what other supplies we can gather.”

Rainbow flew up and saluted. “Yes ma’am. Com’on Sunbeam, we got food to gather. Hey AJ, bet we gather more than you.”

Twilight brought a hoof up to her face.

“Let's all meet back here in, say, two hours.”

Twilight watched as Sunbeam headed off into the woods, Rainbow flying lazy circles around her.

‘What am I going to do with you Sunbeam? I’ve been trying to ignore it, but it’s too obvious now... You came in from over the border. You are not a citizen of Equestria are you!’

- - - - - - - -

“Berries.” Sunbeam pointed a hoof at some berries in a tree.

“Got it.” Rainbow flew up to one tree and started picking them as Sunbeam magically picked some off another tree.

“Hey Rainbow, how’s Scoots getting on?” Sunbeam called up.

“She’s getting better thanks. Had a chance to talk to her now, tell her I was going to be away for a bit. Told her that she had to be awesome for me and be strong while I was away.”

Sunbeam nodded, before turning her head to look at her bulging saddlebags.

“Hey I think we’re not going to get much more in, I wonder how AJ and Greywing are getting on?”

Shrugging Rainbow flew down with a foreleg-full of berries and started placing them into Sunbeam’s saddlebags.

“Yeah, not going to get any more in there without crushing other stuff. I say it's time we started heading back.”

As they walked back, Rainbow started humming. One of Sunbeam’s ears twisted towards her.

“I know the tune, but not the words,” Sunbeam commented.

Rainbows smile spread from ear to ear. “Then let me teach you the Wonderbolt version. It’s totally awesome. It's called ‘Blood on the Feathers’.” Rainbow cleared her throat.

“He was just a rookie wonderbolt, and he surely shook with pride,”
“He checked off his flight suit and made sure his goggles were tied.”
“He had to sit and listen to that awful sergeant roar…”

Both of Sunbeam’s ears were now focused on Rainbow.

- - - - - - - -

Twilight and the others looked up as Sunbeam and Rainbow came back into the campsite, both singing loudly.

“...they found his wings three meters from the crash,”
“and he ain’t gonna fly no more.”
“Gory, gory what a heck of a way to…”

Both spluttered into silence as they noticed all the others staring at them. Fortunately, Rainbow had been in a situation like this before and knew exactly how to deal with it. Flying forward, she saluted Twilight.

“Supply gathering mission successful ma’am.”

Chapter 25 - Reasons

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Chapter 25 - Reasons

Greywing stood watching Sunbeam intently as she looked down at something behind the bush. The overturned wagon lay a few meters away, propped up against one of the trees around them.

“Anything down there?” Called down Twilight from the road above them, a trail of debris and broken saplings marking the route of the wagon as it had crashed down the side of the ridge.

Keeping her eyes on whatever was behind the bush, Sunbeam called back up.

“Whatever happened, happened a while ago.” Lifting her gaze, she looked Greywing in the eye. “There's nothing to be done here.” Sunbeam walked around the bush and started back up the steep incline towards the road.

Greywing took a step towards the bush, only to find Sunbeam's hoof on his chest. With a shake of her head, she leaned in and whispered into his ear.

“We’re not in Equestria anymore. You don’t need to see… They had fun.”

Lowering her hoof, Sunbeam continued back up the incline. Greywing eye’s widened as he stared at the bush.

‘Who are you Sunbeam? Why are you helping me? Everything would be so much easier if you weren't helping me.’

He took a step towards the bush.

‘And thank you.’

Turning, he followed Sunbeam back up to the others.

- - - - - - - -

Closely examining the two guards who stood outside Princess Celestia’s personal chambers, Shining Armour was pleased to note that while both were presentable for such a duty, it was not at the expense of combat effectiveness. His push for placing fighting readiness above the traditional parade ground spit 'n' polish for important posts was starting to gain ground, especially in light of the current events. Giving the guards the smallest of nods, he turned his attention to the white double doors and knocked politely as both guards relaxed imperceptibly as his attention left them.

“Come in captain.”

The guard on the right opened his door as the other adopted a ‘ready’ position with his spear, angling it so it pointed down the corridor.

Marching in before bowing, Shining tried not to show his surprise at seeing Princess Luna, sipping a cup of coffee, sitting opposite Princess Celestia in the main room.

“Your highness's.”

‘It’s early afternoon, what’s Princess Luna doing up?’ Spotting the tired look of the Princess, he amended his thoughts. 'Or is that 'still up'?'

The guard closed the door behind him with a soft click as the other guard returned to his original stance.

Celestia watched the door shut before turning her attention to Shining. “Captain, we have a problem.”

“Princess?”

‘They both look tired, oh this can’t be good.’

Celestia inclined her head towards her sister. “It would be best if Luna explained.”

Shooting Celestia a glace, Luna turned to face Shining.

“Captain, what I am about to divulge I do so only as the pony wanted it. And even so, I am still uncomfortable in doing so.”

Shining nodded.

“Last night in the dreamscape I comforted a very troubled mind.” Luna closed her eyes. “The mind was extremely distressed, a recent event repeating over and over, causing much anguish to it. Upon my intervention, and it’s subsequent becoming aware of me, the mind was most insistent on it’s attempt to pass on information. However, in its still distressed state, the information I received from it was fragmented at best.”

Opening her eyes, Luna’s looked into his eyes, and in Shining opinion, into his soul.

“The mind woke before it was able to pass on all the information, but I was able to interpret enough for the implications to vastly trouble me.” Luna took a breath. “Captain, the Bearers never met up with the Lunar Guard unit meant to be escorting them.”

Shining’s rear gave way and he sat down.

‘Twily!’

“I have since found out that the Luna Guard never received the orders to rendezvous with the Bearers. Further Captain, the Bearers decided to continue their mission, towards a new destination. The details of which was, unfortunately, part of the missing information.”

“Y-your Highnesses, we must…” Shining glanced out the window at the early evening light.

‘If this happened this morning...’

His next thoughts came out loud.

“Why wasn’t I…” Slapping a hoof over his mouth, he bowed his head. “My apologies…”

Raising an eyebrow, Celestia addressed the captain in a haughty voice. “Captain Armour, my sister and I can actually run my country without needing to keep you informed. For hours at a time even.”

“Again my aplo…”

Celestia waved off the apologies with a grin.

“You are too easy Shining. Twilight is your sister, I would think less of you if you weren’t concerned.”

Luna gave a sharp nod. “Indeed. Anyway, as soon as I came out of the dreamscape I sent some Lunar Guard off to the rendezvous point to check on my suspicions, they got back a little while ago. While it would appear that Princess Twilight did leave an encoded letter, with what we presume, all their new plans... this letter had been mostly destroyed by local wildlife. It would seem that the bearers had gathered food before leaving, and this in turn drew in that local wildlife in after they had left. What was left of the letter gave us no new information and all the activity by the wildlife prevented the scouts from being able to find the Bearers trail.”

Luna leaned forward.

“But you can rest easy Captain, I will be attempting to contact the mind again tonight.” Luna sat back, a tired look on her face “Given the type of distress it is under, I anticipate that I will be a frequent visitor in the coming nights.” Luna trailed off for a second. “I also have reason to believe that the mind’s judgment has become clouded, not enough to be directly dangerous, but perhaps enough to unwittingly place lives in danger.” Turning to look at Celestia, Luna pointed her hoof at her sister. “My priority tonight will be finding the destination details and restoring the minds judgement, at least to an acceptable level. The Lunar Guard should then be able to meet up with Bearers at that destination, if they don’t spot them enroute earlier.”

Feeling some of his tension drain, Shining let a breath out before looking at Luna with a puzzled expression. “Do you know who...”

Luna stamped a hoof. “Do not ask me who the mind belongs to Captain!” She narrowed her eyes at him. “If they tell you their dreams, that is their own free will. I will not tell a ponies dreams to anypony else. I already feel I am violating that rule as is. I am sure you would not appreciate the content of your dreams being made public.” Luna glanced around the room, settling on Celestia for an instant.

‘Did Luna just wink at… oh buck…’

“Captain Armour.”

Shining jumped at Princess Celestia’s sudden addressing of him.

“Your sister has been on such adventures before, as have the rest of the Bearers. They have Sergeant Greywing as an escort, a Miss Sunbeam as a guide and the Lunar Guard should be with them tomorrow. I ask you to focus on the task I have for you here and now.”

Realising he had sat down in the presence of the Princesses without invitation, Shining scrambled back to an attention stance. Neither Princess had, gracefully, chosen to comment on the fact.

“Captain Armour, your task is to find out what happened to the orders meant for the Lunar Guard. How they went missing, if they were intercepted and how we can prevent it happening again. I task you with finding out what went wrong.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “I am personally interested in this and you have my full authority to act.” Celestia winked at him. “Try not to scare too many of my little ponies senseless in the process though.”

- - - - - - - -

Unfurling the map, Twilight examined it as it floated vertically in front of her. Sunbeam, looking over her shoulder much to Twilights annoyance, pointed at the map.

“Yep, I’d say tomorrow, about midday, we should get there.”

Resisting an un-princessly urge to swat to Sunbeam with her wing, Twilight nodded before rolling the map back up and inserting it back into her saddlebags.

“How are the supplies doing Applejack?”

“I’d say we got just about enough for breakfast, then that’ll be it sugar.”

Twilight nodded.

‘We should get to the mining outpost and purchase supplies before things become a problem then.’

Stretching out one wing a time, Twilight took a bit longer with the right wing, trying to get rid of a knot in her muscles she’d been feeling all day. Doing so, she looked around the woodland clearing that was to be their campsite for the night. She idly noted that all the colours seemed duller, but all the details sharper.

‘Must be an optical illusion, but Equestria does feel so close and such a long way away at the same time. An interesting paradox...’

The thought reminding her, she turned her head to look at Sunbeam as Sunbeam got out her bed roll.

‘You need to do this Twi, you need to speak to her. Oh I so don’t want to do what I think I’m going to have to do.’

“Sunbeam!” Twilight hadn’t meant for the word to come out so harshly.

Her bedroll laid out and her sleeping bag floating in midair, Sunbeam glanced at them before looking at Twilight.

“Look sorry Twi, but I’m the one carrying them, so I’m gonna use them and…”

Waving a hoof, Twilight shook her head.

“Nothing to do with that. Can I have a word, in private, please?”

Turning, Twilight made a ‘follow me’ gesture and headed off into the woodland without looking to see if Sunbeam was following.

With a puzzled expression, Sunbeam set down her sleeping bag, shrugged, and trotted after her.

Watching them both go off into the woods, Greywing sat chewing his lip. Trying to make a decision. ‘Rainbow! Rainbow is in the Wonderbolts, that’s a military unit so she’s had military training, she’ll be best to ask.’

With a flap of his wings, he took off towards Rainbow, landing nearby. “Rainbow, can I talk to you for a minute.”

Currently wrestling with a cloud she’d brought down to ground level to sleep on, Rainbow stopped and looked up at him.

“What’s up?”

“Can I talk to you… over there.” Greywing pointed into the woods, in the opposite direction that Twilight and Sunbeam had gone.

Looking back down at the cloud, giving it one final stamp with a hoof, she flew over and hovered next to Greywing’s side, giving him a playful nudge.

“Can’t resist all this awesome eh?”

With a shake of his head, Greywing walked off into the woods. With Rainbow flying behind him, pulling faces behind his back.

Watching them head off, Rarity leaned towards Applejack with a sly grin.

“It would seem that everypony is having not-so-secret liaisons.”

Applejack harrumphed.

“Don’t think that Twi or Sunny’s barn door swings that way. And if Greywing actually tries anything with Rainbow… OOO wee, that black eye of his will be the least of his worries.”

Reaching up, she went to pull down the brim of her hat, only to find it missing.

She scowled. “That guard mare better be keeping good care of ma hat.”

Rarity nodded. “I do believe that you made the consequences quite clear if she didn’t. If fact I’d be surprised if that poor mare can get any sleep at all until she returns it.”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam sat in silence, following Twilight with her head as she paced backward and forward in front of her. Finally stopping, Twilight turned to face Sunbeam, pointing an accusing hoof at her.

“You! You are not a citizen of Equestria are you!”

Twilight waved off any answer before Sunbeam could open her mouth.

“Rhetorical question. Lots of little things just don’t add up about you, which, to my shame, I never saw before. Certain behavior patterns. Lack of, or just plain wrong, knowledge of things foals should know. And lets not to mention your fear of the Princesses.” Twilight resumed her pacing. “If taken separately, all easily ignored... mostly. But put everything together with recent revelations... it is now abundantly clear to me that you are not an Equestrian citizen.”

Stopping, Twilight glared at Sunbeam. “I like to be kept informed of ponies that emigrate to Equestria, especially those moving to Ponyville." Twilight paused. "I like to talk to them and gain first hoof knowledge of other cultures, in case I ever need it on diplomatic duties, I hasten to add.” Taking a breath, she turned to face Sunbeam. “Taking it as a given that you are not from Equestria and I have received no such notifications of emigration about you. You’ve never been through emigration… have you?”

Sunbeam shook her head. “I thought…”

Twilight cut in. “You thought that you could just turn up, get a job and stay in Equestria?”

Sunbeam just nodded mutely.

“Immigration visas, evaluations, letters of recommendation, the dangerous-pony test… all these are needed for a pony to stay in Equestria. While we have some of the laxest laws anywhere in the world regarding that…”

‘Apart from the ‘dangerous ponies act’ that is...Ugh, not the time or place Twilight!’

The soft ground meant that Twilight’s hoof-stamp didn’t generate the noise she felt the situation required.

“We still have them! You can’t just come in and… argh! Proper procedure needs to be… should have been observed.” Twilight rubbed her eyes. “There is a small, and unfortunately vocal, set of nobles in Canterlot that would have a field day with this. They want nothing more than close our borders...'Equestria for Equestrians, come in stealing our jobs, letting potential murderers in, etcetera’.” She sing-songed. “They would hold you up as an example for all to see.”

Sunbeam flinched at the thought. “Well, I had hoped to stay.”

‘I like it here, I have friends here and…uh what?’

Watching Sunbeam, Twilight noted her head pull back and her eyes start to blink rapidly. ‘Good, she must realise just how bad this is.’

Clearing her throat, Twilight got Sunbeam’s attention again.

“Look, when we get back from this mission, ponies up in Canterlot will be picking it apart as things obviously went wrong. They will be looking into every little detail of it, which includes you, and they will quickly find out that you are not in Equestria legally. After that, everything is going to get really messy, really quickly. For all of us... But especially you.” Lowering her head, Twilight’s ears fell back. “I really don’t want to do this, and I mean really that, but given the situation, I don’t see any other choice…”

- - - - - - - -

Sitting down, Greywing waited for Rainbow to finish her lazy backflip before speaking.

“Rainbow, can I ask you a question?”

“As long as it's not the one about where foals come from.” A mischievous smile forming on Rainbows face as she winked at him. “Cause I might tell you…”

“No! Ahem… this is a serious question Rainbow.”

With a roll of her eyes, Rainbow landed and neatly folded her wings away, giving Greywing a bored look.

“What do you think of Sunbeam? From a military perspective I mean.” He added quickly, seeing Rainbow’s eyes narrow at the question.

Relaxing, Rainbow rubbed her chin. “Well, I do know she took on six timberwolves.” A sly smile formed on Rainbow’s face. “Five successfully. Lets see, she knows combat magic which is not widely taught, according to Twi that is. I do know her sneaking-up-ponies skills are awesome, she snuck on Pinky Pie and me, Pinky for bucks.. ahem, for goodness sake.” Rainbow shook her head. “Overall…” Rainbow looked up towards the tree canopy in thought. “Based on the training I’ve had… I would say she’s had extensive training, in some areas and very little in others. Good in fieldcraft, bad at working in a team for a common goal.” Smirking, Rainbow pointed her hoof at Greywing’s eye. “Or taking orders.”

Bringing a hoof up, Greywing gently rubbed around his bruised eye. “Do you think she’s dangerous though?”

Rainbows tone turned flat. “Dangerous? Why?”

“I don’t like unknowns close to Princess Twilight.”

Greywing shifted uneasily. ‘And what I’ve learned just increases the amount I realise I don’t know about her.’

Shrugging, Rainbow fixed a glare onto him. “Hey, you were the one that drafted her remember, it’s a little late to be worried about that now.”

Watching Greywing struggle for words, Rainbow gave the subject some hard-learned reflection. 'Ugh, I don't like where this is going, I like Sunbeam! But, we are on a mission and I mustn't let personal feelings get in the way, Spitfire says so. I guess I better leave before... just before somepony gets another black eye.'

Rainbow interrupted Greywing just as he was about to speak. “Look fun as this is, I gotta go get back to my bed before it floats off, and I want a comfy bed tonight.” Rainbow turned and started flying back to the campsite. Pausing she looked over her shoulder. “If she is dangerous, then its the right kind the dangerous. Which we need a little more of in Equestria in my opinion.”

Sitting there, Greywing watched Rainbow go, dodging in between the trees, as she flew back to the campsite.

‘Well, I’m the one who has to explain to Shining Armour why his sister got hurt if this goes wrong. Also, I doubt the Princesses will be happy if I let anything happen to one of their number. Got to be so careful… Why isn't anything clear!’

Greywing sat there shaking his head from side to side, trying to clear it.

‘Damnit Sunbeam, who are you? I can’t just go up to Twilight and say ‘Sunbeam mistook the blood of the pony I killed for coffee stains but said in such a way I’m now suspicious of her. Please ignore that fact that your personal assistant is now a killer’... Yeah that’ll go down well.’

Greywing closed his eyes, the squelching sound of his knife as it went into the ponies throat played out in the confines of his head.

‘Maybe, maybe she hasn’t done anything bad. Maybe she worked somewhere where blood was around… Wait! No, she was too calm about it, somepony turning up with blood over them... Argh, I can’t focus.’

Greywing brought a hoof up and hit his temple several times.

‘Think, dammit, think. If I voice my suspicions, I’ll have to tell Twilight why then she’ll send me away. But I’ve got to tell somepony, I have to report it.’

His eyes opened as a flicker of hope came to life.

‘That’s it, that’s it. I’ll report it all in my debrief. Ponies with higher authority than me can decide what to do with the information. Twilight need never know.’

The flicker became a fire.

‘I just need to keep an eye on Sunbeam, besides, she hasn’t done anything wrong and she’s had ample opportunity to so. She’s even been trying to help me, heck, she didn’t even want to come on this mission. Rainbow said so...’ A grin formed. ‘Yes, yes yes. It’s so clear now. All I need to do is keep an eye on Sunbeam and gather information for the higher ups to make a decision. They will probably even order me not to tell Twilight anything.’

Greywing could feel the tension evaporate from between his shoulderblades as a way out of his dilemma formed.

“It’s all going to be okay.”

The grin faltered at the memory of a squelching sound.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam stared at Twilight. “Seriously, you can just do... that?”

Keeping her head bowed, Twilight nodded.

Looking for the words, Sunbeam just shook her head. “Twilight, I…”

Lunging at Twilight, Twilight managed a startled squeak before Sunbeam’s forehooves wrapped around her. A minute passed before Sunbeam let Twilight go, looking a little embarrassed.

“Ahem. Thank you Twilight! Yes, I accept. So, I’m an Equestrian citizen as of now? No testing required?” A slight, but nevertheless genuine, smile formed. “Having been through all those...’ Sunbeam’s eye barely twitched at the word, “therapy... sessions you insisted I attend, I know what a stickler for procedure you are and how hard breaking the rules is for you.”

Twilight shifted uncomfortably.

“Bending the rules! I’m just bending the rules… a lot.” Looking round, Twilight wore a worried expression, as if expecting an outraged Princess to jump out of the woodland at the mere suggestion. ‘I’m not breaking rules, I’m not breaking the rules.’

“So that all there is to it then?”

Twilight shook her head vigorously. “Not by a long shot. My decree is worthless to you without the paperwork to back it up. That is where the problem is going to be, forcing it through the bureaucracy.”

Twilight’s head fell. “I don’t mind paperwork that serves a purpose but… Ugh, the needless paperwork and forms they are going to throw at me, the fighting, the in-fighting, the ‘but-we’ve-always-done-it-this-way’ arguments, the passive-aggressive memos.” Twilight paused, looking up and glaring as some unseen opponent. “They are going to fight me every step of the way on this, just because I want it.” Twilight's head fell again, almost touching the ground this time. “You have no idea how much trouble they can cause... no open conflict, just deliberate misinterpretations, lost or delayed reports, sneaky behind-the-scenes sabotage. All the while they act all proper and innocent…” Twilight sounded close to tears at this point.

Walking over to Twilight, Sunbeam placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“Ballards will be sung of your bravery in mead halls up and down the land, for taking on such a foul beast.”

Twilight gave a snort. “Change ‘mead halls’ to ‘meetings and seminars’ and you may be right.”

Lifting her head, she gave Sunbeam a tired look. “This is all because I suggested several changes to the Princess that made for a more efficient system within the bureaucracy itself. The Princess was overjoyed and got them to implement it... forced them to implement it. In doing so the number of ponies needed in each department was cut almost in half.” Her voice faded. “In one fell swoop I set the precedent that destroyed both the job-for-life culture and virtually all personal fiefdoms within the bureaucracy itself. Most just up and left, even when offered alternative employment..." Her voice became almost inaudible. "They all hate me so much, when all I was trying to do was improve the system and share the workload evenly.” Twilight’s voice held more than a hint of bitterness at this point. “Anything I do now they automatically try to block, no matter how worthy it may be... You know, I’d prefer to fight Sombra and all his dark illusions again rather than face that bunch of back-stabbing, soulless, mother-buckers ever again.”

Twilight’s hoof shot to her mouth, her face turning bright red, as she realisation of what she’d said sank in.

Giving a knowing nod, while trying not to snort at Twilights now crimson face, Sunbeam’s voice was filled with empathy. “I know the feeling, somewhat. Worked with useless allies before, got to work with them and you can’t just make them… go away.”

Twilight ran a hoof over her head. “Maybe… If I can keep this quiet, go through channels, I have a chance that they won’t catch on until it’s too late.”

“So, we’re all keeping this a secret then?”

“It's not keeping a secret, it's just… it's just… Look this is going to be delicate work and certain ponies are not known for their discretion or tact. Certain rainbow maned ponies, for instance, might be tempted to fly in and start making demands and or threats, ruining delicately laid plans.”

“Why Twi, are you insinuating that Rainbow Dash lacks… tact?” Twilight marveled at Sunbeam’s straight face as she said this.

Twilight waved a hoof dismissively. “Pah, I’m insinuating nothing, I’m outright saying it: ‘Rainbow Dash, wonderful pony that she is, has less tact than a manticore with a thorn in its paw’. Whats more, I am in a position to be able to do a comparative analysis on the subject. I can prove that point.”

Sunbeam lowered her head and sniggered as Twilight turned to leave.

“Twi! Wait!” Sunbeam pawed the ground nervously. “You said that they will be picking this whole bucked up mission apart afterwards. Ummm, might be a good idea to steer as many questions about me, away from me, if that makes sense. Just a thought.”

“That is a good idea, I was planning something along those lines anyway.”

Walking up to Twilight, Sunbeam gave her an awkward hug.

“Yes I know... I'm a bad hugger. But seriously Twi, thank you. I do appreciate what you are trying to do for me. ” Sunbeam let go. “Go on, I’ll catch up in a sec.”

Watching Twilight head off Sunbeam’s horn glowed and a sound suppression field surrounded her.

Sitting back, balancing on her hindquarters, she threw her forelegs out wide, her head pointing upwards.

“Finally! A break!”

Holding the position for a minute, she fell back forward onto her forehooves.

“I think.”

Letting the field dissipate, she trotted after Twilight.

- - - - - - - -

Greywing sat the edge of the campsite, looking into the woodlands as the last of the light slowly faded.

“You okay?”

Greywing swung his head round to find Sunbeam sat there, a concerned look on her face.

“You’ve been sat at the edge of the camp for a while, staring off into space. I may be not the picture-post-foal for social interaction, but I can see that you’re… ugh, nevermind. Look, talk to me, I’m not completely emotionally crippled.”

‘Not completely.’ Her inner voice added.

‘I’m fine, thank you.”

“That’s horseapples! No you are not! Even I can see that, and when I can see things like that, things have gotten very bad indeed.” Sunbeam’s voice dropped. “I think you’re sliding into a place you really don’t want to go. Trust me on this.” Sunbeam prodded him. “Stay here, I’ll be right back with something that might help.”

Greywing watched as Sunbeam trotted over to her saddlebags. ‘See, she’s still trying to help you, she’s can’t be all bad.’

Sunbeam searched through her saddlebags. ‘Can’t believe I’m sharing my emergency supplies with him but I don’t wanna die because he froze up in combat having a what-have-I-done-moment. Ah, got it’.

Walking back over to him, she levitated up the hip flask and shook it with a sloshing sound.

“Mental armour.”

“I think… I think that it would actually be a good idea.”

Grabbing the flask he took a good slug of it.

Fixing a stare on him, Sunbeam levitated up a small bag of green powder with white flecks in it.

“This will help you sleep, and sleep well. Oh don’t look at me like that! Its not what you think. It’s called Night Owl’s Slumber, a herbal sleeping powder that Zecora makes for me. Totally non-addictive and half dose will last about a week. All it does in enhance your natural sleep, so you wake up feeling refreshed and alert every morning. You wont have to worry about lack of sleep affecting your judgement... and I think a few good nights sleep will help you put everything into perspective. Chill out. Give you time to process…” Sunbeam waved a hoof vaguely. “Things. And even if doesn’t, a good nights sleep in itself certainly won't hurt.”

Leaning in, Sunbeam whispered into Greywing’s ear. “It doesn’t artificially keep you asleep either, the same triggers that would normally wake you up, still wake you up, in case you need to… you know… wake up in hurry.”

Sunbeam tapped a hoof on his chest. “All of which means you’ll be in a lot better position to be able to defend Twi if need be. That’s what you really want isn’t it? Oh and as a side benefit, it stops... mostly stops... nightmares. What’d ya say?”

- - - - - - - -

Looking around the dreamscape, Luna stamped a hoof as the night drew to a close.

“Where are you Greywing?”

Chapter 26 - Unpleasant Surprises

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Chapter 26 - Unpleasant Surprises

In the midst of packing her saddlebags, Sunbeam paused to ponder the question she’d just been asked. “Humm… I’d have to say… a double mushroom pizza, with extra onion and sweetcorn. A cold beer to wash it down.”

A round of nods met the answer.

“A nice, thick, vegetable stew as made by Granny,” Applejack stated firmly.

Grinning, Sunbeam turned towards Rainbow and held out a hoof. Rainbow held up her hoof and shook her head.

“...With an apple pie and cider.” Finished Applejack.

Sunbeam’s grin faded and with hints of a scowl starting, levitated a single bit out of her saddlebags and flipped it nonchalantly towards Rainbow, who caught it midair.

“Hah! See, apples with everything.” A smug looking Rainbow crowed. Sunbeam’s gesture in return was carefully hidden so only Rainbow saw it.

Twilight looked around. “A daisy sandwich, with a side order of hay fries. Plus a nice white wine.”

Rainbow's response was cut off before she could finish it when Applejack, Pinkie, and Twilight all chorused: “Hay burger, fries and a soda!”

Pouting as she crossed her forelegs, Rainbow hovered next to the group and grumbled. “I do not always have the same thing.”

“Well, I suppose a tomato salad with green tea, would be nice when I get back.” Fluttershy ventured.

Mumbling something, Rarity finished with. “...And a Chateauhoof-du-Pape wine.”

Flying up next to Rarity, her forelegs still crossed, Rainbow looked her in the eye. “Say again Rares.”

Rarity, her left ear twitching in irritation, sighed. “Okay, uncouth as it may be… a cheesy hay fry sandwich… with a Chateauhoof-du-Pape red wine.” With a toss of her head, she added. “A lady is allowed some vices you know.”

“Me next, me next.” Pinky bounced. “Fried rice balls, with vodka.”

“And you Greywing?” Sunbeam inquired.

A faint smile formed as he thought. “Found a nice little place just outside the barracks in Canterlot that does a mean prawn curry. Would love to go back to get one.”

Waving a hoof in dismissal, Rainbow pulled a face at Greywing's suggestion. “Ugh, sea bugs.” Her face slowly transformed into a look of mischief. “How about some fish Sunbeam… I seem to recall you like fish”

“Blegh!” Sunbeam pulled a face herself at the suggestion. “Don’t Rainbow! Ever since our little eating contest, I can’t stand the thought of fish.” Sunbeam jabbed the hoof at a now grinning-madly Rainbow. “And you know it!”

As Rainbow and Sunbeam continued commenting on each other dietary habits, among other things, Twilight looked around the campsite, her gaze briefly stopping on the pile of spoiled food that should have been their breakfasts. Clapping her hooves together, interrupting Rainbow and Sunbeam, she spoke up. “Well, I suppose the lack of a breakfast will motivate us to get to the mining outpost sooner. All this talk of what we’ll eat when we get back isn't getting us anywhere. Let's get moving girls,” Twilight attempted to sound chipper. ”Only a couple of hours and then we can have a proper meal.”

Rarity spoke for the rest of group. “Twilight dear, you really do need to work on your motivational speeches.”

- - - - - - - -

Walking up to the door to Celestia’s private quarters, Luna gestured for her guards to remain outside before raising a hoof to knock.

“Come in Lulu.”

‘How does she always know it’s me?’

Walking in, Luna was treated to the sight of Princess Celestia before she presented herself to the public. Minus all her usual princess garb, her mane and tail tied back in rough ponytails and munching a spoonful of cereal from a levitated bowl, she wore a happy look at seeing her sister.

Swallowing the mouthful of cereal, she smiled at Luna. “Lulu, to what do I owe the honour this early in the morning? Or is that late last night for you?”

“It’s still last night for me and I must admit to feeling extremely fatigued at the minute. However I must speak with you, we may have a problem.”

Celestia nodded and took another mouthful of cereal. With both her ears aimed at her, Luna knew her sister was still paying attention to her, whatever else she may be doing.

“Tia, I tried to contact the mind, Sargeant Greywing, last night. No matter how hard I tried, I could not find him in the dreamscape. Now there are many reasons that...” Luna trailed off as a puzzled expression settled on her face.

Celestia set the bowl down. “Lulu, are you okay? You look…”

A detached part of Luna’s mind noted the floor tilt and rush up to her as she fell sideways. Laying there she could see Celestia’s mouth moving in shock as she rushed over to her, but she herself couldn’t hear anything. Even when the guards rushed in, spears ready and looking for any threat, there was no sound. Feeling her head being picked up, Celestia's face filled her vision, urgently mouthing her name over and over. Luna’s vision became grey as Celestia held her.

‘Tired… need to … sleep. Why Tia… look… look…’

Blackness edged her vision.

‘...So ...scared?’

Luna closed her eyes.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam, with her camouflage cloak pulled over as much of her as possible, carefully peered around the solitary tree on the crest of the hill. From there, she had a good view of the mining outpost below.

‘Ugh! Isolated cover. Okkaayyy, that mining outpost is more like a town. Time to observe and...’

“Whatcha up to Sunny?” Pinky asked, bouncing next to her.

Sunbeam’s expression never flinched as kept looking at the town below. “Hello Pinkie. What I am trying to do is: Not silhouette; not draw attention by movement; not draw attention by sound; and finally…” Sunbeam took a deep breath. “Trying my damnedest not to be bright pink in a green-and-brown landscape.”

Pinky nodded enthusiastically. “So it's like hide and seek then.” She looked down at the mining town. “So you’re like playing hide and seek with them. Should I wave?”

With a shrug, Sunbeam went and stood next to Pinkie. “I don’t see why not at this point. In fact…” Sunbeam raised a hoof and waved with Pinkie at the town below.

- - - - - - - -

Looking up, Twilight watched as Sunbeam and Pinky came back down the hill while the rest of the group lounged on the road, taking a break.

Sunbeam found herself resisting the urge to salute as she trotted up to Twilight. Sitting down, she looked back up the hill. “Given the size, that mining outpost is more like a town Twi.” Tapping her chin in contemplation, she added after a second. “And I’d say it's about another hour or so away.”

Twilight nodded. “So, what is your impression of it?”

Sunbeam tilted her head to one side. “I’d say… For its size… One sheriff and one deputy. Or guard equivalent. A high probability of a local militia made up of volunteers. They'd have light training and equipment, but they’d be tough ponies, given the location and type of town, so best not to underestimate them. Most likely all to be rugged individualists, so not too hot on co-operation. That can be both a plus and a minus. It does mean that pulling them together could take a while, so you’d have time to…” Sunbeam’s assessment tapered off at the look Twilight was giving her.

Sunbeam started again. “Ahem… The road leads straight up to what I take to be the mine, which consists of two large buildings and several smaller buildings. The big ones are probably warehouses for the ore, the smaller ones being administration and such like. About half a mile before the mine’s there's a crossroads, to the right is a collection of, in a rather haphazard pattern I must say, of what looks like living huts and houses. One big house, set away from the rest, is probably the foreman’s. On the left is one main street, Appaloosan style. Both sides are surrounded by woods and hills. That means the tree line is not too far away and once you get to it… So what's the plan Twi?”

The sudden question catching Twilight by surprise, she answered it rather than ask any of her own questions. “Go in, get supplies,” Twilight looked up at the sky, ”it took us longer than expected to get here, so maybe stay the night at an inn. A soft bed would be welcome after sleeping rough I must admit. Off in the morning. Keep as low a profile as possible.”

Smiling, Sunbeam nodded in approval. “Soft beds and low profiles suit me.”

Watching Twilight walk over to Greywing Sunbeam idly hummed as she drifted off into thought.

‘Right, low profile here Sunbeam. Don’t take off your cloak. Really need to include some dye into my ready bag. So, no doing anything to attract attention. Just be a meek little pony. My cutie mark is okay, but my back could still raise suspicions. I really wish I’d had a chance to dye that. Right, I don’t take off my cloak no matter what! Hum, I wonder how much my reward has gone up?’

“Sunbeam.”

‘Of note, the big building at the end of the street, is right next to tree line. So I need to aim to run towards that, that way I won’t end up getting turned around.’

“Sunbeam.”

‘Once in the woodland, aim uphill, that’ll generally take me away from town and stop me going in circles...’

“Sunbeam!”

Jumping, Sunbeam span round, placing a hoof on her chest. Incidentally, just where her daggers were under her cloak. “Damnit don’t do that!”

Twilight gave her a slow blink. “I called your name three times. We’re setting off.”

Giving Twilight a curt nod, Sunbeam mentally prepared herself. ‘Right, low profile Sunbeam… As low a profile as it is possible with: One Pinkie Pie; one drama queen; one pegasus with oh-so-subtle colours and attitude; one alicorn… one alicorn… oh buck!’

Sunbeam’s breath caught in her throat. Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper. “Twi! Wait up, Twi! I think I’ve spotted a flaw in the whole low profile thing…”

‘Oh they are sooo gonna get me caught.’

- - - - - - - -

“I assure my good doctor, I feel fine now,” Luna grumbled from her bed. “The effects of the toxin have passed for now and I promise to take things easier.”

Doctor Everhealth didn’t look up from his watch as he held her wrist. “That may be, but you need to remember that while your resistance is higher than normal ponies, you are not immune to the poison. And working too hard only exacerbates the situation, your highness.” His tone softened. “You gave everypony quite a scare when you collapsed like that, why Princess Celestia herself turned up at my house… what’s left of my house anyway, requesting my presence to attend you.

“What’s left of your house?” One of Luna's eyebrows lifted.

Still not looking up, doctor Everhealth continued in an almost a bored tone. “Well, the good Princess has stated that the treasury will pay for any damages and distress caused…”

Celestia took an interest in the ceiling.

The doctor continued. “Because when the Ruler of the land turns up at your house first thing in the morning and proceeds to rip off most of the front wall looking for you... Then gallops into your bedroom, before teleporting not only herself, and the good doctor you see before you, to the castle, but also his wife and the bed they were in at the time… Let's just say you're going make damn sure that the patient she wanted you to see is okay before you even think of leaving.”

Celestia took an interest in the floor. Avoiding Luna’s eyes.

Luna addressed the doctor in a perfectly calm voice. “Doctor, may I have a few minutes alone with my sister.”

Celestia nodded. “Doctor, I do believe that Princess Luna and myself need to clear a few points up.”

Doctor Everhealth could feel the fur on the back of his neck start to rise. “Actually, that’s a good idea.” With almost unseemly haste, left the room.

Luna waited until the door clicked shut. “Tia! What on earth possessed you? You’ve never acted like that before.”

Celestia, still watching the door the doctor had left by, let the silence stretch out before she answered. “Because it wasn’t you before!” Celestia turned to look at Luna.

Luna was shocked at how tired Celestia looked. “I can’t lose you again Lulu. Not again. I’ve seen empires rise and fall, too many good ponies come and go… And all through I’ve been a bastion of light and hope. Somepony all ponies could look to for stability. Never once showing pain… never allowed to show any pain.” Celestia closed her eyes. “All those years without you Lulu… Not letting anypony else get too close. Too scared to let anypony get too close… It would have been too much when they… Twilight wasn’t supposed…”

Celestia’s ears fell flat against her head as she looked up at Luna. “I was going mad Lulu!” Her voice softened. “I went mad Lulu... What I did after… after you went away was awful, I blamed them… I still do.” A fire erupted behind her her eyes. “And I’d do it again… I won’t let anything take you from me again… I need you, I need...”

The fire in Celestia’s eyes died before her head dropped, her voice low. “All those years in court, watching what I say. Knowing that the smallest wrong word could hurt so many... All that time, all that practice... And I still say the wrong things to you Lulu. I make it sound like it’s all about me... Just like before.” Her voice became strained. “Lulu, please forgive me, but you’re the only one I can… I, I thought I was strong, but I can’t face the thought of being alone again Lulu.”

“Tia, dearest sister…” Luna opened a wing towards Celestia as she looked up, gesturing for her sister to come to her, the wing remained outstretched.

With hesitant steps, Celestia approached Luna. Once close enough Luna wrapped her wing around Celestia’s neck as she lay down next to Luna.

The two sister lay side by side in the bed. Luna with a wing around Celestia, as Celestia buried her face into her sister's neck. “All those years… never able to show any emotion… all those years alone.” Princess Celestia, Ruler of Equestria, Riser of the Sun and a long list of other titles, voice cracked. “I’m so sorry Lulu, I’m so sorry… Please don’t ever leave me, please... don’t ever leave me alone again.”

Luna held her sister tighter.

- - - - - - - -

The door opened and Princess Celestia strode out and nodded to Doctor Everhealth.

“Princess Luna is now ready for you. Please express my apologies for my rash actions this morning to your good wife. The treasury will reimburse you for any costs my actions may have led to. Please consider the crown to be in your debt.”

Bowing, Doctor Everhealth tried to say something but only succeeded in open and closing his mouth a few times.

Looking around the room, Celestia could see it was filled with Lunar Guards, Solar Guards, courtiers, and assistants. They were all looking at her for reassurance and leadership.

“Princess Luna is going to be okay! With the ministrations of the good doctor here, she will be back with us in no time. But we still have a country to run and a crisis yet to resolve…” Celestia gave a small smile, “...my little ponies.”

Celestia strode down the hall, radiating calm and optimism to all.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam’s rear legs had given way, sitting there she stared at Twilight, as Twilight turned to present her left side, then her right to Sunbeam. Both sides without wings.

“I changed after your report on the... guard strength of the town.”

Sunbeam shifted uncomfortably at that as Twilight continued. “An alicorn can change their appearance to some degree. Enough to look like a normal pony anyway.”

Sunbeam tried to get her jaw working as an unpleasant thought formed. “Uhh, c-can all alicorns look like normal ponies? Like say, for instance, Ohh, I don’t know… Celestia! Could she be wandering around looking like…” Sunbeam’s voice became strangled, “a normal pony?”

Rainbow flew up next to a now nervous looking Sunbeam. “Yep, who knows, you might have already met her. Maybe at the market, maybe at the library, maybe even at,” Rainbow nudged her with an elbow, “the hospital…”

Sunbeam blinked then looked down at herself.

‘Lets see, all four legs still attached. Internal organs… still internal. And I’m not screaming at the spiders crawling around inside my skull.’

Sunbeam looked round at Rainbow. “I think I’d remember if I’d met her.”

- - - - - - - -

Everypony is looking at us.” Squeaked Fluttershy as they walked up the street.

“That’s to be expected,” Sunbeam stated. “These company towns do to tend to attract young stallions seeking their fortune. So a single stallion,” Sunbeam nodded towards Greywing, “leading seven young mares into a town filled with all those young, single, hot-blooded stallions... stallions with urges, urges that need to be met. Well, let's just say our presence here could be... misinterpreted.”

Sunbeam smiled slightly as she waited for the response.

Her smile grew at the chorus of “Ewwwww’s!” that followed.

That smile faded as she caught sight of the leering expressions on a group of three young stallions, stallions that started following them on the other side of the street.

‘Right now, I would willingly pay to be wrong.’

- - - - - - - - -

Looking up at the sign, Twilight nodded and turned to the rest of them. “This looks like the town’s inn. Rainbow, Applejack can you two go and see about procuring tents, sleeping bags and such like for eight ponies. We can meet back up here.”

“You gotcha boss.” Rainbow saluted and shot off as Applejack rolled her eyes at her friend's behaviour before following her.

“Rarity, can you and Pinkie see about getting us long-term provisions for eight ponies for a week’s worth of camping.” Twilight tapped her chin. “In fact, Greywing can you go with Rarity and Pinkie, give them any assistance they might need. I will go and see about food and lodgings for tonight, with Fluttershy and Sunbeam.”

Rarity nodded. “You can count on us Twilight.”

As Rarity’s group left, Sunbeam kept a close eye on the group of leering stallions. ‘Huh, trying to decide which group to approach are we? Groups of mares are scary aren't they! Well let's make this easy for you.’

Sitting down on the boarding outside the inn, Sunbeam made sure that Twilight and Fluttershy had gone in before turning her attention back to the stallions. ‘C'mon then, it’s just one, little, defenseless mare, all by herself, oh deary me, what shall I… Ah, there we go.’

Suppressing a smirk, she watched the three stallions cross the street and head straight for her.

‘That’s right, c’mon my brave little soldiers. One lone mare is obviously all that you ‘three studly stallions’ feel they can handle. Right, focus! Let's see... Two earth ponies and a pegasus. The big earth pony stallion in the middle is probably the leader. From the leers they were giving us, I do believe I am going to have to explain our presence here is not what they are thinking. Possibly with the aid of a pointy stick… Okay, nice and pleasant Sunbeam, low profile, quietly correct them and we can all be about our business, hopefully with little-to-no bloodshed.’

The lead stallion, a reddish-yellow pony, stopped and looked Sunbeam up and down, sizing her up. “Hello there darlin’, how much?”

‘Annnnd I already want to pull your intestines out through your nose... Smile, be nice….’

Sunbeam cleared her throat. “I do believe you might be mistaken about our presence here, sir. We are only passing through. We most certainly are not...”

“Well darlin', I’m sure after I’m done with you, you’ll want to stay for more.” A braying laugh followed.

Sunbeam ground her teeth. ‘No to the intestines thing! Be! Nice!’

“Sir. Let me restate that we are not…”

“I have the bits right here and I bet I can get you screaming my name.” He turned and laughed, this time, the other two stallions joined in.

Her expression turning blank, Sunbeam’s voice became low. “Oh… I‘m sure I can make you scream.”

Their laughter increased. The pegasus leaned towards the big stallion. “I liked the yellow pegasus, I bet she’s good in the sack.”

Her ear falling flat sideways Sunbeam looked them up and down. ‘Ugh, a combined IQ of single digits, coupled with ‘mummy never said no enough’, means I’m probably going to have to end up doing something... regrettable. Damnit, I’m trying to be nice here, I really am.’

Taking a deep breath in, Sunbeam tried to smile. ‘One more try, perhaps if I get the leader alone, where he doesn't have to show off to his friends, maybe I can convince him… Or at least I can minimize the witnesses.’

Raising a hoof, Sunbeam pointed off into the alleyway next to the inn. “I think a more private location may be needed for the following negotiations.”

Getting up, Sunbeam trotted off towards the alleyway. The leader, almost falling over himself in his hurry to keep up, gestured to the others to stay put.

Lowering her head, Sunbeam shook it slowly. ‘Pathetic. I don’t think the head on his shoulders is the one doing the thinking at the minute.’ A slow, nasty smile spread on her face ‘Not many would willingly follow Icefang into an alleyway alone...'

The stallion almost walked into the back of her when Sunbeam stopped dead.

“Okay there darlin'?”

Not looking round at him, Sunbeam’s head lifted up, her words coming through gritted teeth. “I, am, Sunbeam!”

“Hey, don’t need to know your life story here darlin’.”

Still facing away from him, her head lowered, she whispered. “Let’s get this over with.” The whisper became a whimper. “I’m trying to be nice, I really am. Why does everypony make it so hard?”

- - - - - - - -

Walking into the Inn, Twilight's eyes took a moment to adjust to the gloom from the bright sunshine outside. A set of stairs to the left and the bar itself on the right, the rest of the room was dedicated to tables, nearly every one of which was in use. The only one that wasn't, had a large clear area around it, as if nopony wanted to get any closer to it than they had to.

An elderly unicorn, sweeping the floor with a levitated broom, passed close.

Stepping forward, Twilight tapped on her shoulder. “Excuse me ma’am. We’re looking for rooms for the night.” Even in the gloom,Twilight could make out her red-rimmed eyes, but she still tried to smile at back at Twilight.

“Sorry honey, but if you’ll take an old mare’s advice, you’ll jus’ keep on moving.” She looked her over. “But I can see you’re fixin’ to stay.” She turned her head towards the bar. “Ask behind the bar. Be warned though, she’s back tonight.” With that, she lowered her head and carried on sweeping. Twilight shivered at the tone, the old mare had said ‘she’ with enough venom to poison a full grown dragon.

- - - - - - - -

Placing a hoof under Sunbeam’s chin, he lifted her head to look up at him.

Sitting down, her teeth now almost welded together and her tail twitching nearly constantly, Sunbeam tried again. “Look, moron, I am trying to be nice here. Something you should really be appreciating, as being nice to you is hard, and getting harder by the minute.”

His leer grew at her words.

Sunbeam face-hoofed. ‘I’d say one track mind, but I don’t think it stretches that far.’ Dropping her hoof, Sunbeam looked at him, murder creeping into her eyes. “I will say it again. We... are not... of that... profession! Can you get that through your thick skull? I said no!”

Sitting down the stallion rubbed his chin a thoughtful expression forming.

Sunbeam felt a flicker of hope. ‘Is that a brain cell firing? Halleluja. See he just needed a little...’

“Pa says that all mares are heartbreakers. None of them know what they really want. Or their teasers.” The leer returned “Pa said there’s only one thing to do with teasers… An’ I think you’re a teaser.”

Sunbeam’s face lost all expression. ‘I will -so- hurt you! Then I think I’m gonna go visit your Pa and...’

Leaning forward, causing her to flinch, he whispered into her ear. “Jus’ lay down an’ lift your tail. Then we can be start havin’ a good time.”

Sunbeam blinked slowly at him, not even aware of her own hoof slipping under her cloak until it touched the hilt of a dagger. Looking down with surprise, she carefully placed it back down on the ground, totally missing the stallion lifting his hoof towards her.

Sunbeam jumped when he stroked the side of her muzzle.

“Now you jus’ be a good little filly for me, an’…”

- - - - - - - -

Everypony inside the inn paused, turning to look at the wall where the loud thud had come from.

Twilight turned back to the innkeeper. “Look, those rates are nothing short of extortionate. I…”

The innkeeper kept polishing his glass. “Nows it’s forty bits, per night, per pony. Missy”

Stuttering into silence, Twilight sat down in shock and stared slack-jawed at the innkeeper. She didn’t even notice when Sunbeam trotted into the inn and seated herself next to her.

Sunbeam caught the innkeepers eye. “Hey, do you know a big earth stallion, reddish-yellow in colour?”

He gave her a questioning look. “Yellow mane?” Sunbeam nodded. “Yeah, that’s Blunt Spade’s son.”

“Well, he just ran straight past me and straight into the wall.” Sunbeam shook her head. “Damnest thing I’ve ever seen. Didn’t even slow down.” The innkeepers eyes widened. “He just slammed right into it.”

Fluttershy brought a hoof to her mouth. “Goodness, is he alright?”

Twilight, still sitting in shock at the innkeepers attitude, managed a “Huh?”

Sunbeam shook her head “Don’t think so, pretty sure he has a concussion. When I tried to talk to him he’s just babbled nonsense. He couldn’t tell me the right date, thinks Clover-the-Clever raises the sun and...” Sunbeam inspected her hoof, “is spouting something ridiculous about sweet-innocent-little-me throwing him against a wall.”

‘Several walls.’

Sunbeam cleared her throat. “I think he might need some medical help, his two friends seem to have run aw… abandoned him.”

A few patrons in the inn got up, only two actually headed off to get help.

‘Right, now to priorities.’ Sunbeam nudged Twilight. “So how are we fixed for rooms and soft beds Twi?”

Snapping back to the here-and-now, Twilight glared at the innkeeper. “The rates are just ridiculous, every time I said anything he just raised them even more. It’s just, just…argh.” Twilight stamped a hoof. “We’re going to be roughing it tonight.”

Sunbeam’s eyes narrowed. “And I’d set my heart set on a soft bed for tonight.” A pleasant smile formed. “Tell you what, I‘ll talk to the Innkeeper, see if I can change his mind. Twilight, would you mind waiting outside, a fresh start and all that.” Twilight opened her mouth, Sunbeam cut her off as she re-phased her request. “Consider it a new approach on an experiment, but I need to remove any previous personal bias influences that could invalidate the test results.”

At this, the Innkeeper snorted, but Sunbeam watched as Twilight, grumbling, but unable to find a flaw in Sunbeam’s argument, left. A concerned looking Fluttershy consoling her.

Turning back to the Innkeeper, Sunbeam smiled at him. “Can I ask your name?”

“Clean Glass.”

With small nods, Sunbeam repeated the name several times before looking back up at him.

“Well… Mr Clean Glass.” Her horn glowed and in one swift and violent motion, he was hauled over the bar until only his rear legs were resting on it, the rest of him was floating in mid-air between the bar and Sunbeam.

Her head snapping round to the remaining patrons, some halfway through getting up, her voice was like a whip-crack in the sudden silence. “Sit... Down!”

The ponies in the bar that had started to get up hesitated and then returned to their drinks. They’d been through enough already not to worry about another ‘tough’ pony. The collective thought was variations along the lines of: ‘She was back tonight and she’d put this new pony into her place, besides, better the devil you know.’

She turned back to Clean Glass, making sure her voice carried. “All my ‘nice’ has been used up for today. I want a soft bed tonight and I am going to get one…” She leaned a little closer to Clean Glass. “Even if I have to use yours!” Her voice became a snarl. “My only offer… four rooms, five bits per room. And as a bonus...” Sunbeam’s tone turned pleasant as she held up a hoof. “You get my continued goodwill… An amazing bargain let me tell you.”

Leaning forward until her nose was almost touching his, Sunbeam looked him in the eye and smiled. Serving behind the bar for years now, Clean Glass prided himself on knowing when he could safely throw patrons out... and when it would be best to go hide and hope the damage was minimal. He looked into Sunbeam’s eyes.

“K-K-Keepsake… Get the keys… Get the keys! Now damnit now!”

Gently placing him back down, Sunbeam continued to smile at him as if nothing had happened. ‘I tried to be nice, I tried so hard… Nice wasn’t working. So I’d be stupid to keep trying something that wasn’t working. I’m not in Ponyville, so I can relax a bit.’

Her inner voice agreed. ‘Yep, you can relax, you can chill, you can be yourself… Icefang!’

- - - - - - - -

Sitting in the corner of the inn, a pegasus and a unicorn calmly watched Clean Glass get hauled over the bar. Turning his towards the unicorn mare, the pegasus gestured towards Sunbeam with his head.

The unicorn looked at a small device held in a hoof under the table, then shook her head.

She whispered back to him. “Below average magic reserve. Limited use as a magical asset. Besides, we’ve been waiting for that one,” she nodded towards the empty table, “for two days now. From the stories alone, her magic reserve should make her a major asset, so I’m not gonna waste time on small fry. What I’ve also heard is that she likes to make an entrance, so we should know when she gets back. I’ll check her out, then we persuade her to join us.”

She tilted her head to one side until her neck clicked.

“One way or another.”

- - - - - - - -

Twilight was practically bouncing on the spot. “I can’t believe you persuaded him to let us have the rooms so cheap Sunbeam!”

‘Could have got him to give us the rooms for free Twilight, but paying him, even a little, makes them feel like they haven't been totally humiliated. Thus drastically reducing the chance of them doing something... unfortunate.’

Sunbeam shook her head as she realised Twilight has been still talking to her. “Sorry Twi, what did you just say?”

“He was being so, so… obstructive. It was like he didn’t want us there. How did you…”

Sunbeam pointed at Rarity, Pinkie, and a loaded down Greywing, heading towards them. “Oh look, Rarity’s back. Poor old Greywing looks like he really needs help there, I’ll be right back.”

Sunbeam galloped off to help Greywing as Twilight watched her go. Twilight slowly brought a hoof up and rubbed her chin. “Hummm.”

- - - - - - -

Sitting outside the inn, the rest of the group watched Rainbow and Applejack return. Applejack was pulling a wagon loaded with gear while Rainbow flew next to her, sporting a new hat that looked suspiciously like Applejack's old one. Twilight noted that Rainbow was flying just far enough away to be staying out of Applejack's reach.

“Twi, ah got the gear in the wagon. Not the best, but all they had. If you wanna grab it, I’ll go return the wagon.” Applejack’s voice turned sour. “An’ get ma’ deposit back. Saying I don’t look trustworthy… the nerve…”

The gear was levitated out, encased in three different colour aura’s

“Okay Applejack, we’ll take these up to our rooms and start sorting them out. Stairs are on the left just after you go in. We’re in the first rooms you come to.” Turning, Twilight headed off into the inn, the others following.

Clean Glass scowled as the group walked in. As Sunbeam walked in she suddenly stopped and looked straight at him. Shying away, Clean Glass looked at the floor almost instantly. With a nod, Sunbeam continued, heading upstairs.

Keepsake tapped Clean Glass on the shoulder. “I think she’s almost as scary as her.” He gestured to the empty table in the middle of the inn.

Clean Glass nodded but didn’t say anything for a minute, just staring at the table. ‘She is ‘hurts you for fun’ scary.’ He glanced at the way Sunbeam had gone. ‘But she was just… cold.’

He pointed to the same table as Keepsake had. “She’s back tonight.” He then pointed upwards and swallowed, “And with her being here as well… Two scary ponies in the same room, at the same time... Keepsake! Remove all the breakables possible from the bar. This is going to be a bad night, I just feel it.”

‘I don’t know what the pony upstairs can do, but I do know that’ he glanced at the table, ‘she killed the marshal and her deputy. We’ve all heard stories of what she’s done, even if only half of it is true, the one upstairs doesn’t have a chance. I tried to stop them, I tried to get them to leave, in my own way… What happens to them now is all their fault.’

- - - - - - - -

Sitting at the table close to the middle of the inn, Sunbeam played with her food.

Sat next to Sunbeam Rarity looked over at her in exasperation. “Why did you order it if you don’t you like it? And, I must ask, are you going to insist on wearing that cloak everywhere?”

Sunbeam continued to push the food around without looking up. “Yes to the cloak thing, as for the food thing, I love the dish. It’s just....”

‘Oh come on you stupid mare, it's not drugged. All the others are all fine... A slow acting drug maybe? Stop us from waking up at night as they creep into our rooms?’

Rarity arched an eyebrow. “Sunbeam! Will you please just eat that.”

Sunbeam’s ears fell flat out to the sides. “Fine! I’ll eat it.”

‘And if we end up horribly murdered in our sleep, I’ll blame you.’

Hesitantly, Sunbeam brought the fork up as Rarity turned back to her nearly finished meal.

The door behind her slammed open and a voice called out. ‘I’m baaaack!’

Her fork floating inches from her mouth, both of Sunbeam’s ears twitched. ‘And you’re also annoying.’ Looking up in exasperation, she had a clear view of Clean Glass, looking at her with anxiety. ‘I really don’t like the way he’s...’

Clean Glass took a deep breath, looking at Sunbeam all the time, and shouted out.

“Icefang is here!”

Sunbeam’s fork fell to the floor. Her lips started to pull back as she went to rise.

“Hello Icefang.” The rest of the inn chorused in a flat tone.

Sunbeam slumped back down as her legs failed her. Her breathing becoming rapid and shallow as her eyes darted back and forth around the crowded room. No pony lifted their head to look at her, all remained unnaturally still, staring at their drinks. ‘A-a-a trap! T-too many, too close...’ Sunbeam clutched her amulet, still desperately looking around the room. ‘Too many… There's t-too many. I’m so... ’

A green unicorn mare... with a white back... trotted past Sunbeam.

Clean Glass hastily placed a bottle of tequila onto the bar. “Y-your drink Icefang, ma’am.”

With a snort of dismissal, ‘Icefang’ grabbed the bottle with her mouth and trotted off towards the empty table. A pegasus and an earth pony following close behind her.

Looking over at Sunbeam, Rarity sighed. Daintily dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin before leaning over, she lightly placed her hoof under Sunbeams chin... and gently closed her mouth.

“It's rude to stare dear.”

Chapter 27 - Past Sins

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Chapter 27 - Past Sins

“Really? You’ve never heard of Icefang?” Keepsake paused in collecting the plates from the table.

“I’m afraid not. She seems…” Twilight tried to find an appropriate word as she glanced over at the table with Icefang. “Boisterous?”

Keepsake leaned in and whispered. “You’re all best to keep away from that one, if you want to live that is. The stories we’ve heard about her would chill your blood. I do wish I could stay and tell you, but I’m still on duty for another few hours until midnight.”

“Aww, c’mon. After starting a story like that, you can’t leave us hangin’.” Whined Rainbow.

“I suppose it could come under the heading of information gathering.” Twilight pondered out loud tapping her chin.

Rarity sniffed. “Well I, for one, have no interest in what an uncouth ruffian gets up to.”

“She does seem rather scary.” Added Fluttershy.

Keepsake nodded. “You have no idea… Look, I have to get going. What say I send Dusty Beam over when I see him. He knows all the juicy gossip about her.”

Sunbeam didn’t look up from her hooves. “Can’t wait.”

- - - - - - - -

Everypony’s jaw hung open. Their ears pinned flat back in disbelief at what Dusty Beam had just said. Everypony apart from Sunbeam that is, who just held her face in her hooves, her elbows resting on the table.

Twilight leaned in over the table. “You’re kidding, you’re kidding right!”

Dusty Beam waved a hoof “Shhh, not so loud. But yes, a thief, a murder, a bandit, a stone cold killer. She boasts about killing Marshal Boulder and her Deputy, Petal. She boasts about doing a lot worse.” Dusty swallowed. “I was there, she just walked up to the Marshal when she was eating and… She used a wood axe… and kept on using it even after… She tells us what she did to Petal was even worse.”

Seven sets of eyes turned to look at Icefang. Sunbeam just kept hers looking into her hooves. ‘Low profile… Low profile. Crowded bar, You… are in… a crowded… bar. No retiring ponies in a crowded bar!’

Pinkie spoke first, her mane lacking its normal bounce. “But she looks so normal. Just a normal pony having a normal drink. How can a pony do that sort of thing and look so, so… normal?”

Applejack nodded, a slight paling of her face her only visible reaction. “I suppose that sorta thing doesn’t show on the outside Pinkie. On the farm I’ve had to…” Applejack didn’t finish the sentence.

Rainbow put her wing around a cringing Fluttershy and pulled her tight. “It’s okay Flutters, if she tries anything, she gotta come through me first. Remember, I’m a Wonderbolt.”

Sunbeam nodded as she kept looking into her hooves. ‘A cadet Wonderbolt Rainbow. And I can hear the tremor in your voice.’

Fluttershy looked on the point of tears to Rainbow and even seated next to her, Rainbow could only make out some of what Fluttershy was saying. “Some animals that come to me are too badly injured… I’m a bad pony when I have to… But to boast about it… Monster!” Fluttershy shook her head and curled up smaller. “She’s just a monster.”

Pinkie hadn’t stopped looking at Icefang, Applejack reached over and turned her head back to the table. “Pinkie, some ‘animals’ don’t like being stared at.”

Pinkie just nodded glumly. “But she looks so normal, a pony that does that has no right to look normal. They should look different.”

Sunbeam lifted her head from her hooves and glanced round at her back.

Rarity tossed her head, her voice tight and clipped. “I don’t know why they let such a pony in here, or why they sit around doing nothing about it. I find their lack of action simply shocking, why she should be dragged out of here and incarcerated immediately.”

A round of nods met that statement. Even Fluttershy, half hidden under Rainbow’s wing, nodded. Even Sunbeam nodded. ‘I thought my… -the- bounty might add some incentive to do something. I wonder how much it is? Should I ask?’

Dusty glanced left and right before leaning forward. “No pony does anything because everypony is scared of her. I mean outright terrified. The only reason we’re all in here, drinking with her, is that she’d take offence if she had to drink alone. She said so.” Dusty shivered. “A few months ago she was just another two bit criminal, but when they thought they’d captured her in over in Creek-lake it all changed.”

Sunbeam’s eye twitched. ‘Two-bit criminal? Thank you very much! And they did capture me... I still don’t like you Miss Scarlet by the way. Anyway, what changed?’

“... After that, some waitress drugged her food…”

‘Goodness! They got a detail right. Glad I’m sat down.’’

“And then thirty guards set off with Icefang in a cage.”

‘Thirty! Try thirteen. I should know, I was sat on my flank in that damned cage counting them enough times. My flank was sore for ages afterwards, I swear that guy was -aiming- for every pothole.’

“The party sent to escort them the final part of the way found what was left. Icefang had shattered the lock to her cage and had slaughtered everypony.”

‘Two… I killed two. With a third that may have lived, if she’d got to medical attention quick enough, mind you… Wait what did he say?’

“Oh yes, as I said, she didn’t just kill them, she torn them apart. Bits of them were scattered everywhere.”

‘The Diamond dogs did that! Not me. I had -nothing- to do with that!’

“When they tried to collect… everything. They couldn’t find any of the unicorn’s horns or any of the pegasus wings. Even some of the earth ponies hooves were missing! The rumor is that she took them...”

‘What the buck would I want those things for? Aside from the gross value, unnecessary weight.’

“...For offerings to her demon lovers.”

“What!?” Sunbeam’s exclamation got not only everypony on her table, but several ponies from nearby tables, to turn and look at her. Tapping her chest and coughing, Sunbeam waved a hoof at Dusty Beam. “Excuse me, please continue.”

Dusty Beam collected his thoughts for a moment. “Oh yes, that’s why everypony is terrified of her. She sold her soul for demonic powers. With that power she can, and will, do terrible things to you. That is why everypony is terrified of her, that is why nopony does anything. They're… we’re, all afraid of what she could do to us.’

A derisive snort was heard from the other side of the table just before Dusty continued. “They say her white back is where the demons ripped her soul from her, killing off the colour...”

‘Oh please…’ Sunbeam glanced at Icefang. ‘Look! You can even see the roots.’

“It’s said she can suck the soul from you just by pointing her horn at you. Just a touch of it can freeze a leg off.”

‘The horn thing is… okay the soul thing is a bunch of horseapples.’

Dusty Beam was rather enjoying himself despite the subject matter. All of the group were looking suitably horrified at his story, apart from the mare in the cloak. She was just seated there, looking decidedly unimpressed, her glare getting more intense. He carried on, trying to ignore her.

“After she escaped the good ponies of Creek-Lake found the guard house trashed and the waitress that drugged her food, missing…as well as her little foal.”

‘Probably something to do with the money I gave them. Set off for sunnier climes I’d bet. At least, once she’d finished wetting herself. I regret nothing, a bit of mental scarring is character building.’ Sunbeam tried very hard to suppress a smile at that thought.

“They say…”

‘I -really- have to go and find whoever ‘they’ are... and be unpleasant.’

“...That she took them both and used them in her demonic rituals, parts of them in her demonic rituals… poor things.”

‘Extremely unpleasant!’

“So that’s why her bounty is so high, they put it up to fifty thousand. There's never been a higher one, plus the bounty is only for her corpse!” Dusty nodded in satisfaction at the cloaked mares reaction. ‘Ah, now she looks scared.’

With nervous glances around, pulling her cloak tightly around her, Sunbeam leaned forward. “With a bounty that high, how come this place isn’t crawling with bounty hunters?”

“Simple, she tore through thirty guards. No bounty hunter is crazy enough to try.”

“I think you underestimate them.” Sunbeam glanced round again. ‘Met plenty of crazy ponies… even by my standards. Mental note: Must dye back! Don’t care if it’s the wrong shade. Heck, I’m willing to use paint if that’s all we got.’

“We are at the furthest, most remote outpost. Why, Equestria itself is only a stone’s throw away.” Dusty’s tone turned dark. “Not to mention she’d described in great detail what would happen to ponies around here if she was informed on.” His voice returned to normal. “Anyway, you haven’t heard the best bit. What Icefang and her demon lovers, plural, get up to. They…”

- - - - - - - -

Everypony at the table leaned back. Expressions, both verbal and facial, indicated general disgust.

Sunbeam’s jaw hung open, her ears flat out sideways. ‘Uh… Ewwww! I’d never do that! It sounds painful. I think somepony involved in these rumors is definitely -not- vanilla… And again with the Ewwww! Oh he’s stopped for the minute.’

Leaning forward as Dusty gulped down his drink Sunbeam, in a voice loaded with sarcasm, casually inquired. “So… how many orphanages has she burnt down?”

Choking on his drink for a second, Dusty stared at Sunbeam. “S-She’s burnt down orphanages?”

“No! I mean... I haven’t heard of her…” Sunbeam face-hoofed. ‘Oh horseapples.’

- - - - - - - -

Twilight watched Dusty Beam head back off to his table, taking a wide route around the table with Icefang. “Well, that was… interesting.”

A snort from Sunbeam indicated her opinion. “If you can believe any of it.”

Nodding, Twilight looked at Sunbeam. “I tend to agree, however, one thing is certain though...”

Sunbeam lifted her drink.

Twilight studied Sunbeam. “We now have two green unicorn mares, both with white backs, that come from the same geographic area...” Sunbeam slowly started lowing her drink, a feeling of dread quickly spreading through her. “Given the reputation of Icefang… I find it unlikely that you hadn’t heard of her.” Twilight pulled herself up, eyes and ears now focused on Sunbeam. “Sunbeam, there is a time where keeping a secret is a good thing...”

‘Forever’ echoed in Twilight’s mind.

“And a time where it involves a known murderer. Surprisingly, this situation is not the first scenario.” Twilight’s princess training came through in her tone. “We need to talk Sunbeam. About you... about you and Icefang.”

Sunbeam’s drink didn’t land on the table the right way up.

- - - - - - -

Sunbeam twisted her head over her shoulder to watch the door close behind her with a final sounding click. With seven other ponies in the small bedroom, it felt uncomfortably cramped to her. With everypony looking at her, plus the feeling of somepony sitting on her chest, the cramped feeling was quickly becoming outright claustrophobia. The trembles in her right foreleg were getting annoying as well.

The silence carried on for a couple of seconds before Twilight spoke. “So, let us review what we know of the situation. Please correct us if we are jumping to any wrong conclusions Sunbeam.”

Sunbeam looked steadily at the room’s only window, situated between the two single beds. Only Fluttershy was seated between her and it. ‘Take too long to open the door behind me and run out. Run forward, they won’t be expecting that, dive through window. One floor fall so remember to roll on impact...’

“Point one, Icefang comes from this area and so do you. Point two, you and Icefang have identical descriptions.”

The tremors in Sunbeam’s foreleg increased. ‘Get up after rolling, go to the left… run…I get three paces before Twilight grabs me with magic...’

“Point three, you turn up on Ponyville’s doorstep unannounced, with just the contents of your saddlebags. Would you say it would be inaccurate to say you were running away?”

Sunbeam shook her head as she tried in vain to control her now rapid breathing. ‘Twilight hauls me before The Day Princess… I beg The Day Princess to -only- kill me...’

“Point four, you must have been aware of the bounty on Icefang, therefore you were trying to get away from it.”

There was the slightest of nods. ‘The Day Princess ignores my pleas… And... And... And my throat is all dry.’’

“Well Sunbeam, it does seem to be very clear what has happened here,” Twilight stated, the others nodded in agreement.

Sunbeam closed her eyes.

“Sunbeam… how long have ponies been mistaking you for Icefang?”

Sunbeam’s eyes shot wide open, her mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out.

‘Wha…? No! They think that mare downstairs is… Everypony is calling her Icefang, She’s calling herself Icefang. She -is- Icefang as far as everypony else is concerned…’ Sunbeam’s head and ears fell forward. ‘I have no right to be this lucky!’

Twilight walked over and placed a hoof on Sunbeam’s shoulder, she could feel the trembles running through her. “I wish you had told us earlier. But I suppose being constantly mistaken for that monster would make anypony a touch paranoid. I can see why you tried to run away and are so reluctant to say anything about your past.”

Applejack walked over and placed her hoof on Sunbeam’s other shoulder. “We can only imagine what it must have been like sugar. Rarity said about the look of shock on your face when you first saw her.”

Sunbeam cringed. ‘Oh, this is not going to end well! Karma, what have you got planned for me? Mercy! I beg of you.’

Twilight placed her hoof back on the floor. “I wish we could do something about Icefang, but we are not here officially. We are not authorised representatives of the law. If we did anything we would merely be vigilantes, or worse, a foreign power meddling in somepony else’s internal affairs. Right, Rainbow!”

Rainbow folded her forelegs and huffed.

Twilight deflated “It does leave a nasty taste in the mouth that we can’t do anything, but if we did, the hold ups sorting everything out would be horrendous. Our mission time-frame would be jeopardised and ponies could die before we got back with the antidote. What we can do is let the proper authorities know where Icefang is when we get back. As small a comfort as that is.”

Twilight’s head dropped. “This is one of those times, isn’t it Princess?” She said so quietly only Sunbeam heard.

Looking up, Sunbeam put her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. ‘Welcome to grey Twilight. Black and white went bye-bye a long time ago. It gets less painful… unfortunately.’

After a second Twilight looked back up. “Rarity! We are going to need some of your expertise. Sunbeam’s back could draw unwanted attention so, I’m sorry Sunbeam, but we’re going to have to dye your back. I hope you… Ugk!”

Twilight was cut off as a pair of forelegs wrapped themselves around her. Hugging her tight.

- - - - - - - -

Rarity walked back into the room with a grumbling Sunbeam still wearing her cloak,

Rarity smiled at the others before looking at Sunbeam. “Are you all ready? Now I can let you see it Sunbeam. My masterpiece everypony…” Her horn lit up and the cloak was lifted off Sunbeam. A series of ‘Oooh’s’ filled the room, including Sunbeams.

Sunbeam’s back was now a matching green to the rest of her.

An amused Twilight watched Sunbeam dance around like a foal at a party. Looking over one shoulder at her back, she’d spin round a few times, then look over her other shoulder and spin the other way. “I take it you approve.” Twilight dryly commented. ‘She should smile like that more often, it’s infectious.’

Sunbeam spun three complete circles, her tail streaming behind her, before sitting down. Even seated, she kept looking round at her back. Both her ears seemed unable to decide where they wanted to be as well, as they flicked around continually. Tearing her eyes off her back, she looked up at Twilight, grinning madly. “Oh yes! Best present ever! Even the colour matches, how the hay did you do that Rares? I could never get the colours to match.”

“Well your fur seems to react differently to dye than what I am used to, but to an artist like myself…” Rarity drew herself up into a pose, a pose normally reserved to statues of Commander Hurricane ordering troops into battle, much to the amusement of the others in the room. “...Saw it only as a challenge, even if we had to be extremely resourceful.”

Sunbeam coughed. “Food dye from the kitchen.“

Ignoring her, Rarity continued. “Once I got how your fur reacted to the dye I could compensate.”

Sunbeam resisted the urge to hug Rarity, it would mess up her mane. “If I may borrow a phrase, ‘totally awesome’ Rares.” Sunbeam stuck her tongue out at a surprised looking Rainbow. “I gotta go and show off my back, by totally not standing out in a crowded bar. Oh, this is gonna be great. Anyone coming? C’mon Rares, I’m buying.”

Rarity shook her head. “I must admit that I am looking forward to a soft bed... and I intend on using it as soon as possible. Unlike some here, I had to sleep on the ground.”

Looking down and shuffling her forehooves, Sunbeam mumbled something before looking up hopefully at the rest. Only Applejack seemed to be contemplating it. “I’ll tell you what Sunny, I got a few bits to sort out then I’ll pop down.”

“Great! I’ll cya down there.” Sunbeam lept up and trotted to the door.

Rarity smiled after her. “Have a great time dear, not standing out.” After the door had shut, Rarity turned to Twilight, her tone concerned. “Twilight dear, I feel I should mention something. Now I’m not one to gossip…”

A few splutters around the room were graciously ignored.

“Only once have I ever needed to compensate when colouring fur before, that was when the fur itself was the result of magic.”

Twilight’s interest was piqued.

- - - - - - - -

The unicorn seated at the table tapped the device she held underneath it. The pegasus leaned over. “Still not working?”

“It should be working, I’ve tested it, again, but I still can’t get a good reading on Icefang. The background magic has been slowly increasing over the night. Right now it's reached the point where its started swamping out any individual results.” She shook the device again. “No idea what’s causing it, certainly not a pony. They’d be dead from magical saturation a long time ago if it was so. No, I think somepony must have brought a damaged magical device in.”

- - - - - - - -

Listed Scrolls carefully watched the single guard still awake, as he walked around the camp. The forest clearing where they had stopped was only just big enough for all of them, the nocturnal sounds of the forest would have kept him awake if he had been trying to sleep. Five years in a cell, he had got used to silence.

The guard was on the other side of camp. Bracing himself against the bars opposite to the door on the cage, he placed his rear hooves against the hinge and pushed as hard as he could.

The guard looked over at the cage and snorted at the sleeping form inside. ‘He doesn’t deserve to sleep well, after what he did. Driving out a clan member...’ He shook his head at the enormity of the crime. ‘Still, from what I’ve heard, keeping him alive for Icefang should be worth it. Some of the things the Captain said she promised to do to him... And she’s had five years to plan even more things. Retire a dishonored pony and return ‘The Lost One’ to the fold. Nice.’ With a smile he walked away from the cage.

Listed Scrolls listened to the guard walk away. Carefully he reached out and tried the hinge. A little more play than yesterday. A slight smile graced his muzzle before looking at the sleeping forms around the dead campfire.

The smile became a sneer. ‘Look at you! You think that just because you wear amulets that you are so unstoppable. Well lads, you ain't! While you’ve got near infinite reserve with those amulets, you can't focus much more magic than usual, not without burning yourselves out. You ain’t alicorns no matter what you think!’

He tried to stretch out in the cage. ‘Now give a pony with a higher magical efficiency an amulet, like a pony with an affinity, and they can do so much more with that little bit more focus. So much more…’ He sighed. ‘So much time wasted in destroying Icefang’s precious morality, I was so near as well... Oh the weapon she could’ve been!’ The smile returned as he gazed at some inner vision. ‘Why she could have been in Canterlot right now. In the Central Park, by the little pool on the west side. At the plumb centre of city...' The smile became bigger. '..And frozen every living thing in Canterlot to death in minutes.’

- - - - - - - -

Seated by the wall, slurping her levitated cocktail drink through a straw, Sunbeam was actually enjoying herself. Most notably about the lack of ponies looking at her. Casually looking around the crowded bar, a silly little grin played on her face. ‘Oh this is so great. This cocktail ain’t bad either… Must get the recipe for this, didn’t realize that they did Jackie D cocktail’s.’ She giggled before taking another slurp. ‘This is sooo not me and I’m loving it.’ Sunbeam started humming a happy little tune at herself.

Icefang shouted out, demanding more drinks for her table.

Sunbeam’s grin fell. ‘And you my dear, are bucking insane to pose as me. A massive reward coupled with a confirmed death sentence, it’ll only be a matter of time.’ Sunbeam shook her head. ‘However, who am I to stop you… especially if you are so willing to take the fall for me. The short fall, with the sudden stop. Have I mentioned that you are bucking insane!’

Sunbeam slurped her drink again. ‘So I can win by doing nothing. So just by doing nothing and letting her live, I get to win. When she does finally swing, everypony will believe Icefang is dead. I won’t have to look over her shoulder anymore… okay, not look over my shoulder so much.’ A grating laugh filled the bar. ‘Just let her live and... and... And I have an itch, right between my shoulder blades.’ Sunbeam glowered at Icefang as she rolled her shoulders.

“I see you don’t like her either, do you dear?”

Sunbeam jumped. ‘Damn, I’m getting sloppy.’ Turning her head she looked at the speaker. The elderly unicorn mare that had been sweeping the floor stood next to her, her broom resting against the wall. Looking back at Icefang, Sunbeam rolled her shoulders again. “I must admit that she gives me an itch, right between the shoulder blades.”

The unicorn smiled faintly at her before looking at Icefang. The smile fell. “She’s a monster!” She spat out before hanging her head. “You heard she killed the marshal’s deputy?”

Not looking round at her, Sunbeam nodded.

“That was my daughter, Dancing Petal.” Her voice cracked. “It wasn’t here, but she did… terrible things to her.” Pulling out a photo she fell quiet as she stared at it. Sunbeam glanced over the top of the photo.

A young unicorn mare, in guard armour, had her forehoof around the neck of the elderly unicorn. Both were smiling at the camera. Sunbeam frowned at the picture ‘I feel I know you… Where do I know you from?’

“That was taken just after she’d got the position of deputy.” The elderly unicorn didn't take her eyes off the picture.

Sunbeam nodded. ‘Being a deputy in an outpost town is a dangerous position. She must have known that. A guard unicorn, damn that’s gonna bug me, where do I know her from… a unicorn guard...’ Her eyes widened. ‘Oh buck no! Please, no! You can’t be...’

The mare was on the verge of tears.“She killed her and flaunts it, she sits in here and I do nothing. I feel so worthless! The killer of my daughter sits over there and I can’t do anything about it. I want to but… It would do nothing. Achieve nothing. Just my own death and with others still depending on me... I’m such an unworthy mother, I put my own life ahead of...”

Sunbeam put her hoof on her shoulder. A feeling of wrongness at the action tugged at the back of her mind as an uncomfortable realization took root. ‘That guard looks like one of the guards from Creek-Lake. Oh please karma, don’t do this to me!’

She looked at Sunbeam, the wan smile returned. “I’m sorry dear, you must think me a silly old mare.”

Sunbeam slowly shook her head.

The elderly unicorn smiled at her. “It’s okay dear. I understand that talking to a mother of murdered mare might not make everypony comfortable. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you… It’s just with her sitting over there I’m…’ A strangled sob came out. “She was trying to help her!”

She closed her eyes tight. “Dancing Petal was in Creek-Lake, visiting kin, when they captured Icefang. She volunteered to go with the prisoner escort.” She looked back down at the photo. “You know she sent a letter just before they set off, she was worried that the other guards were mistreating Icefang, she only went along to keep an eye on them.”

Anger entered her voice. “You should have let them just kill her!” The anger faded as pleading note entered her voice. “What did you do to anger her so Dancing? What did you do?” The pleading became a sob “Why did you agree to go?”

Without looking up, she pressed the photo against her chest. “Y-you know they wouldn’t let me see her when they sent her back. Said it best if I remembered her how she was. I-I heard them though, m-my little Dancing Petal was… she’d done terrible things to her. Awful things… They couldn’t even find her horn… or one of her rear-legs… We had to bury her incomplete.” Her tone became normal, as if commenting on the weather, and was all the worse for it. “That monster tortured and killed my little Dancing Petal and I hope she rots in the deepest part of Tartarus for it.”

She swallowed. “I-I’m sorry… I'm just… I started babbling again didn’t I? Please don't tell Mr Glass, he'd said he'd fire me if I did it again. I’m sorry for taking up your time dear, I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than listen to an old mare rant on. I have to...” Dancing Petal’s mother turned and fled out the inn.

- - - - - - - -

Looking over the crowd, Applejack spotted Sunbeam sitting down by the wall. The mare seated next to her suddenly turned and ran out the door. Walking over towards her, Sunbeam looked unnaturally still, her hoof still outstretched in the air.

“You okay there partner?” Applejack tilted her head at the lack of response. “Partner, you…”

Sunbeam’s turned to face Applejack. The outstretched hoof fell limply as she blinked several times, but her gaze never managed to focus on Applejack. “I - I’ve never... I’ve never done that before. I've never had to do that before.”

Sitting down, Applejack placed a hoof on Sunbeam’s shoulder. “What’s that Sugar?”

“Talk to a parent of… Talk to a mummy of… Of somepony I…” Sunbeam cleared her throat, her voice becoming very flat. “Icefang killed her daughter.”

‘I didn’t actually… Buck it, let’s not add being a hypocrite to my list of sins. I as good as killed her. Worse, I let the Diamond Dogs get her.’

Applejack looked over at Icefangs table, anger clear on her face. “I’m sure that Icefang will get what’s coming to her. And then I’m sure all those she’s wronged will be a’waiting for her on the other side, then they’ll… Hey, c’mon sugar, just relax, you’ve gotten all tense.”

“I’m just going outside. Need some... fresh air.”

Applejack watched Sunbeam walk stiffly out of the inn. ‘Poor thing, guess she’s more sensitive than she makes out.’

- - - - - - -

Finding herself in the woods, Sunbeam looked back towards the town, the lights still visible though the trees.

Flinging a foreleg around a tree, she grasped it tight as her world started to see-saw around her.

“Focus! You can get through this you stupid mare. You didn’t mean to…”

Her treacherous memory jolted into action, an old remembrance surfaced from the darkness.

She looked up at the stallion that stood over her. Her foreleg extended, the dagger she held embedded in his chest. A trickle of blood made it was down the dagger and started staining her hoof.

“Mr-Mr Sable… a-a-are you okay? Please be okay! I-I’m so sorry Mr Sable, I-I didn’t mean to…”

Sunbeam was still dry-retching long after her stomach was empty.

Chapter 28 - Regrets

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Chapter 28 - Regrets

Laying on her back on the bed, Sunbeam stared up at the wooden ceiling. The street light outside cast it’s light in through the single window in between the beds, illuminating the room in a pale yellow-orange light.

Rolling her head, she watched Rarity sleep in the bed next to her. On her side and facing towards the wall, she had her back to Sunbeam. In the yellow light, Sunbeam could see the slight rise and fall of the blanket from her breathing. She watched Rarity for what felt like both seconds, and an eternity. Rolling her head back, so it looked upwards, she stared at the ceiling again.

Her ears flicked, following the hoof steps of a pony walking past their room, until the sounds died away.

She tried closing her eyes again.

‘I didn’t mean to ...’

They snapped back open.

After laying there for several more minutes, staring at the ceiling, Sunbeam took a deep breath in and rolled out of bed. Moving silently, not even aware of herself stepping over a squeaky floorboard, she headed towards the door.

Sunbeam paused, her hoof on the door handle. “Miss Jackie D, your wayward child needs you to tuck her in tonight.” She whispered.

Opening the door only just enough so she could slip through, she walked into the corridor. The sounds of the key turning, and a brief white glow around the door, marked the door being locked behind her.

- - - - - - - -

Apart from Icefang and her two colleagues, the bar was empty. Clean Glass stood behind the bar, all but asleep on his feet. A gentle tug of magic on his apron brought him round enough to open his eyes. The sight of Sunbeam looking at him intently brought him to full wakefulness in a heartbeat.

Remaining expressionless, Sunbeam watched the innkeeper flinch as he saw her. She gave him a second to recover. “Jackie D. Bottle of.”

With a hesitant nod, Clean Glass reached under the counter and placed a bottle down on the bar.

“How much?”

Icefang yelled out from her table before Clean Glass could answer. “Awww, give it to her for free won’t you Cleany, just for little me, pwwwease. Besides, any mare that needs a drink this early in the morning obviously needs it, and therefore shouldn’t have to pay.” Sunbeam could hear the smirk.

Closing her eyes, rubbing them with a hoof, Sunbeam’s smile faded. She tried again in a whisper. “How much? Please.”

“F-free…”

Clean Glass was engulfed in a white glow and yanked towards Sunbeam. Looking him in the eye, she growled quietly. “Look you little bucker, I want to pay. I am not Icefang! How…”

Clean Glass had a clear view of Sunbeam blink slowly, twice, before letting him go. Tossing some bits onto the bar, she walked away with the bottle, her mind now clearly somewhere else.

Clean Glass watched Sunbeam go. ‘That mare is terrifying. And trying to be nice makes it so much worse…' He winced at a laughter coming from the table. “...And Icefang doubled over in laughter at me isn’t helping either.’

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam stared out the window in the bedroom. Seated in between the beds, Rarity still sleeping, Sunbeam brought the bottle up and took a swing.

‘Really should have remembered to get a glass.’

She stared out onto the street below, the orange-yellow light making everything seem murky in the wooden street below.

She brought the bottle up in a toast. “To all those poor buckers in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She whispered before taking a big swig.

Lowering the bottle and looking back out the window, Sunbeam could see, on the other side of the street, a yellow pony, seated with its back to her.

Sunbeam lay on the floor, shivering, but still holding onto the bottle of Jackie D tightly. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, away from the window. It might be there at the window, looking in at her... As she lay there her back started to crawl, like somepony was watching her.

‘It’s not there, it’s just in my head, it’s all in my head… It’s not there, it’s just in my head, it’s all...’

- - - - - - - -

Rolling over, Rarity stretched. ‘Ugh! Still dark, I wonder… Why is Sunbeam curled up on the floor?’

“Sunbeam?” She gently called out. No response. Sunbeam remained curled up on the floor, almost protectively, around a bottle.

A blue aura lifted the blanket off Sunbeam’s bed and draped it over her.

‘Poor thing, she’s shivering.’

- - - - - - - -

Looking over the fallen trunk of a tree, her hooves resting on some dark green moss, Icefang carefully watched the caravan set up for the night in the woodland. The drizzle was limiting the visibility and was muting the colours on the brightly painted wagons. Not to mention slowly soaking her as well, her ragged brown cloak was already soaked and was clinging to her torso unpleasantly. Ears twitching as droplets formed and fell into them, she carefully watched the guards hurry to and fro, from wagon to wagon.

Sinking down to the ground behind the trunk, she could feel the cold, damp earth sucking the heat out of her belly as it rested on the sodden earth.

Looking to her left two pegasus ponies she couldn’t remember the names of, were crawling towards the caravan. Their expressions hidden in the shade, but she doubted they were enjoying being on the ground in the wet. To her right Silver Strike, Blunt Object and another earth pony she’d seen around but didn’t know the name of, were already in position. The rest of the group were on the other side, awaiting the start of Silver’s attack to join in.

The information they’d been given was correct, the caravan had pulled up exactly where it said it would have. Their objective: The magical ‘thingy’, as Blunt Object had put it, in the blue wagon.

‘I hope he knows what it looks like…’ Her stomach growled in hunger. ‘Ugh, focus. While he’s looking for that, and the others for valuables, maybe I could grab some food…’ Icefang wiped away some droplets that had formed on her eyelashes.

Watching Silver Strike, he made the signal to advance. Keeping low, everypony started creeping forward in the drizzle. The springy earth below Icefang’s hooves made her all but silent, she was more that willing to accept the price of having her belly and legs coated in mud for that advantage.

She stopped as a guard from the caravan walked into the woods and started heading directly towards her. Sinking down she watched him intently, calculating distance and attacks. The guard himself was hunched up, the collar of his coat pulled tight around his throat, trying to stop the insidious creep of the drizzle from getting under it. Keeping his eyes downward, watching where he was treading, he wasn’t looking into the forest; and even if he had, she was just another green and brown object on the ground, fuzzy in the drizzle.

The rest of the group had stopped and were laying flat on the ground, trying to make themselves as small as possible. Glancing at Silver Strike, Icefang saw him look at her, gesture with his head at the guard, then draw a hoof across his throat.

Nodding, she pulled a long dagger from under her cloak and started creeping forward again.

‘Right, time to prove myself. Don’t mess this up! You’ve trained to do this.’

The guard squatted behind a tree and gazed into the woodland with an unfocused look. Fortunately, not in her direction. Creeping forward she closed the distance, a dagger in her hoof. All the while trying to ignore the droplet of water forming on the end of her nose.

‘Nearly...’

A waft of cooking eggs and spices caused her stomach to growl, loudly.

The guard looked up and stared directly at Icefang. For seconds, they both just looked at each other in shock.

Icefang blinked, then lunged towards him. Her dagger outstretched in her hoof as she went for his throat.

The guard flung himself to the right. Fast enough that her dagger missed his windpipe, but not fast enough to prevent her tearing out the side of his neck.

Slamming bodily into him, her free hoof jammed itself into his mouth as they fell both onto the muddy ground, both sliding several feet from the force of her impact.

Pulling her foreleg with the dagger back, she aimed for the throat again. With the guard thrashing around beneath her, spraying mud in her face, she missed the centre of his throat again. This time, she sliced open the other side of his neck. She flinched instinctively as something warm and sticky sprayed over her face.

“Will you please just die!” She snarled.

The third attempt was spot on if a little redundant by this point. The guard was already dead, he just hadn’t died yet, his movements lost their strength as she continued to pin him to the ground.

Laying there panting on top of the body, she found herself to be totally soaked now. From the drizzle, her own sweat and the mud splashed up by the struggle. She jolted when Silver Strike tapped her on the flank. “Damn girl…” He whispered. “I know I wanted him dead, but you didn’t have to try and hack his head off.”

Icefang stared at him for a moment before looking back at the guard, then down at herself. Most of the mud she was covered in was red.

‘Oh… Okay, not the clean kill I was hoping for’.

Silver Strike, watching the caravan for any sign of movement, wiping away any droplets that had formed on his face. “Looks okay, no movement, looks like no pony heard. Ah, isn’t drizzle wonderful for this kinda thing. Keeps ponies in, muffles sounds, reduces vision… And I still damn well hate it.’ He turned to look at her and the body she was still laying on, it’s throat nearly entirely ripped out. “Damn you’re a vicious little thing aren't you.” He ruffled her forelock. ‘I think I can make use that.” Silver Strike gently ran his hoof down her face and showed her the blood.

Blinking at him, Icefang found her voice. “I wanted to…”

Silver nodded, cutting her off. “Good! We can use somepony like that in our ranks, scares off competition.” Looking round he smiled at the others. “Right, we got a job to do ponies…”

Icefang watched Silver Strike move off. ‘...make it quick.’ she mournfully finished.

- - - - - - - -

“Stop her!” Silver screamed out.

Turning her head, Icefang could see the mare galloping off up the muddy road away from the burning wagons. Pirouetting around her left forehoof as she threw her flank round, she landed with a splash in a puddle, legs wide, facing the way the mare was running.

‘Not even weaving, nice easy shot.’ Icefang lowered her head and aimed down her horn. ‘At least the rain has stopped. Breathe In, breathe out. In two three, out two…’

The beam caught the fleeing mare on her flank. Her rear half shattered half a second later. The front of her continued running on, balanced on two legs, for another couple of steps before pitching forward into the ground and rolling.

A scream from behind caused Icefang to turn as a captive rushed forward at her. Racing between two stunned guards, he charged her, rage burning in his eyes. Turning, the dagger in her hoof came up... the stallion impaling himself on it as he threw his forehooves round her throat.

With a puzzled look, she watched the light fade from his eyes as he held onto her. “Monster…” His grip on her loosened and he slid down but still looking up at her. “She was pregnant... you... mon… ster…” He fell the ground with a squelch in the mud, the mud quickly becoming stained red.

Looking up from the body, she found captives and fellow mercenaries alike, were all looking at her with a mix of fear and horror. Only Silver Strike looked pleased.

Walking up, he threw a hoof over her shoulder. “Oh yes, my little Icefang, soon your name alone will inspire fear. Nopony will mess with us once this gets around.”

Icefang stared up the road to where the mare lay in pieces. All she could focus on was the pleasant damp earth smell of the sodden forest … with a hint of copper.

She could taste blood. The taste was filling her mouth. She couldn’t...

- - - - - - - -

Gasping for a breath, Sunbeam sat bolt upright in the taverns’ guest room. Unable to breathe, she grasped her chest as her confusion rapidly slipped into panic. Reaching out to Rarity, her hoof fell short, her hoof-tip only just brushing the side of her bed as she continued to choke.

Panic gripping her, she thrashed around on the floor pounding her chest with both hooves, one last desperate act.

A tiny exhale…

A stuttering intake of breath...

Struggling and in tiny breaths, she could breathe again…

Slowly, her breathing returned to normal. Heart pounding in her ears, she lay on the floor and rubbed her face with the soft fur on her wrist. “O-oh buck! I’m actually sweating.”

A mirthless giggle followed as an only slightly trembling hoof wiped her face again.

- - - - - - - - -

Keepsake let out a sigh of relief as he made it to the safety of the kitchen. Even keeping to the walls, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, Icefang had noticed him. The taunts hurt; how she’d found out that he preferred stallions he had no idea, but she made sure everypony she met knew. The day when she stood on the table in the crowded bar and outed him publicly was forever etched in his mind. The looks everypony gave him…

At least the kitchen was safe, nopony went into the kitchen, apart from Clean Glass, who proclaimed he didn’t care what he did, as long as the job got done. Calling him a ‘waitress’ though, even in jest, was unkind he felt.

So running into a customer, sat at the central table drinking coffee, was unexpected.

“Umm…”

Sunbeam glanced up at him over her coffee. “Needed coffee. Nopony was here, so I made it myself. Mr Glass is apparently needed at the bar for Icefang’s personal attention.”

“I don’t think customers are supposed…”

Sunbeam’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes fixed on something behind him. “I... needed... coffee...”

Keepsake took a step back. “The customer is always right…”

Sunbeam watched Keepsake with a raised eyebrow for a few seconds before snorting. “You’re being serious! Oh, that’s adorable, you’re actually being bucking serious.” Slamming her coffee down, she doubled over the table, her free hoof pounding on it as snorts and guffaws came from the mare.

Nonplussed, Keepsake watched Sunbeam until she calmed down.

“Oh please, don’t do that.” Sunbeam eventually forced out. “My sides actually hurt… I waitress tables myself. I know exactly how some customers are…” Her mood darkening somewhat as she reached for her coffee, she added. “They think that they are so better than you, they think that you are there for their entertainment. Even got my flank slapped once don’t you know.”

Keepsake watched as Sunbeam got on the roll. “And why is it that the richest ones are worst tippers… Mr Filthy Rich, I’m looking at you. Oh, you get some good ones, but you remember the bads ones… You know the types: morons; mutants and mouth-breathers. The ‘I’m so important the world revolves around my flank’ ones, The ‘I don’t make mistakes, it must be you’ ones…”

Sunbeam’s eyes glazed over as her voice went up in pitch.“The ones that bring ignorant righteousness to new levels. The ones that: even if I was sitting on them, screaming at them, dagger raised, would find it physically impossible to admit to being wrong!” Sunbeam tailed off as she noticed Keepsake expression at her rant. Shifting uncomfortably she reached for her coffee and brought it up to her muzzle.

‘Just as well I’m such a nice pony then. Otherwise...’ She smiled at some inner vision as she sipped her coffee.

Gawking at Sunbeam, Keepsake finally managed to close his mouth. The fact he was slowly nodding at some of her words he found to be quite shocking. The fact he couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to really find fault with her statements, even more so.

Sunbeam put down her coffee. “On a side note, the one that slapped my flank, he got mugged that very night.” Sunbeam pushed her mug around on the table, not looking up. “Terrible business. Both his forelegs got broken. They never caught who did it either.”

- - - - - - - -

“...And act interested, even if you want to gnaw your own forehoof off to get away. You usually get a bigger tip that way. ” Sunbeam tapped her chin. “Oh yes, smiling works as well. I do get bigger tips from ponies when I smile at them… Although Quick Service says it's more me intimidating them… Such slander, can you believe the nerve of some ponies? Sweet, innocent little me being intimidating?”

Keepsake carried on cooking while he tried to work out if her shocked expression was genuine or not. Bringing his full attention back to the scrambled eggs, he made sure they were the way that Icefang liked them. With the coffee was done, even if it was in danger from Sunbeam, it was nearly time to go out and face her.

Looking out the kitchen, Sunbeam pointed a hoof at the bar area. “Looks like the morning rush is starting.” Turning back to Keepsake she raised an eyebrow. “Breakfasts or drunkards?”

“Icefang doesn’t like to eat breakfast alone…”

Sunbeam rolled her eyes. “She’s really got this town in her pocket hasn’t she.”

‘I wonder if I could have done this…?’ Sunbeam shook her head to clear the through.

Keepsake poured put the scrambled eggs from the pan onto the plate. Putting the pan in the sink first, he picked the tray with the plate of scrambled eggs and coffee on it. A knot of fear formed in the pit of his stomach. Staring at the door to the bar for a few seconds, he strode onto his own personal battlefield.

Sunbeam watched him go. After the door had swung shut, she toasted him with her coffee mug.

