There was something missing in my life, and I had a feeling I knew what it was. It was something far more special than a friend. It was Butterscotch. She was just so… there weren’t even words to describe it. Being around her made me happy. Yet there was a huge problem. She didn’t think mares could be together.

“Ugh, why does everything have to be so hard?” I asked. I flopped my head back down on my pillow. It’d been a week since Butter and been together that fateful night. Just the memory of it… I groaned and hid my face behind my hooves. Maybe I can ask Luna. Would she know? There was a knock at the door. Butter was there, I could tell already. Her knock was always full of energy, and today it seemed doubly so. I knew what I had to do; I would have to hide my feelings to protect our friendship. She was my first and dearest friend in Equestria.

I answered her feverish knocking. She was holding a scroll and jumping up and down. “Oh my gosh!” she was screaming. I led her inside.

“What happened?” I asked. She seemed to calm down a little, if only to tell me.

“I just got a letter from a primary school! I’m going to be a teacher!” Using the moment I embraced her in a hug. It felt great.

“I’m so excited for you!” I told her. She returned the hug. Even better! I was relishing the moment until she pulled away.

“I can’t wait! I start tomorrow. It’s so exciting I just can’t sit still.” She was trembling.

“Where are you teaching?” I asked.

“I’m teaching at a private school. I can’t believe they wanted me!”

“Why do you say that?”

“It’s just that you have to have someone vouch for you. I don’t know anyone who works there.” Luna pulled through! I would have to thank her. “It’s just a shame that it’s far away…”

“Where is it?”

She looked down, for the first time she was sad, “Canterlot.”

“C-Canterlot?” I was stunned. She nodded.

“I’ll have to move so I can make the commute.”

“Then I’ll move with you! I can’t let you go to Canterlot alone, it wouldn’t be right. In fact, I know some ponies that can find us an apartment,” I declared. Butter gave me another fantastic hug.

“That’s wonderful!” Now all I had to do was get another letter to one of the princesses.

“Yes, but that’s for later. Tonight we have to party!” She seemed confused.

“Party? I guess, but nothing too extreme,” she insisted. Sigh.

“We’ll go wherever you want. My treat.” She rattled off someplace I’d never heard of. It sounded alright.

“I’ve got to go tell my ex-boss! I’ll come back when I’m done.” She bounded out the door. I shut it as she forgot to. I was going to move in with Butter. A very good first step. None of that’s official until the apartment is found. I found a quill and wrote Celestia a quick letter. I told her the good news and thanked her as well. The letter fizzled away as soon as I sealed it. A response came quickly. I opened it hurriedly. Maybe we would stay in the castle! The letter contained only a few words.

I’m sorry Swift, but I asked you to learn in Manehattan.

What? How could she answer like that? It wasn’t fair. Maybe I could send her another letter, try to appeal to her. I let out a sniffle. I really wanted this to work.

“So Butter, are you saying you have to move to Canterlot for this job?” We were flying slowly through Manehattan towards the restaurant. She nodded.

“Yeah, it’s pretty far away and with the train fare… it just wouldn’t make sense,” she added. Should I tell her about the letter? I think I have to; otherwise it might be too late. I’ll tell her after dinner.

The restaurant wasn’t too expensive. Butter and talked about our pasts. I had to make up most of it, to fit with the pony theme and all. Hers was sad. At least everything was looking up now. The more she had told me, the more I just wanted to cuddle up with her and make her feel better.

It was when we were flying back to our apartments that I told her the news.

“Butter, I’ve got a problem. My mentor doesn’t want me to leave Manehattan.” She looked crushed.

“Bu-but…” It was hard to look at her. No, I couldn’t leave her, not now.

“But I can’t listen to that. I don’t care! I’m coming with you.”

“Oh, Swift!” She hugged me, in midair. With only one of us using their wings, we started to plummet. She let me go and the fall stopped. “Heh, sorry.” I chuckled nervously.

“Tomorrow I’ll come with you to Canterlot. I’ll look for an apartment while you teach,” I told her.

“That sounds great,” she said, smiling.

We bid each other a good night as we split at the apartments. I trotted in mine. The door was barely closed when I started to dance around the room. Tomorrow would be easy; a flight to Canterlot, I ask around for the landlords, and then Butter and I are happy together forever. It’s time to celebrate! I got my crown from my belt. The belt had been hidden by me almost immediately after Luna left. I crown felt good in my hooves. Something tumbled from the pouch as well, the brooch. It felt like it was staring at my soul.

“I didn’t forget,” I said at it. I hadn’t forgotten my plan, the plan for the Elements. Yet Butter felt so much more important. The Elements, sure I could sell them and be happy for a while, but Butter would make me happy forever. I could feel the brooch laughing at me.

