—In the week prior

“I… I just can’t work with her, Princess! S-she’s just so… so arrogant, and insufferable, and lazy!”

“Well, excuse a mare for wanting to relax a little after the world’s been taking a massive shit on her for the past few years.”

“A-and crass, and rude, and she c-can’t follow simple rules!”

“‘When it comes to learning, a good teacher must know all the rules; a good pupil, all the exceptions’.”

“...”

“Yeah, I went to the School for Gifted Unicorns too, motherbucker.”

“W-well, at least act like it, you pigheaded mare!”

“I have the degree! I’ll act as I please!”

Seated upon her throne, Celestia stared down at the pair of arguing unicorns in front of her, a bemused look on her face. Shooting Star was clearly agitated, with his mane in a tangled mess and dark bags under his eyes. Lyra, on the other hand, just wore her usual look of disinterest.

This wasn’t the first incident; the pair had been butting heads ever since they started working together. The first clash had come shortly after they had been assigned to their task. Shooting Star had wanted to start by figuring out what the humans needed in order to integrate into Equestrian society: supplies, resources, land, and the like.

Lyra had found a cushioned couch somewhere in the palace… and promptly took a nap.

When Shooting Star had found her, he had attempted to get her to help.

He would have had an easier time filling a leaky bucket with water.

Similar episodes had transpired on and off the past couple of days, with the pair often at each other’s throats about topics as simple as what type of foods the humans would need, and where to get said food. They would continue to argue until it eventually devolved into a shouting match, with both unicorns stomping off in a huff.

Even now, they each were nearing the end of their proverbial rope. Noses pressed together, they continued to shout insults at one another—and would have continued to do so, had Celestia not finally decided to step in.

“Enough.” One word—barely louder than a whisper—was all it took for silence to fall over the throne room once more. Standing, Celestia began to descend the steps of the dais, all while speaking to the pair. “I realize that these are not ideal circumstances for either of you, and it is clear that your personalities clash with one another. However, I’m not asking you to be close, or to even be friends. I’m asking you to put aside your differences and work together to improve a species’ way of life.”

Reaching the bottom of the dais, she glanced between the two ponies. Shooting Star at least had the decency to look somewhat ashamed; Lyra, not so much. She stared up at Celestia, a small frown touching her muzzle.

Celestia returned her look. “Ms. Heartstrings. I know this past year hasn’t been as kind as it should have been.”

“You can say that again,” Lyra muttered under her breath.

Celestia continued as though she hadn’t heard. “I’m sure you’d like nothing better than to go home, and put this whole mess behind you. Unfortunately, at the moment you are the only pony we know of that can understand the humans. That means you are our main translator for the time being, unless we’re able to find another with similar abilities.” She raised an eyebrow. “Would you happen to know if there is another, similarly gifted individual we could call upon?”

Lyra was silent for a moment as she chewed on her tongue. “I know a zebra that miiight fit your description, but I refuse to work with him due to our personal history together.”

“Refuse to work with him, or just don’t like the idea of it?” Celestia asked. The look Lyra gave her was all the answer she needed. “Then I suggest you start cooperating with your partner here,” she said, motioning with a nod of her head to Shooting Star. “The sooner you finish your work, the sooner you’ll be able to leave this palace and Canterlot behind.”

Lyra opened her mouth—

“Besides, you’re still technically enrolled in the mental hospital here in Canterlot,” Celestia added. “One of the nurses has even stopped by the palace to ask about your return.”

—only to close it again. She stared up at Celestia a look of mute disbelief on her face.

“Are… are you blackmailing me?” she asked eventually.

“No,” Celestia said softly. “I’m just reminding you of how much your quality of living has improved. The chefs here at the palace cook what you want, you have the best living conditions currently available, and you have the freedom to be as obstinate as you like. Certainly better than the mental hospital, no?”

“Well… when you put it that way,” Lyra huffed. She stared at the floor in front of her for a moment, her face twisted in a grimace before sighing. “Okay, okay… fine. I’ll help out. However—” she held up a hoof “—there is just one thing I need before we make this happen.”

“And what might that be?” Celestia asked.

“I need someone to fetch my lyre from Ponyville storage,” Lyra muttered, her ears splaying back and a small blush touching her cheeks. “It’s… been awhile since I’ve last been able to play it.”

A small smile slowly spread across Celestia’s muzzle. “I’m sure that can be arranged. I’ll be heading down there shortly, and I’ll have one of my guards retrieve it for you. Is that acceptable?”

“I suppose that works,” Lyra said, an ear twitching. “Just make sure they’re careful with it. And I swear, if Bon Bon’s done anything to it…” She trailed off, muttering darkly to herself.

“Well then, I’ll leave you two to your work,” Celestia said.

“T-thank you, Princess,” Shooting Star said with a bow of his head. “I’m sorry we took up your precious time with this.”

Making her way towards the newly-replaced throne room doors, Celestia called back over her shoulder. “It was no trouble at all, Researcher Star. Just make sure to not let it consume your work again. We need to help one another, even more so now, after the events that transpired here.” She turned her head back around, but not before catching a snippet of the pair’s hushed conversation.

“So, shall we get going then?” Shooting Star asked.

“Huh? Oh, yeah… sure,” Lyra replied. “Actually, tell you what. Let’s go get a pizza… and then get to work. No sense dealing with humans on an empty stomach.”

“C-can… can we get one from the pizza place on Saddle Drive?”

“Well, duh! Where else are we going to get decent pizza in this town?”

A smile on her lips, Celestia exited the throne room, allowing the doors to close quietly behind her. The four Royal Guards positioned on either side of the entryway quickly fell in step behind her as she made her way down the hall. There were still some clear signs of spellfire upon the walls and floors, but the cleaning staff had done a remarkable job thus far, and the halls of the palace were beginning to look like new once more. There were certain parts of the castle—mainly the ones Discord had demolished in an attempt to get to Twilight and her friends—that would take longer to repair, but all in all, Canterlot Castle was slowly returning to normal.

Turning the corner of the hall, Celestia blinked in surprise as she almost bumped face first into Luna, who was headed the other direction. Both sisters backpedaled, their wings flaring slightly, causing Luna to nearly drop the folders she had under one until she caught them in her magic. Their guards just eyed each other, the four Royal Guards studying the four Lunar Guards with muted wariness. While it might have been only the Battlemages affected by the ex-Archmage’s mind control, the events were still enough to cause some tension between factions in the Guard.

“Sister,” Luna said softly, blinking up at Celestia. “Forgive us. We didn’t hear your approach.” Adjusting the folders, she placed them back under her wing.

Celestia shook her head. “No, it’s my fault, Lulu. My mind was elsewhere and I didn’t hear you coming.”

“Ah…” Luna nodded her head. “Fretting over your trip to Ponyville, are you?”

“I’m not fretting,” Celestia said. “Just wondering how they will take the news.”

“The same way they’ve always taken it,” Luna said with a small smile. “With compassion, excitement, and perhaps a party to celebrate, should Pinkie have her way.”

“Perhaps,” Celestia said with a sigh. “I just hope I’m not doing more harm than good. As of late, I seem to only be able to make the situation worse when it comes to anything that concerns Max.”

Luna smirked. “Well, considering the events that have transpired here these past few days, I think the cat’s already out of the bag. Ponyville will find out now sooner or later. Might as well be sooner, don’t you think?”

“I suppose,” Celestia said, humming softly. She stared off into the distance for a moment before glancing down at her sister. “Are you off to your task as well?”

“Yes, we are,” Luna sighed tiredly. “Tempest won’t get off our back until it’s taken care of.”

“Well, in that regard I wish you luck, dear sister,” Celestia said, leaning down to give Luna a quick nuzzle, which was returned. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be off. I would like to get to Ponyville before it gets much later.”