“Better pony than me...”

Standing up, she went over to the door, opening it just enough to peek through.

Keepsake snaked his way through the tables towards Icefang. She had noticed his approach and was pointing at him to the other two at the table. Sunbeam frowned at the evil grin forming on her face as he got closer.

Keepsake stood by the table and went to put the tray down. Before he could, one of Icefang’s legs shot out, straight into Keepsake’s forelegs. His foreleg folding up, Keepsake went down, the scrambled eggs and coffee spilling onto the floor as he did so.

Icefang got up and stood over Keepsake. “Awww, did little poofie drop my order… better make me some more. Better make sure that it goes on his tab Mister Glass.”

Clean Glass noded reluctantly from behind the bar.

With a grimace, Sunbeam closed her eyes and turned her head away. ‘Don’t get involved… Don’t...’

See could see herself as Icefang, standing over herself as Sunbeam while wearing that damned uniform that Bar Service wanted her to wear. Icefang’s laughter at Keepsake became her’s, mocking her attempts at being Sunbeam. The laughter morphed into Listed Scroll’s barking laugh. ‘You’ll always be mine, now be a good little filly and...’

Sunbeam wasn’t even aware of herself leaving the kitchen.

- - - - - - - -

Icefang lay on the floor, shaking her head from the punch while Keepsake was scrambling to get up and away. The silence in the bar was total as Sunbeam looked at her outstretched hoof with a confused expression. ‘What did I..? You bucking stupid… Attack now!’

Rearing up on her hind legs, Sunbeam brought them down hard on the edge of the table, violently shoving it backwards into Icefangs two colleagues, who were seated on the other side. Both folded over the table, spittle flying, as the edge of the table impacted hard into their forelegs and chests. The bottles, glasses and playing cards that were on the table, were all thrown into the air from the sudden shove.

Still landing from the table push, the air now filled with fluttering playing cards, Sunbeam found her world blurring past sideways as she toppled. Icefang had caught one of her forelegs with a wild kick from her position on the floor, causing it to buckle as she put her weight on it.

Her right elbow slamming into the floor, taking the brunt of the fall, sent the shock straight into her shoulder. Sunbeam screamed in pain as her shoulder moved in ways it shouldn’t.

Unsteadily standing up, a glow surrounded Icefang’s horn.

Through the tears of pain, Sunbeam could see the glow and instinct took over. With a swipe of her left foreleg along the ground, an unbroken bottle on the floor was sent hurtling towards Icefangs general direction.

Going high and to the left, it still made Icefang duck to the right. Breaking her concentration and losing any magic she’d pulled in. The glow faded.

Getting to her shaky legs, Sunbeam lip’s pulled back in a mix of pain and a desire to hurt Icefang. Halfway up, holding her right leg under her, she could see Icefang, glare at her, snarl and charge forward.

Throwing herself to the left, her left foreleg taking all her weight, Icefangs right shoulder met Sunbeams already abused right shoulder. The impact sending them both spinning off in opposite directions.

Icefang got to her hooves first, Sunbeam was still laying on the floor, whimpering, cradling her brutalized shoulder.

Limping forward, her horn hesitantly glowing, Icefang got closed in on Sunbeam, close enough to lean and whisper into an ear. “Any last…”

Swinging out in a wild back-hoof strike, Sunbeam’s left foreleg connected squarely with Icefang’s charged horn before she collapsed back down on the floor, now in her own world of pain.

Icefang head snapped to her right with the hit, a look of shock on her face as she realized what was going to happen. She reached up to her horn. “Nononono…”

The stored magic backlashed into her.

A high pitched scream sounded through the bar as Icefang fell to the ground, holding her horn. Eyes wide.

Both mares now lay on round, both rolling in agony, both their coats soaking up spilt beer and picking up shards of broken glass in the process.

Woken by the noise, a sleepy Twilight, accompanied by Greywing, came down to investigate. “What the hey?” Twilight paused halfway down the stairs, gawking at the scene.

In a small area in between the tables, the floor covered in spilt beer, shattered glass, and playing cards, lay Sunbeam, whimpering, holding her shoulder. Icefang, inches away from Sunbeam, was holding her horn and shivering in agony. Her eyes wide open and only able to let out short sharp breaths instead of the screams of pain she wanted to.

It took Greywing pushing past her and galloping down the stairs and up to Sunbeam to bring Twilight back. Sunbeam, now rocking on the floor with desperate little whimpers as she clutched her shoulder, didn’t notice him kneel next to her. Greywing looked around at the other patrons which, annoyingly to him, were just stood around the edges of the bar doing nothing. “What the buck happened?”

Clean Glass pointed to Sunbeam. “She punched Icefang when she tripped up Keepsake, they fought. She hit Icefang’s horn when it was charged.”

Rushing up next to Greywing, Twilight winced at the thought of an impact on a charged horn. “In which case, Icefang will be okay, eventually. She just needs some rest as won’t be able to do any magic for a while now.” She looked at Sunbeam.

Greywing spoke before Twilight could say anything else. “Well, Sunbeam here needs a doctor. Looks like she’s damaged her shoulder.”

Turning back to Sunbeam, neither noticed the effect of Twilight’s words had on assembled ponies. They all become very still as they stared at Icefang. The collective thought. ‘No magic?’

Clean Glass called out, never taking his eyes off Icefang. “Keepsake, take them to the Bandage twins. They'll be able to look after your friend. We’ll look after Icefang.”

Twilight looked up. “Thank you sir, very noble of you to look after a pony in pain, especially after what she’s done.”

Clean Glass slowly nodded, his eyes never leaving Icefang. “Oh yes… We’ll take proper care of her.”

Lifting up Sunbeam with her magic, Twilight turned to follow as Keepsake stood by the door. Greywing was looking hesitantly between Twilight and the stairs, trying to decide if he should get the other or stay with Twilight. Applejack appearing at the top of the stairs solved this for him.

Greywing called up. “Twilight is taking Sunbeam to get medical attention.” Applejack eyes widened before she nodded and back off to get the others. A questioning sound, that could have only come from Rainbow, was heard a moment later coming from upstairs.

Twilight trotted out, levitating a whimpering Sunbeam, as she followed Keepsake into the street.

The rest closed in on Icefang.

- - - - - - -

Sat in the reception area of the doctors, Twilight watched as the pink unicorn, Pink Bandage gently tapped Sunbeam’s shoulder, eliciting a whimper from the mare.

“Dislocated all right, plus some muscle and or tendon damage probably. Nothing we can’t handle, right Blue?” The blue unicorn across the room nodded before turning back to her task. “Before you ask about the names… Dad was expecting colts, he never was good with off-the-cuff stuff. Everypony asks eventually.”

Sunbeam whimpered. “Painkiller.”

Rainbow shook her head. “Wuss.”

Applejack just about managed to stop her nod as well at Rainbow’s comment. “I’ve done similar bucking trees, just need to pop it back in.”

Sunbeam’s glare landed on Applejack before flicking to Rainbow. “Please tell me that you two are not those types ponies with high pain thresholds.”

“Well…”

“Sorry Applejack, Rainbow, I have to hate you both now. Out of general principle. What’s more…” Sunbeam went to lift her right foreleg to point at Applejack. All colour drained from her face before she curled up around her shoulder. “Ah! Ah! Hurts! Hurt!”

Pink Bandage sniggered. “We’ve got a spell that will accelerate the healing, but you need to be immobile for about four hours to let it work properly.. Sedated is usually best.”

Fluttershy knew the look Sunbeam was giving Pink Bandage. It was the same look that wounded animal would sometimes give her, a look that meant it was going to be needed to be held down for their own good.

Fluttershy cleared her throat. “Umm, Sunny… You do need to rest to heal properly.”

Sunbeam turned to look at Fluttershy and opened her mouth.

Fluttershy arched an eyebrow, her gaze becoming hard.

Sunbeam blinked, then threw her good foreleg over her eyes. “I give…. I give….”

- - - - - - -

To the side of the desk in the reception was a doorway to a corridor that led to six rooms. Each done in a pale blue, every room had a bed, a side table, and a window. Sunbeam, being levitated by Twilight, was carefully navigated down the corridor and put in one. It was next to only other room in use. The one next to stallion that ‘ran into the wall’ so recently.

Sunbeam lay on the bed staring at the ceiling as the pain numbed. Blue Bandage, having administered the injection a few minutes ago, had gone off to dispose of the needle and had left her to Twilight’s tender care.

Twilight looked down at Sunbeam; keeping a careful check on her, examining her irises and such like, as Blue Bandage came back in.

Sunbeam smiled up at Blue Bandage as she came back in. “Pain is gone, starting to feel relaxed. Some good stuff you’ve got there.”

Blue Bandage smiled back. “The sedative should start kicking in soon, it takes the pain away, then relaxes the patient first.”

A puzzled expression crossed Sunbeam’s face. “I feel… strange. Feel heavy… so heavy...” She started looking around the room at the ponies assembled with a curious expression.

Twilight leaned in close as Blue Bandage’s expression became worried.

Sunbeam looked at Twilight and with great solemnity, reached up with her good hoof... and gently bopped Twilight on the nose. Falling back into the bed, Sunbeam descended into giggles. “Alicorn. Purple Alicorn… Purple wings, purple horn...” More giggles followed. “Fly free my little purple alicorn… must be so light to fly… I want to fly…”

Twilight sat back in shock, blinking rapidly, as her friends tried to hide their mirth.

Blue Bandage nodded. “It’ll knock her out soon enough, just until then… Ugh! Looks like she’s having one of those reactions…” She paused, looking at Sunbeam, who stuck her tongue out at her. “Right! She’s gonna be a little loopy for a bit. Quite a lot loopy actually.” Blue looked uncomfortable. “I think it might be best if we leave her alone. Right now in fact! She’ll be saying all kinds of things… Things that she’ll… Look, best if we give her some personal space. Like right now”

Twilight looked at Sunbeam, who in turn blew a raspberry back at her. Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “I think we need to speak about the ingredients of this sedative Miss Bandage. C’mon girls.”

As they filed out, Twilight stopped Greywing, after making sure Blue Bandage had already left. “Can you watch over Miss Happy-Sunshine here for a while? I am uncomfortable leaving a recently medicated patient alone. Whatever Miss Bandage says.”

“Yes Prin… Twilight.”

Greywing watched Twilight leave, before leaning over Sunbeam. Who promptly bopped him on the nose before sticking her tongue out at him. “Heavy pegasus. Needs to lighten his load to fly properly.”

Greywing shook his head, rubbing his nose. “For some reason, I thought you’d be good in a bar room brawl.”

The smiling face changed into a scowl. “Hate face-to-face, hoof-to-hoof combat… all that noble horseapples. Give me a sneaky kill every time.” Sunbeam smiled up at him before waving her hoof around. “Whee… feel lighter saying that…”

Greywing stood there frozen, trying to process what she’d just said.

“I want fly Greywing, must be so good to fly… Lighten load, need to lighten the load to fly.”

She smiled up at Greywing.

“I was good at that you know, the sneaky stuff I mean. Most ponies didn’t even know I was there until…” Sunbeam drew a hoof across her throat, rolling her eyes up and sticking her tongue out the side of her mouth as she did so.

She reached out and tapped Greywing’s chest, a silly smile on her face. “Feeling so light now…” She pursed her lips. “Not enough... must lighten the load, want to fly… Must be so good to fly...” Sunbeam seemed to ponder something for a second before her expression became serious. “You know, I hate Icefang.” The smile returned. “Oh, that feels good…”

Greywing managed a nod. A distant part of his mind added. ‘Yes, looking like her must have been awful. Even being a killer like you, it must have been bad to be mistaken for her.’ Greywing could feel the lead weight land in his stomach as the realisation set in. Sunbeam continued on, oblivious to Greywing’s crumbling walls of denial.

“Icefang-Sunbeam, Sunbeam-Icefang” She sang in a high pitched voice before scowling at Greywing’s lack of attention to her. Greywing reeled back from the punch to his shoulder. He found Sunbeam glaring at him. “Hey! I became a killer because of her. You could at least listen to me.” She paused and stared into the distance. “Lighten load, want to fly...”

Her ears fell flat to the sides, a pained expression crossed her face. “Singing Flower... Little Singing Flower, so sweet and innocent. All she wanted to do was sing… make ponies happy… see them smile...” She swallowed, her voice cracking. “Listed Scrolls took that away… Took it all away.” Her jaw trembled for a moment. “H-h-he had no right to…” Her eyes started dropping, her voice distant. “I miss her. He had no… right…” Sunbeam closed her eyes.

Sitting there, Greywing stared at Sunbeam. In one quick motion, he brought a hoof down on the side of the bed, just short of Sunbeam. The impact on the mattress made her bounce around on it.

“Why? Why did you have to...” Bringing a hoof up to his eyes, his voice sounded strangled. “Why did you have to confirm it? Why did you have to do that?”

Sunbeam just lay there.

“Just suspicions, that’s was all it was… just…” Greywing closed his eyes. “I don’t know who this ‘Singing Flower’ is, but sounds like you… because of…” He shook his head. “Aaaargh! Whatever! My duty demands I act… I have to, I can’t ignore... I’m so sorry Sunbeam. I have no choice now. Neither of us have…”

- - - - - - - -

Twilight watched Blue Bandage leave the reception room and go into her office. “Well it seems that Sunbeam is going to be okay, despite questionable medication she’s been given.” She turned to face her friends. “All she needs to do is keep still as the spell mends her.” Twilight sighed. “We’ll need to take turned looking after Sunbeam though. The medication has some interesting side-effects it appears.”

Applejack sniggered “Interesting? That’s certainly one way to put it sugar. Sunbeam looked like she was quite enjoying herself there.”

This brought a few sniggers from Rainbow, earning the disapproving looks of both Rarity and Fluttershy.

Rarity pointed to Rainbow. “The poor dear is probably going to be mortified…”

Twilight shook her head. “It usually has similar side-effects to drinking lots of alcohol. On which it’s based I might add, with a few ‘extras’ thrown in.” Twilight frowned. “Certainly extras not allowed in Equestria.” With a quick shake of her head and Twilight continued. “Her memory will be hazy at best… most likely will it’ll just be blank from just after…”

A solemn looking Greywing walking into the reception room got Twilight’s attention. “Greywing?”

With an obvious swallow, he looked around at the girls. “It’s about Sunbeam…”

Fluttershy brought a hoof up to her mouth. “Oh my… is she okay?”

Greywing shook his head… “I… I need to tell you all something… before I falter…again” He rushed the next words out. “Sunbeam is a killer!” He lowered his head. “And so am I.”

- - - - - - - -

The silence was uncomfortable as Greywing listed what had happened, finishing with Sunbeam’s drugged confession.

His head hung low, his ears flat back and his wingtips almost touching the ground, Greywing was a sorry sight. “I’m sorry Princess. I didn’t mean to… I was confused, she helped me… I should have told you straight away.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes. “Important decisions should be made calmly, not in the heat of the moment. Where it is possible.” It sounded like she was quoting somepony to Greywing.

“Greywing, I… We’ll discuss this when we get back. I think it would be for the best if we didn’t do it right now. I’m sorry if you thought you couldn’t tell me this.”

Greywing flinched.

Twilight glanced round at her stunned friends. “Right now, the mission hasn’t changed, neither has the fact that Sunbeam is the only pony here that knows what wheat-thorn actually looks like. We’ll…” Sitting down, Twilight looked lost. “I don’t know what to do…Sunbeam is… is…dangerous.” She turned to Greywing “Greywing what do you think about Sunbeam? Please, be honest.”

He flinched again before answering. “From what she was saying, before the sedative kicked in, sounds like something happened to somepony called ‘Singing Flower’ which set her off. From what I’ve seen she’s been trained and got experience, but with it being such an odd mix, it’s definitely not guard training.” He paused for a second. “Being in a mercenary group would be my best guess.” Greywing kept looking at the ground.

Rainbow folded her forelegs as she hovered. “Whatever she was, she got her flank busted saving Scoots, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle. I say we can’t just leave her hangin, not after doing that.”

Applejack nodded. “Darn right sugar.”

Rarity spoke up. “Twilight dear, might I suggest something. Now this might be a little underhoofed, but… as you said, ‘important decisions are best done with a clear head’. Now I do believe that we are all of us are under considerable stress at the moment, and as such, things could be said… things that couldn’t be unsaid. Bad decisions and all that.” Rarity pointed to Rainbow. “And I agree with Rainbow that Sunbeam deserves a chance.”

Rarity took a deep breath. “Getting the cure is of paramount importance, for the Princesses and all those affected. Sunbeam is the only pony here that, as you said, that knows what the cure looks like. What I propose is that we wait until after we get back before confronting her with this… In a non-threatening manner of course.”

Rarity turned to Applejack and raised an eyebrow. Applejack closed her eyes and nodded. “Sounds sensible. I hate concealing things…” Applejack tilted her head, working things out in her mind. “But we’re only delayin’, not trying to stop or change it. To help others an’ all.”

Rainbow flew up to Applejack and tapped her on the shoulder. “The only reason you hate concealing things is that you’re so terrible at it. Well! I’m with AJ and Rares. Sunbeam deserves to be chilled out when she explains.” She tapped her chin and looked down the corridor. “And have a clear head, I guess, would help.”

Twilight turned to Fluttershy. Fluttershy’s ears drooped. “I think she deserves a chance to calmly explain. Right now, she’s injured and stressed out with all that 'Icefang' business. Lots of creatures, ponies included, react badly when suddenly cornered like that. They might lash out without thought. I think we should wait, if that’s alright with you.”

Twilight turned to Pinkie. “Pinkie?”

Pinkie was looking at the floor, her voice as distant as she spoke. “She looked so lost when she didn’t get the job at the spa. She’d planned it all out, get to Ponyville, get a job as a masseur and settle down.” Pinkie looked up at Twilight. “She’d had a few to drink when she told me, that was her entire plan: Get to Ponyville and fade away. She’s made friends here now Twi. Which I don’t think she’d even considered could happen. She needs us Twi. Without us she’ll…” Pinkie twitched in an odd manner as some scene played out in her head. “Not good, it wouldn’t be good Twi.”

Twilight nodded. “I think we’re agreed then. We don’t do anything to let her know that we suspect. We finish the mission first. Once we’re back we can speak to her in a calm environment. We’ll tell nopony else until that point. Any objections?”

Greywing looked up. “Princess, I don’t think that’ll be a good idea. The not telling anypony thing. It might be prudent to have some guards on standby when you confront her… in case…” His head dropped. “Just in case.”

Twilight trotted up to Greywing.

“Please, Greywing. I need you to promise me that’ll you’ll tell nopony. We can handle it.”

“Princess this is your safety, I’ve already compromised it…”

“Would an order work?”

“Princess, my orders to defend you come from Princess Celestia herself.”

Sitting down, Twilight took a deep breath in. A determined expression settling on her face.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. ‘Oh poor Greywing, Twi’s getting ready to use logic on him… I know -that- look on her face. He not gonna have a chance…’ A cheering outside distracted her. Flying up next to the window she looked out as the others watched as Greywing’s arguments starting to get surgically dismantled. None noticed Rainbow lose all colour in her face as she looked out the window.

“Twi…” She whispered.

Twi and others were still engrossed.

“Twi…”

“Twi...”

“Hey!”

They all stopped to look at Rainbow, who was still looking at something out the window. Rainbows words were hollow.

“They've just hung Icefang and the other two…”

- - - - - - - -

The unicorn looked up at Icefang as she gently twisted the in breeze, a stunned look still on Icefang’s face.

“Dammit. This is not going to go down well. Go and get a magical asset. This should have been a simple pick up.”

The pegasus next to her nodded despondently. “Going back empty hooved is not going to go down well. Perhaps ‘small fry’…”

The unicorn waved him away. Looking down at her meter again, she shook it. “Dammit, something around here is still clouding the readings.” Pointing it around it suddenly clicked loudly.

She blinked. “Uhh, the needle just buried itself… off scale. Even at minimum sensitivity, even against the background level.” Slowly she pointed it around until it clicked again as the needle bounced off the max reading. Looking up at where the meter was pointing, she found herself looking at Twilight and her friends.

All of them stood outside the doctors, staring open mouthed at the tree at the end of the street.

- - - - - - -

Pink Bandage looked up at the stallion stood at the reception desk, trying hard to hide her dislike. “Mr Spade, your son is sleeping at the minute. He had a slight concussion, but he is going to be fine, you don’t need to...”

Blunt Spade leaned over the desk at Pink Bandage, causing her to lean back. “Look, I’m going to go see my son. I don’t care what you think. Certainly no… mare, is going to stop me.” He leaned in a little more. She leaned back a little more. He smiled at that, seeing any mare that had the nerve to think themselves important get put back in their place was a good thing. Especially if it was a needle-headed mare.

Pink squirmed, glad the desk was between her and him.

“I am going to see my son, and that is all there is to it.” With that he turned and marched through the door towards the rooms..

Applejack lowered her paper and watched him head off with a scowl. She’d of prefered to go and comfort Twilight, but Twilight had asked her to stay with Sunbeam, she was still undecided about Greywing. After a brief glance at the door where Blunt had gone, stood up and followed him. He’d been lying about something.

- - - - - - -

Blunt walked into Sunbeam’s room. Walking quietly up next to the sedated mare his face contorted into a scowl of pure rage. He leaned in close to one of her ears and whispered into it.

“Bitch! No pony, certainly no needle-headed mare hurts my son.” He spat out.

With a leer he pulled out a saw from his saddlebags. “Needed to cheat with magic to fight him didn’t you, lets see how you get on without that horn of yours.” The leer became more pronounced. “I’m going to wait outside your window. I want to hear your squeal when you see your precious horn laying next to you on the pillow. Yes, lets show everypony see how useless unicorns really are when they can’t use any of their fancy magic.”

Placing the saw against Sunbeam’s horn he took hold of the top of the horn with his other hoof. He pulled the saw back, the teeth bouncing off the horn, then with glee, he pushed it forward, biting into the horn.

- - - - - - - -

Twilight lay on her bed, staring off into space. Rarity came up and sat down beside her.

“Twilight, I don’t believe you should hold yourself accountable for what happens in this barbaric place.”

Twilight didn’t look round, her words flat. “I could have stopped it, I gave her to them. I might as well have put the noose around her neck myself.”

“Twilight dear…”

Twilight lifted her head and buried her face into the pillow.

Fluttershy seated herself next to Rarity. “Twilight, from the looks of the ponies I’ve seen, they were just looking for a chance to do that. One day I found a fox in with the hens, must have jumped over the fence that night, but caught a leg in a hole and broken it. I found it in the morning. The hens had pecked it to death.” Fluttershy shivered at the image. Words had been said to the hens. “You are no more responsible than that hole. No even less... Sunbeam was the hole. I mean… Not that Sunbeam is a hole, or you are less...” Fluttershy stuttered into silence. “I mean…”

Twilight lifted her head and looked at Fluttershy and tried to smile. “Thank you Fluttershy. I know what you are getting at… It’s just that this is just one of the lessons that Celestia taught me… tried to teach me. Small, ill-thought out actions when a princess… can have big effects. Ponies can and do get hurt over things you didn’t think mattered.”

Twilight buried her face into the pillow again.

Rainbow landed on the other side of the bed. “Hey c'mon egghead. We need you. The Princesses need you, you gonna leave us all hangin?”

Twilight twitched at the word. The others threw Rainbow annoyed glares, as she shuffled her hooves in realization of what she’d said.

“Err, I mean are you going to leave your checklist for this mission go incomplete?”

Silence.

Rainbow opened her mouth.

Twilight rolled off the bed, her face eerily calm as she looked around at her friends. “My feelings are immaterial at this point. Thank you Rainbow, you are right, the mission needs to be completed. My feelings are secondary at this point. Ponies are counting on us… The Princesses are counting on us.” Twilight swallowed. “When I get back I can…” The calm expression faltered. “But right now… We need to focus entirely…. entirely on the mission.”

Sitting down, Twilight clapped her hooves together. “The clock is ticking people…”

- - - - - - - -

Blunt pulled the saw back again, enjoying himself. He never heard the gasp from Applejack as she stood at the door. He did hear her hooves as she galloped towards him. He even had time to turn his head to see a two hooves approach his ribs in a classic apple-bucking kick. Apple trees would not have made the crunching sound as he flew into the wall opposite though.

Applejack leaned over Sunbeam, a noticeable notch in her horn, near the base, was evident.

“Pink Bandage, get your flank in here!”

- - - - - - - -

“I should have been quicker.” Applejack lamented.

Rarity put a hoof around Applejack’s neck, her eyes never leaving Sunbeam’s horn as Twilight examined it. Pink Bandage had examined it for physical damage, pronouncing that it was not in any danger of snapping off. Twilight was examining it to see if it would affect Sunbeam’s ability to cast magic. Rarity wasn’t even aware she was holding her breath as Twilight looked up at them.

“Superficial. Not deep enough to affect her casting. But it will be a permanent mark, as Pink Bandage said.”

Rarity let out her breath, her hoof leaving Applejack and touching her own horn. “How beastly. Now Applejack, I don’t want you holding any regrets about what you did to that… that… little piece of horseapples.”

Her hoof flew to her mouth as Applejack gave her a wan smile. “He’s messed up, but gonna be okay. Pink Bandage been fixin’ him. Mind you if Pink Bandage hadn’t stabilized him so soon he’d of…” Applejack grimaced. “I nearly… nearly…”

Rainbow flew up to Applejack and put her wing over her back. “Don’t worry about him AJ! He’s gonna be okay, not that he deserves it. As Rares said, you did the right thing.”

Applejack lowered her head. “I know what he was trying to do. Why doesn’t it feel like it I did the right thing.”

Rainbow’s wing tightened over Applejack’s back as she felt some shivers go through it. “Well, you don’t have to worry about him now. Twilight’s put a spell on him to keep him on the bed. He’s no longer our concern.”

Applejack looked round. “So, who’s gunna tell Sunbeam when she wakes up? I don’t think she’s going to be happy.”

- - - - - - - -

Blunt Spade groaned, something was tapping one of his rear hooves. Magically restrained to the bed, all he could do was lift his head to see what was disturbing him.

Seated at the bottom of his bed, wearing her cloak and saddlebags Sunbeam smiled at him.

“Hello. Just wanted to give my respects before we set off. My shoulder is all better now thank you for asking.” Sunbeam rolled her right shoulder. “Now, do you know, I sneaked in here? Everypony else is out celebrating it seems... so no pony even knows I’m in here. With you.” Her smile seemed strangely off to him.

Lifting her hoof, she ran it down her horn. The click as it passed over the notch, sent a shudder run through her and the smile fell. Her horn lit up in a white glow and Blunt instinctively tried to recoil, but Twilight’s spell held him fast to the bed.

A small brown grocery bag, stained at the base, was levitated up and placed on the table next to the bed. Sunbeam stood up and walked over next to him.

“You know, I did not react well when I was told what your tried to do.” Sunbeam’s hoof came up and touched her horn again. “Threats were made. Cutting bits off you, pulling bits out… You know, the usual stuff…” Sunbeam waved a hoof nochantaly. “So I decided to have a little walk to try to think what I could do to really hurt you…”

Sunbeam tapped her chin. “You know, I was at a loss. Of course the obvious response seemed so… well, boring to be honest.” Sunbeam leaned over and whispered into his ear. “So on my walk I found myself in your son’s room. He was asleep… just like me… On his back, legs wide open, like any normal stallion, when I spotted them…” Sunbeam lifted a hoof and pointed at the stained bag.

“They were just laying there. It was obvious that nopony was ever going to want them, so I decided to help myself. After all I thought, I’m sure he’s not going to need them.”

Blunt stared at the mare as she sat back, the grin forming on her face would have done Discord proud.

“Nurse!” Blunt screamed.

Sunbeam polished a hoof on her chest and waited for Blunt to finish screaming before leaning in. “Oh, I placed a sound suppression spell on the room… no pony is going to hear us. Now then, what did I have planned next? Oh I find it so hard to think on an empty stomach…” The stained bag levitated over to her and she looked into it. A small, dark purple orb floated out. Sunbeam leaned forward and grabbed it with her teeth before chewing on it, her expression became thoughtful.

“Off-season I think…” She turned to look at Blunt, the grin becoming wider. “Got a spare one here, hey, why don’t you tell me what do you think?”

Blunt cringed back into the bed, his eyes never leaving the levitating bag as it floated close to him. His mouth was forced open as a white glow surrounded it. A second purple orb floated out of the bag and shot into his mouth. Tears formed in Blunt’s eyes as the white glow around his jaw forced him to chew. His eyes shot open as the taste hit him.

Sunbeam leaned back and levitated out a third purple orb. “Yep, I do think that this pickled beetroot is off-season.” She smiled pleasantly down at him.

It took Blunt a few seconds before he could wheeze anything out. “You bucking sick needle-headed…”

The smile faded and an expression of sadness formed on Sunbeam’s face as her ear fell to the sides.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I had hoped that little prank would be enough to satisfy me... I’m really sorry about this... It’s not.” Her face became blank, her eyes dulling as she stared down at him. Slowly she reached out a brushed the tip of her hoof down the side of his face. Her tone becoming emotionless as she tilted her head to one side, studying him. “You tried to cut my horn off.”

Pulling her hoof back, she slowly she reached under her cloak and pulled out a dagger. Pointing the dagger upwards, she examined the tip as she gently twisted it to and fro.

She looked down at him with empty eyes. Blunt started struggling against the magical restraints on the bed. Slowly, and with exquisite care, Sunbeam leaned over him and placed the tip of the dagger on his forehead, the blade nearly flat on his nose. Those dull eyes looked into his and Blunts struggles slowed to a stop.

There was not a sound in the room as both looked at each other, both still at statues.

He became aware of two colts playing hoofball outside the window. He could hear them clear as a bell as they argued about how wide the goal should be.

The blade tip started moving slowly downwards, travelling in between his eyes, then down the length his nose.

One of the colts was saying as it was his ball, so the other should be in goal.

The blade tip fell from the tip of his nose onto his top lip, it pulled the bottom lip down briefly as it passed over it and then it went onto his chin.

Those cold eyes staring into his never showed any emotion.

The silence in the room started to swallow the noise from the two colts. He could still hear them, but there were starting to sound further and further away.

The blade tip traced the underside of chin then down his throat, stopping at the hollow at the base of his neck.

Those eyes staring at him never blinked. All he could focus on now was those cold, empty eyes... and the pressure of the blade tip on his throat.

The blade started moving again, down his chest.

The colts outside sounded so far away now. They were giggling, repeating a curse word they’d heard, giggling when one of them said it. He could hear them so clearly, yet they sounded so very, very far away.

The blade tip stopped on his stomach, Sunbeam’s foreleg pulled back in a perfect position to thrust forward with the dagger.

Blunt’s awareness shrunk to two things, her eyes and the pressure of the blade tip. The colts outside faded from his hearing. The pressure began to build in the blade tip. It would puncture his skin any moment and slide so easily into him.

Only her eyes existed in Blunt’s world now, even the pressure from the dagger faded. Only those cold, empty, dead eyes existed, staring at him like he wasn’t a pony… Like he was just an object, ready to be...

Sitting back, Sunbeam pulled the dagger away from him and slipped it back under her cloak. Motionless, she stared at him as he stared back at her. Without a word, she turned and walked out the door.

Blunt stared at the open doorway Sunbeam had left by. A jolt ran through him… then another. Within seconds he was shaking uncontrollably. A warm sensation around his hips caused him to look down. Helplessly, he could only lay there and watch as his bladder emptied itself all over him.

- - - - - - -

Sunbeam looked up at ‘Icefang’ and tilted her head.

“Goodbye… Icefang. Oh, that feels weird.” She rubbed the back of her head. “Talk about mixed feelings… I…” A look of confusion spread as she looked up. “Why?”

‘Who were you? Why did you do it?’ She looked around. Picnic tables had been set up, with red and white checkered table cloths. It looked like everypony in town was here, celebrating.

Sunbeam looked down at her chest as a tight feeling made itself known there. “I was never like that.” She whispered. “I could have been…” She looked around at all the celebrating ponies and left the words unfinished. Just a rueful shake of the head.

“But I prefer living personally.”

She turned and walked away. Twilight and the others were waiting for her. They understood that she had to see Icefang for closure, even if they didn’t approve. They’d said they’d wait outside town, they didn’t want to be round the tree, or the celebrations.

Sunbeam walked down the centre of the street, humming to herself when cheering started up behind her. Looking behind, she could see a group of adolescent ponies had started throwing stones at the bodies.

The cheering changed subtly, she could feel the hackles rise on the back of her neck in response. She’d heard that type of cheering before.

Hope’s Hill Village; Silver’s Mercenaries had taken quite a few casualties trying to take it intact. Silver Strike’s exasperated cry of: ‘Screw this! Wipe this bucking thing off the map!’, swiping his foreleg sideways as he said it, was met with those type of cheers. She’d cheered just as loudly as the rest. A simple marker stood on ‘Hope’s-End Hill’ now.

Looking fixedly ahead,Sunbeam continued to walk down the street..

The cheering got louder. Ponies had started moving past her, their gazes’ fixed on the bodies. They were picking up anything that could be used as a weapon. She could see the look on their faces. The ponies from villages around Hope’s Hill had the same look when they had chased Silver’s Mercenaries for mile after bloodstained mile.

Sunbeam’s walk became very stiff. There was no pony in front of her now, all the cheering was from behind her. She was all alone in the street.

Her walk became a trot.

The cheering died down… then a hushed silence.

The end of the street looked so far away, she fought the urge to gallop.

The silence continued....

A single loud cheer from all the ponies behind made her jump.

- - - - - - -

Applejack, hesitatingly, put a hoof around a madly-panting Sunbeam’s neck as she looked at the ground. “Heh, sounds like you ran the ‘Running of the Leaves’, twice, there partner.”

Still panting, Sunbeam looked up at Applejack then back towards at the town.

Sitting down, she brought a hoof up to her eyes for a moment before slowly putting it back down.

‘I looked round! Why the buck did I have to look round for?’

Even firmly placed on the ground, even with her weight on it, she could feel the trembles in her hoof. She looked back at the town.

‘Horesapples, -I’m- the one who’s supposed to be crazy...’’

Chapter 29 - Change Of Priorities

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Chapter 29 - Change of Priorities

Twilight rolled the map back up. “Okay girls, Greywing, I think we’re ready to go now.”

“Finally!” Rainbow jumped off her cloud, gliding down and landing next to Twilight. “I think somepony is eager to go.” She nodded towards Sunbeam.

Sunbeam had seated herself a little way from the rest, to a point where she had a clear view of the road out of town. A single ear turning to face Rainbow was the only movement from the mare. Sunbeam’s gaze didn’t leave the road. “Yes! I am eager to leave as soon possible. I find myself uneasy being around ponies who are currently still celebrating the killing of Icefang. What’s more...”

Twilight and Rainbow could see her tense up, a glow forming around her horn.

“Two contacts, moving quickly, heading along the road towards us.” Twilight’s eyes widened at Sunbeam’s sudden monotone voice.

Sunbeam watched them calmly, ignoring whatever Twilight was saying to her now. ‘Two escaping? Or merely the ones out front, leading the rest towards us? Just aim for the moment. If the rest follow I’ll be ready. May slow the others down seeing those two being retired in front of their eyes.’

Sunbeam’s head lowered. Still seated, her fore legs spread a little wider. Twilight was still speaking to her.

‘Aim at centre of mass. Lead first target to the right to account for it’s apparent lateral movement. No atmospheric conditions I need to compensate for. Steady the breathing, slow the heart rate...’

Pinkie jumped onto Sunbeam’s back, wrapping her hooves around her neck. A strangled scream came from the mare as Pinkie looked over her head. “Ooo, are they racing each other?”

- - - - - - - -

“Tell me Rainbow. What do you see?” Applejack pointed at Sunbeam.

“Umm, she’s sitting there, looking at Twilight and Greywing talking to those two?”

“Like?”

“Like? Like what AJ?”

“Like a guard dog, waiting for the order to attack. Look at her RD, her attention is focused on those two, all coiled springs and the like. I’ll bet if one raised a hoof against them, it’ll be the last thing they ever did.”

“Umm. Actually, now you mention it…” Rainbow rubbed her chin for a moment before she turned and pointed a hoof at Applejack. “Actually, AJ, how the hay did you come up with that idea?”

Applejack’s shoulders slumped. “This sounds so bad. Granny has been going on and on about Sunbeam as you know. Recently though, she’s started going on about how we need a guard dog. Trouble is she always seems to end up talking about Sunbeam afterwards. Darned if I’m not starting to associate the two.”

Rainbow gave Applejack a confused look. “Is this about Winona? Is she okay? She looked fine to me last time I saw her.”

“She’s fine sugar, thanks for askin’, but we all know she’s getting on in years. At least Granny has never mentioned her directly. But that’s what I think Granny’s been on about. Replacing her when…”

Applejack cleared her throat.

Rainbow put a foreleg around Applejack’s shoulders. Try as she might she couldn’t find anything to say.

Twilight walking over got their attention.

“Okay girls, this here is Sleepy Skies,” the pegasus nodded, “and Lucky Roll.” The unicorn waved.

“They were in town when… something unpleasant happened that nopony wants to talk about it appears.” Sleepy Skies, Lucky Roll, and Sunbeam all looked uncomfortable.

Lucky Roll shivered. “I’ve never seen… it was… ugh! What the hay did Icefang do to them to warrant that? It must have been...” She shook her head. “Anyway, as I said to Twilight here, we left town in a hurry and left most of our supplies behind. Neither of us is particularly keen to go back into town right now so we wondered if we could travel with you for a bit. Strength in numbers kinda thing. We’re heading in the same direction for a while. Once we reach the crossroads we’ll be close to home, then we’ll be on different paths.”

Twilight glanced at Applejack, who gave the slightest of nods back. “Well girls, I said I’d ask you to see what you all think.”

Rarity spoke up. “If I may, it is only a short distance to the crossroads and we are heading that way anyway. Expecting these two to go all alone along these dangerous roads… I simply wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror if anything happened.”

A round of nods and sounds of agreements with Rarity’s statement followed.

Greywind simply shrugged. Sunbeam just kept her gaze locked onto the two newcomers.

- - - - - - - - -

The track wound it’s way up the side of the mountain. To the left, far below was an almost solid canopy of green trees, broken up only by small patches of the deep blue of lakes.

Rainbow, well aware of mountain cross-winds and sudden downbursts, had forgone flying and was walking next to Applejack, deep in thought.

“AJ, I’ve been thinking…”

“Ooh, that’s never good Rainbow.” A playful slap on her shoulder made Applejack smile.

“I’m being serious here. If Greywing is right about Sunbeam being… well, you know…”

Applejack nodded.

“When she rescued the Crusaders, would any other pony have been able to save them? I mean from Ponyville. Think about it, if she is… and has… and still got hurt doing it. What chance would any other pony have had? I mean apart for me of course.” This time Rainbow got the slap.

They both turned to look at Sunbeam. At the back of the group, she was walking next to Greywing. Applejack had noted that every so often, at irregular intervals, she’d suddenly look over her shoulder.

Applejack shook her head. ‘Darn it Granny! You’ve gone and put the thought in my head now. Besides, would we want a guard that can… that has...’

Her mental response came back in Granny’s voice. ‘You’ve seen what critters from the Everfree can do. You’ve had to clean up the mess when they get in more than once. You really want a guard that couldn’t stop them? You need a guard that can do what is necessary to protect others. One that -can- kill.’ Applejack nodded to herself. ‘I suppose thats right…’ Her eyes widened.

"Hey AJ, you okay?” Applejack turned to look at a concerned looking Rainbow. “You look like you’re gonna throw up.”

“Rainbow… I think I’m a bad pony.”

- - - - - - - - -

Walking back towards the office from lunch, Lieutenant Broom immediately noted a lack of work-related noise coming from the office.

‘I told them they need to be working constantly while in the office.’ His thoughts derailed though at the sight of the empty office. The two rows of desks sat vacant, the door to his office hung open.

A white unicorn sat at his desk, a levitated quill writing away.

Marching into his office, his eyes fixed on the unicorn, he pointed a hoof at the interloper.

“Who do you think… Captain Armour!” Pulling himself to attention, he saluted the Captain-of-the-Guard. Seconds passed, the Lieutenant holding the salute while Captain Armour continued writing, the scratching of the quill the only sound in the office.

Finally looking up at the Lieutenant, Shining gave him the briefest of nods and looked back down at the report he was writing. Dropping the salute, the Lieutenant stood at attention, waiting for Shining to address him.

The scratching of the quill continued. His attention switched to Short Notice as he stood behind the desk with the Captain.

“Sir?”

Without looking up Shining gestured to a nervous looking Corporal behind the Lieutenant on his left. The same Corporal that had brought the deployment orders to Lieutenant Broom’s attention.

Shining’s voice made the Lieutenant jump. “You know Lieutenant, I was given a task. A task I was expecting to take weeks. A task I was expecting to uncover conspiracies and enemy agents. Imagine my surprise that the first line of inquiry provides an answer so quickly. All I had to do was follow the trail to the end.”

Shining looked at the Lieutenant, then pointedly at the waste paper bin next to the desk.

Lieutenant Broom glared at the Corporal, who shrunk back at the look.

Leaning back, Shining watched the Lieutenant intently. “Corporal, you are dismissed.”

“Sir!” Saluting the Corporal turned left the office in a brisk march.

“Close the door on the way out Corporal.”

“Sir.”

Closing the door, Corporal Mayner placed a hoof on his chest and let out a deep sigh.

‘The horseapples is going to hit the fan on this one. I just hope...’

“Corporal… Mayner?”

Jumping, the Corporal looked up. Pulling himself together, he belatedly saluted the pegasus Lieutenant holding a clipboard in front of him.

The Lieutenant smiled at the Corporal, which did nothing to improve the Corporal’s nerves.

“Don’t worry Corporal, you are not in any trouble. In fact certain ponies are very impressed at your efforts. That you were able to identify all those separate orders, then put them together into a single coherent pattern, impressive. Especially considering the time and effort put into trying to bury them. Those same ponies feel that your talents are not being fully utilized in this office.”

The Lieutenant turned to leave. “Walk with me Corporal.”

- - - - - - - - -

Shining let the silence stretch out uncomfortably long before addressing the Lieutenant.

“Lieutenant…?”

“Broom, Broom Handle. Sir.”

Shining nodded. “Ahh, would you be related to the ‘Handle’ line of military officers?”

Lifting his head up in pride, the Lieutenant nodded before answering. “Sir, yes sir. I am the son of Colonel Sword Handle.”

Short Notice leaned in and whispered into Shining’s ear. “The Colonel was one of the many senior officers that resigned at the formation of the Lunar Guard. Stating that Princess Luna would… well, you know. Their departure assisted your rapid ascent up the ranks and enabled your restructuring of the guard.”

Shining nodded, momentarily distracted. He still had so much to do in that regard. He leaned sideways to get a better look at the Lieutenant’s cutie mark.

“Tell me Lieutenant, did your father have anything to do with your being in the guard?”

“Sir, he said that all ‘Handles’ go into the guard. And all become officers, sir.”

Shining nodded, still staring at the Lieutenant's cutie mark. A broom sweeping dust into a dustpan.

“I see.”

Shining sat up straight again, looking the Lieutenant in the eye. “Tell me, in your own words, why you thought it best to dispose of those written orders.”

“Sir, they weren't signed.” The silence continued.

“I see… is that the only reason?”

“Sir, any good officer needs to show initiative. My father drummed that into me. The fact they were going to the Lunar Guard and had no Solar Guard stipulated to escort them, I considered to be too dangerous a situation sir. Any orders regarding the Lunar Guard need to be strictly enforced and regulated sir. Last thing anypony needs is a bunch of Lunar guards on the loose, without some Solar guards holding their leash... I mean supervising them sir. Due to them being… well you know.”

Shining glanced behind him. Short Notice winced

A voice behind him whispered into his right ear. “Being what?”

Lieutenant Broom jumped as his head shot round.

A youngish looking thestral mare stood behind him with an eyebrow cocked. He would have thought her attractive if she hadn’t been what she was. She’d been leaning on the wall behind him when he’d stormed into the office and hadn’t noticed her.

She pulled on her collar of her uniform, pushing the markings of a major towards him. “Don’t I get a salute… Lieutenant?”

Eyes wide in fear, he snapped off a text-book salute. “M-m-ma’am. No disrespect.”

She smiled at him… displaying her fangs.

“I believe the major asked you a question, Lieutenant,” Shining stated.

Broom stood there, opening and closing his mouth, but no sound coming out.

Her smile continued, showing her fangs to full effect. “Perhaps you think we’re all vamponies? Humm.” She tapped her chin. “Or perhaps its to do with the fact we swear fealty to Princess Luna, then to Celestia?”

She tilted her head to one side. Both her ears fell to the sides, her face becoming sad. “Or is it simply because we are the ponies that failed the ‘Dangerous Ponies Test’? That small percentage of ponies considered too dangerous to stay in Equestria. The ones considered to be foal-eaters… Unfit to stay in Equestria. The ones that Princess Luna herself gave another chance so we could stay in Equestria. The only group that is truly combat effective. The one group that gets do all of Equestria's dirty work. And even then we have to look like this….” She spread a bat like wing. “So ponies can tell us apart from… normal… ponies.” She stared at the wing for moment. “Personally, I quite like the look.”

“Sir, I must request that the major respects my personal space, as stated in limitations of Lunar Guard, regulations concerning....”

Shining’s hoof slamming down on the table silenced the Lieutenant.

The major walked back to the wall where she had been, a smirk growing on her face. “Of course, if you want, I could leave.”

“You are to stay Major.” Shining snapped. Standing up, he walked around the desk and up the Lieutenant, a piece of paper floating next to him. “Lieutenant Broom, let me inform you of the personnel your initiative has affected. The following personnel are now operating without escort, outside our sphere of influence, and now all contact has been lost with them.”

Shining looked down at the sheet of paper. “A Miss Sunbeam. Any idea who that is?”

The Lieutenant shook his head.

“A sergeant Greywing… still no? How about a Miss… Applejack?”

The Lieutenant gave him a puzzled look.

“A Miss Rarity, a Miss Fluttershy, a Miss Pinkie Pie…”

The Lieutenant’s eyes had grown larger, his pupils shrinking, as the list continued.

“Wonderbolt Cadet Flight-Leader Rainbow Dash… A Miss Twilight…”

Shining looked down at the sheet of paper.

“Oh, I’m sorry I misread that. Princess Twilight….”

Shining leaned in close to Lieutenant Broom’s ear, not even looking at the sheet this time. “I’m sorry, I misread that again. I of course mean... My! Little! Sister!”

Whatever colour Lieutenant Broom had left on his face, left.

Shining leaned back, his eyes burning. “The major is here at my request Lieutenant. She is here to ensure you even get to the court-marshall. She is here to protect you from me.”

- - - - - - - - -

Walking into the campsite, Sleepy Skies smiled when he saw a pink rock by the treeline. Nudging Lucky Roll, he nodded towards it. She smiled too when she saw it. Any of the others who had seen it gave it little thought.

‘Good, our message got through. The others should be magically hidden close by.’ He looked around at the others as they made their tents and cooking fire. Twilight was talking to Applejack, Rarity hiding an unladylike snigger behind a hoof at some comment Pinkie-Pie had made. Fluttershy and Rainbow were tending to the fire while Greywing and Sunbeam were putting up tents.

‘Tomorrow they will wake up as magical assets and initiates. The grey pegasus will make a good guard. No idea what we’re going to do with Small-Fry though. She looks like guard potential, but with that low reserve of magic… I hope for her sake she doesn’t end up as just a plaything for the guards. Mind you, after indoctrination she’d do anything willingly if told so.’

- - - - - - - - -

The group sat around the campfire, the dried food bought in town had been made more palatable by some herbs Fluttershy had found around the campsite.

Levitating a cup of coffee up, Sunbeam noted Twilight sitting down next to her. “How are you? I mean about the...” Twilight gestured at Sunbeam’s horn. “Most ponies would be a little...” Twilight pondered her choice of words. “‘Freaked out’ I believe would be the most relevant terminology.”

Sunbeam gave Twilight a half smile. “I’m fine. I feel I have settled the matter.” Reaching up, she ran a hoof tip down the horn on the side without the notch. “Doesn’t affect my casting, Can’t even tell its there. So how long are you going to be staying a unicorn?”

Blinking at the sudden change of direction in the conversation, Twilight stammered out a response. “For the rest of the mission I suppose. Keeps things simple. Ummm… And how’s your back?”

Sunbeam’s smile faltered for a second. “Oh, the dye… It’ll last for a bit longer.” Her head spun round, eyeing her back. “Trouble is the damn stuff bleaches out so quick I’ve giving up trying to keep it dyed a long time ago. Most dyes are meant for normal fur...”

Sunbeam suddenly stood up. “Well, I’m tired now, gonna turn in, cya all in the morning.” With that, Sunbeam headed off to her bedroll.

Twilight stared curiously after her. ‘Humm… ‘Normal fur’.’

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam stared up at the night sky. Most of the others had turned in, just Greywing and Lucky Roll were still up, seated next to the campfire.

Her eyes wouldn’t close, not that she was even trying. She reached her hoof and slid it’s tip down the length of her horn. On the side with the notch this time.

Click.

A jolt ran through her body at the sound.

Click.

Another jolt.

Click.

Her mouth opened and closed as she stared upwards, but no sound came out.

Click.

- - - - - - - - -

The minister levitated the book over his desk toward him. Doctor Inquisitive shifted her weight from hoof to hoof.

“And where did you find this?”

“As you requested, we were going through all the old paperwork and files we could when a junior technician found it. It was behind some old accounting records. I recognised the name on the inside.”

“Ahh, yes, Doctor Far Sight. His death was unfortunate. Such a waste of potential.” The minister flipped through the book. “This appears to be a journal. Has anypony else looked through it?”

“No. As soon as I saw the name I brought it straight to you. He must have been using the accounting records office for some peace and quiet. I seem to recall he did stuff like that.”

“You are to be commended for doing so Doctor. Any of his work is considered vital to The Clan. Ahh, good, the dates in here correspond to the dates when he started his investigation into why the Dagger of Rites stopped working. Let's see.” The minister knew the relevant dates off by heart and flipped through the journal.

‘Nothing unusual on the date itself… let's try a few days later… ahh yes.’

‘...Called into the minister’s office...’

“Ah, must be referring to my predecessor.” He continued reading.

‘...Why hasn’t anypony else been notified? The entire Clan should be made aware of this. The Dagger of Rites has stopped working… Without a steady supply of Amulets, we will eventually be left defenseless against the Day and Night Princesses. I must throw myself fully into this, the safety of the Clan is at stake.’

The minister skipped forward a few entries, making a mental note to read the journal in full later.

‘...This is most odd. The last functional Amulet shows no sign of deterioration or corruption. The first one to fail shows a total failure. Usually, there is an intervening event...’

The minister skipped forward to a new date he knew well.

‘...How could? The mind boggles. What was Listed Scrolls thinking? Icefang had passed the Rite, she was a full member of the Clan… How could he do such a thing? The Clan is in uproar, the clamor for him to be dishonourably retired is huge…’

The minister scanned a few more entries. “Aha.”

‘...I’ve noticed a discrepancy in the dates. Icefang could not have passed the Rite on the date given. Working backwards, her attempt on the Rite would fall right in between the last working amulet and the first failure. Could hers be the cross-over event? I will visit her in hospital and attempt to scan her amulet to get an image of its spell matrix...’

The minister started on the next entry.

‘...I saw Icefang today. On a side note, the hospital staff are confident she will recover, physically at least. It has been decreed that Listed Scrolls is to be held indefinitely, to be retired at Icefang’s pleasure.

Regardless, I scanned her amulet. I will begin testing on the results tomorrow...’

“Come on doctor, let's hear what you found.” The minster flipped the page over.

‘...Icefang went missing last night! The orderlies found her bed empty this morning. The doctors in charge have stated concerns about her health. As they have repaired most of the physical damage at this point, I feel they are not referring to corporeal injuries.

Emotions aside, Icefang’s departure is more of a disaster to the Clan than others might realize. I have completed a preliminary set of tests on the images of Icefang’s amulet. It -is- the cross-over event.’

The minister smiled. “Don’t leave in suspense Doctor. Let us hear what went wrong, give us a clue to what we can do to get the damned dagger working again.”

‘...Without a doubt, Icefang’s amulet was a magically pre-charged item when the Dagger was used on it. Which resulted in a several random and unfortunate events.

First off, as far as I can see, Icefang’s Amulet has all the necessary spell matrices on it. BUT with the pre-existing (and conflicting school of,) magical charge on it, it is being prevented from initializing properly. (See lab notes. Ref: IF - A/2)

Second, part of the spell matrix from the Dagger itself jumped over TO Icefang’s Amulet in the process. While this should have little-to-no effect on the operation of Icefang’s Amulet, if it was working that is, the effect on the Dagger’s operation is total-failure. (Lab note ref: IF - D/1)

The question remains would it be possible to transplant the missing matrix back onto the Dagger? (See lab note: Amulet - 1)

Probably I feel.

However, this does give rise to several questions. Why wasn’t Icefang’s selection of amulet checked before the dagger was used on it? This is a known (if unlikely) event. Not only is the equipment available to scan and prevent such a thing, it is actually required to be used!

Of course such equipment logs each time it is used and on what… If somepony didn’t want there to be records...

The fact that the Rite was performed and not recorded properly; that the usual safety protocols were bypassed…

It is a common suspicion that Scrolls was not working alone. That he could NOT have covered up all this by himself. All this, but towards what end?

l will go see the minister himself tomorrow. Present my findings, show him how critical it is to get Icefang back, to show him that Icefang’s Amulet is the cross-over event.

It can also prove that it wasn’t created when the record shows. It supports the idea that the records must have been altered to hide the actual date of Icefang’s attempt on the rite. Only somepony high up could do that. With the current feeling in the Clan is such as it is, it would easily see whoever the pony(ies) are, dishonourably retired. Hopefully, these facts should be enough for him to order a Clan wide investigation.’

The minister flipped the page over… then several more. There were no further entries. He closed his eyes before addressing the Doctor before him. A slight tremble in the voice was the only indication of the fury inside. “I believe the Doctor Far Sight died in a laboratory fire, is that correct? Can I also take it all his laboratory notes were lost as well?”

“Yes to both, that was why it was such a loss. The minister ordered that any notes in his home be brought before him. To see if there was anything he could recover from them, personally. It was inspiring, the time and effort he put in going through them, all by himself. Unfortunately, all records were lost. The minster even gave Doctor Far Sight an honourable mention in the records.”

The minister stood up. “Thank you Doctor, I shall be personally commending you and all involved. The information in here is indeed vital to the Clan. There is now a lot of work to do, so if you would be so kind…”

“Of course minister.” As the doctor turned to leave he gestured for his secretary to come in and close the door behind the Doctor.

As the door closed, he stood up and stormed back and forth behind his desk.

“How could he? He put himself above the good of the Clan! He endangered the Clan!” He pointed a hoof at his secretary. “I retired my predecessor myself… I should have made it dishonorable. I want him to be retrospectively dishonoured on all counts! Is that clear?”

“Y-yes minister.”

Sitting he calmed himself down. “I apologise for my outburst. We need to send quite a few messages. Cancel all other non-critical appointments for the foreseeable future. And please schedule an emergency meeting of all ministerial heads as soon as possible.”

- - - - - - - -

To: Hidden Strike <EYES ONLY> ( 2 I.C. Mission Ice-Breaker )
From: ACORN

Mission update: New information has resulted in a change of mission priorities.

Return of Icefang, while still High Priority, is now SECONDARY mission objective.

Retrieval of Icefang’s Amulet-of-Passage is now PRIMARY mission objective. Its retrieval is considered to be of CRITICAL importance to Clan.

High probability that current mission leader will be emotionally compromised if Primary and Secondary objectives come into conflict. You are authorized to assume full control of mission if so.

All Clan, non-critical, standing orders are rescinded for duration of mission.

You are to act as you see fit to enable retrieval of Amulet back to Clan.

- - - - - - - -

Opening her eyes, Sunbeam found herself on her back, gazing quizzically up at the stone ceiling. Lifting her head off the floor she looked around.

“Horseapples.” She whispered and let her head fall back onto the stone floor.

A large stone room, with one central pillar and one very sturdy looking wooden door. Greywing was sitting down next to her, head held low, his ear flat out sideways. Several other ponies were in the room, some sitting in silence, most crying in small groups

She reached up to her horn and sighed. ‘Dungeon. Yep, there it is, one inhibitor ring, unusually, it’s sitting halfway down on my horn. Huh, when did I become a connoisseur of where inhibitor rings sit on my horn? Must...’

A low-pitched warbling scream echoed through the dungeon before tailing off.

The noise of Sunbeam scrambling to her feet made Greywing look around at her.

“Hi Sunbeam.” He said in a flat, defeated, tone.

“What the hay Greywing?” She demanded, her eyes wide, pointing at the door.

“It was the unicorn. When you were all sleeping, she threw something onto the fire. Pink smoke… and then I…” He swallowed. “I woke up here a while ago. No sign of the others, just you, me and them.” He pointed to the other ponies in the dungeon. “There used to be more of them.”

Tilting her head, Sunbeam made a backwards circular motion with a hoof.

“They’ve been taking ponies, one at a time, for a while now. A few minutes later, a scream, then they come back for another.”

“Can’t we…”

“Two unicorns, and the pegasus, whatshisname, turn up every time. The pegasus picks one, one unicorn picks them up, the other holds everypony else back. They know what they are doing. I failed to protect her, them...”

“Buck!” Sunbeam rubbed her face, no longer listening to Greywing. ‘I shouldn’t be here! I’m trapped again! Keep calm, panic doesn’t help. Calm… calm…’

‘I want to go home...’

Her hoof traced down the length of her horn. Going over the inhibitor ring, over the notch.

Click

Greywing looked around at the loud hoof stamp. Sunbeam, head low and feet wide, was glaring at him, her lips pulled back. “This is all your bucking fault!”

“What?”

“You heard me! This. Is. All. Your. Fault.” Sunbeam punctuated each word with a stab of the hoof at Greywing. “I could be in bed still… Back in Ponyville. With pizza and beer. With an intact horn! But oh no. I had to be volunteered for this bucked up mission!”

Already shouting, her voice grew even louder. “I’ve been hospitalized by a pony pretending to be me, find myself running in terror from a bunch of townsfolk doing unspeakable things to a body they also think is me! And to cap it off, I nearly had my bucking horn amputated by some buck-wit with a grudge against me! I feel freaking out is the proper response at this point!”

Sunbeam took a deep breath, her voice suddenly calm. “I have been on post-op bar crawls that were better organized than this grade-A, royal approved, buck up!”

Her voice started to rise in volume again, to the point where she was screaming at Greywing.

“Now I find myself stuck in a bucking dungeon… again. With an inhibitor ring… again! Awaiting a fate that includes me bucking screaming…again!”

A puzzled expression formed on her face as she repeated the word quietly.

“Again?”

Her expression became distant as old memories flashed by, none of them fully forming. All just ghosts and suggestions of memories.

Her head suddenly tilting, baring her teeth as if she was in pain, a single memory formed.

‘...P-Please stop. P-Please…’ A stuttering sob. ‘No more… Please, no more… ‘I’ll do it, I’ll do whatever you say. Just no more… Please… No more. I’ll be a good little…’

The memory faded into darkness.

The feelings remained: The anger and helplessness; the rage and self-loathing; the fear and the hate. All coalescing into a single word.

Sunbeam slowly opened her eyes, but her view was of the past. Her lips curled back even further as her entire body started to tremble in fury. She pointed a hoof at Greywing.

She hissed a single word out.

“Scrolls.”

Greywing took a step back.

Her head lowered, pointing her horn at him.

Greywing backed into the central pillar. Her eyes never left him.

Even with the inhibitor ring, her horn glowed for a second.

Sunbeam gave out a single scream and fell to the floor, clutching her horn. A burnt metal smell filled the air.

Greywing tried to get his breathing back under control as he watched Sunbeam roll around in agony on the floor.

Hesitantly he took a step towards the whimpering mare.

The door slamming open made everypony, apart from Sunbeam, jump. Standing in the doorway Sleepy Skies scanned the room, stopping on Sunbeam as she rolled on the floor. He pointed to her. “Small Fry’s awake, she’s next.”

An orange glow surrounded her and she was lifted off the floor. Still holding her horn, Sunbeam didn’t even notice that she was being levitated out of the dungeon.

Greywing stood and watched as Sunbeam was levitated out of the door and out of sight. Sleepy Skies smiled at him. “You’ll be next soldier boy.” Turning he left the dungeon. The door slamming shut behind him.

Moments later, Greywing sank to the floor, staring at the door. Lifting his hooves up, he tried to push them into his ears as hard as possible.

- - - - - - - -

“Twilight, hey c'mon egghead, wake up.”

Twilight’s ears twitched as the words started to register. Lifting her head with a grunt of effort. Her neck twinged in pain as she did so.

“Finally egghead. Been calling your name for the last ten minutes.”

After several attempts Twilight was able to open her eyes, the brightness making it difficult to see as her eyes adjusted.

Blinking, Twilight looked around as things started to swim into focus. She was in an alcove, just big enough her her and a pony to walk around her. Trying to get up, she found she couldn’t move. She was tied to a stone bench, lengthways. She focused on what she could see out of the alcove.

It appeared to be a stone circular room. She could see seven alcoves, all set back into the wall, from her position.

The analytical part of her mind swung into action. ‘If the regularity continued, that would make for twelve in total. That makes for five alcoves I can’t see into. Each alcove appears to have a bench with what looks like straps. Straps that I can assume are on my own bench, currently tying me down.’

She could see Rainbow tied to a bench in an alcove almost opposite her, with Applejack in the alcove next to her. Being set back she could only hope that the others were in the alcoves she couldn’t see into.

“The others?” She croaked. Her throat was feeling so dry.

“Apart from Sunbeam and Greywing, we are all here darling.” Rarity called out. “We just can’t see each other. You’ve been out the longest. Don’t try any magic! Rainbow assures us that you have a substantial inhibitor ring on your horn. I do wish somepony had told me that before I tried.” She added darkly.

“What happened?”

“No idea sugar.” Applejack replied. “We went to sleep at the campsite, woke up here.”

“What can you all see? All I can see is the alcoves opposite me.”

“I can see a door.” Rainbow called out. “It’s next to your hole-in-the-wall.”

“Alcove.” Twilight corrected automatically. She didn’t need to look to know that Rainbow was rolling her eyes.

“Whatever. We’ve worked out that there are twelve ‘alcoves’. Six empty, six filled with us. The middle of the floor looks like a trapdoor.”

Squinting, Twilight could make out a wooden trapdoor that opened in two parts in the middle of the floor.

Minutes passed as they tried to work out where they were and what was happening.

The heavy door slamming open next to her alcove, made Twilight jump.

A blue unicorn with a deep crimson robe trotted into the centre of the room. A yellow earth pony in a white robe followed behind him.

Three other ponies followed behind the other two. Their red robes covered most of their bodies and their hoods were pulled way down over the top of their heads. Hiding their faces in the shadows. They stopped in unison, a few paces behind the other two, they all remained motionless after that.

The unicorn in the crimson robe seated himself down, next to the trapdoor, and swept his gaze over the ponies in the alcoves.

“Welcome. I am Brother Adeptus.” He gestured to the white robed pony. “This here is Brother Speaker…”

A low warbling scream coming in through the open doorway made Twilight cringe back in the straps.

The scream petered out and the pony continued as if nothing had happened. “He shall be in charge of your needs while you are here. Don’t worry about being disturbed, once the door is closed no pony will hear anything, in or out, of this chamber.”

Twilight wanted to call out, but found she couldn’t speak. ‘Nopony is saying anything, not Rainbow, not Applejack. Wait, his horn is glowing, must be a silencing spell.’

He clapped his hooves together. “Oh my! I can just feel all the magic coming off you all. More magic is simply leaking out of you than we could rip from a whole room of unicorns. Several rooms in fact.” He smiled pleasantly at them. “Oh Brother Sleepy Skies and Sister Lucky Roll did well. Even if they did miss out on collecting the asset Icefang. Well nevermind, you six alone are going to put us years ahead of schedule. So much magic…”

The glow around his horn grew and the trapdoor opened. A stone plinth rose out of it. On it; a two foot high; jagged; vaguely tulip shaped pink crystal. Almost immediately Twilight could feel a tug on her magic.

“Look at that Brother,” Adeptus cooed. “The crystal is set to maximum absorption, yet, by the lack of screams, they are hardly feeling it.”

The white robed pony nodded. “Indeed Brother, a normal unicorn would have all their magic ripped from them by now. Quite inefficiently I might add. First time we’ve had pegasus and earth ponies in here though.” He added, mostly to himself.

Starting with Rainbow, Brother Adeptus walked in front of each of them, examining them intently, smiling brightly at each as he did so. Still nopony was able to make a sound. After finishing with Twilight, he walked back to the centre of the room, next to the crystal. “I leave you in the capable hooves of Brother Speaker here. Oh, and Brother…”

Brother Speaker turned to look at Brother Adeptus.

“I hold you responsible for them. They are the single biggest set of magical assets ever encountered. I would be… displeased if anything happened to them.”

He gestured to the three hooded ponies. All three hoods turned to look at Brother Speaker in unison. Brother Speaker took a step back, his face paling.

“O-Of course Brother. Nothing will happen to them.”

“Right, I need to go check on the processing of new initiates and...”

A mare’s scream sounded through the open doorway.

Chapter 30 - A Small Detail

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Chapter 30 - A Small Detail

Trapped in a blue magical field, Greywing hung limply, watching the burning torches go past as a unicorn piloted him down the windowless stone corridor. Feathers sticking out in all directions, fur matted and tear stains running down his face, he was past caring how he looked.

His escort, Sleepy Skies and two unicorns, watched him intently for an escape attempt he might make. Of any type.

He closed his eyes. ‘Let them watch me. Nothing I can do now. I failed the Princess, I failed the Elements, I failed Equestria, I failed...’ The pressure behind his eyes started to build again.

Even being in another cell, even with his hooves pressed hard into his ears, he’d been able to hear Sunbeam’s screams. It was the silence that followed that had shattered his composure.

Sleepy Skies nudged him as they approached a door at the end of the corridor. “Chin up there soldier-boy. Nearly there, your new life awaits.”

As the door opened Greywing was hit with a blast of heat. Inside was a large and smoky stone room. A single large brazier in the middle of the room burned brightly, easily casting more light than the dull torches on the walls. Apart from some benches and some ponies milling around, the room was otherwise mostly empty.

It was the smell that had him throwing a hoof over his nose, desperately trying to hold down the contents of his stomach. A nauseating mix of the sickly sweet smell of burnt flesh and the repulsive smell of burnt fur filled the room.

Approaching the brazier, trying hard not to gag, he almost missed Sunbeam laying on the floor.

On the other side of the room, facing away from him, was Sunbeam. Her legs splayed out, a pink glow around her torso, pinning her down, he felt a flicker of hope at the sight of her tail twitching continuously.

‘She’s still alive and…’ The gagging sensation become overpowering. Where Sunbeam’s twin hoof cutie mark used to be was just a circle of burnt flesh, with a ring of blackened fur surrounding it.

The smell of burnt flesh became personal and bile rushed up into his throat. The unicorn levitating him had to sidestep rapidly to avoid the splash.

Sleepy Skies stepped forward, ignoring Greywing as he retched noisily onto the floor. “What the buck is going on here? Why is everypony just milling around?” He pointed to Sunbeam. “And why is she still in here?”

An earth pony, his mane and fur all trimmed short, stepped forward.

“Brother Skies, umm, we had an incident.” He pointed over to an earth pony near Sunbeam who had her hooves pressed to her face with blood dripping from them. A unicorn seated next to her had a foreleg around her shoulders.

“What sort of incident?” A voice asked sweetly from behind Sleepy Skies.

Even with watering eyes, Greying could see everypony stiffening as the blue unicorn in a crimson robe stepped into the room. Three hooded ponies followed closely behind.

The earth pony bowed his head. “Brother Adeptus! Err, this initiate didn’t respond to the cleansing as usual.” He gestured to Sunbeam. He swallowed nervously under Brother Adeptus scrutiny. “After we had removed her marks of bondage, righteously freeing her, Sister Happiness sealed the wounds and took the pain away...”

He shifted uneasily. “Umm, you know after the removal, most ponies are... more receptive to our guiding hoof, after all the magic and pain and all that. Well... after Sister Happiness took the initiate’s pain away, she bent down to welcome the initiate to the fold. Telling her of how fortunate she was…”

The mare holding her face, blood still dripping down it, looked up and angrily called out. “The ‘ucking ‘itch ‘roke my nose!”

Greywing turned his head away.

Brother Adeptus barely glanced at her. “I take it you have checked on the magical charge on the Instrument of Cleansing?”

“O-of course brother.”

Giving the stallion a brief nod, he walked around the brazier and up to Sunbeam. Sunbeam hadn’t looked round yet, she lay there, glaring daggers at Sister Happiness. Only when Brother Adeptus lay down in front of her did she look at him. The only sound in the room was the crackling from the brazier as they stared at each other.

Sunbeam broke first, looking to one side.

Brother Adeptus pulled his head back. “I see hate, so much hate... and fear, a deep, abiding fear. All wrapped under a thin layer of humor and civility.” He tilted his head to one side. “And maybe something else…”

Brother Adeptus pulled himself back up into a sitting position, smiling pleasantly at her. “You know, most ponies upon having their cutie mark removed, are overwhelmed by having their eyes opened. Unbound from the tyranny of their cutie mark,” he spat the word out, “they become so lost and confused when we make them see the real world for the first time.”

He gestured around the room. “They are so grateful when we offer a solid, guiding hoof at that point. We become the rock they anchor themselves to in the sea of confusion. We guide them to the calm waters of enlightenment. Teach them to ignore the lies that their marks of bondage have been whispering into their ears for all their lives.”

Brother Adeptus looked up, placing a hoof on his chest with a smile. “Why we have brothers and sisters that used to be doctors and architects happily sweeping the hallways; accountants and shopkeepers digging ditches with joy; farmers and delivery ponies working in the infirmary with songs in their hearts. Does that not show the tyranny of the bondage marks, the wrongness of locking ponies into a mere single destiny?”

His smile grew. “As we erase the bondage mark, and all its falsehoods, the mind is expanded. As the magic flows through them, it opens their mind to the possibilities we offer. The pain helps clear their mind of their old beliefs and lies. For indeed, what new birth is without pain? We...”

“You’re bucking nuts.” Sunbeam’s flat statement brought the room to a standstill as she looked around the room in front of her. The surprise in her voice was clear to Greywing. “Holy buck, I’m the saniest pony in the Celestia-damned room!”

The pink glow around her torso spread to her jaw, slamming it shut.

Brother Adeptus’s smile didn’t falter. “So much fire in one so young.” He leaned down towards Sunbeam. “Ponies that fight the hardest against us often become the most steadfast of subjects. Their loyalty just needs to be redirected. I look forward to you becoming one of our most devoted of subjects.”

She glared up at Brother Adeptus. With the pink glow still holding her mouth shut, she couldn’t answer. Sunbeam’s eyes narrowed, her right foreleg rose and made a very specific gesture at him. Even from behind Greywing could easily see the gesture, she’d used it on him enough times.

The intake of breath from the others in the room was quite audible.

His smile just grew. “Please, Sister Knot, can you let her up so she can sit.”

He tapped his chin, thinking out loud, as Sister Knot’s pink field forced Sunbeam to sit up. “Now guards have some training which can interfere with re-birth as it makes them hold onto their past… No, even they are affected to a degree by the cleansing. While you my child, appear to be completely unphased by it. Why is it that you can have your mark removed without effect? It normally means so much to the unenlightened.”

Sunbeam just continued glare at him.

“Could it be that yours meant little to you? I wonder...”

He tailed off as her amulet caught his attention. His horn glowed as Sunbeam’s amulet was levitated off her.

The Sister Knot suddenly grunted with effort.

“What do we have here?” The amulet twisted and turned in front of him. His eyes glowed as he examined it. Sunbeam’s eyes never left the amulet as it floated between him and her.

Greywing stared at the back of the Brother’s head. ‘You better hope she never gets her hooves on you for even touching her glorified necklace.’

Brother Adeptus tilted his head. “An intriguing amulet on an intriguing mare. From a cursory look, a three stage spell. I am quite well versed in the application of spells to objects, but this is new to me.”

He leaned in closer to it. “A simple binding agent as the first stage. The second stage is... primitive, ancient in design, but functional.” He glanced at Sunbeam. “The spell involved in the second stage falls well within my area of expertise.“ He looked back that the amulet. “But I have no idea what the final stage is or what it does. I can honestly say I have never seen a spell matrix like this before. So interwoven, so delicate and so speaking of hidden power… But it hasn’t activated… Oh my, how gloriously ironic. All that work that’s been put into the spell, only for it to be put onto a crystal with inherent magic already infused into it. The whole spell is useless.”

Lowing his head he shook it. “Oh, how that must have vexed its creator.” He turned to look at her. “Tell me, do you know what you have here? Or is this just another shiny bauble to you?”

With her back to him, Greywing couldn’t see Sunbeam’s face, but he could hear the low growl.

Leaning forward, Brother Adeptus smiled at her as he stroked her cheek with the tip of a hoof. Sunbeam’s ears pinned back against her head as he did so, a look of disgust replacing the snarl. “My child, it is so infrequent that I am surprised. But your entire group is full of them. I simply must know more about you, your friends, this amulet.”

He turned away, looking at the unicorn holding Sister Happiness. “Sister, will you please do a deep examination of the initiate-to-be here. I am taking a personal interest in her and I want to know as much as possible.”

“Y-yes Brother.” Turning to face Sunbeam, her horn lit up in a green glow.

Brother Adeptus kept looking at the amulet until a sharp intake of breath was heard from the unicorn.

“Sister?”

“P-please, brother. Let me re-examine her. I want to make sure on this.”

Tilting his head, he gestured for her to continue.

This time, Greywing could clearly see the green glow around Sunbeam.

Her eyes wide, never leaving Sunbeam, the sister walked over to Brother Adeptus and whispered into his ear.

His smile grew. Sitting back on his haunches she clapped his forehooves together.

“Oh my! It would seem that Hearthwarming has come early for me this year. Not only six magical assets of unheard of prowess, not only another guard to help train others,” he waved a hoof at a surprised Greywing, “but another pony who is… special.”

Landing back down on his hooves, he pointed to the three hooded ponies. “Let me introduce some of your… kindred spirits shall we say.” He smiled sweetly at her. “You see, I know what you are!”

Greywing could see the look of concern spread over Sunbeam’s face.

Brother Adeptus leaned in close to Sunbeam and whispered a single word into her ear.

Sunbeam’s face went blank for a second, then all the color drained from her face. Eyes wide, she tried to shy away from him.

Brother Adeptus walked over to the three motionless ponies. “These were like you, lost in the world, but of the right age to be of use to me. I sought them out, oh they tried to remain hidden but I found them. They all resisted to start with, but the very thing that they are…” He turned back to look at her. “Was the very thing that allowed me to turn them into perfect bastions of light they are now. Look at them, how perfect and pure they are, no thoughts, no conscience, no remorse, only total devotion to me and the light. Willing to do anything. Anything.”

Despite the heat in the room, Greywing could clearly see Sunbeam shiver at the word.

“Oh yes, I was right. You will become one of our most devoted of subjects.” He looked to Sister Knot. “Take her to a holding room. I must start preparations for her ascension immediately.” Brother Adeptus pocketed the amulet and left, the three hooded ponies following a moment later.

Sunbeam didn’t even struggle as she was floated up and out of the room by Sister Knot. An earth pony followed closely behind the sister as she left.

Greywing watched as Sunbeam was floated out of the room. ‘Even when meeting Princess Twilight for the first time, she didn’t look…’

Sleepy Skies interrupted his thoughts with a prod.

“Thought we’d forgotten about you soldier-boy?” Sleepy Skies nodded to the stallion stood by the brazier.

Greywing stared in horror as the short-maned stallion picked up a rod from the brazier with a rag in his mouth. A white hot glowing disc of metal was attached to the end of it.

The stallion approached his flank with it with a beneficent look on his face. The other ponies the room started a low chant.

“Cleanse the mind, cleanse the mind…”

Greywing’s jaw trembled as he saw the look in all their eyes. He could feel the heat of metal approaching his cutie mark. His fur stood on end as the magical charge on it started arcing out towards him.

- - - - - - - -

Brother Speaker watched impassively as six dazed unicorns were strapped down in the spare alcoves in the chamber. The unicorn standing next to him, in a blue robe, was keeping the silence spell running. Making sure that Twilight and the others stopped being so distracting to the current proceedings.

Brother Speaker spoke up. “Ready to commence comparison test. Crystal has been down to five minutes, twenty seconds so far. We shall see if the extra input from six standard assets is worth the down time of the exceptional assets. All non-shielded personnel to clear the room.”

He gave a nod as the last pony left. “Activate.” The crystal rose from the floor.

Twilight and the others watched in horror as the six unicorns in the alcoves all started screaming. The silence spell had not been applied to the new ponies.

A pink, twisting stream became visible, connecting the crystal to the tip of each horn. As each unicorn writhed against the straps and swung their heads violently, the stream always remained connected to the tip.

Twilight wanted to look away but found she couldn’t, ripping magic from a unicorn was a horrifically fascinating event. The others might sympathize, but only Rarity and Sunbeam could have a real idea of what it entailed. Of what it meant.

‘How could they? It’s like they're not even ponies they're doing it too... How could they… How… How… Why would…’ Finally able to look away, she buried her face into the bench. Her ears pinning themselves down, trying to keep the screams out. ‘How could ponies do this? How could something like this even exist?’ She could feel the tears start. ‘Why?’

The screams became quieter. Their struggles weaker. Then there was no struggles and only silence. The streams connecting the horns to the crystal faded.

Brother Speaker nodded. “Test complete. Secure the Crystal. Remove the test subjects. Please note that all subjects, while still alive, all show signs of total magical loss. High probability of death in coming days. They're not going to be of any use now, so just put them somewhere out of the way. No need to waste any food or water on them at this point.”

The unicorn made several notes while increasing the silencing spells power. It was annoying, all but two of the exceptional assets had become very vocal now.

He shook his head. ‘Perhaps a more permanent way to silence their voices could be found.’

Brother Speaker nodded to a pony standing by the door. “Prepare next set of test subjects. We need a large enough sample size for these tests to be valid after all.”

Twilight’s ears twitched as she tried to bury her head further into the bench. Rarity was busy retching over herself, the silencing spell making it noiseless as she did so.

- - - - - - - -

The holding room had red curtains hung on the windowless walls. Thin tables were pushed against three of the walls, with lanterns giving off dull glows on two of them.

Sitting in front of Sunbeam, Sister Knot studied the mare, pulling her white robe up around her neck as she did so. The pink glow around her horn formed a corresponding glow around Sunbeam’s torso and legs, just leaving her head free as Sunbeam just stared at the floor with a blank look.

“She okay?” Brother Shine asked from behind Sunbeam, himself seated in front of the door.

Sister Knot looked past Sunbeam and shrugged. “No idea, we’ve been here nearly an hour now, not a peep. Think her mind is gone. Delayed reaction from having her mark removed or something. Seen it happen before.”

Brother Shine nodded.

“Buck it. This is boring. Nothing, not a twitch, hardly a blink since we got here. Look!” She took a step towards Sunbeam and waved a hoof in front of her face. There was no response from the mare.

“Oh yeah, her mind’s gone.” She took another step towards Sunbeam, almost nose to nose, and prodded her chest.

Sister Knot leaned past Sunbeam to look at Brother Shine. “This is no fun. See, nothing. I could ride her flank right now and get no reaction.”

Brother Shine snorted and looked away.

She stuck her tongue out at him. ‘Stuck up ground-pounder, he needs to learn to have some fun.’

Smiling, Sister Knot looked back to Sunbeam. ‘He’s so...’

Sunbeam was looking her in the eye, a look filled with hate.

Sister Knot managed to blink once.

Sunbeam’s head shot forward, her teeth clamping around Sister Knot’s nose. Wrenching her head back and to one side, Sunbeam never let go of her nose. The pink glow around Sister Knot’s horn vanished.

Brother Shine looked back towards the mares as he caught a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye.

Sunbeam slowly looked over her shoulder at him. With blood coating her maw and eyes ablaze with fury.

To Brother Shine’s eyes, something out of the depths of Tartarus was staring back at him.

Never breaking eye contact she spat something out. He could hear the soft splat of it landing on the floor but he was unable to look away from those eyes. Behind her, he vaguely noted Sister Knot raising a hesitant hoof up to her face.

Standing up, Sunbeam turned her body to face him. A second passed, then one of Sunbeam’s rear legs shot out, connecting with Sister Knot’s throat.

To Brother Shine, the action was terrifyingly casual in its nature, like it was an afterthought. Sister Knot fell backward, her hooves clutching at her throat. Not once did Sunbeam look round at her.

Sunbeam took a step towards him.

Brother Shine’s foreleg finally moved. Shooting out to the door handle behind him, he grasped madly for it, all the time he still couldn’t look away from those eyes.

The only thought filling his mind was to open the door, to get away from the demon-in-pony-form in front of him.

His hoof found the handle. He managed to open the door... towards him.

In the empty corridor outside, the door opened a few inches. Then a dull thud could be heard as something heavy hit the door on the inside, slamming it shut again in the process.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam cleaned her face off on one of the curtains in the room. After a moment’s consideration, she put a hoof behind the curtain and rubbed her tongue vigorously against it as well.

‘Ew, I can still taste… I really need some mouthwash right now. Well, at least it’s not fish. Then I -would- be throwing up everywhere.’ Her shoulders slumped. ‘Annnnd thank you Rainbow Dash for making sure I can’t ever eat fish again… Blegh! I can taste fish now... Damn stupid contest.’

Turning her head as she stuck her tongue out, she caught a glimpse of her flanks. Sunbeam winced at the sight. ‘Deja bucking Vu.’

Stretching out her right hind leg, she carefully noted how it felt. ‘No pain or stiffness present, suppose Sister Broken-Nose knew what she was doing after all.’ She sighed. ‘But all those bits I spent on those damn crystals are now down the drain. Hmm, I wonder how good she actually is...’

Sunbeam pressed a hoof down on the burnt flesh where her cutie mark had been. Not sensing any pain, she pressed harder. Surprised when none came, she withdrew her hoof and thoughtfully looked at her back.

Reaching round, Sunbeam pressed down on her back, gently at first. Then a little harder. Then she pushed down hard...

The spike of pain left her gasping for breath.

“O-O-Owww. Okay, I suppose that was too much to hope for. O-Owwww…” She hit the floor with a hoof. “Damnit why did I do that for? I hate pain!”

Sitting here, waiting for the aching to die down her expression turned to a scowl.

“And what’s with everypony trying to turn me into a mindless drone anyway? I mean Scrolls nearly...”

Her ears flattened and her head lowered as her eyes glazed over. His voice became clear in her head.

‘Weapons do not think, weapons do not have morals, weapons just kill whatever they are pointed at. I will break your precious morals. You will kill on order, without thought, without remorse, without thinking. You will be the perfect weapon. With an amulet, I will point you at cities...’

Sunbeam glazed expression cleared, slowly turning to an evil smile. ‘Oh yeah, I remember you trashing the room when you found my amulet didn’t work. I also remember your expression when you were told that the Dagger of Rites had stopped working and you couldn’t get me another. Oh, happy, happy memories.’

Sunbeam closed her eyes and lost the smile. “I shouldn’t have laughed though…”

Opening her eyes, Sunbeam walked over to Sister Knot. Stopping, she stared down at her for a moment. “Still worth it. To see you looking all lost and unsure like that, a reminder you were still just a pony. No matter what you said.”

Sunbeam lowered her head towards Sister Knot, pausing just before reached her.

“And now these buckers want me as a mindless drone as well! Tartarus, my personality isn’t that bad is it?”

She shrugged. “Mental note, I must speak to Greywing about rectifying that situation.”

Sunbeam took Sister Knot’s robe in her teeth and savagely tugged on it, trying to pull it off her before realizing it was stuck under the body. As Sunbeam rolled her over to free it, she glared down at Sister Knot. “I just hope you haven’t given me anything and…” Sunbeam slumped. “And I really should have got one of you two to take this damn ring off my horn first, shouldn’t I.”

Shaking her head, Sunbeam walked over to the door and opened it. Poking her head out the doorway and glanced both ways along the corridor.

‘Where’s the damn exit in this place?’

Sunbeam pulled her head back in.

‘Right. I need to set achievable objectives. I need a clear focused head, I need...’

Out of habit, she placed a hoof on her neck, where her amulet should have been. There was a stuttering exhale.

‘F-focus you stupid mare. Focus! Its a thing, you can live without it. It’s not a survival objective…’

Sitting there in silence, her head fell as her ears drooped.

‘I-I’ve lost you Mr Sable, I’m... I’m sorry. I couldn’t... I shouldn’t have...’ Her jaw trembled as she looked up at the ceiling. A moment later she rubbed her eyes with a hoof. “Damn dust!”

She slammed the hoof down. ‘Focus! Focus you bucking stupid mare. You need to get out of here. Sitting around here increases your chances of getting caught!’

She didn’t move.

‘Get your bucking act together! You need to rescue the others...’

A look of surprise briefly crossed her face before a small, hopeful, smile took its place. “A natural, unpremeditated feeling of concern for others.” She closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling. ‘I -do- still have some normal feelings left. See Scrolls, you missed some. You didn’t totally mess me up.’

Opening her eyes, she brought a hoof up for a hoof pump. It paused half-way up.

‘Huh, I missed some blood splashes on that hoof.’ Reaching out she wiped the hoof clean on the curtains. The small, hopeful smile never left her face as she did so. ‘See dummy, you’ve still got a chance to be normal, there is some hope left for you.’

Bringing the hoof back, she examined it briefly before completing the hoof pump.

“Yay me!”

Sunbeam took a deep breath. “Right, back to work. How do I rescue the others? What do I know?”

The smile faltered.

“I have no idea of the layout of this place, no idea of guards patrols, or any of the security protocols they have in place.”

Sunbeam closed her eyes as the smile slowly become a grimace.

‘I have no idea where Twilight and the others are, no idea what state they are in… I can’t even use my magic... Horseapples!’

She looked up with an air of resignation, then laughed.

“This is all so bucked up. I haven’t got a chance really.” She hauled herself to her feet. “Buck it… I haven’t got anything else planned for today.”

Sunbeam peered out the door, looking both ways.

‘I think I know the way back to dungeons. Right, I need to stride down the hallways like I own the place. Need to exude confidence! Don’t need ponies thinking I don’t belong.’

Sunbeam strode out into the corridor. ‘This is so crazy it might just… Nah.’

She smirked to herself.

‘If I may quote Uncle Silver Strike: ‘Out of all the crazy things I’ve done… this will probably be the last’.’

She snorted as she thought about it. ‘Nearly was you dirty old stallion. Kissing me like that. You were fifty-three for bucks sake, I was only seventeen. And I still maintain I was being playful when I gave you that black eye.’

She shook her head. “Focus! Not the time for pleasant memories. What do I need to do, right now?”

Her head lifted in contemplation.

‘I suppose it’s too much to hope they’ve marked where the restrooms are in this place?’

- - - - - - - -

Still dazed from walking into somepony, Sister Read knelt down and started picking up her papers strewn over the corridor floor as she offered apologies.

“I’m so sorry. I should have been looking where I was going. It was a very interesting projection report...” Looking up, her words died in her throat as the pony she’d walked into looked coldly down at her.

A green unicorn in a blood-stained white robe stood in front of her, radiating menace. Sister Read recoiled back from the bloodstains.

Seeing her reaction the unicorn leaned forward and whispered gleefully into her ear.

“It’s okay, the blood isn’t mine.” The unicorn pulled her head back and smiled at Sister Read. Sister Read became aware of a sudden need to visit the restroom.

The unicorn looked around. “Enough fun. Can you point me towards the dungeon? Think I got turned around at some point. This place is a bucking maze.”

Sister Read nodded. “Uh…” She pointed down the corridor behind her. “That way second turning.”

The unicorn looked back at her, causing the Sister to flinch.

“Thank you.”

Sister Read watched the unicorn head off.

‘Wow, she was...’

A hooded pony trotted past Sister Read, totally ignoring her as she followed the unicorn.

- - - - - - - -

Brother Adeptus walked into his private quarters. While he had the only private quarters in the entire complex, he made sure he kept them as spartan as possible. Plain stone walls, a single chair, and table, plus a small sleeping pallet were the only furniture he allowed himself.

Turning his head, he glanced at the two hooded ponies with him. “Bastions, stay here. Guard the way. Let nopony through.”

The two hooded ponies slowly nodded.

There were two doors in the room. One door led back to the corridor, the other to led to the master’s room. Brother Adeptus opened that door.

The room on the other side was opulent in the extreme in it’s decoration. Red velvet curtains were hung from both the walls and the ceiling. Detailed landscape paintings were hung on the walls, giving the impression of windows. Lined with a lush red carpet and furnished dark-wood furniture, there was nothing second rate allowed in this room. Gold and bright-red trim was much in evidence everywhere. At the end of the room was king-size four-poster bed on a raised platform. It had bright red and black curtains and an inviting mahogany coloured duvet. The centerpiece of the room, dominating it, was a fluted pedestal with simple black silk cloth covering a domed mound top of it.

Looking round the room Brother Adeptus sighed. The room was barely what his master deserved, but it was still early days, it would get better. He closed the door behind him as he walked in.

- - - - - - - - -

Sturdy Backstep knocked on Brother Adeptus’s door with more than a little trepidation. Brother Adeptus had always stated that he should be woken if the situation warranted it. What warranted him being disturbed had never been made truly clear though.

Several seconds passed before a blue glow surrounded the door, opening it. Sturdy got a good look into the room: A table with some paperwork; a rumpled sleeping pallet and Brother Adeptus, horn still glowing, was all that filled it. The rumors were wrong about his personal quarters.

It was, however, the two Bastions, presumably looking at him from under those hood that held his attention though. Sturdy Backstep shifted his weight from hoof to hoof as felt their hidden stares on him. Like most ponies he found the Bastions unsettling to be around.

Walking up to him, Brother Adeptus blocked his view into the room. Not even attempting to straighten his disheveled rob, he cocked an eyebrow at the guard.

“Brother, why do you disturb my sleep?”“B-Brother Adeptus. One of the Bastions was seen walking around the complex.”

Brother Adeptus nodded at the news. “Come then, we need to find her. She is supposed to be watching the Bastion-to-be, if one is on the move then so is other.”

- - - - - - - -

Brother Starburst’s horn glowed as he continued to talk at the gray pegasus tied face-down on the bench in the middle of the cell.

He smiled as the pegasus struggled to put his hooves in his ears… or on him. Anything to stop him talking.

The glow around the pegasus’s ears gave the Brother’s words not only that extra bite, but made it feel like days of talking had passed to the pegasus instead of mere hours. The same words over and over. Slowly eating into the pegasus’s self-esteem, his self-worth, his identity.

Brother Starburst concentrated on the pegasus, he used to be a guard apparently, so the usual cleansing wasn’t quite enough. They had to scrub out the last his old beliefs with some more traditional methods. He’d felt a surge of pride as Brother Adeptus himself had selected him to finish the conversion.

‘To bring another lost soul to the light, what an honour. The pegasus will surely thank me afterwards. That would make all my efforts worthwhile.’

Brother Starburst could see the signs of him weakening. The magic really did speed things up these days. The pegasus had started to cry again, but this time, he was begging him to stop. A little longer and…

Pulling his chin up, as her hoof covered his muzzle, Sunbeam pushed the dagger into the side of his throat. Standing on her hind legs, she held Brother Starburst tight, staring blankly at the wall opposite until he had stopped thrashing about.

Letting the body go as she fell back onto her hooves, Sunbeam didn’t even look at him as she walked quietly over to the sobbing stallion and put her foreleg around him.

“Shhhhh.”

It took Greywing several minutes to realize the talking had stopped. That his mane was being gently stroked.

Hesitantly he opened an eye. Sunbeam smiled gently down at him.

He tried to open his mouth but Sunbeam placed a hoof on his lips and shook her head. He nodded and closed his eyes as Sunbeam went round releasing his bindings.

After a few minutes, he shakily stood up and saluted. His voice came out as a stuttering whisper. “Sergeant Greywing, r-r-reporting for duty.”

She nodded to him, noting the tear stained face and the shakes he was trying so hard to suppress. That he was trying so hard to not look round at where his cutie marks used to be, was painfully obvious.

“At ease sergeant. We are going to rescue Twilight and the others. That is all you need to focus on right now. Concentrate only on that Sergeant. Can you do that for me, for her, Sergeant Greywing?”

He gave a nod before looking over the body of Brother Starburst.

Sunbeam didn’t have to look around to know where he was looking, the conflicting expressions on his face made that clear. “It’s not a pony over there Sergeant. It’s just a bag. Remember that, there are no ponies in here, there are only bags in here. Walking bags of flesh and bone.”

Lifting his head with a hoof, to look him the eye, her tone was gentle. “Trust me, it makes it so much easier. Retiring… Killing ponies is wrong, opening bags is easy. There are only bags in here. There are no ponies. Remember… Bags, not ponies.”

She held his gaze until she felt a tiny nod in her hoof holding his chin. “T-thank you Sunbeam. They are bags, not ponies...”

Putting her hoof down, Sunbeam gave him a slow nod and an understanding smile. ‘This is the right thing to do. In this time and this place, this is the right thing...’ Her smile became strained and she looked away as she saw the fire growing in Greywing’s eyes. ‘I need a shower.’

Sunbeam took a deep breath before looking back at him. “Now sergeant, before I make a... personal request… Get this bucking ring off my horn!”

- - - - - - - -

A hooded pony stood outside the cell, the glow from a horn showing from under the hood.

“...Get this bucking ring off my horn!”

Her horn glowed brighter.

Two thuds came from inside the cell moments later.

Brother Adeptus walked around the corner, the other two hooded ponies following closely behind him. Walking up to the hooded pony stood outside the cell, he patted her head tenderly.

“Well done.”

Turning to look to the hooded pony on his right. Reaching out, she brushed under her chin. “What am I going to do with you eh? I suppose it was my fault, I did only tell you to watch her, not actually stop her if she did anything. I must learn to be more specific with you.” He looked into the cell. “Oh well, my fault really, I did give you too much of the mix when I elevated you. Lesson learnt.”

The pony stood there motionless.

Brother Adeptus walked into the cell. Kneeling down by Sunbeam, he patted her head. “Only one more waking moment as your old corrupt self my dear. After that, you will be blessedly pure, both physically and mentally.”

He smiled at her. “Freeing a pony from the corruption of thought is easy my child. But finding a mare who has kept herself physically pure... that is so rare to find these days.”

He stroked her mane. “Being untouched by a stallion is what makes you so special my dear.” He looked round at the three hooded ponies. “Just like them.”

Chapter 31- Sowing the Seeds

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Chapter 31 - Sowing the Seeds

Brother Speaker calmly watched as the last set of test subjects was dragged out of the chamber. Looking over the notes on the clipboard, he did some quick mental arithmetic.

“I think we have enough data to make an accurate projection now.” He studied the notes a bit longer. “All remaining assets are to be shunted over to the conversion staff. Even without number-crunching, I can clearly see the results." He looked up at the Brother Constellation. "The extra input from standard assets in no way compensates for the downtime incurred to the high-level assets.”

He looked up at the high-level asset opposite him, it's once alabaster coat was now stained with vomit and dirt, its mascara had run with tears and it’s purple mane hung dull and limp.

He smiled. “How wonderfully productive these new assets are.” He looked back down at the clipboard.

- - - - - - - - -

The unicorn guard watched the sleeping mare intently as she lay on the stone floor of the cell. Even though the mare was asleep the guard kept the field up, pinning her to the ground. Another unicorn was seated a little bit behind her, her horn also charged and ready to intervene if need be. Two armoured earth pony guards also shared the cell with them. Outside the locked door, another two ponies stood guard.

Word of Sister Knot and Brother Shine’s fates had spread.

The mare on the floor grunted and stirred.

“Get Brother Adeptus.”

- - - - - - - - -

Walking around the chamber, Brother Adeptus studied the input figures of Brother Speaker’s report. Stopping in front of Fluttershy, he turned to look at Brother Speaker.

“Why is that one wearing a blindfold?”

Brother Speaker stepped forward. “The asset appears to have some mind-control ability, focused through the eyes. Fortunately, I was outside when it tried." He took a breath. "I was able to create a feedback pulse to all alcoves, thus breaking its concentration and freeing our brothers and sisters from its foul grip. Afterwards, while it was passed out from the pain, I was able to affix the blindfold. Normally I would have resolved the issue in a more permanent manner… But you said no damage was to come to them.”

Brother Adeptus rubbed his chin. “Indeed I did.” He looked up at the ceiling in thought. “We cannot take any chances in disrupting their magical output. We do not know how stable it is, so we will do nothing to upset it. Besides, once the crystal is charged, we can convert them. I’m sure that ability would come in useful somewhere.”

A breathless pony rushed in and bowed his head before approaching Brother Adeptus. “Brother... She’s awake.”

He nodded before pointing to Brother Speaker. “Remember, no damage. But well done on the report, I approve of your recommendations, carry on. Come Bastions.”

