The same night as Spike’s dinner party, Octavia stood by the ship’s rail, practicing her cello and watching the night. It was eleven-thirty, and Appleloosa, with its minimum of electric lights, was hardly more than another spot of texture on the ground before them, sandwiched awkwardly between two long, parallel chasms. She watched the stars as she played, and before long, her mind was wandering. She sighed, a luxury that she could afford in the loneliness of her station.

“Up late again, I see,” a silken voice said behind her; she turned slowly, recognizing it. “You truly are remarkable,” Vanilla said. “Your friends scare so easily, yet you look at me without fear.”

She looked him up and down carefully before answering. Even in the darkness, he gleamed perfectly, his blue eyes piercing the night, his black hole cutie mark an infinite shadow. “Why are you here?”

“When you left Trottingham, I told you not to come here. I told you that the enemy ship is nearby, and yet you came anyway. Was Applejack impatient to see her family?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, well, she’ll be better off waiting a little longer to see them, I think.”

“Why are you here?” she repeated.

“In the beginning, if you will kindly remember, I told you that I was bound to vex you at intervals. You received your first gift.” He gave her a sympathetic smile. “And I am afraid this is your first interval. Would you wake the others for me?”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ll show you when you wake them.” He held her in his endless gaze for a moment, and she nodded carefully.

“Very well.” She leaned her cello against the rail and went downstairs, the sound of her own hooves on the deck loud and uncomfortable to her. She was tired, having not slept the night before, and Vanilla’s presence put her on edge. His eyes stuck in her memory: beautiful, brilliant, deep eyes that she could get lost in, if she let herself. She knocked firmly on a cabin door. “Vanilla Cream is here, and he wants us all awake,” she said to the chorus of confused half-questions from within.

Twilight was the first to come out, rubbing her eyes. “He’s out there now?”

“Yes. Come up to the deck with me.”

They slowly assembled on the deck before Vanilla, each pony giving him a glare or a deferential glance. “Why the heck are you waking us up?” Rainbow asked fractiously.

Vanilla walked to the rail and looked down. “I merely wanted you to see what I am going to do, so you can’t blame Octavia for it. Look out at the world.”

Hesitantly, they went to the rails and looked down at the small settlement, only a few miles away. “What are we supposed to be seeing?” Rarity asked, stifling a yawn.

With neither vocalization from Vanilla nor sound from below, as sudden and fast as a bolt of lightning, the semi-familiar landscape was swept away. The ship remained placid while the world turned underneath them, mountains and rivers speeding by like flotsam in a drift. “What’s goin’ on here? Explain this right now!” Applejack yelled, upset.

“We’re simply moving somewhere else,” Vanilla said. “Relax. It’ll all be over… now.” As he said it, the ground snapped to a stop, and they were on the edge of a large, bright city. No one stumbled, and not a sound was heard from the ship.

“You rotten son of a—” Applejack started, but didn’t finish; he was already gone.

“Where are we?” Rainbow said.

No one answered at first. They had gone to bed out in the western desert, where nearly all the light was from the stars. Vanilla, however, had left them on the edge of a vast, glittering cityscape, prickled and stacked with orange and red lights. A single bright ribbon of cars ran down the city’s middle, just along a split, and a wide wedge of a hotel sat just underneath them, a turquoise crescent shining at its top. “This is Fillydelphia,” Octavia said.

“He moved us all the way up here?” Twilight said.

“That bastard!” Applejack cried. “We were there! We were at Appleloosa, an’ he moved us!” She paced angrily across the deck, taking one more frustrated look at the city. “Is this the price we gotta pay fer yer new magic, Twi? ‘Cause if it is, Ah don’t wanna pay it.”

“He said that the ship was waiting for us,” Octavia said, looking over the edge at the glowing, fragmented cityscape before them. “At least he did not move us into the middle of nowhere.”

“Appleloosa can keep on fine without us, I’m sure,” Rainbow said. “They’re all strong, hard-working ponies.”

“Ah don’t like him bein’ able to move us like that,” Applejack said, going to the wheel.

“I don’t like it either,” Twilight said. She closed her eyes and massaged her temple. “But what can we do? It was too fast.”

“Can you counteract his spell?” Rarity asked.

“He’s from Tartarus. I couldn’t counter his magic any more than Applejack could.”

“Thanks fer that,” Applejack said.

“Are you saying we just have to lay down and let him screw with us?” Rainbow demanded.

“I’m… sorry, but I think so,” Twilight said.

“Gee, too bad we didn’t know that before we agreed to his proposal.”

“Okay, calm down,” Octavia said.

“Oh, here we go,” Applejack said, turning around to eye her.

“If you do not want to hear what I have to say—”

“Sorry, sorry. Ah’m just annoyed, all right?”

“Hm. I was going to remind everyone that this is not actually that bad. It is inconvenient, but compared to the other things I am sure he could do, it is quite inoffensive.”

“She’s right,” Pinkie said with a yawn. “At least we’re not dead.”

“Oh, come on, Pinkie, don’t say that,” Rainbow said.

“No, it’s true,” Twilight said tiredly. “Nopony got hurt. It’s just really… irritating.”

“At least it’s a nice city,” Rarity said. She had remained at the rails, looking down on the lights.

“Yeah, seems okay,” Applejack said. “Where can we land?”

“I know there is an airship lot by the park,” Octavia said.

“Can we get a hotel?” Pinkie asked.

“Not tonight. Ah just wanna land us an’ get back to bed,” Applejack said.

“I’m gonna get back to bed right now,” Rainbow said, and Twilight followed her. When they landed, only Applejack and Octavia remained.

“Are you gonna be okay on yer own?”

“Go ahead. I will be fine,” Octavia said, standing up her cello again. “I need the practice anyway.”

When morning came, Octavia was roused from a lulled session of staring by a voice down on the lot. A worker, just checking that they were okay; someone had seen them land, but not debark. She assured him they were all fine, just sleeping, and he went on his way.

She woke the others after preparing breakfast. Their rations were running low again, most of their fruit long since dried up. They ate sparsely, and she told them about the city.

“Fillydelphia is a city where entrepreneurs go when they cannot succeed in Canterlot or Manehattan. It is wealthy, but there are many retired ponies here, and a lot of the city relies on tourism. What I have seen of it is fast-paced, but friendly. I have always enjoyed myself when I performed here.”

“What’s the water situation?” Applejack asked.

“There is a river that runs through the town’s center. It is not particularly large, but Fillydelphia gets a lot of rain.” She looked up at the cloudy sky. Pegasi flitted between large clouds, pushing and pulling at them. “I think that this city should be okay.”

“And it’s inhabited,” Rainbow said. “About time.”

“I missed being somewhere where ponies actually live,” Rarity said. “And this town looks positively delightful.”

