> Shadow of the Sun
>  by moguera
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> To Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1: To Canterlot

Arkenstone felt his hoof come down on something that broke beneath it with a dry snap.  It might have felt like a twig, except it was too thin and broad.  Another step brought another round of snapping noises.  The stallion frowned.  This is not what he'd expected to find.  He'd come expecting an army's assembling grounds.  What he'd found was little more than a graveyard.
Days of following the trail had led him deep into the badlands.  It hadn't been easy.  The changelings' departure from Canterlot had been through the skies, leaving no trail for Arkenstone, bound to the ground as he was, to follow.  Instead, he had been forced to search for the much older trail, the one the changelings had taken into Equestria the first place.  Only after spending much time searching along the southern border had he found it.
The badlands certainly lived up to their name.  The air was dry and choked with dust that the howling winds swirled around in unpredictable patterns.  The sun, when it wasn't obscured by the airborne debris, beat down on the ground mercilessly.  Said ground was as desiccated as the air above it, giving way a little before his hoof with each step, making forward progress long and hard.  Even with his extensive training and constant wandering, Arkenstone found his legs burning with the exertion before long.  When night came, it was cold and bleak, with a chill that seeped in even through his trusted traveling cloak.
And still, Arkenstone pressed on.  His mission required that he follow the trail to its conclusion, or rather its origin.
Then the sand had given way to much more solid ground.  The rock felt coarse and porous, possibly igneous in nature.  The scent of the changelings grew stronger with each passing mile.
Finally, Arkenstone found himself standing at the mouth of a vast cavern.  The scent of changelings was almost overpowering to his nose now.  He could tell that they'd made their home in the cooler depths of the cave network.  His ears picked up the faint buzz echoing out from the depths.  It was strange.  He'd expected the sounds of the assembled hive to be much more plentiful and ominous.  Instead they sounded faint and weak.
Frowning, the stallion pressed onward into the depths.



"I've decided," said Twilight, "I'm going to Canterlot."
"That was rather quick," noted Arkenstone, who had joined her for breakfast, in spite of having already moved out of the library, "I know I told you to think it over after Pinkie's party, but I didn't mean that you had to decide right after her party."
It was indeed the morning after Pinkie's grand town-wide party to celebrate the end to the drought that had been plaguing Ponyville for the past several months.  Now that things had settled in Cloudsdale, the weather schedule was back on track.  In fact, the first rainclouds from the Weather Factory would be arriving later that day, with the first storms scheduled to begin that afternoon.
"I thought about it," said Twilight, "But the more I thought about it, the more I thought that putting it off would just make it harder for me to come to a decision.  And whatever other problems I may have, Luna is still our best lead for learning about the Eyes of Nightmare.  I owe it to Dawn to do what I can to learn the truth about his condition and discredit the Cult Solar if they're as active as I think they are.  Spitfire's right about that much."
This brought an irate sigh from the stallion.  "So Spitfire put you up to this..."
Twilight cocked an eyebrow at him, confused, "That's right.  Why does that matter...wait!"  She smacked a hoof against her forehead.  "She's one of you isn't she."
"One of what?" asked Spike, coming through the kitchen door after he finished washing the dishes.
"One of the Knights," replied Twilight, "It all makes sense now.  That's why Spitfire was so insightful when we were talking at the spa."
Arkenstone nodded, smirking.  "She told me that she was interested in Dawn as a potential successor to her position."
"What about the Wonderbolts?" asked Twilight, "Does that mean she wants Dawn to take over as Captain someday."
"Unlikely," replied Arkenstone, "The Wonderbolts have always been and probably always will be Spitfire's.  Most likely a successor to that position will be chosen from within their own ranks when she decides to retire.  As to what will happen to them after that, well..."  Arkenstone shrugged, "It's mostly up to her."
"Does Rainbow know?" wondered Twilight, "About Spitfire being a Knight?"
"I doubt it.  Spitfire likes to keep that little tidbit of information away from potential members to keep it from influencing their actions."
Twilight frowned.  "So she probably wants me to not tell Rainbow about it then."
Again, Arkenstone merely shrugged.  "I can't speak for her.  It's not as though she has given you any specific instructions."
That brought a sigh out of Twilight.  "I can figure this out later," she said, "But right now, I need to pack for Canterlot."
"So what's the plan?" asked Spike.
"I need you to look after the library while I'm away," said Twilight, "Arkenstone's coming with me to Canterlot, so you'll probably need to look after his teahouse too."
"That won't be necessary," interjected the stallion, "I haven't officially opened yet, so there's no need to worry about the clientele.  I'll just make sure that everything is locked up securely.  The stasis spells you put on my stock should hold for another month, so we don't have to worry about anything going bad."
"We'll stay with my parents," continued Twilight, opening her saddlebags and levitating a few necessities inside, "Staying in my room at the Palace will draw too much attention."
"It's just as well," commented Arkenstone, "The nobles will most likely notice your arrival the moment you get off the train, but their influence is concentrated in the Palace, where most of their affairs are conducted."
"Well let's head out," said Twilight, settling her saddlebags across her back, "The train leaves in half an hour."



Rainbow Dash frowned as she flew towards the quarry.  On this, the second day of her month-long vacation, she had been looking forward to an extended nap under the open sky, cuddled up against her new coltfriend.  She'd quickly learned to appreciate the Mayor's decision to give her some time off.  Raindrops was already showing that she had what it took to keep the Weather Team in line and hadn't yet stopped to ask for Rainbow's help with any problems.  The storm scheduled for later that afternoon would be the ultimate test of Raindrops' aptitude as Rainbow's replacement weather manager.
However, Rainbow and Soarin' had just snuggled up together when she caught the crack of thunder in the distance.  While her initial plan had been to just leave things for Raindrops to sort out, the sound of multiple thunderclaps quickly forced her to change her mind.  Rainbow had to admit that part of her concern came from the nagging feeling of disquiet caused by the knowledge that there were still a round dozen artilleryheads out there, somewhere, possibly still under the control of Meadowlark's tribalist goons, even though Meadowlark herself was now enjoying her stay in Cloudsdale's prison.
So now, she and Soarin' swooped low over the quarry grounds, their ears directing them towards the sound of thunder.  As they approached, their eyes also picked up the flashes of lightning, along with something strange.  The flashes were coming from the ground and there were no clouds in the sky.
Rainbow was about to swoop in and investigate more closely when she heard her name shouted up from below.  Looking down, her eyes picked up the flash of orange and fuchsia of her small friend and semi-little-sister.
"Scootaloo," she shouted as she descended, Soarin' following along in her wake, "What are you doing here?"
"Practicing," said the filly simply, gesturing to the area around her.  Looking around, Rainbow saw several grooves worn in the earth, dust swept into odd patterns.  The area around Scootaloo was devoid of the loose rocks and even small boulders that normally littered the quarry grounds.  Rainbow realized that powerful winds had swept them aside.
"Dawn was teaching me some wing techniques earlier and having me go over them one by one.  After that, he told me to go through the First Form while using my magic."  Scootaloo rotated her wings in their sockets with a groan.  "This is tough.  But after coaching me the first couple of times, he told me to just keep at it for a long as I could and then went off to do his own thing."
"Where?" asked Rainbow.  Wordlessly, Scootaloo pointed to the area close by, hidden by a ridge of rock, where crackling lightning bolts continued to issue into the sky.
"He told me to be very careful if I need to talk to him about something," said Scootaloo, frowning at the display, "He said to not get closer than the top of that ridge and wait until he's between forms and then to shout as loud as I can before trying to get in closer."
"Why?" asked Soarin'.
"Dawn said he just figured out how to use lightning," replied Scootaloo, "But he said he isn't very good at it yet, so he isn't sure that he can practice around me without zapping me accidentally."
Soarin' turned to regard the ridge as another barrage of bolts ripped through the space beyond it.  "That sounds pretty wise.  He needs to practice, but he doesn't want anypony to get hurt.  That must be why he's practicing out here."
The three of them fluttered up to the top of the ridge, where they looked down to see Dawn as he moved his wings in striking motions, often lashing out with the outermost primary of a wing and sending a bolt of lightning ripping through the air to strike a distant point with an eruption of sparks.  Arcs of electricity rippled across his wings and back, eddying almost like water in sequence with his graceful motions.  However, it was obvious that the colt was not fully in control of it yet.  Smaller bolts occasionally arced out in random directions completely unrelated to the one in which Dawn had been moving.  At one point, a single covert broke off, ignited and vanished into ash.
Both Soarin' and Rainbow stared, awestruck at the sight of a pegasus doing something that their whole race had once aspired to, but had ultimately deemed as impossible.  However, the one most surprised was Scootaloo, as she gaped unashamedly at the spectacle before them.
"No way!" she exclaimed, "That's...!"
"Yeah, it's pretty cool," said Rainbow.
"No!  That's not it!" protested the filly, causing the two adult pegasi to turn to her in confusion, "The way he's moving...That's the First Form!"
"What do you mean?" asked Soarin' as he turned to look back at Dawn's practice.
"That's the really basic form I was working on when you showed up," explained Scootaloo, "Dawn said it's the most basic set of techniques in the Gale King.  But he's using it to practice lightning?"
Soarin' tapped his chin thoughtfully as he watched Dawn finish his set, the colt settling back into his starting position and letting out a long breath as his wings relaxed.  "Why don't we ask him about it.  Hey Dawn!"
Dawn's eyes drifted up to Soarin'.  At the sight of his observers, Dawn closed his wings and relaxed his body entirely before nodding at them, signaling that it was safe to approach.  The other three pegasi spread their wings and drifted down to land in front of the ebony colt.
"What was that all about?" asked Scootaloo, "Why would you use the First Form to practice lightning?"
To her surprise, Dawn smiled.  "Because the first form is not merely the most basic form, it is also the basis for the techniques of the Gale King as a whole.  In the end, the different ways we use magic only require minor differences in technique.  For example..."  Dawn went back into his starting position before going into the first form again.  While the sequence of motions were the same, there were subtle differences in how Dawn moved his wings.  Where before, they had been straight-on strikes meant to move a mass of air and send it hammering towards its target, they wings instead moved in sharp, slashing motions, the feathers moving like the edge of a blade.  Scootaloo realized that this was the technique that Dawn used to create the blades of wind that were his deadliest weapons.
"Do you see now?" asked the colt as he finished, "While the way the wings are held and used is subtly different, at the most basic level, the techniques are the same.  This is the Gale King's greatest attribute."
"Greatest attribute?" asked Soarin'.
Dawn nodded.  "What truly makes it stand out beyond the level destructive force it is capable of marshaling is the fact that, beyond a certain extent, the student does not require the Master's guidance to continue to progress.  Once the five forms have been learned, continual practice leads to refinement, which gives birth to new techniques.  That was how I was able to progress as far as I have even though my Master passed away over a year ago."
"You mean all of that was self-taught?" asked Rainbow Dash, looking at the charred ground around them.
"Somewhat," replied Dawn, "I must admit that I was not able to grasp the secrets of lightning without some outside assistance.  But otherwise, much of what I have done, I did on my own."  He glanced at Soarin' and Rainbow.  "Was there anything else?"
Rainbow grinned sheepishly.  "Um...no," she admitted, scratching the back of her head, "We came to check out what was going on because we could hear the racket you were making all the way back in Ponyville."
"I see..." said Dawn, his tone pensive, "I am sorry to have disturbed you.  I will see about finding someplace more...isolated to continue practicing."
"You don't have to," protested Rainbow, "I mean, we could hear it, but it still sounded pretty far away.  And we were up in the air, where there's nothing to block the sound.  I don't think anyone else in town noticed at all."
"If you say so," said Dawn, "I'm ashamed I didn't think of this earlier, but you may want to warn your friends on the weather team.  I wouldn't want to hurt somepony accidentally if they were just coming to investigate."
"Will do!" agreed Rainbow, grinning.
"Back to our nap Dashie?" asked Soarin', giving her a coy grin.
"Not yet," she said, before turning to Scootaloo, "Hey squirt, you mind if I watch you go through your form?"
Scootaloo's eyes went wide before she turned to look at Dawn, who nodded slightly.  "You really want to watch me?" she asked.
"Sure thing squirt.  It sounds like you've been working really hard on this.  Are you okay with me watching?"
Scootaloo nodded so eagerly that her head became an orange and purple blur.  "You bet!"
Dawn stepped back and allowed Scootaloo to take up her stance where he had been.  Then he motioned Rainbow and Soarin' to move back up to the top of the ridge.  There they waited as Scootaloo took a deep breath to settle her nerves.  Then, she began to work her way through the techniques of the form.
Rainbow watched the filly's moves intently.  It was clear that Scootaloo had been practicing hard.  her movements were crisp and sharp, her wings moving with the same assuredness that Rainbow felt herself whenever she went through a stunt that she'd practiced over and over again until she was absolutely certain she had gotten it just right.  As somepony who put a great deal into her own training, Rainbow could appreciate just how much Scootaloo was showing the fruits of hers.
And yet, something seemed off.  While Scootaloo's movements were sharp and well-executed.  They seemed somewhat...mechanical, as she went through them one at a time.  It was a far cry from the more natural flow of Dawn's movements on the few occasions Rainbow had been able to see the colt go through his forms.
Once Scootaloo finished and the winds she'd stirred up began to die down, Dawn motioned for Rainbow and Soarin' to wait before fluttering down to land in front of her.  Scootaloo looked up into his eyes, her expression nervous and uncertain.
She was caught completely off-guard when Dawn stepped in and extended a wing to wrap around the back of her head, pulling towards his own.  Slowly, Dawn brought their heads together until the two of them rested forehead to forehead.  The position made Scootaloo's cheeks explode in a vibrant scarlet color.
"I want you to try something," said Dawn, his voice so soft that she could barely hear it, "Before you start again, I want you to close your eyes and clear your mind.  Remember the thoughtless state I taught you."
"Yeah."  Scootaloo nodded as well as she could with her forehead pressed up against Dawn.
"Do not think about me being here.  Don't think about Rainbow Dash or Soarin'.  Close your eyes and wipe everything clear.  Move with yourself as just yourself.  Let the form flow without thinking about it."  He leaned his head back slightly to look more directly into her eyes.  "Do you understand?"
"I...think so," said Scootaloo.
Dawn released her and fluttered back to the ridge.  Once the breeze from his passing had faded, Scootaloo took a deep breath and spread her wings.  She let everything fade from her mind, just as she did when she was practicing without Dawn's supervision.  Letting out her breath, she went into motion.
Rainbow's eyes widened and her jaw dropped as Scootaloo practically glided through the movements of the form, her body flowing naturally from one technique to the next.  Occasionally, she skipped where she was supposed to step, which only seemed to make her movements seem more natural.  It was perfect efficiency and beautiful precision.  Even the winds her wings stirred up around her seemed to move more smoothly in accord with her motions, the entire form looking not so much like a sequence of separate techniques, but a single fluid motion from beginning to end.
"What do you think?" asked Dawn as Scootaloo's practice came to a close.
For a second, Rainbow didn't respond.  Once she got her voice back, she chose to ignore Dawn and instead swoop down on Scootaloo as the filly relaxed her wings.  As Scootaloo looked up, she was suddenly swept up into a tight hug by her idol.
"That was amazing Scoots!" exclaimed Rainbow, tears flowing from her eyes, "You were incredible."
"I was?" asked Scootaloo.
"I have to admit, that was pretty amazing to watch," agreed Soarin' as he and Dawn also descended.
A blush spread across Scootaloo's cheeks at being praised by a Wonderbolt, the second-in-command and Rainbow Dash's coltfriend no less.  "Th-thanks!"
Dawn said nothing, but the small smile on his face spoke volumes of his approval, which actually made Scootaloo's heart flutter even more than Rainbow's words.  A shiver ran down her spine and she was suddenly possessed by the need to go somewhere where the colt wasn't and cool herself off.
"Uh...I think I'm gonna go practice some more," she said, slipping out of Rainbow's embrace, "I'll talk to you later Rainbow Dash."  With a beat of her wings, she darted off over the ridge and down the other side.
Dawn blinked in confusion for a moment.  "I'd have said that was enough for today," he mused, "But I don't mind her dedication."  He completely missed the amused smirk that passed between Rainbow and Soarin'.
However, the two adult pegasi decided to leave off teasing the colt for the time being.  "It's pretty amazing that she could move like that," said Soarin', thinking over Scootaloo's performance.
"She's gained an understanding of the First Form much more quickly than I did," said Dawn, "If I had to guess, I'd say that her talent for this is greater than mine."
"Really?" asked Rainbow, a little shocked to hear the colt speaking like that.
"Yes.  She doesn't seem to be aware of it consciously, but she instinctively grasps the fundamental elements of the Gale King and is able to adapt them to a form that better serves her."  Dawn directed his gaze to the ridge, where the sounds of wind from Scootaloo's practice could be heard.  "It's clear that it's something that she enjoys.  She carries out her practice quite faithfully, even when I'm not around.  And whenever I come by to watch her on those occasions, she's not treating it as a chore, but rather something that she wants to do for herself.  Her drive to improve and develop shows her dedication."
"Huh?"  Rainbow looked upwards pensively.  "I think we finally might be on to something with the squirt's special talent."
She was distracted by a yawn from Soarin'.  "Well anyway," said the Wonderbolt, smiling at Rainbow, "We've confirmed that nothing's wrong out here.  And we got to see something pretty cool on top of that.  You still up for that nap Rainbow?"
"You know it," replied the mare eagerly, "Come on, I hear that cloud calling my name."
The two of them took to the air and were gone.  Dawn watched them go before shrugging to himself and returning to his own practice.



"Thanks for seeing us off Rarity," said Twilight, leaning out the window to look at her friend.
"Do be careful dear," said the alabaster unicorn, smiling at Twilight, "I've been hearing all sorts of rumors from Canterlot lately."  She turned her attention to the stallion sitting across the compartment from Twilight.  "I hope you'll do your utmost to keep her safe."
"Of course," replied Arkenstone, not even turning his head in Rarity's direction, though his ear had swiveled to face her.
Twilight turned her attention to Spike.  "Take care of the library, remember make sure you keep the records up to date."
"I know Twilight," groaned Spike, "This isn't the first time you've left me here you know."
Twilight winced openly at Spike's words, remembering the number of times she and her friends had left him behind while they'd rushed off to do something or another.  It was another of her oversights where Spike was concerned.  She briefly wondered if he resented her for always leaving him behind.
If he did, the little dragon didn't show it, waving cheerfully as the train's whistle blew and the locomotive began to pull away from the platform.  Twilight waved as Spike and Rarity slowly drifted out of view.  "Take care!"
As the train picked up speed, Twilight pulled herself back into the compartment and closed the window.  She turned to face Arkenstone, yawning and settling into her seat as she did so.  Even though his eyes remained closed, Twilight had learned to notice when the stallion was fixing his attention on her.  She was beginning to be able to read the subtle cues in his body language, particularly the way his ears or his nose pointed towards the object of his interest, particularly since he wasn't capable of looking at it.
"How bad do you think It's going to be?" she asked.
Arkenstone responded with a slight shrug.  "In all likelihood, since you decided to leave so abruptly, I doubt the nobles will be in a position to take advantage of your arrival.  Any attempts they make are more likely to be spur of the moment."
That wasn't exactly comforting in Twilight's mind.  A spur of the moment action was more likely to be recklessly ill-considered, which increased the chance that it might actually dissolve into outright violence.  If there was one thing that she feared more than the fact that she might become ensnared in the Canterlot nobility's web of political intrigue, it was the idea that she would have to put those more dangerous spells she had been learning to use.
"Is there anything we can do?" she asked.
"There isn't a whole lot.  You've already learned many of the spells from those books I got for you.  However, being able to use them under duress will be another matter.  I'll be with you the whole time on this trip, so we shouldn't have to worry about that."  He rested his chin on an idle hoof.  "However, once we return, I think it will be time to begin training you in earnest."
"Haven't you been doing that already?" Twilight deadpanned.
"That was merely the classroom book-learning.  What comes next is the practicum," replied Arkenstone, "We will simply simulate a stressful situation and work on you being able to cast under those circumstances."
"That's it?"  Twilight blinked for a moment, "I've already done that sort of thing, haven't I?"  She remembered the battle in Canterlot, when she'd accounted for a good number of changelings on her own.  She'd faced down the like of Discord and Nightmare Moon.  Was there really anything she had to worry about?
Arkenstone sighed.  "I'm not sure you quite understand.  This isn't the same as changelings.  I'd even say to go as far as to say that not even your encounter with Nightmare Moon compares to the experience of facing a fellow pony seeking to do you harm."
"I don't understand," replied Twilight.
The stallion across from her looked decidedly unhappy at the prospect.  "It's difficult to put into words.  The best thing would be to have you experience it for yourself.  That is what I was planning to do, but I still don't feel like I should."
"Why not?" asked Twilight.
For a moment, Arkenstone was silent.  When he spoke again, it was hesitantly.  "I don't want you to be afraid of me Twilight.  But I might have to make you to in order to demonstrate the problem."
Twilight blinked for a moment.  She'd known that Arkenstone was distant and hard to understand at times.  But she'd never felt afraid of him.  If anything, having him nearby was a source of strength for her, particularly with the knowledge of what lay in the future.  The machinations of the nobility and the lurking threat of the Cult Solar seemed so much farther away when Arkenstone was with her.
She leaned forward and touched Arkenstone's forehoof with her own.  "I won't ever be afraid of you," she said softly, "I might be afraid of something that you do or something that you've done, but I'll never be afraid of you yourself.  So please, show me what you're talking about."
With another sight Arkenstone slowly nodded.  "As you wish.  Make yourself comfortable on your seat.  This will work best if you aren't in a position where you could accidentally hurt yourself."
"Alright."  Twilight did as she was told and laid carefully across the seat.  "I'm ready."
No words issued forth from the stallion's mouth.  Instead, his eyes opened the barest fraction.  They were white and featureless.  Twilight remembered them being a soft brown and wondered what had happened to them.  However, that moment of idle curiosity was fleeting as, in the next instant, she forgot how to breathe.
An intense weight crushed down on her, feeling as though the atmosphere in the tiny compartment had multiplied in density.  Her lungs felt as though they'd been packed with solid rock.  Her muscles locked tight, making any motion impossible.  She wanted to move.  She wanted to scream, she wanted to bolt from that compartment.  She wanted to toss herself out the window rather stay and face the utterly terrifying thing in front of her.  And yet, she couldn't budge an inch.  Her mind screamed at her to run, but deeper down, pure instinct kept her locked in place.  Move and you're dead.  So much as twitch and you're dead.
The details of the train compartment faded away before her eyes, the entirety of her vision occupied by the stallion in front of her, who seemed to loom larger with each passing second, in spite of the fact he hadn't done anything.  Twilight's throat worked fiercely, trying desperately to work around the sheer terror blocking it.  But the most she managed was a strangled whimper.
And then it was gone.  The fear released its grip around Twilight's heart and she felt it hammering into motion again.  Her muscles relaxed and she immediately drew a gasp of air into her lungs.  She laid there, panting and feeling as though she'd just run several miles.  Everything else, her reason for going to Canterlot, the events of the past few days, seemed to evaporate as she tried desperately to reassemble the shattered vestiges of her self-control.  Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized just how utterly terrified she had been.
Twilight flinched as a gentle hoof descended on her shoulders and traced down her spine a short distance before running back up, a gentle motion that slowly eased Twilight down out of her panic.  She turned her head and found herself looking at Arkenstone's face, his eyes once again closed as he gently rubbed her back.
Without thinking, Twilight threw herself at him and buried her face against his shoulder.  Arkenstone's arms wrapped around her and the stallion held her tight as he slowly began to rock her back and forth.  "I'm so sorry," he whispered, "I should have known better than to try that with you.  You weren't ready."
"No I wasn't," Twilight admitted, pressing her head against him, "But I asked for it and you did what I asked.  You didn't do anything wrong Arky.  I'm still not afraid of you."  She felt a tremor run through the stallion's body before his hold on her tightened ever so slightly.
"Thank you," he said softly.  The two of them remained huddled together, drawing strength and comfort from their shared proximity for some time.



"So what you've been having me study," inquired Twilight softly, "Is it anything like that unicorn martial art I've heard about?"  It had taken a while for her to feel comfortable talking to Arkenstone again, having been shaken by her earlier experience.  Even then, she was still a little too nervous to discuss what he had done earlier, so Twilight went with a different topic to start.
"No," replied the beige stallion, "For a unicorn, the martial arts are a completely different matter from the battle magic you've been studying."
"How so?"
"To begin with, once you reach a certain level of competency within the martial arts, you lose the need to consciously direct your actions," explained Arkenstone, "Instead, reading the situation, your opponent, and acting accordingly comes about as something closer to an act of instinct."
"Why?"
"Thinking about what you are going to do next slows action, it also divides your attention from what is going on around you, which can make you vulnerable.  Therefore, to obtain mastery and to survive on the most dangerous battlefields, it becomes necessary to develop the means to bypass conscious thought and take needed action without hesitation or delay."
"What does this have to do with battle magic being different?"
Arkenstone frowned at her.  "What do you need to do in order to cast a spell?"
"That's simple, you need to form the mental image of what you want to perform, construct a spell matrix, shape mana..."  Twilight's voice trailed off as she realized what she was explaining.  "...Oh."
"Correct.  In the normal course of things, a unicorn can only cast her spells through conscious action.  With practice, particularly for a mage as skilled as you, those mental steps can be executed quite quickly, oftentimes even in less than a second, depending on the spell.  But ultimately, casting a spell requires, by its very nature, conscious action on your part.  Therefore, in the normal course of things it is impossible for a spell to be cast through anything but conscious action."
Now it was Twilight's turn to frown in confusion.  "So, in other words, it's impossible for unicorn magic to be used in a martial art?"
"Normally, yes," replied Arkenstone simply.
"Then what about the Still Way Princess Celestia told me about?"
A smirk spread across Arkenstone's face.  "That is not an exception, because the way unicorn magic is used in the Still Way is fundamentally different from how you, and virtually every other unicorn, for that matter, learned to use magic."
"So it's like the way the Gale King is for pegasi, in that, to learn it, you would have to spend time and effort unlearning the usual way in order to learn the methods compatible with that style?"  Twilight thought back to Dawn's explanation when he had started teaching Scootaloo.
"In the basic sense, yes," answered Arkenstone, "However, the Still Way is even more drastically removed from how unicorns normally use their magic than the Gale King is for pegasi."
Twilight unrolled a sheet of parchment and took up a quill.  "Can you explain further?"
"Of course.  While the Still Way is outside my purview as an earth pony, I still studied it, because even an abstract understanding of other styles can help inform your own.  Many of the techniques I use were modified from concepts that originated from the Still Way that I applied to earth pony magic."
"Really?" asked Twilight.
"Yes.  That is often how new styles of martial arts come into being.  A student of a particular art looks to other martial arts for inspiration in modifying her technique, or even going to areas outside the martial arts for that inspiration.  This gives rise to the formation of new principles and techniques, which in turn give rise to new styles of martial arts.
"Between the Three Pillars, it has always been explained to me like this; Growth for earth ponies, Body for pegasi, Nothing for unicorns."
"What does that mean?"
Arkenstone stood up and settled into a simple, relaxed stance in the center of the compartment, his legs held evenly apart, only slightly bend, his head angled downwards.  His expression went completely blank.  Then he took a deep breath.
Initially, Twilight wondered what he was doing, but then she felt as though the space around her was changing drastically.  All of a sudden, she heard faint creaks throughout the wood of the train car, as though it were under some sort of pressure.  Then, she was grasped by the sensation of standing on a downward slope, with gravity threatening to tug her straight into Arkenstone.  It was as though gravity itself had shifted and now the stallion stood at the very center of gravity's pull, drawing everything towards him.  Then Arkenstone released his breath and the feeling vanished.
"Wha-what was that?" exclaimed Twilight, stunned.
"That was Growth," explained Arkenstone, "For earth ponies, we do not simply increase our power by constantly exercising it.  Rather, for us, power must be cultivated, much in the same way farmers cultivate their fields.  It is built up and laid down in layer upon layer.  The greater the time and focus upon this cultivation, the firmer and stronger that power becomes.
"Body for pegasi refers to the fact that pegasus magic is exercised through motion.  I'm sure that you've witnessed Dawn do as much with the Gale King."
Twilight nodded.  "But what do you mean Nothing for unicorns?"
"Nothing refers to a certain concept in martial arts," explained Arkenstone, "It is called Void in some schools, Mu or Wu in others.  It is considered by many to be the ultimate degree of mastery.  The Self fades to become but a facet of the All.  The subjective and objective are as one and one is supremely immersed in the moment, allowing one to perceive their situation with absolute clarity, to act as though one has thought a hundred moves ahead and yet have not truly thought at all.  An example of this in practice would be how Dawn Lightwing had to at least touch upon the foundation of this concept to reach a state of mind where he can wield lightning without doing grievous harm to himself."
"Oh I see," said Twilight, thinking back to Dawn's retelling of his fight in Cloudsdale.
"This is considered the highest peak a martial artist can aspire to.  However, for the Still Way, it is practically an entry-level requirement."
"Why?"
"Because what the Still Way teaches flies in the face of how unicorn magic fundamentally works," replied Arkenstone, "Magic flows forth from the horn, which is joined to the brain.  It is channeled out into the world and shaped from your thoughts.  Unicorn magic is born from and shaped by intellect.  To bring it out in any other form requires either great emotional stress, or release from the constraints of the Self."
Great emotional stress...?  Twilight's mind flashed back to the outburst that had first brought her to Princess Celestia's attention as a filly, as well as her "rage shift," as it had been called at the time, when she had been overcome by frustration as her inability to understand Pinkie Pie's Pinkie Sense.
Arkenstone continued.  "To practice the Still Way is to abandon using magic as a conscious exercise.  You must return all knowledge and all skills to the beginning and draw upon your magic in its purest state.  What practitioners of the Still Way use cannot be called spells in the normal sense.  Rather, they merge with their magic and become akin to a living embodiment of their own magic; shapeless and without form, yet wielded with drive and purpose, a spell in pony form if you will."
"That sounds...difficult," Twilight admitted.  Arkenstone had been right.  Everything he said about the Still Way completely contradicted everything she had ever been taught about magic.
"Indeed, it's beyond even Celestia herself," said Arkenstone, "Very few ponies learn and master the Still Way.  At times, entire generations will pass before somepony arises to learn the style once more."
"Entire generations?  But how can that happen?  Doesn't somepony have to teach the style?"
Arkenstone leaned his head up against the window.  "Be it the Gale King, the Mountain Root, or the Still Way, there are safeguards built into each style to ensure that it can continue to flourish, even if a master should pass away before her students can proceed.  By its very nature, the Still Way does not have a concrete form.  Once one achieves the essence of Nothing, the Still Way is characterized by that pony's magic.  The next pony who learns the style will prove to have created something completely different from that.  As such, the fundamental knowledge needed to set one's hoof onto the Still Way can be recorded into scrolls and records, where anypony can read them."
Twilight grimaced.  It wasn't often she felt wary about the propagation of knowledge.  But if the Still Way was as formidable as Princess Celestia had suggested..."Is that safe?  If anypony can access that knowledge, then how can you be sure that it can be used for good."
"Technically, we can't," replied Arkenstone nonchalantly, "However, just because anypony can read the method does not mean they can apply it.  Attaining the level of consciousness to learn and master the Still Way is not something an ordinary pony can do, and certainly not one so ill disciplined that they would fall prey to their baser motivations.  Overcoming such foibles is a key to obtaining Nothing.  If a pony manages to reach such a state and is still doing ill, then they are driven by something other than mere impulse."
"Oh."  Twilight gazed out her window.  The scenery whipping past outside contrasted sharply with the seeming stillness of their train compartment, which only hummed and rattled as the train made its way along the tracks.
Her attention was drawn back to Arkenstone as he yawned.  "In any case, we have some time until we reach Canterlot.  Why don't we rest for a while."
Twilight nodded.  Deep down, she still felt rattled about her experience earlier.  Relaxing after such a stressful situation had only exacerbated her fatigue.  Once the stallion across from her pointed it out, Twilight had to admit that lying down felt like a very good idea.  She stretched out across her couch with a yawn and slowly let her eyes settle close.  Before long, the sounds of the train lulled her into a gentle sleep.
> City of Games
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2: City of Games

Navigating caverns meant for creatures who could climb vertical surfaces as though they were level ground or take to the air as they pleased had not been easy.  At times, Arkenstone had been obligated to carve his own hoofholds into the rock face to progress.  With every meter, the sound of the changelings grew louder until their buzz no longer simply filled the air, but hummed through the rock itself.  And yet, something was off.
Even after coming this far and penetrating into the very heart of changeling territory, even though they had every reason to be on guard, expecting some sort of reprisal from Canterlot, he had not been challenged.  Though he could hear the buzzing noise of the hive growing closer, Arkenstone had yet to encounter a single changeling.
Finally, he reached the point where he was certain the sound had come from.  The space around him suddenly opened up.  The feeling of the air currents against Arkenstone's skin and the echoes around him suggested a large cavern.  The buzz, which had only been coming from one direction before, now came from all around him.  This then, was where the changelings were.
And then his hoof had come down on something brittle.  The clean snap of the mysterious object breaking caused the buzzing to vanish.  The chamber descended into silence, every changeling ceasing activity and motion.  Arkenstone could feel their attention upon him.  He took another step.  Again, his hoof came down on something that broke beneath his weight.  He progressed further, feeling more objects breaking with each ponderous step.  Finally, curiosity overcoming him, Arkenstone reached out and ran his hoof gently against the objects clearly littering the ground around him.
They were plates, sometimes curved, sometimes jointed.  Mixed in among them was something lighter, occasionally brushing against his legs with feathery touches.  A musty scent, one that overpowered the scent of the changelings themselves rose from the floor.  Arkenstone found himself all too familiar with this scent...death.
The normally dauntless Knight felt a shudder of revulsion run through him as he realized what he must be standing nearly knee-deep in.  These were the shells and carapaces of changelings...dead changelings.  Nor was this some repository of old moltings or deceased elders.  The stench of death was too recent, too overpowering.  This was a scent that could only belong to mass of creatures that had died within a very short timespan.  The changelings had been dying...and dying in droves.
He shivered.  He had been asked by Princess Celestia to determine if the changelings could be dealt with, whether negotiations could be made or whether they would have to be fought.  But this...this was beyond anything he had ever expected to find.
A slight buzzing sound reached Arkenstone's ears.  He could feel the vibrations through the air currents against his back as something descended from above.  His ears swiveled to pick up the sound of chitinous hooves settling down onto remains nearby, snapping them even with the light weight of the landing changeling.
"Hello," said Arkenstone, turning his muzzle in the direction of the approaching creature, "I have come on behalf of Princess Celestia to speak with your queen.  Please take me to her."



Twilight yawned as she stepped off the train and onto the platform.  One look around confirmed the firm feeling already settled into her heart that she much preferred Ponyville to Canterlot.  The constant sounds of the city pressed in around her, the noise of so many ponies talking and going about their business, so many acting as though the world revolved solely around them, made her ears ache.  Ponyville was practically silent by comparison.  It took a full-scale Pinkie Pie Party for the noise level to even begin to approach what a major city like Canterlot's was.  On top of that, the gleaming white marble that many of the buildings were constructed from seemed to catch the morning light from the sun and throw it into her face, making her long for the much more earthy tones of Ponyville's houses and the gentle green of its grassy streets.
However, what really set her on edge was the magic.  Canterlot, besides being the capital, was also the unicorn hub of Equestria.  Thousands of them milled about, casting spells, using minor cantrips, levitating luggage, and generally filling the air with sufficient magical energy that it seemed to create a faint buzz that resonated through Twilight's horn, making her wish she had opted to ask for her room at the Royal Palace, with the dampening spells inlaid into its walls to cut down on outside interference.  It was funny how she hadn't noticed the constant background noise of the city's magically active population when she had originally lived there.  But after spending most of her time in Ponyville nowadays, the contrast between the two places was like the grinding of two rough surfaces together in her mind.
"Are you alright?" asked Arkenstone as he stepped off the train behind her, carrying both their saddlebags across his back, "You seem...out of sorts."
"It's just..." Twilight frowned as she tried to put her feelings into words.  It was true that the sensory overload of Canterlot was off-putting, but that had never really bothered her when she had come here in the past, like she had for the Hearth's Warming pageant.  "...I don't like the idea of it being so dangerous here.  This is where I was born.  I used to play in the halls of the Royal Palace.  I used to think of this entire city as home.  But now..."
Slowly, the beige stallion sidled up next to her and gently brushed his neck against hers.  "Come," he said, "Perhaps a visit to your true home will put you more at ease."
Slowly, Twilight nodded and gave him a sincere smile.  "Thanks Arky."



Scootaloo kept her eyes glued to Dawn as the colt methodically went through the motions of his forms.  It was early, ridiculously early.  Only the farmers, like Applejack and her family, or the mailponies were awake and out at this hour...and a pair of foals.  Scootaloo understood the logic of it of course.  The party had served as an extended holiday for all of Ponyville, with many of the businesses on the day after remaining closed while their owners recuperated from the town-wide celebration.  In accord with that feeling, Cheerilee had given her students the day off as well, given that many of them had been out late, enjoying the games and treats that Pinkie Pie had laid out.
The day after that marked the return of the routine, meaning that, for Scootaloo, Dawn, and their friends, they would have to return to school.  In expectation of this, the ebony colt had come up with an idea that he explained to Scootaloo at the conclusion of their day-long practice session.  They would get up early and meet up,  run through their forms before flying to school, just in time to be there before the first bell rang.  For expediency's sake, Dawn suggested alternating between Melon Cream's and Fluttershy's home, the mare in question having breakfast ready when they finished their practice, allowing the foals to wolf it down before heading out.
Scootaloo had initially thought the idea to be ridiculous.  But then her memories conjured the image of Dawn as he had been on the occasions where she'd been at Fluttershy's house in the morning, the colt standing outside as the sky grew lighter, unfailingly proceeding through his forms.  Dawn was a colt who practiced what he preached, even before school had become something for him to do.  At the very least, she could manage the same.
Using their magic was not permitted during morning practice, ensuring that the two foals did not have to borrow an isolated locale to keep from causing damage.  Thus, it was safe for Dawn and Scootaloo to practice in close proximity to each other.  Dawn proceeded through all five of his forms at least once, sometimes trying one or the other an extra time if he felt something was off.  Scootaloo continued to practice the first form at Dawn's order, also practicing emptying her mind as she did so.  To her surprise, she sometimes came out of her form to see Dawn staring at her, his body frozen partway through his own practice as he stopped to watch her.
At those moments, Scootaloo couldn't stop a blush from spreading across her cheeks.  She noticed no sign of disapproval from Dawn at what he saw.  If anything, he appeared spellbound, as though he had witnessed something beautiful.  It caused a fluttering feeling to build in Scootaloo's chest that quickly prompted her to throw herself into her next practice run, if only to sink into the comfort of thoughtlessness for a little longer.
Now, however, Scootaloo watched Dawn as he continued to move through his forms.  He went through the first form at least three times, adjusting the movement of his wings for each one.  It was clear that each adjustment was for a different kind of technique.  The first time, he used broad flaps, snapping his wings out in movements that were designed to compress the atmosphere around him and turn it into a battering ram that could shatter solid granite.  The second time, his wings moved in sharp, slashing motions, the motions necessary to launch those blades of air that could slice even through pure mithril.  On the third time, his wings moved in a manner similar to the first time, however, his movements were sharper, more thrusting, as though he were aiming to stab his outermost primaries through an imaginary target.  Having watched him yesterday, Scootaloo had determined that these were the motions used to manipulate lightning.
Every time he went through a form, Dawn moved with a surety that spoke of countless hours of faithful repetition.  As she continued to watch, Scootaloo was struck by comprehension, almost able to literally see the continuous practice sessions Dawn had done before, stacking upon one another in layers upon layers, like sediment deposited by a river.  At that moment, Scootaloo was able to understand just how Dawn had become so powerful.
It had nothing to do with his special talent (or true will, as Red River phrased it), whatever said talent might have been.  She idly wondered how many hours of every day Dawn had spent living in the Everfree Forest had been spent on practice sessions like this one.  She could imagine the colt using his solitude to practice freely and without distraction, only having to stop to find food or fend off the occasional monster.  That relentless dedication spoke of his strength and skill, which left Scootaloo herself realizing just how far she had to go.
Her eyes narrowed as she turned her attention back to her own actions.  But I’ll catch up to him someday.



Twilight’s magic grasped the knocker on the door and rapped it against the wood several times in quick succession.  She glanced over at Arkenstone, who simply swiveled his ears towards her attentively before turning back to the door.  She smiled slightly, drawing strength and comfort from his mere presence.  Perhaps now she felt alright with asking about the horrifying experience on the train.
That would have to wait a little longer though, as the sound of hooves clopping drew up to the door from the other side.  The knob turned, the door swinging open to reveal a light-blue stallion with a darker-blue mane.  His amber eyes surveyed the pair before his face broke out in a lively smile.
“Twilight!”
Before Twilight could even get off a single syllable, she was pulled into a crushing hug, her father squeezing her so tight that she thought her bones were going to break.  "Oh it's so good to see you!" Night Light crowed proudly, grinning from ear to ear as he let go of his daughter, leaving her slumped on the ground.
"Nice to see you too dad," Twilight wheezed after finding the wherewithal to draw breath back into her abused lungs.
"Ah it's so good to have you back," he said, "You really should've sent us a letter to let us know you were coming.  Your mother's out getting groceries right now..."  He paused as he realized what he'd failed to do.  "Ack!  Where are my manners?  Come in!  Come in!"
He quickly ushered Twilight and Arkenstone into their house.  It was a respectable two-story home of the sort favored by the middle-class ponies living in Canterlot.  It was modest, especially by Canterlotian standards.  The inside showed its owners' concern with basic comforts over showing off wealth or status.  The walls of the living room that Night Light led them to were decorated with pictures of the family, particularly Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor at different stages of their life.  Twilight smiled as she looked over a picture that showed her and Shining, one carrying a saddlebag stuffed with books (and a particular gray doll), while the other wore the uniform of a newly initiated Guard cadet.
Twilight settled onto one of the spacious couches with a relaxed sigh, whilst Arkenstone waited for their host to choose his seat before taking a plush cushion on the floor.
"Now then," said Night Light, grinning at his daughter, "What brings you to Canterlot?  And who is this stallion you've brought with you?  Don't tell me my little Twily has finally gotten herself a special somepony."
"No, not yet," replied Twilight, blushing furiously.  A shift of her eyes told her that Arkenstone had barely reacted to her father's words.  Whether that was a good or bad sign, she couldn't tell.  "He's a friend.  You should know him actually.  You remember Arky?"
Night turned to take another look, a much closer one, at the stallion sitting on his cushion.  "...Arkenstone?"
"Correct," replied the beige stallion quite casually.
Night Light's jaw dropped as recognition finally hit home.  "Arkenstone!  Shining's old friend.  I can't believe it."  He jumped to his hooves and rushed over to throw his arms around the stallion in a swift hug before grabbing one of his hooves and shaking it vigorously.  "It's been so long?  How have you been?"
"Quite well," answered Arkenstone, seeming unruffled by the boisterous welcome he'd just been given.
Night Light frowned curiously.  "Just how did you end up here with Twilight?"
"I am accompanying her to the Royal Palace on business," explained Arkenstone, "I've recently taken up residence in Ponyville, so we are technically neighbors for now."
"I see," mused Twilight's father, "What prompted you to settle in Ponyville.  Was it the scenery, or maybe the lovely mares..."  He gave his daughter a teasing look as her entire face flushed a brilliant red.
"Daaaaaad!"
"It's a quiet, close-knit community," answered Arkenstone simply, "I've had an excess of excitement in my life, so it seemed to ideal place to rest my spirit for a while."
Night Light chuckled good-naturedly at his daughter's discomfort.  "Sorry, I can't resist teasing you when I have the chance," he admitted.
"She is quite fun to tease," added Arkenstone, prompting a startled squeak from Twilight before she gave him a betrayed look.
Twilight's father coughed before changing the topic.  "Anyway, all humor aside, what brings you two to Canterlot?  Normally you'd be staying in the Palace."
"Uh..."  Twilight hesitated for a moment before a nod from Arkenstone bade her continue.  "We actually needed to visit and talk to Princess Luna.  Because I'm not here on business for either of the princesses, I thought it might be better to stay here and not attract too much attention.
Night Light hummed softly as he mulled over her words before turning to look at Arkenstone.  "How much does she know?"
"More or less everything," replied the stallion, "I've filled her in on the basics of the situation, what little she didn't already work out for herself."
"I see.  I guess Shining was right to choose you to look after her."
"I'd like to think so.  Twilight honestly doesn't need that much looking after, but I will do my best."
Twilight's head went back and forth as she listened to the conversation between the two stallions.  "So you know about that whole thing with the nobility?"
"Of course," replied Night Light, "Why do you think we've been visiting you in Ponyville rather than encouraging you to come visit us?"
"Oh...right."
Night Light gave Arkenstone a dubious look.  "I hope you aren't thinking of escaping the notice of the nobles by coming here.  You've probably already been seen."
"Oh we have been," agreed the beige stallion, "I already noticed at least two spotters between the station and here.  However, having to hear about Twilight's arrival from secondary sources and then spend time and resources to confirm those rumors will hopefully delay their reactions until we can accomplish our business in the palace."
"I see," mused Night Light, "I suppose that will work."
"We're going to head to the palace later this afternoon," said Twilight, "So that we can speak with Luna at the Night Court."
"And then you'll be on your way back to Ponyville?" asked Night Light, a little disappointed that his daughter couldn't stay for very long, even if the circumstances made it risky.
"Not right away," said Arkenstone, "The matter we need to speak with Princess Luna about is an extremely private one.  Even though it's less popular than the Day Court, the Night Court still remains a public venue.  Most likely the best we will be able to manage is arranging a private appointment with her at a later time.  In all likelihood, it may be two or more days before we are finished here."
"Plenty of time for the members of the Court to come up with a plan of action," muttered Night Light.
"But nothing more than an off-the-cuff one," said Arkenstone, "Hopefully, we should be able to escape back to Ponyville before any of them can come up with something effective."
"What could they try?"
Arkenstone's ears swiveled towards Twilight as she tapped her chin.  "Right now, the only thing they could use in Canterlot would be to try and bait me in with the rules of Noble Subordination."
"What does that mean?"
"Basically, they'd be making use of the fact that Twilight Sparkle is now a knight of Equestria, making her a member of the lowest rank of nobility.  Because of that, the members of higher ranks have a certain amount of control over the members of the lower ranks." said Arkenstone.
"As a ranking noble, I'm now subject to the rules that govern the nobility," added Twilight, "In the past, the fact that I lived in Ponyville meant that I was still technically out of their reach, since they couldn't force me to do anything without being horribly ham-hooved about it, particularly since I'm just a lowly knight.  But if I were to spend any length of time in Canterlot for any reason besides official business...well..."
Arkenstone nodded.  "Fortunately, we have two assets.  The first is the intended brevity of our visit.  The second is the nobles themselves in that, in vying for control of Twilight, they are striving against each other and thus will seek to block one another's moves to prevent any member of the Court from gaining the upper hoof over the others."
"So it sounds like you don't plan on having any trouble this time," said Night Light carefully.
"Not if we can help it," agreed Twilight.
Night Light sighed.  "Well, you're here now.  We might as well make the most of it while we can.  It's a pity Shining can't join us tonight.  Luckily Velvet's just out getting groceries, so we should have more than enough for the two of you to join us.  If you're staying the night, then this is a great opportunity to find out how things have been going in Ponyville."
"Of course," said Twilight grinning from ear to ear, "I'd love to..."



On such a sunny day, it was only natural that Ponyville was a lively place, particularly after the previous day’s storm had supplied much needed water to the crops, parks and forests in and around the idillic town.  The previous afternoon’s storm had been an immense success, deftly saturating the soil and bringing new life to the faded vegetation as the thirsty plants drank in the long-awaited water promised by Spitfire.  The success of the storm was a testament to Raindrops’ potential as future weather manager of Ponyville.
Naturally, after such a storm, the town was a hub of activity as ponies went about cleaning up after such a heavy downpour.  It was but the first of many scheduled over the next few weeks, all the way up until the all-important autumn harvest, where the farmers would bring the majority of their crops in for the year.  However, given the drought that had been threatening everything the inhabitants of Ponyville held dear, many of the farmers had been anxious over the fate of their crops.  Fortunately, the recent downpour and the promise of more to come had relieved those feelings of anxiety.  The mood was relaxed and largely celebratory as everypony luxuriated in the post-rainstorm sunshine.
In spite of this, the town was still engulfed in a flurry of activity that would have made it difficult to notice a new arrival slipping in at the best of times.  However, when said arrival was actively masking her presence, even Pinkie Pie was left completely oblivious.  Her grayish-white coat was so unremarkable that hardly anypony could have commented on it.  In contrast, her grayish-green mane and tail were particularly notable for how damp they looked, completely sagging, as though the mare had just stepped out of a shower and gone out the door without so much as looking at a towel.  And yet, not a single drop of water fell from that mane.  Her dark-brown eyes, the color of wet mud, surveyed the scenery around her, not avoiding ponies, but glossing over them as though they were so much wallpaper.
She had the kind of look that would have driven Rarity to hysterics.  And yet, nopony noticed the mare as she made her way silently through the town.  Not even her cutie mark, a gleaming mote of silver that stood out against the drab gray of her coat, attracted a single comment.  She continued on her way, silent, ignored, but with clear, deadly purpose.



"Hey Arky?"
"Yes Twilight?"  Arkenstone looked up from where he'd been resting his head, one hoof calmly wandering across the page of his book.  The two of them had settled quietly into the family library after spending more time chatting with Night Light about Ponyville's goings on.  Twilight's father had been especially stunned to learn of the affair in Cloudsdale.
"Can I ask you about what happened on the train, what you did to me?"  inquired Twilight nervously.  Now that she'd had the opportunity, it was still difficult to work up the courage to actually bring the topic up.
"I've been waiting for that," admitted Arkenstone, closing his book and setting it aside.
"What was that?"
Arkenstone let out a soft breath.  "There are many names for it; malice, animosity, bloodlust, murderous intent.  When a pony comes at you with intent to harm or kill, she projects that intention outward.  If she is any good, then that intention can be a tangible force in its own right."
Twilight remembered how she had frozen, completely unable to act or react.  She'd been utterly helpless before mere intention.
"Nightmare Moon regarded you as less than an insect before her until it was too late," explained Arkenstone, "Discord was too busy playing games to hold any real malice towards you.  Even the changelings that you fought were more animal than sentient being, their ferocity no match for the true intent of a pony seeking your life.
"The more powerful your opponent, the more powerfully they can project their intention outward.  If I had not held back, I could have even shown you the illusion of your own death."
Twilight shuddered at the thought, not just that ponies were capable of something like this, but that Arkenstone was capable of something like this.  And he had directed it at her...No!  I promised I would never be afraid of him.  It was terrifying, but he's trying to help me.
"Are you upset to find that I could do such a thing?" asked Arkenstone, as though reading her mind, "Or that I would do it to you?"
"I..."  Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but found that her words died on her tongue as she saw Arkenstone's impassive expression.  He already knew the answer.  "Yes."
"This is the hidden side of Knighthood," said Arkenstone, his tone solemn, "None of us, not me, not Spitfire, not any of the others, have reached our place with clean hooves.  The world is a dark and perilous place.  Sometimes bloodshed is necessary, unavoidable even, at least for us."
"Why?"
"So that no one else has to," replied Arkenstone, "Celestia created our Order to follow the example of those three ponies who defended Equestria from the griffons long ago."  His words brought back the memory of the story Celestia had told her.
"It may have been a great deed," said Arkenstone softly, "But a terrible one as well.  They saved Equestria from invasion and conquest.  But they did so by the slaughter of over ten-thousand living beings.  I have heard that it was something that haunted those three for the remainder of their days.
"That is the real reason we Knights keep to ourselves and hide our identity and rank.  We are not worthy of accolades and adoration.  Our true purpose is to protect Equestria by bearing the burden of bloodshed so that the rest may live lives of peace, free from the darkness of war, free from the fear of having to take up arms, bloody their own hooves, and stain their souls."
"Y-you've killed?"  In spite of the fact that she had phrased it as a question, Twilight had been aware of this fact intellectually.  Equestria was supposed to be a peaceful land.  But the lands outside of it were not so.  Conflicts raged beyond Equestria's borders and many of its neighbors looked upon the prosperous nation with jealous eyes, eager for the slightest sign or hint of weakness.  Of course Arkenstone had killed.  But that had always been an abstract fact to Twilight.  But now, she felt the truth terribly and viscerally.
"Yes," replied Arkenstone, answering her anyway, "I have sown death and laid down corpses, sometimes on a massive scale.  I..."  His voice trailed off, his tone rising the tiniest bit as he failed to articulate his words.
"What's wrong?" asked Twilight.
A shudder ran through Arkenstone's body.  "Just a recent memory.  It has not yet faded, so it haunts me somewhat," he said, his voice back under control.  He turned his head away from her.
"It's more than that," said Twilight, "You're hurting Arky.  Please tell me."
"It's just.."  Another shudder...  "I have always thought that, maybe our existence isn't as necessary as Celestia or the others think.  I've always looked for ways to alter the course of events, to aid our cause without having to spill rivers of blood.  Sometimes I failed.  Many times I did not.  I was riding high on one of my greatest successes, one that was lauded by Celestia as a deed even she was not capable of.  But after that, I was reminded by what was either the brutal reality of the world, or my own failings at following the path I had laid."
"What do you mean?" asked Twilight softly.
"Do you know the real reason I retired to Ponyville, why I've gone so far as to set up a life for myself beyond merely preparing you to protect yourself from the Court?"
"Isn't it because you've done so much for Princess Celestia?" asked Twilight.
Arkenstone sighed.  "When we met again, I was on my way back to Canterlot from my latest mission.  I had been asked to venture out into the Badlands."
"The Badlands!"  Twilight's eyes widened, a note of fear finding its way into her voice.  The Bandlands were a barren wasteland that lay outside of Equestria's southern border.  Little was known about the place, save for the fact that it was home to...
"After I returned from Saddle Arabia, I was asked by Celestia to go to the Badlands.  I was to seek out the hive of the changelings and to...deal with them...one way or another."
A chill went down Twilight's spine.
Arkenstone continued on, his voice fading into a monotone as he talked on.  "Tracking them down was not all that difficult.  Their scent was easy to follow, once I found it, and I traced it all the way back to their lair.  I...I..."  He shuddered again, as though speaking had become so physically demanding that the mere effort nearly laid him low.
Twilight rested a gentle hoof on his back.  The tremors running through the stallion's body faded as she gently ran that hoof up and down his spine.  Settling down, she laid next to him, pressing herself firmly against his side and nuzzling up against his neck.  It scared her to see Arkenstone's composure to be shaken in such a way.  But it reassured her at the same time.
When he had first come back into her life, she and Arkenstone had fallen into much the same roles they had been in before he had earned his cutie mark.  Arkenstone still behaved much like the second older brother she'd known since her foalhood.  At the same time, there was also a certain quality of unreachability to him, as though, even with their reunion, there was a distance between them that Twilight couldn't cross.  At times, Arkenstone had seemed like something more than a stallion, less like a living, breathing pony, and more like a statue to some kind of unachievable ideal that had been animated into a semblance of life.  He almost always seemed to know what to do, what to say.  At times, he seemed infallible.
And yet now, Twilight was able to truly appreciate how he had attained that quality; the burdens he had shouldered, the deeds he had done, both great and terrible.  They had been etched into his soul, leaving marks that seemed invisible on the surface, but were still present nonetheless.  It was this moment that made Twilight genuinely aware that Arkenstone really was a pony, an all too real one.
"Let's not talk about it now," said Twilight, "I trust you Arky."
Slowly, the trembling in the stallion's muscles subsided and he seemed to relax under her gentle ministrations.  Finally, he seemed to relax somewhat as he brought himself back under control.  "We seem to have gotten carried away on that tangent.  Perhaps we should return to the original topic of our conversation.  Where were we?"
"Intent."
"Oh, right."  Arkenstone took a few calm breaths.  "What you experienced from me was intent on a level that most ponies could not reach.  There are a few, but almost none amongst the nobility, nor among those that the nobles keep on their retainer."
"Then why do I have to worry about it at all?"
"To prepare you to face the unexpected," explained Arkenstone, "We know that the members of the Noble Court have few ponies capable of malice on that level at their disposal.  But they do exist.  Furthermore, there is always the chance of one of them having access to individuals whom we have overlooked or who would look beyond their usual means.  It isn't just ponies who are capable of such intent, but griffons, pachyderms, any sentient being really.  However, if you can handle the murderous intent from a Knight..."
"Then anypony else would be a walk in the park," concluded Twilight.  She looked down and studied the floor intently for a moment.  "I see.  So that's what we're going to work on when we get back to Ponyville."
"Yes.  It is going to be unpleasant," said Arkenstone, "But it is for the best."
Twilight leaned gently against him.  "I understand," she said, "I already promised this, but I won't ever be afraid of you, no matter what you do."
Arkenstone looked as though he wanted to challenge that statement, but he apparently thought better of it.  With a sigh, he leaned back against Twilight, the two of them drawing comfort from one another as the day continued on.



It was fairly early in the afternoon when the fog began to roll in.  The weather ponies were the first to notice the problem, seeing as they had a bird's eye view of the town.  The mist seemed to blossom out of nowhere, like a silvery flower.  Had any of them known where to look, they would have seen it streaming off of a single pegasus mare, almost like a block of dry ice sublimating.  The fog spread quickly, washing over buildings and streaming down streets.  The phenomenon was so innocuous and, at the same time, so unexpected, that the inhabitants of Ponyville were only able to stare as the mist engulfed their town.
However, wonder quickly turned to fear when they found out what lay within the mist.  Cries of fear and confusion echoed through the air.  The members of the weather team hovered in the sky above, at least those that hadn't been on the ground when the mist rolled in.
"What's going on?" demanded Cloud Kicker before turning to their acting leader, "You didn't order this fog bank did you?"
"It wasn't me," snapped Raindrops before turning to look down at the mist as it continued to thicken and solidify, rising above all but the tallest rooftops in town before it finally seemed to stop.
"Thunderlane!" shouted Cloud Chaser, darting back and forth uncertainly over the silver tops of the fog, "Thunderlane!  Where are you?"
"I'm here," shouted the stallion from within the mass, "Where are you?"
"I'm up above," she shouted back, "Just fly up!"
"I can't!"
"Wha-why?"  The troubled mare stopped to hover over the approximate spot where she thought she'd heard her coltfriend's voice.
"I...I can't...I can't tell which way it is!"  To her surprise, Thunderlane's voice now came from somewhere else.
"What?"  For a moment, Cloud Chaser's voice went deadpan.
"I-"  There was a note of panic in Thunderlane's voice, that now echoed from yet another part of the impenetrable gray mass below.  There was a ruffle of spreading and flapping wings, followed almost immediately by the sound of a heavy impact, a cry of pain...then silence.
"Thunderlane!" shrieked Cloud Chaser, diving down into the fog.
"Sis!  Wait!"  Flitter moved to dive after her older sister, only to be brought up short as the familiar form of a storm cloud-colored stallion in a silk shirt ducked in front of her.
"Don't," said Storm Front calmly.
"But Cloud Chaser...Thunderlane...!"  Tears began to stream from Flitter's eyes as her gaze flicked back and forth across the featureless expanse of the fog below.
"You can't help them if you get caught up in this as well," said Storm Front firmly, gently wrapping a foreleg around Flitter's front and gently her pulling back away from the fog.
"What's going on?" asked Flitter, an edge of panic in her voice.
"Storm Front, do you know what this is?"
Looking up, Storm Front and Flitter saw that Raindrops and Cloud Kicker had joined them.  The stallion turned to look back down at the fog, then turned to look back up at the two other mares from the weather team.  "Where are the others."
"Snowflake and Blossomforth are missing," said Cloud Kicker, "I saw them go in to try and disperse it.  But I haven't seen them since."
"Something's really wrong about this," protested Raindrops as she looked at the fog down below, "I can't work it like normal fog.  I can't even touch it."  She swooped down low and waved her hoof through the mist, teasing up some light curls, but nothing more.  "It's like I'm an earth pony."
"That's because this fog was created through pegasus magic," said Storm Front calmly, "And her magic still infuses it.  It's an extension of her own will."
"Her?"  Raindrops raised an eyebrow.  The way Storm Front was talking it was clear he deliberately meant that gender specifically, rather than defaulting to the feminine out of ambiguity.
"I've heard about this," said Storm Front, "There's only one pony in all of Equestria capable of this kind of magic."
"Who is it?" demanded Cloud Kicker.
"Knowing won't do you any good," said Storm Front carefully, "One of the most skilled assassins in all of Equestria is down there.  This fog is her ultimate weapon."
> The Fay
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3: The Fay

"Ugh!"  Rainbow Dash looked around frantically.  It had all happened so fast.  She hadn't even thought to react as the fog swept over Ponyville.  One moment, she and Soarin' had been stepping out of Sugarcube Corner after enjoying some of the Cakes' confections.  The next, they had been mired in a world of light gray mist, obscuring everything so completely that she couldn't see her own hooves.  The only indication that Soarin' was still with her was the sensation of his wing over her back, his side pressed tightly to hers.  "What the hay is going on?"
The fog surrounding them felt oily and slick.  It wasn't a physical sensation, but something that instead stirred Rainbow's defensive instincts.  There was more to the fog than its mere appearance.  It was threatening in a nearly tangible manner, bringing to mind memories of being threatened by Perlin's razor-edged wings.
"I don't know for sure," said Soarin', seeming quite baffled himself.  All around them, the confused and fearful cries of ponies echoed, seeming to come from one direction one moment, then another the next.  His wing only tightened its hold on Rainbow's back.  "I've got a bad feeling about this.  If I had to guess, some pegasus is behind this fog."
"But why?"
"I don't know," repeated Soarin', "But it can't be good.  Whoever this pony is, she means business.  This fog is practically saturated with murderous intent."
"We have to get out of it," said Rainbow, pulling away from Soarin' and spreading her wings with the intent to take to the air.
"Wait!" he shouted, barely managing to grab her tail in his teeth before she broke contact with him completely.
As it was, he didn't need to make any effort to keep her in place.  The moment Rainbow's hooves left the ground, she was suddenly beset by disorientation.  She couldn't tell up from down.  There was absolutely nothing for her to see, no point of reference she could use.  Only the slight tug from Soarin' told her where he was.  Her wings folded instantly and she dropped back to the ground, trembling.
Soarin' didn't let go of her tail, but slowly felt his way along its length until he found her back.  Quickly, Soarin' wrapped his arms around Rainbow and pulled her tight against him.  "Don't do that.  If we get separated, I don't think we'll be able to find each other again."
"W-what's going on?"  Rainbow was feeling just as frightened as she had when Perlin's feather had been resting against her throat.  It was worse than being blind.  There was no way to tell direction.  Sounds seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.  Without the ground beneath her hooves, she couldn't even tell which way was up.  It was like her own natural equilibrium as a flier had been turned against her.
"I don't know, but I don't like it," growled Soarin', tightening his hold on her.  He could understand her fear.  To make matters worse, he felt just as helpless.  Somehow, he managed to understand instinctively that physical contact was the only thing keeping them together.  If he let go of her, even for an instant, he felt like they would be separated completely.
It frustrated him.  He was second-in-command of the Wonderbolts, trained by Dame Spitfire herself, and yet, this fog completely robbed him of any sense of control, leaving Soarin' feeling as helpless as a newborn foal.  The only thing he could do was cling tightly to Rainbow Dash and hope that something changed in the meantime that would allow them to act.  "Just don't let go.  We'll think of something."  Although Soarin' was at a loss as to just what.
"Rainbow Dash!  That you sugarcube?"  Applejack's voice echoed through the empty, gray void.
Rainbow's head snapped up and she automatically began to move towards the source of the voice, only for Soarin' to tighten his hold around her and keep her from moving anywhere.
"Yeah!  We're over here!" Rainbow shouted back.
"That won't do any good," said Soarin'.
"Hold on!"  This time, Applejack's voice came from a different point in the fog, making Rainbow turn her head.
"See," groaned the stallion.
Then they felt it.  A tiny tremor passed through the ground beneath them.  A few seconds later, another one came, jolting through their hooves.  The tremors came at an even rhythm, like somepony was taking an extra heavy step every few seconds.  A moment later, Rainbow jumped as a hoof touched her shoulder.
"Easy there, it's us," said Applejack, though they couldn't see her.
"Us?" asked Soarin'.
"Hello."  Now it was Red River's voice echoing throughout the fog.
"How'd you find us?" asked Rainbow, "I tried to take off a little earlier, but I couldn't even tell up from down."
"Well, Red River's the one who found ya," said Applejack, "He's usin' some kinda special earth pony magic."
"It's not all that special," protested Red, "But we can have the lesson at a later time.  This is a serious problem."
"Yeah, no kidding," snarked Rainbow, "Somepony's gonna get hurt if this keeps up."
"No.  Somepony is going to die if this keeps up," said Red River, "A pegasus created this fog.  And I know just who it is."
"Who?" asked Soarin', wondering just who in the world could create a fog bank like this one."
"She's an assassin, one of the most dangerous in Equestria, if her reputation is to be believed."
"An assassin," squawked Rainbow, her body shivering, "But why?"
She could practically hear the shrug in the azure stallion's voice.  "I can't say honestly.  There are a number of potential victims here in Ponyville, depending on who acquired her services.  Even you are a potential target."
"But why?" asked Rainbow.
"Cloudsdale," interjected Soarin', "We snared almost everyone involved in Meadowlark's conspiracy, but not absolutely everyone.  Any one of the ponies who escaped us could have hired her."
"Just who is this mare?" asked Rainbow.
"Her name is Willow," said Red River, "This fog is her signature weapon.  It's said to be nigh-inescapable once one becomes snared in it."
"How is she doing this?" asked Soarin', still unable to see Red River, Applejack, or even Rainbow Dash, whom he still had wrapped tightly in his arms.
"Let's talk about it inside.  We don't want to be caught in the open," suggested Red River, "Because you had the sense to stop moving when you were caught, you actually aren't that far from Sugarcube Corner."
"How can we find it?"  Rainbow looked up hopefully, gently resting her foreleg on Applejack's.
"I can guide us," said Red River.
Rainbow felt the brush of Applejack's tail over her face.  "Grab on," she said.
Rainbow clamped her teeth around the orange mare's tail.  "Cme'n Thorin'," she said between clenched jaws.
Soarin' stood next to Rainbow, wrapping his wing tightly around her back as Red River slowly led them through the door of Sugarcube Corner.  The four ponies blinked their eyes, dazzled by the return of anything other than the featureless gray expanse before their eyes as the warm, familiar scenery of Sugarcube Corner replaced it.  Mr. and Mrs. Cake huddled on one side of the shop, their foals wrapped tightly in their arms as they stared out at the fog beyond their windows.
"Everypony okay?" asked Soarin', looking around and finally letting go of Rainbow.
"We're fine," said Carrot Cake, pegasus son resting quietly on his lap, "But Pinkie's somewhere out there in that fog."
"What?"  Rainbow whirled around and made for the door, only to stop abruptly as Red's hoof came down on her tail.
"It won't do you any good going out there on your own," said Red River softly.
"Can you explain now?" asked Soarin', watching the fog intently, afraid that, at any moment, it might come leeching in through the cracks between the doors and windows.
"I am uncertain of the exact mechanics," said Red River, "But she essentially started with pegasus magic to create the fog and shaped it using principles gained from unicorn magic.  The resulting fog almost completely ensnares the senses of those caught in it.  They are unable to see, sound is baffled so that it seems to come from everywhere and nowhere.  Though it looks featureless, there are in fact, subtle patterns and whorls that produce a semi-hypnotic effect that renders sense of direction next to useless so that it's impossible to even walk in a straight line."
"So anypony caught in that fog is stuck wandering in random directions until they run into something or somepony," groaned Rainbow.
"More or less," said Red River with a shrug.
"But why?" asked Applejack, "Just who is this here assassin comin' after?"
"I haven't the slightest idea," admitted the azure stallion, "There are any number of potential targets.  Given their role in the events of Cloudsdale, it could be that somepony has hired her to deal with Rainbow Dash or Soarin'.  It could be some outside effort to eliminate several of the Bearers at once, or even something completely unrelated enough."
"But who is this mare?" asked Soarin'.
"Her name is Willow," replied Red River, "And, to my knowledge, no target of hers has ever escaped."
"Ya know her?" asked Applejack, glancing sidelong at her coltfriend.
"Not personally, but by reputation," replied Red River, "Both Storm and I have been fortunate enough to have never crossed her path."
Applejack's eyebrow went up at the trepidation in Red's voice.  It was unlike the normally confident mercenary to be so worried about something.  "It sounds like ya ain't sure ya can fight her."
"I am afraid that is the case," admitted Red River, "From what I have heard, she is exceptionally skilled in her craft.  And while straight-up battle is one thing, an assassin of this caliber is another."
"What have you heard about her?" asked Soarin'.
"She shrouds the area around her chosen victim in this fog," explained Red River, turning his eyes to the opaque mass outside, "The fog isolates them, driving them away from their guards and protectors, distorts their senses and renders them helpless.  It is said that the only indication that her victims have of her approach is the glimmering of lights within the fog, lights that lead her victims to her, and to their ends as well, the last thing they ever see, just like the malicious fay spirits of folklore, from which she takes her moniker."  Red River turned solemnly back to the assembled ponies, "That is why she is called Willow the Wisp."
Rainbow gulped nervously.  "What do we do then?  Those ponies out there are in danger!"
"Not really," said Red, "Willow is a highly skilled assassin, not an indiscriminate killer.  The only pony truly in danger out there is her chosen target, whoever she may be."
"But who is it?" asked Rainbow, "We can't let anypony get killed!"
Red River tapped his chin.  "Well, there are still quite a few ponies to choose from.  But off the top of my head, I can think of one who is most likely to be Willow's target..."



The foals stared out the windows of the schoolhouse, their eyes wide as Ponyville was swiftly swallowed into the depths of the mist, which extended its tendrils to wrap around the schoolhouse as well.
"What do we do Miss Cheerilee?" asked Sweetie Belle plaintively as she turned to regard their teacher.
"Everypony stay put," instructed Cheerilee as she looked worriedly outside, "I'm sure this is just a slight hiccup with the weather team.  But it's unsafe to go out when the fog is this thick, you could get lost."
"Great, that mean's we're stuck here," groaned Diamond Tiara as she pulled back from the window.  However, that was the extent of her complaints.  Ever since she had been going to the Carousel Boutique for lessons from Rarity, her behavior had noticeably improved.  Perhaps most tellingly, she had apparently given up on bothering the Crusaders.  She especially kept a wary distance whenever Dawn was around.
"Aww, it's almost time to go home," said Apple Bloom, her expression disappointed.  Of the Crusaders, she especially disliked having their crusading time derailed by unexpected circumstances.
Only two ponies in the classroom truly had any notion of what was going on.  Scootaloo backed warily away from the windows, her instincts screaming at her, telling her this fog was a threat.  Next to her, Dawn regarded the wall of gray outside calmly, yet carefully.
"This is pegasus magic, isn't it?" whispered Scootaloo.
Dawn nodded infinitesimally in response.  "Yes.  Whoever did this is dangerous.  Can you feel it?"
Scootaloo nodded.  She didn't even need to touch the fog to perceive the oily sensation of malice inundating it.  "What do we do?"
Dawn frowned, not answering.  He wasn't sure.  The killing intent in the mist was potent to be sure, but it did not seem to have any particular target.  The first step was the figure out what the instigator's goals were and how to thwart them or, at least, keep innocent ponies from being hurt by her actions.
"There's gotta be something," muttered Scootaloo, "My mom's out there somewhere.  Miss Fluttershy might be out there too if she had to go to the market for something.  And what about everypony else's families?"
"We will do no good rushing out without any kind of understanding," said Dawn, "The only thing we would succeed in would be to put ourselves and the others in unnecessary danger."
"But maybe we can navigate it," said Scootaloo, "I mean...we can't see anything sure.  But there's still the wind-sense, right?"
"Maybe," admitted Dawn.  He turned and made his way to the school's door.  "It at least bears testing."
"Dawn?"  Cheerilee moved to stop the colt as he lifted a hoof towards the door.  A gentle push sent it swinging open.  To everypony's surprise, the roiling mist outside did not sweep into the schoolhouse, but remained hovering at the doorway, as though an invisible barrier kept it at bay.
"At least it seems that there are limits to its spread," mused Dawn before closing his eyes and taking a step into the mist.
He spread his wings and immediately let his magic flow into the air around him, allowing him to read its flow and how the shapes of things around it altered that flow.
Two things occurred to him at the same time.  The first thing was that his wind-sense was indeed functional.  The sense of everything around him was as clear and precise as it had always been.  With his eyes closed, he was easily able to tell the location of everything within his usual twenty-meter radius.
The second realization was that, as soon as his magic touched the mist, the aimless killing intent infusing it instantly fixated itself upon him with an intensity so sharp and piercing that it could have been a thrust from Red River's spear.  Dawn's body sprang into action even before his conscious mind registered the change.  A swift backwing and kick off the air with his hooves sent him scudding straight back into the schoolhouse, his body actually flickering into sight a full length back from the door before he flared one wing and used a gust to slam the door back shut.
"Lock it!" he snapped at Cheerilee, the force in his voice so intense that the teacher obeyed instantly, clicking the latch into place.
"Dawn!" exclaimed Scootaloo, rushing to his side, "What happened?"
"Well, I answered our questions and then some," replied Dawn, his voice shaky.
"What's going on?" asked Cheerilee, stepping away from the door.
"There's somepony out there causing this," said Dawn, "And whoever it is is dangerous and came here specifically to kill."  The foals and teacher all flinched at that last word, many turning fearful looks to the gray wall outside.
"What do we do?" asked Scootaloo, looking around nervously.
"Get everypony away from the windows, have them stay together at the back of the classroom."  Cheerilee nodded in response to Dawn's words.  It wasn't like her to take instructions from one of her own students.  But given what she knew of Dawn's skills, particularly in situations like these, it was probably best to follow his lead.
Cheerilee stepped away from Dawn and clapped her hooves together.  "Everypony, we need to be careful, so I want all of you to move to the back of the classroom and stay away from the windows."
Hesitantly, the foals obeyed, moving slowly and herding around Cheerilee's desk and huddling up against the wall below the blackboard.
"Are we really doing what the new kid's telling us?" asked Silver Spoon, slightly miffed to realize that Dawn was the one giving instructions.
"He would know," muttered Rumble, "He was there with Rainbow Dash in Cloudsdale.  I heard he beat up a bunch of those tribalists."
When they had finished moving, only Dawn was left standing in the open in the middle of the classroom.  Scootaloo stood slightly behind him, her eyes on his back, watching nervously.  She hadn't seen Dawn this tense since his fight with Red River and Storm Front.  She was beginning to recognize his tells though.  This was the look of a colt who was involved in a fight that he wasn't sure he could win.  She swallowed nervously as Dawn spread his wings partway, keeping them parallel to the ground, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.
An oppressive silence fell upon the classroom and the foals within.  Even though nothing seemed to be happening, there was a palpable tension in the air, an indistinct threat that put everypony's teeth on edge and made the fur of their coats stand on end.  The foals huddled together tightly while Cheerilee crouched protectively in front of them, keeping herself between them and the door.  In this manner, several long, tense moments passed.
The colts and fillies began to fidget nervously as the minutes clicked by.  Even though they lacked Dawn's refined senses, they were aware of his own nervousness and his sense of caution translated itself to them.  The tense period of nothingness was weighing heavily on their nerves.
And then, just as the tension in the room was on the verge of breaking, at its absolute peak, someone rapped sharply on the schoolhouse door.



