They were all tired and a little dirty, and Rarity walked at the back of the group, moaning occasionally and picking at the dried spackle in her coat. They walked to the town center, which had mostly cleared. Twilight recognized a couple remaining ponies, but paid them no mind as she purposefully marched up the stairs. She strode through the double doors and toward the mayor’s office, which was closed. The rest of the town hall was weirdly silent.

“Let’s try not to take up too much of her time,” Twilight said. “She’s had a really long day, I’m sure.” She knocked softly on the office doors, and was rewarded with a tired, but not unkind, “come in.”

She entered, and the mayor’s face visibly brightened at seeing them all. “Oh, Twilight. You can only be bringing me the best or worst news I’ve heard all day. So tell me, am I a lucky mare?” She smiled, revealing neat rows of teeth, and Twilight returned the smile as well as she could.

“I actually just have a question,” she said, and the mayor sat back, perplexed.

“Okay, well, I’ll see what I can tell you, but I think you have more information than I.”

“It’s about the Ponyville water supply.”

The mayor’s expression deflated. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Every other pony’s asking.”

“Sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize. Just a tiring day. I’ll tell you what I told the others: all I know about the water supply is that it’s not working, at all. For now, citizens are going to have to draw their water manually from the well or the river.”

“I see.”

“You want to know when it’ll be fixed, I imagine?”

“If you know.”

“I put together a skeleton crew to work on repairing the pipes, but I have to do about a hundred other things, and repairs like this simply aren’t a priority right now, not with the river right next to us. So far, the team only has five ponies, of which two are unicorns.” She fixed Twilight with a playful look. “I don’t suppose you would like to stay here for a few months and help out, would you?”

“Oh, no, sorry, mayor, but we can’t stay that long.”

She laughed a little. “I was joking. Do you have any more questions?”

Twilight looked back at her friends, and, seeing their blank faces, shook her head.

“Very well. Oh, one thing. Would you mind letting me know before you leave for good? I’d appreciate the knowledge, just so I’m sure you’ve left, and not hurt or anything.”

“Right. Don’t worry, we’ll let you know,” Twilight said.

“Great.” She turned to a large pile of papers and began sorting through them. “Have a nice day.”

They respectfully stepped out of her office and out of the town hall. As they went down the stone stairs, Twilight chanced to look to the side, where a depressed-looking, cream-coated mare occupied one of the benches under a tree.

“Is that Bonbon?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, that’s her,” Twilight said.

“She looks awfully sad.”

“Oh, you don’t think…” Fluttershy started. She didn’t have to finish her statement.

Before anyone could react, Pinkie went over to her, and they followed at a distance. Bonbon looked up with red-rimmed eyes.

“Hey Bonbon!” she chirped. Though the mare was clearly sad, Pinkie did not modify her voice, and Twilight glared at her from behind.

“Oh, hey Pinkie. You look well.”

“Oh, I am, I am! How are you?”

Bonbon sighed. “I’m not so great.”

“What’s wrong?” Pinkie asked in a more moderate tone. She sat down on the ground before her.

Bonbon only stared past Pinkie, her eyes glistening.

“Bonbon?”

She blinked, and a few tears slipped out the corners of her eyes.

“Is it… is it Lyra?” Pinkie asked softly, and Bonbon nodded slowly. “Oh, Bonbon.” She stood up to look at her face.

Bonbon sniffed, closed her eyes, appeared to exert a terrible amount of willpower, and opened them again, her face firmer. “Thank you, Pinkie. Yes, unfortunately, Lyra didn’t… didn’t make it.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Twilight asked quietly.

Bonbon flicked her sad eyes at her, and shook her head. “There’s nothing to be done. Just the,” she took a deep breath, “just the funeral. I suppose we’ll be having a lot of those in the next week or two.”

“Bonbon, I’m so sorry,” Pinkie said, and Bonbon shook her head again.

“No need to feel sorry, Pinkie. She lived a good life, I guess.”

“How’d she die?”

Bonbon looked at her, then away. “Uh… she, uh…”

“Never mind,” Pinkie said, approaching her. “Do you have any idea when the funeral is?”

“In a few days.”

“We’ll be there,” Twilight said solemnly.

“Thank you, girls. That would mean a lot to me.”

“It’s no problem,” Pinkie said, smiling consolingly.

Bonbon nodded and looked back down, and Pinkie drew away.

“Um, I’m really, really sorry, but we should probably get going. Are you sure you’re gonna be okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Bonbon said, not looking. “Thanks, though.”

Pinkie grabbed Bonbon in a quick hug, which she reciprocated coldly. “Let me know when the funeral is.”

She turned back and gestured with her eyes to get moving; Twilight took the lead, and a few sedate minutes later, they were reentering Sugarcube Corner.

“That was fast,” Mrs. Cake said, and Pinkie nodded. “What’s wrong? What has you all so dreary all of a sudden?”

“Bonbon,” Fluttershy said with a weak voice.

“Something happened to Bonbon? Oh, is she okay?”

“She’s fine,” Pinkie said. “But Lyra isn’t.”

“Lyra Heartstrings, you mean? That green unicorn she’s always with?”

“Yeah, her.”

“Oh, no, what happened?”

“Lyra’s dead,” Pinkie said, and Mr. Cake, who was in the kitchen, dropped something.

