“I’m going to find a way to cure her. Kain told me there’s something atop the tallest mountain in the Spineyback Ridge.” I promised the formerly enraged Pegasus, “I’m going there, whether I can fly or not.”

Princess Twilight put a hoof on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder, “See?” she asked as she tried to reason with Rainbow, “He’s taking responsibility for what happened, and Kain is rarely wrong. The cure has to be there!”

Rainbow Dash glared at me, “So what!?” she yelled, “You expect me to train the very pony who lead them into that… place!? Into Kain’s lair!?”

The Princess nodded, “I do. If you want to help Scootaloo, you’ll train him.”

Rainbow Dash stood, stomping forward and I felt Fray ready himself in preparation for an attack. I held him back mentally, telling him that if I were attacked that he shouldn’t act in my favor, and that the Princess would intervene.

“Why don’t I just go up to the Spineyback Mountains myself!?”

“Good question…” I mumbled, “... and I don’t have an answer for it.”

Once more, a certain purple Alicorn stepped in on my behalf, saving me from having to explain.

“You and I both know that Kain did this for a reason. Even if you DID go up there, who knows if you’d find it?”

Rainbow growled, which the Princess ignored.

“In fact, chances are, you’d never find it because you weren’t meant to. It’s obvious that Air was meant to go…” she sighed, ears drooping, “...so if you leave and don’t train him, it might be too late by the time you get for even Mr. Ramp to save Scootaloo.”

Never before had I seen such a range of emotions within the span of fifteen seconds cross a pony’s face. First, her ears drooped and her eyes fell to gaze at the floor, then a look of defiance back up at the Princess. Then anger, as the rainbow-maned pegasus shifted her attention to me. Then she sat, put her hooves on her face, and let loose an angry and exasperated sigh as she dragged them down, then let them drop to the floor.

Once more Fray, asserted the idea that we should be prepared. I told him to back down again. Fray sat in a corner of my head, huffing audibly. It was almost as if I were hurting his feelings. I felt a little bad about it but… well, it really wasn’t the time for a “show of force.”

Rainbow Dash stomped up to me, and put a hoof in my face. I went cross-eyed as the hoof nearly touched my snout.

“You’re lucky it’s off season…” she growled, glaring at me, “If I had Wonderbolt practice any time soon, I’d go find it myself.”

“Wait.. how does that make sense…?” Twilight asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Rainbow rolled her eyes at the question, “Because I wouldn’t have TIME to train this lame-brained Batpony if I had practice! Duh!”

Twilight trotted over to the Pegasus and put a hoof on her shoulder, “Be back tomorrow. We have a lot to discuss. Start his flight training after he’s had two days of rest.” she told her.

“Why wait?” Rainbow Dash asked, shrugging off the hoof and staring angrily at Twilight, “We need to start sooner than later! Scoot’s isn’t getting better by us waiting around!”

I kind of had to agree with Rainbow dash on that one.

Twilight shook her head, “Trust me. He’s been through a lot in the past month.” she told Rainbow in a best attempt at a soothing voice as she gestured towards me, “He’s going to need a day or two of rest. or it’ll be pointless”

The Princess had a point...

Rainbow growled again “Fine!” and made her way to the broken window, “But if Scoots doesn’t make it… I… I can’t be held responsible for what I’m going to do!”

Then she disappeared out the window, leaving behind its broken frame, and a cracked bookshelf. And me, with the Princess, who sighed and shook her head before glancing up at me with a serious frown.

“You’d better not be lying.” She warned, “If there’s anything you need to tell me, you’d better tell me now before she catches wind of it.”

I shook my head, standing up from where I’d been sitting, “No. Everything I’ve told you is true.”

“Then I’ll let you go for now… be back here after you’ve rested for two days. That doesn’t count today. I mean it. You WILL need your strength. Rainbow is not going to go easy on you.”

My ears drooped a bit. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but Rainbow was a violent pony. I’d had no idea that a Wonderbolt, especially one of her caliber, would be so emotional. I supposed it took a lot of passion to be the best but…

It occurred to me that I had a lot to learn. About a lot of things. Our Princess was basically a normal pony. Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolt, was not nearly as professional as I’d imagined. Who else was different than I expected?

“Thunder Step?” I asked my heavily armored friend.

“Hm?”

“I’m going to the hospital.”

“Not by yourself you’re not.” Thunder Step insisted, “You’re going to need an escort. Even if the Princess told everypony to go home, there may still be ponies after you.”

