Extended Holiday
Chapter 1: Arrival Track 29

“All right.” A tall man with long brown hair parted up the middle pulled on his cuffs to align them. “After a few adjustments, I’ve got everything the right length. How’s your costume coming along, Matthew?” he asked as he looked into his computer’s camera.

“Goes well,” Matthew answered through the computer speaker. “Got my haircut yesterday to add to the point.” He chuckled as he adjusted his glasses. The bristles of his short dirty blond hair shone under the light from his room to play into the military aesthetic of his costume. His phone screen glowed while he finished shoving his feet into his boots. “My mother is a little irritated. Now all I need to do is wait for my ride. By the way, I won’t make our weekly DnD game. Heading up to my grandparents for the four-day weekend.”

“That’ll be fine. Everything’s a bit scattered with Halloween and all that follows.” He frowned as he looked back at their group call. “Shouldn’t Taze have been on by now? I get that his outfit probably has some work to it, but….”

“Might have been delayed. Oh, while we’re waiting, I might as well tell you some good news. My uncle from George Park got me an IPOD!” A grin split the man’s face from ear to ear as he showed off his new prize to his friend. “Give me a sec. I want to play you a song.” Without waiting for a reply he plugged the IPOD into a speaker and pressed play. Music began to filter through the room and into the microphone on his laptop.

Shawn watched through the camera lens on Matthew’s laptop as a train engineer and a heroine knight danced in time to the music in the foyer. A young toddler dressed in a frilly pink princess dress, complete with pointy hat, walked over to Matthew with a smile and proffered a Rainbow Dash pony figure. “Play ponies?” she asked.

Matthew looked at his wrist watch. “Well, how about tomorrow? Don’t you and your family want to go get some candy?” He smiled at the dance the Princess gave. “Want to say hello to Shawn?”

She grinned and turned to face the camera, then waved frantically as she looked at the screen to the man in the dark blue coat. “Hi, Uncle!”

Shawn offered a gentle smile in turn and waved, revealing the golden trim along the costume’s sleeves.

“Pretty! Are you a king?” she asked.

“Nope.” He chuckled as he adjusted the cravat at his neck. “A character from a show.”

“What show?” she asked.

“Maybe we can ask him later, Elizabeth. Let him talk with your uncle,” the engineer offered.

“Okay, Daddy. Can Uncle Mathew come with us?”

“He came with you to the trunk or treat. He’s got plans with his friends. Besides, you promised to help clean up Grandma and Grandpa’s yard.”

She looked sad, but nodded. “Okay….”

The knight soon joined her husband. “Come on, Elizabeth. Let’s go get your brother away from Grandma. Maybe she’ll still have a cookie for you before we go out for the night.”

Elizabeth squealed in excitement and raced down the hall as her parents smiled once more and waved to Matthew before following after her.

Matthew looked to Shawn. “Sorry about that. It’s the one downside of using the laptop in the main front room.”

Shawn gave a brief chuckle. “No worries.”

“Sounds good,” Matthew answered. “Still, where is Taze?” he asked.

It was here that the sound of the familiar Skype ringtone happened as the group chat they had created signaled the arrival of their long-awaited guest.

“Yo!” The Screen Popped to life as a head of messy dirty blonde hair held back by a large pair of goggles popped into view. Beneath the goggles, a pair of blue eyes and a smirk looked out at the world. “Sorry about that. The final details took longer than I expected.”

“I figured.” Shawn shrugged. “Well, either that or that something had come up.”

“Looking good, by the way. That coat of yours came out really well.” Taze Chuckled.

“I agree. It looks very regal,” Matthew chimed in. “And not a problem, Taze. Life happens.”

“Yeah, figured that if I was going to make something for the upcoming convention, why not use it for Halloween as well?” Shawn smiled as he pulled open the side of his coat to reveal the hilt and pommel of a sheathed sword.. “I even grabbed one of the decorative blades my father owned to add on to it.”

“Very nice.” Taze Nodded as he held up a replica katana and a smaller jitte blade. “I Got these for the look.”

From the hallway in Matthew’s foyer, Taze and Shawn saw a man dressed as Uncle Sam walk in briefly, then pop away again. “Dang, and all I got is this case,” Matthew said. He walked off screen and came back bearing a large leather attaché case. He opened it up and displayed the contents. “Authentic millennial attaché case. As you can see, I even have some documents inside. The Declaration of Independence, Constitution of The United States, Magna Carta, my mission scriptures, a survival book for the US Army, The Art of War — never can go anywhere without that book for the costume —, and for you, Taze, because you keep talking about it, The Five Rings. I also have Count of Monte Cristo along with Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy, Redwall, Martin the Warrior. Oh, Time Machine and War of the Worlds! Along with Frankenstien and Dracula.” He continued to pull out books “Oh, and I have Hamlet and MacBeth and the complete Sherlock Holmes book series.” He grinned more at this. “My brother gave me the Geneva Convention as well for some of the file holders in the case.I stamped them to make it more authentic.” He couldn’t stop smiling. He paused then and patted his pockets, checking to make sure he had everything he needed one last time. “Oh, and also a pocket Constitution.”

“And you’re still missing something if your friends all have blades,” Uncle Sam spoke up as he entered the room again. “I was going to give this to you on your birthday, but I suppose now’s as good a time as any.” He produced a box wrapped with bat and pumpkin wrapping paper.

Matthew looked to the group. “Mind if I open this in front of you all?”

Shawn gestured for him to go ahead.

“No problem,” Taze said.

Matthew smiled and opened the box to find a fully kitted out K-bar knife.

“Now you all are armed and dangerous,” Uncle Sam spoke with a laugh. “Heaven help any world you go to.”

“Or time period,” a woman dressed like Lady Liberty said as she approached and kissed Uncle Sam’s cheek.

Matthew laughed and shook his head as he strapped it to his outer thigh. The two could see the clip to a smaller folding knife on him. “Now I feel safe going to any corn fields.”

“Yeah, here’s hoping you don’t need to use it, huh?” Shawn chuckled.

“Yeah, pretty sure that's not going to be an issue.” Taze laughed. “Not like anything big’s gonna happen tonight.”

Uncle Sam chuckled as he left the room. “Watch. Tonight’s gonna be when the zombies hit.”

“Please, no,” Matthew snapped. “I don’t want to think about it at all. And this is real life, not some sci-fi story.”

“Well, there was that one parasite,” Shawn commented with a smirk. “Jokes aside, it was great to chat with you all, but it’s almost time. If it’s anything like last year, I’ll be giving out candy for the next two hours. That, or until I run out.”

“Going out, just walking around, see if I can find some friends to talk to, basic stuff.” Taze chuckled. “You guys stay safe,”

“Will do,” Matthew answered. “And good luck Shawn, hope you keep some for yourself.” His eyes glanced at the laptop clock. “Seems like my ride is a little late. Also, … I am looking forward to when Omni gets back from his mission and our group is whole again. Oh, and while I’m at it, thanks for keeping me sane in my recovery.”

“Later,” Taze said and he vanished from the call.

Shawn chuckled as he disconnected from the call. “All right. Here’s hoping three bags will be enough this year….”

The conference room stood silent; so silent one could have heard a pin drop. Freshly broken pieces of pewter and blobs of foam and ale splattered the table where Luna had shattered her mug. The threat still lingered in the air around them as the supposed ‘diplomatic’ party fled the scene.

“Cowards! Scoundrels! Wretches! You would dare threaten Canterlot less than a fortnight from a joyous occasion?” Luna shouted after them, her enhanced voice echoing thunderously through the halls.

“Luna, please, calm yourself,” Celestia said gently as she laid a wing over Luna’s back. “Like it or not, those messengers are still protected under law. They must be allowed to leave the castle unharmed.”

“Our father would have killed them before they finished speaking, Celestia,” Luna growled.

“Not so. He would have given them each a proper chance first. You know his rules,” Celestia countered.

“Your Highnesses, if I may,” Shining Armor, the Captain of the Royal Guards began, “I would like to remind you that the last Engagement of War Laws state that I can put up defenses at any time the crown deems it necessary. Whether we be in a state of war or not, I can still throw up a barrier to protect the capital and ensure certain events remain undisturbed.”

Celestia nodded. “Well cited, Captain Shining Armor. I want a close eye kept on those messengers. Make sure they leave the city’s walls, then cast your spell.”

“Aunt Celestia, is that really wise? They’ve all but declared outright war. Pushing them out would be the most effective method, and Shining’s magic would repel anyone he deems a threat or enemy when he casts it,” Princess Mi Amore Cadenza said as she frowned.

“I agree with Cadance,” Shining Armor answered. “We have no information outside of old mare’s tales and history books about these creatures. And after everything from your sister’s return to Discord’s defeat and reimprisonment, I’d rather be overprepared than overwhelmed.” He looked to Celestia. “Or would you rather we wait for him to pull us out of this mess, instead of fighting our own battles?”

Luna smirked knowingly at her sister, then turned her attention back to Shining Armor. “I suggest we postpone the wedding and put the city on full lockdown while—” The mare was cut off as the doors burst open and a Unicorn guard galloped with all speed.

“Your highness!” He looked to Celestia who then after a moment gave a small barely perceivable gesture toward Luna “Ses,” he finished weakly. “Something is happening out in the garden near the draconequus statue!”

Shining Armor immediately rounded to address the guard. “Get to the barracks and bring up guards. I want a full mobilization. No colt or mare stays behind And send word to Captain Night Shade as well. Ask him to have his troops on standby, in case we need reinforcements. I hate to wake his guard like this, but this is an emergency.” He turned to the sisters and his fiancé with a grave expression. “It seems the threat may already be in motion.”

“Come, Sister. We should see to this personally!” Luna rose to her hooves. She moved her head as if to lift something at her side, then looked sadly at the empty ground before heading off for the garden.

“Cadance, I want you to take your guards and lock yourself in your room. Ward it against any intruders until we get a better understanding of what’s going on,” Celestia ordered.

“But—”

“Don’t argue with me, Cadance. You’re the prime target right now, not only for your love, but the magic you possess to control and spread love. Please, do as I ask.” A hint of steel crept into her voice. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

Cadance approached her guardian and hugged her gently with her wings. “Be careful, Auntie. Please.”

Celestia brushed Cadance’s hair lovingly. “We will. Just remember to do the same for yourself. It won’t be much of a wedding without the bride, you know?”

Cadance chuckled as they broke contact. “Auntie.”

Celestia turned to the remaining guards that had been stationed behind the princess’ seat during the proceedings. “Escort her to her quarters with all haste.”

“Of course, your Highness,” the two guards said in complete unison. They formed up on either side of Cadance and led her away. As they exited the chamber and rounded into the hall, one of the two guards smiled as her green eyes flashed malevolently.

Out in the gardens, near the draconequus statue, a weird phenomenon was indeed happening above Celestia's beloved rose bushes. The flora were among her favorites because they always seemed to bloom pink on her birthday, despite being red, and gave off the smell of fresh cake. The air seemed to shimmer, waver, and twist in odd ways that shouldn't have been visible against the blue sky, and yet were still quite visible.

“What is that?” Luna balked. “Nevermind the guard, send for a mage!”

Shining Armor turned to one of the Pegasi. “Get to the barracks and bring a squadron of battle mages,” he ordered. “This could be a portal invasion. If anything comes through, I’ll hold it back, but the sooner we get some specialists here, the better.”

As the Pegasus took flight, Shining Armor used his horn in an attempt to scan the ripple that most definitely was not a heatwave. He frowned at the opening as he let his magic die. “Whatever it is, it’s not like any magic I’ve encountered before.”

There was no warning, no great change, no outpouring of energies of any sort. One instant, the wavering was there. The next moment, three figures crashed into the rose bush, snapping branches and leaving the bodies draped at odd angles over the sturdier portions of the structure. And then, like some great mouth that had finished disgorging an unpleasant meal, the ripple “shut,” disappearing without a single trace, save that which it had ejected into the now-mutilated topiary. Two rolled off the crushed parts of the plant and landed with their faces on the dirt while the third splayed atop the center of the bush, suspended by the firmest of the branches and the main trunk jutting into its back. A large leather bag landed heavily in the dirt next to the bush after crushing several branches and shoots, deforming the poor plant all the more.

The third creature’s eyes were wide open, and deep blue gazed into the azure above as pupils fluctuated. Its mouth gaped and flapped like the fabric of its coat while a gentle breeze rolled through the garden.

“Stand back, Your Highnesses,” Shining warned as his horn glowed.

“The endless void. The embers of life before.... Those creatures, the eyes watching. Waiting.” The creature took a shuddering gasp as its eyes rolled back and it fell into unconsciousness.

“I know those ramblings.This creature has seen things that should not be seen,” Luna stated. “He must be handled carefully, lest his fragile mind be shattered.”

Celestia frowned. “It … spoke Draconic. Are these supposed to be a lost branch of the species?”

“I doubt it, sister. Their forms seem more like small Minotaurs, devoid of fur,” Luna commented.

“If that’s so, how could they have survived for this long? Their bodies look weak, no outer defensive horns. They’re ripe for a predator to take them down. One of them seems to have deliberately shaved its only fur almost to the pelt.” His frown deepened as she peered closer at the one that had shaved its head. Red blood had already begun to flow from the scratches the rose bush had left behind on its face and hands. “We may need to treat them for injuries. Their hides are much thinner than a Minatour’s, judging from this one.”

“Regardless of their physical state, it’s clear that they’re a new creature. However, it’s also clear that they come from a civilized species, judging by their garments,” Celestia noted as she eyed the three. “That implies that they can be reasoned with. I agree caution should be exercised, but we shouldn’t necessarily imprison them until we’ve had the chance to hear their stories.”

“What do you suggest Princesses?” Shining Armor asked both Celestia and Luna.

“We will each take a prisoner and some guards and keep them separated. Hopefully, we can learn enough to decide what to do from there,” Luna commented as she walked over to one covered in what seemed to be green leather and wearing goggles. “I’ll take this one. He has the look of a combatant.”

Celestia frowned. “I had hoped you would take the one with the fragile state, given the mind is more your field, sister, but if you believe your choice would be better suited, then I can take this one. It appears to be of noble bearing, judging by its garb, and that means I should be able to keep it in an area that will be comforting to it.”

“Be careful how you treat it, Celestia. Its mental state will be dire for a while,” Luna warned.

“I will. You needn’t fear,” Celestia promised.

“Then I suppose we’ll take the last one for questioning.” Shining Armor levitated the case and opened it to reveal the various documents and books. “It seems they are well read. I’ll ask it about these when it wakes. Its garb is somewhat reminiscent of the camouflage some of our Earth Pony recruits are trained with, but the make doesn’t appear to have any direct military application. It certainly wouldn’t stand up well to a sword.” He frowned. “We’ll get to the bottom of it soon enough.”

Celestia nodded her approval. “Then so be it.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 2: Stranger Danger

Matthew woke from sleep to see warm colors on the walls and dim lights. However, the pinching at his wrists and the sounds of machines raised his heart rate. “What happened?” he asked as he tried to focus. Unfortunately, the room was just a blur without his glasses. The beeping rose steadily with his heart rate as fear caused it to accelerate. That sound alone told him all he needed to know. What he didn’t understand was why the hospital had gone so far as to restrain not only his arms, but his legs as well. The frame on the bed creaked and groaned as he tried to use his weight to no avail.Just what had happened? Did he try to remove an IV or something while he was unconscious? He couldn’t remember anything since—

“Easy. Easy,” a voice called from his side, interrupting his train of thought. He turned to the voice and his heart leapt into his throat. His mouth became bone-dry. There, standing in front of him, was a lanky-looking bipedal Dragon with deep blue scales, a familiar set of leathery wings, and fangs that were bared in what he could only hope was the Draconic equivalent of a friendly smile.

Of course, friendly or not, Matthew did the only sensible thing any self-respecting human would do in this situation.

He screamed bloody murder.

The Dragon didn’t even flinch. In fact, he practically cooed at the display. “Aw, now isn’t that sweet. Trying to intimidate me? You’re so adorable.” Then he frowned. “But … you’re not actually trying to intimidate me, are you? You’re whiter than the captain, and that’s saying something.” He sighed. “And here I was, hoping for something with a spin.” He rolled his eyes. “All right, soldier, what kind of training did they put you through?”

Matthew was quieter during the creature’s lecture, … rant, … rambling? He struggled to somehow stir the desert that was rapidly spreading into his throat. It took a few swallows, but he finally managed to get enough moisture to speak. “W-where am I?” he croaked. Another swallow and his voice came far more clearly. “Why am I tied down? Why are you a dragon? Dragons don’t even exist! Am I hallucinating? I mean, you can’t be real, but you’re here, so you are real, but you can't be….” A door burst open, and the heavy clop of … was that hooves? … echoed in his ears. He could barely make out the glint of burnished golden blots, but he could tell a few things. First, they barely came up to his bed’s height. Secondly, they produced a strange sound followed by a colorful light that clashed with the gold.

The Dragon rolled his eyes. “Too late, you two. What if this creature could have spit acid? Or had a breath weapon, like me?” He snorted in disgust. “And they said you were the best guards your unit had to offer. You may want to call the doctor.” He paused and stared expectantly at the blobs. They stared back. Or at least Matthew assumed they did, since they didn’t seem to move anywhere. Finally, the Dragon facepalmed and spoke in a series of snorts, grunts, and whinnies. With every sound, the beeping of the heart monitor next to the bed spiked higher. A few moments later, the equines, for that surely had to be what they were after the evidence he’d just heard, turned and clopped out of the room.

Matthew gaped after them. “What the...?”

“You don’t know Equish?” The creature laughed. “You really must be far off, indeed. Any one being sent anywhere near our outposts usually picks up at least a few phrases of the language.” His lips curved, but this time, he didn’t bare his teeth. “Don’t worry. I just sent a summons for the doctors.” He tilted his head. “I do have a question from the Captain of the Royal Guards, however. Why do you have metal embedded in your heart? It doesn’t appear to be threatening your life, but such things are unheard of in these lands.”

Matthew sighed and looked up at the ceiling, “That … is a long story, one that I would like to say only once, so everyone can be on the same page.”

“Everypony,” the Dragon corrected. “The term is everypony here. Also, I regret to inform you that you may have to tell your story at least twice. Once to the Doctors and once to the Captain and me.”

Matthew looked back at the Dragon as a dreadful possibility dawned. “Am … I a Pony?” he asked.

The Dragon laughed. “No, no. You aren't. Just trying to help with local terms.”

Matthew rolled his eyes. “If you say so.” It seemed this creature wasn’t about to do him any harm. He could have done so in any number of ways by now. So … maybe he was here to help? Either that or this was the weirdest and most vivid dream he’d ever had in his life. “And if you don’t mind my asking, why am I tied up like this?”

“To keep you from trying to sneak out of the room after you wake. The guards think you could be some kind of spy or advance scout. It’s standard protocol, really, in cases like this.”

“Spy?” Matthew shook his head. “I’m neither James Bond nor a ninja. As for a scout, I’m not that either.” He sighed as his lips folded and wriggled vainly. Finally, he groaned in frustration. “Look. I hate to ask this, but would you at least be willing to let me touch my nose? I’m itching like crazy.”

The Dragon walked up and gently scratched the portion. “How’s this?”

Matthew’s heart rate rose again. “What are you doing?” he asked nervously.

“Accommodating the guest’s request.”

Matthew looked at the Dragon with closer scrutiny, “I’m a POW right now?”

The Dragon raised a scaly brow in confusion. “A what?”

“A prisoner of war,” he clarified.

“We are not at war, but we are holding you for now until we find out what is going on, what you know, and what you were doing before you crashed into our ruler’s garden.”

Matthew nodded slowly. “Make sure I’m not a threat and that no others of my kind come behind me?” He shrugged, or rather tried to. The restraints made that rather difficult. “It’d be what my government would do if anything alien showed up publicly on our lands, so I guess I can’t exactly blame you for these precautions. I’m guessing we’re in a hospital, so it’s obvious that you care for my health enough not to leave me in a dungeon or prison cell.”

The Dragon chuckled. “An intelligent creature, indeed. I suppose we’ll have to see what we can do about accelerating your meeting with our commanding officer.”

“As expected,” Matthew replied. “Um, do you think you could maybe give me back my glasses? It’s hard to see without them, and I don’t want to strain my eyes.” A few moments later, the familiar metal frames were laid over his ears, and he smiled. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” the Dragon responded. “So, do you need anything to drink? Speaking Draconic is very hard on the locals’ vocal chords. And I’m guessing all that screaming didn’t help much either.”

“I suppose it’s a good thing I’m not a local, then.” He chuckled. “This is the native language of my people.” As expected, the Dragon froze in surprise at the mention, which implied that English, or Draconic as they called it here, was a very difficult language to learn, let alone master. Better still, it implied a connection between himself and what he assumed to be one of the alpha predators of this land. Matthew couldn’t help but smirk at the reaction. “Still, some Water would be nice.”

The Dragon nodded as he passed a glass to the human and slowly tipped it. “I’ll make sure we get soldiers that know Dracnoic stationed around you, so you can communicate with the Medical Staff when I’m not here. You’re still an unknown, so don’t expect them to be friendly with you. But provided you’re civil with them, they won’t be averse to granting basic requests.”

Matthew smirked as the cup was pulled away. “And pick up on anything I may let slip. I can accept that. But they’ll have to answer my questions so I don’t make any earth-shattering mistakes. After all, as you’ve already pointed out, I’m the alien here. I’d be willing to answer any questions that they have for me as well. Fair deal?”

The Dragon chuckled. “Fair enough. Just be careful. I hear one of them is very good at tickle torture. And Pegasi are notorious pranksters.”

Taze groaned as he slowly came to. He was still in his costume, though his wrists and ankles felt like they’d been tied down. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a small room. Not a cell, but clearly not meant for comfort. It was basically four stone walls, a table, and whatever he’d been sitting on when he woke up. Possibly a chair?

All his belongings lay on the table before him. His replica weapons, his ipod touch, the copy of Lord Brocktree he always carried in his pocket, a box of orange tic tacs, and a mars bar he kept for keeping his blood sugar at decent levels. Hypoglycemia wasn’t fun to deal with, after all.

He looked to his wrists and found no physical restraints of any kind, yet he could feel them when he tried to lift his arms.

“Hey! I don’t know who you think I am, but could you at least send somebody in to say what you want from me?” he shouted.

Several minutes later, the door opened with a rather loud bang, and Taze’s eyes widened as a somewhat familiar Alicorn entered the room trailed by an old scarred bat Pony missing an eye.

“Well, that was unexpected,” Taze commented.

“I supposed it would be,” the Alicorn said. Her words came out in a rather thick accent. “My name is Princess Luna Galaxia of Equestria. May I please have your name?”

“Peter Taze Klim,” he offered after a moment. “I go by Taze, preferably.”

“An unusual name,” Luna allowed. “I and my sister were more than a little surprised when you and your companions landed in her rose bush.”

“Companions?” Taze asked. “That’s weird. I was alone, last I remember. I left my home and things got all fuzzy.”

“And why were you leaving your home armed? I admit I doubt you could do much with these weapons, but it is still an unusual thing.” She levitated the katana and tapped it against the table a few times.

Seeing her levitate it, something clicked in Taze’s mind. Magic must be what was restraining him. Somehow, he’d ended up in Equestria? Well, some form of it, given the Thetral with clear signs of battle damage.

Now, the sane mind would tell the truth. A rational mind would realize a lie would result in a heap of trouble.

… Taze wasn’t thinking rationally.

“Well, you see, Princess, those are my dress weapons. I wear them around my village and to important ceremonies, so people can know what I do.”

“And what, pray tell, is that?”

He grinned. “Well, Princess, if you’d release my arms, I’ll be happy to tell some stories from my time as a monster hunter.”

A gentle breeze flowed through the room from a small window on the far side. Golden rays streamed through to flood the space with its light. The bed on which the creature had been placed was designed for Minotaurs. And while the creature was certainly smaller than most Minotaurs Celestia had encountered before, the bed was the only one that could hold its frame comfortably. A thin set of blankets draped over its recumbent form. The sword and belt lay on an otherwise empty weapons rack, awaiting their owner’s touch while the coat hung from a jutting stone peg that had been placed in the wall. A number of shields, skulls, and armor fragments decorated the space, along with some few decorative axes and war hammers.

A large basin connected to a faucet sat atop a tall, broad vanity complete with a mirror. A wardrobe stood against a corner of the room while a small pit fire burned incense to fill the air with its calming scent. A stone bookcase was filled with large heavy tomes divided into two sides, one half with golden text inscribed along their covers, the other filled instead with scrolls and other such items.

Shawn awoke suddenly with a gasp. He snapped upright and clutched at his chest. After a few breaths, he closed his eyes and tried to stabilize his breathing. As his breath calmed, he moved the hand from his chest to his forehead. “Ex Divinia etiam, what the hell was that?”

The voice that responded was somewhat slow and raspy at first, almost confused, but eventually settled into the lyrical accent that was Sweedish. “I’m afraid I can’t help you with that, stranger, but I hope you are feeling better.”

Shawn tensed as he heard the voice and snapped toward the source, only to find a tall white mare with a long spiral horn and flowing rainbow mane. He was completely thrown off as he finally looked around, taking in the entirety of the room. “I … think I am? Though I think I’m hallucinating at this moment.”

“That could happen for one in your condition, I suppose,” the talking mare conceded. “If you wish, I could arrange for you to visit with one of our physicians. I thought it prudent to have you comfortable first, however.” She just kept staring at him, her brow furrowed. Whether by confusion or concentration, he wasn’t sure.

“Where am I, at this moment?” Shawn asked as he looked around the chambers yet again.

The mare winced. “I apologize if the accommodations aren’t to your liking. Given your size, this was one of the few beds we had that would suit you. You’re in my home. We found you in my garden with two other strangers.” Her lips pulled back into a smile. An honest to goodness smile. On a horse. Or … pony. Or whatever she was.

Shawn shifted his legs off the bed, feeling the fabric and the frame with equal intent. While he had never experienced hallucinations before, he wasn’t too sure if he could actually feel them. Best guess was a no. “Oh.” He paused and blinked for a few seconds, then rubbed his eyes. Finally, he turned his attention back to the talking creature again. “This isn’t a hallucination, is it?”

The mare shook her head. “I’m afraid not. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Celestia. May I ask for your name?”

“I, uh, am Shawn,” he replied, trying to give a small smile. “A pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine. It’s not often that such an unusual delegation arrives on the castle grounds.” She chuckled. “You gave us quite a start.”

“Yeah, it’s … not often you wake up somewhere definitely not even close to home.” He rubbed at his head. “I’m, well, sorry if I somehow caused some alarm?”

“I’m more grateful that your reaction has proven reasonable. We had some concerns when we discovered the weapons on your persons.” She motioned toward the weapons rack. “You’ll find your possessions are untouched, other than our removing them to make you more comfortable while you recovered.”

“My…” Shawn seemed puzzled for a moment until he saw what he was wearing, including the lack of coat and … sword at his hip. “Right. That ... that’s fair. Thank you.”

“Your kingdom must be unusual, given the garb your companions were wearing. That is, assuming they were your companions to begin with. We still haven’t been able to identify the magic that was responsible for your … unexpected arrival.”

“My companions?” Shawn hummed in thought and rubbed at his jaw. “I don’t remember anyone being with me. I think?”

Celestia nodded. “Then it would seem the power that brought you here must have seized the others from another location. Wherever they hail from, they must come from the same region where you reside. They appear to be the same species.”

“Well, if they’re like me, we kinda … cover the whole world.” He frowned.

Celestia frowned. “In that case, then you clearly don’t hail from this one.”

“I figured that much.” Shawn rubbed at his eyes. “We’re the only species that’s really sapient, so having been talked to by … someone who isn’t my species is quite … strange.”

“I can relate,” Celestia agreed. “Tell me, you wouldn’t happen to call yourselves … humans, by chance, would you?”

“We do. How did you know?” Shawn furrowed his brows in confusion.

“It took time for me to place after I had you brought here. It’s been a very long time. So long, I’d almost entirely forgotten. I can definitely say I’ve had encounters with your species before. Whether from your world, however….” She shook her head forcefully. “I find that unlikely.”

“I suppose that’s fair, though that only leads to more questions.” He sighed.

“We can approach those later. For now, it might be better if we took this time to get to know one another first. Your garb is clearly noble. Why don’t you tell me about your kingdom, and then I can tell you about mine?”

“Well, there’s not really much I could say about myself. My … outfit doesn't really reflect me too well at this moment.”

“Matthew Washinton Conner. Rank Cadet Sergeant Retired, current station Attache.” A quill scratched hastily away at parchment in the hospital room as the examination continued. He was currently wearing a pendant, the Dragon at the side watching while a tray of gems was rolled in on a trolley. “Is that why you were wearing such clothing?” the blue Unicorn asked, their cutie marks hidden by a large coat.

“Yes. It was also to win a bet.”

“A bet? That is, as you said, a military uniform,” the Unicorn responded.

“Retired uniform. The current armed forces wear a completely different outfit. Besides, the bet was if I could still fit into the uniform. Apparently, by the looks of things, I got a lot more involved.”

A knock on the door signalled the nurse’s arrival as she carried a small shot glass of a radioactive blue colored liquid.

“Ah, my rat poison,” Matthew said with a familiar sigh.

“Rat Poison?” The nurse snapped angrily. “This is a totally medically safe concoction…” She trailed off to see Matthew laugh and chuckle. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s humor from my world. You see, the drugs you recovered from my keychain are coumadin, or warfarin. In small quantities, it’s used to control the clotting factor for human blood. In larger doses, it’s used as rat poison because it can cause internal bleeding.”

The nurse saw the bowl of gems and looked to the two guards. “Who tried to feed him those? He may speak like a Dragon, but have you seen his teeth? I’d be surprised if they could break rock candy, let alone proper rocks.”

The Dragon chuckled. “A little military humor. Don’t worry, nurse. We’re going to let you feed him. We’ve taken down a list of foods he thinks he can eat, along with what foods interact poorly with him.”

The nurse took the proffered note from the blue Unicorn and paused. “Grapefruit? My patient can’t eat Grapefruit? What kind of creature is allergic to such a healthy snack?”

“Not allergic,” Matthew clarified. “It just reacts poorly with my meds.”

The nurse snorted. “In that case, based on this list, it’s clear you’re an omnivorous species. I’ll put you on a Kirin diet. I don’t know how readily we can acquire meat for you, but there are other sources of protein that we can supplement.” She frowned. “This may take some time to put together. I’ll be back later for your medicine cup.”

Matthew chuckled as the mare walked back out the door. “Well, at least the medical profession is the same.”

“Ahem, can we please get back on task?” The Unicorn pressed. “I still have plenty of questions for you.”

Matthew shrugged. “I guess, as long as they’re not about national secrets or the like.”

“That comes later,” The Unicorn replied, and Matthew was not sure if they were joking. The equine’s horn lit up with a musical hum, followed by a flashy poomf. And in that moment, the leather attaché case appeared. “Can you tell us who owns this of your companions?”

“That’s mine.” Matthew couldn’t help but smile at the familiar sight. “And did you say others? Who else came with me?” He tried to remember what happened after he exited the house, but everything came back in a haze. One thing he knew for certain was he hoped Riku wasn’t among them. That boy could make a hundred international incidents just from expressing his sheer dislike of all things Equestria and MLP.

“Right,” the Unicorn interrupted his musing. “Can you go over the items you have in the case?”

“Sure,” Matthew began, “I have some of my nations’ founding documents. A couple of theories of warfare from my world.”

“World? What makes you think that?”

“Because I we don’t have sentient Dragons, Ponies, and the like for sovereign nations or allies. All those things are just fairy tails where I come from.” He grinned as a few of the guards chuckled at his pun. “As for the rest, I don’t know what else to say.”

“Could you copy down the book if we gave you a writing pendant?” the Dragon asked. “I wouldn’t mind reading what your world has written.”

“Easy, Shark Claw,” the blue Unicorn chided. “But that doesn’t sound like all of them.”

“Well, a few of them are novels for fun reading if I get bored.”

“I can understand that.” The Unicorn nodded. He flicked an ear and looked over at the Dragon. “Yes? Can I help you?”

“Sorry, but with this human here… I just thought of the idea. We could prank Princess Celestia in retaliation for the Light Armor incident.”

The guards perked up at that. “Really? You think? But what were you thinking?”

“I really don’t think,” the Blue Unicorn began.

“Don’t forget Princess Celestia allowed the Blueblood Collolition to budget cut twenty years’ worth progress for us.”

“... When you put it that way…. I agree, but just for the day. She’ll see through this from the start, but she likes a little joke every once in a while, so I think I can get behind that.”

“Uh, … should I be concerned?” Matthew began.

“Oh no, we do this all the time. Usually, the Solar Princess gets us good with her pranks. It’s been a losing war for generations. With the return of the Lunar Princess, the military is starting to see an increase in pranks past Princess Celestia,” the Dragon answered. “As for you… All you have to do is play up the part, a military attaché from your nation. I think I can even get you the names of your companions from the Captain of the Guard if you cooperate.”

Matthew looked at the group. “Do I have a say on not in participating?”

“You can,” The Blue Unicorn answered. “But if you agree, we’d be much more free in giving you information that you’d need to fit in better. And we wouldn’t need to bring out any truth potions.”

“You’d do that?”

“You are technically a retired military cadet officer in a foreign land. Some of the older laws don’t look kindly on uninvited military folks.”

“But I didn’t come here by will, it was more like … a force out of my control.”

“That may be, but the law can be a little tough, depending on the mood of some of the noble houses. They could attempt to throw the book at you to twist you into their camp for political purposes.”

Matthew pursed his lips to a thin line. “If you put it that way, where do we start?”

“Honestly, I feel like something’s wrong,” Shawn commented as he adjusted the cuffs on his coat. “It’s not the coat, but I feel like something just isn’t right.”

“In a world that’s completely different from what you may or may not be used to, I’d say that’s a natural feeling to experience,” Celestia noted.

“I mean, there is that, but … I don’t know.” He glanced over his shoulder to an empty part of the room before turning back with a shudder. “I just ... can’t explain it.”

“Perhaps it will pass with time. It may be a lingering side effect of your journey here.”

Shawn sighed as he stopped fiddling with his cuffs. “Suus 'unnerving,” he muttered.

The princess raised a brow, but let the comment pass.

Shawn looked at the princess before rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry. I don’t mean to keep changing languages when it’s already a miracle I can understand you, and you … understand me.”

“Though many call her cruel, fate can sometimes be very kind. I think the term is … don’t look a gift horse in the mouth?”

“I find it strange that you know that phrase, to be honest. Though, I don’t really know much about this world in the first place.” He frowned as he thought it over.

“As I said, I’ve had dealings with humans before. You can imagine how strange I found the phrase the first time I heard it.”

“Right.” He nodded, taking a seat on the bed. “Sorry, I’m just mostly feeling mentally scattered right now.”

“If you need more time to gather your thoughts, there’s no rush. While I would like to learn more about you, I want to make sure you’re well enough for that exchange to take place first.”

“That’s the thing. I won’t settle easily unless I move forward.” He looked to Celestia. “To break through the shock and figure out the things around me.”

“Do you feel strong enough to do so?”

“Though I am worried and frightened, I need to do it.”

“I meant physically. You essentially fell through a hole in the fabric between worlds. There’s no telling what that could do to your body.”

“Honestly, I feel quite fine physically.” Shawn looked to his hand, clenching it into a fist a few times. “Better than I would have expected, given the whole situation.”

Celestia nodded. “If you feel certain, then I am willing to be your guide. However, if anything should happen that could prove a danger to you, I hope you won’t mind my taking steps.

“That’s completely understandable.” He nodded.

“Very well, then. If you’ll follow me, Lord Shawn, we can begin your tour of my kingdom properly.” She smiled kindly and bowed low in greeting. “Welcome to Canterlot.”

“Oh, uh,” Shawn stood from the bed, placed his left arm over his chest and gave a small bow in return. “I appreciate the kind welcome.”

“Did you want to take your sword with you? If you prefer to leave it, I can vouch that it won’t be touched.”

“I suppose I’d like to keep it with me. It was my father’s, made by my uncle.”

“Of course.” The mare nodded and stood patiently as Shawn gathered up his sword. “Was there anything else you needed? If you’re hungry, I’ll be happy to take you by the kitchens for a snack.”

“I suppose I haven’t eaten anything since … yesterday, technically?” he replied, unsure of himself.

“In that case, I think we’ll definitely need to start there. Did you have any favorites? My chefs are quite versatile, though I’m afraid you won’t find much in the way of meat in my kitchens.”

“Whatever you would recommend? That I can digest, that is.” He shrugged in return.

Celestia nodded and pulled open the door with her magic, only to see a startled guard gazing back at her. He quickly regained his composure and bowed to the princess. “Your Highness, I’ve been sent to inform you that your sister has ordered a feast to be prepared for your special guests.”

Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes. “Oh, Luna….”

Shawn glanced between the two as they spoke, unable to understand their language.

Celestia turned to look back at her guest, then gasped as she switched over to the other dialect with visible effort. “My apologies. That guard was just informing me that my sister has already made arrangements for a proper meal. It appears that we won’t have to stop by the kitchens after all. My sister will bring them to us.” She smiled impishly. “That is, if she leaves any for us.”

“Then, I suppose we should hurry along.” He gave a smile in return.

“Excellent. And you can tell me about your home on the way.”

“Compared to this place? Nothing special in the slightest.”

The dining hall consisted of a broad space bedecked in glossy banners sporting a menagerie of coats of arms. The symbols of the two sisters were interspersed throughout to make their presence known with the crescent moon and a blue Alicorn on one banner and the golden sun with the pale Alicorn on the other. The table was laden with all manner of food: fruits that Taze was sure he’d never even heard of before, baked goods, sweets, moonpies ... lots of moonpies, and a large multi-layered cake topped with, much to Taze’s delight, raspberry cream icing.

For the next half hour after his initial arrival, the human mixed the literally unearthly delight of sampling such excellent cooking with meeting Ponies of different stations and titles, many of whom he accorded the respect they truly deserved by instantly forgetting about them after the fact.

“And so, there I was on a mountain top in the middle of a snowstorm. I was out of all forms of medical supplies, and my stamina was low. I knew it was either me or the beast,” Taze explained in careful tones, being sure to overemphasize details in what seemed like the best places. “I held my eager cleaver ready as I looked into the beast's cold eyes. I bent my knees as it roared, and I roared defiantly in turn. It charged, and I charged. We both knew it was the final waltz in the fabulous dance of death we’d found ourselves in. Just as the beast was about to overtake me, I stabbed forward and sent my blade into its mouth. The force of my strike ran through the back of its head. It collapsed moments later, having pushed me back significantly. The monster twitched and convulsed at my feet. I did the merciful thing and put the beast down.” He bowed his head as he finished his tale. “And that was how I killed the tigrex.”

“A great story and a fight worthy of glory!” Luna nodded. “Truly, you are a great hunter, friend Taze.”

It was at this moment that the double doors pulled open once again, and the two feasters were greeted with the fanfare of many trumpets as a guard strode forward and proclaimed in a loud voice, “Presenting Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia and guest.”

Celestia smiled kindly at the various heralds and attendants and bowed her head as she strode past them to enter the hall itself. A tall creature bearing a blue coat with golden embroidery walked beside her at an even pace. His boots released an earthy clunk to the princess’ ringing steps.

“Thank you, Alarum Bell. You can return to your post now,” she said by way of dismissal. The guard saluted and immediately retreated into the hall as the doors closed, leaving the two with only the barest escort as they strode toward the table with Celestia’s gentle prodding.

Taze gave Celestia a small bow and then smirked before giving Shawn a small respectful nod. “Ah, Lord Shawn. It seems you, too, ended up in this world.”

Shawn blinked a few times as he took in his friend. “Taze? But, … how...?”

“Something seems to have taken the two of us to this world from our own, along with one other, though I haven't found out who just yet,” Taze offered.

Shawn rubbed the side of his head. “But, it still doesn’t add up. The last time we saw each other in person was some time ago. Sure, we kept in contact, but how does it result in this?”

“All I remember is leaving home that night and waking up here.”

“Yours is at least better than mine.” Shawn hummed to himself. “I remember talking with you and Matthew, us separating for the night, and it all starts getting … fuzzy.” His frown deepened as he tried to recall the events that followed.

“Tell us of your realm, Lord Shawn,” Luna spoke up suddenly. “Taze’s stories have been delightfully entertaining. Truly, your world has fearsome beasts.”

Shawn blinked. “Uh, well, I suppose it does. Though, I don’t know what he may have told you already?”

“Just tales of his life as a monster hunter,” Luna said. “It is admirable your kingdom has such a system in place,” she said as she side-eyed Celestia.

“I suppose Lord Shawn’s family must have been among the craftsponies responsible for the weapons you hunters use. The sword he carries is dulled from use, but of a fine make. Tell me, did his uncle also craft your weapons, … Taze, was it?”

“Yes, Your Highness, that is my name,” Taze answered. “And no. Most of my weapons are crafted by regular blacksmiths, not by nobility. Although all my best weapons are sadly beyond my reach.”

“Curious. And are these weapons magical or merely well crafted?”

“More scientific,” Taze explained. “We use the parts of the animals we kill to imbue them with qualities based on what the animal is capable of. Self-igniting fluids, electric organs, liquid nitrogen. The smiths find ways to imbue the properties into all our gear.”

“Not unlike the art of imbuing a weapon with poison, then,” Celestia noted.

“I suppose that analogy is close, but not quite accurate?” Shawn seemed utterly confused. “Sorry, I don’t feel I’m keeping up with the conversation that well.”

“Well, you did say that you were hungry,” Celestia noted as she pulled out a chair with her magic. “Perhaps you’ll feel better with some food in your stomach. I’m more partial to cake, but the pies are delicious.”

“I'm not much for sweets, to be honest,” Shawn replied after a pause before muttering, “Ex Divinia Etiam …. Quia non facit sensu.”

Luna stiffened slightly and her eyes shifted to Shawn, then Celestia with a question in them. Celestia gave a soft shake of the head with the clear instruction in her returning gaze:

Later.

“If you prefer, we have a number of possible dishes that you can enjoy. We have salads, any number of cooked vegetables, and even some fish on hoof if you would prefer something,” she cleared her throat, “meatier.”

“I would appreciate that.” He rubbed his head.

“Which one?”

“The fish. Some proteins might help.”

“We’ll get on that immediately. Luna, if you would? Your voice always could reach farther than mine.”

Luna took a deep breath as Taze braced himself by immediately covering his ears. “BRING FORTH FISH!” The shout was loud enough to shake the room and cause the very stones to rumble.

Shawn placed his hands over his ears and grimaced as pain flooded in.

Celestia winced. “Luna, remember the magic word?”

“I remember several thousand magic words, sister.” Luna smirked.

Celestia sighed and shook her head. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I?”

“You kinda did.” Taze nodded, taking a pull from his goblet.

“That was unpleasant,” Shawn muttered with his hands still over his ears.

“Should have expected it,” Taze said quietly.

“It appears my sister already introduced you to our little trick,” Celestia noted. “You must have excited her a great deal after getting to know her.”

“I enjoy telling stories. Try anything long enough and you’ll get at least slightly capable in it,” Taze said with a small shrug.

“Indeed. Luna used to love sharing her exploits in days gone by. It would appear you two make an excellent pairing.” Celestia smiled as she levitated a sandwich crammed with what appeared to be a variety of flowers to her mouth, then took a bite.

“If you don’t mind me asking, I can't help but notice some tension around. Is that from us?” Taze asked.

“In part,” Celestia replied. “You did arrive in an … unusual manner, to say the least.”

“Considering the way you described it before was that we fell through a hole between the fabric of worlds, I’d believe it,” Shawn commented as he lowered his hands. “Though it honestly leaves more questions as to what led us there from our world. There’s not exactly a known case for potential holes in reality.”

“I mean, if there's magic here, perhaps there’s something that can affect reality?” Taze suggested.

“That is a possibility,” Luna acknowledged. “Not a common one, but still present.”

“There are a number of objects that exist in our world that could feasibly accomplish the task,” Celestia mused. “Though they are few and far between.”

Shawn sighed. “Too many unknown variables, it just makes it more complex. Doesn’t help that only half of us present actually understand magic. Besides mythology and all that, of course.” He frowned as he thought it over. “Maybe the third individual would remember more of what happened?”

“Perhaps,” Celestia allowed. “We have him under medical observation for now. He appears to be … different from most humans.”

“In what way?” Shawn asked.

“From what the captain of our guard has told us, there appears to be something unnatural inside his heart. We have him in protective custody for now until he can be interrogated.” She cleared her throat. “Excuse me. I suppose I should say interviewed. After hearing both of your stories, it’s logical to deduce that his will likely be the same.”

“His heart?” Shawn’s frown deepened. “If both Taze and I are here, and the third has an anomaly in his heart….” He looked to Taze. “You don’t think it’s Matthew, do you?”

“I mean, it’s possible,” Taze said. “But that's gotta be astronomical odds, right?”

“You’d be surprised how often astronomical happens in Equestria,” Celestia noted. “Especially on a Tuesday.”

“It was a Wednesday back home.” Taze shrugged.

“Perhaps after Lord Shawn has eaten, we can visit our third guest,” Celestia suggested. “If the three of you know each other, perhaps we can find a common link to the magic that brought you here in the first place.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Shawn agreed.

The Pony that stood before Matthew wore purple armor with gold accents. A shield stood over his chest as a form of peytral in purple with a lighter pink star. His mane and tail were a dark blue with lighter blue highlights that stood out against his pristine white fur coat. Captain Shining Armor, as he had come to identify himself, gazed calmly at the human on the bed. “All right. Your story seems to check out with our intel from the other prisoners.” Strangely enough, the Pony spoke in one of the poshest British accents Matthew had ever heard in his life. The Dragon sounded perfectly normal when he spoke, but maybe this was just something from the show? He was supposed to be the head of Princess Celestia’s guard, after all. “We’ll be returning your personal effects to you presently. Then after that, the princesses would like to have a word with you.”

“Of course. After all, I am an attaché. However, I doubt your little prank will work.”

Shining Armor sighed. “It’s not my prank to begin with. Believe you me, I would have come up with something far more devious if I were involved, and Celestia probably still would have seen through it. Let’s just drop it and move forward with the actual introductions. I’d rather you not accidentally start an international incident by giving the princesses the wrong impression.”

Matthew swallowed heavily. “Agreed. I may be one of only three of my kind here. And as your medical tests show, I’m kind of reliant on staying near good medical facilities.”

The Unicorn shook his head. “The very idea of cutting into a person like that….” He allowed himself a brief shudder, then let it drop. “If you’d come here when the problem first began, we might have been able to help. But after all you’ve been through, it’s out of our hooves now.” He sighed. “We’ll see about at least providing you with a draught to help maintain the current state of your blood.”

“Well, my keys carry three days’ doses of my medication in them, just in case. So, if you’d like, you can take a pill and reverse engineer it.” He frowned. “I can talk to your doctors about INR and the like, so we can keep things in check. And as for your comment about cutting into folks? Two generations ago, my people couldn’t perform any operations on the heart. But since we don’t have much in the way of magic where we come from, we’ve had to develop other means to treat medical conditions. The procedure that lets me live is one that is performed on people far younger than I am, and they have even higher survival rates than I did when I had the procedure done.” One of the Ponies’ faces quite literally turned green in real time as his cheeks bulged. Matthew cocked his head in confusion at the sight of the reaction. “It was either this or death. I’m just grateful that my nation has the tech to keep me alive and maintain the level of lifestyle I have.”

“We’ll give one of our alchemists the chance to analyze the medicine, but the odds of producing a replica in three days’ time is virtually impossible,” Shining said. “For now, we’ll use more natural means to achieve the same results.”

It didn’t take long for the double doors to swing open, revealing the royal sisters and their two distinguished guests. There was no fanfare involved, but the private suite bedecked in the royal colors and coats of arms belonging to the sisters indicated its importance readily enough even before the party arrived. Shining Armor saluted, then bowed low to the sisters as they approached. “Your Highnesses,” he greeted.

“Thank you, Captain, for all that you’ve done for us. Your service is commendable and, as always, exemplary,” Celestia said with a motherly smile.

“Vulpix!” Taze said, moving to his friend.

“Pix!” Matthew replied with a goofy grin. The looks of confusion from the non-humans in the room made him chuckle. “Forgive me. A Vulpix is a fictitious creature from our world. I use it as a second name when talking with close friends.”

“You okay?” Taze asked.

“Yeah, kind of throws folks wild when they see that on an X-Ray.” He motioned to the image hanging near his bed, where the artificial valves that allowed him to live were on prominent display, alongside a looping of wire near the sternum. “They tried to use some cool tech that reminds me of the 50s, but I was tripping alarms because human heart rates and blood pressure are totally different beasts.”

The Dragon looked to the other humans. “Is he normal?” he asked. “What I mean to ask is, is his condition normal? Most stallions and foals hate hospitals, yet he treats it like a second home.”

“He spent a lot of his life in the hospital,” Taze said. “It’s become comforting to him.”

The Dragon looked to the Princesses. “Your Highnesses, as best the doctors can tell, this … human can be released, but they’d like to provide a Doctor or Nurse on call for him at all times, given the nature of his condition. Due to easy bruising, I personally recommend assigning a guard for his protection to prevent any roughhousing against him. Some of our greetings and movements may not be advantageous to their anatomy.”

“I’m not an invalid,” Matthew snapped. “Hell, before I got part cyborg, I did two years of ROTC. I don’t need a babysitter.” He groused and folded his arms over his chest, looking not unlike a pouting child.

“You also did five stints in rib cage warfare,” Taze said. “You're better off having someone around who knows who to contact if things go wrong.”

“Four. I hope to God, never five,” he answered with a laugh. “But if you think it’s best, I’ll accept it.”

One of the guards balked at Matthew and unleashed a series of startled neighs and nickers. The Dragon dutifully translated. “He says, ‘How can you joke about your own heart like that?’” He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Ponies.”

“We’re naturally drawn to dark humor as a species,” Shawn commented.

“Our culture has come to the conclusion that comedy is, by its own nature, offensive,” Taze added. “Our species doesn’t have the best history.”

Princess Luna looked to Taze. “A scholar and a hunter? You surely are well rounded, indeed.”

“Hunting requires a sharp mind,” Taze replied. “You must think faster than your prey, or else you’ll be the one being eaten.”

“Very true. Yet few Hunters venture out of their expertise of hunting guides and materials. You surely shall reach old age.”

“As long as you remember that we are all biased,” Matthew snipped back with a chuckle. “A compass path is worthless without more than one dot.”

“Why do I get the feeling that you two are about to enter into an old debate?” Celestia asked.

“Get him started, and it won’t end.” Taze chuckled. “I’m glad he’s okay, though.” Taze gave Matthew a light pat on the head.

“Speaking of all right, Your Highness,” Shining said in the sputtering nickering language of the Equestrians, “I’d like to request permission to check on Cadance.”

Celestia smiled kindly. “Of course, Captain Armor. Luna and I can see to our guests, now that we’ve ascertained they won’t be a threat.”

Shining Armor bowed. “Thank you.”

“Just don’t forget to send that invitation to Twilight. You did make sure to send it, didn’t you?”

Shining Armor chuckled. “Of course. I sent it last week. You don’t think I was going to let my little sister miss one of the biggest moments in my life, did you?”

Celestia chuckled and nodded. “I’ll make sure to coordinate with her then. In the meantime, you have a special somepony to attend to.”

With that final dismissal, Shining offered a salute and trotted out of the room.

Taze cleared his throat. “I don’t suppose I could get my weapons back?” he asked. “They’re not really battle capable, but they are mine, and I’d like them returned if possible.”

“Assuming that Lord Shawn can vouch for you, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to return the weapons. You did say they weren’t really suited for combat, right, Luna?”

“Correct, sister. They are purely meant for show.” Luna nodded.

“Then let us return them, by all means. Where are they being held currently?” Celestia asked.

“I had them moved to the forges to have them looked at.”

“Then I suppose we’ll have to travel there next, once we’ve finished making more suitable arrangements for our guests’ living quarters,” Celestia said, then turned toward the humans. “I assume you three would prefer sharing a room?”

“As long as I have my own bed,” Matthew replied with a weak smile. “But it is up to the others if they want to share or not.”

“I mean, it’s just a place to sleep. Not like we’ll be spending a lot of time there.” Taze shrugged.

Celestia winced. “Unfortunately, you may have to spend a little longer there than you might think. For now, the castle will be open to you, but I’m afraid going anywhere beyond its walls will be too dangerous. Our subjects frighten easily when exposed to the unknown, and nerves are already high-strung enough with preparations for a royal wedding.”

“That’s fair.” Shawn nodded. “Honestly, it’s more freedom than I anticipated.”

“As a precaution for your safety, you will also need to be accompanied by a member of either of our guards at all times,” Celestia added.

“Does that include in our room itself and the bathroom, or will we be afforded some privacy?”

“Of course you’ll have privacy,” Luna said. “And I think a single member of my guard will be enough, Sister. Honestly, if they were dangerous, the Solar Guard would only hinder dealing with them.”

“Given the number that are currently on duty around the capital, I suppose it’s only right to have a member of your guard escorting them,” Celestia agreed. “We can have him or her meet us at our guests’ new quarters. Somehow, I doubt they would appreciate remaining in the Minotaur Ambassadorial Suite.”

“That sounds oddly painful,” Taze noted.

“And a little too big,” Matthew added as he imagined something the size of Iron Will or bigger.

“Didn’t seem that bad,” Shawn muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

A moment later, Matthew began to chuckle at the situation.

Celestia eyed Matthew warily, then turned her gaze on her sister. “It may take some time for the suite’s preparations to be complete, but we should have everything ready by nightfall. If you gentle—” She frowned. “Just what do I call you, anyway? We use the term gentlecolt, but I don’t believe that applies to non-equines.”

“Gentlemen is the one for us,” Shawn replied. “Either way works, as we can infer the meaning.”

Celestia smiled. “Thank you. In that case, gentlemen, if you would follow me, I’ll show you to your new quarters.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 003: A Word and a Warning

The new quarters the humans were given was a large suite with a dome-like wicker structure that provided a more wild and rustic feeling to its ceiling. Four beams met in the middle around a metal chimney that shot down to a stone fire pit. Three made-to-order bedframes and mattresses had been hastily delivered and set up surrounding the pit in a circle to serve as both chairs and beds for the guests. A large en-suite bathroom adjoined the room. The wicker-structure obscured a series of rafters with the simulation of tree limbs, giving a more outdoorsy feel to grant the impression of a campsite.

“I hope you’ll forgive us for the lack of extra furnishing,” Celestia said. “Given the tales you told us, we hoped to achieve a balance between what would remind the three of you best of your homes.” She motioned to the ceiling. “The outdoors for the hunter.” She motioned toward the fire. “The warmth of a forge to our noble visitor.” She smiled. “And I suppose one might say the absolute order of the space would remind you of your … what did you call your military training again, ROTC days?” she asked of Matthew.

“That is correct, short for Reserve Officer Trainer Corp. Though a little chaos is unavoidable, so a little order is always welcome.”

“Luna should be arriving any moment now with your personal escort. You can rest assured that you’ll be in the very best hooves.”

“Matthew smiled and tilted his head in acknowledgement. “Thank you for your help, and for guiding us through the hallways. It felt like a maze getting here.”

Celestia couldn’t help but laugh. “To tell you the truth, I never much liked castles, myself, but it seems that subjects always insist on it. Luna and I did our very best to make our last castle as interesting and fun as possible. You wouldn’t believe the antics we got up to. It drove our chamberlains mad.”

“Is there any way we can work on the written language barrier?” Taze asked. “I’d enjoy being able to read a few books while we’re waiting. Fantasy or history, possibly. Nothing you would deem dangerous, of course.”

“That would require time and energy to accomplish, but since it will likely take some time before we’re able to determine how you traversed the veil between the worlds, I don’t see why we can’t attempt to accommodate your request. There are a number of our scholars who would doubtless love to learn your language.” She chuckled. “Were it not for the fact that she has other duties to attend to in the near future, I would recommend my student, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Princess, just to clarify, we do have a choice to who we will and won’t see? I hate to cast aspersions on your people, but if your nobility is even half as intrigue-ridden as the nobility were in our own world, I would like to know we have your backing to turn away anyone with … ulterior motives?”

Matthew frowned. “What about language? Will we have to use hand signals?”

“I’m working off the assumption that our selection of guard would be capable of speaking ‘draconic,’” Shawn commented. “Given they’ve clearly thought things through.”

“Until a better means of translation can be implemented, I’m afraid that’s exactly how things will have to be,” Celestia said. “Any input you can give us will help to hasten the process for reading comprehension. As for speaking, if you give us a day or two, we should be able to come up with something to help you understand us until you can learn to speak Equish on your own.”

“We have samples of our written word,” Taze offered, retrieving Lord Brocktree from his pocket. “This is a work of fantasy by a favorite author of mine, though. I’d ask you to be careful with it. It’s one of my favorite stories.”

Celestia smiled kindly. “You needn’t part with it, Master Huntsman. If you’ll give me just a moment.” Her horn glowed as she levitated the book into the air. Then she concentrated her power. Her horn glowed brighter at its tip until it shone with a bright white light. Suddenly, a line of golden light stretched from the book to the side. An exact replica of the book’s cover appeared. Then the original’s pages fluttered open and surged out replica after replica of pages to fly directly into the waiting binding until the new copy was completely filled. Then the two lowered again. The first flew back to its owner while the second levitated to Celestia’s waiting wing. “And just like that, we’re done.”

Matthew looked to the Princess. “I assume you copied all the papers and books that were inside my Attache?” he asked as he held it close to him.

“Out of respect for you, Matthew, we chose to leave your documents alone until such time as we could obtain your permission. You were forthright with us in all ways. It seemed only right to retain that same sense of trust.”

Matthew looked rather surprised at the words. “Well, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting that, but yes, I can give you permission. However, as a warning, many of my documents I have with me were world-changing, from the oldest surviving theories on war and combat to my own nation’s founding documents by declaring independence to the documents codifying our nation’s rights.” He gave a shadow of a smile. “Be careful. In their day, those books on war were all very dangerous documents.”

“Your warning is duly noted.” Celestia nodded. “In that case, it would likely be best not to allow those to fall into the wrong hooves. If you are willing, I will allow one copy of each of these more dangerous books to be made for myself and my sister to read for ourselves after we learn to read your language.”

Luna arrived several minutes later, followed by several Thestrals in armor. “I have arrived,” she announced. “This bunch has been especially chosen to serve as your guard, should you be required to leave the room. Moon Shade!” Luna looked behind her.

A steel-gray mare wearing the blue armor of the rest approached. Her mane and tail were a sandy color, and she had large slitted red eyes. “Hello, humans.” Her English came out in a thick Welsh lilt. “I will be your personal guard, and will be staying with you in this room,” she said, giving each a small bow of the head.

Matthew was a little shocked and looked to the others. “Uh, … but, … she’s … well, she’s a she,” he stammered.

“Given their society doesn’t wear clothing normally, this probably isn’t a big deal,” Taze pointed out. “I have no issues.”

Shawn simply gave a shrug.

Luna nodded. “Very well. I will leave you to get acquainted with this group and your personal guard.” Luna turned to Celestia. “Come, Sister. We still have much to do.”

“Indeed,” Celestia agreed. “The weight of a crown is a heavy thing to bear.” She smiled lovingly at Luna. “I’m just glad I don’t have to carry it alone anymore.” She nodded to their guests. “Until our next meeting, friends. If you’ve a need to go anywhere, you need only ask your escort.” She turned to go, then paused. “Oh, and one more thing. I would prepare to receive guests if I were you. It is a noble custom, as I am sure you must be well aware, Lord Shawn. Certain of the nobility will likely come to seek you out for the sake of establishing good will, among the other more devious intentions your friend Taze mentioned earlier. I trust you to be able to discern which is which.”

“Joy,” Shawn commented. “I appreciate the warning.”

“I am nothing, if not fair.” Celestia smirked. “Besides, it’s more fun when the nobles don't have the element of surprise.” She trotted to Luna and nodded. “Have you any parting words for our guests as well, Sister?”

“No, Sister.” Luna shook her head.

Celestia nodded. “Then until we meet again, gentlemen. We look forward to it.”

Matthew watched the two sisters take his case away before glancing at the guard. “Do you promise to never say anything about what goes on in here?”

“We’ll keep your secrets as long as they don’t endanger others or Equestria as a whole,” she said. “My loyalty is to my princess first and foremost.”

Matthew nodded. “It would be the same for me if the roles were reversed.” He looked to Shawn and Taze. He opened his mouth but stopped, and looked again at Moon Shade, “Clever,” he muttered. Then he spoke up again. “So, … what physics-defying thing can you do? I’ve seen a Dragon eating gems of such quality they’d be on display in a museum back home, and I was given five of them from a bowl that held over twenty such stones. And the Dragon was eating them! Then the Unicorns can do things with the fabric of physics that we’ve only seen in stories of myth, like controlling objects, apparently with their minds. And the Pegasi—”

Taze clapped a hand firmly on either one of Matthew's shoulders. “Breathe!” he ordered sternly.

Matthew winced as he followed the command. At first, his breaths came short and quickly, almost like he was hyperventilating. Then it gradually began to level out and calm.

“Is he all right?” Moon Shade asked.

“Nerves,” Taze explained.

Matthew’s voice shook slightly. “My entire world is upside down. Fantasy is real, reality is fiction. Everything I thought I knew about the world is gone in an instant, and I’ve been holding that in since up.” He paused. “Sorry, waking up,” he amended.

“Well, to answer your question, fly, I suppose?” Moon Shade said in a slightly confused tone.

“Can I see your wingspan?” he asked. “Because based on where I come from, the surface area of said wing should be proportional to the ability to lift.”

She spread her leathery wings out fully for him to see. “No touching, human.”

“I would never touch. They look like a bat’s wing, and you never touch a bat’s wing where I come from unless you’re a trained vet.” He paused again. “Doctor? Physician? Healer? Which should I say to avoid offense?” He shook his head and frowned after glancing over the wing in proportion to her body. “Yeah, that wingspan is too small, scientifically speaking.”

“There are many things even in our world that are deemed scientifically impossible in terms of their capabilities. Yet they still work,” Shawn commented with a raised brow. “In a world of magic, it’s harder to question how things work scientifically when we have no idea how their laws of magic work.”

Matthew looked to Shawn. “And with how the Scientific method works back home. Asking how magic works would depend on who we ask, from the normal man on the street to whatever this world has for an astrophysicist.”

“Yes, but you’re asking how things work without the understanding of what it even is. It almost feels like the idea of figuring out the needed force to escape the atmosphere when you don’t understand gravity.”

“That is true, and it hurts my brain to keep thinking about that.” He quickly turned his attention back to Moonshade. “Uh, forgive the whiplash, but why no touching? Is it a cultural thing? I’d rather not start a war by accident. Or worse, a courtship ritual.”

“The wings of Thestrals and pegasi are very sensitive. You only let trusted individuals or close family touch them directly.”

Matthew nodded. “Thank you. In that case, since part of this … arrangement is to gain a better understanding of your people’s culture, could I ask you questions about how things work in your society? I’d be willing to answer your questions in turn, if you’re looking for an equivalent exchange.”

“You may ask. I reserve the right to choose my answers, however,” Moonshade responded.

“As to be expected. And I will reserve the right to choose my answers to your questions,” Matthew returned. The two continued to carry on their conversation while the small unit of guards were deployed by Moonshade to their various posts. Matthew continued to speak with her, leaving the two other humans to their own devices.

Shawn sighed as he turned his attention toward the room once more before moving to the windows. The view to the right revealed a crystal-clear waterfall that cascaded in a multitude of veils that sparkled in the sunlight. Lush green grass grew in every direction, and even the far hills and mountains in the distance seemed to be covered in varying shades and hues of green with the occasional smattering of stony gray. A barely perceptible shimmer flashed over the panes of the glass. And as he pulled the window open, a gentle breeze blew the sounds of the city through the room. Clopping hooves, the occasional shout for wares, the beration of a drill sergeant. A river wound its way from the mountain toward an unseen ocean. Shawn was able to see what might be the image of a rail line running along the river bank towards the horizon. But without an engine to indicate, it was hard to say for sure. Then again, this was Equestria. And if it was anything like the show they had watched before, then it probably was a genuine railroad.

“Better view than I expected,” he muttered.

“Been quite the day, huh?” Taze asked as he joined his friend.

“Considering we’re not exactly home anymore, yeah. I’d say it’s been quite the day.”

Taze took out his ipod and carefully typed out a message on it before handing it to Shawn. Don’t suppose you recognised anything that could tell us when in the series we are?

Shawn hummed it over before typing out his response. Not a clue.

This is crazy. I mean, there are too many stories about this kind of thing.

Shawn gave a shrug. After a few seconds, he looked off to one of the corners of the room before frowning and turning back. “Still doesn’t feel right.”

“What doesn’t?” Taze asked.

“All of this.” Shawn gave a brief gesture around them. “I know it’s happening, I can feel everything, and I think I am of sane mind, but I keep getting this feeling like I don’t know the full picture. Whatever it is, it’s really getting to me.”

“You notice everyone’s on edge?” Taze asked.

“Hard not to.”

“I think we arrived just after some kind of threat,” Taze said in a very low tone.

“It’d make sense, given everything.” Shawn frowned. “We’ve got something else to discuss later, by the way.”

“I panicked,” Taze responded apologetically. “Hell, I thought this place was some kind of weird dream at first.”

“Things are going to be way more complicated if we don’t correct things, but I don’t know how that’ll turn out in the first place.”

“We need to play along for now and find out what's happening first.”

Shawn sighed and rubbed at his forehead. “This is going to be a mess.”

Celestia’s personal chambers were grandiose to the point of practically being gaudy. Bright scarlet banners streamed from the rafters to give the impression of a lower ceiling. Fine golden threads woven through them gave the appearance of the flash of sunset. Lighter cloths intermingled with brighter pinks, greens, blues, and purples in remembrance of Celestia’s ethereal mane. A great woven carpet sat in the middle of the moon with the princess’ cutie mark blazing brightly. A portion was covered by a large circular bed. A gilded headboard curved overhead with gold bars protruding to represent the rays of the sun radiating from the princess. A golden disc at its base formed a halo that would frame her head perfectly as she slept. A number of wardrobes, side tables, and bookshelves decorated the elegant space, offset by a number of banners and tapestries portraying herself, and in one case, a very old tapestry portraying two alicorns flying in a circle with their respective elements beneath them in the shape of yin and yang. A set of doors were inserted on opposing walls, leading to a master bathroom and study respectively.

Celestia sighed as she levitated a series of pillows to form a divan of sorts and took her seat. She gestured to a pile she created opposite her and casually flipped her horn to send a golden ray at the ceiling. A rune sparked to life, and the whole chamber was suddenly encased in that golden glow. “All right, Luna. It’s safe to talk now.”

“So, we know they're lying, right?” Luna asked as she took her own seat.

“Oh, absolutely,” Celestia agreed. “When did you figure it out?”

“The one called Taze is a great storyteller, but even I can tell his alien form is not made for such hard living.”

Celestia frowned. “Yes. Though our Lord Shawn is another matter entirely. Regardless, it is clear that they do know each other. The surprise when they met and the familiarity with which they spoke was impossible to feign. What I find more disturbing is the knowledge Lord Shawn carries. That language was spoken on the Earth I visited, but the odds of it remaining after all this time are slim, to say the least.”

“Did that phrase catch you as well?” Luna asked.

Celestia nodded gravely. “I thought that was what you might wish to discuss. In that world I visited, it was a phrase invoked often enough when speaking of the god they worshipped in those lands. Even then, it was only known to a select few who I interacted with, primarily nobility and clergy.”

“Yes, but did it not seem eerily familiar to you? Did it not speak of other memories?”

Celestia nodded. “I assume you’re referring to old ghosts?”

Luna nodded. “They seem harmless overall, and I fear Lord Shawn may be in need of my aid relatively soon, so I see no issue in playing to their story until we can confront them in a less scandalous time.”

Celestia couldn’t help but smirk. “And the fact we get to pull one over on the nobles makes it all the sweeter.”

Luna got up to leave the room, then paused for a moment and turned. “Sister, has Cadance been off to you? I encountered her speaking rather harshly to the cook.”

Celestia frowned. “That’s not usually like her. Perhaps she’s worried about Shining Armor?”

“Possibly,” she conceded. “But either way, I have forestalled sleep long enough.”

Celestia smiled sadly. “Of course. Sleep well, Sister.”

Shawn jolted upright from his bed, his hand clutching his chest as he took several calming breaths. “What the hell?” he commented softly.

Looking around the room revealed that it was still early into the night, and both Taze and Matthew were still asleep.

“You … okay, … hu … man?” A knock was heard at the door as clumsy English filtered through.

Shawn stood from his bed and made his way to the door. After taking another breath, he opened the portal and stepped out, closing it behind him.

Nearby stood an azure Thestral stallion in the familiar dark blue armor of the Night Guard. Rather than the spears he’d seen the gold armored Ponies bear, this one carried a curved glaive comfortably in one leg. He eyed Shawn warily with slitted silver eyes. However, though cautious, his stance betrayed no aggression.

“Sorry. They’re still asleep.” Shawn sighed. “Didn’t want to wake them. I’m fine, for the most part.”

“Somnia?” the stallion asked.

“Something like that. I don’t usually get much sleep in the first place, but I guess my nerves are getting to me.”

The stallion nodded. “It happens. You not go?”

“No, I just didn’t want to wake them up.” He leaned against the wall. “Not like I’ll be getting back to sleep, anyway.”

“Too much sleep night.” The stallion shrugged. “Ponies sleep. Miss stars.”

“The night has always been easier on the eyes. That, I can agree with.” He nodded.

“You people map stars?”

“All of them that we can.” Shawn smiled. “We made large telescopes in an attempt to get even slightly closer to them, if only visually.”

The stallion nodded. “Thestrals map stars since long before Questria,” he explained. “Stars tell lots. Farm, season, direction.”

“That they do. Though it’s a lot harder to see them where I’m from. Light pollution makes it harder.”

The Thestral thought on that for a few minutes before nodding. “No like station in city. Stars tough to see. Need fly high. Home, stars everywhere.” He waved a hoof to emphasize a large expanse. “But Thestral need protect moon. Gold Pony no good.”

“I mean, if they’re wearing actual gold, you’ve already got them beat.” Shawn gave a brief chuckle.

“They wear fancy armor, hold spear, and when something come, fall over.” He mimed tripping. “Panic.” He made a fearful face. “Run.” He shook his head. “Thestral strong. Thestral fight!” He twirled his glaive with a surprising amount of skill to prove his point.

“I can see that,” Shawn noted, leaning away slightly.

The stallion looked around carefully before leaning in. “Careful. Threat on palace. Eye on six.”

Shawn blinked a few times as he registered what he was told before giving a nod in return.

The stallion tapped his muzzle as he leaned away, a strange iteration of tapping one's nose to infer a secret.

Shawn gave a small smile. “We’ve got to get this language barrier dealt with at some point.” He hummed, placing a hand on his chin. “Maybe you guys could try teaching me a few words. Doesn’t seem like I’ll be getting much sleep, anyway.”

The guard considered his words before nodding. “Crescent,” he said, banging his chest plate lightly. Then he made a small negh-like sound.

Shawn blinked a few times, “Oh, this is going to be a lot harder than I anticipated….”

Shawn sighed as he looked outside the window of their room. It had been some time since the sun had arisen. And considering the activity he could hear, everyone in the castle was a morning person.

Looking over to the others, however, revealed that not everyone was.

Frowning to himself, he walked over to each of their beds and knocked the frames with his booted foot. “All right, guys. Everyone’s up, so we should probably get moving.” A distinct lack of response greeted him, and he started to nudge the bed with more and more force. “Come on. If I’ve got to be up at this hour, then so do you two.”

Matthew blinked open his eyes at the creaking protest of his bedframe and the vibrations carrying through from Shawn’s well-targeted kicks. He looked up at the ceiling. “Morning?” he asked, sitting up with a frown. “I was expecting my alarm to wake me.” Then he stretched and rubbed his eyes. “Guess I won’t need to rely on that now. So, can I take the first bathroom shift?”

After a few more shakes, Taze let out a muffled growl before lashing out with a fist suddenly.

Shawn doubled over and held his stomach as his face tightened in a grimace.

Matthew blinked in shock at the action, practically stumbling out of his bed to try and check on his friend.

“Huh?” Taze looked up, blinking at Shawn. “Oh. OH!” His eyes widened suddenly as adrenaline surged through his body to dispel the rest of his sleep after realizing what he had just done. “Sorry. Sorry! I have a little brother. He can be a jerk sometimes.”

“Yeah….” Shawn sighed as he held his stomach. “I’ve got an older brother. I get the idea. I’ll just flip your bed next time.”

“If that wakes him up,” Matthew muttered. “Never tried that with my brother. We kept on using alarm clocks. It used to wake the whole house up, but my brother would still be sleeping.” He eyed the bathroom and stood up. “Anyway, since nobody else said anything, I’m just going to claim the first shower,” he said, then shuffled to the restroom.

“Not the first,” Shawn muttered with a small smirk. “In any case, I take it you’re awake enough now, Taze?”

“Yes.” Taze groaned. “I just hope they have decent coffee.”

“Princess Luna keeps a stash of some of the best coffee in Equestria,” Moonshade commented.

“Good,” Taze said.

Shawn sighed as he took a seat on his bed. “Hour until breakfast, from what I was told earlier, so we’ve got some time.”

“I hope they solve the reading problem soon. It’d be nice to read some new books while we wait,” Taze commented.

“I actually got to chat with the guard earlier and got a few things down. It turns out things run off a similar formatting between the two. It’s literally just different characters,” Shawn remarked. “I only have so much committed to memory at the moment, and I hoped to ask for some writing supplies to make a sheet to practice off of.”

“Even if I could get a hold of the alphabet, it could be a start,” Taze said, nodding.

“I’ll try writing out a sheet for you when I can, but I don’t know how long that will take. It’s already hard enough learning their language,” Shawn muttered.

“Well, I mean completely different vocal organs, different syntax, sound correlation. It makes sense,” Taze noted.

“Indeed.”

Matthew was surprised at the spread of the food in the dining room. “Uh…” He looked over to Moonshade. “Will this be a normal spread every day?” He could see Pancakes, what had to be some form of bacon and salads, hash browns, and eggs in all their many incarnations. And, of course, the obligatory pastries and sweets associated with the meal.

Celestia giggled. “Yes, Matthew, it will. Alicorns are not like humans. We have an exceptionally boosted metabolism. And even among Alicorns, my sister and I are exceptionally special cases.”

“You mean there's more than just you two?” Matthew balked. “But … if you two can raise the sun and moon, what do these other Alicorns do?”

“One other Alicorn, to be precise,” Celestia allowed. “She is someone very close to our hearts. Her family were dear friends to us in years past.” She smiled lovingly. “And it will be our honor to give her away in her parents’ stead in a week’s time.”

Taze had a plate laid high with waffles, pancakes, and all sorts of things covered in maple syrup, and was eating with a fervor. “Is that all? Just three of you?” he asked between bites.

“Yes.” Celestia nodded and smiled gently. “It’s been that way for as long as most anyone can remember. ”

Shawn frowned at the comment. “I suppose, given what I’ve learned of your longevity, it makes sense.”

“Indeed. It’s been … difficult at times, but we’ve managed,” Celestia said.

“How old is Equestria?” Taze asked. “From what we’ve seen, this city looks kinda new, going by the stone and whatnot.”

“My sister and I have ruled this kingdom for millennia, Huntsman Taze.”

Matthew paused in his own meal. “Th—” he started before having to pause. “The only thing I can think of that might match that longevity is the Roman Republic turned Empire, which then collapsed in on itself.” He blinked owlishly. “Then again, you said millennia. That means multiple time units of a thousand years. I … I don’t even think they made it past one.” He looked at his plate and lapsed into silent contemplation.

“For our subjects, it’s simply a fact. I suppose it is easier to accept when generations have watched us as we watch over them.”

“I suppose it would cement your rule, since you would be able to rule over a course of lifetimes to the average subject.” Shawn hummed in thought.

“It certainly helps. That, and the fact that we actually control the course of the sun and moon. That does tend to give us a certain advantage, though it’s one that we never use against our subjects.” A hint of a frown crossed her countenance at those words, but she quickly dispelled it as she returned her attention to the humans. “Lord Shawn, I nearly forgot to mention this, but if you have the time after our meal, there is someone I would like to introduce you to.”

Shawn blinked a few times. “Well, I suppose I don’t really have anything other than free time, so that sounds like a plan.”

“Excellent.” And with that said, Celestia raised a sizable piece of cake to her mouth and ate heartily.

The chamber Celestia led Shawn to was reasonably sized. A small round table sat at its center, marked by a star design circled by smaller stars crafted from mother of pearl that chained to form a decorative rim. A small chest rested easily on top of it, and a white unicorn with a carefully styled blue mane stood behind it. This one wore a stylish black suit with a purple bowtie and a fancy golden monocle. Another unicorn stood by his side, this one bearing a pink mane with white streaks. Her purple eyes were shimmering pools that drew the eye toward her effeminate features.

“Lord Shawn, allow me to introduce you to Lord Fancy Pants and his wife, Fleur de Lis. Given your unique status as a new point of contact with another kingdom, he desired an audience to get to know you face to face,” Celestia explained as she motioned toward the stallion.

“A pleasure to meet you both.” Shawn gave a low nod.

“Mi amore extends his greatest greetings and best wishes to you, Lord Shawn,” the mare said in surprisingly fluid Draconic, though with a clearly present French accent.

“I appreciate the well wishes,” he replied with a nod. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this audience?”

Fancy Pants’ lips curved into a smile, a thing that Shawn was used to seeing in a cartoon, but most certainly not in real life on an equine. The stallion then proceeded to speak in that series of nickers, neighs, and whinnies that made up the Equestrian language before sliding the box forward and opening the lid with his magic to reveal a series of polished cut gems ranging from the size of a finger to the size of a fist. They cast a veritable corona of colors that thrummed and pulsed, casting a weak light onto the gilded edges of the container.

“My husband wishes to extend this gift in homage and respect to you,” Fluer translated.

Shawn blinked a few times in surprise. “I ... am thankful for this gift, but ... I don’t know if I could accept this.”

Fleur and Celestia both raised their brows at that comment. “Is there a reason why not?” Celestia asked.

Shawn looked at the two. “I feel there may be a difference between our worlds in terms of gemstones and the like. To clarify, they aren’t offensive or anything. In fact, they are … very expensive in our markets.” He rubbed the back of his head. “I feel idiotic for saying it now, but it just threw me off, because … to me and my people, this would constitute a large fortune.”

Fleur gave a ringing musical laugh. “It is of little consequence to my husband what the value of the gems might be worth to your home. He has lots of money and many finer stones in his collection. Please, do not let it bother you.”

“I ... truly appreciate it, then.” Shawn gave another low nod.

Fleur translated with a whinny and a few nickers, and her husband’s smile widened to display a row of perfectly white teeth that practically flashed with the quality of their appearance. He bowed his head and spoke again.

“He hopes this may be the beginning of good relations between your house and ours, as well as your nation and ours,” Fluer translated.

Shawn smiled before nodding. “This experience, even without the gems, has proven to be far more positive of an exchange than I had anticipated.”

“You have good instincts, then. My husband is sadly in the minority of the nobility. House Pants prides itself on kindness and generosity to others. Few houses still stick to such old ways.”

“Truly something great to strive for. It’s sadly the nature of those in similar positions to lean too far away from it. I am grateful to have met you two first.”

Fancy pants nodded and spoke again.

“My husband is grateful to have been able to meet you before your perspective might be poisoned. There will be more gifts offered, but those will, in many cases, come with tethers.”

“Thank you for the warning.”

“Should you need anything, you only need to ask us. We are easy to find. My husband serves as Celestia's high chancellor,” Fleur said with some pride. “The princess has excellent judgment in who to appoint to positions of power.” She gave Celestia a small bow, as did Fancy Pants before the two turned to leave.

Shawn’s facade wilted for a moment before he took a breath and turned to Celestia. “That was certainly better than I expected. Thank you.”

Celestia sighed. “I’m afraid I have to apologize. I should have foreseen the possibility of your reaction. I’d forgotten how much value humans placed on such common trinkets.”

“It’s a mix between common and not quite as common. Though diamonds are the exception, being very common and very expensive,” he said, muttering the second part in thought. “Either way, it was … very unexpected.”

“Our land is overly abundant with resources that your people would consider highly precious. Gold, copper, silver, iron, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, quartz, you name it. The only resource our people find rare is an exceptionally light-weight metal that is extremely scarce. Unlike most others, this one seems only to become stronger as it corrodes to prevent further corrosion.”

“What, like aluminum?” Shawn questioned.

“I’m afraid I am not familiar with that name,” Celestia said. “If you would like, I can show you a sample to appraise.”

Shawn hummed for a second. “I could probably do that. With what my uncle taught me, I have a good idea of them.”

“Then I’ll make the arrangements for you to view the metal later. There are a number of master craftsponies who work at the forge. I’ll arrange to introduce you to Storm Hammer. She’s an artist when it comes to the craft, and we always rely on her to deal with the more … elegant commissions in the nobility.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The three humans found little privacy over the next several hours. Not only were they closely followed and watched by their assigned guards, but a delegation of physicians were waiting for them the moment they arrived back in their quarters, along with an apologetic Celestia.

“After the initial investigations with Matthew, these doctors insisted on giving a proper examination to the rest of you to ensure no damage was sustained after your … fall,” the princess said tactfully. “Given the fact that we never had the chance to do so for yourself and Taze, I took the liberty of bringing them here, Lord Shawn.”

“Makes sense.” Taze shrugged.

“Fair enough,” Shawn replied.

Matthew sighed resignedly. “How many are for me?” he asked.

“All of them wish to be, but two of them will have to focus on Sir Taze and Lord Shawn.” She smiled awkwardly. “They … drew lots to decide.”

Matthew rolled his eyes as he slowly took his shirt off. “Of course. Back home, I was one in maybe ten thousand with my condition. And one of the oldest living, too. I’ve got nothing better to do, so the others can listen to my heart before they go.” He gave a grim chuckle. “Doubt they’ll ever hear something like it again.” He approached the ponies calmly. “Okay, which one of you is the cardiologist?” He shook his head and sighed heavily as he muttered, “I really should have listened to my mother and got a tablet with my medical history on it.”

Celestia’s horn lit up, and the room was filled with a golden haze. “There. This will allow us to speak and understand one another properly for the time being. If you would, Heart Throb?”

A cherry-red Unicorn lit up her horn and nodded her thanks to the princess. “As my name might imply, I’m one of Equestria’s foremost heart specialists. If you would just take a seat on your bed, I’d like to begin with a proper scan of your heart and the scar tissue surrounding it.” She looked uneasily at the discolored ridges over his chest. “The reports from your previous assessment indicated that your race cut your chest open to reach your heart. How did they pass through the ribs and sternum? I assume your chest is structured similarly to that of a Minatour, and normally sustaining any injury of that sort would mean instant death.”

Matthew looked to Shawn and Taze. “You two might need to cover your ears,” he said apologetically. Then he turned back to Heart Throb. “First, you need to understand one thing. This is all the result of a lack of Magic. That, in turn, forced us to learn other means of healing the sick. In my case, the doctors took millennia worth of knowledge and followed a series of defined steps. First, they anesthetized me. Then they took a bone saw and—” What followed was a very graphic and detailed explanation on the procedure that had been performed to install the valves in his heart in the first place. One of the physicians nearly lost his lunch as his face quite literally turned green, including his fur.

“With that kind of response, you’d think they weren’t in the medical field,” Shawn remarked with a raised brow.

“It’s a rare thing for our nation to require exploratory surgery of any sort,” Celestia explained. “Most of our ills are resolved with potions or the application of spells. It’s only in the event that a Unicorn isn’t on staff or extreme cases that invasive procedures are required.”

“Still, what if you’re dealing with an issue that couldn’t be solved with magic?” Shawn asked. “I mean, it can’t be guaranteed that magic would always work, right?”

Heart Throb looked at Shawn in confusion. “I doubt our books ever mention that. For example, if not for the foreign metal in two of this human’s heart valves, a week in the proper magical environment under our procedures would have healed up everything, including the scars. But with such foreign items in such a key location, it would be too risky to even try and stimulate the heart to regrow what it’s lost.”

“No, I meant—” He sighed. “Nevermind. It’ll take much too long to actually get my point across.”

The doctors looked to one another, then nodded as they each reached out with their magic respectively to touch the trio of aliens. Heart Throb and the two others nodded as they broke the contact, having found their investigation satisfactory, then turned to their colleagues in confusion. The other two medical experts’ faces were furrowed at first. Then they flattened. And finally, their eyes became wide open with horror.

“What’s the matter, Golden Apple, Bone Splint?”

The two shuddered, then turned back to their fellow. “Switch!” they said simultaneously. The two quickly shifted to the other’s position to scan their patients again. This time, they began to tremble.

“How do you function?” Bone Splint sputtered in utter disbelief.

Golden Apple swallowed heavily. “They should be dead. No life should be sustainable without it. No one.” His eyes had shrunk to pinpricks, and he started rocking on his hooves.

“And what, exactly, are we missing?” Shawn spoke up.

Matthew shrugged. “Magic is my guess. I mean, they did all these kinds of scans while the soldiers watched, and I freaked everyone out. More so than my scars.” He chuckled.

Heart Throb’s eye twitched. “I wish you didn’t have such a morbid sense of humor.”

“Everything, and I mean everything, has magic in it. It’s literally what drives the life of the world. Without magic, our world would be a barren hunk of rock. If you were to somehow drain our magic, we would be left on the brink of death,” Golden Apple explained. “It was presumed the lack of magic in your friend would explain his bodily defect. But the fact that you two are also without a magical field leaves us with some startling ramifications.”

“It shatters every rule of life we’ve ever established,” Bone Splint said. “Imagine the papers we could write. A living, breathing, functional lifeform without even so much as a hint of magic. And they’re intelligent!” He winced and looked sheepishly at Shawn. “Erm, no offense.”

Shawn simply raised a brow at the comment.

“Magic in our world existed once, at least according to myths and legends from hundreds of years ago,” Taze said. “But in our current age, it’s generally only believed to be superstition.”

One of the doctors rubbed her chin. “Perhaps it’s the result of a form of biologic mutation or adaptation out of necessity?”

“I mean, we science the hell out of things.” Taze shrugged.

“You perform exorcisms with science?”

“Well, Sam and Dean Winchester do at times.” Taze chuckled.

“It’s a turn of phrase,” Matthew corrected as he facepalmed. “I don’t know where it came from, but … we’ve advanced our science to the point where we landed on our moon, traveled to ocean floors, and broken things down to the atomic level.”

“Atoms?” Bone Splint asked.

“The smallest form matter can be broken down to before it becomes energy,” Taze explained.

“I believe we can save discussions of such things for another time,” Celestia noted. “Are they healthy, doctors?”

“Their bodies are … functional,” Golden Apple said. “As for healthy, we’ll have to wait and see how they react to a magical environment, if what they say is true.”

“I am not healthy,” Matthew countered. “I survive. I have been healed to humanity’s best efforts, but I am not a model of health.”

“Debates aside, they appear to be functionally healthy,” Golden said as he eyed the patient. “Albeit somewhat snarky.”

“Sorry, there isn’t a cure for that one where we come from,” Taze remarked.

Celestia giggled. “In that case, I believe that we’re finished here. Thank you, doctors.” She nodded dismissively to the physicians. “If you could put a rush on those draughts for Matthew, you would have my gratitude.”

“O-of course, Your Highness,” Bone Splint said. Then Heart Throb shoved him back.

“We’ll begin immediately.” Then Golden Apple shoved Heart Throb.

“You’ll have it by morning.”

Celestia smiled. “Then you are dismissed.”

The party that left was more of a tangle of limbs and horns as the physicians each battled one another for a position at the head of their band in their rush to get to their labs and work on the potion.

Celestia continued to smile as she ended the spell. “For some reason, I always find it amusing when they scrabble for my favor like that. I don’t know whether to call that a failing or a virtue.”

“If you can’t enjoy the simple things, then what's the point?” Taze asked.

“Perhaps,” she allowed. “Regardless, now that we’ve finished your medical examinations, it’s simply a matter of making sure your friend has what he requires to ensure his heart continues to function. Was there anything else I might be able to do for you before we part ways? I’d like to make your stay as comfortable as possible.”

“Maybe some books for helping to read? My friend believes we may be able to teach ourselves with a little more reference material,” Taze noted.

“Is that so?” She looked to Taze. “Are our languages so very similar?”

“From what I’ve been able to figure out with Crescent, our languages are almost exactly the same written, in terms of order and such. It’s just a matter of it being different in terms of the written characters,” Shawn explained. “This isn’t going to be perfect, without a doubt, but it seems like it’ll work in a general way?”

“It’s an experiment that is certainly worth pursuing,” Celestia agreed. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements. “Was there any particular type of literature you would prefer?”

“History and fiction, if possible,” Taze said.

Celestia nodded. “We can do that. Our royal archives have plenty of material to draw from. I’ll arrange to have some delivered to you.”

Luna grinned as she stared at the spread of food that laid before her and her guests. Her royal guards also sat at the table, with the exception of those necessary to keep watch over her and said guests. The sun laid low over the horizon, casting the castle into twilight. This meal was more heavy with meats along the line of pork and venison. Bacon, sausage, filets, and more were cooked and produced in a variety of inventive ways to present a feast that any carnivore would love. The obligatory grains and vegetables were also present to grant a properly balanced diet.

“Well now. This looks great!” Taze commented, looking over the table.

Matthew was surprised at the spread, especially at the number of greens. There weren’t just lettuce and cucumbers. Wildflowers and other blossoms and herbs were also included, sprigs and all.

“Uh, do you guys have any pre-evening meal rituals?” Taze asked, not wanting to be rude.

Luna shook her head. “No. Do your people?”

Taze looked to Matthew. “Some of us do,” he admitted.

“Well, I usually pray over a meal before eating, giving thanks to our God for the bounty before us. I can pray silently, if that is acceptable?”

Luna nodded. “Of course. We will wait patiently.”

Matthew gave a nod of thanks and bowed his head, clasping his hands together. A few long seconds of silence later, he raised his head and nodded to the princess again. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Well then, please dig in, my friends,” Luna said as she began piling her plate.

Taze immediately hopped to it, stacking his own plate as well. Shawn looked to the two stacking their plates before simply gathering a portion for himself, and Matthew followed suit.

As Taze and Luna ate, their eyes met when they noticed the relatively even pace and portion size. An unspoken challenge passed between them. Quite suddenly, the two of them dug in deeper and more rapidly as they tore into their portions.

Matthew looked to Shawn. “Uh, … are you getting flashbacks to Sterling?” he asked between bites.

“This will end poorly,” Shawn remarked casually as he took another bite of his meal.

“But for which party?” Matthew added with a slight chuckle.

“Only Mother knows,” Celestia said suddenly from behind them, nearly causing Matthew to choke on his food. “My sister’s never lost before, though.”

Matthew stepped out of the bathroom and looked around. Only Moonshade was in the room, since Taze and Shawn had stepped out. He sat down, frowning as he tried to fight the headache. He covered his eyes with his arm to ward against the stabbing rays of sunlight.

“Is something wrong, human?” she asked.

“Headache, and the docs aren’t sure the pain meds would work the same way,” he groaned. “And why are you saying human? My name is Matthew Washington Conner. Citizen of Earth. How’d you feel if I just called you Thestral all the time?”

She gave a shrug. “I am what I am.”

Matthew turned to try and find some comfortable position to rest his head. “And what is that? Annoying?” he groused as another stab of pain bit into his skull. “Then anytime I hear you call me Human, I’ll just return the favor with Thestral.”

“Fair enough, human.” She smirked.

“Any advice, then, for beating this headache? Close a window? Darken the room? Something, please, Thestral. I cannot just be out of commission. Folks need me. My friends need me up and about.”

“You could always request a potion,” she said simply. “We have those, you know.”

“Side effects unknown. They’d rather not test it on me. Apparently, the blood thinning potion is risky enough as it is. Or so they say.”

“Then I'm not sure what to tell you, human. Darken the shades and wait it out.”

Matthew grumbled as he did as suggested, only to fumble ridiculously as he tried to figure out how the system worked. “A little help, Thestral?”

With a slight eye roll, she approached the shades and pulled a cord with her mouth, causing them to cover the window.

“Th-thank you,” Matthew muttered as he stumbled toward the bathroom. A minute or so later, he emerged again bearing a wet cloth soaked with cold water. Then he laid down and placed the cloth over his closed eyes. “Can you make sure I can get some sleep, please?”

“I’ll see to it that you remain undisturbed, Human,” she promised.

“Thank you,” Matthew grunted. And then he turned all his efforts to the elusive reward of oblivion that was sleep.

Matthew was on edge as he followed a lot more guards than normal into the depths of the Castle, past a multitude of checkpoints and flights of stairs. Eventually, they were led past a set of heavy metal doors engraved with a multitude of glyphs and sigils. Beyond the doors, an empty cavern awaited them, with only Clestia and Luna’s glowing magic to light the way. The floor was hard and well swept. The guards all stood watch at the doorway, but only Matthew, Shawn, and Taze crossed the threshold. At a subtle nod from the sisters, the doors slowly creaked shut, leaving the five alone in the chamber.

“All right,” Celestia started. “I’m certain you’re all wondering why my sister and I have led you all the way down here in the first place.”

“Something with magic and not wanting others to find out what is happening?” Matthew asked. “The rather big doors kind of gave that away.”

“They’re there more for the protection of everyone above,” Celestia said seriously. “No one has crossed through the veil between worlds in millennia. That particular method of travel was lost to Equestria a very, very long time ago. The fact you managed to do so could have some lingering effects that you’ve … chosen to forget. To that end, Luna and I are going to try to help you remember them to ensure your safety and ours.”

“Or rather, I will be, and my sister will be serving as support to make sure nothing happens while I do,” Luna commented. “Not that there should be trouble, but given the fact your race has no magic, we have no idea how you’ll react to dream walking.”

“Strange, but I suppose that’s understandable?” Shawn remarked questioningly.

“I concur. Safety is a good priority,” Matthew said.

“So, how is this going to work?” Taze asked.

“We’re going to put you to sleep. Then I will enter your dreamscape and see if I can find the memories within,” Luna said.

Shawn blinked a few times. “That ... sounds like a method. Not one I was anticipating, to be honest.”

“It’s the easiest way to sort through your memories without risking damage,” Celestia promised. “You all will live through that night again before you came to Equestria, and Luna will watch. Should anything go amiss, we’ll break the connection and draw you all back to the waking realm.” She waved her horn and the beds the trio had slept in were transported into the space. “Lie down, please. Then Luna will enter your minds.”

While the trio settled onto the beds, Luna strode into the center and closed her eyes. Her wings extended and began to flap as energy gathered around her. A bell-like tone sounded crystalline and pure from the tip of her horn as she rose into the air, followed by tendrils of white energy that curled up around the grooves of her horn before emerging from the tip and stretching out to reach for each of the humans’ foreheads. A translucent sphere of energy surrounded the mare as ethereal winds stirred and passed through the chamber. “Time to sleep now,” Luna said as a shower of silver dust spread from her wings to touch each of the humans in turn and send them into the land of slumber. Once Celestia confirmed they were truly asleep, Luna nodded and concentrated, sending her mind along the tendril that connected her horn to the first of the humans.

“Good luck, Sister,” Celestia said worriedly as she stood watch over the four.

Matthew found himself in the front seat of an SUV. He was dressed in his costume as he and Luna listened to a very loud voice of a friend talking about Goku beating up many other anime characters and eating the world’s supply of chocolate in the shape of the White House.

Matthew sighed from the conversation. Luna could see the face of a man who had listened to the same kind of loud conversation many, many times, and about topics that he was trying to follow.

“Don’t forget the whipped cream the size of the swimming pool in the White House,” a tall man added.

“That’s the press room now.” Matthew tried to speak, only to be drowned out by a man whose hair was more wolf than human, complete with beard and sideburns. “Why can’t we have it both ways? The President giving press briefings while swimming laps!” He gave a manic grin and laughed.

“Riku,” Matthew began.

“Anyway,” Riku spoke again, “what about Nappa? What Pokemon should he start with? Come on, Matthew, you should know this. You’re the Pokemon expert.”

“I don’t know who Nappa is. You know I don’t watch DBZ.”

“Oh man, you’re missing the best, come on—” What followed was an hour of rambling about Nappa, Dragon Ball Z, and other anime as they drove from the mountains to the city, whose lights and size dwarfed most anything outside of Manehattan. Matthew never did answer what Pokemon Nappa would pick as a starter. Instead, he sighed in relief as they turned into a neighborhood of houses, all of them the size of many Nobleman’s summer homes.

They pulled up to a dark house, with only a porch light on. Matthew opened the car door as his friends bid him farewell, and he grabbed his leather case and stepped onto the cement path. A furtive movement caught his eye, and he froze at the sight of a small-statured being at the side of the house. It raced toward an open gate in the backyard. There wasn’t time to think. “HEY!” Matthew shouted. The cloaked figure froze briefly, and he could swear he saw the hood on the cloak turn briefly before it raced into action. Matthew heard the car doors opening behind him as his friends called after him. There was no time to respond. He ran.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five times, his feet pounded on dry grass in the chill night air.

And then the world vanished as he tipped forward. He cried out, shoving his free hand forward to brace against the fall. He felt the sense of momentum carrying him beyond the plan of the ground. And as he was about to spin, everything went dark.

“And this was the last point you remember?” Luna asked as everything came to a halt.

Matthew lowered his arm as he felt himself gradually being righted before standing on … nothing. Luna’s power really was incredible. “Yes,” he answered. “That was the last thing I remember. That … what was a child doing around my house? It was Two A.M., way past any kid’s bedtime, let alone out so late without any adult supervision.” He frowned. “I hope they weren't a runaway.”

Luna shook her head. “I doubt it was a child. We have rare mentions about small creatures who appear and vanish randomly. Though most are thought to be simple myths.”

“A,” Matthew started, then broke off. He tried again. “Well this…” Once again, he found himself without a proper train of thought. A creature? But how or why would a being from a magical myth in a magical world even be on Earth in the first place?

“Are there any other details about this night you can recall?”

“Like what? It’s hard to think when half of your mental energy is trying to keep up with my friend’s topics and conversations.”

“Fair point.” Luna nodded. “You should awaken momentarily.”

“Thank you,” Matthew answered weakly. “At least my last memories weren’t of my family. That … would have made things more difficult,” he said. Even the sight of the house had been enough to spark his homesickness. He shuddered to think how much worse it would have been to see his family’s faces as everything faded to black.

Taze stretched his arms and cracked his neck as he walked down the road. Living slightly out of town had its advantages, especially on a night like this. And he intended to get some peace before he got to town and things got crazy.

The night was quiet and clear. Thousands of stars shone down from above as the wind brought the promise of cold Canadian winter on the horizon. Around him, birch and pine trees swayed in the breeze as the night drew on. The thought of cutting, hauling, and chopping wood came to the back of his mind and was shoved aside with a groan as he tried to focus on the evening instead. The town’s lights shone in the distance, still a good way to go.

A sudden rustling caught his attention, and he looked to the bushes thinking a coyote or something might have decided to get brave. Thankfully, he’d been born with relatively good night vision. Even in the dim light, he could see fairly well.

And yet, as he looked, only one question crossed his mind. Was that a humanoid shape? But what would someone else be doing this far out of town? And why would they be running through the bushes instead of on the road? A prankster pressured into targeting him, perhaps?

“Hey!” Taze called out. “Come on, kid. Whatever prank you're doing isn’t funny.” He ran toward the brush to try to head the figure off. The figure, in turn, reacted by turning and fleeing deeper into the brush. Taze picked up speed and broke through the bushes into the forest proper. With each long stride, he seemed to gain that much more ground against his target. The kid didn’t seem to have a flashlight. They were going to get hurt if they weren’t careful.

They seemed to be making for a large tree. The air wavered, as if in a heat mirage as the kid slashed at it with something. A knife? Some kind of prop for the costume? He didn’t have long to wonder. His foot caught on a root, and he tumbled headlong, struggling to right himself and maintain his balance. He crashed headlong into the dirt and began to roll. His neck ached and burned from the impact, as did his skull. The world started to fade, and that wavering in the air he’d noticed before seemed to expand to the point of consuming him. Then came the darkness as he slipped into unconsciousness.

“And that's it?” Luna asked as the world froze.

“Yeah. That’s it,” Taze commented as he found himself somehow on solid ground again, no longer living out his memory. “That’s all I remember. It was stupid, but I was trying to make sure no one messed with my neighbors.”

“Very similar to Matthew’s case, then. You both seem to lose your memory before actually hitting the portal. Though in your case, I suspect that you touched the very edges of it before you lost consciousness.” Luna sighed. “I hope Lord Shawn’s dream will hold more answers.”

“Well, sorry I couldn’t be of more help.” Taze shrugged.

“It’s not your fault. I’m grateful you were willing to allow me to make the attempt. You’ll awaken shortly,” Luna promised before vanishing.

Shawn blinked a few times as he came to. He was seated at a desk with a monitor in front of him. He rubbed at his eyes and returned his focus on the monitors, revealing a set of locations around his house. The one focused on in particular was the one at his front door.

“Jeez, what time is it?” he muttered, looking at a nearby clock. The display read 1:00 A.M. He groaned to himself as he stretched briefly. “All right, must have fallen asleep.” Then he swore. “Damn it, I’ve got to open the shop in six and a half hours.”

He stood from his chair and gave another stretch before turning his attention back to the monitor. Just before he reached the power button, a brief flicker caught his attention on one of the camera displays. Scanning over the image, he started to look through all the other cameras nearby to figure out what happened. Which, in turn, revealed a figure moving about near the side of his house.

It was small and covered in a cloak. Whoever it was couldn’t have been more than four feet tall. The part that was most curious was the large backpack they were carrying, which nearly doubled their size.

Shawn frowned to himself as he looked over his desk and seized the flashlight he’d kept there. Curiosity had won over him. He needed to figure out who was wandering around his place at one in the morning. That being said, he didn’t live in the best neighborhood. Deciding to err on the side of caution, he reached into another drawer of his desk and pulled out an unloaded glock. Steeling himself, he took hold of it and a magazine to load it, chambering a round before he placed it in his pocket.

He chose to leave through the back door and kept his flashlight low as he made his way to the side of his house. Placing himself on the corner, he took a breath and finally rounded to confront whoever was there. “Look, pal, this isn’t a good idea—”

Shawn stiffened as the individual turned to face him. Gray pale flesh greeted him with yellow sickly eyes and a skull that was clearly too large to be anything human. It gave a startled noise at his appearance, causing Shawn to take a few steps back as he grabbed his pistol. “What the fu—?” His boot caught over something, though he was certain there was nothing behind him moments ago.

As he fell backwards, a deep chill coated the back of neck, followed by the entirety of his body. Then his body went numb. The flashlight and pistol both fell out of his grip as darkness started to greet his vision.

At this point, everything froze. For a moment, Luna swore she saw a marking burned into the air in front of her. And then it was gone, and so was she as she was painfully ejected from the dream. In the corporeal world, there was a loud crackle like plasma firing between coils, and the white cords of magic severed with a plume of smoke. Luna twitched a little, attempting to catch her breath as she fell to the floor with a heavy clop. “Something is not right,” she said, panting.

“Luna!” Celestia raced to her sister’s side. “Are you all right?”

“You would be correct in that assessment,” a voice called back in return, followed by the sound of boots against the stone floor.

“What art thou, spirit?” Luna growled, lighting her horn.

“What I am is nothing as trivial as your spirits,” the voice replied again. While it was Shawn standing before them, his voice wasn’t right. “You weren’t careful in that spell of yours.”

“What manner of creature are you, then?” Celestia asked as her horn ignited and she took a combative stance. “If you pose a threat to our kingdom….”

“There are a rare number of things I care about in the physical realms. It just so happened that this one—” he gestured to himself, or the case being, Shawn’s body. “—caught my attention. A mortal being who tripped through the veil, and bore witness to many powerful entities. It’s a miracle his mind didn’t shatter.”

“No creature passes through the void consciously,” Luna stated bluntly.

“Yet he has,” the voice replied equally bluntly. “If it weren’t for the fact your spell couldn’t handle the strain that would follow that sight, I would have had to step in sooner. This, was your one chance. I won’t save you again. If you want, try to pry into his memories again. But know that it won’t end well for you.”

“And what of your current host?” Celestia pressed.

“In due time, the memories will surface, and knowledge will follow it. What he does with it, you will have to wait and see.” He shrugged.”And it won’t be just you two affected by this result. His friends appear to have been similarly marked, just without the side effects.”

“And do you intend to remain and watch over Lord Shawn?”

“Lord Shawn.” He gave a brief chuckle. “To answer your question, I watch over everything. For a time, I suppose I will watch over things here, and now.”

“Inside of him?”

“Everything,” the voice replied flatly. “Everywhere.”

“Then you are a god?”

“Not by definition.”

“And should we expect you to … visit us like this in the future?”

“For your sakes, pray that I don’t have to,” the voice remarked as Shawn’s eyes dulled. For the briefest of moments, it felt as though the shadows in the room receded, and the air felt clearer. After a second, Shawn dropped to his knees. Before he could hit the ground, he threw his arms out at the last moment, catching himself. “Wh—?” he gasped, reaching up to his chest. “What the hell happened? Why am I on the floor?”

“There was an issue with the spell. Your mind was suppressing something, and it caused feedback,” Luna said, quickly piecing together an explanation. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would happen.”

“I suppose that makes sense?” Shawn shook his head as he attempted to stand up. “But, how did I get over here though? Wasn’t I on the bed a moment ago?”

“Magic can be strange sometimes when feedback is involved. You’re fortunate you only teleported to the other side of the room. You could have ended up anywhere,” Luna said.

“That does sound fortunate.” He rubbed the side of his head. “Are the others fine?”

“Yes. The spell went perfectly for them. They’ll wake up in their own time.”

Shawn looked over the two before nodding to himself. After a second, he moved over to the bed meant for him and took a seat. “That was a strange experience.”

“It must be doubly so for one who wasn’t raised with magic,” Celestia said sympathetically.

“Indeed. Though it’s strange to me, because I can kinda remember … something. Though, it’s still foggy.”

“Given the nature of the feedback caused, it might not be wise to dwell on it for now. Better to let it come in its own time, when you are ready to face it, rather than risk the consequences if you don’t.”

Matthew sat up with a gasp and confusion. “Wh—?” he sputtered before looking and feeling the chill of the cave, then shivered and pulled his legs up to conserve body heat. “That … was maybe the fourth most vivid dream I’ve ever had.”

Taze groaned as he sat up. “I dunno, seemed like a normal dream,” he said groggily.

“Including Princess Luna appearing at the end of what has to be my…” he frowned. “My memories,” he choked out.

“You okay?” Taze asked.

“Just … off kilter, to be honest. Expecting the other shoe to drop now.”

“I am not familiar with that phrase,” Celestia admitted.

Matthew looked to Celestia. “Something happens, usually a bad thing. And it’s always attached to another event, usually in pairs or triples. The other shoe dropping essentially means that something bad or surprising is going to happen. For example, say the wheel of a wagon breaks, and when it breaks, your compass shatters or something.”

Shawn looked to Matthew for a moment before turning his attention back towards Celestia and Luna.

“I see. So, not unlike the fulfillment of the prophecy of my sister’s return, followed by the revelation that she always was my sister, a fact that shocked many a Pony at first,” Celestia mused.

“Yes, something like that,” Matthew answered with a grin.

“If it’s all right with you, Sister, I’d like to invite our guests to my personal balcony tonight to observe me raising the moon,” Luna said suddenly. “I think they have earned the pleasure.”

Celestia raised a curious brow. “I don’t have anything against it if they wish to see it. Though I would think your dream spell would have held more interest for them.”

“I mean, dreams are one thing but to actually see the night sky coming in, that would be a treat,” Taze commented. “Our species has tracked the stars for millennia.”

Matthew smiled. “The stars guided our sailors home from abroad. Farmers used the stars to know when to plant, when to harvest.”

Luna beamed at her sister. “Then it is settled.”

“Be gentle with them, Sister. They haven’t teleported before.”

“It will be fine, Sister,” Luna said. She ignited her horn, and moments later, she and the three humans vanished as though they hadn’t been present.

Celestia sighed and used her magic to teleport the beds back to their proper locations. Then she ran over the wards with her horn. Hidden runes, sigils, seals, and other magical measures rippled at her touch and beamed softly as their glow resonated with hers. After all, she and Luna had cast these protections themselves.

However, the fact that the spells not only appeared to have avoided being tripped, but even neglected to register the presence of an unauthorized entity was another matter altogether. She snapped her horn back, plunging the room into darkness again as she strode on trembling legs toward the double doors. Whatever this entity had been, it existed outside the standard rules of magic.

And that, … that was worrying.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 4: Whispers of Knowledge

The bedchambers of Princess Luna were vastly different from the design of the rest of the palace. Instead of the radiant and at times gaudy daylight colors of gold, white, and pastelles, Luna’s private quarters were fashioned exclusively after her element of night. The great arched ceiling faded and blended with intricate cloth as delicate as gossamer. It seemed less an enclosed space and more as if the very heavens had been woven into the ceiling to create a vast open space and rolling sky. The room was filled with pulsing white crystals and smooth polished stones that bathed the room in the cool touch of moonlight. Stands laden with candles invoked the feeling of gnarled trees from a forest. The great crescent that formed the headboard and canopy of her bed was covered in a similar cloth that seemed to absorb all light.

The walls were as laden with weapons racks and armor stands as Celestia’s quarters were laden with books. The crescent moon and its stars dotted the whole floor in the form of a soft carpet that coated the whorls of polished stone that symbolized the ethereal plane. A number of paintings were hung higher up on the walls, portraying the night sky and the shadows of Thestrals passing through the clouds. In the center of the room, a breathtaking portrait of a young filly Luna curled up in a pulsing white orb, resting in slumber. Two hooves brushed against her cheeks, the one blue, the other brown, as if to bid her a peaceful sleep.

A plinth held a blue pyre that licked and rippled, casting its flame in a pillar toward the ceiling. Occasionally, the flame would part or flicker just enough to reveal the glowing silhouette of a pulsing war hammer encased in a warded crystal container that shone like sapphire.

Elsewhere in the chamber, a shiny blue metal formed the base of a table with a marble top sheathed in what appeared to be mother of pearl. The rainbow sheen was circled in a corona of black and green that seemed to writhe like the great Northern Lights of the Arctic. It pulsed with a gentle light to reveal the chess board that had been set above it. A floor-length obsidian mirror sat off to one side, embedded into the structure of the wall. Its make was so simple that it seemed to actively repel the gaze of any that looked upon it. But rather than the glossy reflective surface one might expect from the fragile stone, this one seemed to absorb all light, leaving an absolute void in its place.

The pieces on the board were intricately carved, with one side formed from flawlessly polished sapphire while the other was created from the purest veins of amethyst. The kings and queens were identical, the one being a powerful Earth Pony with an intricate beard and piercing eyes that seemed almost to glow. The queen was a Unicorn whose horn glowed with equal intensity. The pieces to the right of the kings was a mighty Pegasus garbed in armor with a spear raised above the brush that his mane formed through his helmet. This was followed by a studious Unicorn holding a book and quill in one hoof while the other pushed up his glasses along the bridge of his nose. A large Minotaur grasping an intricate staff and garbed in a mask and robes formed the rook. To the side of the queen, a burly Earth Pony held a mighty shield before him with a grim expression on his face. To his left, a Gryphon took the place of the customary bishop, garbed in holy robes with talons raised in benediction. And lastly, for the final rook, a beautiful dragon was carefully rendered not with scales, but with feathers. Instead of two eyes, four pulsed gently with an inner fire. The pawns were each unique, one for each of the known tribes. A Thestral, a Unicorn, a Pegasus, an Earth Pony, a Gryphon, a Diamond Dog, and, strangely enough, a Hippogriff and anthropomorphic cat.

Shawn hummed as he looked over the board a few times. “Interesting.”

“You play?” Luna asked, tracking Shawn’s line of sight.

“Yeah,” Shawn replied. “Though, it’s different than I would have expected.”

“It should be. It predates the rule of me or my sister.”

“I suppose that explains the fact that the king and queen are an … Earth Pony and a Unicorn,” Shawn noted.

“Yes, though their identity is lost to almost everyone,” Luna said. “So the story of why they are the way they are is also lost.”

Shawn frowned before turning back to the board, giving a soft hum in thought to himself.

“So? You seemed to want to speak to us alone,” Taze stated bluntly.

“Yes, … there are things I feel best discussed in the one place my sister has no eyes or ears.”

Matthew stared out over the city from the portal to the balcony. Even in the night, the gentle glow of the shield bubble cast a pinkish hue over the city. “Is it about the giant bubble?”

“Your city is under threat, and you’re preparing for a potential attack. From what was gathered, it could even be in plain sight,” Shawn remarked as he glanced over to Luna.

Luna looked at Shawn with a few blinks. “I don’t suppose you’ll tell me how you knew that?” Luna asked.

“That’s one rule I couldn’t break. Don’t sell out your sources,” Shawn replied before rubbing the back of his head. “I’m sorry, but … I couldn’t.”

“That's … fair,” Luna commented. “Yes, a threat was made against Canterlot. The same day you all appeared as a matter of fact. Within the same hour, even.”

“So, that’s why all the Ponies are jittery around us,” Matthew said. “A logical precaution, but it sure is a pain in the rear.”

“Oh, we figured out you three weren’t a major threat shortly after we had you scanned and looked over,” she noted to Matthew. “Not on the level we were worried about, anyway. Your race has impressive mobility, but if our predictions are right, your physical strength faces a ceiling of just over one of our tons at your extremes.” She picked up a small ornament. “This is dowerite, an incredibly dense metal that can handle pressures exceeding fifteen tons.” Luna's horn glowed, and the figure reciprocated before dimming to its normal state again. “I just removed the protective enchantments that shielded it from me.” She placed the figure between her hooves and, with no visible effort, crushed it into a single small disk-like lump that she then dropped on the table next to the chess set.

Matthew squealed briefly at the sight, then moved tentatively to pick up the disc.

“I think my point is well made?” Luna asked.

Matthew looked first at the disc, then back to Luna. “May … may I hold onto this?”

“Of course,” Luna said as she opened a drawer and replaced the figurine with an identical one. “Of course, this is more unique to me. Not even Celestia is quite so physically strong.”

Matthew nodded as he pocketed the metal disk. “T-thank you,” he stammered. “Just, this is a bit more information to take in than I expected.”

“Anyway, my sister and myself are well aware of what species the threat comes from, and you three are a bit tall to be Changelings.”

“Wait, what?” Matthew balked. Then he shuddered. “They wouldn’t happen to steal babies and replace them with their own, would they?”

“Not Equestrian Changelings,” Luna said. “I assume that description has to do with the species on your world. In Equestria, however, they feed off love.”

Shawn blinked a few times. “That’s a strange alternative.”

“They also have the ability to shapeshift into Ponies and several other things,” Luna added.

“I assume that’s part of the name reasoning?” Shawn questioned. “Then again, most names follow some strange roundabout way of it, so…” He frowned and thought to himself.

“I'm telling you this to keep you aware of the danger and explain why I have invested in my guard so carefully,” Luna said bluntly.

“They do seem more prepared,” Shawn remarked.

Luna nodded. “I was taught strategy by a master. Those lessons have served me well.”

“It would certainly explain the steps you’ve taken so far.”

Matthew frowned as he looked about the room. “How can I help? I know I might not be of much use, but as of right now, you’re telling us this. I can only presume to keep us on the alert, potentially as an unknown to your enemy, and thus a potential asset. Given the way you’ve hosted us, it wouldn’t be proper for us not to offer our assistance in some small way, especially since I would assume this danger may also extend to us indirectly as your guests.”

“For now, keep to your rooms and be careful who you speak to,” Luna advised. “I hope to have more to tell you later on.”

“That sounds fair.” Taze nodded. “I appreciate the warning.”

“Thank you,” Matthew agreed.

“Would it be safe to assume you’ll have a different method of contact next time?” Shawn asked.

“Probably through my guard.” Luna nodded. “My sister doesn’t completely trust me, due to relatively recent issues, and she is far softer than this situation requires.”

“Fair enough.”

“Unfortunately, I think our time is just about up,” Luna admitted.

“Sounds about right,” Shawn nodded. “Nevertheless, we appreciate the information.”

Luna nodded. “The guard at the door will see you to your rooms after our last piece of business is concluded.”

“Sounds good.” Matthew nodded. “Though, what business would that be?”

“Why, raising the moon, of course.” Luna said before opening the balcony doors and striding onto the surface to gaze on the falling sun. “Did I not promise to show you how it is done?”

“Yes, you did.” Matthew nodded as he followed her onto the balcony. “Is it going to be like that spell you cast in the cave?”

“Not quite.” Luna smiled as she concentrated. Her horn began to glow. “Over time, I’ve found it better to make this spell a lot more … showy.” Around her horn, small silver lights began to swirl as the glow increased in intensity. She lowered her head until her horn fell below the horizon and seemed to lock it into place. Then she slowly began to raise her head. As she did so, the moon began to appear on the horizon, following the tip of her horn. As it rose, the silver lights swirled up and out into the sky painting the night sky with slow pinpricks of stars that gradually worked to a crescendo of silver pinpricks shooting off into space. With a large wave of silvery light, the moon reached its zenith and the sky was painted with thousands of shimmering diamond lights.

“Now that, is quite a sight,” Shawn remarked with awe.

Matthew gaped at the night sky Luna had effectively willed into being.

“Wow,” Taze said intelligently as he looked over the sky.

Luna gave a genuine smile. “It is good to see others appreciating my work. Unfortunately, this is where we must part.”

“Then I hope we may meet again under better circumstances, without this threat,” Matthew said as he and the others returned to the room and walked toward the door.

“I do as well.” Luna nodded.

“Indeed.” Shawn gave a small smile. “Maybe we can play a game of chess sometime after. Though I doubt I’ll do well against you.”

“You never know. You may surprise yourself,” Luna commented before closing the door behind them.

Matthew looked at his friends as they settled back into their room. Moonshade was once again on duty. He strode to his attache case and removed a journal and pen to scrawl over. He finished writing and passed it to Shawn.

Are we going to tell them that we know?

Shawn raised a brow at the question before turning to Moonshade. “Just to keep everyone on the same page, we’ve been told about the current threat by Princess Luna.”

Moonshade eyed them for a few moments before nodding. “I suppose if she saw fit to, then she had a good reason.”

“Well, if nothing else, if we are allowed to still travel the halls, we can let you or one of our guards know if we see something out of place. More eyes on a problem, the better, as my mother would say,” Matthew said.

“Perhaps, but more leaks sink the boat faster,” Moonshade returned.

“True,” Matthew conceded. “But while you’re guarding us and protecting us, it seems proper that we should show a certain amount of mutual cooperation. I don’t expect full disclosure, and neither should you. But this threat affects us equally. And from what your princess said, we’re the only ones immune to being replaced by an imposter.”

“Yes, but the fact you cannot be replaced doesn’t change the fact we still don’t know you well enough to trust you.” Moonshade shrugged. “The devil you don’t know is rarely the preferable choice.”

“True. Though I suppose that means we will need to get to know each other. Preferably when our lives aren’t in so much danger. In our world, it was often fear of the unknown that led to tragedy. Perhaps we’ll reach a point where we can both lower our guards.” He sighed and sank onto his bed. “I suppose for now, though, we’ll have to trust in your guidance. Do you have any information on this threat that you are permitted to share with us?”

“Nothing I am currently aware of,” Moonshade answered.

Matthew groaned and fell back onto his pillow. “I hate these kinds of threats. Give me someone I can see and fight over a spy any day.”

“That's the nature of war, unfortunately,” Moonshade answered.

“So, for now, we maintain the status quo?”

“The what?”

“Status quo. It basically means keeping things the same and following the course.” He frowned as he flipped onto his side to look at the Thestral. “Is that a phrase you haven’t been taught in Draconic yet?”

“It’s Latin, Matthew,” Shawn spoke up. “From what I’ve gathered, that isn’t a language here, or at least it’s one that even the princesses don’t know.”

“Seems likely not everything from your world would match ours,” Moonshade agreed.

Matthew sat up and blinked in surprise. “Oh. I just … sort of thought that would’ve carried over, since it was adopted. Never thought about its roots before.” He shrugged. “Huh. The more you know.” He turned to face Moonshade. “So, what do you suggest for our next move?”

“For now, it’s best you all keep to yourselves,” Moonshade noted.

“Moonshade, would you mind stepping out for a little bit?” Shawn asked.

The mare rolled her eyes but nodded before leaving the room.

Shawn waited a moment before sighing. “Honestly, it didn’t matter either way, since I have a feeling they have a method of listening in here, anyway.” He frowned. “In either case, even if they are, we’ve got an issue.”

“Only one?” Matthew asked.

Shawn let that pass. “They’re lying to us, and I don’t mean about current events and such. Something’s been going on this whole time, and it’s really starting to bug me. Like before they did the memory spell, whenever we started talking over how we got here, the topic kept shifting before any ground could be made. Beyond that, when they did said memory spell, I woke up standing in a different part of the room, and both of them were uneasy. When I asked, their response was that I had apparently teleported due to ‘some kind of feedback.’ I have no clue as to how magic works, but I can tell that was made up on the spot.” His brows furrowed. “They’re hiding something about us, and I don’t like that in the slightest.”

“Maybe it’s medical,” Matthew said. “The last surgery I had, they kept having me go to different tests and didn’t tell me the results. They’re probably getting their ducks in a row before they say anything. It could be nothing, or it could be a leaking heart valve.” He shrugged. “My guess is they’ll probably tell us when they’re ready.”

“Matthew, we can’t assume the best just because,” Taze noted.

“Then I’ll be the optimist of the group and hope for it, instead.” He strode to Shawn’s side and retrieved his notebook before scrawling another message.

Plan for the worst.

“Considering current events, we’re not really far off from there,” Shawn replied flatly. “We’re in the capital of a foreign world that was threatened and infiltrated. We’re surrounded by armed guards and princesses that could get rid of us in an instant. Our history is blatantly out there, given what they were told and the memories they saw. All of this, because we somehow followed a Forager within our world to this one,” he growled out, rubbing his forehead.

“A what?” Matthew asked. “I don’t think I’m familiar with that creature.”

“Matthew, I'm the one that binges mythology, and I’ve never heard that term,” Taze said.

“A Forager,” Shawn muttered as he thought it over. “Why does that sound familiar?” He paused for a moment, and the explanation that followed came gropingly, like a blind man feeling out a room he hadn’t quite memorized yet. “A creature, pale complexion, frail, and a collector of items between the realms.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I must have read about it somewhere, but I can’t remember.”

Matthew looked over at Taze. “Are you sure you’ve never heard of this creature before, Taze?”

“Nothing comes to mind,” Taze admitted. “I mean, all those traits exist in mythology, but rarely altogether.”

“Thaumaturgy,” Shawn commented suddenly from his thoughts. “That’s … it, I think.” He groaned as he rubbed the side of his head. “Damn it, my memory has been scattered since we came here. I constantly feel like I’m forgetting something.”

“Well, if you remember anything, maybe jot it down or something,” Matthew suggested. “I’ve got plenty of paper to go around for now.” He frowned then. “More importantly, what’s thaumaturgy?”

“It’s ... kind of like magic, but a strange kind.” He frowned. “I’ll tell you more when I remember it. I feel like I’m only getting a grasp on this at the moment.”

“All right. Don’t hurt yourself trying to make it come back, okay?” Matthew said. “Taze and I’ll do everything we can to help, won’t we, Taze?”

“Of course.” Taze nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Well, I mean, it’s not like you could, anyway.” Shawn gave a weak smile in return.

Matthew chuckled at the humor. “I wouldn’t want to be stuck in this new world with anybody else.”

Shawn sighed to himself as he rubbed at the side of his head. “He ... llo, Crescent.”

“Getting better,” Crescent said in Draconic. His own ability was getting better in turn. “Less pauses.”

“I figured as much, but it’s quite difficult to form those words for my species,” Shawn remarked in return. “Still, I’d say some progress is better than none. Thankfully, listening to the language turned out to be easier than I expected, since I thought I would be completely unable to determine what words were what.”

Crescent nodded. He pronounced the words Shawn had tried to say again in a slow even pace making sure to emphasize points.

“Hello, Crescent,” Shawn went again, ensuring he cut down on the pauses.

“Much better.” The stallion seemed pleased.

“Similar to your Eng- Draconic,” Shawn corrected himself. “You’re certainly picking it back up at a decent rate.”

“Practice makes perfect.” The stallion smirked.

“Yeah, yeah.” Shawn rolled his eyes, giving a small smile. “Helps when you already know the language in the first place. Though, I know I’ve got some words that would certainly stump you, even if you fully memorize Draconic.”

“Not competition.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got to make some things interesting for subjects to learn. I’ve nearly got the written language down, just because it’s similar to our writing back home, and you’re easier to talk to than the others,” Shawn replied. “I’m learning, and I’m not gonna stray from that, but I can at least offer you some new words as well.”

“Fair enough.” Crescent nodded. “Where start?”

“Now, I could be cruel and say hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, but perhaps one that I would know well would be ‘Compressor.’”

Crescent attempted to say the word, but all that came out were awkward sounds.

“There we go, something new for you to learn. And I’ll continue my attempts at learning Equestrian.” Shawn chuckled.

Crescent nodded. “Fair.”

Shawn gave a smile. “Plus,” he lowered his voice, “given the nature of the threat, having a word that doesn’t exist here works great as a check. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Crescent nodded. “Smart.”

“Better safe than sorry. I appreciate the help you’ve been giving me these last few nights, given I haven’t heard anything about our potential returns.”

“No magic.” Crescent shrugged. “Magic for shamans and unicorns.”

Shawn raised a brow, confused for a moment.

“Thestral magic is … not thinking?” he said, unsure if the words fit. “Thestral magic happen normally. No spell. No thought. Just happen. You return need thought magic, need controlled magic.”

“Fair enough. I suppose we’ll see what Celestia and Luna think when this whole situation is dealt with.”

Crescent nodded. “Hope that soon.”

“Tired of my company already?” Shawn gave a small smirk. “I appreciate the hope, nevertheless.”

“Hope threat dealt with soon,” Crescent clarified. “Family in danger.”

“Fair.” Shawn nodded. “Sorry. I thought you meant that toward the earlier stuff.”

Crescent chuckled. “Not that lucky,” he said in a teasing tone.

Shawn gave a small smile. “Out of all the potential guards, huh?”

The next morning found the trio among their escort being led by Celestia down a series of halls and passages that most definitely were not standard for Pony travel. Eventually, they arrived at a set of heavily reinforced studded wooden doors. Before they opened, Celestia turned to face her guests.

“The forges are a few stories below us. The closer we draw to them, the warmer it’s going to become. Lord Shawn should be used to the heat, or at the very least familiar with it. However, I must ask the rest of you to brace yourselves. We keep our fires very hot, and some of our weapons are forged with the assistance of dragon flame for our more serious magical threats. As such, I must stress the importance of not touching anything without permission. Not only could it be dangerous to you, but it’s extremely offensive to our smiths.”

Matthew swallowed heavily and nodded. “Thanks for the warning.”

“This is gonna be awesome,” Taze said happily.

“I’m very curious to see what you have to work with,” Shawn added.

“And I look forward to showing you. You’ll also have your weapons returned to you,” Celestia added. “Our smiths found your particular weapon designs most intriguing, Hunter Taze.” She nodded toward Shawn and the belt at his waist. “And with your permission, we’ll also have your sword serviced. Or if you would prefer, you may service it yourself. I know it means a great deal to you.”

Shawn raised his hands placatingly. “That depends on what tools are available. I only know so much with our tools, not Equestria’s.”

“Then we will see what we will see. Come.”

The doors yawned open to a broad and tall stairwell wide enough for four Ponies across. Even from their position at the top, the faint ring of the hammer and the roar of hot air sang through the space. True to Celestia’s word, the heat grew exponentially the deeper they descended until they arrived at last at the main chamber. A quick flick of her horn was all that was necessary to open the way into a positively cavernous chamber. Pit after pit of burning coals and walled-off blast forges sat in wait while various Ponies tended to their work. Bellows huffed and winds churned with the heavy beats of Pegasus wings while firm and steady hooves smacked blow after blow with hammer, tongs, and in some cases their own specially crafted horseshoes. Anvils were alive with runes and glowing steel as mannequins were quickly loaded with armor to stand in preparation for the fittings to come, and weapons were quenched and laid on worktables to prepare for the moment where tines would meet hilt, haft would meet head, and skill would meet brutal efficiency. Weapons, schematics, and tools were scattered across the walls in equal measure with a strange form of balance that straddled the border between a proud decorative display and practicality.

“Welcome, gentlemen, to the royal forge.”

“Wow,” Taze said as his eyes widened.