“Yeah, we said that about Manehattan too.”

“But look,” Applejack said. “No giant towers. We won’t have to worry ‘bout knockin’ things over this time.”

“Yes, speaking of that, how many spells do you think will be necessary to put this town back together?” Octavia asked.

“Oh, I’d say four,” Twilight said. “Four or five.”

They left the ship, and when they stepped off the lot, they found themselves in the middle of a large, long row of stores along a smooth, clean street. The neighborhood was gray under thick clouds, and ponies walked and flew past them without pause or worry, even as they stepped on to the heavy bridge of scaffolding at the street’s end. Nothing else seemed wrong: no bent light poles, no broken windows, no refuse in the streets, no upset cars. Only a single store was closed, with large plywood covers over its windows and door.

“It seems as though everyone has gotten over the spell,” Octavia said.

“I guess it makes sense; it was a month ago,” Twilight said.

“A month, really?” Rarity said, looking back from a window of designer dresses.

“Yeah, really.”

“It feels like a week,” Rainbow said.

“It’s hard to imagine, I know,” Twilight said.

“We’ve been away from home since April,” Fluttershy said.

They crossed a bridge, much wider and safer than the skinny, wooden one to the Trottingham vineyard, and walked down a side street past a bustling coffee shop. Ponies glanced at them, and a few waved, but there was no fuss. They followed Octavia’s lead, past the crowds of shoppers that thronged the multitudes of bookstores, restaurants, and clothing outlets. As the area thinned, they crossed at a busy intersection and entered a large park.

“This is Heart Park,” Octavia said. “It was designed in the shape of a heart.”

“Aw, that’s nice,” Fluttershy said.

“There are more weddings here than anywhere else in Equestria.” She looked around briefly. “Though I see none today.”

“Yeah, swell,” Rainbow said. “I need to take a fly.”

“Don’t get lost,” Twilight said.

“Pff. Like I’d do that.” She took off in a blue ribbon for the middle of the park, and no one followed her.

“There she goes,” Applejack said.

Rainbow flew low and fast over the park, scanning the crowds for anything of interest. It was a beautiful day to be outside, and everyone seemed to know it. Ponies relaxed by fountains and under gazebos, talking to one another or napping. A quartet performed on a small platform to a crowd. She looked out across the park, and saw a larger conglomeration in the distance, dispersing away from what looked to be an elevated stage. She sped up to head for it, flipping upwards quickly to see a large, colorful theater, empty but for one pony. The blue coat and silvery mane looked familiar, and she dove.

As soon as she recognized the unicorn mare, she shouted. “Trixie!” Arcs of indignation and shock went across her brain as she drove herself harder toward the stage, zeroing in on the unicorn that had threatened Ponyville so long ago, and had damaged her pride.

Trixie looked up curiously, but the interest on her face quickly morphed into fear. She ducked behind a small prop before racing to the back of her stage, and out a small hatch. Rainbow crested the back of the stage and dove again, but her charge was arrested in a frantic backwards flap as fireworks exploded in her face. She snarled and batted at them, and Trixie darted across the lawn, vanishing into a crowd of ponies.

“Dammit,” Rainbow breathed, reorienting herself. She took off, flying over the crowd and searching for her quarry with a deep frown. Every flash of reflected sun caught her eye and made her stop, thinking she had found Trixie’s argent mane, but each time, she was wrong. “Damn it!” She flew upwards, hoping to scope out a larger area, and flew to a nearby gazebo. She doubted Trixie would have stayed in the crowd and risked detection.

As soon as she saw a glint of sunlight, she was off, diving for a pair of large, twisted trees. She flew between them, looking around frantically, and saw a retreating pony near the park’s edge. Grinning to herself, she kicked off the tree’s trunk and shot across the lawn, but the distance was too great, and by the time she was at the gateway to the street, Trixie was across it, galloping into an alley between buildings.

She flew quickly over the busy street and looked down the alley. Trixie had nowhere to go, that she could see, and she didn’t pause in her dive toward the offending unicorn. As she got closer, she saw Trixie straighten up, her jaw and eyes set, and gave a hungry smile of her own as she dove into the shade between buildings. As she crossed into the alley, closing in on Trixie, a titanic, dark form rose up from the ground, obscuring her vision and filling her ears with an awesome roar. Immediately, her wings froze, and she plummeted, flailing and twisting to escape the sound. She slammed to the ground, dust and darkness all around her head. Thoughts of Trixie were gone as she tried to backpedal, succeeding only in backing up into a wall. The roar continued as her vision swam, pricks of light dancing across her eyes as her ears were shredded.

And then it was gone. Both sensations were swept away, and the alley came back, strangely bright and almost surreally still and ordinary. She sat against the bricks, a trash bin by her side, a discarded mattress across from her, and just breathed. Trixie was not in sight, though she dared not move to get a better look. She was trembling, and she drew herself into a ball, closing her eyes against the ugly aspect that surrounded her. She wanted to leave, but the sudden attack had left her speechless and motionless, her muscles tightened and tensed like ropes, her tongue and lips dry.

“Really?” a feminine voice said. She opened her eyes, and Trixie was there, looking down on her, bemused. “You’re not going to try to run now?”

“W-what? What the hell is going on?” Rainbow sputtered.

Trixie rolled her eyes and tapped her horn. “Illusion magic. To freak you out.”

“Why would you do that?”

“You chased me! What was I supposed to do?” Trixie cried. She frowned down at Rainbow, then advanced and offered a hoof. “Geez, are you okay?”

“Get away from me,” Rainbow spat, tensing further.

“Okay, okay.” Trixie backed away. “Was it really that scary? I use it for my shows sometimes, but ponies don’t usually react so negatively.”

“I thought I was a freakin’ goner,” Rainbow said. She adjusted to release her wings, stuck at an odd angle.

“Yes, that’s the idea.”

Rainbow slowly moved back into a sitting position. She looked at Trixie, who stood at a respectful distance, watching her carefully. “You suck, Trixie.”

“I thought you were trying to hurt me. Who even are you?”

“Are you kidding me? Ponyville?”

Trixie’s face darkened. “Oh, you’re one of those. I’m sorry, but I didn’t care to memorize all of your names.”

“Rainbow Dash! One of the Elements of freakin’ Harmony! You humiliated me on your stupid stage.”

“Ah, yes. Sorry about that.”

Rainbow shook her head quickly, shocked—partially at the apology itself, and partially at the coolness with which it was given. “What? Is that it?”

“What do you want from me, Rainbow Dash?”

“Uh… never mind.”

Trixie sighed, and Rainbow rubbed her head. “So are you going to be okay? You looked ready to cry there.”