I sighed, “Let them come, then. I’m done running.”

“Exactly what I’m afraid of.” he countered, “I’m coming with you, for your sake and for anypony who wants to get in the way.”

I didn’t argue. Thunder Step was right. I probably would fight, and it wouldn’t go well towards my pardoning. With the promise the Twilight would be getting to the bottom of my accusation, and Thunder Step in tow, I headed out into the streets of my old hometown. Ponies stared at me as I passed, frowning and jeering silently. Even the buildings looked unfriendly and foreboding as they towered two and three stories above me. I held my head high and stared forward, unwilling after the first few ponies glared at me to even acknowledge their existence. Haze filled my mind, but I still felt Fray exuding worried feelings about my mental state and what was to come. I could understand why he would feel that way. We were returning to a town which had chased us out twice. In any case, it didn’t take long to arrive at Ponyville General Hospital. Thunder Step and I approached the door, pushing it open slowly. He had been silent the entire time.

He wouldn’t be for long.

“Air Ramp!”

A familiar voice.

An angry voice.

Also, a clipboard.

“Duck!” Fray screamed in my head and forced me down as the clipboard nearly decapitated me, clattering to the ground behind me.

I glanced up to see who the assailant was.

“Nurse!” Thunder Step yelled, “Nurse Redheart! What is the meaning of this?”

Ah. Yeah, I should have seen that coming, I guess. She had probably heard a lot about what I’d ‘done’ from the ponies around Ponyville.

“I want the truth!” Nurse Redheart bellowed, “Otherwise, stay out of this hospital!”

“Wait a minute!”

“What?” the nurse asked, readying mug.

“Nurse, please.” Thunder Step calmly requested, “Throwing things at him won’t do anything but get him stuck in here!”

The nurse magically chucked the mug at me, “Oh, buck if he’ll be staying here! He keeps dragging himself AND his friends in here after each stupid escapade!” she seethed, “I won’t have it!”

Fortunately for me, her aim was much worse back then. The cup harmlessly shattered against Thunder Step’s armor. He just sighed, and moved through the door.

“Nurse. I can assure you, that whatever you’ve heard is probably untrue.” he said simply, and motioned to me, “And I’m sure once he gets a chance to see his friend, he’ll tell you everything.”

I felt grateful for Thunder Step’s… stepping in… on my behalf.

“He’s right.” I affirmed, “I’ll tell you everything… just let me see Scootaloo first. I need to make sure she’s okay…”

Nurse Redheart sighed and told us to follow her, leading myself and Thunderstep down the halls of a place that neither I nor Fray were comfortable being within. Fray even asked me where we were, and why it was familiar. I explained that this was a place I had been in before Fray had become...well… Fray. I told him that this was essentially his place of birth, where he came from, but before he was focused into a ‘somepony’ instead of a ‘something.’ It wasn’t entirely true… I figured that Fray’s real “origin” was Trixie’s hut, but I didn’t like the idea as much. In time, after a few more general questions about the hospital and what is was for, we found ourselves at the door behind which Scootaloo was held.

“She’s in here…” Nurse Redheart sighed, “Aurora’s been looking after both her and the young stallion she was found with.”

“What about Fluttershy?” I asked, “Wasn’t she here too?”

“She was… but had to get back to taking care of the animals at her cottage. The winter is harsh this year, and a lot of animals need her aid, so I’m told.”

Thunder Step went in without asking any questions, prompting me to follow. I was, however, stopped by our pink-maned nurse, who stared very intently into my eyes, making me want to look away.

“You owe us all an explanation, Little Ramp.” she began, “I’ve been bombarded by questions about you since Aurora returned with Scootaloo and Featherweight. Even AppleJack has come in asking for you.”

I nodded, “I promise… I’ll tell you everything. Just give me some time, please.”

Nurse Redheart turned away, heading back down the hall. She looked back at me with a worried expression, said nothing, then rounded the corner down another hallway and was gone. The echoing of her footsteps haunted me as I entered the room where Scootaloo and Featherweight were sleeping, still, and unmoving. Aurora was sleeping next to Scootaloo’s bed, on a small couch, while Thunder Step had taken up to standing vigil at Featherweight’s. Guilt struck me like a rolling thunder, creeping up, but quick to become nearly overwhelming. It weighed me down as my hooves brought me to Scoots’ bedside, each hoofstep being one I dreaded, because I feared how much worse their afflictions might have become.