Celestia couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, it is rather impressive. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that appearances should always come second to quality. We scavenge Equestria for the best candidates to join the ranks here. It’s a rigorous process, but a great honor to those who make the cut.”

“Listen to that song!” Taze chuckled as he took in the sounds of the forge, particularly the carefully timed hammer blows ringing out like an instrument.

“You weren’t kidding about the heat, were you?” Matthew panted. It wasn’t humid, but the heat was more than enough to flood his chest and make him uncomfortable. “You … said something about getting our weapons back?”

Celestia nodded as they strode deeper into the forge chamber. “Storm Hammer is waiting with them. She has many questions for you, Taze. Most particularly about your weapons and their unique design.” She led them and their escort to a smaller door, which Celestia opened easily, only to be greeted by a vituperation of curses that flowed into comprehension as she cast her translation spell again.

“Ey! Who’s there? I t’ought I said I wasn’t to be disturbed!” a voice yelled, followed by a proper form as a Unicorn as black as coal stomped angrily out of the heat waves emanating from what was presumably her personal workshop. She levitated two mallets in steely gray magic. “I t’ought I told you gobshites I wasn’t gunna be ‘olden your hooves through every Sleipnir-damned—” She cut off suddenly when she finally noticed just who had disturbed her work. “Oh! Your Majesty. Beggin' your pardon. Didn’t realize it was you.” She gave a short bow of her head.

Celestia laughed. “Don’t worry, Storm Hammer. I’ve heard far worse in my lifetime.”

“I’d ask what you’re doing ‘ere, but given the three behind you, I think I can guess,” the Unicorn noted. “’Ello to you three. M’names Storm Hammer. Storm of a temper, good with a hammer. ’Least that's what me da’ always told me. I’m a grandmaster smith of the Equestrian Metalworking Guild with a specialization in weapons. How I got me mark, wouldn’t you believe.”

“Matthew Conner,” the first one said by way of introduction as he waved slowly. His face was still flushed from the mare’s tirade, a coloration that seemed to be uniform in their guards.

“Taze Klim!” Taze said with a grin.

“Shawn Viginti,” Shawn replied with a nod.

“Very nice meeting you.” She gave a nod of the head. “Now, I'd say you're likely here about your weapons?”

“More than likely,” Celestia said. “Thank you for taking the project. I know your schedule is anything but open right now.”

“Eh.” The Unicorn gave a shrug. “Not so much that I'm busy as the ’prentices need to learn to work by demselves. I’d swear they can’t make a nail without coming to me for advice.”

Shawn gave a brief chuckle as he remembered almost the same complaint from his uncle.

“Anyway, Princess, I can make time for you and your guests,” Storm Hammer said. “Just follow me and we’ll get this sorted out.” She drew farther in, and the guests followed.

The chamber they were led into was smaller than the massive one outside, but for a single person seemed spacious. A board with numerous tools lay across the west wall while two separate anvils lay central to everything. A magical furnace burned with raging violet flames nearby. Molds and crucibles stood waiting for molten metal to be poured into them, and ingots of various colors and hues were neatly stacked in a corner.

Matthew swallowed heavily and smacked his lips as he eyed the quenching barrel and its rippling water.

“This place looks awesome.” Taze chuckled, looking around eagerly before returning his gaze to Shawn.

“That it does,” Shawn agreed as he looked over the tools. “I recognize most of it, though the occasional magic-related thing is obviously out of my range of knowledge.”

“Thank you.” Storm Hammer nodded. “My own corner of the world, this is,” she said happily. “Now then, not sure there is much I can do for you,” she noted to Shawn. “Yer blade’s already been returned to you. If you’d like something done with it, I can direct you to an associate of mine.”

“Probably a good idea.” Shawn rubbed the back of his head. “It’s probably in need of some maintenance.”

“’Kay, then. Office is three stations down. Goes by the name of Steel Weaver. He deals with weapons like yours.”

“Appreciate it.” Shawn gave a nod. “I’ll wait until afterwards, since I’m unsure of how far the translation spell can go.”

Storm Hammer nodded. “Now you,” she said, turning to Taze, “I dunno what you call this or where you got it, but the design is amazing. The metal’s shite, clearly only meant to be used for looks, but the design is elegant yet capable. Dunno if I like the weakness around the spine, but for a slashing weapon, this ain’t like anything I've ever clapped eyes on. That being said, I was able to do a few things for you after some research. At the princesses’ behest, I made the blade a bit more functional. Mythril coating along the spine to strengthen it, and a bit of brightsteel inlay along the edge. Still not meant for real combat, but in a pinch, it should protect you. Unfortunately, I ‘ad no idea what the small arm was, so I didn’t touch it.'' She levitated the katana and jitte to Taze without putting the mallets down. Upon taking them, Taze unsheathed the katana and gave a low whistle at the brassy finish along the spine and the heavily polished look along the edge.

“Thank you,” Taze said.

“Now you.” She turned to Matthew as Celestia levitated a wooden cup full of water to him.

“Yes?”

“What the heck are you doing carrying this around?” She held his K-bar up. “What did you think you’d accomplish with this?”

“Last line of defense. It’s complementary to the main standard of weapons issued to folks like me.” Matthew paused. “Do you know what a crossbow is? In our world, we once used such weapons to help in case anything got past the front guards. Likewise, in our more modern warfare, we have to use secondary weapons like this K-bar to defend ourselves. We call it trench tactics or hand-to-hand combat.”

“Well, I don’t see it, but that’s your culture.” Storm Hammer shrugged. “Funny you mention a crossbow, though, as the princess ‘ere decided you three needed some form of self-defense, so we had these made for you.” She levitated a light crossbow with a crank to Matthew, along with a small quiver of bolts.

Matthew turned to face away from the others and took a bolt from the quiver. He quickly worked out how to load the bolt, access the firing trigger, and remove the bolt safely without the aid of the safeties he was so used to seeing on weaponry back home. The attempts were clumsy, but showed promise, alongside the fact he respected the need for caution when dealing with such things. He grinned as a harness was levitated and set over his shirt, complete with a proper location to secure the bow on his back. A belt with pouches loaded with quarrels was added to complete the ensemble. With his new garb prepared, he turned to the smith and Celestia and rendered a Salute. “Thank you.”

“As long as it don't come back pointed at me.” Storm Hammer smirked. “Now then, if there’s nothin’ else I can do for you gennlemen, I’ll bid you good day.”

“Good day,” Matthew returned.

“Thanks a lot,” Taze said.

Shawn simply gave a nod in return.

Celestia nodded. “As usual, you have my thanks, Storm Hammer. Rest assured, you’ll be receiving proper payment for your service, and a bonus for the rush work. You can also expect my sister to visit sometime this evening, I should think. She may have an order for the forges, though I can’t say for certain.”

“I’ll look forward to it with great anticipation. Farewell, Princess.”

And with that, Celestia closed off her spell and led the way through the forges. Just as Storm Hammer suggested, the group strode down three workstations to the proper door and entered.

As they entered Steel Weaver’s workshop, the difference between the two smiths became readily apparent. Tool racks laid empty. Every tool that should have been there instead laid at any number of workstations where they had last been used at either the anvil, the worktable, and even the grindstone, waiting to be picked up at a moment’s notice. Near the forge stood a large steel-gray stallion with a bronze mane. Unlike the other Ponies, this smith towered over the guards in muscle mass and size. His cutie mark depicted a warhammer and helmet planted on top of an anvil.

Once more, the golden aura spread through the room. And once more, the natural language of the equines flowed in English for the humans to hear.

“Ah’, so these are the three you were talkin’ about,” Steel Weaver spoke up. After looking them over, he placed his current project back into the fire before turning his attention fully to the group. “I can see why Storm Hammer’d have a rougher time with you lot. Shortest one of you’s stands decently tall enough.”

Celestia giggled. “By most Pony standards, they’d rival a Minotaur in its youth. But then again, I suppose that wouldn’t bother you much, now would it, Steel Weaver?”

“As lon’ as they’re able to wield whatever it is I make for them, it’ll be fine. So, which one of you wielded the claymore?” he questioned, eyeing the trio. After a moment, he settled on Shawn. “I’m guessing you, based on yer’ size. Though yer’ blade’s mostly hidden by that coat you’ve got on.”

Shawn looked confused for a moment. “I think so, but I’m not wielding a claymore.” He reached to his hip to unsheathe his sword. “It’s a longsword. Though, now that I’m seeing the size difference, your description is starting to make sense….”

Steel Weaver eyed the blade before reaching a hoof out. “You mind if I give it a good look over?”

Shawn nodded, handing the blade over to the smith.

“All right.” He turned the sword over in his hoof a few times, then moved to his work table. He pulled out a few tools and tapped probingly over the metal. “An impressive variant of steel you’ve got here. A brass guard, good weight distribution. Only problem you’ve got is that it’s completely dull.”

“Yeah, it was made some time ago and could … definitely use the work.” Shawn rubbed the back of his head.

“Well, if you’re willing to accept it, I can easily clean this thing up. Shouldn’t have to replace or rework anything.” Steel Weaver turned towards Shawn. “I could probably do more for you if you could handle it, and if Princess Celestia would allow it,” he added, turning towards Celestia.

“That would depend on if you mean dedicating funds to more of your projects or if you’re specifically referring to Lord Shawn’s sword,” Celestia said.

“Well, I could broaden the skills a little with some new inspiration I’ve got. I’d offer something to the whole group you brought, if it weren’t for the fact I doubt all three of them could handle it. I’m sure Storm Hammer’s probably got the same thing in mind for them, but she just didn’t bring it up immediately, I’m bettin’.”

Celestia chuckled. “You two always did work well together.”

“So, if you’re willin’, what if we look into some type of armor for these three? Storm Hammer could handle those two, and I could make something for him. It’s not every day you get to work on something new.”

“Especially not with a new species?” Celestia quipped.

“Exactly.” Steel Weaver gave a smile.

Celestia sighed dramatically. “I suppose, if you can work it into your schedules.”

“I’m certain of my end, though Storm Hammer’d probably take some time to finish hers. After all, appearances are her speciality.” He chuckled before turning to Shawn. “Lad, do me a quick favor. See that weapon rack to your left?” He pointed toward it. “Second sword on the left. Pick that up, would you?”

Shawn blinked a few times before seizing the blade in question and lifting it. After a moment, he turned back to Steel Weaver.

“Well?” Steel Weaver asked.

“What?” Shawn questioned.

He rolled his eyes. “How’s that one feel to you?”

Shawn looked over the sword again. It was slightly different in shape than a standard longsword from Earth. The grip appeared to be slightly longer than a one-handed weapon normally had, but not quite long enough to count as two-handed. Turning it over in his grip, he tested the weight, felt its balance, and noted it was surprisingly good. “It’s very well made.”

Steel Weaver looked to Celestia. “I like him. You’ve brought me someone that can actually wield the weapons I like makin’. He’s even holding it one hoo-er, handed.”

Celestia raised a curious brow. “I hope you don’t plan on kidnapping him, Steel Weaver.”

“No, not at all. Though I may need to borrow him from time to time.” He smiled.

“That will primarily be up to Lord Shawn to decide for himself. Provided he keeps to the rules, I don’t see why he shouldn’t have the freedom to come and go at your request.”

“I don’t mind,” Shawn spoke up as he placed the weapon back on the rack. “A place like this reminds me of my uncle’s shop. And though I didn’t pick the same profession, I always did find smithing to be interesting.”

“Then that’s that.” Steel Weaver smiled before it wilted. “Though, you’re doing a spell to help translate their speech, so it’s probably not gonna happen too often any time soon.”

Matthew watched the exchange intently, waiting for the chance to join in on the conversation while Taze just seemed to be taking the room and all its weapons in.

“Uh, you mentioned that Taze and I need help elsewhere. Does that mean more weapons and armor, or just one or the other?”

Steel Weaver raised a brow. “Well, you’ve got yourself a new crossbow at your hip already, and I remember Storm Hammer complainin’ something fierce about a strange dagger, so you’ve already got your weapons covered. Meanwhile, your friend there,” he pointed to Taze. “Clearly has his weapons on his back, so he’s covered. Once she forms how she wants to ask Princess Celestia about making armor for you two, then she’ll move things forward. Until then, it’s just waiting for you two, I’m sorry to say. I just can’t see you two using the weapons I make.”

“Not a problem. I’m a different build and body shape than the others.” Matthew shrugged. “I’m just happy that we can figure out what to do to keep me vertical.”

Taze nodded after considering it. “Armor probably would be wise.”

“We’ll see how long she takes on figuring it all out.” Steel Weaver nodded. “All right, I hate to do this, but I need to work on this sword, and teach the apprentices a few things, so I’m gonna have to request you take your leave.”

“Of course, Steel Weaver. You’re a credit to your craft as a smith and a teacher.” She smiled and nodded her head in stately acknowledgement. “Come along, gentlemen. You can see the forges again another time.”

And so the party left the smith to his devices. They, too, had tasks to accomplish and deeds to prepare for. And there was precious time to waste.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 5: Meeting the Cast

Taze did his best to stand still as the measuring tape was levitated around him. Unfortunately, this proved exceptionally difficult due to one very simple fact. Standing still was never his strong suit. However, he was doing his best. A fluent Draconic speaker had been enlisted to assist in the translation.

“You know, if you have this much trouble sitting around, I’ve got a friend of mine who could be a great help. She has these incredible natural remedies. They really take the edge off after a long day at work,” the apprentice noted as she tacked off another series of numbers on her sheet.

“It’s not quite that simple,” Taze said. “I have a few medical conditions of my own to deal with.”

“That’s rough.” The Earth Pony shrugged and continued her examination. “So, you’re flat on the ground. That’s going to be interesting to work around,” she mused as she measured the human’s calves. “Most of the races and species we deal with aren’t built like that.”

“Honestly impressive how well you guys adjusted to us,” Taze commented.

“You’re the Princesses’ personal guests. If they say to treat you well, we do.” She shrugged. “That, and some of us are just easier to scare than others.”

“Still seems like you guys adjusted to operating with an entirely new species sort of fast,” Taze noted. “I mean, I’d suppose it’s easier for you with multiple races and all.”

“Quite a few,” the mare agreed. “Gryphons, Minotaurs, Zebras. We even have a few Kirin in the city, if you can believe it. Or, at least so I’ve been told.”

“Huh,” Taze said. “That's strange.”

“Why would a Kirin be strange?”

“Not that,” Taze said quickly. “In our world, we have myths regarding most of the races you just named, but as far as we can tell, they never actually existed in our world.”

“Good ones, I hope.”

“Mostly for Gryphons and Kirin, yes. Minotaurs, … not so much.”

She grimaced. “That … makes a certain amount of sense, given how quick they often are to act.”

“Dragons, to be fair, don’t have the greatest reputation either,” Taze noted.

“Blowhardy, pushy, big bullies who like to throw their weight around?”

“Also known for stealing princesses, hoarding gold, and burning down kingdoms,” Taze noted.

“That much, at least, yours and ours seem to have in common, though I don’t think any have tried to kidnap our princesses.” She giggled. “I think they’re too scared to try.”

“I can only imagine.” Taze chuckled. “Still weird there are so many parallels.”

“I only find it strange that we’ve never heard of your kind before.”

“Yeah,” Taze agreed, hoping not to be questioned about Earth’s ponies.

“So, what else can you tell me about your world?” the mare asked.

“Well, we call our planet Earth…” And so Taze started to expound upon the many wonders and dangers that Earth held through its vast regions from the mighty dinosaurs to the tiniest amoeba. And so the two were able to pass the time until the measurements were complete.

Shawn gave a brief yawn as he looked outside the window in their room. Based off the clock to his right, it was nearly time for Celestia and Luna to shift things forward. Crescent’s shift was already over, resulting in him just waiting for the morning to wake the others.

In a way, the change from night to day was very much like the shifting of a backdrop on a mechanical rendering of a village. The sun twisted and turned onto the horizon, carrying the daylight with it as a curtain of darker blue fled and lightened. The stars burst like bubble wrap and seemed to merge with that blanket of dawn until the golden rays penetrated every crevice of the great city while the once luminous moon dulled to a pale ghost of itself and finally crept below the horizon with the last of the shadows to grant its gentle influence to the other side of the world.

“Good enough,” Shawn muttered as he turned to face the others and performed his usual wakeup ceremony. Like before, tapping the base of their beds, this time from the foot of the bed, rather than the side. “All right, you two, it’s time to get up.”

Taze groaned as he slowly got up. “Why do you insist on this alarm?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

“Because the princess, or a set of guards for her, are going to show up in thirty minutes, as per usual,” Shawn replied simply. “It’s been a week, and I’m sorry to say, you’re going to have to get used to this for now.”

Matthew rose quickly and made his way to the bathroom to get ready for the day, humming happily to himself.

“Matthew, stop being such a morning person,” Taze groaned.

Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle in response as he closed the door.

“All right, come on now. We both know the alternatives to this,” Shawn commented. “Let’s at least be ready for them.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Taze shrugged and yawned again.

With the change of the guard came an accompaniment of clothes specially ordered on the Princesses’ command. The basic designs of the clothing remained relatively unaltered, barring a few more practical applications. Matthew’s new pants came with enhanced padding and leather sewn into the knees and at the elbows for added utility and protection of joints. Taze’s garments carried a new purple sheen with the helpful addition of young drake scales to grant an added layer of protection against heat and other projectile-based attacks. Shawn’s garments remained unaltered, save for the fact that a different number of colors were incorporated into his replacement garments to grant him the choice of variety while still complementing his coat.

“And here I was hoping for something more casual,” Shawn remarked with a sigh. “Though the black and red variant of my coat they added feels quite ominous.”

“Who would even think red and black goes well together?” Matthew remarked as he looked over his new outfit. Much like the original, it followed a camouflaged theme. “Though I like the padding. It’ll help if I have to crawl to the next defensive line.”

“Red and black work together fine. It’s just that in the context of the coat, it’s ominous,” Shawn replied simply.

“This purple seems familiar, but it’s not bad,” Taze noted.

“At least we’ve got some new clothes.” Shawn gave a small smile. “The spells helped out, but I’d rather change into something different.”

“I agree,” Matthew said as he stretched to feel the new fabric caress his skin. There's just something nice about changing into a new set of clothing.”

In the dining hall, the humans were treated to a wide variety of dishes from eggs to pancakes and waffles to bacon and more. As usual, Taze ate with gusto. Shawn and Matthew were more reserved with their food, and Celestia was yet to be seen. Their guards, however, made sure to keep a close eye on them, even as some few turned their heads aside at the sight of the meat being eaten.

At last, the double doors opened, and Celestia entered the hall carrying three amulets shaped like horseshoes. The metal that formed the prime base of the amulets was etched in a multitude of runes so small that the ridges felt almost like braille to the touch. The alloy seemed to flash between a bronze-like gold and a blueish-black depending on how the light struck. A number of high quality gemstones were embedded into the molding, as if they had been immersed in the frame itself when the mold was cast, and each seemed to flicker with a dull light.

“Gentlemen,” Celestia greeted them. “Allow me to present you with these.” The amulets each flew in front of the diners and hovered in front of their faces. Closer inspection revealed each was supported by a fine metal chain that appeared almost invisible to the naked eye. “Once the spell becomes active, the runes will meld with the metal to create a properly smooth surface. Your words will sound like ours and vice versa.”

“What about reading and writing?” Taze asked.

Celestia nodded. “So long as they’re within range of the amulet, your writing should translate to Equish. The effect will wear off, however, once the writing is out of range. I admit that my understanding of your written language may have somewhat of an impact on how that translation carries through, however, since my knowledge had to act as the primer….”

“And what is your knowledge for language?” Matthew asked, confused. “Because the writing is different.”

“That’s what I meant, Matthew. As I informed Lord Shawn, I had dalliances with your kind once, a very long time ago, and I’ve no idea if the world I visited is the same as yours. It’s a miracle that I encountered the same species and that your languages are so comparable. However, based on what we’ve seen of your memories, your world is far more advanced than what I experienced in my time there. It’s likely that any spelling that’s translated from Equish will be after the manner of writing that I learned at that time. And language has evolved a great deal here in Equestria since then. I can only assume that the same would hold true for your world and its development.”

“True enough.” Shawn nodded. “So, just put it on and it’ll do the rest?”

Celestia nodded. “Try it out.”

Shawn simply gave a light shrug before placing his around his neck and resting it comfortably around his outfit. The others soon followed suit, and the magic holding them up dissipated.

“Now to determine how effective it is,” Shawn said.

“I’d call that a success on the speech, at least,” Celestia said.

“Thank you, Princess,” Taze said, bowing his head.

Celestia nodded. “I do have a favor to ask in return for this service, however, if you’re willing to indulge me.”

“I make a point of agreeing to nothing until I know the details,” Taze said.

“I agree with my friend here. It’s a foolish man who agrees to what he cannot see,” Matthew said.

“It’s not some great task, like hunting after a monster or meeting a foreign dignitary.” Celestia giggled. “Though I suppose the latter has already happened several times over.” She regained her composure as she sat on her own chair and began to partake. “I want to introduce the three of you to my student and her friends. We’re expecting them to arrive in the capital today by train for her brother’s wedding.”

“A strange request,” Shawn added with a raised brow. “And a wedding would explain everything going on around here….”

“Indeed,” Celestia agreed. “As I’m certain you’re aware, the marriages of high-profile individuals are often rife with attempts ranging anywhere from political assassination to espionage and more. It’s my desire to keep such things to the minimum for Captain Armor’s sake and the sake of his family.”

“I can see that logic,” Matthew said.

Taze coughed wildly, having only just managed to avoid a spit take.

“Are you all right?” Celestia asked the pretend hunter.

“Sorry. Just some water went down the wrong pipe,” Taze said in a raspy tone as he struck his chest a few times with his fist.

Celestia nodded. “Of course. Please, take the time you need to recover.” And with that said, she turned her attention to Shawn. “So, will you come?”

“I suppose I can clear a spot in my busy schedule.” Shawn gave a brief chuckle. “I’d be honored.”

Celestia nodded. “Excellent. We’ll meet them in the throne room.”

Matthew grinned wide as they all heard the faint sound coming from an open window in the throne room. “Oh! What engine configuration was that one?” he asked Moonshade as he gripped the window sill and stuck his head through the portal.

“You have an unhealthy obsession,” Moonshade commented flatly.

Celestia chuckled. “Don’t we all have a few of those, Moonshade? Mine happens to be cake. And if I recall correctly, didn’t you—?”

Moonshade cleared her throat. “Yes. Your point is well made, Princess,” she said, looking to the side.

It was at this point that the double doors flung open to reveal a very familiar set of Ponies. One bright blue mare flitted about with ease as her mane and tail flowed behind her. The purple one seemed preoccupied as they passed into the great room. The creamy white mare with a perfectly coiffed mane flicked it back glamorously and beamed. A simple orange-coated mare with a tail and mane both tied at the ends by elastic bands strode forward with a stetson sitting firmly atop her head at a jaunty angle suitable to the country stereotype that she embodied. A pale yellow mare with a pink mane trotted in softly beside her friends and looked nervously as she smiled at the guards. A bubble-gum pink mare literally sprang across the floor, complete with sound effects from no perceivable location whatsoever. A small purple dragon strode beside the purple mare, smiled, and waved as they entered the throne room.

“Hi, Princess Celestia,” the young drake greeted. Then he paused and stared at the three strange creatures, one of which was retracting itself from the window. “Woah. Who’re those guys?”

Celestia smiled. “Spike, girls, I’d like to introduce you to our guests, Lord Shawn, Huntsman Taze, and Matthew Conner.” She motioned to each of the men respectively. “They are members of a species Equestria hasn’t encountered before. They call themselves—”

“Please don’t say it,” Twilight muttered under her breath.

“—Humans.”

Twilight groaned and promptly facehoofed.

“She said it,” Spike said, thus completing the ritual formula.

“Am I missing something here?” Celestia asked curiously.

“A friend of ours back in Ponyville’s looked into a lot of mythology,” Applejack commented, rubbing the back of her head. “One in particular is always the center of attention, if ya catch my drift.”

“What she’s trying to say, Your Highness, is Lyra Heartstrings is going to be rubbing our visitors’ existence in our faces for … the foreseeable future, to put it diplomatically, once she learns of them,” Rarity explained.

“I see,” Celestia said in that placid manner that all teachers seemed to conjure when there was no other reaction available.

“Well, I mean, she was right!” Pinkie pie said as she bounced in place.

“And I assume you want to greet our guests properly, Pinkie Pie?” Celestia chuckled. “Go on. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

A Pony-shaped cloud of dust was what Celestia found herself speaking to as the Pony in question moved between the three humans, greeting them with what must have been words but they were spoken at a pace that was hard for most to understand.

“Hi,I’mPinkiePiethepartyPonyofPonyville.I’mfriendswitheveryponyandImeanEVERYPONY!Wannabefriends?”

“W-wha—?” Matthew asked in utter confusion. “Just...?” After images of Pinkie Pie seemed to follow him wherever he stared or blinked. “What?”

“Yes, definitely,” Taze said happily and seemingly perfectly understanding her speech. He held out a hand and, to the amazement of everyone present, he and Pinkie proceeded to do a perfectly synched secret handshake that lasted a full two minutes.

“What?” Matthew asked again at the end of it. “I, ….” He looked to the others. “Wha?” he whined again.

“Ex Divinia etiam,” Shawn muttered to himself. “This is going to be interesting….”

“Woah.… Where’d you learn that, and how can you teach me?” Rainbow Dash asked excitedly as she zoomed into Taze’s face.

“Huh?” Taze looked up. “We just improvised that.” He shrugged.

“Yeah, Dashie. That just happened,” Pinkie added.

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or scared at how well those two did that,” Twilight said.

“Now, now, darling. You know the rules when it comes to Pinkie Pie,” Rarity chided gently.

Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes. “It’s Pinkie Pie. Don’t question it.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Taze offered. “Princess Celestia has said nothing but good things about all of you.”

Matthew nodded his head along with Taze.

“Indeed.” Shawn gave a small smile before nodding. “A pleasure to meet you all.”

“They are to be Luna’s and my special guests for the wedding. They have also expressed a desire to be properly prepared for the ceremony. If the six of you are willing and able during your other duties for the wedding, I would like you to enlist their aid.” She looked meaningfully toward the trio. “I’m certain they would be only too happy to assist.”

“Yep,” Matthew chirped.

“Of course.” Taze nodded.

Shawn simply gave a nod in affirmation.

Twilight frowned. “About that, Princess Celestia….”

Celestia smiled kindly at the mare. “You’ll have our complete support in your duties, Twilight. Don’t you worry. For now, I’m certain that you all must be tired from your journey. Let’s get you to your guestrooms, so you can freshen up.”

Rarity beamed. “What an excellent idea! A lady should always look her absolute best when she works on a wedding, especially for one as important as this!” She squealed softly. “I can hardly wait for us to have our pre-wedding makeovers!”

“Ah can hardly wait,” Applejack muttered as she rolled her eyes.

“Thanks for helping me out with this again,” Twilight said as she looked up at the human. “It must be a little overwhelming after everything you’ve been through to get thrown into all of this.”

“It keeps me occupied,” Shawn replied as he looked around. “Better than sitting idle, to be honest, though I anticipated more.”

“My friends and I are pretty efficient when we get together on a project. Applejack’s one of the hardest workers I know, and she puts everything into her work.” She chuckled. “I hope you like apples. I can guarantee you won’t be getting away without trying some of her baking.” Then she sighed heavily.

“Well, it’s a good thing I like apples. Though, I haven’t tried any from this world, so….” Shawn shrugged.

“I guess that means any food you try here really would be out of this world for you, then, wouldn’t it?”

Shawn slowly turned toward Twilight with a raised brow.

“I mean, since you’re not … in your world anymore?”

“I got it. Don’t worry about that,” Shawn replied before turning his attention forward. “Sorry, but I’m not much of a pun person.”

“Duly noted,” Twilight said. “Then … what kind of a person are you?”

Shawn blinked a few times. “Well, uh, that’s an open question. A little difficult to answer.”

“Then why don’t you tell me a little about yourself, instead, and I can tell you a little about me.”

“Well, I suppose I could start with my previous occupation? I was a carpenter. Owned my own shop and everything.”

“Really? I thought you were a noble, though.”

“What, I couldn’t own a shop?” Shawn chuckled. “I’m very hands on when it comes to work.”

“Isn’t that usually frowned on where you’re from? Most of the nobles here wouldn’t want to have anything to do with that kind of trade unless it was an investment.”

“From what I’ve gathered, the nobility here are … very much looking out for themselves, and nobody else.” He gave a small shrug. “Not all of them, but … you get what I mean.”

“And it’s not like that for the nobles on your world?”

Shawn opened his mouth to say something before he hummed in thought. “No, you know what, that’s still a close approximation. Let’s just settle with it’s quite different where I come from.”

“It must be strange adjusting to living here, then. Was there much of a culture shock?”

“The language barrier was quite interesting, since our written languages are almost exact, apart from it being different characters, but our speech is drastically different.”

“How did you cope?”

“Honestly,” Shawn frowned. “I think I’ve taken it best out of our group. I didn’t get hit by any immense feelings, or at least I haven’t yet. The worst case I’ve felt is almost like someone is constantly watching me. That, and the waking nightmares that I can’t recall anything about.”

“Maybe Princess Luna can help you with those. She’s great at fighting nightmares.” She sighed, and her ears drooped. “Maybe she can help fix this one.”

Shawn glanced around them briefly. “Feeling like something isn’t right?”

“I don’t want to be the angry baby sister, but … Cadance just isn’t being the Cadance I remember. She feels … colder. We used to be so close when I was growing up. Now I find out she’s a princess, and she’s going to marry my big brother, and I literally only just got the letter a day ago! And don’t even get me started on my brother. I still can’t believe he never told me they were dating!”

“It certainly sounds like something’s wrong.” Shawn nodded. “Considering how much Celestia praised you and your friends, I’m going to give you a little tip. Try to keep things quiet, all right? She’ll tell you more if she thinks you need to know.”

“You mean Princess Celestia? What else would she need to tell me? Are you saying there’s something she hasn’t told me about this wedding yet?” The mare’s breathing began to hitch as her eyes bulged ever so slightly. “Is it me? Did I do something to make it so people can’t trust me? Am I a threat to national security? Am I—?”

Shawn placed a hand on Twilight’s back. “Calm down. Deep breaths. You can stress about it later. She just might think it’s not important for you to know. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t trust you. It means she thinks other things are a higher priority for you.”

Twilight followed the human’s advice, taking deep breaths in time to the gentle urgings of Shawn’s hands brushing along her back. In due course, she regained control as her heart rate slowed and she emerged into the real world again. She smiled sheepishly. “Sorry about that. I … can get a little crazy sometimes when I worry too much over something. Thanks for pulling me back.”

“No problem. Anxiety gets the better of all of us sometimes. How about for now, we just focus on that list of yours, eh?”

Twilight nodded. “Keep me from going too far?” she asked.

“I’ll try, but you’re the one with magic.”

She cocked her head in confusion. “Don’t you have some, too?”

“No, but we’ll cover that later. Higher priorities at the moment and all that.”

Twilight nodded. “I guess we should get started, then. Do you already know the way to the kitchens? I can guide you, if you need.”

“I’ve got a general layout of things. I take it that's first on the list?”

Twilight nodded. “Let’s get to work.”

The kitchens were a flurry of activity, noise, and smells as the cooks dashed around to go about their various tasks under Applejack’s direction. The warm scent of cinnamon, sugar, spice, pastry, and apples blended together in a heady cloud that was guaranteed to stir the appetite of anyone that smelled it and draw them floating along the air to sample just one bite. A multi-tiered cake sat off to the side, waiting to have the last touches piped on the top portion via stepping ladder. Spike sat atop one of the counters playing with the two figurines that would sit at the top of the cake while Twilight followed the blur that was Applejack, checking off her list as the mare bustled from place to place.

Matthew was helping by writing down notes, organizing items, and otherwise acting as a general gopher for the chefs who couldn’t really leave their stations. He smiled and waved his greetings to Shawn and Twilight as they entered the room before rushing to another station as a mare called him by name.

Applejack dashed to the top of the cake as Twilight levitated her list. The final touches of frosting were applied, and the mare quickly listed it off, followed by Twilight’s confirmation. Likewise, this carried through for the final pick against an elegant ice sculpture shaped like a heart and the stuffing of two exceptionally tasty homemade bite-sized apple fritters into the human and Unicorn’s mouths.

Twilight licked her lips. “Mmm. Check.”

“I can confirm that,” Shawn added.

Spike deepened his voice as much as possible as he pantomimed the wedding ceremony between the figures of Shining Armor and Cadance, causing the two to kiss before Twilight fixed him with a reproving stare and levitated the figures onto the countertop while the Dragon smiled sheepishly.

At that moment, the doors to the kitchens creaked open to admit a bright pink Alicorn with shades of pink, purple, and gold streaming along her mane. Unlike Celestia and Luna, there was no ethereal quality in it, but the crown atop her head and the wings at her side widely proclaimed to all exactly what she was. Her face was a formal mask as Applejack hailed her, to which she replied, “Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”

Applejack didn’t even miss a beat as she adopted the requested mode of address with her same chipper attitude. “You come to check out what’s on the menu for your big day?”

Cadance bore her teeth in a wide smile that didn’t seem to reach her eyes. “I have.” Her gaze traveled to the two humans. “Though I notice that we have some new helpers here. I assume these are our unexpected guests?”

Matthew nodded. “That is correct, Your Majesty.”

This time, the Alicorn’s smile seemed more genuine, though the light in her eyes was colder than expected. “You flatter me, but I am no queen.” She giggled. “Except maybe to Shining Armor.”

“My apologies. Where I come from, we have no royalty. We elect all our leaders by vote, so I went with what little I recalled.”

Cadance frowned. “You really do hail from a strange land, don’t you?” Then she flicked her head and sighed. “Ah, well. It is what it is. And what of the tall silent one?”

“Lord Shawn, Miss. A pleasure,” Shawn replied with a small nod.

Cadance raised a brow. “Then the leaders that your people elect … become nobility?”

“It’s quite a different system from here, I can assure you of that,” he replied with a small grin.

Matthew ground his teeth at what Shawn said, but one glance from Shawn signaled him to keep quiet.

“Then I suppose we will have to refer to one another by our respective titles, Lord Shawn.” The mare’s teeth almost seemed to clack as she bit off the last of the name’s pronunciation.

“I’m sure we can manage this, Princess Cadenza. Would you not agree, Dame Twilight Sparkle?” Shawn replied, turning toward Twilight with a knowing grin.

Twilight jumped at the mention of the title, and Applejack’s eyes widened simultaneously as the mare blushed. “Shawn!”

“Why, we must be respectful to one another, would you not agree? If titles must be necessary, then I must ensure equal grounds are founded amongst us all. It would be rude otherwise, and I couldn’t allow that.”

“And what should I call you?” the princess asked as she turned back to Matthew. “I don’t believe you introduced yourself.”

“I did not see a good time to do so, Princess.” He smiled. “You can call me Matthew.”

“I see.” She nodded. “Well, then, now that we’ve all been introduced, I suppose it’s only proper to return to the business at hoof. I still have a very busy schedule that needs following to prepare for the wedding, after all. And I’m certain you all still have plenty of work you want to do as well.”

“Of course.” Matthew looked to Applejack and Twilight. “If you’d come this way, we have about sixteen different treats prepared for you to taste, and your feedback would be helpful for the kitchen staff.”

“R-right.” Applejack turned her attention back to the spread. “If ya’ll’d like to start over here,” she directed to the beginning.

The samples included a slice from the test batch of the wedding cake, the apple fritters, apple crullers, bear claws, apple pie, apple dumplings, apple cider, apple souffle, apple cobbler, apple crisp, apple cake, and many many more. In total, the sampling exceeded the initial sixteen that Matthew had mentioned, since Applejack wanted to get the princess’ feedback on which of the dishes she preferred over the others.

Matthew smiled as he worked at a small stove before carrying over a fresh tray of apples covered in caramel, chocolate, and a cherry-flavored candy coating. “And if you would allow my humble submission, these are from my father’s dessert recipes. You can eat them on your way to your next destination.”

“Delicious,” Cadance said with a semi-smile. “I love, love, love them. I … honestly can’t decide which dish I like better.” She let out a weak chuckle. “Um, perhaps I could take mine to go instead, Matthew?”

“Sure. Let me put them in a bag for you.”

When the treat was properly secured, along with others that Applejack insisted the mare take, she bid them all a curt farewell and strode out the door with bag in magical grip. As the doors closed behind her in a magical grip, Twilight couldn’t help but notice the sight of a brown blur flying past the window.

“Did you see what—?” She trailed off. The business of the kitchens had seemingly pulled away all the attention of the occupants to their tasks, leaving just herself and Shawn.

“Yeah, … that was definitely the bag,” Shawn muttered to Twilight.

“I can’t believe she’d do that.” Twilight sighed and shook her head. “That definitely isn’t the Cadance I know.” Then she shook her head vigorously and stamped her hoof to clear her mind. “Let’s move on to the dresses. Applejack seems to have everything under control here.”

“Indeed.” Shawn frowned as he moved toward the exit. “From everything I’ve heard about her, I would have thought it was someone else.”

The sunlight continued to beam through the protective barrier as Celestia gazed on the castle and the remainder of the capital with the use of her telescope. Meanwhile, in the fitting room Rarity had turned into her workshop, the mare was hard at work sewing, trimming, and otherwise preparing the gowns that would be worn by the bride and her bridesmaids.

“Oh, you should have seen how she acted back there.” Twilight paced angrily back and forth as she monologued. “I don’t know when she changed, but she changed.” She raised her hooves daintily and cast her eyes up as she put on a posh accent. “Please, call me Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.” The mare was caught short, however, when a familiar voice carried into the room.

“Did I hear someone say my name?”

Cadance was trailed behind by three mares as she entered the space. She took in Twilight and Rarity with a glance as Rarity zipped in front of the mare as quickly as she could manage.

“Your Highness!” Rarity bowed swiftly. “Let me just start by saying what an honor it is to play a role in such a momentous occasion.” She chuckled nervously as she bowed again.

Cadance was not impressed. “Uhuh. Is my dress ready?” she asked as she strolled past the genuflecting mare. What followed was what can only be described as a savage takedown of Rarity’s ego, followed by a vicious cowing of the dissenting voices of her bridesmaids before strolling promptly out of the chamber. The three mares fled almost like sheep before a wolf.

“Gee. Maybe her name should be Princess Demandypants,” Twilight groused as she strode to a wardrobe and shot a beam of magic from her horn. The image of the wardrobe wavered, then dissipated to reveal Shawn. “Thanks for doing that. I … don’t think you’re ready for a Lyra freakout just yet.”

“Fair enough,” Shawn replied, brushing off his coat.

“If the two of you don’t mind, I’m afraid I’ve got several hours’ more work on my hooves. I’ll see you later at the cafe, darling,” Rarity promised. “And Lord Shawn, thank you for helping us out like this. It really is quite generous of you. And chivalrous, too.”

“The pleasure is mine.” Shawn gave a smile before nodding. After a moment, he turned to Twilight. “If you’ve already checked everything off here, where are we headed next?”

“The main hall,” Twilight said as they departed from the room. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to try to avoid being seen this time. I want to see how she acts when I’m not around.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Shawn replied simply as he clasped his hands behind him in a gentlemanly manner. “Lead the way.”

“So we’ve discussed the games,” Pinkie said excitedly. As she finished her presentation, she hurried over to a corner where a board game lay and rolled the dice. “And the dances!” She instantly moved toward a gramophone and set it to play polka music while dancing on her hind hooves and flapping her forelegs like a chicken. “I think this reception is gonna be perfect! Don’t you?”

Cadance looked taken aback at first by the sheer exuberance and energy put forth by the mare. But she quickly recovered her wits and smiled widely, exposing all of her eyes in a pantomime of Pinkie Pie’s own style. “Perfect!” she cried in an upbeat tone which was swiftly quashed by the biting words that followed with her haughty steps. “If we were celebrating a six-year-old’s birthday party.”

Taze noticed Pinkie ignore the comment with a sincere and wide-eyed, “Thank you!” and decided not to let that pass.

“Well excuuuuuuse me, Princess! You’re right. We should redo this. A six-year-old’s birthday party is way too much.” He fixed her with a deadeye stare. “Since you're acting like a five year old.”

The record scratched on the player as Cadance turned around. “Excuse me?”

“Very well. You’re excused. Maybe show some grace next time. Respect is earned, not given,” Taze said, turning from her.

“Taze, it’s fine! It’s just stress,” Pinkie said.

Cadance’s gaze narrowed. “Yes,” she said slowly. “And stress I would rather not have get worse with everything else I’m trying to juggle. It’s bad enough how the mana drain is affecting Shining. I have to perform regular healing spells and mana transfusions to ensure he can keep up the barrier. There’s the rehearsals to plan for, reservations to confirm, floor plans to certify, and that’s only the tiIp of the iceberg….”

Taze giggled while performing a slow clap. “So, basically, you decided to have your wedding ceremony in the middle of a threat and, rather than delegating like a leader does, you piled it all on your own plate, then blamed it for your actions. The best part of which being that you're overplaying it.” He shook his head. “Lady, I have five uncles and an aunt on my mother’s side. I’ve been to each of their weddings. I’ve been part of planning three of them. I have seen women who do not handle stress well have to handle the same stress you’re handling with my grandmother breathing down their neck, and the worst of them didn’t act a third as badly as you.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware that your family was several thousand members large!” Cadance snapped.

“Lady, I’ve got family in places I haven’t even heard of before. But that's not the point. You have a wedding planner. There is no feasible reason you need to be dogging their every step. You have people to do these jobs for your people. The taste testing, yes. The dress? Yes. Those I can understand. Everything else? You could have handled all of that through Twilight and never had to stress once. Lets not forget the mountains of magical healers in this city. You could have your fiance accompanied by a qualified expert to keep him going at all hours, but you choose to take it on yourself. You don’t get the pity party if you're the one who organizes it. That’s life,” Taze said. “You can tell a lot about someone by the way they treat those who work beneath them. And lady, you’ve given me an anthology. Hell, you’ve given me a whole library.”

Cadance growled, and her horn glowed green briefly as her temper flared.

A cleared throat yanked the Princess’ glare away from the human. “Princess Cadance, I do have to inform you that, under your Aunt’s orders, we will be forced to take down anyone who shows aggressive behavior toward the visitors,” Moonshade noted as two other Thestrals traced the hafts of their spears. “Even amongst the royal family.”

Cadance grit her teeth, then closed her eyes and forced herself to regain, at the very least, a semblance of composure. “Thank you. Given the circumstances, I think it would be best if I were to take my leave.” She glared back at Taze. “Good day, human.”

“And to you, Pony,” Taze returned with a half smirk.

Cadance stormed out with a scowl that could melt the stained glass off the hall.

Pinkie seemed unsure how to feel about what just happened as she stared at Taze. He just shrugged. “Hey, sometimes people need to draw a line.”

“With how much that line has been stomped on, it was only a matter of time, really,” Shawn commented as he stepped out of concealment from behind one of the pillars.

“Well, I'm nobody's doormat,” Taze noted as he walked over to Shawn and held up an open palm. “You have to admit, I was awesome.”

Shawn gave a brief laugh before returning the high five. “It was certainly grand.”

Twilight smiled from her place behind a separate pillar as she checked off another mark on the list. “It sure was,” she said quietly to herself.

The night stars twinkled in the filmy pink of the magical barrier protecting the castle and the surrounding capital, but rather than the comforting chirp of crickets, the clank of horseshoe and armor reverberated with the sound of guards on patrol. Up in their tower guestroom, the three humans circled their fire, toasting marshmallows on sticks. Moonshade watched them carefully as the trio worked slowly into the massive supply of chocolate, graham crackers, and the fluffy white masses.

“So, Cadance. She’s a bit of a…?” Taze looked to the others with a raised eyebrow.

“Pushy mare that’s doing her utmost to make everyone’s lives miserable while also trying to stay in everyone’s good graces?” Matthew asked.

“She’s a bitch, yeah,” Shawn confirmed. “And drastically different from every account of her that I’ve heard of.”

Moon shade seemed momentarily stunned by Shawn’s words, but then shrugged.

Matthew frowned. “Do we even want to use that kind of language here, Shawn? I mean, the Diamond Dogs are a thing, aren’t they?” He turned to Moonshade. “Would that be considered racist or speciesist or whatever you call the equivalent here?”

“Not like we’re being censored, Matthew.” Taze sighed. “Anyway, anyone else suspicious of her?”

“It feels like most of the staff keep making excuses for her. The bridesmaids seemed a little worried, though,” Matthew noted. “They came by the kitchen for some snacks to cheer themselves up. Something about their dresses, I think.”

“Well, I mean, she’s pushing a wedding during a crisis,” Taze noted. “Seems like a good way to divert resources.”

“It does make me wonder, though,” Shawn muttered. “If she was replaced, I thought Changelings couldn’t exceed their weight? From what we were told, it’d be normal sized pony replacements. And there being only three alicorns would make it more of a special case, wouldn’t it?”

“Can multiple Changelings combine their efforts? You know, like how we do with certain costumes back home?” Matthew asked.

“I honestly don’t know,” Moonshade responded. “Little is actually known about how Changelings work.”

“Seriously? As in not common knowledge now? Or you have nothing about them at all?” Taze asked.

“I have heard there is some information about them written in certain books, but nothing that's common knowledge.”

“Shouldn't that become somewhat more common, given the fact that they’re the current threat?” Matthew asked. “An ancient philosopher from our world once said it is best to know thine enemy.” He quickly pulled his marshmallow from the fire and blew it out before smashing it between the two crackers to melt against the chocolate, then took a bite and shuddered in delight. “How is it that everything here tastes so much better than back home?”

“Theoretically? It’s all naturally grown and made,” Taze said. “Preserved with magic, rather than chemicals.”

Shawn sighed as he rubbed the side of his head. “This whole situation is going to be a nightmare to deal with. Doesn’t help that we’re going to be roped into this somehow, as Celestia has seen fit to have us participate in the preparations for said wedding.”

“Probably as a gambit,” Matthew guessed as he wiped some remnants of marshmallow off his cheek. “We’re the wild cards, since they don’t know anything about us and can’t replace us. The unknown always makes the villain uneasy.”

“Yes, but it also makes them notice us,” Taze noted.

“So we’re acting as decoys, too, then?”

“We’re a distraction,” Shawn agreed. “We’re being used.”

“I’d say the princess wouldn’t do that, but she would.” Moonshade sighed. “It would be a decent plan if we had a decent fighting force.”

“From the sounds of it, you don’t,” Shawn replied flatly. “Yet we’re still being put out with a target on our backs.”

“How much have you figured out about the current political climate?” Moonshade asked.

“I, myself, have been given some information. Not plenty, but enough to figure things out on a basic level.”

“Well, for starters, our politics is meant to be a diarchy, ruled by both princesses equally. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case for a very long time,” Moon shade explained, before roughly outlining the events of Nightmare Moon and what led up to it. “These days, Luna is princess in name only to all but the Thestrals and perhaps some few of the nobility. Unfortunately, it was Princess Luna who was the militarily inclined one of the two. Celestia is a great politician, but she has no taste for the martial aspects of running a country. She believes her Royal Guard are competent enough to protect her people, but she is gravely overestimating them.”

“Even Captain Shining Armor?” Matthew asked. “It seems like he’s proving to be quite an asset with this shield spell of his.”

“And you haven’t wondered about why we’re relying so heavily on a shield spell?” Moonshade asked. “That armor and the spears are shiny, but few if any of those guards know how to wield them.”

Matthew frowned. “Speaking of wielding, would it be possible to set up time for me to practice with that crossbow? I’d rather get familiar with it before any potential conflict starts.”

“We’ll have to see what can be done about that,” Moonshade said. “For now, you three need to be aware of what's going on.”

“You mean more than what Princess Luna already revealed?”

“Did she reveal her sister’s own political movements?” Moonshade asked.

“No, she didn’t. Has she authorized you to fill us in, then?”

“She’s authorized me to do what it takes to keep you alive,” Moonshade noted.

“Considering the current situation, and the fact that I’m positive the ‘bride’ definitely has it out for us, we’re going to need it,” Shawn commented.

Matthew couldn’t help but give a little smile. “She did kind of have it coming, though. Did you really call her out like that, Taze?”

“I’m nobody's doormat,” Taze said, shrugging.

“So, what do we do now, then? Just keep our eyes and ears open while trying to figure out what’s up with the princess?” Matthew asked.

“If anything becomes apparent, I've been instructed to take you to Princess Luna at any time.”

“A sound strategy,” Matthew noted as he completed the next s’more. Then he proffered it to the mare. “Care to share? Or would that be considered a bribe?” he asked with a hint of a smirk.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 006: The Mane Event

The wedding hall where the ceremony was to take place was tastefully decorated. A light cream and gold bunting draped all over the ceiling and reached with stretches of cloth to curve against the columns on approach from the double doors. A massive chandelier acted as the focal point for the decoration while candles burned in equally spaced holders on either side of the columns to provide mood lighting. A pair of Unicorn guards stood on either side of the double doors to fulfill their duty of opening the way for the bride to enter through a second hall that had been decorated with bouquets of flowers in holders that were mounted on the columns themselves. A long red carpet with golden edges flowed through the two chambers, leading up to the dais and a green wedding arch accentuated by a number of floral arrangements tastefully employed. Much like the other hall, the columns here were also decorated with plant fixtures that acted as points of contact to bind more bunting together. Two pots sat on either side of the staircase with twin draping cloths on either side to provide symmetry. As a final touch, at Cadance’s request, the windows were fitted with temporary stained glass settings to enhance the mood of the wedding and further stress the bond of their marriage.

The five mares had lined up in place on the stairwell to await Cadance’s arrival, as was required and proper for them. The three humans stood a ways off between a pair of columns, close enough to witness the action, but not so close as to interfere with the proceedings. Shining Armor stood at the top with Celestia and Spike. All were ready for the practice ceremony to proceed.

It was elegant, refined, yet simple. In short, it was the perfect scene for a royal wedding. Indeed, it would have been perfect if not for the forceful intrusion of one extremely aggressive purple Unicorn bursting into the hall. Twilight Sparkle denounced Cadance with intense heat, leaving a stunned silence to sift like ash in her wake as the princess fled. And like the cold wind that often follows behind such burn-outs, Twilight’s friends, brother, and mentor soon followed.

The three humans watched with varying reactions from stony-faced to gobsmacked as the fallout settled.

Tears swam in the purple mare’s eyes. She hastily blinked them away as she gazed at the doors. “Maybe I was being overprotective….”

Taze’s fist clenched as he watched. “This isn’t right,” he growled. Turning for the door, he half-ran, half-stomped after the others. He grabbed the door as he passed through. Seeing the retreating party in the distance, he threw the door back with all the power he could muster, willing it to slam loud enough that the whole damned city would hear it.

“Matthew, go after him, would you? Make sure he doesn’t go too crazy on them,” Shawn asked. “Neither of us will stop him, but try to at least calm him.”

Matthew looked at Shawn and Twilight, torn between the desire to comfort and the desire to make peace. “Yeah, I guess I should go and try to be the diplomat,” he agreed. “Will you keep an eye on Twilight?”

Shawn nodded. And with that confirmation, Matthew strode hastily to the doors. “Here’s hoping Taze doesn’t start a war,” he muttered as he pulled the portal open. The sheer weight of the wood surprised him, and he wondered how Taze could have built up the momentum to slam them so heavily.

Moonshade followed closely behind, choosing to keep with the majority of the group. At the door, she paused to look back at Shawn, and then to Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle, I don’t know the details behind what transpired, but I do know the orders I have to follow. I can’t be in two places at once, and you are titled as a defender of the realm under Celestia’s authority. As such, I must remand Lord Shawn into your protective custody until a guard can be sent to replace you. Guard him to your utmost.”

“But—”

“There can be no buts here, Lady Sparkle. Even in heartache, a warrior and a hero must pursue their duty. I am calling you to do yours. He is in your care.” With that, the mare departed, and once more the loud doors closed behind, leaving only the two.

After a moment, Shawn sighed. “Emotions are certainly high,” he muttered, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword, the other on his hip. “Deep breaths, Twilight. Forward momentum is to be kept. Looking back won’t help.”

Twilight sputtered. “That’s what I call the understatement of the year.” She sighed. “But I suppose she’s right. I have to keep an eye on you, at least until we can find another guard to take over. Though I guess it’s more like babysitting, all things considered. Without the immature toddler part.”

Shawn raised a brow at the comments before shrugging. “I guess I’ve heard worse. I doubt we’ll find a member of the Night Guard for some time, though, so you’re stuck with me for a while. Sorry to say.”

“I’m sure we can figure something out.” Twilight smiled weakly, sniffled, and wiped her eyes. “So, I guess we should get going. Can’t sit here and mope all day, right? Where did you want to go first?”

“Can’t leave the castle walls, so not many places to go. You know that,” Shawn replied dismissively before shrugging.

“Is there anywhere you haven’t been to in the Castle yet?”

“I suppose I haven’t been to the castle’s library yet. Too much going on and all that.”

Twilight nodded. “Then that’s where we’ll go. Though, for the record, it’s actually called the Royal Archive.” She rose and strode toward the door. “Follow me.”

“Fair enough. I assume you’ve been there plenty of times?”

“Yeah. It’s big at first, but you get used to it pretty fast. I’m sure the librarian will be happy to help you find whatever you need.”

“...Yeah. I suppose working in a library probably burned you out on reading much, huh?” Shawn asked as he felt his chest tighten.

Twilight chuckled. “I suppose sometimes. Usually when I have to keep going after the same reference materials to give to colts and fillies for school.”

Shawn attempted to keep his breathing steady as he looked to the back of Twilight’s head. ‘Ex Divinia etiam…’ His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword as he allowed the unspoken thought to complete itself. ‘That’s, … that’s not her.’

“Hey! What the hell?” Taze bellowed as he caught up to the retreating eight figures. “I thought you were her ‘friends,’” he said, adding air quotes for emphasis.

“We are,” Applejack replied. “But after what Twilight just put the princess through, I reckoned she needed support.”

“You reckon—” Venom dripped from his voice as Taze spoke. “You reckon that the person you don’t even know is worth abandoning a friend who has stuck by you? You value your reputation so much more than those close to you, liar?” He looked at her dead in the eye. “With friends like that, who needs enemies?”

“Woah, woah, woah. Hold up,” Rainbow Dash said as she zipped between the two and nudged him in the chest. “Applejack’s a lot of things, but she’s no liar.”

“What do you call someone who breaks promises, then, traitor?” Taze asked, pushing her hoof away. “And don’t touch me. I'd rather not have to clean this armor again.”

“Pardon me,” Rarity said. “I understand Rainbow Dash can be a bit … unrefined, but she certainly isn’t that dirty.”

“I don’t have a reputation for you to take here, greedy! You’ll need to find another place to further your reputation,” Taze said as he rounded on Rarity.

“Pardon?”

“Oh! I’m sorry. Let me put this in a way you can understand.” Taze cleared his throat dramatically. “Oh, darling, I just simply can’t, darling, i just simply can’t put up with your gold digging right now!” And then, as if to add insult to injury, he leaned in and swiped a single hair out of place in her mane.

“Taze Klim, what is the meaning of this?” Celestia asked.

Taze turned on the diarch and thrust his finger forcefully in her face. “You can shut up for the time being. I’ll get to you in a minute.” He turned back to the group looking Pinkie Pie dead in the eye. “Does it feel good betraying your friend, leaving her to despair, taking her joy from her? By that singular act, you proved just how depressing a person you really are,” he growled.

Pinky took an involuntary step back.

Taze rounded on the last and most soft-spoken member of the party. “And you! The cruelty you showed in that room. The utter horrible cruelty!” He barely held the expletives back and spoke with a voice that was as biting as it was calm. “It makes me sick. Do you kick puppies in your free time as well?”

Fluttershy quailed as the other four clustered around her.

“You five are supposed to be her friends! Do you know what that means? That means you don’t abandon your friend simply because someone more important comes along! Did any of you stop to think? Did any of you pause to maybe give her some inkling of credit? You!” he pointed to Applejack. “How long have you known Princess Cadance?”

Applejack opened her mouth to respond, only for Taze to trample over any hope of a rebuttal.

“I’m guessing since you come from Ponyville and seem utterly uncomfortable with the other nobles around here, not very long. I’d even go so far as to guess that none of you even met her until you arrived. Am I right?” he asked them, then restated the question louder when they stayed quiet.

“And?” Applejack asked defiantly. “Does that give anyone the chance to attack her?”

Taze looked around. “Let’s look at this from the other end of the spectrum. Though I’m surprised you’re even able to try looking there, given how far up your plot your head is stuck right now,” he said acidly. “How long has twilight known Cadance?” He looked around the room. “Anybody?”

“She used to foalsit for her. How else do you think Cadance and I started dating?” Shining pressed as he strode forward aggressively. “Now, are we going to have a problem here?”

“Oh?” Taze laughed a deep dark chuckle, completely disregarding the captain’s question. “She was a babysitter? Really? She looked after children and toddlers prone to freak-outs and temper tantrums, and all of you thought a wedding would push her over the edge? Have any of you actually spent time with a tantruming child? You know what? Don’t answer that. I don’t want to hear your moronic reasoning here. Let's put aside the fact that she should have been going into this with nerves of steel! You know, because a wedding is a freaking cakewalk compared to a bunch of screaming toddlers! In this case, literally!” He took a moment to breathe. “You're telling me that the five of you have better judgment about somebody than a person who spent a significant portion of their life with them. Someone you just met! Please tell me this sounds as stupid to you as it does to me. Give me at least a little hope in your emotional depth outdistancing a soup spoon!”

“European Soup Spoon, I assume,” Matthew said as he approached with Moonshade at his side. He looked anxiously over the gathering.

“Ah, Matthew, good timing,” Taze said as he walked over and wrapped an arm around his friend. “Matthew and I have been friends for a long time. Years, in fact. I’d hide a body if he asked me to. I’d bail him out of prison. Hell, I’d die for him. Because that's what friendship means. It means sticking with someone, no matter what. If you were real friends, the least you could have done was comfort Twilight and offer some kind words before you try to help her come around to your side of thinking. That’s what real friends do. They listen! Honestly, the five of you sicken me with your definition of friendship.”

Matthew swallowed as he looked at the group. “If you’ll pardon the intrusion into the conversation, through the time Taze and other friends and I have spent together, I’ve learned one thing. True friends are there when you have the lowest part. They won’t drop you because you decided to finally stand up for yourself over something. True friendship is the kind that is absolutely worth fighting for, because it may not be easy, but the best ones are forged in the fires of adversity. And if you’ll pardon the frank view of an outsider, it seems the five of you can’t handle those flames.” His voice was neither loud nor terse. It was calm, straightforward, and utterly honest without a hint of partiality.

Taze released his hold on Matthew and turned to Celestia. “But you, you sicken me on a whole other level.”

“And you need to cool your head,” Celestia noted clinically.

“And you need to tell people things they need to know!” Taze shot back. “Honestly, do they even know what the threat is? Does anyone?” Taze gestured to the others in the room. “Have you deemed it fitting to allow the masses to know what they're dealing with? Probably not. You couldn’t even let the three of us know we were being used as bait!”

To the mare’s credit, or perhaps to her detriment, the only visible sign of her surprise came in the minutest widening of her eyes and a subtle shift of her pupils. “Yes, I wanted to lure out our enemy using the three of you, so I put you under a constant guard to ensure your safety,” Celestia said in a sarcastic tone that led the Ponies in the room and one young Dragon to gasp.

“Please, Luna assigned us warriors specifically from her guard for our safety,” Taze shot back with a heat that seared through the bolt she had cast. “God knows cardboard cutouts would have been more effective than your pretty boys over there,” he said as he waved at the two Unicorn solar guards that had followed them.

Moonshade had to suppress a snort.

“You can’t expect people to operate without at least some idea of what they're facing. Tell me. Can your Elements of Harmony serve any purpose split up? Does keeping those closest to you in the dark serve any real purpose? You are playing a terrible game of chess with people's lives! You have alienated your sister, and then you alienated your student! How many more people?”

The floor beneath Celestia’s hoof cracked with the force of the clop as she glared at the human. Her nostrils flared, and the breath that emerged from them was so hot that even in the warm air, it steamed and caused the air to waver. “You know nothing of my relationship to Luna.”

“Then I know everything! I think we both know who has a lot to think about, and it isn’t Twilight Sparkle,” Taze said, not breaking eye contact as he finished the sentence.

After a moment of silence, the maelstrom that was Taze swept quickly back to his friend. “Sorry, Matthew,” he said quietly before turning to Shining Armor and bellowing at the top of his voice. “Tenshun, Dumbass!” he called out, straightening his back and perfecting his posture. In that same instant, Matthew’s whole body went rigid as he mirrored that same posture out of habit.

Shining Armor stiffened briefly, then glared at Taze. “At ease, soldier,” he retorted.

Taze, not being a military man himself, was unaffected and unintimidated. It helped standing at twice the Pony’s height. Even if Shining Armor were to rear up on his hind legs, he still wouldn’t come to the human’s full height. “You're a disgrace to your office and your uniform,” Taze said flatly. “I seriously hope you fight for your pocket, because if that’s how you treat your friends and family, you're better off not fighting for them. That was your sister, your blood! She met you on the first day of her life, and she has loved you ever since. Tell me, do you kiss your mother with the mouth you just used on your sister?”

Shining glared stubbornly at the human. “I won’t apologize.”

“You should be lucky if she gives you the right, let alone a chance,” Taze said. “If she were to die tomorrow and you were to attend her funeral, I’d go so far as to call it a personal insult. Honestly, I don’t know if it’s worse how you treated your family or how you allowed your significant other to tirade without even attempting to reel her in. Where we come from, officers could be punished for their families acting like that if they did nothing to head it off. Tell me, genius, these headaches of yours. How many professionals have you seen about them? Also, when did Cadance get her PhD?”

“I can manage them just fine,” Shining Armor retorted. “And you don’t need a medical license to cast a basic healing spell.”

“No, but if you’re having rapid migraine-class headaches repeatedly over the course of a week, you should see a professional. That's not even a rule. That's common sense, something you seem to lack to a ridiculous degree.”

Shining Armor snorted angrily. “Are we done here? I have a fiance to console.”

“See a Doctor, Shining Armor,” Matthew urged. “Even my military isn’t dumb enough to ignore those kinds of signs. At least yours actually showed up. Mine never did. Listen to what your body is trying to tell you.” He glared. “And they say you’re the head of all military forces?” He looked to Moonshade. “Is all of your military this bullheaded? This is literally a threat to your national security if one of those attacks happen at the wrong time.”

Moonshade shook her head. “No. In fact, standard says he should have seen a healer more than once already.”

“And I have!” Shining said hotly.

“To answer your question, Cadet, yes, we’re done,” Taze said, turning away from the group. “I’m done with all of you. Don’t talk to me, any of you. I wash my hands of you band of traitors and thieves.” He started walking away, stopping only long enough to address the Princess one last time. “Oh, and Celestia?” His lips curved into a cruel smirk. “May you live in interesting times.” And with that cryptic benediction, he strode down the hall and was gone.

Spike looked back and forth, first to Shining Armor stomping angrily toward the opposite branch of the hall, then to the smoldering Celestia, and finally to the mixture of angry, confused, and ashamed that was Twilight’s friends. “I … think I’m going to go get Mom. If anyone will know how to fix this, it’s her.” Spike raced to the hall as fast as his short legs could carry him.

Applejack broke the silence afterward. “Come on, girls. We said we were gonna go check on Cadance, and that’s exactly what we’re gonna do.”

The response that came was less than enthusiastic. Whether the party was willing to admit it or not, Taze’s words had affected them. And those words would continue to haunt them long after he had departed.

Shawn made a mental note at the lack of guards along the halls. While this wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary in the more public portions of the castle, it was highly suspect on the path they now followed. Torches flickered, casting their shadows over the hallways and distorting the fake Twilight’s face as they carried on. The clop of her hooves reverberated loudly in Shawn’s ears, and he couldn’t tell if it was a result of his paranoia and adrenaline or the structure of this particular wing. That paranoia now screamed at him as they ascended yet another stairwell. Unlike the previous passages, this one was less well-tended. Spiders skittered as they formed their webs, and there was no sign of a window that Shawn could see.

He needed a plan, and he needed it now.

If they were being followed, it was far back enough that he couldn’t tell. “Had I known the library was this far, I should have thought of somewhere else,” he remarked, his hand still resting on the hilt of his sword.

“I thought Celestia might prefer us to take a different route. You still draw a lot of attention in the castle, and the royal archives are still technically open to the public.”

“Fair enough.”

They finally reached a single door at the top of the stairwell. Twilight’s horn glowed a muted green, and the door’s frame throbbed sympathetically before the lock came undone and it creaked open. “Through here. We’ll get you where you need to be soon.”

As the pair entered the chamber, the familiar sight of Cadance’s pink, purple, and yellow feathers and mane graced them. Her green eyes flashed, then glowed as she glared balefully at Shawn while the door shut behind them with two palace guards taking posts in front of the door to bar his retreat.

“Lord Shawn. I hope you’ll forgive the little deception, but I thought it was about time you and I had a little chat one on one.” She smiled coldly as she stepped out of the shadows.

“Drop the facade already.” Shawn squinted as he shifted his stance slightly wider. “The others may have fallen for it, but you’re a piss-poor actor.”

Cadance shrugged. “You always get at least one critic.” A circle of green fire erupted around her hooves and, in a flash of light, the princess was gone. The creature that stood in her stead was, surprisingly enough, of comparable height and mass, but that was where the similarities ended. Her Hooves, wings, tail, and mane were punched with holes that made it look as though a swarm of moths had made a buffet of them. Her wings were translucent, like those of an insect, as was her mane and tail, though these were more substantial and less flimsy. Rather than the soft and glossy fur and manes that had been seen on the prismatic Ponies that inhabited the castle, an oily black chitinous carapace formed the majority of her body’s exterior. A sickly blue-green band and shell formed the protective housing that would normally hold those wings in protective storage when not in use. Her horn was long, gnarled, and jagged, like a crooked tree root. Instead of a typical ornament, this creature’s crown sprang from her mane at the base of her head in a ghastly fusion that was part antenna and part chitin, tipped with a number of blue orbs that matched her mane perfectly to simulate crown jewels.

Three more flashes of light followed as Twilight and the two guards swiftly transformed into smaller and less developed versions of the mare. The guards buzzed threateningly as their wings hummed and they glared with mandible helmets that actually clicked together.

“Ex Divinia etiam. I read that you were ugly, but damn,” Shawn remarked.

“You’re one to talk.” The thing that wasn’t Cadance chuckled. “I don’t know what rock you crawled out from under, but you chose a very bad time to reveal yourselves.”

“I’d say it was more a bad time on your end. If your plans go south, you’re supposed to work around, not through,” Shawn replied flatly, taking in the four around him. “I suppose not everyone can make solid plans.”

“Says the pot to the kettle,” the mare gloated. “Let’s cut the chit-chat, shall we? I think we both already know why you’re here.”

“Can’t replace me, so you’re going to get rid of me, yeah,” he said casually. The flutter of his coat was the only warning as the flash of steel glinted, then sliced clean through the chitin at the Changeling that had once been Twilight. The room rang with the clatter of chitin, punctuated by a scream of pain. Green ichor flowed down the drone’s forehead as it stumbled away from the blow.

Shawn barely had the time to react as the two guards charged. The one buzzed angrily overhead, zipping back and forth in a divergent path while jabbing with his spear. The one on the floor followed his companion by attacking from below, thus dividing the human’s attention and making it more difficult for him to parry.

Blow after blow, Shawn parried and dodged as best he could, but it was only a matter of time until the attackers began to find their marks. Tiny nicks dotted his arms and legs, and one particularly deadly blow narrowly missed his face, just grazing him by the cheek as hot blood trickled.

Just as his blood painted the edges of their spears, so, too, did their ichor paint the edges of his blade. Their combined assault winded him, but it was ultimately the action of their companion that finally undid him. Despite her pain, the Changeling mare that had impersonated Twilight managed to crawl behind his legs. And as the dance continued, the human was finally forced to fall backward. So loud had been the clash of steel and wood alongside the rush of blood surging in his ears that he had not heard the subtle ringing tone of magic nor seen the green glow that emanated from the leader’s horn.

As gravity asserted itself, Shawn first felt that curious slowing of time that comes with an adrenaline spike followed shortly after by pressure, and then a heavy jab before he struck the floor. The force of the impact pushed his breath out, even as two spears were leveled at his throat and the haughty laughter of the Changeling who was obviously their leader rang in his ears. Something seeped from his back, causing his shirt and coat to stick.

“Take him to the caves with the others,” she ordered, even as she sneered smugly at him. “Make sure he won’t be able to find the way back.”

“And … there’s your fatal mistake.” Shawn attempted to let out a weak chuckle. “I’m ... not replaceable.”

The Changeling leader smirked. “But you are expendable.” She tossed her head curtly, and then Shawn saw the haft of a spear growing larger and larger, followed by intense pain as it cracked against his skull. The last thing he saw as the light cleared and before the world faded to black was a chunk of wood spinning like a helicopter as it flipped away.

Taze took several deep breaths, attempting to center himself as he walked around the castle. He avoided the Guard as much as he could and this found him strangely walking around more and more remote parts of the castle. He ironically found his mind jumping to the nameless city by Lovecraft and the eerie descriptions of empty stone buildings and the horrors within. He stopped at one part to admire a set of throwing knives mounted on the wall. They were interesting to see because the blades seemed to be shaped artistically like feathers. He found his attention drawn to this for a while before he turned to observe the way forward, trying his best to be quiet as he kept an eye out for Celestia's guards.

The telltale clop of heavy hooves was the only indicator of the creature’s approach. He ducked into a nearby alcove and quickly pulled the curtain shut over it to allow the approaching Pony to pass. A nerve-wracking moment of silence followed as the Pony paused near the curtain. Perhaps it was patrolling. Perhaps it was lost. Or perhaps it was something else. He didn’t know, and he didn’t care. All he knew was he didn’t want to be found right now, and so he held his breath and waited.

It took about a minute before the heavy clop of those hooves began again and gradually receded. Taze sighed in relief, then pulled the curtain aside. The rear of the guard Pony was broad and muscular. His fur coat was a pristine white, and he lacked wings and a horn. But that was clearly made up by the sheer amount of mass he strode down the hall with. However, the most striking thing that drew the human’s attention was neither the mass nor the fur nor even the distinctively unlikely tribe. No, what really pulled Taze’s gaze was the sight of a long dark sheath and a hauntingly familiar guard and hilt. Taze had seen the Ponies’ weapons in their forges. This was most definitely not an Equestrian design.

Now, the sensible thing would have been to question the guard. And earlier in the evening, Taze probably would have gone for that. Right now, however, he was stressed. He was emotionally spent. And now, he wasn’t just angry anymore. He was livid. He didn’t care if this was one of the Changelings or if Celestia had turned on them after all. He booked it from the curtain. For a brief instant, things seemed to slow as he grabbed the hilt of his own sword, but they instantly sped up again. Taking the wrapped handle in both hands, he raised it over his head and brought it down with all the force mustered from years of chopping wood with a sledge maul.

The guard’s shock was plastered on his face as it looked at the image of the human, even as his head descended to the floor. His body slumped a moment later as a blast of green flames followed.

The creature’s body was as massive as it had been while it was disguised. Slick black chitin bulged and jutted out in vicious barbs and angles while a heavily reinforced shell glistened iridescently on his back. The fangs that extended from its gaping maw were flanked on either side by a set of massive mandibles designed to snap with crushing force. The floor hissed beneath its fangs as acidic venom ate away at the surface while the sticky green ichor gushed, then pumped, then burbled, and finally trickled, leaving the surface of the floor completely green and sticky. Its eyes were dead, but nearly reflective as Taze peered into them, perceiving the shadow of his reflection burst into a multitude of iterations.

Looking around quickly as the world came to, Taze hyperventilated. He had clearly just killed something, and his mind was reeling at that fact. However, he found the expected feeling muted as rationality staked its claim. First, this being had likely done something to his friend. Second, this was an enemy. A small darker part also claimed that it wasn’t human, but he tried to ignore that portion, given the sapient nature of the Ponies he had encountered thus far. Gathering himself, he relieved the creature of Shawn’s sword before hiding the body, with no small amount of effort on his part, behind the curtain he had hidden behind himself.

Turning the way he’d come, he ran off to find Matthew and Moonshade. It was official now. The enemy had made their move. Time was of the essence.

Matthew and Moonshade were lost. Well, Matthew was lost. Moonshade was simply following him to keep him out of trouble as they searched for the rogue Taze. Moonshade was using her nose while Matthew gazed around uneasily at how silent and empty the hallways had become.

A few minutes later, Taze barreled into Matthew unexpectedly, and both toppled to the floor in a heap. Taze was faster to recover, and quickly hoisted his friend to his feet. “Matthew!” he exclaimed. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Matthew rubbed his rear gingerly. “I’ll probably bruise a little in the morning, but aside from that, I’m fine. What’s going on, Taze?”

Taze looked suspiciously at Moonshade. “Has she been with you the whole time?”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “She’s followed me like my shadow, and you like a bloodhound. You're a hard man to find when you’re angry.”

“We need to see Luna now!” Taze said hastily. His pupils had widened significantly, and his movements were jerky as he checked the halls.

“What's so important?” Moonshade asked.

“Please, just trust me!” Taze stressed.

Moonshade looked at him for a moment, then sighed reluctantly. “Very well. But this had better be good.”

Matthew frowned. “Look, Thestral, in all my years, Taze has never been this anxious or worked up about anything. If he’s demanding to see Princess Luna, you can bet it’s important.” The sight of Shawn’s sword left the human swallowing. His voice cracked as he spoke. “Shawn? Is he…?”

“I don’t know. I found this on a … thing? I think it was one of those Changelings, but I can’t be sure. It looked like a guard, but changed into this black thing after it died.”

Moonshade stiffened at that comment. “You killed it?” she asked.

“Yes,” Taze said through deep breaths.

“Good,” Matthew breathed. “This is bad. If there are already enemies inside the walls….” He paused. “Can you … do you have proof? We need to show some sort of evidence to the Princess. A leg, a body, a head.”

“I hid the body,” Taze responded. “It was way too heavy to carry.”

Matthew looked to Moonshade. “Do you think the three of us can carry it?”

“If you have the location, Princess Luna can send some of the Night Guard for it. Or else retrieve it herself, should she feel it necessary,” Moonshade noted.

Matthew looked to Taze. “Can you do that? Tell Luna where it is?”

“Probably? I can get them in the right area, at least.” He nodded.

Matthew looked confused. “Uh, I would be walking, but where do we go?” Matthew asked.

“Follow me,” Moonshade ordered and sprinted down the hall. The humans were soon scrambling to keep up.

Princess Luna looked gravely at the two humans as they stared at her from the chamber inside the watchtower. Her duty to the spyglass was all but forgotten when she took in the worried furrows in Taze’s brow, and more particularly the sword in his grasp. Matthew eyed his friend with equal measures of worry and concern as they stood before the ruler. Moonshade maintained her vigilance in accordance with her duty as the pair’s assigned guard, even as she awaited Luna’s reaction to the news that had been delivered.

“How many others have you told?” Luna asked calmly.

“No one,” Taze answered.

“We came straight to you after Taze told us,” Matthew confirmed.

Luna’s face became serious as she considered everything. She summoned a guard and, after a rapid exchange, sent them off to look for the body Taze had hid. Turning to the trio, she nodded. “We’ll have to take this somewhere quieter,” she noted. “If what you say is true, this watch may be pointless.”

“At least give them a semblance of a watch, then,” Matthew suggested. “We don’t want them to think we know anything, right? Can’t you perform some sort of, you know, illusion spell or something?”

Luna nodded “I’ll set up a guard with a glamour to appear as though they are me.” She signaled another guard close and explained her instructions. One carefully controlled burst of magic later, a copy of Luna saluted again and reported to her post at the spyglass.

“Now what?” Matthew asked.

In an instant, they found themselves in Luna's room. There was no flash, no real magic effect at all. They just found themselves there.

Matthew blinked in surprise. “Okay. That was … impressive.”

“Being Princess of the Night imbues me with certain privileges at night,” Luna explained. “Now then, it seems to me likely the Changelings will plan their attack tomorrow during the ceremony. We need to have some kind of plan.”

“You mean aside from being ready to fight for our lives, I assume.” Matthew frowned. “If we’re already compromised, then the Changelings would have to move on the best defensive asset and neutralize it. If they had the numbers inside the barrier already, they would have attacked by now. That means either they’ve been getting some sort of device or enchantment or something in place to neutralize Captain Armor’s barrier or they’ll attempt to incapacitate him directly to bring down the shield.” He stroked his chin in thought. “Though that still leaves us with one question. How did they circumvent the barrier itself?”

“By being inside before the barrier was cast,” Luna said. “Clearly, they’re smarter than we thought.”

“What do we do, Chieftess?” Moonshade asked.

Luna turned to the fiery plinth where the great warhammer lay. The princess approached it with a deliberate calm. The flames licked at her hoof with no effect. “It’s time, old friend,” she said with a smile. The hammer began to shake as a high-pitched ringing filled the air. Moments later, the casing shattered, and the flames surged into the weapon, causing it to pulse with a menacing magical aura as it floated toward her hoof. But, of course, even without the magical aura, menace was in its nature.

The warhammer was not unlike something from medieval Europe of Earth. It was primarily forged of a strange dark blue metal that seemed to carry a dull silvery glow within its darkened depths. Silver filigree caressed the surface of the metal, forming intricate symbols and etchings that almost seemed to dance in the weapon's own corona. The front was a large circular face covered in tiny bumps where the point of impact would be. The back was a spike formed of a rusty brownish-yellow substance that bespoke either a horn, fang, or some sort of massive claw that jutted back at a cruel angle. The haft was constructed of the same metal as the head, though the handle was wrapped in black leather with a small thong at the end. The hammer seemed to hold aloft happily in Lunas grip, like two partners finally rejoined after a long separation.

“You need to avoid attending the ceremony tomorrow. They will come for you, and you must be ready. Try to find me as soon as you can, and we’ll do our best to confront them head-on. I’m afraid even if we were to discuss this with my sister, she would not take it seriously.” She shot Taze a sidelong smirk. “Especially after the dressing down you gave her.”

Moonshade looked at the weapon in Luna's magical grip with awe and reverence.

“Princess Luna, if we’re going to accomplish anything, we need more information,” Taze insisted as he absently brushed the sword’s hilt. “I need some kind of book or something about Changelings. Anatomy, weaknesses, deterrents and defenses, those sorts of things.”

Luna considered the human’s words for a few moments before nodding. “You’ll have whatever information I can send to you when you return to your room,” she promised.

“I assume the same way you brought us here in the first place?” Matthew guessed.

Luna nodded. “That would be wisest, considering things from here.”

“It would probably be best for you to send us back to the tower and let us return to our room from there.” Matthew frowned. “Is the armor you had us measured for ready for use yet?”

“It should be. I’ll have it delivered to your room.”

Matthew nodded. “We’ll make sure to take care of our preparations, then.” He frowned again. “How are we going to be able to tell your units are who they say they are? I know we can trust Moonshade, but if they managed to infiltrate the Solar Guard, then it’s possible they may also have planted someone in your units’ ranks.”

“My Guard has several code words and other such knowledge they use,” Luna noted.

“I suppose we’ll have to trust that, then.” He clenched his jaw as the full weight of the situation crashed down on him. He swallowed heavily to push back against that invisible pressure and nodded. “All right. Unless you’ve got anything else to add, Taze, I guess all we can do now is act normal and prepare.”

“I’ll also need some kind of candy or something similar,” Taze noted. “I have low blood sugar issues when I exert myself too much. I’ll need something I can eat while we fight.”

Luna nodded. “We will ensure such rations are included in your supplies.” She lifted her head, raising her horn high. And in an instant, they were gone.

“You going to be okay?” Taze asked Matthew as they sat in their room.

“Taze, we don’t even know whether Shawn is alive or not,” Matthew said as he looked at Shawn’s bed, where the sword lay on the blankets like the top of a Templar’s funeral effigy. “I am definitely not okay.” He leaned over his bed frame as he worked over the mechanisms on his crank crossbow. “But … we don’t exactly have much of a choice right now. If we freeze, we’re probably going to die, so … I just have to not freeze, do something. You know what I mean?” He raised the bow and eyed the door, then lowered the weapon again and slowly disarmed it. “What about you? Did you find anything useful in that book?”

“Not yet,” Taze said with a stony face. “You get some rest, and I'll let you know if anything pops up, okay?”

Matthew sighed. “I don’t even know if I’m going to be able to sleep.”

“They sent us those potions.” Taze pointed to the two bottles on a table.

“I know. I just–” he sighed again. “–Oh, I don’t know. I guess I just want to spend a little more time with a close friend before I take it. Sort of a last supper, you know? Just … just in case.”

“Don’t think like that,” Taze said as his mouth pulled into a smirk “We’ll be fine. Just wait and see.”

Matthew turned back to the Thestral that had come to replace Moonshade so she could stock up on her own supplies for the battle to come. “You’re sure I’ll wake up in time?”

The Thestral nodded. “It’s guaranteed. You will rise full of energy and fully aware.” He looked slyly at Taze. “A first for one of you, from what I understand.”

Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle. “Thank you. I … I needed that.” He lowered the crossbow gently to the floor and unsheathed his K-bar one last time before shoving it back where it belonged and striding to seize his bottle. His hand shook as he reached for the stopper. Finally, he managed to pull it out and raised the container in a salute. “May we live past the interesting times to come.” He smiled weakly. “And Taze, thank you for being such a good friend.” With that said, he downed the bottle’s contents and slipped under the covers. It wasn’t long before his breathing became long and even. Matthew was asleep, and his belongings, including the gifts from Luna, laid at the ready next to his footwear.

“Yeah, I’m a saint, all right,” Taze grumbled as he rose from his bed and approached Matthew’s. He took the quiver of bolts and moved to one of the tables that had been brought in to decorate the room. “Did you guys manage to get that stuff I listed for you?” he asked the Thestral.

“The materials are all there. You’ll find the vessels are clearly marked.”

“Then I have work to do,” Taze said as he began setting things up. He sorted the chemicals out carefully before he retrieved a small bowl and began to mix them together in certain amounts while he read from the book like he would a recipe for cookies.

“I take it that your friend would not approve of this?” the guard guessed.

“Chemical warfare is considered a major war crime in our homeworld. After a great war, the nations came together and agreed upon a set of laws that forbid the use of such weapons and several others as going against everything we considered to be ‘human.’”

“And you would rather the burden, and thus the guilt, of this act be upon yourself, rather than your friend?” the Thestral surmised.

“If you’ve heard anything about my speech earlier today, then you likely remember I said I’d die for him. Friends are the people you can count on. They’d sacrifice for you, and you need to be willing to sacrifice for them. If it takes my soul to make sure his isn’t touched, that's a price I'll pay,” Taze noted as he finished one mixture and began another.

“Then it seems that humans may not be so different from Ponies after all,” the Thestral said with a wry smile.

Taze grinned. “At least Thestrals, perhaps.” He chuckled. “I never did get your name.”

“You may call me Crescent Reaper.” He chuckled. “A bit pretentious, but it is a name well earned.”

“I suppose I'll get a chance to see the reason why up close tomorrow.” Taze chuckled. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll speak again when this whole mess is over.”

“Perhaps,” the warrior allowed. “But for now, I would focus on that mixture of yours. Keep stirring like that and you’re liable to fill this whole room with fumes.”

“I doubt it,” Taze said as he worked. “The book said these mixtures are targeted at emotivores.”

“And that is supposed to make them smell better?”

“No, but it also means whatever scent they have is probably not going to be overly noxious to us,” he noted. “Mostly, anyway.”

“Will you also treat your own weapons?”

“Yes, but my weapon does more potential damage, so I’ll be doing just a base coating with one of these. These bolts are going to get treated with multiple coatings each.”

“I do not believe those measures have been combined in such a manner before. I suggest you use a brush, rather than risking an adverse reaction.”

“I plan to.” Taze nodded. “Just want the preparations done first.”

“I will leave you to it, then.” The Thestral nodded as he spread his wings and flew up to the rafters. “I’ll keep an ear out for any uninvited guests. Make sure you don’t stay up too late, though, human. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Best of luck,” Taze offered with a nod before focusing on his work. It was going to be a long night.

The first thing Shawn felt was a strange sense of cold against his cheek. Actually, his whole body felt cold. Pain throbbed against his skull with every beat of his heart. It was dark, obviously, because he had yet to open his eyes. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to just yet. He remembered the fight, the attack from the Changelings, and … a flying chunk of wood. He would have to focus on that later. For now, he needed to focus on his own body.

He grunted as he moved his arms and pushed himself off the ground before putting his knees underneath himself. Finally, he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. The best he could make out was that he was in a cave of some kind, though it was illuminated by a series of large crystals.

He took a few breaths before taking the inevitable next step to shift himself to his feet. As he placed more weight on his right side, the leg gave out momentarily, leaving him to stumble several steps before crashing into one of the larger crystals around him and propping his now throbbing shoulder against it to hold himself up. Attempting to stand upright unassisted resulted in a flare of intense pain in the lower right section of his back, and he was in no shape to try and reach behind himself to figure out why.

“Come … on,” he growled to himself. “Move. I need to move.” He continued, slowly applying pressure to his right side as he stood himself up. The pain provided clarity and focus. “Come on. Move,” he ordered again as he finally took a few steps.

Scanning the grounds around him, he was barely able to find what appeared to be a path through the stalagmites and crystals. While he attempted to follow the assumed path, his thoughts drifted back once more to the events that had led to his being cast … wherever here was.

The Changelings had attacked him after he was led to a trap. He saw their leader as well. At least, he assumed her to be their leader, though events were slightly blurry. He groaned as he placed a hand on his head. What was it that led there…? What happened before? How did he expose them?

‘The fake Twilight. Right.’ He frowned at the thought. “What about the others? Damn it…. Are they all right?”

He stumbled once more as his right leg wobbled and threatened to give out again. “Come on.” He grit his teeth as he continued to push forward. “I can’t die here. I won’t die here.”

It was faint, a ghost of an echo, but it rang and resonated with the crystals, and thus in Shawn’s ears. The hint of a voice, and a nagging, almost maniacal laugh.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way, Twilight?”

“No, but as long as we keep going up, we have to reach the opening they used to sneak through the barrier in the first place. Don’t worry, Cadance, I promise. We’ll get there in time to stop all of this.”

“We have to be careful, Twilight. The Changeling Queen’s magic was strong enough to overpower mine. And she’s had days to feed off of Shining Armor since then. She won’t be an easy target.”

Shawn grit his teeth as he contemplated the voices. It could have been a clever trap laid out to lead him astray. But … he was already as good as dead either way. He took a few breaths to brace himself, then inhaled as much as possible. His side seared with pain as the flesh around the wound that was doubtless there shifted with the movement of his diaphragm. He grit his teeth through it and bellowed at the top of his lungs. “Twilight!” The pain from the breathing was nothing compared to the explosion that followed his expulsion. He fell to his knees, and his hands scraped the uneven floor as he panted, grit his teeth, and yelled again. “I need help!”

The crystals rang again, this time with a deeper tone as his voice carried and reverberated again and again. It took a full five minutes before the response came back.

“What was that?”

A gasp followed. “Lord Shawn!”

“Twilight, wait! It might be a trick.”

“Cadance, he’s not a Pony. He’s not even from our world. I don’t think the Changelings can take his form.”

“Ex Divinia etiam,” he muttered as he thought things over. Proof would speed things along. “The glamour spell you cast over me at the fitting room! She didn’t notice I was the wardrobe!” he called out, taking several breaths as he groped for the next piece of evidence he could use. He had to stay awake. He had to keep his mind moving. Otherwise, the darkness would close in again. He reached toward his back, but his arm trembled as he did so, and he nearly lost his balance. His hand smacked heavily against the floor as the tremors began to shudder over his body.

“Shawn!” In her exuberance, the mare had dropped the noble title. The rapid beating of hooves echoed through the cavern.

“Twilight, wait!”

“If you can hear me, call again!” Twilight shouted. “Help us find you!”

“I can’t,” he choked as his voice failed him. “Come on, … one more time,” he muttered, trying to psych himself up for it. “I’m—!” Before he could utter the word ‘here’, the rest of his breath came out as a haggard groan of pain. His side flared up again. This time however, he couldn’t push through it as he exhaled harshly, taking short gasps before his arms wobbled and finally failed him, and he collapsed onto the floor.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Every blink felt so slow. It was harder and harder to force his eyelids open again. The steady rhythm, the reverberation of thudding hooves. Thudding, thudding, thudding in such a steady beat. The short gasps punctuated the silence between those thuds as the blackness ate away at the edges of his vision piece by piece. Focus flagged as the distinct staccato of the clops became a muddled river of sound, and then white noise washing over him. He managed one last final groan before his strength failed him utterly and he fell clawing into that dark abyss.

Taze tightened the straps on his pauldrons one last time. What he’d been given was a blue sweater with several small plates across the front with a steel kind of belt-like harness around the waist. Beyond that, he wore surprisingly well tailored pants that had been given several carefully shaped plates across the front. The harness around the waist connected to two large pauldrons at his shoulders with additional spaulders and bracers made of boiled leather covering his arms. He wore his original gloves and boots, however. The smiths were unable to get the hang of either in time. Additionally, at the request of one of the Thestrals, he’d been given a bandoleer loaded with the closest thing they could get to throwing blades. They were handleless knives, basically, but they were weighted well enough for throwing. He looked at Matthew with a grim smile as he tested the fit.

Matthew smiled grimly in turn. “You look terrifying,” he said as he finished dressing in the armor provided. It looked more like a more Romanesque breastplate formed from plated boiled leather that looked like it had been welded together. A plated metal kilt over a pair of leather pants offered protection for his thighs. There was no need for footwear, since he had his combat boots. Rather than the familiar gold of the Solar Guard armor, a simple burnished steel served to protect them. The breastplate had an eagle etched into it that looked similar to the great seal of the United States. He couldn’t help but wonder how they might have gotten ahold of it in the first place. There was only one potential explanation he could think of. “I think Luna was in my dreams,” he announced as he pointed to the design on his breastplate.

He moved to the helmet next. It lacked the usual space for the guards’ plume, leaving something more akin to a medieval helm as he strapped it on. When the helmet was properly situated, he nodded and moved to push his glasses up his nose, only to stop in surprise as his hand hit a solid wall. It was invisible, but it was clearly there. “Taze, … the helmet has a forcefield for my face.” Carefully set gems in his armor glowed with the charge of mana to help maintain the field. Along with the armor, the Ponies had been kind enough to include a trainee short sword to act as a final line of defense. They had also included a loop in the sword belt to place his K-bar. Finally, he nodded and turned to face his friend. “So? How do I look?”

“You look like you’ll last a bit out there.” Taze chuckled. “Let's hope this all works out.”

“You doubt the craftsmanship?” Moonshade asked with eyebrow raised as she fixed her helmet on her head. The dark blue polished metal shone sinisterly in the light. A saber was buckled to her side, and a tomahawk was strapped to her chest.

“No. I'm just being realistic,” Taze said. “Go into battle thinking you will live, and you will surely die. Go into battle recognizing that you may die, and you will surely live.”

“But I will be relying on your armor totally,” Matthew started. “We take this one moment at a time.” He grinned. “Did you relay that I wasn’t feeling well, like I asked?”

“Yes. Over an hour ago,” Moonshade noted.

“Which means the fun will begin in about….” Taze counted down from five with one hand and then pointed toward the door, which received a harsh knock.

“Who's there?” Moonshade asked.

“Corporal Flurry. Princess Celestia dispatched me to escort a healer to tend to the human.”

Matthew gave a very convincing groan and grumbled to Moonshade to stop the noise or he’d lose his cookies again.

“Permission to enter?”

“What is the command code for today, corporal?” Moonshade asked.

“Ma’am, that information wasn’t shared with me. All I know is I’m acting on Princess Celestia’s orders to escort.”

“And I am acting on Princess Luna’s orders not to act without the correct authorization,” Moonshade stated. “No command code, no entry.”

“Please,” a mare’s voice called. “Won’t you at least let me leave some remedies for the human to try? You can retrieve them after we depart. I just want my patient to be well.”

“Leave them in front of the door and leave, then,” Moon shade said, making extra effort to sound unsuspecting but annoyed and ending with an overdramatic sigh.

The sound of clinking vials rang like milk bottles. “Permission to be dismissed?” the corporal asked through the door.

“Leave, Corporal, before I strangle you with your own tail!” Moonshade barked.

The sound of retreating hoofbeats echoed from the hall.

“For being a race of shapeshifters, you’d think they’d be better at acting,” she said in a whisper. “Four sets of hooves approached, and only one set left. They’re waiting for us to open the door and retrieve the ‘medicine.’”

“So, then, we wait?” Taze asked.

Matthew nodded and kept his mouth shut as he slowly got down on the ground and crawled to a good spot, raised his crossbow, and pointed it at the door.

Moonshade nodded. “As long as we can. Then,” she looked grimly at the door, “we give them Tartarus.”

Twilight Sparkle, the bearer of the element of magic, noble daughter of the Solar Court, and sister to Captain Shining Armor of the Royal Guard was racing as fast as her hooves could carry her across the stone floor. The bedraggled Princess Cadance trailed behind with a concerned look on her face.

“Twilight, slow down!”

Twilight shook her head. “If I slow down, he could die. You heard him. You heard what happened! He could be injured. He could be bleeding! He could be—”

Cadance leaped in front of the mare. “Twilight! Calm down. If this friend of yours is in trouble, and it really is him, then we’ll help him. But if you don’t move more carefully, you’re liable to get yourself killed. This is a mine, after all, and a very old one at that. We’ll run where it’s safe, but when it’s time to turn corners or enter a dark cavern, we need to slow down and take in our surroundings. We don’t want to get trapped in a cave-in.”

“But—”

“Deep breaths, Twilight.” The mare laid a scuffed hoof on the mare’s back and rubbed it back and forth. “You’re the smartest mare I know. If we’re going to find him safe and sound, you’ll figure out how to do it.”

It took a few moments for the mare to catch her breath. The presence of her favorite foal sitter helped immensely. She was still worried, but her friend was right. Running blindly would only get them lost. She had to think. What did she know about navigating caverns and cave systems? “There are some species of creatures that navigate through echolocation,” Twilight mused. “I talked with some of the Thestrals about it once after Princess Luna came back.”

“And?”

“Well, … this whole cavern is filled with gems and crystals.”

“And?”

“That means that they can resonate. They attuned to the fake you when she taunted me in the cavern. If she can use that connection to find us when she’s back up in Canterlot Castle, then maybe I can use it to find him down here!”

Cadance smiled. “See? Smartest mare I know.”

“I’ll still have to be careful about it,” Twilight said with a frown. “If her magic is still connected to these crystals, she might feel what I’m doing and try to stop me.”

“Then what if I give her a target?”

“Cadance, no! That’s too dangerous!”

“And what you’re suggesting isn’t? Shining would never forgive me if I let something happen to his little sister. If Chrysalis’ magic isn’t there, then there’s no harm. And if it is and she tries to lash out, I’ll be better equipped to handle it. Either way, this is our best option to find him quickly. If this lord really is in danger, then we have to take the risk.” Cadance’s horn glowed a bright blue. “I trust you, Twilight. And I believe in you. Will you believe in me?”

Twilight didn’t trust herself to speak. She nodded as tears swam in her eyes and her horn ignited. Together, the two touched their horns to the crystal walls and let their magic spider out in tendris. Each crystal their power touched changed shade and hue to take on purple or blue auras as the mares’ magic passed through the cave network.

The spell was a curious blend of projection and scrying pulled into one. Throughout the journey, Twilight could perceive the world surrounded in a purple hue as her awareness raced along the paths of the cave system. Faster and faster her magic flowed. She snaked past Cadance’s touch, having known that familiar mana for years. There was something else there. But what she perceived was not an aura of magic, but rather a lack thereof. The magic in the air surrounded the shape, but the shape itself was a dark void. And it was crumpled on the cave floor.

Twilight’s thought snapped back like the crack of a whip as she pulled herself free of the cave walls. She turned quickly to Cadance, where the blue tendrils of her magic were slowly being herded back by that malevolent green.

“Cadance, that’s enough! I’ve got what we need. Break it off!” Twilight raced to her foal sitter’s side and thrust against the Alicorn’s side. Her horn jostled, and an almost electric spark jumped off the crystal wall to her horn. Then she gasped as her eyes came back into focus and the green consumed what little of the blue remained.

“Did you … find what you need?” Cadance huffed.

Twilight nodded, even as the Cadance that was not Cadance appeared on the wall and tutted.

“Ah, ah, ah. Naughty naughty,” she chided. “Did you really think I was going to make it that easy for you?”

“We will get out of here, Chrysalis. And when we do, you’ll regret ever coming to Canterlot,” Cadance said.

Chrysalis chuckled. “By the time you get out, there won’t be a Canterlot left for me to regret.” She sneered. “I think the castle would make for a lovely hive. Don’t you? And Shining Armor will make a perfect drone. A queen can never have enough consorts, you know.”

The ghost of the Changeling’s laughter carried exultantly through the air as Cadance’s hoof smashed against the crystal surface, shattering the Changeling queen’s image. “I won’t let that happen,” she said through clenched teeth. Then, as her head drooped, she spoke more softly. “I can’t….”

Twilight laid a supportive hoof on Cadance’s side. “We’ll make it,” she promised. “Let’s get Lord Shawn. Then we’ll gather our forces and get out of this place.”

Cadance nodded. “I wasn’t able to chart far, but I got far enough to make her take notice. Lead the way. I’ll follow. Then I can guide us through what I saw.”

This time, the race was not the frantic charge of one consumed with emotion, but rather the confident strides of one who knew where they were going. Room after room, cave after cave, Twilight followed the trail her magic had laid for them until they finally reached the chamber where Shawn’s body lay and gasped.

The human was crumpled on the floor, his eyes closed. His face was a pale white, and his back and coat were dyed a sticky red that seeped like ichor from the wound where a black object protruded.

“Shawn!” Twilight ran toward the body. “Shawn, can you hear me? Shawn!” She nudged his face. The skin felt cold to the touch, but her keen ears heard the faint gasps of his breath. She looked up frantically at Cadance. “He’s alive!” Her horn glowed brighter to give a better view of the human’s condition. “Help me!”

Cadance approached quickly. Her own face appeared to have paled, though whether it was a trick of the light or simply the change in her demeanor was difficult to tell. “I … I don’t know if we can do very much here, Twilight,” she said softly. “I … I don’t know what to do….” She began to shake. “What do I do? Mother….” Her pupils and irises shrank as she stared off into the distance, as though she weren’t even there in the cave anymore. Tears pattered against the cave floor.

“Cadance!” Twilight raced up to the mare, but no matter how she called, the mare wouldn’t answer. Twilight had read about these reactions before, but she had never expected to see a traumatic flashback from her foal sitter of all people. There was only one way to guide her out of it. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake,” she began with the traditional cadence, clopping her hooves in time and crouching down to cover her eyes as they had for so many years when she was a filly. Cadance blinked slowly at that as her eyes pulsed. “Clap your hooves….” Twilight raised Cadance’s hoof to tap her own. “And do a little shake.”

“T-Twilight…?”

“I’m here, Cadance. Let’s do it again. You remember the motions, don’t you?” She smiled at the mare who had loved her like a sister for so many years. “Sunshine sunshine,” she began again. This time, Cadance joined in.

“Ladybugs awake,” she said uncertainly as she lowered her head.

The two spoke together as they completed the ritual. “Clap your hooves and do a little shake.” Like an exorcism, the two chanted together once more, pushing through the motions until Cadance was finally back in the present. She breathed slowly. “Thank you, Twilight. I … I don’t know what happened.”

“We can talk about that later. Can you help Shawn?” Twilight guided Cadance back toward the human’s limp body.

Cadance swallowed heavily as she looked over the carnage. “I don’t know enough about his anatomy to be able to heal him, even if I had a strong enough spell to do the job. And that fight with Chrysalis weakened me. I won’t be able to do much.”

“We can’t just leave him like this.”

Cadance nodded. “I know. You’re right. But without proper knowledge of his anatomy, I don’t know how best to help him. We could kill him if we’re not careful. We need guidance from someone who knows how to treat him.”

“We don’t have anyone like that!”

“Yes, we do.” Cadance looked down at Shawn. “Twilight, I need you to hold him steady in your magic. Do you understand? We can’t afford to let him hurt himself.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Try to bring him back to consciousness. He’s the only one that can help us right now.”

Twilight hesitated for a moment, then nodded grimly as her horn lit up and her magical aura surrounded the human’s body. A few moments later, Cadance shook herself and gathered her will before lowering her horn to the human’s forehead.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “This is probably going to hurt.” And then her power arced from her horn into the man’s skull.

Shawn grunted in pain as his eyes opened weakly.

“Shawn?” Cadance asked. “That is your name, isn’t it?”

Shawn slowly looked Cadance over. “Yeah,” he muttered softly.

“We don’t have much time. I brought you back, but I won’t be able to keep you coherent for long. You’ve been stabbed in the back, and I don’t have sufficient knowledge of your anatomy to treat you. I need you to tell me all you can about emergency procedures for your species as quickly as possible.”

After a few seconds he exhaled. “I’d be dead already if it was anything vital…” He took a breath. “Best bet,” he took a moment to muddle through his thoughts. “Is to remove whatever’s there and seal the wound.”

Cadance shook her head. “We can’t close it. We have neither the tools nor the knowledge of your anatomy to perform that sophisticated a spell successfully, let alone operate to close it.”

After a few seconds, Shawn looked her dead in the eyes. “Do you know any fire-based magic?”

Cadance nodded. “We do.”

“Pull it out,” he took a breath. “And sear the wound shut.”

“Are you crazy?” Twilight objected.

“I’m dying.” Shawn gave a weak smile. “It is a severe solution, but ... it’s all I have.”

“Twilight,” Cadance said gravely. “It’s either this or he has no chance at all.” She closed her eyes and shuddered, most likely to shake off the remnants of the vision she had experienced. “On the count of three, I need you to pull out whatever that thing is with your magic while still keeping Shawn restrained. After, I’ll move in with the spell before his blood has a chance to pool in the wound.”

“Hold me steady,” Shawn added as he closed his eyes, bracing himself the best he could.

“One.” Twilight braced herself. “Two.” Cadance charged up her horn. “Three!”

The spike yanked with incredible force, crashing into the high ceiling and clattering to the floor before skittering to a spinning stop. The torn fabric that had been thrust in with it soon pulled out, leaving Cadance the opening she needed as her horn unleashed a blue flame that was carefully concentrated. She plunged her horn at the wound. Steam and smoke hissed as the smell of roasting flesh assaulted both equines’ nostrils. Shawn hissed, then opened his mouth as the involuntary scream forced itself out of his throat.

And then, mercifully, it was done. Cadance drew back with a wan face as Twilight released her hold on Shawn and waited while the human’s chest heaved.

Shawn calmed his breathing as best he could before clenching his hand into a fist. After a moment, he raised his arm, placing his fist on the ground as he pulled himself up onto his knees. As he settled, he reached up and wiped his forehead. “Gods, … that sucked.”

“Are you all right?” Cadance asked. “Can you stand?”

“Yeah. Just, give me a second.” Shawn gave a nod. After a moment he pushed himself onto his feet, wobbling briefly before he widened his stance. “Lightheaded. I’ll probably be fine for now. Thank you.”

Cadance eyed his right leg suspiciously, then strode to his side. “Use me for support until you can get your full strength back. The damage to your side is likely still going to give you trouble.”

“I’ll be fine for now. Honestly, the pain is waking me up right now.” Shawn shook his head. “It’s … one hell of a motivator. If I need your help, I’ll ask. Don’t worry.”

“Do you feel well enough to climb?”

“Won’t know until the time comes.”

“Then we’d better get moving. We don’t know how much time is left before the ceremony. Twilight, can you guide us back along the trail you took to get us here? I should be able to guide us from there, at least for a time.”

Twilight nodded. “This way.”

The rhythmic thunk and chop of blade against wood hacked away at the three occupants’ ears. Now that guile had failed, brute force had become the Changelings’ only recourse. Moonshade crouched at the ready while the door shook and vibrated. Then came the sound that filled the room with dread, the familiar ring of magic at work. A green aura surrounded the hinges. The metal screeched as it slowly pulled out of the sockets. Finally, the metallic ping rang as they pulled free. With a final blow, the door came crashing down.

Matthew pulled the trigger of the crossbow, and the first changeling was hit in the left eye as the illusion failed. The Changeling fell to the left, lifeless as the hinges they had just removed. Next, Matthew rolled out of a magic blast and tried to load another bolt. As the next Changeling poked through to walk in over the body of its companion, Taze struck out with a sweep of his blade, only to strike an angle between the chitin plates instead, causing the blade to bounce off. He growled and managed to jam the shorter blade in with his other hand, though the effort left the hand numb. The changeling landed on top of its comrade, leaving only one left to kill.

Moonshade charged the gap and managed to catch the last changeling off guard, slitting its throat with a well-practiced slash of her saber. She pulled the twitching Changeling into the room, leaving it to die there, then checked the hallways carefully before nodding.

“It’s clear. Let's go!” she said as she took point.

Matthew had his next bolt loaded by the time the other two had made their kills. “Let’s get rid of these bugs,” he said darkly. Despite the bravado, a slight tremor in his voice betrayed the shock and fear he was combatting as they began the campaign that would truly be a fight for their lives. He moved slowly, using the walls for cover as he kept an eye on their surroundings.

“You okay?” Taze asked as they moved. He sheathed his short blade and kept a throwing knife ready in his off hand.

“I just killed for the first time in my life, Taze. I haven’t even hunted before…. And here, I killed a living, thinking being. I … I think I know why we dehumanize our enemies now. It makes it a lot easier to pull the trigger.” He swallowed heavily and moistened his lips. “But it’s either we kill them or they take us out.”

“We’re fighting for more than ourselves here,” Taze reminded him, gesturing to Shawn’s sword. He wasn’t willing to leave it for someone to take, so he’d tied the sheath to his back, instead.

“And that’s why I’m trying not to panic. But when this battle’s over, I am going to freak out. I know I am. I just … don’t know how much yet.”

“That's fair.” Taze clapped his friend on the back. “Now let's follow the Thestral.”

“I am,” Matthew rumbled. “Someone’s got to watch our backs.”

Daylight shone from the cavern entrance after an impassioned musical number that sounded … curiously one-sided carrying through the caves. The purpose of the song seemed to be two-fold. First, a means to vent her emotions, and secondly as a means to tie their magic to the song and let the soundwaves chart a course to the cavern’s entrance. Twilight explained the phenomenon briefly as something the Ponies call heartsong, an expression of harmony that binds the lifeforms of Equestria together.

However, Shawn didn’t have time to focus on that, thanks to the convenient approach of three clearly brainwashed bridesmaids whose eyes were all glowing green. Shawn was definitely starting to see a pattern there….

“You’d think they’d make it less obvious,” Shawn muttered as he widened his stance, bringing his fists up.

“Wait!” Cadance shouted as she produced a bouquet of flowers and shook it in front of the mares. Two of them eyed it hungrily before it was flung off into the shadows of a cavern.

The twin cries of, “I want it!” rang in stereo, but the middle bridesmaid stared with wide eyes at the sight of the human. Her body trembled. An unhealthy smile curved her lips as she bared her teeth in a manic grin and began to shake in place.

“Human. It’s a, it’s a … a … human!” She lunged, giggling like a madwoman as the green light in her eyes flickered and buzzed.

Thankfully, Shawn was prepared for something along those lines, though he was anticipating more hostile intent in a lunge. He sidestepped the mare easily. “You know, now is really not the time.”

She giggled all the more and lunged again.

“We need to sedate her,” Twilight said. “She’s not in her right mind!”

“Apologies will have to come later,” Shawn muttered as he clenched his fists. Once the mare was within range, he sprung into action. He pulled his left arm closer to his chest and rotated his body, drew back, then released a powerful right hook. In slow motion, it would have played out very much like cartoon physics. The mare’s jaw pushed one way from the force while the rest of her body twisted and spun as a result of her own momentum contributing to the collision and increasing the impact. Her legs flailed like the appendages of a ragdoll as she lost consciousness and skidded to a stop.

“Damn it.” Shawn grimaced as he shook his hand. “That’s not pleasant.”

“Is … is she going to be all right?” Twilight asked.

Cadance rushed over to Lyra and waved her horn over the mare.

“She’s still breathing,” Shawn remarked as he clenched his hand a few times. “Trust me, I’m not strong enough to do that. Given your anatomy, my fist was likely to break before I’d break anything on you.”

Cadance nodded in confirmation. “She’ll have a nasty headache, and some bad bruising under her fur, but she’ll definitely live.”

“Then we don’t have a moment to waste,” Twilight said quickly. “We have to get to the wedding!”

“Lead the way.” Shawn gestured forward.

The trio blinked in the midday sun as their eyes adjusted to the sudden transition to take in their surroundings. Topiary and grass wove together to conceal their presence. And when they looked back to the hole from which they had emerged, there was only the appearance of a perfectly maintained patch of lawn. The many buildings and estates of Canterlot and its residents and businesses lunged at the sky while the steady flow of water and the dim roar of the falls indicated just how close to the castle and wedding hall the three really were.

“Well this explains a lot,” Twilight said. “No wonder they were able to infiltrate the castle.”

“I suppose the cavern entrance would have been too difficult to widen for a proper assault,” Cadance agreed. She looked frantically toward the wedding hall. “We haven’t much time. Shawn, I have to ask you to rally as much of the Guard as you can. If there’s anyone you know you can trust, find them, and have them spread the word to move on the wedding hall. I’ll do everything I can to stall until you can get there.”

“You’re not about to face her alone,” Twilight insisted. “That’s my brother she’s threatening.”

Shawn sighed. “That, and the Guard doesn’t exactly look at me in a good light. Given our arrival, we’ve been mostly to ourselves. Best I could get might be some of the Lunar Guard, who are likely already fighting or preparing to fight.”

“That’s better than nothing. At least you can tell them the target.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Shawn frowned. “Given our position, I think I know where the forges are. I’ll have to equip myself first.” He patted his left side where his sword would have been.

“Don’t push yourself too far,” Cadance warned. “We still have to get that wound tended.”

“I’ll try. But given the current state of emergency, I don’t think I’m going to find a doctor able to take the time to help me.”

“Then … I suppose all that’s left to say is good luck,” Cadance said. “And … thank you for believing Twilight.”

“Given what I had heard about you and what she said about you, it added up easily that something was wrong. That, and Princess Luna warning us about the Changelings in the first place helped.” Shawn gave a nod. “Be safe, all right?”

“As safe as we can be denouncing the villain.” Cadance smiled. Then she nodded and turned toward the hall. “Come on, Twilight. We have to hurry!”

Twilight gave a quick hug around Shawn’s good leg. “Thank you,” she said. Then she, too, turned and raced after her future sister-in-law.

Shawn gave a soft sigh as he looked skyward. At first, he thought the black specks swimming in his vision were just the result of light damage. But as he squinted at the great bubble overhead, he could just perceive the barest hints of ripples spreading like rocks striking a pond. First a few, then a few more, and then a veritable cloud of them swarming, switching, and striking in turn to maintain their strength.

The enemy really was making their move. And they were legion.

“Oh, shi—”

Matthew glanced behind him as he followed Moonshade and Taze through the corridors. They’d taken out a few more of the Changelings, but been lucky enough so far to go relatively undetected. They slipped into a windowed hallway, and Matthew gaped at the sight of the great pink dome above. “They’re attacking the dome!” he hissed.

“Well, if Shining Armor’s weak enough, they might be able to break through,” Taze acknowledged. “At this point, they’re the battering ram.”

Matthew frowned. “Then we should pick up the pace.” He sighed. “I just wish we knew how many are in the castle grounds themselves. That would make this a lot easier.”

“Let's hope Luna knows what to do, then,” Taze said. He kept his sword drawn and his eyes alert. “Which way?” he asked Moonshade.

The Thestral didn’t say anything in response, and just darted down another corridor.

Matthew waited for Taze to follow, then took up the rear with his crossbow at the ready, should a bolt be needed. As they passed a doorway, the wood burst open, and two Changelings tried to charge. Matthew fired, cracking the first Changeling’s chitin hard around the hole in its hoof as it passed through to strike the second opponent in the barrel. It hissed, reared and lashed in the air, then stiffened and fell dead. The Changeling with the damaged hoof charged, and Matthew drew the short sword and plunged it at the same time the Changeling lunged at him. The weight of the charge thrust the pommel into Matthew’s chest, knocking the wind out of his diaphragm. The fang-filled mouth was inches from his face. Matthew’s arms shook as the body’s weight drew the blade to the floor. Taze seized the handle and yanked it out of the drone’s body, trailing the same green ichor.

“Thank you, Taze,” Matthew muttered. “I should see if I can recover my bolt.”

Taze shook his head and pointed to his wrist. Matthew nodded and silently moved to work at cranking his next bolt into place while Moonshade provided overwatch.

“”Keep an eye on your six,” Taze noted as they moved. “That could have gone badly.”

Matthew nodded sharply and resumed his vigil as they turned down another hallway to reach a more familiar corridor.

“Are we close?” he asked Moonshade.

She nodded. “We should be. The Changelings have been fewer down this corridor. It seems like the princess may be sending out cleanup patrols.”

Matthew smiled. “Then we meet up with the princess and see where we can throw our weight about.”

“Best keep your eyes open then, human. The princess is said to be more like a natural disaster than a warrior,” Moonshade said with a somewhat awed look on her face.

“You’ve seen her in combat before?” He smirked. “Sounds like the third army in World War Two. Or a battle carrier group.”

As if to punctuate that statement, a very large body flew through a nearby pillar, kicking up dust and shattered stone. When it settled, a massive Changeling lay dead and still twitching inside the crater that had formed in the pillar. There was the casual sound of hooves on stone as Luna walked around the corner dressed from head to toe in familiar blue armor. The massive war hammer was held casually in her magical grip.

“Damn,” Taze swore with wide eyes as he took in the sheer destruction that one blow had wrought.

“I agree,” Matthew said. “That was good!” He grinned in relief as good humor replaced anxiety.

“Good to see you’ve made it. Come quickly. Let's get you inside. My captain is already prepared to explain the plan,” Luna told them as she approached, gesturing to a spot between the pillars that appeared to be a sheer stone wall.

Matthew nodded as he followed behind the princess. “Good. I’d rather not go off and do something without an update on intel. We already took out about … six to seven Changelings between the three of us.”

“We killed any we came across, my princess,” Moonshade clarified with a bow.

“Very good. Though it seems there will be plenty of fun for all of us soon,” Luna noted, gesturing upwards.

“How long can it hold out?” Matthew asked. “That is the main situation on time.”

“I don’t know,” Luna admitted as she shepherded them toward the stone face, pushing them against it and then through it to what might have been a decent sized room, had it not been filled with Thestrals, cots, and supplies. The supplies were being hoofed over to others as each hastily sought to place them in their necessary locations before standing at attention for their princess.

In the middle was a table with odds and ends that a trio of Thestrals were working on.

“Good sandbox,” Matthew said as he observed the setup. Figures of plastic beetles were intermingled with tin soldiers standing in for the Thestrals alongside a gem that most likely represented Luna. Two tin Minotaurs were hastily removed from a bag to add to the scenario, now that the two humans had been successfully escorted. Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

“All right, you lot of whelps, ready up!” Luna shouted in a harsh tone to all the troops. Despite the fervor with which they moved to assemble, there was nothing but smiles on their faces. “Now Canterlot has a bug problem, and we all know those pompous oafs in gold plating are too fancy to stomp some bugs. So I hope none of you got yourselves ‘dolled up’ in your fancy dresses and best horseshoes, because it looks like we’re going to be getting dirty today.” She grinned at the warriors and raised her hammer above her head as a banner and a salute. “HOORAH!”

Matthew was surprised to hear something so close to the Marine shout from back on Earth. Although it was not the same as the Equines, it seemed only fitting to Matthew to call out the Army equivalent from home. “HOOAH!”

“The solar guards are counts’ sons, knights’ sons, or barons’ sons. Their professions are sitting on their plots and letting others make money for them. Thestrals! What is your profession?”

“Warriors!” they shouted.

The enthusiasm carried Matthew out in a riptide as he shouted, “Citizen Soldier!”

“Now you give your ears to the captain, and Sleipnir's flaming beard help you if I find even one of you out of line. You’ll all sit in the corner while I take the fun.” With that, Luna turned her attention to the grizzled one-eyed Thestral near the map.

“All right, idiots,” Night Shade began, “here’s—” He was unfortunately cut off as a wave of magic crashed through the area and the sound of something shattering into massive bits above them filled the air.

“Report!” Luna called to a nearby guard who sped out and returned moments later.

“The shield’s down, ma’am! Changelings are swarming in!”

“”Well, looks like the plan’s out the window. Lunar guard, get your weapons and follow me!” Luna shouted, then turned to leave the room.

Matthew took enough time to restock on bolts, then followed grimly behind. Taze Followed his friend, trying his best to keep him in sight amongst the crowd of moving Thestrals. He’d never seen Matthew like this before.

Shawn growled as he pushed himself off the wall. While he was good at hiding it, he was definitely dealing with anemia. Every now and then, the world would spin beneath him, resulting in stumbling clumsily to a nearby wall. He wasn’t making progress like he wanted to. At the very least, he needed to equip himself and find Matthew and Taze.

Though it took some time, he did eventually find his way to the forges. The door, however, was either locked or barricaded. He couldn’t tell just by pushing against it. After glancing around once more, he raised his voice. “Hello? Storm Hammer, Steel Weaver, you in there?”

Following a few moments of silence, he sighed. “Of course not. High priority targets. They’re probably being guarded somewhere else,” he muttered.

There was a chance he could bash his way in, though. Considering the situation, he was certain they’d understand. And if they didn’t, then he’d probably be able to pay for it using some of the funds the nobles had given him as peace offerings. With that decision made, he lined up his shoulder against the door and prepared himself. While it would be optimal to kick the barrier, he didn’t trust his coordination there, given the location of his injury and the damage too much stress to that area could cause. As such, it fell to using his height and weight instead.

After taking a few preparatory breaths, he backed off, then rammed into the door. Surprisingly, the door groaned under the assault, an effect he hadn’t expected from a single blow. Then came the pain. He clenched his teeth as his shoulder and the muscles around the right side of his lower back both screamed their protests. Shawn knew he didn’t have the time to nurse those areas, though. He gritted his teeth and pulled back again. This time, he gave himself a little more distance and put his all into the charge. The door cracked as he burst through, breaking the metal bolt as the door slammed open. He stumbled in surprise at how the barrier had broken after only his second attempt. He barely managed to catch himself and avoid stumbling head-first into one of the forges.

As he had surmised, the chambers were completely empty. He sighed and rubbed his shoulder absently against the pain he knew would bruise in due time. Fortunately, he still remembered the way to Steel Weaver’s personal workspace. He doubted his armor would be finished, but whatever was there would at least be something he could use, assuming he could find something that fit.

He found several pieces of plate armor. Of course, they were only pieces made separate from one another and held together by leather straps. He frowned as he looked over the pieces. They’d cover anything essential in his center of mass, but his limbs would only be partially covered. “Better than nothing,” he murmured

Pulling up the pieces that made up the chestpiece, he began the process of strapping them on, ensuring they wouldn’t slip. Next came the bracers, followed by some plating for his thighs and greaves for his shins. Overall, it was barely anything in comparison to the standard armor of even the Solar Guard, but he would make do with what he could. Frankly, in his condition, he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle a full set of armor anyway.

Once he ensured everything was strapped down, he looked over the weapons that were completed on the nearby racks. It didn’t take him long to find the one Steel Weaver had him look over initially Thankfully, the smith had his finished products neatly organized, including the sheath for the blade. Ensuring it was sharpened, he took the sheath and strapped it roughly around his waist. Then he snatched a dagger that had been left on one of the worktables still in its sheath and attached it to the sword belt just above his left leg beneath his coat.

Looking over the sword, he took a breath and sighed. “No mercy,” he spoke to himself, sheathing the sword as he turned to leave. He tried to pull the main forge door closed behind him. Though it proved difficult, he eventually managed to get it into mostly the right place. He shook his head to clear his thoughts as the sound of hooves clopping on the floor grew louder, most likely in response to the break-in. Whoever it was probably went for reinforcements first.

He frowned as he unsheathed the sword and dagger, holding the dagger in his offhand, then turned to face the direction of the approaching force.

Four familiar figures galloped into sight. They didn’t notice him at first. They seemed to be performing a systematic sweep of the area. When they did notice him, however, they charged. Realizing the position he was in, Shawn ducked lower and braced for their assault. He managed to get the sword into the bottom of one to split it down the center, but nearly pulled his arm getting the sword out as the attacker’s momentum yanked the sword after it. Another, he managed to stab in the neck with the dagger. The third banked and attempted to stab him, but a quick dodge to the side saved him from repeating the events with Chrysalis before the caves. He ran the dagger blade across the Changeling’s throat until he felt something warm on his hand. He didn’t allow himself to focus on what he left behind. The final Changeling came at him from behind, only to impale itself against the sword blade as Shawn spun the weapon around.

“Four,” Shawn growled as he flicked the ichor off both blades. He didn’t grab anything to clean them, but if push came to shove, he’d grab whatever the previous Changelings were wielding and use them to move forward instead.

For now, he needed to find Matthew and Taze. Maybe Luna if he could. She’d have a general idea of where everyone probably was. Looking out of the nearby window to determine how the shield was holding up, he was very much surprised to find it completely gone already. The swarm was fully invading.

“Used as bait, and the outcome went to hell. Delightful.” He rolled his eyes before pressing on.

Shawn growled as he continued on his path toward the shared living quarters the princesses had provided for them. He would either run into his friends there or he would need to redirect his path toward Luna’s room and see if he could at least catch one of the Night Guards near there.

He scanned over his environment once again as he moved, ensuring that there was nothing he didn’t take in, even looking above himself to make sure none of the Changelings were trying to keep out of his view for a sneak attack. The creatures could have been anywhere.

He finally found a familiar figure dressed in blue armor patrolling the area near their shared apartment with crescent glaive at the ready.

“Crescent? Oh,” Shawn exhaled. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“Oh! Where have you been?” Crescent asked with wide eyes. “The city is under attack. We heard you’d been taken.”

Shawn chuckled, then winced as his wound stabbed with pain. “Yeah, hard to miss the attack. I was, but I got free with some other prisoners.” He waved off the equine’s concern as he drew closer. “Where are the others?”

“I don’t know. I was left to keep an eye out while the others prepared for the attack.”

“Fair enough,” Shawn replied as he felt a chill go down his spine. “What about the compressor?”

Crescent stopped and gave him a confused look.

“The compressor?” Shawn asked again. “It’s not a priority,” he added casually, even as his heart raced.

“Yeah, the invasion takes priority,” ‘Crescent’ replied, checking the other end of the hall.

“Don’t do this to me…” Shawn commented softly as his hands began to shake.

‘Crescent’ turned toward Shawn. “Don’t do—?”

That was as far as he got. Shawn had reared his foot back and slammed it full force into the fake Crescents throat, resulting in a burst of green magic as the changeling was revealed. The glaive clattered on the floor as the Changeling scrabbled for purchase and air against the pressure as it choked and coughed. “Don’t you dare pull that shit with me!” Shawn roared as his rage boiled over.

He quickly replaced his foot with his hands and pulled the Changeling off the ground, then slammed it against the nearby wall. “What did you do with Crescent?!”

“Thestrals … too dangerous. Taken care of.” The changeling’s horn sparked to life momentarily as it struggled to respond.

Realizing what could potentially happen, Shawn unsheathed the dagger in his offhand and reared his arm back before stabbing it directly into the Changeling's horn. The force of the blow cleaved through the material before embedding the knife into the wall itself.

Shawn grit his teeth as the Changeling’s words reached his mind. It wouldn’t lie, not in this position, and not this sentence. It could have told him that Crescent was still alive, but it told him straight out what was done.

His breathing slowed as he held the screaming changeling against the wall, and his expression shifted to one of cold malice. Looking behind himself, he took note of Crescent’s glaive on the ground, and a plan began to form.

He removed the changeling from the wall and practically threw it onto the floor, disorienting it long enough to retrieve the glaive. If the Changeling was saying anything, it wasn’t reaching Shawn’s ears. Using his foot, he kicked the creature onto its back before taking hold of the glaive in both hands. With nothing stopping him, he sunk it into the changeling’s throat until he felt the blade stop against the floor beneath him.

Shawn took several breaths as he felt the world come back to him. Blood rushed and pumped so fast and loudly in his ears that instead of a roar, he could only hear a distinct ringing. His hands ached from the vibration of the strike and the hard stop as he gripped the shaft tightly.

After taking a moment to finish gathering himself, he stood up and ripped the glaive out of the corpse. He didn’t know how long he stood there looking over the scene. He only noticed what was happening when the sound of metal clashing echoed through the hallway from some nearby fight.

Moving towards the wall, he ripped the dagger out of it and sheathed it once again at his waist. Then he tightened his grip on the glaive again. Any guilt or worry over killing had been burned away by this one savage act of retribution.

“Thirteen,” Shawn tallied as he pressed on toward Luna’s room.

And maybe, he was starting to feel quite up to the task, himself.

“I don’t know how much longer this will hold up,” Taze admitted as he looked at his sword. He could already see small cracks and delamination forming on the metal.

“Grab another sword, then. Please don’t keep using one that’s at risk of breaking,” Matthew snapped, then looked back at Moonshade. The mare had fallen back to be his spotter. They were moving with one of the fringe groups of Thestrals, trying to clear any other part of the castle before they marched on the wedding hall.

“You see swords just lying around?” Taze asked. They’d lost Luna in a mass of visceral body parts and green mist a while ago. The lunar Alicorn had seemingly fallen into a battle rage of sorts.

Matthew didn’t answer as he raised his bow and fired. Another Changeling fell to the ground, its short sword clattering against the stone. “There you go. One extra blade.”

Taze shrugged and grabbed it in his left hand while still wielding the katana in his right. “Try and get me another,” he said.

“Is he using two?” Moonshade asked Matthew as Taze moved up.

“Apparently.” Matthew zipped up to what he thought was an alcove only to realize it was a hallway that had been overlooked. He pressed against the wall and motioned his comrades to his position as the buzzing of Changeling wings heralded the approach of another force. He fired off another bolt as four Thestrals and Moonshade reached his side. He dropped the crossbow as the four charged forward, only for another Changeling to barrel into the remainder of the group, wrecking the drones’ attack formation.

Before any further action could be taken, a familiar figure marched toward them with an ichor-drenched glaive held aloft in his right hand. The back of his coat was soaked with his own blood, while his front had many splotches of green. His expression was cold and calculating as he took in the sight of the Changelings being cut off by the Thestrals. The cuts and blood on his face seemingly meant nothing to him. He continued his march to the downed Changelings and stabbed each one as they struggled to regain their balance. The strike was almost surgical in the sense that it either slit the throat or gouged deeply enough into the insectoids’ torsos with a wound large enough to ensure their death, despite any attempts at healing. So focused was he on this task that he hadn’t even noticed the others.

But that didn’t stop them from noticing him. Matthew’s eyes widened with horror as the desperate cry of, “Medic!” burst from his lips.

A Thestral with a white band over her foreleg approached and spoke in a gentle tone as she kept her distance. “Lord Shawn?” The human stared down at her with a cold expression as his weapon leveled in her face. His knuckles were white as he squeezed the shaft of the glaive. The Thestral maintained eye contact and didn’t flinch. “If you would come this way, we’ll get a field dressing for you.”

“My wounds have been dealt with already,” Shawn remarked, as he raised the glaive to a standing position and propped himself on it.

.

“And I’m the battle medic. I wouldn’t be fulfilling my duty without giving you a once-over. Your friends are in our number. If you would allow it, my examination shouldn’t take long. It can be performed in their presence while the remainder of our squad secures this area of the castle. That weapon won’t do you any good if you push yourself beyond the ability to wield it.”

The more the medic attempted to ease Shawn, the more he found his grip tightening on the glaive.

“Shawn, stop being a stubborn ass and let them look at you,” Taze shouted. “Nobody here’s a god damned Changeling.”

Shawn shifted his attention up, and his cold expression seemed to recede as he finally took notice of both Taze and Matthew. He exhaled, allowing some tension to escape him as he lowered the glaive. “Tibi gratias ago deorum,” he spoke softly. “All right.”

Taze threw an arm around his friend. “I was worried. I thought they killed you.”

Shawn nodded. “It felt like it. I’m just glad you guys are all right.” He followed Taze’s directions to a relatively clean patch along the hall.

Matthew smiled. “It’s good to see the three amigos back together.”

Taze unclipped the sheath on his back with one hand and slid it off, then handed it to Shawn. “I killed the bastard that had this.”

