Badlands//Chapter 1--Part 1

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“Get away!” a unicorn yelped. She sprinted across barren ground in an attempt to escape from ghost-like creatures. One of these beings, matching her speed, lowered itself to her level and tried to grasp her with its arms. The horned pony moved to the side, barely avoiding the grab. Several more of the wisps neared her from all sides, so the mare desperately searched for an escape. Looking ahead, she noticed a cave but ten yards away. That's my only chance. With one last burst of strength, she dashed towards the cave. The monsters steadily tightened their circle around her; she would not make it. Come on! The ghosts made their move and went to snatch her; however, they grasped air. She had disappeared.

Unbeknownst to the creatures, the unicorn had dropped into a hidden tunnel which she was presently sliding down. Oddly enough, the tunnel was round and smooth as if made to be slippery. In a few moments, she exited the end and crashed in deep blackness. “Blech.” The pony spit out some grains of sand. Well, I was planning to teleport, but I guess that works too. Where am I, anyway?

She lifted herself off the floor, lit her horn, and took a gander. Her stomach churned as the image of the surroundings met her gaze. This is not what I expected. To her front lay metal bars, and to her sides and back flat rock walls.

She turned her gaze up to see the tunnel where she came from. It was at least five yards up, so she couldn't jump to it. I'll try to teleport. Focusing her horn, she disappeared from the floor in a white flash of light before reappearing in the same flash at the lip of the tunnel. Upon contact, her hooves slipped, and she plummeted back down to the bottom. This time, she landed poorly tweaking her front two knees. A loud, yet short groan bolted from her vocal box, and soon after, her whole body slumped onto the ground. What a day. I suppose it'll be okay in the end. I'm alive, though my situation has already hit rock bottom. Her eyes swung around taking in the sights of her new locale. Literally.

She figured she would catch her breath for a brief duration and allow her surroundings to cement into her mind. Thus, the unicorn waited carelessly in the light of her horn.

The pony's body shook lightly. She had been running from those ghosts for at least ten minutes straight, and since Unicorns didn't tend to excel at physical activities, their endurance was usually lacking. Even though she prided herself in being a well-rounded Unicorn, she had to admit that an average Earth Pony would have handled that length of sprint much better. Now that her adrenaline had faded, exhaustion took over. Like her body, her magic began to dissipate given by its squirming about her horn. The repetitive use of spells for avoiding or tricking the creatures had spent her magic.

“Duh!” She then dawned on her own stupidity. She could have teleported outside the jail cell instead of trying to escape through the tunnel. Even if she had reached the top of the tunnel, the creatures were likely still up there. Why she tried to return, she couldn't say, or rather, she could but didn't want to admit to not having thought things through. The magic-wielder prepared a spell to escape the prison. Sadly, the remnants of her power fizzled. Oh. Well, that's unfortunate. A light chuckle rolled off her tongue. I'm stuck here for a little while. I'll just take a little nap.

Without any concern for foreseeable pain, she flopped from her sitting position onto her side. If she had pondered the consequences of that action, she would have avoided smacking herself against a rock floor. Ow. She still didn't care. I'll escape after I get some rest. Things always worked out, she thought, so she didn't concern herself with “what ifs” and dozed off.

~~~~~

Eyes groggily opened. Uh? How long was I asleep? She lifted her head and took at quick look around. A comment concerning the prison would have been made if not for two stallions—one of which was a Unicorn who presently lit up the prison—sitting near her. “Hi,” she said drearily. Weakness still rattled her; a little while would pass before her body would properly function. “Oh, you're Changelings.” Though it was in no way obvious that they were indeed Changelings, she made that assumption without wavering; she had her reasons. Besides that, if they were Changelings and she assumed them to be Ponies, she could put herself in a position where they would feed off her. If that happened, she could lose her ability to escape.

One stallion—an olive Pegasus with dark blonde mane and tail and blue eyes—tilted his head at the statement. “What? You must have hit your head pretty hard when you came down. Are you all right?”

“Even though you are Changelings, ehm... I guess, especially since you are Changelings, I am fine.” She slowly got up from the floor and smiled lightly. “Plus, you've given me a nice face to look at.”

The Pegasus shrugged off the comment. “My name is Balc Rigger. I work construction in Cloudsdale. I mean, I worked until I wound up here.” Balc motioned to the other stallion—a gray Unicorn of teal mane and tail with yellow eyes. “This is Chalk Scratch. He's been here awhile longer than me.”

Chalk bowed politely and spoke, “I hope I am worthy to meet your acquaintance.”

“My name is Phebe Hoshana.” Phebe bobbed her head. “You can give me your real names whenever you feel like it, but I'll just call you by your fake ones.” Figuring they wouldn't admit to being Changelings, she decided to get whatever information she could from them. “So, do you know who has captured us? It sounds like you guys have been here awhile.”

“Well, we don't know,” Balc stated flatly. A small furrow developed under his mouth from a frown. “They come in the darkness, and even when Chalk lights up the area, we can't see them. I think they have spells that block light.”

“Kay.” Miss Hoshana cantered in a carefree manner to the metal bars. “You're probably lying, but I can accept that.” Even though Balc's description almost met that of those ghosts creatures which had nearly captured her, she remained obstinate in her position that they were Changelings. Even so, her expression sat blankly against the black expanse outside the prison. “So? What do they want?”

“I don't know.” The Pegasus glided over to his new prison mate. “I have a question for you.” She tilted her head in his direction. “What is that around your neck?”

“Hm?” The mare looked down at her neck. “Oh that.” She tapped her necklace. A golden band wrapped around her neck, and a charm of a water droplet connected at its front. “It's my Element of Harmony.”

“Wh-what!?” He jolted back sharply, and his friend Mister Scratch gasped and gawked. Balc inquired further, “You have an Element of Harmony?” A distinct level of fear came out of reverberations of his voice.

“You give yourself away too easily.” A bored sigh fell. “Why should I mind? It's not like it changes anything.” A loose chuckle came out of her mouth. “See ya.” She teleported to the opposite side of the bars.

“Hey, w-wait!” Balc placed both of his forehooves onto the bars. “A-are you gonna let us out?”

“Nope.”

“Phebe, please. I want to go home!”

The female Unicorn rolled her eyes while her legs carried her forward, and her horn activated, providing enough light to see where she stepped. Let's see where this takes me. Phebe ventured deeper into the darkness. After losing sight of the prison behind her, she ended up at a branching off of tunnels. She walked down one and examined its walls. Smooth like the tunnel I fell down. As far as she could see, the walls retained that quality. I wonder if these were carved out by the Changelings. The subject of those love-sucking creatures returned to her mind. Actually, they were always on her mind.

~~~~~

“Phebe, run! I'll hold them off.” A middle-aged Unicorn shouted to a much younger Phebe Hoshana. Changelings had attacked, and now Phebe was fleeing for her life.

This was not a strange phenomenon to her, nor her mentor—that Unicorn, Pyre Sandshout. These two and several others lived on the southern rim of Equestria over the Macintosh Hills in a deserted area known as the Badlands. Ten years before the Changelings made their move against Canterlot, they were always haggling the ponies in the Badlands. The approach was usually of infiltration, but today was different. A company of one hundred plus had gathered to battle against the ponies of the Badlands.

The ponies hadn't any method of counteracting such an incredible attack, so, in a matter of moments, everypony except Phebe had been captured including Pyre. To her dismay, she would soon join them, for she couldn't keep distance for long. They were gaining on her. Though the expected result was her capture, the events took a sharp turn.

In hopes of saving his pupil, Pyre cast one final spell—a forbidden one. Living up to his name, the Unicorn summoned a huge firestorm between Phebe and the Changelings chasing her. The swooping tornado of fire swiftly drove towards the greater concentration of Changelings. She knew of the spell. Realistically, it couldn't hurt anypony seriously, but it was useful for its frightening factor.

On the other hoof, the Changelings did not know this, so they tried to make him stop the spell. For they beat on him with beam spells and physical strikes. Sandshout didn't submit, however. He was the toughest Unicorn around—no, the toughest pony. Often times, it was this quality which inspired her to follow in his hoofsteps. Regardless, the spell provided enough time for miss Hoshana to escape.

With adrenaline rushing through her veins, she journeyed far. In fact, she got to Dodge City—the nearest Pony settlement outside the Badlands—in less than a day when most trips took more than one. She explained to the authorities what had happened, and they responded readily. She guided an entourage of guards and soldiers back to her home in the Badlands. When they arrived, they found that all the houses had been destroyed and all the inhabitants had gone missing. Except one.

“Pyre!” Phebe darted up to the beaten up body of her teacher. “H-hey, wake up. Wake up!” Tears welled up. “Please no! Move!” In the hopes that he would stir, she shook his corpse incessantly. “Come on, come on!” Hope waned. Her entire world came crashing down then and there.

~~~~~

Phebe chuckled to herself. “It's been a long time.” After the loss of her home, she attempted to return to her family, but they wouldn't accept her. Why would they?

Before she had begun studying under Pyre, she had abandoned her parents. She had done this during some of the family's most difficult straits; her grandparent had passed away, her dad had lost his crop of grain, one of her siblings had fallen terribly ill, and her mother had lost a child to a miscarriage. At that time, the last thing her family needed was for her to run away, but she did anyway.

Phebe Hoshana used to wonder if she had been given the unlucky card of life, but after the loss of Pyre, she stopped caring. The world hated her. She believed that if she hated back she would destroy herself, so her decision was to stop feeling anything. Many other adversities faced her after Pyre's death, and this mentality proved to be a solution. Though she wasn't particularly happy, she had an objective view of things and had a sense of peace. Years later, that mentality became only further ingrained.

Determining that her reminiscence had wasted too much time, she marched down the tunnel she had stared down earlier. The pathway was long but straight. I wonder how deep these are. Her travels lasted awhile. She did not discover any other passageways and often considered going back to the branch off; however, she decided against that—the other tunnels might have been equally deep.

After an hour passed, Phebe halted. I'm thirsty. She had a special knack for all things water, so finding some would not prove difficult. She placed an ear against one of the walls and then proceeded to tap that location. She grinned. There is a well. Convenient. Her horn released a spurt of magic which made an incision in the wall. With simple levitation, she drew out the source of water from the small hole and poured the liquid into her mouth. A distinct mineral taste lighted upon her tongue. Most ponies would spew the water out immediately, but having been in the Badlands for years, she had grown accustom to the particular flavor.

Once she had taken her fill, she stepped forward. Her hoof splashed in a puddle. Glancing to the wall, she realized the well was leaking out the hole. If left alone, the wate reserviour would entirely dump into the tunnels. She hadn't made this consideration beforehoof. If I must. Her horn lit up supremely bright. In moments, the minerals from the water which had already leaked out were extracted and used to plug the opening. The band-aid solution wouldn't last a few weeks, but she shrugged away any worry.

Hoshana prepared to delve deeper into the caves, but her eye caught the reflection in the puddle. A relieved sigh fell. Now I can see if I got any more scars.

First, she examined her face. Any other mare would shriek if her face resembled Phebe's. As for normal qualities, her coat carried a brisk blue tint, left eye's iris wielded fierce yellow, and her thin, straight, and flowing mane bore silver. Her remaining qualities were frightening. Her right eye was a cloudy gray. At a young age, she had suffered from an intense fever, and during this sickness, her eye went dark. She was completely blind on that side. Besides that, a round, wide scar covered the right side of her face. A “friend” once pranked her with some faulty fireworks. This buddy thought it would be funny if a firecracker blew up in Phebe's face. The prank was a success and left its mark. Lastly, one front tooth was missing. In school, Phebe got into a fight with bulky Earth Pony. The engagement included a swift hoof to her mouth. In this instance, her tooth was knocked out.

Second, she took a look at her side. Due to the limited light, she could only make out her cutie mark—three blue water droplets. Also, though she could not see it, she knew a thin scar lay strewn up her left side and across her back. Awhile back, her father had been moving some of his farming equipment in his barn. Some broken harvesting tools were stacked against one wall. When Phebe went to get him for dinner one evening, he accidentally knocked over one of those tools. A blade gashed her back. Nonetheless, even if there were light to see clearly, this scar was hidden underneath her coat.

Discomfited by the lack of a new scar, Phebe muttered, “That's disappointing.” Unlike most mares, she wore her these blemishes as badges. To her, each additional mark was show of accomplishment.

Regardless, she delved deeper into the tunnels.

~~~~~

Another hour later, Phebe arrived at the end of the passage. She could tell it was a bedroom; a pony-crafted bed lay in one corner. Fluffy sheets straddled the bed; moreover, a pillow rested on one end of the bed. Besides that, there were some stone tables, but nothing else—not even on the table. Don't they need light? She commented about the lack of sources of light. Fortunately her horn granted her sight via its shimmering.

Suddenly an obnoxious buzz reverberated through the cavern. She recognized the sound immediately. Changelings. So I was right. She thought concerning her theory of Balc and Chalk. Yawning, she stepped into the center of the bedroom and flopped her rump upon the floor. I can get this over with then.

Shortly, the queen of the Changelings herself entered followed by an entourage of her people. They seemed to be carrying on a conversation, but they cut off their chat when they noticed Phebe sitting in the middle of the room.

“A pony?!” the queen yelled. “Get her!” Her face was tightened, indicating some sort of anger. Perhaps, Phebe had stumbled upon her room. Either way, some of the Changelings rushed at her, grabbed her, lifted her off the ground, and brought her before the queen. Befuddled over the lack of resistance, the two that held her gave each other a look of confusion.

“I have a message to deliver,” the pony pronounced, “to Chrysalis.” Having been around the Badlands for years, she knew much about the Changelings including their leader's name.

Chrysalis squinted and cocked her head. “What kind of message?” she questioned in her typical smooth tone.

This is what I came here for. In truth, she was given the task of sharing a message against her own desire. She didn't hate the Changelings anymore, but she didn't want to be involved with them either. For this reason, as she parroted her message, the words flowed mockingly off her tongue. “I AM says, 'Turn around!'”

“I am? You are what?” The queen momentarily gave a quizzical look., but soon a carefree smile enveloped the her mouth. “I know. You are foolish. Take her away.”

The minions began to cart her off, but the pony made one last comment. “If you don't, judgment will fall in thirteen days. You will be completely destroyed.” Earlier in her life, Phebe might have sadistically enjoyed telling them that, but again, as of the present, she didn't care. She spoke plainly—that is, without a speck of emotion.

For whatever reason, this caused the guards to cease their movement, and Chrysalis' cocky attitude shriveled up. “What? What did you say?” she asked honestly.

“I AM says, 'Turn around! Or else be destroyed in thirteen days.”

Silence. All in the room affixed their gaze upon this lone pony. Some gawked and others went wide-eyed, but the queen began shaking. It was fear. Looking back, Phebe noticed the leader's shameful disposition. Okay. Something about thirteen days? In fact, the frozen state lasted long enough to make the Unicorn bored out of her mind. She might not feel much, but she was never one to sit still. Ugh... just do something. This is ridiculous.

A voice broke the silence. “Turn around! Turn around!” One Changeling yelled with the full-embodiment of his voice. Several others soon accompanied him in chanting those words.

“Quiet.” The queen lifted her forelegs and wagged them up-and-down lightly. Her minions obeyed. “I need time to think. Put her in the prison.” The second command was also followed.

Soon enough, the free spirit of Phebe Hoshana was locked up into the cell she was in before. This time, a spell was placed that prevented one from teleporting out. At least Balc and Chalk were still there to keep her company, or maybe they were more of a bother than anything else.

“They got you, huh?” The Balc the Pegasus questioned while flying over to Phebe. No answer came. Instead the return prisoner starting scouring every inch of the prison for an escape. “We've looked. There isn't any way out.”

“He tells you the truth,” Chalk Scratch added. When that didn't even halt her searching, Balc Rigger landed beside her and put his hoof on her withers. The mare casually turned around and brought her face close to Balc's face. The gruff construction worker blushed immediately. When Phebe brought herself even closer, the Stallion leaned in slowly and pecked her on the lips. After this brief yet somewhat major event, she stepped passed Balc and gazed at Chalk by the light of his horn.

“So, how is your daughter doing, Chalk?” She inquired suddenly. Her blank expression made it impossible to read into why she had asked at such a random time.

“Hm?” The male unicorn tilted his head. “Using her musical prowess, she has gathered unto herself a great following. Did you recognize my name and surmise the connection?” A curious expression lay upon his face.

“Amateurs,” Phebe scoffed. Rigger turned around, still shocked by the turn of events, while Chalk grew ever curious. “Balc Rigger would have recognized me the moment I fell into this pit, and he would never kiss me. He thought I was a brat.” Her tone began to show some frustration. Then again, that was merely because she was locked up. “Chalk Scratch would also have known about me since I was his daughter's friend. Also, he wouldn't have known about his daughter's popularity since that is a recent development, and he has been missing longer than his daughter has been famous.”

Chalk went from his previous dispositions to that of shock. “Y-you knew both of them?” Chalk said breaking character completely. “Well, that ruins things...”

Despite already giving himself away, Balc tried to cover up. “I-I hit my head on the way down. I don't remember really everything.” Phebe spun about to face him, and immediately his face began to twitch. “I'm serious,” he said nervously.

“You have wings. Why didn't you stop yourself from crashing?”

“I-I... I, uhhh...” A sigh fell. “Fine, you win. Shoe Lace, give up the act.”

Defeated, Chalk replied, “Kay, Dark Shade.” In a flash of green, both Chalk and Balc transformed into their Changeling states. “So... you knew both of these people?” The one who was previously Chalk, Shoe Lace, lowered his head as if in submission.

The older, more mature Changeling who played as Balcs hook his head in distinct distaste. “I don't believe the odds. You couldn't have known them.”

The normally straight-faced Unicorn chuckled and snickered, “I didn't know them. I was bluffing the whole time, and you both fell right for it. As I said, amateurs. Thank you for entertaining me.” Befuddlement overwhelmed Lace as revealed by repeated blinking, but intense frustration struck Shade as revealed by a frown. Meanwhile, she returned to her normal demeanor. “Besides, I don't have any love to give you.” She spoke the truth. Even when she locked lips with Balc, she felt nothing.

Now, while the words rolled off her tongue, a blinding light zipped into the prison and landed beside Phebe. She turned to the light immediately gazing directly at it. For some reason, she could withstand the level of brightness. She didn't understand why since Dark Shade and Shoe Lace both had put their heads to the ground to cover their eyes. As her eyes rested upon the light, she saw some figure in it, but she couldn't put words to describe the being. Nothing in Equestria came close to resembling it.

“Phebe,” a gentle voice rolled carefully into her ears. “You have done as I have said, but why do you despise these people so? They received your message well.”

“What do you mean?” she questioned honestly. A couple weeks ago, she might not have addressed the being so freely. Back then, she encountered this being of light, I AM, for the first time; that was the time he gave her the message for the Changelings. Regardless, in her initial meeting, she had behaved like Shade and Lace. Apparently, something had changed since then that allowed her to gaze into the light. Still, what she did see was unrecognizable.

Instead of answering her question, the light spoke, “You will die protecting these people.” These words were not spoken harshly, but they carried plenty of weight.

Eyes widened. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Dark Shade and Shoe Lace will aid you, but you will aid one Artemis Reform. Find him.” Having finished speaking, the light vanished.

“Wait-h-huh!?” Panic rushed to her face as she came to realize her left eye went dim; now she was completely blind. “No. No! You jerk! You only told me to give that message. You tricked me!” Rage dashed through her veins instigating her to lose a string of vile curse words. “I hate you. I. hate. YOU!!!” She smashed her hooves into the rock floor. “Come back here. I will not die for them. I will never give my life for them! Do you get that?” The shell she had made fell apart. All her negative emotions concerning the Changelings returned instantaneously, and she could do nothing to hold them back. Tears flushed down her cheeks. Her conscience, which had been long dead, rose from the dead. It screamed at her for trying to reject I AM's commandment. “Shut up! They took them away from me! I tried to find something for myself in this stupid world, and I get nothing from it. Now you want me to help those who took Pyre? What is wrong with you!? GGRRRAHHHH!!!” she screamed with maximum power. With that, she had vented all her frustrations. “Hah.” Some confidence built inside herself. “I got it. I don't have to find him, and, if I do, I'll never help him. You underestimate me. Heheheh.”

The carapaced hoof of a Changeling tapped her on the shoulder, and the voice of Shoe hit her. “Who are you talking to?”

Her blinded eyes rolled. “Hah, I AM, of course.” Her hateful tone persisted. “Eh, why do you care? Blech, why do I care that you know? Buzz off.” Apparently, they didn't hear the voice that she did. Though odd, she didn't concern herself with the matter.

“You mean that light?” The hoofsteps of the Changeling could be heard as he marched to the front of Phebe. A moment after he stopped, he commented, “She's blind, Dark Shade.” Pause. “Uh-uh, Dark Shade, she's blind!” Phebe imagined the young one motioning frantically, but she didn't care.

Ah. I'm regaining control. Good, she thought concerning her returning complacence.

“What do you mean?” Shade inquired somberly.

“She's blind!”

“And?” Silence fell. Soon a gasp echoed through the room. “No way! That loon couldn't have known. I refuse to believe that.”

“But, she said she had a message. Dark, a blind messenger!” Phebe had to admit to herself she was curious. Whatever they were talking about must be related to why the queen reacted in the manner she did.

Shade relented, “Plus, that light couldn't have been coincidence. It has to mean something. Then what are we waiting for? Let's go.” Accompanied by the creeks of a metal door swinging open, the buzzing of Changeling wings sounded. They were gone.

Hoshana lay on the floor. Hoping they had left the door open, she had tried repeatedly to find the exit. Unfortunately, her feet would regularly stumble, her magic was useless without vision, and she was starving and thirsty. She eventually gave up, and so, on the floor, she waited.

~~~~~

An arduous amount of time had passed by since those two left. Her patience wore thin especially since she could not function well. What is taking them so long? She desired to know the details concerning their earlier conversation. Curiosity was not usually in her nature, but considering her situation, she supposed it to be acceptable.

So... Artemis Reform? I will help him? With what? Hah. What a joke. Anger was not acceptable, however. Ugh, no. Shut up. It doesn't matter, does it? Why should I really object to it? That question wrenched her gut. I... do hate it. I can't let that continue, but what do I allow? None of this is the way it should be.

Creeeeeek. Thud, thud.

“Who's there?” No answer. Someone must have entered the prison, but it didn't sound like a Changeling. “Hello?”

Shrriiikkk. That sound was unfamiliar. CRUNCH!

Even blind, Phebe jumped to her feet. “This isn't funny!” Terror was also something she was not accustomed to, but sitting in the darkness in a distant prison with nopony around lent to some fright. Something cold and metallic brushed her side. “Hah, I don't think so.” She spun around shooting a beam from her horn, but in such a quick move, she tumbled onto her side.

Immediately after hitting the floor, two long objects straddled her. These had the same feeling as to what touched her moments ago. “L-let go!” She couldn't escape; they had a tight grip on her. “NO!” As she yelled, a surge of heat sprung from her neck from where her Element hung. Instantly, she was released. Her legs scrambled to get herself up and then back away from whatever wanted her. “Help! There's something in here! Help!”

The rippling sounds of Changeling wings sprung into the air. In only a few moments, the voice of Shoe Lace called out. “Phebe!? What-what? The door it's... it's...”

Dark Shade finished the sentence, “Ripped wide open. We need to get out of here. Shoe Lace, help me with her.” Soon enough, the two of them had her in their grasps and began flying her out of the prison.

A third voice—distinctly deeper yet clearly Changeling—mentioned, “How did they get into the tunnels?” As they moved, this Changeling followed in the rear. “She said thirteen days, right?” There wasn't a verbal response, but the sensible Unicorn figured there was a nod. “We need to tell the queen. When we get Phebe to safety, you must go tell her as quickly as possible. Who knows if more of the Guardians are floating around.”

“Right,” replied Shade.

Hoshana held her mouth shut. I... I could have died. Why didn't I let it happen? A sigh fell from her mouth. Regret built up. I missed my chance to spite I AM. She opened her mouth to speak, but her tongue clamped to the bottom of her mouth. Though failed in her attempt to do thus, she had intended on objecting to their rescue of her. Ugh! Why won't my body do what I want?! At this point, she desired death. This longing was heightened by the worsening of her circumstances. To her shame, she was depending on her enemies for safety. She hoped they couldn't protect her against that “Guardian,” and by what she heard concerning it, she had some hope that she could yet be killed.

Badlands//Chapter 1--Part 2

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Having arrived at their destination, Shoe Lace and Dark Shade put Phebe down. “We'll be back soon, Artemis,” Shoe Lace said before zipping away with Dark Shade. Artemis' name sprinkled fear upon Hoshana's mind. I AM had told her to find him, and seemingly, he found her.

“Whatever you want me to do, I won't do it,” she stated flatly. Her goal to persist against I AM's will remained.

The only remaining voice, assumed to be Artemis, spoke, “What I want you to do? Huh?” A plethora of confusion spilled over in his tone of voice. “Hold on... uhm... your name is Phebe Hoshana, right?”

Instead of answering his question, she plainly stated, “My name isn't important. Send me back to the prison where I can die.” Hoofsteps vibrated the ground. She could hear them go all the way around her. “What is it?”

“Hahaha... wow...” Some dumbfounderment crashed upon Artemis. Phebe couldn't tell why.

“Look, just send me back there, okay? Without my eyesight, I don't have a reason to live.”

“Oh, right! Hold on.” The sounds of several more steps and some rustling met her ears. Whatever Artemis was doing, he was making a racket. “Where is it? Where... is it? Ah! Yes-yes.” His voice sounded older than Dark Shade's, but this giddy attitude made her wonder if Artemis was younger than Shoe Lace. “Do you like Apple Pie?”

Phebe gave pause. What kind of a question is that? Now she felt bewildered. What are you trying to do here, Artemis? Resigning to the fact she might not be able to understand his actions, she returned to her previous objection. “I already told you I'm not doing anything you ask. Bribing won't work.”

“Okay...?” With intense confusion, Artemis questioned, “So... how is this supposed to work then?” She didn't reply. There was a significant pause before he asked another question. “Why do you think I'm trying to get something from you? Well... besides that I live off of love.” She was fed up with him, so she silenced herself. “Okay. Now what?” When she didn't reply, he sighed and then kept his mouth shut.

In the meantime, the crackling of a fire caught Phebe's attention. Since she had been talking with Artemis, she hadn't noticed it until now. Soon after, the smell of roasting apples filled the air. A fire? Is he baking the pie? She laughed inwardly. Yeah... not likely. During her self-conversation, the aroma grew rapidly stronger. This may have been doubly heightened by Phebe's hunger; afterall, she hadn't eaten in several hours. Add to that, she had one less sense—her eyesight—that would otherwise distract her from the scent.

Speaking of hunger, she suddenly recalled the weak state of her body. I can still starve to death. She tried to persuade herself that she wouldn't eat anything, but the more she thought of the food and her hunger, the more she realized how terrible death by starvation was and how yummy pie would be at that given moment. “What kind of apples were used for the pie? I mean... if I were to eat apple pie, I could only eat the best.”

Artemis perked up instantly. “Oh... uhm, Appleloosan.” The hungry pony dropped her face into the floor over the irony of her situation. Not only were Appleloosan apples some of the best in all of Equestria, but also they were her favorite. “Would you like some?”

As much as she wanted to refuse, she couldn't. “Yes.”

“Yes!” He hopped across the floor. “This is exciting.” Phebe didn't care to ask why it was exciting; hunger was prevalent. Speedily, he brought the pie over. “Now... this is going to be weird,” he said to himself. “Phebe, hold still. If you move, I won't be able to do this right.” She figured he meant feeding her, but how wrong she was. “All right... the Providing One, I ask this of you. Restore her sight.” A carapaced hoof covered in the apple pie's blistering juices went into one of Phebe's eyes.

She yanked her head back. “Gah!!! That burns!”

“Hold still!” Thanks to the inability to see, Phebe couldn't properly avoid another strike, so after only a few attempts, Artemis poked out her other eye with the juices.

“What are you doing?!” The pained Unicorn stood up in order to escape the torture she had suffered; nevertheless, her hooves fumbled over each other causing her to collapse. After recovering from her fall, she grumbled, “This is what I get!? I should hav-” A bucket of cool water emptied over her head. A few foul words left her mouth in that moment; her frustration levels reached the max. “I swear, I'm going to kill you! I'm going to make it painful and slow.”

“Open your eyes.”

“I'm going to skin you and wear your exoskeleton as armor while I go and slay all your brothers and sisters!”

“Open your eyes.”

“No, better yet, I'll save you for last, and make you watch as I rip the life from all those you love!”

“Phebe!” This time, Reform caught her attention.

“What?”

“Just open your eyes.”

“That's not going to help, but I suppose I can't keep them shut forever.” Settling from her tantrum, she cracked open her eyelids. Light. “Hm?” As her eyes came wide open, vision of the whole room met her gaze. “I can see. I can see. I can see! Hahah!” For the first time in a long time, joy entered into her heart, and this was not the minor sort. Then second a realization dawned on her. “I can see out of both eyes! That can't be. No way.” She blinked repeatedly to see if she would go blind again. Nope.

Meanwhile, with a dumb smile on his face, Artemis was sitting tidily a few feet away. She could see him. He wasn't that different from other Changelings except he had armor like the officers of the queen's army would have. She then noted that neither Shoe Lace nor Dark Shade had this armor.

She took a gander at the room. Now this was something to look at. Though, its shape was box-like, the interior decor was unbelievable, at least in respect to the owner. The only entrance and exit was that of the tunnel system Phebe was so accustomed to, but there was a wooden door and a “welcome” mat. The floor was wooden, and the rock walls painted. Additionally, a standard bed—mattress, blankets, pillow, and all—sat off to one corner where a wardrobe and a table also rested. A lit fireplace was part of the back wall, and a tiny kitchen with dining table had been put in at the opposite corner from the bed. Phebe started to comprehend why the other Changelings considered Artemis a loon.

“Wow...” She gawked. By simple show of his living quarters, Artemis challenged much of what Phebe understood about his kind. “I...” she struggled to produce the verbiage she desired. “I'm hungry. Is there any pie left?” Before she had finished her inquiry, the Changeling gave her a plate topped by a huge chunk of pie. “Yes!” As proven by a massive grin, her cheering delighted Artemis. Phebe downed the piece in a single bite. She failed to think her action through, for she struggled to chew and swallow. Nonetheless, in time she succeeded. Her eyes turned to Artemis. He had barely moved from his sitting position, but an intense fragrance of joy consumed the air around him. She couldn't discern why he was so happy, though. “Meh. I still hate you and your people, but I thank you for granting my sight to me and giving me food.”

“You're welcome!” he chimed. “You already saved my people. It's the least I can do.”

One could term the following event as a mental explosion. “I... what?”

“You saved my people.”

“...What?!”

“You told them to change their ways, didn't you?” A sly smirk came upon his face.

Phebe hesitated to answer. Though perhaps unnecessarily, she feared what he was to say. I saved the Changelings? How is that even possible? Is that even what I wanted? With brief consideration, she realized that when she had given the message to Chrysalis she didn't care about the outcome. Regardless, Phebe was beginning to have second thoughts. She had to continue the conversation at some point, so without further delay, she replied, “Yes, I did.”

Artemis grinned even wider. “They took you up on your advice. As a whole, they've gone to the Providing One for forgiveness recognizing their misdeeds to all other beings. There are several who are obstinate, but you did change the mind of the queen.”

Hoshana did not believe what she was hearing. She didn't like the “Providing One” or “I AM” or whatever that God went by in name. Neither did she herself seek him for forgiveness, yet she had caused her enemies to do so. “This is a dream,” she said showing her disbelief.

“Oh, speaking of dreams!” The Changeling scooted from his position, fluttered to his wardrobe, and pulled a book off the top of it. “I recorded a dream I had a few years ago. I kept having it, so I finally wrote it down. It might explain some of the stuff that's been happening.” Having been cured of blindness by apple pie, Phebe was actually alleviated Artemis would expound from a dream instead of from food. “I'll paraphrase it to make it shorter. I first saw black ghosts. They were many, and they began to surround my people.”

Black ghosts? Phebe recalled that creatures with such a description chased her to the hole which dumped her into prison.

“They were very strong and could put us into a very deep sleep.”

Two dots connected. That thing that broke into the prison was a Guardian. Those ghosts must be the Guardians. Her ears perked up; she wanted to know more. Artemis glanced at her before returning his gaze to the book.

“Second, I saw a calender. I didn't know what it was at the time, but after I went to one of your towns to do some research, I made sense of it.” In order to grasp for air, he paused, but once he had caught his breath, he went on, “April 4th was circled, and there was a note inside a box assigned for that day. The note read, 'Judgment Day.' I remember seeing days pass as that day drew closer, and each day the attacks by the ghosts would get worse. Though, on March 22nd, a blind unicorn visited us, and she went around telling our people, “turn around!”

Again, Artemis ceased speaking. When he started again, nervousness wracked his voice. “The third part was mostly about me, though. Uhm... it wouldn't help you at all. Anyway, does that help?” She didn't answer; in fact, she didn't even blink. Her expression was unreadable, and it stayed that way. Trying to avoid an awkward silence, Artemis continued, “Well, I-uh-I counted the days between March 22nd and April 4th once I found out what you said to Chrysalis and her officers. Thirteen days from March 22nd is April 4th, and today is March 23rd. Shoe Lace told me you got her yesterday, so... I think you can figure out the rest.” Even though, despite Phebe's silence, he carried the conversation. “Heheh, when I first started having the dream, no one believed me. Eventually, I was cast out and rejected by my own people. Only at the beginning of this year did any of them believe me. It was because the ghosts, called Guardians, started appearing like they had in my dream.” A small frown developed on his face. “They could break almost anything with their arms, and they have repeatedly drained the life essence out of our people. Whoever was drained would fall into a heavy slumber unable to ever wake up. They still are in slumber...” A sigh dropped, but a cheer followed. “My people will be saved, though! They will not face Judgment Day. Thank you!”

The mare made a low volume comment, “I can't doubt it anymore.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind.” From the time that I AM appeared to her two weeks ago until a few minutes ago, she had disregarded the existence of a higher being. If not that, then at least she disregarded his importance to her. After hearing the dream from Artemis which accurately, though not perfectly, described, the events that had taken place. She would have to give extreme effort to ignore them, and she didn't want to waste her time with that amount of effort. Instead, she resignedly accepted that some higher being existed. “Well, thank you for... everything.” Much distaste remained about the Changelings, but she was genuinely grateful. On the other hoof, she still had no intention of dying for them. “I'll be going home now.”

“Oh.” Artemis lowered his head. “Are you sure?” he questioned with a defeated tone of voice. It seemed he was expecting something.

Hoshana tilted her head. “Yes. Good bye, Artemis.” She tried to justify her leave. I delivered my message, the Changelings turned around, and now they're safe. I don't see a reason for me to stick around. Some annoyance came to her mind when she realized she had to assure herself of her own decision. Before yesterday, she would not have had to take a second thought.

She strolled to the door. I'll actually need directions on how to get out. Stopping at the exit, she looked back. “Oh. Artemis, I don't know how to leave these tunnels and get back to the surface. Would you be willing to take me?”

The discouraged Changeling lifted his head and put on a light smile. “Yeah. I can do that.” He lifted into the air and began coming her way.

Thud, thud. A familiar noise sounded.

What was that...? Phebe thought. She returned face to the door. That sounded familiar.

Shrriiikkk.

“Well... crabapp-”

CRUNCH!!! The wooden door which led outside of Artemis' room flung off its hinges and flew into the room at high speeds. On its trek to the rear wall, it struck Phebe and threw her off her hooves and onto her back.

“Phebe!” Artemis, who had barely escaped the same situation that the pony had been put in, rushed to her side. “Are you okay!?” She was awake, but thanks to the door striking her, she was dazed. “Come on, you gotta get up!” He spun about to face the Guardian that had appeared.

The foggy-eyed unicorn blinked trying to clear her vision, but her vision remained blurry. Moreover, a nasty ringing noise drilled into her ears, so she barely her heard the Changeling. She did try to reply, but her tongue wouldn't function. Apparently, the door had left more than a mark on her head. She, if barely, whined internally about her eyes. Just to think when they start working again, something else happens to make them malfunction... again. Her speech and hearing impairment added to her frustration.

As she struggled to recover, she watched a black blur hover to Artemis. The Changeling attempted to fend off the fiend with some Changeling magic standing staunchly in between her and the ghost. He was protecting her. Unfortunately, his magic fazed ineffectively though the ghost, and yet, it managed to grab him. Something happened after that, but her vision was too hazy to catch the event. After which, the Guardian dropped Artemis and flew away.

Wait... why won't you... kill me...? In a bout of determination, she thrust herself off her back and onto her hooves. “C-com... b...k.” At that moment, a warm liquid fell into an eye. Ehh... Though barely able to keep her balance, she wobbled forward some steps. The liquid then landed on her nose and dribbled around her mouth. It was blood and no small amount. Ah. Heheh... maybe I can die. I'll just sit her and die. Bending to the oncoming lightheadedness, she dropped forward onto the wooden floor. Lived long enough to see out of both eyes. I can die in peace. She remarked sarcastically before clamping her eyes shut. Unconsciousness took her over.

~~~~~

“Hey! Phebe!” Shoe Lace roughly shook the Unicorn. “Wake up!”

With a grunt, she slunk to her side. She sprung open her eyes, but the process of gaining full awareness would take awhile; the head trauma was pretty bad. A heavy migraine came over her, and a the ringing noise in her eardrums and vast blur from her eyes persisted.

While Hoshana woke up from her unconscious state, Dark Shade came to Artemis to stir him. Gazing at him in the flickering of Artemis' fireplace, he soon discovered that he wouldn't move. “Shoe, I think the Guardians got him.”

“You mean he was killed by the Guardians?” A look of terror came upon the young Changeling.

In a comforting tone, Shade replied, “No, he's alive, but they took his soul.” Despite his attempts to reassure, he only created further worry in Shoe. “We'll leave him here. He'll be safe for now.” His wings activated, and he buzzed on over to her while an inquiry sprung from his mouth. “How is Phebe?”

“Look for yourself.” The two Changelings stepped to Phebe's front, and from there, they examined her face.

At a first glance, the older of the two winced. Trying to get over the sight, he leaned down slightly. “What happened to you?”

Though her ears still rang loudly, she could hear well-enough, and she was awake enough to respond. “A door,” she replied curtly though weakly. Wanting to know about her injury, she speedily changed subjects. “What does my face look like?”

Shade tapped his forehead and circularly motioned to the rest of his face. “You have a big red spot towards the top of your head, and you have blood all the way down your face. Additionally, I suggest you don't use magic for awhile.”

“Magic...?” In her half-conscious, she couldn't immediately grasp why he would say such a thing. Why wouldn't I use magic? Nevertheless, after a few moments, the truth dawned on her. “Ah! My horn!” Completely breaking free from her drowsy state, she hopped to her feet and felt around for her horn. Dread dropped on her. “It's broken!!! Of all the sick jokes I could have played on me, this is the worst!” Unfortunately for her, her swift movement and vocal outburst did not suit her weakened state; the headache doubled in intensity, and her body quaked under its own weight. Hoping not to repeat her fall to the floor, she gently sat on her hind legs. One of her forehooves soon found itself massaging her temples alternatingly. As the pulsing in her head softened, she took a quick glance at Artemis. I think I heard them say his soul is missing. That must be the deep sleep he mentioned.

“Hey, you can see!” Shoe shouted spontaneously. “When did that happen?”

Phebe intentionally ignored him; she didn't feel like explaining how apple pie restored her sight. Staring at Artemis, she thought, Hah. I don't have to do anything for him now. It looks like I AM won't have his wishes come true after all. Despite having been injured just after being healed, she took this moment as a favorable one. “Would I be able to get to the surface?”

“Oh sure!” The issue about her eyes was cunningly neglected, and Shoe unwittingly fell into her scheme. “Do you need to get to the hospital or something?”

“Hm... I do.” She had to admit that she hadn't previously given that consideration. She was so consumed about not helping the Changelings that she forgot about her own well-being. On the bright side, she now had a good excuse to leave the Badlands. “Would we be able to leave Artemis here?”

“Yeah.”

Dark tacked on, “The Guardians won't do anything else to him, and he will be fine for several more days.” Sighing, he spun about and went to the door. “I suppose since we owe so much to you, we should get you home now.” He must have been referring to the “turning around” which the I AM had called for. Apparently what Reform had mentioned was true.

“I appreciate it.” She did, though she also wanted to sound pleasant to them to stay on their good side. If anything turned sour, she might not get back.

They began their trek into the tunnels. Since Phebe couldn't properly light the darkness with her horn, Shoe had lit and brought a torch from Artemis' home. Nonetheless, the walking was slow. The pony couldn't press her speed unless she wanted to have a headache worth committing suicide to end. Though, she was never far from the thought of suicide anyway. For the time being, regardless of the pace, she was satisfied to be heading out of the tunnels.

During the early moments of their walk, Phebe felt fine, but a gut feeling steadily aroused. Hm...? The two Changelings were ahead of her leading the way, so when she stopped, they didn't notice. Her body limply swung 180 degrees. Is something following us?

“GAH!” A shriek propelled throughout the passageway. She looked back where Dark and Shoe were only to find a Guardian grasping the prior Changeling. Due to the weak nature of Shoe's torch, they could only see the two limbs that held onto Dark. In color—which was speckled dark gray—and dimensions—which was long and thin—the arms resembled no being Phebe had ever seen. However, the appendages had a plain shape. They were simply rounded cylindrical tubes, or at least, that would be the best possible description for them. However, no such thing as hands or hooves were seen at the end of those arms. Regardless, she now had the first clear glimpse of a Guardian. Though Phebe was chased by the Guardians before falling into the tunnels, she was too busy running for her life at that time to pay attention to their appearance. Even when the one attacked her and Artemis, her vision had been too impaired to get a see the Guardian.

“No, Dark. Let go of him, Guardian!” Shoe objected. A beam built up around his horn and soon volleyed at the beast. Unfortunately, the attack passed directly through the creature like Artemis' had before. No harm was done.

The captured Changeling couldn't break free, so in his final breath, he said, “Shoe... run...” In that moment, he fell limp and was dropped to the ground. This struck Phebe with intense curiosity; there were no visible signs that his soul was being drained. She wondered by what means the Guardian stole souls.

At that time, however, Phebe hadn't time to ponder the abilities of these creatures; her guides were being attacked. You've got to be kidding me. She couldn't possible handle a Guardian in her state. If Shoe goes, then I'm stuck down here again. She figured the Guardian would ignore her as it did when it came after Artemis. “Hey... ugly! Back off!”

Shoe turned his head to Phebe, but the Guardian paid no attention. Instead the creature took advantage of Shoe's distracted state. Soon it had him in its grasps, and repeated its soul-sucking process. As if matters couldn't get worse, Shoe dropped the torch, and the flame died. Absolute darkness shrouded all.

“Phebe! Pl... please he... help...”

Thunk. Shoe's body dropped to the ground.

By this point, the pilot of Phebe's anger had already kicked on, but the loss of both light and the Changelings twisted the knob of her anger onto maximum. While she had no feelings for her guides, she wanted to leave, and the Guardian ripped that possibility out of her grasps. If she didn't stop the Guardian now, she would have to wander the underground for a long time. She wouldn't have the patience for it, nor did she have the patience to endure her present situation.

Going against every precaution, she engaged her horn, but it only flickered. Come on! You won't get away. A deep growl frothed from her vocal chords as she pushed her magic. Her head began to pulse, and the throb from its injury spiked; nevertheless, the agony only pressed her determination further. Amidst the pushing of her limits, the water-droplet-shaped Element of Harmony activated. Swiftly, the necklace thrust light far into the cavern. Besides that, the Element provided a sustained flow of magic. Thus, not only did she cast away the darkness, but also did she provide herself magic separate from her horn.

The Guardian, which she still couldn't properly see for some reason, hovered over top Shoe Lace's body. The being seemed to have been watching Phebe.

“Give them BACK!” Her yell shook the tunnel causing the Guardian to immediately skedaddle. Make this fun. At least you'll be worth my time. The ghost-like being followed the path and did not phase through the wall, thereby providing proof enough that the being was a physical entity and could be caught. In one teleport, the magically-empowered Unicorn pop in front of the Guardian. Unfortunately, it passed around her.

Realizing that a simple teleport wouldn't work, she considered other options. Her next thought brought her to the well that she had pulled from earlier. Let's see how you like water. She pressed her head to the wall, found a well, and by magic, gashed the wall. A small torrent of water blasted from the hole. After teleporting out of the way of the surge and a dozen yards in front of the wisp, Phebe sliced the wall again causing water to burst out another section. Instead of moving out of the way this time, she redirected the spout via magic. The spout shot forth at the ghost at a high velocity.

The Guardian easily dodged, yet Phebe anticipated. While she was redirecting the spout to attack it on the front, she performed a similar action with the other spout she had made. This spout came from behind at a pace quick enough to catch the Guardian. When it made the dodge for the first attack, the second pounded it from behind. The water definitely contacted a solid body, for the Guardian was stuck in the torrent. With the creature caught, she forced the spout to turn into the floor. Soon enough, the Guardian was trapped on the ground by a continual torrent of water. As if the one wasn't enough, Phebe combined the second spout into the first thereby doubling the volume of attacking liquid. There was no way the Guardian could escape this time.

Sensing lightheadedness, the unicorn gently tapped her forehead. She felt warm liquid on her hoof. She soon realized her wound had reopened. Limited time. Let's finish this. At the least, her adrenaline rush made her migraine much less noticeable. She cantered up to her trapped opponent.

“Please stop!” A voice like a whisper sounded loudly. “I give up!”

Whether or not he had truly given up, Phebe had run out of steam. She let off on her attack. “Return the souls to those Changelings, or I'll attack--” She cut her sentence short. The Guardian, appearing as a black translucent figure, slowly floated off the rock ground. She didn't even see those arms anymore. I'm getting sick of this. I just want to go home! “Return their souls,” she reaffirmed firmly.

“Okay,” it replied. Its thin, yet solid arms stretched out from its wispy body. The limbs tapped each other, similar to a clap but without hooves.

The noise that came from the “clap” was thud, thud. Immediately after that, they slid across each other with a shrriiikkk. Hairs stood up on Phebe's back. Those were the sounds before a Guardian made an attack. She tried to summon her torrents of water to stop him, but her reservoir of magic had been completely sapped. As a last ditch effort, she lurched to one side hoping to escape the oncoming attack, but her body carried too much weariness to make an effective dodge. Her supposed final thoughts were as following:

“You will die protecting these people.” It's inevitable, isn't it?

CRUNCH!!! There was no visual evidence of what the attack was. Despite this, she was carried off her hooves and thrown into the wall. Thud. That was the sound of her body striking rock. After hitting the wall, her body dropped headfirst onto the floor.

“You should have stayed out of this, pony,” the Guardian commented before drifting away.

Phebe should have been dead. Though the attack didn't break any bones, contusions littered her body, swelling formed at several different areas, and blood now dribbled out her mouth as well as her forehead. Yet, despite these issues, she was alive and conscious. Bleh... I'll just sit here and die. This is exactly what the I AM wanted, right? Objecting to her initial conclusion, a thought unnaturally popped into her head. Stand up. Shock by the new idea, she rejected it. I don't want to. The thought retorted, Stand up. Lacking a rhyme or reason, her heart blazed with sudden passion. I don't want to stand up! This is ridiculous! Despite her every protest, her legs pressed her body up into a standing position.

Another thought entered her mind. Kill him. As before, she attempted to toss it away. No. I'm done. I can't- Instead of unwillingly, she wittingly made herself start walking after the Guardian which she could still see thanks to the light of her Element. I want to go? My soul is burning, and my heart is itching... for vengeance? I don't want this, though.... I do want this. What is going on in my head!? Her constant back and forth did not once hinder her tracking of the enemy. Even treading through inches of water from the now untamed water spouts didn't stop her. Hearing the splashing of hoofsteps, the Guardian stopped and looked back.

“Still alive?” The being spoke out of a high-and-mighty attitude. “You will not interfere.”

“My Element is Perseverance.” Her words seemed out of place, but she felt that they explained everything. Besides, she needn't defend herself against the being which would soon die.

Speaking of the Element, her necklace began to glow exceedingly bright. Soon enough an indigo ray launched from it at the ghost. The Guardian didn't move; it probably expected the light to leave him unharmed. It was wrong. When the colored light hit, the Guardian exploded. The detonation threw hundreds of shards of obsidian in every direction.

Thereafter, Phebe saw four orbs of light where the Guardian used to be. After only a few moment of delay, these orbs zipped away to multiple direction, two passing through the tunnel walls and the other two going back to where Dark Shade and Shoe Lace were. “I... win.”

Since she had no more energy to spend, Phebe gently put herself onto the tunnel floor. She didn't care about the rising levels of water. I'll just drown here. I'm too tired to do anything else. The spontaneous passion that carried her legs and moved her body had since fade, and the adrenaline that also had fueled her body waned. Even if she did want to, she wouldn't be able to maintain consciousness. The pain of her tattered body soon melted away into slumber.

Badlands//Chapter 2

View Online

“Hello, my dear one.”