But true to Kain’s wor,d and to my relief… the infections had spread very little. Perhaps the coma they were in was really saving them for now, giving me time to train, and hopefully cure them of the disease that was no doubt going to ravage them if, and when, the two Pegasi awoke.

There was nothing I could do at that moment, so I stepped away, but not before Aurora awoke, roused by my presence in the room.

“Air…?” she asked, blinking and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, “Air, is that you?”

It was obvious that she had been there all day, keeping watch since I had left her and Fluttershy with them in the middle of the Everfree. I simply nodded, unsure of what to feel at the moment for my old flame. Even with her ragged mane and still-dirty coat, she was as beautiful as I remembered.

“Air… I’m sorry.”

I looked away.

“I mean it… Look at me, please…” she asked softly, trying to continue the conversation that we had begun in the forest earlier that day, “It wasn’t supposed to be like this… I wasn’t supposed to be gone for as long as I was.”

I frowned, suddenly angry. All my pent up emotion started seeping through. Fray took that as a sign to exit from the back of my skull, separating himself from the feelings I was about to have, likely so that at least one of us could have a clear sense of judgement. He hopped off my back and floated over to Scootaloo’s bed, and sat on the sheets, staring at my young orange Pegasus. Once again, Aurora seemed surprised by Fray’s sudden appearance, but she said nothing about him.

“So… you weren’t supposed to be gone as long as you were?” I repeated, “What’s that even supposed to MEAN?” I asked frowning nearly hissing at her to keep my voice down out of respect for Scoots and Featherweight, “You left. Sure, you left me a letter and some feathers, but I NEEDED you. Everything’s gone to Tartarus since you left me… I know I can’t really blame you, but… I just… WHY?”

Aurora’s ears fell back and she looked away, ashamed I was sure. She didn’t cry.

“...Why did you even come back at all?” I asked, “Aren’t you afraid of me? Of Fray?”

“...It’s not like that… not completely…” she whispered, settling on the floor.

I snorted, “Then do tell, won’t you?” I asked, “Tell me why you were gone, where you went… why you’re still wearing that bangle.”

She held her hoof to her chest, brushing the bangle with her other, staring at the floor.

“Well?”

“I’ve been meaning to tell you something for a while…” She began, as she slid the bangle off of her hoof, “I haven’t been entirely truthful with you.”

Thunder Step started walking across the floor, then headed out the door, shutting it behind him. No doubt he was standing guard outside, and was trying to stay out of our business as much as possible.

Thunder Step was a good friend.

Still, I felt my fears being confirmed as Aurora continued and placed the bangle on the floor between us, “There’s a lot I was trying to keep from you. I didn’t want you to be involved…”

My ears twitched as I stared at her.

“...and I DID need some time to think… because… well… You were changing, and I had a feeling I knew why. See… you’re being dragged into the very thing I was trying to keep from you… I should have known better.”

“What are you talking about…?” I asked, “Are you talking about Kain…?”

She nodded, “See… there’s a lot you don’t know… about Ponyville, about Equestria… You’ve only scratched the surface so far.”

Her hair fell in front of her face, hiding one of her eyes. It would have normally melted me, but I ignored the look. I wanted to know more.

“I am… a member of the ERNG. The Equestrian Royal Night Guard… I wasn’t always, obviously. You and I both know that I had a criminal record that was… expunged.” She explained, “But before that… while I was stealing my way to enough funds for bread and a place to sleep… Kain contacted me… and told me I wasn’t like the others… other Ponies I mean. Shortly thereafter… the Princesses did too, and gave me an official position as a Scout in the ERNG.”

My jaw dropped a little. She smiled just a bit. I wasn’t sure if it was at my expression or at something else, like a memory. That explained a lot, like why she was always in shape. Most male-mares weren’t in as good a shape as she was, and why she was always so worried about whenever she seemed to have gained weight.

“After a while… I fell in love with you. You were always so… simple. Kind. Calm. You didn’t want much out of me, and joined in with me on nightly escapades with Ponyville’s Night Guards. Those were actually training for… missions. To keep my skills sharp. You always performed so admirably… always kept up even though you didn’t have wings.”

My scowl turned into a sad, somewhat confused frown.

“Why did you keep this from me…?” I asked, almost in a whisper, “Didn’t you trust me?”

She smiled a little, “I didn’t want you to have to live like I do. I didn’t want you to worry. Once a pony knows about the world outside the bliss and ease that blankets Equestria… you can’t go back to living like that. Ponies always try, but… it never works out. I wanted to live that way through you.”