“I’m fine!” Rainbow shouted. She flinched and put a hoof to her mouth. “I mean, I’m fine. It… you freaked me out, all right?”

“I can see that.”

Rainbow shook her head and pushed herself up. She looked around before moving, still nervous.

“Seriously? Dash, it was an illusion. A trick with my horn.”

“Hey, lay off, okay?”

“All right, all right,” Trixie said tiredly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to seriously upset you, just give you a scare.”

“I’m not seriously upset.”

“Hm. Well, come on, let’s get back to the park.”

They exited the alley and waited for the cars to thin before crossing. They stepped back onto the grass without talking, and Rainbow looked at Trixie quickly. She cleared her throat, and thought of Twilight. “All right, no, that did really bother me.”

Trixie took a deep breath through her nose, and deviated slightly to a picnic table. “Come on. Let’s sit.” She nodded to a spot across from where she sat. “Sit. You’ll feel better.”

Rainbow sat, and Trixie looked away. She looked down at the tabletop and picked at it. She wanted to be angry with Trixie, but the image she had of her, of boastfulness, insensitivity, and arrogance, felt suddenly out-of-place. The pony before her was none of those things, instead patiently waiting for her to speak. Again, she thought of Twilight. Trixie’s stunt would have had her in a full flashback, she knew.

“I’m sorry I scared you so bad. I was just trying to defend myself, not actually hurt you.”

Rainbow heaved a sigh. “Yeah. I know.” She looked up briefly. “Sorry I chased you. I saw you, and, I don’t know. I just reacted.”

“That’s always nice to hear,” Trixie mumbled.

“Hey, you don’t have to be a nag about it.”

“I don’t know what it is you want from me. You’re acting like there’s some sort of grudge between us, but I don’t even know you.”

“You know me.”

“I saw you once.”

Rainbow sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I want.”

“Do you need a hug?”

“Stay away from me.”

Trixie sighed. “It’s a joke, Rainbow Dash. I’m trying to lighten the mood.”

“Psh.”

Trixie rose. “Well, I don’t know what to do! I want to make you feel better, but you just want to be depressed.” She rolled her eyes impatiently. “Let’s just get you back to wherever you came from, so we can be done with each other.”

“Fine.” Rainbow stood up and followed Trixie back across the park.

“I’m really sorry about the trouble I caused in your town. I don’t know if you’ll believe this, but I never intended for things to go so wrong.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I don’t know what it is. Whenever I get in front of a crowd, I lose that part of me that empathizes with ponies. I’ve been working on that.”

“Excuses.”

“I’m not trying to excuse my behavior. I’m just telling you why I did it.”

“Uh-huh. So what are you doing here?”

“Oh, just a little thing I like to call getting my life on track.”

“What?”

“Well, after my entire livelihood was crushed, I had nowhere to go. That is what happened, you know. My trailer got smashed.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Thanks for the sympathy. So after I found someone to live with, I tried to get my career back. And now here I am.”

“Sounds like you got lucky.”

“Luckier than I’ve been in my life.” She looked Rainbow up and down. “I’m getting a nasty feeling about that now, though.”

“You brought it all on yourself, you know.”

“Oh, please,” Trixie said. “How was I to expect those two imbecile fans to drag a real ursa minor into town? You know, your hick town was the only place that took my stories literally.”

“Hey! That hick town is my home!”

Trixie sneered. “Sorry. I don’t want to incur another attack.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Listen to me, Rainbow Dash. I’m not interested in getting into some kind of conflict with you and your friends. I’m just trying to make an honest living here, and, to be frank, I’d be perfectly happy if you just left me alone.”

“Honest living. Right.”

The stage was back in sight, and the others were nearby, looking around curiously. “Just what do you think I am?” Trixie asked.

“Uh, let’s see here. Liar, braggart; there are two big ones right there.”

“I’m a showmare, for Celestia’s sake. I tell stories for a living. I haven’t conned anypony in my life, and I’m certainly not out to hurt anyone.”

“Tell that to Twilight. She had to clean up your mess.”

“Twilight?” Trixie squinted into the distance. “Oh, Celestia.”

“What’s the matter? Afraid to face the music?”

“Do you want to be quiet for a second?” She looked at the group of ponies, approaching swiftly. “I’ve imagined this moment.”

“Psh.”

“Rainbow, what the heck is goin’ on? Why d’ya have her with ya?” Applejack said.

“Holy guacamole! Is that the Great and Powerful Trixie?” Pinkie shrieked.

Trixie took a half step back, but before the crowd could continue, Octavia shoved her way through, smiling. “Is it truly you, Great and Powerful Trixie?” Her voice was happy and hopeful, a tone they had never heard before.

Trixie only stared, her initial indignation lost on her baffled face. “The… it can’t be. The… Gorgeous and Magnificent Octavia?”

“The one and only.”

Trixie stared at her for a second, then at the ponies behind her. She smiled, and the smile gave way to a laugh, first small and shy, but then joyous, and she broke her closed stance to rush forward to crush Octavia in a bear hug, one that—to Rainbow’s even greater surprise—she reciprocated.

“Whoa, whoa, okay, time out,” Rainbow said. “You wanna explain this, Trixie?”

The two mares stepped apart from each other. “Why are you with them?” Trixie asked.

“You have met,” Octavia said hesitantly, looking back at her friends.

“I played a show in Ponyville a long time ago, and they heckled me off the stage.”

Octavia cast them a dark look.

“Is that why you took off so suddenly, Dashie?” Pinkie asked.

“Yes, she came flying at me like a crazy pony,” Trixie said. “I thought I was under attack.”

“Why would you do that, Rainbow?” Twilight asked.

Trixie stomped back to her trailer, and Octavia followed. She hesitated for the merest moment. “I’m not done with you. I want to talk. But I really must catch up with Octavia here.”

Octavia looked back at them. “These are my friends.” She looked at Trixie, and thought. “But Trixie is right. We have much to discuss. Please excuse us.”

They all stepped back and watched as Octavia shut the door behind her, barring them from the inside, from Trixie.

“What. The. Hell,” Rainbow said.

“Since when do those two know each other?” Applejack blustered. “Has the whole world gone mad?”

“They must be friends!” Pinkie cried. “That’s so awesome! All this time she had a friend and she never said anything! I thought she didn’t have any friends, ‘cause she said so all the time, but now she and Trixie are—”

“Be quiet out there!” Trixie snapped from within.

They waited a moment, startled. “They certainly were happy to see each other,” Twilight said.

“I don’t like it,” Rainbow said.

“Ah think it’s mighty suspicious, myself,” Applejack said.

“Oh, come on, dear. Not everything is more than it seems. I’m sure they’re just friends,” Rarity said.

“Then why didn’t Octavia ever tell us?” Rainbow asked.

