“Where is she?” Humble walked back and forth on the B platform section of the train station at New Fleureans while Coil Sparks was reading a Power Pony comic book on a nearby bench. “Dazzle said her train would pull in around now.”

“I don’t know, but get this!” Coil opened the comic to ad section on the back. “It says here that if I send twenty bits to the prince of the Griffon Empire I get a free bag of bird seed!”

Humble just facehooved. “Coil, those are just scams ponies put up to trick ponies with, besides Dazzle told me that the griffon empire has a princess not a prince...at least not anymore.”

Coil looked up from the ad. “What do you mean not anymore?”

“Well Dazzle told me that a few years ago the prince was, well, taken out.”

“Like to dinner?” Coil hopped off the bench.

“No, as in taken out.” Humble put his hoof to his neck and slided it across.

“You mean they tickled his neck?” Coil gasped. “With his own feathers?”

“...Yes Coil, they tickled his neck. Anyway, what’s going on in the world of the Mareval comics?”

Coil’s eyes widen. “There’s a new member!” Flipping over to the third page, Coil pointed at a picture of a small colt in superhero clothing as the rest of the Power Ponies stood over him looking down with Mistress Marvelous saying in a speech bubble, “well team, it looks like we have a small problem.”

“Who is he?” Humble tapped on the picture of the colt. “A new superhero?”

“Apparently his name’s Humdrum and he’s going to be the teams new sidekick!” Coil went back to the comic.

“Hmm.” Humble looked over his shoulder and gasped as he saw the sight of a train chugging to the platform. “Dazzle’s here!”

The train chugged to a stop and with a last poof of opened its door to a swarm of ponies coming out.

“Come on Coil!” Humble galloped into the crowd while Coil put away his magazine. “Dazzle? Dazzle are you here?” he said, stepping through the hive of travelers.

“Humble!” said a voice from behind. turning around Humble was tackled by Daring in a big hug. “You came!”

“Um, well yeah. I wouldn’t miss it.” He saw that Daring was wearing a green cloak hiding her flank. “Hey what’s that?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, it’s called, um-”

“It’s called get your hooves off my sister,” said Ace as he pushed Daring and Humble away from each other.

“Thanks for all your help Ace,” said Daring’s grandfather as he came out of the train with Arrowhead  as he held two sets of bags. “Why not let your old, weak grandpa carry the luggage?”

“I can help you with that!” said Coil as he came up.

“Good lad.” Daring’s grandfather tossed the bags onto Coil making him collapse. “See Ace? Some ponies still know how to treat their elders.”

Humble and Daring ran over to Coil to see if he was alright.

“Here Coil let me help you.” Humble pushed one of the heavy bags off Coil’s torso with Daring taking off the other one.

“Thank...you,” Coil panted.

“Anyway, we should probably get back to the house.” Daring’s grandfather took out his bubble pipe and lit it. “You can come with us boys if you like.”

The group left the train station and started walking down the road to the manor while Daring told Humble and Coil all about her vacation.

“And then we got to go see the catacombs!” Dazzle said showing them a picture of skulls.

“What’s a catacomb?” Coil raised an eyebrow.

Daring’s grandfather saw this as a good time for a history lesson. “Well you see Coil, back in the medival times of Prance, the capital built quarries in the city, so when the Prench revolution came around two hundred years later the city’s leaders decided that to instead of expand cemeteries they should instead put the bones of the dead in tunnels under the city. And that is what a catacomb is.”

“Ooh, so what’s a revolution?”

“Well a revolution-”

“Gramps.” Ace facehooved. “We’re home.”

“So we are. Would you like to come in boys? I’ll have Timothy make you some sandwiches.”

“Ok!” Coil and Humble went into the house.

Entering the doorway Daring decided this would be a good time to show the two boys her surprise. “Hey guys I gotta show you something!” she said taking off her cloak.

“What?” The two colts turned around to see the sight of Daring with a cutie mark of a compass.

“Wow!” Humble rushed over to see it. “How did you get it?”

“She got it when we were in the catacombs.” Daring’s grandfather ruffled Daring’s mane.

“Gramps stop.” Daring swatted his hoof away. “But yeah he’s right, I got it in the tunnels.”

*****

“And this ladies and gentlecolts is another set of skulls,” said one of the attendants of the catacombs as the crowd listing oohed and awed.

“Neato.” Arrowhead took a picture with her camera.

“Indeed.” Daring’s grandfather took a picture as well. “Say where’s your sister?”

A little deeper in the catacombs was a hovering Daring as she observed a set of skulls.

“Hmm, why do these skulls have funny triangles on them?”

Looking around to see if anypony was there she tapped her hoove one one of them. All of a sudden the sound of gears filled the room as the wall of skulls turned sideways to reveal a dark room filled with swords.

“What the-”

“Stop right there!” The attendant rushed to Dazzle as her grandfather followed close behind. “What do you think you're...doing.” She stared at the room full of swords.

A glimmer of light briefly filled the room before Daring’s grandfather gasped.

“Well would you look at that.” He  pointed at the newly cutie marked Daring. “Seems someone is going to get a party.”

*****

“And that’s how it  happened.” Daring bit into her peanut butter sandwich as Humble nodded.