Aurora then looked up at me, ears forward, “I got called out on a mission two weeks after we separated. It wasn’t supposed to be a long one, but… it turned into another two weeks out in the Badlands. When I returned, not only were you gone, but so was your home.”

“And you tracked me through the Everfree…” I murmured, “All the way through the Everfree.”

Silence spread between the two of us for a moment before both of our ears perked up. Somepony was running through the hall. Then I heard a thud, Thunder Step telling whoever it was to go away, and then a scuffle. Aurora and I stood up, and prepared for an attack. Not that it mattered, since the moment the door burst open, a Batpony with burnt-orange hair and deep red wings came barreling through, and landed on top of me, dazing us both.

Aurora had yelped in surprise and gotten out of the way in time.

“Who are you?” I hear Aurora ask as the pony who had landed on me got up, “What are you doing here?”

Of course… Lunar Pulse completely ignored Aurora, staring down at me with a little, devious smile.

“Hey Ramp. Heard you were back in town… Some big doofus tried to stop me from getting in, but I didn’t let ‘em. How’s Scoots?” she asked.

“Who is this?” Aurora asked, almost pleaded, “How does she know Scootaloo?”

Lunar Pulse rolled off of me and stood up, frowning, “Who is this?” she asked, pointing at Aurora.

“I asked first!”

“Okay, okay!” I waved my hooves around, “Aurora, this is Lunar Pulse. She helped me escape Ponyville the second time. Lunar Pulse, this is Aurora… she… is very special to me.”

Aurora’s cheeks puffed out a little as Lunar Pulse grinned, “Oh, like a real good childhood friend?”

“Actually…” I began, but was cut off by Aurora.

“Actually, I’m his fiance’!” she said, and grabbed me by my chest fluff, kissing me hard on the lips.

My eyes went wide, but despite the passion of her embrace, from the look in her gaze I knew I had some explaining of my own to do. But, Lunar Pulse didn’t back away just yet.

“Oh…” she sighed, “Isn’t that nice…? I think he told me about you… how you abandoned him.” she began, getting uncomfortably close to Aurora, who stared Lunar Pulse down silently and with a cold fire that I knew from my years with her was just barely under control, “Just let me be clear… MISS Aurora… That stallion-” she pointed forcefully at me, “-Is something special. He’s got two minds livin’ in that cute little skull of his and if you can’t or won’t satisfy him… Then I will.” she sung with a shrug and a flip of her tail, “... besides… he makes a really good looking Batpony.”

It was then that I noticed Thunder Step peeking in, “I think it’s time you left, Miss Pulse.” he suggested, “You’ve seen who you came to see.”

“Not quite… I haven’t seen Scootaloo yet…” she sighed, moving to my orange friend’s bedside.

“How do you know Scootaloo?” Fray asked, speaking for the first time.

“She would stay at my house before her wonderbolt idol took her in, especially in the winter time.”

I went silent after that, watched her stroke the young mare’s hair like a mother might. It was confusing for me. From the few times I’d encountered her, Lunar Pulse was independent, intelligent, seductive, and now… oddly motherly. I had a feeling she was older than she looked. Not by a decade, but certainly older than I was. Her countenance had changed just as sudden as she had appeared.

“Listen to me… Mr. Ramp. I know that she followed you into… something. I don’t know what it was. Nopony will tell me. But I also know you’re not the kind of pony to lead another pony into something and let them go when they’re not useful any more.”

I nodded. She smiled a sad smile, took a last glance at Scootaloo, and then she left without another word to us, simply nodding to Thunder Step, who only looked away. I couldn’t tell, but I think he was blushing. I’d have to ask him later about that. He escorted her out and then shut the door, leaving us to continue our discussion. One which I very suddenly didn’t want to continue.

“What about Featherweight?” I asked Aurora, quickly changing what I assumed would be the subject, “Has anypony come to see him?”

“Yes. His father.” she said curtly, “What was that?” she asked.

I wasn’t getting off the hook.

“What?”

But I was going to try.

“That!” she hissed, pointing at the door where Lunar Pulse had exited from, “Who was that?”

I swallowed hard. I was in trouble. There was only one way out. I had to tell the truth.

“Aurora… She helped me escape. I didn’t know if you were coming back, so I sort of… promised I’d go on a date with her when… if… I returned.”