“Why would she? She didn’t know we knew Trixie. And besides, you know how reluctant she is to talk about her past.”

“Maybe they had a fight,” Fluttershy said.

“Nah, they’re too happy to see each other. Ah don’t think it has anythin’ to do with her at all, personally,” Applejack said.

“I’m actually surprised she’s still performing,” Rarity said.

“Yeah! Didn’t her cart get crushed by the ursa?” Pinkie asked.

“Yeah, it got flattened. She said it had all her stuff in it,” Rainbow said.

“That must have been tough,” Twilight said.

They waited for a moment, listening to the muffled voices, Octavia’s quiet and Trixie’s shrill. “How long will they be in there?” Pinkie wondered aloud.

“Let’s just wait out here until they’re done,” Applejack said. “She said she wanted to talk with us. Ah wonder what that’s gonna be ‘bout.”

They waited for half an hour, enough time for Rainbow to go on an impatient flight around the park, before anything happened. The crowd had long since dispersed, though the stage still stood, props still in place and decorations still hanging tackily from the rafters. Octavia poked her head out and beckoned them all inside, and, grateful for some break in the monotony, they trotted in.

Trixie reclined on a plush cushion, her cape and hat hanging rakishly on a peg near a mirror. Her tail flicked angrily, and Octavia returned to her side. “So,” she said, demanding their attention with the single syllable. “Octavia has told me why you’re here.”

Twilight didn’t respond. She was not like Rainbow and Applejack; she bore Trixie no ill will. Trixie’s sullen expression as she addressed them, however, made her nervous.

“Well?”

“I… I don’t know what to say. I mean, yes, here we are. You know what we’re doing. What do you want me to say?”

“Does it matter?” Rainbow asked.

“Hey,” Trixie said, fixing her eyes on Rainbow’s for a second. “This matters to me.” She sighed and looked at Octavia, who looked back emptily. “Ugh. Twilight, I’m sorry for the trouble that followed me to your town. It wasn’t my intent for things to go so… catastrophically wrong there. I don’t want to be enemies with any of you.”

Twilight blinked as Trixie watched her face cautiously.

“Ah don’t believe you,” Applejack said.

“Is my offer of contrition not enough? Would you have me fall to my knees and pray for your absolution?”

“See, there y’are with that boastful attitude.”

“That, dear orange pony—”

“Applejack. My name is Applejack.”

“Noted. And that was sarcasm. I don’t like to be judged.” She scoffed and sat back in her chair, tossing her mane. “You don’t even know me!”

“We know ya fine.”

“No, you knew me. Knew.” She gave an ugly smirk. “Or is personal change only reserved for you six? The heroines of your dramatic tale.”

“You’re not acting very changed,” Rarity said.

“You really are not,” Octavia whispered, and Trixie blushed hotly, giving her tail another angry flick.

“Fine. You’re right!” She sunk deeper into her chair. “You really are right. And I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting to see you all here, and it put me in a temper.” She glared at Rainbow. “Twilight, I am truly sorry about the trouble I caused in your hometown.”

Twilight looked at her, mouth open slightly. She felt lost; her friends beside her, angry, and Trixie before her, seemingly contrite after a fresh bout of indignation. All the eyes in the room were on her. “I… I mean, of course I forgive you, Trixie.”

“I don’t,” Rainbow said.

“You still lied ‘bout yerself,” Applejack said.

“Yes, so I’ve heard,” Trixie said, twirling a hoof. “Hey, I just had a good idea. How about, instead of dumping on me, we talk about Octavia? She knows both of us; isn’t that strange?”

“Yes, that is what we should do,” Octavia said, rolling her eyes.

“I for one am curious about that,” Rarity said. “You two know each other, then?”

“We are childhood friends.”

“You had a childhood friend?” Pinkie asked.

“Yes. After I left home, I ran into Trixie, and, having nowhere else to go, I joined her. That is where I earned my cutie mark.”

“I remember that night,” Trixie said. “Dear Octavia here, being an earth pony, had to settle for comedy and acting routines to fit in with my little traveling show.”

“I was skilled at neither.”

“You can say that again. She tried her hoof at music, though, and, well, it was the most successful performance I’d had back then.”

“I played an old acoustic guitar that Trixie had acquired somewhere in her journeys,” Octavia said.

“With great skill and charisma, too. Unfortunately, she and I parted ways shortly after she discovered her talent.”

“Once I had earned enough money, I decided to enroll myself in Hoofington’s school for gifted musicians.”

“That was the last time I saw her,” Trixie said. “Until today!” she exclaimed, springing up to grab Octavia in another hug.

“So, you two knew each other before Octavia was all… serious?” Twilight said.

Trixie laughed loudly, and they looked at her oddly. “Oh, dear. No, Octavia here was always serious.”

“Gee, there’s the surprise of the century,” Rainbow said.

“Remember what I used to say, Octavia? You were never young.”

Octavia smiled thinly. “It is very good to see you again, Trixie. And I do apologize, but my friends and I have an important errand at the mayor’s office.”

“What are you doing there?”

“We need to clear everything with her before casting our spells,” Twilight said.

“Ah, that. Octavia filled me in on what you’re doing. That’s quite the spell, Twilight.” She sneered. “Are you sure you can handle it?”

“We’ve been handlin’ it since Ponyville,” Applejack said.

“It’s a joke, my dear. I use them to lighten the mood. Do you know what that means?”

“We really should be going now,” Octavia said, giving Applejack a dirty look.

“Do you have a car?”

“No; we were assuming we would simply walk.”

Trixie scoffed playfully. “Now I can’t let my best friend do that.”

“It is not a problem.”

“I insist. I have a car; you can ride with me.”

“All of us?” Pinkie asked.

“Er, no, I suppose not. It only seats three.”

“We can wait with the ship,” Applejack said.

“That’s better than dealing with boring politics,” Rainbow said.

“Politics aren’t boring, Rainbow,” Twilight scolded. “It’s the very force that shapes nation-states and cities, and—”

“Yeah, and that stuff is boring,” Rainbow insisted.

“Okay, well, you can stay with the others and go back to the ship. Why not see if you can get us some hotel rooms?”

“If I may make a suggestion, the Moonbeam Hotel is very good. I have stayed there a couple times,” Octavia said.

“We’ll see if we can find it,” Applejack said.

“It is the hotel that was underneath us before we landed.”

“Ah, that. Should be easy enough. C’mon, y’all.” She went for the door, and turned at the last moment, tipping her hat only a sliver. “Trixie.”

“Applejack,” Trixie said, eyes narrowed. As soon as they were gone, she looked to Octavia and Twilight. “Shall we?”

