and

Praetorian and Crosshair were having a little sparring session, of sorts. Crosshair was probably using her crossbow as a hammer, and Praetorian was using his shield to block her attacks.

“You know, I really wish we could stick a knife onto my Crossbow and make it some sort of a spear.” She said as she fruitlessly hammering away with her Crossbow. Which probably didn’t do much.

“You’re a fan of spears?” he asks, raising the shield to block the attack.

“Well, More like not a fan of improvised Hammers. At least with a blade it’ll be more useful!” Crosshair grunted again as she whacked away at him, trying to find gaps and holes to whack at with her unrelenting blows, stepping forward each time.

Praetorian yields ground slowly, circling around and positioning himself as best he can to avoid being pushed into a corner. “I suppose that’s true. So how’s Flamberge going?”

“He’s doing fine and strong.” Crosshair whacked at Praetorian’s shield some more, grunting as she kept on pushing “Cream Puff kissed him during the party though, But I suppose she was drunk.”

“Oh,” Praetorian says, and is silent for a few seconds, as they continue the pattern of strike and block. “Well...I suppose it was for the better that I didn’t go to the party, then. Did he tell you, or did you find out?”

“I saw.” She said as it’s her turn to be on the defensive. “Creampuff was pretty drunk though, so I guess I couldn’t blame her. Flamberge /is/ just that amazing, I mean, look at the beard!”

Praetorian smirks. “Just the beard that you’re after, eh?” he says with a smile. “I wonder what it is Maize sees in me. Can’t be the beard, so it’s gotta be something else, hey?”

“well, there’s the discipline too, and other things I’m sure of! and Flamberge’s got much better than his beard, I can tell you that much.” She giggled.

“So then, Flamberge and you had a talk yet about little miss Cream Puff?” Praetorian asks. “I... I didn’t do that back home. And, well, that went appallingly.”

“Well, he said it was just a mistake so I suppose it’s nothing much to talk about.” Crosshair shrugged. “Besides, I don’t think Creampuff even remembers it. Better not talk about it, yeah?”

“Well, I certainly won’t go spreading it around,” he says, and a wry smile comes on his face. “I’d suggest maybe asking somepony for relationship advice, but the only pony I can think of is Cream Puff...” He lowers his face for a second. “I do feel sorry for the mare, though. She seems very...very sad.”

“Mmm.. yeah, I’m worried about her too you know? Really wish she’d find somepony..” Crosshair said with a little nod, not realizing that her friend have already found somepony. Her somepony.

“About the only ponies I can think of in this place are Temperance, and the doc. And I don’t think the doc is much interested in other ponies,” says Praetorian. “So, I suppose that leaves us one option.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“I think we’ll have to set up a date between her and Temperance,” says Praetorian.

Crosshair giggled some more at that “Well, only if she wanted to! I don’t want to force her onto things, you know? Better for her to choose and follow her own heart, yeah?”

Praetorian laughs as well. “Well, we don’t have to force them into a relationship. Just a little date.”

“Mnm, perhaps. Perhaps. I’ll go talk to her about it though”

“Very well then,” says Praetorian, as they continue their sparring.

 and

Puff was relaxing on a tuft of cloud when she heard the screams.  Somehow, a discordant had managed to sneak into the center of town!  Even worse, she could see one of those strange dust storms slowly rolling in on the horizon.  She doesn’t doubt that the military ponies could handle the discordant, but what about Maize?  What if there was more than one of those things out there?  She heads for the fields as fast as her wings can carry her.

Maize appears to not notice either the cloud or the many ponies around her flipping out. However, she’s pacing uncharacteristically fast through the field, barely avoiding stomping some of her own beloved plants.

Puff swoops down to fly beside her friend, worried she might be panicked or something.  “Maize!  Come on, we should get somewhere safe!”

“Safe...” Maize turns her head, her eyes glazed over except for her pupils, which look as deep and black as ever, as if some nothing had replaced her very soul. Her lips are curled up into a terrifying rictus grimace. “Nowhere is safe. Not for you. Not for your friends. This is our land, and you are just another trespasser.”

“Holy buck!!” shouts Puff as she almost jumps out of her coat.  Maize had said the clouds made her act funny, but this is really bad.  Fear is soon replaced by anger at the thought of some otherworldly jerk trying to to take over her friend.  “Hey, you leave Maize alone!”