“Oh, the poor dear. She must be absolutely broken up about it, as close friends as they were.”

“She was devastated,” Pinkie said. “And she’s holding back her emotions about it. She didn’t cry at all, and she didn’t even try to keep me from letting go when I hugged her.”

“Oh dear,” Mrs. Cake said, shaking her head.

“Does she know when the funeral will be?” Mr. Cake asked, walking in.

“No, not yet,” Pinkie said.

“Well, we’ll have to attend it,” Mrs. Cake said.

“Yes, yes indeed.” Mr. Cake allowed an interval of respectful silence before clearing his throat and looking at Twilight. “Now, um, Twilight. About the water?”

“Oh, right. The water system is completely destroyed, so you’ll all have to get your water from the river or the well.”

“I see.”

“She made a small team of ponies to start the repairs, but there’s only five in it so far.”

“Oh, that’s not going to do,” Mrs. Cake said.

“I’m sure she’ll find more,” Twilight said. “If it comes down to it, she can just have some come from Canterlot.” She thought for a second. “Oh, wait. No, I guess she can’t. Well, when we’re done there, she can.”

“I suppose you’d better go up there soon, then,” Mrs. Cake said.

“We intend to,” Rarity said.

The Cakes both nodded and looked around. “Well, there’s not really much left here for you. We just need to touch up a few things—we can do that on our own.”

“Go ahead and go about your own business,” Mr. Cake said.

“Oh, okay. Thanks,” Twilight said, going back to the door.

“Thank you, girls!” Mrs. Cake called after them as they walked back out into the healed world.

They crossed the dirt road that ran just before the bakery, and Rarity looked up. Following her eyes, Twilight saw Rainbow speeding toward them; as she approached, she could see a bad look on the pegasus’ face.

“There you are, Dashie!” Pinkie called.

“Yeah, hey. Where are you going?”

“We’re visiting the spa,” Rarity said.

“Oh. Cool.” She fell in with them, and Twilight looked at her.

“What’s wrong, Rainbow?” Fluttershy asked.

“Ugh. I just got back from a press conference in Cloudsdale.” She rubbed her head with a hoof. “The whole Cloudsdale government was there, and the press, and half the business owners.”

“That sounds dreadful,” Rarity said.

“The weather bureau’s completely messed up. No one wants to risk messing with the weather with our elevation, so they’re just letting materials build up.”

“That’s dumb,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, it is,” Rainbow complained. “The weather factories are still working, but no one’s shipping clouds anymore. They said they’re gonna try to stabilize the climate over Ponyville in the next month.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Rarity cried.

“You’re telling me. You’d think they’d be concerned about getting things under control, you know, maybe keep our weather from going rogue, but they’re freaking out about money instead. It’s all just bottom line this, monetization that.” She shook her head and flapped her wings angrily. “I never want to get involved with the government if it’s the last thing I do.”

“Do you have to go back?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t think so.”

“You’ll feel better when we get to the spa,” Fluttershy said.

“Except for the fact that there’s no running water,” Rarity said.

“Aw, what?” Rainbow groaned.

“Pinkie fixed the ground, not the pipes,” Twilight said.

Rainbow sighed. “Then why are we even going? Are you gonna volunteer us for more stuff, Twilight?”

“We’re just going to see if we can help out with the cleanup,” Rarity said. “Besides, I owe Aloe a favor.”

“What for?”

“You remember our little fashion show, when Hoity Toity came to town? She helped me get the DJ.”

“I didn’t know Aloe knew her. DJ Pon-Three, right?” Pinkie asked.

“I guess so,” Rarity said.

“Who?” Twilight asked.

“The white unicorn working the turntables,” Rainbow said. “She had purple glasses and an electric blue mane.”

“Oh, her.” Twilight thought. “I’ve never seen her before.”

“She lives in Canterlot,” Rarity said. “I had to get her down here that night.”

“Why even bother?” Rainbow asked. “The show was so short.”

“It was entirely to impress Hoity Toity. He’s huge in the fashion world, and she’s huge in the music world. If he saw that I could get a hold of DJ Pon-Three for my little show, well, it would quite improve my chances of gaining his approval.”

“Did it?” Twilight asked.

“Unfortunately, no. The show was too much of a disaster. I’m sure he assumed I was wealthy, but not talented, as opposed to the other way around. Still, I owe Aloe for getting her on such short notice.”

“How do they know each other?”

“Oh, darling, I couldn’t even begin to guess.”

“Well, as long as this favor doesn’t turn into any extra days in town,” Rainbow said.

“It shouldn’t,” Twilight said. “Besides, we’re going to be here for at least a few more days anyway.”

“Why?”

They all hesitated, and Rainbow dropped her sour expression.

“What’s going on?” she asked seriously.

“We have a funeral to attend,” Rarity said delicately.

“What?”

“Lyra,” Twilight said.

“Oh, no.”

“We just found out about it a little while ago.”

“Aw, geez.”

“Bonbon was pretty sad,” Pinkie said.

“I can see why. They’re roommates, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait,” Rarity said sharply. They were coming around to a small hill, and a pair of pegasi stood on the far slopes, directly in view.

“What are we waiting for?” Pinkie asked.

“If those ponies see us, they’re going to want to delay us.”

“Oh, come on, Rarity. That’s silly!”