Trixie’s car was a small, low, silver and blue arrowhead with her cutie mark inexpertly painted on the sides. Twilight sat next to Trixie up front, at her suggestion, and Octavia took the back seat, staring ahead lifelessly. Twilight looked at her in the rearview mirror; she had never been able to stare at Octavia’s eyes for more than a couple seconds. Her heart ached with pity at the bloodshot, muddled whites, surrounded by drooping, unhealthy skin. She knew Octavia didn’t sleep well, but the physical effects were easy to pass over when they were always at work.

Trixie started the car and stole a look at Twilight, who was doing her best to appear unassuming. “Twilight, I want to be sure you accepted my apology because you truly forgave me for my wrongs, and not because of some misguided feeling of pressure by your friends. We’re alone now.”

“Octavia’s here,” Twilight said, glancing once more at the mirror.

“Like I said, alone,” Trixie said, and Octavia smiled wryly.

“Well, Trixie, I have to say, it kind of… got me by surprise. I mean, you left so quickly, I never really got a chance to talk to you. But yes, I forgive you. I’m glad you’ve grown as a pony.”

She sighed. “As am I. It was hard, but I’ve learned not to take ponies’ good natures for granted.”

“So, friends?”

“Sure. Uh, friends.” She cleared her throat awkwardly and drove for a minute, quiet. “I envy you, Twilight.”

“Why?”

“You’re on a grand adventure, the kind of which I talk about during my shows. Travel, an impossible foe, magical artifacts—it’s all there. I’ve never done anything even close to that.”

“But you’ve been on some kind of adventure, I’m sure.”

“Sure, but nothing like yours. The biggest adventure I ever went on was right after I left Ponyville,” she said glumly. “But that’s a story for only my closest friends. Not for the stage.”

“Well, I think you’re the lucky one,” Twilight said.

“How so?”

“The fate of Equestria doesn’t sit on your withers.”

“Fair enough.”

“Compared to us, you have a very ordinary life, Trixie,” Octavia said.

“Octavia, how did you even wind up with these ponies?”

“We met.” Trixie laughed, and Octavia smiled once more. “They found me in Canterlot, and I offered to go with them.”

“That’s it? That’s hardly a story.”

“It was a very simple exchange.”

“So you just up and left with them. What about your job, and friends? Your entire life. You left it behind?”

“I play—played—for hire, but was not committed to any one organization. I was free to leave whenever I desired. And… I had no friends,” she finished quietly.

“No friends? A delightful mare like you? How does that work?”

“I simply never got around to making any,” Octavia said.

“That sounds like a lie if I’ve ever heard one,” Trixie said indignantly.

“I am sorry you feel that way.”

Trixie was silent, and Twilight looked out the window casually. She recognized Octavia’s tone, having heard it directed at her a few times before. She glanced at Trixie, who stared ahead evenly, her eyes hard, her mouth drawn. She tried to relax, but tension radiated off the two mares, and the quiet was too much. “Trixie? Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Trixie said curtly, and Twilight flinched. Trixie looked at her and rolled her eyes, and Twilight looked back out the window. A light mist of rain was forming on the glass, and the buildings were growing taller. Downtown. Unlike Canterlot’s gentle, white architecture, Fillydelphia’s buildings were thin and angular, their walls formed of sharp, unpainted curves of scaffolding that seemed to cut and dice everything behind them. Nearly every door she saw was glass or metal, and only a single, small brick building stood out to her, squat between two iron-gray warehouses. No one spoke until they reached the mayor’s office, a bright dome on a chalky green, two-story loaf of black windows and stately, plain columns.

The receptionist said they may see the mayor immediately, and Octavia walked them to her office, moving ahead with quick, clipped steps. Trixie didn’t talk. Rain streaked the windows as they moved down the quiet halls, passing ponies that gave them only the tiniest of curious looks.

“You two go ahead in,” Trixie said. “I don’t have any place in this conversation.”

Octavia gave no response as she pushed the office door open. The mayor stood up as they entered, gliding swiftly over to shake their hooves. Even before she spoke, Twilight felt nervous around her; her office was dark and cluttered, filled with knickknacks and books. A globe stood on the corner of her desk, wrapped in yarn and tacks, and a glass of water stood on an open tome. Twilight bit her tongue to stay herself from commenting on it. The mayor shook her hoof firmly and leaned in to look into Twilight’s eyes; her own were intense, and her horn was long, curved slightly upwards. Her ashen, purple mane was pulled back in a skull-tight bun, drawing her dark, blue-gray fur up to reveal tiny slivers of pink skin on her forehead. Her tail, a startling contrast to her mane, flowed out behind her, long and smooth, as though caught in a wind.

“Um, hi. My name is Twilight Sparkle. This is Octavia Melody.”

“Mayor Splotch,” the mayor said. “I already know why you’re here.”

“Oh. You do?”

“I’m close to the princesses.” She looked them up and down slowly, taking them in, studying them. “Pinkie knows what she’s doing, yes?”

“Uh… she said so, yes,” Twilight said.

“Then go ahead. Fix my city.”

“Oh. Is that it?”

“When shall the first spell take place?”

Twilight looked at Octavia, who shrugged. “I would like to get the first one done today, if that is possible,” Octavia said. “We can use the hotel roof.”

Splotch appeared to think for a second. “Which hotel? I will tell the ponies there to stay inside.”

“The Moonbeam.”

“Fine.” Splotch leaned in to a large, ornate, bell-shaped phone on the corner of her desk, depressing a button with a hoof. “Lowercase, get the ponies in the southwest quadrant inside for the night. We have a restoration spell.”

A tinny “yes ma’am” echoed out, and Splotch turned back to Twilight and Octavia. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

“N-no, not really. So…”

“Wait for the cars to get off the street before casting your spell.”

“Okay.”

The mayor looked out the rain-slashed window in the back of her office.

“We will just be leaving, then,” Octavia said. She opened the door for Twilight, and they exited.

“That was fast,” Trixie said.

“She was ready for us,” Twilight said.

“So where do I drop you off?”

Trixie left Twilight and Octavia just outside the Moonbeam Hotel, where their ship was already parked. She gave a curt goodbye wave before driving away, and Twilight walked beside Octavia. “So what’s going on with you two? Why’s she so upset?”

“I think she is angry that I did not explain my lack of friends. She thinks that I am keeping something from her.”

“And are you?”

“The same thing that I am keeping from everyone.”

Twilight grunted and nodded, and Rainbow flapped through the hotel doors. “There you are. So did it work? Are we good?”

“Everything is fine,” Octavia said.

“Sweet. Oh, Twilight, Octavia, you need to check this out.” She gestured excitedly at a fenced in area near the corner of the hotel. “They’ve got a pool!”

“Hm.”

“Octavia, do you swim?” Twilight asked.

“No.”