It took both Soarin' and Applejack to hold Rainbow back.  And even then, she was on the verge of dragging both of them out the door with her.
"Stop Rainbow!" shouted Applejack as she dug her hooves in and held firm with all her might to keep the cerulean pegasus from launching herself like a crossbow bolt out of Sugarcube Corner.
"Let me go!" snapped Rainbow, "If Dawn's in trouble, we have to help him."
"Are you kidding?" gasped Soarin' as he beat his wings to counter Rainbow's pull, "That kid's stronger than anypony here except for Red.  If there's anypony who can hold his own against this assassin, it's that colt."
"That's not the point," said Rainbow, though she did stop pulling to catch her breath, "Dawn's at school, with a whole bunch of foals.  If they start fighting there, a whole bunch of them could get hurt, including your sister, AJ."
Red River seemed to be thinking the problem over.  "I can't be certain.  But we at least know that Willow isn't the sort to be careless about collateral damage.  She prefers to eliminate her target and only her target."
"Who does she think she's kidding?" growled Rainbow, "Does she think she's some kinda saint for not killing anypony except the one she's been hired to kill?"
"It's simple pragmatism," replied Red River, "Today's bystander is tomorrow's bounty.  You never know what a pony will go on to do or who they might malign enough to earn a price on their head.  From what I've heard, that's her philosophy."
"But even so," said Rainbow, "You've beaten Dawn, but even you're not sure you can handle this mare.  We can't leave Dawn to fend by himself against a pony like that."
"Perhaps, but if there's one area where Dawn's skills exceed our own, it's in being able to perceive his surroundings though means other than sight.  I was able to use a basic skill to map my immediate surroundings earlier to find you, but that only works for objects and ponies connected directly to the ground.  On the other hoof, Dawn has the ability to sense objects around them through the air itself, which gives him a much clearer picture than my skill.  Under these conditions, he has the advantage over me."
"But still..."  Rainbow Dash was far from mollified.  There were far too many unknowns in this situation and Red River was acting almost entirely on knowledge gained second-hoof.
Their conversation was interrupted by a chime of the bell as the door to Sugarcube Corner swung open.  To everypony's surprise, Pinkie Pie bounced through, humming a jaunty tune.  Draped over her back was the limp form of Thunderlane, while behind her tailed Cloud Chaser, holding grimly onto Pinkie's tail.
"Hi everypony!" she squealed happily as she slid Thunderlane's body onto a table.
Cloud Chaser, now that her vision was no longer obscured, rushed to her coltfriend's side.  "Thunder!  Are you okay?"
His only response was a low groan.
"It's okay," chimed Pinkie Pie, "He just bumped his noggin when he tried to take off.  I'll go get some ice to put on that owie of his."  Humming cheerfully, she bounced her way into the kitchen, completely and utterly oblivious to the fact that everypony was staring at her like she'd grown a second head.
"Wha?"  Rainbow had to work to actually close her jaw, which had dropped to hang limply at the sight of the pink pony cavalierly skipping out of the fog as though it hadn't inconvenienced her in the slightest.
Pinkie came skipping out of the kitchen with a bag of ice gripped in her mouth.  She settled it gently on Thunderlane's head before turning an beaming at her friends.  "Hi, we sure have a lot of ponies in here."
"How did you find your way through that soup?" demanded Soarin'.
"Oh, it was no problem for my Pinkie Sense," replied Pinkie Pie, grinning widely, "I've been pretty busy though.  There were so many ponies lost out there, it was pretty tricky getting them to their houses."
Red River looked as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing.  However, a hoof on his shoulder prompted him to look at Applejack, who smiled ruefully and simply shook her head.  "Don't even bother sugarcube.  If Twilight can't make heads or tails of that mare, then Ah don't know who can."
"Ugh..."  A groan from Thunderlane drew their attention as the gray stallion began to stir.
Cloud Chaser gently nuzzled his cheek as his eyes finally opened.  "Where am I?"
"We're at Sugarcube Corner," said Cloud Chaser, "Pinkie Pie brought us out here."
"Is it still...?"
"Yeah."  Cloud Chaser pulled back slightly and glared at her coltfriend.  "Don't scare me like that you idiot.  I thought something happened to you."
"This doesn't count as 'something?'" queried Thunderlane, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"With a head as thick as yours it doesn't," retorted Cloud Chaser, gently stretching her head out so that she could rest her neck over Tunderlane's.  She let out a soft and relieved sigh.  "I'm glad you're okay."
Rainbow smiled at the sight of the two lovebirds, but regained a more serious demeanor as she turned her attention back to the outside world, which remained completely obscured.  "That's great and all, but what do we do about Dawn?"
"I'm not sure," admitted Red, "My skills work well enough that I can tell where things are without getting lost.  But tracking ponies in this situation requires a more refined sense."
"And Dawn already has that sense," observed Soarin'.
"He does," agreed Red, "So out of anypony, he may be the one most difficult to catch off-guard."
"But we can't just leave it all to him," said Rainbow, "We have to get out there and figure out how to find him."  She smacked an angry hoof against a nearby table.  "Ugh!  If only there was somepony who could move freely out there!"
Rainbow Dash froze.  Applejack also went rigid.  A few seconds later, Soarin' and Red River likewise went stiff as the notion struck them all.  Four heads moved as one, orienting on an innocuous pink pony munching casually on a snagged pastry.
"What?" asked Pinkie Pie.
> A Perfect Moment
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4: A Perfect Moment

Under normal circumstances, there would have been nothing unusual about a pony knocking at the door.  But these were hardly normal circumstances and the knocking in question was just as far from normal.  Rather than the rapid series of blows hammered against the threshold, it was, instead, a gentle tapping noise, moderate in pace, but as even and precise as though the pony on the other side was using a metronome.  To the ponies trapped in the schoolhouse, the knocking was imbued with a sinister quality that sent chills down their spines with the sound of each impact.
Nopony moved.  Some had even stopped breathing, almost afraid that the sound of their own lungs would attract the attention of whatever was lurking outside.  Even Cheerilee pressed back, desperately trying to keep as many of the students as she could hidden behind her body as she directed her terrified gaze at the door.
Only two ponies did not shrink back.  In the center of the room stood Dawn, his turquoise eyes fixated on the door.  His body was motionless, muscles not betraying the slightest quiver as he watched the barrier intently.  Even though his eyes were fixed on the door, his senses were spread throughout the schoolhouse, the air currents telling him the shape and location of every object within its walls.  Experience, both old and recent, had taught him that allowing his attention to be fixed on a single thing would render him vulnerable.
Scootaloo stood a short ways behind the ebony colt.  Unlike Dawn, her body shivered in time with the rhythmic tapping at the door.  However, her eyes were fixed intently on Dawn's back as she waited to see what he would do.  Even though fear threatened to overwhelm her, she didn't forget who her teacher was.  This wasn't like watching Dawn while he battled two skilled opponents at a distance.  This time, she was in the thick of things with him.  This time she could watch.  And her gut told her that there was something she could learn.
Finally, after a long sequence, the taps came to an end.  The pause in the noise only elevated the tension of the room as everypony wondered where their tormentor had gone.  Then, after a brief score of seconds, the knocks resumed, this time trailing along the left-hoof wall of the schoolhouse, with the same rhythmic pattern, but the sound moving down the length of the wall as the one behind it drifted along.
Nothing was visible through the windows at first.  But as the knocker passed one, a gleaming silvery light seemed to drift past the window.  As the sound progressed down the wall, it passed by each window in turn, that silvery light following along with it.
The foals trembled, their eyes fixed on the wall as they followed the sound's progress.  Finally, sound began to fill the room as Sweetie Belle let out a tiny whimper.  It was like a dam breaking, suddenly soft, but fearful cries began to pour from the frightened foals, their bodies trembling.  Tears were shed by colt and filly alike and nopony would have been in a position to think less of any other if they had an issue with their bodily processes at that time.
Cheerilee was shivering too, tears streaming from her eyes as she watched her class dissolve into a terrified mass.  These were her students, the foals she was charged with looking after.  They should have been able to look to her for what to do in such a horrifying situation.  But she was just as helpless as they were.  The only thing she could do was gather as many of them as she could against her and hold them tight while the others pressed in around her.
Again, only Dawn showed no visible reaction to the knocking.  His eyes didn't even move away from the door as his other senses followed the sound along the wall of the schoolhouse, now rounding the corner and running across the back.  What is she aiming to do? he wondered as the noise slowly traveled across the back wall of the school, right behind the other students, who cried out and shied away from the wall as the knocking passed right behind them.  Is this an intimidation tactic or...
He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, letting the familiar action send a wave of calm and tranquility wash through his body.  As Scootaloo watched Dawn's wings dropped slightly as the muscles holding them up relaxed.  The colt emptied his mind and allowed his awareness to flow through him and completely out through the room, his sense no longer distracted by his own efforts to focus it.
And then he felt it...a tiny tremor in the air, in perfect time with each impact against the wall as the one doing the knocking rounded the corner and traced her way along with right-hoof wall, making her way back towards the front to complete a circuit of the schoolhouse.  The rippling tremor in the air touched everything in the room and Dawn felt another, smaller tremor bounce back to the wall.
Mapping the room through sound? he wondered, A means of learning about an enclosed environment from without.
Again, the glimmering, silvery light drifted past the windows before the source of the noise reached the end of the wall.  Again, an oppressive silence fell over the class.  After the seeming assault of noise by the constant knocking, the pause filled the air with an even greater tension as everypony's fear and anxiety rose to fever pitch.  A skill that also doubles as an intimidation tactic, thought Dawn, Or rather, a skill that is disguised as a means of intimidating her targets so that they don't realize she's obtained complete awareness of the space.  It was easy to believe that the pony behind that intense animosity outside was indeed the one responsible for the knocking.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom trembled as they huddled together, their frightened whimpers filling the air.  A pair of wings stretched across their backs as Rumble settled between them and pulled the pair close to him, the fillies turning to cling tightly to the gray colt as he trembled along with them.  But together, the trio of foals were able to keep their fear from overwhelming them as they drew strength from each other.  Likewise, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon also shivered, the pair of them holding tight to each other as they pressed up against Cheerilee's side.  All around them, other fillies and colts turned to each other for comfort as the silence began to grow unbearable.
Scootaloo was shivering too.  While she tried her best not to show it, the phantom noises moving around the outside of the schoolhouse made her body quiver.  At that moment, she wanted nothing more than the press herself tightly against Dawn.  However, she knew better than to distract him at this point.  If she gave in to her own fears, she could become a hinderance to Dawn, a hinderance that could be fatal.
Then there was sound.  Not a gentle rapping, but a sharp pounding against the door.  The first impact making it shudder on its hinges.  The foals cried out in terror.  The first impact was followed by a second, then a third, then silence again.  Then, for the first time, a voice outside.
"Little foal, let me in..."  The voice was unmistakably feminine, but unusually deep and resonant for a mare.  Her tone still had a singsong quality to it that made its taunting nature quite clear.
Dawn opened his eyes and stared at the door again.  "And if I don't?" he said calmly, his voice making the ponies behind him descend into silence.
"Then I can't play with you," she said, "And I do so dearly want to play with you.  It's been so long since I've gotten to play with a foal.  All I've had are so many old ponies who have no idea how to have fun.  I want to play with a little colt like you this time."
The sounds of fear from the back of the room redoubled.  However, Dawn let out a sigh.  "I think you're a little old to be playing games," he said, "Especially since you've already done what you needed to."
For a moment, the voice at the door was silent.  When the mare behind it spoke again, the lilting, taunting tone of her voice had faded, replaced with one much more clipped and businesslike.  "Aren't you the clever one."
Surprisingly, the change in her tone seemed to partially calm everypony down, as it was now clear that there was another pony on the other side of the door, not some incomprehensible creature that seemed to exist to feed on their fear and anxiety.
"What is it that you want?" asked Dawn.
"Well, I could taunt you by saying that I do want to play with you, but I suppose I'll cut to the chase," replied the mare, "Quite frankly, I'm here to kill you; no one else, just you."
"What?"  Scootaloo jumped forward, only to be restrained by Dawn's extended wing.  She glared sharply at the door.  The back of the room had gone deathly silent.
"It's just as you heard," said the mare on the other side, "It's nothing personal.  I'm afraid your coltfriend's head is my meal ticket."
"Why you...!" growled the orange filly, pawing the floor angrily.
"Stay back," said Dawn simply, not taking his eyes away from the door.  Scootaloo huffed, but did as she was told.  Dawn turned his attention back to the mare outside.  "If that is the case, why don't I come out there with you."
"Dawn!  You can't be serious!" yelled Scootaloo in horror.
"That's so generous of you my dear colt," cooed the mare, "It certainly works better for me that way."
"Fine then," said Dawn, hushing Scootaloo with a glance, "I will join you outside.  But don't expect me to bow my head and die."
"Oh I wouldn't dream of it," replied the mare with a chortle, "Come on out and play with me little colt."
Though there was no further sound, Dawn could tell that she'd already left, waiting outside somewhere for him to come and answer her challenge.  He moved towards the door, but was stopped by Scootaloo as she threw her arms around his barrel.
"Don't go out there!" she said, "This is crazy."
Dawn slowly extended a wing and brushed his feathers across Scootaloo's face, the light touch causing her to look up.  "It'll be alright," he said, "Outside is where I'm at my best."
Truly, he suspected that the strange mare had no intention of harming anypony other than him.  However, the prospect of taking her on in the enclosed schoolhouse meant dealing with the possibility that his own techniques could do serious harm to his classmates or Cheerilee.  It was to his advantage tot take this fight to a location where he wasn't likely to hurt anypony by accident.
Scootaloo frowned, but relinquished her hold.  Dawn made to move forward, but found his progress blocked by a new obstacle.  Cheerilee planted herself firmly between the colt and the door, her expression severe as she looked down at Dawn.
"You're not going anywhere," she said firmly.
"Miss Cheerilee?"  Scootaloo was stunned to see their teacher do this.
"Please let me pass," said Dawn.
"I can't," said Cheerilee, "You're my student.  I can't let one of my students go out and confront that...monster.  I won't allow it."
"You have to," said Dawn gently, "She is not simply going to go away if we wait.  Things will simply get worse if she loses her patience and decides to bring the fight in here."
Dawn moved forward.  It was a single step.  But it was an act in direct defiance to his teacher's will.  Scootaloo and the other foals looked on, confused and frightened what was occurring.  They could see emotions raging across Cheerilee's face, ranging from anger to overwhelming terror.  Her body was tense, drawn taught like a string, on the verge of snapping under the strain.
Dawn took another step.
Something broke.  At first, everypony was afraid that Cheerilee was going to lash out and hit Dawn.  Instead, her legs gave way and she dropped to the floor, sobbing.  Even Dawn was utterly perplexed by the change that came over her.
"Please don't go," she whispered, "You're my student.  I'm supposed to protect you."
Comprehension spread across the colt's face.  With a soft sigh, he lowered his head, seeming to give in.  Hearing that tiny sound gave Cheerilee a faint hope that he would listen to her.  Then she felt the feathers of his wing comb through her mane.  Her ears picked up the sound of hoofsteps going past her, the door unlatching, opening, then swinging shut.
The last of Cheerilee's strength left her and she slumped to the floor completely, sobbing.  She barely even noticed a pair of forelegs encircling her as Scootaloo wrapped them around her neck and hugged her tight.  "It's okay Miss Cheerilee," she said, pressing her muzzle into her teacher's mane.  Before long, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rumble joined her.  A few seconds later, most of the remainder of the class was swarming over Cheerilee, their warm embraces offering all the strength and comfort to their teacher that they could.



"Ah'm not so sure about this Rainbow," said Applejack as she followed the tug of the rope around her neck, "Even if Pinkie can find Dawn and our assassin in this here soup, there ain't a lot we can do all tied together like this."
"Yeah," agreed Soarin' "We're more likely to get in his way if we find them at this point."  The group was looped together, having borrowed Applejack's lasso to form a train behind Pinkie Pie as her inexplicable and unquantifiable Pinkie Sense led them through the fog.
"Just don't worry about it!" snapped Rainbow, "If we're lucky, maybe we can find Dawn before Willow does."
"It's a possibility," mused Red River, "But Willow's greatest strength is her ability to completely isolate her target.  If we can prevent her from doing that, even if it is through nothing more than our mere presence, then we have a chance."
"You really think so?" mused Soarin'.
"Yes.  Willow is an assassin first and foremost.  Her aim is to take her target's life and only her target's life.  If something can genuinely impede her efforts to get her mark, then, at the very least, we can force her to withdraw and hopefully find a way to confront her on terms more favorable to us later."  As Red spoke, he abruptly stopped, seeing the shadow of Pinkie Pie's rump before him in the fog coming to a stop as well.
Before he could warn the others, Applejack walked smack into his tail, which led to Rainbow smacking into her, followed by Soarin', who was bringing up the rear.
"Red!  What in tarnation...?"
"Pinkie stopped," said Red by way of explanation.  However, something else was bothering him.  The fog was supposed to be so opaque that one couldn't even see their hoof in front of their face.  However, he could now begin to make out the outline of Pinkie Pie just ahead of him in the mist.  Turning his head, he noted that he could now see the faint shadow of Applejack's stetson behind him.  "The fog is beginning to thin."
The others tensed and looked around in confusion.  Sure enough, the mist surrounding them was no longer completely impenetrable.  "What the hay?" demanded Rainbow, "Are we at the edge?"
"Pinkie, why'd ya stop?" asked Applejack.
"I'm not sure," replied Pinkie Pie, "I was following my Pinkie Sense when I suddenly felt my shoulders prick."
"And what does that mean?" asked Rainbow.
Pinkie Pie shrugged.  "Wait and see."
"We don't have time to wait for you to figure out what that means," said Rainbow impatiently.
"No, that's what it means.  A pricking between my shoulder means wait and see.  We need to wait right here."
While Rainbow and Applejack were talking with Pinkie, Red held up his hoof and watched the way the mist moved around it.  "This could be a bad sign."
"Why?" asked Soarin'.
"If the mist is dissipating, it could mean that Willow has finished her work and no longer needs to maintain it."
A chill went down everypony's spines.  If that was the case, then it could very well mean that...
"Except..." mused Red as he continued to observe the patterns of the mist around his hoof, "I don't think it's dissipating."
"Don't scare me like that!" yelled Applejack.
"What is it doing instead?" asked Rainbow.
Red River frowned.  "It appears to be moving in a specific direction.  If I had to hazard a guess, I believe that Willow may have found her target and is reducing the area covered by her mist in order to increase its density.  It might very well be the ideal move for dealing with someone who can sense their surroundings through the wind like Dawn can.
"On the bright side, this means that finding our way will be even easier.  Not only can we make out our surroundings better, but we can also figure out where the target area is by following the flow of the mist."
"That's great!" exclaimed Rainbow, "Let's hurry!  If she's concentrating her mist, then that means Willow found Dawn, or whoever her target is."



Dawn's eyes remained cold as he strode through the dense mist.  He could feel it flow around his body.  With his wings extended, his magic allowed him to sense the wind, feel the shape and form of everything in his vicinity.  The mare responsible for the phenomenon waited patiently for him just outside the schoolyard.
"That took longer than it should've," she said.
Dawn merely shrugged.  "My teacher was much more difficult to convince than you were."
"Ah, a teacher's role is to be a protector and guide for her students.  But when one of her students must put himself at risk to protect her..." mused the mare, "I can imagine that's an aggravating experience."
"Shall we begin?" asked Dawn.
"Sure.  I can understand you wanting to get this over with," admitted the mare, "But I was hoping we could talk some more."
"Is it normal for an assassin to casually chat with her target before killing him?"
"Normally no," replied the mare, walking in a slow circle around Dawn, her movements relaxed, but smooth, like a well-oiled machine, "But you're far from a normal target.  Just finding you gave me a lot more trouble than most of my bounties do.  And even now, I can tell you might just well be the first pony I can't handle."
Normally, such words might have been encouraging.  But to Dawn, they spoke to just how dangerous this mare was and, in spite of her overtly frivolous behavior, just how serious she was.  This was not some blind attack, some half-baked scheme.  This effort had been carefully planned and orchestrated by her specifically for the purpose of killing him.  This was not like his battles against Perlin or Storm Front and Red River, tests of skill and prowess where his life was on the line.  This was a deviously engineered trap built specifically for him, one that he would have to figure his way out of.  If she wants to talk, then that's fine.  I may find the chance to find my own way out of this.
"Very well then," he said, "Perhaps I should begin by asking your name."
"My name is Willow," replied the mare, "I don't normally give it out.  I have a bit of a reputation in my circles.  But I suppose that a colt like you wouldn't know anything about that."
"That much I can agree on," said Dawn, "It's a bit outside my purview to have knowledge of individual assassins and their work.  Perhaps, you could tell me who hired you."
"A legitimate question."  Dawn felt the mare shrug.  "But any assassin worth the weight of her asking price doesn't give out a client's name, not even under torture, not even to a pony she plans on killing.  I may be sure of my kill.  But after getting the job done, the biggest responsibility an assassin has is to protect her clients' information.
"But given how rewarding it is to finally track you down, I'm almost tempted to indulge you.  I've never had to spend over a year locating my target before."
"I doubt any of your other targets ever thought to hide in the Everfree Forest before," commented Dawn wryly as he stepped into motion himself, moving to circle Willow as she circled him.  The two of them now stalked each other through the fog.
"My my, that's a bit frightening.  If you'd died in there, I'd never have confirmation of your death and then I'd never have gotten paid."  Willow giggled lightly.  "I'm certainly glad you made it out in one piece.  I'd hate to think I'd wasted over a year of my life for nothing."
"I'm happy to have reassured you," said Dawn, "If, at the very least, while I have no notion of the specific identity of the pony or ponies who hired you, I can at least think of who they are in the general context."
"Oh?"
"The Order of Celestial Light; the Cult Solar hired you to find and end me."
That drew a chortle from Willow.  "Well, I supposed it wasn't that hard to figure out.  Yeah, I was a little miffed that I was hired by a bunch of pompous idiots for some sort of 'holy task.'  They were so sure of their great work that they tried to shortchange me.  They only agreed to my usual rates after I threatened to walk away.  If this was such holy work, they'd be doing it themselves.  But the coin they offered was real enough."
"Good for you, I suppose."  Dawn frowned.  HIs wind-sense was beginning to get hazy, the outlines of the buildings and objects around them and, most troublingly, the mare before him, were beginning to fade.  It was as though the mist was invading his own mind and cutting off his senses completely.  "Truly," he said, "No superfluous movements."
"Oh?"  Though her image was gradually becoming more indistinct in his mind's eye, Dawn could still sense her raising her eyebrow.
"You haven't been talking simply for its own sake," observed Dawn, "You're stalling for time.  I can feel your mist thickening.  Soon, even my ability to sense you through the wind will be cut off.  Back in the schoolhouse, what appeared to be a simple intimidation tactic and psychological warfare was in fact designed to hide the fact that you were mapping the interior using the echoes of your knocks, varying the location in order to get an exact fix on everything inside.  And even before that, you reacted to the touch of my magic against your mist instantly.  You knew exactly what to look for, how to find me and how to balance the odds most in your favor.  Even now, you've been stalling for time with our little chat."
Willow came to a stop, her body rigid with surprise.  Then she began to laugh.  It wasn't a taunting laugh, but a chortle of genuine amusement.  "You really are incredible," she said, "You've figured me out already."
"I suppose that puts us on even footing," mused Dawn, "You've known what to expect from the very beginning haven't you."
"I had over a year to work with," said Willow, "Even after losing track of you, the very least I could do was learn a little bit more about you...anything to make the kill simpler.  So I followed your trail through all those towns you wandered about.  I learned about your Master, about the Gale King.  I know what you're capable of.  Even though you're technically still a novice, you're not the kind of pony I can afford to take lightly.
"But aren't you being a little too relaxed?  After all, before long you'll lose sight of me completely and I will be free to strike as I please."
"Maybe so," agreed Dawn, "However, I can tell what kind of assassin you are.  Your moment of greatest strength is also my best opportunity."
Again, Willow laughed.  "Your Master taught you well I see.  I'll have to make absolutely certain then.  Even so, the possibility of my failure has never been more apparent."
Dawn's eyes were already closed.  Even though it was dangerous, his mind was briefly elsewhere as he recalled the words of his Master, who had prepared him for a situation similar to this.

"Remember, if you follow the Way, you will gain power.  If you gain power, you will ultimately end up using it.  Power that is not put to use is the same as nothing at all.  If you use power, you will gain enemies.  Among those enemies will be those who come, not to do battle with you, but solely seek your life.
"The Way of the assassin is different from our Way.  An assassin's every action, every thought, every strategy is not to claim victory, but to kill her target.  If you follow the Way, you will gain power.  If you gain power, you will use it.  If you use power, you will ultimately bring the wrath of others down upon you and an assassin may one day seek your life.  Given your circumstances, it may be even more likely for you than most.  Assassins come in three types.  They are the Fighter, the Poisoner, and the Pure.
"The Fighter is not all that different from us.  She will use brute force to try and overpower you, or technique to circumvent your defenses.  She may be a practitioner of the martial arts like ourselves.  But do not be fooled.  Even if she approaches you as an opponent, her actions are directed not towards defeating you in battle, but ending your life.  This distinction may seem strange to you, but it is very real.
"The Poisoner, true to her name, may very well use poisons.  However, don't let the label fool you.  The nature of the Poisoner is to end her target's life without ever making direct contact.  It may be poison in your food, or it may be a carefully engineered and scripted accident.  Her method is designed to circumvent your instincts and defenses by not approaching you at all.  Since her actions and approaches are impossible to read, the Poisoner is the most difficult to predict.
"The Pure assassin is perhaps the most dangerous of all, for she is the one most absolutely dedicated to the kill.  She may approach you openly on the street or seek you in the dark of night.  But no matter what, manner she chooses, you can be assured that her every action, however superfluous or pointless it may appear, is directed towards realizing that moment when she seeks your life.  She will lay down her preparations, use them like chains to bind you completely before taking you.  Only when she is absolutely certain will she strike.  In this sense, the Pure is the most dangerous because she will tailor her methods to perfectly ensnare you.
"Fortunately, she does have a weakness.  When she strikes to kill, the Pure assassin puts everything into that instant to seek your life.  She gives no thought to defense, no thought to what lies beyond that strike, but only to the moment of ending your life.  Because of that, she is vulnerable.  In order to defeat a Pure assassin, you must enter into the zone of death and meet her at her strongest, when you are completely at her mercy, for that is the only instant where she shall be truly vulnerable.  To overcome death, you must face it."

So this is what he meant, thought Dawn as the mist closed in, now cutting off all vestiges of sensation of the environment around him.  It was almost like being underwater.  True, he could breathe, but the air was heavy and felt like lead under his wings.  With it like this, even taking to the sky was impossible.  He'd already lost all sense of Willow, her position, her disposition.  She could strike at any instant and he would never see it coming.  Even reading her intent was utterly impossible, the fog so completely saturated with it that the intent to kill radiated from every direction, its intensity the same no matter where it came from.
"You've done your homework," he noted.
"I have," replied Willow calmly, "I learned your history, which wasn't easy.  I learned about the Gale King, about how it works and how to counter it.  I know about your Master, about what he taught you.  I even know that you've allowed things to progress like this.  This will be the greatest kill of my career."
"Or your ultimate failure," replied Dawn.
Willow did not respond.  Dawn could already tell that she'd had enough talk.  Her mind and soul were now focused onto the instant where she would take his life, thinking of nothing else, not of escape, not of claiming the bounty that had been levied on his head, but only of the kill.  Death was certain, inescapable.  She would kill Dawn Lightwing and he was helpless to stop her.
A shudder of fear ran through the ebony colt and he was struck by a sense of eerie familiarity.  I've been here before.  He remembered the moment well.  At the time, he'd been battered, burned, slashed, and broken.  Red River had stood above him with the spear raised.  Though Dawn still yearned to live, the spear had come down and, in that moment, Dawn had known with absolute certainty that his life was at its end.
Of course, that had been an illusion.  But the sensations of Dawn's heart and soul at the moment he had been "killed" were unmistakable.  He was seized by that sensation now.  He might be unscathed, but he was trapped in this mist, unable to attack, unable to read his opponent, unable to see or sense anything beyond him.  And yet, at the same time, he was elated.  It seems that it isn't so bad to be here the second time around.
Though his initial instinct was to squash the fear running through him, Red River's words from an earlier time reminded him that it was something he couldn't ignore.  "Fear alerts you to danger."  Ignoring his emotions wasn't the key.  He had to accept and understand them.
Dawn had already closed off his sight.  It was of no use to him in this scenario and might even work against him.  By closing off one sense, he was able to perceive what his other senses told him with greater clarity.  Suppose what would happen if I closed off more.  His ears folded flat against his head.  He turned his attention away from anything he could hear.  Willow's fog distorted direction anyway.  Any sound he picked up now would merely be a distraction.  Taste was of no real use to him at this point either, so Dawn drew his awareness away from the feeling of his tongue.  At that moment, he could understand the feeling of touch with incredibly clarity.  He could feel the eddies and whorls of the mist against his feathers and fur.  But they too were a distraction.  With only a slight bit of hesitation, Dawn drew his awareness away from the sense of touch.  Even his sixth sense, that mysterious perception that comes with practice and experience, was abandoned.  With that, he was completely cut off from the outside world.
It's amazing, he wondered, the clarity that comes from casting it all aside.
It was a feeling that Dawn could not describe.  In a way he couldn't articulate, he was aware of everything both within and without.  He was aware of his feelings, his fear at the prospect of death, his anger at being hunted for something he could not help, his desire to live, his love for his friends and family who had given him a reason to strive to live.  He knew it all.  He understood everything about himself in that single perfect moment.
That was what this was, a perfect moment.  Here, confronted with the greatest crisis of his young life, Dawn realized he had reached a heretofore unknown pinnacle in his own development.  An indescribable elation filled him.  Ironically, as his thoughts turned to the pony who was behind this, who sought his life, Dawn realized it was because of her that he had reached this point.  At that moment, what he felt was not anger or hatred, but gratitude.  More than all the tormentors of his past, more than Red River and Storm Front, more than Perlin Bluestreak, she had brought him farther than anypony ever had.  It was though he had gained untold years of experience in a single instant.
For in that moment of pure and perfect clarity, Dawn perceived everything.  He sensed the strike come.  He felt death reach for him.  Dawn moved forward, straight into death's jaws and struck in turn.  At that instant, his fate was decided.	



The mist's movement had quickened.  The air around Rainbow and the others was almost completely clear now, with trails of fog whipping in the same direction like silvery snakes.  Their way now clear, the group broke into a gallop, with Rainbow and Soarin' taking to the air to survey the situation from above.
"I can see it," Rainbow called down to her friends below.  The mist that had, at one point been completely enshrouding Ponyville was now condensed into a single dome, its edge just abetting the schoolhouse.  It was, at most, a dozen meters across.  At that level of concentration, it seemed almost solid.  Rainbow was amazed it hadn't simply condensed completely into massive droplet of water.
That's where Dawn is.  She was certain now.  Rainbow dove down towards the dome, heedless of Soarin's cries of warning behind her.  She prepared to dive through it.  However, her hooves impacted the orb of fog, sank in, and stopped.  Rainbow felt a sensation like pressing her hooves into foam.  She rebounded off as her momentum was reflected.  She nearly spun out of control, but managed to reorient herself.  'What the hay!?"
"Don't be an idiot," snapped Soarin', swooping down to hover beside her, "Who knows what might've happened.  You need to think before you just dive in."
Being chided by an actual Wonderbolt, her coltfriend no less, who was speaking with the voice of experience, took the wind from Rainbow's sails and she slumped slightly.  By this point, the others had arrived along the ground and were standing at the edge of the dome of fog.
Red River prodded it with his hoof, but was met with the same resistance that Rainbow had felt.  "I never thought that pegasus magic could be used in this way," he said, "This is something closer to a full on barrier."
"Like Twi's forcefield?" asked Applejack.
Red River nodded.  "She's completely contained and isolated the space within.  It would take tremendous force to break in."
"Can ya do it?" asked Applejack.
"I can try," replied the azure stallion, motioning with a forelimb for them to stand back.  He reached over his shoulder and drew his spear, snapping it out to its full length in a single smooth motion.  He stepped forward, lowering its point towards the ground so that its shaft stretched diagonally across his back.  His other forehoof smacked the ground with surprising force, a palpable tremor passing through the earth around him, forming an extension of his awareness across the ground, stretching to within the fog.
Within, he could feel eight points of contact, two ponies, their bodies positioned to face one another, one small, one large.  It was obvious who was who.  Red River began to shift his aim as he targeted the larger pony.  He took a deep breath.
Applejack and Pinkie Pie, who had been standing closest to Red suddenly felt the world tilt, as though they were suddenly standing on a downwards slope, as though down itself was now oriented on Red River.  The earth beneath their hooves almost seemed to buzz as Red River drew its power into himself, drawing it through the roots of the seed within that he had planted and tended, before gathering it at the tip of his spear.
The spear itself began to gleam as the power gathered.  The azure stallion's entire body tensed, coiling like a spring as he drew in yet more power, preparing to launch the spear into a thrust that could pierce through almost anything.
A shadow swooped in from above.  Storm Front had arrived and now hovered above the dome of fog.  A single glance was all he needed to know what was happening.  He took in Red River's stance and, through the gift of his own experience and long partnership with the other stallion, immediately pinpointed the line of Red's attack.
Storm let the meteor hammer dangle out from within his sleeve.  He began to twirl it about, infusing it with his magic.  As the meteor hammer's movements gained momentum, they gained power, power that merged with the air around it, gathering the air and spurring it into motion.  As Storm Front continued to twirl his weapon, he created a miniature whirlwind at his side.  All that gathering power, would be launched straight down at the same target in an instant.
Other ponies had already noticed the change in the fog and the formation of the dome outside the schoolhouse and were gathering.  Pegasi from the weather team, including Flitter, hovered above Storm Front and waited.  Earth ponies and unicorns assembled near where Red River stood, watching as he prepared to strike.
Red smacked his forehoof to the ground again, sending another tremor along the earth and feeling the return.  Only seven points of contact this time.  One of Willow's hooves had left the ground, most likely to draw a weapon.  He tensed and prepared to strike.  He knew that her focus would be entirely upon Dawn, that she would give everything for that fatal strike meant to take the colt's life.  Breaking through the barrier of her mist was insufficient.  To stop her, he would have to ensure that his spear struck true.  He would have to ensure that he killed her in the first blow.  He sank into his crouch just the tiniest bit more, the prelude to his strike...
...And faltered.  Red River's spear hesitated the tiniest bit at the critical moment, for something he had sensed from his probing tremors had given him pause, and disturbed his determination.  And so, his spear froze on the verge of its strike.
That crucial hesitation cost Red River his moment.  Within the fog, the two figures moved as one.  A loud crack filled the air, an echoing snap that made everypony around the dome of fog jump in surprise and fear.  From where she watched at the schoolhouse's threshold, Scootaloo felt a thrill of terror run down her spine at the sound.  Without thinking, she launched herself off the schoolhouse's porch and charged the dome of fog.  "Dawn!"
Even as she did so, the dome seemingly exploded, the condensed mist bursting outwards like an exploding bubble, washing over the assembled ponies, many of whom cried in panic, certain that they would be enshrouded in the impenetrable veil of the fog once again, only for their panic to ease as the mist began to lift almost immediately, dispersing and drifting away.
The ponies of the weather team, noticing that the fog was no longer as intense, began to beat their wings to clear it.  Raindrops was amazed as she watched the fog, which had proven completely untouchable to pegasi earlier, dispersed within seconds.  Storm Front quickly altered the path of he swing and began using the wind he'd gathered with the meteor hammer's movements to produce a gust that assisted in driving back the fog.
Red River, instead of thrusting, drew back and slashed his spear horizontally, releasing his power along its entire length, creating a gust of his own that drove the fog in front of him away, clearing out the space where Dawn and Willow had been standing.  As he looked, his eyes widened at the sight before him...
> The Audience
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5: The Audience

The changeling said nothing in response to his request.  Rather, it turned and began to move, its wings buzzing, taking it off the ground, but not very high, just barely enough to take it above the empty husks of its brethren that covered the chamber floor.  However, Arkenstone did not follow.  It paused and he suspected was eyeing him with confusion as he stayed where he was.
"I am sorry for disturbing the remains of your kin," he said softly, "I have no wish to do so further if it is avoidable.  Is there a path you could lead me to that would take me around this so I do not continue to do so?"
For a moment, the only sound that reached his ears was the continual buzzing of his guide.  Then, it began to shift position, arcing around to his side and leading him back towards where he had come in.  Arkenstone carefully turned on the spot and made his way after the lone changeling, feeling with his forehooves and gently brushing aside the brittle sections of carapace and the even more delicate remains of changeling wings as he followed.  A few moments later, the sensation of the chitinous plates and papery wings disappeared and he found himself in the open, untouched by the remains of any changeling.  His guide continued to move ahead of him, setting its hooves on the ground and walking, now that the way was clear.
From the sound of the echoes, Arkenstone suspected that he was being lead in a circuit around the chamber before being taken to an exit that lay directly across from the point where he had come in.  From there, it was simply a matter of following the trail of sound and smell as his guide continued to lead him on, his hooves not faltering in the slightest as they set down on smooth sections of rock, worn away by the hooves of the countless changelings that had traveled through this tunnel long before he had come.
The flow of air stirring the hairs of his coat told him when they came to several intersections in the system of tunnels.  Remaining with his guide, he went through several turns and down several paths that nopony could hope to follow, particularly not in the pitch-black of the changeling caverns.
Well...almost nopony.
Finally, after nearly an hour of travel, the tunnel once again widened out into a chamber.  This one was not as vast and cavernous as the one where Arkenstone had met his guide.  Rather, the ceiling was a bit lower.  He could tell by the echoes as droplets fell from the stalactites that dotted the roof.  Arkenstone marked their location.  The downward-facing stone daggers could be useful if things turned sour.  The floor, however, seemed relatively smooth, with only a small forest of stalagmites rising from one end of the chamber, which had been arranged about a small clearing where a single stone seat had been carved.
Arkenstone sniffed the air carefully.  He could smell her now, that strange, bitter, changeling scent.  By scent alone, it would have been difficult to distinguish her from any other changeling.  However, he was also barely able to pick up the faint pheromones emitted from her body, the scent that solidified her control and authority over her swarm, that formed the basis for the magic she used to reinforce that control.  He could smell the scent, the way she used it as a medium for the magic shared between the Queen and her subjects.
It was rather like his magic, in a way.
Her scent was mingled with other things though.  Faintly, he could pick up traces of his old friend, Shining Armor.  He could also pick up the remnants of the scent of that perfume Cadance liked.  They were traces, artifacts of her time spent impersonating Cadance, exerting her control over Shining Armor and siphoning his love from him like a parasite.
And yet, Arkenstone felt no anger stir within him.  While he believed that he was generally well enough in control of his own emotions that he didn’t need to worry about anger overly much, he wouldn’t have been surprised to feel a bubble of rage rise within him at the thought of what this creature had done to his dear friends.
He didn’t feel anger because another feeling overshadowed it, much like that other scent from Queen Chrysalis overshadowed all those lesser ones.
“What do you want here pony?”
Arkenstone gulped and mastered himself, amazed at the experience of having to fight for his composure in front of an enemy, something he hadn’t needed to do for a long time.
“I am Arkenstone, a Knight in personal service to Princess Celestia.  I have come to speak with you in hopes that we might be able to negotiate.”
A dry cackle, brittle like old twigs, echoed through the chamber.  Arkenstone shuddered, knowing his offer was pointless the moment the words left his mouth.  There would be no negotiation.  There was no point to negotiation.
“How amusing.  Celestia must still be terrified after losing to me.  So instead she sends one of her lapdogs to gloat over what she and hers have wrought.”  Chrysalis’s voice dripped with contempt and Arkenstone knew she was sneering at him.
He had come expecting to find the changelings battered and regrouping after being blasted out of Canterlot.  But this was beyond his worst expectations.  Yes, there was a reason Arkenstone was unable to feel anger in Chrysalis’s presence, in spite of the reminders of her past misdeeds dancing tantalizingly in the air.  It was because anger had been replaced by another emotion...horror.  Arkenstone was horrified of what lay before him.  As he finally realized the truth of the matter, he struggled to put words to his feelings.
“Shining...Cadance...what have you done?”



Twilight's head snapped up from the book she'd been reading, almost automatically turning in the direction of Ponyville.  From beside her, Arkenstone's ears swiveled towards her and he sniffed the air carefully.  "Is something wrong?"
"I'm not sure," said Twilight nervously.  For a brief moment, she'd felt as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach, as though something terrible might have happened.  But she couldn't be sure.
Arkenstone turned his head in the general direction of Ponyville as well and frowned pensively.  "I cannot say for certain," he said, "But perhaps you felt something.  Your connection with your friends is strong.  If they are in some sort of distress, then perhaps you felt it as well."
Twilight blinked and turned towards Arkenstone, surprised he hadn't simply dismissed her impression out of hoof.  He flicked his ear at her.  "If your connection with your friends is strong enough to drive out the madness of a rampaging alicorn and seal away a god of chaos, then something like this is rather mundane in comparison, don't you think?"
"I guess," admitted Twilight, once again turning to look towards Ponyville, even though the walls of the library around them made it a mostly pointless gesture.  If she went out to the edge of the city, she could, at best, make out the small town as a tiny dot in the distance if she wanted to.  However, just looking would have done little good.  If her friends were in trouble, then there wasn't much she could do from Canterlot.  "Should we go back?"
Arkenstone shook his head slowly.  "Have faith in them.  Your battles here still need to be fought.  Going back now would only waste our opportunity here and make your task all that more difficult when you try again."
Twilight sighed and nodded, before checking the clock on the wall.  After a pleasant lunch with her parents, the pair of them had retired to the library again to wait until it was time to head to the Royal Palace and attend the Night Court for their audience with Princess Luna.  Waiting like this grated on Twilight's nerves.  Given her position, she was used to just walking in to see whichever Princess she needed to.  Of course, the only reason she tended to come back to Canterlot anymore was when she was summoned by the princesses for some task or another.
However, their wait was finally over.  Twilight's eyes widened as she noticed that the clock had struck three.  "Arky," she said quickly, "It's time to go."
"Is that so?" mused the stallion, closing his book and standing up, "Then let's be off."



"The measure passes," declared an imperious mare from the podium at the front and center of the massive chamber, "The issuing of the Royal Warrant shall be reinstated.  This measure shall come into effect upon the first day of spring in the coming year.  When we reconvene, we shall examine the selection process and the requirements for eligibility.  This Parliament is dismissed."
A low cacophony of hooves against the wooden floor and quiet chatter filled the air as the mares and stallions of Equestria's Parliament made for the exits, many coming together to chat, some about their plans for the evening, others already making plans for the next session with their cohorts.  The mass of ponies slowly made their way out the room's exits.
In a balcony above the chamber, two white stallions stood and watched the proceedings, tension draining away as the two of them relaxed.  The older of the pair ran a hoof over the grayish-blue mustache on his snout.  “Well, that’s the first hurdle cleared.”
The other stallion nodded, in the process, tossing his brilliant, golden mane.  “You certainly lobbied hard enough for it,” said Prince Blueblood, giving his compatriot a wry grin.
“I suppose so,” mused Fancy Pants with a wistful sigh as he turned his gaze back down to the emptying Parliament chamber, “It’s ironic isn’t it.  When we were younger, this would just be the yammering of a bunch of old ponies.  But now, it has us on the edge of our seats.”
“It’s still the yammering of a bunch of old ponies,” scoffed Blueblood, “Some of those representatives were serving before I was born.  I think we may need to lobby for term limits next.”
“It would certainly do to get some new blood in every once and a while,” agreed Fancy Pants.
“And the old coots would spend less time worrying about their next election and actually get some work done,” added Blueblood.
The two of them turned around and made their way off the balcony and out into the hallway.  Down the hallway lay the entrance into the Royal Palace, which the Parliamentary building abetted.  The two of them made their way along the hall, chatting as they went.
“I’ll tell Shining how everything went,” said Blueblood, “He’s been biting his hooves over this for a while.”
“Well, we can’t relax just yet,” said Fancy Pants, “I’ve seen the the latest drafts of the proposals for the selection process and the rules of eligibility.  They fit our plans to a T as both of Twilight Sparkle’s friends meet the requirements.  However, if any amendments are made...”
“Don’t go borrowing trouble,” said Blueblood, patting his friend across the withers, “I doubt any of the representatives will find anything objectionable in either proposal.  They’re very likely to pass through as-is.  You and your friends were extremely careful of that when you drew them up.”  He sighed.  “The real challenge will come when the bill is passed.  Twilight Sparkle’s friends will still have to go through the selection process.  Reinstating the Royal Warrant system was something we arranged to help them.  But it will be up to them to claim it.”
Fancy Pants chuckled.  “Now who’s the one borrowing trouble?  Knowing Rarity as I do, I have no difficulty believing that she will be able to win one for herself.  I have every bit as much confidence in Miss Applejack as well.  To me, getting them the opportunity has always been the hardest part.”
Blueblood frowned.  “I suppose,” he admitted.  However, his eyelid twitched as memories of that particular Grand Galloping Gala returned; memories of a crazed, alabaster mare who’d clung to him like a limpet and an equally crazy (in her own way) mare, who’d somehow been possessed of the notion that she could sell food at an event that was already fully catered.  He found Fancy Pants’ optimism a little hard to accept.
The sound of hooves galloping up the hall behind the two stallions gave them paused.  They turned to see one of Blueblood's runners, the messengers of his noble house, skid to a stop in front of him.
"Sir," gasped the messenger, "I just got a report from one of our observers.  Dame Twilight Sparkle arrived in Canterlot this morning."
Both stallions tensed and glanced at each other nervously.  "Was she alone?" asked Blueblood.
"No.  Your friend, Arkenstone, was with her."
Blueblood let out the breath he had been holding.  "Thank goodness.  I'd have had words with that stallion if he'd let Dame Sparkle come to Canterlot by herself."
"Sir," interjected the messenger, "The observer also noted that he was not the only one to notice Dame Sparkle's arrival."
"Of course he wasn't," muttered Blueblood.  The various members of the Noble Court had so many spies and agents planted throughout Canterlot, that he had to wonder just how much of the city's population consisted of its own citizens anymore.
Even if she'd arrived in the dead of night, cloaked in shadow, he was fairly certain that Twilight Sparkle would have still been spotted six times over before she'd gotten halfway to the Palace, like that one attempt she'd made to "sneak" into the Starswirl the Bearded Wing of the Royal Archives, a move that baffled everypony as Twilight had been free to come and go there as she pleased for years.  Even the members of the Noble Court had been so utterly flummoxed by her behavior (to say nothing of her state of dress at the time), that they'd briefly forgotten they were supposed to be trying to ensnare her for their inane schemes.  By the time they'd gotten over their collective bamboozlement, Twilight Sparkle had been back in Ponyville for over a day.
"Where is she now?" asked Fancy Pants.
"After disembarking at the station, Dame Sparkle and her escort immediately made for her family's home," replied the messenger, "That was the latest report I've received."
"Thank you," said Blueblood, "Return to your post and wait for further developments.  It may be that we'll have need of your swift hooves again before the night is over."
The messenger nodded and spun about before galloping off.
"What do you think she's here for?" asked Fancy Pants.
"Who can say," said Blueblood, "I very much doubt she's come just to visit her parents.  Shining and I have both counseled them that it's best to go to her than the other way around.  And yet, she clearly isn't here at Auntie Celestia's behest if she's choosing to stay at her family's home rather than her quarters in the Palace.  We should probably consult Shining and see what he thinks."
"Lead on then," said Fancy.  The two stallions set off for the palace once again, the sound of their hooffalls increasing ever-so-slightly in frequency.



The plan had been relatively simple.  In order to meet with Princess Luna at the earliest opportunity, it was imperative to be first in line for the Night Court, which opened just as the sun went down.  The waning summer meant that the sun was setting earlier each night, which meant that the Night Court was starting earlier each night as well.  Granted, going to the Palace at three in the afternoon was a bit of a stretch, but Twilight was a strong believer in never being tardy.
That seemed to have worked against them in a sense.  They were indeed first to arrive.  But Twilight had forgotten that the recently established Night Court, being barely over two years old at that point, was still not heavily sought after.  In the time since her return, Princess Luna's efforts had been directed towards reintroducing herself to Equestria as something other than the bogeymare from their Nightmare Night festivities.  At the same time, all of the ministries that Luna had presided over, all of the duties she had once held, had been taken over by Celestia out of necessity in the thousand years since Luna's banishment.  The Sister Princesses were still in the process of sorting out their respective responsibilities now that there were two of them to run things.  Of course, none of that factored in the need to bring Luna up to speed on the political and social reforms that had taken place in her absence, as well as her continued efforts to break her habit of speaking in Old-Equish at full-volume every time she spoke to anypony other than her sister.
The end result meant that it was a long, and relatively pointless wait.  An hour of sitting in the waiting room adjacent to Luna's audience chamber had worn on Twilight's nerves as the lavender mare found herself desperately wishing that she'd though to bring a book along.  Arkenstone seemed to be coping well.  However, given how still he was and the fact that his eyes were always closed, Twilight found herself wondering if he'd dozed off.
A few minutes later, the doors to the room swung open.  Though them came the familiar white coat and blue mane of Twilight's older brother.
"Shiny!" she squealed, launching herself off the opulently cushioned bench and throwing her arms around her brother's shoulders.
"Hey Twily," said Shining, grinning as he returned her exuberant hug, "What are you two doing up in Canterlot?"
Twilight drew back and smiled at her brother.  "We needed to talk to Princess Luna about something," she said simply.
Shining Armor frowned, blinking in confusion as he eyed his sister.  "But why didn't you just write Princess Celestia and ask her to bring you up to speak to Princess Luna?" he inquired, "Why go to mom and dad's place?"
Twilight paused, remembering the reason she and Arkenstone had decided they couldn't seek Celestia's help in their endeavor.  "It's important," she said after a moment, "But it's something we have to talk to Princess Luna about first."
Shining blinked in confusion and looked over Twilight's shoulder at Arkenstone.  The other stallion, seeming to feel Shining's gaze, slowly shook his head, his expression neutral.  Realizing that he was being warned off, Shining Armor decided to drop the subject.  He stepped back from Twilight and eyed the empty waiting room.  "If you two came to see Princess Luna, aren't you a little early?"
Twilight chuckled sheepishly and blushed.  "Sorry, I got a bit carried away.  I forgot that the Night Court isn't very popular yet."
"It's a shame that," remarked a cheerfully cultured voice as a pair of stallions came into the room behind Shining.  Twilight looked up, her eyes widening in surprise as she recognized them.
"Fancy Pants!" she said, her voice betraying her shock.
"It's good to see you Dame Twilight Sparkle," said the distinguished stallion, bowing politely to her.
Again, Twilight blushed as she returned his bow.  "Please don't be so formal," she said, "You're a friend of Rarity's, which means you're a friend of mine."
Fancy chuckled and Twilight turned her attention to the other stallion, who stood off to Shining's other side.  Her eyes narrowed fractionally.
"Prince Blueblood," she said, her tone cool.
"I prefer Duke Blueblood" he said, "Prince was mother's name for me, while my father's was Wishful Thinking."  The three other stallions in the room chuckled at Blueblood's self-deprecating jibe.  But Twilight still regarded him with an irritable gaze, which, to his credit, Blueblood met without flinching.
After matching Twilight's almost-glare for nearly a full minute, Blueblood closed his eyes and sighed in resignation.  He looked in turn at Shining, Fancy, and Arkenstone.  "Gentlecolts, could you give us a minute?"
Both Shining and Fancy nodded nervously and headed for the door.  Arkenstone also got off his seat and proceeded past Twilight and Blueblood without a word.  The three other stallions exited the room and shut the doors behind them, leaving Twilight and Blueblood alone.
Once the echoes of the doors' shutting had finished reverberating around the room, Blueblood turned his full attention to Twilight.  "So...still sore on your friend's behalf about the Gala.  Such solidarity is impressive...I suppose."
Twilight's eyes narrowed further.  "I'm amazed you still have your title.  Princess Celestia should have sent you to the moon for the way you treated Rarity."
Blueblood showed impressive resilience to Twilight's hostility as he idly examined a hoof.  "Oh believe me, she wasn't exactly happy with me after she'd heard what had transpired.  We had...words...after she returned from her little donut run with you and your friends.  She agreed to stay her judgment after hearing my side of the story."
"What?" exclaimed Twilight, rigid with shock, "After everything you did, she forgave you!"
"She did," agreed Blueblood, "Perhaps it's too much of me to ask the same of you and your friends, but I still stand by what I did."
"How could you?" gasped Twilight, her horn sparking as her rage spilled over into her magic, "All Rarity wanted was-"
"What precisely?" said Blueblood cutting her off, "She wanted me to treat her like a lady, behave like a gentlecolt.  I can certainly understand that.  But was that all she wanted?"
Twilight opened her mouth to deny ulterior motives on her friend's part, but froze as the memories of that fateful day when Celestia had sent them their tickets washed over her.  Abruptly, she recalled Rarity's rather dramatic fantasies of how her night at the Gala would go.  "She..."
"She would have liked for me to act like a gentlecolt," said Blueblood, his tone cold, icy even, "I'm sure she would have liked that.  Of course, I would have liked her not to behave like the sort of scheming, social-climbing, gold-digging nags that surround me at every social function I attend.  Just once, I would have liked to have been treated like myself, like Blueblood, not Celestia's nephew (some fifty-times removed).  I would liked to have been approached by a mare who actually wanted to get to know me, not one who was wrapped up in some fantasy of marrying a prince (which I’m not) and being whisked off to a fairy-tale ending.  But, as your friend can definitely attest, we can't always get what we want."
Twilight's mouth worked silently as she struggled to come up with an answer.  But she couldn't.
Blueblood continued, taking advantage of her speechlessness.  "I do have to complement your friend on her tenacity.  I inverted the entire code of for gentlecoltly behavior and she stayed with me.  I actually had to go as far as to use her as an equine shield before she'd finally had enough."  Blueblood managed to hold back that he'd torn out of there as fast as his hooves could carry him after Rarity had finally snapped, part of him genuinely afraid for his life.
"You did that on purpose?" gasped Twilight.
"Of course," answered Blueblood matter-of-factly, "Did you really think I was that dense to not realize how horridly I was treating a lady..."  He trailed off for a moment before holding up a hoof sharply as Twilight opened her mouth.  "Don't answer that!  I'd spent years perfecting that facade; a pompous ass with his head too far up his own plot to have any idea of what makes mares tick.  I may be a duke, but my relation to Celestia, to say nothing of my first name, offer no tangible benefits, at least, nothing sufficient that a mare with any lick of sense would want to saddle herself with such an unctuous husband.
"I should actually thank your friend for smearing my face with cake.  Thanks to that, my reputation plummeted and the weekly marriage proposals finally dropped to monthly ones.  I stopped getting constant invitations to balls and dinners where ponies with every intention in the book wanted to hobnob with "Celestia's nephew."  I was actually free to work on advancing my career thanks to her."
Twilight wanted to say something...anything...in defense of her dear friend.  The biting bitterness in Blueblood's voice made it clear how he'd felt about Rarity's advances and, while Twilight's heart was still firmly in sympathy with her friend, some part of her couldn't help but also sympathize with the harried duke.  "I want to forgive you," she said, "I really do...But you shattered Rarity's dreams with what you did."
"Did I?" asked Blueblood, raising an eyebrow, "I thought her dream was to take the fashion world by storm, to earn the praise and adoration of ponies across Equestria with her designs, to make her name a household word.  Isn't that what her dream was?"
Twilight blinked and stared at Blueblood, who seemed to read the question in her gaze.  "You're forgetting, Fancy Pants, one of Miss Rarity's compatriots is a dear friend of mine.  We've also been doing a great deal of research in order to block off avenues of approach that the Noble Court can use to assert control over you and yours.  I know quite a bit about Miss Rarity's ambitions.
"How then, did marrying a ‘prince’ like myself figure into her plans?  Can you honestly say that she is the kind of mare who would seek to ride the coattails of others to success without any effort of her own?"
Twilight simply didn't know what to say.  While Rarity was extremely proud of her business, her success, and, more importantly, how she'd accomplished it all through her own efforts, she was also a passionate pony in a more irrational sense as well.  Rarity was the sort to occasionally allow herself to get carried away by the wings of fantasy, especially as far as romance was concerned.  Twilight was a bit jarringly reminded of the way Rarity had simply shelved reality and gotten lost in her fantasies about how the Gala would go for her when she'd first learned about the tickets, in much the same way that Twilight herself got lost in a good book she'd just opened.  When the night had finally come, Rarity had completely forgotten the things that made her who she was in order to embrace a fantasy that might well have jumped off the pages of one of the novels in the library's romance section.
"I-I think I can understand," said Twilight, looking up at Blueblood, "But you're not giving Rarity enough credit.  If you'd just given her a chance, I'm sure she would have been happy to learn about the real you."
For a moment, Blueblood looked aghast.  Twilight actually felt...sorry for him.  "You've gotten so used to mares sidling up to you for your title and your relationship to the Princess that you've gotten used to judging them right off the bat.  Rarity gets...carried away sometimes.  But I don't think she ever really meant to do anything without getting to know you first."
Blueblood sighed sadly, an expression of hurt and sorrow crawling over his face.  "Perhaps...But I have had poor experience with giving a mare a chance.  It is not an experience I wish to risk repeating."
Twilight sighed forlornly.  "Look.  I'll talk to Rarity about this, I promise.  But maybe you can talk to her too sometime.  At the very least, could the two of you meet each other halfway."
Blueblood closed his eyes like a criminal facing execution and nodded solemnly.  "I suppose.  However, let's worry about the future another time.  We still have to make it through today, after all."
Twilight nodded and forced a smile.  The two of them looked at each other for another moment before they were satisfied that the air had been sufficiently clear.  Blueblood's eyes flicked towards the door the other stallions had left through, a slight smirk gracing his face before his horn glowed and his telekinesis yanked the portal open, causing Shining Armor and Fancy Pants to come tumbling in as their support gave way, the two stallions landing in a sprawling pile at the duke's hooves.  Behind them stood Arkenstone, as composed and relaxed as always.
"Are you two satisfied?" asked Blueblood, raising an eyebrow while Twilight scowled at her brother for eavesdropping.
"So I take it you worked things out," suggested Shining Armor with a sheepish grin.
"You could take some lessons from Arky," growled Twilight, "At least he knows better than to eavesdrop on a private conversation."  The stallion in question strode past the two prone ponies, an expression that, on any other pony's face, would have been called smug.(1)
Shining and Fancy got back on their hooves with many groans, both looking a bit embarrassed at having been found out.  Twilight huffed and shook her head.  "Boys..."
At that moment, the door on the other end of the room, the one leading to Luna's audience chamber, swung open to admit a single unicorn.  His coat was a dark tan color, which only served to accentuate his other features, a pair of glittering, shockingly crimson eyes and a mane and tail that were a shade of white that Twilight could only describe as "off."  However, what really got Twilight's attention was his horn.  Unlike every other unicorn she had ever seen, whose horns were covered by velvet in the same color and shade as their coat, this stallion's horn looked bare and was a striking white color that matched his mane.  No, it isn't bare.  As Twilight looked closer, she could see that it was sheathed in something.  However, instead of the usual velvet, it was something that reminded her of the glittering, crystalline substance that coated the bodies of the ponies of the Crystal Empire.  As his tail swished about, Twilight noted his cutie mark was that of a herald's trumpet, complete with a decorative banner, although said banner appeared to be blank.
His eyes locked onto Twilight immediately and he flashed her a polite smile.  "Dame Twilight Sparkle: Element of Magic, Her Most Serene Highness of the Starlit Night: Princess Luna extends her greetings and gratitude for her attendance and welcomes you to the Night Court."
For a moment, briefly overwhelmed by the tidal wave of courtly formality, including the first use of her full title that Twilight had heard in a long time, Twilight reeled as her mind struggled to come up with the appropriate answer to the stallion's greeting.  "Oh...uh...Thank you for conveying the Princess's message to us," she said after a moment, grasping the only thing she could think of.
"You're welcome," replied the stallion cheerfully, "I am White Horn, chief steward of the Night Court.  Marvel at my parents' boundless imagination."
Twilight couldn't help it.  She burst out into giggles.  "For real?" she asked once she regained her breath.
His eyes twinkling, the stallion chuckled.  "No.  I was kidding.  My parents actually named me Wight Shade."
Okay, that name completely killed the humor of the situation.  Twilight had never heard of parents with such a morbid taste in names.  Seeing her expression fall made the stallion shrug.  "Not having your horn match the color of your coat is a bad omen amongst old-school unicorn families.  I think that they were feeling a bit star-crossed when they named me that.  Although, I’m honestly surprised you noticed that.  Most ponies think it’s just a pun."
If anything, Wight's casual dismissal of the dark nature of his own name gave Twilight even more pause than his name itself.  However, she took a moment to recover her self-control.  "I-I see.  If you're here, then does it mean that we're going to see Princess Luna now?"
Wight bobbed his head.  "Of course."  His bright-red eyes swept over the assembled stallions.  "I was told that you'd only had one companion when you applied for the meeting.  I'm afraid that I can only allow one of you to come with her.  Protocol and all that..."
"Perfectly understandable," agreed Arkenstone without the slightest trouble, stepping forward, "Let us proceed."
Twilight nodded as she fell in step with her friend and the two of them made their way towards the door leading to the audience chamber.  The other three stallions waited behind, watching as the two of them headed on.
Once the door to the waiting room swung closed, Twilight, Arkenstone, and Wight found themselves in a short hallway leading to the audience chamber itself.  The hall was a deep-blue color that deepened even further into black as the walls rose towards the curved ceiling.  Twilight looked up and gasped when she saw that the ceiling seemed to be covered in glittering stars, her eyes picking out many constellations of the night.  "Amazing."
Wight smirked.  "Yes.  When it came to interior decorating, I always thought that Princess Luna had the better taste.  She was quite surprised you know."
"That we'd asked for an audience?" queried Twilight.
"That you'd come to speak to her before going to Celestia," answered Wight, his smile fading somewhat, "Friendship aside, you are Celestia's student after all.  Princess Luna wondered what sort of dark matter might have you come seeking her aid before her sister's.  Celestia too, now that I think of it.  She came to ask Princess Luna about it a few moments before I was sent to collect you."
"Well..."  Twilight tried to figure out an answer, "...It's something a bit private that I wanted to bring up to Princess Luna first."
"I see.  Celestia has chosen to respect your decision and has withdrawn for now, though I suppose she'll be wanting some sort of explanation."  He stopped talking as they had reached the doors leading to the audience chamber.  To Twilight's surprise, they seemed to swing open of their own volition.  Glancing over, she saw no indication that Wight was using his magic, no crimson aura extending from his horn, or wrapping around the doors for that matter.
Twilight wanted to ask, but more pressing matters demanded her attention after all.  Beyond these doors, hopefully, lay information that could help her solve the mystery of Dawn Lightwing’s eyes, that could help her bring an end to the Cult Solar’s distortions and machinations, that could make better the lives of ponies that were very important to her.
So Twilight set aside her curiosity about Wight and instead turned, squared her shoulders, and marched into the chamber, the steward’s voice echoing softly behind her as she walked.
“Announcing Dame Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic.”
> An Assassin's Price
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 6: An Assassin’s Price

Willow reached under her right wing to draw her weapon, producing a short, bladed weapon that bent at an angle partway down its length.  There was a curved edge that ran along the inside of the angle, running up and around the pointed tip of the weapon.  A smile graced the assassin’s face.  Her kukri had never failed to end a victim’s life.  One slash was all it would take.
Whenever she could, she went for the throat, not just because it was an easy target, but by going for the same target every time, it drew ponies’ attention to that spot whenever they might face her.  It gave the illusion that she had a signature attack, a method of killing that she prized above all else.  As with everything she did, it was only an illusion to make her victims all the more vulnerable.
To Willow’s eyes, the equine body was a patchwork creation, replete with countless seams she could target to take the whole thing apart.  Faced with this colt, she had endless options as to how to kill him.  She could go across his throat as she usually did.  She could target the arteries that lay near the surface along his fetlocks.  Or she could simply slip the broad tip of her weapon between his ribs and into his heart.  A single simple weapon, but so many ways to put it to use.
Even if this colt, Dawn Lightwing didn’t know anything about her or her reputation, it was obvious that he was a wary colt, experienced in the ways of battle.  Willow knew that Dawn could perceive his own vulnerability in this situation.  She naturally expected him to make some effort at defense, to try and guard something.
And yet, there he stood, his body motionless, his wings actually hanging down slightly, his posture completely relaxed.  Willow could see as clear as day, her own fog no impediment for her.  Dawn Lightwing was blind, the mist distorted sound so that one could never tell its point of origin.  As thick as it was, there was no way he could even sense her through the air itself.  And yet, he looked completely at ease, his eyes closed, his ears pulled in tight against his skull.  Willow could tell that he had completely withdrawn into himself.  He was completely vulnerable, utterly unguarded, and yet...And yet he leaves nothing open.
Her focus narrowed down.  Right now, the assassin didn't spare a single thought for whomever might be waiting outside her barrier.  Dawn Lightwing, her target, her mark, was the only thing in the world to her.  This was the moment Willow had been building towards over the past year, all the searching, all the research, all the work of this day, had been building towards this moment.  Dawn was before her, he was as vulnerable and helpless as he would ever be.
Now was the time to strike.
And so she did.



Dawn had completely closed off his senses.  There should have been nothing that told him when the assassin would strike, where her blow would land.  But when she moved, Dawn knew that his moment had come.  His body moved its own volition, the movements no longer guided by conscious action.  The better part of a lifetime spent practicing and honing his techniques had been building towards this moment.
Dawn's wing swept forward, the magic traveling along the feathers to stir the air amongst them.  While the mist weighed him down and made it impossible to move enough air for his regular attacks, by agitating the air closest to and amongst his feathers, he was able to generate an electric charge.  Acting on the instinct that had been pounded into his very bones, Dawn allowed the energy to flow towards the very tip of his furthest primary.  Rather than letting it flow across the whole of his body, or even the whole of his wing, he instead contained the flow to the smallest area possible.
The lightning was doing something strange.  By keeping it circulating within that tiny area at the tip of his feather, Dawn could feel it building power.  Furthermore, that power was affecting the fog, pushing it back away from that point, allowing access to more air.  That air was drawn into the circulating vortex of electrical energy, becoming charged, energized, and giving rise to something else, congealing into a spinning orb that was almost pure energy.
Willow's attack came with unrelenting speed, the edge of her blade cutting through her own fog, going straight for Dawn's throat.  Not even thinking, Dawn slid to the side, just avoiding her strike by the barrest of margins.  Instead, the tip of the blade barely nicked the side of his neck.  At that same moment, Dawn's wing jabbed forward, thrusting the orb at the mare.
It impacted with a loud crack of discharge.  Crackling energy surged over Willow's body, causing her muscles to spasm.  It swept over her wings, causing her feathers to burst into flames and burn away, much like Dawn's had when he had tried using lightning for the first time.  The jolting propelled Willow's body through the air, causing her to tumble to the ground a fair distance behind the ebony colt.  With her feathers gone, Willow's hold on the fog, and her magic that infused it, evaporated.
"Dawn!"  The colt's ears twitched as he heard Scootaloo's voice.  Already, his wind sense was coming back.  Even though the fog was still obstructing his vision, he could sense her barreling through it towards him, her own motions guided by her own application of the sense.
Even though it was still there, the fog was rapidly dissipating.  The area around him was gradually coming back into view.  By the time Scootaloo had skidded to a stop in front of him, Dawn could easily see past her to the still form of Willow.  However, she was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment.
Dawn felt as though he had come out of a daze and his hold on the real world hadn't completely solidified.  Everything around him, even Scootaloo's face right before him, felt rather far away and muddled...Which may have explained Dawn's complete lack of reaction when Scootaloo brought her hoof down towards the top of his head.
Taken completely off-guard, the black colt yelped sharply as Scootaloo's hoof smacked the top of his head.  Before he could react, even to so much as reach up and rub the sore spot forming between his ears, the bright-orange filly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
"You jerk!" she sobbed pressing her face against his neck, "I told you not to do that to me again!"
Dawn pulled away from her slightly, using his own forelegs to push her back a little.  He then pressed his forehead against hers, ignoring the slight ache from where her hoof had impacted.  Dawn spread his wings and gently stretched them out wrapping them behind Scootaloo's head, surrounding both of them in a feathery cocoon.  It wasn't enough to completely enshroud them the way Fluttershy's wings did when she embraced Dawn, but it helped close off any distractions from the outside world.
"It's alright," he whispered gently as Scootaloo continued to sniff and sob, "Everything's alright."
Scootaloo pulled back again and looked at Dawn's eyes questioningly.  He nodded and she released her hold on him.  Dawn retracted his wings, letting in the light of day, helping the two foals to realize that the fog had been completely dispersed.  More importantly, they had an audience.
Off to one side stood Red River, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie.  Red River was staring at Dawn, his expression torn between shock and amazement.  Applejack was almost on the verge of crying herself upon the realization that everypony was safe.
Up above hovered Storm Front, Rainbow Dash, and Soarin', along with the rest of the Weather Team.  Dawn's sharp ears picked up faint titters from the mares among the group as they watched the scene play out below them.
And on the other side, standing at the entrance to the Schoolhouse, were Cheerilee and the other foals.  The teacher looked as though she was ready to faint from relief, tears having made damp tracks down her face as she worried over the fate of her student.  The foals showed a variety of reactions.  None of them had seen what had taken place, but it was clear that they were surprised to see Dawn alive and unhurt, save for a tiny scratch on his neck.  However, two fillies stood out in particular.  Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were looking at Scootaloo and grinning like Pinkie Pie had just hooved them the keys to her sweets cellar.
Scootaloo's cheeks turned a brilliant shade of crimson as she realized what everypony had seen her doing.  At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to curl up on the ground and pretend it had never happened.  As it was, she was frozen in place in horror at having so many ponies witness her sentimental side.
So it was almost a relief when Dawn strode past her almost like she wasn't even there.  Her embarrassment momentarily forgotten, Scootaloo whirled around to see what he was doing.  Her eyes widened when she saw that he was heading towards the unmoving form of the mare that had just tried to kill him.
"I know you're still alive," he said.
Willow coughed and hacked for a moment before she finally managed to get her lungs working properly.  "It wasn't like I was playing dead," she protested, "I know better than to think that would work against someone like you."
The mare had definitely seen better days.  Her pale-gray coat was now covered in large splotches in an angry red and black, Dawn's attack having seared away her coat and burned the vulnerable skin underneath.  The blistering burns stretched across her entire body, but were centered on her chest, where his attack had made its initial contact.  Her mane and tail had been reduced to a few scraggly strings of hair.  Her wings looked worst of all, her feathers having been burned away all the way down to the coverts.  Only a few tiny clumps clung to life here and there along their length.  Her right fetlock was still clamped tightly around the handle of her kukri.  But she hardly even had the strength to stand, much less wield the deadly weapon.  The assassin was a shadow of her former self.
"Now what?" she asked.
When Dawn dropped his head and spread his wings in an extremely formal pegasus bow, Willow's jaw dropped, indicating that had not been what she was expecting.
"Thank you," said Dawn.  Behind him, most of their audience looked on in utter befuddlement.  Only Storm Front and Red River, being fellow martial artists, appeared to have some grasp of what was going on.
Once Willow got her jaw back in working order, she opened her mouth like she wanted to say something.  Then she closed it again.  Finally, a smile blossomed across her face and she laughed uproariously, laughter that quickly dissolved into watery coughs, indicating that the damage had affected her throat as well.
"Unbelievable," she said, reaching up weakly with her free hoof to carefully wipe tears away from her eyes, doing her best to keep away from the burns on her foreleg and her face as she did so, "I'd always wondered what it would be like; the day someone got the better of me.  I've imagined a lot of things, gloating, taunting, insults...but nothing like this."  She favored Dawn with a smile that could only be described as fond.  "I guess I was lucky to lose to you then."
The sound of hoofsteps came up behind Dawn.  Looking over his shoulder, he saw Storm and Red approaching.
"You sure surprised me kid," said the azure stallion, a happy smile on his face, "That was incredible."
Storm paused and looked at his friend.  "You know what happened then?"
"I had an idea of it yeah," replied Red, a knowing smirk on his face as he turned to Dawn, "You willingly entered into that zone of death, put yourself completely at her mercy, then struck when she did to take advantage of her own focus.  The last time I checked, right before I was gonna break in, I thought there was something off about my impression of you, like you weren't really even there."
Storm's eyes widened and he turned to regard Dawn, new respect making its way into his eyes.  "So then he..."
"Yeah," agreed Red River, "It was brief, only lasted an instant.  But he did it."
Scootaloo looked back and forth between the two stallions unsuccessfully trying to follow the cryptic conversation taking place.  "What?" she demanded, "What did Dawn do?"
Her voice appeared to call the two stallions' attention back to the situation at hoof as they turned their gaze to Scootaloo, before turning their attention back to Willow, who hadn't moved.  "We can explain later," said Storm, "But right now, we have a more important matter to attend to."
Red River turned to regard the crowd that was arrayed behind them.  "Okay everypony, everything's good, so break it up!"  He turned a pointed gaze to Cheerilee and nodded to her, instructing her without words, but also in no uncertain terms, that she should take the foals back into the schoolhouse.  The other ponies reluctantly began to leave, although several worried parents also hurried into the cheery, red building to check on their children.  Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Soarin’ all remained behind, gathering around the group.  Flitter hovered uncertainly above for a moment, but a nod from Storm convinced her to go find out how her sister was doing.
"Now then," said Storm, turning his full attention to Willow, "There is the matter of learning your client."
"Wait a second!" snapped Scootaloo, "What are you doing?"
"We're going to have to interrogate her to find out who hired her," replied Storm Front nonchalantly, "After all, when whoever hired her finds out that she failed, they are likely to try again."
Willow’s eyes narrowed fractionally.  However, they widened when Scootaloo jumped in front of her, planting herself between the two stallions and the assassin.  “You can’t!” she shouted, “Not when she’s like this!”  Her mind flashed back to many of the interrogation scenes she had seen in some of the movies she had gotten to watch with her friends.
Red opened his mouth, but stopped as Dawn stepped in as well, positioning himself next to Scootaloo.  “It seems a little harsh,” he said, “Could you wait until her wounds have been treated?”
Red and Storm exchanged uncertain looks, abruptly reminded that Dawn, for all that he had been through and all that he was capable of, was still very much a colt in some ways.
Red let out a sigh.  “Kid, this is something we need to do as soon as possible.  If we give her any chance, she’ll give us the slip and it may only be a matter of time before she comes after you again.”
Storm nodded his agreement.  “An assassin is quite skilled at getting into places where they shouldn’t be and out of places where they should,” he said, “If we allow her any opening to recover, somepony as skilled as her could escape from us.”
“Besides,” said Red, putting on a disarming smile, “It’s not as though we’re gonna torture her.  Torture’s a pretty useless way of getting accurate information.”
“Huh?  Why’s that?” asked Scootaloo, momentarily forgetting the reason they were having this conversation in the first place.
“Pain addles the mind,” replied Red casually, “A pony will say whatever she thinks her tormentors will want to hear, anything to make the pain stop.  That’s all well and good if you’re trying to force a confession out of somepony, regardless of their guilt, but not so good if you want accurate information.”
Unfortunately, the four ponies had gotten a little too drawn into their conversation.  Willow, helpless on the ground behind Dawn and Scootaloo, was momentarily forgotten as they debated her fate.  As a result, they missed the slight twitching in her limbs as she forced her muscles to tense.
When Willow launched herself up, Dawn, Storm Front, and Red River all reacted quickly, but not quickly enough, their response delayed by the distraction of their conversation.  Red and Storm’s hooves immediately went to their weapons, drawing them nearly instantly.  Dawn’s wings snapped out.  However, his proximity to Scootaloo caused him to pause at the critical second, affording Willow the opening she needed.
The mare wrapped her free foreleg around Scootaloo and pulled the filly in tight to her chest, not even wincing as the squirming filly’s back ground into the massive burn there.  Dawn whirled about, but again hesitated, not sure of his accuracy with Scootaloo in front of his intended target.  Both Storm Front and Red River could have struck without hesitation.  However, they too paused when they realized that the only attacks open to them were lethal ones, that would end Willow’s life before they could get the critical information she contained.  They would not strike unless it became clear that Scootaloo was going to be harmed...
...Which is exactly what Willow had hoped for.
“Let me go!” yelled Scootaloo, her voice possessed of equal elements fear and anger.
“Scoots!”  Rainbow surged forward, but came to a halt as Soarin’ quickly grabbed her and pulled her back.
“You’ll make things worse if you jump in without thinking,” he said sharply.
Both Applejack and Pinkie stared in shock, the orange farmer uncertain about what to do.  Pinkie’s expression of shock faded when she felt her lower eyelids begin to twitch, her Pinkie Sense warning her what was about to happen.  The pink mare’s heart turned to lead in her chest and her expression became one of sadness as she recognized the twitch...the very first twitch she had ever gotten from her Pinkie Sense, the one that had come just before Granny Pie had passed away.
“What are you doing?” demanded Scootaloo again.
Surprisingly, Willow merely favored the filly with a sad smile, albeit one Scootaloo couldn’t see.  She turned her gaze and smile on Dawn next, the colt’s body limp with confusion at what he felt when he saw her expression.
“Sorry kid,” said Willow, “I just needed to borrow a little time.”
“For what?” asked Scootaloo, still struggling.
“For this.”  Willow swung her kukri in a tight arc, the blade becoming a silver flash.  It was too swift and unexpected for any of the martial artists in front of her to respond.  They couldn’t stop her blade from finding its target.
A spray of blood arced through the air.



Fluttershy stared uneasily towards Ponyville.  She had been tending her animals when, out of the corner of her eye, she’d noticed the mysterious fog envelop the town.  At first, she dismissed it as some weather-related accident, one that would be cleared up quickly.  However, a few minutes later, she noticed weather ponies trying to clear the fog and failing to affect any change.  More worryingly, she saw a few of the ponies from the team go down into the fog...only to fail to come back up out of it.  At that point, she began to worry.  Setting aside her chores for a moment, she walked a short ways down the road to get a better view.  Sadly, the cloud of fog obscured everything within its borders.
Fluttershy was uncertain of what to do.  Dawn was within that fog.  He had been in school, of course.  She wondered if he was alright.  But she wasn’t sure if the fog posed any immediate danger.  In a situation like this, she knew better than to go rushing in.  She’d already seen (or rather, not seen) what had happened to the pegasi that went down in the fog.  She didn’t want to add to the confusion of the situation by being an extra body hovering around when there wasn’t anything she could realistically contribute to help.
So she waited, hoping that it would be cleared up and she could happily go about her day.  Her decision seemed to be borne out as the fog began to draw back.  However, she then noticed that it was actually drawing towards a single location...a troublingly familiar location.  The mist congealed into a nearly solid orb right next to the schoolhouse.
Fluttershy felt sick to her stomach, her every maternal instinct warning her that something was wrong, that her son was in some sort of trouble.  She was not foolish enough to believe that Dawn would be perfectly safe in Ponyville.  That was why Storm Front and Red River had been brought in in the first place.  After everything that had happened, it wasn’t hard to believe that somepony could be threatening Dawn.  There was the Cult Solar that Twilight and Celestia had warned her about.  Or it could be somepony retaliating for what Dawn had done in Cloudsdale.  However unlikely, it could even be connected to Flash Spark or Cirrus Stratus, both ponies Dawn had done grievous harm to.
So again, Fluttershy waited patiently, putting all her hope and faith on her son’s skill and ability, the same things that had allowed him to save her twice, that had helped him survive the battle in Cloudsdale.  Fluttershy waited, believing with all her strength that she would see Dawn again, alive and well.
Her patience seemed to be rewarded when the silvery orb burst back into an enshrouding mist, but one that was quickly driven away.  However, some instinct deep in Fluttershy’s heart still told her that something was seriously wrong.



Dawn stared.  It was all he could do.  He'd always been aware that, one day, he would be faced with this.  Ever since he'd agreed to learn the Gale King from his Master, to follow the Way, that he would someday come to this point.  Even so, there was very little that could truly prepare him for what was before his eyes...Death.
Certainly, Dawn was no stranger to death in some ways.  After all, his own life had been threatened countless times.  He'd been chased and attacked by hateful bigots, stalked by monsters in the Everfree, lain at the very tip of Red River's spear, helpless to do anything as it came down.  But this was the first time he was truly experiencing the death of another, a death that he had a direct connection with...a death that he was responsible for.  Not even the death of his Master really counted in Dawn's mind as far as this was concerned.
Scootaloo flinched as something wet splattered across her head, droplets splashing against her muzzle and running down her neck.  However, what got her attention was the fact that Willow's hold on her had slackened.  In an instant, she was away, bounding towards the safety of Dawn and the others, not even pausing the look back.  As she looked forward, she noticed that none of the ponies in front of her were even looking at her, their eyes fixated on something behind her.  Those jerks!  I thought they were worried about me!  However, looking past them, Scootaloo saw the face of Rainbow Dash, who was also looking at the space behind the filly.  It was the look on Rainbow's face that actually gave Scootaloo pause.  It was a look of undisguised horror.  The orange filly came to a stop and turned to see what everypony was gawking at.  That was enough to catch Rainbow's attention.
"Scoot stop!  Don't-!"
But the cerulean mare's warning came too late.  Scootaloo turned and her eyes widened when she saw Willow, her body slumping, the artery on one side of her neck neatly slit, pumping a spurt of blood out in short pulses.  A tiny glance was all she got before Rainbow Dash rushed to her and pulled her away, shielding Scootaloo's eyes with her wings.  Her mind connecting the dots, Scootaloo reached up with a hoof and rubbed it against one of the wet spots that had splashed over her head and face.  The hoof came away with a red smear.  Scootaloo began to shake in Rainbow's grip.
Though her body was weakening and her life was ebbing away, Willow met Dawn's stunned stare with a serene smile.  "You look surprised kid.  This your first time seeing somepony die?"
Dawn blinked.  "I've seen another die before...but not like this."
Willow's smile faltered.  "I see...Sorry to ruin your day after you'd accomplished something so big.  But this is part of my job too."
"Why?" asked Dawn.
Behind him, Red River and Storm Front stood, their faces stony and composed.  Given the nature of her wound, it would still be possible to save Willow and stop her from bleeding out.  However, the assassin would simply find ways to accelerate the process.  They'd lost their chance.
Willow laughed softly, her voice getting weaker and her laughs more like coughs.  "You've got your Way kid and I've got mine.  If an assassin like me is on the verge of getting caught, then it's my job to ensure that my clients aren't betrayed.  This is what happens to a real assassin when she fails."
Dawn stepped forward, closer to Willow as she slumped all the way to the ground.  To her stunned shock, the colt reached out with his forelegs and wrapped them around the fetlock of her left foreleg, his eyes not leaving hers.
"You really don't have to hang around for this, you know," said Willow, "Nopony's going to hold you responsible for what happens to me.  You did what you had to."
"Even so..." said Dawn, his voice breaking slightly as his eyes glimmered with unshed tears, "...Even so..."
Again, Willow chuckled, her voice dropping to nearly a whisper.  "You're a good kid.  I heard about the mare that took you in.  Seems she's rubbed off on you."
She could feel the faint tremors in Dawn's forelegs as he clutched her own tightly.  However, he kept his eyes opened and refused to look away from her as her strength continued to fade.  With a weak sigh, she decided he deserved something a bit more than this.
"I won't give my clients away."  Her voice was barely audible now.  "But I can give you something, at least.  I'll tell you how I found out you were in Ponyville."
Dawn nodded and leaned in as Willow whispered some words into his ear.  When she finished, he pulled back and continued to watch as her eyes slowly drifted closed.
"Thank you," he whispered, the first tears beginning to fall.  Willow's foreleg went limp in his grip and her chest's rise and fall stopped as the life slipped from her body completely.
"Stand aside."  Storm Front came up behind Dawn, his hoof already working to undo the ties that held his silk shirt closed.  Dawn did as he was bid while Storm slipped the garment off and draped it over Willow's body, exposing the meteor hammer coiled about his right foreleg, the formidable weapon normally concealed by the shirtsleeve.  The simple shirt wasn't large enough to serve as a full shroud, but Storm was able to cover Willow's head and upper body with it.  His expression didn't change as a dark spot seeped into the fabric from where Willow's neck was.
"I'll see to things here," said Storm Front, stooping to scoop up Willow's body in his forelegs as he beat his wings to get off the ground.  In a few seconds, he was airborne and carrying the deceased assassin in the direction of the hospital, leaving the others behind.
For a moment, they simply stood silently.  Finally, it was Applejack who spoke as she went up and rested a gentle hoof on Dawn's back.  The colt didn't even flinch at the unexpected contact.  "Come on sugarcube," said Applejack softly, "Let's get ya back home."
Slowly, she began to lead the colt in the direction of Fluttershy's house while Red River fell into step with them.  Behind them, Rainbow Dash looked over at Soarin'.
"We should take Scoots back to her place," she said softly.  Soarin' nodded in agreement and the two of them set off.  Rainbow carried a mostly unresponsive Scootaloo in her arms as they flew.  The two of them made a beeline for the house the little orange filly shared with her mother.



Fluttershy watched as the mist dispersed.  Her mind wandered, conjuring every-more horrible fates that might have befallen Dawn.  If somepony was behind that fog, were they truly trying to hurt him?  A shiver went down the gentle mare's spine.  She noticed the flitting figures of pegasi helping to disperse the mist, indicating that whatever had been making it untouchable to pegasus magic before was gone.  After a few moments, she saw them drift off apparently having finished what work they were doing.
She was on the verge of heading to Ponyville to check on things herself when her ears picked up the sound of hooves on the road.  Looking towards the source, her eyes widened as she saw Red River and Applejack escorting Dawn between them.  Fluttershy's body sagged with relief.  He's alright.  However, her elation was short-lived when she saw the expression on her son's face.  It reminded her of the face he had worn when Red and Storm had presented him with the decision to "execute" him, an expression of unbearable sadness.  And yet, there was something different.  Fluttershy felt a chill when she wondered what new trauma had befallen the ebony colt.
"Dawn?"  Her voice caused the colt to look up.  When he did, Fluttershy saw something she hadn't seen since the day Applejack had apologized to Dawn for her misdeeds.  All of a sudden, Dawn's eyes overflowed with tears.  Before Fluttershy could react, he'd thrown himself against her.  On reflex, Fluttershy wrapped her arms and wings around her son and held him close, gently rocking him as he cried into her chest.  Dawn made no sound, but Fluttershy could feel his tears dampening her fur and soaking into her skin.
Horrified at this change, she looked up at Red River and Applejack, both of them watching the interplay between mother and son with their own expressions of sadness.  Applejack especially looked like she was going to start crying as well.  She had the look of a mare who'd just seen something unbearably horrific.
"What happened?" asked Fluttershy.
"Let's go inside and I'll explain," said Red River softly.



