> Abhorsen : Friendship is Free-Magic
>  by MerlosTheMad
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1 : Rarity Dies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------










Warm sun, comfortable chair, cool drink and a day of nothing else but lazing about in complete relaxation. Such was a day that many ponies dream of or look forward to constantly. Sometimes, they would work for weeks on end after tirelessly and diligently practicing their given trade to acquire such a vacation. For some ponies, life was a repetitive cycle of such endeavors and circumstances. Some ponies, however, did not have such luxury, and were instead destined for greatness. 

For Rarity the unicorn, this was all too true. For time and again alongside her friends—the other Elements of Harmony—she would quite frequently face eldritch horrors and mystical beasts. At any time, such creatures as dragons would show up without warning to threaten Equestria and its noble citizens. All too often her day to day life was interrupted when the Princesses would call upon herself, and her five pony gal pals to do battle with those same threats. Of course Twilight Sparkle, her friend and confidant, would always eagerly rush forward to stop these incursions into the otherwise peaceful land. With the exception of perhaps Fluttershy, so would the others!... But other than to stand by and help her friends out of loyalty through these tough and tragic times, Rarity didn't relish the thought of ever doing anything of the sort. However, she would most certainly, always fight beside Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Twilight, Applejack and Pinkie, no matter what the obstacle...

But, Rarity didn't have to like it, or the adventure and troublesome happenings that came with that responsibility. The station of heroine was itself, thrust upon her before she even knew it, all those months ago. Ever since helping in the defeat of Nightmare Moon, it all had continued like this for her. Still, she most definitely, held no regret over the way her life had pushed forward. Quite the contrary; many of the best times of her life had been beside her friends, in good times or bad. 

Bearing all this perfectly well in mind though; it was explicitly simple for Rarity, the Element of Generosity of Equestria, to conclude one thing: that days like this were truly... truly....  

A blessing.

I really can't say what I was thinking to begin with that morning. Normally on a day off I would seek to enjoy it with my good friends whom everypony in Ponyville is well acquainted with. But today I just wanted a simple affair; a lounge in the sun by myself lying beside the cool waters of a pond. 

Oh this weather is simply diviiine, wait what's that noise? I tilt my ears towards where I think the noise is coming from. How lucky! I believe I hear my friend's voices over the next hill... Oh no.

"MAKE WAY! Make way for her royal Pinkie Pie-ness!" Maniacal giggling followed in the form of teehees and shouting.

"Whoa, Pinkie- Slow down!" another, scratchier voice shouted in warning to the first.

I look over in time to see... Pinkie pulling Rainbow Dash, in a small red wagon no less. How odd-

My thoughts were interrupted by a veritable tidal wave of pond water, which splashed up over the embankment to hit me full force with a loud splooshing noise.

Once they floated back to the top of my mind, my now soured thoughts resumed. It was foalish of me to think such whimsical fancies I suppose, like having a quiet day. I had truly thought that my respite of basking in the sun beside cool waters had been safely secured too... I peeled my sun hat off my soaked head and horn where upon I deposited it on the ground beside myself to stare up glumly at my two friends.

"Pinkieee! Rainbow Dash! Do you two realize what you've done!?" I'll admit, the voice I used to shout at the once calm pool's now rippling and occupied waters became slightly... shrieky towards the end. But it's not as if I'd meant it to be. Rainbow Dash looked up from where she now stood at the bank. She had been shaking like a dog, no doubt to get the freezing liquid out of her soaked fur and water-logged feathers. Pinkie Pie likewise ceased her chaotic splashing in the pond to respond to my calling her name. 

Rainbow grinned sheepishly and opened her mouth to speak, but Pinkie promptly interrupted her. 

"OH! Hiya Rarity! Eheh, I didn't know you knew about the super secret pony pool party I was throwing too! WHEEE!" The party obsessed mare fell backwards to splash about again, flailing her fore legs wildly.

Rainbow Dash scowled back at her friend and picked up from where she'd left off. "Ehheh, hi, Rarity. Sorry about that. Pinkie and I were coming to hang out here and cool off." After kicking a hoof back to get the last of the water off herself, she looked over again. 

"Well still, you're little stunt has ruined my drink, ruined my sandwich..." I looked down remorsefully at the daisy and rye lunch which I had brought with myself. "But worst of all!" I finished dramatically,  pointing down with a hoof for good measure. "You have both ruined my hat!" 

The velvet and silk sunhat lay sadly beside me, hopelessly soaked and beyond hopelessly molested.

Pinkie's head popped out of the nearby water onto the shore and landed with a wet slap in front of me. She grinned then began barking like some strange animal, scaring the living daylights out of me in my current emotionally elevated state. "Arp-arp!" Oh, the horror!

"YEEee— Pinkie! Stop it or you'll... Oh, what the hay's the use now?" My look of surprise melted to one of defeat. Pinkie continued to slap her soaking legs together and smile up at me.

"Maybe you should chill out a little bit, Pinkie. She seems pretty upset about the water." Rainbow took on a surprisingly considerate tone; after snickering uncontrollably at my plight, anyway.

"Chill out!? Well I'm already doing that, you silly fillies! Come on in, the water's great! It's nice and cool and fresh and cool and... Cold!" Pinkie splashed the water for effect, grinning happily and obliviously.

"I think I'll pass." I rolled my eyes at her incredulous carrying on. 

With sadness, I looked down at my ruined chapeau, which now lay like a wounded animal in the sun. I suppose it could be worse, I thought, trying to find a bright side to things. I do hope it doesn't shrink from drying too quickly, at least... Fortunately, I was well aware that good, tightly woven silk didn't shrink from merely getting wet, and satin only shrank from exceedingly hot water. Unfortunately, I also knew my hat was a very loose weave to allow a cool breeze to ebb through it, and air drying would certainly shrink it. 

Without warning, one of the two friends now plaguing the get-away day I had so carefully planned for myself, began to shake the remaining water out of her coat. The act successfully threw all of the water onto... onto my own coat, which had still been soaked anyway, I might add. I hardly batted an eyelash, desensitized to such things as I was, but that isn't to say I wasn't upset.

I responded appropriately. "Aaah! Pinkie, puh-lease, darling! I'm in the middle of trying to enjoy the cool breeze of the day in solitude, not that I'd mind company, but a modicum of propriety is all I ask of you!" I tenderly began wringing out my now horribly sodden and thoroughly ruined mane.

Pinkie Pie drew her eyebrows down and scrutinized me for a moment, humming. 

"Oopsie!" Pinkie leaned back with an apologetic look. "Sorry about that, Rarity. Not sure what that was you said about paparazzi. I don't even have a camera! You crack me up sometimes, you know?" She giggled along with Rainbow before her attention shifted once again.

Her eyes had now locked with my poor, defenseless hat. 

"Ahem," I broke in, hoping to restore some sanity to the situation. "Yes, you see what you've both done? My chapeau is ruined!" I gave her a sad look. It wasn't my intent to guilt her over the thing, certainly, but hopefully this would get them both to calm down.

Above me, Rainbow elicited what she thought on the matter. "Pssch, hat schmat, Rarity." 

Pinkie Pie spoke up again with a different idea though.

"Wet hat? We can fix that! Hah, lookit me, I'm Zecora!" Pinkie continued to snort and giggled her pink mane off at her apparently accidental rhyme. Afterward, before I could even raise another proper complaint, she jumped at my poor hat like a pink lightning bolt, picking it up in her teeth, and then tossing it high into the air!

"Rainbow Dash! I choose YOU!" Pinkie's expression turned into a wide, toothy grin as she stared up at the sight. My eyes also locked in horror with my dripping hat as it flew up higher and higher. 

Rainbow Dash spoke beside me and my wide eyed look moved over to her. "Hmph, yeah yeah, I got this." 

Air rushed around me from the vacuum Rainbow had created as she sped towards my hat, all of this before I could say, "Stop! Don't dry that! It's—!" 

I knew already that I was too late. 

Rainbow Dash spun around the hat in a tight cylinder. She's dryiiiiing it. Air drying it! Not silk! Not satin! My mental cries would do nothing, panicked as they were. Even worse, the wind from the aerial display whipped at my poor mane even more, and I could practically feel the stray hairs beginning to poke out.

Once the damage was done, the hat floated down gently on a guided breeze from Rainbow and fell into my lap. It had shrunk several sizes accordingly from the supernatural, magical wind treatment. In addition, the ruby studded ribbon that had accompanied it was no where to be seen. 

Rainbow fluttered down somewhere beside me, speaking in her boastful tone about something or another. But right then, I had only attention for this atrocity before me.

"—nd then I dashed that hat with a dash of Dash! Rainbow style, no pun intended. Heh, hey, was it always that small?" Rainbow gestured with a pointed hoof towards the former hat, now at best large enough for a squirrel to wear.

I could feel my face clench up and a snarl came from somewhere, but neither that nor the threat of wrinkles was important right now. 

"Ah- uuuh, you okay... Rare...?" Rainbow asked in a hushed voice. 

Pinkie and Rainbow Dash crouched and leaned away from my sudden glare as I climbed up from my beach chair. Both were clearly fearful of the just desserts they only now saw on the horizon. I stormed up to them; they stood on hind legs reeling from my sudden approach. In unison the duo elicited two surprised yelps and then—

My hooves gently nudged them just enough to push them over the small rocky edge, which dropped off into the pond. Both of my friends made the most gratifying of splashing noises as they both tumbled into the water. 

A horribly pleased, and not at all guilty smirk bloomed across my muzzle. That, is just music to my ears. I twitched them gratifyingly to the sound of Pinkie and Dashie spluttering.

"Hah. Take that, you ruffians," I elicited.

I didn't care that I was inadvertently splashed again by Pinkie and Rainbow after they crashed backwards into the pond; my revenge was had. Shaking briskly, I tried to get some more of the continuously invading pond water out of my devastated mane and poor tail. The two mischief makers popped out of the water a moment later, both of their manes once again plastered against their heads.

Then, Rainbow Dash called out from below me. "Oh, it is ON!"

"No! That wasn't a challee-EEENGE!" I squealed in vain as two pairs of hooves, one set belonging to a chortling pink pony and the other to a cyan miscreant; grabbed my front hooves and threw me out over the pond several strides into the air. Their mad cackling followed me until the water filled my ears and all I heard was the splashing from my legs.

Gasping, I broke the surface of the frigid spring water and wiped my eyes furiously. It's in my nose! Oh, by Celestia's beard, my poor mane! I was just able to stay afloat by paddling my legs furiously, until finally I got enough water out of my eyes to see both of my friends smiling like a couple of right buffoons. Have they no respect for a mare's hard work or pedicure!? 

I scrunched up my forehead in an unladylike manner, and got ready to 'get even', as it were. "Oh. It. Is. On—"

Rainbow burst out laughing, interrupting me. "I knew you were gonna say that! Hah! I beat yah too it already, little-miss-up-tight!" The pegasus pushed off the bank and took to the skies, showering Pinkie, and more so myself with a flood of water that rose in her speeding wake. 

Pinkie Pie cheered and splashed more, making an even bigger scene with no visible effort. 

I sighed in defeat, realizing there was no beating these two at their own game, and paddled to the shore. It was a bitter acceptance, made all the more bitter by Rainbow Dash's antics.

"Hey, don't look so glum, Rarity..." Rainbow smiled down smugly from where she hovered, then blew a raspberry at me, adding insult to injury. 

Rarity is not one to accept defeat so easily, Dashie... Looking over, I could see Pinkie beaming at us over her toothy grin, which I was sure had been held for several minutes now. Well, if you can't beat them Miss Rarity, join them! 

"HAIYAAAH!"

"Wo-WOAH! Easy!"

Another great splooshing noise, the third for my day, erupted around me.

At this rate I'm going to grow fins. I paddled my hooves steadily, once again under the surface of the water. Hehe, if only Rainbow could've seen the look on her face! Tackling her had been easier than I had imagined it would be, even with her flying two strides above the pond like that. I decided since I was so far under this time, that I would look around for her trying to surface from below, and then dunk her again. The game was afoot, as far as I saw it. If laughing or chuckling evilly could be possible underneath the water, I would have been. My eyes scanned around me for her, but I only saw the churning water of Pinkie backstroking lazily.

Where is she?

I felt a tug at my hind hooves and let out a water muffled giggle. She'd beaten me at her own game already; I conceded. Somehow, Rainbow had stayed beneath me. 

All the same, I was beginning to run out of breath, and started paddling towards the surface. Something seemed quite odd, and caught my attention right away. My brow furrowed in confusion, because it undoubtedly seemed as though I was not moving an inch beneath the Pinkie Pie made waves.

Paddling harder, I reached towards the surface, trying my hardest to reach the fresh air. Horrified, I realized it was... actually getting further away. 

My rear hooves kicked out behind myself at the same time that I looked back, glaring at Rainbow Dash. 

I gasped outright, the last of my breath leaving in the form of foamy bubbles. 

Below me wasn't Rainbow Dash; in fact, there's nothing but darkness and water down there. Oh Celestia, I'm trapped in an under current!? But this is a pond, that doesn't even make sense! Ponds don't have currents! Pitch black walls enveloped up around me, even as I had the thoughts decrying their plausibility. 

There wasn't even a bottom to the pond, it just kept going, and I was sinking deeper into it.

Nature was teaching a big lesson about just how massively I had made the wrong assumption about a pond's safety. If I could tear up underwater, I would have, despite how panicked I was. 

I looked up overhead again to the shrinking source of light, still ripping at the pond with my hooves to escape. More and more the water-obscured sunshine faded away. My frenzied thoughts weren't helping any, and neither were my frantic attempts at paddling to safety. I never had been a very strong swimmer. 

My attempts only served to froth and churn the water surrounding and swallowing me. I could feel my lungs filling with water, I couldn't breathe, and began choking even as my legs still fought the current.

I had time for one last thought. Am I going to die?






> Chapter 2 : Dead In The Water
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
“‘Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?’”
- Sabriel Abhorsen







Thunder clapped and boomed overhead. Amidst an amber fog billowing in on a baleful wind, forks of primordial lightning stretched from one horizon to the next. 

A score of cabalists chanted in a low drone, while other dark shapes mixed with the unnatural weather around them; the gathering formed an haunting atmosphere. Surrounding the crowd of perhaps two hundred, was blackened earth and the fallen bodies of long dead trees. Only a handful nearby still clung to roots, long since eaten away by carrion insects and maggots from beneath. 

In the middle of this procession of the unholy—amidst the monochrome horde—sat what was once a single, solitary stone, just taller than a man and now split in twain. It lay there simply being only what it appeared to be, a shattered monument, grey and lifeless. 

A ghastly and hollow voice called out over the din, which caused the chanting to silence itself in an instant. Somehow, the thunder itself also quieted to a low, distant rumble. The sky grew dark, and only the sudden light which now came from flames, flickering to life around them, provided illumination of any sort to the gathering. The voice had come from a lurching form in front of the stone, hunched and shrouded in torn black cloth. Still, it stood nearly three meters tall.

Its hood looked out over the crowd, a faint red light glowing from within the shroud. With a deep, resonant voice it began to speak.

"An age of freedom, is at hand!" 

Shouting answers, outcries and cheers rose from the front of those gathered. They jostled one another and shook fists out from under armor, travel stained surcoats, and black robes alike. Behind them, the more numerous shapes merely stood and swayed in the wind slightly. 

The unnaturally hollow voice continued through the throng of noises. "Fellow minded few of this world, you have been promised life ever lasting, power beyond measure!" The crowd's voices rose as the deep baritone of the speaker continued. "BUT!" The shrouded figure threw two bleached, skeletal hands into the air to quiet them quickly. 

Silenced, the voices of the men and women were quickly lost to the wind's howl. 

As the creature stood up straighter, it drew an ebony black blade from its tattered robes, then slowly drawled forward in its speech. "Fooor this, to become reality, there must be blood." The blade slowly rose up into the air before the speaker. "There must be death, before life. As the charter commands the unnatural laws of our world, so to must we obey. That, however, changes now!" With a screech the same weapon was slashed across the surface of the great stone. 

Maddened cheers and yells started up again from the display. After a moment, they sharply quieted again, the speaker raising his hand once more.

"To that end we will therefore," he paused for dramatic effect. "Destroy the charter, and all those who willingly serve it." Again the crowd's shouts rose, acidic curses, promises of fealty and the destruction of all in the world that was of the light or of the charter cried out. Vows to end life itself were screamed out of from them, until finally, another form stepped forward. The newcomer calmly motioned for the frenzied cultists to quiet themselves, raising both of the small, human hands it possessed to do so. 

The crowd obeyed. 

This individual was of a drastically different form than the previous speaker. Where the other was a massive shadow of bare bone and sinew, shrouded in charred rags, its voice grating and deep... This speaker was slight, thin and finely dressed. He was a boy of perhaps ten from appearances, his head topped with brownish hair of a medium length, and a rounded hat.

His voice, however, had the same hollow and echoing quality of the first, if none of their intimidating appearances. 

"My dear friends, how happy I am to see you all bravely standing here before me." The boy spoke happily, and concluded by flashing everyone a grin that was all teeth.

Some of those in the crowd fell to a knee, or bowed deeply at the waist. 

"Now now, I want your undivided attention. There will be time for formalities later..." The child looked over those gathered before him, smiling warmly as they shakily stood again. "Good. Now, on to more pressing matters. Namely, killing everyone in our way."








The new realm was a tumultuous, roaring, swirl of power. 

Rarity had felt unconsciousness take a hold of her mind forcefully. Her fight to remain awake despite the pain, was lost. Soon, her body and legs only kicked limply, still struggling despite their owner being knocked out. Unable to fight back, she was taken further and further away from Equestria. The river changed seamlessly from a swift, contained current and into an unstable waterfall without any warning.

The journey through the fabrics of nothingness ended. The water and its passenger were in another place now, a place far from the unicorn's home; a place that wasn't a place at all. Here, all was grey and immaterial. Here, there were only dead things. 

Fog and mist rolled in every direction, and knee deep water pushed by some alien current flowed on into the darkness. All around in every direction, was now the realm of death, and its nine precincts... The alabaster colored body was unceremoniously deposited straight into the gate of the second precinct—sleuthing along with the tepid water that engulfed it. While no one was awares to observe this oddity, there it still was. 

Normally, the deceased only passed into death through the wellspring—at the mouth of the first precinct of this plane. Although nothing was cognizant of its origins, the body of the unicorn was certainly gaining attention. An unguarded, corporeal form was right there—filled with faint life and free for the taking as it floated listlessly alongside the spirits. 

All of the nearby dead could feel it now, strong and focused. That feeling was life itself, for it still flickered in the limp form—its pull was strong, the presence of it tantalizing. The onlooking dead's need for life force was overpowering to their minds. Still, others regarded the creature with curiosity, these more placid spirits were ones at peace with their passing. They—unlike the others—took the time to realize this was something that did not belong here, and was certainly not some prize to be had. Still, all of them kept their distance, for now. 

Such an occurrence didn't happen in death, not but once in a dozen of a dozen years—for those that could make sense of time any longer. The body continued floating through the second precinct, unapproached. However, as it went, more and more onlookers gathered. They began struggling against one another and more appeared, the newcomers were strong enough to fight the current. They pushed the restful dead aside, and shoved weaker spirits away. 

This wasn't a necromancer, they thought. It wasn't even The Abhorsen, either. Though few of those present new what that meant exactly; it was merely a name to be feared by those seeking life, passed from dead thing to dead thing in hushed whispers. 

The gate of the second precinct was fast approaching, and the current strengthened. One dead creature had finally had enough. A high pitched scream pierced through the dank air of the precinct. The howling monster reared out of the river, leaping towards the pale white shape. A squat, stumpy head that lacked a neck opened its shadowy maw wide, eager to latch onto its prize. 

Without a second to spare, the undead creature's twin shot up from the waves beneath it, cutting it off from reaching the unicorn's body. The newcomer hurled the squat shape into the air, squealing with an inhuman cry. 

Once-living humans and animals began to struggle all at once, fighting one another, fighting for the opportunity to drain the living creature's energy and magic. All of them were starving for that which they still longed after, and crashed towards the foreign life force. More than a few clawed at it, reaching out with half formed hands of shadow—lacking discernible digits in most cases. 

The frenzy, however, lasted too long without a resolution; the waterfall to the next precinct was upon the brawl. The current quickly became too strong for the lesser spirits. The water began dumping over an invisible cliff face, and with it, the body that the spirits all fought over. Dead things that were too weak or distracted, pitched unwilling into the third precinct. Others, stronger than their kin, fought back against the waves and away from the lip leading to the third precinct. 

The body escaped the grasp of those left.

The dead creatures seethed and cursed, some able to form words from mouths of shadow. Most merely howled in anguish—for their prey had escaped them. The single horned body of a unicorn fell into the next waterfall's waves unmolested, except for a few scrapes.

Here in the third precinct, the water was shallow; merely a human's ankle deep. A dead creature that had been unfortunate enough to fall after it, stumbled to stand unsteadily in the clear space. It immediately recognized the warm feeling that was close by. 

The life it sought was there just before it, unmoving and helpless. If it could have salivated it would have, The dead creature ceased thinking of claiming the odd life force though, as fear gripped its mind. The creature knew where it was; this was the third precinct of the nine. It began to scrabble in panic back up the cliff of flowing water. Around it, other spirits had begun to do the same. If they stayed here they would be dragged further into death—further away from life. 

The third precinct was only deceptively more peaceful than the second for a few moments, for here there were great crashing waves. No one and no thing could withstand the force of these powerful creations of the afterlife. 

The roaring came suddenly. A great wave swept out from the waterfall and carried them all away from their futile attempts to return above. The wave slammed into those that fought its coming and carried everything onwards. The fogs rolled with the wave and the water falls of the third gate embraced the forms that fell now into it's womb. 

Again, the body of the limp unicorn was carried farther beyond the gates, and through that of the third precinct into the fourth. The body slapped against the shallow water with a sickening noise as its journey ended once more. All around there were the stunned and formless shapes of the dead beaten into submission by the prior wave. 

The fourth precinct was clearer than the second and much like the first. Though the current was stronger here, it was predictable for those knowledgeable of death. Other, stronger and older creatures slept here as well . . . Many were taken off guard by the sudden presence, but they were few. 

The dead sensed the life and they immediately noted the lack of free magic—those familiar with it. This meant there was no risk of the bells—a necromancers tools to enslave them or send them to the ninth gate. This was too good to be true, an unguarded life—here in death, with them. Shapes small and large rose from the knee depth water. Lurchingly, they moved towards the form which floated slowly past them.

The gathering crowd halted, cowed suddenly by two great presences. The two made themselves known immediately. They were immense amidst the lesser shadows, both standing as tall as two or three men. 

The first had the shape of a great feline, or perhaps a four legged bug—even it didn't remember what its life had been lived as. A prehensile shadow as long as it's body swirled in the air behind it, flicking dangerously. The name which it had given itself, was Falsimer. 

Hungrily, Falsimer looked first to the life force which was felt just yards away from it, and then to the other greater dead—which it had so long held a kinship with. It wasn't one of love or companionship, it was an alliance, cold and unassuming. 

Its eyes exploded open, wreathed in flame. Falsimer watched on as the other shape extended a long, scythe-like appendage towards the foreign creature that so curiously resembled . . . A tiny horse. Falsimer's mouth—a thing formed from shadow and unlife—sprang into being; then it spoke. 


"Helleruuumm" 


The voice hissed the name with a hate filled, coy tone. "What is that you now hold, Helleruuumm." The twitching fifth tail-like limb of Falsimer solidified and thickened in size—at its end formed a great spike. . . 

Hellerum's eyes, were also two great flaming craters of heat and pitch, but they burned far brighter than Falsimer's own, and with a faint purple hew tinging the red and yellow.  Hellerum cradled the creature it now held delicately, almost caringly. Her long arms shortened as she clutched it more closely to herself, the life inside it was still strong. This creature wasn't dead, she realized breathily—that is, if she could breath. 

A vertical slit opened from what passed for the humanoid shape's head—a writhing column lacking even faint definition. Cautiously, she answered Falsimer. These were dangerous waters she now tread, she realized, but such an opportunity could not be wasted. 

Already, Hellerum knew what she was going to do, and she knew that Falsimer knew what she wanted to do. "I really am not sure what it is at all Falsimer. Would you be so kind as to explain to me, perhaps what you think it may be?" Her voice was pure, and soft like silk. It sounded as though it belonged right there amidst the gentle splashing of the water's current's, and no where else.

As she spoke, she flowed slowly up the current of the fourth precinct, this little bundle of power was her ticket to life. Not only thanks to its strength, but its body. What it was didn't matter, it was a body somehow here in death, where shape and form itself was malleable. It would be hers.

"Hellerum... Think careful of what you do now. Yes, you maaay just escape into life with that vessel, but will you escape the rest of usss for your betrayal? Could you escape Avahntus? Or Maywit?" The beast-like-shape's limbs clicked against one another, mandibles had spread out from its maw. The rest of Falsimer's form solidified into a menacing and powerful shape, hinting at a carapace. 

The fourth precinct was quiet for a number of minutes after this short trade of words—time held no meaning to beings that merely sat and waited in the dark. 

Hellerum continued to pause over her compatriot's threats, they were commendably honest. She thought with an old, tired mind over whether it was a trick. No, she thought, Falsy isn't tricky though, let alone clever. The other creature was known to be loyal, he would have taken this creature to the Necromancer himself—to Maywit. 

Even beleaguered by the weight of the risky choice—which Hellerum knew she was making—she spoke with her decision. "Well, once I'm free and in life, enjoying a fresh glass of milk or brandy... Oooh I hope they still make brandy—I'll let you know my answer." 

As though on cue, the great shape of the other dead creature shrieked and charged. 

Hellerum was ready for just such an action, half of her had even expected the other shadow being to attack during their talk's interim. Nevertheless, the other shadow leaped into the air above the water impressively and bore down on her. It was a predictable attack at best, if fierce. The thing had probably been a bug or some other stubborn spirit of old, she mused. From below her opponent the waves crashed up. Twin swords of black edged lethality soared into the grey air. Had there been any light here in death, they could have gleamed. 

The blades pierced deeply into the belly of the pouncing Falsimer. Its mouth gurgled and the head of shadow twisted, looking below itself. He was surprised by what had halted its attack, but that didn't stop his anger.

"HELLERUUM! YOU WILL ONLY WISH YOU HAD PASSED THE NINTH GATE EONS AGO AFTER—" Quietly, the head of her former ally was shucked off by Hellerum's free arm; it fell screaming into the waves below. The body she held flailed with a ravening fervor, its great tail reaching around itself to strike at her blades and forward over the headless stump in an effort to reach her. Falsimer had been quite strong in his time, but was careless. Still, that wouldn't be his final rest, he was too stubborn for that end to find him with ease, certainly. 

Hellerum hummed thoughtfully. "Hmph, and here I had hoped you had some surprise for me as well. Never mind then, onwards and upwards into life!" The great shadow cheerily cast the deforming, though still powerful body of Falsimer aside. It was quickly fed on by stray spirits risking their own enslavement in an attempt to gather some loose strength. 

Hellerum, however, had dismissed her partner already and was crashing up and through the third precinct's gate. Her form turned misty and loose to flow up the gate's roiling waves. All the while, she paid close attention to those behind her. She felt other powers that had gathered to watch the melee, waiting would only reveal if they were part of her old alliance—and were therefore now her enemy for this betrayal. She doubted there were any others strong enough to defeat her now, but all of them at once...

Hellerum solidified her limbs into great pillars of shadow quickly and her form shrank; she made herself lithe and swift—but still strong enough to carry her precious cargo. Passing through the third precinct was always tricky.

Luckily, it was a small area, and the lack of a steady current made sprinting through its shallow waters easy for her. The second gate presented itself quickly and the mists and fog were pierced by Hellerum again growing to a substantial size. Her arms, for she had grown a third to help, cast out hurriedly into the crashing waves of the waterfalls. Through sheer force of will she pulled herself up. Flowing like oil rising to the surface of another liquid—she squirmed and toiled climbing higher. Lesser dead could never hope to achieve feats such as this, but she was Hellerum, a greater dead. One that had dwelled beyond the seventh gate.

Soon, the second precinct and its darkened gloom made itself known around her. Only the presence of the lesser dead rested here, no fiery eyes, curious of what could have torn back towards life looked up at her. Only shadows. Hellerum was almost giddy with excitement and anticipation. The one thing she, necromancers or the dead themselves would never expect to find beyond the wellspring—and it was hers! Not just a living spirit, not just some foolish half trained necromancer too weak to sway her—but a corporeal body. Oh sure mordicants, free magic elementals and even objects could exist physically in death. It was just how the strange passage to the final rest worked. But living things could only be here in spirit—could only exist here in spirit. Even if damaging the soul of say, Abhorsen, could effect their real body back in life—that's all it was. Not real flesh and blood like what she now held.

Another shocking discovery made itself known as Hellerum continued to force her way back through the river, towards life. 

Strangely, Hellerum's prize took this moment to begin glowing. Specifically, from the strange protrusion she now took note of on its head. After confirming it wasn't awake, she poked it with a curious shadow tendril. Just after she wrapped the spiraled horn's length up immediately. The strange thing on the horse's head was warm—blessedly warm.

Her still formed shadow mouth had righted itself, and began grinning—or it would have been if it contained teeth. Instead, it was a ghastly red filled curve only barely displaying emotion. It turned to a frown suddenly as her stomping gait took her closer to the border—to where she was going to attempt something remarkable. She was having thoughts now—misgivings about her decision. Hellerum peered down at the strange living body again as she went. It was unlike anything she could ever remember seeing before. Was it even intelligent? She realized she may not have completely thought this through. Her undead spirit was strong enough to inhabit any body fully under normal circumstances of that she was certain. That wasn't true life though, that was hitching a ride, and killed the body eventually. But, could taking a body here be the trick to it? Or would trying to become the true owner of the body simply kill it outright? She knew nothing of taking a vessel like this.

On and on her thoughts plagued her as she steeled her mass for its final obstacle, the first precinct gate way. Shadow flesh and limbs strengthened under her focus and cast themselves again out into the crashing waves that stood in her way. The gate roared defiance on her as they all did, but she was the stronger. The brighter air of the first precinct welcomed her. There were no waves of the third precinct of deep eddies like the second. Just the wall of white fog that led into life for those able to force their way in. But Hellerum wasn't just going into life this time to slowly waste her strength, as a creature not welcomed in that world would normally. No, she was going back alive. It had to work.

Slowing down, she approached the wellspring that lead into life at the end of the first precinct more sedately. Her thoughts of the strange situation returned—what life would it even be as whatever this thing was? . . . To most any other spirit it wouldn't matter, life was life and death was anguish. Frankly though Hellerum had no clue what could happen—would she lose the power she had been accumulating over centuries? Could this even be done? Despite what stood to be gained she held misconceptions over the situation. 

She had come to a full stop she realized, standing at the border of life and death—some random location of the waking world just on the other side. Glancing back to confirm again she had no pursuers she turned the body over in her arms. It was strange to be sure, there was scarcely any color in the grey light that filled death, but she thought its hair was purple. How oddly appropriate, Hellerum thought. That was always my favorite color. Memory was fleeting in death, but some things would stick. 

It had strange markings adorning its fur as well. Hellerum reached down to stroke its hide. She had only some sense of touch, but the fur was soft under it. The desirable life energy it possessed pulsating just below its skin. Hellerum made her decision in that moment while scrutinizing the funny little animal. It didn't matter what kind of life she would be gaining! This was a once in an unlife's time chance, this shouldn't even be possible by all accounts. Death was a world of representation and imitation, not reality. NOT FLESH!

Shadows and mist rolled off her body towards the still form. Slowly, her congealed mass softened and attempted to force its way into the body. It WOULD be hers. Come on dear, move over and make room. Sighing, Hellerum felt it, so clear and in focus. That feeling was being alive. For a moment she couldn't even believe that she had forgotten how wonderful it felt. The cold of the river was even different from life's perspective, pain that had plagued her for so longer abided. 

Strangely, a light began to burn brightly from underneath Hellerum's arm, and she felt something very hot burning her. 

Violet-tinged flaming coals widened in her eye sockets, then her limb slid off the now burning hot horn of the animal. As the limb let go, it revealed said horn to be blindingly bright, no longer contained by her shadowy appendage. 

Hellerum let out a shriek of surprise and reeled back from the light, trying to re-cover it. "What!?" She exclaimed, but her voice was drowned out. A piercing, song-like peel of a bell filled the air suddenly. All the while, the light grew with intensity. She felt herself forced away—prevented from entering the body by. . .something

After a final howl of frustration, the light and sound rose to a crescendo, silencing Hellerum's cry of agony altogether. A moment later, the greater dead spirit was blasted away from the border of life screaming, to fall against the first gate. Even flailing, it engulfed her quickly. 

The unicorn's body fell into the current with a harsh splash. The burst of energy left the air as well, and death was once again still. The only oddity left in the river, was the alabaster body itself. . . As well as the sudden appearance of seven strange tendrils of light, streaming from the bright fog. They held onto the still shape. Preventing its descent back into death.








Rarity's head breached a surface, finally. Her mane and tail were limp and disheveled, soaked with the dank water that surrounded her. She very much looked like a wet cat that had been used to clean laundry.

Rarity cast her gaze everywhere choking and retching—water pouring from her lungs and stomach. Two pale white hooves sought out her own throat and massaged it, trying to quell the horrible experience. Her eyes took in the dreary surroundings slowly, she wasn't sure what she was looking at. 

"H-h-" Words that wanted to exclaim over everything failed to form, Rarity found she couldn't speak, and the effort devolved instead into another fit of coughing. 

All around the unicorn mare was a dim landscape of water and smog. Mist rose not far in the distance, the crash and echo of a waterfall filled her ears. The waters surrounding her held no warmth, and felt like no life giving river she had ever encountered in Equestria. Even the feral torrents of the Everfree's rivers, deltas and swamps were a contrasting force to what surrounded her now. Simply being abreast the waves felt as though a thousand shards of glass were burrowing into her skin. She shivered and flexed against the pain.

There was reprieve to be had, however. Behind her were strange lassos of light holding her tail in the most inappropriate of ways. Even stranger, they did not unsettle her. They were calming in fact, warming—like an old friend's hoofshake. 

Rarity swallowed and stood up, shaking uncontrollably. The strange and still water around her was freezing, even if it wasn't the rapids that rushed around her solitary spot. The lack of current here must have been what stopped her, she thought. Is this some sort of underground cave? It must be.

In front of her, the tendrils beckoned. Rarity could feel warmth coming from them, surely they intended her aid. There should be sun through the opening as well, she considered. She moved her legs forward slowly, feeling the current push her back.  

Before the current had a chance, the strange ethereal arms helped the flagging mare to keep moving.The thick fog and flowing water parted. What had at first been difficult going, was now strangely effortless. 

Soon, the tendrils and the warmth, became a true, motherly embrace—one which Rarity welcomed.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s147/VampiricLemur/L5bT3Hl.gif
> Chapter 3 : Awake in Ancelstierre
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                            
“Travel without regret, do not look back.”




   ***






The first sensation Rarity was aware of were the pins and needles of her body being reintroduced to true warmth too quickly. 

Everything from Rarity's head to her tail shook violently. She hugged herself, trying to stave off the painful sensation. Her hooves scraped on the dusty floor trying to work heat back into them and her mind flickered in and out of fretting over where she was. The frightened thoughts were edged with even more terrifying visions of drowning. 

After a minute of quiet sobbing, Rarity tried opening her eyes and gaining a grasp of her situation; they were hesitant to open, as if cold. When her eyes did open, she couldn't make out the fine details of anything around her, only a smidgen of light was present at all. Craning her stiff neck to look up and eliciting a whimper, she saw the light's source. 

A staircase stretched upward, just to Rarity's right. It was maybe eight strides in length and at the top sat a door. It looked to be made of a brightly colored wood, the passage which stood open was filled by an even brighter shining sun. The sight immediately had a calming effect for her, and she found herself just lying there to look up at it for a moment.

There was dust and dirt everywhere, but in such an exhausted state Rarity couldn't bring herself to flee its presence. Instead, she took the time catching her breath in the moldy air to try and look at her surroundings in better detail. Even squinting, her eyes were unable to fully adjust to see anything vividly—the pool of light that surrounded her coming from the door made sure of that. Still shivering, she noticed the walls were lined with gardening tools.  

Rarity's first real thoughts since waking up tried to figure things out. It's day out still, but where am I? Her mind began slowly awakening with the rest of her limbs, though her legs still felt weak on top of just plain cold. Rolling onto her belly seemed to take all of her strength and left her panting. 

"Celestia-a guide me..." Rarity chattered, her teeth clenched. The act of uttering the prayer was supposed to be calming, but her voice's croak shocked her. 

After clearing her throat Rarity inhaled and made to test her voice. "Pinkie? Pinkie Pie?" She stared around, shivering as hard as she could to warm up, her eyes darting around the cellar like room. "What happened?" she asked aloud, somewhat breathless. 

Despite how embarrassing it felt, Rarity shook her still damp mane and tail from side to side; it helped a little. When finished, she called out again. "Rainbow Dash? Are either of you there?" Her voice came clearly now. After several seconds, no answer from her friends returned to her. The shivering that had engulfed her body was beginning to leave; wherever she was now, it wasn't quite as cold.

Rarity lifted one front hoof, and then the other beside it. Together they bent and flexed, lifting her slowly off the ground. The effort, to her, almost seemed to take forever, though it was really only a few seconds. 

"Pinkie Pie...?" Rarity tried asking the empty air again. "This isn't funny in the least!" The room around her echoed the words back slightly, but was otherwise still and quiet.

Rarity stared dumbly, until the memory of a strange, underground river floated back to her, along with those of the pond. How had I gotten out of that river? Where am I now? she thought to herself. Surely my friends had been the ones to... rescue me. The other memory of the light filled fog hazed over her vision for a moment.

A sound from above shook Rarity out of the trance. Her head craned up again quickly to look at the mysterious door, but too quickly. She winced when muscles in her neck and shoulders all pinched at once. "Ah-hoooow! Goodness, this is by far the worst day off of my life!" She sniffed dramatically, though lacking her usual fun loving audience, it proved to be a hollow act. 

In the dim light, Rarity briefly looked down at her two, dainty, but quaking hooves. She leaned down further to watch carefully how fiercely they shook from her attempt of using them. Goodness, I feel as though I've run for miles. Just what happened to me? Whatever it had been not only left her cold, likely the frigid water she could remember, but extremely tired, as well.

Rarity stared a moment longer, then sighed plaintively. "Well... I never know just staying here until I f-f-freeze to death," she resolved, then managed to push her hind legs off the ground to stand up in full. 

"Alright, Rarity!" She exclaimed, motivating herself. "It's time to pony up! As Applejack would say... and get to the bottom of this." The moment she finished and took one, single step, a thick bruise on her flank chose right then to make itself known, pinching and aching terribly. 

The false motivation Rarity had summoned wavered and shattered almost instantly. "O-oh! Ow- ouch, or maybe I should just hide in a bush somewhere and cry... As Fluttershy would surely do." she paused for another, brief moment to gather her strength, then moved again. Wincing the whole way, she gingerly approached the stairwell.

The sunlight coming through the doorway felt grand, and Rarity wanted more of it. The trouble, she realized, was that it lay at the very top of the stairs. That is far too many stairs... she resolved, looking over her next obstacle.

Lifting her legs not an inch higher than she must—for anymore would send pain through her mistreated and battered muscles—she hesitantly began a rigorous climb up the single board staircase, and hopefully out of the cellar-like room. 

Motes of dust and cobwebs played in the light as Rarity climbed. She only flinched back from them once before the act proved useless due to their number, in addition to painful. She was already sadly aware that her coat was soiled well beyond all recompense, anyway. 

After her difficult climb, Rarity reached the exit, and the wonderfully warm sun.

"Wait until the girls at the spa hear the explanation for this travesty of monumental... " Rarity trailed off, unsure how to grasp the absurd sight that had been waiting for her in the sunlight. "...Proportions?" Her external monologue ended abruptly, while her eyes took in and attempted to understand the surroundings outside the doorway in detail. 

The outdoors was quite clearly a large garden, and to Rarity's immediate left was a stony looking building, strongly resembling a little castle—though not any she had ever seen the likes of. She had thought the door for the cellar a little big as well, but more than that oddity or the building, she took distinct and immediate note of the bizarre shape a little ways away from her. 

Already, Rarity understood why the door was so big. The shape's body was tall; as tall or taller than a minotaur, and dressed in a drab brown that looked like work clothes, the likes of which a construction pony may wear. 

Rarity stared dumbly and her mouth slowly fell open a hair. "Wha- huh?" was all she could mutter, and the only thought that crossed her mind. 

The mystery creature cursed abruptly, then cursed again and kicked the handle of a nearby axe furiously. The log it was embedded in thunked after it fell to the ground, and the tall shape began hopping on one foot, shouting in a strange accent.  

Rarity remained crouched beside the door, not frightened, but wary—not to mention confused. 

Despite what sounded like several curse words of questionable politeness, the creature itself sounded civilized at least—to the degree of most ponyfolk anyway. 

Rarity continued to look on as it then began to violently slam the axe and log against the stump ferociously. "My goodness... Such barbarism, but just what is it?" She looked around herself before realizing that there was nopony there to answer her question. "Oh... right, I'm on my own for this adventure." 

Quietly, to herself, Rarity cursed Rainbow Dash and Pinkie for getting her into her mess. Just where are they? Oh, but where am I!? I don't even know that much yet... Her questions weren't helping to do anything but worry her, so instead of entertaining them further, she calmed herself and refocused on the odd creature.

While looking on at the interesting display, Rarity tried deciding how she could perhaps introduce herself and ask for help. Still considering if she even should, however, another form made itself known, walking out quickly from a door in the nearby castle. The new creature was much much shorter than the first; its head was a little shy of reaching the other's shoulders. Although it still looked a fair deal taller than Rarity herself was. 

The new arrival looked like a her, Rarity realized; the shorter figure seemed very feminine, and the voice was unmistakable after she spoke. Likewise, the other one reacted in quite the male fashion from the way it was being chastised. Sure enough, the female was all but yelling at the male form that had been so barbarically assaulting his own gardening tools.

"And properly so, I must say!" Rarity laid down with her hind legs on the last step of the staircase, and fore hooves crossed to support her tired head. She leaned onto them, eyes glued to the free show. "I do not know what 'dams' have to do with anything, but his tone was downright offensive. I do believe that stallion was cursing, how horrible!" Still, she watched and listened, interested by the show unfolding.  

The lady's arms—Rarity only had to think for a moment to come up with the terminology—crossed as the male creature began what she guessed was an explanation. "Or more likely a series of excuses, hmph." Rarity harrumphed and lifted her head and forelegs, then crossed them in front of herself pointedly.  

After watching the strangers a moment longer, Rarity glanced up, spotting what was surely a noon day sun. She decided it must still be close to noon, anyway, as the light was bright and clear; something about it unsettled her though. That... that isn't... there's something not right about the sun, she realized, mouth falling open somewhat in astonishment.

Rarity stared at it a a bit, until her eyes began to hurt of all things, and let out a yelp of surprise. Her fetlocks rubbed her eyes soothingly. Blinking, there was a strange after image in them now. Just what is going on? She knew that Celestia's sun never did that when look at, certainly. Things did not feel right at all.

More flecks of speech made their way to Rarity across the decent distance, re-garnering her attention. 

The male had said "Umbrade", whatever that was, and the word "Wyverly" unmistakably. Both were words to which Rarity was unfamiliar. Her head rolled to one side as she watched the exchange continue, until finally the female slapped the tall man—she just reached up and struck him without warning. 

Rarity gasped. "Oh dear." Her eyes widened and she found herself suddenly desiring a bowl of popcorn, then let out an unladylike grunt, realizing that was Pinkie Pie's influence rubbing off on her. Still watching, she witnessed something even more surprising, the male grabbed the shorter figure by her shoulders, then kissed her. They embraced fiercely without warning, just like that, and Rarity blushed. Still, she found herself unable to look away. 

Such a strange display, Rarity thought... then straightened up again, becoming aware that her head was nearly sideways while slowly rotating even further on her hooves. Her mouth shut with a click, as well, and she shook her head to clear the fogginess the sight had put in her head.

"Alright, Rarity, focus, you need a plan and to figure things out. The girls might still be in trouble, after all. Assuming they're in trouble at all..." She backed up and leaned against the cobblestone stairway wall. This is a delicate situation to be sure. Roughly, she then shoved a hoof under her chin in thought; her eyes widened to their fullest afterwards. The act brought a sudden, stifled whimper, just as her hoof hit a tender spot on her jaw. 

Rarity winced harder, discovering in the worst possible way that she had yet another huge bruise, and on her face of all the places she could get one. "Oooh! Is there any part of my body that's gone unmolested!? Just when will things start looking u-!" 

The door shut harshly all of a sudden, interrupting Rarity. All around her, dust shot into the stairway from the pressure. She cried out and attempted to flee, though the room was also now pitch black. 

"Eee! No, dust! ACKT-ptchoo!" Rarity danced down the stairs on frantic hooves, coughing in the minor whirlwind and doing her best not to fall. After the dust settled, she glared back up at the now shut door. 

"...Oh, damn." The strange word Rarity had learned felt oddly appropriate. 









Several hours had passed by for Rarity, and without much worthy of note having happened. Unless, of course, if she counted extreme, unadulterated, failure. There was a lot of that.

Rarity had begun calling out only just after the door had been shut; it, of course, had been locked.

"Pleee-heease, won't somepony help me!?" she called out again, then exhaled tiredly in defeat. "Oh, what's the use..." She turned around and sat harshly on the top step of the cellar. "My day was supposed to be calm and relaxation. Just what went wrong!?" Her fore legs flopped to her sides, and she leaned back against the cellar door. The act made her face scrunch up in disgust, just as it had been doing every ten minutes for the last several hours. Her mane and coat felt absolutely disgusting, on top of everything else... 

This is nothing short of a heinous crime, Rarity thought remorsefully. Tired: she realized she felt very tired, and bored. She recalled her escape attempts one at a time trying to figure things out; they were three in total.

At first, Rarity had tried merely using her magic. This became a problem quickly, however, as she discovered she could barely conjure a spark. Her horn had become possessed of the distinct feeling that it would fall off without a moments notice were she to continue in her attempts. That had been very discouraging, and had led to attempt number two. Attempt number two, for its credit, was simply to call for help. Attempt number two had failed miserably and still continued to do so. 

Attempt number three, had only been attempted once, just as attempt number one had been. That sorely hay-brained scheme had been to buck the door. Doing so from a narrow wooden plank against what seemed to be a solid oak door, possibly bolted shut, proved to be impossible. What was more, it had placed her several strides away from where she had first enacted plan number three—at the bottom of the stairwell. 

Rarity sighed for what seemed the hundredth time and languished in defeat atop the stairs and beside the stupid door. 

"Come on, Rarity, think of something! You don't want to starve do you?" A sound grumbled below her line of sight; she looked at her roiling tummy. "Oh, be quiet you, you're not helping." Her head thumped back against the door with a thud. "I think it's about time for plan one again, then." She sighed, not at all eager to try something that had been painful its first attempt.

Without moving—so as not to waste her time—Rarity began to cast a light spell. It was simpler and easier than her innate spell of movement. Surprisingly, no pain came, for which she was immediately thankful, although her head did swim. Planted firmly against the door and gritting her teeth in tandem, along with her best efforts put forth, soon produced results. 

A cool, light-aqua colored glow began to spring forth from Rarity's horn into being. The cobble walls and dark stairs lit up with the first light since the door had been closed earlier that day. "Well, that's just wonderful, I think, and will do nicely."

Rarity could hardly suppress her excitement from getting her magic back, but there was still more she needed to do, she realized.








Sabriel gasped and sat up. She looked all around her in a panic, her thoughts immediately leaping to the strange feeling she had just had. Her eyes scanned the large shared bedroom, but in the dark she couldn't make anything out. 

The young girl wanted dearly to go and turn on the newly installed electric lights that Wyverly College had just finished installing, but at the same time she didn't want to risk discovery. Even newly graduated to the second form, or grade, of her school, it was far from being protection against getting cleaning duty or worse, dish cleaning duty in the kitchens. 

Sabriel settled for a candle instead, and leaned over in her night gown to light it gingerly, despite the dark. The sulfur lighting stick struck true and ignited in the gloom of the room's wide open chamber. 

The bunk beds stretched down the open hall dormitory, each housing a student for the night. Her eyes scanned around the room of nearly forty girls, most between the ages of ten and thirteen. No one else appeared to be awake. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, not hesitating on her instincts. Something was definitely afoot, she decided... If there was one thing Sabriel didn't hesitate on, it was an inkling for adventure. 

Slipping on her shoes, she meandered unsteadily in the wavering remnants of sleepiness to one of her two best friends' bunks. "Sulyyyn!" The whisper she used was hushed, but hissing. Her best school friend mumbled and rolled over as an answer. "Ssssulyyyyn!" She poked furiously at the girl's side, getting a giggle to erupt from the covers, which then shot up and over her friend's dirty-blonde colored head. 

"Go away, Sabriel, take Ellimere with you tonight." Sullyn said quietly. "I still have yard chores from the last time." 

Sabriel huffed in return, then pushed off the bed. Her candle's glow made its way steadily down the aisle and she approached her other best school friend's bunk. Ellimere was already sitting up and stretching by the time she reached her. "Let's get this over with Sabriel." She slurred out.

"You two act as though I don't accompany you on just as many outings, honestly." One hand planted on her side, Sabriel blew a strand of raven black hair away from her pale face. 

Ellimere looked up at her in the dim glow of the candle light, smirking sarcastically. "Yes..." she responded. "But our outings include fetching sweets or a midnight snack. You just like sneaking out into the woods and playing with charter magic or cards." She rolled hear eyes and waved her hands while speaking to emphasize her opinion of what Sabriel considered fun. 

Sabriel, in return, stuck her tongue out, then shrugged. She couldn't help it if she had a better grasp on the finer things in life than her friends...

Ellimere stood up and slipped on her own shoes to match Sabriel's state of dress. "I guess you do need the practice sorely, though. Was it only a month ago you set ablaze Mrs. Umbrade's rose bushes? And nearly turned poor Mrs. Penelope into a piece of toast herself?" 

Sabriel scowled and jabbed a finger under Ellimere's nose, who giggled slightly. Mrs. Umbrade was the college headmistress, and she hadn't cared much for Sabriel's awry spell at all. Mrs. Penelope was the much beloved and admittedly very ancient little gardener that worked with Mr. Rockwill to keep the grounds well kept. Sabriel wanted to say something scathing at Ellimere for bringing up the memory, but more so she wanted her friend's company on this expedition outside. She knew the odd feeling had originated from somewhere on the grounds, it had been strong whatever it was, but brief.

Sabriel huffed and withdrew her finger, Ellimere grinning casually and waiting for the retort, but none came. "Well, now that you've brought it up once again, Ellimere, please never do so again. I have the feeling that I'll never be rid of the reputation at this rate for being dangerous." Sabriel turned and started towards the door to the hallway. Ellimere giggled again but didn't answer. "Hurry up, before we wake the whole dormitory." 

Only a few pairs of eyes watched the sight of the two girls arguing, but in truth it was common enough to not really warrant attention. The other girls all fell back into a restful sleep, none too interested in getting themselves in trouble, too.

"So," Ellimere whispered after her friend. "What is it this time? Finally find one of those dead people you told us really existed last spring?" 

Sabriel turned slowly and spookily holding the candle beneath her face—a slow deep laugh rumbling out of her throat. Ellimere cringed back, chuckling slightly too.

"Heh, no," Sabriel replied. "Well, maybe? I don't know really, I didn't feel any free magic, nor do I sense anything dead!" She proclaimed this excitedly and continued down the circling staircase. "I've become quite good recently at sensing things, Father says I'm almost ready to begin reading further into The Book of the Dead." 

Ellimere cringed for real at hearing that news. For some reason, just hearing Sabriel say the book's name sent shivers up her spine. It felt... powerful somehow, just the name.

Sabriel continued unhindered. "So, I think it may be something I'm unfamiliar with entirely, seeing as it definitely wasn't of the charter either. It did feel slightly familiar though... Like the charter in a way, but also not, almost. Oh I don't know, it was so brief. But that's why we're going, to go and find out!" 

