Chapter 1: That Initial Spark

The Princess and the Muse

Chapter 1: That Initial Spark

I dodged a falling pillar as one of the unicorn guards’ blasts went awry and nearly collapsed the courtyard wall atop my head.

‘Okay,’ I admitted silently to myself as I ran, ‘perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea…’

But then I suppose that was my problem: Ideas are what I do, I always have ideas. My problem is that I’m not the best judge of what will turn out to be a good idea and what will be a catastrophically bad one. No, that’s for other people to handle. And so my way of working, and indeed living, is simply to jump from each seemingly good idea and onto the next until something sticks. And no, I’m not sure if living like that is a good idea either, but it seems to have served me well thus far and so I’m sticking to it.
I weaved sideways as a wave of magical energy skimmed by the side of my head, sizzling one of the white streaks in my mane and leaving an unruly brown blotch in its place.
I did my best to ignore the armoured hoof-falls of the guards getting louder as they remained in hot pursuit, the sound of metal on polished marble almost deafening in the humid silence that blanketed Canterlot at midnight.
I’d have gritted my teeth in frustration had it not carried the risk of marring the midnight blue gem gripped in my mouth. I forced my attention ahead once more.

‘This really is one long courtyard…” I thought with slight annoyance, the massive palace gates making it difficult to judge scale and distance correctly.

I was aware of a female voice shouting from somewhere high above and I caught sight of the shadow cast by one of the pursuing Pegasus guards breaking away as he banked off in the direction of the call.

‘Okay,’ I thought, ‘that’s one distracted, just another dozen or so to go…’

Who would’ve thought stealing one measly crown jewel would get them so riled up?
And no, grand larceny had not been what I considered a wise idea, but I had no choice in the matter. It was quite literally a life or death situation.
“Stop, in the name of Celestia!” cried the clear, commanding voice of a stallion from somewhere behind me, his call cutting through the noise of the rabble accompanying him.

I adjusted the gem in my mouth so I could speak, “Why?” I called back at the pursuing unicorn, “What’d I ever do to you?”

Shining Armor did a double take. His white coat seemed to glow in the full moonlight, as did his eyes though I guessed that was because he appeared to be more than a little angry with me, not that I blamed him, “You just stole a gem from the royal vault!” he barked, disbelief that he actually had to tell me clear in his voice.

“You’ve got no proof of that! This is oppression, I tell you!”

“You’re holding it in your mouth! I can see it from here!”

“That’s circumstantial evidence at best!”

The main gates drew closer. Already they were closing now that the alarm had been raised, but I knew I could make it. I might not be a Pegasus but that didn't mean I wasn't able to cover a decent amount of ground when the situation really called for it.
I heard Shining Armour skid to a halt behind me and caught sight of a pink glow in my peripheral vision.
A stream of light shot by my shoulder and struck the invisible barrier that protected the palace from outside magical attack. The pink light seemed to bleed presence into the shield, making it visible and dangerously solid-looking.
The barrier closed over the gateway and I lowered my head, angling my body.

‘Here goes nothing…’

I felt a surge of power from the band hidden amongst my mane accompanied by a stab of pain as the alien magic combined with my own and was channeled through me.
I punched through the barrier like it were a sheet of thin glass and broke free into the night an instant before the gates closed, cutting off my pursuers. Some of the Pegasus ponies not quick enough to react ended up slamming into the translucent barrier and slid limply back to the ground.

I looked back as I ran, finding it odd that the guards weren't making any attempt to reopen the gate or stop me.
A possible explanation for this behavior was provided when a black blur shot out from above the gate and into the night sky.
It suddenly occurred to me that whilst my plan to make off with the Midnight’s Heart under cover of darkness may have been sound, it still held one slight, tiny peril. On a related note, I also found it odd that the guards had been calling out for me to stop ‘in the name of Celestia’, when technically the gem didn't even belong to Celestia, it belonged to-

“HALT THIS INSTANT, TREACHEROUS KNAVE!”

I nearly tripped over my own hooves at the deafeningly loud command. Several of the windows in the surrounding buildings cracked as the soundwave passed over them.

I couldn’t help but sigh slightly, ‘And there it is…’

I cast an almost despairing glance back to catch sight of Princess Luna’s midnight blue form following in pursuit. The angry downbeat of her wings was so fierce that it was causing a massive tailwind. I also wasn’t reassured by the fact that her eyes were now little more than glowing pools of enraged white light.

‘And doomed, splendid…’

Her gaze narrowed and I watched as her swirling mane engulfed her body, reducing her to a stream of dark light that shot ahead of me. I barely managed to skid to a halt as the princess of night rematerialized directly in my path.
She reared back on her hind legs, glowering down at me as a crackle of thunder echoed out in the night behind her, “THOU HAST STOLEN OUR TREASURE!”

“No I didn’t!” I found myself yelping before brain and muzzle could communicate.

“THEN WHY DIDST THOU FLEE?”

I blinked, gobsmacked she was actually going so far as to question it, “I wasn’t fleeing,” I said hastily, “I was…I was exercising.”

She stabbed a hoof at the side of my mouth, “THEN WHAT HADST THOU THERE?!”

I dropped the gem into my hoof, “What, this? I…I found this. It’s just a stone from the gardens.”

Her brow furrowed, “I SENSE THOU ART TRYING TO DECEIVE US.”

“Well I wouldn’t go so far as to say trying…” I muttered under my voice.

I watched her horn glow in the darkness. The crescent-shaped gem in my hoof glowed brightly in resonance.
She stabbed her hoof at me again, “AH-HAH! AS WE SUSPECTED: FALSEHOOD!”

“You suspected?” I asked dryly.

“BUT why?” she asked, lowering her posture along with her voice suddenly.

I took a step back, “W-what?”

Her expression had changed. It had become confused, almost saddened, “Why wouldst thou steal from thy princess and lie to her?” She asked, “Have we…have I done something wrong?”

‘This I didn’t see coming…’ I also noted that her speech patterns had suddenly shifted.

I shifted my hoof uncomfortably, “It…It’s nothing you’ve done, your highness,” I said, “I just... didn’t have any other choice. The situation is kind of desperate.”

“Then why did you not seek the aid of thy princess before resorting to such means? I would never turn away one of my subjects in their time of need.”
I clenched my eyes shut.
She was actually getting to me; Nightmare Moon herself was actually guilt-tripping me…

“Look, Princess,” I said, opening my eyes to look at her, “I just want you to know that this is nothing personal, and if there were any other way…” I trailed off, shaking my head, “I’m sorry…”

“Be that as it may,” said Luna, her voice regaining some of its resonance, “We cannot let you leave with that stone. Its power is too great for it to be allowed to fall into the wrong hooves.”
Her posture changed once more. Obviously she was done talking.
It really was time to leave, quickly. I knew back there that if I’d faced down Shining Armor properly he would’ve mopped the floor with me. To say that my odds of success were slightly lower against my current roadblock would be a monumental understatement.

Luna’s horn pulsed with an ethereal glow before releasing a stream of binding light in my direction.

I held out the stone in my possession reflexively like a shield. I felt it heat up to an almost painful degree as the magical wave became distorted in the air. Luna gasped as her own technique was absorbed down into the gem.
As the Midnight’s Heart served in part as a store of Luna’s magical energy, I’d bet correctly that the gem could be used to at least partly block the princess’ abilities. However I also knew that it wouldn’t be long before she countered and turned that same magic against me. I had to get out of there.
I focused once more, straining as a lance of cold pain stabbed into my head. It seemed that the gem in the headband I was wearing had little juice left in it. With no other recourse, I dared to draw out a tiny slither of Luna’s stored magic to supplement the spell I was trying to trigger.
The upsurge in power almost knocked me flat but I managed to hold it together until I found myself surrounded by a blaze of white, blue and green light.

I let out a heaving gasp and tried to focus my eyes, “Sorry, Luna…” I choked, “I have to go now. I promise I’ll do my best to return this to you once I’m done with it. It might be a little drained by then, but I promise it will have been for a good cause…”

Luna’s posture relaxed. She obviously knew it was too late to stop the long range teleportation spell that was building and so she didn’t bother trying, “Then mark my words: know it will remain our royal duty to find you, young pony. You know not what it is that you grasp in your hooves there.”

I smiled as the swirl of magic built up around me, “Perhaps not, and from you I would expect nothing less…”

“I would know your name, thief.” demanded Luna as regally as ever.

I inclined my head acceptingly, “Alpha Spark, and I’m not a thief. I’m just…disadvantaged by circumstance.”

“Circumstance that demands you steal magical artefacts?”

I sighed, “Pretty much. And no, I can’t tell you why. You are indeed wise, your highness, but I doubt you of all people would sympathise with my current plight.”

Her frown deepened, “I do not understand.”

I just smiled weakly and shook my head as the swirl of light began to engulf me, “I know. But just know that I truly am very sorry.”

And then I was gone…

-L-

Luna regarded the sizzling crackle of residual magical energy as it danced over the stone surface. She said nothing as the sound of hooves filled the street. Shining Armor quickly approached with his entourage.

“Princess Luna!” he called out somewhat breathlessly.

The alicorn looked off into the night in silence as if observing something unseen, “I’m so sorry, your majesty. I thought we-“

“-worry not, Shining Armor.” She cut in gently, not breaking her gaze, “It would seem our quarry was better provisioned than he first appeared. And it is we who should be apologising to you. It was a severe breach of royal etiquette for an honoured guest such as yourself to be forced into action.”

He bowed his head slightly, “No, it was my honour to serve you once more, Princess.”

Luna inclined her own head curtly in response, “Do you know how he gained access to the palace?”

The unicorn frowned, “I think he got in by blending in amongst the caterers at the ball tonight. He must have been assuming a false identity and then sneaked into the vault during the changing of the guard.”

“No doubt…” she responded, still seeming distracted.

“Well don’t worry, your highness. We’ll send word out to every village and town in Equestria. We’ll find him.”

“No need, Shining Armor,” replied the princess, her gaze narrowing as she beat her wings in preparation to take flight, ”I will take care of this situation myself…”

-α-

The bright flash, combined with the sudden wave of dizziness and nausea almost knocked me to my knees as I reappeared. Thankfully I had ended up exactly where I intended to be.
I staggered uneasily into the abandoned fort atop the hill that I called my home. I’d discovered it during my wanders far out in the middle of nowhere. I’d never learned its original purpose, but despite its originally run-down appearance, after a bit of upkeep and maintenance I’d managed to get the place looking quite homely.

I weaved into the main hall, my hooves echoing quietly as I crossed from the rug-covered floor and onto cold stone.
My breaths came heavy as I circled round to the large fireplace that occupied the side wall, the sound of my movement being muffled once more as I stepped onto the ornate rug that had been placed there.

I paused to briefly stoke the dying embers back to life, the dim flames giving the vaulted room some minor illumination and casting long, dancing shadows over its high walls.

A red velvet sofa sat before the fire and resting atop it, exactly where I’d left her hours earlier, was Mimica.
It didn’t surprise me that she hadn’t awoken or stirred from the spot I’d set her down in. I doubted if by now she even had the strength to stand without assistance.

Her form was that of an alicorn mare, smaller in stature than yours truly. Her lean body had a film of cold sweat covering it and the normally rich white of her fur seemed pasty and dull. Even the jet black of her mane seemed to have lost its usual lustre. Her cutie mark –a single new-born butterfly crouched and ready to spread its wings— seemed faded against her flank.

I crouched down by her, nudging her gently with my snout.

She stirred ever so slightly and her eyes fluttered open a crack. Sleepy, neon-green orbs looked out at me from within the gaps. Normally they were a deep stygian colour, but that was only when she had any strength about her. The eyes were always the first to go. She said they were ‘windows to the true self’ and so always took the most focus to maintain.

“Spark?” she murmured. I set the dark gem down in front of her hooves and nudged it closer for her attention.

“Brought you a present…”

Her eyes regained their focus and the green light vanished. She managed to sit herself up with what appeared to be great effort. She held the gem before her and looked up, sullen concern in her eyes, “You should not have done this…”

I shook my head, “Had to be done. You wouldn’t have lasted much longer if you didn’t eat something. And that should keep you going for as long as you need.”

“I told you,” she said, “It’s not the amount of power within the object but the…the emotion behind the one…” she trailed off almost bashfully and I noticed her trail her hoof across the carpet below her.

I continued speaking, “I will have to return it at some point though. I think I’ve gotten Princess Luna somewhat upset with me.”

She dropped back to all fours and took an uneasy step forwards, “You encountered one of the princesses? But what if she-“

I silenced her with a shake of my head, “It’ll be fine. We might have to go into hiding for a little bit, but I’ve come out of worse scrapes than this with my tail intact,” okay, that was a blatant lie, but I was trying to be reassuring and so nodded at her, “Now go on…”

She nodded timidly and pressed the tip of her horn to the gem as it rested on the padded surface. Her true nature was partially revealed as the bright green of her magic illuminated the room fully, the gem responded as silvery-white light bled into her aura before being dyed the same green tint.

I watched as her body seemed to shimmer. Her appearance adjusted itself slightly as her glamour solidified once more.
A second later and it was over. Mimica exhaled a long, relieved breath.

“Better?” I asked.

She nodded, “Much…” she averted her eyes away, “I felt it: Your own magic was mixed in there a little too. You went through a lot to get it for me…”

I shrugged, “Nah, piece of cake,” I said, lying outrageously once more, “besides, you’re my bud, aren’t you? It wasn’t like I could just leave you to shrivel up.”

“Perhaps you should have,” she said quietly, “Sometimes I think it would’ve been best it you’d just left me where you found me…”

I scowled at her, “Now don’t start that again. You may be a bug, but it’s only when you get like this that you actually start to bug me.”

“I’m not a bug,” she pouted, her brow furrowing.

“Oh, no…” I said, waving my hooves in mock fear, “I forgot. You’re a big, scary changeling, aren’t you?” I ruffled her mane under my hoof, causing her to scowl slightly.

She muttered something under her breath about being a princess too, but I was done poking fun for the moment and so let the comment pass.

“You still shouldn’t have done it…” she said quietly as I went to deposit the dark gem in the chest with the others whose stored power had apparently been since depleted. Even though they still crackled with energy, Mimica insisted that their ‘usable power’ was all gone, whatever that meant.
I tossed down the headband with the depleted gem attached to it on the sofa, “that thing worked a treat.”

Mimica regarded it, “It’s normally used by my people for infiltration. It was-“

“-Dangerous for me to use,” I cut in with a roll of my eyes, “yes, I know. I have the headache to prove it. It seemed like a good idea at the time…”

Mimica sighed, “Things always seem like a good idea to you at the time, mister muse.”

“Give me some credit; I at least tried to think this one through. And I only had to improvise like three, four…at best maybe seventeen times.”

Silence fell and I exhaled a tired breath. I’d voiced my next recommendation a dozen times before, but I thought I’d give it one more go regardless, “Are you sure it wouldn’t be best for me to take you back to your own people? I mean maybe someone there can help. Perhaps someone in your family; your mother or-“

“-No!” she interjected harshly, obviously a little harsher than intended as she quickly looked away again, “You remember how I said that you probably wouldn’t get along well with my people if you were forced to take me back to them?”

I inclined my head, “I do.”

She smiled grimly, “Well let’s just say that you really wouldn’t get along well with my mother.”

I sighed and dropped down on the sofa and let her curl up against me, “Looks like we both have parental issues…”

She smiled and closed her eyes, nuzzling up in my mane as she got comfortable, her wings folding up against her sides “Looks like…”

And so I drifted off with Mimica safely by my side, both of us completely unaware of the presence of another in the room.

-L-

The swirl of blue/violet magical energy drifted about the room, passing slowly over the sleeping pair.
It then drifted over to the chest in the corner only to rear back sharply as the enchantments protecting the container forced the mass away.

The cloud of energy swirled back around and materialised into the spectral form of Princess Luna. She looked down upon the slumbering ponies.

The ghostly princess reached a hoof down, able to exert just enough physical force in her current form to part the layers of unruly mane atop the pony's head, revealing the horn concealed beneath.

“As I suspected…” she intoned, her voice not reaching the sleeping pair, “You may sleep easy for now, Alpha Spark, but tomorrow you shall learn that night is no longer your sanctuary of rest, but the hunting ground of the princess of the moonlight. Until then…”

And with that, the princess vanished, leaving the pony to enjoy what may very well be his last decent night’s sleep for quite some time…

To be continued…

-XA-

Chapter 2: The Dream Hunter

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Chapter 2: The Dream Hunter

I awoke to the sound of song drifting in the air, which after the events of last night was a welcome change of pace.
I let out a long yawn and looked down to realize that I was now alone on the sofa.

I swept my sleepy gaze about until I sighted Mimica, who was already awake and was sat down on her flank as she brushed her mane with the spindly comb she normally kept concealed in her hair for safekeeping. It seemed to be the only actual possession she had, as she’d been carrying nothing else with her when I’d found her.

I observed her through lidded eyes for a moment. She appeared back to full strength once more, and I noted that the gaps between her periods of exhaustion were increasing, but that didn't mean another wouldn't come.

I'd tried asking her directly about the root cause of her problem, and had only been able to get out of her that she needs a specific kind of magic with which to sustain herself. Any attempt to get her to elaborate further had been met with a brick wall. And so the only idea I could come up with (which was a rare occurrence) was to collect as many magically imbued artifacts as possible in the hope one of them would be effective.

As one might imagine, such artifacts do not come cheap to say the least, and so I have been forced to, shall we say, act on the grayer side of the law for quite some time now.

Strangely, it seemed that the effectiveness of each gem or artifact appeared to increase depending on how hard it was for me to acquire. And considering last night had consisted of dodging the Royal Guard and barely escaping the wrath of Princess Luna, it was no small shock that she was back in shape.

Mimica was of course the source of the singing. And as soft and hauntingly soothing as her voice was, it was truly at odds with the subject matters of the songs she often sang when she thought she was alone.

I coughed into my hoof politely and the sound immediately halted. Mimica shifted quickly about to look at me, “Feeling better this morning?” I asked.

She nodded solemnly and quickly entwined the ebony comb back in her mane.

“Can I ask you something?” I said unsurely.

“What is it?”

“It’s just, I do like your singing, but I was just wondering why your songs always seem to be about…I dunno…”

“Subjects of a macabre nature?” she offered with a weary smile.

I cocked my head, “Kinda…” I responded carefully. I mean her songs were nice, just so long as you didn’t listen to the lyrics too closely.
They had all the aura and softness of a lullaby, if lullabies were about consuming the hearts and souls of your enemies and grinding the world into dust under your hooves that is. Otherwise, nice...

She sank down onto her chest, her hoof idly playing with the comb in her hair, “I know they’re bad, but when my mother used to sing them to me...” she cut herself off and shook her head with annoyed dismissiveness.

“Tell me…” I prodded gently, resting my head atop my hooves to regard her. I was actually kind of startled; normally Mimica wouldn't have volunteered even that much information. She was usually very tight-muzzled about that sort of thing.