Sliding the ladder away, Spike paused to crack his back as he took one last look around the library to see if everything was in order.  It was.  The little dragon eyed the clock and realized he still had plenty of time for dinner.  A groan escaped him.  He was bored stiff.  There hadn't been a whole lot else to do though.  He'd been going through his usual chores when the fog had descended on the town.  Spike had been on the verge of going out to investigate, but the weird feeling he'd gotten from the silvery mist had made him think better of it and he closed the door and returned to his work.
As he went through checking over the shelving and dusting for the third time that day, Spike briefly wondered if it was worth risking getting lost in that eerie miasma outside to try and visit his friends.  At around that time, the mist began to stream away, letting daylight shine through the windows once more.  Figuring that it was a weather mishap, Spike shrugged and continued going about his chores.
It was like this every time Twilight had to go somewhere, whether it was on a mission for Celestia, an adventure to a strange place, no matter where Twilight's diverse experiences took her and her friends, no matter how different each trip was, for the one who was left behind, it was always the same...It was dull.  Ironically, it wasn't the laundry list of chores that Twilight left him with that grated on Spike's nerves.  After all, they were the same chores he ended up doing whether Twilight was there or not.  But rather, it was the lack of things to do that made the dragon groan.
When Twilight was around, Spike often had his claws full being her assistant.  And while that had been its own source of frustration at times (frustrations the two of them were beginning to work out), it at least left him with no shortage of things to do.  It also helped him keep his mind off his growing wings, which continued to itch and ache furiously, a sensation Twilight had put down to the experience of growing a whole new set of limbs…along with a whole set of nerves and nerve endings to go with them.  At least, this time, the rest of their little circle of friends was still hanging around in town.  He'd planned on spending some time with them, maybe help Rarity with her latest fashion project, or hanging out with Rainbow Dash while she practiced her latest stunts (although that was probably unlikely to happen as she'd been spending a lot of time enjoying the company of her new coltfriend lately), maybe help Pinkie Pie in the kitchen of Sugarcube Corner (and possibly earn a few free cupcakes in the process), or maybe help Applejack and her with some of their farm work (Spike would vigorously deny any allusions to ulterior motives for working on the farmstead that was home to a certain filly).(1)
The fog had put an end to those plans.  However, now that it was dispersed, Spike had the option of going out again.  Maybe he could find out what had caused the strange weather phenomenon.  However, as he considered it, the door to the library swung open.  Looking over, Spike froze as the familiar yellow filly with a red mane and bow came walking into the library.
"Apple Bloom?"  The filly looked up at the sound of Spike's voice.  To the little dragon's surprise, she rushed at him and tackled him to the floor, knocking the wind out of him in the process.
"Bloom?  What's wrong?" asked Spike once he found his voice again, also having the presence of the mind to return her hug.  His body stiffened (2) in surprise when he realized that Apple Bloom was shivering like she'd been outside in the freezing cold of winter, rather than having run through the town on a late summer afternoon.
"Ah-Ah'm sorry Spike," said Bloom as she continued to nuzzle up against Spike's shoulder, "Ah just needed someone..."
"What happened?" asked the dragon.
Bloom pulled back and looked into his eyes.  Spike saw the fear in them and realized whatever happened had scared her badly.  He briefly wondered where the other Crusaders were and if they were having similar trouble.
A second later, the story spilled forth out of Apple Bloom's lips.  She told Spike about the fog, about what Dawn had found out, about the mysterious noises that had menaced them from outside the schoolhouse, about how Dawn had defied Cheerilee and gone outside to confront a pony who had explicitly stated that she was there to kill him, about how they'd waited in tense silence for several minutes before they'd heard the sound of Dawn's strike and gone outside to find that he'd won...but the story didn't end there.
"After we went back inside, Ms. Cheerilee couldn't start class up again...Ah don't think she even wanted to."  Bloom shuddered as she recalled the look of utter despair on her teacher's face, as though Cheerilee was holding herself responsible for what her class had gone through.  Instead, she'd simply settled for staring out the window at the space where Dawn, Scootaloo, and a few others were confronting the prone assassin.
"Then Ms. Cheerilee got this look on her face, like she'd seen somethin' horrible.  She closed the windows right up after that and didn't let anypony out fer a while.  All the parents that came in with us wanted to know what was happenin'.  She just told 'em it was somethin' the foals shouldn't know about.  She kept checkin' through the windows.  Then, after a little bit, she let us all out."  Apple Bloom paused.  "Dawn and Scootaloo were gone, so were the others.  Even Applejack was gone.  Ah guess she had somethin' important to do, 'cause she didn't even come in to check on me.  But when Ah looked where that crazy mare was, all Ah could see was this red spot on the ground.”
Spike gulped nervously.  Given what he’d just heard about the situation, he didn’t like the possible outcomes that could have led to what Apple Bloom had described.  Worse, with each word she spoke, the filly was shaking harder as her anxieties continued to build.
“Ah don’t know if Scootaloo and Dawn are alright or anythin’.  Ah don’t know where everypony went and it scares me.”
Spike gave Apple Bloom his most encouraging smile and pulled her tight against him.  With the fingers of one hand, he combed his claws through her mane, gently scratching the back of her neck as he did so.  “It’s gonna be okay,” he said, “I’m sure everypony’s fine.”
“Maybe we should look fer ‘em,” suggested Bloom weakly.
Spike pulled back a little and shook his head.  “We wouldn’t know where to start,” he pointed out, “There are too many possible places for them to be.  Why don’t I walk you home?  We know your sister’s gonna head back there at some point.”
Apple Bloom mulled over the dragon’s suggestion before nodding weakly.  She gave Spike a wavering smile.  “Ah guess that’s as good an idea as any.”
“I’ll stick around ‘til AJ gets back,” added Spike as he got to his feet and helped Bloom to hers.
For a moment, the yellow filly hesitated.  Then she quickly leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Spike’s cheek.  “Thanks Spike,” she said softly, turning away to hide the rosy hue of her cheeks as an equally red color burst across Spike’s.
“Y-yeah sure,” stammered Spike as he stood, poleaxed for a moment.  Taking a few seconds to get his thoughts back in order, he shook his head vigorously to clear the daze brought on by the kiss.  “Let’s head out.  We don’t want your family to get worried about you.”
“Yeah,” agreed Bloom, “Ah guess there’s a lot ‘o worryin’ goin’ ‘round.”
As they turned to the door, the two of them jumped at a series of soft knocks.  Almost out of reflex, Apple Bloom dived behind Spike, trembling again, her mind going back to those tense moments at the schoolhouse.  The experience was probably going to put her off the sound of somepony knocking on a door for a while.
“Who’s there?” asked Spike, normally not so cautious (he did live in a public library after all), but Apple Bloom’s behavior and her story of what had happened at school made him slightly more cautious.
“It’s Storm Front,” said the stallion from the other side of the door, “May I come in?”
Spike glanced behind him at Bloom, who had apparently relaxed now that she knew who it was on the other side of the door.  “Sure.”
The door opened to admit the purplish-gray stallion.  The first thing Spike noticed was that Storm was no longer wearing his usual silk shirt.  He stepped into the library, looking around.  He paused when he realized Apple Bloom was there.  Seeing that she was still behind Spike and looking more than a little troubled, he softened his expression and relaxed his stance to help put her more at ease.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
Bloom nodded slowly.  “Do ya know where mah sister is?” she asked nervously.
“Not for certain,” replied the pegasus, settling onto a cushion at the large table in the center of the library and motioning to the other two to do the same, “But I believe she and Red may be escorting Dawn back to his mother.”
“Why?” asked Apple Bloom, feeling a little hurt that Applejack was more worried about Dawn, even though he’d won the fight, than she was about her own little sister.
“Things did not go so well after you went inside,” replied Storm cryptically, his eyes shying away from Apple Bloom’s, “Dawn is still coping with what happened.”
“What do ya mean?” asked Apple Bloom, her eyes widening, her frustration beginning to be replaced with concern.
Storm turned his head to look at her and opened his mouth to answer...and hesitated.  “I’m not sure it’s my place to tell you,” he said, once again averting his gaze again, “You’re bound to find out soon, but...I’m not sure who you should hear it from.”
“Might as well be you,” said Spike with a shrug, “What happened is what happened right?  It’s not as though this is an argument where you’re trying to get her to see your side of the story before somepony else can convince her of something different.”
Storm Front blinked in surprise at Spike’s unexpected words of wisdom.  “You make a good point,” he admitted.  He sighed.  “I might as well take care of two things at once then.  You see, I came here to find you.”  He gazed pointedly at Spike.
“Why?” asked the dragon.
“I need you to take a letter,” replied Storm, “I need it to be sent to Twilight Sparkle, with a copy being sent to Shining Armor.”
“Okay,” said the little dragon, getting up to retrieve parchment and his writing supplies.  When he returned, he set out his quill and inkwell.  Dipping the tip in the ink, Spike held up the quill and stood poised to begin writing.
Storm Front closed his eyes and took a moment to compose his thoughts before he began dictating.  “To Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor;
“I am dictating this letter to Spike so that you might learn of the incident that took place in Ponyville this afternoon.  At approximately one in the afternoon, an assassin by the name of Willow trapped the town in a magical fog bank for an extended period of time in order to isolate her intended target, Dawn Lightwing.  Dawn confronted and successfully subdued her.  However, in order to avoid giving up specific information about her clients, Willow ended her own life-”
Storm Front’s voice cut off as he saw the quill tumble from Spike’s claws.  Apple Bloom’s face became even paler than her usual shade of yellow as the news hit home.
“Ya mean that mare went and...?”  Apple Bloom now looked like she was going to be sick.
Storm nodded.  “Yes.  And Dawn watched her do it.  She dealt herself a fatal blow before any of us could react.  Dawn took it especially hard.”
Bloom began to sniff, tears running down her face as she thought how that must have felt for Dawn, to see somepony end her life because she had lost to him.  Spike set down the parchment on the table and wrapped a comforting arm around Bloom’s shoulders.  Storm Front, seeing that Spike was a bit busy to keep writing it, used his wings to pick up the parchment and quill, going to work finishing the letter himself.
“Aside from Willow, there were no other casualties.  A few ponies have suffered minor injuries due to collision with various objects under the cover of Willow’s fog.  However, there is no indication that they have suffered anything severe.
“Sincerely; Storm Front.”
Signing the letter, Storm Front also took the opportunity to quickly draft out a second copy before rolling them up and presenting them to Spike.  “If you wouldn’t mind sending these along,” he said.
Spike nodded and let go of Apple Bloom.  He reached for the first scroll and fixed an image of Shining Armor in his head before breathing his flame over it.  The glimmering green fires washed over the scroll, turning it into a cloud of green ash that drifted out the window and away towards Canterlot.  Next, he did the same with the second scroll, thinking Twilight as he did so.
Both letters being sent, Spike thought for a moment and something occurred to him.  “Shouldn’t we send a letter to Princess Celestia?” he asked, giving Storm Front a questioning look.
The stallion shook his head.  “Red and I are here at the behest of Shining Armor, so our duty is to report the situation to him.  From there, it is up to him whether or not it needs to be brought to Princess Celestia’s attention.  I sent a copy to Twilight as well because we would normally meet with her in this situation.”
“Okay...”  Spike looked back at Apple Bloom, who continued to stare pensively at the table.
“I have to go and report to the Mayor about the situation,” said Storm, getting up and making his way to the door, “Thank you for your help.”
Spike turned his attention back to Bloom.  “Are you feeling better?” he asked.
Bloom nodded slowly.  Spike smiled and rubbed her back.  “Come on,” he said softly, “Let’s get you back home.  I’ll stick around until Applejack gets back.”
Apple Bloom looked up and met the drake’s eyes, a wavering smile on her face.  “Okay.”



The first thing Fluttershy had done was bandage the small cut on Dawn’s neck, the only injury he’d received from the confrontation.  That finished, she rested on the couch, holding her son close and listening silently as Red River retold the day’s events.  When he finished, she looked down at Dawn.  He had stopped crying for the time being, his tears having apparently run out.  At the moment, he simply stared dumbly off into space, as though he couldn’t quite comprehend what had just happened.  “Oh Dawn,” whispered Fluttershy before she buried her muzzle in his mane, holding him tighter.
Silence descended on the room.  Nopony had anything else to say, but Applejack and Red River weren’t ready to leave Dawn and Fluttershy alone just yet.  At the very least, they intended to remain as long as they could to provide whatever support they could.
Finally, Dawn looked up, his eyes fixing on Red River.  “Was it like this the first time you killed somepony?”
“Now hold on there,” interjected Applejack before the azure stallion could respond, “Yah didn’t kill that mare.  What happened there ain’t yer fault.”
Red held up a hoof to stop Applejack from talking.  “In a sense, Dawn was responsible for placing Willow in a position where she felt that she had to take her life to keep from betraying her clients.  However, the semantics of responsibility are irrelevant.”  He met Dawn’s gaze square on.  “The point of the matter is that he feels responsible for her death.  So long as he holds that feeling in his heart, it makes no difference how she died."
Applejack closed her mouth, unable to come up with anything to say.
“That said, I can say that my experience was not the same as yours,” said Red, his voice becoming soft, “I was older than you are now the first time I killed an opponent.”
He sighed and looked away.  “That isn’t to say that I found it pleasant.  In fact, standing over a corpse that I created made me sick to my stomach.  I know that it was similar for Storm as well.  At that point, we were both prepared for the possibility, so there was that to consider.”
Dawn looked down, thinking back to his fight with Perlin.  At that time, he had given up on trying spare Perlin’s life because there was no way he could hold his own against the other colt otherwise.  He wondered if, had the battle ended with Perlin’s death, he would have handled it the same way he had now.  Or would he have been better able to accept it, having resolved that killing his opponent was necessary from the start.
“But that feeling wasn’t the worst part,” continued Red, oblivious to Dawn’s thoughts, “The worst part was eventually losing that feeling, getting used to killing, no longer feeling anything for the lives we took.  We stopped seeing our enemies as people.  We eventually got used to it, killing.  We became...detached.”
Everypony looked up at the stallion.  Applejack stared aghast at him, her expression horrified.  Fluttershy blinked in surprise as she realized something.  She remembered Red River talking to her about Dawn’s emotional issues shortly after she’d adopted him, how his detachment could make him a danger to other ponies.  Now she realized that he was speaking from experience.  It hit her that they were at another juncture in Dawn's life where her ability to help him limited, that helping him once again fell to the hooves of those who walked the same path he did.  At least it won't involve nearly killing him this time, she thought with a slightly bitter note.
Red River continued.  "When we were at our worst, we were working as caravan guards in Saddle Arabia.  It was there that we encountered a pony who imparted to us the same lesson that we did to you."  He shivered.  "He challenged our way of doing things and, in our arrogance, we sought to defeat him to put him in his place.  In an instant, I felt as though I had been sliced to pieces.  I had been 'killed' before I had even gotten a chance to level my spear at him.  When I recovered, I realized that I had dropped my weapon, been left completely helpless and at his mercy.  He crushed us with pure killing intent so powerful that we had experienced death as vividly as though he had truly carried out the deed.
"He impressed upon us the magnitude of our crimes and completely crushed our spirits.  I..."  Red River's voice broke, his eyes beginning to tear up.  "I never felt so ashamed in all my life.  I'd ended so many lives, spilled so much blood, always ignoring the possibility that it wasn't necessary.  I'd become a monster."
Applejack scooted closer to Red River and leaned up against him.  Her touch seemed to comfort the stallion somewhat and he took a deep breath to steady himself.  When he opened his eyes again, he looked resolutely at Dawn.  "That is part of the reason we were so desperate to teach that lesson to you.  If it was within our power to prevent it, there was no way we could allow you to take the same path we did.
"It's imperative that you not dismiss the equinity of your enemies.  They are ponies with lives of their own, with hopes, dreams, aspirations.  To kill them is to end everything for them, to snuff out their futures so that nothing remains.  There's no telling what lay within Willow's heart.  But with her death, all that she aspired to is gone now."
Dawn shuddered, but nodded in agreement.
A sigh escaped the stallion.  "I wish things had turned out differently," he said, "To experience death like that after what you accomplished..."
"What do ya mean?" asked Applejack, pulling away to give Red a questioning look.
"It was only for an instant," said Red, still not taking his eyes off Dawn, "But in that instant, you surpassed everything Storm and I ever accomplished.  You set hoof in a place that we have sought for most of our lives."  He smiled.  "Willow's death cannot diminish that.  It may well be that, if you continue to progress down this path, you may yet reach the point that we all seek, where force and violence cease to be a necessity and you no longer need to truly 'defeat' your enemies."
Red's words jolted Dawn's memory and he recalled what Spitfire had said to him the other day.  "The true winners are those who seek not to defeat their enemies, but save them."
For the moment, he decided to shelve speculation on his own development.  That could always come later.  However, the events of the present still needed to be addressed.  "What now?"
"Storm has likely taken care of all the minutiae of the incident," said Red, "So there is nothing you need to worry about for the time being.  Set these dark matters aside."  He smiled at Dawn.  "Rest, stay with your mother.  Right now, you two need each other more than anything else.  All your other worries can come later."
It was Fluttershy who answered now.  "Alright."  She tightened her hold on Dawn, as though she were afraid he would vanish the instant she relaxed her arms.  The colt nodded silently at Red's instructions and leaned into his mother's embrace.
Red and Applejack smiled at the sight before turning to look at each other.  They said their farewells and left Fluttershy's quaint little cottage to make their way back in the direction of town.
Dawn sat in silence.  He wanted nothing more at that moment, then to let everything go and simply bask in the warmth of Fluttershy's affection.  However, he remembered that there was still one important detail that had not been addressed during their conversation.  Willow had imparted to him a critical piece of information; namely, how she had found him in Ponyville.
It was only a matter of time before those who had commissioned Willow's skills learned of her failure and death and began to take other measures to seek his life.  However, Dawn was already fairly certain that even this piece of information would not do anything to rectify that.  It could wait for now.
But the fact remained that the actions of a certain pony needed to be redressed.  Dawn settled himself for now, but resolved to contact Spitfire, one way or another.



"What now?" asked Applejack, looking at Red River.  As she did, she found her body tensing.  Her mind flashed back to what she had just learned in the cottage earlier.  Unconsciously, she put some distance between herself and the stallion.
If Red noticed the increased distance between them, his expression did not indicate it.  "We should head back home ourselves," he said, "I think your sister could use some comfort as well."
His words drove everything else completely from her mind and Applejack froze in place.  "Oh ponyfeathers!" she exclaimed, "Apple Bloom!"  Tears of shame rushed from her eyes as she realized that she'd completely forgotten that her little sister had been there.  Bloom might not have seen Willow's death, but she had weathered the ordeal in the schoolhouse, probably frightened out of her mind.  And Applejack, who should have been there to comfort her, had been nowhere to be found, even afterward.
Before Red River could say anything else, Applejack broke into a gallop, rushing as fast as she could towards Sweet Apple Acres.  Red River let out a sigh that lay somewhere between exasperation and relief before setting into a gallop after her.



Even though the sun's light was fading and night was beginning to fall over Ponyville, the schoolhouse was still occupied, its lights still lit, even though it was well past time for anypony to be there now.  Inside, the still air was rent by the sound of quiet sobs.  Cheerilee remained at her desk, where she had been since she had seen the last of the students and their parents out.  No matter how much she wanted to stop, she couldn't keep the tears from flowing.
> The Eyes of History
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7: The Eyes of History

Twilight Sparkle and Arkenstone were followed by Wight Shade into Princess Luna's audience chamber.  The first thing that struck Twilight was that the chamber was a good bit smaller than Celestia's, barely more than half the size.  The ceiling was lower, and the windows much smaller.  Torches burned in sconces partway up the arches running up the walls and across the ceiling.  Where Celestia's audience chamber had elaborate chandeliers, Luna's were hung with what appeared to be large lanterns, emitting a soft, mild light.  The stonework was different as well.  Rather than the gleaming marble that almost all the rest of the castle seemed to be made from, the walls, ceiling and floor of Luna's audience chamber were carved from dark granite.  Furthermore, most of the walls and floor were obscured with hangings and thick carpeting of dark blue, purple, and red shades.  Because of this, Luna's audience chamber was much darker than Celestia's, even if one factored the fact that night was coming.  However, it wasn't a foreboding darkness, but rather, a comforting one.  All of the decor combined to give Luna's chambers a comfortable, cozy, cavelike atmosphere.
At the far end of the room was a raised dais, much like in Celestia's room.  However, the floor before it was strewn with cushions.  The dais was dominated by a single large cushion.  Upon that cushion rested Princess Luna.  At the sight of her, Twilight's eyes widened, not because the Princess was there, but because it was apparent that Princess Luna was fast asleep.  A flicker of light drew Twilight's attention to Luna's horn, which glowed with the deep, dark-blue of her magic.
"What's going on?" asked Twilight, turning to look at Wight.
"What else," replied Luna's majordomo with a shrug, "She is holding court.  It might surprise you to learn that Princess Luna sleeps through most of the night."
"Why" asked Twilight.
A grin spread across Wight's face.  "Why don't you find out for yourself."  He gestured to the cushions before Luna's throne.  "To hold court with her, you must sleep as well."
"Huh?"  For a moment, Twilight was completely baffled by Wight's instructions.  However, she suddenly remembered something she had heard from Rainbow Dash, who had been telling Twilight about the fateful camping trip where she and Scootaloo had bonded.  Scootaloo had been having nightmares as a consequence of Rainbow's scary stories, but had been moved to overcome her fears by the intervention of Princess Luna in her dreams.  "Oh!"
"What?" asked Arkenstone softly.
"Princess Luna's going to speak to us in our dreams," said Twilight, looking up at the sleeping princess, "Geez, I wouldn't have bothered coming to Canterlot if it had been so simple as sending a snoozogram."
"It's not so simple as that," commented Wight with a chuckle, "Just as with her sister, Princess Luna does not like to show too much favoritism to her ponies.  She doesn't tell me much about it, but she can't necessarily pick and choose which dreams to enter unless the ponies having those dreams are in close proximity to her, hence the need for an audience chamber.  Otherwise, Princess Luna could hold court over Equestria without having to leave the comfort of her own bed."
"I see," said Twilight.  She and Arkenstone moved to the cushions and settled into place.  Already, the warm, dark, comfortable atmosphere of the audience chamber was beginning to take effect.  Twilight felt her eyes drooping.  She leaned up against Arkenstone and relaxed.
"Pleasant dreams," bid Wight as he left the audience chamber, closing the door behind him.
Twilight closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.



She drifted through an endless void.  All around her, stars winked in and out of sight.  Twilight looked around, taking everything in.  As far as she could tell, she was in the night sky itself.  Looking down past her hooves, she half-expected to see Equestria laid out below her.  However, instead she simply saw more darkness and twinkling lights.
"It certainly is humbling."
Looking next to her, Twilight saw Arkenstone, as though he had just materialized at the moment he had spoken.  Turning, the stallion returned her look and Twilight's eyes widened in shock to see his warm, brown eyes once again.  "Arky!"
Arkenstone turned and eyed his own hooves.  Looking more closely, Twilight noticed that Arkenstone seemed a good bit younger than he really was.  "What happened?" she asked, "Why are you younger all of a sudden."
Arkenstone frowned and turned to look at Twilight.  "I suppose it's because this was the age I was when I lost my sight, the last me that I saw with my own eyes.  I don't really have much of a notion of what I look like anymore.  The concept of sight itself is starting to lose its meaning."  He looked at her and smiled.  "Going by that logic, I half-expected to see you as a filly here.  It looks like I was mistaken.  You really have grown into such a beautiful mare."
Dream or not, Twilight's blush felt very real to her at that moment.
Their conversation was cut short as the mass of stars in front of them began to swirl together before something emerged from them.  It was a tall and willowy pony, her coat a dark-blue color that was nearly matched by her eyes.  Her mane and tail were the starscape itself, stretching forth from her to enshroud the entire space around them.
"Twilight Sparkle," said Luna, giving Twilight a happy smile, "It is nice to see you.  Rarely have I had a chance to visit with you in my own domain."
Twilight smiled back and bowed slightly.  Arkenstone, though he had not been addressed yet, did the same.  His motion attracted Luna's attention.  "I see," she said, "One of my sister's Knights has accompanied you."
"Greetings Your Highness," said Arkenstone politely.
As Luna smiled, Twilight looked around.  "Where are we exactly?" she found herself asking.
"We are in the world of dreams Twilight Sparkle," said Luna, her eyes twinkling, "Have you already forgotten falling asleep in my audience chamber?"
"Well yes," replied Twilight, still fascinated by their surroundings, "But why meeting in dreams?  What about your court?"
"Do you not understand?" asked Luna, spreading her wings wide, "This is my court."
"I...I don't understand," said Twilight after a moment.
Luna favored the lavender mare with a smile that was more than a little reminiscent of Celestia's whenever the Day Princess had a special lesson to impart to her dear pupil.  "It may surprise you to hear this Twilight Sparkle, but I am not actually nocturnal.  I sleep during the night as well."
"Huh?"
"I am the Princess of Night, but also the Princess of Dreams, during the night, I wander amongst the dreams of my little ponies.  I help when I can.  I soothe little ones during their nightmares, help confused ponies work through their...issues.  I see a great many things in my wanderings...Though quite a few of them seem to involve ponies taking a test they haven't studied for while naked."
Twilight didn't know what to say about that last one.  After all, how could anypony not study for a test?
Luna pressed on.  "In truth, I have no sleeping dreams of my own."  She lifted a hoof and one of the little stars surrounding them zipped in to alight atop it.  "In a sense, you could say that my little ponies' dreams are my dreams.  My sleep is always thus, wandering amongst these little stars."
Twilight frowned.  "Are you sure you should be telling us this?"
"You did ask," Arkenstone pointed out, earning himself an irritated glare.
"I mean," said Twilight, turning back to Luna, "You witness the dreams of ponies, some of their most intimate thoughts and feelings..."
"I understand," replied Luna with a smile, letting the star on her hoof drift away, "However, this is the way I am.  Ever since I took the mantle of the Night, I have drifted through the dreams of ponies.  You're right.  Ponies' dreams are very private places.  I never specifically speak of what I see there.  With my sister's help, I had a geis placed on myself to keep me from breaking the confidence of those through whose dreams I wander.  I cannot speak of what I see unless it is to the pony whose dream I'm speaking of."
"I see," said Twilight softly.  A blush lit her face as she imagined Luna walking through some her more...scientifically detailed dreams.
Luna chuckled.  "But enough about the details of my domain.  Tell me, what brings you here?"
"We..."  Twilight hesitated, "...I needed to talk to you about something.  It's very personal and I'm afraid that it might bring up bad memories for you..."  Twilight trailed off.
Luna's smile did not waver.  "Twilight Sparkle, you are one of my dearest friends.  You and your friends saved me from the depths of my madness and pain.  When I returned on Nightmare Night, you were the one who went out of her way to help me reconnect with my little ponies once again.  You have my eternal respect and gratitude.  Please do not be afraid to ask me anything."
"It's about..."  Twilight gulped.  "It's about Nightmare Moon."
Luna's smile faded and a troubled expression overtook her face.  "I see," she said, "What is it that you wanted to talk to ask me about?"
"Have you heard of a phenomenon known as the Eyes of Nightmare?" asked Twilight softly.
Luna was silent, a contemplative look washing over her.  However, that look soon faded to into one of slight disappointment as the term failed to register with anything in her memories.  "I cannot say that I do," she said, "The name seems to indicate that these 'Eyes' you speak of have some connection to my darker image.  What are they?"
"They are a condition," said Twilight, "You see, after you became Nightmare Moon and Princess Celestia sealed you away, there were ponies being born in the world with eyes like Nightmare Moon's, eyes like a dragon's or a cat, now that I think of it.  The group that caused you so much grief before, the Order of Celestial Light, termed them the Eyes of Nightmare and claimed that the ponies born with those eyes were demons."
Luna shuddered at the mention of the Cult Solar's original name.  "Now there is a term that brings up painful memories," she said softly, "I now think I understand what you are talking about and what these Eyes of Nightmare are."
"You do?" asked Twilight, in her eagerness briefly forgetting Luna's pained expression, "Can you tell me more?"
Luna sighed.  "Yes.  It is a mysterious thing, those eyes.  I don't think they had a name before.  I have no idea where they came from or what caused them."
"I thought so," said Twilight, "Your eyes were there before you were Nightmare Moon, weren't they?"
Luna nodded.  "The first time it happened was when Tia and I were battling Discord.
"It was a fierce battle for us, though not for him.  We never had any hope of winning it.  After all, Discord is chaos incarnate.  The laws of cause and effect were putty in his claws.  Simple things, like the idea that our blows or spells could harm him were things that he ignored at his whim, while he simply tormented us with tricks and jokes.  The entire fight was one giant game to him."  Luna grimaced.  "I remember that he seemed especially fond of dropping anvils on my head."
Twilight, who'd been on the receiving end of such an impact herself (followed by a variety of other objects), winced sympathetically.
Luna took a deep breath and continued.  "At our most desperate, I was laid low by absolute despair.  Discord had laughed away our greatest efforts as though they were nothing.  We lived only because we continued to supply him with entertainment when he could have easily wiped us from existence with a snap of his claws.  Terrified beyond reason, I attacked him with everything I had, digging deeper than I ever had before or since.  As usual, nothing happened.  But Discord made a passing comment on how my new eyes complimented me quite well.  In confusion, I turned to Tia and found her staring at me oddly.  She later described the very phenomenon you mentioned."
"What happened after that?" asked Twilight eagerly.  She knew it was getting off-topic, but this was an opportunity to get a firsthoof account of the Royal Sisters' battle with Discord.
"After that, our battle continued.  It was a long and grueling one.  In truth, Discord was merely toying with us, batting us around for his pleasure, baiting us by offering the illusion of victory one moment, only to snatch it away in the next.  When we were at our limits, he banished us from his presence so that he might hunt us down again to begin the game anew, treating the whole thing like hide and seek.
"During one of those times, Tia and I stumbled across something remarkable in a gorge not far from the space where the site of our old castle was to eventually be.  It was a beautiful tree of glowing white crystal.  From its branches hung five gems of different colors, with another resting at its trunk.  Upon our touch, the crystals opened and deposited six magnificent jewels into our care.  We had no idea what to make of it.  Tia thought it some sort of sign and we confronted Discord once again.  When we did, the Jewels reacted to our combined magic.  To our shock and surprise, Discord's power failed to work against us.  In that instant, I realized that these artifacts were the key to our victory.  Tia and I united and we drew forth the power of those artifacts and successfully sealed Discord in stone."
"So that's how you found the Elements of Harmony," said Twilight Sparkle.
"I admit, at the time, the whole revelation seemed much more profound," mused Luna, "But simply relating the account doesn't do it justice."
"Perhaps we can explore the topic in more detail another time," said Arkenstone, finally cutting in, "You already mentioned that Princess Celestia described your eyes having changed."
Luna nodded.  "After the battle, she told me about what had happened to my eyes.  I was not the first pony to experience this phenomenon.  Even before the reign of Discord, there were apparently ponies who displayed the trait.  However, little is known about them.  Those eyes were an object of fear and suspicion even then.  Tia vowed to keep it a secret between us and so we did."
"I see," said Twilight, frowning, this was proving to be less informative than she hoped.  With this, they knew that the Eyes of Nightmare preceded Nightmare Moon.  But that did nothing to help her figure out their cause.
"And what about Nightmare Moon?" asked Arkenstone, making Twilight jump before she turned to gape at him, horrified.  He soldiered on, oblivious to her consternation.  "It seems the Eyes reemerged when you transformed into your darker aspect.  However, their nature appears to be separate from that."
Luna looked at him oddly.  "I am not so sure," she admitted, "In truth, my eyes were one of the catalysts that drove those idiot cultists to actively label me a demon in the first place."
"What happened?" asked Twilight, in spite of herself.  She didn't really want to bring Luna's unpleasant memories to the fore, but this could be a critical piece of information.
"In its earliest forms, the Order of Celestial Light was relatively harmless," said Luna, a hint of mirth actually creeping into her voice, "My sister was utterly mortified by their shameless adoration.  I think that her fear was mostly practical as she realized that their worship of her could lead to ponies holding Tia to a standard that she could never live up to.  She wasn't a goddess after all, but they desperately wanted her to be one; especially their founder, some insufferable unicorn called Chat-Chatty-something-or-other.  I can't remember her name anymore.  She was utterly convinced that my dear sister was utterly infallible.  I always remember how Tia's eye would start twitching when she had to deal with that mare.
"In any case, I was largely ignored.  At first, I found it amusing to watch Tia try desperately to talk those ponies out of worshiping her.  However, it quickly grew old after a few decades.  However, I began to realize that the cultists were not the only ponies ignoring or overlooking me.  Nopony save the occasional astronomer came to my Night Court.  Worse still, I began to hear rumblings of discontent regarding my role as the Princess of Dreams.
"I had not made any great secret of the fact that I walked in the dreams of ponies, that I helped foals through their nightmares, that I aided others in interpreting their more cryptic dreams.  I even took time to reassure ponies with the more bizarre ones that their dreams did not mean that they were deviant or deficient in some fashion.  I also made sure ponies knew about the geis.  However, many of them simply believed that to be a lie or deception.  They believed that I used my abilities to pry into the deepest parts of their souls and use that knowledge for my own gain.
"Though the earliest leaders of the Order of Celestial Light were at least earnest in their beliefs, however misguided they may have been, many who followed after them had more secular aspirations.  They began to sell idols of my sister, talismans, and protective signs advertising that these objects would protect ponies' dreams from my intrusion."
"Did they?" asked Twilight.
Luna shook her head.  "Of course not.  It was mere superstitious nonsense.  And many of those who made and sold those charms knew this fact, but continued to feed and propagate ponies' paranoia with me.  At one point, I confronted a gathering of the Order with their actions..."
Luna's horn flared, conjuring what appeared to be a window in space.  It opened onto a stage where Luna stood, looking out over a gathering of ponies, many of whom had dressed themselves in ornate robes and various other over-the-top vestments.  The front ranks cowered fearfully away from Luna as she swept her eyes across them.  But all of them returned her gaze with looks of disgust or scorn.
"Thy crimes art most severe," pronounced Luna, "Thou hast tried to profit by trafficking in lies and superstition.  Is thy greed so vast thou wouldst defame thy own Princess for the sake of coin?"
A voice shouted from near the back.  "Tis not lies to offer protection to our fellow ponies against thy depredations.  Ponies deserve sleep untroubled by the nightmares thou bringest forth from the abyss of the night!"
"Aye!" concurred another voice, "Thou wouldst call us here to stop our work so that thine prey can be left open to thy invasion."
"Again thou lie," snapped Luna, her eyes narrowing, "Thy amulets, idols, talismans, wards, and charms art nothing but cheap trinkets that do nothing.  Thou knowest this, but thou continues to sell them, claiming that they ward me off."
"Lies!" screamed one pony, "Lies from the demon's mouth!  Everything the Nightmare says is a lie!"
Almost immediately, the mass of ponies before Luna began to dissolve into an unruly mob, screaming insults and threats, many of them claiming defiance against Princess Luna as she looked on, her anger growing with each passing second.  She weathered the storm, gritting her teeth as their shouts and jibes continued to tell against her.  However, it was merely tightly fitting a lid over a boiling pot.  The pressure continued to build.
Finally, Luna's last thread of patience snapped.  "ENOUGH!!!" she bellowed, cutting loose with the full force of the Canterlot Royal Voice, "THOU HAST SHOWN THOU ART FILTH OF THE LOWEST ORDER!  WE DEMAND THAT THOU DESIST WITH THESE BASELESS ACCUSATIONS!"
A hush spread over the crowd.  However, it wasn't the quiet that Luna was hoping for.  The assembled cultists looked on with wide eyes as they stared up at Luna, a visceral horror etched into their expressions.  For a moment, Luna was befuddled by the change in their behavior.  Then she caught a faint whisper midway back through the crowd.
"Her eyes!"
Immediately, Luna called upon her magic to conjure herself a mirror and look at her own face.  To her stunned shock, a pair of turquoise, slit-pupil eyes looked back at her.
"Behold!" shouted one of the ponies in the audience, "The demon shows her true nature.  Thou canst not deceive us any longer!"
"Thou art not a Princess!" shrieked another, "Thou art a monster.  Those eyes of thine reveal the truth about thyself!"
"Thou art not one of ponykind."
"Thou art a phantasm of darkest dreams!"
"A creature of nightmares!"
"Nay!  The Nightmare!"
"Yes!  Thou art the spawn of darkest night!"
"Nightmare Moon!"
"Stop!" cried Luna, no longer using the Royal Voice.  Even with her draconic eyes, it was easy to see how much the cries against her hurt.  Before her, ponies swore and uttered oaths, some made signs of protection, as though trying to ward off evil spirits.  The crowd was completely out of control.  Luna's cries were drowned out.
The portal closed with a snapping spark and Luna turned away from the memory.  Turning back to face Twilight and Arkenstone, she paused when she saw that Twilight had tears in her eyes.  Before she could say anything, Twilight rushed forward and reared up to throw her arms around Luna's neck.
"Princess!  I'm so sorry!"  Twilight pressed her face into Luna's neck, tears running freely.  Luna felt tears of her own running down her face.
Leaning forward, the Princess of the Night returned Twilight's embrace.  "Thank you Twilight Sparkle," she said softly, the pain in her heart eased by her friend's concern.
After a moment, Twilight let go and backed away.  Both she and the Princess were smiling now.  From behind Twilight, Arkenstone spoke up.  "So that was the incident that led to you being called Nightmare Moon."
Reminded of the true purpose of their conversation, Twilight felt her smile fade.  Luna answered Arkenstone's observation.  "Yes.  After that, the story of my eyes began to spread amongst the ponies of Equestria.  I have no doubt that the cultists did everything they could to accelerate the process.  Tia did her best to protest this development, but her words were drowned out.  The members of the Order declared that I was forcing Tia to lie against her will, that I kept her prisoner in our castle, that I trapped her in my web of deceit...Really, whatever excuse suited their purposes at the time.  Finally, I could stand it no longer."
Luna's form melted and was replaced by the armored specter of Nightmare Moon, her eyes clearly on display for her audience.  A second later, the illusion melted away and Luna returned to normal.  "Nightmare Moon was an outward manifestation of all my negative feelings, all my rage, my sorrow, my pain, everything that I tried to lock away in order to be a good ruler like my sister.  It all came barreling out.  I wrapped it around myself like armor and gave myself new shape.  It was...liberating...I cared nothing for what ponies thought of me.  I no longer cared if they saw my eyes.  I enjoyed it.  No longer did they fear me because of baseless rumors, but because I wished it.  I had power over them.  I was the one in control.  I relished that feeling of control.  I completely lost myself in those visceral, intoxicating feelings.  I locked everything else out.
"Tia tried her hardest to get through to me.  But, in the throes of my madness, I could no longer hear her.  In desperation, she used the Elements on me, hoping to dispel my magic.  However, that power was not meant to be used by a single individual.  Unable to control their power, she nearly destroyed me on the spot."
"What?" exclaimed Twilight, "How could she?"
"It was not her fault," said Luna, "As I said, it was the fact that a single pony cannot truly command the power of the Elements of Harmony.  Tia could not guide the release of energy to purge me of my madness while leaving me unharmed.  The released power threatened to consume me entirely.  Left with no other recourse, she changed the spell into one of banishment, sending me to the moon.  Even then, the power of the spell ensured that it would be a thousand years before I could escape."
Twilight's face fell as she imagined how it must have felt to Celestia, to have her sister driven to madness by a religious order dedicated to her own worship, to be forced to choose between sending her away for a thousand years or destroying her completely.  Twilight could understand why Celestia locked herself away during the first years of her sole reign.
"Interesting," mused Arkenstone, as ever, remaining on topic, "I believe that gives us some insight into how the Eyes work."
"What do you mean?" asked Twilight.
"What do the occasions where Luna's eyes transformed have in common?" asked Arkenstone.
Twilight though it over for a moment.  The first time had been during Princesses' battle with Discord, when Luna had attacked him in a fit of anger and desperation.  The second time was when Luna had snapped at the cultists and their accusations towards her.  The other time was when Luna finally turned into Nightmare Moon...
"Anger..." Twilight mused, "No...more like survival instinct."
"It would seem so," agreed Arkenstone, "It appears, in the normal course of things, the Eyes are triggered by some form of Fight or Flight instinct, their appearance coinciding when the one who carries the trait perceives having been backed into a corner."
"Of course!" exclaimed Twilight, "That explains everything!"
"It does?" asked Luna.
"Yes.  The legends surrounding the Eyes talk about them appearing when the one affected by them does 'Nightmare Moon's bidding,'" explained Twilight, "If the Eyes emerge in response to anger or somepony feeling cornered and desperate, then that would explain why they are associated with violence and dark emotions."
"It would give the impression that the one bearing them was merely hiding her true nature, as the cultists accused you," said Arkenstone, looking at Luna, "So that's how the Cult Solar's legend was shaped."
Twilight let out a sigh.  "But that still doesn't explain where the trait originates from.  In order to truly end this farce, we have to discover the true source of the Eyes of Nightmare."  However, she smiled after that.  "But this is a big help.  Thank you Princess."
Luna smiled at Twilight.  "Thank you Twilight Sparkle.  For a long time, Tia has been the only pony that I've been able to talk with about my darker time.  I think that she was trying to protect me by not bringing this up.  Can you tell me why you sought this knowledge?"
Twilight nodded and related Dawn's story to Luna.  Luna's eyes widened when she heard about Dawn's difficulties.  "Truly Tia, you are too much sometimes," she muttered, realizing that Celestia had kept this information from her, "How could you allow this colt to suffer simply to protect my feelings?"
"I think Princess Celestia was hoping for me to find out about the eyes through other channels," said Twilight, "And, to be honest, it never occurred to me to even approach you until Spitfire suggested it.  I knew that you had the condition as well, but I thought that talking to you about it would bring up the pain of your past."
"And it did," admitted Luna, who was smiling nonetheless, "But having somepony to talk to about these dark matters, not keeping it locked away like some deep secret has helped to ease my heart."
Twilight smiled up at Luna, tears gathering in her eyes.  "I'm glad we could help you even when you helped us Princess."
"So am I Twilight Sparkle," replied Luna, "I take it you have gotten what you were looking for."
"More than I could have hoped," said Twilight.  She realized that she would still have to follow her other lines of inquiry later.  "If it's not too much trouble Princess, could I bother you to come to Ponyville when you have the opportunity?  I would like to run some tests on you to see if we can narrow down the common trait that causes the Eyes."
"Of course," replied Luna, "And I would like my chance to meet this young colt.  He sounds like a very interesting pony from what I have heard."
"Thank you," said Twilight Sparkle.  She and Arkenstone bowed their heads to Luna, who nodded.
"Farewell for now Twilight Sparkle, Sir Arkenstone, I must return to my regular duties.  My steward shall see you out."
With that, the dream began to fade and both ponies found themselves returning to the waking world.



Twilight awoke with a yawn.  "Well, that was informative," she said.
Arkenstone nodded and got to his hooves, took a step forward...and immediately tripped.  "Bother," he muttered, his face having planted itself, fortunately, into one of the pillows strewn across the floor, "I hope it doesn't take too long for me to get used to not having eyes again."
Twilight giggled.  However, when she inhaled again, she caught a whiff of brimstone, a very familiar scent.  Looking down, she saw that a rolled up letter had deposited itself on the floor in front of her while she'd been asleep.  "A letter from Spike!'
Twilight's magic lifted up the letter and she quickly unrolled it, her eyes scanning the contents.  "Oh no!"
"What is it?" asked Arkenstone.  He took the letter from Twilight and ran his frog over the ink-covered page.  "Oh."
"We have to get back to Ponyville right away!" exclaimed Twilight, "Oh Dawn!  And poor Fluttershy!  I can't imagine what they're going through!"
"Calm down," said Arkenstone gently, his voice cutting through Twilight's panic, "It sounds as though Red River and Storm Front have things well in hoof.  There is nothing we can do about the assassin at the moment.  But, at the very least, she is no longer a threat."  He lifted a hoof and rested it against Twilight's shoulder.  "Have faith in your friends and do your part to help them by carrying on with your work.  The thing that you can do that will help Dawn the most is solving the mystery of his eyes."
Twilight nodded.  At that moment, the door to the audience chamber opened and Wight Shade came trotting through.  "Did everything work out alright?" he asked.
Twilight nodded.
"Good," said Wight, "Your brother is waiting outside.  Apparently he got a message that's left him rather distraught.  He would like to speak with you about it."
Twilight looked at the letter that she had just received and wondered if that was what Shining Armor wanted to speak to her about.  As she and Arkenstone made their way through the doors, Twilight pausing to cast one last look at Princess Luna as she continued to sleep on the dais, her horn still glowing with magic.  However, she noted a contented smile on Luna's face as the door closed behind them.



"What's going on?"
"My Lord, Dame Twilight Sparkle has been seen within the palace."
"What?  When?"
"Just this afternoon."
"Why is she here?"
"Apparently, she was seeking an audience with Princess Luna."
"Since when does Princess Celestia's prize student need to request an audience?  She should be able to walk right in and talk to Princess Luna if she so likes."
"I do not know Your Lordship."
"Ugh.  Fine.  I heard she was in Canterlot earlier today.  Where in the palace is she staying?"
"I do not believe she is staying in the palace Your Lordship.  She appears to be staying with her family in the city."
"Damn!  Find out which way she'll be leaving through and tell me.  With any luck, I'll be able to intercept her.  This is my chance to seize control of the situation."
"My Lord, it appears that she is not alone.  There appears to be somepony else with her."
"Who?"
"His name appears to be Arkenstone.  I have not found out a great deal about him, save that he met with Princess Celestia herself around a month ago."
"What is his rank?"
"He does not appear to have one Your Lordship."
"Then he's probably a servant of some sort.  No doubt he was appointed to Twilight Sparkle by the Princess herself.  But he clearly holds no title.  He's of no consequence.  Now hurry up and find out which way she's taking to get out of the palace.
"Yes My Lord!"



"What's the matter Shiny?" asked Twilight as she came out of the audience chamber's entryway.
Shining Armor looked up from a letter identical to the one she received.  "Did you hear about this?" he asked.
Twilight nodded and held up her own copy.  The two of them frowned at each other as they realized that one of their worst fears had come to pass.
The Cult Solar had found out Dawn's location.
"Do you think it was Bedrock?" asked Twilight, referring to the belligerent stallion that Red River had apprehended.
Shining shook his head.  "No.  We've been holding him here in Canterlot.  Any inquiries from Colt Hollow have been answered with a message saying he's been charged with initiating a violent disturbance.  There haven't been any efforts to follow up on those inquiries yet."
"So then how did they find him?" asked Twilight, settling onto her haunches.
"It may have something to do with Cloudsdale," remarked Arkenstone, "To those involved in the situation, Dawn was a very visible part of the conflict."
Twilight's mind turned to what she had heard about the situation.  "Could it have been Perlin?"
Perlin Bluestreak, the mysterious colt that had been hired by Meadowlark's faction to serve as extra muscle had escaped arrest at the Battle of Cloudsdale (as it was being called in some circles) and was still at large.  Given that he appeared to be a mercenary in a vein similar to Red River or Storm Front, it was quite possible that he had sold the information about Dawn's existence to an interested party.  "According to what Rainbow Dash told us, he's supposed to be the son of Duke Torchlight in Trottingham.  He's probably holed up on his father's estate."
"Unfortunately, without definitive proof, I can't conduct an investigation of a duke's private holdings," said Shining, "According to the official record.  Duke Torchlight's son is gravely ill and unable to leave the home.  Ever since Torchlight's passing, the estate has been under the care of the family physician.  However, so long as his son is still reputed to be alive, we still have to treat the holdings as under the protection of his title."
"Will finding how word got out do us any good now?" asked Blueblood, looking around at the others, "Regardless of how they found out, this Cult Solar you've been warning us about is already on the move.  I find it hard to believe that they marshaled an assassin so quickly.  It's only been a few days since the affair in Cloudsdale."
"From what I have heard about how this Willow operates, it's likely that the Cult commissioned her services a while ago and she has been actively searching for Dawn since," remarked Arkenstone.
"So now what?" asked Fancy Pants, "I understand that you wish to protect this colt.  But if his enemies have already found out that he lives in Ponyville, then the only recourse we have is to send him into hiding."
"We can't do that!" protested Twilight, "It's bad enough he was already being hounded to the point that he had to hide in the Everfree Forest for a year.  I don't want to force him or Fluttershy through that."
"Normally I'd say that it's our only choice," said Shining, "After all, we were lucky this time.  Collateral damage was kept to a minimum.  But, if this keeps up, then ordinary townsponies are going to get swept up into the conflict.  If that happens, somepony could get killed.
"However, that's what we hired Storm Front and Red River for.  And now, once you get back to Ponyville, Arkenstone will be there as well."  Shining looked over at Arkenstone.  "Do you think, between the three of you, you can protect the town if worst comes to worst."
Arkenstone nodded slowly.  "I believe it is within our skills.  We have...other assets in Ponyville as well.  Assassins of Willow's caliber are rare in any case.  It's highly unlikely that even a group like the Cult Solar would default to hired hooves on a regular basis."
"What makes you say that?" asked Fancy Pants.
Arkenstone gave them a thin-lipped smile.  "The Cult Solar is a group driven by a doctrine called 'faith.'  They believe that they are performing a righteous act in seeking out and trying to kill Dawn.  Groups that are so driven find it...distasteful to frequently resort to hired blades who are more interested in money than the 'rightness' of their cause.  In the most likely scenario, Willow's defeat will cement this idea for them and they will be even less-inclined to hire skilled killers in the future."
"So, all we need to worry about is a bunch of bumbling zealots on some holy crusade," said Blueblood, "That's a bit more reassuring."
"Are you sure?" asked Twilight, jumping back into the conversation, "A trained professional, like this Willow mare, is less likely to cause collateral damage.  But a bunch of thugs driven by some insane dogma is much more likely to cause additional damage to ponies besides Dawn."
"But we shall have less difficulty restraining them," replied Arkenstone, "The real trouble is that we cannot assume that the Cult Solar does not have somepony of a higher caliber within their ranks.  We know next to nothing of their membership after all."
Fancy Pants sighed.  "And so we have another dark matter to deal with.  I wish I could be of more help."  He shook his head.  "But I'm not cut out for matters of violence.  I shall return to my work trying to rein in the Court.  Farewell."
Fancy Pants exchanged nods with all of them and left the audience chamber.  Arkenstone swiveled his ears towards Twilight.  "What now?"
"I don't know," said Twilight with a soft groan, "I was hoping to find what I was looking for before the Cult Solar found out Dawn's location.  Now that the cat's out of the bag, I just don't know where to go from here.  I can keep working on my research, but somepony could get seriously hurt in the meantime.  I...I need to think about this more."
Shining Armor glanced at Arkenstone as Arkenstone's ears swiveled in his direction.  The two of them nodded.  "I think the two of us should discuss some plans to figure out what we can do to keep our problems in Ponyville from getting out of hoof."
Arkenstone turned his muzzle towards Blueblood.  "Your Grace, though it is rather presumptuous of me, could I ask you to escort Twilight back to her parents' home in the city."
A friendly smile spread across Blueblood's face.  "Of course Arkenstone.  I don't know why you're being so formal."
"Force of habit," replied the beige stallion with a shrug, "Given all my training when I was younger, I tend to default to it in situations like this."
"Training?"  Twilight glanced back and forth between Arkenstone and Blueblood.
"Well then, I shall see you later this evening Twilight," said Arkenstone, "I won't be too far behind you, so don't worry."
Arkenstone and Twilight's older brother left, leaving her alone with Prince Blueblood, a distinctly uncomfortable situation to be sure.  Given the words they had exchanged before Twilight's audience with the Princess, it was obvious that the two of them weren't at ease in each other's company just yet.
Blueblood and Twilight looked at each other.  Almost simultaneously, an awkward grin spread across their faces.
> Noble Conflicts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 8: Noble Conflicts

"Well," said Prince Blueblood, maintaining his awkward smile, "We might as well get this over with."
"I guess," agreed Twilight.  The two of them left the waiting room and made their way down the halls of the Royal Palace.  To be perfectly honest, this was the most time she'd spent with Prince Blueblood ever.  She couldn't ever remember meeting him during her tenure as Celestia's student in the palace.  Most of what she knew of him came secondhoof from Rarity, who, given the opportunity, wouldn't shut up about what a boorish swine he had been at the Grand Galloping Gala.  She had been surprised by her conversation with him before her audience with Luna.
At the same time, she got a strange impression of likeability from him.  If the Blueblood Rarity had met at the Gala was merely a facade he had concocted and the Blueblood she was with now was his real personality, she had to admit she found him much more charismatic and endearing than she'd thought.  Furthermore, it was clear that he and Arkenstone were friends.  She wondered if he was friends with Shining Armor too.
There was something else that bothered her.  "What did Arkenstone mean when he said 'training?'"
Blueblood looked at her, his expression confused for a moment before he realized what Twilight was talking about.  "Oh!  That.  He was originally supposed to be my personal butler."
"A butler!" exclaimed Twilight, unable to conceal her surprise.
Blueblood raised any eyebrow at her.  "What, Arkenstone never talked to you about his family life?  I'm a bit surprised.  He was never ashamed of it."
"What do you mean about him being your butler?"  Twilight was aghast.  Arkenstone was a Knight of the Celestial Order, one of the most formidable warriors in all of Equestria.  It was virtually impossible for her to see him as a mere servant.
Blueblood's mouth twitched in a smile.  "Exactly what I said.  His family has served mine for generations.  His father was the personal butler to my father, while his mother joined the staff to serve as my mother's chief maid.  When Arkenstone was born, he was originally going to be raised alongside me before being taken into my service."  He paused to study Twilight's horrified expression.  "Oh don't be like that.  It's a very important position.  The Duke's personal butler is head of the household servants, charged with maintaining the order and dignity of our household.  He minds his master's dignity and responsibilities even when his master doesn't and is charged to correct his master when such incidents emerge."
Blueblood gave Twilight a sheepish grin.  "I should know.  After that incident, Old Redwood, that's Arkenstone's father by the way, was even more severe with me than Auntie Celestia was."
"Huh?"
"Well, he was more than aware of my intentions, but that doesn't excuse Duke Blueblood making an utter buffoon of himself in public."  Blueblood chuckled.  "Arkenstone would have been charged with the upbringing of my children (if I ever had any) and would be expected to be as stern with them as his father was with me."
"His family served yours for generations," said Twilight softly, "He was practically born into servitude."
"I suppose you could say that," admitted Blueblood, adopting a slightly contrite tone, "However, it is a prestigious duty, one that its holders take a great deal of pride in.  Within the noble household, at least those of our caliber, Arkenstone's family is practically a noble line of their own.  If anything, dear Redwood was the most disappointed among us when his son opted not to 'take up the family business' as it were."
"What happened?" asked Twilight.
"His cutie mark happened," replied Blueblood, "I don't know if he told you how he acquired it, he certainly didn't tell me.  However, he decided that serving our household was not to be his calling and he left to seek that calling elsewhere.  I heard that he went to study under one of the former Knights before returning to Canterlot to be Knighted himself.  His and my families were among the few who were invited to attend the ceremony."
"I see," said Twilight, unsure of what to make of the situation.
Blueblood chuckled again.  "Do you think less of him because he was originally slated to be my servant?"
"Of course not!" exclaimed Twilight, glaring at the Duke.
"Good."  He sighed.  "It's a pity.  Because I was shackled by the obligations of my rank, even as a foal, I never got to meet any of Arkenstone's friends or play with them like a normal foal.  I never even knew your brother until Arkenstone introduced us sometime before Shining was made Captain.  Perhaps if we had met back then, or during your time as Auntie Celestia's student, perhaps we could have been friends as well."
Twilight found herself smiling at the thought.  Of course, during her time as a student, she had been so completely engrossed in her studies that she hadn't even remotely considered the possibility of interacting with anypony, much less nobles, whom she'd regarded as being overly stuffy and obsessed with their reputations more than anything that mattered, like actually learning.  Quite a few students in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns had been scions of noble houses and had spent a great deal of their time feeding their own egos, rather than trying to follow the curriculum.
Of course, the fact that many of them bore a rather large chip on their shoulders over the fact that she, a commoner, had been chosen to be Princess Celestia's personal student was another factor that contributed to her desire to stay away from the nobles during her schooling years.
"I suppose that would have been nice," she admitted.
Blueblood nodded, then his ears twitched as the faint clop of hooves other than their own echoed down the hall.  Turning his head, he managed to spy a servant in livery darting down a side corridor.  His eyes narrowed as he processed the fact that the servant in question was not dressed for Palace service.  "I think we have been marked," he said.
"Huh?"  Twilight's head shot up and her gaze darted around the hallway, her reaction too late to catch sight of the fleeing servant.
"Somepony's servant just marked our movements.  We should be on our guard.  I suspect we may meet with a troublesome situation before we can leave the palace."
"Troublesome?"  Twilight gulped.  Was Blueblood expecting some form of violence to break out?  If so, would her purely academic lessons with Arkenstone be enough for her to account for herself in the thick of things?  Her eyes looked up towards the base of her horn, where her secret asset waited if she needed it.
"I doubt it'll involve force," said Blueblood, giving her an encouraging smile, "Likely it will only involve exchanging some words.  However, that can be dangerous enough on its own here, with these ponies."
Twilight nodded and swallowed hard, unhappy at the prospect of a confrontation of any kind.  "Why spy on us like that?"
"Whoever was behind that servant likely wanted to know which exit we would be using," replied Blueblood simply, "While the main entrance is the obvious choice, it is but one of many entrances and exits the Royal Palace has."
"Could we take another exit?" asked Twilight.
"We could," agreed Blueblood, "But that could cause problems for us later.  Right now, the best approach will be to confront whoever is waiting for us head on.  Don't worry.  As a duke, I am at the highest rank in the Noble Court.  Since I am accompanying you, there can be no direct interference right now."
"Okay," said Twilight nervously, feeling a little unbalanced by the fact that it was Blueblood of all ponies that she was depending on at the moment.
The two of them took a few more minutes before they arrived at the main entryway of the Royal Palace.  It was a massive hall that stretched for over a hundred meters.  The space was wide enough for nearly an entire company of soldiers to stand abreast.  The vaulted ceiling loomed overhead with enough space that a pegasus could easily take flight.  On one end, the massive hall terminated in a large, ornate staircase, down which ran a broad, red carpet that stretched all the way to the other end where the colossal gates leading to the drawbridge waited.  Even though it was evening now, the gates remained open, with only a pair of Royal Guards, one waiting on each side, standing sharply at attention.
Partway down the hall stood a unicorn stallion, his head bent slightly as he gave his ear to a maid, a mare dressed in the livery that Blueblood had spotted in the hallway.  This then, was the one who had spotted them.  Blueblood frowned upon realizing that they had drawn a particularly troublesome opponent.
"Tread carefully Twilight Sparkle," he said softly, "This one is quite dangerous."
Twilight nodded nervously.
The unicorn before them was a muted orange color.  As he noticed their presence, he tilted his head upwards to regard them with deep, forest-green eyes.  His attention immediately zeroed in on Twilight, who felt her skin crawl as she felt his gaze lasciviously caress her every feature.  She was nearly overtaken by the need to shy back and hide behind something, anything to break his line of sight.  His lips stretched into a smile that looked faintly vicious before he managed to school his expression into a more polite mode.
Realizing that she couldn't afford to back down in front of this opponent, Twilight returned his gaze and examined him in turn.  If she had to guess, this stallion was probably only a little older than she was.  His body was fairly well built, with nicely defined muscles and no trace of flab.  While he wasn't an athlete like Rainbow Dash or a warrior like Arkenstone, it was clear that this stallion worked to keep himself in good shape.  Twilight would have found him attractive if his very presence didn't make her feel like she was being rubbed down with grease.  Perhaps his most notable feature was his horn, which seemed unusually sharp for a unicorn.  However, she also noticed his cutie mark, a spear with a scroll rolled around the shaft, which certainly didn't do anything to lessen the sense of danger Twilight felt from this stallion.
As they came within speaking distance, the stallion smiled and bowed his head to Blueblood, the movement ruffling his rust-colored mane, which was shot through with streaks of gray.
"Duke Bluebood," he said, his voice tinged faintly with a note of frustration, "It's a pleasure to see you again, Your Grace."  It was clear that he was not happy to find Twilight in the company of a higher-ranking noble.  For the first time, Twilight was truly grateful that Blueblood had agreed to see her out.
"Likewise," said Blueblood, his tone carefully neutral, "I wasn't expecting to run into you here, Earl Flint."
The orange stallion then turned his attention to Twilight, his expression taking on that leering quality that made Twilight feel like her body was being inspected as though it were being sold at market.  "Dame Sparkle, how nice of you to grace the halls of the Royal Palace with your presence."
Twilight bowed her head to the earl.  "Your Lordship, I am honored by your words."
"Can we help you?" asked Blueblood.
"Well, I found it odd for you to be accompanying Dame Sparkle, Your Grace," replied Flint, still fighting to keep his frustration from showing, "It seems an odd pairing to for a Duke to associate with a mere knight."
"It's true, I admit," replied Blueblood, his lips twitching upward in a smile, "However, her brother, Shining Armor, is a dear friend of mine.  Dame Sparkle had business here in the Palace and her brother asked me to see her home."
"I see," replied Flint, his eyes darting between the two ponies, "Dame Sparkle, may I ask what your business in the Palace was."
"Your Lordship, I had business with Princess Luna," replied Twilight, "As for what that business is; it is a private matter between the Princess and myself."
The earl's eyebrow rose a small fraction.  "I see.  I apologize for prying.  However, since I have the opportunity here, I would like to extend an invitation to you, Dame Sparkle."
"To what?" asked Twilight, trying hard to keep her nervousness from showing.
"Since you arrived in Canterlot so unexpectedly, I thought this would be an opportunity for us to get better acquainted with each other," replied Flint, whose smile was back in place, "In about three days time, I will be hosting a gathering at my estate here.  It is a rather standard social affair.  However, it could only stand to benefit from your presence."
"I don't understand, Your Lordship," said Twilight, averting her eyes, partially to project the image of a demure mare out of her depth, but also to avoid the Earl's gaze, which she found distasteful in the extreme, "I'm only a knight after all.  It seems that it would be better for someone as lowly as me to not attend."
"Don't underestimate yourself," replied Fint, who was now grinning slightly, "After all, you have an impressive list of accomplishments for one of your rank.  You are more than welcome."
"I understand," said Twilight bobbing her head, "My visit to Canterlot was meant to be brief.  I expect to be leaving to return to Ponyville soon.  However, should I still be in the city in three days, I would be honored to accept your invitation, Your Lordship."
The earl's eyes narrowed slightly.  But he appeared to accept her answer.  "Your Grace," he said, turning back to Blueblood, "We would be honored by your attendance as well."
Twilight could easily see that this was merely a token gesture by Earl Flint to keep from offending a pony of a higher noble rank than him.  Blueblood obviously saw through it as well.  From beginning to end, the only pony Flint wanted to bother with had been Twilight.  However, Blueblood took the matter in stride and nodded regally.  "I would be happy to accept your invitation," he said calmly, "I look forward to attending three days from now."
"I am honored, Your Grace," said Earl Flint, before turning his attention back to Twilight.  "It may be unseemly to hope for delays, but I pray that your business does not conclude too quickly, Dame Sparkle.  I truly do wish for you to enrich our experience with your presence."  He reached out and grasped her foreleg with his fetlock and pulled it up so that he could lay a gentle kiss on her hoof, his lips remaining just a little too long for it to be proper, but not long enough for it to be noticed by outside parties.
Twilight had to fight to keep an expression of revulsion from her face as he lowered her hoof back to the floor.  She barely knew him, but she already detested this stallion.  It was clear that she was little more than an object to him and his attempts to manipulate her were blatant to an offensive degree; so much so that even the less social savvy Twilight who had not yet gone to Ponyville could have seen through his behavior.  Twilight waged an inner war to keep her disgust from showing.  Fortunately she appeared to have won as Earl Flint showed no signs of seeing her distaste.
"Well then, I hope to see you soon," said the orange unicorn, bowing to Blueblood, "Your Grace," he turned and nodded to Twilight, who bowed in return, "Dame Sparkle."
Earl Flint turned and trotted out the palace gates, his maid falling into step behind him.  Though the Royal Guards standing on either side of the gate remained as impassive and motionless as ever, a detailed observation would have noted a greater tightness in their muscles as the stallion passed, their eyes narrowing slightly as they regarded the noblepony going on his way.
Once Flint was out of sight, Twilight felt her legs beginning to tremble and she found that she needed to sit for a moment to regain her self-control.
Blueblood reached out and gently patted her shoulder, an approving smile on his face.  "You did well," he said.
"Thanks," replied Twilight, "Can you tell me who that was?"  She had little knowledge of the individuals making up the Noble Court.  She had been fortunate that Blueblood had greeted the earl by his rank and name so that she would know how to address him.  Then again, Twilight reasoned, That may have been deliberate on Blueblood's part.
"That was Steel Flint, Earl of Hollow Shades," replied Blueblood, his eyes narrowing as he stared in the direction the aforementioned earl had taken.
"That name doesn't bode well," muttered Twilight.
"Indeed.  He is a pony who enjoys starting fires, both figuratively and literally."  Blueblood sighed.  "He's a troublesome one, no two ways about it."
"How so?" asked Twilight.
"Let's walk," said Blueblood, "It wouldn't do for wandering eyes to note that you've been shaken by your encounter with the good Earl."
Twilight nodded and stood up.  The two of them made their own way out.  The Guard stallions, who had been standing impassively at the gate both nodded at her as she past.  Out of the corner of her eyes, Twilight saw them both giving her a smile of encouragement.  The small gesture was enough to warm her heart.  I have more friends here than I thought, even if it's just moral support.
Blueblood began his explanation.  "Auntie Celestia has made great strides in ensuring that the members of the Noble Court can no longer interfere with the lives of common ponies.  However, within the boundaries of their own society, the nobles can do a great deal without attracting censure from the law.  If the proper rules are observed and procedures followed, a great deal is permissible, even murder."
Twilight shivered.
"Feuds between different noble families are quite rare these days, particularly ones that end in death.  A conflict between families may generally result in some basic mudslinging, a little snubbing, the occasional upstaging at social functions, quiet acts of sabotage behind the scenes, and so on...  These days, if feuds are bad enough that blood is demanded, the matter is generally settled in a duel."
"I've heard about that," replied Twilight, "I thought the noble houses maintained mares at arms for those purposes as well."
Blueblood nodded.  "They do.  But Princess Celestia has made it quite clear that she is most displeased whenever a conflict between families results in fighting in the streets, particularly since that raises the risk of uninvolved ponies coming to harm.  Because of that, dueling is the favored method of settling blood-feuds.
"Unfortunately, Earl Flint specializes in both starting and ending feuds.  Since he inherited his title from his father, he has initiated blood-feuds against no fewer than three other families and subsequently won duels against them."
"I don't understand.  Why would he do that?" asked Twilight.
"The winner of a duel has the right to demand a restitution or penalty from the kin of the loser.  In Earl Flint's case, he uses his right as the victor to claim the assets of the losing family and condemn them to utter poverty.  If it were allowable, he would probably disband their family as well and force them to relinquish their titles.  However, only the Princess may do that."
"That's awful," gasped Twilight, her eyes wide.  A sickening feeling settled in her stomach.
Blueblood nodded in agreement.  "He uses the laws governing the Noble Court to his advantage in order to advance his own wealth and prestige.  He acts as a provocateur, inciting a fellow noble to violence against him so that he may claim a duel on his terms, which he then wins."
Twilight felt sick as she hear Blueblood's words.  What could possibly be noble about this?  "Isn't that risky though?  What if he loses?"
"It is risky, but unlikely," said Blueblood, "Steel Flint is incredibly accomplished at battle magic.  He knows several lethal spells and can cast them with both great speed and accuracy.  So far, his duels have never extended beyond the first minute."
"Is that what he wants from me?" asked Twilight, confused.  She may have been a knight, but she had no assets worth seizing.  Her status as the Element of Magic and Princess Celestia's student were not things that could simply be hoofed over to another pony.  Taking her life in a duel would not give Flint any of those things.
"Not likely," scoffed Blueblood, "As you've probably already deduced, any noble who intends to use you for his benefit would need you alive.  A relatively young stallion, like Flint, would most likely seek you as a mare, most likely as his consort.  In fact, that's the most likely aspiration for most of the stallions among the nobility that would be looking to leverage some control over you."
Twilight nodded, a shiver going down her spine.  As the daughter of commoners, she'd never truly expected to be sought after for arranged marriages or anything of that nature.  In fact, her commoner status was probably the major buffer that had kept potential suitors at bay during her time in the Palace.  But now that she'd been knighted...
"And what about mares?" asked Twilight.
"I have no doubt that there are a few who seek you as a consort as well," replied Blueblood, "There are plenty of mares among the aristocracy who swing that way.  However, those that don't are still plenty dangerous.  They'll most likely try to find ways to leverage favors from you or ways that you can sway Auntie Celestia's opinion in favor of whatever it is that they want."
"I see."  Twilight paused for a moment.  "Besides Steel Flint, who else should I look out for?"
"There is Elderflower, Baron of Dream Valley," noted Blueblood, "He's not as bad as most, but very much a stickler for the rules.  He would likely try to court you through relatively orthodox methods; probably approaching your parents for a marriage agreement.  While he may generally behave honorably, he has been known to use his status and financial clout to leverage what he wants from ponies."
Twilight nodded, but didn't feel overly worried.  While her family had never been swimming in money, they had been well-off enough that they would have been able to afford to send Twilight to Princess Celestia's school without any kind of scholarship.  In fact, she knew that both of her parents were considering retirement in the near future, which made it unlikely that they could be threatened through their jobs.  "Who else?"
"There's also Sweet Water, Viscountess of Diamond Mountain," added Blueblood, "In recent months, she has been a rather avid buyer of Miss Rarity's latest designs.  Fancy Pants has also told me that she plans on offering a sponsorship to your friend."
Twilight mentally made a note to warn Rarity about that.  At the moment, she knew that Rarity had suspended most of her negotiations with ponies in Canterlot at Fancy Pants' urging.  Of all of Twilight's friends, Rarity was probably the most aware of the problem.  But Twilight would give her a head's up nonetheless.  However, something occurred to her.  "You keep saying that these ponies are Baron, Earl, or something or other, of some place.  What does that mean?"
"Those are technically their full titles," replied Blueblood, "A thousand years ago, Equestria still had a feudalistic structure, with the members of the Noble Court serving the Princess, but also controlling their own fiefdoms, lands that they owned and leased to commoners to live and work on.  While the members of the Court spent a great deal of time in Canterlot, their true estates were on their ancestral lands.  Auntie Celestia spent the past millennium stealing those lands out from under them, while keeping them from being able to exert their control over that land once they no longer owned it.
"In this day and age, hardly any nobles hold much more than their mansions on those lands, if even that.  They spend almost the entirety of their time here in Canterlot.  It used to be the other way around."  Blueblood snorted derisively.  "My full title is Prince Blueblood, Duke of Paradise Estate."
"Where is that?" asked Twilight.
"It's a lovely place near Hoofington.  Those have been our ancestral lands for over five-thousand years now.  Originally, we had a magnificent villa where my family resided for several dozen generations."
"What happened to it?"
"Oh, it's still there.  My father sold it to the city of Hoofington at a premium.  The city maintains it as a tourist attraction now.  Technically, I still own  five square-meters of that place, a lovely little rose garden in the front yard.
"Even Fancy Pants is, in fact, Marquess of Manehattan Island.  However, he completely relinquished ownership of his estate there and went into business instead."
"I had no idea," said Twilight, her eyes wide.  It was amazing to see the scope of Celestia's thousand years of work to advance the cause of the common pony.
"I'm surprised you didn't," replied Blueblood, "Auntie Celestia has always told me that your education was rather comprehensive."
"Yeah, but I never cared much about the nobility, except to stay far away from them," grumbled Twilight.
Blueblood chuckled.  "A wise sentiment, to be sure.  However, now you are a noble yourself.  You should make sure you are better educated in the norms of your position."
Twilight nodded.  Looking up, she saw that the two of them had arrived at her family's home.  "Thank you very much for coming with me," said Twilight, smiling at Blueblood, who nodded cordially at her.
"One last thing," said the Duke before Twilight could turn away.  She looked expectantly at him.  "Take care of Arkenstone.  As a Knight, he's one of the strongest ponies in Equestria.  But it is the strongest ones who often break most easily."  His expression became quite serious.  "More than anything else, you are his strength."
Twilight nodded solemnly.  Blueblood smiled at her one last time and turned to take his leave.  With a sigh, Twilight turned and entered her home, feeling a bit vulnerable now that nopony was with her.



After a late dinner with her parents, Twilight settled into the family library to wait for Arkenstone return.  She was nodding off over an old history tome when she felt a tap on her shoulder.  Looking up, she couldn't stop herself from smiling at the sight of the beige stallion behind her.  "Welcome back Arky."
Arkenstone nodded and lowered himself onto the cushions next to Twilight.  "I heard you got to meet one of your antagonists on your way out.
Twilight suppressed a shudder at the memory of Earl Flint and his rather transparent designs on her.  "We'd better wrap up our business as quick as we can," she said, "The less I have to deal with that, the better."
"Do you have any plans?" asked Arkenstone, "Our business with Princess Luna concluded more quickly than we thought it would.  We could easily return to Ponyville on the morrow."
Twilight shook her head.  "No.  What I need to do now is take advantage of the opportunity we have here.  I'm going to have Spike send me the collected lists of individuals affected by the Eyes of Nightmare.  I'm going to start looking through the Royal Archives to see if I can locate anypony descended from or related to them.  If the Eyes really are an inherited trait, we should be able to find some trace of it in the descendants of those ponies in the material Princess Celestia sent me."
A glimmer of violet light streamed off Twilight's horn as she called up a sheet of parchment and a quill and began to write a set of instructions for Spike to follow.  It was the work of but a few moments.  The scroll rolled up with a snap and Twilight levitated it in front of her.  "I haven't done this in a while," she muttered.
"Before you do that," said Arkenstone, "Could you send something for me as well?"  He held up a roll of parchment of his own.  "Shining and I came up with some instructions for Red and Storm.  Hopefully, those two will be able to keep things under control until we are done here in Canterlot."
Twilight nodded and held up the two scrolls in front of her.  Frowning, she narrowed her eyes in concentration.  A spark of emerald green welled up within the normal violet of her magic.  The spark burst into a green flame that enveloped the scrolls, transforming them into a cloud of glittering ash that streamed out the window and on its way back to Ponyville.
With a sigh, Twilight settled back and leaned against Arkenstone.  "Arky..."
"Yes?"
"Yesterday, you were talking about something that made you very upset.  What happened to you on your last mission...?"
"I..."  A shiver transmitted itself from Arkenstone and into her.  His voice seemed strangely hoarse, as though he was instinctually struggling to keep himself from talking about whatever it was.
Twilight looked down.  "I guess you don't want to talk about it."
Arkenstone's body seemed to go limp next to her.  "Not yet," he said softly, "What happened is...difficult to describe.  I...I did a terrible thing Twilight.  I don't know if I can ever be forgiven for it."
"Arky..."  Twilight directed a worried glance at the stallion.  To her surprise, she saw tears leaking from his eyes.  "Okay then.  I'm sorry."
"It's alright.  But it remains an extremely dark matter for me," said Arkenstone softly, "I erased something very important from the world."
Twilight said nothing more.  She only leaned over and gently pressed her head against the stallion's neck, trying to impart all the care and affection she could into the gesture.



With a screech of steel, the train slowed to a stop in the Canterlot station.  The crowds were much sparser so late at night.  This was the final train scheduled to arrive.  Its cars only held a few ponies traveling south from the Crystal Ranges.  From where the train had come, one could see the tracks winding their way north into the frigid reaches of Equestria, where the Crystal Empire, among other things, was situated.  Also out there were small townships of ponies eking their lives in the icy lands where even the magic of the pegasi could not forestall the chill that pervaded the air year-round.
In the train, two figures stirred from the humble coach-class car they had been using.  Because the train was so late, they'd been fortunate enough to have the car to themselves.  The larger of the two had already donned his worn cloak.  As the last shrill squeal of the brakes faded, he turned to prod his companion, who remained in a listless doze.
"Wake up," he said gently, "We're here."
The other pony stirred.  "Canterlot?" she asked softly.
The larger one nodded.  "Can you walk back to the house?"
The smaller mare got uncertainly to her hooves and took a few careful steps before turning to look up at her companion and nodding.
The stallion held out a foreleg, over which was draped a worn, brown cloak of similar make to his own.  The mare took the cloak in her hooves and wrapped it close around her, not bothering to light the horn atop her head.  Then, as her companion did, she pulled the cloak's hood to cover her face.
The only thing the two of them carried were a pair of saddlebags apiece.  Aside from that, they had no luggage.  The pair made their way through the aisle and stepped out the doors and onto the platform.  As they did so, the mare paused and took a deep breath of the clear mountain air of Canterlot.  It's warmer here, she thought, almost giddily, I forgot what it felt like.  And to think, it's nearly autumn.  She fought the urge to giggle at the thought.  After so much time spent struggling against the harsh and unforgiving elements of the northern wilderness, the fact that she had the time and opportunity to think about such simple things filled her with an indescribable euphoria.
The stallion with her looked over his shoulder, seemingly unconcerned about the mare's state of mind.  But when he spoke, there was no air of strained patience, just firm instruction.  "Come along Trixie."
"Y-yes!"
Together, the two of them made their way down the dark streets of Canterlot in silence.
> Trauma
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9: Trauma

The sun was just barely cresting the horizon as Dawn silently stepped out the door.  He cast a wary glance behind him at the home he shared with Fluttershy.  He had once again spent the night cradled in her arms and wings, basking in the warmth of her unconditional affection.  After what he had experienced yesterday, it had been something he sorely needed.
Were this a normal day, Dawn would have quickly made his way to Scootaloo's house so that they could meet up for their morning training.  However, he had other plans that morning.  Spreading his wings, the young colt took to the air and fixed his eyes on his current destination, a small mansion sculpted from clouds that hovered just above Ponyville.  A single beat was enough to send the colt on his way.  In spite of everything that had already happened, there remained one important piece of business for Dawn to take care of.
It was only a few moments before he reached Rainbow Dash's cloud home, coming in to land softly on her front porch.  Stepping up to the door, Dawn raised his hoof to knock, only to pause as he realized it might be a futile effort.  After all, Rainbow was somewhat notorious for not being a morning pony, only getting up early if the town's weather schedule required it.  On top of that, she was only a few days into her vacation and was probably enjoying every opportunity she had to sleep in.  And, of course, the events of the previous day were probably difficult for her in their own way.  There was almost no chance that she would be awake this early.
So, as Dawn lowered his hoof and contemplated what to do, he was surprised to see the door open anyway.  Looking up, he noted a pale-blue stallion was looking down at him with an amused smile.
"I thought I heard somepony out here," said Soarin' with a grin, "What's up?"
Dawn blinked for a moment, surprised that Soarin' had noticed his approach to the cloud house, possibly without even having seen him.  But then again, he was second-in-command of the Wonderbolts, which marked him as a skilled pony in his own right.
This makes things easier actually, thought Dawn.  "I was hoping to speak to you," he said, "I need to get a message to Spitfire."
Soarin's look of amusement dissolved into one of confusion.  "Uh...sure.  What about?"
Dawn looked around carefully.  There wasn't anypony nearby, which meant they were unlikely to be overheard.  On the other hoof, this information was extremely sensitive.  While he trusted most everypony in Ponyville, the last thing he wanted was to take even the slightest risk that this information might reach the wrong ears.
"Could I speak to you inside?" asked Dawn, "This is important."
"Okay," agreed the stallion, quickly ushering the ebony colt into the house.



Sweat matted Scootaloo's coat as she pushed herself through another repetition of the First Form.  Her legs and wings were shaking from the ceaseless exertion as she went through it again and again.  Even without using her magic, she was still pushing her body to its limits.  If she didn't let up soon, her legs and wings would probably give out and she'd collapse to the ground, maybe even pass out from the exhaustion.
But she didn't care.  Right now, the thoughtless state of going through the motions quelled her mind, allowing the sick feeling that had settled into her stomach since yesterday to fade.  During the form, she felt safe, safe from herself, from her thoughts, from her feelings.  She felt safe from everything...
...Everything except death.  Rainbow had covered her eyes while Willow had quietly passed away in front of Dawn.  But Scootaloo had seen enough.  What she saw had been burned into her eyes in such a way that she could still picture the scene as clear as day whenever she closed her eyes...whether or not she wanted to.  Even in her sleep, she was haunted by the events of the previous day, the fear and dread of waiting in the classroom, the terror of being mere inches from death as Willow held her, the horror of realizing that Willow's blood had splattered across her face.
When Rainbow had brought Scootaloo home, the filly had rushed into the bathroom.  She'd danced about irritably as she waited for the tub to fill and then dove in without the slightest hesitation.  She'd soaped up a sponge and scrubbed herself down, cleaning harder than she'd ever cleaned before.  She cleaned off the sticky blood, turning the water around her a mild pink color.  She scrubbed until her fur started to get rubbed off.  She scrubbed until the skin beneath her coat was beginning to feel hurt and raw.  She'd only stopped scrubbing when Rainbow and Melon had come in and forced her out of the tub.
They dried her off and took her into the living room.  Melon Cream held her daughter tightly as she and Rainbow Dash talked about what happened.  Soarin' was there too, though Scootaloo couldn't recall if he'd said or done anything important.  Scootaloo could barely remember the conversation and most of the details had become muddled in her brain.  She only remembered that, in spite of everything, she still felt dirty, as though the blood had soaked in through her coat and skin and stained something much more important.  At that time, Scootaloo wanted nothing more than to pry herself out of her mother's arms and rush back into the bathroom and start the cleaning process all over again.
Rainbow and Melon both noticed Scootaloo's unease.  However, Melon had kept a tight grip on her daughter.  She and Rainbow continued to talk until Scootaloo's eyes got heavy, until she couldn't remember anything anymore.
She slept until her nightmares wouldn't let her sleep anymore.  She'd wondered if Princess Luna might show up at some point and help her, but if the Princess had been there, her presence had gone unnoticed.  When Scootaloo awoke, it was still dark, though the moon was dipping below the horizon.
Unable to return to sleep, the filly had stepped outside and done the only thing she felt could help her at the moment.  She began practicing.  She meditated, falling into the blissful emptiness, void of thought or feeling as she went from one repetition to the next.  She practiced as the sun crested the horizon, she practiced as her limbs began to shake, she practiced as her breathing got more and more difficult.  She practiced and practiced, hours becoming a blur.  She practiced until she couldn't move another step.
When Scootaloo finally slumped, exhausted and panting to the ground, she realized she felt better.  The sick feeling in her stomach was still there.  But it felt muted, farther away.  It's not going to just disappear is it, she thought listlessly, I guess I'll have to deal with it somehow.
"Scootaloo!"
Melon Cream's shout brought the orange filly to her senses as she weakly raised her head and stared back at the house.  Her mother was there, staring aghast at her daughter, who'd collapsed in their front yard.  Without saying another word, she trotted over, lifted Scootaloo onto her back, and carried her back into the house, closing the door behind them.
Melon carried Scootaloo back into the bathroom and ran a tub full of hot water.  After the tub was full, she lowered her filly into the water before climbing in herself.  It had been many years since she and Scootaloo had taken a bath together.  In spite of that, Melon's hooves worked surely and easily, the memories of cleaning her daughter coming back to her over time.  She gently rubbed the soapy sponge against Scootaloo's fur, careful to avoid agitating her skin after Scootaloo had scrubbed it so hard last night.  She carefully ran it over and through the feathers of Scootaloo's wings, cleaning them delicately before preening them back into shape afterwards.  All the while, Scootaloo's eyes drooped closed as she very nearly drifted off in response to her mother's ministrations.
After she had washed all the sweat and grime out of Scootaloo, Melon pulled her out of the tub and dried both Scootaloo and herself down.  Then, grabbing the hairbrush from the counter, she took her filly into the living room and settled onto the couch, gently running the brush through Scootaloo's mane.
Normally not one to appreciate being pampered, particularly when it came to getting her unruly mane brushed, Scootaloo felt surprisingly at ease as her mother continued to brush her mane gently.  Eventually, the weight of the little filly's exertions caught up with her.  Her fatigue, combined with the gentle caress of the brush, combined to relax her, causing Scootaloo's eyes to slowly close until she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.