Brother Adeptus turned and left, the three hooded ponies following behind him moments later.

Brother Speaker turned to the other ponies in the room. “Commence securing the chamber for nighttime operations.”

- - - - - - - - -

Brother Speaker looked over to Brother Constellation. “As soon as the last ponies leave the chamber you can activate the crystal for night mode. You can stop supporting the silencing spell now as well. Oh, and make sure you get somepony to check on the assets in a couple of hours.”

The blue robed unicorn nodded, privately deciding to keep the silencing spell powered until after he had actually left.

Brother Speaker left the chamber, leaving Brother Constellation alone. He looked around at the assets.

‘It would be so much easier if we could simply rip all their magic out in one go. Keeping them alive like this, in situ, is already causing problems. We’ve already had to set up some sort of bucket arrangement.’ His nose wrinkled at the memory. ‘And we’ve got to feed them by hoof.’ He walked towards the door. ‘And I still say that removing their vocal chords wouldn’t damage their magical output. Ugh! Assets trying to talk to us.’ He shuddered at the thought. ‘Letting assets talk to staff could undo so much of their conditioning.’

As he walked out, he activated the crystal before closing the door. He let his horn empty of stored magic as he walked down the corridor and towards the communal dormitory.

The silencing spell, no longer powered, collapsed a few minutes later. The sounds of sobbing in the chamber the only indication that it had failed.

- - - - - - - - -

The earth pony guard staggered back, blood pouring from his nose, before diving back into the fray.

Brother Adeptus looked at the guards with exasperation. “You five are among the biggest and strongest members of the guard we have, yet you seem to be having trouble holding down one little mare.”

He shook his head as two more guards rushed in. With them tipping the balance, calm was soon restored to the room.

Brother Adeptus sighed. “Finally! And yes Brother Moonshine, I am quite aware that she has broken some of your ribs and Sister Charge… I do realize that she did take quite a chunk out of your rear leg with that bite, but we must finish this before we tend to our injuries. Now will you all please hold her still! I know magic would be easier, but we are not using it around this potion, so hold her tight brethren.”

Using his hooves, he lifted up a jug filled with red liquid.

“Sister Flowers, hold her head. Sister Charge, hold her mouth open.”

Brother Adeptus walked up close and started to tilt her jug.

“Sister Charge, cover her nose and… Hold her still!” He waited for a second. “Thank you.”

Brother Adeptus started to pour the liquid out.

“Now the trick is a nice steady pour… Ahh no. No, you can’t spit it all out. I just need to keep a steady pour going. Soon enough, you’ll have to ingest it.”

Brother Adeptus kept pouring.

And pouring...

He smiled at her expression.

“You can’t last much longer can you… Annnnd there we go! Now you’re swallowing.”

He kept pouring.

“Trying to make sure of the right amount is troublesome. Ponies always try to spit some out, so there is some guesswork as to how much I have actually given you.”

A few more seconds passed before Brother Adeptus nodded to himself and righted the jug.

“Brothers, Sisters. You can let go now, she won’t be able to get up for... Gently Sister Charge!”

Giving Sister Charge a glare, he leaned down before smiling beneficially.

“Shhh, my child, You can feel it happening can’t you?”

He gently stroked her fetlock.

“I can see it in your eyes that you do. No, don’t try to fight it. Let your thoughts dim, let your corrupt mind turn in on itself and fade. Rejoice, for soon you will be perfect. No thoughts, no morals, no memories. Nothing will be left of your old, impure life, not your friends, not your family, not your old self… All will be swept away by the light.” He placed a hoof on his chest. “Your new, exultant form will exist only to obey him. You’ll be willing… Nay, you’ll be craving to carry out his every whim and desire.”

He looked up at the gathered brethren.

“Brothers, Sisters, you may leave us and attend your duties, or the infirmary as the case may be.” He looked back down again. “Your help here has of great help and…”

Brother Adeptus blinked. Slowly, he reached out and brushed her face with a hoof before bringing it up to his eye to examine it.

Proudly, he showed off the moisture on it.

“Look Brethren… She weeps in joy at her coming perfection.”

- - - - - - - - -

Twilight became aware of Applejack calling her name. “Twi! Twi! C’mon partner, say something.”

Twilight looked up, Applejack was staring directly at her. “Twi!”

“I-I’m fine.”

Applejack tilted her head.

Twilight closed her eyes. “Okay, I’m not. H-how could ponies to that? T-they were ripping all… all the magic from those poor unicorns, in one go… Why? Why do that?”

“I’m sorry sugar, I know it is bad but I don’t…”

Rarity’s voice was flat. “Applejack, a unicorn can only process so much magic in one go… Ripping it out like that, those barbarians not only burn out the unicorns’ ability to cast magic but cause untold damage in the process.”

Twilight nodded. “One of my old teachers described it as ‘pushing a hoof through a pinprick hole in paper’. Vulgar, not quite accurate, but gets the point over.” Twilight swallowed, her voice went up an octave. “The paper represents the mind…” Twilight fought off the urge to retch again.

Twilight stiffened as realisation dawned on her. “Is everypony okay… I should have asked first, I mean, obviously not okay, I mean…”

Rarity spoke up. “It’s okay dear, we understand. Personally, I could really do with a month at the spa right now. After shaving all my fur off first.” There was a pause before she added under her breath. “And a very good therapist for the rest of my life.”

Applejack just gave Twilight a nod with a steely gaze.

A few seconds passed.

“Fluttershy? Pinkie? Rainbow? Please, say something!”

Pinkie was first to answer, her tone cold. “Those meanies are not be getting any more parties, in this world... or the next.”

Fluttershy sounded close to tears. “I’m sorry girls, I’m such a bad pony. It’s terrible of me, but I’m so glad that nopony I knew was out there. I kept expecting to see Sunbeam being brought in. I’m such a bad pony for thinking that. I shouldn’t...”

Twilight could hear Applejack trying to console Fluttershy, as her mind had gone elsewhere. ‘I hadn’t even thought of...And I’m so glad that I didn’t...’ She could suddenly see Vinyl, Lyra, Sunbeam, Shining Armour, her parents... All strapped down… The crystal rising from the floor...

“Twilight!” Applejack’s shout penetrated the image, shattering it. She blinked a few times, before looking over to a concerned looking Applejack. Applejack visibly relaxed when she looked over at her. “Sugar, you were… going somewhere you didn’t want to go. I could see that from over here.”

“Thank you Applejack… I couldn’t help myself…” Twilight shook her head. “Fluttershy! Listen you are not a bad pony for thinking that. You’re a normal pony.”

“B-but…”

“No buts, sugar.” Applejack cut in “Twi is right, we’ve all just seen bad things, it’s only natural to be relieved it’s not somepony we know. However unpleasant it makes us sound.”

“Indeed darling.” Rarity called out. “I’m afraid I must add myself to that list. Every time they brought new ponies, I was so glad that it wasn’t Swee...” A strangled sound finished the sentence.

Pinkie sounded a lot like her normal self. “When we get out of here, I promise to throw the biggest, bestest… private party ever.” A sour note entered her voice “A party to replace these memories. Just us, Greywing and Sunbeam… We’ll all have the bestest time ever… you’ll see. ”

Twilight shifted nervously on the bench. ‘I hope Greywing and Sunbeam are okay... What did Fluttershy just say?’

Applejack spoke for her. “Can you say that again Flutters.”

Twilight had to focus to hear Fluttershy's voice, it had gotten almost too quiet to hear. “B-but I feel so bad. Watching bad things happening to ponies makes me feel so sad, but I feel so relieved at the same time. B-because I don’t know them. I’m a bad pony...”

“Fluttershy darling, you simply cannot allow yourself to think you are a bad pony for reacting how any pony, any of us, would react. These are extreme circumstances. The fact you even think you are a bad pony for thinking such things makes you a better pony than most.” Rarity whispered in a tight voice to herself. “Certainly better than me.” Before loudly adding “Right girls.”

“You can bet your wagon on that.”

“Yuppers.”

Twilight smiled, before remembering Fluttershy couldn’t see her. “Fluttershy, you are the most caring, considerate pony I know. Trust me Fluttershy. You have nothing to be ashamed about. You are aware of what you are feeling when most ponies wouldn’t give a second thought to feeling like that in this situation.”

Twilight couldn’t help but mentally add. ‘Or a first.’

“I-I suppose so if you all say so.”

“Sugar, I know so.”

Twilight smiled, Fluttershy sounded a bit better but… A thought struck Twilight.

Rainbow still hadn’t said anything.

“Rainbow!”

Looking over, Twilight could see Rainbow had her eyes shut. A strange mix of determination and pain on her face as her whole body strained against the straps holding her down.

“Rainbow!”

Still no response.

Nodding to Applejack they both chorused “Rainbow!”

Rainbow’s eyes snapped open before she relaxed, falling back down onto the bench, panting for a few seconds.

“Oh hi Twi. Sorry, were you guys saying something? I kinda zoned out there.”

“What are you up to? These straps are magically reinforced. You’re going to hurt yourself like that.”

“Well, been thinking…”

Applejack cut in with a hollow chuckle. “Now we are all doomed.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Ha ha, hayseed. But, I remember one of them saying that they usually only have unicorns in here. So these extra straps I have around my wings, well I figured they had to go dig them out…So I reckon that they might have used normal straps for my wings.” Rainbow’s trademark smirk appeared. “And my wings are way too awesome for normal straps.”

Rainbow closed her eyes again and began straining against the wing straps once more.

Twilight lowered her head, closing her eyes. ‘Oh Rainbow... I hope you are right.’ She smiled to herself. ‘Wings that can handle the acceleration to Rainboom speeds, wings that can withstand the g-forces associated with acute angle turns at Rainboom speeds. Wings, that are most definitely -not- normal pegasus wings… in a good way of course. No, I don’t think normal straps could hold them. Plans, I need to plan.’

- - - - - - - -

Brother Adeptus walked down the corridors. The bells had just finished ringing, indicating it was now night time in the complex. With the complex being entirely underground, the bells were the only reference to the passage of time to those inside. The cave system he’d found had been quite small, to begin with. It had since been expanded as the Master’s army had grown.

He wistfully thought about how far they had all come. From such humble beginnings. He’d been a simple traveller, going all over the world by himself. Not even realizing he was lost until the Master had found him. Shown him the light.

‘And soon all will bow to the light.’ He smiled to himself before looking behind.

Four hooded ponies stood quietly behind him.

- - - - - - - - -

A snapping sound resonated in the chamber. Twilight didn’t look up but just smiled into the bench.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inside his private quarters, Brother Adeptus turned to the four Bastions and pointed a hoof. “You, come with me. The rest of you guard, let no pony through.”

Turning, he walked through the door into the other room. The hooded pony he’d pointed at followed him as the rest stood still.

Making sure he closed the door after the Bastion, he turned to survey the empty room before addressing the stone plinth in the middle of the room.

“Master. I have a new Bastion of Light for you.”

He smiled.

“Thank you Master. I live to serve you. This is her. Pure of mind and body, she will be ready for you after we have completed the ritual. She will be your tool and your plaything.”

He tilted his head.

“Yes master, the new assets are putting us years ahead of schedule. The crystal will be fully charged with magic in mere months now. The assets also enable us to convert all captures to initiates now. Your army will be strong and fearless when the time comes.”

Brother Adeptus bowed his head.

“As you wish master, I shall double their combat training at once. Come Bastion.”

He left the room, the hooded pony following him a moment later.

In his private quarters, he patted her before turning to his sleeping pallet. “Oh yes, you are one our most devoted of subjects now. Aren't you, my good little filly.”

The robe hid the solitary twitch in the hooded ponies tail.

- - - - - - - -

Rarity’s disembodied voice called out. “So, your wings are free Rainbow? That’s wonderful darling. So if I may inquire, what is the plan now?”

Rainbow’s wide grin turned to a wince.

“Of course, I can’t actually undo my straps with them. I was kinda hoping Twi could come up with a plan right about now.”

Twilight looked up at her. ‘I can think of lots of plans, none of them will work unless…’ Her heart felt heavy at what she knew she was about to ask Rainbow to do.

“Rainbow, you remember the private lessons from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. The ones about what being an Element Bearer might entail us having to…” Her mouth felt so very dry suddenly. “...Do. For the safety of Equestria.” Her words came out as a squeak.

Rainbow closed her eyes and nodded. “I kinda suspected.”

“I’m so sorry Rainbow, but you’re going to have to... persuade a pony to undo those straps, by persuade I mean...”

Rainbow didn’t look up. “I know Twi, I know... I don’t want to have to hurt anypony.”

Rainbow looked up. Even from across the room, Twilight could see the glint in Rainbow’s eyes.

“Then again Twi… These ain’t ponies”

Chapter 32 - Tipping Point

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Chapter 32 - Tipping Point

Rainbow wrinkled her nose at Twilight. “Oh yuck Twi! That’s really gross! Do I really havta do that?”

Twilight found herself examining the floor intently. “Unless somepony else can come up with a better idea…” She let the sentence hang in the air. Nopony said anything. “Look, I know it's an unpleasant thing I’m asking you to do Rainbow, but that’s the entire point. I can’t see a better way to get a pony behind you while making every other pony that has come in want to leave.” She sighed. “That is when somepony finally comes to check on us that is.”

Rainbow strained against her straps one more time before slumping back down onto her bench. Her wings falling limp. “If you think that’s the best way Twi, I’ll do it. I just hate all this waiting around.”

Applejack shook her head, chuckling. “We all know you do sugar. But when they do come back...”

Rainbow folded her wings neatly back to her sides, sporting a smug grin. “I get us free, Twi goes all alicorny… then we go kick some serious flank. Rescuing Greywing and Sunbeam at the same time.”

Rolling her eyes, Twilight rested her head on her bench. “Not quite how I phrased it. But it has the benefit of being succinct I suppose.”

Rainbow looked over at Twilight. “At least we don’t have to look at that bucking crystal while we wait.”

Rarity shifted uneasily on her bench. “Horrid thing! I don’t think I can ever look at gems the same way ever again.” Rarity studied the trapdoor. “While I am not complaining, I am somewhat puzzled as to why it isn’t on right now.”

Twilight glared at the trapdoor where the crystal was housed. “Magical storage crystals require some down-time to convert the energy they've absorbed into a crystalline form.” Twilight’s expression turned to curiosity. “You know, I haven’t even heard of a magical storage crystal that size before, they're normally no bigger than a hoof.” Twilight’s left ear twitched. “The one planned by The School of Gifted Unicorns for high engery research was going to be biggest ever built... and that was going to be only half the size of that one. At least it was, Princess Celestia stepped in and vetoed it personally." Twilight pursed her lips. "So… I wonder how much energy this one could actually store?”

As Twilight’s eyes glazed over in deep thought, both Rainbow and Applejack rolled their eyes at the sight of Twilight mentally disappearing off into academia. A minute passed before Twilight suddenly jolted, her eyes locking onto the trapdoor.

“Oh! Of course... Storage capacity is not a linear increase relative to size, it’s a geometric progression. That means its capacity is orders of magnitude larger...” Twilight’s jaw started to tremble.

Rainbow sighed. “In Equestrian please Twi.”

“That crystal needs to be destroyed!” Twilight didn’t look up at either Rainbow’s or Applejack’s shocked expressions. “It’s too big! It’s too dangerous!” Twilight finally looked up at them. ”That crystal, if fully charged, could release enough raw magic in one go to… to…” Twilight stammered to a halt, searching for an example. “It could… It could…" She shuddered at the example that came to mind. "It could store enough magic to, temporarily, override the Princesses control of the Sun or the Moon!”

For a long period, the only sound in the chamber was Twilight’s laboured breathing. Fluttershy spoke up. “O-oh my. How long before it can do that?”

Twilight shook her head, trying to calm herself with mental exercises. “Oh, it’s going to take years to charge it to that level.” Twilight felt herself relax. “Sorry girls, I kinda panicked there. We’ve got plenty of time to... Unless of course...” She shifted uneasily on her bench, her panic starting to rise again as her worries coalesced into one realization. Twilight’s voice was lifeless. “Unless of course they were able to procure six sources of magic that were, effectively, inexhaustible. Six sources that gave out massive quantities of radiant energy. Six sources that were, say, connected to the Elements. Then... Then they could possibly charge that thing in mere months.”

Rainbow’s face met the bench with a thud. Even being slightly muffled, Rainbow managed to put enough sarcasm into her voice for even Twilight to catch it first time round. “Well, thanks for that Twi, no pressure then.”

The protracted silence that followed was broken by Rarity. “Umm, girls, I’m sorry to ask, but would you mind talking some more? It's just that this silence is so terribly oppressive, couple that with the fact I can’t actually see anypony... Your talking lets me know that you are all still here with me…” Her voice lowered. “That I’m not all alone.”

A jolt ran through Twilight. ‘Of course, Pinkie and myself can see Rainbow and Applejack, and they can see us. Fluttershy and Rarity can only see… empty alcoves.’

“Hang in there Rare’s. How are you doing Flutters?” Rainbow called out.

“I’m fine Rainbow. But please, keep talking. As Rarity said, it is nice to know that you are all still there.”

Rarity’s voice was strained. “Thank you all, I feel like a foal for asking this … But after everything… I just need the reassurance.... I… I don’t think I can handle the silence for much longer.”

“Umm…” Twilight’s head, so usually full of things, had gone blank. “Uh, anypony got anything they want to talk about? I can’t think of anything myself right now.”

Applejack looked over at Twilight, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible. “Hey Twi, if we’re gonna talk, I figure it’s a good a time as any to say this… Sunbeam, I ain’t too comfortable with what we’re doing.”

“Applejack?”

“We all played along with you at the inn Twi. Heck, as soon as that unicorn back at the inn opened her mouth, I could tell she wasn't who she claimed to be.” Applejack’s voice dropped. “She wasn’t lying about some of the things she’d done in that town though.” Applejack’s voice returned to normal. “But, sure as I love Granny’s cookin’, she wasn’t Icefang.”

“Oh yes.” Rarity chipped in, her voice sounding quite happy all of a sudden. “I mean please, you could see her roots.”

Applejack continued. “So we had two white-backed unicorn’s, one with a dyed back, the other with a naturally white back. One lying about being ‘Icefang’, the other not sayin’ anything, just trying hard not be noticed. Not too hard to figure out which was which.”

Rarity politely sniggered. “Watching poor Sunbeam pull all those faces as that Dusty fellow related all those horrible things. So unbelievable most of them. I must admit to some illicit humor at some of Sunbeam’s expressions, especially at the more outlandish of stories.”

Fluttershy spoke quietly. “It was those stories when her face went blank, though…”

This time, the silence that followed was an uncomfortable one as everypony reflected on those stories. ‘The Hope’s Hill Massacre’ standing particularly.

Applejack shook her head. “Well shoot, that as may be. I still don’t like all this pretending we don’t know. Sunbeam’s done alright by us, went and put herself in harm’s way to rescue Applebloom and the others. Ma’ family owes her a debt… And The Apple Family always repays their debts.”

Applejack rested her head on the bench. “My concern is Twi, that by not telling her, it might end up with her distrusting us. And I can see that coming back to bite us on the flank. Probably right at a point where we need her to trust us.” The straps prevented Applejack from jabbing a hoof at Twilight for emphasis. “Not to mention I can see her trying to be a better pony Twi. Now think about it, how would you react if you found out that 'The Elements of Harmony' themselves had been lying to you?” Applejack looked down. Her voice becoming soft. “I can see her giving up trying at that point Twi... And that thought just doesn’t sit right with me.”

A murmur of agreement went round the chamber.

Twilight closed her eyes and nodded in agreement. “I didn’t like doing it either girls, but I had to do something. If I hadn’t done the whole ‘mistaken identity’ ruse, she would have suspected something was up. She’s not stupid, and she know’s we’re not.” Twilight fidgeted. “As she’s the only pony here that knows what wheat-thorn actually looks like. I couldn’t take the risk of her running off, thinking we were going to turn her in.”

Twilight looked up at the ceiling. “None of you saw how she reacted when she first met me. I swear the only reason she didn’t run screaming out of the library was because she ended up hyperventilating on the floor.” Twilight took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Girls! We have a lot of ponies depending on us to get the antidote. I… We can’t risk all those lives for the feelings of one pony. When we get back, we can sort this all out. I will apologise to her and shoulder any blame, but...”

Twilight voice became pleading. “But... Girls, please. This is one of those times… One of the times the Princess told us about. One of the times where we have to… For the good of Equestria… We have to be… to be…”

Everypony could hear Twilight choke on the word.

“Specific... as to how and who we apply our elemental traits to. There are too many ponies lives on the line to take unnecessary risks.”

Applejack spoke gently. “I understand where you’re coming from Twi, and what’s at stake... Never said that I didn’t. I just wanted was to voice my concerns. I'm not gonna say anything to her, not until after we get back anyway.”

“Yeah, what AJ said,” Rainbow added.

“I’m inclined to agree with Applejack’s sentiments, Twilight.” Rarity stated with firmness.

“M-me to.”

“Okie Dokie Twi. But we will have to make it up to Sunbeam somehow.”

Twilight relaxed. “Thank you girls. I know this isn’t pleasant, but…”

“It’s okay darling. We understand.”

Silence again.

“Does anypony else have anything else they want to say? Just to keep us talking.” Twilight inquired.

Rainbow started smirking. “I spy with my little eye... something beginning with ‘s’.”

“Oh come off it sugar.”

“I do believe I prefer the silence darling.”

“Epp, err, please no Rainbow.”

“Rainbow, I will use my status as a princess to banish you.”

“Is it ‘stones’ Dashie?”

- - - - - - - - -

Brother Constellation rolled his eyes before answering Brother Steady-Eye’s question. “Because you were the first pony I came to! Now get up and go check on the assets. I will come back and take your report on it after you’ve finished.”

The pegasus, still laying on his bed, adopted an innocent look. “But Brother, I thought that it was common practice that: ‘There needs to be at least two brethren on any check or sweep’.”

“Brother, I am well aware…”

“Brother Adeptus issued that instruction himself didn’t he? So if anything happened to one, the other would be able to raise the alarm.”

“Look…”

“Of course, I could officially report that you told me to ignore that…”

Brother Constellation curled his nose up as he stamped a hoof. “Fine! Come on. Let us both go check on the assets.”

He watched the pegasus get out of bed and put on an orange robe. ‘Bucking feather brain! Hope your wings rot off.”

- - - - - - - -

Brother Steady-Eye opened the door to the chamber to the sounds of bickering.

“Is it ‘a shadow’…”

“No it’s not Pinkie! We’re not playing anymore…”

Brother Constellation groaned, but to his relief, they all went silent as both Brothers walked in. What he found unnerving was the way they were all looking at them.

Brother Steady-Eye walked around with a bucket of water, offering a ladle of it to each of the assets. He grinned at Brother Constellation as the last one took the water.

“See, no probl…”

“I need a bucket, for… solids. Well, mostly solids. Maybe. My stomach hasn’t been feeling too… good. Been messy recently, really messy… And it’s been getting worse… If fact, you might want to put some newspaper down, or something, I think it’s a bad one coming. I think it’s gonna go everywhere.”

Both brothers turned to look at the cyan asset, who had her face scrunched up in disgust.

Brother Constellation shook his head. “And here is where I draw the line. You are on your own now Brother.”

“You can’t just…”

“Oh I can and I am. Make sure you clean up afterwards, Brother Speaker would not want to come into here to… anything leftover. I shall be waiting down the corridor, way down the corridor in fact.” With that, Brother Constellation turned and hastily left, not looking back.

Brother Steady-Eye shook his head before heading outside and grabbing an empty bucket from the pile next to the door. Trotting back in, he automatically closed the door behind him.

“Come on then, let’s do this.” He smiled at the bound pegasus. “Just relax, I’ll help clean up afterwards. We are not all barbarians here.”

He walked towards Rainbow’s alcove. She smiled back at him.

- - - - - - - -

Brother Adeptus stroked the mane of the shivering bastion. “Shhh my child. It was only a dream. Just the last echoes of your old mind.” The bastion whimpered again, tears running down her face.

He sighed. “But I doubt you are going to sleep for the rest of the night now are you? Plus you’re probably going to keep the rest of us awake in the process.” He smiled down at her. “So for tonight, go, stand outside my door. Guard. Let nopony past unless they are of high rank… ahh, I need to explain the rankings to you don’t I.” Brother Adeptus rubbed his eyes. “Make that: If they wear blue or red robes, do as they say. Tomorrow I will explain more thoroughly. After I have gotten some sleep. Sleep is important, lack of sleep makes us all inefficient.”

- - - - - - - - -

Brother Steady-Eye squeezed himself between the asset’s stone bench and the wall of the alcove, a bucket held tightly in his mouth. ‘Humm, going to have to think of another way to carry this bucket once...’

Rainbow’s wing shot out, filling his vision with feathers. Pausing for a second at its highest point, the wing then descended in a powerful downstroke, the bony leading edge smashing straight onto the top of Brother Steady-Eye’s nose.

Twilight cringed at the sound of the impact. ‘That's was his nose breaking... I asked her to do this… Oh Rainbow, please forgive me!’

Collapsing to the floor and howling in pain, Brother Steady-Eye grasped his face as the bucket rolled away, blood already pouring from his nose.

Twisting her wing round, Rainbow nestled his head in the joint of the wing and took a deep breath. ‘So glad Scoots isn’t here to see me do this.’

The side of Brother Steady-Eye’s head was slammed hard against the edge of Rainbow’s stone bench. The sound of the blow filled the chamber.

“Undo the straps,” Rainbow commanded.

Brother Steady-Eye just groaned.

Twilight tried to ignore the sound of another blow.

“Undo the straps.”

A second passed, then another impact.

Twilight could feel her bile rising. ‘This isn’t Rainbow, This isn’t something I’ve told her to do...’

“Undo the straps.”

A pause, then a particularly hard impact sound followed.

Applejack called out. “Careful partner. You’re only trying to keep him disorientated, not make him unconscious.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m trying to be careful. 'Don't hit too hard' and all that. It’s just right now..." Another blow followed. "I really don’t feel like being careful.”

Rainbow turned her head to look at Brother Steady-Eye.

“Undo the straps.”

There was silence, the lack of impact sounds got Twilight to look up hopefully. ‘Perhaps....’

Rainbow slammed the brother’s head against the bench again.

“Undo the straps.”

More seconds passed…

Twilight folded her ears back.

Another impact.

“Just undo the bucking straps you moron! Do you -want- her to give you brain damage?” Twilight lay there blinking. ‘Did I just scream that out?’

Rainbow gave Twilight a puzzled look before shrugging and tensing her wing. She could feel the stallion twitch in anticipation of the coming strike.

“Undo the…”

One of her hind legs came free. Rainbow smiled.

“Attaboy. Now all the other straps you can reach, I won't hurt you anymore if you do.”

‘Okay, I’m sooo not telling Scoots about this and... Huh. Got blood on my wing and... And Twilight’s looking kinda ill. In fact, so does Pinkie... Hope they're okay.'

- - - - - - - -

Rainbow arched her back, stretching her wings out so they trembled. “Awww yeah, that feels good.”

“That’s wonderful partner. Now, would you mind freeing the rest of us?”

Rainbow turned and glared at Brother Steady-Eye. “Stay.” He cringed, pressing himself as far back into the alcove as possible, unable to look her in the eye. The right side of his face was heavily bruised and bleeding now, his right eye had already swollen shut and blood was still dripping from his broken nose.

‘He ain’t going anywhere’ Rainbow shook her head. ‘I feel…’ Rainbow stamped her hoof. ‘A Wonderbolt shouldn’t get satisfaction from hurting others… No, no they shouldn’t! No matter how much they deserve it.’

Looking away, she walked round into Applejack’s alcove.

“Well, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes partner.”

Rainbow tried to think of a smart reply as she went to work on Applejack’s straps. Disappointingly, nothing came to mind so she just worked in silence, giving Applejack a nod as she finished.

With Applejack free, Rainbow went over to Rarity’s alcove as Applejack went over to Twilight’s.

Stepping into Rarity’s alcove, the sight of her stopped Rainbow dead. Rarity looked back at her with a small smile. “Please darling, it’s not polite to keep a lady waiting.”

“Uh… right. Yeah right.” Rainbow walked up to her. ‘Oh Celestia, I’ve never seen Rarity in such a mess before.’

Her once white coat was matted; covered in dirt and vomit stains; makeup streaks lined her face and her once pristine mane hung lifeless and dull. Yet, once free, Rarity walked out of her alcove with her head held high and with a bearing that would have rivaled Commander Hurricane in one of her victorious return parades.

Rarity noticed the looks. “Darlings, I can assure you that while I may not look… good. I am ready to assist in our escape, in any capacity. So please ignore my current, somewhat lacklustre, appearance. I...”

Walking up next to Rarity, Rainbow hesitated for a second, then hugged her.

Several seconds passed, then Rarity starting hugging her back, breaking down as she did so. “Why? Why? Why?”

With Twilight now free, Applejack went over to Fluttershy as Twilight went to free Pinkie. Walking past Rainbow as she comforted Rarity, Applejack gave Rainbow a slight nod.

Nopony noticed the chamber door open.

Brother Constellation’s jaw dropped. He stood there, unable to comprehend the assets being free. He’d only come back to berate Brother Steady-Eye for taking too long.

“W-what the Bucks going on here? Why are you free? Where's Brother...”

Rainbow’s ears swiveled towards the voice a fraction of a second before her head followed suit. Her wings shot open, knocking Rarity aside with a yelp, and a moment later the enraged pegasus was flying at the stunned Brother, her lips pulled back in a snarl.

Rearing up on hind legs as instinct took over, Brother Constellation tried to charge up his horn... Just as Rainbow slammed her whole weight, at considerable speed, into his chest. Colliding with the Brother at a slightly upward angle, Rainbow’s momentum threw them both upwards and outwards through the door.

Rainbow cringed at an all-too-familiar sounding cracking sound. ‘Buck what have I broken this...’

They ricocheted off the ceiling first, then off a wall, before slamming into the floor and tumbling down the corridor in a tangle of limbs. Even with Rainbow being an expert at crash landings, she was unable to prevent their combined weight landing heavily on her right wing as they bounced down the corridor. The stab of pain in her wing socket was enough to tell Rainbow that she was going to regret that later.

Rolling to a stop, they both lay on the floor, both still locked together. Rainbow, now a lot more battered and bruised, still managed to pull her senses together long before Brother Constellation had even started to move.

Getting both her hooves squarely on his chest, Rainbow shoved him as hard as possible, throwing him backwards against a wall. Bouncing off it, he collapsed into a pile on the floor.

Scrambling to her hooves, all four legs wide and her head low, Rainbow spread her wings for intimidation.

Rainbow tried to spread her wings for intimidation. The electric shock of pain from the wing joint caused her to stagger, her cry of pain coming out as a harsh exhale.

Rainbow stood there, unable to move as she pulled her thoughts back together. ‘G-Great! Think I’ve pulled an extensor muscle!’ She glared at Brother Constellation's still form. “Oh, you are so going down you little bucker.”

“Rainbow…” Twilight stood in the doorway staring at her, looking ill.

Rainbow took a slightly swaying step towards the Brother. “C'mon, get up you...”

“Rainbow! I don’t think he’s getting up.” Twilight’s voice help an oddly dull note.

Rainbow risked a glance away from her opponent towards Twilight.

“Rainbow. H-his horn caught on the top of the doorframe on the way out.”

Rainbow turned back and look hard at Brother Constellation. Now she was looking, she could see that his head was resting at an unnatural angle to the rest of his body.

She turned and blinked at Twilight “Oh. I… I didn’t mean… to…to...”

Collapsing onto the floor, Rainbow curled up, shivering as she stared at the body.

- - - - - - - - -

Rarity sat hugging Rainbow on one side, Fluttershy sitting on the other side, carefully minding Rainbow’s damaged wing. A brief examination confirmed that she had indeed strained the muscle badly and, until it could be properly treated, preventing any further damage was the main concern. A strap pulled off one of the benches, now held Rainbow’s damaged wing to her side.

What worried Fluttershy was Rainbow’s reaction to being told she was grounded. She’d just shrugged.

Together, they all silently watched as Applejack dragged Brother Constellation back into the chamber by the collar of his robe. Brother Steady-Eye tried to make himself even smaller as the sight.

Fluttershy hugged Rainbow tight as she noticed her expression “Rainbow? Please be okay.”

“I… I…” Rainbow stared at the body.

Stepping between Rainbow and the body Fluttershy took her head between her hooves and forced Rainbow to look at her.

“Look at me Rainbow. Look only at me!”

Blinking, Rainbow finally focused on Fluttershy.

“You’re a loyal pony Rainbow. You’re a good pony.” Fluttershy pulled Rainbow’s head into her shoulder and stroked her mane. “Shhh. You’re a good pony.” She could feel the shivers. “You’re still a good pony.”

After depositing the body in an alcove, Applejack walked over to Rarity. Getting her attention, Applejack tapped her own forehead before nodding towards Twilight.

Rarity blinked before comprehending Applejack’s action. “Ahh, my inhibitor ring. Suppose I should get this over and done with. Will you be okay Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy nodded.

Letting go of Rainbow, Rarity walked over to Twilight. Pinkie quickly took her place hugging Rainbow.

Twilight tore her eyes off Rainbow before nodding solemnly at her. “Are you ready for this? After this amount of time…”

“Thank you darling, I am quite aware of how much this is likely to hurt.” Laying down on the floor, Rarity looked up at Twilight. “I am ready.”

Twilight reached down and lifted the ring off Rarity’s horn.

Rarity’s eye grew large, before throwing her forehooves up to her horn and letting loose a single agonized whimper through clenched teeth. Pinkie kept looking between Rarity and Rainbow, unsure of whether to stay with Rainbow or go over to Rarity.

Rarity lay on the floor, panting heavily, her eyes watering. “Well, that was unpleasant. Like an ice cream headache… only so much worse.”

Her horn lit up, causing her to wince slightly. “Oh, but being able to do that again is so wonderful.”

Pinkie relaxed, still holding onto Rainbow.

Rarity looked up at Twilight. “Your turn.”

Twilight swallowed. “I’m sorry all, but there is a chance I might scream, a bit. More than a bit in fact...”

Rainbow spoke hesitatingly up. “I-its okay Twi. W-we understand. More magic, m-more hurts.”

Fluttershy held Rainbow a little bit tighter, a tiny smile on her face.

Pinkie let go of Rainbow and walked over to Twilight as she lay down. Twilight smiled as Pinkie laid down next to her and put her hoof over Twilight’s shoulders. Giving Rarity a curt nod, Twilight closed her eyes.

After a minute, she opened her eyes and looked up at Rarity. “I said you can…”

Twilight stared at the ring in Rarity’s hoof. The detached part of her mind continued working, examining the situation, producing conclusions. The rest of her mind started shutting down. ‘No pain… If’s there’s no pain it means that my magic hasn’t returned to my horn. If my magic hasn’t returned to my horn, that means that it’s not returning... at all...’

Twilight’s eyes went wide.

“No magic! I can’t feel my magic returning… I can’t feel my magic! Where's my magic?!” Pinkie kept a tight hold on Twilight as she started to thrash about.

Grabbing Twilight’s face with both hooves, Rarity tried to keep eye contact with her as her head twisted in her grip. “Twilight! Calm down! My magic has returned, there is no reason to suspect that yours will not.”

Twilight didn’t seem to hear her. “I - I can’t feel my magic, nothing! I can't do magic! Where’s my magic?” Applejack joined Pinkie in trying to hold Twilight still. “I can’t feel anything! Where’s my magic? Where’s my magic? Where’s my bucking magic! Where’s...”

The sound of the slap echoed around the chamber. Twilight lay there, mouth open, staring up at Rarity, her cheek stinging madly.

Rarity looked her in the eye. “Twilight! Darling. Please… Do get a grip.”

Rarity kept looking into Twilight’s eye’s until she was sure that she had calmed down somewhat. Rarity lowered her head. “I’m sorry about that Twilight. I know how important your magic is to you... But I can’t let you panic dear! Panic is contagious. I had to...”

Rarity sat down heavily, her hoof coming up to her mouth as her ears pinned themselves back on her head. “Oh dear… I just struck a princess… I just…”

“Did what was necessary. Right Twilight?” Applejack cut in.

Twilight managed to nod, her mouth hanging open. Carefully she brought a hoof up to her cheek, it stung quite a lot in fact.

Part of Twilight’s mind noted that Rarity looked flustered.

“I’m sorry Twilight… I had to, please understand.”

Twilight finally managed to start pulling some thoughts together. “T-that’s okay Rarity, you… you had to. I was starting to… I was panicking… It’s just I couldn’t feel any....”

Twilight shook her head before looking up Rarity. “I still can’t feel my magic Rarity! I should be able to feel something. I try and I get nothing… nothing!”

Applejack held Twilight tight as Pinkie started to stroke her mane comfortingly.

Twilight placed her chin on the floor, staring into space. “Nothing Rarity! I’ve got no magic.”

Rarity lay down so she was face to face to Twilight, trying to keep her voice as soothing as possible. “I’m sure it’s just a delay or something Twilight, you are an Alicorn, in a unicorn disguise, that has had her reserve drained. A unique situation to be certain. So I am sure…”

Twilight’s hoof smacked the floor. “You can’t be sure!” Closing her eye’s, Twilight visibly forced herself to relax. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry....” Opening her eye she gave Rarity a forced smile. “I’m kinda on edge right now.” Twilight rubbed her face. “Think… think… I need to check what’s wrong… But I haven’t got any magic to do it with. So…”

Twilight looked up, focusing intently on Rarity. Rarity blinked at the sudden attention. “Huh… Twilight dear, what are you thinking?”

“Link horns with me Rarity! I need you to check on my reserve, I can’t do it with no magic.”

Rarity’s head pulled back in shock “Twilight! What you’re asking… I am neither medically qualified nor…” She looked away. “Romantically inclined towards you.”

Twilight placed her hoof on one of Rarity’s. “Please, Rarity. I need to know what’s wrong. If it’s… per...per...” Twilight took a breath. “If it’s permanent.”

“Twilight dear. I am sure it is nothing of the sort. It is just a simple delay. Certainly, nothing that requires that level of… intimacy. ”

“Please Rarity. I just need you look, that’s all. No medical procedures, no romantic interest, I can assure you.”

Rarity looked into Twilight’s pleading eyes. The chamber was silent.

Rainbow whispered to Fluttershy. “Do you know what’s this linking thing is Flutters?”

Fluttershy smile grew at Rainbow’s question. It meant she was starting to think about other things now. Keeping her voice low she looked at Rainbow. “Linking horns is an incredibly intimate act between unicorns. It allows them to essentially be in each others magic. Sometimes used by doctors to check for magical problems, it is, however, more usually done between, ahem, lovers.”

Rainbow nodded. A puzzled expression formed. “And you know this how?”

Fluttershy started blushing. “It was in one of the romance novels that Rarity gave me.” Fluttershy starting squirming, trying to hide behind her mane. “The one about a doctor that specialized in linking horns.” Fluttershy’s blush grew, as her voice got quieter and quieter. “He fell in love with one of his patients and they ended up...”

Rainbow leaned in, but Fluttershy’s voice became inaudible. Rainbow arched an eyebrow at her. ‘K, last thing I think I heard was… Hoof-cuffs? Nah, that can’t be right. What would hoof-cuffs have to do with...’

Rarity’s sigh distracted Rainbow from her train of thought.

“Of course, I will help you Twilight. It’s just… the romantic connotations…”

“But there's nothing romantic about it. Just a simple check.”

Rarity looked away, ‘Only you could separate it like that Twilight.’ Rarity took a breath before looking back with forced a smile. “Of course. Let us do this then.”

“Thank you Rarity.”

Twilight stretched her head out, pointing her horn at Rarity. Rarity herself hesitantly reached forward, to the point where the tips of their horns almost touched. Rarity stopped.

“Rarity?”

“Excuse me dear.” A blue glow formed around Rarity’s horn, then she leaned forward so the tips touched. The blue glow around Rarity’s horn flowed down the length of Twilight’s horn to its base.

Both unicorns closed their eyes and remained motionless.

Minutes passed before one Rainbow’s ear started to twitch. “So how long…”

Rarity pulled her head back, breaking contact and opening her eyes. Twilight following suit seconds later. She looked at Rarity with a hopeful expression.

“Could you see the problem?”

Rarity nodded, not looking at Twilight. “It’s quite simple. Twilight, you’re a power-hog!”

Twilight’s head pulled back. “What?”

Rarity smile became slightly more genuine.

“I’m sorry, what I mean to say is that your spells are power-hogs Twilight. Powerful in effect… but requiring more magic than usual to work. The good news however, is that have still got magic, you are recharging. Slowly, but you are recharging.”

Twilight slumped down onto the floor as her tension fled.

Rarity stroked Twilight’s hoof. “Part of the problem, ironically, is that your reserve is too big Twilight. Any magic you have regained is spread so thinly about your reserve that your spells, which remember need more magic than usual, simply can’t draw on enough magic to work.”

Twilight raised a questioning hoof.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “I am using my... previous encounters… as a basis for comparison on power consumption. And no, I will not be giving you the size of the sample group!”

Twilight lowered her hoof.

Applejack and Pinkie were struggling to keep straight faces. Even Fluttershy let out a tiny titter.

Rainbow smiled, briefly, then lowered her head. “So what’s the plan now then girls? With both Twilight and myself out of action, we're not getting outta here by asking nicely.”

Applejack tapped a hoof on the floor. “The next part is the same as it’s always been partner. Now we’re free, we go rescue Greywing and Sunbeam. The rest we can sort out later.”

Applejack got up into a sitting position and slowly turned her head to look at Brother Steady-Eye. “I think we’re gonna need some information before that.” Applejack stood up and took a step towards him. “We’re gonna have a long talk partner. And I’d advise against lying as I ain't in the best of moods right now.” Pausing, Applejack stretched, her muscles clearly showing through her coat.

Brother Steady-Eye pulled back even further into the alcove, terrified at the display.

Chapter 33 - Breaking The Ice

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Chapter 33 - Breaking The Ice

Rubbing her eyes, Applejack tried to stay calm. “Let me just get this straight. By now our friends will have been, as you put it, ‘initiated’.”

Brother Steady-Eye, already cowering on the floor, tried to make himself that bit smaller. ‘Y-yes’.

Lowering her head, Applejack looked him in the eye. “And this ‘initiation’ involves them having their cutie marks... burnt off.”

Her voice was civil. Her expression, if a little strained, was calm. The look in her eyes told a completely different story.

He tried to cringe back even further. “I-I’m not part of that! I don’t have anything to with Initiations! I just work in...”

Applejack placed a hoof on his mouth. “Shh.” He could feel the trembles in her hoof as it pressed on his lips. “And where would our friends be, right now?” Applejack released his lips, unthinkingly wiping her hoof on her chest afterwards.

“I don’t know! Please, I don’t know!”

Rarity looked up from the bucket of water she had been cleaning herself with. To her dismay, all she had achieved was turning her coat a dull grey colour. Already feeling incredibly abused, she was finding Brother Steady-Eye’s continual pleading extremely grating on her already frayed nerves.

Slamming a hoof down, narrowly missing the bucket, she turned an icy stare at him. “I suggest you think harder darling! A grey pegasus stallion and a dark green unicorn mare. Our friends, where are they?”

Brother Steady-Eye blinked at the unicorn. “A dark green unicorn mare?”

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. “That’s the one. She’s called Sunbeam.” He looked over at Pinkie, who smiled back at him.

He gave Pinkie a puzzled look. ‘Wait! Didn’t her mane used to be curly? I’m sure it was and… And I really don’t like her smile.’

Twilight’s ear twitched. “Do you know what happened to Sunbeam… The green unicorn mare… then?”

Glad of the distraction from the pink one’s now extremely unsettling smile, he looked over to the unicorn. “If it's the mare you’re talking about, she was chosen to become a Bastion”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”

“A - A dark green unicorn mare was found to be physically pure on initiation. Brother Adeptus had her taken away to be ascended.” He looked away. “She killed three brethren trying to make it back to the dungeon. We think she was heading back to free another pony.” He smiled, suddenly eager to please. “Those two could have been your friends.” The smile faltered. “T-they were recaptured in the dungeon and she was ascended soon after.”

Fluttershy brought a hoof up to her mouth. “Oh my, she killed ponies, are you sure?”

“Oh yes. Two were…”

Twilight cut him off, her eyes narrowing. “Ascended? Just what do you mean by that?”

Brother Steady-Eye cringed back at Twilight’s suddenly intense stare. “She was made to drink the Elixir of Elevation. It purifies the mind, allowing her to follow the path of light without the distraction of thought. I heard it took four brethren to hold her down before Brother Adeptus could pour it down her...” Brother Steady-Eye snapped his teeth together to stop himself talking. By the unicorn’s expression, he was too late.

Turning away from him to face the wall, Twilight didn’t speak for several minutes. The others alternated between looking at her with concern and looking at Brother Steady-Eye like he was something they’d trodden in. Continuing to face the wall, Twilight spoke with a very controlled voice. “So... she was forced to ingest a mind control drug then.”

Fluttershy’s wing shot out, stopping Rainbow from taking another step towards Brother Steady-Eye. He shot her with a grateful look for that. The glare she gave him back made him want to crawl into the floor.

Looking away, he found Applejack leaning in close to him. The feeling of her hot breath ruffling the fur on his muzzle sent cold shivers down his spine, all the way to the base his tail.

Pulling back, he instinctively covered his face with his forelegs. “If it’s her I know where she is! I know where she is!” Through his legs, he glanced at Applejack. “She’ll be in Brother Adeptus private quarters. He’ll be there at the moment and he never goes anywhere without them.”

Turning back round to look at him, Twilight took some calming breaths, even so, her right ear kept twitching. “I think Sunbeam should be our first priority girls. If it is a mind control drug, the sooner we can break her out of it, the better. As a provisional plan: first; we go get Sunbeam; second, we go and rescue Greywing; third, we all escape. I see time itself as the limiting factor here. Time until somepony comes to check on us.”

Applejack forced a smile at Brother Steady-Eye. “How long we got before somepony comes to check on us?”

“W-when the morning wake up call goes off. Almost everypony will be asleep until then. So a-about five - six hours from now.”

Twilight fixed the Brother with a resigned look. “I ask this more in hope than expectation. Is it possible that the entrance is only lightly guarded?”

Hope shone in his face. “Right now it shouldn’t be guarded too well. I could take you there, you could all walk right out.”

Applejack reached over and stroked his cheek. “Oh darlin’ you were doing so well.” Putting a hoof under his chin, she lifted it up. “I can tell you’re lyin’ to me. If we try walking out, we’d just be caught again, wouldn’t we?”

He nodded, his face now terror-stricken.

“Anything else you’d like to confess, sugar?”

“T-they have alarms to wake up the entire complex if needed.” He squeaked. Applejack patted him on the head. He found her smile almost as bad the pink ones. Almost. He could still feel that one. It was still sat on the back of his head like a physical presence. Turning to look would only make it worse.

Twilight rubbed her chin. “I say we stay put, we’re relatively safe here for the time being. If two ponies go get Sunbeam, and I doubt she’ll come willingly by the way, I will continue to gather more information.” She turned to the Brother, her gaze hardening. “Applejack here will be confirming everything you say, so please, no more heroics. Or I will be… even more disappointed in you.”

- - - - - - - -

Sitting outside the door to Brother Adeptus’ private chambers, the Bastion stared blankly at the stone wall opposite. With the cowl on her robe bunched up around her neck, she had been staring at the wall for hours now.

A bead of moisture had been slowly forming at the edge of the left eye. It finally grew large enough for it to roll down the cheek, only to be quickly absorbed by the fur.

Still looking forward, her right ear suddenly rotated to face down the corridor. She could hear somepony approaching.

“All I asked, dear, was if you knew where we were.”

“Sugar, I can follow a map. And before you ask, he wasn’t trying to fool us when he drew it, he was too scared and… Sweet Celestia! Partner, I do believe we’re in luck.”

“Oh! How wonderful, she’s sitting outside. I honestly thought we were going to have to go into his room to get her. Actually dear, what was your plan if we had to? You never did mention that part.”

“C'mon lets go.”

“Darling, I feel I must inquire now, what was your plan?”

“Shh. Now you know what you have to do partner?”

“Yes I do. And I also believe we are going to have to have a serious chat later, about your plan, or the lack thereof... Partner.”

The Bastion slowly turned her head to look down the corridor. Approaching her were two mares, a grey unicorn in a blue robe and an orange pony in an orange robe. The orange pony was most likely an earth pony. While the robe could be hiding wings, but she looked too heavily built to be a pegasus.

They were a couple of body lengths away now.

The unicorn was wearing a blue robe. So that meant...

“Now!”

The orange one broke into a full gallop, straight at her.

Her head pulling back in surprise, she tried to charge up her horn. The orange pony tackled her before she could finish, throwing them both down the corridor. The orange pony ended up on top of her, pinning her down.

“The ring sugar, get the ring on her horn!”

The unicorn galloped up to them, levitating an inhibitor ring. “Hold her head still!”

The Bastion lifted a forehoof, only to have the orange one push it back down on the floor.

“Hah, ain’t no unicorn alive that can outfight an ‘Apple’ hoof-to-aaaah!”

“Darling! Are you okay?”

The orange pony, none-too-gently, shoved the Bastion’s head down to the floor.

“Ornery varmint! She only went and stabbed me with her horn... Oh horseapples!”

The Bastion’s horn had started glowing.

The orange pony lifted the hoof that had been pinning her head to the floor. “Sorry about this sugar.”

Her hoof struck the Bastion’s horn.

Letting out a whimper, the Bastion’s eyes grew wide as the glow vanished.

The orange pony got off her, allowing the Bastion to curl up and cradle her horn.

The unicorn winced. “Darling! That was uncalled for, I was about to get the ring on. Poor thing.”

The orange pony rubbed the inside of her foreleg where the horn had stabbed her. “Wasn’t gonna risk it. Buck it, that’s gonna bruise. Glad those spikes you’ve got there are blunt sugar.”

The unicorn shot a glare at the orange one, before slipping the ring over the Bastion’s horn. She gently stroked the Bastion’s mane. “There, there…”

The orange pony rolled her eyes. “Oh come on. She’d have… Oh never mind. I’ll tie her up so we can get her back shall I?” Her expression softened as she looked down at the Bastion. “I hope Twi’s right, that she can get her back. Seeing her like this…” She looked at the door in a calculating manner.

The unicorn looked up. “No darling! We leave him alone. He’s a powerful unicorn with three mindless slaves as guards. Getting Sunbeam back is our top priority.”

“Shucks, you’re right. It doesn’t feel right though.” She turned to look down at the still whimpering Bastion. “Hogtying time.” She smirked as she leaned towards her. “No critter ever got out of one of my hogties, not without magic. Not even Rainbow.”

The unicorn looked up with a fake innocent expression. “Really darling, something you want to share with us... about you tying ponies up?”

“I - I... Darn it! Nothing like that. You’ve got a twisted mind there sugar. Now let's get this robe off and…” She tailed off as they both stared at the circle of burnt flesh on one of the Bastion’s flank.

The unicorn blinked before turning a venomous look upon the door.

The orange one quickly tied the Bastion’s legs together. “Let’s go, before we both go do something we shouldn’t.”

The unicorn nodded. “Indeed darling, indeed.”

The orange one slung the Bastion over her back, then shifted the weight around to get comfortable.

Both took several steps down the corridor before they stopped and looked back at the door.

“I still say it doesn’t feel right, just walking away.”

“I know darling, I quite agree. But what would you do to him if you got your hooves on him?”

“I’d…” The orange one hung her head.

“Yes, I’d do the same. Let's go shall we.”

- - - - - - - -

As the door to the chamber opened, Rainbow jumped forward, a hoof raised.

“Oh, it’s you Rares.” Relaxing, Rainbow lowered the hoof. “How’d it go?”

“Got Sunbeam right here partner,” Applejack called out from behind a startled looking Rarity.

Twilight looked around from Brother Steady-Eye, quill in her mouth and a notepad on the floor. Behind her, Fluttershy was staring at Brother Steady-Eye. In turn, he was staring back at her, his whole body trembling, seemingly unable to break the stare.

Rarity tilted her head. “Any problems?”

Twilight smiled, putting the quill down. “No, he tried to leave, but Fluttershy persuaded him to stay. Do you know we’re underground? This entire complex was dug, by hoof, into the side of a cliff.”

Applejack shifted her weight to keep Sunbeam balanced on her back. “That’s mighty fine sugar, but Sunbeam here has been a mite twitchy for a couple of minutes now. I think we should be dealing with her first.”

Twilight glanced at the trussed up pony on Applejack’s back. “Of course Applejack. If you could put her down we can get started.”

Applejack gently rolled Sunbeam off her back. As Sunbeam lay on her side, one of the burn marks on her flanks became clearly visible. Twilight wasn’t the only pony that couldn’t help but stare at the burnt flesh where her cutie mark used to be.

Twilight turned her head away, trying to ignore the injury. Several deep breaths later she felt calm enough to speak. “Right... From what I’ve learned, sounds like Sunbeam was given, once you ignore all the pomp and ceremony that went with it, just a basic mind control drug. And as all those sorts of things tend to work in the same way, a standard treatment works on all of them.”

Twilight turned to Rarity. “The treatment is going to require some magic and that is where I am going to need your help Rarity.”

Rarity sat up. “What do I need to do?”

“What we need to do is provoke a ‘major emotional response’ in her, this will break the controlling effects of the magic. From what I know of Sunbeam, I think I know just the thing that will work.”

Rarity smiled. “Let's do this then darling. I can’t wait to be out of this horrid place.”

Twilight turned her head away, her happy expression falling. “Actually girls, I need to tell you all something before we do this.” Twilight shuffled her hooves. “Given our current situation, Rainbow’s damaged wing, my lack of magic, everypony’s generally exhausted state... please nopony deny it, and other factors. All my projected escape scenarios, save one, have low probabilities of success.”

She took a faltering breath in. “And the only one I can see succeeding is based on… on…” Twilight closed her eyes. “On utilizing Icefang’s skill set. Her full skill set. From what I can gather...” Twilight pointed to Rainbow and Pinkie. “... Is that she is quite accomplished in covert movement. By that, I mean sneaking. I’m sure that not just anypony can sneak up on Pinkie.”

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, that was a good prank by the lake that day. The changeling mask was quite realistic. Rainbow squealed...”

“I didn’t!”

Applejack wrapped a hoof around Rainbow’s neck. “Uh sugar, half the town was there… Yes, yes you did.”

Twilight smiled, enjoying the brief feeling of normalcy as Rainbow stuck her tongue out at Applejack. Reluctantly she continued. “With that in mind, her ability to ‘sneak around’, would be invaluable for the rescue of Greywing. Not to mention securing us a safe passage out of here.”

Twilight closed her eyes. Her chest felt tight as she considered her next words. “Of course, a likely scenario would be her having to… to…” Twilight swallowed. “Neutralize opposing forces.” She hung her head. “Please understand girls, If we ask her to do this, we will be offering a tacit level of approval of her doing just that. We will have blood on our hooves. I just can’t see any other plan working, not without being dependant on an unacceptable level of luck.”

There was silence.

“If anypony has got any other ideas, please… say something. I’m willing to consider almost any alternative right about now.”

More silence.

Twilight’s voice was a whisper. “So, any objections to asking Sunbeam to…?”

Rarity stepped forward. “Darling. Having seen what they have been doing here… I have no objections to your plan. In fact, I wish formally second your plan about asking Sunbeam for help.”

Rainbow nodded. “Thirded. Besides, I’ve already got blood on...”

Fluttershy silenced Rainbow by pulling her into a tight wing hug. “Shhh...” Keeping her wing around Rainbow, she looked around at Twilight. “Sometimes some of my animal friends get hurt, and sometimes with that pain they become dangerous.” There was a sudden hardness in Fluttershy’s voice that the others found uncomfortable. “So to protect the others, I have to act. I accept the necessity of your plan Twilight.”

Applejack gave a slight nod. “No objections from me sugar. Seen plenty varmints from the Everfree get in... and just what they can do to livestock when they do. Sorry to say I don’t see these varmints as being any better.” She looked away. “Worse in fact.”

They all turned to look at Pinkie. With a straight mane, she stared at the ground, she didn’t look up when she spoke. “I don’t want to lose you girls. I realise what we have to do here, but I want you all to pinkie-promise that you’ll come back.” She looked up and made eye-contact with each of them as she tapped the side of her head. “I mean up here. That we’ll all remember who we are, who we still are. And we’ll remind each other of that... if any of us need it.” She lowered her head. “Sunbeam and Greywing as well. I think they are going to need our support as well. Perhaps more.” Pinkie closed her eyes. ‘I hope I can carry Sunbeam, I hope...’

Pinkie looked up in surprise as five ponies all started reciting the pinkie-promise. Some of her curls returned as she watched them. After the girls had finished, she solemnly recited the pinkie-promise herself before smiling at them.

Pinkie turned to Twilight. “We are all here for you Twilight, we are all here for each other. You are not making this decision alone.” She stuck out her tongue. “I’m not letting you. This is our decision. We are all taking an equal load.”

Twilight looked around at her friends, each one nodded back to her as she did so. A small smile formed on her face. “Thank you girls.” She could feel her eyes grow moist. “Thank you so much.” Twilight took a breath in. “Now for Sunbeam.”

Applejack let out a breath. “About time. Had my hoof on her the whole time tryin’ to keep her still.”

Twilight looked around on the floor. “First off we need to blindfold her, where’s the one they used on Fluttershy? Oh and Rarity, this is what I need you to do…”

- - - - - - - -

The blindfold, that had required two ponies to get on her, was finally removed from over the Bastion’s eyes. Blinking in the light, she looked up.

The first thing she saw was an image of Princess Celestia glaring down at her.

- - - - - - - -

Rainbow peered out the door. Gently closing it, she turned back to the others. “All clear.”

Applejack nodded to Rainbow before looking down at the mound of green fur, currently being hugged by Fluttershy and Pinkie.

Lowering her head, Applejack spoke quietly. “How you doing partner?”

An eye opened. It looked around before fixing on Applejack.

“Like I’ve been tortured, turned into a zombie, then revived by somepony who thinks cardiac events are bucking funny!”

Applejack gave her a small smile. “Glad to have you back partner.” Placing a hoof into her ear she wiggled it. “And I just wanna say… Oooeee, you got quite the set of lungs on y’ah girl.”

“Indeed, I am quite glad that this chamber is soundproofed.” Rarity chipped in.

“Yeah, and I thought being at the centre of a sonic rainboom was loud,” Rainbow smirked.

“Buck you all.” The eye closed.

Despite the bravado, both Fluttershy and Pinkie could feel her heart pounding, the tremors still running through her and the rapid pace of her breathing.

Stepping forward Twilight cleared her throat. “Ahem… Sunbeam. How are you? I mean do you feel up to moving around?”

There was a slight movement from Sunbeam that both Fluttershy and Pinkie took as a signal to let go. Giving her room, they watched as Sunbeam unsteadily got her hooves ready to catch her if need be. Swaying slightly, Sunbeam lifted a hoof and ran it down the length of her horn.

Twilight noted the shiver that ran through Sunbeam when her hoof clicked over the notch in her horn.

Looking around the chamber for the first real time, Sunbeam noticed Brother Steady-Eye, cringing in an alcove. Turning her head, she glanced at one of the burn marks on her flank before looking back at him, her eyes narrowing as she did so. Brother Steady-Eye felt his throat become very dry.

Apparently losing interest in Brother Steady-Eye, Sunbeam continued looking around the chamber. Her gaze stopped on Brother Constellation’s body, tucked away in an another alcove. Lifting a hoof to point at him she said nothing as she looked from face to face. Only Rainbow met her gaze with a defiant look. Lowering the hoof, her expression changed to one of empathy. Rainbow held her look for a few seconds longer before looking away. Sunbeam took a step towards her.

Twilight interrupted. “Umm, Sunbeam… We need to tell you… something. Err...” She tailed off.

Sunbeam stopped. Still looking towards Rainbow.

Rarity stepped in. “Darling, we need your assistance. We know… ahhh…” Rarity looked away unable to finish.

Fluttershy hid behind her mane and said nothing.

Rainbow just kept avoiding eye contact.

Applejack snorted as she looked at the others. “Okay, looks like I’m gonna be the one to do this then. Sunbeam, ain’t no easy way to say this. So I’m gonna just come right out and say it. We know you’re Icefang. We know what you are.”

Sunbeam’s expression didn’t change for a second before spinning round to face Applejack, a look of shock growing on her face. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking…”

“Don’t darlin… Don’t.”

Stepping backwards, Sunbeam backed into the wall between alcoves.

“Sorry sugar, we’ve known since the inn. We were going to wait until we got back to do this, but as things stand, looks like we need to deal with this now.”

Looking around, all Sunbeam could see was looks of determination on their faces. She turned her attention to the door to the chamber.

‘I could… A quick dash and…’ Her ears fell to the sides. ‘...And I wouldn’t make it to the door. Not even to the bucking door. Not against the Elements. I… I...’

Twilight took a step towards her. The step echoing in the chamber.

Sunbeam spun round to face the wall. ‘I can’t watch. Funny, I - I thought I would’ve been braver than this…’

She could hear another hoof step towards her.

Sunbeam found herself studying the pockmarked surface on the stone in front of her in great detail. It had a scratch that ran down the length of it, almost perfectly bisecting the stone. Another scratch, starting halfway up, curved upwards but narrowly missed meeting the first scratch. The air was too dry, she decided. Not only was it was making her throat dry, it was giving her a metallic taste in her mouth. Her left flank itched, just above the burn.

‘Humm, I wonder what spell they used to seal my burns? Healing Hoof’s all purpose spell is a good standby for ponies with limited training, but it wouldn’t work for this kind of burn. So I…’

A hoof fell on her shoulder, causing Sunbeam to flinch at the contact. She could feel the lump in her throat.

‘Please, just make it quick. You said we were friends! Just make it...’

Twilight took a breath. “Icefang, we need your help to get us out of here. Can you assist us in...”

- - - - - - - -

Laying on the floor Sunbeam glared at Applejack and Rainbow, both with their backs to her, sniggering.

Fluttershy’s wing gave her a hug. “There, there. You’ve been through a very stressful time. I’m sure anypony could have just fainted like that.”

The sniggering increased. As did the glaring.

Twilight gave the two sniggering ponies an annoyed glance before checking over her notes. “Well that’s everything we know Icefang, you have the map and your skill set seems to be ideally suited for this… endeavor.”

Sunbeam looked up at Twilight. Twilight could see the question on her face.

Twilight sighed. “Reference your entry to Equestria, as soon as I knew you were a fugitive, I realized it was going to be so much easier.” She glared at her. “Yes, easier. Believe it or not, you status as a fugitive is going to actually help your case!” She snorted. “And that’s all down to the fact that there's actually a precedent for this. A wanted fugitive, from another country, helped a noble almost a hundred years ago. As a reward that noble arranged for him to stay in Equestria. And because it was a noble, it gets to stay on the books!”

Twilight stamped a hoof. “All because he helped carry some damned nobles' luggage over a river, he got to stay in Equestria, no questions asked.” She snorted again, only this time it was accompanied by a visible puff of steam. “So, all I have to do is throw you my toothbrush, get you to jump over a stream and I can virtually guarantee that you will get to stay in Equestria. Unbelievable isn’t it?”

Everypony present had noticed that several strands of Twilight’s mane had started sticking out.

Twilight shook her head. “It wouldn’t have mattered how much help you gave, if you had just been a pony that had entered Equestria illegally, I’d still be looking at reams and reams of paperwork. Days and days of interviews, cross examinations, just to let you stay.” Twilight let out a bitter laugh, unaware she was practically shouting now. “But oh no, because you’re a criminal and a precedent is on the books, it’s going to be a case of ‘sign here’ and ‘welcome to bucking Equestria Icefang!’ Twilight threw her hooves in the air and screamed. “Bureaucracy!”

Everypony had shuffled a little bit away from Twilight by now, Sunbeam included.

Twilight glared down at Sunbeam. Without even realising it, she had started doing the calming exercises Princess Celestia had taught her. Several minutes later, her breathing had almost returned to normal. She pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “However, Icefang...”

Fluttershy felt Sunbeam flinch as they both stared at Twilight. ‘Every time! Every time Twilight uses that name, she flinches.’

Twilight kept pointing at Sunbeam. “...We know that you are a mercenary, a bandit and… and...” Twilight shoulders slumped and she dropped her hoof.

Fluttershy could feel Sunbeam start to tremble through her wing.

Sunbeam watched Twilight intently. ‘Don’t say Snake, please... Don’t say Snake.’

“...And providing you follow the laws and ordinances of Equestria, it is within my purview to offer you a provisional visa. A full visa will be dependent on the results of an in-depth assessment, to be carried out later. So provisionally, welcome to Equestria Icefang.”

Fluttershy could feel Sunbeam’s trembles vanish as quickly as they had come.

Sunbeam fought the smile. ‘She didn’t mention Snakes, she didn’t mention… Wait! Could she be messing with me again?’

Twilight shook her head at Sunbeam’s sudden hopeful smile followed by a look of concern. “Yes, the assessment will cover your past actions Icefang. Now I can’t promise that there won’t be any repercussions from that. But what I can tell you is this: that by helping the Element Bearers, on a mission critical to both the Princesses and Equestria, you help your chances immensely. Your actions while in Ponyville, reference getting yourself injured while in defence of foals, will also help.”

Applejack spoke up. “Of course darlin, you do realize that there will be a lot of restrictions placed on you in the near future. I can see you having to wear an inhibitor ring and a tracking bracelet for a start.” She shrugged at a scowling Twilight. “Just being honest here, you’re got a lot of ponies to win over again. No matter what recommendations we might give.”

Sunbeam nodded. “I can live with that. But please…” Her tone became pleading. “Sunbeam. I’m Sunbeam.” She looked away. “I want to forget Icefang ever existed.”

Twilight nodded while flipping a through her notes with a hoof. ‘Got a few questions I will need to ask at the assessment, not right now though, as right now we need her focused. Let's see: Her actions at the Hope’s Hill massacre; how she obtained enough money to buy a house outright in Ponyville; what being a ‘snake’ actually means. The references made to it in the stories were vague; if she’s committed any crimes while in Equestria or against Equestrian citizens...’

Sunbeam pulled herself to her hooves, disrupting Twilight’s train of thought. “Well, it’s time for me to go be a hero I suppose.” She gave Twilight a small smile. “I’m actually looking forward to rescuing Greywing, and gloating ‘quite a lot’ to him afterwards about it.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

Sunbeam waved a hoof. “Fine, I’ll wait until he’s recovered before I start gloating.” She turned to Applejack. “Now, just to show my good intentions.” She looked Applejack in the eye. “I will, to the best of my abilities, secure this facility to enable the rescue of Greywing and our subsequent escape. I will do nothing, knowingly, to endanger anypony in this room. Or Greywing. Or the mission.” She blinked. “How’s that?”

Applejack smiled at her “That’ll do sugar. That’ll do.”

- - - - - - - -

“Hang on Sunbeam.” Twilight trotted out the chamber door and into the corridor with Sunbeam. “I forgot to mention a few things.” She closed the door behind her, leaving them alone.

Sunbeam kept looking down at the map, occasionally lifting her head up to look down the corridor.

Twilight’s hoof started drawing circles on the floor. “Thanks for doing that with Applejack. It does speak volumes that you did it voluntarily. Anyway Sunbeam… I need to ask you something of you.”

An ear swiveled to point at Twilight.

“Once we escape the complex, I calculate that we have a high probability of recapture soon after.”

Sunbeam’s head lifted up.

“Once we get out, we would have no idea where we are, which direction to go, not to mention that none of us are in peak condition right now. They, however, would retain all the advantages of a base of operations, plentiful supplies, knowledge of the local area, numbers, organization and so on. I seriously doubt that we could gain sufficient distance before they started coming after us.”

Sunbeam slowly turned her head to look at Twilight.

Twilight didn’t look up as her voice started to falter. “While I am willing to share the responsibility for what happens during our escape... W-what I am about to ask, only a princess can ask of a pony.”

Twilight’s head dropped, almost touching the floor. “Sunbeam, to maximise our chances of a successful escape, we need to prevent an organized response to it.”

Sunbeam watched impassively as Twilight slowly started to cry, forcing the words out. “For that, they're... their command structure, the chain-of-command, it needs to be… needs to be…” Twilight let out a sob. “...Disrupted. You understand? You understand what I’m… I’m asking of you?”

Twilight hadn’t noticed Sunbeam walk over to her until she lifted her head with a hoof. Tears were rolling down Twilight’s face.

“I’m s-sorry… Sunbeam… I shouldn’t have to ask this of you, of anypony… I shouldn’t have to ask this at all! I’m a terrible pony, I’m a...”

Sunbeam gently placed a hoof over her mouth. Twilight, with tears still running down her face, looked back at her.

Sunbeam lowered her hoof and after a second, took a sudden step forward, enveloping Twilight in a hug. Twilight started sobbing into Sunbeam’s shoulder. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

Sunbeam stared at the wall behind Twilight. ‘Okay practice hugging a pillow helps, but it’s still not quite the same as a real pony. But, I feel progress has been made. That definitely felt more natural than last time. Besides, looked like Twilight really needed a hug right now. Maybe I should comfort her some more?’

“Be thankful Twi, your first time asking this and it’s in defence of friends and country. A totally black and white situation, you couldn’t ask for better circumstances. All the times that follow, when it’s all messy as Tartarus and when whatever you do, ponies are going to get hurt… You can look back to here and now, and know you did the right thing, this one time.”

Twilight’s sobs slowed and she became strangely still in Sunbeam’s hug. Breaking the hug, a hoof still on one of Twilight’s shoulders, Sunbeam waved her other hoof in front of her face. Twilight just kept staring off into the distance.

“Hey, you okay Twi?”

Twilight snapped back to the present. “O-of course. Thank you, Sunbeam.” Twilight’s expression seemed off to Sunbeam for some reason. Nothing she could put her hoof on.

Twilight lifted Sunbeam’s hoof off her and turned to the doorway. Stopping, she looked over her shoulder at her. “I promise I will do everything in my power to let you stay in Equestria.” She gave Sunbeam a small, strained smile.

Sunbeam nodded back at her. “Thank you.”

Twilight walked back into the chamber, as Sunbeam waved to her.

The door closed and Sunbeam’s hoof fell.

Looking down at the floor she swung her hoof out to the left, then let it swing limply back to the right.

“Buck!”

Lifting her head, she glared at the door.

“I’ve done house-clearance before Twi... it’s not fun! And that was with a team of trained ponies. Trying to clear an entire complex, by myself, is just bucking nuts.”

She rubbed her eyes.

“Don’t get me wrong Twi. I want to slaughter every mother-bucker in this cluster-bucked place.”

She dropped the hoof. “And let’s not forget Master...” Her face twitched. “Brother Adeptus. I really want some quality, one-on-one time, with him. I really do.”

She glared at the door again.

“But it’s not the sensible thing to do. The sensible thing to do is to cut my losses and get the buck outta here!”

She glared at the door some more.

“Yet I’m still here. About to do something stupid. Because… because…” Her ears slumped as her eyebrows rose. “I have no idea why!”

She tilted her head to one side, studying the door.

“What’s worse… I don’t want to do the sensible thing Twi. I want to stay and help you. Even if it is bucking nuts.”

Lifting a hoof, Sunbeam angrily jabbed it at the door.

“Just what the buck have you done to me Sparkles?”

Sitting back on her haunches, she brought both hooves up to rub her eyes. “What have you done to me? It used to be all so clear, so simple. Look out for yourself Icefang.” She looked up over her hooves at the door. “Now it’s all so complicated. You’ve got me worrying about other ponies. Other ponies Twi!”

Sunbeam dragged her hooves down over her face. “How did you do that? When did you do that? I never noticed it happening.” Sinking her face into her hooves, she shook her head. “This is sooo gonna get me killed… Oh buck it all!”

Falling forward, there were two clicks as Sunbeam’s forehooves hit the floor.

“On the off-chance that this works, you will owe me pizza and beers for weeks, do you hear me... weeks. Right, time to focus.”

She ran a hoof through her fetlock and took several calming breaths.

“Right, I need to remember to do these... Strike from cover and hit ‘em hard and fast. Keep the pressure up, don’t give them time to recover or regroup. Target small groups, rinse and repeat to wear them down. Patience is my friend... Remember it's short periods of boredom, followed by long periods of being dead. Prioritise targets, make sure they stay down… ”

She couldn’t help but say the last bit in Silver Strike’s voice. “And damn well remember to keep checking your bucking six Icefang.”

She looked along the corridor.

“Primary objectives: disrupting the chain-of-command and rescuing Greywing. Greywing isn’t going anywhere. So I can concentrate on the chain-of-command first. The more disruption I cause, the better our chances of our escape. So... I’m looking to maximize casualties overall.”

She stared off into the distance.

“Most will be sleeping. So that will make it easier.”

A few more seconds passed. Her ears fell to the sides.

“I’m gonna have to do it, aren’t I?”

Sunbeam lowered her head. She was silent for a moment before she sniggered. “Hey, Scrolls... Congratulations! Today I’m going to do it! Today, I finally become the pony that you always wanted me to be.”

She sat in silence for a while before lifting her head. Her lips pulled back into a snarl.

“And I hope you rot in Tartarus for it!”

Sunbeam closed her eyes.

“...I’ll save you a place.” She whispered.

- - - - - - - - -

Pinkie fell to the floor twitching madly. Fluttershy and Rainbow rushed over to help, with Applejack, Rarity and Applejack joining them a few seconds later as they had been busy trying to find out what was wrong with Twilight.

Fluttershy stroked Pinkie’s fetlock as the twitches subsided. “Goodness, are you okay Pinkie? That looked like quite the pinkie-sense reaction.”

Pinkie looked up, her hair straight and tears in her eyes. “I think something terrible is about to happen...”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam looked up at the sound of the guard’s partner calling out. He was calling out that he should slow down and stop splitting up from him, it was dangerous.

She nodded in agreement... and stepped over the body.

Chapter 34 - First Dig Two Graves

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Chapter 34 - First Dig Two Graves

Sunbeam stood outside the guard room door, her eyes glowing slightly as she studied the magical auras of the ponies inside.

‘Two sitting down, probably at a table. As they’re closest to my entry point, they’ll be first and second. Another is standing in, what I think is, the kitchen, you'll be the third. And finally, the one laying down, you, my friend, will be the fourth and last to go. So the order of engagement is: two at the table; one stood up; one laying down. Middle, middle, left, right.’ She repeated the motions with her head a few times before taking a breath.

‘Ready… wait.’ She backed into the shadows, her eyes returning to normal, as one of the auras started moving towards the door.

- - - - - - - -

Walking back into the guard room, Misty Night grumbled loudly. “I swear that last beer had something in it. I don’t know how you lot aren't affected, I can’t stop going to…”

He slowed to a stop. Bright Smile was slumped over the table, scattering cards and playing chips everywhere. At least he assumed it was Bright Smile; the pony was missing its head. Shiny Bead was still laying on the bunk bed, a look of surprise on his face... and missing an entire section of his barrel between his fore and hind legs. In the doorway to the kitchen, he could see a pair of hind legs laying on the floor. They were the same colour as Blue Rose’s.

Taking a step into the room, he heard a crunch. Looking down, he found the floor covered in red and white crystals.

His mouth opened and closed as he stood and stared.

Behind him, Sunbeam stepped forward, a dagger in her hoof.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam studied the map she’d unrolled and laid on the table. Using piles of playing chips, and one of Bright Smile’s hooves, she’d managed to get the map flat. Tapping her hoof on each guard room she’d cleared, she smiled when she tapped on this one. The exit was unguarded now.

‘Right, that’s all the guard rooms taken care of. Okay I admit it, I was fretting. This is a lot easier than I thought. Three to four per guard room and very poorly trained, if at all. Looks like somepony just gave them weapons and expected them to be able to guard.’ Sunbeam shook her head. ‘Not to mention a complete lack of drilling in what to do if attacked. Most of them just stood there, trying to work out what to do. Not that I’m complaining of course.’

Looking back down at the map, her hoof tapped on the dormitory. Giving a brief nod, she freed the map from the weights, rolled it up and placed it back in her sash. The green sash and the two black handled daggers it held, ones that had been liberated from the last guard room.

“Neutralise all guard rooms: done. Wiping out the main body of this little cluster-buck: next. After that, go see Mast… Brother Adeptus and…” Her smile grew lopsided. “Express my displeasure. Then I got all the time in the world to go rescue Greywing and gloat madly.” Her face turned mock serious. “Internally of course.”

- - - - - - - -

In the locker room, Hardy Shore studied his cards. Seated opposite him, over the bench they were using as a table, Soft Touch studied his.

Soft Touch was supposed to be helping tend the fire with Leafy Scribble back in the dormitory. Hardy Shore had gotten up early and persuaded him to carry on the card game from earlier, he wanted a chance to win some of his bits back. Leafy Scribble hadn’t minded being left alone to tend the fire, stating that she found watching the flames relaxing.

Lifting his cards up over his shoulder, Soft Touch showed them to the green unicorn mare behind him. He pointed to a card, she shook her head and tapped another.

Faintly annoyed, Hardy Shore watched Soft Touch discard the card the unicorn had tapped and picked up another. He tried not to smile too much when Soft Touch pulled a face on seeing the new card. He then threw the unicorn a dirty look, getting a shrug in response.

Hardy Shore went to look down at his cards, when the unicorn, with a puzzled expression, pointed a hoof behind him.

Hardy Shore twisted around to look behind him. All he could see was the door to back to the dormitory. He looked back to ask…

Soft Touch had a dagger buried in the side of his neck, a bloodied tip just protruding out the other side. He sat there with a shocked look on his face, a trembling hoof halfway up to his neck, trying to say something, but unable to find his voice.

The unicorn had her head lowered, her horn pointing directly at Hardy Shore.

Hardy Shore saw a bright flash.

- - - - - - -

Walking into the dormitory, Sunbeam took a good look around in the purposely low lighting. The dormitory itself had been hewn straight out of the bedrock, with the walls and ceiling having an uneven, rough look to them. There were five rows of beds, three rows of single beds to the left of the central walkway and two rows of bunk beds to the right. The roaring fire at the opposite end of the room, in an attempt to keep the cold and damp at bay, had a single pony tending it. She had her back to Sunbeam.

As Sunbeam silently approached the pony, she could hear light snores and the odd creak-of-a-bed as somepony turned over in their sleep. The pony, engrossed by the fire, never heard her approach.

Sunbeam studied the fire as the ponies’ struggles, like the pony herself, died in her grip. ‘Humm, must be magically transferring the smoke out of here somehow.’

Sunbeam moved back to the centre of the room and looked around the dormitory.

With a puzzled look, she brought up a hoof to her eyes and examined it as it trembled.

‘Get a grip you stupid mare, you’ve retired groups of ponies before.’

She lowered her hoof. Her ears fell flat to the sides.

‘Just... This is more than -all- the ponies I’ve ever retired put together.’

More seconds passed.

‘Oh I hate you Scrolls, namely for making me able to do this. I so don’t -want- to do this, I so don’t want to be here.' She snorted. “Yeah, nopony’s ever said that before have they."

She took a deep breath. ‘Nopony is here to do this for me though.’

A dull milky glow surrounded her horn.

Sunbeam closed her eyes. ‘Still, I’d rather be on a beach right now.’

The dust in the air around her started to glint.

‘A white-sand tropical beach. In a hammock, stretched between two palm trees. In the shade, drinking a cocktail...’

The drain on her reserve became unpleasant.

‘Jungle to the left, sea to the right. I can smell the salty smell of the sea. I can smell the damp-earth smell of the jungle…’

Frost formed around her on the floor. The amount of magic the spell was now needing to be maintained was fast approaching her limit.

‘Hah, I don’t even like the beach! Laying there, listening to your brain bake.’

Reaching a critical level of charge, the spell fundamentally changed and it's demands on her spiked. No longer viable by the amount of magic she could feed it, the spell started forcibly extracting the extra magic it wanted directly from her.

A pained exhale came from Sunbeam as her output exceeded her limits. With the spell feeding itself now, she’d lost all control over it.

‘I can hear the… the sounds of the... jungle. The… sounds of... the sea...’

There was no way she could stop the spell now. It would keep feeding until it initiated itself. The frost started to expand in all directions.

‘S-s-sipping a c-cocktail from a c-coconut husk… Oh, I - I hate p-pain.’

Her coat started to glisten as ice crystals formed in it. The exhales from the ponies in the nearest beds could clearly be seen as little puffs of vapour now.

‘Drin-king the cockt-tail t-t-through…. a-a…. s-str-aw-aw. It has a, a… yellow u-umbrella in it. I c-can taste the...’

The spell entered its final stages. It no longer mattered if Sunbeam remained conscious or not.

‘...Piñ-a c-colada… It’s...’

The spell took everything she had left in her reserve... and triggered.

Sunbeam fell to the floor, briefly losing consciousness.

- - - - - - - - -

The last flame in the fireplace sputtered and died. The embers glowed for a few seconds longer… then the frost claimed the log.

Even in the now distinctly duller light cast by the frost coated lanterns, the room glistened with frost.

In the middle of the dormitory laying stretched out on her stomach was Sunbeam. The coating of frost hid her green fur, making it look like there was a white pony laying on the floor, panting heavily, waiting for her shakes to subside.

There was no other sound in the room now: no crackle of the fire; no snoring; no creak-of-the-bed as somepony turned over in their sleep. Just rows of silent, frost covered beds.

Her mind slowly cleared.

“T-that hurt! I think... I think I’m gonna lay here for a bit. So tired. Need to recover before I move on.” She looked around at the beds.

She quickly turned her head away. ‘Don’t count! Don’t count!’

As she lay there, unable to do anything much else, her mind wandered.

‘Think I hit minus one twenty C there, without an amulet. Scrolls would be so proud… may the mother-bucker burn in Tartarus.’

She shifted around to get comfortable.

‘Humm, I wonder how deep Tartarus actually goes? I’ve never been particularly fond of hot weather. I do hope they’ve got air-con and iced drinks. And by the pool I want...’

The memory rose unbidden.

‘I want to get a cutie mark in singing mummy! I like seeing ponies smile when I sing. Can I be a singer when I grow up mummy?’

Sunbeam slowly curled up into a ball.

- - - - - - -

Twilight paced the chamber.

Applejack sighed. “Darn it sugar, will you settle down. I’m sure that Sunbeam taking this long, without any alarms going off, is a good sign. Probably means she’s doing her best to avoid unnecessary casualties.”

Twilight’s ears fell.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam held the dagger up to the Bastion’s unflinching eyes. She glanced over to Brother Adeptus, sleeping on the other side of the room. She’d barely had enough magic to place the silencing spell.

She looked back at the Bastion. “Twilight explained it to me, you’ve been like this too long to come back. I offer you the only release a pony like me can offer. Say something if you don’t want it.”

No response. Sunbeam nodded. She looked at the other two Bastions who she’d made the same offer to. They hadn’t responded either.

- - - - - - - -

Cold water being thrown over him woke Brother Adeptus. He immediately reached for his magic, only to howl in pain as the inhibitor ring around his horn punished him for doing so.

Sunbeam tied him face down on the bed while he was too busy with the pain to resist. Afterwards, she seated herself down by the head of the bed, patiently waiting for him recover.

She jovially patted him on the head as she waited. “Just so you know, you are going to die. I just need to know where my amulet is.” Her tone darkened. “You turned me into a meat puppet. I was a someponies bucking puppet... again.” Taking several calming breaths, her jovial tone returned as she ruffled his forelock. “I do hope you like screaming.”

As an afterthought, she leaned forward and tapped the inhibitor ring on his horn. “With Miss Rarity’s regards.”

- - - - - - - -

Brother Adeptus screamed as Sunbeam broke his hind leg.

She smiled up at him. “Now I have your attention… Where is my amulet?”

He lay there whimpering.

She tilted her head. “Tick tock Brother.”

She placed her hooves on his other hind leg and raised an eyebrow.

“Desk drawer…” He panted out.

She smiled... and broke his other hind leg.

- - - - - - -

Carefully, Sunbeam opened the second draw in the desk. Sitting there on some papers, was her amulet. Reverently she lifted it up and hugged it to her chest. Almost a full minute went past before she went to close the drawer.

A drawing of a spell matrix on the top sheet caught her eye, it was clearly one from her amulet. Curiosity piqued, she lifted out the papers and started reading them.

“My, you’ve been busy haven’t you Brother. Trying to work out what the last stage of the spell does humm?” Sunbeam scanned the sheet. “Nope, nope… Not even close… Oh! Now you’re just guessing.” She looked over to him. “Would you really like to know what it does?” She lifted an eyebrow. “Well, I’m not going to tell you.” Sunbeam blew a raspberry at him. “So there.” She flipped a page over. “And…”

The shiver went down her spine as she looked at the page. “You’ve identified the second stage! It’s…”

“A necromancy spell!” Brother Adeptus sneered at her. “Oh yes, the noble hero, always trying to do what is right, has been wearing a bauble with the darkest of arts on it all this time. Oh, how noble of you, wearing a spell that captures a soul upon death and imprisons as much of it as possible into the target receptacle. Crude, ancient in design, but effective I’ll grant you. Whatever the third stage does, it’s powered by a soul.”

Sunbeam’s back legs gave way.

He smiled at her shocked look. “If anypony finds what you’re wearing, you’ll be kicked out of every civilized place on the planet. If they don’t kill you first.”

Slowly Sunbeam stood up and walked over to him. Brother Adeptus tensed up, waiting for the blow.

Sunbeam leaned over and kissed his forehead.

He lay there, open-mouthed, as she did a little dance before him.

“Oh thank you thank you thank you. You have no idea how much that was driving me up the wall. I just couldn’t find the spell matrix listed anywhere. By the way, it doesn’t power it, the second stage provides the all-important focus for the third stage. The power source is… unique.”

Sunbeam seated herself back down. “Necromancy! Hah! No wonder I couldn’t find anything in the library. Little-miss-goody-four-shoes couldn’t have anything like that in there, could she? Oh no!” Her smile turned rueful as she rubbed her chin in thought.

Brother Adeptus saw her suddenly shiver.

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders… Necromancers…” Her eye’s widened as watched some internal scene playing out. “Oh buck no! Twilight Sparkle, you go right ahead and keep those books hidden.”

She leaned close to him and whispered. “Trust me on this, there are some destructive powers that are not meant to be understood by ponykind.”

Sunbeam pulled back, her expression turning thoughtful.

“But, back on subject, why the necromancy? Why would the clan have to resort to such a thing? Let's see if we can piece this together shall we.”

Sunbeam started pacing in front of him. “First off, they would have had to leave in a hurry after the failed attempt on the Princess’s lives. With the Night Princess now banished and the Day Princess actively hunting them…” She shuddered at the thought. “They would need to take necessities, not dead weight. Besides, most of the materials they had would have already been used up.”

She stopped pacing and looked at Brother Adeptus.

“So, they end up in the middle of nowhere. Terrified that the Day Princess is about to find them, but with no materials to make the only thing that could offer a chance against her.”

Sunbeam rubbed her face.

“Making the amulet itself is pretty easy, just a spell really, but...!” She held up a hoof. “Magic naturally defaults to a living focus, so without those missing materials, the magic will end up focusing itself through the user. Which, at those levels of magic, is totally inadvisable.” She drew her hoof across her throat, sticking her tongue out the side of her mouth.

Sunbeam paused for thought.

“Soooo… the crux of the problem is: they needed a way to focus the magic through the amulet, not the user, without the exotic materials normally needed.”

She pointed at Adeptus.

“Now let’s add the necromancy into the mix. A spell that grabs a soul upon death and shoves as much of it as it can into...”

Sunbeam blinked. “Oh buck.”

She sat down. “A soul. A soul would work!” Her hoof hit her head, just below her horn. “Kill somepony, take their souls... with the Dagger of Ascension.” Her voice rose in pitch. “Then embed the soul into a ‘suitable target receptacle’… An Amulet of Passage!” Her hoof travelled to her amulet. “And thus, we end up with an amulet that can channel magic, with a safe external focus.”

Sunbeam paled. “Of course, the normal focusing materials are slowly burnt off when we channel magic through them. So we should expect the same to happen to the...”

Lunging forward, she grabbed Brother Adeptus head with both hooves. “My amulet never worked! It’s got an innate life-charge on it. It would have rejected the spell the minute they tried. And therefore it would have released Mr Sable’s soul in the process.” She shook his head desperately. “Tell me I’m right! Tell me I’m right!”

Brother Adeptus managed to speak. “Y-y-y-y-yes.” She released his head, sitting back on her haunches, panting heavily.

He looked at her, waiting for the room to stop spinning before speaking again. “Yes, your amulet is nothing more than a shiny bauble. There’s no soul in there. The necromancy spell never completed it’s initiation protocol. Such a waste.”

Sitting there, holding her amulet, she ran her hoof through her forelock unheeding of his words. “You know, I used to curse the fact that my amulet never worked. I thought myself so unlucky.” Sunbeam looked up at the ceiling “Right now, I’ve never felt luckier. Perspective’s a funny thing eh?”

Standing up, Sunbeam started pacing again. “You know, a normal pony would be totally freaking out about now…” She winked at him. “Just as well I’m not a normal pony, isn’t it.” She looked away. “Okay, maybe a little freak-out is going on.”

She shook her head. “Breathe… breathe… Okay, only myself and the good brother know about this…”

‘And that list is going to get shortened.’

“So... this is contained. I can readily assume that nopony else suspects this, or I would have found a mob breaking down my door in the middle of the night.” Sunbeam took another calming breath. “As I’m still alive, which is a good thing, it means I can chill my plot out. Nopony is going to find out unless I start drawing attention to it.”

Sunbeam placed a hoof over her still rapidly beating heart. “And the clincher being… there’s nothing I can really do about it anyway right now. So let’s put this all to one side and deal with this later. One crisis at a time.”

Sunbeam smiled to herself. ‘Yay, a plan. Okay, it’s an ‘ignore it and hope it goes away’ kinda plan, but, it’s still a plan.”

Sunbeam relaxed a bit and smiled at Brother Adeptus. “Once I get Twi and the others back to Ponyville, then I can deal with this. For ‘dealing with this’, read: massive property damage to the Everfree Forest type freak out. Then I can start, discreetly, sourcing information relating to necro...’

Sunbeam face-hoofed.

“I’m a moron!” Sunbeam dragged her hoof down over her face. “Brother Adeptus, how do you know so much about necromancy? Have you been being… a naughty colt?”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam pointed at the door to the Master’s room. “This... this is all about bringing a single bucking pony back to life!”

Brother Adeptus nodded.

“What’s more, you haven’t even got all of this pony, just a part of him. Sitting there on the pedestal.”

He nodded again.

“Do you have any idea how much magic you would need to…” She tailed off and scowled at him. “You do! This entire place, the crystal, is about collecting enough magic to do that!”

She pointed a hoof at him. “Well let’s say you do manage to bring him back. If he isn’t a dripping imbecile, or if he isn’t a raging ghoul, rebuilding the body out of magic isn’t going to work out long term. The magic will eventually run out and the body will start to fall apart. Literally. So unless you’re planning on maintaining the body with frequent magical sacrifices…” Her hoof fell.

Adeptus smiled at her. “Oh ponies have already been willing to offer themselves to his glory. He saved me so I could bring him back. After his return, I will keep serving him in any way I can.”

He looked off into the distance. “I had lost all direction in my life when they banished me. I had been so long in the wilderness, all alone, when I heard him calling. He gave me the strength to continue, the strength to survive, the strength to do what must be done. He gave me a direction in life.” He looked at her. “He wants me to tell you this, you should listen.”

Sunbeam looked around the room and made a clear point of yawning.

“They burnt off my cutie marks when they found me in the bed with both the mayor’s daughters. Said my talent in persuasion was too dangerous. They kicked me out of the village afterwards and expected me to perish in the wilderness. But after finding him, with his strength, I survived. With his guidance, my skill in persuasion grew.”

A look of ecstasy formed on Brother Adeptus’ face. “I went back to the village at night, night after night. I’d pick a pony, tie them down in their own house and convert them. Soon enough, we were numerous enough that my converts could go out and bring ponies back to me. Most tried to resist, but none succeeded, they all converted to his cause. By the time the mayor and his lackeys realised this, it was too late. We burnt the village down, along with those still loyal to the mayor, before moving up here.” He smiled. “I made sure the mayor survived as a symbol of what we were fighting against.”

Sunbeam looked at an imaginary watch.

“With him guiding us, we prospered. As time passed we learnt of a team of archeologists excavating some ruins. Of the crystal they had found. We converted them before they could report their findings. With the crystal secured, all the unicorns, including the mayor’s daughters, were offered up to it. I made the mayor watch as his daughters willingly ascended to glory. Then it was his turn. When the ‘Master’ has returned, he will clear the world of the unworthy and I will take my place by his side as his most trusted of servants.”

Sunbeam gave him a flat look before making circular motions by the side of her head. “And that’s coming from me.”

He looked her up and down and snorted. “You scoff, but I have a cause, while you have nothing. You just exist. You’re just a predator, moving from kill to kill. Oh yes, I can see that in your eyes. I can also see something else quite amusing now I realise it. You're not a wolf in ponies clothing, oh no!” His smile returned. “You’re a wolf that actually thinks she’s a pony!” He snorted. “You may have the memories of the pony whose skin you wear. But those memories are hers, not yours. Make no mistake, wolf, there is only the predator left, that pony no longer exists.”

Sunbeam stood up.

“We can make use of a wolf such as you. We can give you direction, give meaning to your pitiful life. The pony you’re dressed as, her memories, we can wash them away, free your mind, give you a fresh start. Give you certainty in a world that has none. Make you...”

The dagger went through his left forehoof. Brother Adeptus screamed as Sunbeam twisted it.

Standing up, leaving the dagger embedded in his hoof, Sunbeam walked towards the Master’s room. Stopping at the door, she lifted her head slightly but didn’t look round at him. “That little filly had a name you know. In no way did she deserve what happened to her. You will not speak of her.”

Sunbeam pushed the door open. “Your sick little necromancy project here is over Adeptus. Most of your bucked up followers are already dead... And when I destroy whatever’s on the pedestal, it will be all over for you. Then…” Her hoof slid down the door making a screeching noise. “Then you’re going to die Adeptus. You’re going to die screaming.”

Through the pain, Adeptus watched as she walked into the room and smiled.

‘Oh, he is so right! She -will- make a wonderful queen for him. A queen worthy enough to take a place by his side. A queen that can inspire fear by herself, not be some useless decoration. As soon as she looks upon him, she’ll see the light. His power will...’

Sunbeam’s scream came through the doorway.

Brother Adeptus’ smile grew a bit wider. ‘She has seen him! She is his now. My pain is nothing, a pittance for gaining such a deserving queen.’

There was no sound for several minutes, then hesitant hoofsteps coming back could be heard.

Sunbeam stood in the doorway. Shaking, with eyes wide open and her horn glowing, she looked around with a dazed expression.

The Master, encased in a white glow, floated next to her.

Brother Adeptus closed his eyes and turned his head away. “Master! Your loyal servant awaits your instructions.”

Sunbeam staggered towards the bed, sitting down at the head of it. The Master floated up next to her.

Still looking away, he comforted her. “You see the power of the Master now? He may only be a fragment, but all he is, is still in there. All that power. Nopony can resist.” He turned to address the Master. “Yes Master, she will make a fine queen for you. Look at him, wolf, and behold his glory.”

Sunbeam turned her head towards the object floating next to her. She could feel her guts twist at the sight of it.

She just couldn’t look away from it. As soon as she’d taken the cover off, she’d known just what it represented. She looked at the master.

A lump of rock with a crudely drawn face on it looked back at her.

A rock she’d tested, a rock that held no magic at all.

“All...” Sunbeam gestured around her with a hoof. “All of this… is for…?” Her voice tailed off.

“Oh yes!”

She looked down at Brother Adeptus. “You’d been alone in the wilderness for a long time, hadn’t you? You’d been alone for so long before you found the master.”

Brother Adeptus grin grew. “Oh, he gifts you with knowledge, you are honoured. You truly are worthy to look upon him like this. None of the others I have ever allowed to see him like this.”

Sitting back on her haunches, she floated the rock into her hooves. She turned it so the face was looking at her. She tested it for the fourth time. Still no magic.

Her voice was hollow. “Everything, all the killing, all the taking of magic, the torture… everything you’ve done here is to bring... this… back to life?”

“With all the stored magic, and my knowledge of necromancy, I can make him live again. The cult can be rebuilt. He will return to glory. With me as his most trusted servant and you as his queen.”

Sunbeam nodded silently, still looking at the face on the rock.

Sunbeam broke the silence. “What’s it like?” She looked up at Adeptus. “What’s it like, not knowing you’re crazy?”

He gave her a puzzled look

She looked back at the rock before nodding. “Yeah, right. Silly question.”

Finally, she tore her gaze off the rock again and looked at Adeptus. The words seemed fitting.

“You’re flawed.”

Lifting the rock up into the air with both hooves, Sunbeam’s lips curled back.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam walked out of the Masters room, dripping wet. She glanced over at the bed.

“You went to all the trouble of putting a shower in there... and then forget to put any towels in the shower!” Sunbeam shook her head before shaking herself, spraying water everywhere.

Still tied to the bed, Brother Adeptus said nothing.