She looked back at me briefly and then turned away again, her shoulders sagging slightly as she sighed, “…I could pretend that she actually loved me.”

“Mimi?” I asked, sitting up slightly.

She seemed to scoff at the ridiculousness of it all and shook her head, “Even at that age I knew of course. Changelings rear their young that way: we fill them with such love when they’re young, then we tear it all away from them leaving a gaping void. We call it nurturing, preparation.”

“So you…?”

She nodded, “Changeling princess. I had to be empty on a grand scale. ‘Let your heart be crushed until there’s no room left in it for anyone but yourself,’ those are the only words of advice my mother ever gave me once I was old enough to walk.”

“So what happened? How did you-“

“-You’re asking a lot of questions today, Alpha Spark,” she suddenly cut in, and I knew just like that she’d clammed up once more, “What about you? We've been together for months and you've never once said a word about your parents.”

I smiled sadly, “I suppose I am a bit of a hypocrite in nature. But I wouldn't know the answer to that either way. I Haven’t seen either of them for years.”

She focused her attention on me as I stood up and approached the shelves against the opposite wall, “Years?”

“Yup,“ I confirmed as I pulled down a scroll from the upper shelf and crossed to the rear table, unfurling it, “Five at last count, but that’s not important just now.”

She plodded over and looked down at the map, “Well?”

“You remember what I said last night, about going to lie low?”

She looked about, “I thought we were lying low. We are in the middle of nowhere.”

I shook my head, “We can’t stay here. Princess Luna will probably be able to track where I teleported to since I used her magic to power the headband in order to get away. She probably knows where we are already. And I would rather not be here with a box full of borrowed artifacts when the Royal guard starts banging down my door.”

“Borrowed?” she echoed with a suspicious narrowing of her eyes.

“Hey, I’m going to give them back. There just…hasn't been an opportune moment. Been busy looking after my friend.”

Mimica seemed to want to object, but she merely shied backward in response, shifting slightly, “Well do you have any ideas?”

“Hundreds,” I replied, “Most useless. Not unless we have a hot air balloon. Wait…do we have a hot air balloon?”

“We do not.”

“Then mostly useless, but either way, I think we should just head north until the heat dies down.”

I left that prompt hanging: that thread of an idea, and Mimica stepped up by my side, “That could work,” she traced her hoof along the map to the west, “We head back towards Canterlot-“

“-Towards?” I interjected, gaping at her.

She frowned at me, “You’re the idea man, Spark, leave the details to me.”

“If you say so…”

She pointed to a line on the map, “As you can see, there’s a train line running directly north to the Crystal Empire. It runs past a small town west of here. We can board a train there and we should have a clear line to the north, if running away together really is a wise idea.”

I knew there was an unspoken, ‘as opposed to just leaving me be and saving yourself,’ but I didn’t dignify it with a response.

“Can’t think of anything better right now,” I said with a shrug, “So we cut west through to,” I squinted my eyes at the map, “Ponyville, hop on a train, hole up somewhere in the north, mail those things back to their owners with my apologies and then wait it out until nobody cares anymore. Problem solved.”

Mimica nodded and seemed to do her best to smile convincingly. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand her lack of optimism. It seemed like she’d been resigned ever since we’d met, but I knew being on the road wouldn’t be too good for her in the long run.

I even had to accept that everything I was doing was just a stall. Sooner or later we would have to get her help. But openly seeking help for a Changeling in Equestria was like getting honey off your hoof by sticking it into a bear cave: One way or another the issue might get resolved, but a happy ending would most likely be out of the picture.

I cast a downward glance at her. How many times had she asked me why I was doing this for her?

She never attacked me on the morning she’d first awoken in my home. That had shocked me. I’d been expecting to have to fend her off until I could explain that I meant her no harm. Instead she’d just asked my name and where she was. From there she’d just lain mostly in silence until she was strong enough to move.

She’d once been forced to ask that surely even I could see that choosing to take her in was a ridiculously bad idea. And I’d admitted it: it probably was by far the stupidest thing I’d ever done, but for some reason choosing to go out and scoop that crumpled black form up in my hooves felt like the smartest thing I’d ever done, and I’d stuck by that feeling.

I’m not sure how she took that, but for some reason she always slept by me from that night on, and it had been the next day that I’d awoken to discover the persona she’d constructed to hide her true appearance.

I’m not sure why she went to such ends, especially when one considered her failing strength. She’d shied away every time I’d ask about it however. To be honest, I sort of preferred her original form.

As far as Changelings went, or at least from the pictures I’d seen of them, she was actually sort of cute. Not cute in any kind of adorable way, mind you; but cute in a sharp, pointy, marginally scary sort of way.

I’d tried to reiterate this point in the hopes of boosting her self-confidence, or at the very least in the hopes of convincing her to conserve her magic. She retaliated by jabbing me in the flank with her horn and not talking to me for two whole days. In fact she seemed to have rather a lot of difficulty even looking me in the eye during that time.

I’ve since come to the conclusion that avoiding the whole ‘looks’ matter to be a wise choice, and have therefore been content to let her waltz about in whatever form suited her best.

I was suddenly very aware of my horn as it throbbed due to the overexertion of the previous night, hidden away behind layers of mane. And it only occurred to me right there and then that I had no right to press anypony about hiding their true self.

“Are you okay to travel?” I asked, breaking the silence I had fallen into.

She nodded and rolled the map back up with a nudge of her horn, “won’t be a better time.”

I inclined my head and went to pack my saddlebag.

The small ornate chest containing the magical items took some shoving to get packed, but I knew it was too dangerous to leave behind. I couldn't just take the contents alone either. The box’s enchantments hid the artifacts from detection, and I knew carrying them loosely would have us caught by any security unicorns who’d been notified of my various…borrowings.

I also knew I’d probably need divine intervention if Princess Luna herself happened to be in range when that lid opened. It was only by sheer luck, several flukes and the skin of my teeth that I’d managed to get away from her last night. Next time, I knew I wouldn't be so fortunate…

I shoved the map along with some provisions and supplies inside and then tossed it over my back.

“Ready?”

Mimica inclined her head and fell into step at my side as we set out on our way.

-α-

One of the problems about living in the middle of nowhere: not much in the way of roads, or even beaten tracks for that matter.

“That reminds me,” I said as we left the path from the main door and arched sideways into the grass.

“What is it?”

“You’d best hide your wings if we see anybody coming,” I said, glancing warily up.

Her brow furrowed and her wings fluttered unconsciously, “Why?”

I cocked my head, “Alicorns are very rare, and we really don’t want to attract that kind of attention.”

“Okay, but…why are you looking up?” asked Mimica with a frown, glancing up also as we walked.

“Because we’re right under an intersection of the weather patrol routes. We may not see many earth ponies, but we might see a Pegasus or two passing over. Do you really want them coming to take a closer look if they catch sight of you?”

“I guess that makes-“Mimica was abruptly cut off however as what sounded like a trumpet horn suddenly echoed over the landscape.

I frowned, looking around, “Strange…that almost sounded like a royal announce-“

“-Get down!” snapped Mimica an instant before she tackled me to the earth over a small ridge and into some long grass by a pond.

“What in Equestria are you-“

“-Head down!” she hissed, shoving my head down behind the ridge again as she peeked over the top.

“What is it?” I whispered.

Her eyes flicked to me and then nodded carefully over the top of the outcropping.

I peeked slowly over to look back the way we had come.

A pair of white Pegasus ponies had landed and now stood either side of the small path leading up to my home. Each had a trumped wedged beneath their left wing and both bore the insignia of the Royal Guard.

I looked past them as a further six members of the Guard came into a landing, “Oh no…” I murmured, “Mimica, stay as low as you can. Do not move, and if possible, try not to breathe…”

“What is it?” whispered Mimica, “Tell me it’s not that princess you ran into.”

I shook my head, “Oh no, it’s worse than that. Much, much worse…” I said, and watched as the royal carriage touched gently down behind the guards pulling it, “Obviously she’s decided to look into this personally. I suppose that stone really must have been important if she’s chosen to investigate during the day on Luna's behalf.”

“What? Who is it, Spark?” she demanded with a hiss.

I looked to the entourage just as she came into view. I was briefly staggered at how her gleaming white outline seemed to glow in the sunlight. Then the moment passed, and I let out a defeated breath, “It’s Celestia…”

Mimica choked a gasp, her attention snapping to the Princess as she descended from her pallet with a gentle fluttering of her wings. I found myself looking at the Changeling and was briefly startled.

She looked terrified, absolutely petrified. I’ve seen her display quite a range of emotions: sadness; amusement; occasional contentment, but never had Mimica allowed herself to show actual fear before.

She flinched as I dared move enough to rest a hoof atop her shoulder, “Are you okay?”

“…fine,” she managed to say, though that was sort of hard to believe when she was visibly trembling at the same time.

I left my hoof where it was and returned my observations to the group ahead. Some of the guards had already entered the fort whilst the rest had formed a cordon around the building, both on the ground and above it.

I observed Celestia. She hadn’t moved since stepping down and was just standing there, staring up at the building in front of her. Unlike her guards, the princess didn’t have a serious glare or even a frown on her features. In fact, she just seemed to be looking up at the structure with a strange inquisitiveness, as if it were some strange puzzle that had momentarily caught her interest.

Her attention suddenly shifted somewhat as her head orientated just ever so slightly in my general direction.

I froze, not even daring to take a breath. It wasn’t like she was even looking directly at me, but I still got the terrifying sense that she was somehow extremely aware of my presence. And just like that, she returned her attention ahead once more.

I let out the breath I was unaware I’d been holding, “What is it?” whispered Mimica, her wings pressed tightly against the side of her body.

“Didn’t you see that?” I asked, “She looked right this way.”

“To be honest, I’m trying not to look at her at all,” she replied.

I returned my attention ahead and watched as the guards inside re-emerged, the leader shaking his head apologetically toward the princess.

Celestia nodded her head and the guards began surveying the area.

“They’re going to find us if they start searching,” whispered Mimica, “I’d be glad if you could grant me some of that inspiration…”

I rolled my eyes, “Well I’d be happy to, but-“and then it happened: against my will as normal, there was a gentle pulse of light from my concealed horn and Mimica inhaled a sharp gasp.

Suddenly, one of the two unicorn guards who had been standing either side of Celestia tensed. His horn glowed with blue light and he swung about to look directly at me.

Such a tiny amount of magic used and still he detected it? The pony was good at his job, I’d hand him that…

“Trouble…” I murmured as Mimica suddenly began rummaging about in my pack.

He shouted something at the Guard commander who immediately began barking orders and waving his subordinates ahead.

Then something strange happened. Celestia raised her hoof up and said something too quiet for me to hear at this distance. The guards looked confused but obviously complied with whatever their princess had said and then began gathering back into a line by the carriage.

Celestia herself stepped forward instead.

‘And doomed again…splendid.’

Suddenly, Mimica’s hooves were on my shoulders as she dragged me back a few steps, “What are you doing?” I demanded.

She responded by slipping off my bag and shoving a drinking straw in my mouth, “Saving your flank. Oh, and I’ll apologise for this later.”

I would’ve questioned had my mouth not been full. There was also the fact that Mimica had just turned about and bucked me gently backwards with just enough force to knock me off balance and flop backward into the murky pond water behind me.

-M-

Luckily the splash hadn't been too loud. Mimica was forced to pull her attention away, only able to hope that Alpha Spark had managed to right himself enough to breathe and to stay still enough to avoid detection.

The Changeling ducked reflexively down on her knees as a great shadow fell briefly over her as something blocked out the sun above for just a second. Then there was the sound of displacing air from a couple of great wing beats as something touched down.

Mimica kept her eyes glued to the grass as a shadow fell over her once more. The Changeling became aware of an oddly present rosy scent in the air, “Well hello there,” chimed a friendly voice.

Mimica tensed and flinched down further.

There was a brief moment of silence.

“Umm…” said the figure above unsurely as she shifted her hoof, “You…don’t have to keep bowing, you know,” she said, her voice trying to sound reassuring.

The Changeling didn't move. And while she certainly didn't hold true to the allegiances of her brethren, Mimica had nonetheless been reared to believe that the one now looming over her was her sworn blood enemy. And when you’re brought up on expressions like ‘Celestia’s in the detail’, common sense alone isn't always enough to overcome instinct.

“Okay then…” came that cheery voice again.

There was a sound of rustling grass and then silence once more. Mimica dared look up from behind her hooves, only to find Celestia smiling back from about three inches away, her chin resting atop her hooves as she crouched down on her chest, “There you are,” she chimed.

Mimica yelped in fright and leaped back upright. She would've beat her wings had she not locked them away behind her glamour.

Celestia blinked in mild surprise and then grinned before sliding back up to her hooves, “Is something wrong?” she asked, cocking her head curiously.

Mimica took a step back, glancing about, “N-no…I…ah…I was just…star struck,” she said, but instantly became aware of how impossible it was to fake awe and reverence through abject terror.

“Well you certainly don’t need to be afraid of me,” said the princess with an almost amused giggle.

“R-right…”

Celestia didn't push further. She merely stood, waiting patiently for the unicorn before her to calm down slightly, “Feeling better now?” she asked gently.

“Y-yes, ma’am, thank you very much.”

She grinned, “It’s no problem. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a couple of questions.”

“Questions?”

Celestia nodded and pointed a hoof back the way she’d came, “Do you know the pony who lives over there?”

Mimica shook her head, “No, ma’am. I’m just out here…uh…gathering…bugs.”

Celestia again looked somewhat confused, but then just smiled, “Well it’s always good to stay active and have a hobby.”

Mimica laughed nervously, “Well you know what they say: Celestia makes work for idle hooves.”

The princess blinked, “Excuse me?”

“N-nothing!” stammered the Changeling hastily.

“Okay…” said the princess with confusion, her smile immediately returned though, “Well I don’t suppose you might have seen anyone come or go.”

“No, princess, just me.”

“I see…” said Celestia, her eye going in one smooth movement down to the bag on the floor, to the pond behind, and right back to Mimica again.

The Changeling princess felt her hooves dig into the earth as she readied for what may be about to come.

Instead, Celestia merely let out a sad sigh, “A shame. Though if you do happen to see a certain unicorn pony about these parts…”

“Let me guess: Dangerous, so stay away?”

Celestia hummed, “No, not dangerous. In fact, if you do happen to come across him, just tell him that there are those out there willing to offer help to those who ask, and that nobody is beyond help.”

Mimica missed the fact that Celestia hadn't bothered to describe exactly who she was supposed to pass the message onto, “I’ll make sure to tell him…i-if I do happen to come across someone that is.”

Celestia nodded and turned to leave, “Well it was nice meeting you,” she said, only to hesitate, as if considering something. She reached a hoof up to the crown atop her mane and pulled free a small golden gem that briefly pulsed with contained sunlight before going dim, “Here…”

Mimica hesitantly reached out and took the seemingly innocent-looking topaz, “W-what is it?”

“For when you’re ready to ask for help…”

The Changeling princess covertly pressed her horn to the stone, confirming no magic was being emitted, nor anything else that could be tracked. She quickly looked back to Celesta, “Y-you mean for when he is ready to-”

Celestia just nodded, cutting her gently off, “-of course…” and Mimica gasped when the pony princess’s hoof moved and touched her on the shoulder with gentle affection, “And as I said: it really was nice meeting you, my little…” she paused, and her expression softened almost imperceptibly, “my little friend.”

Without another word spoken, Celestia turned about and returned to her guards, departing a moment later.

Mimica watched them leave. She then immediately collapsed to her knees as the tension suddenly broke all at once. She took several long, calming breaths in the hopes it might help.

Keeping her eyes fixed on that spot in the sky, Mimica walked almost vacantly over to the edge of the pond and sat down. She idly reached out and propped the bottom of her hoof down on the tip of the straw sticking out of the water.

There was a disturbance under the water a few seconds later and Alpha Spark erupted from beneath the surface, heaving for air. He wiped some pond weed out of his face and looked about before finally settling his glare on Mimica, “What in the hay was that for?”

“Just letting you know they’d gone…”

-α-

Spluttering, I trudged out of the pond and onto the grass. I stopped by Mimica and followed her gaze into the distance, “I can’t believe we escaped them…”

I saw Mimica shake her head, expression still distant, “We didn’t escape,” she said, “She let us go.” At that, she extended her hoof toward me, revealing the shimmering yellow gem there.

I frowned and picked it up to examine it.

“Celestia gave it to me,” explained Mimica, “I’ve already checked; it’s safe.”

“What is it?”

She just shook her head again, “I don’t know…”

I kept a wary eye on her and moved to stow the gem inside the bag. I tossed it over my back and then rested a hoof on Mimica’s shoulder, “Are you okay?” I asked quietly.

She closed her eyes and took a sudden, shuddering breath, “I’m fine, sorry. I just…got a little scared back there.”

“You and me both,” I said as she stood back to her feet.

“She wasn't scary…” said the Changeling suddenly, her voice small.

“Mimi?”

“I…thought she would be terrifying. But she was so warm…” I watched her hoof move almost unconsciously to touch her shoulder.

I smiled, “Celestia is powerful, but I don’t think anyone in Equestria would describe her as unkind.”

She just nodded in silence. Clearly she was still shaken. I briefly nuzzled her and felt her frame relax against me, “You okay to carry on?”

She closed her eyes and nodded, not breaking the connection between us just yet, “Yes...Thank you, Spark.”

And thus we carried on our way...

-α-

We made camp about three miles outside the town of Ponyville, our intent being to make our way in early the next day and catch the first train out. That was assuming all went well.

Mimica was curled up against me as normal as I settled down by the campfire. The low sound of her breathing along with subtle crackling and popping of the logs amongst the flames had me quickly drifting off to my own slumber…

-☾-

A blast of wailing wind suddenly struck me in the face and I leaped up in shock, the flames in the fire pit extinguished under the force of the gust.

I staggered back, looking down to realize what was missing, “Mimi?!” I called out over the echoing wind, looking about in panic.

The swirling gusts of air seemed to gather into a cyclone about the dead fire before exploding into a blaze of dark blue flame.

“WE HAVE FOUND YOU!!” bellowed what I can only describe as an annoyingly familiar voice.

“Oh, please don’t tell me…”

The flames warped and coalesced into the unmistakable shape of Princess Luna. I locked my gaze on her, “Where’s Mimi? What’ve you done with her, Luna?” I demanded.

“We have done nothing to your companion! This is your dream, not hers.”

“A dream?” I echoed, looking about and realising just now how dark and oddly disjointed everything seemed, “And can you dial it down just a little? I’m right here in front of you.”

Luna scowled, and when she spoke again her tone hadn’t changed, but thankfully the volume had, “Very well.”

“I’ve already told you, your highness: I promise to return the gem to you once I’m finished with it and we’re somewhere safe. My friend’s health may rely on it.”

“Yes, your friend…” Luna’s eyes pulsed white and the curled up form of Mimica shimmered into existence nearby, “Interesting…The dreams of all ponies are within my domain, and yet I am unable to sense hers. Clearly you must’ve given her some charm to protect her.”