"Are you sure about this?" asked Soarin', giving the letter he'd just written a troubled look.
"I got it straight from the horse's mouth," replied Dawn calmly, "Though she didn't have much strength left at the time, I had no difficulty understanding what Willow said."
"I know," said Soarin' nervously, "The worst part is, it makes sense, in a twisted sort of way.  Even so, it's really hard to believe."
"We only have Willow's word on the matter," replied Dawn, "And while I believe she was honest in her final moments, I can understand if there's nothing you can do without further proof."
Soarin' sighed.  "We'll have to leave it to Spitfire."
He jumped off the cloud couch and rushed upstairs to the guest room, returning a few seconds later with beautiful varicolored feather clamped between his teeth.  Settling back down on the couch, he spit it out so that it rested next to the letter.  "It's been a while since I've had to use one of these."
"What is it?"
"It's one of Ouranos's feathers," replied Soarin', "Using this, I can send it straight to Ouranos, who, if he isn't already with Spitfire, can deliver it to her."  He sighed.  "The problem is, once I use it, the feather's gone and Spitfire will probably have to send Ouranos back with the reply."
"We could take it to Spike, so you wouldn't have to use the feather," suggested Dawn.
Soarin' shook his head.  "Thanks, but no.  Using this will let Spitfire know that it's urgent Wonderbolts' business of the highest priority.  These feathers are meant to be used for emergency missives.  And if what you're saying is true, then this counts as an emergency."
Picking up the feather, Soarin' touched it to the roll of parchment.  In an instant, both feather and parchment vanished in a burst of red and purple flame, leaving a small cloud of varicolored motes that quickly streamed out in the direction of Cloudsdale.
Both Dawn and Soarin' watched it go before turning to look at each other.  An awkward silence descended on the living room of the cloud house as neither really knew what else to say.
"So now what?" asked Soarin'.
"I honestly don't know," replied Dawn, "There isn't much else to do but wait."
"Why don't you go check up on Scootaloo," suggested Soarin', "Rainbow and I took her home yesterday, but she was hit pretty hard by what happened."
"I suppose it couldn't hurt," mused Dawn, "But I should head to my home first.  After what happened yesterday, I don't want mom to get worried because she woke up and I'm not there anymore.  She might start thinking that I left without her again."
Soarin' grinned.  "Go do whatcha need to kid."



"Sweetie Belle," called Rarity gently as she entered the room, "It's time to get up dear."
In the darkness of the room, a blanket-covered lump on the mattress shifted and groaned.
"Come now Sweetie," said Rarity as gently and patiently as she could, "I know that yesterday was difficult, but there's been no notice that school's been cancelled today.  You weren't hurt at all, so there's no reason for you not to go."  Lighting her horn, Rarity pulled back the window curtains with her magic, letting sunlight stream in.  Next she turned and levitated the covers off the bed to reveal the filly laying beneath.  "Now, let's get up and-Good gracious!  What happened to you?"
"Wha-what are you talking about Rarity?"  Sweetie Belle sat up, rubbing her eyes.  Unfortunately, that did little to help her complexion with the dark shadows beneath them and their bloodshot color indicating a serious lack of sleep.  To make matters worse, her coat was ruffled and her mane a tangled mess, the result of constant tossing and turning.
"Sweetie Belle," whispered Rarity, climbing onto the bed and hugging her sister to her, "What happened?"
"I...I couldn't sleep," said Sweetie softly, "I'd be about to do it, then I'd hear something and..."  Her body began to shake.  "I keep thinking it's her!"
"Shh," soothed Rarity, gently stroking her younger sister's head, "It's alright Sweetie.  Everything's alright.  You're safe now.  That mare can't hurt or scare you anymore."
"I-I know that," said Sweetie, pressing her face into Rarity's chest, "But it feels like that doesn't matter.  Yesterday, that fog...that knocking...It all felt so unreal, like it wasn't really happening.  But it was!"  Sweetie was crying now.  "So it doesn't feel real to say that she's gone either."
"Oh Sweetie Belle," whispered Rarity, cradling her tightly.  That clenched it.  There was no way she could go to school like this.  What Sweetie Belle needed was rest, though that looked a difficult thing with how frightened she was.
For the first time, Rarity understood how terrifying that ordeal must have been.  When the fog had rolled in the previous day, she had been working in the Boutique as usual.  Figuring that it was just some confusion with the Weather Team, Rarity had opted to stay inside until the problem had been solved.  A short while later, the fog was gone.  Only when Sweetie Belle came home, quiet and shaken, had she learned what had transpired at school.  Still, Sweetie Belle hadn't been hurt and she seemed alright overall.  So Rarity had thought the matter settled when she tucked her younger sister into bed.  It had never occurred to her that Sweetie had been frightened so badly.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, "I should have paid more attention dear.  I'm sorry."
Sweetie Belle said nothing.  Instead, she just pressed herself all the more tightly against her sister.  Rarity hugged her back, all thoughts of her plans for the day abandoned as she realized that her sister needed her more.  However, as Sweetie Belle continued to shiver in Rarity's embrace, Rarity found herself wondering how the other foals were coping.



At Sweet Apple Acres, things were better.  The previous evening, Applejack and Red River had returned at a gallop to find Apple Bloom and Spike sitting quietly in the living room of the farmhouse, the two of them playing checkers while Big Macintosh and Granny Smith worked on dinner in the kitchen.  Though the attitude was somewhat subdued, Apple Bloom at least appeared to be enjoying herself.  There had been no look of reproach when she saw Applejack had returned.  Instead, she simply threw herself at her older sister and hugged her tightly, an embrace that Applejack happily returned.
Finally, the two of them relaxed and Applejack got Bloom to talk about her experiences at the schoolhouse.  Dinner was a quiet affair, joined by Spike as a way of thanking him for staying with Apple Bloom throughout the afternoon.  That night, Bloom slept with Applejack in her bed, the two sisters curled up together.
The morning light, streaming in through the window, was what woke Applejack.  It was a bit later than she was used to.  However, she remained where she was, not wanting to leave Apple Bloom alone at the moment.  After the previous day's ordeal, the yellow filly needed every shred of support her older sister could supply.  So Applejack did not move, but merely lay still and kept as silent vigil over Apple Bloom as the filly slumbered peacefully, her nightmares kept at bay by Applejack's warm embrace, only stirring at the sound of knocking at the door to Applejack's room.
Apple Bloom's eyes snapped open and she let out a shriek of fright before practically throwing herself against Applejack, who caught her and held her tightly.  "It's okay sugarcube," she whispered softly as she gently ran her hoof through Apple Bloom's mane, "It's just Big Macintosh."
"Eeyup," said the large, red stallion as he slowly pushed the door open.  Having spent nearly her entire life sharing the house with her brother, Applejack knew the tone of his knock by heart.  Big Macintosh stepped into the room, his expression falling as he saw Apple Bloom quaking in Applejack's arms.  A look of regret passed across his face before he schooled it back to its normal stoicism.  "Ah came to tell y'all breakfast's ready.  Spike and Red are already waitin' on ya."
"Thanks," said Applejack, giving her brother a smile.  She turned her attention back to Apple Bloom, who was starting to calm down.  "Come on sugarcube, let's get cleaned up and get us some grub."
"'Kay," said Apple Bloom dully, hopping down from the bed and heading towards the bathroom, Applejack following behind her.  After taking care of their usual morning rituals, the two girls proceeded downstairs to join the boys in the kitchen.  Spike, Big Macintosh, Red River, and Granny Smith were already seated and waiting, with steaming bowls of apple-cinnamon oatmeal set out for breakfast.
""Bout time y'all got down here," said Granny Smith with a chortle, "The best thing after a rough night is a good breakfast."
As the yellow filly took her seat next to the young dragon, Spike raised a gentle claw and rested it against Apple Bloom's shoulder.  "Are you okay?" he asked softly.  Rather than allow Spike to walk back to the library through the dark, Applejack and Big Macintosh had Spike spend the night in the house.  While Spike was more than confident that he wasn't in danger walking back to the library, a trip he'd made on many occasions during the day and night, he'd accepted, mostly because he wanted to make sure that Apple Bloom was feeling better before he left.
Apple Bloom smiled at the contact.  "Yeah, thanks Spike."  She turned and gently nuzzled the dragon's cheek.  Applejack raised a hoof to her mouth to stifle an affectionate giggle.  But enough noise escaped to remind the two young ones that they had an audience, prompting vivid blushes from both of them as they quickly jumped away from each other.  This triggered a small avalanche of mirth from the watching adults as they enjoyed a bit of humor at Spike and Bloom's expense, though it was good-natured.  Apple Bloom and Spike exchanged a tentative look before smiles broke across their faces and they started laughing too.



Scootaloo woke to the soft sizzle of eggs as her mother made breakfast (Or was it brunch?) in the kitchen.  Getting up, she carefully stepped down from the couch and onto the floor, wobbling a little as she did so.  Guess I overdid it, she thought as she carefully began the walk from the living room to the kitchen.
"Feeling better?" asked Melon Cream as she folded over the omelet and slid it onto the plate.  The scent rising from it made Scootaloo's stomach growl.  It was her favorite, asparagus, mushrooms, and cheese.  The orange filly excitedly took her place at the table as her mother set the omelet and a glass of juice in front of her.  Habitually, Scootaloo reached for for the ketchup bottle and quickly squirted a liberal dose of the red condiment onto the set eggs...
Crimson fluid arced out of the incision in Willow's neck...
The ketchup bottle tumbled out of Scootaloo's hoof, bouncing off the table before dropping all the way to the floor.  Melon saw Scootaloo blanch beneath her coat.  A second later, the filly gagged and covered her mouth, fighting the wave of nausea that threatened to envelop her.  Her first impulse was to bolt for the bathroom as fast as her hooves could carry her.  As she swayed in her seat, Melon rushed over and quickly steadied her daughter.
After a few moments, Scootaloo managed to get her riotous stomach to calm itself.  Panting for breath, she looked at the omelet, unevenly spattered with ketchup.  The sight of that red on the pristine yellow of the omelet nearly made her retch again.
"It's alright," said Melon, gently rubbing Scootaloo's shoulders, "It's just ketchup.  There's nothing wrong.  Close your eyes and smell it."
Scootaloo nodded automatically and closed her eyes, sniffing at the food in front of her.  Her nose was not invaded by the coppery scent of blood as it had been yesterday.  There was nothing in front of her but eggs and ketchup.  The familiar scent of her favorite breakfast began to quell the unease in her stomach and Scootaloo cautiously opened her eyes.
The ketchup was still there.  It was still red, of course.  However, Scootaloo managed to divorce the sight of its color from the other red substance that was on her mind at the moment.  She inhaled again, letting the familiar scents of cheese, asparagus, and mushrooms invade her nose, settling her treasonous digestive track down.  Picking up her fork and knife, she tentatively cut into the omelet and popped a piece of it into her mouth, ketchup and all.  A blissful sigh escaped her as she enjoyed the familiar flavors washing the last of her nausea away.
"That's it," said Melon, smiling encouragingly at her daughter.
"Thanks mom," said Scootaloo, smiling happily.  Her appetite returning, she pounced on the remainder of the omelet and devoured it with a gusto before downing the glass of juice.  Breakfast done, she slumped back against her chair and looked up at her mother.  "Now what?"
Melon turned and eyed the clock.  "It's a bit late for you to go to school.  So I suppose you'll have to stay here for today," she said, "I still have to go to work though.  Will you be alright by yourself."
Scootaloo nodded uncertainly.  "I think so."
Melon hesitated.  Having seen the state her daughter was in, she was loathe to leave Scootaloo by herself, in spite of the fact that she seemed to have improved.  Maybe I should take the day off to look after her.
As she thought that, Melon heard somepony knocking at the front door.  She quickly trotted over to check.  Upon opening it, she was surprised to see a familiar ebony colt standing there.  "Dawn!"
"Hello Miss Cream," said Dawn softly, "Is Scootaloo alright?"
Melon nodded and smiled as a thought occurred to her.  "She's just inside.  Would you be willing to spend the day with her?  She seems alright now, but she worked herself into exhaustion earlier.  I was afraid I'd have to give up going to work for today."  Mayor Mare was perhaps one of the most understanding and generous employers that Melon Cream had worked for.  However, the last thing she wanted to do was take advantage of that kindness if she didn't have to.  Besides, now that her income was no longer supplemented by her husband's, she had to be extra careful to ensure that she made enough to support both herself and Scootaloo.
Dawn nodded in response to Melon's question and stepped inside.  As he did, he noticed Scootaloo coming out of the kitchen.  When she saw him, her eyes widened slightly and a small smile spread across her face.  She looked relieved to see him.  The colt braced himself, half-expecting her to tackle him to the ground, as she sometimes did when she was happy to see him.  However, Scootaloo remained where she was.
"Hey," she said softly.
Dawn kept his expression neutral as he examined her.  There was no sign of the orange filly's usual energetic playfulness.  Instead, it seemed to have been replaced by a weariness that had seeped into her bones.  Dawn could also see the hesitance in her steps, the slight sag to her eyelids, which indicated that she was still quite tired.  Seeing her like this made it easy for him to understand Melon's concern.
He turned to Melon.  "I'll stay with her."
Melon nodded and turned to give Scootaloo a kiss on the forehead.  "I'm going to work now dear."
"Okay mom."
Melon departed, leaving Scootaloo and Dawn alone.  For a moment, the two foals stood there awkwardly as they tried to figure out what to do next.  "So now what?" asked Scootaloo.
Dawn frowned.  "It seems as though you've already worked quite hard this morning."
"Yeah," agreed Scootaloo, "Just going through the form was helping me feel better so...I kinda overdid it a little bit."
Once again, Dawn noted her shaky legs.  "Perhaps you should rest a little more."
Scootaloo nodded and went over to climb up onto the couch.  After a moment's hesitation, Dawn joined her, struggling to remain relaxed as Scootaloo leaned up against him.  He hesitated again, but slowly extended his wing and draped it over Scootaloo's back as she leaned her head up against his shoulder.  The filly couldn't stop herself from releasing a happy sigh.
"What do you want to do when you wake up?" asked Dawn.
"I don't know," said Scootaloo wearily.  After thinking for a moment, she said, "Maybe we should check up on the others."  As frightening as yesterday's ordeal had been, Scootaloo had had the advantage of being able to remain close to Dawn.  Even though she had been there when Willow died, she'd been able to use the things she'd been taught to mitigate the effects of the trauma, however tiring it may have been.  Her other friends had no such advantages.  She hoped that they were doing alright.
"Then that's what we'll do," said Dawn.
Scootaloo nodded and let her head droop, her fatigue mixing with a full stomach to lull her to sleep once again as she relaxed in Dawn's presence, comforted by the feeling of his wing resting over her.  As she drifted off, Dawn didn't move, maintaining his silent vigil over the filly as she rested.



When Scootaloo awakened, lunchtime had passed and it was now early afternoon.  Still full from her late breakfast, she saw no need for anything.  Dawn claimed he wasn't hungry either.  The two of them set out to visit their friends and find out how everypony from their class was coping with the stress of yesterday's events.  The first place they checked was Carousel Boutique, where Rarity had been looking after Sweetie Belle.
Upon arrival, they were surprised to find Sweetie asleep on Rarity's fainting couch in the workroom, while Rarity worked on her designs.  In spite of the near constant buzz of the sowing machine, the shift of fabrics against their respective ponyquins, the clatter of the many implements at work, Sweetie didn't stir.
"Oh, hello dears," said Rarity as Dawn and Scootaloo entered.  She cast an uncertain glance back at Sweetie Belle.  "I'm afraid Sweetie has had a rather rough night of it.  I'm not certain that she'll feel up to any crusading right now."
"Um...We don't exactly feel up to it either," said Scootaloo, "We just wanted to make sure that Sweetie Belle's alright."
Rarity sighed.  "She is...or she will be...I hope.  However, she was a bundle of nerves all night and barely got any sleep."
"I know that feeling," muttered Scootaloo, reminded of how little sleep she had gotten.
A soft sound of movement drew Rarity's attention back to Sweetie Belle.  The temporary cessation of Rarity's work, and the noise it created, was beginning to wake her up.  With a soft yawn, Sweetie lifted her head and looked over at Rarity.  The alabaster mare found herself smiling at her younger sister, who looked much more well-rested now that she'd had the opportunity to sleep some more.  Ironically, Sweetie Belle found the sounds of Rarity at work infinitely more soothing than complete peace and quiet.  Simply being in the workroom with her sister made her feel much better, even if the only thing Sweetie ended up doing was sleeping.
"Sweetie," said Rarity softly, "Your friends are here to check on you."
"Oh," said Sweetie softly before she turned her attention to Scootaloo and Dawn, "Hey guys.  What's up?"
"Not a whole lot," admitted Scootaloo, "Dawn and I just wanted to check up on everypony.  How are you feeling?"
"Alright," said Sweetie Belle as she hopped off the couch.
"If that's the case, why don't you join them dear," said Rarity with a smile, "I'm sure some time outside with your friends would do you a world of good."
Sweetie Belle nodded eagerly.  With a smile and a happy hum, she trotted towards the door, going past Dawn and Scootaloo, who smiled at each other and followed behind her.
"Try not to stay out too late," Rarity called after them, "Sweetie Belle, I want you back in time for dinner."
"Okay," shouted Sweetie over her shoulder.
The three foals left the building.  Once they were outside, Sweetie Belle took a deep breath, letting out a relieved sigh, before she turned to look at her friends.  Dawn noted that her previously cheerful expression had looked rather forced.  Now, however, though she was still smiling, her smile had a slightly sadder quality to it.
"Sweetie Belle?" asked Scootaloo, picking up on the change in the white-filly's attitude, "Are you really okay?"
Sweetie looked down.  "Not really," she admitted, "I'll tell you, but let's find Apple Bloom and Rumble first."
The other two exchanged uncertain looks before falling in behind Sweetie Belle.  From the Boutique, it was only a short walk to the house Rumble shared with his brother, though Cloud Chaser and Flitter had also taken up residence there recently.  Surprisingly enough, Thunderlane had opted for a ground house, a rare decision considering that he, his brother, his fillyfriend, and her sister were all pegasi, meaning that none of them really had any particular reason to need a ground house when they could all share the cloud dwellings that were typically preferred by pegasi.
On the other hoof, that made visiting the place to see Rumble quite easy.  Upon Dawn's careful knock, the door opened slowly and Flitter poked her head out to see what was going on.  "Oh hello," she said, when she noticed the assembled foals, "Are you here to see Rumble?"
They nodded.  "Is he feeling okay?" asked Sweetie Belle nervously.
Flitter opened the door all the way, casting a sad look back over her shoulder before she stepped out to address them.  "Um...he's feeling alright now," said Flitter softly, "But he had a difficult night.  I'm not sure he wants to talk about it."
"Hey Flitter," a voice called from inside, "Who's at the door?"  Looking past Flitter, Dawn's eyes picked up the white, spiky mane of her sister.
"It's Rumble's friends," said Flitter as she looked back to her sister.
"Cool," said Cloud Chaser, grinning, "I'll go get Rumble."
"Wait!" called Flitter, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," replied Cloud Chaser, already on her way back into the house, "Rumble could use some friends right now."
"Um..."
After a few tense moments, Flitter stepped aside and the small, dark-gray form of Rumble stepped out into the sun, flinching as he met the scrutiny of his friends.  Rumble didn't look like he'd lost a lot of sleep.  His eyes were clear, with no bags underneath them.  His coat, mane, and tail were all well-tended, indicating that, even if he hadn't slept well, he'd at least gotten a comprehensive grooming sometime earlier.  All in all, Rumble didn't look too bad.
And yet, there was a reluctance in his movements, a hesitance that made it seem like he was fighting to take each step forward.  His eyes roamed, taking in everything around him, everything, as long as it didn't mean meeting the eyes of the other foals.
"Rumble?" asked Sweetie Belle cautiously, "Are you okay?"  She took a step closer to the colt, who answered with an involuntary step backwards.
"Well..."  Rumble flinched as Sweetie Belle came closer still, averting his gaze.  Sweetie, very gently, nuzzled his cheek, prompting a blush from the colt, though he still kept his eyes averted.
"We can all talk about it later," said Scootaloo decisively, ignoring an amused tittering from Flitter and Cloud Chaser as they watched Rumble and Sweetie interact, "Let's go find Apple Bloom."
They bade farewell to Cloud Chaser and Flitter, who watched and waved as Rumble followed the others in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.
Initially, the trip went rather slowly.  Scootaloo, in particular, was unused to walking to anyplace that might have been a considerable distance away.  Ever since she'd learned to fly from Dawn, she'd been relying less and less on her trademark scooter to get around, to the point where it mostly lay off to one side in her bedroom, slowly accumulating a layer of dust from disuse.  Her muscles were still sore from the heavy exercise she'd been through earlier in the morning.  The short walks to the Carousel Boutique and Rumble's house had been easy enough for her, though her legs felt stiff and achy.  But as she trudged along with her friends, the fatigue from earlier began to tell and Scootaloo found herself having a harder and harder time walking.
Finally, just as she thought her legs were about to give out, she felt a rising wind beneath her lift her up from the ground.  Scootaloo let out a yelp, which was quickly cut off as she settled gently onto Dawn's back.
"D-Dawn!"  The orange filly blushed furiously as both Sweetie Belle and Rumble stared at them.
"You worked yourself too hard this morning," said the ebony colt matter-of-factly, "Rest a little more."
"I don't feel tired," Scootaloo protested.
"Even though you slept, it doesn't mean your muscles have fully recovered from your overexertion this morning," replied Dawn, "Just relax for now."
With an angry sigh, Scootaloo lowered her head and let it rest on Dawn's withers, her huff of breath stirring strands of the colt's silvery mane and prompting a giggle from Sweetie Belle and an amused smile from Rumble.
Dawn paused mid-step and turned to look at the other two.  "Do you think you can manage the load of another pony?" he asked Rumble.
Rumble looked nervously at Sweetie Belle, who looked back, their eyes meeting for the first time.  The two of them blushed as they realized what Dawn was suggesting.  However, Rumble took a moment to think Dawn's idea seriously.  He was faster, which meant that, for general flying purposes, Rumble had more wingpower than Dawn overall.  Taking another glance at Sweetie Belle, Rumble found himself thinking that it might be within the realm of possibility.
"I-I guess so," he said.
"I-If you think so," said Sweetie, smiling and blushing, "Then I g-guess it's okay."
Hesitantly and carefully, she climbed onto Rumble's back as the colt crouched to let her on.  Both of them blushed furiously as Sweetie settled herself between Rumble's wings and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Once Sweetie Belle seemed secure, Rumble looked over at Dawn, who nodded in confirmation.  The two of them spread their wings, Dawn's hooves already beginning to leave the ground, and took to the air.
Scootaloo found Dawn's takeoff to be surprisingly smooth and gradual, which was a change from the last time she'd ridden on his back.  It was clear that he was being careful not to jostle her, mindful of the fact that her tired muscles wouldn't allow her to grip him as securely as she was used to.
Rumble, on the other hoof, quickly encountered trouble as he beat his wings.  Unused to the burden of a whole other pony riding on his back, he'd barely managed to lift of the ground with the initial flap of his wings, having failed to think about compensating for Sweetie Belle's weight.  Realizing that made him break into a furious flurry of flapping wings as he fought to gain lift, unaccustomed to working so hard at merely getting of the ground.  To make matters worse, as he did so, Sweetie Belle's body shifted, threatening to throw off his balance, causing Rumble to tilt alarmingly.
Sweetie Belle let out a frightened shriek and tightened her hold around Rumble's neck...which didn't exactly do him any favors.  For a moment, as he struggled to breathe around the white filly's chokehold on him, Rumble was afraid the two of them were going to crash.
However, he suddenly felt an updraft rise up on one side of him, the surge of upward moving air passing alongside him and nudging him gently back into balance.  For a moment, Rumble was able to return his focus to keeping both him and Sweetie Belle airborne.  Daring to look back, he saw Dawn had looped around and was now following behind him, using carefully timed and aimed surges of air to help steady the other colt and help him find his balance.  Rumble smiled in gratitude and focused on getting back under control.  Before too long, the four foals were on their way.



Spitfire's eyes moved back and forth as she traced the words of the letter for what must have been the tenth time.  She didn't want to believe what she was reading.  However, she knew that Dawn would have no reason to lie about something like this.  There was always the possibility that this Willow mare had lied to Dawn, as an assassin was under no obligation to tell him the truth.
The yellow mare gently chewed the inside of her lip as she mulled the problem over.  Setting the paper down with a sigh, she glanced up at Ouranos, who continued to rest on his perch.  One of the phoenix's coverts had popped off and burst into flame before transforming into a letter from Soarin'.  The last thing Spitfire had expected was an emergency missive from a Wonderbolt on leave.  The message contained the details of the assassin's attempt on Dawn's life, a fairly standard report.  Given that the situation had been more or less resolved, Spitfire suspected that Soarin' had originally intended to send it through their more mundane channels.  However, an additional report had been added, with information from Dawn that sent a chill down Spitfire's spine.  If this is true...
She set the letter down and stared pensively at the door to her office.  This was a serious matter.  The main issue was that she couldn't act off secondhoof information from a now-dead assiassin.  If she wanted evidence, she would have to investigate on her own end.
The door opened and Rapidfire came trotting through.  "What's up Captain?" he asked, "You need something?"  Rapidfire was serving as temporary second-in-command until Soarin' got back from leave.  Under the circumstances, Spitfire would have preferred to have Soarin' with her now.  It wasn't that Rapidfire was incompetent; but, given what she was about to do, she would have liked to have her closest friend and companion after Ouranos to help her out.
"Can you tell me where everypony is?" she asked.
"Well, Soarin's in Ponyville on leave.  Misty, Fleetfoot, and Wave Chill are out practicing formation maneuvers.  The rest are supervising the dismantling of the remaining artilleryheads.
Spitfire nodded.  "Okay.  You're coming with me."
"Alright," said Rapidfire nervously as the yellow mare strode out of her office, falling into step behind her, "What are we doing?"
"Conducting an investigation," said Spitfire, her tone becoming ice-cold, "We might have a traitor on our hooves."
> Tearing Out the Roots
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 10: Tearing Out the Roots

Dawn and Rumble came in for a landing.  Better understanding the dynamics of carrying another pony, Rumble managed to set Sweetie Belle and himself down with minimal difficulty as Dawn touched down next to him, allowing Scootaloo to slide off his back.  Thanks to their flight, the journey to Sweet Apple Acres had gone much more quickly.  The fours foals looked around, scanning for any sign of their last remaining friend.
"Howdy young'uns."  They looked up to see Granny Smith totter out onto the porch of the house.  "Are y'all lookin' fer Apple Bloom?"
"Yeah," said Scootaloo, "Where is she?"
"She's in the barn, sweepin' up," said Granny, smiling as she looked over the four of them, "Go on ahead and take her with ya.  Tell'er Ah said it was okay."
"Alright!" replied Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in unison.  The unicorn filly rushed in the direction of the barn while Scootaloo followed at an easier pace, her sore muscles still slowing her actions.
They found Apple Bloom in the barn, using a broom to sweep straw off the floor and into a pile.  She'd been at her chores since breakfast, having been assigned an endless stream of menial tasks that didn't really need to be done.  However, she didn't feel resentful.  The work helped keep her mind from dwelling on the unease that had plagued her all night.  At the sound of approaching hooves, she looked up and smiled.  "Hey everypony!"
"Hi Bloom," said Scootaloo, "We came to see how you're doing."
"Ah'm doin' alright," said Apple Bloom as she set the broom down and trotted over to her friends, "Ah'm just glad Applejack stayed with me last night.  Ah don't like to think what kinda nightmares Ah might've had if she weren't there."
Her words caused Sweetie Belle and Rumble to both visibly flinch and Scootaloo to look slightly uneasy.  Dawn noticed that Rumble seemed especially disturbed for some reason.
Scootaloo sat down to think.  "Well, now we're all together.  What should we do now?"
"A-Ah don't know," said Apple Bloom uncertainly as she went to sit with her friend, "It's nice that all us Crusaders are together, but this ain't exactly the time fer crusadin'."
"Yeah," admitted Scootaloo, looking down, "I don't feel much like it either."
"Neither do I," agreed Sweetie Belle sadly, coming to sit down with them.
The three fillies exchanged looks before turning to regard the pair of colts.  Dawn and Rumble exchanged rather nervous glances.  In all honesty, neither of them ever had felt compelled to crusade from the very beginning, particularly when they were aware of the shenanigans the girls could get up to when left to their own devices, though they had been roped in more than once.
"Maybe we should talk about it," said Sweetie Belle softly, earning confused looks from her fellow Crusaders, "Rarity told me that whenever you're feeling bad about something, talking about it with your friends helps."
"Ah guess that makes sense," admitted Apple Bloom as Dawn and Rumble joined the circle.
"I guess I'll go first," said Sweetie.  She explained her experiences from the previous night; how'd she'd been unable to get any sleep, how every creak and rattle of the Boutique had made her think of that frightening mare from yesterday, how'd she'd spent the morning in an exhausted daze before going to sleep listening to the sounds of her sister's work.
"Ah guess Ah can go next," said Apple Bloom.  She talked about how she'd been terrified when she hadn't seen Applejack immediately after Willow's defeat, how she'd learned that Willow had killed herself from Storm Front (the revelation prompting a horrified gasp from Sweetie Belle and Rumble, having only just learned about it now), how she and Spike had come to the farm,how she'd spent the night sleeping up against her sister's side as Applejack's presence kept the fear at bay, and how hearing the sound of knocking was still making her jump a day later.
"My turn," said Scootaloo.  She went back to the event itself; how Willow had taken her hostage and how Willow had slit her own neck and splattered Scootaloo with her blood.  She told them about being taken home, how she'd nearly scrubbed herself raw in the tub, how she'd gotten up after a sleepless night to practice her forms until she couldn't stand up anymore, how the sight of ketchup at breakfast had nearly made her ill.
When the girls finished talking, they turned to Dawn and Rumble, clearly expecting the colts to pick up where they left off.  However, they were faced with two very different reactions.
Dawn was pensive.  After Scootaloo had finished talking, he completely withdrew into himself, staring at the floor, apparently lost in thought.  As Scootaloo examined his face, she got the feeling that his thoughts were not happy ones.
On the other hoof, Rumble was trembling.  He refused to meet the eyes of the other Crusaders.  Beneath his gray coat, he was paling.  His wings twitched erratically and his expression was ashamed.
"Rumble?" asked Sweetie Belle, "Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah," said the gray colt softly.
"Ya don't look okay," prodded Apple Bloom, "Did ya have nightmares too?"
Rumble nodded wordlessly.
"Wanna talk about 'em?" asked the farm filly.
Rumble opened his mouth, but stopped himself short before looking down again and shaking his head.
"Rumble, what's wrong?" asked Sweetie, her tone rising with a note of distress.
"I-it's nothing...I just had nightmares...that's all."  Rumble squeezed his eyes shut, the action causing a few tears to leak out.  "It's n-n-no big deal.  I can handle it."
"It sure don't look that way to me," said Apple Bloom, frowning, "Yer shakin' like a leaf sugarcube."
"Please Rumble," pleaded Sweetie Belle, "Talk to us.  It's okay.  It'll help you feel better."
"No it won't!" Rumble snapped, causing the fillies to flinch away at the harshness of his voice.  As gentle and even-tempered as Rumble was, seeing him lash out verbally like this was a genuine rarity.
"What's the matter?" asked Sweetie Belle as she scooted closer to Rumble, "It's okay to admit you're sad about something.  Please talk to us."
"I can't!" Rumble cried out, opening his eyes wide and staring at Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, heedless of the fact that Scootaloo and Dawn were watching him too now, "Y-you'll laugh at me.  Big c-colts like m-me aren't supposed to do stuff like that!"
"Like what?" asked Sweetie, horrified by the change coming over the gray colt.
"Ya know we'd never laugh at ya," said Apple Bloom.
Rumble was very nearly crying openly.  Whatever it was he was trying to avoid admitting, it was clear he couldn't hold it in much longer.
"I..."  His voice trailed off into an inaudible squeak that would have done Fluttershy proud.
"Ya what?" asked Apple Bloom, genuinely confused and completely unable to catch what Rumble had just said.
Tho poor colt was trembling like a leaf, barely able to speak.  "I...I..."
"What is it?" asked Sweetie Belle plaintively, horrified to see Rumble in such a state.
"I wet my bed!" Rumble snapped, his wings flaring out, betraying his fear and desperation, "Okay!"
Everypony stared in shock at Rumble, unsure whether they should be more surprised about his outburst, or what he had actually said.
Sweetie Belle honestly couldn't think of anything to say.  Neither could any of the others, this sort of thing being outside of their experience.  Unable to think of anything else, she settled for general encouragement.  "It's alright," she said, leaning in towards Rumble, "There's nothing wrong with that."
"Yes there is," protested Rumble sharply, "That's something babies do!  It's not something a grown colt like me should be doing!"
Scootaloo turned to look towards Dawn, wondering if he had anything to say about this.  But the ebony colt was silent, his mind elsewhere entirely.
"Rumble," said Sweetie Belle softly, "Was Thunderlane mad at you for wetting the bed?"
"N-no," said Rumble, "W-when he and C-Cloud Chaser found out what I did, they just took my sheets and helped me clean up.  Th-then they let me sleep with them."
"That's not so bad," said Apple Bloom, "That's what me and Applejack did."
Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement before wrapping her arms around the colt.  "You see Rumble, there's nothing wrong with you.  We were all really scared by what happened yesterday.  And we all had our own problems because of it.  Yours is just different, that's all.  It'll be okay."  She nuzzled up against his cheek, the display of affection causing Rumble to relax a little.
"You really think so?" he asked.  The girls all nodded.
The only one who didn't respond was Dawn, who seemed completely out of it.
"Dawn?  Is everything okay?" asked Scootaloo.
Dawn's reptilian eyes blinked as he was reminded of who he was with.  "Y-yes.  I'm fine."
Scootaloo's eyes narrowed and she exchanged glances with the others.  However, the pensive expression on Dawn's face told her that whatever was bothering him was something he was still trying to figure out.  Instead of pressing the issue, she turned to her friends.  "So...what should we do now?"
Apple Bloom shrugged.  "Wanna go to the clubhouse?  Ah still don't feel up to crusadin', but we can probably find somethin' fun to do."
"Yeah," agreed Sweetie Belle as she continued to hug Rumble tightly, "We could use something fun."
The five of them stood and left the barn, making their way to the treehouse in the orchard.  However, Dawn paused as he stepped out the door, throwing a look over his shoulder at the space where his friends and him had sat and shared how yesterday's events had traumatized them, how they'd been made miserable by the assassin who had come for him.  Is this...my fault?



Fleetfoot tread carefully as she stepped into Spitfire's office.  Given that it had only been a few days since her dressing-down for snapping at Rainbow Dash, she got the impression that, whatever reason it was that she had been called here, it wasn't good.  Rapidfire had been evasive about what Spitfire wanted from her.  However, she garnered that the Captain was very unhappy about something.
Seated at the desk before her, Spitfire watched Fleetfoot like a hawk, her expression completely neutral, her thoughts masked.  Spitfire's experience as a Knight had given her a great deal of experience with projecting a stoic facade, a skill she'd further refined over years of grilling Wonderbolt recruits standing in the exact same spot where Fleetfoot was standing now.
Off to one side, on a perch by the wall, rested Ouranos, who observed Fleetfoot as well.
"Close the door," said Spitfire, her tone flat and even.
"Yes ma'am."  Fleetfoot did as she was told and shut the door behind her.
That was the last thing said for a long moment.  Silence descended on the room as Fleetfoot stood rigid beneath Spitfire's gaze.  Finally, even though she knew she was dangerously close to stepping out of line, Fleetfoot broke the silence.  "Why am I here ma'am?"
Spitfire lowered a forehoof out of sight behind her desk and pulled something out.  "Does this look familiar?" she asked.
Fleetfoot's eyes widened and her jaw dropped at what she saw.  It was a small willow hoop, strung with lines of twine that intersected one another like the strands of a spider's web.  At the center of it sat a bronze charm, cast in the symbol of the sun.  It was called a dreamcatcher.  It was one of the newer charms being marketed by the Order, having been modified from the one used by the buffalo and distributed from the Appleloosian branch.
"Where did you find that?" asked Fleetfoot, beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead.
"In your room," replied Spitfire, her eyes narrowing in a glare, "Along with a few other trinkets.  I'd never thought we'd have a member of the Cult Solar in our ranks."
"Don't call it that!" snapped Fleetfoot angrily, her fear and nervousness momentarily forgotten, "We are the Order of Celestial Light: Servants of the one true Princess!"
"Princess Celestia clearly dosn't think so," said Spitfire, casting the dreamcatcher disdainfully to the floor in front of Fleetfoot, "Is that one of those wards that's supposed to keep Princess Luna out of your dreams?"
Fleetfoot, bit back the urge to snarl like an animal at Spitfire, who continued talking.  "I always thought you were strangely overzealous when it came to the orders that Princess Celestia gave us.  Tell me.  When did the Cult get their hooks into you?  Was it before or after you were recommended to the Wonderbolts?"
"After," hissed Fleetfoot.
"Why did you join them?"
"How could I not?"  Fleetfoot stamped her hoof on the floor.  "Princess Celestia changed my life.  She gave me the opportunity to do something extraordinary.  She blessed my life when she gave her recommendation for my admission!"
"And so you repay her blessing by joining a group that caused her a thousand years of relentless misery," observed Spitfire coldly.
Fleetfoot ground her teeth together as she fought to keep from shouting exactly that.  Having that charm was one of the few reasons she slept soundly at night.  "S-so what if I am a member of the Order?  That's not illegal, last I heard."
"You're right," said Spitfire, "It's not grounds for arrest.  It's not even grounds for dismissal from the Wonderbolts.  But this..."  The next item she pulled up from behind the desk was a letter.  "...Is a different matter."
Fleetfoot's heart stopped and her anger dissipated into nothing as she stared at the letter.  "Y-you searched m-my mail!"  She would have been outraged at the invasion of her privacy, a gross violation of Spitfire's usual standards had she not been terrified for her life.
"I could overlook you being a member of the Cult Solar.  Most of them are probably nice enough ponies, well-intentioned idiots, if you ask me.  But ponies don't need to be in a cult to be well-intentioned idiots."  The whites of Spitfire's eyes began to shine yellow and the room began to get uncomfortably hot.  "But after reading what you put in this letter, I hope you'll understand me, Fleetfoot, when I say it's only by the barest of margins that I'm keeping myself from jumping over this desk and ripping out your throat."
Fleetfoot paled beneath her blue coat, which her flight suit managed to conceal, as she backed away from the enraged Spitfire, only coming to stop when her rump bumped against the door.  Her mouth worked silently as she struggled to find something, anything to say that could abate her Captain's wrath.  Finally, she settled on a question.  "H-how did you find out?"  Spitfire would have never searched her quarters without a good reason.
The yellow mare snorted, the light in her eyes fading and the heat dissipating somewhat.  "As luck would have it, your assassin friend failed.  And while she didn't give up the name of her client, she did give you as the link she used to find Dawn Lightwing."
A tremor of anger surged through Fleetfoot at the name of that colt.  From the moment they'd found him hanging around on top of that cloud with the mercenary stallion, she'd detested the idea of working with him.  However, there had been no way she could have defied Spitfire's orders.  So instead, she'd learned what she could and then passed on the information to Willow at the first opportunity.  Like her, members of the Order had been kept informed of Willow's mission and her present location.  It had been pure luck that Willow had been close by when Fleetfoot had contacted her.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself," said Spitfire coldly as she dropped the letter onto the desk.
Gathering her strength, Fleetfoot mustered the will to glare back at Spitfire.  "I have nothing to say to a deluded fool who allowed us to work with that monster in the first place."
"I see.  In that case, I am placing you under arrest for conspiring with an assassin for the purposes of attempted murder."  Spitfire stepped around her desk and approached.  From his perch, Ouranos opened his beak and squawked.  There was nothing musical about the noise, only a single, harsh, angry note as the phoenix fixed its eyes of Fleetfoot with a predatory glare.
I can't let her do this to me, thought Fleetfoot angrily.  Her instincts were screaming at her to run, to escape.  However, she knew she had no hope of outflying an angry Spitfire.  However, she still had one trump card to play.  Each Wonderbolt was trained in a specific series of skills by Spitfire when they joined.  Beyond that, they were free to work on their own skills as they wished.  Fleetfoot was one of the few members who went armed, as the Daisy-Cutter technique they learned was more than enough for most Wonderbolts.  Even Fleetfoot rarely employed her own weapon, and almost nopony knew she even had it.  However, it had served her in good stead on a few important missions and she trusted it to serve her well now.
She waited as Spitfire closed in.  Already, the yellow mare had pulled out a set of restraints and was getting ready to bind Fleetfoot's wings.  As she came within reach, Fleetfoot snapped out with her left foreleg, a concealed blade springing from a tiny opening in her flight suit and burying itself into Spitfire's chest.  With only her dress uniform, Spitfire had no protection against the hidden dagger.  She staggered as Fleetfoot pulled it out.
"Let's see you arrest me now," hissed Fleetfoot.
Ouranos let out an angry screech and spread his wings.  However, Fleetfoot bounded past Spitfire and threw herself directly through the window, shattering it and launching herself into the sky.  Reaching up, she pulled her goggles over her eyes and ramped up her speed to its maximum and tore away as fast as her wings could carry her.  Let's see, I need a place to go to ground.  Dodge Junction would be a good spot.  She angled her wings and banked towards the west.  Already, Cloudsdale was falling into the distance behind her.
She made no evasive maneuvers.  Spitfire wouldn't be coming after her.  Even if her blade had missed the Captain's vital parts, the lethal poison that coated it would ensure her death in a matter of minutes.  Hah!  I knew the Knights were no big deal.
And then her ears picked up a sound like a clap of thunder behind her, followed by a low roar that rapidly grew in volume.  Fleetfoot felt the bottom drop out of her stomach as she turned to look over her shoulder.  No way!
At first glance, it appeared that a multi-colored ball of flame was pursuing her.  However, as it rapidly closed, she was able to make out the details of a pony in the flames.  It was a pegasus, a very familiar pegasus.
Spitfire's body was cloaked in flames.  Her primaries and secondaries looking as though they'd been dyed with amethysts, a feathered crest sprouting in place of her mane, and jeweled plumes on place of her tail.  Her featureless yellow eyes blazed as she rocketed through the sky, leaving a contrail of varicolored flame in her wake, rapidly closing the distance between her and Fleetfoot.
Horseapples!  She's got the bird with her!  Fleetfoot had seen Spitfire's Raiment even fewer times than she'd employed her own hidden blade.  Fleetfoot didn't need to see Spitfire's eyes narrow in a glare to know that the other mare was angry.
Spitfire accelerated abruptly, the last distance between her and Fleetfoot vanishing almost instantly.  Fleetfoot yelped and barely managed to throw herself into a roll to avoid the charging fireball of a mare.  When she reoriented, she immediately saw that Spitfire was in front of her now, cutting her off.  Damn!  I thought I'd have more time.
"That was a stupid move," said Spitfire as she hovered in front of Fleetfoot.  Her dress uniform had completely burned away, showing her coat, which appeared to have substituted phoenix feathers for her fur.  A blazing nimbus of light surrounded her.  Already, the temperature of the air around Spitfire was beginning to rise to dangerous levels.
Fleetfoot frowned and called upon her own pegasus magic for defense.  Spitfire's Raiment was unbelievably dangerous and powerful.  She blazed in the sky like a miniature sun.  The heat from convection alone was enough to kill ponies if they weren't careful.  Thus, to ensure that they were able to fight alongside her, one of the first skills Spitfire taught new Wonderbolts was how to use their pegasus magic to create a miniature cold front around their bodies, a barrier of chilled air that warded off the immense heat she emitted, ensuring that Spitfire's squad of elite fliers could follow her into battle without dropping from heat exhaustion in the first five minutes.  Fleetfoot drew on this skill now, the air around her dropping to a more comfortable temperature and warding off the worst of Spitfire's heat.
I need to play for time, she thought.  Obviously she hadn't pierced Spitfire's vitals with her strike.  The only thing left was to buy time and wait until the poison took effect.  She estimated that it had been approximately three minutes since she'd stabbed Spitfire.  The longest her poison had taken to kill an enemy was no more than eight.  It was fairly slow-acting, more designed as a failsafe in case she missed the target's vitals with her initial strike.
A smile spread across her face.  She just needed to buy time.  "I hope you're not expecting me to get all hot under the collar," she said, "It'll take more than your heat to burn me."
A snort escaped Spitfire.  "You really are an idiot Fleetfoot.  I thought you were smarter than this.  I taught you that skill so that you wouldn't die just from being in the same sky as me.  But there's no way that trick can block out my flames."
She drew her wings in close before snapping them all the way out.  The movement caused a large number of feathers, feathers that resembled tongues of flame, to molt from her wings.  In the same movement, she reared back.  In the next movement, Sptifire snapped her wings together, pointedly flapping them so that they met in front of her, pointing directly at Fleetfoot.  The detached feathers launched themselves at Fleetfoot like a storm of blazing arrows.
Instinctively, Fleetfoot beat her wings, launching herself to the side and throwing herself clear of most of the barrage.  A few feathers came close and sliced through her miniature cold front like superheated knives.  Through the tears in the barrier, Fleetfoot could feel the intense heat of Spitfire's presence begin to seep in.  "Dammit!"  She quickly used her magic to reinforce the cold front before it could dissipate.  The air outside was like an oven.  If Fleetfoot lost her defense, the feathers would be scorched from her wings in a matter of seconds.
Spitfire dove in, charging in close.  She thrust out with a hoof, wreathed in flame.  Fleetfoot quickly dodged away.  However, as she did, Spitfire twisted her body and projected a wave of flame out from her wing.  Fleetfoot backwinged quickly, scooting away just far enough that she managed to avoid being cooked.  Her eyes narrowed as she realized how slow Spitfire was.  My poison must be working if I can avoid her attacks.
That was the most logical reason.  During the battle to protect the Crystal Empire, Fleetfoot remembered seeing that same wave of fire burn an entire squadron of griffons to ash before they could so much as flinch.  Over a thousand griffon soldiers massed from six separate aires and Spitfire had accounted for nearly half of them on her own in a matter of minutes.  If Spitfire attacked with her full speed, only a small hooffull of even her own Wonderbolts could avoid them.  If she's slowed down this much, then I don't have much longer to wait.
Spitfire went into a rapid series of barrel-rolls that wrapped her flames around herself, transforming her into a blazing twister that barreled straight for Fleetfoot, who again dodged.  She knew better than to try striking back.  Spitfire's body was hot enough that she could melt solid steel on contact.  Any attempt to hit back would merely leave a smoldering stump where her leg had been.
As she emerged past Fleetfoot, Spitfire came out of her barrel-rolls.  She turned about and hovered in front of Fleetfoot.  "You're not doing to bad keeping up with half-speed attacks."
What?  Fleetfoot's eyes widened behind her goggles.  Spitfire hadn't slowed down because of the poison.  She'd been slowing her attacks deliberately.  But then...what about the poison?
Spitfire's lips curled up in a smile.  "Are you wondering why your poison hasn't killed me yet?"
Now Fleetfoot's jaw dropped.  How did she know?
Spitfire's smile turned into a grin.  "I'm a Knight of the Celestial Order.  I've been stabbed, cut, bludgeoned, and blasted so many times in my life that it's not even funny.  I knew your blade was poisoned the instant you stabbed me.  I could feel the residue it left behind.  I've gotta admit, that's not a bad trick to have up your sleeve.  But you've forgotten something critical Fleetfoot.  Don't you remember my nickname?"
Of course I haven't.  Who would?  Apparently, amongst the Knights of Equestria, it was something of a tradition for them to gift one another with little unofficial monikers based on their skills or personal nature.  Amongst her fellow Knights, as well as her own Wonderbolts, Spitfire was known as...
"The Knight of the Undying Flame," hissed Fleetfoot under her breath.
"That's right," agreed Spitfire, having heard her former subordinate's words anyway, "When I fight together with Ouranos, I am merged with phoenix-fire.  My flames don't just burn, they cleanse.  When I attack, they cleanse the sky of my enemies.  When I'm injured, they cleanse my body of its wounds.  The instant I merged with Ouranos, your little poison was torched out of my system."
This whole time...  Fleetfoot growled and bared her teeth, grinding them together.  ...This whole time, she's just been toying with me.  Her limbs trembled as she clenched her eyes shut, her anger boiling over.  This isn't right.  I may not be a Knight, but I'm a Wonderbolt.  I shouldn't be this outclassed.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Fleetfoot let out an angry shriek as she charged straight at Spitfire, who didn't even flinch.  Fleetfoot extended her right wing, her primaries humming and glowing blueish white along the edges as she unleashed the Daisy-Cutter.  The chill of her own magic protected the feathers from being immolated by Spitfire's flames.  Instead, Fleetfoot's charging strike allowed her to draw a line along Spitfire's flank.  Pulling away, Fleetfoot turned to survey the damage.
Instead of blood, Spitifire's wound gushed flame, which flickered after a few seconds, then faded, leaving behind no sign of Fleetfoot's attack.  Spitfire let out a sigh and fixed Fleetfoot with a look of pity.  "You should know better than that Fleetfoot."
With a wordless scream of rage, Fleetfoot lunged in again, sweeping with the edges of her feathers a in a flurry of slashes that carved into Spitfire as Fleetfoot ducked and darted around her.  The white-maned mare cut her from above and below, front and back, left and right.  However, no matter how hard she tried, Spitfire's wounds melted into flame and then faded entirely.
"Give up Fleetfoot," said Spitfire, her voice heavy with sadness, "You're so pathetic right now, I can't even stay angry anymore."
"Damn you!" shouted Fleetfoot, "What would somepony like you, somepony blessed with power like yours, know about my devotion.  I was nothing until Princess Celestia gave me her blessing!  I owe everything to her!  I can't be content knowing she must share her Palace, her reign, with a creature like Nightmare Moon!"
"Is that what they told you?" asked Spitfire sadly, "That you had no worth until Celestia gave it to you?  Is that how they drew you in?
"Celestia recommended you to the Wonderbolts because of what you already had.  She gave you nothing.  That's why you're so weak now, Fleetfoot.  You gave up on your own strength and determination and put everything on her.  I feel sorry for Princess Celestia to have to deal with the boneheadedness of ponies like you."
"You arrogant witch!" screeched Fleetfoot, "How dare you look down on the Princess when she blessed you with such strength?"  She moved to charge again.  However, she was unable to move an inch forward.  Before she could react, the feathers on her wings disappeared.  Fleetfoot's eyes widened as she looked desperately for the source of the attack, only to catch a few, faint, orange streaks.  Her eyes turned back to Spitfire in time to see the feathery plumes of her tail come to rest.  The chains of varicolored, gem-like feathers were Spitfire's deadliest weapons, the intense heat circulating about their edges working like high-speed saw-blades, cutting through virtually any substance instantly.  When she attacked with her full speed, Fleetfoot's trained eyes couldn't even see the tails in motion.
Unable to channel her magic through her feathers, Fleetfoot's cold front dispersed, leaving her at the mercy of Spitfire's heat.  However, Spitfire had already relaxed her flames and the temperature of the air in her immediate vicinity was beginning to fall.  Fleetfoot was beginning to fall as well.  Before she could plummet all the way to the ground, she felt a pair of hooves wrap around her barrel.  Looking up, she saw that Spitfire had separated from Ouranos and now held Fleetfoot up, the only thing between the white-maned mare and a long drop ending in a sudden stop.
"Princess Celestia gave me nothing aside from my title," said Spitfire, "If she had to give us our power, we Knights wouldn't be worth anything.  Real power isn't something that can be given out like a party favor.  It's something that you take and earn through your own efforts, your sweat and blood.  When you give up and put everything onto someone else, you only make yourself weaker."
Fleetfoot opened her mouth to protest.  However, Spitfire had already unwrapped one foreleg from around her barrel and cuffed the back of Fleetfoot's head.  The blow jolted through her skull, causing the blue mare to fall into darkness.
"It's over Fleetfoot.  It's time to face the consequences of your own actions."  As Fleetfoot slumped in her grip, Spitfire let out a despondent sigh.  "You damn fool."
Her ears twitched as she picked up the sound of approaching pegasi.  Looking up, she saw that Rapidfire and Misty were coming in, both looking worried.
"Captain!" exclaimed Rapidfire, "What happened with Fleetfoot."  He stopped as he saw the mare dangling limply from Spitfire's forelegs.
"You got the restraints?" asked Spitfire.
Rapidfire nodded.
"Get her trussed up, take her to the Guard station and stick her in one of the high-security cells.  We'll interrogate her later."
Rapidfire nodded as Misty drifted forward with the restraints.  A second later, she was carrying Fleetfoot back in the direction Cloudsdale while Rapidfire and Spitfire hovered in the sky.  Spitfire watched them go before letting out a groan.  "I can't believe this."
"What’s done is done," said Rapidfire, "What now?"
"I'll have to send Ouranos to Ponyville to make sure that Soarin' knows what happened," replied Spitfire, "If I'm right about the letter, we managed to cut things off before they got too bad.  But it's still only a mater of time before the ponies find out that Willow died.  When word gets back to the ponies who hired her, they're gonna put two and two together and figure out just where Dawn is."
"Anything else?" asked Rapidfire.
"One more thing," said Spitfire, "I was planning on waiting a couple more months for this, but we might as well go ahead and get things started.  We could use some good news after what just happened."
Rapidfire found himself grinning in spite of the grim situation.  He nodded eagerly and the two of them turned and began heading back to Cloudsdale, the colorful phoenix following in their wake.



"So why are we going to school now?" groused Scootaloo as she followed behind Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.  Behind her followed Rumble, with Dawn bringing up the rear of their little group of five.
Rumble seemed to be feeling better after their group session in the barn, followed by a couple of hours having fun with everypony at the clubhouse.  However, Dawn remained detached and pensive, his manner reminding Scootaloo of his attitude back when he had first come to Ponyville.  It was a bit jarring after seeing Dawn grow into a warmer, friendlier pony.  Her few attempts to figure out what was bothering the colt had been unsuccessful.  She hoped that, whatever it was, Dawn would voice his concerns before they ate him up from the inside.
"If we were in such bad shape because of what happened yesterday, then we probably aren't the only ones," said Sweetie Belle.
"Yeah," agreed Apple Bloom, "Ah bet there's hardly anypony at school."
"But then why are we even bothering to go there?" asked Scootaloo crossly.
"To see if Miss Cheerilee is doing alright," said Sweetie, "She was pretty upset yesterday.  I want to see if she's feeling okay."
Out of the corner of her eye, Scootaloo saw Dawn shudder at the mention of their teacher's name, as though hearing it had reminded him of something terrible.
"That makes sense I guess," admitted the orange filly with a shrug before their group continued to make their way to the schoolhouse.
When they arrived, they were surprised to see it completely abandoned.  There was nopony in the yard outside, nor were their any lights in the windows.  The afternoon had worn on, but school should have been in session.
"Nopony's here," said Scootaloo noting the obvious.
"I'd thought Miss Cheerilee would be here at least," said Sweetie Belle, looking around.
"Maybe nopony showed up and she went on home," suggested Apple Bloom with a shrug.
A slight breeze stirred their manes as Rumble fluttered overhead to alight on the porch.  He gently pressed a hoof against the schoolhouse door, which began to move under his light touch.  "It's not locked," he said.  A harder push sent the door swinging open.
He was quickly joined by the others as they all rushed to see what was going on inside the schoolhouse.  The answer was...nothing.  The building was completely empty, no ponies to be seen.  There were no foals attending class, nor was Cheerilee anywhere near her desk.  The foals moved cautiously as they stepped inside.
"Weird," said Rumble.  It was exactly as they had left it yesterday.  The door had been closed, but not locked.  Their desks were untouched.  Even the writing up on the board was still there from the previous day.
"Weird," said Scootaloo, "Cheerilee usually cleans all of this up when she goes home, doesn't she?"
"Yeah," agreed Apple Bloom, trotting up to the teacher's desk.  As she did, Sweetie Belle climbed up onto her back to peer over the top of it
"Nothing much up here," declared the unicorn filly in disappointment.  Looking over to where Cheerilee usually sat when she was at her desk, Sweetie Belle noticed a cluster of water-spots on the desk, where water had been dribbled on the wood and dried without being wiped away.  It wasn't the sort of thing a filly like her would normally notice.  However, spending a great deal of time with Rarity had given a keener eye for such things (if only as the result of being forced to clean up several of her own messes to Rarity's standard).  However, she wasn't able to attach any significance to what she saw, and so dismissed it.
As Dawn trotted around the side of the desk, he noticed something else.  There was a black frame, lying cracked against the wall...on the opposite side of the room from where it normally hung.  Going over, he carefully lifted the object with his hoof and turned it over to reveal Cheerilee's framed copy of her diploma and license after graduating from her vocational training.  The glass on the frame was broken, shattered from being thrown against the wall, which Dawn realized when he looked up and saw the small dent where the frame had impacted.
"That's Miss Cheerilee's diploma," said Rumble, "What's it doing over here?"
"Isn't she really proud of that?" added Scootaloo as she joined them.
"Uh huh," agreed Apple Bloom as she and Sweetie Belle also came over to investigate, "Remember, on the first day, she told us how it was the best thing she'd gotten since her cutie mark."
"What's it doing over here?" asked Sweetie Belle.
Dawn looked silently over at the wall where the framed diploma was supposed to hang, then back to the shattered frame on the floor.  He looked up at the others.  "Where does Miss Cheerilee live?"
"She lives just a couple blocks that way," said Sweetie Belle, pointing straight out the doors, "It's not very far at all."
"Let's go," said Dawn, already suiting action to word and making his way to the door.
"Hey!  Wait up!" exclaimed Scootaloo as she rushed to catch up with the ebony colt, the others quickly following suit.
Together, the group of five foals quickly made their way down the street to the small house where their teacher lived.  Dawn was the first one to the door and was already knocking politely when the others came up behind him, panting from the frantic pace he'd set.  Scootaloo in particular was wobbling on unsteady legs.
The group settled back and waited.  There was a troubling lack of response to Dawn's knock for a long moment.  Then, just as Dawn was prepared to knock again, his ears picked up the sound of hooves approaching from the other side of the door.  Slowly, the door opened and the five foals looked up, then hesitated as the pony answering the door was most certainly not Cheerilee.
Instead, the Crusaders found themselves looking up at a mulberry-colored mare with a cluster of grapes for her cutie mark.  Her eyes widened as she saw the group of foals assembled before her.  "What are you kids doing here?" she asked, sounding confused, rather than annoyed.
"Miss Berry Punch," said Apple Bloom, recognizing the mare almost immediately, "We wanted to check on Miss Cheerilee.  Is she here?  She alright?"  Berry Punch was the owner and manager of the local pub, as well as a skilled winemaker.  She also happened to be Cheerilee's elder sister.
Berry Punch relaxed when she realized what they were asking.  "Well, she's here.  But I don't think she's alright."
"Why?  What's wrong?" asked Sweetie Belle.
Berry's eyes moved over the group of assembled foals, they settled on Dawn, and then narrowed.  Dawn's sharp gaze picked up the faint flicker of anger and dislike that ran across her face before she managed to force it down.  His body tensed involuntarily as the look stirred a memory stored within his body as he almost automatically readied himself to defend against an attack.
"She's...upset," said Berry, "I'm not sure that she wants to see anypony right now.  It probably wouldn't be good for her students to see her like this."
"But if she's hurting, then we can help," said Rumble, giving Berry a plaintive look, "Please!  We want to help."
Rumble, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo all gave Berry their best puppy-dog-eyes, pouting as they looked up at the mare.  Dawn remained impassive, having never had much use for a look like that (many ponies having decided to deny him long before he could ask anything of them), and because he suspected that his joining in would have undermined the group effort.
Berry Punch let out a sigh of defeat.  "Alright, fine.  Come on in kids.  But be careful.  I don't want you to upset her anymore than she already is.  Be careful with her."  She shot Dawn a glare that seemed to scream "especially you."
The foals quietly filed in and Berry led them into the small living room.  There, on the couch, lay Cheerilee.  She reclined on her back, her eyes staring listlessly at the ceiling.  Her right foreleg dangled limply from the couch, fetlock wrapped around the neck of one of Berry Punch's more average vintages, generally reserved for a pony who was less interested in fine wine than she was in getting thoroughly soused.  Although, from the low groan the teacher was emitting, as well as the fact that the bottle was empty and that any residue on the interior appeared to have dried, appeared to indicate that she was well past drunk and was now emerging back into sobriety with the accompanying hangover.
"Miss Cheerilee," said Apple Bloom cautiously.
Slowly, carefully, Cheerilee tilted her head over to look at the pale yellow filly, showing off just how bloodshot the whites of her eyes were.  There was also a faint swelling visible, indicating that she had been crying very hard recently.  Her eyes took in the Crusaders.  "H-hello everypony," she croaked, slowly rolling around in an effort to get off the couch.  She nearly fell over as her hooves contacted the floor and only a rapid response from Berry Punch, who quickly pulled up alongside her sister and supported her, kept Cheerilee from toppling to the floor.
"What's the matter Miss Cheerilee?  You look awful," said Scootaloo, who cringed as Sweetie and Bloom both shot her reproving glares.
"I'm sorry girls," said Cheerilee, her voice sounding hoarse, "I really don't feel all that good right now."
"What's the matter?" asked Sweetie Belle, "We went to school and there was nopony there, but everything was unlocked.  We're really worried."
"Did we do something wrong?" asked Rumble, "Are you angry at us?"
"No!  Of course not!" said Cheerilee quickly.  "There's nothing wrong with you.  It's just...It's just..."  Cheerilee's body began to sag as her eyes started tearing up again.
"Just what?" prodded Scootaloo, completely oblivious to the shushing gesture that Berry Punch was trying to make behind her sister's back.
"I'm a failure as a teacher!" wailed Cheerilee, her legs giving out, letting her sink all the way to the floor as she bawled unashamedly.  Berry Punch glared frustratedly at the foals, who were more-or-less oblivious to her anger as they stared at Cheerilee.
"That's not true!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, "Yer not a bad teacher.  We all really like havin' ya teach us."
"Yeah!" agreed Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo in unison.
"It is true," cried Cheerilee, "What kind of teacher can't even protect her own students?"
Dawn felt as though a knife had been driven into his chest as Cheerilee continued.  “Yesterday, all of you were depending on me and I couldn’t do anything!  I let you down!  I let your parents down!”  Cheerilee sobbed into her hooves.  “I can’t look at myself in the mirror anymore.  How could I possibly go back there knowing I let you all down?”
“Ya didn’t let us down,” protested Apple Bloom, “It’s not yer fault that mare was there.  Ya did the best ya could.”
“Yeah,” agreed Sweetie, “There’s no way anypony could expect you to do anything about a pony like that.”
“They’re right,” said Berry, standing next to Cheerilee, “None of this is your fault Cheery.  If anything...” she leveled a pointed glare at Dawn, “...it’s his!”
“Huh?” exclaimed the Crusaders.  Surprisingly enough, Cheerilee’s voice joined theirs as they all looked in confusion at Berry Punch, who hadn’t taken her eyes of Dawn.
“You’re the one who did this to her,” hissed Berry, “Because you walked out on her when she was trying to keep you safe...No!  Because you were there to begin with.  I heard what happened.  That mare came looking for you!”  Her voice was rapidly gaining volume.  “And now, after everything is said and done, you show up here acting like you can make things all better!  All you’re doing is rubbing salt on the wound.  If you want to help, then GET OUT!”  Berry’s voice terminated in a shriek.
A slight rustle was the only sound that came from Dawn’s direction.  By the time everypony turned to follow the object of Berry Punch’s scorn, the ebony colt had vanished.  Scootaloo’s ears twitched as she picked up the sound of his wings heading out the door.
“Dawn!”  Completely forgetting about their teacher, Scootaloo rushed in pursuit of her friend, taking to the air as she went out the door, her eyes just barely catching sight of him as he rushed off into the distance.  Calling upon everything she’d learned from him about flying, Scootaloo gave chase, pouring on every ounce of power she could dredge up from both her physical and magical reserves, her fatigue momentarily forgotten.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Crusaders stared at the empty space the colt had once occupied.  Berry Punch was panting, still glaring at that spot, as though, in spite of her own words, she had been willing the colt to remain where he had been so that she could continue to rage at him.  Her anger depleted for the moment, she felt the tension drain away.  The sound of her sister getting to her hooves drew Berry’s attention.  Berry turned to see how her sister was faring...
...And received a hoof to the face for her troubles.  The older mare was knocked staggering as Cheerilee’s hoof connected with her face right beneath her right eye.  What Cheerilee lacked in coordination at the moment, she possessed in power.  It took Berry a long moment to regain her balance.  When she did, she turned to stare, aghast, at Cheerilee.  In this, she was joined by the remaining Crusaders, who were stunned to see the normally gentle, cheerful, Cheerilee lash out with such violence.
It was especially jarring for Berry.  In spite of being the elder sister by about a year, it had always been Cheerilee who was the more responsible of the two.  Cheerilee had always been the one to scold Berry about her problems, rather than vice versa, the one to keep Berry in line when she caused trouble.  But never before had Cheerilee ever struck her.  And never before had Berry Punch seen the look of absolute rage that adorned her sister’s face.
“HOW DARE YOU!” screamed Cheerilee, “I don’t care if you’re my sister!  Nopony talks to one of MY students like that!”
“But sis!  He’s the one who-”
“SHUT UP!”
Berry’s jaw snapped shut audibly.  This was turning into a day of firsts for her as she’d never been cut off so viciously in any of their previous arguments.
“Listen here!” snarled Cheerilee as she advanced on her cringing sister, “Dawn Lightwing is a beautiful colt with a bright future!  He protected my students when I couldn’t.”
“But Cheery!” exclaimed Berry, “That mare was here because of him!  She came looking for him!  Everypony that got hurt yesterday, every nightmare that every one of your students had is because he was there in the first place!  You were here, drinking yourself into a stupor last night because he didn’t listen to you, because he ignored you when you were trying to keep him safe!  He didn’t care about how he hurt you!”
“That’s enough!”  Cheerilee’s voice emerged as a hoarse growl.  “Don’t you dare talk-No!  Don’t you dare even think that this was Dawn’s fault!  What he did was brave and generous!  He put himself at risk because he didn’t want to see anypony else get hurt on his account because he knew that mare was there for him and just him.”
“Th-then why are you so upset?” demanded Berry, “If he did the right thing, then why did you spend all night beating yourself up about it?”
“Because I’m a teacher!-” snapped Cheerilee.  She looked like she was about to say more, but abruptly swayed on her hooves, her face taking on a greenish cast.  Unable to say another word, she bolted out of the living room and down the hall to the bathroom, where the unpleasant noises of a pony being severely sick soon emanated.  The foals cringed at the sounds, starting to feel a little ill themselves.
It didn’t take long for the sounds of retching to taper off.  A moment later, they could hear the toilet flush, then the tap run.  Finally, Cheerilee emerged and came back to the living room, still looking a bit uneasy, but seeming to be feeling better, physically at least.
Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Rumble exchanged confused glances, unsure of what to do.  They were still worried about their teacher.  But they were concerned about Dawn too.  “Now what?” asked Sweetie quietly, looking between her friends.
However, it was Cheerilee who answered her query.  “Now, I’m going to get myself cleaned up.  Then I’m going to go to Fluttershy’s.”
“Huh?”  The three foals cocked their heads in unison.
Cheerilee smiled down at them.  “I need to make things right,” she said gently.  Reaching out with her forelegs, she enveloped the three of them in a tight hug.  “Thank you so much my little ponies.  You really helped me.  Now I need to go and do my job.”
“Sis?”
Cheerilee looked up and regarded Berry Punch, who was staring at her with a mix of fear and confusion, the bruise beneath her eye beginning to swell.  “I’m sorry for hitting you Berry,” said Cheerilee, a look of regret flashing across her face.  However, her expression almost immediately hardened.  “But I want to make it crystal clear...Never. Ever. Talk about or to one of my students like that. Ever. Again!”  She punctuated each word with a step advancing on her sister, almost pressing her nose right up against Berry’s.  “Do you understand?”
“Y-y-yes,” stammered the mulberry mare, suddenly desperate to be anywhere else.
“Good,” snapped Cheerilee backing away, “Put some ice on that.  When I get back, I want you to be ready to apologize to Dawn for what you said.”
Berry looked as though she wanted to protest.  However, at the look Cheerilee was giving her, Berry shut her mouth tightly and could only nod in agreement.
“Good.”  She turned her attention back to the foals.  “You should probably go on home.  It’s getting close to suppertime for most of you, isn’t it?”
The Crusaders were a little too stunned to articulate a response, but they nodded dutifully and filed out.  Cheerilee returned to the bathroom to begin the process of making herself look presentable.  Berry Punch stood in the living room, her throbbing bruise far away from her thoughts as she tried to piece together what exactly had happened.
> Assuaging Guilt
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 11: Assuaging Guilt

Dawn skidded to a halt on a hill outside of town.  Turning to look around, he realized he was alone before sagging to the ground, shaking.  Berry Punch's words had indeed stirred up old memories within him as he remembered how others had accosted him in the past, blamed him for their misfortune and driven him away.  In the past, it had been easy to dismiss such allegations as the words of ponies who solely looked for someone to blame for their own problems.  But, for the first time, Dawn could look back on another pony's accusations and find that she had been right.  Never before had he been able to draw such a clear line of cause and effect between himself and the pain other ponies had suffered, save for that which he'd been directly responsible for through his own actions.
But the evidence was clear before him.  He'd already begun to realize it back at the barn, when the others were sharing how the events of the day before had left them troubled, unable to relax or sleep, how'd they'd needed the comfort of their friends and family to get through the night.  And then he'd seen their teacher, collapsed in her own home, turning alcohol for comfort because his actions had undermined her validation.  Dawn had made Cheerilee doubt her suitability for her profession, her calling.  It's my fault.
The realization stabbed through him, causing the colt's breath to hitch.  Everything that had happened yesterday had been a consequence of his presence in Ponyville.  Willow had found him because he had settled in this town.  She'd terrified the foals because he had gone to school.  Cheerilee had broken down because he had gone out to confront her.  In the end, he realized, The responsibility lies with me.
His eyes turned to the line of the Everfree Forest that stretched out in front of him.  He had spent a year in that trackless wilderness, with only monsters and animals for company.  He'd gone there because it had seemed the more appealing option than having to deal with ponies anymore.  When his new mother had brought him out, he'd never thought he would look upon the forest again and think about going back.  But now...Perhaps it would be better if I disappeared for good this time.
Dawn was so lost in thought, that his ears barely picked up the sound of hooves hitting the ground behind him.  A second later, he felt the contact of somepony next to him.  The colt automatically flinched away.  However, he was stopped by the feeling of a gentle wing settling over his back.  Looking over, he was surprised to see an orange filly settling next to him.
"S-Scootaloo?"
In the next second, Scootaloo threw her forelegs around Dawn's shoulders in a tight hug as she pressed her face against his neck.
"She's wrong," was all that filly said, "This isn't your fault Dawn.  Please don't blame yourself.  Please don't run away from us."
For a long time, Dawn couldn't think of anything to say.  Lacking any other response, he allowed himself to relax against Scootaloo and allow silence to steal over them.  As he did, he could feel the trembling of her wings.  She had taken flight after him, chasing him across all the distance that he fled, in spite of the fact that she was still recovering from working her body nearly to exhaustion earlier that day.  She did that...for me...  Dawn didn't know whether to be flattered or regretful.  Thanks to him, Scootaloo was in even worse shape than before.
After a while, Scootaloo seemed to recover enough that she felt as though she could move.  Getting slowly to her hooves, she smiled at Dawn.  "Come on.  Let's go home."
Dawn got up and followed somewhat reluctantly as Scootaloo led the way to Fluttershy's house.  In the time that had passed while they were lying there on the hill, the sun had begun to dip towards the horizon, making Dawn realize that Fluttershy and Melon were likely getting worried about their foals.  He hoped that Scootaloo was strong enough to make it home.
As the cottage came into view, Dawn could see the lights on.  For some reason, the thought of going back there made him hesitate.  Staring at that cottage, his imagination suddenly conjured the image of Fluttershy in Cheerilee's position, losing herself to despair and sorrow because of something to do with him.  No!  It could be worse than that.  If the Cult Solar continued to seek him out, then they would inevitably come after Fluttershy.  If they knew what she had done for him, they probably wouldn't hesitate to exercise their wrath upon her.  Dawn's legs began to shake as his mind called up images of Fluttershy, beaten, suffering, tortured, and homeless because she had taken him, given him a home, and called him son.  What kind of son would I be if I brought that down on her?
Dawn's eyes turned towards the Everfree.  I should go...I should go and never come back.  As he thought, it suddenly occurred to him that this was eerily familiar.  Then he remembered, this was the feeling he'd held back when Red River and Storm Front had decided to "execute" him.  It was that lost feeling of wondering if there was ever anywhere he could truly belong amongst ponies.
At least, back then, it had been to teach him that, as the author of his own actions, Dawn was the one who held the power to determine whether or not ponies got hurt because of him.  They had been trying to teach him the consequences of being too detached from the pain and feelings of others.  But this was a different sort of problem.  If ponies suffered now, it would not be because of something Dawn had done, it would merely be a consequence of his being.  Fluttershy wouldn't be hurt because he'd done something to her.  She would be hurt because he had been there with her.
Only a single thing stopped him from bolting for the forest then and there.  Fluttershy would not be content to leave him alone.  She had promised him back then, promised that she would go with him if he had to leave.  She would follow me.  She would try to find me.  And if she got hurt doing so, it would be my fault as well.
"Dawn?" asked Scootaloo, turning to look over her shoulder at the colt in confusion.  Her heart nearly stopped when she saw that he was eyeing the line of the Everfree once again.  As the ebony colt turned to look at her, Scootaloo's eyes narrowed and she gave him a level almost-glare.  "Don't even think about it," she said.
Dawn let out a sigh and once again followed her towards the cottage.  Coming to the door, he stepped ahead of her and pushed it open.  "I'm home," he said softly, almost afraid of what he would find on the other side.
The sight that greeted him was not one that he had been expecting.
Fluttershy was settled on the couch in the living room, a pot of tea and a pair of cups set out on the table in front of her.  That, in and of itself, wasn't surprising.  Fluttershy was fond of tea (a fondness Dawn shared) and the two of them had spent many an idle evening enjoying an after-dinner cup of mild green tea while Dawn did his homework and told his mother about his day.  What surprised him was not that Fluttershy had company either.  What truly surprised him was who that company was.
Cheerilee was also seated at the table, clearly having been talking to Fluttershy.  The look on her face was sad, regretful.  Dawn could see the tracks in the fur beneath her eyes, a sign that she'd been crying recently.  He could see similar tracks coming from Fluttershy's eyes.  Both of them had shed tears at some point.  And Dawn was fairly certain he knew the reason why.
The sound of the door opening, attracted the attention of the two mares.  They turned as one and spotted the jet-black colt, frozen halfway through walking in the door, Scootaloo standing behind him.
"Oh Dawn!" said Fluttershy, her face breaking into a radiant, genuine smile as she saw him, "Thank goodness you're home.  I was worried when Cheerilee told me what had happened."
Her wings fluttered, allowing herself to fly up and glide over the table before coming to rest in front of Dawn.  She immediately pulled him into a warm hug and ushered him all the way in, throwing a grateful look to Scootaloo as she did.  Fluttershy guided Dawn towards where Cheerilee sat and bade him sit across from the teacher.
"Now then, Miss Cheerilee has something she needs to talk to you about..."



Spitfire stared listlessly at the letter in front of her.  It was an ordinary piece of paper.  But it boggled the mind to think that such a paper could be a source of so much hardship to a single colt.  She was glad that she'd found the letter when she had.  She didn't want to think about what might have happened if Fleetfoot had managed to get it sent to its intended recipient.
Of course, she thought, That doesn't mean that we can rest on our laurels.  Sooner or later, it's gonna get out that Willow was defeated and then the cat will be well and truly out of the bag.  That was not something she wanted hanging over her head.
Part of her still wanted to believe that this was a huge misunderstanding, that one of her Wonderbolts wasn't part of a superstitious cult that had driven Princess Luna to madness over a thousand years ago.
But it was all too true, all too real.  And now she had to deal with it.
Spitfire's eyes were drawn to the page and she read the letter once again.





`To the venerable and wise Supreme Pontiff of our Order;
I hope that this letter finds you well as I bear tidings that are both good and ill.  The demon that you have warned us about has finally emerged from concealment.  He appeared here, in Cloudsdale, recently and I have managed to ascertain his location.  Now that he has been found, he will be dealt with permanently.  I have already been in contact with Willow, whom you contracted to end the demon over a year ago.  I expect to receive news of his demise before long.
However, not all news is good.  For the demon has not been complacent in choosing his place of sanctuary.  When I met him in Cloudsdale, he had merely been visiting as part of the effort to break up the tribalist fools seeking to fulfill their delusion of pegasus superiority.  What truly troubles me is that he had been in the company of somepony very important.  He was with Rainbow Dash, whom, as you may recall, is the Bearer of the Element of Loyalty and a pony of absolute importance to Her Radiance.  As it turns out, the demon has been living in the home of one of the other Element Bearers, apparently Kindness.  It upsets me to think that this demon has been living amongst the ones charged with protecting Equestria from him and his ilk.  It is an exceptionally canny move as well.  I hope that we have been able to act before his influence could pollute the Elements.
Whatever the case, once Willow has completed her work, I will inform you immediately, although that money-grubbing assassin might reach you first so she can collect her bits.  Once this dark matter is resolved, I look forward to learning the progress of our plan to expel Nightmare Moon from the world once and for all.

May the Light of Her Radiance Illuminate the World Eternal;
Fleetfoot.



The letter brought up more questions than it did answers.  Spitfire wondered just who this Supreme Pontiff was.  Clearly, he or she was the leader of the Cult Solar.  But the letter gave no hints as to just what kind of pony it was.  Furthermore, Fleetfoot hadn’t addressed the envelope the letter had been in.  So either she simply hadn’t gotten around to addressing it or she had a method outside of the Postal Service for getting her letters delivered to members of the Cult Solar.  Once she was ready to begin Fleetfoot’s interrogation, Spitfire planned to find out.
Her reverie was interrupted by the door opening to admit Rapidfire.  A satisfied smile was written across his face.  “I just got back from the armorer,” he said, “She’ll have everything she needs in a couple days.  She says she’ll have everything ready by the deadline.”
A bubble of excitement rose in Spitfire’s chest at the news.  It was nice to shelve the issue with Fleetfoot for just a moment so that they could talk about something more optimistic.  “So all that’s left is to let Soarin’ know.”
Rapidfire nodded in agreement.  “He’s gonna be over the moon you know.  He wasn’t expecting you to do this while he was on leave.”
Spitfire chuckled.  “Knowing him, he’s gonna make the whole thing into a surprise.”
“With all that’s been going on, we could use a few nice surprises,” said Rapidfire.
Spitfire grinned and nodded.  “I couldn’t agree more.”