“Leave her alone?” The seemingly possessed body turns and moves toward Puff, pressing its nose against hers. “But I am your beloved Maize. Don’t you recognize me? Did you really think the shallow, insecure little filly you thought was your friend wasn’t hiding something... wonderful?”

“You’re not wonderful, you’re a big fat jerk!  And you are not Maize!  She’d never talk like that, and she’d never come so close to stomping on the plants!  So get out of her!”

“Get out? Get out of my body?” The thing laughs. “You know, I’m almost tempted to, if I could. Your kind’s disgusting blood has tainted it, and it’s so frail and weak now.” It leans in to try and nuzzle Puff. “But yours... it would make a much better vessel.”

Puff wings back a bit, wondering just what has gotten into Maize.  “I’m, uh... kinda full of my kind’s disgusting blood.”  She pauses, looking nervous.  “Would you really leave her alone?”

“It does not matter, really.” The body grits its teeth. “Your dear little friend is stronger than she thinks. She dares to hold me back from His touch.” The head turns its gaze to the red cloud, looming ominously close to the town. “That lovely magic can purify even the most wretched, disgusting pigs blood into the finest, purest drips of life. And yet this stubborn mare will not let me fix her.” It snorts in disgust. “Maybe, though, you could help. End our suffering, and maybe your own. I’m certain you’d be much happier with somepony you could truly love...”

“Give him Hell, Maize!  You can sit and spin, you bastard!”

The grim smile turns into an angry frown. “Then you have made your choice. There will be no mercy for you once He finally reaches me. You will see the true power of Discord!” As the red cloud begins to dissipate, Maize’s body writhes, seemingly wracked with pain. It falls to the ground, still as death.

Puff does her best to catch her friend and carefully lay her down.  She gently pats her cheek to try and wake her.  “Maize?  Maize!  Can you hear me?”

The meek mare slowly flutters open her eyes and turns them to Cream Puff. “...P-puff? What... what happened? I feel so... tired...”

She sighs in relief and smiles at Maize.  “Another red cloud came around.”

“Oh...” The mare slowly rolls onto her feet and tries to stand. “I... I thought I saw F... my father, before I blacked out...”

Puff’s smile fades to a look of concern.  “Can you move?  I think we should probably head to your room or mine.  I, uh... I think I might know what’s going on with those clouds.”

“O-okay.” The mare tests her steadiness on her legs and slowly follows Cream Puff. “What... what did you find out?”

“They are definitely not natural...”  Cream Puff doesn’t say anything more until they are in the privacy of Maize’s room.

Maize opens up her door, holding it for Puff. “Go ahead in... make yourself comfy and all that.” The room is spartan, as would be expected of Maize. The only real furnishing beyond the bed and whatever objects Temperance might have seen fit to give her is a potted flower of some sort sitting under the window.

Puff nods a thanks to Maize and closes the door behind her before sitting next to the bed so Maize can sit on it if she wants.  “So yeah, those clouds.  They’re... apparently big puffs of Discordant magic.”

“D-discordant magic!?” Maize crawls onto the bed and lies down, looking at Puff. She tries to use her hoof to make it clear that she left plenty of space for her friend and wants her to sit on the bed, too.

Puff gives her a small smile before climbing up to lay next to her.  “Yeah.  I don’t really know what that all entails, but it can’t be good.”  She pauses, trying to figure out how to put her next question.  How do you go about asking your friend how they got possessed by something?

Maize nods. “But... why does it do this to me... am I the only pony who gets knocked out by it?”

Puff glances around, not really wanting to answer the question.  “Well... kinda.  You don’t just collapse when those clouds show up.  Something... something tries to take you over?”

Maize looks quietly horrified as she tries to think of what could possibly be going on. “But... I... I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong... I mean, I should be able to tell if there’s something else in me... right?”

“I don’t know?  You’re apparently winning, at least.”

Maize lays her head down on the pillow. “That... that’s good, I guess... but what happens when I stop winning?”

“Bad stuff?  The thing wasn’t too specific.”  Puff gently rubs Maize’s withers, trying to comfort her.

“You... talked to it?” Maize’s shoulders tense a bit as Puff touches them, but quickly relax under the soothing rub. “That must have been scary.”