“Clearly…” I lied dryly, which I would do for Mimica in a heartbeat, even to the face of Princess Luna herself.

Unlike when we were actually face to face, I sensed that this Luna knew I wasn’t telling her the truth.

I did my best to steel myself, which wasn’t easy when staring down the mare of the night, “I will return the gem to you in due time. You have my word, Luna.”

“Unacceptable!” she called, “You know not what forces wait out in the shadows seeking the powers thou hadst so foolishly gathered together! My sister may have been content to not pursue you herself, but I will continue to have you hunted until what is mine is returned and the safety of Equestria is assured!”

“Wait, what are you talking about? What ‘forces’?”

“You really have no idea, do you?” she asked, leaning down from the flames that she stood atop like a podium. She stamped her forward hoof down into the earth.

There was a deafening crash of thunder along with a blinding flash of light.

The silhouette of another was briefly visible out there in the dark: a large, jagged shape looming over Mimica’s sleeping form like some creeping evil trying to seep its way in and grasp hold of her.

A loud hiss seemed to pierce through the noise and I tensed back as the shadow vanished.

I turned my attention back to Luna as she spoke again, her voice calm but perfectly authoritarian, “I care not what my sister’s motivations are. But for the safety of all Equestria, you will be found, Alpha Spark. My plans have changed: for both night and day will you be hunted, and I shall use my sister’s forces as were they my own. You will know no safety, no rest, until what was taken is returned once more. NOW BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT!”

-α-

There was another thunderclap and I sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. The fire had burned down to smoldering embers. Mimica shifted and lifted her head up to look at me, “What is it Spark?” she murmured, looking out through sleepy eyes.

I kept my eyes on the dying fire as I spoke, “It’s nothing…sorry for waking you.” She muttered something incoherent and then rested down against me once more.

I suddenly remembered that shape looming out of the shadows, reaching for her, and I was only partially aware of my hooves going round her sleeping frame to hold her tightly against me. She sighed happily and shifted against me before going silent once more.

I frowned at the dying fire as if it might offer some solution to my confusion, ‘Luna wants to chase us but Celestia lets us go free? Just what is going on?’

Remembering that dark shape now had me wracked with the horrible feeling that something was out there in the blackness, watching us from afar.

I didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

‘Just one small town…’ I thought to myself as I sat there in the dark, waiting for dawns first light, ‘Just one small town and we’re home free.’ I smiled and ran a hoof through Mimica’s mane as she slept contentedly against me, ‘Just how much trouble could that be?’

To be continued…

-XA-

Chapter 3: Pinkie and the Mane

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Chapter 3: Pinkie and the Mane

Twilight Sparkle circled the large table her brother had set up on the main floor of her library, watching as the unicorn colt circled it with a contemplative frown on his face.

“Don’t you find it just a little bit strange?” enquired Twilight.

“Find what strange, Twi?” he asked, looking up from the large map unfurled on the tabletop, the chart itself having been dotted with numerous pins.

“This,” she said, nodding down, “I mean first Princess Luna says to leave everything to her and now she’s marshaling every free guardspony in every town between here and the seas to search for the Midnight’s Heart.”

“It’s a very important stone, Twilight,” he said, still obviously distracted.

Twilight circled him, “I also recall you saying that she said to leave everything to us ponies down here and just enjoy your stay while you can.”

“I know, Twilight,” he grumbled, bending down to scribble a note, “but with Cadence still away in discussions with the Sea Ponies, there’s really nothing else for me to do just now. I feel…useful, doing this.”

She watched him drag aside some scrolls to read some reports from nearby towns and then double check them against his map. A wry, affectionate smile pulled at her face, “Look at you, playing detective. You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

He flushed slightly, “Well I’ll admit it might have been a while since I got to actually do anything…guard-related.”

“You never were one for politics or studies, were you? Always out fooling around with the other colts playing soldier.”

He glanced sidelong at her, a smile pulling at his mouth, “I always had time for you though.”

She smiled, “Yes. Yes you did, big brother.”

He coughed and looked back at his map, “Besides, I can’t just leave things as they stand. I know I can be of more help if I stay here as opposed to finding a different way back to the Empire.”

She nudged him with her shoulder, “It’s not like I’m complaining.”

He smiled at her again and Twilight turned her attention to the map, “So each pin represents a theft?”

He nodded, “Every recorded theft of a magical artifact in the past six months. Luckily there aren’t much of those in Equestria so it’s been quite easy to track the patterns.”

Twilight was startled at how ordered her brother could be when it came to his duty. Each pin had a bit of string tying it to another pin, which in turn held open an individual scroll placed around the rim of the table. Each scroll held a printed news report of the incident in question.

Twilight beat her wings and, whilst still unsteady using them, she managed to gain some altitude in order to look down on the map from above, “What’s the difference between the red and yellow pins?” she asked, noticing the twin color distribution.

He stood back and nodded at them to indicate, “The red ones are high-profile artifacts or items that could be particularly dangerous. The yellow ones seem just be opportunistic thefts from a few colleges and libraries.”

Twilight took in the map from above. Her eyes narrowed as a suspicion came to her. She dropped down and ran her gaze over the summary sheet Shining Armor had drawn up with the dates and times of the incidents, “His pattern changed…” she suddenly murmured.

“Twilight?”

She pointed her hoof down at a small group of yellow pins that were mostly grouped together, “If you look back about six months ago, near the start: most of the thefts were all located in one area and were seemingly at random. Then suddenly…” her hoof drew out to the next one, which was a red pin on the outskirts of that area, “One high profile artifact, and from there on…” she moved her eyes from pin to pin, “They've all become spread out, and all high profile.”

“Nicely spotted, Twilight,” said the elder with a brief smile, “But It’s not just that,” his gaze turned serious once more, “In each of the high-profile cases he seemed to have foreknowledge of all the security involved as well as the routes in and out. It was the same with the palace.”

Twilight frowned, “Do you know how that might be possible?”

He paced around the table, “Somepony on the inside would be my first guess, except-“

“-Except that would be a lot of inside jobs…” finished Twilight with an understanding nod.

Shining Armor leaned forwards to rest his chin atop his hooves, regarding the map with a frown, “No, if I were to guess, I’d say he had to have had some kind of accomplice; somepony who’s been in a position to have access to all that information at some point and also the smarts to gather it together.”

“And have you found anypony who might have all that information?”

He shook his head, “That’s just it, Twilight: there isn’t anypony who should’ve had access to all that information at once. The only place in Equestria where all that information could be found together would be in the secure archives in Canterlot, and individual sections are restricted. The only ponies with access to all areas are the princesses themselves, or someone who’d been given full command of palace security for some reason.”

“And has anyone ever been given that?”

He shook his head, “Except for that time I was handling the defense of Canterlot from the Changelings, no…”

“Hmm, and I think I’m going to trust that you haven’t turned jewel thief in your spare time, big brother,” prodded the alicorn jokingly.

“Thanks, Twi, I'm so glad you’ve got my flank on this one.”

“Any time.”

It was at that moment that the door was thrown open and a small purple figure backed in whilst burdened with a pile of books far taller than he was, “Hi, Twilight,” said Spike as he reversed inside, kicking the door shut on reflex, “I got those books you were expecting from the delivery office. Sorry it took so long, apparently the delivery pony set half down on one side of the warehouse and then for some reason set half down on the other, took them over an hour to find them all. I did get a free sapphire-filled muffin out of it as an apology though. The muffin has since vanished under mysterious circumstances, sorry about that...”

“That's perfectly fine, Spike,” said Twilight with a smile, “and look: we have a guest.”

“A guest? Who would- whoa!” The baby dragon cried out in panic as he slipped on one of the many pieces of parchment littered about the floor and landed flat on his face.

“Are you okay, Spike?” asked the alicorn, taking a hesitant step forwards.

“I’m fine,” he grumbled, dragging himself up and restacking the books he’d dropped all over the floor, “Man, Twilight, I really wish you wouldn’t leave your stuff lying around, I just cleaned this place up.”

“It’s...not my stuff,” said Twilight.

It was only then that the dragon noticed the state the library had been quite swiftly transformed into since he’d left earlier that morning, and also the unicorn standing on the opposite end of the table, “Shining Armor? W-what are you doing here?”

“I’m just here to see Twilight, and maybe for a little bit of business.”

“Business?”

“Shining Armor is here to try and catch a jewel thief. He thought my library might make a nice little headquarters to get his information together, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with all the trains being cancelled until further notice and him being stranded here with nothing else to do.”

“Jeez, Twi, you make it sound like I can’t sit still for five minutes.”

Spike sighed, “I wouldn’t worry, Twilight’s pretty much the same, unless you put a book in her hooves that is...”

“That’ll do, Spike...”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, stepping forwards, “but a jewel thief?” echoed the dragon.

Twilight cocked her head, “Jewels and magical artifacts. Basically nearly anything that’s been imbued with magical energies has been a target.”

“Wow, so it’s a master criminal? I’ve only read about those in stories.” said Spike with mild awe, “I didn’t think they even existed in real life.”

“They don’t, at least not normally,” said Shining Armor, “Crime in Equestria on any large scale is extremely rare. That’s why this is such a special case.”

Spike picked up the scroll he’d slipped on. Imposed on it was the image of a colt from one side, “is this the pony you’re looking for?”

The unicorn nodded in response.

Spike frowned, scrutinizing the image, “He doesn’t look like much, just a regular old earth pony.”

“I made the same mistake,” said Shining Armor, “He’s actually a unicorn, but it seems he keeps his horn hidden behind his mane.”

Twilight inclined her head, “Makes sense if you don’t want other ponies to know you can do magic. Makes you less of a suspect.”

“Alpha Spark...” read Spike from what was actually a wanted poster, “You know anything about him?”

“Now that I know his name, yes.”

Spike hopped up onto one of the wooden stools, paper still in claw, “Then who is he? Some down-on-his-luck pony who’s turned to a life of crime?”

Shining Armor frowned, “That’s just it: he’s not. Alpha Spark is the heir to the Vanas dynasty. His mother and father -Mural Impasto and Canvas Daybreak, are two of the most wealthy artists in all of Equestria. He disappeared five years ago from the coma wing of Fillydelphia Central Hospital and hasn’t been seen since. His parents put up quite a substantial reward for his return at the time.”

“Do they know he’s turned up again?” asked Twilight.

“If they don’t already, they will soon.”

“You mean he just got out of bed and wandered off one day?” asked Spike

Shining Armor shrugged “I don’t know. I don’t even know why he was in there to begin with. The file they teleported over to me didn’t have much in the way of detail. To be honest I think they just didn’t want somepony bringing up their losing of a VIP patient.”

“I don’t get it...” said Spike.

“Don’t get what, Spike?” asked Twilight.

He lifted up one of the nearby reports, “This says this has been going on months now, right?. Then how come everypony is only choosing to do something about it now?”

“Probably because nopony joined the dots before. Besides, it’s only with the theft of Luna’s Midnight’s Heart that things have become so serious.” Said the unicorn.

“Midnight’s Heart?” asked the dragon, “What’s that?”

There was a shimmering in the air as Twilight lifted a tome from her bookcase using her horn and set it down in front of Spike. The page showed the gem in question as the alicorn spoke, “The Midnight’s Heart was the stone used by Princess Celestia to let her control the night while Princess Luna was banished to the moon. And while Luna may be back and in control again, if somepony gets hold of that gem they could use it to throw the very balance of Equestria into chaos. That and the other stolen items paint a very nasty picture.”

“You mean there’s stuff he’s taken that’s worse than that?”

Shining Armor shook his head, “Not worse, no. But some of those artifacts held the templates for a lot of the fundamental magics that we take for granted. Mirith’s horn, for example, was used to help make the air magic that creates the currents used by pegasus ponies to move more swiftly between towns, those currents also help move the clouds about. In fact, most of the stones and gems taken are linked in some way with all of the basic forces that keep Equestria running. Alone, any one of those items could cause trouble if in the wrong hooves, but together...”

“It really could throw all of Equestria into chaos if someone with truly bad intent got hold of them,” said Twilight.

“I dunno,” said Spike, holding up the poster again, “He doesn’t look like some evil genius, looks kind of vacant if you ask me.”

“I’d have to agree with you, Spike,” said the unicorn, “I don’t think he’s doing this because he wants to. From what I heard he told Princess Luna, he’s doing it because he feels he has no choice. Said it was for a ‘good cause’.”

“You think someone’s manipulating him?” asked Twilight.

“Maybe. Guess we won’t really know until we find him...”

Spike leaned back, claws braced behind his head, “And he could be anywhere by now...”

-α-

A few moments earlier…

“I always wondered how they made trees into houses…” I lamented, weaving about what appeared to be a pile of books with purple legs as we passed the huge tree somepony had adapted into their home.

“A wizard probably did it...” said Mimica distractedly. I looked to her. She was staying even further within my personal space than normal. Her posture was sort of hunched together as her eyes flicked almost fearfully left and right.

I stopped in the shadow of the tree to look at her, “Mimi, what’s wrong?”

She shifted slightly, averting her eyes, “It’s nothing. I’m just not…good around lots of ponies.”

“A princess, and you’re not good around numbers?”

To my confusion, she actually shied away more, her mane briefly falling to obstruct her face, “I wasn’t what you would call paraded by my mother. I wasn’t exactly something she wanted to show off in public. I was tolerated, not celebrated…”

I regarded her in silence as she stood there. I sensed she was waiting for me to say something. When no words came, she arched herself away a bit more and carried on walking.

“My parents used to parade me around a lot,” it took me an instant to realise I’d actually spoken out loud, and that the words were still coming, “I hated it though. I was always in crowds, never good with them though. I don’t have much in the way of control with my magic, you see. I can barely handle basic levitation, not that my parents minded. If anything, my lack of control was…encouraged,” I paused to lower my voice, “right until I nearly died because of it.” I looked to the Changeling, “Don’t yearn for love, Mimi. That’s all the advice I can give you…”

Mimica had stopped and was looking back at me in surprise, “Spark?”

I smiled weakly and moved to walk on by, “tit for tat, Mimi. You tell me something, I tell you something. Come along…”

I looked around as Mimi followed me in silence. I only then realized that this was the first time I’d actually been in a populated place with her before. I spared a quick look about; Ponyville wasn’t what I’d call a large town, and it didn’t seem too heavily populated judging by the number of ponies milling about between buildings and at the market in the town square, but neither was it what you would call tiny or quiet.

“Don’t worry,” I said, walking ahead of her, “I’m sure you’ll be fine once we’re on the move and heading north.”

“You’re sadder than I am.” Her voice suddenly said from behind me.

I stopped and turned to look back at her, “Mimi?”

“I’ve been through some things, and I don’t pretend differently, but it’s different with you…you pretend you’re fine for my sake, but you’re really not. I see it occasionally, just when you think no one else is looking; you get this look in your eyes. You are so unhappy, why?”

I regarded her silently for a moment. She really was far too inquisitive “I’m happy I have you, Mimi…and I’m not pretending that.”

She smiled tiredly, “Avoiding the question?”

“Now you know how it feels. Come on, standing around acting glum amongst these…oddly happy-looking ponies will start to attract attention.”

I carried on walking and noticed Mimica walk briskly to catch up, standing at my side this time. I was startled when I felt her gently rub the side of her head against mine, and stayed close by me as we walked. As I looked back at her slightly, I suddenly got the strangest sense that she was trying to comfort me, which was an odd turnaround.

I found myself unable to complain.

-α-

I skidded to a halt behind the station ticket office, stopping Mimi with an extended hoof before she could turn the corner and onto the platform.

“W-what is it?”

“Back, stay back…” I murmured, looking slowly round the corner at the two guards standing halfway down the platform. They appeared to be in the process of waving away any approaching passengers from the stationary train.

“Trouble…” I murmured.

Mimi peeked out behind me, “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure…” I looked to her, “They’re not looking for you. So why don’t you go over; pretend you’re a passenger trying to find out what’s going on.”

She had her forward hoof lifted nervously, but nodded after a brief hesitation and then walked out into full view and off down the station.

I watched with baited breath as the guards spotted her, their expressions going from stern and then, to my relief, polite smiles. That was when...

“You’re doing well…”

I nearly leaped out my hide at the sound of that voice. I spun about to find a familiar face standing not three meters away in the shadow of the building opposite.

The hooded pink alicorn looked at me with cool eyes and a smirk to match. I looked quickly at Mimica and back, “What are you doing here?” I hissed, glancing fearfully about.

My ‘benefactor’, as I’d come to call her, stepped forward, not looking at all worried, “Just coming to see how my favorite little unicorn is getting on. I hear you succeeded with your last little job.”

I looked away, shifting, “Yes…” I murmured.

“And what do we say?” she asked, her voice sickly sweet.

“…Thank you… for your help.”

“There, now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Her expression hardened, “Did she absorb it’s power like the others?”

I frowned, “Of course she did, how else do you think Mimi is even walking around right now?”

“Mimi?” she echoed, her frown melting into a patronizing smile, “Oh isn’t that sweet, you two must be getting along so well.”

I scowled at her, “Enough. Why…” I cut myself off and lowered my head to regard her carefully, “Why is it you’re even helping me? I mean you pop up out of nowhere after the first few times I had to take some items and then start aiming me at all these other places. Not to mention giving me all those details on their weaknesses. I mean how did you even come by them, and why are you giving them to me?”

“I told you once before: with the way you were blundering about you’d have been caught within a week if not for my intervention. Is it so hard to believe that one pony might just want to help out another in their time of need?” her smile turned into a smirk as one side pulled slightly tighter than the other, “Why, don’t you trust me?”

‘Not as far as I could buck you,’ I contemplated silently. I’m not sure what it was about the alicorn, from what features I could see she had a pleasant enough face, but there was something about that voice and the way her smile never quite reached her eyes that really unnerved me.

I got the strong feeling that before all this was over she would be trying to stick something sharp and pointy in my flank.

“Oh, I’m hurt…” she said, hoof over heart, obviously reading my expression. Her eyes suddenly narrowed, “but it doesn’t matter. Just get out of Equestria and out of range of those meddling princesses and these disgust- that is…these…other ponies, and-“

“-and you’ll do as you promised?”

She inclined her head, “Indeed. You have my word that by the time this is over, your friend will have gotten exactly what she needs....”

“And you’re really okay with me just sending all those things back to their owners?”

“Oh, I assure you,” she intoned, smirking again, “by then, those trinkets will be of little importance or value. Just do your job. And remember: do not let Mimica know I’m involved.”

I looked witheringly at her, “I heard you the first forty times you told me. And getting out of here may be a bit troublesome,” I leaned round the bend to look at where Mimi was chatting to what a appeared to be a very flirty guard, “I think they’ve stopped the trains. We might be stuck here for a while.”

“In Ponyville?” she growled, and I was startled as her composure vanished, “You incompetent fool! You can not stay in this town. The very fact you would even walk through it quite frankly staggers me.”