Following the altercation at Cheerilee's house, the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders were left somewhat in the lurch by Dawn's, Scootaloo's, and then Cheerilee's abrupt departure.  Not wanting to stay in the house, now that their reason for visiting had left them behind, and even less enamored with the idea of keeping company with Berry Punch after what she had said to Dawn, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Rumble quickly found themselves on the streets of Ponyville and at a loss for what to do.
They briefly entertained the idea of trying to find Dawn and help Scootaloo encourage him after what he'd just been through.  However, given that Dawn had flown off, there were any number of places that he could have fled to.  With Rumble being the only remaining pegasus in the group and being unwilling to leave the girls behind, there was only so much ground they could cover on hoof.
"Maybe we should leave it to Scootaloo," suggested Sweetie Belle, "We can always check with her tomorrow and see how things went."
"Ah guess that works out," admitted Apple Bloom with a shrug, "Maybe we should all just head home then.  It's gettin' pretty late after all.  Ah think mah sister and brother are gonna start wonderin' where in tarnation Ah've gone of to."
Sweetie and Rumble both nodded in agreement.  "Rarity will freak out if I'm out too late," admitted the white filly.
"Alright," said Apple Bloom decisively, "Ah'll see y'all tomorrow then."  She gave them one last smile before galloping off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, leaving Sweetie and Rumble alone in the awkward silence that followed.
Rumble looked at Sweetie and smiled bashfully before looking down and scuffing the ground with his hoof.  "I-I guess this is goodnight then."
"Y-yeah," agreed Sweetie.  She quickly looked around, as though checking for witnesses before stepping closer to Rumble.  "Hey Rumble..."
"Yeah?"
She smiled.  "I just wanted to let you know, it's okay and I don't think there's anything wrong with you."
Rumble's eyes widened as he remembered what he had confessed to earlier that day.  "Really!  Th-thanks."
Once again, Sweetie's eyes darted about before she leaned in and quickly planted a kiss on the gray colt's cheek.  "Goodnight," she whispered into his ear before skipping off, leaving Rumble standing alone, his face now bright red.  For a second, he was too dizzy with surprise to even think about going anywhere.  Once he gathered his wits, he stumbled off in the direction of home.
He wasn't even halfway there when he heard the light fluttering of wings behind him.  Turning around, Rumble saw that Flitter had landed there, smiling cheerfully at him.
"Hi Rumble," she said happily.
"Hi Flitter," said Rumble, turning to give her an enthusiastic hug.  Flitter was very much an older sister to the young colt, particularly because she was often the one who looked after him while Thunderlane and Cloud Chaser went out on their dates.  The two of them tended to get along quite well.
"Did you and your friends have a good day?" asked Flitter as she fell into step next to him.
Rumble nodded.  "Uh-huh."
Flitter reached out and ran a hoof across his back.  "Do you feel better?" she asked.  She was fully aware of what had happened the previous night.  She was worried that Rumble's bedwetting might have had consequences for his friendships.
"Yeah," replied Rumble, "I...I told them what happened and they said it was okay.  Everypony had a really rough night, I guess."
"I'm glad," said Flitter, leaning down to nuzzle him, "Say...do you want to see something neat?"
"Something neat?" asked Rumble.
Flitter nodded.  She spread her wings and fluttered up to hover overhead, beckoning Rumble to follow her.  Rumble quickly joined her in the skies and the two of them took off towards an isolated patch of clouds left over from the last storm.  When they arrived, Rumble was surprised to see the dark, grayish-purple form of Storm Front as the stallion stood on on the clouds in a waiting position.  At first, Rumble started to move closer, but stopped when Flitter put out a hoof in front of him.  Rumble turned to look at her, his wordless question being answered by Flitter putting a hoof to her lips.
"Just watch," she said as the two of them hovered there.
Rumble did as he was beckoned.  They watched as Storm Front took off from the cloud to hover amongst them.  The weight and cord of Storm's meteor hammer dangled down from his foreleg to hang limply.  Then, Storm began to make the weapon spin, twirling the cord about in an exaggerated circle.
As the two watched, Storm Front went through his paces, wrapping the cord around his body, allowing him to control the reach of his weapon without having to halt its movement, swinging the weight about like a pendulum before wrapping it around his body again, only to send it launching straight out like a striking snake.
The clouds around Storm Front weren't there for the sake of being platforms.  Going through the motions of his practice, Storm sent the weight barreling into the assembled clouds, striking them and blasting them away in much the same manner as a well-placed buck.  Some of the clouds were too large to take out with a single strike, so instead Storm broke them into smaller pieces with sequential hits from the meteor hammer before dispersing them once they were small enough.  His fluid motions allowed him to continue the rapid series of strikes without pause until the entire cluster of clouds around him had been reduced to just a few wisps of intangible vapor.
Flitter was smiling as she watched.  She enjoyed the sight of Storm practicing and felt especially privileged that he didn't seem to mind her watching.  It had only been a couple days since Pinkie Pie's party, so they hadn't had much of a chance to follow up on their date.  But she'd sat in on his practice everyday since then and they had occasionally sat out talking, long into the night.  Storm shared more stories of his homeland and his experiences traveling across Saddle Arabia and Equestria.  Flitter, wishing that she had something as interesting to talk about, shared stories her own life, looking after Rumble, helping Cloud Chaser and Thunderlane through their relationship, the antics that the ponies of Ponyville inevitably seemed to get up to.  If her stories bored him, Storm Front never seemed to show it.  Instead, he seemed quite taken with hearing about such mundane happenings, perhaps having had his fill of extraordinary occurrences.
Rumble, in the meantime, was mesmerized by the sight.  He remembered seeing Storm Front's skills in action during the stallion's fight with Dawn.  Back then, the circumstances had kept the colt from focusing much on the nature of Storm's weapon.  But now that the colt had the opportunity to see Storm's skills in detail, he found that he couldn't take his eyes away.
Storm paused to retract the cord of the weapon into his sleeve before turning to look at Rumble and Flitter.  A slight smile spread across his lips at the sight of them.  "Good evening," he said, drifting closer.
"Hi," said Flitter, no longer feeling so bashful in the stallion's presence.
Storm stopped to hover in front of them.  "I see you brought your friend," he observed, looking at Rumble.
"Yes, thank you for letting him watch," said Flitter.
To her surprise, Rumble fluttered forward slightly, looking nervously at Storm Front.  "Uh..."  He rubbed his foreleg nervously, "Do you think you could teach me how to do that?" he asked.
Storm tilted his head as he regarded the colt and Flitter's eyes widened in surprise.  She'd never seen Rumble take such an intense interest in anything before.  He enjoyed racing with his brother and playing with his friends, but there seemed to be nothing that could really draw all the colt's attention and dedication.
Storm Front was silent for a moment before lifting his foreleg and allowing the meteor hammer to dangle out from its sleeve.  "You want to learn how to use this?" he asked.
Rumble nodded eagerly.  "It's really amazing.  When I saw you doing it, I felt like I really wanted to try it for myself."
"Rumble..."  Flitter was slightly taken aback.  At the same time, there was a certain casualness to his request that she wasn't sure about, something that made it seem like he would give it up rather easily if it became more difficult than he thought.
"The meteor hammer is not an easy weapon to learn," said Storm, "Learning to use and control it is difficult, even painful at times.  Are you sure you want to try learning this.  It will require a great deal of dedication and practice."
Rumble nodded enthusiastically.  "I want to try at least."
Storm smiled again.  "Then I shall see what I can do."



"Dawn," said Cheerilee, her voice much softer than what he was used to hearing from the teacher, "I want to apologize for what my sister said.  She had no right to talk to you like that."
"Even if what she said is true?" asked Dawn.
The magenta mare winced at Dawn's words, but recovered quickly.  "No!  It's not true Dawn.  This isn't your fault."
"Isn't it though?" asked the colt, "Willow came there for me, shrouded the entire town in fog to find me, confused and terrified ponies to single me out, tormented everypony at school because I was there.  My presence was the root of everything that happened yesterday."
"Dawn..."  Fluttershy was on the verge of breaking down, crying.  In its own way, this was worse than what he'd had to deal with the previous day.  It seemed that coming to terms with somepony dying as a result of his actions was easier than what he was dealing with now.
"My friends were so terrified that they could barely make it through the night," said Dawn, "Scootaloo worked herself into exhaustion this morning to escape it.  Apple Bloom had to sleep with her sister.  Sweetie Belle is an exhausted mess.  Rumble..."  Dawn managed to cut himself off before he could blab Rumble's embarrassing secret to the two adults in the room.  Instead, he shook his head.  "And it was because I was there with them."  He turned his gaze on Cheerilee.  "I disobeyed you and left the schoolhouse to confront Willow.  I left you crying on the floor, helpless.  And then you..."
Cheerilee shuddered, inwardly cursing her weakness last night, her inability to come to terms with what had happened had caused her to turn to drink to escape her sadness.  But now, she realized that that weakness had taken its toll on the colt in front of her.  She was so disappointed in herself that she wanted to break down crying right there.  However, she mustered her strength as she realized that this was where she could apply the true measure of her calling.
"Dawn," said Cheerilee, her voice firm, "I want you to listen to me."
Those dragon-like eyes turned their full attention to Cheerilee as the ebony colt was pulled out of his reverie.  "Dawn, you are such a strong boy," she said softly, gently reaching out with a hoof and running it through his mane.  Dawn's habitual flinch didn't even slow her down.  "It's easy for me to forget things like that.  Just a few days ago, you were absent because you were in Cloudsdale, fighting...  For somepony like me, it's hard to connect with how somepony could go out and do those things, especially when that somepony is one of my students, one of the foals in my care.
"As a teacher, it's my job, my duty to give you foals a safe place where you can be free to learn and grow.  For over half the day, you and your friends are under my care and guidance.  During that time, you are my children.  I love you all so much and I never want to see anything happen to you."  A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye.
"Yesterday, I was terrified.  You were one of my students and you were being threatened.  I wanted to do my job.  I wanted to protect you and keep you safe.  I'd forgotten how strong you really are.  What mattered to me was that you were one of my students.  That's why I was so upset.  I realized that I'd been weak, that I couldn't do anything to keep you or anypony else safe.  Instead of me protecting you, you were protecting us.  And that just felt so...wrong to me."  She sighed.  "You did nothing wrong yesterday.  I made a mistake.  I got upset over something that I shouldn't have and you got hurt because of that."
"But..."  Dawn opened his mouth to protest, but found Cheerilee's hoof hovering over his lips.
"As for the other thing," she said, "That's horseapples and you know it.  It doesn't matter that that mare was there for you, that she was coming after you.  You didn't do anything wrong.  If somepony gets hurt by a criminal, if she's robbed or taken advantage of, is it her fault?"
"No," replied Dawn.
Cheerilee nodded.  "If somepony does something wrong, or even evil, then it's the fault of that pony.  You can argue about the causes all you want, but the fact of the matter is that the only pony responsible for what happened yesterday is the pony you defeated.  Nopony has the right to try and hurt you simply for being different, for existing.  You have every right to a happy life with friends and family who love and care for you.  Those ponies that want to hurt you are wrong for trying to take it away."
"But..." said Dawn, "This was only the first time.  There will be others.  What happens when somepony gets hurt by someone trying to get at me?  What happens when my friends are victims of my presence."  He sighed and looked down.  "Everypony here will only get hurt if I stay.  It seems that hurting ponies is the only thing I can do well...whether I want to or not."
"That's not true!"
Everypony turned to the source of the outburst.  Scootaloo had been standing behind Dawn the entire time, listen to Cheerilee's efforts to encourage and help him.  She was now glaring at Dawn with righteous indignation.  "You don't get to say that after everything you've done!"  She snapped, stalking forward as Dawn turned to face her.  She lifted her forehoof and prodded his chest.  "You're the one who saved Fluttershy from that jerk the night you came here.  You're the one who taught me to fly, who got me into the sky.  You're the one who protected me from my dad.  You're the one who went to Cloudsdale with Rainbow Dash and got our storms back."
Dawn was actually leaning away from the force of Scootaloo's diatribe.  "Don't you dare say that the only thing you're good at is hurting ponies.  Do you know how long it's been since Ditzy's been in a flying accident?"  Dawn shook his head.  "Thirteen!  It's been thirteen whole days since Ditzy's crashed into anything.  That's like the longest she's gone without crashing in like...ever!"  Scootaloo threw her hooves into the air.  "And it's because of what you taught her.  Those jerks aren't bothering Dinky anymore because you went and protected her."
She leaned in, nearly pressing her muzzle against Dawn's, glaring straight into his eyes.  "So don't even think that you've only ever hurt ponies.  I can't believe you would think that after everything that you've done, after all the ponies that you've helped."
"But..."  Dawn had to admit that Scootaloo's words were moving.  He couldn't really find fault with her arguments.  However, that did little to ease his worries.  The fact of the matter remained.  The Cult Solar was still out there.  They would most likely continue to pursue Dawn and harass those close to him until he was dead.  In the face of something like that, did the good that he do really justify allowing his presence to continue to put them in danger?
Scootaloo stepped back.  She could see the uncertainty in Dawn's expression.  She glowered darkly at the colt.  "Fine!  If I can't get through your thick skull by talking to you, I'm gonna have to show you."  She turned sharply and a headed for the door to Fluttershy's cottage.
"Where are you going Scootaloo?" asked Fluttershy.
"Home," said Scootaloo, "I'm tired and I need some sleep.  I've got something I need to do tomorrow."
She turned and threw one last glare at Dawn.  "Don't even think about running away before I'm ready to show you."
"Show me what?" asked Dawn, utterly baffled.
"You'll see," was the only answer he received.
"Wait," called Cheerilee, getting up and heading towards where Scootaloo stood.  She smiled down at the orange filly.  "It's late, so you should have an adult walk you home."
"Thanks Miss Cheerilee."
Cheerilee turned back to look at Dawn again and smiled.  "Don't give up," she said softly, "You have ponies that love you and want you to stay with them.  If you think that the threat of them getting hurt is bad, try to think about how much it would hurt if you left them."
Her words were like a needle jabbing the colt in the heart and he turned to look at Fluttershy, who was giving him a frightened stare, but not because she was afraid of him.  Wordlessly, she wrapped the colt in her forelegs and drew him close.
Scootaloo snorted roughly and turned to head out the door, the teacher following close behind her.  The door closed with a sharp bang, leaving Dawn alone in the house with his mother, who suddenly seemed terrified of the thought of letting him go.



Scootaloo huffed in frustration as she trotted down the road.  Her legs were burning slightly after an afternoon spent walking and flying around.  Being able to rest earlier had given her the energy to keep up with her friends.  But the day's events were starting to catch up to her and she was certain that, when she got home, she would collapse into bed before long and be out like a light.  But not for too long, she thought, I need to get up early tomorrow.
"Scootaloo?"  The orange filly looked over to see Cheerilee staring at her questioningly.
"Yeah?"
"What exactly are you planning?"
Scootaloo smiled up at her teacher.  "I was just thinking that Dawn can be pretty thick when he wants to be."  She turned back to look at the road as they headed back into town.  "It's just like last time.  He gets it into his head that he hurts more ponies than he helps and he won't listen when we tell him that it's not true.  So I figured, if he won't listen to words, then I'll show him instead."
"What are you going to show him?" asked Cheerilee.
"I'm not exactly sure yet," said Scootaloo, giving her teacher an uncertain look, "But I know where to start."  Her smile turned into a smirk as she remembered something that Dawn had said when they had first started her lessons.  The best place to start is at the beginning.
> Strange Encounters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 12: Strange Encounters

"Shining...Cadance...What have you done?"
The words escaped from Arkenstone's mouth as comprehension washed over him at what he was witnessing.  This was beyond his darkest expectations.  He had expected to find Queen Chrysalis licking her wounds, rebuilding her forces.  He'd worried that the blast of supercharged love that had blown the swarm from Canterlot might have had severe repercussions once the changelings had absorbed it.  However, he had not expected this.
Queen Chrysalis was dying...and her people with her.
"How...?"
"You honestly mean to say that you have no idea how this occurred?" sniped the changeling queen, her voice dry and brittle, much like the desiccated remains of her children in the cavern Arkenstone had left behind.
"I knew that the powerful love that Shining and Cadance generated had blasted you from Equestria," said Arkenstone, "But how could it have managed this?"
"Do you think I know pony?" snapped Chrysalis, "All I know is that those two did something unthinkable.  They didn't just evict us from Equestria.  In that instant, all the love I'd absorbed, all the strength I gained, it all turned to poison in my veins.  I would have died had my children not drained it out of me.  But the consequence of that...."
"Was that they died in your stead," remarked Arkenstone, his voice barely a whisper, the reason behind the mass grave of changelings in the other room becoming clear.
"If that had been the result alone, that would have been fine," spat Chrysalis, "I could raise another brood someday.  It would only be a matter of time."
"But..." prodded Arkenstone.
"But your princess and her knight did more than just blast me from your nation," hissed the queen, "They changed something within me.  I can feel it even now.  I can't feed on love anymore.  It isn't just the love that Shining Armor gave me that turned to poison.  All love is poison to me now."
Arkenstone worked his mouth for a moment, at a complete loss for words.  This was horrifying beyond belief.  It was the equivalent to somepony getting mugged and pushing their attacker away...only to find that they had accidentally pushed the would-be criminal straight into the path of an approaching train, only on a much grander scale.  Arkenstone wondered how Cadance and Shining would react if they found out that they had inadvertently caused the genocide of an entire race.
"And so I wait," continued Chrysalis, oblivious to the inner turmoil of the pony before her, "I wait and grow weaker, starving a little more each day.  While I wait, I get to watch and feel as my few remaining children die off one by one.  I get to feel the life slip from their bodies, whether I am there to see it or not.  I hope your Princess is proud of what she has done."
"No one meant for this," said Arkenstone.
"Ha!" scoffed Chrysalis, "Such words are meaningless now, as is your mission.  You know what answer you will bring to Celestia now.  You can tell her that we are a threat no more, that we have nothing left to fight with, that there is nothing left of us.  I am sure that she will celebrate, knowing that our kind is gone from this world."
"No decent creature could celebrate such a thing," said Arkenstone, "We did not want to see your kind exterminated.  I had come on the hope that we could build a peace between us."
"Well, that is certainly impossible now."  Arkenstone could easily hear the despair in Chrysalis's tone, given that she made no effort to hide it.  "We cannot even make war anymore.  We can only wither away, suffering to the very end."
At that moment, an idea occurred to Arkenstone; a terrible, grim, magnificent idea.  "Perhaps that is not your only option," he suggested.
"And what else would you have us do?" suggested the proud queen.
"I have a proposition.  It may be too late to save you, but you need not suffer anymore."



Twilight stifled a yawn as she put the book away.  Looking around, she let her eyes wander over the shelves, the countless tomes and records stacked and organized to an exacting standard, just waiting for her perusal.  In the two days since her meeting with Princess Luna, Twilight had spent her time following Spitfire's other suggestion, namely comparing the information she had on ponies who were affected by the Eyes of Nightmare, finding where they had been, tracing their genealogy down into the present day in order to locate potential descendants.
Of course, the first things she'd needed for her project were the records that had been sent to her by Princess Celestia when she had first begun her research.  Spike had sent those along the morning after her meeting with Luna.  Now Twilight was ensconced within the archives, searching through records, tracing the paths ponies took as they moved from town to town before following their descendants, until she was able to get a fix on a present location.
The task wasn't easy.  Several leads had simply ended up as dead ends.  Sometimes ponies seemed to disappear, leaving no trace of where they might have ended up.  Sometimes Twilight was lucky enough to uncover the trail again.  Others, she lost track of altogether.  Sometimes, the ponies she was researching passed away without leaving any descendants for her to track down.
She had started with a list of nearly a hundred ponies.  After a full two days of research, she had leads on the current location of at least three.  She still had about a quarter of her list to work through.  A look at the clock told her that further research would have to wait.  It was approaching evening and the archives would soon be closing for the night.
With a sigh, Twilight gathered up her notes and carefully sorted them into her saddlebags.  "Alright," she said softly, getting to her hooves and heading out.  From his position nearby, Arkenstone fell into step next to her as they proceeded down the halls of the Royal Archives and out into the late afternoon sunlight.
As they traveled, Twilight kept a wary eye out.  Yesterday, she had been approached by three different representatives from members of the Noble Court, all of them with various propositions for her.  One had requested that Twilight bend Celestia's ear about a particular request the baroness the servant represented intended to make at the next Day Court.  Another had offered Twilight a generous sum of bits if Twilight gave her support to a certain business.  The third had presented the most straightforward effort, presenting Twilight with an invitation to join his master for dinner that evening, an invitation that had been penned with all the romantic sensibilities of a form letter.
Twilight had politely turned down all the requests, doing her absolute best to phrase her responses in the most inoffensive manner possible.  While she wanted nothing to do with the members of the Noble Court, the last thing she wanted to do was invite greater problems by antagonizing them, however despicable she may have found such transparent attempts to curry her favor.
A small smile graced her face when she failed to spot any servants, aside from those normally assigned to the Royal Archives.  "Do you think we can make it back without any hassles?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Arkenstone.
"Maybe," replied the beige stallion, "It's strange really.  Even the Archive staff is keeping their distance."
Probably because they're worried they might get caught up in the Noble Court's squabbles if they're seen as getting too close to me, thought Twilight petulantly.  She had been a favorite of the staff back when she had lived there, many of them respecting her as a fellow scholar who shared their passion for learning...and keeping the records organized.  She actually went so far as to clean up after herself whenever she was done with whatever project she had been working on, which was a rare thing amongst other students.
However, as Twilight looked around, she noticed that the servants and guards were now absent.  The few she had spotted before had seemingly vanished.  "Where'd they go?"
"They all suddenly seemed to find business elsewhere," remarked Arkenstone, "I do sense one other coming our way.  However, he doesn't seem to be here for us."
"Who is it?" asked Twilight.
Arkenstone didn't need to answer, as the pony in question came trotting around the corner and into the archive courtyard.  Twilight's eyes widened in recognition.  "Wight Shade."
Indeed, there was no mistaking that peculiarly-colored horn or those deep-red eyes.  Princess Luna's chief steward smiled as he saw them.  "Ah, Dame Sparkle.  I wasn't expecting to see you and your friend here."
"I guess we weren't expecting to run into you either," said Twilight sheepishly, "Are you here to find something for Princess Luna?"
"Indeed," replied Wight, "She asked me to retrieve some scrolls from the Starswirl the Bearded Wing."
"Starswirl the Bearded!"  Twilight's eyes began to sparkle at the mention of her favorite scholar.  "I didn't realize Princess Luna was interested in his work."
Wight chuckled and shook his head.  "She actually reads the work of a number of scholars.  I was a bit surprised because she's usually asking me to find works from scholars who gained recognition during the period of her banishment.  This time, she wanted me to find a scroll regarding a particular spell that Starswirl supposedly composed during his heyday."
"Ooh!" exclaimed Twilight, "I wonder what spell it is..."
"Would you like to come with me while I look for it?" asked Wight, chuckling at her scholarly enthusiasm, "You are welcome to peruse it before I take it back to the Princess."
"I'd love to!" squealed Twilight as she turned to join Wight Shade.  Arkenstone fell in a step behind them, keeping out of the conversation, though listening quietly.
"Do you study anything from Starswirl or Clover?" asked Twilight, looking over at Wight.
The steward chuckled and grinned sheepishly.  "Sadly, I have almost no aptitude for magic, in spite of being a unicorn.  I've never really had much of an interest in magic, since I can barely use it myself."
"But surely if you studied more, you'd be able to do better magic," said Twilight, surprised that any unicorn would disregard such an important aspect of their nature so cavalierly.
Wight shrugged indifferently.  "Unfortunately, my reserves are virtually nonexistent.  I don't have enough magic to my name to even light my horn.  It's hard to exercise power that you don't have.  The doctors I've seen have suggested that it's a side-effect of this thing..."  He indicated his off-color horn with a hoof.
Twilight looked away, frowning.  Part of her wondered if Wight was telling the truth.  She remembered the doors swinging open of their own volition when they had entered Princess Luna's audience chamber.  However, there had been no sign that Wight Shade had been the source of the magic moving the doors.  And since Princess Luna, the only other pony present who could have done so, hadn't been responsible either, Twilight couldn't help but think that there was something the stallion wasn't sharing.
"Still, it doesn't hurt to show respect for the greats of our past," remarked Wight as he looked up.  They were passing the Clover the Clever wing of the Archives, which, predictably, rested adjacent to Starswirl's wing.  "After all, even if I have no use for their knowledge, that doesn't mean it I should allow it to be lost."
"Of course not," said Twilight, "Knowledge is one of our greatest treasures.  We can't afford to lose any of it."
"Now, I can't quite say that such generalizations are true," remarked Wight, his tone becoming teasing, "Sometimes knowledge is dangerous."
"Even if it is, that isn't reason enough for it to be extinguished," protested Twilight.
"Your mentor would seem to disagree with that," replied Wight.  He paused and looked around.  Then he gave Twilight a conspiratorial smirk.  "We have a bit of time.  Why don't I show you something."  He then turned and walked past the entrance to the Starswirl wing, leading Twilight and Arkenstone down the hallway before turning off down a side passage that Twilight had never noticed before, in spite of how much time she had spent in the archives both as a filly and as an adult.
Partway down the hall, Wight stopped and gently lifted a hoof to the wall, pressing gently.  The wall swung back soundlessly.  Twilight's jaw dropped as she saw the secret passage open up before them.  Wight led the way in, Twilight quickly following.  However, they paused as Arkenstone stopped at the edge of the threshold.
"What's wrong?" asked Twilight.
"I can sense the layout of the building through my hooves," said Arkenstone, "But this way was hidden from me."
That gave her pause.  The magic employed by earth ponies was different in nature of that used by unicorns.  Earth ponies who refined their skills sufficiently could sense their surroundings through the ground in much the same way that Dawn Lightwing could sense his through the wind.  The objects that could be sensed in such a way had to be connected to the ground somehow.  The idea that a passage like this could be just as hidden to an earth pony as it was to a unicorn like Twilight indicated that it was the work of an extremely skilled creator.
"In its own way, it's not all that surprising," remarked Wight, "Princess Celestia herself hid this passage.  An alicorn possesses the aspects of all three tribes, so it's only natural she could design a way to hide something from all three as well.  If a sufficiently skilled pegasus were here, she would probably tell you that she couldn't sense the airflow from the passage either."
Twilight’s eyes narrowed.  “And just how do you know about it?” she asked.
“Princess Luna knows about it as well,” replied Wight, “She sometimes requires information from this ‘wing’ of the archives, although such occasions are rare.”
“So she has you retrieve it?” asked Arkenstone.
“Indeed.  I believe your brother knows about this little secret as well,” said Wight with a wink to Twilight.
The lavender mare bit the inside of her lip, wondering why her brother and Celestia would keep something like this a secret from her.
The three of them progressed down a set of stairs.  At the bottom of the stairs, the hall opened up into a larger room.  The instant their hooves crossed into the room, crystals stationed about its perimeter began to glow with a strange, unearthly light that slowly and clearly illuminated the room.
Something about the light those crystals emitted made Twilight shiver.  And yet, she just couldn’t put her hoof on it.  It was almost as though the light was a color that wasn’t a color, at least, not in a sense that she was familiar with.  Because of that, the light washing over the desks, shelves and papers occupying the room gave everything a strange shading that left Twilight with the impression that she wasn’t really there, like she was watching the room on a projection screen rather than actually wandering through it.  It all seemed strangely unreal.
She was surprised to see Arkenstone shiver, even though his eyes couldn’t see the light.  “This room feels unnatural,” he said quietly, “This light doesn’t feel like something of this world.”
“That’s largely because it isn’t,” said Wight casually as he strolled to one of the shelves.  Rearing up on his hind legs, he plucked a scroll from a higher shelf and carried it over to where Twilight stood, depositing it on a nearby desk.  “They were his creations after all.  Everything he made had that quality.”
“That light?” asked Twilight.
Wight shook his head.  “That feeling; the subtle sense that it is something that shouldn’t be.”
“I don’t understand,” muttered Twilight.
“Take a look at that scroll and you’ll get an idea,” said Wight, “It’s a good starting point for getting a hang of what this guy was about.”
“Oookay,” said Twilight dubiously, using her magic to unroll the scroll and hold it in front of her eyes.
As she read, her breathing quickened.  Her heart began to beat faster in her chest an excitement began to well up within her.  This is...This is amazing!
“What is it?” asked Arkenstone, his keen senses picking up the signs of her excitement.
“This is unlike any magic I’ve ever seen...well not exactly unlike it.  But it takes things way further than I would have ever thought possible.”
“What do you mean?”
Twilight lowered the scroll and turned to look at the beige stallion.  “Do you remember the whole thing about...arcanasteel and what it does?”  She nearly mentioned the ring he had given her, but managed to remember, at the last second, that they had another pony listening to what she was saying.
Arkenstone nodded.  “It actualizes magic to transform it into matter.”
Twilight nodded.  “Apparently this mage was studying something even more dramatic than that.  It’s at a completely different level.  Actualized magic, like what arcanasteel produces, is still magic at its fundamental level.  That’s why it disappears when deactivated, it’s simply returning to its natural state.  Once actualized, magic needs to be maintained in that state because, otherwise, it simply goes back to being energy.
“It’s the same with conjured constructs.  When I create an object with my magic, I conjure the materials its made from, but those materials ultimately revert back to magical energy when my conjuration spell expires.”
Wight chimed in.  “There do exist spells, at the highest level, that are capable of truly creating matter, not merely conjuring it.”
“But those spells are only capable of creating earthly matter,” added Twilight, “For example, spells of that level can create stone or wood, but not something that doesn’t already exist.”
“I’m guessing then that this magic is meant to create matter that doesn’t normally exist,” said Arkenstone.
Twilight nodded.  “It’s the creation of completely new matter, matter that isn’t unknown, but matter that never existed until the caster created it.  It operates according to its own laws and rules, almost like it’s something that came from another world that operates according to its own laws of physics.  The results when the laws of that alien matter interact with the matter of this world could be stunning.”  She turned her gaze back to Wight.  “This is incredible!  The pony who developed this theory could change the face of Equestria if he succeeded in this!  Whose research is this?”
Wight chuckled and took the scroll back from Twilight.  He quickly returned it to its shelf before answering.  “His name was Morning Star.  He was a talented mage who studied under Princess Celestia about ten years before you did.”
Twilight blinked.  “I can’t believe that somepony this brilliant studied under Princess Celestia, yet I never heard of him.”
“That’s because the Princess has wiped all evidence of his existence from Equestria,” replied Wight calmly, as though this were a completely natural thing, “Morning Star’s name, description, everything about him has been expunged from every record, every archive, every registry it ever appeared in.  Princess Celestia completely obliterated everything about him.”  He gestured to the room around them.  “This small shrine to his work, hidden behind one of the most carefully concealed passages in all of Canterlot, is the only remaining testament to the fact that he ever existed at all.”
“Why would she do that?” asked Twilight, aghast.  It shocked her to her core to believe that Princess Celestia would do something to a pony like that.
“He was dangerous,” replied Wight Shade, “Terribly dangerous.  You already have a handle on what his magic was capable of.  You must realize the implications.  Introducing foreign matter into the world that does not obey the rules of the world allows for the realization of phenomena that should be completely beyond the realm of possibility, turning conventional logic on its head.”  He regarded Twilight levelly.  “As such, it would even be within the realm of possibility to create matter that could not be affected by Princess Celestia’s magic, or even turn her own power into something that is harmful to her.”
Twilight’s jaw dropped as Wight finished speaking.  What he said matched up with the primer she’d been reading on Morning Star’s magic.  Princess Celestia was one of the most powerful beings currently alive.  Only the eldest dragons, or an entity like Discord could possibly challenge her power.  She had millennia of experience to draw upon, countless centuries spent building, honing, and developing her strength and magic.
Thinking back to the royal wedding, in truth, Twilight realized that there was more to Queen Chrysalis’s victory than merely the love she’d been feeding off of.  Celestia had not been able to use her full power in such a situation.  If she hadn’t moderated her own attack, she could have incinerated everyone in the building, destroyed the Palace, or even wrecked all of Canterlot.  Because she hadn’t been able to bring her full strength to bear, she was defeated by Chrysalis, who could, or rather, who was more than willing to and didn't care nearly as much for the safety of bystanders.
But this mysterious magic completely changed those rules.  It could lead to the creation of a “world” where Princess Celestia’s power gave her no advantage, or might have even been a detriment.  If the Morning Star had been of a mind to, he could have defeated Celestia with ease...presumably.  Of course, this was assuming he’d managed to take this magic beyond mere theory.
Then Twilight’s eyes looked to the crystals around the room, shining with their strange, unearthly light and she realized that he had.
“But still...” she murmured, “That’s not a real reason.  Princess Celestia’s not the kind of pony who would harm another simply because of something that he might do.”
“True enough,” agreed Wight Shade, “She is not such a paranoid pony that she would turn against someone simply because they possessed the capacity to threaten her position.”
“Then why would she go so far?” asked Twilight, looking around the room at the assembled research, the work of a pony she’d never met, and probably never would.
“What troubled the Princess about Morning Star was not his magic, but his mind,” said Wight simply, “He saw the world...differently than just about anypony else.”
“What do you mean?”
“Simple things like right and wrong, good and evil, things that most ponies think about, agonize over, orient their entire lives around...they are quite subjective when you think about them,” said Wight, looking askance at Twilight.
She nodded.  Many ponies had their own ideas of right and wrong.  She and her friends based their morals primarily upon the principles that Equestria and Princess Celestia’s rule had been founded upon.  But there were also ponies like Red River and Storm Front (and Dawn as well, in a way), who followed codes that seemed alien, or even repugnant at times to Twilight and her friends.  And then, there were ponies like those who followed the Cult Solar, who had turned everything into an absolute dichotomy that flew in the face of what Princess Celestia represented, even though they claimed to revere her.  “So he had a different set of morals than Celestia could accept?” she asked.
Wight shook his head.  “More like he did not perceive them as having existed at all.  In his own way, he was a whimsical creature, doing whatever appealed to him at the time.  But, because he never gave the slightest thought to, or even recognized as a concept, the idea of right and wrong, he was capable of absolutely anything.”
Twilight felt a chill go down her spine.
“Of course, it was all mostly harmless.  He didn’t care to hurt anypony as much as he didn’t care not to hurt them.  In the end, the source of the conflict between him and Celestia was rather cliche really.”
“Cliche?”
Wight chuckled dryly.  “It was the classic mad scientist spiel.  You know, advancing his studies, making progress in his work, consequences be damned.  If it was to further develop his magic and theories, he would do anything, not caring if anypony was hurt in the process.”
“But to go so far as to completely erase all evidence of him...” said Twilight dubiously.
“Was because his crime warranted such a response,” said Wight wryly, “His magic was based on the creation of matter that does not exist in the world.  However, the idea that it didn’t truly exist was mostly theoretical.  Morning Star’s greatest anxiety was that he was merely tapping into or creating some unknown matter that simply hadn’t been discovered yet.  And for every assurance that it was something that could not exist in the world that he had, there was always that niggling doubt in the back of his mind.”
Twilight was listening intently, fascinated by the story of this mysterious mage.  However, Arkenstone was listening carefully for a different reason.  For a pony who shows little interest in magic and the works of great mages.  He certainly has a rather intimate knowledge of the one he should rightly have no knowledge of.
Wight continued.  “Say you wanted to add something to the design of a house, something that it didn’t have before.  In order to be able to add it and confirm that it wasn’t something the design already possessed, what would you do?”
“That’s easy,” said Twilight, “You’d look at the blueprints.”
Wight nodded.  “So, in order to determine whether or not this new material that he had created was something that truly did not exist in this world before he created it, Morning Star wanted to look at the blueprints for this world.
“I’m not sure of the details.  But, apparently, what Morning Star planned to do in order to see the 'blueprints' of the world was so dangerous that it threatened the whole of Equestria.  Princess Celestia learned what he was trying to do and ordered him to stop.  However, Morning Star, being the kind of pony that he was, went ahead with his plans anyway.  When Celestia realized this, she resorted to using force.
“Of course, Morning Star defended himself, utilizing the material created by his magic.  I read that it was a dangerous battle, where Celestia nearly perished.  However, in the end, she managed to obtain victory.”
“What happened then?” asked Twilight.
Wight sighed and looked up at the stacks of scrolls.  “Seeing that Morning Star harbored no remorse for his intended actions, even though they could have ended the lives of countless ponies; and not even because he believed that his work could have been a boon to Equestria, but merely to satisfy his curiosity, she decided that she had no choice but to levy the harshest punishment she was capable of, one even worse than execution.”
“What is it?” asked Twilight.
“It’s called Excommunicare-Equestris, complete exclusion from Equestria.  Not only was he banished, but all records of his existence, of his achievements, every mark that he left upon this nation, was completely erased.  Not only that, but his horn was removed.”
A shocked squeak escaped from Twilight and her hooves immediately went to her horn.  The thought of losing it was terrifying.  Technically, a unicorn’s horn could grow back over time.  But losing it was an agonizing occurrence and the regrowth was painfully, glacially slow.  This was the first that Twilight had heard of such a horrifying punishment.  The fact that she’d been completely unaware of its existence until now was an indicator of just how rarely used it was if Princess Celestia herself never spoke of it.
More importantly, this powerful mage had existed and, if Wight’s story was to be believed, had nearly defeated Princess Celestia in open battle.  And yet, she’d never heard an inkling of this story.  She’d also never had any idea that a room like this existed within the Royal Archives.  The thought of such a serious secret being kept from her made her extremely nervous.
Cautiously, Twilight cast her eyes around the room, looking at all the scrolls and books penned by the mysterious Morning Star.  Part of her wanted to drop everything and dive right into this pile of new knowledge just waiting to be reintroduced into the world.  However, the thought of her obligations to Dawn and the fact that Celestia had kept this place hidden for a reason stopped her.
“Something is bothering me,” interjected Arkenstone carefully, “You seem awfully familiar with this mage.  You profess to have almost no interest in magic, yet are clearly familiar with the work of this forgotten pony and even have a stated understanding of his mindset.  It seems rather odd to me.”
Wight laughed.  “I guess that makes sense.  I probably spend more time in this room than I should.  While I’m not exactly a magical scholar, I was fascinated with this guy because I wanted to know why he was banished, why his accomplishments were erased, and what he did to make Princess Celestia so furious.  Granted, I wasn’t actually supposed to get all involved in this, but I couldn’t help myself.”
It sounded like an abuse of Wight’s position to Arkenstone.  However, at the same time, he could easily imagine Twilight doing the same thing, if given half a chance.  And if Wight was worried about the knowledge of his reading habits coming to light, he probably wouldn’t have shown them this chamber to begin with.  But that did bring up one niggling question.
“Why did you show us this?”
For the first time, Wight seemed uncomfortable.  Arkenstone’s ears picked up the sound of his heart-rate increasing.
“To be honest,” said Wight, “I’m a little nervous.  Because of my position, I hear things that don’t make it down to the general public...or faithful students...or trusted Knights apparently.  I heard about that affair in Cloudsdale, something about a colt whose wings were implanted with mithril feathers.”
Arkenstone and Twilight nodded.
“I’d read about something similar to that in these.”  He gestured to the scrolls and books.  “Apparently, Morning Star started out working with earthly materials for the purposes of his study, namely replacing or adding things to pony bodies that weren’t originally there or composed of substances you wouldn’t normally find in pony bodies, such as certain types of inorganic matter.”
“You mean like metal wings for a pegasus?” said Twilight.
Wight nodded.  “It’s all in his writing.  He was studying the interaction and integration of such features into pony physiology.  Apparently, it was branching off from there that gave him the idea to create his own material that could be designed for whatever purpose he required whenever regular substances didn’t do the job.”
“I see,” said Twilight, “So you think that he may have something to do with the wings made for Perlin Bluestreak.”
Wight nodded.  “From his writings, Morning Star has struck me as the kind of pony not to allow something as trivial as having his horn removed get in the way of his studies.  I fear that he might still be out there somewhere, plotting to complete his experiment.”
“I see...”  Twilight gulped.  The thought of somepony so dangerous wandering around made her nervous.  On top of that, it was yet another concern to add to her lists.  She already had the Cult Solar and the Noble Court to worry about.  I should be glad that the fiasco in Cloudsdale is over.  I’d hate to have to worry about that too.
Arkenstone’s ears swiveled between the two ponies.  “I believe we should probably call it a night,” he suggested, “We’ve been down here for quite some time.”  His ears fixated on Wight.  “You still have your errand to run, don’t you?”
Wight Shade froze and his eyes widened.  “Oops!”  He let out an embarrassed laugh.  “Sorry.  I got carried away showing this to you two.  We should probably head up.”
Together, the three of them made their way up the stairs and back into the halls.  As they stepped out into the hallway, the door to the secret passage closed soundlessly behind them.  Traveling down the hall, Wight turned to Twilight and Arkenstone.
“For the time being, I suggest you don’t bring this up to Celestia or Princess Luna,” said Wight quietly, “I’d like to think that they had good reason for not telling you about this.  Besides, from the sound of things, you have enough to worry about already.”
Had Arkenstone’s eyes been open, he would have narrowed them.  It struck him as very suspicious that Wight Shade had gone through the trouble to show them such an important secret, before then suggesting that they not discuss their findings with said secret’s chief architects.  Given that his decision to reveal the hidden archive to them had been largely impulsive, it was quite likely that he was merely trying to keep his chief employer from learning of his indiscretion.  However, Arkenstone resolved to be very careful around Princess Luna’s chief steward from now on.
“Alright,” agreed Twilight, answering Wight’s suggestion without the slightest preamble.
Arkenstone’s ears immediately oriented on the lavender mare as he fought to keep the expression of surprise from his face.  Such an easy agreement seemed out of place for the normally inquisitive mare, particularly when it meant passing on the opportunity to discuss a subject at length with her mentor.
They stopped outside the Starswirl the Bearded Wing.  “Well, this is where we part company, I guess,” said Wight simply, “Have a good evening.”
“Thank you very much,” said Twilight earnestly, smiling cheerfully at the stallion, “I’m glad I got the chance to see that.”
“It was my pleasure,” said Wight before he headed through the door and towards the shelves.
“Come on Arky,” said Twilight, “Let’s get home.”
“Right,” said Arkenstone, falling into step beside her.  As they made their way through the courtyard and down the streets of Canterlot, he couldn’t help but ask, “May I ask why you were so willing to keep this from Princess Celestia?”
Twilight sighed.  “I’m just thinking that, if Princess Celestia wanted to keep that a secret from me, she must have had a good reason.  Something tells me that this issue she had with Morning Star was very personal, something that hurt her deeply.”
“What gave you that impression?”
“She erased every trace of his existence, made it as though he was never here in Equestria to begin with.  So then, why did she collect all his magical research, all the documents of the advancements he’d made and hoard them together?  If I were trying to erase all trace of a pony, that’s probably one of the first things I’d destroy.”
Arkenstone pursed his lips in thought.  “So you believe that she had some personal investment in Morning Star’s work, or even Morning Star himself.”
“Maybe,” said Twilight, “Somepony that powerful, who’d made that much progress...I wouldn’t be surprised if he used to be Celestia’s student somewhat like how I was.  Maybe it’s just too personal for her to talk about right now.  I’m sure she’ll tell me about it if she thinks I need to know.”  She sighed.  “I just wish I could go back there and read more of his research.  Just that first scroll made his ideas sound so amazing.  I’d love to read about some of the things he’d actually created.”
“Maybe another time,” suggested Arkenstone, smiling wryly, “But, in the meantime, have you made significant progress in your present research?”
Twilight nodded.  “I’ve found maybe three ponies who I can definitively trace a line of descent to ponies who were recorded as having the Eyes of Nightmare.  There’s one in Manehattan, one in Trottingham, and one in Cloudspire.  If I can get in touch with them, we can see if any of them possess the trait.  If they do, I can try to isolate the factor that causes the condition.”
“And do you believe that this will dissuade the Cult Solar from pursuing Dawn?” asked Arkenstone.
“Probably not,” said Twilight, “The ponies who believe that hogwash about demonic possession enough to come after him in the first place aren’t the sort who’d change their minds just because I’ve found a scientific basis for his condition.  What it will do is help ponies outside the Cult understand just how ridiculous the Cult Solar’s beliefs are and strangle support for them, deny them further membership and hopefully leave them to wither away once and for all.”
“If that’s the case, does that mean you’ll be ready to return to Ponyville soon?” asked Arkenstone.
“Maybe,” said Twilight, “I still have a quarter of the ponies on my list to go through.  However much I may want to rush, I need every sample I can get in order to get a proper data spread.”
“In that case, we may be here in Canterlot for a little while longer.”
Twilight nodded.
“Then that means you will be attending Steel Flint’s little soiree tomorrow night.”
A frustrated sigh escaped the mare.  “I know,” she groaned, “Ugh.  I wish I’d thought to pack one of my dresses.  Now I’ll have to go shopping for one tomorrow, which will cut into my research time, which means I have to spend even more time fending off these jerks.”
“Stay strong,” said Arkenstone softly, stepping so that he could brush up against her, “I’ll be with you.  So don’t worry too much.”
“I won’t,” said Twilight, her anxiety dissipating at the stallion’s touch.  She leaned back against him with a sigh of contentment.



As things turned out, Twilight had better luck than she realized.  One of her mother's old dresses fit her perfectly well and was deemed suitable for the party (Twilight suspecting that a "lowly knight" like herself wouldn't be expected to have much worthwhile to wear anyway).  Without the need to go shopping, she managed to spend a good half of the day continuing her research in the Royal Archives, until her mother showed up out of the blue and dragged her off to make sure that Twilight was presentable for the party.
Though the invitation had been extended to Twilight specifically, she'd been counseled by her brother and Prince Blueblood that she was permitted an escort.  Naturally, Arkenstone would be the one accompanying her.  And so, while Twilight's mother took her daughter to the salon to have her groomed before her Society appearance, Arkenstone was taken in by Blueblood and Shining Armor to do some grooming of his own.
And so, a few hours later, Arkenstone found himself waiting outside the home of Twilight's parents while Twilight herself went through her final preparations within.  For the occasion, the beige stallion had been lent a light-gray suit with white for the collar and cuffs.  The suit fit quite well, given that Blueblood had had one of his tailors work on making adjustments to ensure that it fit Arkenstone's slightly heavier form.  It was rather understated, especially in comparison to the gaudy affairs that would be worn by many of the other stallions in attendance, but it suited Arkentsone nicely, though he felt a little uncomfortable wearing formal clothes.
Arkenstone's ears twitched as he heard the door to the house swing open.  As Twilight Sparkle stepped out, his ears caught the faint swish of her gown.  He carefully sniffed the air, picking up a hint of perfume that emanated from her.  Fortunately, Velvet clearly had a light touch when it came to applying it, which meant that Arkenstone's sensitive nose wasn't overwhelmed by the scent.  For the second time in recent memory, he found himself cursing the loss of his eyes, as he would very much liked to have seen how beautiful Twilight was.
Twilight was wearing a very light-purple gown.  The edges were embroidered with a much darker purple and gold thread.  It was a beautiful dress, given its age, being something that Velvet had worn during her school years.  However, a restoration spell from Twilight had returned much of its luster, which would last for the whole night.  Her mane had been thoroughly combed and then tied up into a short tail that accentuated the streak of hot-pink that ran through her mane in a style that showed off her elegant neck.  Given the rather hurried state of the preparations, the results were no less than stunning.
Twilight smiled and stepped down from the front door to join Arkenstone.  She knew better than to ask what he thought of her looks.  All the same, she wished that she could somehow make herself beautiful in a way that he could appreciate.  Abruptly, she stopped as an idea occurred to her.  Quickly filing it away, Twilight made a note to speak to Rarity when she got back from Canterlot.
"Ready to go?" asked Arkenstone softly.
"Yes," replied Twilight.
"Then let's be off."
Together, the two of them began to walk down the street in the direction of the stately manor where Twilight felt that she'd be subjected to yet another test, one that seemed all the more dangerous because Princess Celestia was not the one behind it.



Twilight and Arkenstone had opted to walk to the party, rather than rent a carriage to ride there.  It had been a relatively short journey from the mid-level districts occupied by well-off commoners, like Twilight’s family, to the higher-level ones occupied by the noble families.  In front of them, a steady stream of carriages pulled up in front of the door to drop off their noble cargos, all of whom had chosen to ride for a much shorter distance than Twilight and Arkenstone had walked.  Of course, distance wasn’t the issue, but opulence.  Carriages, and the ponies that pulled them, were status symbols among the elite.  The mere act of not arriving by one would have been a minor scandal in and of itself amongst the members of the already established noble houses.
Twilight looked up at Steel Flint's manor with trepidation.  It had been built along the lines of classical Canterlot architecture, stretching upwards a good five stories.  Given that Canterlot was a city built on the side of a mountain, space was at a premium.  To compensate, many architects looking to flex their creative muscles built up rather than out.  It was nothing like the skyscrapers that lined the horizon of large cities like Manehattan or Las Pegasus, but it was taller than the more sprawling manors favored by the rich and powerful in the wider countryside.
The yard was smaller as well, with barely enough room for an extremely well-tended flower garden situated around an elegant fountain, which featured a noble unicorn mare in a dynamic pose, rearing as water sprayed from the tip of her horn.  Twilight eyed the statue dubiously, thinking she saw something familiar in the haughty appearance of the stone pony.
"Ah, hello Dame Sparkle."  Twilight was knocked out of her reverie as she heard the familiar cultured voice of Fancy Pants, who had just disembarked the carriage that had pulled up along the manor's curved driveway, which allowed the transports of various nobles to pull up, disembark their passengers, then pull away without any confusion or congestion.
"Ah, it's good to see you again Your Lordship," said Twilight, bowing as the stallion approached, glad for the book of courtly etiquette her mother had dug up for her review earlier that afternoon.
A chuckle escaped Fancy Pants' lips as he returned Twilight's bow before lifting her hoof and planting a brief kiss on it (notably not holding it as long as Steel Flint had).  After lowering it, he gave Twilight a friendly smile.  "I'd tell you that there's no need for formalities between us.  But for tonight, it may be best to keep up appearances at the very least.  You'll need it for dealing with the rest of the Court."
Twilight nodded and turned her gaze back to her statue, something still niggling her at the back of her mind about its appearance.
"Ah that," said Fancy Pants, following the path of Twilight's gaze, "That statue used to be the centerpiece of the estate of the late Marchioness Lulamoon.  It was modeled after the mare in her younger years."
"What is it doing here?" asked Twilight.  Something about the noblemare's name struck another chord within her.  Like the appearance of the statue, there was something familiar about the name.
"Her son, who inherited her rank a few years back, sold it along with many of the more gaudy pieces of their estate before turning all the profits and the whole of the estate itself over to Princess Celestia.  The estate and its manor are the site of one of the largest and best orphanages in all of Equestria now."
"Wow," said Twilight, "What happened to the Marquess?"
"He's an odd sort," replied Fancy Pants, "Despite being a ranking noble, he's hardly ever in Canterlot.  He turned over all his assets to Princess Celestia to use as she sees fit.  As far as I know, he has no assets elsewhere either.  He spends a great deal of time in the far north, in the areas around the Crystal Mountains, including the space now occupied by the Crystal Empire.  No one knows what he does up there.  He only comes back once every few months.  And when he does, he uses a small townhouse on the lower end rather than his old manor."
"That's...strange," Twilight noted.
Fancy Pants chuckled.  "I've actually heard that he returned the very night of the day you arrived.  He may even make an appearance at this little gathering if we are lucky.  He's quite notorious for detesting Society affairs though and is completely unconcerned about offending anypony, another unusual quality of his."
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation inside," suggested Arkenstone, who had remained silent until now, "We do not want to give our host the impression that we are reluctant to come."
Twilight nodded and the three of them proceeded towards the entryway.  "By the way," said Arkenstone, his ears twisting towards Fancy Pants, "I notice your wife is not with you."
"Ah, she was not feeling quite up to it I'm afraid," replied Fancy Pants, a fond smile playing across his lips, "With her pregnancy advancing, she doesn't quite feel that she's in a position to make social appearances."
Twilight caught an angry tone to the posh stallion’s voice.  “Is everything alright?”
Fancy Pants paused before letting out a sad sigh.  “I’m sorry.  It’s nothing terribly important.  It’s just that, a couple months ago, Fleur and I were attending a gathering at the palace.  We hadn’t openly announced her pregnancy yet, but she was just starting to show.  A few of those high-class nitwits started making insinuations that she was simply getting fat and that I would drop her the moment I noticed.  Of course, she knows better than that.  But it didn’t change the fact that those degenerate backstabbers would use one of the most important events of our life together as another means to attack her.”
“I’m sorry,” whispered Twilight softly.
Fancy responded with a smile.  “Don’t be.  We’ve put it behind us.  The words of idle idiots can’t do much harm.”
Twilight smiled at his words before turning with a gulp to regard the large doors that loomed up ahead of them.  She had a sinking feeling that, in her case, the “idle idiots” would be a more tangible threat.  Oh well, she thought nervously, Let’s do this.  With Arkenstone by her side, she made the last few steps up towards the manor’s doors.
> Strange Relations
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 13: Strange Relations

"Are you insane?  What possessed you to think that I would agree to such an offer?"
Arkenstone's shoulders sagged as Chrysalis's voice washed over him.  As expected, his suggestion infuriated her.  However, it was the only course of action that he could bring himself to present, his only other option being simply walking away and leaving the changeling queen and her children to their dark and dismal fate.
"It is the only hope I have to give," he said, "I'm afraid there is nothing else I can offer.  I could see about getting a mage like Twilight Sparkle to try and rectify the problem-"
"Out of the question!"
"-but it would likely be over for you before I could return with her," Arkenstone continued in the face of the interruption, "At this juncture, it would be the same as doing nothing and condemning you to a lingering death, all while suffering what might as well be a fruitless hope."
"Yet the only other option you have presented me with is an insult.  How dare you even suggest that I agree to it!"
"Because it would relieve your pain," replied Arkenstone softly, "In your final moments, you will be able to feel more alive than you have in your whole life.  And...it will give you the chance to spite Celestia one last time before the end."
He heard Chrysalis tap her hoof against her chin.  "Well, when you put it like that, I have to admit that it's quite the tempting offer."
"I'm afraid it's all I have."
Chrysalis went silent.  Nothing could be heard, save for the soft drip of water trickling from the stalactites above and the occasional rustling of changeling carapaces from all around.  More of the remaining survivors were finding their way into the queen's chamber with each passing moment.  He briefly wondered if Chrysalsis was going to simply ignore his offer and order her offspring to attack and smother him with their numbers, which, while far below the force she had used to invade Canterlot, would still be substantial for a single stallion...
...Or rather, any other single stallion.
Finally, Queen Chrysalis reached her verdict, the final decision she would make as Queen of the changelings.  "Very well, I agree to your terms Knight.  Come, let us make an end of this."
"As you wish, Your Majesty," replied Arkenstone, bowing deeply.
His nose detected the faint building scent of ozone.  His ears picked up the crackle of power as it built up in Chrysalis's horn.  Half a second later, she unleashed a vicious blast of eldritch power straight at him.  As she struck, Arkenstone could hear the growing buzz as the the changelings around the cavern launched themselves from the walls and ceiling, seemingly pouring out of every tunnel and hollow, many of them charging their own horns in a similar manner, sheathing their bodies in magical energy and hurtling themselves at the stallion like living missiles.
The ending had begun.



As the three ponies approached the entrance, the massive doors leading into the manor were opened wide by a pair of unicorn attendants.  The doors opened into a massive foyer.  Like most of the manors in Canterlot, the walls and floor were pristine white marble, matching what the Royal Palace was made of.  From the doors, a thick, burgundy carpet ran through the center of the room and straight up the wide set of stairs leading to the next level.  On either side of the stairs, two large doors led into different parts of the house, while the stairs themselves terminated in a balcony that ran along three walls of the room, excluding only the wall the doors to the outside were set into.  The walls on both sides of the room were lined with padded benches, both on the first and second levels.  Right where the stairs met the second level, another pair of large doors were set into the wall, this pair left wide open to show off the room beyond, which, from Twilight’s observation of the large ornate chandelier visible on the ceiling of the other room, was most likely the ballroom.
Ponies milled about the Foyer, both on the lower level and up above.  Stallions chatted amiably in pairs or trios over levitated glasses of wine and other beverages, while mares chirped and gossiped in slightly larger groups.  As Twilight looked around, she noted that she was substantially underdressed compared to the dresses most of the other noblemares were wearing.  Here, she saw a large topaz inset over where a mare’s cutie mark would have been, there, she saw diamond chips sown into the hem of a dress where Twilight’s was only decorated with dark-purple and gold-colored thread.
While Twilight did not have Rarity’s eye for fashion, her own eyes, practiced in the art of detailed observation, picked up a few noticeable trends running through the dresses in the room.  However, what struck her was that a small number of mares were wearing dresses that clashed with said trend.  However, what made those few dresses stand out even more to Twilight’s eyes was that they were clearly Rarity’s work.  A few of these mares were wearing Rarity’s dresses, even though said dresses did not match the trends of the current fashion season.
Twilight recalled hearing that Fancy Pants had visited Rarity at the same time that Red River and Storm Front had arrived in Ponyville.  His reason for visiting had been to discourage Rarity from marketing any more dresses to the elite in Canterlot until matters with the Noble Court had been settled.  In other words, Rarity’s dresses were from a previous season because she hadn’t made any for the current season in Canterlot.  But then, why are ponies wearing outdated fashions to a gathering like this?
“So you noticed too,” said Fancy, whispering into her ear, “Be very cautious with those mares Dame Sparkle.  Look...”  He tilted his head towards one of the mares in question.  As Twilight’s eyes noticed her, she noticed that the mare had been looking in their direction and subtly shifted her position to better display the dress she was wearing to Twilight’s eyes.  “...The fact that you were invited to this party wasn’t much of a secret.  So a few of the mares in attendance have dug out Rarity’s dresses in order to catch your attention.”
Twilight gulped and nodded.  The fact that some of the ponies in the room were wearing Rarity’s work was a reminder that not everypony would be as overt in their overtures towards her as Steel Flint had been.  Even more importantly, they were a reminder that these ponies were well aware that Twilight Sparkle had friends, and that her friends were a potential path towards influencing her.  It was a stark reminder that Twilight’s future wasn’t the only one that hung in the balance here.
She felt something gently brush against her shoulder from the other side.  Glancing over, Twilight saw Arkenstone gently pressing his shoulder to hers, a subtle reminder of his presence.  She felt the tension ease slightly, knowing that he was with her.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to part ways with you here,” said Fancy Pants, smiling fondly at the pair of them, “I need to make my rounds, lest ponies think I’m a bit overly friendly with you.”
He stepped away and approached a pair of stallions on the far side of the floor.  Twilight watched him go, feeling a bit troubled not to have him at their side anymore, but also grateful for the help he’d provided already.
“Let’s go,” she said to Arkenstone, who nodded wordlessly.  The two of them made their way down the carpeted center of the foyer.  Twilight was careful not to turn her head too much to give the impression she was unaware of the ponies around her.  Out of the corner of her eye, she noted more than a few intense looks in her direction.  As each mare wearing Rarity’s dress noticed her, that mare would turn or shift her position to better present the dress in question, just as with the one Fancy had pointed out.
The pair made their way up the stairs to the landing.  There, through the doors in front of them, was the ballroom.  Several fancily-dressed ponies danced together in the center of the room as a small quartet played from a stage on the far side.  Others clustered around the edges, milling about in groups, chatting and interacting in the same way as the ponies in the foyer.  As she and Arkenstone entered the room, she noted several eyes turn their way and her ears picked up harsh whispers.
Twilight’s horn sparkled with the faintest mote of light as she called upon a spell that she almost never used.  Twilight Sparkle had always disliked the idea of an eavesdropping spell and rarely found cause to use it.  She rarely attended social gatherings such as this, which was the kind of situation the spell was made for, and using it around her friends had always been out of the question.  But now, it was a useful tool in her arsenal and Twilight silently thanked Princess Celestia for teaching it to her.
As the spell took effect, conversations around the room shifted into focus as Twilight turned her attention to them.  Her particular rendition of the spell was incredibly precise, easily allowing her to filter out background noise and listen in on specific conversations without worrying about having to filter though others at the same time.  As she shifted from one group of ponies to the next, she picked up exactly what they were saying about her.
"Really!  What is she thinking wearing such a low-class dress?"
"I know!  It's a disgrace to the Princess."
"Now now.  She may be a knight now, but she was a commoner before.  It's probably the most she could scrape together."
"How sad.  She probably can't even afford one of her friend's designs."
Twilight suppressed the urge to grimace at the condescending barbs of those mares and oriented her attention on a pair of stallions in another part of the room.
"Is that an earth pony she has with her?"
"It would certainly seem so."
"He must be a servant.  There's no way a student of Celestia herself would dare bring an earth pony as an escort."
"I know.  It would be a travesty."
"If that's the case, it could mean she's available."
"Careful now.  I saw her first."
"Didn't Earl Flint see her before any of us?  You have a death wish if you want to get in that stallion's way."
Now Twilight had to fight to keep from feeling nauseous.  Even without her eavesdropping spells, she could feel the attention she was receiving, looks of desire and possessiveness.  These ponies didn't just want her influence, they wanted her...in the worst possible way.  Appearances might vary between mare and stallion, but in the end, they were all after the same thing.
"Brother, isn't that illegal?"
"Who cares.  You're the only one who knows about this.  It'll be simple to get her alone.  I have a couple of spells to sap her will and get her to come with me.  We'll retire to my abode, add a few fertility potions and..."
Twilight lost the will to maintain her spell as she felt a chill descend on her.  Her step faltered as her legs began to tremble.  Would they really go as far as to try something like that? she wondered fearfully.
A touch to her tail distracted her and Twilight noticed that Arkenstone's tail was curling subtly around hers.  "Arky?"
"It's alright," he said softly, "Don't try to burden yourself with their plans."
A wave of warmth spread through Twilight and she found herself smiling contentedly.  She reciprocated the gesture, entwining her tail with Arkenstone's as she leaned her head against his neck.  He didn't step away.  Twilight's heart fluttered and, as she looked around, she got a sense of satisfaction from the scandalized look of many of the ponies in attendance, several of whom turned to gossip with one another with even greater ferocity.
The beige stallion's ears swiveled about, taking in the ambient noise.  "We seem to have created quite a stir."
Twilight giggled at his remark.  The two of them passed through the ballroom, keeping a careful distance from the other small groups of nobles while trying to avoid wandering amongst the dancers moving about the center of the room.  Looking up at the quartet, Twilight recognized them as the same group of ponies who had played at the Grand Galloping Gala during that fateful year.  Twilight made a mental note to apologize for Pinkie if she got the chance to talk with them.
As her eyes wandered the ballroom, Twilight noticed a peculiar pony standing, surrounded by a small gaggle of mares.  The moment she caught sight of that pony, her eyes widened in surprise.
The unicorn mare's stature reminded Twilight of Fleur de Lis, Fancy Pants' absent wife.  Her body was slender and elegant, longer of limb that most ponies, giving her a stature that almost resembled the Princesses, albeit in miniature.  She stood amongst the crowd of other mares, a glass of wine floating in her glittering violet aura, an expression of studied neutrality on her face as she spoke with one mare and then another, every one of them seeming to compete for her attention.  She stood out all the more given that she was completely unclothed, setting her in stark contrast to the gaudily dressed mares surrounding her.  However, what called Twilight's attention to the mare was not her physique, but her coloration.
The mare's coat was a light-blue, which was commented by her silvery mane as she surveyed the ponies gathered around her with violet eyes.  Twilight barely managed to stop herself as she opened her mouth to call out, "Tr-!"  Only the sight of the mare's cutie mark, a book enclosed within a pentagram, the pentagram itself enclosed within a circle that joined the five points of the star.
The syllable that escaped Twilight's mouth seemed to attract the mare's attention.  Her eyes zeroed in on Twilight almost immediately.  She quickly turned her attention to the other mares and, smiling politely, began to disentangle herself from their company.  Several mares looked around and seemed to note Twilight as the object of the blue mare's interest.  They quickly flashed Twilight irritated looks as the graceful unicorn made her way towards her.
"If you don't mind," said Arkenstone softly, "I'll go and collect some refreshments for us."
"But-!"
"You needn't worry about that one," said Arkenstone, inclining his head in the direction of the approaching unicorn, "He's no threat to us tonight."  With that, Arkenstone turned and trotted towards the tables on the far side of the room, which were loaded down with various dainty bits for ponies to nibble on as the night progressed.
Twilight watched Arkenstone go.  Well, if he says that guy is okay then...  A second later, something else about Arkenstone's words registered in her mind.  Hold on!  What?
"Dame Twilight Sparkle, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Twilight had to stop herself from jumping and squealing in surprise at the voice that sounded from her blind spot while she had been watching Arkenstone depart.  Whipping her head around, she saw that she was now in the presence of the mare who had been approaching them earlier.  Except...
Instead of the silky feminine voice she'd been expecting, Twilight's ears had instead picked up a light, lilting, but undeniably masculine tenor.  As Twilight looked up at the pony before her, the realization finally hit home.
She was in fact a he.
"Oh um...uh..."  For a moment, Twilight struggled with her own vocal cords as words failed her at the realization that she was standing in the presence of the most effeminate stallion she had ever seen.
"Surprised?" asked the light-blue unicorn, his lips curling in a teasing smile, "I get that a lot.  You wouldn't be the first pony to make that mistake."
"I'm so sorry Your Lordship!" said Twilight quickly, bowing to the stallion.  Still knowing nothing about his actual identity, she defaulted to the form of address that was applied to most ponies beneath the rank of duke, hoping it was the right thing to do.
"There's nothing to be sorry about," replied the stallion calmly, clearly deeply amused by the whole situation, "It beats getting hit on as a means of introduction."
Twilight stood up and eyed the stallion dubiously.  Even up close, it was extremely hard for her to see his true gender.  His muzzle was a bit rounder and blunter than a mare's particularly a mare with that kind of physique.  She also noted that his thinness wasn't the carefully maintained slenderness that mares in the modeling business often maintained, but rather a hungry leanness.  Looking at the stallion's barrel, she could actually make out the faint outline of his ribcage.
"Still having trouble swallowing it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her, "I could supply you with more definitive proof.  But doing so would probably get me thrown out, if not arrested for public indecency."
Twilight's face went bright-red as the implication of his suggestion hit home, prompting an earnest laugh from the stallion.
"I'm sorry," he said as his laughter cleared up, "I shouldn't tease you so much.  But your teacher and your sister both say that you're quite cute when flustered."
Twilight's face scrunched up at his words.  Ugh, why do Celestia and Cadance have to tease me like that?...Wait a minute!
Her eyes widened at the implication that this stallion had spoken to both Princess Celestia and Princess Cadance about her.  Who is he?
He sighed.  "Where are my manners?  I spend so much time in the northern reaches that I keep forgetting how to behave in public.  I am Arcana Lulamoon: Marquess of...well...nothing anymore.  I gave up all my estates and assets to Princess Celestia I'm afraid.”
Lulamoon!  So this was the mysterious Marquess Lulamoon that Fancy Pants had been telling her about earlier.  Again, the name seem strangely familiar.  However, Twilight’s mind quickly connected the dots as she put the stallion’s name with his colors.  Her pupils dilated as she stared at Arcana, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks.
Arcana chuckled clearly understanding her thinking.  “I see you’ve spotted the family resemblance,” he said lightly, turning his body to better display his coat, mane, and tail for her, “That has always been the strongest trait passed down through our family line.”
“You mean you’re related to Trixie?” gasped Twilight.  It amazed her that the traveling showmare who rode into Ponyville in a wagon-turned-house had, in fact, come from a noble family.
Arcana smiled and nodded.  “I’d like to thank you for taking care of my younger sister on those two occasions.”
Trixie is his sister!
He bowed formally.  “I would also like to apologize to you on her behalf for the utterly disgraceful way she behaved on both occasions.”  Lifting his head back up, he sighed dramatically.  “I have never been so disappointed in her in all my life.”
“Um...well...it wasn’t all that bad...really,” demurred Twilight, not at all comfortable with the idea about criticizing Trixie, especially when Trixie wasn’t there to speak for herself.
“You needn’t defend her,” said Arcana, his tone lowering, a slight coloring of anger seeping in, “What she did on both occasions was unacceptable.  First, she built her entire performance on lies and tall tales of her fictional accomplishments.  The second time, she went so far as to enslave your town after taking up a dangerous magical artifact.”  He paused to groan, reaching up with a hoof and rubbing the base of his horn.  “By all rights, she should be in prison right now.  Employing a Class-1 artifact for personal gain was bad enough, but using its power to forcibly take over an entire town was almost completely beyond the pale.  She’s incredibly lucky you brought an end to the situation before she could get any worse.  As it was, I had to levy a Boon from Princess Celestia in order to get the charges dropped.  And even then, it was only on the condition that I took care of disciplining her myself.”
“I’m...uh...sorry to hear that,” said Twilight, not sure how to feel about the way this conversation was going.
“If there was any real benefit to this fiasco, it’s that Trixie realized the truth about what she really is...or was,” said Arcana, pausing to take a sip from his wineglass.
“And what is that?” asked Twilight.
Again, Arcana raised an eyebrow at her.  “I’m surprised you even need to ask.  You should have seen for yourself what kind of pony Trixie was.”
“Kind of pony...”  Twilight found herself frowning as she remembered what Trixie had done.
Arcana nodded.  “She’s a corner-cutter, a shortcut-taker.  She wanted the accouterments of greatness, but was unwilling to make the effort required to seize the real thing.  So she resorted to cheap lies and bluffs, claiming credit for things she did not do and acting to humiliate anypony who dared call her on her overblown ego-trip that she called a performance.  And then, after you showed her what real power, what real greatness was, did she make an honest effort to better herself?  Did she push her own limits to improve her magic to make a reality of her own fictions?  No!  She jumped at the first opportunity to seize a magical item she could use as a crutch in place of real power and ended up driving herself into madness in the process.”
Twilight found herself wincing at each point that Arcana brought up over the course of his diatribe.  Objectively, she couldn’t disagree with what he was saying.  Everything he had said about Trixie was indeed true.  However, it made her feel uncomfortable to hear how harshly this stallion was speaking about his younger sister, berating her in her absence for mistakes she had made.  While it was all true, it didn’t feel right to hear Trixie’s family talk about her like that.
“I’d really rather you didn’t talk about her like that,” Twilight said finally, after thinking about what to say in response to Arcana’s words, “Yes, Trixie made serious mistakes.  But she’s still your family.”
“I know,” sighed Arcana, “It just makes me angry to see what she did.  So much wasted potential...”
“Potential?”
Arcana smiled wistfully and stared into the distance.  “When she first got her cutie mark for stage magic and performance, I knew she could truly become a Great and Powerful showmare.  That’s why I suggested that as her title.  I even stood up to mother when she tried to stop Trixie from following her dreams.”
“Your mother didn’t approve?” asked Twilight.
Arcana nodded again.  “She thought it was disgraceful for the daughter of a Marchioness to perform for the enjoyment of common ponies, even though, as the second child, Trixie would never have inherited the title unless something happened to me.  Mother had always planned on wedding her off to some other noble family for some political advantage or another.”  He snorted in disgust.  “I had to step in and threaten to completely liquidate all our possessions and plunge the family into destitution if she didn’t let Trixie go.”  He paused and tapped his chin thoughtfully.  “Come to think of it, I went ahead and did that anyway after she passed away.
“Anyway, Trixie was impressively gifted in illusions and glamours, the kind of magic that would have allowed her to shine on the stage.  When she started out, she got a few good reviews and gained a minor following.”  He slumped down with a disappointed sigh.  “But it went right to her head.  She figured she could tell any white lie and get away with it.  And whenever she was challenged, she simply used cheap trickery to humiliate her hecklers.  She wanted all the things that came with greatness: fame, fortune, adoration, respect.  But she didn’t want the invest the time and effort it would take to acquire the real thing.  And she paid the price for it.”
Arcana shook his head sadly.  “After her deception was exposed in Ponyville, she should have taken the opportunity to improve herself and make the effort to become a true performer.  But instead, she turned to the Alicorn Amulet.  She’s fortunate that she could use the fact that the amulet corrupted her mind as a defense, otherwise I don’t think even I could have helped her out of the hole she’d dug for herself.  Her reputation was low before, but now it’s on the verge of being unsalvageable.”
Twilight was torn between sympathy and anger.  She could sense Arcana’s frustration, the frustration of an older brother who wanted nothing more than to see his younger sister succeed in doing what she loved, only to watch her completely wreck her own efforts in the process.  At the same time, it was still upsetting to hear him be so harshly critical of his own sister like this.
"You said you levied a boon with the Princess in order to get the charges against Trixie dropped," said Twilight, "It might have been simpler to let her go to prison.  At least then, it wouldn't look like she'd escaped justice."
Arcana nodded in agreement.  "Maybe.  But, at the same time, I couldn't be sure that Trixie would take her lesson to heart this time.  I make it sound like I got her out of being punished for her crimes.  But, in reality, what I wanted to do was oversee her rehabilitation myself.  That's why I took her north with me on my work, not only so I could keep an eye on her, but so I could help her refine her magical skills until she really was worthy of being called Great and Powerful."  He stopped to take another drink.  "Only time will tell if the lesson stuck this time."
Twilight carefully looked Arcana up and down.  "What kind of work do you do up in the northern regions?"
"Quite a few things," said Arcana, "I assist the town guards with monster problems, study wild weather phenomena so that their pegasi can better protect their towns from storms and blizzards.  I also monitor the border regions, particularly those that we share with the griffon aires.  While we don't have to worry about large-scale conflicts all that much anymore, there are quite a few aires that aren't above the occasional raid."
As Twilight listened to Arcana's words, the little hints he'd been dropping throughout the course of his conversation began to add up until the pieces finally clicked together in her brain.  "You're a Knight!"
"I am," agreed Arcana, giving Twilight an amused smile, "I am Sir Arcana Lulamoon of the the Celestial Order.  My peers sometimes refer to me as the Knight of the Creeping Cold."
"Creeping Cold?" asked Twilight, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes," agreed Arcana, "I guess I'm not surprised that you wouldn't know about it.  The little nicknames are largely between the seven of us.  I'm guessing Arkenstone hasn't told you his yet."
Twilight shook her head.
Arcana chuckled.  "We sometimes refer to Arkenstone as the Knight of Dancing Blades.  Perhaps, if you're lucky, you'll find out why someday."
Twilight lost herself in thought for a moment.  After a moment, she turned her eyes back up to Arcana.  "Why did you become a Knight?"
Arcana raised an elegant eyebrow.  "I can't say I understand your question."
"It just seems odd to me," Twilight pointed out, "You were born into a life of luxury, one of the noble houses.  Why would someone like you give up all of that to become a Knight?"
Arcana snorted.  "I never did fit in among my peers," he said wistfully, "I couldn't understand how they could stand a lifetime of wallowing in pointless indolence, squabbling and bickering over mere social standing without accomplishing anything of importance.  They all seemed to assume that there was no worth in actually doing something and were just content to languish and stagnate."
Twilight saw a flash of anger in his eyes.  "That's when I realized just what the nobles are."
"What's that?"
"Parasites," replied Arcana, his normally smooth voice gaining a harsh edge, "A class of bloodsucking leeches with nothing worthwhile, who basked in the assumption that their having been reduced a position of utter irrelevance was some kind of blessed privilege.  When I realized that, it disgusted me to think that I was one of them.
"So at the first opportunity I had, when my mother passed away, leaving me in complete control of my family's estate, I cast it all away.  I sold all our gaudy showpieces to the shallow idiots of our class, then gave everything else over to the Princess to with as she pleased, leaving us with just enough that Trixie could finish her schooling and get a start on her career."
"But how did you end up as a Knight?" asked Twilight.
Arcana shrugged.  "It came naturally in a way.  I admit that I excelled in battle magic at the School for Gifted Unicorns.  I even obtained a Principle."
"Wow!  Really?"  Twilight's eyes lit up as she realized she was having a conversation with a Principle holder.  Mages were only granted a Principle for excelling in a particular field of magic and developing several advancements in said field that would allow them to leave their mark in the teaching of that particular magic for generations to come.
"Why are you so impressed?" asked Arcana, "Don't you have...what...four Principles?"
"Three," groused Twilight, "The fourth is honorary, so it doesn't really count."  Prior to moving to Ponyville, during her tenure as Princess Celestia's student, Twilight had obtained Principles in transmogrification, teleportation, and general evocation.  After she and her friends used the Elements of Harmony to restore Princess Luna's sanity and Twilight had become the Element of Magic, she'd been awarded an honorary Principle in Magic by the school.  But Twilight had always felt that the accolade wasn't really something she deserved, seeing as she hadn't truly earned it on her own.
"Anyway," continued Arcana, "After I graduated, I began taking an interest in the affairs to the north, so I began making regular visits up there.  Sometimes I got requests from the Princess to handle some matter or another.  Before I knew it, I was spending months at a time amongst the snowscapes of the Crystal Mountains and their neighboring regions.  Eventually, Princess Celestia made the decision to Knight me, which freed me up to spend even more time in the north."
"Were you there when the Crystal Empire reappeared?" asked Twilight.
Arcana nodded.  "In fact, I was the one who witnessed its reemergence and sent word to Princess Celestia.  I was also there on standby when you and your friends were sent to break Sombra's curse.  Afterwards, Princess Celestia tasked me with locating and cleaning up any remnants of King Sombra to ensure that he was well and truly disposed of."
"I'm surprised she would entrust that to anypony else," mused Twilight.
Arcana shrugged.  "I'm not sure who else she could have entrusted it to.  I am probably the only pony in the current age who could truly eliminate every trace of King Sombra.  To my knowledge, I am the only mage capable of true destruction."
Twilight's heart fluttered at those words.  It was said that it was within the capacity of magic to make the impossible possible, the circumvention or outright violation of natural laws, which were held to be largely immutable.  Twilight herself had once dabbled in temporal manipulation (much to her past, present, and future selves' resulting regret).  Taking that into consideration, magic that violated concrete universal laws was within the realm of possibility.  However, such magic, especially magic like what Arcana was talking about, which outright defied the law of conservation by destroying matter, was in the highest tier of magic.  Although, now that she thought of it, Twilight was reminded that the mysterious Morning Star she had learned about the previous day had accomplished something of a similar nature, having been able to use magic to create matter.
The lavender mare's mind whirled with questions as her excitement built.  Here she was, in the presence of a unicorn who wasn't only a Knight, but a mage whose accomplishments rivaled her own.  She'd been afraid that she'd have to spend the entire party avoiding conversation and basking in paranoia.  Twilight couldn't believe her luck that she'd found such an interesting conversation partner.
However, before Twilight could ask any of her questions, Arcana apparently decided to end the conversation.  He craned his neck in order to look over Twilight's back at something before turning back to her.  "I'm afraid we'll have to speak again another time.  I have a gift for you and your friends in thanks and apology for dealing with my sister's antics."  He leaned in closer.  "Also, if it isn't too much trouble, could I impose upon you to pay her a visit before you leave Canterlot.  She's resting at my townhouse.  I'm sure that Arkenstone can tell you where it is.  She has been through a lot lately and I feel she could use a friend."
Twilight nodded uncertainly.  Without another word, Arcana turned and trotted off.
> The Reluctant Knight
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 14: The Reluctant Knight