“Have fun, dear sister,” Luna replied, “and please, try not to spend too much time eating cakes and drinking tea.”

“I don’t partake that much,” Celestia said as she headed off down the hall, her guards following loyally behind.

“Of course not,” Luna huffed under her breath. “You just have the biggest flank in Equestria for some other reason.” Shaking her head—but smiling all the same—she turned and headed off in the other direction.

Moving through the halls, Luna made her way down towards the barrack offices. They were all empty—doors open wide—save for one at the far end of the hall. It was towards this one that Princess Luna headed.

Stopping in front of the closed door, she glanced at her entourage. “Please, wait here. We won’t be long.” With that, she opened the door and stepped inside, making sure to close the door again behind her.

The room was bare, save for a table in the middle, beneath a flickering light. Three ponies were seated on the far side of the table, away from the door, and they glanced up when Luna entered.

Avera, Ebony, and Primrose were all covered in varying degrees of bandages. Avera had the least, a few bandages covering her body, with her wing bandaged and taped to her side. Ebony was in a similar state, though she had a few more bandages across her face and neck.

Primrose was clearly in the worst shape, her chest swathed in a thick layer of bandages. She had an IV stand with her, a collection of blood packs and IV bags running down to her forelegs and neck. There were dark bags under her eyes, and her breathing was labored.

They all moved to stand as Luna walked in, but she waved them down with a wing. “Please, there is no need.” Taking a seat in the empty chair across from the trio, she removed the folders from beneath her wing and placed them down upon the table’s surface. A tense silence fell over the room, broken only by the sound of shuffling papers as Luna began slowly leafing through the folders’ contents.

After a few minutes of this, the tension appeared to become too much for Avera, an errant twitch crossing her features. “Oh, get on with it,” she grunted. “Don’t drag this out. We all know what’s going on.”

Luna blinked before glancing up from the paperwork. She gave the trio an unreadable look before sighing. “Very well then.” Sitting back in her chair, her expression took on a cold, calculating appearance.

“First Lieutenant Avera Noctus of the Coming Dawn,” she said slowly. “Major Ebony Rose of the Battlemages. Primrose, Captain of the Lunar Guard. You are all here today to answer for the allegations brought against you by Captain Tempest Barrage. They are as follows.” Lighting up her horn, she lifted several pieces of paper into her magic and began to read off of them. “Inability to protect your charge from attack during your first day on the job.” Before any of the trio could respond, Luna placed the paper off to the side.

“That charge is being overlooked, as you didn’t have proper time to prepare or become familiar with your charge and the surrounding area,” she said.

The trio blinked owlishly at her as she moved on to the next paper.

“Next is the charge pertaining to the events at the Gala,” Luna continued, “in which you all left your charge unattended, resulting in his near kidnapping by Prince Blueblood. However, given the circumstances as well as a request from Duchess Vinyl Scratch—an ex-Captain—that too is being overlooked.”

The trio exchanged looks with each other, a sliver of hope beginning to blossom. However, it was quickly dashed by Luna’s next words.

“Then there is the incident with the infected human,” Luna said, holding up the paper in question. “You not only left your charge unattended, it resulted in him getting bitten by an infected human. The only reason he is still alive is due to his higher core body temperature.”

“He had been with Rainbow and Pinkie,” Avera muttered under her breath.

Luna cocked an eyebrow. “Are they trained guards?” When Avera shook her head, she continued. “Then they are not substitutes. One of you should have gone with him, regardless of who else was with him.

“Regardless, that’s not the end of Tempest’s list. She also has noted that you allowed your charge to illegally enter a human show, allowed him to enter the Everfree Forest mere days after being attacked by an infected human, as well as a few other infractions that we personally believe she included for pettiness’ sake,” Luna mumbled, giving the papers a bemused look. “That includes your behavior… however, the Lunar Guard tends to be a little more relaxed than their Solar counterpart, so we guess we can overlook that as well.”

“So, are… are we getting out of this?” Avera asked, somewhat hopeful.

Luna peered up at her from over the top of the papers.

“Were it just one of these charges on its own, that’d be more than likely,” she said. “However, with all of them combined, plus the charge of accepting a bribe from a civilian, I’m afraid not.” Placing the papers back on the table, she gave them all a hard look. “With all these charges against you three, I’m afraid that punishment is in order. Originally, Tempest wanted me to court martial you all—” Ebony and Avera flinched “—however, given your service record and the help you provided during the attack on Canterlot a few days ago, your punishment will be more lenient.”

“A-and what might that punishment be?” Ebony asked, her voice cracking slightly.

“You are all hereby relieved of active duty and shall be receiving an Other Than Honorable discharge,” Luna said cooly. “You will still receive your benefits, but you will not be allowed to reenlist in any military position within your respective branches.”

This was met with silence for a moment before Avera slammed her hoof on the table. “Great,” she growled. “All those years of service, wasted. Just bucking great.”

Ebony stared at a spot on the table in front of her, her expression blank.

The only one that didn’t look too put-off by the news was Primrose, who bore a look of indifference.

“It was time to move on, anyways,” she rasped.

“Maybe for you,” Avera growled, “but I was hoping to have a steady job for a little while longer. In case you don’t remember, I was a thief before becoming a guard. I don’t exactly have experience in any other field.”

“Then put the experience you have to work,” Luna said as she stood up from the table. Reassembling the folders’ contents, she slipped them back under her wing before glancing at the trio again. “I can think of a certain noble that might be interested in hiring a group of bodyguards. You might want to look into that.”

“That… might work,” Primrose muttered.

Ebony continued to stare forlornly at the table.

“A noble?” Avera scoffed, cocking an eyebrow. “Why would a noble want to hire a group of discharged guards? How do we even know she’ll hire us?”

“You won’t know unless you ask him,” Luna said as she moved to the door.

Avera opened her mouth again, only to be cut off as Primrose shoved a hoof against her muzzle. Breathing heavily, she shook her head before glancing back to Luna. “And where… can we find this... noble?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” Luna said with a smirk. Opening the door, she began to exit the room, but not before calling back as she did so. “Just report to the Golden Oaks Library in Ponyville. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to see you all again.” Giggling at the shocked looks on the trio’s faces, Luna stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind her.

Turning around, she paused upon seeing Tempest standing there, a scowl on her face.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” she grumbled.

“As we recall, you left the decision up to us,” Luna replied, “and as such, we have taken care of it.”

“They need to be punished.”

“And they have been. As we’ve seen fit.”

“But—”

“Good day, Captain.” With that, Luna turned and walked off down the hall, her guards shadowing behind her, and leaving Tempest alone.

As she walked, Luna mumbled softly to herself. “We’ll have to remember to talk to Whippoorwill about promoting a new Captain. We’re thinking… Lieutenant Dark Knight might be suitable.”

“Um, excuse me, Princess,” one of the guards spoke up, “but Lieutenant Dark Knight and Tempest don’t really see… eye-to-eye, as it were. They’d be constantly butting heads about decisions in the Guard.”

“We know,” Luna answered without turning her head or slowing her pace. “It’s about time that Captain Tempest is reminded that she is the captain of the Solar Guards, not the Lunar ones.” She was silent for a moment before adding, “We’ll also have to have Whippoorwill remind Tia to promote Sergeant Stacker, now that Avera has been dismissed and Ivory is deceased.” With a sigh, she shook her head. “Too many promotions for unfortunate reasons.”

The group slowly made their way back down the corridors, heading back towards the main part of the castle. They passed several groups of maids, who were working hard at cleaning the remnants of the fight. Several humans were helping with the heavy lifting. There was a slight tension in the air, but for the most part, the ponies’ gazes were more curious than anything as they eyed the humans. Word was getting around now about the humans’ intellect, and the news was being met with generally one of two responses. Acceptance and wonderment, or pigheaded refusal to entertain the idea that humans were anything but mindless animals.