Phebe jumped. “You-you-!” Her eyes scanned the surroundings speedily. She sat in a small, cozy bedroom wrapped in the warmth embrace of light. The room had a warm hue of blue for walls, and a cream rug covered the entire floor. A bed and dresser rested in the corner. Nonetheless, these details were unimportant in comparison to the figure that stood in front of her. It was I AM, and he appeared as an impossible to describe blaze in the color of brass. His voice sounded like a waterfall, yet it was perfectly gentle.

“Where am I?” She questioned.

“You did what I asked. You will receive your due reward.”

“What do you mean, I did what you asked?” Her head tilted. “To find Artemis?” She could not pin-point the meaning to the statement; Artemis found her. After the last two conversations, she expected that he would ignore her question; that's what he did those times. However, he surprised her this time.

“Yes, my bright messenger of salvation. You found him, as I asked.” I AM neared to her face. Phebe could not stand to look, but she could not turn her gaze from such beauty. At that time, a small flow of air brushed through her mane. “Receive my Spirit. My love will begin to burn inside you and as you grow, you will be unable to stay silent. I have chosen you to be my messenger.”

This thought nearly crushed Phebe. She wanted nothing to do with the Changelings. She didn't want to die for them, let alone live for them. On the other hoof, a sense of purpose crawled into her heart. Since the death of Pyre Sandshout, she had simply drifted through life—no sense of direction, but now she had a reason to live. At the least, it seemed that way.

One questioned pressed mind on the matter, so she inquired, “What is my reward?” Her voice broke, hurt billowing over the surface. Admittedly, she was empty inside. She had done much in her life, but most of her efforts brought her nothing. Contentment was not her problem, for she didn't desire more stuff, more friends, more family, or anything like. Rather, she wanted her actions to have purpose—that is, she wanted what she did to mean something. In her mind, a reward would prove to her that her deeds were worth it.

He spoke, “I am glad you asked.” She imagined a smile on his face. “Your reward is Artemis. He will be your husband, and you will be his wife.” This left her speechless; not astonishment but horror clasped her tongue to the bottom of her mouth. Before she could process what had just been said, I AM continued,“He will be a pillar for you that you can lean on in your times of weakness. You no longer have to face life alone.” A moment of silence was given before I AM concluded, “Now, my treasured daughter, go forth, for the Changelings await you.”

~~~~~

A loud groan lifted. Why does everything hurt? Eyelids steadily creaked open. Suddenly, Phebe was greeted loudly by Artemis.

“You're awake!” He jumped for joy.

Trying to ignore the fellow, she craned her neck around to see the room in which she lay. She concluded that she was still in the tunnels because the ceiling and walls were made of rock. However, what catch her interest were the items inside the room.. Firstly, she rested on a hospital bed. Secondly, a pony-crafted table saw next to her bed. Thirdly, medicine for ponies was ordered neatly on that table. Somehow, the Changelings had accrued supplies from her kind.

Looking at and feeling herself, she noticed a bandage that wrapped around her head as well as a soft cast that encompassed her back, barrel, and belly and stretched from the base of her neck to her lower back. Showing that the bandage and cast covered real wounds, every movement incited a plethora of aches.

Shrugging off the pain, she wondered, Where did they get all this stuff? She wanted to know. Curiosity did not normally accompany her anywhere, but since yesterday, it had been nagging constantly. In fact, its control over her had intensified since she fought the Guardian. She couldn't help but ask. “How did you acquire the medical supplies?”

Immediately and excitedly, Artemis answered, “Several of us went to Dodge City and purchased them. We were disguised as ponies, of course.” A beaming smile formed.

Phebe concluded that something didn't add up then. “How long did it take you to get those here?”

“Half a day.” The Changeling put a leg onto the bed. “You slept for eight days, though. You were hurt so badly; we didn't know if you would live. You had me worried.” Some anxiety could be read on his face. “How are you feeling?”

Instead of replying, she pondered what had occurred in the dream. He is going to be my husband. Sure, Lord, sure. But... a half a day? She commented on time it took for them to retrieve the provisions. That's short. She turned onto her side away from Artemis and glided her hoof across the bed. They probably had the bed already, though. The other chamber she had come across in the tunnels also had a bed.

Though thankful, she wanted to address the issue of marriage, so she moved onto that. She had an idea of where to start. If I AM said I'm to marry Artemis, it's possible he told him about me as well. “Hey.” She didn't face him while speaking. “You said you had a third part to your dream, right? Would you tell me about it?”

A nervous cackle floundered out of the Reform's mouth. “W-why?”

“I want to know.”

“I-uh-I... uhm...” Turning his head down and to the side, he removed his leg from the bed. “I'd rather not.”

“Artemis, I'm not going anywhere.” Phebe recognized the cast on her torso meant serious injury. In fact, if she were to prematurely walk about, she could sever her spinal column or something similar. Since she was essentially stuck, she would end up bored; therefore, she would make use of the situation to acquire the desired information. “While I'm stuck here, I would like to have something to talk about.”

“Oh! Do you know how I got my body back?” he changed subjects quickly.

The astute Unicorn squinted. I forgot about that. Last she knew, the Guardian had done something to him to make him unconscious—that is, “stole his soul.” She wanted to be informed of that as well. “All right. I'm listening.”

The nervous Changeling shook off his hesitant demeanor, smiled, and continued, “You killed the Guardian that attacked Shoe, Dark, and I. It had captured our souls.”

Phebe wondered about that. Was it possible for some creature to remove the essence of one's being? She figured a more logical explanation could be formulated, but she would bear with the one the Changelings gave. She listened to Reform spoke, “When you killed it, our souls were set free and returned to our bodies. You also set free one of the queen's officers who had been gone for several days.” His smile grew wider. “Because of that and everything else you have done, my people have a very high opinion of you already.”

Interesting. Hate towards his kind still buffeted her, but she had been growing softer towards them. Perhaps that was the “love” which I AM mentioned in that dream. “Explains why you went to such lengths to get me medical attention.”

“Yes.” He spoke that word quickly—too quickly. From her perspective, he seemed to be hiding something and was trying to avoid certain topics. She bet it related to his dream. “By the way, thanks for saving us. Honestly, I did not think I would return to my body.”

She ignored his appreciation. “How badly am I injured?” Assuming some small chat would cause him to grow comfortable would, she come back to the dream shortly

“Hm.” Artemis' expression became glum. “Bad. Your horn will regrow eventually, but you'll be without magic for awhile. Your skull is cracked, and we can't do anything about it. You have no other broken bones, but you are severely bruised. The cast isn't there to set bones; it's there to help you get around. You may not be able to walk at all without it.”

“Can I walk with it on?” She asked because she wanted to leave. Despite what I AM had said, she still didn't plan on sticking around.

“Maybe.”

“Can I go to a hospital?”

“No, we can't move you much, and even if we carefully brought you to Dodge City, the Guardians might attack again.”

“How long until I fully recover?”

The Changeling walked around the bed and spoke to Hoshana's face. “A month, at least, and you may have to be rehabilitated.” Her eyelids shut half way, eyebrows lowered significant, and a certain furl developed below her mouth. “I know that might b-”

“A month!” She shouted into his face sending spit in his eyes. “That's ridiculous. I'm leaving now. Good-bye.” She might have been willing to wait a little while, but a month was far too long. Without any thought to the consequences, she hoped off the bed. There was some pain in the movement, but she felt well enough until the landing. When her hooves touched the ground, her legs gave and she started falling to the floor. Fortunately, Artemis caught her.

Realizing she was at the moment showing dependency on him, she ordered, “Let go! If I fall, I'll get back up. I don't need you.” He didn't obey. She tried to stand up on her own legs, but they didn't obey either.

“You need rest.” He carefully lifted her by magic into the bed. Immediately upon being released, however, Phebe climbed off the opposite side of the bed. She managed to stand this time, but as she took her first step, she tripped over herself. Artemis caught her with levitation. “Chrysalis needs to talk with you soon. You can wait until then before trying to walk, okay?”

“No.” She activated her own magic and broke from the levitation. The action not only caused her head to burst into agonizing pain but also her balance to be lost. Multiplying her headache, she smashed her face into the floor

“Gah!” He rushed over to her side. “Are you okay?”

“Leave me alone!” she yelled into the floor.

Stomp. His leg pounded the floor next to her. “No.” His word was firm.

“You can't...” She tried to formulate a retort, but she lost her train of thought to the headache.

“You are not going anywhere.” Once more, he placed her in the bed. “I'll tell you the dream, but only if you sit still.” Instantly, he put her in her place; she wanted to know about the dream. Unfortunately, she would have to stay, so she groaned briefly before getting comfortable. “Because you have been such a problem, though, I won't tell you until tomorrow.”

“What!? No. Tell me now. I wa-”

“That makes two days you have to wait.”

“Are you kidding me?!”

“And three.”

“Grrr...” Phebe rolled onto her other side facing away from Artemis. “Fine.” Why do I care? Internally she sighed. While she was faced away, she tossed out another question. “What do you know about the Guardians?” This time her question was not delivered because of curiosity; rather, she needed to know in case they appeared again. “Am I correct to assume I'm the only one who can stop them?”

The Changeling smiled and then frowned. “For now...yes. If we knew more about them, maybe we could combat them.” He skirted around the bed to see her face again. “After our attack on Canterlot, we were thrown back here.”

“I know.” She brought to her memory the reports of newspaper agencies. She had been in Dodge City when the attack occurred, so she heard about the stir from other ponies and later read the newspaper to get the details. This attack actually only took place a few months ago. Since then the Crystal Empire had appeared and King Sombra defeated. “Your infiltration of the city was nearly complete when Twilight Sparkle interfered and freed Princess Cadence. The whole of Equestria raved about that event.”

“Well... we weren't raving.” His gaze lowered. “Anyway, it was upon our return that they appeared. They told us that they were the Guardians, and then they said to leave their land—the Badlands.”

“And you didn't listen?”

“Not at first.” His leg raised and motioned upward. “We didn't fear them, and we didn't have these tunnels back then. I mean, we didn't know about them.” His tone darkened. “So... we had no hiding place. Shortly after their first peaceful visit, they confronted us and stole the soul of one Changeling. We tried to stop them, but our magic wouldn't work and we couldn't touch them, though they could touch us.” Artemis released a heavy sigh. “They kept coming back, and we had no way to fight back. We tried to leave into Equestria, but Celestia and Luna noticed immediately. Even with our disguises, they found us and kicked us out. We tried to exit to the south, but Dragons blocked our path. We can't live among them either since we can't disguise ourselves as Dragons. Some of our officers met and pleaded with the Guardians, but they didn't listen to us.... I was one of those officers.” A powerful shiver ran down his body. “Of the five in my group, I was the only one who made it back.” He turned away. “I'm sorry. I lost a lot of friends that day.”

Friends? Phebe paused at that word. Changelings have friends? This thought had not struck her before; only people have friends, not monsters like the Changelings. Within seconds, she realized how utterly faulty that line of thinking was. She recalled the distinct personalities of Dark Shade and Shoe Lace. They acted pretty different. It was not difficult to distinguish the two of them by how they spoke. She laughed inwardly. I never once thought that Changelings might be people too. That's a horrendously simpleminded assumption.

After some moments of silence, Artemis picked up where he left off, but he still kept his back to her. “Our queen grew desperate. She searched the land for anything that might help. Many times, the Guardians nearly got to her too, but she pressed on. One day, she stumbled into these hidden tunnels. As soon as she could, she brought us all down here, and we've been living in hiding since.”

“That doesn't help. I wanted to know about the Guardians, not the story of your people.” She huffed some air out of frustration, though she did find every bit of the information intriguing. “Do you know anything about them?”

“I told you everything.” Wings began buzzing, and they started to carry Artemis to the door. In the process, his back was consistently turned to her. “If you excuse me, I need to go visit a friend I haven't talked with in a long time.”

“Wait.” Some detail of his little story did not fit. “Are you getting any food?” Her words caused him to stop. “I mean love. You live off love, right? Where have you been getting it?”

“We haven't.” Without explaining, he exited the room.

Then a sweet savor nestled upon her heart. So, this whole time, they have been getting what they deserve. In the back of her mind, Pyre's death resided. Though, apparently, they don't need love to live. She pulled the covers of the bed over her eyes and got comfortable. She figured she would make the most of her bedridden state, so while enjoying the taste of vindication, she closed her eyes shut and drifted to sleep.

~~~~~

Two days later Artemis Reform returned. He greeted, “Hey, Phebe.” Smirking, he strolled up to her bed. “I have something for you today.”

Being tied to a bed for so long had worn on her nerves. Despite having plenty of rest, Phebe was thoroughly cranky. Go away. Even so, her tongue refused to eject her words. Bleh... I feel terrible. Her eyes did not meet the Changeling, though he was only a glance away. This guy is stubborn. He spent all of yesterday with me, and here he is again. I suppose I could bury my boredom with conversation.

As she readied to speak, she felt a thin object enter her mane. This grabbed her attention. When she turned her head, she saw Artemis with an outstretched leg. A flower was in his grasps. After placing the colorful plant into her silver mane, he removed his limb while beaming greatly.

“I don't like flowers,” she stated flatly. “I'm not that type of filly.”

“Oh really?” The Changeling lifted a vase full of the same flower with which he dressed her. “Even these ones?”

Her eyes grew large. “Black dahlias?!” That was the name to the plants. They were an average size flower of many small petals. The outer petals possessed a red tint, but the inner ones were pitch black. “How did you find those? They are incredibly rare!” In truth, those were her favorite. Though she would never admit to such a thing, her excitement had blown her cover.

For the most part, she preferred mastering magic and training her body over any “feminine” activity. She never dressed nice, she never cared for the spa, and she never fawned over stallions. Similarly, flowers fell into the category of “don't care”; nevertheless the black dahlias somehow mesmerized her. She did not understand why, but they did.

“I found them,” the reply struck teasingly. Giddily, Artemis turned to the side and began walking away. “I'll be back later.” Before she formulated a response, he was gone.

How did he know those were my favorites? In the midst of absolute boredom and undying frustration, she appreciated the gift. Still, his lack of explanation irked her. Whatever. She grabbed the flower out of her mane and smelled it. Wow, it smells sweet. The scent bewitched her. For a moment, she let herself indulge in the flower's essence.

Snapping her daze, another Changeling came in carrying a dish of food. “Here you are,” she said before giving it to Phebe and leaving.

Because of flowers she had received, she began to consider the generosity of the Changelings. They feed me. Her gaze lowered looking at her bed. I have some place comfortable to stay. Even my injuries are being treated. She didn't understand how Changelings ate, but she knew, at the least, that they were sacrificing some of their food supply for her. At the most, they went in danger's way to gather the food for her. It's getting harder to hate them. Meh, haven't I wanted that? She munched on her food quietly. Until I came here, I managed to keep my hatred for them under wraps. I guess seeing them face to face incited some old feelings. Regardless, the kindness they have been showing has helped me in alleviating my anger. A light slight smile developed.

Breaking her chain of thought, a tall figure tread into the room. Chrysalis. The queen came directly to the foot of the bed and looked down upon Phebe. “I have a question for you.” Her expression carried weight behind it. Clearly, she had something important to talk to Hoshana about.

With mouth full, the eating unicorn gave a muffled, “Mhm?”

“Are you the Phebe who studied under Pyre Sandshout?” In that moment, Phebe inhaled her food choking and coughing intensely. “Oh, I-I didn't mean to...” Chrysalis stood still and silentl as Phebe slowly recovered from her improper ingesting of food.

“Pyre?” She managed to get the one word out before another volley of hacking came about. When she finally ceased, she burst, “What do you know about Pyre!?” Her tone wielded excitement, not wrath. Pyre was her mentor, so she loved to hear anything and everything about him. If somehow how this Changeling knew something she didn't, she wanted to receive that information.

“I asked you a question first,” the curt response came.

In a more calm fashion, “Yes, yes I am. Why do you ask?”

The tall one sunk her head into the bed. To the extent that no one could hear, her words flowed weakly. She inhaled deeply, lifted herself, and restated her sentence, “I am sorry then. I am so sorry. I ordered the attack on your village. I am responsible for his death, and I am at your mercy. Please forgive me.” Her face went to the floor, and she bowed.

Phebe hadn't the ability to respond. Her mouth hung open revealing her half-chewed food. What do I say to that? Caught in disbelief, she neared the edge of her bed expecting that a better view of the bowing Changeling would aid her in grasping what had just transpired. Sorrow suddenly gripped her heart. Recalling the memories of her most valued friend, she faced once more the fact she would never see him again. Tears would have fallen, except Phebe had none to shed anymore. There was only the pain. “I forgive you.” There was no point laying a burden on the queen when Phebe had no grudge against her. More accurately, part of Phebe wanted to hold a grudge, but she quickly threw away the thought. “That is in the past.” What a lie. Despite having put his passing behind her for years, her sense of loss, like many other emotions, had returned. In other words, she had long been over the loss of Pyre—until now.

The Changeling stood up and walked towards the door. She grabbed something from one of the guards. “I have something for you.” Levitation brought the item to Phebe.

“A letter?” An opened tan envelope hid a sheet of paper inside which Phebe soon pulled out.

“We found it in the village, and we wanted to use the magic that Pyre wrote on it.” The queen shook her head. “We couldn't, though. You should have it—something to remember him by.” Thank you for you forgiveness.” After one quick bow, she left.

Disregarding any hesitation, she pulled out the letter, rolled onto her belly, placed it upon her pillow, and began reading:

“My faithful student Phebe Hoshana, you have mastered every spell I have shown you, despite your special talent strictly dealing with water and despite your youth. Moreover, you have learned to tame your emotions, exactly as I taught you. I have nothing more to teach you, so this letter is my certificate of 'graduation' to you. In case your family asks if you have done anything with your life, you can now show them this. Lastly, I have a special treat for you. It's a spell that I invented, but I have not perfected it. I cannot guarantee that I ever will, so I am entrusting you to do so. It is called 'Whisper in the Wind.' May I AM watch over you, oh bright one of salvation. Your servant and teacher, Pyre Sandshout” At the bottom of the sheet, an incantation read, “Oh give ear, you figure distant. Do not be resistant, for I am insistent.”

Because of the letter, she reflected on her teacher. A certificate of graduation? Since he was the only one who knew about my family situation, he did do everything he could to mediate between them and me. And... this letter was his last attempt at reconciliation.

During their time together, Pyre cared for her without question of her attitude or actions. He allowed her to make all her own choices. He always comforted her when she made the wrong ones and consistently congratulated when she made the correct ones. In case of the letter, he set out to encourage her in her success. Despite having received the piece of paper years later, Phebe felt satisfaction deep in her soul. Thank you, again, Pyre. But, her reminiscence filled her further with sorrow. If only I could have saved you. If I hadn't run away, you wouldn't have had to die. If I let them capture me... Her head shook lightly. No point in regretting. Otherwise, I would violate that which he taught me. I can't change anything.

She forcefully directed herself into positive thoughts. I have this spell to work on. “Oh give ear, you figure distant. Do not be resistant for I am insistent.” Might as well call Artemis. She focused a mental image of the changeling. “I want to to talk to you.” It hasn't been long since he left, so he should be pretty close. In other words, if the spells functioned properly, the Changeling would arrive shortly. After a few seconds, her horn engaged. Due to its still damaged state, her head ached in the process, but the spell ended before the pain became substantial. By all appearances, nothing happened. So, she waited.

In the meantime, she skimmed the letter once more. As she read the words, she pondered, Chrysalis never had to apologize, nor admit her part in the attack, though it was obvious, nor give me this letter. How much do her actions weigh on her? She has realized her mistake, but she can't apologize to everypony. Concern billowed. I've been there. That was my childhood. I never got anything right; my dad thought I was useless. Her father grew wheat, and as the child of a farmer, it was expected she give a helping hoof. She did. However, she did not have the knack for farming. Even with her talent for water, she could not make basic irrigation. Of course, she was a Unicorn doing an Earth Pony's job; why would she be good at it? The rule was that Earth Ponies had a better hoof with most manual labor over Pegasi and especially Unicorns, and Phebe was not an exception to that rule. Her dad, an Earth Pony, along with her Earth Pony siblings, could farm well, but she and her mother, both Unicorns, had much difficulty working for the family business. I felt like my whole life was a screw-up. I would not be surprised if the queen feels that way now. I'll try to talk to her, if I can.

“You called?” Artemis questioned from the entryway. “And... you got Pyre's spell to work.”

Phebe flipped from her belly position onto her back and looked at the one who she summoned. “And... you know who Pyre is.”

“Of course I do.” He strolled up to her casually. “What did you call me for?”

When she cast the spell, she had no purpose other than to test it out, but she decided to make use of the moment to satisfy a burning curiosity. “I want to know where you got those flowers. Please tell me. I sit around in bed all day, so my life is dull.”

Concession. “All right... I got them from the mountain which Canterlot is on.”

Amazement. “Is that a joke?”

“No.”

Artemis Reform had gone halfway across Equestria braving Guardian and Pony alike to pick her favorite flowers and bring them to her. She had never had anyone go to such lengths for her—that is, except Pyre. “Oh... I... thank you. How did you know I liked these flowers?” By this point, it was pretty obvious that she liked them, so she didn't try to hid it anymore. “I already have to wait for your dream. Don't keep everything a secret.” Lord, please have him tell me, she asked without thinking, but it was heavy on her mind. Did Artemis know her before? Did he have a source of information concerning her like a biography or journal? She never wrote a journal, though.

He looked away. “Well, this spoils part of tomorrow, but I will tell you anyway. I knew because of the dream. That's all I'll say.” Like the last time the dream was brought up, his anxiety appead. “Uhm... I... I will be back tomorrow. Bye.” She didn't stop him. Obviously, he was uncomfortable with the talk, and if she pressed, the longer it could take for him to open up. Shrugging, she laid her head down and went to sleep.

~~~~~

The following day arrived, but passed on uneventfully. The nighttime hours had arrived, and yet Artemis hadn't showed up. “Where is he?” Hoshana asked restlessly. Over the simple matter of his dream, she couldn't sleep. “Hey!” she called to a guard outside the room. “Do you know where Artemis Reform is?”

The reply resounded, “He left. The queen sent him on a mission yesterday, and he won't be back for several more days.”

Heart sank. “Oh... kay.” Ugh... that explains why he didn't visit me at all today. Hah, I do miss his company. I wonder why Shoe Lace and Dark Shade haven't visited either. Artemis said I returned them to their bodies too. I would expect them to be grateful.

She had to bide her time somehow, so she brought herself back to Pyre's spell. What did he mean perfect it? It was easy to use. She skimmed right over the oddity of that. She shouldn't have such ease with that kind of spell, but for the time being, she didn't care too much about it. Is there more that I can do with it? Hm... if I can project my voice to a faraway place, I wonder if I can project other things as well. Another spell? That would mean I wouldn't need to be close to my target to use a spell.

She spoke a modified version of the incantation, “You figure distant, do not be resistant, though I am persistent, I am benevolent.” I'm sorry Chrysalis. A image of levitating the queen struck her mind. Her horn sustained the spell for several seconds, but pain forced her to stop. Sighing, she thought, I honestly can't wait for my horn to return. Anyway. I should talk with her. Whether or not her redesigned “Whisper in the Wind” had succeeded, she also cast the standard one asking Chrysalis to come visit.

As intended, the queen came. “Was that the spell Pyre wrote about?” she inquired abruptly before rubbing her head groaningly.

“Oh... did my levitation spell work too?”

“Yes.” The tall Changeling walked to Phebe and lay down. In this manner, her head hung just above bed's edge. “I did not think it was possible to make his spell work like that.”

“Either did I,” the unicorn admitted sheepishly. “I did have something to ask you.” She faced the queen by rolling onto her side. “How are you doing?” Cocking her head immediately, Chrysalis squinted, but Phebe explained, “In the last several days, you have been through a lot. It was not long ago that you threw me in prison, but now you are caring for my injuries, feeding me, and reconciling with me. That has to have some effect on you.”

The queen averted her gaze and lowered her head to the side; furthermore, a heavy sigh fell from her mouth. Before replying to Phebe, she addressed the guards, “Leave.” When her underlings left, she stated, “Yes, I am struggling. I don't even understand what has happened these last days; it has been a blur. This... I AM sent you to save us, and you did just that. For that, we are forever grateful, but...” Her eyes turned to the pony. “But, I don't know what this means for me or my people. Until you showed up, my kind was completely disillusioned and hopeless. We had given up. Even though you gave us hope, you gave us very little.” A frown came upon her as she continued. “Our situation has not changed. The Guardians are still at our doorsteps, and we cannot go to those who feed us love because we made enemies of them. We have nowhere to go, but we have to go somewhere.” A brief pause arrived. Given by a pensive, distant stare, she clearly had more on her mind.

Hoshana knew that look. “I want to help.” What am I saying? In truth, she didn't know anymore. “However, if you want my help, I need to hear what is bugging you.”

Without any wait, Chrysalis asnwered, “It hurts inside.” She had a great ability to hide this. If Phebe hadn't gone through such horrible circumstances herself, she would have never known what this Changeling could have been suffering. Any other person wouldn't have cared or noticed her pain. The queen went on, “I have done so many terrible things. I don't want to repeat them, but in order to save my people, I may have to. The Guardians get more of my kind every day, and I think an attack on Equestria may be our only chance at survival.” Teeth grit. “I don't want that, but what choice do I have!?” Lungs loosed their full capacity in a single huff. “You have heard enough. I will stop bothering you.”

“Stay.”

“What?”

Phebe squirmed to the side of her bed and placed a hoof on the Changeling's head. “Stay here, and don't question your worth.” A warm smile developed. “I don't know what to tell you except that you are worth something.” Where are these words even coming from? I mean... this is what I have learned, but why am I sharing this? In her moment of pondering, she came to the answer. She gave me that letter. My appreciation cannot be hid, and I am forced to act upon it. In other words, her kind deed causes me to return a kind deed whether I intend to or not. She concluded, Interesting. “Do you believe that you can't make a right choice?” Hesitantly, Chrysalis nodded. Phebe explained, “That belief makes you feel worthless, but your feelings are lying to you.” The Changeling went wide-eyed, bobbing her head back suddenly. “I can't make the hard choice for you, but I AM said to turn around. You did. He did not demand you to have all the answers, you are trying to do the right thing, and you have an emergency on your hands.” Phebe's following statement would have come as “I am not him, but I believe he will understand” except a sudden idea flooded her mind and transformed that statement. “He will understand no matter the choice you make, and he does understand. Am I clear?”

Phebe had captured Chrysalis' full attention, for the queen stared blankly at the pony with her mouth half ajar. The one who had lost her closest friend to the Changelings now smiled upon the leader of them all. “Thank you... friend.” Standing up, she concluded, “I need to discuss with my officers. Once I confer with them, I will make a decision. Phebe Hoshana, thank I AM for me. Thank him for sending you. I'll see you tomorrow.” Lifting off by wing power, the encouraged Changeling excitedly left the room.

“Yeah... tomorrow.” She waved lazily after the queen had already exited. Heh, these are not the same people I met back then. I don't understand. I am not the same person since then. Emotions returned, hate partially conquered, and friendships created and maintained. Satisfied with her day so far, she snuggled into the pillow. “Good night.”

~~~~~

“Get out of the tunnels!” A shout shook Phebe from a sound sleep.

She rubbed her eyes, moaned, and shook her head before rolling out of bed and limping to the doorway. What is going on? Chrysalis accompanied by four Changelings zoomed down the passageway towards her. “Phebe!” The queen stopped in front of the Unicorn while the other four went on ahead. “The Guardians! They've found us, and a lot of them. We need to leave.”

“No... that's not right.” Yawn. “You turned around... and... there should be no judgment.” The waking Unicorn stumbled to the side. “Ugh... I need to go-”

“Come on.” Without hesitation, Chrysalis snatched Phebe and hurried down the hall in flight. The less-than-careful grab irritated Phebe's injuries.

“Hey! Ow! What are you doing?! Let go!” Panicking, the pony struggled to loose herself from the grip pounding her hoof on Chrysalis' leg repeatedly. “I will stop the Guardians if I have to. Just put me down!” Her captor didn't concede, so she ceased struggling. What a way to be woken up.

After a short journey, the traveling took a turn and lead directly up. Within moments, they were on the surface. Phebe expected to only see the barren ground and rock pillars typical to the Badlands, but what actually came to her view was much more frightening. Shivers sprung down her back. “No way! No way!!!”

“I told you,” the queen answered curtly. “That's why we need to go.”

Strewn across the land were hundreds of bodies of Changelings, and they all were motionless. Hundreds more duked it out with a countless host of wispy blurs, and as no surprise, the Changelings were losing rapidly.

“We need to fight back! Let me help them!” Phebe pleaded, but Chrysalis kept flying. “COME ON!!!” Ignoring all precautions, Phebe focused all her magical might and teleported to the ground at the edge of the combat. “Get away from them!” she shouted trying to get the attention of some Guardians.

In the meantime, she tried to activate her Element, but for whatever reason, she was unable to. Taking the problem in strides, the water bender sought out another source of water. The wells she had tapped into early must have emptied out by now, but she hoped that another well might be around. Therefore, she placed her head to the ground listening for water. Unfortunately, over a dozen Guardians heard her yell and started floating towards her. Additionally, they popped out their arms from their shadowy mass and readied to attack.

Thud. Thud.

Phebe couldn't detect any source of water. Lord, help! Help me! Getting up, she began limping to another section of ground. In the process, she clambered over and through corpses—whether dead or soulless she couldn't tell. This can't be happening. This isn't right!

Shrriiikkk!

She placed her head down again. This time she met success. “Ahah! Found you!”

CRUNCH!!!

The Unicorn was too busy to notice oncoming attacks. At any second, they would have hit; however, the queen of the Changelings landed in the way at the appropriate time. She received the brunt. The attacks vaulted her into Phebe, and after that, the two of them were sent a significant distance. They landed together but were split from each other after contacting the ground. The landing wasn't soft either.

Ignoring the aches and pains that now thrust through her still-recovering body, she forced herself upon her hooves and rushed to Chrysalis. “Hey! Hey!” What she found caused her heart to sink deeply. “Chrysalis... you saved me.” That was not what she wanted to say. Rather, she desired to comment on the condition of the queen's body. The wounds the Changeling had sustained were mortal. The front half of her carapace had been ripped apart and her interior flesh broken. Blood poured out unceasingly.

Two Guardians drew nigh. “G-get away!” Phebe pleaded.

“Run...”

“Huh?”

“R-run...” The queen had kept herself conscious. “Get... out of... here.”

Phebe was in no condition to escape. Even if she tried, she could not evade any attacks. Making that determination, she stood in between her dying friend and the ghosts. “I can't. I will fight.” Element. Work. Work! This isn't a joke. I AM, where are you!? This isn't a time to play jokes! A single attack from a Guardian threw Phebe back. When she hit the ground, a snap sounded from her left foreleg. She attempted to stand up, but she failed. Her one leg had broken and thereby lost all its strength. The other ones did not carry enough to pick herself up. Now she could only watch in horror as one of the Guardians picked up Chrysalis and started draining her soul. Phebe yelled, “Why... why!?”

In her last moments, Chrysalis reached out with a leg and spoke some words. As much as she desired to, Phebe couldn't hear them. Then the queen fell limp. If that was not enough, the Guardian performed another attack on her, but instead of attacking from a distance, the Guardian smacked her with its arm. The result was a complete ripping apart and scattering of Chrysalis' body. The sight made the already wearied Unicorn absolutely disgusted.

The Guardians moved to Phebe next. She couldn't move much less fight back. No. I don't want to die this way. Chrysalis! Anger suddenly surged through her veins. You took her away from me! Just like Pyre was taken from me... The anger turned to rage and rage to fury and fury to violent indignation; unfortunately, all the emotion in the world could not cause her body to cooperate. As hard as she tried to the contrary, she found herself helplessly waiting her doom.

Without a warning, her body lifted off the ground, and a beam of green flung at the Guardians. “We've got you, Phebe.” That was the voice of Dark Shade, but instead of bringing reassurance, an intense fear shrouded Hoshana. She didn't want to lose him too.

A sudden flash blinded her. Without explanation, they gained a significant distance from the Guardians. Actually, there was one explanation—that is, a teleport. Apparently, Changelings could learn that spell. Soon enough, Dark Shade cast a quick succession of teleport. The battle could no longer be seen.

“Whew... we're safe,” Dark commented. “Hah... I'm glad my queen had me practice this spell all this time. Oh.” A sharp realization cut threw his positive attitude. “My... queen.” In silence, Shade carried Phebe north.

Dodge City//Chapter 3

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The hospital. Phebe Hoshana bearer of the Element of Perseverance and protector of the Changelings lay in a bed wrapped in a head bandage and leg cast. She stared purposelessly at the ceiling affixed on a single spot. Dark Shade, as his alias Balc Rigger, sat beside her watching her unceasingly. He wanted to talk with her, but she would not speak nor move. At best, she would blink but no more. “Phebe...”

After escaping the Badlands, Shade brought the wounded Unicorn to a hospital in Dodge City. There were a lot of questions asked. For instance, the doctors wondered why a construction worker from Cloudsdale would come from the Badlands. They also inquired where and how Phebe got her injuries and if that necklace was an Element of Harmony. He didn't answer a one of them; he only cared that Phebe be treated. Fortunately, she was.

If only somepony could treat her mental condition. She had been completely silent since escaping the battle. Even as the doctors examined her broken leg and placed the cast from her lower knee to her upper shoulder, she wouldn't move—neither cooperating nor resisting. She was dead inside. One glance at her lifeless eyes would show that. Sometimes, Shade wondered if she was still breathing.

“Come on. It's been a day already. You haven't eaten or had a drink.” The imposter of Balc tapped the Unicorn on the side. “I know it hurts, Phebe. I lost her too... she was my queen.” He paid no attention to whoever listened; he frankly did not care. “I lost them all. I mean, they were my family—my friends—but I have to move on—we have to move on.” This was the fifth time he tried to reach her. “Say something!” Nonetheless, every attempt, including this one, failed. “Gah, fine, I'll go. I need to find some way to earn money for the medical bills. I'll be back later.” Forgoing the regular exit, the Pegasus zipped out of the window.

Hours washed away silently. By the time night had struck, Phebe had moved twice, but each time she merely rolled onto one side and found another section of wall to glare at carelessly.

Suddenly, words flung through the air. They would have startled Phebe, if she was concerned with anything. “Is this her room?” A male voice, unfamiliar to Phebe, resounded through the doorway.

“Yes, sir,” a nurse replied.

“Okay, thanks.” Phebe was facing away, so she only heard the stallion enter the room. She didn't bother to look.

On the side she was not facing, the person took a seat. Artemis? Phebe pondered.

“Oh my... you've been through a lot,” he commented as if he knew. “It's nice to meet you, uhm... Phebe Hoshana? That's what the nurse told me, anyway.” This pony chuckled. “You remind me a lot of myself.”

For whatever reason, Phebe assumed this to be some mental health doctor—perhaps, a shrink. Even if this person were not a doctor at all, as everything else, it didn't matter to her. You can't fix me; go away.

“Well, I was given a message to tell you, and then I'll be out of your hair.”

A message. Kay.

“Do not be afraid nor discouraged. Instead, be strong and brave. For I am the healer, and I am with you. Do not be discouraged.” A long huff provided a barrier between the message and the pony's own words. “Ah... I need to hear that too, and thank you for giving me the privilege to talk with you. This may be my only chance; I'm glad I took it. Bye then.”

W-who are you? The need to know drove her to roll over and face him, but when she did, she found no one. There was not a person sitting by her bed, and in fact, there was no one in the room. Do not be discouraged, she mouthed those words. Instead of bringing her comfort, the message brought her irritation. Eh, whatever. It's not important. I'll just be here a year recovering from my wounds. Oh, except I have yet to die for the Changelings. And then I get to marry Artemis! It'll be his corpse. “Meh.” She returned to her status of watching the ceiling.

~~~~~

The night time passed into the wake of dawn. Dark Shade, still suited as Balc, returned. “Hey, Phebe.” Like previously, he placed himself beside her. “I got a job working construction. I don't know the first thing of how to build stuff, but they gave me some simple tasks. Plus, they said I could leave whenever I need to, so once you're healed up, we can go wherever we have to.” When only quiet sullenness replied to his statements, Shade groaned. “Phebe, speak to me!” She did not. “All right, listen up! I'm tired of you acting like you are the only one to suffer. I'm providing for your treatment and care while I'm searching internally for my answers like you are. I don't have time to sulk, though. I have to live on—press on! You can either suffer alone in your world of self-pitty, or we can bear each other's burden. I am here with you.”

Phebe had heard that already. “No, you are not!” Her soul was fed up. She threw herself out of her bed, and landing on her three good legs, she put her face to Balc's. “You think you get it? You think you understand what I am going through? Do you realize how many times I've lost everything!? I never had a good family, but when they needed me most, I abandoned them. They do not accept me anymore. They won't forgive me!” Her teeth grit and her voice became intensely gravely. “I had Pyre. I had a teacher and a friend. I had something, but then you and your miserable excuses for a 'people' took him away. Yes, I moved on. I recovered! I got on by fine for many years. Come the turn of this year, I stumble upon this thing.” Her head motioned to the Element around her neck. “Then I'm given the message to bring to you guys. Easy, right? I would have loved to deliver the message and leave, but I wasn't given that option. I ended up helping you, and it cost me. I haven't yet recovered from those wounds, and now I have received so many more—deep wounds!”

Shade took this pretty hard. Tears welling up in his eyes, he tried to back away, but she pressed into until he was up against a wall. “Ple-please s-stop.”

Those words did not process in Phebe's brain. “You see, I thought I had a friend in your queen. I was starting to understand her—relate to her. I had a purpose too, and I was beginning to feel something, and it wasn't hate, guilt, and fear. I even got some closure on Pyre's death.” She deepened her tone as low as possible, a growl of fury thrusting out. “I can't have any of that, though. I lost all my progress within days of attaining it. I can't be happy. I can't have peace. I am destined to lose everything until I am dead, so I don't care anymore. I hate you and your people, and I will gladly kill the last of you to satisfy my hate. Then, I'll kill myself. For your sake, you should hope I never see you again. Bye!!!” Disregarding all of her injuries, she hobbled out of the room and down the hall. As she was going, she heard loud sobs coming from the room. That's right. Suffer. Suffer like I am.

After much struggling and fumbling, Hoshana managed to exit the hospital and go out on the streets. It's a city. Cities have shady people. She briefly recalled what she told the Changeling and decided to renege on one statement she gave to him. I'm not going to wait to kill myself. Dark Shade, be happy that you will live on.

Since she had lived in Dodge City for awhile, she knew where to find the most sketchy places. Longing for the sweet solace of death, the limping Unicorn pressed on from the hospital despite how unpleasantly painful each stride was.

After a journey of thirty minutes, she came to the dingy section of the city. Instead of elegant brick buildings and well-paved roads, beaten down shacks and gravel pathways detailed the area. Her hooves found discomfort in walking on the unsteady ground, but she would not turn back.

Eventually, she came to a certain house. The building possessed a coating of paint, whereas the surroundings ones did not, and had a better maintained exterior; nevertheless, it still had a broken front door and shattered porch.

Recognizing her inability to knock because of her leg, she levitated a larger piece of gravel from the street and patted that on the door. Her horn was intact enough for her to perform this basic spell. “It's Phebe.” The owner, a gritty old Earth Pony who wore a ripped top hat and gold necklace, answered the door. He went wide-eyed when he saw her standing there. “Yes, it's me, Phebe. I'm not here to stir trouble this time. In fact...” She looked to the side with a sly smile. “I'm willing to sign away whatever wealth I have in order to get the best drugs you have, and I want as much as it takes to overdose.”

“Oh how the mighty have fallen. Come in.” The Earth Pony walked inside, and Phebe followed. “I already have a guest. You can visit with him while I scrounge for the necessary paper work.” He went down one hallway, and she traveled a different route until she came to the dining room—quaint yet small and simple. Another Earth Pony with a tan coat, puffed blonde mane, flowing tail, and dark blue eyes sat on a stool at one end of the table. He was looking intently at the texture of the table. Regardless, Phebe took a seat on the opposite end.

“What are you here for?” She inquired drolly.

His head tilted up, and when he caught sight of her, he jumped. “Y-you!” That voice sounded familiar. “I didn't think I would see you again. Odd.”

“Hey! I know you,” she stated authoritatively. “You visited me at the hospital and gave me that ridiculous message.”

“Oh...” His expression fell into a glum state. “That would be why,” he commented to himself while tapping the table repeatedly.

“What do you mean? And why are you here, anyway?” She shook her head slightly. “I would not have taken you for a druggie.”

“Hah, me... a druggie!? Hahahah!” As if intentionally exaggerated, the pony flopped onto the floor and began rolling around in laughter. “Haha! HAHAHA! BWAHAHAHA!” It was annoying, but Phebe disregarded his irritating behavior. Once he recovered, he hopped to his hooves. “I have a better question for you.” Carrying a cocky smile and raised eye brows, he slowly walked up to her. Once he was close to her ear, he questioned, “Why are you here?” Phebe didn't answer; she didn't need to tell a stranger anything. “I see. May I handle your Element? Since you won't need it after today, I figure it would be no harm to inspect it.”

Does he know? Eyes rolled. What is taking that jerk so long with those papers? I want to get this over with.

“I promise to leave if you let me hold your Element for only a minute.”

“Fine.” In her sitting position, she was able to snap off the back with her good for foreleg without putting much pressure on her bad one. Begrudgingly, she handed the necklace to the mysterious pony. I can't believe I am doing this.

He grabbed it gleefully and began a thorough scrutiny, but soon after, a pained expression came upon him. “It's hot to the touch.” Glaring intently at the water droplet which revealed the difference between her Element and the others, he wondered, “Should it be burning like this? I would think it would be a bit cooler...” She ignored his odd question and comment. He changed topics. “Well, anyway, I am more curious as to what this element represent.”

“Perseverance,” the terse reply hit.

“Oh. And you are the bearer of this Element?”

“Yes!” A frustrated tone built up. “Why else would I have it? Idiot.”

He strolled behind her casually, gently wrapped his forelegs around her neck, placed the necklace, and whispered in her ear, “Why do you have it, Phebe Hoshana?”

She was incredibly uncomfortable with him touching her and getting, so she turned around and yelled, “Get away from me, you pervert!” However, when she took a second look, she realized that the old Earth Pony was standing there, and the other guest had disappeared. This was the second time he vanished.

The owner of the house thought she meant that to be directed at him. “If you plan to speak to me this way, at least do it outside my home. Now get out!” He pointed to the door.

“No, I-I-”

“Did you not hear me the first time? Leave at once!”

Heavily disgruntled, Phebe took off from her seat and walked out. Upon exiting, she discovered the mysterious pony standing in the middle of the street gazing blankly at the sky. “You!” She cried angrily. “Stop disappearing like that; you ruined my plan!” When he didn't respond, she came up to him. “Are you listening, idiot!?”

That snatched his attention, so his head turned toward her. He answered, “And what plan was that, hm?” She was caught off guard by his reply. Her best defense was staring at him silently. “I thought so.” His gaze returned to the sky, and his eyes squinted.

After a period of quietness, she gathered her thoughts enough to inquire, “Who are you?” In that moment, she decided to check his Cutie Mark hoping to find an answer there. Unfortunately, she found no answer, for there was no Cutie Mark. Thinking back to his repeated disappearances and his message from I AM, she sheepishly inquired, “Are you... an angel?”

“Not really, no.” He didn't stop staring at the sky. “I am a messenger like you, though. Well, for now, I am.”

His inability to look her in the eyes bugged her. “Just what are you looking at? I'm talking to you, you know? In fact, you're talking to me back. Look me in the eyes and talk to me.”

“To your first question,” he replied while keeping his face upwards, “I have to say, I don't even know. There is this small floating mass way up in the sky. It's black... but I can't seem to make out its body, and I have really good vision.”

“Huh?” She decided turn upward. At first, her eyes did not catch vision of any such thing, but when she took some time and focused, she discovered a tiny black ball of fog prancing around randomly in the sky. “That's a Guardian!” she yelped. Immediately, she turned to the “other messenger.” His head had already turned to her, and now they were meeting eye-to-eye.

“Oh... that is a relief. I thought it was something much different. Haha... whew...” He let out a full breath.

Panic set in. Actually, no, soul-rattling horror filled her. A bucket full of thoughts emptied into her mind. In fact, a few dozen buckets overflowing with questions, concerns, and conclusions dumped on her. Why are the Guardians here? Whatever the case, they are an extreme threat. I have to get back to the hospital; I can't risk losing Dark too!

Without a word of good-bye, the Unicorn stumbled her way at maximum speed to the other side of the city. This is bad. She moved as speedily as possible, but she came to a quick realization that her rate of movement was not nearly sufficient. If they're here, they could already have Dark. I need to be back at the hospital now. In that moment, a sense of self-stupidity came over her. I should never have left him. Despite her previously nasty attitude to Dark, she still cared about him and cared enough to save him by any means necessary. Tremendous regret weighed on her for abandoning him. Nonetheless, she didn't have time to sulk.

I can teleport short distances. While her horn was still damaged, she could scrounge up enough magic for a single strong spell, such as a teleport. Without a second thought, she cast one. Unfortunately, her teleport spell was only able to take her twenty yards--not far enough to make teleport spells effective. Think, think! I don't have time to waste. I could take a cab... but that's still not fast enough.

“Ah, Pyre's spell!” Her shout drew the attention of some strangers who gave her a strange look. They were ignorant of the real situation, so she didn't care what they thought of here outburst. In fact, she threw away all consideration for their opinions; Her friend—potentially only friend—was at risk.

Imagining her hospital room, she rephrased the spell, “Oh distant figure, I do care. Wait a moment and bear, for I will be there!” Her horn began glowing. Oh this is gonna hurt. Traveling five city blocks consumed a grand more magic than going to a nearby destination, so unfortunately, the glow of her magic fizzled. “No!” Still, she wouldn't bend to the obstacle. She had already lost Pyre and Chrysalis, so she refused to give up on Shade. Her element activated causing the aura of her magic to expand and bloom. What the-!? Phebe had never seen this before, and as far as she was aware, the only Unicorns capable of collecting and using that much magic had their Cutie Marks in magic. Phebe was not one of those Unicorns. Though she could pull some extraordinary feats, this was beyond her. Considering the direness of the situation, she concluded, I won't question it.

Even with the help of her Element, her horn injury caused her head to surged agony, but she would not bow to weakness. A little more...

Blip. She blinked and found herself at her intended destination. “It worked! Hah! HAH!” The act, however, completely drained her of strength. She was incapable of holding herself up, so she fell. On the bright side, she didn't land on her broken limb.

“...Phebe?” the weak murmur of Balc Rigger slipped into her ears. “H-huh!?” His voice grew suddenly louder. “Are you okay?!” The Pegasus came to her side. “What did you do!?”

“No... time...” Her spell weakened her to the point of impairing speech. She gasped in between words. “Guardians... here. Need... to... find safety!”

“Wh-what!? They came here?” A gawk of horror came over the fake pony. “Why? They said they would leave us alone, if we left! Phebe, where do we go?”

“I know... a safe... place...” She grunted as she tried to pick herself up. “Help me... get up...” Shade did as Phebe commanded. The winded Unicorn could not stay standing, but by sitting upon her hind legs, she managed to keep upright. “One... one more spell.” Her vision was already cloudy, head light, body weak, and head throbbing; nonetheless, she activated her magic once more. “If they don't ever... find out... about us, then... we'll be safe.”

“You're exhausted. You can't do that.”

“I. Don't. Care. Clear?” Growls loosed from her mouth incited by the intensifying of her headache. Regardless of her agony, she started the next spell. Dark Shade did not interrupt; he was frightened by her tone. Barely having caught her breath, she affirmed sternly, “I will protect you! I will not lose another.” On this occasion, her magic required a lot more time to gather the required charge. Her growl escalated. The pain was intolerable. In fact, the one usually incapable of tears—that is, Phebe—poured rivers from her tear ducts. I can't hold on anymore. I AM, Help! Please help me! “Dark, hold onto me! Quick!” Almost... almost! Hesitantly, the Changelings grabbed her around her neck.

In a flash, the two of them were transported into a dark tunnel where a rushing stream flowed. Since a sidewalk did not exist, they landed in the water, but since it was shallow, they were not taken away in the swift current.

Phebe collapsed into the water, but she remained conscious. “Phebe!” After resorting to his normal form, Shade checked her condition. Though her outer appearance didn't seem injured, her breathing was extremely labored. He checked her pulse and found that to be weak. When he noticed her eyes beginning to close shut, he pleaded, “Phebe, stay with me!” To his dismay, she didn't respond. Eventually, her eyes clasped shut. “Phebe!”

This is it. She felt herself beginning to drift away. She didn't expect to push herself to death, but apparently a Unicorn of her caliber was not designed to cast two taxing spells with a damaged horn. Though, she wondered if any Unicorn or even Alicorn would survive that much stress.

In the midst of welcoming death, she had a single question to answer. Why did I go through this much effort? I thought I hated Changelings. Ironically enough, she still did; nevertheless, she felt that they had already paid their dues. Whatever they deserved they got, in her mind, so she had no desire for them to suffer further. On top of this, there was a sense of duty. After losing Chrysalis as they did, someone had to watch over Dark Shade, and whether or not she was “worthy” of that responsibility, Phebe had taken it upon herself. Lord I AM, you said your love would burn inside me. Is this what you meant? I disregarded any valid reasons for hesitation and gave everything I had to protect one Changeling. Just one. I suppose this is my fate. She resigned. If I live, then great, but that is not likely. Despite attempts otherwise, her consciousness neared its end. Bye Dark.

Soon enough, Dark hoisted her over his back and began walking down the tunnels. “Come on, Phebe, keep strong.” She heard him initially, but her hearing soon dulled. She couldn't determine if he knew how extreme her condition was, but she figured he didn't care. She certainly didn't. “I don't know why you brought us down here, though. Where is here?” In short time, he came to a four-way intersection. Since he could not see any exits or landmarks in any direction, he progressed forward speedily; he had to find help for her. “There has to be something down here.”

No sooner that he spoke those words, one pony jogged across the following intersection taking the pathway to Dark's left. Because of the splashing of hooves, Dark, determining no other options were available, decided to follow.

The pony's voice echoed through the tunnels, “Hum...? This is odd.”

To that voice, a sudden burst of energy poured over Phebe, so her head shot up. “Follow that pony!” she yelled. It's him again. Why does he keep popping up? Shocked by the loud voice rippling into his ear, Shade kicked into top gear rushing down the tunnels. When they turned the bend, the mysterious pony took a right down another pathway, and Shade followed. He chased him down several twists and turns until they arrived at a dead end, but there was nopony to be seen. He had vanished.

“Where did he go?” the Changeling inquired. Even with the darkness, his vision was excellent, so he knew he saw that person come in this direction.

“You lost him? Aww... crabapples,” she commented. First, a defeated tone dribbled out of her mouth, but a blast of sarcasm came directly after. “...and I stayed alive for this?” Taking a deep breath and relaxing, she lowered her head and stared into the darkness. “I'll be fine, Dark.” Weakness quaked in her body, but the closeness to passing away had itself passed away.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah...” Her muzzle rubbed against her good foreleg. “I'm very weary and woozy, but I'm over whatever happened to me.” If weakly, she could speak clearly, so that was corroborating evidence to what she told him. I won't be dying yet. Dang.

“If you say so.” An ounce of relief lighted upon the previously worried Changeling. “So... why did he lead us here?” Instead of giving up, he took time and effort to scrutinize his surroundings. Of particular note, the ground had a build up of pebbles which prevented the stream of water from going any further. “Hey. That's odd.”

“What is odd? If I could see, I might be able to help.” She nudged him as harshly as she could which was more representative of a rub than a tap. Silently, Dark activated his horn thereby bringing lighting to the immediate area. Since the easiest place for her to look is down, she immediately noticed the tiny rocks on the floor. “That's new.” Her head lifted and turned back and forth. “We're on the edge of the water system.”

“What water system?”

A moment of pause permitted some consideration on Hoshana's part. I didn't tell him? Oops. “We're under Dodge City. This is the water system. It's how they get running water in almost every place across the city. When I lived here, I used these tunnels to travel places without being noticed. I was really good at getting crooks this way,” she stated proudly. “Anyway, I've been down here enough times to know that there shouldn't be a wall here or this dam of rocks.”

“In other words...” Dark Shade stepped forward heading into the wall, but when he should have contacted it, he went straight through. “It's a fake.” Having crossed to the other side, he smiled and nodded. “That is Changeling magic. It's similar to what we use to hide the tunnels in the Badlands. Since you fell into one of our holes, I'm assuming you did not see it before falling in, correct?”

“Y-yeaaaahhhh.” Her voice carried suspicion. “I was wondering about that.”

“The ground there was fake. We were only able to keep hidden from the Guardians because of that magic.” Whilst walking forward casually, he continued, “Therefore, we were especially surprised when they came down.” He stopped and looked at the surroundings. “Well, it seems that Changelings are around here, so it would make sense that this is where Chrysalis sent Artemis.”

“Artemis?” That name rolled of her tongue by annoyance and, simultaneously, excitement. She recalled how he ditched her, and she was a touch upset over that. On the other hoof, she might get to hear the remainder of his dream if he were here.

“Yup. Outside of those that went on the mission with Artemis, I was the only one who she mentioned it to.” A large amount of pride swayed with that statement, and it remained for some more sentences. “The queen had a specific mission for me. I'm good at mimicking Unicorn magic as to... disguise myself better, so she had me practice your teleportation spell incessantly for a week—in case something were to happen and I had to get away quickly. In getting away, I was to take you with me. Though,” as he went on, the prideful tone whittled down into a sorrowful one, “I didn't expect to lose her.” Shudder.

“Either did I.” Her comment wielded much the same tonality. “Let's not think about it too much. I was finally starting to feel better.” Except one major issue yet weighed heavily on her mind. “Oh, Dark Shade, I...” She loosed two heavy sighs—one after the other. “I overreacted earlier. You were trying to help, and I bit off your head for it. I am sorry.”

By this point, he had walked a considerable distance, but now he stopped to look back at her. “Heh. You got what you deserved with all the pain you had to put yourself through to get back to the hospital.” Pause. Accepting what he had to say, she nodded. “Just... don't do anything to deserve that again. Please.” She nodded again though pensively.

I got what I deserved. Not long ago, she had given the same consideration for the Changelings. Though, his final statement surprised her. Don't do anything to deserve it again. I don't know that I've heard that before. With a plain tone, she replied, “All right, I'll try,”

“Thanks.”

From here on, the two traveled in peace and quiet. Though their walk took a lot more time than they expected, they both took the opportunity to enjoy the soundless and dark surroundings. Neither of them were scared or worried. Their trek halted when the tunnel split off into two opposite directions. “Well this is not helpful,” Phebe commented. “I thought they would have had a Changeling nearby to maintain that wall.”

“Oh no, it's a self-existing wall. It can last for a few days before one of us has to replace it.”

“Fascinating.” Her lips curled up into a reflective smile. I didn't know that was possible. Though, I didn't know teleporting large distances was possible either. “Also fascinating is that we haven't seen that other pony. I'm thinking he went through the wall like we did, but we should have seen him or heard his hoofsteps.”

Dark gazed askance.“I was wondering the same thing. Did he mean to lead us to the wall?”

She didn't reply directly to his question. “Uh... I didn't tell you. I met that pony twice before, and both times he had disappeared on me. The first of which, I can't even explain how he did it. I turned to look at him only seconds after he talked to me, and there was no where for him to go that quickly.”

“Weird.”

She scoffed, “Yes, and annoying as well.”

“Can we rest?”

The sudden topic change shocked Phebe; she hadn't considered how tiring hauling her was. “Yes. If you needed one earlier, you could have said something.”

“No, I was fine until now.” By his magic, he lifted her off him and gently set her down on the ground before laying down himself. “I have a question.”

Barely able to hold up any weight, she put her head down and got as comfortable as she could, though her leg cast caused difficulties in that area. “What is it?”

“You said you got your Element this year, but I know the other six bearers of the Elements received theirs almost a year ago. How did you get yours?” He pointed to her neck. “And why aren't you with those six?”

Her eyes rolled playfully. “You asked two loaded questions.” Her hoof would have raised to make some particular motion, but she again realized how impossible an action was. Thus, she refrained from moving altogether. “The second one is a little easier to answer. I haven't officially met Twilight Sparkle and her friends, but I have seen them, heard about them, and read about them. I have absolutely no desire to be around them.” A light chuckle put a gap between her words. “I used to think they were immature and shallow. I don't think that anymore, but I am still so different from them. They have seen the better part of the world, and I have seen the worst part. I'm scarred, violent, and considerably older, and since these won't change, I prefer not to bring any of that into their lives. Realistically, I have no interest in being with them.”

“Wow. But... You know that the Elements of Harmony are meant to work together, right?”

She replied matter-of-factually, “Yeah, but they obviously don't need me. They defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, the Changelings, and King Sombra without any of my help. Besides, I can stop the Guardians with my one Element, if only I could learn how to use it.”

“You ever think it's because you're not with them?” he posed the question as if trying to help.

“Hahah, nah. It has already worked without them, so I don't see why it wouldn't work now. We'll worry about that later. Did you still want to know how I got my Element?” She wanted to motion with her hoof, but her weakness again held her back. Having been put into a hospital bed twice already, she grew steadily more frustrated over her repeated injuries. Will I ever fully recover?

“Please.” He nodded.

“All right.” My story—some one wants to listen to. Her heart warmed to that thought. “I lived in Dodge City for awhile after my mentor Pyre died. I joined the law enforcement. Though they didn't usually accept mares, I managed to convince them.” A hollow chuckle frothed from voice box. “Anyway, I got so good at it that I ended up bored, so I left for Ponyville. My intention was to explore the Everfree Forest for an adventure. When I got into town, I saw the owners of the six Elements for the first time. I think Pinkie Pie tried to welcome me in with a party, but I scared her away. Even if she did throw me a party, I didn't go.” She was completely content to have skipped out. “Regardless, I went to the forest as soon as I could. I set up camp using supplies that I had brought with me and went exploring. After being there a week with many interesting discoveries and dangerous encounters, I stumbled upon a cave housing a glistening tree.” She recalled details of the strange plant. “It had a star, moon, and sun on the trunk, snowflake-like leaves, and crystalline bark and branches. When I walked up to it, the tree began glowing brightly, so I touched it. When I did, a sapphire or something similar came out of the roots of the tree, and it came up to me, touched me on the neck, and transformed into the necklace I now wear.” Strange but not exciting. Though, now that I think of it, the tree seemed to have lost its glow after I got my Element—as if it were dying. She briefly allowed her eyes to slide shut. I'm getting sleepy. “So, that's how I got this Element.”

When no reply came, she noted how Dark's horn was beginning to dim. “Shade, are you there?” Only silence answered. “Hah, you're already gone. Me too.” She inhaled thoroughly and loosened up. In the dank tunnels, she allowed herself to be taken by slumber.