“That’s cool, reminds me of the time Coil got his cutie mark.”

*****

“Coil are you sure this is a good idea?” said Humble as Coil put up his lighting pole.

“Of course it’s-Bzzzzzzz!”

*****

“After the doctors took my cast off I saw my cutie mark right there!” Coil bit into his sandwich.

“And you know what getting a cutie mark means?” Arrowhead took hold of the kitchen’s drapes. “Cute-ceañera.”

“Oh, can I come?”

“You're already there.” Arrowhead pulled open the drapes to reveal a bunch of ponies (and one well-dressed griffin) wearing party hats under of banner saying, “happy cute-ceañera!”

“Wow!” Coil rushed outside and was amazed at what he saw. “And is that what I think it is? Ball pit!” He did a leap into it.

“Wow indeed,” said Humble as he went outside with Daring and Arrowhead. “How did this happen so fast?”

Daring’s grandfather stopped talking to some ponies over by the deviled eggs. “I can explain that, you see the second Artemis got her cutie mark I sent a bunch of letters home to all of your schoolmates and invited them here, now if you’ll excuse me.” He ran toward the ball pit and swan dived in.

“I can’t believe this.” Daring trotted with Humble through the party to a nearby table.

“I know it awesome!” Humble bit into a cupcake.

“No I mean, why on Celestia’s green earth would grandpa invite her.” She pointed at a purple coated and white maned filly who was wearing a dress and chatting with a bunch of posh looking foals. “Sugar Plum.” She sneered the name loudly (while Slit hissed it sharply) enough for the fillie to stop her chatting and look towards the two. She smirked.

“Well, well.” Sugar Plum walked over to the them while Daring just groaned. “If it isn’t Artemis.”

“What do you want Sugar Plum?” Daring glared. “Your not here to make fun of us again are you?”

“Why my dear, I wouldn’t dare think to agitate you if it were not for your company.” Sugar Plum nodded towards Humble. “And said company's sidekick.” She pointed to Coil who was doggy paddling through the ball pit. “They simply are not one for your social standing.”

Daring gritted her teeth. “And you are?”

“Well me and the others.” she waved her hoof over to the table where a bunch of foals were gossiping and brushing their manes. “We’ll welcome you with open hooves once you lose these fools.”

I’d rather be eaten by Slit thought Daring.

Humble just looked confused at the filly. “What are you talking about? I mean sure I’m not rich and-”

“Shush blank flank.” Sugar Plum pushed Humble to the side and got a cupcake and muffin. “You see these?”

“Um, yes?”

“This is me.” She pointed at the well decorated cupcake.

Humble didn’t like were this was going and neither did Daring.

Sugar pointed at the muffin “And this is your friend Toil—”

“Coil.”

“Whatever, anyway he is this. A bland, dry, disgusting abomination—” Humble and Daring’s eyes sharpened at the insult of their friend and Slit hissed “—of a pastry made and eaten by the poorest of peasants, as were I, the cupcake, am beautifully crafted by the finest of ingredients and skilled chefs.”

“And what does insulting my best friend have to do with me being a blank flank,” Humble growled.

“Well its quite simple deary.” Sugar put down the pastries and picked up a small pebble. “This is you.”

“Well my family are rock farmers.”

“No you simpleton it means you are a boring, small, rough, filthy piece of earth.” Sugar threw the pebble at Humble’s snout, it breaking on impact.

That was the breaking point for Daring.

“Listen to me you little snob.” Daring go in front of Sugar’s face. “You can insult me, you can insult the way I dress, the way I act, but you do not get to insult my coltfriend. Got it girly!” she poked Sugar on the chest.

“Hmph! Another reason you're not ready for our circle Artemis, you’re as uncouth and crude as ever. Now if you’ll excuse me I am going to take a dip in the pit of balls. Oh, I hope those two idiots in there don’t contaminate it.” She looked at Coil and Daring’s grandfather who were splashing each other with balls. “Good day.”

Daring was about to hit her when a gentle hoof stopped her.

“Dazzle don’t,” said Humble with pleading eyes. “She’s not worth it to pay attention to, unlike you.”

Daring slowly put down her hoof with a blush growing on her face. “Heh, sorry. It’s just that she infuriates me so much!”

“I know.” He rubbed her hoof. “But I think that she’s going to learn a lesson quite soon.” He looked to where Slit was supposed to be to see only grass. “Hey, where did Slit go?”

Meanwhile over at the ball pit,

“That filly, how dare she say such things to me!” Sugar put her hoof into the ball pits just as Coil surfaced.

“Hi Sugar! Wanna play hide and seek?” He tossed a ball at her which she quickly dodged.

“With you? Please, now be a good fool and go play over there.”

“Ok!” Coil took a deep breath and went under the balls. Sugar just rolled her eyes before slowly sitting into the ball pit.

“Aww, now this is relaxing.” She felt something rough rub her forelegs. “Huh? What’s that? Dipping her head down she screamed. “Ahhh! Mommy!” Suga ran out of the ball pit so quickly she tripped on her dress and tumbled into a table where the cake fell on top of her head.