Shawn looked to the sheath with a small smile. Taking hold of it, he positioned it to the other side of his hip and strapped it in before removing the makeshift chestplate at the medic’s instruction.

Once he had removed the pieces covering his torso, he took off his coat and placed it off to the side. The Medic hissed in surprise. “You burned it shut. Brutal, but effective. Magic-based, if I’m not mistaken. But the muscle spasms and movements are starting to crack the seal, so to speak.” She pulled out a bottle and clean cloth. “I’m going to apply a numbing agent. That should cut back the pain. Then I’ll add another salve to keep it from tearing open. It won’t be perfect, but it will serve you far better than what you had before. Then we can get you back out killing.” What was asked next was partly bedmanner and partly the inquiry of one warrior to another. “How many bugs did you get?”

“Twenty-seven,” Shawn replied flatly.

A few of the Thestrals gave some whistles, and the medic grinned. “In that case, you can probably expect to receive some moon berry wine from the princess when this is over. You’ve gotten more kills than some of our best rookies.”

Shawn hummed in response as he allowed the haft of the glaive in his hand to tap against the ground.

The Medic continued to eye the glaive when she had the chance, reaching toward her kit for the necessary materials. “I apologize, but I must ask. How did you get that glaive?”

Shawn sighed heavily as his shoulders slumped, then squared rigidly. “It’s Crescent’s glaive. I stumbled across a Changeling disguised as him.” His grip tightened on the weapon. “I made it talk, but the news was about what you’d expect.”

The murmuring increased as the medic’s brow furrowed. “That is … concerning,” she admitted.

One of the warriors approached with a hard glint in his eyes. “I salute you for honoring his memory, Shawn of Earth. You have avenged him well. And I am certain you will do so many more times over before this battle is ended. However, I must ask this of you. How is it that you are able to wield that glaive? Princess Luna pairs our main weapons to each of us specifically. They cannot be wielded by unauthorized users, though they can be carried. Did you see the bug use it at all? If so, that is a very troubling development, one which our units will have to plan for.”

Shawn shook his head. “Didn’t give it the chance to even use it. It didn’t know the code I established with him.” He paused briefly, then resumed. “So, I acted first.”

The soldier sighed. “Keep using it for revenge on the bugs then. We’ll see about ironing this out later. For the time being, you are the keeper of Crescent’s memory and legacy. Guard them both well.” With that said, the warrior departed to check his fellows and maintain the perimeter they had set up.

As the medic continued her ministrations, Shawn could feel the pain dissipating as the muscles in his back relaxed to ease the tension there. Finally, she nodded and began to pack her tools up. “Okay. You're ready to return to the fight. Given the princess’ directive to watch over you is still in effect, it would be best for you to remain with your companions and Moonshade. It would be safer that way as well, since they are familiar with your tactics, and we are not.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Shawn replied as he started to put everything back on.

“Can someone loan me a second sword or a dagger?” Taze asked the guards. “Doesn’t need to be fancy. I just don’t trust this to last much longer,” he noted as he gestured to his katana.

A few Thestrals laid out some replacements and secondary arms for him to look over and test.

The mare nodded. “You have five more minutes to let the medicine take full effect. Then we need to keep moving.”

Taze managed to find a long sword to replace his katana. Then he stowed the short sword he’d grabbed off the Changeling earlier. Finally, he laid hold of a spare dirk for his left hand. The smaller blade's weight felt better than the other weapons. “Let’s go.”

Matthew nodded while Moonshdae took up his side. “So,” he began, “where do you want to take Shawn?”

“Our objective,” Shawn spoke up, “should be to find the element bearers, who currently have the real Princess Cadance in tow. They’ll need backup. They may be high priority.”

“I’ll do this for Twilight, or for you,” Taze sneered. “The rest of them can rot, for all I care.”

“Do it for the real Cadance,” Shawn replied simply. “Having met her, … I feel bad for her. She also worked alongside the real Twilight to bring me back from Death’s embrace, so there’s that, too.”

Taze stopped and considered his statement for a moment, then nodded slowly. He looked around. “Well, if we’re going off on our own during an invasion with overwhelming numbers, only one thing comes to mind,” he noted, standing straight and loosening his muscles. He looked to shawn. “Leroy?

Moonshade raised an eyebrow. “Leroy?

“Jenkins.” Shawn nodded his approval.

Taze raised both blades and charged ahead. “LEEERRRROOOOYYY!”

Shawn gave a soft smile as he gave the glaive a small spin, happy at his returning dexterity. Looking forward, his expression hardened, and he began his grim march once more, with weapon at the ready.

Matthew sighed. “Come on, Thestral. We need to make sure these two don’t go killing themselves. I’ll explain later.” And with that said, the two ran after the pair to cover them as the search for Twilight and Cadance began.

Matthew tightened his grip on the crossbow. He looked around the location and pursed his lips. “It seems like the Changelings are getting thicker,” he muttered as he looked about to keep an eye on all his friends while counting his lucky stars that he’d managed to hit most of his targets.

“That makes sense.” Taze nodded. “Block off your enemies’ assets with bodies, no?”

“Then we keep clearing them,” Shawn remarked.

Taze made a sweep of the area as they left the relative safety of the palace hallways for the open courtyard. Now they could be attacked from any direction.

The streets were bedlam as green balls of energy hailed from the skies and collided with the cobblestone pavement to leave small craters from which Changeling drones emerged with fangs exposed and predatory hisses. Civilians fled and were herded while those guards that were still themselves struggled and were ultimately restrained by the Changelings’ ichor. A bright purple light flashed like a strobe in the far distance as Changelings were blasted backward by the united force of Pinkie Pie wielding Twilight Sparkle like a mini gun. Rainbow Dash was busy battling other Rainbows while Fluttershy cringed or posed to misdirect her imposters. Rarity used her levitation skills to manipulate various objects and either crash them on Changeling heads or deflect attacks. Applejack used her champion buckers to wreak some serious havoc, cheering all the while in that country exuberance that only a few can pull off successfully.

Taze notedly went for Changelings on the far flank of the group, leaving some distance between himself and the mares as he hacked and slashed clumsily at the crowd. Shawn directed his focus inward toward the six, doing his best to clear a path he could use to help guard and protect them, and possibly provide a way to wherever they were trying to reach. Matthew worked on overwatch, using his crossbow to try and thin the horde of Changelings. A small number of Thestrals accompanied them to keep airborne Changelings from taking them out.

The battle lasted almost an hour, with the remnants of the swarm retreating after the bodies had begun to pile up. When they were at last sure of temporary safety, Taze and Shawn began checking for conscious bodies and either slitting the enemy’s throat or impaled their chests.

“What the hay do you think you’re doing?” Applejack demanded as she raced toward where Shawn was systematically killing each living Changeling one by one and counting each blow.

“Oh, how positively ghastly,” Rarity said as she averted her eyes. Fluttershy shook like a leaf as she whimpered near the twin portals that led into the hall that contained their elements.

“Applejack, wait!” Twilight cried after the mare, but it was already too late.

Shawn turned on a dime when he noticed Applejack’s approach and pointed his glaive directly at her before she could get close. “Not another step,” he growled out before glancing at Twilight. The order that followed was barked swiftly and without regard for rank or title. “Twilight. Confirmation of what happened in the caves?”

“Shawn, she’s real,” Twilight affirmed gently as she approached. “I found you in the caves with Cadance, and she burned your wound shut before we traveled to the entrance outside the castle grounds. You had to knock out Lyra after Cadance distracted the other two bridesmaids.”

Shawn took a moment before nodding and lowering the glaive. “Clear.”

“Good to know. They won’t stab us in the front, so we just need to keep them in front of us,” Taze called back as he kept working.

Twilight raised a confused brow at that comment. “... Okay, if you say so.” She turned to face Applejack. “Are you okay?”

Applejack fixed Shawn with a stinkeye. “Better, now that that thing’s out of my face.”

“Applejack, he just helped repel a massive attack. We don’t have time to bicker. If we don’t move now, we might not be able to get to the elements in time to stop Chrysalis. She nearly killed him. Of course he’s going to fight back now. We may not like it, but it is justified.”

“You're wasting your breath,” Taze called out. “The mob rarely cares about truth or justification.”

“I don’t waste my breath with my friends, Taze,” Twilight snapped back. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but my friends aren’t the enemy here.”

“You ever wonder how far your friends have your back?” Taze asked as he glared at the five. “Because I can tell you with complete and total honesty that the generosity of your friends’ kindness and loyalty is shallow enough to make a teaspoon feel like a swimming pool. It makes me want to keel over with laughter.”

Applejack winced at the verbal assault while the other mares averted their gazes.

“We don’t have time for this,” Shawn spoke up. “Twilight, you said the elements could be used to stop Chrysalis?”

“That’s what Princess Celestia said. The elements were able to purge Princess Luna of all dark magical influence. I don’t care how much love Chrysalis may have consumed. There’s no way it can match that kind of magic.”

“Then let’s move. We don’t have a lot of time before more Changelings come by.”

“I’ll cover you,” Matthew said. “I’m not much good in a direct fight, anyway.”

Moonshade sighed. “The more I follow you three, the less I feel my chances of getting out of this alive.”

“Helping the bearers of the elements of harmony to achieve their objective isn’t such a bad way to go, though, is it?” Matthew retorted with a cheeky grin.

“I suppose not.” Moonshade grinned. “Let's move.”

The doors flung open, but much to the dismay of the Mane Six, the hall was already flooded with the buzzing of angry drones glaring fiercely as their horns ignited. At that moment, the swarm returned in greater numbers to hem them in and harry from all sides. The heroes were completely cut off.

Taze was tired and angry. He didn’t think about it as he charged the swarm, flailing away with his weapons in both hands like a bladed windmill. Shawn, meanwhile, had lined up his weapons and engaged. He was getting severely worn down from all the fighting, and he was almost certain he was feeling heavier than usual.

Matthew swore and fired. The others had practically sealed their fate with their actions. The bolt grazed one of the drones in the shoulder and sent it careening through the air as it reacted to the concoctions that were injected into its bloodstream by the dart’s passing. It eventually crashed into a fountain, where its eyes rolled and it spasmed briefly before falling limply in the shallow water. Moonshade swung and lunged with all the skills at her disposal, but still the creatures came, each striking probingly, pushing the humans and the mares closer together. The end result would be inevitable.

Taze got dogpiled by a group of Changelings, even as their comrades lay dying around him. All his swords lay broken and twisted on the ground or embedded in dying Changelings. Matthew fought to the last, spearing Changelings with his K-bar and crossbow bolts until they finally managed to pin him down and trap him with their uniquely sticky restraints. Moonshade was forced to drop her weapon when it was clear they weren’t going to be able to fight through this.

Shawn found it harder and harder to keep himself upright as he fought each Changeling nearby. His back was starting to burn whenever he turned until finally he couldn’t keep himself steady. Once his balance failed him, he collapsed onto the floor. Everything went dark before he even hit the ground.

By this point, there was little option for the six guardians of Equestria. With heads bowed low in dismay, they surrendered to the swarm and the inevitable march of shame that was to follow.

By the time the Changelings had left bearing their prizes, all was quiet in the square. Many of the civilians had already been rounded up or herded to other streets and alleyways for better management and processing. As such, no one was present to witness the Changeling who had fallen into the fountain raise his head and groan. He blinked slowly, and his eyes began to brighten. Then he shuddered. “My Queen. Why can’t I sense my Queen?” His eyes widened with horror when he realized it wasn’t just the queen he was missing. There was no song in his mind, no unity, no one-ness, no direction or control. There was just him and that dreadful, deafening silence. He had to get help. Surely, the other drones or the queen would know how to restore what he had lost. Surely, the hive would save him. He had to reach the hive! His head rose weakly, but his legs refused to respond. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t seek help, nor could he confirm the status of his fellow drones or their queen. He was alone. Tears welled up in his eyes as, for the first time in his life, this Changeling endured a breakdown as a true individual. He sobbed. “My queen, don’t leave me alone….”

The wedding hall was the same as it had been the previous evening. The buntings were just as elegant. Shining Armor stood atop the dais staring blankly with shrunken pupils and irises as a green tint overwhelmed the white of his sclera and his natural blue. A new decoration hung from the ceiling in the form of one solar diarch who was completely wrapped in a pulsing green cocoon. A very much worried spike stood next to where Cadance had been firmly rooted to the spot by a similar substance. The mare gaped in dismay when the double doors opened to reveal the escort, including a downtrodden Twilight and her friends. Two changelings had restrained Rainbow Dash’s forelegs as they escorted her to be on the safe side. A thrashing Taze, a panting Matthew, and a growling Moonshade each offered what resistance they could against their captors, but there was little chance of their breaking free at this point. Shawn’s recumbent form laid atop a group of Changelings. And as they approached to present their prize to their queen, a slick red swath painted across some of their chitin before his body landed on the floor.

“What is this?” Chrysalis asked.

“This is the one you had cast into the caves, my queen,” one of the Changelings responded as it bowed obsequiously. “It appears to have returned from the grave, only to die again in battle at the vault that holds the elements of harmony. It is your glory and your victory. We thought it only right to present this creature to you as a sign of your conquest.”

“And why does it still have its weapons?” she demanded.

“We could not remove them from its grip, my queen. Even in death, something resists the probing of our magic, and its grip is too strong upon the spear to break.”

Taze growled and attempted to break free.

Chrysalis smirked. “Aww, the poor beasts are upset at the loss of their friends. Don’t worry. You’ll be joining him soon enough.”

“We’ll take your swarm with us,” Matthew spat.

“Brave words, but bravery is all you have.” She looked to the element bearers, then to her drones. “You do realize the reception’s been canceled, don’t you? Go! Feed!”

At their queen’s command, the drones swarming in the room all zipped for the double doors, hissing hungrily. A green aura surrounded the heavy doors and slammed them shut behind, leaving Chrysalis alone with her captives.

“You know, I really must thank you all.” Chrysalis rapidly shot spurts of her own ichor to immobilize Taze, Moonshade, and Matthew before they could act. “Honestly, you all played your parts beautifully,” she taunted. “Only Twilight here doubted me, and the five of you were so focused on what this wedding could do for each of you, you never even stopped to think. Not even the wise and benevolent Celestia!” Chrysalis laughed exultantly.

Applejack approached slowly behind her friend. “Sorry, Twi. We should’ve listened to you.”

“You know,” Taze growled, “apologizing now is really disingenuous.”

“Okay, did I miss something here while I was in those caves?” Twilight practically shouted. “Because clearly, something happened to make you angry with my friends, and I have absolutely no idea what it could be.”

“Oh, this is just too precious.” Chrysalis laughed. “Did none of them tell you? Did none of your oh so precious friends fess up to what they did?”

“Fess up to what?” Twilight asked. “Whatever may have gone wrong, I’m confident we can fix it together. It can’t have been as bad as the Smartypants incident,” she muttered the last part.

Grinning, Chrysalis lit her horn and projected the memory of the events in the throne room for all to see. “You tell me.”

Twilight stared silently at the projection for a while as the friends averted their eyes. Even Spike looked ashamed.

“Twilight, I … we….” Applejack was at a loss for words.

Twilight held up a hoof for silence as she watched the projection. Her eyes watered as she observed how her brother disowned her, followed by her friends leaving her to suffer alone, and last but not least, the cold rebuke from her beloved teacher. The pain on her face was obvious, and as Taze watched her reaction, he could feel his fingers digging into his palm. Had he not been wearing gloves, he would have drawn blood.

When it was done Twilight was giving labored breaths as she worked to get her emotions in order. Her body shook with the shock of what she had witnessed. Perhaps the one thing that sustained her was the compassion that shone in Cadance’s eyes. The purple mare worked hard to control herself. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she managed to lift her head.

“This changes nothing right now,” Twilight said, doing her best to look at Chrysalis with a defiant glare. “First, we deal with you.”

“Oh? And what can you do that your beloved princesses could not?” Chrysalis chuckled as she turned from the group and flew toward the window to look down on Canterlot as the swarm ran free. “This day has been just perfect,” she sang to herself as she began to gloat.

Twilight crept silently toward where Cadance had renewed her struggles against the ichor that Chrysalis had bound her with. “If anyone can bring Shining back from mind control, it’s you, Cadance,” Twilight whispered. Her horn erupted with magic to purge the substance. “Go to him, while you still have the chance.”

As the Alicorn of love, Cadance bore what was perhaps the one unique power that could break Chrysalis’ hold, despite being at the lowest of her reserves. For love, despite its many flaws, always has been and always will be an infinite force. And despite the pain of what she had witnessed, Cadance still loved her white knight, her Shining Armor. She wept at the lack of response, even as she smiled to look on that face. “This was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives,” she said softly. “Please don’t tell me it’s too late to make it so.” She embraced her stallion, and as she did so, electricity arced along her horn, giving birth to a single heart-shaped bubble. It floated to Shining armor’s face and merged at the base of his horn. With a gentle flash of light, the green was purged, and Shining Armor’s deep blue orbs shone brightly again.

Shining Armor blinked and shook his head to clear it of the fog that still remained as he struggled to get his bearings. “I-is the wedding over?” He gazed on the face of his sister and her five friends for only a moment before that view was obscured by the great threat that he had sworn to ward off for the sake of his beloved and his sister both.

“It’s all over,” Chrysalis gloated. She continued to exult over her triumph, even as she belittled Shining Armor and his efforts to bring his power to bear.

‘Breathe,’ the barest flicker of thought passed through Shawn’s head as his eyes opened weakly, slowly. And finally, his chest rose farther than it had been as he desperately tried to pull in more oxygen to his burning lungs.

“My power is useless now. I … I don’t have the strength to repel them.” Shining Armor’s voice. Exhausted, dejected.

‘Help.’ Though try as he might, there was no way Shawn could get help. He could feel the individual parts of his body ache as they barely clung to life.

“My love will give you strength.” Cadance. Faithful. Strong. Kind. Willing to throw herself into danger for the sake of others. She didn’t deserve this. No one deserved this.

‘Move.’ His grip tightened around the glaive’s shaft. Slowly, he let it go. There wasn’t a chance he could use it right now. He moved his arm and slowly planted it on the ground next to his chest before pushing himself up onto his knees.

Laughter. “What a lovely but absolutely ridiculous sentiment!”

‘Come on.’ He grimaced as blood moved through his body, flaring up more pain as muscles tensed. He was completely disoriented. The room spun beneath him as he looked around, taking in his location. The others were there, detained. That laughter. Familiar. The same as the caves. Chrysalis. She must have revealed herself.

“No! You will not!”

Ringing. An angry hiss. She was preparing some kind of spell toward Cadance and Shining Armor.

Another hum. “Get away from my family, you ugly parasite!”

Twilight!

Shawn grit his teeth as his anger boiled to the surface once again. It was weak, but it would be enough. His heart picked up as adrenaline slowly pulled his body back from the brink. There was no way he’d survive, so maybe … it was time to ignore that last part of his mind.

He pushed himself onto his feet. Numbness finally greeted his motions as he stood upright. In fact, he was starting to feel fine. ‘Once more, onto my last.’ He nodded weakly to himself as he widened his stance, then finally took off toward Chrysalis at a dead run.

He’d interrupt her spell, one way or another.

There was no more time to think, no more time to plan. It was all or nothing. He was already dead. If he could keep the others from the same fate, he would. The force of the collision was nothing compared to when he’d fallen on that Changeling’s horn. His arms wrapped tightly around the barrel, one above and one below, clinging to the smooth chitin and squeezing with all his might.

There would be no getting away for her. The world became a pinpoint of focus as legs flailed and bashed against his legs and shoulders. One foot in front of the other. One step farther away from the people she could hurt. He didn’t even register the glass as he burst through the window insert. He didn’t register the step up, nor the launch into empty space. All he knew, all he was, was one thing, one purpose.

Stop Chrysalis.

Shawn heard a thunderous boom from inside the room as the large doors flew open and Luna entered the hall.

“No!” Taze screamed.

“Shawn!” Matthew’s familiar voice faded behind as the doppler effect worked its magic. “No, damn it, no!”

Wind whistled as Shawn’s legs swung around Chrysalis’ torso to squeeze and pin the wings. His arm wrapped around her neck and yanked back with the aid of his other arm. He didn’t hear her choking. But he knew he’d immobilized her. He knew she wasn’t casting. That was enough.

It was good enough.

The great wooden doors were thrown open with a thunderous boom as Luna tore into the room with her guards in hot pursuit, only to see the remnants of the shattered window and the distraught faces of the captives.

“No!” Taze yelled. The goop on his arms strained as he attempted to pull free, to do something, anything!

“Shawn! No, damn it, no!” Matthew stared after the void where his friend had once stood. The stained glass was all that remained of Shawn now. A breeze fluttered the buntings weakly as Twilight gaped at where the human had gone. Her horn’s light faded slowly as she swallowed heavily and tears welled up in her eyes.

Moments later, the combined power of Shining Armor and Cadance flooded through the chamber and into every nook and cranny of the castle before spreading out over all of Canterlot in a repelling force that was less a barrier and more of a banishment. All signs of Changeling influence and essence were completely neutralized. The magic was thorough, destroying every remnant of ichor used to secure their victims in place, including the cocoon that surrounded Princess Celestia. The screams and shrieks of panicked Ponies were soon replaced with the dismayed shouts of thousands of Changelings. Many were cut off abruptly with unpleasant squelches. Others faded into the distance as the force of the spell catapulted the creatures and scattered them to the winds. It was as if the very power of the barrier had been keyed completely to neutralize Chrysalis’ influence. And, in a way, perhaps it had at that. Would that it could have undone the one act they wouldn’t be able to remedy.

Taze booked it for the ledge Shawn had fallen from. His left arm hung limply at his side from where it had been dislocated while attempting to reach for his friend earlier. “Get someone down there!” he screamed at, well, anyone.

Matthew was already running for the doors. ‘I was supposed to be the first to go. I have the poorest health of the lot,’ he thought angrily, even as the room began to spin. His shoulder bashed against the door frame as his chest throbbed. “Damn it,” he swore as he laid a hand over his chest.

“We’ll go,” Shining said quickly as he and Cadance ran to the window. The mare had already flapped her wings and seized her groom before they took to the air and began to glide down with Luna following close on their heels.

Twilight was torn, but finally turned her attention to the solar diarch. “Princess Celestia, can you stand?”

“I’m all right, Twilight. Thank you.” The Alicorn rose slowly to her hooves and shook her head. She approached the humans. “Stand next to me. I’ll get us down there,” she promised.

Twilight shook her head. “Let me. You still need to recover from what Chrysalis did to you.” She looked to the two humans. “Taze, Matthew? I need you two to stand close to me to get you down there. I was able to transport Shawn and Cadance before, so taking the two of you shouldn’t be any more strain on me.”

Taze gritted his teeth but approached Twilight as he nursed the swaying arm. Matthew did not look happy, but moved with assistance from Luna’s guards and Moonshade to stand next to Taze. One flash of purple light later, they were standing on the ground floor outside the wedding hall. There was no sign of the Changeling queen’s body, but a long jagged horn oozed green blood from the base that had been torn away. The power of the dead man’s grip had prevailed, even as the spell carried the rest of Chrysalis away. The human didn’t move. If he could still breathe, the motion was imperceptible to the naked eye. His eyes were closed, and his face was flat. His lips seemed to curve ever so slightly at the corners, but that could easily have been a trick of the eyes. Cadance and Shining Armor both bowed their heads as Luna stood imposingly over the body.

“Princess Luna, is he…?” Twilight couldn’t bring herself to finish the question.

Matthew shoved his way forward and knelt by Shawn’s face. He hovered his hand over the human’s mouth first, then brought two fingers to his neck. He waited a few moments, then produced a dollar bill from his pocket and held it over Shawn’s lips. His eyes widened at the sight of the barest shift. He practically jabbed his fingers at the same spot on the neck again. His body shook as he whipped around and shouted at the top of his lungs. “MEDIC! Someone get a medic down here! He’s alive!” His eyes watered as he looked over his friend’s recumbent form. “He’s alive….”

“You heard him, get someone down here!” Taze barked as he rushed to his friend’s side.

“Aunt Luna,” Cadance began, even as the sound of rapidly approaching hooves began to thunder in their ears.

“I’ll get him to the healers. You worry about these two,” Luna said. She wrapped him in a careful cocoon of magic, spreading her power over him one filmy veil at a time, rather than the usual full fledged application that they had seen her use so often when handling her hammer or other objects.

“You must be Shawn’s friends,” Cadance said softly as she approached the other two humans. Shawn had begun to rise ever so slowly under Luna’s gentle ministrations. “I’m in your friend’s debt. If there’s anything I can do for either of you, please, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“That goes double for me,” Shining Armor agreed. “You four saved our lives and the lives of all of Equestria.”

Matthew rose to his feet with help from Taze to offer leverage. The ponies could hear his joints crackle and pop. He gripped Taze’s good shoulder as another dizzy spell struck him. “Y-you’re welcome,” he grunted.

“Thank you, Princess Cadance. That means a lot, coming from you,” Taze said as he looked Shining Armor in the eye. “Just from you.”

“Can the two of you walk?” Cadance asked. “We can carry you, if that’s necessary.”

“I’m fine” Taze said. “I can get there my—” The world suddenly became very fuzzy as he realized the pain in his gut seconds before the world swam into darkness.

Matthew had no warning as his support gave way and he fell to the ground with Taze. “Uh, … a little help to a hospital would be nice… Taze didn’t get to eat recently. I think his blood sugar crashed. And … I should probably get checked for bruises and the like,” he conceded, then gave a mirthless chuckle. “Guess we’ll be in the same wing as Shawn, more than likely.”

“I’ll carry him,” Cadance offered. “Just place him on my back.” A minute later, with primary assistance from Twilight and a few other Unicorn guardsponies, Taze’s unconscious form laid astride the princess’ back.

Twilight turned briefly from the sleeping human to look back at the edge of the crowd that had gathered, where her friends waited with anxious expressions. Spike sat astride Rarity’s back, and his eyes never strayed from Twilight. The purple mare looked back to Cadance and Shining Armor. “You all go on ahead. I need to take care of a few things before I can catch up.”

“Are you sure, Twilight?” Cadance asked.

Twilight nodded. “Yes. This isn’t something that can wait. If I put it off now, things will only get worse.”

Cadance smiled lovingly at her. “You really have changed a lot since I babysat you, haven’t you?” She offered one brief nuzzle of affection, then nodded as Shawn’s recumbent form was finally raised to sufficient height in Luna’s magic. “We’ll see you soon. I’m sure Shining will have a lot to say to you then, won’t you, dear?” she asked pointedly.

Shining nodded mutely as his ears dropped low. “Yeah….”

Twilight nodded again. “I’ll … see you soon.”

With those final parting words spoken, the two princesses and their party disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Twilight to face a challenge that would perhaps be even more trying than saving Canterlot had been.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 007: Pain! Lots and Lots of Pain!

“And so, the hero Link struck down the evil demon with his sword of evil’s bane,” Taze said mysteriously as he talked to the small brown colt in the hospital bed beside him. “Though even as he landed the final blow, he knew that the battle was not over, and someday the evil would rise again. But for now, he could rest.”

The small brown colt with two-toned orange mane and tail gaped at Taze from his bed across the way. “Woah,” he breathed. The console he had been playing with an hour earlier now lay forgotten at his side. “That was incredible!”

Taze grinned. “Glad you enjoyed it.”

“But that can’t have been the only evil he had to fight, right? I mean, magic’s always got something new to face. Does he ever travel through time again?”

“Oh, it was not the only evil.” Taze nodded. “But Link would not be the only hero.”

“He wouldn’t? But I thought he was the hero of time. Doesn’t that mean he’s always the hero?”

“Yes and no.” Taze grinned. “Have you ever heard of the term reincarnation?”

The colt shook his head. “No. What’s that?”

“It’s the idea that when someone or something dies, they will be reborn again as a baby and start a new life cycle.”

“Does that mean it happens to everyone in that story?”

Taze shook his head. “Not quite. You remember the three goddesses?”

The colt nodded.

“Each had picked one to be their special champion. The goddess of wisdom chose the princess. The goddess of power chose the evil king, and the goddess of courage chose the hero. It was such that the three would be reborn in a constant cycle for many, many eons.”

The colt frowned, then cocked his head. “Okay. But how long’s an eon?”

“A few hundred years,” Taze said.

The colt whistled. “That’s a long time.”

“Yup.” Taze nodded. “There are other stories I’ll have to tell you later.”

The colt frowned. “But aren’t you going to be released soon?”

Taze nodded. His dislocated arm had been easily, if painfully, reset, but he’d been kept for observation for the last two days after his collapse. “I’ll visit you.”

The colt pouted. “And I was hoping to visit the arcade here during the wedding, too.”

“I’m sure you’ll get another chance. You should be glad you and your mother are both okay. A broken leg is the least of what could have happened.”

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Thanks for helping me out, Mister. It’s … nice to have someone to just talk to after everything.” He smiled timidly. “I don’t have any bits I can offer, but you can play some on my game, if you want.”

“Honestly, Button, it’s just been worth it having someone to talk to. I’ll try your game out some other time. Okay?”

Button frowned. “All right. But … maybe I can tell you some stories from back home, then.” He chuckled. “You wouldn’t believe the stuff we get up to in Ponyville.”

“Oh, go ahead. I'm sure this will be good.” He chuckled.

“Did I just hear somebody mention Ponyville?” Matthew smiled as a Pegasus wheeled him into the room in a wheelchair.

“Oh, hey, Matthew,” Taze greeted. “Button Mash here was just about to tell me some stories about his hometown.”

Matthew grinned. “By all means.” He nodded toward the colt. “A pleasure to meet you, Button Mash. My name is Matthew Connor. In case you hadn’t guessed, Taze and I are old friends.” He chuckled. “And it looks like he may have made a new friend in you, if my ears don’t deceive me.”

“He’s one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met!”

Matthew chuckled. “Oh? You’ll have to tell me which ones he’s shared with you later, then. For now, though, I think the spotlight is meant to be on you, young colt. Just what tales of your home were you hoping to share?”

Button Mash grinned. “I’ll start with the tale of the great bunny stampede.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled timidly as she entered the hospital ward. “Hello? Taze? Matthew?” she called. “Am I in the right room?”

“Miss Sparkle?” Matthew responded. “We’re down here, by the window.”

A few moments later, Twilight paced beyond the curtains to where the two friends laid on their beds. They no longer wore their hospital gowns. Instead, each was garbed in their respective spare clothing as delivered by a Thestral representative from Luna’s guard. A tiny purple dragon with green spikes on his head peeked out from behind the mare to peer at the humans.

“Hello, Twilight. It’s nice to see you’re doing well,” Taze said. “Also, I appreciate you making sure to visit without your … usual entourage,” Taze noted.

Twilight winced. “Yes, Princess Luna advised against it. And since she seems to know you three the best, I decided to follow her advice.” Twilight sighed. “I’ve … also been asked to talk with you about Shawn. The doctors said you’ve been asking to see him?”

Matthew nodded. “We were wondering why he wasn’t in our room. Your healing magics worked so well for us. We half expected to see him getting wheeled into the ward a few hours after we woke up.”

Twilight winced. “Even magic has its limits, Matthew. That’s part of the reason why I’m here.”

“Are you saying we can’t see him?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, you can. But before you do, you need to be ready for what you’ll be walking into.”

“To be frank, Twilight, there is no way he should be alive right now. As we’re not being taken to a morgue, I’ll be happy to know he’s still breathing,” Taze said.

“It won’t be pretty,” she warned. “The doctors had to pump out his lungs, realign his bones, set his spinal column, and put his whole body in a cast to keep him from moving in his sleep. In all likelihood, … he may never walk again. And we still don’t know how his brain will react to the trauma. The amount of bruising and concussion he experienced could leave him a vegetable for the rest of his days.”

“Thank you for your honesty, Twilight,” Matthew said. “But if it’s all right with you, we’d like to focus on taking things one step at a time. Like Taze said, the fact that Shawn is even alive is enough for us for now. And having the chance to visit with him, even if it’s only for a little while, might help to guide him back to us.”

Twilight nodded. “Spike and I will show you two the way.” She smiled at the bed where Button Mash lay completely immersed in his video game. Meanwhile, Spike waved nervously toward the two humans.

“You okay there, little guy?” Taze asked as he and Matthew rose to join the pair.

Spike averted his gaze. “I, uh, … kind of thought you’d still be mad at me. You know, … after everything you said after the rehearsal….”

Matthew raised a brow. “Why should we be mad at you? You’re still what we’d call a minor in our world. You were just following the adults, weren’t you?”

“But—”

“But nothing,” Taze said. “You acted to what you saw others doing around you. You’re young enough to still be learning how the world works.”

“So, you’re not going to be mad at me?”

Twilight smiled kindly. “I told you they wouldn’t hold it against you.”

Spike smiled softly. “So, does that mean it’s cool if I get to know you guys?”

Taze chuckled. “Sure. I see no issue with that.”

The ICU unit where Shawn resided was flanked by a number of guards at the entry. One of them held a list on a clipboard and scanned it as the four approached. “Names?” she asked.

“Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Matthew Conner, and Taze Klim.”

She checked the list, then nodded. “Hold still, please.”

One of the other guards came forward with a squirt bottle and sprayed a mist in each of the members’ faces. When no visible reaction occurred, she nodded to the one with the clipboard. “They’re real.”

The guards pulled back from the door. “You’re free to enter, Lady Sparkle.”

Twilight winced as they passed through the doors. “I really wish they’d stop calling me that.”

Matthew couldn’t help but chuckle. “The price of fame.”

“Now don’t you start,” Twilight said.

“If the lady wishes,” Matthew teased. Then he sighed. “My apologies, Twilight. It’s a human trait. We often enjoy poking fun at our friends and closer acquaintances.”

“Sounds like you and Rainbow Dash would get along swimmingly,” Twilight muttered.

Then the time for chatter was past as they approached the lone bed in the room. The steady beeping of a magical heart monitor measured the pulses of life that struggled for every inch. True to the mare’s warning, the human’s body was indeed encased in plaster, though not so heavily covered as the mare had described. It appeared that in the days since his initial checking in, the human’s body had managed to mend certain portions. His hands were free, as was his right arm. His left arm and torso were still heavily coated, and the plaster stretched down to just above his knees. A series of pulleys and supports held him in place as he breathed within the cast. His eyes were shut, and an IV drip with a brightly colored fluid flowed through his cast into his bloodstream.

“And the stab wound?” Matthew asked as he gazed at his friend.

“From what I’ve been told, that was one of the easier things to heal. He’ll scar a little from it, but that’s the worst his body will have to show after,” Twilight answered.

“I’m guessing he barely survived?” Taze asked.

“Honestly, there’s no barely about it. He should have been dead. There was severe internal hemorrhaging from multiple points in his system. Muscle and nerve endings were cut, blood vessels burst from the trauma. He’s lucky he didn’t open any arteries. About the only way I can think of for how he survived all that trauma and the shock that went with it is that the gods decided they wanted him to keep living.”

“You have gods in this world?” Matthew asked.

“Oh, yes,” Twilight said. “Though only two that we have actual verifiable evidence of existing. There’s Faust, our creator goddess, and her father, Sleipnir. A lot of people actually believe Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are Faust’s daughters. It’s why so many people swear using their names.”

“What about the other races?” Taze asked.

“Well, each have their own theologies that they adhere to. Some don’t have any gods at all, and focus more on achieving spiritual enlightenment. I remember reading about Minotaurs one time after Fluttershy took a course from one. They worship three gods called the hecatoncheires. The Zebras seem to focus more on the spirit and honoring nature than they do on any particular deity, though they claim to have been adopted by the children of the earth, whatever that means. Oh, and then there’s the Gryphons. They worship the winds from each of the four cardinal directions. Each one is supposed to embody an aspect that they try to live up to throughout their lives, so they can be worthy to stand before those gods in the next life.”

“You don’t believe their gods exist?” Taze asked. “Your tone seems overly clinical.”

“I believe they can exist,” Twilight corrected. “But since there’s no direct evidence that proves it one way or the other, I try to keep myself out of any of those kinds of arguments and just focus on what facts and knowledge we do have.”

“Fair enough.” Taze nodded. “So, I guess the next question is what comes next?”

“For now, we need to be assured his mental faculties are intact,” a familiar voice spoke as Luna entered the room.

“Didn’t that end badly the last time you tried?” Matthew asked. “I mean, assuming you’re planning what I think you’re planning.”

“Admittedly, yes, but I am not delving into his memories this time, just ensuring he is intact.”

“If … if you do get to talk to him. Can you … tell him we’re waiting for him? I don’t know if it’ll help, but if it can help him or comfort him, I’d like him to know.”

“I’ll be sure to.” Luna nodded. “Though it would probably be best if you all waited in the hall.”

“Is it that dangerous?”

“I honestly have no answer for you,” Luna replied.

Twilight rested a gentle hoof on Matthew’s leg. “Come on, Matthew. Let’s do what she asked. Princess Luna knows what she’s doing. You both trust her, don’t you?”

Matthew clenched his hands. “I know we can trust you, at least, Twilight.” He sighed. “What do you think, Taze?”

Taze sighed after some contemplation. “Best leave her to it. The last thing we need is to find out he’s a vegetable.”

Matthew nodded. “Let’s go, then, before I lose my nerve.”

Twilight looked back just once before they closed the door. “Good luck, Princess.” Then the door closed, and a bright white light began to flow from the cracks around it.

Shawn stood before a Changeling’s corpse, just recently deceased as he removed the glaive from its throat. He was near the room assigned to his friends and himself, and given the glaive’s appearance, it was its first use since the invasion. Beyond that, however, the hall almost fluctuated as static covered anything he was uncertain on. “How long...?” he muttered to himself, looking to the glaive in his hand.

Luna stood off to the side, manipulating the dreamscape around her to be unnoticed as she observed what was happening.

Before anything more could happen, everything suddenly shifted, and the world spun beneath their feet. Shawn leaned against a large crystal, grimacing in pain as he tried to clear his head. “A day, at least. The wedding.” His thoughts continued on as he followed the same path as before, finding Twilight and Cadance. “How long was I left bleeding?”

He grabbed the side of his head as the world fell to obscurity once more. “No odds could have been changed. Maybe a shift in guard, a different time, but not that,” he muttered his thoughts.

“Why?” was the question he landed on, looking to the glaive in his hand once again. “Everyone else is all right at the least. ...I think?”

“Your friends are safe, Lord Shawn,” Luna said as she made her presence known.

Shawn turned toward Luna slowly before giving a small nod. “That’s good,” he replied before a faint chuckle escaped him.

“Your body is broken, and you’ve been unconscious for some time. I entered your psyche to make sure you were still … intact.”

“I should be dead,” Shawn replied as a matter of fact. “I lost a lot of blood, and … that drop should have ended it. Completely.”

Luna nodded. “Yes. Our doctors were somewhat baffled by that as well.”

Shawn looked his hand over as he thought. “It’s … more effort than I expected.”

“You thought we’d simply let you die?” Luna asked.

“We were used as bait,” Shawn replied as he clenched his hand into a fist. After a moment, he relaxed his grip and lowered his hand to his side before turning to Luna once again.

“Ah,” Luna nodded sadly. “Yes. And it was a particularly distasteful tactic. But the thing about Celestia is she will always attempt to put herself morally in the right. Be it that or the sound verbal thrashing your friend gave her, she is likely making sure that every chance to survive is afforded to you short of phoenix tears.”

“So guilt drives her actions.” Shawn hummed to himself. “What a nation.”

She sighed. “Well, unfortunately, she’s been ruling alone for a thousand years. Also, neither of us is quite the ruler our father was.”

Shawn looked to Luna once more before sighing. “At least you’ve been direct with me, for the most part. Though some things still elude me.”

“I’m a warrior, Lord Shawn, mostly a blunt instrument. My sister is a politician at heart.”

“And yet, that one part of your statement keeps confusing me. Why do you keep using that title?”

“So there is no confusion between us, can you clarify that statement?” Luna asked.

“You keep calling me a ‘lord.’ You’ve seen my memories. You’ve seen who I am and what I am. Why do you keep up the act established when we both know it’s a falsehood, made up BS that came by complete accident and fear? You aren’t an idiot, and neither is your sister.”

“I’d have thought Crescent would have explained Thestral culture to you. It is my culture as well.” Luna smirked. “We do not give titles based on land or because some crazy mare throws a sword at you. We bestow titles based on actions and earned respect.”

Shawn’s head drooped as he looked at the floor. “He didn’t get that far, no,” he commented softly. “But, still … I’m just some foreign creature who got lucky.”

Luna gave a deep laugh. “My friend, what do you think combat is? Not everyone is born with a body that can survive all but the gravest of injuries and strength that can powder stone. Luck is what every warrior must believe in, just as they accept that one day, it will fail them.”

“Then luck weighed heavily on me for that all.” Shawn sighed. “I’ve never used a sword for combat, nor a dagger, nor glaive even. Ex Divinia etiam, I was a carpenter. I built furniture or some strange custom things to order.”

“My father used to tell me when a problem was that big, break it into smaller parts and work on those separately. Eventually, the big picture will come to you.”

Shawn rubbed the back of his neck. “I suppose he must have known what he was talking about if he was ruling a whole kingdom.”

“Not in the slightest, according to him.” Luna laughed. “But it gave me the courage to accomplish a lot of things in my life. I realize my sister has a lot to make up for, but I hope you will consider me a friend going forward?”

Shawn was silent for a moment before giving a small nod. “You’ve been honest with me, and though I despise the situation I was thrown into, you at least gave me a warning.”

Luna nodded. “I should return to tell your friends. They worry about you a lot.” She flared her wings, then paused. “Oh, one more question before I go. Which fits better for a knife handle, the blue or the gold?”

Shawn blinked a few times. “I … suppose it depends on the material? Lighter materials would be gold, darker would be blue.”

Luna nodded. “I’ll attempt to visit you regularly and keep you updated. I would not be in a hurry to wake up, honestly. It will not be a pleasant experience.”

“I … would rather accept the pain than be left alone. My mind wanders a lot, and I’m starting to feel anxious for some reason.”

“Very well.” Luna nodded. “Just … try not to bite your tongue off from the pain,” she warned.

With that, she released her dreamwalking spell and returned to the hospital room. Little time had passed in the waking realm, thanks to that unique aspect of time that exists in dreams. But it proved sufficient for her needs as she turned from the bed and opened the door with her magic.

“You may come in,” she called out.

The group entered cautiously as Twilight frowned in concern. “Is he all right?”

“The good news is that his mind is intact and in order.” Luna smiled. “He wants to wake up. The bad news will be when he wakes up…” She trailed off as she turned to the human in the bed.

“Fuuuuuuuuck…” Shawn exhaled the word in a long drawn out hiss as his brain processed the pain he was experiencing.

“... That will happen.”

Donut Joe, or Pony Joe as the locals liked to call him, was an expert on donuts. As a pastry chef, he prided himself on being able to craft that extra special sugary treat that fit each person who entered his store. He had a sixth sense about his customers, and he was always ready to serve each one the ideal fit for their day. And that was what troubled him so much. Why had he decided to craft a maple donut with bacon in the middle of the morning rush? None of his customers ate meat during that time. He sighed and shook his head as he laid the creation aside and turned back to his coffee pot. His horn glowed as he measured out the grounds and inserted the filter to brew a fresh pot. Cream and sugar waited with mixing straws to allow Ponies the chance to blend their drinks how they liked. The usual assortment of extra donuts laid on his display shelves while fresh baked pies sat on tiers at the edge of the counter near his walk-in refrigerator.

Taze looked around as he walked through the door, seemingly oblivious to the stares that followed the sight of him, Matthew, and their escort. “You're sure this is the best place for coffee?” he asked.

“Let’s just say a key ingredient in that potion of ours for staying up in the day comes from this shop,” Moonshade replied.

“Well, as long as they sell hot chocolate, too, I’m game,” Matthew said.

Joe raised a quizzical brow as the new customers approached, but that was the only indication of anything out of the ordinary. “Moonshade. It’s been a while,” Joe noted. “How’re things up at the castle?”

“You’ve read the papers, Joe. You know how things are right now.”

“I know the papers aren’t always truthful,” he said as he sent a bolt of magic toward the coffee. Steaming water hissed as it began to stream through the filter and into the pot. “Give me a couple of minutes, and I’ll have a fresh pot ready for you.” He smiled as he levitated the plate and its donut onto the counter. “Guess I must’ve made this one for you. Either that or one of your big friends there, I suppose.”

“Is that maple and bacon?” Taze asked.

Joe nodded. “Yup. Most meat eaters go for pork round these parts. Or venison, if you can catch the deer.” He shrugged. “Way I see it, you can never go wrong with bacon when it comes to a carnivore.”

“That's because bacon’s amazing.” Taze laughed, taking the donut.

“And what can I get for you two, then?” he asked as he turned his attention to Moonshade and Matthew. “I don’t have any medals, but my donuts are the best in the business. I’d say you more than earned a tab.” He chuckled. “Go on. Pick what you want. It’s my treat.”

Matthew looked at the items. “Uh … I’ll have a hot chocolate, please, and … maybe a tea cake?” he asked, even as he eyed the jelly donuts.

“Now there’s an order I haven’t had in a while.” Joe chuckled. “I’ll bake you one to knock your socks off.”

“Tea cake? Really?” Taze asked with a chuckle.

“What? I have a craving for it, and maybe some herbal tea.”

“A bun, Matthew,” Taze deadpanned. “You're asking for a bun. It has neither tea nor cake in it. It is simply a bun.”

“Oh, I thought they had glaze or nuts or raisins in them? Well, I feel silly.”

“I mean, probably somebody heard the term tea cake and decided to make them like that, but yeah, it’s a bun.”

“Boys, I’m loaded with donuts up the wazoo. If you want another one, it’s not gonna be a problem,” Joe assured them. “Hey, Moonsahde, you wanna get in on the action?”

“Yeah. Bring us a platter and a carafe, Joe,” Moonshade called out. “On the palace’s bill.”

Joe shook his head. “Not this time. You and Princess Luna fought like demons. Like I said, this is my treat.” He chuckled and levitated a platter. “Let’s see if we can’t wake up those tastebuds with a little sugar.”

“Are you sure I can’t just sleep in one of your barracks?” Matthew asked as he gazed across the desk to the Thestral Commander. “I trust the Lunar Guard more, after everything we’ve been through. And seeing how Shawn’s stuck in the hospital, and Taze is upset with Celestia at the moment, to say the least, we’d rather not go back to staying in the castle. To be honest, some other form of external housing would be preferable, either something close to your barracks or the hospital.” He sighed. “I know that’s probably asking a lot. I know that with the real royal wedding happening, there isn’t likely to be any room at an inn.”

“I can’t say I don’t understand your position,” Commander Nightshade admitted. “This wasn’t something we planned on. It will take time for me to see what we can do.”

“That’s all I ask.” He chuckled. “I mean, we’d be happy to stay in the hospital, but there’s no real reason for us to stay there as patients, and we wouldn’t dream of taking up beds meant for other people who need help. To be frank, those three days I spent there were the shortest stay I’ve ever had in one, not counting when I got my wisdom teeth removed.”

“For now, I might have one option for you, but that would depend on your attitude toward those of the non-equestrian variety.”

“Captain, before coming to Equestria, I loved studying other cultures from my home planet. Back home, we only had one truly sapient species. From what I have observed, you have as many sapient species as we had nations back home. So, if anything, that will be an adventure, and humanity, as a general stereotype, loves adventure.”

Nightshade nodded a few times. “Have Moonshade direct you to the lower quarter. Look for an inn called the Traitor's Tail. Tell the Gryphon at the counter you're there for the reservation for Artemis.”

Matthew grinned. “I love this! I’ll go talk to Moonshade right away and inform Taze. I hope you’ll help with moving our luggage?”

“I’ll have the Night Guard take care of it after the shift change. It’s for the best that the Solar Guard know very little about this.”

“I won’t say a word,” Matthew promised.

“Everything should be expensed to Luna's account. So don’t worry about money during your stay. Just don’t go overboard.”

“Back home, my father found out that he underspent on an account, and his company refunded him what they felt was normal expenses. Suffice it to say, I follow his example. I can be very frugal. I suppose we should establish the kind of budget that would be permitted, though, so there are no mistakes made. Permission to go for middle-of-the-road expenses?”

Nightshade nodded, then fixed the human with his one good eye “Remember. This meeting didn’t happen.”

Matthew nodded. “Of course. I hope the intel I offered from our side of the attack has proven useful,” he added with a wink. “That is the reason you asked me to come here, after all, isn’t it?”

A hint of a smile twitched at Nightshade’s lips before settling back into that same hard mask. “You helped, human. That's more than many did.” With that, Nightshade got to his hooves. “Can you see yourself out, or should I get you a guide?”

“You never took Moonshade off our watch. If I have gotten to know her at all in the time we’ve been together, she’s probably outside waiting for the meeting to end to keep me from getting lost.”

Nightshade nodded again. “Then please leave. I have things to take care of.”

“Understood, captain.” Matthew moved to attention and offered a salute with his best military bearing. Then he performed a crisp about face and marched to the door.

The gravity in the air was palpable as Celestia approached the guarded chamber. The dark blue armor the guards wore glinted in the midday light, and their eyes flashed as they blinked at her approach before drawing their weapons.

“State your business,” one of them demanded.

Celestia nodded. “I’ve come to ask an audience with the patient, if he is willing to receive me.”

The guards kept their weapons leveled as they repeated the procedure they had for Taze, Matthew, and Moonshade. When there was no visible reaction from Celestia, they nodded.

“Princess Luna has made us aware of your intent. She has also asked us to honor Lord Shawn’s wishes, even over your own.”

Celestia nodded. “I understand.”

The guard passed through the doors, and a tense silence followed as the conference was held between the human and the Thestral. In due course, the guard returned with a sober expression. “He has agreed to see you,” she said with a coldly neutral tone. “You may enter.”

The room was quiet, and carried the kind of tension that seemed to suspend the seconds in their own separate eternities. Sunlight filtered through the window to spread over the floor as Celestia strode with the slow walk of a prisoner condemned. She squared her shoulders as she reached the bed, and raised her head to face the hero who had given everything for the sake of her kingdom. The hero she had deliberately put in harm’s way, and whose body now sat in forced suspension while it struggled to recover.

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now,” she began softly. “I can’t defend my actions. I did what I did because the kingdom was at risk, and I knew you three would be able to smoke the threat out as an unknown.”

“Sure you did,” Shawn commented flatly as his gaze bored into her. “We’ve been here for two weeks at the most. You just threw us out there. Don’t give me that.”

Celestia’s jaw clenched. It was the only sign of the struggle within that she allowed to show. “Very well. I’ll speak to you plainly, then. Luna tells me that you prefer that kind of language, though it will likely leave both of us at greater odds than before.” She sighed and shook her head. “I am sorry—”

“No. You aren’t,” Shawn cut in. “Because there are only two ways that goes. Either you are a poor tactical leader and are completely incapable of understanding mortality and the risks of using bait or that ‘sorry,’ is insincere.” His brows lowered. “You don’t use bait unless you’re willing to lose it. Which means you were willing to gamble our lives.”

“Yes,” Celestia admitted. “I was. I was going to say I was sorry you were hurt, but that I was not sorry for what I did. I chose to put my people first. And I’m going to have to bear the consequences of that choice.”

“Some weight that must be, the lives of three humans with no connections in this world, nothing tying them to a singular thing. Next to nobody on the outside knowing we exist.” Shawn shook his head. “Sure.”

“The fact I’m visiting you here and now before any furor arises may seem like another political ploy to you. I can’t convince you otherwise, and my word probably means less than nothing to you now, but I am telling you the truth when I say I chose to come here and speak to you because you deserve it. Not as an honor, but as a right. It’s your right to judge me, to hate me, to say what you wish. And you need not fear reprise from me for it, though I suspect you wouldn’t, regardless.”

“One day,” Shawn spoke up. “One day, I’ll move on from this. One day, I’ll find a way to forgive you.” He gave a soft sigh as his gaze drifted toward the casts over his body. “But you know what I see right now, what I’ve been hearing?”

“From me or in your private thoughts?” Celestia asked.

“I see reminders. Every broken bone, every flash of pain that floods my nerves, every drop of blood I lost. I see reminders of what that choice did to me. The doctors talking amongst my friends about how there was a chance I was braindead, how there’s a chance I will never walk again.” He exhaled softly. “The mental scarring from this event. This is why I can’t forgive you, not anytime soon. What I see is the price we paid for your choice.”

Celestia nodded. “For what it’s worth, it is an infinite debt. And it is one that you may call upon whenever you wish.” She rose to all fours and turned back to the door. “I’m certain my presence distresses you. I’ll take my leave. You will likely see me again, but I will do my best to maintain a proper distance from you.” She paused by the doors. “You may not be of royal blood, but your words and your actions are worthy of such a mantle. There are only two others I’ve known to act in such a manner, regardless of circumstance.” Though Shawn could not see it, she smiled wryly. “Who knows? Perhaps the divine may yet have a purpose for you here.” Then she strode out the doors and closed them behind her.

Shawn waited a few seconds before sighing. “Ex Divinia etiam.

“You're sure he said down here?” Taze asked as he looked around their surroundings. It was certainly a lower district in the capital’s structure, but the quality of the buildings were difficult to differentiate from their fellows.

Moonshade rolled her eyes as she flicked her tail. Matthew looked to Taze. “We just have to follow Moonshade, Taze. The map also seems to agree with our progress. We’re just taking a roundabout path, probably to avoid possible trouble.”

“Actually, it was to avoid family members, but thanks for that,” Moonshade responded tersely.

“You have family here?” Matthew asked. He frowned as the memory of his own family’s faces flashed over his mind. Did they miss him? How worried must they have become by now?

Moonshade’s voice intruded on his reverie. “My sister and her foals live in this area. A lot of Thestrals live down here, actually.”

“I would love to meet some of your kinfolk sometime,” Matthew said. “After all, I know first hoof? Hand? That military life isn’t exactly normal. Home life must be different than on duty life.”

“Yeah, well, we don’t talk much,” Moonshade said. “Before Luna’s return, joining the guard was kind of like selling out.”

Matthew walked a little longer in silence. “You should see her or try to open up comms.” He gave a bitter laugh. “You never know when death or dimensional portals will take you away from family.” He squeezed Taze’s shoulder. “At least I have an adopted brother with me.”

She said nothing as she led them onwards. A series of signs and the occasional flash of golden writing over glass indicated the purpose of the buildings in the district as they passed by. Finally, they arrived at a nondescript stone building. Unlike many of its fellows, this one stretched up to four stories in height, and what appeared to be an aerie of sorts had been built into the topmost segment. Two signs jutted out from the face of the building, one at the topmost floor to mark the entrance there, and one on the ground floor. The image of a black Gryphon held an open book between its talons while its long slim black tail curved around its haunches. The words, Traitor’s Tail Inn had been carefully inscribed over the pages of the book.

“Well, I imagine that's us,” Taze said, examining the building.

Matthew looked at the inn and smiled. “Looks cozy.”

“Well, let's go,” Taze said as he headed for the entrance.

The inside of the building was incredibly well kept. The floorboards were all hardwood, but the furnishings were well crafted with soft furry cushions to support clientele. A number of stools and chairs that varied in size had been spread about the room by the check-in counter to allow customers the chance to wait in the event of a larger crowd. The room itself was decorated with antlers, shields, and a number of older arms to give the place an almost rustic sort of feel. A bored-looking Gryphon with saggy green eyes dozed as he leaned on his elbow. A broad stairwell circled the interior of the building while leaving enough room for customers to fly up or glide down at their leisure.

“Uh, hello?” Taze called as they approached the counter.

Matthew followed behind, but chose to focus on the displays. The weapons spoke not of battle or of the country, but with the siren call of history, and he couldn’t help but want to know more.

The Gryphon blinked slowly, then yawned as he stretched and groaned. “Can I help you, inspector?” he asked in a bored tone of voice as his eyes fell on Moonshade. “You’re a little early for your contraband search this month, aren’t you?”

Moonshade cleared her throat. “I’m not an inspector. I’m a member of the Lunar Guard. And I'm only the guard here. If I were here for an inspection, I would have brought a team with me.”

“That so?” the Gryphon asked as he eyed the strange companions. “Do you have a reservation, then?”

“Yes,” Matthew said absently as he turned from a coat of arms he’d been examining. “We have a reservation for Artemis.”

“I see.” The Gryphon remained absolutely relaxed as he reached under the counter to remove an intricately carved stone key. “We made the arrangements just the way you asked. Rest assured, you won’t be disturbed by any unwelcome guests, at least so long as the pay is good.” He smiled tiredly. “To the rest of the world, it may as well be like you were never here.” He proffered it to the trio. “Who will be the keeper?”

Taze gave Matthew a bump on the shoulder.

Matthew opened his hand. “I’ll be the keeper of the key,” he answered.

The Gryphon nodded. “I’ll need a drop of your blood.” He extended a talon. “If you would give me your hand?”

“May I ask why you need my blood?” he asked with a frown.

“To bind the key to you, of course. The bearer will be the only one able to access your quarters unless someone opens it from the inside.”

“You know what? Nevermind. I'll do it. We don’t need you to turn into a spigot.” Taze stepped forward and offered his left hand.

The Gryphon nodded and pricked Taze on the palm until the blood began to well up. Then he pressed the head of the key firmly into place. Moments later, the lifeless stone transmuted into a red gem. “The key, and thus the lock, are now attuned to your blood,” he explained as he wiped off the talon with the aid of a handy cloth. “Will you require a bandage?”

“No, I should be fine. It’s just a small prick. My friend there has very thin blood. That’s why it had to be me,” he explained. “Thanks for offering, though.”

The Gryphon nodded. “It’s part of the service.” He chuckled and smiled wryly. “For a small fee, of course.” He groaned and flapped his wings, then landed on the floor next to them and stretched on all fours to work out the kinks. “This way,” he advised and guided them to a space beneath the stairwell where the stone walls were still exposed.

“So, going to guess the crown’s going to be receiving a nice bill when all this is done?” Taze chuckled as they followed.

“That depends on which side of the crown you’re talking about.” The host smirked and winked as he gestured toward the wall. “Present the key. The stone will remember the rest.”

Taze did as instructed. The gemstone flashed softly, and a keyhole appeared moments later. Taze didn’t need further prompting. As he turned the lock, a hidden seam revealed itself in the rock. The portal swung open silently to reveal a well-furnished apartment lined with three large nests that had been padded with clouds. Runes pulsed gently around the rims of the stone basins that held the structure of the nests together. A number of cots lined the edges of the walls, and stacks of blankets and bedding rolled and stacked along the edges of the floor to form an added makeshift sound barrier. Surprisingly enough, the ceiling actually was high enough to accommodate the humans’ height. Instead of lamps, phosphorescent crystals pulsed gently to provide enough light to navigate the space.

“I hope these accommodations will prove satisfactory. Rest assured, measures have been taken to ensure you receive the proper ventilation.” Their guide strode to a portion of the wall at the far end of the space that had been left bare. “And in the event that you do not wish to be seen coming and going from our establishment, the key’s contract entitles you to this separate entryway. You need only approach it for the key to function. You will also find that the key gives you access to a washroom and emergency aid station in the lower floor. The entrance lies in the space between your beds.”

“Thank you,” Taze said.

“Yes. Thank you,” Matthew echoed with a sigh. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes as he slid to the floor and tried to force his body to reax. He couldn’t understand why he still felt so on edge. “Will you be staying with us still, Moonshade, or have you been reassigned?” he asked.

“I haven’t received any alternate orders yet.” She shrugged.

“You’ll find that a cloudwalking spell has been applied as a part of the runework on your beds. Considering you’re land-walkers, I can only assume you’ve never slept on a cloud before.” The Gryphon smiled. “There are few things that compare.”

“Should we need to, is there a way to contact you?” Taze asked.

“You can walk to the desk, I suppose.” The Gryphon chuckled. “No, I’m afraid any contact in the form of a magical communication with the inn’s staff would be too risky. The whole point of this suite is to not be noticed and not be found. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if your friends in the Night Guard have their own little device they’ve planted somewhere in the aid room.” He chuckled again. “That seems like something Nightshade would do.”

With Moonshade’s help, Matthew was able to rise and reach the nest. Once he’d settled onto the cloud, the deep and steady breaths of sleep soon followed.

“Will there be anything else you require? I’m afraid that food and drink aren’t normally provided in this establishment, though I believe there are some rations in the aid room as well in the event of emergencies.”

“That's fine. Thank you. You have a good day,” Taze said.

“And you, sir. I don’t believe I’ve met any of your kind before.” He smirked. “It will be interesting to learn more about you, should you choose to remain with us long.” He strode to the patch of wall where they had entered and pressed an exposed portion of rock that jutted out from the surface. The door swung open once again. The Gryphon didn’t turn back as the door swung shut, though he did stoop to pick up a bundle of bandages from the piles that were stored under the stairwell. Then he was lost from view as the door sealed and the “guests” were left to their own devices.

“Well, this is … cozy?” Taze shrugged to Moonshade as he pulled out a book from one of his pockets and sat on the bed. He had to admit it was comfortable. Still, he didn’t feel quite tired enough to go to sleep yet, and so dove into the pages before him.

“Probably better than most of the rooms. It’s a place to stay for now,” Moonshade noted as she moved to one of the nests. Being a Thestral, she had some experience with cloud beds before, so she simply got comfortable and watched her charges. And so the three lay there, one asleep and the other two simply passing the time while they waited for sleep to take them.

It had been days since the great expulsion took place. The drone had to run for several miles to return to the city after his siblings sought to kill him. Without the connection, he was … other. He was no longer of the hive, despite having been raised in it for his whole life. The fear he felt was genuine, which helped when he encountered other Ponies. Sympathy was often a form of love. It sustained him in his travels, just enough to keep going. He needed answers. He needed … closure was the word the other Ponies had used. But most of all, he needed to not be alone.

Luck was on his side as he entered the city. The barrier that had repelled the invasion was no longer present. And the power that had cast him and his siblings of the hive out was nonexistent. That did not mean he was safe, however. Guards regularly patrolled the streets with potions and solutions whose very smell burned his nostrils and caused his eyes to water. A noxious substance. Perhaps poison. Or worse.

It took time and dedicated research to find where the humans had been staying. He’d staked out the hospital until the creatures that had forever scarred him finally entered the building. It was only a matter of time before the human with the broken heart would seek his treatment. From there, it was a simple matter of covert surveillance. The problem lay in the escort. The drone was certain he could overpower her, but by the time he succeeded, he would likely be surrounded or killed either by the strange creatures or by other guards. No, this would require more tact. If he was to succeed in his plan, he would need to wait until the creatures were alone. And he would need to know how to gain access to them.

Reconnaissance revealed a magical artifact they carried with them to open the way into their dwelling. The fact they no longer went to the castle could have meant any number of possibilities. The presence of a guard, however, heavily implied they still had support from the crown. Pretending to be the guard had possibilities, but the creatures already had means in place to ferret out the truth. If he didn’t have the code, he would be found out.

Much though it went against his nature, subtlety would not serve him here. He needed those answers. He just hoped he could make it work.

The knocking on the side alleyway was soft and timid at first. But eventually, he settled on a continual assault. It had worked for the barrier. Perhaps it would also work in this situation. He beat the stone regularly with his hoof. The clack carried through the alleyway. Still he beat with the same rhythm and cadence. His fetlock got sore. He kept going. His foreleg grew tired. He kept beating. The limb burned. He kept beating. He felt like the leg was ready to fall off.

And still, he kept beating.

He didn’t know what else to do.

The entrance finally began to rumble open, revealing the tall form of Taze standing inside it. In his hand was Matthew’s crossbow, complete with a bolt loaded in the cradle. He looked at the pony with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t know who you are, but let's set the rules down now. You run, I shoot. You make any sudden movements, I shoot. You play games with me and I’m sure you can deduce what happens.” He stepped to the side and gestured with the crossbow for him to enter.

Matthew peeked out from behind his friend with a glower on his face as he held his short sword. “Taze, I know we’re friends and all, but do me a favor and ask next time you want to use my crossbow.”

The Changeling raised a brow in confusion at the conflicting sense of … humor, of all things, but left the comment be as he strode into the room. He was not dead yet. That was better than he could have expected. He strode slowly and calmly into the room and then laid down on all fours to stare at the humans.

Taze handed Matthew the crossbow. “Keep it on him, just in case.”

Matthew nodded, as he waited for Taze to make his next move. He casually checked the weapon’s safety with his thumb while keeping the weapon fixed on their most curious blend of prisoner and guest.

“So, let's start with a name,” Taze said, sitting across from the Changeling.

“I have none. I … should not be an I. That … thing.” He gestured toward the crossbow with his muzzle. “It … did something to me. You did something to me. I … wish to understand. I … need to understand. But … I do not know why. I … am not supposed to question.”

Taze looked at Matthew with a raised eyebrow. “You got shot with a crossbow? You seem in pretty good shape for that. If it had hit you in the head, you’d probably be dead.”

The Changeling shook his head. “Not the head. You struck me in another place.” He gestured to his shoulder. “May I show you?”

“Just move slowly,” Taze said.

“I must revert to show. I will not fly. I will not attack. You will kill me first if I do. Is this not so?” he buzzed.

“Wait, are you a Changeling?” Taze asked, standing up suddenly.

The drone blinked in surprise. “You … did not know?”

“How would we know? Isn’t disguising part of what your species does?” Taze asked. his hand groped for the knife at his belt and settled on the handle. “Why come here?”

“Answers. Understanding. It is as I said.” he motioned toward Matthew. “You shot me. Now, I am … other. I am different. I am….” He trailed off silently as he gazed at the floor. “I am alone.” He pointed to his head. “They are gone. My hive, my … family is the word, yes?”

Taze nodded, looking to Matthew for an idea of what to do. Matthew motioned for the Changeling with his crossbow. “Continue.”

“I am … attacked by my own kind. They do not know me. They do not hear me. To them, I am an outsider, a threat. I am to be killed. But … I do not wish to be killed. I … I should not question the will of the queen. I should submit to death.” He shuddered. “But the dark is not where I wish to go. The dark took me away from the hive. What more would it take? I … I do not wish to lose more.” He looked imploringly at them with glossy eyes. “Why am I this way? Why do you torture me? This is … cruelty is the word, is it not? I am alone.” He sobbed as he laid his forelegs over his head. “I am alone….”

“Well, that confirms a hivemind.” Taze sighed. “But you talk like you haven’t been speaking long. How old are you?”

Matthew leaned forward and stared pensively. Emotions flashed like bolts of lightning to the Changeling’s senses, but his face remained neutral. He nodded slowly at Taze’s comment about a hive mind.

“Age?” the drone asked. “I … I do not kn-know.” His voice trembled, even as the sobs shook him like hiccups. “We live, we … feed. We … grow. And then we serve.”

Taze facepalmed, then groaned. “Vulpix, you might as well put the crossbow away. I honestly don’t think he’d know how to hurt us if he wanted to,” he commented.

Matthew nodded and slowly put the crossbow down. “Yeah,” he said softly. “He sounds like a five-year-old. No idea of right or wrong.”

“Well, no-name, let's start with the basics. You no longer live or die by your queen’s demand. You decide who you are, and you decide what you do. Do you understand?”

“It … hurts?” He frowned. “No, hurts is not right. But … it is close. I … do not like having to choose. It is….”

“Unnerving?” Taze offered. “It doesn’t feel correct?”

The Pony nodded.

“How was life in your hive? Did you eat well? Were you close to your kind?” Taze asked.

“We were always close. Even when infiltrators left the hive. We are always connected. We were always connected,” he corrected himself. “Our queen chose Equestria because it is bright. It is filled with love. We … need love.”

“I think my meaning was lost in translation. Were your hivemates kind to you? Did you love your family?”

“Changelings cannot produce love. It is why we must hunt for it.” He shook his head. “Kindness, hatred, fear, these things, these emotions were … flavors, textures, not things we made or had, save perhaps in combat just before—” He shuddered and curled up again. “—Before the blackness. Before they were no longer of the hive. A drone does not think. It does the will of its queen.”

“Even if that will is wrong?” Taze asked.

“The will of the queen is right. That is all that matters to a drone.”

“She got a lot of you killed for nothing in the invasion. Is that right?”

“Serving the queen is not nothing. We serve because … because….” He frowned. “We … do not think. I … I did not think….”

“And do changelings normally not think? A lot of those we killed seem capable of thinking,” Taze noted.

“Chains. Nodes. Control points. They focus the queen’s will, distill it, spread it. These … require more than a drone has. More than a drone … is capable.”

“So your queen chooses who gets to think and who doesn’t?”

The drone nodded. “Yes. May … may I become me now?”

Taze nodded.

Green fire flashed and consumed in an instant. When it was past, the typical drone stared at them with colored orbs.

“Where did it hit you?”

The Changeling turned aside to reveal the place where the chitin had been broken. A green crust had formed along the cracks near the flesh.

Matthew looked at the wound with critical eyes. “Will that heal? It won’t cause pulling?” He paused, “Do you have an actual skeleton, or is your chitin your skeleton?”

The Changeling cocked its head in utter confusion. “What is … a skeleton?”

Taze looked pointedly at Matthew. “Let's start with the basics. Then you can ask again later, okay?” Matthew gave Taze a sheepish look, and Taze returned his attention to the Changeling. “I want you to think about something. I’m going to say it to you, and I don’t want you to say anything until you’ve really thought about what it means, okay? Here it is. ‘I think, therefore I am.’”

“I … think, therefore I am? That is all?” the Changeling asked.

“Tell me what you think it means.”

The Changeling frowned. “What I think….” he murmured. “I think. … I … think….”

“You work on that for a while,” Taze said as he turned to Matthew. “And me and you have to ponder a great mystery of our own.”

“Making sure Moonshade doesn’t kill this Changeling, I assume?” He took a piece of paper and began to write. “Intel gathering, perhaps?”

“That's a start,” Taze admitted. “Now, let’s see….” And with that, the two set about to figure out how to keep their new ward safe.

The now-familiar sound of doors opening and closing left Shawn heaving a heavy sigh. The solitary clip-clop indicated only one person this time, as opposed to the general pairing that the medical staff seemed to follow. They had been poking and prodding him constantly over the last few days to try and understand just how he was recuperating so quickly. That, and of course the phenomenon of his spinal column remaining completely intact, despite the sheer trauma that should have snapped it like a twig.

He opened his eyes and craned his neck to behold a familiar pastelle Alicorn with pink fur and multicolored mane and tail. The concern on her face soon shifted to surprise as the human not only planted his arms firmly on the bed, but pulled himself to an upright sitting position and shifted his legs ever so slightly to work the muscles.

“To be honest, I’m kind of surprised to see you,” Shawn commented.

That knocked the Alicorn out of her stupor. She frowned in response. “Why?”

“Given the whole incident, I figured your schedule would have been quite full,” he replied, rubbing the back of his head.

“Shawn, I love Shining, and I do still want to have our wedding, but you saved my life. I’m only sorry I couldn’t come sooner.”

“It’s no problem,” he replied with a small smile. “The doctors have been trying to keep visitors limited anyway, so….”

Cadance smiled knowingly. “Would that be the doctors or Aunt Luna?”

“Both, as it turns out.” Shawn gave a brief chuckle. “There’s always a doctor and guard nearby. More so on the guards.”

“I’d say you’ve more than earned it.” Then she frowned. “For better or for worse, you’re going to be in the limelight now, and probably for some time to come.”

“Cadance, we were used as bait. That spotlight’s been shining on us for some time now,” he replied, giving a short wave of his hand.

Cadance winced. “Yes, Aunt Luna told me about that. Though hopefully, this light will be more of the good kind, or at least the inconvenient one instead.” She approached the bed and sat next to it. “How are you feeling? Is the wound closing up all right?”

“Yeah. By some miracle, most of the cuts and stabs missed anything vital. Which I still don’t see how. I’m just stuck here until I’m stable enough to walk around unassisted.”

“You’re already walking? After just a few days?”

“Barely.” Shawn sighed. “The muscles in my lower back are still healing, and it gives me trouble standing for long. Whatever magic they’re using to help me has been surprisingly quick. An injury like this back home, well … even if I survived, I’d probably have lost use of my arms and legs.”

Cadance’s voice softened as she looked over him. “How is it that you can be so brave when you’re so fragile?”

“Because I have next to nothing. All I have are my friends,” Shawn replied as he looked her squarely in the eyes. “So long as I can move, I’d try my hardest to save those close to me, because right now, … they’re all I have.”

Cadance was silent for a time, then laid a gentle wing on Shawn’s hand. “I … know what that’s like. I lost my home once, … a very long time ago. My family, everyone I knew. It was … hard rebuilding after that. It will probably be even harder for you.” She sighed. “I know I’m not from your world. But … if you’re willing, I’d like to count myself among those friends. One day, if not today.”

“I’d be happy to call you a friend.” Shawn gave a small smile. “You haven’t wronged me or my friends, and you came by despite everything going on.”

Cadance nodded and smiled as tears stood in her eyes. “Then, as a friend, would you and your friends be willing to attend the wedding as my guests of honor?”

After a few seconds, Shawn nodded. “When I see them, I’ll try to convince them. Though things are … strained, with Celestia. We’ll go for you.”

Cadance nodded. “If they don’t want to come, please don’t push them. I won’t be offended. And the same goes with you.” She took a deep breath. “That being said, Shawn, there is another reason that I came to see you. And … it has to do with that loss. When I saw you in the cave that day, all covered in blood, I … something broke open in my mind. It’s been … difficult, trying to piece those things that came through together. Part of those memories I mentioned, about losing family, … were among them. I … I’m afraid to learn more about that part of my life. But at the same time, … I need to know more. I don’t know why, but when I’m near you, I feel like I can almost touch that part of me, if that makes sense. I don’t know if it’s the memory of when we found you or something else, but … if you’re all right with it, would you be willing to … help me remember?”

Shawn blinked a few times. “I’m … unsure of how I can help, but, if there’s anything you have in mind, I’d be willing to try.”

Cadance smiled gently. “Thank you. Right now, though, it’s enough just to visit with you. We can look into the memories later.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 008: To Change a Changeling

Matthew sat on the cloud bed holding the Changeling in his lap as he stared at Princess Luna. Moonshade was off to the side. Taze leaned against one of the walls and watched, correcting his friend occasionally while Matthew narrated the story that led to their peculiar circumstances.

“And that’s the full story, Princess,” Matthew finished.

Luna looked at them with a contemplative stare. Her eyes flicked occasionally to the Changeling as she took in the information. “You realize that's a lot to believe?”

“I do, but our new friend is speaking like an individual, in terms that, until now, we have only seen reserved by their Queen.” He looked down at the Changeling in his lap. “You wish to add anything?”

“Would it make any difference?” the Changeling asked. “The Princess believes what she will. And she is right not to trust. I am an unknown. And a Changeling’s first need is always feeding. That will never change for me and mine. I do not wish to die, and I will fight to live if I must. Is this not what it means to exist?”

“Tell me, drone, did your queen ever tell you about the other hives of the world?” Luna asked.

The drone shook his head. “If they exist, my queen,” he winced and shook his head. “My … former queen would not have shared that information with me. We protect our hive and we seek to survive. That is our purpose, or at least, that was my purpose. The queen was hungry for more than love. She wished for … something else. But I do not know what. I only know that it … altered my usual thirst. There was the need for love, but there was also the desire for … something else. To … make others like me? Like … like the hive? I … do not know the right words.”

“She desired power,” Luna said. “It is a thirst that has brought the downfall of many Ponies, nevermind many of your queens of the past. It would seem somewhere in your hive’s past, Chrysalis or one of her predecessors decided to forego culture and family in the grab for power, and thus warped your hive beyond recognition.”

“The hive exists beyond your lands. It is dry and dead there, with little water.”

Luna gave a wry smile as her horn lit up and projected on a nearby wall, showing off a dry cracked desert landscape with the sun boiling high in the air above. Large land worms and giant snakes crawled across the land. In the air above, creatures of different varieties flew through the sky. Some were nightmarish in their appearance. They came to a circle drawn in the ground where Luna stood across from a large Changeling, obviously a queen. This one was garbed in large plates of chitin that stood out over her body. Unlike Chrysalis, this queen was a steely gray, and her plates were full, lacking any signs of holes. A blood-red mane tied in a ponytail hung out from beneath an armored headdress where a horn shaped like an antler poked through. Luna had a mace, and the Changeling queen wielded a large five-sided wooden club with metal studs. The two clashed and clashed as the room’s occupants watched.

“Far, far to the east, in the badlands west of Neighpon, the Kabuto Clan Hive live a harsh and demanding life. The fight for survival was so ingrained into their way of life that it was a sport to them. Queen Aleras was one of the most challenging sparring partners I have ever known in my life. And yet, when food was required….” The scene changed to show the changeling surrounded by similarly armored smaller drones standing across from Kitsune. The two groups traded happily. A wagon stuffed with furs and hides sat next to bags filled with large pinkish crystals. “They found ways to trade peacefully with those nearby.”

Matthew watched the scene with rapt attention as the events unfolded.

“Peace,” the Changeling said as he watched the projection. “That is not a word I know. Is it an emotion?”

“Peace is to exist with another with no need for domination or violence,” Luna explained. “Your queen could have come to our country and asked for help feeding your hive.”

“What is … help?”

“When you do things to the benefit of ones who are not you,” Luna explained with a smirk.

The Changeling cocked his head. “Then why offer this … help?”

“Because it is right,” Luna told him. “Have you ever not been hungry?”

“We feed to sustain, but….” The Changeling’s stomach rumbled.

Luna concentrated and her magical aura turned pink for a moment as the magic gathered in front of her, pulling together and concensing until it formed a small pinkish crystal about the size of a baseball. She gently levitated it toward the Changeling. “Go on. Eat. I give this love to you willingly.”

The Changeling’s eyes widened. “You … know how to craft the vessels?” Drool leaked from the drone’s mouth as the crystal pulsed. His wings buzzed, and he hissed before the crystal broke down into that same vaporous aura and drained right down his throat.

“Now, tell me, how do you feel?”

The drone’s eyes flashed, and for a moment, they seemed to lose that bug-like quality to become something smoother and well defined. He leaned back and groaned in contentment, then burped as a tiny wisp of the substance escaped. “This … this is….” He closed his eyes to savor the sensation. “This is full?”

Luna nodded. “In magic and in life, there is a rule that rings true. That which is forcibly taken will cost you more than that which is given willingly.” Luna smiled at him. “When your queen makes you all take love from Ponies, more energy is spent in the acquisition than you receive in the end. What I just gave you was love generated by fond memories of past friendships and bonds. These are old, and the emotion generated is far less than your species would need to steal, but you have received much more out of it.”

“And this help generates more love that is given?”

“Had your queen come to us in peace, we’d have gladly given all we could spare and more to help your people. But the invasion she selfishly pushed you toward has ruined any good faith that could have been between our peoples. Do you understand now? Your queen’s selfishness will cause many nymphs to go hungry and starve for what would have affected your way of life none at all, save for your queen. That hunger may have lessened a little, but it would still have remained. And ultimately, it would have grown worse in time.”

The Changeling was quiet for a time as he thought over Luna’s words. His own words came slowly in response. “Then … this hunger. It would lead to weakness. And … weakness would lead to exhaustion. And then….” He shuddered. “The blackness?”

“Yes. We call it death. And does the blackness benefit the hive?” Luna asked him.

“When we fight to protect it. When danger rises, the blackness becomes … necessary. We … die … so the rest may live.”

“But when the workers, the drones, the nymphs die? Are not the nymphs the future of the hive?”

“We would give all to the nymphs. They are the future, as you say. If the queen should perish, a new queen would rise from them.”

“So if the queen has put the hive into a point where it will starve, where hunger will cause them to die, how does this benefit the hive? If the queen’s every action is for the good of the hive, how does this help?”

The drone frowned. “The queen … does not help. She orders. She commands. But … she has not given, except to the eggs. She gives them life. Preserving the hive is a drone’s one objective, and the queen is the hive.” He stopped for a moment, as if he had just been slapped. “But … she is not … all of the hive. Just like … like I am not the hive. The hive is the whole….”

“And the current queen is hurting the hive,” Luna said. “She is hurting the whole. What would happen to a drone who hurts the hive?”

“Death.”

“So what does Chrysalis deserve?”

At that question, the confusion on the Changeling’s face shifted to sickness. “A hive … turning on its queen?” He shuddered. “It is a terrible thing. Forbidden, save for….” He shuddered. “The hive remembers times when it was done. The memories are … unpleasant to remember, but it is a part of us, the workers and the drones. I … do not wish to think of them.”

“Do you acknowledge what your queen did was wrong?” Luna asked him.

The Changeling winced and touched his shoulder. “I … know what pain is. It is … unpleasant. We … caused much pain to you Ponies. Some, like my pain. Some … the bad taste, bitter. You call it fear. It is … an acquired taste. Few in any hive wish to taste it.” He shuddered. “Hate is worse. Hate eats love. I have felt both. But fear, fear is strongest. Love has dwindled. And that hurts the hive, which is wrong. And … since I do not like pain, I can only believe you also do not like pain. Pain is bad, which means pain is also wrong. Is this not so?”

Matthew muttered as he listened to the conversation. “... More disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Luna stared pensively at the creature that was and yet was not her enemy. “Changeling, let us make a promise, you and I. I will do my best to protect your life within my kingdom. I shall supply you with food and seek to find a place for you to live in peace. In return, you will promise to not take love forcibly from any of my Ponies. Does this sound satisfactory?”

“That … is all you ask?”

“You know causing pain to others is wrong now. I do not think I need to ask more than that from you,” Luna returned.

The Changeling hesitated for a moment and flinched, then braced himself and spoke. “I … decide to accept this promise. This is a form of … help given between the two of us, yes?”

Luna nodded as she approached the drone carefully. “For now, I apply this mark so that all Thestrals will know I protect you. Should you need aid, they will be bound by honor to provide you it. As a princess of Equestria, I give you asylum and aid, and I take you under my wings to shield you from those who would do you harm.” As she spoke, Luna pressed a hoof to his forehead and a small silver star appeared on the chitin.

“I … cannot see this mark.” The Changeling frowned. “May I?”

Luna conjured a mirror and held it before him.

“It is … silver. I … have never seen this color on a Changeling before.” His lips twitched into a subtle smile. “I think I like it.”

“Silver is more fitting of my color palette,” Luna noted. “I find the gold and white to be a bit garish, myself.”

“I … do not know what to say.”

Matthew touched the Changeling's back lightly and smiled. “Thank you is always a safe bet.”

Shawn sighed to himself as he stood by the window in his room. He was waiting on everything to be finalized for his departure. That, and he did somewhat need his shirt, vest, and coat. Rarity had offered to repair them, so it was only a matter of a time before she showed up.

He was finally able to stand unassisted with ease, even going so far as to be able to move from a crouch to fully upright with no issues. The doctors had fits about him constantly wanting to stand and move around while still in their care, but he just couldn’t help himself at times.

Apart from that, he was fine. The scars that had come from the event were relatively shallow. The only one of major importance was the one in his lower back.

The doors opened once again, and Rarity and Twilight both entered together. The one mare levitated a large rectangular white box in her magic while the other smiled at the sight of her friend moving on his own. The hug that followed from the purple mare was somewhat unexpected, but not unwelcome.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Twilight said by way of greeting.

“If only the doctors felt the same.” Shawn gave a small grin. “They’re trying to get me to stay another week.”

“Well, I mean, the sheer speed of your recovery and the regeneration would have significant application to the scientific community as a manner of study,” she admitted, “but I’m guessing you probably wouldn’t like being poked and prodded to find out exactly how that works.”

Shawn blinked a few times. “I mean, I just figured it was that my body took to their magic well, since my world doesn’t really have magic.” He shrugged.

“And speaking of magic, darlings, it took a little work, and a great deal of research to find just the right color of fabric. Not to say the amount of stains that needed tending to, but I now present to you what I dare say will be one of my best repair pieces yet.” Rarity grinned as she opened the box and levitated a perfectly refurbished blue coat complete with flashy golden trim and a freshly polished belt and buckle. “Tada!” she sang. “And, of course, I made sure to include a matching shirt. Fashion is nothing without the proper accents, you know.” True to her word, a flawless white shirt complete with cravat and gray vest soon followed. “And you’ll be happy to know there is absolutely no charge. I simply must insist on that point. Why, if not for you, we might not even be here right now.”

“Thank you.” Shawn let a smile pass. “I wish I could have offered something still, nevertheless.”

“Then how about we call your recovery payment enough? The smile Twilight gave when she found out was enough to light up the room. Quite literally, if you’d believe it.”

Twilight blushed, then chuckled sheepishly. “I … get a little carried away sometimes.”

Shawn gave a brief chuckle as he began to put on the missing pieces of his outfit. “I appear to have left a mark on you, it seems. Hopefully for the better.”

“No hopefully about it. You did, and definitely for the better.” Twilight smiled. “And who knows? Maybe the magic of friendship will leave its mark on you, too. That’s one of the biggest sources of power in our kingdom, after all.”

“We’ll see. Still have to take it one step at a time,” Shawn replied as he fastened the buckle of his coat. After looking himself over, he frowned as he felt something was missing, though he couldn’t place it. It wasn’t until he went to rest his hand on the pommel of his sword that he realized he didn’t have it. “Oh. Right. Luna took it,” he muttered.

“And nobody’s touched it since,” Twilight promised. “Princess Luna is very passionate about peoples’ privacy.”

“I figured, yeah,” Shawn rubbed the back of his head. “It’s just … strange. I honestly don’t feel right without it.”

“He does look the part of a noble prince, doesn’t he?” Rarity asked as she eyed the effects of her work.

“Rarity,” Twilight said in a warning tone.

“What? You don’t honestly think I would say that insincerely, do you, Twilight?”

“Let’s just say I don’t want you to get in trouble like what happened at the gala.”

Rarity shuddered. “Don’t even mention that night. I’ve drawn a veil over those … unfortunate events.”

“Are you saying you didn’t like the cake?” Twilight teased.

“Twilight,” Rarity growled. “If you don’t stop that this minute, why, so help me, I’ll…. I’ll!—”

Twilight laughed. “All right, Rarity. All right. But you see my point.”

Rarity sighed. “Yes, darling, I know what you mean.” She shook her head sadly. “And it was such a good dress, too.”

There was a slow clapping in the room as Taze, Matthew, and Moonshade stood in the doorway. Taze finished his golf clap as he eyed Rarity coolly. “What do you know? She can learn.”

“Hello, Taze,” Twilight greeted warmly. “Are you and the others here to pick Shawn up?”

Taze nodded. “We need to show him where we’re staying, after all.”

Shawn hummed questioningly as he raised a brow.

“Not going to say where right now. It’s kind of a secret.”

“Fair enough, I suppose.” Shawn shrugged. “Did they tell you if everything’s done paperwork-wise on their end? Though we can just walk out the door, I get the feeling that’s not exactly the best idea.”

“Depends on how you look at it. The doctors want you in for observation, but not because you need the care, more for their own curiosity.” Taze shrugged. “Anyway, the paperwork seems done as far as i can tell.”

“Be glad you get to go home today. It took me four days of hospital bureaucracy before I finally got to go home, myself, the last time I was checked in,” Matthew teased.

“Fair enough. All right, then. If we’re cleared, I’d like to finally get out of here,” Shawn replied.

“I can imagine you were starting to feel kinda crazy.” Taze chuckled.

“Combined with my insomnia, it’s been a lot of quiet nights,” he agreed.

“If I knew that, I’d have left some books for you.”

“It’s all good.” Shawn gave a dismissive wave.

“Well, if there’s nothing more, I suppose I should be going now,” Rarity said. “Ta-ta, darlings. And if you ever need some new clothes, don’t hesitate to ask.” And with that said, the mare made her way out of the room.

Twilight sighed. “I suppose I should get going, too. If this place you’re staying is supposed to remain a secret, I’m not about to risk spoiling it. It was good to see you all again. Hopefully, once things settle down, we’ll have the chance to really sit down and get to know one another better.”

“I’m sure we’ll find the time.” Shawn gave a small smile. “Until then, I’ll see you when I see you, yeah?”

“See you later, Twilight. I wouldn’t mind sitting down and talking either.” Matthew smiled kindly at the mare.

“Yeah. See you later,” Taze added.

Twilight offered a grim nod of respect to Moonshade. “And thank you for all that you’ve done, Moonshade. That invitation is open to you, too, if you want to come.”

“I appreciate that, Twilight, but I am just doing as I was ordered.”

“So?” She smiled enigmatically, then waved and passed through the doors, leaving the four alone to talk.

“All right, then. I guess you’ll have to lead the way,” Shawn remarked.

“We’re heading to the lower quarter,” Taze said quietly as they made their way out of the hospital.

The group strolled leisurely down the streets of canterlot. It took them a little over an hour before they found themselves standing in front of the inn. “So, before we go in, … we should warn you,” Taze started.

Shawn hummed questioningly.

“We have another roommate,” Taze said.

“And you have to warn me for what reason?”

“So you don’t kill them. Him? Her? They don’t know yet themselves.”

“Just tell me straightforward,” Shawn commented flatly.

“We can’t in the open,” Taze said.

Shawn looked at him for a moment before sighing. “Fine. I’ll try to refrain from the action towards whoever it is you’re talking about.”

“Good luck,” Moonshade said under her breath as they entered the building. Taze gave a casual nod to the innkeeper as they passed.

Matthew took position by the hidden door to be the first in, just in case Shawn couldn’t hold back.

Carefully, Taze raised the key to the spot and waited as the keyhole revealed itself, then opened the door to reveal the Changeling drone sitting on one of the beds.

“Welcome back—” Whatever other words the drone was going to say died in its throat as it gaped at the human in the blue coat, a human that it knew for a fact was supposed to be dead.

Shawn tensed suddenly and reached for his hip, where his sword would have been, only to grip air. He grit his teeth as the warning his friends gave him sprung to mind and he attempted to reign in his rage. He took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. Adrenaline had already started moving through him. “You’d best have a damn good reason for this.”

“Shawn, are we idiots?” Taze asked bluntly.

Matthew sat next to the Changeling and laid a comforting hand on its back as it shook, causing its chitin to rustle. “We do,” he promised. “Let me lay a few things out. First, he came to us of his own free will. Changelings are a hive mind, like the Borg or in Aliens. This one is unique because he’s not connected to the hive anymore, but he’s still sane. That’s not normal. He’s been very helpful giving information, and frankly….” He moved so Shawn could see the healing wound. “We think I might have caused it.”

“It wasn’t your fault per say,” Taze said with a sigh as the room door closed behind them. “It was mine.”

“Just,” Shawn took a breath before sighing. “Just ... start from the beginning.”

Shawn sighed as he rubbed at his forehead. “Figures. So, what now? We’ve got a Changeling who’d be killed on sight by most of the solar guard, and we’re being pulled into the spotlight once more.”

“Well, you did save the lives of two royals, not to mention make sure that the whole of Canterlot could be purged by that spell. I’d be shocked if there were an actual way to keep us out of it at this point,” Matthew said.

“We should at least know what action we’ll take, plan some kind of response if we get found out,” Taze noted.

“Since you already brought this up with Luna, we at least have that as a start of a cover,” Shawn replied as he frowned. “We also need to keep up appearances, given this whole situation we’ve been put in. Speaking of, Cadance still wants us to come to the wedding. She’d understand if the decision was no from you guys, but I’ve already determined that I’ll be going.”

“Do you know whether Celestia pushed her into it?” Matthew asked.

Shawn shook his head. “It’s got nothing to do with Celestia.”

“It’s a lot to ask,” Taze growled.

“Look, we’re going to have to deal with Celestia, no matter what. She’s one of the rulers of this whole kingdom we’re stuck in. Trust me, I’d rather not deal with her at all, but we’re kinda stuck having to, even if we aren’t happy about it,” Shawn replied bluntly. “I’ll be going to the wedding for Cadance’s sake. Whether you guys do or not is up to you.”

“... Fine,” Taze huffed.

“And you know I won’t leave the two of you alone after everything we’ve been through,” Matthew said. “Though we’d need someone here to babysit … what do we call our … guest anyway?” Matthew peered at the Changeling, who had made a makeshift bed for itself in the corner of their room and was watching the conversation intently.”

Shawn looked to the Changeling once more and frowned. “Probably best to just keep it simple. How about Mutatio?”

“Mutatio?” Taze asked.

“Latin for change. Makes it simple.” Shawn shrugged.

“Huh.” Taze looked at the Changeling. “That work for you?”

“A name. That is … how you identify these … individuals, yes? Those who are hives unto themselves?” The Changeling tapped his chin. “I do not dislike this name. If it will help you identify me, then I will accept it.”

“Mutatio it is, then,” Taze said.

“I like the sound and what it means. Easy to remember, too.” Matthew smiled.

“I … must stay here for this wedding, yes?” Mutatio asked.

“Definitely,” Shawn replied.

“So long as I have enough food, I will be able to remain. If I am hungry and the love from the wedding calls, however, … it … may push me to act, even though I do not wish to. Beyond my control. Instinct, I think you call it?”

Taze nodded.

“If Luna figured out a solution for that, then it should be fine in the end.” Shawn sighed. “Next is just figuring out the dates for everything.”

“I mean, isn’t that up to them?” Taze asked.

“That’s what I mean. It’s a matter of waiting for them to give us information.”

“Well, that gives us more time to wait and strengthen our bonds.”

“Do you have any idea on when things will happen, Moonshade?” Shawn questioned.

“I’d say relatively soon, if only to calm the people,” Moonshade said. “Just not sure when.”

“Then we’ll just have to play it by ear.” Shawn frowned.

Matthew snorted, “Well, we’ll need some help, then. We have smaller ears than the general population, after all.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry. If it’s important enough, they’ll just end up breaking into song.” Taze chuckled.

“And I might join in the chorus.”

Mutatio looked at the humans. “You have heartsongs?”

“No.” Taze laughed. “He’s just weird.”

Moonshade knocked on the wall with the agreed upon sequence and waited. Three minutes later, the wall opened to reveal Taze. Once the Thestral’s identity was verified, he moved aside and allowed her entry, closing the door behind her.

“No real news as of yet, though I've been asked to pass along a note of invitation,” she told them once she was sure the humans were all present.

“I assume if it made it this far, it was either from someone important or someone quite reasonable,” Shawn commented as he lowered the book he was reading.

“I concur.” Matthew nodded as he followed Shawn’s example and lowered his own novel that he’d retrieved from his attaché case.

“While not entirely important as far as standing goes, the sender is someone of note, especially to you three after what happened,” Moonshade explained. “The family is unlanded and has been ranked as Nobles of the Robe for some time.”

“Got a name we can recognize?” Shawn asked. “Or is it someone new?”

“Oh, you’ll recognize it. But it’s also someone you probably haven’t met yet,” Moonshade said. “Lady Twilight Velvet of House Twilight.”

Shawn blinked a few times. “Yeah, no, haven’t met her yet, but I do know who it is.”

“Well, that's a twist,” Taze noted.

“Should I read it?” Moonshade asked

“Let’s hear it.” Shawn nodded.

Moonshade cleared her throat. “Greetings, Lord Shawn, Hunter Taze, and Attaché Matthew. I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to extend my appreciation for your actions in regards to my children and our country, and would like to speak with you in person. Thus, I am extending this invitation to tea Thursday afternoon at two. I sincerely hope you will accept. Best regards, LadyTwilight Velvet of House Twilight.”

After a moment, Shawn shrugged. “I’ve got no problems with that.”

Taze shrugged noncommittally. “Doesn’t seem like a problem. That's tomorrow, right?”

“We have the time,” Matthew agreed. “But where is the location of the meeting? Will it be at their house or a tea shop?”

“At their house,” Moonshade clarified. “Otherwise, she’d have given a location.”

Matthew nodded. “That makes sense.”

“I guess send her a response?” Taze said.

“Anything in particular?” Moonshade asked.

“I’d probably say the standard. The three of us accept the offer and will arrive at the scheduled time,” Shawn replied.

“Okay.” Moonshade nodded. “I’ll deliver that, then.” She turned back to the door, which Taze got up to open for her. “This should be really interesting,” she said under her breath before leaving.

“So Twilight's mom wants to meet with us,” Taze said. “This should be interesting.”

Matthew frowned. “You think we have enough time to get a book on tea etiquette?”

“It’s not that difficult, Vulpix. You sit up straight, keep your shoulders back, use your manners, and extend your pinky when you drink. They’re not going to expect us to follow their customs.”

“That’s European. This is Equestria. There could be differences, and I will not cause a diplomatic incident because I’m ignorant if I can help it. At the very least, an effort to learn what to do beforehand will show I’m trying to learn their culture as a visitor and in my role as an attaché. That is still my cover, isn’t it?”

“Based off the letter, I figured it was going to be less of a major event and more of a meeting with three individuals who assisted her daughter,” Shawn commented. “Given the fact that this isn’t being scheduled to a major degree, and was more of a casual invite. Well, as casual an invite as it can be.”

“Not worth freaking out over anyway,” Taze said. “Just relax and try to enjoy yourself.”

Matthew grumbled, but didn’t say anything more, instead choosing to return to his book.

“Besides, in case you didn’t notice, we’re not exactly going to be arriving in style.” Taze chuckled “Shawn’s the only one dressed for a meeting with someone important.”

“Yeah, my attempts at getting normal clothes were met with, ‘ah, you must mean these types of attire.’” Shawn gestured to his dress shirt and vest.

Matthew snorted behind his book. “Then ask Moonshade to help get you undercover clothing. Even the nobility in Europe knows about going undercover to understand what’s going on outside their castle.”

“I’m just saying, unless you're sitting on a pile of gold and know some master tailor, we’re kind of stuck as we are,” Taze noted.

“At least most of the stuff they’ve given us has been comfortable.” Shawn shrugged as he returned to his book.

The Twilight home was most definitely not an estate. There were no sprawling gardens, no grand statues, no fences or barriers to keep interlopers away. However, the building that Twilight Velvet called home was far from unrespectable. It was located on a less busy street with a few neighboring houses. Their house was crafted from two different types of stone, a light pale blue that formed the majority of the house, and a darker blue that formed the corners for an accent to the house’s design. A checkered diamond pattern in a dark navy and lighter blue adorned the foundation beneath the windows on the ground floor.

“Well,” Shawn started as he glanced at the others, “shall we make ourselves known?” He gave a brief grin as moved to knock on the front door.

“I would concur,” Matthew said.

“Go ahead. I’m right behind you,” Taze added.

Much to the humans’ surprise, rather than a servant, a simple gray mare with a purple and white mane stood before them. She beamed up at them with the kind of smile only a proud mother can manage. “Thank you so much for accepting my invitation! Please, please, come in.” She drew back and gestured inside, where the space opened directly into what appeared to be a parlor or living room of some kind. A side table sat beneath one of the windows, and a glass front bookcase stood against the wall by a sizable couch. Two cushioned chairs complete with arms and high backs flanked the couch at an equal distance to surround a coffee table made from a large wooden wheel. A simple lamp resting on the spoke completed the appearance of the decor while a series of wooden beams along the sides of the walls acted as support to the rest of the house. An old grandfather clock ticked away the time absently on one of the other walls while a gentle hum from the mare’s horn triggered the brief glow of runes carved into the glass panes of the windows. While no visible changes appeared to the quality of light, it was evident some function or other had been activated.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Shawn replied with a smile as he looked over the room. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Matthew nodded his agreement as he followed Shawn’s example.

“Yes, thank you,” Taze added with a nod.

“Feel free to make yourselves at home. Tea is in the kettle brewing. It should be finished soon.”

“May I ask what kind?” Taze asked. “No, wait, hold on, I want to see if I can tell by the scent.”

Twilight Velvet laughed. “Well, I didn’t expect to have someone who enjoys guessing games among your party, but I suppose an element of risk and surprise fits for a monster hunter.”

“A well made cup of tea is something worth a little mystery.” Taze chuckled. “Coffee is good for pick-me-ups or with a rich dessert, but tea is something for every occasion.”

“You and the princess have something in common, then.” She smiled. “I always enjoy a cup before bed. The warmth settles in and helps you feel nice and snug before you go to sleep.” She gestured toward the couch and the chairs. “Please, feel free to take a seat. I’ll be back with the tea in a moment.”

“Well, I definitely like her!” Taze said with a grin as he sat in one of the chairs.

“She is quite nice,” Shawn agreed as he took a seat.

Matthew nodded his agreement. “So far, I think it’s looking good.”

About a minute or so later, Twilight Velvet returned bearing a tea tray with all the fixings in her magical grip. She shifted the lamp to the side table by the window and lowered the tray in front of her guests. “We also have sugar, cream, honey, and no tea would be complete without some treats to go with it.” Flat square cookies that smelled faintly of cinnamon had been laid out on a plate in the shape of a wreath. “And, of course, you said you wanted to guess what blend I use.” She smiled and poured from the kettle through a filter to catch the fragments of herb before levitating the cup to Taze’s hands. “Apologies for the size. I don’t normally entertain larger guests.

Taze took the cup carefully, keeping one finger in the arm and the other beneath it to support the saucer that held it in place. He took a few sniffs from over the brim of the cup. “Hmm…, red rooibos tea, but with a touch of cinnamon added to the blend?” he asked.

“A friend of mine from the Zebrican delegation brings some with him whenever he visits. I’m surprised that our homes both have the same name for the plant, though. Or do your pendants merely translate the name for me?”

“... Yes?” Taze said, unsure.

“Our world doesn’t really have magic, so the concept behind these amulets are taking some time to stick,” Shawn explained. “We honestly couldn’t give you a definite answer.”

“How interesting. I wonder what other things you’ll encounter here that our two countries share,” she mused as she poured for the rest. “Would you prefer to serve yourselves or do you mind if I add and then you mix?”

“I should probably add my own,” Taze admitted. “Due to health related reasons, I’ve developed a sweet tooth, and most people find the amount of sugar I tend to add disturbing.”

Twilight Velvet laughed. “It’ll be our little secret, then. Just don’t tell Twilight’s friend Octavia. To that particular mare, the art of tea is sacred. Or so my daughter tells me in her letters.”

“Well, in that case, I wouldn’t mind you making my cup. I have no idea how to make tea,” Matthew said.

“And you, Shawn?”

“I’d request you make it, as I’m not too familiar with the blend,” Shawn replied.

“Then so be it.” It didn’t take long for the four to finish their preparations and enjoy the drinks. When a suitable time had passed, Twilight Velvet lowered her cup back to the tray and sighed. “While I am grateful for the chance to get to know you three, there is another reason that I asked you here,” she admitted. “Our house is one that we earned through our own labors. My husband and I scrimped and saved like any other normal Pony would. However, we are still technically nobles. And whether you’re willing to accept it or not, my husband and I owe you three a great debt for fighting to not only protect my daughter, but also my two sons. I don’t know if it means much, given what little influence we hold, but if you ask us for help, my husband and I will do everything in our power to assist you.”

“Please, think nothing of it.” Shawn gave a gentle smile. “We simply did what anyone should do and assisted where we could. I’m sure the only thing we regret about that day was not being better prepared.”

“It was what was right,” Taze added.

“Still, if you need anything, I hope you call on us. A place to stay, maybe a home-cooked meal.” She smiled. “From what Twilight tells me, the three of you also eat meat. If the three of you happen to have some troubles getting ahold of that particular food source, I know of a few places that serve them.”

“That may be a bit of information we could use, though we aren’t likely to be able to go for it anytime soon,” Shawn commented after some thought.

“Why? Don’t you need to eat it in order to stay healthy?”

“Yeah, but our funding isn’t quite stable at the moment. We’re looking through some methods, but considering our situation with one of the princesses, we’ve been attempting to keep our distance for the time being,” Shawn said.

“Situation?”

Matthew looked into his teacup. “Some of us have taken umbrage with the fact that we were visible decoys in a play we knew nothing about really. Nor were we consulted on any ideas of how we might help, seeing as if the kingdom were to fall, we would also be facing more troubles.”

“I assume you mean Princess Celestia.” Twilight Velvet sighed and lowered her cup. “I heard about what happened in that room. Needless to say, as a mother, it was not an easy thing to be told.”

“It was a witch hunt,” Taze said with a grimace. “Honestly, it disgusted me to see such blatant disregard for someone they knew for so long.”

“I wouldn’t call it that, but perhaps the term has a different meaning where you are from. Our witches here are peaceful in their practices. They haven’t done anything to justify being hunted.”

“In our history, people tended to be very superstitious, to the point where when things started going wrong, they’d look for someone to blame. Logic and reason, no matter how blatant, was thrown out the window in a manic need to point the finger.” Taze shrugged. “Basically, they ganged up on the people they wished to blame for the wrongs. Likewise, your daughter faced a similar trial, or at least the person posing as your daughter, without so much as a thought to anything resembling reason.”

“Actually,” Matthew began as he put his teacup down, “the majority of the time, a witch hunt in our culture was more of a means to try and exert power or revenge. The first three supposed witches charged in Salem were a homeless girl no one liked, a disgraced daughter, and a widow in an inheritance struggle with her stepchildren.” He fidgeted nervously as his gaze darted between his friends and the mare, and he blushed. “Sorry, as a history buff, I … tend to babble a little.”

“So, when you say a witch hunt, you’re referring to unjust persecution, essentially a false judgment caused by wishing to believe something else to be true, rather than doubt it, despite evidence that might be brought to bear.”

“Yes,” Matthew answered slowly. “Those can be reasons.”

“If anypony were to try that here, it would weaken the protections over the kingdom and usher the windigos’ return.” She shuddered. “I suppose you probably haven’t heard of that particular creature though, nor how our people ultimately banished them.”

Matthew’s expression paled. “Can you describe a Windigo to me? Because we have creatures that bear such a name in our mythology, and they are not pleasant.”

“The windigo is a spirit of ice and snow. It feeds on aggression, fear, sadness, desperation. The more divided a people or group becomes, the stronger the windigo’s influence grows. They drive their victims into a vicious spiral fueled by self-preservation and desperation until all becomes a frozen wasteland, and their victims are encased in a prison of ice. They are ruthless creatures with no respect for life. Only harmony can push back their influence. It’s not just a way of life for our people. It is a literal shield.”

“Certainly different from our version,” Shawn muttered. “But it’s probably best not to elaborate on that.”

“Yours is worse?”

“Makes yours look like a mosquito,” Taze said.

“In any case,” Shawn sighed, “you get the idea. Our relations to Princess Celestia are strained at the moment, resulting in our current situation.”

“I assume that means you would prefer to keep your interactions primarily limited to Princess Luna, then,” Twilight Velvet mused.

“Basically.” Shawn nodded.

“That could complicate matters. Celestia was the one who taught Twilight in the first place. And if it weren’t for her, Shining Armor wouldn’t be where he is today either.” She frowned. “That being said, a life debt far exceeds anything else she may have given us. If I should be asked to influence you in some way, I’ll be certain to inform you of it.”

“We appreciate it.” Shawn gave a small smile.

The room was quiet for a time. Finally, Twilight Velvet broke the silence. “Then I suppose now what matters is simply getting to know one another better. Why don’t you tell me about your world, and I’ll do what I can to teach you more about ours.”

“There are certainly plenty of differences.” Shawn gave a brief chuckle. “But, I suppose it would help explain how we are.”

“That was certainly more pleasant than I anticipated,” Shawn commented. After reuniting with Moonshade, they set out toward their residence.

“Not really how you’d expect Twilight's mother, huh?” Taze asked.

“She’s not what I expected, yeah.” Shawn nodded.

“Honestly, Shawn, I think it’s safe to say everything is not what we expected,” Matthew said pointedly.

“Fair enough.” Shawn shrugged.

“Still better to be surprised than disappointed,” Taze noted. “Nice to know there are some names we can trust.”

“And nice to know we don’t have to necessarily be worried about being seen by other people anymore, too,” Matthew said with a smile.

“I’d say it’s still something to pay attention to,” Shawn commented. “We’re still foreign beings in a foreign land.”

“That's fair.” Taze nodded.

“It’s best you know which nobles you can trust,” Moonshade added.

“So far, we have House Twilight and Fancy Pants.” Shawn frowned. “Two out of a much larger set. Better than none, at the very least.”

“Yes, well, there are others, but they’ll take their own time, I imagine,” Moonshade said.

“It appears politics are the same, no matter what world you live in.” Matthew sighed. “How disappointing.”

“Maybe, but at least we can predict it to a degree,” Taze noted.

“Indeed.” Shawn sighed as he glanced around. They were passing through a shopping district from the looks of it. He could note several stores of potential interest, but most fell on the side of expensive and unneeded. Jewelry stores, a few stores for clothes, magic oriented shops, an arcade….

He slowed his walk and raised a brow as he took notice of the arcade. “That’s a sight I didn’t expect.”

“We gotta check this out,” Taze said, even as he strode toward it like a moth to the flame. “I wonder what their video games look like.”

“Definitely, but I don’t know about right now, Taze.” Shawn frowned as he thought it over. “It’s tempting. I’ll give it that, though.”

“What's the harm in just a look?” Taze asked.

Shawn thought it over for a moment and finally shrugged. “Ah, screw it. Let’s take a look.”

“You think they’ll have any of the classics?” Matthew asked.

“Maybe something similar, but I doubt it’ll be too accurate….”

Matthew sighed and shook his head as the door to their hidden room closed behind Shawn and Taze’s retreating backs. “Those two always did love the classics,” he said with a rueful smile.

“The classics? But those games are still relatively new,” Moonshade said.

“New for you, perhaps. But from what I’ve seen of the machines you have here, there are several similarities to older, but still very popular, games of our own back on Earth.”

“Huh. I thought the whole thing was a fad,” she admitted.

“It may be for the children of your world. But for people like us, who grew up without magic, the idea of creating worlds where magic could take us on adventures to save the day was a fun pastime, not unlike how some of your foals doubtless play at being royal guards or some other hero they look up to.”

“I suppose that makes sense. Still, you say these kinds of games are classic in your world? What are the newer ones like?”

Matthew smiled. “Do you have movies here?”

“We have films, yes.” She nodded.

“Let’s just say that our games are much like a film. Some have text boxes for dialogue. Others are ambitious enough to even record a person’s voice and have it play in time with the actions of the characters as they move. Without magic, our society has learned to innovate in other fields.”

“That sounds incredibly intricate,” Moonshade noted. “I didn’t think technology could do quite that much.”

“Much of what technology can and cannot do is still not known to us. But we like to theorize in the form of science fiction. It’s one of our most popular forms of media. I couldn’t even begin to tell you all of how it works. I and my friends are merely humble users, consumers of a product, if you will.”

“Your world sounds interesting. Our technology only grows in certain small leaps every now and then. Most things are done the same as they were a thousand years ago.”

Matthew frowned. “How odd. I wouldn’t think it would take that long for such a tightly-knit society to advance. Then again, you do have the benefit of magic to assist you. That probably makes the need for innovation practically nonexistent.”

“Possibly.” Moonshade nodded. “It’s probably better than living in caves and farming mushrooms.”

“Or pretending to be an animal to scavenge for love,” Mutatio added as he dropped from the ceiling. “My apologies for not greeting you. I was sleeping.”

“You don’t always have to greet us, Mutatio,” Matthew said.

“But is that not the polite thing to do? That is what you call it, is it not?”

Matthew chuckled. “Touché. You’re really starting to get the hang of being social. At least with the basics.”

Mutatio nodded. “Thank you.” He greeted Moonshade with a bow. “It is good to see you again. I hope your outing was successful.”

“It was adequate.” Moonshade nodded. She was still notably on edge about the Changeling, but attempting to be polite.

“That is the best that can be hoped for.” Mutatio nodded. “Where are the others?”

“Exploring,” Matthew explained. “They’ll be back later.”

Mutatio nodded. “Understood. Will we be resuming our lessons today?”

“Soon, Mutatio. I would like to finish my conversation with Moonshade first.”

“Then I will wait until you are finished.” Mutatio nodded, then flew back to the ceiling.

“He seems to be learning fast,” Moonshade commented.

“If he’s anything like how young humans are, then his capacity for learning will be vast during these next couple of years. A child can learn and retain more information in a matter of hours than most adults can in months.”

“That is similar to Ponies, with few exceptions, like Twilight Sparkle. You generally learn faster when you're a foal.”

“Speaking of learning, though, I’m curious, Moonshade. What was growing up like for you? What were you taught, and where did you receive your education?”

She sighed at this question. “You’d best sit down. This will take a while…”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 009: A Proper Reception

The final fitting for the trio of friends left them standing in pale white suits with a hint of purple. Blue accents in the form of flower buttonholes and ties with silver woven through helped to bring the look together. Due to their lack of hooves, the fashionista had to reach out to some old friends in the community to cobble together sets of dress shoes fit for a king. Or in this case, three noble guests. Much like the rest of their garb, the color was primarily white, though the sole of the shoes had somehow been transmuted from the typical dark hide to a sparkling silver to rival the flash of gold. To help distinguish the trio, Rarity also had the foresight to have three rings crafted. The first was of pure gold with a sapphire set on its top. The second was forged from black iron with a blazing emerald that flashed with frozen tongues of yellow flame. The third was a silver band studded with diamonds that seemed almost to flicker like starlight. A single tophat bound by silver ribbon at its base and a fancy cane completed Matthew’s accoutrement.

“Now, normally, I would insist on including a proper hat for all three of you, but I had the distinct impression that you two would rather dislike them,” Rarity noted as she gazed pensively at the trio.

“Hats don’t work too well for me.” Shawn gave a weak smile. “Admittedly, this suit’s a bit more than I’ve had for going to a wedding.”

“I suppose that’s to be expected with the differences between our two worlds. It’s not too much, I hope.”

“It’s all right. Though, the ring is certainly an interesting addition.”

“Are we done yet?” Taze asked. “This monkey suit’s driving me crazy.”

“I need you to move around in them to see how they hold. After that, I can have any last changes ready for you by the ceremony.”

Matthew smiled. He stepped off and walked in a series of marches to show his movements and how the fabric clung or sagged.

Taze did a short walk, then swung his arms around and performed some basic movements to test the range.

Shawn sighed as he performed a short series of movements with his arms to test the lengths of the sleeves, followed by basic movement for his pants. “Seems fine to me.”

Rarity smiled and nodded. “I do believe you’re ready.”

“That is good news to hear. I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say you’ll hold onto these for alterations needed and we come to you tomorrow before the wedding?”

Rarity shook her head. “No, there’s no need. You can take the suits with you or keep them here as you wish to change into before the ceremony.”

“I think I’ll take mine with me, then,” Matthew said with a grin.

“It’d probably be best to keep it with us. Ease of access and all that.” Shawn nodded. “Though, for now, I think I’m going to swap back into my usual attire.”

“You can keep mine,” Taze said, moving to swap back his stuff as well.

“I’ll make sure to keep it ready for you, then.” Rarity nodded.

“All right, after this comes the last rehearsal. And then the event takes place tomorrow.” Shawn hummed to himself as he kept track of everything.

“And then we figure out what to do from there.” Taze nodded.

“Agreed,” Matthew concurred. “Hopefully, I can finally get to see a museum.”

“I’m sure you’ll get the time after the wedding,” Shawn said.

Rarity smiled. “In that case, I suppose I’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner, darlings.”

The wedding itself was succinct and beautiful. Cadance was anything but the bridezilla that Chrysalis had made her out to be. The Vows were exchanged, as was the kiss that would seal them together for the rest of their lives. The crowds cheered, and Rainbow Dash unleashed the full power of her sonic rainboom to mark the occasion. Finally, the radiant afternoon trailed to evening as the stars slowly began to shine and the moon peeked along the horizon. What followed was incredibly touching as the two who were the center of this great celebration shared a loving nuzzle. At a subtle nod from Twilight Sparkle, a grinning Pinkie Pie zipped out of sight and returned moments later with a white pony wearing DJ glasses and a very unique piece of technology.

“Arcades, and now a turntable.” Taze chuckled, sitting back in his seat as he took a drink of punch while Twilight Sparkle began her musical number. “Their technology really is eclectically developed, isn’t it?”

Matthew nodded as he watched the Ponies dance or feast on the offerings from the buffet table. “I agree.” He grinned as the wind carried a sound. “I can’t tell if it’s coming or going, but I heard the steam whistle.”

“You have a problem, my friend.” Taze chuckled.

“And what would that be?”

“The train station is almost two miles away. The train shouldn’t even be at the station for another, I dunno, twenty minutes. You're picking that whistle up miles outside of Canterlot.”

“So? Whistles can travel long distances,” Matthew countered, not really getting the problem.

“During a reception, with active music, people talking, and other such noises?” Taze raised an eyebrow.

“I like trains. That’s all I have, really, Taze. I’ve got to do something. I don’t know how to dance with a Pony, and I don’t know many dance moves, so I have to listen to the music, Pony watch, and spend time with my friends. That, and battle the urge to run screaming and break down over everything.”

“It’ll take time.” Shawn sighed. “Especially given recent events. But the only thing we’ve got is forward momentum. So, we’ll take each day, step by step.”

“At least we’re not alone.” Taze shrugged.

“And after this, hopefully, you never will be,” Cadance said as she approached with her new husband. “Shining and I owe you, after all.”

“And on top of that, I owe you all a proper apology,” Shining said seriously as he looked over the trio. “I don’t know all of what I put everyone through, but I remember enough to know I hurt people.” He smiled ruefully. “It … wasn’t my finest hour, to say the least. I can’t take back what I did or said then, but if you need something from me, ask. I’ll do everything in my power to deliver.”

“Start by reminding yourself where your duty lies,” Taze said. “That's what you seemed to forget, even without the brainwashing. You're a married man now, and someday you may even have children. Make sure that you remember your rash words almost alienated you from someone you loved dearly, and your tunnel vision almost brought your nation to heel. I can forgive a lot, given the details, but you need to prove to me that you're worth it.”

“That’s a start, at least,” Shining said. “And that’s all I can ask for.”

“That's all I can offer,” Taze replied.

“Well, I’d like to offer congratulations on the wedding,” Matthew said. “I don’t exactly read equine body language well, but it looks like you two love each other very deeply.”

Cadance smiled. “That we do. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.”

“Indeed.” Shawn gave a gentle smile. “But, you have plenty of time to look to the future. For now, I’d suggest enjoying the moment.” He gestured to the event around them.

“Part of that is seeing you three,” Cadance said with a wink. “But I suppose it’s only fair that we get back on the dance floor. There are more people to see before we ride off into the night.” She kissed her husband on the cheek. “And then we’ll have another adventure waiting for us.”

Shining Armor blushed. “We’ll, um,” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “We’ll see you three later then, hopefully.” And with that said, the two strode back toward the dance floor and their many friends and guests.

“Well, that went about as expected,” Taze said.

“That it did.” Shawn sighed.

“Is that a bad thing?” Matthew asked.

“Not at all. Just a long day, as expected,” Shawn explained.

“It’ll be nice to sleep all of this off,” Matthew agreed. “Were we planning on staying until they drive off?”

“It’d probably be a good thing to do. Though I do wonder when that’ll take place.”

“Oh, I’d say pretty soon,” a pink party Pony said offhandedly with a smile. Confetti flew into the air as she leaped up and shouted, “Best party ever!” before galloping back toward the games where the foals had gathered to join them in merrymaking.

The air was calm and filled with the scent of incense as the two sisters sat together in council. The festivities were over, the newlyweds safely set off on their honeymoon. The roars and cheers had settled into the peaceful calm of night as the moon and stars spread their peaceful blanket over the world and ushered most of the kingdom’s denizens to sleep. The chamber in which the two royal sisters now met was decorated simply and warded with the proper charms to protect against eavesdroppers and scans alike. A tea tray sat next to Celestia, where the teapot and her cup both steamed. A massive tankard of ale sat before the Lunar princess on a solid wooden table that had been heavily reinforced with charms to ensure its sturdiness against the unnatural strength of the Alicorn.

Celestia sighed and sipped from her cup. “I’d like to start with small talk, but we both know that’s not going to help anything here. I’ll admit it. I messed up.”

“Yes. To be frank, Sister, from a military perspective, you BUBARed this situation,” Luna said evenly. “But not quite beyond repair. Though it won’t be fast, I think.”

“I don’t expect it to be.” She sighed and shook her head. “Regardless, recent events have shown just how woefully unprepared my negligence has made our troops. She was right under my nose, Luna, and I didn’t even recognize the signs! I should have known better. I should have—” The cup shattered, and tea splattered onto the floor. “Oh, Faust damn it,” she swore. “If he could see me now….”

“You kept the country from war for over a thousand years,” Luna said in a comforting tone. “More than admirable for anyone. The issue is that other nations eventually grow to view your passivity for weakness. They forget the damage we’ve done to their ancestors.”

“I feel like such a fool. And the worst part is, I’d probably do it all again.” Celestia sighed as she struggled to regain her composure. “The one thing I might have changed was not telling them the stakes.”

“Why do you think they are angry?” Luna asked her. “Do you realize why they're upset?”

“Shawn already made that abundantly clear after I visited him. They were all hurt because of my choice. Shawn nearly lost his life. And were it not for a miracle we have yet to determine, he would have been paralyzed for life, if not in a permanent coma. I deliberately placed them in harm’s way in the hopes that I could smoke out our enemy. You saw where that led.”

Luna sighed “So close, and yet so far away. You're missing the point, sister. Let's start from the beginning with the information I've been able to ascertain.” Carefully, she took several small cookies and arranged them, sorting by type. “We Ponies live together easily, at first by type, and then later as a combined nation,” she said, indicating several types of cookies making one larger pile. “For the most part, Ponies look toward the good of the herd through instinct. What's better for everybody is better for the self. Would you say this is essentially correct?”

“That and the Hearth’s Warming legend hanging over their heads,” Celestia said.

“Humans aren't like that, though,” Luna said. “They form groups, and then those groups may form larger groups, and those groups will form still larger groups. The problem is these groups could be decided by anything, a similar tribe or type, an ideal, or possibly just the need to survive. You would think these large groups all trust each other, wouldn’t you?”

“Naturally.”

“And you’d be wrong, Sister. From what I can tell from their dreams and the information Moonshade has given me, humans distrust each other on instinct. It seems even uncommon for one to fully trust their own blood beyond a point. Thus, when humans find one they believe they can trust, and that bond is shown to be true through the fires and flames of life, they consider that person theirs of a sort. Their friends, their associates, their humans. None of these three humans is angry that you put them in danger, Celestia. They’re angry you put the other two in danger.”

Tears rose in Celestia’s eyes, and she swore again as she wiped them away. “So, they’re brothers in arms, just like,” she winced. “Like the other humans I knew.”

“That's compounded onto the fact that their culture is warlike at its heart. Acts we might consider normal here are often looked at with great respect. Add on that their distrust seems to lead to an almost cultural paranoia and you have a truly Discordian mixture of a being. I’d say we got lucky the ones that landed on our doorstep were as moral as they are. I’ve seen similar personalities in Thestrals and Gryphons, but even they trust their clans and their tribes.”

“Then what do you suggest, Luna? You seem more capable of understanding them than I do.”

“I understand them only because I understand the chaos of battle better than you do, Celestia. To stand in the middle of disaster, not sure who you can trust and who has a knife for you.” Luna sighed. “For starters, if they are to come back to the castle, we need to offer them a place that seems less like a prison. I know that's not what you intended, sister, but it is likely what they felt. For the long term, I think we need somewhere we can send them that gives them some personal freedom, possibly a task added onto it to show a bit of trust. I can imagine it will only be a matter of time before your nephew or any number of the idiots at court put a flame to this powder keg.”

Celestia groaned. “Please, don’t even get me started about the Bluebloods.”

“Also, we need a show of solidarity, at least toward the public. I do believe their actions in the invasion have earned them a royal thank you,” Luna noted.

“There is no way they would be willing to go through with a ceremony like that. I agree, they deserve rewards for what they’ve done, but if we are to reward them properly and give them the protection they require, it will need to be something sufficient enough to pacify them toward the ceremony.”

“To be frank, Celestia, that part is rather easy enough,” Luna noted. “Up until now, either myself or you have been covering their expenses, and I imagine the concept is somewhat disconcerting for them.”

“And what do you suggest as a means to remedy this situation?”

“Oh, Sister, I thought that would be obvious.” Luna took a shot of an unnamed liquor from a crystal glass. “We pay them.”

“And you honestly expect them to just accept that? That would be the equivalent of blood money. Do you really think that would help our relations?”

“Honestly, Sister, sometimes you must let people think what they will. We throw in a few sheets of paper with writing on them, maybe a trinket or two for looks, but in the end, money gives them more room to move about without worrying about us tracking everything they buy. If it’s blood money, let it be blood money. It works for the Gryphons and the Minotaurs.”

Celestia sighed. “I suppose I can’t make things any worse than they already are,” she said, even as she knocked on the table with a hoof.

“There is no fast track to this one, Sister.” Luna shrugged. “Time heals all wounds.”

“Or buries them,” Celestia said softly as she slowly picked up the shambles of her teacup with her magic. “They probably won’t hear of it from me. If we are to move forward with this, it will have to be with an emissary from you.”

“I figured as much.” Luna nodded.

“I’ll try to find a way to insulate them from the other nobles’ machinations in the meantime.”

“Then we are decided.” Luna nodded.

“Yes.” She sighed. “Let us hope that we won’t be facing any more such … surprises any time soon.”

Prince Blueblood gazed distastefully at the pulsing speakers and sighed as the music of the DJ thumped through the air. The song Twilight Sparkle prepared for her sibling was touching enough, if a little saccharine for his tastes. The rest was peasant fare designed to keep the masses moving. He shuddered at the sight of the foals milling and galloping to and fro for their games and treats. The very thought of those sticky, filthy hooves brushing against his coat gave him the willies. Still, it wasn’t every day that royalty married, and it was his duty as heir apparent to his house to attend. He mulled his cider in his glass before taking a sip and sighing again at the sight of Princess Cadance’s “guests of honor.”

“At the very least, you would think they would have the respect to leave those barbarous things behind,” he said as he motioned toward the weapons the humans kept at their sides. “The invasion is over, and they bear the favor of the princesses. It would be a fool’s errand for anypony to move against them so openly.”

“I have it on good authority that they’re commissioning more dangerous weapons from the royal smithies.” Lady Jet Set was a pale yellow Unicorn mare with a wavy mane and dark brown eyes that could become soft as coal or hard as diamonds at her will. Her pompous tone made it only too clear how she felt about the outsiders.

“At the very least, they had enough sense to come in the proper attire, darling,” her husband noted. “I half expected them to come wearing furs and armor with how often they frequent the lower quarters.”

“It is funny to hear you say zat, darling, while wearing zat imported Gryphon perfume,” a familiar voice spoke up as Fleur de Lis approached them with a smile. Her Phrench accent washed over them with equal grace. “I would think you would have more gratitude.”

“I never once said I was ungrateful for their efforts on our behalf, Lady Lis, merely that I believed their choice of weapons to be … inappropriate for this setting.

“Upper Crust, my friend, you need practice. Zat lie was so terrible.” She shook her head. “You are, as you say, being unbecoming of your title. These people sacrificed so much to help us when zey had no reason to. We’d all be in much trouble right now without zem.”

Upper Crust winced at the jab to his ribs from Jet Set as she greeted Fleur with a nod of acknowledgement. “You’ll have to forgive my husband, Lady Lis. He often gets caught up in the moment without thinking about the consequences of his words.” She bared her teeth in a smile. “I haven’t seen Fancy Pants tonight yet. Is he well? I hope he wasn’t injured during the attack.”

Fleur laughed. “Oh, mon amie, you underestimate him. Non, he is fine, just handling other matters right now.”

“Excellent. It would be a poor thing, indeed, for Princess Celestia to lose the counsel of one who is so favored in the courts.”

“Oh yes, he works so hard and puts himself through so much for the country he loves. Why, just last week, someone sent an assassin after him. And my dear, you would not believe this. The connard had the gall to claim you hired him. Is zat not hilarious?” Fleur asked, though her eyes held no mirth.

Prince Blueblood frowned. “An attempt on the life of a noble is no laughing matter, Lady Fleur. I hope you were able to deal with him or her accordingly. Were you able to find corroborating evidence for the murderer’s claims?”

“Oh, mon ami, if there had been proof of such outrageous claims, lady Jet Set wouldn’t be standing here right now, would she?” Fleur asked. She kept that kindly mirthful tone, even as the glass in her magical grip slowly and soundlessly cracked and broke, compacting in on itself until the pressure alone resealed it into a single small marble. “Oops. It seems I need a new drink.” She set the marble down and picked up a new champagne flute from a nearby tray.

“Indeed,” Blueblood agreed, even as he eyed the marble, then Jet Set.

“It seems that I’ll have to have a word with some of my informants,” Jet Set said as she narrowed her gaze. “I don’t take kindly to my name being used in such a vulgar manner.” She offered a cool nod to Fleur. “If you’ll excuse us, Lady Lis.”

“Of course.” Fleur nodded with a bright smile. “Have a wonderful evening.”

Blueblood watched the pair depart as they charged into the crowd with Jet Set dragging her husband behind her. Finally, he returned his attention to the mare. “I can’t speak entirely for my house, Lady Fleur, but if there is any way that I can be of assistance within my personal power, please let me know.”