"Find what out now?" Sabriel and Ellimere froze as they were passing a doorway to the second landing. They both turned slowly to see the speaker standing firmly in the hallway. The owner of the voice also held a candle in one hand as well as...

"Is that a piece of cake?" Sabriel asked suddenly, not at all attempting to be surreptitious. 

The young woman facing Sabriel and Ellimere put on a surprised look in the twilight, then glanced at the plate she held at breast level with herself. She coughed rather than reply and slid it behind her back. "Sabriel, what is this? The third time this week I've caught you sneaking out?" 

Ellimere sighed and tried to slink away quietly up the stairs. "Fourth, I think," she muttered.

"You stay right where you are Suly— Oh, Ellimere it's you this time. Very well, just stay right there." The voice held a decidedly rigid quality, the sort someone used when trying to put people off guard.

Sabriel put on her best game face, she knew who the voice belonged to; it was Para, an older student. Unfortunately for Para, Sabriel had planned beforehand and was already one step ahead of her.

"I felt something!" Sabriel realized too late that she had used this excuse just last week, however. Still, she continued when Para didn't stop her, walking closer. "It was on Wyverly's proper, as well. I was just on my way to tell Magistrix Greenwood, honest." Paying close attention in her etiquette classes had paid off nicely for Sabriel, for the moment she was leading the class in marks. Although, the mocking stance of attention she had taken up—learned from the yearly fall parade in the nearby township Bain—probably wasn't helping her case. 

Para, for her part, frowned and regarded Sabriel carefully, fully aware that a fast one was being pulled on her. Sighing, she turned towards Ellimere, who was at least somewhat trustworthy. "Ellimere, is there really something in the gardens?" She asked the question matter of factly, and with a droop to her shoulders. 

Ellimere plaintively looked at Sabriel, then back to the sixth form Prefect. She caught Sabriel flickering glances at her from the corner of her eye. Honestly, she thought in response to her friend's antics, doesn't she realize she looks like she's gone loony? Ellimere ignored the thought and pressed on.

"Sabriel did say she felt something, Para, it's true. She said it may be charter, but it didn't really feel like anything she was familiar with, and that meant it might be dangerous. Which, as you can imagine seemed irresistible to her."

Sabriel let out a, "Hey!" in protest.

Ellimere continued over her. "I didn't feel anything, but my senses aren't as good." Honesty was the best policy, as she thought. It was a pity that she got to use it so rarely in Sabriel's company. 

The eighteen year old facing them changed her expression briefly to a serious one and looked warily out the window. Wyverly college was a mere forty miles from the great wall. In layman's terms, that meant that despite being in Ancelstierre, where magic often did not work—things still visited from time to time. No one was allowed off grounds after dark, and just being outside locked doors at night was rarely committed by anyone. In school or in the nearby towns. 

Para sighed and looked at the two girls standing before her again. "Get to bed. I'll go see what it is, alright? I catch you or Ellimere again tonight it's the kitchens and cleaning chimneys for you both. Understand?" She raised one brow and gave them both her evilest eyed stare. 

Sabriel smiled coolly, and curtsied gracefully before bounding hurriedly back up the tower stairs, not saying a word. Ellimere followed more sedately and muttered a good night behind herself. The prefect hung her tired head in defeat. 

"Those two, honestly," she muttered, then continued walking down the hallway to her night study. After reaching the old, thin door, she pushed it open with one slippered foot. Her left hand set her chocolatey treat down with a tired clatter. Briskly, she swirled her brown rain coat over her shoulders; it was summer, but still chilly at night this far north. Her shoes slid on next and she left her slippers behind. The candle came with her, however. 

As the door began to shut, Para's eyes glanced over the training sword her mother had bought her years ago. She paused to stare at it. After a moment passed, she finally leaned in and nabbed it as well. She didn't care for fighting at all, but it was "better to have it and not need, than to need it and not have", as her mother always said about various things...

If it was dangerous; whatever or more likely she now realized, whoever it was, she would be grateful for bringing her chartered blade with her. The sword clattered softly in its fancy gilded scabbard. The thing was some attempt on her mother's part to make up for the lack of her father's role in her life, she new. Serving at the wall often meant great risk, though.

Para passed the great hall of the college and briefly stuck her head in; the candle's glow barely filled even the open cathedral-esq doorway. Moving on, she passed under several other Gothic styled archways; Wyverly had been founded in 1652 and it felt it in every way, assuredly. 

The back passage to the college opened easily after Para pulled back the brace holding it shut. She was only second in Magic for the establishment, but her senses were rather keen. Outside there wasn't a thing she could feel, bolstering her confidence. A light switch for the small bulb that hovered above the doorway outside flicked up, activating it.

It probably was just a night thief, she tried to tell herself. Odd as it was, the idea of a possibly armed robber was the lesser of evils to fear, for her. 

The small pool of backdoor lighting showed little. Of course, she would see nothing right away, Para thought. She licked her lips and looked to the sky; there was a strong northern wind. What she planned should be easy then, she considered, and smiled to herself. Drawing on the charter deeply, she took hold of the simple marks for light and illumination and power. She wanted to be able to be done with this and return to her precious chocolate, post haste. Her mouth opened and was filled with power. Her hands sketched the charter marks she desired and then she spoke their names. The charter itself flowed over her tongue, which felt its presence even as it left her. 

Great golden symbols blazed and flew into the air before her. Several flew out amongst the trees in the forest beyond the back wall, a bit farther than she had intended... Others made their mark though and soared high into the sky. The yard was well lit for the several seconds she had focused for them to exist. She saw no shapes in the yellow-white light, but one thing did catch her eye—she frowned at the sight of the oddity. 

The garden cellar door was hanging ajar, off of one hinge.

Para was again surrounded by only the dim glow of the single light bulb above her head. What would something want in the shed, she pondered, then gulped. Whatever it was, she knew it had to be strong to accomplish such an act, and that made her worry. 

Para laid down her candle on the step, then, her sword was drawn and moved into a steady guard position. The charter marks she'd added onto it herself glowed lightly in the dark as she moved out onto the lawn. Briefly, she stopped walking and shut her eyes just to curse to herself, then continued. This is stupid and beyond foolish, not brave! she thought. Still, despite her thoughtless decision to see things for herself, she crept forward to the doorway. Regardless, she was now very thankful she had brought her mother's sword.

Focusing, Para again drew on the charter and cast forth runes for light. They spun outward, but this time onto her sword and above her. The pool's glow was steady and remained this time, if a great deal smaller than before. 

The cellar door was hanging quite far open and leaning lazily. It wasn't in the way of the passage though, so Para peered down into its depths. Immediately she saw nothing, but then... 

There was a twig that snapped off to the left somewhere. 

Para quickly spun to face her would be attacker, hastily drawing in charter marks for destruction and fire to her mind. They formed there and need only be spoke now—a great pair of azure eyes glowed in the darkness; they reflected her golden light. There was a glowing aura above them as well. 

Para's own eyes widened in hysterical fright immediately. 

"Free magic monsteer-r-r!" she cried out immediately. Her eye's bulged, and fell backwards, tripping on her night gown and long coat. Her sword spun behind and away from her hand as she landed. 

The creature was charging her now; it ran towards her with a terrifying speed. 

Remembering her spell, Para cast it frantically; it almost didn't form right in her panic. "ANET, C-Calew! Ferhan!" The charter marks wiggled and flew forward from an outstretched hand. After a moment's hesitation, they roared across the remaining gap between her and the creature. She cried out as they missed their mark, then flew back and struck against the school's property wall. 

The shape had stopped though, and seemed to be retreating. 

Para didn't wait, she rolled over and kicked herself into a run—snatching up her sword as she went. Panting, she jumped indoors and slammed the barricade behind her. 

"Oh wow, that was too close." Para leaned against the side of the door, her adrenaline pumping.







Rarity leaned against the back of the basement door shed, her adrenaline was pumping furiously as she panted, "Oh wow, that was far too close for comfort!" Her voice sprang into a squeak as she finished her sentence. She peered around the corner hesitantly at the strange magical glow above the now shut doorway to the nearby castle-building. The glowing light disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. 

"Honestly, I was only trying to help her up! Hadn't she heard me?" Rarity pouted in contemplation of what she'd heard the girl exclaim. She had called me a monster. Her mane couldn't really be that disorderly, she wondered, could it? For a moment, she panicked over just how badly she must look. "I need a mirror! This just isn't fair..." Her hooves gingerly felt around her mane, and she sniffed the hair for singed hairs. 

Rarity's memory caught, recalling the strange events. "What was that she attacked me with? I've never seen magic like that before. Not even Twilight's spells are that bizarre." Gulping, she pulled back around the corner of the cellar stairs. She couldn't stay there now, she thought, it was dangerous. 

Rarity sighed and sat against the shed behind her. The brief look she had taken around the area revealed very little as to her location. It certainly had not revealed a clue as to where she even was. 

Rarity gazed back up at the sky, remembering something she had found out earlier. "The stars... None of the stars are familiar at all." Tired and frightened, she crept away from the castle and towards the forested area nearby; there was a gate that she had found there. It was locked, but she could fix that easily. For now, she decided she should just find a place to rest. 

Once in the underbrush and farther away from the castle, Rarity breathed more easily. "I hope I had merely startled the dear, thought that didn't seem to be the case... Just where in Equestria is this place?" She traversed the back areas of the strange castle ground for nearly a mile before she again came to the small gate she was searching for. With her magic and horn focused upon, she was able to quickly pop its simple lock open. A metal bar that held it shut slid away with another aqua glow and she moved through the passage. Fields and forests stretched in every direction in the moonlight.

It looked to Rarity, now more than ever, that she would be doing her all time, least, favorite activity for the night. 

Roughing it. 







The next morning was a weekend. 

Girls of every form and level of Wyverly College's schooling were out and about in droves. Some played in the sports grounds beyond the College walls and others studied dutifully in the libraries. They were visited by parents or taken to the nearby town of Bain for a trip by bus. Most of all, though, the girls were gone from the college for the day. 

One girl of the sixth form, however, sat in the Head Mistresses' office still; the Head Mistress being the infamous Mrs. Umbrade. She was a greying woman, just reaching her older years, and no nonsense was her middle name. She stood at an average stature. Para, the girl confronted by her, sat rigidly in the chair before the desk. Standing beside the desk, also facing the young woman, was Ms. Greenwood; she was the Magistrix for the school and was responsible for instructing the students on charter magic for the parents wishing their daughters to learn of its art—for a hefty sum of course. 

Mrs. Umbrade began again, from the top. "Now, Para dear, you're sure that what you saw was some kind of monster, as you put it?" The rigidly seated girl shook her head up and down vigorously. The head mistress held little belief for the supernatural, as she saw it, even as fully aware of its existence as she was. It was simply the common mindset south of the wall. 

Ms. Greenwood frowned at the implications though, and leaned over to talk to Mrs. Umbrade quietly. "I told you we should have let Abhorsen pay for Sabriel's third tuition with charter defenses, but you didn't listen." She tapped her finger on the desk, raising her eyebrows at the other woman. 

Umbrade looked over and shooed the older Magistrix away with one hand, then returned to her questioning. 

Para spoke up, interrupting, instead. "I-I don't know what it was, Headmistress, like I said. I don't remember feeling or tasting free magic, either." She knew what that meant, that it could have been a free dead-spirit then. They often coursed with free magic, but sometimes not. 

All three of the women knew very little of necromancy and the dead, in general; other than, of course, that they could turn up this close to the wall. In fact, they all happened to think at the same time, the only one close at hand that knew anything about necromancy beyond rumors and vague scripts was...







"...Sabriel," Ms. Greenwood began. "Just what was it that you felt last night?"

The young girl of twelve looked up from her morning breakfast, smiling, and set her fork and knife down beside the platter full of pancakes smugly. "Why Ms. Greenwood, a very good morning to you; last night? I'm really not sure wha—"

Mrs. Umbrade interrupted her briskly, clearing her throat. "Sabriel, we know you were outside of your dormitory again last night, and alongside your friend Ellimere too. Para told us quite clearly that you were trying to warn us, though, so we won't be punishing you—this time. Now please, child, tell us what it was." She folded her hands over her front and tilted her head impatiently. 

Sabriel frowned a little, but inhaled and did as she was told. "...I was going to say, Headmistress, that I'm really not sure what it was that I felt last night. It wasn't dead though, I assume that's what you're asking me." Sabriel was the only one amongst them with a sense for the dead. It was curious to Ms. Greenwood why that was the case. She had the suspicion there was some training for even an accomplished charter mage such as herself that must be undergone. In any case, at least their fears were laid to rest by the young girl. 		

Para spoke up shakily from the corner bench of the table. "You're sure, Sabriel?"

"Really Para, I think you let your fears get the best of you. It must have been some animal, maybe a badger or some such thing." The headmistress interrupted, stating soundly.

Ms. Greenwood turned casually and left the emptying cafeteria, and Mrs. Umbrade continued on with her various explanations for the occurrence to the upperclassman. 

Sabriel peered around Para and her opponent after the retreating Magistrix, then to her food, then back up again. She finally sighed, and muttered an unheard farewell before taking off after the magics professor. 

Ms. Greenwood herself was leaving to investigate the door that was allegedly "ripped from its hinges". 

"Magistrix!" Sabriel called out, giving chase.

The teacher turned her head slightly, without slowing her gait. She then bid Sabriel a proper good morning; it was difficult to have a warm greeting when the headmistress was involved, more often than not. "So, skipping breakfast?" She asked, also. 

Sabriel smirked and gave her teacher a full grin. "I'll get to double up at lunch this way! So, what do you think it was? I'm so glad to hear I hadn't imagined it after all!" The girl's long dark hair swayed behind her as she walked, bouncing lightly and excitedly. 

"Well, I'm certainly not glad your night gloom was real, Sabriel. I'm merely thankful that Para escaped unscathed. As for it's identity, I hope to get some clue by looking at the supply cellar itself. It's largely unused and empty, so why break it open? I wonder..." 

Sabriel put on a confused look and began thinking herself. Para had claimed that it had attacked her... It had broken a door... Everything pointed to a dead creature seeking shelter from the sun. Perhaps it had been so weak even she couldn't feel it? But then it would have probably stayed there. The thoughts had gone in one big unhelpful circle.

"I suppose it must have been seeking a gardening shovel, whatever it was." Sabriel shrugged with both hands in the air, laughing weakly. 

The Magistrix chuckled along with Sabriel, enjoying the bright young girl's company. 

Once outside, the warm summer air met them alongside the sun, beaming down full force.







Rarity chewed her lip nervously from where she sat in the large courtyard's bushes. She'd worked up courage all morning to come and introduce herself in order to get help. But now that she had arrived here... "I simply can't do it," she resolved weakly. "I'm in such a state and what if they try to kill me again!?" She tried to minimize how much she was frowning. After wearing the expression all morning and lacking her lotions she could practically feel the wrinkles forming.

The low grumble of Rarity's stomach spoke up once again, beckoning her attention. A frown creased her face, and she stared down at the offending bodily organ making the complaint. The grass she had ever so hesitantly sampled hadn't been at all desirable. In fact, she was remiss to believe it had even been edible. Not that she made a habit of it at all, but any vegetation from around her own house was a delicacy compared to the grass around her. 

Still, Rarity considered, her body needed nourishment of some sort if she was to keep going... and a bath. She sighed in defeat, but tried not to breath too deeply—after all, her mane smelled something awful, like a dank sewer rag wrapped in dirt. 

Without warning her ears perked up, as well as her body, which went stiff with surprise. She looked eagerly towards the building where from a noise had come. There were two shapes there, walking across the lawn. They passed the rather wonderful gardens, then headed towards the cellar door which Rarity fully recognized. It was the one which she had... not so carefully ended up breaking to escape out of. It had, however, been an accident on her part. 

"I should go over there and apologize right now for that..." Rarity said worriedly, watching the strangers with a weary look. Her eyes narrowed as she reflected guiltily on the property damage. She couldn't get her hooves to move though, and instead watched the two shapes come, and then go, leaving the broken door. 

The entire ordeal of Rarity's watching from a distance lasted nearly twenty minutes, too. 

The mostly alabaster unicorn—considering the stains and dirt—stood idly and prayed to Luna and Celestia for courage, but too little came. Defeated once again Rarity slumped back into the filthy ground, sighing. Oh, she thought quietly. I don't care anymore. I think I'm actually getting used to the dirt, even. In fact, I love the dirt! It is simply fantas— 

Rarity's head rung with an audible thrumming sound. 

Slowly, she replaced the hoof she'd used to knock some sense into herself back on the ground. "This is no time for one of Twilight's breakdowns, Rarity! You're a lady and you're made of tougher stuff! But most of all, you're going out there. Right..." Inhaling sharply she took a deep breath. 

Rarity really felt she was serious this time. "Now!" she cried, and before she could stop or talk herself out of it, dashed out into plain sight. Her body jerked backward sharply, however, after only a few strides, then stopped again. 

After a quick whimper, Rarity ever so silently and sneakily began moving from her hiding spot to another one, rather than simply run. On second thought, I'll play it safe! Yes, that's a much better idea. Moving onwards, she crept back towards the castle like building from piece of cover to cover. She crouched and crawled through tall unkempt grassy areas, and slid alongside garden boxes. If only Dash were here to make brash decisions for me, she thought, sighing quietly once again.

Briefly, Rarity stopped to admire a clothesline from a horn-high brick structure, which awfully resembled a barbecue for roasting vegetables. She paused and studied it, a little curious, The two legged creatures had quite the fascinating attire, certainly, she considered. After I befriend them perhaps I could use that as common ground to gain their trust? 

Rarity spared herself a quick smile as she continued to move towards the castle, still unsure of exactly what she was going to do. Something made her slam on the brakes, however, and pulled at her nose.

"Oh, oh my... What is that smell?" Suddenly the most heavenly aroma had appeared, making her neck stretch out to its fullest. Her head popped up and over the low hedge she was currently moving behind. 

Rarity spotted the source immediately; only twenty strides from herself, resting there unguarded and in the open, was a pie; a steaming freshly baked pie. 

The watering in Rarity's mouth began even as she laid eyes on it. Her stomach rumbled in frustration at the sight immediately. Quickly, so as not to give herself away, she ducked behind the hedge again. She began glaring angrily at the grass and her stomach. "No! I won't stoop to thievery you, I—" It grumbled again at her, slowly this time, as though it were making a pointed fact. 

Rarity's brow wrinkled in thought and weakness. Sighing, she looked over the hedge again, then clutched her eyes shut in acceptance. It was simply too glorious a sight to ignore, she decided. "Alright, fine you win," she relented.

Rarity began her steady trek towards the castle again. This time, the pie was her goal, however. She addressed the thing responsible for her decision curtly. "But we're only doing this because I suspect that I'll be chased off again after what happened last night anyway, you hear me?" 

The stomach growled one last, short sputter in what may have been a satisfied response. 

First looking every which way, including up, she checked that the coast was clear. Satisfied, Rarity rolled the last open space and into the bushes outside the window. Other smells made themselves known to her now, glorious smells. Rich spices, pancake batter, and is that eggs I detect? Her mouth had never watered so much in her life. But she kept her eyes on the goal. 

Carefully, Rarity nudged forward and lit up her horn; she didn't want to get too close. Slowly, the precious pie slid from the window ledge—out of her reach by at least two strides anyway—and down towards her. Steam trailed slowly behind her breakfast.

"Come to momma!" she whispered, tongue lolling out of her mouth.




> Chapter 4 : The Great Pie Caper
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
"Take life as it comes. Run when you have to, fight when you must, rest when you can."
- Elyas Machera








"Come to Sabriel!" Sabriel shouted suddenly. She had felt the strange magic again.

Ellimere and Sulyn glanced over from their game of chess to look at their now mysteriously excited raven haired friend. As one, the two girls turned away from the eccentric girl to look at each other, smirking. After a pause they both grinned, then laughed at the way they had mirrored each other's reaction on impulse. They were getting used to being friends with the older girl. 

Sabriel caught on that she was what was being laughed at and stormed over. "Oh come off it you two, what's so funny? Never mind, I felt it again just now!" She shook the coat sleeve of Sulyn anxiously, who had traded her gleeful smile for a look of consternation and worry directed at Ellimere. 

Ellimere merely responded by pointing back at Sulyn. "It's your turn, I baby-sat her last night." 

Sabriel scowled at her other friend and squinted her eyes. "Come on Ellimere, it's just out in the garden, maybe not even! I'll bet it's inside the college! It's so close, please oh please come?" She begged her friend with what she hoped were the most endearing pair of eyes that Ellimere had ever seen. Slowly, she swiveled them towards Sulyn as well and managed a sad whimper for good measure.

"Holy charter!" Ellimere covered her face and groaned out angrily. "Alright fine, lead the way." She shook her head in defeat looking up and heaving a sigh. 

Sulyn rolled her eyes before picking up and dropping her queen, on a vector meeting with Ellimere's king. "Checkmate."







Rarity made her way towards the trees in the very back of the strange castle's courtyard to enjoy her meal. Quite taken with her prize, she couldn't help but stop and sample it once or twice. Make that three times. 

Behind and unbeknownst to the unicorn, a trio of girls, two being led by a quite literally jumping third—hurriedly made their way into the trees as well. The unicorn perked her head up along with her ears at the sound of approaching laughter. Cautiously, she looked over the bush beside her, then flinched back immediately. Oh no, they're coming this way! Okay don't panic Rarity simply stand tall, speak eloquently and-

RUN! 

In a flash, the skittish unicorn was running without concern further into the brush. Her muddied hooves parted saplings and branches alike, the only care she took was in levitating her pie before her—keeping it mostly unsullied. She tumbled once, tripping over a log, but regained her hoofing and galloped on. 

Eventually Rarity slowed, then stopped. She had come to the strange grey castle's wall. Panting, she sank to the ground and looked behind herself, gasping for breath. There was no one there. "Oh thank Celestia, I think I lost them." Collapsing there on the ground, Rarity smiled weakly at the still steaming feast she had made off with. A twinge of guilt panged her heart, but now she could re-approach those she had wronged with a full stomach. Then, I can make it up to them, if it proves that I will be able to-

A twig snapped behind Rarity, followed by the rustling of leaves. Her eyes shot to their utmost widest. Shaking, she turned around, tears already forming in her eyes as her mind jumped to conclusions. Images of the night before, of fire and blazing symbols careening towards her unprovoked shot through her terror stricken thoughts. 

There they were, three tall shapes all staring at her. Just. Staring. 

The unicorn skidded backwards on her rump until she ran into a hard object. "Gaah-haah! I'm sorry-iee-heehee! I didn't want to take the pie! Or break your door! Or trespass! Plea-hease have mercy!" Her eyes had clenched shut as soon as they had met those of the girl's. 

The girls themselves simply stood in shock at what lay trembling before them. It appeared by all rights to be a tiny, oddly colored horse, with what looked like a pie outstretched on one of its hooves. Not to mention that just a moment ago the strange looking thing had been speaking. 

Ellimere fainted.








Sabriel giggled and spared only a glance for her friend who had just fallen over. 

Sulyn, however, knelt beside Ellimere immediately and tried to help by waving a hand over her face. This was of course in between staring incredulously at the white and brown animal huddled against an old maple tree. Sabriel knelt as well, after approaching the creature a little bit. Only six or so feet away she stretched a hand out towards it—as one may to a cat or dog.

"Hey, hey there we're not going to hurt you." Sabriel cooed towards the strange creature.

Rarity's eyes shot open and stared, still wide, at the now much closer Sabriel. 

"We want to be your friends, honest." Sabriel took a gamble next. "What's your name? I'm Sabriel, these are my two friends- er, friend. Sulyn is the conscious one, Ellimere is the uhm, sleeping one." She giggled and looked back at the animal that very much resembled a tiny pony to her eyes. It possessed some very blatant differences though, she noted. 

Sabriel perhaps turned back to face the creature too quickly, because as she did so it jumped and made the cutest eep noise she had ever heard. As a result, it dropped the pie which it had held out on one outstretched hoof, face down in the muck. 

Even stronger tears than before welled up into its eyes as Sabriel looked on. It began bawling right then and there. "No! Why-y do these things happen to me-e-hee-e? I just want to go home! I did just want a meal, but I can't even have that, can I? Oh you're a fool, Rarity!" It fell on the ground pleadingly before the ruined pastry and into its front legs.

The disturbance she had felt wasn't anything but a fellow living creature after all, Sabriel concluded. But one that also talks! She felt bad, because her smile actually grew with every word the strange creature spoke, despite its negative scope. Thinking on things, her smile shrank and became tempered by awareness of the poor thing's unhappiness. She paid very close attention to what it was saying.

"I could get you another one." Sabriel spoke up cheerfully.

Rarity's eyes looked up cautiously at the strange thing that sat before her. Or stood, whatever it was doing. She had simply fallen into despair, sure that it was her end, and the last straw had been lost over the pie. Her eyes clenched shut for a moment, unable to see anything anyway from the tears. Perfect job Rarity, they think you really are a fool, of that you can be sure. Where has your common sense and etiquette gone? You left it in that cave apparently. With some emotional effort, she managed a calm outward demeanor. 

Sabriel frowned down at the shivering creature on the forest ground. Gosh, she's beautiful. The horse, while muddy, was simply elegant in every sense of the word. "You said your name was Rarity? Or was that a friend...?" She spoke in hopes of trying to get the little thing to speak again.

Rarity swallowed, rubbed her eyes and tried to salvage the situation. "N-no, I am Rarity, or Miss Rarity if you would prefer. Ahem, uhm it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss?" She fluttered her eyes weakly alongside her last ditch effort to make a good impression. She was all too aware of just how bad she must look, and it was all she could do to just maintain eye contact.

Sabriel's smile grew tenfold again. Behind her, Sulyn was waving a hand in front of her own face and pinching herself. 

"Oh no the pleasure is all mine." Sabriel lowered herself to a crossed legged position. "And my name is Sabriel as I said, over there is Sulyn, and that's Ellimere!" 

Sulyn managed a weak twitch of her still shocked face and waved. Ellimere lay as still as a rock in the grass. 

"Oh dear, she'll be alright won't she?" Rarity leaned forward to point a hoof at the open mouthed and unconscious Ellimere. Sabriel spared her friend a glance and shrugged. 

"I'm sure she'll be alright, I think you frightened her is all." Sabriel held up a hand to conceal her chuckle a little.

"I frightened her!? Goodness, you three had me so scared I saw my fillyhood flash before my eyes, and that encounter last night... I had thought for certain I was going to die, uhm." Rarity gave them each another nervous look and lifted a leg as if to go. Her eyes darted to the gate further along the wall. Sabriel was quick to try and settle her though. The last thing she wanted was for this encounter to end. 

"It was a misunderstanding. Para—that is the girl you met last night, by the way—she thought you were a dead creature, or something attacking her. You weren't though, were you? Attacking her that is." Sabriel's smile didn't falter, whoever or whatever Rarity was, she was delightful and amazingly well mannered. She quite reminded Sabriel of their Etiquette class teacher, actually. Just the thought of the comparison was worthy of a few snickers.

"By Celestia, no! I saw her trip for some reason, well, in all honesty I knew she had been from setting eyes on me... So I may have panicked and rushed over to see if she was alright. That was... That was when these golden arcs of light shot out at me." Rarity shrank as she retold the horror story of her first human encounter. 

Sabriel nodded and frowned slightly. "Charter marks, those could've killed you alright, definitely. Oh, I mean-" Sabriel regretted her matter-of-fact statement after seeing the look on Rarity's face widen in shock—aghast at the very notion. "Well, what I mean to say is that we don't want to hurt you, it was an accident. It's just very dangerous around here at night sometimes. Not usually, but... It's a good idea to be cautious." 

Rarity's demeanor calmed again and she nodded—only half understanding what she was being told. 

Sabriel pressed on still excited. "So, uhm, what are you exactly? Some manner of free magic spirit? A lost race? A construct? You aren't something dead after all, are you?" 

Blinking, Rarity leaned back from the girl's fervor, but laughed. It was a light tinkling that she managed. She noted that it was the first she'd laughed in earnest since waking up there. Wherever here is. Her mind thought absently.

"No darling, I am not any of those...things. Just a humble pony. Are all of those...whatever they were you said, actually other creatures from around here?" Rarity waited for Sabriel's suspicious look to fade, and the girl nodded in answer. "I see, and what exactly is 'Free Magic'?" Rarity asked earnestly, tilting her head slightly. 

The raven haired schoolgirl was taken aback by this second, even more incredible question. In her mind, only people far south of the wall wouldn't know what free magic was. Certainly an obviously magical animal would be well aware of its existence. 

"Free magic's...complicated, but it's evil and chaotic. Only really bad people or old things can use it." Sabriel grimaced to the side while talking about the taboo art.

Rarity frowned, but took advantage of the silence. "We certainly don't have any of that or those monsters in Equestria that I can think of, though we do have our own variety... No zombies though, despite what Spike or Pinkie may say. Well, whatever the case may be I must say I am at quite the loss concerning you three. I may be a Unicorn like Twilight, but I certainly don't share her vast array of useful knowledge." She gave a light laugh at what she'd made sound like a quip.  "So, what are you? If I may be so bold to ask? I have no idea what you all are at all." 

Sulyn's eyes however shot up upon hearing something.

"U-u-unicorn?" The eyes of the quiet young girl traced across the tip of Rarity's horn and across her other dirty features. Sulyn had beaten Sabriel to the next turn at speaking. Sabriel and Rarity alike both turned towards the girl who had suddenly spoken up. For Sulyn, her sneaking suspicions had just been confirmed—and straight from the horses mouth! So to speak... "B-but, those aren't real. Are they?" She looked questioningly to Sabriel, who grinned knowingly back at her friend's version of excitement. "Wow, I've always dreamed of meeting a real unicorn." She gazed starry eyed at Rarity, who managed a weak smile in return.

"You've heard of unicorns before, Sulyn?" Sabriel tilted her head. 

Rarity's head followed the girls' conversation as each one spoke in turn to the other. Perhaps they could even help her after all, she decided. The matter of how old they were suddenly popped into her thoughts, they sounded rather young to her fuzzy ears.

Nodding rapidly, Sulyn answered Sabriel. "Yeah, of course. They're an old legend from further south. I've read about them in a couple favorite books of mine. They're majestic beasts, strong and proud and resembling horses with a horn." 

Rarity had felt her smile grow and wilt within the same sentence the girl had spoken. Horse? I am not a...whatever that is! Rarity is a lady first, no matter what. 

Sulyn went on. "I read about them in fantasy books though. Not anything factual, I've never considered that they would be real." 

The wilted smile Rarity had donned turned into a desolate frown. Nothing factual? Fiction? But that's just simply not possible, even if I were in a foreign country somehow. Surely they've encountered Unicorns!? Or Pegasi! Or Earth Ponies! They're everywhere, not just in Equestria but all around the world! Rarity's face grew stern and she glared at the dirt in thought. 

How have I gotten to a place where Unicorns and ponies are considered by a never-before-seen or mentioned race of creatures to be as fictional as a 'Daring Do' novel?  Rarity muttered to herself quietly to answer the thought, not breaking her staring contest with the ground. "Am I dead? Or dreaming?"

Sabriel still spoke with Sulyn, she grinned at her friend's answer. Things were getting more and more interesting for her as they spoke. Abruptly, she turned without missing a beat to face Rarity, whose purple mane hung over her drooping head. "Well, to answer your question Miss Rarity, we're humans, people, or persons. However you want to say it really is good." Cheerily she rambled on. "But how have you never met a human before? We're literally everywhere, even in the Old Kingdom there are people and cities. What are you doing on this side of the wall actually? You're from the north aren't you? I saw you use some kind of strange magic and magic doesn't work here in Ancelstierre—usually anyway. By the way, can you please show us some of your magic? I am deeply interested in it, maybe I could even study it a little?" 

Rarity was completely caught off guard by the girl's second tirade. She watched confused and mesmerized by the speech that would have impressed Pinkie Pie. At first, only half of what was said was heard, but her smile returned as she picked up the jist of everything. 

Rarity giggled and held one grimy hoof to cover her muzzle. "You remind me of a friend of mine back home, Sabrie-" Her stomach chose that moment to grumble again—perhaps becoming frustrated with its owner. She laughed uneasily to cover up the embarrassment. 

"W-well where was I? Oh yes, I really can't say, Miss Sabriel. You see, I've never heard of any of that. I'm from a land called Equestria," Rarity became disheartened as she saw a distinct lack of recognition in either Sulyn's or Sabriel's eyes. "It's our kingdom you see, ruled by the Princesses Celestia and Luna? They raise and control the sun and moon?" 

That earned some gasps from them, but now they just looked confused and skeptical. 

Rarity coughed and moved on. "If you haven't guessed by now, I really don't know what it is I'm doing here at all. I was just swimming with my friends Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash when I-" 

The two girls suddenly devolved into a fit of giggles, Sabriel made a big show of it and even fell over. 

Rarity's ears twitched and stood up. "W-what is so funny?" She looked between them wearing unease on her face. Was it something I said?

Sabriel rolled back upright from falling on her back. "N-no, heh, it's nothing, sorry. Your friends just had silly names that's all." Sabriel couldn't help but grin. "Pinkie Pie? Really? Rainbow Dash wasn't that much better, actually..."

"Well I have to say, as pretty as your names both sound they're gibberish to me, so fair's fair." Punctuating her statement Rarity raised her muzzle up mockingly and pawed a hoof at them in the air. The girls blinked before they caught on and the three all settled into a fit of giggling caused by the fake recompense of the unicorn. 

A commanding roar interrupted them once again. 

Rarity blushed and peered down at her stomach. "Oh dear, darlings I hate to be a bother, really, but I don't suppose I could trouble you both for a little something to eat?" She smiled weakly, embarrassed. "I-I will understand if you don't want to; I am trespassing and a stranger and I really don't want to be a bo-" 

Sulyn held up a hand and smiled kindly. "I'll go. It will be easy for me to get something from the kitchen. The cooks adore me." She mimicked Rarity's earlier display and earned herself a giggle.

"Are you sure Sulyn, I can go? Besides, I've been hogging all the questions," Sabriel tilted her head at her friend. "We don't know how long Miss Rarity will be staying either so why don't you ask some Unicorn related stuff? I'll be right back!" Sabriel was already lifting off the ground and dashing away. "Oh uhm, plus you should watch Ellimere anyway; she'll probably be upset when she does wakes up." 

Sulyn smiled at her flighty and hasty friend's back, who had made the decision for her, not that she minded that. The blonde haired girl looked nervously back at her company, whom she was now alone with, as Ellimere certainly didn't count.

The words Sulyn wanted to say jumbled about in her mind, talking wasn't her strongest quality or skill. The trait was usually what kept her grade in Etiquette class so terrible. The Unicorn smiled at her though. She thought again about just how amazing it was that she was meeting one, and that they were so pretty—and could talk. 

"C-can . . . c-" Sulyn gulped.

"Yes, darling?" Rarity was getting familiar vibes again from the human sitting just a couple meters from her. It was uncanny really, she considered, just how much these two reminded her of her friends. Or perhaps I'm just projecting on them?

"Ahem, that is, may I touch your mane? Uhm, Miss Rarity?" Sulyn's smile fluctuated between growing and disappearing altogether. 

Rarity's eyes widened and she put on a face of modest surprise just before laughing. "Well, of course you may." She stood up and trotted over to the girl—who squeaked in what she hoped was glee. 

Rarity frowned a bit, coming to a stop in front of the excited filly. "It is, uhm, very messy though, not at all at its best. I've had quite the rough couple of days you understand, what I really need is a bath. Oh, it's just been dreadful out here darling, you have no idea." Sulyn's hand stretched out and stroked the glossy purple hair cascading over the unicorn's shoulder. Even full of twigs and leaves it was pristine, merely filled with foreign debris.

It's nothing like my horses' manes back home... Sulyn thought, then realized she was staring and that Rarity had finished speaking. The girl looked up and grinned uncontrollably. "A bath? Like in a river?" 

The unicorn gasped at the notion. "Oh heavens no, that isn't a bath dear. I mean in a proper tub, or at the very least a shower, with some shampoos and maybe some incense for atmosphere . . . Mmm, that does sound divine now- What? Is there something on my face?" Sulyn schooled her looks and blushed, she hadn't meant to let her surprise show.

"N-no, I'm sorry I just didn't expect you to use a bath like us. So . . . And I'm sorry to ask don't take this the wrong way, but . . . You live like us? I mean, like humans? Not like . . . Uhm, animals?" Rarity sat and thought on the strange question. It was certainly an odd thing to compare how the woodland and field creatures preferred to live in comparison to ponyfolk and others. 

"Uhm, well yes I suppose? Ponies rather enjoy and prefer to live in a civilized fashion, that is to say in an actual civilization itself. Our languages are certainly more refined to begin with. We also have quite a few grandiose cities and the capitol, that's Canterlot. It is home to the most marvelous palaces and gold peaked towers . . . I'm rather glad of all this too, I could never live in a forest or a beaver's dam, could you imagine?" Rarity laughed at the joke, but it slowed to a few awkward chuckles when Sulyn just smiled back blankly. "Something wrong, Sulyn?" The name felt strange on Rarity's tongue. It was pretty though, she rather liked it, too. 

"N-not at all! I mean, it's just strange I guess. Uhm, do other animals live in . . . Civilization? Like squirrels?" Rarity blinked, that was an odd question too. 

"Well no, although a few do like to share proper houses with other animals. Typically they seem just happy living in any old burrow. They do tend to prefer staying near to town, however. It means getting taken better care of by us ponies, Fluttershy for instance, bless her heart—that's one of my friends by the way." Rarity sighed and looked up through the tree branches at the cloud's, picturing her friend as she spoke. "That girl's house is always swarmed with visitors and regulars alike. But, it does seem more common for the little darlings to stay in the wilderness and fend for themselves more often than not. Is that what you meant...?" She'd seen Sulyn's eyes widen at the start when she'd said 'house'. "I guess that's not normal here then?"

Sulyn swallowed, getting more questions and more interested which each one she asked. "Sooo . . . They're smart?" She quirked an eyebrow. "Like me or you? Can they all speak?"

"Well they speak animal, if that's what you mean. I'm no good at understanding chirps and such myself, but my friend Fluttershy for instance, has an innate gift with the dears. One that few ever seem to, she understands them perfectly, well, most of the time. Pinkie Pie is fairly good at listening to them as well, sometimes...I think. Then again, honestly I'm not a hundred percent sure with Pinkie." Rarity recalled Pinkie's full blown and seemingly one sided conversations with Gummy briefly.  "Smart, though? I'm not sure I follow you darling, what do you mean by bringing up their intelligence?"

Sulyn's eyes grew wider with each thing Rarity said that she didn't quite fully understand. When the pony finished speaking, she had to shake herself briefly to continue. "Could they do math for instance? I'm sorry I don't mean to pry, it's not as though it's important . . . I just love animals, I've always wished I could speak with them." She finished by smiling sheepishly at her conversation partner. 

Pawing a hoof in reassuring fashion, Rarity answered Sulyn's demure apology with a lady's grace—despite being covered in muck. "Oh not at all, ask anything you'd like Sulyn, I'm the one who's indebted to you after all. I get the feeling I may be in your debt for sometime as well... Never mind that though, uhm, yes I suppose some of them could be taught math. I once saw a sweater which an eagle knit, that I found to be particularly impressive. It was very good stitch work as wel- Sulyn what's the matter darling? Oh, I said something strange again, didn't I?" Sulyn gulped again and nodded slowly, but a faint open mouthed smile worked itself into being.

"I think..." Sulyn began, but trailed off and had to start again. "I think that it's safe to conclude that animals here are very different from your animals, Miss Rarity. I'd be lucky to teach a dog to roll over here... I'm fairly certain that even in the Old Kingdom, animals aren't that smart." She tried to picture just how an eagle could possibly knit a sweater in her head, but her brain wasn't having it.

The topic drifting back to Rarity's position, caused the unicorn to reflect on what she'd heard thus far. None of it had reassured her yet... Worse, she recalled the stars from the night before, and that she had not recognized a single one.

"I... See, you mean to say that animals aren't friendly?" Rarity asked distractedly, she didn't hear Sulyn's answer—her thoughts were elsewhere. The mare didn't quite yet want to learn any more of the hopelessness of her situation. The idea that she could have ended up outside her own world even... It was clear to her though, this wasn't Equestria. 

I'm simply not in my homeland any longer.

"Rarity?" The unicorn looked over, it was Sabriel holding a plate of pancakes. "They're a little cold, but they should fill you up! I hope they're alright, I didn't think you might want something else until I was halfway back out here . . ." The unicorn's heart pulled a one eighty. Puzzle solving later, pancakes now. Her mind emptied immediately and was filled with only pancakes, delicious scrumptious pancakes! In every direction! 

"I've never seen anything more beautiful in my entire life! This is more than perfect Sabriel, oh thank you!" Her voice escalated into her trademark squeak at the tail end of her sentence, that wasn't done on purpose either, despite popular belief around Ponyville. She wasn't that much of a drama queen. It just came naturally...

Rarity's horn glowed and lifted the plate and the silverware atop the pancakes, she spotted the jar of syrup in Sabriel's other hand. "Would you be so kind as to pour me some of that delicious syru— uhm, oh. What is it now? What did I do?" Sulyn sat stiffly on her knees, her back was straight in obvious shock. Sabriel's mouth was practically dragging on the forest floor. 

Ellimere's eyes cracked open a hair. Her head hurt a little, and she felt twigs and dirt in her hair for some reason. What had happened...?

The scream caught Rarity and the other two Wyverly schoolgirls completely off guard.




> Chapter 5 : Give who a chance?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	




"Ellimere, come back here this instant, and for charter's sake calm down!" Sabriel yelled. Her friend was hiding twenty yards away behind a tree, shaking. Her eyes stared widely around its side every other second. Sulyn stood slowly from kneeling where Ellimere had been, and tried to approach her friend to give Sabriel some back up. "She's not dangerous, alright? She's very friendly!" Sabriel flung one hand out to her side, gesturing towards Rarity.

"I don't bite, I promise." Rarity's eyes fluttered, and she gave her best winning smile to the newly awakened girl. While it was true the pancakes were what had mostly put her in the current chipper mood, she really did want the other girl to calm down, too. Not that it wasn't like her to turn up the charm when needed, anyway.

"H-How is she doing that?" Ellimere exclaimed, her entire body shaking.

Rarity cringed back a little, and her smile faltered in response to the other girl's outburst. 

Ellimere had jabbed an arm around the tree without looking. It pointed at Rarity's magical aura, which still floated the plate of pancakes and silverware. 

Sabriel took one glance and exhaled impatiently. 

Ellimere continued. "A-And what is that thing anyway!?" 

Sabriel threw up her hands and stormed past Sulyn, who had been quietly trying to reassure her panicked friend hiding behind the tree. 

"You're being RUDE, Ellimere." Sabriel scowled, but went on. "And 'that' is a she, and she is called 'Rarity'. So before you make me angry, how about you calm down, sit with us and we'll explain everything while Rarity, eats. Honestly, you act as if you've never even seen magic before." Sabriel paused a second. "Actually, you did act a bit like this during our first charter lesson, didn't you? Not nearly so hectic bu—"

"Sabriel, we need to get the teachers!" Ellimere gritted her teeth and whispered through them. "That thing could be dangerous—" 

Sabriel scowled at the girl still clinging to the tree. Did she really just ignore every word I said? she thought incredulously.

Sulyn interjected. "She's not dangerous or a thing Ellimere, I promise you. She's a Unicorn." 	

The curly brown haired girl stared disbelievingly at Sulyn. But, Sulyn's always scared of everything, and she's okay with this? Has she lost her mind? Ellimere risked another hesitant look at the strange thing in the forest clearing. Why does it have purple hair? That's not really scary, actually...

Ellimere jumped a little as Sabriel suddenly leaned against her tree while letting out a pained sigh. "Are you calm now? Look, I don't know if we should show her to anyone yet, Ellimere. She's certainly not a threat or dangerous, but I am worried how others might react... No offense, but I guess your over reaction is to be expected. She's great though, trust me! I mean, she has better manners than Mrs. Lenwine even. Come over and say hello and stop acting like a silly—"

"Filly?" Rarity said, hopping into the conversation.Ellimere eeped and spun around. Sulyn stood beside Rarity just to the side of the tree. The frightened girl of the three was so shocked, she couldn't even move. Rarity already had a hoof held up. "Oh, sorry dear, didn't mean to sneak up on you. Anyway, it's quite alright, your friends and I already spoke and I've come to understand that I'm not... Normal, in a sense for these parts. Nonetheless, I would love for us to be friends. I am called Rarity, and it is a pleasure to meet you." She held the hoof up closer to the girl who gaped openly at her. 

Ellimere's eyes watched the offering, as a hen would watch a fox threatening to eat it. 

Rarity saw this. "Oh, sorry, it's a friendly custom to shake hooves where I'm from, or in your case uhm... whatever it is that you have instead of hooves..." Her face took on a concentrated look as she squinted at the girl's hand. "I'm sorry, I'm no good with this sort of thing. Fluttershy's the expert on mythical creatures and what not." 

After a moment, Ellimere gulped and shook her head up and down slowly in acknowledgement. Sulyn and Sabriel both nudged her, smiling. Feeling a little calmed down, but still shaken overall, she shook the dainty hoof carefully, then let go after a single motion. "Nice to... meet you," was all she managed to murmur. 

"Terrific!" Sabriel grinned and exclaimed. "We're all well acquainted and friends now. Rarity's going to have a bite to eat, Ellimere, so let's not bug her." She led Ellimere further away, leaving Sulyn and Rarity by the tree. The unicorn sat a little grudgingly on the forest floor, and Sulyn watched wide eyed as she used her magic to skillfully begin digging into the pancakes. 

"Hey, will you be okay?" Sabriel fought to tear Ellimere's eyes away from the sight behind her. "You aren't going to freak out and tell the Headmistress or something, are you?" 

The curly haired girl gasped in response to the question. "I have to warn the headmistres—!" Sabriel interrupted and shook her friend once by her arms.

"No! You mustn't! We don't know how old grumpy dress will react. What if she calls the military? You really want the government to hurt Rarity? They're like, only forty miles away! There's no way she wouldn't just go ahead and do that, Ellimere." Sabriel beseeched her friend and gestured frantically to the College and back to the unicorn, who was oblivious as to what was being talked about in the midst of her feast.

Ellimere kept her feet where they were, fighting Sabriel's words from soaking into her resolve to do what she knew, was the right thing. "Sabriel she's a strange creature! How many friendly creatures have you met that weren't human or an animal huh? Have you ever met a talking creature before? And what about the things you have met, how many of them were friendly!?" Sabriel's look turned to doubt and concentration, before bursting back into a confident torrent of her own opinion. Stop being such a stubborn stick in the mud Ellimere, honestly! She thought caustically.

"So that immediately means she's evil? Because you or I haven't met a nice unicorn before? That's pretty short sighted of you, Ellimere. I thought you were better than that." Sabriel sort of regretted the words she spoke, not wanting to be mean or start a fight, but pressed on. "Just... give her a chance! If you aren't convinced after speaking to her some, then I can't stop you, but let her prove it at least? I can't imagine her being dangerous at all, and besides... she has better manners than the three of us and Mrs. Lenwine put together. Rarity can't be all that bad."

Ellimere had donned a heated look as Sabriel went on, which softened towards the end with her friend's plea. Oh, she thought. This is just like every other hair brained scheme of yours, except this one could get us killed. "Fine," she said lamentably. "I'll give her a chance, Sabriel. For you."

A voice, which was familiar to the two girls joined the conversation. "Give who a chance?" it asked, a bit of question in its tone.






Sabriel and Ellimere froze where there stood. "Ah! Uhm, Mrs. Greenwood, uh, hello what a pleasure it is to see you!" Sabriel hastily curtsied and looked behind herself warily. She could hear Sulyn talking, but just barely. Next she saw Ellimere still standing stark still, Sabriel elbowed her to knock the girl out of her shocked state. 

Her friend jump and dropped into a ridiculously deep curtsy. "Y-Yes! It's nice! Uhm, good afternoon?" She struggled out. 

"Yes, good afternoon girls, I could hear you raising a commotion from all the way over in the tomato garden...I thought maybe someone was in danger. Well, I'm glad to that isn't the case, but, what is going on? And furthermore, give who a chance?"

Ellimere fidgeted uncontrollably beside Sabriel, and she knew she wouldn't be any help. She just hoped she kept her mouth shut and didn't ruin this. Think up something Sabriel, anything! "A chance? Oh, uhm, why Sulyn of course." Miss Greenwood passed a glance between the two, perplexed. Just what had them both so nervous? She wondered it absently and picked up the sound of two voices from further into the trees. There had better not be boys here, again... These girls are far to young to be trying to break that restriction though, surely. 

Even Sabriel was on edge though, Miss Greenwood could tell easily. Ellimere was an open book when she was caught in the act or guilty, but Sabriel was crafty. It had taken a little while but Miss Greenwood had nailed down her 'tells'. 

"I see..." The Magistrix of Wyverly said sedately. "Well, what are you giving her a chance for then?"

"Chess!" "Cricket!" Ellimere and Sabriel both looked at each other, then grinned sheepishly at Miss Greenwood. 

Sulyn would never play Cricket and she was on of the best chess players her age that Miss Greenwood had ever seen. Something was fishy alright. "I see." She said nonchalantly. "Well if that's all and your safe I'll be seeing you girls later, I'll be in the library as always if you need me."

Sabriel's eyes widened. That was surprising, Miss Greenwood was by far the most student friendly teacher, if not always the most forgiving. "Really? I mean, oh of course." Ellimere shot her a pained glance from her side, Miss Greenwood, however, crossed her arms and leaned her cheek into one hand, tilting her head slightly. 

"No Sabriel not really. Who's back there, I hear two voices and I don't think Sulyn is the actress type." Ellimere opened her mouth to answer Miss greenwood but Sabriel spoke over her as best she could.

"It's not what you think! It's nothing really, she's—" from Sabriel and "I tried to tell her to get help Miss Greenwood! I really did! But it isn't our fault—" from Ellimere intermingled and became incoherent. The confronting teacher raised her hands in surprise at their outburst. 

"Girls! Calm down, just what's going on, alright? Surely it can't be that bad." Sabriel scowled at Ellimere, she had almost tried to blame her! Still, she wasn't out of this just yet.

"It's just another student, uhm, Thessia, from the fourth form? A-Anyway we shouldn't be out here in the trees, so, we'll just head back in..." Sabriel started to walk backwards towards her other friend and the pony she was trying to keep hidden desperately. If I can just make it back there, she thought, I can warn her away and she should be able to escape. 

"Sabriel, don't lie, come clean about this and whatever it is, I'm sure I can go easy on you. You really must learn to tell the truth to figures of authority. That, or get better at not getting caught, anyway." The teacher smirked at the young girl. "It can't be that bad, can it?" She continued briefly. 

Sabriel beat her friend to saying anything, this time. "Magistrix..." Sabriel hoped this came out right, and that it was even the right thing to say. "We found something, it's a creature, and it can talk. But she's not dangerous! She's amazing! And adorable! And not even from the Old Kingdom! I know it sounds crazy bu—"

Miss Greenwood's eyes widened at first, then set into a stern look as Sabriel spoke. "Sabriel... I don't need to tell you how dangerous creatures of a magical sort can be. I would assume that any that could speak are untrustworthy, too." Her immediate instincts told her that it had to be something dangerous, they always were with almost no exception whatsoever, and that was only when they disabled or powerless. The Old Kingdom's inhabitants were simply a menace. But... they left Sulyn alone with it? What is going on here.

"Stay here girls, I'll look for myse—"

"Hello!" Sulyn's head popped out from around the tree. She was safe then, thank the charter. Sabriel cringed and started to speak, but held back, held under the withering look of her teacher. "I told Rarity to hide, good afternoon Miss Greenwood." She curtsied briefly as she stepped around the tree to join them.

"...Sulyn, where is it? Come away and get behind me, child." Sulyn nodded in response, her face was cheerful, strangely, but cool and relaxed. Their teachers eyes scanned the wood line and underbrush. "Where is it?" She repeated, when the girl gave no other response.