“Pfft.” Daring held back a snicker before flying off into full blown laughter which was ignored by the other party goers who were trying to calm down the furious cake covered filly. She stopped however when Humble glared at her.

“Now Dazzle it’s not polite to laugh at another's misfortune.”

Daring sighed. “Your right.”

Humble looked away for a second before a smile wiggled it’s way onto his face. “Course it was pretty funny,” he chuckled.

“I bet she’ll be remembering that one for awhile,” snickered Daring as the two foals enjoyed each other’s company for the rest of the party. As the party ended with the guest going home (with Coil getting pink eye and Sugar still with frosting in her coat) Daring said her good nights to Humble.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Daring hugged Humble who only returned it half heartedly. “What’s wrong? You love my hugs.”

“It’s not that, it’s just, well, what Sugar said about how I’m not worthy of  you.” Humble kicked a nearby can. “What with me being a blank flank, poor, trash—”

“Humble let me tell you one thing right now, I don’t give a bit what that filly thinks.”

“Yeah, but still, I’m the only one in class who doesn’t have a cutie mark.” Humble looked back at his flank and sighed. “What if I’ll never get it?”

“Humble relax, my grandpa said Arrowhead had the same problem when she was your age.”

“What he say to her?”

“That it will reveal itself eventfully.” Daring noticed how this wasn’t doing much for Humble so she got an idea. “Say tomorrow is show and tell right?”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe your cutie mark will show itself tomorrow!” She smiled.

Humble snorted. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Trust me, here.” She kissed him on the nose. “For luck.” She giggled as she closed the door.

Humble spun around with a goofy looking expression on his face and sighed. “I should be more self pitying more often. What do you think Slit?”

Slit spat out a red plastic ball.

But still I feel like I need to get a cutie mark He started walking out of the lawn. “What should I do?”

Humble thought his situation over as he trotted up a road with a post identifying it as Trout path. He kept on walking it till he came to a small farm with only rocks surrounding it.

“Humble?” A mare’s voice called out as Humble closed the gate to the farm behind him. “Is that you sweetie?”

“Yeah mom.” He walked to the porch of the farm’s modest looking house and looked up to see a middle aged, white coated mare with a yellow mane in a funny fashion.

“Well go clean upyourself.” Humble’s mom pointed upstairs. “Suppers almost ready.”

As Humble marched up the stairs, he kept thinking Sugar Plum’s words. a boring, small, rough, filthy piece of earth.

Dinner didn’t do much to improve his self esteem,

“So I was thinking about visiting Cousin Crystal at his farm in the north to help him with his crops,” said Humble’s father, a strong looking stallion who looked like a gruffer and longer maned looking Humble. “Anypony wanna come?”

“Isn’t he the one that’s looking for that empire or something?” Cloudy Quartz, Humble’s older sister, said.

“Yep,fool thinks he’s going to find the capital of the Crystal Empire.” Humble’s father bit into his salad. “The stallion’s mean well, but nopony seen that lost city for ages.”

“Huh.” Humble poked at his plate of radishes.

“Humble why aren't you eating?” Humble’s mother took a sip of her water “Didn’t you enjoy seeing Dazzle again?”

“How is she by the way.” Humble’s father looked up.

“Fine. Say mom?” Humble put down his fork. “How did you get your cutie mark?”

“Well honey, when I was about ten I was doing my job of hauling rocks from the forest as usual when I found this really big rock, next thing I knew I got my cutie mark.”

“and you pa?”

“Well—”

“Oh, I can tell you that dear,” chuckled Humble’s mother. “It was a few days after I met your dad, you see your  grandfather didn’t like your father at first.”

“Not my fault, the guy wasn’t impressed with my rock smashing skills.” Humble’s father flexed.

Humble’s mother just waved it off. “Anyway, one night when your father was visiting me late, he kept throwing pebbles at my window to get me to open up. I unfortunately made the mistake of teasing your father too long and he got impatient so he threw a rock.”

“To this day I still say I thought it was another pebble.” Humble’s father took a bite out of his bread.”

“The point is as your father galloped away from your furius grandfather he didn’t notice that a picture of a rock had appeared on his flank.”

“Huh, and you Cloudy?” Humble looked to see his sister only to find a note. “What’s this?” Humble read it.

Sorry bro bro, I know you probably want to hear about my cutie mark but while dad and mom got distracted I snuck out to see Igneous. Tell them I’ll be back in two hours.

Humble’s mother giggled while Humble’s father grumbled.

“What does that mare see in him anyway?” Humble’s father bit into his clobber. “Stallion doesn’t even have a proper rock collection.”

“Dear, he’s not so bad. Kinda reminds me of you.” Humble’s mother took another sip of her water.

“Please, like that stallion is going to marry our daughter. Next, you’ll be telling me our grandchildren will be pink.”

“Alright dear I’ll drop it, but Humble sweetie. Why did you want to know about our cutie marks?”

Humble looked down and sighed. “Am I good at rock farming?”

Humble’s father and mother looked at each other nervously.

Humble’s father coughed. “Um, well son, you can, um, kinda pound rocks into dust rather into pieces when I ask you too.”

“But that doesn't mean we are angry.” Humble’s mother looked at her husband who nodded in agreement. “What brought this on?”