Unfortunately, most of the nobles were in the latter category, but there were a few exceptions, such as Fancy Pants and his supporters. It had been an uphill battle trying to get the nobility to agree on new laws concerning humanity, and one unfortunate alicorn had drawn the short straw when it came to that task.

Speaking of which…

Luna’s ears perked as the sound of raised voices reached her from around the next corner. Hearing it as well, her guards tensed, readying themselves. She waved them down with a wing before venturing out to see what was going on.

Outside the doors to one of the assembly rooms, a group of ponies were gathered. Several members of the SAS were standing guard, watching the events transpiring before them with stoic expressions, although Luna could see twitches of annoyance flicker across their faces. A Royal Healer was present as well, her eyes hidden behind the signature blindfold mask that was a part of her uniform.

And in the center of the group, Twilight Sparkle was in the process of chewing out a noble, who looked as if her words were going in one ear and out the other.

“...for the last time, the Crown will be paying to repair all damages, but it will not be spending money on improvements to your home,” Twilight growled. “If you want a third pool added to your property, you’ll be paying for it yourself!” The noble opened her mouth to offer a rebuttal, but was stopped when Twilight continued. “And should you continue to press this matter, I shall have no choice but to have you detained until further notice!”

Glaring at Twilight, the noble then huffed before turning and stalking off, her nose held high in the air.

Muttering under her breath, Twilight sat down and rubbed at her temples. “Unbelievable.” Strands of her mane stuck out in odd directions, and she had dark bags under her eyes.

“Having fun?” Luna asked with a smirk as she approached.

Ears perking, Twilight glanced around. “Oh… hi, Luna. I didn’t know you were still awake. And to answer your question, no, I’m not having fun.” Sighing, she struggled to her hooves again, her splinted hind leg giving her some difficulty. “How Princess Celestia has dealt with this for so long without going crazy, I don’t know. I’m trying to work out laws and policies that will help everypony adapt to the integration of Equestrian humans into our society, but the only thing the nobility wants to do is find ways to profit. There’s nothing noble about them,” she added in a growl.

“Yes, it’s sad to see the state that Tia allowed the noble houses to fall into in my absence,” Luna said. “It used to be that a pony was only granted titles and lands for great deeds they performed for the Crown and country. Now, it’s a bloodline trait, with nopony earning their title anymore. It’s passed on, much like one might pass on a sweater or family heirloom.”

“More like a pair of dirty socks,” Twilight grumbled. “It didn’t help matters that I couldn’t find a good position for my leg while sitting. It’s been bugging me all day. Tomorrow, I’m probably going to just say ‘screw it’ and bring a cushion in to lie on.”

“And if any of the nobles complain about decorum?” Luna asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Then I’ll offer to break one of their legs, and then they can deal with it as well!” Twilight snapped. “I’m trying to keep a cool head, Luna, but these ponies… they’re just so… so… pretentious, it’s not even funny!” Gritting her teeth, Twilight closed her eyes and, taking a deep breath, began her breathing exercise.

“I’ve had more success working with Pinkie Pie on an issue,” she muttered.

“There’s no need to lie for our benefit,” Luna said good-humoredly.

“I’m not lying,” Twilight grumbled before returning to her breathing.

Luna watched her repeat the action several times before the approach of the Royal Healer drew her attention away. She glanced down at the unicorn, unsure of where she should focus her gaze, as the mare’s eyes were hidden behind the ornamental blindfold mask. Why Celestia had made that part of the Healers’ standard uniform, she didn’t know.

“Your majesty,” the Healer said, her voice soft. “Based off of what I’m sensing, I would like to request that Princess Sparkle’s duties be delegated to something less stressful. I’m concerned for her mental and physical well being.”

“No, no… I can handle it,” Twilight said. “I… I just need to take a breather. My leg’s a little stiff, but nothing I can’t handle. I’m fine, really.”

“With all due respect, your highness,” the Healer said, turning her head in Twilight’s general direction, “this level of stress isn’t good for you mentally or physically. You are exhausted, your body is not able to focus on healing itself, and when was the last time you ate?”

Twilight puffed out her cheeks, but looked away.

“As I suspected,” the Healer sighed. “This environment isn’t a good place for healing. And that’s not even considering what ramifications it’ll have on your foal, so I really must insist.”

A stunned silence fell over the hallway at the Healer’s words. Several of the members of the SAS—those who were closest to Night Light—stiffened, their eyes widening. Both Twilight and Luna locked gazes, their mouths hanging agape.

“M-my foal?” Twilight stammered. “But… I-I don’t have a foal!”

“Not yet, but you are currently in the very early stages of pregnancy,” the Healer said. “The signs are all there. The other Healers and I noticed it after all the excitement, when all the Princesses were being examined. It’s faint, but your body is already starting to redirect some of your natural magic towards your womb. This only happens when a mare’s egg is in the process of fertilization and implantation.”

“B-but,” Twilight muttered, her brow furrowing, “the only male I’ve been with is…” She trailed off and her eyes widened in stunned realization.

“Interesting,” Luna murmured, rubbing her chin with a hoof. Glancing down at the Healer, she inquired. “Shouldn’t it be too early to tell if she is indeed pregnant? Estrus ended only a few days ago, after all. We thought it took longer for the signs to show.”

“Like I said, it’s very faint, but we can still detect it,” the Healer answered. “Her body is preparing itself, channeling magic where it needs to go in order to support life in her womb. Of course, there’s still the chance the egg might not take, but I highly doubt it. Nine times out of ten, when the womb is saturated with the mare’s magic, the pregnancy takes. The greater amount of magic, the greater the chance of success, and given who this particular mare is...” The Healer trailed off and shrugged her shoulders.

“Very interesting,” Luna hummed. She was silent for a moment before corners of her lips began to twitch upwards. “Who will be more excited about this news, we wonder? Tia, Cadance, or your mother? Our money is on Tia.”

“I’m… pregnant?” Twilight mumbled, staring off into the distance. She lifted a hoof and tentatively touched her stomach. “Pregnant?”

“Well, we have seen stranger things happen before, although this is certainly up there,” Luna said softly before turning to the SAS guards assembled around them. “We think it would be for the best that Princess Sparkle lay down for a bit. Would you mind escorting her to the medical ward? It’s where she’s taken up residency, if we recall correctly. At least, until her human can be moved to a private room.”

“Right away, Princess,” one of the guards said with a salute, before nudging Twilight with her hoof. “This way, ma’am. Come with us.” Still in a daze, Twilight did as instructed, following the guard as she lead her down the hallway, towards the medical wing. The other SAS members brought up the rear, escorting their colonel’s daughter to her destination.

Luna watched them go, a conflicted look scrunching up her muzzle. She was silent for a moment before glancing down at one of her guards. “Go and post some more guards around the medical bay. The last thing we need right now is the media catching wind of this before Tia. We’d never hear the end of it.” The mare saluted before hurrying off to do as she was told.

To the remaining three guards, Luna motioned with her wing. “Come. We have one last stop before—” she yawned, her jaw cracking in the process “—we can turn in for the morning… evening… whatever.” Turning, she meandered off down the hall once more.

It took a bit longer to reach their destination this time, as it was in a completely different section of the palace. As such, the guard Luna had dismissed earlier to bolster the medical bay’s watch had managed to catch back up before they arrived.

Stopping in front of the door, Luna knocked three times before pushing it open and entering. Her guards took up position around the door, but none followed her inside.