~~~~~

A hoof gently rested on Phebe, easing her out of slumber. “I wish I could get to know you a little more, but it seems this will be the last time we meet. I'm leaving Dodge City after today.” In her drowsy state, she could not recognize the voice. “The healer said you're on the right track, so be strong—very strong. Do not waver on your path anymore. Fight, and fight beyond your last breath. Kay? Good.” The unicorn cracked open her eyelids, but since the tunnels lacked light, she could not tell who was there. “One gift from him to you, our bright messenger of salvation. Go and save your people.” A flash of warmth rushed through her body. “Goodbye.” Phebe couldn't keep herself conscious; she was still exhausted from yesterday's event.

Hours later. “GAH!!!” Phebe threw herself up. That was how long she took to realize what had happened. “Where did he go!?” She shot gazes in every direction. “I still have questions to ask! I have so much I want to know! Come back!” In her sleep, she had recognized the voice that spoke to her, and it was that same pony who kept disappearing. Then her reality dawned on her. “I-I can move? My leg too?” She carefully slid herself upon her hooves and putting pressure on them, she discovered a distinct lack of weakness. “I can stand?” No way. Her broken leg wiggled with ease, so she ripped off her cast. “It's not broken!”

“Mmm, what's not broken?” Dark Shade asked having only just woken. He rubbed his eyes before coming to the stark realization. “Your leg!?” He jumped to his feet. “It's not broken!”

Didn't I already say that? She laughed inwardly.

“Your horn?”

“Huh?” Her hoof instinctively reached for her magic focus, and she found it had fully regrown “Hah, I can use magic again!” Gleefully, she empowered her horn to bring light to the blackness. “Oh thank my God! I can't believe this is happening. Hahahahah!” Laughter exploded down the passageways leaving behind an ear-ringing echo. “I'm completely healed.” He healed me? He said the healer had a gift for me. Was this what he meant? Her excitement bubbled over to a tremendous grin. I am genuinely happy. I... can feel again. She pondered all the difficulties she had suffered in the last few days. I would have missed out on this if I was spared from tribulations. “Thank you, I AM.” She bowed as if her God were standing in front of her. “Thank you for all you've brought me through.”

“So, he healed you,” Shade stated plainly. “Wow.” A whole chunk of bitterness swept in with that one word. “We should get going. We might find Artemis.”

Phebe perceived what he was feeling. “H-hey, I don't know why he didn't save your queen. I didn't-”

“I don't want to talk right now.” In that moment, he began walking down one of the two paths. “I'll go this way; you can go the other. We'll meet back here.” She reached out with a hoof and readied to call out, but he glided by his wing power and rushed away.

“Ugh.”

~~~~~

Sometime later, Hoshana discovered a group of Changelings under the leadership of Artemis. They had made a home out of the farthest section of tunnels. Artemis was not around at the time, so she decided to go back to look for Dark Shade. Sadly, the search lasted the remainder of the day without success. Eventually, she returned to the Changeling outpost by herself. When she arrived this time, Artemis was waiting for her.

“Phebe!” the deep-toned Artemis bellowed, “you survived.” He sprinted up to her and gave her a tight squeeze. “You've recovered from your injuries too.”

“If only you recovered from your brain injuries,” she replied snarkily before returning the hug. “It's good to see you too. Dark Shade is in the city, but we went our separate ways. I don't know where he is now.”

Loosing from the hug, he backed away, motioned for her to follow him, and began walking, so she walked beside him. “He can hold his own. Besides, I need to be informed of the situation in the Badlands, and then we need to make a plan of action.”

A weight of sorrow and distress scaled the reaches of Phebe's mind and heart. He doesn't know about Chrysalis!? Without revealing her turmoil, she added, “You also have to tell me about your dream.”

His head lowered as he responded, “Yeah. Uhm... sorry for leaving you. I couldn't say no to the mission I was given, and I wasn't allowed tell you about it.” The armored Changeling tilted his head away from her accidentally clanking his helmet against the side of his breastplate. “We'll talk in here.” He led her passed a drape that hung from the ceiling to the floor. Going through, she came to a make-shift supply room which was surrounded by drapes. Crates of food and medicine formed a small pyramid in the center of the room. No water was to be seen, but they lived in the water system for the city. One merely needed to another part of the tunnels to find water. “I'll talk to you about the dream after I hear what I need to know concerning the rest of my people.”

Phebe could no longer retain her sadness. Her gaze lowered, and soon her eyes clamped shut. “I... I couldn't save them, Artemis.” A self-blaming burden threatened to lay on her, but a desire to console the soon-to-be-mourning Changeling overpowered any pity she would have felt for herself. “The Guardians attacked soon after you left. There were so many.” As her words flowed from her mouth, the up-beat albeit nervous face of Reform steadily transformed into a glower. “They took the souls of most, if not all of those down there. I am only aware that Dark Shade and I escaped.”

She hesitated at mentioning the irreversible loss of his leader. If this were her a month ago, she would not have cared what Artemis would feel, but now she did. Artemis already appeared extremely discouraged, and she did not want to strain his bleeding heart any further. Nevertheless, she could not lie nor keep the secret. “I...” She choked on her own words. Losing Chrysalis hurt her too. This Unicorn had recovered from much, but she had not finished mourning the end of her friend. Truthfully, she wished she could cry. She could not. “I miss her. I miss her, Artemis.”

“Miss... who?” His words appeared hesitant. He anticipated the answer with tensing.

“Queen Chrysalis. I miss her because she is dead.” She finally opened her eyes and looked at him. “They took her soul... and then they destroyed her body! She is not coming back.”

The Changeling shook his head. “No. That's not right. You're lying,” he said flatly. “This contradicts all that the providing one said would happen. We turned around, Phebe! We can't be judged. Judgment day was never supposed to happen!” As anger rolled over his depressed expression, he stomped with his forelegs.

The sudden jump in topic surprised her. Assuming that Judgment day had been at the forefront of his mind, she simply followed the conversation. “I thought so too.” At this time, another pony might have told Artemis: “you didn't turn around,” “he lied,” “he never told you anything,” or “you're not worth saving.” To the contrary, Phebe wanted to comfort, despite not being comforted herself. He's right, Lord. What are you doing here? A sudden thought popped in her head. Well, why don't you find out? Pause. Where did that come from? The idea of searching for an answer was not her own; it just happened into her mind. Regardless, she decided to vocalize it. “I don't have the answer, but I will ask I AM about it.”

“You're still lying.” Even with her best attempts to calm him, his rage only intensified. “That couldn't have happened. I had a dream.” He growled. “That was everything I had to rely on for guidance, and if that isn't true, then I've been believing in lies this whole time! What really happened there, Phebe?” His tone became supremely nasty. “Don't lie again.”

“Then I won't.” The Unicorn turned around and silently left. She had tough enough skin not to take his harshness personally; however, she would not pursue a senseless conversation. And yet, she couldn't help wonder. What were they supposed to believe? What if they had gotten it all wrong?

“Wait!” His voice reached her from beyond the drapes. “Come back, please!”

As she scoffed to herself, “make up your mind,” she returned. “What?”

“I need time to think.”

Even a potentially false message about the deaths of his people would necessitate some thinking. Realizing this, Phebe rolled her eyes. Duh.

“We'll have to talk again later.” The harshness had evaporated completely. “I will make a proper apology as soon as I can. But, I have one question that I have to ask, before I go to clear my head.” He delayed briefly. “Where is your facial scar? Didn't you have one on the right side of your face?”

Eyebrows cocked. “What are you talking about?” One of her hooves raised to feel her cheek. Since the scar was severe, she would have felt it if it were there. “It's... gone?” She pushed her tongue against her teeth suddenly. “My missing tooth is still missing, but my scar is gone?” She looked at her back. “And that one vanished too.” If this had happened two weeks ago, she would have created a huge scene, for she had greatly valued them. They had added character, in her mind. On this day, though, she couldn't have cared less. In the end, she was only curious why her tooth hadn't returned if scar tissue had been healed. “Hahaha, I'm completely confused.” Unsure of where to take the conversation, she simply explained what happened. “I was healed by a mysterious pony today. I had serious injuries from the battle in the Badlands, and they got worse because I pushed myself too far.” To spare Artemis for further worry, she left out the details of how she nearly pushed herself to death. “And he just... healed me like that. I went to asleep barely able to move and woke up better than I was when I was being treated by you Changelings.” Something caught her attention. Artemis stared blankly at her, and he wouldn't move. “Artemis?”

“Blonde-mane, no Cutie Mark?”

She gawked. “How did you know?”

“He was the one who directed me to these tunnels.” He scratched his head “He didn't give me a name either. He just said he was a messenger.”

“But not an angel?”

“Yes! He didn't seem to know anything about our situation. I don't know if he knew that we were Changelings either. ”

“He gave me a message from I AM like he knew what I was going through, but I don't know that he actually knew anything.”

The two blinked repeatedly before saying simultaneously, “He said he wouldn't see me any more.” Absolute surprise sprung upon their faces, but soon incredible grins replaced their gawking.

Firmly yet carrying a whisper of hope, Artemis said, “On that good note, I'm going to go figure out how to handle our new situation.”

“And, I'm going to figure out why judgment day still happened.” Phebe bowed lightly before walking away. “No need for apology, by the way,” she spoke as she left. “You're already forgiven.” Acknowledging the show of compassion, he nodded and then exited in the opposite direction.

Dodge City//Chapter 4--Part 1

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Phebe and Artemis having decided to reconvene the following day, Phebe went to rest. Her exhaustion weighed on her so much that the night passed swiftly and the morning arrived suddenly.

Listening to her internal clock, she cracked her eyes open. It's time already? She groaned. Moments later, she rolled out of the corner she had nestled herself in and stood up. Stretching and yawning, she gazed around. Her eyes would not catch any details in the darkness, so she flicked on her horn. That's better.

A tinge of nostalgia rattled her soul. This underground area used to be her stomping grounds; she would travel through these tunnels to chase and capture law-breakers. Thanks to her physical stamina and nice teleport spell, she was able to catch them with fair ease. Regardless, she was glad she could enjoy the dark and quiet surroundings of her favorite place in Dodge without the disruption of criminals.

Gingerly, she stepped forward. When her left forehoof touched the ground, she winced out of habit. Right... not broken. A breath of relief exited her lungs. Her legs then carried her forward.

Though, despite having four working legs, the ground caused her frustration; it was extremely uneven and bumpy. Sure, the granite walls and ceiling were smooth, but those were pony-crafted in order to prevent cave-ins. The ground, however, was carved out for water flow and no more. In short, it wasn't designed for hooves. Whatever.

Desiring to avoid a walk on the bothersome terrain, she teleported to the tent where she and Artemis met earlier. Oddly enough, she cast her spell effortlessly. Since she didn't see her destination, she had to use a variation of “Whisper in the Wind” which combined it and her teleport spell. Though she had previously done this with her levitation spell, the teleport required more skill and magic to perform. In other words, a Whisper in the Wind spell combined with a teleport spell shouldn't be easy. Furthermore, Phebe had never cast this combination before. In normal circumstances, a Unicorn would have to practice a single spell to make it work, let alone causing two to work in unison. And yet more, there wasn't an incantation required. She had to use one to use Whisper in the Wind previously, but now, with more difficulty added, she didn't need one. All in all, she performed her spell far beyond her ability to do so.

Despite this, she didn't question it. Her curiosity did bother it, but she had to focus on other matters--such as, the meeting with Artemis. Therefore, in order to satiate her desire for answers, she concluded in her mind, The Element of Perseverance must helped me with the spell. Since it had empowered her before, this was a logical conclusion and enough to make her temporarily satisfied.

Breaking her from her thoughts, Artemis walked into the tent and greeted, “Hey.” Shortly there after, two other armored Changelings walked in. “Dark Shade is still missing, so I sent out a search party for him. Hopefully, they'll find him.” After his brief explanation, he embraced Phebe. “How did you sleep?”

“Well enough,” she answered plainly.

“Good.” Even though she did not reciprocate, he kept a smile. “Returning to the important matter, we need to decide what to do. The queen did not give us a plan for if we were to be cut off from them, but seeing we are own our own, we need to determine a well-thought-out plan of action.” He motioned to the other two Changelings with him. “These are my assistants, Kirk Briar and Labil Nasha.” The two bowed their heads politely. “They'll be helping us plan.”

Phebe squinted her eyes at them. Helping us with the plan? Something irked her about them, but she could not pin the origin of her annoyance. “All right. So, what are we going to do?”

“Well, the Guardians are in multiple places around Dodge City,” Artemis said with a scowl. “I don't understand why they are here, but they're definitely have intention behind their presence.”

The Unicorn cocked her head. “Why would you say that?”

“They are masking themselves in the surroundings. For instance,” he said while pointing to a crate's shadow created by Phebe's horn, “they hide in the darkness. We've had our people scouring the city as ponies, and since they know what to look for, they've been able to spot the Guardians without being spotted.” A worried expression came over him. “I don't know how long that will keep up, and I fear that Dark Shade's disappearance may cause trouble for us later. If he has been captured, then who knows what those fiends will do with him. They're obviously quite intelligent, so we need to be prepared for anything.”

“What are our options?”

Labil piped up, “I believe we should escape while we can.” Shock struck when a female voice came out of this Changeling's body. She possessed an appearance similar to the others, so Phebe was not prepared. “We can act as a company going to another city for business.”

“Actually,” Kirk added, “we would be better suited to take smaller groups out of the city at a time. It would draw less attention.”

With a grimace, she shook her head. “But if they attack in the time it takes for all our people to leave, we'll lose more of our kind. We shouldn't waste time.”

Curtness returned to her explanation. “Look, if we mess this up, we'll lose everyone. It's better safe.”

“You aren't thinking this one through, Kirk. Think of our people!”

“That's what I'm saying. Every time I come up with a good idea you reject it!”

At that moment, Phebe knew why she felt annoyed by them. She gave a look of disgust to Artemis. These are your “assistants”? she thought. After returning a look of disappointed to Phebe, he interjected, “Shut up.” Both subordinates obeyed instantly and gave their full attention to their leader. “Good.” Turning to the only pony in the room who hopefully had a fresh perspective, he questioned, “What do you think, Phebe? I am terribly with making up ideas; that's why I have them. Still... I want to know all my options in order to make the right decision.” Yearning reflected off his eyes as if something more was intended by his question.

She ignored the potential hidden intent behind the words and focused on the matter he had presented openly. While she pondered silence filled the room. You're kidding me, right? That's some of the worst advise I've heard. Is that all they have? How much of this did they think through? She felt offended by their worthless counsel to the point of giving her a headache. They gave one choice—that is, retreat. She would have had less issue with their idea if this was spur of the moment, but it seemed obvious to her that they took time to prepare. On top of that, they began a spat concerning a plan that was almost exactly the same. She could not conceive why Artemis would have them. He seemed to have realized their lack of ability since he asked her for advise, but why would he keep them around if they were terrible for ideas? Unable to contain herself any longer, she gave a directed question. “Why are they here?” She eyed them. Though lacking attitude, her words thrust mercilessly. “They are the two biggest dimwits I've ever encountered. Why would you ever use them?”

“Hey! That's not nice,” both of them replied.

Phebe sternly answered, “Leave.” When they did not, she reaffirmed with a yell, “I said leave!” In that moment, the two of them scrammed. Now, this was a test. If they had stuck around, they would have proven that they had some guts and loyalty, but in leaving, they disrespected Artemis greatly. He did not order them to do anything; they left because they were scared.

“Why did you do that?” Artemis began scratching the side of his head.

“Are yo-”

“I'm joking. I know why you did that.” A lengthy chuckle escaped from his mouth. “They were my assistants by Chrysalis' orders. I don't know why she picked them, but I couldn't get rid of them myself. I'm not allowed to counter the queen's orders even if she did pass away. Maybe they'll learn something from this.” He seemed to be handling well the loss of his leader, but he could have been putting on a show to keep the spirits up of his underlings.

“I hope so.” Actually, she didn't hope that they would learn anything. Chrysalis was still dead, and her people defeated. Why had Judgment Day still taken place? She had yet to determine the answer, even after agreeing to figure it out. Ironically, Artemis, who claimed he would have contrived a resolution for the problem of the Guardians, also failed to keep his word. “So, you want my opinion?”

“Yeah... as I said, I'm terrible with creating ideas.” His ears lowered as a light grimace fell upon him. “I tried all night to think of something, but I just couldn't.”

“Well then, let me assist.” She smiled proudly. “I believe we have three major options. Kirk and Labil showed you one, and that's retreat. Besides this, we stay here—hidden—and hope they don't find us, or we could face them in a head-on conflict.”

“Eh... retreat is sounding better already.” A tense aura swayed through the room suddenly carrying away the lighthearted mood. Delays between statements revealed that brains were cranking. “If we want to stay in this city, we'll have to regularly leave these tunnels and travel to the surface for food. Several of us already have jobs. To keep suspicion a side and to pay for the food, we'd have to keep working at those jobs. If we left, we could simply leave and make new identities wherever we go.” He didn't even consider fighting the Guardians. Since the Changelings had lost to them many times already, it was understandable why he brushed the idea aside. ++++

“I see.” The Unicorn twisted her head to the side. They've been running from the Guardians since the beginning of the year. And now they've lost practically everything and everyone. Can they afford to keep running? “If we retreat, we don't know that the Guardians won't follow us. I suggest that we don't get out of Dodge, and rather make it our home.” The Changelings officer nodded to the suggestion and began pondering as she further explained, “Since I am well favored here, in case somepony suspects something, I have the ability to push your identity and location under the rug, and I know the tunnels and their many entrances perfectly. Realistically, your chances are better here than anywhere else.” Her logic was sound, she felt.

“Okay. So, you're suggesting that we stay hidden from them?” His tone revealed a lack of surety.

“In part.” She motioned to the surroundings. “We are underneath one of the most populated cities in all of Equestria. If the Guardians make a move against us, so long as we keep your identity secret until then, we can cause my people to consider them enemies as well.” Intentionally making a dramatic gesture, she hopped onto one of the food crates and raised a hoof to the sky. “No more running; that's all you've been doing for months. There are very few of you left, so what else do you have to lose? I say we stand our ground. If they find us down here, we'll draw them up top and cause a big commotion. We may lose to them, but if we enough attention on them in the meanwhile, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will get involved, as well as the bearers of the other Elements, which we know can defeat the Guardians.” After stepping off, she pointed to him. “Does retreat still sound like a good idea?” The expectation was for him to immediately shake his head and say no; however, this was not the case.

“I need to think this over.” His hoof was placed to his chin, and he drifted into internal musing.

“Hm...” In reflection, she realized the dire position Artemis had been placed into. One wrong move meant the demise of himself and all his people. If he were the only one to decide for, then the decision would be simpler. She internally acknowledged the wisdom he possessed. Someone rash might conclude quickly, but he is not like that. In fact, this particular trait of Artemis reminded her of Pyre. When Pyre came to an important matter, he had always thoroughly considered the issues at hoof and the options set before him. Like everypony else, He sometimes made wrong decisions, but nopony could ever have accused him of making those wrong decisions for a lack of thoughtfulness. I admire that.

Swapping topics for the time being, she spoke, “I did not find anything about Judgment Day either. I slept most of yesterday, so I could not seek the answer. I'm sorry.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” Escaping his state of pensive lostness, he walked up to Phebe and gazed directly into her eyes. Gently he stated, “I don't know why Judgment Day happened, but if it weren't for you, none of us would have survived.”

He was right, but she scoffed, “Yeah... if only Chrysalis wasn't killed.”

“I know it's difficult.” He put a hoof on her shoulder. “Remember to be strong and courageous.” She had heard that somewhere before. “This is the time of battle, and we can't faint now. We can still win. We can find the answers together.”

“And that reminds me,” Hoshana replied with a sly grin. “You never told me about the rest of your dream.” She leaned her head forward returning Artemis' strong gaze with her own stare. Immediately, his confident reassurance shriveled up, and nervous anxiety replaced it. “You are several days late.”

“You won't like it.”

“I don't care.”

“Are you sure?” His persistence in delaying the telling of his dream finally began to cause her worry, for she feared that her marriage to him was part of the dream. She didn't hate Artemis, but she wasn't ready to accept him as her her husband. She nodded anyway, but he returned with his question, “Are you absolutely sure? It's... extremely significant, and once I tell you, there will be no going back.”

With a swig of reluctance, she replied, “Is it significant particularly to me?”

He sighed. “Yes.” Phebe recollected what he had said the first time she met him. When he was explaining his dream, he had said that the third part of it was mostly about him. After hearing his acknowledgment, she realized the remainder of the dream was actually about her, and that he, back then, was trying to avoid sharing with her. “Since judgment day came, I don't know how reliable the dream is now, and it may not come true at all.” At this time, his eyes averted from hers, and he would not even glace at her. “I really I don't want to get you worked up over something that won't ever happen.”

The more he spoke, the deeper her fear sank into her heart. “I want to know.” After all he had already stated, she could not turn back anyway. Her curiosity intensely desired the answer, though the rest of her objected.

“Kay...” He huffed a heavy breath. “After you, the blind Unicorn, come and give us this message, I see you... and I...” In addition to the averted gaze, his head sank and his voice lowered to almost indiscernible whisper. “We have a... a... wedding.”

In that moment, Phebe wasn't surprised; in fact, she was relieved. While her fear had come to pass, she had expected it and unwittingly prepared herself for it. Since the truth was out, she didn't need to worry anymore about what it could be. That said, she also knew, like Artemis had said, that anything could happen. Just because he had a strangely accurate dream does not mean every part of it will come true. Furthermore, part of it seemed not to have been accurate; after all, Judgment Day still took place.

“That's not all.” As he spoke, his body began to quiver.

Now, Phebe found his sudden nervousness strange. Of anyone, he ought to be the most eased for getting this off his chest. Thus, clearly, whatever else he had left to share carried a much heavier weight than that of marriage.

“After our wedding... I see you falling.” He choked on his words and grimaced. Anticipation built up as he delayed in speech. “You... fall... to your d... death.”

“W-what!?” Her jaw dropped. That's not even fair! Then she recalled one other detail; I AM had told her she would die for the Changeling's sake. I get married and then die? Though not necessarily guaranteed, the possibility seemed high. Wow. Great... Nonetheless, she overcame her astonishment. What had surprised her initially was not that she would die, but, rather, that she was supposed to get married only to die after. In regards to dying itself, she didn't care too much. After all, she had recently tried to commit suicide.

“You see what I mean.” He slowly turned his head upward to face her, but a certain shamefulness caused him to look away regularly. “I'm sorry. Again, Judgment Day wasn't supposed to happen. So... it's not nec-”

Complacent about death, she changed the topic. “Are you still going to try to marry me?” She decided she would no longer fight marriage. Whatever was to happen would happen. She might even grow to like him at some point.

He jumped slightly at the sharpened notion. For the first time in several minutes, he gave a steady, unwavering reply, “Yes. Yes, I am.” Head nodded afterword. “I don't care what the dream says. You're worth whatever effort I need to give to earn you love.”

Phebe pondered for a moment and then popped an inquiry, “Why haven't you proposed to me yet?”

His answer struck quickly. “Lots of reasons. One, you have to accept, and I'm not going to propose to you when I know you're not interesting. Two, I'm not supposed to be married being a Changeling since the Queen is the only one allowed to bear children. It's hard to feast on love with so many already.” The way he said that, he was clearly unhappy with that Changelings were forbidden to marry. “Third, I don't know if either of us are ready for it. Four, the Guardians are still a threat, so I don't believe now is a good time for a wedding. Five, I don't know how weddings work. The closest I ever came to seeing one was the wedding our queen impersonated Cadence for. Six, I'm scared of the outcome of that dream.”

Part of her was tempted to sigh wistfully, but she consciously refused to do so. Nonetheless, she approved and appreciated his calculated, honest, and realistic answer, and in doing so, she indirectly permitted respect for him to enter her mind. Now, she was given reason to like him, though she didn't particularly want to like him. Well, crabapples. “I won't lie, you've thought this through.”

“I don't take marriage lightly, nor do I take you lightly. You are the daughter of I AM, after all.”

A child of I AM? Her God had called her daughter in that dream several days back, but she had to wonder why Artemis thought of her as I AM's daughter as well. She didn't bother, though. If he had been shown in a dream that she was to come to the Badlands, marry him, and then die at the end, what surprise should there be if I AM had revealed another detail to him? “I appreciate that. Thank you.”

An impeccably huge grin formed on the face of the changeling. “You're welcome,” he chimed fluttering his wings excitedly.

“Is there any thing else that needs to be discussed?” The eyes of her heart rolled sneeringly yet playfully at his show of hype; however, she retained a blank demeanor.

Artemis wondered briefly while he scrunched his mouth to one side. “No. Besides, I need to talk with Kirk and Labil and determine our plan. Would you seek your God for us? We need wisdom and guidance.”

As the words “your God” exited the Changeling's mouth, a lick of annoyance slopped its wet and slimy saliva across Phebe's entire face. She shuttered briefly. With authority, she stated, “I will seek him, but he is your God, just as much as he is mine. Furthermore, you are his people, as much I am his daughter. You can seek him too.”

“Hm... right.” While mulling her statement over, he hovered out of the tent—head lowered slightly.

~~~~~

At the following day, Kirk Briar and Labil Nasha confronted Phebe. She expected them to be angry, but she discovered expressions of worry and fright upon them. “Hey... Phebe,” the female Changeling spoke first. Her voice carried at the level of a whimper. “We have a question.”

Taking a seat upon the floor, Hoshana cocked her head and replied, “Go ahead.”

“We both had really strange dreams. They were very vivid and also frightening, but we don't know what them mean.” Labil motioned to Kirk with her head. “We both wanted to know if you could interpret them for us.”

I'm supposed to know what their dreams mean? A number of reservations were nearly adhered to, but Phebe pushed them a side until she heard what the dreams were. “Tell me.”

Labil elbowed her fellow Changeling. “You first.”

“All right,” Briar said with a light shrug. “In my a dream, I saw three sets of armor lined up. They were made recently—without damaged and polished. I brought them before Artemis and tested each one of them for quality. They all passed inspection, so I gave them to him.” After a brief pause, he shrugged again yet wielded noticeable stress on his face. “That's all.”

“Oh.” For some reason, Phebe knew exactly the interpretations for the dreams. That's weird. “I know what it means, but it must have come from I AM. I don't know why I understand it.” Having given credit where it was due, she proceeded to explain, “Anyway, the three pieces of armor are three days. In three days, you'll gain the respect of Artemis and be helpful in defending your people.”

Both Changelings smiled, and Labil, gleefully anticipating what her dream meant, told hers, “I saw three sheets of paper. Something was written on them for Artemis, and as I went to take them to him, they were ripped apart suddenly.” She ended there. In an instant, her joyous expectancy transformed into terror, for the eyes of Phebe went wide and her mouth gawked with horror. “What-what is it? Is something wrong?” A response didn't come immediately, so she pressed, “Tell me!”

“The three papers are three days.” The Unicorn allowed her gaze to fall. “In three days, you will be torn to shreds instantly.” She had a distinct idea of how Labil would come to this fate. The Guardians... “I'm sorry. I wish... I wish it were different.”

Briar yelled, “No, that's not going to happen! I won't let it.”

Nasha rested a hoof onto his shoulder and shook her head. “It's fine,” she said reassuringly.

“What? No. No!” A thorough growl come forth from his throat. “This isn't how it will be.”

“Kirk,” Phebe stated softly yet firmly.

“What!?”

“You've got three days. Make them count.” Kirk would have snapped at her, and she knew this; therefore, she immediately spun around and began walking away. In this manner, Kirk was not given the opportunity for an outburst.

During the first few steps leading away from the Changelings, heavyheartedness set on Phebe. First, Judgment Day still takes place, second, I'm going to die after getting married, and now Labil is going to die in three days. Why, my Lord, why? Have you turned your back on us? Her mood carried no anger and minimal frustration, but intense confusion plowed through her mind and heart. I don't get it. What are you trying to do here?

She glanced back at the two. They were hugging each other. Were they both terrible at supplying advise? Yes. Did they argue over petty matters? Yes. At least, those qualities seemed evident from her first encounter with them. Nevertheless, she did not wish any kind of demise on them. In fact, the concept of Labil perishing produced a defensive attitude. I don't want Labil to die, I AM. Phebe found a quiet corner to huddle in, and she lay down there. Save here! Rescue her! Please...

The following three days were torture. The only thing that Phebe could think of was the dream Labil had been given. It spelled to her doom. Phebe Hoshana hated the prediction. The fact that Phebe herself had a prophecy of her own demise played a significant part into her frustration; that was unfair enough. Now Labil was destined for death as well. It seemed as if I AM was treating that Changeling like a plaything in his “great plans.” If at any time Phebe saw injustice, she saw it now. Every fiber of her yearned that the dream would be false.

At some moments, she tried to comprehend why this prophecy bugged her so much, but eventually, she did discover the why. She could relate to the Changelings in all their suffering. They lost their home as Phebe had experienced twice in her life, they lost their leader like she had lost her teacher, and they were scrapping by in life like she had done for years at a time.

Therefore, she spent all three days in prayer pleading that her God would spare Labil. She found herself close to shedding tears repeatedly, and the intensity of her asking repeatedly drew out sweat. Enough death had taken place around Phebe, so she would not sit still when the life of one was on the line. She was called by I AM as a messenger of salvation, and this must have meant something. Surely, if anyone, he would hear her.

~~~~~

Halfway through that third day, Artemis approached her. “Hey, Phebe! I've got good news.”

From a lying position, she perked her head and ears. Both were highlighted by the glow of her horn. “What is it?” she inquired with anticipation. Maybe Labil won't die after all.

“Dark Shade returned!”

While some disappointment entered into Phebe's heart, a waft of relief filled her chest. “That's good.” She smiled and got up. “Where is he? I want to talk with him.”

“I'll take you to him.” He lead her away from the secluded area that she had been residing in and took her to the central area of their camp where the entire crew of Changelings—about 30 in total—formed a crowd. “Attention!” he called out to his underlings. They all turned around and faced him. “Give him some breathing space.” Each of them took a single step outward of the circle they had formed. “That does not qualify as 'breathing space.' Phebe wants to talk with him, so everyone go away.” Submissive to their leader, all of them except one left the immediate vicinity. The who remained was Dark Shade.

Phebe alone walked up to the Changeling. “Hey, it's good to see you.” She welcomed him with a motherly pat on the head. “I was not sure what happened to you.”

Dark failed to look her in the eyes, and actually, he barely responded to her at all. His words were: “I'm sorry.” Extreme shame filled his statement. As he spoke, Phebe noted a shadow cross overhead. Because it was a brief sight, she made only a minor note of it.

“What do you mean, 'I'm sorry'?” She stared askance upon him. Wonderment filled her mind of where he had been. What had he been up to for four days? These tunnels aren't expanse enough to travel them that long. He surely would have found an escape to the surface. The surface had the Guardians there. At that point, her mind registered what the shadow she had seen was. Unfortunately, this was to late, for as she went to call out to the Changelings, the Guardians were already upon them. Shrieks sounded through the tunnels. “Dark Shade!? What did you do!?”

“I'm sorry.” Shade's wings activated and he left the vicinity slowly. In the moments that he disappeared into the blackness, several Guardians surrounded Phebe.

He betrayed us! It was pretty clear that he had given away the location of their hideout. In some small part, this explained why he had taken so long to return, though she yet wondered what specifically happened. Was he captured? He hadn't the heart to willfully turn his back on his people, as far as she could tell, so she concluded that they found him and forced him into an act of betrayal. “Back off!”

“We don't want to fight,” one wisp replied.

Taken aback, she snorted, “Oh yeah? Then why this show? You didn't have to attack us by surprise.”

“We want your Element.” That statement incited rage within Phebe.

“Not a chance.” As she spoke, two more Guardians arrived from behind Phebe, and each of them carried a Changeling in its grasps. Being intensely aware of her surroundings, she noticed immediately and looked at the prisoners. To her dismay, they were Kirk and Labil. She already had a pretty good idea of how this situation was to end.

“Phebe, help!!!” The latter cried out.

The prior resounded afterward, “They're going to kill us! Please save us!” Their voices wobbled revealing intense panic and fright. “Please... please! Save us.”

The Guardian who spoke before repeated his previous statement, “We want your Element.” It then tacked on, “if you do not, we will kill these two. We can kill them all.”

Phebe halted. They want my Element? She put some mental processing power into the situation. If they truly had no intention of killing the Changelings and simply wanted the Element, then their presence in Dodge City was simply to retrieve that Element. The Guardians must think I'm still a threat to them, so they want to take away my power to kill them. If I give this away, then I'll be safe, and the Changelings! Oh, even Labil! Instantly, she concluded that this opportunity was I AM's answer to her prayer. She could prevent Labil's death if she gave away her source of power. It was costly, but it was a worthwhile expense to save the life of many. Sure, this was sudden, but under the circumstances, she had not the ability to belabor her decision. “All right... fine.” She still was not pleased with this turn of events, though. “Take it.” She reached for her Element and removed it. Immediately, she tossed her necklace towards one of the Guardians. It caught the necklace.

“Good choice. Release them.” Everything seemed to go according to plan. The Guardians got the Element, and Phebe would get her people back in one piece. Unfortunately, her plan had a glitch. By no command of Phebe, the Element of Perseverance cast a consuming light around the Guardian which caught it. Quite instantly, the Guardian was devoured, and the Element dropped to the ground. “A trap!”

Phebe's pupils dilated. “No-no! That-”

“Kill a prisoner.”

“STOP!” Phebe called out.

Moreover, Kirk Briar shouted, “No. Oh God no!

Tears bursting from her tear ducts, Nasha pleaded, “Don't! I want to live. I want to live!” Another Guardian drifted speedily to her and readied for an attack. “NOOOOO!!!!!” Her scream was loud enough to deafen anyone next to her. In an attempt to rescue her, Phebe readied a teleport spell, but she was too late.

CRUNCH!!! The Guardian contacted his arm with Labil, and like Chrysalis, she was blown into hundreds of pieces.

“LABIL!!!” Kirk and Phebe shouted in sheer terror.

The speaking Guardian floated up close to Phebe's face and reaffirmed, “Give us the Element. No more tricks.”

The Unicorn did not even look at the ghost creature. Her eyes were affixed upon where her friend had been. In a instant, her hopes and her love were dashed into shards. A thousand objections shrilled in her ears. I AM had given her a heart for them, and she had noticed this repeatedly. Her hatred for them had long vanished, and tender care had been steadily filling the void that her hate had left. She wanted to see them victorious over the Guardians, she wanted to see them return home, and most of all, she wanted them to live. All the love that I AM had given her for them, and it could not be fulfilled. Her insides burned, her vision blurred, and her mind whirred. What was the point of growing to love a people if her love was crushed at every turn? Why would I AM yank out her desire to kill the Changelings, replace that with a longing for their survival, and then have them killed anyhow? Did he find enjoyment in spiting her? Did he smile are her misery? Did he laugh at her sorrow?

Questions didn't matter anymore. Memories of Chrysalis' death came back to her and the thought of Artemis' dream replayed in her mind. I can't build any friendship. There... there isn't even a point in trying anymore. They'll all die... except Artemis. Instead, I will die. Trying to hide from the pain, she choose to feel nothing at all as she had done for years before. I should have never opened my heart up. I'll only get hurt again and again.

“Disable your Element.” The Guardian snapped her from her internal reflections. “Otherwise, we will kill the other prisoner.” She did not look at it, nor did she give a glance to the Element or Kirk. Her enemy, her ally, and her weapon had lost all their value—whether negative or positive. There wasn't any point in trying; all purpose sank into a swamp of despair. “Kill him.”

“GAH! NO-NO-NO!” Kirk shrieked like a coward. Suddenly a green beam struck one of the arms holding him, and the arm shirked back instantly. He was free!

Artemis, accompanied by several other Changelings, charged into the fray attacking every Guardian they came into contact with. While fighting, he shouted, “Kirk, grab the Element and Phebe and go!” Happy to have escaped death, Kirk obeyed the command at full speed. He snatched the necklace with magic and physically grabbed Phebe. A Guardian immediately tried to stop them, but Artemis placed himself between his friends and his foe. “Not today!” This delayed the opponent long enough for Briar to gain a little distance. Another Changeling, apparently capable of defensive magic, placed a solid barrier in the tunnel between the area where Changelings and Guardians fought and where he had brought Hoshana. The Guardians tried to pass through, but they couldn't. When they saw that they couldn't, they tried to break through, but by that point, Kirk had turned down the tunnel thereby causing them to lose sight of him.

~~~~~

The armored Changeling stopped underneath an exit to the surface. “They'll be coming for us. We should go up there.” He dropped Phebe on the ground. “We'll be safe.” Immediately upon touching the floor, Phebe lackadaisically walked away from the exit and towards the battle that they had run from. “What are you doing!?” She did not answer.

And there was one left. I won't protect him either. Her spirit had been crushed more thoroughly than any other time in her life. Even though her body had plenty of her energy left to it, weakness encapsulated her soul. I'll just die. Maybe they'll let me do that. I just want to die! Having been brought to the end of herself, Phebe shed heavy streams of tears.

“Phebe, snap out of it!” As much as he might try to communicate to her, she did not hear him. For her, wound had been toppled upon injury, injury to scars, and insult to injury. Overflowing depression and anguish consumed her, so her only desire was death. She could think of nothing else, nor taste, see, or hear anything else. “Phebe!” He attempted to grab her again, but she retaliated with a buck. The force of her hooves was strong enough to throw him into unconsciousness.

Desiring nothing more than to disappear, she fell onto her belly and began sobbing loudly. She would have put her face into her hooves, but her sorrow consumed her so much that she couldn't muster the will to do even that simple deed. Like a banshee, she wailed mournfully. It would be heard throughout the tunnels. Please find me. Please just kill me! KILL ME! She had never desired death more than now. My Lord, end it. End it-end it-end it-end it! Without realizing it, her internal chant soon bled into a vocal one. “End it-end it-end it.”

Over the progress of time, her cries became quieter, and her eyes dried up. She wanted to escape somehow from her misery, and yet everything held her tightly to her state of emotional distress. She would even have loved to fall asleep, but her soul-sapping agony kept her back from that. Terrorizing her further, her body would not move. In other words, she was stuck in one place, wide-awake, with only hell itself for her friend. “My God, why have you turned your back on me?” she finally muttered. “Why have you left me? Where are you?” These were not the inquiries of a hateful accuser; rather, they were those a shredded, tattered, and shattered child begging her father for answers and for help. “Why...” She dwelt on the single word.

“Why don't you trust me?” A whisper wrapped itself through her ears. “Did I not say?”

If any other ponies, in the same circumstances, had heard those words, they would have reviled their God and their faith in him. She did not. Though her God could have stopped all these events from taking place, Phebe reacted warmly to the question. At the least her God was talking to her. He cared enough for that much. “I'm sorry.” She desired to explain failure in not trusting him, but her tongue grasped to the bottom of her mouth. Several more drops of water escaped her eyes, and when she tried to speak again, only a moan came out.

“Well, this is weird.” That mysterious pony that had been popping up repeatedly spoke up from behind Phebe. He lay down in front of her. She tried to look at him, but the darkness made that nigh impossible. She saw only his silhouette.

He's here?