“The princesses were wrong. You are magical.” That feeling of being laughed at didn’t stop. I stuffed it back in the pouch. The mood was killed. It was time to go to sleep. It was a long flight tomorrow.

It was great, for me at least. All the available places had only one bedroom, and it was small. I wonder if Butter would mind sharing a bed… If she didn’t, that could be great. I’d have to ask her later. Being in Canterlot made me feel guilty as well, after all, Celestia had giving me one real responsibility. I’d have to tell her. I had to be honest with one of the first ponies who’d done so much to help me.

I waited patiently outside of the school for it to be let out. Finally Butter came out, surrounded by a bunch of excited children.

“I’ll see you all tomorrow!” she exclaimed. She saw me and took a gliding leap; with a perfect landing she sat next to me

“Ten out of ten,” I told her. She smiled. “How was it?”

Butter rolled her head back in glee, “It was A-ma-zing. Everything I’ve dreamed of!” She paused, reveling in her bliss. “How was the apartment hunt?”

“Whelp, the only apartments available are single bedroom,” I said. I looked at her intently.

“Hmm.”

“Hmm?”

“Would you be… okay in sharing a bedroom with another mare?” she asked.

“It’s more like… one bed…” I bit my lip.

“Hmm,” she said. Oh please! “I guess that it could work for now.” My heart soared.

“Excellent,” I told her, “we can talk to the landlord today and move in this weekend.” Butter beamed; I did too.

The process of moving in went well. The next door neighbors did not welcome me so warmly as Butter. We had said our goodbyes to Wattson, Two Bit, and Sheldon. It had been a slightly tearful goodbye. Wattson had given me his collection of Black Cat comics. All of Butter’s and my objects barely fit into the new apartment. Well, Butter had barely been able to fit her stuff in her apartment and now that my things were there, it wasn’t pretty. The moving unicorns had finished moving the rest of the furniture. I paid them and they left.

Butter and I danced around the rooms. We were positively giddy. We collapsed on each other on the floor.

“What are we going to do tonight?” I asked. Butter didn’t have classes tomorrow, being the weekend and all. Butter thought for a minute.

“How about… a party?” We didn’t know anypony here yet, except for our secluded neighbors, so it would be just us.

“Sure!” Thankfully it was late enough to drink. We grabbed bottles of the finest cider from our kitchen. With great haste we started the night of drinking.

It wasn’t until hours later that something happened. I received a letter from Celestia.

I haven’t received a letter in a while. Is something the matter? I hope there aren’t hard feelings.

~Celestia.

This letter brought me to a startling idea. I should definitely tell her what was going on.

“What’s the letter about?” asked Butter. She was teetering on her chair.

“It’s just Celestia.”

Butter gasped, “You know Celestia?”

“Hah, yeah. I tried to steal the Elements,” I admitted. Her mouth went wide in awe.

“Whoa,” was all she said.

“I know it’s kind of cool. They caught me an’ wanted me to learn about friendship. That’s what I was studying in Manehattan, and Celestia didn’t really want me to leave.” I bit my lip. Butter didn’t seem to notice. I felt my eyelids getting heavy. I’ll just let them rest. I leaned back against the armrest of the couch. I heard Butter walk around to the bedroom. There was the opening of drawers and closets and a few sounds of crashing. Butter came running back. I opened my eyes. She had the brooch in her mouth.

“Where did you find that?” I asked. She was smiling.

“I found it when we moved in! I thought it would look pretty on you.” She trotted over and tried to fix it to my neck. I could feel it getting warm.

“No, Butter. Put it down,” I told her. She wasn’t paying any attention. Here we go again.

I had a bad headache. I rubbed my hands through my hair. I groaned a rolled over… onto someone else. Her skin was a pale white with brown hair. She was awfully pretty. I grabbed her shoulder and shook it.

“Hey, excuse me. Who are you?” I asked her. She winced as she woke up. She tried to get off the bed onto all fours… instead she collapsed into a heap. The strange woman grabbed onto her head.

“Ouch,” she whimpered. The voice was so familiar. I groaned.

“Butter?” She opened her eyes then her face looked horrified.

“AAaaAAaaaaH!” she screamed as she tried to crawl away.

“Butter, it’s me Swift Wing. You have to calm down.” She huddled into a corner. I slowly approached. “Butter, you need to calm down.” She was looking at her own body too. She was naked.

“S-Swift? W-wha-what ha-happened?” I knelt next to her and held her hands.

“That brooch has magic, strange magic. You just have to deal with this for now. Okay?”

“How do you know this stuff?” she asked. She was close to hysterics.