Sulyn and Sabriel frowned and spoke in unison. "She isn't an it!" Sabriel continued matter of factly. "Her name is Rarity, she's a Unicorn and she's perfectly safe and friendly!... You already know about her, so I guess we should just let you meet her... But let me explain some things, please!" She clasped her hands together in front of her pleadingly. Miss Greenwood was lost for words as Sulyn joined her. Off to the side Ellimere looked to be trying to fade from sight by merely standing still.

"Sabriel I—"

"Please Miss Greenwood! There's an explanation, I promise!" 

"Sabriel, let me finish." The Magistrix rubbed one temple with a hand, dealing with young girls just wasn't as charming after a few decades. "I will hazard to say, that I believe you. But, it could still be a construct or something under someone's control. Now wait, just a moment, I need to think..." She shouldn't be explaining anything really, under the circumstances. It seemed a far better idea to hasten the girls inside to safety. Especially with the attack last night, this was surely the culprit. 

And yet the fact remained, that these three were all alright. She wasn't your typical teacher, not in a way that would ever jeopardize her students, no, but she listened to them and their side of things. Justice and rules without exception, were tyranny, as she saw it. The Headmistress and her got into it quite often on that topic... So, she decided that Sabriel had some idea about what she was saying. Miss Greenwood knew she was already better versed than many of the top students in the fifth and sixth form classes in charter magic, perhaps this was a case of the extraordinary, after all. 

Miss Greenwood lowered her silencing hand and took a breath ready to continue. The three girls which faced her kept their eyes locked to the ground. 

Now what had Sabriel said? The teacher pondered momentarily... A unicorn? That sounds familiar, aren't those a breed of horse? She shook her head, the image of a fiery eyed demonic undead galloping over a field of fire was tossed loose and quickly forgotten. Surely it wasn't the case.

"Very well, Sabriel, Sulyn, call out this creature. If it tries to attack us or resist, all three of you will run and warn the school." It won't come to that though, she decided darkly. A small but powerful list of charter marks stood at the ready in her mind. Ellimere spoke quietly, while Sabriel and Sulyn shared uncertain glances with each other.

"She... She really is nice, Miss Greenwood, when we found her she was lost and hungry, Rarity had taken a pie from the kitchen. I was a little scared and worried at first, she's a little strange looking you see, but... safe." The young girl gulped, then hid under her lengths of curly hair, staring at the ground.

"Like I said girls, I believe you. Now, Sabriel? If you would be so kind." Miss Greenwood finished curtly. The raven haired schoolgirl inhaled deeply, hoping this wasn't a mistake. Upon exhaling she called out for her new friend.

"Rarity! This is, uhm, our teacher, Miss Greenwood! She won't hurt you and she's very nice! If you could come out we can show her you are too. I think she just wants to meet you and get to know that you aren't dangerous!"

The four of them stood waiting, the girls expecting the alabaster unicorn to creep slowly out of the bushes nearby.

Except, after several minutes and more of calling, she didn't come.




> Chapter 6 : My Horn for a Bath!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





"But Ms. Greenwood!" Sabriel cried out one final time, only to be cut off.

"Sabriel! This is final, neither you or anyone else is to leave the grounds or go into the gardens until further notice, not even faculty. I simply cannot in good conscience overlook the possibility that this... creature, whatever it may be, may be a threat." The Magistrix dictated her law without so much as stopping to look at the young school girl. "That is my final word on the matter." 

Sabriel was following at the teacher's quick walking pace, with her two friends following behind them more slowly at a safe distance. "Ms. Greenwood please liste—!" she began in protest.

"Two demerits, Sabriel." Ms. Greenwood looked back darkly at the girl and her two trailing schoolmates, Sulyn and Ellimere gasped as one at hearing this. Sabriel stared disbelievingly at her favorite teacher. "I won't hear anything else about this, Sabriel." She pointed an old finger into the Wyverly College's interior stiffly. "All of you, go to your dormitories at once and do not leave your prefectures. I need to go and speak with Mrs. Umbrade..."

The three girls, left with little other choice preceded the teacher into the back entry room. They were followed as far as the first hall's intersection, and watched until they were out of sight. Sabriel cast one last forlorn look at the Magistrix, before following behind Sulyn and Ellimere into a stairwell.

Ms. Greenwood heaved a sigh and frowned at the empty passage for a minute. It was her hope that Sabriel was correct about the creature being not only harmless, but friendly. Perhaps then they could easily send it, or her as was the case it seemed, on their way. 







Rarity absently traded her stare between the pine cone which her hoof was preoccupied with rolling around, and the dismal sight of the greasy purple mane out of the corner of her eye. Unfortunately, even with the aid of the pine cone, her thoughts were unable to fully distract her from either her devastated mane, or the fact that she had probably just thrown away her best opportunity at getting some semblance of help. 

Smooth Rarity, very smooth... The sunset for the day was already starting, and still she couldn't make up her mind about whether or not to go knock on that castle's door. Or was it actually a school? She had caught glimpses of more young looking humans, and it seemed that it was some sort of academy. Looking up at the somewhat distant building, she thought, perhaps this place is akin to Celestia's school for gifted unicorns? 

Whatever the building's purpose, Rarity was angry with herself for being so frightened—even knowing full well why she was, it didn't help. They had said killed, those three children, children. The words that pretty black maned girl said had rung in Rarity's ears when the adult human had asked Sabriel to get Rarity to reveal herself... The very idea of such a thing was incredible, only creatures from the Everfree or other such places would dream of harming another. Even then, they mostly just wanted to scare others away from their territory greedily. 

Had that girl the other night really intended to kill me though? The thought plagued Rarity, even if it had been a misunderstanding, these humans were obviously dangerous. Furthermore, she had heard that entire conversation Sabriel had had with her friend Ellimere. Would they really suspect me of being evil, just for not being human? Will their actual military really want to harm me? Going out there had just seemed so dangerous with that hanging over her head that she...

...

It was getting darker quick, Rarity knew she should make a decision...

"Augh, I just can't decide, this is horrid." The mare's twinkling eyes traced the horizon and the outline the simple stone building made over the sun's setting. It was rather dull compared to Celestia's sun, to her sun back home. Her filthy hair, coat of fur and hooves all seemed to glare at her in the gloom of that unfamiliar sunset. She needed a bath she resolved, and soon.

Rarity resolutely squinted her eyes at the building. They may suspect her of being wicked all they liked, but she would show them just how civilized and friendly ponies were, she decided. The humans would certainly have no cause to harm her then. Thus far, things had been a misunderstanding after all. She would just go up, and make friends; that had always worked out for her before. A little kindness was all she needed to use, nervousness or no—in her mind, it had to work.

The undergrowth parted for Rarity before the magic aura she created. A couple dry branches snapped from her nervous touch, her hooves carrying her towards the looming building. While trotting she tried to remember just how Twilight had cast that bubble spell. Or was it called a shield? The unicorn frowned at not remembering just how it was done. Other than the basic spell set she used for dress making, magic was hardly her forte. I'm likely being silly... but death is certainly no joke. It would be best for me to be cautious. 






The early evening sunset peeked lazily through the finely crafted windows of the second form dormitory. The plate glass artistry let in as much sun was possible in order to light the long room's entirety. Lattice work around the ceiling and the wooden beams of the high vaulted ceiling, however, cast shadows which criss-crossed over the many bunk beds. The fading sun bathed the rest of the room in a warm orange glow.

Sulyn watched Sabriel, straight-faced, while Ellimere had her head buried in a pillow with her hands covering both ears. Sabriel herself, was busy putting on her shoes once more, trying to convince her friends to accompany her back outside. 

"Sabriel," Sulyn began once more pleadingly, "we've practically been restricted to our wing of Wyverly. You've already received two demerits, if we got caught..." The blonde haired girl trailed off under Sabriel's sudden scrutiny. She looked warily around herself at the other girls, looking for anyone who's attention was grabbed. 

Most everyone was still gone however, the short few days off they had only just began that day. Of the other few girls there no one was looking, much to Sulyn's relief.

Sabriel crossed her arms and gave her friends a disappointed look, even if Ellimere couldn't see it. "Look girls, Rarity isn't some animal." A blanket and an extra school blazer found their way into a bag. "She's... just like a person, and alone, not to mention scared! You both saw how she reacted to us. Don't you want to help her too?" Ellimere's eyes peeked up from her pillow slightly, only to catch sight of Sabriel's own sad puppy dog eyes turn towards herself. The girl with curly brown hair frowned, then buried her head once more into the cushion. 

Sulyn, however, washed her hands over one another nervously, in a tense internal debate with herself over what to do. On the one hand, everything Sabriel said was true, and it was the right thing to do too—at least as far as she herself saw it. On the other, was a very risky road. "I- I..." She began hesitantly, causing Sabriel to shift her gaze Sulyn's way. "Uhm... I'll go I guess Sabriel." She sighed, and began wringing her long skirt too. "It's my turn anyway." Ellimere's back received a warm smile from her.

"Great!" Sabriel grinned from ear to ear at the news. "Thanks Sulyn, I need you to get some food from the kitchens then. After that, meet me by the caretaker's office, we're going to go out the cleaning closet window this time." She patted Sulyn on the arm and shouldered her schoolbag stuffed with articles. "Well, I don't want to linger on this any more than you, shall we go?" Eagerly, her hand gestured towards the exit, a couple of other girls watched them curiously, wondering what was afoot this time. "Don't wait up for us Ellimere, we'll be back soon!" Sabriel called behind herself. 

Sulyn nervously opened the door at peered out at Sabriel's gesture. They both peered out into the hallway, and then Sabriel jumped into a mad dash down the hallway without abandon. Sulyn followed after her friend more slowly, wary looks going down every passed hallway.

Ellimere groaned in despair from daring to even pay attention to what was being said. She pulled the pillow around her ears roughly and rolled over to watch her friends leave the room. Her scowl stuck the oak of the thick dormitory door, before settling on the ceiling as she fell back on the bed. "I really hope they go easy on them this time." 



...At least she knew it couldn't end as badly as the great cake baking fiasco from Sulyn's last birthday...








Sabriel gasped just before her hand closed over the closet's handle.

"What is it?" Sulyn whispered to her friend. Under one arm she carried a small basket of pilfered goods, acquired through months of practiced stealth. 

"Rarity..." Sabriel grinned. "I can sense her magic again. She's moving stuff around." The schoolgirl all but flung open the clean closet, causing her companion to squeak in surprise. "Hurry, she's still here, let's go!" 

The window opposite the door was already open as Sulyn did her best to quietly shut their entryway. "Slow down, Sabriel!" She wasn't much older than Sulyn, but the younger girl was well aware how much crazier she was than her too. Her friends shoes made a light tup sound in the grass outside the window. 

"No way!" Sabriel called back up the stone and mortar wall.  "You hurry up, Sulyn!" Her giggled reply was just a little bit loud for the pretense of stealth they were adventuring under.

Sulyn looked out of the still open window and ssshhed Sabriel, smiling herself. Her friend always got way too caught up in her own mischief, but it at least made things fun. It wasn't a very far drop, but Sulyn hesitated all the same.

"Are you coming Sulyn?" Sabriel crossed her arms and frowned in the dimming sunlight.

"Pssst!"

Sulyn and Sabriel, surprised, both looked towards the sound demanding their attention. They quickly found a pale white unicorn, with fur thoroughly mussed with dirt and leaves, laying on her belly and crawling closer slowly. 

"Rarity!?" The look of shock on the young girls' faces became grins quickly, both of them happy to see she was still there. Sabriel's voice however, was full of disappointment, directed solely at the mare in question. "Why didn't you come out?" Sulyn looked up and down at the ground until she finally decided to remain in the window.

"I wanted to Sabriel, I really did..." Rarity sat up and stirred a hoof in the grass without looking away from the girl. "I just... I guess I'm scared, alright? I mean, you girls are really sweet..." She struggled to think up excuses for why she hadn't come out. "...But your teacher was so tall, and then... Ellimere was it? Mentioned an army and... and I'm sorry, I just couldn't."

Sabriel sighed, but smiled once again. "Well, it's understandable if you're lost like you said. I'd be scared too, Rarity." 

She knelt down to hug the unicorn, though surprised the gesture was welcomed by Rarity. "...Thank you Sabriel." She really does have a pretty name. 

"What would you like to do then?" Sabriel asked over the unicorn's shoulder. 

"Well, I've thought on it some, and I've decided..." Rarity leaned back and looked up at Sulyn, then met Sabriel's intent gaze. "To accept your help, and meet your teacher of course. I won't get anywhere just hiding after all, and I don't really think anyone here means me harm, either. She did seem rather friendly. But, I'll only go on one condition..." The pained look she gave the girl's was one of desperation.

Both girl's turned and look at one another in confusion, then focused attentively on their friend again. 

"What is it?" They asked in tandem.

"I need a bath, perfume, anything please!" Rarity fell on hooves and knees begging, and caused both girls to start giggling.






"You're sure this is what you want to do Rarity?" 

Rarity looked up proudly at her escort from under the bed sheet she had draped over herself. "Oh yes, I'm quite sure Sabriel. If I'm to have any chance of not being taken for a monster around here, then I must at least clean off all of this filth. A lady should never have to undergo or suffer through conditions such as these, anyway." She sniffed disdainfully at the dirt smudging her normally pristine coat, and noticeably tried to look elsewhere while remaining incognito under the bedspread. 

"I guess that makes sense." Sabriel had scratched her head at first from the unicorn's explanation, then stifled her own laughter as Rarity began the dramatics again. Something about the little pony caring more about her hair than she herself ever did, would never get old. 

Sulyn giggled at the near comedic tone of the conversation from behind them. She still looked everywhere for anyone that may have spotted their little trio though, ready to distract the onlookers at a moment's notice. "Girls keep it down," she whispered through cupped hands. "We don't want to get spotted." She assumed they all would likely be okay, what with everyone still being gone for the short holiday.

"Oh, Rarity." Sabriel looked away from Sulyn and down at the bedspread enshrouded pony. "I have good news too, by the way, I had an idea during the day after you left." They came to a flight of stairs then and began to climb as quietly as mice.

The mare's ears picked up in interest at hearing there was good news. "Good news?" she asked. "What kind of good news? A chance at getting me home maybe, or would that be asking to much?" The weak grin she flashed to Sabriel said that truly was her wish.

"The next best thing, I'm seeing my dad tonight in my private study. I get to have one because he lives so far away you see, and tonight's the full moon of the month!" Rarity stopped at the floor landing as Sabriel opened the door, smiling broadly down at her. 

Rarity was clueless as to how any of that made sense. "Okaaay..." she said questioningly, trying to put the pieces together, but failing. Luckily, Sabriel continued from there after getting the hint.

"My dad is a super smart guy, he's one of the greatest charter mages alive. At least I think he is, anyway I see him every full moon and you can meet him! The moon lets him talk to me from anywhere in the world almost, well, north of the wall anyway. If anyone knows anything about... Equilia?"

"Equestria, darling." Rarity corrected with a smile, her hope building while listening to the girl.

Sabriel smiled back. "Right, if anyone knows anything about Equestria, then it's my dad, Abhorsen!"

Rarity couldn't help but let out a whinny-like giggle of excitement, a hoof covered her mouth demurely and proceeded to thank her friend. "That sounds terrific Sabriel, thank you very much. I certainly hope he can help me, and I can't wait to meet him." She had noted that Sabriel had not even considered her teachers as able to help. Is Equestria really not common knowledge? Her worries plagued her relentlessly, but they abated a bit when her young acquaintances finally opened the door to a lavatory. 






Mrs. Umbrade hummed absently to herself as she traversed Wyverly College's halls towards the washroom. It was time for her evening bath and cleansing ritual, something she took very seriously. All the more so tonight from how hectic things were around here of late. "First Para comes screaming about a monster, and then Ms. Greenwood confirms its existence and says everyone needs to stay indoors!" 

The college headmistress clicked her tongue as she pulled the looped handle of the washroom door. "Honestly, everyone around here is losing their minds."






> Chapter 7 : The Abhorsen
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	



Rarity massaged and kneaded her poor mane rhythmically, working the dirt and flora that had stuck to it out with fervor. The wonderful soaps and scented shampoos that the humans used were very good quality indeed, if not quite what she was used to. Still, a lady must make due when necessary, and she certainly wasn't above roughing it every now and again. Her friends and duties had indeed put her through worse before... 

The lathered soap quickly brought the sheen back to Rarity's purple mane. This is simply the most wonderful feeling in the world, she decided right there. That, and the human's shower itself, of course. At first, she had been apprehensive about using it in place of its Equestrian counterpart, or at least a proper bath tub. The truth of it had been shared that their shower employed no magic at all, but rather, some sort of thing called a 'boiler' in order to work. 

Even with Sulyn's calming assurances that it was "perfectly safe", Rarity had held onto her doubts after hearing that name. 

Well... it had become quite apparent after only a few seconds that it was still a wonderful invention indeed. Rarity was grateful that the humans also had something she normally took for granted. Enjoying such ease in rinsing her hair, the feeling that the droplets of water made pelting her coat, it was all simply heavenly. Oh, and the steam... the steam that filled the room had created the most divine feeling atmosphere a beleaguered and tortured soul such as herself could hope for. After all that she had been through, this almost made up for it.

The sound of the door opening and closing made Rarity freeze and peek around the corner of the shower. Her eyes widened in terror at the sight and sound of another human walking in, and they weren't Sabriel or her friends. 

The human mare was certainly an adult, judging by her age lines, but she also wasn't that tall.

Rarity gulped, and tried to think of a hasty plan. All the while that her mind raced, she scrubbed furiously at her fur with the loofah Sulyn had brought her. After a moment, she finally noticed the fur abuse and grimaced down at her foreleg. 

Get a hold of yourself, Rarity, she insisted at herself. While still in the midst of panic, the shower beside Rarity's turned on, and the sound of an older mare humming joined the sounds of running water in the strange chamber.

"Lovely night for a-a nice, steamy shower, isn't it?" Rarity had spoken abruptly out of sheer nervousness, and a hoof clamped over her mouth as she finished. Her voice had stuttered slightly, and she worried right then and there that her unfamiliar voice would have given her away as an intruder. 

Rarity cleared her throat quietly and listened worriedly for a response, whatever sort it may be. 

Surprisingly, there was only a slight pause before a sigh and a lamenting voice answered her.

"Augh, you have no idea, dear. After a week like this I'm glad to finally get a chance to relax somewhat, if you can call a measly shower relaxing. But, every time I get a moment to myself around here... well, you know how it is. One of the girls or something else comes up and makes life a hassle." 

Rarity held her breath through the mare's entire venting process. My word. Does she think I'm another teacher? She held a hoof up wonderingly as the other mare continued to go on about, well, the goings-on of late. 

After a minute of nervously standing stock still in her shower, Rarity blinked, realizing she was being addressed. 

"Are you still there?" the stranger's voice questioned again. 

"O-Oh yes," Rarity steadied herself and composed her tone skillfully, pushing worry to the back of her mind. "I was simply thinking of how grateful I am of these... showers. I didn't have one at... my last home." She frowned a little from the wording she had chosen, but it might be less conspicuous given the circumstances. Yes. I do believe she thinks I'm another teacher for this Academy... Perhaps it's best I play the part. Oh, Applejack wouldn't approve of this dishonesty, that's for certain. 

Rarity resumed her shower, easing somewhat. "It's so much better for washing and rinsing my hair. After a long day, I simply feel as though all my worries get melted away by this hot water." And it was delightfully hot, she considered. Rarity hmmed and leaned into the spray again, hugging both her fore hooves around herself in revery.

"I know what you mean," the other mare answered. "I grew up with a wooden wash basin at my uncle's farm, so I understand perfectly. People simply take things for granted these days! The girls here have no idea how good they've got it. Oh, and they're still perfectly happy to make things a veritable hell for the faculty on top of that!" She sighed weightily before continuing. "I have enough problems with Jacob and his insufferable quibbling at home... I could do without them making things harder." 

The way she said the last sentence was an obvious hook, she wanted Rarity to ask about that. Her intrigue took over, and she took a guess out of curiosity. 

"I take it that there is trouble of some sort—?" The other mare interrupted her though, and actually snapped Rarity out of the dreamy state she'd begun to enter, almost forgetting just where she was. 

"I can't take it anymore!" The mare called over the ceramic tile wall. "He refuses to see reason and insists that he should move south for work, how horrible is that of him?" 

With the human's shout, Rarity's heightened state of alarm returned, and she shut off her shower water. Now's my chance! Carefully, she leaned out of the shower to grab her towel, and began drying quickly. Simply leaving might be safer, or she could towel off in the hallway... but she decided against it. I'm stranded away from home, but I'm no barbarian. 

Rarity grimaced as she carefully stroked the water out of her fur, trying her best to keep it from poofing or getting mussed. 

Meanwhile, the irate human mare continued to speak. Rarity was still listening intently despite herself... But she needed to act quickly and get out of the room without being seen, and now was the perfect opportunity. 

Oh dear Celestia, is that my hair!? Rarity's eyes locked with a slightly fogged mirror against the other wall above a ceramic wash basin. Her mane and tail were a tangled mess; she'd dried to quickly. She cast her gaze around in search of either a brush or comb, articles which she knew weren't going to be there. I'll have to simply leave my poor mane as it is...

"Sugar!" Cursing under her breath, she took careful, calculated steps, one leg after another towards the door. Her hooves would be all too noisy on this flooring. Her ears, however, continued listening to the sad tale that was being shared.

"I just..." the other mare stated tiredly. "I don't want him to go, I know Karen's growing up and doesn't need us both, really, but why want to leave so badly? Is it another woman?" Her forlorn voice almost didn't rise above the continuous sound of the falling water by the end of her question.

Rarity's hoof twitched over the door handle, her eye mimicking it. "I really don't think that is the case," The temptation of such a dramatic and romantic ordeal was too much. "After all, you two seem like such the lovely pair." It was a shot in the dark, but she at least obviously loved him. "Isn't it possible that he just wants to provide better for you, perhaps for your golden years? If your daughter's grown up, perhaps he wants to pay for something extravagant?" 

Rarity hoped dearly that had been a filly's name, and not a colt's. Honestly, why are human names so very— Her thoughts were cut short.

The shower curtain opened enough for the human's face to poke out. "You really think so?" the human mare asked, smiling weakly.

Two pairs of eyes locked, below one set was an uncertain, relieved smile. The other wore a look of stark fear and horror. 

Rarity watched the human's eyes rolled up into her head, her smile remaining on her face as she fell. 

Rarity eeped, and narrowly caught her with magic before she hit the wet tile flooring. Her look of fear faded, and became one of acceptance, then worry. I am so sorry Mrs. Human! Oh wait, it's the one from the gardens... Hm, I hope she'll be alright, poor dear. She had another thought, and scowled at the floor. Surely my poor mane isn't so bad of a mess that she needed to faint? 

Pacing towards the exit, Rarity lit her horn up once again and turned off the shower water. At least I caught her. It wouldn't do if she had to hit her head. She gave the unconscious shape one last disconcerted look, then laid another of the towels in the room over the human. "Well, that could have gone worse I suppose." She muttered whilst wrapping her other towel around her hair, no longer in a hurry. Finally, with all necessary steps accomplished, she turned to open, then shut the door. 

The long stone hallway greeted Rarity with a chilly draft. My coat won't stay damp in this for long at all. She face hoofed, then continued her swift trot. Oh what am I thinking, I have to get to Sabriel and now, this is certainly a worst case scenario! Her hooves clopped on the stone hallway loudly and made her wince. Quietly Rarity, quietly! Okay, now which way to... The knowledge that she only had a vague idea of where to go, reappeared before her.  

Sliding to a halt, Rarity's teeth started to grind against one another momentarily from worry and indecision. She looked both ways—up, and down the hall—wet towel swaying with her frantic glances. On one hoof, I can stay here and wait, surely they won't be much longer, but on the other... In the end it was decided she should be able to navigate the short distance, she held a hoof up to concentrate, and tried desperately to recall the girl's explanation of where she was to go. 

Suddenly, her thoughts ended as Rarity saw the all too familiar school uniform of Sabriel. The mare let out a sigh of relief, and tiredly walked further down the wide passage towards her friend. "Oh Sabriel, am I glad to see—" She froze, two legs half lifted into the air. That hair isn't black. The observation was simple, and told her stress addled brain all it needed to know—despite its denial of what it meant.

The girl in the hall gasped, and backed up against the wall, staring in disbelief at the pale unicorn with a towel wrapped around her head. 







Alright, maybe it's this way... Rarity deadpanned as she turned a corner, and another completely unfamiliar hall appeared before her. Or, perhaps I don't quiiite know where I am at all. After running away from the other girl, she'd become turned around. Even after finding another staircase—Somewhere in this labyrinth of an academy, honestly this place is worse than Discord's hedge maze!—and getting on the right floor, she was even less sure of where to go now without her starting point as a reference.

Rarity sighed and slumped against the wall in a nook. "Maybe I can find my way back, if I—"

"Rarity?" a voice called.

The sound of her name being called drew Rarity's attention out of her thoughts, and into the hall. A mere two strides away, was Ellimere. The flighty, brown haired girl from the forest was a very welcomed sight for her.

Rarity gasped and smiled. Oh thank Celestia! She jumped up and approached the girl, and politely didn't get too close. She still seemed to be holding onto a bit of wariness. "Ellimere! Oh am I glad to see you darling, I ran into... complications and I got a little lost. How did you find me?" 

The school girl relaxed visibly after the warm and grateful greeting from Rarity. "I saw your tail sticking out into the isle all the way from the staircase." Ellimere looked across the distance between them at the violet tail in question, still limp from being uncared for. "Uhm," her eyes shifted back to the previous oddity she had picked out, however. "Why do you have a towel on your head?" 

Rarity held a hoof up to her front in admonished surprise. "It's simply to dry it out dear, and to prevent scandalous misconceptions of course, but don't tell me you aren't educated on proper mane care?" The look the girl returned to her was skeptical, but she slowly smiled, too.

"Not really..." Ellimere answered, eye brow quirked slightly at her use of the word "mane".

"Well, ladies such as us must—" Rarity cut herself short at the sound of footsteps from behind herself. 

"Ahem, we'll talk about this later, shall we? I don't suppose you know where Sabriel's study is do you dear? I'm quite lost you see..." The on edge unicorn's eyes were glued towards the echo around the bend, and her side pressed against the wall in an apparent attempt at disappearing through it.

Ellimere sighed, more than familiar with the feeling of urgency she had just become reacquainted with. She turned to leave, and quickly at that. "Come on, this way!" She called back to Rarity in a hushed whisper, already moving in a crouched run in the opposite direction.

Rarity looked back and forth once, then followed after Ellimere, thankful she'd found help from a friend.







Rarity back peddled slightly after Ellimere gasped from the room in front of her. "What is it dear, is something wrong?" She poked her head in after the schoolgirl and into Sabriel's study. Her own eyes bulged slightly at the familiar sight of a certain tall human. "Oh—"

Rarity didn't move, she only stood in the doorway, her knees did shudder out of pure surprise though. 

"Please, come in. It is an honor to have you here with us, Lady Rarity." The teacher from earlier that day in the woods spoke calmly, her voice was steady and very formal. 

Rarity removed the towel still in her mane slowly, and adjusted the purple tangle absently, trying to come up with who the teacher had been. What was her name again? It wasn't forthcoming, and she was stuck on how respectfully she'd been addressed by the mare. It was what Rarity would expect of...well not Canterlot ponies certainly, they were snobbish as she'd come to learn. Still, it was confusing, and she felt her face heat in embarrassment from the polite gesture.

Nearby, Rarity could hear Sabriel and Ellimere arguing in whispers to one side, but her attention was stuck on the fifth human in the room. At least, the very overwhelmed unicorn supposed he was human. The stallion's form was entirely transparent, like that of a ghost. Was this what Sabriel had meant by visiting but without being here?

Rarity's shaky steps took her further into the small study, while the teacher shut the door behind her. She wracked her brain a moment and came to sit before the stallion, whom she assumed was Sabriel's father. Her mouth hung slightly agape from the situation she'd walked into, and the strange being seated before her.

Aside from the teacher—Miss Greenwood, ah hah that's her name!—there was the stark, and very contrasting sight of what appeared to be a ghost, sitting in a relaxed manned in a plain wooden chair. He wore a very intrigued look, and seemed to be studying her. 

Words and something to say finally began to enter Rarity's mind, when a young voice piped up suddenly. "Rarity, I was just about to come and get you!" An ecstatic and grinning Sabriel said. "Enjoy the shower?"

Rarity let out an absent 'ah huh' and nodded, not looking away from the apparition in front of her. The ghostly human smiled back at the stare she kept on him, then spoke. "Easy Sabriel, from the looks of it Miss Rarity is a little on edge." He looked down at himself, then chuckled and looked up at Miss Greenwood. "And unless I miss my guess, it's because of me. Funny our mystery creature is more surprised by us than we are of her."

Sabriel waved a had through her father's arm. "Daaad, you're being rude, introduce yourself." She squinted her eyes and crossed her arms to emphasize her point.

"Oh, of course. Lady Rarity, this is Miss Greenwood the Magistrix of Wyverly college, and I am Abhorsen. It's a pleasure to meet you, forgive me if I do not shake hands." Abhorsen chuckled again and leaned lazily on one arm of the wooden chair. 

Nearby, Miss Greenwood nodded to Rarity after her introduction while ushering an unwilling Ellimere out of the room during said introductions.

Rarity composed herself a little, but still stared starkly at Abhorsen. "I'm sorry, shake what?" She murmured, her eyes refusing to unglue themselves from him. Now that she was over his ghostly appearance though, her eyes instead now took in the details of his bizarre clothing. On his chest he wore what looked like a long strap that held several bells of all things. Beneath that, was a very fancy surcoat, intricately pattered with what appeared to her to be keys of a simple design. The entire ensemble was truly something to behold for fashionista. Oddly though, he also had some kind of meshed metal worn under the cloth and other strange materials.

"Shake hands? Oh, sorry I forgot my Lady, you seem to have... hm, hooves." Abhorsen scrunched his face up as he looked at Rarity's hooves. Under the sudden scrutiny she shuffled backwards promptly.

"It's rude to look at a lady in such a manner Mr. Abhorsen." Rarity paused and considered what had been said thus far by the stallion. "And please, call me Rarity, I'm a guest here, or an intruder even. Such formality isn't needed, though it is appreciated." She managed a weak smile, which gained a little more strength when Sabriel giggled at her father's reaction.

"Ah, sorry, manners aren't my forte." Abhorsen scrubbed a hand behind his short mane and put on a defeated look. "I'm often told I'm rather blunt and offensive. But to my defense, in my line of work there is often very little time for me to associate with civilized folk. I do a lot of traveling, you see." 

Miss Greenwood had long since taken a seat in the cramped room at the desk, and sipped absently on what appeared to be tea, judging from the pretty ceramic kettle and elegant cups sitting beside it. Her eyes never left Rarity, something she had only just taken notice of. The older human mare was being very, very quiet.

"It is quite alright Mr. Abhorsen, I cannot thank you, or your daughter especially, quite enough for all the help and generosity I've received. Truth be told, I owe you all an apology for not making myself known outright. It seems I've caused quite a bit of trouble indeed. As I understand it, I even put myself and another at risk, for which I am truly sorry." Rarity bowed her head respectfully to him. In her mind though, she fretted over the fact that her mane was still an absolute mess. Honestly, if that human hadn't walked into the showering room I would have had ample time to make myself presentable—

"Well, that's all quite alright, I think." Miss Greenwood finally spoke, a very small inclination of her lips marking a smile. "Things of this nature are frankly a little unheard of, but not entirely implausible... Now that things have been settled, we can work on sorting all of this ou—"

Rarity gasped, and her head shot up along with her eyes widening in terror. "Oh no." She breathed out starkly.

Abhorsen became grim faced and leaned forward. "What's wrong?" Sabriel looked confusedly between the adults, and Miss Greenwood was still frozen from being interrupted. 

"I-I" Rarity stammered. "I forgot the human in the shower room. Someone came in and fainted, someone named...Umbrade? I think?" Her sentence's end came out as a squeak. 

Two of the other three humans facing her made confused faces, while Sabriel merely said, "Oooh," quietly.





> Chapter 8 : Dark Stirrings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	



Hellerum clutched at the seething flesh on her sides tightly. It did nothing to ease the burning, otherworldly pain, but it was all she could do. She felt the energies that gave her strength and sustained her power seeping out, even as she desperately tried to hold onto them. Other than that, her concentration was scattered from all of the distractions. She had to fight against the current of death as well as the incessant attacks that came from other undead that were foolish enough to think she was now an easy target. 

They all learned quickly that such was not the case.

Another angry, blood chilling howl escaped through Hellerum's rippling form as she fought her way back into the first precinct of death. The cascade of the waterfall split before her as she pulled her way upward with shadowy limbs. It wasn't easy, but she had to get back. Steam and water spray exploded outward from the precinct's edge as she finally breached the barrier.

Hellerum's violet tinged, fire-filled eyes swept across the gray water-scape as she rose up into the calm realm of death's entrance. 

There was nothing out of the ordinary in sight.

Hellerum sped across the surface of the precinct fast enough to hurl up a spine of water behind herself. The search she began lasted hours, days maybe, but that which she sought was nowhere to be found. Not only that, but it hadn't passed her downriver on the current, either. The strange little horse that had promised her freedom merely by showing up, was gone.

"Where is it, WHERE IS IT!?" Hellerum's own thoughts screamed at her as loudly as her voice. In her fury, she devolved into a raging fit; shadowed limbs clawed angrily at her own body in the mindless fury. The splashing sent the surrounding water and spray high up into the otherwise still air. 

Eventually, Hellerum ceased her thrashing, the churned waters around her calmed slowly back to their normal ebb and flow. A strange noise caught her attention; she had begun to chuckle. On top of that, she had even started panting from the exertion. Breathing wasn't possible for her, but the rage that she flew into had actually caused her to emulate life; her old life as a human, to be precise. I'm really losing it. After all these centuries, I'm finally spent.

The great form of Hellerum sat down tiredly into the water's dark. She stayed there for a long time, in deep contemplation. Maybe it's time that I give up. Her head swung to face the distant crash of a waterfall, that which led on to the second precinct, and after that the third, then the fourth... all the way to the final place of rest, the gateway to the beyond: the ninth precinct. The others will want my head for that stunt I pulled. A grimace would have made its way onto her face, if it could, or if she had a face to begin with...

On Hellerum's back, the warmth of life unmistakably offered its consoling embrace to her. I think if I could, I would cry right now... A cruel grin formed on the mass of shadow that made up her 'head' as she thought the words. Jagged, black wrought teeth snapped into existence in her new maw. At least my body seems to have healed... from whatever that force had been. She thought tiredly, clueless as to what that unicorn had done to her. A unicorn... The name of the creature returned to her, newly risen after being buried beneath centuries upon centuries of dust in her mind.

Conflicting emotions ranging from sorrow to hatred plagued Hellerum, but being so close to life's border made one thing a little more clear to her. I'm not giving up, not just yet. And that one thing was that she never quit.







Rarity stared up at the ceiling of the bedroom that she had been given. It was usually used by visiting parents of the children and apparently they would stay at the college on occasion. At first, Ms. Greenwood had oddly expected that she would want to remain outside and had said as much, only offering her a place to sleep in... the kitchens of all things. Luckily for her, Sabriel had come to her rescue and demanded she be given a bed, to which she had promptly agreed would be most welcome. 

Now, Rarity lay under the cool sheets of a foreign sleeping arrangement, easily three times the size she needed. This made it a perfect fit. It was just about the size of her canopy bed back in Ponyville; more than suitable, she had decided, if a little bit high off the ground. 

The comfortable mattress and bedding did little to ease her nerves though, even with the hot shower she had taken earlier on the side. In fact, even Ms. Greenwood professing to explain things to Mrs. Umbrade and support Rarity's claims had only been a small relief. After all, none of that changed the fact that she was still staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. 

"What have you landed yourself into this time, Ms. Rarity." Rarity's hooves hugged the covers closer as she let out a weary sigh. "At least, I suppose, I have a plan now. Not to mention someplace to stay and a roof over my head." Her face scrunched up as she also recalled what she didn't have: her friends, or a way home. "I'm still no closer to an explanation of how or why this even happened than when I got here..." The best guess she had come up with was that perhaps it had something to do more with the human's world and their strange magic, rather than Equestria or something therein. If only Twilight were here, she'd have some brilliant explanation from some obscure reference or book to puzzle this all out.

Rarity rolled over trying to get more comfortable and began to stare at the plain wall, instead of the plain ceiling. The dull, white plaster surface stared back at her, complete with a rough quality and bare wooden boards. Not even a hint of floral print wallpaper had been spotted by her since she had come into the castle-like school. Human architecture is so drab and boring. Do they really not mind looking at such utilitarian design all of the time? 

Rarity began to turn over ideas of how she could... maybe just spruce the place up a bit. Certainly they wouldn't mind. This is a school for girls and fillies, after all. How any of these mares can stand the plainness surrounding them is... Her thoughts paused as her mouth opened wide and let out a resounding yawn. Beyond... me...

Sleep came finally, putting an end to her stressful, and second day away from Equestria.







Rarity lay placidly on a well cushioned piece of furniture with a wonderful red velvet material. She wasn't really sure how she had come to be on it so suddenly, and began to take in her new surroundings with curiosity. "Wasn't I just in bed? How odd—" Her voice caught in her throat. Sweeping the room, her eyes had laid upon a very familiar, unmistakable, and instantly recognizable under any circumstance pony of the highest esteem.

"Princess Luna!?" Rarity's voice became an undignified croak as she declared the name to the vast chamber around her. As quickly as her hooves would take her, she deposited herself onto the floor and bowed deeply to the princess.

Luna's eyes widened at the speed with which Rarity had moved. She had only just popped into Rarity's dream, and wasn't expecting such a sudden reception. "Er, rise, Miss Rarity, there is no need for that. I am just beyond thankful to ha—" 

"Oh, Princess, is it really you!? This is an emergency! You see, somehow I've been taken away from Equestria. I don't know where in the world I am, in fact, I don't even think this is our world at all! Why, it's just been dreadful. First, I'm fairly certain I drowned while enjoying a wonderful sunny afternoon with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash although they were doing a good job of ruining it, and then I awoke in a cave of all places! I'm not certain what happened next? I was just all of a sudden in a horrible, dank, dusty cellar of all places! It got in my hair, my coat, everywhere! It gets worse though—"

Princess Luna stood and listened patiently while Rarity regaled her with her story. She was at first merely surprised, as she always was, by the fervor of the prim and proper unicorn. The occasional rumor from time to time around Canterlot always spoke to the contrary and praised her refined demeanor. 

Luna was about to interrupt Rarity, as she had done so with her and apparently hadn't noticed, but she was getting filled in about the other pony's current situation, which was enough. 

"—and then the human poked her head out of the shower and she fainted! I was only just able to catch her. Luna— I mean, princess? Is everything alright, my word, you're crying." Rarity stared up in disbelief at the royalty before her smiling with the saddest happy expression she had seen in some time. 

The other mare's eyes widened for a second, before she shook her head and blinked away the mistiness that had been creeping into her gaze. "Oh," Luna sniffed and admirably returned to being her regal self in only a moment. "I apologize for that. Please, continue with thy story, Rarity. You were speaking of an apple pie, I believe, and a school of some sort?"

Rarity gave the princess a consoling look, then frowned. "Princess, forgive me. I do apologize for getting carried away like that. I'm not sure what came over me, as I'm just ever so happy to see you." She paused to let the reality of finding help sink in, then pressed on, repeating herself. "It really is just such a relief to see you, and a surprise as well. I truly thought I was alone, as I said. By the way, how is it you are speaking to me in my dreams?"

Princess Luna smiled wanly and began to consider how to talk of the state of things. "Miss Rarity—"

"Oh please, princess, just Rarity is more than adequate." Rarity beamed with a wide grin up at the other pony. 

Luna blinked, then smiled more genuinely and proceeded. "Rarity, I am just thankful to find you are well, and safe. Now then, speaking to you in your dreams is a part of my special talent, to put it simply. I have always been quite adept with certain magic that even after a thousand years my sister cannot perform quite so well. But never mind that, my little pony. You are safe, aren't you? Wherever it is you have found yourself?" She leaned down a little worriedly to Rarity. At the other pony's silent nod, she went on. "Good, I am most thankful for that. Now, how aware are you of what has transpired?"

"I—" Rarity began with a stutter, picking up on the severe turn the conversation was taking. "Uhm, I don't know, Princess. As I said, the last I remember before ending up... here, was being at the little pond in Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie ruining my favorite chapeau! That was a nice hat by the way, lovely silk—"

The Princess held a hoof up off the ground just a little, and the grimness in her face quieted the other mare. The silence hung for a moment before she spoke. "Rarity..." she began, "You're the first of your friends that are missing that I have confirmed are... alive. Yourself, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie have all gone missing. It's been five days since we began to search. I should have been able to find any of them if they were but asleep, however I have not been able to."

Rarity's hooves came up to her muzzle to stifle the horrified squeak that tried to escape. Despite her urge to ask questions, her voice wouldn't listen. Her frozen mind managed to get the exclamations out. Alive!? What do you mean? What happened to Twilight and Fluttershy? They weren't even...

"I suspect now, after hearing your tale, it may have something to do with you only being aware of two days having passed..." Princess Luna's shoulders sunk as she pressed on, the weariness in her very apparent now to Rarity. "The same fate almost befell Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but thanks to the pegasus' efforts, they were able to save themselves." She looked up and met Rarity's shocked gaze before continuing. "We don't know what is going on, Rarity, and anything you can tell us will help. I... hope that you have something more than pies to share."

It took Rarity a moment to understand and form a response to what was asked of her. "Ah, I— princess, I really can't say, I don't... I haven't seen anything since ending up here other than these humans I mentioned. They are odd, but seem very friendly, at least. They have taken me in for now and I have even already managed to gain help from an accomplished practitioner of their magic. He professes to not know anything about what may help me, such as a way back home, but he promises to look into it."

The end to the last of the worthwhile information Rarity had to share echoed slightly in the vast, Canterlot styled chamber. 

"I see," Luna began slowly. "That is good to hear at least. Unfortunately, this means we have absolutely nothing to go off of." The princess sighed and sat down on a cushion which appeared behind her out of thin air. Rarity raised an eyebrow at that and began to stare in disbelief. "We have ruled out Chrysalis, as well as Discord. Both are still banished, under watch and imprisoned in the garden respectfully. Tartarus has not seen a breach, either, according to Cerberus." She paused long enough to let out a sigh and meet Rarity's eyes again, at least, she would have been had Rarity been looking at her. 

Luna's stare followed to where Rarity was looking, which appeared to be her rump... and blushed. "Uhm, Rarity, is everything alright?" 

Rarity jumped at suddenly being addressed, and realized she had been staring most indignantly, and purely by coincidence at the princess'... hindquarters. "Yes, everything's alright." She said mechanically, then coughed and made to redeem herself by explaining her rudeness. "I apologize princess, I didn't mean to— I was just wondering, how did you do that? The thing with the cushion?"

Luna's eyes widened a bit from the unexpected change of subject, then looked back at the deep purple pillow she was now seated upon. "Oh, this is a dream, Rarity. Almost whatever you can imagine and hold in your mind's eye is possible here. There are limits, though, and it isn't easy for the untrained—" 

The brightened face and squee that immediately came from Rarity again caught the princess off guard, interrupting her in the exact same way as Rarity had done before. 

She certainly seems to have a knack for causing distractions, Luna thought levelly. Before her a mirror, and she supposed unsurprisingly, a gown of ludicrous proportions appeared around Rarity. The other pony was now enshrouded in the most luxurious examples of clothing design the princess had ever seen.

"Impressive," Luna said.

"Oh my word," Rarity exclaimed, turning this way and that in front of the full body reflective surface. "If only it were this easy while awake! Why I—"

"Rarity," The stand mirror and dress disappeared with hardly a poof. Luna continued while the other mare turned to face her, grinning sheepishly. "Please, time is a strange thing here, and it is important that I begin looking for your friends again as soon as possible. We... don't know what may have befallen them."

Rarity's face became ashamed. "Oh no, Princess, I am sorry. You— You don't think anything bad has happened to them, do you!? I mean, I'm safe, so surely wherever they are is... What was it that happened to them? Do you know? Did they almost drown, as I did?" Her face became confused when the Princess shook her head resolutely.

"Such is not the case, my little pony. At least, not for Fluttershy and Twilight. They disappeared under different circumstances, as Applejack and Rainbow Dash almost did. Pinkie Pie, however... I almost neglected to tell you, forgive me. She swam after you, Rarity, as did the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash." The Princess of the Night's face was as hard as stone while she retold the events she had become privy to. She couldn't manage a heartfelt or warm expression at the moment, she was too tired. 

In fact, Luna felt as if she may begin to tear up again while looking at Rarity. She looked down consolingly at her lost subject. "We drained the pond after Rainbow went for help. Neither you, nor Pinkie were at the shallow bottom. It baffled us, and after we learned similar fates had befallen Fluttershy and Twilight, we became certain that something most foul was afoot. Twilight was testing a new potion, and instead of arriving at Canterlot as planned, she merely disappeared altogether. I have not been able to find her. Fluttershy was last seen by her animals, going into a patch of nearby forest, I have not found her yet either. We do not know how any of you were taken from us." 

Luna took in a deep breath, exhaling carefully, so as not to break her stride. "Given what you have already told me, it is a safe conclusion I fear, that you are not in Equestria, or our world any longer. Both Celestia and I have traveled the length and breadth of our entire domain, but never have we encountered, nor heard of a race of creatures called 'humans'." She said the name of the strange race with finality, as if concluding a story. The name certainly did baffle her, and sounded strange beside as well.

Rarity listened in quiet shock as she took in what had happened to her friends. "What do we do then, princess? I—, you can get me home, right? Now that you've found me? Then you can do the same for my friends once you find them, of course?" She looked up with hopeful eyes at the princess. When the other mare's expression widened a little, then wilted, Rarity felt her own heart sink. "But... surely Celestia or you can..." Her voice trailed off and a hoof found its way to covering up her muzzle, unable to continue asking about what was already clear to her.

"I am sorry, as I fear it is not so easy. We have never heard of, or thought it possible there could be places other than our home in existence. Rest assured, Celestia is working tirelessly to research and find a way to get you all back." Princess Luna rose and came to stand before Rarity. "We will get you back, Rarity. All of you..."

Rarity's face scrunched as she fought back tears of her own, but looked up hopefully at the Princess' strong words. "What should I do then, Princess?" 

Princess Luna tilted her head slightly and spoke with a considering tone. "You mentioned that there are those that could help you in the world you've found; stay with them, and remain safe above all else, my little pony. We don't know what may be out there, but if it lies outside of Equestria, it is safe to assume that things may be very, very different. Harmony may not extend out to these other, outside lands." 

"I... see..." Rarity nodded solemnly.

Another silence stretched in the chamber. The two ponies sat in the quiet, lost in thoughts both mundane and wide in scope. Princess Luna changed the scenery at one point, to clouds, which always calmed her. Rarity had gasped at the change, then adopted a look of interest and began toying with the white fluff that now surrounded them. 

As the Princess had hoped, it had eased things. While explanations were already had in full, she also expanded on what she had mentioned earlier, that dreams worked funnily with time. The two ponies spoke for a little longer, until Luna gave her final good byes for the night, and said lastly that she would be able to find Rarity so long as she were asleep. 

"I... confess, Rarity, I had been losing hope that I could reach you, wherever you had been taken. Now that it is clear this is not the case, I can return to my search without abandon. I will find them in the dream." Princess Luna smiled broadly, hoping to instill confidence in her subject.

Rarity returned a hopeful look and a smile of her own. "Good luck, Princess, and thank you so much. It feels so good to know that I am not alone."

Luna nodded, and her horn began to glow.

"Oh, Princess, wait!" Rarity held up a hoof and trotted from her couch of clouds over to the other mare. 

Luna paused in her going. "Is something else the matter?" 

"Please, when you find them, my friends, tell them I said hello, and I can't wait to see them all again." Rarity could feel the sadness in her eyes, but she smiled as big as she could. 

Princess Luna nodded, straightening her back in a show of confidence. "I will, Rarity. Rest now, as you may very well need it. I will be in touch."







The world hadn't shimmered, or slowly faded as Rarity had been expecting it might. She was instead suddenly waking up. The feel of the bed and covers around her was unmistakable. Leaning up in the dark of the room, she channeled a light spell out of simple desire and bathed her accommodations in her magic's pale blue light. Everything looked as it had when she had last seen it in the candle light. She sighed, looking around at the foreign surroundings that were as far from her bedroom in the Carousel Boutique as they could get.

"Keep it together, Rarity. You're safe here, after all." Rarity breathed breathed out a sigh in an attempt to to achieve some sense of peace. Before long, the morning sun began to creep through the window. 

Rarity got out of bed, only to have a sudden thought, something that both she and Princess Luna had overlooked discussing further. "Pinkie Pie, she followed me." Her eyes widened at the realization.



> Chapter 9 : Meeting The Girls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------






"Dammit, Pearl, this is crazy." Mrs. Umbrade continued to stare from the far end of the dining hall at the strange, mythical creature that was for some unfathomable reason, staying in her college at the guest wing. "Now look, I know that you consider yourself a far more lenient professor than I, which is fiiiine, but you need to consider the safety of the children, first! We don't know what that thing can do, what it's capable of, and we certainly don't even know what it is." She looked away from the odd horse and squared herself up against the taller woman standing beside her, doing her best to put on a show of intimidation.

Ms. Greenwood calmly regarded the younger woman who happened to be headmistress, and her superior. "I believe the children are quite perfectly safe, Mrs. Umbrade." She looked again at Rarity, who was currently surrounded by nearly every student that was still at the school despite the weekend holiday. "Mr. Abhorsen himself vouched for that, and I trust him; he is the foremost expert on things of this nature, after all. What a treat it would be to have him find the time to instruct around here... Besides, the dear is obviously, quite obviously in fact, not some threat, but a rather eloquent and well mannered creature that deserves not only our help, but our respect." Whirling around quickly her finger found its way to jab at Mrs. Umbrade herself. "Just because you fainted during your first encounter with her is no cause to hold a grudge."

Mrs. Umbrade scowled and hmphed indignantly. "That has nothing to— Dooh, fine, I still say we should call the military—"

"You will do no such thing." Ms. Greenwood waited a moment, frowning after forbidding what was essentially her boss from doing something. "Just trust me." She looked back at Rarity and the giggling gaggle of children she was entertaining with her peculiar version of magic. "Everything will be fine. I don't intend to let her out of my sight, after all."





"Alright!" Rarity's chiming, angelic voice and laughter continued to fill the air in the dining hall, mixing with the plethora of voices from the human fillies that were so taken by her. It wasn't quite the form of popularity she strove for and was used to, but it was simpler, and still very fun. "Who would like a turn next?"

Immediately, a couple dozen wiggling arms soared up above heads as girls at various seats and in the aisle all cheered and begged to be the next to get levitated over their friends. 

Rarity smiled as she picked up a small, brown haired girl near the back of the pack, and raised her up gently above the shifting crowd. 

"EEEEeee!" The girl grinned wildly and scrunched up her form as she hovered higher, her friends in the tall ceilinged room all cheering. Her shrill scream of excitement grew quieter and quieter, until she started laughing uncontrollably and opened her eyes to look down at the other girls below. 

Rarity smiled up at the human filly and gave a couple of simple, run of the mill loops to her flight path. She felt a bead of sweat slick her forehead, something she was never alright with at all; except under these circumstances, she decided. The effort of entertaining the girls she was in the present company of was more than she usually dealt with while designing, but not beyond her skill. She was a bit above average for a unicorn's spell strength, a fair bit really, but she didn't usually practice to any degree at honing skill to accompany her power.

Not like Twilight... Rarity sighed, keeping a demure smile on her face for the children no matter what. She continued to trade glances with Sabriel, Sulyn and Ellimere, who all sat beside her merrily while they enjoyed their morning. If Twilight were here, she would have already teleported herself back home, of that I have no— Her thoughts caught as they realized just what they were thinking over, and her smile did waver. 