Sunbeam gave herself one last shake and walked towards the door.

Pausing, Sunbeam gave the bed a flick of her tail before she left.

A rock, with a crudely drawn face on it, smiled at her retreating back. A rock that had been carefully placed on the heavily stained bed. A rock that had been carefully placed where the good Brother’s head should have been.

- - - - - - - -

Pinkie moved over to Twilight and put a hoof around her. Twilight smiled slightly back at her.

“Thank you Pinkie. I...”

“I’m here to remind you that you’re still Twilight. Even if you’re hiding things from your friends, you’re are still a good pony.”

“Huh, Pinkie, what…?”

“Shhh, silly. We all pinkie-promised each other we would remind each other of that. If they needed it. I’m just doing that.”

Twilight gave her a questioning look.

Pinkie leaned forward and whispered into her ear. “I mean, just because somepony asked somepony else to do something, and then something happened, a terrible mistake... Well, a terrible mistake doesn’t mean they are terrible ponies.”

Pinkie gave Twilight her ‘best smile’ as Twilight just stood there with a shocked look. ‘I don’t know what’s happened Sunbeam, but I believe you. You didn’t know. You didn’t mean to. I know how truly sorry you are.’

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam stood to one side and let Sister Read walk past her.

Wearing a set of red librarian glasses, and her nose buried in a report, she never noticed Sunbeam.

Sunbeam stepped back into the middle of the corridor, looking at the back of the Sister.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam stepped over the set of red librarian glasses and levitated up the report. She read the first few lines and then shook her head. Screwing the report up in a ball, she threw it over her shoulder.

“A bucking laundry report?”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam looked at the dungeon door. “Well, second time lucky for the cavalry Greywing.”

Kicking the door open she strode into… an empty cell.

Both her shoulders and her ears slumped at the same time. “Great! Now I gotta go looking. Greywing, I am sooo gonna gloat my flank off when I finally rescue you.”

Trotting back out into the corridor, she tilted her head, listening. She smiled at the sound of conversation. Following the sound, she stopped and peered around an open door. Two guards were sat at a table, drinking coffee

Pulling her head back, Sunbeam leaned against the wall.

‘Whichever one I capture, I’ll end up having to retire the other one. And it’s bound to be the one I retire that’ll have the info I need. So, patience, one at a time. My reserve still hasn’t fully recovered yet.’ She sighed. ‘I hate waiting.’

- - - - - - - - -

Sturdy Backstep looked up as Sweet Harvest stood up. “Ugh, too much coffee, be right back.”

Sturdy looked back down to his coffee as the pegasus walked out the door. He didn’t notice Sweet Harvest suddenly sliding sideways just outside the door.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam threw the levitated guard into the cell, making sure that the silencing spell was still in effect.

“What the Tartarus is your bladder made of? I was waiting outside for almost an hour, bored outta my skull. But four cups! I watched you drink four cups of bucking coffee in that hour!”

She shook her head as the guard struggled to his hooves.

“Right, priorities! Where is Greywing? The pony that was in this cell?”

The guard looked up and immediately tried to rush at her. He found himself floating in midair encased in a white aura, with the unicorn smirking at him.

“Not smart, but I need info, you get to live. Now, where is the pony that was in this cell?”

“Huh?”

Sunbeam rolled her eyes. “Great, I get the moron.” She started speaking slowly. “The… Grey… Pegasus… that was in here. Where… Is… He?”

“The grey pegasus?”

Sunbeam nodded, slowly. “Yesssss.”

“They finished his conversion. He was taken…”

Sunbeam held up a hoof, cutting him off. “Horseapples. Bucking horseapples. Finished his conversion you say?”

Sweet Harvest nodded.

“Great, just bucking great.” She looked at him. “That means so much more work. With me, it was a simple magic spell-drug thing to revert. With those mind-games you’ve played, you’ve totally bucked up his mind.” She stamped forward. “Great, that is going to be sooo much more work. Buck! No gloating then.” She sighed. “Still, better go rescue the silly bastard and all that. So, where is he then?”

“Upon his conversion, he was given a sedative and taken to the dormitory. So when he woke up, he would be surrounded by his new brethren.”

Silence. Sweet Harvest shifted nervously, looking at the door.

Sunbeam blinked once. Coming out of whatever trance she was in, she took a step towards him, her voice calm.

“Don’t lie to me. Where is he?”

“As I said, the dormit...”

The white glow surrounded him and he was thrown violently into the wall behind him.

Sunbeam stormed forward, snarling, as he lay dazed on the floor.

“Don’t lie to me! Why do you lie to me? Where is he?”

Still dazed, Sweet Harvest answered automatically. “Dormitory…”

The glow surrounded him again. This time, he was hurled against the ceiling before being thrown down, hard, onto the floor. The sound of several bones breaking could clearly be heard in the small cell.

The glow appeared around his neck and hauled him back up to her eye-level.

Screaming into his face, spittle flying, Sunbeam was almost nose-to-nose with him. “Stop lying to me! Why do you keep lying to me? I’m here to save him! Where... is... he?”

“D - Dorm...”

The sound of the crack echoed in the cell. The glow around his neck vanished and Sweet Harvest fell onto the floor, his head now twisted at a grotesque angle.

Sunbeam looked at the body before giving off a scream of rage. Spinning round, she wrenched the door open and marched out into the corridor.

“Greywing! Greywing! Answer me you stupid bastard! Where are you?”

She looked at the cell door opposite. A glow appeared around the door... and it was then torn from its hinges. She stepped forward and looked into the cell.

- - - - - - - -

Sturdy Backstep could hear the commotion going on out in the corridor. Grabbing a spear, hoping that Sweet Harvest would be along in a minute to back him up, he headed out.

He found a dark green unicorn mare standing in the corridor, looking around with a confused expression. Sturdy Backstep failed to register that none of the cells had doors anymore.

He watched as the mare looked into a cell, pull her head back, then look back into it again. “Greywing?”

He pointed the spear at her. “Halt.”

The mare swung her head round to look at him. He took a step backwards at the look she gave him.

“Where’s Greywing?”

“H-halt. You are ordered to…”

Sunbeam had been using a spell that could rip solid dungeon doors out of the wall. Changing spells would have taken time and energy. Sunbeam didn’t bother to waste either.

Sturdy Backstep was dead from shock before he could comprehend what was happening to him.

Sunbeam looked away. No longer interested, she let go of everything she was holding in the air and set off into the complex.

- - - - - - - -

Brother Speaker bumped his flank against the new converts’ flank. Trying to avoid the burn mark.

“Oh yes, the cult is always welcoming of, new talent.”

She giggled at him. “Oh it is so nice to finally meet a proper gentlecolt. A gentlecolt of position, of looks, of… power.” She bumped her flank against his.

“Let me show you the canteen. They should be getting breakfast ready now. As it’s only us, the guards and the kitchen staff awake now, we’re sure to get the best they have to offer. And with us having…” He winked at her. “Used so much energy recently, we do so need it.”

She giggled again.

Brother Speaker walked into the communal dining area. To his surprise the tables were only half laid out and some cutlery was laying on the floor. They hadn’t even started bringing out breakfast yet he noted.

Seeing the door to the kitchen was open, he walked towards it and called out.

“It’s Brother Speaker. Why aren't the tables laid out? Where is everypony?”

There was a pause, then a green unicorn stuck her head round the open doorway. Obviously new to the kitchen he realised, as somehow, she’d got coffee stains all over her face. Something about her stare though was unsettling.

“Where’s breakfast? It should be…”

She cut him off, her voice cold. “Where’s Greywing?”

Taken back at her impertinence, he stuttered into silence.

The mare took a step forward. “I’m with him, we want our breakfasts. Now why don’t you be a good little filly and go get them for us.”

- - - - - - - - -

Brother Speaker galloped down the hallway, his ears pinned back. Blindly he turned this way and that way, no longer caring where he ran to. He’d first ran to the nearest guard room, only to find dead ponies in it. He could still see the scene, one slumped over the table, missing it’s head. One on a bunk, in two parts. One laying in the kitchen and another in the doorway, his throat cut. After that, he’d just kept running.

He didn’t even realize he’d run into a dead end until he nearly collided with the wall.

Frantically he looked around for a way out. He spotted a door.

Diving through the door, he realised he was in a storeroom. Filled with crates and barrels, it had no other exits.

“Block the door, barricade the door…”

With renewed energy, he started hauling everything he could lift up against the door. Slowly, he calmed down when the pile against the door was deemed large enough.

Sitting down he ran his hoof through his forelock. He frowned at finding something there that shouldn’t have been there. Puzzled, he lifted it down to look at it.

He gave a brief scream as he threw away part of the mare’s ear.

He screamed again when there was a knock on the door.

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam stepped out from the storeroom. Over the remains of the shattered door and barricade. She looked along the corridor.

“Greywing!”

- - - - - - - -

Cheery Skies looked around at the four foals, all trying be be brave and not to cry. She was tempted to break down herself. Little Petal was seated with the foals, unconsciously rubbing her very pregnant belly. Cheery rubbed hers, she was only a month or two behind Little Petal.

“The guard said to stay in here, they were going to try and ambush whatever is loose in the complex by the junction.”

Little Petal nodded. Cheery could see the fear in her eyes. She felt it herself. The three guards had had it as well. They’d gone off to find more guards. The fact they had returned by themselves, obviously looking shaken, had not inspired confidence.

Little Petal forced a smile. “Maybe whatever it is will pass us…”

Screams could be heard nearby.

The silence that followed was worse.

Little Petal held the foals tight as a white glow formed around the door, just before it was ripped off.

Standing there, in silhouette, was a pony with glowing eyes. “I can see your auras through the walls you know. You can’t hide from me.” It took a step in. “Why do you hide from me? I only want to know where Greywing is.”

The pony stepped into the light. Cheery blanched at the sight. It was a unicorn, a unicorn covered in blood. She had a cut on her right shoulder, running diagonally from the base of her neck to her elbow. It looked shallow, if messy, to Cheery’s untrained eyes. Half of her left ear was missing as well. The unicorn didn’t even seem to notice her injuries.

“Where’s Greywing?”

Cheery took a step forward, putting herself between the unicorn and the foals. She felt that the glowing eyes were looking right through her.

- - - - - - - -

Pinkie sat bolt upright. Her eyes looking into the distance.

Rarity leaned in and hugged her. “Girls! I think Pinkie is having another Pinkie-sense reaction.”

Pinkie started shaking her head. “No, no no no...”

- - - - - - - -

Cheery felt the magic lift her up into the air.

“I don’t know who Greywing is… Please…”

- - - - - - - -

Rarity and Fluttershy were now both hugging Pinkie, both felt her tense up.

Pinkie’s hair went straight as she started to shake uncontrollably. “Please don’t.” She whispered.

- - - - - - - -

Cheery could hear the foals crying, could hear Little Petal whimpering and her own heart beating heavily in her ears. But she couldn’t look away from the eyes of the unicorn. Her death looked back at her from those eyes.

“Please... I don’t know where Greywing is! I don’t know even know who he is! Please… The foals… Please, we’re pregnant…”

The unicorn blinked at Cherry Skies. A memory stirred.

“Stop her!” Silver screamed out.

Turning her head, Icefang could see the mare galloping off up the muddy road away from the burning wagons. Pirouetting around her left fore hoof as she threw her flank round, she landed with a splash in a puddle, legs wide, facing the way the mare was running.

‘Not even weaving, nice easy shot.’ Icefang lowered her head and aimed down her horn. ‘At least the rain has stopped. Breathe in, breathe out. In two three, out two…’

Sunbeam blinked again.

With a puzzled look she watched the light fade from his eyes as he held onto her. “Monster…” His grip on her loosened and he slid down but still looking up at her. “She was pregnant... you... mon… ster…” He fell the ground with a squelch in the mud, the mud quickly becoming stained red.

She could taste the blood…

- - - - - - -

Pinkie took a ragged breath in... and collapsed into Rarity’s and Fluttershy’s hug. Her curls returned as she smiled up at them.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.”

- - - - - - - -

Cheery watched the unicorn’s tail disappear around the open doorway.

The unicorn’s eyes had stopped glowing; she’d looked around the room; at the two pregnant mares; at the foals; dropped Cheery and ran out with a shriek.

Looking down, Cheery saw she was sitting in a newly formed puddle.

Standing up, her knees feeling like jelly, she walked up to the doorway. Carefully, she looked out. First the way the unicorn had run, then the other way, the way the guards had been waiting in ambush.

Little Petal saw her stiffen. When Cheery looked back in, her face was a deathly white.

“O-okay. Now I want everypony to listen to me. We are going to walk out of here. But you little ones are going to play a game. There will be prizes!” Her smile looked very false to Little Petal.

“I want you all to close your eyes and hold onto one another’s tails. Apple-Seed, you will hold onto mine, the others will hold onto each other’s to form a line. Keeping hold of each other’s tail, we will walk out of here. You will keep your eye shut at all times. This is a game, there will be prizes for those that do, nothing for those that don’t. So remember, do not open your eyes. Do not open your eyes!”

Little Petal threw her a puzzled look. Cheery Skies looked like she was going to be sick.

“The hallways may have some… mud and… and… sticks, yes.. mud and sticks on the floor. If you step in the mud, do not splash in the… mud. The sticks might crack when you tread on them. So don’t be startled and open your eyes. Just remember, keep your eye’s shut. Please, just keep your eyes shut. Now, lets form up.”

- - - - - - - -

Sunbeam had seated herself outside the door to dormitory. She stared at the fog rolling out of the open door.

“You weren't supposed to be in there. Why were you in there? Why? Why couldn’t you have held on just a little bit longer? Why didn’t you…”

Her head fell.

“I should have gone for you first shouldn’t I? I was too busy wanting to kill...”

Her hoof came up to her eyes. “I was supposed to be the good guy today. I - I was supposed to rescue you and be the hero. I was supposed to rescue you and be the good guy for once.”

The hoof fell as she started shaking.

“What am I going to tell them? W-what am I going to tell Twi?”

Standing up, she turned and walked away.

“W-what am I going to say… What can I say...”

Stopping, she looked over her shoulder at the door.

“Greywing… I… I didn’t know… I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry Greywing. I-I’m so so sorry. I’m truly sorry!”

- - - - - - - -

She walked, weaving slightly, down the empty corridor towards the chamber.

Pausing, she lifted a hoof to her right ear and winced when she touched where it ended abruptly.

‘I don’t even remember how that happened...’

Blinking, she found herself outside the door to the chamber, unable to recall actually walking there. Sitting down, she stared at the chamber door. The door was all that separated her from Twilight and the others.

From the looks they'd give her.

The hoof rested on the door handle. She could see the individual hairs of fur on it. The blood stains...

She turned and ran.

- - - - - - - -

Sitting in the corridor, Sunbeam stared blankly ahead.

Slowly pulling a dagger out, she held it up to her eyes. She turned it to-and-fro, studying the blade.

Sitting back on her haunches, her expression never changing, she brought up her other hoof. Turning it over, she shifted her gaze to the inside of her foreleg.

Carefully, she placed the tip of the dagger on her wrist. She angled her foreleg so she could bring the dagger up the length of it in one stroke.

The hoof holding the dagger trembled.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and...

The dagger bounced off the wall, clattering noisily on the floor.

She slid down onto the floor.

‘Why is it so difficult? It’s just one more pony Icefang. It’ll be only one more pony...”

- - - - - - -

She‘d forgotten how long she’d been laying there when her ears pricked up at a distant sound. Lifting her head, she looked round the empty hallway. She still couldn’t make out what the sound was, or where it was coming from, but it was getting louder and louder.

Before she could get up, the sound crystallized, becoming clear and recognizable.

Her hooves flew up, burying themselves into her ears as the sound became deafening.

- - - - - - -

The screams echoed down the empty corridors.

“Stop laughing at me Scrolls!”

“Stop laughing at me...!”

Author's Notes:

For those of you that thought the 'Master' was going to be Sombra (or at least his horn,) you were nearly right, I did originally plan for it to be him.

Sunbeam would have fallen under his spell and would have been happily offering to help him commit mass murder as 'Queen Icefang'. Only the appearance of the 'yellow pony', sitting less than a meter away from her, saves her. On the sight of it, she freaks out and runs from the room before Sombra could finish corrupting her. Adeptus still dies, just this time it's from enough dagger blows that Sunbeam is in danger of 'Repetitive Strain Injury'.

For those of you wondering how Sunbeam was able to keep casting magic with a mostly depleted reserve, that will be covered in the next chapter. (No... she's NOT becoming an Alicorn. No... she's NOT discovered a vast well of untapped magic inside her.)

Hope you all enjoy this rather darker chapter.

If you spot anything wrong, do let me know and I shall try to correct it.

The usual thanks to Greynoise for his help with this chapter.

***************Apologies to everyone who saw the update. My Bad********************
The next chapter is on hiatus for a while I clean up the earlier chapters. I will back as soon as possible.

Chapter 35 - Looking For The Exit

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Chapter 35 - Looking For The Exit

Applejack finally let out the frustrated snort she'd been keeping in. “Argh! It’s been hours, Sunbeam should've been back by now.”

Rarity, who'd been quietly watching Applejack stomp back-and-forth in the chamber, nodded. “I’m inclined to agree with you Applejack. Something has gone drastically wrong I fear.”

Flicking an ear, Rainbow looked up from her hooves. “Yeah, I think we should get moving. All this sitting around isn’t helping anypony.” She gave Brother Steady-Eye a glance. “How long have we got until everypony in this bucked-up place is up and around anyway?”

Swinging her head round towards him, Applejack raised an eyebrow.

He cringed back. “A-About three-quarters of an hour.”

Applejack snorted again. “Well that tears it. If we don’t make a move soon they're gonna find us! And that’ll be the end of this little escape.”

Twilight, who'd been sitting silently staring off into space, swung her head to focus on Applejack. “But what about Sunbeam and Greywing? We can’t just leave them.”

“Sugar, if nopony escapes then we’re all stuck here... for good. Ain’t no way they're gonna let us have another chance at this. As long as one of us does escape, they can bring back half the Equestrian military with them... to knock politely on the door.”

Lifting a hoof to point at Applejack, Rainbow nodded in agreement. “Yeah, what she said. The…” Rainbow looked up in thought. “...Window of opportunity is closing. We need to exploit it while the advantage persists.” Rainbow looked back at the others and her ears fell. “What? Spitfire has me reading all kinds of books that a Wonderbolt needs to know.”

Hiding an unladylike smirk behind a hoof, Rarity nodded towards Rainbow. “There you go Twilight dear, from the mouths of babes.”

“Hey!”

Giving a wane smile at her firends, Twilight turned to Pinkie. “Pinkie, what do you think?”

Sitting to one side of the group, Pinkie didn't look round from her apparent staring contest with the door. “I think we should leave. We need to find Sunbeam. She needs us.”

Applejack took a step towards Pinkie. “Now hang on sugar, we need to get going. If we start searching for her we’re just gonna get caught.”

Turning her head to look at Applejack with a serious expression, Pinkie suddenly smiled. “That’s right, we should make our way calmly and quietly towards the exit... without stopping to pick up personal belongings. But if we happen to find Sunbeam on the way…” Pinkie’s smile grew.

Applejack shook her head, but didn’t say anything.

Glancing round at her friends, Twilight's shoulders slumped as she started to rub her eyes. “Okay. I agree. I just wanted… needed somepony else to say it. Okay! If there’s no objections, let’s get ready to go then. Applejack, keep an eye on the good brother here, as he’s going to be the one leading us out.” She glared at him. “By the safest route.”

Turning towards Brother Steady-Eye, Applejack smiled and gestured for him to come closer.

As everypony got ready, Twilight tried to ignore the thought going through the back of her mind.

‘You’re leaving her! You asked her to do this and now you’re abandoning her.’

Her ear twitched. ‘We’ll come back to rescue her. I’ll make sure we do!’

‘But she’s of no value to them, not with her below-average reserve. They’ll have no reason to keep her alive, by the time you get back she'll already be...’

“Let’s get going girls.” Twilight suddenly called out, her voice a little shriller than usual.

- - - - - - -

Applejack, dressed in an orange robe, walked alongside Brother Steady-Eye. The others followed, with Rarity, in a blue robe, bringing up the rear.

Striding down the empty hallway, Applejack repeated Rarity’s words over and over in her head. ‘Look like you’re supposed to be here. Confidence darling. Most won’t bother you if you look like you belong.’

Applejack sniffed. ‘Yeah. Most.’ She looked around the hallway again. ‘But darn if this ain’t creepy. I know nopony is supposed to be around yet, but this doesn’t -feel- like the empty you get when there’s just nopony around. This is the empty you get when it feels like there -should- be somepony around, but isn’t. Huh, looks like the good brother feels the same way, by all his looking around. Almost like he’s...’

Brother Steady-Eye’s wings twitched. “Where is everypony?” There was a second before his hoof flew to his mouth.

There was silence in the corridor for a moment before Applejack placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Something you’d like to share with us partner?”

“I… I… This is the safest route to the exit.”

Applejack’s hoof didn’t move. “But…”

“This is the way with least guard rooms. Honest.”

“I believe you’re telling the truth on that sugar. But…” The pressure on his shoulder increased slightly.

Brother Steady-Eye mumbled something.

Applejack’s smile grew wider. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that partner. Care to repeat it.”

“It takes us past the canteen and kitchen.” He squeaked out.

Twilight facehoofed. “Of course, there would be ponies getting breakfast ready before the wake-up call.”

Applejack, never taking her eyes off Brother Steady-Eye, flicked an ear. “But, as he said, there's nopony around. So mister, where is this canteen?”

He lifted a hoof and pointed down the corridor. “O-on the left.”

Rainbow tilted her head. “I can’t hear anything... and it’s right in front of us. At the academy, you could hear the mess hall from halfway across the field. I hear nothing.”

Taking her hoof off the shivering Brother Applejack looked towards Rainbow. “Rainbow, could you watch this… pony, for a moment while I go and take a look?”

Stepping forward, Rainbow wrapped a hoof around the Brothers' shoulders and pulled him tight. “Sure AJ, we’ll be best buds. Won’t we?” He whimpered as Applejack walked off down the corridor.

As she approached the door, all Applejack could hear was the echo her own hoofsteps. Carefully, she peered around the open door and into the canteen.

Most of the canteen looked like it was in mid-preparation for breakfast. Tables half laid out with cutlery, plates, jugs of water and empty glasses stood on the tables. Over in the corner though, by the door she presumed lead to the kitchen, it was a disaster area. Tables were overturned, chairs scattered and… Applejack blinked. A pair of hooves stuck out from behind a table laying on its side. While the rest of the pony was hidden behind the table, the brown stain that had seeped under the table wasn’t. Applejack took a step back, nearly walking into Rainbow and making her jump.

“Goshdarnit Rainbow! I thought you were going to be staying with Brother What-his-name.”

Rainbow waved a hoof. “He’d a quivering mess on the floor. Fluttershy could beat him up right now. I’d thought I’d come give you a hoof.” She glanced inside. “Oooweee, looks like something happened in here alright.”

Applejack looked back in. “Yeah. The fact that there’s nopony else here is… concerning.” She swallowed. “Not complaining, but this is just…”

“Creepy.” Rainbow finished her sentence, her gaze fixed on the table.

“Let’s just shut the door, no point letting the others see all the… on the floor.”

Rainbow nodded again, but pointed upwards.

Following her hoof, Applejack looked at the ceiling.

Above the overturned table, the ceiling was also splashed with brown stains.

Applejack quietly closed the door.

- - - - - - -

Applejack shivered, the drop in temperature had become noticeable as they walked down the corridor. As she passed the opening to another corridor to the side, the blast of cold air from it was enough to take her breath away.

“Horseapples, that’s cold!” Looking down the corridor she could see about ten meters or so down it, after that, the torches had gone out plunging the rest of the corridor into darkness. The last torches still alight were flicking erratically in the cold, the frost being clearly visable on the walls near them.

Applejack shivered again. “Darn it, if that darkness ain’t downright evil looking. Like there's something’s hiding in it.” She glanced at Brother Steady-Eye. “What’s down there?”

Not getting a response Applejack turned to look at Brother Steady-Eye. “I said...” She tailed off as she looked into his terrified eyes.

Stepping forward, Rainbow waved a hoof in front of his face. “Hey! Equestria to Brother Whatever-you-name-is, she asked you a question. What’s down there?”

Brother Steady-Eye never stopped looking down the corridor, his voice faltering when he finally spoke. “T-t-the dormitory. The dormitory is down there. Almost everypony would be down there. I should be...”

Twilight, now shivering in the cold, rubbed her chin before pulling out a piece of paper. “Rarity, could you float this down there, into the darkness, please.”

Rarity silently nodded as her horn lit up and the piece of paper was encased in a corresponding blue glow.

The sheet of paper was floated down the corridor and into the darkness. Soon all that could be seen of it was the dull glow around the paper, the glow itself failing to even reach the walls. Twilight nodded to Rarity, who started floating it back up the corridor, bringing it to stop in front of Twilight.

Twilight studied it for a second before holding up a hoof and lightly tapping the sheet.

The sheet shattered into shards.

Twilight didn’t look round, her voice hollow. “How many ponies would be in the dormitory, say... from when Sunbeam set off?”

Brother Steady-Eye’s voice copied the hollowness in Twilight’s voice. “About two hundred. T-two hun...dred p-ponies.”

Twilight nodded, her hoof over her eyes. “Rarity, can you feel it on your horn?”

Rarity nodded. “Now you mention it, yes, yes I can.”

Rainbow gazed alternated between Rarity and Twilight. “Feel what? Care to share for those of us without a horn.”

‘Sunbeam… what did you do?’ Twilight rubbed her eyes. ‘What did you do because I asked you to?’ Twilight looked up, her eyes now red rimmed. “On my horn, I can feel the residue of a high-yield magical discharge. Sunbeam did this.”

Fluttershy brought a hoof to her mouth. “Oh my! High-yield? But I thought you said Sunbeam was below average magically wise.” She looked away. “S-sorry I didn't mean to sound so mean about Sunbeam.”

Twilight looked up at the ceiling, the cold forgotten for the moment. “She is, unless the spell is frost based.” Twilight gestured down the hallway covered in ice. “Frost!” She looked down the corridor and glared at the darkness. “If the spell is frost based, her efficiency increases by over an order of magnitude. I measured it one night down at ‘The Swift’.” Twilight shifted uncomfortably. "When she wasn't looking... Anyway! At a conservative estimate, I would say that she uses an eleventh of the power usually needed by a unicorn to cast any frost based spell. Or to put it another way, her reserve would be eleven times bigger if she were to only cast frost based spells. Even with her below-average reserve as a starting point, that puts her right into the low-to-mid field bracket of top-tier unicorns.”

Twilight pointed a hoof down the corridor. “I may not know the exact details of the spell, but I would classify this is as a high-yield, frost-based, area-assault spell.” She rubbed her eyes. “Cast in an enclosed environment.”

Rainbow glanced down the corridor in the silence. “You sure it was Sunbeam? I mean...”

“Who else could it have been? Who else would have reason to? Who else could? I - I - I’m sorry girls! This is all my fault!”

Applejack put a hoof around Twilight. “Now, now sugar. We all agreed that there would be casualties. That we would all be responsible for those, right girls? Just looks like Sunbeam got a little...” Applejack swallowed. “Carried away.”

Twilight shook her head, her tears glistening in the cold. “I - I asked her to…”

Applejack opened her mouth, Pinkie put her hoof over it and shook her head.

Twilight carried on, oblivious to Pinkie actions. “I asked her to… to… disrupt the chain of command. I asked her to do this… I didn’t know she’d…” A look of determination settled on her face. “No! I must accept the responsibility for my actions, however unintended, or unwanted, the consequences may be. I - I should have been more specific. I should have… I should have…” Twilight slammed a hoof down, before rubbing her eyes with the other one. “My fault. My fault.”

Applejack pushed Pinkie’s hoof away. “Now hang on there partner. Are you saying you asked Sunbeam to…” She pointed down the dark corridor.

“No! I didn’t ask her to do that!” Twilight recoiled, before her shoulders slumped. “I might as well have done though. I didn’t ask her to… do that. I asked Sunbeam to ‘disrupt the chain of command’, but I was too vague. It’s my fault. She was only doing what I asked. Sunbeam just took to the logical extreme, I can see that now. What she’s done is perfectly logical, from a certain standpoint.”

Fluttershy ears pinned back. “W-why Twilight?”

Twilight slammed a hoof into the ground, making Fluttershy jump. “Because how far did you all think we would get? Look at the condition we’re in. Did you all really thing that we’d get out of here and that’ll be it? That they’ll just shrug their shoulders and ‘let us go?’ Of course they’d come after us!”

Twilight’s anger evaporated. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But I had to do something. We wouldn’t get far, I needed to buy us time. I… I used Sunbeam.” Twilight’s voice became halting. “I asked her… I used her… And I’m responsible for all those deaths. She only did what was asked of her. And now I’m abandoning her.” She added in a whisper.

Rarity put a hoof around Twilight’s shoulders. “Shhh, darling. I, for one, am not going to lose any sleep over the fate of those beasts.”

Twilight looked up hopefully.

Stepping forward, Applejack looked her in the eye. “While I agree with Rarity on that point, what I am upset about sugar, is that you went behind our backs. You asked Sunbeam to do this... and thought we didn’t need to know.”

Rarity’s hoof stayed around her shoulders, but Twilight could feel it tense up. Rarity’s voice lost some of its compassion. “Indeed Twilight. I certainly would have like have had some say in this decision, before you sent Sunbeam off specifically to assassinate ponies.”

“P-please girls. I just wanted to spare you…”

Applejack shook her head, her tail swishing. “Sugar! We all agreed that some casualties was gonna happen, and we accepted it. But you went way beyond that, way beyond on what we agreed on. If you had asked, we would have probably said yes, but you ignored us Twi! You went and shut us out!”

Rarity dropped her hoof around Twilight. “Yes darling, it is quite vexing. You asked us, then completely went and disregarded what we’d agreed on.”

Twilight’s eyes darted from face to face.”G-girls?” She stopped on Rainbow. “Rainbow, you have to see…”

Rainbow flapped her good wing as she shook her head. “See what Twi? How much horseapples have we been through together? But now that you’re a princess, you think you can just pat us on the head like little foals and ignore our opinions?!”

Rainbow’s voice steadily got louder, with Twilight slowly pulling away from her as it did so. “We’re grown-up fillies Twi, but is that how you see us, little foals?” Rainbow’s voice suddenly dropped, she just sounded tired now. “Is that how you’re going to treat us from now on, princess, as little foals?”

“Of course not! Please girls! You have to see, it needed to be...”

It was Fluttershy that placed a hoof over Twilight’s mouth. She shook her head at Twilight’s surprised expression. “S-sorry Twilight, but I don’t think you should say anything else right now. I suspect that all of us are quite upset at you at the moment.” She looked around at the others before taking a deep breath. “It’s not why you did it, it’s how you did it. Trying to justify your actions is only going to make things worse now.”

Rarity nodded. “As Fluttershy said, I quite agree with your reasoning Twilight dear, but I find your execution of it quite appalling. In fact...”

Fluttershy’s head snapped round to look at Rarity, her voice uncharacteristically sharp as she cut her off. “In fact I don’t think anypony should be saying anything right now.”

Rarity opened her mouth, but a glare from Fluttershy made her close it again. Fluttershy continued. “I think it best if we all had some time to calm down, to think about what we’ve done, before we say anything else about this matter.” Fluttershy dropped her hoof from Twilights muzzle. “We are all thinking with our angry-heads right now. This place, what’s happened… we are all so angry. So angry...” She took another deep breath. “And if we start being angry with each other, we might end up saying something that we didn’t really mean.” She lowered her head. “Something that can’t be taken back.”

Everypony found themselves either looking down at the floor or up at the ceiling.

It was Applejack broke the silence. While still looking up at the ceiling she rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah, I guess so. I know my feelings are all over the map right now. If I get started, I might end up venting more than I mean to.” She glanced at Twilight. “We still need to talk about this Twi, but as Fluttershy’s said, now’s not a good time.”

A murmur of agreement went round the group. Twilight didn’t look up. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Fluttershy stroked Twilight’s mane. “Shhh. We just need some time Twilight. We all just need some time.”

Applejack scraped a hoof on the floor, her voice forceful again. “Time we haven’t got right now. I say we quit flapping our gums and get moving. We need to get outta this dump before anything else goes wrong.”

Twilight lifted her head, but found herself unable to move as she watched her friends walk down the corridor, away from her.

She jumped when Pinkie wrapped a hoof around her shoulders. “Of course, you know we’re all still friends here Twi. You just made a mistake.” Pinkie leaned in and, in a perfectly happy tone, whispered into her ear. “One which I’m sure you won’t make again.”

Letting her go, Pinkie bounced after the others as Twilight’s ears pinned themselves back onto her head.

Still rooted to the spot, Twilight watched as the distance grew between her and her friends. Each step they took felt like a tug on her heart.

‘I’m so disappointed in you, Twilight Sparkle.’

She whimpered as her eyes teared up.

Just before the end of the corridor, Applejack stopped and looked over her shoulder. The others soon followed suit, so that they were all looking back at her. Twilight cringed back, tears stinging her eyes.

Applejack called out. “You coming?” Applejack sighed when Twilight didn’t more. “Come on Twi, don’t make me come down there, sling you over my back, and carry you out of here like a little filly.” Her voice softened. “‘Cause we sure as heck ain’t leaving without you. Now move your flank!”

Twilight’s first, hesitant steps, turned into a mad gallop to catch them up.

She looked up. “Girls…”

Rarity held a hoof and shook her head. “Ah-ah-ah! Not yet Twilight dear. Not yet.”

As Twilight’s head fell Pinkie reached over and playfully rubbed the back of her head.

Applejack went to set off, but Rainbow held up her hoof in front of her. Rainbow glared down the hallway before turning to look at the others. “Hey, anybody see where Brother What’s-his-Name went to?”

- - - - - - - -

Brother Steady-Eye galloped down the hallway, panting heavily.

‘Must get to Brother Adeptus! He’ll know what to do. Just need to tell him what’s happened, he’ll know what to do, tell me what I need to do.’

He turned a corner too fast and slid into the wall opposite, winding himself for a second, before he continued galloping.

‘There's the door!’

Brother Steady-Eye burst into Brother Adeptus’ chambers and threw himself onto the floor.

Wheezing badly, he forced the words out, trying not to throw up in the process.

“Brother Adeptus! The ponies in the crystal chamber have escaped! And I think something terrible has happened in the dormitory. What are your instructions?”

He lay there recovering his breath, awaiting a response. ‘Oww! I need to get out and exercise more. My heart feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest.’

After a few minutes, he risked a quick glance up. He could just make out the still form on the bed from his low angle. “Brother Adeptus?”

Another minute passed with no response.

Brother Steady-Eye, still panting, lifted his head for a good look at Brother Adeptus.

“Brother Adept…”

- - - - - - - - -

With Applejack in the lead, they walked along in silence. The unspoken agreement, after seeing that Brother Steady-Eye had disappeared, was to get out before he could find anypony to stop them. As they walked along, they kept a careful eye on any doorway or corridor entrance. So focused was everypony on that, that nopony noticed Pinkie dropping further and further back. Soon she was at the back, behind Rarity.

As they passed another guard room, Twlight saw Applejack glance in, but not bother to close the door. Just like the last two times.

As she passed, Twilight glanced in. This time a pony lay face down in a large brown stain; another pony, with a surprised look on his face, was sitting in two pieces on a bunk, and she thought she might have seen two hooves laying on the floor in another room.

Twilight shook her head and walked on, slightly shocked at her lack of reaction to the sight.

As they approached another junction, Twilight, like everypony else, didn't notice Pinkie, now behind Rarity, slow down even more, making the gap between her and Rarity even larger.

Nopony at all noticed Pinkie stop at the junction, tilt her head, as if listening, and suddenly smile. Didn't notice her walk off down the left corridor, as they all walked off down the right corridor.

- - - - - - - - -

Walking along the hallways, each time Pinkie came to a junction she’d stop, close her eyes and tilt her head as her ears twitched. Then she’d look one way, smile, and resolutely set off down it, with each time taking a little less time than the last. Eventually, she turned a corner and stopped when she saw a ball of green fur curled up in the middle of the corridor.

Softly approaching, smiling, she gently tapped a shoulder.

A bloodshot eye opened and latched onto her.

Pinkie smiled. “Hiya Sunn… Oh. Oopsy! I shouldn’t have done that should I...”

A hoof lashed out, swiping Pinkie’s forelegs away from her.

Tumbling over, Pinkie found herself rolled onto her back before she could recover. Looking upwards, Sunbeam loomed over, her lips pulled back into a snarl. A hoof was non-too-gently placed on her shoulder, pinning her down, while another was carefully placed on her throat.

Sunbeam’s voice may have been husky, but simmering malice it held was unmistakable. “Why? Why did you do this to me? Why?”

“S -Sun…” Pinkie was cut off at the pressure on her throat increased.

“Why did you turn me into this thing... Scrolls?”

Sunbeam shook her head, trying to clear it, before a half smile twisted her features.

“No matter. I’ve dreamed of this for years Scrolls. Of what I’m gonna do to you.” Leaning down, she whispered into Pinkie’s ear. “You’re gonna die screaming Scrolls. One scream for every scream I hear when I try to sleep. We’re... “ She sniggered. “I’m... gonna have so much fun.”

Sunbeam suddenly grimaced, her eyes closing tightly as if in pain. “Tell you what Scrolls. I’ll kill you quick… If you’ll just shut the buck up! I’ll make it quick if you shut up.” Sunbeam opened her eyes again and looked down into Pinkie’s.

Pinkie looked back up. ‘Wow! Not even that big meanie Sombra had that much hate in his eyes. And what happened to her ear? She’s all lopsided now… Aaa!’ The pressure on her throat increased, Pinkie was having distinct trouble breathing now.

“Well Scrolls… I win either way, make it easy on yourself. Shut up!”

“S-Sunny.”

Sunbeam placed both hooves onto Pinkie’s throat and started pushing down hard.

“Shut up Scrolls. Why won’t you shut up? Just shut up!”

With all of Sunbeam's weight on her throat now, Pinkie couldn't breathe. She was barely aware of a powerful, yet familiar, feeling rising up from within her as her vision started to blur.

Pinkie wasn’t fully aware of her actions as the feeling took over. Her hoof brushed Sunbeam’s muzzle.

‘Giggle at the ghosties.’

The pressure on her throat vanished and Pinkie rolled over onto her side, her forehooves at her own throat, as she spluttered and gasped for air.

It took Pinkie a minute to recover and another minute to actually realize Sunbeam was no longer standing over her.

Looking round, Pinkie saw Sunbeam. With her back against the wall, and silently moving her lips, she stared at Pinkie with terrified eyes,

Still panting, Pinkie got unsteadily to her hooves. Sunbeam watched her intently and started to tremble.

Trying to smile, Pinkie took a step towards Sunbeam.

Sunbeam dropped to the floor and curled up into a ball.

Pinkie could just hear her voice. “I’m sorry Pinkie. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… I thought you were...”

Pinkie stepped closer and placed a hoof on Sunbeam’s shoulder. She felt the flinch go through Sunbeam. “Shhh.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” This time Pinkie could actually see the jolt go through Sunbeam at those last words.

Sunbeam’s voice filled with bitterness. “I didn’t mean to... Sorry, I didn’t mean to. No hard feelings about trying to kill you eh? As long as I didn’t mean to, there’s no hard feelings.” Her voice became pained. “How many ‘I didn’t mean to’s’?”

There was a long silence before Sunbeam spoke again.

“I killed him Pinkie. I killed Greywing.”

Sunbeam could feel Pinkie’s hoof twitch.

She lay there, unable to look up at Pinkie. “It was supposed to be a simple plan: go in, wipe out the dormitory and cripple this cluster-bucked place in one fell swoop. Then go rescue Greywing, from the dungeon, with no pressure. Simple. The stupid bastard was supposed to be in the dungeon.” Her voice cracked. “H-he wasn’t supposed to be in the dormitory. He wasn’t s-supposed to...”

Sunbeam curled up tighter and was silent for a moment. Pinkie’s hoof didn’t move.

“I went round the complex looking for him, I swear I did Pinkie. I tore the place apart looking for his aura. I tore ponies…” She swallowed. “I couldn’t find his aura! I couldn't find it.” She giggled. “So, if he’s nowhere else in here, that’s where he must of been, right?”

Sunbeam lifted her head to look at Pinkie. “I couldn’t go back in there Pinkie! I should have gone back in to look for him. I couldn’t… I told myself there’s no point. They’re all meat-popsicles by now. No way to tell them apart, certainly no way if all their cutie marks have been removed.” She nodded towards the black mark on her flank, where her cutie mark used to be.

She stared at it for a minute before looking back at Pinkie.

“All lies, of course.” Her head tilted as an incredulous expression formed. “I realize this now, I was too scared to Pinkie! Me, scared! Of dead meat! But all I can think of is all those dead eyes looking at me. Judging me. So many Pinkie! There were so many. And Greywing would be looking at me all the time, silently asking me why with those dead eyes. And I wouldn’t be able to answer.”

Sunbeam went silent. She looked away and closed her eyes. “I can feel him now, all of them in fact, through the walls, all of them looking at me Pinkie. All of them turning their heads towards me, all those dead eyes, looking at me. All of them raising their hooves to point at me. All of them stepping out of their beds…”

Sunbeam’s eyes snapped open, her breathing noticeably faster. She glanced nervously down the corridor.

Her head fell. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me! I can’t stop wondering now how many could have been saved? How many might have been good ponies? How many of them liked pizza?” She gave a strained giggle. “How bucking stupid is that last one?”

Lifting a hoof, Sunbeam examined it as it shook.

“Why? I shouldn’t be thinking like this. It’s dangerous to think like this, but I can’t stop.” She giggled again. “I reckon it was about two hundred, two-fifty ponies maybe... and look at me, I’m a wreck. Scrolls would be so disappointed. This is a tiny fraction of what he hoped I’d achieve in Canter…” Her mouth slammed shut and she guiltily looked away from Pinkie.

She was silent for a moment. “Why is this bothering me Pinkie? It’s not like I’ve never killed before. This is just… more. Something’s changed! It’s like…” Turning to look at Pinkie, Sunbeam’s eyes went wide for a second, before they narrowed as she pointed a hoof at her. “You! You and Sparkle-Butt! All of you! You did this! You all did this to me!”

Pinkie tilted her head but said nothing.

Sunbeam deflated as she sunk her head into her hoof. “I’ve hung around you all too much. I let my guard down. I let you in. I - I let you in. You… You’ve...” Her voice took on a tone of defeat. “Do you have any idea what you’ve gone and done Pinkie? Have you any idea?”

She looked up at Pinkie with a pained expression. “You’ve made me care! You’ve gone and made me bucking care!” Her hoof scraped the floor “Do you have any idea what caring can do... will do... to a pony like me?”

Pinkie’s hoof started massaging Sunbeam’s shoulder. “So, you care for us Sunny?” Pinkie then smiled. “Like ‘friends’ care?”

Sunbeam’s head snapped up and stared at her. Without a word, she laid her head on the floor and proceeded to wrap both forehooves over her eyes. “I don’t like this feeling Pinkie. Make it go away. My chest feels like its being pulled apart.”

“Aww, is Sunny’s heart…”

Her hoof slammed down, cutting Pinkie off. “Don’t call it that!” Sunbeam voice became quiet. “Don’t call it that. I have a muscle that pumps blood around my body, nothing more. I lost any right to call it a heart a long time ago.”

Sunbeam looked away from Pinkie, her voice becoming strained. “He made sure of that, a long time ago. H-he tore it out Pinkie. He tore it all out... everything of value. He tore...” Sunbeam turned her head to look at her. To Pinkie’s shock, her eyes were glistening. “He tore little Singing Flower apart and drove what was left mad.” Sunbeam’s jaw trembled for a moment before a small smile formed as she looked wistfully into the distance. “You'd of liked Singing Flower, if you’d met her Pinkie. A f-flighty little filly with a contagious laugh.” Sunbeam’s smile grew. “She liked singing Pinkie, liked seeing other ponies smile. Mischievous at times, you’d of got on. You’d have liked...” The smile fell as her voice started to choke. “S-she was innocent Pinkie. She didn’t deserve what happened to her. She didn’t understand… couldn’t understand... what was happening to her. Why he was making her do those things. Those horrible things...”

Sunbeam was silent for a moment before letting loose an unpleasant giggle.

“Hey, you like to laugh don’t you? You’ll get a laugh from this one Pinkie. Did you know that the stupid bitch got so desperate once that she even tried singing to him! Just to try and get him to smile? If he’d smile, maybe he’d be happy, maybe he’d stop.”

Sunbeam gave Pinkie a look that made her shiver. “Foal’s logic.” She slammed a hoof down repeatedly on the ground. “Stupid, stupid, stupid bucking bitch! Of course he wasn’t going to stop. He was never going to stop!” Her voice faltered. “H-h-he never stopped...”

She placed her head back down the ground, her ears falling flat out to the sides, her voice became emotionless.

“He made her do terrible things Pinkie. Things she knew were wrong. But she was never strong enough to resist. She was never strong enough. W-Why Pinkie? Why wasn’t she strong enough? S-she s-should have been stronger Pinkie. She s-should have b-b-been…”

She was silent for moment. “Is that why Mummy and Daddy didn’t come for her? She wasn’t strong enough? Is that the reason nopony ever came Pinkie? Nopony ever...”

Sunbeam swallowed before bringing her hooves up to examine them, turning them back and forth. Her head lifted and turned to Pinkie with a puzzled look. “Why can I remember this? I take something to prevent me from remembering this. I don’t want to remember this! I shouldn’t be remembering…”

Both her eyebrows rose before she looked at Pinkie. “What the buck did you do to me back there Pinkie? When you touched my muzzle I felt something go through…” Her eyes widened. “I can remember. I can... You’ve made me remember! You bucking bitc...”

I’m scared. I want my Mummy and Daddy.

Abruptly Sunbeam cringed back, her tail wrapping around her as her eyes went wide. “Pinkie! I don’t want to remember this! Make it stop, make it stop!”

Where’s my Mummy and Daddy? I’m so scared.

“Please make it stop Pinkie! I - I don’t want to remember…”

I don’t want to do these things Mr Scrolls.

A stunned Pinkie watched Sunbeam start to tremble uncontrollably. “Don’t make me remember this Pinkie… Please!”

No Mr Scrolls! I won’t! This isn’t right!

Sunbeam reached a hoof out towards Pinkie. “Pinkie, make it stop it! P-Please... I’ll do anything! Mercy! Stop!”

P-p-please st-op. P-plea-pleas-se M-Mr Sc-Scrolls. S-stop...

Pinkie saw the light in Sunbeam’s eyes go out.

The outstretched hoof fell limply to the floor and Sunbeam turned her head away from Pinkie, before letting it to slump to the floor.

Even with her head turned away from her, Pinkie could hear the whisper. “Please stop... I’ll do anything! J-just stop. P-Please... Mr Scrolls… I’ll do an-anything. Anything. Just stop. A-any-thing.”

Sunbeam lay there in the silence, trembling.

Pinkie hesitantly reached out towards Sunbeam. “Sunny?”

The whisper became a whimper. “He’s hurting me Daddy! Where are you? It hurts so much! Make him stop! W-Where are...”

There was a strangled sob.

“I - I’m sorry Mummy and Daddy, I had to. I - I had to! I’m sorry, I'm sorry. I w-w-wasn’t strong…”

The rest of her words became unintelligible as Sunbeam buried her face into her forelegs.

Pinkie threw both her hooves around Sunbeam and held her tight as she started to convulse in her grip.

All the time she held her, all the time as she shook, Pinkie never heard Sunbeam make a sound.

- - - - - - - - -

In Brother Adeptus’ chambers, Brother Steady-Eye lay on the floor, his pale-grey face screwed up in a frozen rictus of agony as he stared blankly up at the ceiling. His hooves grasped at his chest as, from the bed, a fixed grin smiled at his corpse.

- - - - - - - - - -

Pinkie watched Sunbeam plunge her face into the barrel of rain-water they’d found in a nearby store-room. After almost half-a-minute Sunbeam lifted her head out, panting heavily.

Pinkie shuffled her forehooves. “Erm.”

Without looking round, Sunbeam waved a dismissive hoof. “Don’t you dare apologize. You did the right thing, I’m glad you stopped me. I was trying to kill you Pinkie.” Her voice got quieter. “I was going to kill you Pinkie. You defended yourself. Whatever you did, it was just defending yourself. I’m glad you did it.”

Sunbeam’s head fell slightly. ‘What did you do? Is that part of your elemental power Pinkie? To make ponies see what’s -actually- there? To make you see youself.’ She managed to muffle the whimper. ‘A spear through the gut would been kinder Pinkie.’

She lifted her head and forced a smile. “See, just needed a few minutes and I’m all better now.”

Pinkie tilted her head. “If you say so.” A smile grew on her face. “Ready to go meet up with the others then?”

“No! But lets do it anyway.” Sunbeam gave a half-hearted chuckle. “What’s the worst that can happen eh? They hang me from the nearest tree? Many would do worse. I’ve seen many do worse.” Her voice became a whisper. “I deserve worse.”

Pinkie gasped. “They won’t do that! Sure they’ll be upset, but they won’t be mean.”

Sunbeam turned to look at her, a tiny, hopeful smile on her still-puffy, dripping-wet face. “Promise?”

Pinkie held up a hoof. “I pinkie…” Pinkie’s face flickered with emotions for a second before she put the hoof back down. With a slightly strained smile and being unnaturally still, for Pinkie, she nodded. “I promise.”

Sunbeam’s smile grew marginally. Trotting out of the storeroom, she looked down the corridor and spotted the dagger she’d thrown against the wall. She rubbed her eyes.

‘Don’t you dare cry again you stupid mare! Pull yourself together, they need you. You’re of no use to them crying for your Mummy and Daddy on the floor. Be strong! Be strong for once. Show Mummy and Daddy that you can be strong enough for once, even if it -is- only for once in your pathetic life.’

She turned to look at Pinkie, trying to ignore the tremble in her knees and the itch growing behind her eyes again. ‘Get them back safe. Then you can fall apart... like you’re so pitifully desperate to. Control it until -after- you get them back. That’s all you need to do, get them back. After that, -then- you can stop all the pain. Stop all the memories. Then you can make the world a better place.’

A look of determination appeared. ‘Get back and it’ll be just one more pony you need to retire. Once you’re by yourself, it’ll be only one more. I - I - I swear. One last pony...’

She blinked several times, trying relieve the itching in her eyes. She turned a watery glare onto the dagger.

“Gonna need that.”

Her horn lit up to levitate the dagger over to her.

- - - - - - - - -

Applejack opened the door and a blast of fresh air hit them. “Finally! How many bucking wrong turns did we make?”

They filed out onto the mountain pasture and Twilight looked around. Across the valley in front of them were snow capped mountains. The green pasture they were on gently sloped away from them and was dotted with white and yellow flowers. Turning round, Twilight found an unassuming wooden door set into a tall cliff face, the only marker to the complex even being there. Taking several deep breaths of the cool, fresh air, she enjoyed the slight breeze in her fur. Relaxing, she felt the tension in her shoulders ease a little. She smiled and turned to look at the others.

Her smile dropped.

“Where’s Pinkie?” Everypony stopped and looked around.

Twilight took a step towards the complex. “No, no, no, no… How could we do this? How could we ‘just miss’ Pinkie!”

Twilight dashed for the door, nearly getting hit by it as Pinkie trotted out through it.

Coming to a stop, Pinkie looked around at her friends. An unconscious Sunbeam straddled her back lengthways, her head hanging down by Pinkie's left shoulder.

She looked at Twilight with a puzzled look. “She collapsed Twi. Her horn lit up, she screamed, and just collapsed. Now she won't wake up Twi. She just won’t wake up!”

Author's Notes:

Okay that chapter was hard to write. For varying reasons.

Orginally planned it to START with Sunbeam waking up outside the complex with everyone else already escaped. If I had carried on the chapter would have got way too large and unwieldly. So, I felt that was a good place to end the chapter. (Yes, I realise I'm almost as heartless as Sunbeam for that.)

Leaving Hitatus status up as I intend going back to doing some more updates to older chapters, but I'm not going to be leaving it quite so before starting the next new chapter. Only intend re-doing up to (and including) chapter 11 anyway.

On a side note: having the flat re-painted, while you have to sleep on the floor, can really mess up your writing schedule. Paint fumes are fun as well.

Massive thanks to Greynoise for all his help and patience.

Chapter 36 - Flawed Plans

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Chapter 36 - Flawed Plans

Applejack leaned forward as she carefully inspected the two-wheeled wagon in front of her. Lifting a hoof, she prodded the wheel to the wagon and shook her head at the play.

‘Poorly maintained, but it should hold together long enough to get us back.’ She glanced around at the other wagons parked in, what she assumed to be, a loading bay just inside the entrance to the complex.

‘It’s not sayin’ much, but it’s the best of what’s here.’ Applejack looked up from the wagon. ‘Now, where’s Rainbow got to?’

Looking over at the other side of the bay, she scanned along the wooden platform that ran the entire length of the other side of the wall. A platform that led to an open set of double doors.

Applejack’s ears pinned back onto her head as she glared at the open doors. “Rainbow! Goshdarn it girl, I thought you said you weren't going to go wandering off.”

After a couple of seconds, Rainbow stuck her head around the door with a big grin. “I said I wouldn’t go far AJ.” She stuck her tongue out at Applejack. “Well guess what? I found a store-room back there filled with field supplies.” She frowned for a second. “Looks like some ponies have been in there recently and taken some stuff, but it’s still pretty well stocked.”

Applejack pointed to some hoof tracks in the sand. “Yeah, I’d guess they did, didn’t notice the tracks the first time we came through but now I’ve had time…” She studied the hoof tracks. “Looks like two ponies, and a load of foals. I’d say they came through here not long ago, heading out.”

Rainbow shivered. “Foals! Here? Now that gives me the heebie-jeebies. Well as long as they're heading away from this place that’s all that matters.” She trotted out onto the platform and seated herself down as looked around at the wagons. “You made a decision to which one to take yet?”

Applejack prodded the wagon next to her, grunting in disapproval at it’s overall condition. “This seems to be the best of what’s here. It should hold the weight of Sunbeam, and some supplies, until we get back. The others are all pretty much falling apart.”

Rainbow glanced at the main entrance into the complex and shook her head. “Yeah, they're not really into maintenance are they? A single wonderbolt could break through those doors, no trouble. Heck I think Fluttershy could.” Rainbow shook her head. “I think they’re relying on nopony ever coming looking for them too much.”

“They ‘Were’ Rainbow, they ‘were’ relying...” Applejack sighed. “And I think they’d be right, what sane pony would want to come here?”

Rainbow nodded looking away. “Yeah. Agreed. Well... Anyway, as I said that store room looks pretty well stocked. Should have everything we need.” Her voice dropped. “As there’s no pony around to stop us we can take however much we need.”

Applejack hung her head, a tight feeling in her chest. ‘We can take however much we need as there's no pony left to stop us, no pony left to object. No pony left, period...’

Rainbow shrugged, forcing a smile. “You know what? I honestly think Twilight would go back and try to take that crystal if she could.”

Applejack snorted. “Glad that thing’s fixed down. I do not want that much stored magical energy bouncing around in the back of a wagon ready to go off. As for the supplies, I know we need them, doesn’t mean I feel right comfortable in taking them.”

Rainbow slumped, her good wing dropping to the floor. “Yeah, it does feel like we’re looting the dead. I mean, I’m glad they’re all…” Her hoof flew to her mouth, her eyes wide. “I didn’t mean that… Maybe I did… I...”

She closed her eyes. “I don’t know anymore AJ. I can’t believe Sunbeam did... That she could... All those ponies AJ! I know I agreed to some… But to all? Part of me says I should be horrified.” Rainbow’s voice became a whisper. “And part of me is whispering I’d already agreed to it by saying ‘yes’ to some. That I’m just haggling over the price of our escape. A price I’ve added to.”

Applejack turned to look at her.

Rainbow’s head lowered and she took a swipe at a rock on the floor. “That stallion, back in the crystal chamber… I keep replaying what happened over and over in my mind. What I could have done instead. That maybe I didn’t have to... if I’d done something different. If I’d just...”

Applejack cut her off. “Don’t sugar. Don’t go down that road. What happened, happened. At that time, and that place, you made the best choice you could make. Remember, you didn’t have the luxury to sit and think about it, you had to act there-and-then, with the information you had. You stopped him before he could do anything, and if you hadn’t, we might all be strapped back down in the chamber right now.”

She paused and lowered her head. “Also remember what happened there is a might different to what Twilight and Sunbeam went and done RD.” Stamping a hoof, she sent up a small cloud of sand. “They had time to think about it, Sunbeam had time to decide to do it.”

Applejack’s ears fell flat. “But what’s eating me up something fierce RD, is the fact that Twilight was right. However much I don’t like what happened, she was right. About them coming after us if nothing had been done.”

"Truth is, as much as I've been going on at Twi about not telling us, I'm darn glad she didn't. I'm glad that responsibility was taken off of me, then I turn around and rebuke her for it. I'm not sure which of us I'm lying to, and I don't think it rightly matters. Either way makes me feel like a hypocrite."

Rainbow walked over to Applejack and hugged her. After a second, Applejack hugged her back.

Neither said anything for several minutes before Applejack looked up. “Well, all this moping around ain’t gettin’ things done. Let’s get those supplies loaded and…”

Both jumped when a small earth-pony mare, in a green robe, ran through the double doors, her hooves clattering on the platform before she skidded to a halt.

Rainbow and Applejack took a step away from each other, both crouching down slightly.

Looking round the mare spotted them and slumped with relief.

“Oh thank goodness. I thought I was the only one left. You’ve got to help! Quick Step and Wood Turner went off to the dormitory to find the others… but they never came back!” She looked down at the floor. “Why didn’t they come back? All the guard rooms I checked are full of… W-where is everypony? Where is Brother Adeptus? I - I don’t know what to do.”

Both Applejack and Rainbow stared at the mare with blank expressions as she trotted down some wooden steps to ground level.

The mare looked at them. “Please, h-help me. Tell me what I need to do.”

Applejack drew herself up to her full height and took a step towards the mare.

The mare backed away.

Applejack lifted a hoof to point at her, took a deep breath in… and slumped. The hoof fell back to the floor, her voice sounding weary when she finally spoke.

“Sugar. My advice is go hide until after we’re gone. Then go anywhere that will accept you and just try to be a good pony. Just don’t tell them what happened here. What you were a part of.” Applejack looked away, her voice becoming quiet. “Lie if you have to.”

The mare took a step forwards. “Go, out there? By myself? I… don’t… It’s been so long. C-can I come with you?”

Applejack closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Opening her eyes, she spoke through clenched teeth. “Listen… sugar… I’m trying real hard to stay civil here, I really am. But after all we’ve been through I’m finding it real hard to do so. So take my advice, and go hide until after we’re gone.”

The mare took a step back. “B-but…”

Applejack took a couple of steps so she was next to a barrel. “So help me you, you... ground-pounder, if you ain’t out of my sight in the next five seconds I swear…” Applejack spun and bucked the empty barrel, venting all her frustration on it.

The barrel flew across the cavern in a flat trajectory, shattering into shards upon impact with the wall.

The mare’s face went white before she let loose a shriek and bolted back up the steps and back into the complex.

Rainbow didn’t look away from the open door. “Wow AJ. You were scary there.” They both listened to the galloping sounds get quieter. “I’m impressed.”

Applejack turned away and started walking towards the wagon. “Don’t be, I’m not. In fact I’m right ashamed of what I just did.” She sighed. “I turned away a pony asking for help. But I don’t think I could stand being around a pony from this place right now.” Applejack looked around at Rainbow. “It’s safer for her. That’s what I’m gonna be telling myself in the small hours when I can’t sleep. Now, lets start getting those supplies loaded. Remember to leave room for Sunbeam.”

* * *

On the green mountain meadow outside the complex, Fluttershy looked up from Sunbeam. A medical kit, rescued by Pinkie from a suspiciously empty guard room, lay open next to her.

“I can’t see anything physically wrong.” She lowered her head. “Well, nothing that would cause a coma anyway. I’ve cleaned and dressed her injuries as best I can and, provided we keep them clear of infection, they should start the healing process now.” She looked down. “I’m sorry, but Sunbeam has lost that half of her ear. I hope she isn’t mad at me for that.”

Twilight put a hoof on Fluttershy shoulder. “I very much doubt it Fluttershy. You’ve done everything you can for her, I’m sure she’ll thank you for treating her if she comes round…” Rarity coughed. “...When she comes round. From Pinkie’s description of what happened, and from what you’ve said, I’m certain that this coma is magically induced now, brought on by Sunbeam running her reserve dry.”

Sitting next to Twilight, Rarity spoke up. “I must admit Twilight, while it does sound like Sunbeam did, indeed, run her reserve dry, a coma is not a normal consequence of that.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes. “No, no it’s not. That’s why I think Sunbeam went way beyond merely running her reserve dry. I think she was casting on an empty reserve for quite a while.” Twilight looked around at Rarity. “There is a small group of unfortunate, but well-documented cases, where a unicorn in a… disturbed frame of mind was able to keep casting despite an depleted reserve. They were all so focused, normally on somepony, that they unknowingly started pulling the energy needed to cast directly from their own bodies.”

Twilight shuffled her forehooves. “Apart from one who was tackled by guards and was subdued almost immediately, the rest carried on casting until their bodies couldn’t take it anymore and shut down, sending them all into coma. Two recovered, but their ability to cast magic was affected permanently afterwards. The rest...” Twilight’s voice went dull. “If they had received the proper medical attention in time, they might have been saved.

Twilight looked down at Sunbeam. “Sunbeam here is already comatose and has been for quite a while now. This puts her into the last group straight away. In fact, her body should have already started to fail. However...” Twilight rubbed her eyes. “Fluttershy, how would say her body is coping?”

“Well Twilight. When I examined her, all her vitals were strong.”

Twilight stamped a hoof. “Which doesn’t make any sense! Her body should be showing at least some signs of duress, if not outright failure by now.. I don’t understand how she is even still alive!” Snorting, Twilight looked down at Sunbeam. “How are you still alive Sunbeam? How are you even...? How…?” Twilight stamped a hoof. “Argh! She has every symptom, every sign, everything but the critical one! This is so frustrating!”

Rarity placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight dear, please calm down. We’ve all had a very trying time recently. Some more than others.” She added quietly. “...And none of us are at their best right now. I’m sure it’ll come to you. But what I am also sure of is that you are glad that Sunbeam is still alive.” The hoof tightened on Twilight’s shoulder. “Aren’t you.”

Twilight looked up sharply. “O-of course. I… I didn’t mean that I was frustrated because Sunbeam was still... I meant it because I didn’t know… Please, I didn’t mean it like...”

Pinkie put her hoof over Twilight’s mouth. “Silly. We know what you meant. You’re weren’t trying to be mean, you were just being focused.” Pinkie looked serious for a second. “But what can we do to help her?”

Twilight shook her head. “Out here, nothing. She’s still alive, I don’t know how, but she is. So that’s a good sign. Trying to force anything, without specialized equipment, would be counterproductive at best. All we can is hope she recovers naturally and wakes up within a day or two.”

Pinkie twitched an ear. “So we can’t do anything?”

“No Pinkie. Intervening without knowing what is actually going on has more chance of making things worse than helping. I would consider it unwise to upset any balance that might exist in her right now.” Twilight put a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder. “Look, I want to help her Pinkie, I really do. But until I figure out what’s going on, doing nothing is the best course of action.”

Pinkie looked like she was processing this for a second before she broke out into a big smile. “Okeedokee, if it’s the best thing for Sunbeam, then that’s what we’ll do.”

Twilight and Rarity shared a look. Rarity opened her mouth to say something but the doors opening to the complex cut her off.

Applejack came out, pulling a wagon, with Rainbow following a few steps behind her.

Applejack gestured with her head at the wagon behind her. “We found a wagon that should last long enough to get us back, although no promises on that as she’s right beat up. We’ve also loaded enough supplies to last us all up to a week.”

Rainbow trotted around to stand by the side of Applejack. “Even got a room for sleepy-head there.”

Rarity glanced at Pinkie before shrugging and turning back to Applejack and Rainbow. “Good work girls, any problems?”

Both their smiles flickered. Applejack shook her head. “Nothing worth mentioning. Which way are we headed then?”

Twilight looked at the track leading along the bottom of the cliff. “I think upwards is the best plan. Wheat-thorn is a high altitude plant, so the higher we go the better chance we have.”

Fluttershy pointed at Sunbeam. “But shouldn’t we be trying to get Sunbeam back to help?”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m sorry Fluttershy, a lot of ponies are dependant upon getting this cure and we’ve already lost too much time. Besides, we wouldn’t get her to help in time to do anything meaningful. All we can do is hope she wakes up before we have to start feeding her, and dealing with... other bodily functions as a result thereof.”

Rainbow pulled a face, catching on to Twilight’s meaning a little before the others.

* * *

The forest trees had become twisted and leafless a couple of days ago. A layer of moss covered most of them now, with vines hanging down from the branches, some low enough to touch the spongy ground. The air was humid and the sun was a fuzzy circle through the mist that seemed to permanently encase the forest now.

Sharp Fang spun around and fired a blue bolt into the trees, at the retreating... thing. A cross between a spider, a lizard, and a tree.

He quickly scanned around. The attack had finished as quick as it had begun.

“Casualties, anypony hurt?”

There was a moment’s silence.

Quickblade spoke up. “None. This time, sir.”

Sharp Fang relaxed for a second before stamping a hoof on the soft ground. “Damnit, this is the third time today.”

Quickblade walked over to him and nodded. “This is getting ridiculous. We’re already behind schedule and these attacks are just making it worse.”

Sharp Fang nodded. “And the damn ambient magic of this bucking forest makes sending any messages, in or out, impossible. I swear if I get my hooves on whoever deemed travel through the Everfree Forest as merely ‘difficult’...” He shook his head.

Quickblade shuffled his forehooves. “Yeah, I will take great pleasure in making them write ‘Extremely hazardous’, at knife point, over the top of it.”

Sharp Fang looked around and saw Listed Scrolls smirking in his cage. Rolling his shoulders, he fought down the temptation to wipe that smirk off of him.

Stiffly walking over to him, Sharp Fang seated himself down next to the cage.

“Find something amusing?”

“No lad. I’m quite safe in here. Not like the two poor earth ponies who were pulling me in the first attack. Or your team members on the third and fourth days. My, don’t they all have little scars now?” He looked over himself. “Apart from me of course.” He shook his head. “You poor things. Who knew that those…” He tilted his head, then shrugged. “Whatever they are, were so persistent. Tell me lad, how heavily have you been relying on those amulets? How much charge will be left by the time you get to Icefang?” Listed Scroll’s smile grew. “And who are you going to get to pull me along this time? I’d quite like to see you taking a turn to be honest.”

Sharp Fang merely smiled at him. “If we have to, we’ll leave you here, Mr Scrolls. You’ll be safe in your cage.” He slammed a hoof against the cage, making Scrolls flinch. “Certainly safe from the terrors of food and water.”

He spun round and stalked away from the cage, back towards Quickblade.

Quickblade looked at Listed. “He’s right you know, sir. We’ve been having to use the amulets a lot heavier than planned. We’ve got three almost burnt out already.”

Sharp Fang nodded, rubbing his eyes. “Yeah, I know.” He looked at Quickblade. “But do you think we should stop using them?”

Quickblade shook his head emphatically. “Oh heck no. I like living. But we are going to arrive at Ponyville, outside the mission window, with low amulet charge available. If the Elements of Harmony are there to contest the extraction...”

Sharp Fang shook his head. “This mission will be short lived. Argh! This all went teats-up from the very beginning. The agent was supposed to neutralize the Bearers before we got to town, thus removing the only real bucking threat in Ponyville.” His voice went high and nasally. “Poison them all at the gala, all in one go, it’s the easiest way. Best chance to get at least one, maybe more...” His voice turned normal. “What a great bucking idea. Instead she managed to get every other pony apart from her primary targets.” He sighed. “But what else could we expect from sub-contracting? At least we know that the Elements aren’t there at the minute, out trying to get a cure probably. So the window is still open for us to extract Icefang uncontested. Providing we can get there before they get back anyway.”

“If we don’t sir?”

“We improvise. Getting Icefang back is our top priority. I have no intention of leaving without her.” He strode away to talk to a pony checking on supplies.

Quickblade nodded, keeping his face neutral. ‘Almost right sir. The amulet is mission critical, Icefang is just high priority now. I wasn’t aware of your ‘blood relation’ to her until the minister told me and it explains a lot.’ He smiled. ‘And I suspect that is why you were selected for this mission in the first place. They knew just how far you’d be willing to go.’

Quickblade frowned. “So I do hope we can achieve both objectives without them coming into conflict. Because I’m sure you wouldn’t give her up in favor of the amulet, not without a fight. Speaking of which...”

Quickblade trotted over to Sharp Fang. “So, how much open damage can we cause?”

Sharp Fang nodded to the pony and turned round to face Quickblade and smiled. “As long as we can pin it on the Unicorn Supremacy Group we can be fairly open in our actions.”

All within earshot winced but kept looking outwards.

Quickblade pulled a face. “There’s a bunch of mutants, morons, and retards. The quite essential patsy group.”

Sharp Fang nodded but smiled. “Yep, I hear the minister was quite pleased that he was able to set that group up. We can do what needs to be done and pin the blame on them. For the retirement of a bearer, if need be.”

Quickblade looked at Sharp Fang. “Risky, that will attract the attention of Celestia…”

There was a moment’s silence where everypony, including Listed Scrolls, shivered and looked around. The day princess failed to materialize amongst them.

Quickblade looked down. “Sorry all, even for mentioning…” He looked back up. “So any idea which one it’ll be?”

“Not Twilight that’s for sure. I’ve no wish to mess with any alicorn, even if she’s not at full power yet. Rainbow is military and fast so she’s next lowest on the list. Applejack is easily locatable but tough. Fluttershy is protected by her pets, Pinkie is unpredictable, so that leaves Rarity as the highest probability. But we shall have to see which is the most viable target at time of contact.”

Sharp Fang looked around. “Okay ponies, you know the drill. Their attack pattern has become predictable. So now is the time to keep on your hooves. They could suddenly change their attack style, relying on us becoming complacent. So keep those eyes peeled.”

He looked around at Listed Scrolls’ cage. “Fireblade, Curved Fang, take up pulling that thing. I want protective cover around them ponies. We’ve lost two team members and two guards already, so I don’t want to lose anypony else. I want constant, non-amulet scanning of immediate surroundings on a one-on, one-on-stand-by basis, just as before. Try not to use your amulets unless necessary, but don’t hold back if you need to.”

As ponies started sorting themselves out, he looked ahead. ‘Just hold a bit longer Icefang. I swear, you’ll be back home and safe soon, little sister.’

* * *

Pinkie had insisted on pulling the wagon with Sunbeam in it, much to everypony’s surprise.

They walked along the track, mostly in silence. Occasionally one would make a remark or a joke, the others would listen, smile and nod, and then the silence would return.

Walking behind the wagon, Twilight noted that they had entered a sparse pine woods. She also noted the odd rhododendron bush growing between the trees, filling the air with the scent of their flowers and mixing with the scent of pine.

Looking away from the wagon, she looked at the setting sun through the trees. With the mountains in the background she was sure it was quite a view, but in her current frame of mind, she knew she wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it right now.

She looked back at Sunbeam. ‘What’s keeping you alive Sunbeam? It must be something I’ve overlooked. Ugh, think Twilight think. Again, from the top.’ Twilight slowed down, letting the wagon pull ahead of her as she lost herself in thought.

‘Fact: Sunbeam went into a coma. Fact: Her body should have shown signs of organ failure almost immediately. Fact: It didn’t. Conclusion: Something prevented it from happening. So what could it be? The only thing that could’ve prevented it would have been it she’d been hooked up to a life-support machine.’ Twilight snorted. ‘I’ll check the wagon, but I suspect that kinda thing wasn’t among the supplies Rainbow or Applejack found. So, I can rule that option out. Stupid idea anyway. Sunbeam would have needed the support so quickly that unless she’d been actually wearing it...” Twilight stopped. “Wearing… the… life… sup...’

Twilight jaw fell open, a moment later she face hooved. “Arrgh! My mind must've be addled not to realize that sooner! Pinkie. Stop!”

Twilight galloped up to the wagon as Pinkie came to a stop and looked over her shoulder at her.

Rarity looked at Twilight. “Twilight dear, are you okay?”

Stopping at the wagon Twilight put her hoof under Sunbeam and pulled her amulet out from under her.

A huge grin grew on her face. “Yes, yes, yes, yes!”

Applejack trotted up and stood next to her. “Care to share sugar?”

Twilight looked like she was about to start dancing on the spot. “Her amulet! Yes, I understand now. This is what’s been keeping her alive!”

They all looked at Twilight.

Twilight held the amulet up as far as the chain would allow. “Don’t you see? Her amulet, it’s clear! It used to have a flicker in it now it’s gone.”

Rainbow gave her a flat look, her ears splaying out to the sides. “Uh?”

“Her amulet, it’s a resoulten gem.” Twilight calmed down as she looked at the others confused looks. “Okay, in lay-ponies terms, it stores up a charge of ‘life energy’ from the wearer, which it gives back to them in times of injury. Think of it as a short-term life-support.” Twilight’s hoof tapped the side of her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it earlier. I mean, Sunbeam’s been asking me to get books in on them for long enough. Certainly long enough for me to have read one or two myself out of curiosity and learn how they work.”

Pinkie flicked an ear, looking over her shoulder at Sunbeam. “Funny, she always complained her amulet didn’t work.”

Twilight shrugged. “As far as I can see, it’s worked perfectly. Although it does look like it’s pretty much empty now.”

Fluttershy walked up to Sunbeam. “Oh dear, does that mean it’s stopped keeping her alive?”

Twilight waved a hoof. “Yes, but it’s done its job. It’s the initial shock of the body shutting down that is the impetus for the damage. Without knowing she was being supported, I was convinced that this was only a temporary respite before she succumbed. Now I can see what’s happened, I think I can say she’s out of immediate danger.”

Pinkie started jumping on the spot, causing the wagon to bounce until Applejack managed to put a hoof on her shoulder to keep her still. “You mean Sunny could be waking up soon?”

Twilight jubilant smile faded as she sagged. “I don’t know. This is entirely a new situation. She’s still comatose from something that really should have killed her. I’d say she’s out of the immediate danger so she’s got a very good chance of making a full recovery... But I don’t know is the honest answer. It’s the coma itself I am unsure of now. We are just going to have to hope she wakes up by herself.”

Twilight looked down. ‘But I’ve no idea if there’s any mental, magical or physical damage. No… the amulet must have started supporting her almost immediately… In time to prevent any damage… Hopefully. She just needs to come out of the coma now. Yeah, ‘just’.’

She looked up again and gave a wan smile. “A trigger could help bring her out of it, something she likes or is familiar with. A sound or smell could help.”

“Anypony got any Jackie Dee?” Applejack noted with a smile.

“Or pizza?” Pinkie added.

“Coffee?” Rainbow chipped in.

Applejack’s smile grew. “Coffee! I think I saw some in the supplies. Anypony care to make camp now? Maybe get some coffee going?”

A round of smiling nods followed.

Twilight’s smile faded as she pulled an inhibitor ring out and stared down at it.

She could feel the stares on the back of her neck as she slipped it over Sunbeam’s horn.

She didn’t look round. “Look, it’s to keep her from casting any spells when she wakes up, her body is still recovering, so any magical strain needs to be avoided at all costs.”

Twilight’s head fell as the stares bored into the back of her head and the silence drew out. “Okay… That’s mostly the reason. But she will need to refrain from casting any spell to help her heal.”

* * *

The minister looked up from the report he was floating in front of him.

“How reliable is this?”

“Very, sir. Two independent sources from Canterlot have verified it”

The minster floated the report away and rubbed his eyes.

“The mission window is closing. I take it we haven’t had any communications from the strike team, confirming that they’re in position yet?”

“Negative sir. They still appear to be in the Everfree, a known communications black-out zone.”

“They should have exited it by now.”

His secretary shifted uncomfortably. “Yes sir, I thought so as well. So I took the liberty of doing some checks. There is a possibility that our official information on the Everfree may be incorrect.”

The minister looked up sharply.

“Our records on of the Everfree haven't been updated in a long time sir. According to the head-of-records, any new information they received on it was just rumors and hear-say, nothing based on first-hoof reports so nothing was ever entered. At no point did they actually bother to investigate the rumors either sir, however consistent they were.”

The minster growled.

“I’ve looked into it sir and, based on the rumors, it is entirely possible that the rating of ‘difficult travel’ in the Everfree could be misleading. Extremely so in fact.” The secretary drew himself up. “Sir, I have also taken the liberty of reliving the head of records from his post, pending an investigation.”

“Good. I want someone nailed to the wall for this. We’ve thrown all our remaining amulets into this mission, just for them all to be put into jeopardy just because somepony was too lazy to check on some travel information. Damn.”

He floated the report back. “At least the second part of this report states that Elements are still out of the picture for the moment. However nice that is, I would desperately like to know where they are so we can plan appropriately.”

The secretary cocked his head to one side. “None of our agents know where they are?”

The minister shook his head. “Not even the Princesses themselves seem to know. What we do know is that the Element Bearers are not in the secure facility they’re supposed to be in. It should also be noted that the Night Princess can’t contact them either.”

“Could they be dead sir?”

He shook his head. “Wishful thinking. Apparently it’s a known problem with the Bearers up in Canterlot. The Night Princess can’t access their dreams, something to do with when they actually became Bearers. A magical overload is the best answer we’ve been able to find out.”

He permitted himself a small smile.

“But we do know they are not in Ponyville at the moment. So thanks more to luck than planning…” He winced at that. “The mission is still viable. Keep trying to reach Sharp Fang. I want to know the minute we have contact again.”

The report floated in front of the minister again.

“He needs to know this. He will have to make an on-site decision, when he’s reached Ponyville, on whether to proceed or not. And hopefully, Quick Blade will not have to assume command.”

He looked up at his secretary.

“Don’t get me wrong, I want Icefang back as much as the next pony, maybe more than most realize, but retrieval of her amulet is now the most important objective for the entire clan right now.”

“Yes sir.”

As his secretary left, the minister unlocked a drawer and took out a plain file made by his predecessor.

He stared at it without opening it. “This is all thanks to you. I’m glad I retired you in time to prevent this. All these years we’ve survived by not being noticeable, by hiding in the shadows... and you wanted to jeopardize it all by openly attacking Canterlot and the Princesses.”

He sneered at the file. “We’ve carved out a niche here. Got power and influence now. We are very comfortable here thank-you-very-much. And if you’d succeeded... we’d have had the entire Equestrian army on our doorstep, within the week, baying for our blood. Not to mention the Day Princesses herself would probably be leading it.” He shivered at the thought. “And then most of us would’ve rather slit our own throats rather than risk being taken alive by her.”

He looked up and smiled without humor. “Oh, and let’s say you succeeded beyond all expectations, that you actually managed to kill both princesses in the attack, did you have a plan on how to raise and lower the sun afterwards? Had you even thought about that eventuality? Or were you too focused on trying to restore us to past glories to even care?” The minister rubbed his chin. “Hummm, you know, I wish I’d been able to ask you this before I retired you.”

He flipped to a marked page in the file.

Projected casualty rate of Canterlots' general populace at T-plus twenty-five minutes from spell ignition: 99%+
Appraisal of both Princesses being among fatalities -
Optimistic rating: Fair to good.
Realistic rating: Poor to fair.
Pessimistic rating: Negligible to poor.
Note: The caster themselves is projected to have a ‘very-good to excellent’ chance of survival. This would be down to the casters’ inherent abilities coupled with the amplifying effect of an active amulet. The combination of both of these factors would effectively make the caster ‘all-but-impervious’ to the extremely low-temperatures that would be generated by the spell. (See page 14 for power output, duration and area-of-effect projections.)
This would mean that the option to deploy the caster to other targets, after Canterlot, is a viable prospect. (Secondary targets listed on page 32.)

The minister shook his head as he closed the file. “As a defensive asset, to deter the princesses, it’s a sound theory. However, as an offensive asset like you’d envisioned…”

He put the file away in his drawer and locked it. “Madness. If you’d set off down this road we would’ve been damned if you had failed, and even more damned if you’d succeeded.”

* * *

Sunbeam lay unconscious on the bed roll. The mug of coffee in front of her was now long cold.

Rarity was seated next to the fire as the others lay in their beds.

Looking over at Sunbeam, she sighed before levitating the cold mug of coffee away from her.

Lifting her head, Rarity took a deep, calming breath.

The mix of the fire, the pine trees and the faint smell of the rhododendrons all joined together to create a relaxing scent.

Unseen by Rarity, Sunbeam’s nose twitched.

Chapter 37 - Cracks

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Chapter 37 - Cracks

Seated by the dying embers of the campfire as the other slept, Rarity watched the pre-dawn light peeking over the horizon. One side of the clearing where they'd stopped for the night fell away rapidly down a steep slope and was treeless, giving her an unrivaled view of the mountains being back-lit by the yet-to-happen sunrise. The rest of the clearing was surrounded by pine trees, with the odd rhododendron bush growing in between them.

Delicately, she poured out the last of the water from the kettle into an un-Rarity like mug, poured in a sugar and stirred it as she watched the subtle changes in shades that were happening in the sky with an expert, and appreciative, eye.

The mug floated up but Rarity never took a sip.

Behind her, she could clearly make out the sound of something moving around.

Keeping her head and ears still, she glanced left and right as far as her eyes would allow. She could see most of the bedrolls from where she was seated, but not all of them. All of the ones she could see were still occupied.

The sounds of movement carried on.

‘Keep those ears -still- Rarity. It -could- be one of the girls getting up… but they haven’t called out to me and nopony is due to relive me until breakfast. Okay, turn round on three. Pull all my magic back into horn as I do so and get ready to wake the girls, with a most dignified scream, if needs be. No point in being heroine all by myself about this. Deep breath dear. One, two, thr...’

The glow of magic supporting the mug vanished as Rarity spun round. “..ee.”

The mug fell.

The cry to wake the girls never came though.

All there was was a gasp and a flash of blue magic that caught the mug a mere inch off the ground.

* * *

Twilight was woken by a hoof prodding her cheek. Opening her eyes, she found that hoof was quickly pressed against her mouth.

Twilight gave Pinkie a very flat stare as she looked up at her.

Taking her hoof away from Twilight’s mouth, Pinkie held it up to her mouth in a ‘shh’ motion before pointing over to the right of Twilight.

Looking round, Twilight let out a muffled gasp of her own before she covered her mouth with a hoof.

On the other side of the campsite, with her back to them, was Sunbeam. She was sitting silently at the edge of the clearing, seeming engrossed by a rhododendron bush illuminated in the early morning light.

Looking around, Twilight could see all the others were up as well, all watching Sunbeam.

Pinkie was bouncing up and down until Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder to hold her down. Pinkie pointed at Sunbeam then to herself. Applejack shook her head.

Rarity nodded to Applejack then elegantly stood up. With a brief look at the others, she walked over to Sunbeam’s side.

Sunbeam didn’t move or acknowledge her presence, she just kept staring at the bush.

Rarity cleared her throat.

She still didn’t move.

Slowly sitting herself down, Rarity reached over and put a hoof on Sunbeam’s shoulder.

She didn’t react at first, then slowly she turned her head towards Rarity. Without a word Sunbeam pointed at the rhododendron bush.

Rarity looked at her, then at the bush, then back at her. “You want a flower?”

Sunbeam nodded with a small smile.

Looking back the bush, Rarity plucked a flower off with magic and floated it over to her.

Sunbeam clumsily grabbed for it, the small smile turning into a huge grin as she took hold of it. After several attempts to do so, she finally got the flower to stay in her mane, just behind her full ear.

Turning to look at Rarity, beaming, Sunbeam tried to speak, but all that came out was a wheezing sound. The smile became a puzzled frown before she looked at Rarity and pointed at the flower with a hopeful expression.

Rarity stroked her mane and said the first thing that came to mind. “Yes, you look pretty with it.”

Sunbeam’s beaming smile returned. Leaning in, and much to Rarity’s shock, she nuzzled Rarity.

It wasn’t long though before Rarity could feel her head start to droop, it slowly sliding down her chest.

“Are you tired dear?”

Looking up, Sunbeam slowly nodded, her head still pressed against Rarity.

Rarity pointed to her bed roll.

Sunbeam nodded. On her second attempt, she managed to stand up and, on unsteady legs, walk over to the bed roll before collapsing onto it.

Curling up into a ball, her hoof came up to make sure the flower was still in her mane. With a big smile on her face, she settled down to sleep as the others watched.

They all turned to look at Twilight.

Twilight shook her head. “We’ll just have to hope that more of her comes back later.”

* * *

Sunbeam let out a muffled grunt. She’d been awake for the last few minutes now and was trying to get her bearings, while simultaneously trying not to give away the fact she was awake.

‘Okay, this is getting nowhere. I’m on something that’s moving and from the fresh air, outside. Beyond that, I’ve no idea. I’m gonna have to open my eyes sooner or later.’

She cracked her eyes open a tiny bit. Enough to make out she was laying on a wooden floor and beyond that, trees, moving trees.

‘Wooden floor, trees… Outside. Outside on a moving platform. Wagon? Wagon! I’m on a...’

Pink filled her view.

Sunbeam instinctively threw both hooves over her eyes and let out a tiny whimper.

There was silence.

Sunbeam took a deep breath, keeping her hooves over her eyes.

‘Pink… Pink… Offensively pink...’

Sunbeam’s voice was dry and croaky. “Hello, Pinkie.”

“Yay! Sunny’s back!”

Sunbeam’s one-and-half ears pinned themselves back against her skull at the sudden abuse.

* * *

They had stopped among the pine trees.

Twilight had stood, unnoticed, by the side of the wagon as Fluttershy gave Sunbeam another check-over, this time able to ask her questions about how she felt. Sunbeam had then been told that she needed to rest and she really should stay on the wagon. Sunbeam had just nodded without argument.

Sunbeam hadn’t even flinched when she’d been told about the inhibitor ring around her horn. She’d just laid her head back down on the floor of the wagon.

As Fluttershy left Twilight watched as Sunbeam’s hoof traced down the length of her horn. She was close enough to hear the sigh and the whisper as Sunbeam’s hoof found the inhibitor ring.

“Hello, old friend. Long time no-see.”

“It is for your own good you know.”

Jumping, Sunbeam looked round at Twilight with wide eyes. Her head fell as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Damn, I’m getting sloppy. Suppose I’ve got a good excuse though.” She reached up and tapped the ring.

Twilight nodded. “Extreme magical exhaustion. It’s best if you refrain from all magic for the foreseeable future. As well as physically rest.”

Sunbeam grunted and let the hoof fall. “Rest. Flutters was most insistent about that part. She also said you’d fill me in on all the magical stuff later, but she did give me the basics.” She lay her head down on the bed of the wagon. “Magically induced coma. She also indicated that there were… complications. Stuff I really need to ask you about apparently.”

She sighed. “Just for the record, every-part of me feels… off. Every time I move something it feels ‘almost’ but not quite right. If that makes any sense. Not to mention my head feels likes it’s stuffed with cotton wool. I’m having to try to remember things that I feel that I shouldn’t have to try to.” She tapped a hoof on the wagon bed. “It like it is all still there, it’s just I gotta pull it out.” She looked at Twilight. “Having to concentrate to do almost everything is kinda frustrating.”

“Well, it’s good thing you can still remember… well, anything.”

Sunbeam looked away from Twilight. "That's a matter of opinion."

“It could be a lot worse. You should be dead you know.”

She turned back to look at Twilight. “Your bedside manner sucks Twi. Even Old Silver knew how to comfort a dying pony.”

“You’re not dying and I’m being serious here.”

“So am I.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’m glad to see you aren’t too badly affected by your traumatic episode. Look Sunbeam, I need to tell you a few things and ask you some questions. Some about the spell you used, some about… other things.” Twilight blinked as a hard learned lesson nudged her mentally. “When you’re feeling up to it of course. Do you feel up to it?” She asked a little too eagerly.

Sunbeam sighed and looked at her. “Before we get started on all that, can I just say one thing... Greywing. I didn’t...”

Twilight held up a hoof and shook her head as her body stiffened. Her voice became curt. “We’ll talk about everything later then. Everything will keep.” Abruptly, she turned and started walking away.

Sunbeam closed her eyes. ‘...Mean to. I didn’t mean to.’

“Twilight!”

Twilight stopped. She didn’t turn around, but she did rotate an ear towards her.

Sunbeam voice was low. “I remember enough… Twilight, I release you from any promises you made to me. Anything you said about letting me stay in Equestria. Y-you don’t have to honor any of it. I… I’ll be moving on after this. To a better… Just let me get a few bits from my house and you can escort me to the border yourself if you want.”

Twilight looked over her shoulder at her. “I can’t let you do that Sunbeam.”

Sunbeam smiled at her as she relaxed. “Thank you.”

Twilight turned her head and walked away.

* * *

Applejack caught up with Twilight and put a hoof on her shoulder.

“That’s right neighborly of you Twi, all things considered.”

Twilight shrugged the hoof off. “Please don’t Applejack. I don’t deserve to be complimented for that. I’m not trying to be friendly, I’m only doing what’s best for Equestria. There’s a big difference.”

Applejack took a step back and tilted her head.

“As a princess I… I can’t in good conscience let a unicorn capable of that level of... destruction just roam free. When I became aware of her affinity I’d thought it would just be a massive reserve for low-tier frost spells.” Twilight shook her head. “She’d never shown any sort of ability for high level magic, so I’d thought that all she’d be capable of was just some upscaled low-level spells. But the spell she cast in the dormitory... That was a high-level assault spell. And even if it’s only spell she knows, it shows she is capable of them... and that changes everything.”

Twilight looked away from Applejack.

“All magical users capable of spells beyond a certain level are closely monitored AJ. Especially if they can cast spells that could affect large numbers of the general populous. Even I was under constant supervision when I was younger. True it was under Celestia’s supervision, but make no mistake, that is what it was. She instilled in me all kinds of moral codes to follow so I’d be careful out in the real world… And I still slipped. The Mr Smarty-Pants incident for instance.”

There was a long silence before she spoke again.

“Powerful magic users can cause so much damage if they aren’t careful Applejack, and Sunbeam has no moral codes to guide her. Well, none that we would recognize as such.” A pained look flashed across her face. “Those mercenaries trained her to kill and I seriously doubt ‘restraint’ featured heavily on their teaching plan.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes. “Maybe, maybe if she was stable, we could work something out...” She looked up. “But look me in the eye and tell me you think she’s stable.”

Applejack looked down and said nothing.

“And think about what Pinkie told us she did after she found out about Greywing. Tell me that you don’t think she could lash out like that again if provoked. Maybe with that very same spell, maybe in the middle of Ponyville’s market.”

Applejack gave Twilight a sharp look.

Twilight waved a hoof. “Worst case scenario I admit. But would you be willing to take that risk?”

There was a sigh. “No, no I wouldn’t Twi. But she meant it. What she said when she went off to get Greywing, the promise about not hurting us.”

“I know, and that what’s makes it worse. She didn’t mean to... and Greywing still died. She didn’t mean to… and all those ponies still died. She set off not meaning to... and then purposefully went out of her way to kill all those ponies. You can’t have a pony like that on the loose AJ, not with the kind of power she has.”

Applejack’s expression turned carefully blank. “So what do you intend to do then?”

Twilight’s ears fell to the sides. “That’s just it, I don’t know. All the options I can see feel wrong in some way. If I let her go, or just ignore her, she’s a potential threat to Equestria in the future. If I keep her here... She could end up a virtual prisoner for the rest of her life.” Twilight looked up at the sky. “And those are some of the best options I can see.”

She looked towards the sun. “All I can hope is that Celestia will know the right thing to do. Because I don’t.”

* * *

Rarity and Fluttershy, herded by Pinkie, all trotted up next to Sunbeam in the wagon.

Sunbeam gave them a faint smile and wave.

They all returned the wave, with Pinkie wearing the only true smile out of all of the ponies present.

“Looks girls, I just want to say…” Sunbeam sighed. “What I need to say…” She ran a hoof through her forelock. “Argh, I…”

A puzzled look formed on Sunbeam’s face as her hoof encountered something in her mane. Pinkie beamed as Sunbeam pulled the flower from her mane.

“Okay, who put this in…?” Her voice tailed off as she stared at the rhododendron.

Sunbeam was very still for a while, before slowly lifting it up to her nose and sniffing it. Her eyes closed as a faint smile flittered across her face for a second.

Opening her eyes, she put the flower back into her mane with a defiant scowl. “I don’t approve of ponies putting things in my mane. Especially when I’m out cold. But… but it seems a shame to waste it. I mean, somepony put time and effort to put it there... and it’s not like it’s going to do me any harm to keep wearing it, is it?”

Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy all nodded in unison, watching her as she tried to keep the scowl on her face. The smiles became less forced.

“I’m being nice here. Uh… What was I saying before?”

Pinkie bounced up to her. “That you like flowers in your hair.”

Sunbeam’s hoof patted the flower again, making sure it was staying in place in her mane. She turned and glared at the still smiling Pinkie. “Hardly, I’m just keeping it there as I’m being nice. And as I don’t want to hurt anypony’s feelings right now.” She reached up and adjusted it again.

She lay her head back down and smiled gently.

‘A pine kitchen covered in rhododendrons. I can remember... I can remember the smell.’ Her smile grew slightly as she took a deep breath in through her nose. ‘The smell of a freshly scrubbed pine kitchen decorated with rhododendrons.’

Sunbeam grinned without even knowing she was. ‘Mummy’s favorite flower, daddy would decorate the kitchen with them. He’d even put one in my mane, he’d call me his ‘Pretty Little Singing Flow...’’

* * *

Twilight turned to face Rarity as she trotted up towards her and a morose looking Applejack.

“What is it Rarity?”

Rarity glanced between Twilight and Applejack, trying to work out what was wrong. “Ahem, Sunbeam is asking for you Twilight. She said she’s ready to answer any and all questions you may have.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

Rarity looked down and shifted her hooves. “She looked so happy, then all of a sudden she became very agitated. Started insisting that she wanted to see you, that she wanted you to start asking her all the questions you could think of. ‘The harder she had to think about them the better’ was the quote. When I left she was listening intently to Pinkie.” Rarity shook her head. “You know, I’ve never seen anypony be quite so focused before, at least not on a muffin recipe.”

Twilight blinked before rubbing her chin. “Well, I suppose I would like to know more about that spell.”

* * *

Twilight stamped back and forth as she shouted at Sunbeam. Rarity shadowed her, trying to calm her down as the others looked on from a distance.

Twilight stopped and pointed a hoof a Sunbeam. “You overloaded the spell!? No, you went beyond that didn’t you? You forced so much magic into the spell that you actually lost control over it! You forced it to the point where it went critical and started feeding itself off your reserve. You pushed it beyond your control! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is! How much it goes against everything we learn about the proper use of magic?”

Sunbeam cringed back in the wagon, her ears folded flat as she watched Twilight rage. ‘Is her mane smoldering? Say something you stupid mare!’ Sunbeam swallowed. “B-but it’s what I was taught to do. You...”

Twilight spun around, pointing a hoof at her. “And what imbecile taught you to do that?! I’m disappointed in you Sunbeam, despite everything else, I thought you were smart enough to know better than to overload a spell. Even foals casting their very first magic spell know intuitively when to stop. It’s a survival instinct that’s been passed down unicorn to unicorn over the generations. An instinct that’s allowed unicorns to survive as a magic using species! An instinct that you casually threw aside.”

Twilight started jabbing a hoof at her to emphasize her words. ”You! Do! Not! Overload a spell with magic! You do not let the magic start to control you!”

She ran a hoof through her forelock, her voice dropping to almost normal.

“Even small, simple spells can become unpredictable and dangerous when too much magic is forced into them.” Twilight glared at Sunbeam. “And you went and overloaded an already inherently dangerous, high-yield, area-assault spell.” Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “And not only a little bit, but to the point where it started controlling you. Do you know that Pre-unification, you would have been deemed ‘unable to properly control your magic’ and would have had your horn promptly cut off? Be glad we are not back in those days.”

Sunbeam recoiled back, both her forehooves flying up to her horn.

Rarity patted Twilight on the shoulder. “Twilight dear, I think you’re going a little over the top here. I believe that Sunbeam understands that you are ‘not happy’ about this.”

Twilight sighed, her voice becoming tired. “Of all the irresponsible actions I’ve heard, Crusaders included…” Sunbeam winced at that. “...This is by far the worst.” Twilight slumped “What happened in the dormitory was bad enough as is, but to know that you willingly lost control of a spell to do it… that just makes it so much worse. And that’s to say nothing about the premeditation...”

Twilight’s head came up as a thought occurred to her.

She pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “‘Taught’, that’s the exact word you used: ‘Taught’. So by implication, not only you, but other ponies were involved in this… this…” Twilight’s back legs gave way. “I don’t believe it! Other ponies were involved with this travesty? Other unicorns actually taught you to lose control of your magic? Not one stopped to think about what they were doing?”

She took Sunbeam’s silence as confirmation.