“It was, but I was also pretty mad at it for trying to take you over.  Seemed like you have a pretty good handle on it, though.  All it could do was pace and talk.”

“Mmm...” Maize looks away. “...What happens when... other ponies find out? Do... do you think Temperance will kick me out... or worse?”

“I... I don’t know?  I don’t think he would, though.  And even if he does, I’m coming with you.  You don’t leave a friend when they need your help.”

Maize looks to Puff, seeming shocked by the statement. Her face soon softens into a big smile, though, as her eyes tear up a little. “Th-thank... you... but you don’t... have to...”

Puff smiles at her in return.  “But I will anyway.  But I don’t think it’ll come to that, Maize.  You don’t have to deal with this on your own any more.”

Maize rolls a bit and wraps her hooves around Cream Puff, giving the mare a weak squeeze and... a peck on the cheek?

Puff takes it as just a friendly gesture and smiles.  “You’re gonna be alright?”

“Yeah... I think I’ll take a nap, though. I’m still really tired.” Maize looks at her friend. “You wanna nap too?”

Puff thinks for a few moments, then nods.  “I’m not usually one for naps, but one sounds pretty good right about now.”

Maize nods and closes her eyes, a hoof draped over Cream Puff but a little distance between the two, as if Maize was trying to keep it from looking like they were snuggling.

Puff is far less concerned for appearances, and simply gets comfortable.  She lays a wing protectively over Maize, wishing she could do more to help her friend with what was happening.

Maize, not feeling like schooling her friend on the apparent importance of appearances, simply snuggles in under the wing and lets herself drift off to sleep.

Meanwhile, back at the cave . . .

  Max glides into an unassuming culvert in the side of a mountain north of Duskfields. His claws clatter on the gray stone steps of a camouflaged stairway leading into a dark, wet, and cold passage. He strides up the steps leading into his humble abode. A thick circular stone stands in front of him. The stone has five peculiar holes in the dead center. Max puts his claws in all the way to the palm and grabs the claw holes, opening it like a door knob. The stone pulses with blue magic. The carved slab of granite rolls away, as if weightless.  

 Inside was a grand gold and onyx hallway with flawless marble pillars.  the expansive football field sized hall ends in a colossal, excessive hoard of gold and jewels that could rival the wealth of an entire county. Protruding out of the gold was the massive bones of a full grown dragon. Max yawns mundanely and stretched out over the solid gold throne protruding out of the pile. He spots a vole scratching around the onyx and ivory checkered floor. He picks the morsel up with a claw and had a relatively crunchy snack. With a gross burp, he picks up his book from the gold pile.

The leather book was black and heavy. In silver embroidering the title read ‘How to Cook Four Ponies.’ Max always found the typo ‘four’ instead of ‘for’ humorous about it. Even better, since the book was a reject every single page was blank; It made for an excellent journal. The licked the tip of his quill and prepared to write.

  Dear Diary. I have fooled them all. Little did they know this unassuming Griffon would be their harbinger of their doom. Now Duskfields fate has been sealed. Nah, just kidding Diary. Could you imagine though?  Anyway. Yeah. We have new neighbors. neighbors that happen to like neighing. I asked around, they are not here for the gold or aware of the cave. They want to plant potatoes outside. That puts my first fear to rest. My second fear is how do I keep it that way? I will think of something, I always do. But for now I guess all I can do is keep an eye around Duskfields and insist this place is just a hole in the ground.  Third fear? The third fear is -  well, It’ll be fine. I’m sure.

The job is done, the hole is repaired and and I helped out on the project to build the roof as well. The carpenters seems nice enough. Other than an odd stare, Nopony suspects anything out of the ordinary about me.

Max frowns.

Those Discordants sure like to stir up trouble. Hateful, borderline suicidal twisted parodies of the ponies. Makes no sense at all . . . I felt like I should have swooped in and helped, If only I saw what was going on .  

 Note: Temperance and Wood Chips want to have a talk tomorrow. Also! try some of Cream Puff’s desserts.

Max closes the book, tosses it into the obscene amount of gold behind him and nods off.

 and

Cream Puff paces restlessly outside Serenity’s office.  Her appointment is this after noon, but she’s unsure if she has anypony in there already.  But she really needs to talk to her.  After a few more minutes, she pounds on the door, unable to keep her patience.

Serenity opens the door. “Good afternoon,Cream Puff. You’re right on time.Please, come in.”