The brown haired girl which Rarity floated about placidly had her soaring sojourn come to an end, and she was lowered back to the floor. She let out a disappointed aaw as her feet touched the ground again. 

Twilight's been missing as long as I though, as well as everypony else! Rarity continued to think over things once again. After all, she hadn't really had a quiet moment since leaving her room. She had almost stayed in bed for the day, but the three impetuous girls flanking her had seen to giving her a royal welcome. That wasn't something she could very well just turn down... I imagine... if Twilight could have fixed all of this, she would have done so by now. The worrying thoughts still continued to plague her on through the welcoming party.

"Rarityyyy, hellooo." Sabriel waved a hand in front of the alabaster colored guest, who was seated demurely on the simple school bench beside her, and yet also staring out into empty space. "Are you still awake?" 

"Hm? Oh, dear me, I apologize, Sabriel. I drifted away there." Rarity flashed a reassuring smile to her friend and refocused on the crowd of girls sitting around her who still chatted excitedly with one another while also trying to inconspicuously gain her attention again. "Did somepony have more questions?"

Sabriel nodded up and down in affirmation, and the girls all redoubled their efforts to be heard now that Rarity had again joined the world of the living.

The girls had drilled Rarity with questions of all kinds; what her favorite color was, where she was from, her favorite food. There were questions of a slightly more odd variety, but they weren't entirely unexpected by Rarity from a crowd of such young girls. The second variety of those questions asked of her a great deal more and were in far greater number; such questions included things like where she was born, 'what kind of a name is Rarity?', was her mother a 'rhinoceros' and her father a 'donkey'... Needless to say, she listened to and took the questions she answered with a grain of salt.

Over the cheering voices around her Rarity picked out one that caught her attention. I hope it isn't simply another request to pet me. The third variety of questions had all been exactly that to some degree, and she had only hesitantly allowed it...

The girl which the unicorn looked at repeated her question more loudly once eye contact was made. "Are you a princess!?" she cried out a second time.

Rarity's eyes widened, and her smiled did the same ever so slightly as she looked at the girl in question. All around the crowd began to quiet as if a switch had been thrown, detecting by some means that she was about to speak. 

"Who might you be, darling?" Rarity tilted her head playfully with a joy filled smile at the human filly that had caught her attention.

Every eye amongst the girls encircling the lone unicorn turned to face the red headed girl. "Ah-uh-I-I-I'm, uhm, I'm Jacqueline." The girl tried to hide beneath her forest of hair and shrink from the scrutiny of all the attention she was getting.

"Jacqueline?" Rarity asked aloud, she found herself staring at the girl's freckles. Abruptly, she coughed and brought herself back from drifting away again. "That's a very pretty name. Well, to answer you, no, I am not a princess. Though I imagine it would be quite the thrill to be one." 

Letting out a little, tiny sigh, Rarity broke her stare with the girl's familiar freckles and leaned one leg on the table to look dreamily up at the ceiling. "I used to want to be one during my entire fillyhood," she started, a tone of whimsy in her voice. "Why, the glamor, the parties, the cultured atmosphere and most of all, the adoration of millions of smiling subjects would simply be wonderful! If such a thing could happen, the first thing I would do would be to marry the most handsome stallion in the land and make him my prince!"

Rarity squealed at the mere thought of such things and hugged herself to contain the excitement that had built up from imagining the sight of a crowd of ponies in Canterlot, all cheering her name. She let out another contented sigh, then spotted the faces of the girls nearest her, and the sigh became nervous laughter. Their expressions ranged from complete bewilderment to enchanted looks that may very well have matched her own until a second ago. 

"Ahem," Rarity cleared her throat and smiled all around calmly, then took a sip of her drink before continuing. "As I was saying, no I am not, but we do have princesses in Equestria. Would you all like to hear about them?" She cracked one of her calmly shut eyes to peer around at the explosion of excitement from the girls. "Very well, then I'll tell you all about the two sisters that share the rule of my home." 

Rarity flashed a grin over at Sabriel, who leaned intently over the rough wooden table as surely as any of the other girls listening in. 





It took some time before Rarity escaped the clutches of the gaggle of school girls, not that she had been in any particular hurry. What had started as a simple breakfast and a tour by Sabriel and Sulyn, had quickly turned into a series of stories and adventure sharing. It had been fortunate for her, that as an Element of Harmony she certainly had her fair number of troublesome adventures and fighting evil to share with the girls. What had turned out to be unfortunate for her, however, was that the human children were just as insatiable as pony children in wanting more and more stories.

Rarity took a break from trotting and leaned against a wall to rest a moment. "Those girls, honestly." She shook her head, mane swaying gently to her laughter. "They remind me so much of Sweetie Bell." The brief image of her younger sister flashed in front of her mind's eye, and the sound of her lovable, squeaky voice echoed in her furry ears.

"Everything okay, Miss Rarity? Did you say something?" Ellimere stopped and turned around to ask. She was currently Rarity's escort—aside from the ever present and silent Ms. Greenwood—and they were both heading to meet Sabriel in the library, where the raven haired girl had excitedly run to for some unspoken reason. While it was a bit odd to have the school teacher trailing them, she was at least sending away every stray school girl that tried to cling to Rarity and ask more questions.

"Oh yes Ellimere, everything is more than fine." Except for every single one of you cuties reminding me of ponies I've left behind, that is, Rarity's thoughts pointed out immediately. After which, guilt swam over her. Oh, hush up, you silly pony. 

Rarity sighed. "Coooming," she sing-songed out, picking up her hooves and trotting up once again beside the young girl. 

Once astride Sabriel's friend again, Rarity looked over and smiled up at the girl. Despite being a full grown mare—and the majority of the girls she had encountered being adolescent—they were all nearly a foot taller than her. "I'm just thinking of my friends, truthfully enough, Ellimere. I miss them all dearly." A little sigh escaped from sharing the truth. Sharing so many stories about herself, from battling that insufferable showmare Trixie to fighting off changelings, had reminded her terribly of just what was at stake if she couldn't get home. Luna being honest about lacking the ability to get her home, as well as Celestia, had not helped.

Ellimere's hand rose and gently smoothed Rarity's mane, catching the forlorn mare off guard. "You'll get home, Miss Rarity, you'll see. Sabriel's dad is pretty amazing; the fact that he's coming is as good as a promise that there must be a way." The girl smiled widely, breaking her usual somber expression.

Rarity returned the gesture, ignoring the fact that her mane was likely getting mussed from the attention. "Thank you, darling, thank you so much. I'm sure that man will be able to help just as you say." 

A dark thought, like a slimy, unthinkable monstrosity from Tartarus threatening to filthy up her coat, hung in the back of Rarity's mind, however. Even if he can though, what of the others? The images of Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie all raced through her thoughts. While she was there, laughing happily with school children and promised a warm 'shower' with a bed, they could be out there in the wilderness alone. The humans had told her already a great deal of why they had been so suspicious of her, about the horrifying creatures that plagued their lands to the north.

Rarity refocused forward as Ellimere opened the door to the library. They're probably out there somewhere, and they need my help! The problem, was that she didn't know at all where to start. I need to speak with that Mr. Abhorsen again... but he won't be here for another three days. 







"There could be more of you!?" Sulyn's eyes lit up with pure glee.

Rarity looked up sadly from where she had begun to stare at the library carpet after revealing the details of her dream the night before. 

Sulyn blushed, and her blissful expression sobered up some. "Oh, that wouldn't be a good thing, huh..."

"Hm..." Sabriel held up her hands and rested her head on the palms, charter books of spells strewn across the surface of the table in front of her. "Well, that does complicate your situation, Rarity. I was thinking, and I think Dad was too, that after he comes here to take you to his house beyond the wall he'll get things sorted out there." She heaved a big sigh and stretched back, hands behind her head and a defeated look on her face. "If you need to go looking for other unicorns all over Ancelstierre..."

Rarity added in at the end offhoofedly, "Only one of them is a unicorn as well, actually." She sighed defeatedly, focusing on how exactly she would find her other friends that were no doubt scattered through the strange new world she found herself in. Meanwhile, she also tried to ignore the niggling voice telling her that they might not even be alive. Don't even think that, Rarity. After all, you were missing for several days, too. Pushing the defeatist thoughts back, she continued to address her new friends. "Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy are an earth pony and pegasus respectively, Sabriel, but Twilight Sparkle is a unicorn like myself, and much more skilled with magic too. I've never been envious of that until now..."

The sound of Sulyn's voice quickly building into a higher and higher pitched squeal slightly detracted from the serious turn of the conversation. 

"Sulyn, if you can't better control yourself I will politely ask you to excuse yourself, instead." Ms. Greenwood sighed and lowered another thick volume of study material onto the table. She looked through her round spectacles at Rarity. "I believe this is everything that might help you get a grasp of charter magic, Miss Rarity. You won't learn but a few basic mechanics of the art in only three days, of that I am certain, but you're welcome to take anything the librarian is willing to part with as you leave." The willowy teacher crossed her arms and looked thoughtfully at her strange guest.

"Of course," Rarity sighed and looked forlornly down at all the study material; study material that Twilight would no doubt trade her front hooves for. I cannot believe I'm considering this... She poked at one book absently while frowning. It's just like learning to use my horn's magic all over again. Truthfully, she had never attended a formal magic school, certainly nothing like Twilight's enrollment at Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. Taking that into account though, made her earlier decision to help in finding her friends even more important. 

Rarity looked up at the teacher of charter magic at the school with a serious look. "I can't just sit around and wait, Ms. Greenwood." She swallowed and opened the book closest to her. "I'm safe, and my friends are missing. If they are here somewhere in this world, I need to look into any means of finding them or getting us home that I can. Is there anyway I could look for them while I'm here, actually? They could have come through that... watery portal thing very near to where I did." 

Sabriel tilted her head at hearing 'water portal', Rarity noted, but the girl didn't say anything.

The creak of the old wooden chair beside her caught Rarity a little off guard. Surprisingly, the standoffish magic instructor had taken a seat beside her.

"I'll have the groundskeeper look around in town. Also you're welcome to sit in on my class during the day, Rarity." Ms. Greenwood gave her a brief, very brief smile, before switching back to looking expressionless. "Truthfully it would be a great help if you did so. I must confess, I only managed to keep Mrs. Umbrade from... holding a grudge by promising I would keep a close eye on you."

Rarity nodded and flashed a grin. "That will do nicely, Ms. Greenwood, thank you. Also, I really am truly, ever so terribly sorry about scaring her... Did she accept my apology?" She bit her lip nervously as she asked about that, doing so first hoof had not seemed an appealing notion given the shouting that had been heard by everyone in the dining hall. 

Ms. Greenwood tilted her head and frowned slightly. "Not... exactly, she didn't say she was notifying the militia nearby however, so we have that in our favor. I wouldn't hope for any more than that. So far the other staff are more entranced by the notion of you being around than worried, foolish lot all of them." 

Two of the three girls sitting across the table giggled at Ms. Greenwood's remarks, to which the teacher reacted by tossing an icy look at them, promptly causing them to go rigid and quiet down.

"Perhaps if I made her a pot of tea and tried speaking to her mare to mare..." Rarity held a considering hoof up to her muzzle and stared at the table top, mulling over the idea. "Oh well, a matter for later. Sabriel, I'm sorry my dear. What were you saying a moment ago?"

The human filly picked her head up from where she had laid it forehead down onto the table. "Finally, I exist again." Sabriel pushed a thick book towards Rarity across the table. "Now, as I was saying—"






Rarity massaged her poor, aching brain with one hoof as she trudged beside Ms. Greenwood towards her room. Uggh, I will never understand what Twilight sees in studying so much, ever. Her mind hissed the scathing thought and her skull felt as thought it would burst. Sabriel's eccentric attempts at trying to teach her everything about 'charter magic', as it was called, in only ten minutes had been an unpleasant experience. Thankfully, Ms. Greenwood had returned from wherever it was she had gone to take over after a while.

The sound of Rarity's hooves clip-clopping through the hallway quietly was the only sound other than Ms. Greenwood walking beside her, until the older appearing human spoke up. "So, if you can't get home, what then?" 

Rarity froze in her tracks, blinking from the suddenness of such a notion. "I— What?" She looked up with an expression caught between terrified and confused beyond belief.

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me to ask." The mare spread her hands apologetically, "I've always been rather pragmatic, forgive me. I suppose it is far too soon to be thinking such defeatist notions as that." She sighed and began walking again. 

Rarity stared after her a moment, then trotted forward to catch up. "I suppose if it came to that, not to say there is no chance of being stuck here, that I would open a boutique somewhere." She smiled when the human looked down at her in surprise. "Miss Rarity is not one to stay down, Ms. Greenwood." The show of bravery she put on didn't exactly reflect on how she felt about the subject, but the unicorn didn't let that show.

"You are a designer?" Ms. Greenwood asked, intrigued.

"Oh, darling, you have no idea." Rarity beamed over at her escort. "If there is one thing I find fascinating about humans it's that you're always wearing clothing... I positively relish the thought of designing a few clothing choices for you. Why, if I could I would probably do so for some time exclusively. I already have a few ideas..." A calm, considering smile kept itself on her face while she thought of a few ball gown designs, which would have room for a considerably larger amount of intricate fabric patterns given the way humans stand...

The sound of giggling laughter and chattering from behind Rarity made her turn around. 

"Oh dear," Rarity cringed a little, then faced forward again and picked up her pace.

Ms. Greenwood turned around as well, before looking after her equine companion and resuming her cool stride. "They won't bother you as long as I'm around, Rarity," she said, smiling after picking up on the pony's thoughts. "I imagine your head went numb this morning from all of that attention they were giving it."

Rarity slowed her trot again and glanced back. Sure enough, the dozens of girls hiding there were tracking her as surely as timberwolves may track a bow-meow. "Yes... something like that. My poor mane is all I worry about. Really though, they're darling girls, but my hair is in terrible condition as it is without my beauty paraphernalia. Why, nothing short of a full visit to the spa for several hours would return it to its former glory at this juncture." 

Sure enough, Rarity's usually bouncing, curled mane was currently a sheening, flat sheet, brushed straight without any attempt made to give it the normal appearance it usually bore. 

Rarity heaved a sigh, staring at it from the corner of her eye. "Oh well. Perhaps I'll adopt a braid or something until I'm able to fix it properly."

"That would look nice. You'll be on the road soon, and traveling through a fair amount of wilderness, as well. The wall is very close by and Abhorsen is one of the few people with permission to cross it. I have no doubt that he will take you to the Old Kingdom to seek answers for you." Ms. Greenwood paused, and glanced over at Rarity with a measuring look. "It's very dangerous there, Rarity. I would worry more about finding your friends and staying alive than hair-care."

"Is it really so dangerous?" Rarity grimaced, taken aback by the reputation this northern kingdom had. The girls and teachers spoke of it as though it were one, giant Everfree Forest. "Yes, I know," she went on, "finding my friends is all that matters, I'll cut my entire mane if I have to in order to stay distraction free." She couldn't help but shudder for several seconds at the merest notion of the thought. 

Ms. Greenwood laughed, opening the door and stepping aside from Rarity's room so the mare could enter. "Well, let us hope it doesn't come to that..." The older mare held Rarity's gaze for a number of moments before speaking again. "I'll see you in the morning for my class then, Rarity. Sulyn or I will come and fetch you. I'm glad you have some interest in charter magic. I fear you staying under my watch wasn't really negotiable, but at least now you will learn something that may be of use as well."

Rarity nodded hesitantly in understanding. "Oh, I see. Still, thank you for helping me so much at all. I do appreciate the kindness you have all shown me, in ways I could never truly express to do it any justice." She curled a hoof up to her front and gave the human a grateful smile. "Even if you are suspicious of me..." Her nose wrinkled at the thought. "But I digress, good night Ms. Greenwood, until tomorrow."

The human tilted her head up slightly and gave Rarity the closest as she ever came to a smile in return. "Your welcome dear, and good night. I'll send word if anything of your friends is discovered in town."






> Chapter 10 : There Will Be Cake
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





On the edge of a town, just south of the wall—the wall which separated the region named the Old Kingdom and the country Ancelstierre—lay a house. The house was of the farm variety and sat a good distance from any neighbors. Inside the house, there was a room, and that room contained a bed, a chair, a wash basin, but little else. It was a dull room, and the door that kept the room closed off from the outside world, was a dull door. The wallpaper in the room was torn, stained, and of course, dull, as well. 

In the center of the room, was a single, lilted form that breathed unsteadily from the circumstances that had transpired for her. The form's mane hung straight at her side. The circumstances which she faced had very much brought her into a state of doubt, of fear, and of depression. 

She was alone; Pinkie Pie, was alone.

Worst of all, there was absolutely nothing to do in the room at all, which most would consider an unbearable quality, but for Pinkie Pie it was quite literally the last straw. Or, as she preferred to say, the last cherry on the ice cream sundae. 

Pinkie's sudden appearance in a strange setting, surrounded by even stranger creatures, had been worrying, but it was made more so by the fact she had been swimming after her bestest friend, Rarity, when it had happened. Actually, all of her friends were her bestest friends, but that was besides the point. What did matter was that she had somehow come to be in a completely confuzzling and bizarre new world.

"All I need's ah smile, smile, smiiile..." Pinkie Pie sighed the words out, then looked up from the floor again and towards the door, the rest of her staying prone. The hope that her host would return with good news of some sort constantly badgered her worried pink brain. Anxious, she pushed herself up with a huff of air, done with moping for now, and began trotting in a circle. It wasn't much unlike what Twilight did when she was thinking, and all Pinkie could do at the moment was just that, thinking. 

"Just where is he?" Pinkie asked aloud, thinking for the moment of the funny looking creature that had apparently found her the other day. The tall, furless and pasty skinned critter called a human—whom she was praying would return soon—went by the name Fenwick. 

Pinkie Pie stopped her circling and sat down abruptly on her rump with a thud. "Alright, recap, Ms. Pie!" She held a hoof under her chin and focused. "Just the other day you woke in a stranger's house. The stranger in question wasn't just a stranger because you didn't know them though, they were a stranger because they looked strange too." She flopped on her back and began staring at the ceiling, pedaling her hooves while speaking aloud, unable to stay still.

"It turns out that you're in a strange, weeeird country called Ancelstierre with strange, weeeird magic called charter magic, only the magic doesn't work that good this far south for some reason. The strange stranger tells you is name is Fenwick, which is a strange name! Then he says to you that he doesn't know what's going on and has never even seen a pony before, let alone Princess Celestia, and everypony knows her!" Pinkie sighed and let her legs fall limply to her sides with a clunk, still watching the ceiling. "Or Rarity... Which is... really sad." She sniffed once and fought back tears that tried to come back, then exploded into a bounce all of a sudden and stood up.

"But that's okay!" Pinkie grinned at the door. "Because Luna can apparently spy on pony's dreams, although she doesn't spy on them that would be wrong and she's too great a princess for that! So great in fact, that she found Rarity and she's alright and might even be here with me because she's staying with hoomans too!" She remembered well the fun she had just last night with Princess Luna, after running around and screaming for a bit of course. Maaaybe that wasn't the nicest way to say hello to Nightmare Moon— er, Luna, but I was just so excited! She snorted back some laughter and sat down for the second time. "Now where was I? Oh right!" A sigh escaped Pinkie as she recalled some of the sadder news she had received from the equine princess.

"She found Rarity, but not Fluttershy and Twilight, and they're missing too..." Pinkie Pie's mane defrizzed again and fell flat against her side slowly, stricken by the thought of anypony wanting to hurt her or her friends. I hope they're okay... She stood up and re-began to trot in a circle once more. "Does that just about cover everything?" Humming, her normally bouncing, candy filled mind ran over the rather dreary and unfortunate circumstances she now found herself in. Likewise, her tummy rumbled up at her in response to the flickering mention of candy and baked goods going on at Pinkie central. 

"Not now stomach, I'm busy thinking." Pinkie reached back and jabbed at her undercarriage distractedly, staring towards one wall of the windowless room. 

For Pinkie Pie, the boredom was of course unbearable ten fold with the addition of worrying, and with nothing to ease her mind it took quite a bit to take her mind off of things. Luckily, a knock came at the door just then.

"Fanny!?" Pinkie's grin plastered itself to her muzzle immediately.  "Is that you?" She stood and trotted anxiously to the door, grateful that her savior had reappeared finally. 

Sunlight poured into the room as one of the two doors opened a crack. "Pinkie, don't call me that, and you were supposed to ask me the challenge, remember?" A greying, wrinkled head poked in around the edge of the door and scowled down at the pony. His voice was as scratchy as a hundred Rainbow Dash's, and sounded old enough to make Granny Smith seem young.

Pinkie made confused face, which promptly binged into realization a second later. "Oh yeah! Sorry, I've been distracted... Uhm, now what was it? How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" Strangely enough the human only stared back at Pinkie. Maybe that wasn't it? "Oh, I know! How many dragons does it take to screw in a light—"

"Nevermind... Pinkie, that's fine." Fenwick sighed and limped into the room. "I brought you some food, and no it's not cake, so don't ask..." He paused, and it didn't take more than a moment for the man's quiescent nature to be overrun by the excited pony.

Pinkie stood up on her hind legs in imitation of Fenwick; she felt that it took some of the spotlight off the human. After all, she didn't want him to feel like an outsider. "Yay! But Fanny guess what, I have good news, great news! News almost as great as—" 

The human set down the basket he carried and growled out a warning. "Pinkie..." The room was silent, and after a moment he crouched beside the basket to dig around its contents. "At a normal volume, please."

"Oh, right, sorry, I get excited easy." Pinkie Pie laughed nervously and settled back on her haunches. "Well I just wanted to tell you I spoke with my princess last night—"

"What?" Fenwick exclaimed in shock and looked up. His eyes searched around the cluttered old side shed to his home, but it was as empty as always, minus the magical creature he now housed in it.

Pinkie blinked in surprise at the speed from which the human looked up from the basket, a scrumptious looking bread roll in his fist.  It was a little strange, the food humans ate looked alright, but it tasted super funny. Almost as if they had some sort of super special secret ingredient in everything that nopony knew about, or was missing one that her own baked goods had. The thing was she knew she didn't always use a secret ingredient, and so far Fanny wouldn't tell her if he used one. Maybe he's just really good at keeping a secret— Whoops he's talking to me again.

"-Pinkie, are you listening? Are they here now?" Fanny took a step towards her.

"Oh, no way, silly billy! I spoke to Princess Luna in my dreams! I didn't tell you about her yet, just Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie— Oh wait, that's me..." Pinkie giggled and rocked back and forth on her hind-quarters, beaming up at her helpful human friend. "So, I—"

Fanny cut her off though, which was okay; it was his home after all and who was to say that humans didn't just do that a lot. "So they aren't coming here?" He visibly relaxed, obviously disappointed that help wasn't coming after all, just like she had been disappointed.

"No... I wish they were, but the princess is in Equestria and doesn't even know how to get here! Even worse than that, she also said that several of my other friends are missing too, including Rarity, the bestest best friend I told you I tried to save..." Pinkie let out a sigh.

Fenwick raised a curious eyebrow at the strange creature that had come into his possession, nearly having a heart attack when it again bounced into its normal hyperactive state.

"But that brings us back to even more great great news! Rarity is okay! She might even be here somewhere, because she's met a bunch of hoomans too! She's at a college called Wyverly, have you heard of it? Because if you have and I bet we can find out about it really really quick then we can go there and you can use your super special way to get both Rarity and I home!" Pinkie Pie could barely contain all of the excitement that was again bubbling and churning in her. Hours with nothing to do but draw hoof-art in the dust had done a lot to quell the happiness, but now that Fanny was filled in on everything she could hardly wait. "So when can we go? Can we go now? Rarity, I mean Luna, said that Rarity said that there were lots of adorable little human fillies. Before you send us home could I maybe throw a party or two for them? I mentioned that parties were my special talent didn't I—"

"Pinkie, stop!" 

Pinkie blinked and buttoned her lip politely. She watched as Fanny groaned loudly and rubbed one of his hands—which was a funny name for them—against his head, then fell back against the door, rattling the old boards against their hinges. 

"Are you okay?" Pinkie swallowed and shuffled her hooves. 

"Pinkie, what did I say earlier? " Fenwick schooled his face with difficulty to a calm state, trying the best his old temper and face could manage not to look angry.

Pinkie Pie smiled calmly, "I'm sorry, Fanny. I'm just so excited that she's okay, even if Twilight and Fluttershy are missing too, Luna says that she can find them maybe and..." 

"That's fine, but what I said though, what was it?" Fanny interrupted again, then handed down the crusty roll he'd been holding towards Pinkie, and she took it from him slowly with one hoof.

"That your old nerves can't quite handle my perkiness?" Pinkie Pie put a questioning tone in her quavering voice, despite knowing full well the lecture she'd gotten right after meeting old Fanny-pants. 

"Exactly, I've spent far too long a time scraping by and dealing with crooked neighbors to be able to handle..." Fenwick eyed the pony, unsure exactly what to make of her. "Well, to handle you, Pinkie, not that I mean any offense by that."

"You remind me of Cranky Doodle, Fanny, except you're not quite so grumpy, just really strange, and taller." Pinkie giggled, and normally about then she would have given a friend a hug, but Fanny had told her no more hugs, so she didn't.  

"I'm not as grumpy, eh? Heh." Fenwick pulled up the lone chair in the room where he was keeping Pinkie hidden, then sat. "He was another pony, like you?" he asked, his gravelly voice was a sharp contrast to the pink Equestrian sitting across from him, as was everything else about the lanky man. The gray and brown stubble on his face was ragged and unshaven, completely different from the thin, smooth pink fur-coat which Pinkie possessed. The simple clothes he also wore could have been used for anything from working to farming, but they held not a pinch of color.

"Oh no," Pinkie swallowed the powdery bread roll whole with a gulp. "He was a donkey." She grinned across at Fanny cheerfully. 

Receiving a grunt for a response, Pinkie grinned bigger and pressed on. "So... I hate to be a naggy mcnaggerson, Fanny, but could we look for Rarity really soon? She's really close to the wall too! I told Princess Luna all about how we were just south of it like you said, and about all the monsters and untrustworthy hoomans and stuff that you warned me about and are protecting me from—thank you so much for that again by the way—aand she said, Princess Luna that is, that she would tell Rarity and find out more from her. Either way, I couldn't tell them where I was because I remembered—silly me—that I never asked you what town we were in!" Pinkie laughed as if it were a joke, but even something as simple as her own mistake was worth a laugh for her, usually. Anything with good news like finding out a friend was okay, was worth even more laughter.

Fanny put on a look that Pinkie couldn't quite make sense of, he almost looked worried, and he definitely looked sorta like he was thinking really hard. Oh, maybe he's really constipated? Granny Smith gets a look that's sorta like that sometimes when she can't quite go. I wonder if he'd mind if I asked? He seems to hate it when I ask too many questions... She worked hard to keep the frown from her own thinking off her face. Oh, what if he's thinking about what I'm thinking about and that's why he's frowny-wowny? Because I'm frowny-wowny? Huh, circular frowning. 

One of Pinkie's hooves tapped up and down against the floor, her thoughts keeping her company until an answer would come. She had learned early on that patience was required with Fanny, as he seemed to do a lot of careful thinking, which reminded her a great deal of Big Mac. He smells funny though. Fanny, that is, not Big Mac... Her nose wrinkled at the thought of the weird sweaty garlic-like smell Fanny carried around with him. Maybe I can buy him some cologne as a thank you present! Then again, I think Rarity mentioned once that was a faux pas... Either way, it wasn't quite enough to thank him for helping her out so much, but she would play things by ear.

"Well, I guess I had better be going then." Fanny stood up from his odd looking chair quickly, and opened his mouth to speak again before Pinkie could interject for once. The decision was sudden, and surprising to Pinkie. "I heard what you said Pinkie, I know where Wyverly is, too..." He wore the same face that looked deep seated in hard decision making. "I'll try my best to get you there, but it may take some time..." The oldish human trudged towards the door, then returned carrying the basket in his gnarled grip. "You're right, once we get your friend, too, we should be able to send you home. Be patient though, please." One of his hands came down and smoothed Pinkie's mane gently.

Pinkie stared up at him, smile growing wider with each promise as she listened. The petting she didn't mind, although it was certainly a bit odd, or at least it would be from where she came from. It had occurred to her that it was normal here though, so she hadn't said anything since it was all the same to her anyway. "Eee, I can't wait!" She practically rumbled where she sat on the ground, hooves barely able to sit still. "I'll be able to see Gummy, Applejack, Scootaloo, Old Stallion Mr. Waddle, and everypony else again—!" 

A finger pressed itself quickly against her muzzle, muffling Pinkie's voice briefly. She grinned sheepishly up at Fanny-pack. "Shorry," she chirped out past his finger.

"Remember, Pinkie, you need to be quiet, this is a really dangerous world. It isn't nearly as kind or forgiving a place as the one you told me about." Fenwick gave her a fatherly smile, she knew it was a fatherly smile, because Poppa Pie used to give her that one a lot. "Just be patient, I'll be taking you to my friend soon, and from there everything will turn out alright, okay? You'll see." 

Pinkie Pie had to resist the urge to hug the old human again, and nodded happily while he waved and shut the door behind himself. She roll over on her back and flailed her hooves briefly. "Oooh, I can't WAIT!" A jubilant, dreamy sigh escaped her while she looked at the oddly cobweb filled rafters of her temporary hiding place. "As soon as I'm home, I am going to help Princess Celestia tear through every BOOK in Canterlot to find and bring Twilight and Fluttershy home." A serious look traded onto her face not a second later. "And if I ever catch the somepony who did this to my friends and I, I am going to give them the noogy of the millennium." Her hooves rubbed together anxiously, desperate to take revenge on the one that had tried to hurt her, her friends, the townsponies of Ponyville, and maybe others. 

Assuming it is a somepony, anyway, and not a coincidence... Pinkie rolled over and looked at the intricate dust drawing of a cake she'd made earlier. I only sorta have a feeling there's a somepony behind this though... It could be coincidence too, but her rear felt jiggly, and that usually meant a villain was ahoof. After Discord had failed to set off her Pinkie sense though, she had her doubts about what that particular one actually meant. Maybe it just means I need to go on a diet like Fluttershy said? One of her hooves scratched under her chin thoughtfully.

Pinkie blew her forelock of fuzzy mane out from in front of her face, then looked up again towards the door. "Hold on, everypony, whatever is going on, Detective Pinkie is on the case." Her only regret was not bringing any valuable props or fun items for dramatic flare, other than a few knick knacks in her mane— "Oh! Never mind, I did bring it." She grinned around the bubble pipe as she stuck it happily in her mouth. "Now, I just need a hat..."





"Really!?" Rarity shouted with pure, unadulterated exuberance right into Princess Luna's face.  The shout continued to echo somewhat in the Canterlot-like throne room which the two ponies occupied in Rarity's dream.

The Princess winced in return and laid her ears back against her head. "Now I understand why ponies disliked my use of the Royal Canterlot voice so," she muttered disdainfully. 

"Yes, Rarity, and there is no need to shout when so close..." Luna smiled in return to the shame-faced look her subject gave her. "What's more, Pinkie Pie has also found help from these humans, and it seems that the one she is staying with is quite helpful." She had been worried about that, that her subjects might be in the clutches of some sinister force or hurt, and she would be powerless to help them.  It was good to learn the opposite had come to pass.

Rarity stood to sigh dramatically, "This is the best possible thing, Princess," and then fell over onto a couch that merely appeared out of thin air to catch her. "Please tell me everything. Is there any news of Twilight or Fluttershy?" 

The unicorn watched the princess with a guarded, worried look, as though she may already know the answer.  

"None, I'm afraid," Luna replied quickly, "but I found Pinkie right after you, Rarity. With the number of days that you were all missing before I found you, I surmise that perhaps our other friends have simply not... arrived, to wherever it may be that they have gone. It's just a theory, but..." Luna stirred a hoof on the tiled floor while she drifted off.

"I'm sure that's exactly what it is." Rarity affirmed and smiled, nodding her head enthusiastically. "And after we've found everypony, we can all get to work on getting home!" She jump hopped off of the couch, landing gracefully, then posed for effect.

"That is where I would like to come to my next point, Rarity." Luna began anew in a pleased tone, "It seems that Pinkie's human may also know something of how to get you home." She smiled confidently, in almost a smirk towards the unicorn already brimming with excitement from the news. "Perhaps better than your 'Abhorsen', judging from the description Pinkie Pie gave at least. It sounded as though 'Fanny' as he his called," Luna made a look of consternation while saying the name, but didn't falter, "knew of a sure-fire way to get her back to Equestria, to put it lightly."

Rarity gaped at Luna, "Wha— that's fantastic!" She held up a hoof to her muzzle and awkwardly worked her shocked expression into a cool, ladylike smile. "I should have never worried to begin with, it seems. Why, with all this help from everypon— I mean everybody here, we'll be home in time for dinner, Princess." 

Princess Luna nodded confidently to her lost subject. "Let us hope that such will be so, Rarity, though Pinkie also bore very dire news as well. It would seem that she too is near the wall, and there are quite a few dangerous humans so close to it, as well as terrible monsters of a very violent and deadly nature." Her eyes grew serious as she spoke, "Pinkie claimed that Mr. Fanny was hiding her from several dangerous humans in her area that may wish a pony harm, for no other reason than to do it, as well, or as Pinkie said 'for no good golly gosh darned reason at all.'" The royal equine muffled a snicker with one foreleg, then coughed and refocused.

"I see... now that I think on it, the girls here did mention that being out at night wasn't allowed for them, but I didn't think anything of it. They are young, after all." Rarity furrowed her brow and thought hard, thinking back through things. "Now that I recall, the humans do seem quite... combative, there was a brief misunderstanding when I first met one face to face." She gulped, recalling the frightening memory. "It seemed that she had thought I was something dangerous, and Sabriel has mentioned that there are quite a number of things of that nature, things that honestly sound at least as dangerous as something to the effect of timberwolves, and perhaps more so."

The air remained still and quiet in the wake of Rarity's exposition of information. The dire talk going between the two of them brought up a good many concerns. In light of such things as monsters, there were other points to be had from Pinkie that were floating in both of their own minds. 

A smirk reappeared on Luna's muzzle as a light whimsy took hold of her. She picked up from where she had stopped matter of factly, eager to change the mood in the dream-space. "Unfortunately, other than being near this 'wall' the same as you, Rarity, Pinkie does not know exactly where she is. So, I told her to find you at this 'Wyverly College'. I hope to bring news that she will be coming tomorrow night." 

Rarity's weary consideration shifted and began battling it out with an overwhelming smile which fought to split her face in two.  The news of her friend was simply fantastic to hear. "I simply can't wait, Princess. Pinkie will no doubt love the children here; they're quite the adorable bunch." She looked up at the sky, thinking now of what to do when she returned home. I imagine Sweetie Bell will want to spend the next week or so at my side, the poor dear, but at least she's safe. The news that Luna had given her at the beginning of tonight's reconnoiter had been reassuring. That everypony was aware of her well-being was also nice. 

The news regarding Applejack and Rainbow Dash had been a little unsettling, and Rarity felt terrible that they had been struggling so hard to find them in the Everfree, but at least they could rest now.

Some vestige of the homesick thoughts Rarity was having must have been apparent, for Luna took wing for the briefest of moments and alighted in front of the smaller unicorn, before saying, "Trust in us my little pony, no matter what happens we will fight to return you home. Trust in harmony, also. With it, all will be unveiled as but a curtain of mist before the coming dawn. We promise you." 

Rarity stared up dumbly at the princess and her sudden display of reassurance and prose. "I— yes, Princess. Thank you," was all she could manage, and she gave the royal equine a bow. A surprised squeak was squeezed out of her by a sudden grip. Her eyes stared all around, the rest of her all at once in Princess Luna's embrace.

"This is from everypony, Rarity, especially Pinkie Pie, or so she says." Luna held the surprised unicorn back out at leg's reach and regarded her. "We will get you home, for now, stay safe," she added, an edge to her voice.

Rarity's shocked look exchanged again for her cool smile. "I will, and I simply cannot wait."

Luna stood up, holding her warm smile a moment longer, taking her sister's lessons to heart as best she could.  Celestia's words echoed in her thoughts. Be there for them, Luna. You are all they have of home right now. Please, sister, be strong for them, be their pillar. Her throat caught while she thought of her sibling. I will Tia, I will. "Will you be alright, Rarity? I should be going."

"Oh, so soon, Princess?" Rarity was taken aback by the suddenness at which Luna was already prepared to leave her. "I wished to tell you more of the humans and the filly's. There may be other things and... well—" 

Rarity bit her lip, staring up hesitantly at the midnight blue pony's regal stature. I guess I just didn't expect you to go so soon, but I remember you need to find Fluttershy and Twilight. The thought remained with her after she recalled that she was not the only missing pony. "There will be time for that after we're home though I imagine. Good luck, Princess, and please, return Pinkie's gift for me." The hug had been one of the nicest gifts she'd ever received, given the circumstances. 

Luna nodded while her horn lit up in its royal blue glow. "I will, rest easy, Rarity, and good luck with those studies. Hopefully they will not be needed." 





The morning weather around Wyverly college had remained warm and sunny for the last two days, which was excellent what with the traveling that Rarity had planned with Abhorsen during their first meeting. Although, she also had to consider Pinkie's apparent means of getting them both home. I suppose we will not need to do any traveling at all now. She had wondered the thought several times since awakening. Which method of getting back to Equestria wasn't worth dwelling over, she supposed, as there was no way to know until things came to pass. Just a little longer until Abhorsen comes, and then we can give him the good news. Although, with all this good luck we've been having, maybe Princess Celestia will beat everyone to the punch and get us home? She giggled at the hopeful idea. Still, despite the comforting thought of human help arriving, she was anxious over the news from Pinkie, as well as still not knowing where exactly her fellow pony was.

The sound of the lesson going on in front of Rarity drew her attention from her thoughts, and she refocused on the class which she sat comfortably at the back of on a repurposed seat for her use. 

"Now, class, I want you to pay close attention to this demonstration—"

Rarity hummed over the oddity of the human's magic. It was so much more rigid than her Equestrian variety, almost as if it had been designed rather than something that had sprung into being; at least, that was the leading theory that she thought she'd heard Twilight go on about at one time or another. 

"—As you all know, with more difficult charter spells it is just as important to focus on drawing the charter symbol as it is envisioning the symbols in your mind's eye.

Sighing while watching the room, Rarity absently rubbed at a particular spot upon her forehead with a hoof, namely, the spot where she had just minutes ago received something called a 'charter mark'. It was explained that somehow the little glowing symbol was an integral part of using the art directly. The explanation was of course lost on her, or what a baptism was, but she held out hope that things would make more sense soon. I still don't understand why having a wind from the north was important at all. 

Rarity huffed another sigh, and decided to raise her hoof in the air to ask a question, just like at a filly's schoolhouse. She was ready to try and get her bearings on what was being shared up front.

"Rarity, do you have a question?" Ms. Greenwood surveyed her newest student coolly, resting the long pointer stick she wielded on her desk.

Rarity tried not to stare at the instrument. "Uhm, yes, I understand the basics of how your... charter magic works, even managed to be singed by it earlier thanks to Sabriel," her fur was still crisped on one leg from the aforementioned misadventure her friend had caused. "However, I still don't quite understand what this thing I recieved is. I say 'thing' because for all that I can tell from the way it's spoken of that it is actually tangible, although it's no longer visible. Am I wrong? Is it the source of the Charter you use?" It had confused her to no end and she had finally worked up the courage to ask for a proper explanation, although even with the words in the open already she still felt silly. 

The sound of giggling from around the room brought a little heat to Rarity's cheeks, but she smiled patiently along with the cheerful girls. The class in particular which she sat in was very small, numbering only nine fillies in total.

"Oh, well that's simple enough. Hm..." Ms. Greenwood turned from Rarity and looked around, then nodded to a girl that had been eying Rarity's cutie mark nearly all class. "Moiraine, you've been exceptionally inattentive and must feel you don't need to learn anymore of my curriculum to pass. Care to explain to our guest what the charter is believed to be?"

The girl-in-question's eyes shot up, wide as saucers. "Uuh," she looked around as if for help, before shaking her head and looking towards Rarity. "The charter is a— a..." Very clumsily, the girl paused to glance down at her desk, and began reading from something. "'The mysterious and eldritch art of performing and circumventing unexplainable forces to perform one's bidding.'" Her eyes wearily looked up at Rarity, then flickered to Ms. Greenwood and back to her desk, obviously hoping to be done.

Ms. Greenwood sighed and rounded the corner of her desk. "Yes, very well read from the book." The clicking footsteps her hard shoes made were barely audible over the giggling of the other girls in the room. "Everyone quiet. To put it more intelligently than whatever buffoon wrote our basic study material, Rarity..."

Rarity's eyes widened a sliver at hearing an author be spoken of so. Oh dear, well, to be fair that wasn't very informative. Not for the first time she took a moment to consider if it was worth the effort to try learning the human's magic, even if it may be a key to getting home. 

Upfront, Ms. Greenwood continued speaking in her academic tone, "The charter symbol is far more than just a thing, but you very perceptively may have deduced some of its origin. Indeed, the symbol we bear is not the Charter's source." Her eyes and cool smile swept down over Rarity, then towards the girls in the room. "The charter is manifested by great stones in the north, whose own beginnings are as much legend as they are rumor. We do, however, know that they do what... Sabriel?" The teacher stopped beside the raven haired girl.

Sabriel straightened up and looked at her unicorn classmate. "The Charter Stones create and maintain the charter, but to build on that the charter is believed to be a manifestation of order and harmony between the elements, the world and its inhabitants."

Rarity's ears perked up at hearing this. "Harmony?" All of the eyes in the room turned towards her, creating a heat of nervousness on her face from the suddenness. "Oh, well, harmony is quite the important aspect of our own world; magic is its own aspect there, but harmony ensures that everything works properly. Oh, but we don't have any great stones that do what you described... at least, I've never heard of any. Sorry to interrupt, Ms. Greenwood..." She smiled confidently, trying her best to hide any embarrassment she may show from butting in. 

"Not at all," Ms. Greenwood smiled back at her. "Perhaps our worlds differ less than we think, Ms. Rarity." She turned away, "Anything else? I thought next we could move outside and demonstrate a few simple spells rather than continue on cooped up in here through the heat of summer." 

Again, all of the girls' eyes swiveled from the teacher and towards Rarity, eager, hungry expressions on their faces. It took a moment, but Rarity realized that the decision to move outside had been placed on her. "O-Oh, well, certainly, I would very much like to—" 

The explosion of cheering from all around the room drowned her out, at least, that is, until Ms. Greenwood slapped her teacher's pointer against the desk with a reverberating crack.





> Chapter 11 : The Cake Was A Lie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





Three unimaginably short days flew by for Rarity. The time was pleasant overall, if quite out of the ordinary for her. She had been afraid that the time would drag on knowing what she did about a way home. Even more than that, that Pinkie Pie was safe due to arrive as well; hopefully together they would be able to meet up with Applejack and Rainbow Dash in order to find their remaining missing friends. 

Luna had relayed that their pink friend was leaving for Wyverly college the same day Abhorsen would arrive. Rarity had only been in the human's strange world for a total of five days, but already it seemed to her she would be heading back to Equestria.

For now, Rarity lay on her side, leisurely staring out of her temporary bedroom's window and up at the starry night sky beyond. Her alabaster coat shone slightly in the evening glow. High above, the celestial lights shimmered dimly, pale imitations of what she was far more familiar with back at her home where she belonged. Her eyes twinkled in reply to the pitiful things, nearly outshining them for their part. 

With a pinch of magic, the window unlatched, then pushed itself open, bathed in the blue light of Rarity's spell and opening the small room to the warm, summer night air. 

A wispy sigh escaped Rarity's lips while the breeze stirred her loose mane. The hair lacked any of the normally natural bounciness that it had left Equestria with. She let her head fall to its side on her pillow, the blissful weather giving her night a measure of repose. Overhead, sparse clouds drifted across the waning moon, shadows playing across the landscape and mirroring the somber emotions filling her.

Minutes later, or perhaps longer, the sounds of a light tapping at Rarity's door filled the small room and pulled her attention away from the scenery. Her head snapped up to stare through the darkness towards the source. 

"Hello?" Rarity called out, and rose after a familiar voice hissed through the crack at the bottom of her door. 

"Raaarity, pst, it's me Sabriel. Open up." The girl was whispering, no doubt trying to stay undetected, as she was surely sneaking about.

Rarity rolled over and flipped off the bed, her hooves thunking on the wood floor. Her hoof grasped the handle and the overly tall oak door creaked open before her. "Sabriel? What are you doing here?" A grinning little human filly with hair darker than the night slipped inside immediately. 

"Good evening, Rarity!" Sabriel hugged the pony fiercely around her neck, kicking the door shut behind herself with a bang. "Well, I thought I'd sneak out, come say hello, that sort of thing. After all, you'll be leaving tomorrow." Sabriel eyed the door behind herself while taking a seat. "Yikes, I hope no one heard that..." she muttered.

Rarity chuckled and smiled at Sabriel, lighting a candle to bring some more light into the room. "Yes, I suppose I will be one way or another... I have enjoyed the company of you and your friends though and all the hospitality." She watched the filly eye her magic at work, fascinated, before an answer came.

"Your magic is so fascinating... I wish I had time to try and learn it myself! Uggh, anyway, I was wondering, what happens if you cant get home tomorrow? I mean, I don't want to, uhm, sound negative or the like out of the blue like this..." Her hands nonchalantly pulled on the lengths of straight hair at her side while her eyes cast a worried glance at Rarity. "I guess between my dad saying he'll look into it, or this... other thing you told me about, your odds are looking alright." 

Rarity tried to keep up with the girl; it was late, and the energy she showed despite the time reminded her of the friend she was hoping to be reunited with tomorrow. I wonder if Pinkie will ever act her age...

"Still if, uhm, Pinkie Pie was it?" Sabriel said the name as a question to Rarity, unsure if it was quite right. When the pony nodded, she continued. "If Pinkie Pie's friend is lying, you'll have to leave no matter what. Mrs. Umbrade is about to lose her mind with you staying here. I think the fact my dad pays my tuition in raw silver is the only reason she's bit her tongue as long as she has."

Rarity hummed slightly from the mention of the school's stuffy headmistress and tilted her head questioningly in response to the rest. "Are you saying I shouldn't get my hopes up, Sabriel?" Her face sobered when Sabriel flinched, giving away what was on her mind. "I have thought about it, Darling. Should I have to follow your father no matter the case that's perfectly fine. After speaking to Ms. Greenwood on the subject extensively..." She exhaled, recalling the rather depressing conversations that had filled her last two days. "I learned that magic is a very uncommon thing here, more so its study. Why, if it weren't for Pinkie and her friend, then Mr. Abhorsen may be our only hope..." The other thing Sabriel had said returned to Rarity. "Did you say lie? Whatever do you mean by that, dear?" 

Sabriel's cheerful demeanor seemed to leak away slowly, and she looked down to stare at the floor. Her reply sounded hesitant. "Well, it's just, charter mages are really rare around here, or anywhere, Rarity. The odds of your friend just finding somebody to help you actually get home? It doesn't make sense at all, really." She looked up, a regretful look on her face. "Maybe we should talk to my dad about it when he gets here? Or Ms. Greenwood, at least?"

Rarity blinked and folded her hooves, leaning back some from Sabriel. "But, why would anypony lie to Pinkie about getting her home? That seems rather peculiar..."

Sabriel thought she could think of a reason or two if she tried, but didn't want to worry her friend. Instead, she answered, "I... don't know, Rarity, but it seems way more likely that somebody is lying to her. To me it does, at least. Maybe they want to... well, I dunno, I guess. They're probably just a crooked person if that's what they're doing."

Rarity blanched and shook her head before looking incredulously at Sabriel. "Are you saying Pinkie could be in the company of rogues!? Or, one rogue!? Or a villain even?" 

A hoof flew up to Rarity's mouth, while Sabriel simultaneously tried to hurriedly calm and quiet her friend.

"Nonono! Well, maybe, I'm sure she's fine, Rarity! You've heard from her every night through the Princess, Ms. Luna, right? Maybe the guy Pinkie Pie's with is just too nice for his own good. I dunno, or maybe he's a mage from an ancient family that has secrets unknown to anyone except the Clayr, who knows?" Sabriel heaved a sigh and took her hands off the pony's shoulders. "I just came here to say goodbye, Rarity, not scare you." She smiled weakly across at the unicorn while plonking down on the bed's side. 

Rarity frowned a little, but hopped up onto the bed as well and switched to a smile. "Well, alright, fair enough. I hope you're right... But I'm far from frightened, Dear, only worried. In anycase, I'm sure you'll have time to say goodbye tomorrow. For now, shouldn't you be in bed? If I'm not mistaken you're still a filly, or little girl as it were, and not too much older than my sister. I have to make sure every night that she gets to bed on time. Sleep is very important, and from what I hear you do this a lot and it's frowned upon..." She trailed off and began eying her door nervously, thinking already of what would need to be said in the event of discovery.

"Aaaw," Sabriel let out the complaint in a breathtakingly accurate rendition of Sweetie Belle. "I'm not tired at all though. Can't we talk some more?... I probably won't ever see you again, and I still want to see if I can learn how to perform your type of magic, or hear more of your stories or..." She fell back on the bed and exhaled tiredly. "Sorry Rarity, I don't want to be a pest. It's just exciting, you know? I would love to go with you. I bet you're going to have one great adventure."

Rarity nursed one of her forelegs with the other while smiling at Sabriel, listening to the girl's dreams and desires. Believe me, adventure is the last thing that I want. She turned her head briefly to glance out at the moon, glowing brightly through the window like a subtle reminder of home. "I just want to go home."

Sabriel picked her head up and looked at Rarity; the unicorn was staring out of the window in what seemed like a haze. Her eyes blinked and met her own abruptly.

"Sorry Darling, I didn't mean to say that aloud." Rarity sighed.

"It's okay," Sabriel replied, sitting up. "I'm so concerned with how boring it is here I didn't think about how rough this is for you. I really hope you get home soon, Rarity." She paused, eyes shifting, then leaned forward. "I do wish I could go with you though, Equestria sounds really fun, and exciting." Her tongue stuck out at the unicorn at the end, doing her best to cheer her up.

"Oh, it is," Rarity grinned back and reassured her. "It most certainly is that."





"And then?" Pinkie Pie asked happily, her muzzle squeezing through the bars of the interesting, but cozy carriage. Fanny had even been nice enough to put a big blanket like tarp over the top to give her privacy and keep the sun off for her.

"And then, Pinkie, like I told you already, we'll meet up with my friend. I can't go so far as Wyverly College from my home, as much as I'd love to..." Fanny exhaled really deeply from the outside seat of the carriage. Pinkie supposed it was probably because he was still tired and didn't sleep enough the night before. "So he'll take you the rest of the way."  

"Ooooh, I know that," Pinkie said ecstatically, barely able to contain her excitement. "I just lovelovelove hearing you say it! You have no idea how hard it is being cooped up like that all day for several days! Or maybe... you do? I guess I shouldn't assume things about somepony. After all, you know what they say about ponies that assume! It makes an—"

Fenwick groaned and tightened his grip on the reigns of his horses, trying his best to ignore the pestering noise coming from behind his head. It had been bad enough when the strange creature he'd found had tried introducing herself and singing to his mares. Worse, she had gotten the idea they were being rude when they didn't answer her; explaining that horses were just like that had taken an hour. 

Luckily, Fenwick could see the township of Bain already coming up on the road. The village that was almost a city wasn't far from Wyverly College. His farm had not been far from the last, large cluster of buildings laying just before the northern wall. All the same, the hour long ride had certainly seemed to last forever with the cargo he currently had.

"And then and then and then!" Pinkie Pie chanted, finding the repetition of the phrase delightful.

Fenwick cringed and tried his best to soldier it out until he could get on with things. "And then and then and then—" He turned around and mocked back at her. When the pony looked up at him expectantly, eyebrow raised, he said the first thing to come to his mind. "Uh, cake." 

The gasp that was inhaled behind him was more of a gale of wind than anything a living creature could produce, or so Fenwick would have thought. He already regretted saying anything more at all.