I took a step back, “I..that is…”

I watched her close her eyes and inhale a long breath. When she spoke again, her voice was calm and back under control, “Listen to me: there are ponies in this town who may make your task…difficult, if they should find out. Heaven help you if they actually offer help, but-“

Suddenly, she halted mid-sentence, mouth still open. And I cursed as I felt the tingle of magic through my horn. Her mouth closed into a wide smile as she slowly turned to look at me, “I just had an idea…”

“I was afraid you might…”

She took a slow, unnerving step toward me, “How would you feel if I were to tell you that here, in this…dismal little town, rested the object of your desires?”

I didn’t know why my survival instincts were flaring up, but something told me I wasn’t going to like what she was going to suggest, “What are you talking about. What desire?”

“Why, to save your friend, of course. Why, with what’s buried in this little dirt heap, bringing one simple Changeling back to full health will be a flash in the pan.”

I frowned, backing away, “What do you mean?”

The alicorn began pacing, “There exists in this town a certain pony who has recently been, shall we say…promoted. And because of that she is entrusted with a series of…objects. Each of them is an artefact of great power, but together they possess the capacity to change the fate of Equestria itself. They’re called-”

“-The Elements of Harmony,” I cut in, my voice low, “You want me to steal the Elements of Harmony from Princess Twilight.” I saw her bare her teeth and I knew I had it, “You think I’m that out of touch with current affairs that I wouldn’t know about the new princess or the elements she used to defeat Nightmare Moon?”

“Apparently you’re not as brainless as I’d first thought,” she grumbled, “but yes. That’s what I want you to do.”

“Forget it,” I snapped, “Don’t think I’m stupid enough not to realize you have an ulterior motive. If I take the Elements of Harmony it’ll put all of Equestria in danger!”

“You’ve already put all of Equestria in danger,” she snapped, “Besides, you’re bringing them back, aren’t you?”

“No.” I said simply, “I’m not going that far.”

“Not even to save your friend?” she prodded, drawing a hiss from me, “How far, Alpha Spark, would you really go for her? Are you saying there’s a limit? And here was me thinking friendship had no bounds. I suppose poor little Mimi will just have to make do with what you’ve scavenged so far then, won’t she?”

She had me trembling with anger, that was a new one, “I am not stealing the Elements of Harmony…”

“I’m not saying steal all of them, Sparky. Just take one. One little element for a little while and your friend is guaranteed to live happily ever after.”

I went silent, averting my gaze.

“Just…one…” she whispered into my ear, “Is that really so much to ask? It’s not like they’ll miss it. Do you really think some unspeakably devious evil will spring up the instant you lift one of those elements away for just a little bit?”

I looked back at where Mimi stood as she ended her conversation with the guards, “What must I do?”

I could practically feel the alicorn smirking behind me, “I’m afraid I can be of no help this time, but I’m sure you’ll come up with something. Just do what you do best: Improvise. See you soon…”

I was aware of a green flash on the edge of my peripheral vision and I glanced back to confirm the alicorn had indeed departed.

‘Why is it everytime I speak to her I feel like there are spiders creeping across every inch of my body?’

“Spark?” came Mimica’s voice from behind.

I blinked and shook my head, turning about to look at her, “Oh, Mimi…”

She frowned, “Is something wrong?”

I shook my head, “It’s nothing. So what’s the word?”

She turned to look at the guards, “The early trains have been cancelled while the guards do a sweep of the town. They’re looking for you…”

I nodded, “I thought they might.”

“I did manage to get out of them that they’d already finished searching the apple orchards. We should be able to hide out there until they’ve finished in the town. The only problem is that there’s only one direct train per day to the Crystal Empire, and that’s been cancelled.”

I nodded, “Meaning we’re stuck here until tomorrow. But you’ve come up with a good idea, and we’d best get moving. Nice work by the way.”

She shrugged, “I was always good at sweet talking the guards back home, but then when you’ve got no one else to talk to, you sort of get a knack for it…”

I didn’t question her further as we turned to walk away, circling around the outskirts to avoid the guard patrols, “So you… like a pony in uniform, do you?”

I caught the barest of smiles on her face, “That would be telling…”

-α-

As we walked, I suddenly caught the vaguest of sweet scents in the air as we cut between buildings. It came and went at random, and I couldn’t help but look about for the source. It was like being pursued by the subtle but oddly pleasant smell of freshly baked cupcakes.

“Mimi, I don’t want to panic you, but I think we’re being-“

“-followed?” cut in Mimica calmly, “We are.”

I tensed, my eyes going to her, “A guard?” I whispered.

She shook her head, obviously she’d been trying not to let whomever was following us know they’d been noticed, “No. Earth pony: Young; quite nimble too. She started following us about five minutes ago, and don’t ask me how, but it’s almost as if she keeps vanishing and reappearing at random.”

“How can you tell?” I whispered.

“Let’s just say I know when I’m being watched…”

I stole a glance over my shoulder. There was nothing there.

Then I looked ahead once more.

I let out what can only be described as an overly girlish shriek in perfect time with Mimica’s gasp as I found a pink earth pony with wide blue eyes looking back at me from less than two feet away.

I took a heaving breath and found myself glancing at Mimi, “Why did you seem so shocked, didn’t you see her coming?”

Mimica shook her head, still looking stunned, “I didn’t. I swear, I just blinked my eyes and suddenly she was there.”

The pink pony hummed, frowning slightly as she leaned in to examine me. I took a few steps back to keep her out of my personal space.

There was silence for a long moment.

The pony said nothing.

I leaned in to whisper to Mimica, “Okay, maybe if we just stand still and be quiet she’ll get bored and-“

“Hi there!” chimed the pony suddenly, cutting me off, “I’m Pinkie.”

“Yes, yes you are,” I found myself responding.

The pink pony let out a shrill giggle, “No, silly, that’s my name. I’m Pinkie Pie.”

“And is there a reason you’ve been following us for the past five minutes?” asked Mimica.

“Oh, she’s goood,” intoned Pinkie, extending the vowel sound.

“Well?” demanded Mimica in a level tone.

“I was just curious,” admitted Pinkie with a smile, “You see; there I was, minding my own business, when I see you two, acting all suspicious and shifty. I just had to know: what are they up to? Maybe they’re just off to buy some apples from Sweet Apple Acres-

“Nope…” I muttered.

“Or maybe they’re a secret couple eloping and on the run from their wealthy families who’ve been mortal enemies for generations and don’t approve of their forbidden union-”

“-No,“ I cut in with a sigh, but she just carried right on as if not hearing.

“-or maybe he’s a jewel thief on the run from the law with his mysterious friend who needs the magical energy of all the stuff he stole to survive and now they’re trying to escape on a train but can’t because they’ve all been cancelled because everyone’s out to get him and now they’re going off to hide until the guards leave so they can sneak away afterwards!” she exclaimed, stabbing a hoof into my face. I was momentarily stunned she’d managed to say that in one breath.

“Umm, Yee-“ My brain began to articulate in it’s stunned state and I looked to Mimica for help, who shook her head sharply, “I mean no! No…no is what I meant. Yes, and by that I mean no.”

Mimica leaned into my ear to whisper, “Look, I know you can’t control your power, but really...“

“That wasn’t me!” I hissed back, “Don’t ask me how but she guessed all that herself!”

Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes at me, suspicion laced on her features as she leaned right into my face. I tried my best to smile innocently. I’m quite sure I failed miserably.

“Umm….” I said nervously, unable to lean back any further from her than I already was.

In a flash, Pinkie was all smiles again, “Or you could’ve just been stranded after missing your train.”

“Yes,” said Mimica pointedly and evenly, holding my eyes as she spoke, “That is exactly why we are here. And for no other reason.”

“What she said,” I droned.

“Okie-dokie,” beamed Pinkie, who looked about to leave, only to stop herself, “Wait! I almost forgot the other reason I came to talk to you, silly Pinkie...”

“Which was?” I asked carefully.

“To invite you to the party, of course!”

“W-what party?”

“The ‘sorry-we’ve-stranded-you-in-our-town-please-don’t-be-mad-enjoy-this-party’ party,” said Pinkie.

There was a pause as Mimi and I glanced at each other.

“I thought up the name myself,” said the pony enthusiastically.

“This much I guessed,” I responded, “L-look, Ms Pie-“

“-Just Pinkie,” she cut in happily.

“-Pinkie,” I corrected carefully, “We’d love to come, b-“

“-Great!” She cut in, hopping once on the spot, “Let’s go, the afternoon party is just about to start. You don’t want to have to wait for the evening one!”

“There are multiple parties?” I asked.

“Yup! One for each cancelled train up until tomorrow morning, all hosted by yours truly.”

“Won’t you get tired?” asked Mimica.

“Nope! Plus, it’s my sworn civic duty to help out.”

“W-well that’s very noble of you Ms…Ms Pinkie,” I said, “B-but we really won’t be able to make it.”

Her expression became crestfallen for the first time, “How come?” she whined.

I looked desperately to Mimica and back, “Uhm…” I thought fast, “W-we’ve got to go and check in at the hotel,” I said, nodding ahead.

Pinkie frowned in confusion and looked down the path ahead of us, “At Sweet Apple Acres?” she asked, cocking her head.

“Umm, yes?” I offered, “G-gotta go freshen up and whatnot.”

“There’s a hotel in Sweet Apple Acres?”

“Th-they just built it.”

Pinkie was silent for a moment and just looked at me, analyzing me with a mind I could only hope to never understand. Then she smiled once more, “Okie-dokie!”

“H-how about we come to the one tomorrow morning. That way you’ll be nice and rested and we can enjoy it together,” I said, smiling as convincingly as possible.

Pinkie regarded me suspiciously again, “You’re really going to be there?”

“Uh-huh,” I replied, grinning nervously and nodding.

“You promise?” she pushed.

I glanced at Mimica who just shrugged, a rare show of indecision on her part.

I looked back to Pinkie Pie, “Y-yes?”

The pony took another step closer, her nose practically touching mine, “You cross your heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in your eye?” she asked, prodding her eye with her hoof for emphasis.

“I…I sure do.”

Pinkie just scowled and prodded her eye twice more.

I glanced nervously left and right before raising my own hoof up and tapping it once against my eye.

Like a switch was flipped, Pinkie was all smiles once more, “Okie-dokie-lokie,” she chimed, leaping back and proceeding to bounce up and down on the spot, “Wait,” she said, landing back on her hooves, “I need to put your names on the guest list.”

“I’m Mimica,” said Mimi, obviously not caring about using her own real name since she really hadn’t done anything wrong, except perhaps receiving stolen goods in a manner of speaking.

“Mimica,” enunciated Pinkie, as if tasting the name, “How about you?” she asked, once more leaning in uncomfortably close.

My mind stalled for a second. I kicked it back into gear.

‘Think of a fake name, think of a fake name…’

“Shining…Armor?”

‘Stupid brain!’

Pinkie’s face scrunched slightly in confusion, only for her to shrug, “Okay. See you then! It’s at the Town hall. Be there bright and early for pre-party games!”

“We’ll see you there,” I said with faux enthusiasm as Pinkie left with the most literal bounce in her step that I’d ever seen.

My shoulders sagged as the tension left me. Even Mimica let out a relieved sigh.

“And I thought Princess Luna was scary…” I said, exhaling a deep breath as I watched Pinkie bounce off.

Mimica kept her gaze ahead also as she spoke, “Just to be sure: We’re not really going to a party tomorrow, right?”

“Of course not,” I sighed, “I was just saying that to make her go away. We get up early tomorrow and slip onto the first train north from here and hopefully there’ll be nothing more we need to do.”

“You did promise her though.”

I rolled my eyes, “A small white lie. Plus, there’ll be other ponies there. She won’t even miss us.”

“If you say so…” she murmured.

“Trust me Mimi: I foresee absolutely no negative repercussions coming from this.”

-α-

A little while later…

Twilight looked up from the book on the desk in front of her as Pinkie bounced into the library.

“Hey, Pinkie,” she said, going back to her book, “How are the parties going?”

“They’re awesometastic!” she called, bouncing gleefully round the table, “It’s fun followed by more fun, followed by a pause and then the fun starts again. I wish the trains would stop running forever!”

“Sure, grind the economy to a halt, but at least Pinkie will be happy,” sighed Twilight.

“You're gonna come later on, right Twilight?” she asked, stopping by the alicorn.

“I promise I’ll come along to the evening bash, Pinkie. I just want to get some reading done first.”

“Hi, Shining Armor One,” waved Pinkie to the unicorn as she bounced on on three hooves.

Shining Armor looked up from his scroll, “Hi, Pinkie. How are- wait…Shining Armor One?” He blinked and shook his head, “How are you doing?”

“Grreat!” she beamed, “You coming with Twilight tonight, Shining Armor One?”

“I…” he frowned at the title once more, but just dismissed it as randomness again, “I’ll do my best, Pinkie.”

Pinkie grinned and walked over to the table, pausing as she noticed the scroll with the headshot of a pony on it, “Ooh, you did personalised invitations!” she chimed, picking the paper up, “You even did a theme! I like the wanted poster look! Impressive that you got pictures of the guests before you even knew they were guests, Twilight. That’s using your noodle!”

Twilight looked at Pinkie in bewilderment, “Pinkie, I didn’t draw up any...” she trailed off as her eyes were drawn up to Shining Armor who was looking right back at her, “Pinkie...” she said carefully, approaching the earth pony and pointing a hoof at the picture, “are you trying to tell me you’ve seen this Pony somewhere?”

“Of course!” she responded as enthusiastically as ever before going back to look at the scroll with a frown, “Though you did get the name wrong, but nopony’s perfect, I guess.”

“Pinkie,” said Twilight, using her hoof to tilt the earth pony’s head round to look at her, “This is very important. Are you saying you’ve seen this pony, here, in Ponyville?”

Pinkie nodded, “Yup, that’s Shining Armor Two.”

Twilight was unable to resist the urge to facehoof herself, “Pinkie, that wasn’t his real name...”

“Are you sure?” she asked with a frown.

“Pinkie...Shining Armor is my brother’s name! And you know as well as I do that no two ponies have the same name,” she snapped, stabbing a hoof at said brother.

“You know, I thought that was weird...” mused the earth pony, “But why would he lie?”

Twilight groaned, “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because he’s a wanted criminal?” she said, using her magic to snap open the wanted poster in front of Pinkie’s face.

Pinkie could be heard murmuring as she read off the poster before inhaling a shocked gasp, “Well I never. And he seemed like such a trustworthy pony.”

“If it is him,” said Shining Armor, “he must’ve slipped through the guard patrols.”

“And they’ve already left on the last train to Canterlot...” said Twilight.

“Don’t worry, Twilight. I’ll have them summoned back and-”

“-No,” cut in the alicorn, “We can handle this. Besides, if guards start pouring into Ponyville it’ll only serve to scare him off.”

“Why do you suppose he’s here though?” asked Shining Armor.

Twilight’s eyes widened and she swung about towards the bookcase. Her horn glowed as she dispelled an enchantment hiding a section of supposedly empty air behind some of her books. A gilded red and gold chest was revealed.

The box floated gently down to the surface of the table and flipped open. Resting inside, gleaming in the soft light, were the Six Elements of Harmony.

“You really think he’d go that far, big brother?” she asked, regarding the objects.

He approached and looked down into the box by her side, “He seemed desperate. So who knows, he might...”

Twilight nodded and turned to Pinkie, “Pinkie Pie?”

“Yes, Twilight?”

“I need to go and gather the others. I’m calling an emergency meeting...”

-α-

The yellow and rainbow forms of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovered silently in the library as Twilight talked. Applejack sat patiently in one of the chairs, her hoof idly playing with the rim of her stetson as she listened.

Rarity seemed on edge, the white unicorn shifting slightly as Twilight summed up, “So that’s basically it, girls.”

“Do I have anything to worry about?” asked Rarity, “I’m just saying-”

“Your shop will be fine, Rarity,” said twilight reassuringly, “from what we know, Alpha Spark has only been stealing magically imbued objects. He’d have no reason to steal any of your jewels.”

“Well that’s a slight relief, I suppose,” replied the Unicorn, “But what can we all do about it?”

“I’ll tell you what we’re going to do,” cut in Rainbow Dash, “We’re going to go out there, we’re going to find this guy, and we’re going to make him give back all the stuff he took. I mean come on, including Shining Armor there are seven of us and only two of them!”

Fluttershy made a slight whimpering noise.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “Alright, six of us, one Fluttershy and still only two of them.”

“Ahem!” came a cough from below,

Dash sighed, “Six of us, one Fluttershy, and one Spike.”

“Thank you,” responded said dragon curtly.

“Calm your jets, Rainbow Dash, “ said Twilight, “right now there’s only one thing we need to be doing...” She then proceeded to lift the Elements out of their case and present them in the air to their respective wielders.

Each of the ponies took the hint and took the neck adornments from the air, putting them on as Twilight’s crown settled down atop her head, “Until we’re sure this has been taken care of, I want you all to keep your Elements with you everywhere you go. Do not turn your tails on them even for a moment.”

Rainbow Dash adjusted the Element of Loyalty about her neck, “But wouldn’t they all be safer in the case?”

Twilight shook her head, “Alpha Spark has already broken into the Royal Vault and gotten away with it. No, I’d rather the Elements be spread out and with the ponies I trust most of all rather than be together in just one place.”

“So,” said Pinkie Pie, “You’re saying that he wasn’t just out for a walk?”

“For the last time: No, Pinkie,” sighed Twilight.

“And that he wasn’t just one of the ponies who missed their train?”

“No, Pinkie…”

“And that he was actually a jewel thief on the run from the law with his mysterious friend and was trying to escape on a train but couldn’t because they’d all been cancelled because everypony was out to get him and so had to hide until the guards left so he could sneak away?”

“Yes, Pinkie…”

She smacked her hooves together, “That dastardly fiend! I’ve got a good mind to march right over to the Sweet Apple Acres Hotel and make an official complaint to the management about the ponies they’re letting stay there!”

“There ain’t no Sweet Apple Acres Hotel, Pinkie Pie,” frowned Applejack.

“Y-you mean you…didn’t recently build one?”

“Not since you visited this mornin’, sugar cube, no…”

Pinkie gasped, “Another lie! Why, if this get’s any worse I’ve got a good mind to...to revoke his invitation!”

“You know he’s a thief and he’s still invited to your shindig?” asked Applejack.

“Well duh, it’s not like I could tell him he can’t come after making him promise to. That would be rude.”

“It’s so nice you have your priorities in order, Pinkie,” muttered Twilight, “Everypony, you know what to do: just keep your eyes peeled and your Elements safe. And if you do happen to run into Alpha Spark, I expect you to all use your best judgement on how to handle the situation.”

“Right, but what I want to know is why he’s doin’ it.” asked Applejack with momentary curiosity.

“Does it really matter?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“It might be very important, Rainbow Dash, “ said Twilight, “Knowing why a pony is doing something may be far more important than you might think.”

Shining Armor frowned as he thought back, “Well he did say something about it being a life or death situation. And since he comes from a wealthy background there’s no reason for him to steal for money.”

“Then he’s an idiot,” snapped Rainbow Dash, “If you need help then you ask for it, you don’t go robbing vaults and getting yourself labelled a criminal.”