“So they went ahead, doing the very thing you’re not supposed to with spells… Just to make an already destructive spell slightly more deadly? Argh!” She stamped a hoof again. “I don’t know what to say Sunbeam. I’m lost for words at this, I’m speechless… this is all just so wrong.”

Twilight was silent for a long while. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet.

“All that time and effort spent on it, and for what? Even doing what most unicorns would consider objectionable, it would only increase the effectiveness of the spell marginally. Any extra effect gained wouldn’t show up much against the already destructive nature of the spell.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes. “You’d have to increase the power input drastically to get a noticeable effect from overloading. Over and above the linear input-to-output ratio anyway.” She looked up. “And you’d need a pony with a massive reserve... and even then the amount of magic you could put into it would be limited by the time frame allowed before you needed to cast the spell. And lets not forget to mention the inherent danger to the caster as well. Bearing that all in mind, the whole operation is rendered virtually pointless, the net increase being laughably small in comparison to the effort put in.”

Twilight paused and looked at Sunbeam. “Unless…”

Sunbeam cowered back in anticipation of the coming storm. She could see the cogs in Twilight’s mind turning, putting all the pieces together.

Twilight’s words became thoughtful. “Unless… Unless the pony casting the spell didn’t have to use that much magic. That they could achieve the same net results with a smaller, safer amount. A smaller amount that could be cast in the time-frame needed. But for that they would need a pony that was sooo much more efficient in converting magic to real-world effects. Like if they had… had… an affinity.”

Twilight exploded. Standing up, she pointed an accusing hoof at Sunbeam.

“You! The whole spell is based around you, isn’t it?! Those other unicorns, is that what they were doing? Designing a spell to allow you to use your affinity not just to power… but to overpower that damned spell!?”

Twilight’s voice became dull as realization set in. “Of course they did, you’d be so much better at it, wouldn’t you? Your affinity makes you a much better choice than a pony with just a large reserve. You could use a smaller amount in the time frame needed, and still get the same results.”

Twilight pointed a hoof at Sunbeam again, but this time a few stray hairs from her mane sprung out. “But why stop there? Why stop at using a small amount? If we use more, we can get an even more destructive result. That was the whole plan wasn’t it? So lets ramp it up, let’s use as much of your reserve as possible and see what we get shall we?”

Sunbeam shuffled nervously a bit further back into the wagon as Twilight took a step closer.

Twilight’s tone and pitch steadily rose, “We’ve tested you back at the library, so we already have figures on your reserve and your affinity. So, lets consider doing a controlled spike of all your magic and see just how much we can fit in. Let’s see just how much of your reserve we can squeeze into the spell before it's ready to cast.”

Twilight tilted her head in thought. “Ah, you’d lose a little at the end, overspill as it were, but about ninety-three point two percent of your reserve could be safely utilized. Which your affinity means you could do with minimal danger to yourself.” She clapped her hooves together. “So, let us put all those figures into the mix and do the math… not forgetting to factor in the overloading effect of course.”

There was a pause as Twilight worked this out. She looked up. “And that would give the spell a theoretical upper power limit of…”

Twilight blinked. “No, no that can’t be right.”

Twilight sat down, a look of shock growing on her face as she quickly re-ran the figures in her head.

Twilight pointed a shaking hoof at Sunbeam. “You... You’d… Just for a second… Just as the power peaked before discharge… The spell would have a significant percentage of my total magical power output.”

Sunbeam’s eyes darted around, unwilling to look directly at Twilight.

Twilight shook her head. “I’d thought about ‘how long’ your reserve would last, but I never once considered it being used up ‘all in one go’ like that.” She focused on Sunbeam. “Just how big would the spell be? You must have some idea.”

Sunbeam looked away and mumbled something.

Twilight stamped her hoof. “As a Princess, I’m asking… No, I’m ordering you Sunbeam, Icefang, argh, whatever you want to call yourself... I order you to tell me, just how destructive would that spell be!”

Sunbeam looked up at Twilight with a glare of her own before her face went blank and she emotionlessly, she recited a passage from memory.

“Under caster-innate conditions, a forty to forty-five meter radius of lethality has been observed with another ten to fifteen meters being the drop-off zone. Ponies inside the outer zone would be exposed to varying degrees of hypothermia and/or frostbite, the severity of which would be primarily influenced by ‘position in the zone’ and ‘exposure time’. Secondary influences would be in relation to the health and age of the pony in question. Sixty to seventy percent is the projected overall fatality rate within the drop-off zone itself.”

There was a stunned silence.

Sunbeam grasped her amulet and closed her eyes. ‘And they were disappointed with those figures. With a working amulet the area would be...’ She shook her head to clear the thought.

Twilight’s look of shock had come back “W-why? How could you be… How… How could a bunch of semi-literate mercenaries develop a spell of that magnitude?”

Sunbeam looked up sharply at Twilight. After a second she sniggered humorlessly. “Oh, you actually think that Old Silver and his lot could have developed that? Oh heck no, I’d give most of them a fifty-fifty chance of even knowing what a book was.” She shook her head again. “They never knew I could do that… I never told them. Silver would have tried getting me to do that in battle if he’d known.”

Sunbeam looked away, reaching up to play with the flower in her mane. “Until he realized just how impractical it is for a battlefield situation. It takes time to power up, its disorientating, I’ve passed out every time I’ve cast it and it leaves me weak and vulnerable for quite a while afterwards.” She looked back at Twilight. “Not to mention: it bucking hurts!”

Twilight shook her head, then suddenly looked up. “Wait. If the mercenaries didn’t develop the spell, then who did?”

Sunbeam stared at Twilight. Her mouth open and closed several times before she turned her head away. ‘Oh horseapples. I’ve bucked up now.’

“Sunbeam? Please look at me.”

Sunbeam rubbed her eyes. ‘Damn it! My minds gone blank. I can’t think of anything! Horseapples, horseapples, horseapples. Say something, anything, you stupid mare! Stall for time… Say anything!’

She looked back. “Please, I’ll need some time Twi. It’s family Twi, it’s all to do with family. There’s a part of me, a tiny twisted part of me, that still thinks of them as family. I can’t just go against them Twi… Not just like that. You understand please, right? I’ll need some time… I just need some time...”

Applejack placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder while looking at Sunbeam. “We understand sugar.” She turned to look at Twilight. “You can’t just expect a pony to go against family Twilight. Not just like that. Family is family after all. But she will have to decide where her loyalties lay, and soon, very soon.” Applejack looked back over at Sunbeam. “I know this ain’t a matter to be taken lightly sugar, either way isn’t going to be guilt-free, but consider this: this family of yours taught you to perform a spell of mass destruction... and you left them. Now I think you left them 'because they taught you it', or at least that's a major part of it." She pointed a hoof at her. "I think on some level you know what the right thing to do is.”

Applejack turned to leave. “She’s not lying though Twilight, I can tell you that. She just needs some time.” She looked at Sunbeam. “I’d say until just after we got back, at the very latest.” Applejack raised a questioning eyebrow.

Sunbeam nodded.

‘Thank you AJ. Must remember to get you a fruit basket later...’ Her head came up as she watched Applejack walk away with Twilight trotting next to her shaking her head.

‘I wasn’t lying!? I said I still considered them family, how could that be? I… I just said the first thing that came to mind! I couldn’t have been telling the truth...’

‘I couldn’t...!’

‘I couldn’t...?’

Sunbeam’s head fell onto the bed of the wagon with a thud.

* * *

Sunbeam lay in the wagon as it bounced along.

She’d noticed that all of the girls were giving her a wide berth for the time being. So she was a little surprised when Pinkie trotted up and started keeping pace with the end of the wagon. In the awkward silence, Sunbeam could see just how unusually straight her mane was. ‘That’s not normal. I wonder...’

“How are you doing Sunbeam?”

Sunbeam raised an eyebrow at her uncharacteristically serious tone.

She forced a smile. “Please Pinkie, Sunny is fine. The nickname has really grown on me and I’d like it if you kept calling me by it. If you want to that is.”

Pinkie nodded, a slight curl appearing in the bottom of her mane before she took a breath. “Sunny, there’s a lot of super-important things Twilight still needs to ask you, but after everything, she’s agreed that ‘right now’ isn’t the right time.” She looked down. “We all need some time to think things over.”

Sunbeam nodded. “Yeah, we all need some time to work this horseapples out. Swimming lessons might be good idea as well; it’s that deep.”

Pinkie smiled slightly at the strained joke. “Twilight has something to tell you as well, something about your amulet.”

Sunbeam immediately pulled back, her eyes narrowing as she tensed up, a hoof protectively covering her amulet.

The curls left Pinkie’s mane.

‘Dammit.’

Sunbeam forced herself to relax. “Sorry Pinkie, just a little tense about... well everything right now. I’m sorry about that.”

She looked away. ‘And I’m especially tense about Mr Sable. Now is not a good time to mention the necromancy on it. Never... never would be best time to mention -that- little thing. Probably best to bury Mr Sable when I get… No! I’m not burying Mr Sable again.’ She looked down and frowned at her amulet. ‘Ugh, my head must still be messed up. It looks different somehow...’

It was Pinkie’s firm tone that made Sunbeam look up in surprise.

“No! I’m sorry Sunny! About making you remember all those really mean things. Sunbeam, I didn’t mean to… whatever I did to you, I didn’t mean to. I don’t know what I did, but I didn’t mean to...”

It was Pinkie’s turn to look up in surprise. Sunbeam had leaned out of the wagon and had placed an outstretched hoof over her mouth.

She also had a horrified expression on her face.

‘Oh buck, does it really sound that bad when it’s said out loud? Do I really sound -that- whiney?’

Sunbeam pulled her hoof back in and tried to force a smile. “Please don’t Pinkie. It wasn’t your fault. It was going to happen at some point anyway, you just gave it the final nudge. It wasn’t your fault, so I don’t blame you in the least. If it helps, It wasn’t that many unpleasant memories that came back. There were some good… A good one came back as well.”

Sunbeam settled back down in the wagon. “I think more than a few are still missing, which I feel is a good thing. Whether that’s from my little nap...” She tapped her horn. “Or from me myself repressing…” Sunbeam shrugged. “I don’t know. But please believe me Pinkie. I do not blame you.”

A tiny smile appeared on Pinkie, along with some curls in her mane.

Sunbeam took a breath in. “When we get back Pinkie I’m going to need some cheering up. Can you throw me a party, Pinkie? To cheer me, us all, up?”

“Really? A big party?” The curls spread up Pinkie’s mane.

Sunbeam pulled back, putting her hooves up in front of her. “Whoa girl! Only a small one! But yes I want you to throw me a party.”

Pinkie grinned.

Sunbeam smiled back. ‘Not one of her full smiles, but better than before. Her mane has even got some curls back. See, you can be nice and pleasant. Sometimes.’

She watched Pinkie walk away with a definite bounce in her step. Sunbeam noticed that the wagon had stopped.

Looking round, she saw Applejack silently looking over her shoulder at her.

She slumped. “Okay Applejack, I admit it, I don’t really want that party. And whatever Pinkie did was probably more than ‘just a nudge’.”

Applejack said nothing.

Sunbeam looked up at Applejack with a defiant glare. “But I meant it when I said I don’t blame her. I don’t. So you can buck right off with that accusing look.”

Applejack gave her a nod and a tiny smile. She turned away and started pulling the wagon again.

Sunbeam looked back at Twilight, deep in conversation with Rarity. ‘Damn, forgot to ask about my amulet. But if Twilight did know about the necromancy… that would be it. So I wonder what it’s about?’

Sunbeam’s head slumped down to the bed of the wagon.

‘But tomorrow. I’ll deal with it tomorrow. I’ll deal with it -all- tomorrow.’

Sunbeam settled down, watching Pinkie excitedly chatting to Fluttershy and Rainbow, her mane almost completely curly again.

Sunbeam felt her corners of her mouth pull up as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Stopping, Sunbeam looked around, but all she could see was the rolling yellow sands of the endless desert and the deep blue of the cloudless sky far overhead.

‘I know this place. Where do I know this place from?’

Looking back, she could see girls chatting happily as they walked unmindfully across the desert. Sunbeam smiled.

With a little jolt she realized that they had got a little further away from her than she expected. She set off at a trot to catch them up.

Just as she started catching up they went over the top of a dune and disappeared from view.

Sunbeam sped up and a few seconds later she followed them over the top.

She immediately found herself sliding uncontrollably down an unexpectedly steep slope. Sunbeam found herself fighting just to stay upright and not start tumbling down the incline.

It was a very deep valley, but even as she slid down the slope she couldn't help but notice how dark and cold it was getting.

The girls were halfway up the other side by the time Sunbeam reached the bottom. Getting back onto her hooves, grateful she hadn't fallen, she found herself shivering in an unpleasantly clammy cold. Wanting to get out as quickly as possible, Sunbeam started trotting up the other side of the valley.

Tried to start trotting up the other side of the valley.

The sand kept shifting, with every step she took she found herself sliding back down to the bottom.

The girls kept walking upwards and away from her.

Steeling herself, Sunbeam tired again, this time galloping up the slope. The shifting sands quickly beat her and she slid back down to the bottom again exhausted.

Looking up at the girls, she could see them nearing the crest of the dune.

Sunbeam tried to call out to them, her eye's widening in shock when she found she couldn't make a sound. Sitting back on her haunches, Sunbeam frantically started waving her forelegs at the girls.

She watched the them disappear over the crest, never once looking back for her.

With a muted snarl, Sunbeam went to take a few steps back so she could get a decent run-up at the dune this time.

Sunbeam blinked in surprise when she found none of her legs would move. Looking down, she could see all four legs had sunk into sand, up to the knees, without her even noticing.

Sunbeam felt her jaw tremble as the first pangs of panic set in. Looking up the empty slope, she finally found her voice.

“Don’t leave me!”

“Don’t leave meeee!”

The screams became whispers as her ears splayed out to the sides. “Please, d-don’t leave me. I don’t want to alone. Please… I’m scared." She looked down. "I w-want my...”

There was the noise of a hoof step behind her. Sunbeam let out a sigh as she relaxed. “See, I knew you wouldn’t leave me.”

Smiling, she looked around over her shoulder. “I seem to be stuck...”

A frost coated Greywing stared back at her with dull, grey unblinking eyes. One of his forehooves shot out and grabbed the top of her horn while the other placed a saw at it’s base.

* * *

Applejack shook Sunbeam.

“Wake up Sunbeam! C’mon girl, wake up!”

Sunbeam eyes snapped open, the wild look in them making Applejack instinctively flinch back.

“Uh... You were screaming in your sleep partner.”

Sunbeam stared at Applejack for a second before both her forehooves flew up to her horn, her breathing becoming rapid and uneven as she clutched it tightly.

Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. “Breathe sugar, breathe. Sounds like you’re about to hyperventilate there.”

Staring into the distance, Sunbeam rolled onto her side and curled up into a fetal position. Her hooves never left her horn, as she started to shake uncontrollably.

Applejack took a step back. “Girls?”

Fluttershy brushed past Applejack as she got into the wagon and lay down next to Sunbeam. Putting a wing over her she made calming noises, the same calming noises she used on her little friends when they were frightened by the thunder.

Sunbeam lay there, shivering under Fluttershy’s wing.

‘I… I...' She curled up a little tighter.

'I don’t want to do this anymore.’

Chapter 38 - We Don't Remember Days, We Remember Moments

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Chapter 38 - We Don’t Remember Days, We Remember Moments

Twilight looked at the sun, hanging low in the sky, before looking around her.

The grassy mountain plateau was bathed in a golden glow from the setting sun. On two sides the mountains rose above her, with the highest peaks disappearing into the clouds. The other two sides were lower, giving her a clear view of the sunset and foothills below.

All the others were stood looking expectantly at her, with Sunbeam looking on from the wagon nearby.

She took a breath. “If we look again over…”

Applejack's ears drooped as the others groaned. “Sugar! We need to call it a day. We need to start setting up camp before it gets dark.

Twilight shook her head. “No no no! Wheat-thorn must be around here. There is still some light left, we could still find…”

Rarity trotted up and put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight darling, we are not going to accomplish anything more today. We’ve been searching all over this Celestia-forsaken, excuse my Prench, mountain-side from sunrise to sunset now. We need to rest.”

Rainbow looked at the sky. “Yeah. I think it’s gonna get windy tonight. We should make camp, while we can.”

Twilight looked around at her friends pleadingly. “But ponies are counting on us. I’ve run the figures, if they use the machines they use on us they can keep everypony alive... to begin with. Everypony would still be alive by the time we get back... if we set off now. Any later and they would have had to start… start…” She looked down. “They would have to start reducing the numbers they treated. They'd have to start letting ponies…” She stuttered into silence. "Please, we have to set off tonight! Tomorrow is too late..."

Rarity shook her head. “Twilight, I’m so sorry, but we do need to rest. If we carried on looking, tired, in the dark, on a mountain… how long before somepony makes a mistake from sheer exhaustion? How long before somepony gets badly hurt? How long would that delay us? I’m sorry Twilight, but sometimes you just can’t save everypony.”

Dropping her head, the princess let out a sob. “B-but...” Suddenly looking up, she pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “You! You said these were the right conditions for Wheat-thorn to grow.” She took a step towards her. “We wasted time looking for it here when we could have been looking for it elsewhere. You...”

Sunbeam cringed back in the wagon as Twilight took another step towards her.

Grabbing Twilight’s shoulder, Applejack pulled her around to face her. “Calm down Twi! Just because something can grow in a place, doesn’t mean that it does. It’s not her fault.”

Twilight blinked several times at Applejack before her her ears fell. “I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry everypony… I’m so sorry Sunbeam.” Sitting down, she put her head into her hooves. “I’ve never failed like this before. Never had ponies... because I… I... failed.”

Applejack hugged Twilight as she began to sob.

"Shh sugar.”

Twilight buried her face in Applejack’s shoulder. “I - I knew the timetable would have little margin for error AJ. I - I knew getting here, finding it and getting back in time would be tough. B-but I had backup plans.” She let out another sob. “I was going to teleport the wheat-thorn back when we found it. Failing that, Rainbow could fly enough back to keep them going until we got back with the bulk.” Twilight wrapped her hooves around Applejack. “B-but my plans have all failed. I can’t use my magic... and Rainbow is grounded. I’ve let them down. I failed! All those ponies that they are going to have their treatment stopped... I’ve failed them! Ponies are going to die now whatever happens… I failed them.”

Sunbeam watched as the rest of the girls moved in and started hugging Twilight.

She tilted her head in puzzlement. It took her a second to work the feeling out. Part of her wanted to go hug Twilight as well.

* * *

They'd set up camp inside an abandoned sheep pen they’d found at one end of the plateau.

It was a simple pen, just a circular wall made of flat stones piled on top of each other without mortar. While Applejack had seen its type before, it had only been in a book about old farming techniques. She was glad to note that the wall, enclosing an area a little larger the ground floor of the library, had been built just high enough for a sitting pony to comfortably shelter from the wind. Something she doubted was accidental in it's design. There was no indication to who, or even why, it had been built all the way up here, but with the amount of moss growing over the wall Applejack judged it had been standing here for a long time. It was also clear to her that it had been abandoned for a fair portion of that; a part of the wall had fallen on one side of the entrance, spilling it’s stones in all directions and happening long enough ago for grass to have started growing over those stones.

The wagon had been carefully parked in the widened entrance to help serve as a windbreak, but a gap still remained letting in the odd gust of wind. Despite that, Applejack had managed to get the fire going just as the last of the light in the sky had faded, but even so, she'd only fully relaxed only once she seen the fire take hold of the main fuel. With the cloud cover keeping the moon hidden she knew it was going to be a very dark, very windy and very cold night.

Applejack turned and frowned at the entrance as the fire flared in a gust of wind. The fire would keep the inside of the pen lit and warm, but the entrance was just an ominous black gap in the comforting surrounding wall, a gap that would let the wind in. A gap that would let anything in. Looking at the others, she noticed that she wasn't the only pony giving the open entrance uncomfortable looks.

As Applejack settled down, she could hear the wind begin to howl and rumble in another part of the mountain range, promising that the wind they had now was only a mild precursor to what was to come.

* * *

The girls now sat against the lee-side wall of the pen, sheltering from the wind as much as possible with blankets wrapped around them as the temperature started to drop. The wind was swirling and every so often a gust would come into the pen and make the fire flare. Even wrapped in blankets, they were all trying to keep close enough to the campfire to feel the warmth but keep far enough away to be safe from the flare-ups. Only Pinkie, who was cooking supper, was standing right next to the fire. As she cooked, every now-and-again she’d suddenly shift position, and always just before a flare-up. No pony commented; everypony was too tired and too hungry to care.

Twilight herself hadn’t said much after agreeing to make camp for the night, she’d just seated herself down and stared into the fire once it had got going. Fluttershy had seated herself next to Twilight and had put a wing around her, saying nothing, just being there for her, while Sunbeam had seated herself a little further along the wall from the rest, separating herself from them.

Finishing her cooking, Pinkie carefully dished up supper in bowls and handed them out to everypony, keeping hers and Sunbeams to last. With a deliberate look at Sunbeam, she put her bowl down next to herself.

Sunbeam slowly got up and walking a little unsteadily, approached the bowl. Reaching out for it, Pinkie grabbed her outstretched hoof with hers and looking Sunbeam in the eye, gave it a little tug towards her.

Sunbeam looked at her and Pinkie smiled back.

Giving her a tiny, hopeful, smile Sunbeam seated herself down next to Pinkie. Furtively, she glanced around the campfire at the others. None looked up from their bowls as they ate.

Sunbeam dug into her supper hungrily.

* * *

The howling rumble of the wind had become louder and a lot closer.

Rarity poured out the coffees in silence. Everypony sat in a row, their backs against the curved wall, all looking at the fire. No pony had spoken much beyond a word or two since eating.

It was Rainbow that finally broke the long silence.

“Sunbeam, something’s been at the back of my mind for a while now… and I want to ask you about it.”

“Your mind has a front as well then, sugar?” Applejack pulled the blanket a little tighter around her as another gust found it’s way in.

“Haha AJ.” Rainbow looked back at Sunbeam. “No, I want to ask you a serious question.”

Sunbeam shrugged. “As long as it’s not the one about ‘where foals come from’.”

Rainbow smirked. “Funny you should say that. No, it's about something I heard back.. back there. Back there with those magical sapping nut-cases. One of them said something about you, about why... About why you were selected to be a… what was the term?”

Sunbeam‘s expression soured, along with her tone. “Bastion.”

“Yeah, that…”

Fluttershy looked at her friend. “Umm Rainbow, I don’t think this is a good topic.”

Rainbow plowed on, pretending not to hear Fluttershy. “...Physically pure. That’s what he said. Physically pure.” Rainbow tilted her head. “Why would they want a ‘bastion’ to have that of all things?”

Only the sound of the wind and the fire could be heard as everypony turned to look at Sunbeam at the end of the row.

Sunbeam looked up in thought. “Well, the first reason that comes to mind is... they were all just plain bucking nuts.”

She looked over to Rainbow, who was still looking quizzically at her. Sunbeam sighed.

“Okay, for real. I got the impression it was an ideological thing, officially. Personally, I think Adeptus was just a dirty old stallion at heart. I admit my opinion might be a little biased on his general character and intelligence, but the whole 'being turned into mind-dead zombie thing' might have that effect on a pony. No, the nasty part of me thinks that old...” She fought to suppress a smirk. "...‘Rock-for-brains’ got off on the idea of being surrounded by virgi...” Sunbeam went quiet, suddenly finding the coffee she was holding very interesting.

Rainbow pointed a hoof at her. “But that’s just it, they selected you to be one. And ‘physically pure’ is… is...”

Twilight chipped in. “Hard to misinterpret in its meaning?”

Sunbeam threw Twilight a glare.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah… what Twi said. It can only really mean one thing. And if they selected you, that must mean that they thought you were...” She looked at Sunbeam, her eyes widening. “No way! You can’t be...”

With a sigh, Sunbeam looked up into the night sky. “And if I am?”

Fluttershy held a hoof up to her mouth. “Oh my! You’ve never… I would have thought that of you of all ponies would have…” She looked down, blushing. “I’ll be quiet now.”

Rainbow pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “Oh come on! You can’t be serious! I mean, not even once? Heck, even ‘little miss princess’ over there has once… in a library of all places.”

Twilight made a strangled sound. “That was told in the strictest of confidences Rainbow! And, by the way, I know about your first time... little miss ‘let’s-both-dress-up-as-Wonderbolts’.”

Rainbow coughed as the others all grinned, both at Rainbow’s embarrassment and seeing a bit of the old Twilight coming out.

Pinkie wrapped a hoof around Sunbeam’s shoulders. “So, not even once. Are you blushing Sunny?”

“I am not! I just can't believe that I’m only one here.” She turned a meaningful look on Fluttershy as the pegasus tried to hide behind her mane.

The wind howled far away.

“Fluttershy?”

There was a tiny squeak from behind the mane and the tiniest shake of a head. “S-sorry Sunbeam.”

Rainbow put a hoof on her shoulder, wearing a big grin. “Just you Sunny.”

Sunbeam sank her face into her hooves as Twilight pulled the blanket around her a little tighter. “Please excuse me for saying this Sunbeam, but seem the last pony in Equestria to show any self-restraint in that sort of thing.” Twilight made a vague gesture with her hoof. “Err, I mean to say you seem more the type to enjoy lifting her tail…”

Sunbeam looked up over her hooves at Twilight with raised eyebrows.

Twilight fidgeted. “I mean, I thought you'd be more the type to pin a stallion down and force him to...”

The eyes looking at Twilight narrowed.

Rarity calmly took a sip of her coffee. “Twilight darling, the first step to getting out of the hole you’re in... is to stop digging.”
Twilight blushed as she looked away, mumbling something incoherent.

Rarity continued. “But I must agree with Twilight’s general premise darling, if not the wording. It does seem extremely unlikely that you, of all ponies, would have…” Rarity tapped her chin, searching for the words. “...Forgone such a pleasurable pastime, shall we say.”

Sunbeam looked at her for a second before snorting and turning her head away. “Thank you all very much indeed! I manage to show some self-restraint in something and you all start freaking out about it.”

“I’d hardly call it ‘freaking out’ darling, but…”

Applejack slapped her leg, interrupting Rarity. “Well don’t that beat all partner. You are! You really are a...”

Sunbeam’s head snapped round as she pointed a hoof at Applejack. “I dare you to finish that sentence AJ.” She slumped. “Look, I just don’t get that urge around stallions okay.” She looked down, the whisper lost in the wind. “I just can’t open up to them. One kinda ruined them all for me.”

Sunbeam was silent for a moment before her head snapped back up, holding up a hoof. “But! One advantage I do get... is the free show.” She shook her head with a wide grin. “I get to watch, with quite some amusement I might add, every other mare’s mental capacity flat-line around…” Sunbeam made a gagging motion with a hoof. “...‘Hunky stallions’." She sighed. "Although, it’s kinda sad at the same time. I'm sorry if I seem a bit touchy about this, but it’s just that I’ve had these reactions so many times before that they’ve gotten waaay old and waaay tiresome. All just because I’ve never... You know.”

Rarity tilted her head. “But all those jokes you tell, how could you possibly know…”

Sunbeam rolled her eyes. “I was with a mercenary group Rarity. They did little else but talk and joke about ‘it’. In extreme detail I might add. Certainly enough for me to work out what was funny about the whole thing... and for me to gain a pretty clear understanding of the basic and, ahem, not so basic theories of the act.” Sunbeam looked at them with a puzzled look. “When did being tied down and forced to endure pain get to be fun?” She shrugged. “Anyway, whatever ponies want to get up to in their free time doesn’t bother me, just as long as they don’t try to drag me into it.”

Pinkie tilted her head. “You don’t feel anything that way for Stallions then Sunny?”

“Nope. Nor for mares before anypony asks. I do still get the odd symptom flaring up but I can deal with it…” She lifted a hoof and tapped her horn, smiling her little half-smile. “‘Ice Queen’ here.” Her expression turned solemn. “Back in Silver’s lot, for a while after I joined, I took it as a compliment to be called that. I mean, it made sense, after all, I was good with ice.” She rolled her shoulders. “Of course, I soon realized that they meant it as an insult...” Sunbeam looked up, her eyes sparkling. “I made sure to keep taking it as a compliment, always taking time to thank them for calling me it. Annoyed the Tartarus outta them.” Her smile returned. “And it soon stopped anyway. As soon as they noticed a link between somepony calling me it and their food always turning up cold.” She shook her head in amusement. “To top it all off, they had a betting pool going as to which pony was going to be the first one to bed me.” Her expression turned innocent. “For some reason it disbanded when I started inquiring who had the longest odds and if there was a maximum bet.”

* * *

As the night had progressed the wind had gotten stronger. The fire was flaring quite often now, both from the wind coming through the entrance and from the wind coming over the wall. With fresh coffees in their hooves and wrapped up tight in blankets, they all watched the fire as they made light conversation.

It all stopped when the piercing howl rolled over them. This howl wasn’t from the wind, this howl was primal and animalistic, it spoke of bloodlust. Even Sunbeam’s hackles went up. Everypony turned to look at the oh-so-open entrance.

No pony spoke for a while.

Fluttershy looked back at the fire. “I think that was a long way away everypony. It just got carried on the wind.” She looked up and gave them a timid smile. “Living near the Everfree you do learn when you need to bar the doors.” Fluttershy looked back at the entrance. “The fire will keep most animals away anyway, so it would be best to keep it going. Umm, if you don’t mind that is.”

Silently, Applejack got up and placed another log onto the fire.

The conversation failed to restart as most gave the dark, open entrance, nervous looks. Sometimes a pony would look up at the top of the wall, trying hard not think about how low the wall actually was.

Still looking at the entrance, Rarity spoke up. “When I get back… All I want to do is hug Sweetie Belle and never let go.”

Applejack nodded, looking at the entrance as well. “I know where you're coming from sugar. I just want to get home to the sounds and smells of Sweet Apple Acres. To be back, to know that my family is there.”

Pinkie smiled. “To bake off some muffins, to see ponies smile as they eat them.”

Fluttershy smiled. “The look my animal friends give me when I get home. The way they rush up and greet me is always nice.”

Twilight looked down at her cup. “To have Celestia hold me and tell me it’s going to be okay.” Fluttershy put her wing around Twilight again.

Rainbow was silent for a moment. “To hold Scoots and listen to her squeal in joy as I take her on a not-quite death-defying flight.” She lifted a hoof and pointed it at the group. “And if you tell anypony that I’ll deny it.”

They all smiled before turning to look at Sunbeam.

“A hot shower, a soft bed, pizza…” She lifted a hoof up her part ear. “Okay… I really want to know just how I lost half an ear. Honestly, I can’t remember anything about it happening.”

Rainbow snickered.

Sunbeam looked away. ‘And to take -all- the Night Owls Slumber I have in my bedside drawer. To sleep without fear of dreaming… I’d like that, I’d like that soooo very much.’

* * *

Sunbeam watched as they talked about adventures she hadn’t been on and ponies she didn’t know. The wind hadn’t gotten any worse, and there hadn’t been any more non-wind howls, but she did have a blanket around her now. She was finding the odd blast of wind to be distracting.

Apparently, a mare called Trixie was a matter for hot debate. Sunbeam let her mind wander…

“...Alicorn Amulet.”

Sunbeam blinked, her ears perking up as she mentally re-joined the conversation.

Twilight pointed a hoof at Rarity. “...All I’m saying is: Trixie may have been able to cast magic at high levels with the Alicorn Amulet, but not for any length of time. She always cast in short bursts... ”

Sunbeam leaned forward. “Excuse me, Alicorn Amulet?”

Twilight glanced at her. “Yes, an extremely powerful magical…” Twilight faltered as the intense look she was getting made her uncomfortable. “...Artifact.”

Sunbeam’s look intensified. “So, an extremely powerful... amulet. With ‘Alicorn’ tagged on. Somepony could get the idea that the pony wearing it could cast magic at… extreme levels of power.”

Pinkie nodded. “Yeppers. Gave Trixie a lot of power and made her go kinda meanie-nuts as well.”

Sunbeam leaned back and rubbed her chin as the others continued talking.

‘Interesting. If it is one of our amulets, and it sounds like it is, the mere fact she could use it -at all- means it must be a multi-user amulet. Which makes it a very valuable pre-purge construct. Not one of the cheap, single user ones we have to make do with these days…’ She rolled her shoulders. ‘What -they- have to make do with these days.’ Sunbeam looked up. ‘Hummm, if this Trixie ‘went nuts’ using it, I reckon she didn’t calibrate it to her magic properly. Or at all, probably. Oh yeah, I reckon she just put it on and started using it... with no idea of how it should be used.” She shook her head. ‘I bet she demonstrated the classic symptom of improper use as well.’

Sunbeam leaned forward again. “Excuse me for asking, but this Trixie, when she was using the amulet, did it have any other effects? You know, like physical effects… extra limbs, sparks around her horn.” Sunbeam looked away. “Glowing eyes maybe? I just wonder what effect it had on her, having that much power going through her and all that.”

Rainbow looked up. “Oh yeah her eyes totally glowed red at times.”

Rarity shook her head. “And trust me darling, you wouldn’t want that much power going through you.” Rarity puffed her mane. “It has a nasty effect on complexion, for a start.”

Sunbeam smiled and nodded to them. “Thank you for clearing that up. I just wondered..." She glanced at Applejack. "I just wondered." She pulled back.

Twilight gave her an odd look before being distracted by a question from Fluttershy.

‘That’s it then, glowing eyes is -the- classic feedback sign. Means you’re trying to force way too much magic through it. I bet she was treating it like it was just an extension of her reserve. Huh, it doesn’t work well like that. I wonder… I wonder if I could get my hooves on it? I know I could calibrate it properly.’

She blinked before looking at Twilight. “I certainly hope that such a powerful object is kept under secure lock, key and magic now.”

Twilight looked back at her and nodded. “Oh yes, you don’t need to worry about that. Princess Celestia herself has it locked away.”

Sunbeam smiled. "That's good to know."

Sunbeam kept smiling, even as her ears fell flat out to the sides.

* * *

No pony wanted to go to sleep and it was Applejack’s turn to refill the coffee mugs. She was shivering with the wind chill as she went along the line of ponies.

Applejack seated herself back down and wrapped her blankets back around her as Rainbow lifted her head. “Sunbeam, can I ask you another question? The one I really meant to ask from earlier but I kinda… didn’t.”

Sunbeam sighed as she looked up from her coffee. “As long as it’s not another one about my sex life.”

Rainbow looked down into her coffee. “No, I…” Rainbow fidgeted. “I’m not sure how to ask this. In the Wonderbolts, they train us for… eventualities.” Rainbow swallowed. “But actually doing it…”

Sunbeam nodded, suddenly understanding where Rainbow was going with this.

The fire flared as a gust hit it.

Rainbow’s laugh rang hollow to all ears. “But hey, I’m training to be in the military, I’ve taken that first step back at the chamber haven’t I? When I… that stallion... I mean, from now it all gets easier, doesn’t it? Does it get easier? They say the first one is the hardest, that it gets easier, so my next pony should be easier…”

In shock, Twilight raised a hoof over her mouth. “Rainbow!”

Jumping up, Pinkie rushed over and hugged Rainbow. “Please don’t say that Dashie.”

Applejack just spluttered something incoherent, as Rarity tried not to choke on her coffee.

Rainbow smiled wanly. “I’m in the Wonderbolts, at some point I may have to… again.”

Fluttershy’s ears fell as she hugged Rainbow from the other side. “Rainbow, please, don’t say that..”

“Yeah sugar, you…”

“They lie.”

The simple, flat, statement stopped the conversation dead. Everypony turned to look at Sunbeam as she stared down into her coffee.

“They lie when they say it gets easier.” She waved a hoof dismissively without looking up. “Oh the act itself gets easy. Training, muscle memory, habit, call it what you will... that takes over. It becomes automatic. You don’t have to think about it. You don’t want to think about it. Thinking about it only slows you down. No, it’s the afterwards they don’t tell you about.”

Sunbeam swirled her coffee. Not looking up as everypony stared at her.

“To begin with, and it happens gradually so you may not notice it happening, but you will become callous.” A small smile formed. “An inappropriate sense of humor may develop... and soon enough, you’ll find yourself being able to laugh and joke about things that would have horrified you before.” The smile dropped. “Things that would still horrify normal ponies.” She looked over at Rainbow. “It’s not that you want to be that way, it’s that you have to be that way. It’s a coping mechanism you see. You can’t afford to let yourself care. You’d go crazy if you tried to.” She swallowed. “In the end, you end up seeing ponies as nothing more than objects. Bags…” Her voice got lower. “Bags, they become just walking bags of meat and bone. They’re not living things anymore. They’re nothing but moving bags of...”

There was nothing but the sound of the howling wind and the flaring fire as Sunbeam sipped her coffee.

“But as I said, it’s the ‘afterwards’, when you’ve got time to sit and think, that’s when it hits. That’s when you feel the hole opening up inside of you... A deep, dark hole that keeps trying to pull your thoughts into it. A deep-deep, dark-dark hole...“ She stared into her coffee for a moment before glancing up at Rainbow. “A place you really don’t want to find yourself. Trust me on this.”

Sunbeam looked down and took another sip of her coffee. “A hobby, a pastime, something, anything else to focus on helps with that. Just as long as it keeps you busy and your thoughts away from that bucking hole. Heck, I knew a stallion back in Silver’s lot, about the size of Big Mac; he knitted.” She snorted in amusement. “Couldn't knit worth a damn, but he knitted. We all mocked what he made constantly.” She looked up with a stern look. “But we never mocked the knitting itself! No, the knitting itself was sacrosanct. We all understood.”

Sunbeam lifted the mug up and took a swig before speaking again. “Personally; coffee, Jackie Dee and pizza are my choices of poison.”

‘And singing.’

She paused before looking up with a smile. “Seriously, you should all come round one night, I’m an awesome cook when it comes to pizza.” Sunbeam looked at her coffee with mild disdain. “I also make a great coffee, one that’ll keep a normal pony buzzed for a week.” She looked over at the girls, a small hopeful look on her face as she leaned forward. “You really all should come round sometime. After we get back, I’ll get some beers in, we could all...” She tailed off and looked down.

Sunbeam took another swig of her coffee before staring into the fire. She was silent for a few seconds before looking over at Rainbow, her face blank again.

“Anyway, back on topic. Even with all that… Even with every wall, every line of defence you throw up… despite all your best efforts, sometimes one gets through.” Sunbeam looked down. “It could be just a small detail, but that’s all it takes. You remember that detail… and the whole damn thing is stuck in your mind... forevermore.”

Sunbeam switched her mug to the other hoof and lifted the now free hoof up to her eyes.

“Mr Sable, the blood was so hot and sticky. I know it’s all in my mind, but I can still see the stain, sometimes.” She lowered the hoof. “The mare running from the burning caravan. I remember the damp earth smell mixed with the burning wood. And the puddles for some reason. The way she kept running on only two legs. That she was preg…” Sunbeam’s mouth slammed shut and looked away guiltily before continuing. “T-the one on the bridge, he looked so scared. Terrified. But he stood there, trying to buy time for his friends to escape. I remember the water turning red. That we gave him the honour of an actual grave.” She looked proudly at them. “I even helped dig that grave.”

Sunbeam tilted her head. ‘Why are they looking at me like that for? It -was- a great honour for him for us to take the time and effort to do that.’

Sunbeam shrugged and carried on. “Of course, can’t forget the yellow one in the cave. The one I talked to but never learnt his name. The one that has taken to haunting me. Bastard.”

She looked back down into the nearly empty mug. “The one in the corridor, the one wearing red glasses, I think she’s going to bother me.” Sunbeam was silent for a second. “She wore red glasses and was so engrossed in a report she never knew what killed her.” She looked back over at Rainbow and angrily jabbed a hoof at her. “All over a damn laundry report! How bucking stupid is that? She never looked up, not once, not even as I took aim. She just dropped like a sack of flour, never knowing what happened!” Sunbeam looked down, her voice quiet. “Do you know, that if they reduced the amount of detergent they use per wash by five percent, the net result in cleaning would be virtually identical, but they would save… save…” Sunbeam tapped her chin a couple of time before sighing. “Oh, I didn’t read that far did I?” Her shoulders slumped. “Horseapples, that's gonna bug me now.”

‘Don’t forget Greywing...’

Sunbeam flinched.

* * *

The girls watched as Sunbeam suddenly flinched, then slowly reach up with her free hoof to touch her horn.

Lowering the hoof, she glared into her mug for a moment before downing the remaining coffee in one go.

She looked up at them. “And Greywing of course. Can’t forget the one time I was actually trying to save a pony but… didn’t.” She rubbed her eyes with her free hoof. “It appears I’m not allowed to save ponies, it’s against the rules for me to actually save a pony...”

Putting the empty mug down, she rubbed her face with both hooves. “I was trying…”

Dragging her hooves down over her face, she took a deep breath in and inadvertently looked at the entrance of the pen.

And into the darkness.

The girls watched as Sunbeam tilted her head in a puzzlement as she stared into it.

Her eyes suddenly widened, accompanied by a sharp intake of breath. Sunbeam’s ears folded themselves flat against her head as she whimpered.

The fire continued to burn steadily, without flaring.

She suddenly swung her head away from the entrance, closing her eyes as she pulled the blanket tight around her like it was a set of armour.

“I’m cold.”

* * *

Sunbeam kept her eyes closed.

‘What’s wrong with me? Buck it, get your act together you stupid mare! You’re acting like a little foal. Letting your imagination run away with you like that... Get a grip! There’s nopony out there. There’s -nothing- out there. They are -not- all out there, surrounding the pen. They are -not- all looking at me, pointing at me, walking towards…’

Sunbeam let out a guttural snarl as slammed a hoof repeatedly in between her eyes. ‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up right now... you bucking stupid bitch!’

She could feel everypony silently looking at her, but it still took her a minute for her to regain enough composure to be able to open her eyes and look at them. She turned to Rainbow.

Sunbeam rubbed her forehead where she’d been hitting it.

“Self-reflection Rainbow. That can be your best friend or it could be your worst enemy. It all just depends on how strong you are. If you’re strong enough to stand what you see looking back at you, it’s a great friend. If you’re not...”

Sunbeam looked away into the fire, her voice was filling with a mix of weariness and resignation.

“...If you're not, it’ll tear you apart with a savagery that would put a pack of timberwolves to shame. It will show no mercy.”

She pulled the blanket tighter around her, ignoring the horrified expressions she was getting as she looked fixedly into the fire.

‘I could really do with some Jackie Dee right now. A whole lot of Jackie… Enough so I can’t think clearly. Oh that would be nice.’ Her head dropped. ‘Enough so I don’t care. So I can’t care. Buck it! I hate knowing what’s wrong with...’

Sunbeam’s train of thought was completely derailed when Pinkie stepped in and hugged her tightly from the side.

* * *

Pinkie felt Sunbeam flinch as she was pulled into the hug.

She was prepared for a lot of reactions from Sunbeam, but not the one that actually happened.

Sunbeam snuggled in closer, closing her eyes and resting the side of her head on her chest. A moment passed before she spoke, her voice filled with defiance.

“What? I’m cold. Sharing body heat makes sense.”

Pinkie rested her head on top of hers and just smiled.

There were few seconds of silence before there was a pointed cough from Applejack.

Sunbeam didn’t look up or open her eyes. “As well as sharing body heat… It feels nice. Just-a-little-bit. There, happy now?”

Applejack gave a small smile. “Yup.”

Sunbeam shuffled in a bit closer to Pinkie. “Okay, I do admit that this does feel nice. All warm and fuzzy…”

Her eyes snapped open and Pinkie felt her tense back up. “What are you doing to me Pinkie?”

Letting her instincts guide her actions, Pinkie lifted a hoof and gently started brushing the mare’s mane.

The words seemed right as well.

“Shhh... little one. You’re safe.”

Sunbeam closed her eyes again and relaxed. “Maybe a little bit longer then…”

Pinkie felt herself being prodded in the chest with a hoof. “But only a little bit!”

Chapter 39 - Where Truth and Lies Overlap

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Chapter 39 - Where Truth and Lies Overlap

Sunbeam looked up, and over, her left shoulder at the mid-morning sun and smiled. While the others had blankets draped loosely over their backs, trying to fight the chill of the cool mountain air, she was personally finding the conditions quite pleasant.

The high-altitude path they were on ran along the base of a dark-stone cliff that towered above them. The path itself was just wide enough to allow three ponies to walk side-by-side, provided the one on the outside didn’t mind being quite so close to the steep gravel slope that led a all the way down to a copper-blue lake beneath them.

‘Eyes on the track missy.’ Sunbeam lowered her head.

All of them had to watch their step. The path was strewn with loose debris and several times already one of them had stumbled when a loose piece of rock had shifted under their weight. The wagon just in front of her, being pulled by Applejack, seemed to be doing better than they were, its weight pushing most of the debris out of the way.

Glancing up, Sunbeam noticed the other group, a little way ahead of the wagon, were paying little attention to the track now.

With a relived smile, she turned to look at Fluttershy who was walking next to her. “Judging from the way the others are all chatting now and not looking at the path, we're nearly out of the scree zone. That’ll be…”

Not looking where she was treading, her left fore-hoof came down on a loose rock, precariously balanced on top of another. Under her sudden weight, it shot out to the side, taking her foreleg with it.

“...Niceeeeeuuucckkkk...!”

Sunbeam pitched forward onto the track, her right foreleg becoming pinned between her barrel and the ground as she went down. Hitting the ground, her leg took the brunt of the impact before the momentum sent her rolling onto her side.

Fluttershy rushed to her side. “Oh my gosh Sunbeam, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Sunbeam rolled back onto her belly, extending her forelegs out in front of her as she did so and took a slow, deep, breath in.

‘Oh, I don't want to look. Okay, pull yourself together and let’s see what the damage is…' She sighed in relief. 'The left one's okay, a little bruised but that’s all. The right…’

She winced. ‘Ohh, that’s a big flap of skin hanging off there. Ewww. Not deep, but raw… Oh and there's the blood… And here comes the sting... Buck, buck, buck.’

Looking up at Fluttershy, Sunbeam gritted her teeth. “For the record, I award this hotel only one star. There is a distinct lack of Jackie Dee and pizza on the menu. The beds are hard; the washing facilities are minimal and the entertainment package is a joke.” She slapped the ground with her left hoof and winced with the impact. “Ugh! And let’s not forget to mention the floors are bucking dangerous.”

Fluttershy lifted her right foreleg up to examine it.

Sunbeam whimpered. “Okay, that’s starting to hurt now… Oh I hate pain.”

Looking round she saw that Applejack had stopped and was looking over her shoulder at her. “You okay sugar?”

Sunbeam forced a smile. “My pride took the brunt of the fall, I’ll be okay. It’s more messy than…” She ground her teeth. “Painful.”

Fluttershy looked up at her. “This needs to be cleaned out and covered. After that, you really should get back in the wagon and rest it.”

‘You’ve been mothering me to death all morning Flutters. What -is- up with you?’

Sunbeam pulled her leg back. “Fluttershy, please. I’m not made of glass. I can handle a few knocks and bruises you know. I can still walk.”

Getting up into a sitting position, her foreleg quivered for a second before she unconsciously shifted most of her weight off it. Sunbeam smiled through clenched teeth. “See, only a little pain. Once it’s cleaned up, I’ll be fine.”

Applejack looked at Sunbeam with suspicion. “Are you sure you’re okay sugar? You’re shaking like a newborn foal there… and that's just sitting down." She pointed a hoof. "You’re bleeding.”

Closing her eyes, Sunbeam ground her teeth as she resisted the urge to stamp her hoof. Her tone was calm and controlled. “I’m fine, thank you everypony for continually asking. Look, watch.”

Standing up, she took a step forward, putting all her weight onto the foreleg.

“See… Ungh!”

Immediately sitting back down, she brought her foreleg up to her chest and cradled it with the other “Okay, t - that’s a lie. I think I’ve done something! Oh buck t-that hurt.”

Fluttershy marched up to her. “You get right back in that wagon little missy!”

Sunbeam looked around at Fluttershy, her retort dying as she looked into those eyes. She managed to hold the stare for a moment longer before her head fell. “Okay. I’ll get back in the wagon.”

‘Yay, new personal best, I didn’t fold -instantly- under that look. In a few years I may even work up to a full second of resistance. I’ll get some banners made up and…”

Applejack took a step forward. “I’ll just bring the wagon round…”

Sunbeam’s head snapped round. “I can still walk to the bucking wagon!”

She took a calming breath before painting on a smile. “Sorry AJ, I really don’t handle pain well. But thank you for… continually thinking of me, continuously.”

Sunbeam rolled her shoulders before hobbling towards the back of the wagon.

‘Ow! Ow! Bucking pride! Ow-www!’

***

Fluttershy watched Sunbeam as she lay in the wagon, staring off into space out the back of it. Ever since she’d cleaned, and bandaged, her leg the mare hadn’t said much.

Fluttershy tried to break the silence. “The dye Rarity put on your back is starting to fade. I can see the white coming through.”

Sunbeam grunted and kept staring off into space. “It’s never lasts. Nothing ever does. Kinda given up on even trying to dye it these days. Too much work for it to fade so quickly.” Turning to face Fluttershy, she gave her a small smile. “Frankly I’m surprised that whatever Rarity put in it lasted this long. I’ve tried all kinds of things, even damn paint once.” She snorted. “I swear I actually got a little high from the fumes that time.” Sunbeam looked away. “No, the magic they used just won’t let anything stick to the fur, not for any length of time anyway.”

Fluttershy tilted her head and opened her mouth.

Sunbeam cut in before she had a chance to speak. “Please don’t ask me Flutters. I wouldn’t enjoy lying to you.”

Fluttershy dropped her head. “Oh. O-okay. I-if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Sunbeam cringed and turned back to look at her. “Sorry.” She put on a forced smile. “But bear in this mind, if I didn’t like you, I would have flat out lied to you... and not thought twice about it.”

“Oh. Well if you’re sure you’re okay.”

Sunbeam turned her head away, before sighing. “I’m fine. Thank you for asking... Again.”

***

Sunbeam felt the wagon stop. Opening her eyes she could see that the track had moved away from the cliff face and they were out now on a grassy plain. Taking a deep breath, and using her left foreleg as much as possible, she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

Once up, she looked over her shoulder to see Fluttershy standing next to Applejack and both of them looking at the lead group. That group had stopped on the crest of a ridge and seemed to be quite excited about something that was on the other side. Pinkie turned round to face them and beckoned them forward.

Turning so she was facing forwards in the wagon, Sunbeam watched curiously as Applejack hauled the wagon up the ridge towards them.

Twilight didn’t look round as the wagon stopped next to her. Lifting a hoof she pointed. “Is that…?”

Sunbeam smiled. Using the backing board of the wagon as a step, she stood up on to get some extra height. “Yep, it’s as far as the eye can see.”

Twilight just nodded, not looking away, almost afraid that the sight would disappear if she did.

Sunbeam focused on getting down without hurting herself before looking up with a grin. “Ladies, I give you a mountain prairie... full of Wheat Thorn.”

They all stared at the green prairie covered with red spiky plants in silence.

Sunbeam settled back down into the wagon, holding her bandaged leg out in front of her.

“Thank you, you’re all welcome.”

***

Standing by the wagon, Applejack watched as Rarity levitated several more plants into the back of it.

Picking up a plant, Sunbeam held it up to her eye briefly before tossing back into the pile. “So how many do we need Twi?”

Twilight didn’t look up, her voice quiet. “Twenty-eight.”

Applejack did a quick count. “I make that forty-one. Guess we’re covered.”

Rainbow sat down, spitting another plant into the wagon. “Forty-two.” She looked around at everypony. “So that’s it? We can head home now?”

Twilight slowly nodded.

Rainbow shook her head. “Well that’s kinda… Kinda...” She waved a hoof as she searched for the word. “Ummm… anti-climatic? Yeah, that the word! Anti-climatic!”

Rarity looked up. “Oh well done darling, such an advanced word.”

Rainbow stuck her tongue out at her to which, and in a most unladylike manner, Rarity stuck hers out in reply.

Applejack smiled at the display before putting a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. “So what were you expecting partner? To find the plant in an abandoned castle filled with undead guards? Perhaps a tomb filled with all sorts of deadly boobytraps?” She smiled and prodded Rainbow. “Maybe even protected by a huge monster, one that you’d have to fight?”

Rainbow shook her head. “No! Well… maybe something. Not just...” She rubbed the back of her head. “I wasn’t expecting to be: ‘there it is’, we can all go home now!”

Smiling, Applejack lowered her head and shook it. “It’s a plant Rainbow. Not even a magical plant at that. Just a normal plant that needs light and water and everything else that a normal plant needs to grow.” Looking up, she prodded her. “You read too much Daring Do Sugar.”

Rainbow scowled at Applejack before turning to look at Twilight. “So, are we heading back now?”

Twilight nodded. “We have enough now, twenty-eight plants is the minimum needed to cure everypony. We have more than enough now.”

Applejack looked around at Twilight’s morose sounding voice. “You okay sugar? This is it; we have enough to cure everypony.”

Twilight didn’t look up. “To cure everypony at the Gala that was poisoned, we need thirty-two plants. Thirty-two would have been enough to make enough antidote for everypony... and to have a bit spare. By the time we’re going to get back, twenty-eight will be sufficient to make enough antidote for everypony that’s going to be left.” Her head fell. “I - I should have...”

Rarity cut her off rapidly. “Don’t you dare go down that road Twilight Sparkle!”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah partner. We could not have got here any sooner.”

Twilight looked up. “But all the delays, I should have...”

Rarity stepped up and put her head on Twilight’s neck. “Done what? You can’t see the future Twilight dear. There was nothing you could have done to prevent those delays. We didn’t dally; the delays were forced upon us. You couldn’t have done anything about them darling.”

Twilight lowered her head. “I just feel like I could have done more. Maybe done something different. I should have...” Twilight pulled herself up. “But! We still have ponies to save. We can sort out blame later. We still have some hours of daylight left, so let’s be off.”

Applejack and Rarity shared a look.

***

Twilight had seated herself away from the others with a cup of coffee as Pinkie prepared supper. Fluttershy seated herself down next to her and together they watched the sun set over the rocky plain.

Fluttershy frowned and pointed a hoof. “Twilight, did the sun wobble just then?”

“Yes. It happened yesterday as well. It means that the poison is starting to affect the princesses a lot earlier than I would have predicted. But they will be fine. In the long run.” She lifted the coffee cup in her hooves up to take a sip.

Fluttershy nodded before turning to look at her. “How are you doing Twilight?”

Twilight froze, the cup not quite at her lips. Closing her eyes she lowered the cup. “I... I'm not good. Now and again I forget that my magic is... temporarily gone. Without even thinking about it, I go to perform some magic, like levitation, only to find nothing happens.” She turned to look at Fluttershy. “The worst thing is, is that it still feels like I’ve reached out and picked up the cup. I feel that I actually have hold of it. I go to take a sip only to find it’s still sat on the ground where I felt it. That I never even picked it up...” Her jaw trembled before she looked around at her wingless sides with a scowl. “Look at me Fluttershy! Without any magic I can’t even pick up a cup of coffee! Let alone change myself back into an alicorn. Some Princess I am! What use am I? What good am I without magic? I’m useless… I’m a waste of space. I'm…”

Fluttershy wrapped her wings around her. “Don’t you dare say that Twilight Sparkle. You are not useless.”

Twilight lowered her head. “I’m sorry Fluttershy. I didn't mean to vent like that, but all the frustration just started coming out. I just couldn’t stop myself… I’m sorry.” Looking up she gave Fluttershy a small smile. “I try to tell myself that this is only temporary state of affairs. I try to be strong Fluttershy. For everyponies sake, I’m trying to be strong. But deep down I’m so scared." She smile fell. "I can’t stop wondering 'what if it isn’t temporary'. It terrifies me to even think about....” Twilight shook her head. “Ugh! No! I can't worry about myself right now. I’ve got to focus on getting back with the antidote. Getting the antidote back is my main… is my only concern right now.” She turned to look at Fluttershy. "Once I’m back though, Celestia will know how to cure this.” She gave Fluttershy a brittle smile. “She’ll know just what to do to cure me, right?”

Fluttershy hugged her a little tighter. “Of course, she will Twilight. She’ll know just what to do.”

***

The road had taken them into a hilly, forested area. Rainbow found herself with the company of Sunbeam as she sat next to the fire, on watch for that night.

Rainbow finished her coffee. “I don’t mind the company Sunny, but shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

Sunbeam shrugged as she took a swig of her coffee.

Taking the hint, Rainbow looked around the natural campsite next to the road. “So, how’s the leg?”

Sunbeam lifted the bandaged leg up. “I can walk now, just smarts if I go for too long. The bandage makes it look worse than it is. How’s your wing?”

“Feels okay. A bit numb at times.” She looked away. “Best not to put any strain on it until I see a doc. Learnt that one the hard way.”

Sunbeam nodded before looking up the track. The only sound was the wind in the tree tops and the crackle from the fire for a minute before she pointed up the road. “Tomorrow we’ll reach where the road splits. One way takes us into the town we went into for supplies. The other is quicker but takes us along the path where I encountered the troll. Which do you think Twi will take?”

“The quickest.”

Sunbeam nodded. “That’s what I thought.” She looked into her coffee. “Good! To be honest, I’d rather meet a troll again than go back into that town.”

Rainbow gave her a surprised glance.

Both sat in silence, looking into the fire for before Sunbeam reached out for the coffee pot again

“You’re not going to be able to sleep if you do that.”

Sunbeam paused, staring into her coffee. ‘That’s the plan. My dreams scare me.’

***

The young, dark-blue earth-pony stallion lay on the grass under the only tree on the top of the hill.

He’d been there from just before sunrise and from his vantage point, he had a clear view of the road and the natural campsite by the side.

Midnight Driver brought the telescope up to his eye again. ‘Careful, the sun is in front of me, so keep this thing pointed downwards. Don’t want to look into the sun by accident.’ He counted the ponies he could see again. ‘Four. Five, Six… Six. Where’s the pony with the white back gone? She went into the trees a while ago. Okay. Seven ponies total, seven mares… plus one wagon loaded with supplies. A good catch. I’ll head back to camp and let Uncle Driver know to prepare for...’

Something heavy landed on his back, knocking the wind out of him. It took a second to regain his composure enough to even think of reaching for his dagger.

He found the scabbard empty.

“Wha…?”

There was a sharp object pressed against the side of his neck.

Midnight froze. ‘That’s my own dagger. That’s my own bucking…’

The voice in his ear sounded out of breath. “Buck, that was a long way to hobble.”

It perked up before addressing him. “Oh, hello by the way. Please don’t do anything heroic. I’ll kill you out of nothing more than general principle if you do.” A hoof tapped his head. “If I may offer some tips: first off, avoid isolated cover, it stands out; second, avoid sunlight glinting on glass. It totally gives your position away.” The voice sniggered. “I would have been here earlier, but you were being so obvious I had to go round making sure it wasn’t a trap.” There was a pause. “So, now for the big question. Why are you up here with a telescope?”

“I’m... I’m…” Midnight’s breathing became rapid. ‘Think of something… Think...’

The dagger pressed against his neck a little harder. “Tick tock, time is slipping past faster than you think..."

He found himself only able to focus on the dagger tip. “I… I…”

The voice sounded amused. “Having trouble thinking of a good lie are we?”

Midnight closed his eyes, his ears falling out to the sides. “P-please…”

“My guess is that you’re here watching the road for somepony else.”

He took a sharp breath in.

There was an exasperated sigh. “Oh come on, it’s not that hard to figure out. So why don’t you just give me the details.” The voice got closer to his ear. “It’ll save time and effort in the long run.” The voice picked up a hint of menace. “Trust me, you’d prefer that.” He could feel the smile by his ear.

The voice pulled back. “So, first off, how many of you are there?”

“T-t-twelve.” He blinked in surprise at having replied so readily.

“Where?”

Midnight closed his eyes. “About a mile up the road. They made the campsite look like an official guard camp so nopony would know until it’s too...” He slapped a hoof over his mouth.

The voice became cold. “Made it look official? Are you bandits?”

Midnight said nothing.

The pressure on the dagger increased.

“Y-yes.”

The voice was flat, now lacking any of its previous humor. “I see.”

There was silence.

Midnight squirmed. “Please… I’m only fifteen… I don’t...”

A hoof tapped the top of his head. “Shhh, I’m trying to decide what to do with you. Now I will admit that retiring you is my first instinct here. Don’t worry, I’d make it quick. Leaving you alive and behind us is a huge tactical mistake. Retiring you is the right…” There was a pause. “Is the correct thing to do.”

Midnight’s breath became short and sharp. The seconds ticked by as nothing happened.

The voice sounded somewhat surprised and genuinely apologetic. “I’m terribly sorry about this. Keeping you waiting in anticipation of death is undeniably cruel. I do try not to cruel. Mostly anyway. So, for keeping you waiting like this, I apologize.”

He whimpered.

The pressure on the dagger fluctuated. “You know, this is odd. Normally I wouldn’t hesitate and make it quick for both of us. But honestly, I don’t want to. Argh, why am I hesitating like this? You are a threat.” There was another pause. “I’ve already apologized about keeping you waiting haven’t I?”

Unable to help himself, he nodded.

“Yes? Oh good!”

Still nothing happened.

“Ugh, this hesitation isn’t doing either of us any favors, is it? Okay, let’s do this you stupid mare...”

The dagger pulled back from his neck.

Midnight could feel the muscles move in the body that was on top of him. He heard the grunt of effort.

The grass was so green. He could see every single blade. The shadows under them.

The dagger plunged down and buried itself up to the hilt with a no sound.

Midnight stared blankly forward his mouth opening and closing.

It took him a few seconds before he could turn his head to look at the dagger, its blade buried in the soft earth next to his head.

A hoof grabbed his forehead and pulled his entire head back. The voice was so close now he could feel its breath ruffling the fur on the inside of his ear.

“I’m giving you a chance here. I’m giving us both a chance here. You buck this up... and you will soooo wish I had only killed you just then. Now listen very carefully to what I am about to say: buck... off... Be somewhere else. But do not go back to your bandit friends. I don’t care where you go, go home to your mummy and daddy, go to a big city by yourself… I honestly don’t care! Just don’t be here. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes.”

“Say the important bit.”

“Don’t go back to my bandit friends.”

A hoof patted his head before the weight on top of him rolled off.

It took Midnight a few minutes before he could even bring himself to look around.

The pony seated behind him, glowering at him, was a dark green unicorn mare. Her right forehoof was bandaged and he could see she had a faded white back.

Sitting up, Midnight relaxed a bit. “W-wheat Gatherer, is that you? That wasn’t funny at all. Uncle is still waiting for...”

The mare held up a hoof, looking a little taken back. “Excuse me?”

Midnight looked at her up and down. “Wheat Gatherer? Buck, what the heck happened to you?”

She blinked at him slowly and then shook her head. “I’m not Wheat Gatherer. And your second guess would be...? Hint, I’m a dark green unicorn with a white back. They're cant be that many around.”

***

Sunbeam watched as the young stallion fled in terror.

She shook her head with a smile. “Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!” Sunbeam frowned as she watched him gallop away. “On the second attempt though. I feel kinda insulted.”

Lifting her head, she watched the adolescent stallion stumble, roll, get back up and keep running.

‘Huh, new career high there. Scaring the horseapples out of a teenager. They’ll certainly be carving -that- on my headstone. Oh I feel soooo proud of myself right now.’

With a sigh, Sunbeam turned to head back to camp. Taking a step she winced and pulled her bandaged foreleg up to her chest.

Her ears fell to the sides as she looked at her forehoof, then at the distance back to the campsite.

Her voice was flat. “Buck.”

***

Sunbeam lay on the grass, trying to ignore the flat stare Twilight was giving her as she cradled her aching foreleg.

Twilight huffed. “So, are you sure about the bandit camp Sunbeam?”

Sunbeam nodded.

“He wasn’t lying?”

“He was too scared to lie.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes. Her voice was distant. “At least you didn’t… Can we go round it?”

Sunbeam shrugged. “Sure, but it’ll add days.”

Twilight sat back, muttering under her breath.

Fluttershy leaned forward and pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “You didn’t hurt him did you?”

Sunbeam rolled her eyes. “For the record: I did not hurt him. He may have turned white and, I believe the term is, ‘fled in terror’... once he’d worked out who I was. But no physical damage was inflicted on him by myself.”

She rolled her shoulders. ‘Fled in terror after he -eventually- worked out who I was. Honestly, I’m gone for a few months...’

Rarity nodded. “Running in terror would be quite the sensible reaction, for a normal pony that is. I do remember being regaled with some of your past… exploits.”

Sunbeam pointed her hoof at her. “Hey! Most of those are outright lies and exaggerations.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Most, darling... Most. But you can't deny that you have built up quite the terrifying reputation.”

Sunbeam dropped her hoof and looked away. “Yeah, well, I did kinda encourage that a bit. Single mare, traveling by herself out in the big bad world. I needed a way to discourage unwanted attention. Something to make ponies think twice about tangling with me.”

Twilight lifted her head and stared at Sunbeam. She suddenly smiled. “Oh yes! I have an idea how we can get past.”

***

Sunbeam gave Twilight long a flat stare. “So, let me get this straight. You want me to just saunter into the middle of a bandit camp. And then proceed to scare the horseapples out of them, enough so they let us just walk through?”

Twilight nodded. “It’s called bluffing.”

She shook her head. “No, its called being bucking stupid. My reputation will probably scare them alright. Right up until the point where they notice they outnumber me twelve-to-one. A little voice will then start whispering into their ears about just how many bits there is in my bounty. Contrary to popular myth, being a bandit is not a well paying profession. They will all be probably tired, hungry and wanting a soft bed for the night. ” She prodded Twilight’s chest. “I’ve see greed and desperation burn through fear and good sense more than once.”

Twilight’s ear fell to the sides.

Sunbeam rubbed her eyes. “Look, I want to help Twi, I really do. But they will resort to violence... And will do so a lot more quickly and easily than you could possibly think. Oh, I will scare them... just not for long enough. The promise of a soft bed and a hot meal is one heck of a motivator.” She rolled her shoulders. "Personal experience.”

Twilight took a breath in, a determined look on her face. “Perhaps if we could increase your intimidation factor then. Something would scare them enough to prevent them from even thinking about attacking you in the first place. Something that would make their superior numbers irrelevant.”

Rarity lifted a hoof. “Ooooh, idea!”

***

“So have you got all that Sugar?”

Sunbeam nodded morosely.

Twilight looked up from her notes. “Will you be able to remember it all?”

She nodded again. “It’s all true isn’t it? So it’s not like I’m gonna forget.”

“Remember, its how you say it…”

Sunbeam turned to look at Twilight and raised an eyebrow. “And just where did the princess of friendship learn about the finer points of lying?”

Twilight shuffled uncomfortably. “Well, some of the lessons Celestia taught me were about politics…”

Sunbeam held up a hoof. “Ah, I retract the question. I naturally defer to a master of the subject then.”

Twilight scowled as the others sniggered behind hooves.

Sunbeam turned to Rarity. “Right, I need to get the rest of the dye out of my back. I need to look the part. I need to look like me.” Rarity nodded.

She turned to look at Twilight. “And I need this bucking ring off my horn.”

Twilight pulled back in surprise. “I don’t know… it is there for a reason…” Her head fell. “Of course you will.”

Sunbeam put a hoof on her shoulder. “Look, Twi, I can’t show any weakness. Not for one second or they’ll be all over me like timberwolves. How seriously do you think they’ll take me if it’s obvious I can’t do magic.” She looked down. “I may even have to give a little demonstration as well. It won’t be anything fancy or too big, but I need to know if I’ll be up to it.”

Twilight nodded. “You’ll be fine for a little amount, for the moment. Just remember you’re still recovering, the less magic you use the better. None at all would be best.”

***

Sunbeam lowered her head and closed her eyes. Sitting motionless she took several deep breaths as she faced down the track.

“Okay, let’s do this.” She looked up, a lopsided smile forming on her face. “Let’s go scare some ponies.”

Standing up, she took several steps before stopping as her eyebrows shot up. “Of course, they might just attack me on sight. Yeaaah, that would be a problem...”

With a snigger, she turned and headed off into the undergrowth.

“I need to pee, again.”

***

Blue Stone watched the dark green unicorn walk boldly up the track towards him. He could see her white back from a distance and knew immediately who it was. He readied his horn but didn’t power it up.

Stopping just in front of him, the mare looked him up and down. “Hi, I‘m…”

“Late. You’re two days late... and the boss hates being kept waiting!” Turning away, he gestured for her to follow. “Just so you’re aware he’s got some ‘anger management issues’ so tread lightly. He’s in a good mood right now, so you might be okay, but just bear that in mind when you’re talking to him.”

Leading the mare into the camp, he didn’t see the mare’s mouth hanging open as she followed him.

***

Impact Driver, a smaller-than-average yellow earth pony, stormed out of his tent and up to the mare in the middle of the camp.

Everypony was watching them, even the ones on guard, all awaiting the inevitable fireworks.

Blue Stone watched as Impact started prodding the mare’s chest. “You were supposed to meet up here two days ago. And where are the other two? Are they still in town?”

The mare looked at him and tilted her head.

Taking a step back, Impact looked at her. “You look a little different to the last time I saw you rookie.” He smirked as he pointed to the burnt patches where her cutie marks should have been. “Hah! Looks like you got caught and they had a little fun with you before running you out of town.” He leaned forward, a fake solemn expression on his face. “And did your two friends get killed in the process? Or did they just abandon you when it all went to Tartarus? Awww…” He pulled back, a smile on his face. “Not that I really care, but I guess your plan to impress us has failed.”

The mare looked at Impact in confusion.

Impact didn’t seem to notice. “Here’s the thing Wheat Gatherer, the wagon train raid was a bust. Way too many guards. So we’re looking to your plan to get supplies now.”

He leaned in close to her, an evil smirk on his face. “So I’m gonna send you right back into that town to get those supplies, regardless of what happens to you. If you don’t come back…” He shrugged. “Guess we’ll do it the hard way then. But I believe you promised to impress us by, and I quote: ‘scaring the townsponies so much that we could march right in there and take what we wanted. All with a little impersonation act’.”

Blue watched as the mare blinked, a tiny smile forming on her face.

Impact jabbed her again with a hoof. “Well, we want those supplies Miss Gatherer. We are all tired, hungry and annoyed at you. So if you don’t go back in there, I’ll turn you over to the rest of my little happy family. Trust me, taking your chances with the townsponies is the way better choice here. Who knows, if you live, I may even let you join us.”

The mare looked at Impact for a minute an odd expression on her face. “I don’t suppose you have any more… white dye... for my back have you?”

Impact shook his head. “Fresh out. You took all we found in that wagon.”

Blue pulled his head back when the mare suddenly grinned. “I think I understand what’s going on now. Oh I’m gonna enjoy this way more than I really should.” She turned to look at Blue. “But first off, can you do truth spells?”

Giving her a puzzled look, he nodded. The mare put a hoof on his shoulder. “Whew, this wouldn’t have been quite so effective if nopony here could do that.” She turned to look back at Impact. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road.” Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t want anypony to think I’m lying now, do I?”

Blue Stone's horn lit up blue.

A few seconds passed before she turned to look at him and sighed theatrically. “You know, it would be awfully nice if you explained how the spell works old chap.”

Blue blinked at the mare. “A blue glow means the truth is being told. If it turns orange... someponies lying.”

He frowned. ‘I don’t remember her being quite like this before.’

With a nod she turned back to look at Impact, her smile growing. Taking a deep breath she projected her voice so it carried over the camp.

“I’m afraid that Wheat Gatherer, and her friends, won’t be joining us today. They met an unfortunate end a little while ago. A little bit after meeting me would you believe?”

She grinned and looked around at everypony staring at her. “Hello all, I’m Icefang.”

***

Blue could feel everypony in the campsite looking at his horn. At the blue glow.

‘Oh horseapples… It’s her… It’s...’ He tried to take a step back, but found his legs wouldn’t move. ‘The stories can't -all- be true. They can’t all be...’

Icefang shook her head sorrowfully. “Imagine my surprise when I went into a town and found myself already there. And such a poor imitation it was… I mean, I could see her roots.” Sitting back on her haunches she put her hooves over her chest. “My feelings were hurt.”

Somepony behind Blue dropped something with a crash.

A gust of wind told Blue Stone that his back was suddenly damp. ‘Oh buck, look at that smile. Thirteen to one... and she’s still smiling. She must be as nuts as her reputation says. Or as powerful… Or both!” He blinked as a new thought occurred to him. “Oh buck… nopony mention her bounty… Nopony make her think we're after her bounty! We’ve all heard what she does to bounty hunters… Oh horseapples, look at that smile!’

No pony moved.

Impact lifted a hoof to point at her, and while he was still smiling, his voice lacked his usual confidence. 'She’s only one pony everypony and there’s twelve of us. She’s got a huge bounty, we could live like kings for a while.”

There were a few sounds of weapons being uncertainly drawn from sheaths.

Blue slowly turned his head to look at Impact, tone flat was flat when he spoke. “Does the phrase: ‘they buried only what they could find’ mean anything to you?” He cringed. ‘And I don’t want to think what she did to the bits they -couldn’t- find.’

Blue watched as Icefang shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. “Well, that was even shorter than I expected.”

‘She’s not even worried… Why did you have to pick her Gatherer? I hope you died slow and painful for this.’ He looked at Icefang’s grin. ‘Oh that’s a given you died slow.’

Blue turned to see several ponies hesitantly approaching Icefang. Nopony seemed eager to be the first pony to reach her with a drawn weapon.

He turned his head back to Icefang. ‘I’m not a threat. I’m not a threat. See, I’m not doing anything. Certainly not reaching for my dagger… no sirree. Let some other brave… suicidal... pony be the hero.’

Lifting up a hoof, she projected her voice again. “Now, before anypony does anything that would cause me to... exert myself… I do believe you should all be made aware of a fun little fact.”

She put a hoof on Blue’s shoulder making him flinch. “Keep that spell up, Mr... Mr…?” She turned to look at him then shrugged, turning back to look at the ponies creeping towards her. “First off, are you all aware of the cult up in the mountains? The one that harvests magic?”

This time Blue wasn’t the only unicorn to flinch.

She smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes then. May I now direct your attention to Mr… Mr Blue-glow’s horn here for the next part.”

Pointing to Blue’s horn, she took a breath in. “They're all dead. They all died… just after meeting me.” She smirked. “Strange how ponies seem to die just after meeting me... isn’t it?”

There was silence in the camp as they all looked at his horn again. The blue glow remained.

Her tone turned bored. “One spell from me, and bang, every single pony in the same room as me was dead.” Sunbeam polished a hoof on her chest, a half-smile on her face. “All two hundred plus of them… I killed every single bucking pony in the room and not one had a chance to react.”

Blue noticed a tiny twitch on the corner of her muzzle and her head fell forward. Just for a second, Blue swore she looked sad...

Icefang looked back up with a scowl. “So once again, for the hard-of-thinking among us. In a room filled with a couple of hundred ponies, I killed all of them, and that's before any of them managed to react.”

The creep towards her had stopped.

Icefang sat up straight and looked around the camp again. “Now it happen that there were a few that weren’t in the room at the time. Those I hunted down. I went from room to room… Not one of those bags had a chance.”

Blue felt his mouth go dry. He stared at the big grin on Icefang’s face.

‘She’s enjoying this… She’s actually enjoying herself right now.’

He flinched when she tapped him on the shoulder.

“So, am I telling the truth Mr Blue-Glow? About retiring all those ponies in the room in one go? About none of them being able to react? About me hunting the others down. Even those in red glasses?”

He nodded.

She lifted a hoof up to her ear. “Loud enough so those at the back can hear, if you please Mr Blue-Glow.”

Blue started. “Y-yes… She’s… You’re telling the truth, Miss Icefang!”

Icefang beamed at him.

“Now then, does anypony feel like being a…” She frowned as she swept her gaze swept over the campsite, causing most ponies to flinch as it passed over them. “Hero... I apologize in advance if you’re stood next to one. I can be a tad, indiscriminate at times.”

No pony moved. An earth pony mare slowly reached out and knocked the dagger out of a pegasus stallion’s hoof who was stood next to her.

Icefang clapped her hooves together. “Excellent, now for the good news for all you buckers. I am not interested in you in the slightest. I just want to pass through here... with a few ponies I do have an interest in, and get to my destination. I do not care about you in the slightest. So, you’re all going to be able to say you met Icefang... and lived. Isn’t that just wonderful?”

Her tone turned cold. “Of course… if anypony does want to delay me, I’m more than willing to oblige. If I’m going to be delayed, I will make sure that the delay is worth my time.” She looked around the campsite. “Any takers?”

Blue could only hear the sound of the wind in the trees.

“Wonderful.” She pointed back up the track. “Now is somepony would be kind enough to go inform…”

Impact looked down the track where she was pointing. “We had a guard down that way.”

She turned to look at him with an annoyed expression. “Young stallion, blue in colour?”

Impact nodded.

She turned to look at Blue’s horn, before a slow smile spread over her face. “Okay, I’ll tell you exactly what happened to him, but first off…”

Before he could react, she suddenly reached over and jabbed Blue’s horn with her hoof.

***

Impact watched as Blue Stone lay on the floor, clutching his horn with his forehooves and whimpering. The glow from the truth spell now long gone.

Icefang turned back to look at Impact, carrying on as if nothing had happened. “Let’s see. What did I do…?” She tapped her chin before suddenly smiling at him “I let him go.” She nodded to herself, grinning. “Yes, yes that’s exactly what I did. I crept on him without him noticing, took his own dagger, put it to his throat... gave him some career advice, and then let him go. I watched him skip merrily off, now all the wiser for the advice I had imparted to him. I certainly didn’t do anything nasty to him.”

Putting a hoof on her chest she looked at Impact with a solemn expression. “Honest. That’s exactly what happened…” She tilted her head for a second. “Okay, the skipping part may not be exactly true.”

She turned to look at Blue Stone as she lay on the ground and frowned. “Oh, you can get that truth spell back up anytime you like now Mr Blue-glow.” She shook her head as she looked back at Impact. “You just can’t get the staff these days can you? I mean, with that spell down no pony can’t tell if I’m lying or not. Can they?”

Impact Driver looked in confusion at her, at Blue’s inert horn, then back at her.

***

Blue looked up, even through the pain he could see what was going to happen.

Oh buck! Midnight was Impact’s nephew. He’s gonna go spare… Owwww that really hurts.... And then he's do something that’s gonna get us all killed. Somepony stop him, I can’t move right now!’

Impact’s lips curled back as comprehension dawned. He reached for his dagger and...

A pegasus dove into him from the side, sending them both tumbling.

Two more ponies quickly dove on top of him.

Blue turned a terrified gaze on Icefang as she gave the pile of ponies a long, slow blink.

‘Oh buck, look at her. How can she be so calm?’

***

Sunbeam gave the pile of ponies a long, slow blink.

‘What the buck just happened?’

Pointing a hoof, her tone was filled with disbelief. “Did he really just try and attack me?”

The unicorn looked like he was going to be sick. “Y… y - yes.”

She blinked at the ponies holding Impact down. ‘I… I missed that. I totally missed that!’ Her lips curled back. ‘You were having too much fun and missed a clear threat... You stupid, moronic, mother-bucking, bitch-whorse… You just -had- to try to be clever, didn’t you!’

***

Blue watched as Icefang's ‘cheerfully insane’ smile faded, only to be replaced by an expression of pure fury.

He couldn’t look away from that face, even as Impact started screaming insults at everypony. “Let me up you bunch on buckers! I’ll kill her! I’ll kill her!”

One of the ponies on top of Impact brought his hoof down hard on his muzzle, silencing him.

He looked up at Icefang. “See dudette, no problems here. No need to… to… to look that angry.” He cringed back. “Ohhhh we’re soooo bucked!”

Blue hadn’t looked away from Icefang, his gaze still transfixed at the expression. ‘Oh buck, oh buck, oh buck… We’re all gonna die, we’re all gonna...’

Icefang forced a smile, her tone now carefully cheerful. “I’m terrible sorry about that, I was thinking…” Her right forehoof started to twist itself in the ground. “Unpleasant thoughts about a certain pony just then.”

Ponies around the camp started edging away from her, all throwing the tree-line longing looks. Only the possibility of ‘decidedly unwanted attention’ kept them from bolting en mass.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at Blue while pointing a hoof at Impact. “So, what is his deal?”

“Midnight... I mean the pony up the track, that is… that was... his nephew.”

Icefang didn’t flinch. She just gave him a long slow blink before sinking her face into a hoof.

Impact had recovered enough to start screaming again. “I’m gonna kill you, you whorse! Your friends, your family! I’m gonna kill everypony who’s close to you. I swear it you…”

The rest of Impact’s screamed threats faded into the background for Blue. All his attention was now focused on those glacier-blue eyes now peering over the hoof.

At the malice they now held.

***

Twilight looked around the abandoned camp site silently before looking questioningly at Sunbeam.

Sunbeam shifted uncomfortably. “My reputation, coupled with telling the truth... the way you suggested... worked a lot more effectively than we could have hoped for.” Looking down she shuffled a hoof. “I had to power up my horn and give a little demonstration. It was only one small thing.” She held out her hooves, outlining an object about the size of a hoofball. “After that, they seemed eager to leave.”

Sitting back on her haunches, Sunbeam clapped her hooves together and looked around. “So, resupply anypony? I think I saw some proper coffee back there.”

They all looked at each other then back at Sunbeam, who was smiling hopefully at them.

Applejack took a step forward and, to her surprise, Sunbeam flinched.

“Partner…”

Twilight stepped forward. “We really can’t stay too long girls. We’re behind schedule already. Gather anything quick and easy, but remember, we’re only a few days away from Ponyville now.”

With a nod everypony turned to see what they could find. Sunbeam slumped, letting out a deep breath.

Twilight reached into her saddlebags before calling out. “Sunbeam. Can I see you?”

With a bright smile, Sunbeam lifted her head and walked up to her. “Yup Sparkles?”

Twilight brought out the inhibitor ring.

Her smile faltered and she took a half step back. “When I - I powered up my horn, I didn’t feel anything bad…Everything felt totally normal in fact. A-are you sure I have to put that thing back on?”

Twilight nodded. “Medical reasons. It’s to stop you using magic so your reserve has a chance to fully recover. It is for your own good.”

Sunbeam hesitated before lowering her head. “I-if you’re sure I need it.”

Twilight slipped the ring over her horn and watched it slide down to the base, catching momentarily on the notch before settling at its base.

Sunbeam eye’s scrunched up tight before letting out a whimper. Her ears fell out to the sides. “I can’t feel my magic anymore.”

Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. “It is the best for you.”

Sunbeam nodded her head low.

Twilight smiled at her, trying to ignore Applejack’s stare burning a hole in the back of her head.

‘It is for the best. It is for the best for all of us...’

***

Rarity seated herself down next to Sunbeam as she watched the sun set. One of her ears was twisted towards the campfire as Pinkie made supper. ‘My, all this exercise and fresh air is certainly good for the appetite. I feel quite hungry.’

They both watched the sun wobble at it neared the horizon.

Sunbeam pointed a hoof. “That’s…”

“Disconcerting?”

“Not the exact words I was gonna use, but close.” Sunbeam lifted up a bottle of Jackie Dee and took a swig. Rarity turned to look at her, but said nothing.

Sunbeam shrugged. “I found it in the campsite before you ask. It was all alone and scared, so I heroically took on the burden of giving it a good home.”

Rarity eyed the nearly empty bottle. “How much of that have you had?”

“There was about half a bottle in there when I found it.” Sunbeam took another swig.

“And you’re still sitting upright?”

She got a sidelong glance for the remark. “Pfft. Please… You insult me if you think a mere half-bottle of Jackie will get me falling-over drunk these days.”

Lifting the bottle she took another swing before wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof. “I’d offer you some… But I’m not going to.”

Rarity turned to look at her, both her ears now focused on Sunbeam. “You seem out-of-sorts darling, are you okay?”

“I’m fine… I’m…” There was a grunt and her head fell forward. “I’m not fine… I’m…” She waved a hoof in front of her in a vague manner. “Something is bothering me.”

“Oh dear, was it something you had to do in that camp darling?”

Sunbeam paused, giving the matter some thought before shaking her head. “Nah! At least not in the way I think you mean. I’m annoyed more than anything else about that.” Lifting the bottle she took another swig. “I got carried away back there. I started having fun and got careless. The situation had gone sideways before I even knew it.”

Sunbeam lowered her head, her ears pinning themselves back as she snorted. “But with all the fear they had of me, coupled with an obscene amount of luck, I got away with it.” She turned to look at Rarity. “Trust me when I say ‘I did nothing to deserve to be sitting here right now, drinking their Jackie’.” She looked away. “I simply fluked it... and improvised from where the situation crash-landed. Nothing to feel proud about.”

Sunbeam looked away, looking like she was deep in contemplation.

She suddenly swung her head round to Rarity. “In the camp, all I did was what was necessary, nothing more.” She nodded to herself. “Yes… that’s all I did. I kept you all safe. While I may have bucked up the…” Her mouth twitched. “...Execution of the plan, you are all safe so ‘the how’ doesn't matter.” There was a pause before she smiled. “You are all safe, that's all that matters. So I’m good. Yes… I can live with that.”

Rarity gave her a suspicious look. “Then whatever is troubling you so, dear?”

Her smiled dropped. Lifting the bottle, Sunbeam emptied it before tossing into the undergrowth.

“I’ve started thinking about a promise I made myself a little while ago Rarity. Something I promised to do once you were all safely back in Ponyville. I’ve been ignoring it so far, but as we get closer to home I find don't have that luxury anymore.” She looked away. “It seemed the… correct thing to do back then. It still does even now. But... “ Sunbeam sighed. “I lack the courage of my convictions Rarity. It would make the world a better place. But honestly... even back then I think I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it." Sunbeam rolled her shoulders. "So, I've decided to release myself from the promise... provided there's still a chance.”

Rarity tilted her head, but said nothing.

Pulling herself up she looked at Rarity. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course darling.”

Sunbeam looked at the horizon as Rarity waited. There was a long silence before Sunbeam spoke again.

“Pinkie said she’d show me how to cook some of her muffins when we get back. In exchange for me showing her some of my pizza skills.”

Rarity pulled her head back, surprised at the sudden change in subject.

Sunbeam was silent for moment. “Tell me, is that is normal behavior for ponies? I… I don’t trust my judgement in that area, I’m biased. I... I need somepony to tell if it's normal or not.”

Rarity blinked at a loss for words.

Sunbeam’s ears fell to the sides as the wait for the response lengthened. “R-Rarity? Please… I need to know. One way or the other, please tell me.”

Pulling herself together, Rarity shook her head before looking at Sunbeam with a smile. “Even given the ponies involved, yes, yes that is quite normal behaviour for ponies and...”

Rarity pulled her head back in surprise. “Are you okay dear? You’re shaking like a leaf! Do you need a blanket?”

Sunbeam waved her off. “I’m fine thank you. Really, I’m good. Thank you.”

She lifted her head to look up at the night sky. “It’s good to know that part of me still wants to do normal things. I’m good! I’m so...”

There was a pause before she suddenly turned to look at Rarity. “How does a pizza evening sound? Once we get back that is. It’ll be a girls night in, just us, round my place. I’ll pull out all the stops. Say, what wine do you like?”

“Darling…”

Sunbeam waved a hoof. “Oh I know you’ll have lots to do when we get back, Element of Harmony stuff, but you will consider it once things have settled down. R-right?”

Rarity looked at her small, hopeful, smile. “Of course dear.”

“No rush." Sunbeam beamed. "I’m not going anywhere.”

Chapter 40 - Heroes

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Chapter 40 - Heroes

The narrow mountain path wound its way along the side of the mountain and had, much to everpony’s relief, started heading downwards. The wagon had been abandoned a couple of days ago when the path became too narrow to safely take it any further. All their saddlebags now bulged with a mix of Wheat Thorn and their steadily dwindling supplies.

Pausing, Sunbeam looked down into the valley, and it’s long lake, before looking up and taking a deep breath. A few steps away was a wide ledge with some large boulders around the edge. Boulders just large enough for a mare to cower behind as she hid from a mountain troll.

She jumped when Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. “You okay there sugar? Your leg playing up again?”

Sunbeam shook her head as she walked onto the ledge, her eyes darting around, looking for anything suspicious. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of a bundle of cloth wedged under a boulder. ‘No! Not after all this time! It can't be...’

Walking over to it, she reached under the boulder and pulled the bundle out. Sitting back on her haunches she held it up.

Sunbeam stared at the mouldy cloak.

Walking up to her Applejack shook her head. “Oweee, looks like something's done a right number on that.”

Sunbeam just stared at the cloak, at the side that had been reduced to nothing more than tattered strips. ‘Buck! Good thing I wasn’t wearing it when...’ She tilted her head as she looked closer at the item. ‘Wait! This isn’t a guard cloak! The cut is all wrong and they certainly don’t have flower patterns hoof-sewn onto the pockets.’

Her ears folded flat as noticed the dark stains around the tears and the broken clasp.

“This isn’t my…”

Sunbeam dropped the cloak and started frantically looking around, her mane whipping from side to side as she did so. “We need to get moving! We need to keep moving!”

***

Sunbeam trudged through the light pine woods, occasionally throwing a glance behind them. ‘So glad to get through mountains without getting eaten. Again. Suppose I should take a moment to show my appreciation.’

Stopping, she turned and adopted a dramatic pose as she faced the mountains… and proceeded to make an obscene gesture at them.

‘Ah, that feels so much better.’ Sunbeam looked ahead, ignoring the shocked look on Rarity’s face. ‘And now to try and -not- think about what awaits me in Ponyville.’

Looking down, she kicked a pine cone and watched it bounce off as her ears fell flat out to the sides.

‘Oh I don’t need to think about it do I? I know just how this is all gonna play out. This has all happened before.’

Sunbeam looked up at the sky through the trees. ‘Sunbeam -had- a chance to fit in as nopony knew her. Icefang… not so much.’ She grimaced. ‘I doubt the good ponies of Ponyville are going be thrilled with the prospect of having ‘The Monster Icefang’ living with them. I mean, think of the property prices…’ She snorted. ‘Oh I can see it all now, the sidelong glances, the hushed whispers, the crossing to the other side of the street at the sight of me. All the terrified, fake-polite smiles.’

Sitting back on her haunches, she rubbed her face with her fore-hooves.

‘But let’s not forget the best part, the part where scared ponies become resentful ponies. Resentful ponies, given enough time, eventually start lashing out and doing stupid things. Oh, I -will- defend myself if anypony tries anything.’ She dropped her fore-hooves back to the ground. ‘But no matter what happens, or who starts it, it will always be my fault… Buck. Annnd this is why I hate thinking about the long-term future, it’s so depressing.’

Taking a deep breath she set off again, the pine needles crunching under her hooves. ‘Damn, the more I think about it, the more staying in Ponyville is starting to sound like a bad idea. A really bad...’

Pinkie wrapped a hoof around her shoulders and hugged her tight before bouncing off.

Sunbeam watched Pinkie for a couple of seconds. ‘Damnit, can’t a mare mope in peace? Of course, I could be wrong about the ponies of Ponyville.’ She looked around. ‘Of course hope -is- such a double edged sword.’

***

Sunbeam lifted up a mug of coffee as Twilight, sitting opposite her over the campfire, watched her with a furrowed brow.

“You know you’re not going to get much sleep if you keep drinking all that coffee Sunbeam.”

Sunbeam shrugged. “That is the general plan Twi.” The mug was drained and put down before she looked up at her. “Speaking of plans, with Ponyville being a few days away now, what is the plan when we get there?”

“Get the next available train to Canterlot. I’ve done the figures. While it might be slower than an in-flight pegasus, it’ll keep going when that same pegasus needs to stop and rest. Only Rainbow would be fast enough to make a make any real difference in overall travel times. And that’s even before I start factoring in the effects of being weighted down with a payload of wheat thorn.”

Sunbeam nodded. ‘Good. Pretty much what I hoping to hear. I can spring it on her at the train station. That way she won’t have time to prepare. Now onto more important things.’

“Twi, I have another tiny question…”

Twilight looked at her.

Sunbeam looked down as her hoof began drawing circles in the earth. “I’m kinda… I was wondering… I’m…”

‘Get a grip! Horseapples, It’s not like you’re going into battle.’

She rolled her shoulders.

‘I -feel- like I’m about to go into battle.’

She licked her lips and tried again. “I’m planning…” Sunbeam’s voice tailed off. She took a deep breath in and tried again. “I’m party a plan… I mean I’m party planning…” Sunbeam growled as she stamped a hoof. “I am... planning... a... party.”

Twilight sat back, her eyes wide.

Sunbeam took several calming breaths. “I mean to say, I am planning a little get together with pizzas and booze. Around my place. At some time in the near future. I… I was wondering if you wanted to come?”

“I…”

Sunbeam held up a hoof. “The rest of the girls have already said yes, but I know you’ve got princess duties. And this is all a bit sudden... Annnd things have gotta settle down a bit first. So if you can’t make it, I’ll understand. But, I was kinda hoping...” She gave Twilight a small smile.

Twilight fidgeted, playing with her hooves. “Well... as you said, obviously we have to wait for this all to settle down first. And I’ve no idea how long that will be! But, but… I will see what I can do.”

Sunbeam slumped in relief. “Thank you, that’s all I can ask. Oh, ummm, by the way, I’ll be needing to borrow some books from the library.” A hoof came up and rubbed the back of her neck. “Anything you’ve got on ‘how to throw a party’ really.”

***

Applejack yawned and stretched before sitting up and looking around the camp. Apart from Rainbow and Sunbeam, all the other girls were still asleep.

'I reckon about an hour to sunrise judging from the light.'

Stretching, she got to her hooves. “Mornin,” she whispered.

Rainbow nodded back as she continued getting breakfast ready while Sunbeam glanced up from the coffee she was holding.

Applejack took a half-step back at her bloodshot eyes. “Tartarus girl, you get any sleep last night?”

Sunbeam played with the coffee mug. “A few hours. Here and there. I’ll be okay when I get back to Ponyville AJ. I just need to hold on a few more days, then it’ll all be okay.” She turned her head away and mumbled something.

Applejack tilted her head. ‘Did she just say something about ‘owl’s sleeping at night’?’

***

It was less than a mile to Ponyville now and the path they were on had wooden fences on both sides. Cultivated fields lay beyond the fences and the ‘Sweet Apple Acres’ orchard was visible in the distance, covering the hills in front of them.

Sunbeam nudged Rainbow and pointed to a solitary tree in a field growing cabbages. Lifting a hoof, she made a long gliding action with it, before suddenly shaking her hoof wildly and then stopping it abruptly in line with the tree.

Rainbow stuck her tongue out at her.

Twilight turned to look at the others. “At this rate, we should get into Ponyville around early-evening, just in time to catch the evening express train to Canterlot. As it gets to Canterlot close to midnight, it shouldn’t have many ponies on it. It’s more a goods train at that time of night.”

She looked back up the track. “But it’s going to be close, so if we can please pick up the pace a little girls. We’ll head straight for the station, that way we shouldn’t run into too many ponies.” She looked down. “I don’t want to appear rude, but we won’t have time to stop and answer questions.”

Rarity flicked an ear. “What about Spike darling? Won’t he want to know you’re back?”

“Spike will be in Canterlot. He went with the guards dressed up as us remember.”

Rarity nodded. “Oh, of course.”

Applejack looked up. “Well sugar, if we’re all catching the train, I hope you brought enough bits to pay for everypony's train ride.”

Twilight stopped dead, her ears falling out to the sides.

Rainbow put her good wing around Twilight. “Well Twi, you said you never wanted to do it, but looks like you’re gonna hafta pull rank and get us all a free ride.”

“They will be reimbursed.”

***

They all looked at Sunbeam as the train stood ready to leave.

Lifting a hoof, she waved them goodbye.

Twilight took a step forward. “Sunbeam… What do you mean you’re not coming?”

“Just that. I am not going to Canterlot.” She held out some papers towards Twilight, who accepted them without thinking. “My notes on how to make the antidote, it’s not that hard. Any problems, well, you’re a smart filly.”

“But… but…”

Sunbeam looked away. “I am not going to Canterlot.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I know what’s up there.”

Applejack turned and got onto the train. “C'mon sugar, the train is waiting and we need to get going. If Sunbeam wants to stay here, so be it.”

Sunbeam nodded. “I’m not going anywhere. Pizza party to prep for, remember?”

Twilight kept looking between the train and Sunbeam. “Sunbeam please, I need to…”

Sunbeam pointed to the train. “You’re holding up the train Sparkles. Do you want to be responsible for throwing off an entire train schedule? Besides, you’ve got to get the antidote to the princesses as quickly as possible, don’t you?”

She winced. “I… I…”

Rainbow stepped forward. “I’ll stay with her and make sure she doesn’t get into too much trouble.” Everypony turned to look her as she grinned sheepishly. “Besides, Ponyville Hospital does have my current medical records. And I really want to get this...” She turned and gave her wing a glare. “Looked at as soon as possible. Not being able to fly is driving me nuts.”

Twilight shook her head. “No, this… I can’t…”

Rarity started boarding the train. “Darling, you’re the one who wants to get the antidote up to Canterlot as quickly as possible. I’m sure that Sunbeam can keep Rainbow out of trouble.”

