And just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. The nauseating sense of falling was gone in an instant, leaving me slightly dizzy.

"Dawn?" I called, feeling around. I was jammed in a tiny space, to dark to see. My foot was resting in a metal container of some kind and something long and hard was poking me in the ribs.

"I'm right here, Weaver. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But something's poking me in the ribs," I groused, shifting around as I tried to dislodge it.

"That would be my horn. You're more or less sitting on me."

"Oh."

A few minutes of struggling we managed to get into a slightly less awkward and uncomfortable position.

"Where are we?" I asked. Partly out of curiosity, and partly because I need to something with which to break the awkwardness.

"I haven't the slightest idea. I told you, I don't know what that spell does."

We stood in the dark for a long moment, mashed together uncomfortably.

"Do... do you smell muffins?" I asked uncertainly after a few moments.

We fumbled around a bit until Dawn found a door handle and we spilled out of the tiny space and into a large bakery, with the smell of baked goods hanging heavy in the air. Ponies sat at tables eating a variety of mouth-watering pastries as a waiter bustled back and forth between tables.

Everyone came to a halt as Dawn and I tumbled out of what I now realized was a broom closet.

"Uh, Dorothy? I don't think we're in Hoofeka anymore," I muttered, glancing around.

"Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner," the waiter said, rallying magnificently. "Can I get you something to eat?"

"No thanks, I'm good," I said as I shook a bucket off my hoof. "You want anything, Dawn? No, we're good."

"Could you tell us where we are, though?" Dawn interjected.

"You're in Ponyville," the waiter said, nonplussed.

I looked over at Dawn and shrugged. "And where's that in relation to Dark Moon City?"

If the waiter kept that look up he'd be in the running for the mortally confused award.

"Ooookay," I sighed. "Let's try something a little easier. We're in Equestria, right?"

"Yes, but I've never heard of Dark Moon City."

I blinked, how was that even possible? Dark Moon City was the biggest city in Equestria,a sprawling metropolis built around the ruins of the Palace of the Pony Sisters. It was the seat of the Empress, home of a million souls and nearly twice as many warm bodies.

I opened my mouth to say as much when I saw a pegasus in dark armor step out of the broom closet. His eyes settled on us and he strode purposefully forward.

"I don't know what you did, but in the name of the Empress I hearby place you both under arrest. Resist and die!"

"Dawn," I shouted as I scrambled into motion. "Fade! I'll catch up with you later!"

"But-"

"Do it!"

She let out a sound of frustration, but her horn glowed for a moment and then she was gone. The Artemi let out a snarl and leapt forward, crashing through a table in his haste to get to me, scattering ponies and sending plates and food flying through the air.

I ran for the door, hooves clicking wildly on the tile, as the Artemi charged after me, rapidly gaining ground. He was a lot bigger then I was, a lot more muscular and the armor that edged his wings glinted sharply in the light. If he got a a hold of me, I was dead.

But I reached the door first, heart thundering in my chest, and shouldered it open without slowing. Cool night air, fresh and clean and so unlike the humid, dirty air of Dark Moon City, hit me as I threw myself into the air, coal black wings unfurling to cup the night and lift me into the darkness. I couldn't help but laugh as the wind tugged at my white hair. I was safe.

The Artemi crashed through the door and jumped after me, his own wings carrying him after me. We circled higher and higher and gradually my heart slowed to something approaching normal as a gentle calm spread over me. I was still in danger, still running for my life, but I was safe as I could be. The Artmei surged forward, wings beating the air as he came at me, wings extended so the sharpened edges of his armor could slice me to ribbons.

I spun aside at the last minute, my hoof lashing out to bang against the back of his helmet as he flew past.

Nopony could touch me up in my sky.

He tried again and I let him get within inches of me before I surged upward, my front hooves coming down like I was playing leapfrog and smashed into his helmet as he shot underneath me.

Momentarily stunned, he tumbled through the air and I seized my chance, hitting from behind, trapping his wings between our bodies. Swearing, we plummeted through the air, one of his wings digging into my chest, a line of fire that trickled warm blood.

I building loomed up below us and I steered toward it, gritting my teeth against the pain in my chest. Right before we would hit, I pushed off the Artemi, wings laboring to keep me from crashing.

The Artemi wasn't so lucky. He hit with a sickening crunch that made my stomach twist, and sprawled on the roof, his limbs splayed and his wings crumpled. I watched him for a long time, and he never stirred.

As I was trying to control my suddenly rebellious stomach a pale blue pegasus with a ragged, rainbow hued mane zoomed down out of the clouds.

"Are you alright?" She called. "I saw that guy chase you out of Sugar Cube Corner and I thought I'd better-" she drew up short as she saw the Artemi lying on the roof like a broken toy.

I took off before she could say anything more. I'd joined up with Gray and his revolutionaries , but I'd never want to hurt anypony.

I'd never dreamed of killing somepony...

"Wait! come back here," the pegasus shouted, flying after me. She caught up in a matter of seconds, but I rolled out of the way when she grabbed for me.

It became an aerial game of cat and mouse. she was fast, and I mean really fast, and determined, but no one can touch me in my sky. I evaded her by millimeters each time, searching for an escape route.