“I’ve used the brooch before. Please, you’ve got to calm down.” I put my face closer to hers, “please, for me.” She seemed to calm down as I held her. I helped her up and sat her down on the bed. It took a while but I managed to find some clothes to fit her. She was flexing her fingers and toes.

“This is… weird,” she said. Butter seemed to calm down. I sat down next to her. “How do we get back?”

“We just have to use the brooch,” I told her. I grabbed the brooch and held onto Butter tightly. I couldn’t feel anything happening.

“Is it working?” asked Butter. She had her eyes clenched tight. The brooch stayed cold. I sighed, reaching into my belt. I grabbed the magnifying glass and peered at the brooch.

“Humbug, its dead,” I told her. She just kept staring at me.

“So?” She asked.

“So I have to get it charged. We need to head to a city to find a wizard or guild to charge it for us.” I went to put on my belt but stopped. Am I taking Butter? Of course I was, I couldn’t leave her here! She interrupted my thoughts.

“What are those things?”

“Well a wizard is someone who does magic.”

“Like a unicorn,” she said. I nodded.

“And a guild is a place where wizards and others meet to make money.” She seemed to get it.

“Where can we find one of those?” She was rubbing her feet together strangely.

“I think the closest guild is in… Stromkirk…” Guh, Stromkirk. Butter saw my distaste.

“What’s wrong with Stromkirk?”

“I know some people there,” I told her. I couldn’t tell her I was from there! What would she think!?

“Are they good people?” She was so ignorant of my people.

“Not really, but we don’t have another choice.” I didn’t want to go to Stromkirk, not again. But it was the closest city to this little town. Going to Immerstrum might take a week, and I don’t think Butter could handle a week here. It was too hectic for someone like her. “Come on, Butter. Let’s get going.” I helped her stand up. She was a bit wobbly on her legs.

By the time we got downstairs she had walking down well enough. The tavern was mostly empty. There was only one person sitting next to the door. It was Zorander, he grinned when he saw me.

“Oh my, oh my, Swift, what do we have here? Who is this beauty?” He stood up and strode over. He picked up Butter’s hand and kissed it gently. She pulled her hand back, but not before blushing gently. “What’s your name?”

“Butterscotch,” she said quietly. Zorander turned back to me.

“What are you doing travelling with this woman, Butterscotch? She’s a thief.”

“Hmph, I like that in her.” Zorander dropped his grin. I pushed Butter past him.

“Sorry, Zorander, but we simply must be going now.” He followed us out the door.

“Where are you going, rogue? To steal more brooches?” I stopped and turned to him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said. He smirked.

“Yes, I bet,” He said as he pulled close to my ear. “That brooch is dangerous, far too dangerous for your hands.” I pushed him back.

“You didn’t even know what it did before I used it,” I told him. He sighed and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Regardless, I will not kill you right now, on one condition.” Butter let out a noise of surprise. I forgot she didn’t know our history.

“What condition is that?”

“Simple really, I get to accompany you and study the effect of the brooch on you,” he said. Having to travel with Zorander wasn’t high on my list of things to do, but I had to get the brooch charged fast.

“Fine, but no funny business. We are going to Stromkirk.” He nodded.

“That’s great. I’ve got some strong horses ready,” he said.

“Oh, you’re so cute. What are you good at? What’s your name? I’m Butterscotch.” Butter had been talking to and petting our horse for the past five minutes. Zorander had had two horses ready. I rode with Butter. I had worried that she would react strangely to seeing the horse, but it turned out alright. She kept rubbing its flank still. Zorander was giving her strange looks.

“Is she okay?” he asked. I guess it was kind of hard to understand. They were just horses.

“Don’t ask,” I told him. He shrugged and turned back to the path. We were barely out of town but everything seemed to be going well. “So what’s the deal with the brooch? Why is it so important?”

“We don’t know where it came from. It just appeared one day. My apprentice tried to use it, and we never found him. Yet when you used it in the treasury, you came back. This is why I must study the brooch,” he said solemnly.

“The second time I used it, I didn’t feel its pull,” I said. He didn’t say anything back. Magic like this brooch always put me on edge. Teleportation was spooky stuff. I felt Butter’s weight fall onto my back, her head lolled onto my shoulder. I could feel her even breathes.

We rode for hours until dusk came. I put Butter into my bedroll. Zorander and I made a quick dinner.

“I’ll take first watch,” I said. He laughed.

“I’m too old to stand watch.” He muttered something and a golden hemisphere covered the camp before fading. “There we go.” He poured dirt on the fire and rolled into his bedroll.

“You’ve got potential,” said Zorander carefully.

“What?” I asked. But he had already fallen asleep. I lay back next to Butter. She was snoring peacefully.