"Cake! I love cake, oh my gosh do your friends have cake!?" Pinkie began clattering the boards behind him, and he immediately regretted ever mentioning the word.

"If I promise that you'll get some cake will you sit still and be quiet?" The horses tossed their heads for one reason or another, and Fenwick leaned forward to try and soothe them with some calming words.

"Sure thing, Fanny! Deal, and no take backs!" Pinkie ceased her excited hoof tapping, realizing that maybe the rickety cart wasn't quite sturdy enough to handle her at her most hyper. While the thought of cake was a very welcomed one, she had more pressing things to talk about and think over. "Hey, Fanny?" She poked her snout out towards the human through the bars again.

"What is it?" Fenwick's voice was gruff and brief, perhaps more than he had meant it to sound. He did want to encourage some peace and quiet though. His head craned around to peek at Pinkie from the corner of his eye. 

Pinkie's ears laid back against her head. "Well geez, no need to be a Mr. Grumpy-Gills. Was it something I said?" She sat back on the floor after a particularly harsh bump rocked the wagon.

"You could say that..." Fenwick intoned back at her, then faced forward again.

"Hmmmm..." Pinkie held her hoof up to her mouth, a moment later her eyes popped open to their fullest, a wide grin coming along with them. "Oh, I get it, I did say that!" She began giggling, picking up on her friend's joke. "So you aren't actually mad at me? Because sometimes I do go too far, but I've gotten pretty good at knowing how far to go with my friends. I tended to go overboard with Cranky-doodle, too. Only I've only just met you! So I'm not so good yet. I was actually getting waywayway better back in Ponyville recently now that I think about it." She peeked out of the wagon beneath the tarp, lifting it with one hoof. There were buildings outside now. "You see, there are way more ponies in Ponyville than there used to be, and our quaint old town has been getting a lot more neighbors. In fact, I guess I was sort of in the first wave! Twilight too, but my other bestest best friends all lived there forever or moved there before me." 

"Mmhmm," Fanny responded back.

Pinkie stepped back towards the front of her compartment. "Sorry, I'm rambling, I just want to say I haven't gotten to know you very well yet, Fanny. Just tell me if I get to be too much, everypony does, and you don't have to be so polite and stay quiet about it. I'm kind of just wingin' it after all, even though I'm not a pegasus." She let out a calm, measured laugh and smiled. "Hehe, get it?"

Fenwick looked back briefly, pulling the cart to a stop at an intersection. "Pegasuses are the winged ponies from Equestria, right?" A new model of automobile pulled out in front of him across the road, emitting a bang and lots of black smoke from its exhaust. He looked forward again and began to look both ways before moving, until Pinkie made him jump.

"Pegasi," Pinkie corrected, "and that's right— Great galloping gumdrops, WHAT IS THAT!?" Pinkie watched with fascination as a biiig loud carriage-thing rolled past, and then another, way bigger one from behind it. Her eyes stayed glued to the metal contraption that reminded her of a lot of the clunky, complicated magic vehicles that were used around Equestria. Except these were completely different, besides the somewhat familiar spoked wheels.

"Gah!" Fenwick turned around again in a panic from Pinkie's shout, only to be greeted by two bugged out pony eyes sticking through the bars of the cage he'd made. "Great charter..." He turned around again, holding a hand over his heart, then leaned forward to say soothing words to his horses. Both started snorting and pawing the ground after the sudden jump from peaceful countryside, to yells and noisy traffic.

Pinkie gulped and began to hold a hoof out through the bars towards her friend. "Are you okay Fann—"

"Pinkie, quiet your noise-maker already. Do you know what happens if horses bolt in a crowded city?" Fenwick grunted, knowing full well that she most probably would not. "People get hurt, that's what, so don't go distracting me now." He looked up and down the road again, then calmly clicked the reigns once more, pushing his flustered animals onwards. The sooner he got to his destination he decided, the better.

"But I didn't bring my noise-maker..." Pinkie replied quietly.

The sound of a large truck rolling by partially drowned out Fenwick's shout, "Your mouth Pinkie, your mouth! Shut it!"

Pinkie swallowed and chewed her lip a moment, staring around herself ashamedly. "O-Oh, okay." Her eyes climbed up again, staring at the back of Fanny's rough brown coat and fuzzy cap. I definitely don't want to hurt anypony... She drooped again to look at the floor. Then laid down on the floor, while still staring at the same board that made up the floor. 

Pinkie Pie heaved a sigh and laid her head down too, ears turning this way and that at the sounds around her. It was sort of to entertain herself, but mostly to distract herself. The surroundings were very loud and noisy, but it didn't sound as though it were from a crowd, mostly just more of those machines. They came and went, too, so overall it was still only about as loud as Ponyville market on a busy day. The different sounds got her outrageously curious though.

Curious and overly idle from just being a passenger, Pinkie reached a hoof through the cart's bars and pulled up the sun blanket. She came almost face to face with a little human, holding hands with a big human. Aaw, it's a mommy and her daughter. 

The human filly looked over and locked eyes with Pinkie, in slow motion they widened to their fullest while the wagon strode by.

Pinkie grinned and widened her own slowly the match the filly's, for fun, then waved goodbye as she began moving too far away. The little girl frantically began tugging on the mother's dress for one reason or another. 

Pinkie tilted her head in thought, Maybe she remembered she's really hungry? Shrugging, she began scanning around the town again. One thing that stood out to her were how plain and boring a lot of the houses and buildings were. Her attention intently examined what looked to be a bakery. That's really weird, how do they expect to get business if all they have to advertise is a dinkie old sign? That's just bad marketing right there. She leaned on a hoof and examined the next building. And this one, how do they expect to sell their... 

The building the pony studied was a mystery to her, whatever filled the windows looks a bit like long, skinny red balloons.

Well, how do they expect to sell whatever those crazy looking things are without any decorations? Pinkie furrowed her brow trying to decide what to think of humans, as they seemed pretty confusing to her. The frame of reference she used for the shops was of course other stores in Equestria. While not all of them went as 'all out' as she had with Sugarcube corner, some bright colors usually set a store apart from the ordinary homes, at least in her opinion. 

Oh! Pinkie spotted more humans on a side walk, the same time they spotted her. She waved and grinned the same as she did for any passerby or stranger that took interest in her. "Hello!" Her normal, friendly voice called to them.

The humans gawked back at the pink mare merrily waving at them. A couple hands raised at a snails pace and waved back.

Huh, that's weird, they act as though they're surprised to see me. Pinkie strained one eye through the bars, getting one last look at the strangers while it seemed Fanny's cart went to the opposite end of whatever town this was. I wasn't even trying to surprise, I must be getting good! The grin she wore lasted until a tingling memory came to her. Sitting back to free up her front hooves she immediately slapped both of them to her forehead with a clunk. It sounded a bit like banging two empty coconuts together. Pinkie, you big dummy! She addressed to herself. Fanny told you that there were dangerous peeple- pieple... How do I spell that? A ding sounded off in her head. Oh right, that makes sense. People. Anyway, I really should be more discreet...

The cart rumbled to a sudden stop, with a final bounce given to the wagon. At the same time, Pinkie thought she might have felt a Pinkie sense going off. Was that a rump wiggle for... nah, couldn't have been. It was just the cart.

Up front the horses nickered and whinnied as three sounds of footsteps crunched on gravel towards the back of the cart. 

Pinkie pouted up an offended lip at the sound. Hmph, that's so rude. Didn't their moms tell them not to do that in polite company? Or maybe it's polite in horse culture? She heard the sound of Fenwick talking to somepony, as well as a couple of new super friendly sounding voices. Eeee! I bet that's them! Wait... it's not somepony is it, I bet they say 'somehuman' or the like. Concluding that the new term was as good as any, her hooves danced in an impatient pattern on the wooden boards, not just from anticipation, but also all the inactivity she'd endured the last few days. One thing was certain to her: that when she did finally get to move around again, she felt a little sorry for whoever got to keep her company. I better give them a warning and apologize ahead of time, I wouldn't want to sour a possible friendship after all.

"Pinkie, we're here." Fenwick called suddenly through the cloth to her. "Just listen to this."

"Listen to what, Fanny?" Pinkie spun her head towards Fanny's voice, knelt down and cheerfully regarded the bars of the wagon that were in his direction. Finally, time to get the buck out. Of. Here! She giggled, knowing no one but herself heard the curse. Being penned up could make a pony act strange.

"Hear that?" Fenwick asked, to somepony. The sound of two other voices which were probably human—Pinkie supposed—drifted through the blanket. "Pinkie, you like surprises, right? That's what you told me?" Pinkie hesitated at lifting up the blanket, a wide grin forming.

"I sure do! And I sure did!" Pinkie sat back, her tongue stuck out of her mouth.

"Get ready." The sun blanket that Fenwick had put over her for comfort flew off the safety cage, and sunlight rushed in. 

Pinkie hopped up on her hind legs excitedly, sure she had understood what Fenwick had hinted at. If there was one thing that Pinkie Pie understood terrifically well, especially after being friends with her five bestest best friends, it was what others would hint at subtly. "SURPRISE!" she yelled as loud as she could, fore hooves stretched above herself, at least until they hit the wagon's ceiling.

"Great charter!" There were two humans standing before her, and both were a great deal younger looking than old Fanny.

"What in the name of— Bloody 'ell... What is that!?" They both hollered out some odd words, and weren't taking the surprise as Pinkie had expected them to. "That definitely isn't some simple Old Kingdom trinket alright, you weren't pulling our chains at all you old loon."

Pinkie tilted her head, trying to calm them down. "Aw, sorry, did I scare you boys? Er, you are boys right? I haven't seen a human mare yet and Fanny didn't seem to know a whole lot about them either." She scratched a forehoof behind her head and grinned sheepishly at the two new faces, hoping to salvage the apparent failed greeting.

One of the humans continued to stare like he'd walked into one of Discord's crazy chaotic creations, while the other turned to look at Fanny and started snickering. 

"The term for us is 'men' actually, and yes we are." The snickering human managed to get out.

"Oooh," Pinkie oohed, nodding and smiling.

Fanny seemed to get a little nervous for a reason Pinkie couldn't figure out, nor could she decipher what was so funny, but if they were happy then it was alright. 

"Wow." One of the two humans took off his cap and ran a hand through his hair, still gawking wide eyed at Pinkie Pie. "You weren't lying, I thought for sure you were a madman, Fenwick."

Pinkie moved her head from side to side in an effort to make the staring human stop... staring. Yeesh, rude much? She reached a hoof out through the bars to try plan B, deciding he must not meet many mares either. "Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie and it's great to meet you!" 

When nopony took her hoof, the trademarked Pinkie Pie grin which she wore, faded some.

"Pinkie," Fenwick started cheerfully, "These men are pretty down in the dumps and would love some cheering up, actually. Could you show them the thing you did to try and cheer me up?" The old human stroked his short beard with a hand, smiling at her warmly.

"Oooh! I gotchyah!" Pinkie began tapping her right hoof on the floor to get a beat going. Heee, this one so works right now, because I'm in this cage! Oh, well not cage, 'traveling secret wagon.' Ahem, anyway. She began bouncing, singing to the tune of one of her favorite songs. "Youuu reach your right hoof in, you reach your right hoof out, you reach your right hoof in and you shake it all about. You do the Pony Pokey meeting lots of folks with clout. That's what I'm talking about—!" Her head banged into the ceiling before reaching the next line. "Yeowch, owowow." She reached a hoof up and rubbed what she was sure would become a bruise. Trying to salvage her performance she flourished her forelegs and gave the audience a weak smile. "Tah-daah?"

The dumbstruck looking human backed up a step, and put on a very peculiar face. "Fenwick, put the tarp back on, this thing's freaking me out."

Pinkie's ears drooped a little, her smile wavering. "I—"

"Ahhah, now, don't be stand-offish just because she's different, you'll be traveling with her after all." Fenwick flashed a smile at Pinkie, "One moment, I think you've overwhelmed them." The grey haired man wrapped the other up by the arm and pulled him away, whispering as they went.

"Oh, okay." Pinkie blinked, "Uhm, sorry about that, I should have remembered that one isn't very popular!" She was getting confused over the oddness of how everything felt to her. It was a first, as far as meeting somepony new had ever gone for her at least. Freak... and freaking, those are super mean words. She could feel her mane drooping... and was getting a bad feeling about things.

A hand enveloped Pinkie's forehoof through the bars, taking her by surprise. The snickering human from before—not the meany-pants with the bad mouth—gave a wry, quick look to both his friend and Fanny behind himself, but they were busy talking. He grinned at her and chortled, saying, "Pleasure to meet you, Miss."

Pinkie tried to work a smile back onto her face with difficulty, something that was rare for her. "Ooh, I'm not Miss, that's what Rarity calls herself when she's feeling hoity toity, or like Hoity Toity. If she were feeling Hoity Toity that would be aaawkwaaard, heh." The little joke didn't really cheer her up or break the ice like she'd wanted it to.

The human put on an incredulous look, then laughed at the joke anyway. "Wow." He whispered, then he turned and walked off to join the other two, still smiling enough to rival one of her own on a good day.

Pinkie Pie did smile then, puzzling out the bizarre behavior like much of the rest. Huh, he must be nice, unlike his friend. There's no way he could have gotten that joke unless he knows Hoity Toity. He must have seen that I needed cheering up. Aw, that's nice of him, I guess I can forgive his friend to, I forgot just how strange it must be to see things that seem impossible. She tried imagining what might happen if she were in their shoes. Hm, nah, a human in Equestria just seems way to crazy to imagine, even for me. I doubt that would ever happen anyway. It was a silly idea for her to have, she decided.

"Alright, that settles it then." Pinkie stood up from inside the wagon in time to see the sun blanket go back over its top. 

"Fanny!? Faaanny? Uhm, hello?" Pinkie Pie tried to peek through the bottom and the uncovered spots of the wagon at her friends before they got covered. I actually kind of wish they could leave that thing off, she thought, even if it might be risky.

"I think our pony wants to say goodbye to you, mate." Pinkie heard the staring human say. 

You know, I still haven't gotten their names. The pony tilted her head and frowned while in thought.

The blanket raised up, revealing Fenwick's face and his big smile. "Yes?" he asked.

Pinkie smiled back. "Uhm, what's going on?" She waggled her eyebrows, trying to make light of them all seeming to be featherbrained at the moment, not to mention barely acknowledging her.

"Well, as I said, Pinkie, the school is very, very far away. I can't take you all the way there, so you'll be with them for the rest of the way." Fenwick smirked smartly and tipped his hat. "I wish I could go with you, I really do, but I need to get back home. There are people and my animals that depend on me after all."

"Well I know thaaat. I meant; why didn't you introduce me to them? Or... or... well, I'm sure there are more ors, and not the kind you push a rowboat with!" Pinkie Pie waved her arms while speaking, then sighed and whispered, "They kinda creep me out, Mr. Fenwick... I don't know if I want to go with them. Are you sure I couldn't make it there on my own, with a map? I have crayons with me and—"

Fenwick chuckled and glanced behind himself, at what, Pinkie couldn't see because of the blanket. "Just trust them, Pinkie. I promise that you don't have another choice right now."

Pinkie studied the other being's face for a moment, calmly assessing things. When the man reached through the bar and pet her head again she hummed and rolled her eyes. Silly humans, she thought acceptingly. "Okie-dokie, Fanny, I'll do it your way." A gasp escaped her while the blanket was being lowered. "Hey, hey wait! Waitwaitwait!"

"What?" Fenwick poked his head back in, a confused expression on his face, at least Pinkie though it looked a little lost.

"What do you mean 'what?' Really buster? I'm not going to see you again, maybe ever! You've helped me so much and... and really, Mr. Fenwick, even Cranky wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye." Pinkie smiled at one corner of her mouth and reached out through the bars. "How about a hug ol' grumpy pants?" She spotted the snickering human that still needed to be introduced, and he was laughing harder than ever for some reason.

"Alright alright, but don't break my back this time." Fenwick hesitantly got close enough to hug the pink pony through the bars.

A voice that bordered on annoyed interrupted the farewell. "Aw, that's adorable. Would you hurry up you old rust pot of a codger? We have to get back into town before the market crowds disperse. You know that damn well, eh?" 

Fenwick grunted and pulled back from Pinkie's embrace, he stood there holding up the blanket a moment longer, just watching.

Pinkie tilted her head, still grinning. When her friend said nothing, she coughed and broke the silence. "I won't ever forget you, Fanny. Thanks so much." She closed her eyes and spread her smile wide, making sure the old human had something happy to think about while heading back home.

"...Y-Yes, and thank you, Pinkie. I have to go now." The blanket fell back down.







"Sooo," Pinkie poked her head through the bars at her new friends. "What are your names? I can't just call you thing one and thing two, although that sounds like it might be fun..." She looked up and caught the eye of the human that had stared at her like she were a parasprite, but seemed kinda like a sourpuss. When he didn't look away, she crossed her eyes and stuck her hoof in her mouth, pulling it out to make a loud popping noise.

The human jumped in his seat. "Don't do that!"

"Well you weren't answering me!" Pinkie argued back, frowning up at him.

The human that always seemed to be laughing did just that, ribbing the one next to him in the side with an elbow.

"I have a question..." Pinkie raised her hoof through the bars to get their attention. "How come Fanny let you guys keep his horses? He made such a big fuss about them I'm amazed he'd—" 

"Shut up." The sound of the town began to increase around them once again.

Pinkie froze mid sentence, then continued, thinking she'd misheard. "—uhm, let you borrow them, because it seemed like—"

The watching human turned around and leered at her close up, pushing her hoof back into the wagon. "I'm not going to repeat myself." He said with deathly seriousness, before straightening up and talking again to the other man. The humans continued to argue between themselves about something over her. "Listen, horse-thing—"

The other human interrupted him back. "Her name's Pinkie," he began snickering again, something that was almost drowned out by the roar of the crowd around them, which was louder than it had been earlier.

"Don't start with me," he shot back, then re-began to address Pinkie. "Horse, when we stop, we're going to do some announcing, and then you're going to help us to entertain some people. Do you think you can manage that?"

"Huh? I don't think I understand?" Pinkie furrowed her brow and sat back. 

The two humans started arguing again, of which she could only pick out bits and pieces of what was being said. 

Just what the hay is going on!? Pinkie scowled at their backs. This is starting to get super creepy, and not the fun kind of creepy that comes with spooky stories at a sleep over. This is more like... the kind of creepy that a big bad meany might give off. That doesn't make sense though, unless... 

Following her growing suspicion, Pinkie lifted a corner of her blanket again and stared out into the crowd she was once more surrounded by, her Pinkie brain telling her that something wasn't right.

Then, the final straw was had. The cart rumbled to a stop, and Pinkie's rump wiggled of its own accord in the ensuing stillness. The pony gasped and held both of her hooves to her mouth, knowing full well what that meant. "But... Fanny said—" Oh no, that means they're evil, or bad, or at least up to no good. Just like that time somepony stole AJ's Applepies! I don't think these guys are pastry thieves though... She began pacing in the wagon, looking around frantically. Well, I guess technically they are Pie thieves, heh. No, stop distracting yourself, Pinkie, this is serious-bizness now!

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Pinkie Pie picked up her head from thinking to listen intently to the sound of the laughing human talking through a megaphone. She gulped and tried to focus on the words. "What you are about to see will shock and amaze you, and will never be seen anywhere else south of the wall. What I have here for anyone willing to pay is a mythical, mystical, magical and above all majestic, talking horse. Yes, you heard right, the bids start at—"

Pinkie sat down with an audible thump, her legs all felt drained of their energy, and her mane drooped at her side in the most limp, lifeless state it had ever been in. "They... all lied to me. I wa so in denial about the possibility and so happy Rarity was okay that... I ignored all the signs." 

Pinkie put her hooves to her head. I... but why? To sell? You can't sell ponies, that's... huh, I know there's a word for that, besides mean-stinky-rotting-no-good-and-evil, that is. Chryssie-pants used it once... slaves. 

The blanket was ripped off of Fenwick's wagon then, and the light from several bright, circular lamps blinded Pinkie. She pulled a hoof up to her face and squinted around herself at the crowd. Wherever she was, it was indoors, maybe something like a big barn, or a warehouse. There were humans, a lot of them, and in the tight space their presence was stifling. They all gasped, reeling back and talking loudly amongst each other, trying to look in at her, one attempting to get closer to the cart only to be smacked away.

The watching human that acted like a sourpuss yelled at him over the crowd. "You bid first buddy, then you can touch, maybe!" 

Pinkie tried to back up out of the wagon and smacked into one corner. What is going on!? None of this makes sense, and I definitely don't think this is normal, even for baddies... She made a dash over to one of the other walls, the one where she had originally come in from. 

It was locked. 

Pinkie rattled the door. "Let me out! Mister, uhm, it's okay I don't need your help. I think I will just go and see if I can find the school myse—" A loud crack cut her off, and she fell back from standing against the bars in shock. There was a stinging sensation on one of her legs. She looked down and saw blood running from a thick welt on her Pinkie leg.

"I think, I told you to shut up; perhaps now you'll listen." The watching human turned around again, and the laughing human began calling out to the crowd once more.

"There you have it folks, something this rare and beautiful could fetch a price worthy of a king's ransom in any of the southern countries, where wondrous things and fairy tales such as the horse that can speak are nothing but creatures of your imagination. Now, do I hear an opening bid?"

Pinkie Pie felt something strange, something she didn't feel very often. It was something that only ever really happened when her friends were in trouble, but she felt it now. It was anger.

"We were promised it would sing!" A random voice yelled out, and immediately the crowd started laughing.

"Fine," The laughing human said, before hopping down from the platform and walking towards Pinkie, a cruel grin on his face. "Well, you heard them, sing for us, Pinkie, if you would be so kind."

Pinkie just glared at him. She could actually even feel how ugly she was making her face look from how angrily she glared at him. 

"Uh oh, I think you made it angry, Gregory." Somepony else jeered the human from behind him. The crowd exploded into laughter again. It was the cruelest, most horrible laughter Pinkie thought she had ever heard in her life. She didn't like it at all.

The watching human laughed along halfheartedly, then turned with widened, serious eyes to the other. He muttered a few words, then readdressed the crowd.

Meanwhile, the human that had always seemed happy to be around her then hopped lower, leering into the cage suddenly with a cold, emotionless look on his face. 

Pinkie felt her glare falter, and she took a step back from him.

"Listen to me closely, you stupid, ignorant little freakish animal." He hissed the words, turning his head while a creepy smile curved the corners of his lips. "If you don't start listening to us right now, I am going to cause you a great deal of pain. I will stab you, I will beat you..." He paused, and his face calmed, in a strange, frightening way. "Do you understand everything I'm saying to you? If you don't do what you're told right now, you don't get sold. You don't get sold, you're going to regret it, so make this good." A long blade flashed out of a leather case at his hip, the point leveled itself at Pinkie. "Trust me, you don't want to end up stuck here with us."

"HEY!" Pinkie flinched and bit back a yelp as the sharp object jabbed her side, the human reaching through the bars at her with it. "That's it, buddy, you just brought a dinky knife to a Pinkie Pie FIGHT!"

Pinkie Pie gritted her teeth and stretched her neck up, shooting her seething look down at him. She wanted to teach the bully a lesson, or get up in the meany-pants' face to tell him in true Pinkie-style why he deserved a spanking from his mother at least. She didn't get the opportunity though.

He tried to stab at her again, aiming right for her barrel. Behind him, the whip from the other human cracked loudly, and a hundred others sounds came from the crowd. Time slowed down it seemed, but that didn't matter to her. 

Pinkie caught the knife in her teeth and ripped it away from him, "Ah hon't 'INK 'ho 'ushter 'rown!" Then spit it into the wooden floor behind herself. Already turned around, her legs then flexed and she bucked the cage as hard as she could, moving with the momentum that the situation had suddenly exploded into. 

Everything after that was more chaotic than anything Discord could come up with. There were loud bangs that sounded like explosions, and yelling or screaming from everyhuman else in the room.

Pinkie didn't stop to see if the watching man was alright, she hadn't hit him that hard with the cage wall after all, and she was reasonably sure most stallions were made of tough stuff. Geez, actually, does that carry over to human stallions? Maybe I'll have to find out about that. Her hooves clattered against the wooden floor as she ducked, dodged and dived around humans of all shapes and sizes. Not now Pinkie, wonder about how humans measure up to stallions later! Normally such acrobatic acts from her would be reserved for dancing, but at the moment it was just to avoid all of those hands that humans had grabbing at her. 

One caught her mane.

"Ah hah—! YEEOW" Pinkie didn't want to get poked again, so she nipped at the fellow.

"Hi, sorry we can't be friends!" Pinkie bent and twisted and pirouetted aside from more of the strange creatures while speaking to the one she'd chomped on. "Try to be nicer to strangers and say your hail Celestias every night! Gottagobyenow!" With a final leap, Pinkie sprung up into the air away from the crowd of humans she had just danced through. Her jump took her up several strides, almost four meters above them, and like a soaring dragon she flew towards a wide paned window. 

It shattered, raining glass down around her as she burst out of the first exit she had seen in the otherwise dim building.

Pinkie landed with a thud, and let out an adrenaline filled breath, slightly winded from the excitement. "Phew, I gotta pick my vacation spots way better." She looked every which way for where to go. Wherever she was, it didn't look like the center of town, or anywhere she could really navigate from. I guess I'm on my own now and I never did get my cake... that cake was a lie, just like everything else that meany-butt Fanny said. She paused, laughing at making the connection between the word 'butt' and 'fanny'. Oooh, I get it now.

For once, Pinkie didn't really mind that at the moment she was lost, just happy to be free. Her hooves clopped loudly on the stone streets as she ran, and she ran until they began thudding on dirt instead, keen on finding somehuman nice enough to just give her directions. I would rather stick to staying by myself for now... A bit of her unhappiness returned, her mane was definitely still as unhappy as she was, but she didn't think there was another option to be had. I gotta get to Rarity as quick as I can, who knows what dastardly despicable evil things her humans are up to right this instant!

The thought hit Pinkie like a landslide as she came to a sudden realization. Her friend was in dire trouble.







Terciel Abhorsen hummed to himself as he rode in the side seat of the military truck. The wind from the north was stifled today, so vehicles worked. The Colonel stationed at the wall's gate had offered to give him a ride, seeing as his requests and stories were a bit, odd... Nonetheless they were on good terms, so the insistence that a few soldiers go with him weren't argued, so long as he still called the shots.

Abhorsen glanced over at the quickly passing by countryside, eagerly thinking over the opportunity he'd gained to see his daughter. He didn't have much time gifted to him to see his few relatives, as the world was in too much turmoil, and had been for a long time. Nevertheless, he was one of the only men alive able to do anything to help it. Men were easily corrupted by the lure of power, or immortality, or any number of far simpler things.

A blur of pink crossed Terciel's vision while he heaved a sigh, and the act caught in his throat, causing him to cough and splutter. When he'd recovered, he choked out disbelievingly at what his eyes tracked galloping across the nearby field out of the city Bain. "What in the name of everything— Another one!?"

The soldier beside him looked over, and then the shouts from the others in the bed of the truck joined in, most of them laughing as they looked at the bright pink animal running towards them. 

Well, this is certainly going to be an interesting day. Terciel eased himself in his seat, then looked at the driver. "Stop here, I'll handle this."




> Chapter 12 : Just a Misunderstanding
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





Terciel opened the heavy door to the transport truck, a recent invention of the last century. It was fascinating to watch the advances men made south of the wall. It was unfortunate, but such advances were useless in the north. Technology that included synthetic materials and the use of electricity rarely worked close to the wall, and failed to work at all in the north. That included weapons, such as machine rifles. Luckily for the south-landers, the wall also kept out the vast majority of magic from crossing into their lands. Only very close to the wall did they need to fear anything from the north.

Terciel, was the Abhorsen, a man that used old magic to not only protect his home in the north, but the people to the south as well. The same people that for the most part did not acknowledge the north's existence. His skills had become honed over the decades of waging his one man wars, but something told him all of those skills and experience had not quite prepared him for the meeting he was about to have.

"Uh, sir?" 

Terciel heard the soldier behind himself and managed to turn from facing the little pink horse running across the field—it wasn't easy. Even after meeting Rarity via a spell a few nights earlier, the pink creature was something that made him doubt that his eyes were working correctly. That wasn't a thought to be taken lightly with him, either. He had seen first hand some of the most unbelievable sights the north had to offer. 

Terciel opened his mouth to answer the soldier, but paused when he saw the look of fear on the boy's face. The young corporal had a hand on his rifle as well. 

After studying the driver a moment, Terciel smirked at him wryly. "There will be no need for that, corporal. Call it a hunch, but this creature is quite safe, I'm sure." He tilted his head confidently, then popped the door open. "Wait here and I'll handle this." The moment he hopped down from the truck—his stout leather boots kicking up dust on the dry road—he began actually thinking of how exactly he would handle things. It was true he had seen and evaluated the unicorn 'Rarity', but he was no expert on Equestrians, which this creature certainly appeared to be.

The pony was looking back at Terciel, and moving at an incredible speed across the field towards him and his escort. At its current rate, it would overtake them in just a few seconds. 

It was then that the little pink horse diverted its course, and began sprinting parallel to the road instead. 

Terciel was left to stare as it began pulling away.

"Heeey!" He raised up a hand and waved to get its attention, certain now that it was just like the fascinating creature, Rarity, after all. On the pink one's flank was a very similar mark. This pony was just... more pink. To his surprise, the pony glanced over, but didn't stop or change direction. It slowed down though, circling wide around them while trotting onto the road. It seemed to be following the pavement.

"Sir, what is it?" A gruff accented voice asked from behind. Terciel turned around and looked up at the five men peering over the side of the truck's bed, each of them wearing the most intense looks of confusion possible. 

"I believe, it's a pony." Terciel said calmly up to them, then began walking away and towards the no doubt lost equine. 

The fact there was another pony in all of this now had Terciel curious; Rarity hadn't mentioned more of her people, just that she were lost. He stroked his chin stubble while musing over explanations. Perhaps, there is a lot more to this than I've been told. He wasn't averse to helping, but more than anything he wanted to ensure that there was nothing dangerous to be concerned of. The creature that was scrutinizing him with one eyebrow raised high, seemed the perfect opportunity to figure that out.

No response had yet come from the pink pony other than body language. It merely cantered on and seemed to be turning away again to follow the road towards the college; the same way he was going, and where his daughter was. 

"Hello!?" Terciel cupped his hands and called up after the creature. It took one last look at him, before turning its back and continuing onward, trotting a little bit faster. "How very peculiar." He scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to think. Perhaps this one cannot speak? I don't believe I saw a horn... that is definitely another one of those Equestrians though. Perhaps the horn is indicative of a more intelligent variety... He was used to traits of creatures defining what they were and what they were capable of, and of course that most of them were dangerous beyond belief. The ponies didn't give him even remotely the same feeling, but life had taught him it was better to be wary and not need it, than to get killed.

Whirling around, Terciel jogged back to the truck, grabbing the vehicle's door when close enough, and swung back into his seat. "Drive corporal, but slowly. Come up alongside it." He called out the cab's back window. "Men, let me do the talking." Perhaps... he decided right away, saying that had been a mistake.

"That thing can talk!?" All six men exclaimed at once, all of them staring at him, four heads squashed beside each other through the cab's back window.

Terciel resisted heaving a sigh and deadpanned at the corporal. "Just drive."






Pinkie Pie began sweating nervously when she heard the noisy contraption behind her start up, then begin to gain on her. Great, for the first time in my life I'm anxious to NOT meet strangers, and here they are chasing me! She gritted her teeth and looked around herself, seeking someplace to hide. There was nothing nearby, and the directions she had gotten from a very helpful, strange looking road sign said that this was indeed the way to the college. 

The vehicle was getting closer, and Pinkie Pie was getting more nervous. She frantically looked over her shoulder one last time, then dove off of the road screaming, "You'll never take me alive, coppers!" A tall patch of wheat was the best cover that was available to her. Once obscurred from view, she began crawling along the ground through it, gathering up clumps of straw while out of sight until she was satisfied with the amount she had gathered.

Meanwhile, the contraption had ceased making noise, and the human that had been yelling after her began doing so once again. "Hello? Little pony? I'm not going to hurt you, I'm a friend." 

Pinkie Pie looked up at the sky past the tall wheat stalks, wishing she had brought her periscope. My friend? HAH! Humans are evil, big meany liar pants, that... lie... and are mean. Her eyes saddened and looked at her foreleg, remembering how she'd been treated by the few she had met so far. I don't know what to think anymore!

The sound of the man's voice even sounded friendly, and welcoming, maybe even fatherly... just like Fanny's had. Pinkie hugged the gathered stalks of wheat around her, then snorted and began using the greener ones to tie her disguise together with more speed. No, I'll get to Rarity, and then I'll rescue her from their clutches... and I'm not talking about eggs! Her teeth ground in a determined fashion.

"Hello?" a nearby voice greeted.

Pinkie Pie shrieked and flew up into the air in a blur of pink and loose grass-blades. She landed back on the ground with a thud, hooves clutched to her barrel and breathing frantically. "Didn't—" She gasped, "anypony ever tell you not to sneak up on somepony like that!?" Standing on her rearlegs, Pinkie tried to press her face up against that of the human, although she wasn't quite tall enough to reach. "I mean seriously, my poor Pinkie-heart just about popped from you surprising me!" 

The human's eyes were a definite look of surprise now too. "Oh, er, I apologize for that... Miss. You weren't answering me is all, and I was very much beginning to think you couldn't. That is, that you couldn't talk at all, I mean." The taller creature took several steps back from Pinkie, giving her some welcomed space.

Pinkie Pie turned around and crossed her forelegs, wearing an indignant look, then glanced at him with one eye cracked open. "Oh? Weeell, in that case okie dokie! Still, not bad... I'm not easy to sneak up on. You were lucky though, I was too distracted to notice my ears flopping or my stomach gurgling. So don't think you're top dog just because of that, buster!"

The human gave Pinkie a brief, funny look, that might have been pure confusion, but she wasn't sure. He coughed, his eyes studying her in a curious fashion. She recognized it, all humans seemed to do it when they first saw her. The caution she had been focusing on taking returned, and she backed away several strides, edging through the grass. "Anywhooo mister stranger, I need to go, you see uhm, I have a friend, or I mean I don't have a friend. Certainly not one I need to go rescue from other evil humans... Not to say you are evil by any means!" She let out a gout of nervous laughter, then stopped. "Uhm, bye." She whirled around towards the open field.

"Is her name Rarity?" the human's voice called out behind her. 

Pinkie ground to a halt, dirt and grass flying up in front of her face. A meter long furrow had been dug by her hooves in her wake. Without missing a beat, Pinkie whirled around on her hooves and galloped back across the ground towards the human as fast as she could. He was busy glancing behind himself at the contraption he rode in, where several other humans were watching from, then turned around again smiling in an accomplished manner.

"Aha, I was quite sure that she was your friend. Please, I am known as Abhorsen and I can take—" 

Pinkie tackled the human, interrupting whatever he had been saying.





"WHERE IS SHE!? I swear on all of the cake in Equestria, uhm, the cookies too, cause they would feel bad if I left them out! That if you, or anyhuman else has hurt her! I! Will!" Pinkie Pie pressed her muzzle to the human's face, ready to say the meanest, most intimidating, most fearsome thing that could be said, all so that she could protect her friend. "Give you the worst wedgie of your liiiiiife." 

A sweet, melodic ringing noise entered the air.

Pinkie blinked and looked up and around herself, making sure to not let the human out of her sight by keeping him in her peripherals. She shrugged, not sure where the beautiful noise was coming from, or what it was. Then, she saw a little, tiny bell in the tackled human's hand. Her ears flicked atop her head while she stared at it, still listening to the fading beauty of the sound that had apparently rung out from it. Suddenly, the most epic yawn she had ever yawned before cracked her jaw, and the urge to fall asleep began overwhelming her.

"Oh, that is so not... fair..." Pinkie mumbled, until her voice became a slurred dribble of words. She then flopped over onto her side, thumping slightly as she hit the dirt.

Terciel gasped out his breath, suddenly free, and crawled out from underneath the pony, completely at a loss for what had just transpired. The little horse had knocked the wind out of him, and he had reacted on instinct. Quickly, he stilled the clapper to his bell, Ranna, and re-contained it in its pouch, ending its luring voice.

"Sir, are you alri-ri..." The soldier that had run up behind Terciel yawned widely, covering his mouth. "Why am I so tired all of a sudden?"

"It is the sleeping spell of Ranna. Do not worry, she is quite harmless on her own, and was directed at our friend here. I believe, that this little pony may be very suspicious of us, judging by the way she just reacted." Terciel stared at the snoring form of the pony, looking as peaceful as though it were in its own bed and sucking on its hoof between snores. "Well, help me pick her up, Corporal. I believe it's a her, anyway. She'll have questions no doubt when she's awake."

"So this is really why you're here, Abhorsen? To acquire these... ponies?" The corporal grunted as the two men lifted the pony up between them. Nearby, the other men shifted uneasily in their boots, watching the two carry the creature and keeping an eye on the grass surrounding them.

"I shouldn't have to tell you that it is my concern alone, Corporal." Terciel looked at the man seriously, then smiled. "But yes, we're helping them get home, or I am, rather. I imagine I'll be leaving over the wall with them if we can't get them home quickly, wherever that is..." He grunted as they hoisted the pony up into the bed of the truck.

"Ah, I see, very well I'll ask no more, sir, I apologize." The soldier bowed his head, then made way for the other chattering soldiers to climb in after the pony.

"It's quite alright, son. Now, let's hurry on to the college. Our friend here will awaken much more at ease, I imagine, if she sees a friendly face when she does." Terciel spun in place, his surcoat's tail flapping behind him in the southern breeze.

"Er, right, sir! One, uhm, more question though, actually, if that's alright." The corporal gulped, glancing from the pony in the truck and back at the infamous man he was escorting through the countryside at the colonel's orders. When the Abhorsen looked back at him, he continued. "Why does the uh... pink pony have straw and grass tied around its head and body, sir?"

Terciel blinked several times, turned to look in at the strange creature, catching confused looks from all the men under his command, then faced the corporal again. 

"Uhm." 

Seeking escape, Terciel clapped his hands together and let out a deep breath. "Right, like I said, let's go."





Pinkie trotted whimsically through the gumdrop fields, stopping occasionally to lick the surface of one of the sugar frosted treats. Mmmm, these are delicious. She smiled down at the red, tasty treat, licking her lips and smiling in tandem. After the sugary respite, she continued on her way, until she stopped in front of a large gingerbread house that lay just around the bend past some rather large peppermint trees and what looked like a pond made out of lime green jello.

"Oooh, pretty... Reminds me of the last time I got a haircut! Hehe." Pinkie's mind grew enraptured by the tasty-looking and nostalgic edible house. Bouncing up to the front door, her smile grew wider and wider, until it became one of the rare occasions where she couldn’t make it go any bigger. She paused once at the door, debating whether or not to actually knock, then shrugged and proceeded to gnaw her way through the door, savoring the delicious taste of gingerbread.

“Mmmm,” she vocalized in a satisfied manner, moving swiftly through the crumbling, sugary door and into the building.

After deeming her task complete and licking her lips, Pinkie let her eyes wander about the house. There was only a single room aside from the entrance hall, which she now stood in, and with another shrug, she trotted inside that room.

The familiar sight of a kitchen greeted Pinkie. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a large gumdrop, stationed behind the counter. Most odd about the sugary thing, was that it had a face of different candies, and an expression of all things.

Pinkie grinned, fascinated, and addressed the funny looking candy-creature. "Hey! Whatcha doin'? Is that a cake? Oh, is it chocolate or vanilla? Which is it? Also, my name's Pinkie Pi—" She stopped abruptly when she noticed the look of terror on the gumdrop's sugary face. Wait, silly Pinkie! Candy is an inanimate object and can’t be terrified; that would be crazy! She raised a suspicious eyebrow at the thing, then without a second thought, she tackled the gumdrop to the floor and took a bite out of it.

Before Pinkie could finish it off, the gumdrop somehow rolled away from her and sped out the door, leaving a confused pink pony in its wake. Huh, well you don’t see that everyday...

Turning her head to face the counter the gumdrop was just at, Pinkie was pleasantly surprised to see the cake on top. It was in fact neither chocolate or vanilla, it was obviously strawberry flavored. Its sweet and sugary aroma beckoned her to come closer.

Answering the call of the pleasant dessert, Pinkie slowly floated towards the cake through the air.  Oh, you look so delicious and tasty! It'd be a shame to leave you here, Pinkie thought, her eyes furrowed in concentration.

“Well, that gumdrop didn’t seem like it was going to come back, so I guess I could just have a little bite...” Pinkie thought out loud, before throwing the cake into the air and eating it whole. 

“Oops..." Sheepishly rubbing the back of her head, Pinkie started to exit the kitchen, when she noticed a pair of cakes in the half-opened refrigerator. "Well, I'm obviously dreaming so I don't hafta worry about overdoing it!” Deciding that there would be no harm in eating two extra cakes, Pinkie promptly picked both of the confections up. After balancing them on both of her front hooves to inspect them, she threw both into the air. Her mouth closed around both cakes simultaneously. She was amazed, as normally eating pastries that quick was reaaally difficult, even for her. 

A faint sound of crying rang in her ears from somewhere. Pinkie stopped what she was doing and looked all around herself, suddenly gripped by the sad sound. She couldn’t spot where the echo was coming from at all though. Her eyes searched the kitchen until they stopped, then searched some more. When nothing turned up, she gulped and resumed her mid-night snack.

Pinkie combed some more of the kitchen for any other hidden treats, then left the room, closing the door behind her. 

With only the slightest bit of hesitation, the pony took a bite of the handle after doing so, as well. Chortling to herself and savoring the crunchy wafer delight.

The sound of crackling leaves, or perhaps snapping twigs filled Pinkie's ears, and she froze. Her ears twitched on her furry head, listening carefully to the noise.  She thought it was some sort of natury kind of sound, but she couldn't figure out what it was after looking around. The gingerbread filling her mouth was swallowed with a gulp, while she stopped and studied the hall's walls closer.

The noise stopped as Pinkie did so. Whoa... She held a hoof up to her head, suddenly feeling dizzy. Geez, sugar rush? Oh, hey, I feel awake now, yay! Her hooves clip clopped back onto the floor. What was that noise? The house? Uh oh, did I eat a load bearing candy cane? A giggle escaped her, suddenly realizing how silly it was that she was in a real building made out of candy, not just one that looked like it was.

Pinkie's giggling slowed though, her mind retracing the dream and everything that had transpired in a flash. This is... really weird. Huh. Not waiting, she continued down the hall, eager to get outside of the closed space; for some reason, and she couldn't quite put her hoof on why, but the atmosphere felt wrong all of a sudden.

A deeper and deeper sense of foreboding began to fill Pinkie as her hooves carried her down the short hallway towards the house’s exit, the one she had taken to get inside. She shook her head and watched the door, not wanting to let it out of her sight, while also trying to stay focused. 

Pinkie reached the gingerbread door. I could have sworn I ate my way through this thing Getting worried, she slammed it open, just wanting to get out and abandoning any pretense of calm. As she exited the house she was panting, but glad to be outside. The delicious looking sun greeted her once again, as did the return of her sense of ease. Wow, she thought with relief, turning around to look back into the strange building. To say that place gave me the spooks would be understating it a little. Oh hey, but I'm dreaming!

Pinkie Pie began giggling at her own silliness for being scared in a dream. Oh wow, Princess Woona would think that's hilaaarious. Oh wait, she didn't like that nickname! I should stick... too... 

Pinkie stared at numerous sweets and confections that were now at the end of the walkway of the building. She didn't stare at them because they looked tasty, or were very unique. She stared, because they were staring back at her. 

Each sugary creature bore familiar bite marks on them. Each sweet was one she had visited on her way through the dream. Worse, each wore a twisted face of agony directed her way.

Even though Pinkie was backing up as quick as her hooves could take her, she couldn't tell if she was getting any farther from them. "Oh, uhm, hello there?" The strange feeling she had almost never felt in her life, except in her imagination as a filly, had returned. It was fear. Her eyes watched with a mixture of confusion and distress as the pastries slid closer to her, a lump forming in her throat as they did.

"Ah, hi! I'm Pinkie Pie, Ponyville's number one party... uhm, pony, and I just want to say first that I'm suuuper duper sorry for... biting—" Pinkie couldn't believe what she was seeing, to the point of speaking on instinct. She couldn't find words any longer as the landscape and candies in front of her began to melt at an alarming rate. "I hope, uhm, are you all... okay?" Her rump struck something hard behind herself, and her retreating was put to a halt.

The candy creatures rolled and ebbed and drug themselves closer to her. The surrounding area was now unrecognizable as well. Candied apples had rotted, mountains of fudge and the sky had faded into pitch black nothing, and the ground had somehow become a dull, grey stone. 

The candy kept staring at her.

"Hehehe." Pinkie grinned suddenly and straightened up, staring back. She quickly looked behind herself, seeing that the thing which had stopped her was a fierce looking gumball monster with rock candy teeth. Immediately, she gasped, collapsed onto the ground and began beating it with her hooves, caught in a torrent of laughter. "Oh man, that is pri-hi-hiceless. HAH!" Her eyes bugged as she wept tears over the crazy things she was seeing. "Oh Celestia, what did I eat last night to cause this?"

Standing up, Pinkie strode over to the gruesome things that moaned and slithered towards her, she pushed one over with a hoof and giggled more after it splatted onto the ground. "Huh, it must've been that weird human-bread that meany-feeny-foe-fanny was feeding me." She frowned a little and held a hoof up to her mouth in thought, still giggling. "Oooh, well."

Pinkie watched all of the strange candy creatures and monsters around her. They had encircled her, their ranks stretching back into the darkness that her eyes couldn't penetrate. They all stood and hunched, unmoving, every last one simply staring at her with black, empty eye sockets.

"Oh come on," Pinkie stamped a hoof and snorted at them, "I know this is just a dream you bunch of creepy mccreepersons! Drop the act, I'm just gonna wake up the moment I want to—"

A tar colored arm shot out from the crowd and grabbed her muzzle, then wrenched her head around and up to meet two, fire filled eyes. They belonged to something that Pinkie never wanted to see again, ever.

"Then why don't you?" it asked. 







Pinkie screamed and screamed. Unbeknownst to her through the panic, the room's dim light was slowly causing her eyes to adjust and lessen the darkness that seemingly engulfed her. Once she began feeling around herself in the midst of her terror, she managed to slowly realize that what she was feeling—a soft, gushy floor—was actually a bed. The sound of somepony besides herself finally reached her, as well.

"—inkie!? Pinkie Pie!? Are you okay? Pinkie!?" Rarity cried out, over and over from the bedside.

Pinkie tried to swallow the Tom sized boulder-like lump in her throat preventing her from speaking. "H-Huh— R-Rarity?" Slowly, she realized she was awake now, more than in the dream she still remembered vividly. 

"Pinkie! It's me. What's wrong, Darling? A bad dre—"

Pinkie didn't wait a second more after realizing that her friend was real. "RARITY!" 

Rarity oofed and fell onto the floor, the pink pony planted squarely over her after successfully leaping off of the bed to glomp her in a rib crushing hug. 

"Rarity, Rarity! Oh Celestia, I've never had a dream so scary and-and-and nopony was there but these candy monsters that really looked like monsters like super bad and I was hurting them or—"

Pinkie Pie sat up and inhaled a zeppelin's worth of air, the unicorn she sat on oofing again as she moved.

"Pinkie, please get off!" Rarity grinned sympathetically up at her enthusiastic friend, desperately hoping to be freed. It was to no avail, as the other mare fell back after meeting her eyes and hugged her once again, and even more fiercely than before. Rarity thought she felt a rib crack.

"I-I-I've never had a nightmare like that before, Rarity—" The tangled mess of pink mane around her head wasn't helping, but Pinkie tried to calm down and slow her labored breathing. 

"Ni—" Rarity coughed and tried to get her forehooves between herself and Pinkie to gain some space. At least enough to talk to her disheveled and frantic friend. "Nightmare? Oh, Pinkie I'm so so sorry you had one. Was it bad—"

"Rarity, okay, I don't tell this to a lot of ponies. Actually, I've told this to absolutely nopony except for my granny-Pie... But I actually used to get them a lot, and—"

Pinkie cut off, and seemed to stare into space a moment. Rarity opened her mouth, as if to inquire what was wrong, only for Pinkie to suddenly gasp and re-hug her friend even more bone-crushingly hard than previously.

"Rarity, it is you! I found you! Or, maybe, you found me?" Pinkie thought she heard a pop from somewhere, and took that as her cue to loosen up her grip. "Either way, we reeeally need to escape from the evil clutches of these humans now." 

Rarity, for her part, was gulping breaths of after getting Pinkie-hugged—twice, no less—and was nodding along emphatically to what Pinkie said, all while still trying to gently coax her friend into getting off of her. "Yes, yes, Pinkie I'm ever so relieved to have found you, too. Now, if you would please— Wait, what?"

Pinkie sat back, nodding to herself as she thought what she could recall through to its obviously natural conclusion. "Yup, it all makes sense. After that one big-meanie— I think he said his name was Afro-son? Weird name, anyway he caught me on the road and knocked me out with... How did he do that? He waved a really pretty sounding bell at me, so maybe it was magic? Anyway, I bet they may not know that I'm awake yet, but don't worry! I'm three hooves ahead of them, my pointy-headed friend!" 

Pinkie slapped one forehoof against her other for emphasis. "I made my escape plan long before they captured me. What was I saying before that? Right, nightmares. It was horrible! But I actually get them a lot, but that isn't the point. This one... it was different from the other ones, the ones I've learned to laugh at. This one seemed so real. This one... was..." 

Pinkie trailed off, still seated on her friend's chest.

"Pinkie?" Rarity tilted her head from where she lay, her friend still tangled in her sheets in a sweaty, sorry looking state. In truth, Rarity would have screamed, or at least been repeating the word "ew" over and over, were she not so relieved to see the other pony.

Pinkie sighed, finally, unable to come up with an explanation that made sense. “It was just... it was just a nightmare. Never mind.” Giggle at the ghosties... With a clatter of hooves, she got up off of Rarity, who exhaled a relieved breath. "Sorry about that, Rarity. It's not important right now. We should get going before they know I'm awake, I bet they heard my... scream."

"Get going? This has to be some sort of misunderstanding going on here, Pinkie." Rarity massaged her barrel and side with a hoof, wincing, and turned to her friend. "What do you mean by all that? We don't need to escape anything, and why are you acting so..." Rarity's tongue seemed to swell up in her mouth as she thought of the words, fighting not to speak. "Not Pinkie?"

Pinkie Pie felt the thin sheets of her bed with a hoof. The bed was damp with sweat and the room felt hot. That seemed to her to be the norm in the human's world; the weather was a great deal different from home. Since there weren't any ponies, she wondered if there were another race that worked the weather? If there was, then they were awful at it, and if there wasn't... well that was just another scary thought for the growing pile. 

Absently, Pinkie responded over her shoulder to Rarity. "Sorry, Rarity. I'll... tell you all about it later, but right now we should hurry." Trying her best to act herself, a short burst of giggles escaped Pinkie's hastily donned smile. "And yes, I said get going, silly!" Moving again, she ripped the remaining sheets off of the bed and began coiling them up into a rope like device. "First things first, though, we're going to make a rope! Then, we'll scale the walls of this eeeevil human castle and get to the courtyard. After that we're going to—"

Rarity made to stop her dear friend before she got any further with her explanation. "Pinkie, no! You blurted all of that out, but I thought that's what you'd said. Listen, they aren't evil at all, they're wonderful pon— Tsk, they're a wonderful people. I've been staying here in the very lap of luxury. Or, as much as anypony under present circumstances could hope for, I suppose... and why do you think we're in a castle?"

Pinkie rolled her eyes, but didn't stop coiling the sheets. "Duuuh, all super evil meanies foalnap damsels like us and put them in castles!"

Rarity decided not to mention how much the College did somewhat resemble a big stone castle. "Right, well, Pinkie, nevertheless I must insist you. Stop. That." She tried to pull the sheets from her friend and stand between her and the window she was trying to open with her mouth. "There is no need! Abhorsen means to help us!"