Aurora’s gaze drilled through me and her ears stood forward, listening to every word. She frowned at me. I could see the distrust in her ice-blue eyes.

With a quiet whisper, I continued, “If I’d known… I’d never have made that promise. If I’d known you’d come back…”

My heart sank. I didn’t feel like I was going to be able to justify my actions to her. I knew I’d done nothing wrong. I hadn’t known. But there she was, in front of me and I couldn’t lie to her, even if I knew it would make everything better.

So I broke down instead. Don’t judge me. An old pony saying is that “It takes a big stallion to laugh, a bigger stallion to cry, and an even bigger one to ask ‘why.’” I didn’t know what to do, and felt helpless. I just shook and cried a little. It wasn’t wailing, it wasn’t dramatic. I glanced away from Aurora, and felt ashamed. But Fray, my ever present companion, came to my rescue.

“Miss Aurora?” he asked, his childlike voice catching her attention as he floated over, landed, and stood between us looking up at her, “I am Fray. Lunar Pulse is right about one thing. He is a very good stallion. He has taught me a lot of things, and has tried to be the best…”

Fray seemed to struggle with the idea for a moment, until Aurora suggested something.

“He’s like your father.”

“Father…?” Fray asked approaching Aurora on little feet, “What is a father?”

“A father… is somepony who guides his son or daughter on how to act and teaches him things that he needs to know. Like how a stallion treats a mare.”

“Air Ramp is a good father then.” Fray said, looking back to me, “He has taught me all of those things.”

“Has he?” she asked, to which Fray nodded.

“Air Ramp also never really stopped thinking about you, though he has tried to hide it. He has tried not to think about you, because it is painful.”

Fray took up a place, in front of the bangle.

“It would do him good, I think, to have you back. It is something he really wants. If it helps, he only met with Lunar Pulse once. I do not remember much as I was… inebriated… at the time.”

Aurora stared at me. Frowning. At first I was scared that she would turn away. But then… she posed a simple question.

“You gave… Fray… alcohol?” she asked, a serious look on her snout.

“Well… no. Not exactly. I didn’t think that it would affect him, even though he’s connected to me, mentally. In fact… I wasn’t really thinking.” I admitted, “But… I did teach him about hangovers…” I offered as a weak smile crossed my face.

Aurora did not seem amused, but instead picked Fray up in her hooves and started a small lecture. I knew the look well.

“Alcohol is a grown-up drink. Sometimes grown-ups drink it to have fun or relax. Even some grown-ups shouldn’t drink it, because they don’t know when to stop, like your father here.”

I drew my lips to the side and scowled a little, “Hey… I only had one!” I reasoned, “How was I supposed to know…?”

Aurora rolled her eyes, “And if I were pregnant, do you think I’d be drinking?” she asked.

“But I wasn’t PREGNANT!” I hissed, somewhat annoyed with the conversation, “I’m a stallion! Stallions don’t get pregnant!”

Aurora just raised an eyebrow, “Oh? Then what do you call carrying a little being around in your body? Hm?”

I shook my head, “It’s not the same, Aurora. He was in my MIND. Like a ghost! This conversation is ridiculous…” I fumed, crossing my hooves.

“Is it ridiculous because you don’t like pregnancy as a topic, or just because you’re uncomfortable with the subject being YOU?” she asked, with a sly grin.

“What is… pregnant?” Fray asked.

That certainly put a halt to our discussion. I scratched the back of my neck, the conversation’s focus turning to the small being between Aurora and I.

“Well… um…”

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to tell him the truth. Fray was far too young for that.

“Ask Aurora… she’d know more than I would…”

Aurora tilted her head and gave me a warning glance, almost like from old times.

“And… what’s that supposed to mean?”

I stammered, trying to find the right words so as to not tread on the prickly glass that was her manner all of a sudden, and still not have to explain it.

“Well… you’re a mare… I just figured you’d know more…”

Aurora sighed and pulled Fray back up into her arms.

“When a mommy and daddy love each other very much… Sometimes they want to have a foal… so, after they spend some alone time together, the mommy starts carrying a baby around… but it’s too small to start off with to carry in her arms, so she keeps it safe in her tummy.”

Fray tilted his head, not really understanding, but still listening very intently to Aurora’s explanation.

“See, then it grows inside her until its big enough to be on the outside world.”

Fray seemed to accept it, but then tapped his tiny arms on his chin.

“How does it get in there?” he asked, pointing at Aurora’s stomach, “And once it gets bigger, how does it get out?”