Applejack’s brow furrowed briefly, “Some ponies have trouble asking others for help.”

“You would know,” jibed Rainbow Dash with a chuckle.

She smiled reluctantly, “That’s certainly true. Sometimes it’s pride, and sometimes there really might be something stopping them, but either way: it ain’t right, and there’s no good reason to go round stealin’ other pony’s stuff like that.”

“Well I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not worried,” said Rainbow Dash as confidently as ever.

“Why’s that, Dashie?” asked Pinkie, looking up.

“Hello?” she droned sarcastically, spreading her wings, “I’m a Pegasus. He’s a unicorn. Never mind getting up to my condo, how’s he supposed to even walk around and swipe this off me?” she asked, pointing to her Element.

“It’s a good point, Rainbow Dash, but that still doesn’t mean he might not have a way,” said Shining Armor, “Be careful either way.”

“Yeah, yeah…” she said, waving it off.

“And remember,” said Twilight, “if something happens, don’t chase after him. Call immediately for help and we’ll deal with him together if that’s what it comes down to.”

They nodded their understanding and went their separate ways, all too aware of their Elements upon them as they went.

-α-

“I like this place…” said Mimica tiredly as she rested in the shadows of the orchard. The scent of apple and blossom was heavy in the autumn evening, “It’s almost a shame we have to leave so quickly…”

I stood deeper in the tree’s shadow as I looked down across the fields and at the farm not far off, “Perhaps we’ll have a chance to settle down once all this is over…”

“Yes,” said Mimica, “Once it’s…” she trailed off and I looked over to her. She was laying curled up under a tree, head resting on her hooves.

“Mimica, are you okay?” I asked, turning and walking over to her.

She looked up at me and smiled weakly, “Sorry, just...been a long day. Getting late…”

It was starting again, I realised. It was early stages yet, but there was no mistaking it. Normally Mimica would’ve been fine for days or more, but then she’d never traveled since she’d been with me, nor indulged in any other strenuous activity.

“I’m sorry, Mimi,” I said quietly, resting my hoof atop her mane, “Looks like I tired you out.”

“Hmmfine,” she objected sleepily, trying to push herself up.

“It’s fine,” I said, “it’s probably best you get yourself some sleep.”

A cold wind suddenly blew out through the gaps in the trees, chilling me slightly.

I knew I had to keep her warm. I also knew that keeping Mimica out in the cold would only make her condition worse. I looked up at the quickly gathering clouds. I’d forgotten the Pegasus Ponies had a storm scheduled for that night.

The sun was quickly setting behind the black clouds, and I found the column of trees being plunged swiftly into darkness.

I crouched down over the Changeling, “Mimi, I know you’re tired, but I need you to listen…”

“Hmm?”

“I’m going to go find some firewood. I’m going to have to leave you alone again, but only for a while,” this was also a slight mistruth. I had to go and get some firewood, but I remembered the words of my ‘benefactor’.

I also had to go hunting…

I felt my heart sink. I always felt low when it came to this. One would’ve thought I might have gotten used to it, but no: I still felt as terrible as ever.

I knew depressingly well that my talent would no doubt offer inspiration and pointers in the right direction, and that by morning I might very well have taken one of the symbols of Equestria’s salvation in my hooves.

If mother could see me now…

“Spark?” murmured Mimi, and I detected a note of fear in her voice, the only way she ever really allowed herself to express it. For some reason she’d become afraid of being alone not long after coming to live with me. That was one of the reasons I always waited for her to be asleep before I went out to…acquire things.

I crouched low, briefly blocking the wind from her as I reached around into my bag for a blanket, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise I will be back for you.”

Those words were the only thing that soothed her. For some reason I knew it wasn’t so much the fear of being alone, but the fear that I might not be coming back.

While Mimica tried to make out that I should stop going to all this trouble for her, the truth was she was simply terrified of being abandoned. And that’s why I knew I would never leave her to whatever it was that fate had planned for her. That was the only thing that gave me the strength to keep on doing the things I had to do, even though I knew as plain as day that I was being manipulated by my ‘benevolent’ guardian alicorn.

I suddenly noticed how dark it had become as another gust blew through. I bundled up Mimi tighter and turned away.

I made it a few steps before a crackle of lightning lit up the darkness. I let out a shocked gasp as a figure was briefly illuminated against the trunk of a nearby tree.

I staggered back a few steps.

The silhouetted figure was leaning almost casually back, her hooves folded as she peered out at me from under the rim of her hat with cool, green eyes that seemed to glint in the dark. I had no idea how long she might have been there, observing me from the shadows.

Another flash of light illuminated the blonde pony fully. She lowered her head, narrowing her gaze directly at me as thunder crashed once more.

There was a brief break in the wind and noise. She took that opportunity to let her voice sound out. It was quiet, calm and cordial, but at the same time held a very strong undercurrent of warning.

“Evenin’, partner...”

-α-

To be continued…

Chapter 4: Home Truth

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Chapter 4: Home Truth

‘I have a bad feeling about this…’

I strafed sideways, half-circling the earth pony. She dropped back onto all fours and emerged from the shadows.

“I don’ believe I’ve seen you round these parts before…” she commented quietly as she in turn circled me.

I did a quick visual assessment of her: She was smaller than me in stature, but at the same time she had the air and toned muscles of someone who’d worked the land for a good portion of their life. And while I might be quick on my feet, I’d hardly be classed by anypony as being anywhere near the peak of physical efficiency.
I therefore strongly suspected that if it came down to hoovicuffs, I’d quickly find myself bucked halfway across the orchard and then hogtied for my troubles.

I shifted, stopping with myself acting as the only visual barrier between the newcomer and where Mimica lay not far off.

“I apologise for any intrusion. You might say I’m just…passing through.”

“That right?” she asked slowly in a guarded tone, never once taking her eyes off me.

“Kind of,” I said, “I’d have stopped at the hotel in town but I…just couldn’t find it, ended up wandering out here.”

“Prancing Pony’s hard to miss, friend. What brought you all the way to my orchard?”

“Just…lost track of time I guess. Didn’t notice the storm coming else I…“ I trailed off as the pony leaned about me, sighting the form laying under the tree for the first time, “I…ah…”

Her brow furrowed and she seemed startled suddenly. I found this strange actually, as up until now she had appeared completely cool and collected, as if she’d had some kind of expectation about me. She moved forward and I began to object, however she’d already passed me by the time the first syllable was out.

She regarded Mimica for a moment, “Your friend doesn’t look too spry. Is there a reason she’s taking a nap outside in a thunder storm?” she asked, glancing sideways at me.

My gaze fell and I walked back to Mimica’s side. Stopping before her, I reached a hoof down to touch her mane, “My friend, she…isn’t well.”

“She’s sick?” asked the pony, “Well what in tarnation are you doin’ keepin’ her out here in this weather? There’s a hospital in town, or did you miss that too?”

As if she knew what she was talking about...

I gritted my teeth and looked away, “This…this isn’t an ailment medicine can help with. What’s wrong with her, it’s not something a doctor can treat. Her problem is magical, and only magic can help her.

“No…” I corrected myself, “Only I can help her…”

The pony had gone quiet. She was no longer looking at Mimica, she was looking at me. It was as if she were assessing me; trying to work something out in her head.

After a moment, she spoke, “Come on then, bring her on inside. Can’t have her catching her death out here, now can we?”

I blinked, “B-but, but I can’t just-“

“-now let’s be havin’ none of that.” She cut in, “This is just good ol’ Apple family hospitality, nuthin’ more.”

I looked to Mimica and back, “W-well, if you insist…”

“Well I do insist,” she said, walking forward and lifting Mimica onto her back. She adjusted her footing, seeming mildly startled, “Huh, your partner’s a tad…heavier than she looks…” she grunted, bracing her legs to compensate for the weight and then walking on.

I folded the blanket away, “Yeah, well…she’s not what you’d call your average pony, Ms…”

“Oh, name’s Applejack. Pleased to make your acquaintance,“ she said, politely tilting the rim of her hat with one hoof.

I nodded my head, “Pleased to meet you, Ms Applejack.”

“Just Applejack is fine, we ain’t fancy round here.”

“Well, that’s Mimica you’ve got there over your shoulder. And I’m sure she’d introduce herself if she weren’t down for the count.”

She inclined her head curtly, “’fraid I didn’t catch your name there, friend.”

“I…th-that is, I-“ I was cut off by a violent crash of thunder nearby. It was so close that even Mimica was jolted before falling back to her slumber.

It was in the flash though that I caught sight of something: A glint of gold about Applejack’s neck, and the shimmering of an apple-shaped gem.

I knew what it was of course. Everyone had seen the images of them after the incidents involving Nightmare Moon and Discord. And of course after researching magical artefacts for not-so-nice reasons, their pictures had come up more than once.

I was looking right at the Element of Honesty and I couldn’t stifle the sudden intake of breath that came with realising that. The only problem was that the gasp came after the crash of thunder and right in the middle of the sudden quiet following it.

Applejack frowned, “Somethin’ wrong?” she asked, and I tore my gaze away from her, but not before she could follow my line of sight downward.

“N-n-nothing,” I stammered lamely, and I looked back again to find Applejack regarding her own Element before returning her once more cool gaze to me.

Her apple green eyes seemed to burn into mine. “That so?” she asked quietly.

My eyes were drawn to where Mimica still lay. A sudden gust of wind carried with it a blast of icy rain. Applejack didn’t appear to notice, and instead just stood there, looking at me…

“Please, take Mimi and go on ahead. If you don’t mind, Applejack…I’ll sleep in the barn tonight. If… it’s not too much trouble.”

Her eyes widened, obviously surprised, “What?”

I looked away from her, “I…think it’s best I stay away. Mimica needs her rest and…and I don’t want to be taking up any space. J-just go on ahead and lock up. I’ll settle down for the night.”

I looked back to find Applejack regarding me with bewilderment. It was as if she really didn’t know what to make of me now.
Finally, she just adjusted her hat with a sigh, turned back ahead, and started walking into the open once more, “Come along then…” she said, “We’d best all get indoors before we end up comin’ down with somethin’.”

“B-but, I really don’t-“

“-Were you dropped on your head as a colt or somethin’?” she snapped, looking back at me with irritation.

“-once or twice-” I interjected with a murmur.

She carried on as if not hearing, “-then don’t be simple. I can’t have no guest of mine stayin’ in no barn. Now get your tail movin’. I ain’t stayin’ out here all night!”

She then swaggered off without another word. Her gait became a canter as the rain began to intensify and I was forced to gallop to keep up, sploshing through the hastily deepening puddles of mud as the downpour continued to pelt us.

I ducked in through the farmhouse door behind Applejack, a wave of welcoming warmth striking me.

The earth pony gripped the corner of her hat in her teeth and flipped it up onto a nearby stand as she passed, “Applebloom!” she called, pausing to shake the water out of her mane slightly, “fluff up the guest pillows, we got company tonight!”

“Company?” called a small voice, and I saw a small filly with a red mane peek her head down from the top of a nearby stairwell, “We weren’t expectin’ anypony.”

“Yeah, well these two ponies went and got themselves caught out in that storm. Found ‘em hidin’ under the apple trees.”

“What in tarnation were ya doin’ out in that weather?” I gave a slight start at the sound of this new voice. I watched as an elderly green pony glanced up and around from a nearby rocking chair.

“Bad timing…sort of,” I muttered shyly.

“What’s wrong with her?” asked Applebloom, plodding down the stairs and looking curiously up at where Mimica lay across Applejack’s back.

“She’s just tired,” I said, and turned to Applejack, “Can we take her somewhere to lie down?”

She nodded, “Applebloom, you’re bunkin’ with me tonight.”

“No problem, sis,” called the filly happily.

“Follow me.” Said Applejack, and she lead the way into a large open bedroom with two opposing beds against either wall.

“Thank you for this, Applejack. And I really am sorry to impose,” I said.

“Now don’t you be startin’ that again,” said Applejack as she set Mimica down in one of the beds. I approached and gave her a hand to tuck her in, “It’s just common Ponyville hospitality,” she then reached for my bag, “here, let me take your load off.”

I flinched and took a quick step away from her, “No!” I said, possibly a little too hastily. “I...I ah...it’s…fragile. There are fragile…things inside.”

Applejack frowned, her eyes briefly becoming frosty once more, “I see…” she said, turning away and walking over to the other bed. She turned and settled down on the edge of it, “Well my brother’s away for the weekend, so you can take his room if it pleases you.”

I glanced warily back at Mimica, “B-but Mimi, s-she really doesn’t like it when I’m not-“

“-Come now,” cut in Applejack with a squint of one eye, “surely you can’t be expectin’ to be sleepin’ in the same room as all us ladies. I don’ know where you hail from, but that ain’t proper round these parts.”

“Of…of course not…”

Her expression softened slightly, “You can trust ol’ Applejack to look after your friend. There’s no need for you to be worryin’.”

I nodded solemnly and turned away, Applejack not making any move to follow.

As I walked for the door, only her voice followed me, “What’s eatin’ at you, partner?”

My hoof made a slight squeak on the well-worn wooden floor, “I…I don’t follow,” I replied, and when I turned back, Applejack was exactly where she’d been before, only now she had the smallest of smiles on her face, and her eyes were no longer cold, instead they had this strange, welcoming warmth to them.

I regarded her in silence for a long moment. And she didn’t push, didn’t prod, Applejack just sat there, watching quietly and waiting for me to speak.

I turned forwards again so I wasn’t looking right at her while I spoke, “Can I ask you something, Applejack?”

“Shoot,” she replied.

“How far…would you go for your loved ones?” I asked.

I glanced back at her. She averted her eyes in response before answering almost reluctantly, “I suppose I’d go as far as I had to…”

“Tell me, Applejack: if your family consisted of just one other –if you had nopony else in the whole of Equestria—and that pony was starving, and the only loaf of bread around wasn’t for sale, would you steal that loaf of bread to keep that pony alive, with the understanding that you fully intended to give an exact same loaf of bread back afterwards?”

Applejack was quiet again, “I suppose it would depend. What about all the other ponies who might go hungry? You might help that one pony, and you might give back what you took, but what about what might happen between those times?

“If it were me, I’d go and ask if they had any extra bread to spare for my friend. You’d be surprised how much folk might help if you give them a chance.”

I nodded, still unable to bring myself to look at her, “And what if your friend was…different? What if your friend wasn’t someone these particular townsfolk would help? What if asking would hurt more than help? What would you do, Applejack, if you had no other choice?”

Applejack was quiet for a while behind me. She then let out a quiet sigh, her voice saddening, “I suppose, if that’s what it came down to, then that loaf might just start lookin’ mighty appealin’ regardless…”

Both of us said nothing for a moment, “I’m…a little tired,” I finally said, “do you mind if I go and lie down too?”

“No supper?”

I shook my head, “Thank you, Applejack, but I don’t have much of an appetite tonight…”

“Last door on the right…” said Applejack with resignation, and I heard her flop backwards on the bed as I turned and walked away…

-α-

I lay in the dark, staring up at the wooden ceiling. The bed was both comfortable and to say the least rather big. It was quite an orderly room too; the only out of place item was a rather bizarre ragdoll that the regular occupant had left resting on his pillow.

Despite my best efforts, lying in a warm bed after a long day with an early start soon had the inevitable combined effect and my eyes were quickly drawn closed.

-☾-

I pulled my eyes back open, cursing myself for briefly drifting off. Taking a breath, I looked about. For some reason I felt the room had suddenly become extremely dark and oppressive. And for some other reason, I couldn’t find the energy to get up and close the window which was now mysteriously wide open.

I wanted to close the window, I really did, as I’d suddenly gotten the horrible feeling that if I didn’t, something unfriendly was going to get inside.

I gripped the sheets in my hooves as a wailing gust of wind blew through the room.

With an almost deafening squawk and a fluttering of black wings, a shadow tore through the fluttering curtains and into the room.

The raven coiled about and, in act I was sure was impossible for its species, proceeded to hover in the air above the base of my bed.

I shuddered. I wanted to shoo it away, so it would stop looking down at me with those dark, glistening eyes. I tried to shout out, but every word was drowned out by another squawk from the raven.

It made no move to attack. It just hovered, watching.

I choked a breath. The fear felt irrational, confusing.

And then it came: a spark of inspiration in the dark, an answer to this puzzle.

And with that spark, I found my voice, “Go away, Luna,” I said, glowering defiantly at the raven.

The bird’s feathers bristled. Suddenly, it flicked its wings back and the entire avian evaporated into a small, angrily crackling wisp of black smoke which proceeded to expand and then coalesce into the unmistakable form of Princess Luna.

There was a loud sound of displacing air as Luna flicked her great wings outward, hovering on a non-existent air current as she glared down at me.

“A raven, really?” I asked dryly, “What? So now you’re resorting to just plain terrorising me in my sleep?”

Luna seemed to ignore the jibe, “It was intended as a warning, but it would appear thou failed to grasp the symbolism, but no matter. The net is closing, Alpha Spark, and thy time runs short. I know it is Ponyville where thou rest. Should thou-”

“-Can you tell me how to save my friend, Princess?” I found myself asking, cutting her quietly off.

The question seemed to take Luna aback, “I…I ah…” I was shocked to actually hear her stammer as she pulled a hoof back uncertainly, “Does thou wish to make…a deal?”

“If that’s what it takes…”

Luna descended until she was perched on the edge of the bed, “Your princess is…not unreasonable. She will listen to your offer.”

“Just tell me how to make Mimica well again and I’ll return everything I took directly to you.”

“Mimica? You mean your friend; the one whose dreams we were unable to see?”

I nodded.

“Does her ailment have to do with why we were unable to see her?”

“It might, I suppose…”

“Then speak: what makes this pony different?”

I sighed, deciding it might be time to try and take the proverbial bull by the horns, “What makes her different is that she’s not a pony…”

“Oh? Mine eyes tell me otherwise.”

I was quiet for a moment, “...she’s a Changeling, of the royal caste on top of that...”

There was a widening of the eyes, followed by the inevitable.

Luna reared back, taking back to the air as lighting crashed deafeningly behind her. Her eyes pulsed white as she stabbed a hoof down at me, “TREACHERY! Thou wouldst betray thy people to the Changelings!”

I pushed myself up, “You’re not listening! She’s not like that!”

Obviously Luna wasn’t in the mood to listen, “Silence! Thou wouldst feed the most sacred magics of Equestria right into the maw of our enemies! What hath driven thou to such madness?”

“I’m not mad –though I might be getting it right now—, she’s just not like the others. Won’t you at least hear me out?”

“We shall hear thee out…when thou art sealed away in our dungeon for consorting with the creatures who would dare attack mine sister and attempt to-“

“-ENOUGH!” I roared right back into her face. This she obviously didn’t expect because it had her recoiling away in the air until her wings bumped into the ceiling. I prowled after her until I reached the edge of my bed.

“So full of preconceptions and not listening to the dreams and thoughts of those in your care like you’re supposed to…” I intoned, glowering at her, “You’re no different from my-” I bit off the end of my sentence and just glared up at her in silence.