Pinkie reeled back and stood up on her rear legs, a hoof held to her mouth in terror. "Oh no, Rarity, they lied to you, too! Don't worry, just forget whatever they told you. They lied to me and I fell for it, but got away! Unless... they brainwashed you because you figured it out, oh no... Don't worry Rarity! I've completely revealed their big, nasty plot already!"

"Pinkie, what are you— Pinkie, stop! Put that down this instant!" Rarity backed up against the wall as her friend advanced on her with the sheets. "Stop being ridiculous!" She couldn't imagine what had gotten into her friend, but Pinkie rarely did things lightly. Still, in the flash of seconds she had to react, the thought didn't exactly console her.

"It's for your own good, Rarity!" Pinkie lunged at Rarity, the unicorn's horn lighting up as she shrieked and dodged out of the way, assisted by a bit of levitation to hold the pink mare back. "Don't worry, I'll find a way to free you from their evil clutches, even if I have to tickle it out of them myself!" 

"Pinkie!" Rarity dove out of the way of another attempt by her crazy party friend to tie her up with bed sheets. "Listen to me—! They aren't evil. If you've come to that conclusion for a good reason we can talk through it, but these humans are my frie-MRrRHPH!" Unfortunately for the fashionista, while trying to explain things, the other pony took advantage and ran across the wall to clear the distance between them, ending the chase. 

Pinkie Pie gently gagged her friend, as a mother might tie swaddling for her baby. "Don't worry Rarity, I'll get to the bottom of this. Detective Pinkie is on the case!" Once again, Pinkie retrieved her bubble pipe swiftly from her mane and plopped it into her mouth, grinning in victory.

From the floor, Rarity grunted once more and rolled her eyes above the gag she'd been stuck with. "E'rrf 'eing r'diculou'th, 'inkie."

"What was that, Rares? I couldn't hear you over the sound of me saving your life!" 

Nearby, the sound of a door opening grabbed everypony's attention. 

"Rarity? Myself and Sabriel wanted to talk to—"

Rarity and Pinkie both looked over to the sight of Sabriel walking in with a tray of what looked like tea and biscuits. Behind her, walked Abhorsen and Ms. Greenwood.

In the room, the humans saw Rarity, half tied together by white linen and laid out on the floor facing away from the pink mare. Both were looking at the newcomers with equal amounts of surprise on their faces.

After a moment of the vastly different beings staring at each other in awkward silence, Terciel placed a hand over Sabriel's eyes and nudged her over to the side of the door. "...Are we intruding?" he asked with a flat tone.

Pinkie Pie growled, and Rarity let out a series of muffled noises, her horn lighting up with its blue glow.

"FOR POOOONY!" Pinkie Pie lept off of her fashionista friend and straight at the evil mastermind behind it all: Abhorsen.






> Chapter 13 : Over The Wall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	




"FOR POOOONY!" Pinkie Pie lept off of her fashionista friend and straight at the evil mastermind behind it all: Abhorsen.

The bewildered looks on the humans let her know she had caught the three of them by complete surprise; and she loved surprises, but especially the kind that led to downing a baddy. Even better, this meant for sure that they hadn't thought out their evil schemes very well. 

Something else, however, surprised Pinkie, and it immediately confused her. The smaller human, who seemed awfully young to be an evil mastermind, moved between her and the evil-doer she was in the middle of tackling. 

The sound of a tea tray clattering and ceramic shattering filled the hallway, along with several gasps. The scene was something else to behold.

Hovering a stride up in the air above the ground was Pinkie Pie, her legs wedged into the doorway and suspending herself just inches from the girl in front of her. The little filly human stood resolutely, her arms spread eagle and blocking the taller adults behind her. The tall, grouchy looking mare had fallen over beside the girl and the other strange human stallion from back in the wheat field had taken up a defensive posture. 

In particular, the chief honcho Evil-Mcbadderson himself held a familiar bell by the clapper in one hand already. 

Pinkie's shocked and surprised expression became worried, and a little afraid too after spotting the instrument. She could see that he definitely had the upper-hoof, and was even more dastardly and clever than she had thought. 

Hiding behind a little brainwashed filly! That's like... as bad as every evil-baddy-I've-ever-fought-combined-into-one-evil! She scowled deeply over the dark haired head of the little girl and at the scruffy human stallion behind her. Her mouth opened up to begin her parley, perhaps trade herself for her friend and the poor filly...

But yet another something else surprised her when the young girl spoke up first. Even wilder was what she said.

"Leave my dad alone, you big bully! Is this how you treat your hosts or your friends—?" The filly was cut off as the stallion stepped forward and pulled her back a little. Thus far, the entire scene had taken place in just a few mere seconds. 

Pinkie Pie stared down, mouth agape, at the filly who continued to glare wickedly up at her from behind the stallion. The scathing words spoken rang in her ears, a strong sense of sadness and guilt welling up immediately. It was one thing for Pinkie to soldier through hardships, but it was another entirely for her if said hardship involved a child placing blame on her. Her hooves clunked onto the hardwood floor as she let go of the door frame and hit the ground. "W-What? Bully? No... What's going on? Is this... Is this a trick? It's okay, Pinkie, there's a logical, sane explanation for this." 

Staying weary, Pinkie searched her thoughts, but all she could come up with was, What would Twilight do...?

"That's enough, Sabriel, I think there's merely been a very... interesting misunderstanding over all of this. And I must profess it is likely my fault, as well." The tall stallion looked down at Pinkie Pie, who was having a tough time keeping herself from quivering, and wasn't sure of what to do. 

Pinkie straightened up and put up her hooves in a defensive manner, one she'd learned from Dashie. "A-Alright, you may have the upper-hoof, buster, but I won't let you hurt my friend no matter what, or anypony else! Now release them from your wicked mind-mezmering-spell and I wont have to get mean!" 

"Are you crazy—" The human mare began, still planted on the floor.

The 'dad' spoke over the other stranger towards Pinkie, who continued to glare defiantly. She didn't like making that face, but everyone was confusing her. 

"Ms. Pinkie, my family and the staff here at Wyverly mean you no harm, whatsoever. I promise you." The stallion's eyes were calm and level, but serious. "My name is Abhorsen, and this is my daughter, Sabriel." After a slight pause he helped up the lady, who was having difficulty. "This is Ms. Greenwood, a teacher here at this school."

Pinkie Pie looked from him to the girl he had called Sabriel, then to the older mare, just now dusting herself off and standing up. The aged human harrumphed loudly and scowled back at her, creasing her couple wrinkles into a dozen. 

Pinkie narrowed her eyes slightly. Oh yeah, she's gotta be evil... Her features softened when the filly caught her own attention again though. 

Sabriel looked as though she were still angry, but had let her anger fade after her... father had spoken. She stared back with a hesitant expression, eyes flickering on and off to where Rarity was tied up in the room. 

"I... well, you have some explaining to do, because Rarity is... I mean..." Pinkie hummed loudly and put a hoof up to her chin, feeling very put on the spot, not to mention still confused. Well, maaaybe I got ahead of myself, and maaaybe not all humans are bad... Unless this is part of his evil trick!? Oh no, is his mind magic already working on me!? Her mouthed thinned into a long line and she looked up at the stallion again, her eyes studying him wearily one last time. "Mr. Human, did you brainwash my friend, and are you an evil Overlord bent on world domination?" She prepared herself for the inevitable 'yes'.

But it didn't come.

Abhorsen blinked and turned to look at the other adult human, then burst out laughing. The mare still looked less than amused, but the filly started laughing too.

Pinkie Pie's 'intimidation face' faltered, her hooves shuffling until she sat back on her rump. Are they— Nope, that's a good guy laugh if I ever heard one! Either they're reeeally good at lying, like Chrysalis level of good, or this was a misunderstanding after all. A small, relieved smile began growing on her muzzle without a second to lose.

Still laughing, Sabriel struggled to stay standing and leaned on the wall for support, while her father settled for leaning on his knee to keep from falling over. At the same time, Pinkie beamed around herself. After a moment, she shrugged, then joined in on the laughing.

Behind the group, Rarity huffed around the bed sheets that gagged her, and rolled her eyes.







"Wow, do I feel silly!" Pinkie Pie took another bite of the delicious crumpets; namely, three at once. They were only slightly covered in cobwebs and dust from rolling onto the floor. "Mmm, not bad. Missing som' 'ing though..." She was getting used to human food, or human bread at least, but she decided anything different was better than what she had eaten for nearly the entire week.

Rarity, now freed, turned a badly chipped teacup over in her hooves and nodded solemnly to Pinkie, not quite listening. She was still huffy from indignantly being tied up against her will, even if her friend's intentions were in the right place. 

Sabriel was now smiling contentedly, while Abhorsen stood by the door with folded hands in front.  

"Myes, as you should..." Ms. Greenwood, the instructor for the school's magic classes, replied to Pinkie, watching in mild disgust at the show of gluttony the pink pony put on. "Now that this is all cleared up, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to in the school... Mr. Abhorsen, I turn them over to you. Please remember what we discussed. Sabriel, once your father and the ponies have left please return to your classes."

Abhorsen looked up from where he had been studying the Equestrians, a rich smile creasing his weathered face. "Of course, madame, we'll take our leave very soon. I do not wish to be caught out before night sets in, true enough. Thank you for all you've done." Beside him, Sabriel wore a sad look, but nodded in acquiescence. 

Rarity's and Pinkie's ears both had perked up and listened intently to this trade between the two humans. They watched the blank nod which Ms. Greenwood gave them, which was accompanied by a slight smile towards Rarity, and a bitter frown aimed at Pinkie as she left the room. 

Rarity gave the mare a gracious nod in return, and a quiet thank you, while Pinkie made to give her an apology hug.

"W-What are you doing?" Ms. Greenwood's frown deepened as the pink mare trotted up in front of her and stood up, forelegs outstretched.

"Hugging you, silly! I haven't even apologized yet for thinking you were evil! That was so wrong of me, I feel bad, and nothing says sorry like a squeeze that says... uhm, sorry?" Pinkie threw on an enthusiastic grin, rolling past the stumble she made under the human's scrutinizing gaze.

The woman, Ms. Greenwood, inhaled a breath and turned around to make her getaway through the door. "It was a pleasure seeing you again, Mr. Abhorsen. Please do visit whenever you feel the urge." She strode out of the doorway at a lively pace, as if worried she would be followed, or perhaps tackled.

Pinkie Pie looked at Sabriel and nudged the filly with an elbow. "Is it normal for humans to not like hugs, or have I just been a really unlucky Pinkie?" Her looked saddened a bit more while she stared out through the door.

Sabriel tittered and held a hand over her mouth. "It's uhm, well I don't think she likes hugs. Not like that, anyway, Pinkie."

Pinkie turned her head and gave the human filly and incredulous look. "Well that's just—"

"Pinkie Pie." Rarity interjected and gained the attention of the two speakers. "If it's quite alright, darling. I think we have more important things to discuss. Namely, just what happened to you? Your leg, and your poor, wonderfully pristine coat!" Her face had become worried and motioned a hoof towards the bandages Pinkie now wore. Underneath those, a scattering of wounds from glass, a knife and wood splinters lay cleaned and covered thanks to the military men still waiting outside. 

Pinkie's face darkened, then looked up and responded flatly to her friend. "I just... wasn't as lucky as you, Rarity. The humans I've run into weren't very... friendly. That's all." 

Rarity's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean— This wasn't a horrible accident?" She stood up on her hooves and looked around seriously at everypony else in the room. "I— Mr. Abhorsen if this is true, then there are... well, I don't mean to offend, but, very dangerous humans out there!" She glanced at Sabriel, who wore a reserved look. Sabriel was right all along about that... Fanny, character.

"That is troubling, but they're no threat to you now, Ms. Rarity. Either of you." Abhorsen ran a hand over his short stubble, while considering whether the ones that had attacked the pink mare could be more than just locals. "There's little to be done under these circumstances, I'm afraid. To be on the safe side, perhaps we should leave sooner rather than later, though that was the plan to start with. I really must apologize... uhm, Pinkie Pie—" That was only the second time he had said the bewildering mare's name, and it didn't quite agree with his tongue. It sounded too... cute. Not something he was used to, at all. "You will have to travel injured as you are. Will that be alright? I can't profess to know much about... ponies."

Pinkie and Rarity paid rapt attention to the gloomy man while he spoke, the pink mare glancing at her bandages when they were mentioned. 

"Oh, these little scrapes?" Pinkie waved a hoof and blew a raspberry to the air. "Yeeeeah, I've gotten worse while foal sitting. Now that's dangerous. These should be better in no time at all!" She winked at the human and raised her head proudly.

Abhorsen listened with a level expression, that only just resisted faltering when the... creature that sounded just like a woman winked at him. "I see," he began with scholarly tone. "That is fascinating, the wound looked very deep, Ms. Pinkie. Do you heal very quickly or—" He coughed and straightened, realizing he had begun leaning forward. "Forgive me, now isn't the time to learn things. We should talk in the truck, and we will have plenty of time once we're on the road, if it pleases you both."

Pinkie and Rarity traded an inquisitive glance after hearing the strange expression, the pink mare's look a little more exaggerated than her counterpart's. 

"Uhm, yeah, I'm pleased as cheese to get going! No offense, but I think I left something baking in the oven, and the cakes won't be happy if they get home before I can take it out. It's tough to get those charred baked goods off the pan once they cool." Pinkie grinned up at Abhorsen, who looked back with a lost expression. Rarity face-hoofed. 

"Well... very well then." Abhorsen replied in a befuddled manner, something that he wasn't very used to. 

"Oh, but do we have to leave so soon? We just got here, and Rarity said she got to have fun with a bunch of human foals! I can't let somepony other than me have all the fun!" Pinkie paused to wear a gleeful expression, the sort that would normally let everypony know exactly what she was thinking. "I think a big, happy, cheering up party is just what the Pinkie ordered—"

Rarity laid a hoof on her friend's shoulder, attracting the other mare's attention. She showed Pinkie a wan smile. "I think it's best if we get going, Pinkie. We need to get home. Shouldn't we save the partying for then?"

Pinkie Pie oooed and put a thoughtful hoof to her chin. "Hm, yeah, that sounds about right." She smiled calmly at the floor, then looked up grinning once more. "Good thinking, Rarity! We'll figure out this conundrum of epic proportions in no time. We just gotta keep our eyes—" With that, Pinkie leered towards the fashionista with one eye bulging out. "—on the prize!"

Rarity leaned back slightly, smiling nervously. "Haha, yes... eye on the prize." Something came over Rarity then, while watching Pinkie be... well, Pinkie. She had to resist the overwhelming urge to give her reunited friend another tight hug. Hesitantly, she instead settled with sitting close beside her. 

Still smiling, Pinkie raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. 

Rarity coughed and straightened up. "Well, if that's all done then. Mr. Abhorsen," she turned her head to look up at the human stallion. "If you would be so kind, please, lead the way. We can leave at once, I imagine? We have no personal belongings after all. I also don't relish the idea of any villains coming after us either..." The fact that other than her magic, they had very little to defend themselves with, she left out. In truth, what had happened to Pinkie put her on guard. She wasn't used to that, and certainly not without her friends being there.

A touch surprised by the proper manner in which he'd been addressed, Abhorsen nodded. "Of course, I couldn't agree more. Sabriel, if you would like you may come with us to the gates, but then we have to say good bye." A tad awkwardly, the man led his entourage of two ponies and his daughter outside the room.

The four beings walked—well, Pinkie Pie hopped—together through the hallways to the front of the building, and out onto the front grounds of the old school building. The entire way, Abhorsen had asked a multitude of questions. Not simply out of curiosity, but out of scholarly pursuit as well. The ponies, or rather, Rarity, explained a few simple things to him, such as not having a stitch to her name, and some of the circumstances that had brought her there.

The description of the dark 'cave' as Rarity had called it, piqued Abhorsen's attention greatly. He knew immediately what it had actually been, or highly suspected at least. It sounded exactly like the realm beyond the wellspring of life: death.

Upon arriving outside they were greeted by a uproarious bout of cheering from twenty or so girls. 

Rarity blinked in surprise in the sunlight, Sabriel looked around at all the faces trying to puzzle out the sight, and Pinkie Pie's shocked look lasted a split second, before becoming her best smile.

Rarity gasped loudly in mock surprise, though she was indeed a little shocked by this gesture. Surely the teachers hadn't allowed this. She thought. "What's all this about?" Her voice rose to a louder volume in a cheery tone in order to reach everypony around her, while looking as quickly as she could at every smiling face.

"We heard you were leaving already, Ms. Rarity." One of the older girls piped up quickly. 

Next, Sulyn spoke up. "So we all came down from Ms. Greenwood's class, though, it was the only one that got let go to come see you off..." The sheepish blonde rubbed one arm and stirred a foot on the ground.

The smallest, cutest human filly present shuffled forward and stole a hug from Rarity. "Do you have to go?"

"Oh you girls, you are all simply fabulous, I'm so sorry I have to go, really." Rarity smiled sadly at the show of kindness, but didn't let it touch her eyes. "Oh, what's this?" One girl had walked forward, an armful of what might be clothing in tow.

"Well, you told us all about how you were a fascist-neesta, and we thought... that maybe you would really like some clothing to remember us by. It... didn't come out that great, but we did try really hard." The girl grinned happily and passed the Equestrian the Wyverly College girl's handiwork. 

"Why, girls I don't know what to say, that is incredibly thoughtful of all of you. Thank you so much." Rarity felt a little repulsed by the offensive scarf staring her down, but none of that showed on her face, just a surprised and beaming smile. She set the bundle of different articles down beside herself, her hooves quite full. "I really do mean it, and I wish we could stay longer, but, my friend Pinkie Pie here and I have to leave because we need to get home. It's very important, and we miss it. I will say though, if we could stay in your company for our entire time here, that would be simply marvelous. Isn't that right, Pinkie?"

Rarity turned, still holding a foreleg over the first human filly, and looked at her fellow Element of Harmony. "Pinkie?"

The party animal's tortured look broke into tears. "I hate good byes!" she sobbed. "Especially long goodbyes!" One of her fetlocks scrubbed at an eye. "I didn't even get to know everypony's names ye-het!" The girls surrounding Pinkie Pie all awed in unison, many of them shouting out their names to be heard.

"There there, Pinkie, it'll be alright." Rarity grinned nervously and patted her friend on the back. She was running out of hooves with which to do things. Looking over she spotted the shuffling of nervous feet. Almost every eye was on the crying baker. "Girls could you please give Pinkie Pie here a warm, farewell hug? She's been through a lot and—" She hadn't been able to finish the sentence, as a torrent of laughing school children group hugged Pinkie—who began laughing immediately—without mercy.

The girl that had hugged Rarity turned to join the fray, laughing and squealing along with them all. "Well, that went well." The fashionista smiled to herself, just before another big hug took her from the side.

Standing by the entree way, Sabriel had grappled Rarity in a surprise hug of her own, encircling the pony's body with her arms. "I'm gonna miss you. I hope you get home soon, though." She mumbled through the violet colored mane.

Rarity down blinked in surprise at Sabriel, but returned the gesture and hugged back. "I will, Sabriel, and thank you again.

Nearby, Pinkie held her hooves up to her mouth, muffling an audible 'aaw'. She was accompanied by every other girl present that was paying attention. "AAaaaaaaw!"

Sabriel scowled at them all, but Rarity smiled warmly.

Then, a peculiar glint shined in Pinkie Pie's eye, a grin growing on her muzzle in size and intensity. She had been rather despondent over... everything that had happened, though she hid it. With what had filled the last five minutes though, she felt like herself completely.

Rarity looked at her friend sitting amidst the chattering schoolgirls, their eyes still more or less on them. She sat back with a relaxed look, fully aware of what was about to happen.

Pinkie Pie skipped cheerfully away from the group. 

They all quieted from the sudden pony related movement, except for a few mutters between them. 

"Ahem," Pinkie cleared her throat, smile still on her muzzle, then broke into song, slowly at first. "It was so nice to meet you all, to-day, hooray!" She flourished a hoof and gestured at the sky, some of the girls cheering. "But sadly I have already, gotta go, oh no..." A mock frown and sad eyes directed themselves to the girls, before instantly brightening again. "But Heeeeey!" 

Pinkie Pie began her trademark bouncing and dancing then, looking for all her worth more like an animate spring or toy than a pony. 

"Chin up silly fillies, cause weeping's not our game! And even though you aren't all ponies, I can tell that fun's your middle naaame!" Pinkie sang the notes with an increasing speed leaping to and fro between the humans, finishing by sliding under one little girl and tossing her up onto her back. "So with all that said and done, even though I've just begun! We've gotta leave you all now,  so please don't have a cooooow!" She held the note, standing up, the girl holding on with her arms around her neck and giggling. 

After the tune slowed, Pinkie sang the next verse slowly. 

"Even though I'm not humanitarian..." Pinkie slid out from the girl's grasp along then ground and away, leaving her confused and surprised at how she'd done that. "But, I can at least say goodbyeeee!"

Pinkie stood up on two hooves and swung around one lightpost on the walkway, a foreleg stretched up to the sky dramatically. "My feeeelloooow-!" She carried the note gracefully and melodically, leaving behind some of the hyperactive chirping that the earlier bits of song had carried. "-vegetaaaaariaaaans."

Pinkie Pie slid off the pole, her back legs catching herself on the ground with a clunk of hooves. 

Everybody surround her clapping and cheered raucously. Many of the windows to the school were open, other girls all peering out, no doubt being yelled at to retake their seats. Rarity clopped her hooves together as well, even though she'd seen hundreds of songs sung by Pinkie over the years.

Abhorsen had watched his daughter and the proceedings stoically, from the gate at the end of the walk. Behind him, waited the military truck and the accompanying soldiers with him, the lot of them looking over the school wall with wide eyed disbelief.

Everything quieted down slowly, and final goodbyes were traded.

The pink pony smiled widely at Sabriel, who was moments from walking to her father for her own final goodbyes. "Thank you again for taking care of my friend, Sabriel." Pinkie said in a kind, calm manner, one she rarely used. It still held a hint of the pony's normal, bright cheerfulness though.

Sabriel bounced on her toes where she stood and grinned wider. "Oh, it was nothing at all. This is the most excitement I've had in forever! School is so boring, you see. You have no idea." Her eyes became stark to get the point across. "Feel free to come back and throw that party, Pinkie."

Pinkie giggled and nodded happily in return.

Beside her, Rarity laughed nervously, recalling the excitement the human spoke of. "Ahem, yes. Well, Pinkie, shall we go?" Cantering towards the gates, Rarity set off, leaving the other mare in the dust.

"Ms. Pinkie?" One of the students still present tugged on Pinkie's tail. Both ponies stopped to listen.

"That's me! What's up?" Pinkie gave her the same happy, lopsided grin she had everypony.

"Humans are carnivores, actually!" The little girl chirped happily. 

"No we're not," scoffed an older girl with dark hair. "We're omnivores, we eat meat and vegetables."

Pinkie Pie blinked for a moment, then ooo'ed. "Okie dokie lokie! Uhm, bye now." She waved a hoof, then spoke to Rarity. "Let's go, Rarity."

Rarity raised an eyebrow, the other pony seemed to have increased her pace. "Pinkie?" Perhaps it was simply from the fact they had kept Mr. Abhorsen waiting. Or is it just Abhorsen? I wonder what his actual name is. Names in Equestria varied by the owner, but usually 'Mr.' implied a family name.

"...and I will, Sabriel. Don't worry." Rarity caught the end of something the man was saying to his daughter as she trotted to the gates, still waving behind herself to the gaggle of girls slowly making their way back inside. Their chatter was punctuated by what sounded to be a very surprised, and angry headmistress.

Rarity watched as Pinkie hurried towards the back of the truck, paused slightly after a soldier human turned to look at her, then she herself turned to look back cautiously. Oh dear, something's wrong. "Mr. Abhorsen?"

"Yes, Ms. Rarity?" The man gave his daughter a final hug, and after a shout from the school, Sabriel gave a final wave to Rarity and Pinkie.

"Oh please, darling— Goodbye Sabriel!" Rarity stopped to wave briskly after the dark haired girl, then turned her head demurely to the gentlecolt. "Just call me Rarity," she continued. "Is it alright if we get going then? I believe my friend might be getting antsy." She whispered the last bit, though she was sure Pinkie would hear it anyway. That pony had the hearing of a fruit bat. 

Abhorsen smirked and nodded in return. "Of course. Then please, just call me Abhorsen. Now, it's important we discuss our next move. I hope that's alright, so I'll sit in the back with you both. I'm afraid the cab doesn't have room for us all."

Drat, I was hoping to get his actual name. It seemed to Rarity the man was definitely a professional type of some sort. She glanced over at the contraption to which he referred, and was remiss about riding in it; although she had ridden far stranger things in her day, the device was rather loud and bothersome compared to anything pony-made she was familiar with. 

All the same, Rarity responded with a cheerful, "That sounds just fine." 

By the truck's back, Pinkie Pie did her best to casually ignore the staring the human stallions seemed to be doing. That wasn't like her at all, either, even now she was torn between jumping up to try and match their height and introduce herself. 

"I guess we're riding in the back. Is everything alright, Pinkie?" Rarity trotted up, followed by their new friend.

Pinkie nodded her head as convincingly as she could. "Of course, Rarity! Don't be silly. That's my job!" She gave her friend a wink and laughed nervously. Sighing, she turned and bent down, wiggled in preparation to jump, then made the leap up into the bed of truck smoothly. Her hooves thunked loudly on the wooden boards and metal as she trotted up to the front and sat on one bench. 

Rarity hummed, staring after the other girl. "Oh boys? If you would be such dears, could you assist a lady in getting a leg up? It's a rather tall height, after all."

Surrounding the pony, the soldier's expressions had ranged from concerned, to blatantly confused as a result of being so close to the Equestrians. Now, upon hearing Rarity, they looked as if they'd seen a ghost. Point in fact, a few of them had seen those before. 

A pair of them stammered, while Rarity looked between them both doubtfully. 

"Allow me, Rarity, and forgive them, generally speaking even this far north everything they've seen has not quite compared to you." Abhorsen held out a hand, tucking his other behind himself.

Rarity looked up at him, surprised. "Oh my, such gracious manners. I do believe I detected quite the compliment in there as well." She nodded, resting a hoof on Abhorsen's offering and pulled herself up into the truck bed easily.

One of the guards broke into laughter over the exchange. 

"Alright! In the truck and stop gawking, we're behind schedule as it is, men." A shout from the corporal got the rest of them out of their daze of whimsy, loading them up.

Rarity watched them with interest from where she sat next to Pinkie in one corner, between her and the humans. She wasn't sure, but the pink mare seemed put off by something. Abhorsen sat beside them both.

With a rumble and a loud, banging noise that climaxed with a sickly cough, the human vehicle began to rumble forward. It pulled away swiftly from the school and began moving down the road.

Rarity stared after the school for a long while until finally it disappeared from sight. Why can't Sweetie Belle be as well behaved as those human fillies? She let out a happy sigh, accompanied by sad eyes from the thought. I'll be home soon, sister. Don't worry, I'll be home soon.

Pinkie all of a sudden inhaled as hard as she could, making herself look much like a balloon. She then grappled the collar of one stunned soldier sitting across from her, and shouted into his face. "Do you eat MEAT!?"

The man was so shocked he just stared back and stuttered.

Pinkie's scowl deepened and she pressed her head against his. "I said, meat. Do you eat it!?"

"Pinkie Pie!" Rarity lit up her horn and tore her friend off the poor, defenseless stallion. "You can't just— What's come over you?" She gave nervous smiles to the other soldiers, noticing that all of them had lifted their weapons up in some fashion. Thankfully, only one of them looked angry, rather than surprised.

Pinkie flailed her hooves beneath herself where she hung just above the floor boards. "They eat meat, Rarity! Didn't you hear that poor, evil little filly back there!?"

Rarity sighed and rolled her eyes. Oh, Celestia give me strength. "Yes dear, I heard her, and I've known! It's... not as bad as I think you think it is..." She lowered her voice as much as she could, and put on a strained look.

"What!?" Pinkie's eyes bugged out of her head and she thunked back onto the ground, Rarity having released her. 

Around them, the men all stared worriedly, a couple of them whispering, one chuckling. Abhorsen watched from beside Rarity quietly, sitting back in his seat after a moment. 

"How can you say that?" Pinkie gave Rarity a sad, incredulous look, and panned it over towards the men, though it hardened some.

Rarity tsked audibly and pulled her friend back over to sit down. "Pinkie," she whispered. "This is just like every other time you over react about something. It isn't what you think."

Pinkie whisper shouted back in Rarity's ears. "That's not true, it's exactly what I think! Besides, most of the time I overreact for fun! But this is serious. They kill things to eat them! Like. A. Timberwolf! Timberwolves, Rarity! Those are evil!"

"Well the humans are not, evil, Pinkie." Rarity gave her friend a stolid look. "I don't really understand it myself, but from what I gathered it's just a part of their healthy diet..." She laid a hoof on the despondent mare facing aware from her. "Pinkie, I'm rather certain I've heard that alligators have been known to eat meat." 

Pinkie gasped for the third time. "What!? No way! Gummy's the sweetest, most nicest gator around, he'd never hurt a parasprite! I know what he eats, too. I feed him sugary treats balanced with a healthy serving of Apple family apples every morning. He loves them so much he won't eat anything else!"

Rarity's reassuring look wavered into one of skepticism. "Well... Pinkie, be that as it may, it's not entirely unheard of for good creatures to eat meat, or so I've heard in whispers.  I've... even procured fish before for Opal's birthday, and it's her favorite thing in the worl—" She was interrupted.

Pinkie's widened eyes and aghast face pressed against Rarity's own, her voice unable to make sound. "Rarity, only, evil things, eat meat! Have you ever met a pony that ate meat? Nooo— and that's because it's evil!"

The corporal in the truck poked his head out from the window in the cab. "Ahem, Ms... pony-ladies, if it wouldn't be too much to ask, could you—"

Pinkie interrupted him and jutted a hoof up under his nose. "Evil!" The man scowled up at her, then roughly pulled himself back into the cab.

By now, most of the soldiers were laughing, much to Pinkie's anger and dismay.

"It's... not funny." She floundered, the unicorn present giving her a consoling look.

"Pinkie, I don't understand it either," Rarity whispered quietly to her. "But we need their help, and they are helping us. Could this wait, please? Try not to let it effect how you act towards them, we are still guests after all." She patted a reassuring hoof on her friend's back, who returned despondent puppy dog eyes. "Everything will be alright."

Abhorsen had been paying close attention to the floor while the two had put on the show beside him. His main concern was to keep anything from getting... interesting. He was glad that the enthusiastic Ms. Pinkie hadn't gone any further than voicing her complaints to her friend. 

The man's thoughts busied him once again after they had quieted. Mostly, the thoughts considered how little he knew of the situation. The not knowing was a very strange thing to him. He studied his two traveling companions as they occupied themselves with watching the countryside roll by over the sidewall of the truck bed. 

In the distance, they could just make out the city Bain, a fair ways away as they took the country roads around it.

Abhorsen spotted the darkened look on the pink pony's expression. To his surprise, he thought he saw her mane... become smoother, more like Rarity's. Very curious. He had to resist the urge to speak to them openly in front of the men about that, not to mention the multitude of questions he had. It wouldn't be a terribly large inconvenience, but it seemed to him a wiser decision to wait. There will be time, he decided. 

Amidst silence and occasional trade of dialogue, the wind picked up some, and the air became colder, as if it were winter almost. The ponies were shielded by their coats, but the soldiers pulled out jackets and hats, throwing them on quickly from the change of temperature.

They all rode in silence, until their first 'checkpoint' as it were, revealed itself around a bend. A short distance down the road lay a forest of guard towers and barbed wire that obscured the wall behind them. It was a curious sight to the Equestrians, as they didn't know quite what to make of it. What lay behind that though, got their attention. A tall wall of a curious design, which seemed to almost shimmer, stood high against the horizon beyond the other strange defenses.

Without warning the truck ceased moving and began to roll silently down the road. After only twenty meters it ground to a halt.

The men and soldiers began to climb out.

"Uhm, Abhorsen, is this our stop?" Rarity gave a doubtful glance over the top of the cab towards the wall.

Abhorsen looked back before jumping down himself. "Yes, actually. The charter magic is too strong and thick in the air this close to the wall. Technology won't work here."

Rarity raised an eyebrow and looked down at the truck, now silent and unmoving beneath her hooves. She then looked at Pinkie, who broke her dour expression long enough to give the fashionista a befuddled shrug. 

"Very well then." Rarity exhaled a tired breath, and lit up her horn to assist herself in gracefully exiting the back of the truck. "So, I take we're on hoof from here on—" The blatant stare she was getting from Abhorsen made her pause. "Is something wrong, dear?" Beside her, the bundle of gifts from the Wyverly girls followed closely, wrapped in her magic's blue aura.

Abhorsen was staring at her, a flat, but serious look darkening his face, before mumbling out a reply.

"No, nothing. Merely interested in the type of magic you just used, I guess."

Rarity looked up at the other soldiers. One of the humans seemed to have gone bug eyed a bit more than the rest while staring at her and her use of magic. "Is it really that peculiar? I've never thought much of unicorn magic, myself. Most of us only know parlor tricks or basic levitation. Take me for example—" She held a hoof to her front in a flourish. "I am but a simple clothes designer, nothing remarkable. Though, I do have a rather powerful gift with magic compared to say, my mother, but I only really use it to find gems and for my special talent: fashion!"

Abhorsen smirked at her while offering to help Pinkie out of the truck. "I see. It is impressive, nonetheless. I can't say I've ever seen anything quite like it, and I have seen much." He looked up at Pinkie from Rarity. "Shall we begin moving out then?" he asked the other pony.

The soldiers were already walking down the road, eager to return to their stations. The Corporal alone waited for the three strange folk.

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie had drawn her muzzle out into a thin line and eyeballed the hand offered to her. Her Pinkie instincts told her to surprise the gentlecolt and leap into his forelegs, or arms, or whatever. That would be fun, after all. But she didn't, instead jumping down off to his side and kicking up a cloud of dusty road dust from the landing.

"Pinkie, careful—!" A fit of coughing and a sneeze escaped Rarity. She gingerly tried to brush her hair with a hoof; already it was becoming travel stained.

Pinkie grinned weakly. "Oopsie."

"Honestly," Rarity sighed out. 

Abhorsen folded his arms behind himself. "Well then, my friends, lets follow the soldiers before they leave us too far behind." He stepped off, leading the other two, with Pinkie Pie bringing up the rear.

Together, the never before seen party of men and... ponies, traversed the final stretch of road, heading straight for the wall that stood as the final barrier between the southland of Ancelstierre to beyond, and the Old Kingdom.

They continued until the dusty dirt road came to and end, their new surroundings the maze of spun wire and tall posts. The Equestrians looked around themselves worriedly at the strange sights, listening absently to the humans that chatted busily and seemed to be trading military greetings and orders. It wasn't quite like the Canterlot home guardsponies, but was similar enough that the Elements of Harmony weren't confused by it.

The soldiers quickly exchanged business and pleasantries with superiors, and left. A couple stole hoofshakes from Rarity, one was bold enough, or weird enough, to wink at her. He earned a giggle for his trouble. Another, was disappointed when the pink pony that had so happily been giving out hugs to the school children, refused to give him one. Instead, the pony trotted to wait by a gate that seemed their likely avenue to continue down.

The corporal, who was happy to see the pink pony go, addressed Abhorsen. "I can't say I understand what is going on, Abhorsen. But I've heard about what you've done for us in the past, so you have my thanks nonetheless." The corporal nodded in finality to the older man, then turn to leave. 

Abhorsen gave the man a quick pat on the shoulder and a reassuring look. "I thank you for your time and efforts. You do a very important job guarding the north, remember that." He left the soldier then, not stopping to address his raised eyebrow. By the gate, waited the Colonel.

Rarity waved goodbye to the last man cheerfully, they were being delightfully polite to her, though it did seem a tad condescending from a couple of them. Still, it was much appreciated, Rarity was never one to say no to attention. With a sigh, she trotted over to her wilted appearing friend.

"Come now dear, buck up, you look absolutely dreadful." Rarity frowned and nudged her friend's side.

Pinkie looked for a moment, then back at the ground sadly. "I guess so Rarity, but I just feel awful right now, not like myself at all. Everything is just so, so-!" She inhaled and raised her front legs up, then flopped them down in the dirt, sitting at the same time to lean against a fence post. "Dark," she finished finally.

Rarity nodded to her, then, pulled her into a hug. "I know darling, but we have to stay strong, for Twilight and the others, okay?" Everything had been moving so quickly so far that day, she realized she hadn't spoken to Pinkie yet about the information they had been trading through dreams with Luna. "Pinkie, you know everything there is to know about Fluttershy and Twilight, don't you? That they're missing too?"

Pinkie looked up, her muzzle drawn down an entire inch on one side in dismay. "Yeah..." She replied. "I do, I wish there was something we could do, too." Another depressed breath heaved itself out of her. "But we're stuck here, with a bunch of cannibals..."

Rarity had nodded along sadly, until that last bit. Instead, she scoffed at her friend. "Pinkie! Please, darling, you- Look, they are not cannibals, I'm quite sure that's something else entirely different. Perhaps they do eat... flesh." She suppressed a sickly feeling, and tried to recall the nice little explanation that Sabriel had given her a few days past. "But that can't necessarily be evil, they're too nice. It- Animals here are different, and harmony seems to work differently as well. Don't you think?"

Pinkie looked up at the alabaster unicorn, eying her friend's furry features doubtfully. "I guess... How does that make it right, though?"

Rarity turned and searched the ground for the right words. She wanted to defend her new friends, make them seem... good. Even despite the ones that had attacked Pinkie, she did. The girls at Wyverly and Abhorsen were perfectly normal and friendly, after all. It was an uphill battle though, all the same, even to convince herself. "Sabriel and her friends explained it like this, it's called the circle of life-"

Abhorsen interrupted her abruptly, drawing the gaze of both Equestrians. "It's time we made our way out, Rarity, Pinkie." He nodded to both. "Our business here is finished." His hands tucked a thick bundle of what looked to be paper back into his clothes. 

Rarity mumbled quietly, "I'll explain later, but trust me, okay, Pinkie?" 

Reluctantly, the other pony nodded.

A tall, weathered looking human with dark skin and more wrinkles than hair on his head all but shouted at the three. "Come on then, We 'avn't got all day. Your personal 'ffects are up in the shack, Ab'orsen." The man's less squinted eye widened up after gettin a closer look at the ponies. "By the charter, what 're these? Horses? Hah, just like your name, eh? Ab-horse-n? Horses? I get it, hah!"

Abhorsen stayed silent, but only because Rarity beat him to responding.

"Excuse me sir, but I will not allow you to speak like that to my friend in such a fashion, you should be ashamed. We, are ladies, and you will treat us as such." Rarity tucked a hoof behind her other and turned her chin up at the taller creature eyeballing her rudely.

The wrinkled man blinked in confusion, glancing for some odd reason at a metal flask he had hanging at his side. "Ahm- right." He scratched an old hand behind one ear and did a double take between Abhorsen and his companions. "Nevermind then, let's go then... Follow closely, Abhorsen."

Rarity gave a smug look to Pinkie, who managed a weak giggle.

They followed the human soldier, weaving through the other strange structures, burlap sacks that looked like bags of flour, and of course the wooden palisades and odd curly wire. As they got closer the greatest of the odd defenses, the slightly glowing wall, the ponies could more easily make out its true majesty. It was not enormous in height, perhaps the height of a dragon, but its length and breadth seemed to be entirely moving.

All across the wall, glowing symbols shifted and churned, sliding over its surface as if it were water.

"In the name of Harmony." Rarity breathed the words out in a hushed whisper. Her eyes were glued to it, the strangeness and brilliant wonder captivating her. "It's beautiful." She smiled and looked up with a silly grin at Abhorsen.

The human wore a less than silly expression when he looked down at her. "It's what protects the south." They stopped at the aforementioned shed, and he began to pull out what looked to be several bags, as well as skis. "I forgot to mention, my apologies for that I've been... distracted, but it's the tail end of winter north of the wall." As he spoke he held and studied the skis, and Rarity and Pinkie, a moment, before then placing them back in the shed. "The seasons in the south don't always match up. The snow is still thick, and there was a fresh carpet this morning when I entered Ancelstierre."

Rarity raised her eyebrows at what he'd shared about the weather, while Pinkie gave him a look like he was crazy.

Abhorsen continued, a frown on his face. "I had some clothes and the like made for you before I came, just in case." He hoofed over clothing to Rarity and Pinkie. They looked at each other doubtfully after taking it. "We can leave them, if you don't need it, but I wasn't sure."

Rarity smiled at him after breaking eye contact with her friend. "Oh no darling, this is-" she gasped, then shoved the cloth in her hooves up to her eyes. "This stitch work is amazing. Who made this!? I must know." The clothing in question had the look of being masterwork, threaded not only with spun silver at the hems and collars, but was perfectly proportioned for her figure. "My word." Sliding her forelegs through the sleeves was like a dream to her, the cloth insides smooth as silk.

Abhorsen, at a loss for words from the reaction and Rarity's break from acting so demure, chortled out his response with surprise. "That would be my charter sendings. Magic helpers." He spoke as the ponies dressed, though Pinkie needed help from Rarity to get into the coat, being a little bigger than her unicorn friend. "They're eccentric things with some odd quirks, but very useful."

"I see..." Rarity said with a twinge of sadness. "So not your wife, then?" She asked, and with a twinge of sad that the work had been done by magic.

Abhorsen's laughter trailed off, and he gave Rarity a wan look that spoke volumes. "No, not my wife." His gaze slid to the side, then he coughed and set off down the path. "We should hurry if we want to get somewhere before dark."

Rarity finished helping Pinkie Pie tug on the fur colored coat, her own felt marvelous in the deepening cold. It was colder than anything she had been subjected to before already, she couldn't imagine it getting worse. "Uhm, coming! Pinkie, shall we?"

Pinkie inhaled a deep breath, which then exhaled in a wave of fog before her. "Ooooh," she giggled at it, breathed out again, then donned to respond. "Yep, let's go Rarity! Onwards, to Equestria!" Together, they smiled at one another, then trotted after their human companion underneath the tall entrance of the wall's gate. They looked back only once, until that too was behind them.

The three travelers did not take notice, but overhead, circled a flight of crows, all staying high in the air and behind the clouds. 







> Chapter 14 : The Village of Baird
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------





Avahntus waded angrily through the sixth precinct, eager to finish with this dirty work that he had been set to do by his better. Just what do Hellerum think she is trying to pull? She do try our patience, that one. His gaze burned with an ethereal glow, the sort only free magic and necromancy could provide. The plethora of enchantments riddling his cobbled together body shimmered a sickly yellow in the darkened realm of death. 

Finally, he could feel the thing he sought after, seeking answers, lay before him. The once-human being reached a skeletal hand into the fetid water, retrieving from it the severely diminished form of one of his beaten and battered allies.

"Hello, Falsimer." In Avahntus's grasp, hung an oily, runny ball of pathetic looking shadow. One would barely able to tell it was a creature at all, let alone a head. On its side, clung another dead spirit, which was flung off with a quick flick of Avahntus' finger. 

"My, times have not treated you well, old friend." He spoke to the incapacitated form cheekily, sarcasm evident in his echoing tone of voice. After a moment's wait, he added, "You can't even speak anymore, can you?" 

A groan bubbled out of the lump hanging in his grasp. 

"Very well, do allow us to help you." With his free hand he drew out a bell from a leather pouch hanging on his massive chest. The bell was Dyrim, the fourth bell, the speaker. Its power was to return speech to something dead which had lost the power to make sound, a force of magic that held great sway. Dyrim, however, can also silence.

With a simple motion of Avahntus' wrist, the bell sounded out into the realm of death. 

Dyrim had a very uncharacteristic voice for a necromantic bell, one that was misleading. Its sound was sweet, uplifting, and jovial. Rung properly it could be used to simply improve the mood of listeners. It was Avahntus' least preferred bell, but it was needed. 

The delightful peal of noise that came rippled the water around the necromancer's massive form.

A mouth formed on the grey lump's ragged face, definition returning to the weakened form Falsimer now was. Immediately, it screamed, or tried to. What came was more of a raspy croak. "Hellerum! She did this, destroy her! Not my fault. She has betrayed-"

Avahntus would have sighed if he had lungs. Tiredly, he muffled the dead creature with one bleached-white hand. "Yes, yes, we do know of Hellerum. We have also already learned she did enter life once again, as well. Something about you two fighting over a living vessel, hm?" He recalled the multitude of explanations and news he had tortured out of various spirits on his way to finding where Falsimer had drifted to. "While curious and intriguing, that is not important, Falsimer. What is, important, is we found your body, and Maywit do have need of you now. It is a pity you and Hellerum could not play nice for just a few more days. This is all a very unfortunate turn of events." His voice was a drab, bored sounding echo, accentuated only slightly by the sound of water splashing and flowing slowly all around.

Once his mouth was released, Falsimer was quiet for a second, obviously at a loss for words. "Th-thank you. I will not fail again, please, allow me to erase the whore from existence. This time, I—"

"No." The word from Avahntus boomed out, a deep, powerful sound. The water rippled in circles from the resonance alone. Free spirits and the dead that weren't already keeping their distance, now moved away as quickly as they could.

Avahntus continued. "We have far more pressing matters than one, rogue minion. Even one as useful and strong as Hellerum. Her time will come, Falsimer. For now, we have a bigger fish, to fry."

Falsimer's head continued to bubble and drip essence, silent in thought. 

Two deep, blood red orbs burned through the muck that consisted the shadowy blob's form. The eyes strengthened in intensity, glaring up at the necromancer holding him aloft. He spoke in understanding, "The Abhorsen."







Pinkie Pie set her hooves on the tree's trunk and inspected the gnarled branches carefully. 

A light coat of snow lay atop every limb, and a sheet of the same fluffy white powder had blown with the wind to cover one side. The leaves in the tree were of course long gone from the late winter weather, leaving only the bare bark of its hibernating state. 

Pinkie couldn't find or feel anything out of place, not exactly, but it was obviously untended and wild. It reminded her of trees bereft of harmony. Some limbs hung broken or were unhealthy, and even though nature was as far from her special talent as working the weather, it was obvious that this tree was in desperate need of an earth pony's touch. 

The strange forest felt like the Everfree—dangerous and spooky—and that made Pinkie's frown deepen.

"Pinkie? There you are, I turned around and suddenly you were gone. I don't think you should wander around like this." Rarity's voice chimed out from behind, sounding slightly out of breath. "Abhorsen did say that there were things in his world that are dangerous, particularly where we're going." Her bare hooves crunched in the thin lair of snow carpeting the forest floor. Soon, she was standing beside her friend, still intent on the tree before them both. "Pinkie? What are you doing?" The tree appeared to be normal. "Did you see another strange looking animal? Really darling, we don't have time to stop and feed hungry strangers, nor do we have that much food... I'm not terribly against eating simple grass, if I must, but," her eyes scanned the ground to either side of herself to conclude the point. "Well, there isn't any to be had."

Pinkie Pie sighed and shook her head, jostling the hood of the winter jacket she had on. "No, actually I haven't seen any animals for at least an hour. It's weird." She turned and looked at Rarity, trying to smile. Between the cold and how she felt, it was difficult. "Sorry Rarity, we can go back now. I was just feeling restless and antsy is all!" Humming a happy seeming tune, she left the tree.

Rarity raised an eyebrow at the other pony already trotting back towards where Abhorsen had left them. "How odd. I hope she's alright." She spoke in a hushed tone to herself, partly to not be heard by Pinkie, and partly because of the forest's oppressive feeling. 

Frowning slightly, Rarity gave the tree Pinkie had put her hooves on a glance, then followed after. Something is bothering Pinkie, but what? Is she still upset about humans and their diet? Or is it this forest? Whatever it was, she knew what was bothering her own mind, at least, and that was getting home. With every conversation about free magic or charter magic, Rarity was more and more convinced that the best way back would be to wait for Celestia to give her good news about a teleportation spell or something. Returning back to Equestria on her own seemed an insurmountable feat. 

Rarity trotted quickly to catch up to her friend.

"So Pinkie, when we get back home, what would you like to do first? Perhaps bake a cake? I don't know about you, but not being able to practice my special talent is making my hooves shaky." For emphasis, Rarity shivered. "Or perhaps that's just the cold, hm?" Wrinkling her nose she scowled at a nearby icicle and poked it with a gentle touch. The thing cracked and sunk into the snow.

Pinkie, barely listening, sat still in the road beside the sign, and didn't respond. 

Rarity took in a heavy, but quiet breath, staring at the back of her friend's hood. "Pinkie, please, talk to me. I want to help with whatever it is that's troubling you." Her hooves crunched in the snow as she approached the other pony, then circled around in front of her. 

Pinkie had on a pained look, like, but unlike before, there was a smile beneath it. After a long silence she replied. "If I talk about it I'm gonna cry." She looked up at the fashionista. "I don't really want to cry right now. Not now, Rarity, I want to go home, that's all."

Despite the other pony's words, Rarity could see a single, leaky tear running done the outside of Pinkie's cheek. "I do too, Pinkie." Not hesitating, she pulled the other pony into a quick hug. Although Pinkie didn't return it, her head drooped over Rarity's shoulder. "We'll get home," she stated matter of factly. "Tonight, we can both speak to Luna, and I'm sure she will have good news to share with us."

Pinkie sniffled and pulled back. "Yeah? Yeah, you're right, Rarity. Thank you, I feel a little better now. I'm just worried is all, and this place isn't helping. I feel like things are going horribly wrong at home, what with Applejack and Rainbow Dash leaving for someplace and not saying why. Not to mention Applejack's poor farm getting all tore up by that massive, unexplainable tornado... but at least nopony was hurt bad. I dunno, maybe if Luna hadn't sounded so scared about everything that was happening I wouldn't feel quite so bad. It's just, those humans threatened me so much, and were sooo mean. I haven't been able to forget about it since, it's weird. I forget about some things all the time, too! Not birthdays though, or names, those are easy to remember." She sniffled again, then mumbled under her breath, "Guh, I need to blow my nose..." Her pink face wrinkled in irritation.

Rarity blinked in the wake of her friend's long winded venting; she seemed to have perked up. What put Rarity at a loss, was just what was said. "I'm sorry, Pinkie, could you repeat that again?" Her expression twisted into blatant and utter confusion from the news mentioned offhoofedly by the other mare, and as if it were common knowledge, too. Namely, things she hadn't known, and which sounded very worrying. 

"Uhm, okie dokie! Guh, I need to blow my nose," Pinkie repeated, then wrinkled her snout again after complying for her friend.

Rarity closed her astounded expression and gave Pinkie a mild glower. "No, Pinkie, I meant before that. The bit about Applejack and Rainbow back in Equestria? You did just say they were alright, didn't you? How in Celestia's name did Applejack's farm get destroyed!?"

Pinkie gave Rarity a confused look. "Didn't Luna tell you?" When the other pony shook her head 'no' she continued. "Huh, that's weird! Maybe it's a secret? If it's a secret, she must be worse at keeping secrets than Twilight!" 

Rarity mulled over the thought while glancing up the road. Abhorsen still wasn't back yet. "Perhaps dear, but I'd be willing to bet my favorite dress that she just doesn't want us to worry." She turned, giving Pinkie a warm smile along with the sentiment. It made sense to think that, after all.

Pinkie held a hoof to her chin and rubbed it a moment. "Well that makes sense, she acted all hesitant and jumpy when she told me that stuff about Applejack and Rainbow Dash hiring an airship and running off to who knew where across the Atlantic ocean. She said they might've gone north, to the gryphon kingdoms, or maybe even Zebrica. They went despite how dangerous it could be with somepony going after us with tornadoes. Honestly, who does that? I bet our villain this time is a big old evil lizard, only a lizard could manage to use magic as sinister as throwing tornadoes around..."

Rarity held up a hoof and batted it at Pinkie. "Ah... do you mean to say, 'wizard'? Pinkie?"

The other pony nearly turned her head sideways regarding Rarity. "Wizard? Hm, maybe, lizard sounded better though..." 