“Pinkie, hush!” Rarity hissed, but it was too late.

The ponies looked up at Pinkie’s screech, and they immediately trotted over, wearing a pair of smiles that made Twilight anxious.

“Great. Good going, Pinkie.”

“Sorry, Rarity.”

“Aren’t you Twilight Sparkle?” the first pegasus asked. She was light teal, with a thick, aquamarine mane and a pair of sparkling blue eyes that seemed to dance joyfully when she looked at Twilight.

Gritting her teeth, she gave them a tight smile. “Yes, that’s me.”

“You’re the one who cast the spell!” the other one—a warm, pink mare with a lightning cutie mark—exclaimed.

“I—well, yes, I did, but it was nothing, really, if you could—”

“Thank you so much! I can’t tell you how much you’ve done for us!”

“You’re the savior of Ponyville! How did you do it?”

“Oh, it was nothing,” Rainbow said cagily. Twilight could tell she was trying to be polite. “We just set up a big, uh, what’s it called again?”

“A sigil,” Rarity said dully.

“Yeah, that. We just set up a big sigil in the town square and then, one two three, fixed.” She smiled, wide and insincere. “All in a day’s work for Twilight here.”

“The mayor said Discord is the one who did all this,” the blue pegasus said. “Did you get him?”

“Not yet,” Rainbow said. “But we’ve only just got back into town. Just you wait.”

“Yeah! Just you wait!” Pinkie cheered.

“Yeah,” Twilight said weakly. “Um, look. We’re glad to help out, but we kind of need to get to the spa. They need our help.”

“Wait, you’re helping rebuild the town too?” the pink pegasus asked.

“Well, kind of, but we need to—”

“Can you help us repair our friend’s home? It got totally destroyed.”

Twilight looked at her innocent expression. She could feel her friends’ eyes on her, urging her not to acquiesce. “They’re right. We can’t delay anymore.” She opened her mouth to speak. “But we do have that funeral.”

“We already have a small team together, but no good mages. It would mean so much to him if you could be there too! Please?”

“Uh…” Twilight looked into their eyes and felt herself folding inside. “Okay,” she said, feeling weak.

“Oh, thank you, thank you so much! How can we repay you?”

“Just don’t tell anypony you saw us here,” Rainbow said, her voice concealing bitterness. “We need to move on to Canterlot soon, and we can’t afford to delay any more than we already are.”

“Oh, no. Did Canterlot get destroyed too?” the pink mare asked, putting a hoof to her mouth with a small gasp.

“Yes,” Rarity said shortly.

“Oh my Celestia. I hope everypony is okay there.”

“That’s why we need to leave, to do there what we did here. But if everypony is holding us up, asking us for favors and things, we’ll never get to leave,” Rainbow said.

“Gotcha. You were never here!” the blue pegasus said, giving them a wink.

Twilight bowed her head. “Thank you. Where is your friend’s house?”

“Northern Ponyville, between the windmill and the park. It’s Doctor Whooves’; do you know him?”

“Oh, I made a suit for him last month,” Rarity said. “Quite the gentleman.”

“Yeah, I guess. We’re looking to start rebuilding as soon as we can, probably tomorrow. Just head north, and you’ll find us.”

“Do you need us to round up some more ponies to help out?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” the pink pegasus said.

“It won’t be any trouble.”

“Well, if you really want to, go ahead. But we already have a group of nine, with an actual architect, so you don’t have to go overboard.”

Twilight leaned over a little, seeing another small group of ponies wandering their way. “That’s great, girls. Uh, we really need to get moving, though.”

“You didn’t see us here, remember?” Rainbow said, and they nodded agreeably.

“See you tomorrow!” Pinkie said as they continued on their way, leaving the pegasi to their affairs.

When they were a sufficient distance away, Twilight groaned, and they all stopped to look at her.

“What compels you to agree to every little thing ponies ask of you, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“I’m sorry! I just hate denying ponies help.”

“We’re supposed to be going to Canterlot, but instead, we’re going to rebuild a house,” Rainbow said.

“We were doing the funeral anyway,” Twilight said.

“Darling, a funeral takes only one day. Rebuilding a house takes several. Are you aware of that?” Rarity asked coolly.

Twilight took a deep breath and looked at Rarity, who looked back with a deep-set frown. “You know what, Rarity? You’ve been a real grouch all day long, and I’m getting tired of it. What is with you? I know we’re all in unfamiliar waters here, but we can’t just leave our friends and neighbors to fend for themselves.”

“Canterlot,” Rainbow said simply.

“You keep saying that, but I’m not seeing the urgency. We’ve only been gone for a day, for Celestia’s sake! No one’s got a timer on us.”

“Discord does,” Pinkie said.

Twilight glared at her. “No, he doesn’t. He’s probably just as confused as we are.”

“So, let me see if I have this right,” Rarity said. “Because we’re not immediately at war, it’s okay to put off going to the capital of Equestria and fixing the earth there because some doctor needs his house rebuilt. Is that what you’re saying, Twilight?”

“No, Rarity. Well, okay, maybe kind of.” She shook her head, flustered. “I’m saying we can’t abandon ponies that need help all for the sake of our mission. We’re still going to go to Canterlot, but we have to help others first.”

“If we had only stopped for the Cakes, it would have been fine. But first the funeral, and now this? I’m starting to think we should just avoid the spa altogether and go back to the library.”