She hurries inside, looking a bit haggard.  “Oh good, you’re here and I’m not interrupting.  I just really needed to talk to somepony and I didn’t know who, then I remembered you’re supposed to know how ponies work, so you’re the best pony to talk to, and it’s really important.”

Serenity quietly takes in everything Cream Puff just rattled off, before gesturing to an empty chair. “...Why don’t you have a seat?”

Puff heeds her advice and sits down, fidgeting constantly.

“Alright...” Serenity takes a seat across from her, “Now. What did you want to talk about?”

“Flamberge!  I... I love him!”

“The captain? Isn’t he already in a relationship?”

“Exactly!”

Serenity nods. “I see. So when did you start having these feelings towards him?”

“For... a while, I think.  I only actually realized it a day or so ago.”

“And what is it about him that’s so...” she searches for a word. “...bewitching?”

“He’s... a good pony.  And handsome.  Handsome helps.”  Puff blushes only a little as she talks.

Serenity stares at Cream Puff over the tops of her glasses. “Cream Puff, there are a lot of good, handsome stallions here. Temperance. Case Study. Others. There’s something else, isn’t there?”

“He’s strong, and he cares.  And he can handle my crap without getting flustered.”

Serenity is silent for a moment, deep in thought. “...Are there any other stallions here you’ve had even a passing interest in?”

“Well, I’m friends with just about everypony, or at least know their names.  Not too hard to meet new ponies when almost all the food comes through me.  Praetorian is nice, but not my type.  And I’d feel even worse about taking a stallion from Maize!  Red is rash, hot-headed, stubborn, and a bit of a jerk, definitely not my type.  Case Study is nice enough, but I don’t think he wants a relationship.  And even if he did, I get the feeling it’d be like dating a book.  Temperance isn’t bad, but he’s just so busy.  I probably know him least out of all the ponies here.”  She sighs.  “I just don’t feel that spark with any of them that I do with Flamberge.”

“Then...” Serenity hesitates for a moment. “...what about mares?”

Puff shrugs.  “Never really considered mares an option.”

“Well, it isn’t everypony’s cup of tea, but perhaps you might at least consider it, at least until some more eligible stallions come along.”

Puff just gives Serenity a slightly confused look.  “...Are you coming onto me, Doc?”

“...What? No, that would be highly inappropriate.”

Puff shrugs again.  “Can’t really picture myself with a mare, and I can’t picture myself with anypony as just a temporary thing while waiting for something ‘better’.”

Serenity considers this for a moment. “Why do you feel the need to enter a committed relationship right now?”

“It’s not exactly something I planned!  It just... kinda hit me out of nowhere.”

Serenity is silent for a long time, deep in thought. “I... really don’t know what to tell you, other than try to find something or somepony to take your mind off him. If your feelings are that strong, this is going to be very hard for you. But you must accept that you cannot be together.”

“So, what... that’s it?  Play the lonely lover from afar, letting the one you love be happy even if it means without you?”  Cream Puff sighs.  “Being mature sucks... and is lonely.”

Serenity smiles, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You won’t be alone forever. I believe you’ll find somepony.”

Cream Puff doesn’t look too convinced, but manages a weak smile for her.  After all, she’s supposed to be the professional, right?

“Now, if you don’t mind, there’s... something I wanted to ask of you. How much do you know about Praetorian?”

Puff quirks an eyebrow at Serenity.  “A decent amount, he’s a good friend.  Why?”

“Well,” Serenity begins, “I had a chance to speak to him a few nights ago. Something about him struck me as... odd, particularly when we got on the subject of Maize, but I couldn’t quite put my hoof on it. Now perhaps it’s just me being.... well, perhaps it’s just me. If it isn’t too much trouble, could you keep an eye on him, particularly when he’s with her, and tell me if you see it too?”

“See what?  What were you two talking about?  Because he’s always been a perfect gentlecolt where I could see.”

“I know, and it’s probably nothing. But could you please do this for me? It would ease my mind, at least.”

Puff gives her an uncertain look.  “It’d help if I know what I’m looking for.”

Serenity sighs. “Just... get him on the subject of Maize, particularly her... social anxiety.”