“You can just lounge around on the deck with me,” Rainbow said. “I’d like to get some sun, but that’s not gonna happen today.”

“You sunbathe, Rainbow?” Twilight asked. “I read that that’s unhealthy.”

“Well, yeah, if you do it every day.”

“In moderation, it can keep one’s coat glossy,” Octavia said.

“See? She knows what I’m talking about,” Rainbow said, offering a hoof for Octavia to bump.

They entered the hotel, and Twilight craned her neck to look around. Immediately, she was reminded of the towers in Manehattan: ponies moved easily across the smooth, semi-reflective floor, speaking completely normally, and about normal subjects; the disaster seemed utterly gone from their minds. Thin, silver stripes crawled the pale blue walls, and colossal windows above let in enough light to give the lobby a cheerful, soothing ambiance.

“I have always liked the look of that,” Octavia said, looking up. Above, suspended on thin wires, was a brass and silver construction of overlapping rings emanating outward from a large, dull sphere. It caught the light on its rounded surface, turning it into a brilliant, tiny sun over the lobby. “It is the largest astrolabe in Equestria.”

“That’s not actually an astrolabe,” Twilight said. “It’s an armillary sphere, sometimes called an armilla or just an armil. It’s used to measure celestial longitudes and latitudes, as well as the ecliptic.”

“Yeah, that’s awesome,” Rainbow said. “C’mon, girls. Twilight, you’re rooming with us.”

They followed her down the hall to a neat, confining elevator, which took them up to the third floor. The carpets were a deep crimson, checkered with paler pink, and the walls were a calm cream. The air smelled faintly of roses. Rainbow stopped at their door and pounded on it, and Rarity let them in. Rainbow went immediately to the bed and flopped onto it with a sigh.

“We’ve got this room fer two days,” Applejack said. “An’ if we’re gonna take a look ‘round fer our spell, we should do it soon. Ah don’t wanna be doin’ it when it’s dark.”

“The mayor wanted us to wait, actually,” Twilight said. “She needs to let the ponies in the area know to stay indoors first.”

“Oh, something’s actually being done about that?” Rarity asked. She looked at Pinkie for a moment.

“About time,” Rainbow said.

Twilight nodded and sat down on the bed beside Fluttershy. The room was small, but light and comfortable; the walls, like those in the corridors, were a soothing, striped cream, and the twin beds were luxurious pads of white and burgundy. Out the window, she could see a large, circular series of cracks just beside a bend in the river. Most of the town looked relatively unharmed; no debris littered the streets, and while it was apparent in some places that a building had collapsed, the areas were blank and taped off, not messy with wreckage. The single, shattered circle, however, was busy with narrow slivers of land, like cracked glass. Only a few small buildings stood in the disaster area.

“I have not seen anything like it,” Octavia said, following Twilight’s eyes.

“It’s the plate tectonics, it has to be,” Twilight said. “I don’t remember exactly, but I think there’s a subduction zone there.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

“Bored,” Rainbow blurted.

“You don’t want to talk about plate tectonics?” Fluttershy asked with a tiny smile.

“Aw, you know, ordinarily I would, but it’s been a long day.”

“It’s barely two o’ clock,” Applejack said.

“All right, long morning then.”

“Shall we play some cards or something?” Rarity asked.

“That sounds good,” Twilight said. She grabbed the deck out of their bag, not even looking at it. Octavia cleared a table, and they sat at it while Twilight dealt.

Fluttershy, who sat out from their last card game, alerted them when the streets looked clear. It was four o’ clock when they walked to the elevator and went to the seventh floor, where Rainbow led them to the stairwell. The climb up was short, and the roof was empty, but cold; the rain was coming down hard. While Twilight and Pinkie set up for the sigil, the others relaxed in the meager shelter inside the well.

“So how was it with Trixie and Twilight, Octavia?” Fluttershy asked.

“Fine,” Octavia said.

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” Rainbow said.

“Twilight and Trixie seem to be willing to let bygones be bygones, and for that I am grateful. I do not think that they are very comfortable together, though.”

“Well, Trixie’s a bit of a… she’s hard to get along with,” Rarity said.

“I would not know. When I traveled with her, she was always nice. That was many years ago, though.”

“Have you two reconnected like you wanted to?” Fluttershy asked.

“I do not believe so. She is unhappy with my reticence.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Rarity said.

Octavia regarded her with a bland stare. “I am sure you cannot.”

“I thought she was nice,” Fluttershy said. “Or less mean, at least.”

“I don’t think she’s changed,” Rainbow said. “I mean, come on. Do ponies really change that easy? How do you know this isn’t some sort of revenge tactic?”

“I am curious. Why do you distrust her so? From my experiences, she has been nothing but well-meaning,” Octavia said.

“You didn’t see her in Ponyville,” Rarity said.

“She was boastful, loud-mouthed, and annoying,” Rainbow said.

“She showed us all up in front of the crowd,” Applejack said.

“And she lied about her accomplishments,” Fluttershy said.

Octavia thought. “It is not… in the best taste, I agree, but if she has not led a very interesting life, I think she is entitled to some room for falseness.”

“I’d like to think she’s changed, though,” Rarity said. “She stopped referring to herself in the third-pony.”

“Yeah, what was up with that?” Rainbow asked.

“I do not know what you mean. She has always spoken in first-pony,” Octavia said.

“Not when she came to Ponyville,” Fluttershy said.

“Interesting.”

“Do you think we’ll visit her again?”

“I think it would be best if I left her alone for now.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy looked down, disappointed.

“I am sure she will come around soon. She was never the kind of pony to shut someone out.”

“I guess you would know,” Rarity mumbled.

Octavia looked at her. “Is there something that you would like to say?”

“No, dear,” Rarity said, sighing. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I was ready to see Trixie either. It’s put me in a mood.”

“I know what you mean,” Rainbow said. She sighed and lay down, and it wasn’t long before she spoke again. “I’d like to know more about your cutie mark story, Octavia.” She grinned. “Or is that a secret too?”

“No, actually. I did not talk about it before because it was never relevant. As Trixie said, as an earth pony, my skills on the stage were very limited. I usually played as her assistant or sidekick, but I was occasionally charged with entertaining the audience on my own. I tried acting, but I was no good, and I could not tell a joke to save my life.”

Rainbow stifled a giggle, and Octavia gave her a false smile.

“I sang, but I was nothing spectacular—moreover, I did not enjoy it. After a few long discussions, she had me play with an acoustic guitar, and after a few days of practice, I was able to perform a few songs for our next show. We were in the middle of the country at the time, so my first crowd was of only forty or so. Still, it was a great success. Only after our show did she notice that I had gotten my cutie mark.”

“How’d y’all celebrate?” Applejack asked.