"Always the antisocial one," commented Arkenstone, coming up behind Twilight.  Surprisingly, Twilight didn't jump at the sudden intrusion, as she'd already had an inkling that Arkenstone was approaching when Arcana left.  Or maybe I'm getting used to him doing that.
"He seemed pretty talkative to me," said Twilight softly.
"But not exactly the most graceful conversationalist," observed Arkenstone.
Twilight couldn't help but agree with that assessment.  While she couldn't outright dislike Arcana, she couldn't help but find his personality and his attitude...coarse, like sandpaper.  Being around him grated on her and she still didn't like the way he talked about Trixie, even if it was clear that he did care for her.
Turning to look at Arkenstone, Twilight had to stifle a giggle as she saw her stallion balancing a pair of plates, one on the top of his head, the other on his haunches.
"Amused?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Sorry," said Twilight, her voice still shuddering slightly with mirth.
Arkenstone sighed.  A sharp bob of his head sent the plate there lifting in the air in the direction of Twilight, who caught it expertly with her telekinesis, not even making the dainty bites on the dish so much as wobble.  Arkensone then bucked his hips slightly, sending the other plate in an arc over his head before it dropped down onto his outstretched hoof with similar ease.  "I don't believe the catering took anypony other than unicorns into consideration when they arranged things," he commented dryly.
His words prompted Twilight to take a more detailed look at their surroundings.  True to his words, the ponies attending the party were all unicorns.  Even most of the servants were unicorns as well.  The only other earth ponies she had seen so far consisted of a servant who rushed around with a rag to wipe the occasional spill off the floor and the members of the quartet.
"This is the Noble Court after all," muttered Twilight irritably.  She plucked a bite off her plate and bit down, chewing speculatively.  It was a small berry tart, expertly made.  Still, Twilight would have preferred one of Pinkie Pie's confections.
"Dame Sparkle, I'm glad to see that you could make it."
Twilight shuddered as that oily voice washed over her.  It was one of the few voices she recognized and the last one she wanted to hear tonight.  Doing her best to keep her distaste from openly showing, she turned to regard the terracotta-colored stallion approaching them.
"Earl Flint, it's nice to see you again," lied Twilight, bowing politely to Steel Flint as he approached them.
"Yes," agreed the stallion, who was, fortunately, oblivious to any hints of Twilight's true attitude towards him, "I'm so happy to have you here."  Much as Fancy Pants had done earlier that night, Steel took Twilight's forehoof and planted a kiss on it.  Just as with the first time they had met, he allowed his lips to linger just a little too long for comfort before finally letting her hoof go.  Again, Twilight had to fight down the feeling of her skin crawling.
"I must admit, you were very difficult to track down," added Steel as he took a step back, smiling with all the kindness of a cat with a crippled mouse resting right between his paws, "Several of my guests were excited to hear that you were joining us tonight.  I would have thought you might have caused a greater stir when you arrived."
I certainly thought we did, mused Twilight.  It occurred to her that, given that many of the attending nobles had their own designs on her, that they had kept her arrival to themselves in order to try and get the first crack at her, as it were.  Such conflicting interests could very well have hampered the network of gossip and chitchat that ran through such affairs, which, under normal circumstances, would have informed Steel Flint immediately of her arrival.  There was also the matter that nopony had bothered them when she had been talking with Arcana earlier.  Although, of course, that could be due to his rank.  As a marquess, he was second only to the dukes in rank, thus being one of the higher-ranked nobles present at the party, even higher than Steel Flint himself.
"I apologize My Lord," said Twilight, "I should have sought you out to pay my respects."
"Nonsense!" declared Steel, grinning, "After all, you are an honored guest.  There is nopony here who is not aware of the great deeds you have done for the sake of Equestria."
Which is precisely the problem, thought Twilight irritably.
And then, Steel stepped forward and rested a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, either ignoring or not noticing the way she flinched at his contact (given his ego, probably the latter).  "Now then, would you be so kind as to honor me with a dance my dear?"
Twilight hesitated, glancing over at Arkenstone, who had gone silent at the Earl's arrival.  His ears followed them closely, but the beige stallion had not budged an inch, not even when Steel Flint started trying to steal Twilight away from him.  Though his posture was impeccable, Twilight's eyes could see the relaxed state of his muscles, the slow pace of his breathing.  His whole attitude seemed to be one of patient watchfulness.  He seemed to show no sign of approval or disapproval of Earl Flint's request and remained an object in the background, which was just as well, given the fact that Steel hadn't so much as glanced at Arkenstone yet.
"I..."  Twilight gulped nervously and turned her head to look back at Steel, "I would be honored My Lord."
With that, she gave her plate back to Arkenstone and allowed herself to be led out onto the dance floor.  When they reached it, the two of them reared up in the bipedal dancing method favored by the Canterlot elite.  Twilight rested her hooves on Steel Flint's shoulders, whilst hers rested his below her own shoulders, just above her barrel, as was the norm.
The two of them began to move through the slow steps of the dance, Steel leading easily, but Twilight having difficulty keeping up.  She had learned to dance during her etiquette lessons as Princess Celestia's student, but often neglected to practice, due to her finding ballroom dancing just not all that interesting, nor very helpful to her magical studies.  Of course, the problem was only exacerbated when Twilight moved to Ponyville, where the residents typically favored a much more energetic form of music and dance.
"I have to apologize," she said, trying her hardest to keep a polite smile on her face and to keep from breaking out into a sweat from the difficulty of keeping up with the half-remembered movements, "I don't have opportunities to practice dancing like this in Ponyville."  Her haunches were already starting to burn with the effort.  Dancing bipedally was hard.  Ponies were quadrupeds for a reason.  Where on earth did anypony get the idea that we should be dancing like this?
"I can understand my dear," replied Steel, making Twilight's ears twitch in agitation at his casual use of such a term of endearment, "Truly, it must be quite dreary to be stuck in such a backwater burg.  Such a complete absence of polite society must be a terrible burden upon a lady such as yourself."
"I wouldn't say that My Lord," replied Twilight as demurely as she could manage, "There are plenty of ponies who appreciate polite society in Ponyville."  Although, aside from her friend Rarity, Twilight didn't spend very much time in their company as she wasn't the biggest fan of "polite society" herself.  "Besides, Ponyville is a wonderfully peaceful place.  Although, it isn't without its..."  Thoughts of ursas, parasprites, and pink ponies ran through her head.  "...Exciting moments."
The Earl belted out a laugh that cut through the serene music playing, drawing a number of eyes to the pair, though plenty had been following Twilight already.  "You needn't be so modest Dame Sparkle.  A mare of your talent and br-...background is wasted in such a remote wilderness village."
Twilight resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the transparent insult to her home.  Ponyville was close enough to be visible to the naked eye from the right places in Canterlot, making it the furthest thing from remote.  She wasn't quite sure if she could contest its description as a "wilderness village," as it did border the Everfree Forest after all.  Still, it would do no favors to directly contradict the Earl's words.  Twilight also hadn't failed to notice the hitch as Steel corrected his description of her, suspecting that he had intended to say "breeding," before remembering that she was common-born.
"I happen to enjoy living in Ponyville very much," was how she decided to answer his question, "I rather like the small-town atmosphere."
"And perhaps that might suit you..." agreed Steel, "...for a time.  But you are a Canterlot mare by birth.  That means you are a higher class of pony than those country bumpkins.  You need to realize that Canterlot is where you belong, where you can realize the proper...scope of your talents."
Etiquette aside, Twilight was fully prepared to let the Earl have it for insulting her friends.  However, any angry remarks she was going to make were cut off by Steel Flint as his hooves began to dip lower, sliding down from her shoulders and along her barrel.
Even with all her self-control, Twilight couldn't stop an angry blush from spreading across her face.  "Please move your hooves," she said, a note of irritation finding its way into her voice.  She was dancing with this stallion out of courtesy and he was shamelessly using it as an opportunity to cop a feel.
"Ah!  Terribly sorry Dame Sparkle," said Steel, the smirk on his face saying otherwise, "My hooves slipped."
Seeing an opportunity to extricate herself from this situation, Twilight forced a cheerful grin on her face.  "Think nothing of it My Lord.  But if your posture is failing, perhaps it means we've spent enough time dancing."  Celestia knew Twilight felt like her hooves could use the respite from moving about in their present awkward configuration.
"I have to admit, I would like to enjoy this rare opportunity a little more," said Steel, "If that is what you wish, then by all means."
Twilight had to stop herself from heaving a sigh of relief as the two of them disengaged and dropped back down onto all fours.  Twilight took the opportunity to shake out her back legs after working them so hard, the fabric of her gown covering up the slight movement.  She quickly turned and started making her way off the dance floor and towards Arkenstone.  She knew that the Earl wasn't far behind her and had no intention of giving up so easily.  It was clear that, now that he'd found her, he intended to dog Twilight's steps throughout the course of the party until he got what he wanted or she managed to escape him.  At the very least, Twilight would feel much better if she had Arkenstone close by, even though he seemed strangely dedicated to doing nothing at the moment.
As Twilight got clear of the press of ponies still waltzing about the dance floor, she noticed that Arkenstone was not alone.  A pair of guards, their colors indicating that they were in Steel Flint's service, were standing in front of him, both having unpleasant expressions on their faces.  Though Twilight wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying yet, she could pick up hints of clipped, angry tones.  Arkenstone didn't so much as flinch before their displeasure, answering their angry words with his calm, rational ones.  From the way things were going, Twilight got the impression that they didn't want Arkenstone there and were trying to get him to leave.  Her mind wandered back to one of the conversations she had overheard, remembering that some of the attendees were under the impression that Arkenstone was there as Twilight's servant, rather than as her companion.
She quickly stepped forward to intervene, but was forced to stop as a dark-green aura wrapped around her, halting her progress.  Turning to look, Twilight saw Steel Flint's horn shining as he used his magic to pull her back.
"What are you doing?" she asked, although her tone made it more of a demand.
"There's nothing for you to worry about Dame Sparkle," said Steel, his voice feeling like ooze running over her skin, "My guards are merely clearing up a misunderstanding.  I can understand your confusion, seeing as you don't come to events like this often, but it isn't proper etiquette to bring your servant in with you.  We shall have him wait for you outside."
"Then you're the one with a misunderstanding," said Twilight, "Arkenstone is not here as my servant.  He is my companion this evening."
Though she hadn't been shouting, Twilight was close enough for a few others to hear.  Her words elicited a few gasps from many of the other unicorn mares within earshot, several of them directing scandalized looks in her direction.  Even Steel looked astonished by her declaration.  This his face washed over with a look of sympathy.
"My dear Dame Sparkle, I had no idea you were so desperate."  Twilight was both surprised and disgusted to hear a hint of real sympathy in his voice.  "If you were really so desperate for company tonight, you should have informed me.  There was no need for you to stoop so low as to bring an earth pony with you."  He grinned as he leered at her.  "Please allow me to rectify this situation.  I would be more than happy to serve as your escort for the remainder of the evening and we can sweep that offending trash out the door."
Now Twilight made no effort to disguise her anger or her dislike of the unctuous stallion impeding her.  The force of her glare made his oily mask falter a bit.  "I thank you for your concern My Lord, but I have chosen Arkenstone as my escort this evening.  Now, if you excuse me, I have to go and clear up this 'misunderstanding' of yours.  Then we will take our leave.  I think Arkenstone and I have had more than enough of your 'hospitality' tonight."
Spinning about, Twilight marched away from Steel Flint, her nose in the air as she approached Arkenstone and the pair of guards harassing him.  As she came closer, she was able to make out their words.
"I don't care how many times you say it, there's no way a dirt-prodder like you would be an escort for Princess Celestia's student.  A mare like that is in a completely different class from garbage like you."  Twilight ground her teeth as she heard the guard's words.
"Admittedly, I can't disagree with that," said Arkenstone, making Twilight's ears twitch with surprise, "There's no disputing that Twilight is a wonderful mare who deserves only the best.  I can't help but be honored that she has contented herself with my company for this evening."
Twilight frowned contemplatively, her steps slowing as she approached.  Did Arkenstone really think she was too good for him?
"A likely story," snapped the other guard, "You must think it a coupe that an earth pony like you managed to get into this party, but it's nothing more than an insult.  I'll say this one last time.  Get out."
"And I shall say this as many times as necessary," replied Arkenstone cooly, "Nope."
For a moment, Twilight had to double check and make sure she hadn't brought Big Macintosh to the party by mistake.
Once she regained her composure, Twilight trotted right between the two unicorn guards and turned about to face them.  "Gentlecolts," she said firmly, "Is there a problem?"
"Dame Sparkle," said one, clearly the guard in charge, "I apologize, but there seems to have been a misunderstanding.  The Lord Earl's serving staff is taking care of everything this evening, so there is no need for you to bring a servant of your own with you.  Furthermore..."  He turned to level a glare at Arkenstone, who stood impassively  behind Twilight, "This cad has the gall to claim that he is here as your escort.  We cannot stand by and allow such disrespect for a mare of your station."
"Then there really is a misunderstanding," said Twilight, fixing both guards with an angry glare, "Because I want to make it very clear that Arkenstone is here as my escort, not as a servant."
Even with their training, both guards could not stop themselves from gasping in shock.  Twilight turned away from them, saying over her shoulder, "Now that we've cleared that up, you can go on your way now."  She trotted away from them.  "Come on Arky," she said as she walked past him.
A slight smile flickered across Arkenstone's face as he fell in beside her.  They began to make their way back towards the doors to the ballroom, making for the foyer and the way out.  However, Twilight's hopes of escaping unmolested died a messy and unpleasant death as a, by now, all too familiar stallion stepped into their path.
"Now then Dame Sparkle, you needn't saddle yourself with the company of a lowly earth pony," said Steel, his oily smile in place.
Twilight's eyelid began to twitch.  Why won't this jerk just take a hint?
"I can understand if you find his company enjoyable," said Steel Flint in a patronizing tone that made Twilight's blood boil, "But you must be mindful of your position.  How would a decision like yours reflect upon your status as a student of the Princess?"  Twilight's eyes spotted the faint glittering at the tip of Steel's horn.  He was preparing some sort of spell.
Twilight frowned.  The Earl was using magic quite subtly.  She turned her attention to his horn.  As she did, she used her own horn to read Steel Flint's spell through the ambient magical energy he was releasing.  It was a skill not known to many unicorns, one that Princess Celestia had taught her.  Twilight's analysis told her that Steel Flint was preparing a subtle suggestion spell to try and sap her will and get her to agree with him.  If he hit her with it, she would start doing anything that he said.  Twilight's horn began to glitter faintly as she readied herself.
"Why don't you come with me," said Steel, "Your 'escort' can wait while you and I discuss some things in the privacy of my own chambers."  Steel launched his spell to coincide with those words, intending to use the suggestion magic to give them extra weight.
However, his spell met Twilight's equally subtle counterspell.
"I don't think so," said Twilight, "I came to this party out of polite obligation to your wishes My Lord, but you've made your intentions quite clear.  As such, we are leaving now."
Perhaps it was the vehemence of Twilight's denial, or the fact that his spell failed.  Either way, the Earl's smile faltered and Twilight finally got a glimpse of the stallion behind the mask.  Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the pure, almost animalistic anger that lurked behind Steel Flint's facade.
"Well now," said Steel, momentarily pausing to regain control of himself, "I've tried being polite.  I have been more than lenient with your behavior Twilight Sparkle.  But it seems there is only so much I can do to reason with a jumped-up common-born cur."
Twilight's eyes glanced around.  She noticed that the nobles around them were suddenly giving them a very wide berth.  She suddenly remembered Blueblood's warning about how dangerously violent Steel Flint could be.
The dirty-orange stallion began to slowly circle Twilight and Arkenstone.  "You seem to have let getting knighted go to your head.  Do you really think that anypony here has forgotten where you came from?  I offered you a chance to obtain a station that is better than what a low-born mare like you deserves.  But not only do you disdain my offer..."  He came to a halt, now glaring at Twilight and Arkenstone openly.  "...But you insult me by daring to choose a lowly earth pony over me."
Twilight glanced at Arkenstone.  However, the stallion remained silent and unresponsive, not so much as flinching before Steel Flint's tirade, but not resisting it either.  Why doesn't he say something?  Of course, it was highly likely that attempting to force the tribalist unicorn to engage with him might lead to escalating the situation.  However, Couldn't he at least stand up for himself...for me?
However, it seemed that Arkenstone's inaction was now catching the Earl's attention.  "Well now, nothing to say for yourself?" he asked as he approached the beige stallion, "My word!  You haven't said a single thing."  He raised a hoof and prodded Arkenstone's face.  However, Arkenstone offered no response.  Steel gave Twilight an incredulous look.  "Is he slow or something?"
Twilight could only stare, wondering just what Arkenstone was doing...or rather, what he wasn't doing.  As she did, Steel Flint stepped back and gave Arkenstone an incredulous look.  "Are you really trying to say that you would choose this mentally deficient earth pony over me?"  He smirked at Twilight.  "Or is it that your fabled intelligence is a myth and you associate with this lump to make yourself look smarter by comparison?  Perhaps that's why you want to stay in that backwater slum, so you can surround yourself with unsophisticated idiots who make you look positively brilliant."
Twilight bristled at the insult to her friends.  "Don't talk about my friends like that.  You have a lot of nerve to talk about the ponies who saved you and the rest of Equestria like that."  Her frustration was beginning to boil over.  Arkenstone's silence wasn't helping things either as his lack of reaction to Steel's insults and jibes seemed to only draw more disdain.  Why won't he say anything?
Steel Flint sighed.  "Such typical commoner logic.  You fail to understand that it doesn't matter what you do."  He glared at Twilight, as though her presence was an insult to him.  "The inferior remain inferior.  That is why it falls to them to do the work, to serve, to take care of things, while those of us who are superior by birth are destined to reap the benefits.  I don't owe your friends anything.  They deserve no respect for doing what they were supposed to do.  They, and the power that they wield, exist to protect us."
He sighed in resignation.  "I honestly don't know why the Princess values you so.  But since you are so important to her, I will have you, whether you like it or not."  His horn glowed and the dark-green aura of his magic enveloped Twilight's body.  She immediately read his telekinesis, as well as another attempt at the suggestion spell in his aura.  "I don't want to resort to such unsightly means, but you leave me with no choice.  You will accompany me and we shall take care of this in private."
As she countered the suggestion spell, Twilight's eyes flashed to the various other nobles in attendance.  They were all watching the confrontation with varying degrees of interest.  She noticed more than a few looked as though they wanted to intervene.  However, the Earl's reputation for violence and his skill with battle magic was apparently keeping them at bay.  Again, she looked to Arkenstone, but saw nothing, no reaction, no sign that he was even worried about her.  Arky!  I thought you were here to protect me!
Even though his suggestion spell was nullified, Twilight still hadn't done anything about Steel's telekinesis, which he began to use to bodily drag her towards the doors to the ballroom.  Digging in her hooves, Twilight tried to resist the tug.  However, Steel was a sufficiently strong enough unicorn that he was able to overwhelm her physical resistance.  Left with no other choice, Twilight lit her horn, interposing her magic between Steel Flint's and her own body, dispelling the aura around her and breaking his hold.
The feedback of having his spell forcefully canceled like that caused the stream of energy issuing forth from his horn to spark, snapping Steel's head back as though he'd been physically struck.
A plethora of gasps echoed throughout the room as the observing nobles took in Twilight's actions.  Had she dispelled the Earl's magic less forcefully, there would be less cause for concern.  However, because she did, she had indirectly struck a noble of higher rank than herself.  Given his status as an Earl, Steel Flint was within his rights to demand reparations from her, or even a duel if he so wished.  Blueblood's description of the stallion flashed through her mind once more. What do I do?
Steel recovered quickly, turning to look back at Twilight, his gaze practically blazing with fury.  "You low-class wretch!" he growled, "How dare you strike back at your superior."
"I didn't mean to!" protested Twilight, "You were trying to drag me off against my will!"
For a moment, she thought that the Earl was going to snap and attack her on the spot.  However, after a moment, he managed to regain his self control.  His smiling mask slipped back into place and he Twilight a leering grin.  "Oh, think nothing of it my dear.  I will forget this slight if you agree to reparations."
"Which would be w-what?" stammered Twilight.
Steel's grin widened.  "Yourself, of course."
The bottom dropped out of Twilight's stomach.  "What?"
"Yourself," repeated the Earl, "Give yourself to me and I will overlook your disgusting behavior tonight.  I promise that you will learn how to be a proper noble.  I will take great pleasure in your...training."
Twilight shivered.  There was no way she could accept Steel's demands.  But she was unable to protest against them, being of the lowest noble rank.  If she refused, Steel would be within his rights to do as he pleased with her, on the spot, not that he hadn't been trying to do that already.  Twilight's mind clicked as she realized that she had been maneuvered into this position.  The Earl had used his deliberately offensive behavior to provoke an attack from her and now stood in a position of power over her.  I've been tricked!
However much she disliked it, Twilight had only one option left to her.
"Well...?" prompted Steel, clearly already thinking he knew her response.
Twilight sighed and closed her eyes, steeling herself for what was to come.  When she opened them, she was resolute.  "I refuse."
The victorious expression on the orange stallion's face dropped.  "What?"
"I refuse," replied Twilight, "I find your demands completely unreasonable and refuse to accept them."
A tremor went up Earl Flint's legs as he stared in disbelief at the knight who dared defy him.  "You..."  He couldn't even spit out another syllable.  His face was turning red as his anger built.  Once again, his horn lit and dark-green magic began to build.
Twilight tensed, preparing to ready a defensive spell.  However, she realized that she was too late.  Steel was already launching her spell as she started to get ready.  Too late, she realized that his skill and practice with battle magic had reduced the preparation time for his spells to a mere fraction of her own.  Too late, her mind turned to the ring she'd been given, which was hidden within her horn.  However, there was no time to use that either.  Twilight could only watch helplessly as the Earl's attack came.
Something flashed in front of her.  Twilight's view of Steel was blocked off by a wall of brown.  Before either of them could react, Arkenstone lashed out with a forehoof and smacked it against Steel's horn.
Steel Flint's magic blazed brilliantly before fizzling out in a crackling shower of sparks as the Earl himself screamed in pain, reeling back from the unexpected blow.  In spite of how much she detested the stallion, Twilight winced in sympathy.  A unicorn horn actively channeling magic was especially sensitive to physical stimulation, making it extremely painful to be struck.
The audience surrounding the three ponies gasped in horror, especially scandalized by the sight of an earth pony striking a unicorn noble.  However, Arkenstone looked as relaxed and calm as he had all night, standing between Twilight and Steel as though he had simply strolled through.
Even though he must have been in considerable pain, Steel rebounded quickly.  As he reoriented, he snapped his gaze to Arkenstone and lashed out with a telekinetic bolt, launching it faster than Twilight had ever thought possible.  Twilight felt the floor seem to tilt beneath her as Arkenstone inhaled, moving his body to lean against Steel's attack, which struck his shoulder directly before scattering harmlessly.
For a moment, Steel was too stunned by the failure of his attack to say a word.  He directed an outraged glare at Arkenstone before turning and shouting, "Guards!  Seize this scum at once!  I'll hang his hide from my bedroom wall!"
"Before that," interjected Arkenstone calmly, "I believe, according to the customs of the Noble Court, I have just challenged you to a duel.  Do you accept?"
Steel Flint gave Arkenstone a look of disbelief.  "Are you mad?  What would possess you to think that I am in any way obligated to accept a challenge from a filthy dirty pony commoner.  To do so would be an even greater insult to my character."
"You don't have any character to insult," Arkenstone pointed out blithely.
"Enough of this!  Seize him!"  Armored unicorns had already surrounded Twilight and Arkenstone and began charging their spells.
However, before they could launch those spells, the air suddenly chilled.  Twilight sucked in a breath of freezing air and felt as though she was standing in the middle of a winter blizzard.  In less than a second, sections of the floor, namely those beneath the hooves of Steel Flint's guards, were covered in a layer of slippery ice.  Before the guards could react, their hooves went out from under them and the entire group toppled over.  While they struggled to get back up, Twilight saw a layer of ice encase their horns.
The entire affair was over in less than five seconds.  Twilight's mind reeled at the skill required to pull off such a feat, to disable multiple opponents with two individual spells for each in the space of such a short time with such perfect precision was something that completely eclipsed Earl Flint's impressive casting speed.
Twilight heard somepony click their tongue behind her and she turned to look over her shoulder.  Arcana Lulamoon was calmly striding forward, the faint flickering glow fading from his horn as he approached.  "Such uncouth behavior from someone who's supposed to be held up as a pinnacle of refinement in Equestrian society," he chided, "This hypocrisy is precisely why I despise you and your ilk, Steel Flint."
As Twilight listened to Arcana's words, she suddenly remembered Arcana's nickname from their earlier conversation.  The Knight of the Creeping Cold...
Steel took a moment to survey his downed guards, stunned by the display of magic.  Then he fixed Arcana with an angry glare.  "How dare you interfere?"
"I dare because I feel like it," answered Arcana airily, "Besides, don't those noble codes and laws you were so proud of earlier tell you how you should treat your superior?"
A low growl escaped Steel Flint's lips.  "What do you want then?"
The effeminate stallion smiled tauntingly.  "I just came to see that you follow those noble rules that you were happy to wave around like so many toys earlier.  I believe Sir Arkenstone here has challenged you to a duel."
Steel opened his mouth the reject that, but stopped abruptly as Arcana's words sunk in.  "Wait...Sir?  He's a knight?"
Arcana's smirk widened slightly.  "He is indeed.  That means, his tribe aside, he is perfectly within his rights to challenge you as he just did.  If you refuse to accept his challenge now, you'll completely lose face."
Steel Flint's mouth worked soundlessly as he fought to protest.  Finally, he groaned and glared back at Arcana.  "Fine.  Your dirt pony friend will get his little duel.  I'll probably set a new record."
"Then how does the day after tomorrow sound?" proposed Arcana, "That should be enough time to put things in order."
"Whatever!" snapped Steel Flint, "You realize that, as the challenged, I get to set the terms."
"Of course," replied Arcana.
"Then I choose a duel to the death," said Steel, glaring at Arkenstone.
"So be it," said the beige stallion sadly.
Steel said nothing else, turning about sharply and stomping out of the ballroom.  Silence descended as everypony tried to process what had just happened.	  The nobles whispered frantically to each other, their voices rising and falling as they discussed the events of the night.
"Thank you," said Arkenstone, turning his muzzle towards Arcana.
Arkenstone's fellow Knight snorted angrily.  "Don't thank me," he said, "I'm disappointed I even had to step in.  If you showed more initiative, this would have been settled much sooner, you great brown lump."
Arkenstone opened his mouth to talk, but was distracted as Twilight came up to him.  He turned his head to face her and was immediately caught her hoof across the muzzle, snapping his head to one side.  As she struck him, Arkenstone's nose picked up the scent of salty water running from Twilight's eyes.
"What on earth were you doing?" she snapped, "All that abuse he put us through and you just sat there and took it!"
"Twilight, I..."  Arkenstone's voice trailed off as he tried to find the words to express himself.
"I thought you were here to keep me safe," she snarled, "You said I wouldn't have to worry, that I'd be fine as long as you were with me...and you just go and throw me to the wolves like that!"
"I..."
"Save it!" snapped Twilight, spinning about, "I don't want to talk to you right now."  She marched out, her nose in the air in an impressive imitation of a noblemare's snub.
"I have to admit, I'm disappointed in you as well," commented Arcana as Arkenstone rubbed his stinging muzzle, "What was going through your head?"
"Can I ask you a favor?" inquired Arkenstone.
Arcana frowned, disappointed that he wasn't getting an explanation.  "What?"
"Please escort Twilight home.  She doesn't want my company at the moment, but that still doesn't change the fact that she shouldn't be wandering alone right now."
Arcana sighed.  "Fine.  I still wish I understood what's going on inside that skull of yours."  He turned and followed Twilight out.
Arkenstone sighed.  "I wish I did too," he said darkly.
> The Place Where You Belong
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 15: The Place Where You Belong

Fluttershy slowly opened the door to Dawn's room and peered in.  Sure enough, there he was, languishing on his bed, staring at the ceiling, completely oblivious to his surroundings.  The butter-colored pegasus found herself frowning as she realized that this was turning into a repeat of Dawn's depression during that period leading up to his "execution."  Back then, she had been completely clueless about his situation until the last minute.  This time, she was determined not to sit idly by and let Dawn slip away into his own self-pity.
"Dawn Lightwing," she said firmly, her voice causing the ebony colt to snap out of his daze.
Dawn's slit-pupil eyes turned to meet Fluttershy's.  His expression of sadness melted away into one of confusion as he saw his mother sternly staring down at him.  "Y-yes?"
"What do you think you're doing here lying around?"
"I..."  Dawn struggled for words.  He hadn't heard this scolding tone of voice from his mother since his first fight with Applejack.
"It's unhealthy for a colt like you to laze around all day.  It's time to get up," she said sharply, looking Dawn straight in the eyes.  It wasn't even remotely approaching the level of her Stare, but something about Fluttershy's commanding gaze made the colt snap to obey.  He was out of his bed in seconds.
"It's nearly time for breakfast," said Fluttershy calmly, "But there's still a little time.  Aren't you forgetting something?"
Dawn frowned.  "Well...normally, I work on my forms but..."
Before he could even finish his sentence, he found himself abruptly being shoved out the front door and into the yard.  Looking back, he found Fluttershy smiling brightly at him.
"Now then, you can't afford to slack off even if you are feeling down," she said cheerfully, "Don't come back in until you've finished your practice."  Looking down, she smiled at her rabbit, who had jumped to the threshold.  "Angel, would you be a dear and keep an eye on Dawn while I get breakfast ready.  Don't let him back in until he's gone through his forms at least once each."
The rabbit's paw snapped up into a dignified salute and the little creature nodded sharply to his caretaker.
"Thank you Angel," said Fluttershy sweetly before giving Dawn one last encouraging look, "Now then, get started."  Shutting the door, she turned and headed back into the kitchen.
Outside, Dawn gave Angel a dubious look, but backed away from the rabbit's glare.  With a resigned sigh, Dawn walked a short distance to the open space between the cottage and the forest and spread his wings.  As he went through his forms, old habits reasserted themselves and it wasn't long before the process of going through the familiar, comfortable motions washed the anxiety and doubt from his mind...for a time, at least.
Breakfast was a solemn, quiet affair.  Dawn ate silently, not saying a word.  Fluttershy, having felt that she'd been assertive enough for the morning, decided not to press the matter.  She had hoped that ensuring that Dawn didn't abandon his morning routine would help raise his spirits.  But Dawn still seemed overtaken by that strange, silent contemplation that had been plaguing him the entire night.  With a sigh, she looked down and attended to her own meal, uncertain of what else she could do to help him overcome this depressed phase of his.
As she cleaned and put away the dishes, Fluttershy's ears twitched at the sound of knocking on the door.  Pausing in her cleanup, she went out to the living room of the cottage and opened the door to see who was there.
"Caramel!"
"Hey Fluttershy," said Caramel softly.  He leaned in and gave his fillyfriend a gentle peck on the cheek.  "I'm sorry I didn't get to check up on you sooner.  I had to mind the shop while Bon Bon and Lyra were out of town."
"It's alright."  Bon Bon and Lyra had gone out of town to attend one of the mint-green unicorn's concerts.  It had been an important event for Lyra and Caramel had taken over running the candy store while Bon Bon went along to support her wife.  Now that she had returned, Caramel had the free time to check up on his fillyfriend and her son.
"Is everything alright?" asked Caramel, looking past Fluttershy to see that the living room was empty.
Dawn had been lying on the couch until a moment ago, but had apparently moved back into his room when he realized that Caramel was the one at the door.  Fluttershy wasn't certain if it was to give her and Caramel some privacy, or if he had just decided that he wanted to continue sulking in solitude.
"Come in," said Fluttershy softly, stepping aside to let Caramel step into the living room.  Once the door closed behind the stallion, Fluttershy threw her arms around Carmel's neck and hugged him tightly.  Caramel quickly returned the embrace, gently rocking Fluttershy back and forth as she sobbed against his shoulder.  In between breaths, Fluttershy did her best to explain what was happening with Dawn and his depression.
"I see," said Caramel pensively.  He was a little concerned.  By and large, he hadn't heard anything that seemed to indicate that anypony blamed Dawn for what was happening, even if they knew that Willow had come to Ponyville for him.  However, he could certainly understand the reasoning behind Dawn's present slump.
Suddenly, his eyes went wide.  "Hey!  I've got an idea."
"What is it?" asked Fluttershy.
"Why don't you let me take Dawn for the day.  We'll have a sort of...guys' day out, I guess."  Caramel chuckled.  "I'll probably be making it up as I go, but it might help Dawn to give him something else to think about."
Fluttershy nodded.  It seemed like a decent idea and she didn't exactly have any better ones.  It took them a few minutes to coax Dawn out of his room.  But, before long, he and Caramel had set off down the road towards Ponyville.



Scootaloo sagged to the ground, panting from exertion.  All around her, clouds of dust slowly settled as the wind from her latest run through the first form died down.  Looking up, Scootaloo noted that the sun was a good bit lower in the sky than it had been when she started.  She'd be expected back at home before long and she was wondering if she could find the energy to actually fly back.
After returning home last night, Scootaloo had gone to bed and slept like a rock.  This morning, she was up with the sun and out to practice in her front yard.  Thanks to the fact that her night had been much more restful than the last one, Scootaloo felt a great deal calmer and more composed.  So she'd had little trouble going through her repetitions of the first form.  As she did so, she recalled Dawn's explanation from a few days ago.  She allowed her awareness to spread throughout her body, from her hooves to the tips of her wings.  Without thinking, she'd corrected and adjusted whenever she felt something was off, altering her movements as she found some form or some way of moving that better suited her own nature.
Scootaloo had been so lost in her practice that she'd nearly missed her mother calling her in for breakfast.  In spite of her intense workout, the orange filly had felt strangely energized as she left for school.
Cheerilee had recovered admirably from her earlier depression and had restarted school.  Scootaloo and the other Crusaders attended, but there were still several foals absent from their class, many apparently still shaken by Willow's attack.  Scootaloo's stomach lurched when she realized that she was glad that Dawn was one of the foals who had declined to come to school, as she understood that the realization that several of his classmates were still suffering from the traumatic events of two days ago would only serve to drive him deeper into his present state of self-loathing.  The realization only served to further cement Scootaloo's conviction that she had to do something to shake the ebony colt out of his funk, once and for all.
To that end, she had declined to join her friends for their usual slew of afternoon activities and flown straight to the quarry to begin practicing with her magic.  Continuously going through the first form while using her magic to move the air around her helped shape Scootaloo's perception of how her body was developing.  Using her wings to move the air around her subjected her body to a different kind of strain than simply going through the motions as she did in the morning.  As she continued to practice, she also worked on refining her wind-sense, focusing on the feeling of extending her awareness beyond the limits of her body until it began to fill the air around her.  Because of this, as she practiced, Scootaloo began to get a stronger sense that the way in which she interacted with the air was beginning to change, although she wasn't sure how yet.
Taking a moment to rest, Scootaloo snagged a bottle of water from her saddlebags and took a few moments to sip it down.  When her mother had heard about her plans, Melon had insisted that Scootaloo start taking more water with her to ensure that the orange filly didn't get dehydrated from the long hours of intense exercise.
As she drank, Scootaloo mulled over the results of her previous few repetitions, wondering if she really knew what she was doing.  She'd felt fairly confident when she'd told Cheerilee about her idea.  However, she wasn't certain how well she was doing carrying it out.  Scootaloo had gone through the first form several times since she'd begun her practice session.  And, in spite of adjusting her movements each time through, it still didn't feel right to her, as though there was something that was missing, some element that lurked on the edge of her awareness that she had to recognize and achieve before she was ready to show the product of her efforts to Dawn.
In spite of that, Scootaloo knew better than to allow herself to get frustrated.  She smirked as she realized that, the way she had been before she'd started learning under Dawn, frustrated would have been exactly how she would have acted.  However, after spending time with Dawn, learning from him, seeing in him the time and dedication he had put into his own instruction, she had internalized the value of patience.  She'd learned discipline...at least to a certain extent.  As such, Scootaloo knew better than to try and rush through her practice.  What mattered was not the number of repetitions she went through, nor the power of the magic she exercised, but the experience of feeling her way through the motions of the First Form and adapting it to herself until it became something that was hers and hers alone.  I have to keep practicing and let my own body show me the way.
Having had enough of a break for the time being, Scootaloo sat her bottle down and stood up.  Walking back to her starting position, she took a deep breath before letting it out.  With it went her extraneous thoughts, her worries, and her fears.  Now, there was nothing but herself and the sky around her.
Spreading her wings halfway, Scootaloo took the beginning stance for the first form and opened her eyes.  Just you wait Dawn.  I'll prove to you that you're better than you say you are.  So don't go anywhere.
As that last thought departed on a light breeze, Scootaloo began again.



Dawn watched in quiet fascination as the pot of molten sugar bubbled.  There was very little else to it.  Caramel had mixed sugar and water together, added a small dash of corn syrup, and let the entire thing go on the highest setting the stove had to offer.  There was no fussing, no stirring.  In fact, Caramel made it a point to be careful to not do anything to disturb the substance bubbling away in the pot.
Not having much of a taste for sweet things, the mere sight of so much sugar in one place made Dawn feel a little woozy.  However, as he watched, the sugar’s color darkened and the scents rising from it began to get more complex.
“Keep an eye on it,” said Caramel from the other end of the kitchen, “Let me know the second you see smoke.”
Dawn offered no verbal response, but refused to pry his eyes away from the pot all the same, his gaze zeroed in on the liquid’s surface.  Looking over, Caramel raised a hoof to stifle a laugh as he saw the almost comic look of seriousness on Dawn’s face as he literally watched a pot boil.  It was the look of a pony fascinated by something he’d never seen before.
Figuring it was almost time, Caramel moved into position to get ready for the next step.  While he trusted Dawn’s eyes, which were probably better than his own, Caramel knew better than to risk letting his namesake product burn, for which there was a very narrow margin of error.
“It’s smoking!”
Even as he acted, Caramel’s lips quivered when he picked up an actual note of childlike excitement in Dawn’s voice.  Quickly, Caramel turned off the heat and added a healthy quantity of heavy cream to the mix, causing the pot to hiss and boil angrily, a sound that actually made Dawn step back a bit, his wings fluttering nervously.
Reintroducing the pot to lower heat, Caramel chuckled as he stirred.  “I’m guessing you haven’t done anything like this before.”
Dawn shook his head slowly.  “When we traveled together, my Master and I never had much opportunity for treats.  I never got the chance to see how they were made.  And, of course, in the Everfree…”
Caramel nodded.  It was nice to see Dawn acting more like somepony his age should.  More importantly, it was nice to see that the process of candy-making was sufficiently engaging that the colt no longer seemed overly burdened with existential questions brought about as a reaction to a recent crisis.
Dawn watched intently as Caramel stirred the mixture, the once-molten sugar having seized up upon initial contact with the cold cream was slowly beginning to dissolve, turning the sauce a rich amber color.  “Care to give it a try?” asked Caramel, taking a clean spoon out and giving it to Dawn.
The colt hesitantly took the spoon in his fetlock and lifted out a small sample of the sauce.  He was surprised to find the normally cloying sweetness of sugar to have been replaced by a more subtle sweetness and a nutty flavor.  It was tasty, though not something he could imagine himself eating on a regular basis.
"How are things going back here?" asked Bon Bon, trotting into the kitchen.
"I think Dawn's a natural," said Caramel cheerfully as he carefully lifted the pot and set it next to a tray loaded with small candies.  Dipping a whisk into the substance, he used it to liberally dribble the sauce over the candies.  Dawn watched the process intently, the sheer novelty of everything winning over his usual taste in food.
Bon Bon couldn't help but smile at the colt's fascination with the goings on in the candy shop's kitchen.  Though Caramel had meant well when he'd suggested taking Dawn out with him, the stallion quickly came to a realization that he had no idea what to do.  Dawn hardly seemed like the kind of colt to go for the typical "guy" things that most fathers did with their sons.  They had spent some time walking around the park and playing games.  However, Dawn seemed mostly disinterested in such activities, though he didn't seem to mind Caramel's presence.
Ultimately, Caramel came up with the idea of taking Dawn to the candy shop where Caramel worked.  Once they arrived, it was Bon Bon who suggested that Caramel take the ebony colt behind the counter and into the kitchen to see how the various sweets were made.  So far, it was a suggestion that had worked out brilliantly.
"Is that all you can do with this?" asked Dawn as he watched Caramel finish drizzling out the remainder of the sauce.
"Actually, you can do a lot of things with melted sugar," said Caramel.  He went on to explain to the fascinated colt how the different temperatures the sugar was heated to could produce different textures and flavors, from soft candies to harder brittles and everything in between.
After that, Bon Bon showed the colt the taffy puller, which was currently working through a batch of the stretchy and sticky candy.  She also let Dawn try his hoof at stocking the shelves and sorting the products.  Normally, she would have been leery of letting a colt, particularly one who normally spent so much time in the proximity of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, handle anything important in her store.  However, seeing the normally careful way in which Dawn approached...well...everything...convinced her that it was worth the risk.
By the time the afternoon had passed, Dawn had seen a great deal of the behind-the-scenes workings of the candy shop.  Caramel was particularly pleased to note that the colt's mood had improved.  Looking at the time, he noted that they should be on their way back to Fluttershy's.
"Come by and visit sometime," said Bon Bon as they were saying goodbye, "'Mel's like a brother to me.  I guess that makes me like your aunt."  She nuzzled Dawn fondly, not bothering to worry over the colt's instinctive flinch away from the physical contact.
She continued to watch as the two of them set off down the road towards Fluttershy's cottage, a smile on their face.  Caramel had told her what had happened while she'd been gone with Lyra.  She found herself wishing the colt the best.



Rainbow Dash yawned and stretched her wings, wondering what to do next.  It had been a long couple of days for her.  Yesterday, the first thing she had wanted to do was check up on Scootaloo and see how her Number One Fan was handling things after what had happened with Willow.  However, Soarin' had stepped in and suggested that they give the filly some space.  Apparently Dawn was checking up on Scootaloo and Soarin' thought it best that they leave him to it.
They had spent the remainder of the day just flying.  They'd raced back and forth across the sky and through Thunderlane's course in Whitetail Woods.  While Rainbow Dash was unquestionably the faster of the pair, Soarin' had actually won the race in the forest thanks to his greater experience in dealing with obstacles and flying in enclosed spaces.  Soarin' had even started guiding Rainbow through practicing some of the routines the Wonderbolts used in their shows, though there was only so much they could do with just the two of them.
It had been fun and the day had slipped away.  Before Rainbow knew it, it was dinnertime.  She and Soarin' ate out at one of Ponyville's casual restaurants and enjoyed a nice evening of talking and joking (Soarin's peeved look when the whole pie that Rainbow Dash had ordered was plopped down in front of him was worth an entire week of pranking with Pinkie Pie).
After dinner, Rainbow decided to make one last effort to check up on Scootaloo.  So she had gone to the filly's home and was surprised to find out from Melon Cream that Scootaloo had already gone to bed.  Though the mare didn't have all the details, apparently something had happened with Dawn during the course of the day and Scootaloo was determined to do something about it.
More than a little concerned, Rainbow thought of making a quick flight out to Fluttershy's cottage to check up on the colt.  However, she figured it was probably best to leave it to Fluttershy.  Not being the most tactful of ponies, Rainbow wasn't exactly trusting herself to not blunder and say exactly the wrong thing and make matters worse.  So instead, she returned home with Soarin', where her coltfriend snuggled with her on the couch and did his level best to keep Rainbow from getting too worried over those nagging fears that plagued her when she thought about Dawn and Scootaloo.
All of which brought her to today.  One of the first things Rainbow had done after getting up was to go to Melon's and check on Scootaloo, only to find that the filly had already gone off to school.  Her next step had been to go visit Fluttershy and check on Dawn.  There, Rainbow was surprised to learn that Dawn had gone out...with Caramel of all ponies.  Rainbow knew that Caramel and Fluttershy were making progress in their relationship, but they had been so quiet about it that she had no idea that Dawn felt comfortable enough with Caramel to spend an entire day alone with him.
With not much else to do, Rainbow returned to her cloud house to spend the rest of the day with Soarin', which had seemed appealing at first, but was starting to wear a little thin.  There was nothing wrong with Soarin'.  Rainbow enjoyed being around him and everything they did together only seemed to make her more and more sure of her feelings towards the pale-blue stallion.  The problem lay with the fact that neither of them were terribly romantic ponies to begin with.  Rainbow Dash wasn't one for long strolls in the park, tail entwined with that of her special somepony as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear.  She was a mare of action and excelled when she had something to do, a job to get done, a goal to work toward.  The combination of her month of vacation with Soarin's own two weeks of leave left them with more free time than either knew what to do with.
So Soarin' ended up accompanying Rainbow as she went to check up on her friends.  They visited Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie to see how they were handling things in the wake of Willow's attack.  Rarity and Applejack related the stories of their respective siblings and how they were handling things, which set Rainbow on edge a little as she found herself worrying about the rest of the Crusaders on top of Scootaloo.  However, the fact that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had both felt up to going back to school reassured her somewhat.
With that taken care of, she and Soarin' had returned to flying, this time pushing each other towards more extreme stunts.  After a working up a decent sweat, Rainbow and Soarin' collapsed together on a spare cloud for a good afternoon nap.
Now, with the sun beginning to dip towards the horizon, Rainbow yawned and stretched as she got up.  Turning, she grinned when she saw that Soarin' was still laying there, snoring away, a goofy grin plastered across his face.
She was about to prod him awake when she heard a flutter of wings off to one side.  Looking over, she was surprised to see an unlikely pair of pegasi alighting on a neighboring cloud.  "Storm Front?  Rumble?"
Storm Front was his normal impassive self, though he seemed quite pleased with himself at the moment, the tiny upward twitches of the corners of his mouth hinting at the barest beginnings of a smile being the only indicator that he was in a fine mood.  Rumble, on the other hoof, looked like he'd been through the wringer.  The gray colt's mane was disheveled, matted and stringy with sweat, his tail seeming no better.  The feathers on his wings were a little ruffled and looked like they could use a good preening before Rumble went to bed.  However, what really caught Rainbow's eye were the dark-colored splotches on Rumble's coat, places where the skin beneath his fur was darkened by bruises.
Rainbow's gaze immediately snapped to Storm Front as she gave him her most suspicious glare.  "What the hay have you been doing?" she asked.
Storm turned his head and nodded to Rumble.  The colt grinned sheepishly and held out the item he had clutched in one hoof.  Rainbow was surprised to see that it was a coiled cord, not unlike the one that made up Storm's meteor hammer.  However, instead of the metal weight at the end of Storm's weapon, Rumble's ended in a jumbled knot that formed a heavy mass at the end of the cord.
"What is that?" she asked.
"A practice weapon," replied Storm, "When I first started learning the meteor hammer, I practiced with a rope like this one.  After all, when a missed move could mean smacking yourself in the flank with your own weapon, it's better to practice with something that is less likely to crack your ribs when you do so."
Rainbow's eye turned once again to the splotchy bruises decorating Rumble's barrel and she realized that the colt had made plenty of "mistakes" over the course of his practice.  She hoped the colt got the hang of it soon or she wouldn't be the only pony drawing the wrong conclusion at seeing him hanging around with a stallion while covered with evidence of multiple blunt impacts.
"So you're learning to use that thing," she said to Rumble.
"Yeah," replied the colt, smiling sheepishly, "Flitter took me to watch him practice last night and I thought it was really cool.  So I asked if I could try it."
"So he took you out with a knotted rope and let you beat yourself up with it," observed Soarin' wryly, having awakened not too long after Rainbow.
Rumble blushed.
Soarin' turned his eyes to look at Storm.  "I hope you have somepony with you when you're doing this.  Otherwise ponies are going to start getting suspicious of you."
"Flitter was watching us earlier," said Rumble.
Soarin' let out a breath of relief.  "Thank goodness.  You have no idea how many coaches have nearly destroyed their careers because their student got beat up in the course of the workout but there was nopony around to confirm that it was just a workout."
"I'm aware of the problem," replied Storm calmly.  He turned his eyes to Rainbow.  "By the way.  We saw Scootaloo practicing in the quarry.  You may want to check up on her.  She has been pushing herself rather hard today."
Rainbow's ears went up.  "What?  Really!"
Storm Front nodded.  "She wasn't even aware of our presence when we stopped to watch her.  She seemed more driven than usual."
As Storm and Rumble said their goodbyes and departed, Rainbow frowned pensively.  "I guess I'd better check up on the squirt," she said.
"Let's go then," said Soarin'.
Rainbow looked over at him and nodded.  Together, they took to the air and headed for the quarry to see how Scootaloo was doing.



"Did you enjoy that?" asked Caramel as he and Dawn made their way down the road.
"It was...different," said Dawn, "When I was traveling with my Master, we were always on the move, so we never had the opportunity to do anything like that.  Our meals were always relatively light and simple.”
Caramel nodded, thinking about Dawn's fascination with the cooking process.  The colt presently seemed lost in thought as his mind went over all the things he had learned over the course of the day.  However, it was an easy, relaxed silence, a far cry from his pensive depression from earlier.
"You look like you're feeling better," said Caramel with a smile, prompting a start from Dawn.
"I-I suppose I am," admitted Dawn, somewhat reluctantly.
"It's no good to dwell constantly on what might happen," said Caramel, "You aren't by yourself anymore.  You have your mom, you have your friends, and you have me...if you don't mind that."
Caramel's slight hesitance prompted a chuckle from Dawn.  "You're beginning to sound like mom."  At Caramel's blush, he added, "But I don't really mind that."
"Thanks," said Caramel softly as the two of them continued on their way home.



Another hour passed before Scootaloo slumped to the ground, nearly too tired to move.  As she looked up, she realized that the sky was beginning to darken.  "Ponyfeathers!"  I lost track of time.  Mom's gonna be freaking out!
Almost instinctively, Scootaloo spread her wings in readiness to take flight.  However, she barely lifted off an inch before they gave out on her, dumping the filly back on the ground, where her legs gave way just as quickly as the consequences of the afternoon's exertions set in.
"Horseapples," she groaned.  She was too tired to fly and, to make things worse, the quarry was a long walk away from town.  Scootaloo simply found herself feeling grateful that the diamond dogs were long gone, ensuring that she wasn't in danger of being captured and dragged underground anytime soon.  But that still left the fact that she had a long way to go and she wasn't exactly feeling up to making the journey.
"Looks like you've had a rough day squirt."
Scootaloo looked up.  When she saw Rainbow Dash and Soarin' hovering overhead, her face broke out in a radiant grin.  "Hey Rainbow Dash!"
Rainbow couldn't help but chuckle as she dropped down to wrap her forelegs around Scootaloo and lift the filly up into the air.  "Jeez kid, you look ready to pass out.  What were you working on?”
To her surprise, Scootaloo's expression fell and she looked away.  "I'm trying to do something for Dawn.  He's getting all depressed again."
"Let me guess, he's blaming himself for the whole affair with Willow," said Soarin', his tone heavy.
"Yeah," replied Scootaloo, "He's acting like his being here is bad for everypony.  He thinks it would be better if he just left."
"I can understand the feeling," said Soarin' sadly, "Even though there weren't any serious injuries the other day, somepony could have gotten hurt pretty badly.  And this probably won't be the last time somepony tries to come after him here."
"But!" exclaimed Scootaloo, "That doesn't mean he should leave.  He's done so much for so many ponies here.  Ponyville is his home and this is where he belongs!"
"But does he believe you when you tell him that?" asked Soarin' gravely.
"No," said Scootaloo, her voice filling with determination, "That's why I'm gonna show him instead."
"So that's what you were working on huh?" asked Rainbow, smiling at her young fanfilly's dedication.
Scootaloo nodded.  "It's not ready yet.  But I'm gonna keep working on it."
"Well, right now, the only thing you should be working on is getting home before your mom blows a gasket," said Rainbow as she held Scootaloo close, "So let's take you back."  She gave the filly in her arms a concerned look.  "Are you going to be doing this again tomorrow?"
Scootaloo nodded again.
Rainbow smiled.  "Then why don't Soarin' and I hang around and keep an eye on you.  If you're gonna work yourself 'til you drop every afternoon, it's gonna be better if you have a ride home."
The filly's eyes widened and she began to grin with excitement.  "Really?"
"Yep."
"Awesome!" she squealed.  The idea that Rainbow Dash would be hanging around and watching her while she practiced made her heart beat faster as Scootaloo longed to show her idol what she could do, even if her work wasn't complete yet.



Fluttershy smiled when she saw Caramel and Dawn approaching.  She noticed that her son seemed a little happier.  Apparently, whatever he and Caramel had been doing had pepped him up a little.  However, she still noticed the slight slump in his posture that indicated that the colt's depression had not fully abated.  Perhaps it was just too much to hope that his problems could be solved after just one day, she thought forlornly.
She greeted them at the door with her most cheerful smile, hoping that providing the most uplifting atmosphere possible would help Dawn feel better.  Caramel ended up joining them for dinner.  Over dinner, Caramel and Dawn told her about their day.
"Did you have fun?" asked Fluttershy, looking at Dawn.
Dawn gave her a small smile.  "I did," he admitted somewhat reluctantly.
"You know, candy-making might not be your thing," said Caramel, tapping a hoof against his chin, "But you like tea, don't you?"
Dawn nodded.
"Maybe when Arkenstone and Twilight Sparkle get back from Canterlot, you could ask Arkenstone if you could help out in his teashop," suggested Caramel, "I think you'd like that."
"I probably would," agreed Dawn.  He had to admit that the thought of learning about tea and making it would be interesting.  Also, it would mean spending an extended period of time in close proximity to one of the Knights of the Celestial Order, which meant that he would have a chance to learn other things as well.
After dinner, Caramel helped with the dishes before giving Fluttershy a brief kiss goodbye and heading out the the door to go back home.  Alone again, Fluttershy shared a glance with Dawn.  "Do you feel better now?" she asked softly.
"Yes, a little," replied Dawn, "But I'm still worried."
"It will be alright," said Fluttershy, gently nuzzling him, "Storm Front and Red River are here too."
"I know," admitted Dawn.
When he went to bed that night, the doubt that had been plaguing him for the past couple of days had faded to a tiny nagging in the back of his mind.



The next day saw Dawn returning to school.  Scootaloo heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the colt sitting attentively at his desk.  While he seemed in higher spirits that before, there were still some inconsistencies in his behavior that caused her to worry.  Dawn hadn't joined her for her morning practice.  Scootaloo kept a wary eye on him during the day, trying to split her time between monitoring the colt and keeping track of her own work.  If Cheerilee noticed anything, she kept quiet about it, possibly out of a desire to make up for how Dawn's feelings had been hurt by her sister.
As the day ended, Scootaloo started saying goodbye to her friends so she could head back to her practice.  As she did, she was approached by Dawn.
"Are you feeling better?" she asked as he came within speaking distance.
Dawn nodded uncertainly.  "Somewhat."
Scootaloo sighed and frowned.  "Listen, I'm heading out to the quarry.  I'm working on something for you, but you have to promise not to try and watch until I'm ready.  Okay?"
Dawn's eyes narrowed.  "You're not doing something reckless, are you?"
"No," scoffed Scootaloo, "But I still need you to stay away until I'm ready to show you.  Am I clear?"
"Yes you are," admitted Dawn softly.
"Good," she said, "Just hang tight and wait.  In a few days, I'm going to totally blow your mind."
Scootaloo shot off like a bullet, rushing out towards the quarry as fast as her wings could carry her.  Dawn watched her go, feeling a tiny bit of satisfaction at how well she was getting the hang of flying now.  There was no trace of that wobbliness that had marked the early days of her flight.  She now soared gracefully and effortlessly through they air as though she'd always been there.  In spite of his personal reservations about the good that he had done, Dawn couldn't quite keep a smile from his face as he watched her go.



"You wanted to see me?" asked Storm Front as he stepped into the office of Ponyville's Weather Manager.  With Rainbow Dash on vacation at the time, the position, and the office that went along with it, now belonged to Raindrops, who gave Storm a carefully neutral look as he stepped through the door.
"Have a seat," she said, gesturing the chair in front of her desk, which Storm quickly took for himself.  Raindrops unquestionably spent more time in the office than her predecessor.  Unlike the notoriously impatient Rainbow Dash, Raindrops had a much greater affinity for paperwork and showed a great deal of skill in organizing the various talents on the team, which was working out very well, given that they were having to make due without Rainbow's overflowing talent.
Raindrops gave Storm Front a surprisingly penetrating stare as he waited calmly in his seat, much too disciplined to fidget.  "I'd like to talk to you about what happened the other day," she said.
"What about it?"
Raindrops' eyes narrowed.  "Something's been bugging me since the other day.  The way you reacted to that fog bank, the fact that you knew there was an assassin behind it, like you'd been expecting something like this...  It just didn't add up to me.  And then it got me to thinking about other things that've been going on, like you going to Cloudsdale with Rainbow Dash, or keeping those Guards from arresting her...  I get the feeling that you aren't just some weather pony that Rainbow happened to hire."
Storm sighed resignedly.  "I suppose there's no point in hiding it now, I suppose."
"So, who are you really?" asked Raindrops, "And what exactly are you here for?"
"Well, my name is still the same," replied Storm, "In reality, I am a mercenary.  I was hired by Shining Armor to help provide additional security for Ponyville and its neighboring areas."
"A mercenary?"  Raindrops nearly knocked all her papers askew as she pushed away from her desk.  "What on earth is a mercenary doing in Ponyville?"
"As I said, I was hired by Shining Armor.  My friend and I were chosen primarily because the situation called for more discretion than we could expect from actual members of the Guard, as well as to deal with situations that fall outside their usual purview."
"And the reason you joined the weather team?"
"We were asked to keep our presence and our primary reason for being in town discreet.  Therefore, we needed to find more standard work to serve as cover while we monitored the town for problems."
"We?" asked Raindrops.
"I am sure you remember my friend, Red River."
The jasmine mare bit the inside of her lip.  "So he's a mercenary too?"
Storm Front nodded quietly.
"One last question," said Raindrops, "Does Rainbow Dash know?"
"She does," replied Storm, "Since it was Shining Armor who hired us, Twilight Sparkle was made aware of the situation and, subsequently, her close friends as well.”
“I don’t believe this,” groaned Raindrops, “What in Equestria made anypony think we need enough extra security that hiring a mercenary would be a good idea?”
Before such a derisive remark, Storm Front easily managed to remain impassive.  He was not unaware of the popular opinion of mercenaries like him and Red River.  He had faced deeper disdain than this without flinching.  In truth, Raindrops anger seemed to stem more from her frustration at the extent of things that had been going on without her knowing than she truly was at the revelation of his true profession.
“So,” she said, “You care to answer that?” she said, giving Storm a penetrating glare.
“I have already given you the primary reason for our being here,” said Storm calmly, “However, I could not share any more information than that without an agreement from the ponies overseeing our assignment.”
Raindrops’ eye narrowed.  She had a sneaking suspicion as to the main reason behind their presence.  However, she doubted that the stallion in front of her would offer either and affirmation or a denial.  She knew from experience that Storm’s poker face was nearly impenetrable when he wanted it to be.
“So what now?” asked Storm, “Do you intend to terminate my position here?” he asked.
“Would you let me?” she asked back.
“I wouldn’t have a choice,” replied the stallion, “While I have been assigned to Ponyville by Shining Armor’s authority, my being hired by the Weather Team was purely Rainbow Dash’s decision.  If you choose to fire me, then I will have to abide by that and look for work elsewhere.”
Raindrops sighed.  “No, I’m not going to fire you.  But I am gonna have some choice words with Rainbow Dash soon.  I can’t believe she went behind all our backs like this.”  She gave Storm a penetrating stare.  “One more thing…Does Flitter know?”
To her surprise, Storm Front shrugged, looking surprisingly uncertain.  “I cannot say for sure.  She knows that I was a mercenary before I came to Ponyville, as well as my personal history.  I don’t know if she’s made the connection.  She may very well have noticed the same issues that you have and has simply decided not to voice them at this time.”
“Well,” said Raindrops, “I suggest you at least come clean to her.  If you’re gonna be in a relationship with her, she deserves a little honesty…don’t you think?”
Storm Front nodded gravely.
Raindrops let out one last sigh.  “I guess I won’t fire you,” she said.  In all honesty, she didn’t want to.  She disliked the idea of mercenaries as much as the next Equestrian, but Storm Front had never caused any trouble for the Weather Team.  Indeed, he had been a considerable asset on a number of occasions.  It was worth deferring her judgment, at least.  “You can go now.”
“Thank you,” said Storm, getting up.
“Thanks for being honest with me,” said Raindrops as he headed out the door.
Once the door closed behind the stallion, Raindrops let out a low groan and pressed her hooves against her forehead, wondering what other issues taking over as Ponyville’s Weather Manager was going to leave her saddled with.



Red River hummed as he listened to the creaking of the wagon behind him.  The day had been incredibly productive.  He'd managed to sell nearly all the merchandise he'd brought down from the farm.  Only two bushels and a single fritter were left over.  As he worked, he'd kept an ear out for any signs of trouble.  However, there seemed to be no indication that ponies held Dawn responsible for Willow's attack.  He'd overheard a few parents worrying about their foals' nightmares, but suspected that those problems would soon be behind them.
All told it would seem that they had dodged a bullet.  The townsponies were taking things well, which perhaps wasn't so unexpected, considering the number of strange and destructive incidents that seemed to occur in Ponyville on a regular basis.  After all, the town had already contended with ursas, prasprites, a population explosion of Pinkie Pies, and a whole host of other disasters that had done a great deal more damage than Willow's actions.
As distracted as he was, Red River didn't fail to notice the sound of hooves alighting on the ground nearby.  Looking over, he smiled when he saw the ebony colt standing next to him.
"What brings you here today?" asked Red River.
"I have a request to make of you," said Dawn.
"And what assistance is it that you require?"
"Could you please help me train?"
The creaking of the wagon ceased as Red came to a sudden stop.  He found himself doing a double-take at Dawn as he tried to come to terms with what he'd just been asked.  "You want me to train you?"
"In a sense, yes," replied Dawn, "Recent battles have caused me to see the limits of my own skills.  However, these problems are not something I can address by training on my own."
"Could your own student help you?" inquired Red.
"Scootaloo is not yet ready for that," replied Dawn, "What I need now, more than anything else, is a sparring partner."
Red thought it over for a moment.  "Why do you need somepony to spar with?"
"First, when I fought Perlin, and again, when I fought with Willow, I found myself in situations where I found myself hampered by the fact that I could not gain distance from my opponent," explained Dawn, "The same thing happened when I fought you and Storm Front before.  I believe that I need practice in order to polish my skills at a closer range.  I seem to do well enough on the defensive, but my offensive skills are limited if I cannot put distance between myself and my opponent."
"In other words," mused Red, "You want to refine your infighting skills against somepony like me."  He could understand the reasoning behind Dawn's idea.  He'd noticed it during their fight in the quarry.  Storm had also noted a similar issue from what he had seen of Dawn's fight with Perlin.  Close in, Dawn's defensive skills were still quite substantial.  But his ability to strike back was hampered.  So far, the colt displayed his greatest strength when fighting from a distance.
Dawn nodded in agreement.  "That would be ideal," he admitted.
Red mulled it over for a second before nodding in agreement.  "I don't see why not," he admitted, "I'll check with Granny Smith and see if there's a fallow field we can use.  Just let me get this wagon put away and we'll see about getting started."



The days began to take on a pattern for Scootaloo.  She practiced the motions of her form in the morning before going to school.  After sitting through her lessons and trying her absolute hardest to stay focused, she would go out in the afternoon and fly to the quarry, where she would practice refining her form while applying her magic under the eyes of Rainbow Dash and Soarin'.  To her unspoken relief, Dawn kept his promise and didn't intrude on her practice or try to see what she was up to.  She didn't know what Dawn was doing with his afternoons, but she hoped he wasn't mulling over Berry Punch's accusations anymore.
It was another three days of practice before Scootaloo truly began to grasp what she needed.  Fortunately, the weekend had given her the opportunity to get some extra practice in.  Rainbow and Soarin' were an appreciative audience, but could offer little in the way of critical input, neither of them having really understanding what Scootaloo was working towards, though, that was a sentiment that the filly herself shared.
It was partway through Saturday, having already gone through her form countless times, both with and without her magic.  As she moved through the sequence of techniques, she became conscious of something about her movements and how they helped her grasp the air around her.  She was beginning to feel a pattern in her movements, a pacing that aided her in moving from one move to the next.  It's rhythm, she realized.  The more she thought about it, the more it began to make sense.  Feeling the rhythm of her motions made her realize that it affected how the air responded to her motions.  She began to feel the air more clearly and was able to move it more easily in line with her will.
As Scootaloo finished her latest repetitions, she found herself grinning.  I can use this.  Her mind went back to the early days of her learning, to the first time she had seen Dawn going through the form on his own.  He'd had his own rhythm.  Scootaloo had compared his form to a dance, but now she was struck by the irony that her own form was even more dancelike than Dawn's had ever been.
At an earlier stage in her development, Scootaloo might have been mortified by this revelation.  She'd once seen dancing as something too girly, frilly, and "froo froo" for her, something better suited for a mare like Rarity.  Now however, the ease she felt it lend her movements, the way she was able to literally dance with the wind, she realized that the things that Dawn had pointed out to her on that one day that now seemed so long ago were truly applicable to her situation.
It's a dance, she thought, her smile growing.  There was nothing wrong about this.  It felt right.
"Everything okay squirt?" asked Rainbow from her perch on a nearby ridge, "You look pretty excited about something."
"Yeah," said Scootaloo, tossing her head to get her sweat-soaked mane out of her eyes.
"You should probably rest," said Soarin', "You don't want to work yourself too hard."
"Not yet," said Scootaloo, "I've got one last thing that I want to try before I take a break.
"Okay..." said Rainbow dubiously.  She and Soarin' exchanged an uncertain glance.  Given that she had already been working for the better part of the day on her practice, the two adult ponies were a bit worried that Scootaloo was working herself too hard.  However, they both settled in to watch as Scootaloo went through her form one more time.
The orange filly took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  Rather than thinking, she felt...or rather, she listened.  She listened to the way her body felt.  There it is, she realized.  She could feel the rhythm building within her, starting with her heartbeat, building out into the way she breathed.  The way she breathed in turn governed the way in which her magic power flowed through her body.  That governed how she moved her legs and wings, how she put the whole of her body into her motions.  Finally, those motions governed how her power moved out into the air around her and bent it to her will.  It's all connected.  Dawn had explained as much to her before.  She'd understood it in an abstract sense.  But never before had she experienced the realization on such a visceral level before.
Scootaloo went into motion, moving with the rhythm that seemed to fill her entire being.  As she moved, Scootaloo began to feel her sense of self dissolve and spread out, filling the air around her, until the air was a pure extension of her own body and will.  She danced...and the sky danced with her.  A sense of pure elation began to flow through Scootaloo.  This felt right.  The First Form no longer felt like something that Dawn had taught her that she merely repeated.  Now, it was something truly and completely her own.
Scootaloo finished her form with a final flourish, settling back into her original stance and let out one long breath and opened her eyes.  She felt a surprisingly relaxed smile spread across her face.  It's ready, she thought.  It was strange, she'd thought she'd feel more excited about this.  But instead, she felt very relaxed, enjoying how natural her motions had felt.
Looking up, Scootaloo saw that both Rainbow Dash and Soarin' were gaping at her, their eyes wide.  She wasn't sure what her practice looked like from an outside perspective, but if Rainbow and Soarin's reactions were anything to go by, it was mind-blowing.
"Whoa!" gasped Rainbow.
"Hey Rainbow," said Scootaloo, grinning up at her idol, "I think I'm ready."
> The Mark
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 16: The Mark

Finding out where Dawn had gone took some work.  Though Scootaloo wanted to show him as soon as possible, both Soarin' and Rainbow insisted that she get some rest first so that she could recover her strength and show him properly.  To that end, they had taken her to Sugarcube Corner, where they'd gotten her a celebratory cupcake from Pinkie Pie.  While Scootaloo relaxed at the table with her treat, Rainbow and Soarin' took it upon  themselves to locate Dawn.
Scootaloo had just finished downing her treat when the door to the bakery swung open.  Looking up, the filly found her face breaking into a radiant grin as she saw her mother walk in.
"Rainbow Dash told me I'd find you here," said Melon, trotting up to hug her daughter, "She said you had something important to show everypony."
"Um...yeah," replied Scootaloo, thrown a bit off-balance.  Looking away from her mother, she lost herself in thought for a moment.  She'd been doing this primarily for Dawn.  But she realized that her mother had every right to see what she had been working on as well.  In fact, now that she realized it, there were some other ponies that should be there when she showed Dawn what she had done.  This would be her chance to really drive home just how important the colt was to everypony.
"Hey mom," said the orange filly, turning her attention back to Melon, "Can you help me with something?"
"Of course," said Melon, smiling at her daughter, "What do you need?"
"I want to show something to Dawn," explained Scootaloo, "He's been depressed about what happened earlier this week."  She began to explain Dawn's worries, about the things Berry Punch had shouted at him, how he felt like he'd done more harm than good.  Melon listened silently, wishing nothing more at that moment than to track the colt down and give him a hug.
When Scootaloo finished her explanation, she laid out her request.  "So now I'm gonna show Dawn what I've been working on," she said, "But I was thinking that there are other ponies who Dawn helped, who really like him and want him to stay.  If we could all get together and tell Dawn how important he is to all of us, then maybe he won't be so hard on himself anymore."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Melon admitted, "Who should we invite."
An excited squeal rang out from behind Scootaloo, making her jump with a startled yelp before turning to find herself staring into a pair of blue eyes surrounded by a sea of pink as Pinkie Pie nearly pressed her face right up against Scootaloo, the energetic mare grinning from ear to ear.
"Ooh!  Ooh!  Can I help?  I wanna help Dawn feel better too!" babbled Pinkie Pie as she pulled away from Scootalo and began bouncing up and down like all four of her limbs had been replaced by springs, "I hate the idea of somepony being all down in the dumpsies!  We need to make him all better as soon as possible."
Mother and daughter shared shared a dubious, but resigned, look before turning back to Pinkie.  "I suppose we could use some help," Melon admitted, "You are very good at making ponies feel good."
"Of course!" yelled Pinkie, freezing and drawing herself straight up, a cocky smile on her face, "I'm the best there is at what I do.  But what I do best is really fun!"  She froze for a second.  "Wait, I don't think that's how it's supposed to go..."  She sat down, lifted up her forehooves and began to inspect them, as though she was expecting something to happen.
"Then could you help us get some ponies together to meet us at the quarry?" asked Scootaloo, still feeling a little uncertain about bringing the party pony in on her plans, but feeling that it was inevitable in any case.
"Sure!" exclaimed Pinkie, "Who do you need invitations for?"
Scootaloo began to think the matter over before she started presenting her mother and Pinkie with a list.  She planned on helping everypony get together, but her mother and Pinkie reassured her that she should stay and rest a little longer so that she could be at her best when the time came.  Scootaloo reluctantly accepted their advice and settled back in her seat to relax while the two adults trotted (or bolted, in Pinkie's case), out the door on their errand.  Scootaloo let out a bored sigh and turned to stare out the window, hoping that she was doing the right thing.



When it came to finding Dawn, Rainbow Dash didn't exactly have a large number of places she could think to look.  While the colt had been spending time with the Crusaders, he didn't have areas where he regularly hung out or frequented.  The only place she could say he could be found with some consistency when he wasn't out tagging along with the CMC was his home, with Fluttershy, or the quarry, where he usually trained with Scootaloo.  Naturally, that made the small cottage outside of town the first place she checked.  He obviously wasn't at the quarry, seeing as Rainbow, Scootaloo, and Soarin' had been there all day and would have probably noticed the colt's arrival while they were there.
Fluttershy had not been much help though.  Dawn was not home and she had no idea where he might be.  Having failed to find him in the most obvious place, Rainbow and Soarin' split up and flying over Ponyville hoping to catch sight of the colt somewhere.  However, an extensive search of the town from overhead had yielded no sign of Dawn's jet-black coat.
Rainbow sighed as she hovered up above the marketplace, trying to think of where else she might look in the area.  There was always the Whitetail Woods.  But the canopy of overhanging tree branches would make an overhead search difficult and tedious.  Of course, she could also head back to the quarry and see if Dawn had gone there in the time since she and Soarin' had brought Scootaloo back to town, but that seemed unlikely.
The cerulean mare was so lost in thought she almost didn't notice the voice hailing her from below.  "Rainbow!  Hey!  Rainbow!"
Finally realizing that somepony was yelling at her from below, Rainbow looked down to see a familiar orange mare staring up at her from underneath her stetson.  Tucking her wings slightly, Rainbow swooped down to land in front of Applejack.  "Hey there AJ."
"What's goin' on sugarcube?" asked Applejack, grabbing an apple off her stand and hoofing it over to Rainbow without a second's thought.  The blue mare caught the fruit and bit into it, suddenly realizing how hungry she felt.  "Ah saw ya and yer coltfriend flyin' around like ya were lookin' fer somethin'."
"We are," said Rainbow, "We're trying to find Dawn.  Scootaloo wants to show him something and we need to bring him to the old quarry outside of town."
"Well shoot," said Applejack, a relieved smile lighting up her face, "Ah was worried there fer a minute.  Dawn's over at Sweet Apple Acres.  He and Red are doin' some kinda trainin'."
"Training?"
"Yep.  Why do ya think Ah'm the one mindin' the stall today?" asked Applejack, "Those two are out in the southwest fields.  Ah can't say rightly what they're workin' on, but they've been goin' at it all mornin'."
Rainbow let out a relaxed breath.  "Whew, thanks Applejack.  That makes things a lot easier."
"No problem Rainbow," said Applejack, grinning at her friend.
"I'll talk to you later," said the rainbow-maned mare as she shot off into the sky and in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.
"Ah wonder what all the hubub is about," mused Applejack as she turned back to her stall, only to shout in surprise as Pinkie Pie's head erupted out from beneath a basketful of apples on her cart, even though there was no possible way the mare could have physically contorted her body sufficiently to fit the whole thing in the basket.
"Hi Applejack!" exclaimed Pinkie, "You're one of the ponies on my list.  Can you come out to the old quarry in a couple hours?"
"Uh...sure," said Applejack, at a loss to say anything else.  Having spent a major portion of her life as friends with the bubbly, pink mare had given Applejack a certain immunity to Pinkie's antics, but that inoculation only went so far.
"Great!" exclaimed Pinkie, "Thanks a lot Applejack.  See you later."  Without further preamble, Pinkie ducked her head back beneath the apples.  As strange as it was, Applejack knew better than to check and see if Pinkie was still in the basket, as there was no question that she would be long gone by now.
Shaking her head in a futile effort to clear it, Applejack tried her best to turn back to her regular job.  But before that, she pressed a hoof to her chest briefly.  Assured that her heart was beating properly, Applejack let out a relieved sigh.  “Ah swear, that mare is gonna be the death ‘o me someday.”



Now that she knew where she needed to go, it was only a matter of minutes before Rainbow found Dawn.  However, she heard the colt long before she saw him.  As she approached Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow’s ears twitched as they picked up the sound of distant cracks and strikes, as well as a rushing noise that most assuredly wasn’t the sound of the air flowing across her ears.
Turning, she saw the brown expanse of the southwest fields, which Applejack and her family were letting lie fallow for the season.  As she came closer, Rainbow’s keen eyes were able to pick out a pair of ponies moving across the ground at substantial speed, their motions kicking up dirt and throwing it about.
Dawn Lightwing and Red River were in the middle of an intense exchange of blows.  The stallion had drawn his spear and was throwing a rapid series of thrusts at Dawn.  The ebony colt’s body appeared to be in multiple places at once as he slipped from side to side to escape the relentless advance of the weapon.
Given that she was used to tracking objects and obstacles while moving at high speed, Rainbow didn’t find it all that difficult to transition to watching other objects moving at high speed.  Her eyes flicked back and forth as she watched the ongoing battle.
As she watched, she saw Dawn’s body stop for an instant.  Her eyes actually caught the motion as the colt began to lean forward in preparation to step in for a close attack.  However, before he could do so, Red’s spear was already approaching his throat.  Dawn immediately backed off, appearing to vanish and reappearing a few lengths behind his previous position.  However, Red responded so quickly that it almost seemed as though both ponies had moved in unison.  As soon as Dawn had stopped Red was already back in front of him, thrusting with his spear again.
“If you want to get better at infighting, you need to stop trying to back off,” said Red, shouting as he continued his relentless attack on Dawn, “You’re getting too cocky because you think you can avoid me just by going side to side.”
As though to prove his point, when Dawn dodged to the side once again to avoid the thrust, the colt came out of his dodge to find that the tip of the spear had already somehow ended up right in front of him again.  The colt froze with the point of the spear tickling his throat.
“You’re hesitating too much on the approach,” said Red, “You focus too much on simply avoiding my attacks you can’t even try to make any of your own.”
“It would be a simpler matter if you let me parry,” said Dawn sourly.
“That will come later,” said Red dismissively, “It’s ironic, but your own advanced skills are actually hampering your mastery of the basics.  If you want to fight close in, the most important aspect of that is reaching your opponent without getting killed.  Yes, parrying and defending is part of that, but there is an even more essential element.  You need courage.”
“I still don’t understand what you mean by that,” muttered Dawn.
Red grinned.  “Try dodging me again.”  Hefting the spear, he once again thrust at Dawn.  The colt shifted sideways so fast that, once again, he appeared to be in two places at once.  However, just like before, the spear was waiting for him, right at his throat.
“Jumping side to side like that may seem like a good way to dodge,” said Red calmly, “But no matter how fast you are when you move, when you switch directions to dodge the other way, what happens?”
Dawn frowned and looked down at the spear’s tip once again.
“When moving from side to side, whenever you switch directions, you have to stop so that you can change direction.  In other words, no matter how fast you were moving before, at that moment you change the direction of your movement, your speed is zero and…”  Red brought the tip of the spear a tiny bit closer to Dawn’s neck.  “…you’re dead.”
“But how does courage play into it?” asked Dawn, frowning contemplatively as he stepped back from Red’s spear.
“The entire goal of this exercise isn’t to dodge my spear, is it?” asked Red.
Dawn shook his head.
“That’s right.  You wanted more experience and instruction at fighting close in.  The critical part of that is getting close first.  You’re afraid to really try and move in because you're afraid of impaling yourself on my spear.  But, at your level, I can tell you that you have the skill to close in without getting yourself killed.”  Red smiled and lifted his spear up and away from Dawn.  “The only thing you’re missing right now is the courage to actually move in.  When facing an opponent close to or above your skill-level, you’re used to backing off so that you have the space and time to bring the full power of your magic into play.  You need to overcome that reflex to back off first.
“It’s not as hard as you think it is,” continued the azure stallion, “Besides, you’ve already pulled this sort of thing off once before.”
“Against Willow, you mean?” asked Dawn.
Red nodded.  “To get to me, you’re going to have to step into my range, that means passing through the space where I’m strongest.  What you did with Willow seems different because it all took place in a single moment.  But a battle is just a series of those moments.  You have the capability to get in close to me, you just have to remember how.”
Dawn stood silent for a moment, mulling over what he’d been told.  Red gave him an encouraging smile.  “Ready to try again?”
Dawn nodded.  The two of them took up ready positions again.  Dawn stood with his legs partially bent, his wings half-extended.  Meanwhile, Red River whipped his spear through a few swings before settling with it extended diagonally off to one side and slightly down as he too fell into a crouch.  The two fighters eyed each other as they prepared themselves for the next exchange.  Dawn closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out.  When he opened them again, his gaze seemed distant and unfocused, as though he was no longer aware of what was directly in front of him.  In spite of that, Red smiled.  “That’s it…”
Rainbow Dash swallowed, but her mouth was dry.  She’d gotten so caught up in what she was watching, she’d completely forgotten her original reason for being there.  Besides, interrupting Dawn and Red was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment.  Whatever they were working on seemed important and disrupting their training was the last thing the cerulean pegasus wanted to do, she herself being all too familiar with how frustrating it was to have her own training be interrupted.
The two ponies blurred into motion simultaneously.  Red River thrust straight for Dawn.  Rainbow watched intently, expecting the colt to dodge sharply to the side once again.  However, instead of the jerky, abrupt movement of his usual dodge, Dawn merely shifted the angle of his approach slightly, shifting to the side of the thrust while still moving forward.
The thrust changed to a swing as Red attempted to batter the colt aside with the shaft of his weapon.  However, Dawn continued to press forward and, in the same smooth movement, dipped below the angle of Red’s swing and penetrated all the way into the azure stallion’s space.  Rainbow’s eyes caught the blur of Dawn’s wing as it extended and lashed forward.  There was a loud bang as the mass of compressed air moved by the colt’s wing exploded out in the space between it and Red’s chest, the force of the explosion launching Red backwards.
Red River’s body went limp and he allowed himself to be carried backwards, easily managing to land upright, digging his hooves into the soft ground to come to a stop as he looked back at Dawn and grinned.  “You see, you can do it.”
Dawn blinked furiously, as though he had just come out of a daze.  “That was…” he mused, “…simpler than I thought it would be.”
“It usually is,” commented Red, “Fighting’s like that a lot of the time.  Whether it’s ponies, griffons, or pachyderms, people always think that the important things are fancy and flashy techniques.  They end up making it way more complex than it needs to be and foul things up.  But if you continue to work on and polish the basics, you’ll be much more effective than if you learned a million fancy techniques.”  Red chuckled.  “That’s the nice thing about your style in general.  Everything you’ve learned is a natural extension of the first thing that you learned.  Once you realize that, mastering it will be much easier.”
Dawn hummed as he thought it over.
“One of the ponies I once challenged back in the early days of my wandering told me something after she hooved my rump to me,” said Red, “She told me that she didn’t fear the pony that practiced ten-thousand strikes once.  Rather, she feared the pony that practiced one strike ten-thousand times.”
Red River collapsed the shaft of his spear back into its compact form and re-sheathed it on his sash.  Walking up, he rested a hoof on Dawn's shoulder.  "But the most important thing you need to learn is how to fight."
"I don't quite follow..."
"To put it simply," said Red, his smile fading, "When you fight, you're fighting to survive or, to put it another way, to not lose.  In order to take the next step, you have to take to heart what you did today and what you did when you fought Willow.  You need to fight to win.
"When you fought me and Storm, you were fighting to survive.  Your focus was more on escaping our attacks and moving into a position where you could strike without having to worry about being struck in return.  I'm guessing that you did something similar with Perlin.  On both occasions, you moved to reduce the risk to yourself, only fighting in close when you found you couldn't avoid it or when you felt that the opponent you were closing with was no threat against you, like that time with Scootaloo's father.
"But against an opponent with skills equalling or exceeding your own, you need something more than technique, however polished, to win.  You could call it something like a gamble, or a risk.  It's a matter of seeing the opportunity and putting everything on the line in order to win."
Red River stepped back and unsheathed his spear again, swinging the polearm in a wide arc so that its tip came within a hair's breadth of slicing Dawn's throat.  "The space inscribed by the tip of my spear is like a barrier.  In that space where the spear's tip reaches, I am at my most deadly.  The same is true for any weapon or technique, they all have a range where they are meant to strike to their fullest effect.  In order to reach me, you have to penetrate that barrier, pass through the zone of death and, in doing so, putting your own life at risk in order to claim victory."
Dawn's eyes locked onto the spear's blade as the colt quietly contemplated Red's words.
Red put his spear away again.  "We'll work on it some more.  Overcoming those reflexive tendencies of yours is going to take some work.  It's not the sort of thing you can just do overnight.  Today was a big step, but you need to keep taking those steps in order to succeed in what you're trying to do."
"Alright," said Dawn.
"But that's probably enough for today," said Red, chuckling, "We should put things on hold so we can see what our friend wants from us."  He shifted his gaze to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow gasped and jerked upright.  She had been so drawn in by watching the two martial artists train, she had briefly forgotten the original reason she was there.  "Oh...Um...Hey Dawn," she said hesitantly, feeling a bit bashful at having been caught watching, "Scootaloo asked me to track you down.  She wants to show you something."
Dawn turned to regard Rainbow, his face an impassive mask.  However, beneath that mask, she could detect the colt's curiosity.  "Does she want me to come to the quarry?"
"At around three, yeah," agreed Rainbow, "You should go get yourself cleaned up."
Dawn and Red were both caked with dirt, thrown up by their continuous motions throughout the field, which clung to their coats and the skin beneath it as it soaked up their sweat.  The two of them were beginning to less resemble ponies than they did animate dirt clods.
"Alright then," said Dawn.
"Great!" exclaimed Rainbow, grinning widely, "I'll go let Scootaloo know.  Don't be late.  I can tell you that what she's showing you is gonna be awesome!"
With a beat of her wings, Rainbow was airborne and zipping off back to Ponyville.
Dawn watched the cerulean mare rush off, wondering what exactly Scootaloo was going to be showing him.  However, his attention was called back to Red River as the azure stallion trotted up and slapped Dawn's back.  "Come on kid, let's head back to the house and wash up.  We can use the water pump."