“Social anxiety?”  Puff still looks incredulous as she thinks to herself.  Sure, Maize is shy, but she can hardly picture Tor getting weird about it.  He’s not exactly a paragon of social interaction himself.  Unless she means the why behind Maize’s shyness?  Puff knows Maize has, or had, issues with her father... oh, there it is.  She can see him getting pretty damn angry about that.  To be honest, she gets angry when she thinks about that, too.  “This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with Maize’s past, would it?”

“...Yes, it does.”

“Her dad?”

Serenity’s ears prick up. Maize hadn’t said anything to her about her family. “...What about her father?”

Puff face hoofs.  “I thought she would have told you...”

She shakes her head. “No. She says very little about her past, and nothing at all about her family. When I start to dig around those subjects, she becomes very distressed. I assumed she had some very traumatic memories... but of what?”

“I don’t know any specifics, but I know her dad treated her horribly, and her mom hardly treated her at all.  Praetorian probably knows even more than I do.  If you started talking about Maize’s past, I wouldn’t be surprised if he got angry.  Protecting ponies is his job!  How much more will he want to protect the mare he loves?”

Serenity sighs again - she seems to do that a lot these days. “...Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m just overreacting.” Cream Puff was absolutely right, of course. She’s a bucking psychiatrist, it should’ve been perfectly obvious to her that Praetorian’s anger was normal and justified. Why would she go and blow something like this out of proportion?

Puff giggles at Serenity.  “Over-thinking it, eh?”

Serenity allows herself a soft chuckle of her own, “Yes, I’m guilty of that sometimes.” She smiles at Cream Puff. “But thank you for easing my mind.”

“No problem.  And, uh... thanks for your advice.  Even if I was hoping to hear something else.”

“Of course, I’m always glad to help. Now I don’t mean to rush you off, but Temperance will be running us both out of here in a few minutes. This is stillhis office, after all.”

 and

Serenity sits at her- well, no, Temperance’s desk, carefully transcribing her latest patient’s last session into a large, thick book.

A loud knock at the door was heard, “Hello?”

Serenity looks up. “Yes? Please come in.”

The door creaked open, and the green pony slipped in awkwardly. “um... hello..”

She closes the book, setting it aside. “Hello... Redhat, is it? Were you looking for Temperance, or did you need to speak with me?”

“you, actually.” he said, looking around for a seat.

Serenity’s horn glows, and a small hoofmade sign proclaiming ‘With patient - please come back later!’, floats up and hangs on the door, which shuts with a click. Serenity turns her gaze back to Redhat, her hooves clasped before her. “So... what did you want to tell me?”

He took a seat on the closest chair, and sighed. “Well... I had somepony inform me I should come here... what exactly do you usually help with?”

Serenity raises an eyebrow. “...I don’t usually help with anything in particular. I help ponies with a wide variety of mental and emotional issues. Did this pony say why you should see me?”

“I believe he did...” He sighed and tried to think of a way to change the topic. “So... you help with emotional problems?”

Serenity notes the stallion’s attempt to dodge the question, but decides to move on. “Yes... is that what you’re here for?”

“Well yes.”

She nods. “Alright, what is the problem, specifically?”

Redhat looked down. “I’m actually a rather depressed pony, could you fix that?”

“Well, let’s find out just what we’re dealing with first. What sorts of things make you feel depressed?”

“When I look around and I realise the only real thing that can bear by presence for more than a minute is a dog.”

Serenity nods. “I take it you have trouble getting along with others?”

“Well yes” he really started to regret coming here. “I just... they can can become so insufferable so fast...”

“In what way?”

“Just, I feel like every moment i’m they’re judging me.”

“Well, I can tell you they aren’t constantly judging you. Ponies typically form an opinion about somepony in a split second, and it takes a bit of time and effort to change.”

“Still, they deem themselves above me and... well.. I get rather jackassy around ponies too...”

Serenity nods. “Yes, I do seem to recall hearing Praetorian mention something about some comments you made off-hoof. Well, that being the case, it sounds to me like the root of your problem is poor self-control.”

“I’m assuming good self control isn’t something you can take pill for.”

She shakes her head. “No, you have to learn it yourself. Though I can certainly help you, if you need it.”

“Yeah...” the pony sighed loudly. He didn’t seem all too thrilled.

“Well, why don’t we jump right in, then?”

Over the next hour and a half, Serenity walks Redhat through a few simple mental techniques designed to help him remain calm and collected.