I couldn’t wait to get back. Living in Canterlot with Butter was exciting. Not exciting in a way I had known, but it was different. It felt better being out of constant danger. Next time I get over there, I’ll get rid of the brooch. That will stop all of this from happening again. I felt Butter roll next to me and warp me in a hug. She smiled. I hugged her too, it felt great. I fell asleep in her arms.

The next morning was interesting. Zorander couldn’t get off his back. Butter and I stood around snickering.

“Come on, you can’t let an old man just lie here,” he argued.

“Why not?” Butter asked.

“Because I want to be walking some more. I’m not that old!” I walked towards him and picked him up. We must have been less than one hundred pounds. His body was shaking. I placed him on his feet. “Thanks.”

“No problem… old man,” I said. He scowled. After we packed up we got on the horses. It was only a few hours until Stromkirk came into view. It was a great, big city surrounded by mountains. The population was in the thousands. Stromkirk was the biggest city on the map. As we neared the gate I put up my hood. Some people didn’t like me here. The guards let us in without trouble. I felt their eyes watching Butter and I as we passed by.

“Do you know anyone in the guild, Zorander?” I asked him. He nodded.

“I worked with the guild master at one point. He’s a good boy. Why?”

“Swift said the brooch is empty; we need to get it charged,” Butter spoke up.

“Alright, let’s get to the guild hall then. I should be able to get it charged. Follow me, I know the guilds like the back of my hand.” He took the lead.

We were sitting in the guild master’s room. Butter and I were twiddling our thumbs while Zorander made small talk with the guild master. It felt like it had been hours. A few of the guild’s thugs had given me looks when I passed.

“Come in,” said the guild master. A page walked in, stunned that the master knew he was there without knocking. The page put the brooch on the desk and hurried out. The master picked it up.

“Be careful with that,” I blurted out. They all looked at me but turned back to the brooch.

“Relax, my child, I know what I’m doing,” said the master. Zorander looked twitchy. I wonder what’s gotten into him. He grabbed for the brooch.

“Sorry, Teasel, but we simply must get going,” Zorander said quickly. He roused us from our chairs. “Come on, girls. We best get going now.” He harried us through the hallways.

“Zorander, what are you doing?” I asked.

“There are mercenaries arriving,” he whispered to me. As he said that, two heavily muscled brutes stepped into the hallway in front of us, cutting us off. They held heavily swords studded with runes.

“What do we got ‘ere, crusha? Looks like we got ourselves a little birdie,” said the bigger one. I think he salivated as he looked at me. With flashes of light, two more appeared behind them. I heard some walk up to the back of us. I reached for my daggers. Zorander stopped me. He handed me the brooch and a letter.

“Take this,” he said. He turned back to one of the brutes. “You won’t get this woman today or ever.” He threw a hand out at the brute. Lightning cracked from his fingertips to the thug. He backed a step, but he was unscathed. The thugs laughed.

“Is that all you’ve got old man?” asked one. He gripped a savage crossbow and took aim at Butter. He fired, but the bolt hovered inches away from her, held in place by magic. The bolt dropped harmlessly to the floor.

“Leave us alone and you will live,” Zorander threatened. After no response Zorander clasped his hands together, his voice took an icy tone as he cast another spell. A gust of chilling wind blew down towards the assailants. It roared past them harmlessly. Nothing he was doing did any harm.

“What are we going to do?” I asked. He said something under his breath. I felt my body constrict, I lost the ability to move. The hallway was getting hotter and hotter. Zorander’s body began to glow red and emit smoke. I tried to stop him, but my mouth was frozen. His body erupted into a righteous flame. His voice filled the guild hall.

“I am grand wizard Zorander, Arbiter of the House of the Rising Sun. You will not take this woman.” The flames of his body spread throughout the building, burning only the living. The heat was made only bearable by the shield he put around us.

Finally the flames subsided and the shield dropped. I fell to the floor gasping for breath. The floor was covered in ashes. I grabbed Butter and led her away.

We had taken a room at a local inn. Butter and I sat on the bed. Turning from her, I opened the letter Zorander had given me.

Swift Wing,

Yes I know your name, don’t be surprised. When I saw that you survived the brooch’s magic. I knew that maybe there could be hope for my apprentice. That’s why the carriage was there for you. I’m not saying you’re a bad thief, but you have to admit it was easy. Back to more important matters, I am writing this in the guild masters room. I have felt magic from mercenaries entering the guild hall, it doesn’t look good.

In the time that we have travelled, short as it may be, I felt that I have become closer to you. I wish you the best in whatever you and that Butter girl do. I ask one thing from you however. Find my apprentice, please. He may be in whatever world you find yourself.

~Zorander