“Don’t be like that, Rarity.”

“Don’t be like what?”

“Selfish. It’s unlike you.”

“I’m just considering what’s best for Equestria,” Rarity said haughtily.

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “You know what I think? I think you’re jealous that we’re rebuilding someone else's house, and not yours.”

Rarity scoffed. “Me, jealous?”

“That’s it, isn’t it? You’re mad we’re not doing anything about the boutique.”

Rarity coughed and shook her head, sputtering. “Well… maybe I am, Twilight. So what?” She leaned back and put on a grotesque, accusatory face. “Am I supposed to just get over it? Well, I’m sorry. I don’t get over things as easily as you do.”

Twilight frowned at her, and saw that the others had backed away. “What do you mean by that?”

“I’m talking about the battle!” Rarity screeched. “You all are back to normal, like it didn’t even happen! Like we just woke up one day to this, this stupid, shattered, earthquake-spell thing, and when I’m in the middle of processing it all, my boutique goes and falls off the edge of the world!” She turned a tight circle and stomped her hoof. “So yes, Twilight, perhaps I am a little stressed out.”

“And a little grouchy,” Pinkie said, earning a glare from Rarity.

Twilight looked at her and sat down, her indignation gone. In its place, the memory of that night, so recent, but buried under the stresses that followed. A flash of metal, a clatter of hooves on marble, a surge of magic. She closed her eyes. “Rarity, I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t be mad at you for being upset. We’ve all been through a lot these past few days. And I’m just as freaked out, and confused, and… sickened by what happened as you are. But we can’t turn away from ponies like this. They need our help, and we need to do our part. Canterlot can wait a few days.”

Rarity looked at her with dewy eyes, and stifled a sob. “I’m sorry, Twilight,” she choked.

“Oh, Rarity.”

“It’s more than just the boutique. It’s everything. These last couple days have been one long sequence of emergencies, and I simply don’t know what to do. I don’t even know why I’m trying to get us to go to Canterlot sooner; I don’t want to go.”

“You’re just upset,” Fluttershy said.

“Yeah, Rarity. Ponies do silly things when they’re upset,” Pinkie said.

“You’d know,” Rainbow said, and Pinkie giggled.

“I know things are hard now, Rarity, but they’ll get better,” Twilight said. “Everypony’s still adjusting. We’ll go back to the library tonight and relax, and then all we have to do is help some ponies with the house. It won’t be that bad.” She gave Rarity an encouraging smile. “And you won’t have to get dirty filling in cracks.”

“Oh, Twilight.”

“Then we’ll go to the funeral, and then we can go.” She looked at Rarity earnestly. “It really won’t be that bad.”

Rarity let out a long sigh, and Twilight hugged her. “I suppose you’re right, dear. It’s just stress. But, like you said, it won’t last forever.” She looked at them all. “I’m terribly sorry about being so difficult.”

“We forgive you!” Pinkie cried, jumping on her. They hugged for a couple seconds, and when the moment passed, they all started walking again.

“So, wait. Now we’re okay with all these delays?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s only one,” Rarity said.

“But it’s… ugh, whatever.”

They entered the town square again, and Twilight turned them toward the day spa. Bonbon was no longer on her bench, and the few ponies that were still there seemed not to notice them as they slunk to the spa’s doors.

A cream earth pony sat at the counter with a bored expression, reorganizing papers and illuminated with a single band of sunlight, coming in through a small porthole behind the reception desk. The remaining lights, all electric bulbs, were dead on their chains.

He looked up at the door’s silvery chime. “Oh, hello. I’m afraid we can’t serve you today, or any day, until the water system has been fixed. I apologize.”

“Don’t worry, we’re not here for a treatment,” Rarity said. “We want to talk to Aloe and Lotus; are they in?”

“Oh, yes, they’re downstairs. Go on in.”

“Thank you, darling.”

They went down a wide, dimly-lit staircase with pastel purple walls and floors into a large, circular room, also dim. The spa’s primary chamber was a rough peanut, one lobe centered around the elevated hot tub and the other empty, both ends flanked with massage tables and mud baths, and ending on the far end with a trio of doors to the steam rooms. Twilight had only been inside a few times, and she was always struck with the place’s beauty—more so now, because of its cleanliness. Where other buildings were disheveled and upset, with cracked walls and shattered glass, the underground spa was largely whole. Massage tables were arranged in their familiar arcs, the floor shone, and potted plants peppered the small spaces near the walls as though nothing were amiss. The hot tub was empty of water, and a tarp sat over its mouth, but aside from that, only a single, ragged crack ran up one of the supporting columns, disappearing into the ceiling.

Lotus was at work on the other side of the room, her hoof gloved as she cleared shards of glass from the sides of a mirror frame.

“Hello, friends,” she said happily, not turning from her task. Her accent colored her words, and they smiled; it was pleasant.

“Oh, hello Lotus,” Rarity said, approaching her.

“What brings you here?”

“We were just coming by to see if there was anything we could do to help. Where’s your sister?”

“Aloe is up in the rafters on the top floor, searching for any serious structural damage.”

“What?” Rainbow asked.

Lotus turned and fixed Rainbow with a patient expression. “She is up in the rafters, seeing if she can—”

“No, I got that. Just, what? That’s a weird thing for a non-pegasus to do.”