“The same way any other pony would, I imagine. We cheered and laughed, and Trixie opened a bottle of champagne that she had been given. From there, I improved my craft.”

“That’s a nice story,” Fluttershy said.

Octavia nodded and turned away from the brightly glowing rooftop. The others followed her example, and they listened and watched as the surrounding landscape drew itself together. Buildings swayed and creaked dangerously, but there were no ponies to make an uproar, no cars to shriek off the street and up onto the sidewalks.

When it was over, Twilight and Pinkie slowly walked back to the stairwell. “Easy-peasy!” Pinkie cried.

“I’m just glad the mayor thought to warn everyone,” Rarity said. “We have to remember that we’re not in Trottingham anymore.”

“Yeah, we’re somewhere with a pool,” Rainbow said. “Speaking of pools, I’m gonna go check ours out.” She jumped over the railing and flew down onto the grounds, streaking over the gate and landing in the rippling water with a noisy splash.

“Ah don’t know why she’s so set on swimmin’ in that thing,” Applejack said as they descended the stairs. “It’s rainin’.”

“I don’t know about her, but I, for one, am more interested in that hot tub,” Rarity said.

They stopped in their room to grab some towels out of the bathroom, and then went down to the empty pool enclosure. The deck was a pristine white, softened by the rain, and was surrounded by a tall fence just in front of a row of trees. The lounging chairs and their umbrellas were slick with rain.

“Everypony else is inside,” Fluttershy said.

“Cannonball!” Pinkie screamed, taking a flying leap into the pool. She landed near the center, sending a splash all the way to the edges and getting their manes damp.

“Pinkie!” Rarity whined.

“It’s not that bad!”

“Yeah, we can feel it,” Applejack said. “Seein’ as how you splashed us!”

“Hop in!”

Applejack grumbled and stepped in after Pinkie, crouching down slightly on the penultimate step and submerging herself to the neck. “All right, Ah’ll give it to ya, this water is pretty nice.” She shivered a little. “Rain’s awful cold, though.”

Twilight followed after her, stumbling awkwardly on one of the steps and half-dunking her face. She emerged, laughing, and Pinkie gave her a light splash.

“We will be fine out here,” Rarity said, looking distastefully at the water.

“Octavia, jump in,” Twilight said.

“I do not swim, remember?” Octavia said.

“You can hang out in the shallows; that’s probably what we’re gonna do anyway,” Applejack said.

“Fine.” She splashed ungracefully into the water, prompting another laugh from Twilight. “Why did you all want to do this?”

“Ah haven’t been in the water like this since… shoot, Ah can’t even remember.”

“I suppose it is rather nice.”

“I’m actually interested in trying out some high-level telekinesis,” Twilight said. “Vanilla Cream said he enhanced my magical capabilities, but I didn’t get to test them very well on the ship.”

“I would like to see that. What will you do?”

Twilight thought for a second. “Do you want a water show?”

Octavia’s eyes lit up slightly, and for just a moment, she looked happy, despite her dripping, bedraggled mane. “That sounds fascinating.”

Twilight grinned and lit up her horn. She had experimented a lot on the ship, reading and practicing, but there was only so much she could do. The effort it took to lift all of their supplies was considerable, but one she had exerted before; she had nothing to truly test her. With a small exertion, she lifted a large sphere of water out of the pool with an unseemly sucking sound, and held it between them. It wobbled and jiggled in the rain, and Octavia moved around slowly to examine it.

“Is that difficult for you?” Octavia asked.

“A little, but it’s not bad. I could do this without his help.” Her horn glowed more intensely for a moment, and the orb moved lower, skimming the pool’s surface. Twilight smiled, and the ball stretched slowly into a tube. She wiggled it a little, and Octavia smiled again. In her mind, her thoughts were quiet, but happy. With an audience to her practice, she felt comfortable, and even mimicked Octavia’s smile as she split her water into a pair of long snakes.

“Try something harder,” Rainbow said.

She frowned and concentrated a little more, raising the water back to eye level and dividing it into ten smaller spheres. Octavia watched closely as she twirled them around an invisible focal point, faster and faster until they began to taper at the ends, creating a fine rain of their own. She slowed them down and dropped them back into the pool with a heavy plop.

“That was impressive,” Octavia said. “How was it?”

“Really not that hard,” Twilight said. “I was expecting to have to really exert myself when I had them spinning, but it was… easy, almost.” She thought for a moment, and another idea came to her. “No, that’s too much.” She looked all around the pool, determining the amount of water within. “Is it?” “Okay, let me try this. Everypony hold still.”

Everyone stopped moving to watch her, and she brought the spell to the front of her mind. It was just a telekinesis spell, but the size and scope of it, she knew, would be a challenge—or should be. She activated her horn again and looked all across the pool, trying to ignore her friends’ inquisitive expressions. A slight magical haze appeared at the pool’s edges, and she slowly lifted it out. She could feel the unbelievable weight sagging down on her mind, chipping at her concentration like a bad idea, but she ignored it. “Still too easy.”

She frowned and paused, and the solution came to her. Splitting her magic into more, smaller spells, she created small columns around her friends and herself, to keep some water in. Still, her strain was small as she lifted the majority of the pool out of the ground and floated it over their heads. The others gasped, and Pinkie cheered, and Twilight only watched the undulating mass above her. “My eyes should be closed with the concentration. I should be sweating. This spell should be kicking my butt, but it isn’t.” She watched her friends’ colors move and refract in the bulb of water, and looked down to see the rain already wetting the pool’s bottom, suddenly much larger than it looked when they had entered the enclosure. Even keeping her friends ensconced in their own personal spaces was easy—hardly a thought, under the focus she used to keep the thousands of gallons aloft. She slowly lowered it back, and released her magic; a tiny current twitched her tail as the bodies of water met.

“Twilight, that was amazin’,” Applejack said.

“Amazing isn’t even the half of it,” Twilight said. “I wish I could tell you how easy that was!” She giggled nervously. “I’m not even tired.”

“Perhaps now we can look more favorably upon Vanilla,” Octavia said, looking at Applejack.

“Ah know, Ah know. He’s been plumb helpful with this here magic. That ain’t undoin’ the fact that he moved us halfway across Equestria against our will, or the fact that he’s from Tartarus.”

“Racist,” Rainbow said from across the pool.

“You don’t like him either,” Rarity said, and Rainbow only chuckled.

“Well, Ah don’t trust him. We shouldn’t be so quick to just assume he’s all he says he is,” Applejack said.

“That is a fair point,” Octavia said.