When Dawn arrived at the quarry at three, he was surprised to see that he wasn't the only one there.  In fact, there seemed to be a small crowd of ponies.  Circling above, he quickly picked out the faces of all those attending, realizing that he recognized them.  Rainbow and Soarin' were there, of course.  But so was Fluttershy, with Caramel sidled up next to her.  On the other side of the yellow mare were Ditzy and Dinky, with Big Macintosh sitting on the other side of Dinky so that the little filly was snuggled tightly between the two adults.  He also saw Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Rumble, as well as their respective elder siblings.  Thunderlane had brought his fillyfriend, Cloud Chaser, who, in turn, had brought Flitter with her.  Storm Front waited there as well, silently resting just close enough to Flitter that the tips of their primaries just barely brushed against each other.  He also spotted Pinkie Pie, whom the colt suspected was the instrument behind this gathering, though not its instigator, as the pink mare couldn't resist the impulse to turn a gathering of more than a small hoofful of ponies into a full-on party.  Even Spike was present, having been called away from the continuous line of chores that made him spend most of his day in the library.  Finally, Melon Cream was waiting there as well, apparently eager to see what her daughter had been working so hard on.
As he moved to descend, he saw Red River approaching.  The azure stallion settled next to Applejack, receiving an affectionate nuzzle as he did so.  Nervously, Dawn banked around again, not sure that anypony had noticed his arrival yet and not liking the prospect of being the center of so much attention all at once.  He was certain that this was Scootaloo's doing and that she had brought all these ponies together for his sake.  At times like this, Dawn truly felt that he resembled his mother in his desire to watch from a more secluded distance.
"There you are!"
However, Scootaloo was not about to let him get away.  The filly swooped down from above, her shout reaching Dawn just after he sensed her approach through the wind currents around him.  The filly moved quickly and wrapped both her forelegs around one of his own.  Scootaloo sharply tugged Dawn down towards the ground and the waiting ponies.
"You're not getting out of this," said Scootaloo, grinning fiercely at Dawn as she continued to pull him down, "I've got something to show you and I want you to have a front-row seat."
With a sigh, Dawn resigned himself to being led down.  When they were close enough, Scootaloo finally let go of Dawn's leg and the colt settled himself next to his mother.  Fluttershy gently nuzzled Dawn's cheek before wrapping a wing around him while Caramel leaned up against them from Dawn's other side.
Scootaloo landed right in front of him and stared right into Dawn's draconic eyes.  "Dawn, I know you've been feeling like you've been hurting ponies just by being here, but that's not true."  She let out an angry sigh.  "I also know that, just because Miss Cheerilee talked to you doesn't mean you got over it right away."
Scootaloo marched right up until her nose was barely an inch away from Dawn's own, her eyes still not breaking their gaze.  "Do you have any idea how important you are?  These are all ponies that love and care about you because of how much you've done for them.  Don't you realize that you'd be hurting them...hurting me...even more if you tried to leave us than if you stayed?  I know just talking to you isn't gonna help you get it, so I'm gonna show you instead."
Pulling back, Scootaloo turned and strode purposefully out into the open space of the quarry, well away from everypony so that no one would get hurt when she started.  Turning around to face Dawn, she got into her starting stance, closed her eyes and waited.
Dawn felt his eyes widening as he observed.  There was a certain looseness to her stance that hadn't been there before.  She looked more relaxed, more at ease than he had ever seen her when watching her practice before, even during those times when she truly progressed towards letting go of her superfluous thoughts.  It was beginning to sink in, considering the surprisingly short amount of time that had passed since Scootaloo had started learning the Gale King, just how far she had come.
And then, Scootaloo went into motion.  Dawn's jaw dropped.  Even with how graceful she had been before, this was on another level entirely.  Scootaloo's body moved like it was liquid, flowing from one strike, one stance to another, not pausing to rest, but moving...no...dancing...to the next.  It was smoother and more efficient than Dawn had ever seen, even during Scootaloo's best days.  What was truly stunning, however, was how that grace translated into the way the air moved around her.
No longer was Scootaloo straining to keep the air in motion as she went through techniques of the form that now only vaguely resembled the one that Dawn had originally taught her.  Much like her movements themselves, the air never seemed to lurch ahead in sharp gusts the way it had when she'd first started using the form with her magic.  Instead, she maintained her control over it, drawing it back to her after pushing it away, making the air resemble something like a large droplet of water that had congealed around her body, behaving more like a liquid than it did a gas, making it bend and twist in ways that Dawn had originally thought impossible.
The display was awe-inspiring.  Dawn could fully appreciate it because his keen eyes, honed by years of practice, were able to read the changes in the refraction of light caused by the shift in air density generated by Scootaloo's techniques.  However, even though most of them couldn't perceive the full extent of Scootaloo's dance as completely as Dawn could, the beauty of her motions was not lost on the rest of the audience, who all watched in silent appreciation of her work.
As Scootaloo completed her form, she went into the ending stance with a final flourish that released the air under her control, sending it sweeping out in a circle around her, causing it to wash over her audience.
The orange filly waited, eyes closed, breathing even and measured.  She had felt more than a little nervous when it finally sank in that she wasn't just performing in front of Dawn anymore.  However, once she'd begun, the movements came to her just as naturally as they did the last time and Scootaloo realized that it didn't matter who was watching her.  When she was moving, it was just her and the wind, a single leaf dancing through the sky.
Naturally, Pinkie Pie was the first pony to break into exuberant cheers, yelling and clopping her hooves.  It only took a few seconds for the rest of Scootaloo's audience to join in.  Opening her eyes, Scootaloo saw that Dawn hadn't joined in the general cacophony, but remained staring at her in stunned appreciation and admiration.  The look in his eyes actually made the filly's heart flutter.
She smiled as she realized that she felt a connection to what she was doing, something about it speaking to her, suggesting that this was what truly drew out the best in her and put it out for everypony to see.  This is what I want to do.
In that instant, the cheering came to an abrupt halt as a shocked silence fell across the assembled ponies.  Thrown off by the sudden quiet, Scootaloo looked around frantically, trying to see if she'd done something to upset them.  They were all staring at her, wide-eyed and, in the case of Melon and her friends, tearing up.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Scoots..."  Rainbow's voice was almost a whisper.  "Check your flank kiddo."  Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes as well.
Scootaloo's muscles went rigid as she realized what Rainbow meant.  She almost didn't want to turn around and look, afraid to find that the whole thing was some kind of wistful dream, or a cruel prank.  But turn she did.  When Scootaloo looked back, there, inscribed on her hip as naturally as though it had been there all the time, was the figure of a white bird, its neck drawn back in a graceful arch and its wings partially raised.
"My...cutie mark..."  Scootaloo's voice began to choke as the significance of what she had done sank in.  "I got my cutie mark..."  Now she was starting to cry too.
Turning back, Scootaloo found her eyes locking in on Dawn's.  He was still staring at her silently, as though he didn't know what to make of what he had just seen.  More tears began to stream out of her eyes as she stared at Dawn.  A second later, she beat her wings and rushed straight for the colt.
Both Fluttershy and Caramel jumped out of the way, leaving Dawn exposed.  The ebony colt was too thunderstruck to respond to the sight of the orange filly barreling at him.  Before he could react, he was knocked off his hooves as Scootaloo tackled him, hugging him tightly.  She seems to like doing this to me, he thought somewhat wryly as the two of them tumbled across the ground before coming to a rest a few meters away from where Scootaloo had run into him.  Looking up, Dawn was surprised to see her smiling down at him, in spite of the tears that continued to fall from her grayish-purple eyes.
"S-Scootaloo...?"
"Do you get it now?" demanded Scootaloo, her smile vanishing as she glared straight down at the colt, "It's thanks to you that I got my cutie mark."
"But you-"
"I worked on it!" snapped Scootaloo, "I worked until my hooves and wings ached and until I didn't want to do anything but lay down and sleep.  But I kept pushing myself.  But where I started, knowing how important it was to keep at it, to keep practicing until I knew it was right...those are all what you taught me Dawn.  You're the one who helped me find the things that matter most to me!  You're the one who taught me to fly!  You're the one who taught me to do this!  All of that is thanks to you!"  She leaned down pressing her muzzle against his.  "Do you get it now?  Is it finally getting through that thick head of yours just how much you've done?  After all of that, don't you never...EVER even think of leaving us EVER again."  Her voice dropped down to a whisper for her next words.  "Don't ever think of trying to leave me again.  Got that?"
Dawn's throat bobbed and his mouth opened and closed as he fought for words.  The colt could feel the spreading dampness of the tears building in his own eyes.  A small part in the very back of his mind marveled at the unexpected reversal.  After so many instances where he had been rejected, driven off, forced away, threatened until he left, here...in this place, he was surrounded by ponies who clung to him so tightly that it was as though their lives depended on it.  He was wanted.  They wanted him more than they feared the ponies who might threaten them because of his presence.  They loved him...
Finally, Dawn felt the words rising in his throat and he knew what to say.  "I won't," he said so softly that only Scootaloo could hear him, "I'm not going anywhere."
With a sniff, the filly's face broke out in a relieved smile.  "That's all I wanted to hear."  With that, Scootaloo lowered herself and embraced Dawn fully, resting the side of her head against his own as he wrapped his arms around her in turn and hugged her back.
While this had been going on, everypony else was looking excitedly at Scootaloo.  They had all been moved by the tender moment between her and Dawn, so much so that neither Apple Bloom nor Sweetie Belle could find it in their hearts to tease the orange filly for her present mushiness.  However, they were excited by an entirely different revelation.
"Scootaloo got her cutie mark," whispered Apple Bloom, grinning at Sweetie Belle, who gave the yellow filly an equally eager grin back.
"You know what this means," said the white filly.
As Scootaloo finally let go of Dawn and stepped away to let him up, she sensed movement from behind her and barely managed to turn around before she was tackled by her two best friends.
"A CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CUTECEÑERA!!!" both Sweetie and Bloomed screamed as they wrapped Scootaloo in a bone-creaking hug.
On cue, Pinkie Pie let out a dramatic gasp.  "Oh my gosh!  That means it's time for a PARTY!"  She began to jump up and down, squealing excitedly, not unlike the fillies themselves.
Applejack and Rarity shared a wary glance.  "Well that's one down, Ah suppose," said Applejack, her tone a little morose, in spite of the situation.
"You do realize that this means that our sisters are likely to be even more reckless in their pursuits now that Scootaloo has gotten her cutie mark," commented Rarity.  The two of them slumped slightly as they thought about all the Cutie Mark Crusader catastrophes they were going to end up putting up with before long.
They couldn't hold the sour facade for long.  Applejack stifled a chuckle.  "But we wouldn't trade them for anypony else in the world," said Applejack, smirking over at her friend.
"Quite so," agreed Rarity, flashing the farmpony an evermore ladylike smirk in return.  That was all that it took for the dam to break and the two of them began to laugh lightly as they envisioned the upcoming shenanigans that were likely to ensue.
Meanwhile, Scootaloo had only just managed to extricate herself from her friends before she was swept up in yet another hug.  This time, she couldn't conceal her excitement and pleasure as she recognized the cerulean coat of the mare who now wrapped her in a tight embrace.
"Squirt!  That's got to be one of the most awesome things I've ever seen!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she hugged the filly tightly.  Tears streamed from her cerise eyes as she wept unashamedly out of happiness for the success of her little sister.  As it was, she didn't even react when Soarin' draped a wing across her shoulders and leaned in to nuzzle Rainbow's cheek.
"Congrats kid," he said, chuckling as the filly blushed at the Wonderbolt's praise, "You were incredible out there."  He gently nuzzled Rainbow again.  "You've got to let her go sometime," he said softly, "Let her mother get a word in edgewise."
Rainbow blushed furiously as she looked over and saw that Melon Cream was still waiting patiently for her chance to spend a moment with her daughter.  Almost reluctantly, Rainbow let go of Scootaloo and set her back down so that the filly was facing her mother directly.
Scootaloo was blushing herself as she realized that her mother had been there the entire time and that she'd never given it a moment's thought.  She briefly wondered if her mom was upset that she'd been left 'til last.  However, one look at the blissful smile on Melon's face was enough to completely dispel Scootaloo's worries.  Still, the filly took slow steps towards her mother.  As she did, she saw the tears begin to run from Melon's eyes.  A few seconds later, Scootaloo's own eyes were following suit.
"Mom," said Scootaloo softly, "I did it.  I got my cutie mark."
"I know," was all that Melon said.
Scootaloo let out a sound halfway between a sob and a laugh as she tensed up and then launched herself straight into her mother's arms.  Melon rocked back to cushion the impact of her daughter's leap and wrapped Scootaloo into a tight hug.  "I'm so...so proud of you," whispered Melon fiercely into Scootaloo's ear as she gently rocked them back and forth.
"Thanks mom," said Scootaloo with a quiet sniff before she completely relaxed in her mother's embrace.  The two of them stayed like that for a few minutes before Melon finally released her daughter so that Scootaloo could accept the accolades from the rest of the ponies present.
Dawn waited off to one side, a little relieved that he'd been forgotten in the excitement sweeping over the group at Scootaloo's accomplishment.  It embarrassed him slightly that his own weakness had been the reason that Scootaloo had felt that she'd needed to stage this entire production with so many ponies.  However, it also caused a warm feeling to rise in his chest as he realized just how much she had done for him.  This had been her achievement, her accomplishment.  And yet, without any hesitation on her part, she had given it all to him.  The colt's heart jumped in his chest at the revelation and he found that he couldn't keep the color from his cheeks as he continued to watch the orange filly listen to the congratulations of the ponies around her.
"Do you feel better Dawn?" asked Fluttershy, gently nuzzling the colt.
Dawn leaned against her.  "Yes," he answered.
Caramel came up on Dawn's other side, chuckling.  "I gotta say, it's pretty incredible to think that Scootaloo went through all that work for you."  He gave Dawn a mischievous smirk.  "She must like you a lot to go through all that trouble."
Dawn hid his face as the red coloring on his cheeks spread out to almost completely encompass it, though he wasn't exactly sure of the reason why.  Caramel chuckled a bit before he was stopped by a light smack across the back of his head by Fluttershy's wing.
"Behave," she admonished him, though she gave him a playful smile before turning to nuzzle her son out of his sudden bout of shyness.
When Dawn finally regained his control, he looked up to see that Scootaloo was now talking with Pinkie Pie.  Though "talking" was a bit of a stretch to describe the exchange.  The bright-orange filly was leaning away from the manically grinning pink mare, Scootaloo's face straining under the weight of her nervous grin as Pinkie pelted her with a series of questions so rapidly that Dawn failed to extricate any of her inquiries from the general barrage.  The colt chuckled when he realized that Pinkie was battering Scootaloo with a slew of questions regarding her preferences so that the mare could make preparations for the upcoming cuteceñera.
Finally, after a few more minutes, Pinkie finally seemed to be satisfied that she had all the information she needed.  She quickly turned and bounced away.  Now that Pinkie Pie was no longer occupying her personal space the same way a foreign army occupied a conquered nation, Scootaloo let out a sound halfway between a sigh and a groan and slumped down, her conversation with Pinkie tiring her out more than sum total of all the exercise she'd done that day.
Even Dawn couldn't hide a slight snicker at Scootaloo's condition, the sound prompting her to look up at him and glare.  "Yeah laugh it up," she snapped, "You'll get yours when it's your turn."
Dawn couldn't stop snickering and stepped away from Fluttershy.  Walking over to Scootaloo, he offered her a hoof, which she took, and pulled her up into a standing position.  "I'm sure I will," he admitted readily before leaning forward to gently rest his neck against hers.  Scootaloo's eyes widened at the unexpected contact from the colt.  But her surprised expression faded into a blissful one as she turned her head slightly to rest it over Dawn's shoulders with a happy sigh.
"Thank you," whispered Dawn, gently, so only she could hear.
"You're welcome."  Scootaloo couldn't think of anything else to say.  She was so lost in the moment, she didn't even care that there were plenty of ponies still around to see her lapse of sentimentality.  Dawn was here, and he wasn't going anywhere.  That fact alone counted for a lot more than her pride.



The afternoon was waning as the gathering at the quarry finally disbanded with ponies heading back to their homes.  Dawn trotted between Fluttershy and Caramel, basking in the absence of that nagging feeling that had been dogging him for the past few days.  He was a bit confused when Caramel offered Spike a ride, which the dragon had accepted.  Spike was now perched comfortably on the tan stallion's hindquarters, surveying the road behind them in a relaxed manner as they headed back towards Ponyville.
To Dawn's surprise, when they arrived at the library, they didn't simply drop the dragon off, but followed Spike inside.  The ebony colt was a bit confused, wondering what Fluttershy and Caramel wanted at the library.  Spike seemed confused as well, until Caramel bent down to whisper something into the dragon's ear.  Suddenly, Spike's expression brightened and, grinning eagerly, he rushed upstairs into the bedroom he shared with Twilight.  As they listened to the sound of Spike's claws rummaging around for something, Dawn turned to look at his mother and Caramel.
"Why are we here?" he asked.
Fluttershy and Caramel exchanged a glance before answering.  "We just thought that you might like to try something," said Caramel.
"You see, it's been a bit of a tradition for me and my friends," said Fluttershy, "That whenever we learned something important about friendship, we'd write a letter to Princess Celestia to tell her about the things that we learned.  We thought you might like to give it a try."
Dawn mulled it over for a moment.  He wasn't certain he felt comfortable with sharing his innermost thoughts about his experiences with his insecurities with Equestria's sovereign ruler.  However, reflecting on the conversation he'd shared with her before, he realized that it didn't seem like such a bad idea.  "I'll do it."
"Great!"  They turned to see that Spike had returned and was now bearing a quill, ink and parchment.  "Tell me what you want me to write.  When you're done, I'll send it straight to the Princess."
Dawn turned and looked one last time at Fluttershy and Caramel.  The two of them gave him an encouraging smile.  Turning back to Spike, Dawn took a deep breath and gathered his thoughts.  "Here goes...Dear Princess Celestia..."



Princess Celestia stared out at the sun as her magic began to lower it towards the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with a wash of colors.  Already, the eastern horizon was fading into darkness, illuminated by a soft silver as the moon began to creep up to take its place.  Celestia let out a forlorn sigh and turned her gaze to regard the city of Canterlot, particularly the noble quarter, where her most troublesome subjects sequestered themselves to play meaningless power struggles amongst their own number.  She'd heard about the fuss raised by Twilight Sparkle and Arkenstone.  Worse, she'd heard that the relationship between Twilight and her old friend and crush had become strained as a result.  Celestia idly wondered if she should have made more of an effort on her part to help Arkenstone through his own issues before letting him go to Twilight.
Right now, she wanted nothing more than to swoop down and make Twilight's problems go away.  But she couldn't do that this time.  If she did, it would create a scandal amongst the Noble Court, which could lead to a rebellion on their part.  It might even end up undoing the centuries of work she had spent on carefully stripping the noble families of their authority and influence to help build the strength of the common pony.
Twilight had come to Canterlot of her own volition, undertaking the journey even though she knew the risks of coming without a direct summons from Celestia herself.  Celestia had to maintain her faith in Twilight and Twilight's friends and hope that, together, they could overcome the obstacles that were before them.
That didn't make her forced inaction any more bearable though.
A glittering flash of green caught Celestia's eye.  Looking up, she saw a sparkling cloud of emerald flame winding its way through the air to her window.  The cloud congealed into a burst of fire that blazed away to reveal a scroll, which dropped down in front of her.  Looking down, Celestia smiled as she realized what she was seeing.  Here was the perfect thing to raise her spirits.
Celestia unrolled the scroll and began to scan its contents, her eyes slowly widening as she realized who was writing and why.  Her smile grew as she continued to read.



Dear Princess Celestia;
Forgive me if I have trouble organizing my thoughts.  This is the first time I've ever tried to write...well...Spike's the one writing actually...one of these "Friendship Reports" that I've heard mom talk about.  Nonetheless, I will try to speak my thoughts to the best of my ability.
Doubtlessly, you have heard about what happened a few days ago, when the assassin, Willow, came to Ponyville in order to claim my life.  Though I won, I came to realize that ponies had been hurt, in more ways than one, as a result of Willow's actions, which, in turn, were the result of my presence in Ponyville.  This wasn’t like last time.  This wasn’t the result of something that I had done or something that I had the potential to do, something that I could rectify by learning to change myself for the better.  This was a threat that came from me simply being here, in Ponyville.  I realized that, if I remained, then others would most likely come and the ponies who have taken me in, my family, my friends, would be in danger…simply because I was there.
I was depressed for a while.  For the second time since I came to Ponyville, I started to believe that I was nothing but a danger to the ponies around me, that my presence did more harm than good, that I would have to leave before anypony I cared about could get hurt.
However, my friends have showed me that, even with the risk my presence presents, that I am still loved and wanted, that they would rather weather these difficulties with me than let me be alone again.  I owe them a great deal, one filly in particular, who now has earned her cutie mark as a result of what she did for me.
Today I learned something about friendship.  I learned that friendship is not something that can be measured.  It can’t be reduced to the simple math of pros and cons.  True friendship is a bond that goes much deeper than that and true friends are more than willing to endure the hardships of being your friend, not because it benefits them more than it harms them, but because the friendship itself has a value that cannot be put into words or measured in terms of worldly wealth.  I learned that my friends would stand beside me, even during the darkest of times, that they want to endure those difficulties with me.
Most importantly, I have learned that I need to stay where I am, in Ponyville, and be with my friends.  It may mean that difficult times are ahead for all of us.  But I realize now that it will be much easier to endure those times because they are at my side.  It gives me hope.

Your loyal subject;
Dawn Lightwing



Celestia slowly raised a hoof and brushed a tear from her eye.  She turned and looked out over the balcony, where she could barely see the thatched roofs of Ponyville in the distance, wishing nothing more than to fly out and give a certain colt a warm hug.  But then again, he was probably getting plenty of those from his mother.  “I’m proud of you, my little pony.”
> Promises of the Future
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Chapter 17: Promises of the Future

Rainbow Dash awakened to a familiar trilling sound coming from the window below.  With a yawn, the cerulean mare pulled herself out of bed and began making her way down to the living room of her house.  As she went, she could hear Soarin’s voice from below, the stallion speaking softly, probably so that he didn’t risk waking her up.  That’s sweet of him.
As she reached the bottom, she entered the living room and saw Soarin’ standing near the window.  Perched on the sill was the familiar, vividly-colored phoenix that’d played with her a while back.  The bird turned his head to look at her and let out a musical chirp, which Rainbow took to be a greeting.
“Hey yourself,” she said back, giving the bird a wave with her hoof.  She wasn’t fully awake yet and couldn’t manage more than a weary greeting.
The phoenix apparently noticed and began to sing, lilting gentle chirps, trills, and warbles that seemed to course in through Rainbow’s ears and sweep the cobwebs out of her brain, picking her up in a way that surpassed the best coffee that ponykind had ever concocted.  Once he had finished, the phoenix lowered his head and began to examine his wing, looking quite pleased with himself, if Rainbow was any judge of phoenix expressions.
“That is the most awesome way to wake up ever,” she said with a chuckle.
“Yep, it’s a treat,” agreed Soarin’.
Looking at him when the stallion spoke, Rainbow found her eyes drawn to the note that Soarin’ had been reading.  She began to suspect that it was the phoenix that had brought it.  “What’s in the letter?”
A startled “Eep!” escaped the stallion before Soarin’ hastily crumpled the note, looked around frantically and, upon realizing that there was no place he could hide or dispose of it in the room while Rainbow was watching, crammed it into his mouth, chewed and then swallowed.
“What the hay was that about?” asked Rainbow, eyeing Soarin’ dubiously.
“Uh sorry,” said the stallion, grinning sheepishly, “It was…confidential information…”
“Sooooooaaaaariiiiinnnnnn’!”  Rainbow’s voice became an agitated growl as she began to stalk towards her coltfriend.
“Eek!  Come on Ouranos!  Little help here?”
The phoenix looked at Soarin’, then at Rainbow Dash, before he pointedly turned his attention back to his feathers and began to preen.
“Et tu Ouranos,” groaned Soarin’ dramatically, affecting an expression of mock despair, “What’s a guy gotta do to get a break around here?”
Rainbow paused in her advance and gave the phoenix a confused glance.  “So his name’s Ouranos?”
Seizing on the chance escape his predicament, Soarin’ grinned eagerly.  “Yep.  Sorry.  I forgot you two haven’t been formally introduced to each other yet.  Rainbow, this is Ouranos, Spitfire’s friend and partner.”
“Partner?”  Rainbow looked at the bird in confusion.
“Yeah,” replied Soarin’, “It’s not something that she likes to show off in public, but Ouranos is actually her closest friend and companion.  During really serious situations, the two of them can fight together.  It’s pretty awesome to watch and I’m sure you’ll get the chance to see it sometime.”
“Huh,” mused Rainbow, “It must be pretty cool to have a phoenix…friend like that.”  She had to stop definitively to avoid saying the word “pet” instead of friend.  She got the impression that the extremely intelligent bird was likely to take offense to such a term.
Soarin’ chuckled.  “Yeah.  He’s a hoofful though.”  That remark earned him a peck on the top of the head, which startled a yelp out of the pale-blue stallion before he settled back down.
“Anyway,” said Soarin’, rubbing his head, “Ouranos actually brought us some good news.  It looks like Dawn’s tip panned out.”
“His tip?” asked Rainbow, raising an eyebrow at Soarin’.
Soarin’s eyes widened when he realized that he’d forgotten to inform Rainbow about what Dawn had told him and, by proxy, Spitfire.  He groaned and smacked his hoof against his forehead.  “Me and my memory issues…
“Apparently, Willow used her last words to tell Dawn how she’d found he was in Ponyville.  As it turns out, it was Fleetfoot who contacted Willow.”
“WHAT!?” exclaimed Rainbow, her horrified shout drawing a startled squawk from the phoenix.
Soarin’ sighed.  “Spitfire investigated and confirmed it.  Fleetfoot’s been a member of the Cult Solar since shortly after she was admitted into the Wonderbolts.  It seems that’s the reason she was always so gung-ho whenever we got missions from the Princess.
“When she saw Dawn with you in Cloudsdale, she realized that he must have been living in Ponyville.  That’s how Willow found out.”
“How is this good news?” demanded Rainbow.
Soarin’ smiled wryly at her.  “As it turns out, we got lucky.  Thanks to Willow’s tip, we managed to nail Fleetfoot before she could inform anypony else in the Cult Solar.  She contacted Willow directly, so Willow was the only one who knew.  That means that the rest of the Cult Solar doesn’t know that Dawn’s in Ponyville yet.”
Rainbow worked her mouth silently as she thought over what Soarin’ had just told her.  Once all the information clicked in her brain, a wave of indescribable relief descended upon her and she found herself happily looking forward to being able to tell Dawn that they wouldn’t have to worry about anypony else showing up and trying to kill him for a little while yet.
However, looking over, she saw that Soarin' wasn't exactly sharing in her happiness.  It must be hard for him, she realized, One of his teammates turned out to be a traitor.
"Are you okay about this?" asked Rainbow.
Soarin' sighed despondently.  "I wish I could say that I feel great...But yeah, it kinda hurts to think that Fleetfoot would do something like that.  That's really low."
Closing the distance between them, Rainbow gently nuzzled Soarin's cheek.  "I'm sure it'll be okay," she said softly.
"Yeah," agreed Soarin'.  Suddenly, a new thought seemed to perk him up.  "Hey Dashie."
"Yeah?"
Soarin' pulled away from her and gave Rainbow a sly grin.  "Let's go on a date."
Rainbow blinked and tilted her head slightly.  "A date?  Um...sure...  But haven't we gone on plenty of those already?"  They'd gone out to dinner almost every night since they'd arrived in Ponyville together.  Technically, if you wanted to look at it from a certain angle, Soarin's two weeks of leave was constituting one long, extended date already.
"I kinda meant something a little fancier," said Soarin', "There's this restaurant in Cloudsdale that does great food that all the Wonderbolts like.  I'd love to take you there."
"Okay.  That sounds great," said Rainbow, still feeling a little suspicious.  Her suspicions grew when Soarin's grin widened.
"There's one catch though."
"What's that?"
"You're gonna need a dress."



Scootaloo yawned widely before leaning back to flop onto the grass, staring up into the almost-clear skies above.  After so many weeks of the sky being achingly, chillingly clear, many residents of Ponyville were more than a little pleased to see it dotted with little clouds once again, now that said clouds were no longer being hoarded away and reserved for emergency rainstorms.  The filly wryly thought that there probably wouldn't be many requests for clear skies for a few weeks after what Ponyville had gone through.
Normally, Scootaloo and Dawn would have been at the quarry, training, probably with Dawn insisting that the day off was a perfect time to get extra practice in.  That had been their attitude on Saturday after all.  However, with the events of yesterday, both their respective mothers had declared a unilateral ban on any further training for the weekend (aside from their, once again, regular session of practicing their forms)  and had ordered that their foals spend the morning relaxing so that they didn't tire themselves out before Scotaloo's cuteceñera that afternoon.
A shiver of excitement ran up Scootaloo's spine as she thought that word.  How long had she spent desperately seeking a cutie mark, throwing herself pell-mell at different activities in the hope that she would spontaneously find the one thing she was good at?  It was a bit silly that, after all of that, her mark had finally appeared when she had finally settled into something that she wanted to apply herself to and pursue to the fullest extent of her abilities.  All those lectures from adult ponies, about how getting a cutie mark wasn't something you could force, how it was about more than just being good at something, all made sense now.  Looking back, she was amazed at how silly she was.  It's funny, she thought, looking down at the image of a white swan decorating her flank, One little thing suddenly changes the way you look at everything.
Even the fact that she was thinking so hard about such things was a substantial change from the norm.  Scootaloo had never been big on the whole silent contemplation thing.  She'd always been about motion, using her energy to move her body, propel herself faster and higher.  Who would have thought that getting her cutie mark would suddenly make her so calm?  Or maybe it wasn't the cutie mark itself, but rather, what she had done to earn the cutie mark.  Not so long ago, Scootaloo would have never applied herself to one thing with so much dedication.  Even practicing on her trademark scooter had been more of an exercise of whimsy than it had been any kind of serious training.  She often threw herself into various tricks because she thought that they would be cool and exciting, sometimes crashing as a result.
That had changed a bit when Dawn had started teaching her.  She'd learned the importance of dedicating herself, applying herself, disciplining herself, from watching the colt at work, both in how he trained her and how he trained himself.  He didn't simply waltz her from one exercise to another, but kept her working on each one, making sure she had it down right before moving on to the next.  Scootaloo had chafed under it at first.  But now, she truly understood the importance of what she had been taught.  More importantly, Dawn had shown her in the way he practiced, the sight of him dutifully going through his forms every morning burned in her mind's eye.  She realized that his strength didn't come from some kind of "special talent," but years of practice, building upon the things he had first been taught.
And Dawn wasn't the only one she saw it in.  Thinking back, when she had been watching Rainbow Dash practicing her stunt flying, Scootaloo realized that she had always been too obsessed with the idea of Rainbow's "awesomeness" to see the cerulean mare's training for what it truly was, a grueling practice regimen that Rainbow put her all into in order to prepare herself for the day that she joined the Wonderbolts.  Even after earning her cutie mark as a foal, Rainbow had never been content to rest on the laurels of her "special talent," but had instead continued to push herself to the next level.
The more Scootaloo thought about it, it didn't just apply to her idol.  Her mind turned to Apple Bloom's big sister and Scootaloo thought back to the sight of Applejack bucking tree after tree, divesting each one of its fruit with just a single blow, then to Rarity as the alabaster mare worked her way effortlessly through dress after dress, or even Twilight Sparkle and her constant studies in magic, in spite of the fact that she was already known as one of the most magically powerful unicorns in all of Equestria.  They had all discovered something with their cutie marks.  But rather and simply being the end of their quest to discover their self-identities, they had instead turned and built upon what they had learned about themselves in the marks' discovery and had had turned that "end" into a beginning.
Geez, mused Scootaloo, When did I get so philosophical...And when did I turn into Sweetie Belle?
Scootaloo's thoughts were interrupted by the rumbling clopping of approaching hooves.  Rolling over onto her stomach, she saw Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle cantering in her direction.  The fluttering of wings drew her attention upwards, where she saw Rumble descending from above.
"Hey everypony," said Scootaloo, getting up, "What should we do today?"
"Well, we can't go too crazy," said Sweetie Belle, "After all, we don't want to tire ourselves out before your party."
Rumble looked around in confusion before turning to Scootaloo.  "Where's Dawn?"
"Uh, he said he went to get something," said Scootaloo, shrugging.  The ebony colt had joined her out in the park after they'd been told that they wouldn't be allowed to go to the quarry and run themselves ragged on Scootaloo's special day.  Instead, they'd simply relaxed and enjoyed the scenery.  Scootaloo was pretty sure she'd seen Dawn doze off for a little while before awakening and saying that he'd needed to get something from his mom and flying off.
As if on cue, she spotted a black speck in the near distance.  To her surprise, it was Dawn.  He was doing one of the last things Scootaloo ever expected to see him doing, namely struggling while flying.  As he came closer, it became apparent why Dawn was struggling.  His foreleg fetlocks were wrapped around the handle of a picnic basket nearly as big as he was.  The entire load made the colt wobble and dip as he fought to keep airborne.
Scootaloo and Rumble sprang into action, shooting off to intercept Dawn.  Flying up close, they would see that the ebony colt had worked up a decent sweat carrying his load all the way from Fluttershy's cottage.
"You are crazy," was all Scootaloo said.  She and Rumble exchanged a look and nodded.  "Give it to us."
Dawn looked as though he wanted to protest, but the glare that Scootaloo shot him apparently burned through any sense of defiance that he had.  Shrinking under her look, Dawn let Scootaloo and Rumble grasp the handle of the basket between them, leaving barely enough space between the two of them to keep their wings spread as they fought to keep aloft.
As Dawn relinquished his load, Scootaloo let out a yelp as the weight of the basket began to pull her down.  With Rumble helping, she managed to keep flying.  Together, the two of them began to ferry the basket back towards the others.  "What the hay were you thinking try to carry this all the way from your place without any help?" demanded Scootaloo over her shoulder.
Dawn blushed and shrugged noncommittally.  "It didn't seem so bad at first."
Scootaloo was a bit surprised that Dawn would make an oversight like that.  Still, with Rumble's help, she was easily able to carry the basket.  But she'd never have considered the idea of trying to carry the whole thing on her own for any substantial distance.
Arriving back at the gathering, they lowered the basket to the ground and opened it to see what was inside.  The foals' eyes widened gleefully at the veritable smorgasbord of snacks and treats packed within the basket.  Fluttershy had assembled a lovely picnic lunch and had made enough for all five of them.  Being split five ways made the quantity of the food sufficient that they wouldn't starve, but not so much that they would be stuffed by the time Scootaloo's cuteceñera rolled around.
Settling down around the basket, the five friends passed the snacks around and enjoyed themselves, chatting amiably as they whiled away the time until the party.
"So Scootaloo?" asked Apple Bloom, "What does yer cutie mark stand fer anyway?"
"Uh..."  Scootaloo took a look down at the white swan on her flank before looking back at Apple Bloom.  She wasn't sure she could explain it.  It seemed odd.  Nearly everypony they had asked about their cutie marks had always ended the story with something along the lines of "That's when I realized..." followed by some profound truth they had discovered about themselves.  She realized that, while she'd had some profound revelation about the truth of herself during her performance the previous day, she didn't quite know how to put it into words, or even describe it to herself in concrete terms.
"I...uh...I'm not sure," admitted Scootaloo, looking down sadly.
"Huh?  But shouldn't a pony know what her cutie mark means?" asked Sweetie Belle, "I mean, didn't pretty much everypony we ask say they knew what their cutie mark was about when they got it?"
Scootaloo shrank back, not liking the idea behind Sweetie Belle's question.  There was the implication, unintended or otherwise, that there was something wrong with her because she didn't know exactly what her cutie mark represented.
"It may not be so easy," said Dawn, gently brushing his wing over Scootaloo's back, "The ponies you spoke to were generally speaking after having years to think over what their cutie marks stand for."  He looked at Scootaloo.  "Getting your cutie mark was a revelation of a truth about yourself.  But discovering the meaning of that revelation is a lifetime process.  At least, that's what I remembered my Master saying."
"Can you at least figure something out about it by what it looks like?" asked Rumble.
Dawn turned and looked at Scootaloo's cutie mark, a gesture that made the filly unconsciously blush, before turning back to Rumble.  "I'm not sure.  I'm not all that familiar with anything about swans.  Perhaps we can ask my mom at the party."
"I guess..." agreed Sweetie Belle while Rumble and Apple Bloom nodded their agreement.  That seemed to satisfy their curiosity for the time being.  Scootaloo struggled to hold in her relieved sigh, a bit upset by the fact that she couldn't easily explain her cutie mark or what getting it meant to her.



"Please darling, I know you hate standing still for such an extended period of time, but bear with me.  Once I have your measurements I can get started and we won't need to do this again until it's time for the finishing touches."
Rainbow Dash groaned, struggling to keep the force of the sound from moving her head out of place as Rarity levitated her measuring tape around the cerulean mare, examining Rainbow's body in extreme detail that would have made Rainbow uncomfortable in and of itself had it been anypony but Rarity.  As it was, the idea that Soarin' was sitting there, right now, watching Rainbow go through this was making her feel extra squirmy.  To Soarin's credit, the stallion hadn't said a word if he could help it, apparently aware that any attempt at conversation on his part was just as likely to disrupt Rarity's efforts as it might help Rainbow cope with them.
"I still don't see why we couldn't just dig out my gala dress for this," complained Rainbow.
"Even if that's what we ended up doing, I would still need to refit it," said Rarity as she made some notes in a hovering notebook, "Your measurements have changed since I made that dress for you.  You've put on some extra muscle."
"R-Rarity!" exclaimed Rainbow, flushing brightly.
"What?" quipped the fashionista as she made another note, "It's a compliment, if I may say so myself.  You have a figure most mares would kill for.  Not an ounce of flab, a sleek, lithe figure that gives the impression of strength without being grossly out of proportion.  Honestly, you have a better figure than any of those stick-thin, starved wraiths that call themselves models.  Any dress I make for you must accentuate those qualities and showcase them to their best advantage."
Off to one side, Soarin' found himself blushing as well as the thought of Rainbow, garbed with some light gown that hugged her athletic figure floated in his mind.  He was briefly so enraptured with the thought that he didn't notice Rarity look his way and smile deviously.
"I don't know," said Rainbow uncertainly, her voice falling a little, "I remember them always telling me that I was way too muscly for a mare."  Though she didn't often speak about it, her dedication to her own flight training was not the only reason she'd not invested a great deal of time in trying to find love.  Rainbow had always been a bit self conscious about her tomcoltish nature and the idea that it might have made her less attractive.
"Hmph!" Rarity snorted, tilting her nose sharply upwards, "As if the words of a jealous cad who has the gall to say anything like that have any real worth."  She turned her gaze back to Rainbow and smiled warmly.  “Besides,” she said, dropping the volume of her voice as she stepped closer to Rainbow so that only she could hear what Rarity had to say, “It seems that your coltfriend is quite enamored with that ‘muscly’ figure of yours.”
Rainbow’s cheeks went from a light pink to scarlet in ten seconds flat.
With an amused chuckle, Rarity stepped away.  “Well, I have your measurements and I think I know what kind of dress to make you.  Now all that’s left are a few details…”  She tapped her chin thoughtfully.  After a moment’s pause, she turned to Soarin’.  “Perhaps you could provide some insight.  Any dress I make is going to need to accentuate Rainbow’s features.  Is there anything about her appearance that particularly draws your attention?”
Without the slightest hesitation, Soarin’ answered, “Her eyes.”
Both Rainbow and Rarity stared at the stallion in surprise.  Rainbow Dash was especially thrown off.  Most other ponies she had met tended to fixate on her mane and tail, with their extremely rare multicolored appearance.
“What, pray tell about her eyes strikes you as so appealing?” asked Rarity after she had regained her composure.
“The color, I guess,” said Soarin’, “There’s just something about the way it goes with her coat that really draws attention to them.  A lot of the time, I just can’t make myself look away from them.”  Soarin’s expression developed a wistful quality as he looked at Rainbow, whose entire face had gone bright red.
Rarity chortled.  “Oh yes, I can understand what you mean.  That particular shade of cerise compliments the color of her coat quite nicely.  An excellent notion.”  She quickly sank into a deep thought as she contemplated how this would affect Rainbow’s dress.
“Alright,” she said after a moment, “I believe I know what I’m going to do.”  She turned to look at Rainbow.  “You can come down from there darling.  I have your measurements now.”
“Thanks,” said Rainbow, suddenly feeling strangely self conscious as she stepped down from the stage.
“Now then,” said Rarity, “When is your little date planned for?  I must know, just to make sure that I have the dress ready by then.”
“It’ll be on the last day of my vacation,” said Soarin’ simply, “I wanted to do something special for Rainbow before I went back on duty.”
Though she blushed at the compliment, Rainbow couldn’t help but nuzzle the pale-blue stallion fondly.  That’s sweet of him.
From the glazed expression Rarity was wearing, it was clear that she shared the sentiment.  After a second, she coughed.  “Well then, that’s plenty of time.  I’ll need you to come back the day before, so that I can make some final adjustments on it.”
“Okay then,” said Rainbow, “I guess we’ll see you at Scootaloo’s cuteceñera.”
“Of course dear,” agreed Rarity.
Rainbow headed for the door, but paused when she noticed that Soarin’ wasn’t following her.  Looking back, she saw that Soarin’ hadn’t moved from his spot.
“Go on ahead,” said Soarin’, “I’ll catch up to you in a minute.”
Rainbow frowned, but nodded and headed out the door.  As soon as it closed behind her, Soarin’ turned back to Rarity.
“I need your help with something…”



Storm Front rested quietly on the roof of Sugarcube Corner, his ears picking up the sound of the party going on inside, the joyous yells of foals as they enjoyed the games and treats laid out in celebration for Scootaloo’s cutie mark.  Somewhere in there, his new little protégé was probably frolicking about with his friends.  Storm Front’s smile widened as he thought about how it felt to have a student, somepony to guide and nurture, to help a young colt hone his skills, to pass something on to the next generation.  It was a good feeling, one that Storm had never thought about having before, certainly not while he was on an assignment.
He was roused from his thoughts by the soft fluttering of wings.  Looking over, he noticed Flitter settling next to him.  The evening light brought out the highlights of her pale-green mane as she smiled at him.  Storm struggled to put a name to the feeling that was rising within him.  It wasn’t something he could rightly call an emotion, but rather a state of being.  He felt lucky.  That’s it!  This beautiful mare, for some incomprehensible reason, had chosen to give her affections to an aloof stallion whose face rarely had a greater range of emotion than the average piece of statuary.  She listened to him, drawing out things he’d never told anypony else simply with her polite attentiveness.  When she talked, it was about mundane affairs and everyday events.  But her voice was so full of life and a genuine appreciation for even those mundane experiences that Storm could scarcely not listen to what she had to say.
“I thought I’d find you out here,” said Flitter softly, reaching out to brush her primaries against Storm’s own.
“Shouldn’t you be inside with your sister and friends?” asked Storm, “You don’t need to keep me company.”
“I know I don’t need to,” said Flitter, “But I want to.”  She scooted over so her side pressed up against his and tucked her head beneath his chin so that her own chin was resting across Storm’s forelegs.  Storm instinctively relaxed his neck to put a gentle pressure on top of Flitter’s head as she sighed happily.
Storm’s mind went back to his earlier conversation with Raindrops.  “I…”  He paused, hesitating for a moment.  “I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?” asked Flitter, her head shifting slightly beneath his own.  Though he couldn’t see it, he could feel her eyes tilting upward to look at him.
“I have not been completely honest about the reason I’m here in Ponyville,” said Storm.
“I thought so,” said Flitter, her answer causing Storm’s jaw to lock temporarily, “When you told me you were a mercenary, I thought it was strange that you’d want to be a weather pony all of a sudden.  And even though you were, you’re still always practicing.  You’re still a mercenary, aren’t you.”
Having no other option, Storm answered, “Yes.”
“Is it Dawn?” she asked, “Is he why you’re here?”
“In a sense,” agreed Storm, “It’s not that we are here to protect him.  Rather, we are here to protect the rest of Ponyville.  It’s for incidents like what happened with Willow, to try and keep bystanders from being caught up in those conflicts.”
“I see,” said Flitter, “So…does that mean, when this is over…you’ll leave?”
“I doubt this will be over anytime soon,” said Storm, “But…I am beginning to doubt that I will be leaving if it does.”
“Oh?”  He could practically hear her eyebrow rising.  “Why not?”
“Because…”  Storm pulled his head back so that he could look directly down at Flitter’s face.  She looked up at him expectantly, her expression neutral, as though she knew what she would feel regardless of what his answer was.  “Because I think I’ve found reasons to stay.”
Flitter’s lips curled up into a serene smile.  “That’s what I thought you’d say.”
“You don’t mind then?” asked Storm, “That I’m a mercenary, that I sell my skills in violence for bits.”
“No,” replied Flitter, “I don’t mind.  Because, no matter what else you are, you are you…and that’s why I liked you in the first place.”
She tilted her head up a little further.  Almost by instinct, Storm’s head dipped down in response.  Before his lips met hers, Storm barely had time to whisper two final words.  “Thank you.”



"You want to know about swans?" asked Fluttershy, a bit surprised to be approached by Scootaloo under these circumstances.  After all, it was a party.  Scootaloo's cuteceñera was in full swing.  Sugarcube Corner was full of ponies, adults and foals, all present to enjoy the games, taste the treats and congratulate the bright-orange filly for earning her cutie mark.  Given the circumstances, Scootaloo herself should have been in the thick of things with her friends.  However, as soon as the initial waves of well-wishers had passed and Scootaloo had played a few of the games, she had located Fluttershy and approached her.
"Yeah," said Scootaloo, "My cutie mark is a swan..."  She turned about to give Fluttershy a clear view of the mark itself.  "But I'm not quite sure what the swan is supposed to stand for."
Fluttershy tried not to stare too much as she examined the cutie mark in question.  "Well...A lot of times, swans are used to represent things like grace and poise."  Scootaloo nodded, having expected that a little bit.  To her surprise, Fluttershy blushed fiercely.  "They are also a symbol of...well...love."  Now it was Scootaloo's turn to blush as that latter part sank in.  Fluttershy took a second to look in closer.  The swan's neck was drawn up in a tight curve, almost tucking its head between the partially raised wings.  "Oh my," she said, "It's busking."
"Busking?"  Scootaloo raised her eyebrows skeptically.  "Isn't busking that thing Lyra does when she's between concerts and wants some extra bits?(1)"
That earned a giggle from Fluttershy.  "I'm afraid that's a different kind of busking,(2)" she explained, "Busking is a pose that a swan takes when it's trying to scare away intruders from its territory."
"That's it?" asked Scootaloo.
"Well..." demurred Fluttershy, "If busking doesn't work, a swan can get very aggressive."
"Eeyup."
Scootaloo and Fluttershy both yelped and jumped at the sound of Big Macintosh's voice.  Turning, they saw that Big Mac had come up to them at some point during their conversation.  The stallion was chewing the stalk of grass he habitually carried in his mouth, but the look on his face was haunted and harried.
"You know about swans?" asked Scootaloo, surprised.
"'Bout angry ones anyway," replied the large stallion, his gaze growing distant as he relived a vivid memory, "Don't ever cross a swan sugarcube."
"Wow!" exclaimed Scootaloo at the empathetic tone in Big Mac's voice, "Are they really tough!  That would be awesome to see maybe...!"
"Nope!"
Fluttershy and Scootaloo backed away at the incredibly stern tone of Big Macintosh's voice.  Scootaloo hadn't heard the normally gentle red stallion use that tone since the time he'd overheard Apple Bloom suggest they try getting their arsonist and insurance fraud cutie marks.  Just one word from the stallion had put paid to all their carefully laid plans.  And now, he was using that same tone in a conversation about swans.
"Don't mess with swans sugarcube," said Big Mac in that same tone, giving Scootaloo a stern almost-glare that left her trembling, "Don't ya even think about it."  Not waiting for a response, he turned and clopped away, his hooffalls making the floorboards shudder beneath the filly's hooves as she watched him go.
Scootaloo and Fluttershy shared an uncertain look.  "Are angry swans really that bad?" she asked.
"Oh they can be very dangerous," replied Fluttershy, "There are even stories about them drowning and killing full-grown stallions."
"Uh..."  Scootaloo turned around to regard her cutie mark once again, "...Wow."
"It suits you," said Dawn, smiling as he came up to them.  He'd stayed with Scootaloo and her friends throughout the course of the party and had been discreetly listening to Scootaloo's conversation.  "Graceful...but also powerful and fierce."
Scootaloo had to avert her eyes from Dawn as she felt her cheeks heat up, prompting a giggle from Fluttershy as she leaned over to nuzzle her son.  "That is very true," she agreed.  Turning back to Scootaloo, she also nuzzled the orange filly affectionately.  "You can worry about what your cutie mark means later.  Right now, you have a party to get back to."
"Right!" agreed Scootaloo eagerly, before she turned around to jump back into the fray.  Dawn smiled and followed her at a sedate pace.
Fluttershy sighed happily as she watched them go.  The sound of a set of hooves separating themselves from a nearby crowd and trotting over alerted her to the fact that Caramel joined her well before the tan stallion stepped close enough for Fluttershy to lean against him.  "They grow up so fast," she said softly.
"I guess so," agreed Caramel, "What do you think Dawn's cutie mark is going to be?"
"I honestly don't know," admitted Fluttershy, "I would have thought that it would be something to do with his martial arts, but he's been practicing those for most of his life now."
"Well, whatever it is, he'll probably take his time," observed Caramel, "That colt doesn't seem to be much for rushing."
"I suppose," agreed Fluttershy.  Strangely, the thought that it could be some time before Dawn found his special talent warmed her heart.  Getting a cutie mark was an important step onto the path to adulthood.  Given how little time she'd spent with Dawn as her son, Fluttershy would not object to anything that extended her perception of him as a foal for a little longer.  He was already very adult-like in quite a few ways already.  There was certainly no need for him to rush.
The two of them stayed together and watched from a polite distance as Dawn played with his friends and enjoyed the party meant for the one who had saved him from the darkness of his own heart.



"Holy Father, have you read the news?"
The stallion who had just stepped into the room was a massive specimen to be sure.  His dark-brown coat, the color of freshly-turned earth, ready for planting, did nothing to conceal the massive, solid muscles that stood out beneath it, giving the impression that he had been hewn from the side of a mountain.  The color of his coat was offset by his mane and tail, which were a light green, giving the impression that a field of fresh wheat was sprouting from his neck.  Though his tone was politely urgent, the stallion's steely gray eyes were impassive, indicating his impressive self-control as he sought his superior's attention.
With a sigh, the other stallion in the room, a rosy-pink specimen whose mane and tail sported layers of orange that washed out to a sunny yellow from top to bottom, coloring him much like the rising sun at dawn, rose to greet the other pony.  As he turned to regard the new arrival, his pale-cyan eyes were equally impassive, giving no indication of what the thought of the unexpected arrival.  He was smaller than his counterpart, much slighter in build, fairly average for a unicorn.
"I am afraid that I have not read the latest edition of the Equestrian Times," he admitted softly.
The dark-brown earth pony frowned darkly.  "It just came out that Fleetfoot of the Wonderbolts was discharged and arrested recently."
"Is that so?" inquired the unicorn, raising an eyebrow, "I'm surprised that news didn't come out immediately.  Do we have any information on what she was arrested for?"
"None that has been publicly admitted," said the earth pony, "However..."
"You think it may be related to her association with us," suggested the unicorn.
The earth pony nodded.  "Fleetfoot is a decorated member of the Wonderbolts.  For her to be arrested so suddenly..."
"Can you think of anything that might have happened recently that might lead you to that conclusion?"
"Not really..." admitted the earth pony, "It's more of a hunch than anything else."
"Which does not make it invalid," commented the unicorn, "Your hunch is born of experience bypassing conscious thought.  What is needed is for you to determine what this 'hunch' of yours is about."
"I suppose," said the earth pony pensively.
"Is there anything else you wish to report, Terra Heart?" asked the unicorn.
"Nothing yet, Holy Father."
"Please don't be so stiff with me," said the unicorn, "I may be the Supreme Pontiff of the Order, but that is no reason for you to be so formal, my friend."
"True," replied the Terra, "But it is only proper.  You are the head of the Order and must be treated with due respect and deference."
"Considering that you are my second, there is plenty of room for leeway," replied the unicorn with a wry smile, "Besides, hearing my title over and over again tends to grow stale after a while.  Our Radiant Light tends to feel the same way with ponies calling her 'Princess' all the time."
Terra let out a sigh.  "I'm sorry."
"It's alright.  I was just about to begin my meditations.  Would you care to join me?"
"Not right now Holy-I mean...Not right now...Morning Star."
Morning Star, Supreme Pontiff of the Order of Celestial Light, chuckled as he turned back to the window, the fading light of the setting sun glinting off the harsh white horn that extended from his forehead.  "Then see if you can find out any more information on the events leading up to Fleetfoot's arrest.  It would be a shame to see any of ours imprisoned for their association for us, particularly since we work for the greater good of Equestria."
"I will do so," said Terra Heart.
Morning Star took one last look at his friend and subordinate.  "One more thing.  How is the construction of the temples coming along?"
"Everything is going according to schedule," replied Terra Heart, "There have been grumblings from those in the interior regions of Equestria.  It appears that Nightmare Moon's popularity is beginning to rise and ponies are forgetting her crimes in an attempt to curry her favor.  They have asked us to do everything in our power to ensure she is stopped before others fall to her wiles."
"Urge patience," replied Morning Star, "The Nightmare is a cunning creature and ever watchful.  If our people falter in their vigilance, she will root them out in their dreams and learn our true intent.  However, neither can we afford to rush.  Anything worth doing is worth doing right.  We must ensure that she will not return to plague us yet again a thousand years from now after all.  If we rush now, all that we have worked for could be undone."
"Of course," replied Terra, dipping his head.
As the earth-colored stallion left, Morning Star turned back to look out the window, his eyes never leading the setting sun.  "Yes.  Impatience is the bane of such carefully-laid plans.  You showed me that personally, Celestia."
> Home Visit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 18: Home Visit

"What kind of stallion does he think he is?" fumed Twilight as she stomped down the street, Steel Flint's mansion dwindling in the distance behind her, "After everything he said...he went and..."  She had to stop, choking desperately as she tried to control the tears running down her face, but only just barely managing to avoid breaking down into a sobbing wreck.
As it was, she was barely conscious about the second set of hooves coming up to join her.  "Go away Arkenstone!" she snapped, "I've had enough of your 'protection' for one night."
"Then it's a good thing that I am not him."
Twilight looked up, surprised to see the familiar blue coat and silvery mane of Arcana as the effeminate stallion trotted up to join her.  "Why are you here?" she asked.
"Arkenstone is aware that you do not want to speak to him or even be around him at the moment.  So he asked that I protect you in his stead.  Even with what happened at the manor, there are others who could take advantage of your vulnerability right now, so it's important that you not be left alone."  Arcana stepped up next to her, nothing in his posture or expression seeming to acknowledge the fact that Twilight was crying.  There was no sign of pity or contempt in his voice, as though her tears didn't register to him in the slightest.  In a way, it was a gentler mercy than Twilight could have ever hoped for.  She didn't really want sympathy right now.
"I wonder if he would have done anything if it had come to that," she groused.
"It is hard to say," admitted Arcana with a shrug, "I doubt he would hesitate if he thought you were in actual danger.  Even though Earl Flint may be more accomplished in battle magic, you outclass him in overall magical skills.  Perhaps he did not feel that he should intervene until the Earl became actively hostile towards you."
"So it was okay to just sit back and let that feathering jerk talk down to us like we were dirt, to let him try to manipulate me into some private place so he could have his way with me and then try to use that for forging a legitimate marriage arrangement!"
"I can't see what his exact thoughts were," replied Arcana, "After all, I hardly know the guy."
"What?" exclaimed Twilight, "But you're both Knights, aren't you?"
"We are, but that hardly counts for anything," replied Arcana, "Keep in mind that we Knights are always off doing our own things.  We go our own ways, take up our own tasks.  We only work together if we see it as absolutely necessary or if the Princess asks us to.  In all honesty, none of us get along very well.  When we're together, we frequently antagonize each other mercilessly."
"Why?"
"When you get a group of ponies who are each used to doing things their own way together, it's only natural that some sort of friction will result," answered Arcana honestly, "That's why we spend so much time off on our lonesome.
"Even so, we all have the skill of reading other ponies, though that usually stems from reading the intentions of our opponents so that we know how to respond to them.  I have some inkling of why Arkenstone did what he did tonight."
"And what was that?" asked Twilight.
"He was afraid."
"Of Steel Flint?"  Twilight raised a skeptical eyebrow, trying to imagine Arkenstone, one of the seven most powerful ponies, short of the Princesses themselves, in all of Equestria, being afraid of a stuffed-shirt noble whose specialty was bullying those weaker than him and killing ponies who were more or less helpless to resist him.
"Not of the Earl," replied Arcana, "I can't say for sure, but it seemed to me that he was afraid to take action because of what actions he might have ended up taking."
"What do you mean?" asked Twilight, not sure what Arcana was getting at.
"I believe that Arkenstone may be afraid of himself, more than anything else," replied Arcana.
"I don't understand..."
"To be honest, me neither," admitted Arcana, "But I get the feeling that we will get our answers when the promised duel takes place."
"You're going to be there?"
"If only to make sure that Steel Flint does not show some sudden spurt of cleverness and tries to trip you and Arkenstone up," said Arcana, "Oh, and because I want to see what exactly Arkenstone will do."
Twilight turned away from Arcana and began to lose herself in thought.  She began to wonder if she would even see Arkenstone between now and the duel.
"I get the feeling that you're upset about more than his failure to be your bodyguard," prodded the light-blue stallion.
Twilight sighed.  "I just...I just wish that he would show me that he cares, that he cares about me like how I care about him...or, at least, if he doesn't feel that way, that he could make it clear once and for all."
Arcana's eyes widened.  "Ah!  I see now!  You love him don't you?"
Twilight blushed brilliantly and nodded shyly.
Arcana chuckled.  "And you're upset that your beloved Knight did nothing to defend your honor against some other stallion who tried to take you for himself."
Again, Twilight nodded.  "I know that, when I was little, he was like a second big brother to me but...Ever since he came back, he's been sending me all these mixed signals.  I just can't figure out where he stands."
That earned a cackle from her companion.  "And I thought mares were supposed to be the inscrutable ones.  Has it occurred to you that Arkenstone is just as confused about where he stands as you are?"
That brought Twilight to a halt.  "But why would he be so confused?  It's pretty simple, isn't it?"
Arcana shrugged.  "For some, maybe.  For others, love can be a difficult thing to figure out.  Doubtless, Arkenstone loves you in some form, as a sister, as a friend.  But as something more…he may not have the slightest idea.  Love is not an easy thing.  Ponies can be together their entire lives and still not be able to make heads or tails of their relationship."
Twilight frowned pensively.  "Does it have to be difficult?"
Arcana turned and gave Twilight an annoyed look.  "Don't tell me you're one of those ponies who believes in that 'true love' manure."
Twilight's eyes widened and she stared in shock at the other unicorn.  "How can you call that manure?"
"Because it is," replied Arcana casually, "This ludicrous notion that two ponies can fit together, like we're all pieces of some gigantic jigsaw puzzle, is all so much horseapples.  The world is not such a convenient place."
"What makes you say that?"
Arcana grinned.  "Let's operate off the hypothesis that the 'true love' notion is valid, that for everypony, there is some special somepony out there who matches with them perfectly.  Think of it in the most extreme circumstances, like say...myself for example."  Arcana grinned at Twilight's grimace.  "Even in the short time since we've met, you've gotten a taste of what kind of pony I am.  Imagine what kind of twisted aberration a pony would have to be in order to be a perfect mate for myself."
Twilight shivered.
Arcana's horn sparkled and he conjured a piece of ice.  It was formed of irregular crystals that jutted out in random directions.  "Instead ponies are more like this."  A second crystalline chunk of ice joined the first, similarly irregular, but differently shaped.  "We are all harsh angles and jutting protrusions.  Very often, when we come together, we clash awkwardly and hurt one another.  But occasionally, those angles and protrusions can interlock..."  The two crystals came together, their tines intersecting until the two pieces looked like one.  "...to form a bond every bit as powerful, if not more so, than that 'true love' junk that so many ponies rave about.
"But the process is neither easy nor painless.  You meet at awkward angles, clash against each other, scraping and grinding.  Even if Arkenstone does, either now or in the future, reciprocate your feelings, the fact that you will hurt one another is practically inevitable.  It will be up to you if the bond you build with him is worth the pain you and he will suffer as you continue to clash.  Love is not something you find.  It is something that you make.  It will be the sum total of both your labors and his."
Twilight's expression was skeptical.  "You aren't married are you?"
"No."
"Do you have a special somepony?"
"No."
"What makes you think that you understand love so well?"
Arcana turned and looked off into the distance.  "As you know, I spend a great deal of my time in the northern reaches of Equestria, where the environs are harsh and nature not so easily bent to the will of ponies.  Ponies out there are forced to live closely with one another by necessity.  They grow close, build lives together, make love between each other.  Can you honestly think that the love that they make is somehow less valid than that mythical true love that ponies are apparently supposed to trip over by accident?"
"I guess not," admitted Twilight.  Arcana's words made a certain amount of sense, in their own callous way.  Perhaps, in order to understand Arkenstone and the relationship between them, she had to make more of an effort to understand him.  "But that still doesn't excuse how he acted tonight."
"I would say not," agreed Arcana, "But that is most likely unconnected to the feelings he may or may not have for you.  I suspect you may find that some of the answers will not be so appealing.  If you truly wish to pursue some form of relationship with him, it will be another aspect, another awkward angle for you to contend with.  Whether it forces you apart or binds the two of you together further will be up to you."
Twilight sank into thought as the two of them continued on their way, her uncertainty bleeding into the silence around them.  Arcana remained with her until they reached her parents' house, where he bade her good night and took his leave as Twilight went inside.



That morning, Twilight was surprised to see that Arkenstone had come back sometime later that night.  As they shared breakfast with Twilight's parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet both noticed the inexplicable tension between their daughter and the stallion who had been accompanying her.  However, they opted to keep their questions to themselves and allow Twilight Sparkle to work out things for herself.
Twilight said nothing to Arkenstone as she packed her saddlebags and headed out the door.  The stallion fell into step behind her.  However, to his surprise, Twilight did not immediately turn towards the archives.  "Twilight?"
The lavender mare let out a sigh and turned to look at Arkenstone.  He could still feel her anger, though he had no notion of what expression she had on her face.  "Where is Arcana's house?" she asked.
"Arcana?"
"Yes.  I know he lives in a townhouse on the lower end.  Where is it?"
Arkenstoned stepped up next to Twilight.  "Follow me."  He set off at a light canter, with Twilight next to him.  As they went, the pair fell into an uncomfortable silence, punctuated by the sound of their hooves against the pavement.
"Arkenstone," said Twilight finally, "About last night..."
"I understand," said Arkenstone softly, "What I did, or rather, what I failed to do was inexcusable.  I...hesitated.  I have not done so for a very long time."
Twilight came to a stop, her sudden halting causing Arkenstone to stumble in an uncharacteristically clumsy manner as he stopped as well.  Turning around, he could sense that she was looking at him.
"Why did you hesitate?" asked Twilight, "What are you afraid of?  Does it have something to do with that thing you almost told me before?"
"It..."  Arkenstone fought for something to deflect the question, but found it to be a futile effort.  "It does."
"Are you ready to talk about it?"
"Not yet."
Twilight sighed.  "And when will you?  When are you going to be 'okay' with all of this?  Are you really just going to keep on treating me like a little foal?  Or are you just going to play the 'secret guardian of Equestria' deal and claim that it's top secret or something like that?  How long do you plan on letting whatever it is that's festering inside you to continue to poison your heart?"
Arkenstone could feel the weight of her glare, even without his eyes.  She was furious.  And she has every right to be.  It had been one thing when his issues had simply been something that he had used to keep his distance from her.  But now that they had put Twilight at risk, it was something he could no longer put off.  He'd allowed his own foibles to interfere with the task Shining Armor had asked of him.  Worse, he'd simply stood by and allowed Steel Flint to humiliate Twilight in public in much the same way those colts had when she'd been just a filly.  This state of affairs couldn't be allowed to continue.  But...
"Just one more day," whispered Arkenstone, his voice so soft that Twilight barely heard it.
"What?"
"Just one more day," repeated the stallion, "Let me protect your innocence just a little bit longer.  The duel is tomorrow.  When it happens, you will see just what kind of pony I am."
Twilight frowned, unsure of what Arkenstone meant.  How am I innocent?  She had already faced worse things than that arrogant blowhard, Steel Flint.  She'd faced down the madness of Nightmare Moon, faced the senseless chaos of Discord, seen the brutal and bitter darkness of King Sombra.  Compared to them, Steel Flint was just a schoolyard bully, playing all the same games, simply in a different arena, with higher stakes.
Still, at least she had something definite to go on.  Tomorrow then, she would, perhaps, get the answers she sought.  Her mind came back to what Arcana had told her the previous night.  Whatever I learn could be the thing I can find to truly connect with him...or it might be the thing that drives us apart.
She shuddered.  Perhaps waiting one more day wouldn't be so bad after all.  "Alright."
"Thank you," said Arkenstone.  The two of them resumed their journey.  "By the way, why exactly do you want to visit Arcana's home?"
"He asked me to visit," replied Twilight, giving Arkenstone a cheeky smile, despite knowing that he couldn't see it, "There's somepony there that he wants me to see."
Their journey took them down into the lower tiers of Canterlot, the closest place the city had to a lower-class section, though it still would have qualified as a more of a middle-class section in any other city.  The streets were clean, ponies went about their day with an air of pleasure.  There were no signs of crime or destitution, as this portion of the city was every bit as well-maintained as any other section of Canterlot.  The only real sign that they had ventured into a lower-income section of town was that the houses were slightly smaller and less ornately decorated, indicating that the inhabitants did not have the same level of disposable income as their wealthier neighbors.
In truth, the lower tiers of Canterlot were actually upper-middle-class by Equestrian standards, the cost of living in this section of the limited space of the city on the mountain equal to that of fairly wealthy neighborhoods in other cities.  Of course, given that their neighbors included the nobility, whose opulent mansions and estates dotted the road leading up to the palace, this section was considered poor, if only by Canterlotian standards.
Still, to give up a mansion and the wealth of his family for some place like this...  Twilight was amazed at Arcana's choice, which was made even more unusual in that he hardly spent anytime in this neighborhood, spending the majority of his time wandering the northern wilderness in his service to Equestria.
Arkenstone led them up to a small white house, indistinguishable from its neighbors, the only sign that it was different being that it had no adornments whatsoever.  The lawn was even and green, the flower beds were well-tended.  However, there was no indication of any kind of personal touch.  It all looked...uniform somehow.  Twilight suspected that Arcana paid somepony to look after the place while he was away.
Coming closer, she raised a hoof and gently knocked on the door.  It took a moment for the response to come.  However, the door slowly began to open.  "Yes?" asked a voice that most definitely was not Arcana's, "Can I help yo-eep!"  The feminine voice trailed up into an inarticulate squeak as Twilight found herself staring into the all-too-familiar eyes of Trixie Lulamoon.
For a brief moment, the two mares stared at each other in stunned silence.  Twilight was frozen by indecision, completely unsure of what to say.  She'd known that Trixie was here, but hadn't expected her to open the door.  She was honestly at a loss for words.  Trixie was frozen for clearly different reasons, the wideness of her eyes betraying her surprise and fear.
Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off as Trixie slammed the door in her face.  Behind the door, Twilight could barely make out the sound of her rapidly fading hoofsteps as the other mare fled.  A second later, a second set of hoofs came up to the door and it opened once again.  For a moment, Twilight thought that Trixie had come back.  However, after a second, she recognized the taller, thinner, and inexplicably more feminine figure of the stallion that opened the door.  "Arcana."
"Well," commented Trixie's older brother, "That went better than I thought it would."
Twilight blinked as she fought to find the words.  Her mouth opened, then it closed.  Finally, she sighed at the stallion's antics.  "Can we come in?"
"Of course."  Arcana stepped aside to allow Twilight and Arkenstone entry.  As they stepped in, Twilight looked around, casting her eyes about the house.  She noticed that, much like its exterior, its interior had no character that showed any indication of the kind of pony its owner was.  There were no pictures hanging on the walls, no ornaments decorating any of the shelves.  The few books she saw on the shelves were largely academic texts, many of which she had studied during her own days as a student.  Everything was spotlessly clean.  But the lack of decor lent the whole place a sterile look that made Twilight think more of a hospital room than a house.  Except, of course, that a hospital room would still have more decoration than this.
This isn't a home, she realized, It doesn't even rate as a cheap motel.
"Where's Trixie?" asked Twilight.
Arcana lifted a hoof to indicate a set of stares that were almost straight on from the entryway.  Twilight assumed that they ran upstairs to the bedrooms.  Before heading up, she gave Arcana a wan look.  "Did you tell her we were coming?"
"I told her that I was expecting visitors," answered Arcana.
"Except I'm guessing that you neglected to mention when or who," commented Arkenstone wryly.
Twilight's stare turned into a glare.  "I know that you've been overseeing Trixie's punishment, but this is just bullying her."
"Perhaps," admitted Arcana, thought there didn't seem to be the least amount of consolation in his tone, "But whether it is punishment or not will depend on how you treat her."
Twilight frowned and turned back to the stairs.
As she headed up, she heard Arcana speak from behind her.  "I put a bypass charm on her door, so you can open it even if it is locked."
Resisting the urge to direct another futile glare at the effeminate stallion, Twilight huffed irritably and continued up the stairs.  There were three doors in the upper hall.  The one at the end of the hallway clearly led to the bathroom.  One opened into a small bedroom, barely furnished with anything at all.  The other door was shut tight.  Twilight chose the closed door.
Thanks to Arcana's bypass, she could have easily opened it, even though Trixie had probably locked it the moment she slammed it shut.  However, forcing herself in would be the last thing that would help Trixie.  So instead, Twilight lifted a hoof and knocked lightly on the door.  "Trixie?"
"Go away!" came the shout from within, "There's nopony by that name here!"
Twilight didn't quite succeed in stifling the giggle that Trixie's histrionics inspired.  "Trixie, please let me talk to you."
"No!  Please go away.  I promise I won't come back to Ponyville again.  Please!"
"Trixie," said Twilight, "I'm not angry at you.  I forgave you already.  Remember...back at the performance."
Behind the door came the sound of hoofsteps as the pony inside came right up to the threshold.  "But why?  Why would you forgive me?  After what I did to Ponyville, to everypony there, how could anypony ever forgive me?"
Slowly, Twilight lifted up a hoof and pressed against the door.  "Trixie, what you did wasn't entirely your fault.  You were under the influence of the Alicorn Amulet.  It's a corrupting influence.”  It felt awkward to hear Trixie not speak with her third-pony stage persona, but Twilight shoved that aside in favor of more important issues.
"But I..."
"Trixie, please let me in.  Let's talk about this."  Twilight smiled.  "I want to see you.  I've been worried.  You disappeared after apologizing to me and I never heard a word about what happened to you."
"You...you were worried."
"Yes Trixie.  I was."
The door slowly opened and Twilight got her first good look at Trixie.  It was clear that the showmare had seen better days.  Her trademark hat and cape were nowhere to be seen.  Her coat was thick and patchy.  Her silvery mane, which once flowed gracefully down the side of her neck was ragged and unkempt and her tail was tangled.  She was thinner too.  Like Arcana, Trixie's body had apparently slimmed down over the course of her experiences of the north.  However, Twilight was also able to notice that Trixie seemed to have added a little extra muscle, particularly around her legs, a possible consequence of being forced to forge her way through snowdrifts during the wintertime.  She could also see the shadow under Trixie's eyes, indicating that she hadn't been getting as much sleep as she should have.
However, what truly drew Twilight's gaze was the look in Trixie's violet eyes, which quivered as she waited for Twilight's judgment.  It was sad and hopeful at the same time.  This was the look of a mare who desperately needed some friends.  The first thing Twilight did was to gently wrap Trixie in a hug.  As she held the other mare, Twilight could hear Trixie gently sniffle.  A spark of anger flared in her chest.  Just what has Arcana been doing to leave her in this state?
Finally, Twilight felt a pull from Trixie, prompting her to release the embrace.  As she stepped back, she saw Trixie slowly wiping her eyes.  "Thank you Twilight Sparkle."
"So," said Twilight, smiling hopefully, "Can we talk?"



"You are a cruel stallion," said Arkenstone, his voice cold as his ears and nose regarded Arcana, "How could you tell her that?"
Arcana's expression didn't so much as twitch from its carefully composed neutrality.  "Because it is very much the truth.  Any hope that Trixie had for a career in show-business died the day she decided to take up the Alicorn Amulet and unleash its power against a helpless village.  After defeating Twilight Sparkle in their 'duel,' she imprisoned the entire town and forced its inhabitants to serve her every increasingly deranged whim.  Of course, not all of the ponies caught by Trixie's dome spell were Ponyville natives or ponies who stayed in Ponyville.  Visitors from other towns carried the news of what happened with them to other destinations.  Even if the Princesses had moved to cover up the incident, word of what Trixie did had already spread like wildfire and it was public knowledge across Equestria within a month.  They were even talking about it up north when we went up there.
"Even if she went about things the proper way this time, her own name is already poison.  If she thought she had things hard after the incident with the Ursa Minor, then she hasn't seen anything yet.  During our little field trip, I mostly kept her well clear of towns and villages to minimize her contact with other ponies.  But now that she's returned to Equestria proper and 'served her sentence,' more or less, she's in for a very difficult time.
"Forget about the ponies that she personally harmed during her little rampage.  Even if she never shows her face in Ponyville again, Trixie's life will be a difficult one.  Ponies that she never met before will know who she is and will hold a grudge simply for the sake of holding a grudge.  In all honesty, she's extremely lucky that the Guard caught up with her in the immediate aftermath of the incident before she could stumble into some town and get herself lynched."
"So then what was your purpose in taking her north with you?" asked Arkenstone.
"Firstly, it was her punishment," replied Arcana, "While I levied my Boon with Princess Celestia, she opted not to completely overlook Trixie's crimes and asked that I see to her punishment myself.  Moving about the north the way I do, the labors I perform, they are a match for the harsh penalties enacted against offenders of Trixie's caliber, so it was an appropriate compensation.
"Secondly, taking her out of the public eye and away from other ponies allowed the memory of the incident to fade over the course of time.  So long as Trixie doesn't go about her usual theatrics, she should be able to travel around Equestria unmolested.  Thanks to that, I won't have to worry as much once I turn her loose.
"Thirdly, it gave me the opportunity to step in and act as an older brother should."  Arcana let out a soft sigh.  "While Trixie is very much the author of her own misfortune, I cannot help but feel that my own neglect may have played a role in her behavior.  At the very first opportunity, I cast away everything that our family had clung to for generations so that I need not be burdened by the obligations of nobility.  I threw myself into my work and, aside from seeing that Trixie got the education she needed to move along the path she had chosen for herself, took very little interest in what she was doing.  And then, I suddenly received word that she was responsible for a serious magical incident that entrapped an entire town."  The light-blue stallion paused and directed his gaze downwards.  "I thought of this as an opportunity to do what an older brother should...for once."
Arkenstone could pick up a faint scent of remorse from Arcana as he listened.  He really does care for her...in his own crass way.  "I take it that you provided her with some instruction then."
"Yes," replied Arcana, "I didn't simply spend the past few months dragging her back and forth behind me across the northern reaches of Equestria.  It was the perfect opportunity to help Trixie hone her magical skills into something better approaching what she had originally wanted them to be before she was lured away by the trappings of fame and fortune."
"And perhaps there is hope," Arkenstone pointed out, "Once it becomes clear that Twilight Sparkle, the pony most grievously victimized by Trixie's past behavior has forgiven her and even supports her, then others will be less likely to condemn her."
"Which is not same thing as saying that she will be able to achieve the same level of success that she would have had she not been distracted from her path by her own inflated ego," sighed Arcana, "She may work herself back up into public performances and maybe gain some small measure of fame that she once hoped to achieve.  But that shall always be overshadowed by her infamy."  His horn flared, magic reaching for something resting on a nearby shelf.  Arkenstone's nose picked up the scent of aged and weathered parchment.  "Taking that into consideration, I thought it appropriate to expand the options that she had, which is why I offered her the chance to follow a quieter path."
"So you have one of those scrolls," muttered the beige stallion, "Did she take you up on your offer."
Arcana set the old scroll back on its shelf.  "Not yet.  She still has yet to make a decision in that regard.  I was hoping that meeting with Twilight Sparkle would give Trixie the push she needs to decide for herself."



"It was right after I left you there that they caught me."  Trixie was laying sprawled across her bed, gently resting her chin against the covers.
Twilight had taken a second to summon her brush from her bathroom in her parents' house.  It was an impressive magical feat, but fairly simple for a unicorn of Twilight's caliber, as she was capable of summoning an item all the way from her library in Ponyville if she needed to, as long as it was small enough.  The tool hung, suspended in her magic as Twilight gently pulled it through Trixie's mane, working as carefully as she could to work out the tangles and snarls without pulling it painfully.  Given her skills, it was only a minor challenge to balance that with listening while Trixie talked.
"I was a couple of miles outside the village when half a dozen Royal Guards dropped straight out of the sky on me.  I didn't even have a chance to cast a spell before they slipped an inhibitor on my horn and put my legs in hoofcuffs."  Trixie shuddered at the memory.  While they hadn't been cruel or sadistic, there wasn't anything about the Guards' treatment of her that could be called gentle.  They had treated her much as they would have any other potentially dangerous criminal, firmly and rather harshly, imposing the fact that they were in charge of her wellbeing very firmly upon her and that they would not hesitate to respond with force if they got the impression that she was a threat; an impression Trixie did not do much to dispel as she fell into her usual melodramatics.
"They threw me in a carriage and, before I knew it, I was sitting in a cell in a Canterlot dungeon."  Technically, it had been a prison, the practice of using dungeons having been discontinued a few centuries back.  The fact that Canterlot's primary prison was composed of what had once been the Royal Palace's dungeons was a matter of convenience.
"I'm not sure how long it was that I was in there," continued Trixie, "Nopony talked to me or would tell me anything about when my trial was...or if I was even going to have one..."
Twilight frowned.  In this day and age, it was standard practice to allow a prisoner to at least talk to a lawyer so that they could be advised on their legal options.  Technically, Trixie should have been allowed to see one after her first night and no later than her third in prison.  However, given that Trixie didn't have an exact count of how long she had been in her cell, Twilight couldn't be certain that any such misconduct had taken place.  Furthermore, the Princesses had the authority to supersede standard legal procedures if they felt there were exceptional circumstances in play, a descriptor that Trixie's situation definitely warranted.  The fact that the showmare's older brother was also one of Celestia's Knights further complicated matters.  However, given his rather unpleasant attitude towards Trixie's behavior, Twilight wouldn't have been surprised to find that Arcana was the one who had suggested keeping Trixie isolated.
"But then, the Guards came for me there and took me up to the throne room.  I was shocked.  There was nopony there except for Princess Celestia and my brother.  The Princess didn't say anything.  She just stood back and watched...
"Arcana was furious.  I've never seen him so angry."  Trixie shivered, a chill, much like that which pervaded Equestria's northern reaches, running down her spine.



"I'll be honest," said Arcana, his tone chillier than his magic, "You are in deep trouble Trixie."
"I'm sorry!" wailed Trixie, "I didn't mean to do it!  The amulet...!"
"Was something you shouldn't have even looked twice at if you'd had an ounce of sense in that head of yours!" snapped Arcana, "Let's take a moment to look past the fact that you were stupid enough to be able to locate the Alicorn Amulet and know what it was for and yet somehow completely miss the part where it overshadows your own consciousness and drives you into madness, a fact that can be found in virtually any piece of text referencing it and a phenomenon better documented than the power that it's supposed to lend its user.  Just how 'great and powerful' are your accomplishments supposed to be when you need a store-bought enhancer as a crutch?  You took a genuine opportunity to better yourself and achieve true greatness and you threw it away for a toy!"
Trixie cringed away from Arcana's harsh tones.  In spite of his slender, effeminate form, the stallion had no difficulty being imposing.  Behind him, Princess Celestia stood back, her expression impassive.  However, whenever their eyes met, Trixie could see traces of pity, as though even Celestia wasn't quite comfortable with how angry Arcana was with her.
"You have no idea how fortunate you are," said Arcana, stalking forward and beginning to circle around Trixie, "The Alicorn Amulet does more than turn you malicious and sadistic.  As its influence over you grows, you become more and more irrational until you are little more than an animal lashing out with an overwhelming amount of magical power.  At that point, it would be virtually impossible to separate you from the amulet and you would cease to be a pony and would instead be a rabid beast that needed to be put down."
Trixie's already pale blue coat became a shade lighter.
"Since you've been spared that fate, the fact remains that the crimes you have been accused of are very real and will not disappear just because the amulet came off.  The fact that its influence over you was a known factor in your behavior may moderate your sentence.  But you took it up in spite of knowing about its corrupting influence, which does not help your case in the slightest.  You'd be incredibly lucky to get off with less than a year of harsh labor."
Arcana shook his head in disappointment.  "You are very lucky Trixie.  I have talked with Princess Celestia and she will allow me to levy my Boon to have your charges cleared."
Trixie's jaw dropped as Arcana's words hit her.  All the fear that had been building inside of her evaporated in an instant and she bounded forward to hug her brother.  "Oh thank you, thank you!"
Her leap was brought to a halt by a field of magic that sucked the warmth from her body as it pushed her back away from Arcana.  "Don't thank me just yet," he said, "I haven't actually followed through with it."
"What?"
"I will have your charges cleared," explained Arcana, "But only if certain conditions are met.  If I levy my Boon, you will accompany me north and follow me as I work.  I will warn you now, the conditions will be extremely harsh.  There is almost nothing in the way of comforts up there, particularly in the areas that I frequent.  The environment is unforgiving and you will be tested in ways that you never thought possible.  You will stay with me until I am satisfied that you have paid your dues."  As he met Trixie's horrified gaze, she could see absolutely no ounce of sympathy in his eyes.  He had no intention of making it easy for her.
"If you don't want that, I will withdraw my request and allow the courts to decide your fate," continued Arcana, "Though I wish it were not so, I'm afraid that you must reach a decision here and now.  What will it be?"