“It’s just well, I don’t have my cutie mark, I’m already thirteen, and I’m not good at rock farming!” Humble put his head down on the table.

“Oh son. it don’t matter to us if you’re good at rock farming or not.”

“We'll always love you and be proud of you no matter what your cutie mark is.”

Humble looked up with a sniff. “But what if I never get my cutie mark? What if I’m always a blank flank?”

Humble’s father snorted “First off you will get your cutie mark. Second if that ever did happened we’d still love ya and be proud to call you our son.”

Humble just sighed. “But what if Dazzle won’t?”

“Oh sweetie, Dazzle doesn’t care if you have a picture of anything on your flank.”

“Yeah she just likes it.” Humble’s father snickered till a glare from Humble’s mother made him go back to eating cobbler.

Humble looked at his mother with tired eyes. “You think?”

“I know, I mean she just loves hearing about your stories you always tell.”

“Yeah…” Humble’s eyes widened. “Yeah. Good night everypony!” Humble quickly gave pecks on the cheeks to both his parents before rushing upstairs.

“What you think he’s doing?” said Humble’s father putting away his dishes. “Aw, he’s probably-ahhh!” Humble’s father slipped onto the floor and the dishes came crashing on his head.

“Dear!” Humble’s mother rushed to her husband’s side. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, but who keeps leaving these plastic balls everywhere?”

*****

“Mmm.” Humble sat at the desk of his small, dimly lit room. A chewed on pencil in between his lips, eraser shavings stuck to his tongue as he looked at the empty paper before him. “Pffft!” He spat the pencil out. “Blegh, dang erasers. Ugh.” Groaning he tilted the chair back, a bit too far. “Ahhh!”

“Humble sweetie! Are you alright?” shouted Humble’s mom from downstairs.

“Yeah ma, just fell.” Getting back up he looked at the still blank parchment. “Oh, for Celestia’s sake, why can’t I write a good story?  Usually this works!” Sighing, he looked at a picture of a owl on the cover of a book on birds Coil got him. “What should I do?”

“Who!”

Humble’s eyes widened. “Huh? Did you just speak?”

“Who!”

“Well, you”

“Who!”

Realizing the sound wasn’t coming from the book Humble looked toward the direction of the noise, Humble saw a barn owl staring back at him outside on his window sill. “Um, hello.”

“Who!” The owl extended it’s wings showing a row of odd silver feathers. “Who!”

“Well who to you back.” Humble chuckled at the bird’s vanity.

The owl pecked at the window pan in a semi-rhythmic fashion only interrupted by the occasional who. As Humble bobbed his head to the bird’s song he was struck by a force of inspiration.

“That’s it!” Taking the pencil back into his mouth he wrote down on the paper his unfolding story. As the night progressed further and further the owl watched Humble's brainstorming at work and as Humble put the paper away for tomorrow the owl took off left. But Humble could’ve sworn he saw it smiling.

The next day at school,

“And that’s why I have two hundred and fifty dresses.” Sugar Plum had just finished her show and tell by giving an explanation as to why her family was wealthy to a three quarters asleep class.

“That was very, um, interesting Miss Sugar.” Miss Spot, the classroom’s teacher, yawned quickly. “Would anybody else like to go?”

“Oh, oh, pick me please!” Coil waved his hoofs in hopes upon being picked.

“Alright Coil, but please don’t remind us of the pigeon’s reproduction.”

“Okay!” Coil galloped up to the front but didn’t see Sugar’s hoof out as she returned to her desk making him tumble to the ground. The class giggled but was silenced by a glare from Miss Spot. Sugar merely smirked while Daring growled softly from her desk.

“She thinks she’s so much better than everypony else. Right Humble? Humble?” said Daring as she saw Humble under his desk’s cover mumbling. “Humble?”

“Huh?” Closing the cover Humble looked up. “Oh, sorry Dazzle, I was doing something, what is it?”

“Nevermind, say did you decide what you’re going to do?”

“Yep!” Humble took out the paper he was working on last night and waved it in front of Daring. “All done.”

“Cool, what is it?”

Humble looked to the front of the room before smiling. “You’ll see.”

“And that’s why I think we should have a carrier pigeon coop on top of the school.” Coil finished his show and tell to a confused class.

“Um, Coil that was very nice.” Miss Spot nodded for him to get off the stage.

“Thanks Miss-Whoah!” Falling down again he quickly got up as Sugar whistled. “I’m okay!”

“Well then, I think we have time for one more presentation. Anypony?” Miss Spots looked to the foals and spotted Humble raising his hoof. “Oh, Humble how about you?”

“Thanks Miss Spot.” Humble walked to the front of the classroom and saw the entire room’s eyes staring at him. Daring merely gave him a smile.

“You can do this Humble!” shouted Coil who was quickly shushed.

“So Humble, what do you have for show and tell?” Miss Spot awaited an answer.

Looking down at his paper Humble coughed. “Um, a story.” The class leaned in at the mention of a story. “Once upon a time…”

*****

There lived an odd looking crow by the name of Arno. Arno was your average crow except in the fact that he had little friends and messy feathers on top of his head. His best friend was an equally lonely green pigeon named Claude. Arno and Claude would spend their days in swamps and grasslands trying to do tricks through the branches. One day as they played tag among the trees Arno saw another bird soaring above them. This bird was a beautiful looking hawk with eyes shimmering like ruby’s and feathers of gold topped with a silver patch on it’s head.