“I understand,” Lotus said, looking back to her mirror.

“So, is there anything we can do here to help?” Rarity asked again.

“Nothing that isn’t being done already, I’m afraid. Thank you kindly for the offer, though.”

“But surely you can’t fix this place up all on your own.”

“Why should we? There is no water for us. This spa is useless.”

“So what are you doing?” Twilight asked.

“We are making the place safe for anypony who decides to come here after we leave.”

“Leave?” Rarity repeated, dumbstruck.

“Oh, but where will you go?” Fluttershy asked.

“Home,” Lotus said simply.

“But Ponyville—”

“Ponyville is not our biological home.”

“I always thought it was,” Twilight said.

“Many do. But no, our home is very far away.”

“Where is it?”

“I am sorry, Twilight, but I do not feel comfortable telling you, or anypony. Please understand.”

“Why don’t you want to tell anypony?” Pinkie asked.

“It is rather personal.”

Twilight exchanged a puzzled look with Rarity, who shrugged.

“When are you leaving?” Fluttershy asked.

“As soon as we are content with the spa’s safety, and have said goodbye to our friends.” She looked back at them and smiled kindly. “And don’t worry, that would have included you.”

“Well… okay,” Rarity said, deflated. “Do you need any help packing?”

“Not at all; we have everything packed already. Aloe, these are the ones who are responsible for undoing the damage done to Ponyville.”

They turned quickly and saw Lotus’ pink counterpart trotting into the room, smiling contentedly.

“How did you—” Rainbow began.

“Very sensitive ears,” Lotus said.

“For both of us,” Aloe said, shaking Twilight’s hoof, and then the others’. “I am honored to be in your presence, saviors.”

“Oh, it was nothing,” Pinkie said, waving a hoof passively.

“We’re certainly not saviors, anyway,” Rarity said.

“Nonsense. You have saved many lives already, and many, many more to come,” Lotus said, turning away from her task. “When do you leave town?”

“Wait, how do you know we’re leaving?” Twilight asked.

“How else will you bring Equestria together?” Aloe asked, smiling.

“So you know it’s more than just Ponyville,” Rainbow said.

“We do.”

“How?” Twilight asked.

“We have our ways,” Lotus said, mirroring Aloe’s smile with a slightly more sinister one of her own. They smiled back awkwardly, and Fluttershy rubbed her leg, looking down.

“So… well, okay. Um, I guess, if you don’t need our help, we’ll just… be going, I guess,” Twilight said.

“Perhaps you can help us with something,” Rarity said suddenly.

“Perhaps we can,” Lotus said. “What do you have in mind?”

“There’s a group of ponies trying to rebuild a house tomorrow, and we’re helping. Would you two be interested in joining us?”

Lotus and Aloe looked at each other for a moment, seeming to exchange a small sequence of thoughts in the brief eye contact, and Aloe nodded. “We would love to. Who is the pony?”

“Doctor Whooves. Do you know him?” Twilight said.

“Doctor Whooves?” Lotus sounded concerned.

“Uh, yeah,” Rainbow said.

“He is an old friend of ours,” Aloe said.

“If there was any doubt that we would help you rebuild this house, it is gone now,” Lotus said.

“Well, thanks,” Twilight said. She didn’t know exactly how to reply to Lotus, who responded more seriously than she was expecting.

“It will be our pleasure,” Aloe said.

There was silence again, and Twilight started to turn to go.

“Hey, I got a question. It’s a total shot in the dark, but I don’t suppose you two know anything about a town called Snowdrift, do you?” Rainbow asked.

“Snowdrift?” Lotus echoed softly.

“We have heard a few things,” Aloe said.

“Really?” Twilight said, suddenly interested again.

“Certainly. But why do you ask?” Lotus said.

Pinkie jumped up and down eagerly, and Lotus looked at her. “It’s probably nothing, but I had a really bad dream last night and I woke up screaming and freaked everybody out and in the dream we all died and it was really scary and cold and Twilight said it was happening in Snowdrift!” She giggled. “Whatever that is!”

“That is interesting,” Aloe said, “to dream of a place you have never seen before.”

“That’s why we’re so concerned,” Twilight said. “We think that this could be more than a dream. That it’s maybe a different manifestation of her Pinkie Sense.”

“It would not be inconceivable,” Lotus said.

“Unfortunately, we do not know much about dreams,” Aloe said.

“But you can tell us about Snowdrift,” Rainbow said.

“…Yes. What would you like to know?”

“What’s it like there?” Pinkie asked.

“That, I do not know,” Lotus said. “We have never been there.”

“But we have heard things,” Aloe said.

“It is a dangerous place.”

“And very cold.”

“In the dream, we were all hunted by something,” Twilight said.

“Hunted and caught,” Rarity added.

“All of you?” Lotus asked.

“Yeah, all of us,” Rainbow said, and Lotus frowned.

“Is there anything down there that… hunts ponies, that you know of?” Rarity asked.

Lotus stared Pinkie in the eyes. “I have an idea, but I need more details. What kind of scenery was there in this dream?”

Pinkie looked down at her hooves, trying to remember. “It was an empty field, with dead grass. There were black clouds overhead, really thick ones, and a single, square building in the distance. That’s all I remember.”