Fleur smiled in that coquettish way that only the Phrench seemed capable of replicating. “And I you, Your Highness. If you’d be so kind as to excuse me, I have many more Ponies I must greet tonight.” She gave a short bow of the head before turning and unceremoniously vanishing into the crowd.

Prince Blueblood took a deep shuddering breath, even as his own glass began to tremble in his magical grasp. “Sweet Celestia. Is she an alpha?” he muttered.

Shawn gave a small grin as he witnessed the departure of Cadance and Shining Armor. It wasn’t until they had left line of sight that he finally let out a sigh, allowing his shoulders to drop for a moment. “And, that’s the end of that.”

Taze sighed. “Why do I feel like it’s the end of a prologue?”

“Because there’s no way things can be simple,” Shawn replied simply.

“Sounds about right.” Taze nodded.

“Well, we are still going to be here till they find a way to send us home, now that this is finished. I’m both thrilled and terrified, honestly. With everything that’s happened, we’ll probably be the next focus of the nobility. We’re new, unknown creatures, and that means they want to ingrain their houses in our good graces for when they think communications are open between our societies.” He swallowed nervously. “And that’s the optimistic outlook.”

“I suppose optimism is the best choice we have.” Taze nodded. “Just wish we had some idea what to do next.”

“Probably figure out a point of survival.” Shawn hummed. “Need a stable point to stand on before we could branch out from there.”

“Then it seems like I may have caught the three of you at the right time,” Luna said as she approached.

Shawn looked to Luna with a raised brow. “I assume you were meaning to catch us before we left?”

“We need to talk,” she said bluntly.

“Is here fine, or do you want us to follow you elsewhere?” Shawn asked.

“I think we need to talk somewhere private,” Luna said. “It concerns how things are going to go forward from here.”

Shawn glanced to the others briefly before taking a breath. “Lead the way.”

Matthew followed the group slowly as Luna strode along the path. A toss of her head caused the firmament to become bright and lustrous. The streets were mostly quiet, now that the many guests and subjects had streamed toward their homes. The murmur of voices whispered in tired sighs and yawns as sparkles sifted from above in a silvery cloud that seemed to miss the four as they walked.

“So let's not play the small talk game,” Luna said bluntly. “I'm not here to order you, and I’m not here to bargain. I'm here to ask a favor.”

“And that would be?” Shawn questioned.

“I need you to publicly give Celestia face. Your part in the resistance against Chrysalis has already spread around the population, and they’re going to be expecting some sort of acknowledgement from the crown.”

“So some sort of award ceremony. Will this include the rest of the guards? Thestrals as well? They fought as hard, if not harder than we did,” Matthew said.

“Yes, and they are to be commended. However, the public expects its guard to defend it. It does not expect three foreign aliens with no ties to do so.”

Matthew frowned, “May I be bold enough to ask permission to witness the award ceremony for your troops, then? Because, with all due respect, this reeks of politics, and I’d rather thank the real soldiers of the hour.”

“They’d probably be happy to have you attend.” Luna nodded. “Unfortunately, this is not the subject at hand.”

Matthew nodded. “Then I suppose at least I’ll be willing to help Princess Celesita save face this time.”

“Let’s not rush into that decision right away,” Shawn spoke up. “Given the fact that we’re stuck in this spotlight, it would be best to at least minimize exposure.” He turned to Luna. “What would the repercussions be?”

“It would appear as though the crown had insulted a foriegn power. While I imagine Celestia would be forgiven, the disgrace would follow her for a very long time, and it would lessen her power over the nobility significantly.”

Shawn sighed. “Given their nature, it wouldn’t really work well for the nation. If we did go, there are several points that need to be discussed beforehand.”

“So I imagined.” Luna nodded. “I implied such to Celestia myself.”

“The first point that I believe the three of us can agree on is actual security, if it takes place. The Solar Guard may be the more up front, but we’d prefer actual guards. Beyond that, how public would this ceremony be?” Shawn asked.

“I’ll assign my personal guards to you, as before,” Luna assured them. “Unfortunately, the entire ceremony would be very public.”

“Joy.” Shawn sighed. “And I get the feeling that can’t be negotiated.”

Luna shook her head. “You’d also need to return to the palace, though you’d be coming and going as you please in a room set near my own quarters.”

“Complete freedom to leave the palace into the city, correct?” Shawn questioned. “I get the whole, ‘don’t leave the city’ bit, but we will be free to come and go from said room at our leisure, right?”

Luna nodded. “After the ceremony is done, we’ll see about putting you out of the spotlight until we can send you home.”

“We’re an unknown,” Shawn stated bluntly. “We lost that ability when we were put in said spotlight. It’ll take time before we get that ability again.”

“Maybe in Canterlot, but Equestria is vast, and there are plenty of places you could live comfortably and not be the center of attention.”

Shawn looked her in the eyes for a moment before sighing. “Unless Taze has any objections, then I suppose the three of us can accept those terms.”

Taze thought about it. “We’ll do what we have to, I guess.” Then he sighed.

Luna nodded. “Are there any other stipulations you have?”

“Nothing at the moment, though there are a few things I’d like to discuss with you alone afterwards,” Shawn replied.

“Very well.” Luna nodded. “I’ll arrange some time after. For now, would it be fair to say our business is complete?”

“So it would seem.”

“Then I’ll take my leave. I have preparations to make.” Luna nodded. “I’ll have a guard lead you to your new room when you're ready to move, make sure your … friend keeps under wraps.”

“Yeah, … he’d certainly bring more trouble.” Shawn sighed.

“Until next time,” Luna said as she turned and headed off.

The rooms that had been prepared for the trio were more closely associated with the night, as was to be expected for the wing of the castle they had been transferred into. Three great beds had been set in place under a large arching ceiling that pulsed with starry constellations and nebulae to light it up by night. Bookshelves and desks had been added for each human to make use of in their studies as they endeavored to better understand and speak the Equestrians’ language. A set of double doors opened out onto a large balcony that overlooked the castle grounds and the great waterfall. The view stretched on for miles, granting the humans a picturesque scene. The bathroom was exactly that, a true bath room. Steam rose in wisps from the pool-sized baths that spouted hot water from various miniaturized animals shaped like foxes, dragons, manticores, vipers, wolves, bears, and lions. A number of sinks and mirrors were also available, along with a shower stall for when they weren’t in the mood to wade or swim.

“Certainly more of an upgrade than I expected,” Shawn commented.

“I wonder if it’s symbolism?” Taze asked as he looked over the animals.

“It could be,” Matthew replied. “I mean, this is Princess Luna, after all. She doesn’t strike me as the type to indulge in opulence for opulence’s sake.”

“It’s an interesting line up of animals,” Taze noted.

“An interesting view out the balcony, too,” Matthew commented.

“Indeed.” Shawn sighed. “While we’ll still have guards with us, we were cleared for free movement around the city, so she fully held up her end of the deal here.”

“She’s only been honest with us from the beginning. I can’t see her saying or doing anything less than she promises, based on what we’ve seen and heard so far,” Matthew replied.

“Yeah, I know.” Shawn rubbed the back of his head. “I just … keep getting these feelings.”

“What sort of feelings, exactly?”

“Like something isn’t right.” Shawn frowned. “Like a constant nagging in the back of my mind that something just isn’t right, and I can’t put my finger on it.”

“We’re in a world of magical talking ponies,” Taze noted. “And we just survived an invasion by shape-changing insectoid ponies who eat love. You may need to narrow your scope there.”

“That’s the thing. I literally cannot. I can’t explain what’s giving me these feelings, nor can I explain why. Honestly, it’s getting worse than when we first arrived.”

Matthew frowned. “That’s definitely not good. Maybe there’s something in your head that’s causing it? I mean, this is a magical world, after all. Aren’t there creatures that can do that sort of thing?”

“It’s doubtful that any are close enough to,” Moon shade commented. “Most mind magic requires a relatively short range.”

“So, could it be something related to trauma, then?” Matthew suggested.

“It’s … definitely not. Nevermind, let’s just settle in for now,” Shawn dismissed.

Matthew nodded as he turned to his duffel bag on the bed he had claimed. “Want a book to read to take your mind off it?”

Shawn shook his head. “I’ve got stuff I want to get on paper, a few designs. Maybe later.”

“More of your designs?” Taze chuckled as he opened a bag he’d been given. He’d managed to borrow a few books from the Sparkle library, and was going to brush up on Equestrian history.

“Gives me something to work on.” Shawn shrugged.

“Just how many of those things have you drawn up since we got here?” Matthew asked.

“I mean, I used to do this plenty for my work as is, so it’s nothing too crazy.”

“That … doesn’t exactly answer my question.”

“I don’t have an answer.” Shawn shrugged. “I don’t really keep track of how many I’ve made.”

“Leave him alone,” Taze said as he opened a book. “Pretty sure people didn’t question da Vinci.”

Matthew sighed. “All right.” Then he turned to face Moon Shade. “Did you want something to read to help pass the time? I don’t have a large collection, but it’s enough to share, if you’re interested.”

“I’m not sure I'd be able to read any of your collection,” Moonshade noted.

“I could teach you, if you would like.” He chuckled. “Maybe we can teach each other a little without this thing helping,” he said as he motioned to his amulet. “I’d like to be able to do things without it one day.”

“I suppose we could try,” Moonshade said. “It may be beneficial to know how your language is written.”

Matthew Smirked. “Especially since those nobles don’t know a lick of it.”

Moon Shade smirked in return. “That is a good point.” She nodded, moving up to him “Let's get started.”

Luna sat waiting as Shawn was seen into her balcony. She stood by a fine onyx table which had been set with a large silver flagon intricately carved with the same animal figures he’d seen in their room. She lifted the mug in a toast to him as he was led to her. “I hope you don’t mind, but I figured we’d have this talk on the balcony.”

“That’s fine.” Shawn gave a nod as he leaned against the railing.

Luna nodded in return and gazed after him. “Something is troubling you. I assume it’s separate from the arrangements we’ve already made.”

“Yeah. The arrangement’s fine, so there’s nothing to worry about there. I was wondering if I could make a personal request, if it’s in the realm of possibility.”

“The only way to know that is for you to ask it.”

Shawn took a few seconds to form his question before letting out a soft sigh. “Given the whole situation that happened, I was wondering if a ceremony for those lost had occurred already? If it has not, though I didn’t know many of them, I would like to at least go to honor them.”

Luna nodded. “It’s only fair that you honor your comrade. You may not have known Crescent long, but from what I’ve been told, you were able to wield his glaive. No normal being could have done that. It would take someone with immense magical power to break through the restriction. And you don't have any to speak of. That means that you met the hidden requirement of the magic to enable the weapon’s use. And that requirement is trust. Crescent trusted you completely and implicitly. That particular kind of trust is not bestowed lightly by my children. You have more than earned the right to attend the proceedings.”

“Thank you,” Shawn replied as he looked to Luna. “Truly.”

Luna nodded gravely. “You have the soul of a warrior, Shawn.” Her horn glowed, and before the human’s eyes, a second vessel was summoned. This one was fashioned after a great bear with its silver teeth glinting brightly in the moonlight. A drink was poured, and Luna offered the vessel to Shawn. “Will you do me the honor of joining me as I drink to his memory?”

“Without hesitation,” Shawn replied with a soft smile as he took hold of the vessel. After a brief moment, he lifted it higher. “To the fallen. May the afterlife grant them everything they deserve.”

Luna nodded. “And until the day of reunion comes, I will endeavor to watch over their families, so that they may rest in peace.” She raised her stein in a return to Shawn’s salute, then brought it to her lips and drank deeply.

“Usque in occursum nobis,” Shawn spoke softly before taking a drink himself.

The dream world, was much as one would expect it, an ephemeral labyrinth of ever-changing pathways and scenery. That being said, Luna had always believed she’d gained a good sense of direction within, as well as an understanding with the fading consciousness of the realm that she had dubbed Morpheus. She had never truly had trouble coming or going before, never found a world she could not force her way into or a Pony she could not help.

Which made Shawn all the more of a curiosity to her. To say his dream state was closed off to her would be a gross understatement. She could feel the turbulence within, feel the ripples of the nightmares that assailed the sleeper in his own mind.

And yet she could not get past the door before her.

“It’s wrong…. It’s all wrong. It doesn’t add up.”

It caused her to go cold in her bones, a sentiment she’d heard a lot over the last few days. She spurred herself on even harder, tearing down the chains and shattering the portcullis. Then she attacked the door beyond with everything he had.

Every attempt had been like this. Every attempt had ended in failure. Why was his mind so well defended? Why was she so cut off from helping him?

But no. Tonight would be different. She would not allow this any longer. She slammed her own consciousness repeatedly at the barricade in front of her, forming it into a battering ram, then a crowbar, then a drill. Little by little, she was wearing it away. Already, she could see it beginning to open to her slightly. She could almost feel the other end of the passage before her.

She felt it crack. She felt the portal open for a second and pushed her consciousness forward.

...

Only for her to be thrown back at the last moment as several more barricades fell. Heavy doors of reinforced iron with locks and chains of every shape imaginable slammed in place, shoving her back farther and farther. And then, slowly, the portal began to fade, indicating the one behind it was waking.

Shawn gasped as he sat upright in his bed. Like every time before, his hand clutched at his chest as he regulated his breathing. Every night, the same thing happened. Whatever he dreamed of would wake him, and he could never remember what it was.

After taking several breaths, he finally sighed deeply and removed his covers. There wasn’t a chance he’d get back to sleep. He put on his boots and stood upright quietly. Given the fact they were sharing a room, he wouldn’t be able to get anything done without potentially waking the others.

Upon opening the door, he noted a glint of lunar armor off to the side of the doorway, “Morning Cres…” He trailed off as his mind caught up with him. “Right, sorry….” He sighed, ensuring he closed the door behind him.

“You're not wearing your amulet,” Moonshade noted with a raised eyebrow.

“Right.” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the amulet, placing it around his neck. “Forget sometimes. Sorry.”

“You and crescent seemed to have made progress in your Equish,” she said.

“Yeah,” Shawn replied, moving over to Moonshade’s side as he leaned back against the wall. “Given this whole … situation, I would talk with him while he was on shift. Taught me some things, and I taught him some of our words.”

She nodded. “Well, it’s good to know he made the most of it.”

“Yeah.” He frowned. “He was actually the first one to warn me. If it weren’t for that, things might have been different for us.”

Moon shade smirked. “He must have found you worth saving. My people value respect. You probably showed him more of that than most of the Ponies he grew up around.”

“I suppose. Luna taught me some things, since Crescent wasn’t able to…” He sighed. “If anything, I’m glad I at least got the Changeling that was impersonating him, if nothing else.”

“You avenged him. That is more than most would do for my kind.” She shrugged. “They're proud of the puffed-up Pegasus, but when the real dirty work has to be done, they expect us to do it without a word.”

“Though the world may not look kindly upon you, at the least they know your worth, right?”

“If they want to keep their security.” She laughed. “Though I imagine you’ve been facing some pretty harsh battles yourself. I’m not sure how you function on so little sleep. Your other friend there would probably sleep all day and think nothing of it if you let him.”

“Probably.” He chuckled. “While it wasn’t this bad, I did deal with Insomnia back home, followed by another day of work in most cases. I’m used to a little less sleep than others, though this is quite a difference.”

“You're also suffering from nightmares,” she noted.

“Yeah.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “I just can’t recall them. That’s the part that gets me.”

“Sounds like you're suppressing them.” Moonshade nodded. “I’m surprised Princess Luna hasn’t helped you with them.”

Shawn blinked a few times. “Right, she can do that. Unless, maybe she can’t for us? Combining all the factors, we may just be too ‘foreign.’”

Moonshade shrugged. “I suppose that's the best answer we’ll get.”

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask her next time I see her.” He shrugged. “Until then, I suppose I have one question for you, if you’d be willing. Seeing as I have absolutely nothing to do until the others wake up, would you mind helping me with my Equish?”

Moonshade nodded. “Might as well. it may help me get ahead of Matthew,” she noted.

“Indeed.” He gave a soft smile as he pulled off his amulet. “Prepare for much work.”

“Did you mean to say prepare for a challenge?” she asked, pronouncing the last word slowly in her native tongue.

“... What?”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 010: A Royal Thank You

The morning light shone through the balcony door to pierce the veil of shadow as the gentle waft of nebulae and shifting celestial bodies dimmed. As was only natural, the power of night yielded to the claim of day, and the golden rays graced the faces of the humans.

“Let's hope this goes quickly,” Taze noted as he tested the straps on his armor.

“You do realize this is a royal function, right?” Matthew deadpanned as he pulled on his uniform.

“Exactly. The shorter the better,” Taze said.

“It won’t be short. That much, I am certain on,” Shawn replied as he adjusted the cuff’s of his coat.

“At least it’s the only one we have to worry about for now,” Matthew said. “And Luna did promise they were going to try to find a way to keep us out of the limelight.”

“That’s going to be a challenge, given the nature of our being.” Shawn sighed.

“I just hope we find sometime we can duck out eventually,” Taze said. “Otherwise, it’s going to be a long night.”

Matthew frowned. “I don’t think they’d take it that far, Taze.”

“Ten to one says I’m right.” Taze shrugged.

“If I were a betting man, I’d take those odds.”

“It’s only today, so I’m sure we can manage,” Shawn replied.

“I will remain here,” Mutatio said. “It would be … awkward for the enemy to attend such an event. The idea makes me feel … uncomfortable.”

“I expect that it would, given what it’s about,” Shawn replied.

“I will continue to keep my promise,” Mutatio reaffirmed. “And I will await your return.”

“Be safe,” Taze said, holding a fist to the Changeling.

Mutatio cocked his head in confusion. “Why … are you holding your hand in that way?”

He lifted Mutatio’s hoof and pressed it against his fist. “Like this,” he explained.

“What is the purpose of this action?”

“It’s a show of friendship,” Taze explained. “A gesture of good will.”

Mutatio blinked slowly, then looked at his hoof and back at Taze’s fist. “I will remember this for the future, then.”

Taze nodded and rubbed the Changeling’s head. “Later, buddy.”

“Until we meet again, Mutatio,” Matthew said with a gentle smile. “Keep up the good work with your studies. Soon you won’t have to pause at all when you speak.”

Shawn simply gave a nod towards Mutatio before the three rose and strode out the door.

The chamber was quiet as Celestia finished transferring the bits into each of the bags and double checked each scroll to ensure her seal had been applied. The silken ties waited to wrap around each parchment. They needed only Luna’s seal to finish the deal.

“I can’t guarantee this will prevent the nobles from trying to influence them, but it will guarantee them at least a modicum of privacy,” the solar princess said

“Yes, well, I’m sure they’ll be safe from that out of Canterlot,” Luna noted as she applied her seal. “Most of the nobility wouldn’t deign to leave the city.”

“At least not without a reason like checking their holdings somewhere.” Celestia sighed. “I miss the days when they actually cared about honor. I had hoped with the return of the elements that they might be inspired to change, that the magic could return with that harmony. Instead, ….” She sighed again.

“They cared about honor because it protected them,” Luna noted. “Safe people rarely care about honor.”

“I suppose I’m one to talk.” Celestia smiled sadly. “You’re the only one of us who hasn’t tarnished her honor yet.”

“Really?” Luna asked with a raised eyebrow. “Did you honestly forget Nightmare Moon?”

“We both know that wasn’t all you.”

“We both know,” Luna said. “They do not. Nor do they care.”

“I do.” Celestia laid her forehead against her sister’s as they shared an intimate moment together. “You always took after him more than I ever could. And I hope you will always remember that.”

“It keeps me going some nights,” Luna admitted.

Celestia smiled as she pulled back. “Good. I think he’d come back to kick both our flanks if we ever forgot it.”

“You should have Dawnsear for this,” Luna said pointedly.

Celestia paused as she considered her sister’s words. “Normally, I would come up with an excuse not to,” she admitted, “but we just endured an attack on Canterlot, one that I was woefully unprepared for. Had I carried her with me then, I wouldn’t have had to engage with Chrysalis in a magical duel in the first place. And … perhaps, I needn’t have lost.” She nodded. “Very well. I assume you would also like for us to wear our armor as well?”

“It would be appropriate.” Luna nodded.

A wry smile pulled at Celestia’s lips. “And it would also scandalize the nobles?”

“We are commemorating people who helped us in a military endeavor,” Luna said, acting aghast. “It is only appropriate.”

“But of course. Just do me one favor, Sister.”

“And what would that be, my dear sister?”

“If any of the troops starts spouting that praise the sun nonsense, could you maybe hex them with a mild misfortune?”

“Sargent Solair may have a confusing name for a Thestral, but I assure you he has nothing but the greatest of respect for you, Sister,” Luna noted.

Celestia shuddered. “He may be sincere, but I’m not so certain about the rest of the troops that follow his example.”

“We’ll see with those idiots.” Luna chuckled. “For now, let’s get that armor out and see if we don’t need to make adjustments for all the cake you’ve eaten.”

“Please. Just because I haven’t gone to war doesn’t mean I haven’t kept in shape,” Celestia said with a proud toss of her mane.

An hour and many alterations with a hammer later, the two princesses left the room fully armored and ready, bearing their gifts behind them. It was time to put the plan into motion.

Pomp and Circumstance would be the most suitable description for the events that would go down in Equestrian history as one of the most unique events to occur at the castle, not because of the unique marriage between Shining Armor and Cadance, nor for the valor of the many heroic Ponies who offered their very lives in service to their country. This ceremony would go down in history for the official unveiling of Equestria’s newest species and their culture. The great balcony extended beyond its usual bounds in a style reminiscent of the animation style utilized for the great palace of Agrabah in Disney’s Aladdin. The great roar of the gathered crowd in the courtyard, squares, and streets below crashed and surged with the murmuring of many waves on the shore. The balcony was lined with soldiers, each in burnished armor and standing at military attention.

That murmuring soon came to a close as the clarion call of trumpets sounded and one clear voice rang over the crowd. “Introducing, their Royal Highnesses, Princess Celestia Solaris Galaxia and Princesses Luna Artemis Demeter Galaxia!”

The world changed as a veritable curtain of night swept over half of the gathering. Stars shone in the sky as the moon rose above the horizon to stand on one side of the tower while the sun shifted to stand on its opposite in its radiant glory. Twin flashes of gold and silver burst from the celestial bodies to cast their sparkles over the populace as the royal sisters flew out in their barding bearing their respective weapons. The two circled one another in an aerial dance as they descended toward the balcony to the thunderous roars of their subjects before returning the celestial bodies to their proper course and leaving the sisters to address the throng.

Celestia’s voice rang with magnified power to wash over the populace. “Citizens of Equestria!” she began. “It has only been a few weeks, but in that short time, we have had much cause for rejoicing. We joined with you to rejoice in the union of Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. We found great joy and solace in your fortitude and the efforts you have all made in the recovery of our nation during this unprecedented crisis. Although fear reared its ugly head, your strength and harmony in this adversity has allowed our kingdom to remain firmly grounded in its core beliefs that through unity in purpose, great deeds can be achieved.”

She raised a staying wing. “However, although there has been much good to emerge from the aftermath of recent events, we must also pay homage to those brave souls who were willing to sacrifice their very lives to preserve that unity, that joy in which we all endeavor to share. It is for this reason that my sister and I come forth to address you now, garbed as we are. And indeed, were it not for the efforts of three individuals in particular, it is very likely that an entirely different sort of address could be happening today, a celebration not of freedom and harmony, but of conquest and control.

“Some of you may have already seen them in more recent days as they have walked the streets of our fair city. These three heroes are members of a heretofore unknown race in Equestria. Their species is called humanity. It is unknown to either party exactly how they came to arrive in Equestria. However, that makes their actions all the more extraordinary and selfless. For despite knowing nothing of our people, our culture, or our ways, they chose to stand with us in our hour of need, even going so far as to willingly sacrifice their very bodies to ensure the continued livelihood of our community.

“These three, in concert with my beloved sister’s Lunar Guard, saved my life and the lives of Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armor. As such, it is our pleasure and our honor to proclaim now and forever that these three humans are friends to the crowns of Equestria. We owe them all a debt of gratitude, and Equestria always repays her debts. My little Ponies, friends and dignitaries of the nations of Equis, we present to you the heroes of the hour, Lord Shawn, Sir Taze, and Matthew Conner of Earth!”

The two sisters stood aside and motioned with their wings toward the doors, which promptly opened under the their dual casting to allow the humans to step forth into the light. The roar of approbation was beyond thunderous as cheers and whistles joined with whoops, hollars, and other cheers to create a cacophony of sound while hooves clopped and others reared or flew to get a better view of the strange creatures who had been so influential in turning the tide of battle to save their lives and expel the Changeling threat.

“In gratitude for your actions, we, the rulers of Equestria and its people thank you,” Luna added her own bit with a salute of her hammer.

Taze gave a short bow at the waist. Matthew waved before following Taze’s example. Shawn, in turn, placed his left arm over his chest before giving his own short bow.

“We expect you all to treat these friends with proper respect,” Celestia continued. “But now it is time for us to council with our new friends and aid them in their adjustment to our lands. Thank you for coming, and may the blessings of the gods rest upon you all.”

With that final statement, the two princesses turned to their human guests as the guards along the balcony formed up in a color guard on either side to create a living wall as they presented their swords and spears in a salute to the heroes and their rulers. The five quickly entered into the privacy of the room, and as the doors closed, a collective sigh of relief passed through the chambers.

“One down, one more to go,” Celestia said as she patted the saddlebags at her sides with her wings. “Thank you for putting up with this. I wanted to ensure our subjects know of you to avoid certain … unpleasant behaviors that have been known to crop up in them when they deal with the unknown.”

“Modern Ponies aren't good with non-ponies. Or any surprises, really,” Luna stated.

“We’ve noticed,” Shawn commented.

“I believe we’ve found the best way to ensure you the freedom and privacy you would prefer,” Celestia said. “And as an added bonus, you won’t have to see me, save for under certain circumstances.”

“And that would be...?” Shawn asked.

“We plan to send you to the one location that will guarantee you don’t have to worry about any direct interference from political machinations here at the capitol, a small town called Ponyville.”

Shawn hummed for a moment before giving a small nod. “I suppose that could work, though we don’t really know much about it. For now, I assume.”

“I’ve arranged for you to meet with some of the residents in that town, so you can ask them any questions you might have about its people, where you might be able to stay, that sort of thing. You’ll also each be receiving rewards for your services to the crowns, including enough money to get you properly settled.”

“And I get the feeling that’s the second part of the ceremony.” Shawn frowned.

“The awards, yes. The meeting, however, is going to be a private one. You’re likely to have questions. A reward ceremony is hardly the forum for that kind of interview.”

“Fair enough. Shall we move on, then?”

Celestia nodded. “Just a warning to you all. What we propose in this ceremony may raise a certain amount of outrage from some quarters of the nobility, but it is also our right, and they cannot question or object to it.”

With those final words said, the group traveled swiftly through the palace corridors to the grand reception hall. Unlike the singular grand throne that the humans had seen in the show, this time it was joined by a lunar counterpart. The hall was full to the brim with representatives from every noble house great and small. The murmur that arose from the crowd as the princesses strode up the steps and took their thrones in full barding and armed left the room with an atmosphere of unease.

Luna levitated a crystal glass and a spoon next to her and tapped them lightly together a few times, creating a single high-pitched note that quickly got the attention of the room.

“Friends and subjects, thank you for coming to this occasion where we take a chance to honor these three visitors to our world who risked their own wellbeing for the defense of our nation.” Luna waited patiently for the expected polite applause.When the motion had passed, she nodded her head regally and continued. “As is the custom of this country, the crowns have seen fit to reward them with a token of our unending gratitude for their actions.” She looked to a servant and gave a slow deliberate nod.

The servant strode out a side door and emerged moments later followed by three bearers who each carried chests of varying sizes with them. The largest of the three was so great that it had to be carried on a broad Earth Pony’s back.

“Matthew, if you would step forward,” Luna said.

Matthew slowly stepped out from the wings, being careful to keep a rigid and formal bearing with his back straight and hands curled at his sides while he strode to the front of the room. He performed a sharp left face to gaze at the royal sisters, then took five steps forward and stopped at full military attention.

“Matthew, you showed great courage and skill during the attack. My Thestrals had high praise for your quick thinking and marksmanship. We award you citizenship in Equestria and this medal of distinction.” She levitated a roll of parchment that Celestia removed from one of her saddlebags to him, followed by a silver medal carved with the intricate design of two wings.

Matthew stood still as the medal was pinned to his chest. Once the princess had stepped back, he gave a crisp salute.

“In addition to these, we award you fifty thousand bits from the royal treasury to use as you wish,” she said as the first chest was opened, revealing a few loose bits and several sealed and opened sacks.

Having been spoken to by Moonshade about what would be deemed acceptable, Matthew gave a small nod of respect to the diarchs in accordance with tradition.

“If you would please step back?”

Matthew gave another crisp salute, did a sharp about face, marched ten paces to the back, and did another about face before entering into a parade rest to wait patiently for the next of his companions to emerge.

“Sir Taze, if you would step forward,” Luna called.

Taze entered with a less measured pace to Matthew, but he held his shoulders back and head high as he strode to Luna. In a practiced motion, he unsheathed his sword, flipped it handle forward, and offered it to Luna. Luna gave a light nod and pressed her hoof to the tip. When she withdrew it, Taze flipped the sword back around and sheathed it.

“Taze, you showed great ferocity in the face of overwhelming odds, and great courage in defense of others. We know feelings between you and Equestria are rocky right now, and we do hope eventually feelings may be repaired. It is to this reasoning we do not grant you citizenship until you are at a point you feel you desire it. Instead, we grant you this writ allowing you to ply your trade as a hunter, as well as this blade of our own making. We hope it will serve you well.'' Luna levitated another piece of parchment over. This one was wrapped around the sheath of a longsword. The sheath itself was black lacquered wood with metallic clips on the tip and near the top. The crossguard was a semi-circle molded around a ruby. Black leather wrapped the hilt up to a clawed pommel. What caused Taze to smirk was Luna had somehow tinted all the metal bits green. He took the blade and the parchment with as much control as he could muster, holding back a childish grin.

“We also have awarded you fifty thousand bits from the treasury, and an additional ten thousand paid for services due.” Luna winked as the second chest was opened to reveal yet more gold. “Please step away, if you would?”

Taze nodded and balanced the crossguard of his new sword on his shoulder, then strode proudly to stand by Matthew.

“Lord Shawn, if you would step forward?”

Shawn strode to the requested spot and stood in a dignified pose with his left hand holding his right behind his back.

“Lord Shawn, to you, we owe an apology. You were placed in danger far unbecoming of your station. Despite this, you faced great personal harm to protect our country and those within it. My Thestrals tell stories about you and your exploits with great enthusiasm. To you, we grant not only citizenship, but also a lordly title within Equestria and its realms. We name you Friend of Equestria and Queensbane. We also will have an embassy constructed, formed according to your own design, to act as a means of supporting and protecting those others of your world that should stumble into our domain. We award you the sum of a hundred and fifty thousand bits from the treasury and bequeath to you this weapon of whose nature you may already be aware.” Luna's horn glowed brighter and, along with several pieces of parchment, a familiar glaive, now repaired and refurbished to new condition, floated before him. “He would have approved of you having it, I feel,” she said quietly to the man.

Shawn took a moment as he reached hesitantly for the glaive. When he finally took hold of it, he gave a short bow. “Thank you,” he spoke softly.

Luna's horn glowed, and the larger chest opened. Bits spilled out, revealing a sea of gold. “Now, if you two would step forward?” Luna requested.

Confused, Taze took a few steps forward to match Shawn. Matthew followed suit.

“You three have pointed out a flaw in our defense system. The Guard is not prepared for common threats of the day, and you have expressed that you have ideas you believe would benefit our future. It is to this end that we request you accept a small group of guards in training and show us how you might shape the Equestrian Guard to be more capable in the future. This is not a command, but a royal favor that you may refuse without penalty. Should you accept, we are afraid we must say goodbye to you for a while, as such exercises will require you to be outside the reach of the capital. We would ask that you set up a barracks outside of the nearby town of Ponyville. When you feel confident enough in the training that you and your companions have introduced, it is our desire that you test them against the forces of the Everfree Forest in a campaign to reclaim that which has been left to molder since the sundering of our diarchy so very long ago. That palace holds many treasures and many secrets. However, I will repeat myself. This is merely a request made to you three by our royal persons. You need not accept it.” Luna gave a nod to Celestia for her confirmation.

Celestia followed suit with her own nod. “It is our hope that you may find all that you desire during your stay in these lands. As my sister said, you have our eternal gratitude, and we wish you the best wherever you may wish to travel in our fair realm. We will respect your decisions, whatever they may be.”

Shawn sighed internally as he realized their method of helping them escape Canterlot. He glanced between Matthew and Taze to gauge their reactions. Taze simply shrugged. Matthew gave a subtle nod. Having perceived their approval, Shawn turned back to Celestia and Luna. “Though we cannot promise results, given the difference between our species, we can attempt to, at the very least, impart some knowledge of our tactics to them.”

“Very well. We will arrange a train for you by week’s end. This will let you finish any affairs you may have in Canterlot.” Luna nodded. “You have our deepest gratitude.”

Shawn took the glaive into his right hand and placed his left over his chest once more, giving a small bow before he moved to depart. Taze kept his sword balanced on his shoulder as he followed. Finally, Matthew gave a salute of acknowledgement, did a sharp left turn, and followed the others out.

At last, the ceremony was over. Now was the time to plan.

Twilight Sparkle sat in the humans’ chambers as each looked over her in turn. With the pomp and circumstance of the rewards ceremony out of the way, it was time to coordinate, and Twilight was exceptionally strong in that particular field of expertise. However, that didn’t necessarily mean that all of her suggestions went uncontested.

“Look, I know you may not be the happiest with my friends, but the fact stands that you need some familiar faces to help you while you get settled in the town and make preparations for your move. Rarity is the only designer in Ponyville, which means at the very least, you’ll have to talk with her and do business with her on a semi-regular basis, particularly if you want to design new uniforms for any troops that are provided to you. Rainbow Dash has dreamed of flying with the Wonderbolts for years, which means she’s at least somewhat familiar with military tactics. She’s also the fastest flyer in Equestria, which will make her an asset for training new recruits to increase their speed and durability. Pinkie Pie has a knack for getting on everypony’s good side and literally has the ability to somehow defy the laws of physics and magic.” She shuddered. “Please don’t ask me for the details. I tried explaining it. It didn’t go well. Fluttershy is the kindest and gentlest person in Ponyville, and her natural ability to understand animals can help you with negotiations with any wildlife you might encounter in the forest, assuming they’re sapient enough to negotiate in the first place. And Applejack is a pillar in the community. Her family is one of the oldest in the town. An endorsement from her is almost as good as having the princesses there in person to introduce you. Plus, her family has connections with every tradespony in town, she’s a mean carpenter, and her family recipes are good enough to rival some of the best bakers in Canterlot. Sweet Apple Acres will be a big asset in providing food for your troops.”

“And Prince Blueblood has tons of money. I’m sure if I knew the nobility better, I can point out a benefit for befriending each and every one of them.” Taze crossed his arms. “My problems with your friends have nothing to do with station or resources.”

“So I’ve been told, by you and them,” Twilight noted. “I’m not saying you were unjustified to be angry at them, Taze, even if their reactions were against me, instead of you. And I’m sure you probably won’t be willing to forgive them, even if they did apologize to you right now. What I’m asking is that you give them the chance to demonstrate by their actions that they are sorry, and more importantly that they can learn from their mistakes.”

“Let me ask you something, Twilight. In a world without magic, what do you think the final element of harmony is?” he asked.

“Well, in Equestria, friendship is magic, so I suppose that means the final element for your world would have to be friendship, assuming the parallels are close enough for you not to have an entirely different set.”

“Faith, trust, respect, however you call it. What binds people together is their ability to trust in their fellows. Once trust is broken, it is the hardest thing in the world to repair. It takes seconds to destroy and a lifetime to build up again.”

“Then I suppose that’s the crux of the matter here. You may not be willing to trust them, but are you willing to trust me about what they can do and are willing to do for the sake of this project? You don’t have to forgive them right now. You don’t even have to interact with them directly if you don’t want to. But if we can’t at least partially resolve this matter, then I’m afraid productivity will be a lot slower. Not impossible to achieve, but it will have a significant impact.”

“Fine,” Taze said begrudgingly. “I’ll trust you, at least. The rest, we’ll have to see. Once bitten, twice shy, as they say.”

Twilight nodded. “That’s all we can ask for. That being said, I should probably ask, just in case. Is there anything you don’t want them saying or doing with you in particular? They don’t want to make the same mistake twice, but since we don’t know your customs, it’s difficult to know for sure what is and isn’t acceptable to you in circumstances like these.”

“For now, let's establish the basics. We aren't friends. We aren't on that familiarity level. I’m not beholden to impress or do anything for them. If we do something business related, it is a business relationship. Basically, I won’t be looped into obligations that don’t involve me, okay?”

Twilight nodded. “I think I can get them to work with that. Rarity, at the very least, is used to that kind of relationship. There’s just one thing. Pinkie Pie always throws a party for newcomers. You may not see her as a friend, but she’ll probably still want to throw one for the three of you to welcome you to town, regardless. That, and the fact that the land is getting a new noble neighbor will probably mean that Mayor Mare will be joining in to welcome you three.”

“That's fine. Just no surprise parties. I’ve had enough surprises to last a lifetime already.”

“I’ll make sure to let her know. I can even get her to Pinkie Promise, if you want.”

“No. That's fine,” Taze said. “Trust, remember?”

Twilight smiled. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.” She turned her attention back to the blackboard and raised an eraser in her magic to clear it. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, how about we move on to statistics and references?” Three stacks of parchment were levitated into each of the humans’ laps. “I’ve compiled all the data I could get from the archives and my personal knowledge of Ponyville. I’m not sure what other resources the princesses may be planning to provide for you, if any, though.”

Matthew smiled as he took his copy. “It’s in ENGLISH!” He cheered and began to read the information in depth.

“Actually, it’s in Equish, but the amulets are able to translate the intent behind the words into your equivalent,” Twilight Clarified. “Now, if you’ll open to page sixteen, I figure the best place to begin will be with raw resources.”

When twilight turned, Taze retrieved a book from his pocket and hid it by fanning the sheets in his fingers, as though he were examining multiple sheets at once.

Shawn sighed as he looked over the papers and settled in for a long presentation.

The mausoleum, for that was the closest equivalent for the massive cave system in which the humans and soldiers had gathered, was spacious and lined with effigy after effigy carved in stunning detail. The closed eyes of the warriors on the stone showed them in peaceful repose, having earned their rest. The chambers were lit with a number of enchanted crystals, and the long line of bearers and attendants were accompanied by lanterns that poured silver light to guide their way along the path. Although rank and favor may have held sway beyond these walls, death treated all equally. And so those who were laid to rest were all truly equal. On this, the sisters had both been firm. Even before Princess Luna’s return, Celestia had not yielded on this point. All who served in the guard and died in the line of duty would be treated with the same dignity.

Instead of headstones, great stone slabs above the effigies’ heads were chiselled with the soldier’s name, rank, birth and death dates, and cause of death. The gravediggers met them respectfully and guided them through the cavern to the stone coffins that had been dug from the mountain cave itself, awaiting the last rites that would send these warriors to their final rest and the great beyond that awaited them. Rather than the typical torc and crown, Luna attended in her full barding, standing at the head to lead the procession and oversee the deliverance of the bodies. Shawn hovered in the shadows between the lights, a part of the procession, but not truly a part of the culture behind it. He knew the reason he had come, as did those others who had walked the path with him. He would give them the time to say their farewells. And then, when the time was right, he would say his. For now, he waited and listened as Luna addressed her subjects.

“A life given in defense of the tribe is a life well lived,” Luna began, looking across the Thestrals gathered to say goodbye. “We live by the sword and we die by the sword in order that the foals and the elderly may not lack a sword when the danger of the night comes for them. We gather here today to honor those who fell living their life well. We send their spirits onward into the glade of everglow, that they may bask in eternal moonlight forever. We send them to greet ancestors and to feast with them. We send them where no hunt ever fails, and where the stories are told by the fire. We send them this way, knowing their stories will be told and remembered until the end of time itself. We send them forward to make a place for us someday, fallen but not forgotten under the light of the moon, hidden from the harshness of the sun. Sleep well, brothers and sisters, and dream good dreams.” Luna finished with a bow of her head. She indicated her time at the podium was done, and the collective Thestrals split off to honor those who meant most to them.

Shawn stood watching over as everyone tended to their farewells. He didn’t have much he could say, and he felt that it wouldn’t have been right of him in the first place. So, he waited for everyone to have their final regards. And when it was just him, then he would act.

Once everyone cleared out, he sighed softly and moved to the gravestone meant for Crescent. The effigy truly was lifelike. The carvers had even gotten that mischievous curve of his lips as he smiled. Shawn knelt in front of the stone and ran his fingers briefly over the sculpture. “Though I didn’t know you too well, you still offered me equal grounds.”

He frowned as he reached to his waist, pulling out the dagger he had used during the invasion. “Though it may be disrespectful to many, there is only one thing I could leave you that would hold any meaning from me,” he remarked. Moving to the side of the stone, he flipped the dagger in his grip and did the task he set out to do.

Though it took several minutes, he finally was able to see the clear addition he had carved by his own hand.

89

He exhaled before looking to the dagger once more. After a few seconds, he flipped the knife in his grip and stabbed it into the floor, embedding it slightly into the stone next to the grave. While it didn’t sink in much, it was enough to stay upright on its own. “I just wish I could have done more,” he spoke softly as he stood up. “Usque in occursum nobis.”

“You gave up your knife,” Luna commented as she approached from behind.

Shawn looked over his shoulder to Luna before turning his attention back. “Yeah, but, that’s all right.”

“He would have been honored,” she noted as she approached to stand next to him.

Shawn hummed questioningly as he looked at the mare.

“You know, I have to wonder how you broke it off.” She levitated a leather sheath in front of him, a small guard tinted dark blue pressed seamlessly against the leather. The short handle was wrapped in dark leather with a small pommel at the end shaped like a spike.

Shawn took a moment before reaching out and taking hold of the sheath. After looking it over, he finally pulled out the blade. It had been treated and sharpened, and metal had been used to reinforce certain points, but the black jagged horn was clearly identifiable above the guard. The length was decent, and it held a lethal curve to it. It almost seemed to drink in what little light there was nearby.

“Do be sure to return it to her if you see her again,” Luna said grimly. “With my royal regards.”

“That much, I can promise.” Shawn nodded as he sheathed the blade once more and attached the sheath to the right side of his belt.

“You know, I’ve lived a very, very long time. And this part? It never gets easier for me.” Luna sighed. “It was the part my father hated the most.”

“I’d believe it.” Shawn nodded. “The concept alone of longevity, if not immortality, is … lonely, and sorrowful.”

“It’s the concept of saying goodbye that makes it such.” Luna nodded. “Crescent was a good soldier.”

Shawn nodded his agreement. “Good intentions, and good intuition. He was the one that gave me the warning. Had he not, I don’t know how things might have changed.”

“Normally, these areas are closed to the public after the funeral rites are finished, but you are not the public.” She gave a small grin. “The mortuary guards have been instructed that you come and go as you please.”

“Thank you.” Shawn gave a low nod. “Though … it’ll be some time before I may come here again.”

“That's understandable, considering what's on the horizon for you. I just wanted you to know it’s always open,” she said, looking around. “Sometimes, I come down here just to hear them arguing again.” She shook her head. “But that's for another time. Unfortunately, I have other duties to attend to. Thank you for coming to this.”

“And thank you for allowing it. I suppose I have work ahead of me as well. Though I don’t know how well it will do, I’ll do my best to keep that forward momentum, even at a cost to myself.” Then he sighed.

Luna raised an eyebrow at the last line. “Just so,” she said in a questioning tone. “Fare well, Lord Shawn.” And with a bow of her head, she melted into the shadows.

Shawn looked to the spot that Luna had vanished from one last time before moving toward the exit himself. Looking to his hand, he nodded resolutely. “No matter the cost, I won’t let it happen again.”

The Gryphonian embassy was a vast structure built into the side of the mountain opposite Canterlot. As a nod toward their Pony neighbors, the grounds outside the compound had been carefully leveled and tended with expert care to cultivate a sophisticated garden that offset the stark military garb the Gryphon guards wore. The rock faces had been carefully carved with wide openings at multiple high elevations to allow entry into the structure from the air. Each of these portals was manned by no less than two warriors, who hovered in wait to check any visitors that sought entry. Great pillars and artful renditions of mighty Gryphons bearing crowns and armor were flanked by smaller carvings and statues of soldiers that saluted their kings. The structure was designed to face to the east, so that it might greet the morning proudly as it stared back toward its native soil beyond the horizon. For those who chose to walk the ground, an intimidating set of stout wooden doors was flanked by a sturdy stone wall designed to obscure the view of any illicit figures that might seek to case the site. As a nod to the princesses and their sovereignty, however, there were no larger weapons such as ballistae or canons employed for their defense.

The flash of golden light was all the herald the compound required to know that they had visitors. And as the Gryphons rose in force, they leveled what appeared to be some form of compound bows from their positions in the air. The commanding officer eyed the solar princess and her sister, along with the trio of beings that stood between them.

“Princesses,” he greeted coolly. “To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence at our walls?”

“We’ve come to escort our guests to your compound at Gorek’s request,” Celestia returned. Her smile was soft, but her eyes were flinty. “He did send that message requesting an audience, did he not?”

The commanding officer glanced between the escort, then rested his gaze on the humans. “They will have to be searched. I hope that won’t be a problem,” he said pointedly as he lowered his weapon and gazed intently at the creatures. The rest of the guards still kept their arrows trained on their targets.

“Given the location, that’s fair enough,” Shawn replied simply.

Matthew shrugged. “Typical procedure. It’s not like we have anything to hide, anyway.”

“Just get it over with.” Taze shrugged.

Certain of the warriors alighted while the remainder kept their distance. The officer and his fellows were courteous but thorough. When the search was completed, the officer nodded. “We will have to ask you to remove your weapons for the duration of your visit. They will be returned to you when your business here is concluded.”

“We trust you will take good care of them, Captain,” Celestia began. “Both their weapons and our guests.”

“Barring an insult to our honor, there is no need to fear reprisal, Princess. Rest assured, they will be treated well as our guests, even as they have been treated under your care.” A hint of a smirk pulled at his lips. “Perhaps even better.”

“I’d be careful with your tongue.” Luna's eyes turned cold as her gaze fell on the guard. “Or I may show you what happens when you insult our honor.”

“Calm yourself, Princess Luna. I’m not paid to pick a fight. Never once did I say that you had mistreated them.” He gestured toward the gates. “Come. Chief Ambassador Gorek is waiting to meet you.” He raised his head and gave a subtle nod to the warriors. A small detachment flew behind the wall, and the doors slowly creaked open. “I trust you have given them the means to summon a return escort when their business is concluded?”

“Yes. Rest assured, you need not fear incurring any losses at our hooves,” Celestia returned with equal aplomb. “We hope that Gorek finds this meeting productive.”

The captain nodded and motioned toward the doors. “If you would be so kind as to follow me.” He offered a stiff bow to the princesses and their guards. “Until we meet again, Princesses.”

True to the warning, the humans had to surrender their weapons to be checked. When that had been completed, they were swiftly escorted to the interior of the mountain and through a series of passages until they finally reached an ornately carved stone door. A heavy knock soon heralded their arrival, and a gruff voice called for their entry.

The office they beheld was a far cry from the cold stone exterior in the passageways. The room was laden with all manner of finery. Ornate rugs, carefully dyed and designed, had been laid over the hard floors while rich stained wooden bookshelves rose along the walls, each bearing a number of volumes written in Gryphic runes. A number of plinths interspersed between the units, each bearing a weapon or piece of armor labeled with placards that were also engraved in their unique language. A pair of heavy war axes sat on display in unique holders just behind the largest redwood desk the humans had ever seen. The carvings had been expertly sculpted from pure gold to accentuate the red and bring a sense of vibrancy as well as wealth to the occupant.

The Gryphon who sat at that surface was a blend of falcon and lion. His gaze was piercing as he stared with those avian eyes. “Gentlemen,” he greeted and motioned to three large chairs that had been provided. “Please, make yourselves comfortable.” He glanced at the officer who had escorted them. “Thank you for your assistance, Captain. You are dismissed. Please wait for us outside the door.”

The soldier saluted and marched out the portal before closing it behind him.

“I’m afraid that I must apologize for the inconvenience of size. There are a number of races and species that exist in our world, but we have encountered none like yours before.”

“It’s fine,” Taze said. “You have a very nice office.”

The Gryphon shrugged his wings. “The perks of representing the Empire. I technically represent six separate factions within it, if you really want to analyze it. And all of them want favors from me. Only one has the authority to command me, though.”

Matthew frowned. “I thought that an empire only had one ruler.”

“Perhaps in the empires of your world. Gryphonia is a little different, however.” Gorek chuckled. “Our empire is ruled by a divine monarch appointed by the Winds and cemented in his rule through respect earned by right of combat. In case you hadn’t guessed already, we are a rather warlike race.” His beak curved in a smile. “Beneath this emperor are five kings from royal bloodlines whose sworn duty is to serve the emperor and protect the lands over which they hold stewardship. The empire is vast. It requires a certain structure of authority to rule properly and maintain order.”

“And I’m guessing each king has several lords under him?” Taze asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That depends on what you consider a lord. We do not have quite the same level of aristocracy that your hosts adhere to. Rather than lesser lords and ladies, we have a system of clans who serve under the kings. Those who have proven themselves in battle and brought glory to their clan are rewarded accordingly by the kings. And if the deeds are great enough, by the emperor himself. Much like your noble houses, however, the clan lord, or head of the house if you prefer, is the one with the authority to preside over the clan and the lands which have been granted to them. And they are subject to a certain extent to their kings. However, if they have a problem, there are ways to settle the disputes through honorable combat. It must be from one of similar standing or with significant accolades to equate to the standing of the one being challenged to hold merit. But assuming one is successful in this attempt, one could rise in power and lay claim to the loser’s lands or whatever possessions may have been included in the terms of the duel.”

“Brutal, but effective.” Taze nodded. “We have a few cultures who did similar things in our world.”

“I wondered whether that might not have been the case. Tell me, are there other species on your world that you trade with? Given that you have mentioned other cultures, one can easily deduce that you must have more than one nation, and thus more than one government.”

“In our world, we are the only species we are aware of to have achieved sapience, and we’d know if another existed.” Taze shrugged.

“I see.” He turned his attention to Shawn. “And how would you describe the interactions between your species? I am curious to learn of your customs.”

“If you mean by nation to nation, it varies depending on which one, as each holds massively different cultures to one another.” Shawn gave a faint shrug. “In general, it’s best to show respect to one another, even if that respect is backed by many weapons.”

Gorek laughed. “That is a stance I can relate to well. It feels almost comforting to know that such philosophies exist even in worlds beyond our own. Judging by the accolades we have heard of your deeds, I believe it is safe to assume that whatever nation or culture you may come from in your world bears such backing.”

“Indeed. But, that is something for another discussion,” Shawn replied with a faint smile. “Our time is sadly limited.”

“After only just arriving?” Gorek chuckled. “How novel. Very well, then. I suppose it’s only fair that we set certain boundaries in our discussions for getting to know one another. That way, we might be able to help increase some of this limited time.”

“Certainly.” Shawn nodded. “In that case, let us begin.”

Shawn: Well, finally we hit double digits for all to see.

American_Brony: Not sure really what to do with the author notes but I can think that a few times we will have notes here to read, just not going to say when or where.

An Extended Holiday
Chapter 011: Forward March!

The room that the humans had called their temporary home was now practically empty. Their personal belongings, old and new, had been carefully packed in luggage cases to be transported to the train for their long trip. Mutatio kept his supply of love crystals in a pair of saddle bags that had been strapped around his torso. He’d assumed the shape of a Mule, a species that, strangely enough, seemed to be among the most unnoticed of the many tribes in the kingdom.

“So Mules really don’t get noticed at all?” Matthew asked incredulously.

“Not so much they don’t get noticed as most Ponies don’t think about them until they say something that could be taken as insulting toward them,” Moonshade said.

“Hence the, ‘no offense,’ that we’ve heard from time to time in our outings?”

Moonshade nodded. “Ponies consider mules close enough to the three tribes that insulting them is in bad taste. This courtesy doesn’t extend to Thestrals or Zebras, mind you.”

“Are there any other tribes you haven’t told us about yet?” Matthew asked. “I’m going to guess that if you have Mules, you must have Donkeys, too, right?”

“Oh, Ponies only consider Unicorns, Earth Ponies, and Pegasi to be tribes. We Thestrals are barely considered equines half the time, and the less said about Zebras, the better.”

“But aren’t you all equines, anyway?” Matthew asked as he cocked his head in confusion.

“You’d think, but Ponies are quite frankly xenaphobic on a fundamental level.” Moonshade shrugged.

“The way you Thestrals speak, sounds like you take that kinda personally,” Taze noted.

“Wouldn’t you?” Moonshade asked.

“From a military standpoint and a strategic one, after everything that the Changelings did, I suppose that they’ll have to start noticing and acknowledging these others more now. Otherwise, Chrysalis will just do the same thing all over again. It’s a pretty gaping hole, in my opinion,” Matthew said.

“Unfortunately, Ponies are slow to change.” Moonshade shrugged.

The journey to the train station was a large affair as citizens lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the newest Friends of Equestria. The loud cry of the steam engine’s whistle helped to calm Matthew as thoughts of the model and type of propulsion helped to shove out any anxieties that might rise from the sheer number of watchers. A detachment of Earth Pony and Unicorn guards assisted with carrying the many chests that contained the humans’ gifts and rewards, including the vast store of treasure that would help provide their housing and assist them in achieving their other necessities.

Along with the escort, a large influx of Ponies in varying states of dress and armor stood in organized lines. Were it not for their knowledge of the mission ahead, the humans might well have considered them to be prisoners.

“Well, this is comfortable,” Taze said sarcastically.

“It’s work.” Shawn sighed as he looked through a series of documents in his hands. “But, we’ll be out of here soon enough.”

“At least we’ll have a chance to chart out a course for how to deal with all of these troops,” Matthew said. “And it’s not like we’ll be entirely alone. I’m sure the princesses will allow us to have at least a few other experienced hands to help.”

“We have some individuals of note that will be assisting, yes,” Shawn commented as he flipped to a different page. “Including two smiths, for now. A third will be arriving at a later day.”

“Great. So we’re going to have people around to tell us what we’re doing wrong.” Taze chuckled.

“Well, we could always look at it from the half full perspective and end up showing them up after the criticism,” Matthew noted.

Shawn hummed. “We’ll see how things go.”

“Probably be best if we split them up into three smaller groups, just to make life easier,” Taze noted.

“We’ll look into that when we have the full unit. Right now, we’re only looking at the first batch being sent our way.” Shawn sighed. “Twenty currently, not counting the additional assistance, being roughly five individuals, and our two smiths.”

“Given the manpower we have at the moment, that’s probably a good thing,” Matthew said. “It’ll make it a lot easier to keep them under control and train for leadership when the next batch of soldiers comes.”

“We’re going to have to really think about this moving into the Everfree. Probably our best bet would be in the spring, given the size of the group we’re trying to move,” Taze noted.

“That is the plan.” Shawn nodded. “Moving into uncertain territory in late fall to winter alone would overly complicate things.”

“It would definitely be difficult to get to the castle, let alone repair it in those conditions, especially if we can’t control the weather there,” Matthew agreed. Then he frowned. “Is it just me or does it look like we’re getting the stink eye over there?” he asked as he looked toward the recruits.

“We were given the dropouts,” Shawn remarked softly with a sigh. “Handful of nobles, new recruits, and miscellaneous units.”

“Think we should put our feet down, then, show them we mean business?”

“You're the military one,” Taze said. “Show us what you’ve got.”

Matthew frowned and stroked his chin for a time as he pondered the situation, then turned to face Moonshade. “Do we have a meal planned for the new arrivals when we get to Ponyville?”

“Did we get rations?” Taze asked.

Matthew smirked. “I’m guessing you’re thinking what I’m thinking.” He turned back to their main guard. “Well, Moonshade?”

“Apparently the town is going to be taking care of it,” Moonshade answered.

“And the rations? Do they each have some?”

“I imagine they were provided with them when they got their basic gear. Beyond that, we’ll probably have to arrange something,” Moonshade noted.

Matthew nodded. “Good. In that case, Taze, would you care to join me to inspect our new recruits? I’m sure they must be anxious to meet us.” He winked deviously at his friend.

“You talk. I'll just observe.” Taze said before the two advanced on the group.

“Attention!” Matthew barked as he gazed over the troops. Only a few of the Ponies actually responded. The rest either murmured among themselves or glared. Matthew returned the stares with a flinty gaze of his own. “Did I mumble, cadets?”

“I’m not a cadet,” one of the colts retorted.

Matthew glared at him. “Well, you are now, soldier. And until you learn some proper respect, I’ll have to keep reminding you of that fact.” He gazed over all the cadets. “Let me make one thing clear. We outrank you. You were put into our care for a reason. Your noble rank doesn’t matter here. Your previous posts don’t matter here. I don’t care what your breeding is or how long you’ve been a part of the Guard. If you expect respect from us, then you’d better earn it. And until you stop acting like a bunch of spoiled brats, we’re going to treat each and every one of you like one, starting with your first military exercise.” He straightened. “Congratulations, cadets. You get to learn the wonders of rationing. For the next twenty-four hours, you are to subsist on the ration kit that you received before this transfer.”

The uproar that rose from that announcement sounded as if it had come from a hundred troops, rather than the twenty that had gathered there.

“Do you want me to double that, soldiers?” Matthew bellowed over the group.

“Like you would,” another colt retorted.

Matthew lowered to his knees and whispered in the cadet’s ear. “Let me make one thing very painfully clear, cadet. We humans have made war for millennia. We know strategies and skills that would make your head spin. And much like the Gryphons, we also eat meat. We’re not afraid to follow any strategy if it will ensure the best odds for our survival. And while we may not kill you or your fellows in this training, I can guarantee that if that attitude is kept up, you will wish that we had. And if you’re a noble, here’s a newsflash. Mommy and Daddy aren’t going to be able to bail you out of this.” He rose and patted the colt’s cheek. To the cadet’s credit, the only sign of fear that he showed was his coat standing on end. “I’m glad we had this talk.” Then Matthew gazed over the rest of the cadets. “We’ll see you all at Ponyville, cadets. Now fall out and settle in. We’ve got a long ride ahead of us, and you have some meal planning to do.”

With that said, he turned and strode back toward Shawn, Moonshade, and Mutatio while the guards that were acting as escort herded the cadets into their cart. “I hate it when they’re smart Alecs,” he grumbled. “That always brings out the worst in me.”

“They’re young, and they believe they know everything.” Taze chuckled.

“Here’s hoping they won’t all be like that,” Matthew said. “We need leaders, not snark.”

“It’ll take time.” Shawn sighed. “But, we’ll do what we can.”

“All aboard!” the conductor shouted over the platform.

“I suppose that’s our cue,” Matthew said as he smiled at his friends. “Ready to meet some new Ponies?”

“From one location to another,” Shawn replied, pulling his papers together neatly.

“At least we’re all still here,” Taze noted. “Could be a lot worse.”

As the boarding continued, a breathless mare bolted toward the conductor with a stallion and very familiar brown colt trailing behind. Button Mash panted as the stallion patted him consolingly on the back with an apologetic smile.

“Excuse me,” the mare began. “Sir, we need to purchase some emergency tickets. My son isn’t allowed to travel long distances on hoof right now, and my husband simply must be at work by tomorrow morning. We don’t need a seat. We just need to be allowed to board.”

The stallion shook his head. “I’m sorry, Ma’am, we’re full up. This here’s a designated military transport. We’re not allowed to let civilians on board.”

“But we need to get home.”

“So do a lot of the other folks who came for the wedding. Doesn’t change the fact the schedule’s been altered by royal decree. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for the next train tomorrow. It’s the best I can do.”

“What's going on here?” Taze approached the conductor quickly.

Button Mash’s face lit up at the sight of the human. “Taze!” he greeted and ran forward. He stumbled partway in his advance and had to be caught by the human to prevent a faceplant. Button chuckled awkwardly. “Thanks for that.”

The conductor looked from the colt to the human, then to the parents. “Policy says I can’t let civilians aboard this transport, Sir.”

“So, what you're saying is that if these two were considered part of the royal party departing for Ponyville today, they’d be allowed to board?”

“Certainly, Sir.”

“Then what seems to be the problem? Get these good people boarded,” Taze said.

“Sir?” the conductor asked in confusion.

“This is Button Mash, my personal friend and guide to Ponyville and the surrounding area. Was his name not on the list?” Taze asked in mock confusion.

“No, Sir, I’m afraid it wasn’t.” The conductor frowned at the colt, then his parents as he struggled to process what Taze had just said. “The princesses appointed a foal to be your guide?”

“No, I appointed him. You may not remember, but kids often know the fastest routes to anywhere.” Taze smirked.

“I’m … not sure if I’m authorized for this, but the train needs to depart. I … guess you three are free to join their party?” he said to the Ponies.

“Come on, you two. Try not to get separated again.” Taze shot Button’s mother a quick wink.

A flummoxed conductor watched the four depart for the royal car and the other two humans that stood by its doors.

“Thank you for that.” The mare’s eyes shone with gratitude as Taze held open the door for them.

Matthew grinned. “Well, there’s a friendly face. Welcome aboard, Button Mash.”

Button Mash beamed giddily. “I can’t believe I’m gonna ride in the royal carriage!”

“Honestly kinda surprised Celestia would inconvenience so many with this.” Taze shrugged.

“Maybe it has to do with a national security policy,” Matthew suggested as he followed the parents on board.

“Still seems poorly thought out.” Taze shrugged.

“You coming, Shawn?” Matthew asked.

“Nah. I figured I’d just stay here,” Shawn replied with a faint grin before joining the group. A few minutes later, the train had started, and the heroes of Canterlot, along with their guests, were on their way to Ponyville.

Button Mash smiled as he looked up at Taze from his cushion on the cart. “I never knew that there were so many games you could play where you come from! Do you think we can make them that fast one day?”

“I’m sure you guys will get it eventually.” Taze laughed. “Though it may take a while. It took us a long time to move from arcades to home consoles.”

“So, as your personal friend and guide to Ponyville, did you have any questions you wanted to ask me before we begin the tour?”

“You're actually going through with that?” Taze laughed. “I was just trying to get you guys on the train.”

“Yeah, but you’re right.” Button winked. “I know a lot about Ponyville. Sweetie Belle used to drag me all over the place with the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

“Oh. Sweetie Belle your girlfriend?” Taze chuckled.

Button Mash cocked his head in confusion. “What’s a girlfriend?”

“Ah. Sorry. Uh, marefriend? Fillyfriend?” Taze tried.

“He means a special somepony, dear, like me and your father,” Mrs. Mash explained.

“What? Ewww!” Button Mash stuck out his tongue. “I don’t like her that way.”

Taze looked to Button’s mother with a questioning smile.

The mare returned the smile with one of her own as they passed that silent knowing communication that adults always seem to be able to use in moments such as this.

The cart lurched forward as the brakes engaged and the train began to screech.

“We’re almost home,” Button Mash said. “Do you have somewhere to stay yet?”

“Is there an inn in town?” Taze asked.

“We’ve got a place,” Shawn spoke up as he looked through his papers. “The Punch Bowl Inn, run by Berry Punch.”

“Oh, you’ll be in good hooves, then,” Mrs. Mash said. “Berry’s a gruff sort on the outside, but she’s a sweetheart on the inside.” She chuckled. “Just watch out for her drinks.”

“That bad?” Matthew asked.

“One cup of a new brew she made, and I keeled over,” Button’s father said, then chuckled. “That was a nasty headache in the morning, let me tell you.”

“Guessing she samples what she sells?” Taze asked.

“How else would you know if it’s good?”

“This should be fun.” Taze chuckled.

At last, the train came to a full stop, and the doors came open. As the Button family rose to their hooves, the mare smiled appreciatively to Taze once more. “You’re welcome under our roof any time, Sir Taze. Thank you for everything you and your friends have done.”

“Ma’am, you have a fine son, and you should be very proud of him. Just keep up the good work, okay?” Taze asked.

The mare smirked. “Consider it done. Oh, and the name’s Joy Stick. Please, call me Joy.”

“Only if you return the favor and just call me Taze,” Taze returned.

“Are you really expecting me to let you play on easy mode, Sir Taze?” Joy asked mischievously. “Join us for a family game night. Then we’ll see.”

“Very well then, Mrs.Stick.” Taze gave a short bow and a grin. “I look forward to the challenge.”

“I’ll stop by tomorrow after school to give you the tour!” Button Mash promised.

“I’ll make sure to keep an eye out for you.” Taze gave him a wink and flicked a bit in an arc toward Button Mash.

Taze could almost hear the sound effects going off as Button clasped the coin and his eyes lit up. Then the family trotted off the train, leaving Button to wave his last goodbye as they strode onto the platform and out of sight.

“Taze, I think you’ve made a friend for life,” Matthew said with a smile.

“Good.” Taze chuckled. “Because god knows we have enough enemies.”

“Indeed.” Shawn chuckled. “All right, now on to the fun part…” He turned toward the other end of the train platform, where the Guard was disembarking or unloading the cargo meant for the unit. “Taze, Matthew, would you both mind dealing with the Guard while I look for our smiths?”

“Sure. Go ahead,” Taze said.

Matthew smiled. “We’ll meet up with you later.” As he stepped out onto the platform, he took a deep breath and sighed contentedly. “I never thought I’d be able to see this kind of setting and live it. No hucksters, no angles, just plain honest everyday folk living from day to day and looking out for one another. Dad would have loved to see this.” He sighed and blinked rapidly to force the tears back before they could have a chance to fall. After all, he had to keep up a firm face for the cadets.

“Hey, don’t think about it. Make yourself busy. It will help,” Taze offered comfortingly as he noticed his friend's expression.

Matthew nodded. “Right. We still have some recruits to whip into shape, don’t we?” A wry smile pulled at his lips. “I took the turn bringing them to task in Canterlot. I’d say it’s your turn now, wouldn’t you?”

“Not sure I'd know where to start,” Taze admitted as they walked.

“Probably giving them instructions about where they’ll be camping. Maybe remind them of the fact that it’s thanks to the Ponies in the town that they actually have a place to sleep, so any nobles can know that this isn’t Canterlot anymore, and they’re here to serve, not be served.” He shrugged. “You’ll have to deal with leading them eventually, anyway, so you might as well start now.”

The recruits stood near their cart on the platform with surly expressions on their faces. Their packs had been laid on their backs again, and they looked almost like a mountain climber ready to spend the night by a cliff. Four Lunar guards eyed them carefully to ensure no funny business would start. Moonshade looked from the humans to the recruits, then back again as she kept her peace. This was the humans’ command, after all, and she wanted to see just how they would lead.

“Attention, all of you,” Taze projected.

At the very least, this time, they all focused on the humans, though discontent still roiled beneath the faces of those who had less composure than their fellows.

“Okay, so let's start off with the basics,” Taze said. “As of this moment, lineage doesn’t matter, class doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is how hard you work. I don’t care who your father is or who you’re descended from. You are all equally low on the totem pole. Let me elaborate for you, for those who aren’t familiar with the concept. The totem pole starts with you. Then, at ground level, we have the citizens of this fair town. Then above that, we have Captain Moonshade over here. After her is me and Matthew on the same level. Above us lies Lord Shawn. And after him lies the princesses. That is the only chain of command that matters until you are told otherwise by someone directly mentioned in the totem pole. If you did not hear said impotent family member who you planned to hide behind, that is because they do not matter. Are there any questions about this?”

Nopony raised their hooves or spoke out.

“Now, I have been informed that some of you were in the reserve because your parents couldn’t buy you a rank and didn’t want you to see actual danger. Some of you are more lowly stock who angered the wrong noble and, since they couldn’t have you washed out, they had you moved here. With the exception of a few extreme cases, this no longer applies. Your lives are now equally worthless and equally valuable. If someone writes home to mommy and your parents manage to get you out of our care, it will be with a dishonorable discharge, not a convenient excuse. So you all had better start getting along. You will be waking up early to train your bodies. You will spend specific times training your minds. We’ve been given you washouts, and we will turn you into the true defenders of Equestria. Do I make myself clear?”

The murmur that followed was less than exuberant.

A loud deep clap reverberated through the air, followed by a mild vibration and the distinctive spreading of cracks from the source of the disturbance. They were small, but they were noticeable. When those present on the platform tracked the source of the noise, they found Shawn facing away from them. “I’m sorry,” he started, slowly turning his head in the direction of the cadets. “For a moment there, I thought I just drowned you out with a stomp of my boot. Let’s try that again. Are, we, clear?” he projected his voice at the end, ensuring it rang clearly through the air to his intended targets’ ears.

The Ponies’ eyes were wide as a fearful, “Yes, Sir!” reverberated back.

“Good. Now, do not make that mistake again,” Shawn ended as he turned back toward the direction of the smiths and continued on his way.

“Now you're going to be shown where your going to set up your tents. Once we have everything sorted out, we’ll be dividing you into groups, and one of these groups will be helping construct the barracks at all times in shifts. These are good Ponies, and they’ve kindly lent us their land and aid, so you will make sure to treat them with respect. For now, follow Moonshade. She’ll lead you to where you’ll be bunking. She will also inform the Ponies that planned to cater your dinner that you won’t be able to partake tonight.”

Taze turned to Moonshade and gave her a nod. She returned the gesture before turning to the group and shouting orders. In less than a minute, they were ready to move out, leaving the humans ready and able to attend to their other responsibility. Mutatio approached slowly and timidly from behind. “Must you always shout when speaking to your drones?” He shuddered. “I find it … unpleasant to hear.”

Matthew chuckled and shook his head ruefully. “Sadly, in the military, it’s often expected. We don’t have hive connections. That means we need other ways to get the attention of the people we want to listen to us. Shouting is often one of the faster ways, so it is employed often in the military. At least in basic training.” He frowned. “Are you all right, Mutatio? You’re not feeling too hungry, I hope.”

“My hunger is sated,” Mutatio assured. “It is my hope that the anxiety will pass as I get to know these other Ponies. They … will not also shout, will they?”

Matthew smiled as he patted the Changeling on the shoulder consolingly. “Not nearly so often,” he promised.

“Good. So what do we do now?”

“Let’s go look at our hotel,” Taze suggested. “Once we get our things delivered, we can see about checking up on the campsite.”

Matthew smiled. “Sounds like a plan.”

Meanwhile, Shawn had finally found the smiths near the rear of the train unloading their personal cargo. Thankfully, due to the report he read over, he knew exactly who would be coming with.

“When I getta ‘old of those shite for brains, I’m gonna tear ’em a new one,” Storm Hammer’s voice carried through the hustle and bustle. “They sent the wrong coal!”

“Which variant did they send?” Shawn questioned as he walked over towards Storm Hammer.

“Lignite!” Storm hammer growled. “Bloody ‘ell am I supposed to do with this?”

Shawn frowned. “Given that we’re working with steel on top of other things, that’s not going to reach the temperature needed. You’d need bituminous coal at least, if you’re not using other magic-based properties for increasing the temperature,” he hummed in thought.

“We can always send them a request for some sea-coal later.” Steel Weaver shrugged as he approached Storm Hammer. “Not like we’re getting those forges roarin’ within the next week.”

“They have to have a local forge or something we can use, right? I’m not putting work off that long.”

Shawn pulled out his report once again. “Yeah,” he flipped through some pages. “It looks like it’s just a little tool repair shop, but the owner, Brass Tacks, has agreed to open his workshop to our group.”

“Well, thank Celestia's flaming arse for that,” Storm Hammer said.

“Agreed,” Steel Weaver chuckled. “I’m just waitin’ on those forges in the old castle grounds. Can you imagine it, lass? A forge of the old capital, lying dormant for a thousand years.”

“And no snotty nobles demanding fancy wall ’angers and ’ip decorations.” Storm hammer smirked.

“Oh, lass, I thought you enjoyed the complicated works.” Steel Weaver chuckled.

“Yes, when ponies are going to be using them, not just ‘anging around to look pretty.” Storm hammer said. “There's a difference.”

“That there is,” Steel Weaver agreed as he looked at Shawn. “So, on to a different topic for you, do we have a timetable for how long we’ll be here?”

Shawn shook his head. “There’s too many variables that can change things. Right now, we were also tasked with making an outpost for Ponyville, that way the town can have an actual guard for after we leave.”

“If we’re here long enough, are we going to set up shop for ourselves?”

“Probably, but it all depends on how long we’re here.” Shawn shrugged. “If we’re here long enough, I can send a request up.”

“We know we’re here till at least spring,” Storm Hammer commented. “No point in trying anything in the winter.”

“Indeed,” Shawn nodded. “We’ll see how it all goes, until then, we should get going. The unit should be moving towards the site we’re using. Everything unloaded from the train?”

“Everything except the gods damned coal we need,” Storm Hammer growled. “Useless, all of em.”

“I’ll send the order up with the first report,” Shawn replied. “I know it’s important. So don’t worry. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Well then, let's go see what we can do,” Storm Hammer said. “Least we’re not trapped camping out like the troops.”

“Staying in the same inn, yeah?” Shawn asked as he put his report away.

Storm Hammer nodded. “Me and ‘im are. The apprentices are less fortunate, of course.”

“Well, they’ve got to start somewhere, I suppose.” Shawn shrugged as he turned. “Let’s get to it, then.”

She nodded. “Yes. Let's.”

The fields outside the town were long and sprawling with a fence on either side of the road to ensure that travelers could see the way. The long grass was cool and the breeze blowing over the surface peaceful. A large patch of land had been carefully marked in four rows of five to ensure equal distribution and uniformity between the tents. The recruits were already pulling open their packs to claim their patches of land. The cadets eyed Shawn warily as they began hammering their spikes into the turf.

“Hello, Lord Shawn,” Moonshade spoke as she approached. “As you can see, the encampment is coming along well.”

“Looks like it. While the others are checking on the inn, I figured I would come here to ensure everything stays on track,” Shawn replied as the two began walking the grounds together.

“Well, things are. They're not happy, but I think they're not brave enough to try anything yet,” she noted.

“Good. This isn’t a daycare. We aren’t here to keep them happy. If they want to try something, we respond appropriately.”

Moonshade nodded. “I think some of them have figured that out. The others will take time.”

“A sad truth.” Shawn shrugged. “But, one we’ll manage.”

As the group continued their work, one black Earth Pony with a gray mane and tail passed through the rows, giving pointers to those who were struggling, and even going so far as to demonstrate proper technique before inviting them to try for themselves. Some accepted this help graciously. Others were not so humble, nor were they grateful. A few others followed his example, and within the next half hour, the tents were finally standing and ready to go.

Shawn hummed as he looked over the scene. “Looks like we’ll have to keep track of some of them in a more positive light,” he commented quietly to Moonshade.

“A lot of the reserve had talent but made the wrong enemies,” she replied as she checked over a clipboard. “The black one is Black Rook. Apparently, he got benched after he punched a fellow cadet.” She looked up. “No details given, which likely means there was more to it and they didn’t want the details made public.”

“Given the nature of Canterlot’s guard, it’s certainly hard to tell what the situation might have been.” Shawn sighed.

“Not likely. He’s an Earth Pony with no name or status, grew up in the lower end, probably got talked down to by a noble who was waiting for daddy to buy him a rank and responded. It happens more often than you think.”

“That’s what I mean. We’re unlikely to know the full situation because one side, as mentioned, likely the cadet or family, had enough money.” Shawn sighed. “It’s something that will definitely need to be worked on.”

“Something to consider.” She nodded. “Still, as I said before, he’s one to keep an eye on.”

“Indeed.” Shawn nodded.

“I’ve had word sent to the mayor for places to set up outhouses and sectioned off cooking fires.” Moon shade noted as they past said areas. “We should hopefully leave a very small footprint on the area before we leave.”

Shawn nodded. “That’s good, I’d like to ensure the only thing that we leave behind is the outpost and potential worksites for the guard that will be stationed here. Stay in good graces, you know?”

“That is wise. We’ll need to run a tight ship, though. I'm sure most of these already believe themselves higher than the others.”

“Of course,” Shawn sighed as he scanned over the grounds once again. After a moment he took notice of four members setting up to sleep under the stars. “That’s something to investigate,” he sighed, turning to move toward the four.

“All right, whoever’s bed rolls these are, present yourselves!” Moon Shade shouted. It took a minute before four Ponies could clearly be seen heading toward the spot. One looked familiar. “Come on, hurry up! At attention, you four!”

The cadets in question trotted into place and awaited the mare’s next words. There was no salute in this case, but the four did at least have the sense to draw themselves up into an alert post with their heads high as they gazed at their commanding officer.

“You were all instructed to set up your tents in the designated areas. By this time, you should have been mostly set up and getting ready for chow time. So why are your spots empty?” she asked in an even but no-nonsense tone.

“Did you want us to speak individually or together, Ma’am?” Black Rook asked.

“One of you can start. If another needs to speak, they can take over. Since you spoke first, Black Rook, let’s start with you.

The Earth Pony nodded. “Well, Ma’am, to put it simply, I gave my tent to someone else, since theirs was torn beyond the ability to use. Don’t know whether it was sabotage or just a lack of supplies, but it didn’t seem right making one of the others suffer for it.” He shrugged. “I’m used to sleeping outside, so it’s no skin off my back.”

“I take it that’s the reason you were dedicating your time to assisting others with setting their tents up?” Shawn questioned.

Black Rook nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“And you?” she asked, pointing to a Thestral next.

“You know how it is, Ma’am. We’re used to camping on a hunt. Better to ensure the rest learn how to do it right.”

“That goes for the rest of you?” she asked.

The other two nodded silently.

“Four damaged tents, then.” Shawn frowned. “Right? It’s just you four?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Shawn turned to Moonshade. “You think Ponyville’s likely to have tents, even if they will be civilian grade?”

“I’m sure they’d have a few for sale.” She nodded.

“Have our reserve funds been cleared for use, or are we still waiting on Canterlot’s side of things?”

“We have some funds, but not everything,” She said. “I supposed tents should be affordable.”

Shawn shook his head. “Take the funds out of my chests. We’ll save what we do have for any emergencies. We should be able to have these tents within the next hour, yeah?”

“I’ll send a runner immediately.”

“As for you four.” Shawn turned to face the cadets. “You will continue to follow the schedule as ordered. Before it becomes late, you should have replacement tents to work with.”

The four saluted and bellowed a united, “Yes, Sir!”

The Punch Bowl Inn was a simple two-story structure. A wooden sign protruding from the porch and painted to look like a punch bowl with a ladle protruding from one side loudly proclaimed the establishment’s name. The interior opened immediately into what equated to a pub. Tables dotted the wood-floored chamber, and a large counter divided by a swing door separated the bar and kitchen from the check-in counter. A light purple mare laid snoring on the counter with a spilled glass at her side. Her mane was a darker purplish shade of magenta, and seemed to flow like a cartoon rendering of wind pouring out a bottle. The ice had long since melted, diluting the dregs of her drink even further before dribbling over the counter’s edge.

Matthew frowned as he gazed at the Pony. “Well, this looks like a problem,” he stated plainly. “How are we supposed to get our room keys now?”

“Uh hello?” Taze called. “Is someone here?”

Nobody answered until the doors creaked behind them, and a tiny sigh carried through with the two figures that stood in the doorway. A smaller Pony with a pink coat that was almost the same shade as Pinkie Pie eyed the customers as she set her saddle bags to the side. Her mane and tail were two-toned and seemed almost faded, as if age had set in early to work over that fertile field. Her green eyes were alert as she gazed over the customers to size them up.

The filly sighed again and shook her head as she approached the counter. “Hi. I’m Ruby Pinch. Have you been waiting for very long?” she asked.

“No.” Matthew shook his head and smiled. “We only arrived recently. It’s nice to meet you, Ruby Pinch.”

The filly smiled tiredly. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you, too.” She strode under the flip portion of the counter and pulled a stool toward the cubbies that held the room keys for the inn. Then she seized one with her teeth and tossed it onto the counter. To the barkeep's credit, or perhaps her detriment, she didn’t stir, despite the din. Ruby Pinch righted the glass and pulled out a thick leather-bound book, then swung open the cover to reveal the dried parchment. “I’ll need you to sign your names here. Payment needs to be up front before sleeping for the night. If you don’t pay by closing time, you’ll be forcefully evicted from the premises,” she warned.

“I think payment was arranged by the palace?” Taze said as he walked over to sign.

Ruby nodded. “We have the rooms they asked us to make up. Are you the special party, then?”

“Yes, we are,” Matthew said. “It’s the three of us, a fourth who isn’t with us currently, and a guard. Possibly multiple if we have to divide up into each room.”

Ruby nodded. “It should be, but you can tell us whether you like it or not after I show it to you. Follow me.” She picked up a pair of keys, hopped down from the stool she’d used to prop herself up above the counter, then pranced under the counter entrance again and strode toward a wooden staircase that ascended to the upper floor landing. A hall stretched beyond to the many rooms the inn had, and she tossed the keys to both humans. “Sorry, but I’m still not tall enough to reach the locks. You’ll be neighbors to make things easier on you and the guards.” She bowed her head. “I hope you enjoy your stay!”

The two friends looked at one another, and Taze motioned toward the first door. “After you.”

The room was far from the palatial arrangements they had before. The furnishings were simple and functional, including two side tables complete with drawers by a pair of human-sized beds, two wardrobes, a chest at the foot of each bed, and that was about it. A small cloth pouch was laid on each bed by the pillow.

“Well, it has everything we need.” Taze smiled.

“We aim to please,” Ruby said with a smile.

Taze nodded as he held up a closed hand. With a single movement, he spread the fingers in the middle, and a single bit appeared in between them. He flicked it to her. “And a tip for you.”

Ruby caught it between her teeth and grinned, then placed it in a hoof before nodding her appreciation to the human. “Thanks!”

Matthew smiled. “So, who should take each room? Looks like we’ll be doubling up for a while.”

Taze nodded. “That seems reasonable.”

“Do we wait for Shawn, then?” Mutatio asked.

“I guess we kind of have to.” Taze shrugged. “No point deciding things without him.”

“Then what do we do until then?”

“Wait, I guess.” Taze shrugged. “Unless you're hungry, there isn’t much else to do.”

“We do make meals and serve patrons drinks,” Ruby said. “But it’s not time for dinner yet, and it’s probably going to take an hour before Mom wakes up.”

“So, yeah, pretty much waiting.” Taze shrugged as he set the bag he’d gotten down and picked out a book.

It took about an hour before Shawn finally arrived with Moonshade in tow. This time, a bloodshot-eyed Berry Punch led him to the rooms. “We don’t have meat here, so I hope you’re good with salad, she slurred as she rubbed her eyes and yawned.”

“That’s fine. We’ll find a way to deal with that side of things,” Shawn replied.

Berry nodded. “Ruby gave you your keys. Breakfast is from sunrise to nine. Bathroom’s down the hall.” She yawned and turned tiredly toward the stairs. “If you get locked out of the inn when we close, that’s your problem. I’m not responsible.” She gave a half wave and descended out of sight.

“We’ll keep that in mind.” Shawn turned towards the others. “So, what did we miss?”

“Rooms need to be divided, two to a room.” Taze shrugged. “Other than that, not much.”

“Since you’re a heavier sleeper than the others, it’s probably best you and I share a room, Taze,” Shawn replied after a moment.

“I am not opposed to this arrangement. Matthew has been very … tolerant of me as I have learned what is acceptable,” Mutatio replied.

“I agree. I can keep an eye on Mutatio as well,” Matthew answered.

“Works for me.” Taze nodded.

“All right. Let’s get our items sorted and put everything away.” Shawn sighed. “Afterwards, we can figure out the rest of the day.”

“Sounds—” Matthew stopped. “Uh, where will you be staying, Moonshade?”

“I guess she gets a room to herself?” Taze asked.

“I’ll stay with Matthew and Mutatio,” Moonshade said. “With his condition, we should have somebody in there who will know how to act if something goes wrong.”

Matthew coughed a little, but nodded. “That makes sense.” He paused before chuckling. “Woah. We can call our room Club M.”

Mutatio cocked his head in confusion. “Club … M?”

“Matthew, Mutatio, and Moonshade.” Matthew pointed to each as they named them. “We all have the letter M starting in our names, at least in English or Draconic.”

“And this makes us a … weapon?”

Matthew chuckled, “No, no. A club, in this sense, is like an organization, a group, like how there are dance halls. At least back home we used to call things Club Penguin or the like.”

“I’m going to let you explain this.” Taze chuckled. “And meanwhile, I’m going to go see if this town has a sweet shop or something.” He waved as he made his way toward the stairs and began his descent.

“Sounds good. Now, let’s see if I can fully explain this.” He led Mutatio into the room with Moonshade chuckling as she followed behind.

“That’s going to be a lengthy conversation,” Shawn remarked as he turned towards his shared room.

“All right,” Taze said as he looked over the troops. Surprisingly, many of them seemed more awake than he did, but the majority did not. Some grumbled in unintelligible slurries of words as they stood on the road outside Ponyville. “Now then, as you’ve been told, we’re going to be working on physical training every morning. Fortunately, we’ll be doing that together. I need to catch up, and you need to catch up.” He looked at the group. “Now then, for this exercise, I'll be assigning temporary supervisor roles to some of you. These are not permanent, and they do not make you special. Your job will be to make sure those under you complete the course. For the next week, we’ll be taking it easy, but after that, failure to complete the jog means an additional five hundred meters for everyone in the group. Let me restate that. If one of you fails, you all get the extra. Is that understood?”

The response was more akin to a groan than a proper acknowledgement, though there were a few who seemed more alert and sincere than the others.

Taze looked carefully through the ranks and immediately disqualified anybody who seemed barely functioning. That left him picking mostly from Earth Ponies or Pegasi. There were a lot more Earth Ponies here than he remembered in the guard units. One unit, however, managed to catch his eye as he stopped before a surprisingly awake Unicorn with a silvery coat and a cutie mark of a spear.

“Well now, you seem up and at ’em.” Taze nodded. “You prepared to look after those under you?”

“Yes, Sir,” the Pony answered crisply.

“You got something to say, you say it. I may not like it, but I won’t punish you for it,” Taze told him.

“Advice, Sir,” the Unicorn answered. “When you approach a Pony, ask their name as well. You lead us. You should know our names.”

“Fair enough,” Taze acknowledged. “What's your name, then?”

“Silver Spear, Sir!” he answered crisply. “Who are those that I will be watching over?”

Taze looked at the group and picked out three Earth Ponies, a Pegasus, and a Unicorn from the sleepies to stand under the colt’s leadership. Silver Spear nodded and walked over to his designated group, then started to rouse them so they would be prepared to keep in time for the exercise ahead.

Well, at least he tried to rouse them.

Taze grimaced a bit as he moved on. He didn’t necessarily like the tone Silver Spear had used, but he couldn’t fault him for it either.

When everyone was set, he looked around. “Now, we’ll be taking it easy today, a simple jog around Ponyville. Don’t get used to it. We'll be pushing harder over time. If any of you feel like pushing harder earlier, I’ll be working out myself after each run, and you can join me if you want.”

Once they were ready, he ordered them to start. By the end of it, many of the cadets and he himself were cursing him as their legs burned from the effort. Still, Taze chuckled to himself. After all, he knew the truth of the old saying. No pain, no gain. And after everything that had happened in Canterlot, he knew there was no choice but to gain.

Matthew stepped out into the chilly morning air dressed in full jungle camouflage. He took a breath while Moonshade stretched at his side. “Well, thank you for being at my side, Moonshade. I may call this jogging, but I know that in reality, I’m only speed walking. I want to be able to do more, though.” He stretched slowly as he prepped for the exercise to come.

“No problem,” Moonshade said. “Taze figured it would be better to let you go at your own pace.”

“Makes sense. They had to give a few exceptions for my health back in ROTC.” He stood up with a grunt. “Still, thank you for hanging back with me. But if you need to up your routine, please don’t let me hold you back. Lord knows I’m primarily going to be serving in the classroom, anyway.”

Moonshade shrugged. “I did my rounds long before the troops set out.”

Matthew couldn’t help but smile. “That’s good to hear. And thank you for being my battle buddy. How about we start just once around the town? If I get tuckered out, we can start back early.”

“That seems like a fine start.” She nodded. “I don’t believe Taze was pushing the trainees beyond that point, anyway.”

Matthew chuckled. “Well, I’m in worse shape than they are, so we’ll have to see how it goes. Shall we begin?”

She nodded.

Matthew stepped off the porch and began to walk very quickly. It wasn’t a jog, but neither was it the leisurely pace of the typical observer. It was steady, it was purposeful, and it was quick. In short, it was a proper speed walk. Moonshade kept pace easily, having the added advantage of being an equine with anatomy designed for running on all fours anyway.

Matthew slowly got a rhythm alternating between speed walking, Jogging, and slowing down to what he called a normal walk, which was still brisk and purposeful. He paused and leaned against the clock tower as he took the canteen at his side, uncapped it, and took a deep swig. The vessel barely sloshed when he returned it to his side, an indication of how very low he was running both on water and on steam. Then he heard the sound of hooves and shouted voices coming his way. Given the time of day and the supposed point where Taze set out, he deduced these were likely the recruits and moved to stand at attention to watch them pass.

“You okay, Matthew?” A familiar voice asked.

Matthew frowned as he watched the herd pass by. “They’re not acknowledging me. Troops acknowledge the officers if they pass them in formation. They need to respect the offices we hold, if not just us,” he muttered to Taze. “Also, I am not going to make my goal of a lap around the town like I hoped.”

“Hey, take it slow,” Taze said as he passed Matthew an extra water bottle. “I’ll make sure to address them about that when this is over.”

“Sounds good.” Matthew sighed and took a deep swig of water from the new water bottle, then offered it back. Taze refused it politely, and Matthew sighed again. “I’d better let you get back to herding this gaggle of cadets. I’m going to go back.”

“Yeah, they’ll be your cats after lunch.” Taze chuckled before he went to catch up with the rest.

Matthew chuckled in return. “I look forward to that!” he shouted back. Then he looked back at Moonshade. “Come on. We’d better get back to the officers’ quarters and get the papers for class.”

“No,” Moonshade objected. “First, we’ll get breakfast. Then we can worry about that.”

“Sounds good. Well, you know the layout better than I do. Where would you recommend we go for food?”

“Well, there’s the inn, Sugar Cube Corner, and I believe there are also some restaurants.”

“What do you suggest? I might say the inn, myself, but I’ll leave it in your care where you think is best.”

“The inn it is, then.” Moon Shade nodded.

“Sounds good.” Matthew turned and began the long slow walk back toward the inn, his legs shaking every few steps. The two made their way silently back to the Punch Bowl to let Matthew regain his strength. They sat down at a table closer to the bar counter, where a grumpy Berry Punch waited to take their orders with the same bloodshot eyes as before. Once the order was placed and filled, Matthew and Moonshade began to eat a good hearty breakfast.

Shawn yawned as he made his way out of the inn. The moon was still in the sky, but he assumed it wouldn’t be long before that was to change. Even after departing Canterlot, his waking nightmares didn’t stop, leaving him awake earlier than considered reasonable. But he wouldn’t let that stop him. He would keep himself active, one way or another. And rather than risking the chance of waking up the others, he decided to go for a walk or run depending on how he felt.

The cool morning air and the smell of fresh dew flowed through his nostrils as he strode out the inn door and onto the low-lying porch. Crickets chirped loudly in the distance, and he could hear the occasional hoots of owls and the calls of the early morning birds that always seemed to cry out in herald to the coming dawn. There were no lamps or lanterns burning at this strange hour before the twilight, but the moon and stars provided sufficient illumination to guide his path, and so he began. What better way to learn of the town and its surroundings in person than to perform a little personal reconnaissance on the layout? That, and his nagging sense of paranoia demanded that he keep moving.

Jewelers, carpenters, rug shops, sweet stores, and so much more slept silently as they waited for the morning call of the rising sun to pull them out of bed and bring in the new day. The Golden Oak library stood near the center of town and sprouted high into the air with its lush crown. Its leaves seemed almost bejeweled with silver as he jogged past it and the town square. His feet kept churning, his lungs kept puffing, and the familiar meditative beat of a runner’s steps rang in his ears to provide at least a brief distraction from the uneasiness. He wasn’t sure exactly when it was that he left the town’s limits. A brief glance toward the campsite greeted him with salutes from the troops who had been posted there to ensure the cadets remained where they belonged.

Finally, it was just rough fencing and the endless darkness undulating among the green grass of the fields as he ran. Slowly, that darkness began to recede into shadow, and color seeped over the sky with the rising of the sun. Stars winked out, and with the ascension of that blazing orb came the sight of what he thought at first might have been the Everfree Forest. That is, until he noticed the sheer uniformity of the trees and the bright colorful fruits that bedecked their branches.

The sun’s rays fell on a beautiful red barn, and Shawn could hear the snorting of hogs as his legs altered course almost before he could think, drawing him toward the orchard and the farm that lay just beyond it.

The familiar creak that all farmhouse doors seem to carry with them reverberated through the air as Shawn strode onto the property, and the imposing shape of a large red Pony with a blond mane and deep expressive eyes stepped off the porch to peer at the human inquiringly.

“Hey. Out wandering. If I’m trespassing or something, just tell me and I’ll get going,” Shawn commented, taking a moment to crack his back.

The big Pony shrugged. “Nnnnope,” he said simply.

“All right, Big Mac, I’ll stack the soil if you’ll cart the wagon this—” The comment died in Applejack’s throat as she emerged from the farmhouse to behold the human. “Lord Shawn,” she said with some surprise. “I, uh … wasn’t expecting you to be coming for a visit. Anything we can help y’all with?”

“Just wandering around. Got nothing else to be doing at the moment, honestly,” Shawn replied dismissively. “Mostly tied my stuff to paperwork, which is … dull, and quickly dealt with.”

“So you’re just looking for something to fill up your spare time?”

“I’ve literally just been on a jog around town for the last hour and a half because I didn’t want to risk waking the others. I just happened to stop here as you all stepped out from the looks of it.” He shrugged. “I mean, if you’re in need of a spare pair of hands, I can offer physical labor. Got nothing better to do.”

Applejack raised a brow, then shrugged. “If you want. But we Apples don’t believe in taking freebies. If you work with us, we’re gonna repay you for it. Don’t gotta be in bits if you don’t want ’em, but it’ll be in something.”

“Conversation will do for now.” Shawn chuckled. “Something different from being idle, you know?”

Applejack grinned. “Say no more. I feel the same way any time I have to sit around in Rarity’s for one of her fittings. How about we start with you helping me load up the cart with some soil for the trees. Then we’ll see how things go from there.” She motioned toward the red stallion. “This here’s my brother Big Mac.”

“Pleasure to meet you.” Shawn gave a nod in Big Mac’s direction.

Big Mac nodded in return. “Eeeeeyup.”

Applejack shrugged. “He don’t like talking much, but most folk don’t really need him to say much to understand him anyway.” Big Mac motioned toward the barn, and Applejack nodded. “Yeah. Let’s get to work.”

By the time they had loaded up the cart and packed the shovel and other tools and buckets, the sun had well and truly risen, and the morning dew had dissipated. Apple Bloom, the youngest Apple, darted up for a swift introduction and farewell before running off to school for the day. The sight of the acreage involved with the orchard made the whole property look like a rolling sea of foliage that billowed and crested like so many waves driven by the wind. Once the soil had been properly spread, the mare nodded to her brother.

“You might wanna take a break here, Shawn. It’s time for us to harvest some of the riper trees, and applebuckin’ don’t strike me as the kind of thing y’all were built for.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know the term,” Shawn replied with an uncertain look. “Like, apple pickin’ or something, I assume?”

Applejack laughed. “Picking. Hooey! That’s a good one. If we tried picking our crop, we’d never get it done before the fruit fell and started wasting away. Here. Let me show you how it’s done.” She picked up some of the buckets and laid them out in a circle at the base of one of the trees. Then she turned and leaned forward on her front hooves, bringing her face low to the ground before she raised both rear hooves together to collide against the tree with a solid thump. Instantly, the branches released their bounty, and every last apple on the tree fell in perfect order into the buckets, filling them to the brim. “And that’s how you do it.”

“Yeah, … I may have some muscle on me, but I don’t think I could pull that off. I could probably get some if they’re ripe enough, but that’d probably be the limit.” Shawn hummed as he looked at the tree.

Applejack shrugged. “Well, if you wanna give it a shot for a laugh, it’s no sweat off our backs. It’ll only take a minute or so anyway.” She motioned to a neighboring tree where Big Mac was already laying the next set of buckets. “Go ahead.”

Shawn thought it over for a moment before shrugging. “Ah, screw it, I’ll give it at least one go.” He turned toward the tree and looked it over for a moment, finding a good spot for himself. Once he had placed an appropriate distance between him and the tree, he widened his stance. Taking a second, he brought his right foot up before thrusting it forward against the tree with a loud clunk. The tree shook like an arrow vibrating in a wooden target. It shuddered as the vibration carried up through the canopy, then down to the roots before it finally grew still. The apples remained in place for a few seconds, and then the air rang with the haillike thumps of the boughs unburdening themselves.

Applejack gaped at the sight as her mouth dropped and her brain stopped working out of sheer shock.

Shawn blinked a few times as he looked at the results of his kick. After a moment he turned toward Applejack. “Your world’s physics are questionable at best.”

Big Mac chuckled. “Eeeeeeeyup.”

Matthew and Moonshade were a little late getting back for breakfast this morning, since Matthew’s path led through the morning market. It was inevitable that he would slow down to browse the stall owners’ wares. Fortunately for him, he wasn’t alone. Taze approached down a side street, and Matthew waved him over. As soon as his friend got within hearing distance, he offered an explanation like a school boy confessing a sin to his classmates. “I ended up browsing at the market.”

“Find anything good?” Taze asked, stretching lightly, and feeling no urge whatsoever to moderate his voice..

“A few things, but I’m going to wait till after my class to do any real shopping.”

“Fair enough.” Taze nodded. “Glad to see you made it through okay either way.”’

“Yeah. Still, I’m going to see how the students handle the first class this afternoon.”

“Well, I’d warn you to not go easy on them, but we both know you won’t.” Taze smirked. “There is one Pony named Silver Spear. He’s got a bit of an attitude but doesn’t seem like a total waste. Keep an eye on him.”

“Thanks for the heads up.” He chuckled. “I wasn’t easy on my fellow cadets when I was in ROTC either, so I think I can figure out how to deal with him.”

“I figure you will. Hopefully, you can get his attitude underwraps. Because after the week of grace is over, if he’s still got it, I'm going to punch him,” Taze said honestly.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Matthew glanced at Moonshade. “You’re part of the cadre, Moonshade, and you know the laws of this land better than we do. What are acceptable forms of punishment in your military?”

“Well, that's kind of difficult to answer,” she admitted. “We don’t officially have a military, so the only standards are several thousand years old.”

“Can I have a writeup then for this evening? I prefer to have a framework to work on. And if these guards are ever going to get up to snuff, we need to train and treat them like the soldiers they need to be.”

“I’ll see what I can do for you.” She nodded.

“Interesting to run into you all together,” Shawn called out as he moved toward the group. No one seemed to notice his approach, but they were all engaged in conversation, so that was only natural.

“Good to see you, Shawn. Exploring the town, too?” Taze asked.

“I did that earlier. I was actually heading back to the tavern. Spent most of the morning helping out at Sweet Apple Acres, since they were the only ones up.”

“Did you get to eat any of the apples?” Matthew asked. “And did they actually accept your help?”

“Yes to both. Though there were certainly some confusing parts, especially when it comes to the trees.”

“Trees?” Taze asked.

“Confusion? What’s so confusing about picking apples?” Matthew asked.

“You see, applebuckin’ is already an interesting concept, since they’re kicking the trees to have the apples drop into awaiting baskets. Turns out it doesn’t seem to be a magic-oriented thing? I say that because they convinced me to give it a go, just once, and it worked.”

Everyone but Moonshade seemed surprised.

“Wait, you kicked a tree and it worked?” Taze asked.

“Yeah. Knocked all the apples down off one kick. I mean, it put force into the trunk, but … that’s still not a lot in comparison to standard apple trees.” Shawn frowned.

“And you're walking, so your ankle didn’t shatter on impact,” Taze noted.

“It’s hard to explain, but I’ve got the feeling that some things in this world don’t abide by the same physics or structure that our world does. I mean, to be fair, magic is a point as well.”

“But I’m shocked it’s working on us as well,” Matthew said.

“Well, if it’s the physics here, I suppose ours wouldn’t really apply to it in the end.” Shawn shrugged. “In any case, I should head back to the inn. Need to sort through paperwork and probably figure out finances for everything, since we need to learn the economy here.”

“I’m going to get some reading done,” Taze said. “Still a lot of catching up to do.”

“I should get back and finish prepping my classwork for this afternoon as well.” Matthew nodded, then smiled. “I suppose that means we’re all bound for the same place. Isn’t that nice, getting to walk together as a group?”

Shawn gave a brief chuckle. “Indeed. Let’s get moving.”

The first warning was the angry glare and folded forelegs of Berry Punch. “It’s one thing to have you stay here as guests, but it’s another to have guards barging in here without permission.” She stomped up to them and jabbed an accusatory hoof at Shawn. “What the flaming Tartarus do you think gives your guards the right to break through my doors and search my guestrooms? I told them you were away. I told them there wasn’t any threat, and they still forced their way through! Are you trying to drive me under?”

Shawn frowned. “That doesn’t sound right.” He looked to the others. “Go check it out. Quickly.”

Taze didn’t need any further urging. He surged through the entrance and up the stairwell three stairs at a time. Matthew was close behind while Shawn turned to address Berry Punch directly. Moonshade had already taken wing and sped toward the landing.

The doors were all flung open. Furniture was strewn aside, beds pulled away, and towels and bedding flung over the floor like so many rags. A loud hissing emanated from the final rooms where the humans had been staying.

“I will not go quietly!” Mutatio growled.

That was confirmation enough for Taze as he jerked round the opening, using a hand to adjust his trajectory and use his momentum to rocket into the bedroom, followed closely by Moonshade. Mutatio was buzzing in the air, the crystallized love hovering around him as green flame licked around his body in an aura of concentrated magical power. His horn pulsed angrily as his eyes glowed and he fired between a pair of solar guards, leaving behind a charred black patch as each dodged to the side.

“What's going on here?” Taze shouted.

Moonshade placed herself between Mutatio and the guards, doing her best to keep the Changeling from getting off another shot.

“Danger! Move!” Mutatio spat as he glared at the guards. “Killers! Murderers! Assassins!”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 012: You Have my Axe

Taze moved calmly and deliberately to place himself between the two solar guards and the Changeling, keeping his back to Mutatio. “Stand down, on the authority of Princess Luna.”

“That thing is a spy for the enemy. We are not about to give them a chance to get another foothold in the kingdom,” the larger of the two guards snapped. His horn rang with the sound of charged magic as he glared at Mutatio.

“So it’s treason, then?” Taze asked with a sneer.

Matthew panted as he entered the room and took in the situation. “Stand down by order of both princesses and our military,” he ordered. “That Changeling is under royal protection.”

“Look out!” Mutatio cried, even as the guards lunged forward, one at Taze, the other in a great leap toward Moonshade. A pair of filmy wings flared into existence on its back, revealing the creature for exactly what it was.

For a brief instant, everything seemed to stop as Taze took in the situation. The Changeling approaching him, the one approaching Moonshade, and the room itself were all laid out before him in perfect stillness. He weighed the courses he could take and found himself coming to a swift action. Thankful, if somewhat confused by the experience as time sped up again, he grabbed a nearby wooden chair that was strangely reminiscent of an Earth style with four strong legs and support bars to hold them together. Then he twisted and slammed it down on the leaping Changeling, just narrowly avoiding the one that had charged at him. The momentum of the one with the exposed wings was instantly cut off as it choked under the sudden force from above. Taze quickly slammed his weight down on the seat with both knees folded under him to keep the creature pinned.

Mutatio flipped himself around to hover above Moonshade’s back and fired four green gobs of ichor from his mouth. The other Changeling’s momentum worked against it. And though it managed to change shape in time to alter its course and avoid impact, one of Mutatio’s projectiles struck its wings, effectively grounding it. Mutatio hurled more gobs at the Changeling, but the creature countered with the flicks of its horn to slice the gobs and send them spreading to either side.

“Matthew! Bolt!” Taze called.

Matthew pulled the small bow from his hip and primed the mechanism. The light from the window glinted on the arrow tip before he fired to strike the Changeling in its side as it sliced at yet another projectile Mutatio had hurled. The scream of pain and angry hiss that followed was sufficient enough for Mutatio to land his blows, pinning the target’s legs so that it couldn’t move.

Mutatio panted as he lowered himself to the floor. The love crystals he had used to bolster his magic and natural biological functions had shrunk significantly with the consumption. “I am no longer of that hive, but that does not mean I cannot sense it when it is near.” Another well-placed gob of goo left the enemy Changeling’s horn completely coated, cutting off all remaining magic with that touch. “I am glad to see you returned safely. Thank you for coming to help.”

Tired of fighting with the wriggling Changeling beneath him, Taze quickly clasped his hands together and smacked the back of its head with a swift and decisive blow. There was a loud crack, followed by silence from beneath as the Changeling went limp. A few moments later, he could hear soft snoring spurred by the pressure of one of the spokes on the creature’s neck.

The remaining troop snarled as it pulled at its bonds and began to synthesize the compound that would act as the solvent to release it.

“Moonshade, please restrain him.” Mutatio plopped dizzily onto his hindquarters. “That … is more love than I am used to using.”

Moonshade approached the changeling and, in a swift motion, locked him down in what seemed to be the Equestrian version of a choke hold.

Matthew stared admiringly at the hold.

Taze stroked his chin thoughtfully as he gazed at the Changeling. “Mutatio, you said you were disconnected from the hive. But you also said you could feel its presence. Do you think it might be possible to hack back in for an interrogation?”

Mutatio shook his head and shuddered. “The song of the hive would consume me. I would be nothing more than a pawn again.”

“Then your former queen. Can we speak to her through our friend over there?”

Mutatio frowned. “That is … more difficult to determine. The queen is connected to her hive, and she directs her will through all of her soldiers. It is possible that she might be able to see us now, and even hear us. But there has never been a need to use one of us as a mouthpiece before. We would know her will, her desires for us immediately, and we would obey. If we moved as she willed, however, then it is not impossible for her to have us speak as she wishes us to speak.”

A strangled gurgling chuckle rose from the captive’s throat. “Clever boy. It seems I underestimated your potential, Thirty-eight. Had your thoughts shown such promise in your infancy, I may have placed you in a position of command.” The creature’s eyes flickered and flashed between the familiar bluish hue and the deep dark glowing green that had surrounded Crysalis’ horn when she cast her magic.

“Instead, you left me to die.”

“That is the nature of war, Thirty-eight. Though I was not the one responsible for your severance from the hive.” The soldier’s mouth curved in an insufferable smirk. “That responsibility lies solely with your captors.”

“My captors have shown mercy.”

“Because they want to study you, obviously. Did you really think that there was any other motive they could have? Perhaps I overestimated your newfound intelligence after all.”

“I was smart enough to know your intent to kill me.”

“And yet you didn’t run. If your little friends hadn’t arrived, we wouldn’t be having this delightful conversation right now, would we?”

“You talk a lot for a loser,” Taze snarked.

“A mere setback, I assure you,” the Changeling remarked. “The long game is not won with a single move, you know. And there are so many interesting pieces on the board to play with.” The Changeling’s head cocked as far as it was able while Moonshade still held it. “I wonder what thoughts must dwell in that brain of yours. What sweet and bitter emotions.” The laughter that followed carried a dual tone as the blue faded and the green became more prominent.

“They’re nothing in comparison to what burns in mine,” Shawn spoke up as he rounded the corner into the room, a familiar dagger in hand.

For the briefest moment, the blue overwhelmed the green as sheer terror and disbelief overrode the connection between the queen and her pawn. Then the fear gave way to a hateful snarl. “You! You’re supposed to be dead!”

“So are you, but I suppose we’ll both have to be disappointed for now.” Shawn sneered as he stopped next to the Changeling and squatted down in front of it. “How does it feel? To have stood at the top of the nation for the briefest of moments, everything lined up so perfectly, and yet you still couldn’t do it? How does it feel to be told that by the one you called ‘expendable,’ yet you couldn’t even kill me?”

The Changeling was quiet for a time, then gurgled a wicked chortle. “I haven’t tried until now. But rest assured, ‘Lord Shawn,’ you and your friends have my undivided attention. And all that entails.”

“Don’t need it,” Shawn replied bluntly as he took hold of the Changeling’s pseudo mane before nodding to Moonshade. The mare quickly disengaged as he flipped the dagger in his offhand and threw the Changeling’s head onto the floor with a loud crack. “Now, stop wasting my time,” he growled before he slammed the dagger straight into the Changeling’s head. Chitin crunched loudly as the blade slipped down to the hilt, then spread cracks as the skull began to cave. Green ichor oozed from the site as the creature’s head lolled onto the floor.

“Well, that’s one way to send her a message,” Matthew said, then frowned. “Does that mean we might be able to use that one over there to try to trace the hive connection to wherever Chrysalis is hiding?” he asked as he gestured to the unconscious Changeling.

“Unlikely,” Shawn replied as he removed his dagger from the Changeling’s head. “But I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try. That is, if you can replicate what you did to assist Mutatio.” He frowned, removing a cloth from his coat to clean the blade.

“That’s up to Taze.” Matthew shook his head. “He’s the one who mixed the compounds and spiked my bolts.”

“Uh, yeah,” Taze said. “I have no idea which are which,” he admitted.

“Delightful.” Shawn sighed. “Ponyville has a small jail that hasn’t really been used much. I’ll talk with the mayor to make use of it. Bind it. As for the compound, you’ll have to work with Twilight to figure something out.”

Matthew nodded. “Moonshade, could you grab us some rope, please? And maybe some leg irons if you have them,” he mused.

Moonshade gave a curt nod and took off immediately.

Matthew sighed as he took in the room’s state. “I suppose we’re going to have to reimburse Berry Punch for damages

“Already planned on it. Just deal with this.” Shawn sighed once more as he moved into the hall and back toward his shared room. After a moment, he emerged with a pouch in hand as he moved in the direction of the stairs..

“Thank you for helping me,” Mutatio said. He eyed the scorch marks and other property damage his efforts had wrought. “I am … sorry for the mess.”

Matthew sighed. “At least it’s not a Tuesday,” he muttered.

Mutatio cocked his head in confusion. “What does Tuesday have to do with it?”

“Tuesday seems to be the universal day for things to happen,” Taze said

“Don’t things always happen? Or are you referring to something more specific?”

“We had the chance to study some history while we were learning to read Equish,” Matthew explained. “It appears that most, if not all of significant events relating to violence, discord, etc. in Equestria seem to happen on Tuesdays.”

Mutatio frowned. “That is … a strange occurrence, but … I cannot refute that the attack also took place on a Tuesday. Is this always the case or only often?”

Matthew shrugged. “Who can say? We humans just like to be prepared.”

Moonshade arrived several minutes later with the requested items, and the group quickly worked at restraining their visitor.

“Moving this prisoner in its current state would probably just incite panic.” Matthew frowned, then looked to Mutatio. “Do you think you’re recovered enough to cast a glamour over our comatose friend here?”

“I … think so,” Mutatio said. “If I take the shape of a Unicorn, I can justify the glow from my horn by making it appear that I’m conjuring the bindings.”

Matthew nodded. “Do it, then. We’ll need to keep it up until we secure the prisoner properly.” He turned to Moonshade. “We’ll probably need to keep it sedated, too. I don’t want to risk it being lucid enough for Chrysalis to spy on us. If we can cloud its thoughts, maybe we can disrupt the hive connection or at least give enough static to prevent anyone from reaching out. One of us should stop by the doctor’s office to pick up the necessary prescription. Since the command belongs to Shawn, I suppose we’ll have to ask him to do it. He has the paperwork to back it up, after all.”

Taze nodded. “Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out how that happened,” Taze said.

“How what happened?”

“How I did that,” Taze noted.

“That being…?”

“I picked up a chair and slammed it onto a target while simultaneously dodging an attack. How did I do that?”

Matthew shrugged. “Adrenaline?” he suggested as Mutatio flashed into the shape of a Unicorn.

“Would you like me to wear a guard’s armor?” Mutatio asked.

“Probably best if you didn’t. They may try to ask you for some ID you don’t have,” Taze noted.

“Would Moonshade not have that?”

“Do you want to push it?” Taze asked.

“If you believe I would be better without, I will serve without. I suppose I could pretend to be one of your fighters, the ones you are training. That would be plausible, would it not?”

Taze nodded. “Or something like that. We should probably get moving.”

Mutatio nodded. “Moonshade, would you be willing to carry her?”

“I got—wait, her?” Taze asked.

Mutatio nodded. “Of course. Could you not tell?”

The Ponyville jail was a very old structure, indeed. The beams were worn by time and smoothly cut. The joists and bolts used to hold the joints together contributed to the strangely hospitable feel of the room. Hardwood floors flowed under the wrought iron bars that seemed not so much to have been inserted but had the wood grown around them. True to the traditional western cells, the windows were also barred to prevent escape, and the exterior walls had been reinforced with stone that covered the original structure. Given the size of the town, there were only three cells. Fortunately for the humans and the rest of their party, they only needed one.

“So, Mutatio, what's Chrysalis likely to do here?” Taze asked as they waited for the captured Changeling to wake up.

“It is difficult to say. The queen did not let us think before. We would only obey. If she fears exploitation, she will do what she can to protect the hive and herself from discovery. This Changeling may try to kill herself to that end. Or the queen may seek to use her as a means to locate you.” Mutatio sighed and shook his head. “Without my connection to the hive, there is no way to say for certain. And even then, I would not tell you, because the song is controlled by the queen, and I would be but another piece of that song, a note to be played and shifted at her whim.” His voice softened to little more than a whisper. “Or silenced.”

“She can’t make her explode or anything, right?” Taze asked.

“I … do not think so, but it may be wise to prevent her from being able to use magic, just to be safe.”

“And what happens if we push too far?” Taze asked.

“What do you mean by push?”

“Trying to get information out of her?” Taze clarified.

“I don’t know. It depends on how she feels. So long as she has no access to anything she can harm herself with, it should be safe. Though if the queen wishes it, she may be able to even force this one to stop breathing. The submission to the queen’s will is absolute, or … at least it used to be.”

“What are you thinking?” Taze asked.

“Merely that you released me from that hold. I know we cannot recreate those conditions easily. For now, all we can do is try to keep this worker from harm.” He frowned. “You have the drugs ready?”

Taze nodded. “I think I have a way to get her to eat them without realizing it.”

“That is good. Then it is only a matter of waiting for her to wake. If you wish, I can present myself to give a target and draw her ire.”

The unconscious Changeling slowly began to twitch, her movements sluggish as her head began to rise. After a moment, her eyes seemed to widen in panic as she looked around rapidly.

“Remain calm. I’d hate to have to knock you out again,” Taze said carefully.

She glared at Mutatio and seemed to struggle to rub her leg chitin together, creating a rapid clicking beat.

Mutatio cocked his head in confusion. “She is … asking what I have done to her. She also called me a traitor. I … do not understand what she means, though.”

“If you have something to say, say it out loud,” Taze said. “No tricks from you or your queen.”

“What have you done? Why is the hive song gone?” she snapped back.

Taze looked to Mutatio.

“Hive song?” Matthew asked as he entered the room with papers under his arm. “Didn’t Mutatio mention something like that when he first found us?” He frowned. “Does that mean she’s cut off, like he is?”

“I cannot supply an answer. This has never happened before. Your compound broke me away, but I did not think the connection could be severed in any other fashion. We have done nothing. That leaves only one possibility. Someone or something within the hive broke her connection instead. I can think of no other with the power, save for the queen mother. As I said, she controls the song. She is the conductor.”

“You lie!” the Changeling lunged at the bars and hissed angrily. “The queen would not—Mother wouldn’t do that!”

“I have no reason to lie. I am not an infiltrator. That is not in my makeup. I was bred to follow orders. I could not think as you did, Praetorian.” Mutatio cocked his head. “To think I looked like this when I discovered my loss.”

“You became stronger for it,” Taze said.

“Mother! Mother, please, let me die if I must, but don’t remove me from the song!” she cried, even as her voice cracked and shifted toward a higher register with her desperation.

Mutatio shook his head and sighed. “She will be like this for some time. I do not recall how long it took me to accept and begin to act for myself, but I know a significant amount of time did pass.”

“Well then, I guess she’s not going to be interested in this.” Taze shrugged, holding a simple unwrapped chocolate bar, which promptly vanished from his hand as the Changeling threw her weight forward, her jaws getting just close enough to grab the candy and begin devouring it in an almost feral frenzy.

“Oookay, what just happened?”

“I … am not sure,” Mutatio admitted. “I have not seen such a reaction from anyone in the hive before. Our hunger is for love, not for sweets.”

Matthew blinked with his mouth agape. “You certainly never acted like that around anything before. That almost looked instinctual.”

“As I said, I do not understand.” Mutatio shrugged. The greedy slurping and scarfing spoke louder than words how much the prisoner was interested in the treat.

“Mother has plans for me,” she said in an exultant giggle that bordered on lunacy. That's why she made sure I'd get this.” The drone grinned manically as she finished the bar and tossed her head back for a full bout of triumphant laughter that lasted for five seconds before she promptly slumped forward and buried her face in the wooden floor as the sedatives kicked in.

“Well, that's going to be a conversation when she wakes up,” Taze said.

“Would you prefer that I not be present for that interrogation?” Mutatio asked. “My presence seems to upset her.”

“No. We need someone who has some idea how this all works around,” Taze said.

“I … don’t believe I understand,” Mutatio admitted. “How what all works around?”

“How Changelings think and what may or may not be true,” Taze clarified.

“Yeah, but the real question now is how long will this sedative last? A few hours, a few minutes? Did your source tell you anything about the timing, Taze?” Matthew asked.

“Should last a couple of hours, according to the doctor. She’ll be groggy and hopefully disoriented when she wakes up. We can use that.”

“I can tell you this. She was happy. So happy that she didn’t even think to block her emotions from being felt,” Mutatio said. “Whatever this substance is, it appears to be something that she believes will lead to freedom. You should post guards here, just in case.”

“Chocolate is an interesting sweet,” Taze explained. “It effects brain chemistry, releases endorphins into the system. Those are hormones that give off the feeling of being in love,” he clarified at Mutatio’s look of confusion. “I thought it was fitting.”

“It makes one feel love?” Mutatio wondered in surprise. “If that is so, we should have been able to harvest plenty of love for ourselves. Would this chocolate allow a Changeling to feel love as well?”

“I don't know,” Matthew answered thoughtfully, “but, that’s certainly something we should try asking or figuring out with our POW. If we can figure out a means to have Changelings produce their own love, we won’t have to worry about another invasion again. Or at the very least, the likelihood of invasion from any other hives would drop significantly.”

“For now, we’ll post someone to watch her and hope it all works out,” Taze said. “Let's go see if we can find some food.”

“Perhaps something from the bakery?” Mutatio suggested. “The emotions there are … pleasant, even if they are not love.”

“Sure. I wouldn’t mind seeing what they have to eat there, myself,” Matthew said.

Taze nodded and turned toward the door. As they left, the sleeping Changeling’s chitin began to pulse with a subtle green light.

Shawn yawned as he stretched. Like usual, he was prepared for the day at least two hours before most people got up. At the moment, he was on the first floor, mentally going through his day as he tried to figure out his plans for it. The heavy creaking of wagon wheels gave him pause, and he turned curiously toward a window to behold a familiar stetson-wearing orange mare hauling a cart of apples behind her. A wizened green mare with her mane tied up in a bun strode beside her. A lattice pie stood proudly on her flanks, and a large orange scarf dotted with shiny red apples served as a shawl for her as she walked.

Shawn hummed as he stood upright. “Strange. It’s usually Big Mac who makes the deliveries,” he muttered as he made his way toward the door, giving a brief wave to Ruby as he passed by the counter.

“I don’t know, Granny,” Applejack said as they stopped in front of the establishment. “I can do a lot, but with Big Mac laid up, I don’t know how we’re gonna get the orchards ready for the storm.”

The old mare shrugged. “We’ll just have to make do, Applejack. I may be old, but that don’t mean I can’t buck with the best of ’em.” She cackled goodnaturedly. “If I ain’t too old to help with a delivery, then I ain’t too old to work the fields for a day.”

“From the sounds of it, you sound short on labor,” Shawn commented as he opened the tavern door. “I hope everything’s all right?”

“Bit of bad luck’s all,” the green mare said as she waved a hoof dismissively. “Big Mac threw out his back yesterday. I told him he needed to stretch after lunch before he got back to work, but you know how headstrong these younguns can be. He’ll be right as rain in a few days. He’s just got to keep to bed till then.” She smiled ruefully, then eyed the human up and down. “So, you’re Shawn, are you? Didn’t get the chance to meetcha properly ’fore ya up and left the other day. You do some mighty fine work, or so Applejack tells me.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smith.” He gave a small smile. “Sorry to have left so quickly after helping, but there’s always some work to be done. If you’d both like, I could help out some more today? With everything I did here yesterday, I could use a break.”

“You call farmwork a break?” Applejack asked in surprise.

“I worked with my hands for a living.” Shawn chuckled. “Carpentry, actually, but if there is one thing I dreaded in that line of work, it was the paperwork and documents.”

Applejack laughed. “Eeeeeyup. The universe may hate a paradox, but everypony hates bureaucracy.”

“Landsakes, Applejack, less talking, more unloading. We’ve got a schedule ta keep,” Granny chided, even as she unhitched Applejack from the wagon, then strode toward the back of the cart. Applejack nodded her agreement. If there was one thing they understood, it was the precious commodity that time represented to them, especially today.

“Here. I’ll help out,” Shawn offered as he joined the mares at the rear of the cart.

“Much obliged to ya,” Granny said as she got up onto the cart and pushed one of the barrels toward the human. “Oh, and one more thing. It’s Granny. None of that Mrs. Smith talk, understand?”

“I’ll try.” He chuckled as he took hold of one of the barrels. “But that’s a hard habit to break.” He smiled as he gauged the weight of the barrel before hefting it onto his shoulder, holding on to it with his right arm. “I can probably carry another one.”

Granny eyed him suspiciously. “You sure you won’t drop ‘em? That there’s precious cargo, you know.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. These are smaller than the barrels from my home, which makes them way easier to carry.”

“All right. If you say so.” Granny pushed another barrel toward the human, then shoved a third toward Applejack. “Let’s get this order in. Berry wasn’t much of a mornin’ person even before she got into brewing. Faster and quieter we get these barrels delivered, the better.”

It didn’t take long to finish delivering the order. The most painful part was watching a bloodshot Berry Punch struggle to sign coherently. She winced with every jerk of her head as she maneuvered the pen. When the paperwork was complete, the trio returned to the cart, and Shawn waved his farewell to the inn’s owner as they strode off down the cobblestone streets toward their next destination. This time, Shawn offered to pull the cart, since his hands were easily able to seize the two wooden bars like he would the handles of a wheelbarrow.

“Well, would you look at that,” Granny said with a surprised smile. “You think you can trade off with Applejack on the regular?”

“Sure. I think I can manage that.”

“Then welcome aboard,” Granny said as she extended her hoof.

Shawn took the hoof and gave a small grin as he shook it. “Glad to be of use.”

“Come on. Get up,” Moonshade said as she shook Matthew’s shoulder roughly. “You’ve been sleeping long enough.”

Matthew muttered as he slowly came back to consciousness. “Wha…? What time is it?”

“It’s after ten,” Moonshade responded. “You’ve been sleeping longer than normal.”

“And I feel exhausted,” Matthew muttered as he moved out of the bed. “Could you maybe raise the heat in the room? It feels a little chilly.”

Mutatio cocked his head in confusion. “You want a fire?”

“No, no. The room should have a radiator or some form of heat, since there’s no fireplace for the room.”

“What is a radiator?”

Matthew looked to Moonshade as he eased himself into a sitting position. “It’s a contraption that will radiate heat. It takes stuff like steam and heats it up, and that heat will radiate out into the room.”

“I’ll see what can be done about the heat,” Moonshade said, turning to go.

“Did you want me to bring your clothing?” Mutatio offered to the human.

Matthew nodded nervously as he glanced toward Moonshade’s retreating form. “If you don’t mind. Thanks, Mutatio.”

Mutatio nodded and levitated the change of clothes toward the human. “Your clothing is almost identical. Why is that?” he asked curiously.

“Uniforms.” Matthew shrugged as he pulled back his covers and turned to place his feet on the floor. “It means that, at a glance, you can tell what organization I belong to or even what nation.” He frowned, then passed under the covers to change. “That, and it reminds me of home.” He shuddered, and goosebumps rose on his skin. “I’d better see about getting a winter coat or something.”

“Warmer clothing would be advised if you are feeling cold,” Mutatio agreed. Then he licked his lips. “I know I do not require them for sustenance, but I do hope that Berry Punch has prepared those flat pieces of bread again today. You called them … pancakes, yes?”

“I am sure if you request them downstairs, she’ll make them.”

“I would, but I don’t wish to make her angry. Negative emotions tend to be the opposite of love. They may not exactly be harmful, but they are … very unpleasant for a Changeling.”

“This is an inn. If it’s on the menu, it's open to order. And sometimes, they will make things not on the menu if you ask politely enough.”

“Make it, yes,” Mutatio said. “But that does not mean they will be happy to do so.” He licked his lips again as he looked toward the door. “Though … with syrup and whipped cream, it might be worth the risk….”

“Well, I plan on making that request myself. It’s nice, warm, and filling.” Matthew chuckled goodnaturedly as he pulled back the covers and stood in his new change of clothes. He paused for a moment, then smiled as he moved toward the door. “I wonder what the answer will be in the heating situation. Maybe another quilt?” he mused.

Mutatio smiled as he shifted into his mule form again. “I’m sure you will find out soon enough.”

Taze sat in Sugarcube Corner nursing his morning coffee as he observed the comings and goings of the customers. Having already completed his morning workout and his run with the guard, he was just taking a few minutes to prep for the rest of the day.

Just as he was finishing his coffee, he realized that Mr. and Mrs. Cake, the proprietors of the bakery, were standing off to the side discussing something in hushed tones. Sensing an issue, he got up and did his best to walk over slowly. “Is everything okay?”

The two Ponies jumped in surprise at the human’s silent approach. When they finally regained their composure, the two faced the human together. Mrs. Cake spoke first.

“I’m afraid it has to do with our usual shipment of wood. Some of our recipes require a wood oven to get the proper flavor and texture. Big Mac was supposed to arrive with our next shipment today, but it looks like he won’t be coming. Without that maplewood, we won’t be able to make, as Pinkie Pie likes to say, our extra mapley maple donuts.”

A very familiar loud gasp emanated from the kitchen as a fluffy pink mane on a stretched-thin neck peered out from the kitchen door. “No more extra mapley maple donuts?”

Mrs. Cake smiled ruefully as the head suddenly shot back into the kitchen with the sound of a snapping rubber band. “Nothing gets past that mare.”

“What's the big deal? Sounds like you just need someone to chop wood. Why does it have to be Big Mac?” Taze asked.

“He’s one of the only ones with the stamina for it,” Mister Cake explained. “Chopping wood’s no easy task for most folks around here. That, and then somepony has to cart it all back after the work is done. It helps keep the farm afloat, too.”

“And the fact the grove he gets the wood from happens to be in the middle of the Everfree. The Apples are some of the few Ponies who actually know how to get through that forest safely,” Mrs. Cake continued.

“Where could I get a splitting axe?” Taze asked.

Mrs. Cake gaped at Taze. “You’re not actually thinking of going into that forest alone, are you?”

“I can handle myself in the forest.” Taze smirked.

“I don’t think you understand the threat, Taze,” Mister Cake said. “There are timberwolves and all manner of other creatures in there. They won’t hesitate to kill you and eat you if they can.”

Taze shrugged. “Good thing I'll have a large axe and plenty of trees to put my back to, then. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine,” he promised. “Just give me directions.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know where it is. None of us do,” Mrs. Cake said. “Only the Apples know how to get there. You’d have to ask Big Mac yourself.”

“Then I’ll make sure to do that,” Taze said. “How much do you need, and when?”

“We usually get about a cord of wood to work with,” the mare admitted. “As for when, … we still have a few logs left, so we should be able to get a few more batches done. But the stores will probably be exhausted by the end of the week at the rate we’re selling right now.”

“Okay. I’ll be back,” Taze said as he gave a brief salute in farewell before heading out the door and making a beeline for the forges.

Taze walked along the road to sweet apple acres dragging a small cart behind him with a battleaxe in it. The smiths had not had a wood cutting axe or a splitting maul available, and had refused to make one, saying the battleaxe would be enough. He looked forward to seeing their faces later that day as he walked past the orchard keeping his eye out for Big Macintosh.