“Who’s that?” Arno said, looking at the hawk doing circles above them.

“Hmm?” Claude stopped his morning bread crumb search and looked up at the hawk. “Oh, she’s new from what I’ve heard  from the frogs. Apparently her names Bonnet or something.” Spotting a juicy worm, he went back to eating.

She’s amazing thought Arno as the hawk disappeared into the trees. “Um, Claude? I’ll be right back.” Arno took off in the direction of the hawk leaving Claude to his breakfast. “Where is she?” Arno scoured the tree branches till he heard a shout from below.

“Ow!” cried the hawk named Bonnet as she got hit on the head by a angry nut throwing squirrel. “Why you little-” A growl from her stomach made her smirk “-delicious morsel.” She flew right at the squirrel as Arno watched from behind some bushes till Bonnet slurped up the squirrel in one gulp. “Hmm, a little furry, but good enough.”

“By my griffon descendants, she’s amazing!” Arno would have continued his innocent stalking if not for Bonnet disappearing. “Hey, where did she-”

“Enjoying the sight pervert?” Bonnet smirked as Arno’s blood ran cold.

“Um, h-hello.” Arno looked up at the bird towering him. “Um, sorry about that.”

“Aw, it’s okay.” Bonnet spotted Arno’s odd head plumage. “So what’s your name puffy?”

“Huh? Oh, my name’s Arno.” Arno chuckled nervously.

“Nice to meet you Arno, name’s Bonnet.”

“Oh, I knew that.” Bonnet looked at Arnor with a weird look. “I mean I heard your name! It’s not like I spied on you.”

“But you just did.”

Arno had no comeback to the accusation since it was true so he decided to change the subject. “So, um, Bonnet. Would you like to, I don’t know, go see a light show?”

Bonnet grinned. “Are you asking me to mate with you?”

Arno regurgitated. “What!? Um, not that I wouldn’t like too, I mean not that I want too. It’s not because your attractive or anything, because I like you just  not because of your looks, which are fine, but , um.”

Bonnet tried her hardest not to burst out laughing before deciding to take pity on the stammering crow and brought him close to her. “Sure puffy, why not?” she whispered in his ears with a seductive tone causing Arno’s feather’s to stand up. “I see somebody’s excited.” She chuckled. “I’ll see you at the lagoon.” She took off leaving Arno to just be wide eyed at what happened.

“Um, sure.” Arno just stared up as Bonnet left him with one last show of her feathers. “Oh boy.”

That night outside the swamps nightly light shows,

“Do I look good?” Arno was staring into a puddle of water while Claude stood next to him.

“Yep.” Claude spied a bread crumb and pecked at it. “Just go in there and break a wing!”

Arno breathed deeply. “Okay.” Taking off he flew up into trees where he had seen Bonnet waiting. “Sorry  if I’m late,” he said perching onto the branch Bonnet was on. “Wanted to make a good impression.”

“No problem, so you wanna eat?”

“Sure.” Arno cawed loudly and a second later a hummingbird flew up to his face.

“WhatcanIgetyoumate?” The hummingbird held a piece of bark to his beak.

“I, uh, think the lady should get to decide first.” Arno glanced at Bonnet who snickered slightly causing him to blush.

“Why thank you sir,” Bonnet said in an exaggerated fancy accent. “I’ll have a the snake pasta please.”

“Ofcourse!” The hummingbird pecked at the bark, writing the order down. “Andforthegentlefowl?”

“I’ll just have a worm sandwich please.”

“Gotit!” The hummingbird pecked at the bark again before taking off.

Arno looked back at Bonnet who tilted her head at him.

“So,” Arno said. “How long have you’ve been in the swamps?”

“A couple days, I originally came here for the warmth but I think I’m gonna stick around for awhile. You?”

“Oh I’ve always lived in the swamp.” Arno didn’t know what to say next.

“I see.” Bonnet yawned slightly.

Oh no! thought Arno seeing the yawn. She’s getting bored! Think of something Arno.

“So, eh, those feathers of yours.” Arno pointed at the bronze colored wings of Bonnet. “They are quite unique.”

“Oh, these old things?” Bonnet opened up her wings. “Yeah I guess so, I got them from my dad’s side. He was a red tailed hawk you know.”

“Huh, my uncle’s a peacock.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, my mom used to say I got my colorful personality from him.” The two birds laughed at this.

“Hey, you're pretty funny.”

She thinks you're funny Arno! Don’t blow this.

Arno thought of another way to continue the conversation. “What’s the highest you ever flown before?”

“That’s a good question.” Bonnet perked her head up in thought for a few seconds. “I’d have to say the time I got caught up in a snowstorm.”

“You got caught up in a snowstorm and survived?” Arno wanted to hear this story.

“Yep, you see I was migrating when I decided to try a shortcut through the mountains I heard about. I was flying in a valley when I felt the first bit of snow pelt my wings…”

Arno listened intently to the story, only stopping to ask questions when things seemed to have got too unbelievable.