Twilight, who watched Lotus’ face as Pinkie described what she had seen, was taken aback; at Pinkie’s conclusion, the brilliant blue pony’s face was paper-pale, her eyes wide and afraid, her lips quivering slightly.

“Lotus, darling, are you okay?” Rarity asked.

“Yes, I am,” she said. “I am sorry if my reaction was not what you were expecting.” She took a moment to steady herself. “I have had this same exact dream before. Something came for you, yes? You couldn’t tell what it was, but you knew it was coming, and then, suddenly… you were dying. This is what you saw?”

“Yes,” Pinkie said, a little upset at Lotus’ completion of the dream.

“I have heard that there is a something that lives there. All who have told me of it have said it is a demon of some kind, but more I cannot say—there is not a lot known.”

“How can you two have had the same dream?” Rainbow asked.

“I do not know, but there is no doubt in my mind,” Lotus said.

“Was it just you six?” Aloe asked.

“No, actually,” Pinkie said.

“How many?”

“Twelve—us and six more.”

Lotus paled again, and wavered; Aloe rushed to her side and helped her sit down.

“Lotus, are you okay?” Fluttershy asked, edging over to her.

“No, no I am not,” she said.

“What’s wrong, dear?” Rarity asked nervously, approaching her with a hoof raised tentatively.

“Twelve… that is a number of great danger.”

“Uh, sorry, but how can a number be dangerous?” Rainbow asked.

“Wait, are you referring to divination?” Twilight asked.

“Yes.” Lotus looked at the others, who looked back in confusion. “In divining the future, certain numbers can suggest different outcomes or tendencies. Of these, twelve is often regarded as the most negative.”

“Twelve is associated with manipulation, deceit, and, in some cases, cruelty,” Aloe said.

“And while a single instance of it does not necessarily mean anything, it is not completely benign either,” Lotus said.

“But that’s just superstition,” Rainbow said.

“No, it is not,” Aloe said.

“It isn’t, Rainbow. Magical divination is a legitimate practice,” Twilight said.

“And for that number to appear in what could have been a prophetic dream…” Lotus shuddered. “This does not bode well.”

“But what does it mean?” Twilight asked. “Specifically, I mean.”

“That, I cannot say,” Lotus said. “There are too many possibilities. I can only tell you that it is a bad, bad sign, if it is anything at all.” She looked over at Aloe. “My advice is this. Stay away from Snowdrift, if you can.”

“And if you must go, spend as little time there as possible,” Aloe added.

“Yes. And watch for more instances of the number twelve.”

“What do you mean, ‘watch for’?” Rainbow asked.

“Just pay attention,” Aloe said.

“If you notice it appearing a lot—inordinately—there could be trouble,” Lotus said.

“It won’t be overt.”

“But it will be prolific.”

“If it is anything.”

They waited a few moments, and the twins looked at them blankly. “It sounds like you’re just warning us against bad luck,” Rainbow said.

“You could look at it that way, I suppose,” Lotus said.

“What about other numbers? You said twelve is just one,” Rarity said.

Lotus hesitated before speaking. “I… wouldn’t worry about that. Trying to find meaningful numbers everywhere will just distract you. I’m only warning you about twelve because of your dream, Pinkie. It’s a pretty clear sign.”

“Clearer than most,” Aloe said.

“It doesn’t seem that clear,” Rainbow said.

“Yeah, I’m surprised you even know about it, to be honest,” Twilight said.

Lotus and Aloe exchanged small smiles. “We’ve dabbled in the sciences before,” Aloe said.

“Reading, mostly,” Lotus said.

“Nothing is better than a curious mind.”

Twilight smiled. “You have that right. Are you sure you can’t tell us anything more?”

“Nothing concrete. And we would hate to worry you needlessly,” Lotus said.

“Okay. Well, thanks for the warning.”

“It’s no problem at all. Just remember what we said,” Aloe said.

“Of course. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“We will be fine in no time, Twilight,” Lotus said.

“Just because we have no running water, does not mean we are completely finished,” Aloe said with a peaceful smile.

“Well, okay then,” Twilight said. “I guess we’ll be on our way.”

“Take care. And come by tomorrow when you need us to help with the house. We can be ready any time.”

They walked up the stairs, back to the reception area, and out into the town square. As soon as they stepped out into the sun, Rarity let out a low wail, similar to a sob, but without the tears. “I can’t believe it! No more spa days! No more massages, or mud baths, or relaxing in the steam room, or anything! Oh, it’s over, all over!”

“Calm down, Rarity,” Twilight said.

“Calm down? You’re telling me to calm down? Of all the businesses in Ponyville to shut down, this is the worst one! No more makeovers! No more facials! No more cucumbers over my eyes!”

“Rare, chill out,” Rainbow said, flying lazy circles over them.

“How can I chill out when there’s no running water? No prospect of another day at the spa for at least a year?”

“At least the river’s still flowing,” Fluttershy said. “We can bathe in that.”

“Ugh, me, bathing in a river?”

“Whoopee! I love rivers, especially when they’re going fast, and especially especially when you’re on a raft! You don’t wanna be caught in those rapids without one, though, or you’ll be sorry!”

“Pinkie, you’ve never even been rafting,” Rainbow said.

“Neither have you,” Twilight said.