The room was in disarray, dozens of tables filling the already crowded space. Upon the tabletops were the disassembled remains of the Terran humans’ armor and weapons. An entire three tables were devoted to just the large suit of full armor that had been found, the metal charred and warped by spellfire. A chalkboard beside it had a basic sketch of what appeared to be a diagram of how to assemble the armor.

Luna took a moment to glance around at the chaotic mess before calling out. “If this is a bad time, we can always come back later.” There was a loud squawk, followed by the sound of something metal being dropped before, with a whirring noise, Dr. Mac Griffon wheeled himself out of a side room on his motorized wheelchair.

His appearance was disheveled, with clumps of feathers sticking up in odd directions and black circles beneath his eyes. It was clear he hadn’t slept for awhile, yet he greeted her with a wide smile.

“Ah, Princess… I wasn’t expecting you so soon,” he chirped, readjusting his glasses.

“We managed to finish our other errands in a prompt manner, and thus are here ahead of schedule,” Luna said, stepping further into the room.

“Good, good,” Mac Griffon said with a nod. Clicking his talons on the armrests of his chair, he slowly spun in a circle, his gaze drifting over the sea of scrap. “Truly remarkable what they were able to build, especially given their lack of resources.”

“Please do not take this the wrong way, my dear doctor,” Luna said, “but if you could get to the reason you requested our presence, we’d be most appreciative.” Again she yawned, placing a hoof over her mouth. “Excuse us, but we’d like to wrap this up so that we might soon find the comfort of our bed.”

Mac Griffon blinked before nodding his head again. “Very well. If you’d follow me please.” Turning, he wheeled himself back into the side room he had just emerged from. “They are in here.”

“‘They’?” Curiosity piqued, Luna followed after him.

The side room was smaller than the main one, and filled with half-a-dozen or so filing cabinets. Dozens of papers were stapled to the available wall space, each covered in sketches and scribbles of various designs, most of which looked oddly similar to Max’s odd device.

And there, seated in the middle of the room, Mac Griffon waited. As Luna entered, he pointed upwards with a talon, motioning towards the ceiling.

Luna glanced up, only to do a double-take.

“Well… we were wondering what had happened to them,” she said softly as she eyed the new additions to the ceiling.

A handful of red pods dotted the corners of the room, each one filled with a pony suspended in the glowing goo. Though unconscious, their limbs twitched and jerked weakly, and their eyelids fluttered. Nestled amongst the pods, one of the Doctor’s changelings peered curiously down at Luna. It tilted its head to the side, chirping softly before fluttering down to land in front of her.

“We had thought that they had perhaps escaped the city in the confusion,” Luna hummed, “but it’s clear now that they didn’t.” She eyed the podded forms of Darkflare and his diminished gang for a moment longer before tsking softly. “Well, that’s one less thing we need worry about. We’ll be able to call the guards back from the search.”

“What are you going to do with them? Put them in the dungeons?” Mac Griffon asked, wheeling his way up beside her.

Luna shook her head. “The dungeons were severely damaged in the attack. Many cells have holes in them now, or are missing doors and bars. Neigh, leave them where they are for the time being. This should serve as a good enough prison until other lodgings can be prepared… besides,” she added, glancing down at the changeling at her hooves, “they’ll provide a nice meal for our friends here.” She rubbed the changeling’s head, earning a happy chirrup from it.

“That will work out marvelously,” the griffon chirped. “For whatever reason, these two buggers have been hungrier than usual lately. A steady, stationary source of food will do wonders. Kinda hard to feed when most of the staff is distracted with cleaning and repairing.”

“We shall send two of our Lunar Guard up to keep an eye on them,” Luna said as she made towards the door. “Though they may be in the pods, we don’t want them getting away before they can stand trial. We are sure our sister will want to see to their sentencing personally.”

“Speaking of which,” Mac Griffon called after her. “Where is yon bonnie sister? I had originally sent for her seeing as I was sure you’d be asleep.”

Luna paused in the doorway. “She’s taking care of something that probably should have been done a long time ago.”

Standing atop a wooden stage erected outside of the town hall, Celestia couldn’t help but smile as she looked around. It was clear that Ponyville was still recovering from the vines that had nearly consumed the small town. Scaffolding and ladders where everywhere, and many buildings—though the holes had been patched over—were still in need of a fresh coat of paint. Debris and refuse were scattered about in large, organized piles.

What made her smile though were the ponies currently milling about the streets. Despite the hardship they had just faced, the residents of Ponyville were as cheerful as ever. They chatted happily with one another as they worked, laughter and song occasionally breaking out amongst them. Earth ponies moved through the crowd, heavy loads upon their backs and shoulders. Unicorns lifted beams and planks of wood into the air, where pegasi would hammer them securely into place.

Even those that could not work due to age—be it too young or too old—helped out in other ways. The scent of cooking food filled the air as soups, sandwiches, and a variety of other simple foods were prepared and served to those that were fixing buildings. Foals ran through the crowd, dispensing water and other supplies.

Humans were in the mix too, though it appeared that the citizens of Ponyville had yet to hear about their newly-revealed sapiency. Using pulleys and rope, the humans helped lift loads too heavy for the local unicorns.

Celestia’s smile grew even wider when she spied a light purple unicorn foal resting upon a human’s shoulders, a hard hat that was entirely too large covering the filly’s head. From her seat upon the human’s shoulders, she directed him about as they carried baskets filled with freshly baked muffins through the crowds.

The ponies of this town never cease to amaze me, Celestia thought as she continued to watch the activity. They were all working together in such perfect harmony that she didn’t want to break the flow. Sadly though, she needed to. Important matters needed to be addressed, and this was a discussion that was long overdue.

Sighing softly, she moved forward and tapped her hoof against the edge of the platform. It wasn’t loud, but it still somehow managed to catch the attention of almost every pony present. Pausing in their tasks, they slowly began to gather around the platform.

Celestia waited until most of the town had arrived before beginning to speak. “Mares and gentlecolts, I apologize for stealing you away from your tasks, but I have a few things I must discuss with you. I know these past few days have been rough, for both Canterlot and Ponyville. I’ll try and keep this brief so that you may resume returning your fair town to its former glory.” This caused many of the gathered ponies to puff out their chests in pride.

Celestia had to resist the urge to giggle at the sight.

“Many things have been brought to my attention during this conflict,” she continued. “A few of them, in retrospect, I should have seen coming. We should have seen coming.” She paused long enough to glance down at a small group of humans that had gathered near the back of the crowd. “Our way of life is changing. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. That’s for all of us to decide in these coming months.”

The gathered ponies blinked up at her, and a gentle murmur slowly ran through the crowd.

Celestia waited for it to settle down before continuing. “To be honest, a situation like this has never happened within my living memory, and as such I’m not entirely sure how to properly address it. It concerns both us ponies, as well as the strange and mysterious creatures we call ‘humans’.” Many ponies turned to look at the growing pack of humans gathering behind them before returning their attention back to Celestia as she spoke once more.

“You may find what I’m about to say hard to believe at first, but I assure you that every word I speak is true,” she said. For a moment she fell silent, as if gathering her thoughts. “I suppose the best place to start would be the beginning.” Glancing around at the sea of ponies before her, she inquired. “You are all familiar with Princess Twilight’s human, correct?”

Many ponies nodded, and several whispered conversations broke out.

“Well,” Celestia said slowly, and silence fell over the crowd once more, “this story starts about a year ago, on the day I sent him to live with Twilight…”

Seated on the plush sofa, Vinyl Scratch stared out of the large bay windows that took up most of the wall. Through them, she could see the entire Equestrian countryside splayed out before her. There was Ponyville, nestled snugly between the Everfree and White Tail Woods, with Saddle Lake looping lazily around it. To the north, she could see the white clouds and rainbow falls of Cloudsdale, the mobile city hovering high in the sky. And further west—just barely visible deep within White Tail Woods—was the small hamlet of Oakvale.