Rainbow smiled. “Yeah what Rares said… Wait! What?”

Twilight looked between the train and Sunbeam and winced. She could feel the stares of the ponies around the station on her. "I..."

The train blew its whistle.

A second passed before she threw her hooves up into the air. “Ugh! Fine! The antidote is the most important thing! Curing the princesses, and others, is the top priority.” She looked at the two on the platform. “Please be careful Rainbow, Sunbeam.”

Rainbow threw a hoof around Sunbeam’s shoulders, making her flinch at the touch. “No probs Egg Head. We’ll be fine.”

Sunbeam smiled wanly. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here when you get back.”

Twilight turned and boarded the train.

***

They were the only ponies in the passenger carriage as Twilight checked the clock.

“We should get into Canterlot station a little after midnight girls, and from there we’ll take the goods delivery route up to the castle. While it’s not the most scenic of routes, it is the fastest by a fair margin.” She settled down into her seat. “We’ll then enter the castle via the goods delivery bay. As it is one of the few, truly, twenty-four-hour parts of the castle, it has the bonus of having a high-level castle official permanently based there.”

Twilight felt herself relax a bit as she went over her plan again without finding any flaws. “It will be the ‘night operations manager’ on duty by the time we arrive, and he is of high enough rank to be kept informed of what’s going on in the castle. So he’ll know just where the Wheat Thorn needs to go without having to waste time going to ask other ponies.”

She smiled. “And once the wheat thorn is heading off to the right ponies, then we can go to see Princess Luna. This way she won’t have to take too much time away from her night-court having to organize things.”

They all nodded.

Twilight turned to look at Pinkie as she seated herself next to her. “I thought you might have stayed in Ponyville with Sunbeam Pinkie.”

Pinkie gave her an odd smile. “I feel Canterlot is where I need to be.”

Twilight opened her mouth before closing it and letting out a sigh. “Pinkie Sense?”

Pinkie nodded with a grin.

Resigning herself, Twilight looked out the window. ‘Pinkie sense aside, everything is going as planned. Why do I feel I’ve overlooked something?’

***

Sunbeam and Rainbow watched as the train left the station.

Turning away, Sunbeam set off. “Well, c’mon then. Let’s go to the hospital and get ourselves checked out.”

Rainbow turned to follow her. “I thought you didn’t like hospitals.”

“I don’t. But I do know when I need to go.” Stopping, she reached up and touched her half ear. “Been kinda in the wars lately, in case you haven’t noticed. Lost half an ear, had my cutie marks burnt off, some maniac tried to hack my horn off and... “ She lifted her foreleg up. “...I’ve got this nasty little gash on my leg.” Turning her head, she smiled at Rainbow. “You know, I’m beginning to think that hanging around you lot is bucking dangerous!”

An innocent expression flitted on Sunbeam’s face as she walked off again. “Oh! And while I’m there, I might as well get my magic reserve checked out. Who knows, they might even say it’s okay for me to take this damn ring off my horn.” Her expression turned neutral. “Won’t Twilight be sooo glad to know she can stop worrying about me not being able to cast magic.”

***

Twilight looked around Canterlot station as they got off the train. A group of ponies had already started unloading the freight wagons behind them.

Twilight looked up when she felt several spots of rain. Most of the ponies working on unloading the train momentarily stopped and looked up as well. Some of them mouthed something she doubted was complimentary about the weather team.

“C'mon girls, this way.”

The orange glow from the street lamps gave the empty street a sombre feeling as Twilight marched along it, her eyes fixed on the castle as the rain started.

***

Applejack could see the road they were on wasn’t going to the main entrance. Instead, it was headed directly up to the side of the castle.

She looked up to the night sky and blinked some moisture out of her eyes. The rain had been light, but persistent and they were all thoroughly soaked now. Their manes were plastered to the back of their necks and their sodden tails hung limply behind them.

Turning a corner, and side-stepping to avoid a puddle, Applejack had her first clear view of the goods delivery bay.

‘Oooweee...’

Floodlights lit up a hoof-ball length wooden platform that was set against the cliff face next to the castle. Behind the platform were four large metal roller doors, one of which was up. She could see the thin metal chains hanging from the top of the open door and the bright light illuminating a large space behind it. Several wagons were parked up against the platform as ponies went to-and-fro from them, unloading boxes and stacking them onto pallets.

A large metal awning was set into the cliff face over the platform, protected the workers from the rain.

None of the ponies on the platform gave the approaching party much attention as they carried on unloading the wagons.

Twilight pointed to the edge of the platform. “The night operations manager’s office.”

Applejack looked at where she was pointing. The office was a small wooden building had one large, glass window that looked out over the platform itself. ‘Huh, glorified shed might be a better description there Twi.’

As they got near, several of the ponies on the platform threw them glances, but they all kept on working without stopping.

As Applejack watched, a unicorn mare came out of the open roller door, stopped in front of a small pallet with several open boxes of fruit on it and levitated it up. Turning, she headed back inside with it.

Twilight marched up the wooden steps onto the platform and towards the office. Everypony, once under the awning, took the time to shake themselves off.

Applejack smiled as Rarity started grumbling about the lack of towels and the state of her coat... and her mane... and her tail...

With a knock, Twilight walked inside the office leaving the door open.

Looking in, Applejack could see that apart from a filing cabinet in the corner, the only other item of furniture was a wooden desk pushed against the wall with the window. The wall opposite the window was covered in multicoloured clipboards and notices.

The yellow unicorn stallion, sitting at the desk and hunched over some paperwork she presumed that was the ‘Night Operations Manager’. He hadn’t looked up or said anything when Twilight had entered.

She stepped forward. “We have an urgent delivery.”

Still looking down, the stallion silently lifted a hoof and pointed a hoof at a sign on the wall.

Twilight turned her head.

‘No Deliveries Accepted Without Being Booked In First’.

Grinding her teeth, she turned back to the stallion and tried again. “This is important.”

He didn’t look up. “I’m sure it is.”

Twilight rolled her shoulders before tapping her hoof on one of his shoulders.

He looked up at her. “Look…”

The stallion went white. “P-prince..ss?” He stared at her wingless sides before instinct kicked in. Jumping up, he performed a clumsy, rushed bow.

“Excuse me… Your highness, I didn’t know. I wasn’t expecting... no pony had heard from you...”

Twilight waved away his words. “I have an important delivery. A load of Wheat Thorn. If you can take us to where it needs to go, that would be ever-so nice. You can officially book it in when it’s where it needs to be.”

He gave her a puzzled look. “Err, okay then your Highness. Please follow me.”

Standing up he led her out of the office and towards a smaller door set next to the large roller doors. Twilight signaled the rest to follow her.

The manager led them into a small room filled with cushions, tables, and a large tea urn. The tables themselves were covered with all kinds of mugs and various lunch boxes.

The stallion went through one of the doors on the other side of the room and into the corridor beyond.

Applejack walked up next to Twilight. “Where are all the guards sugar? It seems awfully easy to just walk in here.”

“All the ponies outside have extensive guard training Applejack. Not to mention we have passed through multiple magic wards to get this far. Don't forget that these corridors are set into the mountain itself, to get into the castle from them you’ve got to pass through multiple choke points… and other things Shining was curiously vague about.”

Applejack nodded and followed the stallion into the lifeless corridor beyond. Apart from an industrial green stripe on the walls and the odd black scuff mark, the corridor was a uniform off-white colour, giving the hallway a lifeless feel. The lighting was also too harsh, which only added to the lifelessness in her opinion.

Walking casually the stallion led them past a junction.

Twilight stopped and pointed up the other corridor. “The castle itself is in that direction. You're taking us towards ‘long term storage’.”

He looked over his shoulder at her and gave her another puzzled look. “Yes, I know.”

Twilight was becoming visibly agitated at the lack of urgency being displayed by the stallion.

Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. “Easy sugar. I’m sure he knows where he’s going.”

The stallion lead them up to a door with two guards stood outside. Opening it, he gestured for them to follow before walking inside.

The guards followed the group with their eyes.

Once inside, Applejack looked around the large storeroom that was taken up with barrels.

The manager turned to look at the Princess and pointed to a little table in the corner with a clipboard on it. “You can leave it there Princess. Somepony will be along to officially book it in later.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

“If you could just leave it…”

Twilight shook her head as she stamped a hoof. “Yes, I heard you! I can’t believe… Look this is critically important material. This is the antidote to cure the Princesses! It needs to go the proper ponies to start work on it immediately! Not just be put into some random storage room, to be retrieved whenever somepony happens to remember!”

Taking her saddlebags off, she waved them in front of him. “I’m too late for enough ponies as it is. I am not going to endanger even more ponies by wasting time!”

He took a step backwards. “But this is where we are storing all the Wheat Thorn princess.” He gestured at the barrels. “All full of Wheat Thorn.”

Twilight froze. “W-what?”

The stallion turned to look at the barrels. “All full of Wheat Thorn. Commander Whirlwind’s scouts finally found a huge field of it a little over two weeks ago. They've been finding more ever since. Turns out it’s not rare, just that it only grows in high altitude, in hard-to-reach areas.”

He smiled. “You should have seen it, Princess, it was an incredible sight. The air force ferrying Wheat Thorn in from the mountains to the drop off zones, only to set right back off again to go get more. The guard, using earth ponies and unicorns to keep the airspace clear, hauling it off to staging areas for processing and distribution by guard pegasi.”

He shook his head. “Unfortunately, Princess Luna’s notes only listed the name of the antidote and not the method needed to make it. So all over Canterlot, academics, scholars and generally very smart ponies worked around the clock to create a working antidote. Volunteers, mainly guards that were poisoned at the gala, stepped forward to try the untested antidote they developed.” He stood up a little bit taller. “Everypony was cured a little over a week ago princess. And not a single pony was lost.”

Twilight stared at him as Pinkie stepped forward to put a hoof around her. “H-how…?”

He turned to look at her, a frown on his face. “Princess! You of all ponies should know that Princess Celestia does try to pick competent ponies for her staff. Ponies that can actually get horseap… err I mean stuff done.”

Rarity pointed a hoof at him. “But the sunsets… the wobbling sun.

“The antidote was a little stronger than planned, so it muted the magic of everypony who took it, the Princesses included. But hey... the antidote worked. Personally, I’d take reduced magic for a little while over dying any day of the week.” He shrugged. “So what if both Princesses are currently needed to raise and lower the sun. So what if it tends to wobble a bit when they do it. It’s a small price to pay not to lose anypony.” He perked up, looking off into the distance. “You know, there’s talk of a stained glass window to commemorate all the effort everypony put in. I even played a small part myself in managing one of the drop-off zones.”

Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy all stepped towards Twilight as her saddlebags slipped from her grip.

The Night Operations Manager looked back at her. “Everypony will also be so relieved to see you back as well your Highness. If I might give you a little heads up here, a lot of ponies are going to be quite upset at you come the morning. I was present at some of the briefings after it became clear you were missing. Nopony knew where you’d gone! You're not supposed to head off without guards in that kind of situation… Princess. To put it bluntly your highness, there were a lot of ponies freaking out over it. If you’d been lost, along with the other element bearers, it would have been nothing short of a catastrophe for Equestria. Everypony expected you to head back to safety when it became clear that things weren’t going as planned. Everypony thought you’d head back...”

His voice became hesitant as he finally registered the scene in front of him. “… Back to a secure… location.” He stood there uncertain of where to look. “You’re far too valuable to... go risking... yourself… like...”

He tailed off into silence as Twilight’s friends all stood around her, hugging her tight.

Chapter 41 - A Good Nights Sleep

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Chapter 41 - A Good Night's Sleep

Seated outside the hospital, Sunbeam gazed morosely at the entrance with Rainbow sitting silently next to her.

‘Oh I hate hospitals. There’s -always- that one bucking idiot that wants to try and examine my back.’ She looked down and shook her head. 'Which I then have to -politely- persuade not to... ” She glanced back up. "Okay, maybe not-so-politely. But, at least it'll be the only thing I’d have to worry about if I go in and get myself checked out now. I really don't...’

Sunbeam let out a wide yawn.

‘Oh horseapples I need to get some sleep.’ She blinked. ‘Where was I? Ah yes. At least if I get myself checked now I won’t have to worry about Night Owl’s Slumber showing up on any test they run. Having an illegal compound in it and all that, it -might- cause raised eyebrows if detected. And I might as well make use of the fact that it's outta my system right now, I mean, it's not like I'm gonna let it happen aga...’

She let out another long yawn.

“Awww, dammit. Wake up you stupid mare.”

Rainbow smiled. “Sounds like somepony is up past their bedtime.”

Without looking round, Sunbeam made a half-hearted obscene gesture at her. “I was doing fine until Twilight and the others left. Now with everypony safe, I’ve finally been able to relax...” She yawned again. “...All my ‘less than ideal sleeping patterns' are finally catching up with me.”

The pegasus shook her head. “I’m amazed you're even still awake. Did you sleep at all over the last week?”

Sunbeam rolled her shoulders.“Hey! I got some sleep, just... not a lot. Bits and pieces. Just enough to keep me going.” She gave Rainbow a wan smile. “I can get all the sleep I want... after a licensed medical practitioner has made sure no major body-part is about to fall off.” She sighed. “Mind you, I can see lots of poking and prodding in my immediate future. Not to mention tests... Oh buck, the tests...”

Rainbow’s expression soured. “Oh yeah, I know all about tests...” Her voice turned high-pitched and nasally. “So what happened this time Miss Dash?”

Flaring her good wing she ground her teeth. “When I was just a weather-pony they’d kick me out as soon as I could walk, which was totally fine by me. But now I’m a Bearer it’s all: ‘we’ve got to make sure you’re perfectly okay Miss Dash’. Her head fell. “And they then go run every looong, boooring and incredibly duuuull test they can find on me. I mean, even the egghead’s lectures on: ‘the financial costs incurred in performing a low-level Sonic Rainboom over Ponyville’ weren’t as boring.”

Rainbow was silent for a moment before her head snapped back up as she pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “But what makes it worse is that they always insist on keeping me in overnight ‘for observation’, every... single... bucking... time!” She glared at the door. “Now that wouldn’t be so bad if they let me sleep... but they keep waking me up every half-hour to ask if I’m okay. I mean, what’s the point in that!” Her head fell. “I swear they do it just to annoy me! Well not this time!” She stamped a hoof. “I’m saying no to it all this time!”

Sunbeam just shrugged at the outburst and looked back the entrance. “I think you’re missing the obvious here, Dashie... You’re friends to, not one, but all the Princesses.” She rolled her eyes. “So of course they’re gonna run every test they've got on you! Everypony is engaged in the time-honoured tradition of ‘covering their flanks on this one’.” Sunbeam grinned as she nudged her with her shoulder. “Besides, nopony wants to be the pony that has to write to the Day Princess with a letter that opens with: ‘Dear Princess, you know you... had... six Element Bearers... Well, funny story...”

Despite herself, Rainbow lowered her head and sniggered.

Sunbeam looked over her shoulder. “We do have a plan B you know. B as in bar. We just go to ‘The Swift’ and keep drinking until all our problems go away.”

Rainbow sighed. “Nah, let’s get this over with.” Standing up she walked, very slowly, towards the entrance. “I want to get flying again as soon as possible.”

Sunbeam watched her for a second before standing up herself and following her. “I prefer plan B. B as in bar. B as in booze.”

She yawned again.

“B as in bed.”

***

Sunbeam lay on a metal table in the white tiled examination room while struggling to keep her eyes open. The only other furniture in the room was a couple of pale-yellow cushions and a basket of used foal's toys in the corner.

As she lay there Doctor Stable studied the burn mark on her right flank. She didn’t even bother to look up when he gently placed a hoof on it.

She was about to drop off when...

Sunbeam’s eyes snapped open as the hoof was pressed deep into her flank.

Turning to look at the doctor as her tail twitched uncontrollably, she raised an eyebrow. “You know, it’s considered polite to buy a mare flowers before feeling-up her flank.”

He didn’t look up as he released the pressure, carefully watching the elasticity of the skin. “Please Miss Sunbeam, I don’t think you understand just how serious this is. I’m picking up the residue of two distinct types of magic here, both of which have had permanent effects. One is illusion based, the other, which did the damage, is fire based. Now it appears that the fire damage was directed more towards magic than flesh, so at least the tissue damage is minimal. The magical damage however...” He swallowed.

Solemnly he walked around the table and put a hoof on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry to be the one to break this to you Miss Sunbeam...” He felt her tense up under his hoof as he took a breath in. “Your cutie marks have been permanently erased. I’m so sorry for your loss. I can offer you counselling to help get over… Miss Sunbeam?”

He took his hoof away. “Miss Sunbeam! This is no laughing matter!”

***

Sunbeam lay on the table, still sniggering to herself as Doctor Stable stood there, looking at her with a mix of concern and bafflement.

“Are you sure you’re okay there Miss Sunbeam? Your reaction to the news is… unconventional, to say the least.”

She waved a hoof at him. “I’m fine. I just wasn’t expecting…” Settling down, she tried to look serious. “Moving on, what about the other injuries I wanted you to look at Doc?”

Pulling his head back in surprise, it was a second before he collected himself enough to read the notes floating in font of him. “Right, the other injuries you mentioned.” He gave her a pointed look from around the clipboard. “You know, it would have been so much easier if you’d just consented to a full body scan.”

She smiled pleasantly at him. “Yes. I know. Now about the other injuries I mentioned...”

Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to the notes.

“From a purely physical standpoint: your flanks; ear and leg are all clear of infection and are all healing up quite well. The notch in your horn is, thankfully, superficial.” He glanced up. “I can suggest several products to fill the gap by-the-way.” He looked back down clipboard and was silent for a few moments. “Right now, the best thing I can prescribe is rest. Rest as much as possible over the coming weeks and let everything heal up naturally. I would like to see you back in here again in three days though, so I can check on your progress.”

He lowered his notes. “One thing I cannot recommend strongly enough though that you do is go for counseling. The mental trauma you’ve experienced…”

She held up a hoof, cutting him off. “Let’s stick to areas where there is still some hope left for me, eh doc. So how’s my magic?”

Giving her an exasperated look, he flipped a page over on his notes and sighed again as he read them. “You do like making our life difficult don’t you? It states here that you even objected to a horn link from our magic specialist.”

Sunbeam pulled her head back in faux shock and put a hoof on her chest. “What? And let a pony see what’s going in my head, unfiltered?! Heck doc, even I’m not that cruel.” She turned her head away and added quietly. “Besides, damned if my first ever horn-link is going to be nothing more than a cold clinical examination by a complete stranger. I do have an ounce of romance left in me.”

His eyebrows rose before he glanced back down at his notes. “Ahem… Right… While your reserve does show signs of recent stress, it has recovered enough for you to be able to cast magic with it. Just try to keep your casting to low level spells for the time being. No high-expenditure spells.”

She looked back at him with an odd lopsided smile. “Check, small stuff only. No vast, city-destroying spells. Duly noted.” Her hoof came up and tapped the inhibitor ring. “So, this can come off then?”

“Oh yes, that can come off anytime you like. As you said, it looks like Princess Sparkle was just erring on the side of caution about you keeping it on.”

Her ears fell to the sides as her gaze lost focus. “Yeah, erring on the side of caution. That’s all Sparkles was doing. Being concerned... about me.”

Taking a breath, she pointed to the ring again, her smile returning. “If you would be so kind then doc. I’m quite anxious to get this thing off my horn... they could only find the type of ring that won’t let you remove it yourself, so I'm gonna need some help here.”

Doctor Stable winced. “Ahh. One of those types of rings. This is going to hurt then I’m afraid.”

She nodded before lowering her head so her horn was level with the ground. “I’m quite aware of how much it’s gonna hurt thankyouverymuch.” She took a breath in. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Using his hoof, he slid the ring along, and off, her horn. He caught it in a magical field before it hit the floor. “Brace yourself.”

She grimaced. “I hate this... “

Sunbeam spasmed several times in pain before slumping down on the table, panting hard.

“...Bit.”

She took several deep breaths before slamming hoof down on the table with a clang. “Oh I bucking hate pain!”

Doctor Stable nodded distractedly, putting the ring into his coat pocket as he looked down at the clipboard. ‘Let’s see. Humm, pretty much scanned every bit of her, -apart- from the top of her barrel.’ He studied her back. ‘Okay, that fur does look odd. Well as she’s a friend of the elements, better make sure everything is okay, otherwise, I’d never hear the end of it if anything were to...’

His thoughts derailed at the sight. Still laying on the table, he’d just noticed that his patient was making two rag dolls from the toy basket dance a waltz together. If the contented smile on her face was any indication, she was quite enjoying doing it.

He shook his head. ‘Some ponies never grow up.’ He lit up his horn. “Okay Miss Sunbeam, I’m just going to scan your back now…”

***

Sunbeam’s head fell at the sound of hooves galloping off down the corridor.

“Sorry doc, didn’t mean to pin you to the wall and threaten you quite like that. You caught me by surprise and I... reacted. I swear I do feel bad about...”

Sunbeam was silent for a moment before her head jerked up. "I feel bad?" Sitting back on her haunches, she lifted her hooves up to her eyes.

She watched them as they shook.

“You bastard.”

Turning on the spot, she showed her trembling hooves to the doorway.

“Look! Look at what you've done! I didn’t hurt you. Not a single hair... And this is how you repay me? By making me feel bad!?" She thrust her shaking hooves at the doorway. "Look you bastard! You've turned me into a bucking wreck here! I... I can't even hold a dagger!" Sunbeam looked down at hooves, her voice dropping to a whisper. "What good am I if I can't even hold a dagger? I'm nothing but a worthless, bloodstained, wreck of a pony if I can't even..."

She blinked.

Sunbeam stared at the hooves she was holding out at the empty doorway.

Slowly lowering them to the floor, she forced a smile. “Okay, that was an incredibly pathetic display. Get a grip you stupid mare! Show some dignity for bucks sake.”

She stood up and rolled her shoulders.

“It was time to leave anyway.”

***

Sunbeam walked down the hospital corridor, her tail twitching in agitation.

“I’ve already been this way dammit! Where the Tartarus is reception?”

Stopping at a junction, she looked both ways before shrugging and turning down one at random.

“This place is a maze. Agh! All I want to do is find out how Rainbow’s getting on before I get kicked out. Note to self, never-ever get sick or injured again." Her ears fell flat. "'As I seriously doubt I'm gonna be welcome back here ever again. Not even after I tided up after myself. I picked up the doc’s notes and put the two dolls back in the basket… but they won’t ever want to see back here again.”

Stopping she shook her head. “Damn it doc, why did you have to go and try to examine my back for? Everything was going so well. I was in such good mood.”

She closed her eyes and slumped.

“Ahhh, of course. Me happy… We can’t be having that now can we? It’s against the rules for me to be happy. I’m not supposed to be happy! I’m not allowed to be happy...”

She slammed a hoof down on the floor.

***

With Rainbow being kept in overnight, for observation, Sunbeam trotted home alone, along the dark and empty streets.

From an alleyway's shadows, a set of cold, calculating, eyes watched her walk past. When they noticed her white back though, the calculating look quickly vanished and they retreated in fear.

She walked on, oblivious. ‘Oh I hope I actually make it all the way home... and not just end up asleep in the middle of the street. That would be embarrassing.’

The rain started. Stopping, she looked up and closed her eyes as she let it fall on her face.

‘My Night Owls Slumber is in the bedside table drawer.’ Opening her eyes a smile spread over her face. ‘I can sleep tonight. Not just little scraps. But all night! ’ She started walking again.

'Sleep all night.'

The walk became a trot.

‘Sleep without dreams! The whole night!’

The trot became a canter.

‘Sleep!’

The trot became a full gallop through the streets, the rain pelting her in the face as she grinned manically.

Her horn lit up as she got close to home. The magical lock on the door was undone and the door itself was flung open as she raced through it.

‘Sleep…’

Sunbeam collided with several walls in her mad dash to her bedroom. The drawer to the bedside cabinet was pulled on so savagely, that she pulled the drawer completely free of the runners and spilled its contents over the floor.

Sifting through the mess, she triumphantly held up a bag of Night Owl’s Slumber in her hooves.

‘Sleep...’

Sunbeam ripped the bag open with her teeth and tilted her head back as she poured the contents into her mouth.

Most of the mixture went over her face and ended up sticking to her wet fur.

‘No Salme! This tastes like I’ve already thrown up. Sleep, wonderful dreamless sleep. Damn this tastes like puke. A soft bed. I can sleep! Sleep without dreams. I can really sleep tonight! Maybe clean my teeth first to get rid of the taste… Maybe...’

Sunbeam climbed onto the bed. “Lay down first. I can finally sleep. Sleep, wonderful sl...”

She fell forward.

Even her head bouncing off the pillow twice didn’t wake her.

***

Luna looked away from the Night Court petitioner as a Lunar Guard hurried in.

Walking up next to the petitioner, he gave her a quick bow of the head. “Your highness, there is a situation. May I approach?”

Luna nodded.

Walking up to her, he kept his voice low as he whispered several short sentences into her ear.

All the ponies present watched as Luna’s ears twitched several times at whatever she was being told.

The guard took a step back and Luna stood up. “My apologies but Night Court is now adjourned for the rest of night. Matters of state have arisen that require my official attention. Please see the court steward who will issue tokens for priority treatment on your next visit. All reasonable expense claims, in writing, will be considered. Good night.”

She turned to the Lunar Guard. “Has my sister been informed?”

“I have sent somepony to do so.”

“Good. Where are they?”

***

Celestia, without any of her regalia, silently opened the door to Twilight’s old castle bedroom and peered in.

Twilight lay facedown on the bed, her face buried in the pillows as her friends comforted her. Luna stood by the side of the bed, a look of concern on her face.

‘Five. Only five bearers.’ Stepping past the Lunar Guards outside the door, she closed the door behind her.

“My little ponies...”

Everypony, apart from Twilight and Luna, turned towards her and bowed.

Walking up to the bed, she put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight?”

Twilight just let out a sob.

Seeing the inhibitor ring around Twilight’s horn, Celestia looked up at her sister with a puzzled look.

Luna glanced at the other bearers. “Twilight marched into the dungeon and put the ring on her horn herself. She then started demanding that she be incarcerated for, and I quote, ‘gross incompetence’.” She looked down at Twilight. “A guard suggested that her old room would be more convenient for you to see her in.” She leaned in close to Celestia and whispered into her ear. “I have made note of his name for swift thinking.” She pulled back. “I have also sent for Doctor Everhealth.”

Rarity shifted position so that Celestia could see Twilight’s wingless sides.

Applejack quickly stepped forward at seeing Celestia’s expression change. “A spell she cast on herself your highness. No physical damage, she just hasn’t had enough magic to change herself back.”

Luna nodded towards Applejack as Celestia relaxed. “Twilight came in through the loading bay, so I didn't know they were back myself until I was told. Now I’ve spoken to the night operations manager who saw them in...”

Rarity tossed her head back. “Insufferable beast. That stallion had all the tact of a rampaging ursa major.”

Luna turned to look at her. “Now, now, Miss Rarity. At that time of night, and in that environment, everypony prefers clear, unambiguous commands.” She shook her head. “I will admit that he did blur the line between ‘clear commands’ and just being ‘callously blunt’...” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “He didn’t even seem to realize he was doing...” Luna looked back at her sister and then shook her head. “For later consideration.” Putting her hoof down, she spoke in a clear, precise, voice directed at her sister. “But whatever else he said, I am sure that the extra supplies of wheat-thorn you all brought back will be of use to us.”

Celestia nodded in understanding before looking back at Applejack. She tried to keep the quaver from her voice as she asked the question. “And where is Miss Dash? I can’t help but note her absence. I do hope she is okay.”

Applejack gave Celestia a wan smile. “In Ponyville with Sunbeam your highness. She’s getting her wing all fixed up at the hospital so she can get flyin’ again as soon as possible. Typical Dash.”

Celestia felt the tension leave her shoulders. ‘At least Miss Dash is okay. But I suspect I know what is wrong with them. The look in their eyes. A look I know all too well. It is too soon for them… It is always too soon, for anypony.’

She took a breath in. “And that just leaves sergeant Greywing.”

Nopony spoke or met her eye.

Celestia gave them a sad smile “Ahh, I think I see. Before we address that issue, has anypony informed Shining Armor that his little sister is back?”

Luna's eyes widened before opening the door with magic and calling out. “One of you, go get Captain Armour. Let him know that Twilight Sparkle has returned.”

One of the two guards saluted and trotted away.

Applejack closed her eyes as Luna shut the door. “There are complications your highness, regarding Greywing.” Her voice cracked. “About two hundred of them…”

Twilight let out a choked sound from the bed and Celestia pulled back to allow her friends to comfort her again.

***

Sunbeam raced over the dunes, her hooves sinking into the yellow sand.

Stopping on top of a dune, she looked over her shoulder as she panted heavily. She could see the metal pony chasing her crest the dune behind her as it was silhouetted against the bright blue sky.

Looking desperately around, she saw her house sitting on the dune in front of her.

With new-found energy, she galloped down the slope, into the oh-so-cold valley between the dunes, and up the other side.

Diving in through the door, she slammed it shut and locked it with a shaking hoof. She looked around for something to barricade the door with.

Her head pulled back in surprise. This wasn’t her house!

She was in a dimly lit windowless office with a desk off to the left. The only light came from a single light hanging in the middle of the room. It had a ‘yellowed-with-age’ lampshade around it.

A metallic taste formed in her mouth.

On the wood panelled wall facing her, there was a panel that was a different shade to the rest. The nails were of a different size as well.

She took a step back.

The only picture on the wall was of a desert: yellow dunes with a bright blue sky overhead. The bright colours contrasting vastly to the rest of the gloomy office, only serving to make the picture really stand out.

She backed into the door.

There, in the middle of the floor, was the floorboard that always creaked when anypony trod on it…

She felt her heart thumping in her chest.

The air was stale, just like it always was, and the room smelled of...

Her ears fell flat.

She could smell a cheap stallion’s shampoo.

Spinning around, she frantically tried to open the door...

The floorboard creaked behind her.

***

Celestia nodded as the bearers finished recounting what had happened. Twilight herself had remained silent on the bed for the entire story. Only the odd cringe gave away the fact she was listening.

Celestia glanced at each of the bearer’s apprehensive expressions before lowering her head.

“I see.”

She could feel every ear in the room twisting towards her in the silence that followed.

Taking a deep breath, Celestia looked up. “Gathered Bearers of Harmony, I wish to commend your efforts for the ‘greater good of Equestria’. Regardless of the outcome, the effort put in is indeed worthy of note.”

There was a general sigh of relief. Twilight’s head half rose from the pillow.

“However…”

The sigh became a collective intake of breath and Twilight's head fell back down.

“...There is a certain aspect of this whole enterprise that I am disappointed by. And I think you all know to what I am referring to.”

There was a tiny sob from the pillows.

Celestia steeled herself. “Let me make it clear, it is not the fact you had to ask Miss Icefang... Miss Sunbeam to help facilitate your escape I find concerning. I agree that she was clearly the most suitable pony for that task.”

Twilight lifted her head from the pillow and turned to look at Celestia with red-rimmed eyes. The puzzled look on her face was reflected on each of the bearers as well.

Lifting a hoof, she pointed at Twilight before sweeping it round over the others bearers. “What I am disappointed by though, is the cavalier way you sent Miss Sunbeam off to complete that task. You all knew she had a history of violence; you all knew you were asking her to go back against the very ponies that had mentally enslaved her. You must have at least suspected that she would actively seek retribution for that.” Celestia rubbed her eyes. "And yet you threw away the only chance you had to possibly curb her actions. By giving her orders so vague and open to interpretation, all you did was to practically encourage her to... to do what she did in the dormitory.”

Everypony looked down at the floor, their ears falling flat out to the sides.

Celestia sighed as she looked up. “Now, from what you've told me about her, I suspect that simply ordering her 'not to' wouldn't have worked... But at least you all would have had the comfort of knowing what happened was against your wishes.” She looked gravely at Twilight. “Instead, what we have now is a situation where a pony that slaughtered an entire room of sleeping ponies can claim, quite correctly, to have done so under the orders of a Princess of Equestria.” She put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. "I shudder to think of the repercussions if it were to ever get out. A princess cannot afford to make that type of mistake Twilight.”

Twilight whimpered.

Celestia leaned in and lightly nuzzled her. “Shhh… I know I’m sounding harsh, but that is only because I so desperately don't want to see you carry the burden of that type of mistake Twilight. Such a thing weighs-heavy on a conscience, and once acquired it is so very-difficult to ease." Her hoof gently stroked Twilight's mane. "This is cold comfort I know, but trust me, everything could have been so much worse. The situation is contained and, by your own description, innocents were not involved. I want you to hold onto that thought Twilight, no innocents were involved, so please don't punish yourself... ”

Twilight looked at her sharply. "No innocents…? G-Greyw-wing…”

Luna shook her head. “Was a guard. All guards have sworn to protect any Princess, with their lives if necessary. One guard lost for the safe return of a Princess, and the Bearers, is quite an acceptable, if unfortunate, loss.”

Celestia’s wing came up and covered Twilight's back as she shivered. “All guards swear an oath to put a Princess's life, or a Bearer’s, above their own.”

Twilight put her face back down into the pillows.

Celestia was silent in contemplation as she held her. “Twilight, the blame is not yours entirely. I feel I must accept just as much blame here as anypony else.” Celestia looked up at the ceiling. “Perhaps even more so. In all our lessons I never truly prepared you for such a thing. In truth … I never wanted to prepare you for such a thing.” She sighed as she looked back down at Twilight. “And by willfully neglecting your education in such a way... I find myself the very orchestrator of this situation. I cannot, and will not, blame you for this. So I must accept all blame for this. I had just hoped...”

Celestia sagged.

“I had just hoped it would be a long time before I would need to prepare you for this kind of thing Twilight. I had just hoped I could shield you all from this kind of 'cold calculated thinking', for just a little while longer.” Her voice thickened. “I’d just hoped I could keep you all innocent for just a little while longer. I’d just hoped…”

Her ears fell flat as she let her head drop. Her voice was soft and bitter. “Over a thousand years old… and I still provide the world a chance to laugh at my naivety.”

There was silence in the room.

Celestia stood up, her voice commanding again. “Twilight Sparkle, gathered bearers of harmony... I feel I have lectured everypony enough for one night. Let us move onto a much more pressing matter.”

Spreading her wings, she put them around Twilight and her friends. Smiling, she pulled them all into a tight hug.

“Welcome home! All of you! Welcome home.”

Celestia rested her head back on top of Twilight’s and closed her eyes.

“Welcome home.”

***

Shining Armour was woken by a pounding on his quarters’ door.

“I’m awake!” Rolling over he levitated the clock over to check the time.

“I hope there is a damn good reason for waking me at this time in the morning!”

A voice came from behind the door. “Sir, I’ve been told to inform you that Princess Twilight is back and is currently in her old bedroom. Sir... I believe something bad may have happened…”

The Lunar guard was shoved out of the way as the door was flung open and Shining galloped out.

***

Twilight lifted her head. “So I-I’m not going to be thrown into the dungeons, banished to the moon, turned into a statue?”

Celestia pulled her wings tighter around them and gave Twilight a smile. “Never! I have voiced my concerns and have no intention of mentioning them again tonight. When we do speak of it again, it will be in a classroom environment. As a lesson to be calmly and dispassionately dissected.”

Twilight looked down. “Dispassionately? I ordered them killed Princess! I ordered ponies killed!” She started to shake. “That’s not what I’m supposed to do! I could have done more! I should have done more! I should have been able to save them! I should have done something else, anything else! No pony needed to...”

Celestia put her head over Twilights. “Shh, calm Twilight, calm. You had neither the time nor the resources to save them. Even attempting to would have carried an unacceptable risk of recapture. The way you did it may need work, but you did do the right thing.”

Applejack snorted in frustration. “Excuse me your highness, I think we did the correct thing. I sure as heck don’t feel like we did the right thing…”

Standing up, Celestia looked around. “Look at me, all of you! You did everything that could be expected of you under the circumstances.” Celestia pointed a hoof at Twilight. “Let us not forget the crystal they had. How much magic did you say it could store? Enough to seize control of the sun, even if only briefly?” She shook her head. “With Luna and myself still recovering and in weakened states, I shudder to think of the damage and chaos that would have caused if that had come to pass. You prevented a great disaster from having the chance to happen. Please, I ask you all to focus on that. A vast number of ponies will go about their lives, never knowing they’ve been saved.”

She turned to look at Luna. “That crystal represents a clear and present danger. Not only to Equestria but to the entire world. It needs to be secured at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Luna nodded and walked over to the door. Opening it, she spoke quietly to the guard.

“Go get the major. Tell her we wish to see her.”

He nodded and set off down the corridor.

Twilight closed her eyes. “I still feel I should have done something different.” Her head lifted up sharply. “ Our guard! If we had our escort this wouldn’t have happened! Or I could have done something different. If only I’d waited for my escort! I should have waited...”

Luna shook her head as she walked back to the bed. “Waiting carries its own risks Twilight Sparkle. Waiting to find out all the information is like waiting for the perfect conditions, both may never happen. Sometimes, you just have to act with the information you have... and hope you can adjust your plans accordingly if things change. Doing nothing invites disaster...” Luna’s head lifted up, an ear turning towards the open door.

There was the sound of galloping hooves, getting closer.

Celestia turned her head towards the door and smiled. “Now that sounds like a ‘big-brother-coming-to-the-rescue’ kind of gallop. You may all wish to give Shining Armour some room to hug his little-sister.”

They all moved away, leaving a nervous looking Twilight in the middle of her bed as Shining galloped in through the door and launched himself at her, wrapping his forelegs around Twilight in a big hug.

Twilight wrapped her hooves around him as he hugged her tight. “Shiny! I'm sorry. I’m so sorry…”

“Shhh….” He started gently stroking her mane. “You’re safe now Twily. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I’m sorry Shiny, I’m so sorry. I had to…”

Shining held her tighter. “Shh... You don’t have to say anything.”

She buried her face into his shoulder. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… Hold me Shiny!” She let out a sob. “I just want everything to go away! I want it all to go away! But it won’t, will it? What I did is going to stay with me. It’s never going to go away…”

Her friends surged forward, hugging her around her brother.

Celestia watched the huddle. Catching Luna’s eye, she made a head gesture towards the door and they both left.

***

Outside the room, Celestia looked at her sister. “Best to give them a few minutes of privacy.”

Luna nodded.

There were a few moments of silence before Luna looked down the corridor. "Did you get the impression that Pinkie left something out, right after she found Miss Sunbeam?"

"Yes, her retelling did seem to suddenly jump forward at that point. But if she feels it's not important..."

There was an audible sob from the other side of the door.

Both turned to look at the door... and then away.

They stood silently, standing guard outside the door.

Luna flicked an ear but didn't look round. “It was nice to see our ponies acting together to solve a problem, without us having to get actively involved.”

Celestia smiled distantly, also not looking around. “Yes, it is most gratifying to know that my little ponies can look after themselves if need be. That they can solve major problems without calling upon us, or the bearers, to resolve it for them. Their timing however...” She pulled a face as she looked at the door. “As I believe the modern vernacular puts it: sucks.”

Luna covered her mouth as she let out a snort. As she did so, Celestia turned her head to watch a squad of Lunar Guard march towards them. Leading the squad was the major she recognized as being the one Luna had assigned to work with Shining Armour in exposing any infiltrators.

Worryingly, a number of ponies had suddenly resigned when this had got out. Even more worryingly for her, they hadn't been able to keep track of all of them.

The major stopped in front of her and saluted. "Princesses."

She nodded in response.

Luna turned to look at the squad and nodded as well. Her head tilted to one side as she studied the major for a moment before eyes lit up. “Ah yes, seeing you reminds me." She looked at her sister. "Celly, Lieutenant Broom. What are you intentions for him?”

Celestia’s ear dropped. “I’m going to be letting him go. I was planning on telling you tomorrow.”

"That is a poor jest sister.”

Celestia shook her head. “His father is well connected and has called in, and asked for, a great many favours to get him released without charge.” She ruffled her feathers. “Make no mistake, it rankles me to let him go, but politically, it makes perfect sense. If I keep Lieutenant Broom incarcerated, it would only generate sympathy for him in certain quarters. And in turn, sympathy for his father and his causes.” Celestia pulled a face. “It would also lead to his father actively creating as many problems as he possibly could for me in court, for no other reason but to bedevil me. A thought I do not relish.”

She looked up at the ceiling. “But by playing ignorant, and letting Mister Broom go, I let Colonel Sword Handle use up all his political capital in Canterlot. With no favours left to hold over other ponies, his influence in court will greatly lessened. In fact, they will be the ones holding the favours over him. He will become nothing more than a paper-manticore and everypony will know it.” Celestia drew herself up. “So letting Mister Broom go is for the best… I keep telling myself." She looked away. "I'd also like a shower when I think about it too much.”

Luna rubbed her chin. “His father, Colonel Sword Handle… Yes, I do remember him. One of the major opponents to me forming the Lunar Guard. He also led a small, but extremely vocal, group against...” She turned her head away. “Against me retaking the throne.”

Both Princesses failed to notice the major's eyes narrow.

Celestia looked away. “I'm afraid I could do nothing about that. I have gone out of my way to create a court where opinions can be expressed freely and without fear of reprisals. Even opinions I personally detest. That way nothing is left hidden to fester.” She looked away, her voice quiet. “I never want that to happen again.”

Taking a breath Celestia turned back to Luna. “While I can normally talk ponies around to my way of thinking, I must admit my personal feelings got in the way that time. I simply asked for their resignations if they thought they couldn’t serve you. Most of them accepted.”

With a groan she rubbed her eyes. “A mistake. That group has been quite-the-annoyance ever since. Needling your reputation at every possibility, I had to restrain myself multiple times. In the end I had to call them in to attend a closed court session after I heard some unsettling rumors. There I made it quite clear they could voice their opinions as much as they liked but...” Luna caught the glimmer of fire in her sister’s eyes. “...But if they raised a hoof against you… Let’s just say I impressed upon them just how unhappy I would be."

They stood in silence for a while before Luna flicked her tail. “Perhaps best that if we are going to release Lieutenant Broom, that we do so quickly. Before anypony gives in to temptation.”

She turned to the major. “I have a task for you.”

The major gave the princess a fang-filled smile.

***

Lieutenant Broom was woken up by his cell slamming open.

The Lunar Guard major he’d seen with Shining Armour walked in, closely followed by three Lunar Guard Unicorns. They formed a line facing him.

The major saluted. “Lieutenant Broom Handle, your sentence has been decided by the Princesses. Sentence to be carried out immediately.”

She turned to look at the unicorns. “Squad, ready!”

Their horns lit up.

Broom pushed himself back in the cot so his back was against the wall. “What? Wait! You can’t just…”

“Take aim.”

They all lowered their heads.

He pulled the blanket up to his chest. “No! No! No! You can’t just…”

“Now!”

Broom screamed in pain...

After a second, he opened his eyes.

Sitting next to him, the major casually dropped the inhibitor ring that had been around his horn on his head. It bounced off his forehead and made a tinny sound as it hit the stone floor. It took him a second to realize his magic had returned.

Taking out some papers, she dropped them next to him on the bed.

“These are your discharge papers. You are free to go, Mister Broom Handle. You are out of the military.” She leaned in close. “And I would advise you leaving Canterlot as soon as possible. Shockingly, some ponies might hold a grudge against you for endangering a princess.” She shook her head. “Strange, odd, peculiar ponies, I know. A certain captain of the guard springs to mind.” Her smile showed fangs as she nudged him. “Personally, I’d have just stuck a knife in between your ribs and have done with it… but hey, I’m a nice pony.” The major tapped his chest. “If I had been feeling nasty, I would have just let Shining Armour in here and locked the door after him. It’s a big-brother, you-hurt-my-little-sister thing and... Oh!”

Lifting a hoof, she waved after him as he galloped out of the cell. “Byyeeeeee. Don’t forget to write.”

***

Luna and Celestia watched as Broom galloped out of the cell and down the corridor away from them. A pair of Lunar guard pegasi outside the cell had to take to the air to follow him.

Luna silently watched the scene, her face carefully neutral. Without looking away, she tilted her head towards her sister. “At least we found Doctor Everhealth now. He is examining Twilight Sparkle as we speak.”

Celestia looked sheepishly away as the sounds of galloping hoofs faded. “I forgot to tell the guards that he was staying in a hotel while his house is repaired. ”

Luna smirked. “Yes, his house did experience an ‘act of Celestia’ didn’t it.”

Celestia gave the statement some careful thought, before sticking her tongue out at her sister.

Luna turned back to the cell as the major and squad of unicorns walked out.

“Major!”

Looking around, the major left the unicorns' side and walked over to Luna before throwing her a salute. “Ma’am?”

“Major, you have a crystal to, discreetly, retrieve from a neighbouring country, post-haste. The details are on your desk.”

“I shall issue fake mustaches to everypony then.” The major rubbed her face. “I think a nice handlebar one for me.”

Luna nodded. “Oh major, one more thing.”

“Yes ma’am?”

The princesses expression turned hard. “I distinctly remember telling you to give Mister Broom his discharge papers and then escort him from the castle. Nothing else. You really felt the need for 'three battle-unicorns' and 'two scout-pegasi' to accomplish that task?”

The major snapped sharply to attention. Her face blank as she stared forward, saying nothing.

The Princess took a step closer. “I do hope you didn’t do anything that might constitute, overstepping your orders Major.”

The Major said nothing.

Luna shook her head.“No, of course not. Not you Major. You're fully aware I’d have to do something drastic if caught you doing anything like that.” She looked up. “Oh, on a completely different note: I’ve been considering implementing a... much more rigorous training schedule.” She smiled at the major. "I'm looking for a single volunteer to try it out, I suspect I might have made it way too harsh." Luna tapped her chin. "Yes, it is entirely possible that the volunteer will collapse, several times, from exhaustion before I'm done with her.” She raised a questioning eyebrow at the major. "Care to suggest any names?"

The major just stood at attention, continuing to stare fixedly forward. “Ma’am. I wish to volunteer to try out the new training schedule.”

"Oh really, that's quite unexpected." Luna let the silence drag out for a few seconds before leaning forward and whispering into her ear. “Don’t... do it... again…” Pulling back, she waved a hoof. “On your way then major, you have a crystal to retrieve.”

The major gave her a crisp salute. “Ma’am! Yes ma’am!”

Luna watched the major march smartly off. “Good mare there, she just needs a little reminder now-and-again.” She turned back to Celestia. “I made sure her instructions also include retrieval of Sergeant Greywing’s remains.” She was silent for a second. “And speaking of which, what are your plans for Miss Sunbeam? If I may, her talents sound… uniquely ill-suited for civilian life in Equestria.”

Celestia gave her sister a small smile and a wave of her hoof. “Now now, Lulu. I know you are crying out for unicorns in the Lunar Guard but Twilight has promised her asylum and I intend to honour it.”

She paused and frowned. “I will admit there are a few aspects to her nature that trouble me deeply. More than a few references to…” Celestia shook her head. “But there are none of them left. Not one for over nine hundred years.” She turned her head away, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “I made sure of that!”

There was a pause before she lifted her head and gave Luna wide smile. “But, as Miss Sunbeam did defend the Bearers, I am willing to put my misgivings to one side for the moment. I’m also willing to categorize the whole Sergeant Greywing incident as being an ‘unavoidable accident’ on her part. Given the circumstances.”

Luna raised an eyebrow.

Celestia waved a hoof. “Oh make no mistake Lulu, this is all down to the fact I do not want a pony of such abilities running loose and out of control.” She held up a hoof. “I am hopeful that a full assessment will suggest a suitable way we could utilize her unique talents, peacefully. Or, more realistically, just in ‘keeping the peace’. The alternatives after that are: joining the Lunar Guard or…” She sighed. “Or rapidly become less ideal.”

Luna nodded. “I agree. A pony that can 'devastate an area the size of a small stadium' I would I much prefer to have close and under our supervision than not. The thought of not knowing where that pony is... gives me chills. No pun intended." She smiled. "If I may suggest, Twilight does need a new guard.”

Celestia shook her head. “Twilight needs a new guard as soon as possible and it would take years to train Miss Sunbeam properly for that. I also suspect Miss Sunbeam’s talents lay along a different, more specialized, path.”

“So what are you plans for her then?”

She was silent for a moment. “As she’s lived in Ponyville for so long without incident, I feel that we don’t need to react blindly in a panic to this situation. Act quickly certainly, but not in a panic.” Celestia smiled. “The inhibitor ring around her horn, like Twilight says, gives me peace-of-mind as well. It also grants us the luxury of enough time for an initial assessment be completed on her. I will base any decision off its recommendations." She tapped her chin. "I’d say two to three days before I get it, perhaps another before I make a decision. So say three to four days before I visit Ponyville and explain the situation to her. An acceptable delay I feel. It also gives Miss Sunbeam some time to relax.”

Celestia’s ears dropped. “Her options are, unfortunately, quite limited now. Power like hers can be just as much a cage as none at all. I just sincerely hope she doesn’t do anything rash in the meantime.”

***

Sunbeam sat at her kitchen table, a mug of coffee in her hooves as she listened to pitter-patter of rain on the window.

She looked out the window into the darkness of the night.

“I really need to go see Zecora and get a new batch of Slumber. That last batch had obviously gone off.”

She gazed out the window thoughtfully... and then shook her head violently.

“No! I’ll go after sunrise! I am not going into the Everfree at night. I am not that mad! Not yet anyway. Besides, it’s raining…” She puffed her mane. “My mane will get wet and lose all it’s shape.”

Sunbeam let out a half-laugh.

She looked down into her mug as she listened to the rain.

“Okay, I can officially write off the dream suppression. No biggie, I just wont sleep until I get some more.” Bringing a hoof up, she rubbed her eyes. “But I do need to get some Slumber before the memory suppression fails. That… that would be bad.” She winced before giving a small, strained smile. “But at least the dream-intrusion is still working. No signs of that even starting to fail yet. No idea how though, it should have started failing just like the others...” She shook her head. “No! Don’t even begin to question it. Don’t jinx it now stupid mare.”

Lifting the mug up, she finished her coffee. “So, after sunrise. I’ll head over to Zecora’s and get a new batch of Slumber. So, all I need to do is hold on for a few more hours and then everything will be okay.” She forced a smile. “Simple. I like simple, heh, if for nothing else for its bucking rarity value.”

She played with the mug.

“Oh, must remember to speak to Zecora about how long these batches last. I don’t want any more nasty surprises like that happening again. I certainly don’t want anymore memories slipping through or...”

She turned to look at the kitchen sink where her bedsheets were currently soaking in bleach.

Closing her eyes, Sunbeam put the coffee mug down, the smile dropping. “Or that happening again…”

There was a pause before she sank her face into her hooves. “I’m gonna need to clean the mattress as well. It soaked right through.”

There was no sound apart from the tick of the clock and the patter of rain on the window.

There was a brief, sharp sound of a coffee mug shattering against the wall.

“Stupid pathetic mare!”

Chapter 42 - Acts of Necessity

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Chapter 42 - Acts of Necessity

Standing on the balcony of her personal quarters, Celestia nudged her sun up over the horizon as Luna, to her left, lowered her moon.

Watching them from inside, Short Notice made a note on his now ever-present clipboard about the upcoming day. Looking up, he saw that the Princesses had finished their respective tasks and were now quietly chatting together.

Princess Luna laughed at some quip and then spread her wings, launching herself into the air. He rapidly looked away when Princess Luna slapped her flank before pointing at Celestia’s with a mock-disgusted expression. It was Celestia’s turn to laugh.

A few more words were passed before Luna gave a nod to her sister and turned to fly off towards her tower. Celestia watched her for a few seconds, then turned to walk back in.

He bowed as she entered the room. “Your Highness.”

With a smile, she walked over to him. “Ah Short Notice. How are you getting on? All settled in I hope now that you’re my official personal assistant.”

Shaking his head, he smiled broadly. “Still a little shocked to be honest. I’d thought I’d be going back to my old position once High Detail had recovered. I didn’t expect him to announce his retirement quite like that.”

Celestia lowered her head, her own smile dropping. “Poor health I'm afraid. He’s been ill for a quite a while with a pre-existing condition and the whole gala fiasco appears to have only aggravated it. Even after being given the antidote, it was clear that something was seriously wrong." She gave him a small smile. "He personally recommended you after informing me of his intention to retire.”

Short Notice stood up a little taller. “Well, I shall try and live up to his standards your highness.”

Her smile grew. “I’m sure you will. You did a wonderful job in a highly stressful period Mr Notice. I had no reservations in promoting you.” To his surprise, she nuzzled him. “Now I have a little errand to run outside the castle this morning, so morning court will not be taken today.”

Short Notice nodded, making another note on the clipboard. “I will inform the relevant parties. Now do you wish for any additional guards to be assigned, in light of recent events?”

“I will be travelling alone today. This is a private matter I wish to attend to.”

He looked up sharply. “Your Highness, I must protest. You are still not up to full strength, and considering what’s been going on, is that wise?”

Celestia bopped him on the nose. “Shh. It’s just a quick visit. And even in my current condition…” She winked at him. “I’m hardly what you’d consider helpless. No, this is a matter I wish to deal with discreetly. Without...” Short Notice missed her glance towards Luna’s tower. “Anypony else knowing.”

“Princess…”

Celestia turned back to him and smiled serenely.

He’d been around her long enough to know that smile. Giving up, he simply pulled a piece of paper from his clipboard and levitated it over to the Princess.

“Here’s the address you asked for. May I inquire as to why you want the address of a unicorn waitress in Ponyville?”

There was another one of those smiles. “You may ask Mr Notice.”

There a flash as Celestia teleported away, with the piece of paper.

Short Notice stood alone in her chambers. “Ah…”

***

Sergeant Buttress, a bulky earth pony, smiled at her two constables as they seated themselves down in Ponyville’s only guardhouse. With Celestia's sun only just over the horizon, they both held coffee mugs in their hooves.

“Okay, listen up. I called both of you in this morning as we’re going over to see a Miss Sunbeam right after this. Last night she threatened Doctor Stable as he treated her injuries. She threatened to, and I quote...” She looked down at her notes. “Tear his spine out through his bucking eye-socket if he as much as tried to scan her back.” She looked up. “Unquote. So, we’re off to see her this morning and explain that’s not how we do things around these parts. Now, the good doctor does want to press charges, so we will be taking her into custody. As she’s a unicorn there is a chance we’ll need to restrain her magically as well as physically.”

She looked around.

“Game plan: we knock on Miss Sunbeam’s door and ask nicely for her to accompany us to the guard house. If she resists: standard unicorn pacification procedure everypony.” She pointed to Constable Walker, a dark-grey pegasus. “Walker, you’re on rapid strike duty, keep her harassed, don’t give her a chance to charge up her horn. I’m on take down duty. Be ready to place an inhibitor ring on her horn if you get the chance.”

Buttress pointed to the light green unicorn mare. “Floating Leaf, you’re on magic suppression duty.” She smiled at the mare’s nervous smile. “Ready for your first arrest lass?” Buttress smiled at the hesitant nod. “Don’t worry you’ll be fine. Right, any questions before we set off?”

***

There was a golden flash in the middle of Golden Oaks library and Princess Celestia stood there, looking around.

Satisfied it was empty, she looked down at the address again before her head fell. “I’m sorry Lulu. Please forgive me, but there are simply too many coincidences to let it go. I have to make sure. I can’t… I won't take any chances about losing you again.”

Her horn glowed with power and there was another flash.

Instead of an alicorn, a white pegasus, with a pink mane, stood in the library.

“I promise, I won’t ever fail you again little sister!”

A disguised Princess Celestia strode out of the library and towards the address on the piece of paper.

***

Sunbeam jolted awake as her head dropped onto her chest. Stretching her eyes wide and yawning, she looked up at the dirty-grey morning sky... from the edge of the Everfree Forest.

‘Okay, there’s enough light to get going now... and once I’m moving I’ll be okay.’

Hauling herself to her hooves she swayed, almost falling over, before regaining her balance.

“Damn it, wake up you stupid mare. Just a little longer now.”

Adjusting her saddlebags so they sat comfortably, she set off towards the tree line.

‘Ah good to be moving again. I was climbing the walls waiting at home, not to mention having a spirited attempt to poison myself with coffee. Annnnd the smell of bleach was…’

Stopping, Sunbeam rolled her shoulders before moving off again.

“Game plan: get some Slumber from Zecora and sleeeeeep. For a week. Humm I wonder if I can convince Zecora to let me borrow her bed for a week.”

She was several minutes into the Everfree when she felt the first spots of rain on her back.

Looking up, her ears fell at the sight of the dark clouds rolling in. The topmost branches of the trees were already swaying with the wind.

“Oh… That’s just wonderful.”

***

The rain was falling in earnest by the time Sergeant Buttress and her team approached Sunbeam’s house.

Knocking on the door, she tried to ignore the rain running down the inside of her armour as the door opened.

“Hello. We’re here on official guard business and… Who are you?”

Instead of the green unicorn she’d been expecting, a white pegasus with a pink mane held the door open. "Good morning to you Sergeant, and to both your constables."

Sergeant Buttress started again, toning down the authority in her voice. “Good Morning. We’re looking for a Miss Sunbeam, on official guard business. I was led to believe that this was her house.”

The mare looked at her and smiled. “That is correct Sergeant.” She stepped aside to let them in. “Please come in, I’m sure Miss Sunbeam wouldn’t want to leave Equestria’s finest out in the rain.”

All three of them filed into the hallway, their nose's wrinkling almost instantly at the smell of bleach. Trying to ignore it, Sergeant Buttress studied the mare as a deep instinct tried to get her attention. “May I ask who you are and just what you are doing in Miss Sunbeam’s house?”

“Please Sergeant, can we go into the living room. I’m sure it will be more comfortable, plus it will have the room for me to explain properly.” The pegasus sighed as they walked in there. “I was hoping to do this quietly, without anypony else knowing. But as you're here...” She looked around. “Ah yes, I think I have enough room now.”

Sergeant Buttress frowned. “So miss… I’m sorry I didn’t get your name. Miss…?”

There was a golden flash.

Her mouth dropped open as both Walker and Floating Leaf made startled sounds.

A hoof reached out and gently closed Sergeant Buttress’s mouth.

“Shhh Sergeant… I was never here. Now, I shall need you three to swear confidence in a matter of utmost delicacy.”

***

In one fluid motion, Sunbeam pirouetted around on her right forehoof.

The mud splashed up her legs as she landed in a low stance, her horn pointing into the trees.

A thin white beam of magic shot off into the forest.

Panting, Sunbeam scanned the tree line, looking for suspicious movement as in the distance, muffled by the wind and rain, the sound of shattering wood could be heard... closely followed by the sound of a tree collapsing.

She stood there until the echoes had died and all she could hear was the wind and rain in the forest.

Sitting down she rubbed her face with a hoof, spreading mud over it.

“Buck! I’m getting jumpy in my old age.”

Looking up into the rain she suddenly giggled. “Careful Miss Sunbeam, shooting off blindly like that. You might have hit somepony you didn’t mean to…” There was another giggle. “Me, do something I didn’t mean to… never!” She giggled again. “Kill somepony I didn’t mean to! I’d never...”

The giggles died and her head dropped.

She sat there in the rain, head low and fur getting steadily soaked as the wind blew her mane around.

Abruptly Sunbeam slammed a hoof down, splashing more mud on her. “Get a grip! Get a bucking grip you stupid mare. This is just a little walk in the forest. I’m off to see a friend and pick up some.... medication. Then I’m going to go to sleep. For a week. On her floor if I can't have the bed. There is nothing to worry about. I’m...”

A branch creaked loudly in the breeze, causing her head to snap round, her horn glowing.

Grinding her teeth, Sunbeam let the magic stored in her horn dissipate. “Great! I am jumping at bucking shadows now! I’m bucking losing it here.”

She glared at the shadows. "You're..."

She frowned as she looked into the shadows.

Her head tilted to one side.

There was a shape in the shadows.

“Greywin…?”

Sunbeam recoiled back, bringing a hoof up protectively in front of her.

“No! You’re not here! You can’t be…”

Closing her eyes, she shook her head. “He’s not there. He’s not there! Get a grip. This is all just in my head.”

Opening her eyes, she jabbed at the tree line. “Go away! You are not here! You’re a just a figment of my...”

Her eyes widening, she suddenly scrambled madly backwards.

“No don’t come any closer!”

She took another stumbling step back, her tail dragging between her rear legs.

“Stay away from me! S-s-stay away from...”

Taking another step back, she powered up her horn and pointed it into the shadows.

“I’m warning you!”

***

Her eyes wide and her ears pinned back, Sunbeam galloped down the track. Her legs didn't seem to be working properly though, causing her to careen drunkenly from side to side as she ran.

Behind her; the sounds of numerous trees crashing down could be heard.

***

Zecora looked up from the caldron and gave the door to her cabin a puzzled look.

“Who is that knocking at my door, with morning just broken?”

Opening the door, she found Sunbeam smiling at her, trying to look nonchalant despite being soaking wet and coated in mud.

‘Good morning Zecora, how are you? You’re looking good today. Done something new with your mane? It looks good on you.”

Zecora raised an eyebrow.

Sunbeam bit her lip and turned her head to scan the tree line again. “Ummm… Can I come in? I’m...”

She looked back at her.

“I’m…”

A forced smile appeared on her face.

“Cold. Yes, that’s it, I’m cold.” Sunbeam lifted a hoof up. “Look, see. So cold I’m shaking.”

***

Sitting in the cabin, Sunbeam held a mug of hot… something… in her hooves.

‘Don’t ask, just focus on that it tastes good, it’s warming... And you’re inside. She glanced at the door and sniggered. ‘Hah! I’m more scared of shadows than of Zebrican tribal masks… and that’s so bucked up.’ She slumped. ‘I’m so bucked up.’ Lifting a hoof, she rubbed her eyes. ‘Tired… I just want to sleep… Keep your bucking eyes open!’

Zecora put the mix that Sunbeam had brought with her to one side as she prepared her cauldron. She studied Sunbeam as she waited for it to boil.

Zecora took note of her half ear; the notch in her horn; the burn marks where her cutie marks should have been.

“Many battles you have seen since I saw you last.”

Sunbeam nodded as she kept glaring into her mug. Lifting a hoof, she ran it down the length of her horn, its tip catching on the notch in her horn. “Yeah. Hanging around with the bearers is hazardous to your health let me tell you.” She looked away. “But at least the scars on the outside don’t bother me anymore.”

***

Zecora sprinkled the mix into the cauldron as it boiled and the liquid inside quickly turned black.

Smiling, Sunbeam pointed at it. “See, like I said, gone off. Now with that out of the way, can I have a new batch now? Pretty please.”

Her smile faltered as Zecora shook her head.

"The mix is sound, the color's fine, it should have worked just by design. Have you taken a strong potion or neared great magic in motion?

Sunbeam blinked twice, before slowly lifting a hoof to rub the back of her neck. “Yeahhhh. I sorta had a potion forced down my throat which…" She grimaced. "Which kinda disagreed with my free will." Sunbeam paused as she rolled her shoulders. "I did... express my displeasure about that afterwards let me tell you. Anyway, after that, there was a large magical burst from me in the...” Sunbeam rapidly looked away as her hoof started drawing patterns on the floor. “When you say ‘great magic’ how great are we talking about here? Are we talking 'city-sized? Because if so, it was nowhere near that size. Moving on, there was...”

Zecora held up a hoof. “Let me narrow this search by themes: This mix sways memory and dreams. Has anything happened which you can see affected those?”

Sunbeam’s ears fell. There was a lengthy pause before she spoke. “There was a magic burst from Pinkie when she had to defend herself from...” She looked down at the floor. “... From a crazy mare. But she managed to zap her with magic before I... before she could do any damage.”

There was silence in the hut as Zecora watched her.

Sunbeam lifted her head, plastering on a smile. “Can you believe that? Pinkie doing magic!” She rubbed her forelegs together and looked down again. “Anyway, I happened to be too close and happened to get caught in the blast zone. Memories were involved.” Sunbeam kept her head down, not looking at Zecora. “So… how about that then. Pinkie using magic. Weird eh?”

Zecora shook her head while keeping her eyes on Sunbeam “No Miss Sunbeam, it is not.” She turned back to the caldron. “I will speak plainly, without rhyming, to you so you may understand the situation clearly.”

Still not looking up, Sunbeam winced. “Oh horseapples. It's that bad?”

“Miss Sunbeam, please pay attention. Leaving aside the whole ‘Pinkie being Pinkie’ issue, all the bearers carry a magical charge within them. A remnant left over from their original use of the elements I am lead to believe. Considering, as you so eloquently put it, ‘got zapped with magic', from an earth pony, I feel it is safe to assume that Pinkie’s more traditional use of magic came from that source.”

Sunbeam lifted her head. “Yeah, okay. That makes sense.”

Tapping the rim of the cauldron, Zecora stared off into the distance. “If that is the case, this could be a serious matter. Elemental magic is most potent.” She turned back to face her with a serious expression. ”It could even be argued that you have in fact been... ‘zapped’ by the Elements of Harmony.”

A second passed, then Sunbeam’s pupils shrank to pinpricks as ears fell limply out to the sides.

Zecora smiled. “Breathe Miss Sunbeam, breathe. While it is potent magic, it lacked any focal point, like a horn, to put any driving purpose behind it. What you got 'zapped' by was a burst of random, directionless magic from a leftover, residual charge. In truth, a pale shadow of the Elements real power. So while we should be on the lookout for possible side effects...” Her smile grew. “You won’t be turning into a, I believe the term is: ‘a garden ornament’ anytime soon.”

Sunbeam blinked at Zecora... then slammed a hoof onto her chest and let out a long exhale. Panting, she jabbed her other hoof at her. “Damn it Zecora, you trying to give me a bucking heart attack?!” Getting her breathing back under control, Sunbeam glared at her. “Well, who would have guessed it? Zebra shamans do have a sense of bucking humor.”

Zecora just kept her small smile. "Calm yourself, you are in no immediate danger Miss Sunbeam." She turned back to the cauldron and tapped the rim. "Hummm. Elemental magic, that could explain a lot. It is possible that the magical burst has left a tiny charge from itself within you, which is randomly disrupting any other magical effects.” She nodded to herself. “Yes, I believe that is the case. An Elemental charge has been left within you and is interfering with any other, lesser, magic it comes into contact with. However, you need not worry for the cure is simple. Time. You just need to give the charge time to drain, and then you’ll be fine.”

Putting on a hopeful smile, Sunbeam tried her best to keep her voice calm. “I was kinda hoping you could fix it. Like today.”

Her shoulders slumped when Zecora shook her head.

“Even in the smallest doses, Elemental magic poses a problem that's quite persistent, and to change it's quite resistant. The power of an Alicorn is needed to remove this thorn by force. Best let it run its course.”

Sunbeam’s face twitched. “And back to the rhyming. So how long before the charge runs out then?”

Zecora shrugged. “I do not know. Hours or days, weeks even could the magic blaze. But if, as I suspect, you ask in reference to Night Owls' Slumber, you should take note the doses you have taken are now one in number.” She turned to look at her. “I cannot take the risk of you taking any more of this brew. While it may not now be working, in your system it's still lurking. Taking another dose so soon risks poising you; not a boon. At earliest, a month before you take any, no less, no more.”

Sunbeam nodded. She then stood up and walked over to the wall before calmly sitting down facing it.

“Miss Sunbeam…”

The bottles on several shelves rattled with the punch to the wall.

Zecora lifted an eyebrow. “Tut, tut. Feel better now you've punched my hut?”

Sunbeam buried her face into her hooves. “It was all so simple: get home and it’ll all be okay. That was it. Once I get home, I can take some more Slumber and I'd be able to sleep properly. I could sleep, sleep without needing to change the bucking bedsheets...”

The bottles rattled again.

Sunbeam sank her face back into her hooves. “I’m a grown mare! It shouldn’t happen. It shouldn't…” She dragged her hoof down her face with a deep growl. “I’m Icefang, the evilest, most cold-hearted bitch on the battlefield." Lifting her head, she looked at Zecora. "Do you know the enemy has changed tactics upon my arrival? More than once! I inspire fear Zecora. Ponies are terrified of me! I'm...” Sunbeam quickly looked away. Zecora tilted her head at the stuttering intake of breath. "It’s... It's so humiliating Zecora. I-I'm n-not a little filly anymore. T-this shouldn't be happening again. Not again! I'm a grown mare now! I shouldn’t be wetting…”

This punch managed to bounce several bottles off the shelves, causing them to shatter on the floor.

There was silence.

Zecora stood up and walked over to her, putting a hoof on her shoulder.

Sunbeam just kept staring at the wall, her voice now carefully calm. "Do you know what I hate most about this Zecora? It's the fact that it's messing with my head. On the way here, I saw... somepony that couldn't possibly have been there. But I could see him plain as day." Lifting a hoof, she dragged a hoof down over her face. "But this was different from Mr Sit-with-My-Back-To-You. Oh no, he was looking right at me. He was coming right at me, reaching out for me. I could see his expression!” Sunbeam's head dropped. "I couldn't help myself. I panicked Zecroa. I panicked and tried to blast him. I blasted him with everything I had. Over and over again... b-but he just kept coming. He just kept coming with that bucking hoof reaching out for me. He just kept coming...”

Sunbeam wrapped her forehooves over the back of her head and let out a sob. "I’m starting to lose my bucking mind!”

Zecora gripped her shoulder and spoke soothingly. “Miss Sunbeam, you are sleep deprived, these are tricks that your mind's contrived. You need to rest, and maybe friends to spend time with until this ends. Their presence alone will help soothe the troubles that your mind...”

Sunbeam’s head shot up, her eyes wide. “Horseapples! What if they’d been there! What if Pinkie, or Fluttershy, had been there when I started blasting? I never thought about that. If any of them had gotten in the way I could have… I might have…” Her lips pulled back. “I would have… I bucking well would have! I was panicking, I… I wouldn't have cared...”

Sunbeam closed her eyes and gritted teeth. “Those bucking pieces of overpowered costume jewellery!” She stamped a hoof. “It’s all their bucking fault I’m going nuts!” Spinning round, she jabbed Zecora’s chest with a hoof. “I swear if I hurt my friends because of them I’ll… I’ll...” The rest of the sentence descended into a guttural growl.

Zecora took an alarmed step back. “Miss Sunbeam, what are you doing? Please power down your horn. You're going to- You are inside my hut! Miss Sun...”

She stepped sharply to one side to avoid the beam of magic.

***

Sunbeam paced back and forth in the hut, issuing specific, and highly detailed, threats to the Elements.

Zecora watched and shook her head at the threats to inanimate objects. “Best let this storm blow out its form. There is no point in even trying talk sense to a stormy sky. I hope that she will tire and snore, and get the sleep she needs before....”

She glanced at the gaping hole in the wall of her hut. “Before she causes any more damage. At least I'm thankful for her aim not being towards me.”

She glanced up at her masks. “For her sake, too, to a degree.”

Zecora turned back to look at her as Sunbeam’s pacing slowed and the string of threats tailed off. She sighed with relief as Sunbeam finally stopped and took some deep breaths.

“Miss Sunbeam…”

Her smile fell as Sunbeam started hitting the side of her head with a hoof.

“There has to be a way around this. Think, focus you stupid mare. A way around this… I need a cure so I won’t hurt my friends. Think!” Sunbeam put her hooves on her temples and started rubbing them. “Why's it so hard to think? Think! If... if the Elements can overpower Night Owl’s Slumber…” Her head lifted up. “I just need something more powerful than the Elements.” She spun round. “Zecora! Do you have anything more powerful than the Elements lying around here?”

Zecora blinked slowly and then shook her head. “No. No, I do not. And though there are mixes that might contain more power than Slumber, I know what you would need so to obtain them would be... difficult. And I have doubts they'd even dent the magic of an Element.” She reached a hoof out. “Please Miss Sunbeam, you need rest. You need your sleep. You're not your best.” She glanced at the hole in the wall. “And I do not need to ventilate my hut anymore on this date.”

Sunbeam snorted before spinning away and starting to pace again. “Okay. Right. If I can’t overpower it with quality…” She stopped. “How about quantity?” She looked over her shoulder at her. “I could take several doses of Night Owl’s Slumber at once?”

Zecora shook her head emphatically. “No! All you will do that way is to poison yourself, and quickly, too. Which I already said to you. A single monthly dose of brew is plenty, even near undue.”

Sunbeam shook her head. “Horseapples. I need to find something. Ugh, so hard to think. I can’t think. I... Wait!” Stopping, she spun around to face Zecora. “You didn’t say that it wouldn’t work!”

“Miss Sunbeam? What are you....”

Sunbeam gave her a big, hopeful, grin. “Multiple doses. You didn’t say that it wouldn’t work. If I take multiple doses of Night Owl’s Slumber I’ll be able to sleep and then I won’t hurt my friends! No more ghosts. And you can cure me of any side-effects.”

Zecora pulled her head back in alarm. “Miss Sunbeam, that's not how it works! You're not thinking, you know the quirks... Where are you going? Wait! Stop!” Zecora stood up. “You mustn't take anymore Slumber!”

Sunbeam’s horn lit up, the grin on her face growing. “If I make my own Slumber, I can sleep. And then I won’t hurt anypony else! I can sleep!”

“Stop, Miss Sunbeam! Wrong thoughts encumber your mind, if you do this you'll...Uh!” Zecora toppled forward, only just regaining her balance in time. Looking down, she found a white glow around all her hooves, pinning them to the floor.

Zecora looked up with a sigh. “You're acting foalish, Miss Sunbeam. If you continue in this scheme there's nothing that you can achieve but causing all your friends to grieve. So please release me from this state so I can help find an alternate.”

Sunbeam shook her head, still with the grin. “I’m going to make everything better. I can sleep and then everything will be better.”

Zecora's ears fell. “It's quite clear you've delirium coming from sleep deprivation. Attempting to reason with you is now a waste of time I can see.” She glanced up at her masks as Sunbeam walked towards the door. “I can't let you do this, and ought to change the spells, but I do not have time to find something more befitting.” Her head fell. “So be it.”

Sunbeam stepped up to the door and reached out. “I just need to find some…”

Zecora took a breath in. “You’re a good little filly!”

Sunbeam stopped dead, her hoof still outstretched.

“You’re a good little filly, aren’t you... Singing Flower. You’re his good little filly. No matter how far or fast you run... you'll always be his good little filly." Zecora closed her eyes. "Why don't you say it out loud Singing Flower. Say it so you can hear yourself say it. Say: you'll always be his good little..."

The beam of magic hit Zecora square in the chest.

***

Sergeant Buttress walked out of the house and pointed to constable Walker.

“Walker, you’re on first watch. If you seen anypony enter or leave, come find me and I will send a note to… ‘to the higher ups’. As you all heard, we’re strictly hooves-off now. So no interference and we don’t tell anypony what’s going on." She looked up at a cloud. "Right. Off you go son.”

Constable Walker nodded and flew up to the cloud which was conveniently close to Sunbeam’s house.

Laying down on it, he got comfortable.

***

Zecora opened her eyes to a green light filling her hut.

Lifting a hoof, Sunbeam’s magic now gone from around it, Zecora checked where the beam had hit. Apart from her fur being ruffled, and some green dust, there was no damage.

With a sigh of relief, she nodded to her green-glowing masks.

“Thank you my friends.”

She calmly looked over towards Sunbeam.

Sunbeam stood by the door with her teeth bared. Her breathing might have been shallow and erratic, but her glowing horn was pointing unwaveringly at Zecora.

Sunbeam's head slowly tilted to one side, a puzzled look creeping onto her face.

Zecora turned her head away. “And as for you, I'm sorry for what they will do. I didn’t have time to change the incantations to rearrange…”

The glow around the masks flared green.

Sunbeam’s horn flared green.

Zecora winced at the scream. She felt the impact of a pony hitting the floor through her hooves.

With a deep breath, she looked back.

Sunbeam was curled up on the floor, clutching her horn with both her forehooves, as she let out pitiful whimpers.

Walking over, Zecora seated herself down next to her. “I am so sorry, Miss Sunbeam, but I needed to stop your scheme. The incantations won't react lest I’m personally attacked. I had to provoke you enough. I had to...”

Sunbeam’s hoof lashed out, swiping Zecora’s forelegs away from under her.

As Zecora went down, she automatically turned the fall into a sideways roll, taking most of the impact out of it when she hit the floor. Continuing the roll, she went onto her back, her other side and then onto her belly in one smooth motion.

Now with some distance from Sunbeam, she jumped up into a low combat stance.

She quickly looked up at her masks. “Be at peace my friends. I shall bring this to an end.”

As Sunbeam, unsteadily, pulled herself to her hooves Zecora reached out for her staff.

"You are quite fortunate that I took care to closely specify 'attack' on the incantations on my mask rack."

Swaying, Sunbeam just pointed her dagger at Zecora and snarled.

***

Laying on the cloud. Constable Walker watched Sunbeam’s house intently.

Under him, a face appeared in the cloud for a moment, grinned, then faded back into the cloud.

A few spots of chocolate rain fell.

***

Slamming the wall, Sunbeam bounced off it before landing heavily on the floor with a grunt.

Her dagger lay out of reach on the other side of the cabin and her sides ached badly from some of Zecora's harder strikes.

Zecora leant casually on her staff as she watched her. “Please stay down, Miss Sunbeam. You’re only hurting yourself now, I deem.”

Sunbeam glared at her. Struggling, she got to her hooves again.

Zecora stepped up to her. “Your fortitude is fueled only by anger, justified maybe, but it clouds your judgement at this juncture. Please, I beg of you, lie down and let me tend to you. My strikes have been precise and true. No major damage has been done to you.”

Pulling her right hoof back, Sunbeam took a wild swing at her...

Which Zecora blocked easily with her staff.

Stepping forward, she used her staff to pin Sunbeam, and her right hoof, to the wall. “From what you said with truth serum, and from when you killed those timberwolves, I came to have a small theorem. A simple phrase that might provoke you... but then I didn't expect that when I had cause to it speak it, it would have such a long lasting effect. In fact, from what you said, it quite honestly shouldn't be…”

She looked her in the eye. “...It shouldn't be this effective. What other meaning does the phrase hold for you Miss Sunbeam? Why does it enrage you so?”

Sunbeam pulled her left hoof back with a snarl.

Taking one hoof off the staff, Zecora used it to quickly pin Sunbeam’s hoof to the wall.

“Please Miss Sunbeam… I apologize for saying it. I...” She looked Sunbeam in the eye and shook her head. “There is nothing I can say is there? And I sure cannot stay here and keep you pinned like this all day.” She sighed. “So for this, I apologize in advance.”

Sunbeam bared her teeth and struggled against the staff.

Zecora headbutted her.

Chapter 43 - Background Cogs

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Chapter 43 - Background Cogs

Walking out of the complex, Lieutenant Serene Mist took a welcome breath of the fresh mountain air as the sun glinted on her golden armour.

Along with her team of magic specialists, she’d been working all through the night trying to free the crystal from its housing. It had been a slow and delicate operation, any mistake in cutting the magical tethers that bound the crystal to it’s housing could've resulted in a catastrophic magical release.

As her second in command, Nickel Plate, had put it: if they messed up... they wouldn’t have time to realize it.

After a tense moment as they severed the last tether, they let out a collective sigh of relief as the crystal came free of its housing without incident.

As the rest of her team set about crating the crystal up for transport, she’d left the chamber to inform the captain of their success.

Now standing outside in the mid-morning sun, Serene Mist took another deep breath before daring to look down at herself. After working all night in, and under, the crystal chamber she knew she was going to be filthy, but she still winced at the sight.

‘Horseapples, the stains must be really bad underneath. Not even the enchantments on my armour can make my fur look white. I just hope I don’t...’ Lifting a hoof up, she sniffed it.

Turning her head away quickly, she stuck her tongue out. Even after the body had been removed from the crystal chamber; even after spells to clear the air had been used; the smell had lingered.

‘Eww! Great, the damn stench has worked it’s way into my fur! Wonderful, I’ll probably have to shave it all off to get -that- stink out.’ Serene Mist flicked her tail in annoyance. ‘Okay, maybe nothing that extreme. But I -am- gonna have a long shower when I get back. Several long showers. All with scented shampoos. Lots and lots of scented shampoos.’

With one last deep breath she turned to one of the two Lunar guards standing outside the entrance, ignoring the fact that they were both watching her with some amusement.

“Where’s your captain?”

One wordlessly pointed out over the meadow, past where the troop-transport sky-chariots were parked up.

Glad to feel the grass under her hooves, and the sun on her back, she set off towards them. ‘Huh, they must have put the camouflage-netting over them after we’d gone in.’

She found the Captain sitting on the sloping meadow with his back to her and silently looking out at the distant mountains. As she approached she saw one of his tufted ears rotate to face her but he didn’t look round.

Serene Mist saluted his back. “Sir, my team has managed to free the crystal from its housing and are preparing it for transport as we speak.”

He lifted his head but kept looking at the mountains. “How long before it’s ready to be loaded?”

“Thirty to forty minutes sir.”

He nodded. “Excellent work Lieutenant.”

Serene Mist watched as he stood up and stretched his left leathery wing out until it trembled before bringing it back in with a snap. He repeated the process with his right wing. Turning round, he gave her a tight lipped smile. “My report will have nothing but praise for you and your team Lieutenant. Let us hope that this mission demonstrates that the Solar Guard and the Lunar Guard can work together.” He tapped her golden armour as he frowned at her ‘almost’ white fur. “Although I do wish we had been able to get you into a more stealthy set of armour, or at least one with a more appropriate fur enchantment for the terrain.”

Serene Mist just kept looking forward. “Sir.”

Her team had found themselves being pulled from the classroom lecture they were attending and being escorted to waiting sky-chariots. Disconcertingly, they'd found all their equipment already loaded on the transports; everything they might need to remove and secure a high-energy, potentially volatile, magical container.

Everything apart from their camouflage armour that is.

They had all turned down Lunar guard armour when it had been offered to them at the last minute.

The captain shook his head before walking past her and towards the entrance to the complex. Stopping by the chariots, he looked around. “Sergeant! I want those transports ready for dust off in the next thirty minutes. You can call in the forward observation posts as well. Also, please inform Lieutenant Violet to prepare Sergeant Greywing’s body for transport.”

Serene Mist jumped as a mound of grass stood up and saluted. “Sir.”

‘How the buck did I miss him? I must have almost trod on him.’

The sergeant turned around and addressed the empty meadow. “Well then, what are you lovely colts and fillies waiting for? Princess Luna to come and kiss you before asking nicely? You heard the officer, get that camo netting stowed and pre-flight done on the chariots in the next thirty.”

Three more mounds of grass stood up and got to work.

Serene Mist looked around the meadow and shuddered. ‘How many more Lunar Guards are out there? Oh I’m so glad I didn’t need to ‘go’ out here. They would have all been able to see me...’ Turning back round, she jolted when she realized the captain had already set off without her. Walking briskly to catch back up she heard the sergeant start to issue, what Nickle Plate would have called, ‘motivational’ statements’ behind her.

She caught up with the captain as he approached the doors to the complex. “Sir, I mean no disrespect but I got the impression that the major was going to be in command of this mission from the in-flight briefing.”

The captain shook his head as he opened the doors. “That was the plan Lieutenant. She does like to get out-and-about these days. But unfortunately for her, she had a prior engagement.” He stopped to grin at her. “Officially, she’s testing a new exercise regime for Princess Luna.” His grin grew. “And that’s what you get for breaking rule one Lieutenant: don’t get caught.” With a big grin, he turned away and walked in.

Following him back into the complex, Serene Mist’s next question died before she could ask it as her nose wrinkled instantly at the smell. ‘Oh great, I didn’t notice it before but the smell is throughout the complex. At least it’s not as overpowering as when we first opened the door to the crystal chamber. All of us threw up.’

Seeming oblivious to any smell, the captain walked through the large sandy loading bay. The loading bay itself was illuminated by several magical floodlights placed in the middle of the floor. Next to the floodlights was a small pile of her team’s unneeded equipment, all of which had to be brought in by hoof. The troops-transport sky-chariots wouldn’t fit through the doors and the wagons in the bay had all been declared ‘unfit for purpose’ after cursory examination.

They walked up to a door marked with a sprayed on green ‘X’ and into the corridor beyond.

In the yellowish light cast by the emergency lighting globes on the floor, Serene Mist shivered as the approached the first junction. The right turn was marked with an ‘X’, which lead to the crystal chamber. The left turn was marked with an ‘O’, which lead off to the dormitory.

As they turned towards the crystal chamber, she looked over her shoulder and towards the dormitory. “Sir, may I ask what’s going to happen to all the bodies?”

He didn’t look round. “A fire spell. We’ve collected up all those we could find and dumped… Ahem… put them in the dormitory with the due care and respect they deserve.” He stopped and turned to look at her. “And let me tell you, someponies got a sick sense of humour. Do you know we found a body that had a rock, with a painted on face, where his head should have...” He tailed off and shook his head. “We ended up just picking up the mattress, with the body still on it, and throwing the lot into the dormitory. Messy. Very messy.”

Serene Mist swallowed, suddenly eager to change the subject. “And the crystal? Any idea what’s going to happen to it after we get it back? That’s a lot of stored magic.”

He set back off again. “It’s going to a magical disposal facility. Such a thing is far too dangerous to keep around.” He gave her another tight lipped smile. “No sane pony would want to be around that amount of stored magic.”

He grinned, showing his fangs. “So, that’s why we’re here Lieutenant.”

***

In the windowless conference room, Celestia was seated at a low table beside Luna. The only other ponies in the room were both seated on the other side of the table, looking at them.

Princess Celestia tapped the thick report on the table and leaned forward. “Can you summarise this report for us please Doctor Clear Mind? How are the bearers, mentally?”

The tan earth pony shrugged. “They’re just how you’d expect any pony to be after a traumatizing event. They are all experiencing, to varying levels: rage, guilt, paranoia... and all the other wonderful emotions that come with such an experience. However, they are all doing way better than anypony could have hoped for under the circumstances. As they are all leaning on one-another for support, they are helping themselves to, ahem, 'deal with it' better." Looking down he tapped the report himself. "But to be frank, it’s Miss Fluttershy that seems to be doing most of the work in that department. In fact, she seems to be handling it the best out of all them.”

Flipping through the report, he stopped near the end before looking back up. “As for the two I haven’t seen yet, I can’t really say anything until after I have spoken to them. But considering Miss Dash is responsible for a pony’s… demise, I would like to see her as soon as possible. And as for Miss Sunbeam.” He tilted his head as he looked down. “Miss Icefang? I suspect some form of pre-existing trauma from what I have been told.” He shrugged again. “But as I said, without speaking to them I can’t make any sort of valid assessment.”

Luna leaned in. “Suggested treatments?”

“Again, just what you’d expect your highness. Some might need it more than others, but a mix of one-on-one and group therapy will help them all come to terms with what they’ve been through. Certainly much more quickly than trying to tough it out by themselves.”

Princess Celestia nodded politely. “Thank you, Doctor Clear Mind. Please do whatever is necessary to help them. Funding will not be an issue here. My personal expense account can cover any cost if needs be.”

She turned to look at the familiar pony seated next Doctor Clear Mind. “Doctor Everhealth, how are they physically?”

Doctor Everhealth smiled back at Celestia. “Nothing time, rest and a balanced diet won’t fix your highness. I have Miss Dash’s medical records from Ponyville General and her wing is going to be fine... If she can rest it for long enough.” He tapped his notes. “Which I believe she will, given the amount of binding they put on it. And as for the other big, physical, issue,” he nodded towards Princess Luna, “that has been resolved with a little help. You’ll be glad to hear that Princess Sparkle has been successfully transformed back into an alicorn.”

Celestia smiled. “Thank you Doctor, that is indeed a relief.”

Doctor Everhealth rubbed his chin. “The last of the physical injury notes relate to the bearer’s guide, Miss Sunbeam. She apparently sustained several over the course of this little adventure. Curiously though, Ponyville General seems to have misplaced all the medical notes made by the examining doctor. So unfortunately, I can’t give you any more details right now, apart from the fact that none of them appear to be life-threatening.”

Luna smiled. “That’s good to hear. Anything else?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes. Moving on from physical to magical issues, I feel the need to bring your highnesses attention to something I discovered when examining Princess Sparkle. A few details that I feel that your highness's are best suited to tell her of.”

Doctor Everhealth took out another folder and offered it to the princesses. A golden glow lifted it from his hooves and floated it over to them.

With Luna leaning over her sister’s shoulder, both the Princess's eyes grew wide as they read the contents.

Princess Celestia lowered the report and looked directly at Doctor Everhealth. “Are you sure about this?”

“I am.”

Luna looked up at the ceiling. “We are going to have to be very careful how we tell Twilight this.”

***

Sunbeam whimpered on Zecora’s bed and started to thrash around in her sleep.

Standing up, Zecora walked over to the bed and picked up a bottle from the bedside table. Pouring some powder from it onto her hoof, she lent down and blew the powder into Sunbeam’s face.

The whimpers died and Sunbeam quietened down.

Zecora shook her head as she watched her. “There is no more within my power that I can do for you Miss Flower. That is the most powerful mix I dare to give, and you become more acclimatized to it with each application. I can do no more now but let you sleep through your fits and recover your wits.”

Zecora put a hoof on Sunbeam’s forehead and lowered her head. “I'm sorry, but you must now endure whatever demons your mind may conjure.”

“And as for when you wake…” She sighed. “I feel that sharing my hut with an enraged manticore would be for the better. At least they would not wait for me to turn my back before...”

Zecora frowned as she looked down. “Your breathing grows shallow Miss Flower.”

***

Twilight knocked on the door to Princess Celestia's personal quarters. Four guards stood on duty outside, all fully armed.

The door opened and the Princess called out. “Twilight, please come in. Guards, please take up stations further down the hall.”

Twilight stepped in as the guards moved away from the door.

Princess Celestia was sitting at a table with a pot of tea and two cups laid out on it. She gestured to the cup and saucer opposite her. “Please, sit down and make yourself comfortable.” She smiled at her. “How are the wings?”

Twilight gave her a small smile and ruffled her feathers as she walked over to the table. “Never realized how much I’d grown used to having them. Not until after they were gone anyway.”

Celestia nodded as Twilight seated herself down. “And how are you in yourself?”

Twilight looked away at the question and said nothing.

Celestia poured the tea, focusing on the pot. “I’ve been told that you have not been yourself lately, that you’ve been very quiet and withdrawn. And from our limited interactions since you got back, I’m inclined to agree.”

Twilight’s shoulders sagged. “I’ve… I’ve had a lot on my mind recently. But Doctor Clear Mind says I’ll be better... eventually. That I just need some time to come to terms with it all. And that my magic...” Twilight swallowed. “Well, it just needs some more time to recover, right?”

Putting the pot down, Celestia turned her attention back to her. “I have something very important to tell you, so I want you to listen carefully to what I am about to say Twilight.” She smiled gently at her. “And I thought doing it in the form of a lesson would be the best way to do that. Familiarity is so comforting after all. So, let us start with the basics, can you describe the process of casting a spell. Just the kindergarten details will do, no need to go into advanced theorems and the like.”

She smiled at Twilight’s sour expression. “Humor me.”

Twilight slumped. “A unicorn pulls magic into her reserve from the ambient magic field that surrounds Equestria. She then uses her horn to focus that magic into a spell or some other beneficial effect.”

“Very good. And how would you increase the amount of power a spell has?”

“By putting more magic from your reserve into it.”

Celestia clapped her hooves together. “Excellent. So therefore, would you say that the maximum amount of power a unicorn can wield is limited by the size of their reserve?”

“Yes. Well in most cases anyway; one exception does spring to mind.” Twilight tilted her head. “Princess, why are we…?”

A hoof was held up. “Shh, all will become clear my dear Twilight.” Celestia levitated her cup up to take a sip. “Now tell me, how big a reserve would a pony need to move the sun across the sky? Take your time, this isn’t a test.”

Twilight snorted. “A bucking huge...” Her eyes widened in shock before she threw her hooves up to her mouth. “I’m so sorry Princess! I didn’t mean to say that! Being around Sunbeam for so long... some of her bad habits... I’m so sorry...”

Twilight tailed off and cocked her head to one side quizzically.

Celestia had put her cup down rapidly and was currently snorting behind a raised hoof, in a very unprincess-like manner. Finally composing herself, she looked back at a sheepish looking Twilight, her eyes sparkling. “Ahem, while it is nice to know you feel that relaxed around me, could you try to be a little more specific in your answer please.”

Looking down, Twilight fidgeted with her forehooves. “Of course princess. I.. Umm… T-The calculations have been done many times. To be able to push an object with the mass of the sun, over the distances involved, a pony would basically need a reserve the size of house. And that’s just to have any affect on it at all. Scale the pony up accordingly, and they would end up bigger than even the largest of dragons.”

Celestia levitated up a cup of tea and calmly sipped it again. “Yet I am clearly not that size... despite my sister's opinion on my flank.”

Twilight blushed as she kept looking down at the floor. “No, but your special talent means you can utilize your reserve more efficiently.”

In the silence that followed Celestia took another sip and put the cup delicately down before looking at Twilight. “And what if I were to tell you that even with my talent, I still shouldn’t be able to move the sun.”

She smiled as Twilight’s head shot up, her eyes wide. “Twilight, do you really think that my talent would be that large of a force multiplier?”

“I…” Twilight looked away, sounding defensive. “Your talent has always been the accepted reason why you can move the sun. In every book I’ve ever read on the subject, that’s always been the stated reason. I’ll admit something always seemed to be a little ‘off’ about the formulas but feeling the need to prove them... well that just feels like questioning your personal abilities as a princess, and would be disrespectful.”

Celestia sighed and rubbed her eyes. "It has been the accepted reason for a long time, I grant you. But let me tell you something: it is a fabrication. A misdirection put into the books nearly a thousand years ago, all to hide the real reason why I can move the sun.”

Twilight turned back to look at her.

“Let us begin with the statement: A fully developed alicorn does not have a magic reserve.”

Celestia tried not to giggle at the expression on Twilight's face.

“Alicorns pull the magic they need directly from the magic field of Equestria itself Twilight. There is no intermediate stage of ‘pulling magic into our reserve first’ to enable us to cast any spells.” She picked her cup up with a hoof. “And by being able to tap into the field itself to power our magic, we completely bypass the need to have a reserve. Therefore, the amount of magic we can use is not limited to the size of a reserve, but rather to how much magic we can control.”

She sipped her tea again as Twilight’s jaw hung open.

“It’s called channelling magic Twilight. And to be honest, how much power you can wield becomes irrelevant at those magnitudes. It becomes how much you can control that determines just what you can do with it. Control is everything at those levels.”

Celestia’s horn lit up and a golden glow and gently closed Twilight's mouth as she put her cup down. “Let’s see, how did Starswirl put it? Ah yes, like watering a flower garden. For most unicorns, their magic is like watering a flower garden with a watering can. For some powerful unicorns, like Starswirl, it is like watering a garden with a hose. For an alicorn though, it is like trying to water that delicate, ever-so-fragile, flower garden... with a three-foot storm-surge straight off the ocean.”

Sitting back, she watched the younger alicorn intently. “Like I said, it is not the power you have, but your ability to control it that becomes the more important factor.”

Twilight sat there trying to get her voice to work. “B-but why is this not...? Why didn’t you tell...? Why hide it?”

A pained expression fleeted across Celestia’s face. “Because with the proper equipment, any pony could do it. Admittedly, it would be a lesser version, but still extremely powerful.” She leaned forward. “Think about it Twilight, any unicorn with access to the right materials being able to wield magic at magic at near alicorn levels. An extremely dangerous situation, wouldn’t you agree?”

Twilight opened her mouth.

Celestia tapped her hoof on the table. “The incident with Miss Lulamoon and the Alicorn amulet serves as an excellent example for this. And she wasn't even using the amulet to its full potential.”

Twilight closed her mouth.

“Anyway, I feel we have started to drift a little off topic. Let us move back to the main reason I called you here. What happens to a muscle that is never used Twilight?”

Twilight pulled her head back the change in topic. “Uh.. uh… it, it atrophies?”

Standing up, the princess walked around the table and seated herself next to Twilight. “Just follow my line of reasoning here for a little bit longer. Now, let's recap, an Alicorn doesn’t need a…?”

“Umm. A reserve?”

Celestia put a wing around Twilight. “And you are…?”

“An alicorn.”

“So you don’t need...?”

Twilight blinked. “A… a reserve?”

“And what happens to a muscle that isn’t used?”

“It…” She turned to look at Celestia and blinked with a confused look. “Are you saying my reserve is atrophying?”

She got a nod in response.

Twilight looked down, her tone puzzled. “My reserve is… dying? I can’t cast magic because...”

Her eye widened.

Celestia felt the jolt run through Twilight and hugged her as tightly as possible with her wing as the younger alicorn began to shake violently. "Calm Twilight, calm..."

“Calm! My reserve is dying Princess! I can’t cast any magic because my reserve is bucking dying! I’m never going to be able to cast magic again! What use am I without...”

Celestia rested her head on the top of Twilight's. “Do your deep breathing exercises Twilight and listen to what I’m saying: you don’t need a reserve. You’re an alicorn now so you can cast magic without one. This is what I have been telling you, you will be able to do magic again without one. I swear it, as a Princess of Equestria, I swear you will be able do magic again Twilight.”