“Hey, I’ve done something like it.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“There are reservoirs in Cloudsdale with all the rain runoff, and some of ‘em empty out into the fields just south of here. Me and my friends used to jump into the canals and ride ‘em all the way down to the end and let ourselves be carried in the waterfall, then fly out of there! It’s just about the most awesome thing in the universe!”

“That sounds incredibly dangerous,” Rarity said.

“Eh, it was no sweat for an awesome flier like me.”

“Did you ever get hurt?” Fluttershy asked.

“Only once, when my idiot friend held me down under the water too long.” She spoke with a faint fondness.

“When was this?” Twilight asked, frowning. They crested the hill they had passed earlier, now free of ponies. Sunset was coming on, and the town was quieting down.

“When I was young,” Rainbow said.

“I don’t remember that at all,” Fluttershy said.

“Well, yeah, probably because you were too chicken to join us.”

“Too sane to join you, if you ask me,” Rarity said.

“Hey, we were young. Maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but it was still awesome. I’d totally do it again if I was still up there.”

“Glad to see you’ve learned your lesson, Rainbow,” Twilight said sarcastically.

“Oh, says the egghead,” Rainbow said.

“I am not an egghead. I just like to do things that aren’t suicidal, like read and go stargazing, and sometimes go for a walk in the woods when I’m feeling adventurous.”

“Oh, Twilight, that sounds lovely,” Fluttershy said.

“Yeah, I heard the Everfree Forest is just beautiful this time of year,” Rainbow said sarcastically.

“Not that forest, Rainbow. Whitetail Woods. I go there every now and again,” Twilight said.

“Alone?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, always. It’s a great place to think and relax.”

“Oh, I would love to join you sometime, Twilight. Um, that is, if you don’t mind,” Fluttershy said.

“No, Fluttershy, not at all.”

“I wanna take a walk in the woods!” Pinkie chirped.

“Pinkie, you’d just run around and try to turn it into a party,” Rainbow said.

“Well, duh! I mean, what good is a moment of silence without a party to liven it up?”

“Pinkie, have you ever heard the phrase ‘silence is golden’?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, but I never understood it.”

They all laughed, and Twilight brought them into view of the library; the lights were on, and she could smell something cooking. “Looks like Spike is making dinner already. How thoughtful of him.”

They crossed the lawn and entered the old tree, and Spike shouted a greeting at them.

“Hey, what’s cooking?” Rainbow asked. “Smells good!”

“Corn, carrot and turnip stew with a little hay thrown in for texture,” Spike said, exiting the kitchen. “With some toast and blueberry jam, and raspberry honey tea.”

“Spike, I never knew you could cook!” Pinkie said.

“I found an old recipe book and decided to give it a shot.”

“What a gentleman,” Rarity said, and Spike blushed. “Unfortunately, I simply cannot stand my condition anymore. Standing around in that spa, with no water whatsoever clinched it. I must find some way to clean myself up.”

“I think I’ll go with you, actually,” Twilight said.

“Me too,” Fluttershy said, and Pinkie followed them out the door.

“Oh, fine,” Rainbow said, following them. “We won’t be long, Spike,” she called.

They went out onto the lawn and headed toward the river. “Oh, poor Spike. He looked so happy to see us, and then we just walked right back out,” Fluttershy said.

“We won’t be long,” Twilight said.

“We’ll be even shorter if we just use the well,” Rainbow said.

“Bathe at the well? Rainbow, that’s indecent,” Rarity said.

“Ah, phooey.”

They walked through the empty field between the library and river, their shadows long in the sunset. The grass was warm and soft, and in the distance, a flock of birds peppered the horizon. The only sounds were the wind through the trees and the quiet mutter of voices behind them, ponies getting ready to end what was, to them, a monumental day.

Twilight looked around uncomfortably, and broke the silence. “Okay, I was hoping somepony else would bring this up, but I guess I’ll do it. Did anyone feel like there was something really weird going on with Aloe and Lotus today?”

“They did seem a little unlike themselves,” Rarity said. “But can you blame them? They did just lose their business, after all.”

“But they didn’t seem too broken up about it. They were just… off. Like their senses were heightened. For instance, am I the only one who was surprised when Lotus greeted Aloe without turning around? She said she heard her enter, but I didn’t hear anything, and my hearing is tuned to pick up the smallest sounds. I work in a library, for goodness’ sake; plus, I’m used to listening to Fluttershy.”

“Maybe she saw her in a reflection or something?” Rainbow offered.

“What reflection? There was no glass in the mirror, and that’s where she was looking the whole time.”

“I suppose it is a little odd, but she does things like that all the time,” Rarity said as they came up to the riverbank.

“Really?” Twilight asked.

“If you went with us more often, Twilight, you’d see that Lotus and Aloe both have uncanny hearing, and vision. Why, once, Lotus spotted an ingrown eyelash on me before I had even said ‘hello’!”

“Ew,” Rainbow said.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “I went up to the counter, and the first thing she said was ‘oh, Rarity, darling, that eyelash of yours is going to get infected if we don’t do something about it,’ and I said ‘what eyelash?’ and she pointed it out, and sure enough, there it was! But, I got it all taken care of. Oh, um, anyway, yes, they both have extraordinary senses.”

“As much as I love a good ingrown eyelash story, Rarity, we’re wasting time here. Let’s just get in the river,” Rainbow said. At this, she took a tentative step toward the bank.