“I did leave Dodge City, you know?” He got up briefly, lit a torch, placed it next to them, and finally resumed his place in front of her. When he rested on the floor again, he noted her condition, “Oh my.” A frown formed but was soon replaced by a warm smile. “You've lost everything, haven't you?” She couldn't nod or speak. “Of course, you have. This explains why I ended up in these tunnels... again.” He put a hoof close to the flame. “Isn't it warm? It's comfy and cozy until...” He placed his hoof into the fire and allowed it to burn there for several seconds; furthermore, when he removed it, the flame remained on his limb. After allowing the fire to sear his flesh for awhile, he flicked his leg to extinguish the fire. A section of char remained. “You get burned. Phebe,” he said gently, “I can relate to you. I am still working through the loss of all that I had and all that I was, and I've gone through it multiple times. Haven't you? Of course you have.” His expression became stern. “God has promised you something, hasn't he? And yet... it seems impossible that it would ever happen, right? We say, 'There's no way that could ever happen. I'm too weak, pitiful, and helpless, my adversaries are too strong and oppressive, and I've got no one to help me. It just won't happen.'” The stranger shook his head with stern disapproval. “God sometimes makes promises with conditions. If we do 'this' and 'this' and 'this, then he will do 'this' and 'this' and 'this.' I don't think that's the type of promise he has made to you. God sometimes makes promises without conditions. He will do 'this' and 'this' and 'this,' and we cannot stop him no matter how hard we try... or don't try. Has he not given you an unconditional promise, Phebe?”

She pondered his words intensely. An unconditional promise? Aren't I going to get married to Artemis. For the first time, she actually desired that. She had seen Artemis in action, and she liked his personality, respected his character, and accepted his flaws—though she had seen very few of these. I can't change that? Is is that it won't change like my coming death won't change?

“How many suffer like you do? And how many more will?” He allowed a full minute of silence of the consideration of those questions. “A lot. You have an important position, don't you? Of course you do. For instance, let's examine your friend.” He motioned to Kirk. “He just lost the love of his life. He wanted to marry her, but due to circumstances, he was not able. As soon as their opportunity had come, she dies.”

Kirk wanted to marry Labil? She had to wonder how this pony knew all of these things, but if he was a messenger of God like he said he was, she would not question too much. He must be in a lot of hurt. And... what about Artemis? He puts on a face because he has to, but he can't escape the loss of so many of his people. What about Dark Shade? He must be dying inside. His face had so much guilt on it. The shame.

“I AM decided that you would be the messenger of hope. The hope—salvation.” His tone grew firm and passionate. “They turned around, Phebe! Their lives are different. Their view of life is brighter and better. And God wants to do unfathomable amounts more in your life. Your life does make a difference, whether or not you accept that fact. This is a fact for all of us, and we all must choose this day who we will serve.” He tapped himself on the head. “Serve yourself, and you'll never see anything happen. Serve him.” He pointed upward. “And, though there may be times of silence and desert, you will never stop seeing things happen.”

“Can... I ask you something?” She finally formulated a sentence.

His answer was not initially direct which caused her worry. “I have not given you the chance to ask anything in the past, and I may not have much chance in the future.” Relief came when he spoke his next sentence. “I am not leaving until I have addressed each question you seek an answer for. I may not be able to give you an answer for everything, but I will try. God has not abandoned you in your time of need, and neither will I. Go on.”

“Who are you?”

His demeanor sank. “Well, you would ask that. I suppose giving you some flippant response at the time would be inconsiderate and unloving.” After a sigh, he stated, “I am no one.” Phebe squinted at him. “A lot of people respond that way. Phebe, I don't know precisely know who I am or what I am, nor do I even possess a name. Since my beginning, I've been called no name. Again, I'm not joking.” A second heavier sigh followed, and he grimaced lightly. It was clear that he searched for answers concerning himself.

“Black Star.”

“What?”

Phebe started to break through the darkness that shrouded her heart. While pain still greeted her at every mental turn, she managed to speak in a cheery to tone, “Your name is Black Star. You are a messenger that does not carry your own message. No one sees you. Yet you are there giving warmth and hope to people who are completely unaware of your presence. You are giving the message of another, and while they don't see you, they see who you represent. I know I do.”

An unbelievably huge smile came across the fellow. “Black Star... Black Star.” The name rolled of his tongue repeatedly. “I love it! Phebe, I was here to console you, and hah, I think you've just done far for me more than I've done for you. Thank you. Thank you so much.” A single tear trickled down his face. “Hah, my bad. So, anyway, God's messenger of hope, is there anything else that I can do for you?”

Immediately, Phebe thought of the problems she had been having with her Element. “Yeah, actually... Black Star, do you know about the Elements of Harmony?”

“Absolutely. But,” he qualified, “I don't know much about them. I've not met any of the others who bare them.”

She clicked her tongue. She had hoped to learn how to make the necklace work. The Guardians were still around, and they needed to be defeated. Unfortunately, the Element, being her only means of combating them, was not very cooperative.“I was hoping you could help me figure out why it won't work. It activated a few times, but it's pretty random.”

“Nope... I'm afraid I won't be any help to you there.”

A couple other questions popped in her head. Though she was disappointed in the seeking of answers for her previous inquiry, she did not halt in bringing forth the others. “You said you left Dodge, right? Where did you go?”

“Oh... well, I've been traveling around. No particular place, though.” He tilted his head. “I think God has something in mind in my wanderings, but I don't know what that is yet. I think I need to find someone in particular for some specific purpose, but that's only the feeling I get. I don't know.”

“Okay.” Phebe found the explanation acceptable. “And... would you be able to help me fight the Guardians? Kirk and I are the only ones left. We could use the help.”

“No. God specifically forbade me from helping you directly.” He huffed some air. “I would love to, but I believe he has something in mind for you. If I stepped in, I would get in the way of what he has planned. Obviously, that means you won't need my help anyway.”

“Won't need your help?” She pondered that statement for a lengthy time. Is that even possible? I can't get my Element to work. Everyone's lives are dependent on me, so I can't risk a foolish move. Yet... I don't need Black Star's help? Is there any help that I need? She hadn't any idea. I AM was enough, of course, and she understood that principle thoroughly. Nevertheless, she feared in herself about making the wrong move. In other words, I AM could be trusted but not her. An immediate recollection flushed away her doubts. I'm not married yet, and that's going to happen. One-sided promise, as Black Star said. Basically, I can't die yet. So, I have to try.

On that note, a suspicion crawled into her mind. “You know, I would have thought the Guardians would have come around by now. They wanted my Element so badly.” She expected a response from her friend, but one never came. “Black Star?” Silence. Because of the blackness, she could not see him. One of Phebe's legs stretched forward to feel for where he was, but it touched only air. “He's gone again.”

Having regained resolve, hooves pressed against the rough waterway's floor and pushed Phebe into a standing position. She quickly turned to the unconscious Changeling. “Kirk, wake up.” She strongly shook him.

“Uggghhhh...” he groaned before stirring. “Why does my head hurt?”

“No time to waste. We have to rescue your people.” She didn't like the sound of that statement, so a correction followed. “No, our people.”

“Huh?”

Dodge City//Chapter 4--Part 2

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Phebe, guided by the light of her horn, headed to the section where Artemis and the other Changelings had fought the Guardians. Kirk walked beside her. After some travel, the two, upon noticing sedated corpses of Changelings strewn about the floor, looked at each other and nodded. They had arrived.

The Unicorn called out, “I seek to negotiate for the lives of the Changelings in exchange for the Element of Perseverance.” Having already thought through her next several actions, she thought, This is a good plan, but it's not perfect. I AM, protect Kirk and Artemis and Dark Shade and everyone else. I can only do so much.

A familiar wispy form gingerly lighted upon the ground in front of Phebe. This Guardian stated, “We are willing to listen.” The voice had some distinct quality to it. Though the words sounded like a whisper, a low-tone was their quality. Unable to forget the one who commanded Labil's execution, she recognized this Guardian as the one to speak to her in the last encounter. By appearances, this was the leader of this particular group of Guardians.

“Return the souls to all the Changelings in these tunnels. Then hold one as prisoner and let the others go free. When you do that, I'll give you the necklace. Then you can give us the prisoner.” The first part of the plan involved freeing her people, and this was the easy part, she figured. If they're smart, they'll keep Artemis.

“We will cooperate.” Lighting up the pitch black, several orbs of light appeared out of nowhere and soon floated into the bodies of Changelings. A second Guardian grabbed one body as it regained its soul and brought it over to the first Guardian. “They are free. Give us the Element.”

“Wait.” Phebe held out her hoof to them sternly. As Changelings arose from their slumber, she stated firmly, “Changelings, head to the surface now. Stay in the open and don't return until I say so.” A few acknowledged immediately and left, while others took some time to get over the groggy side-effect of soul loss. She repeated herself twice more, and by the final time, the remainder of them retreated. Satisfied that things had gone smoothly thus far, a sigh of relief left her mouth. “Okay.”

A demand thrust at her. “Give us the Element.”

“Okay.” She eyed the remaining captive. That is Artemis. The officer, despite his circumstance, calmly accepted whatever was happening. No confusion nagged him, nor panic, thus he struggled none nor bothered with questions. He is so calm and collected. Hah, I love him more and more. “Here it is.” As she loosed the necklace from her neck, she expected an objection from her future husband; nevertheless, a relaxed demeanor remained in Artemis' possession. “Catch.” With a jeering smirk, she threw the Element far forward at the inconvenience of the Guardians. Before a reaction could be formed, Hoshana teleported the short distance to Artemis, touched him on the head, and teleported both him and her away from the Guardian. Looking sternly to Artemis and Kirk, she affirmed, “Run. Go meet the others.” Without question, the both of them flew away.

Part one of the plan had succeeded, so the second part began. For this, the idea was to keep the Guardians away from Changelings, and it began with the Guardians getting the Element.

Reacting to Phebe's sudden action, the apparent leader of the Guardians swiftly whisked to the Element. When it touched the item with its long, thin arms, the necklace vanished. In a fit of surprise and angry, the ghost yelled, “NO!” Though still a whisper, the volume and tonality were louder and harsher. “Kill her!” In compliance with orders, a wisp came from behind to grab her, but as its arms reached for her, she disappeared like the necklace had.

This was accomplished by a combination of Kirk and Phebe's magics. Kirk had created illusions of Phebe and the Element much like Changelings created fake walls to keep themselves hidden. In conjuction, Phebe had used Pyre's trick “Whisper in the Wind” for her voice and her horn's illumination and teleportation spells. Essentially, the two had created a ethereal copy of Phebe which could use magic.

During the whole necklace/prisoner exchange, Phebe was, in fact, hiding in the area of the tunnels where water yet remained. She had teleported herself there before Kirk and the false Phebe had begun talking with the Guardians.

Now that all the Changelings had left, Phebe wanted to draw attention to herself. For this reason, she jumped repeatedly into the water, sending echoes of loud splashes through the passages. She hoped that the Guardians would realize where the splashes were coming from and come after her.

To prepare for combat, she thought, I'll need to see them. She combined “Whisper in the Wind” with her standard illumination spell—often used by Unicorn to make their horns glow. As a result the entire tunnel was lighted by small glowing masses.

In little time, several Guardians appeared and surrounded her.

“Hehehe.” A dark cackle fell out of her mouth.

Less than an hour ago, her heart had been broken and tattered. She had given up and sought death. No hope had remained for victory, no desire for the future, and no reason for living; rather, despair and sorrow filled her soul to the brim. By I AM's grace, Black Star rescued her. Now possessing perspective and purpose, she prepared to sacrifice her life for the sake of others. Tehn again she knew she was not even allowed to die yet. I will die. So what? I will also get married. And, who knows? Maybe I'll save a few lives. Maybe I'll keep the Guardians away. Maybe I'll even make some peace between the Changelings and the Ponies. Unbreakable confidence strengthened her for victory, obstinate courage readied her for the future, and relentless love empowered her for living. Even as danger encompassed her, she would not back down.

The evil chuckle turned into an insidious laugh. “HAHAHA! I let you beat me?” Somehow, she looked upon her earlier defeat in amusement. She didn't mentally toy with defeat, as if the idea was funny; instead, she figured that she had quit over stupid problems. Sure, Chrysalis had died, and that was unchangeable. The same applied to Labil. There was also Dark Shade's betrayal. Some things did hurt with good reason, but, as she recognized, she panicked over many things which had not been set in stone. The Changelings had lost their souls, but that could be reversed. The Badlands had been taken, but that could be reversed. In fact, the relationship between her and Artemis had been severed, but that was reversed moments ago. She had not lost her Element nor her God. Even before her breakdown, she had regained her emotions and her reason for being; furthermore, she had received friendships of which she had none previously. Every moment of consideration lead Phebe to understand that she had surrendered wrongfully, senselessly, and childishly. “What a joke!”

All of the Guardians charged at her simultaneously. She didn't move.

This was where the final part of the plan kicked in, and this was the most daring of them all. She was going to kill every last one by whatever means necessary.

Since the beginning, the Guardians had pushed and pushed. Without exception, the Changelings lost territory and people taking with them hope and peace. Eventually, Phebe was involved in those loses. That's all they were experiencing: loses. When would the loses stop? When would the defeats end? When would Changelings survive? The questions had been begged for many months. No one had answered until now.

“This ends now!” As the Guardians came into reach for Phebe, she ignited her horn. Magic immediately caused the water around her to shoot upward like a spout. While she was left unscathed, the Guardians were thrown into the ceiling, and half were completely trapped. The others recovered speedily and went after her again. She reacted immediately. Magic once again guided the waters, but on this occasion, surging waves billowed and surged in opposite directions. The waves didn't touch the already-captured Guardians, but they did sweep up the remainder of the others. Having caught them, the waves turned and smashed against the walls; nevertheless, the waves didn't end there either. A continuous torrent pummeled the ghosts preventing any form of escape.

She sneered, “Was that supposed to be hard?” Her speech was a show, however. Even if her capacity for magic had dramatically increased, the expensive, contentious expenditure of holding the Guardians in place drained her rapidly. “Come on! Who's next!?” She had to be antagonistic and cocky. It was the best way to draw out any other Guardians that had stayed back, and she knew that some had. By her estimation, Guardians weren't stupid enough to send all of their troops in at once. “Are you scared? Hah, show me what a real Guardian is like? Ten of you can't take me on at the same time. Show me a real fight!”

CRUNCH! One of their special attacks rippled across the surface of the water. Phebe tried to teleport out of the way, but due to her already heavy usage of magic, she could not muster the spell in time. She flew down the tunnel, landed on her side, and skid for a few yards, but this did not halt her. While maintaining her water spells, she hoisted herself upon her hooves. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! An attack came from each side. She jumped forward to evade. Unfortunately, one still hit her. The strike threw her into the wall, knocking the wind out of her. CRUNCH! Without even thinking, she teleported down the tunnel escaping that next blast, but she was gasping for a breath.

No. Not done! She wouldn't quit.

The Guardians that were attacking were impossible to see; they stayed outside the light which Phebe had generated. Therefore, she doubled the numbers of lights and spread them out. Hopping into a standing position, despite the lack of a full breath, she glanced fiercely in every direction. She spotted one Guardian a long ways away. The being would expect an attack from the front, so she caused another wave to build from behind the wisp. To her own surprise, she managed to create the deluge of water so fast that the Guardian only noticed the attack as it hit. The wave crashed into the wall like her previous water spell had and thereby retained the Guardian.

CRUNCH! With more force than previous ones, a Guardian attack launched the Unicorn off her the ground and into the wall again. This doubly disabled her ability to breath. At this moment, her lights flickered and the prison-keeping torrents briefly let up. None of the Guardians escaped, fortunately. Nonetheless, Phebe's magic was beginning to wane.

Without any oxygen entering through her mouth, she stood up again. She couldn't breath at all. In this moment, a maxim of Black Star's came to mind. “Fight, and fight beyond your last breath.” Is this what he meant? Heh. Her vision grew blurry and foggy and her head queasy. Yet, she affirmed, I'm not finished yet. She instituted another number of lights into the tunnels. These ones revealed the location of the last Guardian. At least, she hoped that was the last one. One more. One more. Still unable to breath properly, she developed waves on both sides of the Guardian. There was no way he could escape.

CRUNCH! Instantly, one of the waves toppled over. CRUNCH! Then the other followed suit.

No, no! I had him. I was almost there. Feeling weak, she fell onto her haunches. Her lungs slowly started sifting air again, but she needed a full breath sooner rather than later.

The Guardian came near but kept a docile nature. “How long can you keep going?.” This was the voice of that leader. Trying to respond, Phebe mouthed words indiscernibly. Ignorant of her attempted speech, the Guardian firmly expressed, “One more chance for mercy. Give us the necklace now, and we will let you live.”

Pffffft! Hahahahahaha! Internally, Hoshana laughed hysterically. She found the absolute absurdity of its statement hilarious. She grabbed half a breath. “Sure.” After removing her necklace, she threw it at the Guardian.

Gleefully, the Guardian stuck out its little arms and grabbed the item. Instantly, the Element shined brilliantly. Like a certain Guardian before it, it was consumed by this light, and it shattered into many pieces. The enemy really didn't think too thoroughly about its actions, and Phebe was glad for that. Any longer fighting, and she might not have been able to win.

Phebe lay down and regained her capacity to receive oxygen. Whew... Though she hadn't killed the other Guardians yet, she had them all detained. Flicker. Uh-oh. In all of her planning, the magically empowered Unicorn did not remember the source of her empowerment. She had thought the Element gave her her aptitude, but she know this for certain. Fizzle. It turns out she was not as good at magic as she thought. Without the Element she could no longer maintain her water prisons nor her lights. Despite attempts to keep them, she lost all of them. Now all those Guardians were free, and she could not see them.

Coming to terms with her folly, she got up, lit her horn for single light, and dashed to the place she had thrown her Element. On the bright side adrenaline kept her body ready for action.

Crunch!

Here it comes. She thought. The attack would hit; she hadn't a way to see it, nor avoid it. In a moment, she was swept off her feet and tossed down the tunnel. The cold arms of a Guardian caught her and detained. “Gah!” She didn't expect this. After trying a teleport which failed, she wiggled fiercely to get loose. The grip tightened, and she went no where.

A second pair of arms neared. They tapped themselves, then skid one across the other, and one finally swung down upon her. This was the way they prepared their attacks. CRUNCH! The arm contacted her head.

Her brain flashed on past events. The deaths of Chrysalis and Labil bothered her yet, and it seemed she would end up in the same manner as they. Though, something of her heart defied that consideration. Her stomach churned at the thought of death. Emotionally speaking, she welcomed death, and mentally, she treasured the anticipation of the afterlife. Nevertheless, some part of her refused to have any part of death; some part of her life story had yet to be written. I AM had plans for her, and she wanted in on them, even though death in the present meant freedom from suffering in the future. More than that, the Changelings still needed a protector, and she rebelled at the thought of abandoning them in their time of need. Tacking onto these, curiosity concerning Black Star riddled her. Too much remained in living for her to allow death to steal her desires from her.

“NO!” She shouted as the arm tapped the crown of her head. An unsettling vibration volleyed from her noggin to the end of her tail. Immediately following, a shock wave of scathing agony thrust through her core. Then the pain stopped. Huh? The weary pony briefly figured she had died, but when she could still see the light of her horn and the arm atop her head, she determined that life was still hers. The one Guardian continued to hold her, and the other repeated the attack. When it bonked her on the head, nothing happened—absolutely nothing. In fact, the loud breaking sound that usually accompanied their attacks did not appear. One final attempt led to equally useless results.

In the meantime, her Element was bristling in the bask of indigo light. Shortly, the item levitated of its own accord up to Phebe.

When the necklace drew nigh, the Guardians released her and retreated. They would escape unless something was done. Phebe wanted to use her water magic, but she still could not. Soon enough, the Element wrapped around her neck and latched itself. Upon contact with her Element, an overwhelming sensation rolled across her restoring her magical and physical strength; furthermore, heat wrapped itself around her eyes, though there was no pain. This had never happened before; nevertheless, she understood that her Element had activated and that she could finally take out those Guardians. As an additional consequence to her necklace, she could see perfectly in the dark. To her, the wisps were in plain sight. However, she discovered something odd. They were no longer shrouded in darkness—that is, she could see their whole bodies, not just their arms.

The Guardians looked unimpressive. Their arms attached to a flat and rectangular body which possessed the same charcoal texture and color as the arms. Atop the body was a boney white head. The head resembled the bone structure of a Dragon. Little red or yellow orbs rested in the sockets where eyes would have been. They carried no lower section—as in, they had no feet or legs; moreover, the body and arms had no sections or parts to them whereas a pony had withers, a back, a barrel, an abdomen, knees, hooves, etc. The head was the only body part to have distinctive qualities, and each Guardian had a noticeably different head. As for size, the Guardians, in terms of dimensions, might have been half as tall and wide as a mare; however, due to their flat bodies, they had little depth. All in all, they were comparatively tiny. These terrors had a significant effect on her and the Changelings because they couldn't be seen, but their unhidden form made them seem laughably ugly and weak.

Though catching these details, Phebe barely gazed upon their retreating figure, for they threatened to get away. They could inform their kind of Phebe's rejection of peaceful propositions and her ability to use the Element properly. If she could keep those secret, she could retain an extreme advantage over the Guardians.

After tallying their numbers—ten—she teleported in front of the larger group—eight—while the smaller escaped in the opposite direction. Die. In the same fashion that she directed her magic, she guided her Element's power at the Guardians. The indigo light launched from the necklace, impacted the Guardians, and vanished afterward. All eight Guardians perished. She could still see the two survivor, so she repeated the process. With little competition, both died. Before relishing her victory, she scanned the area for any hiding enemies. She found one. It was floating in place nearby, and it held Dark Shade in its grasps. He was unconscious.

“I will kill him,” the bone-headed being harshly spoke. “Give me your Element, and he will be spared.”

At first Phebe panicked. No! What do I now? She considered for several seconds before coming to a conclusion. The Element protected me even when I wasn't wearing it. It hadn't even empowered me to that point. Without saying a word, she strolled toward the Guardian.

“Stop!” it ordered. Her only response was a small smile; she kept walking. “Then he will die!” In order to perform the attack, the Guardian had to set Dark Shade down. Confidently it smacked its arms together, then slid them across each other, and lastly struck Shade. At that moment, the only noise that traveled through the room was the splashing of Phebe's hooves. The Guardian shirked backward when it realized its plan had failed. “Stay back!” It probably knew it couldn't get away, so it didn't bother trying. “Sp-spare me!”

Phebe came face-to-face with the being. “Did you spare Chrysalis when she pleaded for peace?” No reply. “Didn't you know that those who take prisoner must be taken prisoner? Didn't you know that those who slay must be slain? I AM's chosen people have endured yet stayed to the faith, and you have tormented them long enough.” Her element activated once final time and its light consumed the final Guardian. After this, the Element stopped shimmering and the flow of energy ceased as well as the special eyesight.

~~~~~

With the battle over, Phebe carried Dark Shade to the place where the waters did not run—the area the Changelings had previously set up as a base of operation. Originally, she had intended on meeting with Artemis and the others above ground, but she realized that Dark would be in need of some tender loving care. When he had led the Guardians to his people, he showed so much shame in his expression and in the two words of “I'm sorry.” There was much regret that had to be handled on a one-on-one basis before he could be reinstated with his kind.

She shook him lightly. He stirred. “Hey, Dark Shade,” she called him with a soft tone.

“Ph-Phebe?” His head shook a few times to rid himself of a daze. Soon he propped himself up. For a brief moment, he acted normal, even smiling, but as he more fully escaped unconsciousness, terrible grief fell on his face. He suddenly turned away and began walking away. His face looked downward.

Reaching out with a hoof, she spoke softly, “Come back.” He ignored her and kept going. “Then I will follow.” Via trot, she caught up to him and then paced with him. Upon noticing her presence, he sped up his strides, but she matched his speed. In response, he flew into the air and zoomed away at full tilt; nevertheless, Phebe stayed with him using repeated teleports. For the span of a minute, the chase continued. Though, Shade finally grew tired and stopped. Having traveled so far, he came to the water-filled area, thus when he landed he put his hooves into water. Smugly, the Unicorn teleported beside him. There, she showered him with the light of her horn. “Can we talk?”

“No.” He didn't dare look at her.

“Okay.” She sat beside him and waited in silence. Oh, I AM, he is your dear child deprived of your compassion by his own mistakes. Phebe prayed. He is rejecting the chance for forgiveness, though he regrets what he did. I cannot make him open up, but you can touch his heart. You can reach into the deepest dark of a broken soul. I would know. Her eyes clasped shut while her mouth wrapped into a grin. You know what he needs, and you can supply. Please reach him. Please, my Lord and my God, as your fragile and irresolute servant, I plead and beg. You gave me another chance, and I have done so much worse than he. Give him another. Please give him another.

“You should leave. I don't deserve to be around you.”

Well, that was fast. Glad to hear him speak, she nodded. “You might be right. Perhaps I should leave you. Though, I'm not very good at doing what I should.” She wanted to say more, but she comprehended that he had to open up first in order for her to speak forgiveness and mercy to him. Therefore, she remained in place until more words came from his mouth. That's right, Lord. You know what you're doing. In all the wisdom, knowledge, and experience I have, I cannot tell him the precise truths which he needs to hear, nor speak them the way he needs. Please, give me words to speak. If it pleases you, let me shed some remarkable truth to him.

The distraught Changeling smacked Phebe across the face with his leg. “I said leave!”

Previously, she would have grown angry from the hit, but compassion and care filled her heart instead. I won't leave until you have been restored. She turned her face as if gesturing for him to hit the other side. I won't abandon you in your time of need.

“What will it take for me to get rid of you!?” Despite yelling, he couldn't get himself to face her. She wasn't positive that he wanted an answer, so she stayed silent. He calmly affirmed, “What do I have to do to have you leave?”

This time, she answered, “Kill me.”

The stark reply ripped him from his bottled-in state. “I-I would never do that!” He spoke with great uncertainty. “No. I don't want that. Please... I never meant... I'm sorry!”

“Let it out.”

“I'm so sorry! I tried so hard!” Tears rippled down his face. “They threatened to kill me! I was scared. Scared, terrified!” Sniffles followed each word, and his body tremored constantly. “They took my soul from me and gave it back multiple times. It began to hurt so much!” He covered his face with his forelegs. “I... gave... in...” Sobbing entered. Phebe immediately embraced him and began rubbing the back of his head. Many muffled “I'm sorry”s came from his mouth.

Comfort him, oh Providing One.

Quickly, Dark Shade pulled away recovering from his tears. He was no longer crying, but distant gaze and hollow frown revealed that sorrow still gripped him. Phebe felt that sorrow in her own soul. His pain was hers. “Dark Shade, you were forgiven the first time you apologized. The first and only words you said to me when we reunited after four days was 'I'm sorry.' You were forgiven then and there.”

“But...” He watched his broken reflection in the rolling stream below him. “I... I-nevermind. Nevermind.”

“I am listening.”

That statement surprised him more than Phebe expected. He quickly looked up at her with wide-eyes before returning to his sulking downward stare. “The one thing I wanted more than anything else was to stay loyal to my people. When I saw all the terror and agony my people suffered by the Guardians, I wanted to be that hero to rescue them.” He shook his head. “No, after you showed up, I stopped caring about being the hero. I simply wanted to help. I just wanted to make some difference. I wanted to be part of the solution. I longed to be useful! I wanted to serve my queen well... oh my queen.” A few more droplets of water rolled off his face. “The prison you ended up in when we first met I made. I dug out the particular pit that you fell through and used my magic to conceal it. I hoped that somepony would fall in, so I could feed my queen some love. Later, I mastered the teleport spell because my queen had specifically given me that mission. I practiced days at a time... so I could help her.” He inhaled deeply thereby gaining some composure. “Though, she died anyway. She's gone. I tried to stay loyal to her memory; I wanted to help the others. When we split up in these tunnels, I went up to the surface like an unthinking buffoon, and that's when the Guardians found me. I tried to stay loyal...” His voice grew weaker until it was only a whisper. “I tried to stay loyal, Phebe. I tried. That's all I ever wanted to be. I'm a failure.”

Immediately upon hearing that final word, Phebe piped up. “Who told you to turn around?”

“Huh?”

“When I first came to deliver my message, what did I say?”

“I don't know... I wasn't there.”

“But, weren't you told?”

With a sigh, Shade nodded. “Turn around. You meant take a complete turn from our evil ways, right?”

“That's not exactly what I said.” She smiled lightly. “I gave a message and my message was 'I AM says, “turn around.”' That is I AM speaking, not me. When you turned around, you turned around to him.” Since he still refused to look at her, she placed a hoof on his shoulder. “His demand was not for perfection from you. All he wanted was that you would try.” Her light grin turned to a wide beam. “You tried to stay loyal, right? A failure doesn't try.” After a quick pause, she posed an inquiry. “Are you done trying? Do you not want to help your people anymore?”

Shade took a full breath before bringing his gaze up to her. “No! They... they still matter to me. I want to help...”

“In other words... you're going to keep trying, correct?” Her beam transformed to a wry grin.

“Yes...”

“A failure doesn't try... and yet, here you are, moping that you're a failure while you're yearning to keep trying.” Her head cocked. “Do you see the problem there?”

“I'm... not a failure?” His glower expression brightened somewhat. “I'm not a failure. I'm not a failure!”

“Exactly.” She sighed in relief.

Politely he bowed. “Thank you so much, Phebe! I feel so much better now.”

“You're welcome.” Knowing that Artemis and the others were waiting, she pressed onto the next matter. As much as she wanted to spend more alone time with him, she could not afford to waste time when Guardians could potentially return at any moment. “We should meet with the others then. Head to camp, I'll get everyone else. I should be able to find them.”

“All right.” In a cheery, energetic manner, the Changeling buzzed town the tunnel.

As she watched him disappear, she found terrific joy in the fact that he was still alive. It was so worth it to deliver that message. Wait... Her mind returned her to a discussion she and Artemis had had. Why did Judgment Day still take place? She quickly realized that they had been asking the wrong question. The proper one was: Did Judgment Day take place? The answer was no. As far as she understood, Judgment day meant the annihilation of the Changelings. Though an attack still took place and significantly crippled the Changelings as a people group, they were not annihilated. I told them to turn around; otherwise, they would have been destroyed. They did turn around and because of that Chrysalis sent Artemis to Dodge City, and if they hadn't, all the Changelings would have been in the Badlands. All of the Changelings would have been lost. She laughed. Artemis had already brought up the point that if not for Phebe delivering the message the Changelings would not have survived. She knew that already but hadn't realized that it was the point.

From freeing her people, to killing the Guardians, to learning to use her Element, to finding an answer to a nagging question, she deemed, This day has been a good day.

Dodge City//Chapter 5

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“Hi, Artemis,” Phebe, dressed in some flowery gown, batted her hoof at the Changeling officer. He was decked in decorative armor.

With a grin as wide as Equestria itself, Artemis looked her once over and commented,“You look gorgeous.”

“Oh... thank you.” Her ears lowered, her eyes turned to the side, blush filled her face, and a dumb smile came over her. “You look good too. Where are we going?”

“Well, I thought we would go to the mountain where I found those black dahlias.” The scenery transformed. Now before them was the majestic summit where Canterlot rested. Promptly, Artemis swooped Phebe off her hooves. “Let's go,” he spoke grinning. With her in his grasps, he hovered to a terrace that stuck out from the mountain's side. To her surprise, a small army of black dahlias lay on the platform. Artemis placed in the center of them before landing himself.

Mouth agape, she spun around soaking in the sight. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. “This is amazing! I... I...” Joyous tears risked creeping over her eyelids. “Artemis, thank you.” After having gone in circle for several seconds, she stopped seeing Artemis kneeling in front of her. He lifted a ring towards her with one leg. Her eyes immediately grew big.

“Phebe Hoshana, will you marry me?”

Phebe jolted out of her sleep--heart pounding and soon head hurting.

“Aughhhh...” She groaned. Annoying aches and soreness riddled every section of her body. In the fight with the Guardians, she was thrown around a lot. Though, on this occasion, none of her basic functions were limited--unlike after every other encounter she had had with those creatures.

Smiling weakly, she commented about the victory, We've made some progress finally. She could have suffered a hundred times the pain, and she still would be satisfied. The Changelings were safe, and that was what mattered. That would likely change in the near future, but for a short while, she could rest in the fact that they were out of harm's way.

Having been fully awoken by her dream, she stood up. She, at this point, recalled that she had regrouped with the Changelings and returned to the tunnels. She remembered this because she was surrounded by sleeping Changelings. Nonetheless, she wanted to clear her head, so she carefully walked through the darkness carefully avoiding each one. Once she was sure she was far enough as not to disturb them, she flicked on her horn lamp and kept walking.

A particular set of words hung in her mind from that dream.“Phebe Hoshana, will you marry me?” Heh. The dream, though completely normal in terms of dreams, brought out an interesting fact. She wanted to be married. Granted, the dream itself was highly exaggerated, and it did not represent Phebe rightly. She didn't care for dresses, for instance; moreover, as much she enjoyed dahlias, she would not start crying over them. Despite these things, the last statement of Artemis rung in her head repeatedly. Up until this point of her life, the thought of matrimony had remained far from her. Contararily, upon recent days, that very thing began to tug on her heart, and in lieu of her dream, she found herself longing for it.

She sighed. It's not a good time. I need to be patient. Actually, she had been patient most her life, but previously, she hadn't anything to be patient for. Whether she would admit it or not, she could not completely rip marriage from her mind. She tried and failed. Therefore, she turned to her God. I AM, what do I do? I should wait, right? This is not a good time for sorting out wedding plans.

In the corner of her eye, she thought she saw something move. She panicked momentarily figuring that the Guardians had appeared again, but a peace replaced that panic quickly. Right... it's nothing. Without any explanation or reason, she just knew that she had imagined the movement.

Hm... Her mind transferred to Black Star briefly. He tended to appear and vanish a lot. What is with that? I wish I could talk with him again.

She wandered further from the others while her pondering wandered itself. I could use his advise. Like... what to do with Dark Shade. The Changeling never intended on betraying his people, but he did because of his weakness. Unfortunately, when he reunited with his friends yesterday, they shunned him. She didn't say anything about it at the time, but she knew this would be a recurring issue. Will they forgive him? And, can they trust him again? She did. That wasn't the question at hoof, though. Artemis was the decision-maker, not her. He listened to her advise, but he weighed out every option—even ones Phebe argued against. This was proven at the meeting where she corrected Kirk and Labil for their stupidity. Even though Phebe made some good points for her preference, Artemis took time to search them out. Likewise, he will do the same when considering Shade. Black Star, what would you do?

Another issue that pressed her was that of the Element. She had learned how to activate it. In fact, for the sake of her own assurance, she caused it to light up right there. When the charm began glowing, she turned it off; she was satisfied. Nevertheless, another inquiry concerning the necklace bogged her mind. Why did it nullify the attacks of the Guardians? It would be really helpful if that could be mimicked by magic. Then the Changelings would have something with which to counteract their enemies.

Meh... she attempted at sorting out these details in her head. In only moments, she concluded that she could not and decided not to worry about them at all. They'll be handled when the time comes. Yawn. For now... I could use some more sleep. She returned to her sleeping place, lay down, and returned to the land of dreams.

~~~~~

“Kick him out!”

“He's a traitor!”

“Don't trust him.”

“Why is this even a debate? Just get rid of him!”

“Hmph, the queen would have kicked him out already.”

“Augh, Artemis, listen!”

“Enough!!!”

Phebe jumped out of her sound sleep... again, and her head jolted left and right looking for the source of nose. What she saw was the Changelings. They were crowded near the meeting tent with Artemis standing atop a wooden crate at the center.

Thinking back, she remembered hearing voices in her sleep just before waking. “Traitor” and “kick him out” stuck in her brain. They're talking about Dark Shade, she assumed. After putting to her hooves, she carried herself up to the group.

While mumbles spread from mouth to mouth, Artemis continued, “This is my decision. Our queen set me as the officer of this operation even before her death. Unless you plan on deposing me.” Silence fell. “Thought so.” He looked to his side, noticed Phebe, and grinned. “You're awake. We need to talk. Go into the tent; I'll be right there.” She nodded before going inside, while Reform finished the discussion with the others, “I will sort this out as best I can. Please be patient.” From there, he hovered off the crate and followed Phebe in. Kirk was already inside. After landing, Artemis motioned to the both of them. “We need to talk about Dark Shade.”

“I figured,” Phebe replied.

Kirk Briar added, “It's important we do.” Shaking his head disapprovingly, he shook his head. “I have a lot to say, but I'll let you lead the meeting, Artemis.”

Phebe cocked her head at that statement. Besides simply being respectful in words, his tone was soft and courteous. The lost of Labil must have had a profound effect on him. I wonder how I would react if Artemis passed away. In that line of thought, she wondered about another thing. You know, had we run away, Labil might have survived. She gazed briefly at Kirk Briar, but she turned away soon after. No, she would have died regardless. Her dream foretold her end. Sorrowish annoyance tapped on the back of her head; she was still upset over the ordeal. But, why did Labil have to die?

Artemis interrupted her internal conversation. “We have to decide on whether to act upon Shade's betrayal. Whether he should be completely forgiven or banished or something in-between.”

Banishment? Isn't that a bit unfair? She imagined Dark Shade being tossed out and wandering away—head lowered and tears flowing. “May I speak?”

The leader of the meeting pointed to her. “Yes. I want to hear both of you regardless. Go on, Phebe.”

She inhaled deeply. “We should forgive him. It was definitely not his intention to betray us. Remember, he stumbled upon the Guardians—an accident.” A small frown developed, her tone darkened, and her ears lowered slightly. “Besides that, I know what it's like to be excommunicated from family. For a fact, you would destroy Dark Shade in the worst way possible by banishing him. Also remember, we are not many in number. It's not wise to whittle our numbers down further.” She paused for several seconds. “That's what I have to say.”

Artemis pointed to Kirk. “Your turn.”

“Yes...” Kirk gave a frown to Phebe. “I'm sorry, but I suggest that there be correction. I suppose Banishment may be harsh, but I worry that Dark Shade will turn on us again if there is even a threat of danger.”

“What do you mean by danger?” Phebe returned with a pointed tone.

Turning his head to Phebe, Artemis corrected, “This is his time to speak. Let him explain himself.” He looked back at Kirk listening intently, and she resigned.

“We are in danger.” Kirk nodded firmly. “I think we should keep Shade away for awhile. It would hopefully simmer down the complaints from the others, and he would get a taste of what could happen if he decides to turn his back on us again. He would understand. That's what I have to say.”

Artemis turned around suddenly. “Hm... dismissed.”

Phebe and Kirk eyed each other in confusion. “Already?” The latter inquired.

The prior tacked on, “I have more to say. Would you listen?”

“I am interested in hearing her words too, Artemis.”

Really? Because he had taken an opposing position, she thought he would have hated anything she had to say. Apparently not.

“Yes, already,” the head of the meeting affirmed. “I may have heard enough already. We'll have another meeting soon, and I will fill you in. Dismissed.” Again the others gazed upon each other, but they accepted Artemis' words and left.

~~~~~

The next day, Artemis reconvened the meeting. After Phebe and Kirk got settled in, he announced, “I have made my decision.”

Phebe cocked her head, and Kirk objected, “Isn't that a little fast?”

Artemis shook his noggin. “Absolutely not.” He moved to an open crate and began shuffling through the items in there. “Under our circumstances, we can't afford to wait any more. We need to take action; therefore, I have two more propositions I must discuss with you. We'll get to those soon enough.” He pulled out a scroll from the crate. After coming to a closed crate, he placed the scroll atop it and then unrolled the scroll with two hooves. “Look at this.” The other two strolled over and peeked over his shoulder. It was a map of Equestria. “Kirk, we are sending out Dark Shade.”

“What!?” Phebe exclaimed. “But-but-”

Artemis casually covered her mouth. “Hold on. This is in everyone's best interest, including Shade himself, but Kirk, you're not going to like it.”

“All... right...” The other Changeling scratched the side of his head nervously. “What do you mean?”

“You're going with Shade.” Briar's eyes shot wide. “Don't worry. This is a mission, not banishment. I might add,” the leader spoke in a reassuring but somber tone, “a very important mission.”

By this point, Phebe's curiosity had reached a high, and she was getting frustrated over the delay of explanation. She wanted him to tell the whole thing immediately instead of leading them the long way around his point. “Okay. What is the mission?” She was sharp in her address.

“Oh... right.” He got the hint. “We need a secondary base of operations. Without the one we had here in Dodge City, we would have lost everything at the battle in the Badlands.” He pointed on the map to Ponyville. “Yet, as of now, we don't have any where to go in case of emergency, and we already had an emergency. We nearly lost everything. So, I want a backup home, so to speak. Kirk, you and Dark are going to find this home.” Kirk sighed with relief. He seemed to be quite happy to have the responsibility given to him. “That said, you need to find one as close to Ponyville or Canterlot as possible.” The sigh signifying relief turned into a gasp.

“That's where the Princesses are! Are you insane?” He pounded the floor. “If they find us-!”

A retort returned. “They'll what? Steal your soul and possibly kill you in the most violent manner imaginable?” Kirk's head jolted backward. In the meantime, Phebe took in the information calmly; she was processing the practicality of the mission. “Besides, you'll be very near the other Elements of Harmony—the only known magical items that can defeat the Guardians. So, anyway, the mission is to find a home that is hidden from Ponies and Guardians alike yet capable of supporting our needs. Am I clear?”

“Absolutely.” He objected no more.

“Any questions?”

“One.”

“Go on.”

After heaving a full breath, Kirk inquired, “Can we leave immediately?”

Artemis laughed. “Excited are we? This is a pleasant change, Kirk. I appreciate your enthusiasm greatly. Though, I still need you for one more thing.” He strolled to his second-in-command. “Remember I mentioned some other propositions?”

“Yeah.”

Phebe also replied, “Uh-huh.” Related to this mission, she smiled. I... get it. He wants to give Dark Shade a chance to earn back the trust without shunning him at all. Plus, this gives Kirk an opportunity to prove his competency as a secondary leader. On every turn, Artemis impressed her the more. All while benefiting the rest of Changelings. He says he's not good with formulating ideas, but he's brilliant. Though she didn't fawn in any sense, she tossed another heaping helping of respect for the Changeling. This is someone I could follow.

Artemis snapped her from her train of thought. “For one of them, I could use your input, Kirk.”

“What is the proposition?” the pony asked.

“Well, we need as much insurance as we can get.” He returned to the open crate and yanked out by levitation two more maps. One was of the tunnel system underneath Dodge City. The other was for Dodge City itself, but he put that one a side from the time being. “I gathered these yesterday. I figured we would need them. Anyway,” he went on while unrolling the tunnel map, “we need something for the other Changelings to do. Sure, they're all working on the surface, but that's only for eight to ten hours five days a week. There is plenty of time for them to work on other projects.” His hoof slid across the map. “The Guardians already suspect we're at Dodge City—at least. We should expect some more in a few days. They may not find the tunnels at all, but in case they do, we can setup up some tricks and traps. They won't stop them, but we can delay them long enough for our people to get to the surface.”

“This sounds like a wonderful idea.” Phebe shrugged. “I don't know why you're asking us about this.”

Kirk agreed with her, but Artemis did not. He explained, “I know the basis is good, but I'm not sure what to do that would be practical. For instance, we could use a trick that would confuse and divert the enemy. We can use Changeling illusion magic. Great idea, right?” His eyes rolled. “Sure, but how to use the magic? That's why I need your input.”

“Ah...”

Kirk put a hoof under his chin. “Hm... so let's brainstorm then.”

In chagrin, Phebe replied, “I don't understand how your magic works, so my suggestions would be limited.” In light of our first meeting, I can't believe I'm going to say this. “Kirk, you know plenty, though. So, you start, and I'll add in whatever I can think of.”

Suddenly she flashed upon her original confrontation with the Changelings. These people took Pyre from me. She remembered how Shade and Shoe had imprisoned her too. Despite what's happened, I am now perfectly comfortable in their midst. In fact, I'm trusting them... and they're trusting me. I merely delivered a message. Is this then the power of I AM?

Kirk Briar stood silently for many moments. The only sign that he was active at all was that his forehead tensed occasionally. After nearly a minute, he piped up,“I've got it. We made a fake wall to hide our place down here, right?” Artemis nodded expectantly. “Well, we could place fake walls all over the place. Additionally, we could create fakes of ourselves...” He drifted off revealing that he was further formulating his idea. “Ah!” Phebe imagined a light bulb turning on above Kirk's head. “Assuming the Guardians did come down here, we would escape from them by going through the fake walls. In the meantime, our fakes would enter and disappear into real walls. At the least, the Guardians would split up trying to follow the real and fake versions of ourselves. At the most, they would be totally confused and stop following us all together.”

Shivers ran down her spine; that idea was surprisingly smart coming from Kirk of all people. Phebe grinned. “I like that idea. Correct me if I am wrong, but those walls could be made on the spot, correct? You made the illusions easy enough when we confronted the Guardians, Kirk.”

“Not everyone can do it that easily. It takes practice.”

“Then we'll start practicing,” Artemis began closing this section of the topic in order to move on. “I'll personally over see the training involved for this. We'll make it happen. Is there anything else we can do?”

“Traps.” This time, the imaginary light bulb flicked on over Phebe's head. The two stallions, if they could be called such, inspired her. Now her brain juices were going. “The Guardians can be stopped with water and solid objects. I've trapped them with water, and I've never seem them go through solid objects.” She paused pondering how to put her idea into practice. It took her awhile; nonetheless, finally, something came to her. “Yeah, this would work great with your idea, Kirk. What if we made some droppable walls to put behind the fake walls. Basically, when the Changelings are retreating from the Guardians, they can pass through the fake walls and drop this wall in the fake wall to make it appear real. Combined with having your illusions go through real walls, we could completely confuse the Guardians.” She turned specifically to Artemis. “Do we have anyone working in construction?”

“A couple, yeah. I'll have them look into making these walls. They'll know better than we do on how this can be done.” He cheered, “Good! All right. Kirk, you're free to begin preparations. Bring some food and water with you, and let Dark Shade know everything I told you about the mission. Trust him, please.”

“If you say to, I will.” Kirk took a bow and readied to exit.

“Wait.” Phebe held her hoof out towards him. “Can I talk with you before you leave? There is something I want to address.”

“...Sure?” He clamped shut an eye, raised an opposite eyebrow, scrunched his mouth to one side, and cocked his head. “I'll be getting ready. Talk to me once you're done here.” With that, he left.

Pressing forward, Artemis spoke further, “There is one other proposition I have, but this does not involve Kirk whatsoever.”

Proposition... Her mind instantly traveled to her dream. “Will you marry me?” She imagined him saying those words—causing her heart to skip a beat. Don't be absurd. She highly doubted that Artemis was going to mention anything about marriage, despite having an uncontrollable expectancy that he might.

“You were part of the law enforcement here, and I had-”

“How did you know that?” The question thrust out hastily, and a sterner tone was its quality. “I never told you.”

He looked straight into her eyes, as he spoke peaceably, “I've been here for several days. It's not hard to find out who the best known sheriff of Dodge City is. Or should I say best ever sheriff?”

Phebe's demeanor sank. She hadn't many reasons to keep this information secret. She had excelled at her job so exceedingly that crime in Dodge City became non-existent. Without any wavering, the mayor promoted her to sheriff, and she led the whole of the police force. She was not much of a leader; nonetheless, she still held a good office and performed admirably in that position. Of course, she still captured crooks with exceptional skill. She only left because she was bored. Well, that was what she told Dark Shade, but there was another reason—a person, to be precise. One who she wished to avoid for the remainder of her lifetime. “Yes... you could say that. Why?” In terrible anxiousness, she anticipated the horror of an answer.

“Are you still on good terms?”

The anxiety grew. “Yes... very good.”

“Would you be able to enlist their aid for us?” That was exactly what she feared. He wanted her to go to the station, yet she never wanted to be there again. He continued, “I doubt they would help Changelings, but I was thinking you could warn them about the Guardians. In case they show up, we might be able to get the police on our side. What do you think?”

Her gut twisted. “I'll see what I can do.” Her internal anguish jumped several levels of intensity. I can't believe I just said that.

Ignorant of her condition, he nodded. “Terrific. I have to tell the others the news about Dark Shade and also start enlisting them to work on those traps. Time to get busy.” He started walking out of the tent, though he shirked to a halt at the edge. He came back to Phebe. “I'm in the 'zone,' so I apologize for being in a rush. I don't want to go without saying thank you. You've been through a lot, yet you haven't missed a beat.”

Hah, that's what you think. Back a couple days, she had attempted to commit suicide. Black Star stopped her, but if not for him, she would not be alive to help Artemis. “You're welcome. I love being here.” There was no lie in that statement. Go back some weeks, and she would have had to lie to say such a thing; nevertheless, her circumstance and her heart had a significant transformation. “I'm going to find Kirk now.”

“All right.” From there, the two went their different ways.

~~~~~

Phebe found Kirk in another tent that contained the food and water; he was packing his supplies. Dark Shade was with him. “Hey you two,” she greeted.

“Phebe!” Shade shouted in glee such that he hopped and hovered briefly. “I get to go exploring!”

“Ah, yes...” In dangerous territory, but I won't mention that. She strolled up to Shade and looked him in the eye. “Be great and succeed. All right?”

Calming down instantly, he took the statement very seriously. “Yes. I will. I'll make up for my mistake, and I'll prove to everyone that I can be trusted.”

The pony only smiled in reply to that and changed the subject. “I need to talk with Kirk. Can you give us a moment?”