The fashionista stared at Pinkie a moment, then moved on. I swear, this mare and her silliness. "Now, about that 'airship', Pinkie. Did Luna say why Applejack and Dash took one to Zebrica?" The entire thing sounded almost too incredible to believe... almost. Knowing Dash and Applejack the way she did, however, Rarity knew better.

Pinkie looked up from breathing warm air onto her hooves, then tugged on the mitten like boots again with her teeth before answering. "Erf— Hm, well, I ask a whole bunch of questions every time I see Luna. When I asked why AJ and Dashie had run off though, she wouldn't say, or couldn't say. Which I guess means it was supposed to be a secret. I got the feeling that she hadn't wanted them to leave, and that means that Princess Celestia probably didn't want them to leave; and that means that AJ and Dashie are probably doing whatever they want." She heaved a sigh, sitting back in the snow and looking up at the skeletal tree canopy overhead. "I just don't know what's going on, Rarity, and I'm usually great at figuring mysteries like this out."

Rarity vaguely recalled at least one instance where that hadn't quite been the case. Yes, Pinkie Pie, our detective extraordi-mare. Hmph. She managed to not let her resentful thought show on her face. Oh, that marzipan cake had been good though... Stay focused, Rarity. 

The sudden sound of footsteps approaching made Rarity's ears twitch, and she turned around in time to see Abhorsen walking towards them from down the road. But, at least Pinkie's cheered up some, despite what she just told me... I do hope Applejack and Dash are alright, though. What could they be doing running off like that?

Rarity and Pinkie smiled and waved once their human friend came close enough, and he returned the gesture with a curt nod of his own.

"I'm sorry about leaving you here like that, Rarity, Pinkie." Abhorsen cupped his hands and called out to the ponies, his voice somewhat quiet from the distance still between them.

Rarity stood up, and yelled back, "Oh it's alright, darling!" Once he was closer, she fell back to four hooves and added, "So, did you find what it was you were looking for?"

The human stared at her with a very serious expression. "Perhaps." He turned and looked back up the Old North road. "I had felt a..." He gave them both a short, worried look, as if to say he wasn't sure how to put it. "Not to alarm you, but I felt the dead a moment ago. It was far, and I couldn't tell how many, perhaps just a few. In any case, they are gone now."

Rarity and Pinkie blinked. "Dead?" They both asked in tandem, then looked at each other with equal levels of confusion. The alabaster colored mare of the two spoke again first, a little familiar with the term. "Sabriel mentioned those. She thought I was one when I showed up in the college grounds." A little hesitantly, she turned to face Pinkie. "I— There are creatures here that inhabit the recently... passed away, Pinkie."

Pinkie sat there processing for a moment, then gasped. "Zombies!" she screeched, standing up and pointing a hoof at Rarity in the most dramatic fashion possible. Her hooves fell back onto the ground immediately as she began speculating. "I never would have guessed those comics would be right about zombies!" She tossed a panicked look around the area briefly. "Oh no, Rarity, they're going to want our brains!" She lunged for the other unicorn.

"Pinkie!?" Rarity managed to get out. The other mare had again shifted into standing on two legs, then grappled her in a bear hug strong enough to leave her hooves dangling off the ground. "Please let me down?" She resisted the urge to scold her friend.

Pinkie looked up, still worried, but complied. With the sound of crunching snow, Rarity was released.

"What do we do!? Oh, and sorry about that, Rarity," Pinkie laughed out nervously. She glanced up at Abhorsen for a brief moment, then looked back at Rarity.

Rarity, for her part, caught her breath, which had been squeezed out of her, then answered her friend. "W-what? Oh, well I don't know, Pinkie. Abhorsen?" She looked at her newer friend. "Will it be dangerous then? I'm not very fond of danger. I would rather we avoided it, if we could."

Pinkie frowned, but looked up at the human begrudgingly in order to hear what he had to say.

The man continued chuckling a moment from the show, then spoke. "There should not be anything for us to worry about, I think. Were you both not accompanying me, I would hunt them, then send them back into death where hopefully, they would find peace enough to willingly travel to the final gate, and eternal rest."

The pony's listened with rapt attention. Neither had ever really thought about death to a great degree, or what came after. It was, after all, a great mystery.

Abhorsen continued, beckoning them to follow as he did. While he spoke, they again began walking down the road, and towards their first stop. "They were in the direction we are going, beyond the town I mentioned earlier, Baird. I was worried at first, but they felt very far away. I will ask questions here in the village. The townspeople will no doubt be able to tell me if their livestock, or the charter forbid, their kin have been attacked."

Rarity frowned deeply in worry. "That sounds absolutely dreadful. Abhorsen, if you need to do your job, surely Pinkie and I could accompany you? If there are lives at stake I would never want to be in the way of rescuing or saving them, pony, human, or anything else, truly. However, I would gladly help, however I could." She gave puffed her chest out some and stood taller. 

Beside her, Pinkie nodded agreement. "Yeah! The Elements of Harmony is our name, and busting down baddies for fun is our game." For emphasis, she jabbed at the air with a hoof, seeing as Rainbow wasn't there to do it this time.

Abhorsen's eyes widened in surprise, then smirked coolly at the show of bravery. "That is very... valiant of you both, and generous of you to offer. However, I think neither of you understand how dangerous such a confrontation could be." He ran a hand over his scruff, thinking back on what they had both said. "Elements of Harmony, that has to do with your magic if I recall Rarity's explanation correctly. Even taking into account that you can hold your own in a fight, the dead are not to be taken lightly." His eyes narrowed, watching down the road. "Besides, I work better alone."

Rarity harrumphed at the stallion's stubbornness. "I may be a lady, Abhorsen, but I'm no distressing damsel." She turned a straight faced look up to him to get the point across. "I do trust you though. Pinkie and I can go on without you, if you would like, but I refuse to keep you from your job. I dare say it sounds just as important, after a fashion, as our Princess'."

Abhorsen thought on that suggestion for a moment, listening distractedly as Pinkie began talking about how it's tough and important to raise and lower the sun. That bit didn't make sense to him, but there were more pressing matters. His thumb anxiously rubbed the pommel of the sword at his hip while he thought over what to do. Rarity had the right of things.

"I believe, my friends, that I will know what to do after we've spoken to the village. If the dead were many, or a deep threat, I may send you on. My home is not very far now." Abhorsen looked down in time to see both mares nose to nose as they walked, and in the midst of a whisper argument he had apparently missed out on.

Rarity looked up at the man, trying to appear unfazed by such dangerous sounding talk. "Oh, well splendid. I do hope we get there soon. My poor hooves are absolutely petrified right now." Hobbling on three legs for a moment, she winced at her front right hoof. "These clothes you made for us— or, had made for us at least, are fabulous, darling, but I'm afraid the cold here is even more frigid than the moose lands north of Equestria! Say nothing of the mild winter the pegasi give us in Ponyville."

Pinkie quirked an eyebrow. "The moose lands? You've been? When did you go up there, Rarity?"

Shuddering, with a disgusted look, Rarity nodded. "Oh yes, mother and father were very adamant about going skiing and wanted the 'full' experience as they put it. Somehow they dragged myself into going this last year."

"Ooo." Pinkie's face lit up in understanding. "That's why you had the cast on for a week and didn't want to tell us why!"

Rarity deadpanned ahead of herself. "Yes, quite."

Giggling, Pinkie bounced a few steps, before then falling back into a relaxed walk. "You should have let me give you lessons first! Skiing's easy-peasy, like riding a bike, or—" She paused, noticing that their human guide had stopped.

Abhorsen studied the two Equestrians a moment. Both ponies stopped as well, looking back at him. "Is something wrong?" Pinkie asked tilting her head. 

The man smiled at them both, already forming his spell, the rich taste of magic already tanging his mind and tongue. "No, quite the contrary. I can help with the cold somewhat if it's bothering you. I hadn't considered you might not be used to this sort of weather."

Rarity's eyes lit up. "Do you mean you know a spell for that? Oh delightful, and yes, your winter feels a great deal colder than home." She shivered again in her coat for emphasis. "And that wind, it's dreadful."

Quickly, Abhorsen pictured a few symbols for warmth and heat in his mind. Once the charter spell was ready, the symbols flowed out from his hands, shimmering glyphs that hung in the air for just a second, then fell unto the two ponies standing before him. The glyphs dissipated, fading from sight as they seemingly flowed into their bodies.

Rarity stared in wonder as a result of seeing the mysterious 'charter' magic firsthoof again, even with her slight misgivings over the art from her first encounter with it. Meanwhile, Pinkie was openly impressed, oo'ing and poking at her forelegs where the symbols had faded.

"Now that was very... how does Rainbow say it?" Rarity thought a moment. "Cool, yes, very cool." She hugged her coat and forelegs around herself, savoring the warmth that had flooded her and brought feeling back to her hooves.

Pinkie blew out her cheeks. "Oh Rarity, don't be silly, that was warm, not cool."

Rarity paused to roll her eyes.

They began walking again, Abhorsen falling in line with his two pony companions. "Yes, Rarity, I'm quite certain the symbols I used were for warmth, not to cool you further. Did I make a mistake?"

Rarity pulled back the hood of her cloak and blew a lock of her mane from in front of her eyes, now getting annoyed. "Oh, just— never mind. Shall we go on?" Trotting, with her head thrown back like an insulted feline, she moved ahead of her party, ignoring the giggling of Pinkie and a confused apology from Abhorsen.







The party of three stepped lively up to the town's border. Even Abhorsen felt a bit upbeat, finding the cheeriness and friendliness of the strange ponies to be very infectious. So far, he didn't regret helping them in their quest in the least. 

"And, can you believe what Thunderlane said next?" Rarity laughed harder, only barely hanging onto her ladylike control.

Pinkie giggled, "Probably!" she answered.

The unicorn leaned over and whispered into Pinkie's ear. Immediately after, her eyes widened to their fullest and she drew in a massive gasp, covering her muzzle with two hooves. On her muzzle, a deep red blush spread across her face. 

"So, is that yes you believe me, or a no you don't?" Rarity smiled coyly, then turned her head up proudly and trotted on. 

Before Rarity could trot any further, she ran smack into Abhorsen's behind, causing her to elicit an unladylike 'oof'.

Pinkie trotted up. "Geez Rarity, watch where you're going." Snickering, she helped up her friend.

"I'm so sorry about that, Abhorsen, I should have been... watching..." Rarity stared up at the man. His eyes were locked past the gate of the quaint looking hamlet's walls, and further in on the center of the town, some distance away. "Abhorsen?" She tugged on his surcoat's tail, which was oddly made out of little rings of a shiny metal. "Is something wrong?"

The man crouched down to their level, lowering his voice. "The watchmen are not at their posts." He looked over at them flatly. "I didn't feel it earlier, not from so far away." His grizzled face turned forward again, continuing dryly. "But I can sense that a great many men and women died here recently. I imagine, the dead I felt earlier had in fact been the villagers themselves. Moving north, perhaps west." 

Rarity felt her mouth working, her brain trying to understand the thing she had just been told so plainly and without emotion. She looked over, spying Pinkie, who's eyes were staring and empty.

Abhorsen went on. "They were killed, though I'm not sure by what. I can spot blood from here, and smell it. If I had not felt those dead earlier, then I would think this strange. I believe something came, and left. The only thing I can feel now is the lingering doorway, hanging open from their passing." 

"Doorway...?" Pinkie said breathlessly, in a tone that almost wasn't even a question. 

"Yes, to death." Abhorsen answered, staring a moment longer into the village. "We should go around... but..." 

"How many were killed?" Rarity asked from beside him. It sounded normal, except for a slight crack in her voice on the last word.

Abhorsen straightened some, sighing at the thought of so many deaths. "It was a small town, but well guarded. Maybe a hundred all told, not including guards. It is difficult to say how many have passed, but... it was many. There are still survivors inside, I think. I see lights at the inn." His eyes narrowed. "If it is alright, I would like to investigate, as we may be able to help."

When an answer didn't come right away, Abhorsen turned to look at his side.

Rarity's brow was furrowed in a pained way while she stood unmoving on four stiff legs. Her hood was still thrown back, showing that her ears were laid down to either side of her head. Beside her, Pinkie sat just as still, her mouth slightly open, and her gaze set straight ahead. 

After looking at his companions, Abhorsen caught Pinkie's face turn towards him. The mare's voice was openly sad, and she had the look of wanting to cry, but wasn't. "Somepony killed them?" she asked.

Abhorsen hesitated, then nodded grimly. "Something, more likely. I'm afraid that is the case that makes the most sense." He inspected the confusion and sorrow riddled expressions his friends wore. "I can see this effects you deeply, and am sorry to have included you both in this, even in just knowing about it. These things happen very often here, and it is why I do what I do; to prevent it as much as I can." 

After a sigh and pausing for a much needed breath, he went on, standing up again. "So many wouldn't pass from natural causes like this. It must be trouble. Wait here please, Pinkie, Rarity. I'll come back with news of what has happened, then we can move on." Not wanting to wait, or keep the ponies near possible danger, he stepped off. 

Something pulling on Abhorsen's coat stopped him. Turning around revealed a set of teeth clamped down firmly on his sleeve. 

"'o 'ay 'ose!" Pinkie said through her clenched jaw.

Abhorsen blinked.

Pinkie spat out his sleeve, rolling her eyes. "I said, 'No way, Jose!' You can't expect us to just wait out here. Somepersons could need our help, even if they are evil meanie mcmeat-eaters! Right, Rarity?" She turned in a flash and looked at her friend. "Rarity?"

Rarity snapped out of her daze. Flustered, and torn between correcting Pinkie's speech patterns or her misconceptions, she settled on taking in a shuddering breath and fanned herself with a hoof. "I— yes, Abhorsen, we'll accompany you. Oh dear, i-is that smell really blood?" A shrill squeak escaped her. "I've never— How could there be so much we smell it from here?" She had to swallow hard after what she had said.

Abhorsen scowled, but looked away from the two ponies he escorted. "Ladies," he began. Saying that to the Equestrians nearly made him stumble in his speech. "It may be gruesome up ahead, allow me to scout, please. It won't be long, and I would rather spare women of something like this if I could." He looked back down at them. It was odd to say, but they were definitely women in his mind now that he considered it, even if they weren't human. They certainly weren't constructs, or mere animals, after all.

The two ponies glanced at one another, then gave him strained, and very worried looks. Pinkie looked especially doubtful, her eyes sliding to the ground. 

Rarity spoke up. "That is... very chivalrous of you, Abhorsen, but please, helping others is what we do." Exhaling a large breath, shutting her eyes a moment, then opening them again, she continued to say, "So, do not hesitate to include us. I don't know any healing magic of my own variety, if only Twilight were here... Though I did skim over some charter magic that can do that back at Wyverly... If we can help, we will. It's the least we can do to repay you."

Beside the unicorn, Pinkie Pie inspected her hooves with a dark expression, but looked up when her friend had finished. "Uh-huh, there could be foals that—" She cut off, biting her lip right after saying the word. After a struggle to continue, she looked at the ground again. "We'll help if we can, Terciel," she muttered.

Pinkie felt something cup her chin and raise it, then another something clap her on the shoulder. The somethings turned out to be Abhorsen's weird hand-things. His face was grim, his eyes tired, but there was a friendliness to it that made things sort of feel like they would be alright. She felt the ghost of a smile timidly work its way onto her own face.

"I'm glad I can count on you both, you're braver than most battle hardened warriors I've met." Abhorsen turned his comforting look to Rarity as well. "I'll hurry. I can't say what exactly we may need to do; perhaps I will just be able to lend some healing or provisions." Straightening again, he quickly walked through the town gates, not wanting to linger more. "I'll be quick, both of you, hold here."

Rarity watched him go regrettably, striding through the snow until he was through the broad wooden gates standing open. "He is too kind for his own good." She looked at Pinkie. "That's the sort of stallion that gets himself into trouble all the time through good intentions. Don't marry one like that, dear."

Pinkie snorted, a short guffaw escaping her, before then giving the other mare a look like she was crazy. "Geez Rarity, you just met the guy, and you're already thinking about marrying him?" She raised one of her eyebrows as high as it could go.

"Oh— You— That is not what I said, Pinkie!" Rarity pouted and jabbed her friend in the shoulder hard with one hoof. "Honestly, you are so juvenile sometimes." She scowled over at the now lightly giggling form of her friend. "My point was merely based on his personality." Her eyes looked over at the shrinking form of their human friend. "He's... oh what's the word from those books that Twilight and Rainbow read?" A exasperated sigh escaped her, and then the word came to her. "A hero."

Pinkie looked up off the ground from where she laughed herself onto the ground. She stared up at the sky a second, happy to have laughed away some of the sad. "A hero? Oooh, you mean like how Spike tries to act."

Rarity blew out her cheeks. "Spikey-wikey? Oh heavens no, he's a romantic at heart. Completely different."

"Ah-huh." Pinkie smirked, then sighed a bit and followed Rarity's gaze after Abhorsen. "Rarity, do you think something feels off?"

The other mare felt her perkiness leaving again quickly and looked over at her friend, who still lay prone in the snow. "Off? Off how, Pinkie?"

A crow cawed loudly over her head. Looking up, Rarity saw three or so of them, all hobbling about in the bear branches of the trees. Odd, birds should have flown south for the winter. Or do they not do that here? Beside her, the other mare still spoke.

"Well, I've been waiting for a Pinkie sense to tell me something, but I've got nothin' so far." Pinkie rolled over twice through the snow, then stood up and shrugged. She settled back on the ground on all four hooves and trotted a bit closer to the gate. "Oh, wait!" Her expression became extremely concentrated for a moment. "My knee just felt pinchy. Oooh, and my rump felt wiggly too. Hm, I wonder, was that a combo for something new, or did that mean that some scary bad guy is about to show up?"

Rarity felt her chest tighten up at the merest mention of 'pinkie sense'. She herself had experienced a very miserable time when learning to believe the strange nigglings the party pony often got and couldn't really explain. "Oh, whatever it is please say it isn't the one about the mud!" Already frantic from horrible memories of numerous mud incidents, she looked around herself to make sure the area was clear of anything wet. 

Rarity's gaze fell some distance away from them further down the road. Something moving caught her eye.

"Oh Rarity, floppy ears mean mud, not pinchy knees! Unless that's a combo too, anyway..." Pinkie shook her head, and her expression became deadly serious, her voice changing to match. "No, this is much, much worse, I think. I rarely ever gotten a combo with a pinchy knee and wiggly rump. This could—"

Rarity cut her off. "Pinkie, look, somepony's coming."

"It's not 'somepony' here, it's someperson!" Pinkie corrected her friend. "Too bad they don't use somebody like around Canterlot, though. That would be way simpler." 

"Piiinkiiie." Rarity hissed. "Please."

"Oooh fine." Pinkie finally turned and looked down the road.

Approaching Pinkie and Rarity, was a dark, slight figure that stood tall, at least to the two ponies. They both recognized the stranger's characteristics as feminine, for humans at least, judging by how slim their shape was under all the clothing.

"I think we should hide, Rarity." Pinkie bumped her friend's shoulder with her own, meeting her eyes after she looked over. "I didn't get a twitchy tail, ear flop, leg wobble combo, and that's the one for a new friend."

"Hello!" The stranger called out.

Rarity frowned at Pinkie, but nodded. "I think it's too late for that, dear. They see us now."

"My name is Hellen. I'm a stranger here, could you perhaps give me directions?" The figure who had named themselves Hellen seemed to be walking quickly.

"Yep," Pinkie affirmed, "They aren't weirded out by us either, definitely a trap. Pinkie sense is never wrong!"

"We can't leave Abhorsen though, I only barely know where to go, and he has the map!" Rarity hissed, smiling and waving at the human nonchalantly. They were getting closer.

The figure clothed in black spoke again. "My, you two are very strange looking. Are you strangers here as well? Perhaps we could be friends and travel together." The voice had a strange quality to it, as if it were from down a hallway. It also sounded far too sweet.

Pinkie Pie frowned, quickly devising a plan. Meanwhile, her knee pinched and her rump wiggled more and more, as if begging her for a quick getaway. By Celestia's mane, this is a doozy! She decided it did indeed mean the stranger was evil, though there was no way to know why just yet. Before this, the lack of a warning from her pinkie sense had been the one thing that kept her from being more upset around the humans. In this case, there was no doubting what was happening. 

Pinkie whispered again to Rarity. "Just follow my lead." After a somber ahem, she stood up on her hind legs, her front legs held over her head.

Rarity looked up at her, a hint of worry and fear starting to show on her face. "Pinkie?"

Pinkie stared solidly at the stranger, who had stopped walking once the pony stood up. They were perhaps a few scant meters away from one another. 

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked?" Pinkie's expression was flat, and completely serious.

Hellen had a shroud over her mouth, but it was clear their jaw was working in confusion. "I—"

As soon as they spoke, Pinkie shouted, "RUN!" and galloped into the town at full speed.

"Pinkie!?" Rarity turned on a hoof and ran, only a stride behind her friend. "This isn't a good plan!" She looked behind herself, and nearly tripped. The shadowy human female was gone. "What—" Rarity began to say, but was cut off.

The sound of dirt crunching in front of Rarity made her face forward in time to see the missing person land in front of both her and Pinkie. The two mares ground to a halt in the snow. 

"Oooh, that was some fancy flying! Not bad, evil-mcbadderson." Pinkie took careful, slow steps back from the human facing them down, a hoof on Rarity's front, though the other mare didn't need the encouragement.

"Was I so easily seen through?" Hellen tilted her head at them, pulling back her hood with one hand. Her hair was oily brown, ragged, and unkempt.

Rarity snarked back on instinct. "Well darling, you could have spent a bit more time on your makeup and ensemble. That disguise is pretty much a dead give away you're up to no good, too. All black silks, really? So tacky, even ignoring that you're obviously a terrible liar. Also, a gold trim would have really brought that look together and maybe seemed more inconspicuous." She smirked smartly, confidence fueled some by Pinkie sniggering at her side.

The form's eyes narrowed slightly once Rarity finished. "You are a funny little creature. You both are, aren't you? I'm still amazed you can talk, though I am glad of that. Such a pleasant surprise." She paused to hum, tilting her head a degree and making no secret of looking them both over. "Now, you're both going to come with me, whether you want to or not. I'll settle for one though, if you'd like to choose. But I might need two attempts at this to get it right... Either way, I just don't want to have to damage you."

Pinkie ended her snickering and grinned wider. "Well, maybe, but you should tell me how you managed to jump that far, that was an impressive trick! You should teach me how to do that." In her peripherals, she spotted a bakery. "And I can jump preeetty far already."

"Pinkie, this human feels very off, think of something." Rarity whispered and lowered herself somewhat to the snowy ground, readying herself for something, though she didn't know what. In the brief quiet, she heard the sound of ringing metal from somewhere. 

The stranger named Hellen sighed in an exaggerated way, putting both of her hands on the mask covering her mouth. The hands looked torn, and blistered. Or perhaps, rotten. "Pay close attention, I don't have time to dally, so I'll be blunt. Come with me peacefully, or your friend dies, horned one." Her eyes flickered to Pinkie, then back to Rarity. The eyes seemed bloodshot, and slightly opaque over the irises.

Rarity felt her legs stiffen from the threat. In all her years of defending Equestria, her entire life, she had never heard a direct threat like that. Discord was evil, sinister even, and certainly ruined lives. Still, he only did so through childish chaos and being an inconsiderate jerk, at least as Rarity saw it. Chrysalis, who was wicked and twice as selfish, with a heart as black as her coat, had never hinted at wanting to kill anypony, though she certainly had as well. 

This human though, Rarity could tell, was different. Her legs began shaking, and it wasn't from the cold.

"Weeell," Pinkie's voice rang out like a bell, "We'd like to help you, Hellen, but I'm afraid we don't talk to strangers." Resetting her childish grin, she readied herself to enact her cunning escape. I hope Rarity can keep up. She thought worriedly.

Hellen stared a moment in silence, then spoke flatly. "You mentioned tricks. Would you like to see one?" 

Pinkie relished the opportunity for a distraction. "Oh, sure!" she answered happily.

Rarity still had no idea what was planned, and whispered to her friend. "Pinkie?"

"Wonderful," Hellen answered to the pony. "Oh, and my name isn't Hellen." Not-Hellen pulled the mask down, revealing the spot where a human's mouth should be, and wasn't. Hanging there instead was a skeletal jaw, uncovered by any flesh at all.

Rarity gasped, and Pinkie was frozen for a moment, caught off guard. 

"My name, is Hellerum." With that, smoke and shadow burst out of Hellerum's eyes, and then the body itself exploded. The sound of rushing wind and a distant laughter filled the air.

Pinkie was already turned away, a quick thought flashing in her mind. Yup, pinchy knee, something scary, and that was downright terrifying! Were she not busy escaping for her life, she would have been sick from the gruesome show.

Rarity blinked, her vision blurring from the shock and the shock-wave of what had happened. "Pinkie!?" She called out on reflex alone. She became aware she was running, and being led in a mad sprint by the mare in front of her into the human town. 

"Keep running, Rarity!" Pinkie shouted back. Behind the two ponies, the maleficent laughter of their pursuer followed. 

"Quick! In here, hurry!" Pinkie bucked open the door she had spotted, looking back to see a roiling mass of shadow sloughing across the ground after them. "Oh boy."

Rarity, not looking back or second guessing the other pony that seemed to have a plan, dove into the building. She was met by an empty, dark building, that smelled strongly of breads and flour. The door slammed shut behind them both. "Pinkie, what's the plan?"

The other mare was already zipping to and fro around the room, before running into the kitchen. She had put two sacks on her back. "No time!" she answered.

"Pinkie!?" Rarity galloped after her friend, the sound of snapping timbers and crashing just behind her. She yelped, diving into the next room. "Would you, please tell me what you're doing!?" Shaking like a leaf, her hooves reluctantly pried themselves off of her head.

In the first room, the frustrated screams of Hellerum followed, the sounds of furniture crashing and walls buckling accompanying them. 

Rarity saw the other mare busily ripping open burlap bags with her teeth. She galloped over next to her. "Pinkie!? What are you doing!?"

Pinkie answered her quickly; very quickly. Which for Pinkie, was quick. "Flour! Badguy! Warmupyourhorn!" She bent over and ripped another bag open with her teeth while jabbing a hoof at an open window. 

A sinister, creeping voice came from the other side of the wall.

"There you are." Shadowy tendrils and smoke ebbed in through the room's open doorway, the glowing eyes of Hellerum filling the air and gray atmosphere of winter with an eerie glow. "I can sense you, you know. Your life, it calls to me. It smells so good, you could never understand. I want it. You two are different, I can tell, so different. So much better. Humans are no comparison. I've never felt so on the verge of losing control. If only I could... oh, but I will. I will." 

Rarity's entire body felt paralyzed with fear, not understanding a word the strange thing was saying to her.  

The shadowed form flowed in, obviously malleable and not at all bothered by the fact it was twice the size of the human shaped opening. Two brilliant, violent tinged flames burned in her eyes, if they were eyes at all. 

"Come now, I'm being nice because you are apparently so very helpless. Like two lambs fresh to the slaughter." A shadowed limb stretched out towards the two Equestrians.

Rarity was suddenly aware of the hoof frantically jabbing her ribs. "No!" she cried out. 

Her horn burst alight with azure light, filling the room and flinging the contents of every flour bag lined up and present into the monster's face. The creature screamed in pain, reeling back from the attack. Flour exploded out and filled the entire room in an instant.

Pinkie was already hauling Rarity away on her back thanks to the opening, then dove out of a window. The two landed in a shower of glass, but unharmed, with Pinkie already sprinting away.

"Pinkie! You can let me down now, darling." Rarity panted out, her vision full of the clouded sky overhead.

"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said over her back. With a graceful flip that was more Pinkie than Rarity, and a second later the unicorn was on her own hooves, running alongside her friend. 

Rarity blinked away the dizziness from the acrobatics, refusing to stop. Her body wouldn't let her if she had tried. "That was quick thinking, Pinkie! How did you know that would work?"

Pinkie Pie grinned over at Rarity, pink mane flapping behind her outstretched neck. "Oh, it was nothing, and I didn't! Who would have thought flour was her weakness? I was just trying to blind her for a second for another quick get-away! If only I had brought my smoke bombs or party cannon... Hey, maybe flour is to Queen Meanie back there like how garlic is for vampires?"

Rarity panted harder and harder, her fear catching up to her, and winced from the sweat she could feel dowsing her winter clothes. "Pinkie, darling, vampires aren't real. ...Probably. Anyway I think—" She glanced up at her horn doubtfully, still running like mad. "I think perhaps she was afraid of my magic."

Pinkie answered doubtfully. "Are you sure? I think it was the flour. Cause I—"

"Pinkie!" Rarity shouted, shutting her eyes in frustration. "Listen, we need a new plan!" As if to punctuate her words, the sound of the building they were fast leaving behind themselves exploding outward rolled over the town's streets, as well as the never-ending angry wails of their chaser becoming louder.

"We have a plan: run!" Pinkie replied almost happily.

Rarity growled. "I meant a good plan."

"Ooh, I know, Rarity." Pinkie answered her friend, then turned her poofy maned head to face forward. "That's why we're running into town to find Abhorsen. He'll think of something! He eats evil meanies like this for lunch, doesn't he? And I'm not gonna lie, without the other girls that means we're a good four-sixths under capacity for evil butt kicking!"

Rarity breathed harder, unable to understand just how Pinkie wasn't in the least bit out of breath. "I hope so, Pinkie." She swallowed, and pushed her hooves to move faster. She could see the lit inn Abhorsen had spoken of earlier, just on the other side of a few buildings.

Hopefully, Abhorsen would be just around the corner.







Abhorsen was nearly at the inn's door, the sounds of a great deal of talking coming from inside, when a rogue thought suddenly dawned on him. Wait, when did I tell Pinkie Pie my real name? 

He recalled that Pinkie had called him Terciel back outside of the town. 

I never tell anyone my name, that isn't what they should know me as. It was wiser to be known only by his responsibility, not as another person, to others. Or did I mention it to them?... No, surely I did not.

Before he could think more on the topic, he again felt around himself absently for any tricks or dead in the area. Feeling nothing but the gaping hole to death, he stepped up to the door and took a final look around himself. There was evidence of fighting on the ground, with dried pools of blood scattered throughout the muddy street. He scowled at it all, as well as the few buildings that still had light in them. 

Something is very wrong. This couldn't be the work of men, could it? Abhorsen hadn't even considered the thought. In the north, it was almost unheard of for there to be violence between the living. Everyone was too focused and concerned with protecting one another. There was safety in numbers. 

Unable to shake the sense of dread building in him, Abhorsen pulled back from knocking on the door to the inn, instead moving to one, smoky-paned window. Pulling himself up on the tall sill, he tried to look in and get a glimpse of something he hoped would be reassuring. 

The sound of boots slurking through mud around the building corner gave Abhorsen a little warning that he was about to be stumbled upon. He glanced over in time to see another man walk out into the street.

"Ah- Y-you!" A fellow in a thick breast plate and ragged leather clothes stood at the corner of the inn, a smoking pipe clutched in his offhand, and a mug in the other.

Abhorsen, still hanging from the window ledge, raised an eyebrow. "Me?" The other man's reaction to his question told him all he needed to know about the encounter, and what was to come.

"You're the Abhorsen." A rictus snarl framed the strange man's face, and he pulled out a calling horn and a sword from his belt, pipe and mug falling to bloop into the muck. "You're a dead man."

Abhorsen pushed off from the wall skillfully with one boot, his sword flashing out of its scabbard quickly, but it was late. A single blast from the other man's horn got out, before a too loud and strangled scream also escaped his throat.

Immediately, the sounds from the inn were not just loud, but loud and panicked.

Abhorsen breathed out quietly, wincing, and drew his blade out of the throat it had been lodged into. This is not a good day. As if to play the ever present muse of irony, the sense of dead things lept forth to the forefront of his mind. There were many, and behind him at the Hamlet gates, was one that felt strong enough to be a Greater Dead. Charter, no. That was where he had left the Equestrians.

Terciel whirled his body around and began to charge back towards the gate.

Without warning the inn's door slammed open right before him, cutting his dash short.

The travel stained man that ran out slid to a halt and stared at Terciel wide eyed. "You!?" he shouted, teeth gritted.

Abhorsen resisted sighing again, and took up a fighting stance, hand gripped tightly on the handle of his sword. His mind focused and began picturing the charter symbols of fire and destruction. "Yes, me."







	
> Chapter 15 : Run For Your Lives
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	






Abhorsen parried the blow from the man's cudgel, grunting from the weight of the instrument before driving it downwards. He sidestepped, which sent his attacker tumbling past and into the muddied street. There had been a few words traded between him and his assailants, a simple plea that they listen to reason, which had been ignored.

Two more men charged him at once from behind the first; the others held back at a distance, each with a tarnished sword or axe in hand. 

The attacker leading the charge wore a large flapping cloak, and screamed, "Die, wretch!" There was an unsettling amount of anger and madness evident in his voice.

Abhorsen, still stepping back from the man with the cudgel, half knelt and slashed his own blade across the cloaked man's middle. He followed up by stepping past and ramming his sword through the chest of the third man. The stranger's eyes widened, and met his, before letting out a choked gasp of surprise. 

Behind Abhorsen, the cloaked, would-be attacker stumbled forward a few steps, before clutching at the gaping wound lying beneath slashed armor. He let out one last anguished cry before dropping his blade and joining his companions in the snowy mud.

Abhorsen stole a look at what remained of the still breathing men that wanted him dead. There are too many, he managed to think. 

The rest of the scoundrels, murderers or whatever they were, paused slightly. Their enraged eyes were focused on the half a dozen bodies surrounding the man they had been ordered to kill. 

Abhorsen pulled on his sword and it slid its way back out of the third man with a tug. His boots turned on their heels and he ran, falling back towards the town gates once more. Fear of the men chasing him wasn't why he ran. He had dealt with worse than them before. The true reason he ran was because of his friends, to reach them; the ones he had promised to help, the ones that were dangerously close to the presence of a Greater Dead spirit.

Shouting continued to assault Abhorsen's back as more men issued forth from the inn, chasing after him as he continued his pattern of retaliation, then retreat. The drab buildings of the forest village faded from his awareness as he tore down the street. 

Abhorsen cleared his thoughts and focused. Three symbols for fire and power formed in his mind's eye. He was sure there were too many pursuing him to deal with by sword alone, or perhaps at all.

Once the spell was ready, he spun mid-stride and flung out his hand. Pointed arcs of light screamed from three of his fingertips and across the space separating him and the dozen or so shapes stamping their way through the mucky streets.

Screams cried out from the targets of the spell. The men they had issued from collapsed or were thrown back from the impacts. Smoke curled out of gaping wounds in chests, or from stumps that no longer possessed limbs to call their own.

Abhorsen landed on the opposite boot he had spun from, sliding slightly in the mud, before then kicking back up into a sprint. He could hear arrows and crossbow bolts whistling past his head, shot by men who weren't so keen now to close the distance with him. 

Anxious to get away from being out in the open, he turned down another street. The shouts behind him got a little quieter, but he was going the wrong way now. He grabbed the corner of a building and swung into an alleyway, hoping it would prove to be a shortcut. 

A loud crash and a yelp echoed off the buildings around Abhorsen as he slammed into two, pony shaped forms. After landing on his back, he looked up to see those shapes were fact in companions, both off whom were breathing heavy and likewise on the ground.

"Rarity!?" Abhorsen realized quickly he had been pushed back into the street, and hurriedly moved into the alley again just as a bolt slammed into the muddy ground he had been occupying.

"Abhorsen!" Rarity and Pinkie Pie called out as one. What followed the one coherent word was a slew of things the man couldn't understand in the least.

"Mr. Abhorsen! There was a brute of a giant shadow that—!" and "A strange stranger walked up to us, and exploded and it was—!" intermixed along with the rest of the chaos that filled the town's atmosphere.

Abhorsen sheathed his sword quickly and raised his voice, desperate to make haste under the circumstances. "Ladies, st— Enough!" His shout managed to get the two ponies to trail off slightly. "We don't have time. The village is overrun with men of a dark persuasion and we need to go, now. On top of that, I sensed the dead returning. Are either of you hurt?"

Pinkie eyed the sword at Abhorsen's hip suspiciously as he spoke. When he asked his question, she opened her mouth wide, sucking in air to speak. "That's what I tried to say! There's a—!"

Rarity spoke first though, and louder. "Yes! We're fine, both perfectly fine!" She was panting, disheveled, and slightly hunched over. "What's happening, Abhorsen?" She inspected what looked like an inordinate amount of mud, streaked across the man's face and clothes. She realized quickly it was red tinged. "Are you bleeding!?" she blanched, wide eyed.

Pinkie looked around behind herself nervously.

"It's fine. I'm not hurt." Abhorsen brushed at his arm, peeking back around the corner of the alley. The men were holding back at the end of the wide avenue, possibly getting organized. 

Rarity's eyes widened. "But there's so much blood on you. Let me hel—" 

Abhorsen grunted and fended off the mare trying to get a look at him. "There's no time for that. And don't worry, it isn't my blood." 

Rarity continued to look at him pleadingly, certain he was hurt. "Not yours? But—" 

"We need to go, now." Abhorsen said the words sternly to get his friend's cooperation. "I need you both to follow me closely, hurry." 

Pinkie made more worried sounds and whimpers amidst dancing on her hooves. "Tercy, the—"

Abhorsen interrupted the mare while focusing on a charter spell. "There's no time for words Pinkie, we must escape before it's too late. I can't fight this many." His plan would cast mist and fog into the area to cover their escape. He shouted the charter spell out. Symbols crashed into the muddy street and a steam-like cloud issued into the air. He turned around, grabbing Rarity's shoulder and pulling her along. "Let's go while we still can under this shroud."

"Wait, fight? 'This many'? Who else is here!?" Rarity exclaimed, letting herself be dragged along until she could begin to run on her own.

Abhorsen spoke as he ran. "Rarity, there is a great evil in the town, and it's getting closer. Please do as I say."

Confused shouts from the men, now lost in the sudden fog, filled the street which the three companions hurriedly ran across.

Pinkie was hopping alongside Abhorsen, practically up to his full standing height. She looked to the man as though she desperately had to go to the bathroom, or perhaps had something she wanted to say. "That's what I've been trying to say!" She cried out, her coat's hood flapping behind her pink mane. "Tercy, she tried to—"

The sound of the alleyway they had just left behind exploding in a crash of timber and collapsing building followed them, and interrupted Pinkie.

A woman's voice, sounding animalistic and crazed could be heard amidst the other sounds in the air, all vying for dominance. "Come ooout!" The raspiness and anger in the command gave it a desperate seeming edge.

"Run!" Abhorsen shouted.

Pinkie sighed and fell down to the ground to sink into the muck. "Never mind!" She joined Abhorsen and Rarity in the hasty escape they were making.

Rarity dared to look behind herself. The air was thick with whatever Abhorsen had done, but she could see a darkness growing in the spot they had left. "What is it!?" She stretched her neck out and began to run faster, only to find herself pulling away from Abhorsen and Pinkie.

The howling voice of the woman screamed again. "I can feel you, your life. You won't get far!" 

Abhorsen grimaced and shouted up to the unicorn. "It's a Greater Dead spirit, something both old and powerful! Don't look back, just run as fast as you can!"

Both Rarity and Pinkie hesitated in doing just that, slowing their pace to match their human friend's. Rarity frowned amidst her labored breathing, actually able to catch her breath at the new pace. Goodness, even Twilight is faster than Abhorsen...

"So what's the plan?" Pinkie asked, yet to be winded by the running. She stared ahead, studying the buildings and looking for possible hiding places or escapes. The edge of the town was a tall wooden wall, which was odd, because the thing was really an eye sore. Because of that eye sore, it looked like their only escape would be the way they came in, which was back the way that she and Rarity had just run.

Abhorsen eyed Rarity suspiciously as she slowed back to join him again. "To run," he answered to Pinkie, while beginning to breath harder. "And fight, if cornered. We must escape the village first. There is another guardhouse at the other end of town we can leave through. Hopefully, it will be unguarded as the other had been."

Pinkie nodded, smiling, trying to keep both her own and her friends' spirits up in the face of wickedness. "Okie dokie lokie, slow pokie!" She giggled, then giggled again when Abhorsen looked at her incredulously. Despite the show she put on, she was afraid, plus worried, and not just about the big evil bully following them and wanting her for some unknown, sinister plan.

The streets became hard cobble as they entered and began to cross what appeared to be a town square; the buildings ringed around them in a lopsided circle where a waist high fountain lay at the center. 

Abhorsen could see the gatehouse, and the way for the Equestrians to escape. He hadn't told them, nor did he mean to, but once they were out of danger his own course of action was not to join them. The Greater Dead spirit had to be dealt with, or a great many lives would be in danger in the future.

Abhorsen spoke in between gulps of air. "Pinkie, Rarity, once we escape, you must—"

"Terciel..." Pinkie saw something odd. "Look out!" 

A heavy, speeding pony slammed into the man, cutting him off by way of a flying tackle. Abhorsen oofed, tried to get up, then was shoved back into the ground by what felt like twin hooves; he was almost certain a pony was responsible behind those hooves.

Rarity heard her friends trip and slid to a halt, looking back. "Pinkie—?" She was knocked over as well, and hit the ground with a thud. 

Pinkie looked up from behind the big fountain where she had pushed Abhorsen to the ground. There were other humans in the eaves of the buildings, and standing in the windows. All of them held strange instruments, curved pieces of wood with strings. She hadn't known what they were, but her pinkie sense had told her 'danger'. 

"Rarity!" Pinkie called out as soon as she had gotten Abhorsen down. "Get behi— Rarity!?" She spotted Rarity a short distance from the fountain's edge, laying out in the open on her side and looking dazed.

Pinkie's eyes shot wide open and she lept out to her friend's side. The sound and clatter of shafts of wood snapping around her accompanied the click of her hooves as she ran out to her friend. "Rarity!? Are you okay? Speak to me—" 

A muffled cry and a wail of pain escaped Rarity, and interrupted Pinkie. "What— What happened?" She looked all around herself, not understanding, and hearing shouts where before it had been relatively quiet. More important than that, however, was her leg; it hurt.

Pinkie flinched at seeing Rarity's condition, but began dragging her to the nearby cover without bothering to look up. "It'll be okay Rarity, it's fine—" She stole another look at Rarity's side.

Rarity's eyes rolled back to look at Pinkie fearfully. "What will be fine? What happened?"

A roaring wave overtook them both and they ducked their heads away from the rushing air, each letting out a scream. When they looked up, they saw that the source of what had scared them was Abhorsen, casting his charter magic. 

"Stay down!" The human shouted, before throwing his arm over the fountain's side again. Silvery fire shot from his gesture, streaking towards a building until it smashed there into a window.

Pinkie couldn't stay down; she zoned out, and even forgot that her friend was hurt. Across the town square the fire had found its mark and hit a different human in the empty window that was now there. Is he— Something pulled her back to the ground.

"I said get down!" Abhorsen had shoved Pinkie over with one arm, which went back to clutching his other. "Just, stay down and out of sight. Rarity, are you alright?"

The fashionista was huddled under the overhanging lip of the fountain's edge, her eyes locked onto her flank. "I-I— What is—" She could only stammer, at a complete loss as to what had happened or what she was looking at. There, lodged in her side, was a stick just below her Cutie Mark.

Rarity swallowed hard. Why are they doing this? Who are they? Her eyes locked with Pinkie's, which were as wide and stark as her own felt.

Abhorsen gritted his teeth, then pulled out the arrow that had missed his armor. The arm still seemed to work, and he used it to lean over Rarity. "Both of you stay calm, please." The ponies looked at him as if he were mad. "I'll get us out of this."

Rarity looked back to her side, which flared with pain at every small movement she made and explained fully why she hadn't been able to stand. The cause of this was easy to see, the small wooden shaft that was lodged into her skin, like a toothpick shoved into a daisy sandwich to keep it together. She could feel tears in her eyes, looking at it, and not understanding, 'why'.

Abhorsen put a hand on her shoulders, and held her gaze. "Trust me," was all he said. 

Rarity didn't have time to react as he closed a hand around the shaft, placed his other inappropriately against her Cutie Mark, then pulled in one smooth motion. "N'yaah!" She cried out, flinching and kicking her legs at the same time. Two hooves that weren't her own held onto her neck in a tight hug.

Pinkie Pie winced at her friend's reaction to what she really hoped was the right thing to do, then looked up at the human who had acted as a doctor. "Will she be alright!?"

Rarity looked to her friend at hearing the worried remark. "I'll be fine, that was— nothing." That stick had easily been the most painful thing she had ever felt.

"She should be." Abhorsen spared the pony a quick look before looking over the edge of the fountain again. He could see men gathering at the corner of a building. "We need to deter these men if we're to escape."

Pinkie Pie and Rarity both stole looks alongside the human. The unicorn of the pair could see what had probably been the things to hit her beautiful, delicate side. She narrowed her eyes at the ones trying to hurt her friends.

Pinkie fell back behind the fountain, a landslide of thoughts racing through her head. "Why are they doing this!?"

"Because, they want to kill me. If I can get you two out of here, I should be able to draw them away." In his mind, Abhorsen reformed the charter symbols for shadow and water to form another fog; he felt they were his best bet now. He was jerked away from his thoughts, and the charter symbols fled his focus.

Pinkie Pie had grabbed Abhorsen by his collar. "But why!? Why do they want to— to— do that!? Killing is super duper wrong, and— I don't... I just don't get it." She had wilted down by the end of her outburst, with Abhorsen trying to bring them back under the cover of the fountain. Her voice steadied itself and became lower in tone when she spoke again. "And you... what did you do to them?"

Abhorsen tried desperately to recover the symbols, he could hear boots coming into the street. "Pinkie, this is not the time, I—"

"Gotchyah!" Rarity cried out.

Pinkie and Abhorsen looked over from their ongoing grapple with one another. Their unicorn friend was holding herself up with her two front hooves over the fountain, while her horn was aglow, bathed with sapphire blue light that streamed forth into the air.

Abhorsen stared, his expression slacking and not really sure what was happening, or about to happen. "Rarity—" He choked on his words, looking out across the cobblestone square at the sight of several men floating slightly in the air, all hanging from their weapons. At least, that's what he thought it looked like. He turned back to Rarity, a silly smile appearing on his face. It faded again when an enraged Pinkie Pie shoved her forehead back up against his.

The men, unable to hold on, were forced to drop, now unarmed.

During this, Pinkie shoved Abhorsen in the chest with her hooves. "There is no right time for what you just did." The human fell back onto his rear. "You killed him! That guy! When is there a right time for that!? HUH!?" There were tears streaming down the sides of her face. 

Rarity shook the remaining two humans free of their dastardly instruments, then flung as many of the weapons as she could, as far away as she could. "That will show them!" She rejoiced, seeing most of them retreat back out of the square.  "Pinkie, what did you say—" Her words stumbled after she turned and looked over.

Abhorsen looked at both ponies. Pinkie's mane had become flat, and there was an absolute sort of terror and unhappiness in her large eyes, despite her angry voice. Rarity looked confused. The gems adorning her bare flank were drenched in blood. 

"Pinkie, I—" He had time to say a couple words before a symphony of screams started, drowning him out. 

A loud explosion crashed over them, along with wood chips and dust.

Pinkie screamed, heard Rarity scream, and felt Abhorsen jump over the both of them for some reason. Her ears were plastered against her head on reflex alone, but she could still hear everything going on around her. All of it was too loud, but she heard the human say, "Stay down."

Despite the man's words, both him and his two companions looked over the edge of the fountain when they could.

Across the town square, a building was missing a large corner of itself and was busy collapsing into the street. Amidst the rubble were men, crawling and fleeing, while still others were holding up their hands in pleading gestures. Behind this, stood a great shadow, twice as tall as any of the shapes fleeing from it.

"You're in my way, food." Tendrils lashed out from the shadow's base, while two large arms swung back and forth at anything that tried to attack it. "I don't have time to deal with you." Its echoing voice was loud enough to be heard amongst the other yelling. 

Pinkie momentarily forgot about the anger she had just felt, but reminded herself to not let it go. "That's her! That's—! That's... Hellery? Helter-Skelter? Hell-Billy? Hell-Mom?" She turned and quirked an eyebrow at her friend. "Rarity, what's a good nickname that works with Hellerum?"

Rarity looked over and deadpanned at the earth pony confronting her. "Pinkie!? This really isn't the time I don't think—"

"She's killing them." Pinkie said abruptly, now looking out over the town square.

Rarity blinked, then turned as well. She had been aware of that, but oddly hadn't reacted yet after seeing it. It wasn't something that even seemed possible, and it had all happened so fast she wondered why she barely felt anything. "I— We need to do something," she murmured in a barely audible tone.

Abhorsen had listened to the two ponies absently, while the greater part of his mind was focused on what to do; what he would need to do, whatever that was. There would be no running now, not with this Greater Dead so close. He had hoped to cross the nearby river the village had been built upon; running water could stop lesser dead in their tracks, and could slow even the one staring at him right now. 

Abhorsen knew that the bells of necromancy adorning his chest would be his best bet. I'll use Saraneth, and Kibeth in tandem, then bind the spirit to— In the middle of unbuckling his bandolier, he found his right arm would no longer listen to him; he paused, wincing. There was a distinct biting sensation that he was suddenly aware of moving throughout the arm. His expression darkened in understanding of what he felt. Poison. That arrow had been poison coated.

With only one working arm, Abhorsen realized the options he had at his beck and call had dwindled significantly. In fact, there was only one he could think of that might still work. He looked down at his companions, still talking, unable to bring himself to apologize for what he planned.

Abhorsen and Pinkie flinched as Rarity jumped up, slamming her hooves onto the fountain's side. "Stop it!" The alabaster mare screamed across the town square towards the shapes there. Her voice grabbed the attention of just one; the Greater Dead spirit.

Hellerum turned from the squirming creature in her claws. "Ah, there you both are." Her voice was calm now. She let the man she still held drop to the ground with a sickening crunch. Truthfully, she had felt her quarry constantly; ever since her first encounter with the white one, and knew she had been there. "There'll be no more running now, little ones. Come here, don't keep me waiting." 

Rarity shivered at seeing the field of horror that the monster had created, and all in seconds. If any of the men had not been hurt... or killed, they were nowhere to be seen. The haunting voice that the creature— that Hellerum used made her bones ache, and kept her frozen where she stood.

From the corner of her eye, Rarity saw a pink shape move around the fountain to stand beside her. 

"Don't worry Rarity. I'm right here, we've faced down bigger monsters than this... this loser before. Remember the dragon? Or the other dragon?" Pinkie turned to face Rarity. "Or that other other dragon?"

Rarity's breathlessness abated enough for her to breath, "Yes Pinkie, I remember the dragons. I— this is not the same, I think—" Her legs began shaking beneath her.

Pinkie interrupted her. "No, you're right, it isn't." Her voice held an edge to it; that, Rarity had never heard before. "Those dragons weren't... murderers."

"Both of you, stand back." Both mares turned to look at the source of the voice. "J-just, stay behind the fountain. I will make her leave." Abhorsen's voice quavered slightly beneath a struggled breath.

Rarity and Pinkie opened their mouths to speak, but closed them again. Their human friend was already continuing past, and closer to the thing that had just made mincemeat of so many others. Pinkie's eyes flickered to Terciel's arm; it was dripping blood, and hanging completely still. Less odd, or maybe more odd she thought, his other hand was holding a single bell. 

A bell!? Pinkie thought, narrowing her eyes at the thing. "Hey! Tercy! This is no time for an instrument!" Honestly, what good is an instrument going to do? Just to be sure, she double checked the area. ...Nope, no parasprites or mice.

Rarity's teeth were gritted in her mouth, fearfully watching what was happening. The shadow thing had stopped approaching them, and seemed to be waiting, or studying them back. Be careful, Abhorsen. There was a feeling in the air, a sort of burning. She could taste a strange tang in her mouth, like iron dust or some acrid chemical from Twilight's basement. 

The last time she had confronted Hellerum she had also felt it.

Across the town square, Hellerum spotted the lone man walking out to her. 