For an hour, they played around in the pool. Pinkie and Applejack had a splash fight, which swiftly incorporated Twilight and Rarity, who jumped in angrily after being awoken with cold water across her front. Twilight treated them all to another water show, taking the pool back out and forcing it into a titanic corkscrew that Rainbow flew through, and Octavia tried to make her own water sphere, which she could only hold for a few minutes before giving up and letting it collapse back. By the time the sun was setting, they were cold, and the rain had only slightly let up, so they migrated to the hot tub, where conversation turned calmer.

“So, Octavia, did you and Trixie ever… do anything?” Rainbow asked, adjusting the heat dial.

“I do not know what you mean,” Octavia said. She was up to her snout in the bubbling water, and had to raise herself slightly to speak.

“You know, sexual.”

“We did not, not even to experiment. I did not know that I was gay then, so I did not look at her that way. I do not know how she felt about me.”

“You seem oddly comfortable talkin’ ‘bout this,” Applejack said. Her Stetson was tipped down over her face as she leaned back against the cold, rain-spattered tile corner.

“How so?”

“You don’t tell us nothin’ else, an’ yet here y’are, talkin’ ‘bout yer sexual relationship with Trixie.”

“Would you prefer I kept that a secret as well? I can, if you want.”

“Why’d you have to bring it up, AJ?” Rainbow asked, exasperated.

“Yer the one askin’ her ‘bout her sex life,” Applejack said.

“Yeah, and she’s perfectly fine talking about it, for once.”

“I would not say ‘perfectly’ fine,” Octavia said.

“Excuse me,” said a timid female voice from the side. A dark brown griffon stood on the side, tail swishing lazily. “Would you mind?”

They scooted over for her, and she got into the tub, letting out a long sigh as she did so.

“Wowee! You’re the first, uh… the first… what’s the generic term for all life?” Pinkie asked.

“Pony,” Twilight said.

“What? Twilight, she’s not a pony!”

“No, seriously. According to the Equestrian Language Association, any intelligent creature inside the Equestrian borders can be referred to as a pony in the generic sense. We only use their proper names if they’re being referenced specifically.”

“Okay! You’re the first pony we’ve seen in the pool all day! Are you here on vacation?”

“Yep. I came up here to see my parents,” the griffon said.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Rarity said. “Where are you from?”

“Where d’ya think, Rare?” Applejack asked.

“I’m actually from Applewood,” the griffon said, a touch of indignation on her voice.

“Oooooh, Applewood,” Twilight said. “I’ve read all about it; it’s the biggest city in Equestria.”

“I was born and raised there. It’s kind of a shame, actually; no matter where I go, everything seems smaller. Here, at least.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rainbow asked.

“Griffon cities are a lot larger than pony cities,” Twilight said.

“Oh, have you been there?” the griffon asked.

“No, no. I’ve only read about it.” She chuckled self-consciously. “I haven’t even been to Applewood.”

“I have,” Octavia said. “I have performed there many times.”

“You’re a performer? What’s your name?”

“Octavia Melody.”

“I knew you looked familiar. I saw you on TV a lot when I was younger.” She stared at Octavia for a moment. “This is too cool. Hey, would you mind signing something of mine when we get out? I’d like to show my parents.”

“Of course.”

“Thanks, ma’am. It means a lot to me, truly.” The griffon spread her wings and let herself sink deeper. “So, you here on vacation too?”

“So to speak,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. You can’t really have a relaxing vacation anymore. Did you hear what’s been going on lately?” Before they could respond, she continued. “Discord’s completely amok. There’s reports all over the place of mysterious attacks, and weird creatures running around. That powerful Trottingham family—what’s their name?”

“The Astras,” Rarity said tentatively.

“Yeah, them. They lost their house about a week ago. Can you believe that? What with that, and all the stuff ponies are finding in the wilderness, it’s like he’s turning Tartarus inside-out on us. It’s incredible.”

Rainbow licked her lips, and Applejack looked at her, shaking her head. Rainbow rolled her eyes and kept silent.

“We have heard a few things, but we have been travelling for a while; the most recent news has likely missed us,” Octavia said.

“Well, it’s no secret that Discord’s getting stronger, but they never said just how strong he’s getting. Ponies are seeing him all over the place now, not really doing a whole lot, just… watching. Spying, the princesses think. Probably testing the country’s interior defenses. He’s got an army, you know.”

“That we know,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, I’m not surprised.” She leaned in a little closer. “Canterlot is getting ready for another battle. I don’t know if you’ve seen the press release, but Princess Luna already has the city on lockdown, with a curfew and everything. The Royal Guard is getting ready to fight again.”

“That’s horrible,” Fluttershy said.

“You’re telling me. I hate to say this, but personally, I don’t think they have the resources to stand against Discord. I mean, the guy can just conjure an army out of thin air.”

“Ah’m sure that ain’t right,” Applejack said. “His ponies are flesh an’ blood, just like everybody else.”

“He’s using hypnotism magic,” Twilight said. “Remember what Princess Celestia said when we were in Canterlot?”

“Oh yeah.”

The griffon looked between them, perplexed, but didn’t say anything.

“I have heard that there is a team of ponies traveling around and undoing Discord’s spell on the land,” Octavia said. “What do you think of that?”

“Lies, all lies, concocted by the princess to keep us from panicking. She has to keep morale up somehow.”

Rainbow sat up suddenly. “Now wait a minute. I’ll—”

“No,” Octavia said firmly, and Rainbow shrunk back.

“Don’t mind her,” Applejack said. “She’s just had a bad day.”

“But surely someone’s doing something about Discord, right?” Twilight asked.

“I’m sure there are ponies out there who’re trying to do something,” the griffon said. “But do you honestly think they can stand up to him?”

“Maybe if they had the Elements of Harmony,” Fluttershy said.

“I guess. If they’re out there, though, they’re not doing a very good job.”

Everyone exchanged looks.

“And what do you think of the reparations done to the cities?” Octavia asked.

“Ah, that’s a tricky one. I think it’s the ponies that already live there; I’m sure there are unicorns powerful enough to do the job.”

“Maybe,” Twilight said, thinking. She sighed in the hot water. The griffon had a point; she and Pinkie weren’t the only powerful mages in the world.

The griffon looked around at the darkened area. “I mean, it makes sense. This part of town just knitted itself back together, and Celestia’s friends weren’t around for it. We’d know if they were.”

“Perhaps you are right,” Octavia said. “Unfortunately, it is getting late. I am going to get out and return to my room. Let me dry off, and I will give you your autograph.”

“I think I’ll get out too,” Twilight said, climbing out. She levitated a towel over, and, thinking better of it, instead used her magic to slide the water out of her coat. “Much easier,” she said quietly to herself.

“Yes, it is getting rather late,” Rarity said, getting out as well.

They all climbed out, and Octavia signed a small slip of paper and left it on the griffon’s things. They walked back and separated to their rooms.