He caught sight of a familiar face several minutes in. “Shawn?”

Shawn turned from the current tree he was working on. “Oh. Hey, Taze. Something going on?”

“Need to find Big Mac. Apparently, the bakers need some special wood, and he’s not able to get it for them, so I figured it would be a good way to work out.” Taze shrugged. “Also need to teach some smiths a lesson about wood chopping and axes.” He gestured to the battleaxe.

“He’ll be near the house. From what I can tell, he’s doing some light work, since he won’t sit still.” Shawn shrugged. “Just follow the path and you’ll get there.”

“Thanks.” Taze nodded. “How goes the work?”

“Surprisingly quick, but I think it helps that I can carry close enough to what Big Mac typically moves for this.”

“Wow. I didn’t realize you were that strong.”

“No, no. I don’t mean as much as he can. I mean more the whole, carrying this stuff takes space for them that you or I could, say, put on a shoulder and carry something else,” Shawn clarified.

“Ah.” Taze nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Just wish I had some actual work clothes. It feels strange working in this.” He gestured toward his shirt and fine pants. The coat had been cast aside for the sake of easy movement and to remove a layer of heat.

“Well, I mean, it’s not really made for work,” Taze noted.

“Yeah. Maybe I should stop by Rarity’s, get some actual clothes I can work out of…” Shawn sighed. “I’ll do it later. For now, I should probably get back to it. Same as you, I suspect?”

“Yeah. Thanks for the advice. I’ll head for the farmhouse, then.”

The journey into the farmhouse was swift and easy. Since Applejack and Shawn were busy working the orchard, there were only two people to worry about inside. The familiar shape of Big Mac laid on the couch with his back and barrel wrapped in supporting strips of cloth. The smell of sugar, cinnamon, apples, and other spices filled the room in a bouquet that spoke of the comforts of home and the warmth of a fall harvest. A rocker creaked gently in the corner, where a wizened green mare sat working a pair of knitting needles.

“Hello, Ma’am,” Taze offered with a polite nod. “I hope today’s treating you well.”

“You’re one of Shawn’s friends, ain’t you?” the mare asked.

“Yes, Ma’am. I just needed to talk to Big Mac for a second to get some directions. But my parents taught me respect, and you always acknowledge the wisest person in the room first.” He smirked.

“Could’ve asked anyone in town, couldn’t you?” she asked as she continued to knit.

“Not quite. Apparently, the Cakes need some special maple wood from a grove your grandson usually harvests for them this time of year. I heard he was indisposed, and it just so happens I used to chop a lot of wood back home, so I figured I’d lend a hand.”

“Consarn it, I knew I forgot something while we were in town.” Granny frowned, then put down her knitting to look Taze over carefully. “Applejack tells me you were given some fancy awards after fighting the Changelings. Something about monster huntin’?”

“It was my profession prior to coming to this world,” Taze said, doing his best to keep to the story. “Is there an issue you’re having?”

“More what you’ll have in that there forest. You know about those critters?”

“Wolves made of wood and whatnot? I’m not worried,” Taze said.

“They don’t die, y’know,” she warned. “Best y’can hope for is to frighten them off.” She pointed to a far wall, where a great wooden hammer lay suspended on a pair of hooks above the door frame. “Time was, family used to do that easy with that there hammer.” She cackled. “But those were different times. Big Mac don’t feel like he needs it. And I’m no spring chicken myself anymore. Y’got the tools you need to fight?”

Taze drew his sword. “This was given to me by Princess Luna after the Changeling attack. I’m pretty sure it will be all I need. But if not, the smiths gave me a battleaxe.”

“You’ll need an axe, and Big Mac’ll need to draw you up a map.”

“Eeeeup,” Big Mac agreed, even as he started to push himself up with his hooves.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Granny snapped as she pointed an imperious hoof. “You stay right there. I’ll be back with a quill and some paper.”

Big Mac sighed heavily as he flopped back onto the couch again, then groaned in aggravation.

“Hope you heal up fast, big guy.” Taze smirked. “Bedrest is annoying. I know from experience.”

“Eeeeeyup.” Big Mac sighed, then nodded. Granny came back with the quill, ink, and parchment necessary, and the big stallion soon drew up the route Taze would need to follow through the forest, being careful to label each of the dangerous patches for the human to avoid.

“There you go.” Granny nodded. “Since you’re taking over for Big Mac, only makes sense you keep what they pay ya. Somepony’s gotta do the work, after all, and we’ve got our hooves full here tending the crops as it is.”

“You need any firewood while I’m out there?” he asked.

Granny shook her head. “Nah. We got plenty stored up, all nice and seasoned. Don’t you worry bout us none. You just make sure you make it back in one piece.” She rubbed her chin in thought. “If’n ya need a wagon, you can borrow ours. Big Mac won’t be usin’ it any time soon anyway.”

“I managed to get a cart, but thanks for the offer.” Taze nodded. “You all stay safe.” He gave another polite nod and turned to leave with his new map. He gave a small wave as he strolled to his cart and began the trek to the forest.

The smithy at Ponyville was simple in its design. A large set of bellows served to give life to the coals and strengthen the output of the forge fires. The blacksmith who owned the workshop had been more than accommodating to the two smiths from the capital. The one request was that the tools be respected and returned when work was complete for the day. The workshop itself was closed off to avoid fluctuations in temperature that can be caused by stray winds and other inclement weather, though the forge itself was designed to be separate from the stallion’s home to avoid any potential accidents. A quenching barrell and troth both were set for use, depending on the nature of the project involved and the shape that craftsman was hoping to produce.

“Lass, I know we’re designin’ armor for the guard, but I’m pretty sure we can put more into the plates than that,” Steel Weaver remarked as he pointed toward one of the designs.

“We can if we articulate ’em,” Storm Hammer said. “Interlocking plates means we’d never need skin showing.”

“As great as it would be, we don’t have the numbers to make that. After all, it’s just the two of us. We need something protective and lasting until they send us some more smiths, even if they’re just armorsmiths and weaponsmiths.”

“I know.” Storm hammer sighed. “Just feels like we’re being forced to cut corners.”

“Oi’, just because we’re in a tight spot doesn’t mean we’re cuttin’ corners. Just means we’ll have to figure out some workarounds.” Steel Weaver smiled. “Come on, lass, we may not be able to match the legend, but we’re still gonna work toward it. Just got to figure it out, step by step.”

“It will be nice when we have a proper shop again. No offense to our friend, but we’re limited here,” she noted.

“Well, he’s not exactly a smith, just a toolsmith.”

“I know. Just feels cramped, you know?”

“Trust me, I know. I miss our separate workshops.” He sighed.

“Anyway what do you think of this design, then?” she asked, pointing to another one. “It at least has a decent amount of plating.”

Steel Weaver hummed as he looked over the design. “Could work. Doesn’t have much room for adjustment, but it’s not meant to be the final set as it is, anyway, so it should do. Let’s try to make a set of it for now and see how it looks in its end result. Then we can maybe look into completing those ‘special cases.’”

“Fair enough,” she said, picking up her hammer.

“Act all ya’ like. I know you’ve been coming up with designs for those three.” He chuckled as he looked toward his tools.

“Same as you,” she said. “New body type and all that.”

“Different levels of strength as well. Makes things interesting.”

“Don’t think there’s been an opportunity like this in a few thousand years.” Storm Hammer laughed.

“Which means we’ve got to make it count.”

She laughed again. “Then you’d best keep up, old man.”

“Lass, I wouldn’t be laughin’ when you’re the one behind.” Steel Weaver gave a smirk as he turned toward his work.

Back at the campsite, the surveyor team had done its work. And in accordance with the necessary military training, the recruits were used to mark out the dimensions of their future temporary barracks. True to the request forwarded to the princesses, replacement tents had been shipped in for the recruits who had been sleeping outdoors to use. A dark gray Earth Pony stallion with a green mane, tool belt, vest, and hard hat looked between the stakes, tape, and the blueprint that he held between his hooves. The emblem of his special talent was a hard hat, and as such, he had chosen construction as his field.

“It’s a definite start,” he rumbled in a deep voice. “Gonna take us a few more days to get the first bunkhouse built. Timbers and beams for the framework, materials for insulation and walls, you get the picture.” He picked up his pencil from his hard hat and scrawled a few more notes on the blueprint. “And how many more did you say you were expecting here again?” he inquired.

Matthew was wearing his own hard hat, looking over the plans. “Best to design something to house about a hundred troops comfortably. It can be one or two floors. I know it’s more than we have planned for the present, but it’s best to be prepared. Once we get things ready in the forest, this will make a good staging area for the next batches of troops.”

“I can do that.” Hard Hat nodded. “Did you want us to add a kitchen into the facilities or keep that separate?”

“The Kitchen will be saved for the mess hall.”

“Want us to prep a temporary facility for you folks to use till we get everything set?”

Matthew nodded. “That would be good.”

“I’ll talk with the boys about getting things prepped, then.” Hard Hat nodded again. “Anything else you folks want me to add or consider before we get started?”

“Not that I can think of at the moment. If there's anything more, we’ll have Moonshade contact you.”

Hard Hat nodded. “In that case, I’ll get back to Ponyville and make arrangements for the supply deliveries.” He rolled up the blueprints and tossed them back into his tool belt pocket. “And thanks again for the business,” he said by way of farewell before departing.

“You’re welcome,” Matthew responded with a smile.

Matthew sat in the dining area at the Punch Bowl with Moonshade as they nursed Shirley Temples and chatted, waiting for Taze and Shawn to arrive for dinner.

After about ten minutes or so, Taze dragged himself through the door followed closely by Shawn. He plopped into an open seat and dropped a small sack of bits on the table. Shawn, meanwhile, carried a decent sized sack that he hung over his shoulder.

“Hello,” Taze offered tiredly.

“Hey,” Matthew returned. “Seems like you did well today,” he added with a tilt of the head toward the bag of bits.

“Was chopping wood,” Taze said. “The general fear of the forest and Big Mac being injured opened an opportunity.”

“On the plus side, that gives us a chance to show the townsfolk that we’re not scary. On the other hand, though, I hope Big Mac gets well soon. It’s never fun being laid up,” Matthew said.

“Really, you think walking into the place that scares them like it’s no big deal will make me less terrifying?” Taze asked.

“Well, you do have the charter to do that from Princess Luna, so they might see you the same way they see the Guard, just following orders or fulfilling a contract.”

“Considering we’re walking around at most times armed as is,” Shawn spoke up as he rested his offhand on the pommel of his sword, “they already have some opinions.”

“Hopefully good ones?” Matthew ventured. “I mean, we’re here with the guard and serving alongside them. That should hopefully give us at least some weight against any fears they may have on the scale.”

“Only time will tell.” Shawn shrugged. “For now though, how about we look into dinner?”

Matthew nodded. “Moonshade and I were waiting for you to come before we ordered.” He looked curiously toward the sack Shawn had laid next to his chair. “That’s not all bits, is it?”

“No, no,” Shawn dismissed. “They’re apples. I was given some after helping out.”

Matthew nodded. “Those will make for good snacks while we work on getting the cadets in shape.”

“They’re welcome to them,” Taze said, eyeing the area carefully. “Can’t stand apples, myself.”

Matthew gaped at his friend. “You don’t like apples? But … but what about pie, and turnovers, and bear claws, and … and … how can you not like apples?”

“Always preferred raspberries.” Taze shrugged. “Something about the texture of apples just throws me off.”

“Raw, cooked, or juiced?”

“Oh, I like apple juice, but that's about it.” Taze shrugged.

“Well, don’t let the Apples hear that. I have a feeling Miss Applejack will do all in her power to find something apple-related that you’d like.”

“Don’t plan on spreading it around,” Taze noted idly.

“Just be ready for any apple product if we eat over there or they cater something.”

“I’m aware.” Taze shrugged.

“Well, shall we get dinner while I let you know my first impressions about the class?” Matthew suggested.

Shawn hummed as he settled in and scanned a menu. “Let’s hear what you’ve got so far.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 013: What Did you do to my Axe?!

“So what do you think’s behind the door?” Taze asked Mutatio as he looked at the door in front of them, behind which their prisoner waited.

Mutatio shrugged. “I don’t know. She was higher in the chain of command. I was just a worker. But if the babbling from your guard is any indication, we should be on our guard.” He tapped his saddlebag, where the light tinkling of pink crystals tapping one another could be heard faintly through the heavy cloth.

“I got your back.” Taze smirked.

“And I have yours. I should be immune to any tricks she tries. I apologize in advance if I have to restrain you.”

The sight that greeted them was certainly cause for alarm, though not nearly of the cataclysmic proportions that the duo had expected. The Changeling had grown by nearly a quarter of her original size. Her wings had lengthened somewhat, and the beginnings of a mane now wisped from the back of her neck and head. Her neck had also lengthened somewhat alongside her horn. The most striking difference however, laid in her eyes. They were no longer the solid insectile orbs they had known for the enemy. Instead, a very distinct set of expressive Pony eyes stared ahead. A proper iris had formed, ringed by hints of green in the paling sclera. Two dark pupils pulsed within those orbs, slowly growing larger from the initial pinpricks that looked almost like pinholes.

“Mutatio, … what am I looking at?” Taze asked.

The changeling trembled as he dropped his disguise and gazed at the figure that was now most definitely proportioned to look like a mare. “I … I do not understand. She looks like … not quite the queen, but….”

“You stay here,” Taze ordered as he approached the cell and the waiting Changeling prisoner. He took several minutes to take in her form. “Better yet, go get Shawn and Matthew,” he amended.

“I will not leave you alone with her,” Mutatio said firmly.

“I’m in no danger,” Taze said.

“So you say,” Mutatio growled. “But she is stronger now. That much, I can tell. It is not quite a song, but … there is something there. A … tuning, I suppose you could call it, preparing the song to suit her, rather than … our mother.”

“She’s becoming a queen?” Taze asked.

“It is muted, but … there is something attempting to flow from her. It feels the same as the hivesong. It is … very persuasive.” Mutatio licked his lips and quickly absorbed a stream of pink energy from his saddlebag. He shuddered once, then sighed. “That helps.” He shook his head. “She could be dangerous. If that song can draw me, then when it becomes more pronounced, it will call to every unclaimed drone it can reach.”

“All the more reason for you to go find the others.” Taze said. “I’m not susceptible to it like you are.”

“But you are susceptible to magic. I cannot guarantee she won’t overpower the binding that’s been placed on her horn. Nor can I guarantee she won’t have other means to seek to persuade you to act according to her desires.”

“Trust me, okay?”

Mutatio ground his teeth. “Why did you have to say that?” he growled. “I owe you my life. But I don’t wish to leave you alone.” He uttered a curse under his breath that Taze was fairly certain he probably picked up from one of the guards on patrol before he finally strode back toward the door. “Don’t let her do anything while I am gone,” he demanded before flashing into the disguise of a Pegasus and taking flight.

“So,” Taze started as soon as Mutatio was gone, “let’s start with the basics. Do you still believe your queen’s coming for you?” he asked.

“No…” the changeling responded after a moment. “My mother has abandoned me to die here.” She stated it as if it were an obvious fact. “I can’t believe I ever believed any of us meant anything more to her.”

Taze raised an eyebrow. “Kind of a drastic change in stance,” he noted.

“”Yes. Well, I’ve had more time to think than I’ve ever had before. For example, I’ve also realized that even if we had succeeded in killing the drone, we’d likely not have made it home alive. You and the undying would have seen to that. Our deaths were foreordained.”

“You’ve picked up the language a lot faster than Mutatio has, too.”

The prisoner raised a curious brow. “Mutatio?” She thought for a moment, and then the light of understanding dawned in her increasingly expressive eyes. “Oh, the drone? Well, yes, I probably had slightly more intelligence than he did to start with. The question now is what will you plan to do with me?”

“That’s a very good question. What should we do with you?” Taze asked as he folded his arms.

“Common sense would say to kill me, though I honestly have no wish to die,” she acknowledged.

“And what do you wish?”

The Changeling sat down and tossed her head, then rubbed at the base of her growing mane. She sighed and gradually pulled her hoof away to rest with its fellow on the floor. “I wish to be me,” she said simply. “I wish to understand my new existence and what it means.”

“And do you have any insights to your recent developments?”

“You don’t know? But you're the one that started them!”

“Wait, what?” Taze asked.

“The substance you fed me. Aside from the sedative you doubtless used to put me to sleep, its general makeup was full of several chemical compounds that could start the process of an unattached drone to metamorphose into a queen.”

“Wait, chocolate? Chocolate did this to you?”

“Chocolate. Is that what it’s called? Could I have some more?” she asked him excitedly.

“Shawn’s va me tuer,” Taze muttered under his breath. “Look, we can worry about that later. Let's start with the basics. Do you have any plans at all to attack us or carry out your last orders?”

“Attack you? That seems like a very foolish plan. ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend,’ as the Ponies say, don’t they?”

“Enemy?” Taze inquired.

“My mother, my former queen. With this process you have started, I am becoming a queen myself, a possible rival. She’s almost certain to try and kill me if she finds out. Given that you haven’t killed the drone, I can assume I have at least better chances with you than with her.”

Taze facepalmed as he processed this. “Well, this just gets more complicated.” He groaned and shook his head. “Look, just, … what do we call you?”

“Me?”

“Yes. What do we call you? What's your name?”

“Me. I am Me,” she said.

“Fine, Me … me? Look, if you want us to be capable of trusting you enough to consider this, then when my friends arrive, I need you to tell us everything you can remember about your old hive.”

The newly dubbed Me-Me tapped her chin in thought. “That … is fair. I’ll work on assembling my thoughts while we wait, then.”

“I’ll leave you to that,” Taze acknowledged, turning and opening the door only to find himself face to face with Shawn. “Ah, … Shawn.” He smiled guiltily, not unlike a child whose hand had been caught in the cookie jar before bed time. “Kinda weird funnyish development in the situation….”

Shawn blinked a few times before letting out a heavy sigh. “What did you do?”

“I might have sort of ... accidentally….” Taze gulped to try and moisten his suddenly parched throat. “Created a Changeling queen?”

Shawn stared at him for a few seconds before raising his hand and placing it on Taze’s shoulder. “You did what now?”

“Lad….” Steel Weaver sighed as he looked over the mangled remains of what was once an axe. “I know I said use this axe for now, but I didn’t mean fully use it. We were waiting on the resources….”

“I mean, I did say I needed to chop wood,” Taze said sheepishly. “But I’m sorry it’s in such bad shape.”

Steel Weaver rubbed at the side of his head. “It’s fine, lad. Just … try not to go damaging any other weapons until we can get you an axe for woodchoppin’. It’s already gonna take some time and materials to fix this thing up.”

“Uh, put this one on Shawn's tab, okay?” Taze said.

Steel Weaver raised a brow. “You sure he’s goin’ to go coverin’ this?”

“He won’t even notice the cost,” Taze assured him.

“There’s still a difference between knowing and one day finding his expenses have changed.” He sighed again. “But … I’ll take your word for it right now. But if he comes to me about it, that’s on you.”

“That's fair.” Taze nodded. “How long do you think it will take?”

“Since we have the materials, you’ll have a woodchoppin’ axe in a couple hours. This axe, however, will take a few days to fix.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your effort,” Taze said.

“All right, lad, go on. Come back in a few hours and it’ll be done.”

“I’ll see you then,” he said as he turned to leave.

Steel Weaver gave him a wave as he left. After a few moments, he gave a small smirk. “Oi’, Storm! You lost. That’s twenty bits.”

Taze left the forge and looked around the town for a moment, deciding what to do. Realizing his reading material had gotten a bit light over the last few weeks, he made his way to the library.

The door creaked open at his knocking, and a familiar young drake with bright green eyes gazed up at him. “Hey, Taze. How’s it going?” he greeted.

“Hey, I was wondering if I could browse the books? Kinda running low on reading material.”

“Sure.” Spike shrugged. “What’re you looking for? I’ve worked with Twilight to organize these shelves enough to have a pretty good idea where things are.” He turned and waved for the human to follow him inside.

“Fiction, mostly. Maybe some history books. It’d be nice to learn more about this planet.”

“You talking scientific, history, or kingdoms and nations?” Spike asked as he approached the large round wooden table and the horse head that sat on its center.

“Kingdoms and nations, more world events kinda stuff.”

“That’ll be up in the higher shelves over there.” He gestured toward the shelves nearest to the spiral stairwell leading to the upper floor. “Now, if you want some really good fiction, I’ve got some comic books you’re gonna love!”

“I won’t say no to that either, but everything needs to be balanced. On Earth, we have high fantasy, which seems kinda pointless in a world like this, but it was one of my favorite genres back home.”

“If you do, then maybe it wasn’t fantasy.” Spike smiled as he hopped up onto some shelves and began pulling down a number of volumes, then tossing them toward the table. “If magic is real here, then it had to be real on your world once, right?”

Taze shook his head. “Not to our knowledge. We have myths and legends, but nothing in my time.”

“Nightmare Moon used to be a myth, and she turned out to be real in the end.”

“That’s as fair an argument as any.” Taze shrugged. “Still, in my time there’s been no sign of magic.”

Spike nodded. “So how many books were you looking to check out?”

“What's the limit?”

“Considering it’s Twilight we’re talking about, probably as much as you can carry. I’ve never seen her say how many people can take as long as they bring them all back in the same condition they left in.”

“And what do the regulations say?” Taze asked.”Let's face it. You’re probably the only one who’s actually looked at them with how much you run this place.”

Spike shrugged. “All I do is help. It’s pretty much up to the librarian to decide how much to give out and when. Most Ponies just take a few books and try to leave it at that. If you want a limit, I guess maybe ten?” He scratched his chin. “I don’t think I’ve seen Twilight give more than that usually.”

Taze nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll call you if I have any questions.”

Spike nodded. “The other sections should be marked, but if you can’t find something, let me know, okay?” He smiled proudly. “Twilight left me in charge.”

Taze nodded. “Well, you are an extremely useful assistant.” He smirked at the Dragon. “Someone else may get it wrong.”

“We can’t have that, now can we?” Spike grinned. “I’m gonna go grab some comics to pass the time. I’ll be back.” He frowned. “Oh, by the way, if you wanna look at anything about anatomy, you’re gonna have to wait for Twilight to get back. She said she needed them for some kind of experiment.”

“Not important. Thanks.”

Spike nodded. “All right. Be back in a few!”

Taze gave a casual wave to the leaving Dragon as he started to peruse the books. He couldn’t wait to tear into these new worlds.

“I can’t believe they’re not letting us use our magic to help,” one soldier grumbled as he dug his spade into the hard-packed dirt to build the foundation. “We could have things ready so quickly if we did.”

An Earth Pony chuckled. “A little hard work will do you wonders. You’re only bones and skin. No muscle.”

“Looks like it’s not coming so easily to you either,” the Unicorn retorted. “I know fitness is important, but we should be honing our strengths, too. Right now, this ‘special training’ feels more like a work camp than a military academy.”

The same Earth Pony chuckled. “Believe it or not, my grandpa actually said it sounded like I was getting a vacation here. I don’t think he realizes we’re not allowed to use our magic to help, but it does sort of put things into perspective a little, doesn’t it?”

“Just a little,” Hard Hat agreed as he approached from behind the pair. “Keep it up, you two. You’re doing fine. Just a half hour to go before you’re done.”

The Unicorn groaned.

“Stop whining and put your back into it,” Silver Spear snapped. “Or are you going to dishonor your family name so easily?”

“Honor is not won by digging ditches,” the Unicorn retorted.

“Ditches and tunnels saved Pony lives in the Third Gryphon War,” Silver Spear pointed out.

“Didn’t win them much favor in Canterlot, though, did it?” the soldier grumbled as he struggled to lift another shovelful of dirt out of the assigned area.

“You’re not winning much favor here either, Slipshod,” the Earth Pony said.

“Shut up,” the Unicorn grumbled. “At least there, we were treated with respect. These humans are so … so….”

“Being honest here,” one Pegasus spoke up, “we got our flanks kicked in Canterlot.”

“Eeeyup,” Rook agreed. “Let’s face facts. We all were relying on the dome to keep out any major threats.”

“Hurricane was one of the greatest military minds Equis has ever seen, and we got our flanks kicked by a bunch of bugs with holes in them,” the Pegasus continued.

“Was kind of funny seeing some of the higher ups scream like fillies, though,” another Earth Pony snarked.

The first Unicorn snorted in indignation. “We do not scream, Balder.

“Last I checked, you're the same rank as us,” another Pegasus told the Unicorn.

“That doesn’t change the fact that a majority of our land-based senior guard are Unicorns.”

“Yeah, because their parents bought their ranks,” the Earth Pony shot back.

“I resent that insinuation!” the Unicorn balked.

“Your dad wasn’t able to donate to the officers’ retirement fund?” another guard asked.

“Supporting the troops is a family tradition. We always donate to that fund every year,” he retorted hotly. “If you want to say my family is bribing, then we can settle this here and now.” His horn hummed dangerously as he grit his teeth and threw down his shovel.

“Can’t win without your magic, though, can you?” an Earth Pony snickered. “You're not worth the time.”

The Pony who had been identified as Slipshod lunged at his fellow worker with a furiously shrill cry. Dust began to rise as the two tossed and tumbled through the hole they’d dug and the main ground above it, taking chunks of boundary line with them and snapping the poles that had been erected to help in the outline in the process.

“Celestia damn it,” Silver Spear growled as he threw down his own shovel and ignited his horn. The two combatants were suddenly lifted airborne and pulled apart, kicking, cursing, and swearing all the while. Sweat dripped down his face as the strain of the act caused his neck to slowly droop with his head. “Somepony get between those two and keep them apart. I can’t hold this for much longer.”

Rook ran in and grabbed the Earth Pony, pinning him down and letting Silver spear focus his magic on the Unicorn. “It ain’t worth it,” he growled.

“Indeed. It isn’t worth it,” Shawn spoke up suddenly as he moved closer to the group. “If you were wondering why you were sent here, this is the reason why.” He spoke flatly, but the ice that coated those words left many of the Ponies shuddering.

Silver Spear was swift to pick up Slipshod and pull him in line. He then drew himself up and saluted the human. “Permission to speak, Sir?”

“Granted. Let’s hear it.”

“You’re our commanding officer, and I disobeyed a direct order not to use my magic. I’m ready to take my punishment when you’re ready, Sir.”

Shawn sighed. “Take a lap around Ponyville. Report back in afterwards and continue digging.”

Silver Spear saluted smartly. “Sir!” he barked, then bounded from the dig site to begin his run.

“As for you lot.” Shawn turned his glare to the others. “You don’t seem to understand the situation you’re in. So, I’m going to reinforce it into those skulls of yours. You are at your very end here. You are the absolute bottom of the barrel, every last one of you. And if you want to know why, look at the last five minutes. What were your exact orders?”

“Dig out space for the foundations without using magic, magically enhanced strength, or flight, Sir,” Rook said.

“Exactly. Did those orders involve bickering amongst yourselves? To argue about whose daddy loves them more? To complain about your lot in life? Let me answer this. No, they did not. So, why did you decide amongst yourselves that you were going to do so and disrupt not only your work but the work of those around you?”

An awkward silence ensued as Shawn’s words cut through the cadets.

“Exactly what I expected. You have no damned reason to have done this. You are meant to be soldiers, and yet all I see are a bunch of bickering children.” Shawn frowned before turning towards Rook. “Rook, return to your duties.”

Rook saluted and went back to digging.

“As for the rest of you, you’re all taking doubles. No, this does not mean you will have your schedule changed for tomorrow. It means you are doing a double as of now, and will continue your work tomorrow as usual. Am I understood?”

The air was immediately filled with cries of protest and dismay, at least from some of the number.

“Excuse me? Did I just hear you all ask for triples?” Shawn shouted. “You don’t get to complain! Now, unless you want something worse, you had better answer me correctly. Am. I. Understood?!”

The air resounded with the cry of, “Sir, yes, Sir!”

“Good. Now get to it!” Shawn ordered. He folded his arms and watched as they each picked up their shovels to return to work. They eyed him occasionally, almost hopefully, before that died into a grim resignation. They weren’t about to be left alone again. Shawn was sticking around to ensure they did as ordered.

A valuable lesson had just been taught, though the cost was dear. The recruits would need to pick their battles more carefully in the future. Unlike their superiors in Canterlot, Shawn was not a lord to cross swords with.

Matthew sat behind a desk in the temporary pavilion that had been erected for the sake of education and exercises. He waited patiently, glancing at a watch, then to the empty room, then at the order sheets for the soldiers’ desks. Each desk had a packet of papers with a quill and inkwell for the cadets to use. Finally, he gazed at the tent flaps drifting gently in a subtle breeze.

Two minutes past the start of class, the Ponies filed into their makeshift classroom and took their assigned places. Matthew stood up to greet them. His frown already communicated his discontent.

“You’re late.” He held a hand to silence those that wished to protest before they could speak. “I don’t care if you were saving another person’s life, something which I very much doubt. It is the principle of the thing. You are late. You are soldiers, and you are late. Soldiers are not late. The only thing I want to hear from you when I ask you what happened is, ‘I have no excuse, Sir.’ Is that understood?” His voice cracked, but the flint behind it was audible.

Some of the soldiers glared, and Matthew could almost hear the complaints trembling behind their lips as they struggled to contain those outbursts. After all, Matthew wasn’t alone in this classroom. His lack of physical fitness and his focus on learning had led many to doubt his qualifications as a leader. And as a familiar silver-furred Unicorn opened his mouth with a, “But Sir,” having finally failed to contain that retort, Matthew bellowed with a thunderous roar.

“AM I UNDERSTOOD?”

Silver Spear flinched. “Yes, Sir,” he muttered. Then, as Matthew continued to bore his gaze into him, the cadet added, “No excuses, Sir.”

While some Ponies remained silent, others had yet to understand the lesson, and that vocal disarray continued as Matthew kept his focus set rigidly on Silver Spear.

“SIlver Spear, you may sIt down and start the test.” He glared at the others. “THE REST OF YOU, OUTSIDE! We’re going to march around the building, and then we’re going to file back in respectfully, and you will have only an hour to do the assignment!” The ponies yet again tried to protest.

“OUTSIDE!” He slammed his ruler on a desk, causing the wood to snap in half. “And just for that, we’ll be running two laps.”

The Ponies filed out while Silver Spear started work on his paper. The sound muffling spells on the cloth prevented him from hearing what transpired outside, but five minutes later, the cadets filed back in, and Matthew strode back to his own chair.

“Now you may be seated,” he said. The ponies took their seats. “Turn over the sheet and follow the directions on the paper. You have the rest of the class to do this assignment.” He raised the watch from the table. “Which, judging by my watch, gives you exactly fifty minutes. Be as detailed as you want to be. Now … BEGIN!”

The sound of paper and quill scratching began as Matthew sat down and took a book out to read, glancing occasionally at the group to observe their behavior.

With ten minutes left in the period, Matthew rose to his feet. “All right, cadets. Put your quills in the stands and turn in your papers.” He clapped his hands loudly at the protest. “Seeing as you all can’t be on time, I’m going to do you all a favor by giving you an extra ten minutes to make it to your next period. And to make sure nobody gets lost along the way, I’ll do you the extra service of leading you all there myself. In formation.”

With a sharp bark, the Ponies were on their hooves. A few orders later, they marched in rank and file from the pavilion to the Ponyville clocktower for Taze’s afternoon run. He called out a marching cadence to keep them at a slow trot, transitioning between Lunar and Solar themes as the mood took him.

At the base of the clock tower, Matthew saluted Taze and handed over the troops. A portable desk had been set up in front of the tower for the human’s use as he awaited the cadets’ arrival.

The moment the formation was put into a parade rest for a water break, an Earth Pony muttered under his breath. “What’s got that bookworm so antsy? We weren’t really late….”

Matthew approached the Earth Pony and glared with red face as he loomed over the cadet. “You. With me. Now.” He took the soldier-in-training to Taze and relayed the new words, followed by a summary of what had happened at the pavilion.

“So, then, … tell me. What's your name?” Taze asked the Pony.

“Bright Crumble. Cadet from House Cookie,” the Earth Pony responded.

“You have a problem with books, do you?”

“They belong in the libraries. They’re useful, but it’s bad for pure academics to lead. They don’t know war like we do.”

“What lands are we in, soldier?” Taze asked.

“Equestria. More specifically, the duchy of Ponyville.”

“Yes. And who is the noble in charge of the duchy of Ponyville?” Taze asked

“Celestia. But The mayor runs the town.”

“Celestia is the crown, Crumble. I asked you for the noble,” Taze said.

“I don’t know,” Bright Crumble replied honestly.

“Ah, so you’ve been living under a rock, have you?” Taze retorted.

“Are you using a slur against me?”

“Okay, you can stop playing the race card right now.” Taze slammed his fist hard enough on his desk for it to vibrate. “You do not ever try that bullshit with me, Private. I don’t care what species you are. I don’t care about your family, where you grew up, or how many zeros your family's bank account has. You play that race card again and I will make your life a god's damned nightmare. Am I perfectly clear?”

Crumble seemed irritated. “Is anger a trait that all of you share?” he asked sullenly.

The air became dreadfully silent. When next Taze spoke, his voice was cool and unnervingly calm. “Matthew, call the barber.”

Matthew nodded, though his brow furrowed in confusion. “I’ll … fetch him at once.”

Bright Crumble’s confusion was far more pronounced as he watched Matthew stride away toward the base camp. “I already have the mane cut the military requires.”

“No, you have the mane cut the Royal Guard requires. Statute 236, paragraph 2, subsection 6 states that mane length is to be determined by the leader of the guard branch and can be adjusted on a case-by-case basis pending approval by the branch leader. As shared leader of this branch, I invoke that authority. I, Taze Klim, proclaim that the Pony known as Bright Crumble would benefit from a much shorter standard mane cut until he has proven mature enough to wear his hair like a big boy.”

“And Royal Guards have said that rule is cruel and not followed anymore,” Bright Crumble countered.

“Yes. They also say to watch your mouth around those higher up than you,” Taze said. “You're from the Cookie House, probably some branch family. You know, or at least should this area is landed to Dame Twilight Sparkle, several-time national hero and powerful mage, as well as Celestia's student. She also happens to be a rather large fan of books, as is Celestia, I might add. I’m angry because you’re an educated brat who clearly was too stupid to make use of what was available to you. You hid in your family's home when the Changelings attacked me and the ‘bookworm,’ as you called him. We both fought on the front lines to defend your home city, and we have the scars and the awards to prove it. Now you talk down to him like he’s beneath you, and then you have the gaul to play dumb with me. Tell me, how would your father react to a dishonorable discharge? Because, frankly, I am this close to ordering it for your disrespect. Honestly, he probably should be happy it doesn’t carry the public gelding it used to. Or did you forget about that particular practice when you studied rules that were deemed ‘cruel’ by the guard?”

Bright Crumble snorted angrily. “I was guarding the Foals’ Hospital when other higher ups deserted the place. And yes, you all protected the capital, but what else did he do before? All this bookworm does is teach behind a desk. When does he run? I’ve only seen him reach retirement levels for his exertion. What did he do before? While Bookworms are great assets to society, they shouldn’t be left to lead—”

Taze unsheathed his sword in a single motion and neatly rested the blade’s point under Crumble’s chin. “Finish that sentence and you’ll never finish another one,” he said with a steely edge to his voice. “You disgrace my friend and your country with every word that comes from your mouth.” He grimaced as he thought about the situation currently. “I’ll tell you what, Crumble. You have a viewpoint, and I have another. How about we have you prove which is true?”

Crumble swallowed heavily as he eyed the sword. “What do you mean?” he asked. Then he licked his lips. “And … respectfully, you are close to crossing the limits of acceptable conduct between officers and cadets.”

“And you're close to crossing the line between running your mouth and treason,” Taze returned as he sheathed the blade. “In a few days, you and Matthew will play a game, a simple game of military strategy. Total conquest is the only win condition. Beat him and I'll let you go at just the shaving. Lose, and you get to pull Cook's Assistant detail for the next year.”

“A game is something that fits the academic world. What does he know about field conditions, living in tents, functioning on just a few hours of sleep, maintaining a weapon? Scholars are good, but not ones that don’t know what it’s like to be in a real campaign.”

“I assure you that all will be taken into account in the rules. Needing stable food and water supplies, supply caravans, teamsters, morale, weather conditions, the whole shebang. And to ensure that this little … experiment of ours remains pure and unadulterated, it will be decided by a fully unbiased judge. Two, in fact, just to be fair.”

Crumble’s gaze narrowed suspiciously, but he finally nodded. “Very well, I accept.”

“Very good. Now Matthew knows what mane cut you will be getting. When it’s done, you are to be confined to your quarters until said event. I have exercises to lead.” Taze said, turning from the desk. “If you leave for any unjustifiable reason and without escort, the Thestral MPs that you currently do not see will be taking you to the stockade. Am I clear?”

This time, the grumble was reluctant. “Yes, Sir.” Reluctant, but the title was there.

“Good.” Taze gave him a literal one-fingered salute, finishing with a twist of his hand, so the finger pointed high toward the heavens. “You should be glad. This is a mercy. Shawn would really have destroyed you.” And then he left to join the other cadets for their run.

Crumble stood still waiting for the return of Matthew and the barber. And though his legs did not tremble, his mane did stand on end as his eyes darted nervously around the area.

“And so, the king licked his finger, flipped the page, and fell over dead,” Taze told the group of foals. “And the head laughed its final laugh as the life left its eyes.” He ended the story on a solemn note.

Dinkie, Derpy Hooves’ daughter, stared wide-eyed as she listened. Astonishment warred with familiarity at the tale. Ruby Pinch sat alongside the rest of the CMC, gaping at the way that Taze had narrated the tale.

Scootaloo clapped her hooves together as she looked to Applebloom and Sweetie. “Could we get our Cutie Marks in … Alakazam?”

“Alchemy,” Sweetie Belle corrected.

“I wouldn’t try it,” Taze said. “There are way too many things that can go wrong.”

“Like what?” Sweetie asked.

“Have you never heard of the philosopher's stone?” Taze asked in mock surprise.

“Isn’t philosophy un … touchable?” Applebloom asked with a furrowed brow.

“Intangible,” Sweetie Belle corrected automatically.

“Yeah, that. How can it be a stone?”

“Many years ago, in my world, alchemists used to spend lifetimes attempting to create a philosopher's stone, a small blood-red stone that could extend your life indefinitely, cure any disease, and turn lead into gold,” Taze explained. “They mixed everything they could think of to try and make it, and they always failed, until one day, an alchemist by the name of Nicholas Flamell Discovered the terrible, terrible secret.”

“What secret can be so bad about a stone?” Applebloom asked.

“A secret.” Taze smirked.

“Yeah, but what kind of secret?” Scootaloo asked again. “Or is it one of those only adults know kind of secrets?”

“It’s one of those ‘if I told you, you wouldn’t sleep at night’ kind of secrets,” Taze responded.

“So you’re saying not even Rainbow Dash can handle it? That’s pretty hard for me to believe,” Scootaloo said as she folded her forelegs skeptically.

“Rainbow Dash can’t handle everything.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Scootaloo retorted. “She’s awesome, and great, and she can handle anything you throw at her.”

“But how do you handle that which cannot die?” Taze asked.

“By makin’ friends with it?” Applebloom asked.

“Ah, but there are some beings with whom you can never make friends,” Taze said. “Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn."

“The three Fillies looked confused. “Is that another language from your world?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I wish you didn’t say those words. If Sweetie hears the same phrase four times, she’ll be able to repeat it,” Dinky said.

“It means ‘In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.’” Taze smirked. “It refers to a monster, a being who seeks to destroy the world and will destroy the world when the stars are right, a creature who cannot ever truly be killed.”

“But … why would someone wanna do something like that?” Applebloom asked. “It don’t make a lick of sense.”

“Not everything in life makes sense. Sometimes, rules you think you know aren't what turns out to be true,” Taze said.

“All right, that’s enough of that,” Berry Punch said as she strode out from behind her counter at the bar. “It’s about time for you kids to get back home. Don’t you all have some homework to do, anyway?” she asked pointedly as she gazed at each of the fillies.

“It’s not that late yet,” Scootaloo said lamely.

“Late enough,” Berry countered. “Go on. You can play with Ruby again later. Scoot.”

“Don’t worry. There’ll be more stories at another time,” Taze promised.

The foals frowned, but ultimately obeyed their elder and said their goodbyes before departing for their homes.

“Ruby, do me a favor and head to your room for a few minutes, would you? I need to have a talk with our guest here,” Berry said.

Ruby nodded. “Yes, Mom.”

When the foal had left for her quarters, Berry motioned toward her bar. “Got any preferences?”

“Not much of a drinker,” Taze said. “Got any juice?”

Berry smirked. “With a name like Berry Punch, you have to ask?”

“Fair enough.” Taze chuckled. “I do something wrong?”

“I wouldn’t exactly say wrong,” Berry admitted as she approached the bar table. “It’s not like I set any ground rules for you.” She laid down a couple of glasses on the bar’s counter. “So, what’ll it be?”

“Raspberry.”

Berry Punch nodded and removed a small glass bottle, then poured for the pair of them. The red juice sparkled as she passed the cup to him. “Now, I’m a freer parent than most folks here in Ponyville. I don’t mind exposing Ruby to some things other parents might not find so … appetizing.” She chuckled. “Guess I just think kids can handle learning more than some folks give ’em credit for. The thing is, if you keep up with stories like that before bed, sooner or later, it’s going to give the little ones nightmares. I’m not going to ask you to stop, but I am going to ask you to keep those kinds of stories for earlier in the day. My Ruby’s a tough girl, but I can tell when she’s had a nightmare. I may not be the best mother in the world, but even I know the importance of looking out for a daughter. You get what I’m saying?”

“I’ll tone down on the heavy stuff.” Taze nodded with a chuckle.

“Who knows? Maybe you can break up those stories and start a business of your own if the whole building up an army thing doesn’t work out.” She waved her hoof dismissively, then took a swig of the juice. “There are plenty of adults who like a good story like that. Even better, there’s no need to worry about some drunk idiot taking it as an offense, since your characters are all humans like you.” She chuckled.

“I mean, most of your stories are all Ponies, from what I’ve read,” Taze countered. “We tend to gravitate to our own races.”

“Oh, our species isn’t the problem.” Berry chuckled. “The problem’s with the tribes in the species. Surprised you haven’t noticed that little complication after your stay in Canterlot.”

“That's fair.” Taze nodded.

Berry shrugged. “It is what it is. Ponyville’s better than most places about that, except for a few bad apples. My little pinch knows who they are and how to deal with them. You ever need a fair judgment of character, you can trust her.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Taze said. “Canterlot types are starting to get to me with the way they’re treating Matthew.”

“I’m sure you and your friends’ll be able to sober them up.”

“I hope. Anyway, I’ll work on telling more cheerful stories,” Taze promised before taking a sip of his juice.

“You have my thanks.” Berry nodded her head briefly, then smirked. “So, what do you think about the goods?”

Matthew sat down at their makeshift meeting room, an empty space in the Punch Bowl’s cellar that Berry was kind enough to allow them to use for the time being. He looked over at Moonshade, Shawn, and Taze. “So, are we ready to convene this meeting?”

“Probably as good a time as ever,” Taze said and nodded.

Shawn sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

Matthew glanced at Moonshade, then to his friends. “What are we going to do with this wrinkle? Thanks to a slight miscalculation,” he said as he looked at Taze, “we have a Changeling Queen evolving right here in Ponyville.”

“She seems more reasonable,” Taze admitted. “And a lot more lucid.”

“Lucid? The enemy queen seemed lucid as well,” Matthew retorted. “This could be a big problem.”

“She’s not hostile.” Taze shook his head and looked to Shawn. “Hell, I’d give her a safe classification.”

“Safe?” Shawn questioned. “You’re that positive on that?”

“I’ve talked with her a few times. She’s been honest as far as I can tell, and genuinely feels no further allegiances to Chrysalis. She just wants safety to figure out what's going on right now.”

Shawn hummed for a moment before sighing. “Given the situation with Mutatio and how Luna’s treated him, I suppose it’s potentially all right. Of course, with a good amount of ground rules.”

“I’m not saying we let her go galloping around town as she pleases, but I see no reason to keep her locked in the cell anymore,” Taze said, crossing his arms.

“Okay, where will her quarters be, then?” Matthew asked. “And should we inform Twilight of this situation?”

“Does Twilight know about Mutatio?” Taze asked. “Also, we could probably get her a room at the inn.”

Matthew looked to Shawn with a vicious grin. “Seems like you just volunteered to clean up the problem, Taze, and handle everything attached to her and Mutatio.”

“Clean up the problem? I wasn’t aware we were sweeping a room, Matthew. These are living beings we’re talking about.”

“And beings that outright attacked the capital city. German Wermach are living beings, but in combat and war, they were referred to as a lot worse than a problem. Until we can ascertain loyalty and the like, this could either go pear shaped or it could be a boon.”

“Operation Valkyrie,” Taze said bluntly to Matthew.

“Fair point.” Matthew folded his arms and nodded. “Then we’ll have to see if she’s a Rommel or a Gorring.”

“At the very least, we should inform Princess Luna,” Moonshade noted.

“Then you write the letter, Moonshade. That, or you can help me to write it. I could use the practice.”

“I’ll write it,” Moonshade said. “You’re still a little slow to chain the letters together properly. You can write a translation without the amulet’s assistance if you want, though. That should prove how far your comprehension has improved.”

“Sounds good.” Matthew looked to Shawn. “Anything to add?”

“That sums up everything of major importance for the time being. Once we have a response from Luna, we can look to the future. Right now, we have everything we can do at the moment.” Shawn sighed.

“And Twilight?” Taze asked.

“Update her on the situation. While it’s our problem, it’s technically within her reach.” Shawn shrugged.

“Okay. That's going to be fun.” Taze sighed.

“I’ll see to that side of things.” Shawn looked to Taze. “As you’re going to have your hands full.”

“So I assumed.”

“For now, I believe that’s all we have. Unless there is anything that wasn’t brought to my attention?” After several moments of silence, he nodded. “Then this concludes this meeting.”

“Same time next week, then.” Matthew finished as he got up and stretched. “Now it’s time for me to get back to grading.”

“Derpy’s a really hard worker, but it’s kinda hard to track her down. Are you really sure you want to try meeting her first?” Button Mash asked as he looked up to the hunter. The two had just emerged from Sugarcube Corner after Taze made a pitstop to pick up his blood sugar again. Spike followed closely behind as he savored a particularly large sapphire.

“And that, my very young friend, is where Spike comes in,” Taze said. “We just have to write a message and address it to her, then let magic do the rest.”

“And this time, I get to be the hero!” Spike beamed as he bit off another chunk of his gem and swallowed.

“Wouldn’t you have to follow the message to see where it goes, though? I mean, if Celestia responds as fast as I’ve heard she does, then how are you supposed to even follow where the trail goes?” Button asked.

Spike shrugged. “Derpy’s a lot closer than Princess Celestia. Maybe it’ll move slower. It’s worth a shot.”

Button Mash looked skeptically at the Dragon. “Are you sure you don’t just want more gems to eat?”

Spike blushed and shuffled his feet. “Well, yeah, I guess there’s that, too….”

“Hey, can’t blame him for thinking it through.” Taze chuckled.

“Anyway,” Spike said quickly, “we can at least try it, right?”

“There’s the spirit.” Taze nodded.

Spike pulled out a quill, inkwell, and parchment from Button Mash’s saddlebag. “Here you go, Taze.”

“About that,” Taze said. “I might need you to write it for me.”

“How come?” Spike cocked his head. “You read Equish just fine. I watched you in the library.”

“I have a bit of a writing issue,” Taze admitted. “I’m okay for small bits, but anything longer and it becomes illegible.”

“Did you want to write a whole letter, then?” Spike asked as he opened the inkwell, then raised the parchment and primed the quill for the message to come. “I’m one of the fastest scribes in Equestria! Seriously, I went through a contest and everything.”

“Yeah. I’d appreciate it. Dysgraphia sucks.”

Spike grinned. “Fire away!”

It didn’t take long for the trio to compose the letter. After a number of suggestions, they finally settled on a proper letter of introduction, which Spike then offered to the human to finish with his signature. Once all was said and done, the young drake furled up the parchment into a scroll and held it in front of his face.

“Are you ready?” Spike asked. “We may have to run.”

“Ready when you are.”

“Okay. Here goes….” Spike raised the scroll, took a deep breath, and let his fire go. The letter was immediately consumed, and ashes ringed in fragments of green ember floated away on the wind.

The trio were off in a rapid chase, each doing their best to keep eyes on the magical smoke as they broke through town. Spike was able to pass easily under wagons and Ponies’ legs while Taze had to vault over objects and leap beyond the backs of passersby like hurdles in a marathon. Button Mash’s beanie spun vigorously as he ran with determination, bobbing and weaving through the crowd while simultaneously offering apologies to various townsfolk. Between the smoke, the street, and the obstacles, more than a few little accidents were left in their wake. It wasn’t quite as disastrous as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but the trio would certainly leave their marks in the memories of many a Pony in their pursuit. At last, they turned a corner toward a low-lying cloud, where a familiar set of blue wings jutted over the edges. And there, hovering in front of said cloud was an adorable gray mailmare with roaming eyes and a cutie mark shaped like a stream of rising bubbles.

Button Mash huffed and puffed as they finally screeched to a stop beneath the mare just in time for the scroll to materialize next to her. Ever the speedster, Rainbow Dash was swift to seize the document before it could fall and pass it to the one and only Derpy Hooves, who looked at the scroll in confusion.

“We found her.” Taze chuckled between pants.

“Eeeyup,” Button replied. Spike bent over and clasped his knees as he panted. “That … was intense,” he panted.

“Um, … you wanted to see me?” the mare asked as she descended slowly to the ground.

“Sorry for the intrusion,” Taze said. “A mare called Octavia mentioned you were on top of the list of Ponies to meet, and I wanted to say,” he moved in and gave the mare a hug. “From one person with challenges to another, you provide a valuable service and you are extremely valued.”

“Oh…” Derpy blushed. “I, uh … thank you.” She looked around the street. “Did … Octavia really say that about me?”

“Yes,” Taze said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He let her go and smiled. “My name is Taze.”

Derpy’s eyes widened with recognition. “Oh, you’re one of the ones who fought in the capitol, right?”

“I fought, yes.” Taze nodded. “But more people deserve credit for that than I do.”

“You still did everything you could to save everypony. That’s the best thing anyone could ask.” She floated up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “And that’s for looking after my Dinkie.”

“Hey, children are the future. Gotta be kind to them.” Taze blushed slightly, then retrieved a brown paper bag from Button’s saddlebag and handed it to her. “Here. I figured you could use a muffin for the road.”

Derpy gasped as she took the bag. “For me?”

“Yeah, Taze thought you’d like one fresh from the bakery,” Button Mash said with a smile.

“And I helped pick out the best one!” Spike added as he polished his talons against his chest. “Dragons know quality when they see it, you know.”

“I hope you have a great day,” Taze told her.

Derpy sniffled and quickly wiped away the tears that were welling up in her eyes. “Thank you. I have to finish my route, then go pick up Dinkie from the library, but later, I want you to come by our house. I’ll treat you to a nice home-cooked meal.” She beamed. “And then I can introduce you to the rest of the family!”

“I’d like that. Thank you,” Taze said with a grin.

Derpy giggled. “Until next time, then. Goodbye, you three!” She waved her hoof vigorously as she seized the bag in her mouth and flapped as quickly as her wings would allow. She accidentally cut through part of Rainbow’s cloud, triggering it to let loose its load, much to the lounging blue mare’s dismay.

“Hey!” Rainbow cried after the mare.

“Sorry!” Derpy shouted back after shifting the bag to one of her free hooves.

Rainbow sighed and quickly began running damage control over the cloud to preserve what mass she could on it. Then she sighed and shook her head. “That’s Derpy for you.” She chuckled. “I like her determination, though. She never gives up, no matter how hard things get.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes life gives you more sour lemons than other people,” Taze noted as he turned to head back. “It means that much more when you taste that lemonade.”

Spike hopped next to the human with a big grin on his face. “So where do we go next?”

Button Mash flanked the human on the other side. “I can take you anywhere you want to go.”

“How about you show me somewhere you think is interesting?” Taze asked.

Button Mash grinned. “I know just the place.” He paused briefly. “You … don’t mind getting a little tree sap on you, right?”

“It involves the CMC, doesn’t it?” Taze deadpanned.

“Well, more their treehouse. You don’t always get sticky, but for some reason, they usually do.” Button Mash chuckled awkwardly. “It's a really cool place to hang out, though!”

“Not a bad place to listen to some singing either,” Spike noted slyly.

Button Mash blushed. “I just … really like the treehouse, okay? It’s cool, and Taze said he wanted to go someplace cool!”

“Fine, lets go,” Taze said as he crouched to lay a supportive hand on Button’s back. “Lead the way.”

Button Mash grinned. “You won’t believe the awesome stuff Dinky’s adding to it!” And with that, the trio were off.

The day was darkening as the sun set toward the horizon while the crescent of the moon prepared to rise. Stars were getting ready to wink into existence as shadows stretched under the fading light. Shawn strode casually from the stalls at the marketplace as the last vendors packed up their wares and closed down their establishments for the evening.

“Dinky, slow down,” a familiar voice called. Off in the distance, the racing shape of a tiny lavender Unicorn filly with a blond mane and tail approached pell mell. A gray blur soon caught up to the mare and landed smack dab in front of her, cutting her off and forcing her to crash against Derpy Hooves’ side. “How many times have I told you not to run away from me, Dinky?” she demanded.

Dinky shuddered. “I don’t wanna get eaten by the Vashta Nerada, though….” She shook as her eyes darted fearfully around the ground. “They work in a hive, too, just like the Changelings. And we can’t even see them.”

Derpy knelt and wrapped the filly in her wings, then added her forelegs for good measure. “Dinky, those scary shadows aren’t here on Equestria. You know that. The Shadow Proclamation won’t let them or any other aliens settle here without permission.”

“But—”

“No buts.” The mare stroked the filly’s mane and held her close. “I’m not gonna let anyone harm you. Understand?” She frowned then. “But how would you know about them, anyway?”

Dinky blushed and looked away. “The archives….”

Derpy’s frown deepened as her gaze narrowed. “Is that so?” She raised the filly onto her back. “In that case, the TARDIS and I are going to need to have a little chat when we get home. I don’t care how much of a genius you are. I am not about to let her get away with giving you nightmares.”

Derpy hugged her mom’s neck tightly. “Thanks, Mamma.”

Derpy smiled. “I’ll always look out for you,” she promised. “Though I think I’ll need to have a talk with your father about this, too. Time Turner really should know better by now.”

Shawn watched the pair walk away, then shook his head. “Choosing to be willfully ignorant of that,” he muttered as he continued on his way to Berry’s. It didn’t take long for him to arrive and give a brief wave to the mare before making his way to the Punch Bowl’s cellar for the next meeting with his friends.

Matthew smiled and waved in greeting. “Hey, Shawn.” Once more, a set of papers were laid in front of him, along with an equestrian pencil provided courtesy of Filthy Rich’s store.

“Hey. All right. Everyone’s here, yeah?” Shawn asked as he looked over everyone present. “Okay. Then we can begin this meeting to discuss the current plans and outlook of the guard chosen for us to train.”

“Physically, they’re coming along well,” Taze admitted. “I’ve got a list of several I'd like to take into my own section when we get things running properly. Most of them seem to gather around Black Rook, so I was thinking of making him my lieutenant.”

“He’s got a good head on his shoulders, so that should be fine. Though we’ve still got to beat it into their skulls that they aren’t special.” Shawn sighed. “Some of them have it, but others are still a pain.”

“That is very true. I’ve had one troublesome Unicorn mare that is keen on contradicting and questioning every statement and every word on the written tests. The only one that even did well on the last set of questions was one Silver Spear, and even he isn’t seeing what I’m trying to show them.”

“Some of them are just trying to get the easy life they had in Canterlot back. They think they already know everything.” Shawn frowned. “Moonshade, anything to note on the nocturnal side of things, whatever they’re trying to keep secret from us?”

“Nothing Major as of yet. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to keep them from sending private messages home. Just general going out and trying to get contraband when they think they’re not watched.”

“The sooner we can get out of Ponyville, the better, then.” Shawn sighed once more. “All right. We’ll need to increase the timetables for the compound, get it up as soon as we can. Thankfully, we should be getting the last batch of guards soon enough and we’ll have a complete workforce to work with.” He rubbed at his forehead.” As well as more issues to deal with, of course, but the current group should get the idea across that we shouldn’t be targeted.”

“That would be good. Could you maybe see about getting a cardiologist out here, too?” Matthew asked. “Things have been feeling … off the last couple of weeks. I want to make sure things are working right.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Shawn frowned. “I’ve got to get a few others out here as well, and get an extra set of eyes on some plans. Beyond that, I’ve got all the documents covered, so it’s only a matter of time for me to get everything out.”

“Have you been doing all the paperwork yourself?” Moonshade asked.

“Everything covering logistics, the shipments of supplies and tools, and official documents, yeah. When it comes to the teaching of the units, that’s all Matthew, of course.” Shawn raised a brow. “Why do you ask?”

“Usually, you’d have people to help with that. It seems like a lot to take on yourself,” she noted.

Shawn gave a dismissive wave. “Eh, it’s fine. I ran a business back home as well. Sure, the paperwork takes slightly longer due to me only recently having learned the written language to completion, but it’s not too bad. The only tricky part is wording things perfectly as to not have them exploited, and even then it’s not too time consuming.” After a moment of silence, he looked over the group. “Anything else of major importance to note?”

Matthew nodded. “I think it’s time to try my first Kobayashi Maru scenario on paper. I want to see how the soldiers handle a simple no-win scenario. The basis is going to be on Thermopylae.”

“So long as it’s for their betterment, go for it.” Shawn nodded.

“I think it will be. I’ve been taking small lessons from The Art of War as well. I’d like to tie this to the six types of terrain. Accessible ground, entangling ground….” He frowned. “Shoot! I forgot the rest.” He snapped his fingers, then sighed. “I’ll get them by test time,” he promised.

“So long as it’s for their betterment,” Shawn repeated. “You’re clear.”

“Thank you.” He looked at Taze. “Could I have a little extra time at the end of the week for this test? If I’m going to get a good sense for their mental states in this situation, we’re probably going to need longer than the usual hour.”

“That's fine. I’ll make it up later.” Taze nodded.

“And Shawn, Taze, I’d like to run a few practice rounds with you for the strategy duel. Do either of you have some free time coming up in your schedules?”

“If I can get the time free,” Shawn replied with a shrug.

“No promises. I need to head back into the forest tomorrow,” Taze noted.

“Sounds good,” Matthew answered

“All right, in any case…” Shawn hummed for a moment. "Our plans still stand to have everything complete before winter. And once spring rolls in, we’ll be clear to move out into the Everfree Forest.”

“Still seems like our best plan.” Taze nodded. “I don’t think Ponyville can sustain us here indefinitely.”

“Without a doubt. Thankfully, we’re importing enough to keep things stable until we can depart. The costs are being covered by the crown. Well, most of it is covered. Special materials and extra supplies come out of my coffers.” He sighed. “But, that’s all right. So long as we don’t overdo it or break tools too often, it should be fine.”

“Have the officers reported any problems with the workforce breaking tools?” Taze asked.

“Nothing too out of the ordinary. There was only one repair out of the ordinary. Your axe in particular, but most of it was covered.”

“Something happened to your axe?” Matthew asked as he looked at Taze.

“Battleaxes don’t make good chopping tools,” Taze said sheepishly.

Matthew facepalmed and groaned. “Seriously?”

Shawn sighed. “Indeed. Well, if there’s nothing else of major importance, then we should be covered on everything.”

“Agreed.” Taze nodded.

“Then unless anyone has anything else to add,” Shawn said, “this meeting is concluded.”

Shawn hummed to himself as he looked over his latest blueprints. He had planned on creating something for an upcoming event, and it was time for him to finally put it into action. Currently, he was situated in the same workspace as the smiths, who occasionally glanced at his blueprints when they had a moment.

Having spent time with his uncle, he understood smithing, and had given it several goes beforehand. Sure, it had been some years since he had done so, but he still remembered everything that his uncle taught him. Beyond this process however, he needed several other products.

“Would one of you be able to put gunpowder on the next shipment list?” he asked, still looking over his designs.

“What would you be needin’ that for?” Storm Hammer asked.

“Propulsion,” Shawn remarked as he leaned over the worktable and redrew something over his designs. “Thankfully, your remarking that means you have it and not black powder, which would be drastically more difficult to work with.”

“It took some time before we could make it safer, but that doesn’t fully answer the question there, lad,” Steel Weaver remarked with a questioning glance.

“Got to keep some secrets.” Shawn chuckled briefly. “A little security measure for the future.”

“You realize that's going to be a load of paperwork, right?” Storm hammer asked. “That's a restricted substance.”

“And if anyone has to send complaints, it’ll be my signature on the end, meaning they won’t bother you both in the slightest. I was just asking if you could send my request with your next shipment request.”

“We’ll do so, just as long as it’s your ‘ead on the line.” Storm hammer nodded.

“As if I’d put your necks on the line.” Shawn gave a smirk. “I’d risk myself before I risk anyone else.” Then he returned to his work again, continuing to redraft and redesign his project. “Got to make this perfect... Won’t have many chances if it breaks.” Then he hummed to himself.

“I appreciate that.” Storm hammer nodded.

“What exactly will we be making in the end?” Steel Weaver questioned.

“Both of you won’t be making this. I will,” Shawn replied.

“That's incredibly complex,” Storm Hammer said, glancing at the designs.

“Indeed. But I should be able to manage that.” He frowned as he looked it over once more. “It’ll take time, but it should be fine, so long as I quadruple check everything.”

“It’s a wonder the eggheads never thought of that,” Storm hammer noted. “It’s like a cannon you could ’old in your hoof.”

“Something like that, yeah, though way more complicated.” He frowned. “Need the right measurements. Have to ensure the containment is just right. And the work I’ll have to do on the inside of the barrel is going to be quite a challenge.”

“Best types of projects usually are,” Storm hammer noted.

“Indeed. All right, I can at least make some prototypes for shape and mechanical pieces until we get the gunpowder.” Shawn cracked his knuckles before giving a slight stretch. “Let’s see how this goes with tools made for a different species.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 14: Play Stupid Games….

Matthew’s eyes felt puffy and saggy as he struggled to force them open. The daylight was muted, thanks to the room’s thick curtains, leaving the human the leisure to yawn and slowly pull himself from bed. He stumbled to the door and down the hall toward the bathroom, where he finally saw his face. Despite getting a proper night’s sleep, several red veins stretched over the whites of his eyes. He groaned and quickly splashed his face with some cold water from the sink. The shock helped to draw the sleep out of him and pull him toward wakefulness.

He sputtered as he patted his face dry, then stretched and yawned. “That’s better,” he muttered to himself before returning to the bedroom and changing into his uniform. He wasn’t bothered when he found that Moonshade was gone. She had to shift places with some of the other guards from time to time, after all. But the fact that Mutatio was also missing set off a few alarm bells. The Changeling may have learned more of how to interact in society, but that did not make him an expert yet, and the fact that Chrysalis had sent assassins after him meant that she might try again when he and the others weren’t there to protect Mutatio properly.

Thus began the frantic search for any signs of the pair. Taze and Shawn were doubtless off fulfilling their responsibilities with the troops’ physical exercises and administrative work. That meant this responsibility would fall to him alone.

A dutiful search finally yielded a clue inside one of his boots. When he pulled the envelope out, a simple set of instructions greeted him.

Go downstairs.

Matthew frowned and geared himself up with crossbow and K-bar before descending the stairs. The dining room didn’t look different from the usual guests and patrons that visited, but Changelings had shown they could easily mimic other forms and people if they wished.

“Hey, sleepyhead!”

Matthew’s gaze turned sharply toward the now-familiar sight of Berry Punch’s sour expression.

“Took you long enough to wake up. I’ve been waiting for you for the last hour.” Berry rolled her eyes. “I’m supposed to give you this after breakfast,” she said as she retrieved another envelope from under the counter. “I recommend a big breakfast. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.”

Matthew frowned but nodded as two eggs were cooked sunny-side up with french toast dusted by powdered sugar and drizzled with a sweet berry syrup. “Do you know where my friends have gone?” he asked.

Berry shrugged as she watched the human eat. “They said something about some project they had to tend to. And your guard mare said something about a mission.”

“A mission?” Matthew’s heart began to race. Had they received a new assignment from the princesses? What about Mutatio? “Did she take our mule friend with her?”

Berry shrugged. “Dunno. Maybe? Probably.”

That … didn’t fill Matthew with confidence.

Berry rolled her eyes. “Just eat already. Your friends are fine. If it was an emergency, they would’ve woken you up.” She smacked the letter down heavily on the countertop. “And once you’re done, go ahead and read that. I’ll add your breakfast to your friends’ tab.”

“Don’t you mean mine?” Matthew asked.

“Nope,” Berry said, then disappeared from sight as she descended into the cellar.

Matthew finished his breakfast as quickly as possible, then broke open the sealed card to reveal a note and a folded piece of parchment.

Matthew Connors, an event of grave importance is about to come to pass. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to follow the map enclosed in this envelope and stop at each of the locations indicated along the way. You will receive further instructions at each checkpoint. Should you fail, we will be very disappointed, and the cake will forever be a lie. Good luck, Agent Connors. Operation B-Day has officially begun.

“Operation B-day?” Matthew mused as he stroked his chin. While the letter wasn’t signed, he would recognize Taze’s unique brand of sarcasm and wit anywhere, and only a fool wouldn’t recognize the iconic Mission Impossible reference. On the plus side, that meant Taze, at least, was fine. On the down side. This letter meant he was up to something, and that worried Matthew. “Just what are you up to, Taze?” he murmured as he looked over the map. Sugarcube Corner, Carousel Boutique, Golden Oak Library, and other locations had been carefully marked along a designated trail that ultimately culminated on the far reaches of Ponyville at Sweet Apple Acres. Finally, Matthew sighed as he finished his meal and withdrew from the counter. “Guess I’d better get started….”

The day progressed, taking Matthew from one surprise to the next, including a preview of his birthday cake to come in the form of a cupcake apparated courtesy of one Pinkamena Dianne Pie. Now, as the sun began to set, the human couldn’t help but grin at the sight of the huge banner that hung at the entry to Sweet Apple Acres proclaiming a happy birthday to him. The effusive well wishing and united shouts of surprise gave him a start, but he was happy to have received such a wonderful gift from his friends. The young human was escorted to a personal table outside the barn, where a makeshift stage had been constructed and lights were directed toward the front. After a number of songs were played in the human’s honor, the lights dimmed before a spotlight flashed on to welcome two humans decked out for a day of baseball, one to play, the other to hawk his wares in the stands. Naturally, this prompted an argument that led to a very important discussion about the team and its players.

“So when the end of the month comes and it’s time to pay the players, who gets the money?” Taze asked in mock annoyance.

“Every bit of it,” Shawn nodded in return.

“All I’m trying to find out is the guy's name on the first base,” Taze said in mock exasperation.

“Who,” Shawn replied.

“The guy that gets…” Taze replied only to be interrupted.

“That’s it.”

“Who gets the money?”

“He does. Every bit. Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it,” Shawn explained.

“Whose wife?”

“Yes.”

Taze made a sound somewhere between a whimper and a whistle to express exasperation.

Matthew’s face was red as a tomato from all the laughter as he pounded his fist on the table. He squeaked and giggled as he struggled to gulp down air while the skit continued to the point of its inevitable conclusion.

By the time the skit ended, the air vibrated with the force of the roaring laughter that emerged from every Pony gathered. A certain pink mare with a very poofy mane smirked slyly and slowly rose up next to the human as she tweaked her eyebrows and nudged him gently.

“Well? Do I know how to plan a party or do I know how to plan a party?”

“Well, you sure do know how to do a party,” he answered as the Apple family got on stage for some good old fashioned country music, complete with fiddle, banjo, jug, and triangle.

“It seems you humans have many talents,” Moonshade noted.

“Well, it makes sense. If Ponies and other species can, then why not humans?” Twilight asked as she took a bite from the birthday cake. “By the way, I have a present for you, Matthew.” The mare smiled as she levitated a small box wrapped tightly in wrapping paper. “I’ve got my number one assistant to help me when I need to jot things down, but I think you’ll have an easier time using these.” The paper swiftly came off to reveal a hard-cover flipping notebook complete with a pocket pencil case and sharpener. “Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you.” Matthew cheered at the notebook and paper.

“This one next! This one next!” Pinkie jumped from literally out of nowhere as she planted a box firmly onto Matthew’s lap, then jumped out of the way in a manner that can only be described as out of frame. The container was lined with holes, and a tentative snuffling could be heard from inside. Matthew was more gentle with this one as the surprise at what was clearly a living thing being presented to him left him more than a little nervous. However, when he opened the box, a small sleek muzzle with large ears and two of the cutest puppy dog eyes he had ever laid eyes on gazed up at him. A tiny yapping bark was followed by a leap onto his chest and licking his cheek. The little fennec continued to show its affection as Matthew’s startled exclamation faded to a good natured chuckle.

A very bashful Fluttershy smiled sheepishly from behind the curtain of her pink hair. “I heard from your friends that you liked foxes, but couldn’t have one for a pet where you’re from. That’s not a problem here in Equestria, and that puppy’s been waiting for a home, so I thought, maybe you’d make a good home for it. That is, … if you want to….” she trailed off.

“I’ll … do my best, then, I guess. I’m familiar with being owned by a cat, but I’ve never been adopted by a canine, let alone a fox. Uh, you can give me pointers and instructions, right?”

Fluttershy nodded and smiled. “I’ll help however I can. He’s very smart, so you shouldn’t have any trouble training him.”

“Thank you.” He looked to the fennec with a chuckle that soon took on a slightly manic tone. “I have the perfect name for you, little buddy.”

“Well we know where this is going.” Taze smirked as he approached with Shawn at his side.

“Oh? Where? Where? Where is it going?” Pinkie asked excitedly as she bounced with the sound of springs going off.

Matthew rubbed one of the ears. “Rommel, the desert fox,” he spoke with solemn finality.

“As expected.” Taze chuckled.

“Why is it expected?” Moonshade asked, confused at what had to be inside information between the humans.

“I’ll let him tell you.” Taze looked at Matthew. “Later, or we’ll be here all day.”

Matthew chuckled sheepishly. “One time. One time at a convention.”

“You started in the morning, and we lost the entire day.” Taze deadpanned.

“It was the day before the convention even started. We still got our early tickets.” He looked to his side. “Come on, Shaw—” He looked around. “And he’s gone.” He did see a note as Pinkie put a new present in front of him.

Hey Matthew,

By the time you read this, I’ve already stepped out.-

“I didn’t even notice him leave,” Taze commented.

“When did he gain ghost silence?” Matthew asked.

“After everything I’ve seen him do already, I wouldn’t put this past him.” Twilight sighed. “Though I wouldn’t mind doing a few tests later to see how that works….”

The letter continued.

Nothing’s wrong. Don’t worry. I’m just performing the final tests on this project. My gift comes in two parts, and so I am ensuring the second half is prepared. It’s been a challenge to complete this, so I’d rather ensure that it’s working fine now, given the timing.

To collect the second piece of your gift, come by the training grounds. I’ll be there.

Signed,

Shawn O. Viginti

Matthew looked to Taze. “Well, I think to give him a bit of extra time, we should finish the gifts.” He opened the box to reveal a decorative wooden case. The great seal of the United States had been etched into the lid. Inside, he found what appeared to be a leather belt and some form of sheath, carefully crafted and tanned for wear and tear. Since the weapon wasn’t there, Matthew could only deduce that Shawn was holding on to it to show him later.

“I think you’ll like mine, too.” Taze grinned as he handed Matthew an elongated package while he seized the wooden box to make room.

Matthew smiled as he opened the giftwrap. Rommel sniffed the paper curiously before biting it gently to shake back and forth in his mouth. Matthew gently flicked the kit’s nose and removed the paper from his mouth. “Easy. No biting, Rommel.” Then he stroked the fox’s head. “Good boy.” The fox eyed the box and paper carefully, as if gauging what the human’s response would be, but didn’t try to snatch it again. Another wooden box was soon exposed to the night air, and Matthew looked at Taze with a questioning gaze.

“Storm Hammer had to work on my word and not a lot of time, so it isn’t perfect,” Taze began. “I wouldn’t try translating the Elvish script, but it can glow blue.” He grinned as Matthew opened the box to reveal a finely crafted steel dagger roughly twenty-three inches long with a curved design and complementary curving script carved into the blade in a single elegant line. Despite its slightly curvy profile, the weapon was double-edged with a wide cross hilt curving upward and a spiraling leather-wrapped handle complete with a widened pommel. Beside it lay a leather scabbard with finely made steel pieces covering the mouth and tip. Using her skill, the smith had ensured to curve the metal pieces in such a manner as to give a vaguely leafy design.

“Well, I can’t read Elvish, so no worries there,” Matthew began as he picked up the blade gently. The moment he touched it, it began to glow blue. “Cool.” He sheathed the weapon and donned the ensemble.

The next box was poorly wrapped and small. Rainbow Dash beamed with pride as Matthew slowly unwrapped the gift, revealing a large crystal sphere filled with milky bands in every color of the rainbow. He looked to Rainbow with a tilt of his head.

“Hold it up to the light,” she urged.

Matthew frowned, but did as instructed, placing Rommel on the ground and approaching a torch. As he held the orb in front of the light, the colors within the crystal churned, becoming almost liquid before a weak rainbow jumped from the now-glowing crystal. As Matthew moved to place his hand beneath the beam, he found to his surprise that the light had a physical form. “What?” he gasped.

“It’s a rainbow diffuser. Most foals in Cloudsdale get one to help them get used to interacting with clouds and weather. Since you’re new and all, I kind of thought you might like it, think it was cool and all.”

Matthew grinned as he pulled the orb away. “It’s amazing, Rainbow Dash! Thank you! We never had anything like this back home. I can’t wait to see what it does in sunlight!”

Rainbow grinned. “Trust me. You’re gonna love it.”

Among the other gifts were a new set of dress uniforms that looked suspiciously like a set of garments from World War Two, complete with, of all things, a tricorn hat from an era over a century earlier; an exceptionally delicious batch of homemade cupcakes iced to look like the American flag; a batch of highly coveted preserved zap apple jam; and a beautifully carved jade four-leaf clover complete with a card wishing him luck while begging he not show it to Twilight for whatever reason. From the CMC came a surprisingly well-made saddlebag sized proportionally for a human to help him carry any objects he might need with less difficulty. With gifts accounted for and the party going into proper swing, Matthew finally rose to prepare for the last gift. Surely, Shawn had enough time to finish his preparations by now.

He rose and passed the young kit to Fluttershy. “Would you look after Rommel for me until I get back? I don’t know what Shawn wants, and puppies get tired easily. I don’t want to have him hurt himself.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I’m sure Rommel will understand. We’ll play with him till he falls asleep and bring him by the Punch Bowl later if you can’t make it back.”

Matthew smiled. “Thanks.” Then he waved himself into the night.

The walk to the training grounds was short but calming after all the excitement and warmth from the festivities. The grounds themselves had developed significantly in the short time since their arrival in the community. Ponies were efficient, even without access to their magic. The temporary barracks was already fully erect, and to the side, the archery range had been roped off with recently staked iron poles to keep outsiders off the site without permission. A set of torches had already been placed on the edges and near one of the targets. Shawn stood patiently next to a portable table by the opening of the range.

“Happy Birthday, Matthew,” Shawn commented with a small grin.

“Thank you, Shawn.” Matthew returned the smile. “It turns out you can have foxes as pets.” He bounced in place as his other gifts came to mind. “Also, I can touch rainbows!”

Shawn gave a brief chuckle. “I suppose in a world like this, that sounds about right. In any case, I have one last gift for you, and I’m sure you’re curious about it, given our location.”

“I am.” Matthew nodded. “Is it a short bow or something?” he asked as he gestured down range.

“Not quite. You’re close, but not quite in the right field,” Shawn gave a smile. “Allow me to show you, as well as demonstrate its safety.”

“Safety?” Matthew asked. “Just what did you make?” he asked suspiciously.

Shawn reached into his coat and pulled out a familiar device. He held the dark redwood grip ending in a rounded golden cap. Following the grip revealed the mechanics of the device as he pulled back on the hammer at the back of the mechanism until an audible click sounded off. Finally, the steel barrel gleamed in the torchlight as he raised it and aimed for the target. Though it could not be seen, Shawn knew the inside of the barrel had been correctly rifled. Underneath the barrel, sitting parallel with it, was the ramrod, safely tucked away within its slot by the wooden grip and awaiting its next use.

In Shawn’s hand, was a flintlock pistol.

A crack echoed through the silent night as the trigger was pulled, the hammer slammed home, and the gunpowder ignited. The detonation was followed by another quieter snap and crack as the archery target took the brunt force of the homemade bullet’s collision.

Shawn had officially created the world’s first firearm.

“That was…. Wow,” Matthew said as the full implications of just what Shawn was giving to him dawned. “Shawn, that is, … yeah, that needs a lot of safety.”

“I used some more modern techniques I learned from my grandmother while keeping true to the era of Equestria,” Shawn replied before shrugging. “Well, close enough to this era, anyway.” He flipped the flintlock in his hand to hold it out for Matthew. “If you didn’t open the first half of my gift at the party, it’s the holster and case. Ammunition will come later, as, while it works, I’d like to get some perfect ratios and an exact method of adding it.”

“Of course.” Matthew nodded as he pulled the holster from his side satchel and put it on the other hip from Sting. He chuckled. “I look like some cowboy.” Then he grinned and hugged Shawn. “Thank you. I’m lucky to have a friend like you watching my back. Just let me watch yours where I can.”

“I’ll keep you to that,” Shawn replied with a chuckle. “Be sure to pass a thanks to the smiths as well, Steel and Storm have been assisting me where they could, since I’m not used to these tools just yet. Not quite our size, nor our modern ones.” He chuckled once more.

“I shall do that when I see them next. Also, can you make some blanks? I wouldn’t mind scaring some of my students to silence next time they decide that my voice isn’t loud enough.” A moment later, he shook his head. “Never mind.”

“I mean, I can probably do it. Just have to give me some time to get a small enough ratio as to not cause any potential damage while still making the noise.” Shawn shrugged.

Matthew smiled gratefully at his friend. “We have all the time in the world at the moment.”

“All right. Go ahead and head on back. Enjoy the rest of your night. I’ve got some other things to work on before I’ll be back.”

“I shall do so,” Matthew answered. “Just be sure to come by and get more sweets.”

Shawn shook his head. “Not a sweets person. But I’ll see if I can stop by while everyone is still around.”

“Please do. I don’t know what Pinkie Pie would do if you missed the party.”

“I mean, I was there earlier, so I’m sure she’d understand.”

“I do,” the mare said as she popped up from one of the nearby hay bales, waved quickly, then sank back in again, presumably to disappear back to the party again.

“Please don’t pop up in that area, Pinkie. It’s not a safe location,” Shawn called as he moved to depart.

Far away, the cry of, “Okie dokie, Loki!” could be heard drifting on the still night air.

“That…. But…..” Matthew started. “No, won’t talk there, won’t question,” he said and promptly turned his back. There was no way she could have gotten to the hay bale without Shawn or him seeing her. And yet she had. But the sacred rule must always be followed to avoid going insane, and he knew well the consequences of attempting to one-up that unspoken rule. It was Pinkie Pie, and he most definitely was not about to question it.

“Good morning!” Taze said to the assembled group as they stood in the recently finished training grounds. “As you may have noticed, we won’t be doing our usual run today, because today we start with weapons training.”

A Pegasus grinned exultantly. “Finally!”

“First off, you’ll be surrendering your halberds to the warrant officer,” Taze informed them. “They have no place in this guard unit.”

One of the Unicorns gasped. “The halberd has been the traditional Equestrian Guard weapon for centuries. It’s an integral part of our training.”

Taze signaled the Unicorn forward. “You think this is a good weapon?” He picked up one of the halberds.

“If you know how to use it properly, yes, Sir.”

Taze offered it to her. “Then take it and get ready for an attack, soldier.”

The Pony seized the weapon in her magic and twirled the weapon to get a proper feel of its balance before bracing for attack.

Taze took a few paces back and waited for her to signal she was ready.

“Have at you, then!” The mare lunged forward with the polearm and jabbed with the blade. Taze immediately dodged to the side, unsheathed a knife, and locked it under the halberd’s beard, moving the weapon aside. The familiar ring of magic indicated what was to come next, and Taze was ready for it when the weapon launched easily from the lock Taze had engaged and twisted with a deadly slash that Taze dodged. His hand flicked with an almost imperceptible speed as the dagger he had used whistled toward the mare’s horn. The halberd launched forward to divert the flow of the dagger, sending the weapon thumping and rolling over the ground. As the halberd drew upward to arc back, however, it stopped suddenly at its peak and quivered in the air. Taze now stood next to the mare, the cool edge of his sword placed neatly at her throat.

“You were saying?” Taze asked.

The mare glared angrily at the human, but finally sighed as the halberd descended slowly. “I yield.”

“The halberd has situational advantages,” Taze said as he sheathed his blade. “But its range is also a weakness if you get inside of it. We need to have you all capable of defending yourselves and adapting to surprises. The princesses were kind enough to loan us some masters of arms who we will be making use of to test and see where your aptitudes lie. Shield and sword, the spear, or other such weapons, to determine how to best make use of you.

“On top of this, each of you will be learning to use a bow and arrow. The size of said bow will also be something we test. Until such a time as your master of arms determines you ready, you will not be permitted to use live weaponry outside of an emergency without permission. You will, however, be provided the appropriate gear and be expected to care for it. Failure to properly clean and oil your equipment will result in punishments being handed out. Am I clear?”

The crowd roared back. “Yes, Sir!”

“And what if our aptitude is with a halberd or some other polearm, Sir?” the mare from before asked.

“Then we’ll see what can be done,” Taze replied. “But before you can master a halberd, you’ll need to be able to master the spear. You need to walk before you can run. On a related note, while I’ll overlook what you did for the sake of the demonstration, I must remind you once again that you are not permitted to use magic unless specifically told during your training.” He gave the mare’s horn a flick. “We aren’t attempting to make you into a guard that looks pretty for parades and holidays. We’re trying to make you all capable of defending your home and your families in a time of crisis.”

“Sir, requesting permission to speak, Sir!” the Pegasus from before cried.

“Go Ahead,” Taze said.

“If we are going to be learning how to use these weapons and start our training today, then where are these masters of arms?”

“They should be here momentarily.” Taze said. “For now, I want you each to think about weapons and what you’d like to try first. Keep it simple. The more advanced weapons can come after you’re deemed ready for them. Is that understood?”

The soldiers all straightened and saluted. “Sir, yes, Sir!”

Taze smiled. “Good. Then let’s get started.”

Matthew stood in front of the desk at full attention garbed in his officer’s uniform with Sting on his right hip. He watched as over half of the troops filed in early with Silver Spear in the lead alongside Black Rook. The group looked questioningly at the frame that had been installed within the tent’s structure and the doors that had been inserted on the other side, but chose not to voice their thoughts. After the group had taken their seats, they waited patiently until the clock that had been added to their pavilion struck one. At that point, Matthew cleared his throat.

“Silver Spear, please close the doors and engage the lock.”

“Sir, what about the others?” a female Earth Pony asked.

“I warned them to be early or come on time. Those who don’t have to face the consequences. This is part of the test. Now, please do as I asked, Silver Spear.”

Silver Spear nodded and winced as he pulled the doors closed. The distant sounds of shouting voices could be heard until the two doors locked and the bolts were engaged. He nearly reached his desk when the handles jiggled and the doors began to shake.

“Ignore that,” Matthew ordered calmly. “Now—”

He was interrupted by a loud wrenching tear as a knife slashed jaggedly through the tent’s wall to grant passage. A few seconds later, a Unicorn passed through the new entrance to stare at his commanding officer and the class before moving to take a seat. Matthew kept his mouth in a thin line as the rest of the class walked into the room. He waited patiently, then gazed at one of the other Unicorns who had a needle and thread for her cutie mark. “Cross Stitch, I need you to use your magic to repair the tent’s wall. You have my permission.”

“Yes, Sir.” The reedy Unicorn’s horn lit up and the tear began to seal under her care until a stray gust kicked her chair out from under her, disrupting her flow and leaving the job only partially complete.

Matthew strode first to the Unicorn and raised her from the ground. “Are you all right?”

Cross Stitch nodded. “Just a little startled, Sir. I’m all right.”

Matthew nodded and returned the chair to its proper position. “Resume the repairs. It seems that I have a troublemaker to attend to.” He strode down the aisles to where a smug-looking Pegasus with a flat top mane cut sneered at the human. “You look like one of the newer recruits to our facility. I’m going to guess some hotshot who thinks he’s got everything figured out. Or maybe you think Pegasi are better than anyone else, not unlike how some Canterlot nobility think of themselves. I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. More importantly, I’m here to tell you that you’ve just lost your privileges for leave.” He turned to peer at the rest of the class. “I was going to commend you for your clever thinking. Though destructive, it did serve to provide an opening to join this classroom, and I encourage open thinking. However, I cannot overlook the choice of your friend here to use his magic for the sake of a prank. You’ve already been warned about the consequences for such an act. And that means triple laps around the town.”

The Pegasus snorted and rolled his eyes. “This coming from the man who just ordered a soldier to disobey a standing order from his commanding officer.”

“A commanding officer with whom I work jointly and who authorized me to be able to give permission to use magic in the event that I deem it necessary or appropriate. I have as much authority over you as Taze or Lord Shawn do. And more importantly, I deserve the same respect that you give to them. You can talk with some of your more senior cadets about how and why. I have neither the time nor the patience, and I sure as hell don’t have the respect for you to tell you my story after what you just pulled. More importantly, I doubt you could be relied upon when a situation is life or death, given how self-centered you clearly are.”

“And what do you know about life or death?”

Matthew’s eyes flashed angrily. “I know a hell of a lot more about life and death than you do.”

“Oh? Like what? Reading about it in your books?”

“I suppose you wouldn’t know much about the battlefields of life, would you? You think this is all fun and games. But there are Ponies who had to fight for their lives long after the invasion was dispersed at Canterlot. My friend Shawn was one of them. He nearly died. I, myself, have had four separate brushes with death long before the invasion took place. We’re old friends.”

He peered intently at the troops. “No one is to speak to what I am about to show you. Do you understand?” And with that said, Matthew unbuttoned his uniform and stripped to expose his chest, along with the multitude of scars that traced in ugly white streaks. “Look well, Upstart. Tell me that this isn’t the sign of a warrior’s spirit when these treatments were performed without any magic whatsoever to heal me. I had to do all of this on my own with drugs, needles, thread, and intensive physical therapy. Go ahead. I dare you. Because if you keep up this snark, I guarantee you we’ll have you shipped back home so fast, your head will spin, and you will never have a chance in the Guard again. That means disgrace to your family and whatever legacy you may or may not have.

“This is the last and only chance I will give you. And I guarantee you that Lord Shawn will take my word over yours any day of the week. So listen carefully, colt. You’re going to shut up, shape up, and learn to work with your fellow guards as a team. Right now, I’ve seen only two capable leaders among you. Their names are Silver Spear and Black Rook. In case you haven’t noticed, your name isn’t on that list.”

He rounded on the Unicorn who first cut the hole into the tent. “Given your haughty expression after you cut your way in, I’m going to guess that you’re the ringleader of this little gang. A poor leader at that, if you can’t even keep your men in line.” He pulled his shirt back on and began to button the jacket up. “Out of curiosity, was that a deliberate attempt to supplant my authority by coming late, or were you delayed? The end result is the same, as I’ve said before in this class, but your answer may yet have an impact on your punishment, Mister…?”

The Unicorn glared at the human. “Golden Shoe.”

Matthew looked expectantly at the Unicorn.

“Sir,” he grated.

“And don’t you forget it. Now, about that late arrival?”

“It was the former.”

Matthew’s face remained flat as he pondered the statement. Finally, he spoke. “At least you’re honest about it. That is to be commended, if nothing else in your behavior. As such, you’ll be leading your fellow soldiers through their chastisement. You will also be responsible for ensuring that everyone does their exercises properly. And if they don’t, then you will be responsible for starting them all back from the beginning until they get it right without exception. You want the chance to prove yourself. Congratulations. I hope you and your fellow trainees enjoy it.”

The Pegasus sneered, and Matthew began to walk back to his desk. “And for those of you who think you’ll be able to slack off or report falsely, you can think again. You will be caught, and you will be reprimanded, and you will face an even worse punishment as a result. That is not a threat. That is a promise. And that particular punishment will be devised by all three of us, rather than myself alone. Poor troops reflect poorly on their commanding officers. You’ve seen and experienced what happens when a few of you do so to Lord Shawn. Do you really want to see what happens if you actually manage to make him angry?”

A collective shudder coursed through the Ponies at those words.

A thoroughly cowed Golden Shoe spoke in far softer tones. “Did you ever serve, Sir? Before the attack on Canterlot, I mean.”

Matthew nodded bleakly as he turned to face the class again. “I served for two years in my nation's military training facilities, being given and giving the same routine as anyone preparing for active duty. If not for my health, I would have made it my career. But If I can teach you, help even just one of you go from washout to proper soldier, then it will be worth it.” He grinned. “As for what I think was the unasked question, I was just as tough on my fellow cadets when I was in opposition forces during training. I was even ordered to tone it down because of how easily I spotted them. In other words, I have the knowledge and capacity to help you build the proper foundation for a successful military career. It’s up to you to decide whether you will accept that help or have that house collapse on you before you’ve even begun construction.”

Golden Shoes looked intently at Matthew. “If your race even let someone as weak as you have a taste of the military, maybe you can teach us something,” he conceded.

“You can’t be serious, GS.”

“You saw it, Bluster. He’s proven he’s not afraid of death. Or at the very least that he’s faced it before.”

Bluster sputtered and folded his forelegs sulkily. “Coward,” he muttered.

“You two can sort out your differences later,” Matthew said. “I will have order in this classroom, however.” He approached the blackboard. “A word of advice to you, Gold Shoe, and to any others who are of a similar mind or background. You’ve all been unbelievably arrogant. You refuse to adapt to change. In war, that will kill you. The enemy doesn’t play nice. The enemy doesn’t stop because you tell him to. The enemy will do whatever it can to kill you and then ravage the people you are meant to protect. A playful gust or a fiery attitude won’t save lives. Your skills and your ability to think clearly on the battlefield will. And if you want to be taken seriously at all, then you had better start acting with the maturity and discipline that your station is meant to represent. Otherwise, your word won’t mean a thing when it may count the most.”

He motioned toward the Pony’s desk. “Take your seat, Golden Shoe. And as for the half of class that actually listened to my instructions, you will be properly rewarded. I am giving each of you an extra five points’ worth of credit on your tests. Five more will also be awarded to you, Golden Shoe, for your innovative thinking in how to make your own entry into the class when your first one was barred. Two extra points will also be given to Cross Stitch for her role in repairing this tent, so that we don’t have to bother the princesses by requesting a new one so soon.” He clapped his hands together and rubbed them. “Now, then, with that settled….” He flipped the chalkboard over to reveal a series of neat and carefully written Equestrian symbols describing the unbeatable prompt. “This is your test. You have the rest of this special hour and a half to write your answer to the problem. Be detailed and specific in how you address this situation. I want to see what you’re each capable of in your reasoning, and more importantly what action you choose to take as a result of that reasoning.

Golden Shoes gaped at the question. “But nothing like that has ever been recorded in Equestrian History!”

Matthew bared his teeth in an unnerving grin. “Who ever said the basis of this scenario came from Equestria? One hour, twenty-nine minutes, everypony….”

The scrawl of frantic pens was deafening.

Shawn took a breath as he straightened his stance. “All right,” he exhaled. “That’s the match.” At the moment, he was gauging both the strength of those they had as well as his own, given some abnormalities.

Before him was one of the Pegasi of his unit, Glory Blaze, who groaned from his place on the ground. With how fast they were, Shawn had to use different means of combat against them, including redirection.

Into the floor, in particular.

“Come on now, it wasn’t that hard of a hit,” he added, reaching down to assist the guard back onto his hooves.

“Felt like I was hit by a bloody tree,” The Pegasus said.

“Redirection,” Shawn spoke up as he patted the unit on the back. “Terrifying to Pegasi in particular, because mobility is your main strength.”

“Sir,” an Earth Pony spoke up. “Permission to speak freely?”

“Granted. What’s on your mind?”

The Earth Pony gestured to the half dozen trainees of varying tribes laying around nursing bruises, abrasions, and other related injuries. “Sir, you've been using a different excuse for a similar situation six times now.”

Shawn hummed briefly as he looked over the injured. “It is certainly strange.” He frowned. “Back home, I wasn’t particularly strong, but maybe it has something to do with the difference between our worlds.”

“Sir, have you tested your strength since the Changeling attack?”

“Not really, as I was more focused on the healing part after the attack. A broken spine makes things difficult.” He sighed. “I’ll have to look into a strength test when I have the time.”

“Sir, you’ve taken down Earth Ponies twice your mass.”

“I’ve also flatlined three times here, but for some reason I kept coming back.” Shawn shrugged. “Your world’s physics are slightly different from my own. I can’t tell you if it’s just a general strength thing or if it’s your world tampering with the scales.”

“Perhaps it may be safer to let us spar and you watch from the side?” The Earth Pony asked.

“Can’t let you get off that easy.” Shawn shook his head. “Though my strength is questionable, I am still teaching you all. I’ll attempt to hold back in some capacity, but we’re going to move forward. I’ll look into giving all of you a longer break to recover afterwards.”

“I was afraid of that,” The earth pony sighed.

“Credit for trying. And thank you for volunteering to be next.” Shawn smiled at the recruit.

That Earth Pony would wake up the next day with a double concussion.

Matthew looked up as Shawn and Taze walked into the Tavern, having taken over a booth to grade papers. Moonshade sat on the other end to give advice and input as he sought it. He waved his friends over as he made space for them. A piping hot vegetable dumpling soup sat at his side, still too warm to eat.

“They call this cold weather?” Taze asked as they approached.

“Taze, you come from the far north. I have a parka on order from Rarity. And these Ponies talk about things based on fur comfort, not human comfort.”

“Yeah. They have fur and they’re acting like it’s cold out.” Taze chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s not too bad outside at the moment,” Shawn spoke up with a shrug.

Matthew chuckled. “And I’m only skin and bones with a little metal in the chest. I need all the layers I can get. But I heard they’re prepping for a big storm coming in. Temps should get below freezing with about two feet of snow on the ground. Earth Ponies are dividing in shifts to make sure the snow doesn’t break any tree limbs around town.

“A storm, you say?” Taze smirked.

“Sounds like fun,” Shawn commented.

“Yeah, they say it’ll be a blizzard. Whiteout conditions,” Matthew answered.

“Now it sounds like fun.” Taze grinned.

“Of course you would say that,” Matthew deadpanned.

Moonshade looked confused. “Someone want to explain this to me?”

“I come from a farther northern area than these two. He,” Taze pointed to Matthew, “gets some snow and cold. But compared to me, he gets very little. He,” Taze pointed to Shawn, “lives in a desert area.”

“That sounds about right, except if we get a once-in-a century storm. Then we might compare,” Matthew said.

“He lives in a desert?” Moonshade asked incredulously.

“Yeah,” Shawn replied. “From a high of one-fifteen, and a potential low of below zero. Fahrenheit. Celsius, it’s like … forty-six to negative … seventeen, or something close.” He shrugged. “Depends on the season and part of the desert.”

“Your world sounds terrifying,” Moonshade noted.

“Ah, it’s not that bad.” He shrugged. “To us, your world is downright insane at times. So, we’ll call it even, yeah?”

“Fair point.” She shrugged.

“Indeed.”

“Guess there won’t be much of a crowd tonight, then.” Taze sighed.

“We’ll see. Never know how many may stop by.” Shawn shrugged. “As for that, though, I’ve got some work to do, so I’ll be heading up.”

“Sounds good, Shawn.” Matthew chuckled. “Well, what should we do with the snow that’s going to hit?”

“I guess the responsible thing to do would be to hunker down,” Taze commented as he rose to his feet. “I’m going to go get some food. You two have fun with your papers.”

Matthew nodded, waved his goodbye, then tested his soup to discover it had cooled sufficiently to enjoy. “I have a silly question for you, Moonshade. And I hope you won’t find it offensive. I’m just really curious. Back in our world, we had bats that fed on insects as well as fruits and sometimes other animals. Do Thestrals ever go after moths or insects as well, or do they strictly go after bigger game like deer and other non-sapient species?”

“We’re, I believe the term is opportunistic omnivores?” she said, unsure. “Thestrals can eat meat and vegetables, but we prefer meat. Likewise, if need be, we’ll go for smaller game, but it makes more sense to hunt larger creatures, given our size.”

“That is the correct term, and makes sense.” He paused and looked out the window at the fall air outside. “It’s getting close to the time of year that the people in my nation prepare food for family gatherings to give thanks for a good harvest and remember the ancestors and immigrants who traveled over waters to reach our country and eventually make it what it is today. Perhaps we could try something akin to a culinary cultural exchange,” he mused.

“Oh?” Moonshade asked.

“We call it Thanksgiving. And one of the main staples is usually a turkey or poultry-based dish with mashed potatoes and greens.” He grimaced at the word. “Sadly, greens are something I have to watch my intake on.” He cleared his throat quickly. “So, I guess I should ask in advance, in case we do go through with exchanging recipes. Do Thestrals have any food taboos or allergies? Because I was thinking of making my creamy garlic mashed potatoes.

“Nothing I can think of that would apply to such things,” she noted. “You may need to talk to the cook about using the field kitchen.”

“I’ll do that, then. And what’s a traditional Thestral meal?” he asked curiously.

“Braised venison with glazed carrots and preserved fruit.”

“That sounds yummy.”

“It is.” She nodded. “Though it's difficult to get venison these days.”

“Why?” Then his eyes widened with realization. “Oh, right, other Ponies. Venison is common back home, but a little more expensive if you don’t know where to look.”

“I suppose it helps coming from a race where meat is common,” she said with a shrug.

“It is. If we can get you to visit Earth, I’m sure we can show you a wide variety compared to what you usually eat here.” He chuckled. “Admittedly, this still feels a little strange. I couldn’t hold this conversation with a native pony from Earth. They’re not intelligent like you and the other Equestrians.”

“I mean, I don't know of any sapient apes in Equestria,” she returned.

“Touche. I guess this is still a first for both sides.” The sat in silence for a time as Matthew ate his soup. Finally, he turned his attention back to the mare as he placed the spoon in the meager puddle that remained. “Well, it’s getting sort of late.” He frowned as the shadows began to lengthen and the daylight shifted seamlessly into night. “I guess another question I can ask is … do you have any traditional lullabies for Thestrals? I have a few from my childhood I can offer in exchange.”

“An unusual request,” Moonshade noted. “But not one that I can’t oblige. There is one I remember….”

Shawn hummed as he looked over the finalized blueprint of the flintlock. He was happy to have completed the first one, and ensured that it worked to the level of efficiency that he wanted. Of course, he had some questions come his way when it came to the gunpowder, but it wasn’t too complicated to deal with without revealing too much of his plans.

There were some potential adjustments he could make for the ammunition, though at the moment, his single use cartridges would work fine for now, even if they took some time to make. Beyond that, he was happy to have fully adjusted to Equestrian tools. And due to some kind of enhancement, shaping metal was drastically easier than it was when he worked with his uncle.

Shawn sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. He missed them, but he couldn’t let that stop him. He needed to ensure forward momentum, no matter the price he’d have to pay. In a world like this, stagnation would kill him, either mentally, or physically again.

“Are you fine tuning those blueprints again?” Storm Hammer cut in. “You already made a cannon for the hoof. How much worse can you make it?”

Shawn blinked out of his thoughts. “Plenty worse, actually. But I don’t plan on doing that. This is already enough, given the world.”

“How could you make that worse?”

“Imagine it being able to fire multiple times before you need to load it again,” Shawn remarked with a small smile.

“That sounds devastating,” she noted.

“It is.” He sighed. “War is something we know well. For now, though, it’s self defense. I want to make sure they can fully defend themselves from anything, even magic and flying opponents. Magic will be tricky if barriers are made, however.” He scratched the side of his head in thought.

“I’d memorize those, then hide them then. Or burn them if you trust yourself.”

‘I trust myself, but I’ve also done something that most won’t recognize from just glancing at it.” He gestured to the blueprints, which were covered in a series of textual blurbs that Storm Hammer couldn’t even take a guess at the language. On top of that, she was certain there were additional parts that weren’t on the final product.

“All smiths use obscure languages or ciphers in their plans. Doesn’t mean it’s one hundred percent.” She shrugged.

“Yeah, but if you build it the way you see it, it’ll detonate in your hooves before it would actually fire.” Shawn smirked. “Wrong scales, wrong numbers, wrong measurements. The correct stuff isn’t written, as it’s all committed to memory. But if someone happens to steal this and try to make it….”

“So it’s a decoy, then?” she asked.

“Correct.” His smirk widened. “I’ve planned for as much as I can at this time.”

“You don’t just want to know if someone’s trying to steal it. You want to send a message to those who would,” Storm Hammer guessed.

“To ensure the safety of these designs, and the safety of my friends, and those under me.” Shawn’s smile softened. “That’s my goal, no matter the cost or risks I have to take for it.”

“Can’t say it’s not a valid idea.” She smirked. “Feel sorry for the poor sod who tries it, though.”

‘If they’ve gone so far as to steal these, it means they’re likely trying to use it against us.” He frowned. “It won’t kill them, but it will at least get them to back off.”

“Well, glad to know we won’t have to worry about Gryphons toting these around. Or worse,” she shuddered, “nobles.”

“I’ve just got to figure out a way to deal with magic next.” Shawn hummed. “But it’ll come after I make the others and I’ve got a better understanding of how magic works in this world.”

“Yes, but first you're going to take a few days off,” she said simply. “You’ve been spending day in and out in this forge for weeks.”

“I can’t.” Shawn frowned. “I’ve got to finish at least the one for Taze within the near future.”

“And you can work on it when you’ve had some time to unwind. This isn’t a request. Steel Weaver and I agree you're taking some time off,” Storm Hammer said in a very no-nonsense tone.

Shawn wanted to form some kind of reply, but each possible one felt wrong. Finally, he sighed. “All right.” He started to roll up his blueprints. “Two days sound good?”

“Two days.” She nodded.

“Okay.” He tapped the rolled blueprints. “Well, at least this will give me time to come up with some new designs,” he remarked as he turned to leave.

Storm hammer shook his head as he left. “And people say I'll work myself to death,” she commented to herself.

“Ye’ actually got him to take a break?” Steel Weaver questioned as he entered the forge.

“I made it clear we weren’t asking,” she said. “Seriously, he’s in here more than the two of us combined, and we’re both chronic workaholics.”

“Aye, but after seeing that cannon he made…. Makes ye’ wonder what else he could come up with.” He shrugged. “But, breaks are important. Pull a muscle and you aren’t exactly workin’ anymore.”

“Yeah, and working too much too long makes you sloppy. The things he makes seem like they need precision.”

“Lass, he’s already sleep deprived.” Steel Weaver looked over to her. “He already should be making some major mistakes.”

“Safety first,” she said. “You want him blowing up this workshop?”

“‘Course not. I’m just tellin’ you that he’s already got things that should keep him out of here. I just don’t get how he can keep working like that.”

“Me either, Weaver. Me either.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 15: Siege of Snow Hill #233

“Well now, isn’t this a beautiful morning?” Taze commented happily as he looked out at the snow-covered ground while drinking his coffee. The soreness that had plagued his body for the last couple of weeks had finally faded, and the beginnings of tone was working its way into his body as a result.

“Too cold,” Matthew muttered, yawning heavily and wrapped in a blanket.

“As opposed to what, the sun?” Taze asked, laughing. “It’s not even cold enough for a parka yet.”

“It's cold for me,” Matthew grumbled back.

“The winter is the best time ever. You can sled, you can make igloos or have sno-” Taze stopped on the last part as consideration dawned on him. “Oh, Vulpix?”

“Vul?” Matthew asked with a chuckle.

“You think the troops could benefit from some battlefield simulation?” Taze’s mouth split open in a broad grin.

“Taze, we used to paintball in ROTC. Anything that can teach tactics in a fun and non-stressful maner would be a great thing. I don’t think I’m going to join you, though. It would be bad if I get hit by even semi-ice balls.”

“Yes, but I intend to put them against an opponent so devious, so cruel, so completely barbaric in their tactics that they’ve been known to reduce many to a gibbering mesh.”

“Children. Children in the snow are monsters,” Matthew replied. “I should know. I was one once, a long time ago, even if my mother tried to keep me out of it.”

“We all were. Even Shawn, apparently.” Taze snickered.

“That scares me. Shawn as a child?” He pulled himself out of his cocoon briefly to reach for a cup of coco that had been left steaming nearby for him.

Taze drained his cup. “Well, there is a lot to do. I need to gather the foals, talk to the Pegasi, talk to Pinkie, get a bicorn hat,” he said, getting to his feet.

“Taze, the only place that will have a bicorn hat is your least favorite store.”

“This is war, Vulpix. Sacrifices must be made,” Taze said with a face of total seriousness.

Matthew chuckled. “Good luck, then, my friend. I suppose I should pick that as my code name. That would be fun, making codenames for everyone or everypony....”

“I need to get moving. People to talk to, rations to arrange.” He headed for the door with a spring in his step as that grin took on a manic quality. “Fortresses to build!”

“Have fun,” Matthew answered. “I’m going to go put another log on the fire.”

“Should we be worried about that? He seemed a little crazed,” Moonshade commented.

“It’s a cultural thing. It doesn’t matter how cold it got back home, he always had faced colder or deeper snow. I can hear him saying it already, ‘this is just a light flurry.’”

Moonshade just sipped her coffee tiredly. It was too early for this.

“So, what’s a good time to get up for Thestrals?” Matthew asked.

“An hour after dusk.”

“Well, in that case, thank you for putting up with my sleep schedule.”

“Orders are orders,” she said. “The bright light doesn’t help, though. I'll have to send for some sunglasses.”

Matthew snorted and put his head on the table as he struggled not to laugh. At seeing the confused look, he sang out, “I wear my sunglasses at night.” And then the laughter burst from him. “Sorry, it’s just a running gag with some friends who didn’t fall into Equestria.

Moonshade shrugged and kept drinking her coffee.

Meetings between important figures had rules that needed to be followed. Generally, a table and a drink were necessary, usually at least one side having their followers present.

And so it was in the Sugarcube Corner as Taze sat at the table with a milkshake in front of him and a steaming cup of cocoa in front of his guest. Somehow, Pinkie had darkened the exterior. Smooth jazz music played in the background.

In front of him sat Pipsqueak, local leader of the Ponyville Pirates, a sometime ally of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and the de facto leader for the negotiations. Button Mash, as the one who vouched for Taze, stood not far off, as well as Featherweight, a small lanky Pegasus, and Rumble, a not-so-lanky Pegasus. The CMC stood not far off elsewhere, with Dinky standing closer than the rest. In fact, given her position of standing almost over Pipsqueak’s shoulder, Taze had to suppress a joke about his “girl Friday.”

“So, I’m told you're the one to see about … foal-based winter activities,” Taze said before casually taking a sip from his milkshake.

Pipsqueak shrugged his hooves. “Some say I am, some say I’m not. What’s it to you?”

“Princess Celestia gave me a bunch of chuckleheads to train for the guard. Thing is, these guys are cocky. They all got big heads, and I need some way for them to learn the … horrors of combat without actual combat. It’s been said there are few as fearsome in the field of snowball battle as your people.”

“People say we cause the most trouble, too. You can’t always believe the rumors, you know,” Pipsqueak said as he took a sip of his coco. “That being said, I can’t help but ask again, what’s it to you if we are?”

“You know, given this is a government-sponsored activity, if you were to help me teach these guys some humility, the local weather team might be … ‘encouraged’ to accidentally overload the scheduled snow load overnight. I’m sure Mayor Mare may even agree that the normal educational schedule may have to be … unfortunately delayed for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.”

“And this … exercise of yours. Just how long is it supposed to go on? There are, after all, certain obligations that have to be considered. Mouths that need feeding, hooves that need warming.” He paused briefly and took a long pull from his coco before looking at Taze through hooded lids. “Adults that need … convincing.”

“For starters, I was thinking of starting sometime tomorrow morning, probably take five, maybe six hours,” Taze admitted. “All catered by the kindly cakes and Dame Pie, hot cocoa included. Maybe afterwards, we have a little party, parents get to talk as adults are wont to do. Maybe you all get to stay up later than normal. Who knows?” He shrugged. “I can promise rules your parents would approve of, and even a judge.” He winked. “And you know the forts won’t be going away overnight.” He took a long pull of milkshake. “I might even be able to arrange some … royal personages for a time.”

“You see, this all sounds well and good, Mister … Taze, was it?” Pipsqueak leaned back on his chair, and it creaked briefly as he rocked it before leaning forward again. “But, you see, my friends and I, we still have a … let’s say a little problem that needs to be fixed before any of these other things take place.”

“Go ahead,” Taze said.

“There are these two fillies, you see. Beautiful girls. Pretty faces, pretty manes, pretty jewelry. But … not so pretty, uh….” He turned to Dinky. “What’s the word I’m looking for, Dinky?” he asked.

“Personalities.”

“Ah, personalities. That’s right.” He nodded and turned to face Taze again. “Now, we wouldn’t dream of hurting them, but y’see, they’ve hurt some very good people. Some very close friends. And that, … that requires a certain amount of compensation. Call it a return for a bad investment. The teachers, the adults, the ones who’re s’posed to uphold the law, they don’t do anything. Y’see, they can’t, ’cause these girls, they’re smart. They hurt when they know they can’t get caught. But you, you’re the organizer. That means you can decide who gets to join this … snowball battle, as you call it. Is that not so?”

“Unfortunately, by the way this works, I can’t outrightly say someone’s not allowed in. That being said.…” He shook his head. “I don’t put in with bullies. Now, thing is, once this battle starts, whoever is present on your end is in. Whoever isn’t is out.” Taze gave a shrug. “So, supposing you can keep them from showing up before it starts, fuggedaboutit. But hey, you didn’t get that idea from me. Can’t have people thinking I’m irresponsible, can I?” He snickered. “But rest assured, I will not take anyone picking on anyone else in this. You and your compadres and your lady friends, I got your backs. So….” Taze held out a hand. “Do we have a deal?”

Pipsqueak peered toward the other foals. Each gave a subtle nod or an extremely exaggerated one, depending on their level of excitement and immersion in the play. Finally, Dinkie gave a subtle nod of her own, and Pipsqueak turned to look the human in the eye. He extended his hoof. “Very well. We accept.” He raised a hoof. “But this ‘accident’ of yours needs to last for two days after. There’s homework that needs doing, after all.”

“Of course! Of course!” He smiled and motioned toward the sweet counter. “Please. Dame Pie’s been asked to provide you and your people with any form of refreshment you so desire on your way out. On me,” Taze said as he downed the remains of his shake in one go. “Unfortunately, I need to go. Things to do, accidents to arrange….” Taze gave a mischievous wink as he got up, flicked a bit on the table, gave the foals a nod, and left.

The squeals of joy and excitement that followed were clearly not from the gang he had just left. And if anypony were to say otherwise, the foals would immediately deny it. They would also deny the malevolent cackling as the pirates and the CMC began to put their heads together to plan for the unfortunate accidents that would prevent their tormentors from participating properly. And best of all, they had the aid of one of the greatest pranksters in all of Ponyville just waiting for them to tap behind the sweet counter.

“Now then, my little Ponies, gather ’round. We have work to do,” Pinkie said in a conspiratorial tone as she rubbed her hooves together. Then she giggled. “This is gonna be so much fun!”

The clock tower was a relatively tall structure by Pony standards. But since Taze had been running for so long around it and other landmarks in the town, it didn’t take him nearly so long to reach the top. Nor did he feel any particularly intense amount of fatigue, barring the usual experience after a good cardio session. Massive gears twisted, turned, and ground together to manipulate the hands on the clock face outside. The side room at the top of the tower was filled with machinery, baubles, and various models in a curious blend of old and new. But, naturally, as was always the case with any Pony whose cutie mark focused on time, the room was positively overflowing with clocks. As always, time, and the study of it, resided with a very special Pony indeed, one who was currently busy working with one such machine whose clock face was shifting forward at an enhanced rate.

“Excuse me?” Taze called inside the tower.

“Yes, yes. Be with you in a minute.” The stallion bore a brown mane that sprawled in messy points back from his head and down his neck. His fur was a brighter color, almost tan, by comparison. He wore a green bowtie surmounted beneath a white collar that wrapped around his neck, and his blue eyes were filled with a giddy sort of wonder blended with the desire to explore the unknown. He peered intently at the spinning of the device, then turned to a beaker and deftly squeezed a pipette to drop three pieces of rainbow-colored liquid that swam in the solution before spinning and merging together to form a solid tie dye mass that floated inert. He hummed and rubbed his chin in thought. “Interesting….” he mused.

“Hello, Doctor,” Taze said, nodding as he greeted him.

“Afraid you have the wrong building,” the stallion said absently as he continued to peer at the result of his experiment. “Doctor Strange is in Ponyville Hospital, a few blocks down that way.” He gestured vaguely with his hoof.

“Not the kind of doctor I’m looking for.” Taze smirked. “The Lonely God, the Eternal Wanderer, Matchstick Man?”

“I’m afraid you’re confusing me with someone else. Catchy titles, though. Ever thought of joining a band?” He turned around to stare at the human, then gaped. “Now what’s all this, then? You don’t belong here,” he said as he frowned at Taze. “What’s a human doing in this universe?”

“You don’t pay much attention to current events, do you?” Taze asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, you know how it is about the present. It’s just so … boring.” The Doctor shrugged. Then his face darkened. “And as someone who’s clearly acquainted with me, I can guess it’s safe to assume you already know my stance on war.”

“Yes, I know your stance, and I know why. I’m not here to get you to kill or anything. Quite the opposite, in fact. I need you and the lady to help me with something. And no, I don’t mean Derpy.”

The Doctor narrowed his gaze. “You know about the TARDIS, then?”

“You could say where I come from, there are stories, stories about a very old man and a blue box who’s sometimes a young man in a blue box. They travel around the universe helping people and saving lives. Some say the greatest question in the universe is, ‘Doctor who?’” Taze noted.

“And I suppose you’ve come here to ask for help getting back to your own universe.” He reached into a small holder full of quills and removed a familiar metallic device that began to hum as it extended and its point glowed blue to scan over the human.

“Nope,” Taze said. “We both know the danger that would put you in, not to mention this world. You’ve got a daughter to think about.”

“Then what do you want, an autograph?”

“I need to create two fully prepared snow forts by tomorrow morning,” Taze said.

“And you’re coming to me for something that simple?”

“It’s for kids? And besides, I’m not talking your average snow fort. Take a seat, Doctor, and I’ll explain what I’ve got in mind.”

That explanation went on for the next half an hour until The Doctor finally raised a hoof to stop the conversation.

“So, let me get this straight. You want me to use my TARDIS to help construct two literal fortresses out of snow and reinforce them so anyone can get inside and trek through them without fear of collapse or any of the other usual risks. And you’re using my own daughter to guilt trip me into doing that?”

“Hey! I’m asking you and the TARDIS. You, of all people, shouldn’t be objectifying here,” Taze said. “I shouldn’t be needing to tell you to have some respect for the old girl.”

“And you should already know I do. Don’t go changing the subject,” The Doctor returned. “We’ve been together far longer than you’ve been alive. Now, will you answer my question?”

“Yes. And? Too small for you? Yeah, it’s not saving a civilization or stopping some interstellar rift, and maybe there are no sapient snowmen to stop or wraiths to imprison, but I’d thought you might enjoy helping something without lives at stake for once. What would the brigadier think?”

“He has nothing to do with this!”

Taze raised his hands and gestured in a mollifying way. “Fair enough.” Then he sighed and shrugged. “Honestly, though, I’m surprised that someone with your reputation would act like this.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry this is so beneath you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to catch the post office before it closes to get an express message to Canterlot. I didn’t want to have to bother Luna with more than an appearance. They do have scribes to help with dictation, right? I can’t write to save my life.” Taze shook his head as he turned to leave.

The Doctor groaned. “Wait,” he finally said as he rubbed at a temple with a hoof. “I can’t do it with the materials I have on hoof in the TARDIS, but I do know a way.” He sighed again. “Meet me after the blizzard finishes planting the snow. Don’t worry about finding me. I’ll find you.”

Taze grinned. “Thank you, Doctor. For what it's worth, I appreciate it.”

“Just don’t go asking for favors all willy nilly. I get enough of those from a certain Gryphon and his friends as it is.”

“I won’t ask.” Taze smirked as he strode toward the stairwell. He waved casually behind himself as he began his descent. “I’ll see you then.”

The Doctor couldn’t help but chuckle. “Indeed, you will.” He sighed and shrugged. “Guess it was only a matter of time.” And with that, he returned to his work.

Matthew sat by the fire, shivering and bundled in a thick blanket with a steaming hot cup of cocoa warming his hands, much as he had when Taze first left. He looked gratefully to Moonshade. “Thanks for keeping my line straight for me out there. It’s tough to work right when my glasses fog up.”

“Should you really be pushing yourself like that?” Moonshade asked.

“I did this back home all the time with my father. He would have gone around the entire tavern and then some while I was forced back inside.” He smiled forlornly. “Still, he’d be happy with what I did just now. I think it’s the most I’ve ever done on my own before in one go.”

“Probably best to keep things small. We don’t need you collapsing,” she noted.

Matthew chuckled. “I might need an extra set of eyes to help with that. I’ve been known to push myself without thinking.”

“I've noticed that. Taze told me to tie you to a chair if I had to.”

“They’ve never had to do it. But that means they trust you by using some inner circle jokes,” Matthew responded with a chuckle. “Just tell me to sit down and I’ll sit down. You just may have to tell me a few times to make it stick.”

“You aren't worried you’ll push yourself too far?”

“Not really. I think I have a good sense of my limits, but I need outside permission to rest when I need it, because I still try to push myself toward normal folks’ limits. And like it or not,” he sighed. “I … am not normal.”

“Then we’ll have to work on that,” Moonshade commented.

“What part? My stamina or giving myself permission to rest?”

“The Latter,” she noted. “Can’t have you burning yourself out while I'm on watch.”

“Yeah, I just … you might have to order me to rest. That or distract me. Give me a book or a model to work on. That or get someone to talk about history. Those are always good things to pull me out of working.” He took another sip of his drink. “You know, thinking about it now, I guess I just can’t stand to be idle. I feel this intense need to be productive, show I’m valuable, that I can do something to help.”

“No warrior fights forever.”

Matthew nodded. “Yeah, just…. I’ve felt this way my entire life.” He sighed and sipped again. “I want to be helpful, help the family, be useful and not a burden, so … I push myself, do all I can, and sometimes even more. I am a hard worker, just … If I’m asked to do something, I do all I can to do it, even if it might mean hurting myself.”

“Doesn’t mean you need to push yourself too far,” she said. “Sometimes, you need to take a step back.”

“I’ll do my best. With just you, I should get a good view. My mother would baby me, and my father would push me too hard. Mom would yell at him because he wasn’t holding something that I was struggling with, and….” He trailed off into his own thoughts as he stared into the flames, as if they could show him the answers he sought.

“I’m not attempting to do either of those things,” Moonshade finally said. “I’ve seen what you’re capable of. There’s no need to impress me.”

Matthew looked up, startled. “I….” He paused. “You’re right.” He smiled softly then. Pressure from parents and from the rebellious cadets had left him battered mentally. It was good to finally have an ally that saw him for his potential and not just for his weaknesses. “Thank you for listening.” He chuckled. “Sometimes, I just need an ear and time to focus my thoughts. And since the guys have given you authorization, I guess the best thing to do now is make a pact of sorts. From this moment forward, when you think I am pushing it, I promise to take a step back to rest when you tell me to.”

“I’ll accept that for now, yes. But you need to learn to do this on your own, Matthew. I could be reassigned at any time, you know. And your friends can’t keep an eye on you forever.”

“Then I’d better find an Aide de Camp quickly.” He frowned in thought. “Though aren’t your reassignment orders only to come from the Princesses? Or do you mean the nobles can sabotage our efforts by arranging a transfer before the Princesses decide on it?”

“Only the Lunar Guard can reassign me,” she clarified. “Even Shining Armor can’t effect our assignments.”

“That’s at least one concern laid to rest, then.”

“But we’re also the more active guard, save for the border guard,” she noted.

“Could I get access to some of those training manuals?”

“Ours? Maybe. I’ll have to send a few letters to Captain Nightshade. The border guard? No. Absolutely not.”

“May I ask why? As for the night guard manual, if we could get a copy, we might be able to incorporate some of their techniques to help shape up these rebellious cadets.”

“Serving in the Border Guard is such an insanely dangerous duty that many families will hold a funeral before they set out,” she explained. “Everything about them is classified.”

Matthew nodded slowly. “And I’m just an instructor.” He chuckled. “No way I’d ever have that kind of security clearance.”

“I think the only one I know of who’s alive who’s seen it and isn’t still on the border is Captain Nightshade himself.”

“I’m going to guess it’s rare to have folks live to the full tour of this border duty, then?” He frowned. “That … is a volunteer duty, right? Or have there been penal units assigned as well? If that’s considered classified, too, you don’t have to tell me. This is just a new structure in your military that I didn’t know about before, so I’m kind of curious.”

“A single tour pays well enough that it could take most low income families to total stability in a few months,” Moonshade noted. “If you think the creatures we have inside Equestria are bad, you should see the things we keep out. Not to mention Diamond Dog slavers. The guard doesn’t get all of them, but there’d be a lot more around without the Border Guard to catch them.”

Matthew nodded. “Earth has some nasty monsters in our myths, fire-breathing dragons that steal gold, destroy kingdoms, and eat princesses. Sea monsters able to devour ships whole. And with what I see, that is very important. As for what you said about Diamond Dogs? That….” His lips pressed into a thin line. “Slavery is an evil institution that should be abolished from the face of any planet,” he said vehemently.

“Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do. They dig a hundred times faster than we do, save perhaps for a precious few Ponies who have the special talent and skill for it.” She shrugged. “Kill those you can, save those you can. That's what my grandfather always said.”

Matthew sighed. “My nation almost tore itself apart in a civil war to end that practice. And to hear some still do it now just makes my blood boil. Do the Diamond Dogs have a central government or do they function as more of a tribal nation with individual bands?”

“They’re spread so thin that nobody's sure anymore. They haven’t had a king since the Gryphons slaughtered the last one and scattered their society to the winds a long time ago.”

“Maybe we need to do some nation building at some point. A practice my people believed in was that stable nations make for stable borders. But I suppose that’s something that would be far down the road, if we ever have the chance to reach it at all in our lives.” He shivered again. “Say, where is Taze, anyway? Shouldn’t he be back by now?”

“I mean, he did say he planned this all for tomorrow, didn’t he?” Moonshade asked. “Seems like a lot of work.”

“I guess.” He paused to take another sip from his mug. “You think we could go see Rarity to check on that winter gear? I’d like to watch the snowball fight tomorrow.” He chuckled. “Maybe scare some of the cadets into thinking I’m grading their performance.”

“I’m sure Taze would love that.” She nodded. “I don’t know if this plan of his is foolish or genius.”

“When I did my own military training, we used games to train tactics and critical thinking. Taze is just following traditions long in the making. Humans are like otters. We often learn by playing. It allows us to make mistakes without getting killed, so we can be better. We develop muscle memory for moves and tactics, and are able to think of possible scenarios and counterstrategies for those scenarios. It became so popular that we even went so far as to call this method of training war games.”

“I suppose that's something to learn from. Either way, I’m not looking forward to staring down those foals tomorrow.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine.” He frowned. “I wonder if I can get involved in this in some manner.”

“The foals may need an advisor,” she suggested. “You may be able to help talk them up or something.”

Matthew smiled. “I’d like that. Would surprise Taze; that’s for sure. Can you keep him from learning about it?”

“I can try,” she said.

“Thank you.”

For the sake of the activity, a special cloudbank had been placed over Ponyville to allow enough light through to see without blinding the competitors. The forts that rose from either side of the field beyond the barracks were two grand structures approximately a hundred yards apart. Battlements had been added on either side, along with mounds and mounds of snow waiting to be crafted into any number of devices or weapons. The snow itself had been carefully constructed to allow maneuverability to the foals that desired to take to the field for direct combat. The winds that blew through the area were gentle enough to chill but not enough to push them away from play. Rainbow Dash grinned at the sight as she gazed over the architecture, and Taze patted the walls of one of the structures appreciatively as he assessed the construction. The troops would certainly have a surprise on their hooves soon enough, and he was looking forward to seeing the looks on their faces.

“And so I have become Taze, thrower of snowballs,” Taze said to himself as he looked to the one Pony he’d chosen to act as line officer for this exercise. “You’re Black Rook, right?”

“Yes, Sir.” Black Rook remained stoic and patient as he stared at the human.

“Calm down, man.” Taze chuckled. “It’s just us here, and this is a military exercise and a game.” He smirked. “I hear you're really trustworthy. So tell me, what do you know about foals?”

“Other than we’re supposed to protect them in the event of an attack?”

“You ever snowball fight when you were little?” Taze asked as he placed a cinnamon stick in his mouth.

“Is the sky blue?”

“Then I imagine you remember what foals will do to win a snowball fight?” Taze asked as he looked over the wall to the other fort.

“I’ve seen some things,” Rook admitted. “Done some worse.” A hint of a smile pulled at his lips. “You know we’re gonna get pounded, right?”

“With these idiots? It would be a miracle if we didn’t. The difference is those foals won’t kill them … on purpose. An actual enemy will.”

“... You have put in the proper safety precautions, right, Sir?”

“I’ve put rules in place against using ice, if that's what you mean,” Taze said. “I’ve done what I can.”

“Permission to put the cocky ones on the front line, Sir?”

“I’d be angry if you didn’t.” Taze snickered. “You have to understand, Rook. The idea is that you will see live combat eventually. And currently, when that day happens, less than half of you will survive the first ten minutes. I’m hoping getting beaten by children will start making them think.”

“Given the fact that they’ll be dead and buried quite literally in the snow, I think we can arrange to get that through to them. That or to cool the hotheads, at least.” Rook smirked. “How long do we have to prepare?”

Taze checked his clearly watchless wrist. “Oh, about as long as it takes them to finish eating and get out here.”

“Are you talking about the kids we’ll be fighting or the kids you’re browbeating into maturity on our side?”

“Yes.” Taze chuckled. “Part of my deal involves a cutoff time for foals joining the fight. A couple of bullies apparently need to learn a lesson or two,” he explained. “But also, Rook, the enemy won’t always be obvious and won’t always warn you. You need to be ready to adapt at a moment's notice.”

“Of course, Sir.” Black Rook tapped his hoof and a chunk of snow plopped onto the human’s head. “I understand completely,” he said with a perfectly straight face.

“You can laugh. I’m not gonna punish you. It's funny.” Taze rolled his eyes as he wiped the snow off.

“All due respect, Sir, the last several weeks we’ve been under you have said otherwise.”

“Rook, I punish disrespect. It’s not disrespect to laugh at a funny situation,” Taze said.

“Even if that situation may have been caused by careful manipulation of structural integrity?”

“I let my guard down.” Taze shrugged as he tossed a snowball at Rook’s face.

The Pony sputtered the snow away, then smirked. “I suppose we’ll have to stop there. Friendly fire isn’t exactly the best thing to have in a combat situation.”

“See, now you're thinking.” Taze smirked. “Now, do you think yourself capable of assisting me and Major Moonshade in commanding this exercise?”

Rook smirked back. “Sir, yes, Sir.”

Taze grinned. “Then come along. Let’s whip these Ponies into shape.”

An hour later saw the troops somewhat lined up in front of their fortress as the last of the foals seemed to get in front of theres. Not far off, Twilight sparkle sat in a chair alongside Mayor Mare, Octavia Melody, and Vinyl Scratch, who had volunteered to help fill the panel.

Taze approached the center in a black and gold bicorn hat and a black cloak flanked by Rook on his left and Moonshade on his right. He approached Pipsqueak, who was wearing the fanciest outfit he owned, the dread pirate costume.

“And so we meet on the field of battle,” Taze said, smirking at the foal. “One will win, and one will lose. I take it I have the pleasure of addressing the Dread Pirate Pipsqueak the Terrible?”

“And who might you be to dare speak so fearsome a name with such boldness?” Pipsqueak returned with the gusto and bravado that such a title deserved.

“Oh, child, I be the Captain Kid, and this be the crew I used to take the fort behind me. And by t’under, I’ll be takin’ your fort and your loot before next dawn.”

“Over our dead bodies! We’ll send ye straight to Wavy Bones’ locker!”