“Of course.” The Changeling left.

Kirk continued preparing his things. He tossed chunks of hay into a saddlebag and filled a couple water canteens. “What did you need to talk about?” He inquired.

She huffed out a complete breath and then inhaled. “Have you ever met a pony with a tan coat and blonde mane? He acts very strange and shows up at random times.” Ironically, she had no intention of bringing up Black Star in her discussion, but Black Star happened to be the best spring board for what she needed to hear. Plus, she was a bit curious. He knew all about Labil and Kirk, but did either of them know anything about him?

“Eh? No. You're the only pony I've ever 'known.'” Having a perplexed expression, the Changeling shrugged. “Why do you ask?”

No? The Unicorn came closer to him thereby lighting Kirk's face with her horn's magic. How can that be? I really want to talk with Black Star now. I'll ask him next time I see him. “It would be important if you did, but since you don't, don't worry about it. I wanted to hear about Labil from you.” His eyes widened immediately. “I know what was going on between the two of you.”

“Wha-what do you mean?” He returned to packing, though his pace increased dramatically.

“Did the others know?”

“I still have no idea what you're talking about.” He turned around. “What was going on between Labil and I, exactly?”

He is going to play hard to get, I see. Phebe chuckled within herself before becoming extremely somber. “You loved her, and I suppose this was the secret between the two of you. When you finally got away from Chrysalis, you thought you had a chance to make your relationship official, am I right?”

The Changeling, resuming his work at a calmer speed, replied, “Did Labil tell you?”

Trying to avoid lying and yet keeping secret how she acquired the information, she strayed passed the question. “So, it's true. You have been putting on a good mask; if not for previously finding out about Labil, I would never have guessed you two had that kind of relationship. That's what has been bugging me, though.” The caring pony realized the next statement could open up Pandora's box, but out of concern for Kirk, she trod on. “Since no one else knows, you've had to bottle everything up. Kirk, tell me about her.” She sat on her haunches and waited for the answer. A waiting period followed, for the soon-to-leave officer had to make sure nothing was forgotten before leaving. However, she knew that he had other reasons for the delay.

Once he set aside two filled saddlebags, he sat down in front of her. He glared at the floor shortly thereafter. “She was wonderful. We were about the same age, so we grew up together.” A smile formed. “Best of friends. We did have our squabbles, but everyone does.” Water glazed over his eyes, and a sorrowful expression replaced his smile. He tried multiple times to speak but choked at each occasion. “Sor...” A throat clearing took place. “Sorry. Labil was every... everything to me. We laughed and cried together. We shared in our duties and responsibilities, and we were promoted together. She had a strong will—stronger than I. She would never back away from a challenge. When we were invading Canterlot, she was one of the few to encounter the Elements. She attacked them head on. I admired that bravery, but...” His head lowered in addition to his voice level. “She had a kind side. A lot of Changelings only care about stealing love, and they would do anything to get on the queen's good side. I don't have any problem with that, but that's the norm. I loved Labil because she was distinct; in fact, she cared for our people similar to how our queen did, but she was personable, unlike our queen.” He paused and sighed. “I wanted to marry her. Believe it or not, Changelings used to have that option, but that was before Chrysalis' time.”

Huh? Really? Phebe breathed in a hunk of surprise. Now, she hadn't yet considered the Changelings' history. Particularly, she was interested in the fact that the Changelings used to have an identical rite as Ponies did. Everyday, Phebe learned further that they were real people—not some race of monsters, nor animals. Wow...

“To be honest, I have no idea what marriage even is, but the Canterlot attack opened my eyes to it.” He managed a small grin. His eyes were no longer watery, so it seemed he had handled his emotions. “I read up on it whenever I could which, by the way, was incredibly infrequent. I still know basically nothing, but I still know I wanted to marry her. It's silly, I guess” Breaking the talk, he threw on a saddlebag and carried the other on the base of his neck. “I should go. Thank you for listening. Even though we started on bad terms, I am glad I've had this time to meet you. You've been a good friend.”

“As have you.” She bowed lightly. “Take care of yourself.”

“Yup.” He exited.

Once he was gone, a stream of tears ran down her face. She hurt for him, and she hurt so thoroughly that, in the moment, she desired to change places with Labil. Why does he have to suffer, my Lord? Her crying kept silent, but she did lie on the floor and cover her face with her hooves. I don't understand. I deserve what he has to live through. How come I get to marry Artemis? What did I ever do to earn that? A voice replied in her head, though it was her own. You didn't. Pause. Huh? She had a moment of perplexity, before she actually considered what had been stated. I... didn't earn it? Hahahah. I get it. She recalled the words I AM had given to her. “Receive my Spirit. My love will begin to burn inside you.” It's not a work. I can't earn that... I just receive? I need to receive the fact that I marry Artemis and simply give thanks to I AM for the blessing. She was proud to figure out another detail of her relationship with this God. Thank you, my Lord. That said, I ask you fill to Dark Shade and Kirk Briar with your vast goodness while they are away. Protect them. Thank you. She stood up, wiped away the tears, and left. The next trial she had to face related to the police, and she wanted to get alone with her God before going up. Thus, she spent some time conversing with him.

Dodge City//Chapter 6

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Author's Notes:

For this chapter, I need to establish something.

When I had originally written this story--in rough draft form--I was Christian zealot (not in the good way, either). So, whenever I came across Bible scriptures condemning sex outside marriage, I took them very literally and very strictly. This chapter was initially written with that in mind. Please understand that as you read on.

On the other hand, my position on the matter now is significantly different.

A very close friend of mine calls himself a Christian, and yet, he participates in premarital sex all the time. It seems contradictory to me, but that's not the strangest part. What I still struggle to fathom is that I learn about God through him. The Bible--God himself--appears to blatantly opposed to "fornication" (biblical term for premarital sex). Yet, again, I'm learning the truth of the Bible and its God through a man who commits "fornication." I honestly don't understand.

That said, in my current opinion, "Fornication" may be outright wrong. If that is true, then the circumstances surrounding the "sin" are diametrically different and unique. It's not completely (or even at all) cut and dry, plain and simple, or black and white. Every situation is different. Every set of people is different. One rule does not fit all--at least, not in the same way.

I believe this needs to be said. In this world, many religious and nonreligious people (including Christians) outright disregard and mistreat those who don't obey their standards or book of rules. Compassion is forgotten, and love is forsaken. In my opinion, that is unacceptable. I would rather someone be a "fornicator" than someone who has no compassion and no love.

That's my opinion. Given the contents of this chapter and the next, I would at least like you all to be aware of it.

-TrinityDragon

Phebe headed to the surface. She dawdled none and came straightway to the police headquarters. Unlike the bricks that founded the structures of most of the city, wood upheld the police station. Its appearance resembled that of Canterlot's buildings. It was certainly more modern and elegant. Besides the wood, windows marked many locations. The color scheme was white on for the walls, deep brown for the roof, and navy blue for the trim. The word “POLICE” hung over the front gate.

Memories. She advanced. Last time I came here, I quit my job. Hah.

The moment she came inside, the receptionist, who sat behind a desk, burst from his seat and exclaimed, “Phebe!” He darted away before she could respond. “Phebe's back! Phebe's back!”

She sighed. Mostly, she didn't want the attention that would soon ensue, but she had some frustration over the childishness of the receptionist. The guy was nearly as old as she, if she remembered rightly. Being part of law enforcement, he should have acted with dignity—at least, she thought so.

Realizing that she would soon be swarmed by a crowd of fans, she teleported into the sheriff's office on the third floor. Dreading even looking at the sheriff, she faced away from him at first. Sepeartely, knowing that others would soon notice her in the sheriff's office—for it had windows—she shut and locked the door and lowered the blinds. Figuring she would be safe for the moment, she let out a heavy breath. Though, she also knew the worst part was yet to come. Any moment now.

A high-pitched voice spoke with a distinct suave tone. “Heheh, if you wanted to have a love affair, you could have come at a more discrete time.”

“Shut up.” She spun about and took the seat in front of the sheriff's desk. “I'm not here to play any of your games.” The stallion behind the desk smiled. He wore proudly the sheriff's star on his burgundy coat despite the fact that his thoroughly groomed turquoise mane contrasted unnaturally with the star.

The stallion's name was Ferris Wheel, and he was an Earth Pony. If there ever was an interesting person, he was that one. Before his days in law enforcement, he roamed the streets of Dodge City as a sexual pervert, a thief, a drug-dealer, and a murderer. He broke every law at least once. Unfortunately, he was extremely sneaky and deceptive. He knew the ins and outs of Dodge City as thoroughly as Phebe did, if not more so. Plus, he often used his “allies” and “friends” as decoys, so he could escape. For years, he remained uncaptured. However, Phebe did eventually catch him.

After his crimes were counted, he was given a death sentence—an extreme by Equestrian standard and a testament of Ferris' wicked deeds. However, that is where his life took a severe turn.

During the imprisonment before his intended execution, a certain stallion came to visit Ferris. This pony, named Aviram, was the son of the judge who had pronounced Ferris' sentence. Aviram got to know Ferris, and over the course of weeks, the two became friends. Under any other circumstances, Ferris would have rejected the friendship, but he, having to accept the consequences of his actions, was glad to have someone by his side in last days.

On his judgment day, Ferris was supposed to have been taken from prison, but to his surprise, no one showed up to take him away. On the following day, the guards at the station released Ferris without any hitches. He was a free stallion. Initially, he was joyfully surprised, but when others explained to him why he was set free, his upward swing of emotion plummeted.

As he was told, Aviram had gone to his father to beg for Ferris' pardon. The judge would not budge; if Ferris' deeds were not punished, others might get the idea that they could get away with the same evil. Therefore, Aviram asked if his life could be taken in Ferris' place. The laws of the land allowed for substitutionary punishment—that is, the punishment of one placed on another, if the latter party was willing. Aviram was willing, and his father not could deter him from the decision. Thus, Aviram took capital punishment for Ferris. Ferris was completely wrecked. He barely knew Aviram, and yet that judge's son surrendered his life for Ferris.

Ferris' life took a complete overhaul. He turned over his stash of drugs, gave away all his immense wealth, apologized to every living being he had hurt, and committed himself to the police. Phebe, being the sheriff at the time, didn't want him part of the force, but Ferris nagged for months to help. She eventually conceded. He still had some flaws, but he never stole, nor killed again. Over time, his perverseness quieted to immature humor, and at a certain point, his relationship with drugs halted all-together. Between the time she hired him and the time she quit the force, Ferris proved to be the most useful officer on her force beside herself. In fact, when she finally left, the mayor, recognizing the ex-criminal's potential, placed himin the position of sheriff.

Phebe still had one major irk against Ferris. He had an overt crush for her. For years, he spent his free time trying to woo her. Thanks to her emotionless state back then, she didn't care about his affection. Unfortunately, she now had to face him under a whole new set of circumstances and with a whole new view on life. She thus intended on great caution in case Ferris tried to pull a fast one.

Leaning forward from her chair, Phebe slammed a hoof onto the desk. “I have to warn you about a new enemy.” Well, this is a good way to start. She knew she could not mention the Changelings, so she had to keep attention away from that topic. The Guardians were the primary concern, anyway. “They've already come to this city once, but I defeated them with my Element of Harmony.”

Ferris eyed her necklace. “I always thought you were worthy of one of those,” she spoke with a grin.

“Ferris,” she retorted strongly, “I'm not joking.” Her hoof pounded the desk again. “Listen to me. They can kill, and they have the intent of killing. Multiple times, I barely escaped from their grasps.”

Grin transformed into glare. The sheriff leaned over as well and gazed into her eyes harshly. “You appear out of nowhere, and you demand help. Is that any way to treat an officer of the law?”

She cocked her head. “I haven't asked for help.”

“But, that is what you're here for, right?”

Her eyes widened slightly, and she sat back in her chair. Wearing a sheepish expression, she nodded. “Yeah. Sorry... I didn't mean to be disrespectful.” After having been a sheriff so long, she still felt comfortable telling officers what to do. Coming to terms with her fumble of respect, she lowered her head and gaze. I hope he'll still listen to what I have to say. If the Guardians have another front to worry about, we'll have a lot more room to work with and a lot more chances to beat them. After a few moments, she turned her head towards him once more. “Will you help, though? It's important.”

Ferris chuckled and smiled. “You asked nicely. That's good enough for me.” He spun around in his swiveling chair before stopping it and hopping off. “Regardless of the feelings I have for you, I owe a lot to you. So does everyone in this building. In fact, the whole city owes you their thanks.” His words sounded genuine. Usually, they were exaggerated as to get on Phebe's good side, but these sounded plain and simple. He walked to a window which viewed the city. “We will do whatever is in our power to do. So then.” He turned to her. “What do you want us to do?”

“Hm...” She frowned lightly. “I haven't determined the best course of action yet. I-”

The door to the office flung open, and a mare stormed in. She promptly shut the door behind her and locked it. “Phebe Hoshana! I should have known.” Phebe turned around to see the visitor. She didn't recognize her. Phebe noted her pale orange coat and white mane and tail, as well as the sport coat and tie which decorated her. Head held high, she looked down at Phebe and marched up to her.

“Hello... mayor Fairoh Tonto,” Ferris greeted though his tone carried disgruntlement. He was not happy to see her. “What brings you here?”

Fairoh glanced around Phebe towards Ferris. “One of your deputies told me that Phebe was here.” She resumed glaring at Phebe. “I've heard stories about you—all of them good. I don't like that.”

Phebe cocked her head and squinted with an eye brow raised. “Excuse me?” Who is she? When she had left law enforcement, the mayor was someone else. He was a calm and collected leader. How did he get replaced by this brash idiot? Who in their right mind would elect her? She already knew she wouldn't like Fairoh; nonetheless, she remained polite. “We have not been introduced.”

“No reason to.” Fairoh walked passed her and move to the window by which Ferris stood. “Sheriff, your judgment is clouded by this 'hero,' but I need you to stay focused on what's important. Therefore,” she spoke authoritatively, “I revoke any favors she asks of you.”

Ferris lowered his head and sighed. “Whatever.” He strolled back to his desk and sat down. “Phebe, I'm sorry, I can't help you.”

Having been a sheriff in Dodge City herself, Phebe understood the power that the mayor had over the sheriff. At any time, the mayor could fire that person. So, despite disliking the quick-bending of Ferris' will, she let it go. “All right. I'll leave.” As she teleported to the outside, some anger rattled her heart, but in significant part, she didn't care all that much. In the end, she figured that it worked out as best as it could. After all, she didn't want any dealings with Ferris Wheel. She will simply inform Artemis that things did not go over so well.

~~~~~

Phebe took a walk around the city. Since her leaving, little had changed. A few new buildings had been added, one or two businesses changed names, and some of the streets had been expanded, but otherwise, all was identical to how it was. As one would expect of lunch hour, The streets were bustling. That hadn't changed the slightest.

Passing by a random side street, she noticed a refurbished street sign. It caught her attention only briefly. The name was “Coaster Street.” Thinking nothing of it, she kept going.

After many strides, she thought back to the name. That sounds familiar. Figuring she had time to waste, she returned to the street and peered down it. Having given a more thorough look, she recognized it. This is where Ferris' parents lived before they passed away. If I remember right, it's named after his father Roller Coaster. She decided to traverse this side street. Small houses with small lawns marked these grounds. The streets were largely empty too. Wow, this is nice. One of the houses bore the name “Household of Coaster.” Roller Coaster was dead, so this building clearly was not in his possession any longer; nonetheless, some of Ferris' family likely lived there. His family? Without warning, a hole formed in her stomach, and she found herself unwittingly walking away. I better stay away.

This returned to the the reason she wanted to avoid Ferris in the first place. Despite his obnoxious attitude and over-the-top crush for her, she didn't mind him too much. She wanted to avoid Ferris because of to whom he was tied—that is, his brother Flame Tosser.

Flame possessed a clean record, and he was a noble person. In fact, he occasionally assisted in stopping Ferris' illegal activities. Phebe's problem with Flame was not of his known deeds; rather, she feared Flame for what he and she had done together in secret. Trying to forget, she shook her head before returning to main street rejoining the crowds.

Her stomach growled. I should get some food. Ah, I know I'll go to my old favorite.

After some walking, Hoshana came to a small restaurant in a lesser-traveled section of the city. Off-duty officers came here often to eat. It was a simple escape from their hectic lives. She walked in and sat down on a stool at the front counter. Having heard Phebe enter, the chef came out from the kitchen. His eyes widened when he saw his old customer. Phebe told him, “the usual, please.”

Smiling, he answered, “You got it.” He returned to the kitchen.

Phebe patiently waited for her meal. She intended on enjoying the smell of the food cooking, but a voice interrupted. “I knew I would find you here.” She turned back and found Ferris standing at the door. “I wish you wouldn't have left so quickly.” Smiling, he nodded. “I still want to help out in whatever way I can.” His legs carried him to the stool next Phebe.

Terror gripped her suddenly. I don't want to talk with you. If Flame finds that I'm in Dodge again, I... I don't know that I could handle that. She did not voice her thoughts despite how much she wanted to shoe Ferris away. “I don't know how that's possible. The mayor already said...” She was trying to get rid of him.

The sheriff laughed. “You're kidding, right? You should know that I still have some leeway.” Though Ferris had abandoned his illegal activities, some of his henchmen from those days honored his change of sides and stuck with him. They would be aids to the police, though outside of the force itself. Ferris was referencing them. “Besides, I need to know what I can about whatever might threaten my city. Even if I can't do much 'officially,' a heads up would be nice so I can be able to call up my deputies at a moment's notice.” Phebe regretted hearing those words. She wanted more reasons to get rid of him, and Ferris' reasonable and serious speech gave her less reason to do so.“So, who is this new enemy?”

Phebe sighed. I can't hide from him now. Why did I agree to talk with him in the first place? I could have given Artemis good reasons not to pursue this. Pain tickled her heart, as the fear of being found out grew, and worse yet, she started worry how her mistake would affect Artemis. Remorse created difficulty in speaking. “They were... they are the G... Guardians.” She wasn't nervous, but her mouth and tongue felt sluggish.

“Guardians? They sound like the good guys.”

Her head shook weakly. “No, they're not. They can steal souls...” Her chest felt tight, thus her breathing became heavy. “I don't feel well...” she murmured. I just want to get away. All her thoughts were in favor of escaping from Ferris. Why do I feel so horrid? This didn't happen back then. “Hold on...” Removing herself from her seat, she exited the building. Immediately some relief came to here, and this instantly caused her to realize the cause of the problem.

Before she had left Dodge City, she was still numb to most everything. Originally, her deed caused more of an annoying constraint than anything else, but now that she had regained her emotions, a full weight of guilt bore down upon her. Turning around, she told Ferris. “I need to rest. Can we talk tomorrow around dinner time?”

“Uh...? Okay.” Shrugging, the pony got up from his seat. Probably sensing her uncomfortableness with his presence, for he stated, “I'll leave. See you tomorrow.”

She smiled weakly. “Y-yeah.” Once he left, she came back to the counter where he freshly cooked food sat. “Time to eat.” She took a single bite of her food but instantly spit it out. Her meal was delicious per usual, but her stomach would not accept sustenance. Her internal distress unsettled her stomach to an extent in which she lost her appetite. “Gah... I'm sorry. I'm sorry!” She didn't know why she yelled, but she did. Then she paid for the food and left promptly.

Though her breathinh had calmed, the weight of remorse remained. She was no foreigner to pain. For instance, she had emotions troubles when Chrysalis passed away. However, this instance was different. Unlike any previous situation she could recall, apprehension, fear, and anxiety mixed with her hurt. She didn't want to cry; she wanted to curl into a ball and disappear. Why is this happening? Why am I so sensitive to that now? She growled within to demonstrate frustration, but the other feelings overwhelmed her so much that the growl was insincere. What do I do? What if Artemis finds out? She began to shake. I'll... I'll sleep out in the stars tonight.

She went to the edge of the city where grass was plenteous. Laying down, she watched the sun. It's only mid-afternoon. I just want to fall asleep. Her head lowered and eyes shut. Maybe I can nap. In only moments, the turmoil of heart became suddenly more powerful. Her vision was a distraction to her feelings, but while eyes clasped closed, the distraction was gone. Oh God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. She apologized in her mind. The torture lightened a smidgen but no more. Being constantly confronted with it, Phebe thought back to that eventful day. Why did I do that?

Tears readied to flow off her face, so she decided to get farther away from everypony. She left for the forest east of Dodge and, once at its edge, settled underneath the first few trees. From there, her eyes loosed their precious liquid. I just... I feel terrible. I don't know why.

“Crying again?” The voice of Black Star rippled into her ears. “You've changed.” The Earth Pony then sat down in front of her. “I think I get it now. I mean, why I keep showing up where you're at. Initially, I tried keeping away, and I just wound up meeting you repeatedly.” He put a hoof on her head and massaged gently. “Even this time as I journeyed aimlessly, I stumbled upon you.” She looked up at him but said nothing. “Our Lord needs to establish something in you, and due to the circumstances, it cannot wait. You have to learn fast. Therefore, from now on, I'll stop avoiding you.””

“It hurts!” She yelped. No real care stayed in her heart for Black's explanation; she simply sought relief. “Please help me. Help me!” The temptation of suicide still lingered in her mind; however, the pain held her so strongly that that desire withered away. She didn't feel like she could escape at all.

“Yeah... I figured,” he spoke gently while he nodded. “Talk to me. Why do you hurt?”

“I... I...” She knew her mistake had some relation to her agony, but she truly had no idea why that would cause anything. Therefore, she answered, “I don't know.” Nonetheless, she still wanted to avoid that subject.

Star chuckled. “Oh, okay.” He lowered himself to get a closer look into her eyes. “Yours is the grief of failure, but more.”

Her eyes widened; he was right. How... how did he figure that out? His understanding of her situation flabbergasted her.

The Earth Pony tilted his head bobbing his blonde mane. “This is how I know: if you had lost something or someone by someone else's action, you would tell me.” He turned around and looked at the treeline above. “Oh, but your failure is so embarrassing and thick that you don't want anyone to know.” Filled by shame, Phebe covered her head with her hooves. Black went on, “I don't know what you did, but I can tell by your state that you've already turned from it. You've already apologized, correct?”

She pondered the issue of apologizing. I apologized to God, I think. Does he mean to Flame, though? I have that base covered regardless. The day following her act, she did, in fact, meet with Flame calling out her failure as wrong and made amends. She nodded to Black. “H... how do you know this?” She wondered how her emotional state would reveal her past.

“Oh...” His head lowered and glanced to the side. “I've been where you are... multiple times.” He faced her. Despite a more sorrowful expression, his eyes held stark resolve. “Why are you so sad for your mistake, Phebe?” His voice was quiet yet stern. “You don't know. It's confusing—that is true. But, I have to ask, why don't you feel forgiven? Has not our God said that he requires mercy?” While Phebe was trying to wrap her brain around what he said, he went on, “How did Dark Shade feel after his mistake? Did he not still feel guilty even after you had long forgiven him? And did not our God also forgive him?”

He knows about my talk with Dark Shade!? When she had spoken with Shade, she had the whole of the tunnel lit up, so she would have seen Black Star if he were there.

Since Black's words struck at her heart, she let this go and thought through his message. He correct in large part. After having turned from her wrongdoing, she apologized, but one thing nagged at her that she felt she should do—that is, tell Artemis. Nonetheless, she feared his potential reaction. Outside of sharing with him, she had done everything she knew to do. That being understood, she had seen God's forgiveness work amongst the Changelings multiple times and practiced the principle on them, but apparently that was not enough for her forgive herself. “I have seen his mercy in front of my eyes, and I give it like he does, but” she admitted, “it seems I have not accepted his for myself.” Unfortunately, her internal pain yet remained active. With all the insight she had been given, she tried to force herself to feel better. She could not.

“There is more, as I said before.” He barely acknowledged her statement speaking all the more. “Some voice in your head tells you that you need to share what you did—that, if you don't, you are holding onto your mistake. 'You have to make it right and apologize to everyone for everything.' The voice may not say this outright, but that is ultimately its conclusion.”

He nailed her again. I was going to talk with Artemis. Though, until Black Star brought it up, she did at all consider why she needed to apologize. What purpose would filling Artemis in have?

Black Star nodded. “Seeking forgiveness and setting problems straight is good—great, in fact!” His hoof lifted, and he looked at it. “Nevertheless, there is an extreme. I see it in your eyes. 'Apologize until everything feels better.' I've been there. What an idiot I am.” His hoof lowered, and he instead looked at her. “If you're going to tell Artemis or anyone else, you need a reason. 'Apologize until everything feels better' is not reason at all.” He stood again. For some reason, he could not sit still. “If you share, may it be to prevent the same mistake or to unleash your pent up feelings. Or some such.”

Phebe received his wise sayings at face value, and they served her well. Now given wisdom as a weapon, she reined in her mind and emotions. I'm forgiven, and I don't have to tell everypony about what I did. It's all taken care of. A breath of relief flowed into her chest cavity.

After having a significant breakthrough, she could think clearly. With a sound and sober mind, she then had to satisfy her ever-present curiosity. “If I may ask... what did you do?” As he said, he knew her experience well, and this was proven by his words. Therefore, somewhere along the long, he had had some immense failure; moreover, he had wallowed in the quagmire of that failure.

“You are pointed as ever,” Black replied. “But then, I return with my own question, to what occasion are you referring? There are many, after all.” After his head turned away from her, he stared at the ground. “So many lives...” A heavy sigh exited his mouth. Not waiting for Phebe to answer his earlier inquiry, he started, “I'll tell you of two. Number one: possibly the worst mistake. It happened quite some time ago, but I remember it as if today.... I had illicit relations with a lady.” Phebe's heart skipped a beat, and though she speedily tamed it, fear jostled her mind. “She was gorgeous and wonderful but deluded and evil. At the time, I was in a bad place—emotionally wrecked with no hope, no purpose, and no real life. She seduced me, and I caved.” He looked upward. “Afterward, guilt rattled my cage so fiercely that I followed with an equally wicked deed. I hated her so much for dragging me down, even though I was also responsible. The hatred burned within me until I caved again.” A second strong sigh came out. “I murdered her.” This time, Hoshana's mouth dropped. “I still smell her blood.” Silence.

Besides his obvious mistakes, his statements did not sit well with her, but she could not pinpoint the problem. Soon enough, he continued, “My most recent failure actually brought me to Equestria. I failed my brother. He used to believe in our God, but in recent days, he gave up on believing. Of course that's not my fault, and I can't blame myself for his choices. Nonetheless, I started to doubt that God was real myself. I allowed important issues to slide and began taking life as a joke not worth laughing at. In short, I became morbid and cynical.” He frowned. “I ended up helping settle my brother in his ways.” He sat on his haunches. “Those are only two cases, but you get the picture.” His voice box loosed speech of low volume and low tone.

At that moment, Phebe caught on to what was wrong with Black's word. She retorted, “You're a hypocrite.”

“What?”

She unwaveringly affirmed, “Has not our God said he requires mercy?”She put to her hooves, walked to him, and stomped. “If you want others to believe what you preach, you need to start believing yourself.” He came to attention and glared at her. “You say, 'well, you're forgiven' and then act as if you yourself aren't! What's wrong with that picture, Black Star?” He jolted back. She was right. Oh. Light bulb flickered on. I'm a hypocrite too. If I want Dark to accept our Lord's forgiveness, then I must as well. I must be an example, a pioneer, a leader. Despite her personal revelation, she pressed on with her vocal presentation. “So... what did you do?” His head tilted sideways. Let's both start believing. “You mentioned being in my circumstance. In other words, am I to assume you made mistakes like I did?”

Squinting intensely and tightening his facial expression, the Earth Pony stepped back bewildered. “What are you talking about? I just told you.”

“Oh. I don't seem to recall.”

“I slept with a person outside of ma-”

“What are you talking about? No, no you didn't.” Phebe had her own bit of wisdom. Having seeing the Changelings dramatic change, she understood the principle of forgiveness. Those mistakes, once reconciled, were removed. Then the question must be asked, as Phebe then did, “What mistakes? I don't remember any.” Even if some of the consequences of the poor decisions still existed, but the guilt was no more.

“Ah.” Black Star turned to his head towards her and smiled. “You could be my daughter.”

Phebe reeled backward. “Wh-what?!” She shook her head. “That's not possible.” For one, she knew her real father, and for two, Black Star looked to be her age.

“True, but you have enough qualities in common with me that you might as well be.” He chuckled a little and grinned wider. “Since you didn't have a real father, I take it upon myself, Phebe. My daughter.” Her mouth hung agape. With his utter mood swap and topic transformation, she would have taken in no surprise, but the fact that she had been adopted left her in a gobsmacked condition. There was also the issue of how he knew about her terrible dad.

Barely recovered from her state of paralysis, she replied, “So, how old are you?”

“Hmm...” He put a hoof to his chin. “Guardians...”

“Huh?”

“Sorry, I was just thinking about my journey to the Canterlot Library.” He paused only to tack on, “Actually, more about the journey inside the library—Yeah. I looked into the Guardians thinking that Equestrian history had some information on them.” Phebe figured he didn't hear her inquire of his age, so she let it go temporarily. Besides, she needed to know about the Guardians.

“What did you learn?”

His head tilted back looking at the treeline again. “Nothing helpful. There were two mentions of the Guardians—each very different. One source concerned these beings tending to a land south of Equestria; apparently, they had a very fruitful land and supplied a lot of goods to Equestria in the early days. No mention of those Guardians besides that. The other was actually a group of Dragons who acted as protectors in case any serious threat came to whole of the Dragon race. They apparently stay in hiding until the needed time and spring out when danger arises. Nothing else is said about them.”

By lifting her hoof to the bottom of her head, she mimicked his previous pensive pose. “Hm... the Badlands are south of Equestria. That's where the Guardians first appeared.”

“In any case, I should be off.” He spun around and ran away. With his head turned back he shouted, “See ya!”

After he disappeared behind some thickets, she called out to him, “Wait!” Giving chase, she ended up in an empty clearing. He had vanished again. “Where did you go? Crabapples,” she cursed. I didn't get to ask ask him my question. She spun about and started towards Dodge; however, as she came to the edge of the forest, she happened to kick a box. “Huh?” It was wrapped and a tag rested atop it. “To my dear daughter Phebe. From your loving father Black Star.” Using levitation magic she lifted the item off the ground and put it on her back. She was starting to get annoyed by the randomness that followed the stallion, so she had no care to open the package. Probably something ridiculous. she thought.

~~~~~

Phebe returned to the underground. From down the corridor, Artemis greeted her loudly, “Hey! You're back.” He zipped up to her in the air. “You've got a present?” Some irony came out of the fact he asked about the package before he asking about her or her day. She had been missing since morning, after all. He didn't even bother to ask about the visit with the police. “What's in there?”

“I don't know.” She hoofed her gift to him. “You open it.”

Taking it, he read the label. “Your father? His name is Black Star? That's odd.”

“No, that's the mysterious pony we both met. I named him Black Star.” Her eyes rolled. “I met him today again, and he 'adopted' me. Don't ask. I don't understand it.” Artemis stood blank faced. “Anyway, go ahead and open it. I'm going to sleep. Good night.”

“Night...” He eyed the box closely while absentmindedly waving his hoof to her.

~~~~~

In the middle of the night, Phebe woke to some chattering. She rose slowly, lit her horn, and saw some Changelings talking nearby. “Hey, I'm trying to sleep.”

“Oh sorry!” The both of them scrammed.

“Ugh...” As she lay her head back down, she saw a shiny object and a piece of paper next her body?” She took a serious look and discovered a whistle and a letter. “Hm...?” Between glancing from the whistle to the letter, she read aloud, “'To my dearest daughter Phebe, I may not be able to help with the Guardians, but if you ever need to talk, use this whistle. I'll come running. Signed Black Star.' Huh...” She flipped the page and noticed further writing on the back. “'I used the whistle last night. Black Star came immediately, so I talked with him for awhile. He will make a good father-in-law.' Signed Artemis.” She beat herself upside the head. You too, Artemis? After fiddling with her gift for a bit, she decided to blow into it. When she did, no sound came out. Is it broken? The second attempt proved equally as futile. She gave up. I'm too tired for this. Therefore, she slammed her eyes shut and drifted away into slumber.

Dodge City//Chapter 7--Part 1

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Artemis strolled down a random hall; Phebe gave chase. “Wait up!” she called, but he didn't hear her. “Stop!” Oddly, the longer she ran after him the farther he got. “No, don't leave. Don't leave!” Determined to get to him, she turned into a full-on sprint. Now she was catching up. “Haha, you can't run from me.” Artemis stopped and turned to a red-colored stallion. Initially, she could not make out who that pony was, but as she drew near, she identified the person as Flame Tosser. Terror gripped her. “No! Don't tell him! Please don't tell him!” Before she got to them, Flame walked away, and Artemis turned to her.

“I can't believe you,” he spoke—his tone harsh. “You gave up your virginity for him!?”

Phebe jumped out of her sleep landing on her hooves. Sweat soaked her coat, her heart pumped at double pace, and her stomach churned. It was just a dream. “Whew...”

“That was an interesting way to wake up,” Artemis spoke from behind her.

She jumped. “GYAH!”After her heart skipped several beats, she spun to see her future husband. Suddenly, huge burden of guilt and fear dropped upon her. Apparently, the dream resurfaced her anxiety of Artemis discovering about her and Flame Tosser. She wanted to say “hi,” but her tongue cleaved to the bottom of her mouth preventing her from speaking..

“Are you all right, Phebe?” An aura of concern fell upon the Changeling. “You seem distressed.”

She was. She wanted to fun away from his presence, but like her tongue, her legs wouldn't function. How do I get out of this!? She cranked her head each way searching for an escape. Eventually, she remembered the streams of water. I'm thirsty. Need water. By mental concentration, she convinced her body that quenching her thirst was important enough to overcome her terror. “Water” she managed to say before teleporting to a section of the tunnels where the water still flowed. Immediately, the thirst-driven mare dunked her head into the steam and began guzzling its liquid.

Once she had her foll, thoughts started to run around in her mind. He can't know. He can't ever know. He'll never merry me. He'll never ever merry me. Her body quivered.

Then her memory traveled to the meeting she was supposed to have with Ferris. I said I would talk to him today. No, no. I can't. I won't. Her already upset stomach tensed unnaturally. Oh no! the Water that once hung out in her digestive system promptly shot up her throat and out her mouth.

Realizing she couldn't bear this misery anymore, she came to a decision. I'm going to run away. I have to leave. Without forethought, she teleported twice—first to the surface and second to the edge of town. I'll go back to the Everfree, and I'll return my element to the tree. Then I'll move back to my family's farm. Having formulated a plan of escape, tiny relief met her weary heart and burdened back. This caused her to smile lightly. I'm already starting to feel better.

She took the north-west road out of Dodge and cantered away. Freedom. Or, so she thought.

As she went on her way, a familiar face passed by her. He stopped, looked back, and inquired, “Phebe?”

Until he had spoken, she hadn't recognized him, but now she knew. “Ferris?” Sheepishly, she spun around to face him.

“Where are you going?” When she didn't reply, he stepped towards her and gave her a once over. “Are you ill?”

What if he finds out too!? Fear intesified. “Uh-ah, I'm going to go. Please excuse-” Without finishing her sentence, she quickly backed away from him and continued on the path. Ferris watched her go away.

After several moments, he came up beside her and walked with her. “What's wrong?”

She nervously chirped, “Nothing!” She started to regret saying anything, for she could have not made herself anymore conspicuous. “I mean... I'm fine. It's nothing. Please just... get out.” Her words stopped making sense even to her.

Hopping in front of her, Ferris blocked her path. Before he could say or do anything else, a flashback of Flame struck Phebe's mind. After that, her emotional state exploded.“NO!!!” She bucked Ferris in the face. As her hoof contacted his face, a noticeable pop sounded. The force of the blow knocked Ferris over. While he shook off a heavy daze, he noticed a line of blood exiting from his nose, and soon after, he spit up blood and a tooth. When Phebe saw, she panicked. “No. I didn't. This wasn't what I. No. I...” All sentences ended short; her brain could no longer process logically. “I'm sorry!” She ran off.

Having run some distance, she looked back. Ferris was nowhere to be found. Whew, I've escaped... She then crashed into a random pony walking the path. “No, stop it!” she shouted as if the pedestrian was out to get her. Freaking out to a worse degree, she sprinted off the road and dove into a small valley nearby. It was deep enough to keep her hidden from the road. “I never wanted this. I never wanted this. I never wanted this. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. Why did I do that? Why did I do that?” In a volatile tantrum, she stomped upon the ground. “So stupid. Just an idiot!” Tears, the quantity of which exceeded any previous weeping, flooded her face. “I'm so sorry, I AM. I'm so sorry, I AM. I'm so sorry, I AM,” she chanted for awhile. Then it changed. “I am to blame. I'm always to blame. I am to blame. I'm always to blame!”

“Then die,” throaty whisper blasted into her ear. Suddenly claws grasped her neck and lifted her off the ground. “If we can't take the Element, we'll kill you.” In front of her was a cloud of darkness, and a thin, obsidian arm stretched out from it. A Guardian. Nevertheless, unlike previous Guardians, a three-pronged claw was at the end of the arm; in other words, this one had a hand. Presently that hand had a firm grip on her neck--its claws pierced into her skin slowly and painfully.

This is how it ends. Phebe surrendered her life without an ounce of resistance. At increasing rates, oxygen faded from her body. I'm sorry I failed you, I AM.

“Unhoof her, you fiend!” A sizable rock flung into the air and impacted the Guardian. This was not enough to loosen Phebe from the ghost's grip, but its attention seemed to be taken. “What... are you...?”

From her advantageous position, Phebe couldn't see the fellow who had come to save her, but she knew by the voice that it was Ferris. W... why is he here? You fool! She gasped for one last breath and screamed, “RUN!!!”

“And let you die?” he scoffed. Shaking his head sternly, he added, “You know my story; you should know that I won't run.”

“Pitiful equine,” the Guardian scoffed. It levitated itself out of the valley. “You don't understand who you're messing with.”

“You don't understand who you're hurting.” In the moment of Ferris' retort, the Guardians jolted forward faster than the eye could blink and grabbed hold of Ferris with another clawed arm. Ferris attempted to loose himself, but the Guardian wouldn't let go. However, unlike with Phebe, the Guardian dug its claws through his skin instantly puncturing his trachea. His breathing instantly became audible and labored. Horror overflowed the injured pony's eyes; he probably knew the wound was mortal.

The Guardian commented, “The windpipe is in the same place. Good.” He flung Ferris into the ditch and continued choking the Element owner. “Oh... you're angry now? Hah.”

Phebe was angry all right. That was the third person in recent days that she had watched murdered. “Y-” She could not give volume to her words because of the claw that gripped her, so she decided to get rid of it. Her Element shimmered instantly consuming the arm of the creature. Once she was free, she dropped to the ground and gasped for air.

When she was able, she shouted, “You messed with the wrong pony!” Without any hesitation, she zapped the Guardian with the indigo light from the Element of Perseverance. Then there was dead Guardian.

With the enemy out of the way, Phebe rushed to Ferris' side. He was still alive, but he was fading quickly. “No. No!” She broke into more tears. “I'm sorry! This is my fault. I shouldn't have... I just... I...” Ferris watched her and smiled—he could do no more. “Please... please don't die. I couldn't lose another. I couldn't...” She stuffed her face into the ground. “Kill me, I AM. Kill me! I deserve death! I don't want to Ferris to leave too. Why? WHY!?” She pounded the ground. Why me? I deserve this, but why do I have to be the one that does? Why couldn't I have a life like the others? Why couldn't I explore the magic of friendship with them!? I hate it!” The sheriff gave up his last breath, but before he did, he barely managed to remove his bade and place it next to Phebe. That was his final deed. “No, no, no! I won't take your job!” She smacked the face of her now deceased friend.

In a single moment of clarity, she remembered the whistle Black Star gave her. “He can help!” She looked for the gift yet soon came to a distressing conclusion. “I left it back in the city! But... I have enough time to-.”

“He's already gone.” Black Star walked up behind her. “You forgot this.” He gave her the whistle.

“Black Star!” She hugged him briefly. “You couldn't come sooner!? But, uh, you can save Ferris, right?”

“No.”

A black hole of a pit formed inside her. “But- but... you healed me!”

“I did, but I can't raise the dead.”

“You haven't even tried!” She growled at him. “Fix it! Fix. It!”

Black Star looked at the dead stallion. “He had one of the best lives one could ever know. He had no idea what he had, but then again, do any of us?” He grimaced. “I can't fix it, Phebe.”

“No... no...” She plummeted to the ground and curled up into a ball.

“So, that one had claws, eh?” Black Star marched up to the shattered pieces of what was a Guardian. “Interesting.” He paid no mind to the consuming despair that she suffered. “Was it a leader that remained from the other group? Are there multiple types of Guardians? Or is there another reason? Curious.” He returned to the pony corpse. “Suffocated. The Guardians don't usually kill that way, do they? Oh, and how fast it moved? So different!” An empty sigh dropped from his lips. “War is wonderful, is it not?”

“SHUT UP!” Phebe snapped. She used think her loss of Pyre and Chrysalis had done the most terrible damage, but she changed her mind. Her heart felt shredded beyond recognizable pieces. She had feared losing Artemis because of her illegitimate relationship with Flame Tosser, but in running from her past, she lost Ferris Wheel instead. She had bear the responsibility of Pyre and Chrysalis' demises; however, Ferris' was solely hers.

She wanted commit suicide, but one thing prevented her. Hatred. Black's nonchalant attitude drove her up a wall. “Don't you care!? Have you been so beaten and battered by conflict and your past that you no longer feel!? Doesn't life matter to you? Don't you have any heart?! TELL ME!”

Smiling warmly, he looked to her, strolled up beside her, and whispered, “At least you have a heart now.” He started walking away.

“I-” She tried to bring out a retort, but her brain could not formulate one. I feel again. Recollecting all that had befallen her, she realized rapidly the benefit her experiences had caused her. Most notably, the relationship with Chrysalis and Labil Nasha and their deaths derived a sense of life and purpose from Phebe's dry bones—that is to defend the Changelings.

As Phebe pondered the words of her so-called father, he inquired, “What do you want?” He stopped at Ferris and eyed him.

“Huh?” Usually, when Black asked something, he was attempting to get Phebe to think. She figured that this was no different, so she waited for Black to explain himself—this way she didn't make fool of herself.

His tone became ever so lighthearted and soft. “Don't over think. Answer the question. What do you want?'”

Still caught up in emotion, she answered harshly, “I want Ferris back!”

“Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead?”

“Huh... but you said you can't-” She cleared her eyes of her tears and stared at Star intently. He stared back with a simple smile. Instinctively, she knew he wouldn't bother with her petty doubts. “I... I don't know. If it means Ferris can be alive again, then yes!”

“Me too.” He looked towards the sky. “Why haven't you asked for it yet? Don't answer that. You had no reason to know that it was possible. Today, I guess you learn.” Black Star went to the edge of the valley in which Phebe had hid earlier. “No, I didn't do it. I already told you. I can't revive the dead.” He jumped into it.

Phebe watched for a moment. He probably disappeared again. She got up and came to Ferris' body. “What did he mean, 'No I didn't do it.' You're still...” As she took a look at Ferris, her jaw fell to the ground. He was breathing! His throat injury was completely repaired. In fact, the tooth she had knocked out of his mouth was back in its place. “Oh, oh!”

The sheriff opened his eyes. A groan loosed from his vocal chords. “Uhh... why does everything...” He snapped to attention. “I died! And... everything feels great!? I've never felt better.” Getting up, he wiggled his body. “Oh, wow!”

“Ferris!” Phebe wrapped her forelegs around him and began crying into his shoulder. “I'm so glad you're alive! I thought I lost you. I did lose you!” As she let tears loose, he hesitantly patted her on the back. “I just... I can't believe this. I... I have you back. If I hadn't made that mistake you would never have been...” She broke from the hug. “I get it. I get it!” He hopped for joy. “Oh, oh, I get it, Ferris! I was so blind!” Excitement energized even the air around her. “I thought I was getting retribution for my mistake! I thought I was getting what I deserved.” She briefly stood up on a her hind legs, as she grabbed her head happily. “No, I AM was showing me that he forgave me! I forgot. I got lost in my past again... even after Black Star had told me not to. I ran away... from everything I AM had planned for me, and he turned around to bless me! He showed me what he can do. I don't have to be scared of death—not my own, not anypony's!” She processed more information internally. I don't have to fear my mistake with Flame. I AM's blessing doesn't count on my perfection. I can have rest and peace. Oh, oh, my Lord, you are good! You are so good.

Ferris cocked his head. “He forgave you?” His gaze turned to the side. “Aviram...”

“Oh, oh, Ferris, that's it!” She ran around him releasing more energy than she's ever contained in her life. “You were forgiven! The way Aviram covered your mistakes is so much like I AM does. You can have peace!”

Water built up in his eyes. “I want peace... but I feel tied down by guilt.”

“I AM can set you free! Hahah!” She cheered, “Woohoo!” In a matter of moments, she noticed Ferris' demeanor sink lower and lower, so she sobered up. “Hey, call out. Ask for his forgiveness, and it's done.” I don't think my Lord needs him to call out, but it might be good for Ferris to make it official. He did just that.

“I AM... I don't know who you are...” Ferris knelt and lowered his head. “I hear about your forgiveness. Forgive me. I am lower than the lowest and more evil than King Sombra. Forgive me.” A slight change in his expression came forth. “Is... that it?”

She furled her brow. “Is what it?”

He stared off into the distance. “All those drugs... the rapes, the thefts, and the murders... gone?” The sheriff looked down at his badge; Phebe hadn't picked it up. He replaced it on his chest. “For the first time, I think I can wear this proudly. Thank you, Phebe...”

If not for my mistake... he wouldn't have turned to God. How does that work? Shrug. Why question it? “Let's go back to the city. I think we're supposed to have a dinner. We'll talk there.”

“Right.”

~~~~~

The two bounded back to Dodge City excitedly. To their dismay, shortly after arrival, a squad of police officers confronted them, and Fairoh Tonto accompanied them. She adressed Ferris sternly, “You abandoned your post, sheriff.”

Ferris cocked his head and questioned, “What do you mean?”

“You were gallivanting with this whore while you were supposed to be heading up an investigation.” Phebe shirked back and gawked lightly, while Ferris grit his teeth and become suddenly angry. The latter prepared to retort, but the mayor pulled out a scroll which listed the orders she had given to him. Apparently, today, he was supposed to look into a stop of water flow in the waterways underneath the city. “I put this on your desk. I deemed this top priority, and you disregarded my orders.” In Dodge, mayors legally could boss around the city's police—though considered uncouth. That said, Fairoh was clearly unafraid of making use of this power.

“I never got that order. It was not on my desk.”

“Oh really?” She looked to the other officers. “Most of your men saw me place this on your desk. Am I supposed to believe one over many?”

Wheel shook his head. “Ma'am, I swear, I had no idea. I must have overlooked that; I sincerely apologize. I'll get right on that.”

“Good, but before you do...” Fairoh's mouth developed a toothy grin. “You are hereby forbidden from talking with Phebe, nor are you allowed any form of communication or contact. She has been too much of a distraction for you.”

“What!?” Ferris flipped his lid. “On what basis do you determine that?”

“Whether or not you want to keep your job.” She chuckled, and before making a full turn to walk away, she motioned to the other law enforcement. “Boys, watch him like a hawk.” The conversation ended there. Once the mayor left, another policestallion grabbed Ferris and started dragging him away. Neither he nor Phebe attempted any forms of resistance; Ferris seemed shocked and confused, and Phebe was definitely shocked and worried.

Once his underlings dragged him away, Phebe began to fidget. Whore? Does Fairoh know? A good portion of the guilt landed on her again, but she immediately tried to reject those thoughts. I'm forgiven. I'm forgiven. It doesn't matter. Though, as much as she tried, she still felt somewhat weighed down. In a more physical attempt to conquer her fear, she began walking; nonetheless, she stopped suddenly as a piece of paper slid underneath her hooves. “Huh?” She immediately recognized the item as the order given by Fairoh to Ferris—the one he apparently hadn't any recollection of. “She must have dropped it.” Without thought or consideration, her hooves picked it up, and she began to read. A small diagram of the waterways rested on a portion of the scroll. One of the tunnels was marked in red. Then came the horror. “Th-that's where Artemis and the others are! Crabapples! Ferris is going down there now; I've got to warn Artemis.”

Immediately, she teleported to the conference tent in which she and Artemis had had several meetings already. He wasn't there presently, so she exited and called out to the nearest Changeling, “Where is Artemis!?”

“He's on the surface,” replied that Changeling.