The sun was beginning to sink beneath the horizon, casting a fiery orange blaze across the land. She could feel the sun’s warmth, the dying sunlight bringing forth her inner vampiric glory. Blackened eyes stared wearily across the land as Vinyl drank deeply from a tankard filled with her own special brew of homemade cider.

She remained like that for a few minutes before a soft ‘click’ signaled the front door opening. Ear twitching, Vinyl continued to stare out the window as the door swung open. She didn’t have to turn to see who it was; the scent, the sound, and the presence was enough to inform her who had just entered the house.

Octavia hummed softly as she moved further into the house, each step accentuated by the rustling of items shifting in bags. About halfway across the room she paused, and a soft gasp escaped her lips. “Oh, Vinyl. You surprised me.” She was silent for a moment before asking, “Honey, what’s wrong?”

A frown crossed Vinyl’s face. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

“You’re up early,” came the simple reply.

“I’m not up that early,” Vinyl said softly before taking another sip from the tankard. Even though she couldn’t see her, she could practically hear Octavia rolling her eyes.

“Vinyl, please. How long have we lived together?”

“Eight years, right?”

“Nine, actually,” Octavia said, “and I can count the number of times I’ve caught you up before the moon on my hooves.”

“That’s not true,” Vinyl pouted.

“Vinyl, dear, my little DJ-HonE,” Octavia tutted softly. “You put the ‘stereo’ in ‘stereotypical’ when it comes to vamponies. If I didn’t know better, I would assume that you’d turn to ash in sunlight with how zealously you avoid it. Now, tell me what’s wrong.”

With a soft sigh, Vinyl flopped her head back, turning it slightly to peer back at her marefriend. Octavia was standing in the hallway, a pair of saddlebags filled with groceries across her back. Upon seeing Vinyl looking at her, the gray mare gave her a weak smile. There was no fear in her gaze, despite for the black eyes and long fangs currently adorning Vinyl’s face.

Vinyl stared at her before laughing softly. “It never ceases to amaze me that these eyes never scare you.”

“It’s because I can see the love in them,” Octavia said softly.

Vinyl studied her face for a moment before letting out a sigh. She lifted her head, returning her gaze to the window, and the countryside below.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she said softly. “My mind won’t rest.”

“You’re thinking about what happened a few days ago?” Octavia asked, moving around the couch to stand in front of Vinyl again. The setting sun cast a halo around her head as she positioned herself between it and Vinyl.

Vinyl nodded. “That, and some other things.” She paused long enough to drain the rest of her tankard. Smacking her lips, she looked up at Octavia. “I’m tired, Tavia. I’ve lived a long life, longer than most anything alive can claim. But I’m starting to feel worn out… wrung out… like I have no energy left. I’m just so… tired.”

Octavia said nothing, and when Vinyl glanced up, she was startled to see tears in her marefriend’s eyes.

“Are… are you saying you’re tired of living?” she asked in a trembling voice.

“What?” Vinyl yelped, jerking back. “No! I’m not tired of living! Buck no!”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Octavia wiped her eyes with the back of a hoof. “Don’t scare me like that,” she chided. “You sounded, well… like you were done with living.”

“No,” Vinyl repeated. “I’m not tired of life. I’m tired of politics.” Running a hoof through her mane, she took a deep breath. “Most of my life, I’ve lived in the center of the nation’s politics. Be it in Dream Valley, the Everfree, Canterlot, wherever. I’ve kept myself close to the seat of power in order to always be in the know. At first it was fine, but now… now it’s just tiring to deal with the squabbling and the flank kissing.”

“So, what are you thinking?” Octavia asked.

“I’m leaving,” Vinyl said. “I’ve already decided. I can live without having the latest info on everything. The world can manage itself without me for once. I’m leaving Canterlot, and I don’t think I’ll be returning for a while.”

Octavia hummed softly, her head cocking slightly to the side. “Where are you thinking of going? Manehatten? Baltimare?”

“Ponyville,” Vinyl said softly. She gave Octavia an apologetic look. “Sorry about dropping this on you all of a sudden. I know how much you love Canterlot. I’ll come visit on the weekends and holidays, and of course I’ll continue to pay my half of the bills—”

“Nonsense!” Octavia said, waving a hoof about. “There’ll be no need for you to visit me.”

“W-what?” Vinyl blinked up at her. “Why?”

“Because I’m going with you,” Octavia said before turning and heading for the kitchen. “While Canterlot is indeed a beautiful city, you have the right idea, my dear. It’s high time for a change of scenery. One can only take so much of the city life before one begins to feel crowded. The openness of the countryside will be more than welcome. Besides, this will work out for the both of us.”

“Why’s that?” Vinyl asked, giving her a confused look.

Glancing over her shoulder, Octavia smirked. “Because my new future duet partner lives there as well.”

“Hold still, please.” Peering through the ophthalmoscope, the nurse flicked the small light on before staring first into one eye, then the other. She alternated between the two for a moment as a small frown slowly spread across her muzzle. After a moment, she turned off the light and lowered the scope.

“Anything?” she asked softly.

Sunny blinked her eyes a few times before shaking her head. “N-nothing.” Propped up against the headboard of the infirmary bed, she stared blankly ahead. The left side of her face was still bare of fur, though the skin was no longer red or inflamed. Her mane had lost its usual frizziness and instead was now cut short. The corners of her lips and edges of her nostrils were still chapped, leaking a small amount of clear fluid. Overall, most of her injuries looked to be healing admirably.

Then there were her eyes.

Scarred, pink skin surrounded the eye sockets, and what little fur was left was charred and brittle. Her violet eyes, once vibrant and animated, were now dull and lifeless. The whites were now a dull pink, and the pupils shrunken to pinpricks. They barely reacted to any outside influences, only twitching back and forth whenever Sunny attempted to look around.

“Nothing,” Sunny repeated. Blinking, she winced and her sightless eyes darted to the right for a moment before returning to stare straight forward. “Are… are you sure the light was on?”

The nurse stared pityingly at her for a moment before holding up the ophthalmoscope once more and flicking on the light.

There was no reaction.

“Anything?” the nurse asked, despite already knowing the answer.

Sunny was silent for a moment, concentrating hard as she tried to detect any changes. Finally, her ears splayed back. “No… nothing.”

“There’s no change then,” the nurse said, lowering the scope. She ran a hoof through her mane before sighing heavily. “I’m sorry, Ms. Breeze, but it appears that treatment isn’t working. I’m afraid the damage to your eyes is just too severe.”

Sunny swallowed thickly. “So, does that mean I’m…” She trailed off, leaving the question unfinished.

“I’m afraid so,” the nurse said sadly. “Sorry, hon, but at the present, there’s nothing more we can do.” Silence followed her words as Sunny continued to stare blankly forward, her bottom lip trembling slightly.

“I am sorry, Ms. Breeze,” the nurse said, “but I must continue my rounds. The doctor will be by shortly to discuss long term plans with you. Call me if you need anything else.” She placed the call button in Sunny’s lap before moving on to her next patient.

Sunny sat there, numb to the world. She could faintly feel the sun on her fur as it streamed in from a nearby window, but she didn’t register the warmth. The softness of her bedding, the gentle beeping of machinery, and the soft murmur of distant voices—she was aware of all of it, yet they were muted, almost as if in a dream. Only one thing made it through the shocked haze that covered her thoughts.

She was broken.

The greatest physical loss a pegasus could suffer was, without a doubt, their wings. However, sight was a close second. To be unable to see meant that one could not navigate the skies with ease. Which direction were you going in? How far below was the ground? Was there a tree or building or mountain in your way? Without sight, it was nearly impossible for a pegasus to fly again without help.