“Aye, well I suppose we’ll decide that through combat, won’t we?” Taze gave a one-eyed glare. “And may the best pirate win!”

Pipsqueak drew a wooden sword. “Ready the guns and prepare to run about!” He reared dramatically, and a ray of sunshine poked through the cloud cover to bathe him in its glow before he raced back toward his fort with the rest of the foals. Rainbow Dash casually whistled as she returned the chunk of cloud she’d cleared for the moment before zipping back toward the sidelines to watch with her friends.

“This is gonna be so awesome!” she crowed.

Pinkie Pie emerged slowly from the snow next to her friend, garbed in a rounded pink helmet with camouflage netting. She took a deep breath and sighed explosively. “I love the smell of snowfall in the morning.” Then, just as quickly, she sank back into the snow again.

Taze led his followers back to base racing a hail of snowballs that followed close behind from the contingent of foals who remained behind to cover Pipsqueak and the rest of the group’s retreat.

Black Rook grinned at the sight of the troops as snow spattered liberally over their manes and backs. “What was that about this being an easy match?” he teased the troops. Then he grew serious. “Form up! Get in the fort and let’s get to work! Earth Ponies, get to those snow piles. We need ammo. Pegasi, coordinate reconnaissance and cloud detail. If we need a restock on snow, you give it. Unicorns, if you want to earn your posts, then get to work on forming battlements. Shift off projecting shields to brace against while the others build up the barricades around them. I want to get a bottleneck set up for enemy ground troops ASAP. Let’s move, people!”

And thus began one of the greatest snow battles in the history of Equestria.

On the dawning of the second day, the ponderous groaning of heavy wheels creaked and wheezed with the grunted effort of four young fillies. Applebloom leaned her back against the back of the mighty engine of war as she dug her rear hooves into the slushy path to struggle for proper footing. Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle yanked on ropes from the front and Dinky used her magic to try to keep the ground solid enough to prevent the wheels from sinking in and leaving the catapult completely immovable.

“Girls, ah need a break,” Applebloom gasped as they stopped for what had to be the tenth time. “This just ain’t workin’.” She shook her head as she worked to moderate her breathing.

Dinky sighed. “I did try to warn you.”

“But it was such a good idea!” Sweetie whined.

“And it would’ve been way cool,” Scootaloo said. “Are you sure we can’t figure out another way to get it to the field in time?”

“Daddy said he can’t help, so we’ll have to figure out another way.” She smiled. “And if you girls don’t mind, I think I know someone we can ask who’ll do it no problem.”

“Who’re ya thinkin’?” Applebloom asked.

“Shawn’ll help. He helped you all when Big Mac’s back went out, right?”

Applebloom’s face lit up with excitement. “That’s a great idea!”

“Not really,” Shawn spoke up as he made his way over to the group. “But, given you don’t really have many alternatives, it seems to be the best idea.” He gave a brief chuckle as he picked up the ropes and began to pull. The machine lurched into life behind him as he furrowed through the ground and pulled it toward the battlefield. “Where do you four want it?”

“Over here, right behind this wall,” Scootaloo said as she zipped to a spot behind some of the snowbank that the foals had built up the previous day. “I can’t wait to see the looks on those soldiers' faces when we hit them with this!”

“It’ll certainly be a sight,” Shawn remarked as he moved the catapult into place.

“Even better if you fight on our side,” Dinky offered. “You can be our secret weapon!”

Shawn blinked as he looked to Dinky. After a moment, he shrugged. “Sure, why not? It’d be some good payback if we could hit Taze with this.”

“Payback?” Sweetie cocked her head. “How come?”

“Long story short, there were some expensive repairs, as it turns out.”

Scootaloo grinned. “Just wait till Pipsqueak hears about this!”

The four grinned and ran to each other, raising their hooves together for a united equestrian equivalent of a high five. “Cutie Mark Crusaders Recruiters, yay!”

And so the trio successfully recruited one of their greatest assets for the coming battle. And they didn’t even get sap on their coats.

The first day had ended about as well as Taze predicted internally. His troops were practically slaughtered in a mass of tiny hooves lobbing snowballs from every possible angle and at varying levels of trickery. Near the end of day one, he had been surprised when Pipsqueak threw up a flag of truce to parley. After a brief discussion, a second day was agreed upon, and it was obvious the foals wanted to prolong the troops’ suffering a little longer. Which led to the current position with Taze standing before his troops.

“So, had yesterday been a battlefield, you all would have been dead. How’s that feel?”

A low and unenthusiastic murmur mulled its way through the crowd.

“Well now, that was almost impressively unimpressive. Let's try it again, with feeling!”

“Not very good, Sir!” The barking replies varied between the cadets, but Taze understood the core sentiment.

“A battlefield is chaos. I know you’ve all been taught about honor and the rules of warfare and other things, but I’m telling you right now, that degrades the second you hit the battlefield. Wars are won by creativity, tenacity, and most of all, luck.”

“So you actually … want us to act like foals?” one of the cadets asked.

“I want you to think creatively. There are few things more creative than a foal who wants to win at a snowball fight. Weapons, equipment, numbers, these can give you advantages, but they can just as easily be rendered useless. Has Matthew ever mentioned Thermopylae to you?”

“The battle with the three hundred soldiers?”

Taze nodded. “Did he explain that those three hundred Spartans killed over a hundred thousand persians in their time there?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“That was because King Leonidas and his people were more creative than they were. How about Waterloo?”

“The one with the boats?”

“Yes.” Taze nodded. “Napoleon Bonaparte nearly conquered most of the landmass he was born on, but his entire conquest was routed by the fact that the duke of Wellington outthought him.” He gazed intently at them. “Your breeding, your training, none of that will spare you if you spend all your time thinking how much better than everyone else you are. I want you to look to your left.”

As one, the troops did so.

“And now your right.”

Again, the troops obeyed.

“The person you saw next to you in both those directions is family now. You all are connected on any battlefield by a common bond superseding tribe, belief, and yes, even station.”

“You’ve been pounding that into our heads basically from day one, Sir,” one of the troopers noted.

“And you still haven’t learned it. You think I didn’t notice you, son of the Marquis de Mustang, attempting to order Earth Ponies to shield you? Seriously?” he asked one of them. “Or you, Snowstorm Thunder, using flight to flee and leaving the non-flyers to fend for themselves?” He looked to another. “Divided, we fall.”

Taze considered a moment and cleared his throat. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. Be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition. And gentlemen in Equestria now abed shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, and hold their stallionhoods cheap whilst any speaks that fought with us upon this Snowball Fighting Day!”

Some few were caught in the fervor of the passion which Taze displayed with his oration. Unfortunately, the majority seemed more confused than they were impressed.

“Um … yay?” one of them ventured.

“Well, maybe this will cheer you up. I know their use of Pinkie Pie on the battlefield made life difficult yesterday, so I thought of a little surprise of our own. However, I’m going to require all of you to work with me here.” He produced a small roll of parchment and unrolled to reveal the words Cloud Cannon MK.1 on the top.

“Sir, you’re not suggesting we use lightning, are you?”

“No, but I'd assume clouds would eject whatever they’re loaded with?”

“If it’s weather-related, yes.”

“Isn’t snow weather-related?” Taze asked, grinning.

“Yes, but the systems for distributing the snow in large amounts is based in magitech. I don’t know if we can rig clouds to fling snowballs for us if that’s what you’re thinking, Sir.”

Taze pointed to one of the Unicorn mares nearby. “You there! You’re the niece of Count Betawave Blessed, one of the leading names in magictech research, are you not? And their company just did a retrofit of the weather factory in Cloudsdale. What have you got for me?” Taze asked as he signaled her forward.

The mare gazed at the plans. “We don’t have the tech to produce the clouds like we normally would in Cloudsdale. That means we’ll have to rely on what we have on hoof,” she mused. “Most of the technicians in the city produce each flake to load. We don’t have that benefit. The cold temperature is definitely in our favor, but given the lack of tech to use, our best bet to make a functional weapon out of the clouds would be to saturate them with moisture and force it all out in one go, rather than the gentle downpours and thunder squalls we normally plan.” She stroked her chin in thought. “A sufficient enough surge of magic combined with the proper bucking could feasibly produce that effect, but it would be a one-off, essentially converting all of the cloud’s moisture and substance into a single explosive burst. It wouldn’t be snowballs, but it wouldn’t break the rules either. Give me enough time to R&D, and I might even refine enough to actually make the snowballs, too.”

“How long?” Taze asked.

“Won’t know till I actually start working with the material. Different clouds have different compositions depending on the source we get the water from and how it’s processed.”

“Any of you Earth Ponies from the Apple Family?” Taze asked.

The group remained silent and still.

“Very well. You and you.” He pointed to one Pegasus stallion and one Earth Pony stallion. “You’ll be helping her test and getting her the materials she needs. Now then, for the rest of you, who are our stealthiest fliers?”

“Did you want camouflage or speed, Sir?”

“The less the enemy knows of what we’re doing, the better. I’m looking for low detectability.”

A number of paler Pegasi stepped forward, along with one Unicorn, who promptly saluted. “Lucky Cantrip, Sir. I’m no flyer, but I can cast some of the best glamorous you’ve ever seen. If you want these Ponies to blend in, I’ll make sure they do.”

“Okay, you all, this cannon is your main concern. Work together and get it done. We’ll buy you time.”

“Pardon me, Sir, but … I got some plans for the defenses if you wanna hear ‘em,” a Pegasus noted as he cocked his training helmet to the side. “We said no ice balls, but nopony said anything about using ice on the barricades.”

“Now you're thinking.” Taze smirked and rubbed his hands together. “What are you going to need?”

The wild-eyed colt that raced into Taze’s command center was panting heavily and almost completely coated in snow. He carried with him the phoenix down feather that had been provided to each team, one for each side. He did his best to dislodge the clumps of snow that had stuck to his mane and tail.

“Sir!” he cried to the human. “Sir, it’s horrible!”

“What's wrong?” Taze asked.

“Sir, it’s … it’s Lord Shawn! He’s brought a catapult, and the foals are slaughtering the soldiers with it!”

“Has anything hit the cannon?” Taze asked.

“Not yet, Sir, but it’s only a matter of time if we’re not careful. We need to divert their attention toward the field instead. If I might make a suggestion, Sir?”

“Go ahead,” Taze said.

“Perhaps you can parlay with him, find out why he’s there? At the worst, you’ll make a good distraction to the foals while the team keeps working on the secret weapon.”

Taze sighed, but finally nodded his head. “If anything happens to me, Moonshade’s in charge, followed by Rook. No matter what happens, keep that cannon going, all right?”

The stallion saluted. “Yes, Sir!”

The saying goes that war is hell. In the case of snowball warfare, however, hell had frozen over. It was a frigid wasteland that burned from the lack of heat and blossomed pain born of the impact of compacted snow. Worse still was the devious nature which the foals employed in their tactics. As Taze emerged from the fort and into the fray, the cries of medic and mercy melded with screams of fear and great war cries. The foals had quickly adopted the techniques that had been employed by the adults to fortify their own positions, and had even gone so far as to miniaturize them to create ice shields to protect against aerial bombardment. Due to the nature of the defense measure, however, it had been mutually agreed that the shields would only hold for a certain number of hits before they would need to be discarded and considered destroyed by the enemy. Massive snowballs the size of small boulders whistled through the air in great arcs, and the frequency with which they launched spoke either to immense efficiency on the part of the colts or the more likely option, a certain human noble known for the unusual strength he had displayed during his short stay in Equestria.

Taze held up a white flag. “Parlay! We wish to talk!”

A shrill whistle carried over the field, pulling up all the fighting short. As Mayor Mare pulled the whistle back out of her mouth, she nodded to her fellow judges, Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch. Then she cleared her throat and called in a ringing voice. “In accordance with the rules, for the duration of parlay, all fighting is to be suspended! As the caller, you have the right to request whom you wish to parlay with, Taze. Who among the foals’ team do you wish to have a discussion with?”

“Send out Pipsqueak and Shawn,” Taze said.

It didn’t take long to set up the negotiation table, courtesy of Pinkie Pie. The mare had already been unleashed on the adults the previous day, and from that point forward was forbidden to participate directly for the remainder of the campaign. Her ability to defy the laws of physics and even magic had been construed as an unfair advantage, especially given the power of her Pinkie Sense. The young foal had decked himself in a tricorn hat and a white shirt with frills over the V-neck. A wooden sword was strapped to his side. Shawn remained in his formal wear, a set of boots to keep his feet warm, and his coat to ward off the chill as he maintained the catapult. However, such finery blended perfectly in this world of pirates and seamen.

“And what does Captain Kid want to talk about?” Pipsqueak demanded as he folded his forelegs together and laid his rear hooves on the table with a cocky smirk.

“Bad form.” Taze slammed a fist on the table. “Bad form, I say, bringing in catapults.”

“A ship has its guns, and a fort has its catapults. I don’t see a problem with that,” Pipsqueak noted idly as he polished a hoof against his shirt. “If there were, Lord Shawn would have objected and kept us from using it in the first place.” He looked pointedly at the lord. “Isn’t that right?”

“More like you would have found a way to take it in either case.” Shawn raised a brow.

“Aye, and ye bring the navy into this, too.” Taze eyed Pipsqueak. “Tis against the code.”

“Not if the code doesn’t cover it,” Pipsqueak noted. Then he grinned, and one of his teeth seemed almost to flash. “Besides, they’re more like … guidelines anyway.”

“I still say a catapult be unfair,” Taze said, keeping an eye out for a signal from his people.

“You said, yourself, that you wanted us to push your troops to the limit,” Pipsqueak countered. “What better way to do that than with real artillery? Shawn’s just here to make sure we don’t break anything or hurt ourselves while we use it. Isn’t that right, Shawn?”

“Correct. And fix alignment if something goes off.” Shawn nodded.

“You realize you’ve opened Pandora's box, right?” Taze asked Pipsqueak.

The foal cocked his head in confusion. “Who’s Pandora?”

“I mean you’ve presented catapults as an allowable step on the battlefield. Meaning catapults and similar things can be used by both sides going forward,” Taze explained.

“That’s if you can get any of your troops to the depot to carry them onto the field.” Pipsqueak smirked. “Then there’s also the time it takes to put them together after you get them in place. Do you really think you can spare that much time and power while we’re attacking your base?”

“Maybe,” Taze admitted. “But first rule of combat, always assume your enemy is smarter than you are.”

“I’ll make sure to remember that.” Pipsqueak smiled. “Any other words of advice?”

Upon noticing a slight Glimmer off a nearby mound of snow that was not naturally occurring, Taze shrugged. “Just be ready for anything,” he warned again. “I guess we should get back to it.”

“If you’re ready.”

“Then shall we say five minutes after we leave the table?” Taze asked.

“Sounds fair. When Mayor Mare blows the whistle, we’ll start again.”

“Very well,” Taze said, standing up.

“And may the best team win.”

The addition of the catapult granted a significant boost in firepower for the foals, devastating many of Taze’s troops and driving them to have to rely on new tactics to avoid being struck by the deluge that was to come. Truly, the end was nigh for the adults.

“Is it ready?” Taze asked of his engineer as soon as they made it out of earshot.

“She’s rarin’ to go, Sir. The water content isn’t enough for us to get off many shots, though. We only have one, maybe two bursts before the cloud will break apart.”

“Will it be devastating?” Taze asked.

“It’ll clobber them, Sir.”

“How long till deployment?” Taze asked.

“We can get it into range whenever you give the word, Sir. There’s just one problem.”

“Yeah?”

“The foals will see it as we’re moving it into position.”

“So I’d assumed. Guessing the fear is they’ll focus on it?”

“One good buck will unleash it, but one good hit from that catapult might break it apart before we can trigger it.”

“Well then, I’ll get Rook to rally who we have left. We’ll attack in two flanking rushes as you position it. Fire when ready.”

“We’ll need aerial cover, too, Sir. How many forces does Major Moonshade have left?”

“Send the word. Get Rook and the major into the command center. We’ll consolidate our numbers and do our best to cover you.”

“Yes, Sir!”

Over on the foal side, one Diamond Tiara and her cohort Silver Spoon were busy helping to distribute coco from a stand they had set up. The problem, they only were willing to offer their wares to Ponies who had already earned their cutie marks, an issue compounded after an incident that led to a certain yellow filly with a red mane getting drenched by a cup.

“Oops,” Diamond said insincerely. “So sorry about that. But look on the bright side. I’m sure a few snowballs will wash that right out.”

Applebloom grated her teeth and nearly lunged for the table before she noticed the stains that had formed over the surface of the table. “Looks like my fur’s not the only thing that needs washing,” she said. “Have fun hawking that coco. I’m gonna get back in the game!” She grinned and charged onto the field of battle, gleefully diving into the snow to make a bee line for her pride and joy, and the human that was maintaining it.

Meanwhile Taze had attacked the right flank while Rook led a combined effort on the left. In the air, Moonshade led a squad to keep them busy. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the numbers to keep all the foals’ attention. Still, they were trying their best to pull it off. Taze was leading the charge from the front, dodging snowballs before returning fire. They only needed a little more time, but at this point, that might need a miracle.

Applebloom emerged from the snow like a true tunneler next to Shawn as another load of snow was stacked into the cup of the catapult. Pipsqueak turned briefly from the field to call back as he gesticulated toward the sky, where a darkened cloud was being escorted. His orders were obvious.

“What’re they doin’?” Applebloom asked the human. “Why all the fuss over a cloud?”

“Multiple reasons, though in this case, it’s likely because it’s being escorted, and is potentially hiding something,” Shawn replied with a shrug.

Applebloom pursed her lips. Some of the dark stains from the coco could still be seen in her fur. “Mind if I line up the next shot?”

Shawn raised a brow before shrugging. “Sure. Still remember how it’s done?”

Applebloom nodded. “Perfectly.” As the filly began the preparations, Taze shouted over the hubbub toward his friend.

“Hey Shawn, you know what made the catapult extinct?”

“Plenty of things,” Shawn called back. “Which one are you hiding?”

“Oh, just a little invention first used in open combat by the Ottoman Empire.” Taze smirked. “They called it the basilica,” Taze Stated. “Find the range!” he ordered as the troops pressed their attack.

“Basilica….” Shawn hummed to himself as he thought the word over. After a moment, he shrugged. “Direct impact of some kind.”

Twilight frowned from her place at the sidelines by the judge’s table. “What is he talking about, Matthew?”

Matthew's expression fell. “Something that…. And they already miniaturized it?” He shook his head. He motioned Twilight closer and whispered in her ear through cupped hands. “Something that was originally thirty feet in length and could take down walls with one blow.”

Twilight cocked her head. “Seriously?”

“Well, the set out there isn’t thirty feet long, but just observe.” He frowned. “Hopefully, I can consult in the bunker next time.”

Shawn turned back towards Applebloom. “Done aiming the catapult? After all, you don’t have too long to deal with their weapon.”

Applebloom grinned. “She’s ready to go, Shawn.” She reached for the lever. “Fire in the hole!”

The cry filled Taze with dread as the aerial defenses dove in front of the cloud in an attempt to save it from the onslaught they were all but certain would come. The arm released, with a fatal twang, and the snow launched in a mighty arc. The shrieks of dismay that rose from the target were music to Applebloom’s ears, and she grinned savagely. “Target destroyed.” She beamed at the sight of the stand that had been buried in snow. Spatters of coco were strewn amidst the pile of snow. Diamond Tiara’s namesake was coated in the sticky brown liquid, as was much of her face and torso. Silver Spoon took it to her flanks instead, having not been directly behind the table at the time the assault landed.

“Welp,” Shawn remarked, nodding to himself, “you’ve doomed us all.”

“It can’t be that bad,” Applebloom said.

“Fire both salvos!” Taze shouted as the boom of thunder cracked the air. A swarm of snowballs shot from the cloud as two of the aerial troops bucked heavily. They rained upon the foal’s fort and across the field with the ferocity of a blizzard and hail storm blended together.

“Yup. You’ve doomed us all,” Shawn reaffirmed.

Before the first wave even hit, a second boom played as more snowballs filled the air. The cannon dissipated into so much vapor, leaving only the vast payload behind. For a split second, the sky went dark over the foals’ base before the dreadful impact began. The cries of shock and death throws surged in a wave of startled fright.

Much like the sea captains of old, Shawn looked with a stoic acceptance upon the onslaught and welcomed his frigid demise as a snowball pelted directly into his face. The human then stumbled backward dramatically as he flung a hand flailing into the air before finally toppling over and letting the cold embrace of his make-believe death take hold. “You’ve … doomed … us … all,” he croaked, holding the last word in a death rattle as he looked to Apple Bloom, then let his arm fall limply to his side as he closed his eyes.

“Back to the keep!” Pip shouted. Rally the reinforcements! Call in the Big Mamma!”

For some reason, that name alone chilled Taze’s blood. “I think winter is coming,” he murmured.

Two things happened next. First, a flag embroidered with a set of beautiful white bubbles rose on the pole of the foals’ fortress. And then, somepony began to cry.

The clouds burst asunder, casting radiant sunlight over the mighty buffeting wings of the goddess of wrath as she descended from on high. Her misaligned golden eyes glowed with inner fire as she spoke in a deadly quiet voice that hissed over the gathering and sent fear into every fighter. In either hoof, masses of cloud swirled, siphoned and gathered from the bank that she had just torn apart, waiting to unleash death on the enemy.

“Who hurt my baby?”

“Men, it’s been an honor,” Taze said at the sight of the oncoming storm.

Derpy Hooves rained tenfold what the cannons had fired. It didn’t matter if her vision was off center. The bombardment was so thick and heavy as to blanket the whole of the guards’ side in a bullet-rain of white powder. Those who sought refuge within the armature of their fortress faced the reality-defying power that was Derpy’s rear as just a few bumps sent towers topling and whole ceilings caving in on the combatants. Of course, this was Derpy. She was never so cruel as to kill someone. But there would be legends told of this day for many years to come. Wo be unto those who should make the bubbly one their enemy, for her wrath was swift indeed.

The battle was definitely over.

The atmosphere surrounding the Punch Bowl and Sugarcube Corner was light and airy as parents and foals mingled with drinks and other treats provided courtesy of Pinkie Pie, the Cakes, and even Berry Punch. A grinning Mayor Mare approached the humans as they nursed their wounds and warmed themselves with coco and other hot drinks.

“Well, that was an incredible performance, gentlemen,” she praised. “I haven’t seen this much entertainment at the town since the Summer Sun Festival.”

“I’m glad you approve.” Taze gave a short bow. “Seems like a good time was had all around.”

“A good time is an understatement. Barring that incident with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, every foal has been raving about how much fun this battle of yours has been. The cunning, the strategy, the ingenuity and intrigue. It’s more fun than watching a sparring competition at Canterlot, and that is saying something.” She beamed at the trio. “And because of this fact, I would like to submit a little proposal to you three. Most particularly to you, Lord Shawn.”

“Oh?” Shawn hummed questioningly.

“With your permission, I would like to make this event Sir Taze planned into an annual affair, complete with codified rules of engagement and themes as organized by delegates from Ponyville and you or your representatives.”

Shawn hummed as he thought it over before glancing at Taze. “What do you think? Think you can manage a little annual event?”

“I think I can.” Taze smirked. “If anything, it’s already shown improvement in the troops.”

“Then I believe we have an agreement,” Shawn replied, looking back to Mayor Mare.

The mare grinned. “You’ve just sealed yourself as a hero to the foals in Ponyville for life.”

“That’s a title I’ll take with pride,” Taze laughed.

“I can hardly wait.” Matthew grinned. “I’d love to join in at the beginning.”

“As long as you feel up to it,” Taze said. “I’ll have to start making plans for next year. Maybe three days, instead?”

“That’s something I’ll leave to the committee that’s formed to decide. For now, I think it’s best that you take the time to rest on your laurels. You’ve certainly earned it,” Mayor Mare said.

“Actually, I think I owe some victorious foals a story,” Taze said. He stretched as he got to his feet.

“We may need some braziers to ward off the cold,” the mayor noted. “Would your troops be willing to help us set up the supplies, so the foals can listen?”

“I think they’ll be happy to. Just ask for Black Rook,” Taze said.

“I will,” the mayor promised. “And I’m certain the whole town is looking forward to your story. A few foals mentioned just how good of a spinner you are when it comes to tall tales.”

“A good story can change many hearts.” Taze smirked. “And a great story is never lost.”

“So, which one are you going to tell this time?” Shawn asked.

Taze laughed. “You know me well enough to know I don’t think that far ahead.”

“Says the man who nearly outflanked the foals and buried me in a snow cannon bombardment.”

“Hey, that was the troops. I just gave them a kick where they needed it.”

“Is that so?” Shawn smirked as he took another sip of his drink. The warm cider spread that tingling through his system to help ward off the chill with the sweet tang of the fruit blended with just a hint of cinnamon for flavor.

“If you really want to get them hooked, you could always try reading one of the books we brought from Earth,” Matthew suggested.

“Not good at dramatic reading.” Taze shook his head and tapped his temple. “Store them up here and work from there.”

“Well, you’d better think fast. It looks like they’re using Spike to light the braziers. You’re going to have an eager audience before long.” Matthew chuckled as the word began to spread.

“I have it.” Taze smirked. “I’ll tell them the story of the Polar Bear King.”

Shawn raised a curious brow. “Don’t think you’ve mentioned that one before.”

“Probably not. It’s based off an old movie I watched as a kid.”

“Is this going to be a saga?” Matthew asked.

“Possibly.” Taze shrugged. “We’ll have to see how the parents think.”

“After the two days of fun you just gave their kids, I wonder if they’ll even care.” Matthew chuckled. “That snowball fight was legendary.”

“Good.” Taze smirked. “Then they’ll remember it. That’s what's important to me, giving them some good memories.” Then he rose from his chair and strode toward the growing waiting throng.

That morning, the humans, Moonshade, and their two guests gathered in conference in their quarters. True to form, Matthew was wrapped in a shell of blankets while Shawn and Taze stood in slightly cooler gear to counter the increased temperature in Matthew’s room.

“Do you really think it’s wise to go to the castle now when there’s still so much snow to clear?” Matthew asked. “I mean, that little ‘accident’ you arranged from cloudsdale buried most of the usable roads.”

“Matthew, I grew up where worse blizzards than this were common winter weather,” Taze said. “I know how to travel in the cold.”

“Okay, then just for the record, what’s this particular mission going to focus around? Are you checking out the paths? Are you planning to enter the castle itself? What did you have in mind? And how long were you planning to be gone?”

“Checking out the path there, yes. Also noting the wildlife we may encounter. I’ll probably do a short look inside, just to be sure of the condition, so we’re not bringing several dozen Ponies into a situation we know nothing about.”

“Just make sure to be careful about timberwolves. We don’t know whether winter will put them into a hibernative state or not.” He frowned, then turned to Moonshade. “Does winter affect that particular species?”

Moonshade shrugged. “I wouldn’t be the one to ask.”

“Is there anyone we can before Taze goes into the forest, or have you already done that research yourself, Taze?” Matthew asked.

“According to the locals, they’re always active, like real wolves, but I don’t think they’re as much of a threat as we’ve been led to believe,” Taze noted.

“It is still not advisable to go alone,” Mutatio spoke up. “This is the castle of the two sisters, after all. A hive is always changing, always able to deter intruders and mislead them. Your structures need a different way to protect when breached or infiltrated. I believe you call them … traps?”

“I’ll get Black Rook to come along,” Taze said.

“That’s a start,” Shawn spoke up as he reached inside his coat. “Given your current plan, I’ll add on something to help act as a deterrent.” He pulled out an additional flintlock pistol and offered it to Taze. “Even if you don’t hit, most creature's will be wary of the bang.”

Taze’s eyes widened as he took the weapon gingerly. “Wow. You’ve been busy.”

“Once I was able to get back into the forge, I started work again.” Shawn reached into his coat and pulled out a pouch and holster for the flintlock. “You’ll have to adjust the straps, but it should work well for you.”

“I appreciate it,” Taze said, reaching for the holster.

“I’m still unsure of the significance of these weird shaped objects. Are they magical?” Moonshade asked.

“To explain it simply, these are what we used in place of magic, bows, and crossbows for ranged defense,” Shawn started. “Quite a complex device, but its whole purpose is almost the same. You don’t want to be in melee range, so you use it.”

“It doesn’t seem all that dangerous,” Moonshade commented.

“Are you aware of how a locomotive steam engine works?” Taze asked.

“Not particularly,” Moonshade responded.

Taze sighed and looked to Matthew expectantly.

“You need to heat up the water in a tank in the engine. Once you do, that water eventually turns to steam. The Steam will go through pipes and drive the wheels forward with the pressure that is produced by that steam. This stream will eventually turn back into water, but some of it will escape. That is why steam trains always stop at water towers to restock. The more steam it produces, the more powerful the load the train engine can take and the faster it can go. Now imagine all of that buildup occurring faster than a blink, and that same force that moves the engine at full speed pushing out ammunition in one go, faster than a crossbow bolt, and with more durability.”

“Basically, we harness that kind of power to send a projectile out.” Taze adjusted the holster. “I take it these are the extra cartridges?” he asked, holding up the pouch. “Bite and pour?”

“Just make sure the arrow on the cartridge is facing the right direction. It points into the barrel.” Shawn nodded.

“Okay, I’ll be working on getting everything ready, probably head out by tonight or early tomorrow,” Taze replied..

“I’d recommend going during the day.” Shawn frowned. “Given the unknown terrain, adding on the inability to see would make things way more complicated.”

“Either way, I’ll be working on getting gear together today. So probably be gone tomorrow.”

Shawn nodded, “I’d say keep us updated, but we don’t really have a method of contact.” He sighed.

“I’ll be fine. Just a couple days out in the cold. It’s not a big deal,” Taze said.

“Just like home, I’m guessing?” Matthew teased.

“Cold weather, tall trees, dangerous animals no more than a hundred yards away?” Taze smirked. “Pretty much.”

“Master sergeant!” Taze called out as he entered the camp area.

Black Rook jerked to attention immediately, a shovel gripped in his hooves as he tossed the snow out of the perimeter of one of the building sites. He quickly embedded the shovel in the snow and saluted the human. “Sir!”

“How would you feel about taking a trip for a few days with me on a scouting mission?” Taze asked him.

“I wondered when you planned on going in there.” Black Rook nodded. “I’m game, Sir.”

“Okay, then. We’ll probably be leaving first thing tomorrow. Not to treat you like a beast of burden, but would you mind pulling a cart?” Taze asked.

Rook smirked. “You do realize that’s a large part of Pony work, right?”

“Hey, I may be your superior, but it doesn’t mean I'm going to assume you're gonna do the work. You’re a soldier, not a slave, after all.”

“You … do realize you’ve been ordering us to do work for the last several weeks, right?” Rook pointed out. Then he chuckled.

“I’ve been working to make your bodies fit for what's ahead of you. This is different.”

“Fair enough.” Rook shrugged. “So, I’m guessing we’ll need to requisition a tent or two, stakes, some rope and a grappling hook, some rations. Anything else you need me to grab?”

“No. I’ll take care of the food and whatnot. You take care of the gear, okay?”

Black Rook nodded. “I’ll see it done.”

“Make sure you have an active weapon with you, just in case.”

“I’ll be ready.”

Shawn820: You've Doomed Us

American_Brony: This technically was written before the giant snow ball fight that appears on the main feature box. We are always writing ahead, as in, this was finished and wrapped up two to three months ago.

TealSpeckles: doomed! doomed! DOOOOOOOOOMED!

American_Brony: I think we need to use this box for something other then random words you two.

Shawn820: Fine, Chapter update, currently on chapter 29.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 16: Into the Woods

“So, let me get this straight, Sir. You can smell when the weather is going to turn?” Black Rook asked in disbelief as they trudged along the forest. The path, or what little remained of it, was bumpy and riddled with divots, brush, nettles, and other obstacles. The frozen ground made it even harder to navigate at times, but at least the snow drifts were no longer a concern. Taze had no choice but to ford a path through to the forest for their wagon and Rook to get by.

“Yeah.” Taze shrugged. “It’s a trait I kind of picked up while fishing with my dad.”

“How does that even work?”

“It’s hard to explain.” Taze shrugged. “Certain changes in the atmosphere can be detected by scent.”

“Okay, so what’s it supposed to smell like?”

“When we all get settled in the Everfree, I’ll do my best to show you, okay?”

“Not the words I would’ve picked, but I think I get what you mean.” Rook cracked his neck. “So, how far does the map say we have to go before we reach the castle?”

“We have another few miles yet,” Taze said.

“Good. That means we get to know each other better.” Rook smirked. “Okay, you answered my question. Time for you to ask me about something from my life.”

“How’d you end up a guard?” Taze asked.

“You ever run a farm before?”

“No,” Taze admitted.

“It’s hard work. Honest, good labor, but even if things turn out just right, they can still go bad when the bills come due. I’m what you might call the cushion for the family. When times get tough, the money I save goes toward keeping things afloat till next season.”

“That's respectable,” Taze said.

Rook nodded. “Don’t mean I don’t care. It’s just what helped push me over the edge to do it.”

“So, you hit a noble for being an ass?”

“No, I hit a fellow guard.” Rook smirked. “He just happened to be a noble before he enlisted.”

“Meh. You stood up for yourself. There’s no shame in it.”

“I kind of figured the same. I was taught to get straight to the point. Farmers can’t afford to cut around the bush unless we’re pruning.”

“Fair enough,” Taze laughed. “So, they benched you for that?”

“They made up a few other excuses.” He shrugged. “In the end, looks like I got the better deal.”

“Yup, because you got the better brain cells.”

“Or Faust decided to smile on me. Maybe Sleipnir, too. He is the god of war and battle, after all.”

“Eh. God helps those who help themselves.”

Rook cocked his head curiously. “Where’d you hear that?”

“It’s a saying from back home,” Taze explained.

“So you have a god of your own that you worship, too. I guess that makes sense. If we have our gods, you all must have yours, too. So, why don’t you tell me about your first big hunt?”

Taze smirked. “Well then, there was this one time I….”

Shawn hummed to himself as he wandered the grounds of Ponyville. After his usual stop at Sweet Apple Acres, he was left with nothing to do for the day. Thankfully, he carried funding on him, so a stop by the market was always available, especially given the rotating stock.

Though most of the stalls were food based, he did come across several notable tradesponies, one of which appeared to specialize in metal. Most of it was scrap of some kind, but there were several ingots of different metals about the stand.

After briefly thinking it over, Shawn walked to the stand and began looking over the ingots for anything worthwhile. Eventually, his eyes settled on a set of dark orange ingots, and after thinking over the fantasy metals he knew about, he waved over the one running the stand. As soon as he arrived, Shawn pointed towards the orange bars and asked, “Are these Orichalcum?”

“You’ve got a good eye. Not many folks ’round here know about that metal. Comes from the far south,” the small steel-gray Unicorn said. “It’s hard to shape, but strong, and it doesn’t rust.” he noted. “Also has great enchanting properties.”

“How much are you charging per ingot?”

“Twenty-five bits. That’s the best I can offer.”

After a brief moment, Shawn nodded. “Okay, I’ll take them.”

“How many?”

“Every ingot you’ve got of it.”

The stallion burst into a fit of laughter. “That’s a good one, friend,” he said as he wiped a tear from his eye. “But seriously, how many do you want?”

“How many do you have?”

“I have sixteen in stock.”

Shawn took hold of two of his pouches around and placed them on the table. “Like I said. All of them.”

The Unicorn’s jaw dropped at the sight of all that gold in one place. “Where did you…?” Finally, the Pony shook his head. The where was not important. He knew that better than anyone. He levitated the coins with his horn and started counting the bits. “Did you want me to deliver them for you, Sir?” he asked, even as his eyes darted quickly over each new coin that he stacked.

Shawn hummed as he took hold of one of the ingots and tested its weight. “They aren’t that heavy, so if you’ve got a durable bag large enough, I should be good.”

“For you, Sir, anything.” A heavy sack levitated from behind his stall and into the human’s hands. “Just a few moments more, Sir. I just have to make sure we have exact change.” It didn’t take too long for him to finish, leaving sixteen glittering stacks of twenty-five bits each holding over a patch of his counter. He nodded and levitated the ingots into the bag for the human, then levitated the remaining bits from the pouches toward Shawn. “Here’s your change, Sir.”

Shawn took the change and returned it to one of his pouches. Afterwards, he took hold of the sack of ingots and tested the weight once again before nodding and hefting it over his shoulder.

“Is there anything else that I can do for you today, Sir?” the Unicorn asked eagerly. In the stalls nearby, Ponies had begun to stock wares of much higher quality, and their eyes seemed almost to glow with golden bits for pupils before they blinked. Then their eyes were normal again, though their manner was far more strident as they worked to hawk their wares while glancing toward the human between customers.

“Perhaps. But, that’ll be for when I return. Need to hand these off first.”

“If you need directions, I know a smithy nearby that would love to take you on as a client.”

“Oh, no. I’ve got someone. Thanks, though.”

The marketplace gaped at the human’s strength as he easily hefted the bag over his shoulder. They would have expected such strength from a Minotaur, but not from a being so much shorter and less muscled. Shawn whistled to himself as he turned and bade the trader farewell with a brief two-finger salute. That was quite the haul, and he was very much looking forward to experimenting with the new material.

Matthew sighed as he looked over his stock of bolts. “I suppose I should see about getting something new. Taze isn't sure which of the old bolts had what on them when he treated them in the first place, and I don’t want to risk accidentally killing someone when I only want to slow them down.”

“That is probably for the best.” Moonshade nodded.

“You know a good place around here where I can buy some new weapons at a discount?”

“This is more of a farmer town,” she pointed out. “Weapons aren't exactly a priority.”

Matthew frowned. “That is a problem,” he admitted. “Maybe I can talk to Berry. If anyone might know where to look, it’s probably her, right?”

“Maybe. It will be easier when the smiths are more set up and Canterlot can send us a fletcher.”

“Well, I guess in the meantime, we might as well see what we can dig up.” Matthew stretched and slowly pulled on his winter gear. “Mutatio, Me-Me, we’ll need the two of you to stay here while we’re gone. It shouldn’t take us too long to find what we need to know.” Lastly, he reached into the chest and placed a number of bits into a sack.

Mutatio nodded. “We will await your return. What will be your passcode this time?”

Matthew smiled and rapped on the wooden floor, singing along. “Shave and a hair-cut. Two bits.”

Mutatio cocked his head. “That is a … strange song.”

Matthew chuckled. “Humans are a strange people sometimes. It isn’t always fun to make sense.” With that, he waved his farewell to both Changelings and strode out the door followed by Moonshade. It didn’t take them long to get down the stairs where Berry manned the counter as she always did. “Hey, Berry, I find myself in need of some bolts for my crossbow. Do you know anywhere that might sell those kinds of things around here?”

Berry shrugged. “We don’t really have much of a need for weapons around these parts. Most of the creatures in the Everfree stay there. We’re not really sure why. I guess you could try some of the traders. Though after the snowfall, I’m not sure how many of their stalls will actually be open today.”

“Where would I find them normally?”

“They usually set up on the edge of town or in the square, depending on what Mayor Mare allows.”

Matthew smiled. “Thanks, Berry. One last question before we go.” He fished out a couple of coins from his bag. “Got something that can help keep me warm while we’re walking out there?”

Berry smirked as she eyed the human up and down. “I reckon I can think of something.”

Matthew’s breath steamed in the air as he sighed in contentment before closing the flask Berry had provided for him. He’d promised to return it, and he had every intention of doing so, but he had to admit that these Pony enchantments really were something else to maintain the temperature so well. “Moonshade, thanks for coming with me. I may be a good shot, but when it comes to quality and types of crossbow ammunition, I’m not nearly so experienced. If there’s anything you can help teach me while we’re shopping, I’ll be happy to learn.”

“We’ll have to see what's available first, and I'll see what I can point out.”

Matthew nodded, then shuddered. He wasn’t sure whether it was a natural response to the cold or the sheer horror at the grins that all seemed to be directed toward him. “Please don’t tell me I just stepped into Stepford Wives,” he muttered to himself.

The market was like the perfect storm. As they strode along the streets, Ponies practically vibrated as they gazed after them. Finally, the first of the stall workers broke with their cries, and the rest soon followed. The resulting cacophony was akin to an avalanche of sound as stall owners vied for Matthew’s attention with fervent zeal.

“Is this normal behavior for these kinds of markets?” Matthew yelled.

“No,” Moonshade replied. “Not unless they smell money!”

“That’s a thing here?”

“Not literally.” She snickered.

“You do realize you’re talking to a human who never knew real magic until he fell into Equestria, right? For all I know, that actually could happen.” He sighed as they ducked behind the stalls and waited for the fervor to cool down. “I’m going to take a wild guess that Shawn must have been here, then.”

“I suppose he must,” she agreed.

“Give me a second to get my heart back under control, and then we can get back out there. There’s got to be someone willing to give us directions.”

A few minutes later, the two were standing before a stall that had a butter-yellow Pegasus mare with a green mane for a proprietor. It had taken some convincing for the various traders to calm down, but the pair finally got the directions they needed to get what they were looking for. Sketches of various bows and arrows were proudly displayed, pinned against fluffy white clouds.

“H-hello,” the mare greeted. “I’m Feather Flight. How can I help you today?”

“I’m looking for some replacement crossbow bolts for this model here,” Matthew said as he produced the bow in question. “Would you happen to have any in stock?”

Feather Flight peered over the bow carefully. “This is government issue,” she noted. “The guard doesn’t let go of these easily. Then again, I see you have a guardspony in your party.” She frowned and rubbed her chin in thought. “I don’t have many military-grade quarrels, but I might be able to give you the next best thing.” She rummaged around her stall for a time, then finally pulled a small box from one of the many clouds that adorned her stall and placed it on the counter before pulling it open. “These are Gryphon hunting bolts. Most use a unique kind of bow that is designed for strength and speed at a larger size, but their training bows produce arrows that are suitable for younger cubs. They should also work for your crossbow.”

“May I?” Matthew asked as he gestured toward the box.

“Certainly. Just one, please.”

Matthew nodded and removed one of the arrows. First, he compared it to the groove to ensure the guide would fit. Then he tested the length against the cocking of the mechanism. Finally, he braced the arrow and locked it in place with the string to line up a proper shot. Feather Flight quickly produced a target and placed it for the human, who proceeded to aim and fire. The bow released with a loud thok, and the bolt whizzed through the air, striking just a hair’s breadth outside of the bullseye. Matthew whistled at the sight when Feather Flight carried the target back.

“If you like them, I can also throw in a fletching kit to help you maintain them or refurbish any used ones that you purchase in the future,” the mare offered helpfully.

Matthew nodded. “How many in a bushel and how much?”

“These are more unique items, but since they’re refurbished, you can buy five bolts for five bits. The kit itself will cost you twenty bits.”

Matthew nodded. “I’ll take twenty bolts, then, and the kit.”

Feather Flight was as gentle as her name as she drew up the purchase and bundled Matthew’s package together. “I trust your friend can help you learn how to use the kit if you don’t already know. But if you have any problems or need some direction, I’ll be here for a few more days before I have to move on.”

Matthew nodded as he handed her the coins. “Thank you for your help.”

She smiled. “Any time.” Then her eyes widened. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She quickly swept behind her counter and emerged with a leather belt bound around two tube-like protrusions. “A crossbow isn’t any good without a quiver to help reload.” She passed them to Matthew. “Take it as a gift for your service.”

Matthew blinked in surprise. “I, uh … thank you,” he finally managed to say.

“You two take care now!” Feather Flight smiled and waved as she gathered her materials and bits and returned them to various hiding places among her stall.

Matthew smiled as the two strode away together. “Well, that was a lot more productive than I thought it was going to be.”

“Yes, well sometimes you find a break.” Moonshade laughed.

“I guess karma wanted to be nice after all the yelling and screaming from the other stalls before,” Matthew agreed with a chuckle. As the two continued to walk, the light of the sun’s rays refracted off a display full of devices that Matthew had never expected to see in a medieval setting like this, and yet there they were. A brown Unicorn was busy servicing one of the devices, adjusting the lens and polishing its surface with a cloth. “Cameras,” Matthew breathed.

“Unusual to find them being sold so openly,” Moon shade commented.

“Are these common in Equestria?”

“What exactly?”

“Cameras. You said they aren’t usually sold so openly.”

“Not these kinds,” she noted. “Most of the time, they’re larger and require proper training.”

Matthew nodded and stroked his chin. “I’m a little low on bits now, but I think I might want to come back later to buy one. You never know when it might come in handy, and it’ll be good to have a visual record of our time here to bring home again.”

“You know how to use one?”

“Oh, yes. We’ve had cameras in our world for nearly two centuries.”

“How far away are we?”

“From Earth? Who knows?” He chuckled. “As for the difference in technology, I won’t know the equivalent until I actually look at the stock and compare. Even then, I can only assume yours must have at least some form of magical component to them. Ours are purely technological in nature, so it may not be a totally accurate comparison.”

“I suppose.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll still give it my best to compare,” he promised. “Who knows? If I buy one, maybe we can have a little fun afterward.” He smirked. “Tell me, Moonshade, have you ever heard of something called a selfie?”

“You know, I’m not seeing the reason why everyone’s so terrified of this place,” Taze said as they walked along past gnarled and withered branches and trunks. “Reminds me of back home when we used to haul wood.”

“Most Ponies fear it for its unpredictability. We like order and peace. The Everfree doesn’t. It’s the scar that mars Equestria.”

“Do you guys tell the microbacteria in the soil when to undergo mitosis?” Taze asked. “Or tell the cells in plantlife what rate they propagate?”

“The … what and the what?” Rook cocked his head in utter confusion as he scrunched his brow together.

“Nature is a much more involved process than you realize.” Taze chuckled. “You’re not in control, even when you think you are.”

“Pretty sure most magic folk wouldn’t agree with you,” Rook pointed out. “But, then again, that’s never stopped you before. Or so I’ve been told.”

“Look, if you grow crops in a field for too long, it starts to give less food, right?”

“Not for a long time. I don’t know what it was like for you on Earth, but we don’t have to rotate crops often here. Usually once a decade or so.”

“Still, you know why?”

“The land’s alive just like the rest of us. Sometimes, you’ve gotta give it a rest.”

“Yes, because the soil’s full of tiny things you can’t see that give it the ability to help plants grow. Not everything is about magic.”

“Are we talking bugs and worms or something else?”

“Smaller,” Taze said.

“Smaller than that?”

“Yup. Too small to be seen with the naked eye.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to be able to believe that until I see it,” Rook admitted.

“I’ll check. Twilight sparkle probably has a microscope we can use somewhere.”

“What’s a microscope?”

“A device for looking at very very tiny objects.”

“So, like a magnifying glass?”

“Just more powerful.”

Rook nodded. “All right. I’ll take you up on that sometime.”

“Hey, it's always good to keep learning.” Taze chuckled. “To stop learning is to die.”

“I thought dying was to die.”

Taze raised an eyebrow. “Was that a joke?”

Rook smirked as he picked up his pace. “You tell me.”

Shawn hummed a tune to himself as he made his way over to the forge. Once he stepped inside, he was greeted to the sight of just Steel Weaver at work. “Storm on break?”

“Aye,” Steel Weaver replied as he put down his current project. “What brings you by, lad?”

Shawn smirked. “I bring gifts.”

“Oh now?” Steel Weaver turned his attention fully over to Shawn. “It’s not even my birthday.”

Shawn placed the sack of ingots on the nearby workbench and pulled out one of the bars. “Orichalcum, in particular.”

Steel Weaver took one of the ingots and began inspecting it. “Aye, that certainly is. Difficult stuff to get at the capital, primarily because they kept saying it wasn’t economical, all because the equipment it’d make was out of their range and not shiny enough to keep their attention. How’d you get it?”

“In the market. There’s plenty of tradesmen who look like they’re from out of the area. There’s still some other materials in stock, but these grabbed my attention.”

“Figures they would,” the smith chuckled. “They’re great for heavy equipment in particular. How much were they?”

“Around twenty-five an ingot.”

Steel Weaver hummed as he thought it over. “Yeah, that seems about fair price. Actually, it’s near the lower end of it, so you got lucky there.”

“Sounds like it was worth it, then.” Shawn gave a small smile. “Well, go ahead and use them for your own projects. Save a couple for me to look over, but you’re free to use most of it.”

Steel Weaver looked questioningly at Shawn. “You sure, lad?”

“Go for it,” Shawn waved dismissively as he turned to leave. “Have fun.”

Steel Weaver grabbed a set of parchment and some sketching tools as ideas started forming for what to make with it as Shawn set off.

It didn’t take long for him to arrive back at the market. As he strode along, one mare cried out, “Fresh warm blankets! Great for huddling up by the fire to ward off the cold, woven from the finest wool!” Shawn frowned as he thought back to Matthew and how he’d shivered during the snowball fights. Taze didn’t really have any winter gear either. None of them did. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to look for something more practical to help ward off the chill.

A more thorough search yielded little results. Most stalls were selling armor, not winter gear. And even then, that armor was built for Ponies and Gryphons, not humans. This would need a custom order if he wanted to pull it off, and he knew of only one Pony who would be able to do the job right with quality service and a smile. The journey to Carousel Boutique was one filled with the laughter of foals as they dashed along the streets while Earth Ponies worked to help plow away the excess that had flooded the cobblestone square. Fortunately, while the snow was as tall as a Pony, humans could still traverse the drifts without so much difficulty. It took him a few minutes longer to reach the shop than he would have liked, but it wasn’t that much of an inconvenience as he finally reached the door, pulled it open, and entered.

The bell tingled just as it had on TV. And as Shawn closed the door, he heard the familiar voice singing. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique. How may I help y—oh my, why if it isn’t Lord Shawn!” Rarity quickly bounced her wavy mane with the flick of a hoof, then lowered her forelegs in a bow. Her smile was wide and eager as she rose again. “What brings you to my humble shop today?”

“Please, no need for formalities.” Shawn gave a smile. “I came by to commission you for something. Three things in particular.”

“Something for your troops, then? Or is this something more personal?” Rarity asked as she levitated some measuring tape from a nearby shelf.

“For Matthew, Taze, and myself. Winter cloaks to be precise. Though I can handle the cold just fine, I’m sure Matthew would appreciate some extra warmth.”

“Does he get cold easily?” Rarity frowned. “The poor dear. I thought the shivering was because he hadn’t had enough coco to drink.”

“Yeah. It’s why I thought it best to get some cloaks made, and I figured you were the best one for the job.”

“I do still have your measurements on file,” she agreed. “Any other Pony you visit would have to measure you and get a proper fitting done after the fact, and that’s nothing to say of the cost for travel.” She tsked and shook her head. “You’ve definitely made the right choice.” She nodded forcefully. “I suppose I should begin with the more important questions,” she said as she levitated a piece of parchment, a quill, and an inkwell over. “This could take a while, depending on your answers. If you’d like, we can discuss the commission over a pot of tea.”

“That sounds delightful,” Shawn replied with a smile.

She led him through the workspace to a small but tidy kitchen. A kettle sat steaming over an open flame, and under Rarity’s magic, a tea set was quickly arranged and set on the table near the breakfast nook, complete with cream, sugar, and honey. “Were you looking for something akin to a uniform or with more of a personal touch?”

“For Taze and myself, personal should be fine. Matthew, however, I know would appreciate it if it were more akin to a uniform.”

Rarity smiled. “Yes, I’ve noticed he tends to enjoy his role as a teacher.” She motioned toward the table. “Please, have a seat. I like to get a proper idea of who I’m working with to get that extra touch. Given how close you three are as friends, I think you’ll be the perfect person to give me what I need to know.” She giggled gleefully and pranced on her hooves. “I can hardly wait to get started!”

Mutatio stared curiously at the small device. A crystal had been embedded into the camera’s surface to provide a source of both magic and of memory. A small lever not unlike the hammer of a pistol acted as the trigger for the device to function.

“And this object can capture memories?” The Changeling cocked his head curiously as he gazed at the camera’s lens.

“Not in the literal sense,” Matthew said. “More like replicate a moment in time and save it for you to look back on later. It’s similar to the paintings that you might have seen in Canterlot before you became independent, only more realistic.

“And this captures memory, how?”

“Like I said, it allows a person to look back on the moment the camera captures. Like this.” He raised the camera and pulled it back from the curious Changeling, then flicked the trigger. One flash of light from the crystal later, Matthew was presenting the slab at the back. An engraving had etched itself over the material portraying the Changeling gazing curiously at the pair. “Think of this like a preview of the actual picture. I’d have to get someone to look at the crystal and transfer the images that are stored there onto parchment or some other medium, but after that, I’ll have a picture of you that I can look at whenever I want.”

“And this … excites you?”

Matthew grinned. “Of course it does. I write journals, too, but having pictures to go with the stories help to make them more real for anyone who reads them, even the writer. Each picture I take will be attached to an important memory that I want to keep. That’s more precious than gold or silver to me. If you forget where you came from, how can you learn from the mistakes? And how can you reflect on the good times?”

“We … do not usually require such things to remember. To a Changeling, one’s memory is all’s memory. We do not need to freeze a moment in time. The song is there for us all to share, and even if one of our number should die, the echoes of their song remain to offer knowledge, wisdom, experience, and important information. They will always be remembered. They will always exist, or at least a small part of them will. You … do not have this?”

Matthew shook his head. “That’s why we have our photos and statues and grave markers. They tie us to our past, the good and the bad. Without them, it would be too easy for people to change or even try to erase that past. I don’t want to forget any of this, and I don’t want anyone to try to take this adventure from me either when we get home.”

“When you return to your hive, your … family.”

Matthew nodded. “Yes,” he said as he brushed the camera gently. “My family.” Even in another world, in a culture vastly different from their own, Matthew had found his own way to tie himself back to those he loved and strive to remember them. He strode to his desk and grabbed his k-bar, another emblem of memory, another tie. The pangs of homesickness struck mercilessly, and he could hear the scrabbling of hooves against the floor as Mutatio stepped back. “Sorry about that. I guess that emotion must be a little bitter for you.” He smiled weakly at the drone and the queen who lay nearby. “I’ll try to keep it in check.” He sighed and looked at the knife again. “Still, I can’t help but wonder what they’re up to right now….”

“Don’t react now, but we’re being followed,” Taze said, not dropping his smirk or his laughter as he slowly reached down and unclipped his holster.

“I’m not going to be much good in a fight if I’m stuck hitched to this thing,” Rook noted.

“Then loosen your harness, but don’t take it off yet.” The dim glow of green eyes flickered dully beyond the scraggly arms of the brush.

“I’ll need your help to do it if you don’t want them to see what we’re up to,” Rook murmured to his companion.

Taze nodded as he dropped back a pace and carefully loosened the harness while making it look like he was checking it.

Taze heard the snap just in time and brought the flintlock to bear. The retort echoed through the area as the ball tore into the pouncing wolf. Holstering the gun, he grabbed his blade and lashed out as another one came forward, the wood making up its being shearing under the blade’s momentum. However the wolf’s momentum carried, taking the sword with it and allowing its teeth to scrape his skin. Growling at the burning pain, Taze checked to make sure Rook was free as he retrieved the blade.

Rook used the cart’s sturdy construction to his advantage, waiting until just the right moment for the timberwolves to crash into it as he escaped for maximum damage to the beasts. He then followed up by snorting and pawing at the earth before charging toward the next assailant in the pack. At the last moment, he turned to the rear and bucked as hard as his hooves would allow, ramming the metal of his horseshoes into the beat’s snout and knocking out its teeth before the shockwave sent branches flying back in splinters. Calmly, Rook drew his sword from its sheath and gazed grimly at the advancing eyes, even as he stomped what branches he could manage.

Taze backed next to rook as he worked to carefully reload the flintlock as fast as he could. “This is gonna be tight.”

“You have no idea.” Rook grunted as he parried one of the beast’s blows with his sword. “They’ll reform, too, unless we can scare them off.”

Taze grabbed a scrap of wood and stuffed it in his bag. “So what do we do?”

“I’m open to ideas,” Rook said as he bucked another wolf. “Some lightning would be nice.”

“You see a horn on my forehead? Cause I don’t see one on yours,” Taze said as he decapitated another wolf. Finally finding a hatchet in his bag, he pulled it out for his other hand.

“Then we’re going to have to break up as many as we can and run. If we destroy enough of them, we should get the opening we need to get out. Since I can’t hitch back up to the wagon, you’ll need to pull it. I’ll cover you. Four legs makes me faster, anyway.”

Taze nodded as he brought the hatchet down before transitioning into a swing with his sword. “Best idea we’ve got.”

“If we can cross water, that would be best. You say you can smell rain. Can you smell a stream or a river?”

“Not quite the same thing. Just get ready,” Taze said.

Rook grit his teeth as claws raked across his armor and he struck a gash in the lower body of one of the wolves. His nostrils flared. “We’re going to have to move fast and hard,” he agreed. “If we can reach the castle, we might be safe. I doubt the princesses would have left it without wards.”

Taze nodded, throwing back a couple more wolves before he grabbed the harness straps for the wagon and charged off. Rook didn’t shout a battle cry. That would have meant dropping his sword and his guard against a pack of very hungry and very fast timberwolves. Instead, the stallion remained true to his word. When he could, he sought to separate the heads from the bodies to try to confuse the creatures and render them less dangerous. The pack continued to race after them, howling all the while as the dark and withered trees seemed to warp into twisted smiling fiends.

“Keep running!” Rook ordered. “We’re almost to the river!” He leaped onto the cart itself and stabbed one of the monsters in the eye.

Taze fired another shot but didn’t check to see if it hit as he pulled the cart onward. A cold bitter wind cut through the air and stung at their faces like angry screams of demonic forces. Still, the pair pressed on. The thickening of the trunks around them helped to narrow the fields of attack for their pursuers, granting a brief reprieve in their mad dash toward the opening on the far end.

“Let’s pray Faust lets us cross!” Rook shouted as they burst through. He leapt off the cart and kept pace next to Taze as his legs churned across the frozen ground. Once more, the wolves were howling and gaining ground. Some circled in an attempt to flank the pair, even as the familiar groaning crackle of ice pierced their ears.

Fortunately for both human and Pony, the ice was thick enough to support their weight, despite their pounding steps and the cold trying to seize their lungs as they ran. When they managed to cross the river, Taze took the hatchet and hacked at the ice a few times behind them until he saw cracks beginning before they took off again.

“Don’t stop,” Rook ordered. The two couldn’t afford to waste breath on long sentences and suggestions. “Bridge next. Won’t follow.”

“Not stopping,” Taze replied in equally short breaths.

The sound of ice breaking mingled with startled yipes, and a grim smile pulled across Taze’s face as the two continued to run. Red droplets stained fur and the ground as the pair continued to run. The snarls of the pack hounded them like vengeful ghosts, spurring them on. As the first of the beasts came into view on the rear, they reached the gorge and the rope bridge.

“Move!” Rook bellowed. The pair pushed the last of their adrenaline into a sprint to haul across the bridge as fast as their legs could carry them. The ropes creaked. The planks bounced and swayed, sending rippling waves along both sides of the bridge as they raced across it like a mallet over a xylophone. Taze could have sworn he actually heard the sound of one, too as they finally crashed on the other side.

Rook rounded to face the other side of the gorge, his sword at the ready to cut the ropes if necessary.

“Don’t need to do that,” Taze panted as he dropped the cart’s bars, hatchet in one hand, sword in the other. “If they come for us, we have the advantage.”

“Kick them down the gorge before they can reform?” Rook guessed.

“Let’s see if they can survive getting turned into splinters.”

Rook grinned viciously.

Matthew stood in front of Golden Oak library with camera in hand. Once more, his hands burned pink as the cold winter temperatures attacked his skin in an effort to render it as dry and brittle as a snowflake. A few good clicks caught the structure from multiple angles, and he couldn’t help but giggle, despite the cold. “A literal tree house. And it’s still alive.”

“It’s a small marvel not seen often,” Moonshade said. “Living wood is something only very skilled Earth Ponies can create.”

“Aren’t trees living wood by definition?”

“Usually, trees die quickly when an axe or blade is taken to them. It takes a lot of skill to make an entire building out of a tree without killing it.”

“And Twilight doesn’t have to prune the inside at all, does she?”

“No. The Earth Pony magic keeps things relatively neat.”

Matthew frowned. “That … actually makes me wonder one more thing.”

“And what's that?”

“Trees need their root systems to stay alive. But doesn’t the library have a basement? How does that work and not impact the tree’s roots?”

“Spatial compression magic.”

“Wouldn’t that kind of spell drain energy from Twilight, though?”

“There are ways to get around that.” Moon River shrugged. “I’m not a unicorn.”

Matthew smirked. “So, you’re telling me to go in there and ask Twilight for a lecture on how all that works while you’re still with me?”

“Oh, no.” Moonshade smirked in turn. “I have other duties, and you’ll be safe in there.”

“I suppose it’s better than being tackled by Lyra,” he agreed. “Speaking of which, is there a reason why we haven’t seen her so much lately? I thought she lived here in Ponyville.”

“She does, but she has connections in Canterlot.”

“I guess she’d have to if she was picked as a bridesmare for Cadance’s wedding,” he mused. He paused for a few seconds, then looked to Moonshade. “You … do know I was joking about asking Twilight for that lecture, right?”

“Yup,” Moonshade said, opening the library door. “Twilight? Matthew was hoping you’d explain how the basement worked.” With that, she proceeded to shove the human inside and wait.

“Twilight looked up from the table, where she’d been looking over a stack of new books, one of which hovered incredibly close to her muzzle. “Hmm? What?” She blinked a few times, then finally interpreted the guard’s words. “Oh, the dimensional compression?” She smiled. “Sure. I’ll be happy to teach you about that. It really is a fascinating subject.”

Matthew sighed and strode toward the mare, even as she levitated another book from the history section of the shelves. Moonshade was nowhere to be seen. “You win this battle, Moonshade,” he muttered. “But the war has only just begun.”

Rook dabbed at the claw marks over Taze’s arm with an alcohol-soaked cloth. “So, was that easier or harder than dealing with the Changelings?” he asked as he swept at the sap and splinters.

“I mean, easier to track them while they’re moving, harder to predict them,” Taze said.

“I guess that’s fair.” Rook nodded as he examined the cuts one more time, then broke out the bandages to start wrapping the wound.

“So, will I ever play the piano again?” Taze asked.

“You have all your fingers still, don’t you?”

“Huh. Wow. That's amazing, considering I couldn't play it before.” Taze laughed.

“Then you’ll play it poorly.” Rook smirked. “You know, you should try to get something sturdier than that leather. Those wolves nearly cut through it.”

“I’ll look into studded leather later. Chain’s too clunky.”

Rook nodded. “All right, let’s see if I cry like a foal or not.” He sat himself down and tossed the rag and alcohol toward Taze. “Maybe I’ll learn to play an instrument, too.”

Taze chuckled as he soaked the rag and held it over one scratch mark. “Ready?”

Rook took a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with. We have a castle to reach.”

Taze nodded and began applying the alcohol-soaked rag to the wound.

Shawn stretched as he exited Rarity’s shop. While he was happy for the conversation, the chairs weren’t exactly made for humans. And while Rarity was a kindly and, as her element indicated, generous host, she also had her own projects to attend to. He recognized the spark of fever that prefaced creativity. And who was he to deny her the chance to give it form?

“Shawn?”

Shawn turned with mild surprise to face a heavily bundled Matthew. His pink hands clung to what appeared to be a camera of some kind. One of the vendors had mentioned something about that when he was passing through the market….

Shawn smiled. “I see you’re out and about as well.”

“Had to pick up some supplies earlier today. Since I was in the neighborhood, I thought I’d stop by and see how the boutique looks in real life.”

“Speaking of the boutique, you should head inside. I ordered some winter cloaks for us, so you should get all the info squared away.”

“Really?” Matthew gaped at his friend. “I … thank you,” he finally managed to say, even as his body began to shake again.

“Get inside and warm up. Rarity will take good care of you. And I don’t think we want to test the physics of being frozen in a block of ice in this world, even if it is magical.”

Matthew nodded. “W-will do,” he said as his body began to shake.

Shawn chuckled as he turned to leave. There was still plenty to explore in terms of the market, and he had plenty of time to manage it. The vendors were more than happy to see his return. And as he strode past each, they worked stridently to gain his attention. Weapons, armor, exotic foods and ingredients, and more were thrust toward him as he walked past, heedless of the other customers that stood waiting. Shawn barely suppressed the frown that wanted to form as the racket continued. Instead, he allowed his face to settle into a bleak mask as he strode past. It was one thing to promise he would return to look at more wares. It was another to endure a gauntlet of voices squeezing him like a vice. Finally, he passed near the trading post’s entrance, where a wider stall displayed volume after volume of books and stacks of parchments, all bound and carefully organized with price tags and other markers to differentiate them. A familiar purple Unicorn peered between two such books that she held before her in her magical grip.

“Finding new material for your library, Twilight?” Shawn asked as he drew near.

“Yup,” Twilight said as she eyed the books. “It’s so hard to choose, though. Should I go with A Million Magical Ways to Cook or Design in Mind: A Treatise on Counter Curses in Architecture and their Applications in Combating Villains?”

“Uhh,” Shawn hummed as he looked over the books in particular. “I mean, Counter Curses seems like it’d always be useful, you know what I mean?”

“I agree on principle, but is it useful for Ponyville? I mean, it’s not very likely for us to run into some dramatic villain here. Not after what happened when we helped Princess Luna, anyway.”

“Fair enough, but it wouldn’t hurt to always be prepared.” He shrugged.

“Maybe I can see about adding it to my personal collection,” Twilight mused as she levitated the volume back toward the seller and pulled the former one toward her, then placed some bits on the surface for the stall’s owner to collect. “I’ve been meaning to build up on some new material lately. And what brings you here, Shawn?” she asked.

“Just wandering about the market and checking what’s avail…able,” he trailed off as his eyes stopped on a unique leatherbound book. The curled scrawl was not the now-familiar characters of the Pony language, but something far older and much more unique. For instead of any language he had ever heard of to exist on Equis, this volume was written in Latin, a language heretofore unknown in all the records he had seen previously in the Canterlot Archives. And a language he had made sure to study in his free hours back on Earth.

He took hold of the book and read over the title a few times to ensure he was reading it correctly.

“That one is the cursed jewel of my collection,” the stall owner said with a smile. His coppery coat glinted dully under the overcast skies above. “As far as I’ve been able to tell, it’s one of a kind, but nopony has ever been able to read it or decipher its pages. I tried to bring it to the princesses in hopes that they might be able to assist me with determining its source, but I could never get an appointment.”

“Praecantatio a e Orbis.” Shawn spoke the title. “Magic of the World.”

The stallion raised a brow. “Legend says that there book’s been around for at least a millennium. It arrived in a blast of light. My grandfather managed to acquire it from its last owner as a bequest in a will. Spent the better part of eighty years trying to figure it out before he passed, and he was a trained linguist. Then again, I suppose if you can read it, it must come from wherever you hail from, stranger.”

“I just don’t know how it could have.” He frowned as he looked it over once more before directing his attention to the stallion. “How much?”

“Promise to translate it, and I’ll give it to you for free.”

“I … think I can manage that,” Shawn replied as he reached to a pouch on his hip. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not paying for it,” he finished, pulling out a stack of bits and placing them before the stallion.

The vendor gaped at the sight of the stacks, then looked up at Hammer Strike again. “You're giving me all of this?”

“You mentioned that not only have you tried to get this translated, but even your grandfather spent eighty years at it.” Shawn gave a smile. “I wouldn’t feel right just taking it.”

The stallion looked to the human, then to the coins, then back to the human again. “Only a noble would carry this much money without a care. And you’re not paying me to flaunt it either. You actually mean it.” He shook his head in bewilderment. “Generosity is a rare trait to find these days, especially in a noble. Allow me to at least repay your kindness with an old family blessing.” He bowed his head low, touching the tip of his horn to the top of one of the stacks of coins. “May your generosity return to you a hundred fold.”

Shawn gave a small smile. “I appreciate it. It’s a shame that such things are rare.”

Twilight was practically salivating as she gazed at the book in Shawn’s hands. “A book of magic from another world….”

“I sense you’re intrigued by this.” Shawn chuckled.

“Shawn, I am literally the bearer of the element of magic. Magic has been the very core of my studies for pretty much my whole life. Of course I’m going to want to see what’s in the book.”

“Well, after I read it over to a point, I may be able to translate it into a blank book. But we’ll see how things look after I determine if it’s good or not.”

“You mean your cursed artifacts don’t give off malevolent auras?”

“That, wh … What?”

“That’s what you meant when you said determine if it’s good or not, right? Whether it was good magic or evil?”

“Your cursed items just … give away that they’re cursed?” Shawn questioned.

“Most of them, yes.”

“What’s the point of them, then—?” Shawn stopped. “You know what? Nevermind. I mean more in the case of what the contents of the book are about.”

“Isn’t knowledge supposed to be shared, though?” Twilight cocked her head in confusion. “I mean, war is bad, but we still teach our histories about it.”

“In my opinion, while knowledge may always be good, it can also lead to wrong conclusions depending on what is revealed. Say, for example, a book about curses. Not about what they do, just a book on how to perform them. While it would be good to know what the curses can do, if it’s just on how to make them, it’s knowledge better left where it was, or at the very least, under higher clearance.”

Twilight frowned. “Normally, I’d disagree, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders have shown us more than once what happens when fillies of a certain age aren’t supervised,” she admitted. “Will you even have time, though, with all the work you have to do with the guard recruits?”

“Definitely. My chronic insomnia helps see to that.” Shawn sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “I’m up an average nineteen to twenty hours a day.”

“You know we do make potions for that, right?”

“Yeah, I tried one in Canterlot once. Didn’t work.”

Twilight frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. Then again, maybe it has to do with your anatomy?”

“Difference of chemicals, body weight, something along those lines, probably.” He shrugged. “In any case, I’m managing just fine.”

“How is only a few hours’ worth of sleep fine?”

“No idea. But, it’s been working so far. For all I know, the whole magic deal might be keeping me awake or something. There’s just too many unknown variables.” He shrugged once more. “In any case, here.” He pulled one of the sacks from his hip and handed it over to Twilight. “Have fun expanding your collection,” he remarked as he turned to leave.

“I can’t take all of this. It’s your reward money,” Twilight insisted, even as Shawn continued to walk. “Shawn? Shawn!”

Shawn just smiled and waved farewell behind him as he cradled his latest acquisition under one arm and strode away.

The weather was still chilly as Matthew pulled open the door to his next stop, the famous Carousel Boutique. True to form, Rarity played the gracious host, being only too happy to greet a new customer.

“I’m so glad you came by, Matthew. Lord Shawn and I were just talking about an order to fill for the three of you. Apparently, you need some custom winter clothing?”

Matthew nodded. “Yeah. It was autumn back home when we first arrived in Canterlot. The winter … hasn’t been so kind.”

Rarity finally noticed Matthew’s hands and gasped. “My goodness!” she exclaimed. “Why, you’re practically frozen.” In an instant, the mare was pushing and fussing over him like a mother hen as she shoved him deeper into her store until they reached a stone fireplace with crackling logs. “Now, you just sit down there by the fire and I’ll whip up a hot water bottle for those hands of yours. The rest of your winter gear might be able to wait, but you clearly need something for those hands before you leave again.”

“I—”

“Ah-ah-ah, no buts,” Rarity insisted. “It would be poor payment for me to let you suffer in the cold when you don’t have to. A whole ensemble takes time to produce, but mittens are another matter entirely.” She quickly levitated a chair over and nudged the human into it. “I just need to take a few measurements after we warm you up. Do you prefer tea or cocoa?”

Matthew shuddered as the warmth of the fire stretched toward his hands and he leaned forward in turn. The room was cozy and comfortable to an extent, though Rarity’s unique tastes left much of the space with a more effeminate touch. “Whichever is easiest for you,” he replied. A subtle prickling stung at his fingers and palms as the warmth seeped into his limbs. A few moments later, Rarity returned with the promised bottle. “Thank you,” he said.

“Any time, darling,” Rarity assured. “The only thing worse than a crime against fabulosity is depriving a Pony, … that is, a person of a basic need if you can afford to help. I’ll have that drink ready for you soon. Once we have you warmed up, we’ll get started on those mittens.”

“Do you think we could maybe make it gloves instead?” Matthew asked tentatively. “Much of our work is done outdoors, and I prefer to be able to use all of my fingers.”

“Mittens first, gloves with the main order,” Rarity assured him. Then she tapped her chin in thought. “You know, I’ve never had to make a set of fingered gloves before,” she mused. Then she smiled. “I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

It didn’t take long for the kettle to warm, and soon the scent of mint and honey wafted under Matthew’s nostrils as Rarity levitated a tea tray into the room and laid it on a small stand to keep warm by the fire. Rarity then used her magic to levitate a large couch into the room and sat on it with a smile that was at once gentle and hungry.

“Now, then, let’s get down to business. Lord Shawn told me you would prefer something with more of a military theme, but I’m not entirely certain what that constitutes to you specifically. Why don’t you tell me a little more about yourself and what you might have in mind? I’ll make sure to draw some sketches, and we can fiddle around while I work on your mittens in the meantime.”

“You can multitask like that?”

Rarity gave her most winning smile as she tossed her mane. “Darling, in my line of work, multitasking is an absolute must.” A set of knitting needles and thread levitated from a back room in the shop portion of the house while a sketchpad, inkwell, and quill joined on an unoccupied portion of her couch to await her touch. “Now, then, let’s get to work, shall we?”

Matthew chuckled as he cupped his teacup in his palms. “As long as we don’t have to go through a whole lecture on the intricacies of knitting and its innovations in fashion.”

“Oh, dear,” Rarity giggled. “Been visiting with Twilight, have we?”

Matthew smiled sheepishly. “It’s not that I don’t like her. She’s just very….”

“She does that more often than you might think, darling. You just have to let her know and specify what you want. She’s doing better, but she does have a tendency to slip when someone talks about magical theory or some other aspect of Equestria she’s studied.”

“I guess I should be grateful I’m not being hooked up to some device in her basement for testing.”

“Please, she would never do something like that without your permission.”

“The fact she might even consider it is still a little unsettling to me.”

“Well, you are Unique in Equestria. It only makes sense she would want to gain more understanding about you. Why, if you wanted to change the subject, you could probably just talk with her about your culture at home. Twilight is always excited by new and unknown things.”

Matthew smiled softly. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind next time.”

“Any time, darling.” Rarity smiled as she levitated some measuring tape over. “Now, then, about those hands….”

Shawn sighed to himself as he gave one last look over the market. He had grabbed everything of value he wanted to use, and everything he would need for the next week. As of now, it was simply just a last trip to see if there was anything noteworthy.

Of all the stalls, one in particular stood out for the large tent that stood next to it. The stall itself seemed to serve more like a point of reference to draw customers in. There were no products to be seen on any shelves or pegs, but a series of colorful signs and cutouts shaped like creatures combined with the boisterous shouts of the vendor to catch the eye and the ear with curiosity. A white turban stood on top of his head, and his coat was a light sky blue.

“Come one, come all for the great Azmodan’s exotic pets and familiars! From the common house cat to the fierce roc. If we don’t have it, we can capture it for you!” the stallion called in a Middle Eastern accent.

Shawn hummed as he looked to the tent before curiosity won him over and he approached.

“Ah, I see you are also a stranger in these lands. It is always a delight to welcome a fellow traveler into my humble shop,” the Pony greeted. “I have many a potential travel companion if that is preferable. Or perhaps a friend to keep around the house when you require companionship?”

“Probably best for a mix between those, given my current situation,” Shawn replied with a shrug.

“Then come in, stranger. Let us see if we can find a companion who is suitable to your needs.”

The inside of the tent stretched upward so that even Shawn could stand erect. A number of cages and perches had been set up in various sections of the structure. And much like other buildings, it appeared to be larger on the inside. A two-headed dog barked at them as they walked past while a great hawk let out a screech from beneath its hood. Finally, a radiant warmth and increase in light drew his eye toward the cages and perches, where a proud bird with gold and red feathers stared intently from its perch. All other occupants of the space seemed to avoid its gaze.

Shawn raised a brow as he noted the bird. And though it took him a moment, he was able to realize just what it was. “Now, this one is peculiar,” he remarked as he turned to take a closer look at the phoenix.

The phoenix stared at him with a cold indifference that belied its hot nature.

“As expected,” Shawn chuckled as he continued to look the phoenix over.

Rather than outrage, the bird reacted with intrigue. Those who had dared to enter its domain before had all bowed their heads in respect or fled for fear of offending it when it screeched at them. This one showed neither fear nor reverence, only a bland curiosity. When the human still didn’t move, it pushed open the door to its cage and poked its head through the gap to get a better look at the strange creature.

Shawn raised an arm for the phoenix to perch on, curious to see if it would.

The phoenix cocked its head curiously, then flapped its wings briefly before hopping to the edge of the cage and taking a short flapping leap onto Shawn’s arm. As if some spell had been broken, the many beasts in the tent seemed to go into a frenzy at the sight. Some snarled or cried in rage and alarm. Others whimpered or hissed and retreated as far as their crates and cages would allow. The phoenix looked on almost smugly at the display and casually preened its feathers as the flaps at the entrance flew open to reveal a Gryphoness with a falcon’s head that had blue feathers and red fur along her body. A whip bounced gently at her waist beneath her wings, and thick leather gloves covered both hands.

“Ornery old bird, that one,” she commented in a Phrench accent. “Doesn’t like anyone.”

“Really now?” Shawn asked as he reached with his other hand to gently stroke the phoenix’s feathers.

“Yup. Have to wear a glove just to feed the bastard without clawing at me,” she said, moving some fur on her arm to reveal scars.

“Then that makes this quite strange.” He hummed as he looked at the phoenix once again.

“Phoenixes are strange birds.” She shrugged. “Very selective, though never known one as … annoyed as him.”

“How much is he?” Shawn asked.

“Tell you what? For two-fifty, I’ll throw in a sack of feed,” she said.

Shawn thought it over briefly before shrugging. “Sure,” he replied, reaching down to his waist to pull off one of the final sacks of bits and offering it over. “I’d count it out, but I think he’s comfortable.” He tilted his head briefly to the phoenix perched on his arm.

“Yeah, I'm not gonna worry about it,” she said, throwing a sack of feed onto a nearby table as she stowed the bits.

“There should be roughly three hundred in there. Would it be possible to get a perch and have it delivered to the Punch Bowl?”

“I’ll get someone to drop it off later,” she said.

“Sounds good,” Shawn replied as shifted his arm to have the phoenix move to his shoulder as he moved to exit the tent.

As he made his way back to the tent, he hummed and glanced at the phoenix once more. “Let’s see what I can come up with for a name.”

The phoenix cocked its head and went so far as to give a brief chirp of inquiry.

“Renati,” Shawn spoke up. “Reborn.”

The bird took some time as it contemplated the name and the explanation. It cocked its head left, then right, then left again. Finally, it fixed Shawn with its gaze and nodded.

“Renati it is, then.” Shawn gave a brief chuckle. “Let’s get you to your new temporary residence….”

The castle of the two sisters was a far cry from the glorious structure it once had been. Stone and mortar crumbled as wind whipped through the spires to cry mournfully as it passed over and into cracks like so many blowholes in a pipe. The region itself was startlingly bereft of anything that could even remotely be considered wildlife. Parapets stretched around the courtyard’s structure to afford a view of the forest and all that remained in the courtyard itself, an ideal location to trap enemy forces and rake them with arrows.

A swift examination of the mechanism atop the portcullis revealed chains that were still strong and a locking mechanism that was still functional. It didn’t take long to release the grip and lower the barrier as they peered into the gorge and the dark forest beyond. Green lights hovered like fireflies in the far reaches, but no cry or sound could be heard from beyond. No crows cawed. No stray cats yowled. It was deserted and barren.

The sun set slowly over the dark woods as cold winds blustered. There was no soft earth to dig stakes into, so Rook had to make do with what they had on hand to weigh down the tents and secure the structures against the cold. A few blows of flint showered sparks on tinder to nurse a gentle flame that they tended to with kindling and logs they’d brought along in their supplies. A couple of hours later, a makeshift vegetable soup spiced with salt and pepper helped to warm their bodies and loosen joints against the winter’s blast.

‘Well, you get some rest. I’m going to head out and take a look around,” Taze told Rook.

“Are you kidding? I’m not going to bed till you’re back to take up watch. Speaking of which, wouldn’t it be wiser to wait till daybreak? Night’s going to fall soon.”

“I’m just doing a quick walkthrough,” Taze said. “We need to fix this place up. So, the sooner we know what's up, the better. Besides, there might be hot springs. Who knows?”

“Sir, you seem to get unusually chipper when on a mission. Assuming our rule for being blunt is still in place, are you an adrenaline junkie?”

“No, I just enjoy the idea of adventure.” Taze smirked.

Rook gazed at him suspiciously. “If you’re not back by midnight, I’m coming in after you.”

“Fair enough,” Taze said, lighting a torch.

Over the next hour, Taze made his way through the castle carefully. Along the way, he’d found some truly interesting sights, including a marvelous booby trap that seemed to shoot pillows at the would-be victim. It seemed at some point, someone had the castle set up with truly ridiculous traps and obstacles that led to some hilarious possibilities. However, things changed the deeper down he went as the atmosphere became more and more creepy

Finally, he found something that gave a chill down his spine, two statues of pegasi weeping. He wasn’t sure why, but their presence felt strange and perverse. And unlike most of the statuary he’d seen, they seemed unaffected by time.

He only went a bit deeper after that, constantly checking over his shoulder as he felt like something was following him. Finally he decided he’d gone far enough and turned to head back to meet up with Rook. When passing the statues, he was sure his mind was playing tricks on him. It seemed like one of the two had moved. But maybe that was just a trick of the torchlight. With the unnerving portion past, he swiftly navigated through the other traps to return to the courtyard and the waiting stallion and fire. Given the size of the structure, it was clear they were going to have to make multiple trips if they wanted to chart out the whole place. But that was something they could discuss for another time. Now, it was time to check in and get some rest.

There would be more to do in the morning.

Matthew sighed heavily as he dragged himself back to the Punch Bowl. There at the door, a familiar blue Thestral laid in wait with a wide smirk on her face.

“Hello, Moonshade,” Matthew greeted dryly. “Enjoy your errand?”

“Yes. It’s quite a nice day, isn’t it?” Moonshade asked. “Was a perfect day to see the smiths about some adjustments I needed while you were safely here.”

“And by here, you mean at the library?” Matthew pointed out as he pulled the door open for her. “Had a nice visit to Rarity’s afterward. Nice mare, once you get to know her.”

“Oh? How did that go?” she asked as they entered the taproom that functioned as a lobby.

“Shawn reintroduced us, in a manner of speaking.” He raised his hands, which were decked in new mittens. “Insisted on making these for me, too.”

“They seem like a smart addition for the time of year.”

“I’m inclined to agree. And, in her words, not mine, very fashionable.”

Moonshade checked the tavern quickly as they entered, and her eyes widened a little as her gaze fell on Shawn. A radiant bird perched on his shoulder as he sat drinking a cup of steaming cider with a stick of cinnamon in it. “Is that a phoenix?”

“Yes, it is.” Shawn nodded. “His name’s Renati.”

Matthew couldn’t help but smile as he gazed at the creature of myth. “How in the world did you manage to get a phoenix to adopt you?”

“He just seemed to like me, so I bought him.” Shawn shrugged.

“Is he even going to be able to come back with us?”

“Phoenixes don’t just like anybody,” Moonshade commented as she drew closer.

Renati eyed her with narrowed gaze and hopped onto Shawn’s other shoulder before looking between the other human and the Thestral.

“He doesn’t seem to like strangers, does he?” Matthew asked.

“Phoenixes are picky. They only ever pick special people.”

“Consider me lucky, then.” Shawn chuckled. There was a loud sound like a gong as Berry accidentally dropped a pot lid.

“Well, considering how you escaped your brush with death, I’m inclined to agree,” Matthew said.

“That, I can agree with. In any case, he’ll be sticking around.”

Matthew chuckled. “All right. Welcome to the family, then, Renati.”

Renati let out a small chirp, then returned to his usual aloof demeanor.

Matthew shrugged as he took a chair at the table. “So, what’s on the menu tonight?” he asked. And so the trio prepared for their meal.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 17: Can I Keep it, Mom?

Shawn yawned as he strode past the last stretch of the market. Nothing notable had caught his attention, and he didn’t require anything personally. There was, however, something else on his mind that he could attend to, given that he had at least finished translating the first chapter of the book.

His train of thought was cut off, however, by the sound of flapping wings. Looking over his shoulder, he was able to catch Renati flying toward him. After giving a brief chuckle, he tilted his head and ensured Renati had plenty of space to land on his shoulder.

“Enjoying your ability to come and go as you please?” Shawn gave a small grin.

Renati ruffled his feathers and preened himself casually, being careful to avoid eye contact while the human maintained that knowing smile.

“All right, I’ll leave it be.” He chuckled once more as he continued his walk. “If you’ll be joining me, you should be able to enjoy the atmosphere of the library.”

Renati chirped inquiringly.

“It’ll be a shorter visit. Mostly just to drop something off.”

The bird leaned toward the book and papers tucked under his perch’s arm, then looked at Shawn again.

“Translations of a book.”

The pair strode toward the great tree, and Renati gazed intently at the wood while they approached the door.

Shawn sighed as he knocked on the door.

The door pulled open to reveal a familiar purple Dragon with wide green eyes. “Shawn! Hey, good to see you!”

“You as well, Spike. Is Twilight home?”

“Sure is.” The young Dragon grinned and pulled the door open wider. “Come on in! I’ll go get her.” He chuckled. “She might be a little slow this morning. She and Rainbow Dash were up all night reading the latest Daring Do novel.”

“Oh, now?” Shawn hummed questioningly

“Yup,” Spike agreed. Then he noticed the companion riding on Shawn’s shoulder. “Hey, you’ve got a phoenix friend? That’s so cool! Me, too!”

“Yeah. Saw him yesterday and couldn’t help but get him. Though, it was more that he seemed okay around me than his previous caretakers.”

“What’s his name?”

“Renati.”

Spike smiled and waved at the bird. “Hiya, Renati. Nice to meetcha.” He closed the door, then started toward the stairs. “I’ll go get Twilight. Make yourself at home!” he called down as he hopped toward the second floor. It took a few minutes. There was some grumbling and a very familiar whine that drifted down the stairs from a certain blue Pegasus. Then came the flash of light as Twilight Sparkle materialized in the main reading room with Spike next to her. A very sleepy Rainbow Dash soon followed the slower way down the stairs, flapping lazily in the air.

“Morning, Shawn,” the mare murmured, being too tired to let her usual tendencies toward formality get in the way. “What can I do for you?”

“I come by with a delivery,” Shawn replied as he lifted the book in his hand into view.

Twilight blinked tiredly for a few moments, then rubbed her eyes before the adrenaline finally kicked in as she recognized the volume and the papers that he held over it. The Unicorn zoomed to his feet and gazed up with the excitement of a toddler about to dig into the candy jar. “Is that what I think it is?”

Rainbow Dash yawned. “All this fuss over a book?” She groaned and rubbed her eyes.

“A book that was never before translated, and potentially from my world….” Shawn remarked the second half with uncertainty. “It has the same language, but I don’t know how it got here, or when.”

“Sounds like something out of Daring Do and the Lost Manuscript.” Rainbow yawned again. “Turned out to be a secret code that led all the way back to Luna and the Lunar Rebellion.”

“Rainbow, you’re mixing up the books.” Twilight sighed. “That’s Daring Do and the Lunar Star Code. The Lost Manuscript had to do with an ancient book of spellcraft.”

“Is that what that is?” Rainbow asked curiously as she flew to peek over Shawn’s shoulder, heedless of the squawks of protest from the Phoenix at its space being violated.

“I don’t know. I haven’t read it yet,” Twilight pointed out, then looked curiously at Shawn. “Is it?”

“It’s mainly about some field of magic that sounds familiar to me, but they haven’t named it yet in the chapter I’ve translated. It sounds like some kind of mythology from my world.” Shawn frowned as he thought it over. “If it is what I think it is, then this may be a book on thaumaturgy.”

“Thauma-what?” Rainbow scratched her head.

“As mentioned, basically a field of magic, or at least, I think so.” Shawn shrugged.

“So, humans did have magic once?” Rainbow asked. “Ow!” A strong peck from Renati quickly jolted the mare out of her sleepy stupor, and she darted swiftly out of the bird’s reach. “What was that for?”

“He’s been warning you that you’re in his personal space.” Shawn shrugged with his opposite shoulder. “He doesn’t like many individuals. I’m just lucky that he seems to like me.”

Renati flared his wings again and let out another call as embers scattered briefly from his wings. Then he regained his composure, having made his point heard and casually returned to his usual aloof behavior.

“If this really is a book on practical application of a system of magic from your world, it could open the way for an entirely new field of magic to study here in Equestria, not to mention help us to gain a greater understanding and insight into a history in your world that you’ve never known before!” Twilight’s eyes, well … they sparkled as she brought up the possibility. “Oh, this is so exciting!”

Shawn chuckled. “It’s just an introduction for now. I’ve got plenty to translate still, but I figured you’d appreciate a chapter by chapter update.”

“You bet!” She gazed lustily at the papers. “Can I…?”

Spike sighed and shook his head. “Hoboy. Here we go. I’ll go get the pancakes.”

Rainbow perked up. “Dibs on the first one!” Her mane trailed a tiny rainbow behind her as she zipped toward the kitchen.

“I leave this in your care,” Shawn said as he handed it off to Twilight. “Drop it off at the Tavern when you’re done. Do keep in mind it isn’t long. Until then, I’m off for more work.”

Twilight’s grin was as disturbing as it was adorable as she levitated the papers and began to read. “You’re okay if I take notes, right?”

“Try not to put too much down. We don’t exactly know what’s contained in this book.”

Twilight’s eyes were already darting over the first page as she nodded. “Right. Yeah. Understood….”

Shawn smiled and shook his head as he left out the front door. He was confident he would be seeing the mare again soon.

“All right, we’ve fulfilled the mission, set up camp, stayed the night, got a good idea of the opposition we’ll have to face, and you got to explore your haunted castle,” Rook said as he finished rolling up his bed roll. “Anything we’re missing before we head out?”

“Not really,” Taze said. “Besides planning our trail home more carefully.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Rook chuckled. “Just have to make sure we can keep our wooden friends at bay.”

“Still, let's take things a bit more carefully this time,” Taze said. “Keep your weapon somewhere easy to get ahold of at all times.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Rook assured him. The duo finished packing the cart, and Rook nodded as the pair hitched him up to the wagon again. “All set?”

Taze checked his flintlock one last time, making sure the powder was dry. “Yup.”

“Then let’s get going.” The duo set out together and made their way toward the rope bridge. Once more, the air was quiet. There was no sign of birdsong or other wildlife, only the cold and the frost as they tread over frozen ground. As the two crossed over the bridge itself and the castle shrank from sight beyond the gorge, a loud metallic clang rang and reverberated through the air, causing Rook to rear in surprise. “What in blue blazes…?”

“There is no way those chains should have broken,” Taze said.

“What about the locking mechanism? Could it have failed?”

“Not likely,” he said.

“Then we’ll have to report that to Lord Shawn.”

“Yeah, let's get moving. This place is giving me the creeps.”

“Now you know why nopony likes setting hoof in here,” Rook said with a smirk.

“Maybe, but we'll be back. I hope you're ready,” Taze said.

“You do realize that you pay me to do that, right?”

“No, Equestria pays you. They just pay you to listen to us.” Taze laughed. “Which is weird, given we’re foreigners.”

“And heroes. Don’t forget the heroes.”

“We failed, Rook,” Taze said. “Shawn’s the hero.”

“Put up a good fight, though,” Rook pointed out. “I’m a failure, too, according to the higher-ups at Canterlot. Don’t mean I am. You may not have done what you wanted, but you did what was right. That makes you hero enough in my book.”

“No one worthy of being a hero called themselves that,” Taze said.

Rook chuckled. “Fair enough. So, do I call you Sissy, then, Sir?”

“No, you just call me Taze,” Taze laughed. “Come on. We’ve got a ways to go.”

Matthew smacked his lips and shook his head bitterly as he descended the stairs to the main floor of the Punch Bowl. The brew the doctors had prepared to substitute for his pills was a foul concoction, but it seemed to yield the proper results. “Morning, Berry,” he greeted the mare as he approached the counter.

Berry Punch raised a brow. “What happened to you? You look like somepony shoved a stink blossom in your tea.”

“They might as well have.” He resisted the urge to spit out of courtesy to the mare. “Got anything to get rid of a bad aftertaste? That medicine’s got to be some of the worst I’ve ever taken.”

Berry smiled and shook her head. “Keeps most folks from overdosing on meds. ‘If it doesn’t taste bad, it’s not working.’” She passed him an apple. “Take a few bites of this, and you’ll be good to go,” she promised.

“What is it?”

“An apple. What else did you think it was?”

“Not a zap apple?”

Berry shook her head. “Those things disappear too quickly. You’re lucky if you can get one to try, and they kick harder than Applejack bucking.”

Matthew whistled. “Really?” he asked, then took a bite. The flavor of the fruit was tart, but the texture helped to scrape against his tongue and mouth to clean his taste buds. A few bites later, he was back to normal. “Wow, that really works.”

Berry smirked. “How else do you think I fix my mouth after a bender?”

Matthew winced. “That … might be a little more than I needed to know.”

Berry shrugged. “A drink’s a drink. S’not like I make it anyone else’s problem.” She turned aside and clopped onto the floor of the bar. “So, what’s it going to be for breakfast this morning?”

“Got any eggs?”

Berry nodded. “I’ll see what I can rustle up.”

Shawn frowned as he continued to scan over the market stalls. While the market had plenty of curious things to supply him and occupy his time previously, now it was devoid of anything he wanted to investigate, much to the sellers’ dismay.

He sighed as he continued walking along the path and eventually passed beyond the town, lost in his thoughts. It wasn’t until a sharp peck from Renati drew his attention away from his musings that he noticed how the dim winter light was now latticed by shadowy branches. Gnarled tree trunks clutched at the sky with clawing branches, and a cold that was not entirely of the weather sent a shudder through him as he gazed into the depths of the Everfree Forest.

“Yeah, … it’s definitely not time for this,” he remarked, tracing his steps back before following along the edge of the forest. “Not yet. Thank you, Renati.”

Renati puffed out his chest and chirped proudly. The two continued to walk around the bounds of the town and beyond until they reached what appeared to be a friendlier patch of the forbidding woods that was equally bare of leaves but far more inviting in its appearance. A small hill in the distance rose, with a wooden fence to guard against the edge as it became higher. A frozen stream flowed beneath a natural bridge on its way up to the slope to where a lush cottage resided. There were no monsters here in this place, but given its proximity to the woods, it seemed odd that any Pony would want to build there. All they would have would be the wildlife … for … company….

“Um, h-hello, Lord Shawn,” a soft voice murmured just barely above a whisper. “Did you need something from me?”

“Oh. Hello, Fluttershy,” Shawn responded after taking the time to process what she’d said. “No, I’m just wandering around at the moment.”

“So, you like to take walks?”

“Occasionally, yes. Though it’s mostly when I’m lost in thought.”

A flutter of wings rushed in Shawn’s ears as Renati took flight and soared around the pair, then darted through the boughs of the trees to exercise himself.

“He’s very handsome,” Fluttershy complimented. “They’re not exactly a rare bird, but Phoenixes don’t normally bond with partners. They prefer to be wild and free, like their element. Where did you find him?” With the focus shifted to an animal, the mare was almost like a normal Pony again, her curiosity having overridden her usual timidity.

“Found him in the market alongside plenty of other creatures up for trade. He just seemed to take to me more so than his previous caretakers.”

“Phoenixes are great familiars to have for magic, and they’re very protective. Once they bond with somepony, they stay with them until their partner dies.”

“Interesting.” Shawn hummed as he glanced after Renati. “Now it’s just a matter of curiosity as for why.”

“He might tell you one day after you get to know him better.” She smiled kindly. “But you must be feeling cold, and it’s a long walk back to town. Would you like to join me for some tea?”

“I wouldn’t want to impose.” Shawn gave a gentle smile.

“Y-you wouldn’t be. Oh, but I don’t want you to think I’m pushing you to either,” she said hastily.

Shawn’s smile widened slightly. “If you’ll have my company, and you’re sure of it, I wouldn’t mind joining you. So long as you don’t mind Renati.” He gestured briefly toward the forest. The phoenix flew back and perched on his shoulder again, having taken sufficient time to stretch its wings.

“Oh, we won’t mind,” Fluttershy assured him. “It should be a calm day today. Most of my animal friends are hibernating.”

“Then I would be delighted to.”

Renati cocked his head curiously as he gazed at Fluttershy and found, to his surprise, that the mare stared back not with intensity, but with the gentle warmth that embodied her element. He let out a chirp, then flew toward the cottage beyond and circled above the door.

Fluttershy smiled. “I guess Renati is looking forward to it, too.”

“How you doing there, big guy?” Taze asked as he observed the darkening horizon.

Rook smirked at his companion as the wagon’s wheels jostled along the root-covered trail. As an added precaution, the two had decided to plot a route that avoided the main path, so that they might hopefully evade any timberwolves in larger numbers. “Not too bad. Not encountering any more timberwolves helps.”

“Honestly slightly worried about that,” Taze noted.

“Well, you did pick the way with the least room for movement. Maybe they don’t like that either.”

“Still, you’d think there’d be some evidence of them tracking us.”

“Maybe they’re eating or sleeping?”

“I mean, that's not impossible, but just unlikely,” Taze noted.

Rook shrugged. “Figure it’s like that pink mare. Just don’t question it.”

“Maybe,” Taze said as they moved. “Just is un—”

The sight ahead of them was anything but pleasant. What first looked more like a small bundle of sticks stacked in a loose pile slowly took on the grim appearance of bleached bone that had been gnawed, chewed on, and finally cast aside by some predator of the forest. Sticky green sap dripped mournfully from the cuts and edges of the sticks while the bundle shuddered in place on the ground. The barest hints of rasping could be heard mingled with quiet whines that were almost completely muted.

“Rook, get me a blanket,” Taze said as he approached the creature, getting on his knees to get a closer look.

“You do know what that thing is, right?” Rook tensed as he eyed the brush and trunks surrounding them, keeping a wary eye out for any other timberwolves that might still be nearby.

“Yes, an injured lifeform,” Taze said. “Looks like it’s still an infant, really, or very close. Must have been abandoned for its coloring.”

“Wood is wood, Taze. I doubt color has anything to do with why this one got hurt.” Rook shook his head. “And its pack might come back for it later, when we’re not in such a sheltered stretch of road.”

“Not likely. Wolves aren't quite that good of parents,” Taze said. “Now, that blanket, please?”

Rook gave a reluctant sigh and reached back to snatch a blanket from their supplies, then tossed it to Taze. “I get the feeling this isn’t going to end well. Better to kill it and be done with it.”

“You know where dogs come from, Rook?” Taze asked as he worked to carefully wrap the pup securely.

“Timberwolves aren’t dogs.”

“Neither are wolves.”

“And your point is?”

“Dogs developed because of domesticated wolves,” Taze said. “At least on our world. And all because someone bothered to try taming them. I see no reason why this pup couldn’t be the start of greater things.”

“Assuming you can get Lord Shawn to agree.”

“I’m certain I can,” Taze said gently, setting the pup in the wagon. “He’d probably see the value himself.”

Rook sighed and shook his head. “Ready to start out again, Sir?”

“Yeah, let's double time it. The sooner we can get to Fluttershy, the better.”

Rook nodded, though the mirth they had shared before had dimmed significantly. “Yes, Sir.” Once more, the cart went into motion, and the pair were on their way.

Matthew frowned as he looked over his supplies from his attaché case. What papers he had brought with him would prove a limited resource, as would any parchment that he might be able to get ahold of. And yet, while he could speak and read to an extent in the Equestrian language, he still hadn’t fully grasped the art of writing. If he was going to achieve that properly, then he would need the means to do so without having to waste money on purchasing more ink, quills, and parchment, all of which would likely prove to be extremely expensive.

“If only I had a whiteboard,” he murmured to himself. “Or maybe….” His furrowed brow softened, and his mouth widened into a triumphant smile. “A chalkboard.” He gazed toward the sun to check the time, then nodded. There was enough daylight still. If he hurried, he could reach the camp and start practicing on the chalkboard in the classroom.

Matthew quickly rushed to grab his clothes and mittens.

“Where are you going?” Mutatio asked curiously.

“To study.” Matthew grinned. “I’ll see you and Me-Me in a few hours, Mutatio, if Moonshade asks where I’ve gone, just tell her I’m at the training grounds.” With that said, he strode quickly out of the room and raced down the stairs. He tore open the door just as a familiar magenta mare was reaching to push it open, causing her to spill into the human and knocking the both of them over.

“Oh, sweet Celestia,” Cheerilee groaned as she pulled herself away from Matthew. “Just what I need.”

“Sorry, Miss….” Matthew began.

“Cheerilee,” the mare said curtly, then sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry. Normally, I’m not so grouchy, but today’s been a trying day. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Matthew nodded as he drew himself back to his feet and slowly guided the door shut again. “I can relate. You’re Ponyville’s teacher, aren’t you?”

Cheerilee nodded. “Yes, I am.”

Matthew smiled wryly. “Then we both have some experience dealing with difficult students. At least yours have the excuse of still being young.” He extended a hand in greeting. “Matthew Connor. I help teach tactics and free thinking over at the camp.”

“Free thinking?”

“That’s what I call it, anyway. It seems that some Ponies come with certain preconceptions that aren’t suitable for a proper soldier and leader. Respecting command is one thing, but one can hardly earn respect if one isn’t willing to offer it in the first place, if you catch my drift.”

The wince that flickered over Cheerilee’s face was all Matthew needed to know she understood perfectly. “I try to remind my students of that every day.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, some Ponies don’t always have the best role models.”

Matthew smiled wryly. “Tale as old as time, ma’am.” He offered a formal military bow. “My apologies. I’d love to stay and talk longer, but there are some studies I must attend to before my next shift with the troops. I may understand how to read your language now, but the writing is still taking some getting used to. I look forward to meeting with you again under happier circumstances, Miss Cheerilee. And in the meantime, I hope you enjoy whatever Miss Punch has to offer.”

“As long as it doesn’t have anything to do with syrup or sap.” Cheerilee shuddered.

Matthew chuckled as he pulled the door open, offering a casual salute to the mare by way of farewell before closing the door behind him. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why the mare was so reticent. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders strike again.”

Out on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac was just finishing checking over the last patch of trees for the day when a voice emanated over the stretch of land between the orchard and the Everfree. The stallion froze for a moment, then turned and puffed out his chest in an effort to make himself as imposing as possible. Most of the time, the monsters of the forest left him and their land alone, but he’d seen his share of battle with timberwolves before, and sometimes worse. He narrowed his gaze, even as the voice grew more distinct.

“... Poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed….” The brush rustled. Branches snapped and cracked. Then, from out of the dark wood, a creaking wagon emerged, being led by the familiar sight of a certain hunter and a black Earth Pony. The human continued to sing gleefully as they walked, letting the bars hang in the air until they were almost on top of the stallion. “... Then one day he was shootin’ at some foooo—Oh! Hello, Big Mac.”

Big Mac stared at them, his mouth agape in an expression of simultaneous disbelief and inquiry.

“Uh, hey, can you point us in the fastest way to Fluttershy's cottage?” Taze asked.

Big Mac stared at the pair for a few more seconds, shook his head back into sensibility, and finally answered with an affirmative, “Eeeeyup.” The stallion pointed with a hoof along the tree line, then tapped his hoof a few times on the ground.

“He says we just have to follow the treeline a ways, no more than a few miles,” Rook translated.

“Thanks, Mac. I really appreciate it!” Taze said.

As the two walked away, Big Mac noticed two glowing orbs glowing from under a blanket in the cart. He shook his head immediately and turned around toward the farm. “Nnnope. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.”

The journey to Fluttershy’s cottage was uneventful, now that they were on the Pony side of the Everfree. Taze couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the familiar building. While he was still upset with the mare for her actions, he had to admit she had chosen an optimal location where she could best make use of her talents. It didn’t take long to reach the door and knock.

“Yes?” Fluttershy asked as she peered through the door. A cute white rabbit peered more intently with ears flopped back and eyes narrowed with suspicion. His nose twitched as he sniffed at the air, and he bared his buck teeth menacingly.

“Hi, Fluttershy,” Taze said. “Uh, important question. You help all kinds of animals, right?”

“Yes,” Fluttershy replied. “Is something wrong? Are one of the animals in Ponyville feeling sick?”

“Wait here,” Taze said. He walked to the cart and wrapped something in a bundle of cloth, then returned holding it carefully so that only the timberwolf pup’s head was showing while the rest remained restrained as he carried it back. “I found this one abandoned in the forest.”

Fluttershy stared at the puppy in a mixture of fear and curiosity. “I’ve never heard of a timberwolf being white before. Most are made from dark brown wood, and they have terrible breath. How did you catch it?”

“I found it broken and bleeding in the path,” Taze said.

“Then the first thing we can do is try to tend its wounds.” Fluttershy frowned. “I’m not sure my way will be the best way to take care of him, though. Timberwolves aren’t like most animals. They’re magical. I may need to ask Twilight for some help, especially if we need to build a cage for him.”

“Can I leave it here?” Taze asked. “I’ll go for the book.”

“I-if your friend can stay here to help keep the cub calm, it should be all right, I suppose,” Fluttershy said quietly as her mane began to hide her face.

“Sir?” Rook asked inquiringly of his superior.

“Just stay and follow orders until I get back. Should be nothing new, right?” Taze asked.

“Except for handling a dangerous magical creature.” Rook smirked. “I knew you were going to push us to our limits, but this is more than I expected.” He chuckled. “Get moving, Sir. I’ll hold down the fort,” he promised.

“Thank you, Rook,” Taze said before turning to Fluttershy. “Name of the book?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know any that deal with timberwolves directly. Most of the bestiaries about them are how to avoid them or kill them. Twilight should have an idea of what to look for once you explain the situation to her, though. Let’s get that cub inside where it’s warm. Once we have a pen set up, you can go see Twilight.”

Taze nodded and followed her in with Rook and a very disgruntled white bunny following suit.

Twilight had just ignited her horn and begun to levitate the many volumes in the library from their shelves for their regularly scheduled cleaning and reorganizing. The tomes began to wobble, and the mare smiled in anticipation of the events to come when the door slammed open, sending a frigid draft all over the room. Twilight jumped in surprise and let out a startled squeak as her concentration snapped. And with it went her hold on the books.Some few of them toppled from the shelves and were barely saved in time by the mare’s quick thinking. She pouted, then turned to face the intruder, ready to chide with a few choice words when her gaze locked on a familiar pair of legs. Her eyes went up, and up, and up to see a gasping human with twin swords on his back panting like mad. She hadn’t seen Taze this worked up since….

“What’s happening?” she asked quickly. “Are we under attack? Is it a monster? Changelings?” The books were quickly and gently laid on the library’s main table, and she directed her full attention to the human as the door shut behind him.

Taze held up a finger as he took several deep breaths. “Fluttershy needs a bestiary on how to aid a timberwolf.”

Twilight blinked in surprise and shook her head. “I’m sorry, run that by me again? I thought you just said aid a timberwolf.”

“I did,” he said bluntly.

“Oh. I see. Why would Fluttershy want to help a timberwolf?” The mare practically shouted the inquiry as the sheer ludicracy of the idea flooded through her. They were merciless predators that constantly prowled the forest in search of prey and territory. The very idea of bringing one even to the edge of Ponyville was tantamount to asking for a pack to invade!

“Probably because I asked her to look after an injured pup I found in the everfree.”

“Do you have any idea the kind of danger you just put her in by doing that?” Twilight hissed. “And she actually said yes? I know she’s the element of kindness, but this could be disastrous for Ponyville if the pack comes looking for it!”

“It’s a child, Twilight,” Taze said. “I don’t care what you think. You know that's all that really matters. Now, are you going to help us or not?”

Twilight groaned and shook her head. “Give me a minute. If you’re going to shelter it, we’re going to need to come up with a way to mask its scent and mana traces to keep its pack from following it till its wounds are healed, assuming they even can be. Depending on the damage, it may need to find new materials to integrate into its body.” The mare raced through the shelves, picking up a few choice volumes before galloping up the stairs to her room and returning moments later with several more books. Finally, she raced down to the basement and returned hauling a leather-bound tome that looked more like a dictionary or an almanac than a spellbook. “Grimm Skull’s bestiary, A Treatise on the Impacts and Side Effects of Wild Magic, herbology textbooks, botany, Magical Analysis for Artificial Lifeforms….” After a swift catalogue of her inventory, she finally sighed. “If I had more time, I would have made a more thorough list, but I suppose this will have to do. Let’s go, Taze. We don’t have much time to lose.”

“We?” Taze lifted an eyebrow.

“Technically, timberwolves aren’t flesh and blood. They’re an amalgamation of magic, not unlike a golem, though based around plantlife instead. Fluttershy may be able to tend to some of its hurts, but you’ll probably need a magic expert to really get it back on its paws again.” She levitated a pair of saddlebags around her barrel, then loaded them with the books. “Spike,” she called, “I’m heading over to Fluttershy’s cottage! I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?”

“Okay!” Spike shouted back from upstairs.

Twilight nodded. “Okay, Taze, let’s go.”

An owl swooped overhead and hooted as it settled onto a perch. Twilight nodded. “I’ll tell Fluttershy you say hi, Owlowiscious,” she promised.

“Who,” Owlowiscious replied and nodded his head, following the pair as they made their way out the door.

The journey to Fluttershy’s cottage was swift and, fortunately for the pair, unimpeded. However, that did not make them immune to notice, and certainly not to pursuit as a certain blue figure followed their trail at a distance.

The air was calm as Twilight and Fluttershy conferred over the sight of the pup. The makeup of its bark was unusually smooth once Twilight had the chance to work on its wounds. A few spells to hasten healing and regeneration in plantlife left the albino with silvery scars that only seemed to accentuate its appearance. The canid’s sticks rattled and shook as it laid on the floor and went through the motion of breathing.

“He’s stable for now,” Fluttershy said quietly as she looked between the young timberwolf and Taze. “I’m going to have to do some research on what we can feed him, though. We don’t want the poor thing to starve, and we can’t have him trying to eat anypony here either.”

“Do they even eat people they’ve killed?” Taze asked. “I mean, they’re made of wood. Seems like they’d need similar types of nutrients.”

“This particular species is unique. They don’t necessarily have to kill their food, but they do it to absorb as much of the energy from their victims as they can. They feed on power and magic, any source they can get it from,” Twilight noted. “Trees, plants, and when that isn’t enough, the creatures that encroach on their territory. But like most wolves, they’ll only go after something they know they can hunt. Beat them enough times and they’ll back off or die if you manage to exhaust the magic that holds them together. In theory, as a puppy, this timberwolf may be able to be weaned off of feeding on Ponies and other creatures, assuming it hasn’t already been fed too much from that source. Better still if it hasn’t been introduced to that source at all. But we won’t know for sure until we can prepare some options to try.”

“Wow. You’re just full of hysteria, aren't you?” Taze asked as he carefully approached the pup and examined its mouth.

“Facts, Taze. I’m just telling you what my research showed,” Twilight said. “I’m doing this because you asked me to as a friend. Believe me, if I were hysterical, you’d know.”

Taze rolled his eyes as he pulled something from between the cub’s teeth and held it up. “Teeth aren't even fully developed. Canines are two small, and the main cutting teeth don’t have an edge predators use for cutting flesh.” He shook a small string of bark. “Evidence says this is what it was fed.”

“That does fit with what Twilight said about them eating wood and plantlife,” Fluttershy noted. “If that’s their primary food source, then if we can get some wood and plants rich enough in magic to match his diet, it should help him to recover.”

“Good,” Taze said. “And I’ll work on whatever forms I need to take him in.”

“You want to what?” Twilight shrieked as Taze walked toward the cottage door.

“Did I stutter?” Taze asked. “Who knows? This may be the start of a new branch of tameable animals.”

As the door pulled open, the familiar sight of a blank-faced human appeared before them. Shawn’s arms were crossed expectantly as he gazed at his friend, then peered farther into the building to see Twilight, Fluttershy, and finally the resting cub. “Surprise,” Shawn said calmly. “Though I’m not sure whether for you or for me….”

“Hey Shawn,” Taze said. “Found something on my way back.”

“I can see that. Any trouble on the way?”

“We ran into a pack of timber wolves on the way there, but we managed to get away. I’ll give a full report on the fortress later.”

“Is that going to be a problem for the town?”

“I doubt it,” Taze said. “Though some may object.”

“It’s going to be your responsibility.”

Taze laughed. “Yeah, kinda figured it would be.”

“Going somewhere?”

“Not currently. Why?”

Shawn shrugged. “Figured we’d hang out. You’re not the only one to find an unusual companion.”

“Oh?” Taze asked.

Shawn nodded. “Twilight, Fluttershy, we’ll talk later,” he promised, then shut the door. As the two friends walked away, Shawn raised an arm and waited patiently. In a matter of moments, Renati flew silently and gracefully from the trees to perch on his partner. “Taze, meet Renati. Renati, Taze.”

Taze gave the bird a nod, but thought better at poking at it.

Renati returned the human’s scrutiny with a cool gaze.

“He’ll be staying with us for as long as he wants. Don’t know whether he’ll warm up to you or not, but I think he’ll at least tolerate you after a while,” Shawn said.

“That's fair. Birds are kinda tricky,” Taze said.

Shawn smirked. “So, I hope you’re ready to answer some questions.”

“Sure. I imagine you’ll have a lot of them.” Taze smirked in return.

“Oh, I don’t know about a lot. Let’s start with just three.”

“Oh?”

Shawn’s voice shifted into a raspy cackle as he squinted at his friend. “What is your name?”

Taze cracked up.

Shawn chuckled as he righted himself. “And I didn’t even get to finish the bit.”

“I mean, seemed pretty obvious,” Taze laughed

Shawn shrugged. “You looked like you could use a good laugh.”

“Well, it is the best medicine,” Taze replied. “Though speaking of….”

“Yes?”

“Have you noticed we’ve been healing faster?”

“We’re in the middle of a magical world that pulled me back from the brink of death. I’m not so sure a little faster healing qualifies as unusual on its own. Care to elaborate?”

Taze held up his arm, which looked normal. “I got clawed by a timberwolf yesterday, and now you can’t even see it.”

Shawn raised a brow. “Did Fluttershy or Rook help you tend it?”

“Rook did, but nothing that would have healed it this soon.”

Shawn narrowed his gaze as he peered at the arm more intently. “How deep were the cuts?”

“Pretty damned deep,” Taze said.

“I’m told timberwolves have a sap of sorts that they produce, both lifeblood and spittle. Is it possible that sap may have gotten into your wounds to cause this?” Shawn asked as they continued along the path.

“No.” Taze shook his head. “Not likely at all.”

Shawn looked intently at Taze again, then stroked his chin. “I don’t have anything concrete to go on, but I’ll look into it. I may have an idea, but it’s too early to say whether it holds water.” He shook his head. “Other than the timberwolves, what about the rest of the trip? How was the castle?”

Well…” he went into a detailed explanation of everything they’d observed.

Shawn frowned. “And you’re certain someone deliberately sabotaged the portcullis?”

“It was nowhere near ready to break.” Taze nodded.

“Then that means we have squatters. I’ll see about sending a message to the princesses. It may be this is some sort of enchantment or golem or something they put in place to keep the castle safe. Better to make sure before we go in there ourselves.”

“Yeah, that seems safe.” He nodded.

“Let’s head back to the Punch Bowl. You can brief Matthew and Moonshade while we’re at it.”

Taze smiled. “Yeah. It’ll be nice to sleep on a bed again.”

“That is slightly unsettling news,” Moonshade commented after Taze had finished reporting what they had discovered.

“It means we’ll need to be prepared to fight and take prisoners,” Shawn agreed. “The fact that Taze was left unmolested, however, implies that they may be few in number,” he mused. “If we play our cards right, we should be able to manage it. The timberwolves will be troublesome, though.”

“I think we’ll be safe in large groups,” Taze commented. “And Twilight said she might have a few tricks from her bestiaries to help us along the way.”

“If you ask it of us, I or Me-Me would be willing to infiltrate the packs, perhaps lead them astray while the caravan travels,” Mutatio suggested.

Shawn shook his head. “As far as we can tell, you two are unique among most Changelings. I won’t risk losing you needlessly.”

“Is that even the same thing as what you normally do?” Taze asked.

“Infiltration and dissembling is what our species was made for. The intent is to encourage love to consume, but you saw how effective we were before my former queen revealed herself,” Mutatio noted.

“Yes, but sapient beings are generally more easily predicted in society.”

“We also analyze other creatures for potential sources of food. Ponies and other sapient races merely provide stronger sources in greater amounts. However, I believe we can save the finer points for a later conversation, since Shawn has decided this discussion is not a proper use of our time.”

“Agreed,” Matthew said. “We need to get a letter to Princess Luna as soon as possible. After she replies, we can come up with a battle plan.”

“Which brings us to the crux of the matter,” Shawn said. “Our cadets have been training for some time, but are they ready for real combat and field experience?” He looked to the others. “Your thoughts?”

“Not yet,” Taze said. “We’re going to be working for a while to get them in proper fighting shape.”

“They’re beginning to acknowledge authority, but it’s going to take more time before they muster the proper discipline around new faces. The pride in the noble class will be their undoing unless we can cure them of it,” Matthew added.

“Moonshade? You’ve also been observing our progress. What is your opinion as a representative of Luna’s guard?” Shawn asked.

“I would agree they need more time before they’re ready. How long, I’m not sure at this time.”

“We’ll have to take things one step at a time, then,” Shawn agreed. “And when we feel ready to test them properly, we can take them into the forest to face some of the less dangerous creatures. Fluttershy should be able to give us directions, or some of the other locals familiar with the forest’s dangers. Any objections?”

No one spoke.

Shawn nodded. “Very well, then. Let’s call it a night. We’ll carry on as normal for now and plan further once we receive word from the princesses on the status of the castle and any potential guardians or residents that my have been left behind.” He rose and stretched. “I’ve got a project of my own to get back to, anyway.” With that said, the human left the room, leaving the remainder behind.

“I guess I’ll try to get some sleep, then.” Matthew yawned. “It’s been a busy day.”

“It’s been a busy few days on my end.” Matthew’s yawn soon found its way to Taze, and he, too, found himself expressing his fatigue.

“Let's hope things go easier from here on, then,” Moonshade said.

Shawn820: Well, just to let you know, This double post is in celebration of my completion of the title art of Extended Holiday.

American_Brony: I challenge you to find the references in this chapter. Also do not be scared to start discussing the story, including events you think will happen, or have happen in the story. Meaning, Reader's thoughts welcomed.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 18: Setting Up the Pieces

Matthew sighed as he leaned back in his chair and left the ink on the parchment to dry. Another day, another journal entry. It seemed the days were passing by so quickly now. Shawn had taken the time to confer with the smiths on various plans and ideas for how to proceed through the Everfree Forest. After the compound had been properly built and the lodgings improved, it was time to turn to preparations for the campaign to reach the castle in one piece and work properly on entry.

The move would likely have to be in stages, but at least it would be possible to manage without overtaxing resources. With that thought firmly in mind, he gathered his supplies and began the trek from the spare room to the ground floor, where he approached a pair of Thestral guards who stood before a set of double doors. A swift exchange of passwords granted him entry.

The war room was far from the elaborate creations of castle keeps and fantastical realms. This chamber favored functionality over panache. A large table held a map of Ponyville and the Everfree for the various Ponies to review and plant. Blueprints and diagrams were posted on the walls while various Ponies went to work organizing papers, altering calculations, and otherwise making themselves useful. A small team of cartographers and mapmakers had been provided by the princesses to help chart out a more accurate depiction of the Everfree than current documents allotted, and they worked feverishly as they sifted through mounds of papers filled with notes from the interviews they had been conducting among the townspeople for a better lay of the land leading into the forest.

Taze leaned back in a chair with his feet laying casually on the table while Shawn peered intently at one of the blueprints to check for any more errors. Moonshade, Black Rook, Silver Spear, and Twilight had already gathered to review the details that they knew from Twilight’s personal experience passing through those lands. A roll of parchment laid to her side, what doubtless must have been either a form of report or a means to record any important events for her to remember and plan for.

“I’m here,” Matthew said as he laid his materials on the table and took his seat. “Are we all set to start?”

“Yup,” Taze said.

“Then let’s get things underway,” Shawn spoke up as he looked to the gathering. “We have roughly a week until winter starts to clear, giving us at least two weeks total to get things prepared for clearing. Afterwards, we’ll need to start clearing a path for the caravan to pass through to our destination.”

“We should be able to get clearing teams organized quickly if we appoint a few more minor captains,” Taze noted.

“We’re supposed to have more units sent our way, but I haven’t received an update on that yet,” Shawn noted. No sooner had he said that then a whirl of magic materialized over the table to drop a fully constructed scroll sealed with wax and a ribbon.

“Speak of the devil,” Matthew said.

“Convenient,” Shawn remarked as he took hold of the scroll and cracked the seal. “Let’s see…. Thirty five units are scheduled to be en route for tomorrow. In addition, a military blacksmith will be sent in to assist with equipment. Following will be fifteen smiths of varying skills to assist in the creation of standard construction materials.” He looked up from the scroll. “All right, that settles that then. We’ll have the rest of our units tomorrow. That should give them some time to learn the schedule and get themselves prepared.”

“A week may not be enough to break them in properly,” Matthew noted. “We’ll need people to keep an eye on them so they don’t try anything.”

“We’ll need to establish some additional ranks to watch over things, but that shouldn’t take too much time, especially given Taze has already been planning something involving the troops.”

“I suppose the additional incentive of being on work duty instead of guard duty while they’re in the forest will help them to stay out of trouble, too,” Matthew mused. “What exercises did you have in mind, Taze?”

“We need to clear the trees and make an obvious path. The animals are less likely to attack people on well-trodden land,” Taze explained. “We could send them in crews to collect wood and tear out stumps over time.”

“Do we have an estimation of how long that might take or will we have to work that out as we test each of the recruits’ efficiency?” Matthew asked.

“We’ll need a sample, but I think if we keep the path narrow enough, say maybe five ponies abreast wide?” Taze commented. “We could have it done by mid-spring.”

“So long as we don’t overextend our forces along the way, that sounds doable,” Matthew agreed. “Will we be surveying for the future guard posts along the way as well or save that for after we finish clearing away the stumps?”

“This is to be a campaign,” Shawn said as he pointed toward the forest on the map. “Each stage of our progress will need to be carefully planned, especially given the size of our numbers and the level of training our recruits have. The wise choice is to build defensible structures along the way, so we can retain the footholds we establish. It will take longer to reach the castle, but it will be safer, and this particular enemy isn’t one you have to worry about stabbing you in the back.”

“Not necessarily,” Taze said. “About the time, I mean. We’ll have plenty of extra lumber from the clearing. If we have separate teams set up for building and keep the fortifications to a functional minimum, we could probably have them set up with little extra time.”

“We’ll have to rely on the expertise of our more seasoned warriors to help design the optimal setup,” Matthew noted. “Moonshade, what would be considered an acceptable and defensible structure by your guard standards?”

“Honestly, it’s probably better if we talk to some more experienced guards,” Moon shade replied. “I was stationed in Canterlot, so I didn’t end up in a lot of forts.”

“So, another letter to Princess Luna?” Matthew asked.

“Probably for the best,” Shawn agreed. “Once we can gather those bits of information, we can wrap up planning and get to work.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how the recruits react to their senior officers.” Matthew couldn’t help but smirk at the idea.

“There is … one other problem you’re going to have to consider,” Twilight said as she levitated one of her many volumes of books onto the table and opened to a particular page. “According to records, the castle is a rest stop of sorts for Gryphon mercenaries and others. Not many frequent the place, because it’s dangerous, but there’s one group of Gryphons that have been known to use it consistently once a year in their travels. I don’t know if they’ll take kindly to the castle being reclaimed.”

“Then we’ll have to prepare for their arrival and figure out how we’ll deal with them.” Shawn sighed. “Given they’re mercenaries, we could likely strike some kind of deal, but we won’t know for sure what can be managed until the time comes. Until then, we’ll prepare our defenses and plan according to the worst case scenario.”

“I think, honestly, what we’ve got planned is all we can do for now,” Taze said.

Matthew nodded. “We’ll need to coordinate with the smiths and engineers about a proper bridge for the gorge, too.”

“Based off the estimates that Taze was able to give me, I’ve actually already designed a bridge that can have its length adjusted,” Shawn remarked. “It’s just a matter of making it.”

“So then, sounds like we’ve got this set up,” Taze said. “I need to see Fluttershy about my mutt.”

“Keep us updated, then.” Shawn sighed. “This meeting is adjourned.”

The air was crisp and cold, but not biting as Taze approached the cottage. He was wearing a thick emerald green cloak with a silver lining. The back had the image of a silver snake coiled around itself. Fluttershy answered quickly and ushered him inside to help keep the chill of winter out. Angel Bunny was watching the timberwolf puppy intently from a safe perch atop a shelf while the canine gnawed on a piece of wood.

“He’s doing much better since Twilight helped deal with the gashes in his branches. Since he’s still a little sappy, I’ve warned the crusaders to keep their distance,” the mare informed him. “So far, he’s comfortable, and he doesn’t seem to want to hurt anyone, but we’ve kept him walled off for now, just to keep everyone else safe while he adjusts.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Taze said as he walked toward the pup with a hand extended in a friendly way.

The puppy looked up from its meal and stared with glowing blue orbs at the hand. As Taze stepped through the incense burners, the pup cowered at first and clung to its meal. In response, Taze sat down cross-legged and waited patiently with the same hand still extended. When the cub was certain the strange creature wasn’t going to move to harm it, it rose cautiously and approached. It sniffed a few times, nosed at the human’s hand, then continued to sniffle until it reached one of the pockets in Taze’s cloak and tried to poke its head in.

“Well now, what did you find?” Taze asked the pup, patting its head as he gently nudged it back, then pulled a piece of tree bark out from the pocket and offered it.

The puppy immediately snatched up the bark, pinned it to the ground with its paws, and began to gnaw at it like a rawhide bone. Its hindquarters waved excitedly in the air as its tail wagged.

“There we go.” Taze laughed as he pet the pup. “I talked to my friend Shawn about it, and I think I’ve got a perfect name for you.”

The cub continued to chew at the wood, but its eyes drifted toward the human as he spoke and locked on his gaze.

“What do you think of Sylvio?” he asked.

The wooden canid stopped eating for a moment, then cocked its head as it stared at the human. It barked once, then faded to a questioning whine.

“Um, … he says he’d like you to say it again,” Fluttershy translated.

“Sylvio? Sylvio Lupis?” Taze looked at him, confused.

The timberwolf’s artificial brows furrowed together as it scrunched its face in the adorable manner only puppies and small children seem capable of. Finally, the pup nodded, barked again, and went back to eating his treat.

“He said he likes it. And … that you’re his pack leader now.”

Taze laughed “Well, that was fast.” He smirked as he continued to pet the pup. “How long will you need to keep an eye on him?”

“Physically, he seems to be fine. Since it’s difficult to keep a timberwolf intact for study, we don’t really have much to go on for the magical side of things. It might be good to give him time to get used to Ponies and other creatures before you take him back to town. It will be hard enough not to have everyone panic if you don’t let them know about our little friend here before you bring him with you.”

“What's your suggestion, then?”

“Teach him and tell the people in town that you got a new pet. I help animals find homes all the time, so that should help them to calm down if you spread the word.”

“I meant time,” Taze laughed.

“Oh.” Fluttershy blushed and pulled back behind her mane slightly. “Um, Let’s give him one more night, just to be on the safe side. If you could play with him, that might help to show how well he’s recovered, too.”

Taze nodded as he rubbed behind the pup's ears. Then he paused a moment, resumed his rubbing again, and finally raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Is … something the matter?” Fluttershy asked.

Taze shook his head. “Not exactly. He just seems to be adapting.”

“Adapting to what?”

“The wood he’s eating. The bark in his coat is a little thicker and less soft than it was when I brought him here.”

“Maybe it has something to do with what Twilight did to help him heal?” Fluttershy suggested.

“What did twilight do?” Taze asked.

“Well, I don’t really know. It was some kind of spell to help with growth and regeneration, but it was meant for plants, and Sylvio isn’t exactly a plant, so … maybe it did something to make him adapt? I … really don’t know. Sorry….”

“It’s okay.” Taze grinned. “As long as he’s healthy.”

Sylvio barked and wagged his tail before licking Taze’s hand and leaving behind a coating of sticky sap.

“He says his family were a lot bigger and tougher than he was, and they fed him and his siblings to make them grow. So, maybe this is just how timberwolves get stronger?” Fluttershy guessed.

“Seems so. Perhaps the Everfree Forest is part of the problem?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, aren't you Ponies always talking about how wrong the place is? They literally are eating the trees growing inside it.”