Feeling the shaking lessen, even though Twilight's breathing remained rapid and shallow, Celestia nuzzled her. “I swear on everything I hold dear, you will be able to do magic again Twilight. This is all perfectly normal I can assure you.”

Twilight swallowed. “I’m… I’m going to be okay?”

Celestia loosened her grip on Twilight. “I swear it. The reason this is happening is that when you ascended, your body kept its magical reserve, but only as something akin to vestigial organ. As it still worked though, you would have still been able to cast magic the way you always had and not noticed any difference. However, as an alicorn body grows, the reserve eventually starts to fail, and when it does, your body begins to look for another source of magic. With it's new abilities, it eventually finds the magic field of Equestria itself to draw upon."

Celestia slumped slightly. “With both my sister and myself, it took almost a decade after our ascension before the transition phase even began. So that is how long we thought it would take with you Twilight. That is why we didn’t rush to tell you, we thought we had plenty of time left. Both my sister and myself agreed that you should finish your princess lessons before we told you.”

Twilight tilted her head. “W-why?”

Lifting her head with a hoof, she looked Twilight in the eye. “A whole new type of magic to learn about Twilight. Vast, powerful magic... and you would have had to ignore all that and sit through mundane, dull, yet still very important political lessons. Tell me truthfully, would you have been even a tiny bit distracted?”

Twilight took a breath in... and then closed her eyes, saying nothing as her head fell.

Celestia smiled. “Don’t be ashamed by it. I feel the same way about those two options myself.” Closing her eyes, she looked away and took a breath in. “We also wanted the time to be able to impress on you just how dangerous this information is. Ponies can’t ever know about channelling magic Twilight.”

Twilight’s looked up sharply.

Celestia leaned in close. “Because there are so many smart ponies out there Twilight. If they become aware that there is a way to use magic way beyond their usual abilities, they will look for it. And once they start looking, somepony will eventually find a way to do it. I’m sorry Twilight, you can never tell anypony about channelling magic."

Lifting a hoof, she brushed Twilight's mane.

"It is a heavy burden to bear and I’m sorry to put it on you, but it is necessary. I myself have carried that burden for nearly a thousand years.” She sighed. “And I will advise you against telling your friends. You won’t be lightening the load, trust me. All you’ll be doing is giving them the same burden to carry as well. Don’t get me wrong, I trust the bearers to be able to keep this secret, I just didn’t want them to have to carry this weight if they don’t need to. So it’s best, for them, if they don’t know.”

Twilight’s mouth set in a thin line. “I see.”

Celestia turned her head away at her tone. “Anyway, moving back to you and your magic, your body has entered the transition phase, and while in it, you can’t cast any type of magic. Before you ask, it took six months for both Luna and myself to fully complete the transition.” She smiled wanly looking back at her. “I’m sure that you will put us both to shame in that department.”

Twilight's ear twitched as she looked away from her. “So, if it took you and Luna a decade before this even started, why is it happening to me now?”

Celestia's ears fell at the sight. “The crystal that drained you of magic Twilight. It drained your reserve so aggressively that when your body tried to draw magic from it, it just couldn’t find any at all. So your body would have automatically started looking for another source to pull magic from, which would have triggered the transition phase. While it might be early, it shouldn’t cause any long-term problems as far as I can see.”

Celestia rubbed Twilight’s head with a hoof as Twilight kept looking away.

“You will be able to cast magic again Twilight. Vast, powerful magic. You are about to take the last step to becoming an true alicorn. There will be some physical changes to come as your body adapts to channelling magic. You’re going to get taller for a start. A larger surface area allows the excess magic to radiate off easier, which in turn helps prevent magical saturation.”

Twilight just kept looking away.

Celestia’s shoulders slumped. “Please Twilight, I don’t ask you to like that I’m asking you to hide this information, to like that I’m asking to hide this from your friends. I just ask you to understand that it needs to be hidden. I have to be cautious with this. T-this is all to do with when I had to… H-had t-t-to…”

Never having heard the princess stutter before, Twilight looked round in surprise. Her ears folded flat at the sight of the Celestia with tears in her eyes.

Wiping her face with a hoof, she gave Twilight a rueful smile. “Look at me. A thousand years and it still hurts to talk about it. You must think me a silly old...” She suddenly leaned down so she was almost nose to nose with Twilight. “All power comes with a cost Twilight! Remember that. Not telling your friends is a cheap one. The cost I eventually paid was much higher...”

Pulling her head away, Celestia closed her eyes.

“Because of ponies being able to channel magic Twilight, I had to send Lulu away. Can you even imagine what that felt like? I had to banish my little sister because some ponies could channel magic. Afterwards, as I stood there... all alone in the wreckage, it felt like my heart had been ripped out. From then on, each day when I had to raise and lower the moon, her moon, my heart was ripped out anew. Imagine it Twilight, for a thousand years, twice a day, having your heart ripped out.”

She ground her teeth. “And then somepony started Nightmare Night. The nobles would invite me to attend the… festivities. And I had to smile at them as I declined.”

Celestia lowered her head to look Twilight back in the eye, to which Twilight found herself pulling back from. “Do you know she cursed me Twilight? My little Lulu cursed me as I stood over her and… sent her away” She swallowed as she lifted her head. “It hurt so much, and for so long Twilight. You have no idea just what you and your friends have done for me. You brought my Lulu back. You stopped the pain. I owe you all so much. Words can't...”

The silence hung in the air. Twilight put a hoof on Celestia's chest. “Princess, I never knew…”

Celestia looked away. “I'm not the good pony you think I am Twilight. Do you know what I did after I’d banished my little sister? After I had finished going mad with grief and rage had filled my heart?” Her head still turned away, Celesta lifted it up towards the ceiling and took a stuttering breath in.

“I went looking for them.”

Twilight watched silently as Celestia stared at something only she could see. The silence dragged on until her head fell. “Your role model is…”

Celestia turned to face Twilight, a sad smile on her face.

“...Flawed."

There was a bitter laugh. “None of them appreciated that irony. The pony they were trying to create the perfect world for, was so deeply flawed in herself.”

Twilight just kept looking up at her.

Rubbing her eyes Celestia shuddered. “I’m sorry Twilight. Old ghosts, even I'm not immune." Panting, she forced a smile. "But I swear, I never intended to tell you all this when you came in. I had it all planned out in my head how this would go... It’s just when I started talking about it, I couldn’t stop. I had to tell you. In a thousand years, you’re the first pony I’ve ever told this. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to burden you with my troubles as well as everything else. I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to...”

Twilight held up a hoof and stroked her chin.

Celesta took a deep breath in. “Whatever your personal opinion is of me now, please, you have to understand my reasons for hiding the information. The necessity of it. After all this time, I still hate them so much. I would still…" She closed her eyes. "I’m sorry Twilight, I might be powerful, but I am still a pony underneath. A powerful pony, with all the accompanying base emotions. I can do so much harm... Please, we have to hide that information, I..." Her head fell. "I don’t want to be that pony again.”

Twilight wrapped her forehooves and wings around Celestia barrel, hugging her tightly. “I understand. I’ll do as you ask Princess.”

Celestia smiled down at her. “Thank you.” Her smile fell. “Now I have shown you the weak pony that I am, is it possible that we can still be friends?”

Twilight gave her a small smile. “Always.”

The smile returned as Celestia wrapped her hooves and wings around Twilight, encasing her, as Twilight hugged her back. “Thank you. Thank you so much Twilight. You don't how much that means to me."

They held the hug for minutes before Celestia spoke, an uncommon feeling of dampness on her face.

“I meant to tell you before we got… distracted. I have some good news for you...”

***

The nightmare had been elusive to find, and even harder to enter, but Luna had managed to force her way in.

The raging sandstorm limited her view to mere inches, while the wind was deafening with its roar.

Luna closed her eyes. ‘Something powerful is trying to push me back out of this nightmare. And whatever it is, it feels familiar. I know this magic, so where have I felt it before? And why does it give me a feeling of loneliness?’

She shook her head. ‘Focus. My time here is limited and that can all wait. The link is unstable and the dreamer is the priority. Let us make haste to find them.’

Turning, she trotted off towards to where she felt the sandstorm was at it’s strongest.

***

Doctor Everhealth bowed to Princess Celestia in her personal quarters.

“How did she take it Princess?”

Recently showered and still damp, Celestia smiled. “About the whole channelling magic subject: stunned. Hopefully it will give her something positive to focus on now.”

“And the other news?”

Her smile dropped for a second before returning. “Oh, you mean about her magic saturation results? She was ecstatic.”

Doctor Everhealth smiled. “First time anypony has ever been cured of magical saturation. The condition does appear to be linked to a ponies reserve. With her reserve no longer holding any magic, coupled with an alicorn’s ability to shed excess magic, she seems to be cured.” He waved a hoof. “Can’t understand why nopony thought to try that treatment before. We just need to turn the affected pony into an alicorn and then drain their reserve absolutely dry. It’s so simple really.”

Celestia nodded. “Yes so simple.” Her smile fell. “But while Twilight was ecstatic about it, she quickly quietened down when I told her that it was only herself that was cured. That her friends would still require ongoing treatment.”

Doctor Everhealth’s ears fell. “While it is possible that cutting their reserves out, or at least what passes for them in pegasus and earth ponies, might cure them, it would also...”

Celestia turned away to look out the window over Canterlot. “It would also mean that Rainbow or Fluttershy wouldn’t be able to fly, ever again. Applejack wouldn’t have her strength to buck trees. Pinkie wouldn’t, probably wouldn’t, be able to do what she does and Rarity certainly wouldn’t be able to cast any magic. They’d be shells of their former selves.” Celestia looked around. “Unacceptable!”

Doctor Everhealth tried to smile. “Agreed, but it does give us new avenues to explore though. Who knows what the future will bring. Maybe we’ll find something before… Before the situation becomes critical.”

Celestia nodded, looking back out the window. “Maybe we will find something before that happens. Now if you’ll please excuse me doctor, I have matters I need to attend to.”

Doctor Everhealth bowed and left the room.

Princess Celestia kept looking out the window.

‘Years. We still have years to find a cure.’

She smiled.

‘Another cure. We do know what -does- work, don’t we doctor. You said it yourself: ‘it’s so simple really’.’

Celestia turned and seated herself back down at her desk and levitated up a quill and parchment.

***

As Luna approached the centre of the sandstorm, the confusing and disturbing shapes which flashed continually within the storm had gotten worse.

Only one shape remained constant within the storm.

Luna looked up at it.

‘A pegasus. I wonder what significance of that shape is?’ She grimaced. ‘No time to linger. I must find the dreamer before...’

Stepping forward, Luna found herself in the eye of the storm.

With yellow sand underhoof and a bright blue sky directly overhead, everything felt unnaturally still and quiet as the storm raged around her.

“Where’s the… ?There!’

Lying face down, sprawled out in the sand, was a dark green unicorn mare. A sand drift had formed on one of her sides, spilling over her back and partially burying her.

Taking a steps towards the mare, Luna tried to call out to her. She grimaced when no sound came from her. ‘I’m fading from the dream faster than I realized. I must act before…’ Reaching her hoof out, it passed through the mare’s rear leg without stopping.

‘Damn.’

Luna put her hoof roughly on mare’s rear leg and concentrated.

‘Help! You need to let somepony help…’

Luna faded from the dream.

***

‘...You.’

Luna looked around her bedchambers and sighed.

“I hope I did enough. Something was wrong with the dream. It was failing but she wasn’t about to wake up.”

Sitting up, she levitated a glass of water over to her and took a sip.

“I shall be on the lookout for that dreamer again tomorrow night.”

Laying back on her bed, she settled down. “Now to see who else is calling out for help in their dreams.”

***

Sitting in the troop-transport sky-chariot, with the five other members of her team, Serene Mist watched as they approached the non-descript warehouse situated next to a mountain.

‘It’s right In the middle of nowhere. Can’t think of a better place for a magic disposal facitily to be honest. I hope they have restrooms.’

As they approach, all her team started looked uncomfortably at each other. All having talents related to magic, they could all feel the pressure of vast, barely suppressed, magic coming from the warehouse.

As they landed, the pressure had got a lot worse.

Serene Mist shivered. ‘You know what, I’ll think I’ll hold it. I really don’t want to go in there.’

Landing next to the chariot carrying the crystal, the captain folded his wings up and seated himself down, waiting.

After a few minutes, two ponies walked out of a small side door.

Despite neither wearing uniforms, the captain saluted each one in turn.

“Sirs. One magical crystal, for the destruction of.”

The earth pony handed him some papers. “New orders captain.”

Serene Mist watched as the captains eyebrows went up as he read them.

“They want me to take it where?! But that’s just a storage facility! Surely they want this thing destroyed?”

“The orders came all the way from the top Captain. Somepony very high up decided that they want the crystal placed into secure storage and not destroyed.”

The earth pony tapped the orders. “See, they were very specific on that detail.”

***

The sand continued to drift over her as she lay in the sand. Part of her knew this was a dream, but she didn’t care how she knew this anymore. The sand was so cool and comfortable. It promised release from the heat and rage of the storm. Release from the image tormenting her.

‘I’ll be able to let it all go once I’m buried. Soon, no more whispers, no more… him.’

She cringed.

‘Soon, no more pain, no more hurt, nothing left of value to lose…’

Only her right forehoof was left unburied by the sand now.

‘Nothing of value… Apart from friends that is.’

The hoof twitched.

‘Friends! I have frien…’

She felt her hoof being grabbed and pulled from the sand as a familiar voice spoke to her.

“Silly Sunny. You’ll miss your party...”

***

Zecora checked back on Sunbeam... and let out a sigh of relief.

Chapter 44 - A Storm on the Horizon

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Chapter 44 - A Storm On The Horizon

Laying on the bed, Sunbeam stared up at the ceiling. The scent of herbs and spices hung heavy in the air, and off to her right something bubbled.

Closing her eyes and trying to stay as still as possible, she let out a pained whimper.

‘O-o-oh. I ache! Every bucking part of me aches! I woke up feeling so good as well, so calm and relaxed for a change. Annnnd then I moved. I shouldn’t have moved. Everything started hurting when I moved. Everything! Especially my...’

Opening her eyes, she hesitantly lifted a hoof up to her muzzle but stopped short of actually touching it.

‘...My face. Why -does- my face ache so much? It feels like I’ve been hit in muzzle with a plank of…’

Her eyes narrowed as a single word was hissed out.

“Zecora!”

Baring her teeth, Sunbeam scrambled to prop herself up on the bed. ‘I'm gonna...’

There was a sharp intake of breath.

A few seconds passed before she, gingerly, began lowering herself back down onto the bed.

‘...L-lay back down f-for a bit. At least until all the s-spots in front of my eyes go away. Oh-hhh, that bucking hurt. No sudden moves filly. No sudden moves.’

Closing her eyes, Sunbeam whimpered again.

***

Steeling herself, Sunbeam gritted her teeth. ‘C’mon you can do this. You -can- do this.’

With a deep intake of breath, she slowly rolled her head to one side on the pillow.

‘Yay. I can roll my head to one side. There's no stopping me now. Go me. Go...’ Her eyes narrowed as she spotted Zecora in the corner of the hut. ‘Annnd look, there’s the stripy one herself, tending that damn cauldron of hers. Arrogant bitch, she’s even got her back to me...’

There was a pause and her eyebrows went up.

‘She’s got her back to me?’

There was another pause before a lopsided smile spread over Sunbeam’s face.

‘Now isn’t -that- a silly thing to do.’

Bringing her head down to her chest, Sunbeam pointed her horn at Zecora’s back.

The smile faded and was quickly replaced by frustrated look as her horn remained inert.

Letting her head roll back on the pillow, Sunbeam looked back up at the ceiling again. ‘Horseapples I can’t draw any magic in.’ Lifting a hoof up, she ran it down the length of her horn. ‘Can’t feel any inhibitor rings, she must have given me a potion or something. Wonderful, just bucking wonderful.’

Letting her hoof fall, and bounce on the bed, Sunbeam glanced around the hut again in resignation. ‘Chalk -another- one up to Zecora. That bastard-daughter offspring of a diamond dog and a…’

Her gaze stopped on a low table near the head of her bed.

‘Oh hello, what's this?’

Wincing as she did so, she rolled onto her right side to get a better look at the table... and the dagger laying on it.

Her eyes flicked to Zecora and then back to the dagger.

She fought the smile back down. ‘Don't smile! You'll only jinx it if you smile. Right, straight face and lets -do- this.’

Rolling to her right again, and onto her stomach, she purposefully perched herself on the edge of the bed so that her left legs dangled freely over its side. Keeping her eyes on Zecora, she then slowly began extending her left foreleg downwards.

Once she felt her hoof-tip make the lightest of contacts with the floor, she softly swept it back-and-forth to clear anything that could be laying there out of the way. Only when Sunbeam was sure that she wasn’t about to tread on anything, did she put the hoof down fully.

Her eyes never leaving Zecora’s back, her left-rear leg started edging towards the floor. It too swept the floor for debris before being put down.

With both her left legs now firmly on the floor, Sunbeam angled her front-half off the bed to free up her right foreleg.

It’s hoof-tip made sure the floor was clear before it was put down just like her others.

Zecora didn’t look round as Sunbeam silently stood up on three legs behind her.

Bringing her last leg up off the bed, and in in close to her body, Sunbeam grimaced at the sudden stabbing pain in her hip.

‘Buck! Need to… clear… the… bed…’ Closing her eyes, she fought the growing urge to just let the leg fall. ‘Oh buck! Clear… the… Oh b-b-b...!’

Zecora suddenly reached out to the side for a bottle. Uncorking it with her teeth, she poured a dash into the cauldron before putting the bottle down beside her. Taking the handle of the wooden spoon that was in the cauldron, she began stirring.

Eyes wide and her heart pounding so loudly in her ears that was sure Zecora could hear it, Sunbeam stood frozen to the spot as she watched Zecora stir.

Zecora changed the direction she was stirring, but didn’t look round.

Sunbeam’s ears splayed out as she let out the breath she’d been holding. ‘Thank buck for…’ She grimaced. ‘Ugh! My hip! My hip!’

She just about managed to put the hoof down without a sound. The floor wasn’t checked for any debris first though.

Quietly panting through clenched teeth, Sunbeam glared at Zecora. Her tail twitching, she watched her stir for a few moments before turning her head to look at the dagger on the table.

Letting herself smile, she shifted most of her weight onto her back legs before lifting her left foreleg up and reaching out with it.

‘Easy. This is easy. This is…’ Sunbeam stopped dead, her left fore-hoof hovering an inch above her dagger. ‘Too easy! This is -too- easy!’

A suspicious expression crossed her face as she glanced around the hut again. ‘What am I missing? Zecora’s not stupid, I’m missing something.’ She looked up at the walls. ‘What am I...?’

Her ears fell as she saw it.

All of Zecora’s masks had a clear view of her as she stood there, her hoof reaching out for the dagger.

Sunbeam violently yanked her hoof away.

Zecora was leaning over the cauldron, so its bubbling drowned out the whimper of pain that came from behind her.

***

Zecora jumped as Sunbeam seated herself down next to her. Despite her initial surprise, Zecora still managed to note that Sunbeam was favoring her right foreleg, holding her left foreleg up to her chest as she sat down.

She glanced over her shoulder at the table behind her. The dagger was still laying on it, untouched.

Sunbeam just kept looking forward, cradling her left foreleg. “Yeah it’s still there, stripy-flank.” She sniffed. “You took the time and effort to suppress my magic, yet you left the dagger lying within easy reach of me. You’re not that stupid.” Pointedly, she looked up at the masks. “I kinda guessed that something bad would happen if I touched it.” She rolled her shoulders and grimaced at the action. “Annnnd as I couldn’t find anything else to cave your skull in with, I chose to sit down and play nice.” She turned to look at her. “First order of business: when is my magic going to return?”

Zecora smiled at her. “By my reckoning, in about an hour or two. You are up earlier than I expected, so you must have slept well.” She looked Sunbeam up and down. “But you must ache greatly right now.” Leaning down, she corked the bottle next to her. “The salve I have been applying helps reduce swelling and promotes rapid healing, but its side-effect is to make all your joints more tender to move. But as you are awake now, I can give you something to counter that.”

Sunbeam went to roll her shoulders, but thought better of it and settled for a glare. “You’re not rhyming. Should I be worried?”

Zecora shook her head. “I simply suspect that your mind is still somewhat clouded from having just woken up. Not to mention that all you aches and pains must be distracting. No I speak plainly purely for your benefit Miss Sunbeam. But first...” She pointed a hoof at her. “Would you have really attacked me when my back was turned. I shall know if you lie.”

Sunbeam turned her head away. There was a pause before a quiet: “You hurt me.”

Zecora nodded in the silence that followed. “As I thought. However, as you are attempting to be civilised for the moment, let me return the gesture, for the moment.” Turning away, she reached up for some cups. “Please sit and have a tea with me before you leave. Give your magic a chance to recover before you face the Everfree. The tea I shall make will help ease your pains.”

Sunbeam turned her head back to look at her. “Question: what would have happened if I had picked up the dagger?”

Zecora didn’t bother looking around as she got some herbs out. “Then you would have learned an important lesson.”

***

Landing next to the Guardhouse, Constable Walker folded his wings and opened the door. Nodding to Sergeant Buttress, he walked past her and towards the coffee pot with a yawn. “Morning, Sergeant. Morning Dew said you wanted to see me when she took over.”

Looking up from her desk, and the scroll with the princesses’ crest on she was reading, Buttress nodded. “Correct. No sign of Miss Sunbeam yet I take it?”

Walker shook his head as he poured himself a coffee.

She looked back down the scroll. “Well I have another assignment for you now. One that requires wings. I want you to go round to all of Miss Dash’s pegasus friends and ask if they’ve seen her. Once you’ve done that... go get your head down. You’ll be back on observation duty later tonight.”

“Great.” Lifting the cup up, Walker paused before sipping it. “Do we have a list of her friends?”

Buttress pulled a sheet of paper from under the scroll and slid it across the desk. “Yeah. There you go.” With a sigh, she looked back down. “And while you’re out and about, having fun, I get to write a letter back to the… higher ups. I need to explain why sending an entire squad of guards to assist us in looking for Miss Sunbeam won’t actually help us find her.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Uh, it wouldn’t?”

She shook her head. “Walker, this is the pony that managed to sneak up on Pinkie, remember? The whole ‘changeling-mask thing down by the lake thing'? No I get the feeling that if this pony doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be. And having a squad of guards, clanking around in full armour, asking for her would only drive her deeper into hiding.” Buttress tapped her nose. “No, the best course of action here is to do nothing. If we carry on like everything is normal and let her think everything is okay, she’ll eventually surface of her own accord. It’s all down to having the patience, and nerve, to do nothing for long enough.”

“But what if she’s already gone?”

Buttress lowered her head. “Then I’ll send you a postcard from my new posting. Somewhere where minus quite-a-lot is considered warm.”

***

Zecora watched as Sunbeam stared into the cauldron, ignoring the cup of tea next to her. “The tea is herbal and will ease your aches and pains, please drink.”

Sunbeam sat motionless, not touching the cup.

She raised an eyebrow. “You think I’d poison you at this point?”

Not looking at her, Sunbeam nodded.

“You worry too much Miss Sunbeam. It was much easier to poison you as you slept.” Zecora sipped her tea. “You couldn't protest as I poured it down your throat that way. So you might as well drink your tea. It will help soothe your injuries.”

In small jerky movements, Sunbeam turned her head to look at Zecora.

Zecora waved a hoof dismissively at her expression. “Oh relax Miss Sunbeam. I have only ‘partly’ poisoned you. All of the ingredients for a potent poison, bar one, are in your system right now. And due to the enchantments I have placed upon them, they will remain active within you for the next month, just waiting for that final ingredient to complete the poison." She leaned forward. "And that last ingredient is mortais root, so take nothing containing it, including Night Owl’s Slumber, for the next month.” She lowered her head. “I apologize, but given the limitations of ingredients to hoof, and the effect desired, it was the only thing I could create.” Reaching down for her cup, Zecora calmly took another sip of her tea from it. “It would be a slow and painful end to you by-the-way.”

Never looking away from her, Sunbeam slowly reached out for her cup. Lifting it up, she downed its contents in one go before putting it back down with a click and wiping her mouth with a foreleg. “You know what Zecora, I think I prefer it when you do rhyme. You're less scary that way.”

Zecora shrugged. “I need to make sure you do not take any more Slumber, Miss Sunbeam, and this is the most expedient way to do that. Like you, I do what I feel is necessary.” She tapped the rim of the cauldron. “And speaking of such things, there is one more issue I want to address.” She turned her head to look at her. “You still wish harm upon me don’t you? Do not deny it, I can see it in your eyes.”

Sunbeam looked away but said nothing.

Zecora narrowed her eyes as she pointed a hoof. “I find the idea of you lurking in the forest, waiting to catch me unawares like a some rabid timberwolf a most unwelcome thought.” Lowering the hoof, Zecora shook her head. “While I am confident of my abilities in face-to-face combat, you are smart enough to try and avoid that. Instead you would simply strike from range and then just walk away, never once getting close.” Zecora leaned in. “I would not even know you were there, not until after I found myself standing before the ‘guardian of the dream’ and having all my life’s actions judged.” The hoof was pointed again. “And for that reason you scare me Miss Sunbeam. You have every chance of success where others have failed.”

Sunbeam cautiously looked back at her. “Others?”

Zecora smiled humorlessly. “A solitary zebra mare, living alone in the woods. Who knows what valuables I might have hidden in my hut. Or what fun could be had. And were I to suddenly disappear, everypony would merely think that some animal from the forest had done me in. Oh no, others have come to steal my power before Miss Sunbeam.” Her lip curled back. “And I dealt with them all.”

Sunbeam glanced at the door behind her, just a step away. She turned back to Zecora. “Look Zecora, I…”

Sunbeam recoiled backwards, half-lifting a hoof in front of her.

Zecora was silently watching her with glowing yellow eyes.

With her every movement was being closely followed, Sunbeam found her throat suddenly very dry. “I… ummm… Look I... uhh… I wouldn’t… uhh...”

Zecora stood up. “I do not enjoy the thought of having to look over my shoulder for the rest of my life, Miss Sunbeam. Wondering just where and when my end will come from. So I have decided to resolve that problem before it even starts.” She tilted her head. “You honestly thought I’d just… let you go?”

Sunbeam backed towards the door, her hoof blindly reaching out for the handle. “Look Zecora… I ummm… Look I ummm, promise not to…”

Zecora’s eyes glowed brighter. “No, Miss Flower, you will not sway me with words.” She smiled at Sunbeam’s startled intake of breath. “Yes, I do know your real name... Miss Singing Flower. And considering I already have some of your blood, it was easy to place an enchantment on you... and a curse. I shall always know just where you are, and if you try anything, the curse will activate." She pointed up at the walls. "And observe the curse’s effects.”

Sunbeam automatically looked up where Zecora was pointing and her ears folded flat against her head. Where the wooden masks had been, the faces of ponies looked back at her.

“L-look I won’t…”

The mask she was looking at, blinked.

Sunbeam slammed back against the door.

Zecora gestured around the walls. “Two unicorns, one earth pony, three changelings and a zebra from my own tribe would you believe? All of them tried to take my power from me at some point. Rest assured Miss Flower, if you try anything, you too shall join them.”

Sunbeam looked back at the glowing yellow eyes, her mouth opening and closing but no sound coming out.

Zecora stepped forward and Sunbeam cringed back.

“Be thankful Miss Flower that, unlike some, I have principles about doing such a thing.” She looked Sunbeam up and down appraisingly. “You would make a powerful totem Miss Flower. With all your hate and fear... you would make a very powerful totem indeed.” Leaning forward, she whispered into Sunbeam’s ear. “And considering that not many ponies would even notice you'd gone missing… Oh yes, you are a great temptation indeed.”

Turning her head away, Sunbeam whimpered as her hoof scrabbled around behind her, desperately trying to find the door handle.

“P-please… I promise... I promise...”

Zecora tapped a hoof on her chest, causing her to flinch. “Remember this above all else Miss Flower: there are two monsters in this hut right now. And I am more than willing to reduce that number to one.”

Sunbeam’s hoof finally found the handle.

***

Zecora stood there, listening to the sounds of galloping hooves getting fainter.

Her eyes no longer glowing, she looked up at her now wooden masks and bowed. “Thank you for that effective display my friends. At least this way, I have scared her out of trying anything that would require me to take more… drastic action against her.”

Lifting her head, she looked at each one in turn. “So thank you again my friends. I am most grateful.”

Zecora turned and walked out the door. Outside she looked around the clearing and sighed.

“I fear I will never see her again after that little… exercise. A thought which pains me, but a necessary sacrifice to save her.” Stopping, she looked up at the sky. "The sprout of friendship is still too weak and fragile for such a trial, and unfortunately, fear is the only thing that poor filly really understands. I did what was necessary."

Picking up a gardening hoe, she turned towards her herb garden. Stopping, Zecora shook her head. “Personally, I thought I oversold the act, but she seemed convinced enough.” A sly smiled formed. “And she honestly thinks that I was telling the truth about the poison? Of course such an affair would not work.”

She scanned her herb garden for any signs of weeds.

“And I have more than enough masks.”

***

Panting, Sunbeam slowed down to a walk.

The walk became a stagger.

Finally she stopped and collapsed onto the track, her legs splayed out. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she lay there.

“O-oh buck.”

Laying there, she took a swipe at a rock with a forehoof, sending it skipping off into the undergrowth.

Closing her eyes, she wrapped a hoof over them. “Annd I just remembered my saddlebags are still back there!”

There was a pause before she lifted her head. “Buck it, she can keep ‘em. They're just things and I can get some more made up easy enough. Just need to remember to ask for extra padding on the back.”

She rested there for a few moments before burying her face in the dirt.

“I woke up feeling so good today. I felt so good...”

***

Sunbeam trudged along the path lost in thought.

Suddenly stopping, she looked over her shoulder.

“You called me a monster! But hey, at least I’m not the one decorating my house with bits of ponies.”

Half-turning, she jabbed a hoof behind her. “So you’re the monster, not me! I'm not a monster.”

Her hoof fell, along with her head.

“I wouldn’t want to leave evidence laying around like that. But that’s beside the point.”

She rolled her shoulders and looked back up. “And at least I do try to make it quick. Mostly. And let’s not forget that you’re the one that’s poisoned me Miss Slow-and-painful. It’s me that can’t take any Slumber for a month. Do you have any idea what that’s going to do to me? Any idea...”

Her rear legs gave way and her flank landed heavily on the ground.

Sunbeam stared blankly forward. “I’d forgotten about that. I’d forgotten...”

Her throat felt dry again.

“A whole extra month! That’s too long! I’m going to remember long before I can stop it. I’m going to remember!”

She felt her heart start to thump painfully in her chest.

“I’m going to…”

Putting a hoof on her chest her breathing became shallow and fast.

“I’m going...”

The world started to spin and she began swaying unsteadily.

“‘I’m… I’m…”

Shivering, she looked down at herself.

“W-what's wrong with…?”

Her eyes went wide as clutched at her throat.

‘Can’t breathe! I Can’t...’

Sunbeam toppled sideways onto the track, fighting for breath.

***

Constable Walker knocked on the door of the last name on the list.

After a few minutes, a pegasus stallion opened the door and looked at him. “Hello?”

Walker looked down at the list. “Hello Mister... Thunderlane?”

“Err… Yeah?”

He put on his best smile as he put the list away. “I’m here on official guard business, Mr Thunderlane. Have you seen Miss Rainbow Dash in the last few days?”

Thunderlane immediately shook his head. “Nope. Haven’t seen her for quite a while now.”

Walker sighed, trying to hide his disappointment. “Oh well, thank you for your time. But on the off-chance you do see her, let her know that there is a chariot waiting to take her to Canterlot on bearer business. It’s parked by the mayor's office and the guards are stationed there from early morning to late evening. Any time after that and they are staying in ‘The Pony’s Leg’.

Thunderlane nodded. “Got it. If I see her I’ll tell her that.”

“Thank you.” Walker turned and spread his wings. Stopping, he looked over his shoulder. “Oh, by any chance you haven’t you seen a unicorn mare by the name of Miss Sunbeam around either?”

Lifting a hoof Thunderlane rubbed his chin. “Isn’t that the waitress down at ‘The Swift?”

Walker nodded.

“Not for a while. Cute flank. Terrifying, but a cute flank.”

“Well, if you see her, let somepony in the guard know as soon as possible. I think the princess wants to see her as well.”

***

Sunbeam lay on her back on the track, her hooves spread wide as she looked upwards. Her breathing was still a little ragged, but it had returned, almost, to normal by now.

As she lay there, she idly noted that the sun had moved from one side of the gap in the tree canopy to the other. She listened to the birds as she lay there.

Lifting her forehooves up to her eyes, she examined them. “Tingly, but at least they ain’t shaking now.”

She let them drop out to the sides and looked back up at the sky.

“Stress. That’s all it was, a bit of stress. It’s been a stressful month what with everything. And then Zecora... No! Everything had just built up inside me and it just needed to vent. That’s all it was, a one off event as I released stress. It's certainly a thing which won’t ever happen again. An event which I won’t let happen again.”

Grinding her teeth she closed her eyes. “An event... which I had in the middle of the bucking Everfree forest... you stupid bitch. How could you let that happen to you?” Lifting a hoof, she slammed it backwards into the ground. “Helpless! You let yourself be helpless again. Anything could have walked up and chowed down on you. You let yourself be helpless….”

There was a howl of a timberwolf off in the distance.

Lifting her head, she looked around. “Okay, freak out later. Get to safety now. Get up! C'mon get up. Get up you stupid mare! Get-yourself-bucking-up!”

Slowly, she rolled onto her stomach and stood up on wobbly legs.

“Forget about everything else right now! Just focus on getting home, focus on putting one hoof in front of the other. Once you’re home, then you can freak out, but until then, it's just one hoof in front of the other." She forced a smile. "And who knows, once I'm home maybe a few drinks will help me calm down.”

Sunbeam lifted her head as the smile turned genuine. “Yes! That’s it! Once I have a few drinks in me, I’ll relax.” The smile grew. “Yeah, that’s all I need, a little R and R and I’ll be a lot better. I just need a chance to calm down and get my act together, chance to chill myself out." She lifted her head. "A beer and pizza night! Oh yeah, that sounds soooo good. A night off with beer and pizza that's what I need. I'll... I'll deal with everything else later.”

She felt some tension ease from her shoulders.

“That was just some stress venting. I just need to keep myself relaxed... and such a thing won’t ever happen again."

With her legs still a little shaky, she set off.

“It won’t happen again.”

“It won’t…”

"It won't..."

***

Thunderlane closed the door and a voice called out from the kitchen.

“You think Sunbeam’s got a cute flank? Do not let her hear you say that.”

He looked around to see Rainbow walking out of the kitchen, a heavily bandaged wing pinned to her side.

He nodded towards the door. “You heard all that?”

Her head dropped. “Yeah. Thanks for covering for me. I’m not ready to go see the others right now. I just need some time to get my head sorted out.”

Thunderland stepped forward. “I don’t like lying to the guard Rainbow, however, you can stay here for as long as you like.”

She nodded. “Thanks. I’ll go as soon as my head’s clear. I just don’t feel I should be around them right now. I feel…” Sitting back, she rubbed her forehead. “Ugh, why is it so hard to put what I’m feeling into words?”

Thunderlane stepped forward and put a wing on her back “But personally, I do think it would be good idea to go see the Princess. She and your friends could help you.”

Rainbow shook her head. “No! I can do this by myself! I…” Her head fell. “I don’t want them to see me like this. All weak and…”

Thunderland leaned in. “Do you know you were calling out in your sleep last night? I could hear you in the next room.”

Rainbow’s head snapped up, “I… I keep hearing the crunch when that guy hit the wall. I keep hearing it! I just need some time to get myself together before I go see the princess. I just need some time. I don’t want them to see me like this, all broken and…" She stamped a hoof. "I'm supposed to be the tough one.”

Thunderlane pulled her head round with a wing to look her in the eyes. “You’re not broken Rainbow. Troubled, but not broken. And being tough doesn’t mean not asking for help, sometimes it means the exact opposite. I’m sure the princess, and your friends will help you, you’re an Element Bearer and a Wonderbolt for buck’s sake. Of course they’ll do everything they can to help you.”

Rainbow sighed. “This is so un-awesome. I’m sure they're all dealing with this way better than me.”

Thunderlane leaned in. “Do you think Scootaloo will copy you if she sees you not asking for help when she really needs it? Maybe next time she might try to tough it out when she really needs medical help. She might end up going to the hospital too late and...”

A hoof thrust into his mouth cut him off and Rainbow gave him a glare. “Low Thunderlane. That was low.”

Both looked at each other until Rainbow slumped and took her hoof away. “Fine, I’ll go tomorrow morning. Tonight though, I’m going to see if I can find Sunbeam.”

She smiled wanly. “The princess probably just wants to give Sunbeam a medal or something for helping us. So I’m gonna try and get her to tag along as well.”

***

Sitting there Sunbeam stared at all the fallen trees, some of which lay across the track.

She stared at the trees she'd felled on the way to Zecora's.

Her eyes darting around, Sunbeam stood up and hesitantly made her way towards them.

All her previous worries were now replaced by a single one.

“He’s not here. He was never here. I was sleep deprived and had a hallucination. That’s all it was. He was never here. Greywing was never…”

She stopped mid stride as she felt her hackles rise.

"He's not here! He's..."

Sunbeam broke into a full gallop, clearing the first fallen tree in a single bound. Without breaking stride, she cleared all the other fallen trees lying across the track like the best of show jumpers.

She didn’t stop galloping until she was clear out of the forest and nearly back in Ponyville.

***

Sharp Fang looked up at the two scouts as they stood in front of him.

“Report.”

One turned and pointed behind him. “There’s a hut, about half a kilometer south-west from here. One zebra mare, who was gardening when we found her. We withdrew without incident as soon as we saw her shaman markings. She didn't see us.”

Sharp Fang nodded. “Good, we don’t want to go messing with any bucking zebra shamans right now. We used up too much magic getting through this damned forest already. And too many ponies.” Taking a breath to calm himself, he looked up at them. “Go get some chow and rest up. You’ll be out again tonight doing a preliminary recon of the target zone. Good work both of you.”

“Sir.”

After they had left, Quick Blade, who'd standing to one side, stepped forward holding a note. “Camp is set up and all guards and wards are in place. We’re also close enough to the edge of the Everfree for messages to get through now, sir.” He looked down at the note. “It appears that the princesses have been cured. But, they are still suffering the aftereffects of the cure, so they’re not up to full power yet. Our orders state that we are to proceed, but with extreme caution. We are to abort if we even think we’re about to be discovered. Also, further updates from Canterlot Castle are not to be expected. Effective counter-espionage is now being employed and all assets are either being withdrawn or going into deep hibernation.”

Sharp Fang nodded. “Understood. So let’s not get caught then.” He smiled. “Okay Quick, I want you to make sure everypony is well rested and fed tonight. I want everypony’s ‘A’ game for what's coming.”

"Sir." Quick Blade nodded and left.

Looking away a determined expression settled on Sharp Fangs face. ‘Close, so close I can feel you little sister.’ He smiled. ‘Please hang on just a little bit longer Icefang, big brother is coming to take you home.’ His expression darkened. ‘And I swear I’ll destroy anything, kill anything, that gets in the way of that! I’m bringing my blood sister home no matter what.’

***

Listed Scrolls lay down in his cramped cage with the sun low in the sky. He glanced at the weakened hinge on the door and carefully kept his face blank. One good push was all it needed and it would fail.

There was nothing else to do now but wait for the right moment.

Closing his eyes, he settled down to sleep, a content smile on his face.

***

Sunbeam glared out at Ponyville’s marketplace from the shadows of the alleyway. While it was getting late and the sun was low in the sky, there was still a lot of ponies around.

She looked out at all the ponies in the marketplace.

She found herself watching one pony in particular. She’d walk from stall to stall with a basket in her mouth and each time she stopped, she’d smile and chat to the stall holder for a bit. She’d even stop and wave with a smile at ponies between stalls, and they’d smile and return the wave back.

Turning her head, she looked over her shoulder at herself; at her battered and bruised body; at the burn marks where her cutie marks should have been. She lifted a hoof up to touch her half-ear, then to touch the notch in her horn.

She looked back out at all the ponies, laughing and gossiping as they bought their groceries.

Her hoof fell limply from her horn as her ears folded flat.

After a second she stood up, turned, and headed back into the shadows without a sound.

Chapter 45 - The Sun Melts Ice

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Chapter 45 - The Sun Melts Ice

Constable Walker settled down on a cloud as he watched Constable Morning Dew trot away.

He gave the cloud he was laying on a suspicious look. ‘Odd. I didn’t think the same cloud from yesterday would still be here. Perhaps the weather team is a little stretched without Miss Dash and they just missed it.’ He shuffled around, getting comfortable. ‘Good job they missed it though. It does offer a great view of Miss Sunbeam’s house.’

A grinning face appeared in the cloud for a second before disappearing.

Walker looked up. ‘I can smell chocolate?’

***

Unaware she was being watched intently, Sunbeam trudged up to her front door and started patting herself down for her keys.

After a few seconds of searching for them, her ears fell.

Standing there, glaring at the locked door, her lips suddenly pulled back into a snarl as her horn lit up.

After the flash, Sunbeam walked into her house, kicking some debris of what used to be her front door out of the way as she did so.

Still snarling, she never heard the clapping coming from above her.

“Bravo my dear, virtuoso performance. Encore, encore.”

Discord seated himself back down on a sleeping Constable Walker. With a frown, he shuffled his rear. “This cushion is lumpy. Huh, pegasi, all bones and feathers. Give me an earth pony to sit on any day.”

Reaching down, he picked up a paper container with popcorn. Grabbing a handful, he offered the bag down to the sleeping pony as he chewed on his.

“No? How about something different then. Hot dog?”

Throwing the popcorn away, Discord reached into the cloud and pulled out a long bread roll with a long pink tube in it.

“Mustard?”

Placing the roll next to Constable Walker’s right ear, he lightly tapped the top of Walker’s head and a stream of mustard shot out of the ear. He moved the roll back and forth, coating the pink tube.

He moved the bread roll over to Constable Walker’s other ear and his paw hovered over his head again.

“Ketchup? Oh, what’s that? Hold the ketchup you say. Okay then.”

With a smile, he lifted the roll up to take a bite but stopped as he looked down at the sleeping pony.

“Tut, tut. Not only sleeping on duty but being a condiment dispenser as well. Whatever would your superiors say?”

Looking back at Sunbeam’s house he smiled again. “You’re also missing out on so much wonderful chaos. Chaos which I didn’t have to lift a talon to bring about.” Pausing, he looked upwards as he tapped his chin. “Well, hardly had to lift a talon to bring about. Maaaaybe a little nudge here and there” -he held up a claw- “but only to make sure everyone was in the right place and the right time. Nothing else I swear. Everything else is all their own work. I'm so proud of them.” He wiped a tear from his eye. “They grow up so quickly you know. It brings a lump to my throat.”

Grinning, he settled back. “Actually old chap, I’m quite enjoying the change of pace. Just sitting back and watching the chaos without having to instigate it.” He looked towards the Everfree. “And what’s even better, I have no idea how the rest of this is going to play out. No idea at all!” He patted Walker’s head. “How wonderful is that!”

Lifting the hot dog up, he opened his jaws and then stopped. Looking long and hard at it for a few moments, he threw it over his shoulder.

“Nah.”

Looking around, his grin grew as he spotted a familiar pegasus walking towards Sunbeam's house in the evening light.

“Ah, right on time, the ever-loyal Miss Dash.” He watched her walked down the street for a few seconds before waggling a talon at her. “Now now my dear, Miss Sunbeam has been giving such a wonderful performance you really should be bringing gifts to show your appreciation.” With that, he clicked his talons

Rainbow slowed to a stop then lifted her head in thought.

Discord nodded encouragingly at her. “Yes, that’s right my dear. Wouldn’t beer and pizza be such a good idea, you know she likes them. So why don’t you trot along and go get some.”

Rainbow started patting herself down.

With a roll of his eyes, he snapped his talons again.

“Reduced to a mere ATM. Well, don’t expect a receipt. The paper roll has run out and it doesn't get changed until Wednesday.”

There was a chink as Rainbow suddenly found some bits in her saddlebags.

Discord frowned as she started counting them out. “Yes, yes, yes you’ve got enough and... oh for goodness sake! Yes! You’ve got enough for a tip as well!” He pointed down the street. “Shoo, begone you glorified feather duster. Go get pizza and beers, post haste.”

Down below, Rainbow turned away.

Lifting his paw up to his muzzle Discord pretended to shout out after her. “Remember, no anchovies!” Lowering his paw he watched Rainbow trot away. “After her little eating contest with you, she’s gone right off fish.”

***

Rainbow peered into the dark hallway of Sunbeam’s house. She would have knocked on the door - but there wasn’t one.

“Err, hello?”

In at the other end of the hallway, in the darkness, something lit up.

Rainbow lifted the pizza box. “Sunbeam, it’s me Rainbow, I’ve got pizza and beer."

There was a wave of cold and whatever had been lit up went out.

Rainbow squinted as a shape started moving in the shadows. “Sunbeam? Is that you?”

There was a pause, then Sunbeam trotted forward into the light. “R-Rainbow?”

Rainbow smiled. “Yeah. Look, I’ve brought-”

She was cut off as Sunbeam galloped forward and wrapped her hooves around her neck, hugging her tight. “Rainbow!”

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow tried to keep the pizza upright under the assault. “Geesh Sunbeam. I know you like pizza and beer a lot, but isn’t this a bit much?”

***

Sitting in Sunbeam’s living room, Rainbow watched as Sunbeam tore into the pizza slice.

‘Did she just moan?’

Reaching down she picked a beer and frowned at it. “Sorry it’s warm, it’s all they had left at the store. But I do I know a trick with an icebox and a cloud to chill them quickly…”

Rainbow tailed off at the flat look Sunbeam was giving her over the pizza slice still in her mouth.

“Oh yeah.”

***

The pizza box was half empty and there were several empty, still frosted, beer bottles laying around.

Sunbeam waved her beer at Rainbow.

“So there we were out in the field, just a little south of the Griffon border, and the cook had served up this… this... something. To this day I have no idea what it was. Green Grass, one of biggest mares I’ve ever met, only managed a few mouthfuls before dumping the stuff. I swear, not even a Diamond Dog would have touched it.” She tapped her chin with the top of the beer bottle. “All I could tell you was that it tasted burnt, but that’s about it.”

The bottle was then pointed at Rainbow. “So complaining that hay burgers and fries isn’t served daily in the Wonderbolt mess isn’t gonna win you any sympathy.”

Sunbeam leaned back. “Oh, and by coincidence, a throat infection went round the camp later that night. Now I’m not drawing any conclusions from this you understand, but the ponies that had managed more than a few mouthfuls of that stuff ended up with the worst infections.” She sipped her beer before looking at Rainbow. “But like I said, not drawing any conclusions from that.”

***

Rainbow looked up. “Nope, I don’t joke about pregnancy or morning sickness anymore.”

Sunbeam lifted a questioning eyebrow.

“There was a mare in the reserves. After a night out on the town she was… very unwell the next morning. I joked that she was pregnant and it was morning sickness.” Rainbow shifted herself to get her bandaged wing comfortable. “Turns out… it was. Just she didn’t know at the time and this was the first sign she'd had. Or noticed anyway. The stallion in question was just as shocked as her let me tell you. So after that, I don’t joke about it anymore.”

Sunbeam nodded.

Rainbow looked up at her with a mischievous expression. “Well maybe never. Hey, Sunbeam are you…”

A pillow was thrown at her.

***

Sunbeam frowned as she looked around.

Rainbow took a sip of her beer. “You keep doing that. Problem?”

Sunbeam looked around again before sighing. “Must be my imagination… but I keep getting the impression that things are not quite where I remember leaving them.”

Rainbow looked around. “You sure?”

She waved a hoof. “Nah. Must be just me. None of the intrusion spells have been triggered.” Sunbeam took a sip of her beer. “And it would take a pony with an alicorn’s level of power to reset them without me noticing.”

***

The beer had been finished and the pizza box was empty.

Rainbow finished off her beer. “Well, that’s it and I’ve gotta be up in the morning. Suppose I’d better start thinking about getting a move on...”

Sunbeam stood up quickly. “Hang on. Don’t go just yet.”

Rainbow watched as she trotted off into the kitchen. Sunbeam returned with a bottle of Jackie D and two glasses floating next to her.

She shook the bottle with a hopeful smile.

***

Sunbeam looked up at the ceiling. “So there I was, on the hill overlooking the battle, where I was” -she shifted uncomfortably- “spotting. Anyway, so there I was, spotting, when this unicorn stands up on a ridge and just starts firing blasts of magic off in every direction.”

She shook her head. “She was silhouetting like mad and firing at anything that moved" -Sunbeam smirked to herself- "and probably a few things that weren't. Oh yeah, she’d completely lost it. Battle blind. Anyway, I spotted an enemy officer and after I’d-” Sunbeam took a swig of beer. “And after I'd passed that information to the relevant parties, the ridge was empty again by the time I looked back. Six, seven seconds tops, and she was gone.” She looked down. “No idea what happened to her.”

She looked up with a grin. “But whoever took her down probably got a medal commendation... from both sides.”

***

Sunbeam’s mouth hung open.

“Y-you’re kidding!”

“Nope, right on the snout.”

“A full grown dragon?”

“Yep.”

“You’re bucking insane!”

***

“I mean… It was just eww! Rarity wanted me to not only to wear a dress but also put on makeup? Me... in make up! Ewww, just eww…”

Both shuddered as they sipped their drinks.

***

“Hay burger and fries.”

“You jest.”

“Pizza is good, but it’s not the best food in the world.”

“Heresy!”

***

Sunbeam held Rainbow awkwardly as she bawled into her shoulder.

“I didn’t mean to… I swear I didn’t mean to… I can still hear the crack when he hit the wall. I can still hear the...”

Sunbeam patted her on the back. “Shhh.” She grinned nervously. “Say, have I told you the one about the candlestick maker and the two mares?”

***

Rainbow was pounding the edge of the sofa with a hoof, heaving with laughter. She managed to calm herself down to point a hoof at Sunbeam. “That’s sooo wrong Sunbeam. I still want to cry you know, so why am I laughing?”

Sunbeam looked at her with a straight face. “At both ends Rainbow. They were burning the candle at both ends…”

Rainbow dissolved back into giggles.

***

Sunbeam pointed her glass at Rainbow. “Pinkie?”

Rainbow looked up as she pretended she wasn’t dabbing her eyes with a tissue. “How much alcohol you got?”

Sunbeam tapped her chin, then slumped. “Yeah, not enough. Next topic…”

***

A thoughtful expression settled on Rainbow’s face. “I got one. Okaaaay, Celestia raises and lowers the sun right? But where does it go after it’s set? And what happens to the moon in the daytime? Is there, like, an underside to Equestria or something?”

Sunbeam calmly looked at the drink in Rainbow’s hooves. “Okay Rainbow, I think you may have had enough now.”

***

Rainbow stood up, on her third attempt. “Well I really should get going and…”

Sunbeam shook her head. “The night is still young, it’s only…” She squinted at a clock. “Two-ish in the morning. Plenty of night left.”

“Nah. I really need to get going.”

Sunbeam looked down at her glass as her ears drooped.

“In the morning… I gotta, I gotta...” Rainbow tapped her hoof. “Oh yeah, forgot. I’ve been meaning to tell-”

Sunbeam's voice was soft and pleading. “Please don’t go Rainbow. Please. D-don’t leave me alone with all the ghosts.”

“-you...” Rainbow stared at Sunbeam, her train of thought completely derailed.

Sunbeam just kept looking down as she played with the glass in her hooves. “Please Rainbow, if you crash here you can take my bed, I swear there's fresh sheets on it. I’ll go sleep on the couch, no biggie. Please, just don't leave me alone right now.”

Rainbow half fell, half seated herself back down onto the couch.

Sunbeam looked up at her with a hopeful smile.

Still somewhat dazed, Rainbow reacted in the only she could think of. Reaching out for her empty glass, she lifted it up and shook it.

The glass was encased in a white glow and Sunbeam rapidly stood up with a big smile. “I’ll be right back. I know I’ve got some of the good stuff somewhere in the kitchen. Don’t you dare move! Not a muscle!” With that, she rushed off towards the kitchen with Rainbow’s glass in tow.

Rainbow shook her head, still trying to pull her thoughts back together. Unable to think of anything else, she continued with what she had been about to say. “There… There were some guards were asking for you earlier. Something about Princess Celestia wanting to see you. They were asking for you by name-”

There was the sound of glass shattering from the kitchen.

Rainbow’s head snapped round. “You okay in there?”

Silence.

“Sunbeam?”

A hesitant voice called out from the kitchen “Y-yeah. I’m fine. Just walked into the table and dropped the glasses... in surprise. You say the day princess wants to see me? That’s she’s asking for me. B-by name?”

“Yeah, there’s a carriage waiting to take us up to Canterlot in the morning.” She frowned. “I think that was it anyway.”

“In the morning? Be precise here Rainbow. They want to take me to the Day Princess in the morning, as in not right now.”

“Yeah. In the morning I was going to get you to come along.”

Sunbeam trotted back in, levitating an expensive looking bottle and two cheap looking glasses.

“In the morning.”

Rainbow nodded.

Putting the glasses down, Sunbeam uncorked the bottle.

“Then let's have a few more drinks then. The night is still young-ish. Tonight is for R and R and we’ll deal with tomorrow morning... tomorrow morning. You need more to drink.”

With that, Sunbeam carefully poured Rainbow twice the amount she poured for herself.

***

Sunbeam watched as Rainbow’s head and eyelids started drooping.

She started singing softly.

“Hush now, quiet now. It's time to lay your sleepy head.”

Rainbow’s eyelids flickered and she stood up. Walking over to Rainbow, her voice became even softer.

“Hush now, quiet now, It's time to go to bed.”

Rainbow closed her eyes.

“Drifting off to sleep, Leave the day behind you.”

Drifting off to sleep, Let the joy of...”

She looked down at the sleeping pegasus and lightly stroked her mane. “Lightweight.”

Walking over to the half-empty bottle of Lady Jacqueline she lifted it up and examined it with a sigh.

“You’ve definitely had way more of this than me.” She shook her head. “The sacrifices I have to make.”

She looked down and the snoring pegasus. “Thank you so much for tonight Rainbow. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come round. Probably nothing good. So thank you.” Leaning down she kissed the top of the sleeping mare’s head. “Thank you for coming round. My friend.”

Picking up Rainbow’s saddlebags she turned towards the kitchen. “So as a friend, I do feel bad about stealing your saddlebags and running away like this. Unfortunately, my saddlebags are” -she rolled her shoulders- ”unobtainable right now. I’ll leave a note saying you can have all the money in my bank account." Sunbeam sighed. "I won’t be here in the morning to draw any of it out and transfers can be traced, so you might as have it all as payment. All the bits in the world are useless if the Princess finds me.”

She looked back at Rainbow. “Look, I like it here in Ponyville. I really do. I like feeling normal. I loved being treated… normal.” Sunbeam looked upwards and sighed again. “But now it’s time to run. You do not let the Day Princess take you alive! I’d rather have all the ghosts haunt me than that. Letting her take you alive would be” -her tail twitched- “bad. Very very bad. Everypony was terrified of the mere thought...”

She tilted her head as she looked at Rainbow. Putting the saddlebags down she walked up to her. “Put it this way, I’m certainly not going to be striding into Canterlot Castle and announcing myself anytime soon.”

She smiled and brushed Rainbows forelock. “But before I do go, let's get you upstairs and tucked into bed. I said you could have it after all.”

***

In the moonlit streets of Ponyville, two ponies moved silently from shadow-to-shadow. They stopped when it became clear that they needed to cross a well-lit street.

One scanned for any ponies before nodding to his companion. “All clear. Let’s move!”

They both galloped across the street, diving into the shadows on the other side.

Panting, Jagged Edge looked around. “See anything?”

“Give me a sec.” His companion, Dark Light, eyes glowed as he looked around. “Nothing. Nothing. Noth- whoa!” Blinking, he looked away. “Someponies got a huge aura. Massive.” He snarled as he looked at his partner. “Must be a bearer!”

“Oh buck! Where?”

Dark Light pointed. “Over there. Not moving. Let me just tone down the sensitivity a bit to get a better reading.”

With Jagged looking nervously around, Dark Light looked back at the aura. “I think it’s Target Blue. Orange...? No, definitely Blue. Target is stationary and- oh hang on. I can also see another aura close by.” He paled. “Oh horseapples.”

Jagged looked back at him questioningly. “What’s up?”

“The other aura, it matches Icefang’s profile! And it’s pinned under Target Blue!” Dark Light took a half step forward only to have Jagged put a hoof on his shoulder.

“Hold! Our orders are recon only.”

“But a bearer’s got her! We can’t just…”

“You wanna go head-to-head with a bucking bearer? Unprepared and with no idea of the situation? Our amulets are low on charge and more importantly, ask yourself this: where are the other bearers?”

Dark Light looked around. “I didn’t see any other auras.”

Jagged gave him a long look. “One bearer, taking on Icefang all by herself. Really? They're always close together. They do everything together. Remember: it’s the ones you don’t see that get you.”

Dark Light lowered his head. “Yeah, but Sharp Fang ain’t gonna be happy that we left her.”

“Probably. But the best thing we can do is make sure this intel gets back to him. If we tried anything half-flanked we could end up casualties ourselves. And then Sharp Fang would be down two ponies, the mission would have been blown and he’d still have no idea what’s going on.”

Dark Light nodded unhappily.

***

Sunbeam lay on the floor with Rainbow laying on top of her.

“Ow.”

She lifted her head off the floor.

“Okay, maybe I can’t lift you without magic.” She prodded Rainbow. “And how can you be so damn fast when you’re so bucking heavy Rainbow?” She let her head fall back onto the floor. “Sorry but you are sleeping on the couch tonight. No way can I haul your sorry flank up the stairs. If I was sober I might be able to levitate you safely, but I’m not, so I won’t.”

She stared up at the ceiling as Rainbow continued to snore.

She lifted her head and looked around. “And I’m soooo glad nopony can see us like this, they could easily get the wrong idea.” She prodded Rainbow again. “Ugh! Have I mentioned that you’re bucking heavy?”

After a minute, she managed to squirm her way out from under Rainbow, leaving her sleeping on the floor. Sunbeam looked down at her as she stood up. “Annnnd the heavy sleeper of the year award goes to…” She shook her head. “I’ll put you back on the couch and grab you a blanket in just a minute.”

Walking back towards the kitchen, she picked up Rainbow’s saddlebags and frowned at the rough texture. ‘Oh yeah, these are gonna rub on my back, aren’t they. I’m gonna need some padding, fortunately, I know just what to use.’

Laying the bags down on the kitchen table, she walked out of her house and into the garden. In the moonlight, she could easily see the bed sheet hanging on the washing line. Lifting a corner, she sniffed it. “Huh, still a bit of a bleachy smell, but way better than what it did smell of.”

She looked up at the starry night, and then around all the dark houses before sighing.

“I should have gone to Manehatten. So many ponies there, I could have vanished. I was being too clever coming here.”

***

Up above her, Discord snapped his talons and then tried to look innocent.

He settled back into Constable Walker and prodded him. “What? Well, it’s no fun if it all gets one-sided. It gets” -he pulled a face- “boring and, even worse, predictable. Annnd you know how much I hate that.”

He looked back down and waggled a talon in Sunbeam’s direction. “But that’s it for audience participation my dear. That’s your lot. No more. What happens now, happens. I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the show from now on.”

***

In the darkness, a motion caught Sunbeam’s eye. She watched as two ponies ran down an alleyway, stopped, looked around in confusion, and then ran back the way they’d come.

She shook her head. 'Huh. I suppose it is easy to get turned around at night, things do look different in the darkness.'

She squinted at the two departing ponies. “Is that you Mr Love-Note? You are the only other pony usually around this time of night.” She looked at the two ponies. “Ah, finally got the nerve to stop leaving notes and just ask her out?”

Her eyebrows rose as she watched them. “Ask him out?” After a pause, she shrugged. “Well to each their own. Not like I’m in any position to judge.”

Sunbeam was silent for a second. “Oh but now you’ve got my curiosity going. I just have to know. And I’m never going to get another chance...”

Her eyes glowed. “Just a quick peek at your auras, see if I recognize who- Oh that’s odd. Your auras have a tinge. Wait! I… I know that tinge. I know that…”

Sunbeam dropped the sheet she was holding.

***

Working frantically as Rainbow slept, Sunbeam shoved gear haphazardly into the saddlebags.

“Horseapples, horseapples, horseapples. Amulets! Only amulets tinge the aura like that! They’ve found me! They’ve bucking found me!”

She rushed out in the corridor. Stopping, she looked back at Rainbow as she slept on the couch with a blanket hastily thrown over her.

“Please understand, I can’t fight them Rainbow! They have amulets. Working amulets! Any fight would last all of two seconds. The fact I spotted them at all is one of the biggest flukes ever. And as they didn't even try to capture me probably means they're going back for reinforcements.” She shook her head. “Reinforcements Rainbow! Probably an entire strike team out there, with amulets!”

She walked towards the door. “So I intend to be faaaar away before this all goes to Tartarus. Faaar, far away.” Stopping her looked over her shoulder at Rainbow again. “Thank goodness you’ll be leaving for Canterlot in the morning. I feel better knowing that you’ll be safe by the time this all hits the fan. They'll probably wait until next sunset before...”

Her ears drooped.

“Before Ponyville is in serious trouble. They’ve got nothing here that could possibly stop them. The bearers aren't all here, and besides, they're in pretty rough shape last I saw.”

Sunbeam closed her eyes. “In fact, the only ponies that could stop them right now are the princesses. I'd need to tell...”

There was a pause before she opened her eyes with a big smile. “A note! “Yes! A note could work! I could leave a note with you Rainbow to give to the Day Princess. ‘Dear Princesses, you don’t know me, but if you could come down to Ponyville and save it from a big magical threat that would be just great’.” Her shoulders slumped. “By the way, this isn’t a trap honest. Or a way to get you to leave Canterlot undefended.”

Her head fell.

“Signed: a pony that ran away under not-at-all suspicious circumstances. PS just to remind you again: not a trap. Honest.”

Her ears fell. “Yeeeeeah, that’s not gonna work is it. They’d have to treat a note like that with suspicion, at best. And by the time they did act, it’ll be too late.”

Her head lifted up again.

“But if I told them in person...”

Sunbeam eyes widened. Walking stiffly back into the living room, she picked the bottle of Lady Jacqueline and took a swig straight from it.

“O-okay, I really need to get going now.”

***

Sitting under a tree, Sunbeam looked down on Ponyville as the sun peeked over the horizon.

Rainbow’s saddlebags lay on the ground near her, along with the sheets she’d been using for padding.

Taking a sip of Lady Jacqueline, she didn’t take her eyes off Ponyville.

Wiping muzzle with the back of her hoof, Sunbeam’s eyes narrowed as she jabbed a hoof at Ponyville.

“Look, all you have to do is stand back and let your homes and livelihoods be torn apart as they look for me. They don’t care about you, just let them do their thing and they'll be minimal deaths. M- Mini-”

Lifting the bottle, she took too big a swig and started coughing and spluttering.

Eyes still watering, she looked back at Ponyville and snarled. “But you won’t do that will you!” She jabbed the hoof again. “Oh no. Of course not. Just one death and you stupid bastards will try and fight!” Her ears fell. “And then you'll become a threat. And then…” She looked away. “And then Ponyville becomes a mass graveyard.”

She quickly took another sip.

“So please, don't fight. That way most of you get to live and..."

Suddenly lifting a hoof, Sunbeam stamped it down hard. "Look, the only way you’d have a chance was if a princess was there. Which ain’t happening! So forget it.”

She sat in silence for a while before rolling her shoulders.

“I’ve heard the stories. That if she gets her hooves on you it's... it’s worse than anything you can imagine. And...” -she looked down- “And I can imagine so many, many, terrible things.”

Lifting the bottle, her hooves shook as she took a long swig, nearly emptying the bottle. Holding the bottle up, she looked despondently at the dregs remaining in it.

She gave Ponyville another look.

“Please, just try not to be heros and you’ll be fine. Please, don’t be heroes. Sure there'll be a few deaths, but they’ll be minimal. Minimal! Most of you will be fine. M-most...”

She emptied the bottle before tossing it aside.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Let’s do this.”

She remained seated.

“I can do this! I’m Icefang, the most feared and hated bitch on the battlefield. I can leave anytime I want.”

She glanced over at Ponyville and then quickly looked away.

“I’m Icefang, I don’t have a heart. All I have is a muscle that pumps blood around my body.”

She didn’t move.

Her lips curled back as she looked back at Ponyville. “I’m Icefang. Do you hear me? I’m Icefang and I don’t care if I brought them here, it'll be your fault if you get yourselves killed fighting them. I don’t care!”

Her ears drooped.

“Sure I could go tell the princess. I’m all for self-sacrifice and all that, but not if I’m the pony that has to do the sacrificing! Do you have any idea what she'll do to me?!”

Her head fell.

“I’m Icefang and I don’t care if you all die.”

Her eyes closed as she ground her teeth.

“I don’t care...”

The morning chorus sang as the sun cast sunbeams through the branches of the tree she was seated under.

“I don’t c-c-c...”

She wiped her eyes with a hoof.

“I… I…”

***

Sunbeam stopped to kick the ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ sign before walking back into Ponyville.

Chapter 46 - A Name From The Past

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Chapter 46 - A Name From The Past

Rainbow sat up on the couch, her blanket falling onto the floor as she did so. Groggily, she looked around trying to work out where she was.

“Oh yeah. I’m at Sunny’s and- Uh, I don't feel too...”

Rainbow belched.

Her eyes widened as the taste of last night’s alcohol filled her mouth.

Throwing a hoof up to her muzzle, she scrambled to get up.

***

In the kitchen preparing breakfast, Sunbeam just shook her head as she heard her guest dash towards the bathroom.

However, she did wince and look up sympathetically when she heard several particularly loud sounds come from upstairs. "Ooo. I hope she remembers to open a window."

Floating two eggs over into a bowl, she picked up a knife to cut a watermelon. "'Cause I ain't into cleaning-"

Sunbeam stood there silently as she watched her hoof shake. Carefully, she put the knife down and rubbed her face.

***

Seated at the kitchen table, Rainbow sipped her milky, sugary, tea. The tall glass of water she’d been given hadn’t lasted long. Nor had the second one, even despite her best efforts to only sip it.

Sunbeam, wearing a blue-and-white striped apron, looked around from the hob she was cooking on. “Feeling a bit better now are we?”

Rainbow nodded. The two little pain-killer tablets Sunbeam had given her were finally kicking in.

“Up for some breakfast?”

“I…”

“Trust me, you’ll feel better.” Sunbeam turned back to the hob. “Or, at least you’ll have something to bring up if nothing else.”

***

Rainbow pushed her plate away from her. “Wow, that was great.”

Sunbeam beamed. “Thanks. I like to think I’m a good little cook. I just don’t get the chance to entertain guests often.”

Rainbow patted her stomach. “Well I’m gonna have to come around more often.” Looking around the kitchen, she noted at all the plates, pots, pans and other assorted utensils piled up on the sides. There was a brief internal struggle before she added: “You want a hoof washing up?”

Sunbeam shook her head. “Nah.” Standing up, she added Rainbow’s and her own dishes to the pile before walking away.

‘Might as well makes use of the fact it’ll all be somepony -else’s- problem tomorrow.’

***

Standing next to the sky-chariot currently parked outside the mayor's office, Sunbeam watched Rainbow talk to the two pegasi guards assigned to pull it.

As she waited, she tried to ignore all the sidelong glances that were being thrown in her direction. She had, just about, managed to keep a steady pace as they walked through Ponyville. She’d even managed to hold her head high and tried to look unbothered by all the stares the burn marks on her flanks had been getting.

However, her ears were folded flat and her hackles had gone up by now.

She started grinding her teeth as yet another pony stopped to stare. ‘I can feel your stare -crawling- over me you know. Anypony would think you've never seen magically burnt-off cutie marks before!' Her half-ear lifted and rotated to point behind her. 'And while I may be missing half an ear, it doesn’t mean I can’t hear all your horrified little gasps as well. Even from behind.’

She forced herself to lift her head, which had started to drop again. ‘But I guess the pair of us do look quite the sight though. I am pretty beat up, and what with Rainbow’s wing-’

Her eyes narrowed at a mare that stopped to stare with her jaw hanging open.

‘You’re going to start catching flies like that my dear. Here, let me come over there and close it for you, with an uppercut! Why not point as well? Go ahead, point. I dare you. I bucking dare you to...’ Sunbeam’s ears fell out to the sides. ‘Yes, my cutie marks are missing. Will you all bucking get over it!’ Her head dropped. ‘It didn’t bother me before, but the way you’re all acting is starting to -make- it bother me.’

Rainbow turned back towards her from the guards. “They say about ten minutes pre-flight, then we’re good to go.”

Sunbeam didn’t look up. “Can I get on now?”

A guard shrugged, then nodded. “Sure.”

Sunbeam quickly boarded the chariot, relieved that her flanks were now hidden, even if only partially, from the passing crowd.

‘At least the Day Princess isn’t gonna gawk at my flanks as she tears my head off. Yay for small mercies.’

She shot a glare at the mare who's mouth had been hanging open. Blushing, the mare turned and quickly scurried away.

Sunbeam looked down at the floor of the chariot. ‘Okay, I admit it’s not really your fault for staring... but you're -not- winning any friends doing it. I’m trying to save you all here for buck’s sake! And what thanks do I get? Gawking! Gawking and pointing!’ She studied the floor of the chariot. ‘Why does that hurt? Why -am- I still doing this? I could be miles away by now! I could just walk away right now and be safe. I still have time. I could still just walk away from all this. I could...’

Sunbeam wiped her eyes as she lifted her head and looked around. She silently glared at the ponies walking past her on their way to the market. She watched them go past, all smiling and waving at each other.

‘Oh, I hate you all right now! I hate you all so much right now. You bunch of smug, self-righteous... ’

A regular at ‘The Swift’ noticed her and waved as he walked past.

Smiling, he walked on.

Sitting there, Sunbeam slowly turned her head to look at the hoof she’d waved back with.

She stared at it for several seconds before lowering it.

A tiny smile flickered across her face.

***

Seated next to Rainbow as the chariot flew over the rolling hills under them, Sunbeam kept her eyes closed as she went over the argument in her head again.

‘I -did- do the right thing! By not telling anypony in Ponyville about the Snakes, I've prevented anypony getting hurt in the panic that would cause.' She rolled her shoulders. 'I’ve heard about this Trixie character and what she did to Ponyville with just -one- amulet. If they found out that a -whole group- of ponies, with amulets, were coming, they'd freak out. They'd all totally freak out and try to run.’ She rolled her shoulders again. ‘And however sensible that course of action may be, if the Snakes suddenly saw Ponyville being... evacuated, they’d be forced to act.’ Her ear twitched. ‘And as a bunch of panicking ponies is notoriously difficult to control, they’d have to be harsh, brutal even in their tactics. Right from the get-go, they'd have to start retiring...’

Sunbeam swallowed, her throat suddenly dry.

'But by -not- telling Ponyville, it buys a little more time. Precious time. Enough time for the Princesses to get their flanks down there and stop the Snakes -before- they act. Hopefully.’

She nodded to herself. ‘Yes, that still makes sense. It’s still the right thing to do. Maybe not the nice thing, but it is the -right- thing to do. And once I’m in Canterlot’ -her head fell- ‘I still won’t tell anypony because it’s the only bargaining chip I'll have with the Day Princess.’

Lifting her head, Sunbeam looked forward. ‘She can’t just incinerate me on the spot if I’m the only pony with the information she needs. It’s a good plan. It’s a sensible plan. It’s a plan that increases my survival prospects greatly.’

She sat there in silence as she stared forward.

‘It’s a plan which also increases the risk to Ponyville significantly while I don’t tell anypony.’

She watched Canterlot approach as her ears slowly fell.

'I wish I was a better pony.’

***

Rainbow trotted towards a pair of double doors in the white-walled anteroom. “See, what I’d tell you Sunny. This is the private way to the throne room. For ‘esteemed guests’ only. Okay, there're a few more guards than last time, but after everything that’s to be expected.”

Opening one of the doors slightly, Rainbow peered into the throne room for a moment before closing it quietly.

“Princess Celestia is in day court right now but she should be finishing for lunch soon. I can see Twilight and the others close by. Oh man, I hope the kitchens got my note and have put hay burgers and fries on the menu." She looked around. "What they offered last time wouldn't have fed...” Rainbow blinked. Sunbeam was sitting rigidly upright, eyes wide with her ears folded flat. “You okay there Sunny?”

Sunbeam's jaw opened and closed several times before she actually spoke. “I - I saw her! When you had the door open, through the gap, I could s-s-ee... her.”

Stepping forward, Rainbow wrapped her good wing around her. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s only…” she turned to look at Sunbeam. “You’re shaking!”

Sunbeam nodded as she kept staring at the double doors. “I saw her! I saw the Day Princess! I’m so close that I could see the individual colours in her mane. I’m bucked. I’m so bucked! I’m…”

“Hey if you want to leave…”

Rainbow felt the jolt run through Sunbeam before she was roughly pushed away from her.

“No! Don’t you dare Rainbow! Don’t you dare offer me a way out now!” Her head fell. “‘Cause I'll take it. I'll take it and run." Without lifting her head, she gestured around her. "And besides, it's a little late to be asking me that question don't ya think?”

Rainbow tilted her head. “Wow, Twilight was right. You really do have a thing about Princesses.” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she looked at her. “So what happened the first time you met Twi then?”

Sunbeam smiled weakly. “Well, it consisted of me having to breathe into a paper bag to stave off a humiliating panic attack on the floor. But hey, at least I didn’t try to blast...”

Both looked around at the gong sound.

Rainbow stood up. “That’s the end of morning day-court. We can go in now.”

Sunbeam shook her head. “No no no! I’ll wait out here, thank you very much. I really don’t want to be in the same room as her when she finds out. Knee-jerk reactions and all that. Can you tell her something instead of me?”

Rainbow gave her a long, cool, look.

“Please Rainbow. Don’t leave me hangin’ here.”

There was a pause before Rainbow put a hoof on her shoulder. “Cheap shot. But as I didn't have to help wash up this morning, I'm feeling generous. Whatcha want me to say?”

“You need to tell her… You need to t-tell...” Sunbeam tailed off into silence. She took a deep breath. “You need to tell her…” -Sunbeam licked her dry lips- “you need to tell her, tell her t-that…” She looked down at the floor and spoke quietly. “Tell her that the ‘Snakes’ have returned to Equestria.”

There was silence before Rainbow flicked an ear. “That’s what you want me to say? You want me to tell the Princess that snakes, the kind of animal that Twilight hates, are-”

Sunbeam’s head shot up as she stamped a hoof. “Of course I don't mean the bucking reptile you...!” Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm herself down. “Sorry Rainbow. No, not the reptile. Snakes as in… Oh horseapples, I forgot, she wouldn’t recognize the name would she? They changed it to Snakes after...”

Sunbeam’s tone became dull and lifeless as she automatically started reciting from memory. “While the ‘Snake evacuation group’ wasn’t the only group that managed to initially escape the purges, it was the only group to successfully remain hidden from them over time. This was, in part anyway, due to the fact we had decided cast aside the name given to us the great betrayer and adopt a new name. We were the Snake Evacuation Group, so 'Snakes' was chosen to be our new name. And besides, what allegiance did we now owe the very being that turned on us. Turned on us when we were only doing her work...”

Her jaw trembled and she stuttered into silence.

Rainbow stepped forwards and put a hoof on her shoulder. “You okay? And what was that all about?”

Sunbeam shook her head as she muttered something.

Rainbow tilted her head. “Didn't catch that.”

Sunbeam's head snapped up. “I said: 'Knights of the Divine Sun!'” Her eyes immediately widened as she threw a hoof over her mouth.

Taking her hoof away her shoulder, Rainbow shrugged. “Never heard of them.”

Still looking at the doors like they were about to explode, Sunbeam shook her head. “N-no. I doubt even Twilight has. The Day Princess was most thorough in trying to remove all traces of that little mistake.” Dropping her hoof, she tilted her head from side-to-side as she spoke in a sing-song voice. “Let us carry her light. With her light, let us cleanse the world of its flaws.” Pausing, she sniggered to herself. “In hindsight, perhaps that was just a little too open to interpretation.”

Rainbow blinked at her. “Uh?”

Lifting a hoof, Sunbeam rubbed her face. “Look, Snakes were once known as Knights of the Divine…” -she looked around before whispering the next word- “Sun. Just say that to the Day Princess and tell her that they have returned. Oh, by-the-way, you might want to stand back when you say it. I’ve heard that she reacts badly to that name.” Stepping up to Rainbow, she put a hoof on her shoulder. “So please, for buck’s sake, make you’re not standing right next to her when you say it.”

Rainbow frowned at her. “I kinda think you’re making a big a deal over this. The Princess is a nice pony.” Grabbing her hoof, she tried to pull Sunbeam towards the door. “Look, I’ll show you…”

The hoof was wrenched out of her grip as Sunbeam threw herself backwards, landing heavily on the floor with a pained grunt.

Turning to face her, Rainbow saw Sunbeam scramble to get up, her eyes wide and her ears flat again. Taking a step towards her, Sunbeam quickly took a step back, keeping her distance between them.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Okay then, you wait here and I’ll go in, by myself!" She pointed a hoof. "But you better realize that once this is all cleared up I’m going to tease you over this. Like forever!”

Sunbeam nodded.

Rainbow turned towards the door. “Right, you want me to go in there and say: ‘Knights of the Divine Sun’ are back, or something like that, to the Princess.” She walked towards the doors and opened them. "And once I’ve said it, I’m coming right back out here to start teasing you." Turning her head, she smiled at Sunbeam. "Remember Sunny, you’re with friends here, and friends look out for each other.”

Sunbeam watched as Rainbow closed the doors after her. Turning, she walked over to the bench by the wall and seated herself down on it.

“Friends look out for each…”

Her shoulders slumped as she looked down at the floor. “It would be so much simpler if I didn’t care about Ponyville. If I didn't care at all...”

Lifting her head, she gave a furtive glance around before raising a hoof and waving it at an imaginary pony. A tiny smile flickered across her face.

Lowering her hoof, she closed her eyes.

In the following silence, her face twitched several times. A hoof was twice lifted up to stamp but was lowered down softly both times.

Eventually, she lifted head and squared her shoulders. “Buck it! Fine! You win! I’ll tell the Princess that Ponyville is in danger as soon as she walks in. No using my friends in Ponyville as bargaining chips, even for my own personal survival.”

A few seconds passed and then Sunbeam rubbed her eyes as a rueful smile spread over her face. “Annnd now I have absolute proof I’m nuts: I actually do feel happier now.”

***

Rainbow walked towards Celestia as the last member of court left.

Celestia smiled at her as she bowed. “Good day to you Rainbow.” She looked at the bandaged wing and raised an eyebrow. “How are you? Getting the best treatment available I hope.” She glanced at Short Notice who was still stood by her side. Short Notice made a note on his clipboard.

Rainbow nodded. “Oh yeah, they just say I need to rest it for a while, your highness." She scowled as she looked at her wing. "But I do think they put every bandage they had in the entire hospital on it. And don't get me started on all the tests they wanted to run... ”

After a pointed cough from Rarity, Rainbow looked back at Celestia with a smile. “Oh, and it’s good to see you up-and-about Princess. The antidote we got must have worked eh?”

Celestia’s smile slipped for a second before returning. “I am indeed getting better Miss Dash.”

Mentally shrugging, Rainbow pointed to the double doors of the anteroom. “By the way, Sunbeam is out there.”

Celestia turned to look at the doors to an anteroom. “Is that so. Well I do have a few questions for her. A few details I would rather like to clear up.” She frowned. “But she did not come in with you?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “She seemed to be scared of you, your highness. Can you believe that?”

Twilight stepped forward. “I believe Sunbeam has got a phobia about Alicorns. The first I met her she nearly had a panic attack... after a very loud exclamation that is.”

Rainbow turned towards Twilight with a smirk. "And just what did Sunny exclaim loud-ly..." She trailed off as she got a good look at her friend.

Looking around, Rainbow was shocked to see that all of her friends looked haggard and not one of them looked like they had slept well in the last couple of days.

Even Pinkie’s mane was noticeably less curly than usual.

Rainbow turned her head back towards the Princess but kept her eyes on Pinkie. “Uhhh… She wanted me to tell you that ‘Snakes’ are here in Equestria.”

Celestia lifted her head. “‘Snakes are here in Equestria?’" She smiled gently. "Can I presume that is reference to a name and not in reference to the family of reptiles?”

Tearing her eyes off Pinkie, Rainbow nodded at Celestia.

Celestia turned towards Short Notice but he just shook his head in response. “I haven’t heard of the name myself your highness. I shall start enquiries.” He looked at Rainbow. “Any context I should look for Miss Dash?”

Twilight, who had been rubbing her chin, spoke up before Rainbow had a chance to respond. “Snakes? I’ve heard that name before... Oh, isn’t that the group Sunbeam was part of? Yes, I’m sure that’s it.” Her ears fell. “I can't believe I forgot to tell you that Princess. I tried to tell you everything, but I forgot that! I should have...”

Celesta extended a wing over Twilight and pulled her in tight. “Shh. Please don't worry yourself over it Twilight. I don't expect you to remember every little thing that happened.”

Rarity nodded as Twilight settled into Celestia's wing. “Oh yes, I remember now. Back at the inn with the other beastly ‘Icefang’. Some of the rumours I heard definitely did mention her being a ‘Snake’. And from the way it was said, I don’t think it was meant as an insult. Well, not entirely anyway.”

Rainbow waved an annoyed hoof at them. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well your highness, Sunbeam said that they’re here in Equestria. But she said that you’d know them by another name. She’d said you’d know them better as ‘Knights of the Divine Su…’”

***

Sunbeam looked around the anteroom and rolled her shoulders.

“Nice fluting on those columns.”

She looked down at the floor, her chest feeling tight. “The infused gold flecks in the marble floor are subtle and not overpowering. I approve. I wonder how they did that though?”

She looked at the walls as she licked her lips. “I could do with a drink right now, even water. My throat feels so dry.” She tilted her head. “Hmmm, the paint job is really well done in here. And what shade is that? I like it, I should ask...”

The doors to the throne room exploded.

Chapter 47 - The Frozen Sun

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Chapter 47 - The Frozen Sun

Sunbeam lay sprawled out on the floor after the explosion, her hooves jammed into her ears as she tried to stop them ringing.

“Uhhh…”

Forcing her eyes open, her vision swimming a little, she found herself eye-level with the floor.

It took a few seconds more, and some long blinks, before she noticed that the floor was strewn with burnt fragments of door, a couple of which that were still burning.

The scent of charcoal filled the air.

Groaning again, Sunbeam half-closed her eyes as she rested her chin on the floor.

“Oww-www. That hurt! That really bucking-”

Her next word caught in her throat as a set of golden shoes stepped into view.

Not breathing, not blinking, Sunbeam watched the shoes approach her. Even over the ringing, she could hear the crunch of charcoal being crushed under them when they trod on some.

They stopped inches away from her muzzle and Sunbeam stared at them. While the shoes were now coated in charcoal dust, the hooves inside them remained a pristine white. She noted that there was a tiny, ‘v’ shaped dent in the front of the left shoe.

Sunbeam closed her eyes. Her mouth felt so very dry.

‘Tell her about Ponyville. Tell-’

She felt something move close to her face and she tried to ignore it. ‘F-for buck’s sake, just open your mouth and tell her. Tell her! Tell-’

There was an exhale of hot breath directly onto Sunbeam’s right cheek, so close that she felt individual hairs of her fur move.

Sunbeam tilted her head, a confused look on her face. She was about to say something, something important, but she couldn’t remember just what it was.

Her confusion grew; her mouth tasted like she’d been licking copper and, for some reason, her heart was pounding loudly in her ears. She also noted that she could smell a high-quality shampoo now; it’s pleasant jasmine scent mixing with that of charcoal.

‘Am I at a barbecue? Why am I at a barbecue? I had something important to do, I’m sure I had something important... Uh, actually that shampoo it smells quite nice, I wonder where I can get some?’

Her brow furrowed. ‘Why won’t my eyes open? Why can’t I open-’

There was another exhale onto her cheek.

Sunbeam lay still for a moment. ‘Ah yes, I remember. I’m not at barbecue, I’m-’

A jolt ran through her. Slowly, she put her forehooves on the back of her head and pushed her face hard into the floor.

‘Let it be quick. -Please-, j-just let it b-be-

There was a voice in the distance.

An image of a purple alicorn formed in Sunbeam’s mind. While she couldn’t make out what had been said, but it sounded like a question had just been asked.

The presence by her face moved away.

A chance...

Pure instinct took over.

Her eyes still closed, Sunbeam lifted her head off the floor. “Ponyville in danger! Ponyville is in danger!”

Letting her head fall back down, she wrapped her hooves over her eyes and lay there panting as she waited.

In the following silence, as nothing happened, a grin formed.

‘I... I did it. I told them. I don’t care now. I don’t care what she does now! I told-’

Sunbeam felt magic wrap around her and lift her up into the air.

There was a choked sob. ‘That’s a lie! I do care! I -do- still care!’

***

Mayor Mare stopped dead as she walked back into her office after lunch. An unknown unicorn was sitting at her desk, idly going through her paperwork. Two more unicorns stood on either side of her desk, watching her.

The one sitting at her desk looked up.

“Ah, you’re back from lunch.” He glanced at the clock. “I was expecting you twenty minutes ago to be honest. Must have been a good lunch. Anyway, you may call me Mr Fang.” He looked down at the folder he was reading. “I just was reading about the town’s ‘emergency meeting protocol’. Set up to inform Ponyville of, and I quote: ‘rogue magical events, creatures or general mishaps.”

He looked up and smiled. “Not once are the bearers ever mentioned. All that is ever said is: ‘Ponyville's heightened threat risk due to circumstances’. Very politely put may I say." He hoof tapped the folder. "I see the town hall has been recently increased in size to accommodate the majority of the populous now, and, on last test run you tried a new method to get ponies to attend meetings.” He paused and tilted his head. “In less than an hour, a little under ninety percent of Ponyville's inhabitants were there. I’m impressed.”

Mayor Mare looked around. “Who are you? Where’s my assistant?”

The stallion waved a hoof. “Oh she’s... unavailable I’m afraid. You see I’d heard some disturbing things about my sister last night and just had to rush here to find out what was going on. Anyway, after I had finished describing my sister to your assistant she told me she’d seen a pony matching her description, this very morning."

The unicorn stood up, his expression growing dark. “While I was aware that a bearer had found her and so her condition might not be the best, the way she described my sister greatly upset me.” His words descended into a growl. “Beaten, broken, her cutie marks... burnt off."

Turning his head away, he sighed. "Confession time. When your assistant told me how she looked I did get quite upset. And then she had the gall to tell me that she’d just sat and watched as my sister was taken away." Sharp Fang's jaw trembled for a second before turning to look at her. "She just sat there and watched as my little sister was taken away to face the Day Princess.’ He took a deep, calming, breath before smiling again. “I did, kind of, go and lose my temper with her.”

He nodded to the unicorns stood by the desk. Both nodded back as one put up a silencing field around the room while the other locked the doors.

Sharp Fang walked over to the window and looked out. “Knowing that my little sister is now in the hooves of the Day Princess. Knowing that, as we speak, she’s being… she’s being...” His hoof scraped the carpet before he looked back at Mayor Mare. “Well, it feels like my heart has been ripped out. A feeling that I suddenly had the overpowering urge to share with somepony.” His eyes narrowed. “Especially with somepony who had just ‘sat there and watched’ as she was taken away.”

Levitating the folder from the desk over to him, he looked back down at it. His voice was casual as he pointed to a waste paper basket, half-full of red paper. “So I teleported your assistant’s heart out of her chest and into the wastebasket. Don’t worry though, I remembered to contain the spray. No point making work for the cleaners eh?”

Mayor Mare’s head slowly turned to look at the basket.

Sharp Fang casually turned a page in the folder as he stood by the window. “Now with the pleasantries out of the way, let’s get down to business. I want you to call an emergency meeting. I want everypony in one spot at one time.” He turned his head and flashed a smile. “It will be so much easier to control everypony if they are in a confined space.”

Mayor Mare took a half step back, her eyes still on the basket. “What!? What… Miss File?!” She looked at him. “You killed Miss File... You sick- No! No I won’t help you! I won’t-”

Sharp Fang’s horn glowed and Mayor Mare’s left foreleg was rotated ninety degrees, sideways.

He looked back down at the folder. “And you may consider that me asking nicely.”

Ignoring the screams, he turned to look out the window over Ponyville. “Congratulations Ponyville. You are all bargaining chips. And trust me, that is a step up from how I did see you.” He turned back to Mayor Mare as she rolled around on the floor holding her leg. “Please bear this in mind, Madam Mayor, I am willing to retire every single pony in Equestria to get my sister back. Every... Single... One!”

Sitting down, Sharp Fang rubbed his eyes. ‘I just hope I’m in time little-sister. I just hope I’m fast enough so that Day Princess leaves enough of you -to- be saved. Please hold on Icefang. Please, I beg you, just hold on a little longer. I swear I’m coming to save you.’ He felt a cold chill run down his spine as his determination spiked. ‘Orders be damned! I’m going to save you from the clutches of the Day Princess little sister. No matter what it takes, I’m going to save you!’

He looked back at the Mayor and then to one of the unicorns. “Hold her still. Thank you.” Standing up, he walked over to her. “Now, just how do we go about calling an emergency meeting Madam Mayor? Please bear in mind that I won’t ask nicely again.”

***

The explosion had woken Luna.

Horn charged and ready to defend herself, she cautiously opened the door to her quarters. Even though she was an alicorn, her sister’s pranking had taught her, long ago, the benefits of some basic caution when opening a door.

Outside, four thestrals stood ready with weapons drawn. The sergeant in charge of the detail turned to her and nodded. “The immediate area is secure your highness.”

Relaxing, she stepped out into the corridor. “Good. I want-”

They all turned to look up the passageway at the galloping sounds. As they got closer the guards automatically took up defensive positions around the Princess.

The major, and two pegasus thestrals, turned a corner and galloped down the passageway towards them.

The major skidded to a stop and saluted a couple of steps away from them. “Ma’am. Initial reports indicate that the explosion came from the throne room. No word on your sister yet. All checkpoints I’ve encountered are still guarded and on high alert. The castle is going to lockdown as we speak.”

The sergeant glanced at a thestral unicorn who was part of his detail. Horn glowing, the unicorn nodded back. “It is the major, Sergeant, no illusionary magic here.” All the guards around the Princess relaxed.

Luna nodded. “Good. Let us make haste to the throne room then major. I wish to make sure that my sister is okay.”

“Ma’am!” The major turned to the thestral unicorn. “You! You scanning?”

“Yes ma’am. Full spectrum scans. A little slower, but more thorough.”

The major nodded and turned back to Luna. “Your highness. I know you would like to check on your sister as soon as possible, but please, if you would let us do our job and take a steady pace to the throne room. We have no idea of what’s going on yet.”

“Of course major.”

The major relaxed and turned to look at the other thestrals present. “Okay ponies listen up. I want everypony on a defensive posture around the Princess. You!” -she pointed to a pegasus thestral- “I want you on airborne-point, at least two body lengths in front of us. Everypony, we’re in the castle and there are a lot of scared, confused ponies milling around at the minute, so check your targets. Give one warning, then take them down if needs be. Hard, but non-lethally.” She paused. “However, if the something feels bad and you see the situation going south… we’re defending the princess. Remember, non-lethal is only my preferred method.”

***

Twilight watched as Celestia paced back-and-forth in front of Sunbeam. While Celestia’s mane was no longer on fire and had almost returned to its normal colours, a hint of red still tinged it.

Sunbeam herself was pinned to the floor by a golden glow around her barrel. Her wide eyes were the only thing that moved as she watched the Princess pace in front of her.

Twilight looked around, Apart from herself and her friends, the princess and Sunbeam were the only other ponies in the throne room. She’d watched as Celestia had ordered, under 'duly noted' protests, the guards and Short Notice to leave. Currently, Pinkie and Fluttershy were trying to keep an agitated Rainbow calm while Rarity and Applejack were just giving the Princess disapproving looks.

With a deep breath, Twilight stepped hesitantly forward. “Princess, I know Sunbeam is not exactly an ‘innocent’, but she did help us. And I did give her my word that she could stay here. I don’t think all this is strictly necessary-”

Lifting a hoof, Celestia cut Twilight off before seating herself down in front of Sunbeam. “This could all be a ruse. No pony has ever left them. Not one, ever!” The hoof was pointed at Sunbeam. “So why should I believe this one has now? Especially now. Considering everything that’s happened recently… No, this is all way too coincidental. I will not take chances with them Twilight.” Her face twitched. “I will not let them hurt any more of my ponies ever again. Not one, not ever again!”

Twilight tilted her head. “Princess, what are you...”

Celestia's head snapped round, making Twilight flinch. “Don’t you understand Twilight?! They are responsible for so many-” Taking several deep breaths, Celestia rubbed her eyes with a hoof. “My apologies Twilight. She is a reminder of a mistake. My biggest…”

There was silence as Celestia continued to rub her eyes, her voice becoming tight. “So many Twilight. They took so many. I sometimes wonder how many went thinking it was what I ordered. How many died thinking I had ordered them to be...”

Lowering her hoof, she leant down to look Sunbeam in the eye. “What’s the term you use? Retired? Isn’t that what you call it? Retiring somepony?” Celestia’s voice became a growl. “How many did you retire In my name?” She got closer, baring her teeth. “How many ponies did you kill in my name. How many died thinking it was me that wanted them dead? How many!?”

Sunbeam cringed back, not saying a word.

Celestia horn started glowing and the edges of her mane and tail started to smoulder. “And worse, because of you I had to send my little sister away. I had to…” She lifted a hoof up wipe her eyes. “I had to send…”

Sunbeam eyes grew a little wider, her pupils a little smaller. Seeing the Day Princess on the verge of crying was, somehow, even more terrifying.

Celestia looked down at her, her voice suddenly tired. “For a thousand years, I was so lonely. So lonely...” Leaning down, her muzzle brushed Sunbeam’s ear as she whispered into it. “You drove me mad. I went mad with grief after sending my sister away. I did terrible things looking for you. Stopping you was for the greater good. And I had to do such... terrible things for the greater good.” There was a pause as she shook her head. “I hate you all so much for that. For making me do things that even after a thousand years, I’m still trying to atone for. I hate you for turning me into a monst-”

A voice called out from behind her. “Sister?”

Celestia spun around a look of shock on her face. Luna was standing in the open doorway to the throne room, giving her a questioning look.

Stepping between Luna and Sunbeam, Celestia spread her wings defensively. “Lulu! Stay back! It’s one of them! It’s a knight. Stay back! Don’t get any closer!”

Luna calmly looked at her sister, still halfway across the throne room. Slowly, she leant sideways to look at Sunbeam.

Celestia sidestepped, keeping herself, and her stretched-out wings, between Luna and Sunbeam.

***

Lyra watched as the unicorn pinned up an ‘emergency meeting’ poster on the notice board outside the mayor’s office.

She turned to Bon Bon. “I guess we need to go tell ponies there's an emergency meeting then. I wonder what the problem is this time?”

Bon Bon shrugged. “No idea. But at least we’re here first.” She grinned and pointed at the poster. “Just like last time, every pony you tell that hasn’t heard, the greater the tax reduction you get for the end of the year. So let’s make a start before others start spreading the word as well.”

***

As Luna and Celestia looked at each other across the throne room, Applejack stepped forward. “Princess, I don’t know what’s going on here but she ain’t lyin’. Sunbeam there really does think Ponyville is in danger.”

Celestia, her wings still out, calmly looked around and down at Sunbeam. “Oh, I believe she thinks she’s telling the truth Miss Applejack.” Her eyes narrowed. “However, there are spells to alter the memory. Spells that make the subject think they are telling the truth. That way they can pass any lie test.” A second passed, then Celestia rubbed her eyes again, her wings drooping. “Only for those false memories to fade and for them to revert to their original character later.”

Applejack pulled the brim of her, recently retrieved, hat down. “Princess, that’s a load of hooey. I doubt-”

The stamp, which echoed around throne room, cut her off.

“It’s happened before Miss Applejack! They did it before to me before! I was naive and thought one had truly turned their back on them. Oh, I tested him to see if he was telling the truth and he passed. I truly thought he had changed. He truly thought he had changed. But… they were fake memories, implanted so he could pass the truth test. They faded and he reverted. I lost good ponies that night! So many good ponies, even my assistant, before he could be stopped. He killed so many I cared about.”

She stamped a hoof again as small flickers of flame edged her tail. “And he was proud of what he did. He thought it would buy time for others to escape... and it worked. I had to begin to search for them all over again. He stood there, looking so proud of what he’d done. So many I cared about lay dead by his hoof and he dared to look proud!”

Her voice became calm and low. “I lost my temper and he... stopped being proud.”