What would she do? Unable to fly, she could no longer find work as a pegasus. She’d no longer be able to find work at all, actually. What pony in their right mind would want to hire a blind pegasus?

“What am I going to do?” she muttered, tears painfully welling up in the corners of her useless eyes.

“Sounds to me like you should wait for the doctor before deciding that, ma’am.”

Sunny jumped. She had forgotten that Stacker had been present, seated in a chair beside the bed. In the days since she had regained consciousness, he had hardly left her side. He’d talk with her, update her on what was going on in the days after the Canterlot Incident, and tried his best to take her mind off of her injuries.

“But, the nurse said they couldn’t fix my eyes,” Sunny muttered. “What could the doctor possibly do?”

“Come up with a plan to help you recover,” Stacker said. “Offer a list of ponies to help you get used to life again. Assign a caretaker to help you until you’re comfortable living on your own.” He shifted in his chair, causing Sunny’s ears to twitch.

“What am I going to do about a job?”

“The Crown will pay for disability until you find something.”

“But, what about—”

“You’ll be fine, ma’am,” Stacker said kindly. “Sure, things won’t go back to normal, but we won’t up and abandon you. You were injured in service to the Crown, and we look after our own.”

“Where am I going to live?” Sunny sighed as she settled uneasily back on her pillows.

“With me,” Stacker said. “My lodgings are here in Canterlot, so you wouldn’t have to move far. Unless some new threat pops up, the Coming Dawn is getting an extended break, so I’ll have some time to help you get accustomed to your surroundings. That is, if you’d like.”

Sunny stiffened, her sightless eyes widening. She was silent for a moment, and a faint blush spread across her face, easily visible on her bare skin. A smile touched her lips. “I… I’d like that very much.”

Suddenly, the mattress shook slightly as the scarred human crawled out from underneath it. Fighting back a yawn, he proceeded to crawl into bed with Sunny, lifting her up carefully and placing her down in his lap.

As the human worked on getting Sunny situated, Stacker’s smirk grew. “And it looks like we already have a seeing eye human for you.”

Sunny tilted her head, her sightless eyes trying to peer up at the human currently holding her. After a moment of considering, her smile grew as well. “I think… I’ll call you Defender.”

The human chirped happily.

Melodic Wind awoke.

It was a decision that she immediately regretted.

Her every sense was too sensitive. Somepony had done her the courtesy of stuffing cotton firmly in her ears, but even then the noise around her was almost deafening. The beeping of machines, the harsh clip-clop of hooves in the corridor outside, the scritch-scratch of mice somewhere nearby—she could hear it all. The sheer volume of the sounds was enough to make her head spin, and—despite the efforts of a second pair of cotton balls stuffed up her nose—the pungent, sterile scent that was currently filling her nostrils wasn’t helping. She had experienced hangovers more pleasant than this.

Still fighting off the shackles of unconsciousness, Melodic smacked her lips, only to pause at the odd, coppery taste that coated her cheeks. A quick exploration with her tongue led to the discovery of two small tubes located in the corners of her mouth. A slow drizzle of a thick liquid dripped from them every few seconds, providing her with a taste she had become accustomed to over the past few months of her abuse. Unlike before though, she didn’t gag at the odd flavor, but instead swallowed instinctively—almost greedily.

She practically purred as she lapped at the inside of her cheeks, trying to get at as much of the liquid as possible. A sudden prick of pain brought her back though, and she winced as she caught her tongue on a particularly sharp tooth. Tentatively, she nudged the new fang with the tip of her tongue, only to flinch as she poked herself again.

Where did you come from? she mused lethargically. Pondering on this for a few drawn-out seconds, she realized with a start that she was actually thinking normally again. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she didn’t have someone else whispering in her head. No more numbers, no more words, no more orders; all that remained was her own thoughts. Her mind was peaceful and quiet once more. It had been so long since she had her mind to herself; she had almost forgotten how good it felt. Tears welled up in her eyes, only to be quickly absorbed by something.

As the haze over her mind finally lifted, the aches and pains of her body came rushing in to take its place. One of her eyes was still swollen shut, and the side of her face felt bruised and stiff. She had almost no energy left in her body, her muscles having long since atrophied. The air around her felt cold, the warmth of the blankets draped over her a welcome luxury, although the soft material felt odd against her wings. Her new wings.

As if from within a deep well inside her, the memories returned, murky and choppy. The white unicorn, the offer, the promise, the red eyes, and then… the pain. Dear Celestia, for a brief moment it had felt like her entire body had been crushed and lit on fire, but then… silence.

She was free.

The sound of somepony sighing next to her snapped her back to the present. The sigh itself had been soft, but thanks to her new hearing, it had been as though somepony had blown right into her ear. Said ear swiveled about to face the source of the noise, and the feeling of the cotton balls shifting around sent shivers down Melodic’s sides.

There came another sigh—just as painful as the first—before a voice spoke up. It was young, and had a slight lisp to it. “When isth sthissy gonna wake up?”

Melodic’s heart skipped a beat.

“I don’t know, hon,” another voice said softly, this one older and more feminine. The sound of it caused another skip. “It might still be a while. The nurses say that she’s very sick. She needs to rest so she can get better.”

“She’s lucky to be alive, if what they say happened to her is true,” said a third voice, deep yet soothing. More tears sprung to Melodic’s closed eyes.

“But… but she isth gonna wake up, right?”

“The nurses seem to think so,” came the reply from the female, though it sounded as if the speaker was fighting back tears. There was a quiet swallow, although she heard it plain as day. “Remember, honey. She’s been through a lot. She might be a little different if…. when she wakes up.”

“Doesn't matter,” the young voice pouted. “She'sth still my sthissy.”

Despite her groggy state, Melodic was still able to recognize the speakers, especially the younger one. The annoying nickname he called her, the lisp that came from his two missing front teeth. There was only one pony in Equestria that could be, and the realization was enough to bring more tears to her eyes.

She had to see him.

With great difficulty, Melodic cracked her unswollen eye open. At some point, somepony had wrapped a white cloth around her head, covering her eyes. It was just thin enough that she could still observe her surroundings, though everything appeared as though it was in a muted white fog. However, the material was thick enough that it stopped the light from hurting her eye too much, something that she was grateful for.

It took her eye a second to adjust, and even then everything was blurred. Lifting her head slightly, she caught sight of three white-ish blobs gathered around the edge of her bed, splashes of yellow and red accenting them. One was smaller than the others, and was actually seated at the foot of the bed.

As she watched, the smaller blob squirmed slightly before whining out, “I’m booored!”

One of the other blobs shifted, almost as if to chastise the smaller blob, but Melodic beat them to it.

“You’re always bored, booger breath,” she rasped, her voice little more than a wheeze.

All three of the blobs stiffened, one of the larger ones let out a soft gasp before the smallest one suddenly barreled into her with a cry of “Sthissy!” The other two blobs quickly followed suit with cries of their own, clinging to her as they cried. Melodic cried with them, her blindfold quickly taking on a crimson tint as her tears soaked into the fabric. She clung to her little brother, refusing to let go even when a couple of healers arrived to see what all the fuss was about.

She continued to cling to her little brother, even after the healers had left. A pair of Night Guards arrived a little while later, their eyes glowing red. They took her parents off to the side where they talked quietly with them.

Even as unconsciousness began to claim Melodic again and she slowly drifted off to sleep, she clung to her brother, and for once, after so long, she was happy.

Making her way down the hall, a lone Healer sighed softly to herself as she went. It had been a long week for her and her sisters, but things were beginning to wind down now. They had been overwhelmed at first by the sheer number of injured ponies flooding into the medical wing. It had taken them some time, but now most of the ponies that they were tending to were in stable condition.