“We’ll tell you when you’re older.” I interjected before Aurora had a chance to continue her explanation, “It’s kinda gross anyways. You wouldn’t be interested.”

Fray considered this for a moment, then asked another question, “... how could Air be pregnant…? He is a stallion… does that mean he is not a stallion?”

Aurora shook her head and laughed a little, cuddling Fray a bit before telling him that he was born differently, and that I was, indeed, a stallion. Which made me his dad. My son, as I’ll call him now, scrunched his nose and narrowed his eyes.

“If everypony has a dad and a mom… and Fray is my dad… does that mean I have a mom too?”

I considered the question. As I’ve said before, technically… Trixie would have been the mother… but I figured that Aurora had just as much to do with Fray’s coming into being as Princess Twilight’s lost student did. Even though she’d left, if it hadn’t been for her I might have gone down a darker path long before the point I was at.

“You might…” I mumbled, “If she’ll have me back, that is.”

Aurora furrowed her brow a little, and blinked as I pushed the bangle closer to her. It shined in the afternoon sun from the window across the room, reflecting the sun in strange ways, shimmering like it did the first time I’d given it to her.

“Aurora?” I asked softly as she held my son, “Aurora, would you… give me another chance?”

The dark pink maned pegasus smiled and shook her head.

“No…”

“N-no?” I asked, my ears drooping.

“No… Ramp… I won’t. You don’t need another chance. You did your best to try to fix things… and I should have seen that long before now.” she confessed, sighing, “Ramp, I can’t imagine life without you… we were together so long. All I could think about, while I was on mission for the ERNG, was how I left you… and how awful it made me feel. You don’t need another chance…”

Aching sadness melted away as I heard those words, replaced by hopefulness.

She paused a bit and smiled sadly, setting Fray on the floor between us next to the bangle, “... But I sure do. You’re not the simple pony I assumed you’d always be… You’re actually so much more than I’d imagined, and… I should have been truthful with you. So I have to ask… will you give ME a second chance?” Aurora asked as she raised a hoof to gesture to herself, “Will you be my special somepony again? Will you share the terrible world that we’ve both been dragged into with me?”

My heart lept but I did not say a word and instead picked up the bangle as I took Aurora’s hoof in mine. With great care, and a soft touch, I slipped it back onto her forehoof where it had once been. Where it belonged. I stared at her seriously for a moment as Fray returned to my side.

“It’s going to take some time…” I told her, her hoof still in mine, “... But I would really like to fall completely back in love with you. I’d like to be your special somepony again.”

Fray looked up at me, tilting his head, “Does this mean I have a mom?” he asked.

“It does.” Aurora said with a small smile.

I nodded a little, then bumped him a little with my hoof towards Aurora, “Go on… Give her a hug.”

My son stumbled a bit in surprise but moved forward towards her in time, a little unsure, across the floor and back into Aurora’s open hooves. My fiance’ gathered him up, cradling him close to her chest. It was then that I noticed a change in Fray. it was a subtle difference, but I could swear I saw a little bit of ice blue in Fray’s eyes, just around the pupil. It was a perfect moment, if not for the nagging notion that I was in the presence of the two ponies I’d lead into a situation they were not ready for, and they had paid the price.

Frowning, I stood, my hooves clattering against the sterile hospital floor. I sucked in some of the deathly calm air and my nostrils filled with the smell of chemical anesthetic as I moved to stand between them. Featherweight and Scootaloo’s beds before me, I knelt there, equidistant from each, and I made a promise while Aurora was occupied with introducing herself to Fray.

“I’ll find a way to fix this.” I whispered, “Or I’ll die trying.”

Then I sent a small prayer to Luna, asking for her strength in the coming days… if even only just this once.

I didn’t tell Aurora that as we stepped away and out the door. It was a silent promise, a silent prayer. I was not a terribly faithful pony in that regard, but if there was a time for to be so, it was then.

Author's Notes:

I made a mistake earlier in the chapter. I'm somewhat surprised no one caught it! Good thing I did before anyone noticed... anyways, it was where Aurora had met everypony when Nurse Redheart was throwing things at Air Ramp. She wasn't supposed to be there, her lines were supposed to be Thunder Steps. I think I fixed it, but I'd appreciate if someone could look it over again and tell me if it works. I'm busy at the moment, finalizing the Outline for this chapter (for future referencing) and building the outline for the next Prelude, which will be rather short.'

Thanks a bunch to anyone who finds anything out of place!