As if matters couldn't get any worse. Oh wait. She absentmindedly reached for the whistle. I could call for Black Star. The proposition seemed attractive initially, but rejection soon followed. There wasn't a guarantee he could or would help and, furthermore, she could probably resolve the issue herself. She scanned the area. Plan time. Only a couple of the Changelings were around; most of them were elsewhere. I'm not supposed to talk with Ferris, but if I don't, he'll react poorly to the presence of the Changelings. I have to find a way to get to him first. She turned to the one she had just talked to. “Do you know any illusion magic?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Then this will work perfectly.”

~~~~~

Within an hour's time, the whole of the Changeling base had been packed up and moved. Phebe and the other Changelings had moved their stuff to another area of the tunnels and, using Changeling magic, hid them. Additionally, they removed the blockage which had prevented the water flow. Essentially, the tunnels were back to what they were before the Changelings had arrived.

After cleaning up, everyone but Phebe and the Changeling she had spoken to before went topside. The two, however, waited for Ferris to show up.

Soon enough, the noise of splashing water echoed through the passageways. The light of glowing horns and flaming lanterns followed. It seemed as if Ferris had finally come—and with friends. Phebe, with her ally, scampered around a bend trying to avoid contact. Fortunately, their movements were masked by the splashing sounds; thus, they went unnoticed. That was good. For Phebe's plan to work, they had to make absolutely sure Ferris was in that group before getting spotted.

“I'm confused,” one pony stated. Immediately, movement ceased. “I thought this was supposed to be clogged or something.”

“That's what the mayor said,” another replied.

A third one affirmed sternly, “We haven't explored the whole area. Let's keep looking.” Phebe recognized this voice.

Ferris is there. Perfect! She then whispered to the Changeling, “It's him. Ready?” The Changeling nodded. “Let us begin.”

Phebe strolled out into the open. Upon turning the corner, she noticed several officers standing in a semi circle several yards away. They were still chatting with each other. Ironically enough, they hadn't noticed her yet. Nonetheless, she needed them to spot her, so she flicked on her horn. Now she had caught their attention.

“Look! Somepony is there!” one stallion yelled.

Now that she was sure they had seen her, she could initiate the bulk of her plan. For the next step, she created a surge of water underneath the policestallions knocking down all but Ferris. After that, she sprinted down one path. Ferris gave chase, as she had intended, but the others were too disoriented to do so, also as she had intended. Once far enough, Phebe turned left at a cross section. Immediately after Ferris rounded the bend, the Changeling, still in the same location, created an illusionary wall to hide the path they had gone down. The remaining officers finally recovered and began following but, not having realized which way Ferris had gone, went straight at the crossroads where he and Phebe had taken a left.

Now, the final part of the plan could be completed. Phebe halted. Once Ferris had caught up, he gawked and exclaimed, “Wh-what are you doing!?”

She walked up to him with her horn still lit and greeted, “Ferris. We need to have a talk.”

Eyes squinted, and a scowl formed. “I see that,” he replied sharply. “May I ask what you have to do with all this?” He revealed signs of anger. He likely perceived her to be participating in some secret operation underground.

Phebe readied to answer the question. “We-” Then she incidentally choked on her spit. Coughing ensued. She had wanted to explain about the Changelings, but she just couldn't speak. Wow, this is odd timing. Ferris watched with an eye of scrutiny. Finally recovering from her random bout, she stated forcefully, “I am here to proclaim I AM to the evil that they might turn around.” Wait, huh? She didn't mean to say that. Must be his plan then. Roll with it. “There are many that have not heard about him as you and I have. Whatever I do down here is so that the most can receive his words.” The sheriff changed demeanor as he listened. She smirked cunningly, while continuing, “I fight the Guardians because they oppose his words and kill any that would receive them. They are contrary to all that is good, but they are powerful, cunning, and numerous.” A phrase came into her mind. I AM says, “Today, choose who you will serve. You cannot follow money and yet follow me.” Huh? She paused considering the statement. That's another message, isn't it? Doesn't seem to be relevant, but... Content in her conclusion, she parroted aloud those words, “Ferris, this is what I AM has to say: 'Today, choose who you will serve. You cannot follow money and yet follow me.'”

After squinting momentarily, he turned his gaze away from her and stared downward. He was obviously pondering what she had said. “Do I serve Fairoh or do I serve I AM?” he inquired. “That's what you're getting at, isn't it?”

Phebe shrugged. “I'm not getting at anything; that came from I AM.” With a smug expression, she traveled slightly further down the tunnel. “You get the point. We'll talk again, but you need time to think.”

“Wait.” He reached out with a hoof. “Why would I hesitate on a question like that?” Immediately, she stopped. “I choose God. I was fearful of disobeying Fairoh because I might lose my job.” He chortled before continuing, “I have no legal obligation to her outside that.” In other words, she could fire him for disobedience, meaning a loss of income; however, she could not press charges or anything like. “I feared being poor. But... by comparison, that's nothing to worry about.”

He learned that in a matter of moments? She gawked. How come it took weeks for me to learn anything?

“Talking with you isn't about me spending time with a friend,” He clarified, “unlike the mayor might think. I am here to obey our God. I serve him, not Fairoh. So... I'll do whatever I can to help against the Guardians.” He sprung out a stern yet warm smile. “I'll fight the enemies of I AM with you.”

“Oh.” He had made her speechless. After backpedaling through her thoughts, she remembered that the police were still searching the tunnels. She would have to wrap this up quickly. With a quickened pace, she said, “For now, I don't know what you can do, but when we need your aid, I will let you know.” The sound of splashing hooves echoed across the walls and ceiling causing her to glance over her shoulder. “Uh, there are others with me, but you can't meet them yet. I'll talk with them to see what we need help with and if we can arrange a meeting. For no-”

“For now, I'll tell Fairoh upfront that I will not respect her authority on this one matter; I will not cease to meet with you. I've had enough of deception, lies, and hiding, so I'll tell her that I serve I AM. If she tries to fire me, I'll appeal to the court. Besides, my dad runs the court. Anyway, so long as I lead the police force, I'll use my leeway to help you out.” Ferris nodded before huffing, “Information would be helpful, though. I can only help to the degree I'm informed.”

“Yup. I'll work on that.”

“Good. I have a mayor to confront.” He smiled broadly. “I love I AM. Good-bye, Phebe.” As he separated from her, she went the opposite way.

Author's Notes:

So, like in the last chapter, I have something to say. I will probably start doing this every chapter, albeit sticking the notes at the end of the chapters instead (they're not relevant enough to be up top).

One of my main purposes in writing is expressing how real life works. I don't write fairy tales--like Disney. While I enjoy fairy tales, I find them unrealistic the majority of the time. "And they lived happily ever after" is a common thread among the most popular one, but that's not how it works in real life. For that reason, I won't put that in my material. What I will put in is a mix of good and bad. At times, things go great for awhile, and other times things go bad for awhile. In fact, in certain cases, it may simply be unclear whether things are good or bad. That's life.

As an instance of representing life in this story, Phebe suffers from extreme emotional highs and lows. Many people, in real life, share the same emotional trouble--I know several who do. I believe that it should be represented--not just to be seen but to be addressed.

That said, I can't solve everyone's problems. I'm not Jesus. I'm not the wisest or kindest man on earth. I have faults--a couple of which are crippling. This isn't about me saving the world. I'm not the hero of the story.

However, what I may or may not be does not matter. I can't fix everything, but I sure as hell will try to help. Look, life hurts, and there are many troubles in it. But, that's why my writings do not run from these; they face them instead.

Speaking of life hurting, as life goes on, we will probably invest in what we love most and yet have nothing come of it. For instance, I'm writing this story, right? Well, writing is what I seek to be most successful at--simply because I care that much about it. Now, look at this story, it's my first published work, and as of this time, it has had next to no views. In fact, right now, I have comparatively more dislikes to likes. No, don't give me sympathy, and don't give my story a like unless you actually like it. My point is that my emotional and mental biggest investment aside from people has seemingly flopped. It sucks, and it hurts--a lot.

Yet, I won't quit. I won't allow it to fall apart because things aren't working out. This isn't a fairy tale--everything won't pan out by itself. If I love writing as much as I say I do, then I'll push through and past nearly everything in order to see it successful. That is what I intend on doing.

I say all this for your sake, reader. I cannot say that everyone will have this or something similar happen to them, but I do know that it does happen. When circumstances or people oppose you and what you most desire, don't give up. Without being violent or hateful, you can sternly stand up for what you believe and fiercely chase what you seek. And, I'm telling you to do just that--even if I'm the one opposing you. Don't let me or anyone else stop you. Fight for what you love.

Dodge City//Chapter 7--Part 2

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The same day, Phebe regrouped with Artemis below ground where she explained the situation with Ferris.

“In other words, you're going to blow our cover on the slim chance that he'll be able to help?” Artemis asked with a leading tone. Phebe nodded sheepishly. “I like it.”

“Huh?” Her head cocked.

“I'm the leader, I know.” His eyes rolled. “I'm supposed to weigh out these important decisions and take action after some thought. My decisions don't just affect me.” Looking at her, he smiled. “That's what you were going to say, right?”

She shook her head. “Nope. Not even close.”

“Oh.” Artemis' face faded several shades of red. “Well, uhm... yes...” His head turned away while he attempted to recover from embarrassment. Though, she didn't understand the reason for his embarrassment. “A-anyway, I already thought this through. We need all the help we can get. Besides that, as you said, he has already seen the Guardians, so if you tell him upfront about us, then I believe he'll take our side.” He smiled unnaturally. “So... what do you think?”

Phebe shrugged. She wondered why he would ask. She could tell that he wanted her approval, but the point of the discussion was for her to ask his opinion about telling Ferris about the Changelings. In other words, she was asking for his go-ahead on her decision—not the other way around. Thus, his question was ill-placed and bewildering. “Great, I guess,” she answered with uncertainty. “What do you plan on doing for our base?”

Sulkingly, he replied, “We'll move it to the opposite edge, and we'll cut off a smaller section.” Obviously trying to pick himself up, his voice upped in volume and pitch, “We'll get through this. Anyway, I need to focus on setting up our base. I'll talk to you later.”

I wonder what that was about. She was still a bit confused over his inquiry, but she didn't let that bother her. Let's go see Ferris then. Turning herself around, she snapped shut her eyes, imagined a the police building, and teleported to its front gate. After a few moments of staring at the red “POLICE” sign above the entrance, she absentmindedly placed her hoof on blue trim. I think I miss this place.

Before she had the chance to enter, Fairoh Tonto exited the structure. As soon as she noticed Phebe, she scoffed, “You saved me the trouble of having to find you.”

Phebe paid no attention to the mayor, for something caught her eye inside the building. Peering through one the windows, she noticed something move, and it was not a pony. She was not far from the window, so she should have been able to determine a figure of some sort. While Fairoh blathered about some nonsense, she strolled up to the window and looked in closer. When she walked up, something darted underneath a desk. Hm... I can't tell what it is, she mouthed. It was kind of vague. It didn't really have any shape.

She tried to shove off a specific conclusion—that is, that the Guardians had invaded the police building. No way. They wouldn't do that. Too risky. Her brain started to hurt in its attempts to derive any other logical explanation. Even Changelings have shape, so they would notice shadows moving around their station.

Thump! Fairoh smacked the back of Phebe's head.

“Hey!” The Unicorn snapped to attention ready to use her magic on a foe. She only found a disgruntled Fairoh standing there. “Oh, it is only you.”

The mayor tensed and growled. “Listen up! I will spell it out for you.” The Earth Pony pounded her hooves firmly upon the ground. “You will not show your face in this city ever again.” Phebe snickered to herself but let the overconfident mayor speak on. “I know all about you and Flame Tosser. You ruined him, and I won't let you ruin his brother too.”

“What are you talking about?” Phebe furled a brow. Certainly Fairoh had her attention now. “What do you mean ruined him?” Despite being openly confronted with her failure, she manged to escape all guilt.

An expression of awe fell upon Fairoh. “You don't know, do you?” A moment of weakness and insecurity thrust upon her, but it soon passed. She then stated authoritatively, “When I ran for mayor, shortly after your leaving, Flame and I began a relationship. I was truly interested in him, unlike somepony. But, not a day went by when I didn't see the twinkle of regret come off his eyes. Initially, I thought I had done something, but he eventually explained what you and he did.” She inhaled trying to stem off tears. A heavy sigh dropped. “On Flame's last day, he left a note.”

“Last day?” Terror started to set in. “You mean, he's-”

“Yes! He's dead.” Fury erupted. “He's dead because of you! Before hanging himself in his room, he left a note reading, 'I can no longer live with the guilt of what I did to Phebe Hoshana.'” Finally tears fell from her eyes, as her voice broke. “You killed him, Phebe. I loved him, and you took him from me. And, Ferris has no idea about the note. All he knows is that his brother committed suicide. I tried to protect you out of respect for the work you did here—good work, at that!” By this point, Fairoh was shaking. “Even so, out of respect for my love, I will not let you destroy his brother too. If I ever see you in this city, I'll tell Ferris everything, and I'll do worse.” After pausing to reclaim her demeanor, she asked, “Am I clear?”

Phebe stared blankly at her fellow mare. She was in the middle processing all that was said. He's... dead? He's dead!? Overwhelming sorrow flowed into her chest. Despite her mistake, she never loved Flame as anything more than a friend; nevertheless, she trusted him and counted him a true companion. His death would have been hard enough to handle, but to know that she was responsible tossed on exceeding heaviness. He's dead... because of me? If I hadn't done that... he would... he would still be alive. Water started to cloud her eyes. “I...” She was so overtaken that she struggled to speak. “Yes...” was the best Phebe could say. As tears fell down her face, she walked away. My Lord, why was I so stupid? Why did I do that? A stranger who happened to pass by Phebe noticed her tears.

“Hey, are you all right?”

“Go away!” Phebe darted. Stopping for nothing and no one, she rushed again to the forest east of Dodge. Once at the treeline, her hooves stopped and she flopped onto the ground. My mistake. My mistake! Why is Flame Tosser gone? Oh right, I slept with him. “GRRRAH!” She smashed her head into the ground hoping the ensuing physical pain would make up for her mistake. Why is he dead? I didn't want this, but if I had stopped to think... if I had given a single thought to my action, he could still be alive today. Liquid despair dripped down her face and onto the ground. I can't. I can't do this. I don't want to hurt Ferris more than already have. What if... what if I make the same mistake? It's always easier the second time. I could wreck him like I did Flame. She curled into a ball and began to shiver. If I kill myself... I wouldn't hurt anyone ever again. Ferris would be free to live his life. Y-yeah.

Set in her heart to end her wickedness permanently, she glanced around. Conveniently, some vines grew in these trees. Nonethless, she ventured deeper into the forest, so no one would be able to see her death. Once she found a satisfactory tree filled with vines, a measure of gladness filled her heart. I'll finally be rid of myself. Using the vines as her rope, she engaged her magic and began to create a noose. Once the noose was made, she tied the vine up on the tree to create a make-shift gallow. All she needed to do was wrap the noose around her neck and jump. I'll see you soon, I AM.

As she readied to teleport to the proper tree branch, someone called out, “Phebe!”

Phebe panicked. Crabapples. I'll have to do this later. She quickly wrapped up the vines and tossed them back into the tree hoping the nearby person wouldn't realize what she had created. She cleaned fer face of her tears.

“Phebe?” Artemis came up to her. “One of the others mentioned that you had come out this way in a hurry. Did you spot the Guardians or something?”

“Uh... I...” Artemis' presence caused her to doubt suiciding briefly, but she eventually concluded, No... I probably should die. “I-I thought I had.” Hopefully, I can get here later without being noticed. “Well... even if I did see them, I lost them. Let's go back.”

“Okay...” he replied with some measure of bewilderment. As the two began walking back to Dodge, Artemis explained, “We began work on the traps. So far, it's going smoothly. How are things going with the police?”

“Fine,” she stated abruptly without saying anything more.

Head cocked and eyes squinted, he replied, “Is there anything else?”

She retorted with a confident attitude, “Nope.” Artemis shut himself up after that; thus, they to the waterways in silence.

~~~~~

Having snuck away from the others while they were, Phebe came back to the forest at midnight. Tonight I die. She returned to the noose she had created earlier, and without any hesitation, she set it up. Almost there. She only had to climb the tree, place the noose, and jump; therefore, the Unicorn teleported to a stable branch and levitated the noose towards her. Slowly, the item of capital punishment slip over her head.

This was it. Her demise was one fateful step away, and she would finally put an end to her wickedness. No pony, nor anyone else would ever deal with her treachery again. Fairoh wouldn't have to worry about Phebe anymore, Flame would be avenged, Ferris would be protected, Artemis would get to marry a better mare, Black Star wouldn't have to waste his time on her, and the Changelings would be free from the attacks of the Guardians—they only sought the Element, anyway. Everyone's life would drastically improve once she finished herself, thus no reason remained for her to continue living. Goodbye.

She leaned forward and slipped off the branch causing the vine to tighten severely. Asphyxiation began Though she discovered the process to be more painful than intended, she did not resist. As she dangled from the trees, one image came to her mind. She saw Artemis. Ahh... I didn't have a chance to marrying one like you. Who did I think I was? I'm a whore. That's all. Her vision began to fade. I'm only a whore. She hoped that to be her final thought, for it was fitting of one so unworthy, defiled, and evil. Unfortunately for her, she would have another thought.

Snap! The vine broke. She plummeted to the ground and crashed into an exposed tree root; moreover, the noose remained tight enough to impair breathing. Realizing she could would not likely die in this fashion, she attempted to remove the noose; nevertheless, her lack of oxygen sucked dry her physical strength and mental concentration, thereby counteracting magic.

Ugh... Internal turmoil raged on. Why can't I even die right? Stupid! She would would saw herself in half at moment's notice if it would mean death, but at this point, she hadn't the ability. I hate my life so much. Why do I have to screw up everything? What worthless excuse for a messenger of God. I AM was foolish for choosing me. I'm a mistake.

A low growl curled gently into her ears. Instantly, she recognized the sound. Timberwolves? I didn't know they lived this far south. Rest entered her struggling mind. They'll kill me. This is great. She would have smiled if she were able. This will hurt, but I'll definitely die this time. Heheh. YAY! More growls entered the air. Despite having spotty eyesight, she could see pairs of glowing canine eyes; they drew close. Steadily these violent creatures surrounded her. They stopped once in pouncing distance—a normal Timberwolf tactic. Normally, they would attack simultaneously as to overwhelm the prey, and as far as she could tell, they planned to do the same on this occasion. Only a little longer. Waiting for the right time, they all stood still. Goodbye for the last time.

A single Timberwolf sprung upon her. One foreleg planted squarely on her torso and the other upon her head; the claws imbedded into her skin. Promptly, the beast lowered its head to take a bite, but instead of grabbing something vital, the wolf took her horn by its teeth and snapped it clean off. Timberwolves never bothered with horns; they weren't that smart. Next, the wooden being snapped its jaw around her body, lifted her up, and began running deeper into the forest. Though the injuries were moderate, she quickly realized that they had no intention of killing her. The beasts would kill prey in an instant to satisfy their ravenous appetites, but, as proven by the strategical removal of the horn, something else was going on.

After an unknown time span passed, the Timberwolf stopped and emptied its mouth of Phebe.

“Hah. You're kidding, right?” Black Star questioned before stepping out from behind a tree. “How much do you think I love my daughter, Mr. Furry Ears? Oh wait, you don't have fur. Hah!” The wolf crouched and growled. “Enough that I would rip out over single branch, twig, and leaf from your body and burn them individually. Oh, but I'll do much worse.” The beast lunged at Black Star, but the Earth Pony casually ducked out of the way. Having avoided the attack, the immediately rushed up to Phebe. The wolf turned around and darted for Black Star, but he paid not mind. In the few seconds before the wolf came into range, he bit off the vine from Phebe's neck; nonetheless, at the moment afterward, he ducked his lightly narrowly avoiding a claw swipe. The wolf promptly followed up with a bite, and yet again Black backed up out of the way. Once missing this third time, the Timberwolf suddenly changed its attention to Phebe. It stepped to her and removed the Element from her neck. Black commented, “That's what this is about. I see. You made one terrible mistake.” The wolf dash in the opposite direction of Black. “You messed with my daughter.” He swiftly picked up a nearby by pebble, knocked it up into the air, and bucked it at the wolf. The tiny rock blazed through the air until impacting the wolf in its right hind leg. The wooden leg broken. “Oh, and whose daughter did you mess with?” The wolf would have healed from this wound, but the logs that composed its leg were shattered. He picked up another stone and performed the same move. This larger rock collided with the Timberwolf's head. The rock punctured clear through one end and passed through the other. Next, the wooden being fell to the ground lifelessly.

More Timberwolves came out of the woodwork, but Black Star laughed. “He messed with my daughter. He died. Maybe I should have told him who I was. Perhaps then he would have run away. Hah.” While they slowly came closer, he stopped by Phebe. “Hey, Pheebs. It's time to go. They really don't like us.” She didn't move. “Obstinate then? All right. I'll kill them all.” Making use of his spare time, he picked up the Element of Perseverance. Oddly enough, the item began glowing an intense blue when he came into contact with it. “Ow. That's hot.” Black Star then yelped, “Oh ow! That hurts!” He rushed over to Phebe as he screamed, “HOTHOTHOTHOTHOT!!!” Once close to Phebe, he dropped it. “That's... interesting.” He looked away, abstaining from eye contact with Phebe. “I'll have to look into that later. For the time being, we have Timberwolves to kill. Can you stand?”

“No.” Her statement was especially emphatic, for she still desired the peace of death. Though, thanks to him removing the vine, she grew steadily further from death.

“Awww... you're so cute, Pheebs.”

“Don't call me that.” You don't have the right; you're not my dad.

Filled with lightheartedness, Black Star remarked, “I can call my daughter by a nickname if I so desire. So, listen up Pheebs, I'm gonna rescue you. Don't want to be saved? Too bad. Your life is not your own.” He looked towards the foes nearby. “Twenty against Phebe? You guys don't play fair. You're gonna need at least two hundred more.” A toothy grin developed. “Except, today, it's twenty against zero. You can't win against nothing... because you can't fight nothing. Hah, even those two hundred wouldn't help you for this one.”

Phebe rolled her eyes. What a cocky belligerent fool. I would have to rely on my Element to win against these many wolves. Your babble won't save you, Black Star. A small smile formed. I won't be the only one to die at least.

How wrong she was. In the span of fifteen, she watched Black Star singlehoofedly wreck each and every wolf. Maintaining an ever calm demeanor, he dodged every pounce, swipe, bite, and tackle. Though on repeated occasions, the attacks came close to contacting Black Star, the wolves completely failed at harming him. Between dodges, Black beat down his opponents in varied ways—by pummeling them with rocks and hoof-to-face bucks, by causing them to hit each other, by tying them up with vine and throwing them at each other, and other ways. And, by that fifteen minutes came around, only Black Star and Phebe Hoshana remained alive. As a mocking end to the conflict, he chortled, “Oh ho ho, told you. Twenty against zero. Zero wins every time.”

Phebe remained on the ground, and she gawked. “How-how... how!? I don't understand. I don't think Celestia could do something like that. How did you do that, Black Star?”

“Call me papa, Pheebs.” Wink.

She recoiled sharply while gagging audibly. “Don't make me puke. You're Black Star to me.”

“Then I won't tell you who I did that, Pheebs.”

She became angry. “Oh what, are you serious?”

He gave out a sideways glare. “Were you serious about committing suicide? I know you, Pheebs-”

“Don't call me that!” She huffed at him. “You got in the way. I was so close, Black. So. Close!” Her head tilted downward glumly. I can't do anything well. Star said nothing; in fact, he started walking away. When she noticed, she yelled, “Hey, don't you go anywhere! I still haven't gotten my answer. How did you do that? I want to know!”

A boisterous laugh was the initial reply. Once he recovered from his chortle, he shook his head and smiled warmly. “I already said, 'you can't win against nothing. Zero wins every time.' Only my family understands what that means.” He was plainly trying to get Phebe to call him Papa on the guise that she would understand the reference to “nothing” and “zero.” She recalled that Black Star referenced himself as “no one” and “no name”; however, neither of those explained how he performed the feats in the previous conflict. While she pondered, he removed the bark from a nearby tree and ripped a small plant from the ground. “Who knew that the willow tree and oregano grew near each other?”

Phebe eyed him. “What are you talking about?”

“Heheh...” He smiled. “Nothing.”

After rolling her eyes, she attempted to stand up, but the punctures and cuts in her sides made that a painful endeavor. She stopped before causing too much agony. “So, are you going to tell me how-”

“Chew on this.” He stuffed the bark in her mouth. “Now... how to get the oil out of this...? Meh.” He pushed aside the smaller plant. “We'll go into Dodge. It's dark anyway. We can get you the medical attention without drawing much attention to you.”

She spit out the bark and yelped, “N-no!”

“No?” He grabbed the bark and stuffed it in her mouth once more. “It's a pain reliever, Pheebs. If you don't chew on this, the next stage of our journey will hurt significantly.” She removed the medicine and refused to take it anymore. Black sighed, “So be it.” He handled her roughly and threw her over her back.

“OW!”

“Sorry.”

“I won't go.” She pushed herself off despite the fact her injuries hurt more because of her movement. “I'm never going back there. All right?”

Black yawned. “Did I AM tell you to be there?”

“Huh?” What does that have to do with this? She didn't want to answer, but she couldn't help but mull over his statement. Well... maybe? I don't think he said specifically for me to come here. But... he said I am to marry Artemis... Little time passed before she came to her conclusion. “I think so... probably.”

“Then if somepony stands in the way, I'll kill him.”

“Wh-what?!”

“Hahah, kiding.” Without any warning, he picked her up in the same manner as before. “But, seriously, I'll kill him, her, or whatever. I'm not afraid of blood.” He began to walk towards Dodge, and this time she did not struggle. “I can't give you the medical care you require here. I need real supplies. So, if somepony does try to stop us, well, I'm already not in the mood to care. My daughter is hurt. I have no need for any other reason.”

She was getting tired of rejecting the father-daughter relationship, so she let it pass this time. “Can't you heal me like you did before?” He didn't answer. That would be the second question he completely avoided. This time her heart was struck. She felt alone—separated from the Changelings, Artemis, and even the one who carried her at that moment. In attempt to mask her insecurity, she inquired firmly, “Are you going to keep ignoring me?” Apparently, he was planning to do that since he, in fact, did disregard her words again. “Listen to me! Hello!?” Silence.

Water glossed over her eyes; her heart began to tear apart. Looking back at the forest, which they had just exited, she came to realize that she didn't want death; she wanted to be part and parcel of Black's life, Shade's life, Kirk's life, and others, though most of all Artemis' life. She never wanted to leave them, but fear gripped her. She did not so much as lift a hoof to counteract the fear, thereby allowing it to reign free in her mind and body. That's how she came so close to killing herself—twice, no less. “Black Star, c-” Tears broke from her eyelids, fell from her face, and dropped onto the ground below her. When the droplet crashed, Black stopped and looked back at her. Immediately, she hid her face with one leg; she had no desire for him to see her emotionally distraught. Soon enough, he carefully set her down upon her haunches and quickly after that, his forelegs wrapped around her in an embrace. The side of his head met hers. Upon contact, she felt warm water soak into her face. Looking upon him—as best she could from behind her tears and at point-blank distance—she discovered his eyes to be clasped shut and streams of water rushing down them. “Black Star?” she murmured. Speaking his name transformed those streams into gushing rivers, and then his whole body quivered. What... what is he doing? Was he trying not to cry this whole time? A small realization appeared. Is that why he couldn't answer my questions? He couldn't speak without breaking down.

With a crackling and broken voice, he shouted into her ear, “Never scare me like that again! If I lost you too, I'd...” For a brief moment, his silent tears became an audible sob; though, they ceased all together several seconds later. He pulled away. “I'd kill myself too if it were possible.” He looked downward refusing to stare at her, but she saw droplets fall from his face.

He knows. He knows what I intended on doing. He cares that I stay alive. How would it destroy him if I killed myself? What about Dark Shade and Artemis? Barely over her own crying, she answered in a grimace, “I... I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I... didn't know it would.”

“Now I know how I AM feels...”

“Huh?”

Disregarding his state, he looked up at her. The crying had subsided to an occasional tear. “I know how he feels towards us. Every mistake, every difficulty, all the suffering, and all the struggles that we experience, he feels too, as I am feeling yours right now, my daughter. Honestly, I wonder who hurts more, you or I.” A light grin sprung out from the Black's cloud of gloom. “So, you had questions? I've been meaning to answer them, but do you actually want to know?”

“Well... yes!” Her mood brightened instantly. “But... I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I messed up, and I ran away... again. This time I could have died... and I was... I just sorry!”

“You're were forgiven the first time.” His demeanor became momentarily somber. “So, you're forgiven, but if you apologize again, you'll be doubting my forgiveness. One apology is enough.” His smile returned, and it was much greater than before. “So, what did you want to ask?”

“How did you fight off those Timberwolves?”

A lofty chuckle came about. “Two things. The most important one comes first—that is, I am nothing. No one, no name, and nobody. No person, no being, and not a thing. Some of that is literal, some of that is metaphorical, and all of it relevant to my point.” He didn't seem to mind having no identity despite that he expressed joy when he was named Black Star. “I AM is my everything. When I am nothing, he is free to be everything, and I am nothing all the time, thus he is everything all the time. In other words, my God wins all my battles for me, and I just go along for the ride. I don't know if that makes any sense to you, but that is the most complete truth as to my success that I can give.”

“All right.” Having a slight grasp on Star's odd way about him, she mostly understood the point he was making, even if she was unsure how God would win all his battles. “What about the second?”

“Ah, yes...” He smirked. “I'm a soldier.” Instantly, her attention was stolen. Whatever doubts she had about his first explanation disappeared, as her curiosity gathered around the idea of a military stallion. “Huh? So, you like soldiers?”

“I don't know any personally, and there are very few in Equestria.” She thought back to her days in the Badlands. Even in those parts, only a couple of trained ponies defended that town. The remainder were civilians. “I want to hear what you have to say.”

“You mean that being a soldier is the most difficult, most gruesome, most under appreciated job in all of history?” A lighthearted tone rung his vocal box. “Not what you expected me to say?” She actually hadn't any expectations since she knew so little. “Well, anyway, this goes back a long ways. In summary, I've been a soldier since adulthood, and I've been hardened like a soldier since my childhood. In more detail, at a young age, my parents were killed by religious fanatics. My uncle sent my older brother and I to another country where we and another youth were adopted by the king of that country.” His smile retained itself. “For the better part of our upbringing, the king trained the three of us for leadership and for combat. We participated in battles for the sake of our king and father and killed many and lost some too. Eventually, our father was killed by his own countrymen, my blood brother went insane and killed my fiancee, he... ehm... took me away from our adopted brother, and then he left himself. Since then, I've seen my adopted brother and worked with him many times, but I've not seen my blood brother since that fateful day; moreover, since then, I've fought in wars, killed more people than you've known, and lost everyone I've ever held dear.” His tone finally became serious. “I will not lose anyone else, lest it be over my dead body. Heheh, oh wait.” He chuckled to himself. “Anyway, point being, I've had a lot of combat experience, and I've become completely calloused to the fragility of life. If someone I care about is threatened, I'm not afraid to kill a thousand with my own bare hooves. I don't tell you this for the sake of impressing, but you should know the truth. This is who Black Star is. This is what no name looks like.”

Phebe stared blankly. She didn't know exactly how to receive the information she had been hoofed. “Oh.” She couldn't say anything else; her brain tied up her tongue.

“Now you know why I couldn't bear you to die. I don't have anyone else; they're all dead or gone in some other fashion.” He sat upon his haunches. “I hope this doe-”

“Why do you hide?”

“Huh?” Head chocked. “What are you talking about? I travel aimlessly. That's definitely different. I'm trying to find whatever I'm looking for; though, I don't really know what I'm looking for. Eh, I'll know it when I find it.”

Though causing some pain in the process, She motioned widely with on forehoof. “Have you ever thought that what you're looking for is directly in front of you?” Her hoof pointed to herself. “You want a family, don't you? Why else would I AM bring you here like this?” His mouth opened, yet no words followed. He began to think. “You never really considered that. Anyway, think about it. Artemis and I would love to have you.”

“I... I really can't help you.”

“Huh?”

Black put his hoof through his blonde mane. “I AM told me not to help you against the Guardians. That I can really have no active part in your fight against them. Besides, there is one part of the family that is missing for me.”

She squinted at him. “You're not married, are you?”

“Nope. Engaged once, married twice, dead thrice.” His demeanor sank significantly more. “I shouldn't hide it, I suppose. I am hoping to find someone to marry. It's really hard for me to be single; I don't know why.” A laugh formulated; he apparently liked to laugh a lot. Perhaps this was to hide the true suffering deep within his heart. “Honestly, it does consume nearly all my thoughts. You wouldn't know that by looking at me.” He was correct; Phebe had no idea he wanted spouse up until this point. “That a side, I'll continue to travel awhile longer. Before I leave, I do need to get you to that hospital.”

“Wait-!” She glanced around briskly. “I can't be seen. If the mayor finds me, she'll-uh... um... er...” Phebe had no desire to share her mistake with Black. “You can say she's black mailing me, and I would rather not talk about what she's black mailing me with.”

“Pfffft. Black mail you?” He hoisted her upon his back once final time. “I AM said nothing about not killing mayors.”

“You're not seriously thinking about it, are you?” She couldn't tell his sarcasm from his regular speech. “I mean, it wouldn't look good for me to be hanging around a murderer. I'm suppose to have a good impression on ponies, you know?”

“Fine.” He grumbled to himself, which Phebe found amusing. “Time to get you patched up. After I drop you off and pay for your medicine, I'll let Artemis know where you are. I won't tell him that you tried to hang yourself, but I'll let him know about the Timberwolves and about this blackmailing mayor.”

“Thanks.” A warm sensation wrapped its comforting touched around her heart. She suddenly felt loved. “For everything, I thank you.”

“No problem.” He set off for the hospital.

During the trip to the building, Phebe pondered what it meant for Black Star to be a soldier. Wait a second. His parents were killed by religious fanatics? Pausing in her contemplation, she realized she did not know what a “religious fanatic” was. She comprehended the concept of religion, philosophy, and such things, but what would a “fanatic” be? And why would that be tied with killing? Wouldn't someone like that be a peaceful sort of person? Before arriving at the hospital, she had to ask. “Hey, Black Star. One last question, if that's all right.” I have to be direct. Black Star halted his movement and looked back at her. What do I really want to know? I don't care about religious fanatics, but I should know something about them. Pyre was religious, and he basically raised me. So... “Are you from Equestria?”

Black's eyes grew wide momentarily. “What would make you ask that?”

“A lot of things, but your past mostly.”

He turned his head forward and began walking. “You do know that your wounds will get horribly infected if I don't get you some disinfectant, right?”

She retorted sagely, “You won't let any harm come to me. Please answer my question.” You're not avoiding the subject this time. “If you expect me to treat you like a father, you need to start treating me like a daughter. That means trusting me.”

Black didn't stop walking in order to speak, nonetheless he spoke on the way, “You're very good at arguing. Just like me.” He smiled, though Phebe couldn't see his smile. “The answer is no. I was not born or raised in Equestria. I don't remember much of where I was born, and the place I was raised was destroyed. Since they weren't exactly a city block away form Equestria, you wouldn't know their names if I told them to you.”

“I see you preempted my following questions.” She chuckled, “You would have to be my dad to do that.” Despite her comment, she had not warmed up the adoption aspect of their relationship. “So... I imagine war destroyed your home?”

He shook his head. “Not exactly. War contributed to the final demise, but actually, my blood brother destroyed my home. He set it ablaze.”

She gawked. “He went ballistic, huh?”

“I don't blame him anymore, really.” The Earth Pony stopped, rubbed his hornless head, and groaned. “His wife instigated most of his wrong doing. When father died, he turned to her for support forgoing his brothers' wisdom and comfort, and she drove him to further lengths of stupidity—that is, until their evil actions brought her demise. When she died... my brother, figuring he had no one left to turn to, betrayed us and his country.” His head bowed lightly as his ears twitched. “I've been in a place like that. No matter what one does it seems wrong, so why even attempt to do right? At least, that's the mentality.” He pressed forward and brought her to the hospital. “Enough chatter. It's time for you to get mended.”

“All right...” She moaned; Black Star had a plenty interesting story, and she wanted to hear all of it. Another time, I guess. He left her in the hooves of the nurses, paid for her treatment, and left.

Dodge City//Chapter 8

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AHHHH!!!!” A shriek surged down the halls.

Startled by the sound, Phebe jumped out of bed and crashed onto the floor. Until that point, she had been sleeping soundly in her the hospital to this point. After rubbing her head and standing up, she wondered, What was that about?

A nurse burst into the room. “Phebe, right? We don't have time, so follow me!” She beckoned to Phebe.

Still recovering from grogginess, the Phebe shook her head violently. That did not help her, however. Can't think. Eyes foggy. Feel terrible. She suddenly became aware of the uncomfortable bandage around her torso. Ugh, so constricting. “What's going on?”

“Timberwolves are marching down the streets. We have to get to the basement shelter. Come on.”

“Timber-what!?” Ignoring the medical aid's advise, she hurried to the window.

Upon gazing on the streets, her eyes widened. Sheer terror skid down her back. “How... how...?” Combined with her already discombobulated state, the sight threw her into distressful bewilderment and paralyzing fear. That's not possible. One might wonder what would cause Phebe, one who has been in a battle against an army of Changelings, to fret to this degree. Per say, a dozen Timberwolves in the middle of the city would be extremely unusual, but the police of the city would be able to handle them. If only there were a dozen of them. In the limited view Phebe had, she counted over fifty. As far as she knew, a pack of Timberwolves rarely exceeded twenty, and they typically avoided towns and cities.

Started by a rush of adrenaline, Phebe broke free from her cloudiness. Realizing that time was short, she pondered for vital answers. They went after my Element last night, and they knew to break my horn. Something devious was going on, and soon enough, she realized one important fact. This is not a scavenge for food; they're after me!

“Phebe, we must go.”

“No.” She faced the nurse. “Go without me. I'll be fine.”

“But-”

“GO!” The nurse nodded hesitantly and left. Hoshana, now alone in a room on the second floor of the hospital, had to work out the situation. She peered out the window once more. Ponies were outside, but the Timberwolves weren't attacking them. Instead, the wooden creatures steadily guided them into buildings. Celestia will know soon. She'll come to stop this, but I have to survive until then. I hope Artemis and the others are okay. She spun about and examined the room. I have to prepare. Somehow... what to do, what to do... Her mind ticked at the thought of her horn. No spells. Crabapples! Did they make their move because they knew I couldn't escape by magic? I mean... I could try to muster a spell, but that almost killed me last time. Suddenly a loud crash sounded from below. That's probably the door, so they've broken into the hospital. In all likelihood, they can track my scent. I can't hide. I can only delay them. Intending to go to the roof, she dashed out of the room and to the staircase. As she arrived, she saw a Timberwolf jogging up the stairs from the lower floor, and it saw her. Oh... come on! Overcoming the pain from last night's wounds, she sprinted up the stairs at top speed. The beast howled before giving chase.

In a few moments, she reached the roof. She slammed the door behind her and held it shut while she scrutinized her surroundings. Think, think, think! I have to go. I have to go somewhere!

Crunch! The Timberwolf rammed into the door. The force was enough to knock her away from the door. A second ram threw the door off its hinges. Phebe rushed to the far edge of the roof. Over the ledge, she found an innumerable host of Timberwolves surrounding the hospital.

How are there so many of them!? Before she could do anything further, six Timberwolves surrounded her. Figuring she hadn't any other options, she tried to engage her element. Unfortunately, it did not activate. What, really? This kind of timing?! She growled to herself intensely. There was not any way for her to escape.

One idea dawned on her. The whistle?! Surprisingly, she had brought the item with her to the forest last night. Since she had intended on taking her life, she had no idea why she brought it with her, but, regardless, it was fortuitous that she did. Now thanks to that, she had it on her possession.

As soon as she could, she blew it. To her own surprise, no sound protruded from it; on the other hoof, the Timberwolves squealed and cringed. They can hear it? Wait... is this a dog whistle? She blew it again, and this time the wolves began backing away. Phebe wondered if a dog whistle could be designed to have a painful volume and frequency for canines. If so, this was one such whistle. Why would Black Star give me a dog whistle?

Unfortunately, she only bought herself time. There would be only a matter of time before the wolves became deaf, and considering their determination to invade a city for an Element of Harmony, she doubted deafness would stop them for long. So, what now? She gazed at the sky around in hopes of finding some Pegasi. I could get lifted off this roof. That would be helpful. One Pegasus was nearby, and in fact, he was already coming her way. “Hey, hey! Over here.” She blew the whistle again to halt the Timberwolves for a little longer. Interestingly, once she did, the flying pony seemed to lose control of his trajectory; he ended up crashing onto the roof. “Oh... uh...” The monsters were still recovering, so without fear, she turned her attention to the Pegasus. Coming up beside him, she asked,“Are you all right?”

“Phebe, why did you blow that whistle again!?” He hurried to his hooves. “It's me, Artemis. That thing hurts.”

She cocked her head. “Changelings can hear such high pitches?”

“Yes. Now, let's go!” He scooped up Phebe and launched away from the hospital. “We're safe for now.” She gazed downward at the streets while he spoke. “What is it, Phebe?” He looked downward as well. “I know there's a lot of them. What about it?”

She shook her head. “They're not sentient creatures, Artemis. They shouldn't amass like this under any circumstance. ” Her brain strained trying to determine what would cause them to conglomerate as they have, but she was interrupted when she saw the police station held up by an army of the wolves. “Look! They're trying to break in.” Fortunately, the doors and windows of the structure were excessively more sturdy than others. Ah! “We need to go there. We can get some help and work out a solution.”

“I hope you know what you're doing.” He began lowering to the building's roof. When they landed, he commented, “I'll stay here. I don't know that I feel comfortable in their presence.”

“Okay.” She nodded before using the roof door and traveling down the stairs. They won't like to see me, especially if Fairoh is there. Hopefully, in a circumstance like this, she will put a side her differences with me. She rushed to the first floor, but when she got there, nopony was around. Huh? “What's going on?” The loud crashes of the Timberwolves smacking into the doors caught her attention briefly; fortunately, minimal damage had been sustained. “They won't be getting in for awhile.” She left the room, locked the door to the staircase, and came to the second floor. The deal was the same there as well. “Where did they all go?” This time she noted how everything was tidy. If there were a sudden attack on the city, one would think the officers would have rushed into action; nevertheless, Phebe didn't find a single object on the floor. They didn't leave here in a hurry.

She decided to investigate. The calender would be helpful. On one of the far walls hung the current month's activities, events, etc. She scanned for the current day, but when she found it, the overwhelming dread returned. “Field Day: Royal Guard Meeting.” Her hoof met her face. “This-this could not have happened on any worse of a day!”

As the previous sheriff, she knew exactly what that meant. For the purpose of thorough training, deep learning, and potential promotion, the majority of the police staff would journey to Canterlot. The Royal Guard worked one-on-one with officers. Not only would this increase morale, but also bring some new talents to the table. Too bad they had chosen the wrong day for this.

However, one question remained. “Where is the skeleton crew?” She hurried to the third and final floor. Something caught her eye in Ferris' office, so she went there. Six officers lay in the middle of the floor; they were breathing but unconscious. “Sleeping on the job?” Wait... In her last encounter with Fairoh, she had noticed seeing some shadow move around in one room. That's why she looked into the window back then. It was a Guardian! Their souls have been taken.

“PHEBE!” Artemis shouted, unleashing a incredible sense of distress.

Seriously!? Her immediate reaction forced her legs into motion, but when she stepped onto the first step to the roof, she stopped. Think about it. This is way too convenient. On the day my horn happen to be broken and the police are off duty, the Timberwolves attack. Then, the Guardians attack the on-duty crew. The Guardians must be behind this whole thing... somehow. Frustration pent up into her stomach. I can't believe I thought we had bought ourselves some time. No, instead, they've probably been planning out a superb strategy to get my element!? How intelligent are these things? How powerful are they, for that matter? A throaty growl permeated the air from her voice box. Lord, I AM, help! She lowered her head. We need help. We need help so badly. I don't know that our situation could be any worse. Literally, there is no way out. Her prayer was cut short when Artemis shouted again. Crabapples... it's in your hooves, I AM. She rushed to the roof.

What she feared was true. Artemis, who had returned to his Changeling form, hung in the air in the grasps of a Guardian. This Guardian was not masked by darkness, so she saw all its detail. Like the last one she encountered, this one had claws. “I'm sorry, Phebe,” Artemis sighed. “I tried to get away. It just moved so fast.”

“Silence,” The Guardian ordered. “Surrender to the Element to me, and I will let him live.” The ghost-like being drifted higher into the air. “Actually, give it to my pets.” It pointed to the Timberwolves below. “Oh, wait!” Phebe noted how this Guardian had some distinct personality, but she cared little. “Before that transaction, I must warn you of using that element against me. I am Bellua Domitor and Doctus Dux Vick Axcenti. You may call me Vick.”

They have names? She rolled her eyes. That's completely pointless.

“As I said, do not use that element on me.” Vick flaunted its free claw. “I am a Prime of the Guardians. I have led the Guardians into many a victory.” It raised its altitude further. “Today shall be no different. Do you see those Timberwolves down below? I trained them myself. Aren't they the most loyal pooches around?”

“You... trained them?” Surprised by this bit of information, Phebe bobbed her head backward.

Vick laughed. “You underestimated us, Phebe Hoshana, just like your queen.”

Chrysalis...

“Anyway, I had a point behind my bragging.” Vick tightened his grip on Artemis. “If you do kill me, those Timberwolves are trained to ransack the whole city and kill every living soul. And, don't think about delaying until your precious princesses arrive. By the time they hear of the invasion, we'll be long gone.”

He's the mastermind behind all of this. Phebe immediately strained her mind to conjure some solution; unfortunately, time was not on her side.

Overtly self-assured and unquestionably confident, the Prime Guardian boasted, “Unless you wish to see your Changeling friend dashed into a million pieces, you have thirty seconds to toss your element over the edge of the building. Twenty-nine, twenty-eight...”

Think, think! She wanted to plan an attack, but nothing she conceived proved remotely possible for success. I'll have to use my words. What can I say that would catch his attention? She tapped her element. This is what it wants, right? Ah! There are six others! “Vick, can I ask one question?”

He scoffed, “Sure! But, you've got only twelve seconds. Eleven.”

Realizing her limited time, she blurted, “What are you doing to do about the other six element of Harmony?” Vick stopped counting immediately. Hah, gotcha! “I wield only one. There are others who use them, and they are all much more proficient in their use of them than I.”

After a notable pause, Vick resumed his countdown. “For another day, I will deal with that. Ten. Nine.”

“No!”

“Eight.” Unable to construct another plan, Phebe caved to the demands. She removed her Element and promptly threw it to the Timberwolves. One of them caught her element. “Wise choice.” Vick released Artemis. “Though, along with some good news, I must share some bad. I cannot simply allow this city to remain in its current state, but all lives will be spared. Good-bye, Phebe.” Vick began to travel to the wolf with the element, but before he reached it, a green beam zapped the creature. The beast sustained enough damage to be stunned. In the meantime, a Changeling swooped in, grabbed the element, and returned it to Phebe. Several more Changelings—all, oddly, in their natural form—landed by Phebe.

With relief, she eyed the necklace which had then been placed into her hooves. “Wh-what are you all doing here?” She counted them all, and she discovered that the whole crew was there—minus Dark Shade and Kirk Briar, of course.

“We're here to fight,” one replied promptly.

After landing, Artemis added, “We cannot lose the element to them. No matter the cost.” He gave a glum expression. “I'm sorry I got captured. We could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble.”

“Trouble, indeed,” Vick stated as he returned to the group. “You have won the bout over the Element. You may have it for now.” Placing his back to them, he made a final comment, “Too bad your precious city won't be so lucky.” Before Phebe could react, a bang rippled through the air, and Vick disappeared. In the moments after, agonized shrieks sounded across the city.

“They're killing them!” Phebe hurried to the edge of the roof. She saw Timberwolves begin dragging ponies out of their homes. “This is going to be a massacre! We have to do something.”

Artemis replied, “There is no way we can deal with that many of them, Phebe.” The screams made him cringe. “This is so wrong. I-I...” He shuddered.

“Plug your ears!” The Changelings eyed her with curiosity. “Plus your ears, now!” This time they obeyed. She pulled out the whistle. Black Star, don't fail me now. Her mouth pressed exceeding amounts of air through the object.

“Hm? You called?” Black Star appeared from the staircase that lead below.

Phebe stomped repeatedly. “Don't waste time, you know exactly what's going on! Do something! Ponies are being slaughtered with every word we speak.” He nodded. “The only thing I have to work with is this whistle, and the Changelings can't do much against-”

“The pitch is burnable.”

“Huh?”

Black Star shook his head. “Now, time for you to listen to me. We're going to burn down the city. The Timberwolves don't like fire. this is the only way. Phebe, you come with me. Artemis, go to that building.” He pointed to a four story hotel which was constructed completely by bricks. “Clear everypony out of there. Bring them back here. GO!”

Artemis Reform nervously tapped the floor. “We-we can't change into pony forms, Bl-”

“Did I misspeak? Go now!” No more debate remained; the whole of the Changeling forced obeyed Black's command. “Phebe, I need something to start a fire. A match, flint, anything. What do you have?”

Phebe hadn't the opportunity to second guess herself or fumble over ideas, so she didn't. “Downstairs, we have flares. Lots of them.”

“Show me.”