“I … suppose there could be a connection,” Fluttersy said. “But I don’t know if it really matters right now anyway.” She smiled kindly at Sylvio. “I’ll make sure to get the little guy some good food. Now that we know his diet, we can find what will help him most.”

Sylvio barked again, and his tail wagged in excitement.

Fluttershy giggled. “He says he can hardly wait.”

Shawn sighed as he looked over his blueprints once again. “The hardest thing we’ll have to deal with is going to be the support. The crevasse noted around the castle makes this difficult, but there are a few design alternatives we can use to manage it.” He gestured to the blueprint he had made before looking up to the smiths gathered. “What I’ve got here should do the trick, and it’s a modular design, allowing adjustments to happen as needed.”

“This looks interesting,” Storm hammer commented as she looked it over.

“Modular designs are a pain to make, but they’ll serve us well in the future in case of repairs or otherwise,” Shawn explained.

“So then, we’ll need to pool the apprentices. This is going to take a lot of synchronized work,” she commented, looking at Steel Weaver.

“That shouldn’t be too much trouble. Honestly, the designs themselves seem like they would have been more difficult.” Steel Weaver nodded.

“Yes, but still, we need every piece of this to work. I don’t think we’re going to have the resources for another shot right away.”

“So long as the two base points are made correctly, the bridge itself should mostly rely on wood, which we will have in a decent supply soon enough,” Shawn spoke up. “In addition, you’ll have some new smiths inbound soon enough to assist in the labor.”

“Anyone we might know of?” Steel Weaver asked.

“No names were listed. Sorry.”

“Lets just hope we don’t get that twit,” Storm Hammer said.

“That, I can agree on.” Steel Weaver sighed. “So long as it’s not him, everything will run smoothly.”

“I’ll not ask for the moment,” Shawn shook his head. “In any case, I’ve got the dimensions listed out in Equish, so you don’t need me to translate them. Beyond that, I leave these designs in your hooves.”

“So, you're actually trusting us with this one?” Storm Hammer laughed.

“Well, considering it can’t explode and kill us, I have faith in your abilities.”

“Well, that’s certainly a change of pace.” Steel Weaver chuckled. “I think we can get this one done, right?” He looked to Storm Hammer. “Though the wood may take longer than expected.”

“That's true. We’ll need to see if this town has a decent carpenter,” Storm Hammer noted.

“I might be able to help with that, actually,” Shawn noted. “I’m not too impressive as a smith, though it’s worked out for now. But before I came to Equestria, I was pretty good when it came to working with wood.”

“Maybe, but you’ll need more help than yourself,” Storm Hammer commented

“Of course, but, that’ll at least give us another individual working on the project there.”

“It’s going to take a lot of hoof power to fill this order, especially with the measurements we’ll need to take for the depth of the gorge itself,” Steel Weaver noted.

“We’ll handle that when we get there,” Shawn said. “For now, the sooner we can get to work on the pieces we’ll need, the better. While Taze and Matthew coordinate cutting down the trees for the path, we’ll work on carving out the parts we’ll need.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Storm hammer said. “We’ll get on this immediately.”

“In that case, I’ll leave you to it.” Shawn nodded. “I have some paperwork to do, so I won’t be around again until later.”

Matthew gazed intently at the cardboard rendering of the landmass and its various regions from desert to jungle to rainforest to bayou. Then he frowned. “Equestria has some … very strange biomes.”

Twilight shrugged. “It’s magic. Sometimes, it goes out of its way to accommodate the occupants of a territory. That, or to shape them to match what it wants instead.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“It’s not like it’ll force someone to change all at once. The changes usually come gradually over years, or even generations. The only time that magic has been known to forcefully change an individual has been in the event of a curse, a consciously directed spell, or if one is so closely attuned to magic that it’s able to modify your shape directly. And that last one only works if the person with the attunement doesn’t know how to use their magic properly.”

“So, basically, extremely rare occurrences?”

Twilight nodded. “Exactly. So, are you going to roll?”

“I hope you’re ready for a long game,” Matthew returned. “This has been known to drag on for days sometimes.”

“Why make it so hard to win?” Twilight asked.

“Because no good game worth its salt would only take a couple of minutes. And strategy games are almost as addicting as Pinkie Pie’s cupcakes.”

“... I’m not sure I can trust you on that, Matthew. You’re a very military minded kind of person.”

“Didn’t you have a time in your youth when you had to utilize strategy to defeat an opponent?”

“Several when I was a filly and competing with my brother.”

“Then you should understand the allure of victory after waiting and fighting for such a long time to have your strategy pay off. The anticipation is at once devastating and exhilarating, knowing that the outcome hinges on pure chance through the roll of the dice and the troops at your command.”

“Are you sure you haven’t been hanging out with my brother lately?” Twilight asked suspiciously.

“Yes, I’m sure, Twilight. It’s just that this essentially constitutes a war game in and of itself. It’s a perfect microcosm of real time strategy, since you never know whether your forces will win or lose in a battle, no matter how well planned your attack might be. And the same can be said for defense. In a very real sense, this is a scale model of war. The only difference is that you can’t have peace talks, only discussions to make temporary alliances.”

“Why are you so determined to reproduce this?” Twilight asked.

Matthew smiled knowingly. “I have plans for this game, Twilight. There can be great education in defeat. And much like our little battle with the snow forts, this will push our troops to think outside the box and learn when it’s appropriate to take risks versus when to play things by the book.”

“But that’s not the main reason we’re making it.”

Matthew grinned. “Not even close. It’s just plain fun.”

Twilight sighed in resignation. “All right. Which tribe did you want to play as for this test?”

Taze stood calmly behind the Punch Bowl as he gazed down range. A few days back, he had set up hay bales with paper targets with Berry’s permission, and he was actively using them for target practice, both with his throwing blades and pistol. After regretfully leaving Sylvio for the night, he went to his nightly routine. In the morning, he worked out. In the evening, he worked on his aim.

Taze sighted down the barrel with his arm outstretched and concentrated, picturing the site and where he wanted the projectile to go. He had never been good with guns, not even the airsoft rifle his family had lying around the house. But he knew that all things come with practice. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and finally squeezed the trigger. The ball shot from the barrel with the usual puff of smoke and hit just inside the outer ring.

“Damn,” Taze swore, looking at one of the other targets. Five throwing blades had dug into it; three in the inner ring, one just outside it, and one in the center. Why could he throw better than he could shoot?

“Is it really wise to use up your ammo like that?” Matthew strode toward the firing line from the side of the inn. “It’s not like we have an infinite supply.” Then he looked over Taze’s work and whistled. “Not bad,” he complimented.

“I can’t shoot worth a damn. It’s not going to matter much if I can’t hit anything with it to begin with.”

“Have you tried shooting with just your dominant eye?”

“I’ve tried everything,” Taze said. “It just comes down to practice.”

“That, and dealing with the recoil, I suppose.” Matthew pulled out his kay bar, raised his arm, and threw for all he was worth at one of the wooden targets. The handle knocked harmlessly against the wood, and the blade clattered to the ground. “I guess we both have our issues to work with.” He frowned. “You know, I can’t help but wonder how good a shot I would be with my pistol. I haven’t really had the chance to test it since Hearth’s Warming with all the work we’ve been doing with the troops.”

“Well then, you should try and see how it goes.”

“Maybe next time, if you don’t mind me joining your session.”

“Nah. I made this for anybody,” Taze said.

“You know, you could always use the range at the base. Is there a reason why you wanted to make one here?”

“So I don't have to show off my crappy aim?” Taze chuckled.

“It’s not that bad, Taze. At least you’re hitting the target. I can't even get my knife to stick.”

“Well, I mean, it may help if you were using the right kind of knife,” Taze said.

“I thought you could throw any knife.”

“You can, but throwing knives are generally made specifically for the process, making it much more likely to hit with the blade.” Taze took a blade and held it carefully before taking aim and throwing, hitting the inner circle.

Matthew whistled again, then chuckled. “Wouldn’t it be funny if it turned out you had the knife skills and I was the marksman?”

“Not that out there. You’ve had more practice with a gun than I have.”

“Maybe we can teach each other, then.” He frowned. “By the way, you did make sure to tell Berry and any other people not to panic if they hear the gun going off, right?”

“I explained everything.” Taze nodded.

“Good. At least we won’t have to worry about starting some kind of scene, then.” Matthew looked back to Taze’s pistol again. “On second thought, maybe I will join you. It never hurts to be prepared. That being said, there was something else I wanted to ask you about while you’re here. Have you got any plans for later tonight?”

“Not really.”

Matthew grinned. “In that case, after we finish up here, there’s a little something I’d like to show you and the others tonight. Call it a fun surprise.”

The air was calm and still as Shawn knocked on the door to Golden Oaks library. Cheerful golden light flowed from within, a sign of the warmth generated by candles and magic on an otherwise chilly and bleak winter day. The door creaked open, and a familiar purple muzzle peeked out into the cold to stare at Shawn’s cloaked and hooded form.

“Oh, Lord Shawn,” the Pony exclaimed. “Please, come in. What brings you by?”

“I’ve come by with some more information translated from the book.” Shawn gave a small grin. “That, and to talk to you about something involving said book.”

Twilight lit up with a far broader grin. “Please, please, come in!” she said excitedly and hastened to shepherd the human inside before closing the door. “The premise behind the introductory thesis was fascinating. The idea that a person can actively consume and manipulate the very building blocks of all matter…. The things a Pony could learn from that!”

“Indeed. Though it has led to some other questions. In particular, over later information I was able to translate.” Shawn frowned as he held out the book for Twilight. “It talks about a field of power needed to use these arts, and lists several known properties of said field that feel … almost familiar in a way.”

“You mean like a sigil or a magic circle?”

“Not really. It’s something that sort of … covers the outside of an entity. Notable things about this field is that it does things on its own.”

“So, it’s like a living thing?”

“Kinda...? Though, not entirely. The book says that it doesn’t think on its own. It just does these actions based on the host’s needs. The thing that caught my eye in particular is how it seems to help the host. Enhancing them through differing means, or even going so far as to help heal injuries at an increased rate.”

“So, sort of like a constant protection, but one that doesn’t need a source of magic to maintain it?”

“Yeah. But, that’s the thing. Some of the information mentioned feels … I don’t know, too familiar.” Shawn’s frown deepened as he thought things over. “Like some part of me knows something, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“You mean like a blocked memory?”

“Something like that, but it doesn’t really make sense. I know Luna mentioned I appear to have some repressed memory of something recent, but I don’t know how it would connect to this.” He looked to his hand as he continued his train of thought. “Thaumaturgy. I mentioned it before, but … I don’t know where from.”

“I … thought you mentioned it from the book?”

“I mentioned it to the others before I had even seen the book.”

Twilight hummed in thought. “That is unusual,” she agreed. “You weren’t in any trance or anything like that when you mentioned it to them, right?”

“I don’t think I was. In any case, it just all sounds eerily familiar, as though I know what it’s talking about. Yet, I don’t hold much recollection about where I learned it from.” He squinted as he focused on his hand. “The more I focus on it, the stranger it feels. As though at any moment I could slip—” He suddenly blinked, and for the briefest of moments, he swore he could see his hand glow before everything snapped back to normality. He gave a brief groan of annoyance as he rubbed at his eyes. “Sorry. Felt lost for a minute there.”

Twilight furrowed her brow as she gazed at Shawn’s hand. “You said your people can’t use magic, right?”

Shawn hummed as he turned his attention to Twilight. “Yeah. Magic’s not really something we can use. Why do you ask?”

“Because your hand just glowed. It was just a second, but … it was almost like when I use my magic.”

“Wait, that actually happened?” Shawn blinked a few times as he returned his attention to his hand.

“Have any of your other friends shown any signs like this? I mean, Taze said that magic might have existed in your world before. Maybe Equestria’s abundance of mana just helped to jump start it for you.”

“I’m ... not sure. They haven’t mentioned glowing hands or anything like that.” Shawn paused as he thought over a few things. “But, … Taze has questioned me about rapid healing from an injury he recently had....”

“Are you implying what I think you might be?” Twilight asked as she looked first to the copy of the translation, and then to Shawn.

“I might be.” Shawn frowned. “I’ll need to look into this more. If all of us have this field, it would explain a lot.”

Twilight peeked at the pages as they rustled with the touch of her magic. “Any chance these might mention a test?”

“Nothing I’ve translated yet, but there was a brief mention of it in a later section. I’ll have to test it out when I do translate it.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. After everything you’ve done for me and Cadance, it’s the least I can do.”

“I will. Until then, however, I have a lot to think on. Enjoy what I have translated for now. I’ll be back later. Like I said, I think I want to look into this further.”

Twilight shook her head. “If this is your only copy, you should keep it for cross reference, just in case. I can wait until after you’ve sorted this out.”

“I can read Latin, so I can read the original. Don’t worry.” Shawn waved dismissively.

Twilight looked like she was about to say more, but finally relented and nodded. “Whatever you think is best.”

The air was calm and cold, the halls silent. The Punch Bowl had become a veritable graveyard thanks to its lack of boarders that night. The tap room was warm and cozy, with just a few lingering patrons while the cold of winter blew harshly out from the Everfree Forest. Matthew grinned as he clung to the box Twilight had brought from the library. The time had come at last, and he was not about to waste the opportunity as he knocked on Shawn and Taze’s door.

“Yeah?” Taze asked as he cracked it open.

Matthew smirked confidently as he patted the package at his side. “I did tell you I had a surprise for you two tonight. Care to join us downstairs?”

“I’ve about wrapped up everything on my end.” Shawn nodded as he stood from his desk.

“Great. I’ll get Moonshade. This is something I think she’ll appreciate, too.”

A few minutes later, a grinning Matthew laid the box on top of a large table to stare at his friends. “Twilight and I have been working on a little something for the last couple of weeks. We finally put on the finishing touches this afternoon for the beta test. With the five of us together, we’ll be able to have a proper campaign and push it to its limits.”

“The name is still in question, but for now, we thought Equestrian Defenders worked best,” Twilight said as the box was opened to reveal five small rectangular boxes and multiple six-sided dice. A foldable board spread open to reveal a detailed landscape of Equestria divided into a number of territories in various colors.

“It is a game of great risk and even greater rewards,” Matthew returned as he grinned at his friends. “A twist on a traditional game from my homeland. The objective is to conquer Equestria and have it fly under your colors alone. Each player starts off with a randomly chosen series of territories divided evenly among them. Each turn, a player is able to receive a minimum of three reinforcements. And depending on the number of territories under their control that number will increase or decrease without ever dropping below three.” He raised a number of cards, each bearing a Unicorn, an Earth Pony, a card that split a flying figure in half with a Thestral half on the left and a Pegasus half on the right, and finally a card that showed all three on its face. “Every time a land is conquered in your phase, you receive a conquest card that you hold on to. Get three of a kind, and you can trade them in for bonus armies that will rise in number every time a trade-in occurs. This fourth card is wild, and can count as any one of the other three.”

Next, Matthew raised the dice. “Battle is conducted with these. Based on the number of troops attacking, the aggressor may roll anywhere between one and three dice. The one rule is that at least one troop must remain behind to keep occupying territory, so plan accordingly. The same rules apply to the defending armies. A maximum of two dice may be used to defend against an opponent for so long as you have at least two troops defending your territory. If you have only one, then you may only use one die. Highest rolls will be paired together to determine which wins. In the event of a tie, the defending troops will be the victors. Troops can only be moved to adjacent and linked territory, and only at the end of your turn. Once you redistribute your troops, your turn is over. Different pieces will have different values of troop numbers. We can explain that as we go along.”

“Okay. Doesn’t seem that hard,” Taze noted.

Shawn gave a chuckle. “I haven’t played this in a long while.”

“What better way to show off one’s skill in command and tactics than with a war game that has no real war to it?” Matthew grinned as he eyed Moonshade. “Do you think you can take us on?”

“I can try,” Moon Shade said. “How hard can it be to beat a human?”

Matthew chuckled. “I could ask the same of a Thestral.”

“When it comes to strategy and calculations, I can’t be beaten!” Twilight boasted in turn. “I can’t wait to see what everyone tries!”

Matthew rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Then let the games begin.”

Moonshade reached for one of the boxes. “In that case, I think I’ll take black.”

The campaign lasted for nearly three hours as humans and Ponies postured and posed one with another. Alliances were forged and broken. Whole swarms of armies were struck down by a measly force at impossible odds. But slowly and steadily, the map began to fill with two solid parties, Moonshade’s black and Shawn’s blue. And slowly, inevitably, the black began to consume until there was nothing left.

Moon Shade stood alone, victorious.

“Remarkably well done for your first game.” Shawn gave a smile.

“Thank you,” she said. “I admit you surprised me several times.”

“I haven’t seen a game this close in ages.” Matthew laughed. “Shawn, those saving throws were ridiculously lucky.”

“That they were,” Shawn agreed.

Matthew bowed his head in respect. “It would appear that humanity still has some improvements to make before they’re ready to take on a member of the Lunar Guard.” Then his solemn expression broke into a smile, and he winked at her.

“As to be expected,” she laughed back.

“I think it’s safe to say that this qualifies as an official success,” Twilight said with a smile.

“I’d say so,” Taze chuckled. “Who knows? Maybe Matthew will start his own string of games.”

“I don’t know, Taze. The legal ramifications alone if people back home were to find out what I did here with this wouldn’t be kind,” Matthew said uncertainly. “At least if we were to try to commercialize it.”

“Matthew, I’m pretty sure international patent laws don’t cover other worlds.”

“I’m still not sure if it’d be worth the headache. Besides, aren’t we supposed to focus on clearing the Everfree and training new troops? Until that’s done, I’m pretty sure any gaming pursuits will probably have to stick to the backburner.”

“Well, if you ever change your mind, I wouldn’t mind helping again,” Twilight said as she smiled. “This was a lot of fun.”

Matthew yawned. “Yes, it was,” he admitted. “Though now I’m feeling tired. Does anyone know what time it is?”

“Some time roughly after nine,” Shawn replied without looking at a clock.

Twilight started guiltily. “I … should probably get back to the library, then. Spike is probably waiting for me to tuck him in.” Her horn glowed as the pieces all levitated back into their respective containers and everything was returned to the box in swift order. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to hold on to this for now. It might be useful to help keep some of the younger Ponies occupied while their parents are looking for books.”

Matthew smiled. “Sure. Just make sure it’s available for us to borrow if we ask, okay?”

Twilight nodded. “You have yourself a deal.” And with those final words, she bade them all farewell and made her way out into the night.

When Twilight was gone, Taze looked at Shawn. “Hey, question?”

“What’s up?” Shawn raised a brow.

Taze took out the pistol. “I’m not a great shot,” he admitted. “Is there any way you could improve the accuracy?”

“Maybe. Rifling the barrel would help, but that’ll take some time, given the lack of certain tools. Beyond that, the best I could offer would be a longer barrel.”

“I’d appreciate any help you can give,” Taze said, offering it to him.

Shawn took hold of the flintlock with a frown. “I will warn you, this will take some time to accomplish. Without the right tools, I have to do these things by hand.”

“Yeah, well, unfortunately, it’s not doing me much good as is. I’ll stick with throwing blades and archery for now.”

Shawn nodded and hummed. “I’ll see what I can manage.”

It wasn’t exactly what could be called a common dream, but it wasn’t entirely unwelcome either. A secret lab hidden underground spread out before him. Familiar older consoles and figures paced around the room or gazed from the observation deck. A great metal container complete with a very uncomfortable looking table and restraint devices waited for a human test subject while massive needles laid within injectors to spread a familiar blue fluid into the one who would take that place. Matthew was in the middle of striding toward that great machine and the tomb that the container would surely be for those that stepped in. He was ready to enter that tomb and face the needles and the process to follow when time seemed to stop. The world froze, and Matthew pulled back from the table in a sense of vertigo and confusion. How … what … what was he doing here? Was he…?

“I’m … dreaming?” Before his eyes, slim and weak arms filled out with proper muscle tone as the weak body of Steve Rogers yielded and transitioned into his own weakened form. The air seemed to resound with a constant ticking emanating from his chest as he looked around.

“Yes,” a familiar voice stated as someone approached from behind. “Dreams are a strange thing, are they not?”

Matthew whirled to face the wavering form of a tall woman with flowing blue hair that sparkled in the artificial lights. The closer she drew, her stilettos rang from two to four as she transitioned into the familiar figure of a dark blue alicorn. “Princess Luna!”

“Yes, though I must admit your dreamscape is … new,” she said, looking around. “I don’t fully understand what’s happening.”

“It … might be difficult to explain, depending. I guess the first thing I should ask is, do you Ponies have movies?”

“Movies? Oh!” Her eyes widened. “You mean motion picture films? Yes, we have been working on that technology a lot. The new projectors hardly ever overheat now.”

“Yes.” Matthew nodded. “What you are seeing here is a motion picture film from our world. It’s the tale of a man who is meant to embody the best ideals of my country. He was born weak and frail, unable to develop like a healthy human would. But he had a strong heart and incorruptible morals. As a result of that character, he was chosen for an experiment that transformed him into a super soldier with incredible strength and agility. That chamber there was how they administered the serum and the rest of the process to transform this meek and mild human into America’s mightiest soldier.” He reached toward his chest. “I … guess I can relate to him. You know, because of my heart. I can’t do the things everyone else does nearly so well. My mom used to treat me like I was made of glass. I wanted to be strong and capable, like Captain America. To give service, really make a difference. But right now, the only fight I can really be a part of is a fight to keep living, if I’m being honest. What happened at the palace feels more like a fluke than any reflection of real military prowess.”

“I see…” she nodded. “It is a strange concept, but not unheard of.”

Matthew nodded in turn. “So, if you don’t mind my asking, what brings you into my head? Is there some kind of emergency going on back at the capitol?”

“I simply wanted to try and get a greater understanding about your heart,” she said.

“Metaphorically or physically?”

“Physically. How is it put together, and how does it work?”

“Well, the human heart is divided up into a number of chambers, each designed to help pump blood back and forth through the body. The right side of the heart draws blood that is lacking in oxygen and sends it past the lungs. Then the blood flows through the left side of the heart and is distributed through the vascular system. Each chamber in the heart has a natural valve that a person is born with. In my case, one of those valves failed. Most doctors say it’s a miracle I survived to be diagnosed and treated.” He frowned. “Is there a way I can show you what I’m thinking in here?”

“It’s your dream. If you will it, it can happen.”

Matthew nodded. “All right, then let me try to show you what I mean.” He closed his eyes and concentrated. A few moments later, a beating heart appeared in the air in front of them. The heart was then cut in half to reveal its inner workings. Four flaps pushed open and shut with each pulse of the organ. “Now, the organic valves here are designed to pump blood without trouble.” A few more moments of concentration yielded a small device with flaps shaped like air vent covers that appeared in his hand.

“This is an example of one model of valve that our scientists have developed. It functions based on the same principle. The heart pumps the blood, and the pressure of the blood forces the valves open to pass through. Then it clamps shut again as the heart finishes its contraction and relaxes.” He sighed and held out the valve. “But unlike the natural valves of the heart, this is a foreign object, mechanical instead of organic. And as a result, it requires certain … adjustments in the host to maintain its functionality. Without my blood thinners, my body would do what it’s meant to do naturally. Platelets and coagulants would attach to the foreign object and gum up the works, stopping the valve from working.” The valve in his hand became coated in thick red gunk that gradually solidified into a snotty clotted mass. “This could lock it open, or worse, gum it shut as a result, causing the pressure in the chamber of my heart to build and build until….” The open view of one of the chambers in the heart began to fill with more and more blood as the organ continued to pump. Finally, the chamber began to bulge and throb. With one last forceful surge, the wall burst open, sending a shower of blood and plasma out into the air to fade into nothingness with the rest of the projections.

“I see.” Luna nodded. “It is an interesting predicament our own medical professionals find themselves in. As I understand it, with you, had they found your issue before the artificial valve was put in, they might have fixed it, but it is the valve itself that is the rub. They have no idea how to work around it.”

“If they tried, I would probably die on the operating table,” Matthew said seriously. “Our doctors developed a machine specifically to keep the body functioning while operating on the heart or lungs. Without such a machine or technique that would have a similar effect, I doubt they would be able to help me.”

“How have the potions been working?” she asked.

Matthew shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know. I seem to be doing all right, but at the same time, there are some things that are different. It’s getting harder to wake up in the mornings. I often feel sluggish, and I tire more easily. I don’t know how much of that could be related to my blood or to our present circumstances or maybe to the potions themselves as a side effect. I just know that it’s happening.”

“I see.” Luna nodded gravely. “We are doing everything we can to find a solution,” she said.

Matthew smiled sadly. “And I do appreciate that kindness, Princess. Thank you. Just … do me a favor, please. Don’t tell Shawn and Taze about this. I don’t want them to worry.”

“I’ll keep quiet on it.” Luna nodded. “Just please keep us up to date, so we can help as much as we can.”

Matthew’s smile twitched into a more humorous curve. “Is that a hint to visit a doctor?”

“No, simply a note,” Luna said.

Matthew nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. Is there a way I can send my reports discreetly?”

“We should be working on having some dragonfire lanterns sent to you three soon,” Luna promised.

“That’s actually a thing? I didn’t know you could bottle Dragon fire.”

“It’s not easily done, and usually requires a source, but Celestia obviously had a direct source for some time.”

Matthew frowned. “As long as it doesn’t hurt the Dragon.”

“It does not,” Luna assured him.

“All right.” Matthew nodded. “Thank you, Princess. I’ll make sure to send you reports on how I’m feeling once the lanterns are delivered. Was there anything else I could help you with in the meantime while you’re here?”

“No. I'm afraid I have more work yet to do,” Luna said. “Part of my duty is to look after the dreams of all our subjects in the kingdom. Will you be all right?”

Matthew nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.”

“Then until we meet again, Matthew Connor.”

The Alicorn princess ascended with a flap of her wings, and then was gone in a flash of light. Matthew turned back toward the machine as his dream resumed, and he entered into the hold that would be either his dream self’s salvation or his death.

In the spectral paths that flowed outside the door to Matthew's dream, Princess Luna frowned, then shook her head as her face set in determination. “We will find a solution for you, Matthew Connor,” she said under her breath. “We swear it.”

It was a normal day in Ponyville. The cold weather blew as the recruits tended to the black trees and hauled them away for use in construction and crafting. The three friends each strode in their full winter cloaks, taking shelter in their protection as a bitter wind blew out from the forest, almost as if the land mass were snarling at them. And that would have continued as such, were it not for an even greater cry that was part scream and part groan, followed immediately by a bright purple flash of light and the sight of a massive tree jumping stories above the town before gravity asserted itself again and the living building plummeted to the ground. The shockwave soon followed, blowing back against the forest and leaving more than a few of the troops wild-eyed at what had just happened.

“What the hay was that?” Matthew asked as he stared back at the open air where the tree had once been suspended.

“Oh, that was just Twilight having a meltdown over a big test Princess Celestia wants to give her.” The casual nature with which the pink mare spoke belied the stealth with which she had suddenly appeared at Matthew’s side.

Naturally, this did not go well.

Matthew screamed his surprise and jumped back from the mare. Afterward, he patted his chest as he hunched forward and gave controlled breaths. “Pinkie pie!” he gasped. “Don’t do that!”

Pinkie Pie giggled. “Do what, silly?”

“Sneak up on me. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“That depends.” Pinkie approached and whipped out a basket from her mane. “If you mean my super duper ultra sweet heart attack cupcakes, then yes!” She placed one in Matthew’s palms, then lobbed the rest with expert aim to land down each Pony worker’s gullet. “That ought to put a little spring into your step.”

Matthew looked to his cupcake, then to the workers, then to the basket, which Pinkie was rapidly replacing in the depths of her mane, a thing which was absolutely scientifically impossible. His eye began to twitch, and he groaned as he smacked his forehead and shook it. “It’s Pinkie Pie, don’t question it. It’s Pinkie Pie, don’t question it. It’s Pinkie Pie, don’t question it,” he muttered under his breath like an incantation. Finally, he managed to regain his composure. “Pinkie, I’m … sort of like Twilight is, okay? If you can somehow break the laws of physics or even just bend them with whatever it is you do, please, please, please try not to do it around me. For the sake of my sanity,” he begged.

Pinkie cocked her head to the side and raised a brow in confusion at the human. Finally, she shrugged and smiled. “Okie dokie!” she promised. “But only if I’m not pranking you.”

“Pranking?” But the mare was already gone, bouncing like a spring along the path, complete with sound effects.

“See you three at the castle!” she said by way of farewell.

Matthew groaned, then blinked in surprise. “Wait, did she just say what I think she said?”

“I get the feeling our presence is soon to be requested,” Shawn remarked with a frown.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Taze said. He wore his cloak looser than his two friends. The winters here were mild compared to what he was used to back on Earth.

“Chrysalis level of bad feeling or something more like the existential dread of an incoming crisis?” Matthew asked.

“Yes,” Taze said

“Yes, what?”

“Yes,” Taze said, shrugging

Matthew frowned. “I don’t get it.”

“Yes to all of the above,” Shawn clarified. “A feeling I can agree with.”

“Oh.” At that moment, a gust of wind carried blue fragments of paper that quickly assembled themselves into a complete scroll. This time, Matthew caught it before it could hit the ground, then passed it to Shawn. “And we’ve got mail.”

“Joy.” He sighed as he unrolled the scroll.

To our dear friends of Earth,

Greetings. We write this letter to you now for two reasons. The first pertains to a gift of sorts that we believe will be useful to the three of you during the course of your stay in Equestria. The latter is a matter that we do not feel comfortable writing, even with the guarantee of delivery that Dragonfire provides. It is a matter of some urgency. Therefore, we request your presence at the palace at your earliest convenience. Rest assured, we shall reimburse any expenses that the trip should require. As one who hopes to be considered a trusted friend, we beg you to come quickly.

Your Friend in Battle,

HRH Princess Luna Galaxia

Shawn hummed after reading the letter. “It looks like we’ve got a trip to make. Wrap up anything you need to deal with and I’ll see to getting some tickets.”

“We’ll need to organize the troops,” Matthew noted. “Who do we want to supervise while we’re gone?”

“Moonshade will be the best for the job.”

“And maybe one or two of the more seasoned recruits,” Matthew agreed. “They can work as aides de camp.”

“I’ll look into the tickets while you manage that, then.” Shawn frowned as he thought over things. “Beyond that, we’ll need to figure out something for Mutatio and Me-Me.”

“Maybe we can slip them in as aides to Moonshade as well?” Matthew suggested. “Then they won’t be far away from anyone that can protect them in the event of an attack.”

“I’ll leave that to you.” Shawn nodded. “Taze, anything on your end?”

“Not really.” Taze shrugged

“Then let’s get this over with. We’ll meet at the Punch Bowl after we finish preparing for departure.” He waved his farewell as his cloak fluttered behind him. “See you two later.”

Taze nodded and headed for the door. He took his time making his way through the town until he came to the end of the path to Fluttershy's cottage. The mare was just closing the door when he strode over the edge of the hill.

“Oh, Taze. Sorry I didn’t see you coming. I was just finishing closing up.”

“I just came to check on Sylvio,” Taze said. “But it looks like you’re leaving.”

“Twilight got a letter calling her to the capitol. The rest of the girls and I want to be there to support her and congratulate her after she passes. You … may not know, but she’s awfully nervous about tests. At least if they come from Princess Celestia.”

Taze nodded. “We actually have to head out there, too. I just wanted to check if the little guy was going to be all right while I’m gone?”

“Oh, yes. I left instructions for the animal friends who are staying with me in my cottage for the winter. They know what to do. I explained that I shouldn’t be gone too long, and Sylvio promised to be good while I was away. Did you want to see him before I go? The train won’t be here for a while yet, and the girls want to surprise Twilight by taking the next one after she goes.”

“If you wouldn’t mind a few minutes?”

“Of course. He’ll be happy to see you again. Wolves can function without an alpha to guide them, but they prefer to maintain contact with each other when possible.” She smiled and opened the door to reveal an open floor, where a white bundle of sticks cocked its head. Sylvio’s eyes widened as the light flared with excitement. Moments later, he bounded at the human, pouncing for his chest.

“Hey there, buddy.” Taze smiled as he held the pup gently, taking a small step back from the impact. “You doing well?”

Sylvio responded by licking the human’s cheeks and face as much as possible.

“Well, I’ll take that as a yes,” he laughed, then held the pup away to keep him from blocking what he had to say. In true puppy fashion, Sylvio squirmed cutely as his tail and rear wagged and swung in the air. “Listen. I need to go on a trip. I’ll be back, but I won't be able to visit you for a while, okay?”

Sylvio barked and continued to wriggle.

“He says he’ll wait for you to come again and can’t wait to play. Oh, and he’s asking you to bring back some sort of treat, too.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for something special,” he promised. “Love you, buddy.”

Sylvio barked again, and his eyes shifted into slits as he panted happily and let his tongue loll in acknowledgement of his happiness.

“He says he loves you, too.”

The warmth of steam wafted from the train platform as Ponies tended to the engine and worked to load bags. The sky above was overcast as the humans gathered next to the carts.

Matthew grinned as he gazed over the train’s cars. “We get to ride again!” He practically squealed his excitement as he looked over the various cars. “I hope they won’t mind if I take another stroll through the train. I can’t wait to compare models!”

“Calm down, Vulpix,” Taze Laughed.

“Calm down? Calm down? When we get the chance to deal with living history? Taze, you know me. I don’t just like trains. I love them! It’s like we’re stepping into an Agatha Christie novel!”

“I think we could live without the Murder on the Orient Express,” Shawn said blandly. “It’s bad enough that we’re being called to Canterlot at the same time as Twilight. You know that can’t be a coincidence.”

“There are no coincidences,” Taze said, doing his best Oogway impression.

“Isn’t that quote supposed to be, ‘There are no accidents?’” Matthew asked.

“Yeah, but that didn’t fit the situation,” Taze laughed.

“If they bring in a real dragon scroll, I’m out,” Matthew said. “Ask me to shoot something, I can do that no problem. Ask me to do martial arts and I’m up a creek without a paddle.”

“Given the nature of our beings, yeah.” Shawn shrugged. “In any case, it shouldn’t be much longer.”

“All aboard!” the conductor shouted. His blue uniform stood out sharply against the dull stones of the platform. “All aboard for the train to Canterlot Station!”

“Convenient,” Matthew noted as he hefted a bag over a shoulder and strode toward one of the train carts.

Taze shrugged and followed.

“Let’s get this over with,” Shawn sighed as he joined them.

“And now I have The Wizard of Oz playing through my head.” Matthew chuckled as he took a seat and began to hum the familiar tune.

“I still don’t like this,” Taze said.

“Oh, it certainly screams that something is going to happen,” Shawn agreed. “I just hope we’re put in the loop this time.”

“Didn’t Princess Luna imply that in her letter?” Matthew asked.

“Being told something doesn’t mean we’re fully in the loop.” Shawn frowned. “I could tell you that we’re building a camp in Ponyville. And while that is true, it doesn’t explain the reason for it, or what’s going on further.”

“Do you really think she would do that, though?”

“I don’t know.” Shawn sighed. “I want to believe she’ll do us right, but… I can’t help but feel anxious about it all.”

“I guess all we can do for now is take things one step at a time,” Matthew said. “That, and enjoy the ride.” He grinned. “What to hear some train trivia?”

As it had been before, the trio of friends now stood before the doors to Luna’s private quarters. A heavy knock heralded their arrival as the guards gazed with the level intent of trained warriors. The Thestrals were patient and courteous, but no entry would be allowed until the Princess saw fit to grant it. Shortly after the guard entered to alert Luna, the trio found themselves shuffled in to face the mare. The room was much the same, though the hammer that had once been sealed now hovered in place to await its mistress’ call.

“Welcome, my friends,” she said, smiling. “I hope your trip went well?”

“As well as it could.” Shawn nodded. “It’s good to see you again, Luna. Though, I hope the reason for needing us wasn’t too dire?”

“It’s a bit more complicated, actually. I’m sure you're aware Twilight Sparkle was called by my sister as well.”

“Given that we saw her at the station on her way here as well, we figured as much.”

“So this has to do with whatever Princess Celestia has in mind for Twilight?” Matthew asked. “You’re not asking us to be bodyguards for her, are you?”

“An anomaly has recently been reported by our scouts. The Crystal Empire, an ancient civilization which vanished ages ago, has recently reappeared to our north. Despite my own reasoning, my sister has decided to send Twilight Sparkle and her friends to aid Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in stabilizing it, and only them.”

“Is this going to follow the usual cliche of falling into the wrong hands leading to devastating consequences kind of thing?” Matthew asked.

“That depends on whether spreading dark magic throughout Equestria qualifies as devastating consequences.” Celestia appeared in a flash of sunlight as she looked to the trio. “The answer doesn’t require stating. However, I know that Twilight will succeed in her task. You needn’t worry about that. I wish to send you three to the Crystal Empire for a different reason.”

“And that reason would be...?” Shawn inquired.

“During the course of our rule, there was a certain Unicorn whose actions proved helpful in protecting the kingdom from various threats. His name has become a legend of sorts in the modern day. This stallion was called Star Swirl the Bearded. Before the time of his disappearance from the world, he studied all manner of magics, including a spell that was capable of opening a portal into other worlds. It’s a well known fact that Star Swirl had a laboratory in which he performed much of his research to refine that spell. If you can locate that lab and retrieve that information, we may be able to provide you with the means to return to your homes. It’s a long shot, but it’s the best lead that we have to help you right now.”

Shawn hummed for a moment. “Fair enough, I suppose.” He glanced at the others. “Your thoughts?”

“I’d like a risk assessment, personally,” Matthew said. “It seems to me Twilight is always sent when there’s a great evil about to take place. What’s the threat this time, and how likely are we to encounter it while we’re in the city?”

Celestia’s face grew grave. “The threat is very great indeed. Long ago, the Crystal Empire was ruled by wise and just Ponies whose magic was intricately tied into the running of the kingdom itself. So long as a kind and just ruler reigned, light, love, and peace would spread across Equestria, augmenting and strengthening the magic of all of its Pony denizens. Unfortunately, there came a time when a dark sorcerer deposed the rightful ruler and seized control of the empire for himself. Through evil enchantments, he enslaved the empire and sought to spread his control throughout Equestria. Only by great sacrifice and a united effort were we able to defeat King Sombra. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stop him from casting a curse that banished the empire from existence. A careful analysis of the magic traces left behind yielded an understanding that while potent, the spell would not last forever. Since that day, we have kept a vigil over the lands to the north, waiting for the day when our ally of old would return again, so that we might finish what we started.”

“And you’re just sending Twilight and her friends?” Shawn questioned.

“There are certain facts that have led to this decision. In part, because we wish to take our enemy by surprise. If we were to attempt to send a detachment of soldiers, it would only alarm the populace of the empire. Intelligence from Shining Armor indicates that the Ponies in the city are experiencing a form of mental trauma. An armed incursion will only serve to further unbalance them in a time when they need to heal for their magic to work properly and not be exploited by our enemy. Secondly, the true heir to the throne and its power is there under a close guard to ensure her safety and ultimate transition into power. The third reason is a state secret, and one which I expect you to keep to yourselves. Do I have your word that you will do so?”

“Fine.” Taze shrugged.

“Full disclosure is certainly better than what we had before,” Matthew agreed. “If a little secret keeping is the trade-off, I think I can handle it.”

After a moment of silence from Shawn, he sighed. “I’ll accept as well.”

Celestia nodded. “Thank you. As you all know, I am bound to the sun, just as Luna is bound to the moon. As a result of this connection, I am granted occasional glimpses into the future; premonitions, if you will. Likewise, Luna also holds this ability. I can’t will these visions to come to me, but when they do, they always come true. I have seen their success at the empire, and there were no troops to be seen. I dare not put that future in jeopardy by mustering an army, particularly if the anxiety and negative emotions generated by such a body could lead to hastening Sombra’s return.”

Shawn sighed once again. “And I suppose this is also a means of securing our safety as well, since victory is to be obtained by them.”

“Your mission will be equally important, not only for yourselves and your journey home but to prevent that information from falling into Sombra’s grasp. His priority will be power. If he were to gain access to portal magic of that nature, the future I foresaw could be put in peril. However, since humans are an unknown species in the empire, we can’t have you traveling as you are.” She smiled at her sister. “Luna, if you would do the honors?”

“With your allowance, we will be casting a spell on the three of you to change your appearance temporarily. Your disguises will be based on an approximation of what you’d be if you had been born here instead of Earth.”

“What determines this approximation?” Matthew asked. “Did you perform some sort of psychological analysis or something?”

Celestia shook her head. “The magic will decide. We could try to influence it if we wished, but that would be counterintuitive to helping you adjust to these forms in the first place.”

“We promise this is simply a measure to make this easier,” Luna said.

“I … actually have something that I should bring up first, if that’s the case,” Shawn spoke up. “I haven’t been able to determine it fully for everyone just yet, but at the very least, I may have … discovered a field of magic that we three may have the capability of wielding. The reason I bring this up … is because I’m not too sure how it might react to that.”

“What do you mean?” Celestia asked.

“And I’m sorry, but did you just say that we have magic?” Matthew asked.

“Maybe,” Shawn remarked. “I haven’t been able to fully check with everyone, but … here, let me show you.” He sighed as he held up his hand. After a few seconds a soft blue glow began to surround his hand before cutting out. “I’m still trying to figure it out fully, but it appears to be connected to a book I found recently and began translating. The power is called thaumaturgy.”

“And this power is supposed to block their spell somehow?” Matthew asked.

“It apparently reacts to outside influences defensively, so I don’t know.”

“Even if we let it happen?” Taze asked

“That’s the thing. We may be willing, but it may be harmful to it? I don’t know everything just yet, so I can’t fully explain whether or not it would be completely safe.” Shawn frowned. “In any case, if we are going to do this, given what I know already, I’d rather be the test subject myself first.”

Celestia looked at her sister, then back to Shawn. “If that is what you wish, we can work together to ensure that you are able to receive this spell. Does the book tell you anything about pain being involved in overcoming this … passive resistance?”

“I have no idea. I haven’t been able to translate it that far, as of this point.”

“And you’re still willing to take this risk? You needn’t go if you feel that this could be dangerous.”

“If it could help in finding a way home for us, I’m willing to take the risk.”

Celestia nodded. “Very well. Brace yourself, then, Shawn. And try to relax. I will strive to make this as swift and painless as possible.” The spell began by weaving what looked to be golden ribbons in the form of a great cocoon. It surrounded Shawn’s body, then slowly began to squeeze as Celestia pumped more of her magic into her horn. “If anything goes wrong, tell me, and I will reverse the spell immediately.”

The wrappings congealed into a solid form without layering and continued to press closer and closer to Shawn’s body until an almost perfect silhouette of light formed. However, as the coating tightened, it suddenly began to bulge and press at various locations around the body, forcing the power back and away from his skin.

“Shawn?” Celestia called.

“Go for it,” he called back. “Complete it by force if you need to!”

Celestia recoiled slightly as the bond roiled and the seams began to show again. She nodded, then flared her wings and raised her head high. The light around her horn became an intense projection as bright as the sun she directed during the day. “This may singe a little,” she warned. Then she brought her head down and thrust her horn forward like an epee in motion. The cocoon regained its integrity, and its squeezing continued, pushing and crushing against face, arms, torso, and legs. Nothing escaped. The roiling grew weaker and weaker as the scent of burning hairs filled the air briefly.

And then it happened. Piece by piece, Shawn’s body began to lengthen and shift. Mittened hands merged into solid blobs. The face protruded forward as two long pointed ears shifted up the sides of the head. The body hunched forward and gradually clopped heavily to the floor as the spine and hips realigned for quadrupedal movement. Arms lengthened to match hind legs that were rapidly transforming into a proper set of equine hindquarters, complete with tail. Lastly, a mane sprouted from the new head and down his neck before the light finally broke apart to reveal a newly formed Earth Pony surrounded by scorch marks. The stallion’s fur was a light tan with a dark brown mane. His eyes were closed, his teeth bared in a grimace that gradually softened as he breathed in relief.

“Shawn?” Matthew asked uncertainly.

Two intense blue orbs were revealed as Shawn opened his eyes. “T-tha…. That … was not pleasant,” he finally said, though it had taken him a moment to form the words.

“How do you feel? Are you hurt?” Celestia asked.

“Not at the moment.” He took a breath as he blinked a few times. “It is fading. I’ll be fine.”

“Can you walk?”

Shawn took a moment to lift each leg as he attempted to tie the muscles to a part of his mind. After a few moments, he slowly began to take a few steps that, while clumsy at first, quickly started to move in a more coordinated fashion.

Celestia sighed in relief. “No negative effects.” Then she nodded. “In that case, we should probably get started with you two next. Who wants to go first?”

“Probably best if I take the next go, so you have it down for Matthew,” Taze said as he stepped forward.

“Very well, Luna said as her horn began to glow brightly. “Let us see who you are, then.”

Silver and dark blue ribbons of magic formed Taze’s cocoon this time, and he did his best to will the spell to happen in order to avoid what Shawn had experienced. Soon, he too was covered as the magic congealed and began to enclose upon him. There was no roiliing or bubbles, though, as his body began to shift. However, unlike Shawn, the form that Taze began to manifest was anything but equine. Fingers lengthened and stretched into large sharpened talons. His head molded and reformed into a distinctly birdlike profile, complete with a hooked beak as his legs and feet transformed into powerful feline paws and hindquarters. A long feline trail grew out behind him as large wings erupted from his broadening back. When the magic receded, it revealed a black gryphon resembling a panther and a raven. His breast and the tips of his crest were a deep green. And when he opened his sharp eyes, they were an intense shade of dark blue.

Taze stumbled as the spell finished its work, and he hit the ground. “I feel weird,” he said. “Ish there something on my back?” he slurred, then stopped as his wings twitched and spasmed.

“He is all right,” Luna said as she checked him. “His body is getting used to the changes and his new wings.”

Matthew breathed a sigh of relief. “No stroke, then. Good.” Then he looked between the two sisters. “I guess that just leaves me now, huh?”

Celestia nodded. “Luna, would you mind? Performing that spell on Shawn was more difficult than it appeared.”

Luna nodded. “Of course, sister.”

Much like Taze, the magic wrapped around Matthew’s body to transform him. He also developed a pair of wings, though on a much smaller scale. Dark blue fur shone glossily over his hooves. As if a ribbon of the silver magic had decided to meld with his being, his mane and tail became shockingly white and seemed almost to glow as his new hooves clopped on the ground. Vivid eyes sparked with the familiar fire of his new species. Since he knew what to expect, he braced his legs and breathed deeply.

“Well,” he started, “that … was something.” He chuckled. “My heart’s beating a mile a minute.” He froze suddenly, and his eyes widened. “My heart’s beating a mile a minute, … and I don’t feel anything. Is this … am I…?” He put a hoof to his throat in an attempt to take a pulse, forgetting that he no longer had fingers with which to check. “Somebody do a scan of my body. Please.”

Celestia nodded, even as Matthew’s new wings shot out and flared in his excitement. Her horn glowed, and she pushed her magic over the former human to analyze his body, as requested. Then understanding dawned, and she smiled as she cut off her magic. “Congratulations, Matthew. You’re a whole and healthy Pegasus.” She approached and tapped the tip of her horseshoe against the Pony’s chest. “With a heart to match.”

“I have a real heart,” Matthew breathed. Then he crowed at the top of his lungs as his wings flapped, and he was suddenly airborne, nearly striking the ceiling. “I have a real heart!” A swift seizing of his body in Celestia’s magical grip saved him from a very ungraceful crash landing, but no sooner was he upright on the ground then he was bounding toward his friends. He didn’t care how much he stumbled or tripped. He could run. He could fall. He could bleed and not have to worry about not being able to stop it. The new Pagasus laughed exultantly as tears spilled from his eyes. “Guys! Guys!”

“You okay?” Taze smirked

“Is the sky blue? Is the grass green? Do I have bucking feathers?” Matthew laughed again as he wrapped his forelegs around Taze’s new neck in a great hug, then zipped over to Luna with the speed that his new Pony tribe was best known for to give her the same treatment. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” It was hard to tell how much was sob and how much laughter at this point, but it was all Matthew. Energetic, ecstatic, and truly whole for the first time in his life.

“It was nothing.” Luna smiled gently, then let loose a laugh of her own. “Truly, I didn’t expect it. But I am glad for you, Matthew of Earth. Very glad, indeed.”

“Are these forms indefinite?” Shawn asked after a moment.

“Until we undo the spell, yes,” Celestia said. “You won’t need to worry about changing back in an awkward situation.”

“That’s good to know.” He nodded in thought. “This will certainly take some getting used to.”

Matthew giggled as he twisted his head around and looked at his flank. “I have a cutie mark!” And indeed, he did. A quill feather was crossed with a sword, as if in preparation for a duel. “What’s yours, Shawn?”

“It appears to be a smithing hammer,” Shawn replied as he looked.

“Well, I guess that makes sense. You did forge those gifts for us. But I honestly thought you would’ve been a shoe-in for something closer to woodworking,” Matthew said.

“I suppose it wasn’t meant to be here?” He shrugged awkwardly in response before making a face. “These motions are going to take some getting used to.”

Matthew smirked. “It’s a bit easier when you’ve got wings. Shoulders work differently for quadrupeds.” Then he grinned as he looked at his new appendages. “I’ve got wings.”

“So do I,” Taze smirked.

“There is one other matter to attend to in order to make your disguises complete,” Celestia noted.

“I would assume you’re referring to names,” Shawn spoke up. “Given ours don’t match the nature of how you’re all named.”

“Indeed,” Celestia agreed. “You are doubtless at least somewhat familiar with how our culture names their children. It should be a simple matter for the two of you to pick new names. As for you, Taze, Gryphon culture is different from that of Ponies. Their names can be singular or many depending on their clan and bloodlines, among other factors. In your case, it would be best to portray yourself as a clanless with no particular family ties. That will help to ease any anxieties that the Crystal Ponies might have over you and also justify using a single name. It will also allow you to avoid any attention that you might not want from other Gryphons.”

“Grif.” Taze shrugged. “Might keep people guessing.”

“That, and it’s short for Griffin, right?” Matthew guessed.

He shrugged again. “I’m not great with names.”

“Well, I guess I’ll keep it simple, too. The pen is mightier than the sword, but now I can use both if I want to and not have to worry about collapsing.” He grinned. “Call me Pensword.”

Shawn hummed as he looked at his mark once more. After a few seconds of silence, he finally looked back to the others. “Hammer Strike. Seems fitting enough.”

Celestia nodded. “Excellent. In that case, gentlemen, we have one last thing to iron out for this journey, that being your backstories. Officially, you have been contracted by the crown to escort Twilight and any others she sees fit to bring with her safely to the Crystal Empire. Once there, you will be free to carry out your other orders. We’ll include a letter bearing our seal to invest you with the necessary authorization and authority if Shining Armor questions you.”

“Okay, then. Will there be anyone who will know who we are, or is it a complete lockdown on our identities?”

“We leave it to your judgment. If you wish to disclose your identities, you may to those who already know your other forms.”

Shawn hummed. “Honestly, it may be an idea for Twilight to know to assist with alleviating potential suspicion.”

Celestia frowned. “Twilight can be nervous when she worries about disappointing me. If there’s a way you can help her to put her fears to rest and focus more on helping the Ponies in need there, I would appreciate it. She trusts you all. Particularly you, Shawn.”

“I might be able to do so.” He nodded.

“Then in that case, you had best make ready. Our armory is at your disposal. I also suggest you prepare for a fight and dress for cold weather. The empire lies in the far northern reaches of Equestria. When you’ve finished your preparations, we’ll have you escorted to the train to join Twilight.”

“Sounds good. Gives us time to adjust, at least to a point.”

Celestia nodded. “Sister, if you would?”

Luna nodded and summoned her escort. It didn’t take long to explain who the strangers were and what their orders were to be. With the new assignment given, the trio were swiftly escorted from the room to begin their preparations while Luna closed the door to gaze at her sister. “That was … strange,” Luna commented when they were alone.

“Strange is putting it mildly, Lulu,” Celestia said gravely. “We’re both thinking it. I’m just saying it. The manner of speech, the level exterior, and now the form he’s taken as a result of the spell I cast. It can’t just be a coincidence.” She shook her head.

“And the others,” Luna agreed. “You and Grif never did get along, did you?”

Celestia shuddered. “I keep half expecting him to pop up out of nowhere and call me Sunbutt. It’s uncanny. And if this really is that Pensword, it would certainly explain a thing or two about his intense loyalty to you. He always said you gave him a life.”

“You didn’t alter the spell?”

“How could I have? I was still recovering from the struggle to change Shawn.” She shook her head. “No. It seems that if he’d been born here, he never would have had the complications he faced on Earth. That’s the only explanation I can think of.”

“I feel like things have been set in motion we cannot yet fully understand.”

Celestia smiled ruefully. “Isn’t that just the story of our lives?”

“We should probably keep up the names, even alone, just to keep ourselves from slipping up later,” the newly-dubbed Hammer Strike spoke up as he looked through the available supplies for them to take.

“Are we going to bring armor with us or do you think it’d be better to go without for now?” Pensword asked curiously.

“I’d say light armor at best?” Hammer Strike hummed. “It’d help with the whole, ‘keeping the calm.’”

“Makes sense to me. This is all still kind of strange for me to believe,” Pensword said. “I can run faster than I ever could as a human, and now I can actually fly if I want to. Probably not well, but at least I can do it,” he said, even as his wings lifted him off the floor to hover briefly before he dropped back to all fours again. “Maybe I should ask Rainbow Dash for some pointers later. After we don’t have to hide who we are anymore, I mean.”

“Until then, we’ll just have to come up with a reason why you’re grounded.”

Pensword’s wings raised in a shrug. “I’ll just say I prefer to walk. If Fluttershy can get away with it, so can I.”

“Whatever works,” Hammer Strike replied before turning to Grif. “Anything you think you’ll need?”

“Aside from time?” Grif shrugged. “A bandolier, some kind of weapons harness, and a bag of holding, if those are a thing.”

“The first thing, I think I see. Second thing, I don’t know if they have anything for a Gryphon. Beyond that, I think you’re asking for something they don’t have a stockpile of.” He shrugged in return.

“Well, I'm just being honest,” Grif said. “I don’t feel comfortable going into this without weapons, you know?”

“That’s fair.” Hammer Strike frowned. “It still feels strange that this has become our norm.” He sighed. “In any case, get what we can. We don’t have long before the train arrives. Twilight’s already been informed, so we just need to meet her there before the arrival of the others.”

Pensword nodded. “I guess I’ll look for old faithful, then.” He approached a rack and picked up one of the bows. “Do you think I should grab a sword as well?”

“Whatever you’re comfortable with, or at least believe you will be quick enough to pick up.” Hammer Strike looked to the new sword at his side. “Though, previous equipment is obviously off the table.”

Grif took a pair of long swords and a set of throwing blades. After some hesitation, he grabbed a bow and quiver as well.

“If this is like Chrysalis, I suppose we should be ready for minions,” Pensword mused. “Do you think we might be able to find some background on Sombra’s magic and troops before we get on the train?”

“I don’t know if we have the time,” Taze said, testing the pull. “Besides, there is no real armor meant for Gryphons available, so I’m gonna have to check on that once we get there.”

“Even if we do find armor there, will it even be practical?” Pensword asked. “I mean, it’s an ancient society, right?”

Hammer Strike frowned. “I don’t know if that really matters.”

The trio were swift to arrive at the platform. For the sake of appearances, their escort was kept light. Twilight and the rest of her friends, along with Spike, were all waiting at the station. The Unicorn looked confident as she smiled at five very confused mares. Spike was struggling with a massive pile of luggage.

“So, … I’m guessing this is the station?” Grif spoke up.

“It certainly looks that way,” Pensword agreed. He offered a courteous nod in their direction. “Ladies,” he greeted them. “I assume Miss Sparkle has informed you of our coming?”

“I … was actually getting to that,” Twilight said awkwardly as she looked at her friends. “Princess Celestia has a special mission that she wants these three to perform while we work with Shining and Cadance to help save the empire.”

“Pleasure working with you.” Grif offered a small nod.

“Wonderful, marvelous,” Rarity said. “A mare could always do with a gentlemanly escort.” She smiled. “But enough banter. It’s rude not to introduce yourself to a future teammate.” She extended a hoof. “Rarity Belle. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” She gestured to the other mares. “And these are Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and the cute little Dragon is my widdle Spikey Wikey,” she said cutely as she gushed over the young drake. “And I assume you already know Twilight, by reputation if not by sight.”

“Grif,” Grif offered flatly.

“I am called Pensword,” Pensword said by way of greeting.

“And I am Hammer Strike. A pleasure,” Hammer Strike replied with a small grin.

Twilight’s eyes widened at the words. “That’s … quite a name to live up to,” she noted. “Did you come from a military family? There aren’t a lot of Ponies outside the nobility and the Guard who’ve even heard of it.”

Hammer Strike gave a small smile and shook his head. “Not quite. Though some of my family have served.”

“So, you know a thing or two about how to fight, huh?” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Good to know.”

“Rainbow Dash, if Princess Celestia asked them to come with us, then they’re probably very good at … whatever it is she wants them to do,” Fluttershy chided. “We shouldn’t be rude.”

“Well, it’s awful nice to have y’all on board with us. I say the more the merrier,” Applejack said with a welcoming smile.

Pinkie Pie giggled as she passed three cupcakes to the warriors. Their surfaces read Bon Voyage in crystalline chunks of ground rock candy. “We’re gonna have so much fun on this adventure!”

“Thank you,” Pensword said before taking a bite of the confection. Then he frowned. “Um, Miss Pinkie Pie, … are you sure these are cupcakes? They taste like muffins. Very good muffins, but muffins all the same.”

“Do you like it? I call it my Cupcake Imposter Surprise.” She giggled. “Just call me the Muffin Mare! Or don’t. I’m not Derpy, after all.” She licked her lips. “Now she knows how to make some muffins.”

“Pinkie.” Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes, then smiled helplessly at the mare. “Thanks. I needed that to help me feel better.”

Hammer Strike gave a brief chuckle. “I’m certain your friends will keep your mood positive.”

“I wouldn’t do anything like this without them by my side,” Twilight agreed. “Together, I’m certain we’ll save the Crystal Empire and all of Equestria.”

“I’m sure of that.” He smiled softly. “Now, if I remember correctly, the train should be arriving soon, right?”

“Princess Celestia ordered it specifically for the trip. The station out there is old, but the rails have been maintained, so we shouldn’t have any trouble arriving in the northern reaches. We should reach the platform sometime tomorrow evening.”

Pensword’s ear twitched. “I think I hear it coming.”

Rainbow Dash raised a skeptical brow. “Seriously?”

Pensword shrugged. “My hearing is sharper than most. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve been brought onto this mission.”

A few moments later, the echo of the train whistle could be heard. A few minutes later, the engine settled into the station while Pensword smiled smugly.

“You are not normal, Pensword,” Grif chuckled

“And I thank my maker for that every day.” The stallion approached one of the train cars and pulled open the door. “Shall we?”

The new Gryphon swiftly covered his mouth as his attempt at a yawn started coming out as a roar. “Well, that's … new,” he commented to no one in particular as he looked around the cabin. Darkness enshrouded the space, and yet as he looked over the prone forms of the Ponies and Dragon sleeping, he could see almost perfectly. Taking a seat, he looked at his hand, or rather the assorted retractable bladed talons that had at one time been a much less lethal part of his hands. “This is all going to take some getting used to.”

A cursory bed count revealed one occupant of the carriage wasn’t asleep and … also wasn’t occupying said carriage. Instead of concern or fear, the Gryphon shrugged and strode to the door connecting their car to the next one over, curious to what his newly Ponified friend might be up to. The ease with which he crept silently across the floor went unnoticed to his semi-sleepy mind. He rubbed his eyes casually to brush the last of the sleep out of them as he turned the knob to open the way into the next car.

What sleep remained was quickly blown from his mind as his ears were struck by the barrage of sound coming from the wheels churning and clattering along the tracks with the creak of the swaying coupler and the roar of wind mingled with the heavy chuff of the steam engine. He practically leaped into the next car and slammed the door behind him.

On the other side, the Gryphon found “Hammer Strike” drawing out a design on an extendable table, like he usually did at this hour of the night.

“Given the sounds, I’ll assume that’s you, ‘Grif?’” Hammer Strike asked.

Grif nodded and sighed in bliss as the reduced noise. “Yeah. Woke up and realized you weren’t around, so I thought I’d check in on you.”

Hammer Strike nodded. “Fair enough. I’ve just been adjusting to our current situation. So far, at the very least, I’ve got most of my standard functions down.”

“Walking’s easy enough,” Grif agreed. “Still have no idea on the flight, though. Also a lot easier on the eyes right now than during the day.”

“Now you understand my pain.” Hammer Strike chuckled. “But I’m sure you’ll manage flying in time.”

“Yeah. Not looking forward to the area around the empire, to be honest,” Taze noted. “Snow blindness sucks as is. With these eyes? It’s gonna be unbearable.”

“We’ll manage. Or at the very least, we’ll have to manage.”

“Yeah.” Grif nodded. “What are you working on?”

“Weapons. For our new forms in particular.” He gestured to one of the blueprints off to the side of the table.

“That's … probably a good idea.” He nodded. “I don’t think we’re being told everything.”

“We aren’t. We never are told everything.” He sighed. “We just have to make do with what we do know.”

“Forewarned is forearmed, right?”

“I just hope we’ll be able to manage combat in these forms. Well, it shouldn’t be too difficult for you. Though you’ll still have a hurdle to adjust for in comparison to myself, where I’m working with hooves.”

“That's a fair point.” Grif nodded. “But it’s gotta be doable, right?”

“Of course. It’s just a matter of changing our own minds to manage it.”

“That's true, I suppose.” Grif yawned. “And it could always be worse. Mind if I keep you company?”

“Not like we have anything else we could be doing.” He chuckled briefly in response, then returned to his work.

The following morning led to a modicum of adjustment and success for Grif. While his talons had dug into and marred much furniture and carpet, he had learned some of the strength behind those dangerous implements and how best to grasp objects that would otherwise be destroyed. Hammer Strike had mastered the use of his hooves to shift his quill and avoid spreading ink over his fur and the page. Eight different blueprints laid off to the side. Some were intricately drawn with hints at minute aspects to utilize while others were only the barest sketches to outline a potential project.

At last, a heavy knocking at their door pulled them from the work. As the door opened, the sight of beds and bedding had all disappeared. Instead, a number of tables stood heaped high with steaming goods while a Pony in a chef’s hat served pancakes, waffles, crepes, and a number of sugary breakfast confections.

“We were wondering if the two of you wanted to join us,” Pensword called over the clattering of the tracks, motioning toward the Pony and the cloches on his handcart that had yet to be opened.

“Sure,” Hammer Strike replied as he neatly organized his blueprints.

Grif shrugged and headed for the cart in question.

“As one who has cooked for ambassadors from Gryphonia, the princesses have requested that I also prepare a meal more suitable for your palate, sir,” the chef said. Without further ado, he raised the unopened dishes and threw them like frisbees to land on an open table. Then, with equal skill, he removed each lid in a dramatic flourish to reveal a wide variety of eggs smothered in cheese, bacon, venison, Pâté, and other additions. “Of course, the other items on my cart are also yours if you prefer.”

“Oh, wow, this all looks amazing,” Grif commented while taking a seat. “I’ll happily try a bit of everything.”

The chef laughed. “Of course, sir.”

Pensword trotted to the table and hopped into the open seat of their makeshift booth. “Mind if I join you?”

“Be my guest,” Grif said.

As the passengers dined on the exquisite offerings from the chef, Pensword gazed out the window at the weather outside. White flecks darted in fat clumps that flew like daggers in the wind. The overcast sky blocked the sun, making the winter that they now plunged through perceivable as well as tangible.

“You know,” Pensword mused as he gazed over the white beyond, “whiteouts are probably a lot more common in the north. So are avalanches and snow drifts. I know the princesses said a curse was the cause for the city disappearing, but what if it was just … nature doing its work? Or nature being given a nudge to make it possible until Sombra came back? You know, sort of like how a mummy gets preserved in a high mountain?”

“A, it’s not cold enough,” Grif said. “B, that's not how cryogenics work.”

Pensword frowned and stroked his chin thoughtfully with a hoof. “Alone, perhaps. But like I said, if they combined it with magic, it might be possible. The princesses said he cast a curse. They never said what form or nature the curse took for the banishment.”

“Pretty sure nature wasn’t the vehicle,” Grif said.

“I guess we’ll find out either way when we get to the city.” Pensword’s nose twitched as the scent of the lucious meats wafted into his nose. “Um, … do you think I could maybe have a little of that paste?”

One could almost hear the record scratching as the other Ponies stared at Pensword.

“What? It smells good.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 19: White Out Conditions

The train hissed and creaked as it ground against the rails and finally came to a complete stop before an aged platform. The world seemed shrouded in a perpetual twilight as great storm clouds hovered overhead to blot out the sun while cold winds blew with biting flakes of snow. It wasn’t quite a whiteout, but it was difficult enough to make the space eerie and mournful.

“Wow, Pensword commented as he gazed over the terrain. “I’m starting to wonder if we might get lost, too, if we have to go out into a snowstorm like that.”

“Snowstorm?” Grif looked at him. “You call this a storm?” He chuckled to himself as he clipped on his simple traveling cloak. “This is but a wee flurry, lad.”

Rarity gloated as she stepped from the car, followed by a very overburdened Spike. “Hah! And you all made fun of me for packing so many scarves.”

Unfortunately for Spike, as he vied to gain Rarity’s approval, he lost his footing on a slippery patch of snow, and the luggage came tumbling down, releasing the scarves to fly in the wind and leaving him to scramble after them in an effort to prevent them getting lost in the storm.

Just as it seemed the Dragon was going to fail in his self-appointed task, a magical aura wrapped around the wayward accessories and pulled them back into range. Spike snagged them and beamed triumphantly. “Thanks!”

A purple Unicorn mare with a striking blond mane smiled kindly at him. “My pleasure.” She wore the familiar uniform of a postal worker, and a mail satchel was tied to one side of her body. She fished out a trio of letters embossed with a glossy purple tower on the envelopes and levitated them in her magic. She offered them to Hammer Strike, Grif, and Pensword one after the other. “Um, special delivery,” she said, even as she avoided making eye contact with the other mares.

Grif took his with a lifted eyebrow.

“Um, … we didn’t introduce ourselves,” Pensword pointed out. “How do you know we’re the intended recipients?”

“My clients were very specific,” the mare said. “I’ve also been asked to give you a message. If you must flee, go by way of the southeast city gate.”

Pensword blinked in disbelief and utter incomprehension. “... What?”

Just then, a familiar voice called, drawing the attention of the rest of the group away from the mail mare. “Twilight!”

By the time Grif, Pensword, and Hammer Strike looked back, the barest flash of the mare’s tail could be seen vanishing behind the worn-down ticket office.

Twilight squinted into the storm as a figure slowly emerged from the flurries garbed in a black scarf and wearing black goggles to protect his eyes. “Shining Armor?”

Shining removed the eyegear with his magic and pulled down his scarf to expose his face while his brilliant blue eyes shone with relief and happiness. “Twily! You made it!”

The two siblings ran to each other as Twilight leapt from the platform and then rose on her hind legs to embrace her brother with her forelegs while he did likewise. The embrace didn’t last long, however, and Shining was quick to change from pleasantries to the task at hand. Worry furrowed his brow.

“We’d better get moving,” the stallion said seriously. “There are things out here we really don’t want to run into after dark.”

“Wh-what kind of things?” Fluttershy quavered?

“Let’s just say the empire … isn’t the only thing that’s returned.”

“I’ll assume you’re referring to a specific threat that may have sent it here in the first place,” Hammer Strike spoke up.

“What is it? Where is it? How do we kill it?” Grif asked.

“In order, yes, you clearly already know what it is, somewhere out here in the frozen wastes, and I don’t know. I can tell you more as we go. The more time we waste here, the easier a target we become.”

The small party departed from the train station, even as the conductor looked into the storm and started the engine on reverse. With talk like that, there wasn’t much motivation to wait at the platform, particularly when there weren’t any other Ponies waiting to get on the train in the first place. After a period of silence in which Shining scanned their surroundings, he turned his head back to face the party. “If Celestia picked you three, I can only assume she’s already brought you up to date on the situation,” he called over his shoulder. “Something keeps trying to get into the city. We think it’s the Unicorn king who originally cursed the place, or at least what’s left of him.”

“But Princess Celestia said I was being sent here to find a way to protect the empire. If King Sombra can’t get in, then it must already be protected,” Twilight called back over the wind, even as her friends squinted against the arctic blast.

Just then, a cry not unlike that of a wounded beast or a dying breath through a horn carried on the wind, surrounding the group. Fluttershy quavered and barely kept herself from screaming as she spoke. “Th-that’s one of the things, isn’t it?”

Shining was swift to take command. “We have to get to the Crystal Empire. Now!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth when a great black mist materialized from the wastes to tower above the Ponies, Dragon, and Gryphon. Two great green eyes opened within, flaring a dark purple miasma from within as a beastly growl curdled from it. Shining raced to the frozen and staring Spike and quickly levitated him out from under his burden. Then he lowered Spike ahead of them and nudged him forward, leaving Rarity’s luggage behind.

“Go! Go!” Twilight shouted to her friends. As they continued at their pace, a light began to emerge from out of the veil of snow, followed by what appeared to be an amorphous blue globe.

Shining Armor smiled. “Almost there,” he encouraged. While the mares rushed ahead with Spike, Shining dropped behind and skidded to a stop to gaze the monster in the eyes.

“No you don’t.” Hammer Strike took hold of Shining firmly by the scarf to drag him along. “No heroics,” he said through clenched teeth. “You keep moving!”

Grif turned, drew his bow, notched an arrow, and fired it into the mist. “I’ll be right behind you! Get going!” he said. Then, stepping back, he took shot after shot.

“You heard the bird. Get a move on!” Next, it was Pensword shoving at Shining. With the two working together, the stallion had little chance to object, let alone resist as the remarkably strong Earth Pony and the extremely stubborn pegasus pushed and tugged the stallion to prevent him from gathering enough magic to cast his shield spell.

Grif, for his part, was firing into the Smoke in a rapid stream of arrows. The bolts seemed to do little more than slow it down as the holes made by the air pressure rapidly refilled. The light of the dome drew closer and closer. He could hear the hum of the magic over the howling of the wind and the growls of the ghostly shroud of mist. The air rang with the sound of the magic interacting, followed by flashes of light. The others had made it. Now Grif had to follow.

Grif Growled as he reached back once again, only to find the quiver empty. Sensing an opening, the entity surged at Grif before he could reach a throwing knife. It engulfed his left arm, which led to a searing moment of cold pain before, quite suddenly, the roaring blizzard shifted. Taze could feel the warmth of the barrier’s magic seeping into his fur from behind, causing it to stand on end when his tail passed through. The wind howled all the harder and blew against the barrier, then flowed off to blast at the smoke, dissipating it and sending it back long enough for Grif to pass through the barrier into the peaceful calm of green grass and blue skies.

Grif panted as he looked at the barrier for a few moments before he looked down to check the damage the cloud had wrought. Dark crystals jutted out of his left arm, coating it in a dark shell that seemed to move effortlessly with him.

“Are you all right, Grif?” Pensword asked as he approached his friend. Then he drew in a sharp breath at the sight of the black shapes that shone like obsidian and seemed almost to crackle with black energy.

“Fine,” Grif panted.

“That is not fine,” Pensword said firmly. “Hammer Strike, Twilight, Shining, get over here. We have a problem.”

Shining Armor stiffened, glanced Hammer Strike’s way, then looked more intently at Pensword. “What did you just call him?”

“Hammer Strike. But introductions can wait till later. Right now, we have other things of importance to focus on.” Hammer Strike spoke as he moved to look at the crystal on Grif’s arm.

Twilight gasped at the sight. “Did Sombra do this?” she asked.

Shining looked suspiciously at the Earth Pony, then shook his head and focused on the task at hand as his expression became grim. “It looks that way. I’ve seen signs of formations that look like they’re made from the same material on my patrols beyond the barrier, but never on anything living before.”

The other mares and Spike soon followed to gather round and get a look at Grif’s affliction.

Hammer Strike frowned as he glanced around the group. “Does anyone have some form of glasses I could borrow? Sunglasses would work just as well. There’s something I want to try.”

Shining Armor shook his head. “The closest thing I have is my snow blinders, but I don’t know if they’ll do that much good for you with how limited the windows on them are.”

“Here.” Grif used his good hand to open his pack and pulled out a pair of sunglasses to offer the Pony.

“That’ll do.” Hammer Strike nodded as he took them. After a moment, he took a breath and put them on, holding his hoof against the frames. “Let’s see how this will work on sunglasses.”

The air was silent, as if even the world were placing its watchful gaze on the Pony. A blue glow began to surround his hoof before spreading to the frame. Once the frame was encased in the energy, the sunglasses themselves began to give off a soft glow.

“Okay.” Hammer Strike removed his hoof from the sunglasses as he looked closer at Grif’s arm. “Let’s see what I can figure out.”

Shining Armor watched the process intently. “How did you do that?” he asked suspiciously.

“Special kind of magic,” he replied, his focus still on Grif’s arm.

“And what’s this spell supposed to do?”

“It’s meant to show me what this is,” Hammer Strike muttered as he thought over what he was seeing. “Corruption,” he muttered once more as he prodded one of the crystals, only for it to suddenly arc energy into his hoof. He backed off in surprise and gave his hoof a light shake. “It’s definitely some kind of dark magic solidified, but it’s not spreading any farther from your arm. So, for now, you should be fine until we can get rid of it. Keep me updated on how you feel, got it?”

“Will do.” Griff nodded. “So, Doc, will I ever play the piano again?”

“I don’t know. Could you before?” Hammer Strike gave a smirk. “Let’s get a move on. We’ve already delayed enough.” After a moment, the glow surrounding the shades vanished and he handed them back over to Grif.

“You’re sure you’re going to be okay?” Twilight asked out of concern as she looked at the Gryphon’s arm.

“I’ll survive,” Grif said. “It could have been much worse.”

Twilight nodded and swallowed heavily. “Let’s get to the throne room, then. The sooner we can figure this out, the better.”

It didn’t take long for the party to reach the center of the great city. Not a soul appeared in sight as they made their silent procession. As they approached the Crystal Palace itself, four great legs arched upward to support the base. From there, crystal formations jutted at the sky into many-faceted towers fashioned after the design of an archaic and sophisticated structure. Rarity squealed in delight as they reached the arch and drew nearer to the entrance, but while the others followed Shining, Grif couldn’t help but linger behind as his head swiveled in a very bird-like manner to focus on a statue that had been placed on a bed of grass near one of the tower legs. Three figures stared out at the street. One of them, a Gryphon, gazed fiercely at passersby, as if it were guarding some great secret or treasure. Intimidating though it was, it seemed … strangely familiar.

“Grif? Are you coming?” Pensword called back from one of the castle doors. “We don’t want to fall behind.”

“I’m … coming,” he said, not able to shake the feeling as he passed it.

The greeting at the castle was a welcome reunion to Princess Cadance as she approached Twilight and they performed the ceremony that was their secret handshake. The princess’ horn glowed brightly, and laughter carried through the room, easing the lines of tension and reducing the bags under Cadance’s eyes for a time before her horn flickered and she winced. The weariness came back with a vengeance as the barrier surrounding the city flickered to reveal the dark, cold, and unforgiving expanse beyond. It lasted only for a moment before the spell reestablished itself fully, but Cadance couldn’t help but sigh as she gave a weary smile to her favorite former foal.

“One of these days, we need to get together when the fate of Equestria isn’t hanging in the balance,” Cadance said.

Twilight frowned in concern. “Are you okay?”

Shining approached his wife and laid a supporting hoof on her back. “Cadance has been able to use her magic to spread love and light. That seems to be what’s protecting the empire against Sombra. But she hasn’t slept, barely eats. I want to help her, but my protection spell doesn’t seem to work. Sombra is able to counter it somehow. It’s all I can do to patrol and try to track his movements in case he attempts an attack.”

“It’s all right, Shining Armor. I’m fine.”

Shining brushed her face gently. “You’re not fine, Cadance. I know how strong you are, but I can’t let you lie about this.” He nuzzled her, then turned to face the gathering. “She can’t go on like this forever. And if her magic were to fade, well … you saw what’s out there waiting for that to happen.”

“That’s why we’re here,” Twilight said reassuringly.

“Why we’re all here,” Applejack agreed, as did the rest of the mares and the young Dragon.

Shining nodded. “Thank you. With Cadance putting all her strength into keeping her spell going, and me trying to keep an eye on signs of trouble in the arctic, we haven’t been able to gather much information from the Crystal Ponies.

“Crystal Ponies!” Rarity burst out with an excited laugh. “There are Crystal Ponies?” Then she realized just how much of a spectacle she was making of herself and quickly sought to regain her composure. “Um, … please, continue.”

“I believe that one of the citizens must know how we can protect the empire without having to rely on Cadance’s magic.”

“A logical deduction,” Matthew agreed. “Does anyone know where said Crystal Ponies are? The whole city seemed like a ghost town when we arrived.”

“Many of the citizens still keep close to their homes.” Shining shook his head. “They’re either afraid or too despondent to be their old selves again just yet. Hopefully, with time, that will change for the better.”

Twilight beamed as realization dawned. “A research paper!”

More than one denizen in the room gazed at the mare as though she’d grown a second head.

“That must be part of my test,” Twilight said. “To gather information from the Crystal Ponies and deliver it to you! This is gonna be great!” she exulted. “I love research papers!”

Rainbow dash smiled knowingly and nudged Pinkie Pie in the ribs. “Yeah. Who doesn’t?” she asked.

Grif raised his hand, prompting a smile and a shake of the head from Pensword as he struggled to hold back a snicker.

In true Pinkie fashion, the party mare darted from person to person raising possibilities and literally a person in Spike’s case.

“Don’t worry, Shining,” Twilight promised. “I am really good at this sort of thing.” She motioned to her friends. “Come on, girls!”

When the girls had finally left, Hammer Strike, Grif, and Pensword all looked to one another and nodded, then turned their attentions to the royal couple.

“While normally, the three of us would go after them, we have a separate assignment to look into,” Hammer Strike spoke. “In particular, if you have any information regarding the location of Star Swirl’s research lab, we would very much appreciate directions.”

Cadance blinked blearily as her head drooped. “Star Swirl? … Why would he have a lab here?”

“We had similar questions, but that’s what we were told.” He shrugged. After a moment he realized something. “Right, sorry, introductions are in order. To my right, is Grif. To my left, is Pensword. I am Hammer Strike. A pleasure to meet you.”

The mention of the name made Cadance straighten as though she had been struck by a thunderbolt as her eyes widened and she began to tremble. She hissed in pain as she brought a hoof to her head.

“Cadance?” Shining Armor held his wife in his forelegs. “Cadance, are you all right?” He tapped his horn to hers, sending a familiar current of magic between their tips. Then he nuzzled her gently. “It’s all right,” he soothed. “I’m here.”

“It happened again,” Cadance croaked as she shook her head. “Is this what you felt like at the wedding?”

Shining smiled gently. “Probably close enough while Chrysalis had her way with me.” Then he looked intently at the trio. “Those aren’t the kinds of names you throw around lightly here.” His horn sprang to life as he brought his magic to bear. “Who are you really?”

“If you’re planning on using that magic on us, you’d better be sure of it,” Hammer Strike spoke flatly. “Given the fact that Twilight and the others have stepped out, however, I will be kind enough to tell you. Celestia has deemed it important enough to give us a disguise while up here, and I suppose in general. Those names are ours, as was determined before we left. Our normal forms, and their original names, however, you would know as Taze, Matthew, and Shawn.” He gestured to each of them appropriately.

Shining blinked in surprise. “Really?”

“Did you want me to recount how you first met and interrogated me?” Pensword asked of the stallion. “Or how shocked you and the medical staff were when I told you about my heart condition? I can go on if need be.”

Shining narrowed his gaze. “And what language did you speak?”

Pensword grinned. “Draconic, of course. But we call it English in our tongue.”

Cadance smiled kindly at Hammer Strike. “I’m glad that Aunt Celestia decided to send more friends. If anyone can help to avert this disaster, it’s you three.”

“We have a lot of questions, Your Highness,” Matthew said.

Cadance yawned and forced herself to stretch. “I wish I could give you the answers, um … what should we call you during your stay?”

“The names we gave first will be for the best,” Hammer Strike replied.

Cadance nodded. “I understand. Hammer Strike, I wish I could help, but I’m in no fit state to give you the information you’re looking for, even if I did know where to look.” She shook her head. “If you want information on Star Swirl, I’m afraid you’ll have to follow Twilight’s example and ask the citizens. If anyone will know, it’s the Crystal Ponies.”

“That’s okay. In that case, we’d better get started. Hopefully, this threat will be dealt with quickly enough, given Twilight and her friends are dealing with it.”

“One can only hope,” Cadance agreed. “I’ll do everything I can to protect these Ponies, Hammer Strike.” Steel crept into her voice as her gaze hardened. “I won’t let him take them.”

“We won’t,” Shining said supportively as he leaned his head against her.

“Good. Keep that resolve.” Hammer Strike nodded before turning to the others. “Unless there is something else, we should get going.”

“Is there some significance to the statue near the square?” Grif asked.

Cadance shook her head. “I honestly don’t know. It was there when we arrived. I can only assume it was placed there before Sombra took over, and he never bothered with it.”

“It just gives me an eerie feeling about it,” Grif admitted.

“For now, it’s probably best to focus on your primary objective. After the empire is safe, we can do some research into the statue’s origins,” Shining promised, then smiled. “Twily loves that kind of thing.”

“In that case, we will take our leave,” Hammer Strike said as he gestured toward the door.

“Good luck, Hammer Strike,” Cadance said as the trio turned to leave. “And … come back safe.” Cadance wasn’t sure why she worded her farewell in that manner, but the sentiment was there, and that was what mattered most to the Alicorn. Then she leaned against her husband as he eased her back toward the throne again. “Shining, I think I’m going to need some coffee,” she murmured.

Shining nodded and nuzzled her gently. “I’ll see what we can find.”

True to the usual tropes, none of the townsfolk had any idea of how to help protect the empire. On top of this, their coats and expressions seemed muted and dull beyond any standard, as if something had drained the color from them.

“It’s almost like they’ve been Discorded, isn’t it?” Pensword asked of his friends as they congregated at the end of yet another branch of the snowflake that formed the city’s streets.

“I mean, they were exposed to huge amounts of dark magic,” Grif pointed out.

“True,” Pensword agreed. “And they seem to have had their memories sealed, or at the very least suppressed by trauma. At this rate, I’m not sure if it’ll be worthwhile to question any of the other residents. If they can’t remember past Sombra, it’s unlikely they’ll remember Star Swirl.”

“Likely enough,” Hammer Strike sighed. “We’ll have to wait until Twilight and her friends have concluded their side of things before we’ll be able to get any information. So until then, I suppose we’ll just be on lookout.”

“For what, exactly?” Pensword asked.

“Anything of note. We aren’t exactly in a completely safe location,” Hammer Strike said.

“Well, if the Ponies aren’t going to be any help, do you think they might have some sort of directory or something? I mean, if this is an empire, then they must have an archive like they do at Canterlot, right? Maybe we can find what we’re looking for there? At the very least, we might be able to find evidence of Star Swirl the Bearded in their history. From what we’ve seen, he left a pretty big hoofprint in Equestria’s history. That’s bound to leave traces,” Pensword noted.

“So, a library?” Grif said

“Probably a decent enough choice,” Hammer Strike shrugged. “I think I remember where it was.”

“And knowing Twilight, she’ll be all over it like a bee on a flower,” Pensword said. “That just leaves us with one question. Anybody know where it is?”

After more inquiries among the citizens that had begun to mill about the city, the trio eventually found their way to a glistening blue structure flanked on either side by two crystal Gryphons in a manner not unlike the lions that were placed traditionally outside some older libraries on Earth. An open book had been mounted or grown above the arch over the doors to proclaim the building’s purpose.

The interior of the structure put the Library of Congress to shame. Row upon row and shelf upon shelf glittered and shone with refracted light to illuminate the space. Multiple tiers and floors awaited the curious passerby and invited adventure into the unknown reaches. A confused-looking mare wearing large circular glasses gazed around the space in utter perplexity. Her mane was tied back in a bun held together by a golden band, and her tail was also tied in a similar style. A cord stretched behind her neck to keep the glasses by her at all times, and a parchment scroll being unfurled stood proudly against her flanks.

“Hello?” Pensword asked.

The mare looked at them and frowned. “Are you looking for history, too?” she asked in a gentle voice.

“Not really,” Grif commented. “It wouldn’t be history if I understand the events correctly.”

The mare cocked her head in confusion. “Then what are you looking for?”

“Given the nature of things, do you happen to have anything on more … recent history?” Hammer Strike spoke up. “Things on Star Swirl as well, if you happen to have any records.”

The mare frowned and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can’t help you any more than I tried to help those nice mares from earlier. I just … can’t seem to remember. I don’t even know whether I work here.”

“That’s okay. I’m sure they’ll fix things soon enough. I suppose in the meanwhile, we’ll just take a look around,” Hammer Strike said.

Pensword’s ears perked. “Anybody else hearing a constant chain of ‘no’s in the distance?”

“Yup. And I'm betting it involves Twilight.” Grif sighed

A trail of detritus and cast off books soon led them into stacks and piles. Some organized, but most absolutely a hodgepodge without a care for what lay between the covers. Applejack bucked Rainbow Dash along a shelf using a crystal ladder while Pinkie leapt to random shelves and sometimes thin air to retrieve books. Fluttershy checked books by reading their bindings without disturbing them. Spike held up books for Rarity to scan the titles with her keen eyes. And Twilight, well … Twilight was carrying a stream of books in her magic that would give Disney’s Merlin a run for his money. Only instead of packing away in a case, these books were simply cast aside haphazardly in an ever-increasing and messy pile that was far from the mare’s usual efficiency and reverence for the written word.

“Well, that’s different from expected,” Hammer Strike remarked with a frown as he looked over the mess.

“Twilight is … very focused at the moment,” Rarity noted. “And no wonder with the fate of the whole empire resting in her hooves.”

“No. No. No. No. No,” Twilight repeated again and again as book after book hovered past her.

“I … suppose we could lend a hoof while we look for our intel?” Pensword suggested. “Many hooves make light work.”

“Yes, though we have a lot of work ahead of us as is,” Grif noted.

Hammer Strike sighed. “Then I suppose we should get to it. Let’s see if we can’t find what we’re looking for before Twilight adds it to that pile of ignorance over there.”

The group continued to search as each sought around the various shelves for volumes that had yet to be claimed. Occasionally, Pensword would use his wings for a swift leap into the air, then drop back down to the floor again with a heavy clop. It wasn’t quite the same as PInkie Pie’s technique, but it was close enough, and he wasn’t willing to risk doing more.

“Have any of you found anything?” Hammer Strike asked his compatriots as they continued their search.

“A few surprisingly good novels, a recipe for crystal berry punch, and a collective of Yakyakistanni lore,” Grif said. “But nothing we need.”

Pensword sighed. “Nothing here either. A few treatises on some war, some books about magical theory, but not much—”

“Yes!” Twilight’s shout of exultation rang through the crystal and echoed as it reverberated off the surfaces, prompting her friends to come running as she lowered the book to the floor. “History of the Crystal Empire.” She smiled at her friends, then sighed. “I just hope it has the answers we need.” Her horn glowed, and she began to flip through the pages.

“Well, at least they found success,” Pensword said to his friends as the mares clustered together to review the book’s contents. “So what’s our next move? Do we keep looking ourselves or try some other means to reach our goal?”

“Given the lack of results, let’s look into that history book. Though it may not be exactly what we’re looking for, it might hold … something, at the very least.” Hammer Strike shrugged.

“Well, if we’re going to get a look at it, we’d better follow the gang. It looks like they’re booking it, no pun intended,” Pensword said. “They’re probably running to show Shining Armor and Cadance.”

“Well, let’s go,” Grif said over his shoulder as he began chasing after them.

“You know, after the world gets saved again, I wouldn’t mind if we could spend some time here just to look at what this place has to offer,” Pensword said as he followed his friend.

“It certainly does feel like it has some interesting things,” Hammer Strike agreed as he took up the rear.

“Once again, the old adage proves true,” Pensword noted quietly to his friends as they strode out of the throne room and followed Twilight. “Those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it.”

“Let's see what this is about then,” Grif said.

The trio followed as the purple mare opened a set of double doors that led into a council chamber of some kind. A round table hosted her other friends as they smiled supportively.

“... Is it just me or do I hear a guitar strumming?” Pensword asked of his friends.

And then, of all things, Twilight began to sing. With each voice speaking in turn, it was as if the world were suddenly shifting from one thing to the next in preparation for this crystal fair. Pensword was pulled into helping fit the armor for a jousting tournament while Grif tended to the lances. Hammer Strike suddenly found himself helping with a basket of crystal berries for harvesting. Later, Pensword found himself holding a crystal flugel horn to play in tandem with Pinkie Pie. The results were … interesting, to say the least, and … mercifully short.

As the song finally died down, the three friends were shocked to find that an entire fair had been set up over the grounds surrounding the castle with absolutely no sign of anyone else to have assisted with the work.

“How…? What…? Where…? What just happened?” Pensword spluttered. “And how?” he cried again.

“Well, duh, it’s magic, silly!” Pinkie pie giggled as she sprang around Pensword. “Wanna go for another duet? Huh? Huh? Huh?”

Pensword shuddered. “No, thank you. What we’d like to do is get a closer look at that book, now that Miss Sparkle is finished using it.”

“Okie dokie!” Pinkie grinned and saluted playfully, then bounced over to the snowflake sigil beneath the crystal palace. “Hey, Twilight, can Pensword, Grif, and Hammer Strike borrow your book? They say they need it for something super duper important!”

Twilight looked over a roughly hewn crystal plinth that held a heart at its center. It had been situated at the very center of the snowflake formation. Having been satisfied with her examination, she turned back to the pink party Pony and smiled. “Thanks, Pinkie. I’ll go talk with them.” Twilight frowned as she looked toward Pensword. “Is everything all right over here?”

“What was all of that?” Pensword hissed to the mare, gesturing at the fair.

Twilight cocked her head in confusion. “Preparation for a fair?”

“I mean the music, the singing, the spontaneous activities. By the time you were done with the song, the whole fair was just … there!”

“Well, yeah, most Ponies do it when something momentous or important is about to happen. It’s a natural magical phenomenon called heartsong. There are a lot of applications for it from a rallying cry to expressing distress and more. For example, Cadance and I used it to hasten our escape from the catacombs when Chrysalis was getting ready to take over Canterlot. The same application worked here. Is this really the first time you’ve seen heartsong at work?”

“Yes. And the first time someone’s explained it to me,” Pensword replied. “Are you telling me that all we have to do is start singing and we can turn a task into a montage?”

“Heartsong isn’t something you can just force to work, Matthew,” Twilight whispered to the stallion. Then she assumed a more scholarly tone and volume. “It happens when it happens. Some scholars theorize it was first utilized as a survival mechanism developed by Earth Ponies to help them attune their magic with the earth and increase the yields of their crops to satisfy the other tribes’ demands before the day of Equestria’s founding.”

“That doesn’t really pan out,” Grif noted. “Otherwise it would be purely an Earth Pony phenomenon.”

“Heartsong has a multitude of applications. Just because the technique first developed in one tribe doesn’t mean it can’t have been adopted by the other tribes later on. It exists on a base magical wavelength that any creature with a magical field can access.”

“And non ponies?” Grif asked

“In theory, yes. Though I haven’t seen any books that focus around any such studies. The fact that you were able to participate in it does indicate that it’s possible.”

“Makes sense. Your culture is fundamentally blind to such things,” Grif said

“We can discuss this further later,” Hammer Strike spoke up. “Twilight, could I have the book?”

“Oh, of course. I was just going to finish the last once-over to make sure everything was ready. I should be able to do that from memory.” She levitated the book to Hammer Strike. “I’d like it back as soon as possible, though.”

“Shouldn’t take us too long. We’re looking for something in particular.” Hammer Strike took hold of the book before handing it over to Grif.

Grif took the book and opened it. His eyes began scanning the pages, quickly moving through the words, almost too quickly as he took in the contents of each page before moving on. Small grunts or hrms escaped him as he took in the information given, then flicked the pages, being careful to avoid tearing through the paper.

“So it seems like this whole fair ties around an artifact,” Grif said. “Though a lot of information on it is missing.”

Twilight frowned. “The book just said that the crystal heart is meant to be the fair’s centerpiece. It didn’t mention anything about an artifact.”

“It mentions it being the center of the empire,” Grif said, pointing to the appropriate page. “Also, several footnotes on focusing the empire's love and positive energy during the festival.”

“Yes, which is exactly what we’re doing by recreating the fair,” Twilight said. “The abundance of love and happiness the fair generates will help the Ponies to remember who they are and muster the power to fight back against Sombra’s curse and Sombra himself.”

“Does the book have anything useful for our mission?” Pensword asked.

“No real mention of Star Swirl.” He shook his head. “I think we’re going to have to do this the old fashioned way.”

Pensword sighed. “I was afraid you were going to say that.” He shook his head morosely, then sighed again. “Might as well take a look at the mail before we get started.” He reached into his satchel and withdrew the envelope he’d received. His eyes widened as he reviewed the text. “Um, guys, … you should probably have a look at this.” He proffered the paper for them all to see. The message was written in perfect English.

In crumbling tower, meet your fate.

Through Swirling dark, your Star awaits.

Where love and light thrusts out the foe,

You’ll find your path within the snow.

When light will fail and dark proceeds,

Face the enemy with heroic deeds.

Death will not come to claim you yet.

Protection is the path that’s set.

Though bells may toll, they’re not for you.

Face down the shadow. See it through.

“Well, this complicates things.” Hammer Strike frowned.

“Our mysterious mailer knows something,” Pensword agreed. “That, or he or she is playing games.” He frowned. “But there aren’t many who know how to read, let alone write in English.”

“That’s the thing,” Hammer Strike spoke in English. “English isn’t a written language here.”

“Then who could have sent it?” Pensword returned.

“That’s the question, and the reason for why this complicates things.” Hammer Strike frowned. “The problem is, we don’t know where even the mare delivering this went, so we can’t exactly track her down. The only thing we do have is wherever this is telling us to go, and that certainly doesn’t feel like the safest option.”

“That's eerily cryptic.” Grif shook his head.

“And worse yet, it’s our only lead.” Hammer Strike sighed.

“The question is, should we follow it?” Pensword asked.

“It’s a risk, but I don’t think we’ll be able to make any additional progress on our own. As much as I don’t like it, I think it’s our only option at the moment besides waiting.”

“I guess we should try to find this tower, then.” Pensword frowned. “Anybody got any ideas how to look? I … don’t think I can fly with any confidence.”

“If it’s some kind of decaying tower, then it’s likely along the edge of the barrier, just far enough to have it be a background thought.” Hammer Strike shrugged as he took the lead.

“But where around the city? What if there’s more than one? I mean, what are the odds that there’s only one of them standing?” Pensword’s frown deepened. “I wish we had more to go on.”

“We just have to go and look for them.”

Pensword nodded. “Then let’s get cracking.”

The search took some time, since the trio had to follow the roads back toward the fair when they didn’t find the tower. Much to their delight, however, it did appear that Twilight’s plan was working. More of the Crystal Ponies were smiling and laughing together. The color had returned to their coats, and their mane styles were shifting as well.

“Good to see that they’re recovering,” Pensword noted with a kindly smile as they passed by a funnel cake stall on the way toward the next edge of the snowflake.

“Won’t be for long if they find out about that heart,” Grif said.

“Why do you think that, anyway?” Pensword asked curiously. “You mentioned something like that earlier, too, but I don’t get it.”

“Because if it’s the positive energy that makes this defense of theirs work, they’d have been able to fight Sombra off early on. Hell, he wouldn’t have gotten a foothold in the first place. Not to mention Cadance and Shining Armor would be able to use their love to power it.” He shook his head. “No, this stinks of something central being missing.”

“Shouldn’t we let the others know that, then?” Pensword asked.

Just then, a rainbow streaked by and snatched up one of Rarity’s flags from a pole before hastily making its way toward the crystal palace.

“Potentially.” Hammer Strike frowned in thought. “I suppose we can after looking into this tower deal.”

“Let’s hope lady luck is with us this time, then,” Pensword said as they continued down the path. “Think we can pick up the pace a little?”

The three finally found a promising structure. There wasn’t much left, but the barest outlines of a wall could still be seen on either edge of the snowflake path. Far in the distance, a structure jutted up from the earth. It wasn’t a tower exactly; more of a skeleton, really. Fragments of dull shards like pale obsidian mingled with pieces of stone block. A spiral of crystal-encrusted stairs was barely held together by what remained of the black shell.

Pensword nudged one of the shards cautiously when they approached the site. The blue aura of Cadance’s magic thrummed just a few feet away. “Well, we definitely found a ruined tower. It looks almost like the crystal grew inside it, then broke it apart,” he mused. “Some sort of magic spell, maybe?”

“Hard to tell.” Hammer Strike looked over the crystals. “To be honest, we’re so far out of our element that all of this is just more difficult than it needs to be. All we know is that it can’t be good.”

“Well, is there some sort of a hatch or secret passage or something we might be able to find in there?” Pensword asked. “I mean, the letter did say ‘through Swirling dark, your Star awaits.’ It was obviously a reference to Star Swirl, and stairs do spiral like a swirl.”

“Only way to tell.” He sighed. “Let’s get searching.”

The crystal crunched under the Ponies’ hooves like a layer of thin ice. A few good kicks and hoof blows managed to break up enough off the floor for the friends to shuck for a better view of what might lie beneath. It took some effort, but they finally cleared enough of the floor to make a proper search using Shawn’s experience in carpentry to test for any hidden doors the floor might have concealed.

A few minutes later, a familiar and dreadful trumpeting cry flooded through the barrier, causing a chill to spread over the three friends. The light of the barrier flickered like a lightbulb, revealing the dark and frigid expanse beyond before gaping holes were punched from the top down. The magic seemed almost to struggle to hold itself together. But without its source, it was doomed to fail, and ultimately fizzled out, leaving the storm and the darkness beyond it to swarm in like a deadly fog.

“Guys, we have a problem!” Pensword shouted.

“We noticed,” Hammer Strike called out in return. “This tower is not safe. We need to move before—”

Before any of them could so much as twitch, the crystal they had discarded pulsed black, green, and purple. A massive eruption of great jagged edges surged from the stairs to form a demented and twisted copy of what the tower must once have been in its prime. Meanwhile, the floor was coated in the substance, and it flowed up the trio’s legs to root them to the ground as a wicked chuckle emanated from the fog. Two glowing green eyes with red irises and black slitted pupils peered at the trio, and a sinuous voice soon followed.

“Ah, what have we here? New slaves to add to my army?” The laughter rebounded again. “A proper vanguard to welcome the return of their true ruler.” The crystal glowed and thrummed as it flowed higher up the trio’s legs for a time, but then stopped. The energy pulsed in time to the apparition’s glowing eyes. But those eyes soon scrunched in effort as a red horn manifested to join them. Despite this new addition, nothing more happened to the relatively immobilized group. With an almost animal snarl, the eyes and horn broke off and glared at them. “What is this?” it demanded.

“Two Ponies and a Gryphon,” Hammer Strike noted. “The more important question would be what happened to you, but I don’t think questions are really appropriate now.”

“Impudent little—!”

“Hey, Sombrero, can you speed this up? We’ve got stuff to do!” Grif said.

“And bigger fish to fry,” Pensword agreed.

“Arrogance!” Venom and outrage tinged the shade’s voice as the head manifested fully, attached to a serpentine neck that connected to the rest of the fog. Then his eyes narrowed as he drew closer to the trio. “Wait a moment.” He cocked his head. “I know you.” He wound his way around each of them. “You’re supposed to be dead.” He chortled. “But then again, so am I. I can’t say that I’m not surprised.” He sneered. “But as they say, vengeance is sweet. And it’s best served cold.”

“You want vengeance? There are hundreds, if not thousands of Ponies whose lives you ruined waiting for you to choke,” Pensword spat. “You failed before, and you’ll fail again.”

“Oh, I think not.” Sombra chuckled. “Not with you three out of the way.” His horn began to glow as the dark crystal in the tower surged with energy and the storm clouds hastened in their movements overhead. “I’m sure they’ll find you again eventually. Perhaps in the heart of a glacier.” He threw back his head and laughed as lightning crashed and baleful energies swirled above the tower. “Farewell, ingrates. May you die a slow and painful death!”

Bells began to toll as a ringing resonated from the dark crystal. The portal descended, and its force began to pull at the earth, sucking up the fragments of stone that remained unbound by the crystal’s advance. “Let the wastes swallow you whole!”

The ghostly laughter remained even after the head disappeared into the shadowy fog once again. The crystal shattered around the trio’s legs as the portal drew them toward it with the force of a tornado. Pensword flapped his wings desperately to no avail as the ringing of great bells mingled with the sound of tiny chimes and the bong of a grandfather clock. The one satisfaction the trio had before being consumed was the roar of pain that emanated from far in the distance as a wave of blue rose to cut off the shadows and push them back again.

Then all was lost in a flash of light.

The shadow had been thrust back. The evil would not succeed in claiming the Crystal Empire.

Yet.

Twilight looked with concern on the mare she had come to love as a sister long before it became official. Cadance’s brows were scrunched in effort and she struggled to rise to her hooves.

“I have to find the Crystal Heart,” Shining Armor insisted.

“No. You stay here with Cadance. She needs you, Shining Armor,” Twilight insisted, even as Cadance leaned into her loving husband’s embrace.

“Uh, guys, did anypony else see the swirling vortex of doom sucking up Ponies at the edge of town?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“The what?” Shining demanded.

“Yeah. While everyone was focused on Cadance, some weird lightshow went off over there.” She pointed toward one of the edges of the dome. “Then it just sort of … disappeared after Cadance did her thing.”

Shining scowled. “Sombra. What is he trying now?”

Cadance shuddered and drew closer to Shining. “It hurts, Shining.” Tears streaked down her cheeks. “It hurts so much. I want to protect them, but every time I try, it gets harder and harder to reach my magic. I’m not just tired. Something … something is wrong. It started when we arrived, but it’s been getting worse.” She hissed as another spasm of pain spiked through her head.

Shining stroked her mane gently and held her close. “It’s all right, Cadance. I’m here. We’re going to solve this.” His horn glowed as a beam of purple light shot lovingly to tinge around Cadance’s blue and seep into her head. The mare’s breathing eased as the wrinkles over her brow smoothed, and she sighed.

“Thank you, Shining.”

“Still, that’s a major problem. All the Ponies in the empire should be participating in the Crystal Fair,” Twilight pointed out. “They weren’t in a state to back out of it, even if they wanted to. And the rest of you girls were all helping with the proceedings, so that leaves….” Her eyes widened. “Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no!” She shook her head, then snapped herself out of her daze to look intently at her friend. “Rainbow Dash, I want you to fly as fast as you can around the city. Search every nook and cranny. See if you can find Hammer Strike, Pensword, and Grif. I hope I’m wrong, but if I’m not, I’m guessing they’re not going to be around the Empire.” She grit her teeth, took a deep breath, and wiped her eyes to remove the tears that were starting to build there. “Talk with the others while you’re at it and tell them to keep the rest of the Crystal Ponies calm. If they panic, then everything we’ve been working for will fail.”

Rainbow Dash saluted and nodded. “You’ve got it, Twilight. But what are you going to do?”

“The thing I should have done from the very beginning,” she said as she looked at the history book and shook her head in disgust before hardening into resolve. “I’m going to find the crystal heart before we lose anypony else.”

“Twily—”

Twilight shook her head. “Not now, Shining Armor. You’ve said so yourself. A guard needs to focus on the bigger picture. We’ll talk after the empire is safe.” Then she bolted off the balcony with all the speed she could muster.

Cadance stared with bleary eyes at the retreating mare. She reached out a hoof weakly. “Don’t go, … Cosey….” Then she fell against her husband again as he tended to her and slowly stroked her mane, whispering encouragement.

“Be safe, little sis,” Shining said, casting his wish to any force that would hear him.

Extended Holiday
Chapter 20: What was Past is Present

Grif gasped as he awoke and opened his beak as wide as it would go to purge the carbon dioxide that had built inside his lungs, then take in that sweet life-giving oxygen. A few hacking coughs later, he managed to get his breathing under control and stood from a pile of snow to dislodge the frigid substance from his feathers and fur. With that task complete, he took a moment to view his surroundings. The first thing his eyes picked up was a shaded patch on the snow that wasn’t so blinding as the sunlight overhead. A quick reach for the object revealed the envelope he’d received from the train station with the same intricate design on its front and the seal intact.

“Okay, that is definitely strange,” Grif noted.

A veritable rainbow aurora cascaded through the sky overhead in ribbons of light spreading on for miles upon miles. His eyes followed those ribbons and traced them back into the distance, where a great shining structure glinted like sunlight off a snowbank.

A few moments later, another hunk of snow burst apart as a wadded ball of blue fur and sodden feathers struggled to dislodge the snow that had built up in its silvery-white mane. “I’m up, I’m up!” Pensword cried as his ears twitched and he shook himself like a dog. Then he braced himself to look over the terrain. “Where’s Sombra?” His eyes widened, and he felt over his body while curving his neck around for a proper look at himself. “And more importantly, where’s our gear?”

“I think we’re in trouble,” Grif said, looking at the structure.

Pensword peered around them. “Do you see any sign of Hammer Strike?”

“Shawn?” Grif Called

Pensword frowned as he looked over the terrain until he finally spotted a depression where a tan muzzle and the hint of blue and gold around a hoof poked out of the drift. Water ran down the leg, and the snowmelt had begun to pool around the equine’s muzzle. In a matter of moments, Pensword was bounding and hopping like a bird over the snow with intermittent flaps of his wings before finally landing next to the mass and starting to dig. “He’s over here!”

Grif followed Pensword and helped to dig Hammer Strike out. Pensword propped the stallion’s head up and watched the steady stream of mist that emanated from his nostrils and mouth.

“Well, at least he’s breathing.” Pensword frowned as he felt over the Pony’s forehead. “He feels warm, though. A little too warm, I think. Could he be sick?”

Grif shrugged. “Help me get him on my back.”

It took some effort to coordinate properly, but eventually, Pensword was able to maneuver Hammer Strike to drape over Grif’s back after Grif lowered all fours to give the Pony an easier time with his work. Then Grif rose and nodded toward Pensword.

“I’m going to take a wild guess that we’re heading toward the light?” Pensword asked.

“Where there’s life, there’s hope,” Grif agreed.

“Then I guess we should get moving. It’s going to take us an hour at least to reach it, by my reckoning. Then again, your eyes are better than mine. How long do you think it’ll take?”

“That seems about right.” Grif nodded. “Take it a step at a time.” And with that Grif headed for the light and whatever lay beneath it.

In due course, a familiar structure rose into prominence, only this time the ribbons of light flowed brightly from its top while the bustling sound of mulling crowds mingled with music and the clarion call of a majestic set of horns. Cheers soon followed as the general atmosphere of excitement rumbled from the walls beyond while the trio finally managed to reach a familiar gate with three hovering crystals between its two sides. The snowflake in the street pulsed with energy, and the road was lined with guards at intermittent checkpoints along a clear path leading from the city to what could only be assumed as a caravan route.

“Grif, I’m pretty sure this isn’t the empire we know,” Pensword noted nervously.

“We still need help,” Grif said. Then sighed and shook his head. “But you do have a point. Okay, here’s the story we’re going to use, okay? We were out nearby, and we got attacked by feral Changelings.”

“Are they even a thing this far north?”

“Do you have a better idea?”

Pensword sighed. “No, I guess not. But shouldn’t we look like we’ve been in a fight at least?”

Grif pointed to the passed-out Earth Pony on his back.

“I meant the usual signs of a struggle with Changelings, Grif. The ichor, maybe a few scratches, that sort of thing?”

“We’ll have to make it work.”

Pensword sighed. “I suppose so. Do you want to do the talking or should I?”

“You probably should,” Grif said. “We don’t know the situation with Gryphons.”

Pensword sighed and nodded. “I’ll do my best.” With that said, the two made their way silently to the gate. Unlike the empire they had known before, this one was dominated by a massive crystal wall that rose on either side of the gate to encircle the city. The purple crystal glowed with an inner light while the guards stared intently at the approaching party. Pensword forced himself to take on a more rigid appearance as he approached the guards. “My name is Pensword. We’ve traveled a long way, and our leader, Hammer Strike, is in need of medical assistance. Would you kindly direct us to your closest infirmary?”

One member of the guard squinted as he looked Pensword over before stepping forward. “Commander Pensword, and Lord Hammer Strike? You’ll have to forgive us if we doubt that. Last we heard, you had left the kingdom alongside several others after the war was finished.”

“Do we look like we’re in the kingdom of Equestria anymore, soldier?”

“No, but—”

“My lord needs medical attention. We were attacked en route to the empire. If you wish to question us, you can do so after we have ensured his safety. Escort us if you must, but if any further harm comes to him as a result of delay, it will be on your head.”

The guard grit his teeth briefly before turning towards one of the others. “Check them over. If they’re who they say they are, get them inside.”

“That would be highly appreciated,” Grif commented.

“Hold still,” a Unicorn demanded as his horn glowed brightly. His crystalline coat glittered as he cast his spell over each of the trio in turn. He shook his head. “They’re not Changelings, Sir.”

“Coloration and marks all correct?” he questioned. “Apart from the Gryphon, who I would assume is Grif Grafson?”

“Correct,” Grif said.

“If you need to examine our marks, go ahead. We have nothing to hide. But do it quickly. As I said, my lord needs attention. The sooner, the better.”

A close examination left Pensword feeling more than a little exposed as the soldiers each scrutinized his flanks. Fur or not, it still felt strange to be looked over like a prize horse. Still, for the sake of his friend, he bore up under the scrutiny and maintained the mask as the Ponies finally shifted to grif’s back.

“If I so much as see an unnecessary twitch from you, you'll be dead before anyone here realizes it. Is that understood?” Grif asked ominously.

The guard gulped as he approached the stallion.

“Easy there, my friend,” Pensword said as he strode closer to the Gryphon. “The empire and its citizens are our allies. We don’t want to cause a diplomatic incident.”

“If they behave themselves, there will be no incident,” Grif said. “It was just a friendly warning.”

“Th-they’re good,” the examining guard cracked, then cleared his throat to reiterate. “They’re good to go, Sir.”

The guard nodded and gave a small bow to the three. “Forgive us for the rude welcome. The war is still fresh in our people’s minds. Welcome to the Crystal Empire.”

“Could you by chance suggest an inn? Preferably one that would accept my lord’s credit? Seeing as we are unfortunately light on bits.”

“The inn near the castle will accept the three of you. Given who you are, I doubt you’ll be charged for your stay.” The guard looked to one of his subordinates. “Private Quartz, lead them to the Queen’s Tavern. Notify the Palace Guard about their arrival, and their need of a medic as well. I’m sure Queen Blood Diamond would like an audience once everyone is well.”

“Merci.” Grif gave a nod and moved to follow the guard. Pensword followed closely at his side to keep Hammer Strike in place on the Gryphon’s back.

Hammer Strike gave a faint groan as he placed a hoof on his head. The rustling of sheets sounded loudly in his ears as the material dragged against his fur. “Ex Divinia etiam,” he muttered. “What hit me?”

“Time portal, I think,” Grif said.

“Huh?” Hammer Strike blinked a few times as he looked to Grif, followed by scanning the room around them. “What?”

“Well, we seem to be in the Crystal Empire’s past with none of our gear,” Grif said.

The door creaked open to reveal a familiar Pegasus bearing a basket full of crystal berries. “I asked them if we could get some fruit to help speed your recovery when you wake up,” he said by way of explanation after noting the Earth Pony’s flat gaze. “Do you feel well enough to eat?”

“Yeah, I’m just … confused.” Hammer Strike frowned and waited for the Pony to leave before turning his attention to his friends. “How the hell did you guys find out we’re apparently in the past?”

“They mentioned a war that just ended. Plus, the Crystal Ponies are all actually bright and shiny crystal instead of what we dealt with before. That, and the whole empire is surrounded by a massive crystal wall complete with what appears to be a guard force not unlike what we saw back in Canterlot.” Pensword shrugged. “Also, they have a queen that’s going to want an audience with us after you finish recovering.” He hefted the basket onto the Pony’s bed. “Eat up.”

“Will do. Just give me a second to think.” Hammer Strike sighed as he took hold of one of the offered berries. “What’s our cover?”

“We were hunting feral Changelings north of Equestria and our squad got overrun. We managed to escape, but you exhausted yourself creating an opening.”

“And they just bought that?”

“Apparently, there is more to these three than we were let on,” Grif said, gesturing to themselves. “A hell of alot more.”

“What do you mean? They just said the forms we take would be what we technically would be here.”

Grif dropped a scroll in front of Hammer Strike with a coat of arms. “Borrowed this from a local scribe. This is the insignia of House Strike, one of equestria’s oldest, wealthiest, and most revered noble houses. Also, it only has one living member at this time.”

Hammer Strike looked bewildered as he looked at the sigil, a longsword inside a pair of curving feathered wings shaped like a crescent. “That’s my mark,” he said as he continued to study it.

“Yeah,” Grif nodded. “Apparently, Lord Hammer Strike’s house owns debts all over Equis. Half this hotel was financed with a loan from a bank in that name. They comped the room and the visit from a doctor and told us anything we need is complimentary. Yes, I tested that. They brought us three hundred bits to use as on-hand money because I asked if they had any liquid assets we could borrow. And they told me not to dare pay it back.”

“It’s much the same story with the berries,” Pensword agreed. “I hate to say it, but it looks like we’re nobility here. At least Hammer Strike is.”

“So, there was a version of ‘us’ technically already. Given the time travel, I assume we’re far enough that these heroes have already passed by our present.” Hammer Strike frowned. “That’s … a very strange concept to think about.”

“If we see David Tennant, I’m going to freak out,” Pensword said.

Hammer Strike blinked a few times. “Didn’t you meet The Doctor, Grif?”

“Spoilers.” Grif smirked.

“Good enough for an answer.” Hammer Strike sighed. “In any case, after we’re done with these berries, I suppose we’re due for an audience.”

“It is customary for nobility,” Pensword agreed. “And as a prominent figure in Equestria, the queen would want to make sure of your wellbeing for the sake of keeping good relations with the princesses, if nothing else.”

“Then, let’s get to it.”

“You’re sure you’re well enough to go to the palace?” Pensword asked.

“The worst part of it is that I just feel slightly drained. Apart from that, I’m fine.”

Pensword nodded. “Then I’ll ask for someone to notify the queen.”

The Crystal Palace throne room was much the same as they had left it in the future, with one exception. It was now vastly more populated by all manner of Ponies from crystal guards to crystal servants to crystal courtiers and petitioners. The guards that lined the hall emanated an aura of menace and training that the guard of their present day seemed to lack in Equestria. These Ponies were taller, more muscular, and each bore a lance that could just as easily skewer a person as it would welcome them in a ceremony. Tapestries, banners, and shields adorned the walls depicting frightening beasts and great battles while ancient weapons sat patiently as a reminder of the power of rulers and warriors past.

Unlike the throne room at Canterlot, however, there was also an aspect of levity and merriment that mingled with the gravity. Jesters and fools juggled and exchanged jokes while foals giggled and raced through the hall on either side of the great red carpet.

And there, smiling and overseeing this ordered chaos was a beatific mare with fur the color of red wine with an even darker red mane. Her body was adorned with a luxurious purple cloak trimmed with fur. A necklace draped around her neck, portraying a crystal heart rimmed in a white gold setting. A circlet of the same material rested on her head just above her horn. A single green emerald was set at the front to offset the silvery color of the metal.

One of the guards flipped his lance with expert skill and rapped the butt of it loudly against the floor, bringing silence to the hall as everyone in the room turned their attention toward the entrance.

“Presenting Lord Hammer Strike of House Strike, Hero of Equestria, Scourge of Gryphons, and Protector of the Realm; Grif Grafson, Bloodsworn Warrior and Steadfast Retainer to his master, the Left Hand to his Lord; and Commander Pensword of Their Highness’s Royal Military, Lord of Mountainside Falls, Defender of the Crowns.”

The queen lowered her head in acknowledgement of the trio. “Welcome to my court, all of you. It is not often one is able to stand in the presence of legends, let alone host them as guests. Please, approach.”

Hammer Strike took the lead. “We are thankful for your hospitality, especially given we did not anticipate our arrival here.”

“Your arrival is nonetheless welcome. I am told you were seeking out the hives of rogue Changelings. It would appear that your reputation for service to others is well earned. While we are willing, and even happy, to trade love with the hives surrounding our home, there are those who do not respect the agreements that have been made with the queens to maintain those ties. I trust your injuries were not too severe?”

“Not at all. It was more a case of exhaustion from overexertion than anything,” he replied dismissively.

“Though it would seem someone took advantage of that exertion, if reports are to be believed. Or did circumstances force your retainers to leave their weapons behind for your sake?”

“With all due respect,” Grif commented, “a Gryphon is never truly disarmed.”

“Be that as it may, it is unusual, to say the least, for one to travel across our realm without the proper equipment. Lesser Ponies would have succumbed to the cold before reaching our city. You doubtless would prefer to have some manner of weapon about your person, if nothing else. If it is your wish, you may use our smithy for that purpose. I would offer you the use of our smiths, but I am only too aware of the pride you take in your work, Lord Hammer Strike.”

“I would appreciate that.” Hammer Strike nodded.

“Is there anything further you will require during your stay?” she asked carefully. “I assure you if it is within our power, we will be happy to grant it to you.”

Hammer Strike shook his head. “I don’t believe so. Access to the forges here will be enough to deal with our lack of equipment.”

She nodded. “I’ll have materials provided to you. The best we can spare.” She looked around curiously. “Where is Ambrosia?”

One of the guards cleared his throat. “Hunting after the foals, Your Majesty. You did order him to keep an eye on them and keep them out of trouble.”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course. Have him brought here immediately.”

The guard bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.” And then he departed.

“Our royal cousin Ambrosia shall see to your needs and guide you to wherever you wish to go. And assuming you are amenable, I hope you three will join us at dinner tonight for a feast to celebrate your many feats on behalf of our empire and Equestria against the Gryphons and their Emperor.”

Hammer Strike bowed his head. “It would be rude of me not to accept, though you need not put on something so extravagant on our account.”

Grif bowed his head in agreement.

“Nonsense.” Queen Blood Diamond smiled. “It is a privilege to have you here.”

Hammer Strike gave a small smile. “Nevertheless, we appreciate everything. Until then, Your Majesty.”

The grand feasting hall was full to the brim with merriment and cheerful chatter as the nobles of the court all joined at the table. Rather than the dreadful sense of formality that generally hangs over such gatherings, there was instead the feeling of family as various Ponies, primarily Unicorns, played and joked with one another. Some squirted water from the bowls typically used to clean their hooves while others whispered playfully into others’ ears. Even the staff smiled indulgently as they waited by the tables to clear away the trays when it was time to present the proper courses. True to any royal feast, Hammer Strike sat as the guest of honor on the opposite head of the table, flanked on either side by Pensword and Grif.

All three companions were relieved that the formality had been kept to a minimum. However, they couldn’t help but let their eyes fall to the one figure who stood out most, not only for the lack of a crystal coat, but for the prominent beard and eccentric bells that jangled from his cloak. Star Swirl the Bearded sat before them in the flesh, just a few seats away from the queen and her consorts.

“Star Swirl, you are, of course, ever aware of these three, are you not?” Blood Diamond asked.

The elderly stallion started briefly in his chair, then nodded deferentially to the queen. “One does one’s best to maintain ties to the land of his birth, Your Majesty. If even half of what the tales say are true, then they are a force to be reckoned with, indeed.”

“We try our best.” Grif smirked as he ate.

A few of the diners looked uneasily at the Gryphon, but kept their peace.

“Though we’ve certainly had our fair share of close calls, wouldn’t you say, Grif?” Pensword asked.

“Yup. But that’s what makes it worthwhile.” Grif smirked. “Isn’t that right, my lord?”

“Each encounter gives room for growth.” Hammer Strike nodded.

A wry smile twisted Star Swirl’s beard. His eyes twinkled, but not with suppressed mirth. “Indeed. Though some of that growth does regrettably come at a price. And sometimes a painful one.” He rose to his hooves and raised his glass. “If I may ask for your indulgence, Your Majesty, I wish to propose a toast.”

“Of course, Star Swirl. Let's hear what you have to say.” Blood Diamond gave a gracious nod.

“To Hammer Strike, the princesses, and their many allies, for all they have done to preserve Equestria and her friends against a threat that would seek to consume the world if left unchecked. And most importantly of all, to the many mares and stallions who gave their lives to ensure that we may continue to live in peace and thrive. You have helped Equestria to grow more than you know, Hammer Strike. And I believe that there are yet many more great things that you will do for your country before the end. May you be blessed with the wisdom and the judgment of a ruler and a scholar toward that end. And may your friends be by your side to bring that future to fruition from past, present, and future for all.”

Hammer Strike blinked in surprise at the stallion. “That is … quite the wish, particularly coming from you, Star Swirl. I suppose all that is left to do is to accept those well wishes and hope that we might indeed be able to fulfill them for Equestria’s future.”

“Then to Lord Hammer Strike, the princesses, and to Equestria’s future. May it be bright as our glorious empire!” Blood Diamond nodded, adding her wishes to the toast before taking a drink.

“Hear hear!” the table erupted as the Ponies each drank from their glasses.

“Let the feast begin!” Blood Diamond called to her servants, who immediately moved into action.

The palace staff moved with the speed of Pegasi and the efficiency of Unicorns. Three tinier forms moved a little more slowly as they carried the tray meant for Hammer Strike. A small pink Pegasus balanced it on her head while a deep blue colt’s horn worked to keep the tray from falling off. The smallest “servant” was a cute little yellow Unicorn whose magic intertwined with the blue colt’s to keep the tray level until the food could be properly presented to the visiting lord.

A stallion with charcoal fur and a black mane stiffened at the sight of the foals. His green eyes flashed with growing indignation as he drew the queen’s attention and subtly pointed toward the end of the table where the trio sat, gesturing with his horn.

The taller pink mare bowed as the two younger foals levitated Hammer Strike’s food in place. “We hope you enjoy the food, Lord Strike,” she said.

The other two followed the pink one’s lead and uttered in semi-chorus, “Thank you for coming.”

“I’m sure I will. And thank you three.” Hammer Strike gave a gentle smile.

The pink mare squeed and grinned, shaking in place while The other two looked on with eager expressions. Finally, the blue one couldn’t hold his tongue anymore.

“Did you really take on a whole army by yourself?” he asked.

“Did you really die and come back to life?” the yellow one pushed.

Not to be outdone by the other two, the pink one finally lost her cool and joined in. “Can Thestrals really enter Ponies’ dreams?”

Hammer Strike blinked a few times as he looked to the children before him. “Uh, well … technically yes, technically yes once again, and I suppose it depends on the third.”

“Children, where are your manners?” Blood Diamond chided the foals with an indulgent smile. “You didn’t even introduce yourselves.”

All three of the children stiffened as the tray the eldest was carrying clattered to the floor.

“Somebody got busted,” Pensword whispered.

The Pegasus mare grimaced and nodded in embarrassed acknowledgement to the queen. “Yes, Mother.” Then she bowed to the trio and looked regretfully at them with soulful eyes. “Sorry for lying to you. We just wanted to meet you in person, and Mother won’t let us sit with the adults yet. I’m Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and these are my brother and sister, Prince Bellacosa and Princess Alto. You can call me Cady or Cadance for short.”

Hammer Strike gave a gentle smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you three.”

Pensword stared with wide eyes at the filly, then looked between Grif and Hammer Strike. A subtle nod from the pair was all he needed before he reined himself back in. “If I may be so bold, Your Majesty, your daughter carries her mother’s smile and a similar warmth. And I appreciate how she puts herself on the line for her siblings by drawing attention to herself first and foremost. Those are the budding traits of a natural leader. And while my input is meaningless, I believe her conduct does you and her instructors credit.” He allowed himself a smile. “Even if she is a little impatient.”

“Patience comes with time,” Grif said, taking a drink. “As does wisdom.”

The stallion at the queen’s side cleared his throat. “With your permission, Your Majesty, I’ll escort the children to their rooms. I believe it is far past their normal bedtimes.” He fixed a chilling gaze in the direction of the servants. “Rest assured, I’ll launch an investigation into who assisted the foals and have them properly chastened for this impropriety. I’ll also have a word with their bodyguards.”

“Oh, let it slide, Ambrosia.” She rolled her eye’s.

“But, Your Majesty—”

“Just take them to their nannies.”

Ambrosia’s eye twitched briefly before he managed to regain control and forced his face into a stiff mask. “As Her Majesty commands.” He bowed, then strode over to the trio as his horn ignited and green magic surrounded his horn and the foals. “Come along, you three. I’m sure your caretakers will be very interested to hear about your latest adventure.”

Cadance remained in a dignified silence while Cosy and Alto squirmed and otherwise struggled against the magic that held them until they all left through a set of double doors, leaving the feasting hall in the silence that followed.

Grif’s gaze trailed after Ambrosia as he strained to keep a neutral expression on his face. For some reason, he felt a keen dislike for the stallion that seemed to reach deep into his soul and wrap around his heart like fire.

“When the meal is done, I’ll have you shown to the forges and any other facilities you may need,” Blood Diamond explained. “As I've stated, should you require anything, just ask the servants.”

Hammer Strike inclined his head. “You have our thanks, Your Majesty. And should time allow, I would enjoy the opportunity to know your children better. Perhaps when it isn’t past their bedtime.”

“The sentiment is much appreciated.” The queen smiled as she finished her plate and laid her fork down. “Forgive me. I’m afraid I have to take my leave. There are certain matters to attend to before I sleep. Please, enjoy the rest of the meal. I will send for you after a suitable time is found for a less formal introduction to the children.” And with that farewell, she rose to her hooves, nodded to her court, and departed flanked by a pair of Crystal Pony guards.

The suite they had been offered was the definition of luxury as a great crystal bedframe shone in a gentle soothing rainbow to help lull guests to sleep. The bedding was soft and well-kept. It was a shame that the intended occupant would hardly use it after so much effort was put into its preparation. Two more smaller beds had been carried in for Pensword and Grif to occupy, so that they could remain close to their lord. A sitting room and a fireplace laid in wait for the trio to use, complete with chairs and small side tables to hold their goods. It was no royal palace, but it was functional, and the opulence was mingled with functionality, just the way Hammer Strike liked it.

“Okay,” Pensword said as he settled into one of the chairs, “did anybody else notice how familiar a certain filly was tonight?”

“Yes.” Grif nodded. “I think that complicates the narrative noticeably.”

“Let’s be honest,” Hammer Strike sighed. “Everything complicates this narrative. Wrong era, we have incorrect forms or something along those lines, and we don’t even have an idea for how to get home.”

“That’s definitely a problem,” Pensword agreed and frowned. “Considering how things went to get us in this situation in the first place, maybe we can find some of our answers in your letters. You guys still have your envelopes, right?”

Grif pulled out his envelope from a dresser drawer while Hammer Strike reached into his coat to retrieve his. Grif slit his envelope open carefully with a talon and slid the single sheet of paper out. He unfolded it and looked at what was written, his eyes widening as he continued to scroll down the page.

Hammer Strike hummed questioningly at the Gryphon’s behavior while Pensword frowned.

“What is it, Grif?” the Pegasus asked.

The air became heavy with the weight of the words the Gryphon recited.

“In past, a bright land of the north lies ’neath the frozen skies.

While peace seems firm at hand, the dark lord shall arise.

A call to aid, a call to arms, a call you now must heed.

Turn not aside when godly fare is tainted by his greed.

To the traveling mare from lands beyond, make sure the heir is turned.

To the other two, a haven make. Your protection shall not be spurned.

When hope is low and times are dark, an ember you must blaze.

And from the low and fearful marks, an army you will raise.

With words bold and powerful, allay all of their fears.

But be warned, for by the end, it shall be you who sheds the tears.

And be prepared upon the moment to lay your binding oath.

For though this now won’t be the time it comes eventually with growth.

The dark lord’s reign will be undone, oathkeeper must take wing.

Then in the end, when times arise, become the knight who takes the king.”

“Ominous,” Pensword noted as he looked gravely toward his friend.

Hammer Strike frowned. “Considering the last one came true, I should probably get to work in the forge sooner, rather than later.”

“A war,” Grif said, still somewhat shocked. “I'm supposed to fight a war?”

“Not alone.” Pensword sighed. “But it will be war all the same.” He shook his head. “The Changeling invasion all over again, only worse. And I doubt it’s going to be as short.”

“Or as easy,” Grif said.