“...Next thing I know I’m on top of the region's highest mountain looking at a beautiful sunrise.” Bonnet had just finished their story when the hummingbird returned with their food.

“That sounds amazing, the most exciting thing I ever did was doing two loops in between a curled tree branch.”

“Well you know-” Bonnet looked sound shyly “-if you want to go this spring I could use the extra company.”

Arno almost bit through his wing. “Um, I, uh, yeah sure. Why not?” He smiled.

Bonnet smiled too, but was interrupted by the sound of a loud raven. “Attention creature’s of the swamp I have terrible news. Apparently the cook didn't realize that the fireflies were tonight’s entertainment and put them in the stew.”

“That would explain why my mouth is glowing.” A redjay pointed at his litup mouth.

“I’m afraid the show is canceled.” The audience groaned and croaked at this turn of events.

Bonnet sighed. “Well it looks like our date’s come to an end.”

“No!” Arno shouted aloud. “I mean, uh, I have another idea.”

“Like what?”

“Just follow me.” Arno go up and flew around the tree. “Well come on.”

Bonnet looked down in thought before smiling. “Aw, why not?” She flew off with Arno into the swamp.

“Heyyouforgottopay!” the humming bird shouted at the two.

After flying for a bit Arno descended down into a cave before noticing that Bonnet wasn’t coming in. “Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing, I just don’t like closed spaces.”

“Aw, come on. You fought through a snowstorm.”

Bonnet still looked hesitant and looked up to the moon. “Well, alright. But only for a bit.”

Arno cawed inwardly. “Ok, then. Lets go.”

The both flew into the dark cave till they came upon a small ledge where Arno flew down onto.

Bonnet was confused. “So what do you want me to see-” The sound of Arno whistling stopped her as her eyes grew wide at the sight before her. The walls of the cave turning into a bright blue and seemed to be wriggling. “Are those?”

“Glow worms, yep.” Arno was crushed by a sudden hug from Bonnet before she flew off and gobbled up dozens of the creatures. “A light show and dessert in one.” He chuckled at his joke before he heard a sudden rumbling. “Um, Bonnet?”

“Yeaf?” Bonnet said with her beak full of glow worms. “Whaf if it?”

“I think we should-” The sound of a staglite falling spoke for him. “Earthquake.”

The two flew out of the small room of glow worms and through the cave. When it seemed like they would escape, Arno heard a shrill scream.

“Bonnet!” He flew to the hawk who’s wing was crushed under a fallen rock. “Are you alright?”

“Arno get out of here!” Bonnet looked around the collapsing cave. “Go!”

“No! There has to be some way.” Arno was hit on the head by both a small rock and idea. “That’s it!” He put his beak next to Bonnet’s crushed wing. “Um, I’m really sorry about this.”

Bonnet realized what he was going to do and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, just do it! Oh!” Bonnet felt a wave of pleasure go through her body has Arno pulled her wing out under the rock. “You really are a pervert aren’t you?”

“Come on!” Arno helped Bonnet up and held onto her while both used their free wings to escape the cave just as it caved in.

“Woah!” Bonnet looked at the former entrance to the cave. “Now that was exciting, right Arno? Arno?” She saw Arno looking at a puddle murmuring to himself. “Arno are you alright?”

“I’m sorry!” Arno collapsed  in tear at Bonnet’s talons. “I’m sorry that you almost died and I violated you!” He would have continued sobbing if not for the feeling of Bonnets beak on him silencing him.

“You did nothing wrong and like I said that was exciting. Same time next week, babe?” Bonnet giggled at Arno’s expression. “I’ll take that as a yes.” Giving him one last kiss she flew off into the night sky with Arno still awe stricken on the ground.

Claude, who was looking for more worm, spotted Arno and flew down to him. “So did the date go ok?”

Arno thought carefully, thinking back to how the entire night went with the canceled dinner, him embarrassing himself at times, the collapsing of the cave, and the reluctant preening he did, and how Bonnet implied there would be more dates. He said the one thing that would summarize the whole thing.

“It was beaking awesome.”

*****

“The end.” Humble finished his story to a focused class and teacher. “Was it bad?”

The class started clapping loudly with the teacher clapping as well with only Daring noticing the one thing nobody else did. The sight of two pony faces, one sad the other smiling, with a pencil cut down the middle of them appearing on Humble’s flank. And she too quietly said the one thing that would summarize the whole story.

“Bucking awesome.”

*****

Humble awoke to the sound of his alarm clock.

“Mmmm, ehhh!” He yawed before looking around to see Slit by the foot of the bed. “Huh, guess it was all a dream boy.” Slit didn’t respond. “Let’s go see how Coil’s doing.” Getting up he looked down to see he was in the same sweater he got from Navigation. Oh buck me.

The sound of the door opening followed by the squeal of a niece interrupted Humble.

“Unkie Humble you're awake!” Pinkie hugged him tightly as he just stood their thinking. “Those baddies didn’t hurt you did they?”

“Pinkie, where’s A.K. Yearling?” Humble remembered how Daring fainted with him.

“Oh, she’s taking  napin Uncle Coil’s room-” Humble gently nudged her to the side and trotted toward the living room where the rest of the group was.