From this point, her every action and thought transformed from delayed and well-developed into spontaneous and unplanned. She sprinted back to the first floor of the station, and Black Star followed. Fortunately, the Timberwolves hadn't broken in yet. Taking advantage of that fact, she sped to the supply room, opened up a certain locker, and pulled out a whole bag of flares. “We need something for these to catch on. Would our desks work well enough?”

“Yes.” He swiped a flare. “You carry these; follow me.” He sped back to the main room. While clearing off a desk with a single swipe of a foreleg, he lit the flare and put it into his mouth. From there he toppled the desk over, swiftly pushed it to the front door, and put the flare to the desk until a flame began. Once a decent enough fire had started, he pushed the desk into the front doors. For whatever reason, the doors swung open as soon as the desk contacted them. While Black pushed it out the door, the fire, having grown considerably, caused the Timberwolves to back away. Realistically, the fire should have been burning Star as well, but he managed to ignore whatever pain there was.

The desk was set some yards in front of the entrance, and now the wolves wouldn't even come close anymore. Satisfied with the result, Black returned to Phebe inside. He snatched the bag from her grasps and emptied half of its contents. “That desk will only last a few minutes. Keep feeding it with more desks to keep them out. Am I clear?”

She nodded. “Please hurry! We don't know how many more are dying as we speak.” As he nodded in return, he started two more flares—both of which ended up in his mouth. Promptly, he left the station and went for the hotel, and she turned to the nearest piece of furniture. Can't let the fire burn out. She was not as strong as Black, but she would have to make due somehow. She mimicked his action, eventually bringing the desk to the same location as the previous one. Lastly, she placed the chunk of wood atop the burning pile. Next one. She repeated this twice more. The wood beasts stayed their distance. By the time she finished those two, the hotel across the way showed signs of internal fire.

Black Star returned already. “It's working, but we need to speed up the process somehow. You know Dodge better than I.” He jogged in place as if to emphasize the need for speed. “Where can I find a place with lots of flammable stuff?”

Without any question to Black or his actions, she replied, “Go to the slums. The buildings are side-by-side, and many of them are rotting.” She pointed in a certain cardinal direction. “Go that way. Everything looks much worse there than the rest of the city. You can't miss it.” Black Star didn't speak back; rather, he darted from the place.

I hope this works. Phebe returned to stacking desks. By this point, she had stacked nearly half of the desks. The fire would last awhile, but she couldn't afford to run out of fuel. As she threw on another, she checked the surroundings for any other form of fuel. Besides some small stuff, such as backpacks, carpet bags, and papers, she found nothing worth using. There are desks upstairs. I have a few minutes, I'll see what I can do. When upstairs, she heard a loud thump, but this sound originated from the staircase. Huh? As she turned her head, six officers stumbled into the room with her. There were in a daze. Vick returned their souls? Her stomach churned at the thought that Vick had something “good.” If that's the case, he probably had something in particular planned. “Officers,” she addressed them, “There is no time to explain. I need all of these desks cleared off and brought to the first floor. The city is under attack, so don't waste time!” Not waiting for a response, she down the stairs.

When she got to the bottom, she found a good twenty ponies in the police building. They were presently situating themselves near a single wall tending to their wounds—all of them had been hurt. They found shelter. Good. “There are first aid kits in that room there.” She pointed to the supply room. “Use them as you need to.” Next, she tossed another desk outside, but, as she did, she saw a group of ponies in the distance coming towards the station, but a number of Timberwolves cut them off. They'll be killed! She glanced to the hotel. The flames had reached its every floor, and while that did significantly dissuade the wolves from the areas, the ponies weren't close enough for those monsters to leave them alone. She'd have to save them herself.

Turning to the inside, she saw the policestallions sliding the desks down the stairs. “Keep the fire fed. I'll be back!” Snatching a few flares, she rushed outside. If adrenaline hadn't already filled her body up, the drug did now. Her heart raced faster than she had ever experienced. I'll get there in time. I have to. Lighting one of the flares, she rushed into the fray. Immediately, her enemies backed away. After spitting out the flares, she shouted, “Get to the station! Hurry!” After lighting another flare and throwing it in the midst of the wolves, she lit the final one, placed that in her mouth, and lead the fugitives to the station. When she arrived, Black Star was there, and dozens more other ponies had shown up as well. Many were wounded.

She called out, “Hey, you're ba-”

Turning his attention to her, Black interrupted, “This isn't enough. We need something more.”

“What do you mean?” Tiredness had begun to set in, so she didn't want to bear any more bad news.

His head jolted to and fro, scanning the surroundings. “Stupid war!” Anger infiltrated his voice. “Those Timberwolves won't leave simply because of fire. It's only keeping them back long enough for refugees to get to safety. Once the city burns down, we'll have no way to keep them back.” He tapped his head. “Think, think! Lives are at stake, No Name.”

She began pondering what could be done, but she found her brain sinking into a foggy pit. Crabapples. I don't know that I can help.

One of the uninjured ponies interjected, “Maybe if you can stop those Changelings, they'll go away. They might be the cause of this.”

Wait, what? In disbelief, She gazed at the fellow. They think the Changelings are responsible. “Hold on-”

Black Star interjected, “They can't change forms!” He hurried to the door but then looked back. “The Changelings can't change. Why? If we can answer that, we might be able to make a solution.” She didn't see how that was relevant. “When did it start happening?” Since his question was directed at Phebe, the other ponies kept silent, but they did listen.

“I don't know.” She gazed at those around her, unsure how much she should share. If they began to suspect something of her, then Fairoh would have all she needed to legally remove Phebe from the city. Then again, what city would there be to be removed from if they didn't save it first. Disregarding her fears, she opened her mouth. “Is it possible that the plan was to pin the blame on the Changelings?” Phebe shook her head. “That would be way too thought out. Vick couldn't have anticipated the citizen's reactions.”

“Actually, no, I've seen genius before,” he mentioned pensively. “It would not surprise me for Vick to have planned so thoroughly. The strategy is to attack on every angle. Even though it's impossible to cover every single base, one can get all the important ones. How does one counter that? I was never good at strategy. Grrr...”

“Black, go start more fires. I'll try to get Artemis or one of the others back here. They might be able to explain what happened.” She pointed to the outside. “For now, we need to delay the wolves as long as possible. If we don't stop them, everyone will die.”

“Kay.” Star grabbed some more flares, stuffed them into the bad he had, and rushed off.

“Listen up!” Phebe turned her attention to everypony else. “Like Black Star said, this is a war. We are not playing games. Do as I say, and we might get through this.”

One objected, “Who elected you leader?”

“I'm Phebe Hoshana.” She stomped her hooves. “Would you elect somepony else?” They knew who she was, but they needed the reminder. With that, no one else questioned her. “Good.”

Looking around, she had realized that the first floor had become crowded, thereby creating difficulties for the officers who were still feeding the fire. “Get the wounded to the third floor. Once that's done, I need every able hoof to grab burnable objects from this building and bring them down here. Keep feeding the fire at the front door. Without it, those wolves will get in.” Or at least, we won't be able to keep the doors open for more fugitives. When she spun about to check on the fire's status, a shout met her face.

“Pheebs!” Black burst passed the doors. “The Changelings—they're in trouble!”

“Huh?” Her ears perked up. “What do you mean?” He grabbed her by the hoof and yanked her towards the door. “He-hey!?”

“No time to explain! Come on!” Black Star let loose of her and darted outside, and after a second of deliberation she followed.

After having caught up the distance between the two of them, she inquired between breaths, “What's going on?”

His retort came sharply and quickly. “Look around.”

Her head twisted left and right while her eyes scanned the surroundings. What she found did not surprise her too much. Several buildings had been damaged, and a few were burning; moreover, injured and dead ponies were scattered across the streets. Nevertheless, nothing was too strainge; after all, the Timberwolves had been breaking into structures to abduct points and kill them, and the fire was created to deter the Timberwolves. Then Phebe caught on. “The Timberwolves!” She skid to a halt. “Where are the Timberwolves?” She torqued her head every which way, but she found none of those creatures.

“Why are you stopping!?”

“Huh?”

Being some yards away, Black pointed further down the street. “If we don't get there now, you might not be able to save your friends. Hurry up!” Unwilling to wait any longer, he dashed in the direction he had pointed.

“Okay, okay!” She pursued him at her fastest pace.

After passed several blocks, the two of them turned onto main street. There, they encountered a mob of ponies which crowed a relatively small area of the road. “What's going on?” Phebe asked Black, but he said nothing.

The shouts of the city folk answered her inquiry. “Kill the Changelings!

“They took away my husband!”

“I lost my children because of them!”

“My whole family is missing!”

“They are burning down our city!”

“Kill them!” The crowd began to chant. “Kill them! Kill them!”

Hoshana went wide eyed. They think the Changelings are responsible? But-but... Before she fell into a daze, she snapped herself to attention. “Are the Changelings at the center?”

“Yes. They have them trapped in a magical cage, so they can't fly away.” Black sighed. “I can't get them out in any peaceful way; I would definitely hurt the ponies in the process of saving them. You should be able to rescue them without much confrontation.”

Phebe considered the situation carefully. Unfortunately, mobs don't listen to reason. She had dealt with one during her sheriff days, and force had to be used to scatter the people. At that time, she had a whole department of police at her side, but since she didn't have that now, she had to develop another solution. If she had her horn, she could teleport in, grab the Changelings, and teleport out. Obviously, she couldn't do that. Her element was not working either, so she couldn't use that—not that she knew how she could utilize it in this circumstance. All conventional methods of rescue were out of the question, it seemed. “Hey, Black Star, do you have any more flares?”

“Several, why?”

“We're going to light them up and toss them into the mass of them.” She didn't bother to explain why; time didn't allow for her to do so. Nonetheless, the idea was to blind the crowd long enough to get the Changelings out, and if favor swung their way, the magic cage would fade away should the caster be blinded. Fortunately, Black Star jumped on her suggestion. He hoofed four flares over to her leaving four in his possession. Both of them lit two each. With reasonable precision, they launched the flares into the middle. Instantly, the bloodthirsty shouts faded to yelps and then groans. As Phebe had hoped, the cage collapsed, but counter to her intentions, the Changelings didn't fly out. They were probably blinded as well.

The noise of the crowd had actually quieted somewhat. Banking on her earlier discovery that the Changelings had sensitive hearing, she belted out, “Changelings, the cage is gone. Fly out!” After what seemed to be some hesitation, they did as she commanded. At that point, Black tossed the other two flares which he had lit. “Changelings, follow the sound of my voice!” She kept calling, “Over here. This way!” In the meantime, she had Black use the remaining two flares to keep the mob disoriented and confused.

Soon enough, the Changelings regained enough of their vision to navigate their flight without her voice as a guide. They landed beside her. “Thanks for the help,” one stated. She expected Artemis to be the spokesperson, but he apparently wasn't with the group. “We still can't change into ponies, so we're going to go below before anything worse happens to us.”

“I'll go with you,” Black Star stated. Quickly, he and the Changelings escaped.

That leaves me. She thought. In order to determine her following course of actions, she gazed all around her. The crowd was still in a daze, for some of the flares had yet to wear out. She would have to leave momentarily, lest she be suspected and mauled by them. Nonetheless, in her quick scanning, she noted billowing smoke in a far sector of Dodge. Oh crabapples. We forgot about the fires. How are we going to put them out? She began trekking to the police station. The hotel fire was more worrisome since it could spread and reach the refugees.

As she arrived, relief found its way into her chest. While, unfortunately, the hotel had toppled over, the building fell in the direction opposite of the station; moreover, the collapse quelled the fires that had infested the hotel. In addition to that, no other structures were signi harmed. She didn't fear that it had landed on anypony. The Changelings had already evacuated it, and since the most convenient path to the station was not where the hotel had fallen, the likelihood of it crashing upon somepony was unlikely. Besides that, she hadn't the resources or the time to begin digging up the rubble. Satisfied with her discovery, she went inside the police building.

Fairoh's voice rolled into Phebe's ears. “There's the culprit herself.” The mayor marched up to Phebe. Phebe's heart skipped a beat; apparently, they had returned early. “Working with Changelings, huh? How the mighty have fallen.”

“Wh-what?” Hoshana tried to back pedal. “No-no. You don't underst-”

“I think I understand perfectly. Lock her up.” A few officers, including Ferris Wheel, surrounded Phebe and they prodded her towards the stairs. “I'll talk to you soon enough.”

Knowing well enough that her imprisonment was guaranteed, Phebe stopped defending herself and yelled, “Fire! There's fire in the slums. You have to put it out!” Fairoh nodded sagely.

“I know.” That was the final word she gave Phebe. Moments later, Phebe found herself in the cell she had, at one time, locked Ferris in.

Dodge City//Chapter 9

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Fairoh left Phebe for the excess of two days. Besides troopers who delivered food and water, no one visited her—not Ferris, not Artemis, not Black Star, and not I AM. Though she didn't know how, she had maintained peace about her situation, but she did wonder about her future.

The Guardians stole away the largest section of her thoughts. Apparently, her original opinion of them had been grossly incorrect. Originally, she viewed them as a mindless conglomeration of united beasts. Sure, they could speak, but there was a limited show of intelligence—that is, until the encounter with Vick. Unfortunately, little too late, she was proven wrong. The Guardians possessed intelligence and experience. Vick proved that. The Guardians would be more difficult to beat than she originally thought.

Additionally, a mystery shrouded them. Phebe possessed practically no information about them. She recalled a talk with Black Star. When he visited the Canterlot Library, he read about Guardians maintaining a land south of Equestria. The Badlands weren't as lush as the land described in what Black read, but the book could have been writing about Equestria's early days--a millennium ago. Much could have changed in that time frame. If the Guardians did come from the Badlands, then many questions popped up. The important ones were “how did the Badlands became bad?” and “what became of the Guardians in between the present and the past?” Other questions, regardless of the book, presented themselves. What did the Guardians want? Why were they stealing souls? She had a small answer; they feared her element. Even if the attack on Dodge was extravagant to simply retrieve one item, the Element of Perseverance was clearly their goal. Since wielders of the other Elements probably knew nothing of the Guardians, it was reasonable for them to do anything to get their claws on her Element. Nonetheless, after the discussion with Vick and the strange turnabout of the Timberwolf invasion, she had to wonder what the he had planned. Regardless, she knew she would not discover the answer for awhile.

The next most thought consuming subject was Black Star. He has been incredibly helpful and caring, but as she mulled over his actions, she had concerns about that. As far as she could tell, he followed I AM's commandments, but he wasn't perfect either. Black admitted himself he was a soldier; moreover, he seemed to have experienced an overabundance of conflict and combat. She wasn't sure if he was capable of being anything else. He was a good soldier; he maintained his cool in emergency situations, he fought with skills which would shame many royal guards, and he conjured make-shift solutions in the blink of an eye. These traits, alone, would have comforted Phebe, for he would be useful in the crisis she and the Changelings faced. Unfortunately, he had some questionable traits. Besides his sometimes offensive attitude and strange behavior, he had the knack for performing impossible feats, the most common being appearing and disappearing instantly. Though she had no proof, she knew within herself that he had secrets. Add to that, as Black Star admitted, I AM forbade him from helping her against the Guardians. Perhaps some of those secrets were the reason behind that decision. And yet, that brought up another issue. In aiding the Changelings against Vick and his Timberwolves, did not Black directly disobey his God? The first chance she got, she would inquire of the matter.

Besides these, Artemis floated about her mind. In such contrast to her first encounter with him, when she wanted nothing to do with him, she longed to see his appearance. Whether together or apart, she steadily grew in love with him. On the other hoof, part of her refused to be near him or to talk with him. Though other issues took precedence on her mind, she still feared the consequences of her mistake with Flame. What if Artemis did find out? If Fairoh kept her word, Ferris already found out. Artemis could catch wind of it too. She could not shake her worry, although this seemed to be a petty problem compared to the overall situation. Additionally, she, despite her previous assumption, did not have control over her Element. For some reason, the Element would not obey her will. Twilight and the others had no problem getting them to work, so why couldn't Phebe? This frustration made her more cautious of marrying Artemis. After all, she didn't want to disappoint him.

Lastly, the condition of the Changelings took the remainder of her considerations. The Guardians would after them so long as Phebe had the Element. Plus, now, all of Dodge City was against them. One way or another, the Princesses would hear of this. The Changelings couldn't return to the Badlands, but they couldn't stay in Equestria either. She knew she had no power over this, so she move on. I AM would provide a way out.

Fairoh Tonto, accompanied by Ferris Wheel, came in the afternoon of the second day. After unlocking the door, she addressed Phebe, “We'll be talking in the Sheriff's office. Come on.” Fairoh's tone was surprisingly bland. Phebe would have expected some show of emotion. Regardless, she took the gesture towards freedom as a good thing and went with both of them to the office. Once there, the mayor locked the door and the windows. She spoke harshly, “I wish I could just-”

As if aware she would snap, Ferris interrupted, “We talked with Princess Celestia.” He brought the them to the matter at hoof. “We know the Changelings weren't responsible for the Timberwolf attack. As the princess explained, it's senseless for their kind to eliminate their food source.” Fairoh sighed and nodded, but Phebe tilted her head. “That brings us to a few different things, and we need to talk with you over each one.”

Phebe replied, “Okay.” She wasn't sure where the conversation was going, or if it would be beneficial or detrimental to her situation.

Having reclaimed her composure, Fairoh picked up where Ferris left off. “Princess Celestia told us not to look into who caused the attack. She said she would investigate.” She chuckled. “Even so, after having a meeting, the city board unanimously voted for us to investigate ourselves.” As the words flowed, Phebe began to wonder why she was getting all these details. She didn't need to know. Fairoh went on, “Seeing there is plenty you are hiding from us, we want to know everything you know about this attack.”

Hoshana shook her head. She would have to play this safe because whatever she might say could be used against her. “Are you actually willing to hear what I say? Or are you trying to find an excuse to imprison me longer?”

A growl left the throat of Mayor Tonto. “Ferris, let's forget formalities; I'm going to tell it like is.” This outburst was likely what Ferris was trying to prevent by interrupting early. “I didn't accept this job because I wanted power, Phebe. I genuinely care about the welfare of the people of Dodge. As you might have noticed, their home was wrecked. People got hurt. People died!” Fierce anger leaked out through a nasty attitude. “You and your Changelings are completely irrelevant to me; I couldn't care less if you get away scotch free or you end up mutilated dying a slow death. Rather, I want those mongrels who caused this mess, and when I can, then I will hang them myself. Therefore, tell me who caused this, so they can pay for their evil.”

Phebe hadn't liked Fairoh before. As far as she had been concerned, the mayor was a control freak suffering with depression. That opinion changed, however. I think I can get behind her. “All right. I'll tell you what I know.”

She elucidated the two of the details concerning the Guardians. In particular, she told them where they first appeared, what they were capable of, and who their leader was, but she withheld the information about what they were after. She was not certain how Fairoh would react if she discovered the Guardians wanted her Element. Perhaps, she would share later. “Unfortunately, I don't know where they are, how many they are, and if there are other things they can do. They are smart, though.” If they ask a couple proper questions, they could easily find out that I'm the target. The odd thing was neither of them asked about anything she shared. “In the few times I've encountered them, they learned how to work around their weaknesses. It gets harder to exploit them each time.” Mostly, she thought of how Vick used Artemis as a hostage to get a hold of the Element. “That's what I have to say.”

“Okay.” Ferris walked up to Fairoh and whispered in her ear. After they had a brief, quiet discussion, the sheriff stated, “We believe you. We don't have much of a choice, but what you said agrees with what your Changeling friend said.”

“Changeling friend?” Her eyes lids half-shut as she gazed askance at them. “You talked with a changeling?”

“Artmaze? I forget his name.”

“Artemis!” He's safe! She grinned.

Fairoh said, “That's it. I noticed you didn't mention that your Element was the only way to kill them, though.” She rolled her eyes. “I don't know how you of all people ended up with one, but I don't care. I also don't care that the Guardians came to Dodge to get the Element.”

Ah... so they do know.

“Yeah, Phebe, you caused the death of my Flame.” Phebe grew a bit nervous. Did Ferris know? She took a look at him, but he looked back blankly. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. Fairoh added, “But your intention was not death. The Guardians, on the other hoof, would kill many in order to claim what they want. Even if you were what attracted them here, your responsibility is your actions, not theirs. I'm not a fool, as you might think.” A sly smile formed on her face, as her chin tilted upward and her eyes tilted down at Phebe. Strangely, at the same time, Ferris shook his head as he mouthed 'no.' Fairoh did not see him do this.

Phebe wanted to go see Artemis, so she tried to press the discussion further. “What else did you want to talk about?”

“A lot...” muttered the mayor.

A glum expression came over Ferris. He said, “I hate to bring bad news, but you've been banished from Dodge City. You cannot stay here any longer.”

“Huh?” Phebe jerked back lightly. Confusion surrounded her. “I thought we already affirmed that the Changelings didn't cause the attack. I side with them, but-”

“I don't care that you're an enemy of Equestria.” He moved up to Phebe, put a hoof on her shoulder, and looked her in the eye. “But, the people of Dodge city think you and the Changelings are responsible, and Celestia strictly told us not to tell them the truth. Unlike the investigation, if we disobey here, she'll find out.” He turned his head away. “News has spread too. Canterlot already is talking of about the 'Second Great Changeling Attack.' Soon, all of Equestria will believe the lie. Fairoh and I can't make you leave Equestria, but we recommend you do.”

“But-but!” Fear suddenly grasped Phebe by the neck. “We don't have anywhere else to go!” And what about Dark Shade and Kirk Briar?

Ferris removed his hoof and said, “We know, but our hooves are tied. Equestria isn't safe for you anymore. I'm sorry.”

“Actually, I have a favor to ask in regards to your travels,” Fairoh interjected. Her following words leapt off her tongue with ferocity. “Go back to the Badlands. Find the Guardians. Destroy them.” Her eyes became glossy. “I'm not talking about simple destruction. I want you to rip them apart. Make sure that by the time you finish that nothing is left of them to recognize. And, if you remember, tell them-” She choked, and a tear fell down her face.

Ferris briefly looked back at his boss before moving up to Phebe's ear. “I don't blame you for Flame's death. You're forgiven.” With that remark, he left the room relocking the door on his way out.

Phebe wasn't expecting Ferris' forgiveness. In fact, she wasn't expecting him to bring up his brother at all. Either was she expecting the next incident. She turned her attention to Fairoh who had her back to Phebe. “Hey?” What's going on? Why did he leave us in the room together? “Fairoh,” she called out. No response. “Fairoh?”

“They killed them,” a weak voice replied. “Forget it.” Having her face hidden behind her mane, Fairoh marched to the door. When she looked out its window, she realized a desk had been slid in the way that the door could not be opened. “Ferris!” She growled. “I'll kill you for this!” Despite a clear attempt at being angry, she could not maintain her fury. Finally, after wiping her face, she faced Phebe. “Ferris wins. Phebe... I forgive you. Grah.” She moved to the door and motioned to Ferris who had was walking away.

Just like that? Phebe felt partly relieved. “Thanks.” What is going on? She was thoroughly confused. “Well, we can push the door open together.” Coming up beside Fairoh, she began to push the door open, and once the mayor caught on, she mimicked the action. By the time they managed to crack the door enough for a pony to fit through, Ferris slid the desk out of the way.

“Finally!” Fairoh glared at her sheriff before storming off.

Revealing the purpose of locking the two of them in the room, he inquired,“Did she forgive you?”

“Y-yes...”

“Good.” He looked each way. “When this all passes, we will all welcome you back to Dodge City. We owe you a great debt. I owe you a debt that is more than life.” Without any warning, he embraced her—the grip tight. “I would not know peace and forgiveness if not for you, nor would I know he who provides them. Thank you.” He let loose. “You'll have to take the waterway to get out of Dodge. The Changelings are waiting down there. And don't worry. We have officers down there already to protect your people. They'll accompany you until you leave the city's territory.”

“All right.” Phebe gave a return hug. “We'll see each other soon.” She left to the basement. There, she came to a hole with a ladder leading to the waterway below. This was fitting, as she had ordered the creation of this ladder when she was sheriff. Before she could reach for the first rung of the ladder, a thought interrupted. “I owe you a debt that is more than life. I would not know peace and forgiveness if not for you, nor would I know he who provides them.” She visualized Ferris as he spoke those words. He must be talking about when I AM resurrected him. Hah, I can't believe I screwed that up too. He would never had died- A shiver scurried down her spine.

Finally, she realized how wrong she had everything. The incident when Ferris died because Phebe ran away from I AM's plan was meant to show her that her God was gracious, compassionate, and forgiving. I AM wanted her to learn that she couldn't keep him from succeeding; she couldn't make I AM's plan fail. Ferris not only regained his life; he got a better one than he had before. Phebe's Lord transformed failure into success, the ugly into the beautiful, and the evil into the good. Unfortunately, for the past few days, she had been pinning herself with blame. She deserved some blame, true, but her God had forgiven her, and yet she would continue to condemn herself. She thought she had nullified I AM's plan. The truth was she couldn't make his plan not happen, and in fact, I AM used her running away to bring Ferris to a position of new life. Her mistake ended up beneficial for somepony else.

Her brain began to crank. What does that actually mean? Can I do anything I want? She looked behind her to see if anyone was watching. When she saw that no one was there, she decided to sit. When I've wanted to kill myself, did I really want to? No. Instead, she wanted to marry Artemis like I AM had told her to. I want what I AM wants for me. I was miserable before, but I wasn't stopping his plan. He kept me from killing myself, though I tried. The only thing I caused for myself was unrest and misery. She laughed. I don't need to be perfect, and I won't be. That's okay. She began to go down the ladder. And, in reality, he'll protect us. The Changelings are his people, and for him to abandon them does not fit his character. Why do I have to worry? What is there to worry about when I AM is in control? In an instant, any and all anguish and fear vanished like a vapor. I'm sorry, my Lord. I didn't believe what you had said, but I believe now.

Satisfied with the resolution, she slung herself down the ladder. You know, the Changelings didn't have anywhere to go when they were in the Badlands. When she reached the bottom of the ladder, a small fact struck her brain; she still had no horn. Ah... right. I'll just have to walk slowly through the dark tunnels. Anyway, the Changelings will be fine. If we have to go back the Badlands, then I AM will protect us, or he will provide another place for us. She stopped when she heard a splash. Someone else is down here. Well, they did tell me the Changelings were down here.

“Phebe!” The voice of Artemis lurched from the darkness. The Changeling flicked on his horn, as to light the way for her. “Great, you made it.” Joy rippled from his tone. “Come this way.” She nodded and walked up to him. “I missed you.”

“I, uh... missed you too.” She gave an awkward smile. She readied to start walking, but he stopped her by giving her a hug. Her heart skipped a beat. Though his touch was initially shocking, it ultimately soothing. She returned the hug and rested some of her weight on him; nevertheless, she broke away after several seconds. “We should, uhm... go.” Some nervousness shook her, but she managed to keep talking and to point down the tunnel.

“Yeah.” Artemis succeeded in a nod.

The two of them soon came to the meeting place where the other Changelings had gathered as well as the police guard. Before long, they all journeyed to the outer limits of the city. Once at the end of the tunnels, the policestallions saluted Phebe and her people and left. From there, they would have to travel above ground. “We need a plan,” said Artemis. “We need to know where we're going and to know how we'll get there. Phebe?” He looked to her future bride; she would have the best knowledge for the area.

“Well... there are three places we can go to that are nearby.” She sat down. “We can go east to Dodge Forest. They are nearest. After that, the badlands are closest, and lastly, the Everfree Forest.” Frown overcame Phebe. “The thing is... the Guardians are in the badlands, and I'm fairly certain they are in Dodge Forest. Honestly, the best choice would be Everfree. It's not safe there either, though.”

“All right. We go to Everfree,” Artemis declared as he looked at those around him. “We'll change into forms we haven't used before, but remember, they'll still be able to recognize Phebe.” The Changelings began to take pony forms. It seemed whatever strange magic that had held them back before no longer bothered them. “We go. Phebe, once above, we'll let you lead the way.”

“All right.”

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 10

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A day passed. Phebe brought the Changelings safely to the Everfree and, beyond that, took them to the broken castle deep inside. “We're here.” She stopped at the front gate of the castle. She commented, “It's hard to believe we came this far with no Guardians, no ponies, and no Timberwolves.”

Artemis gazed back and forth from the broken palace to Phebe and then to his fellow Changelings. “Well, no more need for disguises.” They all resumed their original forms. “Everyone, get some rest. Later, we'll look for food and water.” His people nodded and entered the building. “Phebe, can we go for a walk?”

She cocked her head. “A walk? It's not exactly safe outside the castle walls.”

“Then we'll walk inside the walls.” He entered the building. “Come on. It'll be fun.” Uncertainty lay all over his request. Did he have something specific in mind or did he simply wish for a walk? “Phebe, please?”

Following him in, she conceded, “All right. I've only ever been inside once before, and I never got beyond the throne room.” As they started towards the throne room, he chuckled. Wondering what that was about, she inquired,“What?”

“Well, I was just thinking of how stunning you look right now.” Thunk. She bopped him over the head. “Ow! What was that for?”

“That was not the reason you laughed.” Even as she walked, she maintained a stare; she looked hard into his eyes. “If that were true, you wouldn't have laughed in the first place.” Whether right or or wrong, she didn't believe he would find her beauty amusing. If it were funny, she thought that called into question whether she was as attractive as he said. He probably had something else on his mind that he didn't want to share. Regardless she didn't care too much about it.

After rolling her eyes, she looked ahead again. They arrived at the first junction of passageways, so she turned left and right. “Well, the thrones are there.” She pointed forward, and he eyed where he hoof pointed.

“What is this place, anyway?” He inquired sincerely. A pensive expression fell over her, while her hoof placed itself under her chin. “Do you even know?”

“Not exactly.” Shoulders lifted into a shrug. “Anyway, let's go.” The two of them pressed forward taking a random turn. “This way seems good enough.” Some silence followed. Once they had gone a ways down the hall, she stopped. “All right. What is this about, Artemis? You're never this quiet.”

Avoiding making eye contact, he replied, “I don't know... what you mean... heh.”

“Uh-huh.”

“All right, fine,” he blurted. “It's hard to keep a secret for long. I talked with your friend Ferris Wheel. I asked him-” As he was speaking, a loud crash sounded from the end of a hall. Cutting of his train of thought, he asked“What was that?”

“I don't know, but let's find out.” They trekked cautiously following the direction of the sound had come from. Getting to the end of the passageway, they arrived at a library. The place was old and worn. Many of the shelves—one of which had fallen over--were decrepitand the books—hundreds of which were strewn across the floor--dusty and blackened. Even the few tables and chairs were broken and rotting.

Artemis delved into the messy room of books—taking care not to crush any valuable literature along the way. Phebe simply stared at the room. Suddenly, they heard some rustling underneath the fallen shelf. “Someone's under there!” she shouted. Responding promptly to the emergency, Artemis rushed over. Nonetheless, by the time he got to the shelf, it began lifting off the ground.

A muddled voice came from underneath the massive bookcase; it was loud enough to understand. “Wow, that's my luck; I'm searching for some dirt on the Guardians, and I wind up toppling over the very books I need to read.” With one swift motion, the whole shelf lifted and flopped over. Thankfully, it was tossed in the direction opposite Artemis.

Thereafter, a familiar form stood up. Black Star! Phebe gasped. How-how did he-!? The same state of surprise overtook Artemis.

Scanning the floor around him, Star commented, “I hope I didn't ruin any of them.” When he grabbed the nearest book, he accidentally crushed it to powder between his hooves.. “Wow. Just wow. One would think after all this time I would learn to overcome my clumsiness.” He hadn't seem to have noticed either Artemis or Phebe at this point. Then again, since they were in plain sight, he might have been ignoring them for some inane reason. “I mean... how did I even pull the shelf down?” He laughed boisterously, “HAHAH! Just another day in the life of... well, No One. Heheh.” Finally, he looks up and sees the Changeling and Unicorn. “Oh. Hi guys!” he cheered.

Soon after, Black smiled. “You weren't supposed to see that.” A dark cackle left his mouth. “I'm going to have to kill you now.” He suddenly jumped at Artemis causing him to jump. Even Phebe was startled. The next event involved Black throwing himself onto the floor in a fit of laughter. “Pffft-BWAHAHAH! Your face-AHAHAHA. You're all like 'ahhhh!'” he screamed in a girly voice. “Hahahah! Classic!” Artemis and Phebe unfavorably glared at him, and once Black noticed, he ceased his laughing. “Oh, right. Sorry. I couldn't help myself.”

“How did you do that?” Artemis asked bringing them to the matter at hoof.

“Which part?”

“The super strength.”

“That's a secret.”

Perhaps my concerns about him were right. Phebe pondered. There is no way an Earth Pony could do what he just did. No pony has that kind of strength except maybe Princess Celestia. She opened her mouth. “Since the Timberwolf attack, I've been a bit concerned. Didn't you disobey I AM by helping us defend? Weren't you told not to help me?”

Black Star stopped at the collapsed bookshelf, put a hoof on it, and then gazed upward. “I suppose that's true.” His upbeat tone faded. “What's your point?”

“How can we trust you?” She affirmed solidly, “You show kindness and sincerity, but, I'll strike at the heart, you're a loose cannon.” In the midst of speaking, she felt there could be a better time to discuss this subject--specifically, since she had just reunited with Black without even giving a greeting. Having already started, she figured she would finish. “If you were a normal pony, I would look past that, but seeing all that you can do... I don't know I can trust you.” She hesitantly pointed to Black. “You have so many unknowns about you. If you want us to trust you, you have to tell us who you are, what you are, where you come from, etc.”

Curtly, Black replied, “I have Dragon in my lineage.” What did that even mean?

The other two cocked their heads, though Artemis verbalized their confusion, “You're half-Dragon?”

“No, not quite.” Looking to them, he stated, “I have Dragons as ancestors.” The Changeling and the Pony looked at each other for several moments. Phebe wondered what Black Star meant. His words tended to riddle the mind, particularly when they dealt with his past and background. “I know what you're thinking. Why don't I have any physical appearance as a Dragon? Easy, there's not enough Dragon blood in me to cause me to look as one. I just happened to end up with their strength. Additionally, I have some Dragon magic; that's how I get around so fast.” His eyes trained on the ground, and his focus remained there for long seconds. At last, he looked up at them. “Does that help?”

Not really. Phebe wondered about the pause. He's still hiding something. Even so, she tried to grasp if his explanation managed to shed any light on his mysterious abilities. I can almost understand the strength, but he doesn't appear that strong. I don't think he could have lifted the shelf unless he does have magic. Hoping to confirm what he said about himself, she began mentally listing all the information she knew about Dragons. She hadn't had a personal encounter with any, but in her days in the Badlands, she often saw them at a distance. Additionally, Pyre taught her a good deal about them, and she studied some further in her spare time. Despite all this, never had she once heard of a Dragon with magic. If he was truly part Dragon, he would have to be a breed unknown to Equestria. Several other curiosities popped into her mind. Where did he come from? Could he have more than Dragon and Pony blood in him? What other secrets was he keeping? Why did he have to keep them? After sifting through the questions, she came to the one thing she needed to say—not ask. She was going to get to Black Star's heart—his motivation. “You still disobeyed I AM.” Artemis stayed by Phebe's side, but he kept silence.

“Huh?”

“Don't 'huh' me.” Strength entered her vocal chords. “I'm glad you helped; I'm happy that you saved as many as you did. Yet,” she said while motioning aimlessly with her hoof, “you don't seem to care that you went against his direct command.”

Black squinted at her. “All right. What are you getting at?”

She squinted in return. “If you're not here to obey I AM, then why are you here? It's obvious you're withholding a lot of information from us. I can live with some of that, but you must tell us why you are helping us. Spill out your motives—all of them, every detail. Spare nothing.” Her lips curled into a smirk. “I'll know if you're still hiding something.” Though she noticed his obvious pause, she didn't have as much of an ability to see through a person as she made out she could. Nonetheless, she bluffed that last statement in order to corner Black Star.

“Why?” He repeated, before asking a second time. “Why?” His voice carried drudgingly. “I...” An expression of lifelessness marked him, and his eyes stared off into nothingness.

Phebe knew that face; it was that of grief. She thought back to her first real conversation with Black. Labil Nasha had just died, the Guardians were running amok in the tunnels, and she was crushed. He came along to console her. Her memory was hazy, but she remembered one illustration Black used. He had a torch lit and stuck his hoof into it causing a burn. Then he mentioned how he understood her, for he had lost a lot. Fast-forwarding, she recalled her last major conversation with him. It was the night before the Timberwolf attack on Dodge when she intended on killing herself. After he rescued her from the clutches of those beasts, they talked awhile. He told her his story. He lost his parents, was sent to a faraway country with his brother, and was adopted by the king of that land. Later, the king died, and his brother went crazy and killed Black's fiancee. At some point, Black also mentioned that he had lost two wives in addition to that fiancee. Phebe could only wonder how much more Black had lost during his lifetime.

Is that why? She had enough of an idea to make an educated guess. “It has something to do with all that you've lost, doesn't it?”

Black snapped to attention. “How did you-” Shaking his head, he continued, “Never mind. Yes. You're right.” His demeanor changed from sad to serious. “I've seen so many... suffer. I've suffered. Huh, I don't know where I was going with that.” His hoof tapped his head. “Silly brain. Where was I going? Oh yeah! Hah, why do I care? I don't know. The best I can say is I don't want to see anyone else suffer as I have. That's not even what I want to say, but I can't really word my thoughts right now.” He turned to the fallen shelf and readied to lift it. “That said, I do care, and I don't just care about you and the Changelings. I care about Equestria and its people. Looking at the Guardians, I see they stand opposed to those I care about. I'm a soldier; I will defend those who I love.” He carefully picked up the shelf and moved it far out of the way. That done, he began picking up the books that had been underneath it. “I don't care about their motives, their experience, or their history. I will fight them however I must. Right now, I can't fight them directly because of the commandment from our God, but he said nothing about equipping you with information that would aid in your battle against them. In fact, that may be why he doesn't want me to fight. Perhaps I can find what is ultimately needed to stop them.” He picked up a book, set it on a table, and flipped the cover open. “Does that satisfy? Or do I need to go into further detail?”

“No. For now, that's good.” Phebe turned around and began walked to the edge of the room. “Black, find us what we need. We're counting on you.” She hoped to encourage Black after he had spilled his heart out to them. Artemis hesitantly followed, and the two returned to the throne room.

Once there, Artemis spoke to her, “I'm not even going to ask how you managed to perceive so much about him. Though, I... am curious about one thing, if I might have your opinion.” He averted his gaze.

“Hm? What's that?” She noted his inability to look her in the eye. Something was making him nervous.

He sighed. “I don't know about his methods. For now, he's not fighting the Guardians directly, but...” Oddly enough, anxiety built up on him. She could see in the slight shaking of his legs. “Are you happy that he is so harsh? He said he would do whatever is necessary to stop the Guardians. Is that what you want?”

Phebe couldn't place it, but there was something weighing on him. “Well, I don't always like his methods, but he gets the job done. You saw him in Dodge; he helped save quite a few lives.”

“And, that's what you want?” The question struck her as exceedingly strange. She didn't even know what he meant.

“I suppose?” After a brief consideration, she affirmed, “Yes, if it saves lives.” Artemis nodded slowly. “Why?”

He smiled lightly and looked her in the eye. “Never mind.” His wings began to buzz. “I'm going to get some water. I saw a river nearby, so I shouldn't be gone long.” He lifted off the ground and left through the open ceiling.

“What was that about?” Curiosity beat her on the brow. If I knew as much about Artemis as I do Black Star, I might be able to nail what's bugging him. Wait. The severeness of that problem dawned on her. I know a lot more about my adopted “father” than I do about the one I'm supposed to marry. In fact, I know almost nothing about his life. She affirmed, Wow, I'm stupid. When she noticed another Changeling strolling through the throne room, she explained, “Hey, in case anyone wonders, Artemis and I will be at the river. I don't know when we'll be back, but in the meantime, if you could, find a container for us to store our water supply.”

She nodded to Phebe and replied, “Sure thing. I'll get the others to look too.”