I found one after a desperate few minutes, the pegasus was ridiculously fast. How could she keep it up that long? I was starting to get tired and I only had to worry about getting out of the way.

The pegasus speed around for another pass and this time I was barely able to roll out of the way as she roared by, leaving a blurred, rainbow trail in her wake. As she looped around, I tucked my wings and dove. The ground raced toward me as I sped up, the wind screaming around me until I was nothing more then a black and white blur.

The pegasus fell in behind me, wings beating rapidly. She caught up in no time, but I kept falling, even as the ground loomed close.

C'mon, I begged mentally. Don't be stupid, pull up...

At the last possible second she did, wings straining to pull her out of her dive. The excess momentum sent her shooting away down the street, giving me a moment or two. My own wings flared open and I hit the ground in an awkward, stumbling run as my speed carried me forward into a bush and disappeared in a puff of leaves.

Peering out of the bush I saw the pegasus circling as she looked for any sign of me. I held my breath until she had disappeared and let it out in an explosive gust. I hopped out of the bush and started walking, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. Just another pony out for a stroll, nothing to see here, move along.

Now I had to find Dawn and we'd beat a hasty retreat. Wherever we were wasn't much safer than Dark Moon City.

After a few minutes of walking I was completely lost, but I'd found Dawn. She'd given up on complete invisibility and instead just covered herself in an illusion. She looked the same, but her coat was now a dusky purple, her hair dark blue streaked with purple and pink.

At the moment she was standing at the edge of a small crowd and I edged up to her.

"Dawn," I hissed. "Let's get gone, before anyone else tries to take a pot-shot at me."

She turned and blinked at me, confusion evident in her face. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean we should get the heck outta dodge before anyone notices-"

"Hey, that's him!"

I caught a glimpse of the rainbow haired pegasus and swore. "Dawn, head out of town, I'll keep 'em busy and catch up with you later," I said, shoving her into motion as I leapt into the air.

But she didn't move, her horn just glowed a deep purple and bands of invisible force wrapped themselves around me chest, locking my wings to my side. Swearing, I plummeted back to the ground, hitting hard enough to see stars.

"What the hell?" I screamed, struggling to get up and just to take a breath. The bands were too tight, and I could barely breathe. "What are you doing?"

"I think you have me confused for someone else," Not-Dawn said, maintaining the spell as the crowd began to advance toward me. Now that I looked a few of those ponies look rather official, and I spotted one or two in golden armor. "We just want to ask you a few question, we're not going to hurt you."

"Right, that's what they always say, and yet nopony ever comes back," I laughed manically as I backed away. I was beginning to feel a little frayed along the edges, running on adrenaline for so long will do that to you.

"I don't understand, what are you talking about?"

"The Artemi," I cackled as I hit a wall behind me and couldn't back away any further. "They aways say they won't hurt you and yet no one ever sees you again. And you hear rumors about Twinkle..."

"Calm down now, she's tellin' the truth. We ain't gonna hurt ya. Jus' take a deep breath and tell us why that pegasus attacked you," an orange earth pony said.

"Because he's one of the Artemi, that's what they do."

"You're not making any sense," Not-Dawn said, her voice calm and soothing. The kind of voice you use on crazy ponies and wild animals. "What's an Artemi?"

"Leave him alone!"

The air shimmered and suddenly Dawn appeared in front of me. Her horn glowed for a moment and Not-Dawn let out a quiet gasp as the spell holding my wings broke apart.

I stepped up next to her, gratefully sucking in huge lungfuls of air. "Boy, Am I ever glad to see you."

"Glad I got here in time, you seem to be pretty popular right now. What happened to the Artemi?"

The image of the Artemi sprawled bonelessly on the rooftop came crashing back full force. All I could do was close my eyes and shake my head as I fought back my nausea. But Dawn understood, she always understood.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice gentle. "Are you all right?"

"I will be." I gave her a shaky smile. "You have any ideas on how to get out of here?"

"Could you fly us out?"

"No, that rainbow one is pretty damn fast. No way I could outrun her and if I was carrying you I doubt I could outmaneuver her. What about you, you got any magic that could get us out of here?"

Dawn shook her head. "I don't think so. The one that kind of looks like me has my magic more or less locked down. She's strong enough to counter anything I try."

"What are you talking about? She doesn't look anything like you."

"Then how did you know which one I was talking about?"

"I... shut up."

"I hate to interrupt, but why doesn't everyone calm down and we'll just talk for a minute instead of plotting drastic measures," Not-Dawn said. "Who are you two, and who was that pegasus?"

"I'm Dawn, and that's Weaver. We're from Dark Moon City."

"Dawn!"

"What's the point in trying to hide who we are? The Artemi are already after us and we're not exactly flooded with options right now. These ponies seem willing to talk before they start with the killing and arresting so, currently, they're our best bet."

There was logic in that. There was logic in almost everything Dawn said. Didn't mean I liked it though.

"That pegasus was a member of the Artemi, the Empress's enforcers. Not that you didn't know who they are," I added.

And then to my shock, Not-Dawn asked a question I never thought I'd hear.

"Who's the Empress?"