“So do you have any pigeon friends Miss Fluttershy?” Coil was pouring milk into everypony’s glasses.

“Oh. indeed, I have eleven of them-Humble you're awake!”

The group rushed to the still stallion.

“Sir, my name is Cloud Skipper. I am the captain-Woah!” Midnight pushed him roughly to the ground.

“Sir, don’t listen to that idiot. My name is Midnight Blossom of her Majesty, Princess Luna’s royal guard. We have a few questions for you.”

Humble didn’t reply.

“Humble, are you alright?” Rarity noticed how the stallion had a faraway look. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Humble?” Scootaloo poked him rapidly. “It’smeScootaloo. I’malrightsee?”

Humble still didn’t reply.

“We don’t just stand there parter. Tell us what’s the matter?” Applejack followed Humble’s gaze to Coil’s bedroom door. “Oh, I’m guessing Pinkie told ya about Miss Yearling. She’ll be alright-”

Humble moved past her and opened a kitchen cupboard with a groan. “Coil?” he said softly. “Where is the hard cider?”

“Oh, I poured it out. Got sour.”

“I see...I’ll be right back.” Humble took a green coat off the coat rack and shuffled out the door without another word.

The group just stood confused and bewildered at what they just witnessed with Rainbow Dash speaking up first.“Um, what just happened?”

“I don’t know darling, but something’s not right.”

“I’m gonna go after him, anybody else wanna-” Octavia, Pinkie, and Coil raised their hoofs. “Alright, the rest of you just stay here and see why  Miss Yearling fainted.” As they left the room Coil took one last look at his bedroom.

“Why does she seem so familiar?”

Downstairs,

Humble ran across the street to a liqour store only to find his journey blocked.

Humble read a note on the stores bars. “Not open at nine a.m? Oh, for the love of—”

“Unkie Humble!” Pinkie took hold of his muzzle. “What do you think you're doing?”

Twilight reached them with the rest. “Humble you shouldn’t run out like that. You’re in danger.”

Humble snorted. “I think I can handle myself. Now if you want to do something useful, help me open this lock!” Humble hit the lock with his hoof.

Pinkie gasped. “Unkie Humble! That was very rude!”

Humble looked downed and took a deep breath. “Your Majesty would you please take my niece back home? I need a second.”

Pinkie deflated at the idea that her uncle didn’t want her around. “But—” She felt a hoof on her shoulder and looked into the soft eyes of Coil.

“Come on sweetie, lets head home. We can have brownies.” That put Pinkie back in a good mood.

“Okie dokie! I’ll save you one Unkie Humble.”

Humble didn’t reply.

“With, em, ice cream?” Pinkie sighed and turned around. She trotted back to the apartment with Coil following her.

Twilight watched the two enter the building before turning her attention to Humble who was struggling to open the lock. “Humble are you alright?” Humble didn’t seem to hear. “Humble I said are you alri—”

“Twilight, I appreciate your concern, but can I just say  one thing and I mean this with no malice?”

“What?”

“Please be quiet.” Humble went back to the lock while Twilight just stood stunned.

Taking a deep breath, Twilight looked at Octavia. “Octavia maybe you can help?”

Octavia looked at Twilight like she asked her to kill somepony...which in her case was normal. Gazing down at Humble struggling with the lock she spoke, “alright, I can help.” Getting down next to Humble, she gently pushed him aside and took out two pieces of metal from her mane, aiming carefully she inserted them into the lock.”

Click! The padlock fell into the snow.

“Better?” Octavia looked up at Humble who nodded and went inside the dark building.

Twilight stood confused. “Um, Octavia, that’s illegal.”

Octavia shrugged. “Not if we get a royal pardon and pay for the drinks it isn’t.” She went inside leaving Twilight to ponder the criminal act she had just seen.

Humble jumped behind the bar table to scour the shelves of alcohol for his type of poison. “Lets see, Bloodshots, Grapebuster, ah! Apple cider.” Humble took the bottle from the shelf and got two shot glasses. “Drink ladies?”

“No, thank you,” said Octavia and Twilight.

Humble shrugged, and popped the cork of the bottle. He sipped at the bubbling foam occasionally till it dissipated leaving the brown liquid inside. “More for me.” He tilted the bottle into his mouth and guzzled it as Octavia and Twilight pulled up booth chairs to the countertop. He put the bottle down. “Aww, that does the trick.”

Twilight decided to try again. “Um, Humble?”

He looked up. “Yeah?”

“Would you mind telling us what happened up there?”

Humble looked at the wall for a second before taking another sip of the cider and pierced his lips in thought. “Tell me Twilight and Octavia, have you two ever had something you felt so, so strongly about? Like you knew it was going to come true?”

The mares looked surprised for a second at the question.

“Um, yes?” Octavia thought of her music career.

“Hmm, not really.” Twilight thought on how many times she had freaked out on small to larger things. “Why, have you felt strongly about something once?”

Humble nodded slightly. “I have indeed.” He took another swig of the bottle. “You know the only story I never told was how I got this.” He pointed at the pencil between the two faces. “It’s quite a tale.”

“I bet it is.” Twilight tried leaning for the bottle but a look from Octavia stopped her.