Her head turned towards Applejack... and Applejack took a step back at the look. “I’m not letting it happen again Miss Applejack. Not again! Especially not to any of you.” She turned to Luna and her ears flattened. “Certainly n-not to anypony I love.”

Luna, who had walked over to her, put a hoof on her sister's shoulders and spoke calmly. “Then what are we to do?”

Celestia’s ears perked up as she turned to look at Sunbeam.

“I spent many sleepless nights wondering what I could have done differently. How I could have saved them. I know what I should have done now.” Smiling, she lowered her head over Sunbeam. “I shall know your mind Miss Sunbeam. I shall know your deepest thoughts. We will horn link and I shall rip the veil of fake memories away and expose the truth.”

Sunbeam’s eyes managed to widen a tiny bit more as Celestia lowered her horn.

Before she could turn away, a golden glow formed around her head, holding it in place.

Sunbeam could only watch as Celestia’s horn closed on hers.

Suddenly she started snorting with laughter. “My first ever horn link is with-”

Their horns touched.

***

There was a moment of disorientation coupled with a falling sensation.

Sunbeam blinked and looked around. She was seated on top of a sand dune in the middle of a bright yellow desert. Rolling dunes stretched out endlessly in all directions under a bright blue, cloudless, sky.

She brought a hoof up to check but there was no sand in her fur. Looking up, she could see the sky was bright, yet there was no sun in it.

A regal voice spoke behind her. “You must be very inexperienced in horn links. Your mind doesn’t quite know what to make of what’s going on” -Celestia walked around Sunbeam and seated herself down- “so it’s trying to fit a world it does know over it to compensate. The more experienced you get in horn links, the less ‘physical’ you need to be and the more ethereal you can become. Almost to the point where you can interact as pure emotions.” She prodded herself and felt her hoof press into her chest. “Very inexperienced. Your mind is trying to apply the rules of the physical world here as well. Unfortunately, as we are in your mind for this we have to go with its rules.”

Sunbeam nodded and looked back over the desert. She frowned and turned her head back towards Celestia. “I feel calm. Why do I feel calm right now? Part of me feels I should be raging. That I should be angry. So very, very angry.”

Celestia looked around. “Perhaps this is somewhere you feel safe... and thus calm. From the detail, I definitely say that this is somewhere you have been before. Multiple times. Even I feel calmer here.”

Sunbeam looked over the rolling dunes stretching out to the horizon. Lowering her head she snorted. “Well, congratulations on being the first pony here there then, Day Princess.” Her head fell and she spoke mostly to herself. “Not that I put much stock into the concept, but still... I would have liked my first time to be somepony I actually liked. Just as well this place is making me feel calm because I think I might-”

There was a long pause before she lifted her head. “So, what do I need to do to get this over and done with?”

Celestia looked at her. “You? You can do nothing Miss Sunbeam. I am looking for memories that are locked away from you. Especially from you in fact. If you could remember them, it would defeat the entire purpose of hiding them in the first place.” Closing her eyes, she lifted her head. “To save wading through all your memories I shall need to calibrate my search. Let us start with pulling out a recent memory out of a place you know well.”

Sunbeam felt a ‘tugging’ sensation inside her head.

The desert faded and they were in the Golden Oaks Library. Her notes about her amulet lay on a table.

Celestia sighed as she looked around. “This is going to take time. More rules.” She gestured around her. “A ‘physical manifestation of the memory. I fear your mind is going to make us go through each memory like this.” She lifted her head. “So be it! But this is a good starting point as any. Now I have an idea how to pull your memories out, let us calibrate further. As hidden memories will resist being pulled out, let us pull out a memory that you will try and resist remembering.”

Sunbeam pulled her head back. “Uh...”

Celestia looked back at her. “Hidden memories will operate in a similar manner to memories you don’t want to remember. And as such- Ah, this one will do.”

The tug Sunbeam felt was harder this time.

The image changed again and they were in a dark room filled with books.

Sunbeam looked around. “Where-?”

There was a foals voice from behind her.

“...Please Mr Sable, I don’t want to do this.”

***

Celestia watched as the old stallion stepped towards the filly with the knife. With a smile, he turned the knife around to present the hilt to her.

“There you go. You should always pass a knife hilt-first in case-”

Hopping forward on three legs, he caught a rear hoof on a stack of books on the ground and went stumbling forward.

“Mr Sable!” The little filly rushed forward, trying to catch him. In her haste, she grabbed the hoof with the knife to try and support him.

Their momentums carried them both forwards.

Celestia watched impassively as they collided.

The filly stepped back, a look of puzzlement on her face.

“M-Mr Sable? Are you okay? Mr-”

She looked down at her hoof and a look of horror spread over her face. “I’m sorry Mr Sable. I… I didn’t mean to… I swear I didn’t mean to...”

The blood trickled onto her hoof.

She looked up, tears in her eyes. "Please be okay Mr Sable, Please be okay. I didn't mean-" The filly let out a shrill scream as the stallion toppled forwards onto her.

Celestia let the memory fade as the filly lay pinned under the corpse, struggling to get out. Turning to look at Sunbeam she nodded. “That was most helpful. You resisted recalling the memory most adequately. Now I just need to look for memories that react to being recalled in a similar manner.” Looking away she carried on.

Sunbeam had been sitting with her head hanging so low her nose was almost touching the floor. She didn’t look up when she spoke, her voice thick. “Wonderful. Glad I could help.” Sunbeam rolled her shoulders before glaring at Celestia’s back. “And I hope the word ‘horrific’ appears, several times, on your autopsy report. Bitch!”

Celestia didn’t look round. “Please be quiet, I’m trying to concentrate here.”

Sunbeam looked silently back down at the ground. After a minute, she lifted and hoof and wiped her eyes. “I’m so sorry Mr Sable. I didn’t mean to. I swear I- I didn’t- I- I-”

Celestia’s ear twitched in annoyance at the unintelligible sounds now coming from behind her.

***

Celestia opened her eyes. “Ahah. There we go. Memories that resist being recalled that also have a magical signature to them.”

Wiping her nose on the back of her foreleg, Sunbeam barely had time to look up before she felt a ripping sensation within her head.

Celestia calmly looked around the room. It was a dimly lit windowless office with a desk off to the left. The only light came from a single light hanging in the middle of the room, which had a ‘yellowed-with-age’ lampshade around it. The only picture on the wall was of a desert, it’s bright yellow dunes and bright blue sky, contrasting greatly to the rest of the gloomy office.

Celestia nodded in satisfaction. “These memories are all magically repressed. This is exactly what I’m looking for.”

Sunbeam sat rooted to the spot, her ears flat, as she reached a shaking hoof out towards the Princess. “T-t-this isn’t what you want! This is just something I don’t want to remember! I’ve been taking a memory suppression potion. This is not what you’re looking for! The magic is from a potion I’ve been taking! This isn’t-”

Celestia cut her off. “Your desire to repress these memories could be an implanted behaviour. A simple diversionary tactic. Something to try fool me into thinking this is not what I’m looking for. These are magically repressed memories, this is exactly what I am looking for. I will see this! I will see all of this. And after we seen what surfaces, we shall then discuss your future.”

Sunbeam cringed back. Something Zecora had said, just after she’d tended her for the first time, popped into her mind.

The images formed.

***

Luna looked at the late-afternoon light coming in through the windows and shook her head. “This is taking too long sister.”

She glanced over at the bearers. They were stood huddled together, all silently watching Sunbeam and Celestia. Even Rainbow was still.

Luna looked back at the pair. “This is taking way too long sister. What are you-”

Celestia’s head jerked back, breaking the horn link with Sunbeam.

Luna relaxed. “Sister? Are you okay? Did you find any...”

She tilted her head as Celestia’s ears pinned themselves back. Not taking her eyes of Sunbeam, Celestia slowly lowered her head over the mare laying on the floor and spoke softly.

“Miss Sunbeam?”

Sunbeam didn’t move.

Celestia reached a hoof out but stopped short of touching her. “Miss Sunbeam?” Pulling the hoof back, she seated herself down. “Please Miss Sunbeam, I’m sorry I had to put you through all that, but please understand, I had to make sure. I had to.”

Tiny trembles started in Sunbeam as she lay there with her eyes shut.

Celestia kept her voice carefully calm. “Please, Miss Sunbeam, you can relax. Your memories are your own. There are no fake memories. You truly have left them, you truly are no longer part of the Knights. There is no need to be afraid now. You are in no danger here.” Celestia reached a hoof out, but again, stopped short of touching her.

Luna stepped forward. “Celly, what happened?”

After a moment's hesitation, Celestia let her head fall and closed her eyes. “I needed to make sure Lulu. I had to make sure she wasn’t a danger to you. To anypony! I had to make sure there were no fake memories. I had to do it.”

“Had to do what Celey?”

With her head still low, Celestia ground her teeth. “Please understand Lulu, I had to keep you safe. I had to know she wasn’t a threat to you. I had to make sure none of her memories were fake, that she had left them. So I had to keep going. I had to.”

“Sister, what are you talking about?”

Lifting her head, Celestia looked at Sunbeam. “She’s been taking a memory suppressant, Lulu. I thought it was an introduced behaviour pattern, one to try and fool me. To try and disguise the reason for the magical signatures on the memories.” Her head fell again.

Luna gave her a blank look, then looked back at Sunbeam. “A memory suppressant? While such magics do seal away memories, they also act to help preserve them. Every feeling, every emotion, every little detail, they all comes back perfectly...” Luna turned back to look at her sister and lifted an eyebrow.

Celestia looked away.

Luna glanced at Sunbeam as she lay there, shaking. “Celey, just what did you do?”

With a shake of her head, Celestia took a deep breath before looking down at Sunbeam. “Miss Sunbeam, you have helped the bearers, and in turn, helped Equestria. I am in debt to you. You’ll get the best help we have both professional and” -she glanced at her back- “medical.”

She reached out with a hoof and brushed Sunbeam’s forelock.

There was a flinch and a tiny whimper at the contact.

Celestia's horn lit up and Sunbeam’s head was gently lifted up. Lightly, she put her hoof under her chin to support it. “Please, Miss Sunbeam, please look at me.”

Sunbeam eye’s opened.

Celestia smiled. “Thank you-” She trailed off as she looked into those blank eyes. “Miss Sunbeam?”

A soft, foal-like voice came from the mare. “P-please stop. I - I promise to be a good little filly if you s-stop.”

Celestia recoiled, pulling her hoof away like it had just been burned.

Sunbeam just kept looking at the princess. “I promise to be a good little filly that does w - what she’s t - told if you stop.”

Celestia stood up and took a stumbling step back, almost falling over her own hooves in the process.

Sunbeam seemed to lose all energy and her head dropped back down to the floor but her eyes never left Celestia. “I’ll be a - a good little filly. I promise to be your good little f-f-filly.”

Celestia took another step back, her ears flat.

Sunbeam kept looking at her a hopeful, smile on her face. “You’ll see, you’ll see! I’ll be a good little filly. I’ll be your good little filly. I’ll do anything you want me to! I’ll be anything you want me to, I’m a good little filly.”

Luna had been with her sister in situations that looked hopeless before, the fight against Discord flickered in her mind, but she’d never seen Celestia looking so ready to run before, so close to…

Luna’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Panic?” Stepping forward, she quickly scooped up Sunbeam’s chin with a hoof and turned it towards her and away from her sister. “Miss Sunbeam, look at me.”

Luna found herself having to sidestep, forcing Sunbeam’s head round even further so Celestia was physically behind it, all to stop the mare from trying to look at her sister. Leaning down, she spoke with gentle authority. “Miss Sunbeam, look at me. Look only at me.”

Blank eyes turned to look at her. “I’m her g-g-good little-”

Luna’s voice was soft as she lay down facing Sunbeam. “Come back to the here and now Miss Sunbeam. You are no longer there, you are here. Come back to the here and now where you are safe.”

“I’m her good little…”

Luna continued to cast subtle magic. "Come back here Miss Sunbeam. You are safe here. Come back here where you are safe. You are safe here."

"I'm… her..."

Luna took her hoof away from her chin and smiled. “You are safe here. You are safe here Miss Sunbeam.”

“I’m…”

Sunbeam blinked and her eyes became clear and sharp as she stared at Luna.

She tilted her head to one side. “I’m a good little filly.”

Sunbeam blinked again at what she’d just said, a look of confusion on her face. She opened her mouth to try again.

“I’m a good-”

Her jaw trembled.

“I’m... a…”

Luna saw the spark of recognition in Sunbeam’s eyes.

Sunbeam's expression changed.

Luna turned her head away.

***

Celestia had sagged with relief as Luna turned Sunbeam’s head away from her.

Taking calming breaths, she looked around the throne room as she collected her thoughts. She noted that all the bearers were all still sitting together, all looking too shocked to move.

After a few more breaths, she turned back to face Sunbeam. She was laying on the floor facing Luna as her sister worked her magic.

Sunbeam spoke. “I’m her good little filly.”

Celestia twitched at the phrase. At least the voice sounded more normal now.

“I’m her good-”

“I’m... her…”

There was a pause.

Celestia flicked an ear, all she could see was the back of Sunbeam’s head.

Luna suddenly turned her head away.

Both were still for a second then Sunbeam sunk her face into forehooves.

With Luna still looking away, Celestia watched as Sunbeam rolled onto her side and slowly curled up into a tight little ball, her face never leaving her hooves.

A moment's silence passed.

A quiet sobbing started.

Steeling herself, her throat dry, Celestia stood up. Lifting a hoof, she went to take a step towards Sunbeam.

There was a ripping sound from behind her and Celestia found herself pulling her head back in surprise as Rainbow hovered right in front of her face, ripped bandages dangling off both her barrel and her damaged wing. Hesitantly holding up a forehoof up at her, she kept her eyes down on the floor.

“Err… Princess, I -I don't think-”

Rainbow grimaced as her wing cramped and she landed heavily on three legs. Even so, she kept her foreleg out towards the Princess.

"I... I really don't think..."

A moment later Rainbow was joined by Applejack as she skidded to a halt next to her. Lifting a hoof, she pulled the brim of her hat down. “I think you should hold right there, partner.”

Behind the two, Celestia watched as Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity all galloped over to Sunbeam.

Putting the hoof down, Celestia looked away. After a brief hesitation, she turned to look at Luna. “I had to keep you safe Lulu, so I had to keep going. I had to see everything to make sure there was nothing hidden. To make sure everypony was safe, I had to carry on.”

She looked towards a large window. “To keep you, to keep everypony I love safe, I had to make her remember everything. It was for the greater good Lulu. It was for the greater good.”

Celestia glanced over at Sunbeam. Rarity was stood next to the mare, glaring back at her as both Fluttershy and Pinkie hugged Sunbeam. Rainbow and Applejack were both still standing side-by-side, between her and Sunbeam. Applejack was still glaring but Rainbow just kept her eyes on the floor.

Turning her head, Celestia looked over at Twilight, the only one of the bearers not over with Sunbeam. “Twilight, you must understan-”

Celestia quickly looked away from the confused, questioning look on Twilight’s face. The glares were easier to look at.

Standing up, Celestia walked silently over towards the window, her head high. Seating herself down, she looked out of the window over Canterlot. “I had to make sure she wasn’t going to turn on us like the other one did, so I kept going. Even as she begged for me to stop, I had to keep going.” Her ears fell. “Even after the pleading had stopped and she’d gone quiet... I had to keep going. I had to see everything to make sure everypony would be safe.”

Sitting there, Celestia heard Luna walk towards her but she kept looking out of the window. She tilted her head towards the sounds of the steps, her voice conversational. “Do you know what I hate about them the most Lulu? What I truly despise most about them?”

Sitting down next to her, Luna was silent.

Celestia continued. “Because of what they did, I can justify doing almost anything to stop them. Almost anything is for the greater good in comparison." She glanced towards Sunbeam before returning her gaze out the window. "Because of them, I know I can justify doing almost anything, however terrible, for the greater good.” She was silent for a second. “Almost anything. She’ll get the best treatment possible. The very best. You know I mean that don’t you? She will get the best I can give.”

Celestia just kept looking out the window as Luna put her wing around her. Celestia’s head fell. “I try to be the best princess possible. I try to be the best leader possible. I try to make sure my little ponies have the best lives possible.” Her jaw trembled. “And sometimes, I have do things I really don’t want to, so they can have those lives.” She sat silently as Luna hugged her. “I envy them their ignorance. I really do envy them...”

She trailed off and her ear rotated in the silence.

The sobbing had stopped.

Lifting her head to look around, she saw Pinkie and Fluttershy share a look of concern.

She watched as Pinkie softly prodded Sunbeam.

“Sunny?”

There was no response.

Pinkie tried again. “Sunny, say something.”

Silence.

Licking her lips, Pinkie leant in towards her ear and whispered into it. “You’re a good little filly.”

After a couple of seconds, Pinkie repeated the phrase a little louder. “You’re a good little filly.”

Sunbeam lay still.

Pinkie’s tone became desperate. “You’re a good little filly! You’re a good little filly! You’re a-” She stamped a hoof. “Do something Sunny! Say something! Don’t just lay there, hit me! Punch me! Slap me, try and strangle me... again. Just do something!”

Sunbeam didn't move.

Leaning down, Pinkie hugged her tight.

“Please Sunny, don’t go!”

***

Laying on top of a dune Sunbeam stared out over the silent desert.

She calmly watched the horizon start to shrink and the colour drain away.

Everything was so peaceful here.

The horizon approached rapidly.

She didn’t want to go back.

She watched the horizon get closer.

Soon everything would go away.

The horizon ended five dunes away from her now.

She never wanted to go back.

Four dunes.

Soon she’d never have to go back.

Three dunes, everything was grey.

She closed her eyes and waited.

Icefang’s voice, filled with rage, rang out. “What? Are you just gonna lay there and let him win?” The voice became a snarl. “Don’t you want to make him say he’s a good little filly over and over until he thinks that’s all he can say? Make him say it over and over until he thinks that's all he'll ever be able to say?"

The voice became choked. “Make him say it over and over until he… he actually believes it.”

Sunbeam lay there.

Greywing’s voice replaced Icefang’s. “Ponyville’s in danger. You just gonna lay here? You just gonna give in and let your friends get hurt, even die? Don’t you want to get up save them?”

Her ear twitched.

The two voices combined. “And what if they decide that one of Ponyville's foals is special? What if they decide to take one of them? Apple Bloom... Scoots... Sweetie Belle… Or any other foal...”

Her hoof dug into the sand.

“Imagine him getting his hooves on them-"

Sunbeam’s eyes snapped open.

She looked out over the dunes that stretched endlessly out in all directions, under a clear blue sky.

Her eyes narrowed.

The peace of the desert was broken by a distant rumble of thunder.

***

With her hooves wrapped around her, Pinkie lifted her head off Sunbeam’s barrel as she felt muscles move in her grip.

“Sunny!”

The smile became a grin as felt Sunbeam try to move under her. Letting go, she gestured for Fluttershy to do the same. With a nod, Fluttershy released her and the both stepped back to give her room.

Everypony watched as Sunbeam rolled onto her front and, with her eyes still shut, carefully put each forehoof flat on the floor.

With effort, Sunbeam pushed herself up into a sitting position and opened her eyes.

Silently, she looked around until she saw the main doors to the throne room. Hauling herself up on all four legs, she stood there for a few moments, her legs shaking.

Her eyes never left the doors. “Ponyville. Must get to...”

She turned her body to face the doors and then started to walk, unsteadily, towards them. “Must get to Ponyville. Must stop...”

Everypony watched silently as she walked away from them. The only sound was her hoofsteps on marble as she made her way towards the doors.

Not once did Sunbeam look back. “I won’t let him...”

Celestia went to take a step towards her, Luna held her tight and shook her head. Celestia’s ears fell as she nodded.

Sunbeam suddenly staggered sideways several steps, only just catching herself in time before falling. Legs wide, she took a few seconds to steady herself before she set off towards the doors again.

She didn’t notice the golden glow fade from around her barrel. Celestia turned her head to look back out the window.

Pinkie lifted her head as she saw Sunbeam steps start to falter. She watched as Sunbeam’s legs started to shake more and more with each step she took. It would only be a matter of time before...

Sunbeam’s right foreleg buckled and she toppled forward.

***

Sunbeam gave the floor a puzzled look, she'd fallen but hadn’t hit the ground. Something was wrong with that but she couldn’t quite work out what. Blinking, she looked to her side.

Rainbow smiled back as she held her. Turning her head, she found Pinkie looking back at her from her other side.

It was hard to speak, her mouth felt so dry and it making her voice raspy. “Got to… get to Ponyville. Must get... Ponyville. Won’t let them. Won’t let... him. I won’t let-” Her jaw trembled. “Him.”

Pinkie stroked her mane. “Shhh little one. You need to rest.”

Sunbeam shook her head. “No! No. Must get... to Ponyville. Got to. Must save... Must stop...”

She blinked at Pinkie with a puzzled look. “Must… Stop...” Her eyes rolled up and she slumped in her grip.

Pinkie moved her hoof away from the pressure point and looked up at a confused looking Rainbow.

“She’s in no condition to do anything right now. She needs to rest.” She looked towards the main throne doors sadly. “She needs to rest and have a clear mind for what’s coming.” She brushed Sunbeam’s mane. “I’ll throw you the best party ever once this is all over. Best party ever... if you come back. Please, just promise you’ll come back.”

There was a pause before she looked at Rainbow with watery eyes. “I don't know if she'll come back Dashie. Even if we win, even if she’s sat right next to us at the 'we won' party, I don’t know if she’ll ever truly come back. I’m afraid part of her will never come back.”

***

Standing in front of the throne room doors, the major turned to look at a pair of solar guards escorting a unicorn mare towards her. The mare, in guards armour, was carrying what looked like a wire-mesh bin.

All three looked pale and about to throw up.

One guard saluted her. “Major, this unicorn was teleported into the castle courtyard a few minutes ago.”

The unicorn mare saluted. “C-constable Morning Dew of the Ponyville Guard. I have a letter I have to hoof-deliver to Princess Celestia.”

The major tilted her head. “She a little busy right now.”

Morning Dew stepped forward. “Ponyville’s been taken over! We were all in the town meeting and then they all came out. They have powerful magic and we couldn’t do anything. Sergeant Buttress tried to… and they… they… the bones were sticking out of her legs. They did one leg at a time to show us they could. S-she was screaming so badly. Redheart was trying to stop the bleeding when I left. They - They teleported me here and told me I have to hoof-deliver this letter to Princess Celestia. If I don't…”

She shoved the bin towards the major.

The major blinked. “Why are you showing me a waste paper bask-” She at looked at what was inside, sitting on the paper.

“Oh buck.”

Turning, she pointed at the throne room doors.

“Get those damn things open! I don't care what they're doing, this is important.”

Squeezing through the gap even as the doors opened, she marched into the throne room. She found the hairs on the back of her neck rising at the atmosphere inside.

As she approached the Princesses, holding each other, she walked past two bearers holding onto an unconscious mare. The major couldn't help but keep glancing at Pinkie as she walked past.

She had such sad eyes.

Chapter 48 - Deterrent (Part 1)

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Chapter 48 - Deterrent (Part 1)

In the small, windowless meeting room, Princesses Celestia looked around the circular table she was seated at. To her right was Luna, and seated next to her were the bearers. The rest of the ponies around the table were those generally considered vital to the defense of Equestria.

Everypony became silent and turned to look when the doors opened and Fleetfoot walked in. Still wearing her flight suit, and her mane messy from her recent flight, she saluted all the princesses present before marching over to Commander Whirlwind. Saluting him, she then buried her head into her saddlebag and took out a binder with her mouth. Passing it to the commander, she then turned and left the room with one final salute.

Everypony waited for the Commander to speak as he examined the report.

He looked up after a second. “As you are all aware, Soarin completed a high level overfly of Ponyville a little over an hour ago with magic sensing equipment.” He tapped the folder. “This is the analysis of the data he obtained.” He looked back down. “I’ll read out the main points from the summary. One, there is a high-power magical field around Ponyville, one which is strong enough to stop any pony passing through physically or magically. Two, initial analysis suggest that while the field can be broken, it would require a major magical assault to do so. Which, of course, would eliminate any element of surprise we had. Three, the readings indicate that the field is bleeding off magic constantly and is, therefore, not completely stable. This implies that one, or more, of the hostiles present, are going to be tied up actively maintaining the field at all times. Four, the field appears to be originating from the town hall. Five, there is also a large concentration of individual magical fields also emanating from the town hall. These are assumed to be those of the hostages.”

Shining Armour nodded. “Based on the debrief of the guard they released, that is pretty much where we expected them to be keeping them.”

Commander Whirlwind turned the page. “As a sidenote, the ponies who prepared this report are quite sure that there is a way to get a pony, covertly, past the field. However, it would require a close-up analysis of the field and the time to do so.”

Shining Armour sighed. “Time, the one thing we don’t have.”

Short Notice tapped the table, getting everypony's attention. “Excuse me, we may have a little more than you realize Captain. I, umm, managed to negotiate a twenty-four-hour extension to their original deadline.” He shuffled in his seat as they all turned to look at him. “Err, it is the next article on the agenda, I was just waiting my turn. That’s how meetings work you see…” He looked away at their looks. “Anyway, I sent a messenger to Ponyville to ask for an extension to when we had to turn over Miss Icefang. They agreed to an extra twenty-four hours.”

Luna leaned forward. “While we will be sending ponies to get close to the field, I strongly suspect that will not be enough time to work out a way to bypass it. I also suspect that they know that. However,” -she turned to look at Short Notice- “I will admit that I am intrigued Mister Notice. Just how did you manage to get them to agree to an extension in the first place? The note listing their demands seemed quite... insistent upon us keeping to the schedule stated.”

Short Notice looked down at his hooves. “I, err, I had the messenger inform them that Miss Icefang wasn’t fit to travel right now. That she needed time to be stabilized before she could be safely moved.”

Shining Armour leaned forward, his surprise mirrored by most others in the room. “Why would they believe something like that?”

Short Notice kept his eyes on Shining. Even so, he could feel Princess’s Celestia’s gaze upon him. He swallowed. “I… I have been made privy to certain sensitive information Captain. Information that I needed to know to help arrange some confidential matters within the castle. And based on that information, I believed they would believe it. Which they did, very easily, I was informed.”

Shining went to ask a question but Celestia spoke first, her voice flat and emotionless. “You didn’t tell me you were going to do that Mister Short Notice.”

Short Notice started playing with his hooves. “N-no, but I thought… ”

Celestia suddenly looked away. “Good job Mister Notice. You bought us some badly needed time. I commend both your actions and initiative in this matter.”

Short Notice sagged in relief.

Luna looked over at her thestral major. “Major, I want you to try and get somepony close to the field. See if we can gather any more data about it and what’s going on inside Ponyville itself.”

The major nodded back with a smile. “That’s already been actioned, your highness.” The smile fell as she looked around. “But we desperately need more intel about them and their abilities. Something I feel Miss Icefang can help a lot with. If I may remind all those gathered here, when we do actually go into Ponyville, we will be going in against an unknown number of ponies, in prepared positions, armed with potent magic. That is not a good way to do things.” She glanced over at the bearers. “Especially when our own primary magical assets have been… disabled at the moment.” She looked back at Luna. “And I include both you and your sister in that.”

Leaning back, Luna sighed. “You must admire their timing. Perfect, is it not?" She smiled mirthlessly. "My sister and I are still recovering from the antidote to the poison we were given... and because of that, both our magics are greatly reduced right now. After raising or lowering our respective celestial bodies, we have precious little left. Certainly not enough to engage in open, high-level magical combat.” She pointed over at the bearers “And the Bearers are in little better condition if we are to be honest. They are all still recovering from their little adventure, an adventure which has left all of them exhausted, mentally as well as physically.”

All the bearers looked away, with not even Rainbow trying to object.

Luna continued. “And need I mention that Twilight is currently without magic and Rainbow without the use of her wing. No, I consider risking the Bearers, in their current state, to be extremely unwise and I would not allow it. Not for just one town anyway. No, we need a viable alternative, magic-wise, to confront them with.”

Practical Catalogue, a yellow pegasus mare who was in charge of the castle armory, both mundane and magical, lifted her head up. “Your highness, we’ve pulled out every magical item we have from the armory. Up to, and including, the alicorn amulet. In fact Captain Armour and myself have been trying to get some of our more powerful unicorns to try and master it. Buuut...” -she looked away, her ears drooping- “the side effects start to kick in quite rapidly. And then we have to intervene, also rapidly. With time we might get somepony able to master it without going completely-”

Luna spread her wings, cutting her off. “Yes yes yes! If we had enough time we could wear a mountain down with a feather and all that. But time is the one thing we don’t-” She trailed off into silence.

Her eyes widened as she closed her mouth. Turning her head, she looked at a blank space on the wall for a few seconds.

“She’s awake.”

All the bearers sat up a little straighter, all their attention now focused on Luna.

Luna closed her eyes and then after a second, smiled.

“From what I can tell, my work has had time to set. Her mind has healed enough to be… functional. Somewhat disjointed, but functional.” She opened her eyes. “The seal I put on her memories is holding, but be aware, it is only a temporary thing. It will fail and she will need to be prepared for when it does. I suggest only one of you go right now as to not overwhelm her.” She looked meaningfully over at Fluttershy. “Somepony gentle so no unnecessary strain is placed on the seal. She is still in a fragile state.”

Nodding, Fluttershy stood up before looking over at Pinkie squirming in her chair. “Yes I know you want to come Pinkie, but right now, she needs some peace and quiet.”

Becoming still, Pinkie nodded solemnly.

Fluttershy turned towards the door, deliberately not looking at Celestia. “Now if you’ll all please excuse me everypony. I have a friend that desperately needs some friendship right now.”

***

Sunbeam lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling. Lifting her head, she looked around the room with a puzzled look on her face.

Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back onto the pillow before lifting her forehooves up to her temples and starting to rub them.

“Ugh, my head feels like it’s stuffed full of cotton wool. What the buck was I drinking last night?”

Opening her eyes, she silently looked upwards for a few seconds.

“I’m hungry."

There was a pause, then Sunbeam nodded to herself.

"Yes, I’m hungry. I want some breakfast. Leftover pizza sounds good.” A smile appeared. “Ooo, leftover pizza, that sounds sooo good right now. Leftover pizza topped with… with…”

She frowned.

"With…?"

She closed her eyes and bared her teeth.

“Wiiiiiiith…”

Her fore hoof lifted up before slamming down on the bed.

“Focus! Pizza toppings. A pizza topped with… With… Mushrooms!”

There was another pause before her smile reappeared.

“Mushrooms and onions. Mushrooms, onions, avocado...” She shook her head. “No! Not avocado! But yes to sweet corn, peppers...” -she frowned again- “pineapple?”

With a shrug, her smile grew as she let herself relax back into the bed.

“Close enough. Good to know that the important stuff is still there. It’s all starting to come back now, just needed to burn through the fuzziness.”

She sniggered as she rubbed her chin with a hoof. “Oh I’m definitely going to have to find out what I was drinking last night.”

There was a pause and she lifted her head to look around one more time. “Annnd this definitely isn’t my room. Okay, let’s try and figure this out. I’ve just woken up in a soft bed, somewhere unfamiliar, after what appears to be a good night on the town.” There was a pause before a smirk appeared. “I just hope he was good looking and bought me pizza and beer first." Placing a hoof on her chest, she put on a semi-serious look. "Because a mare's gotta have some standards.”

Grinning, she lifted her hoof up into the air. “But! Before I check the status of my virginity, I need to check on something even more important first. Something even more important than leftover pizza even!”

Her smile faltered as the hoof she’d lifted up in the air starting moving, hesitantly, towards her horn. It stopped an inch away from it and Sunbeam closed her eyes and took a stuttering intake of breath.

"P-please! Please please please."

Her hoof crept forward... and then touched her horn.

With a sigh of relief, Sunbeam slumped back onto the bed, her hoof still touching her horn.

“Oh thank buck for that!”

Moving her hoof up to the tip of her horn, she then started to run it slowly down its length.

“Hah! And I thought I was paranoid before that bastard tried to saw it off. Letting him live like that, I must have been in a rare good mood. Otherwise, I'd of-"

Her hoof found the inhibitor ring around the base of her horn and her smile fell.

With a groan, she let her foreleg fall back onto the bed where it bounced a couple of times before coming to a rest.

“Wonderful! Oh just bucking wonderful. Even if I was drunk off my teats last night, I seriously doubt anypony would be able to talk me into the kinky stuff. Soooo, I think it’s pretty safe to assume I’m somewhere I don’t want to be then.”

She stared up at the ceiling. “So, where the buck am I?" Lifting her head she looked around again. "This isn’t a prison. No prison has beds this soft, or comfortable. So what is the last thing I remember?”

She started tapping her chin. “Castle. Yes, I was in a castle. I was in a throne room of a castle. I was in a throne room of a castle. I was cowering in front of the Day Princess as she started lowering her horn towards…”

Her eyes widened.

***

Fluttershy walked up to Sunbeam’s door.

Two Solar Guards stood at attention outside it looking forward. Neither moved or looked at her as she tapped on the door.

“Sunbeam? It’s me Fluttershy. Is it okay for me to come in?”

There was no response.

With a deep breath, she tried again, a little louder. “Please Sunbeam, I need to come in.”

Still nothing.

She glanced at the guards, both of which just kept looking forward.

Fluttershy took a breath. “I’m sorry Sunbeam, but I have to come in.”

Opening the door, she walked in and her eyebrows rose at the empty room.

“Sunbeam?”

Closing the door behind her, Fluttershy trotted over to the bed. To her eye, it looked like the sheets had been thrown to one side in a hurry.

Fluttershy looked back at the door. “The guards are there, so you couldn’t have left that way. So where are you Sunbeam?”

She took a few steps to the side to look into the ensuite bathroom, which was also empty.

A through crossed her mind and Fluttershy quickly trotted over to the windows. With relief, she found them all still shut and magically locked.

After checking the wardrobe, Fluttershy walked back over to the bed and looked around again. “Where could you be Sunbeam? You must be in here still.” Lifting a hoof, she tapped her chin. “Let’s see, what would I do if I was in your place? Where would I hide-”

Her eyebrows lifted.

Getting down onto her belly, Fluttershy looked under the bed.

She was very still for a couple of seconds before, very slowly, she started reaching a hoof out under it.

“Shhh. It’s okay, it’s okay…”

***

Quick Blade stood at attention in front of the mayor’s desk at which Sharp Fang was seated. His gaze was fixed on a point somewhere over his superior’s head.

“Sir, we have finished relocating the camp to Ponyville and have secured the perimeter. We have two ponies on rotation keeping the field up. We have one more guarding the hostages and two on patrol around the town. I decided that it would be best to keep Scrolls separate from the rest of the hostages so he's parked round the back of the town hall. I have put some more wards on his cage as we don't have enough ponies left to guard him, as well.”

Sharp Fang finished making a note before he looked up. He let the silence continued for several seconds before speaking.

“You disapprove of my actions, Mister Quick Blade.”

The dark blue unicorn didn’t answer.

“You may speak freely.”

Quick Blade drew himself up. “Sir, I believe you have exceeded your orders. By taking over Ponyville, you will have alerted the Princesses to our existence. And once she knows some of us survived her purges she will start actively looking for us once again. Sir, by your actions, I believe you have placed every single Snake in jeopardy. Sir.”

Sharp Fang tilted his head. “Yet you continue to assist in the securing of Ponyville.”

“Sir, by the time I got here, you had already taken over Ponyville and had secured the hostages. The damage had already been done. As there are only seven of us now, by not assisting I would have only increased the risk for everypony. Sir, may I also add that we cannot hope to hold Ponyville for any length of time, not with our current forces. And worse sir, we are spread far too thin. We could lose ponies and not know anything about it. Not until it was too late, anyway. Sir.”

Sharp Fang lifted an eyebrow.

Quick Blade took a breath. “Sir. I wish to state that this is against standing orders and as such, I would like to formally request that you step down from command.”

Sharp Fang smiled. “Request?” He looked back down at the desk and started writing again. “Mister Blade, if you had the support of the rest of my team, you wouldn’t need to ask me to step down."

Quick Blade tried not to grind his teeth. “Of course, all the other ponies here are behind you.”

‘They have all become fixated on getting Icefang back, just like you. You have -infected- them with that desire. They are all lost.’

He drew himself up. “Sir, when we get back, I will be lodging an official complaint. But until then, I am under your command. I will do nothing to jeopardize this mission or the safety of the clan.”

Sharp Fang nodded. “Good. I have the rotation of duties here. I want my ponies well rested as possible as we’ll all be staying here for twenty-four hours longer than expected.” He looked up as he hoofed them over to Quick Blade. “Is that understood?”

Quick Blade saluted. “Sir, while I may not agree with your course of action, I will continue to follow my orders of my superior to the best of my abilities. Sir.”

Sharp Fang nodded. “Very good. Dismissed.”

***

Sunbeam lay lengthways on the stone bench in the royal gardens, straddling it with both sets of legs. Her head lay on its side on the bench, looking away from Fluttershy as Fluttershy herself stood next to her with her wing draped over her back.

Standing a little distance away, but in plain sight, were the two guards that had been outside her door.

Without lifting her head, Sunbeam suddenly spoke up.

"I was looking for something.”

Fluttershy tilted her head at her. “I’m sorry?”

Sunbeam, keeping the side of her head resting on the stone bench kept looking away from her. “I was... looking for something. I dropped it and it rolled under the bed. That was why I was under there. I... I was looking for something. I… I was looking... for something."

Fluttershy’s wing held her a little tighter and smiled down at her. “Do you know what helps me relax? Petting a cute little furry friend. Perhaps if I could find-” Looking around, Fluttershy frowned at the lack of wildlife. Normally the palace gardens would be teeming with life, but right now, the garden seemed particularly empty.

Her ears fell as a memory from a certain Gala night came back. Fluttershy sighed quietly as she stood with her wing over Sunbeam. Looking around at the empty garden again, she took a breath. "Sunbeam, I'm sorry-"

There was a flash of white behind a large bush.

Without taking her eyes off the bush, Fluttershy tilted her head towards Sunbeam.

“Sunbeam, will you be okay for a moment? I promise I won't be far and I’ll be right back.”

Without lifting her head, Sunbeam waved a hoof in the approximate direction of her two guards. “Not going anywhere.”

Retracting her wing, Fluttershy walked around the bush and looked up.

Celestia looked down at her.

“How is she Miss Fluttershy?”

“She’s… she’s as well as can be expected. And thank you for hiding from her. I don’t think seeing you would be good for her.”

Celestia nodded. “If there is anything I can do..."

“Hiding from her is enough.” Fluttershy looked around. “Although I do wish some of the wildlife would come see her.” Her ears fell. “She never thought I’d notice, but I’ve seen how she scares all my little friends. They can sense…” She shook her head. “Even Harry is more protective when she’s around. Normally I could bring one to her, and as long as I stay close to her, it’s okay. But here, here they’re avoiding-” her head fell slightly “-us.”

“Miss Fluttershy, I-”

Fluttershy, still looking away, nodded. “Did what you felt you had to do. I understand that. We all do. And don’t worry, we’re not going to tell anypony.”

Celestia's eyebrows rose.

Fluttershy turned to look at her. “We all agreed, what good will telling anypony do? You’ve done so much good Princess and everypony looks up to you. All we’d do is hurt that. We'd hurt all the good you’ve done, and in turn, hurt Equestria in the process. Besides, nopony would believe us anyway. Nopony would want to believe us.” Closing her eyes, she shook her head. “And whatever else, we still need you. Equestria still needs you. You raise the sun every morning, the world still needs you.” Fluttershy’s voice quavered as she looked away. “And so many ponies would say: ‘what's one, damaged, pony compared to all that?”

“Miss Fluttershy-”

Fluttershy took a breath and looked up at her. “So we all agreed, that for the good of Equestria, for the world even, not telling anypony is the best thing to do.” She looked away. “Maybe even for Sunbeam herself.” Fluttershy’s voice quavered. “And I willingly agreed to that.”

“Miss Fluttershy I can assure you-”

Fluttershy stood up and smiled at her.

“It’s okay Princess. If I think of it as natural selection, I find it so much easier. She’s a predator herself, but she happened to encounter a more dangerous predator.” Still smiling, Fluttershy turned and started walking back to Sunbeam. “And so she was indeed fortunate to survive that encounter with only a few more scars.”

Not moving, Celestia watched Fluttershy walk away.

Looking around at the gardens, empty of wildlife, Celestia's eyes narrowed. Lifting her head, her ears pricked up as a determined expression set in. Turning, she set off towards her private quarters, a personal favor to ask.

***

Sunbeam grunted as she felt something land heavily on her back.

There was a startled “oh my” from Fluttershy.

Frowning, she lifted her head to look around to see just what had landed on her back.

Philomena lifted a wing and started to preen herself under it.

Fluttershy, smiling, took a step back.

Sunbeam felt Philomena’s talons grasp her back and flinched. In response to the flinch, Philomena spread her wings to keep her balance before casting a baleful eye at Sunbeam. Once satisfied that her perch wasn’t moving anymore, she resumed preening.

Sunbeam silently watched Philomena without expression and remaining unmoving. Her back had started to ache already where Philomena was perched and she could also feel her talons digging in. Not enough to draw blood, but she could feel them flexing and...

She tilted her head. Where Philomena was standing on her, she could feel a soothing heat and the flexing of talons was quickly becoming relaxing.

The ache lessened.

Turning her head, Sunbeam lay back down on the bench.

At the sound of approaching hoof steps, her undamaged ear swiveled towards the sound but otherwise, she remained still.

“Excuse me, Miss.”

Lifting her head, she turned it to look at one of her guards that were now stood right next to her.

The guard, Mace Swing, gestured at Philomena. “If Philomena is bothering you, I can shoo her away.”

He lifted a hoof to do so... and blinked.

Sunbeam was holding his hoof, firmly, with one of hers and she was smiling at him.

Mace Swing blinked again. It was definitely a smile on her face. The corners of her mouth were turned up and he could see her teeth. It was definitely a smile.

Yet, for some reason, it was causing his hackles to rise as he looked at it.

Her voice was calm and pleasant when she spoke. “If you disturb that bird-" A sharp tug on his hoof made him stumble forward, his head dropping to her level as he did so, enabling Sunbeam to lean forward and whisper directly into his ear. “-I will break every single bone in your body. And what’s more, mister guard-"

Mace Swing felt the hairs on the inside of his ear move as she spoke.

"-I’ll smile the entire time I’m doing it.”

***

Diligent Practice watched as his fellow guard, Mace Swing, walked stiffly back towards him.

He looked at him and then back at Sunbeam. “Is she okay with Philomena perched on her back like that? She can sink her talons in at times. Trust me, I know.”

Mace Swing gave a brief nod before standing rigidly at attention. Diligent Practice noticed his partner was holding his spear very tightly.

“You okay?”

Mace Swing's voice seemed an octave or two higher pitch than usual.

“I’m fine! She’s fine! Everypony's fine!”

***

Fluttershy walked alongside Sunbeam down the corridor that had big arched windows to their right. A long red carpet lay along the entire length of the corridor, muffling their hoofsteps. Side tables with vases on them were lined along the inner wall while in between the windows were well-tended potted ferns.

As they walked, Philomena was perched on Sunbeam’s back, looking around and seemingly enjoying the free ride.

Behind them, Sunbeam’s two guards followed.

About halfway down the corridor, there was a set of open double doors on the left, the doors themselves were hooked to loops on the wall keeping them open.

Fluttershy gently tugged Sunbeam towards the entrance as they reached it. “This is the way to the meeting room.”

Sunbeam let herself be guided down the hallway, deeper into the castle, as light from crystals on the walls replaced the natural light. She took a breath as she inclined her head towards Fluttershy. “I guess they want me at this meeting for all the intel I can give. Sensible, I suppose."

Turning her head, Fluttershy smiled at her as they approached another set of double doors. This set was closed and had two guards standing outside.

Sunbeam let her head drop slightly as they approached the doors. “Oh, I’m not looking forward to this. This is gonna be nothing short of a full-on interrogation, is it? Buuut if it means helping Ponyville, I’ll do it.” She forced a smile. “I’ll do it. So who's gonna be there? All the bigwigs-”

Sunbeam stopped dead, making Philomena spread her wings for balance.

Fluttershy turned to look at her. “Sunbeam are you-?” She tilted her head as she looked at her. “Sunbeam?”

Sunbeam’s eyes were wide, and as Fluttershy watched she could see Sunbeam’s pupils shrink. She took a step towards her. “Sunbeam? Are you okay?"

Her eyes never leaving the door, Sunbeam took a step back as her ears pinned themselves back. “S-she's going to be in there, isn’t she? The Day Princess, s-s-she’s gonna be in there!”

Fluttershy nodded slowly. “I’m sorry, I thought you’d know. As it’s a matter of national importance, Princess Celestia has to be-”

Sunbeam spun round, making Philomena jump up into the air with a squawk, and started walking away from the doors. “No! I’m not going in there! No way in Tartarus am I going in there if she’s in there!”

Fluttershy chased after her as Philomena circled above. “Sunbeam, please-”

Sunbeam’s two guards stepped close together, one noticeably more hesitantly than the other, to block her escape.

Stopping in front of them Sunbeam’s eyes narrowed. “If you two don’t get outta my way I swear I’ll-”

Fluttershy caught up and put her hoof on her shoulders. “Please Sunbeam. Please. Ponyville needs your help. All your friends are in danger. Please, you can help them.”

Sunbeam didn’t look away from her guards. “No!”

Lifting a hoof, she pointed it at the guards. “Look, I’m gonna be nice here. I’m gonna give you a chance. Get outta my way or I will bucking hurt you!”

Fluttershy hugged her tighter. “Please Sunbeam. All of Ponyville needs your help. You can help them. The ponies that have taken over Ponyville, they… They said they’d do terrible things to the hostages. They said-”

She was cut off as Sunbeam gently put a hoof over her mouth. “Don’t! I can guess. I know what I’d do.” Sunbeam’s head fell. “And it's what they'd do as well. Terrible doesn't begin to...” There was a moment's silence before she spoke through clenched teeth. “Y-you’ll be there the entire time Flutters? The entire time I’m in there, you’ll be there by my side? Promise me that Flutters. Promise me that you won’t let her near me.”

Fluttershy hugged Sunbeam as tight as possible. “I’ll be there the entire time. We won’t let her near you again.”

Philomena landed on Diligent Practice’s back and tilted her head as she looked on.

Slipping out of the hug, Sunbeam turned around and buried the side of her head against Fluttershy’s neck.

“Promise me Flutters! Promise me that you won’t leave me alone with her. Say it! P-promise me!”

Fluttershy rested her head on Sunbeam’s neck. “I promise.”

***

The door to the meeting room opened and everypony turned to look.

Fluttershy walked in, her wing that was draped over Sunbeam was also holding her tight to her side. Sunbeam herself looked only at the floor, her ears flat against her skull and her every step was slow and mechanical.

Holding Sunbeam tight to herself, Fluttershy could feel Sunbeam’s rapid heartbeat. Glancing up at Celestia seated on the other side of the table, she guided Sunbeam toward the two vacant seats between her friends.

Sunbeam’s two guards walked in as well and took up position behind her against the wall. Philomena, still riding on the back of Diligent Practice, watched Sunbeam intently. Nopony noticed Diligent Practice wince every now and again.

Pinkie had managed to seat herself next to Sunbeam's chair and as Sunbeam sat down, Pinkie leaned against her, pinning her between herself and Fluttershy.

Pinkie’s hoof came up and started brushing Sunbeam's mane.

Sunbeam lifted her head to look at Pinkie. “I’m not a foal you know. You don’t have to-”

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a pristine white coat across the table.

With a whimper, she quickly looked back down at the ground again.

Pinkie just continued to stroke her mane.

***

Luna had glanced at Celestia as Fluttershy had entered with Sunbeam.

Celestia held her head high the entire time, even as Sunbeam and Fluttershy had taken their chairs.

Even as Pinkie had started stroking Sunbeam’s mane.

Luna put her wing around her sister.

She could feel the tiny trembles in Celestia that her sister wasn’t letting anypony else see.

***

Sunbeam had sat there, looking down at the floor, as the situation was summarized and questions asked of her. She’d answered those questions to the best of her ability, never once looking up.

All the time she’d felt the comforting pressure of Pinkie and Fluttershy against her sides.

When Fluttershy had moved her wing Philomena, much to the relief of Diligent Practice, had flown over and resumed her perch on her back. As she sat there, her talons had started to gently massage Sunbeam’s back once again.

It was distracting in a good way. As long as Sunbeam didn’t look at a certain part of the table, she almost felt calm.

She'd remained impassive when the pony they'd killed was mentioned. She'd winced though, when Pinkie had mournfully whispered the pony’s name and how many days it would have been to her birthday party.

Sunbeam’s ears perked up when the alicorn amulet was mentioned. She'd listened as they talked about their lack of progress in trying to master it but as no questions had been addressed to her, she’d said nothing.

Then the question came. The question she’d been expecting. The question that they were all waiting for her to answer right now.

She stared down at the map that had been, helpfully pushed in front of her.

Sunbeam could feel everypony’s eyes on her. Philomena’s claws increased their pressure as she felt Sunbeam’s back tense up.

Her eyes on the map, Sunbeam lifted a hoof.

Everypony watched as the hoof descend and landed with a click on the map.

The hoof didn't feel like it was hers. Closing her eyes her, she spoke. “Here! Here is where the snakes are based. It looks like a normal village, but it’s not. From here they, covertly, control everything.”

Unnoticed by Sunbeam, Applejack nodded to the surrounding ponies.

Commander Whirlwind flexed his wings. “I’ll start mobilizing-”

Short Notice cut in as he made a note on a parchment. “We’ll need to speak to their ambassador first Commander. We can’t just start moving troops into a neighbouring country. There's a word for that. Let me speak to the ambassador and try and get permission for-”

Sunbeam snorted before looking up at Short Notice. "Didn’t you hear me? I said they control everything from there. While the Snakes may not actually run the country, they have enough ponies in their pockets to ensure their influence is through every level of government.” She leaned forward toward him. “Go through formal channels and they will find out what you’re up to, way before you get a chance to do it."

Short Notice tilted his head as he looked back at her. “So what do you suggest we do then, Miss Sunbeam?”

Shrugging, she looked away. “What do I know? I just kill things for a living, that’s your problem, not mine.”

Short Notice placed his hooves on the table and leaned forward himself. “So you’re nothing but a killer then. You don’t care about how many ponies die because you don't want to get involved. I bet you don’t even care how many ponies in Ponyville will die because-”

Sunbeam turned her head to look back at him.

Taking his hooves off the table, Short Notice shrunk back into his chair and tried to make himself look as small as possible.

Sunbeam returned to looking at the crack in one of the floor tiles as the rest of the ponies started offering suggestions.

‘If I -didn’t- care I wouldn’t have come to Canterlot in the first place now, would I, you needle-headed moron! And I especially wouldn’t be sitting in the same damn room as the Day Princess out of choice if I didn’t care-'

Her eyebrows rose.

After a moment, Sunbeam rubbed her eyes with a hoof. ‘Oh buck that’s not good! That’s sooo not good. I care! That’s incredibly bad-’

Her chain of thought was broken by Pinkie hugging her even more tightly. Looking up, Sunbeam found everypony looking at her again and Pinkie pointing across the table at Shining Armour.

She looked over at him. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

Shining looked back at her and narrowed his eyes. “I’ll repeat the question then, Miss Sunbeam. Just why do the Snakes want you back so badly? Just why would they do all this, threaten an entire town, just to get you back? Just why are you so important to them?”

Sunbeam looked back down and was silent.

Shining tilted his head slightly. “Miss Sunbeam?”

She held up a hoof. After a second she took a breath. “Because they view me as family, Mister Armour.”

Shining kept his head tilted, but said nothing.

Sunbeam closed her eyes. “The only family we have is each other. We’re the only ones that accept each other for what we are. I’m family in their eyes, and as such, they want me back. To come back to the fold and all that.” She snorted, her shoulders bouncing as she did so. “To them, Mister Armour, this is nothing but a rescue mission. They are trying to save a family member. It's what families do.”

Sitting back, Shining rubbed his eyes. “Oh horseapples, that makes them even more dangerous than I originally thought.”

Opening her eyes and staring blankly forward, Sunbeam slowly nodded. “You have no idea.” With a blink, she focused back on him. “However, to do anything like this, so openly, is unheard of. Right under the Day Princess's nose where she can’t fail to miss it?” Sunbeam shook her head. “They’re either extremely desperate or their commander has gone completely nuts.”

Shining sighed. “Neither of which reason lessens how dangerous they are. But still, I feel we are missing something here, Miss Sunbeam. All this for just one pony? Even a family member. Is there any other reason why they might want you back quite so badly?”

Sunbeam let her head drop back down. ‘Way too insightful you little bucker. Lie you stupid bitch! Lie like you’ve never lied before! Lie and-’

She glanced over at Applejack, who just looked back at her with a raised eyebrow.

Her ears dropped. ‘Oh buck you.’

Sunbeam glanced around the table, even for a second at Celestia, before looking down.

'Horseapples.’

Sunbeam lifted a hoof to rub her eyes. ‘Oh horseapples! Did you really think you could meet the Day Princess and -just- walk away? What were you thinking you stupid bitch! That you wanted to try and play the hero? Well you’ve gone and royally bucked yourself now, haven't you! You brought this on yourself, you stupid, stupid...’

On her back, Philomena’s talons started massaging her back as heavily as she dared without drawing blood.

Sunbeam glanced around the table again.

Everypony was looking expectantly at her. She looked back down.

‘Buck! If I tell them I’m sooo bucked. Buuuut if I don’t tell them, the Day Princess will simply rip it from my mind, and -then- I’ll be bucked anyway. And once they know, they’ll want my horn once they know! Oh buck, what was I thinking? I should have left Ponyville to its fate. I should have just left. I could've just left! Why didn't I-’

Commander Whirlwind impatiently tapped the table. “Miss Sunbeam? We are all waiting for your answer.”

Looking up, Sunbeam flashed her teeth at him. ‘Buck you, you overgrown chicken! Buck all of you with your oh-so-confident smiles on your faces. You think I 'm so helpless right now. You think that you've cornered me, that I'll do anything you say now? You really think I'll be your good little fil-'

Placing her fore-hooves on the table, she scraped their tips slowly towards her. 'Buck you all! I'll wipe those smiles off your faces. I'll show them just why you should fear me.’

There was another fraction-of-a-second glance at Celestia before she returned to looking down at the floor. ‘And I really wanna hurt you! I wanna wipe that calm-and-poised look off your face most of all. I wanna see your expression when you realize just what I could have done here!’

Sunbeam became still and a half-smile formed on her face.

“Oh yes, I wanna see your expression when you realize just how much -I- could have hurt you. I wanna see the look on your face when you realize what could have happened here... and that you wouldn’t have been able to stop it. Oh yes, I'm sooo doing this!’

Sunbeam carefully placed both forehooves flat on the table before lifting her head and smiling pleasantly at Shining Armor. “Sure! I’ll tell you just why they want me back so badly. But first,’ -she held up a hoof- ‘if you’ll indulge me, I want to give you all a little background, just to help you understand the context here. Always helps to understand your opponent, right?”

Shining Armor nodded and gestured for her to continue. Sunbeam politely nodded back at him. “Thank you.”

Sitting up straight, she smiled broadly before speaking. “First off, you have to understand that we’re all terrified of her. The Day Princess that is. Your precious Princess Celestia, we’re all utterly terrified of her. Shocking I know.”

Shining Armor’s head pulled back, both eyebrows rising.

Sunbeam leaned forward slightly, her eyes narrowing. “And that’s because we remember the hate. Even after a thousand years, we still remember the unrelenting, unstoppable, burning hatred she had for us. The hate that drove her to hunt us for centuries. The hate that made it a far better option to kill yourself rather than letting yourself be taken alive by her. A much better option.”

Celestia's looked away as Luna put her wing around her, while Shining Armor just frowned at Sunbeam.

Sunbeam's hoof drew invisible patterns on the table. “So they hid. For a thousand years, they hid from her.” Her eyes flicked up. “A thousand years Mister Armor, each day terrified that today would be the day that the Day Princess finds them.” She grinned at Shining Armor’s now clearly annoyed expression. “Well, that sorta thing could have an effect on a ponies perspective doncha think? Might make a pony... desperate even. Desperate enough that they’d be willing to do anything to survive. Think about that word for a second Mister Armor, I mean it in the literal sense when I say it. Annnnything!”

Shining Armor tilted his head, then his eyebrows rose slowly, a hint of worry creeping onto his face. He wasn't alone in wearing that expression

Leaning back, Sunbeam smiled. “Getting a clue now are we? Don’t get me wrong, they were never exactly helpless. They had plenty of plans of what they could try if the Day Princess ever found them. Buuuuut realistically, they all knew what would happen in the end.”

Lifting a hoof, and still smiling, Sunbeam slowly drew it across her throat. “So to avoid that rather unfortunate outcome, they kept to the shadows. A thousand years hiding, all the time trying to find something, anything, that could stop an alicorn. You’ll be surprised, perhaps not, at just how few things there are in the world that can stop an enraged alicorn Mister Armor. But no matter, they looked.”

Sunbeam looked down at her hooves, her voice becoming quiet.

“Then one day they came across a little filly with an affinity for ice magic.”

Closing her eyes, Sunbeam let the massaging claws of Philomena on her back do their work for a moment.

“While unusual, such a thing was not unheard of. And while she would be quite the asset for them, she wouldn’t be the game-changer they were all looking for.”

She rolled her shoulders while keeping her eyes shut. "Not by herself anyway.”

Sunbeam took a breath before opening her eyes.

“You see, at the same time as that little filly was being brought in, another pony was on the lookout for a unicorn.” She lifted a hoof back up into the air. “But not just any unicorn would do mind you, he wanted, he needed, a powerful one to cast the spell he’d been working on. A spell he’d been working on for decades. And, unfortunately for him, he’d been looking for months and still hadn’t found a unicorn that met his requirements. By all accounts, he was getting quite desperate.”

Sunbeam’s eyes glazed over. “Fortunately for him though, it turns out a unicorn with an affinity could work just well as a powerful unicorn. It would require work, years of work it turns out, but if he were to tailor the spell that unicorn’s specific magic, hoof-crafted the spell to make use of her affinity, he could trade raw power for efficiency.”

Lifting a hoof, Sunbeam pressed her amulet against her chest as she gazed off into the distance.

‘Of course, the spell would still need an amulet to achieve it’s -full- potential no matter what. Oh the tantrum he threw when he found out my amulet didn’t work. All those years, wasted. Oh, the rage when he found out that I’d passed the right-of-passage test as well. It meant I was a member now. That I was a Snake. That I should be treated as family now. That I was no longer -his-. Oh the rage-’

With a shake of her head, Sunbeam blinked before looking at Shining Armor and forcing a smile. “Annnnyway, while they still needed to solve one little problem concerning the spell's final output, one they were sure they could fix if given time, they suddenly found themselves with a weapon that could take the fight to the Day Princess.”

There was a low growl from Shining Armor.

Sunbeam waved her hoof at him. “Oh don’t look at me like that. I’m not talking about attacking your precious Princess herself. They lost everypony the last time tried that. Besides, the spell was never intended as a direct attack platform on the Day Princess.”

Leaning forward over the table, she looked Shining in the eye.

“The spell was intended to be used on soft targets you see.”

Sunbeam’s half-ear swiveled towards Celestia’s sudden intake of breath.

Leaning back, she kept her eyes on Shining. “To show the Day Princes what we could do, to show her what we would do if she ever attacked us, a ‘demonstration of ability’ was planned. So at the earliest opportunity, I was to proceed to the designed target, successfully penetrate whatever security there was there and cast that spell.”

Sunbeam started to turn her head towards Celestia but stopped before looking at her.

‘Look at her! Look at her when you say it. You gotta look if you wanna see her expression when you say it. Look at her if you wanna see!’

Sunbeam made eye contact with Celestia. She shivered as the Princess raised her eyebrows. “C-Canterlot City was the target! The plan was for me to go to Canterlot city and in the span of fifteen minutes-” She leaned forward, trying to keep eye contact with the princess.

“-kill every single pony in Canterlot. Every single stallion, mare, and foal, there!”

There was silence.

Sunbeam leaned back, keeping her eyes now on Celestia. “And as that bastard destroyed all his records in the hope they'd keep him alive, I’m the only pony on the face of the planet that both knows the spell and can cast it. I’m the only weapon they have against the Day Princess... and that is the reason they want me back so badly Mister Armor.”

Still looking at Celestia, and shivering, Sunbeam placed her hoof on her amulet.

Suddenly grinning, she leaned forward again. “Oh, fun fact, the only reason every pony in Canterlot isn’t a block of ice right now is because a mentally unstable little filly, in a state of shock, happened to choose the one item, in a room full of stuff, that happened to be incompatible with an unrelated spell. That spell malfunctioned, which started a chain of events with led us all to here, having this pleasant chat. Quite the thought isn’t it, Celestia, that everypony in Canterlot is still alive simply because I chose the wrong thing."

The silence returned.

It was Applejack’s monotone voice that broke it. “She ain’t lying. None of it, she ain’t. She- She ain’t...”

Sunbeam kept her eyes on Celestia as the Princesses expression slowly changed.

Sunbeam quickly looked back down at the floor, at the cracked floor tile again.

‘Funny, that didn’t give me ‘the happy’ I was expecting. I hurt her, I hurt the Day Princess but it didn't feel good. It feels-'

Slowly, she placed a hoof on her chest. ‘It feels… I feel… I… Huh, I wonder just how that crack got into that floor tile in the first place? Did somepony drop something heavy? I wonder what they dropped? I wonder if was valuable? I wonder… I wonder why my chest hurts so -bucking- much?!’

Sunbeam kept looking down and ignored all the shouting, mostly directed at her, that had started as she held her chest.

Her half-ear flicked. ‘And just why are Pinkie and Fluttershy holding me so tight? It's not like I’m going to run. I’ve got nowhere to run to! So just -why- are they both holding me quite so tightly?’

Chapter 49 - Deterrent (Part 2)

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Chapter 49 - Deterrent (Part 2)

In the confined space of the meeting room, the echoes of the Royal Canterlot voice died only slowly.

All the shouting had now stopped and everypony was holding their ringing ears.

Even Philomena was trying to smooth out her ruffled feathers, having just landed back on her favourite perch. Diligent Practice himself was wincing from both the assault on his ear and from the Philomena’s talons digging now into his back.

And like everypony else, he was looking at the same pony.

Twilight rolled her shoulders. “Thank you. Now will you all please be quiet. I have some important questions to ask of Sunbeam.”

A tiny, prideful smile flickered on Celestia’s face.

Lifting a hoof, Twilight pointed it at Sunbeam and narrowed her eyes. “Clarify! Just how did you intend to kill everypony in Canterlot in the time period specified?" She jabbed the hoof at Sunbeam. "Because there is no way in Tartarus you could even hope to do that at all, let alone do it in fifteen minutes!”

Sunbeam, still rubbing her ears, looked away. “The spell I cast in the dormitory-”

Twilight’s hoof slamming down on the table cut her off.

“No, no, no! The spell that you cast in the dormitory, while devastating I admit, would not be enough for the kind of event you are describing. That spell was cast in a confined environment and even then was limited in its scope! There is no way you could even-” Twilight choked on the next word “-hope, to achieve the horrific thing you're saying! You wouldn’t! You just-”

Reaching out, Rarity stroked Twilight's mane as her other hoof still held her ear. “Calm Twilight. Calm. Breathe.”

With a quick glance at her friends, Twilight frowned, sighed, then nodded as she slumped. “Thank you. I think I got a little carried away there and-” With a deep breath, she turned back to Sunbeam, her voice much calmer. “Okay, while I agree that the spell in question could cause a lot of damage, it simply wouldn’t be able to affect an entire city." She took one more deep breath and smiled. "So I’m very glad to say that whoever told you you could that, misinformed you. You simply wouldn’t be able to-” her face twitched “-to do the thing you said.”

There was silence in the room as everypony turned to look at Sunbeam. In the silence, Luna put her wing over her sister's back. As she rested it there she could feel Celestia's muscles relaxing slightly under it.

Sunbeam looked around the table and found everypony looking back at her. With a sigh, she raised her hooves up to her amulet and lifted it up over her head.

Everypony found themselves watching the amulet as she let it dangle in front of her eyes. Sunbeam tilted her head as she brought it up close to them. “There’s something wrong here. I’ve known there’s something wrong with my amulet, with Mr. Sable here, for a long time. But-” she turned the amulet this-way-and-that, “-buuuut I just can’t see what it is. It’s right in front of my face, I know it, but my mind keeps sliding away when I feel I’m getting close.”

She looked over at Twilight. “Why can’t I see what’s wrong Twi? I got this off the first pony I ever- " Her jaw closed with a click of teeth. With a shake of her head, she tried again. "I've had it for years. So why can’t I see what’s wrong with Mr. Sable here?”

Twilight opened her mouth only for a sharp nudge from Rarity, along with a quick shake of her head, to make her close it again.

Shrugging, Sunbeam looked up at Celestia for a second before looking down. With her eyes still on the floor, she lifted her hoof with the amulet up as high as it would go.

“You all see this? Well if the damn thing worked, it would let me channel magic just like your alicorn amulet. Imagine that, me with the power close to that of an alicorn.”

A second passed where nopony moved.

Several horns suddenly lit up and more than one hoof reached for a concealed weapon as Sunbeam's two guards dipped their spears to point at her back.

Neither of the princesses facing Sunbeam moved, but Luna did feel her sister’s muscles tense back up under her wing.

Ignoring all this, Sunbeam slumped. “But it doesn’t work. It's never bucking worked!” With a snarl, she threw the amulet down onto the table, where it skittered across it, coming to a rest close to Luna. Sunbeam’s head dropped back down, her voice becoming a whisper. “If it had worked, I’d of been a member of the clan. If it had worked, I’d of been family. I’d-”

Sunbeam closed her eyes. “If it had worked. I’d been able to do things differently. I’d of done a lot things differently.” There was a pause before she looked up, her lips pulled back to display her teeth. “If it had worked, I’d of made sure that that bastard wouldn’t have been able to hide the fact that I passed the bucking rite. I’d of made him scream. Oh how he would have screamed and screamed. He’d of screamed until I got bored of it and cut his vocal cords. And then I’d have..."

Looking up, Sunbeam saw the expression on Celestia's face. On everypony’s face.

The anger withered in her voice and she cringed back away from the Princess, looking back down at the floor again. "B-b-but anyway, it didn’t work and he did hide me. He hid the fact I passed the test. He wanted me to fail the test. I was supposed to fail the test so I’d become little more than his property.”

Sunbeam’s voice became terribly calm. “He did all the work, put all the effort in, why should he share any of the credit? Why should I get any of the credit for all his hard work? I was just an instrument, a tool. A means to an end. I didn’t deserve-”

There was a pause, then a half-smile spread over her face. “Too bad for him that nopony can hide from the bureaucracy. Somepony came looking for me.” She shrugged. “Okay, it was just a junior clerical staff member, somepony that was just filling a gap in the records on his lunch break. Somepony just trying to be a suck-up to his superiors.” Sunbeam closed her eyes. “But I can still remember the look on his face the moment he worked out that I had passed the rite. That the mess laying in from of him was a member of the clan. That a clan member had done… had done... “ Her jaw trembled for a second before she opened her eyes. “Had done that to another clan member. I remember because he turned and punched Scrolls right in the face before dragging me out, all the time screaming what he’d done.”

Her grin grew. “And then not even all his links to higher ups could save him. Not when the whole clan was baying for his blood anyway. It was all they could do just to keep him alive, or so I was told. I wasn’t in much condition to-”

Her smile fell. “I saw the way the look in their eyes changed as I lay there in the hospital bed. At first, the pity, then-” Sunbeam ground her teeth. “then the avarice in their eyes. As they became aware of what Scrolls had been teaching me to do, the want in their eyes became more and more apparent. The way they said I was a member of the clan now, but the way they all looked at me, it had changed." Her eyes narrowed. “I realized I was just going to be trading one leash for another. One master for another. I remember realizing that I’d never truly be a clan member or family. I remember the feeling, when I realized that. I remember that feeling-”

Sunbeam looked up at Celestia. “That was something I didn’t want to remember. I didn’t want to remember that feeling again. That feeling of-” Lifting a hoof, Sunbeam rubbed eyes. “I - I didn't want to remember this you bitch. It aches deep in my chest now. It hurts, not badly, but it feels deep. So deep.”

Pinkie wrapped her hooves around Sunbeam’s neck as Fluttershy hugged her with her wing.

Looking away, Luna’s attention came to rest on Sunbeam’s amulet in front of her. Her horn lit up and the amulet was floated over towards her as she tried to sound positive.

“Perhaps you are luckier than you know that you never got this amulet working. Such devices have a history of causing mental instability in the user. The longer they are used the greater the paranoia that creeps in. Paranoia and narcissism. The pony in question starts to think the world is against them, and that they can take it on by themselves. The one time they were truly used en-masse-” she looked at her sister for a second. “-the ponies in question ended up turning on each other. Each wanting all the glory taking down a princess for him or herself, all the while trying to prevent each other from doing the same.”

Sunbeam lifted her head and looked at Luna with raised eyebrows.

Celestia leaned forward, her serene smile back on once again. "Indeed. It was quite pitiful to watch. Every pony quickly became more concerned with each other than us.” One of Sunbeam's ears flicked towards her but her attention remained on Luna. “And what’s more they were-”

Luna’s sudden intake of breath made Celestia stop and turn to look at her sister with a raised eyebrow. Luna was staring at Sunbeam’s amulet. Her eyes narrowed as she pulled the amulet right up close to them.

Luna’s voice was calm and measured when she next spoke. “I think you are luckier than you will ever know that you were never able to get this working Miss Sunbeam. I can see the spell matrix that’s on it. I can see that the spell utilizes... necromancy to fuel it!”

Everypony around the table, apart from Celestia and Sunbeam, leaned away from Luna a little.

She turned the amulet to-and-fo in front of her eyes. “Oh yes, I can make out the spell matrix on it quite clearly now. And its oh-so-simple instructions.”

Taking her eyes off the amulet, she looked towards Sunbeam. “Grab as much of a soul as possible, and store it in the designated object, to be used as fuel.” Luna’s lips pulled back. “Fuel Miss Sunbeam. A soul being used as nothing more than fuel. Contemptible! So be very, very grateful you never got this... this thing working. My sister’s wrath would have paled to what I would have done to you if you had used this.”

Sunbeam sat very still as Luna lifted the amulet to inspect it again. Her voice was polite and cordial, and so very cold.

“The nightmares I would have given to you. To the pony that had used such a thing. They would wake up in their bed and go through the day, only for one of their deepest nightmares to suddenly jump out at them. They would wake up back in their own bed, thinking that they had truly woken up this time.” She glanced at Sunbeam. “Only to find they hadn’t as another nightmare jumped out at them. This would happen to them again, and again, annnd again!"

She leaned forward. "It would keep happening until the pony in question ceased to be able to tell the waking world from the dream one. They would never be able to tell if they were ever actually awake, ever again.” Luna smiled without humor. “So be very, very glad you never got this... thing working Miss Sunbeam. Given the circumstances, I shall be charitable and assume that you did not know just what you had here.” She looked back at the amulet. “So be very glad you never used this, I tend to deal with necromancy quite harshly, however, I shall be keeping this abomination so I can destroy it myself later. Any objections to that?”

Sunbeam, sitting frozen to the spot, eyes wide, just stared at Luna before jerkily shaking her head. “N-n-n-no”

Pinkie and Fluttershy kept hold of her but didn’t say anything.

In the silence, Twilight shifted. “Umm, if you’ll excuse me Princess, but I’d really like to ask Sunbeam a few more questions about the spell itself. If that's okay.”

Without looking away from the amulet, Luna waved a hoof at Twilight.

Twilight turned back to Sunbeam. “Okay, getting back to what we were talking about, let's say you were wearing an item that emulated the alicorn amulet and-”

She frowned and then tapped the table. “Sunbeam?” Sunbeam kept looking at Luna, her ears folded flat. “Sunbeam can I have your attention please.” She didn’t move. “Sunbeam!” Her hoof slammed down on the table. “Sunbeam!”

Sunbeam’s head snapped around, away from Luna and towards Twilight.

Twilight nodded. “Thank you. Okay, let's go back to the spell Sunbeam.”

Rarity tapped her on the shoulder as she looked at Sunbeam’s wide eyes and tiny pupils. “Twilight, perhaps now isn’t-”

Twilight shook her head. “We need to get this sorted out. Best to do it now.” She didn’t notice all her friends frowning at her as she carried on. “So Sunbeam, even if you did have the power of the alicorn amulet to hoof, you still wouldn’t be able to do what you were saying.”

Twilight looked up at the ceiling as she rubbed her chin. “Well, not in fifteen minutes anyway. While you could affect an area the size of a city with such a thing, the magic you’d need to do in fifteen minutes is enormous. Were talking affecting an area of the size of a city. Something which is a heck of lot more difficult than putting a mere glass dome over a village.” She looked back at Sunbeam. "So while you could now bring temperatures down to lethal levels over an entire city, it would take days of constant magic use to do. You’d be found and stopped looooong before you could achieve widespread lethality. No, the numbers just don’t add up. You’d need way more magic than the alicorn amulet could provide to do what you’re saying. You’d need more magic or... or a way to amplify what you have-”

Twilight trailed off as Sunbeam looked up at her but said nothing.

Twilight looked back at her, then blinked. “Ampily, ooooor… Or if you had a way to be more efficient with the magic you had."

Her eyes widened. “L-like if you had an affinity to a school of magic. An affinity would let the pony in question make better use of magic while casting that particular school of magic. It would allow them to achieve more with less. Or alternatively, achieve a much greater output with a the same level of input, compared to a normal unicorn. The affinity would scale the output up.”

Her hoof fell to the table.

“Even if using something like the alicorn amulet, your affinity would still scale it up by the same factor. The output would be… enormous. Enough to-”

Twilight suddenly clapped her hooves together and relaxed with a smile as she shook her head. "No! Even with all that it still wouldn't work!” Lifting a hoof, she pointed it Sunbeam a hopeful look in her eye. “Magical saturation! The amount of magic you’re using would saturate you in seconds. You wouldn’t be able to handle all the magic. You’d die before-” She looked away. “And the spell would collapse. So you can’t do it because of magical saturation. That much magic, that quickly, you can’t do it.”

Sunbeam slowly shook her head, when she spoke her voice sounded tired. "The amulet is an external focal point, remember Sparkles."

Twilight closed her eyes as her smile, along with her ears, fell. “O-oh yes. Of course it is. I - I forgot that. Because you’re using the amulet, it provides an external focal point. The amulet becomes a magical sink to prevent a dangerous magical build up within you. You’d be quite safe.” She looked up. “O-of course there are a whole host of other minor issues that would prevent you from-”

Sunbeam didn’t look up. “Twilight, The spell bucking works. Accept it. Scrolls was a sick bastard, but he knew his job. He spent decades designing the spell. And then a few more years specifically tailoring it to me and my magic. He wasn't going to let his weapon go and destroy itself the first it was used."

Twilight leant forward. "H-how? There are so many issues. So many-"

Still looking down, Sunbeam shrugged. "Don't ask me, I've got no idea how it works. He only trained me to cast the bucking thing, he had no interest in teaching me to understand it. Heck, I’ve looked at it a few times, but there’s so much going on, I soon gave up even trying to understand.”

Twilight sat back. “S-so that’s it then. You could. You could do what you’re saying. Canterlot, wiped out.”

There was silence.

Luna felt Celestia start to tremble. Turning to look at her, she found her sister had closed her eyes. Luna went to lean forward, only to see Celestia's lips pull back into a snarl as her eyes snapped open to glare at Sunbeam.

“Just what would happen to my city if you cast that spell? What would happen to all of my little ponies there? How many would die because of you?”

Sunbeam cringed as she kept looking down. “I don’t know the exact details-”

Before she could stop herself, Applejack shook her head. A motion that did not go unnoticed by Celestia.

Her slammed down on the table, making it crack almost two thirds along its width. “Yes you do! Tell me Miss Sunbeam! Tell me what would happen to the thousands of ponies there. Tell me what would happen to all the stallions, mares and foals there. Tell me just how many would you have killed? Just how many you-”

Luna leaned over to her sister's ear and whispered into it. “Celly! Calm yourself. She is not the pony you should be angry at. She came to us remember.”

Celestia blinked and looked around the table to find all the ponies present shying away from her a little.

With a breath as she closed her eyes. “My apologies to all, and especially you Miss Sunbeam. My sister is quite correct, you are not the one I should be angry at. Just the thought of failing to protect so many of my ponies make me..." Lifting a hoof she rubbed her eyes. "Failing so many of my ponies... again. The mere thought makes me..." Lowering her hoof, Celestia looked at Sunbeam. "I forgot that you are merely an instrument. Created and pointed at my city by another. You are not the one I should be angry at.”

Without looking up, Sunbeam's eyes opened, then narrowed.

Celestia leaned forward. “But please, tell me. I need to know. Oh I know what the spell you cast in the dormitory did, but I want to hear the details from you yourself. What would have happened to Canterlot?”

Clenching her teeth, Sunbeam looked up at her. "Okay. I'll let me describe, in detail for you, what this... this instrument would have done to your damn precious city.”

Pinkie hugged Sunbeam a little tighter. “Sunbeam, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Sunbeam glanced at Pinkie. “She wants to know. So I’m damn well gonna tell her.” Closing her eyes she took a breath. “The casting point is in Canterlot Central Park. On the northernmost side of the main lake to be precise. From there, you should be able to see the three highest towers of Canterlot castle all side-by-side annnd you should also be able to see Canterlot’s main clock tower to your right. So using those points to triangulate yourself, you find yourself at the geographical center of Canterlot.”

Pinkie buried her head in her mane, muffling her voice. "Sunny, I really don’t think you should-”

Sunbeam smiled. “Well, close to the geographical centre anyway. The actual geographical center of Canterlot is in the lake itself. But that might look a bit suspicious. A pony sitting in the middle of the lake casting a spell. Besides what’s a few meters if you’re gonna wipe out an entire city, eh? And might as well stay dry doing it.”

Pinkie shook her head, her face still buried in Sunbeam’s mane. “Sunny, stop! Please-”

Sunbeam’s face became blank as her voice became a dull monotone. “And now we come to the main event. T-minus zero and spell ignition. Almost immediately the air temperature around the caster drops to minus forty degrees celsius and, after a second or two, the spell starts to expand outwards in all directions. To begin with, it will advance at the speed of a slowly trotting pony,” -she held up a hoof- “but, don’t let the initial slow pace fool you, it will get quicker. Not to mention that the spell front is nothing but a wave of cold, so there's nothing to see. And because of that, nopony will try to run, fly or teleport themselves away from it. Not until it’s too late anyway.”

Pinkie just shook her head, not saying anything.

“T-plus one hundred and twenty seconds from ignition and the wavefront reaches the closest boundary of the park. It’s now advancing at the pace of a galloping pony and the temperature at the wavefront is now at minus ninety degrees. The temperature at the epicenter is now minutes one hundred and fifty degrees and dropping.”

Sunbeam took a breath in the silent room. Pinkie was unmoving, her head buried in her mane. She could feel her breaths on her neck.

“T-plus three hundred and twenty seconds, or thereabouts, and the wavefront should have just reached Canterlot castle itself. Temperature at wavefront is now approximately minus one hundred and forty degrees. Ponies won’t even have time to feel cold. Temperature at the epicenter is somewhere between minus one-eighty and one-ninety degrees.”

Sunbeam looked down at the table, her hoof drawing invisible patterns on it as Pinkie held her.

“Time is now t-plus nine hundred seconds from ignition, and the wavefront passed the farthest extent of Canterlot a little while ago. While it has slowed back down to a brisk walking pace now, the temperature at wave-front is still quite lethal at around minus one hundred and sixty degrees. Temperature at the epicenter is stable around minus two-hundred degrees give or take five.”

With a frown, Sunbeam lifted her head to look over at Twilight. "Question Sparkles. Scrolls tried and tried but he could never get the temperature to go below minus two seventy-three degrees. It drove him nuts trying. I remember watching him fail and feeling-" Sunbeam tilted her head. "Anyway, any idea why that is Twi? The temperature thing I mean, not his madness. Why couldn’t he get it to go below that? Kinda curious myself.”

Twilight sat there, her mouth hanging open. Her jaw moved a little but no sound came out.

Not getting any response, Sunbeam shrugged and looked away.

“Annnnyway, let’s give it five more minutes, just to make sure, and then the projected, living, population of Canterlot would be-" her forehooves rapped the table in a mock drumroll “-one to three! One to three ponies left alive in all of Canterlot. Just me and or the princesses left.” Her smile faltered for a second. “Maybe just me and the Princesses left. Now I can tolerate a bit of cold, but those temperatures..." She shook her head. "Pretty sure I’d be a popsicle just like everypony else by then.”

Shrugging Pinkie off, Sunbeam stood up “Annnd having just, theoretically, killed all of Canterlot I’m going to the bar to drink myself silly. Right now, I’m past caring. I just want a drink.” Her ears folded back as she flashed her teeth. “I dare anypony to try and stop me. I bucking dare-”

Her head fell. “I - I never wanted to remember this. I knew normal was never going to be on the table, but I’d hoped that perhaps...”

Not a single pony moved to stop her as Sunbeam turned and walked over to the doors to the room. Even Philomena watched her with a tilted head as she quietly opened the left door, slipped through, and closed it behind her with a click.

Nearly half a minute passed before Philomena flew over to the doors and started pecking on them as she hovered.

Fluttershy stood up. “I-I’ll go with her. Make sure she stays okay.”

Luna shook her head to clear it before looking over at her. “Be gentle Miss Fluttershy. I fear the seal on her memory may be failing faster than anticipated.” She lifted Sunbeam’s amulet up to look at it and sighed “I also fear I may have let my emotions get the better of me back then. I put unnecessary strain on the seal.”

Fluttershy paused, then nodded.

Diligent Practice hesitantly stepped forward to follow Fluttershy as Mace Swing remained motionless by the wall.

Celestia lifted a hoof and motioned him to stay. “Let’s let Miss Fluttershy deal with Miss Sunbeam. The castle is on lockdown and I’m assured that it is now the safest, most secure place in all of Equestria.” Extending a wing, she looked over to Philomena. The phoenix glanced around before flying over and landing on her wing. Celestia reached up and scratched behind Philomena’s head. “Besides, there is an anti-teleport field around the castle, one that could stop even the most powerful of unicorns teleporting in or out. Not to mention that Miss Sunbeam has a ring around her horn. A ring that not only suppresses her magic but also tracks her movements. Plus an element bearer will be soon escorting her. So I think we can let her go for a drink… in a bar full of guard ponies.”

Celestia sighed before looking around the table. “However, what we have just learned here is not to leave this room, do I make myself clear?” She rubbed her eyes. “The mass panic, not to mention the diplomatic repercussions, that would ensue if this got out. That an unstable pony could, with the right equipment, destroy cities. This is something I wish to have ample time to work out how best to present, long before I have to do so. If I have to.”

There was a round of hesitant nods.

Lifting a hoof, Celestia rubbed her eyes. “Now while still important, Miss Sunbeam’s situation is contained and thus, is no longer urgent. We have time to deal with that later.” She glanced over at the bearers. “Something gentle I swear. But right now, Ponyville’s fate is what is both urgent and important, so that is the matter we shall turn to."

Celestia took a deep breath. "As for their demand that we return Miss Sunbeam to them, in light of the recent information, I think we can all agree that that is not going to happen. So, liberating Ponyville by force is the only viable course of action I see left open to us.” A strained smile appeared. “Unless anypony can think of any other way. Please do speak up if you have any ideas. Any ideas will be contemplated.”

Silence again took the room.

Celestia's ears fell. “Then force it is.” She turned to Shining Armour. “Shining, you now have some idea of the nature of the ponies you’ll be facing. So you’ll be able to adjust your planning accordingly.”

Shining Armour nodded as Philomena walked along Celestia’s wing and onto her back.

Luna looked over at her thestral major. “Major, I want you to liaise with Shining Armour. Give any, and every, assistance you can.”

Celestia nodded at her sister before looking back at Shining Armour. “Shining, use any and all assets you deem of use. There is a time factor here, so use the best plan you can devise in the time available. I accept that there is no such thing as a perfect plan.” She lifted her head up high and looked around the room once more before speaking in a clear, firm, voice. “For the record. I assume full responsibility for all casualties that are incurred in this operation, both military and civilian. There will be no blame attached to anypony that participates in this. The fault here is mine and mine alone. Is that understood.”

Shining, along with others, nodded silently.

Celestia closed her eyes and let her head fall as Philomena massaged her back. As she did so Rainbow lifted a hoof as she looked over at Shining. “Um, captain, how many casualties do you think...?” She left the rest of the sentence unsaid.

Shining turned his head towards Rainbow. “I have already made some provisional plans for what I deemed the worst case scenarios. Powerful magic users that were willing to… and us having to assault them. In all of my plans, loss of life occurred.” He looked away. “Most of those coming from the hostages.” Shining trailed off and hung his head. “No matter what I planned, loss of life from the hostages occurred. So my plans shifted to minimising the assault forces’ casualties. We may get lucky. My best plan maximises the opportunities for such a thing to happen, but… But it’s best not to depend on that. So realistically, I expect heavy loss of life, mainly coming from the hostages.”

Rainbow’s ears fell, along with the ears of all the other bearers.

Luna leant forward. “Okay then, Captain Shining, please tell us your plans. Let us see if we can improve on them at all.”

Sitting on Celestia's back, Philomena started trying to massage her back but her talons found Celestia’s muscles locked tight under them.

***

Quick Blade looked down at the message in the privacy of the storage cupboard he was currently hiding in.

TO: Hidden Strike

FROM: Acorn

Acknowledge last message. Unfortunate you were unable to prevent Officer Commanding from his course of action.

At this point, we must assume that Icefang has been broken by the Day Princess and has given away both our existence and our location.

These orders supercede all others:

You are to retire your commanding officer and assume full control of the mission.

You are authorized to retire ANY ponies that may hinder the mission in ANY manner you see fit. Note: based on your report, your team is now considered compromised in their loyalty and as such, are now also considered expendable.

Retrieval of Icefang's amulet is now your primary mission objective. You are free to complete this objective as you see fit.

Just so you are aware of the importance of the situation, it is hoped that once we have Icefang’s amulet that we will be able to start mass producing them once again. If we can do this while the Princesses' power is still weakened, we should be able to devise a viable defense strategy before she comes for us.

Therefore, it is imperative that Icefang’s amulet is returned back to the Barn as soon as possible.

Note: Icefang herself is now considered a liability. Due to time spent with Day Princess, her actions can no longer be considered her own. So, regretfully, it has been decided that bringing her back to the Barn is now too dangerous to attempt. As it is unwise to leave such an asset in the Day Princesses’ hooves, you are to retire said asset if the opportunity arises.

For the record - All your standing orders are now rescinded for the duration of this mission.

For the record - You are authorized to act in any way you see fit in the recovery of Icefang’s Amulet and its transport back to the Barn.

Good luck, you have all our hopes and wishes.

Acknowledge receipt of orders by standard method and destroy this message after reading.

Quick Blade lowered the message. “As I said Sharp Fang, I will continue to follow the orders of my superiors to the best of my ability.”

***

Fluttershy closed the doors to the meeting room behind and looked up the empty corridor. She turned to one of the two guards that were standing to the side of the doors.

“Umm, excuse me, did you see a pony go past? I think she was going to the guard's bar.”

The one she was looking at glanced at her. “Yep, closed the door then galloped off like her tail was on fire. The guard's bar itself is left at the first junction, the one with the hallway with all the windows. It’ll be signposted after that.”

Fluttershy smiled at him. “Thank you, Mister guard.”

He nodded and returned to looking straight ahead.

Fluttershy trotted up the corridor until she reached the T-junction with the hallway. Walking out into it, she looked left and right.

The left way was clear but she found herself having to take another step forward to see past the right door that was ajar and blocking her view of that part of the hallway.

Seeing the right way was empty as well Fluttershy turned left and headed off the other way.

Her hoofsteps became quieter.

Sunbeam, balanced on her hind legs, carefully peered out from behind the right door she’d been hiding behind.

Without a word she watched Fluttershy walk away, reach the corner and disappear from sight towards the guards bar.

Dropping to all fours, she silently stepped out from behind the door and smiled.

“Not bad for an impromptu hiding spot eh Greywing? I can honestly say I wasn’t expecting that to work. I was expecting both my guards, maybe even more to come after me. To be found in seconds. Just Flutters coming after me is way better than I could have hoped for.” Pausing, she looked around the hallway, at the large windows with potted plants placed between them.

“Actually, I’ll be surprised if any of this works. It is all kinda spur of the moment.”

Her ears fell as she looked at the way Fluttershy had gone.

“I just wanted to go to the bar and get mindlessly drunk. Is that really too much to ask Greywing? I just wanted to get drunk outta my mind to not be able to remember.” Sunbeam forced a tiny smile. “I mean, it wouldn’t take long would it. To get drunk outta my mind I mean. Not much of my mind left to get drunk out of.”

Lowering her head, she snorted. “But nooo! You want me to go save Ponyville don’t you? I’m Ponyville’s best hope you said. The Princess ain’t gonna hoof you over, so the only realistic option left is a full on assault you said. Annnnd we both know that if she does that, the snakes will carry out any and all threats made. So I’m Ponyville’s best hope you said."

There was a snigger.

"Oh, oh you poor bastard Ponyville. Sorry to break it to you, but me saving ponies is not something I have the best track record with.” She lifted her head up with grin. “Hey Greywing, why don’t you tell Ponyville just how good I am at saving ponies eh. Why don’t you tell them about the time I tried to save you. About how well that went!”

Her grin faded and her ears pinned themselves back.

“D-did I ever say I’m sorry about that Greywing? For killing you I mean. I swear I didn’t mean to-”

Wincing, she closed her eyes tight. “Focus! You’ve got a town to save you stupid bitch.”

Opening her eyes Sunbeam took a breath. “Let’s see, what do I still need to do? Well, first things first.” Lifting a hoof, she tapped the ring around her horn. “I’ll need to get rid of this thing. After that...” Walking over to the window, she looked out at the sheer drop outside and frowned. She then looked up at the blue shimmer of the shield spell surrounding Canterlot Castle. Sunbeam's frown deepened. “After that, I gotta find a way outta Canterlot Castle and then find a way down to Ponyville. All in time to save it.”

Sunbeam turned and set off, in the opposite direction that Fluttershy had gone.

“And after doing all that, I’ll figure out how Pinkie does-what-she-does. Simple.” There was another snigger. “Oh, but wouldn’t that drive Sparkles mad Greywing? If I did work out how Pinkie does what she does. But honestly, I’ve got absolutely no idea. At all. It’s kinda scary.”

Stopping, Sunbeam lifted up a hoof. “However, where I do have an idea is just how I’m gonna save Ponyville. It’s a great plan. A plan that’s totally foolproof. A plan that even I can’t screw up.” She smiled. “And the beauty of it is that it’s so very, very simple Greywing… I just walk in.”

She pulled her the sides or her mouth up, making her smile wider. “The beauty of the plan is that they’d let me. The Snakes would just let me walk in with open hooves. They’d never expect me to actually start fighting them once I was in. I mean, it would be insane for a single pony to try fighting them.”

Her ears drooped as her head sagged. “It would be totally and utterly insane for a single pony to try and fight a full team of amulet wearing Snakes. That pony would be killed in seconds. Torn to bits even. At best, she’d take down one, maybe two, before the rest reacted. They’d react as they’ve been trained to at any threat. So that pony would be dead in seconds, if they were lucky. That pony wouldn’t have a chance.”

Sunbeam looked around the empty corridor. Spotting a potted fern next to a window, she walked over to it.

“And that’s what I’m counting on Greywing. That they instinctively react to a threat without too much thought.”

Placing a forehoof against the wall, she braced herself as she looked down into the pot.

“A simple plan, all I have to do is get myself killed.”

She stared down into the pot.

“Because if they were the ones to kill me, they’d have no reason to hurt the hostages would they? If they killed me, they’d have no reason to stay or take it out on the hostages would they? To save Ponyville, all I have to do is die. All I have to do is-”

Sunbeam heaved.

For the next few seconds, the only sound in the corridor was that of her emptying her stomach into a pot.

Panting, Sunbeam wiped her mouth on the back of her forehoof before trying to force a smile.

“Like I said, i-it’s a good plan Greywing. It’s simple and e-everypony wins with it.”

Sunbeam swallowed and immediately grimaced at the aftertaste in her mouth.

“Everypony wins. The Princess doesn't have to worry about me casting that spell anymore, Ponyville and its inhabitants are saved, annnnd Sparkles and co can move on and be friends with other ponies.”

She lifted a hoof up.

“Annnnd I don’t have to worry about living the rest of my life stuffed in a cage.” Her hoof fell limply. “Because really, that’s what was going to happen wasn’t it Greywing? Don’t lie, that’s what I’d have to look forward to if I lived. I‘d be stuffed into a cage, only ever let out wearing a leash. With this plan, I don’t have to worry about that. Or having to deal with memories.” She forced a smile again. “I won’t have to deal with the memories! See Greywing, it’s a perfect plan. Everypony gets their happily-ever-after with it.”

Their was a tiny snort from her. “Well, apart from the Snakes, but they don’t count do they, and-”

There was a pause as Sunbeam as tilted her head. Her full ear flicked twice before she frowned.

“Okay, I admit, my plan has a few holes in it Greywing. Okay, okay, quite a few if you’re gonna be pedantic, but it’s the best you’re gonna get. Besides, gimme a break here, you were expecting a sane plan? From me? Hah! I was never the picture-post-foal for mental sanity. Greywing. Heck, look at me now, I'm sitting here talking to a figment of my imagination. Tell me that’s a good sign. Tell me-”

A moment of silence passed as Sunbeam stared off into the distance.

“But I wasn’t always like this Greywing. I used to be sane. I used to be-”

A tiny, genuine, smile formed.

“Singing Flower was such a sweet and innocent little filly Greywing. Honestly, you’d of liked her if you’d met her. Everypony liked her. She was soooo sweet and innocent. She also liked to sing. Have I mentioned that Greywing? She liked to sing. She’d sing just to see ponies smile. S-she only wanted to see ponies smile. I remember that so clearly now, she only wanted to see smiles.”

Sunbeam closed her eyes.

“She even sang as she helped Mummy and Daddy wash the dishes Greywing. I remember that now. I remember the smell of the kitchen, all freshly scrubbed and decorated with lavender. Mummy liked lavender so Daddy would decorate the kitchen with it. I remember the smell so clearly. I remember her singing in the kitchen now. She’d sing so much that I remember Mummy and Daddy saying I’d get my cutie mark in-”

Sunbeam’s eyes snapped open.

“I’d get my cutie mark, m-my cutie mark!”

Lifting her left forehoof, she pressed it between her eyes.

“M-mmuy, Daddy, y-y-you said I’d get my cutie mark in singing. Y-you said. Y-you said! You-”

Sunbeam’s jaw shut with a click of her teeth.

Her shoulders bounced once, accompanied by a quiet, solitary sob.

Then silence as she sat there, unmoving..

A minute passed before Sunbeam suddenly ripped her hoof away from her face, a snarl forming. Looking at her hoof for a second, she pulled it back and-

The sound of the slap echoed briefly around the hallway.

Sitting there, her left cheek stinging badly and the taste of blood in her mouth, Sunbeam panted heavily through clenched teeth.

Her eyes narrowed. “You deserved that you stupid bucking bitch! You’ve been sitting here, moping, quite long enough. In fact I’m surprised you haven't been caught already. Move your flank bitch! The sooner you set off, the sooner this can all be over. The sooner all these memories will be gone. The sooner you set off, the sooner you’ll stop remembering what he took from you. What he ripped from-”

Standing up with a growl, she turned and set off.

Sunbeam walked in silence down the hallway. As she approached the end of the corridor, her expression relaxed and a wistful smile appeared.

“Strawberry ice cream! I’d really like some strawberry ice cream right now Greywing. It’s my favorite you know. I remember that it’s always been my favorite.” She grinned. “He wasn’t able to take that from me Greywing! I remember that it’s always been my favorite. I remember that it’s always been my-”

Sunbeam frowned. “I’ve told you that before Greywing haven’t I? Yes, I’m sure that I’ve told you that before. That strawberry ice cream was my favorite.”

Her frown deepened as she turned the corner. “But I can’t remember just when I told you though.” She shook her head. “Damn, that’s gonna bug me now. It’s gonna bug me for the rest of the day now.”

Her voice faded and the hallway with large arched windows was silent once again.

Author's Notes:

Just for the record, this chapter and the last one I had originally planned to be all just one chapter... and I feel it might have worked a little better as just one chapter instead of two. Buuuut I also feel that if I had done that, you'd still be waiting for anything to be published at all, so I stand by my decision.

Anyway, things are all starting to spiral towards the end now. I have it all planned out in my head how things are gonna go.

Of course, we all know what happens to plans.

My usual thanks to Greynoise for editing and Starlight Nova for pre-reading - and for pointing out a little detail that even an AU tag would be strained to cover. A detail which I facepalmed and then laughed about before removing it.

See any problems I missed, let me know and I will try and correct them.