“Thanks.”

~~~~~

Phebe journeyed fifteen minutes from the castle to the river which Artemis had mentioned earlier. She also had seen it on the way to the castle. Immediately upon arriving, she saw him sitting by the water. He was talking to himself while staring at his reflection. He hadn't noticed her yet. Maybe this is my chance to know him better. She quietly moved behind and tree and began to listen to his monologue.

“I have such a huge horseshoes to fill,” he said. Splash. She couldn't see him from her position, but she supposed he struck his watery reflection. “I think I should marry such a wonderful person. Who am I to deserve that? To think I was planning on proposing to her today.”

Wha-what!? She jolted her head backward accidentally smacking the trunk. Gah, ow. Artemis went silent. I hope he doesn't find out I'm here—at least, not yet.

“Now I'm hearing things.” He paused. “Providing One, I haven't heard from you in awhile. Did I do something wrong? Is that why I can't hear you anymore? Have you stopped speaking? I don't know...” Another pause came, and it was tied to a sigh of hurt. “How can I lead your people? I've already lost some, and I can't protect them. I can't lead them. Black Star is a much better leader than I. He knows what he is doing, and he has no fears about doing what must be done. Phebe is a better protector. I can't even hurt the Guardians, but she can kill them.”

Oh, silly Artemis. I need you. She wanted to move in and console him, but as she did, her heart skipped a beat. More severely, breathe escaped from her lungs. She was forced to sit down, and once she did, she felt better. What? She tried a second time to go to him, but the result was the same. I AM I'm supposed to stay here, is that correct?

“Will you speak to me, Providing One?” He asked. The hurt of his heart was tangible through his speech. “I'm longing for something. Anything. Please...” Audible sobbing entered the air. “Queen... why... why are you gone!?” Splash! “Adelcite... you're gone too.” Briefly, his crying transformed into bawling. When he recovered, he mentioned a familiar name. “Shoe... Lace... just be okay. Providing One... protect him. I helped raise him and train him. You know that. I always thought of him as a brother—more than any other hive member. Dark Shade told me we lost him in the Badlands... but could he still be alive? Please, Providing One... my one request is that you protect him. Keep him safe.”

Hoofsteps sounded thereafter. Artemis passed the tree which Phebe hid behind. At first, he didn't notice her, but after several steps, he turned around. He saw Phebe sitting there. Silently he stared, and she stared back. At least a minute passed without word or action.

Still want to comfort him, she then broke the dearth. Rushing forward and giving him a hug, she spoke quietly into his ear. “Artemis, please propose to me.” She was caught in the emotion of the moment—failing to think before speaking.

Despite his previously broken state, he calmly replied, “Not yet.”

“Why not?”

“Well...” He pulled away from the hug but afterward gazed directly into her eyes. “While you were in jail, I talked with Sheriff Ferris about the basics of marriage, but I still don't know enough. I have a few questions to ask Black Star before I can rightly propose to you. Don't worry, Phebe. Soon.”

Trusting that he knew what he was doing, she conceded. “All right.”

“So... about getting that water?” A grandiose smile formed on both their faces.

“Oh, that's easy!” She dashed to the water's edge. Her horn began to glow, but within moments, the glow fizzled. She had forgotten a minor detail; her horn had yet to fully regrow. “Oh crabapples! I apologize... I won't be able to get the water.”

“Hehehe.” Artemis moved beside her. “Allow me.” His horn took its green radiance. A three gallon ball of liquid lifted from the surface of the river. “It'll work, but I can't match a certain very special Unicorn.”

“Uh-huh.” She rolled her eyes at the obvious complement. “Says the Changelings who cured my blindness with apple pie.”

“Hey, that wasn't me!” He protested playfully.

“Uh-huh, sure.” The two of them marched happily towards the castle, water in tow.

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 11

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Some hours after their arrival to the Everfree, the Changelings, Phebe, and Black Star gathered in the throne room. Artemis had some announcements to make, so all the others stood in a circle around him. “First of all,” he proclaimed, “we've had no signs of Guardians in the area. For the time being, we are safe, but like in Dodge, it is possible for them to find us again. Be vigilant. Second, we gathered a significant amount of water for drinking, bathing, or whatever we need. Since a river is close, we have a limitless supply.” A quizzical expression hit him. “We've had limitless water wherever we go. In the Badlands, we had the wells, in Dodge City, we had the waterway, and here, we have the river. The Providing One has provided for us... again. Anyway, use as much as you need.” He chuckled. “Thirdly, we have little for food. There is some growing in the forest, but it won't last us too long. Fortunately, Black Star has volunteered to go into Ponyville and purchase food for us.”

“Wha-what?” Black yelped ,nearly falling over. “When did I agree to that?”

“Just now.” Reform winked at Star. “I still have the money which we earned in Dodge. It'll get us through a week, I believe. We'll have something else arranged before our week is up, though.” He nodded. “Fourthly, if you find anything that would seem useful in this castle, let Phebe or I know. Since we don't have our supplies anymore, we'll have to put to use whatever is in our surroundings. Lastly...” Sobriety came over him. “We are in a war. I don't know if that had been said yet, but I say it because we are not fighting under hopes for peace.” He glanced at Black giving a distinct acknowledgment of his presence. “If we get the chance, we will destroy the Guardians. Remember our fallen brothers and sisters. Some of them may still have intact bodies in the Badlands, and the only hope of saving them is by killing the Guardians. Therefore, no restraints, and no mercy. Am I clear?”

Black shouted, “Yes!”

The others said nothing; therefore, the leader repeated, “I said, am I clear?”

This time everyone chipped in, “Yes!”

“Good. Dismissed.” Promptly, the Changeling advanced to the fellow who claimed to be “part-dragon.” Phebe walked over to him as well. “Would you be able to stop in town this evening? To make it there before the shops close, you'd have to leave now.”

Black laughed. “I can get around a lot faster than you think. I mentioned a bit of that before...” After shaking his head, he spun around in a circle. “So, Ponyville, eh? I've been there before. I didn't have a name back then, but some of them will recognize my face.”

“Will that be a problem?”

“No, but may I bring Phebe with me?”

The pony shirked back. “Why would I want to go?”

With a scowl, Artemis added, “More than that, if the Guardians are there, they'll recognize Phebe. You could lead them here.”

As Black began to speak, some sternness wrapped itself around his words. “Phebe, I wasn't asking if you wanted to go. I have my reasons for bringing you. Artemis, there is one slight problem with sending me in the first place.” A playful chuckle escaped his mouth. “Without getting into too much detail, I had a direct confrontation with that one... Guardian. Hm... what's his name? Vick, I think.” Phebe went wide-eyed, and Artemis gawked. As both of them readied to speak, he interrupted, “It was near Dodge, shortly after the battle took place there. So, I don't think they know to look for us here—at least, not yet. Anyway, in that encounter, I made my presence known, and I also established in his mind that I was his enemy. I also gave him a little incentive to fear me. So... in other words, the Guardians would recognize me too.”

Already knowing Star's character traits, Phebe didn't bother to ask for an explanation as to why he confronted Vick. He probably wouldn't give one, and at that, if he did, he would probably make a riddle of it. Artemis frowned significantly, but he didn't object either. Black's methods were Black's methods, and they couldn't change what he had done or what he would do. “Why bring me then?” She asked.

“As I said, I have my reasons.”

“You're not going to tell me, are you?” Eyes rolled. “Whatever. Artemis, I don't see any harm in going.”

“I don't like it,” her future husband asserted, “but I'll trust you on this, Black. Of anyone, I know you'll take good care of her.” He turned about. “I'm going to explore the castle. Don't be out too late, kids.” Before the two could reply, he flew away.

Wasting not a beat, Phebe addressed Black, “If I go, I'm going to have to hide my element. The last thing I need is for the other six to see that I have one too. I would rather keep it on my person, though.”

“All right. I got a saddlebag awhile back. I'll go get it.” He disappeared into thin air and, moment later, reappeared carrying a tan saddlebag. “There.” He threw it over her back. “Put your element in there now. I'm going to transport us there with my magic. And, let's try to avoid Pinkie Pie, if we can.”

As she nestled away her precious necklace, she questioned, “Why?”

Black's gaze turned aside. “Uhm... well, I broke a pinkie promise, and she doesn't take too well to that.” He gave a dumb smile while scratching the back of his head.

Unamused, she retorted, “So, that is why you want me to come.”

He chuckled nervously. “Maybe.” Her only remaining response was to smack her forehead with her hoof. Then again, she did believe there to be some other purpose for her to tag along; Black wouldn't waste Phebe's time simply because one mare didn't like him. Perhaps, he wanted to spend time with his “daughter.” “Anyway, time to go.” He put his hoof on her withers. For a moment, darkness surrounded the both of them, but when that darkness faded away, they ended up in the middle of an apple orchard. “Sweet Apple Acres.”

Phebe blinked. That's how he moves around so quickly. Something nagged out her, though. Was that dark magic he used? Hm... A lot could be said about the use of dark magic, and how that would call into question the character of the user. However, she let it go entirely. Knowing Black's shaded past, he could have learned some unsavory spells in the lower times of his life. Adding to that, knowing his character, regardless of the method he learned the spells, he would not let them go to waste in the present due to their negatively-perceived nature.

Refocusing her attention to her surroundings, she recognized that they stood atop a hill in the orchard surroundings by trees in full bloom. White, pink, and magenta flowers overflowed the field, the scent of sweet nectar fragranced the air, and the voices of two ponies flushed into their ears. Phebe and Black Star turned to the direction of the voice and saw two Earth Ponies walking towards them. One possessed an orange coat, blonde mane and tail, and a cowpony hat, and the other wielded pink—lots of pink. In fact, besides her blue eyes and balloon cutie mark, she had only pink coloration.

Phebe knew both of them. Applejack, who had the hat, owned the land of Sweet Apple Acres, and Pinkie Pie, the pink one, was a close friend of Applejack's. Up to this day, she had not met Applejack, though she had seen her before. She had talked with Pinkie before—that is, as much as one could talk to a hyper-active pony.

When the two groups of two made eye contact, silence latched onto the environment. Not even a breeze whistled through the leaves of the trees. Phebe wanted to see what Applejack and Pinkie would do, so that's why she said nothing. Though, curiously, Black seemed speechless. Normally, nothing could keep him quiet. Given the anxiety revealed by his expression, she knew it had to be pretty bad.

Then Pinkie burst, “You!” she said harshly. “You broke a pinkie promise!!!” Suddenly, she entered into a gallop charging towards Phebe.

“This is going to end well,” Black retorted sarcastically. Clearly, she was after him. One might think Black would sidestep the oncoming pony in order to circumvent harm, but he did not. Pinkie plainly bowled him over and following that, pinned him to the ground. “Hi Pinkie,” he spoke casually.

“I made two parties for you, and you even pinkie promised to be at the second one.” Frustration filled up her tone. “YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP TO EITHER!!!” Having expended much of her oxygen supply, she began to huff heavily. Nonetheless, she managed one more word. “Apologize!”

“I am sincerely sorry, Pinkie.”

As if flipping a switch, her demeanor transformed from disgruntlement wrought with yelling and anger to joy wrought with cheers and smiles. “Okay!” She said happily and bounced over to Phebe. “Hey, you look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?”

“That don't matter,” Applejack interjected. “I'd like t'know just why yer wanderin' about mah farm.” She gazed at with suspicion.

After getting up from the ground and dusting himself off, Black replied, “Yes, about that. Uhm... it's a long story.” Initially, he didn't look her in the eyes, but after a couple sentences, he gathered enough guff to to do. “We'll be leaving, but first... we need to buy some food. I know you sell primarily apples and apple products but we'll take whatever you have.”

“Uh-huh.” She gave some thought to his proposition before saying, “All right. We certainly don't mind the business 'round here. Just don't be snooping about my farm again, if ya don't mind.”

“You're Phebe!” Pinkie burst. “Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh. You disappeared before I got to throw your party. Oooh! Now I can use all those ideas I had.” She started hopping in circles around Phebe. “I'll make cupcakes with two eyes—a bright yellow one and a gray one.” She crashed to a halt and examined the unicorn's face. “Wait, you have two yellow eyes now. You face is all normal too. Well, except your tooth. Did somepony stick apple pie in your eye to make it change color?”

I hate this. Phebe shook her head in disapproval. “I don't want a party, and I'm not staying. Also, yes, someone did stick apple pie in my eye.” She turned to Black. “Let's go buy the food. I don't want to stay here too long.”

“Right.”

The four of them trekked to the farmhouse which Applejack lived in. Once they got to the front door, Applejack inquired, “Ya already said ya don't care 'bout what we sell ya, but are ya sure ya don't have a preference?”

“Not really.” Black's head twisted left and right. “Whatever you have is fine. I'll need enough to feed fifteen people for two days.”

The jaw of the farmer fell. “Well, slap me with some jam, that's a lot of food! Got a family to feed, do ya?” He nodded, and she grinned. “We have enough. Pinkie, would ya give ma hoof and help me gather the supplies?”

The pink one squealed, “I get to help Applejack sell her food!” The two of them traveled to the barn.

Phebe looked to Black. “I don't remember Artemis giving you money.”

He shrugged carelessly. “He didn't, but I have some of my own. It'll cover what I asked for, I'm sure.” Since the two Earth Ponies would need some time to get everything together, Black figured he would sit down and relax. “I'd rather use what I have first. I need less than the Changelings do, and I have more freedom to go where I need to. Thus, if I need food, I can go somewhere distant and get it safely. Besides, the Guardians are afraid of me.”

“Ah.” Speaking of Guardians... “I know you have your secrets, but would you mind sharing what happened when you talked with Vick?” I'll be lucky if he does, but worth a shot.

“Hah, it's not much to talk about, but why not?”

Phebe's head tilted sideways, hoof touched cheek, and mouth hung agape; Phebe didn't expect that he would bother. “All right. Start from the beginning.”

“Okay.” Black looked up to the sky lethargically. “Well, after I left Dodge and before I came to the castle, I spent some time in Dodge Forest. I discovered a small base of operations for the Guardians. There were a good thirty of them, and Vick was their leader—no surprise.” Pondering the event, he paused looking at the ground and putting a hoof to his chin. “Let's see. Without all the meaningless details, I confronted them directly and had a heated conversation with Vick. He didn't like me much, so he tried to kill me. After I teleported out of the grasps of one of his soldiers, they were a little frightened. I took that opportunity to work my magic—no, not real magic. You know what I mean. In short, I spooked them real good. Hopefully, it will keep them away for a little while, but I'm not confident that it will.” One of his typical cackles leaped off his tongue. “I don't like Vick at all. When I don't like my enemy, watch out. I can be mean. You don't mind, do you?”

“No.” Nothing about his explanation stood out to her. As eccentric as he was, she expected him to do what he said he did, and after his show of strength in the library, she decided not to be surprised by him anymore. “All right.”

“How about you?”

“Hm?”

“What's your story behind the Element users?”

“Oh.” Her head sank. “Well, there isn't one. I came through Ponyville once but only to get to the Everfree Forest. I wanted adventure.” And to get away from my foolish deed. Her mouth scrunched to one side. “Of the six of them, I only met Pinkie before. I saw the others, but nothing more. I didn't get my Element until after my brief visit, and I haven't been here since. And... that's it.”

“I see.” He stood up and turned around. “Someone is coming.” He was correct; a purple unicorn was trotting down the dirt road which led to the farm house. “It's... her.” Wondering what he meant, Phebe eyed him. “Twilight Sparkle,” he muttered.

As Twilight neared, she grinned and said, “Hello. How are you today-” The moment she recognized Black, she swiftly backed up. “Physician!?” Wondering why she called Black Star that, Phebe cocked her head, but since she wanted to see where the conversation would go, she didn't bother to inquire. An exaggerated sigh left Twilight's mouth as her head sank and a unamused expression fell upon her. “You know, Rarity just recovered from your last visit.”

“Right...” Black lightly frowned. “I'm really sorry about that. That was a complete accident. I'm not usually that klutzy.” He scratched the side of his head before continuing, “I won't be here long. As soon as Applejack and Pinkie Pie return with the food I purchased, I'll be on my way. In the meantime,” he spoke while motioning to Phebe, “I'd like you to meet Phebe Hoshana, my daughter.”

“Your daughter?” The inquisitive purple pony glanced back and forth between the two. “I don't see the resemblance.”

Phebe corrected, “Adopted daughter, and I still haven't agreed to being adopted. Besides, he adopted me less than a month ago.” She shook her head briefly. “Regardless, it's nice to finally meet you, Twilight.” Head bowed. “I've heard a lot about you.”

“From Physician?” Her head motioned to the stallion.

“Actually, no. You've just been at the forefront of Equestrian news a lot.” Mentally mulling over the details of Twilight better known adventure, she grinned. “Let's see... stopped Nightmare Moon and Discord, and you were vital for the defeats of Queen Chrysalis and King Sombra. Not to mention, you wear one of the Elements of harmony, and you're the star pupil of our nation's leader.”

“Oh right.” She blushed and smiled nervously. “What about you, Phebe?”

“Well...” Being ever aware of the cargo in her saddlebag, Phebe absentmindedly rolled her shoulders. “I grew up as a farmer.”

“That makes sense, you being an Earth Pony and all. You must be good at irrigation or something.” The purple Unicorn lifted her hoof pointing out Phebe's cutie mark. Phebe gave pause as she said “Earth Pony.” After a moment of thought, she realized that her broken horn was probably hidden underneath her mane.

Squinting one eye, Phebe corrected, “I'm actually a Unicorn, but unfortunately, my horn broke.”

“Oh my!” Twilight gasped while putting a hoof to her mouth. “If you don't mind my asking, how did that happen?”

“Timberwolves attacked me in the forest recently.” Hoshana parted her mane to reveal the broken horn. “Black... er... Physician rescued me from them.”

“Wow.”

“Yup.”

At that time, Pinkie and Applejack rolled out two carts full of food. “Physician, we have your yum yums!” the prior shouted boisterously.

“Oh good!” Black hurried over to them. “Applejack, we don't have anything to carry the goods with. Would you mind if we borrowed your carts? I can return them tomorrow.”

“Hm...” The farmer cogitated her decision. “I don't know ya, so I don't know if I can trust ya.” Moving away from the cart, she came up close to Physician and examined him. “Pinkie, Twi, ya both met him before. Is he trustworthy?”

“Yes!” The bouncy pony chimed, but one brief glare from Twilight changed her mind. “Well, maybe, sort of yes, but not really. Probably but probably not. He did miss those parties even when he said he would come.”

Carrying a disgruntled tone, Sparkle added, “He destroyed a set of Rarity's dresses, and he lost one of my books.” All the while, Black's demeanor sank. “Sorry, Physician, you're very kind, but-”

“I get it.” The only stallion eyed all the mares around him. “Heheh, being surrounded by a bunch of beautiful ladies sometimes causes me to be distracted.” Phebe rolled her eyes; she knew his statement had no relevance whatsoever. He was simply pulling his antics again. Surprisingly, the comment didn't strike any of the other three. “Oh come on. Nothing? You guys are boring.” He pulled the needed money for the food. “Anyway, Applejack, I'll need to work something out to bring those supplies home. Would you mind leaving them here?”

“I can deliver, ya know?”

“No thanks.”

“Ya positive?”

“Yes.” He gazed up at the sky. “Daylight is burning, so I have to hurry into Ponyville to purchase a cart. I know where I can get one.” Turning to Phebe, he said, “Let's go.”

“Okay.” She didn't have any need to question his lead. For the time being, he seemed to be know what he was doing; then again, his shenanigans in Ponyville made her wonder a little bit. Inquiries would be made later.

As the two of them made for the road, Twilight accompanied them. She told them, “I'll follow you through the town, in case you cause another incident.” Where one might expect Black to sigh and shake his head disapprovingly, he instead smiled strangely enthusiastically. Seeing his significant grin, she went slightly wide-eyed and inhaled deeply. Twilight was not completely comfortable with his strangeness. Phebe made note of it.

The three came to Ponyville Square and went to a nearby shop. “This is it,” Black Star said while pointing to a sign. “Let's hope they have what we need.”

As he opened the entrance, Twilight, as kindly as possible, returned, “Just don't break anything.” After he had gone in, she turned to Phebe. “If you have a moment, I need to ask you something.”

“What do you need to know?” Phebe turned to her fellow Unicorn.

“Do you trust Physician?”

Phebe anticipated a question like that since Twilight's distrust of Black Star was so obvious. She smiled and nodded. “I do. During some of my darkest times, he made sense of what I couldn't, and he comforted me when I didn't deserve to be. He has saved my life too...” She paused a moment to consider what Twilight knew. I wonder if news has come this far yet. We'll find out. “Did you hear what happened in Dodge City?”

Twilight became gloomy. “Yes...”

“Did you hear what...” Hoshana was ready to say Black Star again. That will bug me for awhile. Why Physician? Where did he get the name? She restated, “Did you hear what Physician did in Dodge City?” Without saying a word, the other shook her head slowly. “He saved dozens from injury and potential death. I was a witness to his activities, and I saw how much he cared for the lives of strangers.” Phebe thought back to something Black had said recently. “I don't just care about you and the Changelings. I care about Equestria and its people.” That would explain why he strove so hard to save the residents of Dodge. “He is strange, and sincerely, I wonder about his methods sometimes. Still... he has the right heart.”

Thud! The door of the store swung wide-open. The back-end of a cart cumbersomely rolled out, and then came Black carrying a second cart behind him. After getting both outside, he came to the two mares. “I'm ready to go. We can go pick up the food and be on our way.” Phebe nodded, but the other was dazed. “Twilight?” She snapped to attention.

“What-huh?”

“Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” She nodded forcefully. “You have what you need. I'll... trust you to make it back to wherever you're going.” Before leaving, she let a small smile take over her expression. It was earnest. As she made her strides away from the two remaining, Black stared longingly towards her; he was then lost in a daze. Phebe watched him intently but said nothing. “Anyway, let's go.”

~~~~~

After returning to Sweet Apple Acres, Phebe and Black Star loaded their carts, marched to the edge of the Everfree—out of sight—and the later teleported the both of them back to the castle. They ended up in the throne room. “I'll go get Artemis,” he said.

“Wait.”

A heavy sigh escaped his lungs. “I'm not in the mood for questions right now, and I'll be busy after we get this food packed away.” A certain hopelessness constrained his speech. Phebe was completely taken aback; she didn't expect a reaction like that. Even as he walked away, she noticed his hoofsteps were sluggish.

Wow. I don't think I've ever seen him that way before. she commented mentally. I'll give him some space. In the meantime... She eyed the delectables in front of her and took in a good whiff of their delightful scent. Her stomach rumbled. Hungry. Without even thinking, she grabbed a bite-sized fritter and stuffed her face with it. Immediately, her taste buds screamed. Crabapples, that's delicious! Before anyone else showed up, she downed three more fritters. Hopefully Black won't notice.

Soon enough, the Changelings arrived, though Black Star was not with them. While happy to see the Changelings get fed, she worried about Black Star. Something was definitely off—more than usual. For the time being, she unfortunately could do nothing. Not only did she have food to put away but also Black could go anywhere to. The likelihood of discovering his location was extremely low. Regardless, she would search for him later.

When the Changelings began to cart off the food, Phebe followed. They took the supplies to a kitchen area inside the castle. There, the cabinets and tables were falling apart, and all the surfaces were dusty, but a stone fireplace had been cleaned out and cleared out. Additionally, the Changelings added a wooden door to it.

As she inspected the door, one said, “We're not done with it yet. We have to add a wooden floor and shelves.” The Changeling pointed to some of the shelves that they had ripped apart. “We'll put the food away when it's done.”

“Okay,” another replied and nodded. All but three of the Changelings left, and soon after so did Phebe.

They have became resourceful. she thought as she left the kitchen. I'll check the library. Concern constrained her to check for Star. The only place she might find him was the library, for if he wasn't there, then she wouldn't have a clue where else to search. Though, as she strode towards the room of books, weariness rolled into her. Her eyes began to snap shut of their own volition. “Ugh,” the grunt leaped off her tongue. It's been a long day.

She arrived at her destination. She discovered Black Star carefully re-shelving the books that he had dropped before. The shelf, however, remained on the floor. “You are here.”

“Of course I am.”

“And... you're okay?” She questioned while drawing closer to him.

His face scrunched into a bewildered expression. “Why would you ask that? I am fine.” He smiled gently. “And... you don't look fine. In fact, you look exhausted.”

A groan came out. “Thanks for noticing,” she responded while rolling her eyes.

“I'm not tired, so I'll be up awhile. You, on the other hoof, need sleep.” He hopped over to a long table in the center of the room. For whatever reason, he tipped one of the chairs backward. Somewhat confused by his actions, she eyed him for a moment, but in a few seconds, she understood. Two smaller shelves slid away from each other thereby revealing a secret room. “There are beds in there. Get some rest. I'll be scouring the many many books for information on the Guardians.” She didn't argue with him and went straight for the beds. Soon enough, she plopped onto the top of one and clamped her eyes shut.

As if to intentionally spite her exhaustion, a plethora of thoughts clambered through her brain, and they wouldn't let her drift away. The day provided much information to process, and she hadn't yet wrapped her mind what all was going on. A greater variety of incidents had occurred today than even on days that the Guardians had attacked. Thus, she found difficulty into concentrating her mind on any one thing. Sleep was the hardest of all to focus on. So much for sleeping. Thoughts of Black Star soon riddled her mind, for they permitted the greatest curiosity. Physician? Why is he called Physician? Her heart began to increase in its rate, and her body found itself uncomfortable. Fine, whatever. She hopped to her hooves. “Black Star,” she called out. “I have a question for you.” When she came out of the room, Black waved to her from a nearby chair. “Why do Pinkie and the others call you Physician?”

“Oh. That.” He put aside the book he had been reading and motioned for her to pull up a chair. She did. “It's not a name. When I met them, I didn't have a name, and I didn't feel like coming up with one.” He wagged one hoof in the air exaggeratedly. “So, after my intention to help Equestria and its people, I wanted to come up with something benevolent for them to call me—a title. At first, I was thinking of going by Doctor, but meh, that's overused. Thus, Physician is what I have them call me. In light of the name you gave me, I am actually Physician Black Star. That's it, really.”

“Physician Black Star?” Her voice reverberated in a groggy fashion. I'm still so tired, but I don't know if I could sleep if I tried. “Okay.” She desired to know more details about his past; nevertheless, she refrained from asking due to the nature of his responses. She didn't want to depress him. “So, have you found anything yet?”

“I've only scanned through three books. What do you think?” The question came out overbearingly exaggerated and directed.

“No?” She wasn't sure; he was still as puzzling as ever.

“Actually, I did.” He snickered momentarily. “Got'cha, didn't I?” She was too tired to care. “Right... to the matter at hoof, I found something interesting.” He yanked a small letter from his chair and gave it to her. As she looked at it, she noted the quality of the paper—worn, faded, and flaking. “Obviously, you can't read half of it, but look at to whom it is addressed and who wrote it.”

“Hm?” Her eyes drifted to the top of the first page. Deciphering some of the faded words, she read aloud, “Love... Hypatios...” A word came before “love,” and, assuming the phrase was a greeting, that word was “my.” Another word came after “love” and another after “Hypatios”: although, those were completely undecipherable. She skipped to the last page and found the closing and signature. “...Marriage, Princess Cel...” Overflowed with surprise, she lashed out, “Princess Celestia?!”

“Yup.” He laughed. “I read the contents of the letter. As best I can tell, Hypatios was her fiance, hence the reference to marriage at the end. I'm guessing she wrote, 'to our future marriage” or something to that effect.” She returned to letter to his grasps, where he scanned the paper again. “Curious, isn't it? If she was engaged, why isn't she married now? In fact, I've looked into several ancient history books, and I saw no mention of her engagement nor her marriage, if she indeed had one. Interestingly enough, she included her ruling over Equestria in this letter, so she was reigning over Equestria at the time she wrote this.”

“Huh. I could not have imagined.” She scratched her head. “From what I've heard and the little I've seen, she seems so self-satisfied. I never imagined she would be one to seek out relationship.”

He wagged his hoof to show or disapproval. “Well, were you not surprised when I mentioned I wanted to be married?”

“Perhaps. I don't remember.” Her shoulder rolled into a shrug. “Besides, Celestia is much older than you.”

“Doesn't that prove my point? If I, who is that much younger, can appear self-satisfied despite my desire to be married, how much more one who is older than me—one who has had centuries more of life to learn to hide their deep longings?” Another one of his characteristic laughs followed. Once he recovered, he picked up the book he had been reading before Phebe had gone to bed and come back. “I found the letter on the floor,” he said while skimming through the front page. “It must have been on the shelf that I knocked over. I'm guessing it was hidden.” His hoof drifted to the top right corner of the literature and, soon enough, gently caressed the paper to the next page. “She was going to send it to Hypatios, but something stopped her. I'll assume whatever kept her from sending the letter was the same thing that kept her from getting married. My best guess is that he died. Heh... poor Celestia.”

“Ouch...” She cringed. For a moment, she imagined Artemis' life essence being taken away by a Guardian. How depressing. She discarded the thought. “Celestia had a lot of burdens placed on her. She had to fight off Discord and King Sombra to defend her people, and then after that, she had to banish her own sister. And, supposing you're right, she also lost the one she loved. Despite her loses, she had a nation to run all by her lonesome.” A grand deal of respect for her nation's leader welled up inside her heart. “Wow... how did she not break?”

“Or did she?”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.” He slammed shut the book. “That makes five books finished. I'm getting a lot of intricate information, but nothing really helpful yet.” Phebe's head tilted the side, for the last she knew, he was on the second page that book. She decided not to be amazed by this, though. Extraordinary was Black's normal anyway. “You should sleep. You're whipped.”

“Yeah...” Without any further discussion, she returned to the bed. Before she even hit the pillow, unconsciousness consumed her.

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 12--Part 1

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Two full days passed rather uneventfully. Phebe and Black spent most of their time searching the books. They came across one other letter written by Celestia, but it was unfinished. What was finished was unreadable. The rest of their reading provided some practical information for magic use, but not helpful enough to fend off the Guardians. They also gained some historical and scientific information, but they satisfied curiosity and no more.

Artemis and half the Changelings focused on mapping out the Everfree. While remaining completely hidden, they managed to find the boundaries of the forest, the house of a Zebra, the lair of a Dragon, the swamp, a few Timberwolf dwellings, and several locations for food. In case of Guardian attack, they would not be hampered by their surroundings at least.

The other half determined to make a home out of the castle. As best they could, they developed the kitchen into a full-fledged storage room, transformed a basement room into a cozy bedroom, and modified the throne room to a meeting hall. The first required the most effort, while the other two need simple and easy changes for the needed accommodations.

On the second day, Black spent the afternoon in Ponyville purchasing more food. He was there much longer than needed to acquire the supplies, but no one questioned him about it.

Lastly, somewhere along the way, Artemis and Black were having discussions clearly denoted by the fact they would regularly disappear simultaneously. Because of what Artemis had said before, Phebe determined that he was asking Black about marriage.

A third day came along. This day, something major occurred.

“Kirk Briar is here!”

Even from the library, Phebe heard the shout. “Kirk?” Dropping the book she had been scrounging through, she darted for the throne room. When she arrived, Artemis Reform and another Changeling were speaking with their long lost brother. “Hey!” Excitement abounded in her voice. If Kirk is here, then I imagine Dark is as well. “You made it!”

Kirk, lacking the armor he had when he had left, turned to her and grinned. “Phebe, it's good to see you.” He came up to her and hugged her briefly. “We were just catching up on details.”

Artemis specified, “I was just telling him about Dodge.”

“Ah.” She nodded. “Before you get further, can I ask about Dark Shade?”

“Ahh... yeaahhh.” A mix of anxiety and excitement fluttered about his expression. Before Phebe had time to get worried, he explained, “It's all good, but you'll never guess where he is right now.” While he went on, Phebe drifted a little closer as if to better hear. “Under his disguise as Balc Rigger, he was asked to join Celestia's Royal Guard.” Artemis' eyes shot wide-open, Phebe jolted backward, and the other Changeling fell over. “He... accepted. Right now, he's training for duty as one of Celestia's personal guards.” Then Phebe flopped onto her back.

“That's insane!” Artemis objected. “If he gets found out, he could be killed!”

“He... doesn't care.” Kirk shrugged, then smiled, and finally chuckled. “Last time I talked with him, he was as happy ever. He knew the risks, but he wanted to it. He said he wanted to disprove the bad name Changelings have, and that would be how he would make up for betraying us to the Guardians. I haven't seen him since he told me that.” Phebe picked herself up—barely recovering from her astonishment . “As for me, I found a cave below Canterlot. Well... it's the cave our Queen entrapped Princess Cadence. Nopony goes down there, even after our attack on Canterlot. It's not much, but I'm teaching myself the spell that'll allow us to pass through walls. Our Queen was the only one who knew how to do that, but I think I might be able to eventually. If I can, then we can escape the grasps of the Guardians into that cave. Though... it seems you found a save haven anyway.”

“Yes, indeed, they did,” Black said walking up from no where. “Sorry to interrupt.” He moved to Artemis and pulled him a side. The conversation between them was hardly quiet. “I'm going back to Ponyville. I need to check on something. It may prove to be helpful... or a wild goose chase. Nonetheless, I'll be gone awhile.”

“Okay. We won't worry, if you stay missing for awhile.” Artemis jabbed Black in the side. “If you don't ever come back, then I'll just assume one of your accidents ended up fatal.”

“Hah. Hah. Funny.”

The Changeling grinned and sneered, “Actually, I wouldn't need your approval anymore, if that did happen.”

“Over my dead body.”

“Exactly,” Artemis returned. Though Star readied to answer, he found himself unable to come up with a retort. “Heheh, get along then. We won't expect you for lunch.” Black grumbled to himself before teleporting away. Artemis returned to the other group. “Okay, you should know about the situation here, Kirk. I'll need my second-in-command to be prepared for whatever may come.”

Kirk cocked his head. “Second-in-command?”

Reform nodded very slowly. “Yeah... you still have the position set by our Queen.”

“Right... okay.” The other hesitantly stepped forward. “Then, I suppose we should get talking.”

“Yup.” Artemis then began rehearsing the ordeal in Dodge City after Kirk Briar and Dark Shade left.

Phebe didn't stick around to listen since she already knew everything about it. She returned to the library. “Kirk is back. Dark is doing well,” she told herself. Contentment hovered above her mind, nearly in reach. She was certainly happier knowing that they were well, but the Guardians still posed a threat. She couldn't relax yet. Unable to solve her concerns at the moment, she returned to studying.

~~~~~

Another set of days passed, and in these days, peace and prosperity abounded. The Guardians neither showed their faces nor any signs of their existence. Plus, thanks to the combined ideas of Phebe, and decisions of Artemis, the money stretched a whole extra week. She recommended relying more heavily on the Everfree's food supply, and as efficiently as possible, he put that suggestion into action. Furthermore, they created a cozy enough home for themselves in that broken and dingy castle.

Despite these positive indications, the bad news, though only one piece, outweighed the good. After searching half the books in the library, Phebe, Black Star, and some other Changelings could not find anything useful to fend off the Guardians. Interestingly enough, pages had been ripped out of dozens of them; all of those books carried information either on history or lore. In other words, the only books that might have had anything about the Guardians had pieces taken out. Black Star concluded that the information of the Guardians had been deliberately removed from these pages. Whether this was true, Phebe could not confirm in any certainty.

Overall, even though so much went well, if they could not find a method of defeating the Guardians, she and her people would be unable to have victory.

“Ugh... this isn't going well at all,” Phebe groaned as she finished skimming another book. “Any luck, Black Star?” She looked to the mysterious stallion sitting at the table with four different books in front of him.

Without looking at her, he replied, “In terms of finding a solution, no.”

Great. Giving up for the day, Phebe carelessly threw the book onto the floor. I am fed up.

“We're going for a walk.” She gave him a look, but he was still focused on his reading material. “Actually, scratch that. There is a certain librarian we need to see.” Phebe allowed her head to drift into a sideways tilt. “Come.” Black teleported beside Phebe. “You'll want to hide your element.” He strapped the earlier saddlebags to her back, took the Element, placed it in one bag, and then teleported with her in his grasps. They landed in front of Twilight's library. “Here.” Neither he nor she cared if somepony saw them. He normally didn't care about details, as she learned over time, and she was simply too disgruntled to care. He knocked gently. A little Dragon answered the door. She didn't recognize him, but Black did. “Hi, Spike. Is Twilight home?”

The Dragon nodded. “Yup. Lemme go get her.” He left, and moment later, the purple Unicorn entered the scene with the flash of her teleport.

“Did you do what I asked?” A heavy tone jumped from Black's throat.

Taking a heavy sigh, Twilight stated, “Yes.” She motioned for them to enter. After they did, she shut the door. Phebe scanned the host's expression, and she noted how Sparkle reflected exhaustion, anxiety, and frustration all at one time. Whatever Black had asked her to do, it was a great strain to her, but regardless of that strain, she seemed to be holding herself together. “What do you want to know about first? The Changelings or Hypatios?”

Phebe blinked. Her ears wiggled. What did she just say?

“Hm...” Black Star took a strong but brief gaze into Phebe's eyes. He successfully drew her attention; though she didn't fully understand what he tried to get across, she determined to stay silent due to his stare. “Let's hear about the Changelings.”

“All right.” Twilight lit her horn, and thereafter, a scroll floated in front of her. “I dug up what I could. It's not much but...” She read aloud what she had written down. “The Changelings, if allowed to feed off the love of a Unicorn, will drain that Unicorns magic.” She added, “That happened to my brother.” Taking a deep breath, she resumed reading. “If that Unicorn has another source of magic on them, like the Alicorn Amulet, then theoretically, the Changelings will feed off the amulet's magic because it is mixed with that Unicorn's. If enough has been taken from the amulet, then—again theoretically—the amulet's power can be completely drained. It is possible all magic-empowered items can be drained in this manner.” While Twilight wrapped up her explanation, Phebe tried to grasp what was being said. How was this important? And why would Black have her look into the matter? “That's the best I could find. It's not even definite either.”

Black bowed his head briefly. “That is undeniably a helpful piece of information. You've not told anypone else, correct?”

“Spike knows some, but only because he helps me find the books. Otherwise... I've kept it a secret.” Another heavy breath escaped passed her lips. “Not my best friends. Not even Princess Celestia.”

Black bowed. “Thank you.” Then he bowed to the floor. “No, thank you. You're trusting me a whole lot especially after all the damage I've done, and I cannot describe to you how valuable that is to me.” Twilight gave a little smile. Once he got up, he pressed to the other topic. “Hypatios?”

Twilight shook her head. “Nothing. If he existed, there are no records about him.”

“Or they were destroyed,” Black muttered. “Okay. Thank you for that. Then, my question is... how can I repay you? You've done so much for me, and I've been only trouble.” He outstretched a hoof.

Immediately, Twilight's demeanor shifted from the tired, serious one to that of over abounding energy and lighthearted glee. “Nothing.” Confidence rolled off her tongue. “Friends don't 'repay' each other; we are simply kind without expecting something in return.”

Nearly falling over, he went stiff and wide-eyed. This caused Phebe a bit of amusement; he rarely if ever saw him stunned. “Uh... wow. Just show me up, why don't you.” He chuckled. “Okay, Twilight... friend, I don't need anything else. Thank you again. We'll get out of your hair.”

As he turned away, Twilight reached out a hoof. “Wait.” He turned back. “I do have one favor to ask. My friends and I have been talking, and we would like to have a dinner with you.” Grin. “We once had a person we were trying to befriend. He was much worse than you... though a little similar in the chaotic sense. Having a friend changed him, and since you look so lonely and glum all the time, we thought it would be nice for you to have dinner with us. Would tomorrow night work?”

Flatly, Black returned, “No.”

Both Phebe and Twilight jolted back. The latter, still baffled by his snap reply, stammered, “W-uh, uhm... when would work?”

“Never.”

“What?” A hint of anger, revealed partly by lowered eyebrows, touched her tone. “Why not?”

“Heheh...” He put a sideways look to her. “So many reasons... too many to ignore. We'll be leaving.” His mouth curled into a cocky smile. Twilight didn't say anything more, nor did she try to stop. He exited out the door. Phebe glanced back and forth between the two. Due to their brighter attitude on life, she didn't necessarily like hanging around Twilight and her “gang,” but she wouldn't refuse dinner like that. Though, she knew even her scars could not compare to his. His past still haunted him, and whatever that meant it kept him from enjoying the company of these kind ponies.

In attempt to give Twilight some closure, Phebe explained, “He has had a rough life. I think he may be afraid of getting too close. I'm sorry.” The host nodded slowly. “Thank you for helping him.” Hoshana took after her “father.” Once outside, Black took her and teleported back to the castle library. “Woh.” She didn't expect to go so quickly. “Hang on.”

“You're going to try to convince me to go the dinner.” His sentence flowed in monotone.

“Uh, what?” She actually wasn't going to. “Black Star, slow down. What's wrong?” Even as her question came out, Black's forelegs began to wobble. A droplet fell from his face. “Oh...” He tried to walk away, but she put a leg on his shoulder. “You're not going anywhere. If you teleport away, I'm coming with you.”

“Just leave me alone.”

“No.”

“I said, leave me alone!” He swatted away her hoof. Immediately, she put her other hoof upon him. A deep throaty growl flew out next. “BACK OFF!!!” She did not obey. “Fine. FINE.” His eyes poured out a waterfall of tears. “I'm not just... I can't.... there is no way that I can be with her...” He choked on his own words. “I can't... so much... so many...”

“What are you babbling about? Just spit it out, Black Star.”

He spun around to face her. “STOP CALLING ME THAT!” Spit flung into her face. She was unfazed, however; all the physical and verbal abuse she had received in her life had hardened her to this kind of thing. Realistically, his words were minor compared to the harsh treatment her biological father gave her. “Gah... stupid, stupid. I can't spend time with her, all right?”

“Why not?”

“It's not okay. I-I...” He couldn't put out the explanation. In addition to the tears, nervous sweat ran down his face. “I can't...” He continued to quake. “I'm done with that!”

“I get it.” Despite his incoherency, she recognized at least part of the problem. He was attracted to Twilight. Having lost two wives and a fiance before them, he had scars from losing those close to him. He didn't want to lose any others. Perhaps there was more, though.

“No, no! No, you don't!” He slammed a hoof into the ground causing a dent in the cement floor. “I love her! She's so... perfect! I can't do it. Might I lose her? Yes... yes! Might I also corrupt her with my foul temperament and violent behavior? Yes! What else can go wrong? If I lose my focus... I might lose you too. The Guardians are still a threat, and I can't back away. I can't step away in any way.” He stomped the floor five more times. “I'm not happy. I want to be married, though! This isn't good enough for me. GRAH!” One more pound on the floor threw a crack across the whole floor. “It hurts so much. I failed those first two wonderful ladies... and the third I could not keep. I don't even know where my kids are! Are they alive? Are they dead? Who knows? Who even cares?”

He proceeded to laugh, “Ha. Hahahah! Hehehahabwahahah! I care! I CARE! Does anyone else? Anyone? Maybe, but it's never enough. I can't be allowed happiness in my life. The one thing... the one thing I want to have while on this mortal plane is to settle down for a family. But, no. No! Hah. HAHAH. You know what that is? That's the voices... laughing at me. 'Look at that poor sap. His God has forsaken him.' Of course, my God has not, but where is he?” He let loose a roar of frustration. “Where is my God? I can't get myself a wife. I cannot earn his favor to make him get me one either, but I'm suffering... suffering endlessly. Why did he make me with a desire as this and yet to never have it fulfilled? Does he enjoying torturing his children? Is that where I get my sadistic nature from? Eh!?” He marched half way down the room and then back. “So, you know what? Oh well. Too bad, I'm in pain.”

The tone of his words changed. He no longer carried sorrow or pain in them, but he wielded anger and bitterness in exchange. “I won't let that stop me. I won't back down just because I hurt. Those Guardians have attacked the few that I do have. They harm what I care about.” He calmed a bit and the volume of his voice lowered considerably. “I'll do whatever it takes to stop them. If I have to kill them one-by-one with my own bare hooves, I will. If I have to deceive, pillage, and maim, I will. Heh... hahah! That's my voice laughing at them. 'Look at those poor saps. They have forsaken their God.'” Immediately silence fell. Black Star became straight-faced staring off into space. “No. No no no.” This time bewilderment overturned his attitude. “Yes! No.” He stepped one way. “Yes!” He stepped the other. “No. Hah! Yes!” Phebe was genuinely confused, but she let him speak. “Hah! I can't believe I've been missing that the whole time.” He faced his daughter. “Phebe?”

“What?”

“Answer this. Why are the Guardians called the Guardians?”

“Because... they're to protect something?” She wasn't sure. She had not given too much thought to the topic.

“Exactly. So, what were they protecting?” He questioned, but she shrugged due to a lack of knowledge. “Well, remember I looked into the Canterlot libraries? I found two mentions of Guardians. One was a group who oversaw a land in the south. The best we figured was that that land was the Badlands.”

Phebe's brain cogs twisted at an increased rate. “All right. Where are you going with this?”

“Well, the Badlands aren't lush anymore, right? Now, I know why.” He smiled greatly. “The Guardians failed in tending their own land. That was their one responsibility, and they forsook it. The Badlands fell apart because of their irresponsibility.” He hopped back and forth. “That explains why they appeared in the Badlands first. That's their land that they failed to keep together. Hah! One puzzle piece solved.”

“How are you so sure?” Phebe provided a good point. While Black Star provided a logical explanation, he lacked proof that would cement his hypothesis. He couldn't know for certain.

Despite the fact he couldn't, he answered, “I just am. Operating under that fact, not assumption... we might be able to figure out a bit more.” He strode gleefully to the nearest book shelf. “I'm going start reading right now.” He grabbed some literature, placed them on the nearest table, and began to dig in. Before he got too far into them, however, he gazed up at Phebe. “Pheebs, you're good. Real good. I don't think anyone else could have convinced me to go to that dinner. I'll talk to Twilight tonight.”

Huh? She had not idea how she accomplished that, but she didn't not object.

“Thank you, and I'm sorry for yelling at you.”

Her shoulders lifted and rolled. “I don't mind. I learned a thing or two, I suppose.” Actually, she did. One, he had an interest in Twilight Sparkle which would explain his visits to Ponyville, two, he had children which likely explained his desire to have her as a daughter, and three, he had lost children which explained his unrestricted defense of her and the Changelings. She tried to tally up some other things she had learned, but those three filled up her mind completely. She could retain no more information from that conversation. “I want to talk with Kirk some more.” More like she wanted to get away to mull over things, but she did intend on talking with Kirk.

As she left, Black Star called out, “Wait. I forgot one detail.” She turned back to him, while he put down his books. “Did anything Twilight share prove helpful?”

Phebe shook her head. “I wasn't sure how her information was relevant.”

He pointed toward her and then slightly down. “You can't get your element to work, right? Do you think it's because of the Changelings? You may not have noticed, but they have been feeding off our love for them.” Recollecting what Sparkle had said, she looked down at her necklace. “It does make sense, but...” He motioned to her indicating for her to speak.

“Well, perhaps...” In the midst of cycling through her memory, she noted, “What she shared was inconclusive, though, and I wasn't been able to use it on command when I first got it which was before I met the Changelings. I don't think that's the cause.”

He nodded while replying, “Okay.” Before returning to reading, he commented, “Twilight doesn't know you have an Element, nor does she know that we're tied with the Changelings. I simply asked her to check on a few things for me on faith that I wanted to do the right thing.” He chuckled to himself. “I didn't expect her to do so. She is a surprising one, indeed. Anyway, that's all for now. I really want to find some answers.”

“Okay.” Phebe strode away from the library. After some looking, she found Kirk and pursued some chatter. She merely wanted to catch up.

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 12--Part 2

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Later, Phebe returned to the library. However, as she drew near, she heard an unfamiliar voice. The words came out calmly, sweetly, and orderly. “I don't want to fight you; I simply wanted to know what your intentions are.” As Phebe got closer to the room, she saw Princess Celestia standing in her noble manner near to Black Star who was casually reading a book.

“Hahah. You don't want to fight?” Black Star hopped off his seat. “That's really funny. Honestly, I would love to fight you.” Cockiness abounded. “No, I don't want to kill you, but I want to see if at least you would be a challenge. I don't think anypony else would stand a chance.” He shrugged. “We both don't have time to play around, though, so we won't. First things first...” Hooves carried him straight to her. “Hm. You're really tall. Can you lower your head a bit?” Despite the oddity of the request, Celestia complied, albeit carrying a quizzical expression. As soon as she did, Black Star tapped her nose. “Boop.” She reeled back with a raised brow, but he cheered, “That's one down. Now, down to business, eh?” The princess nodded. “You want to know my intentions? How about... no?” A rude attitude leaped from his tongue. “I won't aid the ally of Equestria's enemies.”

That statement made Phebe wonder. Though, for now, she continued to watch silently.

“What do you mean?” Celestia inquired sustaining complete composure. “I protect Equestria.”

He mocked, “Protect? What do you call the Dodge City incident? No.” Hoof stomped. “You could have prevented that. Your people died. Doesn't that mean anything to you?”

“I do care, but I had no idea that would happen. How does one predict that wild Timberwolves would assault a populated city that they would otherwise avoid?” Her demeanor remained unaffected, and she retained her sweet tone. “I have no qualms with you, my little pony. Why are you angry? If there is something I have done to cause your anger, please tell me.”

“Hah!” Black accusatively put his hoof to her breast. “I'll get to the point. You're protecting Hypatios and the Guardians. You're overseeing the investigation into the Dodge City because you want to control the information released on them.” Phebe wasn't sure how Black knew that, but apparently he did. “These are the true enemies, and because of your secrecy, the Changelings are being blamed falsely. In one way, yeah, they deserve to be blamed, but you know, as well as I, that they didn't cause the Timberwolves to attack. They tried to help.”

A long sigh fell from her highness’ lips. “I am aware of the situation in part, but I need to know more. I'm keeping it secret to involve as few of my people as possible. Unfortunately, until I have more information, I could cause concern and panic within Equestria by sharing what little I know.”

“You're telling a half-truth,” Black insisted. Phebe, on the other hoof, didn't agree. The princess consistently kept composed and spoke kind; if she had something to hide, there would be a tell. “The Guardians are a threat to Equestria. They showed no signs of mercy to the Dodge City citizens. Do you think giving them space will keep them from attacking again?”

“Clearly, you know more about the Guardians than I do. If you're willing-”

“Shut up, insufferable bigot.” He marched away from her, stepped atop a table, and motioned to the shelves all around. “You will speak when I say you can.”

Phebe grew frustrated. Sure, Black had some oddities, but this mistreatment of Equestria's esteemed leader was uncalled for. Celestia deserved respect. For the moment, Hoshana held her peace, but she would lash out if his poor behavior continued. Celestia held her peace as well, though likely much better than Phebe. By appearance alone, she was not offended at all. She continued to calmly and politely go along with Black Star's outbursts.

“Of all the ponies in Equestria,” Black continued, “you know the most about the Guardians. Whether you're willing or not, you should be telling me about them.” His head shook sternly. “Unlike a certain complacent ruler, I will not shuffle my hooves while ponies are slaughtered. So, what do you know about them?”

“Do you re-”

“Stop.” A drawn out breath left his lungs, and then an equally long breath entered. “Don't answer my questions with questions. Just answer mine. Am I clear? Yes, that's a question. Answer it.”

She stared at him. “Yes.”

“Good, you're learning. Old dogs can learn new tricks, after all. Next question, who is Hypatios? Yes, he's a guardian, but besides that.” Obviously, she knew who Hypatios was, seeing she wrote letters to him.

With a simple tone, she replied, “Even if I told you, you would accuse me of lying.” He tried to interrupt her, but she did not stop speaking. His words were muffled underneath her voice. “I will return another day. I would like to clear up this confusion with you, but you have to be willing. When I come back, I ask for your willingness.” She stretched out her wings.

“Hahah!” Instead of mocking laughter, a cheerful cackle came from Black. “Wow, you're amazing. I don't think anyone as ever handled my terrible attitude that well before. You didn't fall for any of my obvious traps, either.” She hesitated flying away; apparently, his change of attitude caught her attention. “I guess your age and experience really does make a difference. Heh.” The darker tone returned. “What if I told you I wasn't your citizen?” Celestia responded with a cocked head. “Sure, I'm a pony, but I wasn't born or raised in your wonderful little nation.”

“That does not surprise.”

“Nothing gets to you, eh?” Black sighed. He sat down atop the table he had been standing on. “Too bad you're a liar. Fine, go home, but, don't come back. I don't want anything to do with a weak ruler.” Without any further discussion, the princess went airborne and escaped through the broken ceiling.

Once she believed Celestia to be gone, Phebe immediately stormed up to Black. “What was that!?” Silently, Black Star moseyed over to the table he was at when Celestia arrived. He gazed sorrowfully the book he had been reading. “Black Star, answer me!” Nothing. Frustrated to no end, she rushed up beside him once more, slammed her hoof on the table, and shouted, “That's Princess Celestia!” Her yell sprung out at full strength, causing her voice to squeal somewhat. “Do you have any what she has gone through? She deserves respect. ” Midst her scolding, Black held his peace still staring at the book. His quiet only enraged her further. “Why aren't you listening to me!?” Finally, she let off.

Having a moment to watch, she noticed several splotches of water on the book underneath Black. Soon after, she saw a droplet fall from his face.

Black breathed, “Why.”

“Huh?”

“Why-” He attempted to speak a full sentence but choked on his words. An audible yet soft sob exited his mouth. Fighting tears, he clenched his teeth and muttered, “Why is this the truth? Why!” Phebe had no clue as to what he referenced.

Pursuing a curious tone—as opposed to her previously angry one—she inquired, “What are you talking about? What truth?” With a shaky hoof, he pulled a folded note from underneath the book and gave it to her. When she received it, an insurmountable weight of dread dropped upon her shoulders. Without knowing its contents, she already knew what lay inside was terrible. Black tended to drift between emotional states, and she recognized this. Even so, a typical piece of written material would not cause him such grief.

Hesitantly, she spread open the paper. Inside, she discovered a clearly written, entirely unfaded letter from Celestia to Hypatios. The growing pit in her stomach intensified while she read it aloud:

“To my dear Hypatios—Sublimis Doctus Dux...” Phebe stopped at the first line. “Doctus Dux,” if she recalled rightly was something Vick—a leader of the Guardian—had called himself. Terrified of what would come next, she tried to peel her eyes away, but she could not. Inevitably, she continued where she left off, “Hypatios, it has grieved me so that you have decided to take this path. If you had let me know of what you were researching earlier, the results could have been different. Unfortunately, it is too late. The Crystal Kingdom has been lost due to a Unicorn corrupted by that same magic, and I do believe he discovered it through you.” King Sombra floated about in her mind, but she didn't dwell on him. “It is to my chagrin that Equestria can no longer cooperate with those in the Wetlands. Furthermore, all of our personal ties are to be cut off. I cannot support a creature who would delve into such dangerous activities—regardless of the reason. The next time we see each other, we will no longer be allies, nor comrades. Hypatios, I ask you understand my situation and the position you have put me in.

For all the wonderful memories we had together,

Your love, Princess Celestia.”

Once she finished, Phebe stared long and hard at the words. So many thoughts had struck her mind—so much she wanted clarification on—yet she could not derive any satisfactory conclusions. “I... I...”

“Phebe.” Black startled with his one word. “This will sound... bad, but please understand our situation... and the position Hypatios has put us in.” As he stared directly into her eyes, she saw that no longer had tears in his eyes. Albeit, she now knew why he had been adversely affected by it. “This letter was not faded like the rest. In all likelihood, Celestia wrote this recently. I especially believe this true because I found a no-longer-dusty book. All the books around it were dusty, and I know I didn't touch it. So... someone did.” With a sigh, he added, “Celestia did... to hide this note that she wrote.”

“Why did she write it?” Phebe immediately asked.

“...have you ever played back events in your head? Like when you're frustrated by something or saddened, you just... watch in your mind's eye over and over again—wondering how you could have done it differently or how to do it better next time.” Frowning lightly, he loosed another, heavier sigh. “This is probably like that. Considering the Guardian's, and possibly Hypatios', resurgence, she probably wanted to get her thoughts on paper. Maybe—just maybe—she could rekindle the friendship she had with him and his people.”

“...” She looked at him with an empty expression. “I... I...”

“We need to focus, Phebe.”

Surprised by the sudden firm attitude, she jolted her head back. “What do you mean?”

“That letter brought to light a lot of previously unknown details, and it does answer many questions.” He snatched the letter from Phebe, slid it into the book on the table, and replaced the book in the shelf at the edge of the library. Upon returning, he finishes his thought, “But, we need to focus on the details that matter. First of all—you saw it yourself—Celestia lied to my face about Hypatios. It would be one thing if she had forgotten after... a thousand years? Except... she had just written this. Thus, she, without a doubt, knows who he is. Considering she lied to me about him, I doubt we can expect her or Equestria's help for the near-future.” He looked to the side. “We... cannot stay in Equestria. It is significantly more dangerous here than anywhere else. In the badlands, we only have one overall foe to worry about, but here, we have to worry about everyone. And... the moment a pony blows the whistle, the Guardian will know—which then means we fight on two fronts. Overall, we're in deep trouble staying here, and we've got very few allies to rely upon. ”

“I see,” she responded weakly. In her overwhelmed state, she still could not process most of the information. For the moment, she had to accept that Black Star knew what he was talking about. She spun around preparing to leave the library and find Artemis to tell him the news; however, a hoof on her shoulder stopped her. “Huh?”

Black, who had put his hoof there, explained, “Take a minute and organize your thoughts. If you have to, go somewhere quiet, get a little rest, and think clearly before you start acting on what you now know.”

“Uhm...” Too boggled to object, she relented, “Okay. I'll... be back, I guess.”

“Sounds good.”

The Rise of the Guardians and the Fall of One Hero

by TrinityDragon

Badlands//Chapter 1--Part 1

Badlands//Chapter 1--Part 2

Badlands//Chapter 2

Dodge City//Chapter 3

Dodge City//Chapter 4--Part 1

Dodge City//Chapter 4--Part 2

Dodge City//Chapter 5

Dodge City//Chapter 6

Dodge City//Chapter 7--Part 1

Dodge City//Chapter 7--Part 2

Dodge City//Chapter 8

Dodge City//Chapter 9

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 10

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 11

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 12--Part 1

The Everfree and the Castle//Chapter 12--Part 2