While some were still bedridden due to their injuries, plenty were well enough to be released. This not only freed up a lot of bed space—as the medical ward was now spread throughout half a dozen different rooms at least—but it also meant the Healers had less patients to look after, so they could focus their attention on those few cases that were much more severe.

In fact, it was to one of these severe cases that she was now currently headed.

Rounding a corner in the hall, she slowed to a halt outside of one of the rooms the Healers had commandeered. Her horn lit up, and the door swung open, allowing her entrance. The room had once been an office of some kind, but all the desks and shelves had been removed. White sheets were pinned over the windows. They allowed in some of the sunlight from outside, but kept it at a soft, comfortable level as to allow those inside to rest easily.

Medical beds ran around the circumference of the room, their equipment set up beside them, ready for use. Several of the beds stood ready, their sheets cleaned and pressed, although many of them had been stripped bare, their occupants having already been released. Only two beds still remained occupied.

She made her way over to the closest of the two, the muted sunlight glinting off of her ornamental blindfold mask. It contained a unicorn mare with a light gray coat and white mane. An abnormal amount of medical equipment surrounded her, tubes and wires covering her stomach and upper body. Tape with glowing runes surrounded a hole in her chest. Bits of stone still clung to parts of her body, shifting and grinding against one another as she breathed weakly.

Stopping beside the bed, the Healer checked the mare’s vitals with a quick spell from her horn.

“Still stable,” she said softly. “Condition is improving, yet she is still weak.” She paused, her horn glowing brighter for a moment before fading. “Wound has closed by one centimeter. Flesh around the wound appears healthy. No infections, no decaying. All is going well.”

Lifting the clipboard located at the foot of the bed, the Healer made several notes on it, writing elegantly despite her blindfold mask. She checked the machines as well, marking down a few more notes before returning the clipboard to its original place. Beneath her mask, her muzzle crinkled slightly as she gave the mare one last look over before turning her attention to the only other patient in the room.

His breathing was strained slightly, but that was to be expected, given his bruised ribs. A plethora of bandages covered his form, and a custom-made cast adorned his right leg. Unlike his roommate, he only had one attachment: an IV that ran down to his right forearm.

As the Healer approached, she picked up his clipboard and began flipping through it. There was a few new notes from the previous Healer, but no there were no changes in his overall condition. Pushing more magic through her horn, she moved to scan the patient.

Before she could, his eyes snapped open.

I wasn’t entirely sure when I woke up.

There was no real defining point, no slow transition between unconsciousness and wakefulness. I was not eased into the waking world slowly—grudgingly—like usual. There was no struggling to return to the dream realm, no fighting off the inevitable pull of consciousness. There wasn’t even a sudden shock, like when one was awakened by an alarm clock.

None of that happened.

One moment I wasn’t there…

...the next, I was.

My return to consciousness might have been sudden, but my memories did not follow suit. A cloud hung over my mind, muddling my thoughts. I could recall everything up to Discord and being blasted by the Elements, but after that… it was confusing. It was like trying to recall a dream that, even as you tried to remember it, it slipped through your grasp. Certain parts and pieces stood out perfectly, while the majority was just a haze of colors, sounds, and feelings.

I lay there, staring up at the strange ceiling as my memories swirled about inside my head. Discord, Riddick, Havok, the Asylum… there was something else too, but it was elusive. Every time I tried to recall it, the memories darted away, almost as if they did not wish to be remembered. All I could truly remember about the events after I escaped the Asylum was a massive tree… yet it wasn’t exactly a tree either.

Why did thinking about it make my head hurt?

I puzzled about it for a few more moments, until it felt like I had most of my memories sorted out as best as I could manage.

Then, I sat up.

The first thing I noticed upon moving was that I wasn’t as stiff as I thought I’d be. Sure, my limbs felt sluggish, but there wasn’t any of the normal ‘pop’s or ‘snap’s that usually accompanied my movements after sleeping for a while.

The second thing I noticed—more from the startled squawk she let out than anything else—was a pony that was currently standing beside my bed. She had on a strange metal mask that covered her eyes and the top half of her muzzle. Weird designs were etched into the silver material, and her horn poked out of a hole located in the top of the mask.

Ignoring the weird mare as she attempted to get me to lie back down, I threw back the blankets. I started to swing my legs out of bed, only to pause upon seeing the cast around my right leg.

“Where did you come from?” I muttered, my brow furrowing as I stared down at the cast. Eyeing it for a few more seconds, I shrugged before lowering the cast-covered foot to the floor. Tentatively, I put some weight on it, only to wince. While not excruciating, it was still painful to stand on the leg without some support. A quick glance around and I grabbed an nearby IV stand, using it as a makeshift staff.

I took a few experimental steps, testing out my mobility. While not exactly idle, I could move about with minimal discomfort. It’d do for now.

The mare had dashed in front of me and was now frantically trying to get me back in the bed. I pushed her aside and headed for the door.

There was someone I had to find.

“Twilight Sparkle! You are looking much better, my friend!”

Twilight paused in the middle of the hallway, a blush touching her cheeks. Her wings fluttering, she turned to see both Princess Celestia and Luna making their way down the corridor towards her, a trio of guards in golden armor following behind them. The sunlight streaming through the windows that lined the hall glinted off the sisters’ regalia, and their coats shone brightly.

“Thank you, Luna,” she said with a weak laugh. “I guess I was more overworked than I thought.” She ran a hoof through her mane, and while not as pristine as the royal sisters’ appeared, it was certainly better than the rat’s nest it had been earlier in the week. “I just needed a few days to relax. I should be able to return to my duties this afternoon.”

Luna nodded while not-so-subtly elbowing her sister in the side.

Celestia had the decency to blush.

“That won’t be necessary, my faithful student,” she said softly, “and I must apologize to you. I was so wrapped up in trying to put the pieces of Canterlot back together again, that I hadn’t even considered the strain that had already been placed upon you. I shouldn’t have had you dealing with the nobles by yourself.”

Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but Luna beat her to it.

“And?” Luna asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“And... I should have given you more time to relax and recover, especially after everything that’s happened to you,” Celestia added with a sheepish grin. “While it is true that my sister and I were affected by the events as well, we had needed only to rest until our magic returned. You suffered much more physical and mental wounds than that, yet were performing so admirably that it hadn’t even crossed my mind. That is no excuse, though.”

Luna closed her eyes and stuck her nose in the air. “And as such?”

Celestia cuffed the back of her sister’s head playfully. “And as such, we shall be taking on the responsibilities that were tasked to you. Your only concern now is your health and wellbeing, which I don’t think you’ll be able to find here in Canterlot. Besides, I’m sure your friends in Ponyville are anxious to see you.”

“You’re sending me back to Ponyville?” Twilight asked, blinking owlishly.

“Yes, we are,” Luna said. “While not an order, we both believe you will be happier there. You are welcome to stay in Canterlot if you’d like, but you’ll have no more royal duties, so it might be a bit boring.”

Twilight fidgeted slightly. “While I was wondering when I could go back… what about Max? I can’t just leave him here.”

“He will be transferred to the hospital in Ponyville,” Celestia said. “He is in stable condition, and according to our Healers, there’s nothing left to do but wait for him to wake up.”

“I don’t know…” Twilight mumbled, nibbling on her lip.

“You don’t have to decide right away,” Luna hummed. “Come, let us head to the dining hall. We believe it is almost time for lunch, is it not?”

Celestia nodded her head. “It is indeed, and I believe the cooks have prepared a delicious pasta salad for us. We shouldn’t keep them waiting.” Glancing down at Twilight, she motioned with her head. “Would you like to accompany us?”