"No no, don't thank me or anything for saving your life. I am claiming it for myself, after all." She chuckled, a deep, echoing laughter that filled the air as her writhing body flowed down the side of the building and into the open area. Just before she reached the ground, she stopped, freezing where she hung above the cobbled street.

Abhorsen ignored the ponies, and halted some distance from the Greater Dead facing him. His largest bell was held out to his side so the enemy could see it. 

"You're a necromancer," Hellerum hissed. The great pits of purple ringed in orange that were her eyes narrowed decisively. She had frozen after seeing the bells, fearing that it was Maywit, or Avahntus. This man was neither, though. "You're the Abhorsen." I recognize those silver keys.

"I am." Terciel spoke loudly. He twisted his bell upright, punctuating his words, and was glad to see the massive thing facing him down flinch. "I can't say I've ever had the pleasure to meet you, though, but perhaps you knew my forebears. Nevertheless, you know who I am, and what it is I do."

Hellerum chuckled, a deep, withering sound. "You make yourself out to be something I should fear." Her body coursed with power, strength she wanted desperately to use to crush the man confronting her into nothing but blood and clothing. The bell he held though, she knew of it. That cursed thing was the seventh, and final bell necromancers used, the one that sent things into death, Astarael.

"You look worse for wear, Abhorsen. Is something wrong?" Hellerum put a spin on her words, mocking the man obnoxiously standing before her. She could feel the pain he felt, the wound in his arm. "Why haven't you tried to move against me yet? Hm? Could it be that you can't?"

Abhorsen tilted his head in answer to the foe. "Let's not play games." He could feel the poison spreading to his chest. "I'm not about to let you take me. Leave, or we all take a journey to the final gate, together." His grip around the handle of the bell he held tightened slightly.

Hellerum spoke slowly, evenly, still studying the scene laid out before her. "Then let me just have your livestock, Abhorsen. They're worth nothing to you, and they're all I want."

Abhorsen had to resist looking back at his two Equestrian friends. She's after Rarity? And Pinkie? ...Not me? Why in the name of the charter does she want them? His grimace deepened a fraction, he hoped it gave nothing away.

"You will not have me, nor them, creature." The bell in his grip twisted another inch, just enough for the movement to be seen. "You know what I wield. There will be no coming back, for any of us. You know this. Leave, and you get to... live, until I find you again." As he said the word 'live' he smirked slightly, twisting his verbal knife deeper, so to speak. He hoped that was the smart move, making a threat as he was.

Hellerum tried to chuckle again, to mock the man once more, but couldn't manage it. Her fiery eyes locked onto the two little ponies standing behind the fountain. The life force from them both was overwhelming, greater than a hundred people, than a thousand. It was glorious for her to behold here in the world of the living; like a sun's worth of energy. The ultimatum that Abhorsen was giving her though, was one she couldn't deny. That bell would ring if she moved now, no matter what she did. And he would do it, too. The Abhorsen, willing to go to any lengths.

Hellerum relented, her emotions a boiling cauldron of fury; one she refused to let show. "Very well. It seems you win this time, Abhorsen. A pity you didn't attempt to fight me fairly. This would have been fun, then." Her body screamed at her to pursue the ponies, but she did the opposite. Slowly, she began to move away.

"Know this, necromancer, you will die one day. On that day, I will be waiting for you... and your, daughter, was it?" Hellerum laughed, one final time.

Abhorsen inhaled a lung full of air to stay calm, watching the Greater Dead slither away down the road, its voice getting quieter. The moment he felt its presence weaken enough, he sprang into action and whirled around to face the others.

"Rarity, I am poisoned, I fear you may be as well. We haven't much time, we must get back to my house, quickly. I—" He came to a full stop, confronted by a furious, and livid pink mare.

"No! You listen right here, mister—!" Pinkie Pie felt like she had never frowned so hard in her entire life. The human standing in front of her looked appropriately shocked, but that did nothing to calm her down. "I— You— Them—" She clenched her eyes shut, realizing she hadn't thought about what to say at all. When she opened them, she was sitting on the ground, feeling intensely sad, instead. I don't know what to say, or do, at all. He killed others. What can I do? Her eyes settled on a bright red stain at the edge of the building rubble. She was vaguely aware of talking around her.

"Pinkie." Rarity spoke, using her voice to reach out to her friend. "We need to go, please."

Pinkie's expression managed to become a scowl once more. She looked at the other pony, her look quickly softening again. "But—! We need to help them." Her hoof pressed against the winter coat Rarity wore, then turned to Abhorsen. "You did this, I— It wasn't right, even if they were bad, or evil, or whatever. Everypony— Augh, everymen deserves a chance to redeem themselves, or—"

Rarity half interrupted her friend, her own head hung off to the side. "It's everybody, dear," she mumbled. Her own eyes were locked with the remains of that which had just transpired.

Pinkie was breathing hard, her sides heaving, and failing to calm down. "Rarity could have stopped them!" she cried, jabbing a hoof at the fashionista. "You saw what her magic did. She could have sat them all down and then we—"

Abhorsen listened patiently to the strange little pony's speech, which was probably unwise all considering. He could understand where she was coming from, completely. He fought all on his own, and had for his entire life, to prevent what had just happened all around them. There was no time though, he knew, for delays like this. He contemplated using Ranna on her again, to put her to sleep so they could press on. 

I can't do that though, he realized. She's the only one unharmed. His eyes flicked to Rarity's wound, then, unbidden, he fell down to one knee. This is bad.

Pinkie cut off from her yelling, and was about to follow up with something else acidic, but stopped. Hey— Tercy looks pretty hurt... Her anger was leaving already, she realized, and she wasn't sure if she wanted it to or not.

"Abhorsen!?" Rarity straightened up, then sped to the human's side, who had all but collapsed. "Is— Are you hurt badly? You seemed fine just now. Well," she glanced at his arm. "Except for the, uhm, how to put this delicately... blood...?"

"Listen quickly, both of you. I think I have less time than I thought." Abhorsen swallowed hard, and looked to the pink mare keeping her distance from him. "I saw it as my only choice, Pinkie. I don't think it was right, either—" he saw the pink mare open her mouth to speak, anger reheated in her face, and spoke louder over her. "Listen! I'm poisoned, it is deadly, I fear. If I am lucky, it will just be paralytic. I can't say yet, but it's working quickly." He watched the two ponies facing him mouth the word poison. "I don't have the strength to cast healing magic any longer, and we are still miles from my home. Rarity, do you feel the effects of any poison?" He waited.

Rarity blinked, then looked back in fear at her own side, and the little puncture wound there. "I— I don't know! What does it feel like?" She craned her head around further, focusing on her flank; it burned a little, and of course hurt horribly from being jabbed by the human weapon.

Abhorsen chuckled. "I don't think you are, then. Perhaps you are even resistant." He tried to laugh again, but found he couldn't; the tightness in his chest was strengthening quickly. 

He focused on Pinkie, who was frowning deeply at him. "Pay attention, this— that Greater Dead won't go far, it wants us, wants you; I don't know why. This bell," he looked to Astarael, the massive lump of inscribed metal still in his hand. "It is something that can... that can send the dead back into death. If rung, it will protect you. Only ring it if that thing returns." He tucked Astarael safely back into his bandolier, where it couldn't do harm. "Run from any lesser dead, only use the bell as a last resort." He passed his gaze between the two equines, and felt he had little time left awake, perhaps even alive.

Abhorsen fought to stay upright, supported in part by Rarity holding him up. "Pinkie, I am sorry. I will not lie that what I did was a terrible thing. Killing, is never right, but sometimes times it's the only option left to us. Those men, they chose a dark path, to hurt others. I protected myself, and you both, from them." He hissed through his teeth, and felt his back go limp.

Pinkie winced, watching Tercy get lowered to the stony ground by Rarity. "I..." She didn't feel like she really had the will to carry on with her scolding, not with him as he was. 

Rarity was busily ripping a strip of cloth from her clothes with magic. The bandage hastily tied itself around Abhorsen's arm while she spoke to him. "It's... Well, it's not fine, Abhorsen, but what's done is done. Save your strength."

"But—" Pinkie started, then was cut off again quickly.

"Not done." Abhorsen choked out, raising his left hand an inch. "Rarity, I know you learned some... charter, if you feel you can..." he reached up, and touched the white unicorn's charter mark, the one she bore on her forehead. "Then please, try and heal us both. If not, do your best. You must get us— to my— house, and hurry— not much time. There is help... there..."

Rarity blinked repeatedly, unable to accept what was happening. Abhorsen slunked down in her forehooves. She looked up at Pinkie, jaw slack from shock. "Ah—" Her voice came out a croak. 

Pinkie finally dashed up from her spot several strides away. "Hey, wake up, this isn't funny." She poked the human lying still. "I'm the one that knows what's funny best and this isn't, buster!" Her hooves grabbed the man's arm. 

"Pinkie! Stop it!" Rarity shouted.

Pinkie Pie froze, her breath caught in her lungs. A sniffle made its way out of her next.

Rarity steeled herself, and began wrapping her own leg. It didn't seem to be bleeding much, but she took the precaution anyway. "I'm sorry for shouting, darling. Now, I think we have to do what he said, and quickly. He could... he could be dying."

Pinkie scowled, at the idea of somebody dying, and the fact that so many already had. "O-okay... What about the others?" She turned around, looking to see if any of the other humans were still around. The thought that some might be made her afraid, too, but leaving one to die in the snow was just as scary a thought.

Rarity followed the party mare's gaze out into the rubble. She struggled with what to do for a moment. "Hello!?" 

Pinkie Pie looked over at her friend, then back out into the town. Only silence answered the call. 

"I... don't think we can stay to help anypony, Pinkie." Rarity wilted, and turned back to Abhorsen. She ran over what the man had said, about poison, and using magic. "We need to go, and quickly." She fumbled a map out of a satchel amidst their bags.

Pinkie's rump thumped down on the road. "But... okay." She looked at the human they probably could help, she hoped. "What can we do for him? He said something about healing him to you. Do you know healing magic, Rarity? Because I didn't know you knew any." She knew that she knew a lot about her friends, too. A funny thought came to her. If Rarity learned healing magic without Twilight knowing, that would drive her nuuuuts.

"I... don't know any, no, not in the... traditional sense, anyway." Rarity frowned at Abhorsen, watching Pinkie from the corner of her eye. Her thoughts reached through her memory for the few symbols she had learned during her stay at Wyverly. 

Pinkie turned her head. "What do you mean?" she asked her friend.

Rarity bit her lip, certain the symbols that now floated in her mind, and actually began to appear in her vision, were the right ones. "It's... well, human magic, charter magic. Anybody can use it if they have a mark, and they gave me one—" Her eyes widened as she was tugged over.

Pinkie's voice was a squeak. "They taught you that stuff!?" All she could think about were the frightening sparkly symbols that had hurt so many other humans right before her eyes.

Rarity lost hold of the charter marks in her mind. She huffed and answered what she knew her friend was thinking. "Yes, but it's not just a... a weapon, as Abhorsen used his. I can use the charter... thing, to heal, and I plan to. Now please, Pinkie, I need to concentrate if I'm to help him. I don't even know if this will work. I've... only done this a few times, and not this spell, either."

Pinkie sat back and looked down at Tercy. He looked peaceful, almost like he was sleeping, if covered in a lot of dust, and mud, and other stuff.

Golden marks, representing life and light floated behind Rarity's shut eyelids. She focused, calling forth and asking for their help in a way. The charter was supposed to be all things, even if that didn't strictly make sense to her, but she kept it in mind as she directed it. Opening her eyes, she pressed a hoof to Abhorsen's arm. Charter marks, the ones she had pictured, slid down her own foreleg, and into the wound.

Rarity relaxed, going limp some and breathing heavily. "Oh my. I may have overdone it." She heaved a breath out of herself and stood up, feeling drained. 

Pinkie stood up to, and gave her friend a worried look. "Rarity? Are you okay?" 

The unicorn shook her head to clear it, then nodded. 

"What? Well are you okay or aren't you?" Pinkie turned her head the other way, raising an eyebrow.

Rarity resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the other mare. "I'm fine, Pinkie. I believe I may have just put too much concentration into the spell. My head is swimming and... Still... I think it worked rather well. His breathing seems stronger, doesn't it?" 

Both ponies lowered their heads to the stallion's chest and listened.

After a moment, Rarity resolutely sat up again. "I believe it's time we go, Pinkie." Her Equestrian magic lifted the human, as well as the map. She grunted slightly, realizing just how heavy he was. 

Pinkie trotted alongside her friend. "Are you sure you're okay, Rarity? I... I could carry him." She frowned a little at the thought. "I mean... I dunno, I probably won't be making him any cupcakes anytime soon, but if you're too weak I won't leave him."

Rarity smirked at her light-hearted companion. It was normally a big deal when Pinkie's mane was so straight, but she couldn't think of much to do about it in any case. "It's alright, Pinkie. I think I'll be fine, for now. Much unlike what Rainbow Dash insists, I am made of quite tough stuff." She gave Pinkie a confident grin, the human floating just beside her head.

"Alright, Rarity, if you say so." Pinkie looked at Tercy's face again, which was hanging backwards, and pointed forwards ahead of them.

She matched her pace to Rarity, disparaging thoughts swimming in her head. It's as if this whole world is just one... big... party pooper... She grimaced, looking around, feelings filled with worrying over her friend, the hurt stranger they carried, and everything that had been done and said.

"I wish your healing mojo had made Tercy wake up... I can't be mad at him if he's asleep..." She huffed, and began thinking back on everything that had happened. There was so much that had happened so fast, and not all of it was easy to think about. 

Rarity decided not to tell Pinkie that the word mojo possibly wasn't the best word to use.

The two mares left the ruined town behind them, and returned to traversing the snowy road. They kept a careful look out as they traveled, determined to reach the place that promised them both a refuge from the lands and dangers around them both.

Rarity began sweating again from exertion as well as the jacket she wore, but focused on breathing and haste over complaining. I will have plenty of time for that after a bath. I hope Abhorsen has a bath at his home... Although it could be too much to wish for conditioner, as well... wait a moment. An odd thought occurred to her.

Rarity looked over at Pinkie Pie, the snowy trees stretching out into the distance behind her. "Pinkie, who's 'Tercy'?"






> Chapter 16 : Home Sweet Home
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	



Aaand one rock, two rock, red rock, blue rock. Pinkie Pie recited the little jingle she had come up with long ago as a filly, intent on keeping her mind busy. Aaand jump, steady does it, Pinkie... All the while, her hooves deftly carried her up the steep cliff, hopping lightly in a way that would put even the most sure-hoofed goat to shame. Besides the ice and snow that covered the ground, loose rocks lay hidden beneath it all, making the climb tricky. 

Just below her was Rarity, steadily taking an easier route up some strange, stone stairs that winded up the side of the same cliff. 

"Pinkie, darling!" Rarity called out from further down the cliff-side. "You should really stick to the path, I think!" She eyed her friend worriedly, who continued to pull away in distance. Perhaps even more worrying than her behavior was the straight, pink mane of hair in place of Pinkie's normal look. After all, as ponies of Ponyville said, straight maned Pinkie may be rare, but always, always beware. 

In short, Rarity was keen on making sure that there was nothing to worry about.

Higher up the cliff, Pinkie Pie was busy furrowing her brow and studying her chosen path. She frowned a little, hesitating from hopping up a few more strides to another ledge just begging to be jumped to. The sound of Rarity calling out with advice again reached her. Rather than answer her friend, she used one hoof to pull her hood up over her ears; though not because of the cold, despite the wind's chilliness. The nearby rushing waterfall helped muffle Rarity's voice, too.

The journey both ponies were making had not been much longer, as the human that escorted them had promised. 

Both Pinkie and Rarity had been glad to hear the sound of the rushing waterfall, the only one for a great many leagues according to their map. The waterfall was a sign they were almost to their destination: Abhorsen's house. It was good that they were so near now; Abhorsen had grown pale and cold, and twice Rarity had asked they stop to keep him warm. The simple charter spell she had learned at Wyverly had done the trick, at least.

Once they had reached the river, and followed that to the cliff, they were faced with determining which path up was the one they wanted to take. 

Apparently there were several paths that could be taken, not all of them leading the way they wished to go. With their guide still unconscious from the encounter in the town, that had proven to be a challenge. Pinkie, at least, had an excellent sense of direction, and led the way. 

Far behind both ponies lay the deeper part of the forest; behind that was the road they had taken from the town, Baird. The bridge to the town itself was before even that, and lastly, the town, along with a lot of strangers more unfortunate than they, were just a little further away... 

Pinkie kept her thoughts focused on climbing, and singing, if only in her head.

I will find my way... I can go the distance. She sucked in a lung full of air, her rear wiggling in preparation for a long jump, then hurled herself upwards to the last ledge she could see. Her front hooves scrabbled for a brief second until they found a grip. "Whoop! Oookay, that was close..." she murmured under her breath. Quickly, she then pulled herself up with success, her legs shaking a teensy bit from how much use they had been getting.

"Phew..." she breathed, then turned and looked behind herself. The base of the cliff skirted the forest, which thickened and seemed to stretch for miles of wild, close together trees all around.

Orange and red tinged the sky in patches, most of it obscured by the clouds. Still, the sun's setting shone through. It was so similar, yet so different from Equestria's own sunsets. Pinkie and Rarity had talked on and off in spurts; the sun and moon controlling themselves had been one such topic.

Pinkie had topped the rocky outcropping successfully, but there were more yet ahead of her. Before moving on, she looked below and searched for Rarity and the unconscious human she was still lugging along beside herself, as well as anything... else. Her eyes did a quick inspection; there was no sign of pursuers in the distance, or any evil types giving chase. Then again, she considered, everything has been quiet for some time. Eerily so. Her eyes narrowed a fraction, sweeping the horizon a second time.

It was winter all around, true, but Pinkie hadn't been in a world so seemingly devoid from signs of life... ever. 

Pinkie could see Rarity just a short distance away, breathing heavily and taking one shaking step at a time up the weird-creepy cliff staircase. She watched her friend, laboring as she was, and spotted the wound on her flank, wrapped and bound with a sad excuse of make-shift bandaging. 

The idea that dangerous monsters existed, or were out to get her, even, wasn't exactly new. Sure, it also wasn't common, even less so when they meant real harm, but being reduced to only one bestest friend and no Elements of Harmony for backup, or the princesses... or even the Royal Guard, really hung heavily on her mind. The thoughts weren't exactly put to words, so much as mere feelings, and fears.

In an effort to catch her breath after so much hiking, Pinkie inhaled some of the unpleasant, frigid air, then exhaled out slowly; the entire day had been so long she was beginning to feel some small effects from the ordeal. Her breath, thick and obscuring, billowed out in front of her, only to fade a couple strides away in the wind. 

Soon, the sound of Rarity's upward climb grew louder. "Pinkie? Where did you go now? Are you alright— Oh, there you are," she breathed out heavily, just topping the stone stairs. "Thank goodness. I saw you jump out of sight like a grasshopper and... got... worried. Are you taking a break?" 

Pinkie turned a cool smile towards Rarity. "Yupper." Her eyes lingered just off to the other pony's left.

Beside her friend, bathed in a blue-white glow and hovering a stride off the ground, was Abhorsen. Rarity had taken care to hold him gently, as well as checking often to make sure he was hanging in there. Neither she nor Pinkie were doctors, though, which made knowing for sure difficult for them.

Rarity kept her back straight, maintaining her posture against all odds.  "Well, that was some climb, wasn't it?" she asked, also looking down at the hills and shadows of the forest path behind them both. "Some climb indeed... I think the last one so treacherous that we made was our first encounter with a dragon, wasn't it?" She sighed, but in a dreamy way, as if recalling a happy memory.

Pinkie almost faltered, and not for the first time that day, but she kept her smiling up. "Yeah. It was," she replied. With one hoof she pulled back her hood. "How's your thigh, Rarity?" Her voice was quiet, and plain, barely rising over the sound of the nearby waterfall.

Rarity hummed in a regrettable fashion, looking back at her wound. "Well enough, Pinkie." She laughed a little, trying to pick up the mood. "It was just a little stick, after all. We've both had much worse before." It stung, to be sure, but the wound wasn't too bad, or effecting her stamina, otherwise.

Pinkie nodded, a slight inclination of her head. "That's good."

It was quiet for a second, until Rarity spoke once more. "Let's keep going then, Pinkie. I'm sure the top is just up there." Her head nodded in the direction of a slight, hilly rise. The stairs had ended, and trees and grass began to reappear just a short distance away. "I just hope we aren't too..." After a pause, she repeated, "Let's keep going."

Pinkie turned around wordlessly and trotted ahead of her friend. 

Rarity watched Pinkie, the only other pony she had seen in a week, trot away solemnly. She frowned weakly after her, wanting to say something. Their day long march had been arduous, and particularly difficult for the other mare... but Rarity knew that wasn't what was bothering Pinkie. For that matter, I should probably be more upset myself. Why aren't I? She had dwelled on the thoughts for the last several hours, ever since Baird. The only explanation she could come up with was that she was more mature, being a little older than Pinkie, and her greater concern was reserved for her friend's well being. 

But that didn't sound entirely right. Perhaps she was simply in shock over the ordeal.

Rarity shook her mane free of her own hood, and cantered quickly up the shallow hillside before her. I wish I could make better sense of things... Or just make things better, for that matter. Oh, if Applejack were here she would have some humble wisdom that would help, I'm sure. Instead, Pinkie's stuck with just me... She stole a glance at the human cargo she had been levitating for some time. And so far all I've done is set us up on an adventure through a dangerous world on a hay brained quest to get home, that might not even produce results. It's gotten this man hurt so far and nothing else... Her eyes shut, then opened again, ringed with worry. Is Pinkie upset with me? She's barely spoken...

A tired, angry breath huffed out of Rarity and her eyes shut again. She has every right to be. I've been trying so hard to focus on a way home, I've been... "Darn it, when will things go our—"

A loud, surprised gasp came from up ahead, making Rarity freeze where she stood. "Pinkie!?" she called, just as her friend's voice also yelled, "Rarity, we're here!" She blinked, then sped up the hill, bringing the roar of the river, and the waterfall to its loudest. "My word." Her speech was almost drowned out, quiet as it was.

Pinkie turned around to grin—just a little bit—behind herself. She couldn't help it; finding where they had been going was big a relief, and it helped her forget her awful mood. 

Rarity trotted up to join Pinkie by the embankment and set down Abhorsen gently onto a thin patch of snow.

Straight ahead, halfway across the river, was an island perched on the very lip of the waterfall and divided the river into two streams. It wasn’t a very big island, about the size of a hoofball field, but it was nonetheless an impressive sight in the middle of the white foamed rapids. Encircling the island's perimeter was a wall, several meters high, and made of a very shiny, white sort of stone. 

Rarity guessed that it looked a bit like limestone, just the wrong shade. Within the walls were a couple of buildings, all with bright red roof shingles; one of the buildings was also peaked by a tall tower, reaching up out of the walls.

"Interesting location, isn't it?" Rarity asked, a hint of disbelief in her voice at actually seeing the place. "So this is Abhorsen's home." She looked over the structures, a little surprise. I guess I didn't know what to expect... but this is certainly not what I'd pictured.

Pinkie hummed, then nodded. "It hasta be," she said matter-of-factly.

Rarity gave her friend a weak frown for the disinterested response, but turned back to the buildings. Very impressive indeed. Much better than the woodland hut I'd been expecting. Her thoughts began to leap towards the ideas of a fireplace, warm blankets and of course, a shower. Before they could, though, she reigned them in, and looked determinedly at her passenger.

"Alright, let's hurry Pinkie. I don't think— Oh dear." Rarity stopped, and held a hoof up to her muzzle, eyes widened. "Oh no," she murmured in slight repetition.

Pinkie heard her friend's stutter and faced away from the roaring waters. "Rarity? What's wrong."

Rarity put on a despairing look, breathing a little heavily as she realized a huge oversight, one that Abhorsen could not in his current state help with. "Pinkie! That. Is. An. Island. How are we supposed to get out to it?" She thrust a hoof toward their human friend's rather distant home. Sure enough, the waters were at least a hundred times too ferocious to be crossed easily, and likely as not also too deep. 

"Did he plan for us to use a boat? A spell to part the water? Whatever it is, we don't know it!" Rarity looked worriedly at Abhorsen, who was in no condition for such a trip, if even she thought she could concentrate on her spellcraft well enough while swimming.

Pinkie's relaxed giggling snapped Rarity out of her worry. "Pinkie? I am being serious. Wha—"

"Oh, Rarity," Pinkie stepped up to her friend and patted her shoulder, smirking. "Just look, there's a pathway right there!" While speaking, she tugged off the boot-like mittens she'd been given. After staring at them a moment, she tucked them away. "How could you miss that?"

Rarity blinked dumbly at her friend, then looked down at the water and its spray. Sure enough, lying just above the running waters, were darkly colored stepping stones. Though invisible from the ledge, there they were, leading all the way out to the island. "Well, I'll be." She turned and smiled in relief.

Pinkie giggled again, trotting down towards their new path. "You'll be what, Rarity?" she asked, with a hint of her usual cheer. "A monkey's uncle? Jiggered? A son of a gun?" Her voice raised as she approached the river and the waterfall's crash o sound. She sighed a little, pausing, then laughed again and hopped the short distance out to the first stone. "Come on!" she called back. "Time waits for nopony, and I'm absolutely beat!"

Rarity put on a bemused look, watching quietly as Pinkie began her way across the sketchy line of stones; they appeared to be very slick. Cautiously, she made her own approach towards them, then swallowed hard. "O-oh, my... that looks... deep." The water, not only fast, seemed to go down for quite a ways, making the stones out to be very tall indeed to reach out as they did. Where's a sea serpent when you need him? she thought wishfully.

Pinkie stopped where she was, already a quarter of the way across, and turned back. "Do you need help with Tercy, Rarity!? I can carry him if your leg is acting up!" She waved one hoof in a gesture, though she was sure her friend had heard. 

Rarity tested her leg's strength on reflex. "That's quite alright, dear! I'm just nervous, but I can do it!" She looked back down at the stones. "At least, I hope I can..." Her legs shuffled nervously while she eyed the distance she would have to go in order to reach the other side of the river. Quickly, her hooves slid out of their boots to give her an edge, just as Pinkie's had done. "Here we go..." 

Each rock was quite wide, and seemed to be cross-hatched as well, but they were also wet and covered in winter slush. 

With as much grace as Rarity could summon out of her tired limbs, she hopped the short distance out to the first rock. "Ah! Oh, thank goodness." Her bag bounced against her side, and Abhorsen's things all swayed in her magical grip, but she found her balance easily enough and steadied herself. "Easy, Rarity. It's just like any other river you've crossed. Nothing to worry about at all..."

"You're doing great, Rarity!" Pinkie called out again, her front hooves cupped over her muzzle to assist her voice. She decided to wait until her friend hopped a few more stones out until she caught up, before moving ahead again. Wow, this is tricky.

Pinkie's hooves made contact with the next rock, and slipped. "Whoop!"

Rarity had been waiting for Pinkie to move ahead, only one stone behind; she had a front row view as Pinkie's front two hooves skidded forward across the stone, nearly sending her into the crashing water. A panicked gasp made its way out of her, readying to become a scream in a fraction of a second. Instead, Pinkie stopped her slide just at the edge of the stone.

"Pinkie! Be careful! Are you alright?" Rarity shouted, her legs now shaking from more than just tiredness.

Pinkie gulped and backpedaled some from the rock's edge to fall back on her rump. Her tail remained hooked on the opposite side, where she had used it to stop herself. "I'm fine!" she cried back simply. "Phew, I must be out of it..." With one hoof she flipped her mane back out of her eyes. Stupid straight hair...

Rarity watched as Pinkie jumped to the next stone, and breathed out in relief. Why does this house not have an easier way to get to it!? She scowled as a result of the thought, and turned to look at Abhorsen. "Well?" she asked. When the man didn't reply, she sighed, blowing a strand of purple mane out of her eyes. "Let's just get you inside..."





The two mares reached the end of the stepping stone path. Now on the wooden dock-like landing, Pinkie motioned with one hoof for Rarity—still on the last stone—to jump after herself.

"Come on, Rarity. Almost there." Pinkie held a leg outstretched, ready to catch her friend and help her along the last bit of distance if needed. "Just a hop, skip and a jump!" She laughed weakly, and took a moment to wipe beads of sweat that had begun to mat her head and mane hair.

Rarity exhaled the breath she'd been holding, then focused on re-tightening her magical hold on Abhorsen. "Alright, here I go." Her legs reached out in front of her, while her eyes shut on reflex. She didn't open them again until she felt wooden boards beneath her hooves. "Phew, I made it. We made it. Thank Celestia..."

Despite her evident tiredness, Pinkie wore a look bordering on serene as she stared at the house. "But now what? We just go inside? He said there was help here... but will whoever else is here want to help us?" A memory of prior human 'help' flashed in her head, and was cast aside quickly. She began trotting towards the brightly colored wall, gleaming dimly in the sunset's light. There was a gate that barred their way inside, thick and made of metal from the looks of it.

Rarity still breathed heavily, exhausted from hiking, fighting, running, and jumping throughout the day. She was by no means a lazy mare, but physical exertion was never her cup of tea. "There must be someone else living here, Pinkie. I don't know who... but there must be somebody here.... there must be." 

The gate and walls were far too tall to climb over, and that meant the only way in was the gate itself.

"Hello!?" Pinkie called out. "Anypony— er, Anybody home?" After both mares waited a moment, there was no answer. "I bet they can't hear us over this water..." Pinkie turned around briefly to sneer at the noisy current behind her.

In a slight fit of desperation, Rarity reared back on her hind hooves, then leaned against the gate to rattle it. "But surely there's— Whoop!" Much to her surprise, which was punctuated by the squeal she let out, the gate swung open abruptly, then smacked against the stone wall.

"Rarity!" Pinkie trotted to her friend, who had fallen down muzzle first, and helped her up. "I guess it was open. Are you hurt?"

Rarity got up slowly, face contorted slightly from falling so ungracefully. "Yes, it's just a scrape. Thank you, Pinkie. Well, let's head in, shall we?"

With the gate open, and Rarity pitched onto a paved courtyard, the home in full could be seen by the two ponies. The beginning of a red-brick path, the bricks ancient, their redness the color of dusty apples, wound up to the front door of the house. A cheerful sky-blue door, bright against whitewashed stone, stood tall at ground level just at the path's end. A bronze doorknocker in the shape of a lion’s head holding a ring in its mouth gleamed in counterpoint.

"Wow, nice place!" Pinkie galloped forward towards the house, stopping halfway to look back at Rarity. "Let's get inside, Rarity." She looked at the human, Abhorsen, still floating and looking for all he was worth at peace; though, he was sweating profusely. "I'm not sure, but by the looks of it he's getting worse, so we should hurry."

Rarity studied the house, looking past Pinkie Pie wordlessly. "Yes... of course." She trotted after her friend, who was already knocking on the overly tall door with fervor. The banging on the wood door reverberated heavily against the insides of the brick wall. "So, I don't think Abhorsen lives with his... wife. Who else could be here?"

Pinkie huffed a breath out. "Brothers? Sisters? I don't know, Rarity... He could live with a magic 'free-spirit' thing that looks like a talking cat for all I know."

Rarity gave Pinkie an exasperated look. "That's just silly. They said animals don't talk here, Pinkie. In any case, I was just wondering..." She regretted sounding defensive a little, mindful of how upset her friend had been; worse, they had yet to talk about anything at all, other than just getting to Abhorsen's home.

Rarity took in a somber breath. "Pinkie," her friend turned from the door to face her. "Could we perhaps talk about—"

The sky blue door swung open suddenly, making Rarity hop backward and cry out slightly. Pinkie took a couple steps back as well, while also gasping even louder at seeing what had opened the door.

Both ponies stared with disbelief at who, or what was standing inside the home.

The stranger was human shaped, vaguely, though more like a human shrouded in thick robes with a hood. That wasn't so strange, but the fact that both the clothes and the stranger's face glowed bright yellow, as well as had the appearance of glowing symbols sliding across its surface, gave the impression that it was certainly not human.

"Oh my," Rarity murmured, while Pinkie scooted back beside her, standing by wordlessly.

The flash of movement that followed took both mares by surprise. The glowing figure threw its hands up in the air, possibly in a gesture of fear, or maybe it was surprised as well, but afterwards it raced forward towards them both.

Rarity gasped again. 

"Get behind me, Rarity—! Oh, what?" Pinkie had begun to guard her friend, but stopped as the glowing figure began trying to pick up Abhorsen; it struggled against Rarity's magical hold on him, until the mare released it upon noticing. 

Quickly, the figure raced inside, carrying what, Rarity assumed, was its master. "Huh," she tilted her head wonderingly, staring at the now empty doorway into the home. "Well, that was interesting."

The entire trade had last only a few seconds, too short for even Pinkie to react in full.

"Sooo, does that mean we can go in?" Pinkie looked at her friend, who shrugged back.





In the distance, thick plumes of smoke rose from a near village. It was abandoned, and set aflame, as well as now completely devoid of life. What had happened there was a mystery that needed solving, and quickly.

The man that hopefully held answers was ragged in every sense of the word. Blood dripped from an open wound on his brow while the tarnished armor he wore hung at an awkward, loose angle, and fear was etched deeply around his sunken eyes.

Despite this, or maybe because of it, he looked extra delicious, even with such a weak remaining life force.

Falsimer paused for just a brief, self gratifying moment to enjoy it properly. "Hello, meat," he finally greeted the shivering human.

The man stared back up from where he was huddled against the tree, wide eyed and stuttering like a fool. Steamy breath poured out of his mouth. "I-I-I— d-dead— who—" He was obviously incapable of proper speech, or was damaged.

Falsimer growled, getting annoyed; he never liked speaking to the living. "Calm yourself, we ssserve the same master, fool." He went on relaxing his huge body against the ground in hopes of getting the human to hurry up. "Time is short, and I don't have much patience. I need to know what happened here. Be quick about it if you want to remain amongst those that breathe." 

Falsimer was in a hurry, and accompanied by Avahntus; together they had been moving quickly after their prey: Abhorsen. Once the only true opposition they faced was dealt with, there would be no force left that could stop their goals.

The man swallowed audibly, stilling his shaking limbs. "O-—h, okay. P-Pleased to serve, I am. I-It was, a dead spirit— It came and killed everyone it did. I— only one who got away."

Falsimer tapped one massive claw against a nearby rock, absently. "A spirit? One of ours?" The outspoken thought made no sense, and yet, it made perfect sense. "No... too coincidental."

Falsimer found himself becoming excited at the news, certain right away of who the culprit was for so much wanton destruction. "What elssse can you tell me!?" he asked in a hiss, leaning in close.

The man wailed and shrunk up against the tree again. 

"Damn you, meat, ssspeak, already!" Falsimer raised one shadowy claw angrily, ready to shake the ground, but stopped when a hallow, echoing voice caught his attention.

"Falsimer, calm yourself." Avahntus' bony form crept out from a near copse of trees, taking slow, limping steps. He quickly addressed the cowardly man, who looked for all his worth as if he wanted to sprint away right there. "You, what is your name?" he asked, his echoing voice creeping around the trees like an angry breeze.

The man's expression was stark, while snot and tears ran down his still face. "A-Adam, my lord. Adam Meister. I-I apologize for—"

"That's enough," Avahntus gestured one hand smoothly, then looked to the smokey pillars in the near distance. "Tell me what this spirit looked like, and anything else of note." He was angry to have heard that the lone man was the sole survivor of those from the raiding party. 

The man nodded frantically, but was calmer, faced by the more human shape of Avahntus. "Y-Yes. Of course. Violet pits, like burning cauldrons of fire. The spirit was massive, a greater dead it was, sire." He nervously cast a glance towards Falsimer, also easily recognized as a greater dead, then continued. "M-More importantly, my lord, Abhorsen was there. We almost had him, but the spirit, it—"

Avahntus loomed over the man and grabbed him fiercely by his mail sur-coat. "Abhorsen!?" he boomed, holding the wriggling form of the man in his grip. 

Adam choked and spluttered, on the verge of being crushed. "Mercy!" he cried.

Falsimer spoke up, "He spoke of Hellerum—!"

"Silence," Avahntus said to Falsimer harshly, then sighed and relaxed his hold on the human somewhat. "You're certain it was him? And you failed to kill him?"

Adam struggled with both hands to get free, held high in the air as he was. "The spirit may have killed him, lord! I don't know! My men had poison bolts as well and— we did o-our best!" Struggling and weeping was all he could manage to do.

Avahntus hummed and reached out with his consciousness to any of the other servant's in the area. It seemed a large number of them, including the gore crows were destroyed. Either Abhorsen had killed them, or their new rival.

An amused sound came from Falsimer, washing over the panicked noises from the man busy soiling himself. "Oooh, well, if not dead, he isss at least not safe. Avahntus, Hellerum is busy causing trouble it seems. Would it not be worth it to let me—"

With his other arm, Avahntus drew his ebony blade a mere inch; the other dead creature cut off, getting the hint. "I don't want to hear another word about Hellerum. If she gets in our way, I'll deal with her, but you will do no such thing. You were defeated once, so a second time will not do." He turned back to the human, who continued to sob for all he was worth. "Now, is there anything else to tell us, underling?" he asked hastily. 

The man stuttered a response quickly, his legs kicking in the air. "H-He had two, ponies, with him, oddly colored. They were strange beasts—"

Avahntus interrupted him, angrily, having no patience for foolishness. "Anything important?" he punctuated sharply. 

Adam Meister swallowed hard, trying to ignore the sense of burning around his neck from his master's grip. "N-N-No, my lord. That is all. Abhorsen could be dead or wounded, and I know not where he went if he still lives—"

Avahntus stared a moment, tilting his skeletal head in thought, then nodded curtly. "Very well, then. I thank you for your service."

"I— Y-Yes lord, I—" Before the man could finish responding, he screamed as he was hurled with one arm by Avahntus towards Falsimer, who opened his mouth wide. "No!" 

Falsimer snapped his jaws down with a single crunch. 

Avahntus spoke over the messy sounds of his underling draining the body's life. "Unfortunately for you, it is still a failed service, one I do not tolerate. Come, Falsimer, gather the ghouls. We have some searching left to do if we wish to find our man before he gets away." Looking back, the forms of more dead, amassed from the remaining bodies left in the town, swayed amongst the trees. "He can't have gotten far..."







Once inside the pretty house, Pinkie and Rarity found that there was a literal host of more glowy-human-like creatures to be found. There were at least a dozen of them, all moving to and fro through the house very quickly, and all seeing to Abhorsen. Some fetched vials, some fetched blankets, some actually changed him out of his old clothing, and still others brought in food and drink, though he wasn't awake to have anything.

Rarity and Pinkie had stepped inside, or been allowed to, and seemed to be going left completely unnoticed. The first, and only thing they had done so far, was to get out of their soaked and filthy clothing.

Rarity held her coat over one foreleg, looking around at a bit of a loss. "Well, whoever they are... they seem to be helping him." She watched as Abhorsen was hoisted up a staircase by a trio of the strange figures.

Pinkie tried to wave another of the bustling figures down. "Hey, mister! Can we— Okay, never mind." She watched with a frown as the glowy human marched past, not slowing to so much as give her the time of the day. "They are not very friendly, hmph. This is weird... does this mean we have to wait for Tercy to get better?" She trotted over to Rarity, who had sat herself beside a nearby fireplace.

Rarity rubbed her hooves over one another, working warmth back into them. "It seems so, Pinkie," she responded. Her eyes cast themselves around her surroundings; the area split off to other rooms, and had the look of an entry hall. Shelves with books seemed to be everywhere. Hm, Twilight would love to see this place, she briefly considered.

Pinkie huffed out a breath and sat, still sopping wet, beside her friend. The stone floor was warm, and would have been nice, if her fur wasn't still so damp. "Well alright, but I really wish— Hey! H-Hey! put me down!"

Rarity turned, shocked, at the sound of Pinkie crying out in protest. "Pinkie—? Iiiieeee!" She, too, was hoisted up into the air suddenly without warning. After a quick look, it turned out the culprits were pairs of Abhorsen's strange servants.

Both ponies were being carried between two of the servants apiece, flailing helplessly, and away from their warm spot by the fireplace.

"What are they doing!?" Pinkie yelled. "Put me down you big meanie!" She gritted her teeth and struggled, but to no avail. Looking around, she noticed the new room they were being carried into, and thought she spotted a large, brass tub. "Oh, is that hot water?" 

"Unhand me, ruffians! Pinkie, what did you say—" Rarity lit up her horn, and was ready to give both of her pony-nappers a taste of their own medicine, until she was cut off as a bucket of freezing cold water was swiftly dumped over her head, and sent her into fits of spluttering. "Fwhaa—!?" was all she managed to exclaim, while water and strings of her mane obscured her vision. 

Pinkie had also had cold water dunked over her, and was shivering in the arms of one of the silent forms. "R-R-Rarity, this water's cold!" she managed to get out, hanging a foot off the ground. Growling, she twisted in the grip of the thing holding her, then popped free. The hooded man seemed surprised for a second, then reached for her again. "Oh no you don't, buster!"

Pinkie dodged backward away from her attacker with a hop, then let a surprised whoop as she was scooped up from behind by a different figure. Again, before she could react, she was dunked into the near basin of water. The water this time was warm, at least. Underwater, she had a quick moment of respite to think over things, I've heard of bathing enthusiasts, but this is ridiculous! before she was dragged back up again. She then felt what she guessed was a hand and a scrub-brush working diligently through her mane.

Meanwhile, Rarity could still not see anything thanks to her limp mane, but quickly found herself being scrubbed over as well, and quite inappropriately. "Now you listen to me—!" The distinct sensation of hands, though oddly cool and definitely not real, worked over her coat tirelessly and despite her protests. They seemed to be attacking her body and its filth as if her life depended on it, which it most certainly didn't. She felt the bandage on her hip get taken off, and a light touch momentarily prodding the tender wound.

Rarity cried out, "Yeowch! Do you things have no sense of phhbt—" More water washed over her mane and head, rinsing out soap that they had apparently scrubbed into her. "Propriety!?" She managed to blink water out of her eyes, then jumped free of her assailants at an opening. 

"Get back! All of you!" Rarity backed up into a corner, trying to swat at the strangers with her hooves to discourage them. "I can wash myself! Stop!" she tried to tell them, breathless from being half tickled and not having had a chance to breathe at all. She could see Pinkie, her hooves flailing out over the rim of a nearby tub while water splashed out all around.

Unfortunately, the strange hooded figures were not at all deterred by Rarity's attempts to get rough with them. The two shapes advanced on her again, each holding cloths and washing tools.

Rarity gritted her teeth, and prayed silently that they wouldn't ruin her mane. This is not what I meant when I said I wanted a hot bath!







Rarity sat at the dining table; seething, indignant, and thoroughly violated. She contemplated how exactly one could get revenge against things that convincingly didn't seem to be self aware, or at least, never spoke. She spotted one of them nearby, quietly sweeping a patch of tiled floor in the kitchens as if it were innocent of the atrocities it had just committed against her poor mane. Her eyes narrowed a fraction as she, without looking away, took up another cracker and some cheese in her magic to take a bite. Oooh, if Abhorsen tells me that they can talk, and they're just giving me the silent treatment, I'm going to have such words with them that—

Pinkie's voice grabbed her attention away.

"Hey, Rarity." Pinkie trotted into the room, a warm robe wrapped around her form, though it was much like the robe Rarity wore in that it was much too big in the length and dragged behind her by a good amount.

Rarity snapped her eyes back open and turned towards her friend, then sighed; Pinkie's hair was still straight, despite having had ample time to dry now. It was odd, that her hair actually reflected her mood, but a lot of things about Pinkie were often a little odd. That never changed that she was a great friend, though. Pinkie was just different, and that made her special.

"Yes, Pinkie? Did you want to talk about anything?" Rarity asked her friend plainly, but with just a hint of encouragement that she hoped would coax her friend back toward cheerfulness.

Pinkie cantered up to the table, then hopped into one of the tall chairs. "What do you mean?" Her voice had an easy air to it, and she looked absently around at the table's top. 

Rarity frowned a little, watching quietly while Pinkie used her hooves to begin putting together what looked like a jam sandwich with food that had been brought to them. "Well... you seem troubled is all, darling..." She trailed off as her friend set down the sandwich she'd been making, staring flatly at the table.

When Pinkie looked up a heaviness hung around her eyes. "Rarity, thank you so much for looking out for me, and being concerned, but there isn't really anything to say." She let out a breath, then laid her head down on the table. Her pink mane fanned out over the surface, while some of it remained draped over one eye. "There was... What happened... Look, I don't..." Her eyes shut for a second and she took in a fresh breath.

Rarity bit the inside of her lip, finding her own internal struggle over what she could say. 

Pinkie continued. "Tercy is going to help us. I trust him, even after what he did... but only because you do, and I don't know about other humans... and that makes me feel bad... and I feel bad because so many got... you know." She gestured weakly in the air with one hoof. "But yeah... I don't want to talk about it anymore... This world just feels like it has so much wrong with it, but there's nothing I can do. Not like in Equestria..." Her head rolled over to rest on its other side, thus pulling her mane entirely over her face like a pink blanket.

Rarity nodded solemnly, and reached over across the overly big table to rest a hoof on Pinkie's. "Of course, we needn't speak of anything that's happened. I guess I... I just wanted to make sure you're alright. If you do ever need to talk about things, Pinkie, I'm here to listen..." She briefly considered if even she were alright, or just ignoring and hiding from the issues.

Pinkie looked up, her eyes flat, then shook her head. "Not right now I'm not, Rarity. I wanna be... but it's with... Maybe if the girls were all here I would feel better." 

Rarity sighed, then hopped down from her seat. "I wish they were here, too... Nopony should ever have to see something like that," she replied, then made her way towards the stairs. "I'm sure if we were altogether this whole situation would be long over by now..." Her hooves felt heavy as she walked slowly across the floor. "Twilight certainly would ave had a portal to home open in mere minutes, I'm sure."

"Yeah..." Pinkie replied quietly, nodding. She watched Rarity go, and frowning, ate the whole of her jam sandwich in one bite. The food didn't make her feel much better; what she really wanted was a cake, though even that didn't seem terribly likely to help.

Rarity looked back at her friend. "Pinkie, I'm going to check upstairs on Abhorsen, and then go to bed. I'll likely be speaking with Luna tonight. Would you like to join me?"

Pinkie's ears and attention perked up at this, and she swallowed hard, almost choking on her food. "Oh, that's right!" A bit of a smile worked its way onto her muzzle. "Today's been so long, I nearly forgot. How is Tercy doing, by the way? I haven't... I haven't gone up to see him..." Her front hooves poked together at one another timidly.

Rarity smirked, and waited at the stairs for Pinkie Pie, who trotted up slowly. "Well, he's still sleeping, but he seems much better after his... whatever-those-things are, helped him." She saw another one of the culprits from her earlier bathroom encounter cleaning the table already, and gave it a quick scowl. "Anyway, if you're alright to, let's go peek in on him, assuming these things will let us."

Sniffing derisively, Rarity made her way up the stairs, while Pinkie followed behind, giggling slightly. 

Pinkie shared the same opinion overall about the weird-guys, but Rarity acting snooty was always giggle worthy to her. She made her way up the stairs slowly, more than ready to just go to sleep. Making sure that her friend was alright though, even if he wasn't the picture of 'good', was important. 

At the top of the stairs, Pinkie and Rarity encountered another of the weird looking glow-humans, though this one had on armor by the looks of it, rather than just a robe. It, like all the others, was a sea of shifting symbols over a nearly transparent body, clothing and all. Interestingly enough, it stepped aside to let Rarity into the room.

Rarity smiled at it, with effort, as she trotted past. "Thank you," she said curtly. Surprise followed when the glow creature actually nodded to her. She briefly contemplated berating it right there for the trouble its brothers and sisters had caused, but decided to save it for later.

Pinkie stopped beside it for a moment, and waited until it inclined its head toward her. Scrunching her face up, she stuck out her tongue at the thing, then scooted into the room past it. While still giggling slightly at her meager revenge, Rarity's voice caught her attention.

"Oh, you're awake." Rarity had moved quickly towards the bed, beside which stood another glowing servant. Sitting slightly upright in the bed was Abhorsen, his eyes opened and looking weary. "Are you feeling well? How are you doing—" She was cut off as the servant by the bed slid over to press a hand against her front. "Hey—!"

"It's alright." Abhorsen spoke up, smiling weakly from the bed. "Go on, you, shoo." He gestured weakly with one hand laying over his bed covers. "Sorry about the charter sendings... They can be overly enthusiastic about some things. It's probably because they get left alone for so long while I'm gone from the house." 

Rarity glared at the back of the one "charter sending" as it made its way out of the room. "Oh, I'm well aware of that..." she murmured sullenly. "They gave Pinkie and I a bath earlier, you know, and I felt like I was being paid back in kind for all the times I ever forced Opalescence into the tub. It was mortifying!"

"Oh dear, I apologize for that." Abhorsen chuckled, and leaned up a little off the bed. "So, Rarity, Pinkie, I see we made it here alive despite the undead and the baths; good job."

Rarity smiled widely and moved to sit by the bed's side. "Yes, it wasn't that much further that we had to go without you guiding us. I'm just relieved to see you're alright. We were both very worried when you didn't wake up. I guess... that poison was very serious indeed after all."

One corner of Abhorsen's mouth drew down somewhat in a frown. "Yes, it isn't often that other men want to do me harm like that, but it has happened in the past..."

"But why?" Pinkie broke in abruptly. After another moment, her face sank into somewhat of a desperate look. "I just don't get it! I— never mind... evil is just crrrazy..."

Abhorsen looked taken aback, but his features quickly became soothing. "Some men can do wicked things, Pinkie. I am beginning to understand the lands you come from are far more pleasant than mine. It's a sad truth, but one that I, and my people, live with, and must protect themselves from."

"Oh..." Pinkie responded quietly. "Yeah... we have evil mcmeanies, too, actually... but I've never seen... I..."

Rarity leaned off to one side, inspecting the floor with a dark look.

Abhorsen saw the weight that the conversation was putting on his companions, and leaned over to regain their attention. "I'm alive thanks to you both, thank you. I must rest now, but— Oh!" His features became surprised, as Pinkie Pie overtook Rarity and rushed the bed's side.

Pinkie rested her front hooves onto the bed's top, then brought her human friend into a quick hug.

Abhorsen looked down in surprise at the pony resting on his chest, then at Rarity.

Rarity, for her part, looked just as surprised, before giving a small smile.

"I don't like what you did, Tercy... I can't really forgive you for it, either... but I'm glad you're alive, and not just because you promised to help us, either." Pinkie paused to take a deep breath, still resting her head on the bedspread. She rubbed against the blankets, which felt warm and comforting. "I'm glad you're okay because you're my friend, and you seem like such a good po— er, person... I feel really confused, because you hurt so many, right in front of me, too... I don't get it... But I'm glad... you're okay."

Abhorsen laid a hand on the pony's shoulder, unsure of how to respond. He rarely, if ever dealt with others besides casual encounters, and his Equestrian counterparts seemed very... comfortable, with strangers. After another glance towards Rarity, who gave him an encouraging smile, and once he thought he had the right words, he opened his mouth to speak; only to be interrupted by a loud, rumbling, reverberating sound.

"ZzzzzzzZzzzzzzz..." Pinkie snored, long and fierce.

Rarity and Abhorsen stared wide eyed at the pink pony.

"Did— Did she just fall asleep?" Abhorsen asked, resisting the urge to poke the strange creature resting on his chest.







Hellerum stood at the cliff's base, simply glaring up its great height. They've stopped moving... With her own tall stature, and from where she stood, she could see the barest hint of buildings at the center of the great waterfall that opposed her progress. So, is this where he lives? Her head tilted slightly, eyes running over where she could sense her prey as well as if they were standing in plain sight. 

A hiss escaped Hellerum's maw, her gaze fixed. Two names which she had overheard ran through her mind, as well as the feeling of life energy she associated with them. "You can run, Rarity... and Pinkie Pie... but you can't hide from me." She said the silly names with a caustic tone, thinking fondly of just how she would teach them a lesson after they were caught. "Run forever... but I will follow you... You will be mine."