“Weeeeee!” Pinkie shouted, jumping right in; the resulting splash covered Rarity, and sprayed the others only lightly.

“Ugh! Pinkie, my coat is soaking now!” Rarity groused.

“You were gonna get in the water anyway, Rarity.”

“Cannonball!” Rainbow screamed, plummeting from high above; they hadn’t seen her take off. She crashed into the water, her wings slapping its surface like great planks, sending a fine spray of water everywhere; for a moment, a faint rainbow stood out in the droplets.

“Come on, Rarity!” Pinkie cheered, leaning out of the river and grabbing Rarity’s hoof, dragging her in with a shriek. Twilight giggled, and then jumped in herself.

The water was chilly and refreshing, and Twilight let out a small gasp of pleasure as she entered. She slipped on the silty bottom, sending her head under, and the cold water flooded her eyes, her ears, her nostrils; it felt wonderful. She could see the play of light on the surface and the dark, muddy bottom, a few fish glimmering over a circle of gray stones. She brought herself up and savored the feeling of suddenly cold air on her face and fur, and waded out a little deeper.

There was no current. She thought back to her first viewing of the river, from the ship as they flew over the surrounding country. Despite its segmentation, the river had retained its water, but with no contiguity, it could not flow; its fragments were reduced to long pools of standing water. Twilight tried not to think of the ecological effects as she savored the feeling.

“Come on, Fluttershy!” Pinkie called.

The timid pegasus stood at the edge, looking in at them. She dipped a hoof in it, then another.

“It’s a little cold, don’t you think?” Rarity said huffily as she tried to wring the water from her mane.

“Cold? Are you crazy? This is perfect swimming water!” Rainbow said.

“Maybe for a pegasus.”

“Totally for a pegasus!” She got onto her back and swam along the surface, legs folded behind her while her wings did all the work. Twilight watched Pinkie disappear under the water and come splashing up on the other side as she busied herself with bathing. Standing still, she realized that Rarity was right—it was too cold for a non-pegasus.

Twilight began scrubbing at herself. There was a lot of dirt and dried sweat in her coat and mane, and a small ring of salt had formed around her horn. She dunked her head again and savored the brief moment between refreshing to cold; when it ended, she came up and shook her head, draping her mane over her face in cool, clinging tendrils. She brushed it away and looked at Fluttershy, and was happy to sit up to neck and relax, eyes closed.

Twilight continued scrubbing, sometimes with her hooves and sometimes with her magic; she had always liked the feeling of being magically groomed. The magic left a trail of ephemeral, wonderful warmth on her skin, and after the continuous ordeal of the last days, she could not help but sigh in contentment as she massaged herself.

Remembering Spike’s dinner, she did not stay in long, and got out to dry when Pinkie did. Rainbow was still grooming her wings, and Rarity was going over her mane and tail for what Twilight thought had to be the third time.

“Ah, so much better,” she said, and Pinkie nodded.

“I feel like a new Pinkie! Well, I guess I am a new Pinkie, but now I’m an even newer, super-duper Pinkie!”

Fluttershy climbed out and extended her wings, letting them drip and dry in the dying sun.

“We’re going to have to get used to this as we move on,” Twilight said.

“It’s really not that bad,” Fluttershy said. “At least, it’s not that bad for Rainbow and me. Oh, but we’re pegasi, so I guess it wouldn’t be.”

“It’s fine, Fluttershy. The water wasn’t that bad. But that won’t be true all the time, especially when we go really far south.”

“You said there was a glacier down there, right?” Pinkie asked.

“Yeah, right next to Snowdrift.”

“That Snowdrift place still gives me the creeps,” Fluttershy said.

“I still say it’s just a name,” Rarity said, looking out at them.

“A cold name,” Rainbow said, climbing out. “Can you imagine the rivers there? They’re probably freezing!” She shook her whole body, sending water everywhere and flapping her mane around; wet, it looked like a thick band of burnt taffy. Twilight smiled at the thought. “Candy Dash. And Candy Sparkle, and Candyshy, and Candy Pie, and Candyjack, and Candy… Candity. Eh, that’s not great.”

“Oh my gosh, Rarity, what is taking you so long?” Rainbow asked impatiently.

“This water is shriveling me up so much that I can’t tell if I’m getting my coat properly,” Rarity said, looking intently at her side.

“Then get out and let it be. You’re holding all of us up.”

“Ugh, Rainbow, you really ought to learn to be patient,” she said, wading over to the bank.

“It’s not just me.”

“Oh, Rarity, don’t worry,” Fluttershy said. “I don’t mind waiting, really.”

“Fluttershy,” Rainbow said, not bothering to finish her thought.

Rarity got out and flipped her mane back. “Shall we?” she asked, maintaining her dignified tone.

“Yes, let’s,” Twilight said. “I’m starving, and I’m sure you all are too.”

“You have no idea,” Rainbow said.

They crossed the field again. By the position of the sun, Twilight thought it was around seven. It was almost night. When they reached the library, they had all dried out, except for Pinkie, whose fluffy mane and tail were still limp with water. Applejack waited at the door and greeted them; she had already had dinner at the farm, and, after a brief trip to the Cakes’ to find out where they were, came to the library. She had only waited a few minutes.

They entered, greeted Spike, and ate; the dinner was marvelous to their addled and weary stomachs. It was good to be home for the day.