"And you accepted?" asked Twilight, aghast at the notion.  She had a strong suspicion that Arcana's idea of punishment was a good deal more severe than what the courts might have given Trixie.
"Yes," replied the showmare, "I trust Arcana.  When our mother tried to stop me from becoming a showmare, he stood up to her.  Mother just wanted to marry me off to some suitor so that I could increase her wealth and social standing.  Arcana was the one who made sure that I could follow my dreams.  Even when he liquidated all our assets and gave them to the Princess, he made sure to keep enough aside to help me with my needs as I trained to become a performer.  He always encouraged me to follow my dreams.
“When he took me north with him, he taught me a great deal about magic and helped me become a better mage.”  Trixie smiled fondly.  “I learned so much about him.  And, in spite of his warnings, I still felt like he was very easy on me during the time we were together.”
Twilight wasn’t sure what to think.  She’d spent a significant portion of last night listening to Arcana speak quite harshly about his sister.  However, she came to realize that, while the dynamic between Trixie and Arcana was very different from the one between her and Shining Armor, these two siblings really did love each other…even if one of them was rather tactless in how he showed it.
“So what will you do now?” she found herself asking.
“I’m not sure.”  Trixie’s face fell.  “Even if I’m a better performer now, ponies are going to remember me for the things I’ve already done, which means…”  She let out a sound halfway between a sigh and a sob.  “…Arcana is right.  I won’t ever be able to truly achieve my dreams now.”
“That’s not true!” exclaimed Twilight, throwing her arms around Trixie and hugging her tightly, “You’ve learned from your mistakes and you deserve another chance.  That would be true of anypony else and it’s true for you too.”
“Do…Do you really think so?” asked Trixie hopefully.
Twilight nodded emphatically.  “I know you can do it Trixie.  You just have to remember what being a performer is all about.”
“All about…”  Trixie thought for a moment.  “I have an idea…but I’ll need more time.”
Twilight blinked and tilted her head, unsure of what Trixie was talking about.  Seeing her confusion, Trixie decided to clarify.  “You see, while we were in the North, Arcana gave me another choice…”



“Unlike the one that led her out with me, I didn’t give this choice any time constraints,” said Arcana, “She is even free to change her mind if she picks one path over the other and decides that it doesn’t suit her.”
“And suppose she decides to try and follow both paths…” suggested Arkenstone.
“If she succeeds, that would be…unprecedented,” mused Arcana, the slight upward tug on the corners of his mouth suggesting that he liked the idea more than he let on, “It would be an accomplishment worthy of a pony calling herself Great and Powerful.”
The two of them stopped talking when they heard the sound of two sets of hooves on the stairs.  Arcana looked over and saw Trixie and Twilight descending from the second story.  “And how did things go between the two of you?”
The smiles on their faces were enough to answer the question for him.
“Arkenstone and I should probably head back,” said Twilight.  She turned and gave Trixie an encouraging nuzzle.  “Remember, my home is always open to you.”
Trixie returned the gesture.  “Thank you.”
Brother and sister walked Arkenstone and Twilight to the door.  “I will be attending your duel tomorrow,” said Arcana, his words causing Arkenstone to flinch, “I want to see if you’re worthy of your nickname.”
Arkenstone sighed.  “You are a very cruel pony.”
Twilight looked between them, but decided not say anything.  Instead, she simply turned and joined the beige stallion as he walked away.
Arcana closed the door and turned to Trixie.  “You have the look of a mare who’s made an important decision."
Trixie’s expression became solemn before she reached out with her magic and plucked the scroll from its resting place on the shelf and brought it up to hover next to her.  “Yes.  Yes I have.”
The smile her brother gave her was one of the widest she had ever seen him make.
> Dancing Blades
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 19: Dancing Blades

The unicorn colt groaned in pain as he laid on the ground.  His head felt like a red-hot spike had been jabbed straight through it, a spike that just happened to have been driven straight through where his horn emerged from his skull.  He'd never even thought that pain like this would have even been possible.  To make matters worse, the one responsible for his pain had hardly given the action any thought at all, hardly even looked at the colt as he flicked his tail right as the colt had been in the middle of casting.  The resulting pain had brought the unicorn to his knees.
And this colt had been the fortunate one.  His two older, larger, and more powerful companions had been beset as well.  Unlike the younger colt, these ones were receiving the full benefit of their attacker's attention.  What made the entire situation seem more improbable still was that their attacker was a mere earth pony.
The largest and oldest of the gang of three unicorn colts attempted to cast another spell.  However, his concentration was disrupted as his hooves were swept out from under him by a smooth kick from the beige earth pony, the sweep dumping the unicorn on his side.  In another swift movement, the earth pony colt dropped a hoof on the unicorn's horn and pressed against it until the projection was pressed between his hoof and the unforgivingly hard street.  The unicorn colt's voice, which had been loaded with conceit earlier, was now high-pitched as he screamed in agony as the earth pony ever-not-so-gently ground his hoof against the velvet of the unicorn's horn, threatening to scrape it off.
The third of the group, who stood between the other two in both age and size, was still standing, but his eyes were glazed and he wobbled on his hooves as he struggled to remain standing.  He had been the recipient of several sharp raps to the end of his horn in the midst of spellcasting in a move that had almost completely terminated any further attempts at coherent thought, much less using magic.
"How can you do this?" demanded the oldest colt, barely squeezing words past the wheezes of pain as the earth pony's hoof continued to grind against his horn, "What kind of earth pony can take three of us on."
"Please," scoffed the colt, "I am a butler-in-training to the Duchy of Paradise Estate.  It only stands to reason that I can complete such a simple task."
"What do you want?" asked the youngest, too terrified to move, much less try to stand, lest he attract more of the earth pony's attention.
The beige colt turned his eyes to the prone unicorn and smiled devilishly.  "I wanted to communicate a simple idea to you.  You three seem to like to be in the position of standing over others and taking great pleasure in their suffering.  Tell me, now that your positions have been reversed, do you still find the idea of suffering to be entertaining?”
"Wait!" gasped the eldest unicorn colt, his eyes widening, "I know you.  You were the one who came for that crybaby bookworm-ACK!"  His voice terminated in a startled exclamation of pain as Arkenstone suddenly ground his hoof even harder against the colt's horn.
"That is correct.  I understand that the three of you have been tormenting Twily, even though she has done nothing to you, even after her older brother told you to stop.  I noticed that you seemed to enjoy inflicting pain and fear on her."  He turned his gaze down on the colt, whose horn he held wedged between his hoof and the street.  "Now then, only a couple more pounds of pressure and even a grown unicorn's horn will snap like a dry twig.  It would be so very easy.  If anything were to happen that might disrupt my balance or if I shifted my weight like so..."  He mocked shifting his stance to give the impression that he was about to put his full weight down on the colt's horn.  "And you could have your horn broken clean off.  Imagine what that would be like.  The pain must be excruciating.  And then, of course, there is also the prospect of spending a significant portion of the rest of your life without your magic as you wait for your horn to grow back...inch by agonizing inch.  Are you enjoying being in this position?  Is this fun for you?"
"N-no!" exclaimed the colt, trying his hardest not to move.
"Then perhaps you now have a taste of what you inflicted on that little filly," said Arkenstone, his voice chilling his three victims, "I hope that you will take the time to reflect upon this so that, the next time you feel tempted to torment others for your amusement, you will reconsider.  Your victims will not always be so helpless in the future.  My response has been carefully measured, but there is no guarantee that others will be so precise in issuing due recompense for your actions."  His hoof lifted away, letting the colt's body relax with a terrified groan.
Arkenstone stepped away from them and began heading down the alleyway towards the open streets.  As he reached the exit, he turned and cast one last look over his shoulder.  This time, there was no sly smile, no sadistic leer, only pure, carefully restrained fury.  "Oh, and one more thing..."  The three unicorns froze in the midst of trying to regain the footing.  "...If I find out that you've so much as looked at Twilight Sparkle the wrong way, I will find you and we will repeat this little exercise.  And next time, I be more thorough when I reprimand you."
Not waiting for a response, Arkenstone turned and trotted away.  He turned down the street and headed in the direction of home, the Canterlot estates of the Duchy of Paradise Estate, where he lived in the servants' quarters with his parents.  Once he was certain that he had put enough distance between himself and his victims, he paused and sagged against the wall of a convenient building, suddenly gasping as though he had been running for miles.
A sickening feeling churned in his gut, not for what he had done, but for how he felt about what he had done.  He had tormented three ponies who were weaker than him, inflicted pain, terrified them to the edge of reason as he threatened to maim and traumatize them.  What struck him as the most disgusting thing about this whole sordid affair was that he wasn't repulsed by the actions themselves.  Rather, a certain elation had flowed through him.  He'd felt satisfied.  He'd made those arrogant brats understand the pain they'd put Twilight through.  He had let them taste their own medicine and made them understand just how much it hurt to be tormented the way they tormented others.  They most certainly wouldn't be going after Twilight again.
It felt right...
It felt good...
And that realization sickened Arkenstone to his core.  However, the night wasn't over yet.  And even as Arkenstone wrestled with his convictions, trying to balance his desire to protect and avenge Twilight with his realization that how he had gone about doing so was wrong, his eyes picked up the telltale glitter of light emanating from his side.  Turning to look, Arkenstone's eyes widened at what he saw.
There, emblazoned on his hip, was his cutie mark; a pair of crossed swords with black inlays.
"No!" he gasped, "I can't get that now!  Not like this!"  He slumped all the way to the ground.  "Not for what I just did!  How could that have earned my cutie mark?  What does it mean?"
He looked upwards at the sparkling stars of night, tears running from his eyes, a feeling of loathing rising in his heart.  "What kind of monster am I?"



Twilight awoke earlier than usual, an unsettling feeling making her stomach churn as she looked at the clock sitting on the nightstand by her bed.  The duel was today.
After they had returned home from Arcana and Trixie’s house, Twilight and Arkenstone were visited by a servant from Steel Flint, who passed along the time and location of the duel.  As per tradition, it would be held at noon.  Furthermore, Twilight was surprised to learn that Princess Celestia had offered one of the Royal Palace’s smaller ballrooms to serve as the site of the duel.  From the sound of things, the Earl was especially excited that he would get the chance to kill Arkenstone and humiliate Twilight in front of Celestia herself, taking the offer as a tacit approval of his actions.
Arkenstone had accepted all the information without ceremony and promised to attend, not even phased by the revelation of the duel’s location.  Night Light and Twilight Velvet had hung back and listened in, both terribly distressed by the crisis their daughter had found herself in.  However, given Twilight's experiences with various crises threatening to plunge Equestria into eternal darkness, chaos, or something of the like, they opted to simply provide silent support for their daughter and her friend, even if things between Arkenstone and Twilight seemed somewhat strained at the moment.
The rest of the day had rushed by, seeming to pass before Twilight realized.  Now, she stood in her bathroom, facing her reflection in the mirror and struggling to overcome her reluctance to go out.  If his ominous words were to be believed, then today she would learn something about Arkenstone that she would probably wish she hadn't.  However, in spite of her reluctance, she managed to force herself through her morning routine.
Breakfast was a solemn affair, with nopony saying a word.  Arkenstone said nothing to her and Twilight didn't try to force him to speak.  As soon as the meal was finished, the two of them set out for the Royal Palace.  The journey seemed to blaze by for Twilight and they found themselves in the Palace's entryway.  To her surprise, Celestia was waiting there for them.
"Hello my faithful student," she said, leaning down to exchange a nuzzle with Twilight.
"Princess, what are you doing here?" asked Twilight as she stepped back.
"I'm here to support my beloved student and my Knight," replied Celestia calmly as they set off through the Palace's labyrinthine hallways, "Though Earl Flint seems to think that it's the other way around."
"Why did you offer a room in the Palace for the duel?" wondered Twilight.
"So that we can keep too many ponies from seeing what's about to happen," said Arkenstone softly, "After all, most ponies think that the Celestial Knights are merely legends.  We would prefer to keep it that way."
Celestia nodded.  "Earl Flint is under the impression that Arkenstone is a knight in the same manner that you are, a commoner who was granted an honorary title for some service.  It is best that we allow any other ponies amongst the nobility to keep thinking that way.  Only a few of them know the truth about the Celestial Knights.  Fortunately, those that do all happen to be ones that we can count on for support."  She let out a sigh.  "I really wish it hadn't come to this, but it seems there was no other option."
"That was my impression as well," replied Arkenstone, "I wasn't certain how to respond to Steel Flint's taunts the other night because I could not see any response that didn't end in bloodshed.  Earl Flint was bent on spilling blood.  I get the feeling that he enjoys it almost as much as he enjoys stripping his victims of all that they value."
"Indeed," agreed Celestia, "I have wanted to deal with that stallion for quite some time.  However, since he always followed the laws of the Noble Court, there was no direct action I could take against him that would not have ended up turning the entire Court against me."  She turned her head and looked straight at Arkenstone.  "As your Princess, I ask you to see to his punishment, my Knight."
"It will be as you wish."  Twilight swallowed at the chilly tone in Arkenstone's voice.  She had never heard him sound so cold and ruthless.
Is this what he meant when he talked about my innocence? wondered Twilight.  She knew that Arkenstone was a warrior without peer and that, as a Knight, he had most likely killed enemies of Equestria at sometime or another.  However, there was a difference between knowing that as some abstract fact and experiencing it in reality.  And Twilight got the impression that she was about to witness a very thorough demonstration.
Finally, they reached a set of doors that led into their destination.  The doors swung open to reveal a ballroom not unlike the one at Earl Flint's manor.  It was wide and spacious, though not quite as large as the main ballroom, which was used for the Grand Galloping Gala every year.  This room was for smaller parties and events, meant to be loaned out to various individuals and groups for parties, conferences, and other gatherings.  Light streamed in from windows mounted near the ceiling.  Looking around, Twilight could see other sets of larger windows at ground level.  Right now, they were closed and shuttered.  Though the room wasn't the largest one in the Palace, it felt practically cavernous given the small number of ponies in attendance.
Prince Blueblood was there, looking distinctly uncomfortable with the situation as he stood off to one side.  It was easy to see why, as next to him stood Arcana, who, as he had promised, had come to see the duel for himself.  Twilight found herself wondering if Blueblood knew about Arcana's status as a Knight or if he was simply extremely discomforted by the presence of the of the infinitely eccentric Marquess.
Twilight's thoughts were distracted from the two nobleponies as she caught a glimmer of white out of the corner of her eye.  Whipping her head around, she saw the familiar horn of Wight Shade as Luna's majordomo waited in the shadows at one corner of the ballroom, tucked mostly out of sight and almost completely out of mind, his glittering crimson eyes almost seeming to glow in the darkness of the un-illuminated corner.  Seeing that Twilight had noticed him, Wight gave her an amused smile and a nod.  Twilight quickly averted her gaze and looked down the ballroom, where their opponent waited.
Steel Flint stood tall and proud, smiling haughtily as Twilight's group entered.  If he was troubled or surprised by the fact that Princess Celestia had come in with them, he didn't show it.  Instead, he remained perfectly poised, head held high and horn pointed directly at the ceiling.  Behind him was a small array of guards from his house, also unicorns.  The group was decked out in glimmering steel armor that was lined with the same muddy-orange color as the Earl's coat.
"Please stay back," said Arkenstone, directing Twilight to stand with Arcana and Blueblood with a jerk of his head.
Twilight nodded and stepped away, heading to join the other two stallions as the tiny audience to this important event.  Celestia continued to walk next to Arkenstone until they reached the edge of a large circle that looked to have been drawn on the floor with chalk, a space around twenty meters in diameter.
Celestia broke with her Knight at the edge of the circle.  As Arkenstone stepped in without hesitation, the Princess instead followed along the outside, careful to keep from treading within the line as though it were some absolute barrier.  As Steel Flint stepped in from the other side, she came to a stop at a point about halfway between the two dueling stallions.  Both Arkenstone and Steel proceeded forward until they reached what appeared to be a predetermined distance between each other.  In the silence that followed, Twilight was sure that everypony present could hear her swallow nervously.
Celestia closed her eyes for a moment, as though she was deep in thought.  When she opened them again, there was a cool, almost completely emotionless look to them, as though she had taken all the warmth and compassion that she was known for and stuffed them down into some dark corner of her soul.
"Steel Flint: Earl of Hollow Shades, Sir Arkenstone, the two of you have assembled here by mutual agreement to settle your grievances in a duel to the death.  Is this correct?"
Both stallions nodded.  Arkenstone's face remained cool and impassive while a slight smirk broke out across Steel's.
Princess Celestia looked from one to the other.  "According to the current rules, all spells, excepting those completely forbidden by Equestrian law, and all weapons are permissible.  Do either of you object?"
Steel snorted derisively.  "It sullies this important rite that we cannot be restricted only to magic.  But since this fool would have no hope otherwise, I will accept it this time."
Arkenstone merely turned his ears to Princess Celestia.  "I have no objections to the rules as they stand."
"Very well," said Celestia, "Do either of you have any final statements to make?"
"I do," said Arkenstone before turning his attention back to Steel Flint, "I would ask that you reconsider this.  We do not have to engage in this meaningless bloodshed.  Please do not force my hoof in this."
Twilight's eyes widened as she heard the Knight's words.  Why would he want to turn back now?  She noticed a flicker of something that most definitely was not surprise flash across Celestia's face before she quickly schooled it back into neutrality.
"What's this?" taunted Steel, grinning sadistically, "You have the gall to lay the gauntlet at my hooves.  And, after lowering myself to accepting the challenge of a disgusting pretender like you, you try to escape your fate.  You're a coward as well.
"But I'm the merciful sort.  Of course, once you walk away from this, I will take Dame Sparkle for myself and you will not be able to object."
Arkenstone sighed.  "I will not allow that," he said, "Your rules and laws do not matter to me any longer as I have resolved to protect her to the fullest of my strength."  His eyes opened slightly, giving a glimpse of the milky-white orbs within.  "If you do not turn back now, then I will have no reason to withhold anything."
In the circle, Steel Flint suddenly felt the power of Arkenstone's will crash over him like a wave.  The sheer force of the beige stallion's animosity nearly made his legs buckle and caused the Earl's heart to hammer against his ribs as he was assailed by an emotion he hadn't ever expected an earth pony to evoke...fear.  However, his experience in previous duels and his own anger gave him the fuel to overcome Arkenstone's will and face him.  How dare this earth pony show his better such disrespect?  It is clear that this filth and his kind have gotten a little too full of themselves lately.  I had hoped that allowing the affair with Cloudsdale to fester would help remind them of their place.  But it's clear that the only thing these idiots will ever understand is force.
A low snarl escaped Steel's lips as he ground his teeth.  "I was going to make your end mercifully quick.  But I see that you deserve sterner treatment.  I will flay the skin from your body slowly, while your precious Twilight Sparkle looks on.  I will cut off your ears and feed them to you.  I will heal your flesh and keep your heart beating, stop you from passing out so that you can feel every exquisite second of your torment.  And I will make sure to leave your vocal cords intact so that I can savor every one of your screams."
Celestia's expression hardened and she glared harshly at Steel.  But the Earl was beyond noticing.  With a sigh, she turned to Arkenstone and nodded.  "Very well then.  I will signal the duel's start."  A point of light appeared on the tip of her horn and then shot upward towards the ceiling.  When it reached the ceiling, the light exploded with a loud snap.
Steel Flint's horn blazed with so much light that Twilight was nearly blinded.  She was amazed to see the Earl gather so much power so quickly.  It was a testament to his skill with battle magic that, so soon, he already had the power for a major offensive spell.  In less than a second, she was sure she would be able to see its characteristics to determine what kind of spell it was.  It was powerful, precise, and almost incomprehensibly fast.
It wasn't even remotely fast enough.
Steel's eyes had fixed on his opponent in front of him.  At the instant Celestia's signal flare had exploded with its loud pop, he'd seen the other stallion's tail whip, scattering something from it.  Had he the time, Steel would have felt disgust to see that his opponent had shown up for a formal duel so unkempt that his own tail was scattering debris.
But time was something Steel Flint no longer had.  Abruptly, his vision tilted sharply to the side.  At the same time, he suddenly felt the connection to the magic being emitted by his horn cut off...along with all sensation below his neck.  Before his mind could even begin to contemplate what was happening, his vision split, as though somepony had drawn a line down the center.  And then...everything was black and he could not think, feel...or even be...for Steel Flint was no more.
Twilight's eyes barely picked out a flicker of motion as something moved away from Arkenstone and towards Steel Flint.  However, tracking whatever was in motion became an impossibility as she suddenly noticed that Steel's head had been severed at the neck and his horn had been sliced away from its base.  Before her stunned mind could even begin to process these facts, Steel's head was suddenly split in two by another strike so fast she couldn't even see it.  However, the course of the strike carried its way all the way through Steel's head and slicing into the body behind it.
In an instant, Steel's body vanished in what seemed like an explosion as those invisibly swift blades carved into the floor, throwing up dust and debris, which only barely obscured the bloody mist that blossomed from where the Earl had been standing as his head and body were carved into chunks.
The battle was over in an instant.  Twilight had to avert her head, her stomach desperately churning as she thought about what she would see once the dust faded and a horrific truth settled in.  This was why Arkenstone had been so hesitant to begin any conflict.  This was what he had been afraid of.  He had never been afraid or intimidated by Steel Flint and his battle magic.  Steel Flint had never stood a chance from the beginning.
"Don't turn away," ordered Arcana in a voice that was tinged slightly with awe, "This is a rare chance, one you may not ever have again, to see your Knight's blades."
Reluctantly, Twilight looked up.  Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw.  Seemingly suspended in the air around Arkenstone were nearly a dozen blades, black with gold lining their very edges, strange runes and symbols seemingly engraved up and down their lengths.  Their shapes were strange to the point of being completely alien.  They had no grips or handles, but seemed to terminate in spiked knobs or even in another blade, like two swords had been mounted tang to tang.  Others seemed to branch at odd angles, making them seem swords that had grown out of the ground like weeds.  They seemed to drift slowly around Arkenstone, guided and yet, not quite moving of their own volition, but almost drifting in the gentle currents of air that ran through the enclosed ballroom.
Her jaw dropped.  This was Arkenstone's magic, the skill, the power that elevated him to the status of a Knight.  "It's like a unicorn's," she said.
"It does resemble a unicorn's magic," admitted Arcana, smiling widely, "At least superficially.  However, if you look closer, you'll note that its nature is very different and most definitely earth pony."
Twilight narrowed her eyes to observe the blades in more detail.  There was no characteristic glow about them like there would be for a unicorn's conjured weapons.  These blades seemed real and solid, purely physical and too heavy to be floating so lightly in the air.  She realized that Arkenstone had unleashed them so quickly that she hadn't even gotten a glimpse of them when he had attacked.  Needless to say, Steel Flint had never even seen his death coming.
Arkenstone let out a slow breath and the blades seemed to crumble away, like they were dissolving into dust.  Not saying anything, he turned away from what was left of his opponent and strode out of the circle.  A crushing silence descended on the ballroom that was only broke by the faint crumbling noise and the sound of bits and pieces of the floor that had been ground into pebbles by the force of Arkenstone's blows falling back down after being launched into the air.
"F-F-FOUL!"  The shout broke through the silence of the ballroom as one of the unicorn guards that had accompanied Steel Flint, their leader, from the look the plumes on his helmet, roared out, his face dissolving into an expression of rage as his eyes found the mass of flesh and blood that had once been his lord, but now no longer resembled anything that could have once been called living.
Arkenstone stopped, but, other than that, did nothing to indicate that he had heard the shout.
"Princess!" snapped the guard, "There is no way that this duel can be legitimate.  That filthy beast cheated!"
Twilight felt herself gasp, a fiery indignation rising in her chest.
"I demand that he be arrested at once and that this travesty be stricken from the record!"
"How can someone cheat in a duel when the rules basically said 'anything goes?'" wondered Arcana out loud, chuckling slightly.
Celestia turned her stern gaze on the guard.  "I have seen no evidence of foul play.  The record still stands and will continue hold that Arkenstone is the winner."
"Ridiculous!" snapped the guard, "I refuse to accept this.  That earth pony clearly used magic, which is impossible.  It's obvious that he had outside assistance."  His eyes narrowed.  "If you won't do anything about this, then I will!"
The guard leveled his horn in Arkenstone's direction.  Twilight suddenly felt a burst of chilled air from beside her.  Looking over, she saw that Arcana had vanished.  Startled exclamations from the guards that had accompanied Steel Flint drew her attention to their formation, where she saw Trixie's brother emerging from the other side of the group with a casual stride, as though he had merely strolled over at his leisure.  Behind him, all six or so guards, including their leader, were encased in ice up to their hips and shoulders, while another layer of rime coated their horns, completely stifling any attempt at magic.
"I would be careful about what insinuations I make," said Arcana cheerfully, a sly smile spreading across his face, "By rejecting her ruling, you have essentially called Princess Celestia's judgment into question, not the sort of thing ponies like you should be doing so casually."  He pressed in close the guards as they began to shiver as the numbing cold from the ice began to seep in past their fur and into their flesh and bones.  Twilight shivered as well, though for different reasons.  The way Arcana was moving, particularly the way in which he turned back around towards his victims, deliberately leading with his shoulders and bending his spine, gave his movements a sinuous, serpentine quality that made Twilight think of a snake coiling about its next meal.  "And you are even more foolish to attempt something so underhooved as to try and attack one of her ponies in her presence.  If I had actually allowed you to follow through, I think that you would have found the consequences to be most unpleasant."
The guards froze, their eyes widening in fear as they realized that Princess Celestia was still looking at them, her eyes narrowed in anger.  Arkenstone still hadn't turned around, not responding at all to the commotion behind him, as though he hadn't noticed it at all.
"Now then," said Arcana, "I am going to release you fools and you will take your leave.  There will be no more foolishness today."  The ice immobilizing them shattered.  However, the layer of frost that clung to their horns remained on.  "But I will be leaving your magic sealed for the next day or so to make sure that you lot learn your lesson."
Arcana's smile widened into something that almost appeared genuinely friendly, if it weren't for the fact that it looked deliberately forced.  "Now get out."
The sound of hooves echoed as Steel Flint's guards scrambled to rush out the door behind them.
Looking over, Twilight half expect to see Blueblood looking sick as well.  However, his white coat looked no paler than it usually did and he seemed well.  But the expression on his face was one of extreme sadness.  "What's wrong?"
Blueblood sighed.  "I should be asking you that question," he said, turning to look at Twilight, "You look like you're about to fall over."
Now that the crisis was over, Twilight realized that she was, indeed, feeling rather lightheaded.  Her eyes wandered over to the blood-covered stone that indicated the place where Earl Steel Flint once stood.  Celestia's magic was already washing over it, repairing the damage to the stonework and gathering up the unidentifiable lumps of flesh and bone that had once been a living, breathing pony.  Seeing the red blood, mingling with the white stone, dotted in places by the muddy orange of the deceased Earl's coat finally overwhelmed the lavender mare.  Feeling bile rising in her throat, Twilight looked around frantically for a bathroom.  However, a glowing aura coalesced into a circular plane in front of her head.  Looking next to her, Twilight saw the same aura from Blueblood's horn, recognizing a small, but consistently stable teleport spell.
Blueblood nodded to her before politely looking away as Twilight dipped her head over the spell and retched, her breakfast and some remnants of last night's dinner dropping into the portal and being whisked away to the bowl of the nearest toilet...presumably.
When she finished, Twilight looked up to see that a small, conjured hoofkerchief was hovering above her, again glowing with the light of Blueblood's magic.  Reaching out, she grasped it with her own magic and dabbed it against her lips, wiping the last traces of the vomit away.  When she let it go, the soiled cloth vanished in a flash.
"Feeling better?" asked Blueblood.
"A little," said Twilight, still feeling slightly woozy.  She looked toward Arkenstone, but was surprised to see that the beige stallion had apparently taken advantage of her episode to depart.  He must think that I hate him now, she thought forlornly.
She decided to risk another look at Steel's remains, but saw that they had been cleared away and the floor restored to its pristine state.  Princess Celestia had apparently used a trick similar to Blueblood's to teleport Steel's remnants away so that nopony would have to endure looking at them anymore.  "How could Arkenstone do that?" she asked, "Why did he have to go so far?"
"He was being merciful," said Blueblood, "Much more merciful than the situation called for and especially considering the fact that the Earl was not going to extend him the same courtesy."
"How is that merciful?" demanded Twilight, glaring at Blueblood, "He carved Steel Flint into bits and pieces."
"That was actually quite merciful," replied Blueblood, "A simple beheading would have been sufficient and Arkenstone's blades are both swift and sharp enough that Steel would never have felt anything beyond a slight chill at the neck.
"However, decapitation is not necessarily the instant death it's often made out to be.  A severed head can retain its consciousness after the fact, sometimes for as long as a minute or more before true death occurs."
Blueblood's words made Twilight's nausea return with a vengeance as she listened to the stallion casually describe the gruesome deed.
"Imagine what it would be like to realize that your death was coming, inevitable, inescapable, only seconds away, but being powerless to do anything, powerless to scream, to feel nothing, not even the pain, but to only wait as everything slowly goes black..."
Twilight was fighting to remain standing by this point.
"Thus, Arkenstone went overboard and used much more power and force than was actually necessary, to ensure that Steel Flint's life was completely snuffed out before he could even realize what happened.  He went beyond what was called for to spare the Earl the fear of being forced to wait while the rest of his life ebbed away.  That is Arkenstone's mercy."
"That is enough Blueblood."  A gentle wing draped itself over Twilight's back as Celestia comforted her student.  She leaned down and ran her muzzle across Twilight's mane, the gentle gesture helping to calm the lavender mare down.  "I am so sorry you had to see that."
"It's okay," said Twilight, "I wanted to see it.  I wanted to understand Arky better."
"Do you think you saw too much?" teased Arcana.
"I..."
"I said enough," Celestia interjected firmly, leveling a reproving look at Arcana, who merely smirked and turned away, making his own way to the door.  As he did, his hoof brushed against something on the floor.  Looking down, Arcana noted the presence of a single pine needle, lying unattended, completely out of place in the otherwise pristine ballroom.  Smiling, the effeminate stallion chuckled and continued to make his way out.
"Come with me Twilight," said Celestia, exchanging a nod with Blueblood.  She gently led her student out the doors of the ballroom and down the hallways to a smaller room that Twilight recognized.  It was the Royal Dining room reserved for Celestia (and now Luna), when she wanted her meal to be a smaller, more personal affair, which was fairly often.  Twilight had spent many a meal with her here.
"A light lunch and some tea will suffice," said Celestia to the servant who waited for them at the entrance.  The mare nodded politely and trotted off to see to getting the food.
The tea was quick to arrive as Twilight settled into her seat.  Celestia poured for both of them.  Twilight sipped from her cup, letting the familiar taste of tea wash through her and warm her from the inside.  The light tremors that had troubled her, even with Celestia's contact, began to subside.
"I can understand if you found that upsetting," said Celestia softly, after finishing her own cup, "When you were in the palace with me, I tried so hard to keep you from experiencing too much of the darker aspects that come with ruling a nation.  Even considering your experiences with the likes of Nightmare Moon and Discord, this kind of bloodshed must be a new experience for you."
Twilight nodded.  "I...I knew that Arkenstone had to do things like that as a Knight, but..."
"But it's another thing entirely to see the bloodier aspects of his work firsthoof," said Celestia, smiling slightly, "And you had a rough introduction to it.  The fact that it was Arkenstone who gave you your first taste of the things that my Knights must do was especially jarring, and not simply because you were so close to him."
"What do you mean?"
Celestia looked away and Twilight was surprised to see that she looked...guilty.  "Arkenstone is distinct amongst my Knights.  You already know that they have little monikers that their peers have granted them, sometimes more than one.  Arkenstone is best known as the Knight of Dancing Blades, but he has another little nickname, one he isn't remotely proud of."
"What is it?"
"The Relentless," said Celestia softly, "Of all of my Knights, he is the most ruthless and merciless on the battlefield.  Once the battle begins, he will show his enemy no quarter, grant them no mercy.  Once he truly draws his blades, he will not leave while his foe still draws breath."
A chill that had nothing to do with Arcana's magic shot down Twilight's spine.  "B-but...he's always been so kind and gentle..."
"And he is," agreed Celestia, "Arkenstone abhors violence, particularly when it is unnecessary.  He despises having to actually fight and, when he is forced to, he regards it as a personal failure on his part that he had to resort to violence to begin with.  That is why he works so hard to find alternative solutions, to find wiser ways to put his energy to use.  He helped bring an end to centuries of tribal warfare in Saddle Arabia through diplomacy and helping its peoples negotiate with one another to bring an end to feuds that had lasted for generations.
"That is why he is the Knight I turn to for some of the most delicate work I ask of them.  Because he will ensure that every potential option is exhausted before he would entertain the notion of turning to violence...And because, if he ends up having to use force, he will bring a decisive end to any confrontation he is a part of."
"In other words, he will do everything to avoid starting a fight," said Twilight to herself, "But if he can't stop one from starting..."
"...Then he will end it," agreed Celestia.
"So that was why..."  It made sense now, why Arkenstone had been so reluctant to intervene at Steel Flint's party, why he had only stepped in when Twilight was in actual, physical danger.  She realized that, had Steel Flint attempted to force her away from Arkenstone and was in any danger of overpowering her, Arkenstone would have stepped in.  He hadn't wanted to see her hurt, but viewed allowing the situation to descend into violence to be a greater evil to be avoided if it was at all possible, particularly since the casualty list could have been so much higher.  If he had intervened at the wrong time during the party, Steel and his guards would have doubtlessly attacked Arkenstone, who would have defended himself with lethal efficiency.  They could quite possibly have been followed by other nobles attending as they attempted to put the earth pony “in his place.”  The party would have become a bloodbath.
"So then, the reason he did that to Steel Flint was..."
"Yes.  It is as Blueblood told you," said Celestia as the servants came in, bearing a plate of sandwiches, "It was a cruel mercy, but a mercy nonetheless.  Given the situation, it was the only respite that Arkenstone truly could have given Earl Flint."  Celestia looked down at her food sadly.  "It has always bothered me that Arkenstone has tried so hard to take up the burden of his enemies on top of his own.  I believe it is too much for anypony to do.  But he insists upon it, all the same."
"Arky..."  Twilight wasn't sure what she would do.  What would she say when she saw Arkenstone again?  What could she say?  Arkenstone had warned her about the burden carried by the Knights.  And it seemed that his was particularly heavy.  She had made it sound so simple..."I might be afraid of something that you do.  But I won't ever be afraid of you."  Those words returned to haunt her mind as she thought about what she had learned about Arkenstone.  Could she truly not be afraid of the stallion himself?
"Please don't give up on him," said Celestia, reaching out with a wing and gently brushing it across Twilight's cheek, "He needs you.  He needs somepony who will accept him for who he is...all of him."
"But how?"
"That will be up to you," said Celestia, "I know that Arkenstone never intended to burden you with this.  That is why he threw himself so completely into his work when he became a Knight.  However, at this rate, he will someday break down under that burden, which is something I never want to see come to pass.
"Shining Armor, Cadance, and Blueblood all know portions of the truth about Arkenstone.  Even I can't say that I know everything about what he has done.  However, you might be the pony who can get through to him and help that stallion find some measure of peace."
"I..."  Twilight swallowed nervously.  "...I'll try."
"That's all that I can ask," said Celestia, "But it is what Arkenstone truly needs.  He has never thought very highly of himself."  She turned to look out the window.  "I remember when I first met him, not all that long after he had gotten his cutie mark."
Twilight's ears perked up.  She knew that, whatever had happened at that time seemed to have driven a wedge between her and Arkenstone.  "What happened?"
Celestia leveled a stern gaze at Twilight.  "Normally, I would say that it isn't my place to share this secret with anypony.  However, if it better helps you understand Arkenstone, then I will."



Celestia looked up from her work at the sound of knocking to the door of her private study.  The sun had set and dinner had come and gone.  Now Celestia sat at her desk and wandered through the various minutiae that went into maintaining Equestria's stability.  Given that she had reigned over the day, and probably always would, it wasn't exactly characteristic for her to be burning the midnight oil like this (though, technically, midnight was still some hours away).  However, a request by one of her few favorites amongst the nobility had given her reason to stay up.  She had an appointment.  In the interest of the other party's privacy, she had agreed to set it in the late evening, during a time where she would have normally retired for the night.  As she saw it, if she was going to be waiting up, there was no reason she couldn't get some extra work done and maybe earn herself a few hours lying in the next morning.
"Please come in my little pony."
The door swung open at Celestia's words and a colt slowly made his way into the room.  He was still young, quite young from Celestia's standpoint.  Most colts his age would be spending the majority of their time playing games with their friends.  A few were still trying to find their cutie marks.  Very rarely did colts his age seem to be burdened with matters that weighed them down to their very depths of their souls.
In that last sense, this colt seemed far older than he should have.
Though he had clearly made an effort to make himself presentable for the Princess, Celestia could see little signs, here and there, of his distress.  His mane had been combed into place, but the colt had clearly put a little too much effort into his grooming and Celestia could see that his mane had been simply pulled into a different kind of disarray.  He'd clearly bathed recently, but had scrubbed a little too hard as, in some places, she make out patches of red in the skin beneath his coat.
But most telling were his eyes.  Dark bags had formed beneath them, giving the impression of troubled nights and dreary days, a red tint to their whites indicating the stress and no small amount of weeping.  All told, this young colt was awash in misery.
"You are Arkenstone, correct?" asked Celestia softly.
The colt nodded.
"Duke Whitecastle was the one who asked on your behalf for this audience, correct?"
Again, Arkenstone nodded.  "My Lord of Paradise Estate was most generous and kind to grant me this opportunity."
Celestia smiled.  "And who are you exactly?"
"I am Arkenstone, son of Redwood, Butler-in-Training to the Duchy of Paradise Estate."  The colt bowed formally.
"Rise," said Celestia, stifling a giggle at the formality.  Arkenstone was well-trained.  That much was for certain.  "Why have you asked for this audience?"
"Princess, I...I have a confession to make," said Arkenstone, "I did something terrible, something I should not have and..."  He gulped, looking as though he was facing his own execution.  "And yet...I somehow got my cutie mark out of it."
Normally, this would be grounds for congratulations.  But Celestia could see that the troubled colt was anything but happy about this development.  She got up from her desk and walked around it.  "Come," she said, gesturing towards another portion of the spacious study.  There, dominating one side of the room, was a cozy fireplace, surrounded by pillows, where Celestia liked to rest herself, often with a cup of tea or cocoa, sometimes chatting with her servants or her advisors.
She settled on a cushion and gestured to one next to her.  Arkenstone sat as he was bade.  But, before he could react, his body was covered by a white wing and Celestia gently pulled him up against her, tucking him against her side in much the same way that any pegasus mother would for her foal.
"There," she said, "Much better.  Now tell me everything."
And so he did.  He told her about Twilight Sparkle, his best friend's little sister, about her tormentors.  He told Celestia how, after one particularly awful incident, he had tracked them down and given them a taste of their own medicine, about how he'd lured them into an alley and tormented them, doling out fear and pain in equal measure as he sought teach them just what they had been inflicting upon other ponies.  Then he told her how he'd realized what he had done and why he had done it, and how that had, somehow, granted him his cutie mark.
Celestia was silent as Arkenstone finished his story.  The colt was afraid to look up, afraid to see her face, her expression.  He was afraid of what he would find there.  He fully expected rejection and condemnation.  She would probably order him arrested on the spot and see him punished for his crimes.  He expected angry tones and harsh words.
However, those never came.  Instead..."Arkenstone, look at me."
Doing as he had been told, the colt looked up.  Princess Celestia looked back down at him.  There was no anger in her gaze.  She wasn't smiling warmly down at him either, but that seemed to be out of a realization that her smile would probably make him feel even worse at the moment.
"You are not an evil pony," said Celestia, "True, what you did that night cannot be called the right thing.  Even if what those colts did was unforgivable, it makes you no better to sink to their level to dispense justice to them.
"However, you acted out of love for your friend's sister.  You acted to protect her.  And while I will take issue with your methods, I cannot fault your convictions.
"More importantly, you have the strength of character to realize what you did was wrong.  It takes a pony with a great heart to act to protect others from harm.  But it takes a pony with an even greater heart to recognize the harm you do to others, even for the most noble of reasons, to suffer for how you treated your enemies and not just for how your enemies have treated your friends."
She leaned down and rested her head over Arkenstone's own.  "You had the strength to recognize the wrongs you have done, you had the strength to bring your confession to me.  I am so very proud of you...and I forgive you for what you did."
"B-but...shouldn't I be punished?" asked Arkenstone, pulling away slightly to stare up at the Princess.
Celestia smiled.  "If we had brought this to the courts, you would be punished by the law.  However, in its essence, punishment is a tool to teach a pony when she has done something wrong and that she should not do it again.  You already recognize that.  There is nothing that you would gain from punishment.  What you need instead...is guidance."
"What sort of guidance?" asked Arkenstone, still completely stunned to have been so kindly treated, in spite of his misdeeds.
"You have a heart that loves powerfully," said Celestia, "That love can sometimes lead a pony astray and cause them to make mistakes, like the one that you made that night.  You have a passion for justice as well.  But that carries with it many of the same dangers.  You will have to learn to temper these things in order to reach your true potential and not become a threat to others, including those you treasure most.
"I have an old friend who lives in a small town not far from here.  If you seek her out, I believe she will be able to give you the guidance that you seek."
Arkenstone nodded and bent his head to listen to Celestia's instruction as she spoke to him for a little while longer.
> Extinction
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 20: Extinction

"I believe that is what started Arkenstone down the path that eventually led to his Knighthood," said Celestia as her tale drew to a close.
Twilight was silent as she processed the tale Celestia had told her.  For the first time, she'd heard the truth of how Arkenstone had gained his cutie mark.  Now, the way he had kept his distance afterwards made sense.  How long has he kept this to himself? she wondered, How long has he been punishing himself for that?
She looked up at Celestia, who merely smiled down at her student.  "Do you know what you need to do?" asked the Princess.
"I'm...not sure..." admitted Twilight, "It makes sense now, but I'm still not sure how I feel about it...how I feel about him."
"Whatever your feelings may be, I still hope you can help him," said Celestia.
Twilight nodded.  She got up and left.  Celestia watched her go, her smile fading as soon as Twilight was out of sight.  "How long do you intend to eavesdrop?"
"Forgive me, Your Highness."  An off-white horn came into view just beyond the doorway, followed by the dark-tan and white mane, framing crimson eyes.  "I merely happened to be passing by and heard something interesting."
Celestia's eyes narrowed as she took in the form of her sister's majordomo.  While she couldn't fault her sister's compassion for giving such a position to a stallion with his condition and lack of magic, there was still...something...something that had nothing to do with his condition...that rubbed her the wrong way.  He had been present for the duel as well, though Celestia wasn't certain that Wight Shade had been there at Luna's behest.
As the stallion stepped into the room, the servants were not far behind him, coming to whisk away the remnants of the meal that she had shared with Twilight.  "A private conversation between a princess and her student is something that should remain private."
"I apologize," said Wight, bowing low, "I shall forget everything I heard today."
"I sincerely doubt that," said Celestia, narrowing her eyes dangerously, "But since you are my sister's, I shall take you at your word.  If you do not hold your tongue, I shall take the issue to Luna."
"I understand, Your Highness," said Wight, still bowed as he backed up to the door.  There was no sign, in his voice or his manner, that indicated that he had taken offense at how Celestia had treated him.  However, for some reason, that only unnerved the Princess all the more.
Once he was gone, Celestia let out a breath she didn't even know that she had been holding.  "Honestly, where does my sister find these ponies?"



Twilight was not sure if she would ever see Arkenstone again.  The way he had simply disappeared after the duel, the way he'd escaped the moment she'd taken her eyes off him, seemed to indicate that he didn't want her to.  Now that she had a better understanding of what made the stallion tick, she figured that his sense of guilt would simply prompt him to disappear from her life and never show his face around her again.
So it was quite a surprise, though she wasn't sure whether it was a pleasant one or not, to find him waiting for her back at her parents' house, calmly reclining on some cushions in the library.
"I didn't think you would be here," she said.
"I did promise your brother that I would look after you," replied Arkenstone, "And, whatever else, we still have your practical lessons to finish once you get back to Ponyville."
Twilight laid down next to him, keeping a short distance between them as she studied the stallion intently.  Arkenstone was a cypher to her.  It sometimes felt as though she could never truly establish a connection with him.  However, remembering what she had learned about him over the past few days, she vowed to try.
"Arkenstone," she said, "I think it's time you told me."
Arkenstone lifted his head and opened his eyes.  Twilight had only known him to open his eyes as a sign that he was deadly serious.  However, for the first time, it seemed that she had genuinely taken him by surprise.
"You still want to know?" he asked softly, "Even knowing the kind of pony that I am, what kind of secret it must be...you still want to know?"
Twilight nodded.  The thought of what she was about to find out made her gut churn.  However, she had resolved to see this through.  "Yes...I...I don't think, whatever this secret of yours may be, that you should have to bear it alone."  She lifted a hoof and gently laid it across one of Arkenstone's.  "I promised you before that I might be afraid of things that you do, but I won't ever be afraid of you.  I want you to hold me to that promise now."
"You want me to what?"  Arkenstone would have been staring at her, had his eyes been working.
"I want you to hold me to that promise," said Twilight, staring intently into those featureless, sightless eyes, "The first time I made it, you didn't hold me to it.  You couldn't believe that anypony could truly learn about you without being terrified of or disgusted with you.  You never held me to that promise because you felt that it wouldn't be right, that it would be trying to make me not be afraid of you.  But that isn't it!"
Twilight leaned in, careful to avoid prodding him with her horn, she gently pressed her head against Arkenstone's.  "If you can hold me to my promise Arky, it means that you believe in me.  I believe in you now.  I want you to do the same for me.  Is that too much to ask of a Knight...a little faith?"
"I..."  Arkenstone tried to argue, but found that no words could leave his mouth.  With a sigh, he sagged down in defeat.  "Very well...I shall hold you to your promise Twilight Sparkle."
"Good," said Twilight, "Now tell me what happened with the changelings."
Arkenstone, took a deep breath and began to relate his tale to Twilight, telling her everything.  Twilight's eyes widened as she listened to how Arkenstone had gone, unaided, into the heart of their territory and even straight into their lair.  Her amazement turned into confusion when she learned about what Arkenstone had found there, then sadness at what he had realized, then horror when she learned the cause of it all.
"Shiny...Cadance..."  She felt tears began to well up in her eyes.  What will they think when they learn about this?
"They will never know," said Arkenstone softly, "As far as they are aware...as far as they will ever be aware, Queen Chrysalis refused to make peace with us and fought to the very last.  I made sure of that much.  You and I are now the only ones who carry this secret."
"How did she die?" asked Twilight, dreading the answer.
"Hard..."



If there was truly anything that Arkenstone could take away about Queen Chrysalis' character, it was that she was a loving mother, doting and fawning over her young to the very end...in a rather roundabout way as these things go.  While the changeling drones had their own consciousness and awareness, it was Chrysalis' presence and will that held them together.  Without her, they would be left without any drive to their life, no will to truly live.  They would simply linger and die, suffering more from her absence than any torture that she could inflict on them throughout her own life.
That is why she made sure that they died first.
Perhaps her children were aware of that.  Perhaps that is why they hurled themselves at the Knight with such abandon.  Arkenstone didn't even flinch as the waves of attacking changelings broke over him like the waves of the ocean upon the rocky shore.  Their bodies sheathed in the sickly-green flames of their magic, the changeling drones had transformed themselves into living missiles.  The impact of their charge could shatter rock and stone, pulverizing it.  If they impacted a being of flesh and blood...well it didn't bear thinking about.
Normally, the changelings aimed to take their victims alive.  A dead pony could offer no love to feed off of after all.  This technique had been used during the invasion as a means of getting the changeling forces to the ground before Canterlot's defenders could react.  It also had the effect of scattering the ponies around them into a panic, making it difficult for an effective defense to be coordinated.  However, they showed no such compunction this time.  They hurled themselves straight for Arkenstone, intent on crushing him to a fleshy pulp.
They never touched him.
The changelings leading the charge were suddenly carved to pieces by blades moving so fast that their progress was impossible to track.  Arkenstone's swords cut clean through the sheathes of magic, followed by the hardened carapaces of his enemies.  Their bodies crashed to the ground, splashing ichor across the cavern floor.
And still, the changelings continued to throw themselves at him in droves, having lost all regard for their lives.  They were doomed to die anyway.  Even if they won this battle, the drain on the last of their magical reserves was sure to steal their lives away shortly afterwards.
And still, none of them reached Arkenstone.  His blades whipped through the air with impossible speed, carving not only into the changelings themselves, but the cavern floors and walls.  A few even launched straight upwards, impaling changelings against the ceiling and embedding themselves into the bases of the stalactites hanging down from above.
The ferocity of his defense might have seemed like more than was necessary.  However, the omnipresent buzz of countless wings made it impossible for Arkenstone's ears to pick out the sounds of individuals.  The entire cavern was suffused with their scent, which continued to thicken with each passing second, making tracking them through scent just as much of an impossibility.  Furthermore, the drones refrained from keeping in contact with the cavern floors and walls, making it difficult to pin them down whenever they alighted on an earthen surface.
I'll have to hoof it to Chrysalis, thought Arkenstone ruefully, I never expected her to turn my greatest strengths against me so skillfully.  It was clear that she wasn't merely powerful.  Queen Chrysalis was a wily opponent who had once wormed her way into the heart of Canterlot itself.  He should have known better than to think that this battle was going to be easy.
However, Arkenstone's skills were not to be scoffed at.  Even with his senses hobbled, he wasn't a Knight for nothing.  His blades worked furiously through defensive patterns that filled the air around him with razor edges, making sure that none of the charging changelings reached him.  And his efforts were paying off.  The buzzing was beginning to die down as the changeling numbers thinned.  Soon, Arkenstone was beginning to be able to pick out the sounds of their individual approaches.  The smell of freshly-spilt ichor served to provide a stench that helped isolate the scents of live changelings.
With the enemy numbers thinned, Arkenstone was able to rein in his efforts and focus on intercepting the attacking changelings individually, targeting them precisely.  The speed and accuracy of his blades only seemed to increase with each passing moment.  Before long, the drones would be gone and all that would be left was Chrysalis herself.
However, it seemed that the Queen had other plans.  Arkenstone turned to face another barrage of changeling bullets, expecting to cut them down just as he had done with the previous waves.  At the last second, his nose picked up the scent of ozone with a slightly different quality from what the drones were using.  It was building up behind them and surging towards him, pressing directly through them as a massive blast of sickly-green fire engulfed them from behind and barreled directly down on Arkenstone.  It seemed to consume the drones it burned, drawing their remaining energies into itself and building its strength as it threatened to immolate the stallion where he stood.
But Arkenstone had already taken action.  One of his blades had already launched off, slashing through the base of a nearby stalagmite, severing it from the floor and sending the long, thin rock projection spinning straight into Arkenstone's outstretched foreleg.  Curling his fetlock around the weapon, Arkenstone breathed deeply, drawing the magic of the earth itself into the stalagmite chunk as he raised it overhead.  In less than a second, a massive sword, one at least five times as long as he was and wider than he was tall, was in its place.  Arkenstone brought the sword down in a mighty slash that divided the fire ahead of him, splitting it so that it washed to either side of him.  The intense heat made him sweat, but Arkenstone, pulled more magic into himself to withstand it.
The fire dwindled and faded.  For a moment, a lull fell over the cavern.  Arkenstone's ears and nose picked up the signs of at least a full two-dozen changelings still hovering about, as well as their Queen, who had not moved from her resting place, even to blast Arkenstone through her own children.  Against any other opponent, such callous disregard for her own soldiers, much less her own offspring, would have been a detestable trait.  But Chrysalis was not an ordinary foe, nor were these ordinary circumstances.  Win or lose, nothing changed the fact that she and her brood would die soon.  Their every attack, every spell, ever tongue of that pale-green flame only hastened that moment.  In this situation, Chrysalis had nothing to gain by holding anything back, not her magic, nor the lives of her children.
Even the most mild-mannered creatures can turn vicious and dangerous when driven into a corner, their drive for survival pushing them to exert themselves in ways that would normally have been unthinkable, drawing upon reserves of strength heretofore unknown.  The will to live was a terrifying and tenacious source of strength.
But this was not the will to live.  Chrysalis and her brood were beyond merely fighting to survive.  Not only were they drawing upon that hidden strength that only comes when one feels the need to survive, no matter what, but they were going further, drawing upon the strength that drew itself from their very lives, not caring if their bodies were broken or their bodies sapped of magic.
Queen Chrysalis and the changelings were not fighting to survive.  They were fighting to die.
"You impress me, pony," hissed Chrysalis, her voice cracking with obvious strain.  Arkenstone idly wondered how much of her remaining time she had used with that last attack...Hours?...Days?  And how much time did she have left?  Even if she won, would she even last the day once this was over?
Chrysalis continued.  "You didn't even flinch at that last one.  I half-expected you to fly into a rage."
"You're a canny one," replied Arkenstone, "But I am well aware of your circumstances, even before we began this battle, since you were kind enough to inform me of them yourself.  I will not shed tears nor bring myself to anger for that which is already dead."
Chrysalis snorted derisively.  "I can smell the lie on you pony.  You may not be angry at me, but you are indeed saddened.  You can't hide emotions from us."
"I suppose not," admitted Arkenstone with a shrug, "I will mourn your passing.  This is not something that should have happened.  I only wish that we could have met under different circumstances."
"I do not," replied Chrysalis, "You are the one who proposed this.  Play the cards you have dealt yourself or simply stand and let me kill you.  Either way, it matters not to me."
"So be it," replied Arkenstone.
Pulling his foreleg back, he hurled the massive sword straight at Chrysalis.  The changeling queen responded with a blast of magic, but the tip and edge of the flying blade punched right through it.  Her wings buzzed and she leapt off her seat, dodging to the side as the massive sword soared right by her, embedding itself into the wall, causing the stone to shatter, scattering small chunks of rock all across the cavern floor.
At the same time, Arkenstone unleashed several of his smaller blades in multiple directions.  The blades flew past the hovering drones and embedded themselves in the columns scattered around the cave.  The stone pillars shattered under the force of impact, sending rocky shrapnel flying about.  Such small rocks, even at the rather impressive velocity they were moving, wouldn't have even made a dent in a changeling's carapace.  However, as the bug-like creatures focused their attention on Arkenstone, he drew in a breath, seeming to lose himself in a particular scent.  The shards of rock crackled with energy and became swords themselves, still flying at incredible velocity, but now both larger and sharper.  The changelings hovering around those columns were cut to ribbons in an instant.  The vast majority of the remaining changelings lost their lives at that moment.  The blades went on to crash into walls, stalagmites, and the cavern floor, sending more debris flying across the chamber and throwing up clouds of dust that made Arkenstone cough as he fought to clear his throat.
"It's certainly quite dusty in here," he murmured softly.
"I see," observed Chrysalis from her new location, "Very interesting.  Your magic is not all that dissimilar to my own."
"I noticed that as well," agreed Arkenstone, "It seems that we are both adept at using scent as a channel for control and power to alter form."
Carefully attuning his senses, Arkenstone picked out the sounds of six more drones, plus the Queen herself.  Five of the drones abruptly launched themselves at him once more.  Arkenstone hardly even flicked an ear as more blades seemed to appear out of thin air and intercepted all five of the drones as they closed with him.
However, in the moment he'd countered their attack, something had changed.  He no longer sensed Queen Chrysalis.  Instead, someone else was in the cave, someone...no...somepony familiar.
"Arkenstone..."
The stallion froze, his ears flicking in confusion at the familiar voice.  There was no question as to what he had heard.
It was Cadance.  She was standing right in front of him in a changeling stronghold.
His rational mind easily decoded the situation.  Shapeshifting was a changeling's primary ability.  Queen Chrysalis had already transformed into Cadance before, in order to infiltrate Canterlot.  The Cadance before him was, in fact, Chrysalis.  The logic of the situation was absurd.  There was no way that the real Cadance would be here, in the depths of the badlands.  There was no way Arkenstone wouldn't have noticed the disappearance of Chrysalis' presence at the same instant Cadance's appeared.
However, Queen Chrysalis' transformation went beyond something that could be reasoned away by logic.  At the moment of her shift, she truly became Cadance to Arkenstone's senses.  Her scent, her voice, even her presence itself, all transformed.  The impression was so powerful that, even though Arkenstone's conscious mind quickly pierced the veil of the illusion, his subconscious shuddered at the thought of him leveling a blade at a close friend.  The sword poised to bite into Chrysalis' flesh faltered for a second.
Even though he couldn't see her, Arkenstone knew that the fake Cadance's lips had just curled into a smile...just as the final changeling drone launched itself at the stallion from the left.
Responding instantly to the attack, Arkenstone whirled his blade around, the weapon practically vanishing as it accelerated, cleaving through the drone easily.  However, even as he did so, Arkenstone could smell the building ozone as Chrysalis charged another attack through her horn, one even more powerful than the last, as she shed her disguise like a molted exoskeleton.
The blast of magical flame rushed at the stallion, who now was in no position to intercept the attack with a large blade, like he had the last time.  Now, out of position, with only the dust around him to look to, Arkenstone could only wait as the blast rushed to engulf him.
The explosion sent tremors throughout the entire network of the hive.  Cracks, already created by the impacts of Arkenstone's blades, widened and opened as the network of caves and caverns shuddered.  Any more strain, and the caves and tunnels would collapse.  It didn't matter.  There was nothing left to bury within the caverns.  Chrysalis had no need to worry about the structural integrity of her hive any longer.
"That was certainly close."
Arkenstone could hear the agitated buzz of Chrysalis' wings as the smoke began to disperse.  He could smell her shock when she saw the large shield that Arkenstone now held between himself and the attack.
The Queen's jaw dropped.  "You...the dust-"
"Was not as much of a hinderance as you supposed," replied Arkenstone casually, allowing his shield to crumble away, "Scent is composed of particles after all.  All my magic does is connect those particles into a chain, forming a link and then serving as a channel for my power.  Dust is simply a mass of such particles.  Connecting them and drawing them together and crafting a form from them is an easy process.  You could call it the most powerful tool in my arsenal."
Chrysalis clicked her tongue in agitation.  "I was certain I had you that time," she hissed.
"I must commend you on your strategy," commented Arkenstone, earnestly enough, "Were you building towards that moment over the course of this entire battle?"
Chrysalis said nothing.
"Repetitive attacks to induce complacency..." continued Arkenstone, "And trying to overwhelm me with force of numbers from all sides in order to scatter my focus...  You launched your first attack earlier in order to gauge my response to determine how much of an opening you needed.  Then, attacking with your final drones, you waited until the right instant, when I had just finished intercepting their attacks to make your transformation.  At that instant, my psyche was sufficiently vulnerable that I was caught off-guard by your trick, my subconscious reaction being enough to make me hesitate, which you exploited by having your final drone attack.  My delayed response left enough of an opening for you to strike without me being in position to defend the way I had before.
"You made only two errors.  The first was your assumption that, since I primarily navigate by smell, the dust would impair my senses enough to hinder any attempt to block or intercept your attack.  The second was that I only had one means of defending against a blow of that caliber.  Aside from that, your strategy was magnificent.  I haven't had to resort to creating a shield in a long time."
Chrysalis spat at his hooves.  "Spare me your praise," she growled, "To think that a mere earth pony would best me, here in the heart of my power...Me!  The one who once had Princess Celestia at her mercy!"
"It is because I am an earth pony that I can fight so well here," replied Arkenstone, "These caverns may be your hive and home.  But here, in the depths of the earth itself, my strength could not be greater."
"Enough chit-chat," said Chrysalis, "It is time to bring this to an end."
"Very well."  Arkenstone shook his head.  "You have no more drones.  Now it is down to the two of us...and however much power you have remaining."
"I have more than enough for you!" snapped Chrysalis, more magic gathering at the tip of her horn, "It doesn't matter what barriers you create.  I will simply call upon the power to smash them back into the dust from which you conjured them."
"That won't be necessary," replied Arkenstone calmly, "You aren't the only one who has been laying a strategy since the beginning of this battle."
Once again, he drew in a deep breath, as though savoring a particular scent.  Chrysalis practically felt the magic spilling out from the stallion, spreading in a wave across the floor of the cavern.  She stepped back...and paused as her hooves brushed over the the small stones and other rubble strewn across the floor by his previous attacks.  "You!"
"Indeed," agreed Arkenstone, releasing his breath.  Chrysalis felt the ground around her practically crackling with power as Arkenstone's magic went to work.  "The scent I use is a channel for my power.  With my attacks, I was spreading my scent across the cave, opening channels for my power.  Anything I can smell becomes a blade at my will."
Chrysalis looked down and jumped as blades sprung upwards, a thicket of razor edges lancing upward in an instant.  If she took to the air now, she would merely make herself a target for Arkenstone's flying swords.  However, her keen senses told her that Arkenstone's power was not perfect, the spread was uneven and there were spaces between the blades, which she was able to slip into.  With a simple sidestep, she was able to escape the upward thrust of the Knight's swords, allowing her to escape injury.  Even better, his blades were now serving as her cover, allowing her to build up and unleash her magical attack.
"You're a fool if you think that would be enough!" she shouted triumphantly, lifting her horn and preparing to hurtle her next spell.
"I would be indeed," agreed Arkenstone, "However, I am not finished."
The Queen's ears twitched as she heard a low crumbling noise from above.  Looking up, Chrysalis' eyes widened in surprise.  Countless stalactites had broken free of the cavern ceiling, having been neatly severed at their bases.  As they plummeted, the thin spikes of stone transformed into giant swords.  The magic gathering around Chrysalis' horn faded and dispersed.  It was over.  She had lost.  There was no reason to fight any longer.
The blades from above met the blades from below, meshing together like the teeth of a trap, leaving no opening for escape.  Chrysalis made no sound, not even a hiss or grunt of pain as the blades pierced her exoskeleton in over a dozen places.  Though her strength had left her, she could not fall, as the numerous swords now run through her body propped her up.  In the nearly deafening silence that fell after the final blow had been delivered, a single clattering noise echoed as the changeling queen's severed horn dropped to the ground.
Arkenstone took a step.  The moment his hoof touched back down on the ground, the blades crumbled away, leaving the stones that they had once been clattering about in their wake.  He stepped forward as Chrysalis, now no longer suspended upright, slumped to the ground, unable to even lift her head to regard her executioner.
"How do you feel?" asked Arkenstone softly.
Chrysalis snorted.  "I hate to admit that a pony was right, but you were.  It irritates me that, even drained and weakened as I was, I wasn't able to leave a mark on you.  But at least my children won't have to suffer any longer."
"Nor you," replied Arkenstone, "I am sorry that it came to this."
"I am not," replied Chrysalis coldly, "You ponies are nothing but food to us.  It is just as well that you found me when you did.  We do not reason with food.  You do not establish relationships with your prey.  You do not make friends with that which you are meant to consume."
"I would have made arguments to the contrary," said Arkenstone, "But it is all meaningless now."
Chrysalis chuckled, the sound becoming a low gurgle.  "So it is," she replied, "It's getting dark now."
"Close your eyes," said Arkenstone, his voice gentle, his tone soothing, "Rest.  Your time is done."
"Tell me one last thing, pony," said Chrysalis, "Will we be remembered?"
"In the end, probably not," admitted the beige stallion, "Nothing lingers in this world forever, not even memory.  But it will most likely be a long time before you are forgotten.  I think Princess Celestia, of all ponies, will remember you for a long time.  You made quite an impression on her after all."
That drew a weak laugh from the fading Chrysalis.  "I suppose I did.  I won't thank you for it, pony.  But I suppose, as endings go, this one wasn't quite so bad."
"No...it wasn't," said Arkenstone.
Chrysalis' eyes closed.  Her presence faded completely.  Her body lost all semblance of life and all that remained was an empty husk, still oozing ichor.  Arkenstone sighed softly.  Sniffing carefully, he let his ears guide his hooves to the spot where he had heard her horn fall before.  Lowering his head, Arkenstone gripped the jagged piece of chitin in his teeth, trying his best not to grimace at the nasty taste and smell.  Turning about, he hid the gruesome trophy inside the hairs of his tail.
The task done, the stallion's ears turned upward as he heard a low rumble from above.  The battle had taken its toll on the structural integrity of the cave.  Now, Chrysalis' lair was on the verge of collapse, the damage to the walls and ceiling having fractured the rock above, and threatening to send the ceiling crumbling down.
Despite the precarious situation, there was no haste in Arkenstone's motions as he turned and picked his way through the remains of the fallen changelings, making his way towards the cavern exit.  Reaching the edge of the cavern, he flicked his tail sharply.  Two blades seemed to materialize out of thin air, rushing towards the ceiling and wedging themselves into the slowly widening cracks above.  The sound of breaking stone filled the air, followed by an earthshaking rumble as the cavern caved in, burying Chrsyalis and the last of her changeling horde forever.
"Farewell, oh mighty queen," said Arkenstone, "I shall keep your fate in my memories until the day I pass from this world.  When that happens, that secret shall pass with me.  I suppose, ponies will only ever remember you for the evils you visited upon them.  But I think you prefer it that way."
His "quest" complete, the not-so-gallant Knight made his way through the labyrinth of tunnels leading to the surface.



Arkenstone could hear the small sounds of Twilight's tears splashing down on the library floor as he finished his tale.  "Twilight?"
"Th-that's so sad," she whispered.  The truth seemed unfathomable.  Queen Chrysalis had imprisoned Cadance, brainwashed Shining Armor, locked Twilight down in the caverns beneath the Palace, and had led her changeling horde in an invasion of Canterlot, looking to prey upon Equestria's ponies without mercy...
...But Twilight would have never suggested that, at any point, such actions would have warranted the complete extermination of her people.  Yes, the changelings had done a great deal of damage.  Yes, they needed to be dealt with, just like any other threat would be.  But not like this.
"They're gone," she said, "They're all gone."  An entire race, with who knew how many centuries, or even millennia of history and culture, wiped away, leaving nothing behind.
She looked at Arkenstone, wondering what she would feel, now that she knew the part he had played in bringing this about.  She wasn't certain what she felt.  She couldn't even put a name to the emotions that churned in her gut.  Even Arkenstone couldn't be held responsible for what had happened.  After all, the final blow had ultimately been struck that day in Canterlot...and by none other than her brother and her sister-in-law.  Shining Armor and Cadance's wave of magic repelling the changelings from the city doomed Chrysalis and her kin to a drawn-out, lingering death as they starved, unable to feed on their sole source of sustenance.
Perhaps the worst thing about all of this was that nopony had meant for it to end this way.  Shining Armor and Cadance had not intended to sentence the changelings to extinction with their magic.  Arkenstone had gone to them hoping to build peaceful relations.
"Do you see now?"
Twilight flinched at Arkenstone's question.
"This is the truth about what it means to be a Knight," continued the stallion, "It means washing blood away with even more blood.  We create mountains of corpses through our work.  In order to keep Equestria safe, we must either turn away her enemies...or bury them.  I have buried many...many enemies.  I slaughtered the remaining changelings, exterminated them.  Do you see what kind of pony I am?"
"Arky..."  Twilight felt herself beginning to cry again, this time for different reasons.
"Princess Celestia doesn't know," said Arkenstone, "Like Shining and Cadance, all she knows is that Chrysalis refused to negotiate and instead chose to fight to the death.  You and I are the only ones who know the fate of the changelings.  If I could only ask one thing of you, it would be that you keep this to yourself.  Nopony else must know of what happened, especially the role your brother and his wife played."
Twilight nodded silently, silently making an oath to herself far more binding than any Pinkie Promise she had ever made.  She would never speak of what she had heard today with anypony, not her family, not even her closest friends.  She would carry that silence to the grave with her.
Arkenstone swallowed and turned his head away from Twilight.  "I understand that you probably don't want to be with me now.  I can understand..."
Something in Twilight Sparkle's head snapped that moment.  Her tears and sadness vanished in the blink of an eye, only to be replaced by something else...anger.
"I...I'll go," said Arkenstone, rising to his hooves, "I'll let your brother know I shouldn't be around you anymore.  I-"
He was cut off sharply be a blow from Twilight's forehoof to the top of his head.  The stallion reared back with a grunt, falling onto his haunches as his own forehooves went to his throbbing skull.  In that moment, Twilight was on him, pounding against his chest with all her might.
"YOU JERK!" she screamed, "YOU UNBELIEVABLE JERK!"
Though the force behind her strikes was insubstantial, Arkenstone shuddered with each punch, realizing how much she must hate and fear him now.  He resigned himself to riding out her outburst before he could leave.  However, he was caught off guard when the onslaught of blows stopped, followed by Twilight throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder.  Hot tears began to mat the fur of his coat.
"What about what you said before you told me?" demanded Twilight angrily, her words causing Arkenstone to freeze in place, "You didn't hold me to my promise.  You promised to believe in me!  What happened to your faith?"
"I..."  Arkenstone couldn't say anything.
"Were they just words to you Arkenstone?  Did you just say them because you felt that's what would make me happy?"  Twilight lifted her head up and stared straight on at Arkenstone, not caring that he couldn't actually see her.  "Why don't you believe in me?"
"I...I just didn't want to force you..."
"You're not forcing me to do anything!" snapped Twilight, her words causing the stallion's mouth to shut with an audible clack of teeth, "I chose to believe in you.  I chose to make that promise, to not be afraid of you, no matter what you might have done!  Do you understand?  That. Was. My. Choice!"
"But why would you...why would you choose that?" asked Arkenstone, "Knowing the pain I've brought to others, knowing the kind of pony that I am..."
"Why?" growled Twilight, "I'll show you why!"
Without any further warning, she leaned forward and pressed her lips hard against Arkenstone's own.  The beige stallion moved to pull away from the kiss, but Twilight's arms tightened, holding him in place and keeping their lips connected as she poured all of her feelings into that single, simple gesture.  Slowly, Arkenstone's muscles relaxed.  Finally, he leaned back against Twilight, lifting his own arms to return her embrace and pull her closer still.  The two of them clung tightly to each other, their lips still connected.
Slowly, the two of them pulled away.  Arkenstone's eyes opened again.  Twilight didn't hesitate to meet his sightless gaze.  Tears still ran down her cheeks.  But now, she had a small smile in place, a happy, relieved smile.  "Because I love you," she said.
"Thank you," whispered Arkenstone, tears of his own beginning to run out of his eyes, "I don't deserve this, but thank you."
He flinched when Twilight's hoof bounced off his chest again.  "Stop that right now mister," she chided him sharply, "This isn't about you deserving or not deserving anything.  What I feel has nothing to do with what you deserve."
She leaned forward and pressed her neck against Arkenstone's, turning her head so that it rested across his withers.  The stallion's soft breath stirred her coat as he returned the gesture.
"Arky, you are so strong," said Twilight, "But that doesn't mean you should try to do everything..to take everything on by yourself.
"It's not just me.  Celestia, Shining, Cadance...Blueblood; they all want to help you, to hold you up, to see you be happy.  And, no matter how much you think you deserve to be punished for what you did, I know you want to be happy too."
"I'm not all that strong," protested Arkenstone weakly, "You are so much stronger than I am Twilight."  His hold on her tightened.  "Would your really have me in your life?"
"Yes," said Twilight, gently rubbing her neck against his.
"Thank you," he said softly, pulling back away from her slightly.  When Twilight looked up at him in confusion, Arkenstone smiled.  This time, he was the one to kiss her.
The two of them melted against each other and, for the remainder of that day, nothing was said between them.



Only when it was time for them to turn in for the night did Twilight finally decide to speak again as she rested up against her special somepony, a book balanced across her forelegs as she savored the feeling of his head resting over hers.  After the kiss, they had simply spent the hours curled together, saying nothing.  Twilight had taken up a book and started reading, occasionally pausing to exchange further gestures of affection with Arkenstone, but, for the most part, simply basking in the feeling of their newfound closeness.
"Let's go home," she said, "Let's go home tomorrow."
"What about your research?" asked Arkenstone.
"I have enough to start," said Twilight, "But I've had enough of Canterlot for now.  Right now, I just want to go home and be with my friends and you."  She extracted her head out from under his and planted a kiss on his cheek.  "Let's go back.  I want to see you realize that little dream of yours too, you know.  You shouldn't put off opening your shop any longer."
"Alright," said Arkenstone softly, "Let's go home."
The stallion's ear twitched as he picked up the sound of two ponies outside the Sparkle Family Library, namely, the other two members of Twilight's family who were in the house.  He'd known that Twilight's parents had been watching them for some time, though not, thankfully, during that time he had spent telling Twilight the story of what really happened to Chrysalis.  Though he knew better than to take things too far, particularly since he and Twilight had only just become a couple (officially, he supposed), he was happy to have some chaperones, just in case.
As it was, the two of them only seemed to be happy that their daughter had found their special somepony, though Arkenstone noted that Twilight's father seemed particularly, gleeful, probably anticipating the opportunity to tease his daughter mercilessly.  Arkenstone briefly indulged the thought of warning Twilight's father off, but then remembered that her flustered state was particularly adorable and decided to keep his own counsel.



As it turned out, Night Light did not make very much headway in teasing his daughter before he found himself spending dinner in timeout...by way of being transmogrified into a potted cactus for the duration the meal.  After dinner was finished, Twilight turned him back and extracted a promise from her father to keep from anymore ribbings, lest he wanted to spend the remainder of the night in that state.
As it was, the two of them were waiting at the platform when their ears picked up the sound of approaching hooves.  Twilight looked up and gasped to see the familiar form of Arcana making his way through the small crowd of ponies on the platform, his tall, slender stature making him stand out from the other ponies waiting for the next train..  Surprisingly, he looked slightly winded, as though he had been running for a good distance.
"You can certainly be impulsive when you want to," chided Arcana as he came to within hailing distance of them, "I'm lucky your parents were willing to tell me where you went when I came calling at your house."
"Did you want something?" asked Twilight curtly.  She might have been able to tolerate Arcana, but his personality was like rubbing up against coarse sandpaper to her.
Her attitude only drew a chuckle from the effeminate stallion.  His horn glittered, releasing a few motes of light as he hefted the satchel he had been wearing over one shoulder before passing it to Twilight.
"What's this?" she asked, taking the item in her own magic.
"A gift for you you and your friends," replied Arcana, "Call it something halfway between a thank you and an apology for having to deal with Trixie's antics."
"How is she?" asked Twilight nervously.
"Doing much better," replied Arcana, "In a month or so, once she's recovered and we've built up our fat reserves, she'll accompany me north once again."
"So she's still being punished?"
"No.  She's 'served her sentence,' so to speak.  Her punishment was over when she returned to Canterlot with me."  Arcana gave Twilight the first truly genuine smile she had ever seen him wear.  "In fact, she was the one who asked me if she could come north with me."
Twilight stared at the satchel hovering in front of her, momentarily dumbfounded.  I can't believe that Trixie would ask for something like that.
"In any case," said Arcana, "That bag contains something I discovered up in the north.  Unfortunately, none of the ponies in any of the settlements up there had much use for something like that, nor the skill to make much use of something like that.  So I thought you and your friends might better appreciate it.  I understand one of your friends is a gifted farmer."
Twilight looked up at Arcana before turning her attention back to the satchel and opening it.  Her eyes widened and she looked inside.  Inside sat over a dozen mid-sized apples, their skin a pure, pristine white, like a field of fresh, newly fallen snow.
"Are these...?" she asked, gaping up at Arcana.
The stallion nodded.  "They are.  I figured that you and your friends might be clever enough to make use of them."
Twilight gulped and once again looked inside the bag.  "That might take a while.  I hope these keep."
"You needn't worry," said Arcana, looking unquestionably smug, "My stasis spell is nearly perfect.  Those apples will keep for a full three years before it loses its potency."
"Really?" Twilight practically squealed...right before shoving her head snout first into the bag, so that only her horn protruded out.  Arcana looked on, nonplussed, while Arkenstone chuckled at his fillyfriend's behavior.
The beige stallion's ear flicked as his picked up a distant whistle.  His nose was already beginning to sample the acrid scent of smoke that preceded the train's arrival.  Their ride was here.
Twilight's head still hadn't budged from within the bag as she continued to rummage around.  Arcana raised a curious eyebrow as the train pulled ponderously up to the platform with a loud squeal of brakes as they labored to stop the multi-ton behemoth.  The car doors opened and its passengers were beginning to disembark.  However, Twilight still seemed to make no attempt to extract her head from the bag, nor did Arkenstone seem inclined to make her do so.
Then, just as the boarding was about to begin, Twilight's horn flickered once...twice...three times.  It was Arcana's turn to widen his eyes as he watched the spell matrix she was constructing take form.  Twilight withdrew her head from the bag and smiled widely at the flummoxed stallion.  "That's an amazing spell," she said cheerfully, "I can't believe you were able to come up with something like that.  I would have never thought of using True Ice magic to induce a complete temporal suspension."
Arcana's jaw nearly unhinged itself as he listened to Twilight dissect the principles of the stasis spell he'd once spent over six months developing.
"Thank you so much," finished Twilight as she closed the satchel and stood, slinging it over her shoulder so that it rested next to her saddlebags, "I'll be sure to share this with all my friends.  I'm really looking forward to it."
Still gaping, Arcana merely nodded, unable to say anything.
"Well, goodbye for now, I guess," continued Twilight, who was already making her way to the train, "Say goodbye to Trixie for me.  Oh, and make sure you treat her nice this time around."  And then she was gone, disappearing through the doors of the nearest car.
"You're going to catch a lot of flies," commented Arkenstone wryly as he trotted past the stunned unicorn.  When Arcana made no move to heed his words, Arkenstone merely snorted before turning and following Twilight onto the train.
Arcana stared as the train pulled away from the platform.  Only when it was gone from the station and dwindling into the distance was he able to think coherently enough to actually speak.  "My spell...she...how did she just...?"  She completely deduced the nature of my spell and reconstructed it herself in a matter of minutes after I spent the better part of a year creating it.
Finally mastering his shock, Arcana shook his head and found himself smiling.  "She's not Princess Celestia's prize student for nothing.”



“Do you have your lunch?”
“Yes mom.”
Melon Cream struggled to not chuckle at the almost petulant tone Scootaloo was using as the filly edged toward the door.  A few months ago, it would have been the height of improbability to see a hint of her fuchsia mane until the last possible minute before breakfast.  Oh how things have changed, thought Melon wryly, glancing over to see the sun just barely breaking the horizon and Scootaloo waiting by the door, fully awake and ready to go.  Of all the seemingly impossible and amazing things Dawn Lightwing had accomplished since coming to Ponyville, the one thing that always amazed Melon the most was the fact that he had somehow turned Melon’s daughter into a morning pony.
“I’ve got my lunch.  Where are my saddlebags?”  Scootaloo looked around in confusion, the paper bag holding the lunch Melon had packed for her dangling from her raised foreleg.  “I know I set them by the door last night.”
“Sorry about that,” said Melon, “I took them.  I wanted to make it a surprise for you, but Rarity couldn’t get them ready in time for your cuteceñera.”
“Get what ready?” as Scootaloo, a suspicious tone creeping into her voice.
“These,” said Melon, pulling a fully-loaded pair of saddlebags out of the closet, where she’d hidden them.
Scootaloo’s eyes widened.  Her old pair of saddlebags had been fine; a little worn from years of use, but still perfectly serviceable.  She’d never had any problems with them and didn’t feel a pressing need to get them replaced or to buy the newest ones the way Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon almost always seemed to.  Under normal circumstances, she would have wondered why her mother felt the need to buy her new ones.  However, that question faded in the face of one important detail.  The bag’s clasp was decorated with a white swan, its neck arched and wings half-raised, a perfect representation of her brand new cutie mark.
“Do you like them?” asked Melon softly.
Tears began to leak from Scootaloo’s eyes, though she acted quickly to wipe them before she could come off as too mushy.  “I love them.”  After taking the bags and strapping them onto her back, Scootaloo turned and showed them off to her mother.  “How do I look?”
“Perfect,” said Melon, wiping her own eyes.
Scootaloo looked as though she was about to head out the door.  However, she abruptly turned and threw her arms around Melon’s neck.  Hugging her close.  “I love you mom.”
Melon hugged her daughter back.  “I love you too.”  She planted a soft kiss on Scootaloo’s forehead.  “Now off with you.  You don’t want to keep Dawn waiting.  Have a wonderful day.”
The filly released her and bolted for the door.  “Bye mom!” called Scootaloo, waving as she bounded out and spread her wings, her body already lifting off the ground before she had finished the upstroke.  A single, powerful downwards flap was enough to send her rocketing off into the blue, heading in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage.
Melon sniffled as she watched Scootaloo dwindle to a speck in the distance.  Shutting the door, Melon went into her bedroom.  Opening a drawer, she pulled out a small, framed picture, one of the few reminders she had taken from their old home.  The picture was of a hospital room, with three ponies.  Melon was lying in the bed, gazing lovingly down at the tiny bundle cradled in her arms.  The only features of an infant Scootaloo that were visible in the picture was her bright-orange face and a wisp of her fuchsia mane.  Sitting beside the bed was a stallion with a rust-red coat and an ice-blue mane.  He was trying his hardest to keep a stern face, but Melon could see it cracking under the weight of the blessed event.  He was her husband, Scootaloo’s father, and, in spite of everything he had done, somepony that Melon still loved dearly.
“Cirrus,” she whispered, “I wish you could see what a wonderful mare your daughter is growing into.  She never needed your expectations, your control.  She was never going to be a failure.  I wish you could have seen that.”



Scootaloo dipped down as soon as her eyes picked out the familiar sight of the cottage standing just a short distance from the boundary of the Everfree Forest.  Her already jubilant smile widened when she saw the familiar jet-black shape of Dawn, standing patiently in the front yard, waiting for her.  Swooping in, Scootaloo backwinged and settled onto the ground at a light canter, her steps eating up the last of her forward momentum.  She took a second to revel in how natural it felt.  Flying was second nature to her now, something she could do effortlessly and easily.  To think, just a few months ago, she could barely lift off the ground while buzzing her wings as fast as they could go.
“Good morning,” said Dawn, trying his hardest to be all business.  However, the upward curling at the corners of his mouth betrayed the fact that he was happy to see her.
“Hey,” said Scootaloo with a wave, “Check this out.”  She turned to show off her new saddlebags and the cutie mark clasp mounted on them.
Dawn stopped trying to conceal his smile when he saw the image of the busking swan.  “Congratulations.”  He turned his eyes to meet Scootaloo’s.  “Are you ready?”
Scootaloo nodded and sat down to slide the saddlebags off her back.  Trotting over, she settled in next to Dawn, taking the starting stance and spreading her wings as Dawn did the same.  “Let’s do this.”
The two of them went into motion, going through the steps of the First Form in near perfect unison as their individual rhythms began to blend together to create a new one.  Scootaloo smiled and let her conscious thoughts ebb away, casting one last sidelong glance at the colt next to her before turning to focus on her own work.
Dawn was here.  Scootaloo was here.  Their friends and families were waiting for them with open arms.  No matter how difficult things might get in the future, Scootaloo knew that they would face those difficulties together.  No matter what the future might hold, everything would be alright.

Fin