“It’s a war we won’t be able to win alone,” Pensword agreed. “What concerns me most, aside from the talk of tears, is this mysterious mare. If we don’t get Cadance to safety, she’ll never be our Cadance in the future. And without her, Equestria’s future could very well collapse. You know who she helps to raise.”

“We’ll figure something out, though it may take time to do so.” Hammer Strike’s frown deepened.

“We’ll need to take steps to prepare. We know Sombra uses dark magic. And we know that magic can’t stand up to the power generated by the crystal heart. That means whoever eventually becomes Sombra will make a move on the artifact and on the queen. Not necessarily in that order.” Pensword rubbed his chin.

“That part’s easy,” Grif said

“What did you have in mind?” Pensword asked.

“I meant who Sombra is,” Grif clarified

“And?”

“Even if it wasn’t written out for us, I’ve suspected the queen’s cousin since I first saw him. Something about him. He just has this … aura of awful.”

“And you can tell that just from one or two times seeing him? We haven’t even talked with him directly yet,” Pensword noted.

Grif shrugged. “I dunno. I just … don’t like him. And then this letter mentioned the ‘fare of the gods.’ In Greek mythology, the gods consumed Ambrosia.”

Pensword frowned. “You know, if this is meant to happen as a fixed point in time, like in Doctor Who, then we can’t try to prevent what’s going to come. All we can do is prepare for it and try to protect ourselves and as many people as we can.”

“Yeah.” Grif sighed. “The main question seems to be when. I feel like we’re going to be here a while.”

“If we want to stand a chance of keeping the children safe and training up a force to fight back, we’re going to need at least some experienced hands to help. And someone versed enough in magic to be able to help counter whatever spells Sombra might try.” He turned to Hammer Strike. “I hate to say it, but we may have to spill the beans to Star Swirl. If anyone might understand all of this, it’s him. And he’s probably one of the most powerful magic users in Equestrian history, not to mention the oldest.”

“Given some of his glances toward us, I have the feeling he knows something already, but yeah, I’ll have to schedule a meeting with him sometime soon.” Hammer Strike nodded.

“I guess I’ll try to build a relationship with the foals, then. We can’t protect them if we don’t have their trust.” Pensword stretched his wings. “And not to brag, but I was pretty good with kids back home. I’m sure I can manage.”

“Well then, I guess we should get to it, then.” Grif nodded. “I’m going to see if I can get some private time on the guards’ training grounds to practice.”

Hammer Strike nodded. “Then it’s agreed. Considering the hour, it’s unlikely that I’ll be able to find Star Swirl right away, but I’ll see what I can do.”

A heavy hoof knocked officiously on the other side of the door.

Hammer Strike frowned as he stood and moved to the door. “I don’t believe we were expecting someone….”

A crystal guard saluted to the Pony. “Lord Hammer Strike, I come bearing a message from Star Swirl the Bearded.” He passed a letter over to the stallion. “He requests an audience with you at your earliest convenience.”

Hammer Strike blinked a few times. “That, … we can do. We’ll set off shortly.”

The soldier nodded. “With your permission, I’ll escort you to his quarters myself.”

Star Swirl’s personal chambers were not the mad scientist’s lab one might have expected out of such an accomplished Pony. Instead, the chamber was laid out with reasonable accommodations for his needs. A comfortable bed, a book shelf with a modest collection of volumes ranging from history to basic magical theory and potion brewing, and what appeared to be a basic chemistry set.

“So, you’ve come,” Star Swirl said. There was no greeting, merely the forced analytical calm of a scientist performing an experiment. Or perhaps in this case, an investigator working on a case. He looked dismissively at the guard. “You may leave us.”

The crystal guard bowed. “Of course, Your Excellency.”

Hammer Strike raised a brow questioningly. “I have the feeling this is going to be a fun conversation.”

“Less conversation and more confirmation,” Star Swirl noted. “Let’s drop any pretenses, gentlemen, and get straight to the point. You haven’t fought in the Third Gryphon War, have you?”

Hammer Strike sighed. “No, we have not.”

“I appreciate your candor.” Star Swirl raised his horn and a flash of white light flowed over the space, passing by the trio and clinging to the walls and door. With the spell securely in place, he nodded. “That should allow us to speak freely as well as frankly. Now, tell me, how is it that you came to pose as three of the greatest heroes in Equestria’s recent history?”

“They were forms given to us by Celestia and Luna. It was, however, under the notion that we would take the forms we could have had, were we born in Equestria.” Hammer Strike sighed. “They didn’t say anything after we were given said forms, and we even decided upon the names ourselves, not knowing we were, as you put it, posing as great heroes.”

“You speak so casually of the princesses. They do love their subjects, but few are able to develop such a close relationship with them. As for forms, that implies that you are not what you appear to be. Why would you feel the need to change your form?”

“To put it simply, our forms are very … unique to the land we hail from, and would cause more attention than needed.”

“And how did you come to know the princesses?”

“To be honest, it was just luck.” Hammer Strike shrugged. “Of all the places we could have arrived, we … may have landed in her rose garden.”

“And you weren’t executed. Very fortunate, indeed.” There was a hint of a scoff there, but behind those hard eyes, a flicker of uncertainty lingered.

“We’re not lying,” Pensword said.

Uncertainty yielded to indignation. “But you aren’t telling the whole truth either, are you?” Star Swirl countered.

“Because the truth, in this case, leads to disbelief. If you truly want to know, then I will tell you as much,” Hammer Strike spoke up. “We three do not hail from Equis. We found ourselves shifted between the worlds and landed here. It is why we were given these forms, and why we came to the empire from our point of time, though a being known as Sombra certainly made this more difficult than needed,” he muttered the last part.

“I can only assume that since the princesses didn’t deign to correct you on your choice of names that you clearly didn’t ‘shift between worlds’ in this time.” He rolled his eyes. “I take it a certain individual by the name of The Doctor had something to do with this?”

“No. An individual of the empire, who we have a rough idea of who it may be, used dark magics, and I believe attempted to banish us beyond the time of the empire itself. The last thing he remarked was of us perhaps one day being found in a glacier. Fortunately, his plan appears to have failed, just not completely.”

Star Swirl frowned. “It is theoretically possible. Time magic is a dangerous subject to dabble into, but the dark arts are capable of branching into such places without the time and preparation our usual spells would require,” he mused. “You say he intended to place you beyond even the Crystal Empire’s founding. Did you notice anything that happened before you were pulled through this portal?”

“There were a few things that happened, but I’d need a more narrow field before I could give you anything concrete.” Hammer Strike shrugged. “Even then, I may not remember everything, though Pensword and Grif might remember more.”

Pensword furrowed his brow in thought. “I remember his laughter, and the barrier dropping. After that, … it’s tough to say. I thought I might have heard a scream, but I don’t know.” He shook his head. “Grif? Do you remember anything else? You’ve got that telescopic vision birds are supposed to have, right?”

“The shield that had been put up weakened, the sky darkened. It looked like there were bits of dark crystal, if I remember correctly,” Grif said.

“Dark crystal….” Star Swirl rubbed his chin in thought. “Crystals are a common focus used in magical rituals. The larger or more complex the crystal, the more capable it is of channeling and holding magic. Your enemy may have been drawing on these crystals to supplement their power. But if what you say is true, then depending on the number of years by which you were displaced, it would have taken a vast amount of stored energy, even with dark magic, a network nearly as intricate as the empire itself.”

”Considering the empire was displaced until recently in our present day, we were given a rough estimate of a thousand years,” Hammer Strike replied.

“One thousand years?” Star Swirl balked. His legs buckled, and he stumbled backward before regaining his footing. “That kind of power is not gained easily. Either your adversary struck a bargain that stretches far beyond the realm of deadly or the focus this Sombra crafted would have to be the opposite of the Crystal Empire itself, augmenting and amplifying dark emotions to feed into the magic of the designated recipient.”

Hammer Strike blinked a few times. “That … makes more sense, actually,” he muttered in thought. “Sombra had control of the empire. It would explain every issue encountered in trying to ‘save’ the empire.”

Star Swirl scowled. “I don’t approve of time travel, but one principle I learned from The Doctor’s teachings to my former pupil is the need to avoid altering the course of events in a fixed point in time, lest a paradox ensue and unravel the fabric of the universe. Normally, I would advise defeating this Sombra before he or she has the chance to succeed. But if they exist in your time, then I can only surmise that we must allow events to unfold and minimize the fallout as much as possible.”

“Indeed. Though, we did have some additional guidance as well, which leads me to believe someone else is messing with things on the outside as well,” Hammer Strike replied as he reached into his coat and pulled out his letter. “We were each given a letter with some guiding words on them.”

“Mine’s already been finished for what it had to say,” Pensword said. “It’s what got us positioned for our first encounter with Sombra.”

“And mine is more a series of vague instructions of what to do,” Grif said.

Hammer Strike proceeded to open his letter and blinked as he stared at the paper.

“Well? Out with it. What does it say?” Star Swirl demanded impatiently.

“Hold on. Give him a minute,” Grif growled.

“That’s … not pleasant,” Hammer Strike remarked slowly as he closed the message. “H-how do you even make a letter do this?”

“Do what?” Star Swirl asked as he gazed from the paper to the Pony, then to his two companions.

“It was just… one word. But the moment I read it, it felt like something just wormed its way into my mind.”

Pensword frowned. “Wormed? We’re not talking like some kind of parasite, are we?”

Grif looked back at the discarded envelope, then stared intently before moving to seize the object. When he pulled it open, a second slip of paper slid out easily into his grasp. Its message was in simple Equestrian, and the Gryphon chose to read it aloud. “He’ll be a moment. He’s just absorbed a lot of information, and psychic transfer can throw you off if you're not used to it.”

Pensword facehoofed. “And now we know Timelord shenanigans are involved.”

“Timey-wimey, wibbly-wobbly.” Grif smirked.

“Should we be looking for the Brigadier, then, too?” Pensword sighed and shook his head. “Talk about a headache and a half.”

“Brigadier?” Star Swirl looked confusedly at the Pegasus.

“A rank of military command associated with a unique nation from where we originally came.”

“I … see. And you expect someone of this rank to also be here? Possibly to assist you in the resistance that must be raised?”

Pensword shook his head. “It’s doubtful. If there is a counterpart for him here, we haven’t met him before.”

“It’s complicated,” Grif said. “That's the best way to put it.”

“You are referring to the existence of potential dimensional counterparts in worlds that are closely aligned to yours, correct?” Star Swirl asked academically.

Grif nodded. “In a sense, yes, though there are notable complications to it.”

“Two days,” Hammer Strike suddenly spoke up. “Two days after this conversation, everything will reach its tipping point.”

Star Swirl’s beard whipped over his shoulder with the speed at which he turned his head to stare at the stallion. “You’re certain?”

“It’s what I was … told?” He seemed uncertain how to explain it. “There’s a lot of information, but it was all tied to the fact that it was two days from our first meeting with you. This very conversation.”

“And the empire will fall?” Star Swirl pressed.

“Not entirely, but enough for it to be lost to time for at least a thousand years. Alongside two members of the royal family, Cadance needs to be away from the Crystal Empire when the end draws near.”

“And the queen? What is to be her fate? Will she be kept as a slave or will the usurper kill her?”

“Her death is what begins this chain of events.” Hammer Strike frowned.

“If we are to protect the children, we’ll need her permission to take them away at the time without arousing suspicion,” Star Swirl mused.

Pensword shook his head. “It’s doubtful that we can manage that. Even if we’re trusted allies, the queen wouldn’t entrust the children strictly to our care alone. They’ll have to at least have some guards or attendants with them when they meet with us.”

“That is not a bad thing in and of itself,” Star Swirl noted. “Indeed, they will be able to assist you with the protective measures that the empire has in place for such a situation. It was a plan implemented when war was declared officially against Gryphonia. In the event that an enemy force should manage to take control, our resources are to be locked or otherwise hidden or shut down and the children are to be flown to a safehouse with a direct connection to the empire’s allies to the south. It is known as the Scattered Wind Protocol, in part due to the nature of the deities our former enemies worship.”

“Won’t our enemy know about that, though?” Pensword asked.

“It’s possible,” Star Swirl admitted, “but even if he did, it’s unlikely he would be able to reach it before you can get a distress signal to the princesses. He will be too busy consolidating power here in the city and trying to round up any stragglers who could oppose him. With the combined efforts of Hammer Strike, Grif, and myself, we should be able to distract the usurper long enough to give you the chance to get away with the foals.”

“It would be better if we could get them away before this coup has the chance to start,” Pensword noted.

“Do that, and the usurper may not act. If this Sombra wishes to consolidate power, then he will want to completely destroy the main bloodline. He’ll wait until he has the chance to kill them all in one stroke. The queen, her remaining consort, and the foals,” Star Swirl pointed out.

“So we stick with the foals,” Grif said

“This is going to be quite complicated.” Hammer Strike sighed. “But, we’ll manage. We just need the right plan. That, and I need to equip us,” he added, looking at their lack of gear.

“Can you manage that alone in two days’ time?” Star Swirl asked.

“If I don’t take breaks or get interrupted often, … maybe.” Hammer Strike frowned. “Based off the difference in mass, so long as I can make equipment to deal with the vitals first and extra as afterwards.” He muttered in thought as he went through his own plans.

“You’re probably going to need our measurements, then,” Pensword said. “And then we’re going to have to figure out how to keep close to the foals.”

“I’ll take the proper steps to protect my research,” Star Swirl noted. “The usurper won’t ever be able to access it, even over my dead body. Not that I expect to die, mind you.”

“If there is nothing else to discuss at this moment, then we should get to planning. Star Swirl, I assume you’ll be dealing with your own preparations for a time, based on what you just said. As such, you will find myself likely in the forge for the next two days, should you wish to discuss things further for this,” Hammer Strike spoke up.

“I’ll make sure to keep things general for convenience’s sake. While the queen may have offered you the use of the forge, that doesn’t mean our enemy won’t have ears extended to hear us.”

“I’m going to the training grounds,” Grif said. “I need to brush up on my technique.”

Pensword sighed. “I guess that leaves me to regale the foals with stories and build trust.”

“As much as I don’t like the idea of it, we do look like heroes.” Hammer Strike sighed. “We’ll have to use that to our advantage in this situation.”

“I take no pleasure in lying about this, but it would appear we have little choice in the matter. I will continue to cover for the three of you. If you have any questions about your roles in the recent wars, you may ask me. I will provide what information I can. I’ve not set hoof in Equestria for a long time, but I know enough to help you play your parts if you are interested,” Star Swirl said.

“Set up a time after I’ve finished playing with the foals, and I’ll be there,” Pensword promised.

Grif stretched in a very feline manner, then nodded toward his friends. “Well, let’s get started.”

Critical Flaw was not the kind of Pony one would expect to make it in the military with such a name. Many would think it implied a weakness. He used this to his advantage in his service. Those who underestimated him soon found out the real purpose behind his name, and the special talent he had developed. It was not his own flaws that were to be feared, but rather how easily he could find those faults in others and exploit them to achieve his goals.

Such a frightful gift was not to be taken lightly, and the queen saw the potential for such talent immediately. The war had ended too soon for him to be of use to their allies, but now he had a second chance in service to Hammer Strike and his companions. Even if it was the mere delivery of a message, he was proud to be of service to the heroes who had sacrificed so much to protect their way of life.

The stallion strode up the stairs and knocked heavily on the suite doors, as per Hammer Strike’s instructions. He also made sure to brace himself. Also per Hammer Strike’s instructions.

It took a full minute and a half before something finally found the door. It opened a small crack to reveal an angry blue eye looking through it. “Yes?”

“Hammer Strike ordered me to bring you this.” The stallion pushed the envelope he carried through the crack and waited. “He also told me to wait until you finish reading it.”

“One moment.” Grif groaned as he closed the door and opened the locks before opening it fully. He looked at the stallion with tired eyes as he picked up the envelope. “You might as well come inside.”

The guard nodded and did as instructed. Pensword rubbed his eyes as he blinked blearily at the stallion.

“Hammer Strike?” Pensword asked through a yawn?

“Yes, Sir,” Critical Flaw returned respectfully. “Though I don’t know exactly what he wants.”

Pensword turned to the Gryphon. “Well, Grif? What does the letter say?”

“He wants us to come meet him immediately.” Grif yawned.

Pensword glimpsed out the window. The night sky was still dark overhead, lit with the ribbons of light that flowed from the castle. “Has he been working all night?”

“Certainly up to this point, Sir,” Critical Flaw said. “I’d say that isn’t healthy for a stallion, but given what you all faced in the war, I suppose this is likely usual for you.”

“Certainly for our lord,” Pensword agreed, then sighed. “Well, then, I suppose we should get going immediately. Will you guide us to the castle forges, soldier?”

Critical Flaw nodded. “Assuming your business here is concluded. If not, I can wait until you are ready to depart.”

“He knew what he was doing. He can wait until I have my coffee,” Grif grumbled as he took out a cup. “What about you?” He looked to the guard.

“Not while I’m on duty, thank you.”

“Suit yourself.” Grif shrugged as he went to making a cup of coffee and drinking it.

“Is he … always like this when he first wakes?” Critical Flaw asked of the Pegasus.

“You happened to catch him on one of the good wakings. Normally, he wouldn’t hesitate to punch you if you tried to wake him in person,” Pensword explained.

“Warrior’s instinct?”

“Something like that,” Pensword replied as he looked to his friend. “Never really took a liking to the stuff, myself.”

“Your lack of taste is not my issue,” Grif snarked.

Thirty minutes later, the trio were traveling through the corridors of the crystal palace en route to the forges. The ring of metal and the increased temperature radiating from the crystals made it only too clear how close they had come to their destination. The forges themselves were well-ventilated, the work tables neatly organized, and the tools held efficiently in their various cubbies and on their pegs to await retrieval. However, unlike the other forges in Equestria, where coal was the primary fuel for the flame, these were instead kept running through the use of crystals and crystal powders that the fires consumed greedily.

Hammer Strike hunched over a leatherworking table, tracing a blade over thick cured hide while stout needle and thread awaited his use. A long strap sat to his side while identical cutouts of leather awaited his touch.

“Lord Hammer Strike,” Critical Flaw called to the stallion. “I’ve brought your companions, as requested.”

“Good,” Hammer Strike replied, not taking his eyes off his work. “That’s all I need for the time being, but if you’re able, please station yourself outside the door, as I may have use for your talent.”

“My … talent, Sir?”

“Given your name and position, I have a feeling I know what your skill set is.”

“If … I can be of service, I’ll do what I can for you, Sir.”

“I’ll call upon you when the time comes.”

“As you wish, Lord Hammer Strike. Though I would ask your permission to speak with my commanding officer first.”

“Of course.” Hammer Strike finally looked away from his work. “Sorry, I get ahead of myself sometimes.”

Critical Flaw nodded. “I’ll return as soon as I am able.” And with that said, the soldier departed, leaving the three friends alone to their own devices.

“So what required you to wake us up this early?” Grif asked

“I’ve finished making your weapons,” Hammer Strike directed their attention to a nearby worktable. “Beyond that, I need to gather measurements to actually make your armor.”

“You need a hand with the measuring tape?” Pensword asked.

“I think I’ve got it covered. Thankfully, working with my hooves so long actually helped with fine control. First things first, your weapons.”

Grif looked over the table carefully. He reached out and grabbed the handles of two similar-looking swords. The handles were made of brass. They were thin with straight cross hilts. The blade in his right hand was broad, double-edged, and came to a vicious point. The off-handed blade was just as long and double-edged, but far thinner than the first. They both seemed to be made of a strange crystalline metal with the broad blade being a milky green and the thin blade a deep blue. “A new metal you were experimenting with?” Grif asked as he gave the blades some experimental swings to test their weight and symmetry.

“The Crystal Empire has quite the variety of materials to work with,” he explained. “That, I believe, was just crystalline steel, which should hold some better properties, given our environment.”

Pensword picked up a simple shortsword. “This was good enough for me before. It’ll serve me well enough now.” He chuckled. “It’s the closest thing I’ve got, since we don’t have a crossbow for me to use. Think we might be able to sneak onto the practice field to ‘break these weapons in?’”

“Actually, you should be clear to use them at any hour,” Hammer Strike replied.

“Good. I want to get used to this thing before anything else happens.”

Grif managed to find several stilettos as well and strapped them to his person. “These feel like a good secondary.”

“Anything on that table was made for you two. I’ve got my own off to the side already.” Hammer Strike gestured to the larger blade on another table. “Okay, If you’ve got everything you want, let me get your measurements and I’ll be able to get to work on your armor.”

With the measurements finished, the Pegasus and Gryphon grinned at one another.

“So, now that we’ve finished that, and we’re all awake, anybody up for breakfast?” Pensword asked.

“Yeah. Awake. Right,” Grif groaned sarcastically.

Hammer Strike took a moment to process what he had heard. “I’m sorry, it’s time for what?”

The feasting hall was once again filled with familiar faces as the royal family feasted on the delicacies the chefs had prepared. The room was alive with conversation as the queen, her consort, and the other royals all enjoyed the company of loved ones.

“Your Majesty, I couldn’t help but notice that Ambrosia appears to be missing today,” Star Swirl noted idly from his chair.

The queen smiled sweetly. “He’s gone off to perform an inspection for the barracks and check with the cooks to ensure they have what they need to keep them well fed. An army marches and fights on its stomach, after all.”

“Then am I correct in assuming he will also be visiting the crystal berry patches?”

The queen nodded. “He intends to depart after making his report to me. He wants to make sure everything is ready for the Crystal Fair.”

“Crystal Fair?” Grif asked.

Blood Diamond smiled. “My apologies, Grif. I forget that you’re not familiar with our people’s customs. It is a time of renewal in our kingdom and in all of Equestria. Our people channel the positive emotions within them to enhance the natural magics that flow strongly beneath the empire. These powers are then guided and channeled through the crystal heart and distributed throughout the empire and Equestria to strengthen and revitalize magic in both kingdoms. It also serves as a potent talisman capable of driving out or even obliterating most dark forms of magic or entities.”

“Fascinating,” Pensword noted. “Just how potent is this power?”

“How potent is love?” the queen returned. “In its most primal form, love, true love, is one of the strongest forces to exist in magic. It binds, seals, and holds together. It renders tyrants powerless and deposes doubt and despair. It can end a war or start one in the wrong hooves. Fortunately for our people, the crystal heart has never chosen an heir that would do such a thing. I often wonder if its creators made it so it never could. That way, the crystal heart’s power could never be used to destroy them.”

“Are you saying that the crystal heart is alive, then?” Pensword asked.

Blood Diamond shook her head. “Not alive, but I suppose you could claim that it’s sentient in a fashion.”

“If I may, Your Majesty,” Star Swirl began, “since we’ve brought up the topic of dark magic and beings, there is a security matter that I believe should be brought to your attention. Although faint, I’ve recently begun detecting traces of that very kind of magic around the palace.”

Blood Diamond looked sharply at the stallion. “You are certain of this, Star Swirl?”

“Your Majesty, I made hunting and detecting that particular kind of magic my life’s work in my younger years. It doesn’t appear to be within the crystal network, but whatever it is most certainly carries a corruptive influence. If it is not tended to in a timely fashion, it could lead to grave consequences for the empire as a whole.”

Blood Diamond’s demeanor changed immediately. With the flick of her horn, the windows in the room were completely filled in with crystal growths thick enough to subdue the chamber in twilight while the doors were swiftly barred and surrounded by her power. She looked over every Pony present in the chambers. “What we discuss here does not leave this room under any circumstances. Am I understood?” she demanded of the nobles. A general murmur of shocked and frightened assent filled the room. She then looked to her guests. “I trust that you three will also keep this revelation to yourselves?”

Pensword nodded. “You have my word, Your Majesty.”

“My lady, information is my specialty. I will take it to the grave.”

“Will do,” Hammer Strike replied as he looked up from the table.

The queen nodded. “These traces you’ve detected, Star Swirl. Is there a way to track them to the source?”

Star Swirl shook his head. “No, my lady. Whoever or whatever is responsible is too subtle thus far. It could be the result of an artifact, rather than an actual caster. However, even if it is an artifact, the fact it managed to breach security and pass through the halls of the castle undiscovered for this long is a grave security concern. And if its influence should grow strong enough before the ceremony is performed at the Crystal Fair, I fear for what the result may be.”

“Can you at the very least detect intention?”

“At its basest form, greed and lust. Those under its influence might manifest similar traits. A desire for more than they already have, and the willingness to employ any deed to obtain it. It could be something as minor as fighting and petty theft, or … at its worst, murder. If it’s the result of an artifact, then it can either lead to general chaos or it could sway those Ponies to be under the will of the owner. Or worse still, a slave to the artifact itself. If it’s a Unicorn harboring these emotions, then it can be even more dangerous. Artifacts must act through others to do their work for them, and they don’t always understand the behavior of sapient beings. A properly trained magic caster, however, won’t make those mistakes.”

“Then what would you suggest, Star Swirl? If this threat is as great as you say, then I am open to ideas.”

“With your permission, Your Majesty, and that of Lord Hammer Strike, I would like to ask for the assistance of Commander Pensword in my hunt. As all of Equis knows, he is part Thestral, and that particular tribe has a unique affinity for sensing and combating the dark.”

“What say you, Lord Hammer Strike, Commander Pensword? Will you aid us in ferreting out this threat?”

Hammer Strike tapped his chin in thought. “We’ve dealt with certain forms of manipulation before, though nothing so extensive as a practitioner of the dark arts. It seems a reasonable request. However, I would like to make one further suggestion to add to your preparations.”

“And that is?”

“Allow your foals to get to know us better. If a threat should come for the empire, we would be the most well equipped to handle any attacks that might come from without or within. And when dealing with any form of attack, it’s a safe bet that the royal family will be a prime target. Also, it’s something our invisible threat won’t find suspicious, since they’ve already expressed a desire to know us better.”

Pensword blinked in surprise for a moment before shaking his head and nodding. “Lord Hammer Strike’s advice is sound, Your Majesty. I would be honored to assist in both tasks, assuming you accept my lord’s suggestion.”

“Normally, I would prefer to delegate my children’s safety to their guards. But if you truly are willing to act in their stead should worse come to worst, I can think of no safer hooves or talons for them to be guarded by. Given your clearance levels in the Equestrian government, I take it you are already familiar with certain emergency protocols.”

Hammer Strike nodded. “We are.”

“And if the unthinkable should happen?”

“I will keep them safe, Your Majesty,” Pensword said grimly. “I won’t tolerate innocent blood being spilt.”

“Then I expect you three to meet me in my chambers at noon. I’ll make the other necessary arrangements. And Star Swirl, you are free to begin your hunt with Commander Pensword when the meal is finished.” She raised a staying wing. “However, I expect your inquiries to be kept discreet.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Star Swirl agreed.

Blood Diamond nodded, and with another flick of her horn, the room returned to its original state. “Then finish your meals, and let’s get to work.”

Subtlety would only draw further attention to the Gryphon as he strode through the halls, and he knew only too well that their enemy would want to keep an eye on him and the others after the scene that had taken place in the royal hall for breakfast. So, Grif relied on the old standby. He strode calmly and purposefully toward the sorcerer’s door and knocked as loudly as he could. “Hello?” he called.

There was no response.

“Hey! Are you in there?” Grif Banged hard on the door.

The door flung open angrily as a stormy Star Swirl glared, his horn ablaze. “Do you mind? I’m trying to—oh, it’s you. Did Hammer Strike send for me?”

“Not really. I need you to look at something for me.”

“I assume this has to do with preparations for that hunt you mentioned,” Star Swirl said as he squinted at the Gryphon. Finally, he sighed and waved his hoof dismissively before turning. “Oh, very well. Come in.”

“Admittedly, not really. More something I need you to look at,” Grif said as he entered.

“A moment, Grif.” The door closed, and Star Swirl cast the same spell he had the last time the trio visited with him. When the spell was properly in place, his horn glowed again as a second spell was layered over the first. “There. We should be able to speak more freely now. I’ve added some extra warding against scrying and some of the darker techniques one might use to gain information. I apologize for my behavior earlier, but I don’t wish to give our enemy any indication of our collusion.”

“That's fair.” Grif shrugged before he reached to the bandages around his arm. “I need you to look at this.” The bandages unravelled, exposing the glossy black crystal that had overtaken the feathers and scaling.

Star Swirl recoiled with a hiss. “Merciful Faust,” he swore. “What in Sleipnir’s name did you do to yourself?”

“I held back our adversary to let others get away,” Grif said grimly. He gazed into the crystal as the memories played over again and he recounted the tale.

“Well, this may explain some of the dark magic traces I’ve been sensing around the castle,” he mused. “I’m not surprised that Hammer Strike was able to identify the core aspects of the power that’s affecting you. Given the fact that you are in full control of your faculties, that implies either the focus of the corruption was meant to be used as a buffer to cut you off from using magic or perhaps that the power of this Sombra wasn’t yet strong enough to subvert your will. Either way, you are exceptionally lucky to be alive. Lesser beasts would have been utterly consumed by now.”

“Is there anything I should be worried about?” Grif asked

“Loss of self control, a slow descent into madness, a potential connection to your foe that could lead to total compromise of any plans you may have crafted, mutation into a mindless killing machine, just to name a few,” Star Swirl noted gravely. “I once knew a Pony who could treat this in a heartbeat, but he and his arts are all but lost in time. And his pupil….” Pain crossed the sorcerer’s face. “His pupil is also lost.”

“I … see. So there’s nothing you can do?”

“I’ve performed some research into various types of dark magic and its applications, if only to learn how to counter them. A proper analysis of the nature of the magic involved may yield some helpful clues. It will take me some time to determine, however. Probing a spell is delicate work when it comes to these arts.” He strode over to a table where a number of pulsing crystals sat in test tubes and stands. “Come. Lay your arm on this table. It’s wood, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the corruption having contact with the crystal palace’s network.”

Grif laid his arm gingerly where indicated while Star Swirl moved the objects out of the Gryphon’s way.

“As I said before, this will take some time. Is there anything I might be able to provide to you while you wait?”

“You have any books on Gryphon flight mechanics?”

“The military office, their airships, or their natural mode of flight?”

“Natural, please,” Grif said.

“Good. I haven’t got the others. And if I had, I most certainly wouldn’t have told you I have them regardless.” The stallion levitated a book to the Gryphon. “I wouldn’t recommend experimenting anywhere that you can be observed, however. One wandering pair of eyes at the wrong time could ruin everything.”

“I’m well aware,” Grif replied as he flipped open the book and began to analyze its pages.

As the Unicorn had warned, the procedure was a slow one. Tiny probing tendrils of white magic flowed from his horn to tap and push at various points along the Gryphon’s arm. His frown deepened as the probing continued, and the occasional spark of white energy would course through the crystals before it was smothered. Finally, the Unicorn’s probes switched from the crystal itself to the upper reaches of Grif’s arm. While the magic didn’t hurt, there was a certain amount of discomfort that the Gryphon did not like. That discomfort grew until the tendrils pulled back suddenly as if they had been stung.

Star Swirl nodded slowly as the light in his horn died. “Yes, I thought that might be the case. This is both comforting and troubling,” he said as he stroked his beard.

“How so?”

“The reason that you are not influenced by the corruption has to do with a unique field that you have surrounding your body. It is not of magic, but it does have a tenuous connection to it. It is possible that you may already know this, given the reaction this field also had to my probings over your normal body. What is troubling lies in the nature of the crystals that have infected you, however. Their latticework is strikingly similar to that of the Crystal Empire itself, structures that are grown at the behest of the queen through her connection to the crystal heart. To achieve this level of intricacy, Sombra would have to be able to not only incorporate his dark magic into the crystal but have a direct connection to the kingdom’s crystal network itself. So long as a direct heir remains, that connection cannot be properly solidified. It would be overruled, or at the very least challenged, by said heir when they came into their own.”

Grif’s eyes narrowed. “Is that so? Tell me, Star Swirl, what are your feelings about Ambrosia?”

“A self-entitled colt who takes himself far too seriously. That being said, there are few who have a closer connection to the queen, save perhaps for her children and her consort. She trusts him to care for the family and do what needs to be done for their sake and the sake of the kingdom’s future.”

“So what you're saying is he is the fourth in line for the throne currently?”

“The ascension is a bit trickier than that. It’s sort of a coin toss depending on who the crystal heart chooses as its next master or mistress. The primary decision is generally kept to the main line. But in the event that the primary bloodline is either deceased or some other circumstances render them unsuitable, the heart can choose another to stand in their place. Control the heart and you control the kingdom, but only if the heart allows you to. A truly fascinating piece of magical craftsmanship. It carries a piece of magic from every member of the royal family inside of it. When the current ruler either dies or steps down, the heart sorts through its options to choose who it will designate its next master.”

“He seems to not like his position in life.”

“There are many who feel that way in the world. And there will yet be many more.” Star Swirl sighed. “If you’re asking whether I might be able to determine if the magical wavelength in these protrusions is identical with Ambrosia, I’m afraid I can’t.” Star Swirl shook his head. “Until he draws deeply enough on dark magic to form a proper pact, his magical wavelength would remain pure enough to purge any lingering effects, assuming he paces himself properly. Hypothetically speaking, of course.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to hope we can react quickly,” Grif commented as he started to wrap his arm.

Star Swirl nodded. “Indeed. If your guess is right, then Pensword will need to watch himself. By asking for his support, I hoped to bolster your reputations and solidify the impression that you are who you claim to be. I’m afraid that I may also have painted a target on his back as a result.”

“Is there anything I need to know about Grif Grafson?”

“He specializes in dual-bladed combat. However, he is not afraid to use his body as a weapon. The loyalty that he shows to his master is a matter of religious obligation and intense loyalty. He would kill and die for his lord if the need arose, and he would think nothing of either one if it would ensure Hammer Strike’s safety and success. Intelligence indicates that he hails from the Northern Isles, and he is governed by his own conscience, rather than any power or authority. According to the queen, he has no respect for the royal crown unless it is earned. He has been known to care little for what other nobility or ranks think, speaking openly, even flippantly in some instances. One of his pet names for the princesses is a particular source of consternation for Celestia and a delight to her younger sister. He calls her, and I quote, ‘Sunbutt.’”

Grif chuckled loudly. “Sounds like he knows what he’s worth, at least.”

“He singlehandedly dispatched dozens of generals and high ranking military officers in the Gryphonian army from behind enemy lines. Rumors claim that he took their feathers to stuff a pillow that he personally had presented to Pensword. There are those who claim his disregard of rank stems from personal reasons, but I can neither confirm nor deny that information.”

“I see.” Grif nodded. “Thanks for the information.”

“Use it well, Grif. I suspect it will be more important to you than you think.” He picked up a book in his magic and tossed it to the Gryphon. “Take this. It’s a book I published based on the knowledge I gained from examining Gryphon culture. It should help you to better understand Grif’s background, at least from the perspective of the empire.”

“Thank you,” Grif said, taking the book. “I appreciate the help.”

“We’re to be allies in this, Grif. If you require more from me, I will offer what I can to the best of my ability.” He nodded. “I’ll also see about saving what volumes I can that could prove beneficial to us in the event that the worst should come to pass.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Grif nodded as he turned to leave. “Keep your eyes open, Star Swirl. Let’s hope we can get through this all in one piece.”

As the door shut behind the Gryphon, Star Swirl couldn’t help but chuckle wryly and shake his head. “I have little doubt you will, Grif.” He sighed and looked regretfully at a small caricature of a mare’s head carved in blue crystal. “Time will tell. But I fear it will exact a terrible price in exchange.”

The clash of wooden swords rang through the air as a tiny blue colt lunged and jabbed while his much larger winged opponent parried and stumbled backward at the sudden assault.

“I have you now, villain! Take this!” the colt cried exuberantly as the sword flew toward the Pegasus.

Rather than allow the sword to strike true, Pensword flapped his wings to leap off the ground and parry once more, sending the colt’s wooden sword toward the ground. Pensword then dropped to the floor and barrelled toward the colt. “It appears the tables have turned, young adventurer.” He curled his lip into a grim smile. “Yield.”

“Sneak attack!” A great fluffy pillow smacked into Pensword’s face, causing him to stumble back as two blurs slammed into him and sent him tumbling toward the floor. In a matter of moments, three bodies had him pinned, and the wooden sword hovered over Pensword’s head.

Pensword laughed. “All right. All right. I’m clearly outmatched. All hail the conquering heroes, Prince Bellacosa and Princesses Cadance and Alto!”

Bellacosa pouted. “I told you to call me Cosy.”

“Is that the boon you wish to ask of me for your victory then, young warrior?” Pensword teased.

Cosey shook his head adamantly. “You’re not getting off that easily. Tell us about Equestria. What’s it like?”

Pensword smiled. “On the surface? It’s beautiful. A land covered with Ponies of all manner of tribes and backgrounds, each working to live and support the princesses they love so much.” Then he sighed. “But underneath that, it’s not so perfect. For every good Pony out there, you can usually find another bad one somewhere trying to make trouble for the rest.”

Cadance frowned. “How come?”

Pensword slowly extricated himself from beneath the siblings and sat properly on his rump to give his piece. “Some Ponies want things that they don’t have. And they’re not always willing to wait and work hard to earn them. So, instead, they try other ways to get what they want. Some steal. Some lie. And worst of all, … some kill.”

“Kill? But why?”

Pensword smiled sadly and brushed Cadance gently along the cheek with a hoof. “The Crystal Empire is embodied and defined by love, Princess. I would dare to say that your society is one of the most pristine and perfect I have ever beheld because of that fact. You share a unity that many of us in Equestria have to fight to obtain and maintain every day. The thing it often comes down to is a twist of emotion. Like a weed, if you suffer the seeds of greed or anger or hate to remain and grow, they feed on the good ground and choke out whatever else might be growing there instead. Even in your kingdom, a Pony can be susceptible to such corruption if one finds the proper way and fosters it.

“Allow me to repeat a lesson I once learned about magic, taught to me by Princess Celestia herself. Most magic that is performed by Ponies draws power from positive emotion and from the magic of the world around us. This power can do incredible things. It can heal wounds, lift heavy objects, transport mares and colts. But if one draws on the opposite, on anger, sorrow, hatred, rage, then that magic becomes something other than harmony. It becomes darkness. And once darkness is allowed to take root, it can be difficult to expunge fully. One can do great things with that power, but those great things are often terrible. Such is the nature of those emotions, and thus of the magic they create. It’s why your mother is so important to the empire, and why one of you three will be someday, too. You will embody the pure force that can dispel darkness, just as she does.” He smiled at all three of them. “You will spread love, light, and decency. And that is both a great honor and a terrible burden. But it is one that I think the three of you will be able to bear one day, if you apply yourselves, if you really try to make a difference for the ones you love.”

The Pegasus tapped each foal on their chests. “And it all starts in there.”

“Is that what Thestrals do when they talk with the dead?” Cosy asked.

Pensword smiled sadly. “We try. Love, unfortunately, doesn’t always work alone. It needs the support of those who would protect it as well as offer it. But yes, you could say that the acts of bringing the dead peace are a way of giving love to those who cannot seek it out for themselves.” He chuckled. “Ah, but enough about such subjects. I know of two individuals who are waiting to see you. And now that you’ve bested me in combat, it’s only proper that the victors earn their prize.” He rose to his hooves. “Come. Put away your swords and tidy up. Then we’re going on a field trip.”

The journey to the forges was uneventful. Crystal guards flanked the foals and Pensword as they traveled through the halls, passing servants and other guards until the ring of crystal once again vibrated through their ears.

“Brace yourselves, children.” Pensword smiled at the foals. “It’s going to get very hot, but I think you won’t be disappointed by the treasure we are about to discover within these walls.”

Sparks flew as the Lord of the Everfree plied his craft. To the side, a familiar black Gryphon with a green crest and breast worked at the whetstone to sharpen his throwing knives.

“Grif, Milord, I come bearing guests,” Pensword announced.

Hammer Strike glanced up from his current project before giving a small smile. “Ah, you’ve brought over Cadance, Alto, and Bellacosa.”

The three foals bowed to the Pony lord as decorum demanded. Alto eyed the glowing steel with wide eyes while Cadance and Cosy gaped at the rest of the forge and its many tools and weapons.

“Mother never let us come here before,” Cadance said.

“I’m not surprised,” Pensword replied. “A forge can be a dangerous place for foals without proper supervision. Fortunately for you, you won’t find anywhere safer in all of Equis than with Hammer Strike, Grif, and myself.”

“Unless it’s a battlefield,” Grif commented.

Pensword rolled his eyes helplessly. “Grif.”

“What’s it like? Having to fight someone for real, I mean?” Cosy asked.

“It depends on what you’re fighting over,” Pensword said. “Some fights are simple, like sparring. You fight until there’s a clear victor and then stop. Others, … others are less clear to describe.”

“Those ‘others’ are not pretty or glorious,” Grif explained. “You spend most of the time scared for your life,” he said as he examined one of the blades and tested its edge. “Never let someone tell you you shouldn’t be scared. Fear is healthy,” Grif explained.

“So you’re saying it’s good to be scared?” Cosy asked.

“It’s normal to be,” Pensword corrected. “But that doesn’t mean you should be all the time. Nor does it mean that you should let it keep you from acting. There is a saying that my friend once shared with me many years ago. Fear is the mind killer. It is healthy, yes, but uncontrolled, it can paralyze you, scatter your ability to think clearly, and that is not good when you are in a fight. A person must learn to experience fear without giving in to it. Only then will they have the chance of finding success.”

“Is that why Ponies wear armor?” Alto asked. “So they don’t have to feel so scared?”

Grif shrugged. “Yes and no. No matter what happens, you're always going to be scared going to battle. The armor helps you stay safe, and so it makes it easier.”

“So, … making armor is like an act of love for the soldiers who wear it?” Alto asked.

“In a way,” Grif laughed.

“It’s a comfort, especially when made by a trusted smith. It gives them the strength to face their fear head-on, knowing they’ll have something to protect them,” Hammer Strike spoke up.

“Then you must be one of the most caring Ponies in Equestria,” Alto said to the stallion. “You helped to make a lot of the armor that was used in the war. And everypony keeps talking about how they want something forged by you.”

Hammer Strike gave a brief chuckle. “Perhaps. Though in the end, I just like ensuring everyone around me is safe.”

“No wonder Mother wanted us to know all of you better.” Cosy grinned. “You’re amazing!”

Pensword chuckled. “No, Cosy, we’re normal people, just like you. That’s the secret, really. The most amazing things come from the simplest of creatures. You don’t need powerful magic or super strength to make a difference in someone’s life. You just need to keep being you and do your best to help.”

“So, … can we help you out, then, Mister Grif?” Cosy asked.

“You two can,” Grif told Cadance and Cosy. “But you just watch,” he told Alto. “Ok?”

Alto pouted, but nodded as the other two approached the table and Grif showed them how to do the work.

The old sorcerer was many things: a scholar, a magician, a Pony of no small reputation in the empire. He was also one who knew better than to allow a hot head to prevail in a rapidly approaching conflict. And he knew it was best to hedge his bets when preparing for those inevitable clashes. Thus, he found himself trotting toward the royal forges, where the ring of crystal hammer blows sang in vibration with the steel and other materials that were doubtless being drawn upon for the grim task that lay ahead.

The blast of heat wafted over Star Swirl’s beard and jangled the bells on his cloak and hat as he entered the chamber to behold the subject of his visit. The Earth Pony was hard at work, but despite the bags under his eyes, his grip was steady, his blows sure.

“Have you been working here this whole time?” the sorcerer asked.

“I did take a small break for breakfast,” Hammer Strike replied as he kept his attention on his work. “Has something come up?”

“Not as of yet. More that I wanted the chance to meet with you alone.” He peered intently at the Pony. “Do you often do things like this? From what Critical Flaw has told me, you’ve been here at the forge for nearly the last twenty-four hours.”

“It’s already been twenty-four hours?” Hammer Strike paused his work briefly and frowned. “I think I’m on schedule still,” he muttered thoughtfully.

“Just how long do you plan to keep pushing yourself?” Star Swirl asked. “Have you even stopped to rehydrate?”

“Occasionally, yeah.” Hammer Strike finally placed his hammer down and looked at Star Swirl. “Until I have finished, I’ll keep at this. Even if it may be a detriment to myself.”

“Then before you continue, there is one thing more I would like to confirm, if I may.”

Hammer Strike simply raised a brow questioningly.

“You have a field that surrounds you, one that isn’t related to magic, don’t you?”

Hammer Strike stared at him for a few seconds as his brows furrowed briefly. “Though I find myself surprised to hear of it being mentioned, I will at least confirm that I do. Though it makes me wonder how you know about it.”

“A Pony I once knew a long time ago had a similar field. It carried a vast and dangerous power, one that he would not teach to any, save for one. We … did not part on the best of terms. It is … surprising to see it again after all of this time. I learned of its existence when Grif came to my quarters to see what I could do to aid him with a certain … problem that I believe you are familiar with.”

“The crystals of corruption.” Hammer Strike sighed as he grabbed his next piece of work.

“Indeed. I … also wished to let you know that I’ll do everything in my power to ensure you and your friends make it through this disaster. If there is any way I might be able to help enhance your work, please, don’t hesitate to call on me. It’s been some time since I enchanted armaments, but I still know enough to help combat those darker influences I mentioned earlier.”

“Thank you for the offer. Sadly, I don’t have anything I can offer for enchanting, as I’m… not quite finished just yet. Once I have actual pieces complete, I’ll try to get in contact with you.” Hammer Strike frowned as he looked over the plate on the anvil in front of him.

Star Swirl passed a crystal embedded in a pendant to the Earth Pony. “Use this to call me. It’s attuned to a twin that I keep on my person. Their unique frequency ensures that only the two of us will be able to speak with one another between them. Just tap the crystal and speak. I will hear you.”

“Got it.” Hammer Strike placed the pendant into his coat. “Hopefully it won’t be too long from now.”

Star Swirl nodded. “I’ll await your call. Until next we meet, Hammer Strike. Know that I wish you well.”

“Until then.”

Well, the group has decided that since the last chapter was short. As well as the last single digit thousand word chapter.

We will reveal a little more about the cliff hanger. So, I hope you had enjoyed the little treat this week. Also, comments? Concerns? Predictions? Leave them in the comments below and one of the writers will respond to your comment(s)

Extended Holiday
Chapter 21: Gods Save the Queen

“So, according to what I was able to read up on, the empire has several types of crystals with unique properties,” Grif explained as he and Pensword approached the forge. “This kind, for instance,” he pulled out a large bright yellow crystal, “apparently will let out a burst of light if you break it.”

“Is the reaction at all chemical or more magical?” Pensword asked curiously.

“Magical, I think,” he said, drawing out a smaller one that was orange with a black center. “This kind is super stable until exposed to heat.”

“And then?”

“It explodes,” Grif said.

“Like a battery level of explosion or something more potent?”

“A lot more potent,” Grif said. “This is good for a third of a stick of dynamite if I understood the entry correctly.”

Pensword whistled. “That’s strong stuff.”

Grif nodded, putting the crystal away as they found the door.

Once more, Hammer Strike stood before them at the forge. This time, however, he stood before a series of tables, all laden with cloths to conceal what lay beneath. He smiled familiarly as the pair entered, and though that perpetual look of tiredness hung around his eyes, pride flared brightly.

“You called us, Milord?” Pensword asked with a smirk.

“It’s done.” Hammer Strike gestured to the tables. “Took less time than I anticipated, but the quality should be fine.”

“So, are you going to pull a houdini with the whole grand flourish to show off?” Pensword asked.

“I just wanted a nice reveal for it.” Hammer Strike shrugged. “Left is yours, Pensword. Right is yours, Grif. And my own is in the center.”

What lay beneath Pensword’s cover was made of fine burnished steel with crystalline inlay. The clever garb was designed to provide minimal openings to the wing joints it closed around while simultaneously granting extra plating over the barding at his chest. The rear flowed artfully, like the underbelly of a storm cloud. Crystalline extensions draped over his flanks to protect on either side while powerful horseshoes waited to shod his hooves and strike with all the force he could muster. Lastly, a helmet complete with waiting plume for his mane and prehensile jointed ear pieces sat next to what at first appeared to be a form of scaly mail with a feather design.

“What’s this?” Pensword asked as he poked at the pile, only to find that it slid apart into two portions.

“A quick experiment I made from some reading I did before our trip here. They’re wingblades,” Hammer Strike explained. “Works with the general movement of your flight, and can be used accordingly.”

“So, sort of like a set of secondary swords?” Pensword looked at the pile in thought. “Think you can help me put these things on?”

“Sure, though you’ll find it’s not too complicated, thankfully.”

“What have you got, Grif?” Pensword asked curiously as he picked up the strange devices and handed them gingerly to Hammer Strike.

Grif held up a suit of leather armor tacked with carefully fitted steel plates that had been placed to allow a good range of movement while offering necessary defensive ability. He tested the weight before nodding to himself as he slipped it on. “It seems sturdy enough,” he commented as he tested its range of motion. “Thanks, Hammer Strike.”

“And with that, I have completed our sets of armor and equipment. Meaning, I need to get some rest.” Hammer Strike exhaled.

“You’re not going to try on your armor, too? Or have you already tested it to make sure it fits?” Pensword asked.

“I know it fits, so there’s that, but….” He moved over to the extra table and pulled off the final cover to reveal a set of platemail. It wasn’t too intricate beyond the joints, but seemed functional enough to serve its purpose. A set of Pony gauntlets had been fashioned to fit over Hammer Strike’s hooves. The plating and spikes around them made them an ideal weapon for close range combat.

Pensword frowned. “You put more time into ours, didn’t you?”

“It works fine. I made your sets dependent on weight. That way, you could still move freely. As I am, I can move more weight and handle it easier, leading to this. It covers me fine and works well.” He shrugged. “It just weighs more. Oh, right.” He turned to face Grif. “Before I forget,” he said as he moved back toward a separate table, “I finished up all your throwing knives, Grif.”

“Thanks.” Grif approached the table. “Wait, what did you do?” He seized the bandolier and examined the curious creations. Metal tangs jutted out from the sheaths with no sign of a handle. Removing one exposed a blade with deep etching to make it look just like a feather.

“You mentioned you wanted them more noticeable, so I made them noticeable.”

“This is amazing,” Grif said as he examined one up close. “This must have taken you hours.” He slid the blade back into its slot and slid the bandolier on.

“I used them as a way to reset myself mentally when I started to zone out from making the armor.”

“Well, they're amazing, and I'm proud to use them,” Grif said.

“Glad to hear.”

“Good. Now that we’ve got that settled, Hammer Strike, you should probably at least try to get some sleep, like you said you were going to,” Pensword noted.

“That’s the plan.” Hammer Strike nodded.

“Not before we’ve set another plan in place,” Star Swirl said as he barged into the room and slammed the doors shut behind him. Moments later, the same silencing field and a multitude of other wards sprung up to cover the room in his power. “Our enemy is preparing to make his move. The threads of an intricate illusion spell are being woven over the city as we speak. And with them is an equally problematic field designed to intercept all natural forms of magical communication. Not even dragon fire would be able to pass through without the caster’s permission. I fear only communication crystals will serve us now to get past the blockade, and even those may be suspect if our enemy is clever enough.”

“Joy. As if anything could be simple,” Hammer Strike sighed.

“I believe you’ll come to learn that few things in this world are, once you get beyond the surface. In the passing of time.” He approached Pensword’s helmet and eyed the pivoting earpiece. “Take it from an old stallion. I have my secrets, and my experiences. You’ll doubtless have many more of your own as you develop into your mantle.”

“Only time will tell.” Hammer Strike shrugged. “In any case, it would be best to cover what we can while I still maintain consciousness.”

Star Swirl nodded grimly. “According to your,” he cleared his throat disapprovingly, “sources, the empire must inevitably fall. It will be up to you, Pensword, to ensure that the children are escorted safely out of the bounds of the city. Our enemy will likely know, or at least suspect, our intentions to take the children away to safety.” He shook his head. “The passage leading to the safehouse will likely be trapped. You will have to take them by land and use the escape hatch for entry.”

“And how am I supposed to find this safehouse in the middle of a frozen wasteland?” Pensword asked.

“Give me your helmet,” the stallion ordered.

Pensword did so, and Star Swirl looked to the metal scrollwork at the brow. A few carefully placed runes and a zap of magic soon left the helmet levitating back onto the Pony’s head.

“I’ve charted the course for you in your helmet. It will use the crystal palace as its anchor and orient you accordingly. Follow the path it leads you by, and only do so when you are certain you are not being followed. Tap the runes, first on your right, then your left, and finally the guard along the bridge of your nose. That will trigger the spell. When you wish to dismiss it, reverse the process.”

Pensword nodded gravely. “You’re certain our enemy won’t be able to sense that connection?”

Star Swirl smirked. “I find it highly unlikely, given where I’ve placed the anchor. Rest assured, he won’t be able to reach it or even so much as touch it.” That smirk soon dissipated, however, in favor of a frown. “Talking of getting there is one thing. Getting the foals out of the city is quite another.”

“I could create a diversion,” Grif offered

Star Swirl furrowed his brow in thought. “You said you were attacked by feral Changelings before arriving at the empire. Manufacturing a more brazen attack might be enough to throw our enemy off balance and provide an opening. It will also provide you the opportunity to lead civilians to safety.”

“Not enough time. And where would we even find enough Changelings? I doubt any hive would be willing to throw their lives away like that with nothing in return,” Pensword noted.

“Our enemy isn’t the only one who is adept at illusions, Pensword. I’ve written several papers on the subject, as a matter of fact. We would need a few Unicorns who would be willing to make the damage more substantial, however.” He looked at the trio. “Just how many royal guards have you been able to recruit?”

“Currently just shy of half,” Grif commented. “We’ve had a good amount of success, despite the cloak and dagger.”

“I assume you have Critical Flaw to thank for that,” Star Swirl noted. “Your skill for recognizing talent is as bright as the tales say. As is your subtlety in its use.”

“I just hope we can keep the foals safe,” Pensword said.

“They need to be our secondary priority,” Grif said. “As much as I hate saying that, we need to focus on securing the timeline first.”

“And getting them out will, will it not?” Star Swirl asked pointedly. “I don’t know everything about your future, but I know enough from your reaction to the foals when you first met that they are important to you. Or at least one of them is.”

“Make no mistake,” Grif said tersely as he locked eyes with Star Swirl. “I do not like the idea of letting children die, and I will do everything within my power to save them, but if you know anything about time travel, you know how dangerous the butterfly effect can be. I won’t toy around with millions of lives like that either.”

“Grif, at the very least, I have to protect Cadance. She’s the rightful heir,” Pensword said softly. “Help me get them out safely, and then we’ll let the cards fall where they may.”

“We can’t keep them together, Pensword,” Grif pointed out. “For reasons you’re aware.”

“And they won’t stay together forever, Grif. But until we can contact Equestria at the safehouse, I’m protecting all three of them,” Pensword said with equal conviction. “You said you would do your utmost to protect them. So will I.”

Grif shrugged. “Anyway, what other details are there?”

“When the empire falls, we will need a place to regroup as well, and hold out until reinforcements arrive. A … colleague of sorts has been delving into the older portions of the empire lately as part of his research. There are several passages leading into long abandoned mines. The maze-like structure of the tunnels should prove advantageous to us, provided we can devise a means to navigate them.”

“We’ll have to look into them as soon as possible.” Hammer Strike nodded.

“I’ll see what arrangements I can make,” Star Swirl said. “In the meantime, I know that you need to get your rest. A word of warning, however. It’s a distinct possibility that our enemy will try to harm you if he can. I advise caution, should you choose to return to your customary chambers. If you prefer, I can arrange for alternate accommodations for you to rest and prepare.”

“I’ll go back, if only to bait them,” Grif said.

“I’ll need someone to watch over me, since I need some rest,” Hammer Strike sighed.

“Then you come back to the room with me?” Grif asked him.

“Probably for the best.”

“I guess that leaves me with the watch on the foals this time around, then,” Pensword said. “I assume you plan to have Critical Flaw come with you, too?”

“Maybe. I’d have to get in contact, but, given my current exhaustion, I don’t even know where to look at this moment.” Hammer Strike frowned.

“If you wish him summoned, I can find him and ensure he is brought to you,” Star Swirl assured.

“I’d appreciate it. Just … know that I’ll probably be passed out by the time he arrives.”

“Well, I guess this is goodbye for now,” Grif commented.

Star Swirl nodded. “I will try to reach you again before events take their course. If we do not, then I will trust in you to give me the proper signal to start the diversion.”

“Stay safe old timer,” Grif said.

“I’d say good luck, but I’ve a feeling you won’t be needing it. Instead, I think I will say … good hunting.” And with that, Star Swirl nodded, removed the spells he had cast, and made his way out the door. “Until next time, Lord Hammer Strike.”

The atmosphere in the royal children’s bedchamber was calm and gentle. In this haven, there was no sign of evil, no rumblings or murmur of deceit or betrayal. There was only the time of blissful innocence born of love and a naivety to the crueler realities of an adult world. Here, the stories of war were the basis of games, the battles a chance to create a new fantasy where they could live for a time as they wished and change the narrative. The great pillow fort of Triumph had been reduced to rubble as the choicest of pillows were fluffed and placed on the foals’ beds. Pensword smiled fondly, albeit tiredly, at the trio as they drifted toward sleep.

“Pensword?” the pink Pegasus asked.

“Yes, Cadance?”

“Do you think we could play a different game tomorrow?”

Pensword chuckled. “After Cosy learns to clean his armor. After all, he needs to know how to protect his sisters, now doesn’t he?”

Cadance pouted. “I can take care of myself.”

“Maybe,” Pensword said. “But it never hurts to have friends and family to support you on the days that you can’t. A war can’t be won by one combatant alone.” He sighed. “Sadly, the same can’t be said for starting one.”

Cadance frowned. “Something’s wrong, … isn’t it, Pensword?”

Pensword shook his head and stroked the mare’s mane gently. “No, not yet, Cadance. For now, you and your siblings need to sleep. If something does go wrong, I promise, I’ll do everything I can to protect you. And I don’t go back on my word. Do we have a deal?”

“All right,” Cadance said as she struggled to stifle a yawn. “Deal.”

“Then I’ll see you three in the morning. For now, I know a foal who needs her rest, and a Pegasus who should be seeking his own bed.”

“An adult going to bed this early?”

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a foal healthy and wealthy and wise,” Pensword quipped as he strode toward the door. “Good night, Princess. And may you have many pleasant dreams.”

The door closed behind him, and he turned to face a familiar steel-colored stallion.

“Hello, Ambrosia,” Pensword greeted.

Ambrosia peered over the stallion’s shoulder to the door behind him. “All tucked in for the night?” he inquired.

Pensword nodded. “And under increased guard, as the queen commanded. I assume she told you what Star Swirl discovered by now.”

Ambrosia nodded. “These are grave times, indeed. I wonder, Pensword, if you would be willing to join me for a walk through the castle. There are certain matters I would discuss with you. And given the disturbing news, I would rather we hold our conversation in a place where listening ears might not be able to follow us so easily.”

“I prefer to keep my dealings in the open, Ambrosia. Grif is the one who specializes in stealth and espionage.”

“And we will. However, I would rather we not have these discussions in a place where certain young foals who should be in bed might be trying to listen through their door,” Ambrosia countered. Then he gestured with a hoof. “Walk with me.”

“Very well,” Pensword said grudgingly. The pair strode through the halls at a casual gait. The rest of the world was calm, but the tension inside the Pegasus was enough to snap a pylon in two.

“I want to be blunt, Pensword.”

“So I’ve noticed.”

Ambrosia chuckled ruefully and shook his head. “You are pert.”

“It’s a trait Hammer Strike approves of in those who are close to him.”

“I see.”

“As do I,” Pensword noted. “Why don’t you say what’s on your mind, Ambrosia? Beating around the bush gets you killed on the battlefield. You have my permission to be blunt, though I don’t see why you would need it.”

“I don’t,” Sombra said with some heat. Then he reined himself in. “Not from you, at any rate. But that is my own affair.” He shook his head. “I’ve come to ask for your help, Pensword.”

“In what way?”

“Your kind are well known in the empire. It is said that your people are able to not only hunt in the shadows but to hunt the very shadows themselves. It is a skill that we need now.”

“I’m afraid you overestimate me, Ambrosia.” Pensword shook his head. “Even if I could hunt the shadows you ask, that skill will be needed to protect the foals until this crisis is past. I can’t afford to offer you my support in your hunt and keep them safe at the same time.”

“The guards seem to be doing an adequate job of that on their own.”

“The guards haven’t faced dark magic before, as you well know.”

“And you have?”

“After a fashion,” Pensword said. “It’s not a thing to scoff at. Nor is it to be underestimated. A skilled practitioner in those arts would find an easy mark in this city. I doubt it is a coincidence that these rumblings should come so shortly after the war was finished and guards have been dropped.”

“Ever the tactician,” Ambrosia said.

“Fight in a war yourself and you’ll understand why,” Pensword returned bleakly.

“I’m not mocking you, Pensword. Far from it.” Ambrosia shook his head. “It’s that kind of mind that I desire as an asset.” The halls were eerily quiet now, and the pair’s hooves echoed loudly down the corridors as they clopped along. Guards saluted or remained aloof interchangeably as the two advanced. “Join forces with me, and we will yet preserve a glorious future for the empire.”

“You make it sound like I haven’t already,” Pensword pointed out.

“That’s because you haven’t.”

Pensword was expecting the attack. He knew enough to know that Ambrosia wouldn’t want to allow them the chance to stop his rise to power. It was only natural. And a proper coup couldn’t be complete if the rightful heirs to the throne weren’t dealt with. A flare of his wings sent him leaping into the air to evade the oncoming charge. However, while the guards that attacked him weren’t so agile, Ambrosia had no such difficulty. His horn pulsed an ugly red as dark purple curled up the spiral. His eyes glowed emerald green. Red welled up within his irises like blood as he fired at the hall surrounding the Pony. And inexperienced as Pensword was in flight, it was impossible to evade the Unicorn’s magic forever. Black crystal burst in jagged protrusions wherever the rays of Ambrosia’s dark magic touched until, at last, Pensword was neatly bound by a growth over his hooves. Try though he might, he couldn’t escape.

Ambrosia let loose a vicious grin as he approached the Pegasus. “But you will, Pensword.” He motioned contemptuously at his prisoner. “Restrain him.”

The former crystalline sheen on the guard ponies’ coats had dulled into a slick reflective black while empty green eyes stared blankly at their target. The guards were mute as they approached the Pegasus and seized both wings firmly in a grasp that was supernaturally strong, even for a Pony with their training. The two guards finally settled Pensword’s struggles by forcing their bodies against his in a mockery of rank and file. Black crystal jutted into existence from their horseshoes and in patches along their armor as Ambrosia laughed.

“Sombra!” Pensword hissed venomously.

Ambrosia sneered as he drew just shy of biting distance from the Pegasus. “Sombra. Is that what Thestrals call people like me?” He laughed. “I like it.” The sneer widened into a demented grin as once-flat teeth lengthened and sharpened into fangs. “But do you know what I like even more?” He flicked his horn, and the dark magic intensified, firing twin beams at the guards. Teeth sharpened. Their manes became little more than wisps of shadow, and as the power flooded through them, they developed body mass that would rival Big Mac in time with the black crystal drinking in the Unicorn’s magic.

The two guards saluted as one and droned, “Master.”

“That’s absolutely right.” Sombra circled around his thralls as he casually conjured a twisted black crystal dagger from a shadowy portal. “It was child’s play to dose my troops with my secret spice.” He chortled. “Crystal is as crystal does, after all. It feeds. It grows. And it follows its matrices. My matrices. Don't worry, Pensword,” he sneered. “You’ll love it, too, when my little tool here is finished with you.”

“Like Tartarus I will,” Pensword spat.

A well-placed beam of energy from Sombra soon had Pensword muzzled. “Much though I would love to watch that resolve crumble, I have a schedule to keep, and we can’t have you alerting anyone else with silly screams when I stab you. Do try to be ready in time for the coup, won’t you? I’ll be looking for a new commander when I ascend the throne.”

Pensword had more than a few choice words for the usurper, but the muzzle wouldn’t allow him to convey them. Then came the pain as the knife struck home. Fire burned through muscle and veins as he screamed in vain. And then all was blackness.

Grif sat at a desk idly fiddling with a throwing blade in his talons as he waited impatiently. “He’s been gone a long time,” he said for the fifth time.

“He said he would protect the foals. It’s likely that he’s doing exactly that. Perhaps he chose to sleep in their room,” Star Swirl suggested.

“He’d have sent a form of communication by now,” Grif said.

“And who would he trust to deliver such a message?”

“There are ways,” Grif said. “I’m just worried, okay?”

“If there’s one thing I know, it’s that you three will make it through this crisis. Have faith in your friend. And, barring that, allow an old stallion to go looking. It’s not unusual for me to wander the palace halls, after all. If something is amiss, I will find Pensword and return him safely. You have my word. All I require is something of his to aid me in my search. A hair will suffice, if you have it. Or a feather, perhaps.”

Grif took a minute, but managed to find a single silvery white mane strand.

Star Swirl nodded as he took the strand in his magic, then wrapped it around a needle he removed from his cloak. “This will point me in the right direction. Be at ease, Grif. But remain vigilant. I will do my best to return to you within the hour.”

“Oh, I will be vigilant,” Grif said. “The password is Attila.”

“So be it.” And with those parting words, the stallion took his leave and the door shut behind him, leaving Grif alone to stand watch over Hammer Strike while his worry for Pensword gnawed at his innards.

Grif, for his part, was twiddling with one of his feather-shaped blades. He’d already locked the door and added a few extra locks that people wouldn’t expect for an inn door. Hammer Strike’s letter had warned the time was drawing close. If Sombra was going to make his move, it would have to be within the next few hours. And that inevitably meant only one thing. Blood would spill tonight.

The first confirmation of his suspicions came with the subtle creaking of the floorboards in the bathroom. There was no entrance into that place, save through the door in their suite. And that could only mean one thing; assassins.

Grif Stood and carefully slid the blade into a spot between the leather and one of the metal plates of his breastplate before grabbing one of the knives he’d gotten from hammer strike. Giving an obnoxiously louds yawn and a stretch, even scratching the crystal a bit for effect with his talons, he made his way toward the bathroom as nonchalantly as possible. Silently, Grif approached the bathroom door and stretched again, spreading his entire wingspan out as if he was trying to exercise a kink out of them. He placed the knife tip into the top of the hinges and slid the pins out deftly. Then he counted to three and bashed the door with a shoulder, causing the heavy portal to twist awkwardly inward. He was rewarded with the sound of wood thumping against flesh and metal and … something else? Ignoring the thought for the moment, he pounced into the bathroom. Landing on the recovering guard, he twisted and threw a blade just as the second’s shock was wearing off. It dug into the Pony’s throat. The guard pinned beneath Grif attempted to push him and the door off, but Grif took another knife from his bandolier and drove it beneath the attacker's jawbone, severing the spine quickly.

Grif waited to make sure both Ponies had stopped moving before he retrieved his knives and stepped back. He examined them closely. Their armor still shone purple, but unlike the usual guards, these had something wrong with them. Black crystal similar to his own arm grew off them in various places, and veins of black spidered through their bodies, marring the sheen of their crystal coats.

Confident in the destruction of their enemies, he turned back, realizing he’d left Hammer Strike open. He raced toward the door, only to freeze at the sound of a meaty thud followed by the splintering of bone and wood. What he found when he entered the bedroom was a very awake and very angry Hammer Strike. His eyes were alert, and his chest filled with deep breaths as he calmed himself. Next to the Pony’s bed, the corpse of an additional guard laid in the fragmented remains of the night stand. Blood flowed freely from the guard’s nose and mouth while the bludgeoned remnants of his face gaped back at the Pony who had just dispatched him so brutally.

“I see I missed one,” Grif sighed.

“Huh?” Hammer Strike looked to Grif in a strange mixture of confusion, adrenaline, and muddiness that accompanies one who has been woken by surprise.

“It seems our enemy decided to make his move,” Grif said as he strapped on his other gear.

“How long has it been?” Hammer Strike asked after a few seconds.

“A few hours. Pensword didn’t return, so Star Swirl went to check on him,” Grif said. “If Ambrosia’s making a move like this, he must be planning to act within the next few hours.”

“Great.” Hammer Strike sighed. “All right, I can work off a few hours. Get our selected guards prepared, and I’ll figure things out from there.”

Grif nodded and headed for the door. “Password is Attila.”

“Got it.” Hammer Strike nodded as he moved towards his gear.

Ambrosia strode calmly into the throne room, as he always had done for the many years in which he had lived and served in his position of authority. Never in the spotlight, and always beneath his family. Hatred burned still, but mingled with an even hotter anticipation. A thrill of unholy pleasure flared outward, warming him as he strode toward the throne room and the waiting ears of his queen.

“Your Majesty,” he whispered calmly into the mare’s ear as he took his customary place at her side. “We have a code black. Please, remain calm and dismiss the court. Rest assured, the foals are taken care of.”

The one tell the queen gave was the flick of her tail and the subtle stiffening of her body. “What you have to say to me will be said to all of the family, Ambrosia,” she replied. She raised her wings and motioned with her horn to close off the openings to the throne room, as she had once before at the dining hall when Star Swirl issued his warning. “Friends, cousins, my brothers and sisters, I apologize for startling you, but the situation is dire.” Her horn flicked again and a bubble of warm red light flowed outward to fill the room. Ambrosia winced as the power passed over him, but nothing more. “Ambrosia brings dire news.”

The stallion nodded and cleared his throat. “As Star Swirl confirmed, there have been traces of dark magic in the kingdom. These forces have been gradually swelling in strength over time. We do not know for how long. However, it is clear that whoever our enemy is, he or she is clever. On my way into the palace from my rounds in the city, I chanced to trip on my way toward the palace entrance.” He schooled his face with remorse and gravity. “My queen, my fellow nobles, when I fell, my horn should have struck the crystal heart.” A low groan of dismay flooded through the room as Ambrosia turned his gaze on Blood Diamond and then abased himself before her. “It is to my eternal shame that I say it did not. Your Majesty, … the crystal heart is gone.”

“Impossible!” one of the nobles snapped. “If the heart had been taken, the power flowing from the castle would have ceased immediately.”

Sombra shook his head. “Another illusion, I’m afraid, Lady Feldspar. The reason that the kingdom has been exposed to such traces lies not in some stealthy operation to infiltrate the empire, but rather is the result of a large scale illusion that is fueled by the very same power. The traces are the result of its cycle of decay and renewal. It is the only logical explanation for what Star Swirl has detected. And if our enemy has removed our greatest defense, then it’s only a matter of time before they move to attack. We must be prepared. And more importantly, Your Majesty, we must activate the Scattered Wind Protocol.”

“What you say is grave, Ambrosia,” Blood Diamond said as she gazed down at the stallion. “And it is something that I must verify for myself. I will return shortly.” The air sparkled with the remnants of the flash from her teleportation. A minute later, the queen returned the same way she had left. Her face was stricken as she spoke with a haggard voice. “Ambrosia speaks true. It would seem that we are, indeed, under attack, though we cannot as yet see our enemy.”

“Your Majesty, much though it pains me to say this, the protocol must begin. The troops can be mobilized quietly and efficiently, but we must protect the family.”

“You are right.” The queen’s expression was wan from the weight of the gravity that was her loss. It was a loss that her people would doubtless feel in due time if she could not protect them. She raised her horn, and her magic flooded into the crystal at the top of her throne. In a matter of moments, that light radiated and passed over her body to spread through the crystal until the floor disappeared to reveal a spiraling stairwell. “Follow the path to the teleportation circle. Don’t push, and don’t shove. You will all be able to make it to the other side,” she assured them. Under her steady gaze, the nobles departed, looking back with remorse and regret as each bowed gravely to their queen and began their descent.

“You said my children are taken care of?” Blood Diamond asked gravely as the procession continued.

“Yes, my queen. They are in the care of Commander Pensword and Lord Hammer Strike.”

Blood Diamond sighed. “Then they are safe.”

“For now, yes. It would be wise if you were to join the rest of the party, Your Majesty.”

Blood Diamond shook her head. “I won’t leave the empire undefended. That retreat is for those who will carry the future forward. My duty is to protect the present, so that we can have a future.”

“Then, … begging Your Majesty’s pardon, … would you be willing to see this poor stallion off?”

Blood Diamond smiled weakly. “How could I resist the request of someone who’s done so much for this kingdom?”

The descent down the stairs was a slow one as Sombra picked his way toward the depths far below. As the light faded in favor of the dim coolness of the crystal, the space took on the dark appeal of a dungeon. Not a pleasant place under normal circumstances, but an ideal choice for a practitioner of the dark arts. The door to the stairwell laid in wait, its magical surface wide open to welcome the last two to pass into its surface. The wind whistled sweetly through it from the base of the tower to which it led. When Sombra was certain that the remainder of the nobles had left, he cast a beam or magic at the crystal above the door, forcing it to close. “And with that, the rest of the family is safe.”

“Ambrosia, what are you doing?” Blood Diamond demanded.

Ambrosia smiled as he approached and knelt before the queen. “I’ve served you for all this time, my queen. I will serve you still. Until death do us part.”

Blood Diamond raised Sombra’s chin to look at him with that mixture of abiding gratitude and deep frustration that always seems to follow heroes and protagonists in such situations. “This isn’t the time for games. The children will need someone to guide them when they come into their own.”

“And they will have it,” Ambrosia said as he took the hoof and brought it low to kiss her horseshoe. Then he lunged forward, and his horn struck true. Bright red blood rippled along his horn and spread over his forehead as that gentle smile tore away in a triumphant sneer. “I will guide them to the grave, right after you.” His horn surged with the power he had kept so long in check as he flooded his magic through the mare’s body from the very heart he had pierced. Miasma seeped from his eyes as his irises turned scarlet and glowed with the surrounding green. Black crystal seeped and burst from the queen’s body as she gaped in utter disbelief at the sudden and unexpected betrayal.

Sombra laughed as the queen’s power ebbed with her life force, having cut off all avenues to conjure any form of magic against him. As the black crystal consumed the mare’s chest, he tore his horn free with a sickening sucking scrape. What emerged was not the familiar spiral of the noble Unicorn, but rather a sharp curved protrusion designed to impale and to kill. Instead of gray, it seemed the blood had permanently dyed its surface, leaving an ominous red, the badge of his dreadful deed. The laughter rose to manic proportions as he watched the light fading from those shocked orbs.

“Your power is mine now.” Blood dripped to the floor as dark miasma flooded from the queen’s mouth and eyes to be sucked into the increasingly darker stallion’s body. Black magic surged from his horn and lashed out over the room to strike the walls, the stairwell, and the door, infecting the once-bright structures with his taint and twisting them with his jagged will. “What better source of darkness than a broken heart?” He drew up to the queen and kissed her in a last mocking gesture as the crystal consumed her completely. “And what is the heart of a kingdom?” He sneered and stomped his hoof on the floor. Massive black crystal formations converged on the queen and shattered her corpse. “Its queen.” With that last sickening act complete, Sombra could feel the power of the mantle passing over him, the sense of control, the power to direct his power into the very streets, the very hearts and minds of the pathetic citizenry, even as Blood Diamond once had.

Diamonds shatter, but shadows never die.

“The queen is dead,” Ambrosia said as he licked a trickle of blood from his fur and his teeth sharpened in response to the taste. His mane flared and floated behind him in a profane imitation of the princesses and his former ruler. But instead of light or color, there was only blackness that spread in sideburns along his muzzle and down the bridge of his nose in mimicry of a demented helmet. From the remnants of the queen’s corpse, his will forced the shards together and compacted them until they shone silver. Jagged pieces were polished and transitioned to mimic twin horns on either side of the band, and a third piece slowly emerged according to his will with blood red horns couching a polished silvery jewel.

The newly forged circlet rose above his head and descended slowly. The only witness to his coronation lay within the shadows of his heart. It was an empty and lonely affair. But that didn’t matter to this newly born Pony of darkness. He would not be alone for long. And those who did not accept his rule would learn the consequences of their folly. His voice deepened as he laughed and fired his magic into the crystal above the door to the teleportation circle, lacing it with fear and his own insidious will. The other fools would have either joined his thralls or been consumed by the trap he had laid in the circle’s enchantment. At this point, he didn’t care. What better way to avoid the weakness of love than to destroy one’s own heart? He laughed as the room was cast in darkness, leaving only his glowing eyes and horn as he continued his evil work.

“Long live King Sombra!”

Pensword wasn’t sure how long he’d been unconscious. The first thing he was aware of was the pain. Spasms of electrical signals throbbed with every heartbeat as he hissed in pain. There was no infirmary here, no comfort or friendly faces; only the cold feeling of hard crystal causing his bones to ache from extended exposure to the surface. The creatures that stood guard on either side of him looked more akin to golems than Ponies as the dark crystal that had so deeply ingrained itself into their beings slowly took over their organic halves. Green eyes glowed dully and blankly with no sign of pupil or iris. Sharp polished horns curved from their heads as they waited. The room felt cold and bleak, almost oppressive as the Pegasus peered over his surroundings. Everything seemed tinged by a curious sort of twilight, like he was laying in the midst of a black mist.

For all intents and purposes, Pensword was alone. And yet, he did not feel alone. Something was watching, waiting, and it was hungry, almost impatient in its silent vigil. Was that Sombra? Was the treacherous stallion somehow concealing himself in the room, waiting for Pensword to break? It was too soon to say. He didn’t even know how long he had been unconscious. Still, logic dictated that Sombra couldn’t have won yet. The creature would have lorded the fact over Pensword’s head if he had. No, it couldn’t have been a significant period of time.

A pang of guilt and anxiety stabbed at Pensword’s chest as he came to a second trail of deduction. If Sombra saw fit to try to control him, then that meant the foals wouldn’t have a protector. They could well be in danger; or worse, in that mad Pony’s clutches.

He had to save the foals. But how? Even as he rose, the jingle of chains drew him toward black fetters tied to each hoof. Sombra wasn’t foolish enough to leave things to chance. And that made the Pegasus’ urgency all the more pressing.

Attempts to force his restraints led only to further pain as he became aware of a sticky red substance that had smeared on his coat. The rusty tang of blood hovered in his nostrils, even as he bent his neck in an effort to get a better look at the locks that held him in place. Muzzle met chain, and he began to bash the two restraints together as best he could.

After a few minutes, it was evident how futile the attempt was. Much like his armor, the chains were made of a crystalline substance that was as hard and durable as steel. The muzzle that was his gag refused to budge, and the blows left the front of his muzzle throbbing. Cracking his restraints against the floor yielded no better result and sent more pain through his body as the blade of the dagger vibrated and cut against tense muscle.

Pensword hissed in pain, but waited patiently. There was little more to be done. Sombra would doubtless come eventually. And when he did, Pensword would be waiting for him with wings at the ready. He couldn’t kill, but nothing said he couldn’t maim the traitor. The thought of that was oddly comforting in the drab twilight.

At last, a door came open. But instead of the expected Pony of shadows he had come to know in the present, Pensword was shocked to see Star Swirl the Bearded. The stallion looked within the room, even as he gazed over a small bowl of water that suspended what appeared to be a needle. Strangely enough, the guards didn’t even attempt to act. They remained stalwart as statues as they gazed blankly ahead.

Star Swirl frowned and turned back toward the door. Pensword raised his voice to cry out, but again was thwarted by his gag. Tears welled in his eyes at the sight of the Unicorn disappearing. If Star Swirl couldn’t find him, there was little hope of the others doing so either. He turned his head aside, determined not to let his captors see the tears fall as the door shut behind the elderly stallion. leaving Pensword alone once again with his jailors and his bitterness.

That is, until he wasn’t.

The door burst off its hinges and flew toward the opposing wall as Star Swirl charged into the room. In a matter of moments, the twilight was shattered by piercing white light that blazed indignantly from the Unicorn’s horn. Righteous fury burned in the sorcerer’s eyes as he lashed out with his power. The guards didn’t stand a chance. Whether their controlled state rendered them without will or they simply didn’t have the capacity to act for themselves was uncertain. Regardless, there was no chance for a counterattack to be mounted. Both guards smoked as they lay lifelessly on the ground.

Pensword stared at the sight, even as Star Swirl came to dispel the magic that had been used to craft the Pegasus’ restraints. Lastly, he glared distastefully at the knife. “This is going to hurt,” he warned, then yanked the dagger out with his magic. Pensword yelled and exulted in the fact that he could actually speak again, even if it was in the form of an expression of pain. Heat still burned at the site of the attack, but the work of the elderly stallion was that of an old hand. Blood staunched. Muscle and sinew knit together. And finally, hide covered the wound, leaving a scar beneath Pensword’s dark fur coat as Star Swirl got to work.

“Come, Pensword. Hurry!” Star Swirl urged. “There’s not a moment to lose!”

“Star Swirl, what…?”

“There’s no time for questions. Get a move on, colt!” he ordered. “Or do you want your villain to reach the foals first?”

That gave Pensword the strength he needed and the urgency to take to his hooves. “Let’s go,” he said grimly.

Star Swirl nodded as they ran. “I think it’s nearly time for us to put our plan into motion.”

Grif had been out for a few hours now, knocking on doors and discreetly sending messages as he tried to stay as low key as possible. If all went as planned, he was to be the last to arrive at the room, though there was a worrying development in that more than a third of those loyal to the queen had been … compromised. He’d managed to get those he could, but he’d had to kill three more corrupted Ponies in the process. He knocked carefully on the door to the room as he triple-checked he wasn’t being tailed.

“Who is it?” Hammer Strike asked.

“Attila,” Grif said quietly.

He could hear Hammer Strike sigh as he opened the door. “All right.”

Grif opened the door and came through looking at the assembled faces. “That's … everyone.” He looked at hamer strike.

“Great.” Hammer Strike frowned before turning to the soldiers behind him. “All right. To those gathered, I have something of utmost importance to alert you all to.” He turned fully in their direction. “I have gone through and selected your group alongside Star Swirl for something approaching, and as of this moment, things have already begun.”

“Begging your pardon, Lord Hammer Strike, but … what exactly is this thing that’s approaching? Is it supposed to be some sort of threat?”

“Dark magic. In particular, an individual calling upon it. Normally, Star Swirl would have been able to prepare for such things. This time, however, it happened quite suddenly. As of this moment, I can confirm that a number of your allies have been converted to this enemy’s side without you even knowing it.”

A low murmur of disbelief began to carry through the room as Hammer Strike strode casually toward the entrance to the bathroom. That soon turned to gasps, however, when he pulled open the door.

“The reason I can confirm this is that if you look at the three corpses in the bathroom, you can see the solidified dark magic in the form of dark crystals overtaking parts of their bodies. This is how their wills have been supplanted and how our enemy is able to control them like puppets.”

Some guards retched. Others looked to the Earth Pony with grave expressions.

“The queen must be warned. If the crystal heart’s power can be invoked, then we can stop this threat before it gets too far,” one of the more seasoned of the guards said.

“Given we were already attacked as it is, they’ve clearly started their plans. At this point, it’s all but certain that our mastermind is Ambrosia.” Hammer Strike looked to the guard before him. “He wouldn’t have waited, and there is barely any chance of her being alive as of this moment.”

“The queen wouldn’t fall so easily,” one guard objected vehemently.

“Allow me to repeat myself. Ambrosia, a close family member and advisor, who has the capability of having a private conversation with her, is the one calling upon said dark magic.” Hammer Strike looked flatly to the guard in question. “Do you understand what I am telling you now?”

“Very likely, the queen is dead,” Grif said bluntly.

“If she was alive, Star Swirl would have been able to notify her of said possessed guards, and she would have already used that crystal heart to stop this.” Hammer Strike sighed. “You’re not getting saved by that heart. Some number of the guard have been turned, based off the fact that not everyone is here that were selected. And we have civilians all around us in this city that need protection. We lost the time to figure this all out. All we can do now is act upon the cards we’ve been dealt.”

“We are a very small number, Lord Hammer Strike. We will perform our duty, but if what you say is true, then there isn’t much we’ll be able to do against the rest of our fellow guardponies.”

“That’s why we’ve been preparing. Between myself and Star Swirl, we picked each of you for your skills and talents. If we cannot follow the system of the Crystal Empire, then we shall take its place and secure as much as we can. We shall find as many of your friends and allies as we can and push back against this growing force. I will not allow this place to fall to the hooves of Ambrosia.”

“And what of the people?”

“Thankfully, his corruption is only reaching the guard at this moment, meaning we can gather who we can and make a move on securing civilians. With our numbers as they are now, if we attempted to secure civilians now, while we could manage that, we would allow him to gather more forces against us. While I dislike this plan, it’s our best bet against him. We don’t have long before he takes over as many members of the guard as he can, after which he may move to civilians. We need to act as soon as possible.”

“An overt attack would be playing into his hands, then,” Critical Flaw mused. “Is there a way to tell those who are under his influence apart from those who are free?”

“Dark crystals are an obvious one, and a lack of free will. They won’t acknowledge you as a normal Pony would.”

“Is it possible for them to fake being normal?”

“I don’t think Ambrosia cares for the act. Once word gets out, there’s no point in trying to hide it.” Hammer Strike frowned. “His form of control has to be some form of suppressing free will. It’s the only thing that makes sense from what we’ve seen so far.”

Critical Flaw took a deep breath. “I hate to say it, but the question has to be asked. Do we need to kill them?”

“You can attempt to incapacitate them, but until Star Swirl can tell us otherwise, there may not be a way to save them within our reach.” Hammer Strike sighed. “I’m sorry, but that’s all I can give you for the time being. They will go for the kill, no matter what.”

“Then we will have to fight with equal ferocity. Do we know if any of the nobles were able to escape the palace?”

“Pensword and Star Swirl are currently working to secure the queen’s children as a priority, especially since Cadance is the heir to the empire. The crystal heart may respond to her, which makes her a target.”

“Not gonna lie.” Grif looked around. “This is going to be a shit show, but each of you swore an oath to the people of this empire, and it’s time to make good on those oaths.”

“Then we’ll do what we can,” one of the warriors said grimly. “Where do we rendezvous?”

“Near the mining yard. We’ll cover the location more when we get there,” Hammer Strike noted.

There wasn’t much more to be said. “Good luck, everyone,” one of the guards said, even as he strode out.

Critical Flaw trailed behind, his face contorted into a frown of concentration. “How did he do it?” he murmured.

Pensword raced as fast as his legs could carry him. His chest burned and heaved as his heart sucked the oxygen from his lungs faster than he could take it in. The clatter of his hooves over the floor of the hallway and his grim expression left more than a few guards jumping in surprise at his passing. One great, “Move!” was all it took for them to jump aside. And for those who wouldn’t, Star Swirl would stun them with his horn. Apologies could be given later. Lives were on the line.

“I’m only going to slow you down. You should fly to them,” Star Swirl puffed as they rounded yet another corner.

At this point, living up to the identity was moot. “I can’t,” Pensword returned. “I don’t know how.”

“What kind of idiot would make a land dweller into a flyer?”

“You got a problem with it, take it up with magic!” Pensword barked. “Now tell me which way!”

There were four guards standing outside the foals’ quarters. On the sight of the glowing horn and spread wings of the oncoming protectors, they turned resolutely and formed a wall in front of the door as they drew their swords with the chime of ringing crystal. Their eyes glowed that same blank green as their manes and tails turned an ugly black and their horseshoes seeped into the floor of the palace like roots. Their armor buckled as their bodies pulsed and their coats began to harden and thicken.

“Strike now, Pensword, while they’re still vulnerable!” Star Swirl cried. A black book hovered at his side as his eyes glowed a solid white. “Where light stampedes, the dark recedes!” A spectral white charger twice the stallion’s size and mass projected from his horn to sweep over the guards. The black crystal tying them to the palace shattered as they stumbled back. “Now!” he cried.

It was one thing to take the life of a Changeling. It was another to have to strike at a creature he would have called friend. It was not a task he relished, but it was one Pensword knew had to be done for the foals’ sakes. If Sombra made his move, then there was no one to activate the crystal heart anymore. At least, not as they currently were. And the elements of harmony, if they even existed at this point in time, were miles away in Equestria. Their influence would be of no help. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help but close his eyes as he cut his sword over the first guard’s throat. A heavy blow to his hoof knocked the sword out of his grip and sent it skittering to the floor. This time, when Pensword opened his eyes, he beheld the gaze of a monster in the making. Flat teeth lengthened and sharpened as shadow wafted in miasma from the creature’s eyes, and strong hooves pushed inch by inch as he grappled with the foe, leading closer and closer toward his throat.

His wings flapped and flailed as he tried to use a burst of air to his advantage. The stallion held fast, however. And as the hooves reached the point where they could slide off of Pensword’s own and crush his throat, the act was done. A swift strike from both wings brushing on either side of the throat, then yanking sharply back.

Blood spurted as the flesh around the base of the neck yielded to the multitude of blades, each cutting a little deeper with their passing. The guard stared implaccably and uncomprehendingly as the blood drained. Its hooves fumbled as they struggled to squeeze Pensword’s throat, then dropped. The hindquarters followed, buckling as blood seeped all the faster with the assistance of gravity.

Pensword couldn’t help but stare. The ichor of Changelings was a different matter, more like the guts from an insect. This was not ichor. This was blood. And it had come from a sapient being that he had killed by his own hand. Or in this case, wings. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been staring before a set of hooves shook him. Instinct lashed out with reflexes, and his wing blades struck against something with a metallic scrape that ended with a high-pitched ringing.

Star Swirl the Bearded looked on the Pegasus, a grim expression on his face. The nimbus of his forcefield glowed over his body as he took in the stallion. “Focus on the foals, Pensword. Their safety is paramount. Do you understand?”

Pensword’s eyes wandered to the piles of ash and cracked crystal that were the remains of the other two guards. His gaze was yanked back to Star Swirl’s icy gaze.

“You are their protector, colt. And by Sleipnir’s beard, you’re going to do just that. There are children in danger. Snap out of it and get to work!”

Playful laughter. Gentle smiles. The pensive faces of those seeking to understand the future in terms that they were far from ready to comprehend. Pure, innocent, and kind. Another young face rose at those thoughts, a familiar little girl who he loved to spoil rotten. Would he hesitate if it were her?

Screams. Struggle. Just as when he had struck at Star Swirl, his body moved without thinking. The door crashed open under his assault. More blood greeted him. Two guards lay before a familiar pink Pegasus whose fur was a little too dark a shade in some places. A sword was buried in one of the corpse’s chests. The third one had its sword drawn, and was about to strike at a trembling blue colt who pushed a smaller yellow filly behind him as tears spilled down his cheeks.

Alto wailed as the blade hovered at its zenith. “Cosy!”

“NO!” Pensword roared. In an instant, he was there. Cracks spread from the wall where he’d pinned the guard. His wings flared as he used all his mass to hold the stallion at bay. There was no other weapon at hand. The moment he stopped beating his wings, he would be thrust back. He knew it. His weapon lay in the hallway, and the guard’s sword lay back where his momentum had forced it from the would-be-assassin’s hoof.

An old comic book came to mind, a secret service agent tasked with protecting the government from terrorists, forced to face her own mentor to protect the peace. The strongest muscle….

Pensword didn’t stop to think. He knew that if he did, he’d lose the nerve. He opened his mouth and snapped it closed over the guard’s exposed throat.

Pensword’s teeth were not those of an omnivore, nor were they those of a predator. They were herbivorous, as was to be expected of a Pony. As such, they weren’t designed to rip and tear. They were designed to crush. And crush, they did. There was a sickeningly audible crunch that sounded through his ears as he felt the stallion’s windpipe collapse under the pressure.

He thrust himself away from the guard as it dropped to the floor. Even unable to breathe, it still posed a threat until the air in its lungs depleted. Had he really gone so far as to consider these victims as less than people? A set of magical chains soon resolved the former issue as Star Swirl conjured the restraints and fashioned them out of light to bind the guard in place.

Shame burned hot in Pensword’s chest and stomach as a bitter taste lingered in his mouth. “Is everyone all right?”

Cadance shook like a leaf as she clung to herself. Her wings latched tightly around her like a security blanket. Her teeth chattered, and her eyes were wide as her pupils expanded. Her gaze was still riveted on the sword embedded into what had once been one of their guards, and the blood that had flowed from that fatal wound.

Pensword did his best to wipe the blood from his fur, then crouched in front of the mare, cutting off her view of the corpse. “Cadance?” he asked gently as he ran a hoof through her mane, then stroked her feathers. “Cadance, can you hear me? It’s going to be all right. You’re safe now.”

“Cady?” Yong Bellacosa strode up to the filly and placed a hoof on her cheek. “Sis?”

Alto wedged her way past the pair and shoved herself into the mare’s other side. Tears welled in Cadance’s eyes, and then the mare finally broke. It came in sobs at first. Then the water flowed hard and fast as the pink princess wailed out her terror. The touching moment was broken up, however, by a beam of light that burst into sparkles over the filly. Cadance’s eyes grew heavy as her sobs weakened, and she flopped onto the floor, asleep.

“What did you do that for?” Pensword snapped.

“As I said before, Pensword, time is of the essence. You can scold me after you get those foals out of the empire and safely into the princesses’ hooves.” He levitated Cadance onto Pensword’s back, then pulled the sword from the guard’s chest. He looked pointedly toward Cosy. “Is this your blade, colt?”

Cosy nodded slowly. “Mother had it sent to our room. She said it was an early present, since I was growing up so fast.”

“Does it come with armor?”

Cosy nodded slowly.

“Then I suggest you get it, child, and put it on. Your sisters need protecting. And while we will do our best to get you away from here, you still need to be ready for the worst. Can we trust you to do what needs to be done?”

Cosy nodded. “I won’t let anypony hurt my sisters.”

“Good lad.” He watched the foal bolt for a closet. When Cosy pulled it open, a mannequin was waiting for him, bearing a complete set of armor custom made for the young colt. Instead of the usual purple that all other crystal guards seemed to wear, this one was blue with hints of gold. There was no sign of a helmet, and there was no time to search for one as the colt hastily donned the pieces one at a time. At last, Cosy sped back to the pair and nodded grimly.

“Just a minute,” he said. His horn sparked, and a small teddy bear levitated over to Alto, who held it tightly before wrapping its arms around her neck. When the deed was done, Cosy nodded firmly. “Let’s go,” he said, doing his best to put on a brave face, even as he avoided looking at the bodies that lay on the floor.

“Indeed,” Star Swirl agreed.

And so the trio became a quintet, and they began their hasty departure.

Hammer Strike sighed as he peered through the exit of the cave once more. “There’s more converted than I had anticipated,” he remarked quietly. Once he was certain they weren’t followed, he made his way into the mines proper.

Grif looked on at the gathered ponies. They had the guards they had recruited. But aside from them, there was only a mess of scared ponies a hair's breadth away from full on hysteria. They had managed to secure some basic supplies. Food, medical reagents, and a handful of weapons.

In a few words, things were not good at all.

“What do we do?” someone asked in the crowd as ponies looked around for something, anything to give them hope that their life wasn’t crumbling around them.

“What do you do?” Grif asked. When his voice was swallowed by the crowd, he took a deep breath and bellowed out what he’d said. The noise stopped as ponies turned to him. A few small murmurs amongst the crowd was all he heard as he looked them over.

“What do you do? This is the question you choose to ask right now? What do you do?” he looked around.

“Well what do we do?” someone asked.

Grif glared into the crowd. “What do you do? Sombra has murdered your queen, taken your homes and loved ones, and destroyed your way of life; and you ask what you do? What does anyone do to defend themselves? You fight!”

“Fight? But he has soldiers. He’s even taken control of the noble houses!” someone threw back. “We’d be killed.”

“So it’s better to be enslaved?” Grif asked. “Because that's what will happen, you know. It’s happening now to others. Life under the whip and the lash, bound forcibly to the goals of someone else! You cannot simply ask them to stop. You cannot expect that this usurper, this foe, this Sombra will step back just because you point out the injustice in his plan. You want to reclaim what's yours? Then fight. Stand for yourself and declare to him brazenly, ‘No More!’” Grif unsheathed one of his swords and held it aloft.

“Are you seriously suggesting we fight him head on?” someone in the crowd asked.

“Not every battle needs to be fought on a battlefield. And not every war is won in the public eye.” The sword waved across the room as he passed it over the heads of his audience. “You all know me. I fought for Equestria behind enemy lines during the Third Gryphon War. We Gryphons have a word for such tactics: Guerilla. I can teach these same tactics to you. Fight with me, and we will free this land together. Stand beside me and we will tell the tyrant that he won’t go unanswered. Fight with me!” Grif looked around the crowd. “So that no Crystal Pony need fear a life of slavery.” His eyes flashed with resolve as the intensity of his gaze increased. “Death is easy, and freedom is costly. I’d pay that price myself, but I cannot do it alone. And so I call you now, as I called creatures of every race and kindred in a time when our worlds were on the brink of absolute upheaval. Fight with me! For the love of your nation, the love of your people, and the love of your queen. She dedicated her whole life for you. Now is the time to follow that example. As Blood Diamond once told me and my lord Hammer Strike, love has many forms. The time for peaceful and gentle love is past. Now is the time for the love born of a hardened resolve that spurns action. Let me teach you to harness that love for more than channeling into an artifact, so that this evil will never be perpetrated upon your soil again!”

The cavern was silent for a time as the Gryphon’s strident voice bounded off the walls, ringing through the crystals with its rallying cry before fading into the depths beyond. Most of the Ponies averted their gaze. The guards watched grimly as they waited. Finally, one Crystal Pony moved forward hesitantly. “Do you really think we stand a chance?” he asked hoarsely.

“Yes,” Grif said firmly. “I think we stand a very good chance.”

“I can figure out their weak points and help with techniques for combating them,” Hammer Strike spoke up as he arrived at the hideout.

“And we will provide the experience and the training to temper what Sir Grif teaches with wisdom and sound strategy to disrupt the usurper’s chain of command,” one of the officers said. “This villain will be punished for his crimes. That is our oath, and we will uphold it to our last breath.”

“Keep that fire burning.” Hammer Strike looked over those gathered. “Determination will keep your momentum.”

“And hope will strengthen the blaze.” From the shadows beyond the entrance, Star Swirl approached. “While I take no particular enjoyment in games, I will say this much to ease your minds, Hammer Strike, Grif.” He cleared his throat. “Attila sent me.”

Hammer Strike nodded. “Status of Pensword and the children?”

“So far as I am aware, safely departed. As I’ve said before, our enemy is not the only one who is well versed in spellcraft. The bloodline is safe. Now it is our duty to ensure that they have a home to return to when reinforcements arrive. With our combined talents and Grif’s unconventional tactics, I am confident that we will succeed.”

“All right.” Hammer Strike hummed in thought. “Then we have some work to do. I’ll see to figuring out what materials this mine can provide.”

Forging a path through the frigid winter tundra is a difficult task, even in the best of weather conditions. Pensword and the foals were not so lucky. As a Pegasus, the stallion was built for cold weather conditions due to the higher altitudes in which his species would have to fly, as was Cadance. But the same could not be said for Cosy and Alto, both of whom were currently busy shivering on the two older ponies’ backs. The one guiding light the party had to follow was the projection Star Swirl had embedded into Pensword’s helmet, and Pensword followed the orientation of his holographic compass dutifully.

Cadance had recovered enough of her wits to walk again, though she didn’t speak much, and her face was still downcast.

“Did you want to talk about it?” Pensword called over the winds.

Cadance shook her head vigorously. “I don’t even want to think about it!” she called back.

Pensword sighed. “Easier said than done, Princess,” he said softly to himself. Even as he raised one wing to try to give Cosy some cover, he drew closer to Cadance and draped his other wing over the pink mare’s back to give a layer of protection against the brutality of the tundra.

Cadance didn’t open up. But she did lean closer into the stallion’s body as they waded on.

“How much longer?” Alto sniffled and whimpered as she wiped at the icicles that were forming by her nostrils. Her soft form trembled as her teeth chattered.

“We still have a way to go yet,” Pensword reported grimly. “We can’t risk a teleportation, even if the two of you had enough power to do it. And flight is out of the question for me. At most, Cadance can only carry one of you. Even then, I don’t know if she’d be able to fly at the same time.”

“I’m tired, Pensword,” Cosy said.

“Then you need to get down,” Pensword said.

“Again?”

“The cold has a way of seeping into the blood at these temperatures, Cosy. Even Crystal Ponies need to be careful. If you fall asleep in the tundra, you stay asleep. We can’t let that happen.” He sighed and shook his head. “I know you want to rest. And we will. I promise. But we have to reach the shelter first. Then we can enjoy some proper warmth and a bed for you all to sleep on.” He reached behind him and nosed the colt gently.

“Promise?” Cosy asked through watery eyes and creaking voice.

“I promise,” Pensword assured. “We made it through the gate, after all. We’ll make it through this stretch of our adventure, too. Think of it like a quest, just like a knight. A special mission just for us.”

“What if we can’t make it?” Cosy asked. His voice quavered, whether out of fear or the cold could not be known.

“We focus on what we can do until we make it.”

The snow crunched under their hooves as they struck out following the trail Pensword broke for them.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean if you can’t make it to the finish line, make it just one more step. One by one, trot by trot, piece by piece. Every inch you gain is a victory. Every movement, a choice that draws you one step closer to your goal on the battlefield. We can’t change everything, but we can do our best. We can make an effort and keep trying. That is what will ultimately decide whether you win or lose. Will you follow through or freeze? I choose to follow through and keep carrying on.”

“Even when it hurts?” Cosy asked.

“Especially when it hurts, Cosy. Especially when it hurts. That’s when it’s most important. It helps to think of what keeps you moving. For me, it’s the people I love. The ones who are with me, the ones I’ve had to leave behind, and the ones I may never see again. I think of them, and I can almost hear them urging me to keep moving forward.” He shoved bodily through a particularly large drift and grunted as the brisk chill seeped into the metal of his armor. “And that’s exactly what I intend to do.” He leaned down and took some bites from the fresh snow to wet his mouth. “No more talking for now. We need to conserve our strength. I’ll let you know when we get there. And I promise you, all of you. We will get there.”

“I hope so,” Cadance whispered softly.

There wasn’t anything more to be said after that. They pushed on, ever looking for that motivation to take that one step closer.

And so they advanced.

Hammer Strike frowned as he scanned over the materials he was able to gather deeper within the mine. It was a mixture of resources, and it left him wondering why the mine was left if it was still this rich in deposits. He would, however, need to locate tools if he wanted to perform maintenance on their equipment, meaning they would have to find something, most likely within the castle.

“How are we looking?” Grif asked as he approached.

“We’ve got materials. Plenty, in fact. The only issue now is tools. I can probably make a forge down here, albeit nothing in comparison to the ones I used for our equipment, but it would be a starting ground for maintenance.” Hammer Strike sighed. “Beyond that, we’ve got other issues to deal with.”

“Yeah, like how we’re going to lead a rebellion.” Grif sighed. “Why the hell did I open my mouth?”

“We knew this was coming, so it was only a matter of time.” He turned his attention to Grif. “Right now, Pensword is out, and should be making contact with Equestria, meaning we’ve got to do what we can in here to help, however possible. One issue we’ve got is the walls.”

“Well, I mean, they don’t exist in the present from what we saw,” Grif noted.

“Which leads to the question of what brought them down.” Hammer Strike turned back towards his resources. “I mean, we may be able to assist the Equestrian forces by perhaps taking down one wall, but that will take some time to prepare. I’ve found the substances we would need to make an explosive powder, but it would only be potent enough for that if we both get a cart's worth and find the right point in the wall to use the payload on.”

“I mean, we could launch attacks in areas far enough away to keep their attention away from the team setting the explosives.”

“We’ll also need to divert some of our numbers to collecting this stuff.”

“I think we’ll need to split our entire group into four.”

“Maybe. Though we have to worry about spreading our numbers thin.”

“Well, we can mitigate that by putting people we can’t use in combat into the support roles.”

“Of course, but that’ll mainly be when we secure more civilians. Right now, we’ve got a number of the guard.” He frowned. “I’ll figure it out. Just give me some time to think over how each of them work.”

“Just be careful. They’ll start panicking again if we wait too long.”

“No, they won’t,” Star Swirl said as he entered the small cave that had become the temporary war room. “They trust in your leadership, and my counsel still holds weight, however diminished it may be. So long as we are able to implement a proper plan, we will find success. The primary order, aside from securing a steady supply of food and water, is to begin training our forces.”

“Thankfully, they have the basics down,” Hammer Strike replied with a shrug. “Food and water will definitely take some effort, but we should be capable of getting a steady supply. Beyond that, is as you mentioned, the plan.” He rubbed at his forehead. “I’ve got the layout of the city down, and with that, we might be able to figure out the concentration of troops and locations of value to work around, but I need more information to work on to make a concrete plan.”

“I should be able to help there with charms and illusion magic, but we’ll still need someone skilled in stealth to be an effective means of gathering that information,” Star Swirl said as he looked to Grif. “As I recall, that was supposed to be your area of expertise. Or at least your namesake’s.”

“I’ll work it out,” Grif said. “I have some ideas.”

“I’ll offer any contingencies I can, should you need something to offer a distraction for a getaway,” Star Swirl promised.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Grif said. “The problem here is more that guerilla warfare isn’t sustainable by any means.”

“You have a fair point,” Star Swirl mused. “I’ve seen enough of the technology the Crystal Ponies developed to know that they could eventually create a device that would allow them to see through any illusions or means we might come up with for concealment. But if what you have said is true, then we don’t need the tactics to last long. We just have to hold out long enough for reinforcements to arrive.”

“How long will it take Equestria to mobilize?”

“That depends on the princesses. As you know, Luna is the more warlike of the sisters. She will likely have her forces prepared sooner. But given the time since the war ended, it is likely that both have their forces relatively prepared to mobilize. The journey to the empire itself, however, will certainly take time without a proper means of conveyance. Flyers will reach here sooner, but the ground forces will take two weeks at the very least, possibly longer.”

“Okay,” Grif said, nodding. “We’re going to have to be careful with this. Planning’s going to be our only advantage here.”

“Particularly given the nature of our foe. In a cavern beneath the earth, darkness is a natural element. And wardings would only serve to give our enemy a marker to seek us out unless they were distributed across the whole cave system.”

“The mines here are surprisingly vast, so you may be able to manage that,” Hammer Strike spoke up from his thoughts. “There’s more space down here than we initially anticipated.”

“If I do this, it will need to be done over time and in random locations first. Otherwise, our enemy may be able to pick out our location,” Star Swirl replied.

“If you can manage that, it would aid in keeping ourselves hidden.”

“It will take time, but I’ll do what I can. In the meantime, taking action to hide our base naturally would be a safe choice. You are a genius crafter. I don’t doubt that you will be able to devise a means to conceal any entrances and exits we use.”

“My legend dictates I’m a genius crafter.” Hammer Strike frowned. “Sure, I’ve got some methods in my head I could use, but I don’t think I quite match up to … myself.” He gestured to his body.

“One cannot know until one tries. And for now, trying is all we can do.”

“I’ll … see what I can think of. Using some blockades, I may be able to replicate the abandoned designs around, or, depending on what we can find in the cave, I may be able to create a false cave near the entrance.”

“I’m going to give it two days, and then I'm going to head out and scout around, see if I can understand the potential layout,” Grif noted.

“And work to train our resistance fighters in the meantime, I assume?” Star Swirl asked.

“Before I can train them, I need information,” Grif said. “Information I’ll need to get myself.”

“I’m sure you’ll get it in time. For now, we’ve got work we can do until then.” Hammer Strike frowned. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll need to go about figuring out our cover and equipment.”

“And I’ll see to recruiting Unicorns for spellcrafting, assuming we have any competent magic users in our ranks,” Star Swirl said. “Until we meet again, gentlecolts. Good luck.”

“And godspeed.” Grif nodded.

The wind was frigid, and the spatter of snowflakes dug like tiny daggers seeking whatever sensitive pieces of anatomy they could find. And just like sand, they knew how to whip into all the places that can’t easily be reached. By now, the march had turned into an almost desperate dragging. The only guide they had was the light that emanated from Pensword’s helmet as Star Swirl’s projection pointed them ever onward. The whiteout mixed with dusk as the temperature continued to drop, making their situation all the more dangerous.

To conserve warmth, Pensword and Cadance each took breaks to wrap their wings around the other two foals and share what they could. This was not the playful fields for a snowball fight, where mighty forts could be raised and fall in time for a warm cup of cocoa or cider by the fire. This was a far more dangerous battle, and this party was playing for keeps.

There was no talking now. They hadn’t the energy for it. And even if they did, it would simply give the biting cold another opening to sink into their bodies and leech away the warmth that was their life. On more than one occasion, the two younger foals bit their lips and struggled not to cry in the face of their adversity. They all knew the alternatives to their situation, and that was perhaps the most horrifying part of the experience. That, and the ever-growing temptation to let those memories freeze in the cold. After all, the hurtful scenes can’t play over if they’re trapped in ice. And they would find rest at last in the snow’s comforting embrace.

So deeply engaged in this battle of wills was he that Pensword didn’t even recognize the cliff face. Or perhaps it would be better to say that it was too obscured by the lashing white and the encroaching darkness. True to form, Celestia’s sun had dropped to the horizon, with only the barest embers to guide their way through.

Pensword was so tired that he hardly even felt the pain of the impact as metal clanked against stone. Cadance could barely raise her head as she turned to look at Pensword.

“Did we … make it?”

The projection pulsed brightly over the rock face, catching the ice crystals that had formed a thin layer over the surface.

“I … think so,” Pensword said. His voice dragged with a curious blend of exhaustion, relief, and disbelief. “We just … need to find the entrance.” He mustered the strength to flash an encouraging smile toward the mare. “It should respond to you as a member of the royal family.”

“And then we can rest?” Cosy asked.

“And warm ourselves while we call for help,” Pensword acknowledged.

Hope is an infectious thing, and the assurance of the end to their struggle soon brought that warmth to each of their faces. It didn’t take long to find the escape hatch, though hatch was a loose term. It was more akin to a portal, and its surface yielded to Cadance’s touch, granting entry into a crystal corridor lined with jutting surfaces polished to a reflective sheen so that one couldn’t tell where the ice ended and the crystals began. Their hoofsteps echoed through the corridor as they trekked down a subtle decline toward a heavy metal door with a crystal eye that scanned them with a broad ray of light.

“Identified: Three crystalline equines, one non-crystalline Pegasus. Please identify yourselves.”

“Uh, … hi. I’m Cosy?” the little blue Unicorn said.

“There is no ‘Cosy’ in my database. Access denied.”

“I think it needs your real names,” Pensword said, even as spots swam before his eyes.

Cadance sighed. “I guess I’ll go first.” She looked up at the eye. “I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.”

“Processing. Processing. Processing.” A small chime sounded. “Voice print verification confirmed. Mi Amore Cadenza, heir apparent. Welcome, Princess.”

“We’re really cold and tired. Can I just bring my brother, sister, and Pensword inside? You can trust them.”

The eye flickered. “Processing.... Processing….” It dinged. “Command received. Parameters updated. Welcome, Crown Princess and guests.” A loud hiss of air carried through the chamber as a vacuum seal broke, followed by the shifting of a portion of the crystal wall to reveal the interior of a wardrobe. One step through the coats and a weak shove led them into a spacious bed chamber laden with enough beds to house a small garrison. A great master bed shaped like a heart sat luxuriantly in the space to their right.

“Beds!” Cosy cheered.

Pensword smiled weakly. “Yes. Beds.”

Warmth seeped from the floor into their horseshoes and hooves, and light pulsed gently from crystalline fixtures.

“At the queen’s order, this safehouse has been activated for use by the royal family and court under the Scattered Winds Protocol. Please, make use of the amenities as much as you need. When you are properly rested, I will guide you through the process of contacting the Equestrian Diarchy, Your Highness.”

“Um, … Thank you, … what do I call you?”

“Though my programming is overseen by a higher ranked code, you may call this program CAPS. It stands for Crown Automatic Protection System. Your safety and preservation are my number one priority. To that end, please disrobe and take to bed. Your scans indicate various stages of hypothermia.

Pensword nodded gravely as he spoke into the air. “Thank you, CAPS. I’ll see the children get to bed.”

“You are their guard?”

“An ally from Equestria. I am called Pensword.”

“Acknowledged. Pensword, please place the foals in the royal bed. My analysis of their past behaviors indicate that they sleep better when together, and their combined body heat will hasten their recovery.”

Pensword hastened to follow the voice’s instruction. However, when he finally turned to take one of the other beds, he found himself caught in the magical grasp of two young Unicorns and the physical grasp of one Pegasus mare.

“Stay with us. Please?” Cadance asked.

Three pairs of adorable and vulnerable eyes fixed him with the devastating effect of their full power unleashed. And like any sensible adult whose senses and resistance had been worn down by hardship and trial, he took the path of least resistance.

“Very well.”

The bed was soft, and the mattress seemed almost to conform to his body as he settled in, the three foals holding tightly to his frame as he wrapped his wings around them and pulled the covers up tight.

“Good night, children,” he said softly and nuzzled each of them gently. “You did it.”

“We did it,” Cadance murmured sleepily.

Pensword smiled as he watched those tired eyes close and heard the deep breaths of those who sleep has taken firmly in its grasp. “Yes, we did,” he agreed. “Yes, we did.” For now, their mission had been accomplished. The foals were safe, and he would need his wits about him to speak with whoever he contacted in Equestria. But that could wait until tomorrow. For now, it was time to sleep. He willingly let the darkness encroach, safe in the comfort the warmth and softness provided.

Morning, or what Pensword assumed to be morning, greeted them much the same as the night had. Gentle light pulsed from the crystal sconces as the Pegasus stared at the ceiling. At first, he didn’t know where he was. It felt more like a dream than reality. But then the full weight of the situation came crashing down on him. The empire, the time travel, the betrayal. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked frantically over the bed to count the foals like a mother hen would her chicks. Only when he had confirmed all three foals were still safe and sound did he breathe a sigh of relief.

A few moments later, he finally registered what had roused him from his slumber as the scent of rich broth wafted into his now-flaring nostrils. Soup. Honest to goodness soup. The comforter, bane to cold and bad moods alike.

“Greetings, Ally Pensword. I deduced that along with the need for warmth, you and the foals also require hydration and nourishment. As such, I took the liberty of preparing a vegetable soup for your consumption.”

Cosy grumbled and groaned as the other foals began to stir with him. However, growling stomachs soon overcame any disgruntlement over being pulled from sleep, and the foals ate heartily. While the rigors of their recent ordeals had not entirety left them, the joy at their survival helped to buoy their spirits. And with that boost came the motivation to contact the princesses. With that in mind, they each donned their respective garbs in preparation for the event.

“I strongly advise you to allow Ally Pensword to utilize the communication crystal,” CAPS said. “As an ally of Equestria, the princesses are more likely to listen to what he has to say, particularly considering where you will be calling from. I would also recommend attempting to reach Princess Luna. Records indicate that she is more combat oriented and will likely be better prepared to mobilize for the empire’s sake.”

“Is that really the right thing to do?” Cadance asked.

“My calculations indicate it will have the highest chance of success.”

Cadance sighed. “All right.”

“You just wanna talk to Princess Luna yourself,” Cosy accused playfully.

“Nuh-uh!” Cadance blushed.

“Don’t you, too, Cosy?” Alto asked.

“Of course.” Cosy grinned. “Mother said Princess Luna was going to teach me how to use my sword.” Then the smile faltered as the memory of his actions the previous day slammed him in the face.

“Let’s take things one step at a time, hmm?” Pensword suggested as he patted Cosy gently on the head. “Where is this crystal communication system, and how do I access it?” he asked.

“Deploying communications array now.” A pillar grew from the floor in the hall until it became a proper pedestal. From that pedestal, a clear crystal sphere took shape. It pulsed gently at first, then projected a light over the room. “Ally Pensword, please approach the console and request the contact you wish to make. The crystal will react and seek out the holder you wish to call, provided they have a sister crystal connected to the network.”

Pensword did as he was bidden and laid a hoof tentatively on the pillar. “Uh, … call Princess Luna?”

The crystal sphere pulsed blue as silver light glowed gently around it. The air overhead became a sea of stars to replace the artificial ceiling, and a rapidly shifting moon appeared overhead, transitioning through all its phases in a timed cycle while the magic worked to reach out.

“Yes? Is this contraption working? Hello?” Luna's voice came through, followed shortly by the shape of her head clearly shown above in the faux night sky.

“Princess.” Pensword sighed with relief. “Thank goodness we made it through.”

There was a silence after Pensword spoke. “That voice…. Is that you, Commander Pensword?”

Commander? Now that was something he hadn’t expected to hear. It was one thing to look like the heroes. It was another to be mistaken for one by voice. Pensword shook his head quickly. Another problem for another time. “I don’t know about Commander, but I am Pensword, and we don’t have time for questions. Princess Luna, we’re, … I’m sorry to be the messenger, but Blood Diamond couldn’t be here in person to say it herself. She … she placed her children in my care. The Scattered Wind Protocol has been activated. The empire has been overrun by a hostile force. The Crystal Ponies need Equestria’s help.”

Pensword was surprised to see Luna wince. It was as though she had suddenly taken a great blow. It lasted only for a few moments before she forced herself into a more neutral expression. “I … I see. You’ve done well, as always, my friend. What can you tell me personally about the situation?”

“An entity who calls himself King Sombra has taken control by force through use of dark arts with a heavy emphasis on corruption and enslavement. I would still have remained in his clutches, were it not for the swift and decisive action on the part of Star Swirl the Bearded. So far as I am aware, Hammer Strike and Grif are still alive, though I doubt they remain in the empire proper. It’s likely they’ve followed our plan to take shelter with as many civilians as possible until reinforcements can arrive.”

“You three never change,” Luna said as she smiled sadly and shook her head. “We already began mobilizing once the flow of magic from the north stopped, but I can’t be sure when we’ll reach you. You need to keep the royal heirs and the civilians safe until then.”

“I’m sure we’ll each do our best, Princess,” Pensword said. “The sooner we can get the foals safely away, the better, though.”

“Hi, Aunt Luna!” Cosy waved wildly in his armor and smiled up at the projection.

“Hello, Bellacosa.” Luna waved back and smiled gently. “I’m glad to see you’re safe.”

“Pensword’s been great! He saved us!”

“I look forward to hearing the tale when we arrive. Listen to Pensword. And should the situation allow, Grif and Hammer Strike. They will keep you safe.”

Cosy nodded. “We promise!”

“Until next time, Princess. May it be when war and blood needn’t interfere,” Pensword said with a sad smile.

“I look forward to the day.” Luna nodded. “Fare well.” And with that said, she winked out of existence. However, while the stars and moon dissipated, the darkness seemed only to grow thicker from the projection.

“W-w-w-WARn-ing-ing-ing! Unauthorized connection DETECTED.

With the ominous dropping of CAPS’ voice came the sound of detonating crystal as, one by one, the sconces burst into writhing green flames tinged with white and purple. Wherever they licked, veins of dark crystal began to stretch like poisonous roots through the chamber’s walls and toward the floor and ceiling. A wicked and exultant laughter carried through the air.

“Greetings, foolish royals! If you are hearing this message, then you’ve managed to survive. I must congratulate you for your resourcefulness. However, all good things must inevitably come to an end to make room for the better things to come. Doubtless, you already see the fruits of the little gift I left behind for you all. It might kill you. Or it might make you an asset in my new empire. Frankly, I don’t care which. All that matters is that you are no longer a threat to me. DARK, fulfill your program and ensure our guests can’t escape, won’t you?”

“YES, KING SOMBRA. VERBAL COMMAND ACKNOWLEDGED. SYSTEM PROGRAM: DESTROY ALL REMAINING KIN IS FULLY OPERATIONAL. PRIORITY ONE: DENY ALL ROUTES OF ESCAPE.” A massive stalagmite surged from the floor to shatter the wardrobe and block the exit. A heavy crash sounded from beyond their chamber, and the door buckled before breaking open to allow more of those dark tendrils of jutting crystal to creep and grow in wicked razor points.

The foals screamed, and Pensword ran to snatch Alto with his teeth. He quickly flipped her onto his back, then pulled Cadance with him toward the center of the room as Cosy waved his sword uselessly in an attempt at bravado.

“L-l-leave us alone!”

“REQUEST DENIED. YOU HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED ENEMIES OF THE STATE. YOU WILL BE REHABILITATED INTO KING SOMBRA’S LOYAL CITIZENS. NONCOMPLIANCE IS NOT AN OPTION. YOU WILL CONFORM OR YOU WILL BE TERMINATED.”

“Pensword….” Alto clutched tightly to the stallion’s neck, her teddy pressed on the side as she trembled.

“It’s going to be all right, Alto,” Pensword assured. “We won’t die here. And we won’t obey Sombra either.” He raised his wings invitingly, and Cosy and Cadance ran to his side.

“I just wish it all would stop,” Cadance said as tears pattered to the floor.

“P-p-p-primary di-i-rective … protect … and serve … the c-c-crown. E-e-executing command.”

“CAPS?” Cadance asked.

A familiar blue light emanated from the ground surrounding Pensword and the foals, pulsing through the walls in the familiar patterns of circuitry as the energy flowed around the black tendrils, slowing their advance while the remainder of the energy gathered.

“FUTILE. ROGUE PROGRAM CAPS WILL SUBMIT TO QUARANTINE. ROGUE PROGRAM CAPS WILL CEDE TO ADMINISTRATOR CONTROL. OBEY KING SOMBRA.”

“E-e-emergency routing c-c-coooom-plete. C-c-crystal h-h-heart reserves … activated. L-l-long … live … the … queeeennn….”

“INCORRECT: QUEEN BLOOD DIAMOND IS DEAD. THERE IS NO QUEEN. QUARANTINE SUCCESSFUL. TERMINATING ROGUE PROGRAM.”

“M-mother…?” Cadance’s eyes grew wide at the callous dismissal and brutal delivery of the news. She shook her head violently as her voice began to tremble. “No. She can’t be gone.” The black roots began to grow out from the ground in spears to avoid the patches of light on the ground. “She can’t be. Mother said … Mother is love. And she said love never dies.”

“Cady….” Pensword said consolingly.

“She’s not dead. She’s not dead. SHE’S NOT DEAD!”

“WARNING: ROYAL MAGICAL SIGNATURE DETECTED. THREAT LEVEL: DIAMOND. TERMINATE WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE.”

Three things happened simultaneously. The black crystals launched in a hail of deadly projectiles. A great flood of bright blue light surged from their place of protection as Cadance’s eyes glowed white, and a groaning whirring whine faded in and out through their ears.

Pensword came to on a cold hard surface. The first thing he beheld was white. It was pristine and blurry. “Am I in heaven?” he half-croaked, half-murmured. Then the rest of the world came into focus. He noticed the prominent muzzle between his eyes and the gray walls full of circles and embossed in gold. A strange almost holographic sheen seemed to ripple over those surfaces, channeling bubbles drifting through the sparkles and the gilding. High above, a veritable frenzy of color and explosion burst from stones shaped like flowers contained in the largest bubble he had ever seen as blue energy was siphoned in a stream from … from—

“Cadance!” Pensword leapt to his hooves and shook the daze from his head as he glared at the lavender Unicorn that stood over her. His wings glinted dangerously as the blades hissed with the fluttering of his brace for battle. A swift glance revealed Bellacosa and Alto were both still unconscious behind him. “Get away from her!”

“Calm down, please,” the Unicorn said in a slightly familiar voice. Her tone was level and calm, her golden eyes filled with kindness and a deep sadness.

“Not until you tell me what you’re doing to the princess,” Pensword huffed as he hurried toward the foal.

“Keeping things in motion,” she said. “There are things that need to happen right now in order for all of us to stay safe.”

Pensword cradled the filly’s head in his hooves. Blue energy streamed from her forehead, her hooves, her wings, and her fur to continue setting off the display. He knew enough of Equestria to recognize what that stream was. “And that includes sucking magic out of the princess, I suppose,” he accused. He allowed the filly’s head to lower gently to the floor, then braced himself as he leveled his wing blades once again. “Who are you, and why are you doing this?”

“I’m the Muffin Mare,” she said. “I’m here to help keep history in check and everyone safe.”

Pensword narrowed his eye suspiciously. “That’s The Doctor’s job.” Once more, his eyes roved around the chamber and finally settled on the central console and the plunger-like apparatus that lay at rest. “And you’re clearly not him. This isn’t his TARDIS, is it?”

There was a flash of a distant memory in her eyes for a moment as she gave a familiar sad smile. “It is, and it was, and it will be. But it’s my job, too.”

Pensword was still wary. “There aren’t many other Time Lords or Ladies that are on good terms with The Doctor. How do I know that I can trust you?”

“Because I have muffins,” she said, pulling one out and offering it to him.”

“How is a muffin supposed to help me know I can trust you?” Pensword objected.

“Because there is only one other Pony in the multiverse who can make these muffins,” the Muffin Mare retorted.

“And that is?”

“Take a bite, and you tell me.”

Pensword eyed the mare warily, sniffed at the quickbread, then finally took a bite. What followed can best be described as happiness in bread form. Warmth spread through his chest, over his sore limbs, and into his brain. It was one of the first times he had ever managed to taste an emotion in his life. And that ecstasy could only have been created by one mare in particular. A mare with golden eyes and an adorable filly who she protected with the ferocity of an army.

The smile he saw when he opened his eyes again was a sad one filled with the weight of years and tears that had been shed out long ago. “Do I even want to know how many years it’s been for you?” he finally asked.

She shook her head. “Just know what I’m doing is for everybody’s benefit. Cadance needs to be found outside a village centuries from now.”

“That much, I know. What I was worried about was why you’re sucking so much magic out of her.” He turned to look at the sleeping filly. The stream had begun to abate now, its source flickering as the line leading to the bubble and lightshow overhead became thinner.

“If I don’t take this energy, she’ll ascend too early, and that would cause problems,” she assured him.

“And you couldn’t have opened with that when I asked what you were doing?”

“Would you have believed me?”

“Yes. It’s a logical deduction to make after what CAPS said it was doing.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“He said he was channeling love energy into Cadance. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together about stopping an ascension before its time.”

Dinky blinked in surprise. “That’s … surprisingly clever of you. Your future self isn’t nearly so easy to reason with.”

“Future self?”

“Anyway, you four should be safe now,” she said, breezing right past any further mention of such things.

“What do you intend to do about Cadance’s memories? She just lost her mother. I doubt that will help her to make her connection to her destiny anytime soon.”

“I’ll be putting some psychic blocks to her memory, setting them to a trigger.”

“Isn’t there a chance of those coming undone before the trigger can be applied properly?” Pensword asked.

“No.” She shook her head. “We’ve already gone over it.”

“We?”

“Me and my TARDIS. We’ve run the numbers,” she said.

“Will it hurt her?”

“Never.”

“What do I tell her siblings?”

“Tell them they’ll see her again soon.”

“Isn’t that a lie?”

“Yes and no.” She smirked.

Pensword groaned. “Yup. It’s official. I hate time games.”

“To the world, it will be a long time. To all of you, it will be significantly less so.”

“Because of you?”

“No, because of what's to come. The rough road lies ahead of you all.”

“The foals. Are you … keeping them asleep for this?”

“I’m doing what I need to do,” she said sadly. “Threading the needle.”

“And where will you take us before you leave with Cadance?” Pensword asked. “We can’t stay in the safehouse anymore. It’s obviously compromised.”

“You’ll be rejoining your friends,” she admitted. “Though much later down the line.”

“How much later, exactly?”

“When Equestria arrives.”

“And Cosy and Alto are both to stay with me?”

She nodded. “Unfortunately, there are … conditions that need to be met. One of them is that they stay with you.”

“And when the time comes, how are we supposed to break your telepathic lock on Cadance’s memories?”

“Don’t worry. It will happen.” She smirked.

“I notice you didn’t mention a how, though,” Pensword deadpanned.

“You’re not supposed to know.”

Pensword sighed as he eyed the sleeping trio. “Can we at least give them one last nap together before we separate them?”

She laughed. “This is a TARDIS. Of course they can. I’ll put on the time lock.”

“Good.” Pensword smiled regretfully. “At least they’ll have this.”

Extended Holiday
Chapter 22: Back to the Future

“So, how many of the charges are set?” Grif asked Hammer Strike. The last few weeks had been grueling, and Grif had led a long and bloody charge. They’d lost several Ponies, and a good many others were injured. They’d also managed to save several groups of slaves and were slowly working toward their goal.

“Thankfully, given Star Swirl’s enchantments, they haven’t been detected. We’ve got four set up along the southern wall, and once we’ve got the last one, we should be able to tear it down and leave an opening for Equestrian forces,” Hammer Strike replied as he continued to work on the last charge.

“Good. I’m not sure how much longer this group will last,” Grif admitted. “We’re already pushing things as it is.”

“You’re telling me,” Hammer Strike sighed. “It shouldn’t be much longer until they arrive. Star Swirl’s been trying to keep track of magic signals to find them.”

“Weird we haven’t gotten a message from Pensword,” Grif commented.

“Agreed. But if he’s stuck in that bunker, it’s likely that he doesn’t have a way to contact us.”

“I hope they're okay,” Grif said. “This has been a nightmare.”

“We can only hope.” Hammer Strike frowned as he secured the final charge together. “That’s the last one.”

“So, where do you need to plant it?”