“It all began, well, it really began fifteen years back, but I think we should start in the middle.” He took another sip. “It all began when I was waiting for my fillyfriend...yes, my filly friend.” Octavia and Twilight leaned in but a belch from Humble made them lean back. “Excuse me, anyway where was I? Oh right, well my fillyfriend had just come home from a vacation from Prance, and get this, she got her cutie mark in the catacombs.”

Now Twilight was really interested. “The catacombs of Prance?”

“Know any other?”

“Well, there’s the ones in Poma-” A stare from Humble got her back on track “But, do continue your story please.”

“Well like I was saying, she got it in the catacombs…”

*****

Daring stirred in her sleep, a slimy, wet feeling ran across her cheek caused her to wake up to the sight of Slit licking her face. “Erm, stop Slit.” Putting him down on the floor she looked at her surroundings, the room was covered in wires, pictures of pigeons, and a dartboard of what looked like the inventor Light Wizard on the wall. “Where am—” The memories of seeing Humble in the doorway came flooding back. “Oh Celestia, no.” She put her face into her hooves, a second later a knock was heard at the rooms door.

“Hello, Miss Yearling?” Coil came in with a bowl “Are you alright? I brought you some cream corn.”

Daring didn’t know what to say to the stallion so she chose to greet him in her charmful way. “Who the heck are you?”

“Oh, my name’s Coil Sparks-”

“Coil!” Daring couldn’t believe her eyes as she saw the stallion that had been the pigeon obsessed colt from her youth had now become the pigeon obsessed stallion. “Is that really you?”

Coil recoiled from the shout. “Well I hope I’m me, I think a lot so sometimes so I forget who I am.” He put the cream corn on the nightstand. “So your names Yearling?” Daring nodded. “What a coincidence! I had a friend with the same last name!” Coil’s ears drooped. “That is till she went and broke my best buddy’s heart.”

Daring’s ears went up. “Really? And, um, what did your best buddy say about this mare?”

“He doesn’t like to talk about her.”

Daring frowned. “Really, Coil?”

“Yeah?”

“What was this mare’s name?”

“Oh Artemis, but we called her Dazzle. It’s weird.” Coil put his hoof to his chin. “Her initials where A.K. Yearling too.”

A few moments passed by before Coil’s eyes widen to the shape of platter plates.

“Oh. My. Celestia.” He walked slowly over to Daring. “Dazzle your back!” He flung his arms around the mare. “I’d knew you’d come back!”

Daring didn’t know what to make of the situation, so she just hugged Coil back. “Um, what do you mean you knew I would come back?”

“Oh, don’t be coy with me. Boop!” He said touching her snout. “You're here to be Humble’s special somepony again!” He practically squealed right then and there. “Oh, the gang’s back together—Huh?” The sound of a contained squeal came from behind the door. “Who’s there?” Coil opened the door to the sight of Pinkie dancing. “Pinkie?”

“I can’t believe it!” Pinkie bounced past Coil and pounced onto Daring with wide arms. “I thought you looked familiar when we first met, Auntie Dazzle!” Pinkie nuzzled Daring who’s expression was full of fear. “Oh, just wait till the other’s hear about this!” Pinkie got off Daring and galloped towards the living room.

Oh, ponyfeathers thought Daring.

Pinkie slid into the room where Rarity was in the middle of a game of chess with Midnight.

“Archer to E7, checkmate.” Rarity moved the archer forward and looked at a bewildered Midnight with a smirk.

Midnight didn’t know what to say, luckily Pinkie interrupted her defeat.

“Everypony I just found out A.K. Yearling is my long lost Auntie Dazzle!”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash almost choked on their fruit punch. “What?”

Fluttershy, Button, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom all looked up from their puzzle with shock. “Really?”

Pinkie nodded. “Isn’t that right Auntie Dazzle?” She looked to see only Coil waving at her. “Where did she go?”

Coil hummed joyfully as he trotted over to Pinkie. “Well sweetie, Auntie Dazzle left us this nice, rapidly written note before flying out the window.” He read the note. “Am going to go now, must get ready for a special event. Tell Humble that I won’t bother him, signed Dazzle. Aww, isn’t that sweet? Dazzle doesn’t want to bother Humble.” Nopony spoke. “What? Did I not read it that good?”

Back at the bar,

“And geth this!” a heavily drunk Humble slurred to a fully captured audience of Twilight and Octavia. “She says she’s sworry, runs off, and twat’s it!”

“Oh, Humble.” Octavia put her hoof onto Humble’s who quickly took another sip. “I didn’t know.”

“Humble?” Humble looked at Twilight who had a small tear spot on her fur. “I-I can’t imagine what to say right now, I never heard of that kind of thing happening before. But what does this have to do with you leaving?”

Humble held the cider bottle upside down to see if their was anything left, but grumbled when only a last drop came out. He put the bottle down and stared at Twilight, sobriety briefly rushing back to him. “Twilight, the reason I told you about this is simple.” He got up slowly and trotted over to the window. “That mare? That Miss Yearling?” He pointed at Coil’s open window. “She was my first and last love.”

Next Chapter: Old wounds Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 57 Minutes