Recurring dreams flashed around me unbidden in the air, “We are different from the way others would prejudge us; capable of breaking the moulds fate would try and force us into…how stupid of me to think that you of all ponies would understand that.”

Anger had turned to a flash of shock, and beyond that, possibly even a glint of hurt.

I lowered my voice, “Get out, Luna…”

There was a pained look in her eyes as the dream vanished in a swirl of silver smoke.

-α-

I awoke to darkness, my expression unchanged from the dream.

“Stupid…stupid, stupid, stupid,” I cursed under my breath, “Why did I think she would understand?”

‘Forget the guards,’ I thought, ‘we’ll probably have every pony in Equestria chasing us by this time tomorrow. But that’s what I get, I suppose…’

-α-

I lay there for a while in the quiet. The storms had concluded and the moon was now peeking out from behind some blackened clouds. A shaft of white illuminated me through the window like some great celestial spotlight. I suddenly felt oddly exposed.

The Apple household was silent; the only sound through the open doorway was the distant ticking of a grandfather clock back down in the lounge.

I glowered at the moon for a moment.

Gripping the blanket in my hooves, I flicked it off and slid out of bed and back into shadow.

My hooffalls were muffled by the rug as I began pacing back and forth, ‘So that’s what honesty and reaching out for help gets me, does it? And from the princess herself no less…’

My eyes were suddenly drawn to the open doorway. My gaze narrowed, ‘alright then, if that’s how everyone wants this to be…’

I began walking; my steps silent as the night as I began drifting down the corridor, closing in slowly on the doorway to the adjoining bedroom.

I turned the knob and the door opened without a sound on well-oiled hinges.

My eyes had adjusted to the dark and so the room seemed quite brightly illuminated by the moonlight shining in through the large window.

I stopped a few steps beyond the threshold.

Mimica was curled up and contentedly asleep, the white of her fur seeming to glisten in the silvery light bathing her. I might have to wake her, I realised. And I could only hope that I’d be able to rouse her enough to get her moving. There was also the task of keeping her quiet enough to not wake the ponies sleeping mere feet away.

My gaze then turned to the opposite side of the room where Applejack lay in her slumber. Her straw-blonde mane had been loosened slightly and was draped across the side of her face. Peaceful, was how she looked. It was a peace that I had come to shatter.

My eyes were drawn left to her nightstand. Upon it, glinting gently in the moonlight was the Element of Honesty, completely open and unprotected.

‘What were you thinking?’ I would’ve asked out loud if I’d dared. I felt myself drawn step by step towards the golden adornment.

‘So easy…’ I thought, my hoof drifting up towards it.

Then it stopped. And I found my eyes drawn back to Applejack as she slept not a foot away.

She seemed so honest, kind, and hospitable to the core, and this was my repayment…

I looked over to where Mimi lay. A Changeling princess: whose very nature was the deceit of others, and yet she was still a far more honest being than I.

The question was: Just how much was I willing to dirty myself? Would I go so far as to steal the very symbol of honesty itself?

I almost prayed for Mimi to open her eyes, to beg me not to do it. That way I at least would have the reminder of her selflessness as a spell to push me onwards and do what I had to in order to help her.

To think I actually wanted her to tell me not to just so I could once again force myself into playing the well-meaning villain. All so I could retain the ability to stand looking at myself in the mirror.

How selfish was that…

I shook my head to try and dispel the war inside and then returned my attention to the object of my conflict.

I steadied my hoof, and then made my choice…

-AJ-

Sensing the shadow over her depart, Applejack waited for a moment before opening her eyes, being careful not to shift and disturb her sleeping sister. She let her attention be drawn downward to her bedside table.

The earth pony’s expression could not be read as she regarded the spot where her Element of Honesty still sat untouched. She then turned her attention to the still open doorway.

-AJ-

Applejack emerged into the tranquillity of the night, her mane freed and loose about her shoulders as she walked.

She inhaled a breath, pausing to enjoying the still-humid air from the recent storm.

She found him standing in silence under the full moonlight, his forehead resting listlessly against the fence surrounding the field.

Applejack approached silently, stopping a good few metres away from the still unicorn.

She couldn’t see his face, but somehow Applejack knew he was crying in silence. She also knew he was aware of her being there.

“My friend is going to die…” he said thickly after a moment, “And there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not strong enough to carry on like this anymore…”

“Why didn’t you take my Element of Harmony?”

“Couldn’t bring myself…” he said, barely getting the words out, “Turns out, when I tried sinking that low, I found my bottom. You know who I am…” he said, not phrasing it as a question.

She nodded, “Alpha Spark, ain’t it?” She sighed and took a few steps forward until she was leaning up against the fence by his side, “The infamous thief.”

“Infamous?” he choked with a sad chuckle, “That’s a laugh…”

“It’s lookin’ like it from here,” she commented, “you mind if I ask you somethin’?”

Alpha took a calming breath, “go right ahead…”

“Why haven’t you asked for help yet?”

“I did,” he muttered, “Tried asking Princess Luna. It backfired on me…badly.”

“B-but why?”

He shook his head, “I suppose Luna had her reasons.”

“W-what about your family then? I hear they ain’t without means. Surely they-“

“-Don’t…talk about my family,” he cut in harshly, his sorrow converting briefly to anger.

“H-hey now, don’t be talkin’ like that. Family’s important. Family's help their own in their time of need.”

Applejack watched as his forehoves scraped a downward line in the wood, “Not my family. Not my parents. Selfish, useless ponies…why would they help if there’s nothing in it for them?”

“You shouldn’t talk like that…” said Applejack quietly, suddenly turning to regard the stars above, “You never know: One day you might wake up to find you don’t have parents no more…”

“I did wake up to find out I had no parents…” he hissed, “or at the very least I woke up and realized it. Celestia knows I had a long enough time to sleep and think about it.”

“What happened to you, anyways?” asked Applejack with a frown.

He stood back up and brushed his mane aside, revealing openly the horn concealed beneath, “Can you imagine, Applejack, having an ability you can’t control, an ability that’s supposed to be what makes you special?”

Her eyes were drawn to his flank, “That symbol…”

“It’s ‘alpha’, the start of all things. That’s my ability: I inspire the first light of inspiration, or at the very least I provide what ponies need to get the inspiration for their ideas.”

“Sounds like a fine thing to have if ya ask me.”

He scoffed, “Hardly. It drives me mad most of the time. Can’t tell if I’m being inspired toward doing something smart or something dumb, I’m just a mountain of sparks and the stubs of abandoned ideas and plans. It works better on other people: one spark at a time flaring an idea to life for them to work with.”

“So you’re sayin’, if I say…had trouble tendin’ this year’s crop’…” she offered, trying to grasp it.

He nodded, “I could give you the inspiration to possibly work out an idea to solve that problem.”

“Huh, I suppose that’d make you mighty handy to keep around.”

His expression darkened, “And that brings me back to my point…”

“Can you imagine, Applejack, what my parents –two artists, struggling to keep up with their own family names- felt when they discovered their precious little colt turned out be nothing short of a literal muse?”

AJ frowned, rubbing her chin with one hoof, “I’d imagine they’d be mighty proud to have you joinin’ the family business.”

He shook his head, “Started out so simply; accidental teleportation when I was in my mother’s studio. She used to spend so long just pacing back and forth. Father was similar, though he preferred to sit and brood. And so I reached out, I made what she needed to get her idea appear. In that case it was a simple leaf from the garden outside. You ever heard of a painting called the Evergreen Dale?” he asked.

“S-sorry, partner, guess I’m not too uhh…into that kind of art.”

He shrugged, “That was one of mine, or at the very least I was the start of it. Two hundred and fifty thousand bits that sold for…”

Applejack whistled, “I could raise few barns with that kind of change…”

“Yeah? Well that was just the start. Especially since it didn’t take them long to figure out it was me who’d caused it. I guess the cutie mark appearing right when it happened helped with that…”

“But it sounds good though. What went wrong?”

He scoffed, “Greed. My abilities weren’t matured; I wasn’t ready to exert the kind of magic they kept triggering in me. They stopped raising me, Applejack, and they started wielding me. And oh, they became so sublimely good at it: They knew just what to say or think to get me to kick in with some help. They’d parade me round their friends at high society functions, amazing them with what I could do for them too.

“Celestia help me, I was just a colt…I could not keep up. But they didn’t care, just said it was the ‘life of an artist to have strife and graft’ if I ever started to look too tired for some reason.

“I fell behind in my studies as a result, but those two were so new-agey that they felt magical talent was a natural thing; that no outside interference or control was needed. But that wasn’t it…they were just afraid of losing their control. The sleepless nights, the nosebleeds, the pounding headaches…I was pouring out magic at such a rate that it would make an academy instructor want to take a vacation after a day.”

“Gosh, I’m sure they weren’t meanin’ to hurt you. Didn’ you tell em’ it was gettin’ too much for you?”

He just shook his head, “’Live up to big expectations’; ‘make your parents proud’: isn’t that what all good little colts and fillies are supposed to do? I was stupid to have faith that they had my best interests at heart. And I was naïve enough to keep thinking I would soon been strong enough if I just kept on persevering. I should’ve run away when I had the chance...”

“So somethin’ happened eventually?”

He leaned forwards, studying the grass, “Sometimes, like that first time, an idea or spark isn’t enough. Sometimes it has to be something physical; like an item or whatever random object is needed to inspire whoever it is in the direction they need. When that’s the case I…I just bring it to whoever needs it; It just happens: I teleport whatever it is, from wherever it is, right to whoever needs it.

“And it doesn’t matter how far away it is, or how much strength or magic it’ll take to grab that item. Once the process starts, it can’t be stopped and I have to go through with it.”

Applejack remembered the report Shining Armor had read to her, about where it was Alpha Spark had vanished from five years ago. She had a sinking suspicion as to where this was going.

He continued, “I was exhausted that day as it was. Mom had commissions she needed to begin and dad had to prepare a sculpture for the Summer Sun Festival that year; something to commemorate the banishing of the dark. I’d never seen him so stressed. The Princess herself was going to attend and he didn’t have so much as a sketch for the centrepiece he had to design.”

“So you…helped?” asked Applejack.

Alpha smirked grimly, “Oh yes, I helped…I gave him exactly what he needed to begin.”

“Which was…?”

He looked up at her and smiled weakly, “A moon rock…”

“Oh, w-well that’s not so…” she then blinked, “Oh…y-you mean…” she trailed off, cocking her head upward.

“Yeah,” he breathed, “Right from the source.” His eyes then narrowed, “Was such a tiny thing too, barely the size of a grape…I remember how it clattered to the floor in front of me; the chill it seemed to make in the air, the chill that I could swear was travelling up my veins, seconds before I joined it there on the ground. Then everything was black; black for the longest time.”

“So…how bad was it?”

“Let me put it to you like this, Applejack: you see my mane”? he asked, pointing a hoof to his head, “What colour is it?”

Applejack shrugged, “Sorta stripy; black an’ white. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.”

His smile turned sardonic, “I suppose…except for the fact that it used to just be black.”

Applejack winced, “That sounds…nasty.”

“I was barely more than a colt, and my own father used me to perform a spell that I doubt even Celestia herself would try without doing some warm-up stretches and taking a breather afterwards. And I’m not sure, but I think I actually died for a little while back there.

“The first thing I did after waking up was to crawl away somewhere safe, away from where ponies…no, from where they could find me. Two years asleep tends to leave you a little weak though, but I managed to get away; got strong enough to stay hidden and survive. I even managed to trick one of the banks into releasing one of my trust accounts early. I’ve been living off that ever since.

“Six or so months ago I came across Mimi. She was ailing and had no one else in the world to look after her. She’d completely given up on herself too. And so she gave me something to care about again, gave me a reason to move forward. She became my family, and I promised myself that I’d do whatever it took to help her.”

Applejack wasn’t really sure what to say to all that, but she couldn’t help but feel lame when after a long pause, all she managed to say was, “I miss my parents…” with a coarse whisper.

That seemed to throw Alpha off, and he turned to regard her as she returned her gaze skyward, “I’m sorry…” was all he in turn had in response.

They stood there for a while after that, looking at the stars and talking quietly about idle topics, feeling comfortable in one another’s presence.

“You know…” said Applejack after a period, bringing back things to the topic at hand, “I’m sure if you asked Twilight or some of the other ponies in town they’d be glad to help your partner. I mean, sure, the Princess might be sour with you on account of you thievin’ her stone and all but-”

“-It’s not that,” he said, shaking his head with a sad smile, “You wouldn’t help Mimica, not if you knew…”

Applejack scowled, “Now what in tarnation’s that suppose ta mean? We’re kind folk round here. We won’t toss a pony out on her flank just ‘cause she’s different.”

Alpha turned away from the fence and began walking back to the house, “I wouldn’t ever think you would do that to any pony, Applejack. And that’s the problem…”

The earth pony’s frown deepened, “Now that don’t make a lick o’ sense!”

The unicorn paused and looked back at her, smiling weakly, “Don’t worry about it, Applejack…and thank you. It felt good to talk. Mimi and I will be out of your mane in the morning. You have my word that I won’t try to steal your Element of Harmony. I’ll make do with what I’ve got…somehow.”

Applejack watched him go and then slumped back against the fence. She’d hoped to convince the pony to return what he had in the morning before running off. It wasn’t like she could just go rummaging in his belongings either. She’d promised him a safe roof over their heads and her pride as a member of the Apple family would be tarnished if she broke her word in that regard.

If she were wearing her hat she’d have tossed it to the ground in frustration, and instead just resolved to get up early and seek out the others for advice…

-α-

I roused Mimica with a gentle nudge, pressing a hoof to her mouth to stop her muffled query as I looked warily over at the other bed.

I could see Mimi look about with startled eyes and I only then realised that she would have no idea where she actually was.

As the dawning light struck the bed opposite, I noticed Applejack was absent, her younger sister being the only one curled up under the covers.

The rest had done Mimica some good, though it was clear she still seemed dazed. While rest and relaxation may help ponies recover strength, it was Mimi’s lack of sustenance as a Changeling that was continually draining her.

I knew that if I didn’t somehow convince her to tell me precisely what it was she needed to consume then there’d be no end to her problems. Unfortunately, most of the information I’d been able to gather on Changelings had been anecdotal and spliced with rumour and hearsay. Even the news reports from the recent invasion attempt had been sketchy in terms of actual detail.

Mimi smiled sheepishly as I brushed her mane aside with one hoof to reassure her she was safe.

‘What aren’t you telling me?’ I found myself wondering as I looked into her large, dark eyes.

-α-

I checked my bag and led Mimica silently through the hallway and to the main door, “I think its best we sneak out before breakfast. We’ll hide out by the station and be gone on the first train out.”

“Do I even want to know where we are?”

“A farmhouse,” I whispered, “The owners of the orchard were kind enough to give us shelter for the night.”

“They found us?” she asked, “Can you trust them?”

I shook my head, “I guess we’ll find out…” I said as I carefully opened the outer door.

I walked out into the open…and then I found out.

We were surrounded…

-α-

I took a hesitant step back as the group of ponies that had obviously been waiting for me tensed.

“Back, Mimi, back…” I murmured, my eyes flicking about at the group.

It was quite a mixed bunch: Two unicorns, two pegasi, two earth ponies…and one alicorn.

Heavens help me, it was Princess Twilight…and Shining Armor was with her too.

I couldn’t help but notice that the pink earth pony from the previous day and Applejack were among them also. The other thing that immediately came to my attention was that, with the exception of Shining Armor, every single pony surrounding us was adorned with an Element of Harmony.

I almost felt nauseous when I found myself forced to admit that my benefactor was right about something: I really should not have stopped in this town.

“Applejack…” I found myself saying in a low tone, keeping my eyes locked ahead on Princess Twilight, who was standing at the front of their formation at Shining Armor’s side.

“I’m sorry, partner…” came the earth pony’s genuinely apologetic voice, “I tried tellin’ ‘em what you said to me, and that maybe we could still talk this out but-“

“-But the fact still remains,” cut in Shining Armor in a strong, firm voice, “you have stolen items from good and innocent ponies and as a result have put all of Equestria in danger. You will return what you have taken and submit yourself to my custody.”

“Hello, Shining Armor,” I said, ignoring his demand for now.

“Alpha Spark…” he intoned in response, “If you cooperate then you have my word we will do all we can to help you with your…issues. Despite what you seem to think, we can be civil about this.”

“Spark…” came Mimi’s voice from behind me as she edged up to my side.

“Don’t worry, Mimica,” I said as confidently as was possible given the circumstances, “There are two of us and…uhm…”

“Seven…of them?”

“Y-yeah really didn’t think before speaking there.”

“Why are we even bothering to talk about this?” demanded one of the two pegasus ponies; a young blue mare with a rainbow mane, “let’s just take them!”

“Rainbow Dash, no!” called Twilight as the Pegasus swirled about in the air charged at me with what I can only describe as breathtaking speed.

However, the instant her forward hooves made contact with the bag on my side, a blinding green flash shot out from within and struck the pony in her flank, sending her careening back the way she’d came and skidding through the mud to an ungraceful halt.

“Rainbow Dash!” cried the alicorn. Her concern quickly became relief though as the rainbow coloured pegasus quickly dragged herself out from the dirt, seeming frazzled but otherwise unharmed. She was certainly resilient, I’d give her that.

“So the reports were true,” said Twilight, “The first high profile theft was the chest of Parenses. That’s how you’ve been keeping all of those things hidden.”

“The what?” asked Rainbow as she approached, shaking off both her disorientation and the mud from her mane.

“The Chest of Parenses,” clarified Twilight, “is a mythical case said to prevent anything within from being taken from the owner unless he or she wills it. It also stops the chest being taken and its contents seen without his permission once it’s been bonded to a particular pony.”

“And yet he managed to steal chest itself?” asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight shook her head, “It was just a museum piece. It’s been inactive ever since Starswirl defeated Parenses himself centuries ago. That also proves one other thing…”

“Which is?” I asked with a sigh.

Twilight stabbed a hoof at me in response, “That you must have had an accomplice. Parenses was an evil wizard, and it would’ve taken a massive amount of dark magical energy in order to get one of his artefacts working again. There’s no way you could’ve done it alone. And from what Applejack’s said about your friend, I doubt she could’ve pulled it off either.”

“Spark, what’s she talking about?” asked Mimica.

“I’ll tell you all about it later, I promise,” I said, keeping my eyes on the alicorn.

“From what you say, Twilight, it would appear we’ve reached a stalemate,” I said, “You can’t take me since the chest will protect me regardless, and I in return have no interest in attacking you.”

Okay, that was me severely bluffing and I was painfully aware of it: I knew that if they took me without making contact with the chest then they would all be fine and dandy. The only reason the pegasus had been repelled was because she’d accidentally touched the artifact through the thin canvas of the bag.

The question was, would they risk it anyway?

“Is there nothing we can do to talk you out of this?” asked Twilight, her tone quieting suddenly, “Please, Alpha Spark, it doesn’t have to be this way. If you'd just give me a chance then perhaps I can find a way to help both you and your friend.”