“Wha…?” Twilight wha’d, blinking up at Celestia. “Oh, um… I was actually headed to the library to pick up a new—” She was going to say ‘book’, but her stomach took that moment to growl loudly in an attempt to remind the mare she had forgotten breakfast.

A large blush spread across her face, and she laughed weakly. “I suppose I could do with some food.”

“Splendid!” Luna chirped. Unfurling her wings, she draped them over both Celestia and Twilight before stirring them down the hallway, towards the dining room. The guards had to hurry to keep up. “Make haste, fellow princesses! We must get there before all the pasta is gone!”

“B-but I thought the cooks always made our meals separate from everypony else’s?” Twilight asked, trying to keep her hooves beneath her even as Luna all but pushed her down the hall.

“They do,” Celestia sighed good-humoredly.

“Oh.” Twilight paused. “Then what is the hurry?”

“What’s the hurry?!” Luna yelped. “Twilight Sparkle! Everypony knows that the best way to heal the body is to stuff the stomach! Besides, a mare in your condition should not be skipping meals! You need as much sustenance as possible!”

Celestia—who had up until then been going along for the ride with a look of mild humor on her face—perked up at that. “Oh? ‘A mare in her condition’? I hadn’t realized her leg was bothering her still. Why didn’t you tell me, Twilight?”

Luna’s head swiveled around and her gaze bore into Twilight with eagle-like intensity which caused the younger mare to ‘eep’. “You haven’t told her yet?”

“Told me what?” Celestia asked, glancing at Luna.

“Heh… it might have… slipped my mind?” Twilight offered weakly.

Celestia glanced at Twilight. “What slipped your mind?”

“It slipped your mind,” Luna deadpanned.

“I was going to tell her!” Twilight defended. “There just hasn’t been a good time for it yet!”

“Not this again!” Luna huffed. “We are not dragging this out like you dragged out telling your mate how you felt!”

Twilight gave her an affronted look. “I wasn’t planning on doing that! I just haven’t gotten around to telling her yet!”

Luna began to speak, but fell silent when a white wingtip touched her lips. The same happened to Twilight. The group stopped moving, and Celestia stepped in front of them. This allowed the guards to finally catch up.

“Now then,” Celestia said softly. “No more back and forth. What were you going to tell me, Twilight?”

Blinking, Twilight opened her mouth before pausing. She glanced at Luna, who just shrugged, before returning her gaze to Celestia. Licking her lips, Twilight began, “Princess Celestia. I’m not sure how, but I’m pre—”

CLANG

A loud clatter noise made all three princesses jump and the guards spring to attention. It continued, something clank-clank-clanking down the hall towards them. Turning, they peered down the hallway in the direction the noise was coming from. The guards moved around them, taking up position in front of the alicorns. Horns began to glow, but the magic fizzled out when the source of the disturbance rounded the far end of the corridor and came into view.

“Max!” Twilight cried out.

Celestia and Luna blinked. “What the…?”

Down the hallway, the human came, clutching an IV stand as though it were a staff. With each limping step he took, the base clacked against the marble floors. Several of his bandages had come loose, and his breathing was labored, each breath seeming to cause him some level of discomfort. Still, he pressed on, his gaze fixed on the alicorns further down the corridor.

“He’s awake?” Luna asked dumbly.

“Oh dear,” Celestia mumbled as the human stumbled slightly. “He really shouldn’t be up and about just yet.” As she spoke, a Healer came dashing around the corner after the human.

“Princesses! I’m so sorry!” the mare called out. “I tried to get him back into bed, but he wouldn’t listen!”

“It could be he didn’t understand,” Celestia said. “Did you try hoof language?”

The mare nodded even as she hurried to catch up to the human. “Yes, but he won’t listen!”

“We best take care of this quickly, before he hurts himself… again,” Luna said softly. The group moved forward—Twilight taking the lead—heading to intercept the wayward human. Before the Healer or the Princesses could reach him though, there came another clatter from an adjacent hallway and three ponies sprung out.

Two of the ponies—guards with emblems signifying lower rank on their armor—seized the human and dragged him to his knees. The third pony—a noble unicorn with white fur and red mane—lunged up and, none too gently, grabbed the human’s head and shoved a thermometer into his ear. A few seconds later, it beeped and the stallion held it up triumphantly. “Ah-ha! Just as I suspected!”

“Silver Stream,” Twilight growled, her eyes narrowing. She quickened her pace.

Ignorant of the approaching ponies behind him, Silver waved the thermometer around, a sneer on his face. “I knew it! This human is one of those freaks that attacked Canterlot! Hiding under the princesses’ very noses! No longer, though!”

As Silver gloated, one of the guards holding down the struggling human glanced over his shoulder. His eyes widened upon seeing the approaching princesses. His partner, confused at the reaction, peered around as well.

Silver remained oblivious.

“You can’t hide any longer, freak,” Silver sneered. “Once I expose you and you are dealt with properly, the princesses will thank me for my service. I might not know what your plans were concerning Twilight Sparkle, but she’ll no doubt thank me for exposing… and where do you think you two are going?” This last part was directed at the two guards, who had released the human and were currently backing away.

“Um, sir?” one of them said nervously, nodding pointedly down the hall.

Still hanging off the human, Silver turned around. Upon seeing the approaching alicorns, all of whom had various looks of displeasure on their faces, his face paled, which was rather impressive, seeing as his coat was already pristine white. “P-prince—ack!” He was lifted off his hooves when the human suddenly stood up again, using the IV stand to support himself.

Silver flailed about until a hand grabbed his throat. It pulled him off the human’s shoulders, and he found himself eye to eye with an annoyed looking human. “N-now, see here you—urk!” The hand tightened around his throat.

Still glaring at him, the human growled softly. “Get your fucking hooves off me, you damn dirty pony.”

Twilight almost tripped over her own hooves. He… he spoke! And I could understand him!

Giving Silver one last shake, Max then dropped him. He bounced roughly upon the hard marble, collapsing into a pile off to the side.

Luna eyed him with barely concealed contempt as she drew near. “Lieutenant,” she said, calling to one of the three guards accompanying her, “kindly take this one to the holding cells. My sister and I will deal with him later.”

“What about these two, ma’am?” the lieutenant asked as she motioned towards the two nervous-looking guards.

“We’re assuming that he told you that it was urgent you did as he said?” Luna asked cocking an eyebrow. “At least, we hope that he tricked you into following him, and you didn’t, say… accept any bribes.”

“He, uh… s-said the lives of one or more of the princesses were in danger, ma’am,” one of the guards replied shakily.

Luna eyed the pair critically. “Very well,” she said slowly. “Off with the both of you.”

Nodding, the two guards scampered off down the hall.

“That was certainly interesting,” Luna said as she watched them going. Turning, she joined Celestia and Twilight as they finally reached Max. The Healer was inspecting the human, her horn glowing as she scanned his leg. She breathed a sigh of relief upon discovering that his wounds hadn’t worsened.

“And what, pray tell, are you doing out of bed?” Luna asked.

“I can think of a reason,” Celestia said slyly, glancing down at Twilight, who was staring up at the human in a mixture of delight and worry. She moved forward, wings spread, when he stepped forward, obviously waiting for a hug… that never came.

All parties blinked as the human sidestepped around Twilight, completely ignoring the ‘hug pls’ look she was giving him, and moved to stand in front of Celestia instead. He stared into her eyes, his face expressionless.

Celestia returned the gaze, an unsure look crossing her face.

“Max?” Twilight asked softly, her face a mask of confusion.

Luna just watched on, bemused.

Their looks of curiosity and uncertainty quickly turned to shock and alarm when Max suddenly reached up and slapped Celestia full on in the face.