She seemed so sincere, and I actually felt my resolve crack.

Then I remembered Luna. I remembered how even she had seemed to genuinely want to talk.

I looked to Mimi and then back at Princess Twilight.

There was only one answer, “I’m sorry, Princess, but I’ve tried that option and it didn’t work out. There really is no other way…”

The alicorn’s gaze fell, “Then I suppose there really isn’t anything else for us to say.” And just like that, her eyes hardened, “You have left me no choice, Alpha Spark.”

I knew an upcoming threat when I heard one, “No choice but to what? You can’t drag me in and neither can you teleport me so long as I have the chest. And I’m sorry, your highness, but not even your magic is enough to overcome its enchantments.”

“Perhaps not,” she admitted, “I will admit that my power alone is rarely the solution to my problems,” she then lowered her head at me, “That’s why I have my friends!”

That was when I noticed the fizzling of light about the adornment on her head, “My magic might not be enough to stop you, Alpha Spark, but together, we possess a magic far greater than anything you may have assembled!”

I resisted the urge to facehoof, ‘Oh, don’t tell me she’d actually go so far as to…’ my thoughts trailed off when I noticed five other points of light begin to illuminate the dawn around the princess.

I heaved a sigh, ‘Yup, Elements of Harmony…knew I’d forgotten about something…’

“Not only will this be enough to break the dark magic protecting you, but perhaps the magic of friendship will help you see the error of your ways,” decreed Twilight as a glowing aura began to lift the other wielders of the Elements up into the air in formation about her.

‘And doomed with a capital do,’ I thought dismally as I watched what had to be the most powerful combined magical strike known to all Equestria begin to build, readying to blast yours truly at point-blank range.

To be frank I considered it overkill almost to the point of flattery…

Through acceptance of the inevitable came sadness. I had no idea what the Elements would do to me: Would they take away my pain? Turn me into a smiling fool who’ll run tearfully back to my parents and apologise for making them worry? Would it turn out that it was only through my pain and resentment that I ever felt anything for Mimi –a supposed ‘enemy of Equestria’— to begin with?

Would I stop caring for her?

“Mimi…” I said, keeping my voice as even as possible and ignoring Twilight as she prattled on, no doubt continuing her friendship-related ranting.

“Spark…?” she asked, and I noted she was still by my side, unmoving and unflinching.

What a silly girl she was…

“I want you to run. I want you to take the chest and get as far away from here as possible.”

“W-what?” she gasped.

I found myself frozen to the spot as the points of light began gathering together, “I don’t know what might happen when this is over, but I know it’ll end with me giving back everything I took one way or the other.”
I swallowed, “It might also…change me. So I want you to go and get to someplace safe. The others won’t be able to move while they’re using the Elements. If you use your wings then you can outfly Shining Armor and escape.”

“S-Spark?” she said, her voice breaking as she realised I was preparing myself to break my most important promise…my promise to never abandon her.

I was aware of my body shaking, “I said go! And…and I’m sorry…

“…I’m so sorry I failed you, Princess Mimica.”

The light was so beautiful; every colour in the spectrum and as warm as the dawning sun.

And like some reverse prism effect, the light glowed radiant white through the eyes of the six ponies.

Then there was pain. But it was not from the mass of rainbow light about to strike me head-on.

No, it was Mimica. With strength I’d never felt in her before, I felt her rear hooves slam into my flank.

I was lifted off my hooves and knocked violently aside an instant before the full force of the Elements of Harmony struck Mimica in my place.

Seeing her ailing slowly was one thing, but the sound of Mimi’s scream almost tore me apart inside as she was engulfed in a cyclone of rainbow coloured magic.

I saw Twilight, her eyes still ablaze with white light take a step back in shock, “No!”

Then came a low, strained voice from somewhere within the storm of magic, “W-won’t…

“Won’t…let you…” and then I saw Mimica within the coloured spiral, her glamour pulsing white as she began forcing herself back up to her feet, straining under the weight of all the magic about her.

I saw the blast of energy try to lash out in my direction as Twilight attempted to adjust her aim, only for Mimica to brace her legs outward, teeth bared, a low growl rumbling through her throat.

She was holding the attack around herself, forcing them to keep focus on her.

“W-what’s going on?” gasped Twilight, her glowing eyes wide with shock.

“I won’t let you…” growled Mimi from within the light, “…hurt…my…FRIEND!!” And with that one last, screamed decree of defiance, the swirling cyclone of energy convulsed and shuddered as the flow suddenly inverted, being forced by some unseen force into changing directions.

“Mimi…ca?” I breathed out as the roaring sound of battling energy transformed into a gentle swishing as something brought the cascade of magic under control.

Suddenly, the spiral of light began to unfurl itself from around the Changeling’s body, becoming narrower and narrower as it gathered upwards to a glowing point at the tip of her horn before vanishing completely.

Only once her body was fully revealed did I notice that Mimica’s eyes were now glowing with the same light as Twilight’s.

“But that’s…impossible…” breathed the alicorn princess as silence fell, her eyes and those of her companions returning to normal as the Elements finished discharging.

Mimica exhaled a long breath as crackles of white light danced over her form.

“Who…are you?” asked Twilight.

Mimica narrowed her eyes at Twilight and there was a violent displacement of air as the Changeling’s wings tore free from behind her glamour and spread out, lifting her off the ground with just that one simple movement. I scrambled back a bit on reflex as the gust passed over me.
It was the first time I’d actually seen her with enough strength to actually hover off the ground.

“You’re an…alicorn?” gasped Twilight.

“Hardly,” glowered Mimica, and there was a deep resonance in her voice that I’d never heard before. I then watched as the light in her eyes shifted, changing from gentle white to an angry, pulsing neon green, “I am Mimica, daughter of Chrysalis and Princess of the Changeling race. And I think we are done here...”

Mimica swept her large wings upwards as a fizzling of green crackled over her forward hooves. She then slammed herself down into the ground, releasing a massive shockwave of shimmering green light directly at the waiting circle of ponies and blasting them out of her path.

I was frankly too stunned to say or do anything as Mimi scooped me effortlessly up under one foreleg and then erupted into the skies. There was a deafening sonic boom released in her wake as she punched straight into supersonic flight.

‘Well...’ I found myself thinking somewhat lamely as I was yanked into the sky like a ragdoll, ‘that was unexpected…’

-T-

Twilight groaned as she pulled her chin up from the dirt and onto her forehooves. She flinched down again as the shards of glass blasted free from Applejack’s windows pattered to the ground around them.

Rarity struggled to her hooves, “What in the devil happened there?” she demanded before gasping as she realised how caked with mud she’d become.

“What in the hay did that pony do?” asked Rainbow Dash as she helped a stunned Fluttershy up.

“She wasn’t a pony, Rainbow Dash,” grunted Twilight as she pushed herself up, “She was a Changeling, and I may have just made a horrible mistake…”

“A Changeling?” echoed the blue Pegasus, “if she was a Changeling then why didn’t the Elements of Harmony make short work of her? I mean they took care of Nightmare Moon and Discord easily enough.”

“The Elements of Harmony only work on those with darkness and malice in their hearts, Rainbow. She may have been a Changeling, but I felt it when the Elements connected us: she really was just trying to help her friend, nothing more…and there was nothing the Elements could do against that other than sympathise with her.”

“And Changelings feed on the power of love and affection. I know that better than anyone…” said Shining Armor as he dusted himself off. He then turned to regard the skies in the direction the Changeling had fled.

“What kind of Changeling even feels compassion and affection?” asked Rarity.

“I’m not sure, Rarity,” said Twilight, “I think there’s a whole lot to this situation that we still don’t know about.”

“I’m not sure I’m really getting all of this, but are you saying we just accidentally supercharged a Changeling?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Yes,” sighed Twilight, slumping slightly, “That’s exactly what we just did, Rainbow…”

“Oh…” The pegasus winced, “Umm, oops?“

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes off into the sky, “And now…we have a real problem.”

-α-

To be continued…

Chapter 5: A Trixie Situation

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Chapter 5: A Trixie Situation

How long had it been?

How long had it been since she’d been strong enough to take to the skies?

Mimica wondered this as she cruised through the air, savouring the subtle pressures of the wind currents against her wings; the long forgotten chill of the air bristling over her form.

Flying in her glamour felt different to her true form. The wings had more mass; they didn’t beat as quickly and so needed more force with each downbeat to compensate.

But that didn’t matter, thought Mimica. She was flying again, and for the first time in she didn’t know how long, she felt alive once more.

Such wonderful, beautiful energy surged through every fabric of her being. And while it might have been a long time since she’d been strong enough to fly, the truth was Mimica had never been this strong before. Even back home when they would spoon –and at times even force- feed energy into her, they had never given her enough so that she even approached this level of power. She could feel the residue of the other magicks she had been feeding off in order to survive; the various spells and artefacts swirled about inside of her in the pool of the magic yielded by the Elements of Harmony.

Love and friendship had made her strong, but it hadn’t been taken; it hadn’t been torn away from another as a Changeling normally would to attain it. No, Mimica had gained this power through what had been quite a spontaneous act of self-sacrifice on her part.

Just how irked would her mother be if she found out about that?

Mimica couldn’t help but grin.

She momentarily let her attention drift to the warmth against her side. Alpha Spark was slightly larger in terms of overall size (excluding wingspan, of course) but he felt so light to her now. She felt good to be the one carrying him for once.

Mimica felt her grip tighten slightly. She would prove to him that she was capable of being the one to protect him now.

The pool of friendship energy in her swelled briefly at that thought.

She wrapped her other foreleg gently about him, embracing him to her as she returned her attention to the skies ahead.

-α-

The take-off and sudden acceleration had left me a little dazed to say the least. I was aware of the deep, rhythmic noise around me as Mimica’s wings displaced the air downwards in order to keep as aloft.

The ground sped by below, and I felt Mimi’s arms twitch as I shifted, “Are you okay?” came her voice. Its tone was calm and oddly quiet. I probably should’ve worried about being dropped also, but for some reason that fear was furthest from my mind when I remembered it was her holding me.

I shook my head to clear it slightly, “Am I okay? You’re the one who just took a direct hit from the Elements of Harmony. Are you okay?”

I felt her forelegs tighten slightly, “always worrying…” and even without looking I somehow knew that she was smiling.

“I’d say in this case my worry is more than warranted.”

“I’m okay, Spark. You don’t need to worry,” she responded, her tone still content.

“What, you’re trying to tell me that you’re just fine after being-“

“-I mean, I’m okay,” she cut in, “I’m okay now, Spark…”

I gave a mild start as I caught her meaning, “You mean you’re…”

I saw her nod, “The Elements; Princess Twilight, they healed me. Though I suspect that was not their intention.

She let out a quick, incredulous laugh, “I’m alive, Spark. I’ve never felt this amazing in my whole life.”

I was momentarily dumbstruck, “You’re…you mean…you’re going to be alright?”

She hugged me closer, “Yes…” and I felt her pointedly beat her wings once with force, “and you don’t need to worry any more, Spark. Nobody is going to hurt you again,” I suddenly felt her grip tighten almost painfully, “I’ll be protecting you…”

This was something new. I really hadn’t ever seen Mimica this way before. Always she had faced her possible fate with a selfless dignity that befitted her royal status, but never had I been given an opportunity to see what she was like when she wasn’t an underdog.

When I first found Mimi she had seemed so broken, and so I had to wonder: was this the real her? Had I just not been looking close enough to see how iron her will really was. Had I been so presumptuous as to think I was the brave one?

“Were you always this strong?” I found myself whispering.

“No…” she replied quietly a moment later, “I’m strong because you made me strong. Until I met you, I’d never had anything to care about, nor had anyone care about me, not really anyway. It was the friendship I felt from you that gave me the power to synchronise with the Elements of Harmony.

“You see? You were wrong, Spark. You never failed me; you kept your promise. So I just wanted to say something; something I’ve never gotten round to saying since you first took me in…“

“And what’s that?”

“Thank you for saving me. And thanks…for being my friend.”

I couldn’t help but smile, “I’m glad my princess is pleased…”

“She is, very much so...” I felt her look up again, “And I’d suggest you hold onto whatever lunch you may have eaten.”

I looked up to see that Mimica had done a very wide about-turn and was now closing rapidly on Ponyville.

“What are you doing?”

“The plan still stands, Spark: we go north.”

I nodded my understanding. Mimica had after all just openly attacked Princess Twilight and revealed herself as a Changeling. The heat would, to say the least, be very much on us now. We had to hide.

“But why are we heading back to Ponyville?”

“Just getting my bearings. Now hold on.”

My stomach lurched as Mimi curved into rapid descent, her speed increasing as we shot across the paths leading into town. I looked back as leaves were torn from a tree in her wake as we passed.

“Mimica, a slight word of caution perhaps?”

“Sorry, Alpha. No time for that.”

I would’ve raised further objections at the prospect of flying low at near supersonic speeds through a populated area, however my words only came out as abject cries of terror as Mimi angled herself sideways, cutting between the buildings. And while she might have lowered her speed significantly to do this, the manoeuver would still probably be classed as nothing short of suicidal by even the most veteran of flyers.

Mimica banked into an almost impossibly sharp right turn, the air current whipping up a line of market stalls and ponies as we passed by.

I opened my mouth and was about to shout an apology, but my attention suddenly became focused on what we were about to crash into from behind, “Mimi, watch out for the mail pony!” I cried as we came within inches of rear-ending the delivery Pegasus. Instead, Mimica was merely jolted as we clipped the unfortunate soul in passing.

There was a rush of air as we broke free and out over the railway station. Mimica immediately angled herself to fly parallel to the tracks northward.

I breathed a long, relieved sigh.

“Umm…” came a voice from somewhere behind me.

“What is it, Mimi?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Um, excuse me, sir?”

My brow furrowed and I shifted about in Mimi’s arms to look behind me.

My jaw dropped.

“Uhh, Mimica…?”

“What is it?”

“Problem…”

Mimi glanced back at her rear right leg. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

A Pegasus mail sack was coiled around her limb. Obviously it had gotten tangled up during Mimi’s flight over town. Now this alone wasn’t much of a problem.

The problem was the fact that the delivery Pegasus was still attached to it. I was frankly stunned that Mimica hadn’t noticed the weight difference.

“Ummm,” I said unsurely, “hello?” I offered, not quite sure what else to say.

“Good day, sir,” replied the grey mare with what I considered quite shockingly polite cheeriness, especially considering we’d almost knocked her out of the sky. I also couldn’t quite tell by her eyes if she was looking at me or at Mimica. I suspected that the answer may have been a little of both.

“Listen, I don’t mean to be a bother…” she began, and I found it odd that the pegasus didn’t seem to be upset or offended, just mildly confused by her current predicament, “…but I don’t suppose you’d mind letting me go, would you?” She asked, her wings and body having been tangled up by the leather strap, effectively binding her to the end of Mimica’s leg.

Mimi’s wings flicked outward, catching the wind and drawing her to a glide as we looked at each other. I shrugged my shoulders as best I could and reached over to help the mailmare free.

“I’m really sorry about this, sir,” said the blonde pegasus as I reached for her strap and worked to free her, “I really didn’t mean to run into you like that. I suppose I just wasn’t looking where I was going. I really need to work on that...”

I considered commenting that we were the ones who actually did the running into and felt a little guilty about making the Pegasus think she was at fault, especially as something told me she might have had a lot of problems with such things in the past. I finally decided on simply saying, “Don’t worry about it, could’ve happened to anypony,” as I freed her.

She slipped free and flicked her wings out, her grey feathers ruffling as she stretched, “Thank you kindly, sir.” She said cheerily, saluting once and pulling free a ziplock bag from her mail sack. She tossed something from within to me before happily flying off the way we’d come.

“Strange pony,” murmured Mimica, “What is it?” she asked, glancing at the object in my hoof.

“A muffin, “I sniffed at it, “Blueberry, freshly baked too.”

“Very strange…”

“Strange maybe,” I agreed, unable to resist taking a big bite out of the treat and taking a moment to savour the taste, “but there goes a pony who knows her muffins.”

It strangely didn’t occur to me to question what a mail pony was doing carrying around a ready supply of freshly baked muffins. I would later pin it down to simply being one of those great unsolvable mysteries of the universe.

“Either way,” I said, “I think we should try being a little more careful for now.”

“And by we, you mean me.” replied Mimica as she started flying again, “I’m sorry. I guess I got a little carried away with…well…carrying you away.”

She flew higher for safety before accelerating again, keeping the tracks below in view, “Don’t worry about it.” I said, “You’re doing great, Mimica. Want half my muffin?”

“I’m not partial to muffins, but thank you.”

“Don’t like muffins?” I asked, munching down the rest, “I wasn’t aware such a thing was possible. But I guess that’s something else new I’ve learned about you.”

“Tit for tat, Spark, “she said with light humour as she flew, “doesn’t that mean I get to learn something about you too?”

That gave me pause, and I went quiet for a while as I thought on it. “I had a talk with an earth pony during the night whilst you slept. I tried...just talking about everything that’s happened to me. It actually felt quite good. I take it we’ll be flying for a while?”

“It’ll take a few hours to catch up to the last train,” she replied, her words punctuated by a gentle double beat of her wings as the dawn off to our right grew brighter.

“Good. Then you just keep on flying, Princess, and let me tell you a story…”

-T-

Twilight and her friends slowly made their way back towards the centre of Ponyville. A glum note seemed to hang in the air around them. The only one who didn’t seem affected was Pinkie Pie, who was bouncing along and smiling as happily as always, seeming completely nonplussed by their current situation.

“So does anypony have any ideas?” asked Rainbow Dash as she flew slowly on alongside them, “I mean sure, I could catch up to her easy enough, what with me being me and all, but-“

“-But there’s no way you’d be able to handle that Changeling all by yourself, Rainbow, even with you being you.” Cut in Twilight.

“Actually, I was just going to say that I didn’t see what direction she flew off in, but I guess what you said might sort of…possibly… also be true,” admitted Rainbow Dash with the greatest of great reluctance.

“Well you’ve at least made one good point there, Rainbow,” said Twilight, “the first thing we need to do is figure out what direction Mimica and Alpha Spark have gone off in. I suppose I’d best report all this to Princess Celestia too. She’ll want to know what’s happened here today.”

Shining Armor nodded, “Good idea, Twily. I’m going to stick around for a while longer also. I wouldn’t feel comfortable just leaving you while all this is still going on.”

“And I know better than to try and talk you out of it, big brother.”

“If it’s not too much trouble,” came a small voice, “I might have an idea.”

Twilight looked up at the other Pegasus who was with them, “What is it, Fluttershy?”

“I think I might know how to find them,” she replied.

“Really, how?”

“We just…follow the trail.”

“What trail?” asked Twilight with a frown.

Fluttershy pointed a hoof up ahead and they all turned to see a half-demolished tree followed by a torn up fence and beyond that an intermittent path of destruction leading all the way into town, “I think they might have gone that way…”

“That’s definitely a possibility,” responded Twilight, who immediately switched into a gallop, dashing into town with the others following close behind. Needless to say, it wasn’t exactly difficult to follow the disgruntled murmurs of the injured ponies and trail of smashed property.

“Alright, everypony,” said Twilight as they stopped at the town square, “Split up, ask around and see if anypony needs help while you’re at it.”

They indicated their agreement and immediately broke off to render assistance and gather information.

-T-

It didn’t take long for the ponies to reassemble and have their suspicions confirmed.

“It’s the same story everywhere:” said Rainbow Dash, “a big white blur and the next thing everypony knows, the world gets flipped upside down.”

They followed the path of destruction through to the train station, “They could’ve gone anywhere from here,” sighed Twilight as they stopped at the edge of the platform.

Applejack squinted her eyes up at something in the sky, “Maybe that mailmare knows somethin’.”

Rainbow Dash looked up, “Who, Ditzy?” she then sighed, “I suppose it couldn’t hurt to ask.”

Rainbow put a hoof to her mouth and whistled loudly. The grey mare above gave a start and looked about, glancing down, straight up, and then proceeding to check her mail bag.

Rainbow Dash groaned, “Down here, Derpy…”

Derpy looked down and flapped slowly towards them, “Hiya, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hi, Derpy,” Rainbow replied with a sigh, then frowned, “What are you doing out here anyways? This isn’t your route.”

“I know,” she replied, “my bag got caught on another Pegasus and I got pulled away.”

“Excuse me, ma’am?” interjected Shining Armor.

“Oh, hiya sir.” She replied brightly, “What can I do you for?”

“It’s just, this Pegasus, it wasn’t a mare who happened to be carrying another pony with her, was it?” he asked.

“It sure was.”

“You ran into them?” asked Rainbow, “Well what happened?”

“I gave them a muffin, of course.”

“Of course you did…”

“Can I have a muffin?” chirped Pinkie.

“You sure can!” replied Derpy with equal cheeriness, reaching into her sack for her muffin bag.

“Derpy…” said Rainbow tiredly as Pinkie gleefully snapped the chocolate chip treat out the air with her tongue and gobbled it down in one, “We need to know: Did you see which way they went?”

“Umm…” said Derpy, her eyes crossing slightly as she folded her hooves, “That-a-way.” She replied.

She was pointing in two separate directions.

Ditzy seemed to catch herself however and her eyes focused. She pointed a hoof due north up the tracks, “They were going that way.”

“You’re sure?” asked Rainbow dubiously.

“Have I ever let you down before?” she chimed.

Rainbow opened her mouth to speak, only for Derpy to cut in again, “Would you like a muffin, Rainbow Dash?”

The rainbow pony stood there for a second with her mouth open, only for her shoulders to sag in defeat, “Yes please…”

“Have a nice day, everypony,” said Derpy happily, dropping a muffin into Rainbow Dash’s reluctantly extended hoof before flying off back to town.

“So they’ve headed north…” said Shining Armor.

“They must be trying to get out of Equestria,” said Twilight.

“And we’ve got no way of catching up to them…” said Applejack glumly.

“Come on, everypony,” cut in Pinkie, “there’s no need to be gloomy! They’ll be right back.”

“And what makes you think that, Pinkie?” asked Twilight tiredly, sinking down onto her hindquarters.

“Simple: Because he said he would.”

“And you believed him?” asked Rarity, “Dear, he’s a criminal. I’m quite sure he was lying.”

“Nuh-uh,” said Pinkie emphatically, shaking her head, “I made sure of it.”

“Really?” asked Rarity, “And how did you do that?”

“That’s the genius thing,” she whispered almost conspiratorially, beckoning them to huddle closer. She raised a hoof to indicate hush, “I made him Pinkie-Promise to be at the party this morning. So, you see!” she said, her voice rising to a startling level, “There’s no possible way he can’t be there!”

The assembled ponies exchanged worried glances, most slowly backing away from the pink pony in time with each other, “Umm, Pinkie Pie,” said Shining Armor, “I’m pretty sure he was-“ he was cut off however as Twilight pressed a hoof to his mouth and shook her head warningly.

Suddenly, a strange look flashed over Twilight’s face as an idea occurred to her. Her eyes were drawn from Pinkie and then to a hand-driven rail cart currently sitting not far off.

The alicorn’s horn glowed as she lifted it up and set it down on the tracks.

“What?” asked Rainbow Dash, “You really think we’re going to catch up to them with that?”

“Maybe…” said Twilight, “I think I might have an idea,” she then approached Pinkie’s side, “Pinkie Pie?”

“Yuh huh?” she asked, her large blue eyes blinking curiously.

Twilight rested a hoof over her shoulder, “Pinkie…I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you. Alpha Spark…he’s not going to be at your party.”

“Nuh-uh, he has to be. Pinkie Promise, Twilight, Pinkie Promise.”

“I know, Pinkie…” she replied, sighing dramatically, “but…he lied to you. He’s not coming back.”

Pinkie blinked once, and then twice more, “B-but he promised…”

“That’s right,” responded Twilight apologetically, “he did…”

“Have you lost your mind, Twi?” hissed Applejack warningly.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” she whispered back before returning to Pinkie Pie, who seemed to be wavering on the spot with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“B-but that would mean…” stammered Pinkie, “Th-that would mean that he…he…broke,” that last word wasn’t so much spoken as it was snarled as Pinkie Pie’s entire frame seemed to begin trembling to the point of vibrating on the spot.

Everyone moved further back as the nails in the boards under their hooves were shook free.

“…his…promise,” squeaked Pinkie, still shaking, her teeth gritted together.

Twilight stepped forward and dropped her foreleg casually over Pinkie’s shoulder again and leaned into her ear, a sly smile on her features “The question is, Pinkie:” she began, “What are you going to do about it?”

And like a rubber band stretched beyond its limits, Pinkie Pie snapped.

The pink pony let out an ear-splitting shriek of pure rage and then somehow managed to grab hold of every pony about her and jump the distance to the waiting carriage.

Pinkie Pie exhaled a superheated breath and took hold of the handles, “Nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise…” she growled.

An instant later, the cart was transformed into a streak of pink light, complete with pink fire trails and what can only be described as a sonic Pinkieboom as it shot off up the track in pursuit of the fleeing Changeling, accompanied by a deafening scream of, “…NOPONY!!”

-α-

Mimica had been oddly quiet. Unlike Applejack she hadn’t interrupted with questions; hadn’t commented. She’d just held me against her as she flew and listened. The only sign she’d heard what I said was the way her forelegs would tighten almost unconsciously around me on occasion.

“I figured it was something like that…” she said quietly after a while, “But I already told you, Spark: You don’t have to worry. If you don’t want to go back to your parents or even back to Equestria again, then you won’t have to. And I promise I’ll protect you if anyone comes.”

I smiled grimly, “It looks like the tables really have turned. But yeah, that’s why I am how I am. How I’m so resentful; so…warped.”

I felt her body move as she shook her head, “You’re not warped, Spark. You’re kind and true to your nature, there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t know what warped is.” She looked back ahead again, “You once said you thought I was ‘cute’, for a Changeling…”

I felt my cheeks heat slightly, “Y-yeah. I was-“

“-it made me feel good,” she cut in gently, and I could tell it took a lot for her to admit that much, “you don’t need to apologise.”

She let out a long breath, “but it also made me feel bad a little. You don’t understand, Spark. The things you mentioned back then: my undeveloped fangs; the fact my wings haven’t even started to shed like they should have. They’re all…side effects. The bottom line is: As far as Changelings go, I’m…deformed, so very badly…”

I scowled, loathing the way she talked about herself, “Don’t talk like that. And what do you mean: ‘side effect’, a side effect of what?”

The noise she made in reply sounded horribly like a sob, and it hurt that I couldn’t so much as reach up to touch her mane to console her.

I looked helplessly up at her and offered the only words I could, “I’m never going to leave you, Mimi. I’m not sure what happened, but I promise you’ll at least always have me…and I’m not sure if I should console you over that too…”

She choked a laugh and shook her head, “It’s alright,” she said, her tone becoming bright once more, “I know things will work out now, somehow.” I felt her tense her frame about me as she lowered her head downwards, “and there’s our target…”

I blinked and looked down and indeed, a little further down the tracks up ahead was a steam locomotive dragging along a line of carriages.

“You caught up to yesterday’s train already?” I asked, gaping slightly, “Mimi, that’s amazing.”

Mimica didn’t respond verbally but I felt her squeeze me briefly tighter before narrowing her wings against her sides and beginning a swift descent towards the rear carriage.

Mimi dropped me gently atop the moving train a moment later and then touched down nearby.

We had done it.

Mimica flicked her wings out, the feathers bristling as she cooled down from her flight, “We can only hope this is an express train.”

I nodded and walked to the front of the carriage, “True, I really don’t want to be stopping at every single town and village from here to the Empire, wherever here is...”

I looked down at where the carriage we were on joined the previous one, “We’ll drop down here. If anypony is in this carriage it’ll look more than a tad suspicious if we enter from the rear of the train.”

“Good point,” replied Mimica.

Making sure the coast was clear as I went; I made my way precariously down and managed to get balance on the platform that joined the carriages together.

I looked cautiously about and signalled Mimica down. She then quickly proceeded to hover down the side of the carriage and climbed back on board from there. When I looked to her a second later, I noticed that she’d hidden her wings away behind her glamour once more.

Steadying myself with Mimica pressed up against the carriage behind us, I opened the sliding door to the rear compartment and entered in as calmly and nonchalant a way as possible.

-α-

I let out a relieved breath. The carriage appeared to be empty. I savoured the warmth given off by the magical torches used to illuminate the compartment before walking in.

I inclined my head for Mimica to follow and headed towards one of the padded seats.

“Do you mind?” came a brusque female voice that had me almost leaping out my hide. I turned about to sight a figure in a hooded robe who had been sat in the rear corner seat and hadn’t been visible up until now, “you’re letting all the heat out.” She continued, and I caught sight of a pair of rosy eyes peering out at me from under the hood.

I felt a sudden chill.

There was something disturbingly familiar about those eyes.

“Oh, sorry…” I said, snapping myself out of my revere and walking a few more quick steps inside to allow Mimica access, who promptly closed the door behind her.

The hooded pony shook her head and straightened the newspaper she had in her hooves before returning her attention to it.

I kept my eyes warily on the hooded pony as we passed her. Mimica sat down in one of the middle seats and seemed to orientate herself as to keep the mare in her field of vision as I lifted off my bag to store it under the seat.

However, thanks to the chest inside, the bag really didn’t want to go in, and I probably should’ve been a lot more careful as I gave it a none-too gentle shove. This caused the chest within to be displaced swiftly out the path of least resistance, i.e. the top, and then proceeded to bounce three times out across the carriage floor with a loud clatter.

I heard a grumble of irritation as the pony in the corner shoved her paper down and glared up at me as I scrambled back upright and hastily scooped up the chest in my hooves.

I smiled apologetically and she narrowed he eyes at me as I dragged my bag back up and worked to slip the chest back inside. I watched the mare’s gaze glide to the chest in my hooves. I saw her tilt her head almost curiously and a jolt of fear went through me as I noticed her frame stiffen slightly.

I shoved the chest unceremoniously back into concealment and took a few steps away. The mare now had her gaze affixed clearly on me and I watched as her hooves drifted towards the newspaper, briefly lifting it up to glance between it and me, as if double-checking something. I felt my fear transform into dread as I backed up toward Mimica.

“Mimi…” I whispered, and noticed she was glancing between me and the mare with a slight frown.

“What is it?” she asked quietly.

“I think we should probably consider leaving, preferably before-“

“-You…” came the voice of the mare, cutting me off, “It’s you…”

“Before we’re recognised…” I breathed with a sigh.

“I thought I knew your face from somewhere.”

“Listen, ma’am, I’m not sure who you think I am, b-but-“

“Don’t try and play innocent. The great and powerful Trixie never forgets a face.” The mare dropped the paper back to the seat and slid to her feet, “Well, it really has been quite some time, hasn’t it, Alpha Spark?”

My brow furrowed. I thought she’d recognised me from some article in the paper alone, but then I dwelled on that name for a second, “Wait a moment…Oh, you can’t be…”

The figure gripped her travelling cloak in one hoof and cast it aside in what I can only describe as a very overdramatic fashion, revealing a familiar unicorn whose face I hadn’t seen in so many years.

I felt my jaw drop, “Trixie…?” I breathed.

She smirked, “The Great and Powerful Trixie, to be perfectly accurate. But my, my, haven’t you grown…”

“What is she talking about, Spark? Who is she?”

I kept my eyes on the unicorn as I spoke, “An old friend from school. Haven’t seen her since-“

“-since you dropped out?” offered Trixie with a smirk, “And really, what kind of unicorn drops out of magical grade school? But then, I suppose you never really were up to Trixie’s magnificent standards…not that any other pony is either come to think of it.”

I glowered at her, “Let’s just say I had health problems…” and I steadied myself as Trixie began to slowly pace, “Your name’s popped up a few times in the papers though,” I commented, my eyes following her as she moved back and forth.

“Oh?” she asked, still smiling, “are you surprised that Trixie has reached such levels of fame? I was top of the class back in the day.”

“So you liked to continually remind me. And what I’ve read lately hasn’t exactly been flattering. The words ‘conpony’, ‘fraud’ and ‘massive collateral damage’ have been thrown around quite a bit.”

Trixie scoffed, flicking her mane aside with one hoof, “This, coming from you, Mister Thief? But I suppose when you consider how little potential you had back in the day, it’s not surprising that you’ve resorted to stealing magical artefacts in order to gain any real strength.”

I gritted my teeth. I was loathed to admit it, but Trixie was a prodigy in comparison to my meagre skill in the arts.

I remembered that she always did have aspirations well above her abilities, but even so, Trixie was still well within the definition of what could be deemed a very skilled magic user, whilst I, to say the least, was not.

“A shame, really. Trixie always did have a soft spot for you, you know…”

I glowered at her, “You mean I made you look better in comparison…”

“Same thing…” she said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. She then stopped and looked at me head on, “But the Chest of Parenses? Now isn’t that just a little above your weight class, Sparky?”

I shifted slightly. I wasn’t exactly surprised that a unicorn of her level could recognise a magical artefact of that fame by sight alone, especially if it had been mentioned in the news recently also.

“For your information,” I said, “I have every intention of sending both the chest and what it contains back to Equestria once we’re safe and out of danger.”

“So…” said Trixie, “You’ve brought along all those other items too? You know, it’s dangerous: having so much powerful magic gathered in one spot like that.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, momentarily cursing myself for letting that fact slip, “What is it you want, Trixie?”

“Alright. Trixie’s going to be honest with you. She doesn’t care about what stupid misdemeanours you might have committed, or where you’re going…”

“I’m sensing there’s a but coming up…”

She smirked, “But, she also knows it would be a crying shame if the guards at the next station were alerted to you being here.”

I just settled on glaring at her, waiting for her to proceed.

“How’s about this: Trixie will make a deal with you.”

“I’m listening…”

“Like Trixie said: such magic gathered in one place under the care of one with your…simple talents, is just asking for disaster. So here’s the deal: turn the chest over to Trixie, and she will make sure it, and the contents, get back to…where they deserve.”

“And what’s to guarantee you won’t get sticky hooves while carrying out this mission of utter selflessness?”

“Oh, Trixie is hurt you would even imply she is capable of such a thing. I am merely offering to help an old friend while also carrying out my duty as a law-abiding citizen of Equestria. Turn it over, Spark, and you have Trixie’s word that she’ll forget she ever saw you, or your friend.”

Something told me that turning over the chest to her was an extremely unwise thing to do.
I got the feeling either Trixie would refuse to keep her word about not telling the guards or help herself to the contents for personal gain. Most likely it would be a combination of both, and any missing items from the chest would probably just be blamed on yours truly.

“Why don’t we just come out and call this what it is, Trixie: extortion.”

She chuckled, “Extortion is such an ugly word. No, Trixie much prefers blackmail.”

“Well, thank you for the kind offer, Trixie, but I think I’ll be better off taking my chances.”

Trixie let out a long, weary sigh, “Trixie was afraid it might come to that. But tell me, Sparky: what makes you think Trixie won’t just take it from you regardless?”

And as if to emphasise her point, several bits of Trixie’s luggage levitated into the air about her along with two of the unlit lamps as well as some furniture, “You know of my skill from when you were a colt, Alpha Spark, but Trixie is not a filly any more. Must she teach you her wrath before you do as you’re told?”

“Ever the bully…” I growled, “I guess some ponies never change. Tell me, Trixie, are as lonely today as you were back then? Do you still cry when you think nopony is looking?”

Her brow furrowed, clearly stung by the comment, “Silence!” she shrieked and hurled one of the lamps in my general direction. It missed by a mile…initially.

While it obviously wasn’t aimed directly at me, the bottom part of the lamp rebounded violently off one of the side walls, clipped the back of a seat and the last thing I heard before the lights went out was the sound of that lamp shattering off the side of my cranium.

-M-

“Spark!” cried Mimica as the stallion crumpled over like a puppet with its strings cut.

“I…I ah…” stammered Trixie, the objects about her dropping to the floor. She looked nervously about, an uncertain hoof raised up, “Is he…ah…” she began, leaning sideways to get a better look, “Th-that is…yes…umm…so you see: even the Great and Powerful Trixie has a dark side, and as you can see; it’s..ah…it’s not pretty, so…so you should…ah…” she trailed off lamely, really unable to keep the pretence going as Mimica crouched over Alpha Spark’s fallen form in silence, his head cradled in her forward hooves.

Trixie’s face fell, “Is he al-”

“-A dark…side?” cut in Mimica’s voice, low and quiet as she slowly, gently set Alpha Spark’s head down. She then stood slowly back up, her eyes still locked on the unconscious unicorn, “You call that…a ‘dark side?’”

Trixie took a step back, “I…I ah…”

Mimica slowly began to turn about to face the mare, her voice gaining a sharp edge to it, and if Trixie didn’t know any better, she could’ve sworn the temperature in the carriage was starting to plummet, “Why don’t I make you an offer, Trixie: How’s about we have a contest…of just which of us has the darker side here?”

Trixie gasped as the sudden gust caused by Mimica releasing her wings forced her back a step.

The unicorn mare opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a terrified squeak as the feathers on the supposed alicorn’s wings seemed to stiffen and then shatter like glass, revealing sharp, luminescent membranes beneath.

All about Mimica’s body, cracks began to show. Blinding, neon-green light shone out from within. The Changeling then let out a strained roar as her glamour exploded in a blaze of green flame about her, revealing the true form contained within.

Mimica rounded on Trixie with a patient calm that was at odds with the rage so obviously surging through her. Her blade-like horn was ablaze with magic as she readied to attack, “Well?” the Changeling demanded, her voice resonating with a powerful regal undercurrent, “Is this dark enough for you, Trixie?”

Trixie could only cower back further in response, and perhaps also take a second to consider that she might have just made a rather large tactical misjudgement…

-α-

End of Part 1...